Serving, Spiking, and Eliza Dushku Singalongs | with Jordan Lucas

Summary

Casuals with Katie Nolan

Episode: Serving, Spiking, and Eliza Dushku Singalongs | with Jordan Lucas
Date: May 7, 2026
Host: Katie Nolan
Guest: Jordan Lucas
Producer/Panel: Isabella (Sports Newbie), Chris (Editor), Brady
Theme: Banter and insightful discussion on sports, misinformation, social media, and a vibrant interview with viral volleyball sensation Jordan Lucas.

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Episode Overview

This episode kicks off with the Casuals panel discussing Met Gala looks before quickly moving into the heart of the week’s sports and pop culture stories, focusing heavily on how misinformation is spreading in sports media. The highlight is an energetic, funny, and heartfelt interview with Jordan Lucas, the flamboyant and genuine men’s volleyball star whose viral highlights and unapologetic authenticity have started conversations across the sports world.

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Main Topics & Key Discussion Points

1. Met Gala Sports Crossovers (01:03 – 03:00)

• Discussion of Favorite Looks: Eileen Gu’s surreal, “primordial soup”-inspired look (01:28). Compliments for Emma Chamberlain and shoutout to Paige Bueckers’ artist-smock suit.
• Tone: Playful, fashion-forward, blends sports and pop-culture.

“Yes, girl, go serve primordial soup.” — Katie (01:57)

2. Shoutouts & Friends’ Success in Sports Media (03:51 – 12:07)

• Pablo Torre’s Pulitzer: Celebratory teasing about his win and how to pronounce “Pulitzer.”
• Mina Kimes Hosting Spelling Bee: A nod to Mina’s spelling prowess and her goal to bring “big game feel” to the Scripps National Spelling Bee (07:44).
• Stavros’ Acting Career: From comedic football misery on the podcast to new acting gigs.
• Matt Johnson’s “Tony” Movie: Excitement for the Anthony Bourdain biopic.

“Congratulations, Pablo. We're proud of you. Obviously it was for what he did with the Kawhi Leonard Clippers.” — Katie (07:05)

3. Movie Talk and Theaters Return (12:10 – 13:28)

• Quick review segment of recent movies and upcoming releases (“Odyssey,” “Oddity,” “Hokum”).
• Panel discusses last theater experiences.

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4. Katie’s “Yap” Monologue: Social Media Misinformation in Sports (13:28 – 28:44)

• Misinformation Epidemic: Katie passionately warns about viral sports clips being faked or misconstrued, especially with fake captions on muted videos (15:59).
• Examples: Fake quotes attributed to athletes like Klay Thompson, manipulated screenshots, and how viral outrage perpetuates misinformation.
• Sports and Fan Culture: The difficulty for new/casual fans to tell real stories from fan fiction, particularly as “parody” or troll accounts look increasingly legit.
• Notable Moment: The Quincy Richardson/Chris Paul/Worldwide WOB fake hiring tweet saga. (20:09)
• Broader Point: Social media’s “hot streets” and the monetization of fandom-driven emotion.

“Just please hit unmute on a video before you share it.” — Katie (19:25)

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5. Mad Libs: The "Fake Headline" Game (28:44 – 40:13)

• Katie presents actual recent sports headlines as Mad Libs, underlining how absurd real news can be:
  • Taylor Lewan vs. Andrew Hawkins beef squashed by “The Rock.”
  • Austin Rivers and Draymond Green feud.
  • AI-generated Spencer Pratt mayoral ad praised by Clay Travis, retweeted by Jeb Bush.

“Sometimes you just hit a headline and you go, and that's enough of the Internet for the day, I think.” — Katie (40:10)

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Interview: Jordan Lucas (45:51 – 101:51)

Segment Timeline and Highlights

• Introduction (45:51): Jordan’s whirlwind virality and recent appearance on Good Morning America.
• Early Life & Sports Beginnings (46:59): From a basketball family to volleyball via a “chance gym pass” at age 11.

“I come from a very big basketball family...but I just did not like it.” — Jordan (46:59)

• Coming Out & Community (48:08): Volleyball as a safe, expressive space; supportive friends enabled his journey.
• Finding a Voice Through Sport (49:33): Sports as a conduit for growth and self-acceptance.

“You have to be your biggest fan within life and within sports...if no one else in the world believes in you, then it has to be yourself.” — Jordan (50:34)

• Eligibility ‘Scoop’ (51:37): Despite being a senior, Jordan reveals he has one more year of NCAA eligibility, thanks to a redshirt after returning from playing in the Philippines.
• Adventure & Taking Breaks (54:19): Gap year story—travel, reigniting the love for volleyball, and the transformative power of “getting out.”
• On Pro Volleyball (53:38): No US pro league for men; most pursue European teams. Jordan gives props to the growing US women’s leagues.
• Celebration, Authenticity & Viral Fame (62:12): Jordan’s celebrations, influence of Drag Race, and why true athlete personalities matter in sports culture.

“What I think of my celebrations...is the reason why the MLB, the NFL, the NBA are so popular...they have that flair.” — Jordan (63:02)

• Dealing with Negativity (64:02): How he handled backlash from a commentator who disapproved of his flamboyant celebrations; contrast with the acceptance from players.

“The first kind of initial reaction was like shocked...but I looked back and I was like, guys on the other side are doing the same exact thing, but just more in...a more masculine, a more bro-ish way.” — Jordan (65:03)

• Impact on Young LGBTQ+ Athletes (68:50): Coaching youth now shows him positive change; more out-and-proud teenage athletes.

• Friends, Fame, & Staying Present (70:32): How Lucas and his friends/family are handling the sudden spotlight.

• Edits, TikTok, and Celebs (73:15): The importance of fan/creator edits; musician Armani White came to a match after his song went viral with Jordan’s highlight reel.

“He texted our CSUN...‘how do I get tickets for this match?’...It was so surreal and so cool.” — Jordan (73:43)

• Biggest Surprises: Shoutout from Mark Cuban, and Laganja Estranja DM’ing him support.

• Program Cuts & NCAA Realities (76:22): Men’s volleyball programs being cut, impact on local sport, NIL mess.

• Rapid Fire Fun & Personality Details (82:24 onward):

  • Weird youth baseball record: from 0–22 to 22–0 seasons!
  • Met Gala hot takes, Serena Williams admiration, and a run-down of favorite other sports: pickleball, ping pong, beach volleyball (he’s “allergic” to beach sand).
  • Five-star vacation tip: Cayman Islands in November/December.
  • Pop culture favorites, pre-game music (Sexyy Red’s “Strictly for the Strippers”), SZA and Tate McCrae, and the importance of edits in sports.

• Wikipedia Update Live (93:15): Katie roast-reads his sparse Wikipedia (“Lucas is gay. Period.”) and gets Jordan to fill in personal, academic, and volleyball achievements for future editors.

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Notable Quotes & Moments

• "I'm pretty, I'm hot, I'm everything you're not." — Jordan, quoting his personal hype slogan (72:22)
• “The sport definitely helped me one, come to terms with who I was, and two, allow me to express myself in the ways people now fall in love with.” — Jordan (48:33)
• "[Social media puts] your passion included in your fandom and they want to monetize your upsetness, your anger, your happiness...” — Katie on why misinformation spreads (23:56)

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Listener Mailbag (104:00 – End)

• Robin: Wants to know which WNBA team to support as a Coloradan without a home team. Debate over rooting interests, with suggestions for Dallas, Indiana, new expansion teams like Toronto and Portland, or even the outgoing Connecticut Sun.
• Sean: Asks if he should see Steph Tolev's comedy show or the Portland Fire vs. Liberty game. Consensus: prioritize the comedian—you can always catch other games!
• Tangents: Ben Stiller’s Met Gala attendance vs. Knicks game controversy, honorary gripes about missing playoff games, and cute jacket shopping for Isabella.

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Timestamps for Important Segments

• 01:03 – Met Gala Sports Crossover discussion
• 13:28 – Katie’s “Yap” Monologue: Social media misinformation
• 28:44 – Absurd sports headlines as Mad Libs
• 45:51 – Jordan Lucas Interview Begins
  • 51:37 – NCAA eligibility and life break story
  • 54:19 – Traveling the world, training with Philippines
  • 62:12 – Style, celebration, and viral fame
  • 65:03 – Handling negative commentator, representation matters
  • 70:32 – Family/friends’ reaction, staying present
  • 73:43 – Armani White, social virality
  • 76:22 – GCU volleyball program gets cut
  • 82:24 – 0-22 Little League to 22-0
  • 93:15 – Wikipedia bio update live
• 104:00 – Listener mailbag: picking WNBA teams, event choices

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Tone & Language

• Conversational, irreverent, pop-culture savvy; earnest and uplifting during the interview
• Inclusive, supportive, and funny—seamlessly blends hard truths with warmth

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Final Impressions

This episode of Casuals encapsulates what makes Katie Nolan’s show resonate: culture-savvy sports banter, important commentary on the wild present-day media landscape, and a feature interview that’s both celebratory and impactful. Jordan Lucas shines as the episode’s star, and both new and returning listeners will leave feeling both entertained and informed.

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Outstanding Moment:

“Have you ever, like, made it look cool, but it didn’t—the point—you didn’t get the point? Have you ever celebrated and then had to walk it back?”
— Katie (62:52)
“No. I always...my celebrations...that is the reason why some players [are] so popular...they have that flair.”
— Jordan

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For volleyball, LGBTQ+ sports visibility, or just a joyful celebration of expressive, entertaining athletes, this episode is unmissable.

Transcript

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[A]

See t mobile.com for hey Isabella, the Met Gala?

[C]

The Met Gala. Did you watch it at all?

[A]

No.

[C]

Yeah, I perused, I perused. Something came up on my timeline. I was like, all right, let me see. Yeah, I have two favorites.

[A]

Okay, let's hear. Is this favorite athletes that were at the Met Gala or just in general?

[C]

Okay, so I have one athlete and I have one non athlete. Is that okay?

[A]

Yeah, that's totally fine. Okay.

[C]

Okay. So my favorite athlete is Eileen Goo.

[A]

Yeah, the bubbles, so pretty.

[C]

I think they're like made out of like a piece like kind of glass or something maybe. Yeah, and I like read, you can read further on like Vogue did an article on this, on like the story behind it. But it was just like she was really well thought out. Like she was talking about how like, oh, there's a scientific theory about like how like the, the earliest forms of life were like in these bubbles. And like she wanted to like express like surrealism and realism. So it was just really thought out. And I love when people do outfits like that.

[A]

Yes, girl, go serve primordial soup. Exactly. Oh my God.

[C]

And then the non athlete is Emma Chamberlain.

[A]

Looked amazing.

[C]

Oh, so good.

[A]

Like a weird bird.

[C]

And it's like. And what's really cool? That's one way to describe it.

[A]

Weird bird. Parentheses, complimentary.

[C]

Yeah, yeah, yeah. And what's really cool about this one is that it's hand painted.

[A]

No way.

[C]

Yeah. Which I thought was really, really cool. And like with the whole theme of like fashion is art. She's literally wearing like a Piece of art.

[A]

Art, yeah. She does a good job on these carpets. Yeah, she really does bring it.

[C]

Yeah, I really liked it. And I know she comes from like her father's a painter and stuff and she likes watercolor paint.

[A]

Cool.

[C]

I love when people actually like connect to the. The outfit that they're wearing.

[A]

Yeah. That's also making me think of. Did you see Paige Beckers? Not to, not to storm in on your segment and name somebody. You didn't. Yeah, but Paige Beckers was dressed in like, I think it was like a three piece suit. It was like a menswear style. But that it was. It was meant to look like the smock of an artist. So it had like smeared and smudged paint all over it, which I thought was a sweet way to, to do the.

[C]

Yeah, yeah.

[A]

The theme and her like hair and makeup, she looked so. It was beautiful. She looked stunning. Yeah, she really, really looked nice. Okay, so that's it. That's all we're gonna say about the Met Gala because really, I think that's more than enough. Yeah, yeah, yeah. So good job, everybody. Except for. And then. But. And we don't like the part where. Let's just start the podcast. Hello and welcome to Casuals, the sports podcast. That's so excited you're here. What an episode we have for you today. I know I probably say that all the time, but like, boy, do I mean it today. Joining me here at top, at the top of the show, we've got the casualties. You know them, you love them. We've got Isabella, our sports newbie. Hi. Our master editor, Chris.

[D]

What's up?

[A]

And. Brady.

[E]

Hey.

[A]

Yeah, he's a lawnmower. So Casuals with katynolanmail.com is where you can reach us. 646-801-0043. If you've got something you want to ask us. CasualsThePodcast on IG and TikTok. Don't know if anyone's tuned into our IG today. Got full blown anger. Full anger at me. A video about mascots. I never in my life thought we could make a silly little video about a mascot fight and get people arguing. I don't know puck enough to post about. I have no idea why people are losing their minds over there, but shout out to them. An extra shout out to their therapists. Just kidding. If they had one, we wouldn't be here. So anyway, you can find us in all those places. Our email and our voicemail. We're going to get to some of those at the end of the show because it is a Thursday episode and that's what we do here. Also, a little bit later in the show, you guys, you know him, you love him. We've talked about him here. Volleyball sensation Jordan Lucas is going to be in the studio with us. He did. I don't know if you've ever heard of this show, you guys. Good Morning America, I think it's called. That's that he was at Good morning is it America? And he came here right after. He's an absolute delight. I'll set all this up. We're going to get to that in a little bit. We got a lot, a lot to get to today. First thing I want to do, I would like to shout out my awesome friends. I would like to lift up the people I love who I'm friends with, who you guys are all by extension friends with as well, because they have appeared on this podcast. Yeah, they all have. Right? Yeah. So number one, Pablo Torre, famous for finding out what it has a Pulitzer. Woo. I.

[D]

Pretty cool.

[F]

Better finding out than anyone else could not find.

[A]

Believe I opened my phone and I went, papa got a Pulitzer.

[C]

That's awesome.

[A]

I also asked, is it. Are we going Pulitzer?

[C]

I think it's Pulitzer.

[A]

I think so too, Chris.

[D]

Pulitzer.

[A]

Okay, well, I don't know what he wants us to. Sure, yeah. No, totally. And then. And then, Brady, what do you.

[F]

If we landed on Kristen Pulisic, I'm going to go with Pulitzer. Pulitzer sounds too much like cucumber.

[A]

Yeah. Can we ask AI calling Coward how to pronounce the award that Pablo Torre just won?

[C]

Get that loaded up.

[A]

Get that loaded up. And because it's just important to know, I asked on the radio and they said it's Pulitzer. Also, we love Pablo. I hope that part is known. The he's gonna be insufferable now. And it has already begun. I had locked in a date that we were doing an episode and he already today was like, hey, hate to circle back on this, but I actually circle back. Could we reschedule? I'm like, no, actually, that's the only day I'm free. I. I'm up for a Nobel Peace Prize. So he's already trying to. Do we have an answer from Colin Coward?

[D]

No.

[F]

Is this app already broken? Get out of here, Colin.

[A]

And we're the only ones.

[F]

It just says in text the pronunciation of pull it, sir is pull it, sir.

[A]

That doesn't help us.

[C]

Colin.

[A]

Get him out of here.

[F]

Also, when you say pull it, sir with hyphens and break it down like that.

[D]

That's so funny.

[A]

Oh, wow. Pablo won a. Pull it, sir. Oh, we found a way to ruin it. This is like when he told me that me being on celebrity Jeopardy. Was sort of. And I don't mean this in a mean way, like a make a wish situation. That's me letting him know that his fancy award sounds like a jerk off award. Okay, so ha ha. Congratulations, Pablo. We're proud of you. Obviously it was for what he did with the Kawhi Leonard Clippers. And has anything come of the O award winning journalism?

[F]

Not yet.

[A]

Fantastic.

[F]

Nothing's gonna happen.

[A]

Fantastic.

[D]

Investigation's still going on.

[A]

Oh, I love that. I wonder if they'll find anything other friend I would like to shout out. It's of course it's always my friends that are achieving stuff. Mina Kimes is going to be hosting the spelling bee. She's been named the new host of the national spelling bee. She was a multiple time, I believe spelling be champ in not, not on the national level. Sorry, Mina. But like regionally at least I believe in her school. She was big on the, on the spelling bee. So cool to see that she's going to host it. She said that her goal is to give it the big game feel and I know that she will. That's our girl. We love her. That's on ion for the semifinals, Wednesday, May 27th. And the finals are Thursday, May 28th from 8 to 10 Eastern. Pre taped. Right?

[D]

Very soon.

[A]

No chance. We're making the kids spell from eight toes.

[C]

Just say, how old are these kids?

[F]

Ion is breaking out a hell of a broadcast.

[A]

Yeah, we're getting actually a lot of promo for this podcast. Today is brought to you by ion. We will discuss with Jordan Lucas. There's some volleyball that you can watch. He's kind of coming for your job, Chris. He gave us something we could watch if we wanted to watch sports this weekend. And I tried to communicate with my eyes of like, hey, we got a guy who does this already. But he didn't. He wasn't picking it up.

[D]

I. I understand. The dude has everything. He's good at everything. He can. He can have that.

[A]

So great.

[D]

He's so great.

[A]

And I really almost blow the interview, you guys, because I was so excited. We'll get to it. But I'm so excited to talk to him. I was like, okay. And you could tell he was like, all right. Kind of a lot. So anyway, we'll get to all that. Let me lastly shout out my friend Stavros. Dude, we saw Stavros in Begonia has anyone here seen it yet?

[C]

I haven't seen it yet.

[A]

Yeah, you did.

[F]

It was fantastic.

[A]

And Chris.

[D]

No, I watched the first three minutes and then I got really tired and went to bed.

[A]

That's the fucking crazy. You might as well have just said no. Why mention that you watched three minutes?

[D]

Because I. I tried and it was like 10:30 at night.

[C]

I'm like, you saw Stavros performance. It was just like, I'm gonna need

[D]

to pay a bit more.

[A]

Stavros doesn' the screen in the first three minutes. I have to go to bed.

[D]

I thought this was a stuff rose vehicle.

[F]

There's only like. There's only like four characters in this movie. And it's like Emma Stone and Jesse Plemons were like just God tier actors right now. And then you're like, stop.

[A]

And then it's presenting. It should have been. Isn't that what they call it when it's like. And presenting Stop. It's like they always have, like, this is their introduction to. Or introducing maybe is the word I was looking for.

[D]

It's introducing.

[A]

Either way.

[D]

It's a parent trap with Lindsay Lohan. I remember.

[A]

Oh, yeah. And what an introduction it was. It was a little confusing because there was only one of her. And so we were introduced. I thought we had a new Mary Kate and Ashley situation. Come to find out, no, it's just one girl. Okay. But we're shouting out Stavros because he's now that movie. He played a cop in Begonia. He was a cop. Which fit. But this is. Stavros is in the kitchen. He's in the new A24 Anthony Bourdain movie with the guy who broke out in the Holdovers, Dominic Sessa. And the movie's called Tony. And it's by Matt Johnson, who we love, and one of my absolute favorites. This is gonna rule. I saw this and I like Scream. I genuinely had a screaming reaction. I'm so happy for him.

[C]

Yeah.

[A]

Our like, fancy actor Stavros, who Isabella's first introduction to is when she was barely paying attention to football and she watched pure Misery happen to somebody on our first episode, which I will remind you, was because somebody else canceled. So Stavros is always good in my book. We love Stavros.

[D]

And he's also the reason why we don't bleep the F word on this podcast anymore. That was the plan going into episode one until Starvi dropped 300 F bombs. And we thought, let's. Let's just. Let's just leave it.

[A]

He made it so that genuinely. It would have been hard to get anybody to listen to if we had bleeped off. So. Yeah, he did a lot. Stavros has done a lot for me. His mom also still sends us cookies every Christmas, and they are the most delicious cookies. So shout out, Stavros. Shout out that movie. I can't wait to see that. That's gonna be.

[C]

Yeah, that sounds exciting.

[A]

Awesome.

[D]

I'll watch anything that Stavi's in and every. Anything that Matt Johnson directs. So I'm absolutely in with this.

[A]

For a while there, I was watching anything. A24. I don't know if I'm still in on that, but it's. But it is. It's interesting. A lot of good proper nouns together in a. In a story. The way that I like. Brady. Were you gonna say something before I move?

[F]

I was gonna say August 2026.

[A]

Oh, okay. Is when it comes out. That's.

[F]

Dare to go look that one up.

[A]

Soonish, I guess. Yeah, soonish. There must be a science to when they release these trailers. I also bumped into today, the first trailer, like the big trailer for the Odyssey, which I don't think I've seen yet. Are we. When's that? Is that July or June that I. A lot of movies this summer. A lot of movies coming out. Very excited to see. Haven't been to the theater since

[E]

July.

[D]

The Odyssey, July 17th.

[A]

I haven't been to the theater since. I don't think Top Gun. I think Top Gun is the last movie I saw in the theaters.

[D]

I went on Friday.

[A]

I was like, what'd you see? I know it was Hokum you saw.

[C]

Oh, I saw that too, last week.

[D]

You saw it?

[A]

Yeah.

[C]

Yeah. What do you think?

[D]

Not my favorite of the director's. Damian McCarthy, right? That's his name.

[C]

I don't remember.

[D]

Oddity, I think, is my favorite of all his, but didn't love Hokum. It was okay.

[C]

I thought it was gonna be scarier. Sorry, guys. Hold on.

[A]

What is this? No, I just want to know. Brady and I have never been more on the same page. What is this hokum like?

[F]

Hokum?

[A]

Well, Brady done something like that.

[F]

Jesus Christ.

[A]

So we've got Pull.

[D]

It's a new horror film. That's a new horror film with Adam Scott.

[A]

Oh. Oh, I like Adam Scott.

[D]

Yeah.

[A]

Hey, I. Well, it'll come up later. Okay. Now we're at kind of the yap. And listen, I haven't really been doing these, but I do have something I would like to yap about. And the essence of the YAP as a reminder is that this is like if I had a TV show, this would be a much more put together monologue, complete with elements and smart points and well written jokes. This is just stream of conscious. I'm just, this has been bothering me and I gotta, I gotta jump on it and say something. We are at a point now with misinformation that has gotten pretty scary. Now I don't know if it's just because we prep a podcast, but every week we are out there in the streets of the Internet in the wildest of wild wests, looking to track down the information that will make the stories complete and we'll get all that information to our listeners. And because of that, I've just started to notice how difficult it is to make sure and double check and trust that what you're seeing is a real report. And there are a couple of like pretty sinister instances that I would like to flag because I know not everybody is out here in the weeds like us. I know a lot of people use social media, media socially. I know you probably scroll past a headline and if you, you might take it as real, but it's not really consequential to you because it's just about sports. Whereas to me it would be consequential because I'd come here, I would say it and then someone would go, that's not real information. So I'm just. Because I'm bumping up against it. I would like to flag a couple things, even if it's just to make sure your parents aren't getting straight misinformed from their Facebook news feeds without any intervention from you, the younger, smarter, more digitally adept person in the relationship with your parents. So first thing I, first time I bumped, well, not the first time I bumped into this, but the thing that made me write this down was when I was looking up Megan and Clay, I was trying to figure out pat, remind myself past people that Clay Thompson had dated. I could have sworn there was something about a cheating thing in the past. So I was kind of trying to chase that down. And while I was looking on Tik Tok for information about Megan and Clay, I bumped into a Tik Tok video. Now this video was clearly a screen record of a video of Klay Thompson being live on, I believe Instagram. Could have been Tik Tok. I think it was Instagram. It was clearly a pre existing live stream where Clay was talking directly to camera. You could see the hearts popping up, the comments popping up on the bottom but it had been screen recorded and was being posted by somebody else. Now, when you click on the video and it would start playing, all I'm seeing is Clay talking. But I haven't clicked unmute. So it's just Clay talking. And on the screen are pull quotes where they'll just write like, these are the big quotes from this video that you'll want to probably have a look at there, just so that people know what to listen for and pay attention to. So this video, the caption of the video, well, we'll do the on screen text. The on screen text said, quote, she cheated on me first. Of course I'm going to cheat back. And quote, I'm just mad. I spent over 4 million on her. Now, this was posted by a user. I'm not going to say the username, it really doesn't matter. Didn't have a ton of hits, but it was out there. And the caption of the video said, I had a feeling she did some shit first. She definitely has a lot of dudes that hit her up, fellas. They will really reveal themselves while playing as a good girl. Clay spent 4 million just to enjoy that. Lmao. So I click unmute on the video and it's Klay Thompson talking about what it's going to take to win a fourth or a fifth championship. It's Klay Thompson after a season talking about the struggles of that season and what to do next season. Literally had nothing to do with Megan and Clay and was being shared and commented on as if he said any of the things in that video. Since then, I've bumped into this across a number of stories. So number one piece of advice, I will say you've got to unmute. I know it's annoying. I know you want to scroll. It's just like when we had the hard conversation about you got to click the headline and read at least a little bit of the article. You gotta hit unmute and make sure before you share something and say, can you believe he spent $4 million on her? So it also should be a dead giveaway that this is the kind of information that gets angry people on the Internet worked up into a lather. And that is why spreads, they use your own emotions against you to spread misinformation. So just like I know you're like, katie, this is such stupid. Just please hit on mute on a video before you share it. 142 likes. It had 13 bookmarks. I at least like to think that the 13 bookmarks are 13 people going later, when I can unmute a video. I'm going to go back and unmute this and make sure this is what he said. But who knows between when you bookmark it and then you may have a conversation where you go, did you see that? She cheated first in that clay. And that's how it starts, guys. And that's how it starts. Also, I ran into this tweet from someone named Ellen Briggs. Ellen is a freelance writer. She writes about sports and Internet culture. She has been published in places like front office sports, places like Awful Announcing. And she tweeted a screen record of her own of her Facebook feed. And she said, here is 45 seconds of Facebook telling me this was the day after the White House correspondents dinner event. Here's 45 seconds of Facebook telling me the alleged White House correspondent's dinner shooter was a former staffer of literally almost every major collegiate and professional sports team. And it's just a. Again, 45 second video of her scrolling down and pages like between the hedges south side Smash Kate Martin, Nation rise of the Queensland Blue Blooded. It's like it would, you would think is like a fan account for your school that tweets or posts on Facebook news updates relevant to your school. All of them with the same photo of the White House correspondence dinner shooter photoshopped into a different uniform. It was alarming to see because most people. She's probably seeing it like that because as I, a person with an algorithm who works in sports know is that I get served stuff that isn't for my team because I have to keep a finger on the pulse, guys of all the action across all the leagues. And so my algo is kind of. But your mom and dad's algorithm knows where they live and what teams they root for and would only feed to them the one that was relevant to their interests. And like nothing gets done about this. All this does is just create clicks and comments because people are so. That scared the fucking shit out of me. And then I bumped into. This is kind of the third thing. So it's not as. But it. Look, do you know who WOB is? Worldwide wab?

[C]

Yeah, he.

[A]

I think he works at Sirius, doesn't he?

[F]

He works.

[A]

Yeah. Yeah. Why'd you say it like that? You got beef with wob?

[F]

No, I love the wob.

[A]

Okay, sure. It didn't sound like it. So I bumped into this interaction that WOB now sometimes WOB trolls, so you never really know. This is another thing also we talked about before that now on Twitter. Parody accounts are just funny. First Name, last name. In a picture that looks like a reporter. It has a blue check. But then all the replies will go, this is a known Yankees shit poster. And you're like, known in what way? If I'm not plugged into your fan base, to me it just looks like a reporter. It's like. It's like wolves putting on sheep clothes and going, but everybody knows I'm a wolf. And you're like, no, I. I really don't think that they do. So I saw Quentin Richardson, who is ESPN basketball analyst, right? He's at espn. Yep. Tweeted a account named Brian Caldwell, NBA at Brian called NBA blue check. Mark reporter. Picture breaking. This is. I don't remember the date breaking. The Los Angeles Lakers are expected to hire Chris Paul as their assistant head coach. Paul was teammates with head coach J.J. redick while on the Clippers. And it's a picture of, of. Of Chris Paul. It's not AI generated. It's just a picture of Chris Paul. Quentin Richardson retweeted that with five flame emojis. Then in the replies to that, I see Rob Perez, worldwide wob, and he says, q. I tried to reach out through a mutual friend of ours, so I apologize for sending this to you here, but these accounts that you keep, quote, tweeting and talking about on TV every week are just Internet trolls baiting you into doing this. Just trying to help. And I was like, damn. So he's going on the air and saying stuff that he's finding on the Internet that isn't true. And then cherry on top of the cake in the replies to WOB is a guy who says, don't listen to him. Q. The CP3, CP3 thing is real worldwide. WAB is a known troll account which spreads fake info. And so if you. If you are confused, of course you are. And there's just no way to go, like, who's giving me good intel? It's devolving very quickly. This is happening at an alarming rate. The quality of information available to us on these sites has deteriorated. And I know that this will piss people off as much as a clip about me discussing two mascots having a beef. Will. Because they'll say, Twitter is exactly the same. Twitter didn't change when Elon started. It did. I'm so sorry. You're talking about the hell that I was born in. I knew that website inside and out. It's how I got any job I had, because I was on there a lot molded by it. Okay? And it's just different now. And so I just want everybody to be careful out there in the streets. That video thing I said about Clay Thompson and then putting the quotes on the. They did that too. Less of a. They did that to Jake Paul. They did a. I have another example of them doing that to Jake Paul in here. I also saw people perpetuating the idea that Clay went live and talked about Megan the Stallion. And you're just like, this is. None of this is real. So just the streets are getting hot and be careful in them, I guess, is my advice. Because the misinformation, especially in sports, because they know that your passion is included in your fandom and they want to monetize your upsetness, your anger, your happiness, your fandom, in some ways, that is valuable to them and this is how they're doing it. So I guess the thesis of this is stay woke out there. This is a mess. Okay.

[C]

It's even more frustrating. I just want to say one thing for, like, please, literally casual sports fans who are trying to learn about the different sports and the conversation surrounding it. And so it's like your first instinct is like, okay, I'm going to trust this account or this verified. Even like a website posting article about it. It's just like, it sucks. Cuz you're like, well, I can't. I don't have the existing, like, culture knowledge.

[A]

Exactly.

[C]

And so now it's like I have to work twice as hard to know

[A]

what's real or not exactly. It's like part of the ethos of this podcast is like trying to make this information more accessible to people who want it, but that maybe don't have the cultural context of all that came before them. You know, we just fell out of the coconut tree and we just want to know the little bit that we need to know. Like having to know all of sports and how it works. Like, as a lady who's worked in sports for over 10 years, even I'm going, is this a real guy or is this a fake reporter who tweets fake. It sucks. It sucks. And just be careful. And if something sounds absolutely unbelievable, I don't want to say chances are it is, because there's a lot of absolutely unbelievable going on right now. But, like, if it's. If you're like, whoa, I can't believe Clay would say that. Double check. Because chances are he probably didn't. Now, Jaylen Brown, I will say he did say he did go on a live stream right after losing. In a crazy way, that sounds like fake news. He can't hide behind that it's real. $50,000. He's being fined. That is the newsy update to that. He's been fined $50,000 for what he had to say. It's just important that we get the information correct because there are so many stories that sound fake. Also, did you guys see the New York Post thing that went crazy this week about that? J.P. morgan, whatever the. I. Everybody jumped on that, and I was like, hello, this reads like poorly written sexual fan fiction. It felt very much of a specific website where she said something about my cannons. I was like, guys, are we being serious? You think that this man's boss said, shouldn't have cannons like mine? It's just like, people are. Are jumping on stories. I should have maybe asked. Have any of you. Did you see that story before I referenced like, you did.

[C]

I vaguely. I didn't read into it, though.

[A]

You didn't get.

[F]

I saw the story and saw the filing of the lawsuit. I think the reporting on it was accurate. It's just. It turns out this lawsuit is completely insane and one that the man had workshopped, like, for multiple companies and is of no. Absolutely no validity, apparently.

[A]

Yeah, it's just there's a lot of. Of that also. And then on the same side, like, there are fun things that still happen on the social media that are fake. Like, there was a. I saw Noah. Noah Delzell. Is that her name? Chris, do you know the woman who works for the. She writes about the Celtics a lot. She wrote a little, like, fun article for SB Nation or one of those sites about this fake playoff series that was happening. I guess, like, a Memphis Grizzlies fan was like, I could still tweet as if the Grizzlies were still playing in the postseason. And so they came up with this fake series between the Grizzlies and the Warriors. But even that, I'm like, if Isabella saw a tweet about, like, whoa, I can't believe Memphis is winning this series, she'd go like, why don't we ever talk. Talk about the warriors series? And you have to go like, well, so it's not real. And it's just like. And then that plus AI hallucinating. It just feels like reality is, like, slipping away in a way that I don't know. Although, G, can you clarify this for me?

[C]

Because my tick tock keeps feeding me videos about Juan Soto and Lindor beefing and not liking each other. Is that real?

[A]

So that I don't know if we know. Brady, do you know if we know

[F]

and we haven't known that for two years. Sometimes it's still a great.

[A]

Sometimes it does feel like fans get onto it. That feels more like a fan theory that could have merit to it, but may not in the end, and we don't have any credible reporting. I don't think that points to there being any there there. Which is reminiscent of whatever happened with. What team was it this year? Was it the Senators that had a rumor going around that teammates were mad at each other because one of them was cheating on his wife and maybe told his wife about the other players who were cheating? Chris, you're nodding. Is this ringing a bell to you?

[D]

Yes.

[A]

And they. The Senators had to come out and say, like, none of this is true, and everybody shut the up. They stopped just short of saying that in an official statement. Because sometimes a fan theory will just pick up and you'll have little things that goes like that feels like evidence. And so it's just. I don't know what the answer is. And again, if this were a TV show, I'd tie it in a nice little bow. But the bow we're gonna do instead for the end of this to transition into our wonderful interview with Jordan Lucas today is that I bumped into a lot of stories, specifically last night, that read like Mad Libs. Isabella, do you have cultural context for a Mad Lib?

[C]

Yes.

[A]

Okay, so I have written them for myself here as if they are Mad Libs. And I'm going to ask you guys to help me fill the blanks, and then we can actually discuss the actual story afterwards. Brady has to go. So we're just gonna do it with you two, just like a crowdsourcing. So the first thing I need is a problematic former Tennessee Titan. So maybe if you can't. Maybe just a football player. Just a football play. Former football player's name.

[C]

Oh, football players. Tom Brady.

[A]

Great. Tom Brady. And then I need another former football player who has rescheduled on this podcast a lot.

[C]

I think Carl Nassib rescheduled a couple times.

[A]

All right, Carl Nassib. We'll draw him into the fold. Social media hell. Site X. Yeah, yeah, we'll do X x dot com. The everything site. Obscure sports league.

[C]

Oh, what's the darts league called?

[D]

Premier League Darts.

[A]

Pdl. Yeah, pdl. Random movie star.

[C]

Jennifer Lopez.

[A]

Okay. Yeah, Fine works. Biggest bust in NFL history.

[D]

Ryan Leaf.

[C]

Wait.

[A]

Perfect. Nope, that's good. Isabel, we got that one. That's okay. It just means there were high hopes for them and then they did not live up to them at all.

[C]

Okay, I thought when you said bust.

[A]

Yeah. You thought of the ancient art form of sculpture, I'm sure is what I

[C]

thought about their chest.

[A]

Right? Yeah. No. Oh, yeah. Not biggest tits in sports. I was like the biggest NFL bust. Like they did not. It didn't pan out for them. Okay, so as it reads as a mad lib now again, because I just said about misinformation, this is not true. This is a mad lib. Tom Brady and Carl Nassib got into a back and forth on X over Premier League Darts that ultimately ended in Jennifer Lopez brokering a piece between the two via text, which even Ryan Leaf found ridiculous.

[C]

Wait, who's ryan Leaf?

[A]

Now two of these are correct. Ryan Leaf is correct and X.com is correct. The rest are not. So it is Taylor Luan, former Tennessee Titan and former Browns receiver who has rescheduled on this podcast a lot. Andrew Hawkins Hawk. So it's Taylor Luan and Andrew Hawkins got into a back and forth on X over CFL Canadian Football League.

[D]

Okay.

[A]

That ultimately ended in the Rock, huh? Brokering a piece between the two via text, which even Ryan Leaf found ridiculous. So Taylor Luan tweeted a CFL video, there must be some obscure rule. And he said, this is the dumbest rule I've ever witnessed. You missed a kick, but it hit the back of the end zone so you get a point to win the game. And Hawk quote, tweeted that and said, typical noob jumping on Twitter to give his opinion on a game he watched for the first time ever. Bring that shit north of the border and see what me and this and Saskatoonians do to you. I know. And then Taylor Luong quote, tweeted and said, just because I never got the once in a lifetime quote, opportunity to play in the CFL doesn't mean the rules aren't dumb as hell. Standing on business for Canada football is crazy work. Then a random guy replies to this is a CFL fan really? Chirping at an ex NFL player Cry, laughing emoji. The Internet isn't real. And Taylor Luan replies, that's exactly what Hawk is, just a hating ass fan. Now again, Hawk, former NFL player I that's a lit that to me was a little like he's not just a fan, he played from a fan. Then Hawk says, the fact that you think you had what it takes to play in the cfl, you know, come on up, we can teach you a thing or two. And then Taylor Luan says he doesn't want to rough it goes back and forth for way too long. I'll Say, and they keep quote tweeting each other until finally there's like an awkward Hawk quote tweet of a random person's reply. And he says, difference between me and Lawan is you are free to drop your low and I'll pull up like a zipper. Now I don't know if that's a quote of something, but I assume he's saying, give me your location and I'll pull up like, we can fight, but drop your low and I'll pull up like a zipper was when I went, hawk, I think it's time to log off. I don't think this is helping you in any way.

[C]

Why is it saying that?

[A]

Drop your low. Drop your low and I'll pull up like a zipper. The resolution comes this way. We find out a tweet from Hawk. Don't want to get into it too much here, because why would we? The entire thing happened here. Don't want to get into it too much here, but I hopped on a call with Taylor Luan and we talked it out like men. We agree to disagree on some things, but overall agree. We are both fathers, sons, uncles, nephews, brothers and cousins. And that neither of us were proud how we showed up in the last 24 hours. We good? Thanks to the Rock for connecting us via text. And then Taylor Luan quote tweeted that and said, hawk's right. Our different opinions were clouding our judgment. Luckily, the level headedness of at the Rock stepping in and connecting us made me realize it's okay to disagree. Thank you, Dwayne. See you soon. Unknown what the fuck is going on. And then again, cherry on top, we get Ryan Leaf, who tweeted, Every time I get into it with anyone on this platform, I'm gonna post how we've reconciled our differences. Because the Rock connected us and made us see our better angels. I mean the humanity, everyone. The humanity. What the fuck is this story? It's real.

[C]

And longest headline I've ever seen in my life.

[A]

Okay, time for mad lib. Number two, I need an NBA nepo drafted 10th overall Austin rivers. Okay, Austin Rivers. Then a. An opinionated NBA veteran, Draymond Green. I think he sees where this one's going. Superlative. Isabella, give me a superlative.

[C]

Best dressed.

[A]

Best dressed. Okay, and then a back to school purchase

[C]

a marble notebook.

[A]

A Marlboro.

[C]

No, a marble.

[A]

Marbled. Marbled notebook. Marlboro is making notebooks now? That's what I got before sixth grade. It's just free giveaways. It's what you would get at the bar, when they go, you a Marlboro smoker? Take this notebook and bring it to second grade. The kids won't look at you funny. They did Unit of time, plural. So, like, hours, days, years, months.

[E]

Minutes.

[C]

Let's do minutes.

[A]

Minutes. Okay. And then I'm just. It happens again. So we'll just do minutes again. Okay. So here's the headline as you've written it. Austin Rivers hopped on a podcast to call out Draymond Green, saying he is the best dressed basketball player he's ever seen. And calling him a marbled notebook jump shooter and saying that there are minutes and minutes of footage of him being left wide open. This one's pretty close to what it is. It was Austin Rivers to Draymond Green. That was also correct. He did not say that he was the best dressed basketball player. Damn. He said that he is the worst basketball player I believe he's ever seen and called him a backpack jump shooter, saying that there are. I believe it's hours and hours of footage of him being left wide open. I mean, and I've since heard that Draymond Green, I believe, responded, but I did not get in the weeds on that. So that's an incomplete story. But that was what inspired the bit. I was like, is this serious? What is this? What is happening right now?

[C]

What's a backpack?

[A]

A backpack jump shooter. It just means, Chris, you can handle it better than me.

[D]

I've never heard the term.

[A]

I assumed it just meant, like, you barely take your backpack off. Like, you're really not very good at it. Looks like you've got a whole backpack on you. You can't shoot, so they don't bother guarding you. You're such a non factor that the only reason you hit shots is because they leave you wide open. Gotcha. So that's that one and then this one. We will not get into any deeper, but I do want to try. So this is our last one. We'll go out on a high note. Grifter sports pundit, who will be quick to remind you he voted for Obama twice. We could just do grifter sports pundit if you wanted to. If anyone had any names to shoot out there.

[D]

Clay, Travis.

[A]

Okay. What a good one to start with. Emerging technology.

[C]

Waymos.

[A]

Waymo. Perfect. Washed up reality TV star. Male.

[C]

Oh, Ronnie from Jersey.

[A]

Ronnie from Jersey Shore. Of course. Political office. So like, Governor.

[D]

Senator.

[C]

I was gonna say senator.

[A]

Major US City, San Francisco. Okay. Former US Presidential candidate

[D]

Mitt Romney.

[A]

Okay. This is such a good one. And superlative.

[C]

Most likely to Be an actor.

[A]

Perfect. Okay, here we go. Here's the headline that you've created. Not the true one, but the headline that you have created. Clay Travis. Clay Travis tweeted praise for a waymo generated political ad for Ronnie from Jersey Shores campaign for Senator of San Francisco.

[C]

Uh huh.

[A]

Which was then retweeted by Mitt Romney who called it, quote, maybe the most likely to be an actor political ad of the year.

[C]

That's so funny. I mean, that's, that's good. Okay, I'm interested in a window generated ad.

[A]

I know. They just let it drive wherever it wanted to. You understand how that works? I mean, to be fair, waymos can't really drive either. So who would stop them from generating a political ad? Here's what the actual headline is. Clay Travis is correct.

[D]

Nice.

[A]

And guys, he voted for Obama twice. Clay Travis tweeted praise for an AI generated political ad for Spencer Pratt's campaign.

[D]

Don't even know who that is.

[A]

He was married to Heidi on was the Hills where we first met Spencer Pratt. He's got a. A beard the same color as his flesh. Tough to look at. I'm trying to think of all the things that would bring to mind Spencer Pratt. Him and his wife were all over the place for a while there. I don't know when you got off of the social media, Chris, but they were really, dare I say, insufferable. He's running for mayor of Los Angeles. This.

[C]

Okay.

[A]

Which. So an a horrendous AI generated ad for him was tweeted by Clay Travis praising it, saying that he loved it. And then that was retweeted by Jeb, exclamation point. Bush. Jeb Bush retweeted it and said, this may be the best political ad of the year. And there's just, just, you know what I mean? Sometimes you just hit a headline and you go, and that's enough of the Internet for the day, I think. And that's where we clo. That is a laptop closing headline where you go and. And I'll check in on Spencer Pratt's mayoral run after a nice long walk. And then you can see there's me trying to work on another one. At the bottom of this doc. I lost patience for the world we live in. But the words that needed to be replaced were tj, Oshi, Noah Syndergaard, President Trump making America strong again, Noah praising his mental sharpness, and Trump telling a little girl that soccer is better because she's too short. All of that also happened yesterday. So all the. All of this is to say the Internet is a mess. Please be careful out there because if it isn't fake, it's crazy. And it's harder to tell the difference between the two. What we're going to do now is we're going to take a quick break and we're going to reset. And when we come back, we will be joined by viral sensation Jordan Lucas, who you have seen for sure. He went to he went to Cal State Northridge. We maybe get a bit of a scoop in this interview. He's a volleyball player who plays entirely as himself. He went viral for the way that he celebrates after making incredible shots. He's a great volleyball player, but I also think he's great for sports in so many ways. And as I warned you, I will warn you again, I come in a little hot there at the top. I'm very excited that he's here and I want to know about his experience. I think he's so important and that lifting up up people like him who are incredibly talented and comfortable in themselves is the best thing we can do for sports. 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[B]

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[A]

for details okay joining us now. You know him, you love him. Jordan Lucas, thank you so much for coming. Let's start with the crazy couple. Does this feel like a whirlwind to you the past couple weeks, I feel like.

[E]

Yeah, the last probably two and a half, three weeks have just. I think my whole life has made, like a360. It's. It's so cool and surreal to kind of see it all, but also overwhelming

[A]

in some ways, I can imagine, to have it all sort of suddenly happen. Not that you haven't been working hard at volleyball and what you've been doing, but it just, like, all at once. I imagine it can be a lot. Good Morning America today.

[E]

Yeah. Yeah. That was kind of the. A really cool thing to be on and kind of. I mean, obviously it's Good Morning America, so, you know, who wouldn't want to take the opportunity to be on that and kind of, you know, be broadcasted to all of the United States?

[A]

I know. Exciting, exciting. Good Morning America. And then casuals. So if I may just sit up a little straight, we're very honored to have you here. Talk to me about how your life, your relationship with volleyball started. Like, when did you first fall in love with volleyball as a sport? Was it the first sport that you played?

[E]

No, no. I come from a very big basketball family. My dad played basketball at the University of Hawaii. My brother played basketball for Oregon State, Nevada, and played for a little bit for the Dallas Mavericks. Huh? Yeah. So very big basketball family. And so I was always grown up into basketball, and I just. I. I did not like it. I wasn't too fond of it, but my parents were like, well, if you're not gonna play basketball, you have to play another sport. And so luckily, my dad's the local or the coach at our local high school. And so the volleyball team would practice before them, and so I'd always be in the gym. And then the coach was like, hey, do you want to pass the ball around? And that's kind of where I started. Volleyball was kind of like, when I was 11 years old. And then passing the ball around, hitting the ball around. And which has led to now kind of the last 10 years of my life has just been encapsulated by volleyball.

[A]

I'm very, very good at volleyball. Honestly, that needs to be highlighted as part of the reason. I think that everywhere, the second anybody saw you is because, like, you're very good at volleyball.

[E]

Thank you.

[A]

And you obviously also bring your own energy and flavor to everything that you do. Totally. I saw that you started playing volleyball when you were. Is it 13?

[E]

Yeah. Like, really taking it probably, like, seriously when I was, like, 13.

[A]

And then.

[E]

Yeah.

[A]

And then you came out when you were 16 came out when I was 16, so if you don't mind, I would kind of like to zoom in on that experience for you. Like, so you're. When you're. 13, almost did the relationship that you had with volleyball and the sport sort of help you fully realize, like, who you were and feel comfortable being you out loud? What was the relationship with the sport and sort of the realization of yourself that you were going through at that time?

[E]

Yeah, the. The sport definitely helped me, one, come to terms with who I was, and then two, allow me to express myself in the ways that people now fall in love with. And kind of during that time period of those three years, it was finding myself and finding a community besides, you know, obviously you have your family who support you and stuff, but, you know, friends and supporters. And luckily, I've been very blessed to kind of have a community of friends that do support me and that I met through volleyball, especially during those three really pivotal years of my life. And that allowed me to, like, understand that who I am and what I'm doing right now, like, is okay. Yeah, that was just really influential for me. And I look back at those years and I think back to, like, the antics and the flamboyancy that I had back then, and just, like, it was never to do it or, like, never, like, you know, oh, I'm gonna do this. It was just like, oh, that's just me playing volleyball. It's just such an outlet for me to really express myself at such a young age. And now it's kind of transpired into me right now.

[A]

It's kind of nice because it's seeing truly your growth as a person through sport. And, like, that is what I think makes most people love sports. At the heart of it is the humanity of it all. It's just like anybody that has followed sports for a while is unfortunately aware that there tends to be a lot of toxic masculinity around sport, a lot of homophobia around sport. And so I. It's such. That's why when I. I saw. First saw the clips of you, I remember my first feeling was, like, refreshed, where I was like, I would love to see this energy in sports. It was like, I hadn't even thought that I was. Had been missing for me. And so I think it sort of made me go, like, how can we make sure there's. Jordan Lucas is everywhere, feeling empowered to be Jordan Lucas's. And so I guess my question would be, like. Like, what. What lessons have you learned in the road that you had to walk to get to where you are now that can help any other young Jordan Lucas

[E]

out there, I think. And it's cliche to say, but it's. It's to be yourself. And I have said this to many people who I talk to, that you have to be your biggest fan within life and within sports. And, you know, if no one else in the world believes in you, then it has to be yourself. And that's one thing that I've kept with me throughout all these years that, like, you know, I have to advocate for myself, and I have to be the person who's in my corner because at the end of the day, no one else will.

[A]

Yeah, I jumped in way too fast on that. Where I should have started with you was something else that really interests me. You are technically. Correct me if I'm wrong. A senior. You went viral. This big viral moment happened your senior year.

[E]

Yes.

[A]

And my first thought was no, because I know how Nil works now, and I know that there's a lot of earning potential in college for college athletes that it feels like, you know, if this happened when you were a junior is maybe something you could take advantage of. Are you. Did they. Is there a red shirt situation in volleyball? Is there a possibility you could go another year?

[E]

Well, to give you guys a little inside scoop, I do have another year of eligibility.

[A]

Oh, do you?

[E]

I do. I do. So I played my first two years at Grand Canyon University, and then I took a break from volleyball back in, like, 2024, and then I went to the Philippines to play on their senior national team, and then I came back to the. To the States, and I was like, okay, I'm probably, like, done playing collegiate volleyball. You know, I had a great time in the Philippines. Now I'm gonna go pursue my life. And luckily, the coaches at Cal State Northridge reached out to me, like, hey, Jordan, what are you doing now? And I'm like, oh, just kind of living life, traveling, having fun with my friends. Like, do you want to come back and play? So in the spring of 2025, I came back to volleyball, and I told them, like, hey, I want to red shirt, because I don't want to mess up the chemistry that you guys have going on with this year's team. And I want to fall in love with volleyball again, because when I left

[A]

volleyball, this is very Alyssa Liu coded.

[E]

I'm just saying, in the spring of 2024, it was really. I wouldn't say difficult, but I just wasn't having a lot of fun in the sport. Anymore, and then took some time off and. And luckily, the spring of 2025 happened, and I got to really kind of go back into practicing in volleyball and just like, you know, the whole gauntlet that is NCAA Division 1 sports, and then coming back, fall of 2025, getting to be now eligible to play, and kind of all of that has really transpired into me now and who I am, and I've kind of fallen back in love with volleyball. And I actually was gonna be done with this, done playing, like, now, because I graduate in about two weeks from Cal State Northridge. Yes. But kind of after all of this and the support and been so immense that it's like, well, I might as well give people what they want, right?

[A]

Oh, that's exciting.

[E]

Yes.

[A]

Oh, I just. I was. Because I remember just feeling sad of, like, oh, well, now he's gonna leave. And. And what are the pro options for a volleyball player? I know I've heard a lot about women's volleyball and a lot of pro options that way. Are there. Is there a men's. I'm sorry for not knowing this off the top of my head, but is there, like, a men's. Are there a lot of options for men's pro volleyball players?

[E]

Not in the United States. So there is men's volleyball in Europe. Very big in Europe. And a lot of the best players in America through NCAA go play in Europe and. But in the United States, there is no pro league. There's two women's pro leagues, but not anything for men's because it's just such a niche.

[A]

And no offense, but, like, that never happens. So I am going to let the girls have that.

[E]

And I think that's totally fair. That's totally fair. I mean, what love and MLV has been doing for the growth of women's volleyball and just volleyball in general has been super great. Great for. For everyone. I mean, men's and women's included. But, yes, for us. Yeah, we have to go overseas to

[A]

play, which can be fun.

[E]

Exactly.

[A]

And you've got overseas experience. You go. You know, you've traveled the world. That was what you did in that year that you were off.

[E]

Yeah.

[A]

Which we did breeze past. But I do want to focus on. Because that's a wild. You were traveling all over the place.

[E]

Yeah, I. I kind of got a knack for it. After I went to the Philippines, I was like, oh, this is really fun. And, like, I. I really enjoyed seeing new cultures. And luckily, one of my best friends who's in the studio right now shout Out. Yeah, Zach, him and I, he's just, you know, like my travel companion. Like, him and I do everything together.

[A]

So valuable to have.

[E]

Yeah.

[A]

Because like, even you can have friends that you love that are not your. They are not your travel companion. And you sometimes find out while traveling with them.

[E]

Exactly.

[A]

But then to have the friend that you know, you can try. It's like finding the friend that you can be roommates with when you're younger. You're just like, this is. This makes sense. You need to have. And so you traveled all over the place.

[E]

Yeah. So we went to Spain twice, went to Ibiza, went to the Canary Islands, went to Morocco, went to London. We were this. We were supposed to go to Colombia. We were supposed to be in Colombia this week just to kind of travel down there to South America. We had never been yet, but we had to cancel that because of kind of everything that's been going on.

[A]

Isn't that just a catch all for all of it? You know, we canceled it.

[C]

It.

[A]

Because of the goings on.

[E]

Yes. Yeah. So we're just trying to figure out where we're going to go for the summer. So we're looking at, you know, maybe somewhere in Asia. I do have a trip planned in Japan with another friend of mine.

[A]

Fun. I'm actually wearing a Japanese men's World cup jersey today, cuz I like it. I like the colors.

[E]

I like the color scheme too.

[A]

Cute. So I got it. No, couldn't name a guy on the team, but I thought it was cute. Shout out Japan. That'll be fun.

[E]

Yeah.

[A]

And so you went, you traveled and then you said, you just again, casually just mentioned that you trained with the Philippines men's national team.

[E]

Yeah. So they reached out to me back in June of 2024, and it was a really quick turnaround. It was like, hey, would you want to come train with us? Blah, blah, blah, blah, like. And I was like, okay, sure. What are the details? And it was just like, come to Manila next week and you'll be here for two and a half months.

[A]

Had you ever been before?

[E]

I had never been to the Philippines. I had never been to Asia at all. And so that was kind of my first experience. And I mean, the. The people of the Philippines are so sweet and so just hospital. The hospitality is amazing over there. So I had such a great time. I really, really would like to go back.

[A]

Yeah. I mean, is there. Can you play on their national team?

[E]

I would have to get my passport. That was like the main reason why I came back to the States. Just because trying to find.

[A]

Speaking of the goings on, finding the

[E]

lineage of kind of my ancestry was a little bit difficult, but, yeah, it was. It was such a fun experience. I mean, you. You have. Have to go there if you.

[A]

I want. It's just the flight is.

[E]

It's 14 and a half hours long.

[A]

I hate a long flight. I went to Australia in college, and I remember, like, when I went over there, I remember thinking, like, while you're over here, you should be going to other. But I had. I was just. I was just drinking all the time. I was in college. You get it?

[E]

Sydney, Melbourne, Brisbane, Gold Coast.

[A]

Yes. And I did all that. But I should have, like, gone and seen, like, Fiji. I should have, because. Get all the way over there.

[E]

Yeah.

[A]

But, yeah, from what I hear, it is very worth it and very cool and very beautiful. So, yeah, I should probably do it. But that. The reason I said that's, like, shades of Alyssa Louis, because she. I don't know if you followed her story when she was skating, but she was very like, look, I gotta step away from this for a little bit. And then came back to it and was just so fully herself and connected to herself and in charge that it showed in her performance.

[D]

Yes.

[A]

And again, that sounds like, like, you to me, which I think is, like, you took a little bit of time away from it. Granted, while you were traveling, you then went and trained with the Philippines national team. But, like, you. And then you kind of came back to it and were like, I'm ready to do this.

[E]

Yeah. And I think that's one thing that I never thought I would come back to. Volleyball. I became content being done, which is something I didn't think I would be able to do just after doing it. I would have been doing it for seven years straight of just volleyball at the amateur level, high school level.

[A]

Now, what's the schedule on that? Like, was it, like, at two a day? Were you, like, going in and always working out in the mornings and then playing with a different team at night? Like, what was your. Like those years of playing it? That much?

[E]

Yeah, yeah. Like amateur. Like, we would practice four times a week, and then we'd have. Obviously you have, like, private lessons. You have, like, extracurricular stuff. So, like, that was kind of that schedule. And then once you get into collegiate athletics, obviously it's a. It's like a whole thing in and of itself. So, yeah, it's like lift early in the morning and. And then practice and then meetings and then, you know, nutrition evaluations, and it's Just a lot of stuff. And that's one thing that I was just like, well, I want to live life. I want to not be tied down to. Okay, well, Jordan, you have to be here at this time. Oh, but then you have to go to your study hours at this time and class at this time. And it was just a lot. So I look back at that time period of my life, and I was still, to this day, said that was the most fun and most freeing I've ever had in my life. Was that September of 2024 to December

[A]

of 2024 where you were like, it's just me in charge now.

[E]

Yes.

[A]

Nobody can tell me what I got to do and where I got to be. I'm kind of free.

[E]

Yeah. Free in a way. And then. Yeah. Stepping back into it, like, what I said, it was just like, well, this is how it is again. Okay. Now my life is on a schedule, on a timetable. Yeah.

[A]

But coming into it with, like, a refreshed perspective is almost like, now you can appreciate the. Almost like, discipline that it gives you in certain areas and the structure that it gives.

[E]

And that's what I. That's exactly. I agree with you, Katie, on that because. Because I always say that you have to split the athlete and the person. And I feel like in our sport, especially, a lot of people tie their performance or how well they do to their outside life.

[A]

Totally.

[E]

And this season really taught me that whatever happens on the volleyball court has to stay there, because then it starts affecting other areas of your life. And I remember just back my freshman year and sophomore year, and Obviously I was 18, 19 years old, that it just really affected me of, like. Like, oh, I didn't do well today. Oh, my gosh. Well, now the rest of my day is horrible.

[A]

So that makes perfect sense to me because it sounds like with volleyball being in your life for so long, when you make the decision to go, like, who am I outside of this sport? Who am I outside of volleyball? Volleyball has taken up all of my time, all my days, for all my years. Who am I outside of it? And then once you found out.

[E]

Yeah.

[A]

You sort of came back to it and said, well, now I can be me who plays volleyball.

[E]

Exactly.

[A]

And it's like, volleyball is a part of my life, but no longer. If I suck today at volleyball, I don't suck. I am a guy who's great and wonderful who had a really bad game or whatever. Yeah. Bad match. It's not a game.

[E]

A match.

[A]

This weekend you're going to a pro event, right?

[E]

Yes.

[A]

In Texas.

[E]

Yes. Major League Volleyball. Yes.

[A]

Tell us about Major League volleyball. So this is one of the women's leagues.

[E]

Yeah. So there's two professional leagues in America. There is Major League Volleyball and then. Which they were the first ones to create a professional league. And then about two years ago, Love is the other.

[A]

I've seen commercials.

[E]

Yeah, you've seen. Yeah. And so, yeah, I'm going to Major League Volleyball this weekend. And basically, do they hate each other

[A]

or do they like each other? How does that work?

[E]

I, I don't think there's love there.

[A]

And I also am like, why did I put him in the position to answer for that? So we can look that, that up. We'll look it up.

[E]

Yeah, they. But yeah, I mean, it's. I think it's just great for the sport. And I know that it now gives a lot of the women's players because a lot of them had to go overseas over the last five years to play in Turkey or France. And a lot of them get to stay now stateside, which they still make around the same amount of money that they would over there, but obviously. Exactly. But now you're in the States so you're closer to home. More and more of a fan base for women's volleyball is really culminating right now, which I think is super cool. It's like, how do we get kind of that now onto the men's side?

[A]

Yeah, I mean, it is such a high energy sport. It's. Truthfully, I think the biggest hurdle for a volleyball would be getting in front of the people. Because once it's in front of them and once it's factored into people's minds of like, oh, let's see if there's volleyball on. It's like such an engrossing sport to watch.

[E]

I agree. I, in my opinion, watching many different sports, you know, over the years, that volleyball, it's just, it's the quickness of it all and it's in my. It's also like in volleyball, it's not like basketball or basketball, you have two, three pointers. Volleyball, everything's worth the same thing.

[A]

I know.

[E]

And so I think that's the really cool side about the sport. It's like, you know, someone could get a great swing. Like, you know, kind of what I

[A]

do, you know, the thing that you see me do all over the Internet

[E]

or, you know, someone could get an ace or a block and it's all worth the same point, which I just think is like super cool.

[A]

That it's like very egalitarian of, like, no matter what it all ends up being.

[E]

Exactly.

[A]

It's all worth the same amount, but it's still worth it to make it look cool when you do it.

[E]

Exactly.

[C]

Which you do.

[A]

Have you ever, like, made it look cool, but it didn't the point. You didn't get the point. Have you ever celebrated and then had to, like, walk it back?

[E]

No.

[A]

Okay, good. I don't think I hoped that for you.

[E]

Yeah, no, I don't think I ever have. I always. I don't say I always tell people, but, like, my. What I think of my celebrations and kind of that aspect of it all is the reason why the mlb, the NFL, the NBA are so popular and why some of these players are, you know, extremely popular are because they have something that other people don't have. They have that flair. They have that. That little. Just something else that gets them over the edge and why people are so entertained. And I always tell people I play volleyball. Yes. Because I love the sport and I. I love what it's given to me. But to entertain people, and that's what I. I love entertaining people.

[A]

It's also the exact right place for the energy of like. Like, I'm that bitch.

[E]

Exactly.

[A]

Like, that is where it should exist more in sport. Because in that moment, it's like you were saying, separating the athlete and the person. The athlete has to be. A little bit of the ego turned up because that's how you get into the headspace to do what you're doing to other teams, which is dismantling them one point at a time.

[E]

Yeah.

[A]

But you are doing it now. The unfortunate thing is that I think what first sort of brought people. You into people's consciousness was, of course, not a positive reaction to what you do on the court. His name is in here somewhere. And I actually don't even feel like saying it. Unless you want to, but it was a commentator that we saw sort of say that the. That about your antics that it was surprising you haven't been popped by somebody.

[E]

Yes.

[A]

Which, you know, half of me goes like, wow, I really would have liked to think we were past this by now. Then the other half of me thinks of the goings on and goes, oh, no. Are we experiencing a resurgence of this ancient way of thinking and acting? And so without having to make you talk about what somebody else said about you, just what was that experience like? It seems like you were prepared to weather it and have done so with grace.

[E]

Yeah. Obviously during that match, I didn't hear this happening. And then after the Match. I turned my phone on dnd before matches. So my teammates were like, hey, Jordan, did you see what happened? I'm like, no, because I hadn't been on my phone yet. And they showed me the video and I had to watch it again. Cause I was like, hold on, what did he say? And so I'm listening to it and I was just like, wow. And the first kind of initial reaction was like shocked in a way. Just. Cause I was like, who would say this on like nationally broadcasted television? And then I was like, okay, like a little distraught. Cause I was like, I was just playing volleyball and that's what I like. And I've always been that person. A lot of people in the volleyball world have respect for me and you know, respect for who I am, but also, you know, the talent that I have within volleyball. And for someone to say that, I was kind of just like, okay. So it took about a day for me to reflect on kind of what he said and was like, well, am I doing, you know, you know, am I, am I being respectful in ways? But I looked back and I was like, guys on the other side are doing the same exact thing, but just more in what we talked about, a more masculine, a more bro Ish way. And I do it in more of a feminine, fun, light heartedness way. And I feel like people like, like the way that I celebrate a little bit more.

[A]

Love, love the way and just like it. Again, not used to like it was I. I remember genuinely, I think I like my shoulders dropped when I first saw a clip of you where I was like, that's it. That's what I've been missing. That's what I need to see more of. And luckily you've got a lot of highlights. You've got so many highlights that you go, how many times can I watch this? And the answer is unlimited. Because anytime you pop up in my favor. I had to like unfavorite some things before I came in today. Cause I was like, if he finds my TikTok and sees how much of it is liking videos of you, but it just is so refreshing just to see a dominant athlete who's dominant in the way that they are.

[E]

Thank you.

[A]

True to themselves. Also, I was gonna ask about any experience with opponents, if there, if you've ever had any issues with opponents. But I actually wanted to start with, I saw a clip where it looks like your opponent was absolutely gagged by you. And in the fan fiction that I wrote in my head, I was like, I bet he came up to him after the game and was like, I'm aware of you. I bet he was probably a fan of yours. I wonder if you've heard from anybody positively that you've played against who's like, thank you for being you. You've helped me be me.

[E]

No one that I've played against. I. I would say in the NCAA Division 1 landscape, especially in men's volleyball, we've had a lot of, obviously, players that have been part of the LGBTQ community, but no one's. None of them have really been, like, out loud and really, I don't say in your face, but just are true to themselves. I feel like a good amount of those people have hid themselves. Obviously, the people know that they are, but they just. They're not there. They don't express themselves. And that's one thing that I always told myself, like, I will never hide who I am, especially in volleyball, because volleyball's allowed me to be the person who I wanted to become. And I have so much or a lot of people have respect for me within the volleyball world, in the ncaa, in high school, in amateur. And I think that just goes to a testament of me that, like, I'm a very kind person. But then on the court, I'm, you know, the antics and the flamboyancy and, you know, I. They have just a lot of respect for me. And, like, I think I know which clip you're referencing. A lot of the players, like, I know and have played against for many years, throughout my entire volleyball career. And so for them, I feel like they're just like, oh, here we go. Like, it's another. And when something, like, when I do something good or, you know, like, maybe, like. Like throw them on their ass or, like, get a really good kill on them or, like, you know, blow a kiss, like, oh, here we go. Another viral clip's about to come.

[A]

I. Has it been hard, or is that just what people that aren't in the locker room would think that it be. Would be difficult to be not just, like, out gay, but, like, fully out and out loud yourself? Has it been difficult? I think a lot of people would use the word brave, and I wonder if you would, like, like, identify with that if you feel like what you've done has been brave.

[E]

Yeah, we could use the word brave for. For me, I. Like what I said. It's just always been me. I. I've. I've had the same. There's some videos I could. I could send you if you want to see. When I was, like, 14 where, like, it was even more animated, like, and I've just. I've been the same player. And so a lot of people, like. And especially a lot of younger athletes, especially within volleyball, who are part of the LGBT community, I do get kind of that love from them, like, hey, thank you so much. You're allowing me to be myself. And, like, I coach youth volleyball, so I see now, like, the trend of there's so many more out athletes at the age 15, 16, 17 than there was when I was playing. So it's like, really?

[A]

That's amazing to hear. That's the kind of data you don't really get when you're just, you know, covering sports the way we are at, like, a national level. I don't often see that, and it's, like, kind of really reassuring to hear.

[E]

Yeah, it's. It's super cool to see. And I think that's always been my biggest thing, where I told myself when I stepped into volleyball at around 13 or 14, that when I leave the sport, whenever that is, I want to make sure that I made my mark and I changed volleyball. And I hopefully now can say that I've made a change to volleyball in the most positive way. And hopefully a lot of people see it as, you know, a positive light for not only LGBTQ athletes within the sport and within sports in general, but also just for the whole sake of men's volleyball, because we are such a niche sport, especially in the United States, that now, hopefully, it's gotten a little bit more mainstream. So people are like, okay, hey, do you want to play volleyball? Hey, should we start volleyball just so that now, like, we can kind of be on par with, like, women's volleyball or even, like, maybe get to, like, the basketball area?

[A]

Yeah, that's amazing. Have your. Are your friends and teammates, like, blown away by what the last few weeks have been like for you? Is everybody like, oh, my God, you're everywhere?

[E]

Yeah, I. I think my friends always were like, Jor. My friends call me Jord. Like, Jor. We. We knew that this was coming sometime or not. And, like, you know, luckily right now, it's kind of, like, the best time in life. Like, you know, you're finally at the age where people take you serious and that you have the maturity to handle it all.

[A]

Yeah, that's all so true.

[E]

Yeah. So it's been really cool just in, like, getting to have friends that come to me, to come with me to events and kind of now get to experience my life right now, because also, this is all so new. For me, too. Because at the end of the day, I was just playing volleyball.

[A]

Yeah. The way that you've always played.

[E]

The way that I've always played. And that was when this kind of whole thing took off. I was like, I mean, I've been doing this for, like, six, seven years.

[A]

Did it make you at all get in your head of, like, should I do it? Should I turn it up a little? Should I turn it down a little? I feel like if all of a sudden everybody was looking at me, I'd be like, do it the same way. Or do you guys want me to, like, kind of go harder at it?

[E]

I think for me, a lot of the celebrations and the people and the things that people love, it's a lot of just things that come naturally that

[A]

you're probably not even thinking about at the time. Yeah, it's just the way your body just reacts.

[E]

Yeah. It's the fluidity of my body. And, like, I will say that Drag Race, RuPaul, Drag Race does have some influence into that. So I do pull some influence from that. But, yeah, it's. It's kind of just myself, like, and it. And I. I love it. I mean, I don't know. I sometimes, especially during the match, like, I'll do something, and I'm like, okay, that was kind of funny. Like, it's just, like, funny to me. Like, some of the stuff.

[A]

Do you go home and watch your own highlights?

[E]

Yes. Luckily, we have a videographer who sends me the stuff. Like, oh, Jordan, look at this one. Or like. Or, like, she'll clip it and be like, hair toss game one. Hair toss game two.

[A]

That's perfect. God, thank God. I also. That was my second thought is I was like, I really hope they're not making this guy edit all of his own clips. And watch yourself back. But also kind of nice.

[E]

Yeah.

[A]

Kind of a nice time to reflect on how good you are.

[E]

Yeah. K Day. This is a slogan that I always say, and I use it with a lot of my friends, so it's, I'm pretty, I'm hot, I'm everything you're not.

[A]

It's very, I'm sexy, I'm cute, I'm popular To Boots, which I very much appreciate.

[E]

Great hair. The boys all love to stare. I'm on it. I'm hot.

[A]

I'm everything you're not. I have not connected with a movie the way I did with that when it first came out. My. I transferred from Los Angeles.

[E]

My school has now gymnastics team. This is the last resort. Yes. Bring it On. I'm such a fan of that.

[A]

Did I see that? Okay, so we were talking yesterday on this podcast or two days ago, I don't know, week, whatever, about edits on TikTok, about, like, the value, especially in sports, in a world where, like, sports was always you would turn on SportsCenter and watch the highlights. And then in recent years, with the way that social media is, SportsCenter has struggled with, like, what is SportsCenter if nobody needs it anymore.

[E]

Exactly.

[A]

And what I've sort of come around on is this idea of, like, edits as the correct way to be watching highlights. Because you can tell a story with these edits where, like, you switch to a fan reaction or you switch to. And in one of the edits of you I saw, I think was that Armani White that was in the crowd.

[E]

Yes.

[A]

Because his song had been used on one of the. I think maybe the one that went viral first.

[E]

Yes.

[A]

And he was like, I gotta see this in person. Did that really happen?

[E]

Yes, it was. That was a really surreal moment. So obviously, you know, makes the edit, the song gets hit to it, it. And then we post. Or my videographer posted that on Sunday. I wake up, sorry, on Monday, and it's already at, like 6 or 7 million views.

[A]

Oh, my God.

[E]

And we're like, oh. And then it just, you know, kept on taking off, taking off, taking off. And luckily we had a couple more matches after that video went viral. And so he texted our CSUN kind of ad and was like, hey, how do I get tickets for this match? But that match had already sold out. And so luckily we get an extra. A few tickets for being, you know, players and athletes. And so we gave him a few. So, yeah, he pulled up to the match and was there for the entire match and with his people. And it was so surreal and so cool, like, for him to be there and, you know, just to have, like, kind of a celebrity and such a big artist be at an NCAA Division 1 volleyball match.

[A]

I love that. It made me go like, oh, I like him. I like that he came and he went and he showed up and he, like, celebrate. He was, like, standing up and cheering you on in the crowd.

[E]

No, he was. He was like, how? Like, he. We talked after the match and he was. He's like, Jordan, he's like, this was fun. Like, I didn't know that, like, men's volleyball is like this. And I. And that's the one thing I don't think people understand. Like, women's is great, but men's Is just a little bit more, like, faster. Just the balls are hit harder. There's more pace on everything. So, yeah, it's a lot more like, oh.

[A]

Ah. Yeah, I love that. What was. Have you heard from anybody else that's been like, your big. Like, whoa. I can't believe this person reached out.

[E]

I will say the. The most. Most shocking one was Mark Cuban.

[A]

Mark Cuban, Yeah. Smart money, too. Maybe he's. Maybe he could invest in sort of like a men's volleyball something.

[E]

Exactly. Yeah. That was a really cool one. A personal favorite of mine was Laganja Stranja. I don't know.

[A]

Drag Race.

[E]

Drag Race.

[F]

Yeah.

[G]

Yeah, yeah.

[E]

Yes. She reached out to me and she was like, I love what you're doing for the sport or for the sport. She's like, you be yourself. It was. It was super cool. That was like a. For me, like a. Oh, wow. Like. Oh, shit. Like, starstruck.

[C]

Like.

[A]

Yeah, yeah. Oh, I love that. It's like, does it feel nice? You're having. Are you. Have you allowed any of the good in. In all of this? Are you making sure you slow down and go, like, whoa?

[E]

Yeah, I think that was the one thing. So all of this happened during our season. Like, we were still in season. And I told my team and my coaches once everything started to really get pretty big, I was like. I had a meeting with everybody. I was like, hey, I just want to let you guys know, obviously all the virality is happening right now, but I want to let you guys know I'm trying to be as present as I can with everybod with it being, you know, maybe my last season and the last time with the same team. And that's just the one thing right now. I'm just trying to keep to my. Or tell myself is just try and be present in everything that you're doing.

[A]

Yeah, it's the. The key to it.

[E]

Yeah. Yeah, that's what. Yeah, that's what I would say.

[A]

Yeah, for sure. You also were at a school. This was Grand Canyon. You were at a school playing volleyball and then they got rid of your volleyball program.

[E]

Yes. Well, I left before that.

[A]

Or you heard they were about to. And you were like, I'm breaking up with you, actually, and you left.

[E]

Yeah, so I left the year before in 2024, and the program got cut in 2025. A lot of people say that they didn't know, but I don't really know if they really looked into it or understood kind of what was happening behind the scenes. Obviously, as a player, I Kind of knew what was happening behind the scenes, and you could tell that there was some subliminal messages that were being posed. And I was like, okay, this does not seem like there's some longevity here.

[A]

So it's such a bummer. It's. We're seeing that. I feel like there was the rugby program at Quinnipiac that just recently got cut, and that was like the leading. A leading women's rugby school.

[E]

Exactly.

[A]

And I feel like. I don't know if it's the mess of nil and all of the. The way the NCAA was like, we can't pay. We can't pay. We can't pay. And then, like. Like, okay, you can pay, but we're not going to look. We don't know how it. Like, the way it just has been rolled out has been a mess across the major sports. I can't even imagine in the smaller sports the way that it's been and all of the things that will come of it. But it's been a real bummer to see how many programs of things get cut in recent years.

[E]

Yeah. And especially for us at GC like that Quinnipac women's rugby, top program. When we are at gcu, we're a Final Four team, number one team in the country, Elite Eight. Like, we were a very good program and a top program in the country, and then, poof, it goes gone.

[A]

That sucks.

[E]

Yeah. And just for this whole state of Arizona, we are the only Division 1 men's volleyball team in Arizona. And so kind of all of that, you know, then it, like, domino effect hurts the boys, like, amateur youth side and just all of that. And so, yeah, I think it's really difficult for still the people of Arizona right now dealing with it all.

[A]

Damn. So you're gonna have to. I feel like we gotta do something to save all these sports. They're so important, and I feel like. Like they do with the arts. It's like, it's the first thing that gets cut when it comes to stuff. And then you see how much money certain other sports make, and it's like, surely there's an answer in here that a smart person should be working on figuring out.

[E]

Exactly. Exactly.

[A]

All right. I can't let you go. And I just want to make sure I ask you every single thing I want to ask you.

[E]

Yeah, you. Yeah. I'm here for you, Katie.

[A]

This is. I'm so. It's so cool. It's so cool because truly, how much of you I've watched on the Internet, but just like, I keep saying it. It just feels so important. Like in the year of Heated Rivalry, which was this year, Right? Or maybe it was like, calendar last year.

[E]

Yeah.

[A]

But yeah, yeah, yeah. Like within a year. And you're not done with it yet. So we're not going to, like, talk about it or spoil it or anything, but just feels like we. I grew up a hockey fan. My whole life, I've been a hockey fan. And I'm, like, fully aware of hockey's shortcomings. One of them being the rampant homophobia through the sport. And that's only just one of them because there's also a lot of misogyny that runs through the sport as well. Not my obviously favorite things about them. And so when I saw Heated Rivalry coming out, I was like, this could be awesome. This could also be a collision course for an absolute nightmare. And it felt like everything is good and is going well. And so then I feel like that's just the context that my brain was in. Was already thinking about. About sports in this different way that then when I saw you, I was like, oh, my God. I feel like we're. It's time. I feel like it's time for us to get over this antiquated idea of what a man is and what a man has to be, especially in competitive environments. And. And I just feel so excited that we have such a smart and capable and talented young man that is, like, sort of leading the public consciousness on this.

[E]

Thank you.

[A]

That's you.

[E]

Yeah. Thank you, Katie.

[A]

Yeah, I feel good about it, I think.

[E]

Question. What. What is your favorite NHL team?

[A]

Okay. I'm the Bruins fan, which I really don't want to fucking talk about right now, Jordan. Okay. Because it. He. They are bad. Yeah, they are so bad. They are out. It's done. The Sabres have put us out of our misery. Horrendous games that, again, don't want to talk about. Do you have a hockey team? Team?

[E]

I don't watch much hockey.

[A]

That's okay. But show's called Casuals. It's not for people who watch a

[E]

lot of hockey, but I know the Oilers were pretty legit this year, right?

[A]

Yeah. Until they weren't.

[E]

Yeah. Until they.

[A]

They just got knocked out. Which they shouldn't have.

[E]

Yeah.

[A]

Because they're so good. But, yeah, they were dealing with some nagging injuries. You haven't. You don't ask an athlete about injuries. Never mind. I was going to say you. It doesn't. You haven't had to.

[E]

Yeah, no, I will talk about it. It's totally Fine.

[A]

Have you had any, like, major injuries you've had to come back from?

[E]

I have never knock on wood.

[A]

See, this is why I don't want to about it.

[E]

No, but it's totally fine. Never knock on wood. I always. I'm a big knock on wood person. I'm very super.

[A]

And this is real wood. I do think.

[E]

Oh, okay.

[A]

Well, hopefully if not that. So do both just in case.

[E]

Okay. The only time I ever got injured and it honestly was like a kind of like, oh, how do I get back to volleyball? Was my freshman year. I was restoring libero at GCU and I was diving a lot, as liberos do, and I ended up getting a hematoma on my hip.

[A]

Ooh.

[E]

And it was one of the worst, worst pains of my big bruise.

[A]

Is that a hemato? What's a hematoma?

[E]

So it's basically when you. Yeah, like a big bruise. Well, in it. So it was a bone bruise. So the whole bone, like it was like a third ass. And I'm like, not joking. Like, so, like, I couldn't walk. But. Yeah, but what do they have to do?

[A]

They have to like, drain it? No.

[E]

Well, I told them I don't do needles. I'm. I don't do needles. And so I told them. I was like, well, we can massage it, you guys. So we did like lymphatic. Lymphatic drainage and all that stuff. Stuff. But luck. But we played UCLA that same week, so I got it on Saturday and we played UCLA on Friday. And I was like, I'm not sitting out this match. So we. They gave me a bunch of drugs and numbed it and then I played on it. But yeah, that was some of the worst pain in my life.

[A]

Dragging a whole extra ass around. That's crazy.

[E]

Yeah. No, after the pod, I can show you a picture of it because it is insane.

[A]

Oh, my God.

[E]

But that's the only thing I've ever had to do with.

[A]

Okay. And then again, let's all just be making sure that we're knocking all of the possible. Would that exists? Okay, here's a random thing. I saw that you were on a little league team that one year that you were on. It went completely defeated. Zero wins, 22 losses. And then the next season, same team went 22 and, oh, entirely undefeated.

[E]

Exactly.

[A]

Why have we not made a 30 for 30 about this yet? And what turned that program around?

[E]

So it was the San Diego Padres. So, you know, every little league team had, you know, a name. So the San Diego Padres, it was 2013. I like, remember this because I remember after that season I told my parents I am never playing baseball again. And also background. I was on the All Star team for that. I lost the All Star game too. So I was 00:23 as an individual. But yeah, so we went 00:22. And I remember everyone was just like, you know, after, after game, like 9 or 10, everyone's like, are we going to win a game? And then the following year we got a couple new people. So it wasn't these the same team.

[A]

Not a big turnover, but enough that it was new.

[E]

Er, yeah. I remember there's maybe three. Three new kids. Three.

[A]

And we liked them. They brought good snacks.

[E]

Yeah, yeah. Brock of snacks. The tangerines were amazing. The orange slices. Yes, crucial. And then we like were 405060. We're like, oh, well, you know, we'll take it. Especially after the first game. We won the first game. We were like, better than last year.

[A]

We're back.

[E]

We're back.

[A]

Something we haven't had in a while. A win. A pizza party.

[E]

Exactly.

[A]

Yeah.

[E]

And then we got to like, I think it was 16 0170. And then they were like, we only have five games left. Like, we like, might as well just win it all. And we ended up winning the Little League. It was like the most crazy year time flip ever.

[A]

Absurd. I've. I can't even. I. I would say that probably hasn't ever happened before. Yeah, I mean, Little League is. Is volatile.

[E]

Exactly.

[A]

Records change every year. But to go completely defeated to completely undefeated, that's something.

[E]

Yeah.

[A]

I think we should call Bill Simmons. Working on a 30 for 30 to me personally, that matters. I would watch that. Now listen, you are probably one of the only people left on Earth who does not yet have their own podcast. And so if you had any thoughts you wanted to share on current events in sports, I'm thinking mostly of like the Met Gala and Serena at the Met Gala. I wanted to give you space to have and share your thoughts because I know within a month you'll have your own podcast and we will all like and subscribe. But until then, I'm like, he might have thoughts he wants to get out that he's got nowhere to put. Did you see her at the Met Gala?

[E]

I did not. I. The schedule's been super busy right now

[A]

and that's why I don't hold you to it. But we can show her too.

[E]

I would like. Oh, okay. Let me look right here.

[C]

Yeah.

[E]

Oh, that is.

[A]

It's beautiful.

[E]

That is Perfect.

[A]

So many different ways people went with the theme this year. And look, I got notes on the entirety of the Met Gala. Just as a concept. I think we're all kind of trying to become more conscious of that, but this look. If we were just looking at this look in a vacuum. Gorgeous.

[E]

Gorgeous. I love an open leg concept.

[A]

I love a slit leg on somebody else. Not on me, but on someone else. I love to praise a woman with a strong leg and it's poking out

[E]

of her dress and I love how it kind of drapes across. I. Yeah, I love this.

[A]

And is that the shoe going all the way up to the thigh?

[E]

Yeah. Yeah. Yep. Yeah.

[A]

Gorge. Stunning.

[E]

This. This is top tier, in my opinion. I like the. And I like the hair. The two strands coming off.

[A]

I like that. Which were. Isabella and I. Our producer, who you met, have been calling money pieces. Cuz that's. I know what they call them in snowboarding, but I don't know if that's what they call them like, anywhere else in the world. World.

[E]

What do you call in snowboarding? They're called money pieces.

[A]

They call, like, you pull your money pieces out the front of your helmet and it's sort of seen as like a. I'm a girl. Okay. Otherwise you're not really seen. Yeah, but I don't. That's not probably what they call it in like the rest of the world, right?

[E]

No, I have never heard.

[A]

What are you calling this?

[E]

I just call it strands of hair.

[A]

Yeah, it's great. That's. That is technically what it is. That makes a lot of sense to me. You're a big Serena fan. Yes.

[E]

Yeah. Yeah. She is probably a really big inspiration for me, just within sports, especially growing up, I'm. I mean, the longevity she's had within tennis, I mean, is insane. And then to be a person of color within a predominantly white sport, which is kind of like men's wible. Men's wible is predominantly white, and so you had to be a person of color. She's just been super inspiring and just like her athletic dominance, but the way that she's poised off the court, I think is really cool. And that's the people that are. The thing that I think people misconstrue a lot with her is like, you know, she's so ferocious and like, really, really just passionate about the game of tennis. And when she's off the court, she's very, very more like mellow and sweet and just a kind human being.

[A]

Yeah. Which again, speaks to your. You've got to Separate the athlete and the person.

[E]

Exactly.

[A]

But it does seem like the general sports fan sometimes has a difficult time thinking that way or understanding that the duality of an athlete.

[E]

Exactly.

[A]

I also saw that you really like. What was the, what was the actual quote that you're a big fan, a passionate fan of pickleball.

[E]

Yes.

[A]

Okay, so we had. Maria Sharapova was in here a couple weeks ago and she strongly. I was surprised, strongly anti pickleball. And so I feel like it's only fair to offer space for the counter argument. So I would love you to tell us what you love about pickleball.

[E]

I think one, it's a lot easier than tennis because obviously, which Maria Sharapova

[A]

wouldn't understand because she's very good at tennis. She doesn't need it.

[F]

It's.

[E]

Yeah. I think the court size is. Helps out a lot. I like the kitchen rule. I think that like that is.

[A]

What is it.

[E]

So you can't. Unless the ball bounces in the kitchen, you can't step in there. So it's basically, I would say it's like maybe five or six feet from like separation. It's like kind of the vault how volleyball works. There's like a, a ten foot line. And so you can't stand step in there unless the ball bounces in there. Then it's like free will in a way. And then I do. I don't know, I just, I like it. I really like it. And I love the way that like the ball comes off the paddle. I love that. And it's more like fast paced than tennis is. Cause obviously smaller court and everything. And a lot of my good friends and I play it. A lot of my friends that I have at like Long Beach State University on the men's volleyball team, we play that a lot together. And so, yeah, it's just kind of like camaraderie in a way.

[A]

Yeah. I had never actually thought about net sports and if all of them, if you feel like you've got an advantage at a lot of them because of volleyball.

[E]

Yeah.

[A]

Like, do you find the skill set probably translates best in a pickleball situation or are you like nasty at ping pong?

[E]

Oh, I can play ping pong too.

[A]

Huh.

[E]

I'm. I would say, yeah, those. Yeah. Ping pong and pickleball are probably two of the things that I like to do outside of volleyball that like are still a sport.

[A]

Yeah.

[E]

Yeah. With pickleball, like, it is just. It has a lot of the same motions like the, the swing and the like underhand and like, it's a lot of kind of volleyball or esque things.

[A]

Yeah.

[E]

And so, yeah, I feel like I've done badminton.

[A]

You like badminton?

[E]

I don't. I don't think I've ever played badminton.

[A]

What the hell is wrong with you? You gotta play badminton.

[E]

I don't know where badminton is.

[A]

Well, it's in the backyard. If you're me, it's in your backyard of a family party that you barely want to be at. So you pick up a racket and you play with some of your uncles and aunts and stuff.

[E]

Okay, maybe I'll try it out. Yeah. In Southern California, pickleball.

[A]

Nobody's doing bad. I don't know. It's not having a moment or anything right now. I don't think I ever seen professional badminton. What other net sports? I mean, tennis.

[E]

Have you played spike ball? No, I mean, that's not really like. I mean, it does have a net,

[A]

but is it like. Vol. It's.

[E]

It's spike ball. So basically there's. There's a net on the ground. People play it at the beach and stuff.

[A]

Oh, maybe I have.

[E]

You've probably seen it.

[A]

You definitely have. Yeah. I just was probably too many white claws in to remember what it was called.

[E]

Yeah, yeah, yeah, totally. Okay. It's all of us.

[A]

Yeah. Yeah. Huh.

[E]

But that. I'm trying to think. Think if there's any other net sports. Have you ever played tech volley?

[A]

No.

[E]

You haven't seen it?

[A]

No.

[E]

Tech volley. So basically it's this big, like. I don't say like wood board, but, like, I think it's a. I forgot a fiberglass. So, like, fiberglass board. And you just like. It's like volleyball, but it's more like sloped down, like pingpong. And so it's two on two. And you. You have to check it out.

[A]

This is intense.

[E]

Yo, check it out. Tech volley is like, kind of the new volley. Yeah, it's kind of like the new and upcoming thing.

[A]

Okay. Do you ever do beach volleyball?

[E]

I did when I was younger. Yeah, I did when I was younger a lot. And I had some good success in it. But it got to the point where I live pretty far away from the beach. I live like 45 minutes to an hour, which.

[A]

Which in a place where there's a beach that's might as well be two hours. Like, you got to be closer to the beach if you're going to, like, be on it all the time.

[E]

Exactly. And yeah, I just. I wasn't a fan of, like, the, like, the Wind is a big factor in beach volleyball. So, like where the ball moves and then like just the sand is a little bit more difficult.

[A]

The sand would be my number one complaint.

[E]

Well, and the sand getting everywhere.

[A]

And if you live near the beach, well, then your whole house is sandy. Who cares? You've got tile floor.

[E]

Exactly.

[A]

But if you're tr. Commuting an hour home.

[E]

Exactly.

[A]

Covered in sand.

[E]

Horrible.

[A]

And the salt that gets. And it's just a lot.

[E]

Exactly.

[A]

So that's not for you, Jordan.

[E]

We don't need you to be tan. No, I go to the beach to tan and look pretty.

[A]

Yes. And I. And I barely do that. You can find me by the pool mostly.

[E]

Oh, okay.

[A]

It's just easier. It's just easier. The waves. There's no waves to take me out. Out. The water is at like a nice controlled temperature. I'm not leaving it up to God to tell me how cold the water should be, you know?

[E]

Do you like the Caribbean? Have you been?

[A]

I mean, I would never complain. Yes, of course.

[E]

What's your favorite island down there?

[A]

Oh, God, where have I been? I went to Turks and Caicos. That's in the Caribbean. Yeah. I've been to the Dominican Republic. I really like.

[E]

Okay.

[A]

I. But I have not. What you've got, like, you've been to multiple islands. You're like a jet setter. You're like a good. You travel a lot.

[E]

I've. No, I mean.

[A]

What's your favorite island, Jordan?

[E]

The Cayman Islands.

[A]

Yeah.

[E]

If you ever get the chance to go there.

[A]

Okay.

[E]

Please do.

[A]

Yeah.

[C]

What's.

[A]

What month of the year do you go to the Cayman Islands?

[E]

November.

[A]

Okay.

[E]

November, December.

[A]

Time you had an answer ready. That's what I'm obsessed with that. I need, I'm. I need a friend that does that. That goes like November, this island. Book it now and go.

[E]

Yeah, that like, they. It's so under. And I don't say. I wouldn't say underdeveloped. I mean, in the best way, because it's just so. It's not like it's like nature.

[A]

It's natural.

[E]

It's not like the Bahamas where it's really commercialized. Like, and they have a seven mile beach and it's all white sand, Chris. Oh. It's crystal clear water. And it was the best five days I've ever had my life there.

[A]

I need a vacation.

[E]

And it's a British colony, so they do like.

[A]

They also like the exchange. Do they do like, what, what's the current?

[E]

The. It's the Cayman Dollar but the Queen of England's on it.

[D]

Huh.

[E]

So, yeah.

[A]

Complex.

[E]

Yeah.

[A]

Well, yeah, there's a lot to unpack there. All right, I'll go to the. Fine. If you say so. Now I guess I have to go to the Cayman Islands.

[E]

Yes.

[A]

Okay. The last thing I feel like. I would be remiss if I didn't point out that your Wikipedia page exists. Congratulations. That is eight step. You have a Wikipedia page that stays all the time. It isn't just a flag, you know, sometimes you get first it's like, well, this exists, but we don't really know enough. You have one.

[E]

Okay.

[A]

It is two sentences long.

[E]

Okay.

[A]

That feels like a crime to me. It feels like. And I don't know, I know that Wikipedia is editable, but I know that's a whole political thing. I'm sure somebody who edits Wikipedia listens to this podcast. Just casting a net. We have a rocket scientist who has listened to this podcast.

[E]

Oh, wow.

[A]

I've got a lawyer who listens to. There's gotta be somebody with edit privileges on Wikipedia. And so we've got to add a little bit to your page and we got to get in there the stuff that you want. Let me first find and read to you what exists already.

[E]

This is news to me, Katie, because I have no idea about this.

[A]

It's really brief. Are you ready?

[E]

Yes. Let's hear it.

[A]

Jordan Lucas is an American volleyball player with a large following on social media. Lucas is gay and period. That's it. That is your entire Wikipedia page.

[E]

Well, I mean, what a synopsis of that.

[A]

Factually accurate.

[E]

Yeah.

[A]

Doesn't paint a full picture to me. I need more. So maybe let's just start saying things that could. Where did you go to high school?

[E]

I went to Upland High School.

[A]

Okay. You like it or no?

[E]

Yes. I was only there for half a semester. I went there for volleyball to win a state championship. That's it.

[A]

And you did?

[E]

I did. But the school that I went to, to for the most of my. I went to three different high schools. So I went to Servite, which is an all boy Roman Catholic high school for half a semester and then I went to Los Altos, which is in my hometown, Hacienda Heights, California. And I went there for three years and then I went. And then I transferred the last half of my senior year to Upland High School to win a state championship.

[A]

And you did?

[E]

And I did.

[A]

Did you get to like go to promote prom?

[E]

No, I. I am not the biggest fan of prom or homecomings or anything like that, so. I have never. I haven't.

[A]

No.

[E]

I never really experienced, like, high school festivities, and that's okay. Yeah.

[A]

You didn't want to.

[E]

Yeah, I. I just wasn't.

[A]

Miss it. You just didn't. It wasn't for you.

[E]

Yeah, I didn't. I was like, oh, I want to go to this and do that. Yeah, it wasn't really that.

[A]

No, you just. It was just state championships for you.

[E]

It was just. Yes.

[A]

I wanted to go here and do this, and it was win.

[E]

Yeah. So when I. To give you some context on that. So I left Servite because I wanted to win a CIF championship, which is the Southern section of Southern California, and then there's the State of California championship.

[A]

O.

[E]

So my freshman year, I got cif, or I won cif Southern Section. And then I got Player of the Year, which is the first and only time ever a freshman's ever got Player of the year. And then put that in the.

[A]

Wikipedia. I hope we're writing these down.

[E]

And then my senior year, I transferred to Upland and gave the school their first ever men's volleyball state championship.

[A]

You gave it to them. How nice of you. What a nice gift. Okay, what about. Do you have any. I was gonna say, do you have any awards you're particularly proud of, other than what you just said?

[E]

I would say. I don't know if you know the NCAA that well, but my sophomore year, they give out this award. It's called the elite 90 award. So there's 90 total NCAA sports. So women's volleyball, beach volleyball, men's volleyball, all that stuff. Basketball.

[A]

We have college beach volleyball.

[E]

Yes. Their championships just happened, like, last week.

[A]

Fascinating.

[E]

Yeah. And so at this awards ceremony that me and my team from GC were at, I got awarded the EL Award, which basically means the smartest person within your sport, the highest gpa.

[A]

Whoa.

[E]

And so you're smart, too. And pretty.

[A]

Damn, You've got it all. Leave some for the rest of us.

[E]

So that. That is an award.

[A]

And.

[E]

And the. The trophy, I don't even know what you would call it. It's huge, and it's made out of all glass. It's. That is something I'm very, very proud of. And then probably second is. Is this season, I got Big West Player of the Week, which, like, for me, like, was really big, because I've always been like. Well, I want to make sure I like. Obviously, people love. I tell you, people love the theatrics and all that, but I also want to make sure that people know that I can still play Volleyball at a very, very high level. And the Big west is the best conference in men's volleyball.

[A]

Damn right. I didn't know that, but I believe you said it and I believe you.

[E]

Yes, I was really proud about that. So, yeah, those are probably the two biggest ones within my collegiate career that I. That I'm like, really happy about. Besides, like, starting my freshman year on an all senior team.

[A]

Yeah.

[E]

Was really fun.

[A]

So let's make sure all of that is in there. And then pets. Do you have any pets?

[E]

I do. I have two dogs. I have a French bulldog. Her name is Kalia. She's three. She just had her third birthday. Happy birthday, K. And then I have a pug named Cash.

[A]

Huh. So you just like the breathing problems. You're in the dog business for the respiratory issues?

[E]

Yeah. Luckily our pug isn't like that bad.

[A]

Okay.

[E]

Our Frenchie.

[A]

It's just. It just is. Yeah, it's the way that it is.

[E]

Exactly.

[A]

But she's so cute.

[E]

So cute. And she. That they're kind of just love is so. And the way that they talk. I'm sure you've seen, like, French bulldogs talk.

[A]

Oh, yeah. Not enough. I should get that into my algorithm, make sure I see more of them. I see a lot of huskies. Single, singing.

[E]

Oh, yeah, I haven't seen that.

[A]

These are very, like, the way that's. Okay, back to your Wikipedia. First car you ever drove.

[E]

First car I ever drove was a Volkswagen cc. So, like a Jetta.

[A]

Okay.

[E]

All white.

[A]

Okay. Like inside, outside, all white or you just mean like the car?

[E]

Oh, yeah, the car was white.

[A]

Was just white. Okay. A favorite music artist.

[E]

Oh, it kind of fluctuates.

[A]

I know. And it should. So.

[E]

But for me right now.

[A]

Now. Yeah. Who are you feeling right now?

[E]

Tate McCrae.

[A]

Yes. I was just talking about the dress that she wore to the after party of the Met gala. Because, look, I'm sick of a see through dress. I feel like I've seen so many see through dresses, but this see through dress was like my jaw was on the floor. She looked amazing.

[E]

Okay, I'm going to check that out.

[A]

Amazing. And, you know, she's Canada down. I don't know.

[E]

Oh, no, she's. Yes. Yes. I love Canada. I love Canada.

[A]

Yeah, I love Canada too, too.

[E]

And then. Okay. For probably the winter though, it probably goes to SZA. T. McCray and SZA are like my two that I like. Really flip flop between the two.

[A]

Yeah. SZA is. I would go to war for SZA in like a comment section, you know, when it's like there, these are the ones I'll defend to the death type of situation. She's. I think one of those for me,

[E]

but for games, for game time. Oh, if you want. I'm giving you a lot, right?

[A]

Yeah. Give me like your hype up. I'm going into a game music.

[E]

But for games. There is one song in particular that I have to listen to before every game.

[A]

What is it?

[E]

It's by Sexyy Red. And I don't know if you ever heard this, but it's. The name of the song is Strictly for the Strippers.

[A]

I have not heard this. I don't know if that shocks anybody, but I will be listening to it.

[E]

But that is one of the. Like, it is in my playlist, Strictly for the strippers. And it just. I mean, to me, like, I love it, I love it.

[A]

It's like sometimes you just need something external to help you lock in. And for you it's Sexy Red.

[E]

Yeah, yeah, sure.

[A]

For you and. And maybe some strippers, it's Sexy Red. You gotta lock in and get yourself into the right mindset.

[E]

Yes.

[A]

All right. Jordan, I can't keep you much longer because surely you've got a million other things to get to. I'm so happy to have met you. Thank you for coming by and for giving us your time and how can we support you and support volleyball moving forward.

[E]

I think for men's volleyball as a whole, you just, just you guys can tune in to kind of men's volleyball. We're at the end of the season right now. We're a spring sport, so we don't start back up until like January of next year. But yeah, keep in touch with that. And then for me, I'll keep on posting and you can find me at Instagram and TikTok. Jordan K. Lucas.

[A]

What's K stand for?

[E]

My middle name.

[A]

Well, what is it?

[E]

Kainoa.

[A]

See, that has to go in the Wikipedia. We have to make sure that that's in there so that they know who you are. Far. Thank you so much for coming. This thing that you're going to this weekend, we can watch on Ion, right?

[E]

Yes, you can watch on Ion. Yes, I. The. So tomorrow, the first match is at 6, the second match was at 8:30. And then the final is on Saturday at 2pm Central Time. And all the matches are essential time. So 6:00pm Central, 8:30pm Central, and then Saturdays, 2:00pm Central, and then you might see me on a little broadcast hit.

[A]

That would be so exciting. Also 2pm Central on a Saturday is perfect time of day. The what else are you watching? Put that on and watch. That would be fun. I'll do that.

[E]

Exactly.

[A]

I'll be looking for you.

[E]

Yes. Well thank you so much Katie for having me. You are a phenomenal host.

[A]

You're the best.

[E]

Thank you for so much for having me on casuals.

[A]

Yeah, totally. It's an honor to have you here. Thank you for coming.

[E]

Thank you.

[B]

America's best network just got bigger. Switch to T Mobile today and get built in benefits. The other guys lose leave out. Plus our 5 year price guarantee and now T Mobile is available in US Cellular stores. Best mobile network Based on analysis by Google of speed test intelligence data 2H 2025 bigger network the combination of T Mobile's and US cellular network footprints will enhance the T Mobile network's coverage price guarantee on talk text and data exclusions like taxes and fees apply. See t mobile.com for details. Adobe Firefly is the all in one creative studio with AI powered image and video editing for today's creative process process. Built for creators of every kind, Firefly helps you generate, edit and experiment fast because the asks aren't getting smaller, the budgets aren't getting bigger and the timelines, oh yeah, still tight. With all the best creative AI models in one place, Firefly brings your ideas to life. Unlock a better way to make with Adobe Firefly. If you work in university maintenance, Grainger considers you an MVP because your playbook ensures your arena is always ready for tip off. And Grainger is your trusted partner, offering the products you need all in one place. From H Vac and plumbing supplies to lighting and more. And all delivered with plenty of time left on the clock so your team always gets the win. Call 1-800-GRAINGER visit grainger.com or just stop by Grainger for the ones who get it done.

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[A]

Okay, we're back. Amazing. Isabella, how amazing was that?

[C]

Awesome.

[A]

He's so great. He's so sweet, so kind and just like feels like so ready for the moment that he's having so Shout out to Jordan Lucas. We love him. Okay, it is time for us to check into our mailbag. We tell you every episode where you can reach us. And for those who are brave enough to do so, this is where we spend a little time going through our various boxes of Matt and addressing them. Oh, my God. Sound effects live. We've got a Foley artist live in the studio.

[D]

This is great. I don't have to do it in post. Thank you, Isabella.

[C]

I think I see one from Robin.

[A]

I love that. Let's take a look at that. Who wants to read it?

[D]

I can read it. The message from Robin. Robin says, hi, Katie and the Casualties. I'm a relatively new listener to your show, but I love it. I appreciate your love of sports in a non condescending way. I know the WNBA season starts this week and I need help choosing a team. I live in Colorado and we don't have a wife. There aren't any W teams associated with places that I've lived before. So I can't use geography to choose a team. I don't want to pick the best team and be a band bandwagoner, but I want an exciting team to support. Please help me pick a team to throw my support behind.

[A]

Okay. And this makes a lot of sense. I do think it's funny that people still consider me some sort of an expert on how to pick a team when clearly I've shown I got no idea what the fuck I'm doing with my NWSL soccer support. So I'm also wearing a Japan Men's World cup away jersey. Couldn't name a single guy on the team. It's my own silent protest. I just think it's cute. But I think we can help you. The WNBA season is kicking off. This felt like a good time for us tipping off. I think we say, Katie, sorry, you're right. You don't kick a basketball. God, one of these days I'm gonna remember. But not today. So it tips off soon. And this was a good way for us to sort of discuss the things we could talk about and the teams that might be be exciting to root for. I know that the fi the favorites to win the finals. I know we don't do gambling here, but sometimes odds are helpful when just setting the stage for a season. And I believe the three favorites right now are Las Vegas, New York and Atlanta now.

[D]

Yeah, that's at least according to the WNBA GMs because the GM survey came out earlier this week. Okay, so we don't even need to talk odds right that's just talking with the WNB.

[A]

And do we trust the WNBA GMs? Where are we at on the trust with that group? I don't know.

[D]

Good question. But it's just a way to. For us to talk about teams that other people know the league think are good.

[A]

Yeah. And Asia Wilson, obviously, by that same survey, the overwhelming favorite to win the WNBA mvp. Did you see her at the Met Gala?

[C]

I did.

[A]

Very beautiful. Very beautiful. Paige Beckers, who we also mentioned was the name that 33% of GMs gave when asked to choose a player they would most want to start a franchise with. And the GMs were also asked which team will be the most fun to watch. So this seems like it really goes towards answering Robin's question. Again, you have to trust the opinion of WNBA GMs. But when asked, they said the one they think would be the most fun to watch would be Dallas. 36% of them said Dallas, Atlanta followed and Indiana. I don't know if Atlanta and Indiana were tied at 29%.

[D]

Yes. Tied at 29%.

[A]

Yeah. So that seems to be, you know, who they think are the most interesting and fun to root for. Dallas and Seattle were also tied for the most promising young core. So young core is good when you're looking for a team to invest in long term because it means that hopefully these players can grow and become a team. You're getting in at the ground level while also not jumping in while they're winning, while they're in their window. But it is obviously always possible that a young core could go on a really impressive run and just start being great right away. So you do still run into the potential issue. I don't know how much this matters to Robin of joining a team that then happens to win right away, that if that's something you're against, I would say maybe we don't do a, a Dallas. Chris, do you have any thoughts on maybe who she should root for?

[D]

Well, so Dallas is good because of the Paige and AZ of it all. Like, they are names that are known to casual basketball fans. So you have that in already. You don't have to learn an entire roster of of players because you already are familiar with a couple of players. So they're good for that perspective. But also if you wanted to jump on like one of the expansion teams, you become an OG supporter of that club, someone like the Toronto Tempo, who, you know, have a really good coach in Sandy Brandello, have a decent roster, don't know how good they're going to be. Don't know if they're going to be able to replicate what the Velks did in their inaugural season last season, but if you want to get into a team at the ground floor, they're a good, good choice. As well as Portland Fire, if you want to be closer, aligned with the time zone that they would play home games at.

[A]

Because one hour ahead, they're also not too far from each other, I feel like.

[D]

Exactly. So you've got.

[A]

But they're not, you know, too far and they're new. Right.

[C]

So, like.

[A]

And so that is the. And that's the strategy that I employed that I thought maybe Isabella would employ as well, but she didn't. I picked base off of. I mean, obviously Natalie Nakase made a great argument, but she was like, you're getting in at the ground level. You never know you're here from day one with this team. If not, you know, day one with the league. So it's that fit for me that was important to me. Isabella is a Liberty fan. How did you make that decision, Isabella? Maybe that can help.

[C]

For me, it was pure, like, I'm purely like a geography person. Like, I just want to have loyalty to, like, my city, which for me is New York. So. But I was actually going to suggest Valkyries to. To Robin for a similar reason.

[A]

Like, what's the name of the Valkyries mascot? And why do I feel like it's something that sounds like Robin? It. What is the. It's not, though. It's going to come to me right at the. Violet.

[D]

Violet.

[A]

Violet. Yeah, yeah, yeah. Oh, Brady just showed up, back again and then left again, and then now

[F]

he's back, coming back to tell you her name was Violet.

[A]

Oh, have you just been sitting there

[F]

for, like, 90 seconds?

[A]

Oh, okay. So you're. And so you're back from outer space. You think you can just walk in on this podcast and we'll just be right here waiting for you to pick up where we left off.

[F]

Change that stupid Zoom password.

[A]

You think she. We didn't leave a king. I mean, I can't believe this guy just shows back up and goes now everybody. We actually moved on without you, Brady. We didn't need you anymore.

[F]

Went out for a pack of smokes 10 years ago.

[A]

He did come back, though. In his defense, often they don't come

[D]

back with a Marlboro notebook.

[A]

I know.

[D]

Thankfully.

[A]

Brady, while you're here, did you have a. Did you hear the question? Do you hear the query that Robin is wondering who she should root for with the WNBA season coming up. She lives in Colorado. I'm assuming she did we get a say?

[D]

They.

[A]

Yeah.

[D]

That's my fault.

[A]

That's my fault. They live in Colorado and. And there is no team in the W there. So who they should refer to? You have a suggestion?

[F]

So I'll go with. I've always been a geographic selector. I'll root for the Washington Mystics day in, day out, extra kind of on their train. This year they have brought in Lauren Betts and I am a sucker for big old school center play. Lauren.

[A]

Jesus. He keeps saying stuff that is like. Does he hear what he sounds like?

[F]

That one is not sexual in any way.

[A]

Sucker sets the table pretty weirdly. Sucker for big old school big center play. Sounds like a. Like a niche category.

[C]

Yeah.

[F]

A five with some post moves. Okay. Who can lock down the pain?

[A]

Of course.

[F]

So Lauren Betts. Fun to watch. We'll love to keep an eye on that in D.C. yeah.

[A]

Okay. So D.C. that's another pitch. The Liberty will be good. The Liberty Libs shout. The Libs need all the help they can get. Shout out to the Libs.

[D]

I think. I think the Libs might be jumping too much on, like the bandwagon a little bit.

[A]

Okay. Fair. Okay.

[D]

Robin was very specific. I don't want to pick the best team.

[A]

You had to speak up. Thank you for doing that. Here's what I will say. This could be fun. Hear me out. Do we have. Are they slotted to get a team soon? Are they in the conversation about expansions at all?

[D]

Colorado?

[A]

Yeah.

[D]

No, not that I've read.

[F]

Cleveland's the next team. Right.

[D]

And then Philly and that's through 2030. So it's at least going to be.

[A]

Because I was going to say could kill time and root for the Connecticut sun in their last season as the Connecticut Sun. That team will be moving to Houston. Yes. Correct. Is that finalized and definite or.

[B]

Yeah.

[A]

Okay. So that's how. So it. This would be. You wouldn't. Certainly wouldn't be jumping on a bandwagon, but you would have it. Memorable experience, albeit one that I guess you could ride with them to Houston when they go or you could go. Like, I just wanted to experience that last season for them because, you know, that kind of a thing kind of puts a special moment on the season of. Surely there will be some headline or something that comes out of there that's like good for Connecticut going down in a blaze of glory.

[F]

And if you're into big old school center play, Brittney Griner for the day. For The Connecticut sun this year looked very spry in preseason.

[A]

Know. So I don't know, that's just kind of an option. The LA looks good. No one's talking about la, but I feel like that's just because we talked about them for a while and it just. That's a good team.

[C]

Let's look for. Do you want to look for more mail?

[A]

Yeah, let's dig through the drawer. Isabella. Good idea. See what you got. We probably have time for one more and then we got to let these poor people go back to their jobs.

[C]

I think we should do this one.

[A]

Okay. What do. Who's it from?

[C]

Sean.

[A]

Okay, Sean. Chris, can you read us sha email?

[D]

Surely can. Sean says hello, Katie and the Casualties. I'm hoping that you'll be able to help me and my wife Rhonda with a decision.

[A]

Help me, Rhonda.

[D]

My wife surprised me.

[A]

Dude. Shout out. Okay, sorry, go ahead.

[D]

My wife surprised me with tickets to the to Portland, Oregon to see one of my favorite bands on the 15th of May. While looking at other things to do, we noticed that friend of the show, Steph Tollez, Shout out and the Portland Five versus New York Liberty are both happening on the 14th. We are torn as to which one to attend. Thank you so much for what you decide for us. Thank you all so much for this podcast. It's something that we love to listen to even though she is not much of a sports fan, but finds you very entertaining while also being thoughtful and sincere.

[A]

Oh, my God. Rhonda. My mom's best friend when I was a kid was named Rhonda, so I'm very fonda of Rhonda's also. Shout out, Jane Fonda.

[C]

Shout out.

[A]

Shout out. Jane Fonda. We love her. Her. Ted, Ted, Ted talked.

[F]

Turner.

[A]

Turner passed away today. Oh, sorry. Isabella didn't set you up for that properly. She's laughing. Oh, she's laughing. No. Ted Turner passed away and they were married for a little bit. Yeah. Jane Fonda and Ted Turner.

[F]

Rest in peace.

[C]

I thought you were gonna say her TED Talk.

[A]

Yeah. And she. If she doesn't have one of those. Somebody should get on that because I'd listen to it. This is quite a question. Now, I wish. Do we have any sort of information about where they're traveling from to go to Portland, Oregon? Do we know who their teams are, who they root for?

[D]

I don't think so.

[A]

That's tough. That makes this tough because if they are a Portland Fire fan, I guess they wouldn't be. Right. But if they're a Liberty fan. Then I would say that make that weights that more for me than if it's like, no, we just would be going to go. Then I would say, just because I know how difficult it is for touring comedians. I would. I would maybe. Is it selfish and bad of me to say, I would say go to see Steph Tolevo.

[D]

I think you're right.

[A]

Yeah. Yeah.

[D]

You got to do Steph. There's more opportunities to watch WNBA games throughout the season. I would say. I don't know how far they live from a stadium, so maybe that's right.

[A]

And again, if the Liberty are their team, it could be cool to see the Liberty play in Portland. During Portland's inaugural season. I know they'll be doing, like, rolling out all the stops for that or whatever the phrase is. And so that could be really cool to go to. But you know what this made me think of was the Ben Stiller, Timothee Chalamet, oh, yeah, Met Gala. Nick's conversation. Because I saw a lot of people trying to say Ben Stiller is a fake fan because he went to the Met Gala instead of game one of a Knicks playoff series. And Timothy Chalamet was getting a lot of credit for going to the series instead of the Met gala. Now, again, either of those decisions doesn't really matter for me, but I do want to say game one of a series is okay to miss.

[C]

I think so, too.

[D]

Especially the conference semifinals.

[A]

Right, Right. So it's like. It's not like a deciding game. No. There was no chance that the Knicks season ended there that night. There was no chance that him not supporting was going to cost them a championship. And so I feel like we were a little too hard on Ben Stiller. Now. Is this because I just recently discovered that. That sometime in the night, Ben Stiller followed me on the hell site known as X. I. I had no idea that that was.

[D]

Does he listen to this podcast?

[A]

There's no chance.

[F]

Tell him I love cable.

[A]

I just. You guys think I'm just gonna tweet at him? I. I clicked on his name to investigate something, and it said follow back. And I went, oh, my God. When did follow back? I know.

[D]

He made the first move.

[B]

I know.

[A]

And I'm also feeling like, well, now what? No, I can't follow him. And he'll go, why didn't. You don't know who I. Of course I know who you are. Ben Stiller. I don't know what to. And so anyway, I just feel like people were a little too mean to him. It's not a big deal to miss game one. Now if this was game seven we'd be having a different discussion.

[F]

Having been to many Orioles playoff series, oftentimes Game one is the only game that is fun the beginning of game one and it all goes downhill from there.

[A]

Yeah, fair enough. I guess you could miss your opportunity did win that game game and so they're it's but the next one's at

[C]

MSG too so he go to that

[A]

is and that's tonight. It will have happened by the time this comes out so as always worthless to talk about. But I expect we'll see him at the game tonight and if not then I don't know, maybe we'll kick him out of the I don't know what people wanted, but they were like how could you possibly go to the him

[C]

and his wife were wearing blue and

[A]

orange though I know they repped the the Nick pretty nicely and the the Mets by accident I assume, cuz no one's doing that on purpose at times like this. Unless Isabella wants to correct me on that, in which case I'd be I'd happily stand corrected.

[C]

I need more Mets gear. I can't keep wearing the same jersey, so I haven't been wearing it.

[A]

Are you just saying this because someone recently tweeted at us and said you should show this to Isabella and it was an incredibly cute, probably incredibly expensive Mets jacket that I was like now everybody keeps sending me stuff like I'm your sports sugar ma.

[C]

You want to send me I in search of I want to get like a black Mets bomber jacket, but I want it to be black with the with the blue and green I don't

[A]

want so guys, keep your eyes peeled and when you find it, send it to Isabella, okay? Don't send it to me because I will buy it for her because I

[C]

want her to be the cutest little

[A]

sports fan that we ever did see. I'm doing everything I can to cultivate this fandom. It's just this jersey was $100. I keep dropping hundreds of dollars on random shit for your human sized Labubu over here. She is. She's our podcast little Labubu. She is the gritty of this podcast Gritty, by the way.

[D]

So Steph Tola.

[A]

Yeah, I think Steph Tollev. I think Steph Tola. This is also kind of related. Gritty reached out. I assume he saw the clip of me defending him fervently against the hatred of the Canes map Alaska and said that I could come to a playoff game if I wanted to on Thursday or Saturday. And I went. I don't know, what's the protocol on that? It's not my team. So it's not like I'm there. I mean, I'm. I guess, but you love hockey. Yeah, and I'm pulling for the Flyers, but, like, I'm still. And I responded to him and said, technically, I'm still in mourning, but let me see if anybody I know is going. And he responded in a way that I believe is just gritty. Being gritty, but taking that really earnestly, like, I'm very sorry to hear that. I hope he knows I meant that about the Bruins. It wasn't. I didn't mean, like, I'm not genuine. Nobody died. Okay. I just. Technically, I'm still pretty Bruins sad at the moment, so I probably won't go. But shout out gritty. That's just my guy, you know?

[C]

Pretty cool fist bump.

[A]

So gritty. But, yeah, go to Steph Tola. Okay, we don't have. Do we have time. We don't have time for anything else, do we?

[D]

No, I think we don't.

[A]

This. Why can't this podcast be six hours? You know, shouldn't it be be.

[D]

Because I have to edit it in time for it to be released.

[A]

That's true. He's gotta. He's gotta cut all the words. And this is why we don't let Katie produce segments. Because Mad Libs ran off the rails. But Brady, I do think you will like it. Listening back. I think you'll enjoy it as a segment. We tried it. It was fun. It's different. Whatever. This is casuals, we love you. We mean it. And guys, we'll see you back here next week. Enjoy the weekend. Go whatever team you root for. I would say go my teams, but they're all out. Except the Reds, I guess. Roman Anthony off the ill Woo. Tiny victories. Go Fleets. That's when. Friday. Friday night. The Fleet game three. So we're rooting for the fleet and. And we'll see you guys back here on Tuesday. We love you. We mean it. Bye.

[G]

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[A]

Did you say $300?

[G]

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