FULL SEND PODCAST — Sage Steele | Ep. 176 (Nov 26, 2025)

Host: Shots Podcast Network

Overview

In episode 176, the Full Send Podcast welcomes veteran sports broadcaster Sage Steele for a candid and in-depth conversation. The episode covers Sage’s reflections on parenting, her controversial exit from ESPN, social media’s impact on athletes and youth, the state of modern sports media, issues in the NBA and WNBA, and her career’s most memorable moments. True to the FULL SEND style, the discussion is raw, honest, and peppered with humor, personal anecdotes, and provocative takes.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. Parenting, Social Media, and “Being a Mom Today”

(01:47–08:36)

• Sage shares life as a mom to three adult children (ages 23, 21, 19), reflecting on how parenting changes as kids grow up.
• On motherhood:

  "The second you have a child… especially as a woman, birth a child—because FYI, men can’t do that—like, it’s just not about you anymore." (02:44, Sage Steele)

• She describes the challenge of navigating a world dominated by social media, especially during and after COVID:

  "It’s a lot scarier than when I was a kid. It’s a whole different world… what they think is reality versus what is." (03:56, Sage Steele)

• COVID and lockdowns forced Sage to “loosen up” on social media rules at home, as TikTok and phones became kids’ only social outlets.

Responsibility & Authority

• Sage is candid about being a “hardass” as a parent (groundings, drug tests) and how her strict approach ultimately led to her daughter appreciating the discipline in hindsight.

  "If you’re receiving a penny from me, you’re not an adult yet. Sorry." (07:41, Sage Steele)

2. Social Media’s Impact on Kids & Celebrity Parenting

(04:54–06:44)

• The group discusses TikTok culture and its influence, using examples like Kim Kardashian’s daughter North West.

  "Social media... that’s certainly the influence, but who’s helped create that? Her mom. How about parenting?" (05:30, Sage Steele)

• Sage links parenting styles to how children act in the public eye, highlighting her own military family’s “black and white” rules and consequences.

  "It’s very black and white... You chose not to, so there's consequences." (06:14, Sage Steele)

3. Race, Stereotypes, and Humor

(08:52–10:23)

• After a playful exchange about Sage having a “dark side,” Sage teasingly accuses the host of racism before flipping the script with wry humor about “black guilt, Catholic guilt, not black enough guilt.”

  "I have the sign in my office that says, 'I love Jesus but I cuss a little,' and I’m like, I think that’s kind of perfect, because I do." (10:20, Sage Steele)

4. ESPN, Free Speech, and Leaving Disney

(10:23–17:11)

• On her break with ESPN: Sage describes being suspended after criticizing vaccine mandates on Jay Cutler’s podcast.

  "I got suspended for talking about being forced to take the vaccine, which I thought was wrong... made me publicly apologize, took assignments away." (10:33, Sage Steele)

• She calls out the network’s “hypocrisy,” noting peers could comment on politics but she was penalized for her off-air opinion.

  "That’s the problem... What is the rule? Are we allowed to [talk politics] or not? ... You can't pick and choose, it can't be just the liberal woke agenda that Disney is all about." (13:34, Sage Steele)

• Sage filed a lawsuit against Disney for silencing her; after settlement, she emphasizes her goal was to set a precedent for freedom of expression at workplaces.

  “My goal was to talk about it so other employers—maybe just be fair and equal. Don’t pick and choose who you allow to speak.” (16:21, Sage Steele)

5. NBA Gambling Scandal & State of the League

(17:11–22:09)

• The crew discusses recent NBA gambling allegations involving Chauncey Billups and Rosier, with hints at mafia involvement.

  "When you have NBA players... and coaches tied in with the mafia, that's insane. This is just the tip of the iceberg." (18:06, Sage Steele)

• Sage laments the league’s declining ratings, believing politicization (BLM on courts, social justice jerseys, etc.) and internal scandals are turning off fans.

6. NBA Debates — Jordan vs. LeBron, Loyalty, and Athlete Culture

(22:09–33:32)

• On the classic MJ vs. LeBron debate, Sage is adamant:

  "Go away... Most of them weren’t alive or old enough to watch Jordan and appreciate how different the league was then." (22:37, Sage Steele)

• She criticizes modern player movement (e.g., Kevin Durant, lack of loyalty), contrasting it with the past generation’s competitive fire and team-first mentality.

  "Those guys, the Bad Boy Pistons, hated the Bulls — I love that." (25:29, Sage Steele)

• On social media and ego:

  "Now, were there other things going on behind the scenes? Yeah, but we didn’t know about it... It’s so hard to compare." (25:51, Sage Steele)

• On Kevin Durant:

  “They [the Warriors] stepped back so he could come in... They won. And then he left.” (28:00, Sage Steele)

7. Media, Athlete Sensitivity & The Changing Landscape

(30:53–35:59)

• Sage feels athletes today are “too sensitive” but also faults the media for “gotcha questions” and manufacturing drama for clicks.

  "Half the time they don’t even ask good questions... ask educated questions and you’ll get more respect." (31:00, Sage Steele)

• Praises the rise of athlete-driven content (Players Tribune, in-depth interviews) for giving genuine insight, due to distrust with traditional media.

8. WNBA, Caitlin Clark/Angel Reese, and Culture Wars

(36:01–41:28)

• Discusses her WNBA coverage, the league's growth, and Becky Hammon’s coaching success.
• On the Caitlin Clark/Angel Reese dynamic and race narrative:

  "People always bring race into everything now. I’m so tired... It’s exhausting." (38:17, Sage Steele)

• Sage says the rise of Caitlin Clark is “a win, win, win” for the league, regardless of race or sexuality, and players complaining about her attention should see the benefits.

9. Women's Sports, Pay, and Market Value

(40:07–41:28)

• Sage stands by market principles for WNBA pay:

  "Would I love for it to be more for them? Absolutely. But guess what? Market value and ratings equal dollars." (41:09, Sage Steele)

10. Top Sports Commissioners — Praising Dana White

(42:14–47:48)

• Sage calls Dana White the “GOAT” among sports bosses, citing his apolitical, loyal, and fearless leadership, especially during COVID:

  "Dana does what’s right for his sport, period. He does not care about politics. He does not care what you think." (42:50, Sage Steele)

• Praises his forgiveness of Bud Light after controversy, his loyalty, and his ability to weather criticism for standing by friends like Donald Trump.

11. Other Commissioners—NFL, Talent and Market Forces

(47:53–49:24)

• "I always wanted to like Roger Goodell... What I do see is how well that league is doing." (47:53, Sage Steele)
• The group briefly marvels at today’s breadth of athletic “freaks” (Wemby, Ohtani, Mahomes).

12. Experience Covering NHL, Humility of Hockey Players

(49:24–52:46)

• Sage fondly recalls covering the Tampa Bay Lightning, highlighting hockey players as:

  "By far the best athletes to work with from a media perspective. The best. Super humble, just chill." (51:13, Sage Steele)

13. Career Memories: Baltimore Ravens, Getting Into Journalism

(52:50–56:46)

• Sage’s favorite reporting period: Beat reporter with the Ravens post-2001 Super Bowl, describing the camaraderie with team and staff.
• She traces her dream of sports journalism back to age 11, inspired by watching games with her Army father and seeing sports as “uniting people of all backgrounds.”

  "Sports brought people together... For those three hours, you’re high-fiving strangers and you’re all on the same team." (55:15, Sage Steele)

14. Favorite & Most Respected Athletes

(57:25–62:18)

• NFL: Tom Brady, John Elway, Walter Payton (“the most incredible humble athlete”).

  On Sweetness: "He scored a touchdown and he’d trot off the field. My dad would say, act like you’ve been there." (60:07, Sage Steele)

• NBA: Michael Jordan and Steph Curry, commended for their leadership, loyalty, and class.

15. The O.J. Simpson Podcast Anecdote

(62:23–64:42)

• Hosts recount having O.J. Simpson on their podcast and the surreal tension around asking about the murders, describing him as charming, almost making one doubt his guilt.
• Sage reflects on O.J.’s former fame and tragedy:

  "He was awesome to watch... Everyone in America loved him... so sad." (64:23, Sage Steele)

16. Steph Curry, Marriage, and Handling Public Scrutiny

(64:42–67:59)

• Talks about Steph Curry’s character and family, how “no one’s life is perfect,” and her parents’ example surviving interracial marriage stigma post-1971.
• Sage herself recently remarried and emphasizes not judging others’ marriages just from the outside.

17. Athlete Interviews & Being Starstruck

(68:03–69:56)

• Still gets nervous before interviews, even with familiar faces—cites emceeing a Michael Jordan charity event as especially high pressure.

18. NBA MVP, Small Markets & Playoff Parity

(69:56–72:18)

• Sage chooses Jokic ("the Joker") over SGA to build a franchise around.

  "You can’t produce big men like that with that skill set." (70:27, Sage Steele)

• Discusses the excitement of small-market teams like Indiana and Oklahoma City as NBA contenders.

19. Kyrie Irving, Vaccine Stances, and Media Backlash

(74:48–78:32)

• Highlights Kyrie’s principled refusal of the COVID vaccine, media backlash, and how public opinion has shifted in his favor.

  "The world crushed him, and he was right." (74:48, Sage Steele)

• Sage suggests many athletes never got the shot, citing pressure and image management; admires those like Kyrie and Aaron Rodgers who stood firm:

  "You can think Aaron and Kyrie and everybody is weird or whatever it is... Those guys, they had the balls to say the truth.” (77:21, Sage Steele)

20. Career, Cancel Culture, and Advice for Younger Generations

(78:32–80:47)

• On cancel culture, Sage explains that having survived the worst, she now feels free to be herself:

  "That’s the best part about getting canceled—you don’t care... It’s so nice. I just wish people didn’t wait as long as I had…” (79:11, Sage Steele)

• Encourages others to learn from setbacks; she and the hosts bond over building careers from the ground up.

Notable Quotes

• On Raising Kids Today:
  "It’s a lot scarier than when I was a kid... what you guys are seeing, you know, give rule." (03:56, Sage Steele)

• On ESPN Suspension & Hypocrisy:
  "That hypocrisy was like too far." (13:00, Sage Steele)

• On Jordan vs. LeBron Debate:
  "Go away… you guys didn’t watch Jordan and appreciate how different the league was then." (22:27, Sage Steele)

• On Athlete Sensitivity & Media:
  "I think a lot of them are, but I also think the media sucks." (30:53, Sage Steele)

• On Dana White:
  "Dana does what is right for his sport, period. He does not care about politics. He does not care what you think..." (42:50, Sage Steele)

• On Market Value (WNBA):
  "Would I love for it to be more for them? Absolutely. But guess what? Market value and ratings equal dollars." (41:09, Sage Steele)

• On Cancel Culture Freedom:
  "That’s the best part about getting canceled—as in, you don’t care... they try to scare you into silence. And then you go, what?" (79:11, Sage Steele)

Timestamps for Key Segments

• Parenting & Social Media: 01:47–08:36
• ESPN Lawsuit & Free Speech: 10:23–17:11
• NBA Gambling, Scandals, and League Politics: 17:11–25:43
• Athletes & Media/Ego: 25:43–35:59
• WNBA & Caitlin Clark/Angel Reese: 36:01–41:28
• Commissioners & Dana White Praise: 42:14–47:48
• Favorite Athletes & Career Stories: 57:25–64:42
• Kyrie Irving, COVID, Vaccine Controversy: 74:48–78:32
• Best Life Advice & Final Thoughts: 78:32–end

Tone & Style

The episode is lively, irreverent, and unfiltered—full of the Full Send Podcast’s characteristic banter, with Sage matching the hosts’ energy and not dodging tough or awkward questions. There’s a blend of humor (“Black don’t crack!”), self-deprecation, deep reflection, and veteran wisdom throughout.

For Listeners Who Missed the Episode

This episode delivers an authentic, often provocative dive into motherhood, cancel culture, sports media, athlete psychology, and lessons in resilience—with Sage Steele’s sharp wit and candor making it a standout conversation for sports fans and culture watchers alike.