Wife Guys, Bowl Picks, and WNBA Ethical Dilemmas | with Ashtyn Butuso

Summary

Casuals with Katie Nolan | Episode Summary

Podcast: Casuals with Katie Nolan
Episode: Wife Guys, Bowl Picks, and WNBA Ethical Dilemmas (with Ashtyn Butuso)
Date: December 18, 2025
Host: Katie Nolan
Guest: Ashton Battuso (Flagrant Mag, Off Ball)

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Episode Overview

This episode dives into three main topics: the phenomenon of "wife guys" in sports (especially the NBA), current college football playoff storylines, and ethical discussions around seating at WNBA games and the league’s collective bargaining agreement. Katie is joined by Ashton Battuso, editor-in-chief of Flagrant Magazine and voice behind the Off Ball newsletter. With characteristic humor and candor, they banter through everything from NBA personal lives to college football absurdities, with regular contributions from the Casuals producer crew: Isabella (the sports newbie), Chris (editor), and Brady (producer).

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Key Sections & Takeaways

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1. Fun with Language and Email Openers (00:30–13:00)

• Australian/American Pronunciation Games: The pod opens with lighthearted banter about Australian vs. American pronunciations, led by Chris; e.g., "aluminium" vs. "aluminum" (04:50), "emu" (05:51), and "Macca's" for McDonald's (09:09).
• Cultural Differences: Segues into fun translation trivia like "flip flops" = "thongs," "peppers" = "capsicum," and "rooting" for a team = "barracking" (07:06–10:09).
• Pop Culture Sidebar: A voicemail about the animated Grinch movie leads to a nostalgic discussion of Benedict Cumberbatch (“Cabbage Patch”) and Tokyo Godfathers (11:43–14:23).

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2. NBA Wife Guys: What, Who, Why? (18:05–39:16)

What Is a Wife Guy? (19:06–21:12)

• Definition: "Lives and dies by the wife. He just friggin rides for his girl and wants everyone to know." – Ashton (19:07)
• Origin: Discussion of the term’s public image (Try Guys, Ned scandal) (19:39–20:04).
• Key Distinction: Being a "wife guy" is about the public narrative, not just being married or supportive in private.

Ashton’s NBA Wife Guy Rankings (23:13–39:16)

• Summarized from #9 to #1:
  • #9 DeAndre Jordan: “His wife...they are so close...he’s doing the ‘she’s popping my zits and I don’t mind’ thing.” (23:18)
  • #8 Josh Hart: “Drinking his wife’s breast milk...he’s doing a breast milk ice cream situation.” (24:41 / 25:39)
  • #7 Karl-Anthony Towns (KAT): “Famously wrote Jordyn Woods a very long...birthday or anniversary letter...offering to fund her businesses.” (26:11)
    • Notable Quote: Chris reads: “You pick two businesses you want to start, and I will fund them. It’s time to take that next step, and I will walk with you step by step...” (27:11)
  • #6 Donovan Mitchell: “New in the wife guy game, but he’s crushing it; dating Coco Jones...he serenaded her to her own song courtside.” (29:02–30:07)
  • #5 Giannis Antetokounmpo: “Pretty much purely sexual. That guy loves talking about banging his wife.” (30:18)
  • #4 Jrue Holiday: “He and former soccer player Lauren Chaney...he’s been very open and down for her through health battles.” (31:39)
  • #3 Bam Adebayo: “Every now and then there’s a pairing where you just go, if you guys ever break up, we’re going to kill ourselves...the latest—wanting to have babies now.” (33:04–33:46)
  • #2 Shai Gilgeous-Alexander (SGA): “Thanked his partner by name in his MVP speech, started bawling...even more important, he described staying home to do the baby and try on clothes while she’s out with friends.” (36:26)
  • #1 Russell Westbrook: “They’re like the originators of wife guy. Also were a basketball UCLA couple. He’s...always about her; they just laugh together.” (37:37–38:29)

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3. Who Else Is a Wife Guy? (39:31–52:43)

Cross-Sport Wife Guy Candidates

• Kirk Cousins: “Kohl’s cash...Netflix ‘Quarterback’ doc, his wife buys his clothes, he genuinely seems to be about the ‘partner’ life.” (39:55–41:29)
• Pat Mahomes: “He’s not a wife guy; as much as Brittany is public and supportive, I haven't seen enough of him reciprocating.” (41:52–42:52)
• Jonathan Owens (Simone Biles’ husband): “He’s reformed, now seems very supportive after early missteps.” (42:57–43:51)
• Josh Allen: “Definitely a wife guy, especially since Hallie Steinfeld’s movie; he’s out there loudly being supportive.” (43:59–44:47)
• Dwyane Wade: “Yes, strong family guy, though Ashton notes her active list is for current players.” (44:53–45:13)
• Klay Thompson: “Deserves a shout for openly adoring and creating content with Megan.” (45:13–45:50)
• Stefan Diggs: “Big wife guy—if you mean he loves wives, maybe too much! But still rooting for him and Cardi B.” (47:03–47:49)
• Freddie Freeman (MLB), Kyle Juszczyk (NFL), George Kittle (NFL): “Solid cases made, but Ashton ambivalent on baseball; for Juszczyk/Kittle, wife-supporting content and podcasting put them on the radar.” (49:49–52:43)

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4. WNBA Season Tickets Ethical Dilemma (53:36–56:43)

• Dilemma: Ashton gifted Katie a ticket to a Liberty game—discovering seats were in the handicapped section, neither is handicapped. They debate whether it’s ethical to use those seats if sold to/assigned by the team.
  • “I felt the whole time I couldn't get comfortable...In general, I still don't know what the right answer is.” – Katie (56:01)
• Resolution: Open question, inviting listener feedback and exploring the nuance (55:55).

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5. WNBA CBA Situation & New Leagues (57:00–64:27)

• Current State: Deadline looming for new collective bargaining agreement. Players want 34% revenue share (currently 9%, compared to NBA’s 50%). (57:17–58:18)
• Compromises: League raising salary minimums/maximums, but removing housing and expanding season—problematic for players who move often and earn less. (57:50–58:15)
• Project B: Worry that stars and money will shift to new alternative leagues (Project B, Unrivaled). “If all these people sign up...they may not play in the WNBA at all.” – Ashton (58:56)
• Unrivaled: Roster talk, new expansion teams, and critique of branding ("Hive" and "Lunar Owls" names) (60:10–63:45).

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6. College Football: The State of the Pac-12, Bowl Picks, and Light Chaos (68:20–74:36)

• Oregon State, PAC-whatever status: “We now have eight teams, I believe so. That's not the Pac-12, but…Whatever. Someday…” – Ashton (68:39)
• Feelings of Abandonment: Ashton is still sore about Oregon, Washington, UCLA, USC jumping ship w/o bringing in their rivals for “the greater good.” (69:41–70:34)
• College Football Playoff Quick Picks: Ashton and Katie run through matchup predictions and vent the absurdity of bowl sponsors (Cheez-It Citrus Bowl), the chaos of rankings, and more (71:42–74:03).

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7. WNBA, NFL & Ethical Gray Areas (74:20–88:52)

• Scandals and Amnesia: Discussion about sports figures (e.g., Chauncey Billups, Jameis Winston) whose past allegations/scandals have been erased from public memory as new fans ignore or are unaware of past stories. (65:04–68:19)
• Fantasy Football Check-In: Isabella, the rookie, laments her late-season loss but strategizes with the help of the crew going into the fantasy playoffs. (80:27–88:52)
• Notable Quotes:
  • “If you see me, if you like me, leave me alone.” – Isabella, about creating enemies if she loses her fantasy league (85:03)

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Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• Wife Guy Criteria: “You’re either a wife guy or you’re not. To have a wife and not be a wife guy...” – Katie Nolan (21:06)
• Breast Milk Bit: “Josh Hart is drinking his wife’s breast milk. Now, listen, I’m neutral on it. But it’s happening.” – Ashton (24:41)
• Wife Guy Secular Growth: “I think he’s on a good path.” – Ashton, on Jonathan Owens’ journey (43:49)
• Sports Amnesia Reality: “They always go in the same folder in my mind… which is like, I don’t know anything about this, but I know people know everything about it.” – Katie (41:29–41:40, on Lord of the Rings vs. Harry Potter, but echoes the episode’s theme)
• Ethical Quandary: “If you’re two able-bodied folks…sitting in a handicapped access area…what is the correct thing to do?” – Katie (55:33)
• WNBA Revenue: “What the players want is something like 34% rev share. What they have is nine.” – Ashton (57:17)
• Katie on College Football: "Every leaf I unturn, I go: I don’t wanna fix that." (71:14)

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Timestamps for Major Segments

• 00:30–13:00 | Opening Confusion & Email Pronunciation Games
• 18:05–39:16 | Ashton Battuso Interview on NBA Wife Guys
• 39:31–52:43 | Debating Wife Guys Across Sports
• 53:36–56:43 | WNBA Season Ticket Dilemma
• 57:00–64:27 | WNBA CBA & New Leagues
• 68:20–74:36 | College Football Conference Chaos & Bowl Picks
• 80:27–88:52 | Fantasy Football Playoff Strategy

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Episode Tone & Format

Katie Nolan’s signature playful, self-deprecating, and highly conversational style shines throughout—smart, irreverent, and collaborative, with real expertise woven into pop-cultural, sometimes absurd, observations. Ashton Battuso brings deep basketball and WNBA knowledge with equally sharp wit. The broader crew adds supportive, lively commentary, anchoring the show in a warm, accessible energy.

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For New Listeners

This is a quintessential example of why Casuals stands out: it’s a welcoming, irreverent, but well-informed take on the sports world—just as likely to teach you about the WNBA’s financial structure as giggle through NBA gossip or sports linguistic trivia. If you’re sports-curious but allergic to hot takes, this is your jam.

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For direct feedback, listener emails/voicemails, or to submit your own “wife guy” candidate, reach the crew at casualswithkatienolanmail.com or 646-801-0043.

Transcript

[Katie Nolan]

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[Brady]

The College Football Playoff is everything. Toughness, roles, sacrifices.

[Katie Nolan]

Place your focus. This is where i50 everything you got all damn day.

[Chris]

The attention to detail is like none other.

[Katie Nolan]

Be physical. Keep playing.

[College Football Announcer]

We are the winner. Tulane takes on Ole Miss, followed by James Madison in Oregon.

[Katie Nolan]

It's time to bring it first round.

[College Football Announcer]

Coverage of the College Football Playoff presented by all state Saturday at 3:30 Eastern on TNT and HBO. Max, are you ready? Let's go.

[Katie Nolan]

Hey, Isabella, did you see that? Sheriff's deputies in Oklahoma had to wrangle a loose kangaroo in Oklahoma.

[Isabella]

Yeah, I did not know we had the kangaroos over here.

[Katie Nolan]

Me neither. Other than like a zoo and digging into this further, I was like, surely Martha the kangaroo must have escaped from a zoo. And it says, let her go free. She escaped from a property not far from where she was captured. She's now safe and is headed home with her owner. What do you mean?

[Isabella]

Wait, I thought you just said she was from a zoo.

[Katie Nolan]

I was saying that's what I was assuming. But then when I dig into the article, it just says that she was found near the property where she's from and that her owner has her now. And this begs the question for me. We can have kangas as pets.

[Isabella]

If so, let me know.

[Katie Nolan]

Merry Christmas. Hello and welcome to Casuals, the sports podcast that aims to get you caught up on everything going on in sports without boring you to death. I am Katie Nolan, your host, joined today by a wonderful guest, Ashton Battuso. She will be here in a little bit. We're gonna go through her wife guy rankings of NBA players, and then we talk a little college football, et cetera, et cetera. Before we get to all that, I am joined, of course, by my casualties, the producer. Producers. The producers of this. The producers of this lovely podcast. We have Isabella, our sports newbie. Wow. So you can do it. Wow. Chris, our editor.

[Chris]

Hi.

[Katie Nolan]

Good. Great. And then here's the deal with Brady. Brady is in. Ironically enough, Brady is in, I believe a radio studio which would you would think it must be so easy for him to. To come into this podcast. For some reason, we can't figure out his audio in a way that's not gonna hurt your ears. So we're gonna let him show you what I mean here. But Brady might be limited in his talking abilities. It's Brady.

[Brady]

I sound like shit. Unintentionally.

[Katie Nolan]

Right. And we just don't know what that is. He sounds like he's bubbling. You know, he's.

[Brady]

He's especially worse than just being at home.

[Katie Nolan]

Right. And that's how I feel about most things. But we're going to bear with Brady on that. If he's got to talk, he's going to keep it quick. Right. Thumbs up. Nope, we'll just. Thumbs up. Perfect. Say literally less. What are we starting with today? We've got emails. Right. We want to run through some emails. So let's go ahead and start, Chris, with what? Greg?

[Chris]

Maybe let's start with Greg. I think that's a good idea.

[Katie Nolan]

Great.

[Chris]

Greg writes in and says hi. Casualties reaching out. From Melbourne, Australia, shout out. Wow. To add some fuel to the fire of Katie losing it over Chris's pronunciation of slalom in a recent pod. For some further entertainment, I think the gang should have Chris pronounce the following words and. And sit back and enjoy.

[Katie Nolan]

Oh, we have a list of words here.

[Chris]

Greg sent through a list of words that I'm supposed to say to you.

[Katie Nolan]

Okay. Now, are we. Should I say them correctly first or should we just have Chris say them? What's the best way to go?

[Chris]

Let me say them first, because I feel like I've been here for long enough that there's a couple here that I'm like, I can't remember how I used to say it. And I don't know, I've got two ways to say it in my head, and I can't remember what I used.

[Katie Nolan]

To say in my head. Wow. So, Greg, if this is a test, what we're saying is Chris may not pass.

[Chris]

I may not.

[Katie Nolan]

So as long as. As Paul. As long as we're not. You can't revoke his citizenship or anything. Okay. Let that be reflected. He's gonna do his best. Go ahead, Chris.

[Chris]

The first one. Aluminium.

[Katie Nolan]

Okay, I've heard this one, and I hate it because of the location of the I. There is no. Unless you guys add in an I after the N. There is no I after the N. It's aluminum.

[Chris]

It's a strange one, but I still say aluminium. But every now and then, I Think an aluminum will creep in there, but for the most part, I feel like I'm pretty safe saying aluminium.

[Katie Nolan]

Okay, next.

[Chris]

The next one we've mentioned on the pod before, and this one I'll never be able to get out of my vocabulary. Meegan.

[Katie Nolan]

So there's just no regular Megan in Australia? No, it's just always Megan.

[Chris]

Always.

[Katie Nolan]

And then here I think you'd have to double the E to make it a Meagan, right?

[Chris]

I guess so, yeah.

[Katie Nolan]

Yeah, but not.

[Isabella]

Megan with one E. Yeah, true.

[Katie Nolan]

But apparently in Australia that's where they make them. So we'll have to take that 24 hour trip to go meet a Meegan. Go ahead. Next one.

[Chris]

Next one's a simple one. Tomato.

[Katie Nolan]

Yeah, you guys, that's an obvious one. Fine. Next.

[Chris]

Emu.

[Katie Nolan]

Okay, it's the mew. We just say emu.

[Chris]

Yes. Which is incorrect.

[Katie Nolan]

Famously in our song. Limu. Emu. Boopa da boop. And Doug.

[Chris]

Correct. But it's an Australian animal and it's emu.

[Katie Nolan]

So then would you guys say lee Mew. Emu.

[Chris]

Yes, I famously always say that.

[Katie Nolan]

Wow, you are always talking about Liberty Mutual. Okay, next.

[Chris]

This is one that I'm like. I can't remember really how I used to say this and how I say it now. I would say pergola.

[Katie Nolan]

Pergola.

[Isabella]

I would say the same thing.

[Katie Nolan]

I think so, too. What is it?

[Chris]

Pergola is how I've said it previously also.

[Katie Nolan]

And this is like a little, like a hutch. Like a little place where you have a picnic or whatever in the park. Pergola.

[Chris]

This one. I've heard enough recently, in the last, you know, eight years that I think I've adopted the American pronunciation because I would say pergola now.

[Isabella]

Like, kind of like a gazebo.

[Katie Nolan]

A gazebo, yeah. Yeah. Okay. And then they. There. What's. There's another stage of this.

[Chris]

There's a second part that Greg sent through because Greg likes to, you know, embarrass you.

[Katie Nolan]

Yeah, I love that.

[Chris]

Parade me around. The next stage, Greg said, is to have Chris provide the Australian translation for the following words.

[Katie Nolan]

Okay, so I'll tell you the word and you give me your. Your translation. So the flip flops.

[Chris]

Thongs.

[Katie Nolan]

Okay, now, so Cisco's song in Australia was a completely different song. You thought he had a foot fetish.

[Isabella]

Oh, it didn't make it.

[Katie Nolan]

Song. Song was international.

[Chris]

I don't think it is. I don't. I don't think I heard of it until I moved over here. Unless I was just listening to the Wrong stuff, which is very possible.

[Katie Nolan]

Cynthia Erivo did an interview recently where she talks about at the end of that song, that Cisco goes way harder than anyone ever would have asked him to and basically treats it like a. Like, praise music. And when she's hitting his runs, it's like very, very funny. Okay, Thongs. A song about flip flops. What about the Australian? I know this one from the grocery store. The Australian translation of peppers.

[Chris]

Capsicum.

[Katie Nolan]

Capsicum. Oh, now, is the plural of that. This is for Brady because he can't talk. Is the plural of capsicum capsicums, or is it capsicum? I need multiple capsicum.

[Chris]

I've always said capsicums, but that doesn't necessarily mean.

[Katie Nolan]

That's correct. That's probably right. No, it's probably.

[Isabella]

It sounds like it's a word, like how fish is.

[Katie Nolan]

And that's the opposite of what he said. So now we're in a whole capsicum.

[Brady]

Linguistically, it should be capsicum.

[Katie Nolan]

Oh, here he comes. Here he is.

[Isabella]

Go back.

[Katie Nolan]

Here he. Capsicums. Let's do liquor store Budlow. The what?

[Chris]

The bottle O.

[Katie Nolan]

Are you saying bottler or bottle O?

[Chris]

Bottle O. Bottle O. Yeah, bottle O.

[Katie Nolan]

The bottle O.

[Chris]

Go down and get a slab of the bottle O.

[Katie Nolan]

A slab of the bottle O. Slab.

[Chris]

At the bottle O. Slab, like case. Case of beer. You call it a slab?

[Katie Nolan]

A slab at the bottle.

[Chris]

24 case of beer is a slab.

[Katie Nolan]

Whoa, we're learning so much. What about McDonald's? I know this one, too.

[Chris]

Macca's.

[Katie Nolan]

Macca's.

[Chris]

Anyone? Any single person in Australia with the surname starting with the McSomething is Macca. Like, that's the nickname.

[Katie Nolan]

And it's two Cs.

[Chris]

Yes, correct. And they'll be. I think there's at least one McDonald's. Or there was. I think it might be, like a wider thing now that actually have the word Macca's instead of McDonald's on the.

[Katie Nolan]

Actual building, which I would say is superior to the American nickname of Mickey D's. I do like Mickey D's, but Macca's. I just feel like Maccas. When my friend Inez in Australia used to be like, you want to get some Maccas? Like, yes, hello. Yes to that. And then the last one, rooting.

[Chris]

I assume he means in the sense of rooting for your team, which is. We say barracking.

[Katie Nolan]

Huh?

[Chris]

Barracking. So I barrack for Carlton is what I say. And by the way, I think Greg's a Carlton fan as well, because he ends the email saying, go blues. So go blues. So Greg and I Barrick for the blues.

[Katie Nolan]

Barrick, like the Army.

[Chris]

I think that's where the word comes from. Traditionally. I don't know the exact etymology, but I was reading at one stage, the etymology of that word comes from army barracks.

[Katie Nolan]

So it's like I barrack for the Red Sox.

[Chris]

Yes, Correct.

[Isabella]

I'm gonna start saying that.

[Chris]

Yeah.

[Katie Nolan]

Are you? Yeah. Why? Not that you barrack for the Red Sox. No. Are you sure? Because the Mets are kind of dead. I don't know.

[Isabella]

But I'm committed. I'm already committed.

[Katie Nolan]

I know. It's really sweet, but if you're ever ready to jump ship. No, we will save you, Chris. We also have a voicemail.

[Chris]

I think we do. From Chris.

[Katie Nolan]

From.

[Chris]

From Chris from Colorado.

[Katie Nolan]

It's a lot. Let's.

[Brady]

I for sure thought that the mistake.

[Katie Nolan]

From last week about the Grinch was going to be corrected about Jim Carrey's.

[Brady]

Grinch being a new Grinch. But apparently everybody's forgetting about Ban Bang Cabbage Patch and his new Grinch. And I will not stand for Cabbage Patch.

[Katie Nolan]

Arranger love.

[Brady]

You mean it?

[Katie Nolan]

What?

[Chris]

He is talking about Benedict Cumberbatch. I think that's his nickname for Benedict Cumberbatch. Cabbage Patch starring as the voice of the Grinch in 2018's the Grinch.

[Katie Nolan]

Excuse me.

[Chris]

There is a movie that came out in 2018.

[Katie Nolan]

Missed me completely. Live action.

[Chris]

No, no.

[Katie Nolan]

Cartoon.

[Chris]

Cartoon. Animated. Benedict Cumberbatch. Rashida Jones.

[Katie Nolan]

Rashida Jones.

[Chris]

Pharrell Williams is the narrator.

[Katie Nolan]

Pharrell.

[Chris]

Kanan Thompson's in it.

[Isabella]

Oh, this one. Yes, yes. I know this one.

[Chris]

Angela Lansbury.

[Katie Nolan]

I don't know this one.

[Isabella]

I'm gonna show you a picture. I feel like if you've seen this Grinch, you may know.

[Katie Nolan]

Hold on. I am floored. Also, the cabbage patch of that voicemail threw me.

[Chris]

Cabbage patch, Yeah.

[Katie Nolan]

I feel like I recognize the animation a little, but I heard nothing of this film. It. I've never seen it running on tv.

[Isabella]

I don't think it was in the.

[Katie Nolan]

Was it a hit?

[Chris]

It doesn't have the same cultural impact as Jim Carrey.

[Katie Nolan]

Right. Was there a music. Was there a. I love the. Tyler.

[Isabella]

The creat music for it.

[Katie Nolan]

Oh, God. And I would love that. That would. That's, like, made for me.

[Isabella]

Made, like a little like some score music.

[Ashton Battuso]

Yeah.

[Katie Nolan]

And I missed it completely.

[Chris]

It looks familiar to me now.

[Katie Nolan]

Looking.

[Chris]

Looking over it.

[Katie Nolan]

What is.

[Ashton Battuso]

I would have seen the trailer, but what is there.

[Katie Nolan]

Where are you, Christmas? What's their version of that?

[Chris]

Because I'll have to watch and find out.

[Katie Nolan]

You would think it would have. I've got nothing on this.

[Chris]

Yeah. My knowledge of it is pretty limited also. That was before I had children and it was after I was a child. So I was in that nice little area where.

[Katie Nolan]

That nice little area that I live in, that's where I live.

[Chris]

Wasn't consuming children's entertainment as much.

[Katie Nolan]

Wow. Okay. So there's just a new Grinch I love. The two of you felt the need to reach out separately to let me know that that new Grinch can't be 25 years old and that I am an older person than maybe my brain realizes. I really appreciate that two of you reached out to let me know that. I guess I'll watch the Benedict Cumberbatch one. Chris, did I tell you my friend Andrea watched Tokyo Grandfathers.

[Chris]

Really? Tokyo Godfathers?

[Katie Nolan]

Is that what I said?

[Chris]

You said grandfathers, but it's.

[Katie Nolan]

That's the same thing. Tokyo Godfathers. And she said, I hate to say it, it's amazing.

[Chris]

Oh, good.

[Katie Nolan]

Oh, my goodness. It was amazing. She said, I think you would really like it, by the way. It's animated. And I was like, oh, I don't think we talked about that.

[Chris]

Oh, yes, sorry. It's animated in Japanese. It's now on the Criterion Channel as well. It just got put up on the Criterion Channel.

[Katie Nolan]

Wow.

[Chris]

I actually started recently.

[Isabella]

I didn't finish it, though.

[Chris]

Okay, thoughts so far, Isabella?

[Isabella]

I like it so far. Yeah. No particular reason why I stopped. I just kind of like, for some reason was in the middle of doing something, but I like it so far. I literally got to the part where they found the baby.

[Chris]

Yeah. Oh, I'm excited that people are getting into it. It really is.

[Katie Nolan]

Everybody's talking about it. It's a masterpiece.

[Chris]

Masterpiece.

[Katie Nolan]

It's a capsicum. It'll capsicum your attention from the first cabbage patch. Okay, you know what I think we should do now? I think we should take a break. And when we come back from this break, we're going to be joined by Ashton Battusa, one of the founders of Flagrant. If you're familiar with the basketball magazine Flagrant, she's also the editor in chief. She is a content producer for Off Ball and she writes the Off Ball newsletter on her socials. She is at Ashton Battuso. You can also find her at Flagrant Mag or at Off Ball when we come back. Ashton Battusa will be right back. Before I knew about Vuori, I really struggled with stuff that was comfortable and also looks good. And makes me feel good. And then I found it. Vori. They make incredibly versatile, insanely comfortable clothes. They move with me. I can go from like lounging at home to layering up for my commute to then looking cute on camera as we head into fall and winter. Vori's loungewear is designed to keep up with your life because we all do a lot of things. Sure, I like to do a lot of sitting, but then I also have to get up and go outside and do stuff. And I can wear Vori for both of those things. The Performance Jogger and Halo Essential Wide Leg Pant are made with Vori's signature Dream Knit fabric. It's super soft, it's stretchy, it's lightweight, it's moisture wicking. Truly, it's effortless. And I love my Halo wide leg pants. That's my errand pant. Vori is an investment in your happiness. For our listeners, they're offering 20% off your first purchase. Everybody say thank you Vori. Get yourself some of the most comfortable and versatile clothing on the [e-mail] casuals. That's V O R I.com casuals exclusions apply. Visit the website for full terms and conditions. There's nothing like finding the gift, the one that feels personal, thoughtful and just right. Macy's Free Personal Stylists can help you find it. They're your personal gift guides, curating perfect presents across every category, brand, price point or budget. Think a Le Creuset Dutch oven for the home chef, an Hermes lipstick set for the Beauty minimalist, or a barber jacket for the effortlessly cool guy. They'll even handle shipping and you'll get 20% off your first session purchase. Book your free styling session today at Macy's.com running out of contact lenses can be stressful, especially when relying on old glasses, especially if you don't particularly like your glasses and you're embarrassed to be wearing them. 1-800-contacts offers an easy online prescription renewal process, ensuring fast access to replacement lenses. With free shipping. The company delivers doctor prescribed contacts directly to customers doors without the need to leave home. For over 30 years, 1, 800 contacts has been the leader in online contact lens delivery. With millions of contacts in stock and their 247 customer support is there if you ever need help, day or night. I like 1, 800 contacts because I often run out of contacts and need new ones and they deliver them right to my house and it's so easy and I barely have to talk to anyone. I'm ashamed of not wanting to talk to anyone. But sometimes you just want to push a couple buttons and get your contacts. And 1, 800 contacts allows for that. Getting contacts does not have to be a hassle. Let 1, 800 contacts get you the contact lenses you need right now. Order online at 1-800-contacts.com or download the free 1-800-contacts app today.

[Brady]

The College Football Playoff is everything. Toughness, roles, sacrifices, plan your focus.

[Katie Nolan]

This is where I 50 everything you got all damn day.

[Chris]

The attention to detail is like none other.

[Katie Nolan]

Be physical, be flat.

[College Football Announcer]

We are the winner. Tulane takes on Ole Miss, followed by James Madison in Oregon.

[Katie Nolan]

It's time to bring it first round.

[College Football Announcer]

Coverage of the college football playoffs presented by allstate Saturday at 3:30 Eastern on TNT and HBO. Max, are you ready? Let's go.

[Katie Nolan]

Ashton.

[Ashton Battuso]

Hi.

[Katie Nolan]

Thank you for being here.

[Ashton Battuso]

Thanks for having me, girl.

[Katie Nolan]

I'm so excited to have you.

[Ashton Battuso]

I was so cold outside and I am now so warm inside.

[Katie Nolan]

Yeah, it's hot in this studio. Something we're still working out that I think in the new year we're gonna figure out. But when you came in all cozy and bundled, I was like, yes, unfortunately. Take half of that off. Take it all off, because we're gonna be here for a long time. I'm very excited to have you here. The impetus for me making you come in is that I got, you know, I've, I've. I'm subscribed to the off ball newsletter so I get it in my inbox all the time. And a few weeks ago you were breaking down this concept of wife guys. Now I know this whole creative process started with a poll where you asked people if they're even familiar with the term wife guys and if they have positive connotations to it. Explain for us before we dive into your list of NBA wife guys, what a wife guy is A wife guy.

[Ashton Battuso]

Lives and dies by the wife. He just friggin rides for his girl. And he wants everyone to know. The first time I used the term, I looked this up on my. My, the old tweeter machine was in reference to these wedding themed shoes that CJ McCollum was wearing. I think they were maybe even bride themed more specifically for his wife. And ever since I've been so infatuated with this idea of the wife guy because there aren't enough of them. You know what I'm saying?

[Katie Nolan]

The first time I ran into the term was when the try guys got canceled.

[Ashton Battuso]

Oh.

[Katie Nolan]

Because I guess. And I. That was one of those dramas where like I was not there for chapter one two Three or four of the try guys story. I came in at the drama, and the drama was that this guy Ned had always portrayed himself as a wife guy and then ended up being cheating on his wife.

[Ashton Battuso]

And sometimes they do that.

[Katie Nolan]

Right. And so how do we make sure that we're not being duped by a wolf in wife guy clothing?

[Ashton Battuso]

It's kind of. It's. You have to have the experience. You know what I mean?

[Katie Nolan]

You have to be discernment.

[Ashton Battuso]

Yeah. You have to be wronged in some ways and learn the sort of intricacies and subtleties that are involved in what it means to be a real wife guy versus one for show. And I think the NBA is in a place where they've got some real winners, some real life guys. There's, you know, I'm not gonna name names, but there's some fakers as well.

[Katie Nolan]

I would say I could name, like, one name.

[Ashton Battuso]

I can't name a name because you know why? Because I was interviewing another NBA player about this the other day. I will not name his name. He was like, he did not enjoy.

[Katie Nolan]

The question about being a wife guy.

[Ashton Battuso]

Yeah. He was like, well, you're degrading everyone else who's not a wife guy, and maybe some wives don't want to be in the limelight, blah, blah, blah. And I thought, you know, the girls that get it, get it, and the girls that don't, don't, and it's okay if you don't. And, you know, how could this possibly.

[Katie Nolan]

Be a source of contention? You're either a wife guy or you're not. To have a wife and not be a wife guy.

[Ashton Battuso]

Totally.

[Katie Nolan]

It's about it being a key part of your personality and something that you're always certain to bring up. It's a narrative you push, and it's.

[Ashton Battuso]

Not a commentary on whether or not your relationship is good or you're good at your could be good or bad.

[Katie Nolan]

Right. But you're just all about your wife in a supportive way. Yeah. Interesting. Well, because wags are kind of having a moment right now.

[Ashton Battuso]

Yes, Wags are having a moment where some.

[Katie Nolan]

I believe last week. And I'm really proving her point by not remembering her name, but she said she didn't want to be seen as a wag because there's a lot more to her than just being someone's wife and being someone's girlfriend, which I totally obviously understand. But I'm also like, I don't know that when I think wag, I think that's all they.

[Ashton Battuso]

Yeah, I agree.

[Katie Nolan]

There's so much more to them.

[Ashton Battuso]

Yeah. I am not anti the word wag. Obviously, I'm not a wag. I mean, I'm a wag of someone, but. Yeah, you're.

[Katie Nolan]

You're a wag.

[Ashton Battuso]

I'm a wag of a sales guy.

[Katie Nolan]

Fiancees and friends. So I'm a faff.

[Ashton Battuso]

Oh, friends.

[Katie Nolan]

Yeah, I'm a faff.

[Ashton Battuso]

Those two kind of fall in the same category, right?

[Katie Nolan]

Because it's like both of them are in, like, kind of a holding pattern.

[Ashton Battuso]

Yeah.

[Katie Nolan]

Yeah.

[Ashton Battuso]

That's interesting. We didn't include. Actually, I might have put something about fiances in my list, but fiances did kind of get left off.

[Katie Nolan]

That's. I realized oversight today, that the main. The thing that should be motivating me is I'm costing years out of my own. We've been married for blank years. I'm buying. I'm like, stealing. The longer I take to do this, the more I have to go like, well, we were together for a lot, but we only have been married for two.

[Ashton Battuso]

And now when Myrtle tells her friends my parents have been married for blah, blah, blah, years. It could have been a lot longer.

[Katie Nolan]

God damn. Well, that'll do it. That'll get me to do it. All right, so I want to go through you kind of put out your definitive NBA wife guy rankings. And this is a passion project of yours. So you've been following tracking this stuff for a while.

[Ashton Battuso]

Yeah.

[Katie Nolan]

I'm gonna start not at number one. Okay. We'll start at the back end.

[Ashton Battuso]

Oh, okay.

[Katie Nolan]

At number nine, you have DeAndre Jordan.

[Ashton Battuso]

Yeah. And, you know, sometimes I have regrets about that. I think he could go. I think he could be higher.

[Katie Nolan]

Okay. That's a good kind of regret. I thought you were gonna be like. Yeah, I actually think I heard a rumor.

[Ashton Battuso]

No, no. I think he. His wife. I can't. I think her name is Bianca.

[Katie Nolan]

Maybe.

[Ashton Battuso]

But if it's not still love you, girl. They are so close, and they're. I talked to him in Cannes earlier this year, and he was just, you.

[Katie Nolan]

Know, just in Cannes.

[Ashton Battuso]

Oops. He is such a good vibe. He just really rides for her. He's always. He's doing the. Like, she's popping my zits and I don't mind and posting that.

[Katie Nolan]

Yes. And that's huge. We need that. I know. We want that. Let us be pick at your back or whatever, anything. Please, please, just let us. Have you noticed how low the pain tolerance is in those moments?

[Ashton Battuso]

Don't even get me started.

[Katie Nolan]

I'm like, babe, come on. I've barely started squeezing.

[Ashton Battuso]

Please, please. The wincing begins before you even start.

[Katie Nolan]

Right. It's like you gotta put stuff on a rag and go breathe in. Let me just, unadulterated, get at these blackheads on your back.

[Ashton Battuso]

Somebody's gotta do it. Somebody has to. You're gonna walk around like that?

[Katie Nolan]

This is love and care. I'm not in my house. That's right.

[Ashton Battuso]

Yeah.

[Katie Nolan]

All right, so DeAndre Jordan at number nine, but he could be moving up.

[Ashton Battuso]

Yeah.

[Katie Nolan]

Keep an eye. Stock is rising. At number eight, you have Josh Hart.

[Ashton Battuso]

Yeah. Josh Hart is drinking his wife's breast milk. Now, listen, I'm not for ice. I'm neutral on it. But it's happening.

[Katie Nolan]

Neutral on it. You're neutral on the drinking of your wife's breast milk?

[Ashton Battuso]

It's dicey. It's dicey because to me, that is the milk that's intended for humans.

[Katie Nolan]

Wow. Sure. Right? I could see the argument. I could see the argument.

[Ashton Battuso]

I'm not gonna do it.

[Katie Nolan]

But you could also argue person you love. Their fluids general are seen as. Not as. You're not supposed to see those as gross to interact with. I'm putting that as plainly as I can. So in that theory, I guess the milk of the. But I. But still.

[Ashton Battuso]

I know, but there's something about it that's like.

[Katie Nolan]

That's for son, not for husband. You. And there needs to be a separation.

[Ashton Battuso]

I don't disagree.

[Katie Nolan]

But what's he putting it in his coffee or he's just out here chugging?

[Ashton Battuso]

It's just kind of testing it every now and then, I think. And he's doing a bre. He's doing an ice cream situation as well.

[Katie Nolan]

Breast milk.

[Ashton Battuso]

Yeah. He, like, partnered with breast milk.

[Katie Nolan]

Is this a thing? Is this, like an industry? Like, the way they've got raw milk now, I'm sure. Are they doing human breast milk?

[Ashton Battuso]

My knowledge goes only as far as Josh Hart, but I bet they are.

[Katie Nolan]

Josh Hart. Josh Hart, if you think about it. Okay.

[Ashton Battuso]

And I don't.

[Katie Nolan]

Next at number seven, we have Kat. Karl Anthony Townes.

[Ashton Battuso]

Yeah.

[Katie Nolan]

Cat. Famous, isn't he? He's somebody famous.

[Ashton Battuso]

Jordan Woods.

[Katie Nolan]

Jordan Woods. They're married.

[Ashton Battuso]

They are not married. Question mark. But it's kind of like, what's going on there. Same. Yeah, same. Similar situation. Totally. So he famously wrote her this, like, long. It was either birthday or anniversary letter that was like, I just want to start new businesses for you. I just want to, like, do all. Give you all the things. And my favorite part of the letter, of course, was in the. After he was listing out what he has done for her, he put King shit in parentheses. So just kind of giving himself some credit.

[Katie Nolan]

Brady, can you pull that letter up? Do you. Or Chris, whoever. It's easier to have talk because I wonder if there's a. If you want to read. Are there. It's. How long is it?

[Ashton Battuso]

It's not that long.

[Katie Nolan]

I feel like you could read a little snippet for me.

[Ashton Battuso]

Yeah, you could. You could get a snippet. It's just like a little birthday card.

[Katie Nolan]

Chris, you want to take it?

[Chris]

I know every year I have showered you with material gifts that people wish they could copy King Shit. But this year, your 25th year walking this earth, it's time to go from that girl to a full woman. You pick two businesses you want to start, and I will fund them. It's time to take that next step. And I will walk with you step by step in this thing we call life.

[Katie Nolan]

Wow.

[Chris]

Let's take over the world together.

[Ashton Battuso]

Wow.

[Katie Nolan]

I'm tired. I'd be like, great. But also if I'd.

[Ashton Battuso]

What if we just hung out?

[Katie Nolan]

Would that be okay? Parentheses, queen shit.

[Ashton Battuso]

I'm okay with the walking part through life, but the business part.

[Katie Nolan]

Let's run sh. It.

[Ashton Battuso]

We'll see.

[Katie Nolan]

Yeah. I don't know. I don't have executive function.

[Ashton Battuso]

Yeah.

[Katie Nolan]

So I'm not really into that. Maybe he can handle it. I will say she also wasn't that this year for either his birthday or something. Like, found out what car he liked as. Or had when he was a kid.

[Ashton Battuso]

Yeah. And it's a great car.

[Katie Nolan]

And he, like, refurbished. She, like, you know, fixed it up and made it.

[Ashton Battuso]

I'm unsure if it was, like, the exact car or if it was just the same. Whatever you call cars.

[Katie Nolan]

Make and model.

[Ashton Battuso]

Model. Thank you. But yeah. The car his mom drove around, his mom passed from COVID I believe. He had such a. Poor guy. But. So she was. He was like. She was like, what car would you want to have if you could have any car in the whole world? And he was like, I don't think I'd have anything major. I would just have maybe the car my mom drove as a kid, when I was a kid, and she was like, queen shit.

[Katie Nolan]

Queen shit. I made it for you. Yeah.

[Ashton Battuso]

Here you go.

[Katie Nolan]

Bing. Perfect. Beautiful. So she's kind of a husband gal.

[Ashton Battuso]

Yeah.

[Katie Nolan]

Or, you know.

[Ashton Battuso]

You know, husband's just not as fun of a word as wife.

[Katie Nolan]

I know it takes too long to say and to get anything done. Okay, moving on to number Six. On your NBA wife guy list, we have Donovan Mitchell.

[Ashton Battuso]

Yeah, this is a new one.

[Katie Nolan]

Yeah.

[Ashton Battuso]

Donovan Mitchell's new in the wife guy game, but he's crushing it. I.

[Katie Nolan]

Dating Coco Jones.

[Ashton Battuso]

Dating Coco Jones.

[Katie Nolan]

Famously.

[Ashton Battuso]

Pop star. Pop star. R and B star.

[Katie Nolan]

Yeah.

[Ashton Battuso]

Lines are kind of blurred these days.

[Katie Nolan]

Whichever she prefers.

[Ashton Battuso]

Yeah, yeah, have her on. Ask her. She.

[Katie Nolan]

We tried, actually. I do think she was here for something, and I was like, get her. Go get her. You know, you also. She's probably like, who and what and why?

[Ashton Battuso]

She's like.

[Katie Nolan]

She's got a lot going on.

[Ashton Battuso]

Yeah.

[Katie Nolan]

Yeah.

[Ashton Battuso]

She certainly is a busy gal. She. I saw them. I realized I was gonna be priced out of courtside tickets at the Liberty next year.

[Chris]

What?

[Ashton Battuso]

Yeah. Cause everyone's ticket prices went. So I was like, my last shot is the last game of the season. It was a stinker game that we were supposed to crush. We lost. And they were also courtside, like, very close proximity to me. And her song came on, and he started serenading her to her own song, and I was like, okay, wife guy, there you have it.

[Katie Nolan]

That's it. That's all you have to do to get into the rankings. Serenade your.

[Ashton Battuso]

Easy peasy.

[Isabella]

You're a girl.

[Katie Nolan]

Yeah. That's beautiful. I love that you wrote that. Man is down bad. At number five in your wife guy rankings, we have Giannis.

[Ashton Battuso]

Giannis. This is. This is pretty much purely sexual. That guy loves talking about banging his wife. Doing his wife.

[Katie Nolan]

Yeah. He does his wife out loud in.

[Ashton Battuso]

A way that almost makes you go, why are you doing that?

[Katie Nolan]

Hey, we could know less. You could tell me less about it, we assume.

[Ashton Battuso]

Yeah.

[Katie Nolan]

But at the same time, you go, hey, I love. Good for you.

[Ashton Battuso]

I know.

[Katie Nolan]

Encourage sleeping with your wife, because having a wife.

[Ashton Battuso]

Yeah.

[Katie Nolan]

Men are very quick to go. Like, not always means you're sleeping with your wife. So I kind of like the.

[Ashton Battuso]

It's like a reverse 90s sitcom, right?

[Katie Nolan]

Because the joke is always, like, you get married, and then you stop having sex, and it's like, what if it was. You get married and then you're horny as hell for your wife? Out loud. On Maine. Yeah, all the time.

[Ashton Battuso]

All the time. Every Maine. Everyone's main.

[Katie Nolan]

Right. So I'm kind of fine with that.

[Ashton Battuso]

Yeah. I'm pro also. I'm pretty much pro everything Giannis does, even though some people disagree.

[Katie Nolan]

Yeah, not me. Let me do it. I think. Yeah. It's usually entertaining. And what was it that he, like, ate for the first time? Was it, like a smoothie?

[Ashton Battuso]

Smoothie I just tasted a smoothie for the first time. God bless America.

[Katie Nolan]

Yeah.

[Ashton Battuso]

Yeah.

[Katie Nolan]

That is how simple it could be. All right, at number four, we have Drew Holiday.

[Ashton Battuso]

This one you can't write enough about because Drew and Lauren. Lauren, his wife, former women's soccer player, formerly Lauren Chaney, now Lauren Holiday. Obviously, she battled a brain tumor.

[Katie Nolan]

Damn.

[Ashton Battuso]

And had to have it removed. And he has been very open about it and very down for her throughout it. And it's just the kind of thing that you go, of course he should be. But it's nice when they are.

[Katie Nolan]

Yeah.

[Ashton Battuso]

You know?

[Katie Nolan]

Yeah.

[Ashton Battuso]

And there's a cute little anecdote of the two of them. He was so into her, and she was like, I'm kind of focused on the World cup right now. Like, you gotta leave me alone. And he was like, okay, fine. And then she came back and was like, okay, cool. Like, now we can date.

[Katie Nolan]

Okay, I'm ready.

[Ashton Battuso]

Now we can date.

[Katie Nolan]

I'm ready. Let's roll. Yeah. He was like, yeah.

[Ashton Battuso]

Yeah.

[Katie Nolan]

Oh, that's so sweet. Yeah. Shout out.

[Ashton Battuso]

Shout out.

[Katie Nolan]

Because I remember you. Everybody remembers the first time they read that statistic about the amount of. Yeah.

[Ashton Battuso]

I was gonna bring it up, and then I was like, it's a real bummer.

[Katie Nolan]

We can just allude to it. The amount of men that leave when a diagnosis comes through is real. Kick to the pants or whatever.

[Ashton Battuso]

Not wife guy vibes.

[Katie Nolan]

Right. Not wife guy vibes at all. Okay. Number three. Bam Adebayo. I've talked a lot about this relationship on this podcast because I'm obsessed with it.

[Ashton Battuso]

Yeah.

[Katie Nolan]

What a.

[Ashton Battuso]

What a. What a pairing. It's just every now and then there's a pairing where you just go, if you guys ever break up, we're gonna kill ourselves.

[Katie Nolan]

And we'll be. And we'll be. And we'll be fine. We don't. We don't want anyone to feel pressured to stay into a relationship that you don't. You're not into. Okay. But don't fucking break up, because we'll kill ourselves or else.

[Ashton Battuso]

Blood on your hands.

[Katie Nolan]

I don't know what to tell ya. Blood on your hands, Bam. You guys have to stay together forever.

[Ashton Battuso]

Forever. To be clear. Yeah. Blood on Bam's hands. Right, Right, right, right, right. Yeah. I mean, friggin everybody knows about those two. And the latest stuff with the. They're having. They want to have babies now.

[Katie Nolan]

Oh, I didn't see latest stuff. Tell me more latest stuff.

[Ashton Battuso]

Well, it's kind of. They're kind of. Everybody's being really not normal about it.

[Katie Nolan]

I love this.

[Ashton Battuso]

That's been annoying for Bam and Asia.

[Katie Nolan]

But.

[Ashton Battuso]

Was it time? She was Time's athlete of the year and in it, she said she wanted to have kids with Bam and everyone lost their minds. And then a couple reporters have asked other. There was a tweet that was like, sam Presti, the OKC owner, loves draft picks and is all about the draft and like, big draft guy, whatever. That's like a joke. But. But they were like, sam Presti's gonna be at the ultrasound. Ha ha. And then someone asked Shay if Sam Presti was gonna be at Bam's ultrasound.

[Katie Nolan]

What?

[Ashton Battuso]

Bam and Asia's ultrasound.

[Chris]

It was Rachel Nichols.

[Katie Nolan]

It was Rachel Nichols. Oh, no.

[Ashton Battuso]

Yeah. And it's kind of like probably a.

[Katie Nolan]

Joke, but not well thought. Out of the room that you're in. And it landing. Exactly. How did he react?

[Ashton Battuso]

He was gonna like, I don't think so. Yeah, he was like, Shay is just so composed. So he was just composed. But people really litter up and I think it's just. Yeah, a joke. Not landing. But it's the Internet.

[Katie Nolan]

Listen, we live in a content factory at this point.

[Ashton Battuso]

Yeah.

[Katie Nolan]

It is the constant feeling of like, hey, can we clip this podcast up and do a cute little clip that's gonna go viral that we can get to go across? I get. There's just a lot. We all need a vacation. I think we all need a vacation, but yeah, that's pretty brutal. I just love the lifting up of her. The recognition of like, if there were a one to one on his league and her league, she's above, you know what I'm saying? She's not like the Bam of her league. She is like the. And the way that he just, I don't know, never shies away from that.

[Ashton Battuso]

Also, he's wearing her clothes, which is so cute.

[Katie Nolan]

One of my favorite things I know is when you're like, hey, that's. Cause it just implies like a security and also a doubly big closet. It's like, now you've got extra stuff to. I mean, sue and Megan doing this all the time when you see them and you're like, it's not fair. You guys can just wear each other's and always look cool.

[Ashton Battuso]

Yeah, they always look cool.

[Katie Nolan]

I know. Annoying. Moving on. I mean, speak of the devil. Number two on your list is sga.

[Ashton Battuso]

Oh, yeah, He's. He gets a lot of hate, you know? I know. I know how Dan Soder feels about the thunder.

[Katie Nolan]

Yeah, he's not a fan, but that's Personal.

[Ashton Battuso]

Yeah, but it's not personal.

[Katie Nolan]

It's business, but in, like, a personal way.

[Ashton Battuso]

Yeah.

[Katie Nolan]

Yeah.

[Ashton Battuso]

A lot of people. Shay gets so much hate, and I just love him for being like, I don't care. He thanked her. Name's Hayley Summers, question mark. And if it's not I still love you, girl. He thanked her in his MVP speech and started bawling and was just like, I wouldn't be here without you. And it was so cute. But even more important than that is there was an anecdote in GQ where he mentioned it was about fashion. And he's like, I just love, like, effing around in my house and trying on clothes in front of the mirror. And in the particular anecdote, he's saying, like, haley goes out with the girls. I put my kid to sleep, and then I just go to the basement and I'm trying on clothes, and I'm like, damn, you're.

[Katie Nolan]

For the girls. Yeah, yeah, yeah.

[Ashton Battuso]

For the girls.

[Katie Nolan]

Yeah. She's out. And you go, I'll do the baby in my fashion show.

[Ashton Battuso]

Yeah.

[Katie Nolan]

And then we'll. Yeah, that's.

[Ashton Battuso]

That's. That's unprecedented.

[Katie Nolan]

Yeah. I don't think that's gonna change Dan's mind, but I will be telling him this and seeing if maybe he could soften up to the team that keeps kicking his team's ass. And that leads us to, number one, the definitive NBA wife guy, who you say is the reason for the season in general, Russell Westbrook.

[Ashton Battuso]

Russell Westbrook. Where do I start? Russell Westbrook has obviously been in the league such a long time, so he's had more time than someone like Shay to either be a good wife guy or not be a good wife guy, or surprise us. Try a guy, whatever. But so far, he hasn't. And I think that speaks to how good of a wife guy he is. And I think also I'm biased because I'm a huge Russell Westbrook fan, and I always have been, and he had such a hard time. So, you know, maybe 1 and 2 could be switched out, but Nina and Russ have. They're, like, the originators of wife guy. They are also we're a basketball UCLA couple, which was so cute. They've been cute from the jump. He's on her podcast. He's laugh. They just laugh together, which is my.

[Katie Nolan]

Number one image of the two of them. I feel like they're always just, like, laughing together, which is the heart of it all.

[Ashton Battuso]

I know. Ain't that just it? Ain't that the spirit of it.

[Katie Nolan]

If that's not what we're here for, then I picked wrong because I picked the one that makes me laugh the most. Cute. Yeah, they're cute. I feel like they stick up for.

[Ashton Battuso]

Each other and ride for each other.

[Katie Nolan]

In all the ways that Russ. I don't know. Is it wrong to say she holds him down? I feel like there's, like, a. You know.

[Ashton Battuso]

Yeah.

[Katie Nolan]

People are an emotional center. People have said that.

[Ashton Battuso]

I think they. He has plenty of other ventures and. As does she. And there are plenty other opportunities for him to lose sight of that and forget to always be about her, but he hasn't. And it's just freaking cutie stuff.

[Katie Nolan]

Hey, guys. Really cutie stuff.

[Ashton Battuso]

Cutie stuff out there.

[Katie Nolan]

Cutie stuff. And we appreciate it. I told the casualties, our producers here, to come up with pitches for other people in other sports or other guys who might be wife guys.

[Ashton Battuso]

Hell, yeah.

[Katie Nolan]

Since you are, like, the. I don't know, the arbiter of who the wife guy is, But I feel like we can get to the bottom of whether we think these guys might qualify.

[Isabella]

Cool.

[Katie Nolan]

All right, we're gonna go to Brady first. Now, let's keep in mind, Brady's off site somewhere today. I don't know what I'm looking at, but he's theoretically in a radio studio. But for some reason, the mic is we. So he's only going to say names. And Brady, what name you got?

[Brady]

I got the Colossus of Coles Cash himself. Kirk Cousins.

[Katie Nolan]

Classic wife guy, the Colossus. Is that true? Kirk Cousins is a wife guy himself. Kirk Cousins, wife. I know he's a van guy, and I know he's like, the car. Yep. He loves a van. And I know he's a. Is it Harry Potter that he's obsessed with one of those? Or Lord of the Rings? Maybe he's into one of those in a big way. His wife is Julie Cousins. They've been married since 2014.

[Ashton Battuso]

Sting guy.

[Katie Nolan]

They have two sons, and she's often supporting him and sharing their family life on social media.

[Ashton Battuso]

Okay.

[Katie Nolan]

I could see him as a wife guy.

[Ashton Battuso]

Okay. So it's happening on her. Social is the main.

[Katie Nolan]

Yeah. Which is kind of more of like a wag. Right. Than a. Then a wife guy. Has he ever said anything to your memory, Brady, where he goes, like, my wife is my best friend?

[Ashton Battuso]

Yeah.

[Brady]

Let's see the Kohl's cash bit.

[Katie Nolan]

That sounds better.

[Brady]

There was a lot of. There were a lot of memes about Kirk Cousins looking like he's rolling in Kohl's. Cash. And then they did the Netflix documentary. They did Quarterback together. And Julie came out and said, of course we love sh. I buy him clothes at Kohl's all the time. And Kurt comes in and says, absolutely. Where else do you think I get shirts from? Like, there's no other possible place for a wife to buy a husband clothes.

[Ashton Battuso]

Sure.

[Brady]

It was adorable.

[Ashton Battuso]

Yeah. I did watch him on quarterback, and I did enjoy him, and I was surprised. He was interesting. One of the most engaging ones on the show.

[Katie Nolan]

Yeah.

[Ashton Battuso]

Didn't see that coming.

[Katie Nolan]

Yeah, he's a nice. He was a nice guy.

[Ashton Battuso]

Let him in. Oh, really?

[Katie Nolan]

Yeah.

[Ashton Battuso]

Did he talk about his wife?

[Katie Nolan]

No, we talked about Lord of the Rings or Harry Potter. I think it was Lord of the Rings. They always go in the same folder in my mind, which is like, I don't know anything about this, but I know people know everything about it. And so that just goes over there.

[Ashton Battuso]

I do kind of have, like, an image of him in, like, a Harry Potter glasses or something, but I don't know if that's.

[Katie Nolan]

We'll get to the bottom of it, I'm sure.

[Ashton Battuso]

Might be AI.

[Katie Nolan]

Could be everything up here is AI. Chris, do you have a wife guy to pitch?

[Chris]

Yeah. What about Pat Mahomes?

[Katie Nolan]

Okay. I don't know.

[Chris]

He has a real MVP before. They've been together since high school. She's really annoying, but he doesn't seem to be too upset by her being annoying.

[Katie Nolan]

So true, actually. God, why'd you have to pick such a controversial one?

[Ashton Battuso]

I guess technically I'm a Chiefs fan, so this is hard. But I would not say Patrick Mahomes wife guy. And I don't mean that in the sense that he is. I think that for all the hate Britney has gotten, I haven't seen enough of the him trying to, you know.

[Katie Nolan]

Okay.

[Ashton Battuso]

Yeah. Okay.

[Katie Nolan]

She has gotten a lot of hate.

[Ashton Battuso]

Yeah.

[Katie Nolan]

I will also say that video where it's like, how well do you know each other? Do you remember this one? I do. When they asked him what his favorite meal was.

[Ashton Battuso]

I do.

[Katie Nolan]

I just. That echoes in my head. I hated that moment so much.

[Ashton Battuso]

I know.

[Katie Nolan]

So, no, not a wife guy.

[Ashton Battuso]

I'm so sorry, Chris.

[Katie Nolan]

Okay. But a good idea. Did you want to try a different one, Chris?

[Chris]

Yeah. What about Jonathan Owens, husband of Simone Biles?

[Katie Nolan]

Okay. And he is almost like, reformed. Because if you'll remember, when they were dating, was this before they were married or were they married already when he went on a podcast and said he didn't even know who she was? When they met or she said that maybe.

[Ashton Battuso]

No, he said it.

[Katie Nolan]

And they like. And. And it was this. But. Big conversation online about how disrespectful it would be, which, truly. I mean, she's one of our greatest Olympians. You should know who she is. But I think since then, he has gone out of his way to make it clear that, like, he stands with his wife, which, again, you should be doing from the jump. It's Simone fucking Biles. Yeah.

[Ashton Battuso]

If there was ever one that you were going to be wife guy for.

[Katie Nolan]

Right.

[Ashton Battuso]

But I do kind of agree. Yeah. I think he's. I think he's reformed. I think we're.

[Katie Nolan]

We'll tentatively add him to the bottom of the list of wife guys.

[Ashton Battuso]

I think he's on a good path. Yeah.

[Katie Nolan]

Good job, Chris. You got there eventually.

[Ashton Battuso]

Yeah.

[Katie Nolan]

Isabella, I don't want to put you on the spot with naming an athlete. Do you have somebody you want to toss out?

[Isabella]

There is two that I think might be. I mean, my first thought was, like, is Josh Allen a wife guy? Technically, yeah.

[Katie Nolan]

Yeah, Josh Allen sure is definitely a wife guy. Especially a year that she put out such a great movie. We all saw where she has such passionate. She's in the passionate age.

[Isabella]

That was my main thought. I was like, listen, if he. I mean, maybe he said something different in private, but I don't know if he's okay.

[Katie Nolan]

Yeah, he's out here loudly being supportive and not giving in to anybody, going like, hey, we all saw your wife.

[Ashton Battuso]

I think someone tweeted that and he responded or something. There was. There was some kind of interaction where he was. Someone was like, how does that feel? And he was like, I love it.

[Katie Nolan]

Yeah. He was just so proud of her performance and the way he talks about, like, he didn't know, you know, he feels like a completely different person now that he's found somebody who loves and I love the two of them together.

[Ashton Battuso]

I know they're real sweet.

[Katie Nolan]

And pregnant. Congrats to them.

[Ashton Battuso]

Congrats.

[Katie Nolan]

So, yeah. Okay. Good call.

[Ashton Battuso]

Isabella, I thought you were gonna say. Oh, wait, say your second one.

[Isabella]

My second one was.

[Katie Nolan]

Is.

[Isabella]

Is Dwyane Wade a wife guy?

[Ashton Battuso]

Yeah, I think so.

[Katie Nolan]

Yeah.

[Isabella]

They just seem like they've always been such a solid couple for really long, but I don't know much about.

[Katie Nolan]

Yeah, he didn't make it to your list, Ash.

[Ashton Battuso]

He didn't make it to my list. I think those are only active players.

[Katie Nolan]

Fair. Okay, Fair.

[Ashton Battuso]

Otherwise, Yeah, I think he probably would have been on there because he's also just Like a family guy. I mean, that's like. He's like riding for kids. Yeah. I thought you were gonna say Klay Thompson. Because Klay and Megan deserve a little bit of a shout out.

[Katie Nolan]

They do.

[Ashton Battuso]

Yeah, they do.

[Katie Nolan]

And he rightfully, it seems like, worships her as he absolutely should. Yeah. I've just really appreciated how out loud he's been about it instead of trying. Because sometimes you get guys who are trying to be, like, too cool, where they're like, I'm the guy who got this unattainable, incredible. But he seems like he's like, yeah, I'm obsessed with her.

[Ashton Battuso]

She rules. He's like, I'll make content.

[Katie Nolan]

Yeah.

[Ashton Battuso]

Which is something I never would have.

[Katie Nolan]

Done, never would have expected him to do.

[Ashton Battuso]

No, it's like, charming. As someone that watches the NBA closely, I have heard Klay Thompson say, like 10 words ever.

[Katie Nolan]

Yeah.

[Ashton Battuso]

And now he's like, doing full VO's on.

[Katie Nolan]

I know we have a more. Is there a more politically correct or a better, a catchier term for the. The black girlfriend or black wife effect?

[Ashton Battuso]

I don't know.

[Katie Nolan]

You've not seen these tiktoks where it's like, they show a guy and what he, like, used to wear and how he used to be, and then they show what he's like since he's fallen in love with a black woman and she's helped him find himself.

[Ashton Battuso]

Yeah. Yeah. That's a little bit of like Steve Sarkeesian, the Texas head coach. His wife is a stylist, and, yeah, it's. He. I've seen, I think maybe TikTok specifically, it must have been about that. But his transformation, which he also overcame some, you know, addictions.

[Katie Nolan]

Totally. But to me, it's that. It's the emotional center, the emotional base, the person that allows you to go now that we. You are safe.

[Ashton Battuso]

Yeah.

[Katie Nolan]

Let's experiment with who you are. Let's find you and let you feel free to be you. Because no matter what, you can never go below.

[Ashton Battuso]

Yeah.

[Katie Nolan]

Baseline zero, which is we have each other.

[Ashton Battuso]

Yeah.

[Katie Nolan]

You know, I feel like Megan's really good at.

[Ashton Battuso]

You're kind of like, I just want.

[Katie Nolan]

Them to be Megan. Thee stallion deserves nothing but happiness.

[Ashton Battuso]

I know.

[Katie Nolan]

Enjoy.

[Isabella]

Is Stefan Diggs a wife guy?

[Katie Nolan]

Okay, well, so here's the thing. I bet he likes wives.

[Ashton Battuso]

Yeah. I bet he would have many.

[Katie Nolan]

I bet he would have as many as he could. You know what I'm saying? I bet he slept with a bunch of them. You know what I mean? So in that sense, I could say Big wife.

[Ashton Battuso]

Stefon Diggs is a wife guy. One of the biggest.

[Katie Nolan]

He's had sex with all of yours. You know what I mean? Like, he's a. That's. In that way. I allegedly feel like he could be. But I have said I'm rooting for them. I know that's stupid. She is my toxic.

[Ashton Battuso]

My question, I guess, is, what do you mean rooting for them? Because it seems like they've had it.

[Katie Nolan]

They're having. They had a baby.

[Ashton Battuso]

Sure.

[Katie Nolan]

I know that's not his. Only that he's had this year. Alleged. I just think that, like, I don't know. I like them as a couple.

[Ashton Battuso]

Yeah.

[Katie Nolan]

Even if they do like the breakup and get back together. Even if they. Whatever. I just kind of hope whatever it is they're looking for, they find in each other.

[Ashton Battuso]

That's a good way to put it.

[Katie Nolan]

I think that she. I love having her around Boston stuff. I love her being like a. Oh, yeah. She's a Sox fan because of the. All the good Dominican players we had in her childhood. So her father rooted for the Sox and she. So did she. And then now we have her as like a Patriots, you know, wag. So I'm like. And I love Cardi B. Yeah. I know she's made her mistakes and has issues in the past. I just think she's so funny and so smart.

[Ashton Battuso]

I also think she's, you know, decision making. I don't know. But she seems like a good person.

[Katie Nolan]

Yeah. She seems like she leads with her heart. And that gets her in a lot of trouble.

[Ashton Battuso]

Yes.

[Katie Nolan]

A lot of the time.

[Ashton Battuso]

I'd love to know her sign.

[Katie Nolan]

I believe she's a Scorpio. Oh.

[Ashton Battuso]

Oh.

[Katie Nolan]

Or I'm just associating. Or she's like a Scorpio moon or something.

[Ashton Battuso]

It's one of those Scorpio in the chart.

[Katie Nolan]

It like, fits pretty perfectly.

[Isabella]

She is actually a libra.

[Katie Nolan]

A libra. And what's her. What's her moon.

[Ashton Battuso]

Interesting. Yeah. We gotta get a full chart.

[Katie Nolan]

I know.

[Ashton Battuso]

I would have said maybe like a cancer.

[Katie Nolan]

Dan's a cancer.

[Isabella]

Based off this, it sounds like she's Aries.

[Katie Nolan]

Yeah. Wow. I'm just gonna quit Sorry I said anything.

[Ashton Battuso]

Well, that makes sense.

[Katie Nolan]

Yeah.

[Ashton Battuso]

That's why she's so rare.

[Katie Nolan]

That's okay. She's so rar.

[Isabella]

So rah.

[Ashton Battuso]

You get it. But libras, I love a libra. They are always, like, pretty, even keeled. Cool. They know what's up. So that makes sense.

[Katie Nolan]

Sick. I just. I'm not a, you know, What? Why do I. Why would I have to say that? I was gonna say, I don't like colored contacts. Let me leave my opinions to myself.

[Ashton Battuso]

You're right.

[Katie Nolan]

When she started doing that, I was like, please.

[Ashton Battuso]

You're right for that.

[Katie Nolan]

Please stop. They're scary.

[Ashton Battuso]

They're.

[Katie Nolan]

I don't know what it is.

[Ashton Battuso]

It's also like, scares me. They're not really the color you think they are.

[Katie Nolan]

I know your eyes aren't slate gray. That would be wild.

[Ashton Battuso]

Yeah.

[Katie Nolan]

Something in me evolutionarily reacts when I see your eyes like that. That is like a defense mechanism I need in the wild. But I also am like, I don't want to feel that way when I look at Cardi B.

[Ashton Battuso]

Right.

[Katie Nolan]

I'm saying, yeah, Brady. Did you have another one?

[Brady]

I felt we just had no baseball representation. The one that jumps out to me from baseball is Freddie Freeman, professional life guy.

[Katie Nolan]

Yeah, I do think I remember Freddie Freeman being pretty loudly about his wife.

[Ashton Battuso]

I can't weigh in on Freeman.

[Brady]

Walks more runways in support of runways. Red carpets, probably more accurate. Does more red carpets in support of Chelsea's fashion line and all of her ventures and looks. So out of place as just a 6 foot 5 pasty gentleman who is not cozy in red carpet clothing. He'll do it. Man's out there. Man is supportive.

[Katie Nolan]

Sounds like you're gargling cement. Are you like, glug, glug, glug, glug, glug. I told you not to do that anymore. I wasn't saying was important. I just. All I heard was a glug, glug, glug, glug, glug. Yeah, they seem like wife, wife guys potentially.

[Ashton Battuso]

What's his. What's Chelsea's deal?

[Katie Nolan]

Chelsea, it says here, is a supportive partner. Entrepreneur and advocate for rare diseases because their son Maximus battled Guillain Barre syndrome.

[Ashton Battuso]

Her first qualifier is supportive partner.

[Katie Nolan]

Well, this is AI overview, a thing that, in theory would be so helpful of just giving you a ready to say paragraph. And then you go, well, it's not actually really.

[Ashton Battuso]

We're training it right now, though. We're training the AI and now it's gonna say wife guy.

[Katie Nolan]

Known for her strong support of Freddie's career. Oh. Even appearing on say yes to the Dress Atlanta before their wedding. Okay, so I do think this is missing for me at least from the AI overview, the immediate him. But I guess I wonder if Brady guys. Just a guy with a wife. Is that what you think or.

[Ashton Battuso]

I. He's conflating women being there for the husband Wouldn't that be funny? Because it has happened two times now. Brady, I don't want to make any assumptions.

[Katie Nolan]

Do you feel like you're just picking women that are there for their husbands and saying that it means the husbands are there for them?

[Ashton Battuso]

Frozen.

[Brady]

Doing red carpets in matching outfits is Freddie's choice.

[Ashton Battuso]

Okay.

[Brady]

Freddie's doing that.

[Katie Nolan]

I think she's doing it. He's just executing on it.

[Ashton Battuso]

Yeah.

[Katie Nolan]

He's not laying out the outfit.

[Ashton Battuso]

I can't. I can't weigh in on baseball.

[Katie Nolan]

Yeah.

[Ashton Battuso]

So.

[Katie Nolan]

Well, what about Kyle Juszczyk?

[Ashton Battuso]

You know, who I kind of. I don't know enough about Kyle. I would say similar to Kyle would be George Kittle.

[Katie Nolan]

Yeah.

[Ashton Battuso]

I think he has a wife.

[Katie Nolan]

Yeah. And they have a podcast. I think him and his wife.

[Ashton Battuso]

Yes. Have a podcast together.

[Katie Nolan]

So does everybody. Right? Yeah. But I think that solidifies him as a wife guy. I think the 49ers wives, I'm always.

[Ashton Battuso]

Yeah.

[Katie Nolan]

Seeing them around. But I think, like, Kyle talking about Kristin's fashion line and stuff. I've seen him do a lot of, like, my wife's amazing.

[Ashton Battuso]

Yeah.

[Katie Nolan]

She started doing this on her own and now it's a whole thing.

[Ashton Battuso]

And she really is.

[Katie Nolan]

She's out here doing it.

[Ashton Battuso]

She friggin is.

[Katie Nolan]

She is. Great.

[Ashton Battuso]

Yeah. I'll give it to both of them. All right, cool.

[Katie Nolan]

If you've got wife guys at home, dear listeners, you can send them.

[Ashton Battuso]

I mean, the guys. Or if they've got real guys at home.

[Katie Nolan]

No, if you. If you have, we're like, why aren't you guys talking about this guy who's a wife guy?

[Ashton Battuso]

Yeah, I thought you meant like, here's my husband. Take him for the day.

[Katie Nolan]

The old ball and chain. It's so crazy. We were raised in that humor of everybody going, my bitch wife up. Gotta get home. Wife needs me to pretend to know how to clean. Like, aye, aye, aye. We're tired. Casualswithkatienolanmail.com is the email there if you want to or. You know what? We really Love a voicemail. 646-810-0043 Tell us your wife, guys, while we have you here, we've got other stuff to talk about. You mentioned wnba. You're my WNBA gal. We actually went. You took me to my first Liberty game.

[Ashton Battuso]

Oh, that's right.

[Katie Nolan]

And we had an interesting experience.

[Ashton Battuso]

That's right. You were uncomfortable.

[Katie Nolan]

I wonder if we should open up to debate with sports fans.

[Ashton Battuso]

Yeah, you do too, actually. That's a good question.

[Katie Nolan]

I don't remember. I Actually don't know if I know how it happened. What I know is I was invited to this game. I was invited to this game. They were our seats. When you say our off ball.

[Ashton Battuso]

Seasoned. No, me and my husband. Season tickets.

[Katie Nolan]

Great. Season tickets. And I was like, great. We get there, we're waiting in the security line at Barclays to go in. And Ashton said, so these are in the. These are handicapped seats?

[Ashton Battuso]

Yeah.

[Katie Nolan]

And I was like, what do you mean? I don't think we should sit in those. Using stall logic of like, you don't use a handicapped stall so that if a handicap. And you were like, but I don't know what to do. They are our season. They were given. These are the tickets that were assigned to us by a ticket rep. Yeah.

[Ashton Battuso]

I said, every game I take seats out of a handicapped person's.

[Katie Nolan]

And I. And I said, yeah, now I've been signed up for this without any forewarning of, like, by the way, we're sitting in the handicap section.

[Ashton Battuso]

It is the fault of my ticket salesman who did that. Yeah. Remain unnamed. And he was like, we have like two tickets left in the lower part. These are them. And we were like, great.

[Katie Nolan]

And you didn't. But did you know. Did they disclose to you that that's what they were?

[Ashton Battuso]

I think so. But there was a lot of back and forth. They kept. Now looking back at it, zooming out. He kept being like, oh, no, it won't go through. I need to call you in a few hours. And now I'm like, was it because he wasn't supposed to do that?

[Katie Nolan]

Right. Probably. I think there was a reason it wasn't going through. Is that an ethical. Let's go to the jury. If you show up to a game in the seats that have been given to you as a ticket, if you are two able bodied folks and you are sitting in a handicapped access area, what is the correct thing to do?

[Chris]

I think it's fun. You gotta take them.

[Katie Nolan]

They're the ones that are given to us. They are the tickets that were given to us. I also did the embarrassing thing where I kept feeling like I had to say sorry, which is like, I'm sure not helping. But it felt like in the. Anytime I needed to move my chair, I did. You know what I'm saying? Brady, thoughts?

[Brady]

Is there a handicapped person there?

[Katie Nolan]

Yeah.

[Brady]

Perturbed?

[Katie Nolan]

No.

[Brady]

That you're in their seat.

[Katie Nolan]

No. But I also would like to give them.

[Ashton Battuso]

They're probably not there.

[Katie Nolan]

They might. Yeah. If we're in their seat, they would not stay there.

[Ashton Battuso]

I gotta be real. They're probably not there.

[Katie Nolan]

There were people in the section that were handicapped, didn't seem angry, but I'd like to leave space for them to have been angry and holding it back.

[Ashton Battuso]

Yeah.

[Katie Nolan]

Which I appreciate if that's totally.

[Isabella]

I wonder if you could call and be like, hey, can you. Can you please just give me two regular seats?

[Ashton Battuso]

Yeah, like, trade these puppies in.

[Katie Nolan]

There was also a moment halfway through that they had to check someone's ticket in the handicap section that you and I started to try to get our stories straight where we both were like, okay, if they ask, you've got the tickets, what do we. We just get, like, preemptively nervous that.

[Ashton Battuso]

They'Re gonna, of course, cut out.

[Katie Nolan]

I mean, it was crazy. I felt the whole time I couldn't get comfortable, and I did. Cause at one point, I put my feet up, and then I said, this feels really.

[Ashton Battuso]

Really.

[Katie Nolan]

Yeah, that's. And so I put those back down. In general, I still don't know what the right answer is.

[Ashton Battuso]

I don't know either. And I think I gave one game to my friends who have a toddler and shout out to them. But that was actually probably difficult as well for the.

[Katie Nolan]

They were probably the other people as.

[Ashton Battuso]

A child, but they were like, this was amazing. I mean, great seats.

[Katie Nolan]

Great seats. He had a blast.

[Ashton Battuso]

He was standing up the whole time, grabbing on the bars.

[Katie Nolan]

A good experience. Yeah. Now let's ruin the fun. The CBA. What? Where are we at with this? WNBA.

[Ashton Battuso]

Okay, latest. The next deadline is January 9th, which is fast approaching, and they have not made an agreement for the past two deadlines, I believe it is. So what the players want is something like 34% rev share. What they have is nine. What the NBA players have is 50.

[Katie Nolan]

Yeah.

[Ashton Battuso]

So that's kind of what they're coming to the table with.

[Katie Nolan]

Nine is crazy.

[Ashton Battuso]

I know. Nine's crazy.

[Katie Nolan]

Nine's crazy. Come on.

[Ashton Battuso]

So the league has not budged on that, to my knowledge. But what they have done is they have raised salary, like minimum salaries and max salaries, I think. But they took away team housing, and they want to make the season longer. So it's like, with the amount of trades that go on in the league, you sort of have to have team housing because you can't be signing leases in a bunch of different cities. You don't know how long you're going.

[Katie Nolan]

To be there, how long you don't make enough money. Yeah.

[Ashton Battuso]

What are you going to do? Break leases. But you don't make enough money. So it's like this whole. I think the league has to budge a little more, but I don't. The players are now forming other leagues and I'm like, what the heck is going to happen here, folks?

[Katie Nolan]

What the heck is going to happen here, folks?

[Ashton Battuso]

What the heck is going to happen here?

[Katie Nolan]

What the heck is going to happen here, folks? Do we. Should we be talking about Project B? I hate the name. May I say.

[Ashton Battuso]

Yeah.

[Katie Nolan]

Sounds a lot like Plan B. Oh, yeah.

[Ashton Battuso]

You know, in like, a secret governmental, like, Manhattan.

[Katie Nolan]

A mix between those two things and those two things shouldn't mix. You know what I mean?

[Ashton Battuso]

Yeah.

[Katie Nolan]

But instead, it's actually a basketball league.

[Ashton Battuso]

What I think is going to happen. My biggest fear is that all these people signing up for Project B, because they have so much money will not play in the W at all. So even though the two seasons don't overlap, I think it was. Sophie Cunningham said something like, yeah, why would I play in the W when, like, I have so many other things I could do because now I have enough money.

[Katie Nolan]

And it's like the W. Hopefully the W hears that.

[Ashton Battuso]

Yeah.

[Katie Nolan]

And goes like, whoa, Shock to the system. We're not going to be able to just make concessions and take more in other areas. Like, if they want this league to stay. I know. Do you blame Cathy?

[Ashton Battuso]

I think Kathy's got a lot of work to do. She. And I don't think she wants to. So sort of.

[Chris]

Yeah.

[Ashton Battuso]

I think the players need to be met where they want to be met. At least like, somewhere close to that. But they weren't even talking about upping the Rev share in the last one, I believe. I think they didn't even raise Rev Share as their pitch. So it's like, well, you're not even coming close, Right. Yeah.

[Chris]

So.

[Ashton Battuso]

Man, Kathy girl, get it together. Get it together.

[Katie Nolan]

Get it together. Unrivaled.

[Ashton Battuso]

Unrivaled.

[Katie Nolan]

Second season of that starts soon. That's January 5th. Eight teams.

[Ashton Battuso]

Yeah.

[Katie Nolan]

I feel like we should talk about these rosters and the people who are back, these different teams. Do you have a team?

[Ashton Battuso]

Last year I was a big Lunar Owls gal because I love Skylar Diggins Smith. But this year I'm kind of drawn to the sort of, like, youngin crew that's making up the. I think it's the Breeze.

[Katie Nolan]

Yeah.

[Ashton Battuso]

They have Cam Brink, Paige Beckers, Rekia Jackson, Kate Martin. Yep.

[Katie Nolan]

Malonga. Dominique Malonga. Yes. Yeah.

[Ashton Battuso]

Yeah. It's like, what a cutie little team. I don't. I don't know how it will fare because I was so Wrong previously about who meshes and whatever. But they're gonna be fun to root for. I kinda got my eye on them.

[Katie Nolan]

The other expansion team is the Hive.

[Ashton Battuso]

Yeah. And everyone loved their branding. And I'm like, I think we could have done better, guys.

[Katie Nolan]

Oh. I don't know if I've seen it be centered.

[Ashton Battuso]

It's sort of giving, like Pinterest. Oh. You know, like beehive. Like honeycomb. You know, sort of how, like, chevrons had such a moment a few years ago.

[Katie Nolan]

Yeah, sure.

[Ashton Battuso]

It's kind of like.

[Katie Nolan]

Sure. I'm plugged in to the fashion scene.

[Ashton Battuso]

It's like, you know, like, it'd be on the backsplash or something of a kitchen in, like, a millennial gray kitchen. That's kinda what I think of it.

[Katie Nolan]

Brutal.

[Ashton Battuso]

But I love you girls.

[Katie Nolan]

Brutal thing to say. Are you watching Pluribus? Cause Hive makes me now think of Pluribus. No. What the hell do they say in Hive? It's a hive. It's like the hive mind. They're the. Pluribus is the.

[Ashton Battuso]

Yeah, yeah. Oh, yeah. Yeah. I am watching it.

[Katie Nolan]

Ashton, what's going on?

[Ashton Battuso]

Okay, I saw you, like, last week and you said, don't say anything. I'm two episodes and I was like, I've only seen one. And now I've.

[Katie Nolan]

Now you're caught up.

[Ashton Battuso]

Crushed.

[Katie Nolan]

I'm still two episodes behind.

[Ashton Battuso]

Oh, my God.

[Katie Nolan]

I've had a lot of Christmas stuff going on. Yeah. Racing to get out the door.

[Ashton Battuso]

Yeah.

[Katie Nolan]

For Christmas. Christmas as an adult is just stress.

[Ashton Battuso]

I know.

[Katie Nolan]

It's really just stress. The Rose are the defending champions because.

[Ashton Battuso]

In a physical year. Mostly because she just friggin.

[Katie Nolan]

No, she's on the Lunar Owls.

[Ashton Battuso]

No. Oh, yeah, that's right. Wait, wait, wait, wait. No, the. The Owls won, then record scratch. Didn't Nafiza win. Wasn't that the whole.

[Katie Nolan]

This says Rose. Defending champions Chelsea Gray. Who's on the Rose? Kalia Copper. Yeah.

[Ashton Battuso]

See, I thought they lost.

[Katie Nolan]

Azura Stevens, Lexi Hall, Shakira Austin, Shannon.

[Ashton Battuso]

Please be patient while we Google this.

[Katie Nolan]

I know that's what we're doing.

[Chris]

Brady Rose did win.

[Ashton Battuso]

This is a Mandela effect.

[Katie Nolan]

Damn. You completely convinced yourself the team you liked won when.

[Ashton Battuso]

This is a Mandela effect. This is a Mandela effect.

[Katie Nolan]

Okay, say it.

[Ashton Battuso]

Nafizu Collier won last year and apparently she didn't.

[Katie Nolan]

She did not. The Lunar Owls lost.

[Ashton Battuso]

This is just like the Sinbad Genie movie.

[Katie Nolan]

Why not just go night owls?

[Ashton Battuso]

I have no understanding of where Lunar Owls comes from.

[Katie Nolan]

It feels like doing too much.

[Ashton Battuso]

It feels Like I've never heard those two words together.

[Katie Nolan]

Right.

[Ashton Battuso]

Maybe it's just a blind eye.

[Brady]

It's the only type of owl.

[Katie Nolan]

Right. Nocturnal is the way they're made. Sure. So why would we call them lunar? Sure. They couldn't be solar.

[Ashton Battuso]

Yeah.

[Katie Nolan]

Solar owls.

[Ashton Battuso]

Unless they are the government.

[Katie Nolan]

And what's the one the name? Mist. Okay, the name. The mist. Great team, Stewie, Erike, Ogumbawale. But the mist sounds like a missed shot.

[Ashton Battuso]

It does.

[Katie Nolan]

What are we doing?

[Ashton Battuso]

I wonder if anyone's ever said that.

[Katie Nolan]

Mist. Of course they have.

[Ashton Battuso]

No. I don't know.

[Katie Nolan]

We said it last year. Wow. Yeah, man. Okay, so those are my thoughts.

[Ashton Battuso]

Fearless feedback. And you know what? We're gonna take that and we're gonna move forward.

[Katie Nolan]

Yeah, I think so too. But you know, if you're getting into this league this year, the Breeze as an expansion team seem like a good one to get in on. Are these all neutral site?

[Ashton Battuso]

Yeah, they're all in Miami. Well, they're doing like a day in Philly.

[Katie Nolan]

Question mark, question mark, question mark.

[Ashton Battuso]

Tickets are like a million dollars sick.

[Katie Nolan]

I love that. That's my favorite thing is that as a fan of women's sports for so long we were told we don't exist.

[Ashton Battuso]

Yeah.

[Katie Nolan]

And then now it's we're being priced out of attending our own thing.

[Ashton Battuso]

Yeah.

[Katie Nolan]

Do you want to talk about the Trailblazers?

[Ashton Battuso]

There's not a lot to say.

[Katie Nolan]

Well, your coach got arrested, so I.

[Ashton Battuso]

Would actually say quite a bit to.

[Katie Nolan]

Say Ashton is a Portland Trailblazers fan.

[Ashton Battuso]

Yeah.

[Katie Nolan]

Your head coach got arrested and you.

[Ashton Battuso]

Know, we had a great start to the season and it was kind of like, are we gonna be good? And.

[Katie Nolan]

And then your head coach got arrested and now where is that at?

[Ashton Battuso]

He sold his home, which makes me think he maybe needed the funds for lawyer stuff.

[Katie Nolan]

Yeah.

[Ashton Battuso]

I have not been a fan of his for quite some time. Yeah.

[Katie Nolan]

I remember you being being pretty vocal about opposing the hiring. Yeah.

[Ashton Battuso]

You know, the usual sort of allegations. I don't even know if we need that.

[Katie Nolan]

The usual sort of. Yeah, I. This was what stood out to me when people were like, not Chauncey Billups in a scandal. Chauncey Billups the most stand up man. I know. And it's like. Well, that's cause you weren't listening when everybody was telling you. I know when you were gonna hire.

[Ashton Battuso]

Him, I think it was like 97. So at the time it was kinda like big whoop, who cares? You can do that kind of stuff. And I think for that reason people don't know about it.

[Katie Nolan]

Yeah.

[Ashton Battuso]

But long story short, I also was like, we are such a bad team. And we extended this man and we're giving him five years, even though we are just the worst team.

[Katie Nolan]

Yeah.

[Ashton Battuso]

A terrible team. And at the time we were like, oh, this is so interesting. He's, you know, why is he pulling our leading scorer out like they were on a heater? And now it's kind of like, well, it's like, oh, maybe that's why.

[Katie Nolan]

Oh, is that why?

[Ashton Battuso]

Maybe that's why.

[Katie Nolan]

While we're on this topic of people just forgetting it is one of the less fun things about getting older while working in the sports media space is that stuff that was obviously talked about a lot when I was starting is now forgotten by people in comment sections. I'm mainly thinking of Jameis Winston and the fact that every comment section I see is like, I love this guy. He's gotta be the coolest guy in the NFL. He's my favorite. Who could ever hate? It's almost like they're trying to piss me off, the way they phrase the comments. We're like, you couldn't tell me a single bad thing about Jameis win. And I'm like, I could give you a couple.

[Ashton Battuso]

I told someone the other day about him and they did not know.

[Katie Nolan]

Nope, they don't know at all.

[Ashton Battuso]

So interesting.

[Katie Nolan]

They don't know at all. Yeah, there was a, I believe, Oscar winning documentary about it.

[Ashton Battuso]

I didn't know that.

[Katie Nolan]

If not if. Well, I should not talk out of my ass. But there was a documentary about it for sure. I believe it was at least nominated.

[Ashton Battuso]

I gotta look into that.

[Katie Nolan]

Just kind of a wild place that we're in where you have to go, hey, hate to be that lady, but I can give you a number of reasons. I know. I don't think he's even allowed to take Uber anymore still, ever since.

[Ashton Battuso]

Dude, is that true, you think?

[Katie Nolan]

Yeah, I think they banned him from Uber for assaulting a driver, which was one of. After a number of other. And then he does these little things where he makes references on his TikTok, these kitschy little cute references to like a crab legs. But he never makes little references.

[Ashton Battuso]

I know.

[Katie Nolan]

To anything else.

[Ashton Battuso]

Yeah.

[Katie Nolan]

And it's just. I mean, of course you wouldn't want him making jokes about it, but you're also like, do you acknowledge that you. Have you grown? Have you learned?

[Ashton Battuso]

I do think second chances can be something, but so many people don't even choose to.

[Katie Nolan]

We don't hold them to account for the first chance. We never discuss the thing. We just go, come on, let him go. He's so funny. He eats a W. Yeah. Stupid.

[Ashton Battuso]

Stupid.

[Katie Nolan]

All right. Shall we shift to college football? Because you pay so much more attention than me.

[Ashton Battuso]

I do.

[Katie Nolan]

To the college sports of it all. Because you're an Oregon State fan.

[Ashton Battuso]

You're a beef, I'm a beef. Somebody's got to do it.

[Katie Nolan]

Are you guys still in the PAC 12?

[Ashton Battuso]

No. Well, yes, but we're not in the PAC 12, as it were. We are now have eight teams, I believe so. That's not the PAC 12, but, you know, whatever. Someday we'll.

[Katie Nolan]

None of them have the number that.

[Ashton Battuso]

They'Re supposed to have. What a silly thing. Yeah.

[Katie Nolan]

Isn't it just the Pack 2 at this point? There's barely.

[Ashton Battuso]

No, we added a bunch.

[Katie Nolan]

Okay, congrats.

[Ashton Battuso]

Thanks.

[Katie Nolan]

Just random schools you guys found.

[Ashton Battuso]

Yeah, yeah.

[Katie Nolan]

You guys made up a bunch of new schools. Education Connection in the commercials. We have the University of Phoenix. We've got DeVry and. Come on, Katie, think of another commercial.

[Ashton Battuso]

ITT Tech College. Yes, yes, yes. Got there.

[Brady]

Two teams in 2025 up to nine in 2020.

[Ashton Battuso]

Yeah. Oh, that's true. Sorry. There we teams nine. I forgot because Gonzaga signed, but they don't have football. So it's kind of a weird little thing.

[Katie Nolan]

That's right.

[Ashton Battuso]

But that's true. This year we are still playing in the two. We have like a random assortment of Washington State. Yeah.

[Katie Nolan]

Well, do you feel. Were you upset when all of that.

[Ashton Battuso]

Oh, my God, Was I upset when.

[Katie Nolan]

Everybody just abandoned you?

[Ashton Battuso]

They abandoned us.

[Katie Nolan]

What the hell?

[Ashton Battuso]

And I worked at Pac12 Network. That's where I. That's where I started. So, yeah, it was all a little too close to home. And I, you know, there are schools that I just will never root for. And let's list them. Well, Oregon, I would have never rooted for to begin with.

[Katie Nolan]

Right.

[Ashton Battuso]

Those guys. Where do I even begin with those guys? I won't. Washington, of course, ucla, usc. Those are toughies. Although I still kind of. I'm like, whatever. They did something really annoying, but I won't be as mad because, for instance, Arizona. When Arizona was leaving the PAX12 to go to the Big 12, they said, you gotta bring Arizona State or it's a no deal.

[Katie Nolan]

Right.

[Ashton Battuso]

So why didn't so Oregon could have done that for us.

[Katie Nolan]

Oregon do that.

[Ashton Battuso]

But they didn't.

[Katie Nolan]

Damn.

[Ashton Battuso]

And Washington did not do that for Washington State. It's kind of fucked up. I know. And now they're like, well, we have A rivalry game. And I'm like, no, we don't, babe. There's no rivalry here. It's dead.

[Isabella]

Right?

[Ashton Battuso]

Cut it. And now we have like a complete different. The funding that they have, they're basically. You have private equity now because Big Ten's taking on private equity money. And we have peanuts, Right. Because we're no longer a power fragile.

[Katie Nolan]

Peanuts, maybe. Sure.

[Ashton Battuso]

Whatever that looks like college football.

[Katie Nolan]

Can I just say, as an outsider, every. Every leaf I unturn, I go. I don't. I don't wanna fix that.

[Ashton Battuso]

I know.

[Katie Nolan]

It's a fucking mess.

[Ashton Battuso]

It's a mess. And it's getting worse and worse, worse.

[Katie Nolan]

And worse and worse.

[Ashton Battuso]

I know. And it was so fun. There was so much magic and whimsy, which is something I'm so in on.

[Katie Nolan]

It's what I'm here for.

[Ashton Battuso]

Yeah, like, we gotta find the magic and the whimsy and the good vibes because what the hell else is going on? There's enough bad. Like, give us some good. But the college football world said, nah, you're getting. You're getting the bad. And they keep doing it.

[Katie Nolan]

Quick hit picks for the college football playoffs that start this weekend. Are you ready? Mm. Number eight, Oklahoma versus number nine, Alabama.

[Ashton Battuso]

I'm gonna take Alabama.

[Katie Nolan]

Number seven, Texas A&M versus number 10, Miami.

[Ashton Battuso]

I want. I would prefer Miami, but I think A and M's gonna win.

[Katie Nolan]

Okay. Number six, Ole Miss versus number 11, Tulane.

[Ashton Battuso]

Ugh. This one's so hard because I want Tulane, but I also want Ole Miss.

[Isabella]

I want Ole Miss.

[Katie Nolan]

Yes.

[Ashton Battuso]

I'll say Tulane is not realistic. So I'm gonna go Ole Miss, but I would love Ole Miss to win the whole thing.

[Katie Nolan]

Me too. But then he gets a bonus.

[Ashton Battuso]

Oh.

[Katie Nolan]

From his school that he left them for. LSU will pay him a bonus. Isn't that insane?

[Isabella]

That's insane.

[Katie Nolan]

Insane. Number five, Oregon versus number 12, James Madison.

[Ashton Battuso]

It was already gonna be James Madison, but since they're playing Oregon, it's like, yeah. Friggin Doyle.

[Katie Nolan]

Yeah. Let's go. Jmu. We believe in you. Side note, you think the two lane should be the highways. Maybe the best idea I've ever had and it's not catching on how I'd like it to. Their actual mascot is like, the Green Wave. Isn't that them? And like, what is that? They should be the two lane highways. Come on. Come on.

[Ashton Battuso]

Oh my God.

[Katie Nolan]

Come on. She gets it. Arch Manning back to Texas. He's not going to declare. He will return to school in 2026, even though he could have declared for the draft as a red shirt sophomore. He's gone 227 of 370. If you'd like to know all of his passes, he's got 29, 42 yards, 24 touchdowns, seven picks. Only two of those interceptions came in the final seven games of the year. He added eight rushing touchdowns. He got better. Bad start when everybody's eyeballs were on him. Yeah, but he got better. And they're gonna play in the Cheez It Citrus bowl, which those things come on, mix. What do we do? I get it that we have the bowls and then we have the sponsor and that they don't, but they should at least play well together. No one's eating Cheez Its and drinking orange juice.

[Ashton Battuso]

Cheez Its could have done, like, the Orange bowl or something, Right?

[Katie Nolan]

Because they are orange. Thank you. But the Citrus Bowl Cheez it, no.

[Ashton Battuso]

No fun at all.

[Katie Nolan]

Something's curdling when they interact.

[Ashton Battuso]

Oh, yeah. That is how you make vegan buttermilk with citrus and, you know, an alternative milk. Wow, look at me. Something is curdling, knowing everything. Yeah.

[Katie Nolan]

They're facing off against Michigan in that. I mean, another fucking school.

[Ashton Battuso]

Another school.

[Katie Nolan]

Another school kind of going through it.

[Ashton Battuso]

Oh, yeah.

[Katie Nolan]

At the mome.

[Ashton Battuso]

At the mome.

[Katie Nolan]

I don't even think we have. Do we want to get into it? Do you want to say anything?

[Ashton Battuso]

I mean, about Sharon Moore? I think the only thing to be said is, I mean, don't cheat on your wife. Not wife guy behavior.

[Katie Nolan]

Hey. Especially at work. Especially out loud. Especially to the point where multiple people are like, we've all known this for a really long time.

[Ashton Battuso]

And this is where wife guys can be misleading. Because I bet some people thought he was a wife guy. But anyways, the second thing is, everyone stop making stuff up. Because in these moments, I don't know what is real.

[Katie Nolan]

Thank you. Like, I wanna be able to run with the fun detail of a doordash driver being how they get caught. Like, it's just there's no basis in a fact. And that blue check mark next to your name means nothing. And now I'm adrift in a sea of fake information, surrounded by people.

[Ashton Battuso]

And now I'm contributing, perhaps, and surrounded.

[Katie Nolan]

By people who don't seem as concerned about getting it right.

[Ashton Battuso]

I know.

[Katie Nolan]

And so it just varies. Disorienting for me, tracking down information.

[Ashton Battuso]

And what a strange thing to even want to participate in learning about stuff.

[Katie Nolan]

The only one I understand if it isn't real is the onlyfans angle where I'm like, Look, you need any edge you can to get your name out there on that website. So if you're the only fans girl who the coach hit up, then people might go to your page, which would then lead to business for you that I get the rest of it. I'm like, what's this?

[Ashton Battuso]

Who?

[Katie Nolan]

Why are we doing this? Yeah, it's all very frustrating.

[Ashton Battuso]

Yeah.

[Katie Nolan]

Thank you for being here.

[Ashton Battuso]

Thanks for having me, girl.

[Katie Nolan]

It's been a blast. Remind everybody where they can find you.

[Ashton Battuso]

Find me at.

[Brady]

That.

[Ashton Battuso]

Just the question, I guess. Ashton Battuso on stuff, but I'm also on off ball all the time. Please subscribe to the newsletter. It's good vibes. It's like we're having fun over there, you know what I'm saying? We're name and wife guys, that kind of stuff. And subscribe to Flagrant Mag as well. I also have a podcast for Flagrant magazine. Listen to that.

[Katie Nolan]

Are you still Lil Butts anywhere?

[Ashton Battuso]

Dude, that's what I was trying to figure out. I don't know.

[Katie Nolan]

That's how I first met Ashton. You were Lil Butts?

[Ashton Battuso]

I had this vision she would tweet.

[Katie Nolan]

About basketball from a name that was Lil Butts and I thought that was funny.

[Ashton Battuso]

I had this vision of becoming this grown woman.

[Katie Nolan]

I think you're there.

[Ashton Battuso]

Thank you. Yeah, I'm at least taller in these.

[Katie Nolan]

They're very cute.

[Ashton Battuso]

Thank you. So I changed a few of my ats, but I think maybe in some places I'm. We'll never know.

[Katie Nolan]

Still Lil Butts, potentially.

[Ashton Battuso]

Maybe just in here.

[Katie Nolan]

If you can't find her, just search Lil Butts. Ashton, you might like what you get no matter whatever that it returns to you. But it might not be you, you know.

[Ashton Battuso]

Oh, it might be.

[Katie Nolan]

Who's to say? A tough economy. Ashton, thank you for being here. This has been really fun and we'll have you back back someday soon. This is like breaking the seal on you being on this podcast.

[Ashton Battuso]

But I'm sure you'll be back. No, you're going to have to do it every 20 minutes.

[Katie Nolan]

I know. It's going to be so annoying.

[Ashton Battuso]

I'm going to be like, stop calling. It's the middle of the night.

[Katie Nolan]

Please. Hey, college football fans. You know that feeling you get when the home team takes it to the house? Well, this season, Eric, the official smoked sausage of the College Football Playoff is letting you score big right along with them. Here's how it works. Just watch the 2025, 2020 season College Football Playoff first round games on December 19th and 20th and when the home team scores their first touchdown, check the game clock for the time shown on the scoreboard, then head to www.eckrich.com. take it to the House and enter that exact time for your shot at winning a trip to the 2026 College Football Playoff National Championship. No purchase necessary. Open to us residents 18 +. Each of four entry periods shall commence during each of the first four CFP playoff games on 1219 and 1220 2025. To enter and for official rules, go to www.ecrich.com. take it to the House Void where prohibited.

[Isabella]

It's the season to come together over your holiday favorites at Starbucks. Warm up with a creamy caramel brulee latte, get festive with an iced gingerbread chai, or share a velvety peppermint mocha together is the best place to be at St. Starbucks.

[Katie Nolan]

You know you don't have to let Big Wireless and your overpriced phone bill suck the joy out of the holidays this year. Because right now all of Mint Mobile's Unlimited plans are 50 off. You can get 3, 6 or 12 months of Unlimited Premium Wireless for 15 bucks a month. It's their best deal of the year and makes it real easy for you to give your expensive wireless bill the Scrooge treatment. Turn your expensive wireless present into a huge wireless savings future by switching to Mint Shop. Mint unlimited [e-mail] casuals that's mintmobile.com casuals limited time offer upfront payment of $45 for three months, $90 for six month or $180 for 12 month plan required $15 per month equivalent taxes and fees Extra initial plan term only over 35 gigabytes may slow when network is busy. Capable device required availability, speed and team.

[Brady]

Itmobile.com the College Football Playoff is everything. Toughness, roles, sacrifices.

[Katie Nolan]

This is where I think everything you.

[College Football Announcer]

Got all damn day.

[Chris]

The attention to detail is like none other.

[College Football Announcer]

Chilean takes on Ole Miss followed by James Madison in Oregon.

[Katie Nolan]

It's time to bring it first round.

[College Football Announcer]

Coverage of the College Football Playoffs presented by allstate Saturday at 3:30 Eastern on TNT and HBO. Max, are you ready?

[Ashton Battuso]

Okay.

[Katie Nolan]

Amazing. Big thanks to Ashton for coming by. That was fun. She rules and hopefully we'll be seeing a lot more of her. Okay Isabella, as it is Thursday, theoretically when this airs, we need to discuss what happened with your fantasy team this week and prepare you for the upcoming week, which is the first week of the playoff. Coming into this week you were 13 and 1. Did you win your matchup this week?

[Chris]

No doesn't matter. Doesn't matter.

[Katie Nolan]

I know, but it kind of matters.

[Ashton Battuso]

How do you feel?

[Chris]

No, it's just like the pates. Isabella needed to drop this one ahead of the playoffs.

[Katie Nolan]

Smart.

[Isabella]

Yeah.

[Katie Nolan]

Good way of looking at it.

[Chris]

Strategic.

[Katie Nolan]

Yes. Isabella, we do think the pates are actually going to. Okay.

[Isabella]

Yeah. I lost to the summer I got.

[Katie Nolan]

Turf toe, which was the summer I turned purdy originally. Which is Maria.

[Isabella]

I think it is Maria.

[Katie Nolan]

And she's got a pretty bad teeth.

[Isabella]

Yeah, she's number nine.

[Katie Nolan]

So that's a. What was the score?

[Isabella]

It was. I got 121.88 and she got 135.08.

[Katie Nolan]

Okay. It was close. Who let you down this week?

[Isabella]

Week? I shouldn't have put Devonta Smith in. Yeah, yeah, he kind of let me down. Benton Strange, that guy. Sorry, sorry. That was too much.

[Katie Nolan]

Whoa. We are sorry, Mr. Strange.

[Chris]

It is not the tight end position. Isabella is very volatile. There's only pretty much two or three that you.

[Katie Nolan]

Volatile. My goodness. Now, Brenton, if. If I may, for her, it is her first season doing this. She's experiencing all these emotions live. And we've provided a safe space for her to do that. So please don't anybody named here, please don't take any of this person.

[Isabella]

Actually, Strange is okay because my only other option would have put Hunter Henry and he did.

[Katie Nolan]

Awful. So. Yeah, that's. So you too, Hunter Henry, while we're here. Yeah, you. Okay, let's talk decisions for this week. This is the first week of the playoffs. Does she have a bottom?

[Isabella]

I don't know.

[Katie Nolan]

No, no. Brady shaking his head. Thank you, Brady.

[Chris]

We roll into the final next week.

[Katie Nolan]

So nobody has a bye because isn't she in first place?

[Chris]

Correct. So it's first verse fourth and then second verse third.

[Katie Nolan]

Okay.

[Chris]

Winners play off in the championship game, the week after that.

[Isabella]

So how many more games do I need to play?

[Chris]

2.

[Katie Nolan]

You've got to win two to win it all.

[Ashton Battuso]

Okay.

[Katie Nolan]

Does that start to put everything into perspective for you? Now? Let's talk through your lineup. Who are you going up against?

[Isabella]

Like which team?

[Katie Nolan]

Name the players on the team you're playing against. This is the team in fourth place. They are who?

[Isabella]

Okay, this is week 16.

[Ashton Battuso]

Hold on one second.

[Isabella]

Okay. Justin Herbert.

[Katie Nolan]

Okay.

[Isabella]

J. Smith. I don't know how to say.

[Katie Nolan]

Is it Jackson? Smith? Yeah, from the Seahawks. He's really good.

[Chris]

I think he's the wide receiver one at the moment.

[Isabella]

All right.

[Chris]

Rasheer Rice.

[Katie Nolan]

Rasheed Rice.

[Chris]

Gonna be less damaging now that Mahomes is injured. I think Mahomes injury, as much as we don't like rooting for injuries, helps you in that sense.

[Katie Nolan]

Right. And Gardner Minshew, that famous mustache, will be the one slinging passes. So we'll see.

[Isabella]

D A Kane A. Chan.

[Katie Nolan]

Devin A. Chan. So he's the running back from Miami. That's okay. You're doing a great job. He. Did he do okay last night?

[Chris]

Yeah, he.

[Katie Nolan]

I know that's not for this week, but he had an okay game.

[Chris]

Running back.

[Katie Nolan]

I know, but he had a bad week. I think.

[Chris]

I think he still scored a decent amount.

[Katie Nolan]

Okay. Who else?

[Isabella]

Jay Jacobs.

[Chris]

Jacobs. Also a solid running back.

[Katie Nolan]

Man, this guy's team's pretty good. This is a good team. Or girl.

[Isabella]

Okay. T. Warren.

[Chris]

Tyler Warren. Okay. He's one of the tight ends that you'd probably feel comfortable starting every week.

[Katie Nolan]

Yeah.

[Isabella]

Okay. L. McConkey.

[Katie Nolan]

Vlad McConkey.

[Chris]

He's sort of struggled this year.

[Katie Nolan]

Is he having a good time?

[Isabella]

You guys are not giving me the greatest.

[Katie Nolan]

No, no. Let. Hasn't been. No, you can take down Ladd McConkey. We can flex something better than Ladd for sure. Okay.

[Isabella]

E. Pinero.

[Katie Nolan]

Eddie Pinero. That's the Niners kicker. Okay. And then who's. Okay.

[Isabella]

Defense of San Francisco.

[Katie Nolan]

Okay. That's tough. And they're playing against Philip Rivers. Right. So that's. They could really do some damage. All right. Okay. We gotta strategize here. Did you. Were any. Was anybody moved out of your spots because of bye weeks that we can go ahead and fix that? No, she was playing her full team.

[Isabella]

I think I was. Except for. No. Yeah.

[Chris]

Is probably one. Javonte Williams is one that you might consider moving into this.

[Isabella]

Yeah, he was one that I brought down because.

[Katie Nolan]

Yeah, but against the Chargers.

[Chris]

Yeah. That's tough as well, because.

[Katie Nolan]

Kind of tough.

[Chris]

Very solid the last couple of years.

[Isabella]

I swear to God, if I lose, I'm gonna cry.

[Ashton Battuso]

I'm just kidding.

[Katie Nolan]

Well, I mean, I might too. I'd be really sad for you to have such a good season to.

[Isabella]

Then maybe I'm gonna create enemies out of all our listeners.

[Katie Nolan]

Okay, good. I actually love this arc. I'm actually fine with this. In fact, none of you.

[Isabella]

If you see me, if you like me, leave me alone.

[Katie Nolan]

Can we talk about what's Joshua Carty doing down there?

[Ashton Battuso]

Okay.

[Isabella]

So there was a week where I needed another kick. I think my kicker was on a bottle week. And so.

[Ashton Battuso]

Right.

[Isabella]

So I might drop him and get someone else.

[Katie Nolan]

Who. Does Joshua Cardi play for Rams? Does he?

[Isabella]

Yeah, he does for the Rams.

[Katie Nolan]

He did. He did.

[Isabella]

Oh, he's inactive.

[Katie Nolan]

I do not think he plays anymore. I think he might be. I think we can clear up a bench spot right away if we wanted.

[Ashton Battuso]

Okay.

[Isabella]

Yeah, he's inactive. Maybe I could get rid of J.K.

[Katie Nolan]

Dobbins because he's on the I.R. right?

[Chris]

The.

[Katie Nolan]

Does that mean. I mean, it doesn't really mean anything because there's not going to be a lot of injured players. Yes. Oh, yeah, sorry. I didn't. I. I should have known that's what you meant. Yes.

[Isabella]

Okay. Yeah, we're removing him.

[Ashton Battuso]

Bye.

[Katie Nolan]

Yeah. Cuz it's like if you want now watch. Something will happen and everyone be like, katie, you shouldn't have said that.

[Chris]

I think you're safe to drop JK.

[Katie Nolan]

D. Yeah, I think so too.

[Chris]

He's not playing again this season.

[Katie Nolan]

It's crazy. You were two full games, two full wins above second place and now you're playing a fourth place team. That scares me.

[Isabella]

I'm scared. It's okay. I'll do. I'll do my best and I'll pray to God.

[Katie Nolan]

Good. Okay, beautiful. You want to run through your starting lineup for us?

[Isabella]

Yeah. Right now I have Caleb Williams, Puka Nakua, Devonta Smith. Is it KYRON Williams? Yes. McCaffrey, strange, George Pickens, Brandon Aubrey in Seattle as my defense.

[Katie Nolan]

Okay. I think she can do something with that. I would look at, let's see, Strange or Hunter Henry. I don't know if there's a.

[Isabella]

Well, Hunter Henry has higher projected points. That's honestly what I've been going off of.

[Chris]

That's what most people go off, to be honest.

[Katie Nolan]

It's totally fair to admit. And don't feel any shame. Brady, are you in trouble? Do you have to leave? A man just came into where Brady is again. A room that's outfitted for the radio that we cannot figure out how to get Brady to sound good. And what did that man have to say?

[Brady]

That's just dumb. He runs NASCAR radio. He's cool. He wanted to say hi.

[Katie Nolan]

Okay. Did he know how it works? Did he know how. A microphone.

[Brady]

I'm done trying to figure that out.

[Katie Nolan]

Yeah, we've moved past it. Do you have any advice while you're talking to give Isabella for this week.

[Brady]

Don't be afraid to cut anybody if you're not going to play him this week or next week.

[Ashton Battuso]

Okay.

[Brady]

Cut him.

[Isabella]

Okay.

[Katie Nolan]

Yeah. Them.

[Isabella]

I like it.

[Katie Nolan]

All right. I'm nervous.

[Ashton Battuso]

I am too.

[Katie Nolan]

I'm like genuinely nervous for you.

[Isabella]

I've been so like Kind of laid back. Since I've been winning, I'm like, yeah, you know, I'm doing a really good job. But now that it's getting closer and I lost.

[Katie Nolan]

I know. I'm sorry that you lost right before the playoffs. That can really mess with you mentally. But if you hunker down, learn from your mistakes, and stay positive and pray to God, as you said, I really think we could get you a win.

[Isabella]

Pray to. Should I pray to someone else?

[Katie Nolan]

You could try a bunch of others. You could pray to Betty White. I usually like to appeal too. Oh, great. You could pray to.

[Isabella]

Should I pray to Tom Brady?

[Brady]

Matthew Barry accepts prayers.

[Katie Nolan]

Yeah, yeah, yeah. Did who did you say Isabella?

[Isabella]

Should I pray to? Tom Brady?

[Katie Nolan]

Well, I would skip. I would skip maybe.

[Isabella]

Okay.

[Katie Nolan]

You could pray to an Etsy witch.

[Isabella]

Oh.

[Ashton Battuso]

Oh, yeah.

[Katie Nolan]

Not. Not a bad idea. You can find for like 12. I could get you that for Christmas. I'll get you an Etsy witch to put a curse on. Now how does that work? Cuz if they get hurt like her, her opponents, I would feel really bad. I'm the kind of person losing sleep over that.

[Isabella]

Oh, yeah, me too.

[Katie Nolan]

I wouldn't be like, hey, that guy blew out his ACL the week I had an Etsy witch put a curse on him. No correlation. Not my fault.

[Brady]

Yeah, like positive curses.

[Katie Nolan]

I'd send a check.

[Brady]

George Pickens.

[Chris]

Yeah, like the post it notes. We need more post it notes.

[Katie Nolan]

Maybe that's it. Well, those didn't really work very well. Oh, if you think about it, those didn't really work.

[Chris]

Also, Isabelle, you have. You'll have a very long weekend this week because the 49ers and the Colts don't play until Monday night, which means McCaffrey won't be playing until then, which means the 49ers defense. Okay, playing until then.

[Katie Nolan]

That's also important for you to note in terms of bracing yourself that you may be behind heading into that last night, but you could still win because Christian McCaffrey is such a big part of your team.

[Isabella]

Yeah. Okay.

[Chris]

So you probably won't know the result of your matchup until Tuesday morning. Just a heads up.

[Katie Nolan]

Yeah, that's. That is scary. And then I'm trying to think of if maybe we should find a way to update people on it. Because the Thursday episodes, as we've said, the Thursday episodes will be pre tapes because that's going to be Christmas and New Year's. But the Tuesday episodes, you are getting freshies with Dan and I. So maybe the second one, we will have the information and I'll be able to call you, you know what I mean? Because it's not like we're recording on Tuesday. So to know what happened with her team, we just will have to get an update up there somehow.

[Isabella]

Okay.

[Katie Nolan]

We'll figure it out. Keep your head in the swivel.

[Isabella]

Are the commanders good?

[Brady]

No.

[Katie Nolan]

No. Okay. Why do you ask?

[Isabella]

Because the Eagles are playing them and I wanted to know if my player was gonna score.

[Brady]

Well, that team is cheeks.

[Isabella]

Okay.

[Katie Nolan]

They're. Yeah. Really cheeks.

[Isabella]

Okay, good. I'm keeping that player in then.

[Katie Nolan]

Great. I love this for you. Hey, everybody. That is it for Casuals this week. Can't shake that feeling like I'm forgetting something because I'm leaving for a big trip and so I'm a little anxious right now. This is a strange feeling, but I hope that everybody has an amazing holiday and obviously we love you and we mean it. I'll tell you this contact info in case you want to. Again, our email is CasualSwithKatynolanmail.com or voicemail 646-8010043 on IG and tick tock, we are at Casuals, the podcast. Enjoy your weekends. Go Isabella and. And we'll see you. We'll see you back here on Tuesday. Bye.

[Brady]

The College Football Playoff is everything. Toughness, rolls, sacrifices.

[Katie Nolan]

This is where I think everything you got all damn day.

[Chris]

The attention to detail is like none other.

[College Football Announcer]

We are. Chilene takes on Ole Miss, followed by James Madison in Oregon.

[Katie Nolan]

It's time to bring it first round.

[College Football Announcer]

Coverage of the college football playoffs presented by allstate Saturday at 3:30 Eastern on TNT and HBO. Max, are you ready?

[Chris]

Let's go.

[Brady]

Before the trophy and bragging rights are rightfully yours. Before your sleeper turns in a season no one saw coming before stats and projections turn into points. Points on the board and your lineup falls perfectly into place. You flip the lid on a can of on nicotine pouches. And as you make your first pick, you know this is the season where fantasy's going to surpass reality. It's on products for tobacco consumers 21 years of age or this product contains nicotine. Nicotine is an addictive chemical.