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- [00:01]
A
Attention.
- [00:04]
B
The party is about to commence.
- [00:11]
C
Welcome to the party. What's up, party people? I'm Julie Foudy.
- [00:20]
B
And I'm Abby Wambach.
- [00:22]
A
And I'm Billie Jean King.
- [00:23]
B
The Kinger is back, baby.
- [00:27]
C
Cha Ching. Okay, Kinger, you were, like, on this amazing trip. I was following closely on Instagram. I'm like, what is happening? You went to South Africa, where Alana is from, of course. And her family is all there still, right?
- [00:43]
A
Yeah.
- [00:43]
C
For the holidays. Yeah.
- [00:45]
A
We had relatives, we had friends, we had. God. Children. Oh, my gosh. We had. We went on a safari while we're there. We went to Cape Town, Joburg and all that. It was just an amazing, amazing.
- [00:57]
C
The safari looked amazing. Yeah.
- [00:59]
A
I was like, oh, my gosh. If anybody out here, if watching or listening, if you haven't been on a safari, I haven't. It costs money, of course, but it's worth it.
- [01:09]
B
Wait, Billy, did you. Were you in, like, one of those, like, open jeeps?
- [01:14]
A
Absolutely open. You see the lions, you see the giraffes, and sometimes you see nothing except the outdoors, but you just keep quiet. You keep listening and looking, and you have a guide, and then you have a lookout guy.
- [01:28]
B
Were you scared?
- [01:31]
A
I'm alert. Scared a little. I'm a wimp, though. You know, I'm a total wimp.
- [01:36]
C
I'm alert.
- [01:37]
B
I really want to go on safari, but I wanted. I want our kids to be a little bit older so that it's like something that they really remember. Yeah.
- [01:44]
A
Oh, you won't forget it. You have to do it.
- [01:46]
C
Yeah. Okay. But then, of course, in Kinger fashion, she goes from being in South Africa, and literally, I was like, oh, Alana, you're back. Kinger, you're back. And they're like, nope, we're going to Germany tomorrow. 24 hours. Hours later, I was like, what? So tell us about that turn and. And how you possibly do this.
- [02:09]
A
I don't understand how you can do that with difficulty. You know, I didn't want to miss it. They really wanted me to go. This is for the WTA announcement with Mercedes Benz, the biggest deal, really, in the history of women's sports.
- [02:22]
C
Yes.
- [02:23]
A
With. In Mercedes Benz. We're at the museum, which was just phenomenal. The antique cars. I didn't even get a chance to see them. All I did was work all day doing media. But I was thrilled to be there. Thrilled. Even asked me. And, you know, we had. It's amazing. They're going to be amazing, partner. So I'm really happy. And, you know, we had the WTA ventures there with Marina Sorti and we had. Valerie Camillo is going to be the new chair. We had all kinds of people, a.
- [02:54]
C
Bunch of rad women.
- [02:55]
A
Right. Women are really leading the WK now. Steve Simon, who was there is just leaving. He was a great guy. But anyway, this is really exciting. It's going to take a lot of work. You know, you get these exciting things, but, you know, nothing is just given to us. But I think it's going to help women's sports, women's tennis. Yeah. And the deal I was. It was thrilling to be there, actually.
- [03:16]
C
As I understand it, it's. So Mercedes Benz has signed this potentially $500 million long term deal, as you said. They're becoming the premier partner and automobile exclusive automobile partner of the Women's Tennis association. And it starts next year in 2026. But they're investing about 50 million annually to boost women's tennis visibility. Of course, create player experiences. I read. And support the goal of achieving equal PR across the tour by 2031, which is really cool.
- [03:54]
A
Yeah, everyone's trying like crazy because we do believe in equality and inclusion and women and men should get the same. So that's what we've fought for forever since we started the WTA in 1973 and that was the first year the US Open had equal prize money.
- [04:09]
B
So, Billy, is Mercedes gonna give you a car? Because if they do, I would love to see you in a G Wagon, the new electric model. I'll make sure.
- [04:17]
C
G Wagon. G Wagon. G Wagon.
- [04:20]
A
I think my license just expired. I have to go get it again.
- [04:23]
B
So I'm in.
- [04:26]
A
Their ambassador is Roger Federer. He was there and of course I love him. He's a great guy. And he has two sets of twins, two girls. He's got two girls and two boys and his sister has twins. So it's a very twin family. So it's great to see him. And also, Coco Gauff was just signed on as the woman ambassador for Mercedes Benz. So we got to see her virtually. So that was fun as well.
- [04:49]
C
As someone who founded the WTA so many years ago and have been fighting for recognition and equal pay and all these things. What, what does that mean to you in that moment where you're like, this company is going to drop a half billion dollars on women's tennis alone in the next 10 years?
- [05:08]
A
Well, I made sure that I thanked every single one at Mercedes Benz because it's a long haul, man. People don't see the challenges you have on the ground and how hard it is I mean, we're talking about the WNBA now. We're talking. You know, it's a constant. Just constantly discussing with the players, with sponsors, with everything media. It's. You just keep moving forward. Of course, my brain is always how it works. It's like, okay, what's. How do we make sure we do a good job for Mercedes Benz? You know, how is this going to help us? How can we make a difference in women's sports? You know, my brain's just flying, so it's always a new beginning. These things, it's not really. It's a continuum. And you know that with soccer, any sport, it's just a lot of work. It's one thing getting it, it's another thing maintaining it and keeping it.
- [06:01]
C
Well, it was awesome to see. I'm glad you were there for that big moment. I'm really happy turning around from South Africa and jumping over from New York to. Back to. To Germany. I hope Mercedes Benz knows what you did for that as well. So. All right, coming up.
- [06:15]
B
I think that.
- [06:17]
A
I think that's hilarious. Coming up in mine, Jules, but thank you.
- [06:21]
C
We're drafting our three favorite events or moments of 2025. So literally the ones that moved us, that stayed with us, that we're still talking about, and that shaped sports for this year. And of course, we're making it competitive because that's what we do. We're. We're fiercely competitive. But before we look back, we want to look outward, actually. And instead of our usual party starter, we thought this would be really fun for us to actually talk about some of the voices that are lifting us up or creators or podcasts or books that you're reading, basically, people who inspire us and people who are doing, like, the thoughtful, important work. So we're each sharing someone. We think the party people should be watching, listening to, reading, or following in the new year. So let's get this party started with the highlights and headlines. You'll want to celebrate this week in women's sports. Our party starter is brought to you by Ally the Bank. That is your Ally Kinger. Who you got? I'm taking you first, sister.
- [07:36]
A
Well, I'm sorry, everyone, but I love history. I'm a history major.
- [07:39]
C
Why are you saying sorry, by the way? You shouldn't apologize for that.
- [07:43]
A
Well, some people don't like it, but just.
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B
I do.
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C
I do.
- [07:46]
A
You do.
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C
So important.
- [07:48]
A
Okay, well, I've been reading this. I finished the book. Birch buys book. And you, all of you out there probably are going, who the heck's Birch? By he was a senator from Indiana. And I got to know him and he's one of the co authors of Title ix. So just reading about his life, his wife Marvella, we had a discussion one time and he said, you know, I got to write the set 37 words of Title IX, and everybody out there, please know about Title IX. That's really when women's sports took off. That's the first time we had athletic scholarships ever. And the first one went to Annie Meyers in 1974 for basketball at UCLA. So anyway, he just had no idea because in this 37 words, there's the word activity. And he said we couldn't decide whether to leave it in or take it out. And they took it in. They left it in. They took it out. They duned. They kept talking about it, well, if they hadn't left it in, we would not have athletic scholarships. And he said, thank God we left it in. And he had just made such a difference in my life over time. But I just want everyone to know him. And then, you know, the book's called Making a Difference.
- [09:06]
C
I was just gonna say what's it called?
- [09:08]
A
Yeah, Making a Difference. So everyone please read this book if you have a chance. It just will clarify why we have what we have now and hopefully will continue to improve on.
- [09:22]
B
Perfect.
- [09:23]
C
That's a great one. Good one, Kinger. Abigail, what you got?
- [09:27]
B
Okay, I got a couple because I just can't do one thing.
- [09:31]
C
I'm sorry, that's not allowed.
- [09:32]
B
That's pretty rules. We are rule followers. I'll be quick. I want to highlight a few of, like, the influencers and podcasters that are talking about women's sports. We are an inclusion kind of a people, and we are all boats rise kind of a people. Right? Like, we are not competing against the other women podcasters. We want them to do as well as we are doing. So you got Sarah Spain's Good Game podcast, you got the Women's Game, Sam Muse's podcast, you've got, you got Coach Jackie on the Internet, who? I just love this kid. I met her over championship weekend over the NWSL championship weekend. And I mean, she's a grown adult, but she's a kid to me, so I should probably call her a woman. And the way that she's approaching the storytelling of women's sports is so modern and interesting and heart based and I just love her content. In fact, I get a lot of my women's sports content from Coach Jackie's feed. I really love what she's doing And I can't wait to see what she's doing. Gonna be doing Next in. In 2026. And I also. I know I'm forgetting so many other people. Tobin and Kristen's podcast, the Recap show. Kelly Oharas. Sports are fun.
- [11:02]
C
Megan Rapinoe.
- [11:03]
B
Megan Rapinoe and Sue Touch. More Bird's eye view. Yeah.
- [11:07]
C
Candace Parker and Aaliyah Boston's post moves just so good as well.
- [11:12]
B
And. And Michaela Shifrin is starting a new podcast. Like, yeah, there's just. We gotta keep propping each other up because there's just so much awesome women's sports content to be sharing. So that is. That is my. My, my thing. Jules, what about you?
- [11:32]
A
Yeah, that was great.
- [11:34]
C
Yeah, agreed.
- [11:36]
A
Jackie, when she was a kid.
- [11:39]
C
Yeah, really?
- [11:40]
A
She was already a reporter. Yeah. This is her life.
- [11:44]
B
So good.
- [11:45]
C
She's so good. And she tells such good stories.
- [11:49]
B
We.
- [11:49]
C
We told her. We're like, you know, some of the things that you bring to light is like, oh, my God, we've got to do that on the pod. And so it's so helpful. I'm glad that you pointed out a lot of those abs. That was amazing.
- [12:03]
B
Coach Jackie gets like, the one layer deep. She goes one layer deeper. It's not just the statistic. She's like, why is Anisa important? Why. Why is this player. She lost. Oh, she took this time off and she tells the whole story. I just love her. She's great. Go ahead, Jules, what's you.
- [12:20]
C
My thing is actually an organization I wanted to. To. To draw attention to and tell the party people about, because it's this amazing group. It's called Bossy. It's pronounced Boss. It's spelled B A W S I for Bay Area Women's Sports Initiative. But we call ourselves, we are Bossy. And the girls all say that. And it's this amazing nonprofit founded by Marlene Bjornsrud, who was the general manager, actually, of the San Jose Cyber Rays, the Northern California San Jose team in the first women's pro soccer league. So w. USA Days. Billie Jean King, you know that those days. Well, helping us get that, that, that league off the ground. The first women's professional soccer league. So Marleene was the general manager of the San Jose Sabres. And when the league folded in 2003, I believe.
- [13:17]
B
Right before the World Cup.
- [13:18]
C
Yeah, right before the World Cup. Marleene basically was like, I want to create something that outlasts the. Obviously with no longer having the wusa, that. That brings this, the women's sporting community together. So she sat myself, Brandi Chastain, a bunch of women together in her living room. And we came up with this idea of what if we created this nonprofit that actually used female athletes, so collegiate athletes, high school athletes, to teach in under resourced schools and areas women's sports to young girls who weren't getting any access to them. And this has been going on now for almost 20 years. Bossy. And there are a lot of bossy girls out there, which I love. And they go into now elementary schools, middle schools, high schools. So they stay with them as they go to each school. And the stories from these young women are amazing. They also do Bossy Rollers, which is for kids with disabilities. So I just want to give a shout out to Bossy. And for those of you who aren't familiar with it, go check it out at Bossy b a w s I is their Instagram handle and their website is bossy.org and support them if you can because they're just doing tremendous work in, in Northern California.
- [14:39]
A
I've been out there with you. That was great. It was fun to see the group. Yeah.
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C
Yeah.
- [14:43]
B
Marlene is awesome too. Is Marlene still a part of Bossy?
- [14:46]
C
She, she's retired and so she's. Yeah, she's retired. She's no longer, but she, she comes. We do the galas every year. So we were at the gala last year together with Brandy and getting, you know, people fired up. But yeah, she's. She's amazing. Marlene, who founded all of this. So thank you, Mar.
- [15:06]
B
And I think that that is your party starter. Jules and I, thanks to Ally for sponsoring this segment. And as we know, Ally is more than a bank. And their do it right approach helps customers unlock their economic potential and guides their efforts as a leading sponsor in women's sports. Just like us, Ally believes that when women in sports win, we all have a reason to party. Ally Bank Member, FDIC. As always, a huge thanks to our friends at Shipt. From groceries to decor gifts and everything in between, Shipt saves you time with same day delivery from your favorite local and national stores like Albertsons, Michael's, Target, and petsmart. It's all about the small victories. Okay, Jules, so this is how this is going to work. What are we drafting a draft? We are going to draft our. Our best holiday foods. You're going to choose three, and I'm going to choose three. And it could be anything. And it. I just really want to know why, like, why are you choosing this as your favorite food? I'm just like, really interested. I think that we're going to have very different choices. You go ahead.
- [16:19]
A
I'm.
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C
I'm going kind of nostalgic because these are some of my. My mom's best dishes, and they're a little bit labor intensive, so. Fruity Judy, this by no measure means that you must make these this holiday. Wink, wink, nudge, nudge. But they are her sweet potatoes with brown sugar and butter. Do you ever do that?
- [16:44]
B
I. No. No. But I knew that you were going to do something fairly healthy is that.
- [16:50]
C
Brown sugar and butter is, like, half of the dish, and it's a mashed sweet potato.
- [16:56]
B
Oh.
- [16:57]
C
And then it's covered with this crusty layer of brown sugar and butter. Salted butter. Not regular butter. Salted butter, y'. All. Oh, you don't like salted butter? You don't like salted butter?
- [17:12]
B
No.
- [17:13]
C
Okay. I was gonna say we cannot be friends, Abby. Okay. Oh, I thought you were going.
- [17:17]
B
Julie. I make my own butter. Do you know that? I make my own butter.
- [17:21]
C
You make your own salted.
- [17:23]
B
Yes.
- [17:24]
C
Ian does that. That's crazy.
- [17:26]
B
Yeah. So good. It's much easier than people think. Do you want to hear what my first pick is?
- [17:30]
C
Yes, please.
- [17:33]
B
Strata Donuts. Have you ever heard of Strata?
- [17:37]
C
Yeah.
- [17:38]
B
But essentially, the night before Christmas, I get a bunch of eggs and bread, and I cut the bread up into, like, small pieces, and I get a bunch of eggs, and I whisk them up. I put a bunch of, like, I cook some sausage and put that in some green onions. You can put peppers in there if you want. If you want to get a little wild, you can put whatever veggies you want.
- [18:10]
C
And then sensing, like, big egg casserole, huh?
- [18:14]
B
Yeah. So, like, egg with. With, like, a little bread in it, and then you. You cover it with cheese. You put cheese on top, and then you let it, like, overnight. You let it sit and. And in the refrigerator, and, like, the bread soaks up all of the eggs, and. And then in the morning, you pull it out, you let it come to room temperature, and you cook it. And then it is, like. It's like a quiche in a way, like a sausage, egg, cheese quiche. And that's our. Our breakfast. It's, like my favorite. It's. Honestly, it's my favorite breakfast.
- [18:47]
C
I'm gonna do that. I'm gonna do my second and third together, because they kind of are together. My mom's blue ribbon potatoes. She, like, shreds them. The potatoes, very potato themed. I did not realize this. And then cheese and all sorts of goodness in There, it's just like, sour cream cheese, you know, lots of cheese, lots of butter. Lots of things.
- [19:10]
B
Yes.
- [19:11]
C
And then my mom's. Sorry, Mom. Ian, you're a great cook.
- [19:16]
B
My mom, evidently, Julie, doesn't do any cooking.
- [19:19]
C
No, my mom's banana cream pie. Oh, homemade.
- [19:25]
B
Oh, damn.
- [19:27]
A
So good.
- [19:27]
B
Nice. Okay, my last two are my mom's sugar cookies. They're like. They're like sour cream Christmas sugar cookies. They're the best things ever. And then she does this other thing where it's like graham crackers, and then you put butter and brown sugar on top, and then chocolate chips, and it's like the graham crackers, toffee, chocolate, and then you put them in the refrigerator. Oh, so good. It's so good. Okay, that is it for this round of the draft party. A huge thank you to Shipt for being our presenting partner as we wrap up the year. And this whole series has us looking back on. On the big things that are coming up, and. And what we. What we love about our holidays. And we cannot wait for the next draft that is ahead, what, a year. And honestly, having help on the life logistics side lets you actually slow down and appreciate those big moments. And this is why we choose Shipt. Download the app or order now@shipt.com. that's S-H-I-P-Dot com.
- [20:40]
C
All right, party people. It's our final episode of 2025, and we're going big. That's right, because this year in women' sports also went big. It delivered over and over again. So today we're putting it to the test. We're gonna do a Snake draft. Each of us is drafting our top three moments. Women's sporting moments from 2025 and.
- [21:08]
B
What's a Snake draft?
- [21:09]
C
Yeah, I was just gonna say, for those of you who don't know, because I didn't. Full disclosure, I didn't know what a Snake draft was. It's. It's a draft where it snakes around. So we're gonna go. Kinger gets the first pick. Okay. Abigail, you get the second pick, and I get the third pick. But then in the next round, we snake around where I get the first pick. We reverse order it, you get the second pick, and Kinger gets the third pick. And then in the third round, Kinger, you, me. Get it. Okay?
- [21:40]
A
Yeah, just tell her. Just say our names. Go.
- [21:43]
C
I got you. And more importantly, I've got my small whiteboard. Do you see it?
- [21:48]
A
Do you see my whiteboard? Excellent.
- [21:51]
C
I gave you blue, Abigail, orange. Because your hat And I'm going with the Mighty Green machine. Okay, so these moments that we're picking party people, they're not just like box scores or trophies, right? Like, literally, this is stuff that shifted the conversation this year, stuck with us long after the game was over. For example, Aces. Las Vegas Aces. Winning the WNBA title is one of the moments you could choose. Women's Rugby World cup final in England. That England won in England. That was very cool. That happened earlier in the year. We've got the UEFA European Championship for Women's soccer, which England also won. We've got the NWSL final. Of course. We've got Lindsey Vonn returning from a five year retirement and winning her 84 third World cup race. I mean, we've got a lot of it. I don't want to go over all of it, but you'll hear it in. And these are our personal top three moments that we're choosing for 2025. And we get it. We didn't get everything. We're going to miss some stuff. So tell us, what moments are still sitting with you? What moments are you still talking about that matter to you this year? And of course, at the end of all of this, we'll put our three picks up there and y' all party people get a vote on who's best. Because there's always a. There's always a winner when the three of us are competing. That's right, because we're sick. And I like to win and I constantly lose and I'm getting really upset about it. Okay, Kinger, you see, you seem to keep.
- [23:25]
A
I like to win. Yeah, everyone does.
- [23:29]
C
Kinger's first question is, how do we win at podcasting? I was like, yes, so much.
- [23:38]
A
What's winning? Sometimes people don't know what that is. Right.
- [23:41]
B
What is winning?
- [23:42]
A
Yeah, that's a really good topic for this one with what is winning with.
- [23:45]
C
The top three picks. Okay, a quick heads up before we get to our Snake draft because we're about to turn the calendar to 2026. We're kicking off the new year with the incredible Dr. Colleen Hacker. All right. We call her Flash because she's like a flashlight that shines a light on everything.
- [24:02]
B
I call her Hacker.
- [24:04]
C
Yeah, you call her Hacker. I call her Flash. And Colleen was our mental skills coach for many years on the U.S. women's National Team. And she has basically, I feel like, helped every sport out there and every Olympics and has done like the past 10 Olympics. I don't know what she's at. I. I should know that. But I. It's a lot, and she's amazing. So she's helping me and Abby kick off the new right. And Kinger, actually, true story, makes Flash, Dr. Hacker, cry in this episode because she sends a video into her. It's really cute. Like, not cry cry, but, like, in a good way cry. So check back. Check us back out on January 1st to find out why the Kinger made Hacker cry. You are cruel, Kinger. But right now, it's Draft Day. Party, people, our favorite moments of 2025. Let's get this party started. Kinger, you're up. You're in blue. As I said on my board, on my draft board, what is your top moment from 2025?
- [25:09]
A
Well, for me personally, it's Madison Keys winning her first and only major at 29 years old.
- [25:16]
C
Okay.
- [25:16]
A
In the semis, she was down match point against Igus Ryotech. So she won her first major ever in the Australian, and she was down matchpoint. So I am so happy for her. And everyone in tennis now has exhaled because we love her.
- [25:35]
C
I love it. That was to start off the. The new year, right?
- [25:39]
A
Yeah.
- [25:39]
C
Right.
- [25:40]
A
Australians in January. It's perfect. That's why. That's another reason I did it.
- [25:43]
C
Okay. I love it. Okay, good. Madison Keys. All right, Abigail, you get the second pick. I'm letting you go second.
- [25:51]
B
Okay. And I just want to say this. All of the ones that are going to be on the list that we're choosing from that we put in the show notes, we know that there's more, and I know that almost every single one of these could go on our podium. Right. All of these are winners, but we just have to whittle it down. I am going to go with the women's rugby World cup final in England. That England won the final was sold out. It was a huge success. To me, one of the most important things is that the NWSL is seeing pretty great success, that the WNBA is seeing great. Pretty great success. I want to keep looking out to all the other sports that when I am watching and I'm seeing how many people in the stands and I'm watching and I'm seeing how covered it's getting by the media, I think, oh, my gosh, that feels like it did when we were in the early 2000s with women's soccer. Yeah, that is feeling a lot. So. So maybe these. These. These sports like rugby are just, like, a few years away from feeling a shift. And I think what they did for the World Cup Final there in England, and England winning on their home Soil. It was such a big and important moment, not just for the England team, but for women's rugby at large. And I remember when our women's national team did this in 1999 here in our country. And what has now transpired 26 years later, you can kind of always point it back to this one before and after moment. And I think that this women's rugby World cup is hopefully going to be this before and after moment for women's rugby.
- [27:42]
C
So good on.
- [27:42]
B
Good job.
- [27:43]
C
Love it.
- [27:43]
B
Good job, England. Yeah.
- [27:44]
C
Yeah. Love it. All right, I'm going with WNBA finals with the Las Vegas Aces winning it all because that turnaround mid season when they were like sub 500, they lost by 53 points to Minnesota in early August. And Becky Hammond was like, what is happening to this team? We had Becky Hammond on the pod and it was so good to hear from her about the turn. But Jewel Lloyd, one of their players, was like, listen, put me on the bench, bring me from the bench as a spark off the bench. She was starting at the time, not playing great. And Becky was like, she had to convince me this was the right thing to do. Asia Wilson sends a text to the group and basically says like, if you are not embarrassed by that game, do not come to practice. This is ridiculous. Has a come to Jesus meeting with them all and they go on a 16 game win streak to finish out the season. And then as we know, they win their what, third title in the last four seasons for wnba. Becky Hammond does. Asia Wilson wins MVP of the league. Co defensive player of the league. Player of the year as well of the league finals mvp. I mean it was just, just a really cool season and a really way cool way to. To finish the season for that, for that group. So I was, I was pumped for them. So wnba, Las Vegas Aces was my number.
- [29:19]
B
Well done, Jules. And guess what? You get to keep talking because the snake rule has taken first this round.
- [29:24]
C
I get a snake around to the other one. So my second one is Kinger. I don't know if you saw this, but Abby and I were obsessed this weekend with. But not just.
- [29:36]
B
God, I wanted to take this one.
- [29:37]
A
Yeah. So sorry.
- [29:38]
C
Bye. Bye. I got it. It's mine.
- [29:40]
A
Whoa, whoa, whoa. What were you obsessed with?
- [29:41]
C
Texas A M and women's volleyball.
- [29:45]
B
NCAA volleyball, Kinger.
- [29:47]
A
We had bus boom. Remember?
- [29:49]
C
We had bus boom and they beat Danny Busboom Kelly's team, Nebraska. So literally Kinger saw some of it going back to Round of 16. Texas A& M comes in, beats Louisville right In a Reverse sweep. Because they drop the first two sets, they have to win the next three. They beat them in five. They go to the Elite Eight. They take on the undefeated Nebraska team, who only dropped one set at all in conference play in the Big Ten. They're at Nebraska against this undefeated Nebraska team that everyone thought would take us and run with this. This year in this title. And they beat them in five. The fourth game, which is unbelievable. 7:35. Nebraska wins the fourth. You think Nebraska is going to roll that momentum into the fifth. They lose the fifth set, 15 to 13. Then Texas A and M, who's never been to a Final Four, gets to the Final Four. They play Pitt, who's at its fifth consecutive Final Four. They sweep them. They play Kentucky, also ranked number one. Sweep them. They sweep the Final Four. And Texas A and M, who had never been to a Final Four, wins the national title. That, my friends, is a story.
- [30:59]
B
Holy.
- [30:59]
A
That is unbelievable. And I knew you. One of you would have that one.
- [31:03]
C
Yes.
- [31:04]
A
So well done. I love that. Except I felt sorry for Nebraska, but I did, too.
- [31:09]
B
God.
- [31:09]
A
Texas A and M played out of their minds. And I thought Nebraska was a little off.
- [31:15]
B
A little.
- [31:15]
A
They hit out of bounds more than they usually do.
- [31:18]
B
Yeah, well.
- [31:18]
A
And that first touch is so important. I just thought Texas A and M, their blocks were just out of this world. I don't know enough about it, but I just love it.
- [31:28]
C
Yeah, I think Nebraska are spot on with all that.
- [31:30]
B
Yeah, some of the players on Nebraska were a little sick on that in that game and.
- [31:35]
A
Doesn't matter. You got to give it. You got to do it when it matters.
- [31:38]
B
Texas A and M and Billy, did you know that 1.2 million people tuned in on ABC?
- [31:43]
A
Of course I care about.
- [31:44]
C
That was for the Nebraska Texas game. That was Elite Eight. They haven't got the numbers yet. Well, when we're recording this, they haven't got the numbers yet.
- [31:52]
A
Well, you know, it's gonna be records, though. The volleyball was such a high caliber. I mean, everybody was. Oh, it was just the greatest. And every player mattered.
- [32:02]
C
Okay.
- [32:02]
B
Okay.
- [32:03]
C
I'm just showing you what you got.
- [32:04]
B
All right. So here it's my pick, I think, because Billy picked first. Oh, this is so hard for me, because I'm. What do I want to do? Okay, that one's going to be left, I think. So I'll be able to. Yeah. Okay. I'm gonna pick the. The Love Be Volleyball. The Love Volleyball League. The new Volleyball league that started up. Yes. And I am a little biased, and I don't know, Billy, if you know this, but I am now a part owner of the Love San Francisco franchise team. Did you hear about this?
- [32:43]
A
Great. No, I didn't know that, but Lana and I invested in them a long time ago.
- [32:46]
B
Yeah, you invested in the league, but.
- [32:48]
A
You'Re with the San Francisco. Oh, that' going to be fantastic.
- [32:51]
B
I'm so.
- [32:52]
A
Thank you.
- [32:52]
B
I'm so excited. Glennon and I are both getting into it.
- [32:56]
A
Great.
- [32:56]
B
And, and quite frankly, it was the Nebraska Texas game that Glennon didn't have any idea, number one, how popular the sport is, how, how, how wild and obsessed these fans are. And then number two, the. She. She couldn't believe how intense and fun the games were to watch. Like she knows nothing about the actual game. She has no idea what the rules are. She looks at me every time and she. Every time the ball hits the floor, she says, is that good or is that bad? And I'm like, honestly, like I'm still learning. I just look for the ref and wherever the ref points, that's where the point's going, you know?
- [33:37]
A
Right.
- [33:39]
B
But this new professional league is something that I'm really looking forward to participating more and putting more time and effort into Northern California, since our girls are going to school up there. So yeah, that is my pick. Volleyball debut.
- [33:57]
A
Does Glennon call it the volleyball.
- [33:59]
C
How does she refer to it?
- [34:01]
B
She calls it the volleyball. And Billy, you want to know why she loves it so much? She loves volleyball so much because there's no, there's no physical contact with, with players. Because watching soccer or basketball, where it's like a contact sport that scares her. She's like, how do these people get up off of the ground after running into each other every time? Or they're touching too much. It's too much touching. So the net separates the teams. And she loves it. She loves it.
- [34:35]
A
Oh, that is hilarious. Yeah.
- [34:37]
B
So good. Billy, I think it's your pick.
- [34:39]
C
Your pick.
- [34:39]
A
That is my pick. That is just one extreme to the other. Yeah, I'm gonna go to the pwhl back to back championships. A brand new league. It's gonna be in its. It's already started its third season. I'm totally prejudiced. Ilana and I were very involved from the beginning. We actually got the players to become an association. I mean, Ilana really spent a lot of time and if Kendall Coyne hadn't come to us and said, would you help us? We wouldn't be in this situation. So it's really exciting to be a part of it. But more importantly, Just the third season. I can't believe we're in the third season already. But the win back to back is just amazing. It's the Walter cup, which I told you, I think before is a little heavier than the Stanley cup, which makes it really happy. And, you know, it's just so back to back championships.
- [35:36]
C
Minnesota Frost.
- [35:37]
A
Yeah, Minnesota Frost won everybody out twice now. You guys, they've won. And they're actually usually fourth in the ranking. So it's been weird. Like you think somebody else is gonna win, but.
- [35:50]
B
And I think even if you don't live in one of the cities, they go on like a tour that they go to different. They go to different cities.
- [35:58]
A
They were going to neutral sites to try them out because for future franchises, it's so great.
- [36:03]
B
But, like, you should look into. Go on the PWHL website and figure out if they're going to come to a city near you and play and go watch these. These badass women hockey players compete.
- [36:15]
C
Okay, you get to go again, Billy.
- [36:17]
A
The mixed doubles was played at the US Open this year, and they got some a players back in. They had a special event, and it was. See, I think mixed should be the biggest event in tennis. I think that's where all the big money should be. And I like the fact that men and women are together. I think it's equal. It shows equality, inclusion. I'm all big on that. So anyway, they tried this little different thing this year, and it. 24,000 people. Ash dating was totally sold out. It was just. And the points were. I think it was the best I'd ever seen tennis. I just loved it. And the Italians who play doubles all the time actually end up winning and beating some of these superstars we have in our sport, like Alcaraz and these people and, you know, Jack Draper and Jessica Bagula. Anyway, I just wish tennis would make this the number one event. It should be the biggest event in our sport, and yet it's the third event, so it's the last event, actually. So it drives me crazy.
- [37:21]
B
Well done.
- [37:22]
A
I just, you know, I thought I'd throw that in, which has nothing to do with what we're doing.
- [37:25]
B
Well done.
- [37:26]
A
I can't help it.
- [37:26]
C
I like that. All right, abs, that's. You get your third choice.
- [37:30]
B
So my third. And this is in no specific order, because these were just, like, such important moments for me. This year, I have to go with Natalie Grabow, our oldest iron man to ever win in Kona. At 80 years old, she became the oldest woman to finish Kona. She completed the full 140.6 mile course, y', all, that's 2.4 mile swim, 112 mile bike ride. And then after all of that, she just has to run a full marathon, which is 26.2 mile run. Now I think that this is. First of all, I think that older women, women that are older than me, I very much respect and look up to. And there's. If you've ever done any long distance race before, I've done a marathon, I'll never do one again. There's an inset respect and, and just like complete admiration for anybody who can compete and complete these things. Right. Not to mention when you level up into a triathlon. Right. Where you're doing three different sports, not to mention when you level up into an Ironman length triathlon at those distances, it's. It's very. It would have been nearly impossible for me to do it while I was a professional athlete, let alone now at a 45 year old age, let alone 35 years down the road. Like I just cannot believe. And if you've seen the video, I know she felt a little embarrassed by it, but to me, she stumbles as she's like coming up the ramp. And I don't know why they build a ramp. Why are they. Why?
- [39:22]
C
Yeah, why do we need another hill.
- [39:25]
B
Go up another level to cross the finish line? It should be down, right? Or just level. Just keep it level. Absolutely.
- [39:33]
A
Should be down or at least level. You're right. Oh, I can't believe that.
- [39:36]
B
Yeah, but she was just awesome. We had her on the show. If you want to go back and take a listen to that episode, it's one of the things that just really made a big impact on me. So thank you, Natalie. And that is the end of my podium. I think I'm going to win.
- [39:52]
A
She was, but she was so inspirational when we had her on.
- [39:55]
C
She was so good. 80 years old and that many things.
- [39:59]
A
She'S doing, it's just getting. Yeah, but she's just getting started in this space.
- [40:02]
C
Life just gets started.
- [40:03]
A
You can tell the way she spoke. You can tell the way she spoke, the way her enthusiasm, her confidence. She's great for all of us to listen to, no matter what age we are.
- [40:12]
B
Sure. Jules, what's your last pick?
- [40:15]
C
Okay, my last pick. This one was. It was between the European Championship because England did this amazing run where they come from behind in every knockout stage game and end up winning the European Championships back to back. But it is not that because we have Lindsey Vaughn At 40, you're gonna pick that years old.
- [40:36]
B
That was gonna be my. I was gonna bring it back.
- [40:38]
A
I had her down. She's the greatest, man.
- [40:41]
C
Y', all, this is insane. So she. She returns to skiing after a five. So she retires in 2019 because she's got, like, major. She's had nine knee surgeries, this woman. She's got major injuries, retires in 2019, is away from the sport for five years. She gets this right knee fix. She's got titanium implants in this right knee and is like, well, why not come out of retirement at 41 and try and make it for the Olympics in Milan, Cortina? Because why not? She has crushed at Cortina. I mean, literally. She calls it. Well, she calls it her second home. Everyone else calls it Lindsay Vaughn's living room because she's had so much success at Cortina. In Italy, she's won 12. Wait, let me find this.
- [41:34]
B
Yeah.
- [41:34]
C
A record 12 World cup victories at Cortina. And so she's like, I'm gonna try it. I'm gonna come out of retirement. She was retired for five years. So in December, just recently, she returns to skiing and wins her 83rd World Cup. When she's coming back as she's trying to qualify for her fifth Olympics at 41 years old.
- [41:55]
B
Y', all, I am cried on the podium. Did you see the tears? And I made me cry because I'm just like, I. I get it. Like, if I was doing that, yes, I'd be crying, too. That's.
- [42:06]
A
You guys.
- [42:07]
C
That's 20 years, amazing fifth Olympics, and I am so on this Lindsay Mon train, I cannot even tell you. Let's go. Get to Cortina. Get to your living room and go.
- [42:19]
A
Crush and I are going to the Olympics.
- [42:21]
C
I know.
- [42:22]
A
So we're gonna. We're going to go to Milan. Of course, we're going for the ice skating, but I mean, the ice hockey. So we're definitely going to try to do that. You're going to have to go to, well, Lindsey Vaughn. Lindsey Vaughn. Can you imagine? I've been watching her since she started, so. And she's so supportive of other women and other women's sports, all the things that matter in life. So go. Go, girl.
- [42:45]
C
We got to get her to our party, because she would be amazing.
- [42:48]
A
She's the bathroom.
- [42:49]
C
So congratulations.
- [42:50]
A
She's got the gift.
- [42:52]
C
Success and coming out of retirement. Okay, y', all, this is. Here's our podium. Can you see it?
- [42:58]
B
Can you read them out loud, Jules?
- [42:59]
C
Yeah. Okay, so Kinger's got Madison Keys winning her first major at the Australian Open. She's then got the PWHL Minnesota back to back victories. She's then got the US Open mixed doubles new format as her full podium. Abigail, you've got women's rugby World cup final in England. Taking that one in England. You've got love the volleyball league launching. You've got Natalie Grabow as your iron woman. All very good, but I think I'm gonna take it party people. And you need to vote, so. And I've got NBA Las Vegas Aces and their amazing turnaround. I've got the Texas A and M story. I mean, I've got some good stories, y'.
- [43:45]
A
All.
- [43:46]
C
Texas A and M rolling the J Giants to win the NCAA volleyball title. And Lindsey Vaughn returns.
- [43:54]
B
Okay, I think hashtag Julie's might goddess.
- [43:58]
A
I think probably for the public and everyone. Everybody.
- [44:01]
B
Yeah.
- [44:01]
A
For the big masses that are listening and watching, it is probably going to be Julie, but doesn't matter. We can have some upsets with abs. Abby can. Come on, Abby, you did great and you're so funny.
- [44:13]
C
Everyone will have their their own podium and that's cool. That's fine. We're fine with that. I just want to win this one. But. But you can have your own. And let us know what you're looking at because we do want to hear. All right, so don't forget to subscribe, party people, to the welcome to the Party YouTube channel. You can actually watch the party and click that little bell icon so you get updates when new episodes go live.
- [44:36]
B
Yeah. And if you just take a second, we would really appreciate it to rate, leave a comment and subscribe. Subscribe to the podcast on Apple Podcast, Spotify or wherever you get your podcasts. And be sure to follow us on Tik Tok and Instagram at welcome to the Party show where Julie, Billy and I will bring the party straight to your feed. You can also email us at party people questions gmail.com shout out to Kate Diaz for our theme music. She wrote and composed it. Her composed it herself. You guys, we need to bring it in for a.
- [45:04]
C
Let's do the end of the year. USA.
- [45:09]
B
Here we go.
- [45:09]
A
1, 2, 3.
- [45:11]
C
U.S. u.S. USA, USAM.
- [45:15]
B
Welcome to the Party is an independent production brought to you by Treat Media. Treat Media makes art for humans who want to stay human. Silver Tribe is our production partner and you can also watch our full conversations on the welcome to the party YouTube channel and follow us at welcome to the Party show on Instagram and TikTok.
- [45:34]
A
Party people, the party is officially over.