Casuals with Katie Nolan — Episode Summary

Podcast Information

• Podcast: Casuals with Katie Nolan
• Host: Katie Nolan (SiriusXM)
• Episode: Reindeer Trophies, Another Gotham Shocker, and Kai Trump's LPGA High Score
• Date: November 18, 2025

Episode Overview

This lively episode of Casuals delivers a blend of sports news, hilarious commentary, and authentic fan banter. Katie Nolan is joined by the full “Casualties” crew: Isabella (sports newbie), Chris (editor and resident Australian), and Brady (occasional expert), plus a flood of listener emails. The team dishes on everything from bizarre trophies and memorable sports mishaps, to hot-button cultural moments, all while keeping the tone fun, inclusive, and refreshingly irreverent.

Main Segments:

1. Listener Mailbag: Drake May conspiracy, White High School Rappers, Lil Dicky stories
2. The Kai Trump LPGA Debut Scandal
3. NWSL (National Women’s Soccer League) Playoffs Drama & Gotham’s Final Berth
4. Quirky Sports Injuries (Jack Hughes’ hand!)
5. NFL Recap and Reality TV crossover news
6. “Should I Have Said That Out Loud?” — memorable athlete quotes
7. What to Watch This Week: Underdog stories, Australian sports oddities, and quirky trophies

Key Discussion Points and Insights

1. Listener Mailbag Fun

• Drake May/Brady Clone Conspiracy:
  • Listener brings up the viral (but fake) conspiracy theory that NFL quarterback Drake May is a Tom Brady clone, prompting the crew’s usual “is this real?” banter.
  • Brady jokes:

    "If you're asking me how it feels to be rooting for the team with the very first known cloned quarterback... Feels good." (07:45)

• White High School Rappers:
  • Multiple emails about the seemingly universal phenomenon of “white rapper” high school classmates.
  • Notable story from Andrew about “Knuckle Deep” and their album “Secretions”:

    “Came out the womb with a 3 inch penis. Look at me now. I’m a lyrical genius. Flo's hitting harder than Serena and Venus.” (09:00)

  • Crew cracks up dissecting this questionable lyric.
• Lil Dicky Sightings:
  • Listener reveals they went to school with rapper/comedian Lil Dicky (David Burd), who was apparently also a badminton champ.
  • Katie points out the random nature of high school success stories and how surreal those connections feel at reunions.

2. Kai Trump’s LPGA Wild Card (17:00)

• Who is Kai Trump?
  • Donald Trump’s granddaughter, daughter of Donald Jr. and Vanessa (who’s now dating Tiger Woods).
  • Given a “sponsor’s exemption” to play in a pro LPGA event despite ranking 461st (junior) and 1081st (world juniors).
• Performance and Backlash:
  • Finished dead last at 18 over par (missed cut by 17 strokes).
  • LPGA awkwardly tried to spin it for PR, deleted the “Trump finishes dead last” headline and replaced it with “Trump Grateful for Chance.”
  • Katie (18:18):

    “Girl, you stink. Girl, you are not good. You are out here being very bad at golf and we can all see and so boo to you. You stink.”

  • Conversation about the unique flavor of criticism women—especially high-profile ones—face online and how quickly legitimate criticism gets twisted into sexism.
  • Critique of the LPGA’s lackluster media strategy:

    “If you're doing it for publicity, then make it about publicity. ...Pick a lane and go in it.” (19:41)

3. NWSL Playoffs – Gotham FC in the Final (24:11)

• Recap:
  • Gotham wins another thriller, beating Orlando Pride 1-0 with a stoppage-time goal.
  • Emotional rollercoaster for fans.

    “I spent the majority of the game feeling like I was gonna vomit.” —Katie (24:44)

• Post-match callout:
  • Star Midge Purce gives a live shoutout to ESPN for snubbing a teammate’s highlight:

    “Last week, ESPN Top 10, you guys, SportsCenter Top 10. You missed Katie Stengel. That goal was storybook ...next time!” (27:04)

• Looking ahead:
  • Gotham faces Washington Spirit; uncertainty swirls around USWNT star Trinity Rodman’s future amid European poaching and pay disparity debates.

    “Women are obviously starting way lower and asking for their money... What does the league owe to them? How do we get the league to pay them?” (28:19)

4. Quirky Sports Injuries & NHL Notes (32:01)

• Jack Hughes’ Dinner Disaster:
  • Devils’ star Jack Hughes set to miss 8 weeks after a dinner-glass accident shreds his hand—prompting disbelief and funny injury tale comparisons.
  • Katie (33:24):

    “Your foot’s just a mess of tendons. And I imagine your hand is similar, right? Cause it’s your upstairs foot. Or maybe your foot’s your downstairs hand.”

• Odd Giveaways:
  • The Anaheim Ducks’ “duck foot” Crocs up for grabs—crew is weirdly excited.

5. NFL Headlines & Reality TV Crossover (39:15)

• Reality Hot Seat Alt-cast:
  • NBC rolling out a “Bravo meets NFL” alt-broadcast, featuring reality stars (Boston Rob, Heather Gay, etc.) as color commentators.
  • Katie is skeptical but intrigued:

    “We're not reinventing the game. We're simply watching it through a different lens, one that leans into the unscripted storylines already happening on the field.” (41:56)

• NFL Game Recaps:
  • Brady’s Commanders continue to lose.
  • The “Mike McDaniel 4th down decision” gets debated at length; Katie and crew analyze coaching risk vs. reward (44:09).
• Rookie Update:
  • Browns’ rookie Shador Sanders makes a dismal NFL debut; the crew offers empathy and context for fan impatience (46:47).

6. MLB Awards Reactions (47:50)

• Shohei Ohtani’s Historic MVP
  • Clean sweep, further cements status as generational talent.
• AL MVP Controversy:
  • Frustration over Aaron Judge’s win in a year where “Big Dumper” (Cal Raleigh) captured fan hearts.
  • Katie (51:06):

    “What award goes to the guy that, like, captured the heart of a nation?”

7. “Should I Have Said That Out Loud?” Memorable Quotes (52:24)

• Tua Tagovailoa Wants to Play in...Jerusalem?
  • When asked about playing in Europe, Dolphins QB Tua drops a howler:

    “Pretty cool to go play in Jerusalem.” (53:50)

  • Crew is incredulous at the geography fail and general media obtuseness.
• Cooper Kupp Reacts to Tribute Video:
  • On learning the Rams will play a tribute for him:

    “I didn’t die. You know, I’m here.” (56:36)

• Draymond Green heckling:
  • Annoyed at being called “Angel Reese,” Draymond says:

    “You can’t keep calling me a woman...I’ve got four kids and one on the way.” (58:43)

  • Crew cracks up at the misogynist logic.

8. What to Watch This Week (62:58)

Fan-Favorite/Underdog Stories:

• West Virginia Women’s Hoops:
  • After six players are ejected, the depleted team beats Duke with just five players (and only one starter).
• Australian “Ashes” Cricket Explained:
  • Chris shares the fabulously petty origin story of the Australia–England cricket rivalry, and the tiny, coveted Ashes urn:

    “[The trophy] is 10 centimeters tall...everyone poses with this tiny [urn].” (66:44)

Quirky Trophy of the Week:

• Mikaela Shiffrin’s Ninth Reindeer:
  • Ski champion wins her ninth live reindeer as a prize in Finland—more reindeer than Santa himself.
• Katie (68:59):

  “That’s like when Pimp My Ride used to pimp people’s ride...you’ve saddled me with this reindeer and I have no presents to deliver.”

Other Viewing Recommendations:

• AFL Draft & “Father-son rule” explained—nepotism as codified tradition.
• NHL’s New Women’s League Kicks Off:
  • The new PWHL’s “Torrent” vs. “Goldeneyes” inaugural game (73:25).

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• Conspiracy Theories:

  “Drake May is a clone. And if you’re asking me how it feels to be rooting for the team with the very first known cloned quarterback. Feels good. Feels so good. ...We rule and you all drool.” —Brady (07:45)

• On Kai Trump’s LPGA Debut:

  “Girl, you stink. Girl, you are not good. You are out here being very bad at golf and we can all see and so boo to you. You stink.” —Katie (18:18)

• On Gotham FC Playoff Win:

  “I spent the majority of the game feeling like I was gonna vomit. ...They barely. They, like, were at the—they were the lowest seed in the playoffs. They won a game that nobody thought they were going to win. They’ve embraced this underdog mentality.” —Katie (24:44)

• On Criticizing Women in Sports:

  “I'm not saying every attack on every woman for anything they've ever done is because of sexism. I'm just saying it devolves into sexism at an alarming rate...” —Katie (18:18)

• Tua’s Geography Fail:

  “Pretty cool to go play in Jerusalem.” —Tua Tagovailoa (53:50)
  “[Is] Jerusalem in Europe?” —Katie (56:04)

• On Award Snubs:

  “I just think, like, I hope... Cal [Raleigh] knows what his season meant to his fans.” —Katie (51:20)

Important Timestamps

• 00:58 – 03:25: Casuals crew intros; banter
• 05:07 – 10:18: Listener mails—conspiracy theories, white rappers, Lil Dicky
• 14:09 – 20:57: Kai Trump’s LPGA appearance dissected
• 24:11 – 32:01: NWSL playoffs and Gotham’s wild win; future of women’s soccer stars
• 32:01 – 37:13: Jack Hughes’ glass-hand injury and other injury stories
• 39:15 – 46:47: NFL news; reality TV alt-casts; recaps and coaching controversy
• 47:50 – 51:19: MLB awards, MVP debates
• 52:24 – 60:04: “Should I Have Said That Out Loud?”—Tua, Cooper Kupp, Draymond Green
• 63:15 – 74:45: Weekly viewing picks—underdogs, cricket, reindeer trophies, AFL draft, women’s hockey

Tone and Style

Friendly, witty, and highly accessible, with a blend of deep sports knowledge, pop-culture irreverence, and authentic fan energy. The Casuals team are unfiltered but empathetic—committed to making sports talk feel more like recess than homework.

For the Busy Listener

This episode is a one-stop shop for the week’s quirkiest sports stories, hot takes, and WTF moments. Come for the Kai Trump golf failure, stay for the reindeer trophies, Gotham FC’s epic playoff vibes, and plenty of “did they really say that?!” athlete soundbites.

Recommended for: Anyone who loves sports, hates sports radio, or just wants to laugh at the weirdest corners of fandom and pop culture.

Next episode preview: Beth Stelling joins for more comedic sports deep dives—and, apparently, field hockey stories.