Team USA wins Olympic opener as other traditional powers fall

Summary

No Offseason: The Athletic Women's Basketball Show Episode: Team USA Wins Olympic Opener as Other Traditional Powers Fall
Release Date: July 30, 2024
Hosts: Zena Caida, Chantel Jennings, Sabrina Merchant

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Introduction: Setting the Olympic Stage

The episode kicks off with Zena Caida welcoming listeners to a special edition of No Offseason, tailored for the Olympic Games in Paris. She introduces the returning hosts, Chantelle Jennings, who is live from Lille, and Sabrina Merchant, who remains stateside. The hosts express excitement about covering the Olympics, highlighting the unique perspectives each brings to the table.

Opening Ceremonies: A Blend of Tradition and Modernity

Sabrina Merchant shares her experiences from watching the Olympic opening ceremonies from an Irish pub in Lille. She paints a vivid picture of the event, emphasizing the mix of traditional French elements with unexpected performances.

[16:17] Sabrina Merchant: "I really loved like the death metal Marie Antoinette beheaded part. That was very, very cool."

Zena Caida echoes this sentiment, particularly praising Celine Dion's iconic performance on the Eiffel Tower, which she believes epitomizes French grandeur and musical excellence.

[17:21] Zena Caida: "You cannot top Celine Dion performing in the Eiffel Tower. You literally can't."

Sabrina also recounts moments of cultural exchange, such as interactions with local Uber drivers who are avid fans of Team USA, and the overwhelming support French fans show for their national teams.

Team USA's Dominant Olympic Opener

Transitioning to basketball, the hosts delve into Team USA's impressive victory over Japan in their Olympic opener. They discuss the game’s dynamics, key performances, and strategic adjustments made by the team.

[20:18] Sabrina Merchant: "They played to their strengths, playing to the fact that they were tall, playing to the fact that they also had some connective connections beyond Team USA."

The commentary highlights standout performances from players like Chelsea Gray and Sabrina Unescu, who showcased exceptional teamwork and scoring prowess.

Analyzing Team USA’s Performance and Strategy

Sabrina Merchant provides a detailed analysis of Team USA's approach against Japan, noting the initial struggles with Japan's three-point shooting and the adjustments made in the second half.

[25:41] Sabrina Merchant: "They worked harder to get over screens in the second half, and that's okay because Brittney Griner and Asia Wilson in the paint can cover."

Zena Caida complements this analysis by emphasizing the importance of Team USA's transition game and how their physicality and speed contribute to their overall success.

[24:19] Zena Caida: "The transition game was amazing for Team USA and it helped them."

Looking Ahead: Challenges Against Emerging Teams

The discussion shifts to upcoming matchups against Belgium and Germany, where Team USA will face teams with different strengths and playing styles. Sabrina anticipates that these teams will employ physicality and strategic plays to challenge Team USA’s dominance.

[32:03] Zena Caida: "Some of these other teams have some momentum and there's a little bit more parity across the board coming out in the world stage."

Sabrina counters this by asserting Team USA’s historical dominance and depth, suggesting that while other teams are improving, Team USA remains the favorite.

[33:13] Sabrina Merchant: "Team USA has won seven gold medals in a row in this sport... They are still the favorite."

Spotlight on Key Players: Asia Wilson and Brianna Stewart

The hosts delve into the standout performances of Asia Wilson and Brianna Stewart, discussing their impact on the game and how they pose significant challenges for opposing teams.

[36:34] Sabrina Merchant: "Chelsea Gray was walking through the mix zone... it's awesome to have those players. There's a real opportunity for the versatility of these post players to be on display."

Zena Caida adds that the synergy between Wilson and Stewart is unparalleled, making it difficult for any team to contain their dominance.

[36:28] Sabrina Merchant: "No, I don't think so. No, I don't think anyone can stop them."

Fan Engagement and National Pride

Chantel Jennings provides insights into the atmosphere surrounding the games, particularly the passionate support from French fans. She highlights the cultural pride and enthusiasm that permeates the stadium, enhancing the overall Olympic experience.

[40:12] Sabrina Merchant: "Every Uber driver I've had is not just like, oh, I like French basketball. They're like, oh, Marine Johannes, like, Gabby Williams, oh my gosh, like the defensive queen."

Zena Caida reflects on the cultural differences in how national teams are celebrated, contrasting French national pride in their sports with the U.S. approach.

[42:12] Zena Caida: "The way that they show up for showcasing their country and their particularly their women's teams... it's a part of national discourse."

Conclusion: Maintaining Excellence and Future Prospects

As the episode wraps up, the hosts reiterate Team USA’s commitment to excellence and their strategic approach to overcoming challenges in the tournament. They emphasize the importance of staying focused and adapting to the evolving competitive landscape.

[35:22] Sabrina Merchant: "When you sign up to play for USA Basketball, you expect this level of scrutiny, this level of pressure... you just have to go into every game knowing that everybody's trying to beat you."

Zena Caida closes the discussion by expressing confidence in Team USA’s ability to sustain their legacy and secure another gold medal.

[35:27] Zena Caida: "They are going into every game knowing that everybody's trying to beat you."

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Notable Quotes:

• Sabrina Merchant [06:16]: “I'm a big hammock head. Sunshine, a hammock, a paperback western. That's my kind of everyday indulgence.”

• Zena Caida [17:21]: “You cannot top Celine Dion performing in the Eiffel Tower... There’s no other country in the world.”

• Sabrina Merchant [33:13]: “Team USA has won seven gold medals in a row in this sport... They are still the favorite.”

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This episode of No Offseason provides a comprehensive and engaging analysis of Team USA’s performance in their Olympic opener, enriched by personal experiences from the hosts and insightful commentary on the broader Olympic environment. Whether you're a die-hard fan or new to women's basketball, this summary captures the essence of the discussion, highlighting key moments and strategic insights that define Team USA's quest for Olympic glory.

Transcript

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[Zena Caida]

For the athletic I'm Zena Caida and this is the Athletic Women's Basketball show presented by AT&T. Welcome back to the Athletic Women's Basketball Show. Special addition of course for the Olympics. We are joined again by Chantelle Jennings who is live in Lille as well as Sabrina Merchant who stateside with me. Watching all the action for the Olympics this summer I feel particularly sad I am not in Paris. My sister has already been to a men and women's game in Paris. I'm so jealous and I'm just looking at all the content on Shelton Chantelle Jennings Instagram that she specifically redownloaded for the purpose of Keeping us up to date. I mean, that is love, folks. And of course that makes sense because she's around. Paris. The Paris Olympics is all about love, festivity, feasting, and of course, sport. So let's get into it because, Chantelle, ever since you've been back in my home country, I've just been adoring all the content, loving to go through the experience with you. But I haven't actually talked to you yet about what you've been experiencing, what you've seen, et cetera. So let's first kind of dive into that before we get into the basketball things. That's also happening. What has a Leo been like and has it met your expectations?

[Sabrina Merchant]

Well, Zena, we haven't talked, but I do have to say that I've thought of you often. Every time I attempt to speak French, I'm like, I wonder if Xena would think I'm doing this well. And usually the answer is no. And I've. I've thought of your mom every time because people actually say, ooh la la. Like, oh yeah. Oh yeah, yeah. I heard a small child on the train do something the other day and she turned. Her dad went, voila. And I was like, oh my God.

[Zena Caida]

So people think this is like something out of like TV shows. And like. No, people genuinely go, oh. Like, it's just like. It's very much. It's just like character acting at all times. But this is their life.

[Sabrina Merchant]

Yeah, but I've. So I've actually thought of your mom a lot and I've thought of you. So though we have not talked, I have. I have thought often of Xena.

[Zena Caida]

Thank you.

[Sabrina Merchant]

Leela is awesome. It is. I wasn't sure what it would be like. Obviously, we are apart from Paris. We are not near the rest of the events and all of the athletes and sort of all of the action. But I've gone into Paris a good amount just because that's where Team USA is practicing. And so I have ridden the train now once I was supposed to write it multiple times, but our. Our train line was one of the ones that was hit by the arsonists. And so on the second or third day I was here, I actually ended up driving with our colleague, Joe Varden. Nothing like a two and a half hour car ride with a colleague you have only known for a little bit. Your day started off well. It was. It was great. Joe was. Was a wonderful captain of the car and he played dj. And, you know, we just had a lot of conversation, but it's been really good. And Leo, It's. I feel really grateful because this sort of feels like one of those places. I was sort of equating it in my mind to, like, Pullman, Washington. Not in that it reminds me anything of Pullman, Washington, but Pullman Washington, when I was covering college football, was a place where I was like, I would have never come to Pullman, Washington ever in my, like, normal daily life. It's not a place that you would go from for any reason, unless you're covering Washington State sports or you're going to Washington State. And then I left Washington State, and I was like, I love Pullman. It's great. Like, good restaurants, beautiful scenery, nice people. And I feel the same way about Lille. Like, I don't think I would have ever come to Lille if not for the group play games being here. And it's a lovely city. Great food, great beer, nice wine. Like, beautiful. There's a park here that's huge near the Citadel. Like, it's just been really, really lovely. So I feel really grateful to be here.

[Zena Caida]

There you go. Pleasantly surprised. I want to ask you, Sabrina, do you have a city like Pullman, Washington?

[Sabrina Unescu]

Well, I think the. The beauty of a city like Pullman, Washington is you have no idea that you should have gone to visit it until you actually get there. So probably not yet.

[Zena Caida]

Okay, There you go. I don't know if you came across one on your travel. I'm like. As she's saying that, I'm, like, racking my mind to figure out if there's a city like that where I'm like, huh? I've been pleasantly surprised. I will keep you guys posted on that. But right now, we now know that Leo is on that list. Shout out to Chantelle. Now, Chantel, you just mentioned that you know you've been to Paris because Team USA is practicing there in that time. Like, have you been able to go to any of the other Olympic events? Is Team USA able to go to other events? Like, what is the kind of quote unquote, off time or downtime look like out in Paris?

[Sabrina Merchant]

And, yeah, so I have not been to any events quite yet. The events have only started, like, 48 hours ago. And I've been between Paris and Lille for these games, and I was at four games today and so haven't been to anything yet. But that will change over the next 48 hours. Keep your eyes tuned to the athletic.com. but it'll be interesting to see what the women do today. The men had the day off, and so I was talking with Joe and Sam Amick, who are here reporting on our men's team and they were saying that, you know, they were, they were interested to hear what events the men were going to go see. I'm wondering if maybe tomorrow the women might have part of the day off for the whole day off. I know a bunch of the players were being asked earlier this week, like, which events do you want to go see? And the, you know, I think like Brittney Griner was talking about how she really loves longboarding and stuff. So I bet she's probably going to try to get to a skateboarding event. If I were a betting woman, I think. Kalia Copper said she wanted to go see rock climbing because she had met some of the rock climbers during the opening ceremonies and they had said that they started rock climbing at like age 2. She was like, I can't even imagine that. So I think she was going to try to get over to that. And so, I mean, as you know, it's such a huge city, everything is so spread out. And so I will be very curious to see what they're able to get to. Their hotel is sort of closer to certain events. But you know, tbd, I'm sure later in the week or perhaps via Instagram as well, we'll have an idea of what they're seeing and what they're doing in their free time.

[Zena Caida]

Well, that's actually funny that you mentioned that because that's how I found out via Instagram that Anthony Edwards from the Team USA men's team was at the ping pong game today. Or I guess I think it's called table tennis. Excuse me, I want to be correct in what that's called. It is not called ping pong. That is what the commoners say. I am a commoner.

[Sabrina Unescu]

I'm sure that's what Anthony Edwards calls it.

[Zena Caida]

Yeah, right, exactly. So no, I love the videos, like Steph Curry going up to Anthony Edwards and sell it. Like the table tennis athletes saying that they could beat Anthony Edwards and in Anthony Edwards fashion with the most confidence that any average 20 something year old in America should have just says, yeah, I mean I could beat them. So he's there apparently scouting out his competition and seeing just how much he has to put up.

[Sabrina Merchant]

I would actually like to see that. I would like to be these sort of like, it's like all the guys that are like, oh, I could beat her. And one on one for like WNBA players. And it's like I would actually like to see that. I would actually like to see Anthony Edwards get his butt kicked by, like, America's top table tennis player. That would be wonderful.

[Sabrina Unescu]

In fairness to Anthony Edwards, he came down to, I wouldn't win, but I would get a point off of them, which I don't think he'd even get a point off of them. But it is, like, a reasonable level of confidence for a guy like Anthony Edwards to just say, it wouldn't be 21 nothing.

[Zena Caida]

Right, right, right, right, exactly. No, he. He had a little bit of sense in him not to disrespect the table tennis, you know, casual fans to the table tennis table. Anthony, we're calling you out right now. No, I loved. I love when the athletes, like, kind of get together and they're seeing other people who are great in their respective fields. Like, that is the coolest, absolute coolest thing from where we are, Sabrina and I, being stateside, we just got a little bit of a glimpse into the opening ceremonies and just, like, what the athletes were experiencing in terms of being on the boat together, hanging out, taking all the photos, taking the selfies, seeing all the stars of the team USA women's basketball team be obsessed with all the other athletes that are amazing in their respective sport. And from what, you know, like, you know, being there in the opening ceremony, I really would love to hear what the vibe was, because from what we saw, it was wet, very rainy, but still super inspirational. Right? Like, the. It's still cool to see your favorite athletes from different countries coming down the river, and they're all, you know, in their regalia and their flags and everything. And then there's a lot going on, too. The performances. There were a lot going on. There was just. There was a. There was a lot going on. So I would love to hear from your perspective, Chantelle, like, what was the opening. What were the opening ceremonies like for you?

[Sabrina Merchant]

So, similarly, because Joe Sam and I are up in Lille, we didn't travel down to Paris for the opening ceremonies. And at first I was like, oh, I don't know how I'm going to feel about this, because, like. Like, events, you have to get press. Like, we had certain seats where all of our reporters were at, and you could only get so many. And so we were all sort of figuring out the plan ahead of time. And so rather than going to the opening ceremonies, Joe Sam and I went to an Irish pub in Lille and watched it with other French people.

[Zena Caida]

What was that like?

[Sabrina Merchant]

It was so much fun. It was just great. Like, it was funny because, like, you know, the. It's happening, and we watched the French like television broadcast. So I have no idea what you guys saw in America. I'm sure you saw way more of the Americans than we did because Team USA was on our TV for like three seconds and then they were gone. The French did not feel like giving Team USA a shine, I don't think. But so we like when Lady Gaga's feet were showing, I had seen a tweet earlier in the day of like, oh, this is Lady Gaga practicing. And so I was like, oh, I know it's her. And so I don't think the people we were sitting with knew like, oh, we're reporters. And not that a reporter would know that, but like so we see her feet. And I was like, oh, it's Lady Gaga. And then Lady Gaga comes out and there were a few French people that are like, how did you know that? Like they think I know what Lady Gaga's feet look like or something. And I'm like, oh no, it was on Twitter. Sorry. But I like ruined it for them. Like I ruined the reveal. Like, sorry about that. My mouth shut for the rest of it. And it was just really fun to watch everyone come through. And when, when the French boat came through, it was like everyone was just so excited. And when the American boat came through, it was like very dead.

[Zena Caida]

Yeah, no, that makes sense. You know the French are kind of known to be haters a little bit and a little bit of biters. I can say that as a person with a French passport. You know, they kind of like low key are like the Americans, but then they love everything the Americans do at the same time. It's a thing. It's a thing. It's a thing. I want to know and I. Sabrina, I want to ask your part to like what was your favorite part? I know what mine was easily, but I would love to know what you guys parts were.

[Sabrina Unescu]

I really loved like the death metal Marie Antoinette beheaded part. That was very, very cool. Yeah, the republican celebration of France. I thought that was awesome.

[Zena Caida]

It's pretty dope. I agree. That was pretty fire. That was pretty fire. What about you, Chateau?

[Sabrina Merchant]

I felt like just the. We took so many hard left turns.

[Zena Caida]

Like yes, from including the death metal Marie Antoinette.

[Sabrina Merchant]

But like we went from yes and I forget what was. It was like Lady Gaga to death metal to like interpretive dance with like extra water falling on the already like rain soaked dancers, which made it even more dangerous. Like we just took so many hard left turns and I was just like this is so extra and I love it. And it's Just like all of these different. It was just perfect. I thought it was so much fun. It was so unexpected. It was so different. And I thought, if you're going to be a country that's like, you know what? We're going to do the opening ceremonies entirely differently than they've ever been done before, like, do it. And I just felt like they did. What was your favorite part? Xena?

[Zena Caida]

Well, I mean, on that. It's so funny that I think we all loved it. You know, at least we had parts of it that we really liked. It's so fascinating to me that there's a lot of reviews of it being mediocre. And I'm like, sure, maybe the rain made you feel like it was mediocre, but I thought it was pretty. Pretty thoughtfully put together. They were. Had it been a sunny day, I'm sure that there could have been a different vibe. Overall, the pouring down rain did not help. But for me, you cannot top Celine Dion performing in the Eiffel Tower. You. You literally. You can't. You can't. Like, I don't. I don't. There's no other country in the world. Maybe, maybe if Beyonce performs on the Statue of Liberty, maybe, maybe. But Celine Dion and what she means to French people. And not only just French people, but like the French diaspora, like colonialism, where everywhere that France was in the world, Haitians. Consider Celine Dion Haitian, okay? All. All the Guinean, Guinea, Ivory coast, like, all the French colonies of West Africa, Celine Dion is of them. So there was an entire group of people, including my family, including me, include all these French people around the world were just like, celine Dion is back after fighting a debilitating disease and is back. And not only is she back. No, no, no, no, no. She didn't just show up and perform on a stage. She showed up and performed on the freaking Eiffel Tower, folks. Like, what? I'm sorry. Like, France could have done actually nothing else. He could have been like, you know what? To hell with it. It's too much. Which is actually very much within the French, like, realm of doing things. Okay? He could have done nothing else and just had Celine perform and we'd have been like, voila. Yeah, that was by far amazing. Sabrina, I think you had something to add before that, though.

[Sabrina Unescu]

Well, like, the very hating American part of me loved when they had the athletes who were carrying the torch, you know, to the hot air balloon cauldron. And one of the athletes was the French swimmer who was notably chased down by Jason Lezak during Michael Phelps's eight gold medals, and I saw Elaine Bernard holding the torch, and I just. I lost it. I called my brother. I was like, can you believe they have him as part of a relay again?

[Zena Caida]

That's amazing. I didn't even think about that. Wow. See, this is why. This is why we need our writers on these shows, because they. They put things together from years ago. I didn't even think about that. Wow. I wonder if they thought. I mean, they had to. I don't know.

[Sabrina Unescu]

I mean, he's very decorated Olympic swimmer. I'm sure there are more, you know, elements to his Olympic resume that I have forgotten, but that's the one that resonates to me.

[Sabrina Merchant]

But as an American, the Michael Phelps context is what you need, and so the French might not think of that.

[Zena Caida]

Right, right, right, right. All right, well, let's just keep it going. Let's actually talk about some basketball now, because.

[Sabrina Merchant]

Wait, is this a basketball podcast?

[Zena Caida]

Is it? I forget.

[Sabrina Merchant]

I don't think we're a basketball podcast anymore, guys.

[Zena Caida]

But you know what this is.

[Sabrina Merchant]

Are we a Celine beyond podcast?

[Zena Caida]

We might be. I have no problems with that, y'all. I grew up on Celine. I love her. I love her. I had tickets just. This is not relative or relevant for this podcast, but I had tickets to see Celine Dion on April 2020. You know what happened in 2020? On March 11, 2020. Yeah. Yeah. Mm. Ruined my life. So now I have hopes of possibly seeing her again because she performed at the freaking Eiffel Tower. I could talk for the rest of the podcast about how much that means to me. But anyways, let's continue. Let's continue this on now, at the time that we're recording this, it is Monday, July 29, which means that the Team USA women's basketball team has had their first game. And if you watch the game, they ended up beating Japan, their first opponent. Also the opponent that they beat by 15 to win gold back at Tokyo four years ago. They beat them 102, 76. That score is not reflective of what happened earlier in that game. Okay, but even before we go into the game and talk a little bit about what was kind of the X's and O's and everything that was going on. Chantelle, walk us through. You know, the lead up to this game, expectations going into this game. I know you've talked to Cheryl Reed. You talked to former Olympians, and then particularly this matchup because of the history between these two teams.

[Sabrina Merchant]

Yeah, I think, you know, every opener for an Olympics is a big deal. You have jitters. Diana was saying today, you know, this is her sixth Olympics. But she said she still gets a little nervous and it's good because it makes you run faster. Which was particularly helpful against Japan because they were moving the ball all over the floor. But in terms of this team specifically, listen, there's things we know about Team USA simply because of the depth of basketball in this country, the lack of time they have together, like it was going to take them longer to gel. And so the team that we saw in the All Star Game like a week and a half ago, is that what it was at this point? I don't know.

[Unknown Speaker]

That's crazy.

[Sabrina Merchant]

So that team looked different than the team we saw against Germany looked different than the team we saw against Japan today, which was actually today's Tuesday, July 30th for me now. So yesterday. But it was interesting. You know, Cheryl came out after the game and I don't think anyone on Team USA was feeling supremely proud of how they played. But the thing that everyone kept reiterating was like, you just have to get better through the game. Like there's not enough time for this team to be together to think that they're going to be at their best form right now. And that was something Diana Taurasi said as well. Like you don't want to peak too early, you want to peak in game six. Like that in theory is going to be the hardest game because it would be the gold medal game. And so as long as you're consistently getting better through each 40 minute game, you're on track. And that's sort of what Team USA needs to do and what they've always done. And so in that regard, Cheryl was pleased. I think she was frustrated with sort of how they defended the three point line early on. And she said that maybe she was a little too stubborn and in staying with their defensive scheme and not moving to a switching defense sooner. But they ultimately did that and, and working through miscommunications and, you know, I think we all love to hear Sabrina talk excesses and O's on this. So I'd love to hear what she was screaming at the TV while all of this was happening. But you know, ultimately they're 1 0. They did what they needed to to win. At the end of the day, the two best players in the world are on Team usa, so they can overcome a lot, including shooting terribly from three point line while the other team is shooting really, really well from behind the arc.

[Zena Caida]

I mean, the threes from Japan were something that Even going into the game, everyone knew this is what they did four years ago. Diana Ferrassi mentioned this on media day during All Star Weekend. Like, really, really fast moves a lot, shoots threes, and that was clearly on display. Their brand for Japan absolutely showed up. And when you're talking about those, like, high top of the arc screens, the US Was struggling to get around them, to get around the clutter screens, as I would like to say, like ones that don't actually do anything but helps you get distracted from another screen. That's actually key. And yeah, I mean, I don't know you, Sabrina, to be someone that yells often, but I'm sure you were taking some notes on, you know, what you were seeing out on the court, knowing that they got the win and they ultimately got the win playing to their strengths, playing to the fact that they were tall, playing to the fact that they also had some connective connections beyond Team usa. Chelsea Gray, Asia Wilson played really well together. New York, New York Liberty's Sabrina Unescu and Brianna Stewart played really well together. Then they, Chantel mentioned it. Stewie and asia combining for 46 points. Unbelievably great. So great things happening. But was, as you watched the game, you know, what were the things that stood out to you as like, okay, this is the thing they're going to really need to work on if they want to get to the gold medal game.

[Sabrina Unescu]

Now, it's interesting that Chantel said that, you know, Cheryl Reeve talked about how they didn't maybe adjust as soon as they want to. They were a little bit stubborn in their base and wanted to play out of that defensively as opposed to, you know, compensating for what Japan does. Because we talked about this last week where, you know, it's gonna be interesting to see how much does the USA just exert its own style of play or does it use its versatility to respond to what other teams are going to do? And we saw in the first half, like, we're just going to try to play the way that Cheryl Reeve wants to play, like this is our base defensive system. And it was fine. You know, they were up 10 or 11 at halftime, but not overwhelming to the effect that you would hope the USA would be. And, you know, they switched a bit more in the second half. They just, I think, worked harder to get over screens, frankly, in the second half. And, you know, you can be aggressive like that when you have Brittney Griner and you have Asia Wilson in the PA paint, like, it's okay if you get Beat someone is going to be there to cover your ass in the paint. And like, as you mentioned, they are big. So it's pretty easy for Team USA shop blockers to take care of the paint. So I just thought that that was like an interesting thing to note where the USA like tried to be the USA for as long as possible versus, you know, specifically responding to what Japan does. And I think it's a good mix of like, you know, we got, we saw what the USA wants to do in terms of playing a little bit, you know, congested. That's what Sheryl Reeve likes to do in Minnesota. They like to pack the paint, really control that zone defensively. And then they were able to be a little bit adaptive and responsive and like, okay, well, all Japan is doing to beat us is hitting threes and then making some crazy ass floaters, which frankly, you're just, you're going to give up the floaters, that's okay. But you can contain the threes. And I think they did a much better job of that in the second half.

[Sabrina Merchant]

I also think the other piece that, you know, this isn't a full team that has been to the Olympics before and though everyone has played internationally, I think the FIBA level of physicality that ref sort of let players play to, I think even players who've played a lot of FIBA basketball, it was like, oh, right, this is. We're back to this again. Like every time Team USA got the ball like Japan was there. And it wasn't just like they were there. It was like their hands were like playing up to the level that refs were allowing, which is smart. Like, that's how you want to play. That's how you want to get into Team USA's mind and like their body and affect passes and affect decision making. And they certainly did it. We saw Sabrina Unescu got hit really hard by a screen. There were several reporters afterwards that asked about, you know, her husband's in the NFL. Like his cronus gonna like give you like, props for, for taking that hit.

[Zena Caida]

Like, do you think she bounced right back up? She bounced back up. Good for her.

[Sabrina Merchant]

Way to go. And obvious Kalia Copper took that hit in the first half with Ray Machida, I believe. And you know, it was just a 50, 50 ball like it. But it's just like, it's very, very physical. And Kalia was fine. She came back into the game. Cheryl said that they checked with her, you know, that it wasn't anything more. It was just she got the wind knocked out of her. But you know, it was sort of a scary moment there for a bit, but it's a very, very physical game and it's a very fast game. So I think also just sort of getting back into the mindset of that of, like, oh, yeah, this is. This is slightly different than what we've been playing for the last few months.

[Zena Caida]

Absolutely. And not only that, physicality calls for less whistles. That game moved fast. Like, I would look up and it's fourth quarter already. I was like, oh, this is what happens when there's not a whistle stoppage, like every five seconds. Got it.

[Sabrina Merchant]

I think Cheryl wanted a few more whistles.

[Zena Caida]

Yeah, I'm sure she did. I'm sure she did. But I'll say this, and I'm going to have to make sure I say this very clearly so that there's no offense taken, because there's none intended. Japan plays with the energy level of a high school JV team. And what I mean by that is youth has not experienced pain in their knees, in their backs, in their bodies. Has not. Doesn't look as if they've ever faced an injury. Okay. They were bouncing to the ball. The way they came to passes is like the way you teach young kids how like the sport for the very first time. And they're just so energetic and so enthusiastic to go get the ball. That is how they play defense and offense. And then you look on the Team USA side, it was very much giving. We've been through some things. Okay. We're playing through some injuries. We played through some things. And the only time that you saw the speed on display for USA was in the turnover to fast break. To me, the transition game was amazing for Team USA and it helped them. But every time that the Team USA had to take the ball out the basket, out the net, and go up the court, they struggled because Japan was really putting on that pressure as you're talking about, and that physicality. Now, looking at the next few games, thinking about Belgium and Germany, like the rest of the teams in their pool, is that physicality something that the USA team can expect to keep having?

[Sabrina Merchant]

Yeah, absolutely. I think every team has now seen that this is a way to affect Team usa, so they're going to at least try it and certainly play up to whatever the refs will allow. I think where it will get interesting is that they're not going to have the same sort of size advantage against Germany and Belgium that we saw against Japan, especially with Belgium. I'm really, really curious. Obviously, Stewie and Asia were the stars of this game as they could be and should be in most games. But Belgium has a much more interesting matchup defensively with Team USA with Emma Mieseman and Kiara Lin. Skins. I think that size as post players and sort of how they can be physical in a much different way because they have a bit more length to them. It'll be really interesting to see just how Belgium decides to use that and sort of on that same trend. You know, Belgium came out and lost their Olympic opener and it very much felt like a home game. So I'm sure that Belgium feels like they lost a home game, like they lost this home opportunity. Belgium is a 20 minute drive away from Lille basically and so they are going to be wanting to make a statement on Thursday night when they play Team usa. Not just because it's Team usa, not just because this is a team they lost to in the Olympic qualifiers, but because their Olympic dreams really like they need this win so much. And so it'll be really interesting to see how they come out and attack Team USA in that game.

[Zena Caida]

I'm thinking about the size advantage that Team USA has that they're not going to have against these other teams and another thing that they're going to have to look out for is the fact that some of these other teams have some momentum and there's a little bit more parity across the board coming out in the world stage. You look at teams that have performed really well in past World Cups, in past Olympics. Australia, China, Belgium all taking a loss in their first games out giving some teams that have not notoriously been known as the better teams. Nigeria getting their first win since 2004 against Australia. Germany debuting on the world stage at the Olympics, getting their first win over Belgium. This aspect of, you know, the target is on the back of Team USA seems even bigger now that you're seeing these like lower, lower. I don't even want to say lower, but they're just not have performed at that level yet. Teams starting to perform. How does Team USA continue to battle that target on their back and ensure that no matter how tired they get, no matter if their three point shot is off like it was against Japan, like they still can find some success. Sabrina.

[Sabrina Unescu]

So Team USA has won seven gold medals in a row in this sport and if they were to win a gold medal here in Paris, it would be the longest stretch of team success in Olympics history. I think the current longest stretch of seven gold medals which is accomplished by the men's American basketball team back from 1932 onwards. So eight gold medals in a row, unsustained, I'm sorry, unparalleled level of success for a team sport. So I think it's a. Yeah, honestly, watching all of these teams sort of suffer upsets, maybe even more confident in USA's ability because it's not so much that I think that there is an extra level of parity. I think the teams that were supposed to challenge the USA are still not at their level. Like, that's the way I interpreted it. And you know, the USA took care of business against a team that was in the gold medal game three years ago. So it's, you know, not like it was just some run of the mill group stage game. It was a team that has challenged them before. And yeah, they were up by 11. Halftime, they won by 26. Like it was a very comfortable win. I think it's exactly what you'd expect it to look like for a team that is en route to a gold medal. So let's not to like disrespect what Germany did or Spain's win yesterday or you know, even like Puerto Rico given a fight to Serbia the other day. But I just think it shows just like another level to what the USA has accomplished and like how impressive it is that they haven't even lost a group stage game since 1992.

[Sabrina Merchant]

Right.

[Sabrina Unescu]

Like, this is just a team that consistently rises to the level. And even if there are challengers coming through, like Australia has had sustained periods of success. You know, Belgium, you know, just mentioned won the European Championship. Like the USA just keeps doing it over and over again. Like you ask what it's like to have a target on their back. This is just par for the course. When you sign up to play for USA Basketball, you expect this level of scrutiny, this level of pressure coming in and the fact that there are other teams that have performative of expectations, you know, over the first two games of group play, I don't think it changes anything for the United States. I think they are still the favorite. They know that they're the overwhelming favorite. They're going to be treated that way. And you just have to go into every game knowing that everybody's trying to beat you. Like that's their gold medal game playing the United States.

[Zena Caida]

Right, right.

[Sabrina Unescu]

You just, you know, every time you step onto the court, that's the expectation.

[Zena Caida]

Absolutely. And not it's going, it's going up your gold medal game. It's going up against the goat in Asia, Wilson. It's going. If you, if you can get a bucket on Asia Wilson, I'm sure you're going home and you're like, you know, we took the L, but a. I got a W within that realm. Because Asia Wilson is. She's a problem. She is a problem. You know, listening to the NBC analyst Lashana Robinson talking about, you know, how she's elevated her game, you could see it on the floor, and we've seen it throughout the WNBA already, but today, her guarding one through five pretty much right. She's. She's got people that are coming up to her hip bone as she is guarding out on the. On the perimeter, being able to get beat, and then still using her length to block shots, etc. That's. That's really like, the thing I want to ask about is Briana Stewart and particularly Asia Wilson. Do you see anyone stopping them, stopping their dominance? Chantelle or Sabrina, anyone?

[Sabrina Merchant]

No, I don't think so. No.

[Zena Caida]

I just don't see anyone challenging them.

[Sabrina Merchant]

I mean, I think they will be challenged. I don't think they will be stopped. Because I. I do think, you know, like I said, I think Belgium is going to really want to make a statement on Thursday night. And I do think that Carolyn Skins and Emma Mieseman are sort of a tandem of players that present problems that Team USA isn't used to seeing necessarily, or that they haven't seen yet in sort of the games that they've played. Maybe, I guess All Star Game would be a good example of that level of play, but just sort of that really well rounded stretch, four, five, who can shoot three, sort of tandem that can cause problems. That said, are they gonna stop Asians, Stewie? No, I was talking, you know, after. After the game tonight, Chelsea Gray was walking through the mix zone, which is where you interview players afterwards, and I stopped her and I said, you know, you get to play with Asia all the time, obviously, but what is it like to be a point guard who gets to throw assists to the two best players in the world? And she was like, oh, it's awesome. It's really awesome. Like, it's even better because Stewie's not getting deflections all the damn time. So just being able to sort of have those players. And I think I had put this in our live blog earlier tonight, but I think there's a real opportunity for sort of the versatility of these post players to be on display through this tournament because they're just such good passers. And I thought there were opportunities tonight to show that where they were sort of opening the paint a bit and allowing each other to cut. And I think that's only going to continue to happen. And as that happens, like, then you get BG into the fold, then you get Fee into the fold. Like, all of these other ways that they can play on and off one another. Even today, I thought as the game went on, we saw Chelsea sort of get more comfortable throwing those passes. She had a few that were just like. Like, I mean, a normal Chelsea grasses, like, threads the needle. But, like, some of those that were like, oh, shit. Like, how did she get that in there? And we're used to seeing her do that with the Aces, who she practices with all the time. But, like, she wasn't just throwing those passes to Asia or to Jackie Young or to kp. Like, you know, I can't think off the top of my head, but, you know, some of them went to Stewie, right? Like, she just had a few of those passes where it was like, ah, like, she's settling in. Like, let Chelsea cook. Just like, let her cook and let her do her thing, and this team's gonna be fine.

[Zena Caida]

Chelsea has some beautiful passes. Great high, low play with Stewie and Asia. Britney, bg, Brittney Griner had some beautiful. That one bounce pass where she drew two. Sabrina Yanescu made a great cut with the reverse layup. I was like, okay, pg, let me see. You wanted to. You didn't win the skills competition, but you want to make sure we knew. Okay, I get it. No problem.

[Sabrina Merchant]

Should we call her pgbg?

[Zena Caida]

Oh, you know, I don't know if that's what. That one's gonna stick, Chantelle. But I appreciate the effort, you know, I get it.

[Sabrina Merchant]

The point. God, and the pgbg.

[Zena Caida]

Pgbg. You know, we can.

[Sabrina Merchant]

All night.

[Zena Caida]

This is gonna be like trying to make fetch happen, you know, But I think we might have to just round that up to the fact that it is 2am Your time. Maybe not your best material, but it's a good start. We got some time, though. You're going to be here for a while. Chantelle, before you go, what are you feeling from the French fans around the game of basketball? How much love are you feeling?

[Sabrina Merchant]

It was okay. I mean, on so many levels. Every Uber driver I've had in Lille, because the stadium is outside of the city, and so I take an Uber to get there. And so they always ask, ask after. I say.

[Zena Caida]

Oh, there you go.

[Sabrina Merchant]

Okay. I don't speak French. I'm sorry. That's what I say the most. Like a proper Minnesotan. The word I use the Most in French is, I'm sorry, I'm so sorry. But every Uber driver I've had is not just like, oh, I like French basketball. They're like, oh, Marine Johannes, like, Gabby Williams, oh, my gosh, like the defensive queen. Like, all of this stuff. Like, they know this team. And it was so cool because today they played Canada and it was 25,000 people, everyone standing and singing the national anthem. And I just got chills. And Xena, the French national anthem rocks.

[Zena Caida]

It does. If you knew the words and what they meant, though. It's kind of intense.

[Sabrina Merchant]

That's what I was talking to Meg Linehan afterwards and I said, oh, my God, like, this is the best national anthem I've ever heard. And it was. It was incredible. And everyone was. Gabby Williams said she almost cried. I was like, well, yeah, I almost cried. Like, it was so beautiful. And May goes, yeah, if you knew what it meant, you might not. So. But I thought, honestly, like, the way that this country is showing up to support its women is really, really cool. And Diana Taurasi said it the other day, she said, you know, the team that people aren't talking about enough is France. Like, playing France in France, that's a challenge. And I think, you know, we can talk about matchups all day and if it gets to the point that France and USA are playing, like, Sabrina can break that down for us 100%. But, like, if there is a team with a sixth player, it is France and probably a seventh player. Like, it was deafening. I had to put on my noise canceling headphones and I could still hear the French and it was still loud with my noise canceling on, but it was just like truly, truly filling the arena. And this was a night when Marine Johannes was not shooting well. I was like, oh, my God, if she starts hitting threes, I think the roof is going to blow off this place.

[Zena Caida]

Yeah. No, the love for sport in general in France is huge. But the love and the equality in the love for women's sports, to men's sports is there. Like, I still very much remember being in France at the time that the French women's team was preparing for the World Cup. You could not go on, like, on television. You could not flip through a channel, a news channel, like a general news channel, without a segment being dedicated to this team where they were practicing, what their hotels were like, what they do in their free time. They were consistently and constantly talking about the French national team for the soccer team. Meanwhile, the US Women's national team is also preparing for the World cup, and we barely could get a segment on ESPN or barely could get a segment on whatever it is like it. The way that they show up for showcasing their. Their country and their. Their. Particularly their women's teams. Always the case. And it's very much a part of national discourse that their national teams perform well. And I think that this has to do why it's not the case like this in America. I don't fault America for this. It's because the national teams take a backseat to all the other leagues. Right. There's not the same level of an NBA in France in the way that the marketing around the NBA takes over the conversation for men's basketball. The way that the WNBA takes precedent or. Excuse me, NCAA women's college basketball takes precedent in conversation of basketball over anything else. Right. Like the national women's basketball team. You know, that's not a. That's not the preeminent league and team that you look at when you're talking about women's basketball in the United States. You're looking at college, and then you're looking at the wnba, and I think that that's starting to shift, thankfully. But in other countries, there's not an ncaa. There's not that system. Right. And then, of course, there's. There's leagues, but those are very regionalized, so people are very tied to their regionals, their region's teams, and their. Their particular league's teams. And then when it gets to the country, it's like, we're all together. All together. Now, let's talk about France showing up on the world stage. And most other countries are like this because they don't have these, like, amateur leagues and other professional leagues that garner the same amount of attention. So I love that you had that experience of just seeing how much France loves their sports, their country, their patriotism for their country. And just a tip, definitely look up the translation to the French national anthem, because it's gory.

[Sabrina Merchant]

But do I want to?

[Zena Caida]

I mean, it's like talking about, like, cutting throats. Okay. Like, I'll just say that it's pretty. It's pretty intense. It's pretty intense. Like, they. They wanted vengeance when they made this song.

[Sabrina Merchant]

So you're saying the equivalent for the opening ceremonies then was the heavy metal part and not like the Celine Dion part?

[Zena Caida]

Oh, absolutely.

[Sabrina Unescu]

Okay.

[Zena Caida]

Oh, absolutely. The whole Mary Antoinette cutting off heads like that is normal. That is very much a part of French history all the way through from the national anthem through today's history even. I mean, it's it's this. That's just how French people are. They're very like aggression. It's real. Anywho, I just love it. I love that it's in France. I love that I could talk to people in France about it. I could talk to you, Chantel, about what's going on. Sabrina, and I can just like get all the insight from you. I'm very excited to see what sport you go see coming up this week, but we'll be back here. I know you will have a special talk after the Belgium game. So, guys, make sure you are subscribed to this pod so you don't miss out on that conversation. I want to see how Belgium shows up and see what they do against Team usa. But again, as we close out, Team USA is now one and oh in the group stage after having beat Team Japan. Chantelle has gone to an Irish pub already and I think even before this started, she may have had a different nationality's beer being consumed. Shout out to Chantelle being relaxing on the pod. I love that for you. All right, guys, thanks for listening in. Chantelle, go to sleep, girl. On behalf of Sabrina, Chantelle and I, this has been the athletic women's basketball show and we are so grateful for your ear. Thank you. We encourage you to keep listening, keep watching, keep loving the game, folks, because that's the only way we're going to keep growing it until next time.

[Chantelle Jennings]

As.

[Sabrina Merchant]

We head into the playoffs. It's safe to assume there will be.

[Chantelle Jennings]

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[Sabrina Merchant]

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[Sabrina Merchant]

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Wallet and get Discover. Based on the February 2024 Nielsen report. Learn more at discover.com creditcard this podcast.

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[Zena Caida]

ACAST powers the world's best podcasts.

[Sabrina Merchant]

Here's a show that we recommend.

[Zena Caida]

Hey guys. Welcome to Giggly Squad, a place where.

[Sabrina Unescu]

We make fun of everything, but most importantly ourselves.

[Sabrina Merchant]

I'm Paige desorbo.

[Sabrina Unescu]

I'm Hannah Berner.

[Sabrina Merchant]

Welcome.

[Zena Caida]

Welcome to the squad. Giggly Squad started on Summer House when.

[Sabrina Unescu]

We were giggling during an inappropriate time.

[Sabrina Merchant]

But of course we can't be managed.

[Sabrina Unescu]

So we decided to start this podcast to continue giggling.

[Sabrina Merchant]

We will make fun of pop culture news. We're watching fashion trends pep talks where we give advice, mental health moments and games and guests. Listen to Giggly Squad on Acast or.

[Sabrina Unescu]

Wherever you get your podcasts.

[Zena Caida]

ACAST helps creators launch, grow and monetize their podcasts everywhere.

[Sabrina Merchant]

Acast.com.