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The Chicago Sky Are The Biggest Letdown w/ Sarah Spain | Alley Oop (Ep 13)
00:24:40
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- [00:01]
A
Close your eyes. Exhale. Feel your body relax, and let go of whatever you're carrying today. Well, I'm letting go of the worry that I wouldn't get my new contacts in time for this class. I got them delivered free from 1-800-contacts. Oh my gosh, they're so fast.
- [00:16]
B
And breathe. Oh, sorry.
- [00:18]
A
I almost couldn't breathe when I saw the discount they gave me on my first order. Oh, sorry. Namaste. Visit 1-800-contacts.com today to save on your first order. 1-800-contacts. On WhatsApp, no one can see or hear your personal messages. Whether it's a voice call message or sending a password to WhatsApp, it's all just this. So whether you're sharing the streaming password in the family chat or trading those late night voice messages that could basically become a podcast, your personal messages stay between you, your friends and your family. No one else, not even us. WhatsApp message privately with everyone. The sky sucks. The Chicago neutral colored stars, formerly red stars, suck. And I'm like, damn it, I've been working so hard. And while they were in championship games and winning championships, no one cared. And now that they're paying attention, they suck.
- [01:22]
B
Gucci down to the size like on Biggie Papa. Welcome back. Welcome back to the Alley oop. I am joined today by my big sister, the commissioner herself, host of Good Game with Sarah Spain.
- [01:40]
A
You better act right when the commission's in town. You already know that, though.
- [01:44]
B
You already know I'm on my best behavior right now and moving forward for at least the next 30 minutes. You feel me? Also, tell the folks right now about the book you got out right now. Like, oh my goodness, runs in the family. Come on, read something, fellas.
- [02:01]
A
Thank you for. For giving it some love. The long and short of it is if you like football, there's some football in there. If you don't like football, it's not really about football. And it's a story for every single person who has a family, which is everyone at one point. You did, even if you don't know. And it is. There's an incredible twist. And the book is not just about the twist, but the twist alone is worth reading it for. It'll make you cry. It'll make you. It's very heartwarming in these godforsaken times. And yeah, I wrote it with the running backs coach for the Las Vegas Raiders. He's previously been with Notre Dame, usc, the Chiefs, a bunch of other places. But worth reading if I do say so myself.
- [02:43]
B
If I do Say so myself is also worth an audiobook. Listen, if you're out there, you feel me? Come on now.
- [02:49]
A
Yes. I have friends who are mad at me because they're walking their dogs, like, crying down the street, and they're like, people are staring at me. Mike, it's a book.
- [02:57]
B
A question from our show that we always ask is listening to a book on audiobook. Can I say I read that book if I'm out in the streets with my homie?
- [03:05]
A
I struggle with that because I have listened to a couple books and I do feel them differently than the ones I've read. And I still consider it having, like, absorbed or digested the book, but I don't consider it reading. But there's no judgment on that. There's no judgment on that because, like, I'm a podcast girl because I like to get stuff done while I'm getting other stuff done. So I'm like, I gotta learn while I'm doing this laundry or I gotta, like, learn something while I'm driving. So I don't mind if people only have time to do an audio book. It still counts. I just wouldn't say I read that book. I would say I listened to it. I absorbed it.
- [03:37]
B
Well, I'm telling people I've. I've read a lot of books that I've only heard in the streets, but that's neither here nor there.
- [03:43]
A
One day you'll learn to read juju, and then you can say you read them one day.
- [03:48]
B
But moving on to the most pressing topic right now in the streets, D.W. my. My illustrious W. It's great to have someone on to be able to talk about this W with you feel me in a W way. First off, to this point of the season right now, what has surprised you the most?
- [04:10]
A
Well, if it weren't for the injuries, I would say the Fever not looking like a contender, but that's pretty clearly about a whole bunch of new pieces and a new coach trying to find their way without any consistency. Caitlyn's in. Caitlyn's out. Duana Bonner's on. Dwana Bonner's out. So that kind of makes sense. And it is a build that you can see paying off in years to come. So the fever, I'll say, is. Is pretty well explained. I would even say the Liberty. I'm a little surprised that losing Jonquil Jones shut them down so bad, but you got a potential championship hangover and you've got, you know, a very important player that missed a lot of time. I. I will be very interested to see the Liberty in the second half of the season, especially being dogs and adding Emma Meesum in.
- [04:55]
B
Like there we go. I'm glad you said it.
- [04:58]
A
Like they didn't have enough talent already. Like and now you add this multi time like European MVP who has been in the W before and played great. So I think the most surprising is actually the Mystics. My producer Mish is a huge Mystics fan. At the beginning of the season I was arguing with them about which of our teams would be more and I was like, listen, the Chicago sky aren't going to compete for anything, but look at this talent. This is going to be so fun.
- [05:25]
B
Right?
- [05:26]
A
Spoiler alert. It has not been fun and Misha's Mystics are outperforming expectations. So I would say it would be that or the Mercury Phoenix Mercury first season without Diana Taurasi, who retired. First season in a long time without Brittney Griner who moved on to the dream. I was expecting a lot of rebuilding over there and they have been real good.
- [05:49]
B
The Valkyrie real quick. Yeah, the Valkyrie, my most surprising team because it ain't all the time where an expansion team comes aboard and is an immediate contender like this. They beat girls, right? They being girls by 20, 30, like great teams. They had a little stumble in Connecticut the other day. I think it's the time. It's like 1pm 11am I think when.
- [06:13]
A
You have a player like Kayla Thornton, it's not just that she's leading your team in most statistical categories. It's like the heart and soul and knowing that you have someone that's having the best season of her career, just went to her first All Star and having her suffer a season ending injury, like mentally you're just like drained by that. It's a bummer for what's to come in the second half in your postseason hopes. And also you just feel bad for her because they got absolutely pounded by the worst case team, the Connecticut Sun. But yeah, you're so right. And you know what's been really impressive about them? Not just the play, but that team is now the highest valued team in the league and they haven't finished a single season. My queen Jess Smith, president of the Valkyries, who only just made Angel City the highest valued team in the nwsl, skipped her way over to the wnba, takes over the Valkyries and does the exact same thing in half a season. Like I would follow her into battle if you want to make some money and get shit done. It sounds like Jess Smith is your.
- [07:11]
B
Woman but yeah, I think that's a big blow because I think Kayla was in the running for most improved player this year. If this injury is just going to take a little bit too much off of the season for her, that's probably still getting contention to that award. But damn, bro. Yeah, she was having a great season. Rubbing off in the locker room on them rooks. Getting them right. They hard nose too. They ain't just. They ain't just out there. Finesse 3 and Kate Martin had. Giving you a jab step now, Tiffany Hayes. Hi, Trey. Ball in your face.
- [07:41]
A
Leading with her face.
- [07:43]
B
Come on. Right? Always prayers to my sister Tiffany.
- [07:47]
A
Yeah, watch the face, girl. That's the money.
- [07:48]
B
No. Oh, my goodness. It's like once every game I'd be like, oh, no. And then she get up. Thank God. But moving on to like you said to those Vegas Aces, I think right now their biggest problem to date is they can't get the gold mamba to even be the orange, red, pink. Just be a. Any type of mamba.
- [08:14]
A
It's more of a caterpillar than a snake.
- [08:17]
B
Any type of mamba. Jewel.
- [08:19]
A
And that's my girl. I'm sad. I had such high hopes for her.
- [08:24]
B
Right. I feel like. But I still like yesterday. The flashes are there. I feel like if they can find out the combination to that, to the chemistry set they have in Las Vegas where they can get Jewel to Jewel a little bit Wild Jack Jax, Wild Asia, Asia's and Wild Chelsea behind the backs. That's gonna be scary to face if they just figured it out. And it's, let's say round one of the playoffs.
- [08:54]
A
Seen it in the past with teams that have found their stride right before the postseason and come out of lower seeds to win. Chicago sky are a great example of that in their championship season. But yeah, I feel like I'm sad about Jewel because I'm such a fan of her game. And I also, I wanted what felt like a not great experience for her at the end of her time. I wanted her to get to a new spot and thrive and have a good experience. And it's been a rough start in. In Vegas. She just hasn't found her groove yet. And then to your point in general, it's just consistency. They have the talent that's very clear. And so I feel like Becky Hammond on the moments where she really lets loose in the post game presser, she always has the same messages, which is like, I don't know who's going to show up for me on a given day. I Don't know what kind of effort I'm getting. I don't know what kind of defensive stops, I don't know who's going to show up and be hitting shots. And that's so hard to coach and it's so hard to work through because it is just how do you get a whole team to buy in and make it happen and you have to wonder about the pieces that left and you know, if I had the time and if my whole job was just scouting and analyzing W games, I would really be looking at old tape and trying to figure out the biggest differences in the style of Kelsey Plum versus Jewel Lloyd. The players that they've lost in the last couple of years since their championship teams to now that might have felt like supporting cast, but we're like glue gals. That made the whole thing work.
- [10:19]
B
Moving on to a little bit, kind of the same, the same vicinity area. Way too early to tell right now, but there's a race for that eighth happening right now. What is your early prediction? Who do you predict will get that eighth and final spot in the playoffs this year?
- [10:39]
A
I'm looking at the standings now at this very moment that we speak.
- [10:43]
B
Okay.
- [10:44]
A
We got a couple teams all bunched together. You know who is absolutely shocking me is the Los Angeles Sparks have won five games in a row. Guess who just got cleared to return to play our girl Cam Brink, who's been out 13 months after that ACL meniscus. I had pretty much given up on the Sparks. They had a slow start to the season. You weren't sure. You know, I was actually at the opening game, Sparks, Valkyries, when Kelsey Plum went off and I was like, oh, okay, this is how it's going to be. She gonna get 35 every night. And then it wasn't that. And they struggled, but also they've got this magical Julia Julie connection now that's happening with Van Lou arriving and I'm interested to see if they can keep it up. They've beat a couple good teams during this five game winning stretch and I think the Valkyries, unfortunately I was pretty confident in their chances of maybe eking in, but without Kayla Thornton, I'm a little bit worried about their staying power. So to me, I mean, the sticks, I think the sticks, yeah.
- [11:50]
B
So you sit down, I see you.
- [11:51]
A
Yeah. I mean, it's been funny.
- [11:54]
B
It's got that Jewel Lloyd thing going on to me though, because when she want to she get up behind right to the hole in file and have your big man in foul trouble and I Damn near dunk on them every game, but. Or every place, should I say. But it's like sometimes she's more passive. And I get it. It's regular season winding down. We got the Mercury in town. I got like six seats over here.
- [12:15]
A
I. I think it's fun watching Kiki and Sonya from the very beginning of the season kind of already be like, we belong here. We're good. And I think that that's a trend we're going to see as the years keep coming with the college players being professionalized, not just by nil, but like, the quality of the game, the. The amount of people viewing and attending, like they're already stepping into the league so much more prepared. And we always have these conversations about not enough roster spots, which is still true. And there are still some talented rookies that can't be quite make the cut. But when you see ones like Kiki and Sonia that arrive and Paige, who, despite the dumpster fire that is Dallas, is breaking all sorts of records of first to this many points and assists and everything else, you can tell that we're going to get this influx of talent, whether it's az, whether it's Hannah Hidalgo, whether it's juju that come in and are also like, yeah, no need to give me any time to get used to this. I'm already a pro, which is really fun.
- [13:10]
B
Well, look, I know about somebody who I think is doing a horrible job at times. I want to call them people away for a little while so they can get some reps and come back. The WNBA referees, man, we gonna have to get it together at some point. At some, like, I don't know, do we need to have a benevolent offering for y' all to take up so we could just hope, like, sacrifice, Right.
- [13:37]
A
Official.
- [13:38]
B
Exactly. What do we. What can we do, y'? All? Because, yeah, like, is there a. Like I said, I want to sign up to B A W like WNBA ref.
- [13:46]
A
They might let you in. Based on the quality that's happening right now, you might be just thrown right out there. I mean, I think there's a number.
- [13:52]
B
What is that supposed to mean? I've been the best referee in the world. Talk about.
- [13:57]
A
There you go. You'd be the. Probably the longest tenured. You're five minutes. That's part of the problem is, as in so many spaces in the world and in sport, when people get really competent, they send them to the men's side. And the women's game isn't always a destination for everyone. And so if they're Shuffling their best refs and using the ws, a sort of incubator to bring talent up to the. To the NBA side. Then you're not only losing the best talent, but you're also, again, getting rid of anyone with veteran experience. So we've got new people in there. We also seem to have very different ideas on any given night about what qualifies as a foul, how physical to let them play moving screen. All the stuff. All the stuff. And, like, the problem isn't just how frustrating it is for players or gamblers or viewers. It's also subliminal, subconscious message you're sending to people about the value of the product. And this is something that has plagued women's sports in a million different ways. Over the years. From everything from game experience, which was piddly, diddly, to what kind of production value is on your screens, right? Are you watching a game that somehow only has, like, two TV angles and looks like it was shot on, like, a home video? Those things. And I remember talking to a friend of mine who worked in production and is a director for. For TV and digital and said, you might not even know why you're changing the channel. It might not even be like, I know my brain is telling me this product isn't that great, or I don't like this camera angle or whatever. You might not even know it. You might just be flipping. It bothers you. Like, I'm trying to remember, was it the dream that had the court that, like, I could not. I can't watch games on it.
- [15:39]
B
Like, wait a second. Okay, let's talk about the gray on the glass. The glassy gray.
- [15:45]
A
I. I'm not sure. So I haven't watched a dream game in a little while, but I think it was Sky Dream. The sky we're wearing, like, light blue with navy. The dream were wearing navy with light blue. And the court was navy with light blue. And I was like, what am I watching? I can't.
- [15:58]
B
That was Sunday.
- [15:59]
A
That was what's a player? What's a court? Which team they're on? So anyway, that's rough.
- [16:03]
B
You win.
- [16:04]
A
That was not subliminal for me. I was like, I'm turning this off because this I can't. I can't even focus. But a lot of times people don't even know why. And something like officiating, where you're so frustrated watching about what you're seeing on the court that you're like, man, I'm turning this off. This sucks. That's bad for the product and the game. And the league. So it's not just frustrating. It's really telegraphing people a message about whether you think that this league is worthy of paying people enough to stick around and paying people enough for it to be a destination. Which man it's been frustrating, bruh.
- [16:35]
B
See, that's why I got my sister on right now. She give you the Socrates philosophical Dr. Phil Way. Oh why the referee our ass. Our ass. What she means. You feel me. I'm a trans. I'm y' all's trans.
- [16:54]
A
Thank you. Thank you. Yes for the people.
- [16:57]
B
But yeah man. So we're gonna get what's we're gonna get some early predictions title I'm talking about right now I feel like Emma missing and changes every single thing idea I already had that I had in my head also too by the way my team I want to I think is going to get that a spot is also your LA Sparks because Ray Burrell I see you Azarae waking wake her up Rekia. Wake her up. Dear Kahnby, Rekia's been going off right wake her up. I feel like and they wake they woke up right now and they're getting the potions right and the levels evil.
- [17:37]
A
Style but that's right real Hollywood story come from behind camp break shows. Yep. Superstar comes in, changes everything. Who's just who My prediction for I think you're right about Emma Misiman obviously is a huge addition. I'm curious to see how mid season you adjust to John Quell coming back. Brianna Stewart could be at a couple games thankfully seem to avoid serious injury. Emma Misiman added to the picture. I can't pick against the links right now. I know the Liberty should get the benefit of the doubt as the defending champs. All that talent. But I think if you get into a series like last season and one team was the team that lost by a whistle or two and a player too and the other team had a great off season of parades and celebrations and going to their home countries to be brought as a conquering hero and the other one was stewing over that and by the way also co founding a league where they won MVP in the 1v1 and you know, pretty much was a baller. I think that's the team that has the edge and I I have really respected the way the Liberty have played this season even during that stretch without John Quell in terms of not having that championship hangover you always hear about. But I think when push comes to shove, if it's literally pushing and shoving for that last point, my money's on the links.
- [19:05]
B
What is your biggest letdown so far this season? Who has let you down the most? Whether it's a player where there's a team that you thought would be here, but is there, who's the biggest letdown thus far?
- [19:18]
A
I don't want to be a homer, but I'm just gonna say the Chicago sky for a couple reasons. One, because just in general, it sucks to live in a city where I've been working for years trying to get people to jump on board the women's sports train. And it finally feels like there's enough momentum behind it that even the jamokes on local radio that used to make fun of women are still, you know, they're finally addressing it. They're going to get, they're all these jerk offs that like, used to make fun of it are now taking courtside seats that I know they're getting for free instead of paying the league so that they could say they went to Angel Reese versus Caitlin, and it's like, fuck you. You've never cared. But those people are at least acknowledging that women's sports exist and talking about it occasionally. And our teams suck. The sky sucks. The Chicago Neutral Colored Stars, formerly Red Stars, suck. And I'm like, damn it, I've been working hard and while they were in championship games and winning championships, no one cared. And now that they're paying attention, they suck. So I would say that I really wanted to see Camila. I thought she was going to take more steps this year. I, I think angel has actually done a remarkable job considering the, the just general vibe of the team. I thought Haley Van Lith might do more. I'm really bummed about Sloot getting injured, and I really hope that's not it for her, but I wouldn't be surprised. You know, she passed her own damn wife in, you know, career scoring for the franchise, and I don't know if she wants to recover and come all the way back. They've got a newborn, Ali Quigley retired, so they can go off and be Vander Quigs together in life with their baby and not play again. And I wouldn't want to play again if it was for the damn Chicago Sky. So I would say that. I mean, the Aces, too. But, like, at least the Aces fans have been getting a good show the last couple years and a couple championships. We haven't gotten shit since Candace left and we got really excited about our draft picks and looks like we're heading for another big draft pick that we can ruin. Sorry, this is what I have to say to those. Chicago.
- [21:13]
B
Come on. Blur the shirt. Blur that shirt out. Oh, and y'. All. She who shall not be named. Y' all lost her last year and I understand she was a headache. I understand she had a lot of stuff. Yeah.
- [21:29]
A
We're missing those points though.
- [21:31]
B
I'm talking about. I. Bro. I already know that she was putting them in the organization through a lot.
- [21:38]
A
Yeah. It wasn't a long term solution based on everything I heard. There was no way of like building for a future around that. But did you see the video of her kissing boobies in Mexico?
- [21:47]
B
She's not coming out the video for kissing boobies and. Exactly.
- [21:50]
A
She's living the dream.
- [21:52]
B
She was living her life. I've never seen nobody happier in this day in my life.
- [21:56]
A
And she makes me sad. I have to be honest. I used to kind of just talk smack about people like that and now I feel sad for them because you are self sabotaging. You have so much talent. You could offer so much. And to be basically kicked off three different teams like you're getting in your own way. That's sad to me. There's obviously something going on there that needs to be like healed and figured out. But I mean, go kiss some boobies. I guess maybe that's healing.
- [22:20]
B
Right?
- [22:20]
A
Healing for some people.
- [22:22]
B
Because her. But. But she on that court. Oh my damn. Like bruh. It was during the time out here in Atlanta last year where like the ball was bounced to the referee and she just ran up and grabbed the Rams him. Two hands.
- [22:35]
A
Yeah.
- [22:35]
B
And I was like.
- [22:37]
A
Okay.
- [22:37]
B
What was that? Yeah. Right. There's nobody. Why isn't everybody going crazy right now?
- [22:42]
A
Yeah.
- [22:42]
B
But. Yes. Get well soon. But she.
- [22:45]
A
She.
- [22:46]
B
Well, she's very good right now. She's signing autographs.
- [22:49]
A
Yeah.
- [22:50]
B
Very great places. So.
- [22:51]
A
Yeah.
- [22:52]
B
I think that that about does it now. Like I did not expect the Chicago sky to get that blowtorch.
- [22:58]
A
I'm so sorry.
- [22:59]
B
In that such a way.
- [23:01]
A
But they deserve it.
- [23:03]
B
They don't deserve it.
- [23:04]
A
Like you said to let me down. Man.
- [23:07]
B
If we give in the wings. Coach. A better chance or at least one more year to get it right. Tyler Martin.
- [23:13]
A
I really. Listen. I'm letting the Connecticut sun off the hook because I had no expectations and they've lived up to those. No expectations. Whereas the sky I expected more of.
- [23:22]
B
Thank you so much my sister for joining me today.
- [23:25]
A
Thanks for having me.
- [23:26]
B
You made my job 100% easier just listening to the goat commissioner talk.
- [23:33]
A
Man.
- [23:34]
B
Like you are always welcome here. I always wish you nothing but the best.
- [23:39]
A
Thank you.
- [23:39]
B
You gave me love during the pandemic. You and your husband showed me love during the pandemic. And y' all don't know, man, that really sparked some belief back into myself because that pandemic was a lonely place for a lot of people who lived alone like myself.
- [23:55]
A
Yeah.
- [23:55]
B
And so you guys showing me that love in the pandemic, man, I always moving forward, consider you and Brad family. You feel me?
- [24:02]
A
Oh, that's nice.
- [24:03]
B
So I appreciate see you. Seen you at All Star Weekend having a blast. I'm always rooting for you, sis.
- [24:09]
A
We keep talking about the W. Keep talking about all these amazing women in this league because we need more voices who watch it and know it and love it to talk about it.
- [24:17]
B
Hell, yeah. And like that, baby, we are out of here. Salute. Thanks for watching the show. Please take time and help a brother out and subscribe to DLS Hoops right now. You feel me?