The Women's Game, the NWSL, and Tom Brady in English Soccer* | with Sam Mewis

Summary

Casuals with Katie Nolan

Episode: The Women's Game, the NWSL, and Tom Brady in English Soccer with Sam Mewis
Release Date: August 7, 2025

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Introduction

In this engaging episode of Casuals with Katie Nolan, host Katie Nolan invites listeners into a dynamic conversation blending the worlds of women's soccer, the National Women's Soccer League (NWSL), and an unexpected twist involving NFL legend Tom Brady's foray into English soccer. Joined by friends Isabella, Chris, and Brady, and later featuring U.S. Women's National Team star Sam Mewis, the episode offers a mix of insightful analysis, personal anecdotes, and lively banter.

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Tom Brady's Venture into English Soccer

Critique of Brady’s Documentary Portrayal

The episode kicks off with a deep dive into the recently released documentary series "Built and Birmingham," which chronicles Tom Brady's involvement with Birmingham City, an English Championship club. The hosts express surprise and skepticism over Brady's apparent lack of preparation and understanding of the club's legacy.

• Katie Nolan highlights Brady's unfamiliarity:
  "He was in the car and he says, this is my first time in Birmingham. Which I'm like, that's crazy. You bought a team. You hadn't even visited yet already."
  [05:05]

• Katie criticizes Brady's language usage:
  "He overuses the word 'fuck' to the point where it cheapens its meaning."
  [08:58]

The discussion underscores concerns about Brady's genuine commitment versus a profit-driven motive, questioning the effectiveness of his investment strategy and its impact on the club's performance.

Impact on Birmingham City

The conversation moves to the repercussions of Brady's investment on Birmingham City, detailing poor management decisions and declining team performance:

• Katie expresses disbelief at managerial choices:
  "They fired Wayne Rooney at the end of the season... they got relegated within the first year of Brady owning them."
  [14:06]

The hosts draw parallels to other celebrity-owned teams, emphasizing the challenges non-traditional investors face in professional sports management.

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WNBA Update: Connecticut Sun's Potential Relocation

Bailey Yuka’s Ambitions

The hosts transition to discuss the Connecticut Sun's reported plans to relocate to Boston, a move that has hit regulatory roadblocks within the WNBA's expansion framework.

• Katie summarizes the situation:
  "The WNBA does not distinguish between teams relocating and expansion, according to a person with knowledge of the situation."
  [23:44]

• Brady adds insight into ownership motivations:
  "Pel Yuka decided to pay so much for that franchise because his intention was to move it to Boston."
  [25:05]

The segment explores the complexities of league policies on team relocation versus expansion, highlighting the strategic hurdles faced by ownership groups.

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Listener Interactions: The WNBA Crawl Race Debate

Controversial Baby Victory

A humorous yet thought-provoking debate arises around a WNBA-sponsored crawl race where one baby inadvertently took its first steps, raising questions about fairness and rule enforcement.

• Listener Joe defends the baby’s actions:
  "I choose to view it as the winning baby won by so much that she had time to learn to walk."
  [17:47]

• Katie reflects on societal tendencies:
  "It's like tall poppy syndrome. Let the baby grow and thrive."
  [17:47]

The discussion captures diverse perspectives from listeners, showcasing the podcast’s ability to engage and entertain its audience while addressing contemporary issues with a lighthearted touch.

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Sam Mewis Interview: Championing Women's Soccer and NWSL Insights

Generational Shift in the U.S. Women's National Team

Sam Mewis joins the conversation to shed light on the evolving landscape of women's soccer, particularly focusing on the generational transition within the U.S. Women's National Team.

• Sam discusses emerging talents:
  "We still have two more years to give them reps and see them grow."
  [43:15]

International Experience with Manchester City

Sam shares her enriching experience playing for Manchester City, highlighting the higher level of professionalism and structured training compared to the NWSL.

• Sam reflects on her time abroad:
  "I felt like I was really given opportunities to be involved in the attack."
  [44:07]

Transition to Coaching

Delving into her coaching journey, Sam talks about leading the Vermont Green and the challenges of fostering a team focused on environmental justice and becoming a Net Zero soccer club.

• Sam explains coaching insights:
  "I have to figure out if you should be... I'm scrambling to put together a starting lineup."
  [56:53]

The interview underscores Sam's multifaceted role in advancing women's soccer both on and off the field, emphasizing her commitment to the sport's growth and sustainability.

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Humorous Segments: Meme Coins and Dildos on the Court

Guerrilla Marketing Gone Awry

Adding a comedic flair, the hosts discuss bizarre incidents where sex toys were thrown onto WNBA courts as part of a guerrilla marketing campaign for meme coins. This segment blends humor with a critique of unconventional marketing strategies.

• Katie advises caution:
  "It's a meme coin. It's a nightmare. Don't. Please don't do it."
  [28:46]

• Producer chimes in on compliance concerns:
  "The longer this goes, the more I'm certain we're violating the FCC."
  [78:03]

The conversation highlights the absurdity of certain marketing tactics in professional sports, reflecting on their impact on game integrity and audience perception.

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Closing Remarks and Upcoming Events

The episode concludes with personal anecdotes, shout-outs to upcoming live shows, and promotions for Sam Mewis’s podcast. Katie and Chris share humorous plans for their attire at live events, maintaining the show's personable and relatable atmosphere.

• Katie announces:
  "We'll see you there. We'll obviously be there."
  [68:35]

• Chris adds excitement about team achievements and future prospects:
  "Kansas City is so good. Their owners are investing in them."
  [51:00]

Listeners are left with a sense of anticipation for future episodes, live events, and continued discussions on women's sports and beyond.

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Notable Quotes

• Katie Nolan:
  "You bought a team. You hadn't even visited yet already."
  [05:05]

• Chris:
  "I was 3-0 undefeated as a coach."
  [55:32]

• Sam Mewis:
  "We want to give Thailand our best because they're here at this tournament, and that's what we did."
  [40:26]

• Producer:
  "Let's fucking go works because of the scarcity of it."
  [07:47]

---

This episode of Casuals with Katie Nolan provides a comprehensive look into the current state and future of women's sports, enriched by candid discussions, expert insights from Sam Mewis, and the hosts' signature humor. Whether you're a sports enthusiast or someone curious about the evolving landscapes of women's leagues and celebrity investments, this episode delivers engaging and informative content.

Transcript

[Katie Nolan]

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[Isabella]

No.

[Katie Nolan]

What did it say? So Russ Wilson used to be the quarterback for the Seahawks, and so he random. So he gave a. A jersey, an autograph jersey, his own Seahawks jersey to Jaylen Milroy, who's likely gonna be the backup to Sam Darnold. Right. But he's probably got, you know, a future.

[Isabella]

Is Russell Wilson, like, goaded like that, that he's like that? It makes sense for him to give his own jersey?

[Katie Nolan]

Yeah. He was there for a long time and he was good. Yeah. I don't. We don't have to get into that. Yeah. Yeah.

[Isabella]

Well, what's the note?

[Katie Nolan]

I want to tell you the note because it's very Isabella coded. Okay. He wrote Jalen, exclamation point. You are going to be a star in NFL. Exclamation point.

[Chris]

Aww.

[Katie Nolan]

You will love Seattle. Period. Go be great. Exclamat point.

[Isabella]

That's really cute. Any hearts?

[Katie Nolan]

No, he missed out, unfortunately. No, it's okay.

[Isabella]

He made a step with several, not just one exclamation point.

[Katie Nolan]

So, yeah, you're not the first to tell Russell Wilson he has room to grow.

[Isabella]

Oh, is he.

[Katie Nolan]

Is he problematic? No, he's short. Oh. Hello. Welcome to Casuals. It's a sports podcast, but don't let that freak you out. It's gonna be fun. I'm Katie Nolan. I'm your host. I love sports. Joined today by my casualties, Isabella. Hi, Brady. Hello, Chris.

[Brady]

Good day.

[Katie Nolan]

And then later we're joined by the incredible, the hilarious. You know her, you love her. U.S. women's National Team star, Sam Mewis. We talk about a lot of soccer stuff. The NWSL is back, so we get into that a little bit. We talk about the generational turnover happening, the women's national team and we will get to all that. First, I have to tell you, if you want to reach out to us, our email is Casuals with Katie Nolan, gmail.com voicemail 646-810-43 on IG and Tik Tok. We are at Casuals, the podcast. But yapping, yap wise, I've got. So I watched that Tom Brady, you know, he's a, he's got a 3.3% ownership stake in a, in an English football club. They're not in the Premier League. When he bought into them, they were in the championship, which is the level below. Just a quick. It's a, it goes Premier League. Then below that is championship, and then below that is League one, and below that is League Two. And as we all know, teams get relegated or promoted throughout that system and Birmingham City is one of those clubs and Tom Brady invested in it. It feels, if it feels like Wrexham, which Rob Mack, I guess now is his new name, you saw that he changed his last name. It's. Even though his, I believe, wife and kids are still McElhenney, they made a.

[Producer]

Choice not to change.

[Katie Nolan]

Just a while. It's. Yeah, McElhinney, I think I get, especially after watching some of this doc, I get why he changed it. Because a lot of British commentators talking about the team said the team owned by Ryan Reynolds and the other guy. And I think it's because they saw all those letters and went, I don't know what to do with this. Um, which isn't fair. They should have done it themselves. But that's fine. Rob Mack and, and Ryan Reynolds, it, it feels very similar to that. Tom Brady and an investor invested in this team that at the time was in championship. Their goal was to get it up into the Premier League and then to profit. I watched the first two episodes. There's five episodes. This is on Amazon Prime. Um, and I watched the first two episodes and was shocked by just how poorly everyone's kind of coming off in this doc series. And so I. I have a. A top five list of things I can't believe happened in the first two episodes, I guess of Built and Birmingham. Birmingham. Birmingham is how you. You're not supposed to pronounce that. H. This comes up a lot in the show. So. So Birmingham sounds good and I'd like to share those with you. Has anybody else here watched any of this show?

[Producer]

No, haven't yet.

[Katie Nolan]

Yeah, haven't yet.

[Isabella]

Oh, I did.

[Katie Nolan]

It's on the list. You. You did?

[Producer]

You're either going to get me way more hyped to watch it or not hyped to watch it. Way more hyped to just not be disappointed by Tom.

[Katie Nolan]

Yeah. Isabelle, you watched it?

[Chris]

No.

[Isabella]

No.

[Katie Nolan]

Why you do that? I was like, sick.

[Isabella]

Wouldn't have been fun. Oh, I wish I did, though, because the COVID looks interesting.

[Katie Nolan]

Yeah. So, okay, number one, I guess these are in no particular order, but you should do it the way that they do it in late night, or used to. So I guess number five, the first thing that happens, Brady is in a car. Okay. It's this opening scene of the show. This guy has just bought this team. They don't mention the 3.3%. I looked that up. They treat it like Brady bought the team. So we will treat it that way as well. And he's in the car and he says, this is my first time in Birmingham. Which I'm like, that's crazy. You bought the team. You hadn't even visited yet already Seems crazy to me. But I guess rich people all the time buy apartments without ever seeing them. Still, to me, something that I'm like, you'd have to go look. So he says he's never been there. Then he asks, is there another team in this city? Very famously, yes, there is another team in the city. It's Aston Villa. They are a famous team that's in that city. He didn't know that. Then he says, are they good? Then he says, are they in the Premier League? The amount of research that went into buying this team alarms me. There's no way you should own a team in the city where Aston Villa plays and not know about the existence of Aston Villa. And once Being told that Aston Villa is in that city. Your second question should not be, are they in the Premier League? You should know that. Is that a crazy expectation by me?

[Producer]

I won't order a shirt from Gap without checking the comments of how it will fit. Like, there's some research that goes into.

[Katie Nolan]

How I spend 20 bucks is crazy. And then not only that, to go. And I'm comfortable going on camera saying all of this. Not only did I want to kick.

[Brady]

Start my series with this.

[Katie Nolan]

Yes. Not only did I do no research, I would like the people to know how little research I did, which leads me directly into number four. He says fuck so much. He says fuck like a guy who just learned the word fuck. It's to the point. And as a lady who does not care about cursing, it didn't offend me, it embarrassed me. It felt like somebody told him the way to seem raw and unfiltered and like a man of the people is to say fuck every other word. He so unnecessarily uses the word fuck that. Dare I say, he cheapens it. Okay? It loses all meaning by the time we get to, like, his fourth appearance on camera. You're like, what is this? I love a Tom Brady. Let's fucking go. But I do not need, like, fuck them. We're going to fucking beat them. They fucking suck. It's crazy how often he's saying fuck in this documentary.

[Producer]

Let's fucking go works because of the scarcity of it. Like, you don't expect to come at.

[Katie Nolan]

You could not believe how often he's. It's so embarrassing.

[Producer]

Call of Duty headset. Levels of usage.

[Katie Nolan]

Yes. More. More even. Okay, now we're on three, I guess. I cannot believe they included a scene where Tom shows up to a fan event, a supporter's event at a bar, and they pull up in a car and the place is crowded and they don't know he's coming. And he says. And they include in the documentary, he says, how long do we have to do this for? This isn't really my thing. What? He goes, how long do we have to do this? It's really not my thing. And they say, not long at all. You just go in, grab a pint, maybe hang out for a little. Maybe 15 minutes.

[Isabella]

Oh, the editors hate him.

[Katie Nolan]

And he. He's the executive producer.

[Isabella]

I was like, who cleared this?

[Brady]

And he has final editorial say, which is theoretically insane. Part of this.

[Katie Nolan]

Theoretically, he might not have read the email because I'm sure there was an email about Aston Villa that he never opened. So maybe they sent an email to look at the edits and he just didn't get to it. I don't know. He's a busy guy. He says it's not really my thing. They said, you're gonna go in for 15 minutes. And he goes. So it's like fans and kids and stuff. And they say, no kids. No, no, no kids, just fans.

[Brady]

Oh, we would never do that.

[Katie Nolan]

Just no kids, just fans. Wild. Could not believe that that made it in next thing. So two that I can't believe they left in Birmingham. What's it called? Built In Birmingham. The number two thing I can't believe they left in Tom's manager is the way this guy is, like, credited on screen. His last name is like, Rawitz, I assume it's like somebody who is on his, like, professional team of people. He comes along with him to the facilities, to the practice facilities. Now, this is a team that is not in the Premier League. It's in the lower leagues of English football. And so the practice facilities are not nice. This guy is talking so much shit about the team. I can't believe they left it in. Where he's basically just saying, like, wow, this is the piece of shit you invested in. This is worse than my high school. This place sucks. Just this guy who we don't know, who's never really introduced to us as a character. Absolutely. On the facilities of a team that we've just been told is, like, connected to the city, is like a working class mentality, blue collar, get out there, work to the bone. It's a franchise with fans that have that identify with this team and have been heartbroken time and time again by ownership coming in and saying they're going to help and then they don't help and they mess it up. And then we hear this guy go, look at this piece of shit. This is the. This piece of. This team. You bought this nasty, gross, embarrassing team. Wow, Tom, this place sucks crazy. I cannot believe you don't do anything, bro. Why are you here? You sound like a cartoon bully, okay? And then obviously you have to leave this in, right, because it's a thing that happened. But I cannot believe I didn't know this. I guess I wasn't paying close attention to the team that Brady invested in when he invested in them. They got there, the team was in championship, okay? Like I said, second level. They had a coach, John Eustace. He'd been there for, I don't know, around a year. They were in sixth place. If you finish in the bottom Three, you get relegated. I don't know about. If it's top three, you get promoted. But I know bottom three get really. They're sixth, right? They fire the coach and they bring in Wayne Rooney. Homegrown soccer star, had coached D.C. united, but it was sort. People were like, what? Why are we even. But okay, new ownership. They fire and they bring in their guy. Wayne Rooney proceeds to stink. He stinks so, so bad that they drop down the standings. Then they. Brady goes to visit him, has a conversation with Wayne Rooney, where Wayne Rooney is basically like, I mean, I need to turn the subtitles on, because I can't. It's a very thick accent. But he said, they're trying. They really are trying. And Brady's like, I treat every practice like a game. I go out there and I practiced as if it were a game. That's the only way to stay at that level. And I don't feel like this team's practicing at that level. He gets in the car and says, I'm worried about our coaches work ethic. And then they fire Wayne Rooney at the end of the season. As it comes down to that last day, they need to win. But even if they win, they might still lose. If one of these other teams wins and one of them is coached by none other than John Eustace, the coach that they fired. And that team does well enough. They got relegated within the first year of Brady owning them. They moved down to League one.

[Brady]

Incredible.

[Katie Nolan]

Which is incredible. It's also fascinating because when this happened, when he bought this team and everybody was like, it's just like Wrexham. People noted that. No, it's not like Wrexham. Wrexham bought a League one team. They needed to go up two levels in order to. Right. It was League one when they bought them, or were they even League two?

[Brady]

They might have League two. Wasn't it because they've been promoted twice.

[Katie Nolan]

Exactly. So they bought this team and then moved them up. Brady already, the knock was like, you're buying a team that's already in championship. You're starting on third base, basically. And then he moved back to second. Like they. They dropped down with it. It was a. An awful first year of ownership decisions. I am shocked, just shocked by this documentary, by how surprisingly unlikable Tom Brady is coming across, by how transparently in it for the money. The, the investor guy, Tom Wagner, that he's doing this with is. There's a part where he says that we're here to buy it, turn it into money, and then sell it. He says transparently that's what they want to do this documentary and I love Gotham Chopra I in he's one of the executive producers I am just unless something happens over the next three episodes that is some sort of narrative arc where all of a sudden Brady's heart turns into a soccer ball and he realizes that class people of the I don't know but this is it feels ill advised.

[Brady]

That's insane. And just for clarification by the way when Ryan Reynolds and Rob McElhaney brought bought Wrexham they played in the fifth tier of the English football league season.

[Katie Nolan]

And what even is that the fifth tier?

[Producer]

I think it's just the National League.

[Katie Nolan]

That's crazy. Fifteen games, two wins. That was how Rooney did when he was the manager an insane it just all around insanity Episode two they play against Wrexham. It's like this big moment just really you guys I I'll keep watching and I'll get back to you but those are I guess my top five things I could not believe made it what are we doing? What are we doing? Okay, there's your gap. Now we've got a little bit of housekeeping to do before we get to Sam the baby race we talked about yesterday Tuesday about the WNBA crawl race with the babies in Vegas. One of the babies stood up, miraculously took its very first steps and walked straight to victory into its parents arms. A lot of talk from you guys, our fans on social media about whether or not Brady, I believe put it to a poll on on Casual is the podcast on ig should the baby be disqualified for walking to the crawl race? And the debate got very heated. So I wanted to share a little bit of the conversation because I still I'm not sure where I land on this. The discussion is fascinating. We got an email from Joe who said I have important context for the baby race. I was at that game and the rules clearly stated that there was only to be crawling. However, the other babies were all such trash that there was no choice but to award the cheating ass baby with the win. Literally no other baby moved. They would have had to split it between the other nine little cabbages that simply do not have that dog in them. I choose to view it as the winning baby won by so much that she had time to learn to walk. It was the correct call and I will die on that hill.

[Isabella]

I agree.

[Katie Nolan]

I think and now see that's such a good argument is like yeah sure if it were close and this baby walked, that's cheating. But it wasn't close and this baby is dominant and we're going to take that out on the baby. What is this? Tall Poppy syndrome. Let the baby grow and thrive. Okay, here's a. Here are some IG replies that we've gotten. And this. Did we check to make sure this first comment isn't from the same Joe who sent us the email? We didn't. Okay, great. Different person. Here's the deal. This is the. I'm quoting, here's the deal. I was at this game. Every other baby was still on the starting line. Didn't move. That's now two sources, which means we can run with that reporting. We have two sources confirmed. Verify no other baby moved. That baby was a winner from the get go. Great. Here's another comment. Baby's first steps were slower than the experienced crawls of all the other competitors and yet she still dusted them. No dq. And they didn't come to compete. That's on them. Also saw no dq. Baby has got that clutch in them. They were able to put it into a different gear to secure the win. 100% earned. Somebody said, I want that baby tested for peds, which I imagine would be pretty easy. You just take the diaper and wring it out. You don't have to even test for the pee in a cup. They don't even know how to pee in a toilet. So I think maybe we just wring out a diaper is probably the move. Zero chance those were the baby's first steps. D.Q. the parents.

[Brady]

Oh, now that's a good theory.

[Katie Nolan]

That's a conspiracy theory, which is that there's no way that baby hasn't walked.

[Isabella]

Before on the car ride. It's like listen, halfway through what we.

[Katie Nolan]

Need you to do, we want you to pretend you can't walk, okay? And then if you walk, we're gonna act shocked. Shocked.

[Isabella]

Uncrustables when we get home.

[Producer]

Balloon boy. Levels of conspiracy here.

[Katie Nolan]

I saw somebody say. Also another comment. In theory, any of those other babies could have gotten up and walked during the race. The winning baby just wanted it more. Don't dq. Oh, I like this comment too. People don't know their clutch until they do it the first time. Every buzzer beater, every walk off, bottom of the ninth, every game winning drive was once done by some snot nosed teen or tween or even little. That was like, that was then like oh my God, I just did that. We won. And then they did it again and again and again till one day you saw it on tv. Or live babies are no exception. Great point. There's A first for everything. Baby's clutch. You have to. If that baby isn't in sports, we've failed as a society. Someone said, I'm torn between DQing the baby and telling all other babies, life's not fair. True. The sooner you can learn life isn't fair, the better. And this is really early.

[Isabella]

I say this sets a precedent. So, like, if this happens again, sorry, you're getting DQ'd. This was like a fun incident, you know?

[Katie Nolan]

Yeah, yeah, you're right. You don't want this to set some sort of a. You don't want other babies to go, I'll enter it, pretend I can't walk and then run my way to a win.

[Isabella]

Yeah, yeah, yeah.

[Producer]

Next one, you're getting an entrant where you're like, clearly that child is seven. Like, we need to have guardrails somewhere.

[Brady]

The kids smoking before the.

[Katie Nolan]

Oh, it's time for the race. Hold on, I'll be right up.

[Isabella]

I'm like, they're wearing pull ups, not diapers.

[Producer]

Kid just dropped his car keys.

[Katie Nolan]

Someone said, absolute dq. Even Pokemon don't evolve mid battle. They wait to do and stat until afterwards, like true sportsmen.

[Brady]

There's. There it is.

[Katie Nolan]

That's a good argument. A good argument on both sides. But I guess the strongest is that we need to check those parents and see if that was the baby's first steps. Brady, what's that? We got 557 responses on the vote. DQ or no DQ. What's the outcome, the options?

[Producer]

DQ the baby or don't DQ the baby. We are at 64% DQ the baby, 36% don't DQ the baby.

[Katie Nolan]

This really is some sort of commentary on Internet interaction engagement, because most of the comments are like, you can't DQ a baby for being clutch. And then most of the votes are like, you have to DQ that baby.

[Producer]

Because the silent majority, they're just like, you know, you don't want to come forward and put your name on it, but, you know, behind the scenes people are like, dq that kid.

[Katie Nolan]

Yeah.

[Producer]

Hell no.

[Isabella]

I voted and don't dq. I actually did vote on our.

[Katie Nolan]

On our. And thank you for disclosing, though. You did not have to.

[Isabella]

No, but I wanted people to know.

[Katie Nolan]

Yeah, I love that. I love that you were. Your identity.

[Isabella]

Any of my fans out there that are like, they voted differently, they're like, damn, I'm disappointed in you.

[Katie Nolan]

They're like, damn, I had no idea that you were a. Yeah, I was trying to think of a fun pun for Democrat.

[Producer]

Dqanon.

[Katie Nolan]

Rebablian Dqanon. That's fun.

[Producer]

Let's go. Dqanon.

[Katie Nolan]

Remember when all qanon cared about was that was sex trafficking of minors. Isn't that interesting? Update on the Connecticut Sun. Okay. We had said that they were moving to Boston. It has reportedly hit a snag after we recorded it was reported reported that Pali Yuka's bid wasn't presented to the WNBA Board of Governors, who ultimately approves the sale. The WNBA does not distinguish between teams relocating and expansion, according to a person with knowledge of the situation. The league's board of governors, not existing team owners, select the cities that the WNBA will operate in. In a statement, the WNBA said no groups from Boston applied for a team during the expansion bidding process that took place in January of 2025. Teams that weren't awarded a franchise have priority over Boston. So what does that mean? That basically they tried to buy the sun and relocate as a means to cut the line in terms of expansion cities?

[Producer]

Seems that way. Although they were paying more than the expansion fee was.

[Katie Nolan]

Right.

[Producer]

The expansion fee was a quarter. Quarter billion, I think. And they are at like 300 and some million. But I think, yeah, the pro. The, the. The moving question here is them just not falling into an existing process of having to apply for expansion in a new city and those cities getting priority over a team moving.

[Katie Nolan]

Hmm. Okay. So it's not happening.

[Brady]

It doesn't seem that way.

[Katie Nolan]

What the hell?

[Producer]

Eventually happens?

[Katie Nolan]

You do think it will happen? I think it eventually happens. When you say eventually, what do you mean by that? This, like they're going to get this figured out in the next couple months? Or you think that this means that the sale's not going to happen, it's going to stay in Connecticut, and then eventually Boston will get an expansion team.

[Producer]

So we have the two separate. Well, the two separate things are the, the purchase of the team and then the move of the team. I would imagine they could get approved for the purchase of the team, but then it's like, do we want to do this? If it's to us, that's the Connecticut at Mohegan sun, but it's only at Mohegan sun because it's owned by the Mohegan family, the Mohegan Tribe. I don't know. Maybe this isn't as predictable as I thought, because this is a unique scenario of just where that team is and where it makes sense for it to go if it's sold.

[Brady]

Yeah. And I think part of the reason why Pel Yuka decided to pay so Much for that franchise was that his intention was to move it to Boston.

[Katie Nolan]

Right.

[Brady]

That sort of baked into the price. If he wasn't able or if the ownership group wasn't able to move it to Boston and I had to stay in Connecticut or move to one of these expansion cities, I don't know if he would be as interested or if the ownership group would be as interested in paying that much money for it.

[Katie Nolan]

I'm not sure.

[Producer]

Should we buy it?

[Chris]

Yeah.

[Producer]

Brady, who's the richest person listening to us right now? Like, apparently all you need is 3.3% and then you can just claim you own the whole thing.

[Katie Nolan]

Great point, Katie in the blue. And then I'm gonna show up in.

[Producer]

Boston and be like, there any other basketball teams here? Never worn anything.

[Katie Nolan]

One more update before we get to Sam Mewis. Well, I guess two. Let me just quickly say, shout out the Red Sox for signing Roman Anthony. Now, I'm not going to get too excited because I don't know if you know this, but signing an extension doesn't mean shit with the Boston Red Sox. They can still ship you off before the trade deadline like a year, maybe two years later. So I'm not. Just cause it's an eight year, 130 million doll contract extension to me doesn't necessarily mean that he's gonna be here for eight more years. But glad that it got done and proud of Brady for guessing the number just based off of market value in his head. It was a fascinating thing to watch happen yesterday. You huge dork. He was like, I don't know. I would guess if it's eight years, probably around 130 million. And then Chris was like, that's exactly what it is. And Brady said, I guessed. And that's wild. Could not be me, but shout out to Roman Anthony. Exciting, thrilling. Great. Other update on the dildos. This story's dead. It's no longer fun and cool. Third dildo was thrown. Remember the second lime green sex toy hit the court and somebody was arrested. Then a third one. And that's when we all started to go, all right, what's going on here? What is this? And then I saw last night that somebody claimed their group is responsible for it and they did an interview with Barstool Sports on a podcast. I listened, I tried listen. I tried to listen to it. I did. I turned it on, I downloaded it. I did it at one and a half speed because it was just like, let me get this information. It's a crypto thing. These guys are like a crypto meme coin thing.

[Producer]

So if you were to spend five more minutes explaining this, would it make any more?

[Katie Nolan]

No. No. And, like, the interview didn't illuminate anything. The guy was like, we want memes to go back to being funny. And I was like, all right, you don't have some great mission. You just want to throw. It's so stupid. It's such a dumb outcome for a thing. So we're done with it. It's not funny. Stop throwing stuff on the court. And guys, I don't know. Like I already said, I'm not your financial advisor, okay? I'm not your financial advisor. Do not buy meme coins. They are mostly all pump and dump schemes. The only people who make money off of these things are the people who create them. And then they pull all their money out and it's your money they take, and you don't make any money off of it. So I'm sure that's going to piss somebody who knows more about it off. But just from my basic understanding of a meme coin, don't do it. Okay, okay, okay. Isabella, I need you to coins in.

[Isabella]

The form of memes.

[Katie Nolan]

Somebody will. It'll be like, I don't even want to speak any of this into existence. You can take a thing.

[Isabella]

This could be awesome.

[Katie Nolan]

Let's do Hawk to it. No, this is. We can do this because she got. I think she got, like, investigated by the SEC for this. Hawk to. You know who that is. She's hugely popular from that viral video. Somebody approaches her and says, we want to launch a coin with your name on it. She is in her I'm saying yes to everything era. I've got a podcast. I'm doing this. I'm doing that. She says yes to this because they explain it to her in a way that sounds like it's not predatory. She says, sure. So they launch Hawk to a coin that's so she's so famous that everybody invests in it and you see the price of the coin go up. So it's like, wow, this is an expensive. If you got in at the bottom level and it goes to the moon, all then you can sell and all that money becomes your money. But the people who sell are usually have, like 60% invested in it. And when they pull their money out, the coin plummets and then everybody loses money. It basically monetizes popularity. I don't know if you've heard of. You've heard of Hawk to a. I don't know if you've heard of Donald Trump. But he did this. He had a meme coin that he sold and hugely profit. It is just basically getting people to buy into something because they've heard of it. It's a meme. And then you hold it until it. And then you. It's. It's a nightmare. Don't. Please don't do it.

[Isabella]

Sounds terrible.

[Producer]

The current value of hawk to a coin is if you own 10,000 of them, it's worth 15 cents.

[Brady]

What did it peak at? Do you have that?

[Producer]

It peaked at. At.1 cents. So it somehow is like.

[Katie Nolan]

No, it didn't.

[Producer]

Way down from that.

[Katie Nolan]

It didn't. It went. It. It went for a minute. No, I think I've got money off of it.

[Producer]

I think the peak value here is she made money off of it. Because there's. There's 1 billion hawk to a coins in existence.

[Katie Nolan]

That's what it.

[Isabella]

Guys.

[Katie Nolan]

I know.

[Isabella]

Touch grass. Like, I don't, like, play poker in real life and, like, bet on my. I don't know, physical bills or, you know what? Stones.

[Katie Nolan]

Stuff. Like, just, like, little rocks. I'm sorry, I just need to. I think you're trying to get out of talking about whatever you're saying. I just want to zoom in on stones. Little rocks. What do you want us to do with little rocks?

[Isabella]

I don't know, but just like a plat. Use that as, like, chips.

[Katie Nolan]

Yes, yes, yes, yes. Okay, so little rock coin launching this summer. Please buy tiny rock coin. Pebble coin.

[Isabella]

Exactly. You're out at the park, you're bored, and like, you ask the person next to you, hey, want to play poker with some rocks?

[Brady]

You can promote this at the. At the Cyclones event. Just hand out little pebbles to people.

[Isabella]

That have mud on them.

[Katie Nolan]

Are worth more.

[Isabella]

Look, is so fun to me. So I'm like. The idea of a meme coin, it's.

[Katie Nolan]

Like, guys, this is fake.

[Isabella]

It's not real.

[Katie Nolan]

I know, but people are putting your.

[Producer]

Money on beanie babies like an adult.

[Katie Nolan]

People are buying these coins, and then they're losing all of their money, and it makes me. Please don't buy. I'm assuming it's called, like, green dildo coin. Please don't buy it. And while we're here, cut the shit with throwing stuff on the court. It's. It reaches a point. I'm not trying to be.

[Brady]

Well, now that they've made the announcement, surely that's the end of it, right? They're not gonna keep throwing it onto the court after they've announced their mission statement.

[Katie Nolan]

You're asking A lady who has lost all faith in humanity. So I don't know. Great point. I don't know. At this point, I used to be able to predict human behavior within, you know, a couple points of being, but not anymore. Now I'm like, okay, so this is a thing we're doing. So I don't know. I, again, I didn't finish that interview. It wasn't necessarily a brilliant journalistic endeavor. And again, I did listen to it on one and a half because my time's too valuable. I just. It's done. The green dildo thing was fun while it lasted, I guess, but cut the shit. It's a professional game that people are trying to play. Okay, let's get to our guest today. Very exciting. You know her, you love her. Sam Mewa. She played on the women's national team. She won the World cup in 2019. She won a bronze medal at the at Tokyo Olympics with the national team. She's won a million championships in her life. I really going back through her life to prep for this. I was like, damn, girl, you win championships everywhere you go. And she's gonna win one here on Casuals with us. I'll be doing her live show tonight@racket NYC. If you're hearing this, she said there's some tickets left so you can come do that. She's now doing podcasts with men in blazers, a vertical called the Women's Game. So we're gonna talk to Sam Mewis about all that and being a new auntie when we come back. Viori delivers a new perspective on performance apparel with pieces designed to look great beyond the gym. Whether you're running errands, heading to the office, or meeting up with friends, Vuori is perfect for whatever your day brings. Take the Vuori performance jogger. They're great for fitness, but they're also stylish enough for everyday wear and comfortable enough for lounging around. As part of the dream knit connection, they are made of Viori's softest premium stretch fabric. They're lightweight moisture wicking and feature a four way performance stretch. Mine, I got them in like a teal green color. What I really love about them is that they're thin. So in this time of the year, sometimes when you put on like a bulky sweatpant, it's too much. These are perfect. They're lightweight, they wick away sweat. So they're very good for wearing even in like a hot month. We're allowed to be comfortable in hot months, guys. And you should do that with the Vuori Performance Jogger. It's an investment in your happiness. For our listeners, they are offering 20% off of your first Vuori purchase. Get yourself some of the most comfortable and versatile clothing on the [e-mail] casuals. That's V-U-O-R-I.com casuals exclusions apply. Visit the website for full terms and conditions.

[Sam Mewis]

Are you a millennial woman whose hobbies include analyzing Taylor Swift lyrics with a surgical level of detail? Do you ever spend your spare time thinking about how Mary Kate and Ashley really mismanaged our expectations for how easy it is to meet a boyfriend on vacation? If so, have I got the podcast for you. I'm Kate Kennedy, host of Be There in Five, where I deep dive the shallow things we are often told don't matter. Going out tops girl boss, feminism, purity rings, pyramid schemes, the power of hot girl scents at a 2000s bath and body works. Be there in five is where I try and make sense of the pop culture that raised us and continues to shape us as millennial women. So come spiral with me wherever you get your podcasts. I'll be there in five, I swear.

[Katie Nolan]

Sam Mewis, legend, living legend, is here promoting. We've got a show tonight.

[Chris]

We've got a show tonight.

[Katie Nolan]

A live show.

[Chris]

By the time this comes out, it's in a couple.

[Katie Nolan]

Yeah, it's in it. We're doing a home. And home, as we call it, in the. In the esteemed podcast world.

[Chris]

Thanks for telling me. I did not know about it.

[Katie Nolan]

Home in home, home and home. So, like, we each play a home. You came to my home.

[Chris]

Perfect.

[Katie Nolan]

And now we're gonna go home.

[Chris]

It's the first time I've ever heard this term.

[Katie Nolan]

Wow.

[Chris]

I know.

[Katie Nolan]

I'm happy to bestow that. Thank you.

[Chris]

I was hoping I would learn a lot from you today. And we started strong tonight.

[Katie Nolan]

The women's game is at. What's it called? Racket nyc.

[Chris]

Yep.

[Katie Nolan]

Yeah. If you're hearing this, it's probably too late to come.

[Chris]

Probably.

[Katie Nolan]

But is it sold out?

[Chris]

There's a couple standing room tickets.

[Katie Nolan]

Okay. So come by if you like to stand. Come on by.

[Chris]

I don't know why they even offer standing room tickets. I'm like, I would rather die.

[Katie Nolan]

I imagine they end up leaning on something.

[Chris]

I hope so.

[Katie Nolan]

There's no way you're standing on the ground. Yeah, I would, too. I really don't have any shame when it comes to that.

[Chris]

No.

[Katie Nolan]

You need a seat, you gotta sit.

[Chris]

Or a walking pad. I could do a walking Pad.

[Katie Nolan]

Like a tick tock.

[Chris]

I think they need to get walking pads at the airport.

[Katie Nolan]

Okay.

[Chris]

I know. Pay five bucks like a vending machine and then just walk at your gate.

[Katie Nolan]

Yeah, that's a good idea. I know, but also counterpoint. You could just sit.

[Chris]

You could, but you're about to sit on the plane. You gotta get the legs moving.

[Katie Nolan]

You're right. I know. Like, theoretically, you're right. I just love a sit. You know, there's a time and a lounge.

[Chris]

There's a time and a place.

[Katie Nolan]

I love to just lounge. Talk to me about what you're doing with. With men in blazers in the women's game.

[Chris]

Yes. We have a podcast. We have. So we're a women's soccer media vertical. That's what I've been trained to call it. I didn't know what the word vertical, like, really meant in this industry, but now I know. It means we have podcasts, we have a YouTube channel, we have dedicated social media pages, we have a newsletter. I'm sure I'm forgetting something. But we also do live shows, and that's why I'm here in the big city. New York is so overwhelming to me because I live in Vermont now. And we're gonna do, like, highlight the NNB cell rivalry weekend that is coming up this weekend. So we're having Katie on the show. We're having a couple other really incredible guests on the show. And we're super excited.

[Katie Nolan]

Yeah, I'm super excited. Are we allowed to say who's coming? Who?

[Chris]

Yeah. Oh, my gosh.

[Katie Nolan]

Gonna be there. That Rose Lavelle will be there.

[Chris]

Rose Lavelle is gonna be there. I'm actually staying at her house last night and tonight, Shout out. She put me on the train on my way here and waved to me as I took the path into the city.

[Katie Nolan]

Oh, my God.

[Chris]

Yeah.

[Katie Nolan]

That's so cute.

[Chris]

I know.

[Katie Nolan]

What's her dog's name?

[Chris]

Wilma.

[Katie Nolan]

Yeah. And you're with Wilma.

[Chris]

Well, now Wilma's in Cincinnati with her parents. Wilma. Not everybody knows this is Rose's sister, not her daughter.

[Katie Nolan]

What?

[Chris]

Yeah.

[Katie Nolan]

How did I not know that? I thought Wilma was her little baby. No, baby sister, I guess. And that's. And that is a dynamic. Yeah, but it's not the same. So she doesn't have Wilma with her all the time. I know, but probably easier in terms of like the adult sleepover that you were having.

[Chris]

Yeah, exactly.

[Katie Nolan]

Yeah.

[Chris]

Yeah, Cool.

[Katie Nolan]

So. All right, we'll be there tonight. So you guys should come out again. That's Racket nyc If you feel like standing, come hang out. Sam. Obviously everybody was along for the ride on that. Thrilling. What was that? 2019 World Cup?

[Chris]

Yeah.

[Katie Nolan]

For those who don't remember, that game against Thailand, is that who it was?

[Chris]

Yeah.

[Katie Nolan]

You had two goals in that game.

[Chris]

I did.

[Katie Nolan]

What was that like? Cause remember, the media frenzy around that game was like, the US Women's team is so good, and this is mean of them to score this many goals in a game against a team that's clearly not as talented. What was the. What was it like for you guys having such a huge win, such an exciting, such a fun game, and then also to have the reaction be so like, meh.

[Chris]

Yeah. I think it was one of those things where so many of us were, like, at our first World cup, like, me, Rose and Lindsay were all playing in the midfield. We all scored a goal and it was this, like, we were so happy to be at the World Cup. Like, that was the moment where we, like, made it. Like, I always say it's great when you make the roster, but when you, like, really play in the first. First game, you can't, like, roll your ankle. Like, you could have rolled your ankle and practiced the day before and ruined the whole thing. So it's like when you actually play in the first game, that's the moment that you're like, I played in a World Cup. My dream just came true. So we were all just so happy. I feel like looking at the whole tournament, that game was when that team really, like, came together and we were, like, celebrating all the goals and just, like, having the time of our lives. The. The rookies bonded with the veterans, the subs bonded with the starters. Like, it was such a fun game that to come off the field and hear that people were mad at us was like. Like, oh, I didn't really expect people to be mad about this. But in a way, I think it also galvanized us and. And showed us that, like, you really can't pay attention to what's going on on the outside, which was great because a bunch of other stuff happened that tournament where we really, like, couldn't pay attention to what was happening on the outside. But, yeah, it's like, wild. And I think what we said at the time was like, we want to give Thailand our best because they're here at this tournament, and that's what we did.

[Katie Nolan]

Right. It would be incredibly disrespectful to go out to a World cup and be like, we've scored a couple goals. We're Gonna. We're gonna go easy on. It's a competition.

[Chris]

And it was like a big moment for us, too, and we wanted to celebrate. And I think, yeah, like, people can have whatever opinions. This feels like a long time ago now, but it's like, I think we just were happy and, you know, after the game, very respectful to Thailand, who, like, came and showed up at a tournament when they clearly had, like, less resources than we did.

[Katie Nolan]

Right. And that's always been the interesting thing, I think watching the women's national team is the seeing the growth that you're helping internationally. So watching, like, other countries start to invest in their women's game more and watching the competition rise to the level that you guys set has been really interesting. It also, if I'm honest, sometimes it sucks because you're like, I like when we win a million to nothing. It's harder now when other teams are really good. Another thing that I think is an interesting situation that we're running into now with the women's national team is, like, this generation of women. Everybody's retiring. Like, Alex Morgan is retired, Megan Rapinoe, Tobin Heath just retired. And so it's sort of this generational shift with the women's national team. For our listeners who loved those players, talk to me about some of the names that are. That we're going to be seeing on the women's national team that, like, you're most excited about.

[Chris]

Yeah. Oh, my gosh. First and foremost, Ally Sent Noor. She actually just got traded from one of the lower teams in the league. They're in, like, 13th or 14th Utah. She got drafted there first. Last year, she just got traded to the number one team in the league, Kansas City, which was a huge kind of blockbuster trade. But I think it's going to be so good for her. Um, she's from my hometown of Hanson, Massachusetts.

[Katie Nolan]

Shout out.

[Chris]

So I literally, every time I say her name on a podcast, I say that she's from Hansen. She's such an incredible attacking player. She's, like, small, so quick, uses her body so well at. In her U.S. women's national team games already this year, she's had, like, a lot of goal contributions, and she's just one of those players who you can tell is, like, so earnest, so happy to be there, and, like, is going to do everything right along this journey that she's on. So I'm really, really excited about her. And then there are a few other. Obviously, we all know triple espresso. That's Trinity Rodman, Mal Swanson, and Sophia Wilson. Um, Trinity's just coming back from injury, and Soph and Mal are both out on maternity leave right now. But I think that, like, to fill in while they're out, some other really great attacking players have stepped up, like Michelle Cooper, who actually also plays for Kansas City. Um, Cat Macario is back healthy, which is a huge win. So there's a lot of players that I'm really, really excited about, and I think that we still have two more years to kind of, like, give them reps and see them grow. So there's, like, a lot of names that people should be looking forward to seeing.

[Katie Nolan]

Yeah, yeah. Just because they're not Alex Morgan doesn't mean there isn't a new Alex Morgan coming. That everybody. Because you just. I don't know. Sometimes I hear the national conversation about the women's national team, and they're like, we don't know any of these people. And you're like, you didn't know them at first either. Yeah, you didn't know Megan Rapinoe at first either. You didn't know Carli Lloyd. So it's.

[Chris]

And sometimes it takes the World Cup. Like, I think at that level, that kind of casual fan level, you'll learn their names in the World Cup. Like, I think if you're an avid fan, you're watching all these friendlies that we have in the next two years, you'll learn them sooner. But it takes scoring a big goal in a World cup semifinal for people to be like, oh, my God, she's a star. So I think they're coming and they're growing.

[Katie Nolan]

Yeah, I think so, too. Speaking internationally, you spent some time with man City, scoring 16 goals over 32 games. I mean, you know, goal scorer, it's where I was.

[Chris]

I didn't ever score that many goals anywhere else.

[Katie Nolan]

What? Compare the experience over there with the experience. Experience here. I gave you too short of a question. While you wanted to podcast gulping.

[Chris]

My experience in Man City was amazing. I went in the fall of 2020, which.

[Katie Nolan]

So it was, like, tough time to.

[Chris]

Be moving around the height of co. That's why I went in a way, like, in. We were here in the league and we did, like, the Challenge cup, which was like the bubble in Utah, and we played. I think my team played five games, and that was going to be all the games I got to play all year at that. At the time I decided to go, but the Olympics were the following summer, and I was like, I need to play games so that I'm, like, ready for the Olympics. So I went to Man City. It was such an awesome experience. Like I said, like, somehow like was scoring all these goals and I never scored that many goals in the nbcl. I just had like the best time. I feel like I learned a ton. I feel like I was like really given opportunities to be involved in the attack. I was playing probably more defensively for my club team here. Getting in the box all the time, like scoring headers, scoring off of set pieces. And then even like living in Manchester. I was there with Rose Lavelle and it was Covid. But we like made the most of it. We like would get pizza from across the street and eat it in our apartments together. We would like go to a little coffee shop after training and get our coffees to go with our masks on. And we have such great memories of doing it that I'm so glad I got to do it because it ended up being really the last club season I ever played because I then started going through this whole knee injury. So I'm so grateful.

[Katie Nolan]

Stupid fucking knee.

[Chris]

I know.

[Katie Nolan]

I hate that knee. I'm so sorry. I don't hate anything about. Except that knee. I'm so mad at it.

[Chris]

I know.

[Katie Nolan]

Robbed us.

[Chris]

Such a bummer.

[Katie Nolan]

Robbed us and you probably, but mostly.

[Chris]

Us, the opportunity to watch you score.

[Katie Nolan]

I mean 16 goals in 32 games. I'm not a math person, but isn't that. It was like pretty good a goal every two games?

[Chris]

It was pretty good, yeah.

[Katie Nolan]

That's sick.

[Chris]

I was pretty proud.

[Katie Nolan]

As you should be.

[Chris]

Yeah.

[Katie Nolan]

Yeah. Is there anything that they do different over there that like you brought back here and you were like, we should really be doing it like this or are they pretty comparable in that way?

[Chris]

I think that I, I. Well, I think what I'd say I noticed is like at that time, this again was five years ago, my day felt more professional. I think that, you know, it was mirrored off of like a more traditional like footballing football players day. So like we showed up for breakfast and we ate at the facility as a team. Then we had a meeting and watched film. Then we did our prehab, then we did some of our, our lift. Then we went out to the field. Then we came in and we did lunch and the rest of our lift. It was like more of like an 8 to 2 day. Whereas I felt like up until then my time in the NWSL was like a 9:30 to 11:30 kind of day where you just show up and do your practice and go home. It was like actually kind of sick. It like Used to be awesome. But I think that, like, structure is good, though. And in the grand scheme of, like, I want to get as good as I can get, right, and be really well taken care of with medical and nutrition and professionalism. Now, I think the league here is more like that. But at the time, it was a huge step up in, like, professionalism for me.

[Katie Nolan]

Did you call it soccer while you were over there?

[Chris]

I mean, yeah, Like, I. Yeah, I would, too.

[Katie Nolan]

I think that's okay.

[Chris]

They, like, know what you're talking about. But there were definitely some things. Like, the one story I always tell that they would, you know, express differently is you'd be walking down the hall in the morning, and somebody would go, you okay? And that's their way of saying, hey, good morning. How are you?

[Katie Nolan]

Yeah.

[Chris]

And so at first, I was like, yeah, I'm fine. Like, why do I look upset? And I would go to Rose and be like, why is everybody asking me if I'm okay?

[Katie Nolan]

Do I have bitchy resting face? Yeah, I don't.

[Chris]

So that was the one language barrier. But soccer football was, like. It was like, fine.

[Katie Nolan]

I love that language barrier between English and English of. You okay?

[Chris]

Yes.

[Katie Nolan]

Is somebody saying, I'm mad?

[Chris]

I know the. It's also, like, not a la. Like, I know the language barrier was a joke, but it's like a demeanor barrier. Like, I'm like, like, bubbly and, like, good morning. Like, hey, yeah, practice was awesome. And everybody over there is just like, oh, my God. Like, you're so obnoxious. Yeah, so, like, obnoxious American. I was like, oh, I know.

[Katie Nolan]

I do feel that, like, when I go to. You know something about this. We're not the first people to say this, but something about that accent, they can get away, too, with saying things that are more, like, direct and, like.

[Chris]

Cheeky a little bit.

[Katie Nolan]

Yes. And, like, they can be critical, but they make it. It sound like they're just going, like, we both agree this is the case, right?

[Chris]

Yeah. Like, that was shitty. And you're like, but if you say.

[Katie Nolan]

It in, like, our shitty. Like, that sucked. We sound harsh, but theirs is like, that was awful. We can all agree.

[Chris]

You're so right.

[Katie Nolan]

They get away with it. Those damn Brits. But I love it. I do love an accent. I wish we had one. But New England girls.

[Chris]

I know nothing.

[Katie Nolan]

Hanson has no accent.

[Chris]

I mean it. I think. I think 20 miles south.

[Katie Nolan]

South of Boston on the shore. You're in the south shore. Or, like, a little bit more inland.

[Chris]

Where Hanson is inland. But it's Technically, so shore. It's like. It's, like, near, like, Pembroke Hanover. Whitman.

[Katie Nolan]

Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah. Whitman's who you're hyphenated with, right?

[Chris]

For high school.

[Katie Nolan]

Yeah, yeah, yeah. So I thought hyphenated high school. I know.

[Chris]

Framingham Regional High School.

[Katie Nolan]

Big, big, big town. You never had an accent. Did people from your hometown go away to college and come back with an accent?

[Chris]

I don't know. I didn't go back. I didn't really go back after.

[Katie Nolan]

Oh, I love that.

[Chris]

You know.

[Katie Nolan]

No, I love that you're like, I don't know. I left those people.

[Chris]

And, I mean, I married. I married somebody from Whitman.

[Katie Nolan]

Oh, true. Okay.

[Chris]

So. But I think we all have a little Boston accent. I think because I've lived away for so long, mine is less. But if I have, like, one Bud Light, it's like. It's active.

[Katie Nolan]

Like, if I have one Bud Light and you piss me off. Oh, what are you talking about? I do a lot of a boot by accident that I've realized is New England. It's, like, kind of Canadian, but also New England. I feel like everybody in Massachusetts has, like, a friend who grew up without an accent, but they went to UMass and they come back and they talk with an. And you're like, that's new. Yeah, that's new.

[Chris]

Yeah.

[Katie Nolan]

Everybody at your school probably buys it, but not me. I'm on to you. The NWSL season just started back up.

[Chris]

Yeah.

[Katie Nolan]

Very exciting. Talk to me about who is looking like there is. Are they. Is Kansas City running away with it? Is it? Is it?

[Chris]

I think so, yeah. Yeah. I mean, I think we're all, you know, we're all in the media. We're all trying to be like, no, it's going to be close. But I'm like, kansas City is so good.

[Katie Nolan]

Yeah. Why? What makes them so good?

[Chris]

Their owners are investing in them. Like I mentioned earlier, this trade with Ali sent Noor, who I literally love so much, and I think a lot of the question around it was like, how did Utah let this happen? Like, why would Utah, who's in 13th. Sorry, I don't know, 13th or 14th place, let her go?

[Katie Nolan]

Right.

[Chris]

And I'm just like, I. Kansas City is doing so well. Their owners are so invested. They built a stadium. It's their team stadium. They built a training facility. They are investing in their roster, and so they're. They're in first place by 10 points. And I think it's like, there is a criticism to Utah here of, like, if you invested more Maybe these players wouldn't need to leave to have a better place to play. And I don't, like, want a rag on Utah. I just want all of the owners to look at what Kansas City is doing and being like, investing in our team equals success. And I want that for all the teams. I want everybody to have success. And I know that's impossible, but it's. I think what's true right now is that the lower placed teams don't have the same investment. And so it's kind of like, clear what's happening.

[Katie Nolan]

Yeah, I feel like a lot of new. There's been like, renewed interest in people joining ownership for NWSL squads. Are you noticing that those teams, like, I'm thinking Angel City, like, they have some celebrity investors. Are you noticing those teams are investing more money and those teams are growing quicker versus older ownership teams?

[Chris]

I think, I mean, yes and no. I think there are like, original teams of the league. Like, I think Chicago has had renewed investment, but they still haven't really, like, turned it around on the field. Angel City is one of those teams where there's. They. They're like marketing and they're beautiful. It's incredible. Where they play is amazing. Their fans are amazing. They're a huge team. They're so, like, I think, so profitable and like so recognizable. Their brand is awesome, but even they haven't really turned it on in the field yet. And we're all. I'm eagerly awaiting Angel City to be a top team in the league because exactly, like, what I'm saying about Kansas City, you. I want them to succeed and show everybody that investment equals success. They just got a new coach, they signed a few new players and have a few players back from injury. So I do think Angel City is getting there and it takes time as an expansion team too. But your original question, like, is it old ownership versus new? Maybe in some cases. I think Washington Spirit's another good example. Owned by Michelle Kangaroo, who has thrown so much money in and has, like, is an owner that has multiple teams in multiple leagues and is just like really viewing women's soccer as like a booming business, which I also think is like, really great, and her team consistently does pretty well.

[Katie Nolan]

Yeah, it's. It does seem like people are slow to accept that the answer to a competitive women's league with parody throughout is investment. It feels like everyone's so hesitant to, like, oh, if we put the money in, the results come. It's frustrating.

[Chris]

It. It is. And I think the Euros just happened, which is like a big regional Tournament in Europe between all of the national teams there. And England won. And I think that's England also won in 2022. That was this huge moment in the soccer world where Chloe Kelly took her shirt off and celebrated in her sports bra. And it was like very reminiscent of Brandi Chast. 1999. England won again. Chloe Kelly scored the game winning penalty gig. It was like literally so incredible. This just happened a couple weeks ago, but it's another perfect example of exactly this. Like, England's success created more investment in their national team and their domestic professional league. And then England wins the Euros again. And it's like, that should be a signal to all national teams. If we just take this seriously and put money into it and make our players stars, give them a lot of resources, we're gonna win tournaments. Like, it's such a simple, like, equation.

[Katie Nolan]

Right. Obvious. It seems so obvious. And yet the resistance to spend money and the desire to keep it and turn it make, call it profit is pretty frustrating. But I digress. You also now have experience on the coaching side. Not only are you a podcaster, but you are coaching.

[Chris]

Yeah.

[Katie Nolan]

You coach two games for the Vermont Green this year in Burlington, Vermont. They're in USL league two, Right.

[Chris]

Well, that's the men.

[Katie Nolan]

The men's side.

[Chris]

Yeah.

[Katie Nolan]

And then they've got the women's side. They've done two. Just like two exhibition games.

[Chris]

Two exhibition games this year. Last year was the first year we did one.

[Katie Nolan]

Did you? What's your record then as a coach?

[Chris]

Three. Zero.

[Katie Nolan]

Shut up.

[Chris]

Yeah.

[Katie Nolan]

Undefeated as a coach.

[Chris]

Yeah. Last year was in. In pks, which people tell me doesn't, like, count as a.

[Katie Nolan]

Yes, it does.

[Chris]

And I'm like, what are you people. What are you guys talking about?

[Katie Nolan]

Unless it's Rose Lavelle, I don't care.

[Chris]

Okay. Yeah, fair. So, yeah, I'm 3. 0.

[Katie Nolan]

Yeah.

[Chris]

Perfect. 30 obsessed. I have an incredible. I always say. I. And it's like, I did have a lot of help. Like, I'm head coach, but, like, I had a lot of help.

[Katie Nolan]

Sure. Of course. And all head coaches have a lot of help. You don't have to say it.

[Chris]

True.

[Katie Nolan]

We're allowed to just give you the credit.

[Chris]

Well, thanks. Yeah, I'll take it. It was so fun.

[Katie Nolan]

Yeah. So what's it like being on that side of things?

[Chris]

Oh, my God. I immediately forgave every coach. Like, I immediately was like, oh. Like when I. Cause I could see the girls feeling how I remember feeling, like on the national team. Like, is the coach mad at me? Does the coach think I'm bad? Did the coach see that bad pass? And I could see the girls feeling those things, and I was just like, I have no idea. Like, I didn't see that bad pass. I can't remember. I can't remember your name, and I can't. I don't know what position that we should play you in. I am, like, scrambling to put together a starting lineup out of 25 girls that I've never met before in three days. I. I don't think you're good or bad. I'm trying to figure out if you should be. Like, I'm figuring it out actively. And I think it's just like, it made me realize that the coach had so much on their mind that, like, me hyper analyzing every single pass was, like, so silly.

[Katie Nolan]

It's so funny that, like, when you're playing, like, there's no way someone did see the mistake I made. And then when you're the coach, you're like, I have one set of eyeballs.

[Chris]

Yeah. And I'm like, I saw you score once today, and like, now you're starting.

[Katie Nolan]

I remember your name because you scored. So there's really. I couldn't have held anything against you because I didn't know who you are. A cool thing about Vermont Green that I do want to mention because I find this fascinating. The club mission is centered on environmental justice with the goal of becoming a Net Zero soccer club. In terms of their environmental impact. What. What does that feel like on the ground? Like, while you're there? Is it like no straws?

[Chris]

What does it seem? It's like no plastic ball. Like, they. It's very intentional. Everything they do, like, even the food that they're serving, they're trying to use, like, all reusable plates, silverware bottles. I think even the uniforms are made out of, like, all recycled materials. They're very intentional about how they, like, are traveling to games. The There are three, like, co founders, Matt, Pat and Sam. And which is so funny because me and my husband's name are Sam and Pat. And then these three guys are Matt, Pat and Sam. And it's actually been a funny joke. They're like, incredible. Like, they are, like, our age and they just like, started this team. They just won the USL2 in their fourth season of existing, which is an incredible accomplishment in a small area in Vermont. The soccer is awesome. Going to the games is awesome. And I just think they're very embedded in the community and very involved. And I should know more about the Net Zero pledge Like, more details. But everything they're doing is, like, really entrenched in, like, helping our community grow and helping people who are trying to, like, do good things in the world. So the club is so awesome.

[Katie Nolan]

It's amazing. I love it. I think, you know, just enough. Stop being so hard. Thank you. Thank you. Speaking. You were just. The mention of, like. Like League 2 made me think about. I just started watching the Tom Brady Birmingham documentary. Don't know if you've watched any of it.

[Chris]

I haven't yet, but that's really cool.

[Katie Nolan]

Fascinating watching him switch to the ownership side. Now, granted, it's a 3.3% ownership stake I believe he has in. In Birmingham City, so not really the largest ownership stake. But I. I do recommend you at least watch the first episode.

[Chris]

Yeah, I'd love to.

[Katie Nolan]

Very surprising how unlikable he comes across for a New England fan. There's moments where you're like, what are you doing? He shows up in Birmingham and he goes, is there another football team in this town? And they go, mm, Aston Villa. And he goes, they any good? They any good? And then he goes, are they in the Premier League? Yes. Tom Brady.

[Chris]

Did he know that it was being filmed?

[Katie Nolan]

You should absolutely know that there's another team in the city and that they're in the Premier League. And then he says, like, it was the. Like he just learned the word and he thinks he sounds cool saying it. He's. Every time he's on camera, he says at least once. It's so strange. I know. It's jarring. I'm sorry to throw all this.

[Chris]

I can't say I'm so surprised. I do feel like he's taken a weird turn. People have kind of been like, true. What's up, Tom?

[Katie Nolan]

True. Oh, wait. I didn't even realize this. In a recent interview with men in blazers, Tom Brady offered the U.S. men's soccer a piece of advice ahead of next year's World Cup.

[Chris]

What was it?

[Katie Nolan]

I believe we have the audio. Do your job would be great advice. Can we play the audio that Tom Brady has for the advice he has for the US Men's national team?

[Producer]

It's an amazing sport. It's a global sport.

[Chris]

It's the biggest sport in the world. We need a young phenom, like a Yamile, a young Lionel Messi to take over. And I believe that there will be the most amazing cultural revolution for soccer here in America. The World cup is coming to America in 2026. You can't imagine the fanfare when that happens. The American audience loves it.

[Katie Nolan]

Okay, thoughts on Tom Brady's advice, which I believe was get a young messi.

[Chris]

I mean, look, he said more than I did. He literally did say more than I did. So I'm like, yeah, that sounds great. That sounds great. I do think that it is gonna be a huge event. And it's like, okay, wow, Sam. Groundbreaking news. But, like, it is really exciting. It's like a big cultural moment, and to have it happening here is a really big deal, of course. And I am excited and hopeful that our audience will embrace it and go to the games and enjoy watching the highest level of soccer right in our backyard.

[Katie Nolan]

In our own backyard.

[Chris]

Own backyard. That was a good level of confidence. I could feel it coming out of my mouth, and I was like, no, it's beautiful. I wanted to not say it.

[Katie Nolan]

And then you said it. That is 80% of podcasting is. Your brain goes, don't say that.

[Chris]

Don't say it. And then you go, right in our own backyard.

[Katie Nolan]

Right in our own backyard. Well, I think I like your analysis better than Tom Brady's, but also very funny. When you're not watching a men in blazers clip to hear all the swooping, I'm like, what is this? But I'm sure something was happening.

[Chris]

Visually, I'm sure it was a. Yeah.

[Katie Nolan]

Yeah, it was probably a really, really great clip. But audio wise, I was like, wnba, You've been watching any wnba?

[Chris]

Well, Rose and I were chatting about it a little bit. Again, I am entrenched in. In soccer.

[Katie Nolan]

Yes, of course.

[Chris]

But we can try because I obviously am so psyched. The WNBA is doing so well. I know it was just all star week. Rose was updating me a little bit on some storylines. I love this.

[Katie Nolan]

Rose is totally tuned.

[Chris]

Loves the wnba, who is her team.

[Katie Nolan]

Team.

[Chris]

I don't know if she has a team.

[Katie Nolan]

Damn.

[Chris]

We'll have to ask her later. But I know her and Kelly talk about it a lot because Kelly's podcast covers the WNB a lot. So I know they've been chatting it up.

[Katie Nolan]

Yeah. Kelly's got a great podcast. I know that everybody should listen to.

[Chris]

I know sports are fun from just women sports.

[Katie Nolan]

Have you seen the dildos of it all?

[Chris]

No.

[Katie Nolan]

I love that if you. Because you haven't, you're like, this could mean anything. Katie could be about to say anything to me. People have been throwing sex toys onto the court.

[Chris]

Yes. I knew something was being thrown onto the. The court. And I read.

[Katie Nolan]

And you somehow didn't know that it was a dildo. I love That I think that. Who's protecting you?

[Chris]

Like the news source that I read this on, it was like an Instagram infograph, like, graphic. And I think that they probably intentionally left out that detail.

[Katie Nolan]

Yes.

[Chris]

And so I was just like, wow. Yeah. Player safety. Like, better stop doing that.

[Katie Nolan]

Right. And I. And that is the angle. People were obviously distracted by the fact that they were bright green dildos.

[Chris]

So that's. Why did that come up?

[Katie Nolan]

Up.

[Chris]

Why did that become a thing?

[Katie Nolan]

What I think we're getting to the bottom of now is that it's like a crypto thing. Like an ad kind of like a viral guerrilla marketing for a meme coin. It's like the worst possible resolution.

[Chris]

So dumb.

[Katie Nolan]

Because the. When the first dildo hit the tower, I feel like we were like, that's funny. Agree. That's funny. It happened once or twice during a football game. I remember the. In Buffalo, they used to do this. But when it happened in wnba, it was like, hahaha. A green penis is on the court. Second time, green again. And everybody was like, okay.

[Chris]

Third time in multiple games.

[Katie Nolan]

Multiple games.

[Chris]

Multiple cities.

[Katie Nolan]

Multiple cities.

[Chris]

Multiple times.

[Katie Nolan]

Yes. Well, could be the same. I don't want to speak. I don't know if it could be the same thing.

[Chris]

It's just one per game. It's not like 100 per game.

[Katie Nolan]

It's not. They're not raining day down.

[Chris]

I'm thinking it's like in hockey with the hats.

[Katie Nolan]

Yes.

[Chris]

And then you get the Zon to clear all the dildos. And I'm like, oh, my God, that would be terrifying.

[Katie Nolan]

That's too many. It can't rain dildos. Yeah. By the third one, they arrested somebody. Through the second one. By the third one, it was like, what is this? And now for the big reveal to be that I think it's about a meme coin. Just makes me want to go to sleep for a month. I just am like, that's the. That's the. All right. You know. But I do want to know, especially because it does sound like these are men that are bringing in these sex. I want to know how they got it in. Yeah.

[Chris]

Did their clear bag not get checked?

[Katie Nolan]

Right. Because when I thought it was a female fan, I was like, I could think of one way they could get it in. Nobody would notice. But. And I guess, I guess technically. Whatever. So that's the deal. That's dildo gate.

[Chris]

Okay. Well, thanks for updating me again. I was half aware.

[Katie Nolan]

Yeah.

[Chris]

Was withheld a really crucial piece of information.

[Katie Nolan]

Oh. You know, we could talk about the expansion team, the Boston.

[Chris]

Oh, my God, I'd love to.

[Katie Nolan]

Soccer team. So the extent of our coverage on it on Casuals here so far has been when they came out with the name, and we did not love the name, but then they listened to us bullying them.

[Chris]

Yeah, it was.

[Katie Nolan]

What was it? Boss Nation fc.

[Chris]

Yep.

[Katie Nolan]

And they changed it.

[Chris]

Yeah.

[Katie Nolan]

What'd they change it to?

[Chris]

Boston Legacy.

[Katie Nolan]

Yeah.

[Chris]

Which I like. I like Boston Legacy. I think it was much safer, and I think it has a great message behind it. I think, in a way, it's like, there is a legacy of women's soccer in Boston, but we're also creating a new one. And so I kind of like that. There's the subtle ode to the breakers, who were the team that came. The previous kind of iteration. It's new ownership now, but I. So I like it. I think it's solid. I also like the colors. The green is very cool.

[Katie Nolan]

It is nice.

[Chris]

The crest. The crest is awesome.

[Katie Nolan]

Yeah.

[Chris]

So I'm psyched.

[Katie Nolan]

Yeah. Did you also hate Boss Nation?

[Chris]

I didn't love it, and I didn't love it, and I also didn't love the market. I think the marketing, and I think I remember having to talk about it on my podcast, and obviously, I'm gonna be rooting for this team. Like, this is my hometown team, and I want them to do well. And so having to talk about it, I was like, I wish I didn't have to do right. And I think the thing I wanted to kind of say was like, I feel like they know they messed up and they fixed it, and they were like, yeah, our bad. Like, we're. We're gonna fix it instead of, like, stubbornly sticking with it or, like, blaming somebody else. And I think that their ability to, like, adapt and grow and change and improve is kind of what all of us would want if we made a huge mistake.

[Katie Nolan]

Right.

[Chris]

So I'm like, I want to be the person that's like, yeah, we can, like, forgive and move on and, like, now support and, like, like, I hope. Forget about it. Yeah.

[Katie Nolan]

Yeah. I mean, it's. It. You're right. The quickness with which they heard and responded to positively instead of getting defensive and doubling down and. And being like, we invested all this money in making this name.

[Chris]

Yeah. But.

[Katie Nolan]

Woof. What an original rollout. I was like, oh, we're getting a team.

[Chris]

Like, let's go.

[Katie Nolan]

And then it's. It was like, the balls thing.

[Chris]

I know. That was, like, a really tough one.

[Katie Nolan]

And the women's sports and, like, it's like the. We have a Hawk, a women's hockey team that they just completely ignored existing. And it was just. Just a misstep. But listen, missteps happen.

[Chris]

Totally.

[Katie Nolan]

And they stepped back and were like, heard and they fixed it.

[Chris]

Y.

[Katie Nolan]

So.

[Chris]

So, yeah, they're joining the NBC next March.

[Katie Nolan]

Yeah.

[Chris]

Super exciting.

[Katie Nolan]

Very exciting. Do they have. When do they get players?

[Chris]

There's. They've been signing players now already. So the way like the transfer windows, this is like a whole thing. But like, you can sign players in the summer and then like, you can't again until I think, like maybe January.

[Katie Nolan]

Very confusing.

[Chris]

So they've just signed some players who will then go out on loan for the next six months.

[Katie Nolan]

Months.

[Chris]

And then they'll report to Boston in for preseason in like, February.

[Katie Nolan]

Oh, great.

[Chris]

So they've signed some players. They're building the stadium.

[Katie Nolan]

Where is it?

[Chris]

It's in like, Roxbury. Oh, Jamaica Plain area. It's White Stadium.

[Katie Nolan]

Cool.

[Chris]

They're renovating White Stadium.

[Katie Nolan]

Oh, sick.

[Chris]

And then they're building a training facility. Cool. And it's. I feel like their facilities are going to be great. And so I'm like. I mean, it's. Again, it's hard being an expansion team. I was just talking about that with Angel City, Utah. Like, coming into the league and playing against teams that have been established is like a huge task. But it's going to be cool.

[Katie Nolan]

Yeah. Very exciting. We'll be there. Yeah, we'll obviously be there.

[Chris]

Yeah, we will.

[Katie Nolan]

Something else I noticed when I was like, flipping through your life that I was like, this seems remarkable. You have won so many championships.

[Chris]

Oh, my God. Thank you for noticing. I'm just kidding.

[Katie Nolan]

No, it's a lot like, not counting the Shields that you won and the she Believes Cup. If we're just talking like.

[Chris]

Yeah. Don't really count.

[Katie Nolan]

If we're talking like ucla.

[Chris]

Yeah.

[Katie Nolan]

You. Your junior year.

[Chris]

Yeah.

[Katie Nolan]

You won them their first NCAA championship.

[Chris]

Yeah.

[Katie Nolan]

Crazy.

[Chris]

Yeah.

[Katie Nolan]

Then you. Well, I guess right before that the U20 World Cup. Right, the U20 World cup was before that.

[Chris]

Yeah.

[Katie Nolan]

Then that. Then you won the national championship in the W League, the semi pro developmental league. Or did that come first before the. The ncaa?

[Chris]

That one. Honestly, I don't recall.

[Katie Nolan]

But it counts.

[Chris]

But it counts.

[Katie Nolan]

It does count. Thank you. Then you get drafted by the Flash, who later become the courage. But in 2015, 2016. I know probably not your favorite of your championships, but you did it actually.

[Chris]

Literally kind of is. We were like a Cinderella story that year. Like, we, like, probably should not have Won. And it was like a miracle story.

[Katie Nolan]

Yeah.

[Chris]

Like, it was really cool.

[Katie Nolan]

Yeah.

[Chris]

Probably one of my favorites.

[Katie Nolan]

Oh, good. I thought because of the missed.

[Chris]

Oh, the missed penalty game.

[Katie Nolan]

Yeah. I just didn't.

[Chris]

Yeah, that's not in my brain anymore.

[Katie Nolan]

I forgot about that.

[Chris]

I don't need to.

[Katie Nolan]

Great. Who would have brought it up? What a dumb thing to bring up. Then the flash become the courage.

[Chris]

24 goal in the run of play.

[Katie Nolan]

And you guys won the game. It doesn't matter. So, like, why did anybody bring that stupid shit up? 2018 and 2019.

[Chris]

Yeah.

[Katie Nolan]

Won both of those NWSL championships.

[Chris]

Yeah.

[Katie Nolan]

You've obviously got 2019 World cup as well.

[Chris]

2019 was a good one.

[Katie Nolan]

And then when you went to Man City, you won the 2020 FA Cup.

[Chris]

Yeah.

[Katie Nolan]

You've won so many championships. Everywhere you go, you win a championship.

[Chris]

Thank you.

[Katie Nolan]

I hate your fucking knee so much. There's so much winning left in this body.

[Chris]

Well, I'll just have to coach for mongering women.

[Katie Nolan]

How do you. How are you not a cocky asshole, I guess is the question on the back of that?

[Chris]

Because I'm, like, crippling insecure, and I'm like. I'm like a little sister. And I don't know. I mean, no, I. I, like, like myself fine, but it's like, yeah, like, I had a great soccer career, and, like, now I got to just do.

[Katie Nolan]

No.

[Chris]

Be an adult now.

[Katie Nolan]

You have a great podcasting.

[Chris]

And now I have a great podcasting.

[Katie Nolan]

Career, coaching career, a great media, and.

[Chris]

I have two dogs.

[Katie Nolan]

Two dogs. A husband.

[Chris]

Yeah.

[Katie Nolan]

A. A new nephew.

[Chris]

I love him so much. Is he so sweet? He's so sweet. We, like, have this, like, bond where I just stare at him and giggle and then he giggles back at me, and I'm like, that's really special.

[Katie Nolan]

I mean, it is. I know getting a baby to giggle is a big deal.

[Chris]

Wait, do you know this? You're a hit this stat that. I know that, like, you are, like, biologically programmed to, like, really love your siblings. Kids, like, actually, like, you would die for them because they are, like, the next thing that your DNA getting passed on. They're, like the next closest thing than your own DNA getting passed on is, like, your sibling's kid.

[Katie Nolan]

Yeah. Wow. It that.

[Chris]

I'm like, that's profound.

[Katie Nolan]

I'm also. I also became an auntie recently. Congratulations. Thank you, Auntie Katie.

[Chris]

Yeah.

[Katie Nolan]

And she looked like she came out with a ton of hair like I did, and she looked like a little like it. You're right. I immediately was like, like, that's my baby.

[Chris]

This is my baby.

[Katie Nolan]

My little Charlie. Her name's Charlotte, but I call her Chuck. That is because I think, yeah, she's.

[Chris]

Just Chuck E. Cheese.

[Katie Nolan]

Yes. So every time I see her, I call her a different type of Chuck. Her mom is like, okay, well, you could just call her Charlie.

[Chris]

Can you tell? Is it your sister?

[Katie Nolan]

My brothers. Okay. My brother and his wife. But I, you know, she's like my sister. She's at this point, she's my.

[Chris]

Love that.

[Katie Nolan]

My sister. But yeah, Auntie Gang. So we got that going for us.

[Chris]

Love it.

[Katie Nolan]

Definitely something we can. I also think we have one last. We have a voicemail from a listener. Is that correct, producers? Oh, boy. Hi, Katie, this is Matthew from Brooklyn. Hey, did you see that one of.

[Brady]

Your carpool soccer daughters, Kelly o' Hara.

[Katie Nolan]

And Sammy Mewis from the US Women's National Team swam across Lake Tahoe this weekend?

[Chris]

It's like 10 miles.

[Katie Nolan]

Miles.

[Chris]

It's pretty impressive. It was a relay race.

[Brady]

How well your daughter did.

[Katie Nolan]

Love you, man.

[Chris]

Bye.

[Katie Nolan]

You swim.

[Chris]

What a nice guy.

[Katie Nolan]

Across Lake Tahoe.

[Chris]

Yeah. Me and Kelly and four of our other teammates relay raced swimming across Lake Tahoe. So we all probably swam like, what Is that math? 10 divided by 6, a mile and a half. Is that right?

[Katie Nolan]

I don't know.

[Chris]

I actually am embarrassed.

[Katie Nolan]

I think that sounds pretty close.

[Chris]

Yeah. It was so fun. It was like a couple weeks ago.

[Katie Nolan]

Go. How is that fun? How do you all. How are you all good enough swimmers?

[Chris]

Well, we've been training. Me and Kelly can't run anymore because our knees are all banged up.

[Katie Nolan]

Yeah.

[Chris]

We both have, like, cartilage damage in our knees. So we've both in like our post playing picked up swimming as, like, exercise and like recreation. And Kelly texted me like, I don't know, six months ago and was like, me and my friends are going to do this swim race across Lake Tahoe. It's three guys and three girls and we need another girl. Are you in? And I was like, no, no, no. It won't be good enough. And then Kelly was like, okay, then you're out. And then I was like, oh, no, oh, no, oh no, I'm in. Like, I'm in. And then I literally, like trained so hard for it and we all went to Tahoe and did it and it was like, awesome.

[Katie Nolan]

That's crazy.

[Chris]

Yeah.

[Katie Nolan]

Is it cold? It.

[Chris]

We were worried about the cold, but it wasn't that cold. Like, have you ever been. It's like the cleanest, most blue, beautiful water I've ever swam in.

[Katie Nolan]

Really?

[Chris]

Yes.

[Katie Nolan]

Huh.

[Chris]

And I've been swimming in Vermont in a lake that's near me and I was like. Which is also so beautiful, but I was like blown away by Lake Tahoe and like how clear the water is.

[Katie Nolan]

Yeah. And you swim through it.

[Chris]

Yeah. So we had like a boat and then like our first swimmer swam and then Kelly jumped in and swam hers. So you all swim 30 minutes and then you go back to the beginning and you all do 10 minutes. Minute bouts. And we all got through like three.

[Katie Nolan]

Rounds and it was a race.

[Chris]

Yeah. But did you win? No. Oh, it's all, it's all like former water polo players that do it. Oh, we came in like seventh out of 10.

[Katie Nolan]

That's the thing about water polo that I always am like, that is the level of difficulty that people discount because you're not looking at the underneath the surface of having to constantly stay afloat. What a crazy spot sport.

[Chris]

Yeah.

[Katie Nolan]

A crazy. I have so much respect for anybody who plays water polo and anyone who swims across lake. Thanks.

[Chris]

Yeah.

[Katie Nolan]

You psychopath.

[Chris]

Yeah, yeah, yeah.

[Katie Nolan]

Crazy.

[Chris]

It was. It was a little bit. It was a little bit crazy. For sure.

[Katie Nolan]

No, but definitely very cool. Matthew, good question. Love you mean it. Thank you for calling in and asking. Like a month ago. We just got to it, but it was.

[Chris]

It was good because you're here waiting for me.

[Katie Nolan]

Exactly. We held on to it. Samuel Lewis. Tell them again where they can find you.

[Chris]

Okay. The women's game. You can find us on social media at Women's Game mib. You can subscribe to our newsletter at our social media bios and then just wherever you get your podcasts. Women's game, we have a great show that drops on Tuesdays that's like topical weekly news. That's with my co host, Lynn Bindolo, who still plays in the NBC for the U.S. women's National Team, and Becky Sauerbrun, the legend that she is. Everybody knows who she is. That's on Tuesdays, that's called Good Vibes. And then on Thursdays I do interviews with players, the top players in the world this week we have Riley Tiernan, who's a rookie for Angel City, who has seven goals so far this year. And our live show tonight at Racket in New York City. And that will be streaming live on YouTube at 7:30.

[Katie Nolan]

We'll see you there. We'll be.

[Chris]

Katie's our first guest.

[Katie Nolan]

I'm so excited. Do we like drink drinks?

[Chris]

No, we can we absolutely drink drinks.

[Katie Nolan]

What's the vibe what should I wear?

[Chris]

I'm gonna wear like jeans and a nice little top.

[Katie Nolan]

A going out top. I feel like it's wearing college.

[Chris]

It's literally like a top that is so unlike. I don't know, it's like dressy.

[Katie Nolan]

Talk to me about it.

[Chris]

It's like a button up sweater, short sleeve type thing from Aritzia. And I'm like, it's not really me, but like, I feel like I gotta like, you know, dress up for the audience. I'm like, you guys came out tonight. Yeah. I gotta wear like a nice top.

[Katie Nolan]

Okay. I'll wear something that isn't me either.

[Chris]

Okay.

[Katie Nolan]

Like I just bought these shorts that look like a skirt that I like. Every time I put them on I'm like, this isn't me.

[Chris]

I wonder, are they like.

[Katie Nolan]

It's like, they're like. They look almost like boxer shorts, but they kind of look like a. They're pleated.

[Chris]

Oh my gosh. That sounds really cute.

[Katie Nolan]

Yeah. So I'll wear. I'll. We'll both be out of our comfort zone together.

[Chris]

Great.

[Katie Nolan]

So we'll know at any point in the show. We can look over and go like. She's also worried about.

[Chris]

She's also really uncomfortable.

[Katie Nolan]

She's also freaked out by the way she looks. So we'll have that in common. And a little inside info for anybody who comes to Racket NYC tonight and stands for the show.

[Chris]

Oh, boy.

[Katie Nolan]

Which we appreciate. We'll see you there. Okay, everybody, thank you so much for listening. That's going to be your pod for a Thursday. If you made it this far. Boy, do we love you and we mean it. Big thanks to Sam, us for being here and to all of you for listening to the casualties, for everything they do. Especially to Isabella for launching Tiny Rock Coin. Please go buy Pebble Coin available now wherever you get your.

[Isabella]

Go to your local park.

[Katie Nolan]

That's right.

[Isabella]

Dig into the ground.

[Katie Nolan]

Investing in Pebbles. It's the new. Hold on.

[Producer]

Pebble coins. A thing you have to say, don't invest in pebble, okay.

[Katie Nolan]

What? Sorry. Don't actually invest in pep. It's a thing.

[Producer]

It's something called a pebble coin.

[Katie Nolan]

So what's it going for? What's the. What's the rate? Check the exchange a lot, actually.

[Isabella]

No, no, guys, no.

[Katie Nolan]

Okay, don't do this.

[Isabella]

And you can't talk about like the rocks you get online. It all has to be through word of mouth.

[Katie Nolan]

IRL only.

[Chris]

Yeah, exactly.

[Katie Nolan]

You can only do Pebbles irl. I'm not taking digital rocks. No digital rocks. Accepted at this time.

[Isabella]

Exactly. You could create your own club at your local park and hold, like, meetings and stuff.

[Katie Nolan]

This is a whole vision.

[Isabella]

Create a newsletter, a physical newsletter, and.

[Katie Nolan]

That'S how you guys will hand deliver it.

[Isabella]

Yeah.

[Katie Nolan]

Or nothing. Yeah. Hand deliver a physical newsletter or. We don't. Don't email us. It's Pebble Coin. It's a. It's a growing movement.

[Isabella]

Not pebble stones.

[Brady]

We have to call it Little Rock Coin.

[Katie Nolan]

Rock. Yeah.

[Isabella]

Pebbles.

[Katie Nolan]

Little Rock Coin. All right.

[Brady]

Is that a thing, Brady? Little Rock Coin.

[Producer]

The longer this goes, the more I'm certain we're violating the fcc.

[Katie Nolan]

Yeah. That's Little Rock Coin. Isn't that Jerry Jones? Okay, that's it. Bye. We love you. We mean it. See you later. How many discounts does USAA Auto Insurance offer?

[Brady]

Too many to say here.

[Chris]

Multi vehicle discount.

[Brady]

Safe driver discount.

[Katie Nolan]

New vehicle discount. Storage discount.

[Chris]

Legacy. How many discounts will you stack up?

[Sam Mewis]

Tap the banner or visit usaa.comcom autodiscounts restrictions apply.