Casuals with Katie Nolan: “CBA, Unrivaled, and Olympic Beds”
Episode Date: February 19, 2026
Guest: Nafisa Collier
Theme: Olympic euphoria, labor relations in sports, and a conversation with an elite WNBA star.
Episode Overview
This engaging, irreverent, and insightful episode finds Katie and the Casuals crew deep in Winter Olympics mode—a festival of triumphs, heartbreaks, and weird sports trivia. Later, Katie welcomes WNBPA VP and Olympian Nafisa Collier to talk labor negotiations, Unrivaled, and her unique perspective as both an athlete and union leader. There’s also a signature dose of the show’s laid-back humor, pop culture riffs, and listener interaction.
Key Topics & Discussion Highlights
1. Olympic Moments & Emotions
[08:00–20:09]
- Olympic Storylines: Katie opens by celebrating the drama and unpredictability of the Winter Games, acknowledging the emotional rollercoaster for fans and athletes alike.
- Mikaela Shiffrin’s Redemption:
Katie recounts Mikaela Shiffrin’s slalom gold after an 8-year Olympic drought and a tough loss of form in Beijing 2022.“She said, after winning this gold, ‘The skiing is what I cared about. And of course, to medal and to win gold, that's a dream come true. But at some point this week, I just said, stop dreaming, just ski.’” – Katie [11:50]
- Johannes Høsflot Klæbo’s 10th Gold:
Banter about how cross-country skiing is “the most boring” but still awe-worthy. - Sophia Kirkby’s Viral Olympic Date:
Extended riff on Olympians dating fans, “spa as a first date,” and the perils of being too open on the internet.
2. Figure Skating: Tears and Triumphs
[19:33–25:26]
- American “Blade Angels”: Amber Glenn, Alyssa Liu, Isabeau Levito & the Taylor Swift NBC hype video.
- Alysa Liu’s Emotional Performance: Katie is effusive about Liu’s artistry and story of leaving and returning to skating, urging all to watch her.
“It is. I had multiple people text me and go, why am I crying during figure skating? And I was like, I don't know, but I am, too. It's beautiful…” – Katie [22:53]
- Scoring Frustrations: The crew laments figure skating’s harsh technical deductions, especially Amber Glenn’s missed triple.
3. Olympics Listener Mail & Human Moments
[25:26–28:39]
- Olympians Need Hugs: A voicemail suggests Olympics should have “professional huggers” for devastated athletes. Katie supports the idea and recounts the agony of a skier lost in the woods after a miss.
- Alana Myers Taylor’s Historic Bobsled Gold:
Emotional resonance as Katie describes Myers Taylor’s long hunt for gold at age 41 and her gratitude speech.“She thanked her husband, she thanked her nannies…She has two sons. They're both Deaf. And she was like…they had to sacrifice so much for me to see this goal all the way through…Oh, I'm gonna cry again. I love the Olympics.” – Katie [29:18]
4. Olympic Hockey Drama & Relationships
[31:17–36:16]
- Men’s and Women’s Hockey: Uncertainties due to recording times, but suspense around the USA, Canada, and the return (or not) of NHLers. Sidney Crosby’s potential injury is discussed.
- Rivalry and Romance: Katie and Brady tease (alleged) romance drama between a US and Canadian women’s player who may have just broken up.
“Can you imagine having to play against your ex on such a huge... Like, the stakes are already high enough.” – Katie [36:06]
5. Olympic Workers Goings-On
[36:51–39:56]
- Viral Cameraman (Jordan Cowan): A former ice dancer now capturing live figure skating close-ups on ice skates.
- Moonwalking Ice Sprayer: Chief ice tech Mark Callan’s viral “moonwalk” technique in curling, plus a nod to the unsung technical crew.
6. Pop Culture: Hannah Montana & Olympian Double Lives
[40:38–47:45]
- Hannah Montana Special: Excitement about Miley’s Disney special sparks a game—"Olympian Double Lives."
- Olympians’ Professions Beyond Sports:
- Tara Peterson (curler): Dentist
- Aidan Oldenburg (curler): Environmental scientist
- Ryan Cochrane Siegel (alpine skier): Maple syrup farmer
- Ashley Farquharson (luge): Business student—luge as "side quest."
- Maddie Schizas (figure skater): Went viral for emailing her prof for an extension due to competing at the Olympics.
- Julia Simon (biathlon): Committed credit card fraud against a teammate (!).
“I also love the idea of a side quest just becoming super successful… Oh, I meddled in my side quest.” – Katie [44:26]
Main Interview: Nafisa Collier on CBA Negotiations, Unrivaled & More
[59:39–72:11]
Napheesa Collier (WNBPA VP, Minnesota Lynx, Unrivaled co-founder) joins to discuss:
7. Giving Back – The Icy Hot Comeback Court
[59:39]
- Collier’s community court partnerships:
“We're hoping this court is able to grow with the kids here and that they can use it for years to come… to get outside with their friends.” – Collier
8. WNBA CBA & Labor Disputes
[60:14–63:28]
-
Current CBA tension: The WNBA’s and WNBPA's revenue sharing distance, housing provisions, league PR maneuvering, and whether a lockout looms.
-
On making a stand:
“We are... This is our livelihood. We're basketball players… But just feeling really confident and, like, assured in our stance that... we will not play until what we feel like is a fair deal has been done.” – Collier [61:16]
-
How fans can help:
“Continue to show your support online, especially... be really vocal about that because it does make a difference.” – Collier [61:45]
-
On MLBPA’s abrupt leadership resignation & its impact:
“That position [union head] is extremely important. And so right before negotiation is not ideal to find a new one.” – Collier [63:28]
9. Recovering from Injury, Unrivaled’s Growth & All-Star Weekend
[63:41–67:05]
- Collier details her rehab, feels “excited” at progress despite missing Unrivaled’s second season—but appreciates seeing the league from a new angle.
- One-on-one basketball events are “must-watch,” fueling a spicy comparison to the NBA’s lackluster All-Star weekend.
10. UConn Domination & Women’s College Basketball
[67:05–68:32]
- Collier hypes UConn and Azzi Fudd as future WNBA stars.
“Shooting always transitions. Like, she is just a really solid player. You know what you're going to get from her.” – Collier [67:37]
11. Olympic Village Mems (and Beds!)
[68:48–70:58]
- Team USA Basketball doesn’t stay in the main village—Collier describes the vibe with men’s team at the hotel, but wishes for more cross-sport mingling.
“I think my bed situation was a little bit nicer.” – Collier [70:29]
- Katie jokes about the infamous anti-sex Olympic beds:
“I also think there were...a couple years ago, they did something about, like, there's too much sex, so we're gonna make anti sex beds. And it was like, what?” – Katie [70:42] “But it's grown people. Yeah. Let them live.” – Collier [70:55]
12. Winter Olympics Fandom & Final Inspiration
[71:09]
- Collier admits to becoming a curling fiend by osmosis in the training room, but her heart lies with figure skating.
- Katie insists she check out Alysa Liu’s short program:
“You may tear up. It's one of the most beautiful things I've ever seen. I absolutely love it.” – Katie [71:23]
- Katie closes by lauding Collier’s advocacy and fearlessness.
Listener Questions & Endgame
[74:03–80:22]
- Correction: Diana Taurasi, not LeBron or KD, has the most Olympic basketball golds (6).
- Mailbag: Should mercy rules be mandatory in baseball and softball?
- Quick explainer for casual listeners and lively debate about the ethics and purpose of “run rules.”
- Isabella’s verdict: “I guess make it mandatory. I don't know.” [77:56]
- Brady: More important (not less) in baseball, due to pitcher injuries.
Notable Quotes
- Katie on Olympic Emotions:
“I'm feeling excited, I'm feeling happy, I'm feeling proud, I'm feeling devastated. It's like there's so much packed into these two weeks and it's coming to a close, which I'm really sad about.” [08:00]
- Listener Josh on Olympic Hurt:
“I would like to offer myself up as a professional hugger. I feel like everyone in these positions, whether it's the guy who fell in the skiing and immediately walked through the woods, or Amber Glen or Malinin or anybody, I'm here and I believe I give top notch hugs.” [25:30]
- Napheesa Collier on Negotiations:
“We're basketball players. We want to play, but just feeling really confident and... that we will not play until what we feel like is a fair deal has been done.” [61:16]
- Katie on side quests:
“I also love the idea of a side quest just becoming super successful… oh, I meddled in my side quest.” [44:26]
- Katie on anti-sex beds:
“It's grown people. Yeah. Let them live.” – Collier [70:58]
Timestamps for Major Segments
- Olympic Recap, Shiffrin, Klæbo: 08:00–15:00
- Amber Glenn, Figure Skating Scoring: 21:45–24:43
- Listener Mail: Olympic Hugs: 25:26–28:39
- Alana Myers Taylor: 28:39–31:17
- Men’s & Women’s Olympic Hockey: 31:17–36:16
- Viral Olympic Workers: 36:51–39:56
- Hannah Montana “Double Life” Game: 41:19–44:03
- Napheesa Collier Interview Begins: 59:39
- CBA/Labor: 60:14–63:28
- Unrivaled/All-Star: 63:41–67:05
- UConn, Women’s CBB: 67:05–68:32
- Olympic Beds: 68:48–71:09
Tone & Style
The episode balances sports nerdery with casual, welcoming humor and behind-the-scenes candor. Katie’s inclusive, self-deprecating tone (“I pretend to [understand Winter sports], and I'm trying my best, right?”) makes everyone—from the sports-obsessed to the sports-curious—feel at home. The interview with Nafisa Collier adds a note of resolve and inspiration, with Collier lending clarity to complicated topics with grace, determination, and humility.
Takeaways
- Winter Olympics are as much about emotion and human stories as medal counts and stats.
- Labor disputes are everywhere in sports—and behind every negotiation are real people and livelihoods.
- Olympians are regular people too, many with fascinating “double lives” off the rink or court.
- Uplifting, fun, and thoughtful—Casuals brings sports alive for all fans, with a healthy dose of empathy.
For next episode: Expect an Olympics wrap-up and superlatives, more sports news with a side of pop culture, and of course, that signature Casuals warmth and laughter.
For full or video episodes: YouTube.com/KatieNolan (1-day delay)
Contact: CasualsWithKatieNolanMail.com | Voicemail: 646-801-0043 | IG/TikTok: @CasualsThePodcast