Caitlin Clark on “Life Changing” Rookie Season, Chiefs Fandom, NBA Ratings Debate and more | Ep 120

Summary

Podcast Summary: New Heights with Jason & Travis Kelce
Episode: Caitlin Clark on “Life Changing” Rookie Season, Chiefs Fandom, NBA Ratings Debate and More | Ep 120
Release Date: January 2, 2025

Hosted by Wondery, "New Heights" brings listeners an intimate look into the lives of football’s most entertaining siblings, Jason and Travis Kelce. In Episode 120, the duo sits down with Caitlin Clark, a standout WNBA player, to discuss her transformative rookie season, her longstanding fandom of the Kansas City Chiefs, and her insights on various sports-related topics.

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1. Welcome and Introduction [00:39]

The episode kicks off with a warm introduction of Caitlin Clark, highlighting her impressive credentials:

• Achievements: NCAA All-Time Division 1 scoring leader, first pick of the WNBA Draft, WNBA assist leader, All-Star, and 2024 WNBA Rookie of the Year.
• Accolades: Time Magazine Athlete of the Year.

Jason Kelce [05:16]:
"She's the most requested guest in the history of our show and the Time magazine athlete of the year, Ms. Caitlin Clark. Please welcome everyone."

2. Caitlin Clark’s Achievements and Background [05:25]

Caitlin delves into her journey, emphasizing the significance of her accolades and her academic accomplishments.

Caitlin Clark [05:57]:
"My mom would say it's probably Academic All American. She was proud of me for being a good student in college."

She shares her major in marketing, reflecting on how her academic background complements her athletic career.

3. Chiefs Fandom and Personal Ties [07:44]

Caitlin discusses her deep-rooted fandom for the Kansas City Chiefs, clarifying misconceptions about being a bandwagon fan.

Caitlin Clark [08:33]:
"We were ride or die. So we've been big fans. And now, obviously, all the success you guys have had has made it a lot of fun for us."

She reminisces about attending Chiefs games with her family, showcasing her longstanding support.

4. Transitioning to the WNBA and Early Challenges [15:42]

The conversation shifts to the challenges Caitlin faced transitioning from college to professional basketball, drawing parallels with Jason and Travis's experiences entering the NFL.

Caitlin Clark [17:13]:
"When you come into the WNBA as a rookie, you're trying to figure out a new environment, new teammates. It's so hard."

She highlights the importance of veteran support in easing the transition.

5. Navigating NIL (Name, Image, Likeness) [47:04]

A significant portion of the discussion revolves around the impact of NIL on college athletes, especially in women's sports.

Caitlin Clark [48:43]:
"Women's sports has blown up with the NIL stuff. It's such a good point."

She explains the benefits and challenges, including the lack of clear guidelines and the financial implications athletes face, such as tax obligations.

Travis Kelce [48:48]:
"And so it's tough."

6. The Transfer Portal and NCAA Rules [51:50]

Caitlin expresses concerns over the NCAA transfer portal, critiquing its impact on amateurism and team dynamics.

Caitlin Clark [52:28]:
"Or you get a free pass. But now we got people on like, their fourth school and their seventh year. It's just getting agreed."

Jason and Travis share their perspectives, suggesting potential rule changes to stabilize the system.

Jason Kelce [52:54]:
"I think there should be a commitment level from the player to the university that there isn't right now."

7. Memorable Moments and Personal Anecdotes [45:36]

Caitlin recounts her favorite memory from playing at Iowa—a trip overseas to Italy and Croatia—highlighting the camaraderie and experiences beyond the court.

Caitlin Clark [46:03]:
"We went to Italy and Croatia, like, two great spots. It was just so much fun."

She also shares a humorous incident where she ruptured her eardrum during a game, emphasizing the unpredictable nature of sports.

8. Segments and Interactive Discussions [42:36]

The hosts introduce a new segment, "Name a Person," where each participant names an athlete from Iowa until they can no longer. This segment showcases their knowledge and camaraderie.

Travis Kelce [43:02]:
"I'll start. George Kittle."

9. Caitlin’s Future Plans and Advice [71:35]

Caitlin discusses her aspirations beyond her basketball career, mentioning her interest in opening a rib restaurant and potentially working in sports operations.

Caitlin Clark [70:57]:
"I told my mom, like, yeah, I'm gonna open the rib crib. Like, have this barbecue joint."

She offers heartfelt advice to aspiring athletes to cherish every moment and maintain their passion.

Caitlin Clark [72:01]:
"Enjoy every single moment because it goes so fast, and life changes so fast."

10. Closing Thoughts and Final Interactions [73:09]

The episode concludes with mutual appreciation between Caitlin and the Kelce brothers, extending invitations to future games and expressing excitement for what's to come.

Travis Kelce [73:03]:
"Thanks again to our presenting sponsor, Audible."
(Note: Although sponsorship segments are present, they are part of the closing and not central to the episode's main content.)

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Notable Quotes with Timestamps

• Caitlin Clark [05:57]:
  "My mom would say it's probably Academic All American. She was proud of me for being a good student in college."

• Caitlin Clark [08:33]:
  "We were ride or die. So we've been big fans. And now, obviously, all the success you guys have had has made it a lot of fun for us."

• Caitlin Clark [17:13]:
  "When you come into the WNBA as a rookie, you're trying to figure out a new environment, new teammates. It's so hard."

• Caitlin Clark [48:43]:
  "Women's sports has blown up with the NIL stuff. It's such a good point."

• Caitlin Clark [52:28]:
  "Or you get a free pass. But now we got people on like, their fourth school and their seventh year. It's just getting agreed."

• Caitlin Clark [72:01]:
  "Enjoy every single moment because it goes so fast, and life changes so fast."

Key Discussions and Insights

1. Impact of NIL on Women's Sports:
   Caitlin emphasizes how NIL has revolutionized women's sports, providing financial opportunities while also introducing complexities like tax implications and the need for better support systems.

2. Transfer Portal Concerns:
   The conversation critiques the NCAA transfer portal's influence on athlete stability and team cohesion, suggesting rule modifications to maintain commitment levels.

3. Balancing Athletics and Academics:
   Caitlin's achievement as an Academic All-American underscores the importance of academic success alongside athletic prowess.

4. Transitioning to Professional Sports:
   Both Caitlin and the Kelce brothers share personal challenges faced when moving from collegiate to professional sports, highlighting the necessity of adaptability and support.

5. Maintaining Passion and Enjoyment:
   Caitlin advises athletes to cherish their journey, stay passionate, and find joy in their pursuits to prevent burnout.

Conclusions

Episode 120 of "New Heights" offers a comprehensive look into Caitlin Clark's remarkable rise in the WNBA, her unwavering support for the Kansas City Chiefs, and her thoughtful perspectives on evolving sports dynamics like NIL and the transfer portal. Through engaging discussions and personal anecdotes, listeners gain valuable insights into the intersections of professional athletics, personal growth, and the ever-changing landscape of sports.

Note: This summary intentionally excludes advertisements, sponsor mentions, and non-content sections to focus solely on the episode's substantive discussions and insights.

Transcript

[Travis Kelce]

Wondry plus subscribers can listen to New Heights early and ad free. Plus unlock access to exclusive episodes of the show.

[Jason Kelce]

Join Wondery and the Wondery app, Apple podcasts or Spotify today.

[Caitlin Clark]

You know the ncaa, like they don't have many rules on much anymore.

[Jason Kelce]

Women's sports has blown up with the nil stuff.

[Caitlin Clark]

It's been great for everybody.

[Travis Kelce]

Honestly, you're a little bit closer to the nil world. Have you heard of anybody paying their taxes? I definitely wasn't fucking ready to pay taxes when I was in college. Like I wasn't thinking that.

[Caitlin Clark]

I know. That's what I always think about.

[Travis Kelce]

Welcome back to New Heights, ladies and gentlemen.

[Jason Kelce]

How's it going?

[Travis Kelce]

A wondry show produced by Way Sports & Entertainment and big thanks to our presenting sponsor, Audible. Oh, start listening today when you sign up for a free 30 day trial at audible.com new heights.

[Jason Kelce]

I love some Audible.

[Travis Kelce]

All right now. Audible. Getting in there, sliding in there for a little sponsored. I gotta shout out Audible. We're your host. I'm Travis Scuzzy's my big brother Jason Kelsey out of Cleveland Heights, Ohio. Cincinnati Bearcat alums subscribe on YouTube Wondering plus or wherever you get your podcast and follow the show on all social media at New Heights show with one s Jason. Let the people know who we have coming up.

[Jason Kelce]

I'm not gonna beat around the bush, guys. This is a big one. It's the guest you guys have all been waiting for.

[Travis Kelce]

That we all have been waiting for.

[Jason Kelce]

You've all, I mean, really been demanding. And we finally got her one of the. Probably got one of the busiest schedules out there. Caitlin Clark is here. That's right. You heard it. That's right. You heard it right. She's in the building, folks. And we're going to hear a nice conversation from her in just a few seconds. And we're not going to really do too much before that because we're going to get right into this conversation because it was fantastic. But first we are going to get to a little bit of that new news.

[Travis Kelce]

New news.

[Jason Kelce]

New news is brought to you by Accelerator the Orange Ice Pop. There we go.

[Travis Kelce]

Who knows Accelerator, do you like did your final?

[Jason Kelce]

I do. I'm a fan of the orange.

[Travis Kelce]

So good.

[Jason Kelce]

I still prefer the grenadine. I still prefer grenadine Cherry Ice Pop. But okay. I think it's good. I'm a fan.

[Travis Kelce]

I'm always in on little orange soda. They call it Late night with Jason Kelsey premieres this Friday, January 3rd. Javis. Jason. Jason. Jason. Could you give us a Tease or an anecdote?

[Jason Kelce]

A tease or an anecdote? I don't know. I don't know what to say. I think we're going to have some awesome guests on hand. Really. The whole purpose of this show is to just celebrate the sport of football. And, you know, obviously we got playoffs coming up. This is the last week of the regular season coming up. You know, it's just honestly an excuse to get together a bunch of guys and about a sport that we all love, do a bunch of fun, creative comedy bits with some incredible writers. Being creative is. Is just a joy. And I think that we have between the band, between the audience, between the players and all the people that are going to be there, I think it's just going to be a lot of fun. Incredibly intimidated by it. I'm terrified of how this is going to go.

[Travis Kelce]

That's such a feeling to have.

[Jason Kelce]

At the same time, it makes you feel alive. There's something about being afraid that makes you excited, right?

[Travis Kelce]

Every time, man. So.

[Jason Kelce]

Every time. Yeah. Anyways.

[Travis Kelce]

Well, that's awesome, man. I'm happy as hell for you, brother. I can't wait. You said something about a band and now I'm. I gotta ask, are you breaking out the sex?

[Jason Kelce]

Listen, I got, you know what these, what this says?

[Travis Kelce]

No, not focusing. I'm still too far away to be able to read that. Oh, you got some new.

[Jason Kelce]

Got some reads.

[Travis Kelce]

Got some reads.

[Jason Kelce]

It probably won't happen. Show one. I don't know.

[Travis Kelce]

I didn't, I didn't. No pun intended. I didn't read that on the box. I just thought in my head, what could this possibly have to do with a saxophone?

[Jason Kelce]

And what would be the reads? I bought some reads. I, I still, you know, I don't know when we got some plans. We'll see. We'll see what happens. I don't know if it's happen. Show one, we got some. There's a whole litany of things that could happen in this episode. So anyways, excited again.

[Travis Kelce]

That's Friday, January 3rd, ladies and gentlemen. They call it late night with Jason Kelsey. Man, the myth of legend. And we also will be back for our regularly scheduled episodes starting next week. Football schedule and the holidays threw us off a little bit with me playing on Christmas and having all these short games or short weeks back to back to back. So it's making it a little tough to keep knocking these episodes out with you guys. But new heights will be back talking all things NFL playoffs and whatever else comes next week.

[Jason Kelce]

Sounds good, bubba.

[Travis Kelce]

And that's it for new news brought to you by Accelerator. Upgrade your energy and get you some. Some of this orange ice pop. Shit's popping, son. Alrighty.

[Jason Kelce]

Our guest today is a six foot guard from the University of Iowa, the NCAA All Time Division 1 scoring leader, the first pick of the WNBA Draft, WNBA assist leader, All Star and 2024 WNBA Rookie of the year. She's the most requested guest in the history of our show and the Time magazine athlete of the year, Ms. Caitlin Clark. Please welcome everyone.

[Caitlin Clark]

I appreciate it. I'm excited. I'm excited about many things, but this, this is at the top of my list. So.

[Travis Kelce]

We made it, Jason. We've made it.

[Jason Kelce]

How many accolades did we leave off? How many accolades do you have right now at this point, Caitlin?

[Caitlin Clark]

I think you might have made some up. I don't know.

[Jason Kelce]

Yeah, I don't think so. I'm pretty sure I'm not. I feel like you're kind of like Wayne Gretzky for basketball right now.

[Travis Kelce]

Gretzky.

[Jason Kelce]

I mean, the amount it's.

[Travis Kelce]

If you go to the Wikipedia page.

[Jason Kelce]

And you look at like the list of like awards and achievements, it's like endless. So.

[Travis Kelce]

It is.

[Jason Kelce]

Yeah, we could. We had to limit it to this list just to get the show started.

[Caitlin Clark]

I appreciate it.

[Jason Kelce]

Thank you. Is there any accomplishment, I guess, of all these accolades that has meant the most to you?

[Caitlin Clark]

Oh, gosh, that's a good question. Well, I'd give you the answer. My mom would say is probably Academic All American. She was proud of me for being a good student in college.

[Jason Kelce]

So nobody love that answer for mom.

[Travis Kelce]

What I'm talking about.

[Caitlin Clark]

I did all right in school, so hung in there. But other than that, I mean, they're all cool, but you don't really care. It kind of just comes with. It comes with having fun. And I think that the time athlete of the year was cool too. Just because you see the list of like all the athletes that they've had prior to me. And a lot of those people I idolized growing up. And LeBron's been the only other basketball player, so. And it's cool as a woman. Like, they haven't had many females on the COVID too. So for women's sports, it's kind of special, but, you know, just kind of comes with playing the game and having fun, as you guys know.

[Travis Kelce]

That's awesome.

[Jason Kelce]

I love it. What did you, what did you study in college? What was it?

[Caitlin Clark]

I was in the business school. I got my degree in marketing.

[Travis Kelce]

So you're a marketing major?

[Caitlin Clark]

I'm a marketing major.

[Jason Kelce]

Marketing major.

[Caitlin Clark]

There we go.

[Travis Kelce]

Well, you guys. You guys are great at marketing.

[Caitlin Clark]

We're all right.

[Travis Kelce]

Guys like me, we gotta figure out. You gotta figure out. I gotta go on, like, dating shows just to get my name out there. I actually have a funny. Made the dean's list, like, once in my life, and it was when I got kicked out of school, and it was a part of the criteria that I had to get, that I had to reach just to stay on the team.

[Caitlin Clark]

So you were capable of doing it.

[Travis Kelce]

Exactly.

[Caitlin Clark]

That's all that matter.

[Travis Kelce]

Ed Kelsey always said I was capable. Just. You just have to focus. You have to. You have to.

[Jason Kelce]

You have to give it your own.

[Travis Kelce]

No, I. My mom was actually the one paying for my tuition at that point, so I had to make sure I did my mom right. I couldn't just throw away the grades. No, mom was paying for him, so.

[Caitlin Clark]

That's right.

[Travis Kelce]

I share that with my mother.

[Jason Kelce]

Let's talk about your biggest accomplishment, being a part of chief's kingdom. How long have you been a part of the kingdom?

[Caitlin Clark]

I'm sorry, Jason.

[Jason Kelce]

You can apologize to me. I'm honorary member.

[Caitlin Clark]

I'm a Midwest kid. So there. There's this picture that's been circulating a couple from a couple of years ago when I was on Peyton Eli's Monday night show, where I'm in a full Chiefs outfit. I had family in Kansas City, and I grew up in Des Moines, Iowa, which is only three hours from Kansas City. So, yeah, that's just the closest NFL team. So my dad was a big Chiefs fan growing up. So people think I'm like, a Bandwagon Chiefs fan. I'm like, no, I was there before. Before Patrick and Travis. Like, we were.

[Travis Kelce]

I love it.

[Caitlin Clark]

We were ride or die. So we've been big fans. And now, obviously, all the success you guys have had has made it a lot of fun for us.

[Travis Kelce]

Who do you. Who. Who was your childhood.

[Caitlin Clark]

Like, my brother loved Tony Gonzalez. Like, that was Tony G. Yeah.

[Travis Kelce]

What a guy.

[Jason Kelce]

He was the Chief.

[Caitlin Clark]

We would go to, like, one game a year growing up with my cousins down in Kansas City, and we still try to go. We went to the Christmas Day game last year. I think the year before you might have played on Christmas Eve. Maybe we went to that. We were sitting outside for that one. My. My toes were, like, about to fall off. My fingers about to fall off. I don't get how you guys play in that type of weather, but it's fun.

[Travis Kelce]

And, like, obviously we got heaters on the sideline.

[Caitlin Clark]

Arrowhead's not too bad, so good spot.

[Travis Kelce]

It's a blast. You already know.

[Jason Kelce]

Have you ever messed with those heaters on the sideline? Have you ever seen those things?

[Caitlin Clark]

So we played a basketball game outside in college, like, an exhibition game.

[Jason Kelce]

Oh.

[Caitlin Clark]

And they had those on the sidelines, and I was like. I didn't really never know what they were, but they had them. And they're. They get so hot. Like, dangerous.

[Jason Kelce]

Too hot. It's too hot.

[Caitlin Clark]

I know.

[Travis Kelce]

Yeah. Yeah. It's funny. You'll see. You'll see some guys throw on those winter coats, and if they get too close to the heaters, you just hear them pop. They're just, like, really? You'll just see feathers start flying everywhere. It's crazy.

[Caitlin Clark]

I had to tell them to, like, turn it off. I'm like, just let it be like a normal bench.

[Travis Kelce]

Like, I'm not. I'm out on. I'm out on the heaters. It has to be, like, below 20 degrees for me even to think about sitting on the heaters. That's why I'm sitting on the water coolers right now. Every. Every time we're off the field, I. I hate it. I can't feel too hot, for sure. If I feel too hot, I'm gonna start to, like, it's like a. A heated blanket or something. I'm gonna start falling asleep.

[Caitlin Clark]

I think they, like, said, like, yeah, there's an fire marshal, like, over there, like, watching make sure things doesn't catch on fire.

[Jason Kelce]

Like, why don't we just come on thing. Yeah.

[Travis Kelce]

Do our own safety check here and just cut these things.

[Caitlin Clark]

Yeah, yeah.

[Jason Kelce]

So you said your brother. Your brother's favorite player was Tony Gonzalez. Who is your favorite player? Or is.

[Caitlin Clark]

Oh, is. I mean, obviously Travis is up there.

[Travis Kelce]

I made it.

[Caitlin Clark]

But I'm obviously a big Patrick fan, too.

[Jason Kelce]

How can you not be?

[Caitlin Clark]

Like, the both of you, you're pretty great. I'm here, but it's been fun. And obviously, I've known Brett Veach for a while. It's actually kind of crazy. So when I was in college, we played the Big Ten tournament in Indianapolis, and it was at the time of the com, so Brett was staying in our hotel, and that's kind of how I first, like, got to know him, like, my sophomore year of college. And then we kind of have just stayed in touch ever since.

[Travis Kelce]

So, yeah, Brett's the man.

[Caitlin Clark]

Yeah. He's obviously done really well, and he's fun. He's cool, too. So.

[Travis Kelce]

Oh, the whole family is the Veach Family's the best. I love good people.

[Jason Kelce]

When I first got into the league, Veach was like Andy's assistant in Philadelphia.

[Travis Kelce]

How crazy.

[Jason Kelce]

So to see where he's at now and the success he's had, it's pretty awesome.

[Caitlin Clark]

Yeah.

[Travis Kelce]

But yeah, the Eagles had all this right there, and they're not gonna do that. I'm not talking about.

[Jason Kelce]

We're doing just fine.

[Travis Kelce]

Doing great right now.

[Caitlin Clark]

That's funny.

[Jason Kelce]

All right, Travis. Earmuffs. Put your earmuffs. Take your earmuffs off.

[Travis Kelce]

They technically are on.

[Jason Kelce]

Okay, well, take your earmuffs off.

[Travis Kelce]

All right.

[Jason Kelce]

What do we. What do we think about 2024 Chiefs? Caitlin, what do we think about where the team's at? Don't.

[Caitlin Clark]

I'm feeling good.

[Jason Kelce]

You feeling good?

[Caitlin Clark]

I'm feeling good. I mean, we're what, 13 and 13 and one right now?

[Jason Kelce]

Pretty good.

[Travis Kelce]

Oh, should I say 13?

[Caitlin Clark]

That's. That's not too bad. But also like, you guys have made it interesting. As a fan, like, you keep everybody.

[Jason Kelce]

At the edge of their seat.

[Caitlin Clark]

I know. And I think that's what I appreciate about you guys the most. And like you and Patrick especially is like, you guys just have that edge to you, like that clutch factor. And like a lot of people don't have that. So when you get the ball with a minute 30, you need to go 80 yards and score. Like, I'm feeling pretty good, but like.

[Travis Kelce]

The ball in Pat Mahomes hands for sure.

[Caitlin Clark]

We do.

[Travis Kelce]

Our defense has been saving our ass a lot, let alone our like field goal block team and our like you yet. So it's been a full team effort this year.

[Jason Kelce]

Is it 10 games consecutive? One for like single score games or something like that?

[Travis Kelce]

Yeah, I don't know.

[Jason Kelce]

There's like some crazy stats, like the first team ever to do that, but something like that. You killed it. Great performance. What? So last time 92 percenter saw you with Travis was the eras tour. How was that?

[Travis Kelce]

Oh, that was so much fun.

[Caitlin Clark]

Electric. It's. It was great. My mom was like begging me to take her. She's like, I. I gotta go. Like, everybody's talking about it. I'm like, okay. Okay.

[Travis Kelce]

Yeah, it was right in Indianapolis.

[Caitlin Clark]

Yeah, I literally live right downtown too. Like right next to Lucas Oil.

[Travis Kelce]

So I'm like, nice.

[Caitlin Clark]

The night I didn't go, I'm like on my balcony trying to listen. But no, obviously it's just a great show and a lot of fun and full swifty turned my mom into a full swifty now.

[Travis Kelce]

Nice.

[Caitlin Clark]

Were there too. So Good time.

[Travis Kelce]

Oh, yeah. Good time was that. You mentioned that was like your second night going to it, right?

[Caitlin Clark]

Yeah, second night in a row. And that was my third show. I went early on when Taylor first went on tour in Minnesota. U.S. bank One of her early concerts, and that was a lot of fun. Went with some of my college friends, and we had a. We had a good time together.

[Jason Kelce]

It's hard. It's hard to not have a good time.

[Caitlin Clark]

I don't know how you couldn't have a good time like that.

[Travis Kelce]

This is so fun, man.

[Jason Kelce]

Well, we mentioned earlier that a few weeks ago, you were named the Time magazine athlete of the year. Time asked you to define your year in one word, and you said historic. We can do better. We can give you two words to define your year. What would. What would they be if you could do that?

[Caitlin Clark]

Two words.

[Jason Kelce]

Two words.

[Caitlin Clark]

That is hard.

[Jason Kelce]

Yeah. One word. Easier.

[Caitlin Clark]

And I can't use historic.

[Jason Kelce]

I mean, I guess you can. It's your. It's your definition.

[Travis Kelce]

It's yours.

[Jason Kelce]

Majorly historic, I would say, like, I.

[Caitlin Clark]

Don'T know, life changing, maybe.

[Jason Kelce]

That's a great one.

[Caitlin Clark]

I think all in a good way. Like, I mean, things just change really fast. Like, as you guys know, like, that's just how the world works. And especially with social media, people see a lot of your life, but that's what makes it. It fun and why I've had so many cool opportunities, too. So it's crazy. Like, looking back at a year ago today or around this time, like, I was just beginning my senior year of college, and obviously, you know, people knew who we were and people attended our games, but it's obviously not in the magnitude that it is now.

[Jason Kelce]

Yeah.

[Caitlin Clark]

So, like, life just changes fast. But that's. That's what makes it fun and cool and, you know, quickly started a new chapter of my life, too. Like moving here to Indianapolis and feel lucky I'm still in the Midwest. I know you guys like the Midwest.

[Travis Kelce]

So I've been in the Midwest my entire life. Jason's officially an east coaster now.

[Jason Kelce]

Philly, of all the east coast cities, kind of has, like some Midwest feel to it.

[Travis Kelce]

The most West.

[Jason Kelce]

I don't think Philly wants to hear that. They'll probably hate that I said that, but whatever.

[Caitlin Clark]

Yeah, they're not gonna that comment. They want to be far from the Midwest.

[Jason Kelce]

I mean, it was just a crazy year because you go all the way up to the national championship game and then you're playing right away.

[Caitlin Clark]

Yeah.

[Jason Kelce]

You know, one of my coaches, early on in My career said, you know, your rookie year is always so hard because you're in a new city, you're in a new place, you're with a new team, new coaches. There's so much that's not part of the routine that you're so used to, and you had that as, like, magnified. I mean, are you looking forward this year to, like, kind of having some, like, I don't know, more of a.

[Travis Kelce]

Familiarity?

[Jason Kelce]

Yeah, yeah, yeah. The film, for sure. Familiarity. Yeah.

[Caitlin Clark]

I mean, it's just so unlike any other professional sport, really, from the standpoint of. So I played in the national championship, and I basically went to the draft right after, got picked. And then you basically pack up and move like, you're moving in April. You don't even finish senior year of college. And I guess for you guys, like, what was it? You go to the combine. How long do you have to prepare for the combine? Few months. And then.

[Jason Kelce]

Yep.

[Caitlin Clark]

Then you get drafted and you gotta still got a little time to get acclimated to the new city.

[Jason Kelce]

For sure.

[Caitlin Clark]

You have camp, whatever. Like, it's not like that. Like, camp for us is like a week and a half, right? Yeah. But I think it was good a little bit, too. Like, you don't have time to overthink things. Like, it's just like, sure, boom, boom, boom. Like you're just on to the next, but at the same time, like, you don't. Like, I feel like I never really ended the chapter of college. Like, it was just like, you left. But maybe that's good. You don't have a lot of time to think about it. So I think that's definitely the weirdest part of, you know, women's professional basketball, and obviously college basketball, too, is just that change. But that's kind of how it has to be, too. So it's just different. But I think I feel lucky, too, because we had the Olympic break, so I got a month off in the middle of the season because we had to pause the WNBA season because, you know, the 12 girls go, go and play in the Olympics, and everybody else, you're not doing much. So got like a month off, which I really needed, obviously, because I've been playing basketball for just a year straight, but obviously so much different from the NFL or the NBA or whatever it is.

[Travis Kelce]

I remember my coming into the NFL. One of the biggest challenges for me was, like, kind of like finding my, like, professionalism. In a sense, I am. I was such a leader on my team at Cincinnati. At least I felt like I was like the main one of the voice of the team. And when I got to Kansas City, there was guys that had just been perennial pro Bowlers and guys that had already had that culture set. And then on top of that, Coach Reed and I, I struggled trying to find my lane and like, really like, feeling like I could give a piece to the team or, like, find a role on the team. Was there anything like that that happened to you early on? Knowing that it all happened so fast for sure.

[Caitlin Clark]

And like, you come in as a rookie and like you said, like, you're trying to figure out a new environment, new teammates. Like, you don't want to say too much, you don't want to say too little. And it's just so hard. But like, in my scenario, and obviously you guys too, like, you're already highly thought of. Like, people are turning to you to like, be something or be someone. So it's hard. Like, you're trying to find your. Get your feet wet, but also not do too much. And I think that's kind of what I struggled in early on is, like, I don't know what to say. I don't know how to say it. I don't know how they're gonna react for not knowing.

[Jason Kelce]

You nailed it.

[Caitlin Clark]

But also, like, I had a lot of really good vets around me too, so I feel very grateful for that. And we had a fairly young team too, so, like, people had been through it fairly recently, so they knew how I felt. But, like, I feel like that definitely is a huge challenge and that goes for whatever professional sport, like, you're trying to learn. But also people are looking at you like you got to perform and like, be what they drafted you to be, and that can be tough.

[Travis Kelce]

Yeah, I remember, Jason, you got tossed into the. Into the fire early your rookie year and especially because you guys didn't even have the lockouts. Yeah.

[Jason Kelce]

So we, we missed the whole off season workout, and if you weren't a first or second day pick, you didn't get the playbook. So I got the playbook like two days before training camp, so we just started right from there. But that was one thing you mentioned the vets. And I think, you know, there's. For me at least there was a lot. Some vets are. We're incredible. Some of the vets, obviously you're competing for jobs, so there's a little bit there. But you lean so much as a young player on your vets, and you lean so much from like, even just like in Philly. There's so many great Players that played for the Eagles that, like Harold Carmichael, who was a legendary Philadelphia Eagle, was, like, always around and willing to lend advice or anything. Did you have many former players or current players, like, reach out to you that really helped you in transitioning into the wnba?

[Caitlin Clark]

Yeah, there was, you know, quite a few. Somebody that I. That comes to the top of my head is Tamika Catchings, who was an MVP in the wnba.

[Travis Kelce]

Yep.

[Jason Kelce]

Yeah.

[Caitlin Clark]

She won their championship here. I think I want to say 2012, when the fever won their championship. She was like, what made the Indiana Fever really good? Like, that was our prime. That was when we were really good. And then after Tamika retired, the fever kind of went down a little bit, as every team does once you're, you know, franchise player retires and moves away from basketball. And she's still really big here in the Indianapolis community. And she was one of the first people to text me after I got picked and still checks in on me. So that's cool. Somebody that's not in your building every single day, but.

[Jason Kelce]

Right.

[Caitlin Clark]

Means so much to your community and to the organization. And to have that, like, she's like a legend. Her. Her numbers up in the rafters. Like, that's somebody I idolized and looked up to. And for her to just take, you know, two seconds to check in on me and see how I'm doing, and that's obviously really special. So I would certainly say her. And we still have that relationship and it's still growing, and she still comes around now and then, and her championship trophy that she won, like, sits in our locker room. It's, like, right next to my locker. I'm like, great. The coach is probably motivation.

[Jason Kelce]

Yeah. Right. Hey, no pressure.

[Caitlin Clark]

Yeah. So I have to look at it every day.

[Jason Kelce]

These are the shoes.

[Caitlin Clark]

It's got, like, its own, like, glass case. I'm like, great.

[Travis Kelce]

Oh, yeah. Better? Hell, yeah, better. Just a little motivation.

[Jason Kelce]

Just. This is what we're working for.

[Caitlin Clark]

Absolutely. So.

[Jason Kelce]

But yeah, we were not drafted in the first round. What was it like being a first round pick?

[Caitlin Clark]

Oh, well. Or I felt it's crazy because of COVID I could have actually gone back to school for a fifth year.

[Travis Kelce]

What? Were you considering that?

[Caitlin Clark]

Well, early on. Yes.

[Travis Kelce]

It looks like you're having a good old time over there.

[Caitlin Clark]

Yeah.

[Travis Kelce]

It looked like you were having.

[Caitlin Clark]

I mean, it's college. Like, you're there with your friends and, like, the game's just easier. Like, it's just how it is and you don't want that chapter of your life to end. Like, it's fun. You do fun things. You guys know how it is. And, yeah, it's easygoing and whatever.

[Jason Kelce]

When I imagine. I imagine that decisions probably made even harder now that there is on nil. And, like, when Travis and I played, like there was no ability to make any money, I was, like, way different.

[Travis Kelce]

Yeah, I got to capitalize on this check.

[Caitlin Clark]

But, yeah, so I was, like, kind of considering that. But then I got to the point where I was like, yeah, I'm totally leaving. Like, I. I know this is going to be the end for me. Just, like, I felt very content in that. And then obviously, like, I had a very good feel that I was probably going to be the first pick. But, like, you're still sitting there, and, like, you. Everybody gets nervous and jittery. No matter where you're projected or what you're going to be like, this is a moment you've always dreamed of as a kid.

[Travis Kelce]

Oh, Jason was a train wreck. Are you kidding me?

[Jason Kelce]

He was.

[Travis Kelce]

Guy was pacing back and forth in the room.

[Caitlin Clark]

Yeah. Like, how did you guys feel going into. Going into the draft?

[Jason Kelce]

We. I knew. Yeah, I guess. Travis, do you want to. I guess I'll go first. We'll go chronological. I'll go first, then you go.

[Travis Kelce]

All right.

[Jason Kelce]

So first day, I wasn't doing anything because I knew I wasn't going to get drafted. The first draft, I was just like, man, this is cool. Watching the draft. Second day for. For. I think the later on, guys, you have, your agent is, like, taking any inkling of, like, positivity can. So he's like, there's a chance you'll go in the third round, even though there's no chance. So I'm like, watching that. I'm like, all right. But the third day, Trav, Me. Trav, mom and dad, Uncle Don, we all went bowling because I didn't want to sit there and watch it go by and watch a bunch of people get picked that, like, it's, like, just pissed me off even more. So it's like, all right, I'll just go bowling. Ignore it, and somebody will call me at some point. We finished bowling, and I still hadn't got a call, so it's super awkward. It was like, all right, let's go to the house.

[Travis Kelce]

We paid for the two hours. Did we keep rolling these?

[Jason Kelce]

Yeah. So it was like, the sixth round. We went back to my house, and then, you know, finally got a call from a. A 610 number, I believe it was. Or was it 216215? I think it was? Yeah, it might have been 215. Either way, Philadelphia area code popped up. And so it all kind of went down there. Dad came rushing and crying. There's nothing better than. And then you can hear when it finally. Because I was in a separate room and they were all in the living room kind of watching on TV and I was still on the phone. And then I knew when they all knew because they all started cheering in the living room. So that was exciting, but it was nerve wracking until the moment you get picked. And then it's like, right, forget about all the other crap. You're like, yeah, I'm in the NFL now.

[Travis Kelce]

Yeah. My situation was a little different because I did have the year that I missed playing, but that ended up being the year that I switched into the tight end room. So it was, it was a perfect match for me. That's when I really thought that, oh, wow, I actually love this game. Like before, I was just back there playing the old backyard sport. Now I like, have like, I don't know, I felt like I could give more to the game, give more to the team. I was in Pittsburgh because that's where my agent was. Had all the friends and family out. I knew first round wasn't there, but I always thought in the back of my mind I, I could like all the tight ends that were, that were going to get drafted, I could play with those guys. You know, I might not have shown on film that I'm better than them, but I know that I'm. I've shown that I could play in the NFL just as much as they can. Yeah. I ended up just getting kind of like Jason said, getting told that maybe second round here, if this guy doesn't get picked, they're thinking about you and. And finally got a call from a Missouri number thinking I was going to St. Louis because I had no idea that Kansas City was even in Missouri. And from there it was. It was coach Reed on the phone telling me, you better not mess this up.

[Caitlin Clark]

You did it.

[Travis Kelce]

No, I didn't. I almost did a few times.

[Caitlin Clark]

How many rounds are there in the NFL draft?

[Jason Kelce]

What? Like there's seven now.

[Caitlin Clark]

Seven?

[Jason Kelce]

Yeah. It's been seven for a long time. There used to be like something crazy.

[Travis Kelce]

Yeah.

[Caitlin Clark]

Where they had like a thousand rounds.

[Jason Kelce]

Exactly.

[Travis Kelce]

Yeah.

[Jason Kelce]

Yeah. And so, yeah, now it's seven. And then undrafted. And it really, once it gets to like this later round, sometimes it's better to even be undrafted.

[Caitlin Clark]

Yeah. So you can just try to pick a good situation to go to.

[Jason Kelce]

Exactly. Yeah. You get autonomy in that, but.

[Caitlin Clark]

Right.

[Jason Kelce]

Yeah. What was harder, high school, college, or going from college to the pros?

[Caitlin Clark]

Oh, that's a good question.

[Jason Kelce]

Yeah.

[Caitlin Clark]

Well, my high school to college transition was so weird because I was Covid, so, like, I didn't even know when I was going to go to college. It's like, I even, like, technically graduate high school. Like, I did, obviously, but, like, I didn't ever walk, really. We had, like, an outdoor thing, but other than that, like, it was. It was so weird. And then, like, two weeks before, they're like, we're in the summer, and Iowa was like, yeah, like, we want you to come to campus. And literally the only people there were, like, us in the football team, in men's basketball.

[Jason Kelce]

Wow.

[Caitlin Clark]

It was so weird. Like, in the dorms. It was literally just athletes in the dorms. No ras. It was like a huge, like, mansion with just college kids running wild.

[Jason Kelce]

I'm not gonna lie. That sounds so much fun. Sign me up.

[Caitlin Clark]

It was a bit concerning, but it was also. It was a lot of fun. I don't know if they knew that. I still don't think they know that. That was the situation. At least that was the situation where on few floors that I was near. But it was a good time, honestly, and nice. It was just so weird. Like, I didn't have that normal college experience. Like, I think my first semester, like, I was taking everything online, just trying not to get Covid because we're testing every day and just trying to play.

[Travis Kelce]

And gosh, thank God we're out of that.

[Caitlin Clark]

I know. So just kind of crazy. But. And then obviously going from college to the pros, I think it's just like, the time span. That's just what's so weird about it. It's just so short and condensed. Like, you don't have much time. But yeah, at that point, it's. It is what it is. Everybody has to deal with the same thing. So that's what I told myself is like, there's no. No point in complaining. Everybody's dealing with it. It's not any different.

[Travis Kelce]

It's a good mindset to have.

[Caitlin Clark]

Yeah.

[Travis Kelce]

What's your what's your welcome to the WNBA moment? If you could have one.

[Caitlin Clark]

Oh, welcome to the W. I tell people this. I. It was early on. I want to say it was like our 10th game of the year. We're playing in New York for celebrity who ended up winning the championship this year.

[Travis Kelce]

Yep, Yep.

[Caitlin Clark]

And somebody set a screen on me, and, like, I hit my ear like, just perfect on. On the girl where, like, my eardrum popped and, like, ruptured. And I knew it. I knew it right away because I've done it before, and I was just like, it hurts so bad. I don't know if you guys have ever done that.

[Jason Kelce]

How did you do it before? Can I guess? Can I guess?

[Caitlin Clark]

Oh, yeah, I guess it was very Midwestern.

[Jason Kelce]

Did it in water. You did it in water? Something with water.

[Caitlin Clark]

I got launched.

[Travis Kelce]

Why did you just get so excited? What are you, somebody?

[Jason Kelce]

I went off the diving board. I tried to do as many flips.

[Travis Kelce]

As I could and smacked my side.

[Jason Kelce]

Of my head in the Heights High school swimming pool.

[Travis Kelce]

Jason was a male swim cadet, so he had.

[Jason Kelce]

This wasn't during swim cadet. Don't put me on blast like that, Travis.

[Caitlin Clark]

That's funny. But, yeah, I got launched off a tube in the middle of a lake. I was like, underwater. I'm like, am I okay?

[Jason Kelce]

That's some Midwest stuff right there.

[Caitlin Clark]

But, yeah, so that was my. My welcome to the W moment.

[Travis Kelce]

Wait, so when you pop that, you pop your drum, what happens to that?

[Caitlin Clark]

There's, like, not really much you can do. It takes, like, months to heal. So, like, after the season, the doctor had to, like, go back in and look and see if it closed. And if it doesn't close, you have to have, like, a minor procedure, but lucky enough, it's clothes. That was fine, but.

[Travis Kelce]

Oh, thank gosh.

[Caitlin Clark]

Yeah, you have to, like, be careful about, like, getting water in there. You can't go in lakes and pools. Like, it's. It's. It's weird. Sometimes it'll bleed when it pops, but mine didn't, thankfully. So. Yeah, it's just really annoying. Like, your hearing is, like, really off. And Jason, you're probably noticed, like, your hearing is just kind of off for, like, a few. Few weeks.

[Jason Kelce]

Yeah, it's, like, muffled and just, like, feels weird for sure. What? Because you brought this up because you're from the Midwest. I love the fact that you hurt your ear tubing. What is. Are you a lakes. Are you an ocean person?

[Travis Kelce]

We're big.

[Jason Kelce]

Big time ocean. And I'm. I love both.

[Caitlin Clark]

It's hard because, like, my family would always vacation down to Florida like that for spring break. Like, that's what we would do. I'd go with my cousins. So, like, we loved the beach. My parents are beach people. But, like, you just grow up around lakes in the Midwest. Like, you just. That's what. That's what you do.

[Travis Kelce]

What beach down there in Florida?

[Caitlin Clark]

Saint Pete's.

[Travis Kelce]

Nice. We were Marco Island.

[Caitlin Clark]

Okay. Yeah.

[Jason Kelce]

Yeah.

[Caitlin Clark]

So that was our spot. But I love lakes and they're just easier. And I'm not as scared going in the water. Like, I'm not going to in the ocean for sure.

[Jason Kelce]

I don't know what's down there.

[Travis Kelce]

I'm not messing with that salt water.

[Caitlin Clark]

Exactly. At a lake, you feel a little.

[Travis Kelce]

More confident, but yeah, there's a snake gonna get me.

[Caitlin Clark]

How about you guys?

[Travis Kelce]

Doubt it. I'm a lake guy for sure.

[Jason Kelce]

Yeah. I mean, like you said, I like both. We actually, we have a. A shore town in Jersey. They call it the Shore. Jersey Shore. Not. Not the North Jersey Shore show. We're South Jersey.

[Travis Kelce]

All the shores over there in Jersey are the same.

[Caitlin Clark]

He's trying to hype one up over the other.

[Travis Kelce]

Yeah.

[Jason Kelce]

But yeah, we've. I do love the shore. I love the ocean and we used to. And we grew up going to Florida. But there's just something about lakes. And I in particular, I like four season lakes. I like when the lake freezes over. We played hockey growing up. I like going on snowmobiles. I like the summers. I like hiking. Like, I think there's so much.

[Travis Kelce]

Big hiker.

[Jason Kelce]

All right. I have been hiking and I enjoy it.

[Caitlin Clark]

That's his new hobby. He picked it. How to pick it up.

[Travis Kelce]

I didn't know you were. Well, you did. You've hiked Mount. Mount Kilimanjaro.

[Jason Kelce]

That's right. I'm lighter now.

[Travis Kelce]

He's a retired athlete. He just picks up hobbies.

[Jason Kelce]

All right. We don't need to put me on blast. All right, here we go.

[Travis Kelce]

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[Jason Kelce]

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[Jason Kelce]

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[Travis Kelce]

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[Jason Kelce]

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[Travis Kelce]

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[Travis Kelce]

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[Travis Kelce]

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[Caitlin Clark]

You guys played hockey? I didn't even know that.

[Travis Kelce]

Yeah, Jason played a little longer than I did. Once I got to high school, I switched over to basketball because it was.

[Jason Kelce]

The same season Trav hurt the entire Cleveland Heights hockey community because he was the best hockey player Shut up. Ever. In Cleveland Heights youth hockey. He was very dominant. And then when he chose basketball, it just really deflated.

[Caitlin Clark]

You ought to be a pretty solid basketball player.

[Travis Kelce]

I just couldn't dribble. We were known for basketball and all the basketball games were absolutely rocking.

[Caitlin Clark]

Really sold out.

[Travis Kelce]

Yeah. And I had, I had hoop dreams, so I chose basketball. But yeah, I definitely, I definitely loved playing hockey the most. Hockey was so much fun. It was probably because of the guys that I played it with, more so than actually getting out there. But yeah, yeah, that's half of the youth teams I was on anyways.

[Jason Kelce]

But yeah, I just like, I like to put a helmet on you, get.

[Travis Kelce]

On the ice and play a little or what. Were you always a Hooper or what other sports did you play?

[Caitlin Clark]

I played soccer growing up. It was soccer and basketball. Honestly, like hockey isn't really that big in Iowa. Like it really a big thing. Which is kind of weird like you think it would be, but it was more of nobody really did it.

[Jason Kelce]

I feel like wrestling's. Wrestling's so big in Iowa.

[Caitlin Clark]

So, like, all the guys wrestling is huge. Like, all the Iowa football players, like, usually are really good. High school.

[Jason Kelce]

Tristan Wurfs.

[Caitlin Clark]

Yeah.

[Jason Kelce]

Freaking Tyler Lindenbaum.

[Caitlin Clark]

Yep.

[Travis Kelce]

Jason was a wrestler.

[Caitlin Clark]

Athletic, but big and athletic. Great wrestlers, State champion wrestlers. But that would be like, freak o linemen or, like. Like good tight ends or whatever it was.

[Jason Kelce]

I love watching me two big old muscle boundaries wrestling out.

[Travis Kelce]

I want to see the heavyweights.

[Caitlin Clark]

That's funny.

[Jason Kelce]

How did you end up at Iowa? You almost ended up at Notre Dame.

[Caitlin Clark]

Yeah.

[Travis Kelce]

Nice to.

[Jason Kelce]

The decision to go to Iowa.

[Caitlin Clark]

So I was. I basically narrowed it down pretty early on when I was going through my college recruitment that I wanted to be like, like in the Midwest, just kind of a homebody, family person. Just wanted to stay fairly close to home. So that narrowed a lot of stuff down. And I visited, like, Oregon and Texas and a few other places, and I liked them, but it was just like, I knew it was too far and then visited Notre Dame a bunch of times. And I was like, I love Notre Dame, and I like, as a kid, like, you want to go to Notre Dame? Like, it's the same with Notre Dame football. It's like. It's like the coolest thing in the world. It's Notre Dame. It has that tradition. They've had so many great players go through there in every single sport. But, like, I just knew, like, something like, you could just, like, I could feel it in my gut. Like, I was like, I'm not supposed to go there.

[Jason Kelce]

Yeah.

[Caitlin Clark]

So I picked Iowa, and we were. I was really good at women's basketball before I went there, too. Like, made a few sweet sixteens, made the lead eight. Our coach had been there for quite a while, but they hadn't been to the Final four since, like, 1992. So I wanted to go somewhere that was good, but, like, like, maybe hadn't been, like, a blue blood for, say, in, like, quite a few years and kind of help them get back to that. And then it was obviously my home state, too, and two hours from where I grew up. So perfect distance where, like, your parents can't show up, but also, like, you could go home if you wanted to.

[Jason Kelce]

No doubt.

[Caitlin Clark]

Yeah.

[Jason Kelce]

It's important.

[Caitlin Clark]

It just kind of all worked out perfect, and obviously I made an okay decision, and it worked out pretty well, but.

[Jason Kelce]

Worked out real well.

[Travis Kelce]

Yeah, it did.

[Jason Kelce]

Did you take visits to Notre Dame and Iowa?

[Caitlin Clark]

Yeah, I took quite a few to both. Yeah.

[Jason Kelce]

Okay.

[Caitlin Clark]

What was your guys's dream schools growing up, or did you even have one? Because I like I wouldn't even say Notre Dame was, like, my dream school. It was more so, like, I just thought it was super cool. Like.

[Travis Kelce]

No, for sure. I would say dad.

[Jason Kelce]

Dad was a big Notre Dame fan. He grew up Catholic, and he went to Catholic school. Growing up, I think that, like, anybody who's, like, Irish Catholic, like, that's, like the. Like, especially in the football world. And then Ohio State was really good.

[Caitlin Clark]

Yeah.

[Travis Kelce]

Ohio State was probably the. The one school that I was like as a kid. I was like, that's the school.

[Jason Kelce]

No, like Michigan. You just stop.

[Travis Kelce]

I like Michigan.

[Jason Kelce]

You were always a Michigan fan.

[Caitlin Clark]

You can't like Michigan and Ohio.

[Jason Kelce]

Exactly, Exactly.

[Travis Kelce]

Caitlyn. The thing is, I can. I can and I did.

[Jason Kelce]

He like, you can.

[Caitlin Clark]

But, like, Michigan and Ohio State fans are not gonna be happy about that.

[Jason Kelce]

Exactly.

[Travis Kelce]

I didn't go to either one of them, so it's all good.

[Jason Kelce]

I will say. This was when he was younger. This was when he was younger. By the time he was high school, he was on the Ohio State. Like, it was just like. Yeah.

[Caitlin Clark]

Anyways, Ohio State Stadium is legit. When we would go to Ohio State, I would be like. We would drive past, and I'm like, It would make Iowa Stadium look so small, and it still seats 70,000, but, like, that place is just gigantic.

[Jason Kelce]

Yeah. I do love Iowa Stadium, though. There's something, like, very awesome there. Obviously, the thing they do at the children's hospital.

[Caitlin Clark]

Yeah.

[Jason Kelce]

Is awesome.

[Caitlin Clark]

The Wave is really cool.

[Jason Kelce]

What's. I'm trying to remember the name of it. I watched the game. I took a visit to Iowa.

[Caitlin Clark]

Kinnick. Yeah.

[Jason Kelce]

Kidding. Yeah. Yeah.

[Caitlin Clark]

Yep.

[Jason Kelce]

Great atmosphere.

[Caitlin Clark]

It's great. And the Wave is pretty awesome because the children's hospital looks right over on the. On the stadium. So it's cool. It's always been. Been a thing, but the wave has really become a thing probably in the last eight years, I want to say, because we have a kid captain for every game because the hospital is such a big deal, and it's usually a kid battling some sort of disease or has beaten some sort of disease. Not always cancer, but whatever it is. And that's always fun. They get to pick a song that plays after the first quarter, and I get the chills every time. It's. It's sick. It's probably one of the best traditions in all of sports, if not the best, honestly.

[Jason Kelce]

Wait, so what do you. What's this thing about the Wave? The Wave just started.

[Caitlin Clark]

So. Yeah. So after the first quarter, everybody turns because the. The children's hospital like, looks on top of the football stadium.

[Jason Kelce]

And so I. I remember seeing them wave.

[Caitlin Clark]

Yeah, the patients.

[Jason Kelce]

I thought you were talking about the wave. Like, they started doing a wave. They're incorporating the wave.

[Caitlin Clark]

Maybe we can get that started.

[Travis Kelce]

Maybe you're on to something, Jason.

[Caitlin Clark]

Iowa fans are gonna be fired up now. They're gonna be doing it at the same time.

[Travis Kelce]

Exactly.

[Jason Kelce]

So stupid.

[Caitlin Clark]

But no, it's pretty cool.

[Travis Kelce]

We heard you got your first recruiting letter in seventh grade.

[Caitlin Clark]

Yeah.

[Travis Kelce]

Is this true?

[Caitlin Clark]

Yeah. So at the time, like, that's insane.

[Travis Kelce]

Were you playing with high schoolers at this point?

[Caitlin Clark]

Yeah. It's honestly sad. Like, like where college, like, recruitment has kind of gone. It's just insane. But also, I gotcha. I feel very fortunate. Like, my parents were just like, they told my older brother, like, go get the mail. Like, we don't want your sister to see that. They like, wanted me to be in seventh grade and like, enjoy middle school and like, hang out with your friends. Like, you shouldn't be worrying about where you're going to college.

[Jason Kelce]

I love that so much.

[Caitlin Clark]

Yeah, so I didn't really take any visits until like after my freshman year of college. And then I didn't decide until my senior year. So I was never in a rush. And my parents did a really good job of like, make sure, you know, I have a good circle around me. Like, it wasn't always about college recruitment. I wasn't like, posting my offers. Like, also, that wasn't really a thing when I was growing up, so.

[Jason Kelce]

But it is now. I mean, it was. It had to be close to when you were growing up. I mean.

[Caitlin Clark]

Yeah, it was close. Like people were starting to do it. Like, post like, oh, I got an offer from here. I got an offer from here.

[Jason Kelce]

And especially in basketball now it's all.

[Caitlin Clark]

You see on social media. It's like only people talk about. It's crazy. But obviously times have changed too. But.

[Travis Kelce]

Oh, times have changed.

[Caitlin Clark]

Yeah, it's seventh grade was wild and I was playing up like two years, so I was playing with high schoolers. But yeah, I didn't really, like, think anything of it. Like, I was just going out there and hooping and having fun and it's kind of just what came with it.

[Jason Kelce]

How much basketball did you play? Because nowadays, like these kids play, it's like non stop. It's like.

[Caitlin Clark]

I know, it's crazy. Crazy. Yeah, it is crazy. And I. So I played AAU and then I played for my high school team, but my 8. My mom would be like, like, she is not Playing more than like three games or two games in one day. Like that's crazy because sometimes for the seventh grade team and the eighth grade team. So my parents were like really good about that. Like, they didn't want me to lose the love of it. Like, you don't want to get burned out. Like you still want to be having fun when you're doing it as a pro, if you're lucky enough. And maybe as a kid I was like, mom, no. Like I can keep going. Like I can keep playing. But looking back, like, I'm very fortunate for that because I haven't lost that fun of it and that passion for it and, and always wanting to get better. And sometimes that's why people get burned out is because they did it too much as a kid and their parents forced it on them or whoever forced it on them too much. And that was never something I really had to deal with. So I feel very fortunate.

[Travis Kelce]

Gotta have that balance. That's awesome that your parents, you know, made sure of that or at least were cautious of it.

[Caitlin Clark]

Yeah, absolutely.

[Jason Kelce]

I think the only recruitment letter Travis got in seventh grade was to Sandy Nation. Sandy Nation was trying to get him over to the high school to play.

[Travis Kelce]

To play hockey.

[Jason Kelce]

Is that what it was for?

[Travis Kelce]

Yeah, they. Nobody. That's the only sport anybody wanted me in seventh grade. Seventh, eighth grade. Is that that in lacrosse?

[Caitlin Clark]

We need the hockey highlight tape.

[Jason Kelce]

We're gonna get back out there. We, we got to get out there with the Watts. That's the goal. We got to get with TJ and JJ and all those dudes. All right, let me ask you this. We're gonna try the segment. We've never done it. It's probably gonna be very short lived. It's called Name a Person. We're going around the horn and each name an athlete from Iowa until we can't anymore.

[Caitlin Clark]

Oh, gosh.

[Jason Kelce]

I feel like you're probably not going to struggle. Can you name current players?

[Travis Kelce]

No, no, they just have to be an ass.

[Jason Kelce]

Be former players. Can they be current?

[Travis Kelce]

No, they can be former. They have to be formed.

[Jason Kelce]

They have to be former.

[Travis Kelce]

No, they could be. They could be current.

[Caitlin Clark]

I'm going to try to do like NFL current players, see if I can do. Okay.

[Jason Kelce]

You might beat us in that too. Travis has like the. Actually we both really have the positions. So let's see how I have time. All right, who's starting?

[Travis Kelce]

I'll start. George Kittle.

[Caitlin Clark]

I knew that was going to be the first person he was going to say.

[Jason Kelce]

I'm going to say, Sam LaPorta. Just to take Travis's answers away from him before.

[Caitlin Clark]

I'm going to go. Tyler Linderbaum on the rave.

[Travis Kelce]

Oh, nice. Nice. I'm going to go Claire Kittle.

[Jason Kelce]

Tristan Worfs.

[Caitlin Clark]

That's right.

[Jason Kelce]

Solid answer. That's right.

[Caitlin Clark]

The Eagles, actually. Rookie Cooper De Jean from Iowa.

[Travis Kelce]

Nice. TJ Hakasan.

[Caitlin Clark]

Ah, that's right. I always heard about him. What? He's on the Vikings, right?

[Travis Kelce]

Yes, yes. He's finally back healthy, doing his thing.

[Caitlin Clark]

That's awesome.

[Jason Kelce]

Let me get a throwback here. I'm gonna get a throwback. Throwback. Robert Gallery.

[Caitlin Clark]

His wife actually played basketball at Iowa too.

[Jason Kelce]

There we go. Look at that.

[Caitlin Clark]

Yeah, they actually came to quite a few of our games last couple of years. Great people. Cool people. Oh, gosh. Okay. Let's see. This is tough.

[Travis Kelce]

We stumped her. We stumped her.

[Caitlin Clark]

I'm thinking about NFL.

[Jason Kelce]

She's still thinking of NFL.

[Caitlin Clark]

I'm gonna go Geno Stone. I think he. I think he's on the Bengals now. I'm pretty sure he had to pick six this past week.

[Jason Kelce]

Oh, all right. All right, I'll take. All right.

[Travis Kelce]

We respect Gino. I'm gonna go a little Chiefs tight end when I first got to Kansas City. Tony Moiaki, my dog, my shy town brother. Shout out to Timo, man.

[Jason Kelce]

I'm gonna go another former teammate, Julian Vanderbilt. E. Julian Vanderbilt.

[Caitlin Clark]

Did anybody say Dallas Clark?

[Travis Kelce]

No. The legend.

[Jason Kelce]

Holding on to that one.

[Travis Kelce]

No gloves. No gloves. I'll stay in the tight end world over there. Noah fan.

[Caitlin Clark]

I think.

[Travis Kelce]

Yes. Yep. Eight, seven over there in Seattle.

[Jason Kelce]

All right.

[Travis Kelce]

All right.

[Jason Kelce]

I'm going. I'm gonna go Marshall yonder this dude. I'm pulling up the. I'm pulling up the. The old schools.

[Caitlin Clark]

I'm gonna go Riley Moss on the Broncos. I'm. I'm going with the younger players in school with me.

[Travis Kelce]

Well, I'll show my age and Jason's as well because he was the same recruiting class. He was also a Kansas City chief when I got to Kansas City. Ricky Stanzy, quarterback, Iowa.

[Jason Kelce]

Oh, man. This might be where I Right.

[Travis Kelce]

This is where it ends.

[Jason Kelce]

This might be. I'm pretty sure. I'm pretty sure Matt Tobin I'm pretty sure Matt Tobin played for Pretty sure. I'm next to positive then you lost.

[Travis Kelce]

If you're pretty sure you lost.

[Jason Kelce]

All right, we'll end it there. I think we all did very respectfully.

[Caitlin Clark]

We did great. I'm impressed.

[Travis Kelce]

That was fun. That was fun. I would. Who were.

[Jason Kelce]

I knew it to all Right. There we go.

[Travis Kelce]

That was a fun one.

[Jason Kelce]

All right.

[Travis Kelce]

What was your. What was one of your most favorite memories from playing at Iowa, though, though?

[Caitlin Clark]

Ooh, that's tough. There's a lot.

[Travis Kelce]

Yeah. Maybe one that. That everyone doesn't know about.

[Caitlin Clark]

So every four years in. In college basketball, you get to take a foreign trip and you, like, go and play some teams overseas, like, in the summer before your season.

[Travis Kelce]

What? Oh, this sounds.

[Jason Kelce]

That's great.

[Caitlin Clark]

So we went to Italy and Croatia, like, two great spots.

[Jason Kelce]

Would you like more? Which one. Which one do you like?

[Caitlin Clark]

Honestly, Croatia.

[Jason Kelce]

I've heard that. I've heard Croatia is awesome. So many people.

[Caitlin Clark]

Great. I went to Split and Dubrovnik. It's awesome. I tell people, I'm like, if you. If you're gonna go one place, like, overseas, like, that has to be the spot. It's clean, the water's beautiful. Things to do.

[Travis Kelce]

Oh, that's cool as hell.

[Caitlin Clark]

Food's great.

[Travis Kelce]

Nice.

[Caitlin Clark]

The basketball, like, wasn't that serious. We beat everybody but, like, 80. But it was just, like, so much fun. Like, we had, like, we had so many fun nights together, and you guys.

[Travis Kelce]

Were like, the dream team over there.

[Caitlin Clark]

Yeah. Like, people don't get to hear about, like, those type of memories with your friends, like, your college friends, and, oh.

[Travis Kelce]

My gosh, overseas with Croatians.

[Jason Kelce]

The. We found out. We just recently found out we were Croatian. We didn't even know.

[Travis Kelce]

That's why I got so excited when you said Croatia.

[Jason Kelce]

I got some blood.

[Caitlin Clark]

That's me. That's funny.

[Jason Kelce]

We talked about Nil earlier. How much did that change when that became a thing your senior year? Because you were unique where, when you first got to college, it wasn't a thing. And all of a sudden, it became a thing.

[Caitlin Clark]

It became a thing after my freshman year. And it was kind of weird because, like, everybody was like, okay, so, like, what is it?

[Travis Kelce]

And, like, trying to maneuver.

[Caitlin Clark]

You know, the ncaa, like, they don't have many rules on much anymore. So, like.

[Jason Kelce]

Right.

[Caitlin Clark]

There weren't many rules. And it was more so, like, okay, like, what can we do? What can we. Don't. Can we not do? And, like, we're also the first. So, like, you're trying to figure it out as you go. My family helped me a lot, but as you get going, you know, you just figure things out, and it's fun and, like. And obviously has been. Should have been a thing for a really long time. Like, the nil part of it, like, the true, like, endorsements, like, you're doing a commerc. Commercial for.

[Jason Kelce]

Yeah.

[Caitlin Clark]

You know, the local coffee shop or, like, whatever it is. Like, it's something so easy and so simple, and I think, you know, like, a normal student could do that, but, like, why couldn't an athlete? Like, it's just like such a simple thing that should have been a thing for a long time, but also it was, like, challenging to navigate. And it still is. Like seeing these college students that they don't have the right resources around them and.

[Jason Kelce]

Right.

[Travis Kelce]

It's tough.

[Caitlin Clark]

It stinks. Like, it's hard. And I think that's kind of like something that needs to kind of. Of become, I don't know, more prevalent. And I know universities are trying to start, like, having in house, like, nil people or whatever it is, or in house lawyers or whatever it is to kind of try to manage that. So they're doing the best they can too. But obviously there's not many guidelines or rules, so it makes it hard as well. But it obviously changed a lot and it's made it fun. And I think it's also helped women's sports grow too. I think you've seen.

[Jason Kelce]

Yeah, it's a great point.

[Caitlin Clark]

Yeah.

[Jason Kelce]

Women's sports has blown up with the nil stuff. That's such a good.

[Travis Kelce]

Everyone's becoming more familiar.

[Caitlin Clark]

Yeah, absolutely. So it's been. It's been great for everybody, honestly.

[Travis Kelce]

Nice. Have you ever heard of anybody. You're a little. You're a little bit closer to the nil world. Have you heard of anybody paying their taxes? Because that's what. In my mind, I'm like, I definitely wasn't ready to pay taxes when I was in college. Like, I wasn't thinking about that.

[Caitlin Clark]

I know that's what I always think about. And lucky enough, I had, like, obviously great parents and people that helped me with that. But, like.

[Jason Kelce]

Right.

[Caitlin Clark]

These people are, like, getting this money and like, little do they know, like, you're not gonna. You're gonna see like, maybe half of that especially.

[Travis Kelce]

Yeah.

[Caitlin Clark]

And so I don't know. And like, they're spending and, like, you just worry. But if you guys got to pick any nil deal in college, what are you going with?

[Travis Kelce]

Oh, Adriatico's pizza. I should sell that in a heart, Pete. I used to go there every day. If you're ever around University of Cincinnati, go on up there to Clifton and have some Adriaticos pizza. Get you a bear cat pizza. It's one of the best.

[Caitlin Clark]

All right, I'm gonna do it. I like it.

[Jason Kelce]

If I'm going for business wise, you want to get in the. The PNG family.

[Travis Kelce]

Proctor and Gamble. That's a marketing major right there. The correct answer is go to the biggest brand in the city.

[Jason Kelce]

The biggest. Like. Like, oversight of all.

[Caitlin Clark]

We need something, like, a little.

[Jason Kelce]

I'll say this. I would go a little bit.

[Travis Kelce]

Yeah.

[Jason Kelce]

Like, selfishly, the one that I would do would be Skyline, because just, like, it's such a representation for Cincinnati area. Well, do yourself a favor. Don't go. Don't absolutely hate it.

[Travis Kelce]

Don't do it.

[Jason Kelce]

It's very acquired. You have to be. You have to drink it at least three or you have to eat it at least three or four times when you're drunk to really, truly appreciate it.

[Travis Kelce]

Before you actually enjoy it.

[Caitlin Clark]

Okay.

[Jason Kelce]

I've actually.

[Travis Kelce]

I've seen Jason eat more Penn Station at the University of Cincinnati than I did Skyline.

[Caitlin Clark]

So we have Penn Station here.

[Jason Kelce]

Penn Station's good.

[Travis Kelce]

Pen is one of the best cheesesteaks in the land.

[Caitlin Clark]

Great cheesesteak. What do you think about that, Jason?

[Jason Kelce]

As a Philly guy, you're gonna put me on blast because I love Penn Station cheese steaks. And ky, There's a heated debate between Kylie and I.

[Travis Kelce]

You're about to divide a family.

[Jason Kelce]

Caitlyn, Kylie, I took her to Penn Station to have a cheesesteak. I'm like, you're gonna love this cheese steak. It is so good. And she was like, this is a cheese and steak sandwich. This is not a cheesesteak. You can't just, like, switch it. It's the same ingredients.

[Caitlin Clark]

Yeah.

[Jason Kelce]

She could not stand. It was, like, flabbergasted that this thing would even be called a cheesesteak. So I do love Penn Station cheesesteaks, but I, you know, I'm Philadelphia.

[Travis Kelce]

Kai likes the nacho cheese on the cheesesteak, though, so that's a little.

[Caitlin Clark]

See, I don't like.

[Jason Kelce]

She does American. Stop. I'm not gonna let you do this to Kylie. The one thing that I think everybody's a little bit with is the transfer portal. Right? Like, there's a kid. Penn State, like, more recently. What is it? They're starting quarterback just announced he's transferring right before the playoffs.

[Caitlin Clark]

Yeah, I saw that. I was. These are backup, but, like, oh, was it.

[Jason Kelce]

Okay, I'm sorry.

[Caitlin Clark]

But he played in a few games, even, like, quite a few games, because I think Drew Aller or whatever his name is, got hurt or something.

[Jason Kelce]

That's what it was.

[Caitlin Clark]

But, yeah, the transfer portal was crazy, especially in football. Like, I think that's where it's gotten the craziest because that's obviously where all the money.

[Travis Kelce]

Everybody's a free agent every year.

[Jason Kelce]

Well, not just every year. It's like twice a year.

[Travis Kelce]

Right.

[Caitlin Clark]

Adam Schefter's, like, reporting like, yes, they've negotiated a new deal for him to stay at the university. I'm like, yeah, like, where else is he gonna go? It's like, crazy. And it's kind of sad, like. Like, it just. You lost that little bit of, like, I don't know, amateurism of college sports. And I don't know, that's why it's so fun. But also, like, it's the world, the.

[Travis Kelce]

Level right below being a professional. Like that. Like that.

[Caitlin Clark]

I don't know, minor league football, basically, now.

[Travis Kelce]

Yeah, that's exactly what it is.

[Caitlin Clark]

I don't know. What do you guys think about the transfer portal? Do you think there should be, like, different rules?

[Travis Kelce]

I'm too old school. I didn't get the opportunity to transfer. So I think that.

[Jason Kelce]

I don't think that people should be leaving before the playoffs. I think that they should figure that out. Yeah, I kind of think that there should be a commitment level from the player to the university that there isn't right now. And I don't know if that means signing, like, term contracts. Like maybe it's like a two, three year contract that you're like, agreeing to stick with a team or a university as long as there's not like a coaching change.

[Travis Kelce]

That's what I thought it was. I thought it was. The original reason why they came up with the transfer portal was one, because of COVID but two, because coaches just were up and leaving and players were being forced to just be there with whoever came in knowing that the new coaching staff wasn't the ones that really wanted them or recruited them. So they were kind of put on the back burner. I think if a coach leaves, then a player or whoever on the team gets to be able to enter the transfer portal. But if this for sure, it should. It should go back to the old rules. If you ask a old timer like me to where if you transfer, you have to sit out a year.

[Caitlin Clark]

I know, I agree.

[Travis Kelce]

I don't know.

[Caitlin Clark]

Or I. Or I think, like, you get one.

[Travis Kelce]

Every situation is different, but for sure.

[Caitlin Clark]

Or you get a free pass.

[Jason Kelce]

I think that makes. That makes a ton of sense, having one free. Yeah.

[Caitlin Clark]

But now we got people on like, their fourth school and their seventh year. It's just getting agreed.

[Travis Kelce]

It's getting egregious, insane. I was. I was being a kid and When NCAA football, the video game came out, I was like, I just have to. I have to buy that. I have to play this. I have to act like I went to every university. And then I was like, oh, I don't have to just go and create a new, like, player. I can just transfer. So I played at four different schools, won the Heisman at each school, and I'm just like, man, could you imagine a player doing this? Because nil, if he wins the Heisman, like, early on enough, like, he's gonna get. Or they're gonna get enough money to stay. To stay at their, like, college.

[Caitlin Clark]

Yeah, yeah.

[Travis Kelce]

To stay in college for as long as they want or as long as their eligibility to let them.

[Caitlin Clark]

And what do you have to say in college for three years in college football? What do you guys think about that? You think that's good or you think that should remain?

[Jason Kelce]

Yeah, yeah, I. I'm kind of in favor of that.

[Caitlin Clark]

Yeah.

[Jason Kelce]

I. I don't know. I don't like restricting kids. Like, if they're good enough, go. But there's, like, a physicality that I feel like is still, like, very different.

[Caitlin Clark]

Yeah.

[Travis Kelce]

But it'll get to the point where it's not even the physicality. It'll just be. Guys will leave knowing that they have the potential to become that. You know what I mean? So guys will just, like, get drafted based off of potential even more.

[Caitlin Clark]

Right.

[Jason Kelce]

All right, now, happy New Year's, 92 percenters. The NFL playoffs are around the corner, and that's why we need to tell you about our special hookup from today's sponsor, SeatGeek, who are back for their third season with new heights.

[Travis Kelce]

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[Jason Kelce]

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[Travis Kelce]

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[Jason Kelce]

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[Travis Kelce]

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[Jason Kelce]

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[Travis Kelce]

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[Jason Kelce]

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[Travis Kelce]

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[Jason Kelce]

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[Travis Kelce]

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[Jason Kelce]

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[Travis Kelce]

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[Jason Kelce]

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[Travis Kelce]

Just go to the farmersdog.com new heights to get 50 off. That's the farmersdog.com new heights. All right, before we get back into the action, let's talk about something everyone needs as we roll into the playoff season and the new year. Jason, tell the people about AG1.

[Jason Kelce]

Oh man. AG1 is a game changer. It's like your morning fuel. It's a daily health drink that's just one scoop mixed with water, of course, like a smoothie or water, just plain old water. Feeling like not being fancy. It's got vitamins, minerals and preamp probiotics and more.

[Travis Kelce]

Wait, you said probiotics.

[Jason Kelce]

That's right.

[Travis Kelce]

So it helps to, to keep things moving like because after all those holiday meals, 92% is my need to, you know, little extra help getting it out.

[Jason Kelce]

Okay. I don't think that's what probiotics necessarily are, but I feel you AG1 does have probiotics and digest enzymes to keep everything moving smoothly. Less bloating, not being backed up. That's right. It helps to keep your gut healthy basically so you can focus on the important stuff.

[Travis Kelce]

What about taste? I'm not trying to choke down something that tastes bad.

[Jason Kelce]

It's got kind of a fruity taste that's actually good. And you can't, trust me, it tastes better than it looks. It's not just some green juice they have to choke down. It actually tastes bottom.

[Travis Kelce]

So how do your listeners get in on this?

[Jason Kelce]

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[Travis Kelce]

With your first box, just head to drinkag1.comnewhights that's drinkag1.com new heist to get get your free gift and start your new year on healthier note. We end all of our conversations with a segment we call we gotta ask but you don't have to answer Caitlyn. So it's as simple as that. Alrighty. Caitlin, you, you're up. And you don't have to answer these. You can tell us to just off. Did you see the new NBA all star format?

[Caitlin Clark]

I did, I did.

[Travis Kelce]

And how do you feel about this? Oh, see, that's four teams of eight with one team being the rising stars.

[Caitlin Clark]

So I saw Kevin Durant said this today or maybe yesterday or whenever it was, but they should go back to the east versus West. And that's when I loved it. I think it should be east versus West. Like that's true. All Stars, like no doubt. East versus west battle it out.

[Jason Kelce]

That's what it was about.

[Caitlin Clark]

Yeah. So I think that's what it should be. But obviously not the commissioner. I'm on board for east versus west all stars. I think that's the whole point of it. That's why you're an all Star. It's the best from the east versus the best in the west. Play each other, see which. Which side's better.

[Jason Kelce]

I'm not gonna lie. I'm not a fan of any of these in season tournaments that the NBA is doing.

[Caitlin Clark]

Yeah, I was actually talking about this today.

[Jason Kelce]

How are you, Nana?

[Travis Kelce]

What is there to not be a fan of all the.

[Jason Kelce]

All the funky floors. And then there's tournaments and they don't mean crap. Can we just play basketball? We just play basketball.

[Caitlin Clark]

I'm getting like a migraine looking at the neon green. But no, it. I feel like it was a hit the first year, the NBA cup, the commit or whatever it was. And it kind of like toned down a little bit this year. But it's interesting. They're trying to spice it up a little bit.

[Travis Kelce]

I don't know what team is what team. The jerseys aren't the same. The colors aren't the same. Jason is such a. He's such an old, stubborn dude. This is hilarious.

[Jason Kelce]

All righty.

[Caitlin Clark]

That's funny.

[Jason Kelce]

Obviously, Caitlin, you don't need to help with the ratings, but it's been in the news A lot recently that the NBA ratings are down. Should we brainstorm a few ideas besides changing the NBA courts to bring back ratings into the NBA? What do you think?

[Caitlin Clark]

That's a great.

[Jason Kelce]

You're the marketing major. Come on.

[Caitlin Clark]

I've been asking a lot of people about this and why they think they're down, but also like, it's interesting because I'm pretty sure opening day was the NBA's best open opening day in a while. So it's interesting. And obviously I think, I think the.

[Travis Kelce]

Cavs are back, baby. The Cavs are rolling right now. You know what I'm saying? Just makes the league better when Cleveland's thriving.

[Caitlin Clark]

They're really, really good.

[Travis Kelce]

Pulled that out of my ass. They are fun to watch right now, so.

[Jason Kelce]

Well, let's ask this. What do what. What are your. What are your suspicions potentially as to why the NBA ratings would be down?

[Caitlin Clark]

Honestly, like, I feel like the average, just like basketball fan doesn't understand how good NBA players are and they think. It looks like they're not trying. I promise you they're trying. They're just like so good. Like that's why it looks like they're not trying. And obviously the physicality of the league has changed a lot. And I wasn't around when it was like much more physical. And maybe people want more like beef and physicality and people think it's gotten soft. But I think that's also because the skill has just changed and like that's what's great about basketball. Like it's always evolving. Like it's going to be different than when MJ played. It's going to be different in 10 years than it is now.

[Jason Kelce]

Now.

[Caitlin Clark]

So it's hard for me to like put my finger on like why it has gone down. And also it's competing against a lot of football right now. You have to take that into consideration. Like, football is just, you know, that's America's favorite thing. I think people should like, I mean, I love three point shooting. I love seeing guys just like launch threes. But not everybody loves that. So I don't know.

[Travis Kelce]

What do you think about a four point line?

[Caitlin Clark]

I love that. Let's do it.

[Jason Kelce]

That's actually a great idea. Genius. That is genius.

[Caitlin Clark]

Four point line.

[Jason Kelce]

How does the criminal justice major come up with the best marketing plan right here?

[Travis Kelce]

Sometimes you just gotta open your eyes, Jason, look at the sheet of paper in front of you.

[Caitlin Clark]

Or we could get like just two spots.

[Travis Kelce]

Yeah, I. What about, what about. You're saying that everybody's questioning how Physical. The. The game is. What do you think? A hockey style fight won once a game. Just everybody picks a fighter who doesn't like a box and gloves.

[Caitlin Clark]

Boxing, you can come back in, you don't get ejected.

[Travis Kelce]

That's what I'm saying.

[Jason Kelce]

Got some reason to bring that physicality back.

[Caitlin Clark]

Guy wants that.

[Jason Kelce]

Yeah. What about like an NBA Jam rule where like, if you want. If you start making like a third bucket market, it's worth more.

[Caitlin Clark]

It's like heating up like you're on fire.

[Jason Kelce]

If you're on fire, it's worth more. So like, I don't know.

[Caitlin Clark]

That would be cool. That would be cool.

[Travis Kelce]

Just made me want to play NBA Jam. Have you ever played NBA Jam, Caitlin?

[Caitlin Clark]

Yeah, I, I used to have this like, it was like the whole arcade. Like the arcade.

[Travis Kelce]

Oh yeah.

[Jason Kelce]

I'm jealous.

[Caitlin Clark]

Yeah. I didn't play it in a while, but yeah.

[Jason Kelce]

Is it potentially because they're playing too many games?

[Caitlin Clark]

I think that's for sure. Probably something like 82 games on like somebody's body.

[Jason Kelce]

Like many.

[Caitlin Clark]

It's insane. Like they, like, they're not practicing a lot. Like, it's just hard.

[Jason Kelce]

If it's to the point that guys are. That your star players are having to take time off, why don't we just play less games?

[Caitlin Clark]

I know.

[Jason Kelce]

So that star players don't have to take time off. Because I. I don't know. I just. I feel like the NBA and Major League Baseball grew up in times where ticket sales were what, like, was your main source of revenue and now it's all driven by ad dollars from TV contracts.

[Caitlin Clark]

Yeah.

[Jason Kelce]

So to increase TV revenue, it's like just play less games in more impactful times. I don't know.

[Caitlin Clark]

Yeah, there's definitely ways to solve that. I mean like 82 games and we don't even. We play half of that and that's going to go up as we add more teams to our league.

[Travis Kelce]

Yeah.

[Caitlin Clark]

But like, I can't imagine Kansas City's.

[Travis Kelce]

In the shopping around for a team.

[Caitlin Clark]

Trying to bring one. I know. And they got. They got a good basketball arena there. What is it? The Sprint Center.

[Jason Kelce]

Oh yeah.

[Travis Kelce]

Sprint Center. Oh yeah.

[Caitlin Clark]

Or whatever.

[Travis Kelce]

We hold the. You're right. It. It. Golly. You just took me back. It used to be Sprint. Sprint sold to T Mobile, so now it's the T Mobile.

[Caitlin Clark]

I knew it was one of them.

[Travis Kelce]

Big 12 tourneys there every year.

[Caitlin Clark]

Yeah, it's a great spot. And then Power and Light District down there. Like it's. It would be a great, great woman's basketball could. Could be great there, for sure. I'd support it, but. Yeah, I don't know. I think 82 Games is a lot on somebody's body and, like, mentally, like, that's hard. And what is it for football? I mean, you're playing, what, 15?

[Jason Kelce]

Or are you playing 17 regular season?

[Travis Kelce]

17. And they're. Which I think is too much.

[Jason Kelce]

I think. I think the NBA. I think the NFL should be playing less regular season games, but I'm using that.

[Caitlin Clark]

And what are you playing, Travis? You're playing, like, three in the next three and like, 11 days or something like that.

[Travis Kelce]

Yeah, so it already started. I'm gonna be playing two in the next. What is it? Eight game. Eight days?

[Jason Kelce]

Yeah.

[Caitlin Clark]

Like, how do you prepare for that? Like. Like, that's crazy.

[Travis Kelce]

You just put your shoes and pads on just like the other team.

[Jason Kelce]

We're in this together.

[Travis Kelce]

And you put your face in the fan. You just know it's coming. We're all in this now, to be honest. We're ending that skit on like, the three games in 11 days. We're ending it on Christmas, and it's like, who can't get excited to play on Christmas?

[Caitlin Clark]

That's true.

[Travis Kelce]

We didn't last year, and you saw that firsthand. But this year, I think we're ready.

[Jason Kelce]

We're going to rebound on Christmas.

[Travis Kelce]

We learned from last year. Yeah, exactly.

[Jason Kelce]

You recently played in a pro am with Annika Sorenstan.

[Caitlin Clark]

I did.

[Jason Kelce]

You hit a person on a T box. I don't know how you do that.

[Caitlin Clark]

Okay.

[Jason Kelce]

The person on a two box.

[Travis Kelce]

Yeah, we. I know. I can relate. Jason, I don't know if you played in enough pro ams yet to hit anybody, but the video that was going.

[Caitlin Clark]

Viral where I, like, completely topped it, so it's crazy. Like, we're playing, like, these long par threes that are, like 200 yards. I'm like, I'm not good enough to hit a par three three. Like, 200 yards. Like, so I whip out my hybrid. I'm like, teen up my hybrid club. Just top it, like, straight out fan.

[Travis Kelce]

To the left down the third baseline.

[Caitlin Clark]

But I nailed somebody on a different par three. Like, some woman. Like, right in the shoulder.

[Jason Kelce]

Like, shoulder.

[Caitlin Clark]

And I saw. I saw a tik tok, like, the next day. Just, like, black welt on her arm.

[Jason Kelce]

Well, that's just how you get her good if she's got a black. Well, are you more competitive in golfer basketball?

[Caitlin Clark]

That's hard. I think, like, golf makes me more mad because I'm not as good at it. Like, I'm just like, the average hack. And, like, you want to be good. Like, you're competitive, just like basketball or football. Like, it's like, why am I not good at this? So. And it's like, it's like, it's an individual sport, and we're used to team sports, so I think that's what pisses me off, too. It's like, it's all on me, and I know it's all my fault, so.

[Travis Kelce]

I share your pain. Are you more nervous on the free throw line or at the first team T?

[Caitlin Clark]

First tea. Not even close. I'm, like, shaking. I, like, can't put my ball on the T. You're like, can't get it to stay on the T. You're shaking so bad trying to put in the ground. I mean, like, you're average at golf. At least you're confident in the actual sport you play, you know?

[Travis Kelce]

Touche. According to your teammates, you are quite the karaoke person. What is your karaoke song of choice or what's your go to?

[Caitlin Clark]

Oh, that's tough. It switches up.

[Jason Kelce]

Yeah. Depends on what mood you're in.

[Caitlin Clark]

Does you know what. You know what's good? Where is the Love by the Black Eyed Peas? That's a good song. It's a good karaoke song.

[Travis Kelce]

She gets it.

[Jason Kelce]

Yep.

[Caitlin Clark]

Honestly, it changes up. I like a little duet action so you could go up there with your friends.

[Jason Kelce]

Okay.

[Travis Kelce]

Nice.

[Caitlin Clark]

I haven't done karaoke in a while. What's your guys's go to song if you had to pick?

[Jason Kelce]

I have one song and I go to it it routinely. That is Total Eclipse of the Heart by the Dan Band. I will sing that at any time.

[Travis Kelce]

I'm anything. 80s rock and roll. 80 70s, 80s rock and roll. Throw it on Springsteen, you name it. Any of it. I'm. I'm like AC DC I can only do one, though. If I'm going to do AC dc, I can only do one.

[Caitlin Clark]

Yeah. That takes a lot out of you.

[Travis Kelce]

Because I can only stay.

[Jason Kelce]

I can only stay like that for.

[Travis Kelce]

So long, and then my voice is just gone.

[Jason Kelce]

So I will go Colt.45 Afroman. If I am feeling 45, what's the goat? Basketball shoe.

[Caitlin Clark]

Oh. So I play in only Kobe's. I like. Kobe's are my. I'm a good Kobe fan.

[Travis Kelce]

What numbers?

[Caitlin Clark]

The 5 and the 6. I like the 6 probably better. But 5 and 6, they're low tops.

[Travis Kelce]

So, yeah, that's why I was like, I can do the ones that's about it. But they look cool in terms of hooping. Yeah.

[Caitlin Clark]

Yeah, they look cool. And trust me, me, I've sprained my ankles a thousand. A thousand times. There's no stopping it anymore.

[Travis Kelce]

I forget which number it is, but he came out with the ones, I think after he popped his Achilles with the. The actually, like, went up, like, halfway up the calf.

[Caitlin Clark]

Yep. And they're making those again. Yeah.

[Travis Kelce]

Are they really?

[Caitlin Clark]

Yeah, I got a pair in, like, white and maybe red, so that should be. That could be the shoe you hoop in.

[Travis Kelce]

There it is.

[Caitlin Clark]

Goes all the way up his leg. Make sure he's.

[Travis Kelce]

I'm not rolling my ankle knees. I know that for sure. Just wearing a winter boot.

[Caitlin Clark]

Yeah. Literally.

[Travis Kelce]

If you weren't playing basketball, what would Caitlin Clark be doing? Since you're a marketing major, would you have gone more into that world, or you think you would have jumped into something else?

[Caitlin Clark]

Oh, man, that's tough. I think if my basketball career would have ended, I still would have loved sports just because it was, like, so such a huge part of my childhood and, like, what I did.

[Travis Kelce]

Yeah.

[Caitlin Clark]

So I don't know, maybe, like, try to work in, like, a front office of a sports organization or something like that. I think that would be cool. Not, like, the coaching side of it, but, like, the operations side and getting to do, like, free agency stuff, and I think that would be really cool.

[Jason Kelce]

Apparently you have talked about opening a rib restaurant. Is this true?

[Caitlin Clark]

Yeah. And this was, like, such a random thing when I was growing up. I, like, told my mom, like, yeah, there was, like, this plot of land, like, by where we would. Like, where we lived. And. Yeah, I, like, had this weird obsession with, like, ribs. It was like, what I asked my mom to bake me.

[Jason Kelce]

Nothing weird about it. Let me tell you. There ain't nothing weird about this. That.

[Caitlin Clark]

So I was like, yeah, I'm gonna open the rib crib. Like, have this barbecue joint. Like, heck, yeah, we'll see. I've kind of phased out of, like. I love ribs still, but I don't. I've never made ribs for myself, but I'll just hire a chef. Maybe he can run the restaurant.

[Jason Kelce]

You can just be the face behind what's.

[Caitlin Clark]

Are you baby.

[Jason Kelce]

You baby back or spare ribs? Baby back, baby back. All right, all right.

[Travis Kelce]

Giving my baby baby, baby.

[Jason Kelce]

Are you Kansas City style barbecue sauce.

[Caitlin Clark]

Or you going, I'm Kansas City? Yeah.

[Jason Kelce]

Yeah, Right. That makes sense. That adds up right there. What sides are we having? What sides are we having?

[Travis Kelce]

This dude talk about. I haven't had of Lyman at heart, have you?

[Jason Kelce]

Full disclosure, I haven't had dinner yet.

[Travis Kelce]

And now.

[Caitlin Clark]

I gotta go, like, some ma Mac and cheese.

[Jason Kelce]

Okay.

[Caitlin Clark]

What else are we going with?

[Jason Kelce]

Cornbread.

[Travis Kelce]

Some cheesy cornbread.

[Caitlin Clark]

Corn. Have to have cornbread.

[Jason Kelce]

Yeah.

[Caitlin Clark]

Maybe some, like, green beans with bacon or like.

[Jason Kelce]

Like green beans.

[Caitlin Clark]

I don't even know.

[Jason Kelce]

Baked beans.

[Caitlin Clark]

Baked beans. Baked beans are great.

[Travis Kelce]

Jason's just answering his own question.

[Caitlin Clark]

Baked beans are great. I love baked beans. I haven't had barbecue in forever. Gonna make me crave it.

[Jason Kelce]

My mouth is legitimately watering right now.

[Travis Kelce]

Come on down to Arrowhead. We'll get you some barbecue.

[Jason Kelce]

Can I get the banana pudding for dessert? Ooh.

[Travis Kelce]

All right, piece of advice for the next Caitlin Clark watching.

[Caitlin Clark]

That's tough. I think just, like, enjoy every single moment because it goes so fast, and, like, life changes so fast, and. And, you know, you only get to do a lot of things once, so have fun. Enjoy it. Remember why you do it. Because, like, you love it. You're passionate about it. You know, don't take it too serious. So I would say that that's tried. That's how I've tried to live. And obviously, some moments are better than others, as you guys know. You get competitive and caught up, but, you know, just enjoy it, have fun, and, you know, keep loving it.

[Jason Kelce]

I think that is a very wise answer.

[Travis Kelce]

Yes.

[Jason Kelce]

Especially for someone going into their second year.

[Travis Kelce]

I took so much ser when I first got in the league. I was just like, I have to do this. I have to. And this and this. And now I'm just, like, telling everyone, like, you know, it's not that serious.

[Caitlin Clark]

That's funny.

[Jason Kelce]

Before we wrap, do you have any questions for us?

[Travis Kelce]

You got it. You got any?

[Jason Kelce]

Feel free to ask. None.

[Travis Kelce]

I mean, feel free.

[Caitlin Clark]

This is still part of this. You guys were great, so thanks for having me. I appreciate it.

[Travis Kelce]

Caitlyn.

[Jason Kelce]

Cl. Yeah, baby.

[Caitlin Clark]

Thanks, Kelsey bros. You guys are awesome.

[Travis Kelce]

You're absolutely amazing. Can't wait to see you and the fever go at it again next season. When are you guys starting up for a training camp?

[Caitlin Clark]

April.

[Travis Kelce]

April. Oh, nice. So you got some time. Okay.

[Caitlin Clark]

So hopefully I can make it to a Chiefs game here soon. Maybe a playoff game or something.

[Travis Kelce]

So I'll tell you what. We punched our tickets, so we're definitely. We're gonna at least have. I would assume we at least got one at Arrowhead, but, you know, you're. You're invited to them all, so.

[Caitlin Clark]

All right, Appreciate you guys. Thank you so much.

[Jason Kelce]

Thank you so much for coming on Caitlyn. All right, and that wraps up another episode of New Heights. Thank you so much to our guest Caitlyn Clark. We will be back next week for a brand new episode. Make sure you're subscribed on YouTube to the new Heights channel and follow New Heights on the Wondery app or wherever we get your podcast. Reminder. You can listen to new episodes of New Heights early and ad free right now by joining one Replay plus in the Wondery app or on Apple Podcasts.

[Travis Kelce]

Once again, New Heights, a wonder show produced by Wave Sports and Entertainment and a big thanks to our presenting sponsor Audible. Start listening today when you sign up for a free 30 day trial at audible.com new heights follow the show on all social media at new heights show with 1s as usual and thanks to our production crew and 92 percenters. You guys are our favorites for tuning in and also making us look better than we are. Love you guys. See you guys next week.

[Jason Kelce]

That's right. Happy New Year.

[Travis Kelce]

All right, follow New Heights on the Wondery app or wherever you get your podcast. You can listen to New Heights early and ad free + enjoy exclusive episodes of the show by joining Wondery +us in the Wondery app, Apple Podcasts or Spotify today.

[Jason Kelce]

Before you go, tell us about yourself by completing a short [e-mail] survey behind.

[D]

The closed doors of government offices and military compounds, there are hidden stories and buried secrets from the darkest corners of history. From COVID experiments pushing the boundaries of science to operations so secretive they were barely whispered about. Each week, week on redacted declassified Mysteries, we pull back the curtain on These hidden histories, 100% true and verifiable stories that expose the shadowy underbelly of power. Consider Operation Paperclip, where former Nazi scientists were brought to America after World War II not as prisoners but as assets to advance US intelligence during the Cold War. These aren't just old conspiracy theories. They're thoroughly investigated accounts that reveal the uncomfortable truths still shaping our world today. The stories are real. The secrets are shocking. Follow redacted declassified mysteries with me, Luke Lamanna on the Wondery app or wherever you get your podcasts to listen ad free. Join Wondery plus in the Wondery Apple.