Casuals with Katie Nolan

Episode: Isabella's First Pitch, Sue Bird's Statue, and Taylor Swift at the Super Bowl

Date: August 19, 2025
Host: Katie Nolan
Guests: Isabella, Chris, Brady
Produced by: SiriusXM

Overview

This episode of Casuals captures everything that makes the podcast great: lively banter about the biggest stories in sports, personal adventures, and an inclusive, irreverent perspective on fandom. The main stories this week include Isabella’s memorable first pitch for the Brooklyn Cyclones, a celebratory recap of Sue Bird’s WNBA statue in Seattle, and a detailed examination of Taylor Swift Super Bowl speculation. In true 'Casuals' form, Katie and the crew also weigh in on everything from male NFL cheerleaders to fan letters, wild baseball moments, memorabilia quirks, and the best and worst in sports “scandals” with their new “Reviewable Fouls” segment.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

Cold Open, Intros & Banter ([01:32]-[03:42])

• Lighthearted discussion about new words in the Cambridge Dictionary ("skibidi", "broligarchy", "girligarchy").
• Quick intros for the whole crew: Isabella (first pitch), Chris (accented grape enthusiast), Brady (well-rested producer).
• In-jokes about accidental TikTok references, vacation stories, and inter-crew dynamics.

The Yap: Male NFL Cheerleaders Outrage ([03:42]-[12:42])

Main Takeaways:

• Katie vents frustration over the “uproar” around male NFL cheerleaders, calling out media talking points and political opportunism.
• Fox News hosts Jay Feely and Will Cain’s takes are lampooned for their manufactured outrage and lack of actual concern for women in sports.
• Katie calls out hypocrisy in past treatment of female cheerleaders, reminding listeners of underpayment and sexual harassment issues, and notes the real problem is people who can’t handle change.

Notable Quotes:

• “If you can't focus on the game because the presence of a human being whose life is different than yours is so distracting to you, that's a you problem. And it's, if I may, an embarrassing you problem. Grow up.” — Katie ([10:53])
• [On internet outrage] "It’s super embarrassing that what you want to talk about is that, like, a couple more teams have male cheerleaders now. It’s not the first, not even the second." — Katie ([11:53])

Isabella’s First Pitch Recap ([19:12]-[28:54])

Main Takeaways:

• Isabella shares her experience throwing out the first pitch for the Brooklyn Cyclones, including nervousness, last-minute practice, and performing her signature "Cyclone pitch" (double spin and throw).
• The crew reacts supportively, comparing her to viral first-pitch flops (like 50 Cent), but praising her ambition and execution.
• Minor league baseball as a fun, inclusive, and community-centric experience is highlighted.
• Anecdotes about family support, cute coordinated fan outfits, and being recognized by a podcast listener (Aviva).
• Katie humorously describes a near-disaster subway ride home.

Notable Quotes:

• “Catch is a lot of fun, guys. But I will say, doing it for like the first time in…since I was maybe a kid, my arm was sore the day of the pitch.” — Isabella ([20:50])
• “Her dad wore a hat…I looked up and I saw him, and he was like, go.” — Katie ([26:02])
• “Support your local minor league team. Minor league baseball is the best.” — Brady ([28:54])

Taylor Swift Super Bowl Conspiracy and Fan Mail ([29:39]-[36:31])

Main Takeaways:

• A deluge of fan emails/voicemails theorize about Swift’s plans: numerology, her birthday, album drops, and hints she’ll perform at the Super Bowl.
• Brendan from St. Louis’s voicemail breaks down mascot clues, color symbolism, and “Sourdough Sam” theories.
• The crew admires Swifties’ attention to detail, Katie jokes about not having the organizational skills to foreshadow her own life the way Swift does.
• Brief loving analysis of the Travis Kelce-Taylor dynamic.

Notable Quotes:

• “Like, there’s no…the forward thinking to know what you’re gonna do is something I find so foreign to me. I almost didn’t make it home from Brooklyn, I can’t be planning my life out like this.” — Katie ([33:13])
• "Anything she does is like—and 1 plus 3 is 4 and 13 is a 1 and a 3, 4. She's gonna start golfing." — Katie ([32:28])

Orienteering Challenge & More Community Mail ([36:31]-[39:14])

Main Takeaways:

• Encouragement for Isabella to try out orienteering, as mapped out by a listener.
• Mild exasperation from Katie about the ever-growing “correspondence” with recurring mailer Dave, prompting inside-joke about not always reading every email on air.

“Did You See That?” Sports Oddities ([39:14]-[42:47])

Highlights:

• Candelaria Rivas Ramos: Walked 14 hours to a 63 km ultramarathon, won it in traditional sandals, all for a $370 prize with no training — unanimously dubbed "Woman of the Month" ([41:13]).
• WNBA’s first regular season game in Canada, a "test run" for expansion ([42:23]).

Quick Hit Sports Coverage & Little League World Series ([42:47]-[46:34])

• Massachusetts and Australia out of the LLWS; confusion/complexity in brackets; South Dakota’s Maxen Snoozy praised for a one-hit shutout.
• Lin Chin-si from Chinese Taipei, age 12, hitting 82 mph fastballs — compared to 107 mph at the MLB mound.

Notable Quote:

• “From his hand. From his, from his like peanut butter covered hand. Like it's like kid hand.” — Katie ([46:45])

Sports Fandom, Memorabilia and “Big Dumper” Lore ([51:44]-[55:39])

• Mariners’ Cal Raleigh signing a toilet seat for a fan (“Big Dumper” nickname origins).
• Crew debates if the seat will be displayed or…used.
• Hilarious speculation about the logistics of bringing a toilet seat into a ballpark.

Rapid Fire News: Weddings, Sue Bird, and Statues ([55:56]-[68:11])

• Logan Paul’s wedding and Danish traditions (groom’s socks cut to prevent cheating).
• Katie’s passionate celebration of Sue Bird's statue outside Climate Pledge Arena, first of its kind for a WNBA player.
• Extended bit mocking famously bad statues (Cristiano Ronaldo, Dwyane Wade).

Notable Quote:

• “She played all 21 years of her career…led them to four WNBA championships…to spend 21 years with one team the entire time to be…that’s very cool.” — Katie ([66:29])

Reviewable Fouls: New Segment ([73:58]-[105:19])

Segment Premise:

• Sports infractions/social controversies reviewed by the panel: was it really a “foul" or are people overreacting?

Standout Cases:

• CJ Stroud wearing a Mariners hat as a Houston Texan ([76:36]): Foul — “It’s all about the swag baby.” No pass.
• Victor Robles throws bat after multiple HBPs ([79:53]): Foul but with understanding, Isabella is unusually forgiving.
• Dylan Gabriel’s “entertainers vs. competitors” QB quote ([84:28]): Waitlisted/unclear, panel baffled by his non-explanation.
• Sha’Carri Richardson airport incident ([87:46]): Unanimous foul — “Top to bottom, figure it out.”
• College player marketing hats with a problematic surname ([88:32]): Unanimous foul, concern about cultural awareness.
• Houston Rockets’ schedule release video ([94:20]): Split, Katie calls it foul for not achieving its purpose, others shrug.
• Matt Strahm’s white glove on Players Weekend ([97:07]): No foul, little harm, but he does have to follow the rules.
• Oklahoma Sooners charging $692 for fans to attend a press conference ([101:38]): Split, Katie and Brady call foul, Chris is a capitalist: “No foul, the market demands this.”

Noteworthy Quotes & Moments

• “Support your local minor league team. Minor league baseball is the best.” — Brady ([28:54])
• "If you can't focus on the game because the presence of a human being whose life is different than yours is so distracting to you, that's a you problem. And it's, if I may, an embarrassing you problem. Grow up." — Katie ([10:53])
• “That’s how you silence the haters.” — On 16-year-old soccer player Sky Stout scoring on debut after being bullied online ([107:31])
• “It’s like, forcing a fart. All you get is shit.” — Asia Wilson, Las Vegas Aces ([108:21])
• “I thought we were almost done with the podcast. How’d we get here?” — Katie ([72:39]), after a nostalgia tangent about burger giveaways and “the good old days”.

Timestamps for Key Segments

| Segment | Timestamps | |-------------------------------------------|--------------| | Cold Open & Intros | 01:32–03:42 | | Yap: Male NFL Cheerleaders | 03:42–12:42 | | Isabella’s First Pitch | 19:12–28:54 | | Taylor Swift Fan Theories & Mailbag | 29:39–36:31 | | Orienteering, Map Challenge | 36:31–39:14 | | Did You See That? (Ramos Ultra, etc.) | 39:14–42:47 | | Little League World Series & Stories | 42:47–46:34 | | High-Speed 12-year-old Pitcher | 46:34–48:40 | | “Big Dumper,” Memorabilia & Fan Antics | 51:44–55:39 | | Logan Paul’s Wedding/Sue Bird Statue | 55:56–68:11 | | Reviewable Fouls Segment | 73:58–105:19 | | Shoutouts/What to Watch | 105:19–113:14|

The Show’s Unique Vibe

Katie and her co-hosts continue to mix high sports IQ with a truly casual, inclusive, and comedic tone. Pop culture, fan communities, inside jokes, and real-life mishaps blend with deeply informed commentary and a welcoming spirit for both die-hard and casual fans. If you want sports talk that makes you laugh, keeps you up to date, and never talks down to its audience, Casuals is in championship form this week.

“What to Watch” – Sports Events Plugged

([110:07]-[113:14])

• Women’s Rugby World Cup: USA v. England, Friday, 2:30pm ET, Paramount+
• MLB: Red Sox v. Yankees, Friday, 7:05pm ET, Amazon Prime
• Pickleball MLP Finals: Saturday/Sunday, pickleballtv.com or CBS

Final Thoughts

Casuals is at its best in this jam-packed episode. You’ll come away feeling like you spent a night laughing at the bar with friends, heard some of the sharpest sports and pop culture takes around, and became part of a true community of “casualties.” Don’t miss it.