WNBA Preview: New York Liberty at Seattle Storm Must-Win vs. Seattle?

Intros all right all right all right everybody so this is going to be an official squadcast because now on black Rosie media we have not one but two WNBA podcasts but we only have one intro so we're GNA go with the got to get up one and then we'll get you ready a preview of New York Liberty at Seattle storm that's coming up hey women's basketball fans welome welcome to got to get up a podcast for New York Liberty fans brought to you by black Rosie media and hosted by Erica L aala hey hey hey everyone thanks for joining us or listening into another episode of not just got to get up but our new Seattle Storm podcast Erica L aala here but I am not alone OA Rodriguez joining us from the Left Coast and from the right Coast AKA NYC the planet of Brooklyn we have Brian how are y'all [Music] doing yeah I'm good I'm excited uh there's a big game coming up tomorrow storm and Liberty on my birthday uh so I am very excited about that you know can't complain excellent Brian how about you uh I feel like it's been a a long time since I've been since I've been on here it feels like the world has shifted in in the monthin change that I've been out so but it's good to be back hey it's always good to have you both and happy uh early birthday okay I do want to ask you H because there's Portuguese from Portugal and then there's Portuguese from Brazil so what is the proper way in Brazilian Portuguese to say happy birthday it Isel anniversario uh so phiz is f e l i z anniversario is a n i v e wait anniversary a n i v e r s a r iio an yes of course because I think in Portuguese they would say oh that's also so parav bang is more congratulations oh okay so so our happy birthday soong know happy birthday to you in Portuguese it goes uh so pH is very specific happy birthday P bangs can be used in a much broader way ah okay see I I I know a little bit about Portuguese just because my mother like loves Brazilian culture she was there study abroad for a while so we grew up learning a lot about Brazil in particular go there we should go there and have like a live podcast during the uh women's uh World Cup the soccer one hey let's manifest it we can have our friends shea butter FC hang out yeah yeah yeah yeah hey we have Lodge already you know let go Le say less all right Brian and you were in Europe uh you were did you go to multiple uh countries or where were y'all uh first week England second week Italy okay nice I knew you were like in the neighborhood because I was I was hanging out in France so fun because like on the gold medal game I was like we were in a museum and I'm like trying to watch the game on my phone and like in between bad service I'm just like texting people what are they and then eventually I caught the final seconds which was like my internet plan worked just well enough to get me to the Finish Line hey well you caught the important significant seconds and actually there is a relation to what we're going to talk about uh so I'm sure we will get into that but um per usual I want to get Illness Impact on Season Ending into our run down um and this one I we don't have like a a long rundown but there's one thing that seems to be making rounds it's affected Chicago New York it looks like Seattle and that is whether it's covid or non-co illness I know that um Annie Cal has always done a great job covering the Chicago sky and Kennedy Carter was out for a pretty significant game um with what appears to be a covid illness we've even seen um any I should say has reported that Chico some players have been uh practicing in masks so Brian I'm going to come to you for this one first I mean it's an Olympic year as you alluded to you were watching that gold medal game a lot of Olympians from a lot of different countries including for the New York Liberty and Seattle Storm and when you hear that there's a a flu or covid bug going around I mean how do you think if at all that could impact this last stretch of the Season yeah like I feel like we we're in the unique combination of everyone traveling all across the world and a longer schedule so more opportunities to spread things around so it comes at a especially bad time because you know we're in the dog days of the Season everyone's trying to sort of like power through to make it to the playoffs and if you're not at full strength you you miss out on you miss out on key games and key moments so it makes things really challenging for players teams and fans and I guess on a broader level it is kind of concerning because everything is starting to percolate back up again and it's like we thought it was over but it's h we're still even though even though it don't feel like we still in it we're still kind of in it although to a lesser degree so it's one of it's one of those reminders was it's like okay just do what you're supposed to do cover up boost take care of your health and then hope that everyone around you does the same as well yes indeed and it it I think it's going to present interesting [Music] quite honestly problems and challenges for sports hob we already saw that in France again I was in France and I knew that there we had a lot more media especially around the semifinals when we got to Paris than we're in Leo covering women's basketball um I mean you know we H we had some interesting uh personalities shall I say who have crossed women's basketball in maybe not the most positive ways that we're inhouse but but what I also noticed is that there was a lot of overlap between reporters like working at USA Today or the Associated Press who um even if they were specific to women's basketball their colleagues were also covering track and Fields were there and of course NOS from from the United States oh my God ends up running in a final uh wins a medal wins an Olympic medal but then you know drop down in exhaust exhaustion so I was masked up for sure and it's a lot to Brian's Point buta um you know seeing the impact potentially and and again it's just getting to be that time of year I feel like fall is creeping in so what are your thoughts on you know these illnesses covid or otherwise making their rounds uh it's the reminder I think it's a reminder that it's not that CO's over you know it's not a thing of like being over it's just more controlled and it's going to more and more operate kind of like the flu because we all know what we all know what happened when flu first came up right uh we're lucky that today we have uh medicine and um and science on our side so we're able to move a little more rapidly when it comes to finding um cure and you know and making us literally live uh so it can impact the the rest of the season and the results we saw Kennedy Carter uh stayed out uh last night Jordan hon missed the game due to nonn covid illness but again um everything is non Co covid until you get a positive and we know that not that it's not always that you get a positive first uh so it's just you know those players got to take care of themselves it's uh a pretty um that schedule is not can't be good at anyone's body you know that's going to be the tomorrow is going to be the storm's third game in five nights uh and especially with so much on the line I know that we're going to talk about that but that you get so much of um you know your body your mind that is impacted by that even when you're playing home so yeah it's unfortunate that all of that is happening and I think that uh just like I think I read somewhere that satu Sab spoke about uh how the next CBA should focus on player Health uh and she said that inspired by the NWS LPA that had a very heavy focus on player Health safe health and safety so I think that this is an opportunity for the league to take some notes on how to make sure that the players are safe and protected yeah and I think that's what I was alluding to just you know we are coming honestly not too many years not too many seasons from health and safety protocol was very stringent had to um was documented regularly to kind of all right I guess you know we'll see what happens um so I I I guess we'll see if anything changes but uh I think another thing I want to talk about in our shoot Current Standings Overview around is the standings because we're are going to be discussing two top four teams that are going to collide uh tomorrow we'll talk about that but as the standings are right now there are three teams that have clinched a playoff birth now we don't have the their um you know how they finish in the standings and and what seed they'll be just yet but we have the New York Liberty we the first uh Team to clinch then the Minnesota links and Connecticut Sun if I'm not mistaken they either clinched on the same night or on back toback nights but I think it was the same night back to back or it was back toback and then the Seattle Storm on the brink potentially of clinching all of those teams along with the Indiana Fever who we might talk about later in the show are um they have a winning record in their last 10 games the liberty and Minnesota links are 8-2 the Connecticut Sun 6 and4 alongside the Seattle Storm even though I feel like their six and four feels very different and we'll talk about that with hoba a little bit um and then as I mentioned Indiana actually seven and three so they're they're playing with the big dogs now which is um really interesting to see another thing and Brian I'm going to come to you first on this and we have a new segment Caitlin Clark: All-WNBA Discussion where we might play around with this a little bit but I saw that ESPN they got a lot of uh flak shall I say from a very specific sect of women's basketball for um predicting all WNBA and one player who we will definitely talk about on today's show is is in that ranking but there was a player that is not all WNBA that a lot of people think should be all WNBA so Brian I'm gonna come to you first and then HOA is Caitlyn Clark an all WNBA player right now oh all right depends on what team yeah I I've gradually I've for the past so for the past month I've been just like chatting with people about whether she's done enough to make the first first team or is she or or do we just slide her in second I would say at the very least at the very least I think she's a lock for second team I think just based on all the factors around her and Indiana looking like a serious outfit for the past two months they get like she gets second team I want I I'll say that if they somehow finish at 500 or a little bit above I think she gets the first team and I think with that it's a situation where my brain always goes to positions when it comes to the all W all all W team even though it's position lless so I would say that automatics on the first team right now are Asia fee and I think Stewie is pretty much a lock for the first team so after that you have Kia copper as a contender as a contender for me Sabrina is a first team Contender no one's mentioning her for it but I would I I seriously would give a vote to JJ if I could on the team Alysa Thomas um so many great players out there that that fit the so I feel like she's knocking on the door of the first team I think a big run down the stretch I think I think I think a huge run down the stretch locks locks locks a spot in for her on the first team before I forget she won't get a first place vote and she won't but if she gets like a fourth or fifth place MVP vote I wouldn't be offended I'm glad you added that because I was actually gonna have Hova go first on that but Brian Brian you stuck it in there because you I feel like you knew the vibe you knew where I was going with that so you're saying she should not get first place votes but you think she might snag a few MVP votes okay Hova I'm Caitlin Clark Highlights gonna come to you now thoughts on Caitlyn Clark is she all WNBA first team second team none of them all of them I mean you can't be all but um and then you can chime in also about MVP I want to say some people are going to disagree and they they're going to say they sking Clark can be everything uh I think that she is a lock for second team and I think she deserves it I think that she has been she's having a tremendous rookie season uh I mean that's not a surprise for anyone right but not only she's having a tremendous season she's standing out uh among veterans and I think that's what uh that's what's going to you know show that that's what's going to count when it comes to first team second team I think that that spot on the first team should be sabrinas not caitlins I think that uh with the team that Sabrina has the way that she has been standing out and the way that she has been uh holding the New York Liberty together uh lends her that spot on the first thing I think that both both Sabrina and Stewie I think that um I'm gonna say I think Kaitlyn Clark and it was up to me Kaitlyn Clark and Kennedy Carter should be on that second team I know it's hard I know that Kennedy Carter might not be there and I I have the the the team open here uh I I think that she could lock uh second team for sure and I think she Des she would deserve it yeah and so what with the you kind of addressed this question that Damien has um and Brian I Sabrina Ionescu's Position Analysis think you alluded to it more so because the question was directed to Caitlyn but uh I'll let you take first stab Brian do you think Sabrina should be all WNBA first team I would say so I think that she's been I know Erica we've talked about this for the past year like when Sabrina is more in charge like what it looks like and she's really been more in charge this year than than the past years and first Place top of the league like wire to wire so far like she's done it and she's she stepped up in big moments she's had those big games even you know especially against Elite opponents like the game against Connecticut to close out the first half was out she took it over in the gold medal game hey she came in USA looks looks looks like a looks like a functioning unit again when when Sabrina so we've seen her really sort of like Elevate and step her game up throughout the year and play with a consistency and Excellence it's been a bit of a dip currently but I feel like that's just the course of a season like it it it happens for everybody but I think her body of work and the impressiveness and the cohesion of the Liberty especially when they're integrating a brand new bench and and they're still on top of the league and really excelling in a lot of new and unique ways I think that pushes her into the first team for all WNBA and it will be incredibly well served yeah yeah agree I agree agree and I again the question just because the conversation that I saw on social media was about Caitlyn Clark but I mean I I've pretty much been saying it like you mentioned Brian when Sabrina gets the keys like she's gonna be ready to go I had a lot of questions as to whether she was ready last season she seems to have answered most of them not all of them you know you know how I feel about non-quick but um the non-quick has gotten quicker I will say that um because once once she gets that just a little bit more sharpness on that first step I mean her strength and her she's deceptively Speedy like she can move decently well and she can shake a defender on that second step and Beyond very very well I do think Adam's Odyssey here has an interesting comment not a better point guard point point guard uh point guard PG I'm assuming this was if I saw when the timing of this comment came in I think it was referring to Caitlyn Clark I do before I respond with regard to Caitlyn I want to throw out another Sabrina Ionescu's Role Clarification hypothetical here before we get into our um first quarter but is Sabrina a point guard Brian that's a good question that's a great question I cause she's played so much point when [ __ ] was out all year but it's like she's a two guard at heart like hey like you have someone else running things she can do it I would say a two like and you know my brain is so position with basketball now I can't like I can't really delate positions anymore unfortunately but I would say can I cheat and say combo guard or do I have to pick one your answer is your answer you know how we do here I'm all about you know uh finagling a response yeah yeah cuz like when slute sits like she runs the point like Iana gets minutes but usually it's Sab running running the show yeah I'll say I'll say point guard yep I it tomorrow but for right now I'm locked in all right Brian finally answer are locked in Sabrina is a point guard Howa what do you think uh I think that she can be a really good point guard and I actually had a good conversation with Pokey Chapman who is true point guard and has a lot of success uh developing uh point guards she said that it is a premium position and it's very hard to come across uh you know Point like pgs at heart uh she said that players who are pgs and develop that on the long run they are always going to have a job now if you are a chew who can play really well at one two at also one then you're like sad you are very needed in the market you're a a great asset for your team and I feel like that's Sabrina because she does both with you know with she does both so well and that's what makes her special and that's what lends her that spot on the first team yes and you can see that the chat is vehemently saying Sabrina is a two and I agree yeah I agree Sabrina in her truest form is a two guard I feel like I've said that before and I I have also said this before we need a pure point guard to play with Sabrina yancu 100 per. because the New York Liberty can tap out at in my opinion I guess depending on the point guard its best version of itself when Sabrina can be the two but I also agree that she's she's not a true one and so that's why I wanted to bring up Adam odyssey's um comment because again I'm pretty sure this was directed to Caitlyn Clark and you know what listen listen listen the way Indiana's playing right now I might I might be with this I might be with that Kingland Clark is the best true point guard in the league right now I gota agree with that because I gota agree with that yeah to your point about what Pokey said there we have to be honest there is a crisis Among Us yes women's basketball at a true one and I think that goes to what Brian was saying there has been a shift to a more position-less basketball you could call me old school you could call me bullish you could call me whatever you want I think that you don't mess if there's two positions that you need to have it's the one and the five yep and who has that now in the WBA that's actually not doing so hot Chicago interesting Chicago has that uh but they are all like new playing together so I think that in the short term I would say two three uh Seasons I think we're going to see Chicago like even next season we're going to see Chicago jumping to the to the top of the league yeah and I think they're about where I expected when it comes to The Struggle Bus um but I was I I wasn't with people just dismissing them all together um but yeah Adam saying again I'm assuming this is about um or Adam's Odyssey saying um I think this is about Sabrina who can play both but she's best at the two I completely agree with that I've also said I've said early on Brian I don't know if you remember this but I said early on sabr Saina was messing around for MIP and I've I've stuck with it MIP I think Sabrina has to be top three like she's right now my front runner but I also know that I watch a lot of New York Liberty games so I want to keep that in the pocket um but I'd say she she's probably top three uh and we I think we all agree on this point the turnovers are holding well I mean turnovers for the New York Liberty have been a problem we will definitely get into that um but the turnovers for Caitlyn Clark were very noticeable I think the play um the play has gotten better so facts on that Chelsea Gray is interesting Chelsea Gray has the pedigree obviously the point God but between the injury which set back the return to the WNBA and quite honestly how things went down in the Olympics and even now on the other side how Vegas is playing with her if you're saying who's the best point guard in the league right now you might have to give that you might have to give that to Kaitlin you might have to give that to Kaitlin gray before her injury there you go Adams Odyssey you get me you get me with all Damen saying I'm wrong what a shocker no I love it Damien I love it Sabrina is not the top pick for most improved player I know you don't agree with me Damen I said what I said so there you go um Odyssey Sims now that would have been interesting Odyssey Sims to New York like I'm not sure that that would work more I like I I I hear you and I don't know if it would work I think Odyssey plays a little bit of a different game than what Sandy has the New York Liberty doing right now what I will say is that the New York Liberty are going to have to find a little more sandpaper um they've started getting it collectively but I like the idea of having an individual player with some sandpaper um and so that's why I might disagree with myself and say okay maybe we do get Odyssey Sims but we're gonna move on I do have some of your comments and questions flagged so I have one from Daman flagged I have a few other spags and we're going to get to those in the fourth quarter um because I just want keep things moving and grooving but you can please please please do continue to comment and if you have specific questions um sometimes we'll be able to answer them as we go others I'm going to hold for the fourth quarter but let's Olympic Fatigue in First Quarter get into it first quarter we want to talk about Olympic fatigue are we experiencing Olympic fatigue if you listen to anyone talking about the Las Vegas Aces there's a lot of conversation about Olympic fatigue is especially because there are four players from the USA team alone uh that are on that in that starting rotation and then you add of course Megan gusterson uh you know you you add uh Tiff offo to that so they have definitely been impacted by the Olympic break but we of course at black New York Liberty: Olympic Fatigue Analysis Rosie media talk about the New York Liberty and the Seattle Storm so let's talk about if we're seeing any olymp fatigue whether it's from people who went to the Olympics or just the chemistry the the kind of continuity the rhythm of the team uh Brian we'll start with the New York Liberty is Olympic fatigue real or not I would say I feel like they're human so I'll I'll acknowledge that they're all they might be running especially Sabrina and Sabrina and Brianna are probably running a little bit on fumes compared to where they may have been in June but I think for the Liberty they hold themselves to the standard of okay no one's going to no one's going to make excuses for us so we're not going to do it for ourselves so I would say that I can acknowledge that but at the same time I'm like okay you guys are here you guys know how to win you guys know how to do these things I still expect Excellence from you every night out so I want to hold them I I'll I'll hold them to that standard while still accounting for the humanity and hey because like a lot of them Sandy too like they flew from Paris straight to Los Angeles maybe like like one day in between in New York City and then three on the road back home for three back on the road for three more so I can I can acknowledge and accept that they might be running a little bit on fumes but I think at the same time they have more than enough to keep to keep succeeding and building up the habits they need for a deep playoff run and I I want to add this little Wrinkle in there as well because what did the New York Liberty come to off of the Olympic break not just going on the road as you said but they had multiple games on the road and then they had a what was it Brian 10 or excuse me six game stretch where they played every other day yep yeah like the schedule has been so jam-packed like when they came back it was to it was two quick ones on the road they came back home Tuesday night then and then they've been playing every other day for the past two weeks like they wrap up that stretch tomorrow night and then they're going to have like essentially a week off which I think is going to be much needed for this group but I I I think that through this stretch even even with a few dips and the team has acknowledged that there's been a little bit of slippage over the past couple games which which which I think is good that they're that that they've been accountable for but I think even with that they've still been able to do just enough to keep winning and keep maintaining their position their their their lead in first place so I think that even within the dips and mini struggle you still see good signs for what could what could come in September New York Liberty: Recent Concerns and I want to ask you this because I think it might instruct some of what we all talk about when we do the game preview in the second or the third quarter I don't know where I am girl what it's in there no second quarter second quarter right because pass or play is our third quarter I was like wait where are we um so Brian you mentioned the stretch every other night playing a lot of those on the road they won't wrap that until tomorrow so one of their more difficult games in the season or the more the more two of the more difficult games certainly in the most recent 10 game stretch have come um in the last two games including a loss to the LA Sparks How concerned Brian are you from a liberty perspective knowing that they won't be on the other side of that long stretch until they get they play um and conclude the game at climate pledge Arena against Seattle tomorrow night I feel like my default after every loss is a three like I feel like if you catch me any time of the year oh the team lost last night what's your what's your concern I start at three and then depending on circumstances build my way up so I I'd say that they're at my Baseline three right now I think that within the past couple games we've seen the turnovers really pick up and Brandon Stewart said something interesting last night and that they're sort of like speeding themselves up and like not getting to the second and third side when when they run their offense in the game against Connecticut they took like 32 threes and they weren't really getting in the paint that much and then we wound up asking Sandy and Kayla Thorton like okay how do you guys Connecticut was clocking the paint but at the same time how do you sort of like strike the balance of still getting those paint touches without overly relying too much on three-pointers so it feels like they're is it's almost like they're back in the lab trying to re experiment and figure some things out now that they're they were at full strength Monday night but then not at full strength currently which ties back to the beginning exactly so it's a situation where they're almost like relearning everything again like the players who stayed H had a little mini camp during the break which they all say was very helpful for them as far as like getting their cues and getting more comfortable and now that the roster is essentially I'd say at 95% like JJ stop sneezing maybe she'll be good she'll be good to go so back we get a better read for what the rotations are going to look like down the stretch so I think I think this per I think this this this this next week or two is an is they still want to win and maintain their lead in first place but they have just enough comfort and wom so that way if they take a loss whilst still learning something it won't be it won't be as bad as if you know Minnesota is like half a game behind and then September I think 5th or September 8th one of one of them one of those days they're in barkl Center for a huge game with first place on the line so they have a little bit of cushion to work with so even with the loss even with the past couple losses there hasn't been the the sense of like overwhelming dread and concern among the players and Sandy there it's almost like okay we know how to do this thing here we'll talk about it we'll rest up we'll figure it out we'll talk and plan and then we execute next time so I think that's going to be something to keep an eye on um that comment from Jen is pretty interesting I think she's I think she's more trusting up the bench than last year because last year you know it was just Kayla and then when the playoffs came JoJo couldn't get on the court Steph couldn't get on the court so it's like you're running six players for three rounds and that's not that's not going to get you anywhere she's been a lot more trusting of the bench this year Leo has been amazing Kennedy Burke has been terrific especially in recent games k continues to be excellent and has a sixth Player of the Year case Niara we'll talk about like she was excellent last night she was like especially in a pinch like she really came in had one of the best games of her pro career so you see that even when people are are out you you have someone who's ready to step up and really fill in the gaps and do what they need to do just last week for example Jaylen had the building really turned up against yeah yeah like that's that sandpaper I'm talking about yeah like I think that when when the stakes get higher Sandy can trust the bench more in a way in a way that I think in her heart of hearts she didn't last year and I feel like that's going to be enough to really sort of like nurse them through the end of the regular season and then when round one starts yeah I think that's interesting um Adams Odyssey I saw you asking questions about the expansion draft what I will say is that we and Kathy was asked and answered this multiple times in Phoenix um and her answer was basically uh things are coming so we don't know we don't know when the expansion draft is we don't know what the rules are if I'm not mistaken the last expansion draft you could protect six players something like that but that's only based off of the last expansion which it's been a minute since the WNBA had expansion so really couldn't tell you um I think the comment regarding uh no excuse for the New York Liberty I honestly don't think they're making excuses I think they've accepted and admitted what's going wrong um janesu should have stepped up I honestly think janesu has done a lot from a leadership perspective even in the last two games where the New York Liberty didn't look their sharpest including sometimes barking back um you know at the officials so I I think Sabrina has continued to to do what she does while obviously not just her but the team experiencing fatigue and that leads me to you hoba because actually that Seattle Storm vs Atlanta Dream Matchup comment regarding who we effectively are saying is at minimum a hybrid PG um you know sabrini anesu has taken on a very unique leadership role with this New York Liberty team as Courtney Vander slute has started to work herself back into the rotation but there is a point guard in Seattle and that point guard minced no words after a pretty disappointing devastating loss um from the Seattle Storm tell us about that loss it was to Washington uh and then um what Skyler diin Smith said postgame yeah that was a heartbreaker for the storm 7472 at climate pledge Arena uh no one expected the storm to lose for the mystics uh not to make it all about the mystics we know Misha isn't here we had to do our little bit even though Misha's not here I mean just talking like it statistically right because the storm is fourth and uh the mystics ranks was the the mystics was ranking 11 before that game it was was just a very odd night uh for the storm they shot 29.2% from from the three-point line and 37.8 in general uh they they had 12 turnovers it was not a pretty game you know NECA who has been very consistent with her field goals she shot below 30% and that was the night after after Asia Wilson shot less than 30% and I think that was only Asia's I think eighth game in her entire career shooting below 30% anyways uh but there's definitely something going on and um so yeah very odd night uh it was very frustrating and uh schylar digging Smith made that know uh the presser started with Jeff Brown with uh stormchasers and he made a question and Skyler NE neither Skyler nor uh Sami said anything and Skyler was like listen in this league if you're not ready to play You're Going to effing lose and and she expanded on that and then uh um and then Jeff Brown asked again like so you know maybe you can think about it now but how can the team you know be ready and she was like in this league if you're not ready you're going to effing loose she's slam she like slam the table she was not playing and you know we know the that's Kor DIY Smith you know she says it as it is and that was a wakeup call for the SE storm uh yeah the truth shall set you free uh that's a that's a wakeup call for the storm and that's something that I hadn't seen from a storm player in a while perhaps uhe said something of the likes uh at some point but you know the storm is known for being like a soft team you know uh it's part of the p&w culture also you have the and like I'm not even kidding like everything here is very passive uh people don't people just like dance around worlds and listen not only I'm Latina I'm also a New Yorker I would say so I think that uh as a as a basketball fan I've missed that uh straightforwardness from uh Skyler and I think that it was much needed when I I didn't go to that game I gave myself the time to rest but I was covering the game uh when Skyler sat on the on the uh media table I was like she is she is angry and she should be uh so that was a wakeup call and then no we came right after and someone asked so Skyler said that uh the team was not ready what do you have to to say for it and she was like yeah you know the team wasn't teaming there was no communication there was not that it wasn't working and then someone asked what can you do as a coach to instill that in players and she said I'm not on the court with them that has to come from within that has to come from them I can do anything about that I can't encourage I can try to inspire that but if they are not feeling if they are not ready if they don't have the hustle right now I can't do anything so uh just yeah just like very harsh words which again even last season when the team was like struggling really bad we didn't see that yeah they were eily positive and like as a New Yorker I was like I love like as a as a healed partially healed New Yorker I was like oh my gosh I love that y'all love each other as like a born and raised my birth certificate says New York City New Yorker I was like that's cute listen the y'all ain't happy that whole time ain't no way you're that happy to be losing that many games like come on like come on we're someing a table somewhere yeah and that's what and that's what's that's one of the many things that Skyler brings to this team you know and it it needed a a a shift in culture and I think that both Skyler and NECA are more straightforward and they don't sugarcoat things when I say it's cultural from the PMW I mean it people here will go around in circles and use all of the cutesy words uh to try and get you to guess that they are actually mad uh and I think time for that yeah exactly and I think that Skyler being so straightforward was the wakeup call that the team needed you saw that team this last game that defensive play at the end uh in the pregame Presser um noi was talking about how the team needed to do better with communication because it seemed like they couldn't just find each other those final stops and that defensive stop where like Gabby Williams is printed and she jumped I don't know how high she jumped but it was high it was like football players wish they could jump that high for interceptions uh and and again it seems like they they got it they're like okay we have to be more aggressive because also the WNBA is not passive anymore you know there's a cultural thing also that it is expected the female athletes should be a little more polish should be a little more the WBA is not buying that anymore the WBA is like we are professional athletes and we are going to be aggressive every night there has been so much conversation about that and I feel like the storm needed that way up call we saw a much better team that had only seven turnovers they were finding each other they were getting the stops however they did have a 13-point lead that was blown they blew that 13-point lead uh the the dream turned turned it around you know four times uh that is concerning you know especially when you think where the Atlanta Dream uh is today in the league and where the Seattle Storm is the team that the storm has that being said Tina Charles triple double you know she is how do you stop Tina Charles yeah she was ready to come back to Seattle um I Alicia gray yeah um yeah Adam's Odyssey again we don't have the particulars for the expansion draft Expansion Draft Insights they have not been released by the league I believe the last time there was an expansion draft you could predict six that's what we had said earlier that's all we know so unless you can ring Kathy on her direct line a got the answer um yeah uh so yeah I tell us how you really feel Skyler um I love her I think she's amazing listen I think it's very interesting because I think you're seeing the fatigue start to set in for the New York Liberty I think you're seeing a kind of um you know we've heard jqu Jones say sometimes you got to Thug Out wins uh to your point H I think not only did they kind of have to Thug out that win over Atlanta but they had kind of like a who who are we really gonna be like hopefully I think they're hoping that that was their breaking point that that was their you know players only close the doors hash it out say what you guys got to say and then let that thing go which we also know Brian the New York Liberty have done in the past particularly last season I don't think they've gotten to that point this year and I wonder though is that more concerning is it more concerning that the top team who has not had two back-to-back losses since early on they could potentially be on three Brian is it more concerning that maybe they haven't had their Skyler dickin Smith moment or you know is it it are we Hova a little worried that okay you play Atlanta a team to your point that's not necessarily where they want to be not where I think they have the potential to be in the standings and that's a team that the Storm at least statistically speaking categorically B based on the standings should beat are we a little worried that they didn't hold on to a lead I think those are both valid questions and things to discuss and of course that's what we're going to do in the second quarter let's talk about what is on the line tomorrow not only does hoba get to see another year of life and we're so grateful that you join us on the eve of your birthday here um but we also get to see what I think is going to be some pretty good basketball oh yeah it's gonna be good yeah and we of course on the graphic have this Stewie versus Gabby Williams um because the last time they met Gabby couldn't find her yeah the point oh my gosh I saw a like a meme of that very shortly after the Olympic gold medal game where someone was like if I send if I send this to you that means you cross the line I was like d did you say that St posted that on her Instagram did she oh my gosh yeah let me find it here you know how she does like the W uh yeah I love Stewie I bet she would and of for those who don't know like Stewie rarely is like like a petty troll I mean she can be Petty for sure but most more often than not if she's trolling someone it's someone that she knows they're having a good time it's all cool Gabby it was Sid Coulson who reposted that um and sent it to Gabby Williams and she's like yo she was like yo said you're lucky ah dang hold on hold on hold hold it hold it Stakes for Tomorrow's Games dang oh my gosh dang yeah so I mean that alone is like I'm here for it Brian but we also know especially and hoba you're I'm going to have you break this down for us but this means a lot to the Seattle Storm potentially punches their ticket to the playoffs but what's on the line for the New York Liberty Brian as they head to climate pledge Arena to take on the Seattle Storm I think a couple things one is you further your grasp on first place like everyone knocks your magic number down a little bit more and you get you get a little bit more breathing room and then you get into good little break where you could just s like feel good come back home off a wi and it helps because you see Seattle again next week Thursday so you get that win tonight you sort of like come home feeling good and then you come back to see the same team again and then you'll be able to sort of like play off that a little bit more too and I think also for the team just another I think an opportunity against another elite team to sort of like iron some things out like in their match with the top teams in in the league after the break they looked excellent against Las Vegas the Connecticut game was Within Reach and with with with the maybe acquisition the players mentioned that oh we have to play them differently because we can't help off everybody anymore it was a bit of a adjustment process for them so I think another chance against a team that they might see in the playoffs if things break out how we think they might which we'll probably get to a little bit later so seeing seeing a potential playoff team getting another good win under your belt and really being able to sort of like see who can step up in case JJ's not full strength how you manage to guard um juel and NECA seeing how how your guards do against seeing how your guards do against Skyler and really if you're able to score in the paint with eie Roman down there there's gonna be a lot of like fasing subplots within the game and I that that's looking to sort of like continue that that's looking to continue to learn more about itself and figure out what what buttons work best against the very best competition I think a game like this can be a good Learning lesson for them Damian says everything Erica everything is on the Liberty's Title Aspirations line for the Liberty everybody listen we know Damien is very passionate and I think Damien I'm not wholly disagreeing with you I do think that is a lot on the line for the New York Liberty to Brian's point this is a game that is going to show their their metal right how much have they really learned from the the the busted lips the butt kickings you know the they don't love each other comments of last season yeah like let's Keep It Funky because the last two games to your point Brian yes Connecticut was Within reach they were clawing back from LA but they were tired they looked tired they looked mentally to me it was more of a mental exhaustion because if you looked at them they were going through the motions they were doing what they needed to do but in my estimation Brian they fell into that lethargy that we sometimes see where they're not hanging their heads but they're also not hype either they're kind of going through the motions that's what it's felt like a little bit um in the last hand full of games um and and they they miss that energy that spark and that's where I know we had a few comments regarding rotation with that being the case for me seeing quite literally thousands of miles away it was curious that Jaylen sherad was not used in any of those games for a little pigme up for a little dapdap you know a shot of energy because I think that is we've talked about this in the preseason I mean when I saw that news I put it in our slack Channel because I was hella hype um that she was brought in for the remainder of the Season we also saw like she ain't taking nothing from nobody D J Carrington yo when she got stepped over and pushed the the the official out of the way yo I was God that was that was so intense and hilarious like I I knew she was fired up but also just the fact that she like slid and put used the momentum of pushing herself against the legs of the official to slide towards D day like that was hilarious to me on so many levels but um you know I think what Damian is saying I would I would like bring my boil prob or down to like a little bit more of a simmer um but I think there is a lot on the line and this is a New York Liberty team that had to push and they were within Striking Distance to number one Brian but late last season now we see that they've clinched first they have a handle on first place which would give them homec court advantage and it's a question of if they can keep that and to your point Brian they're going up against a team in in the Seattle Storm that's a top four team right now that being said HOA there Storm's Challenges Ahead have been plenty of times throughout this season especially early on where I don't know that the Seattle Storm has necessarily played like a top four team I 100% agree and I was talking to one of my fellow media members yesterday how I my perception is that the team is going through an identity crisis uh and because you know uh you have you bring in think of last season and who was the you know the central piece of the storm jeid juo was broke the single season scoring record she was the player of the team she was leading she was a she was she almost broke the um the regular season average uh Point uh points per game uh record so juw was the person whose BLS were drawn for right and then you bring in neum who is shooting better you bring in is Skyler diggings Smith who is Distributing the Distributing the ball really well uh and now you have Gabby Williams so you have a stack team the last time that juo played with a stack with a stack team and uh there was a player who was shooting better than her and scoring more than her was when Stewie was here it was when uh she when there was pretty solid point guard ex he might have had like a call Fame future Hall of Fame point guard a certain bird or something like that can remember her name but you know what you take a you take a stroll out of climate pledge Arena and the streets literally named after her exactly exactly and and she's there a lot to she was there yesterday and it's it's amazing to see how locked in she is on the game um but but anyways I think that with the pieces that they have the storm could be doing a little better but also the aces could be doing better uh it is uh you know it's a par thing also in this league and in Tyler's own words if you're not ready to play every night you're going to be lose that's that's what happens and I feel like because they are still understanding what their identity is uh especially on the defensive end with Gabby Williams if Gabby Williams wasn't there they would have lost that game if Gabby Williams wasn't ready for that steel if they didn't have the athleticism of uh of Gabby that that game would have been lost and that's not to say that the other players other players can take it it's just again how the storms a team that is still find finding its its identity in the postu bird era you know for 20 years 20 years thinking think how hard it is to break a habit you know um uh well put yeah yeah uh so uh Noel Queen she played with Sue she coached Su she played with Stewie she coached Stewie she knew those players now she has a whole different team to coach and to create an identity and a culture and you know they're going to be ups and downs and I think that you know as up and down as it could be the storms is still ranking fourth in the league and they're still ranking above the uh the defending Champion that you know has a hell of a team like um they may be struggling they may be struggling I mean I mean the aces but come playoff we know what playoff Aces is and the storm is doing what it has to do to maintain its position during uh during the regular season beating New York tomorrow would kind of like give them a better shot at maintaining that uh the fourth spot and it would be really important because they would get the Chicago Sky um no sorry they would uh they would have uh home how do you say that they would have like pref yeah so that's very important climate pledge arena is no joke when you you know the storm is playing for playoffs uh and they can do it they have the pieces to do it but this is a league that uh parody shows more than ever when you had the Los Angeles Sparks beating Vegas you have Atlanta and Washington beating the storm it says a lot and honestly I think Indiana just beat Connecticut yep and the storm I think right they be the storm true yeah yeah the Sunday game yep yeah yeah so you see you see how the Indiana Fever is surging and that's also because they were trying to find that identity you know there are there's a lot like this is a SE this is a league that has top tier Talent you know all of the players are the best of the best uh it's just when you put teams together when you try to identify uh what what piece you're going to play it's it's it's takes time and with the storm I think there is that slow shift to NECA being the main scorer and being the person who plays are GNA be drawn to interesting yeah but Jewel did make a case for herself yesterday agree she she had an incredible night shooting uh she was five for8 from the three-point line in including a three-pointer at the very end that you know energized that team and gave them the lead to to to um to finish you know had vintage vintage je exactly exactly and then NECA like I said against uh Washington she shot 28 something percent yesterday she shot 53% and that's kind of where she has been between 40 and 50 so and then you and then you have Skyler [ __ ] Smith who called the team out and then comes out the next game with 16 points nine assists five rebounds and three blocks like yeah and I want to stick on that point for a minute because one of the things that Skyler said that before she said what she said is that um you know she made a bad choice she owned a mistake as a veteran late in the game she should not be making those plays she also while taking ownership also said and it shouldn't come down to just one play yeah um exactly and so I thought that was interesting too I really liked what you said about NECA and I I've alluded to this before on CBS Sports I spoke to NECA during uh the Phoenix Allstar week and I was going to write a story I might still but I'll give you this anecdote cuz I thought it was hilarious NECA and I were talking and I was asking her what has the transition been like you've spent your entire career you've been an All-Star before but this is the first time you're an All-Star representing a team that is not the Los Angeles Sparks and you know she the game hadn't started yet and so she's like you know I'll have to see if and how it's different like how am I absorbing it differently but she admitted that not too long before the the Allstar Weekend she was in a huddle talking to the team taking on that leadership and she's like okay uh she said you know Sparks on three and she was mortified she was absolutely mortified she told me that story and I could tell she was still still embarrassed I me she was like I'm gonna tell you this but she was still embarrassed that that happened and she said the team was you know they of course made fun of her but they understood but that was her way of saying that even though obviously she knows she plays for the Seattle Storm she signed the contract but the breaking habits right to your point that's why I thought it was great to mention it after what you had said about breaking habits because that's still something that NECA is working out now Skyler diin Smith also new to the storm but she's changed teams before she's had that newness you know that's in her rear view whereas this whole experience of um going through free agency signing with another team is very new to NECA so to say that you know that it might be her time right or her time is coming to get the keys and to be that first option I'm curious to see how that pans out especially as we start to see vintage Jewel lyd come back vintage jeid is what the seatt storm needs uh and uh Erica you and I have talked about it uh in a podcast previously that juwel Lloyd was going ER his status right she was shooting and shooting and not knowing when the ball is gonna fall and that's kind of and yesterday was a night when the ball was falling uh again of those five three-pointers uh most of them were in the first quarter because she did have 12 points in the first quarter and then went dead in the second quarter and third and they came out in the fourth there are teams that the storm can afford doing that there are teams that the storm cannot afford doing that and that in and a team that they cannot afford doing that is the New York Liberty that they are playing tomorrow they've been struggling a lot with their third quarter production and they are going to they're going to be uh practicing that a lot because you cannot you don't have the privilege of you know letting a third quarter slide against uh the Liberty yeah that's an interesting point and I I saw Brian and I both our eyes kind of went up I don't I wonder if we were thinking the same thing Brian because we've seen a version of the New York Liberty where they are terrible in the middle frames um we've also seen a version of the New York Liberty where they're terrible in the beginning and they're terrible in the end I guess so which do we think is going to Prevail but you know I like to do predictions a little little bit different at black Game Predictions Rosie media so Brian we'll start with you and it's going to be obviously you will talk about the New York Liberty HOA Brian's Game Prediction you will talk about the Seattle Storm uh primarily but if you have any nuggets for the other team feel free um but we we'll start with this Brian your prompt the New York Liberty win tomorrow night if the New York Liberty win tomorrow night if they keep their turnovers to 15 and Below against a team like Seattle if you can get the if you can make the most out of every single possession and considering the talent that they have and the talent coming off the bench I like their chances and I like them being able to control the flow of the game we know they're monsters on the glass I think they're tops in the league in rebounding after the break so if you're able to keep the turnovers low prevent them from getting out in transition keep that Seattle crowd from turning up as much as you can you you can really control the flow of the game and make sure that Brianna gets as many good shot opportunities as possible they they they keep it under 15 they win I like it we're going to wrap up the second quarter before we get into a new little segment here in the third quarter but hoba you have the opportunity now to wrap us up before we go to our Hobie's Game Prediction halftime but the Seattle Storm win tomorrow night and give you a birthday gift if if they uh shoot over 40% and if they dominate on offensive rebounds I like that offensive particular both of you mentioned rebounds which I think is very poignant yeah and if they're able to and if and if Brianna Stewart is not on Revenge mode that's also a key factor if Stewie is in Revenge mode there's no like no one can beat in Stewie on yeah yeah if Stewie gets activated I think she's shown a little fatigue um but yeah if Stewie if Stewie gets the blood pumping that could be interesting no turnovers I would love to see both teams be way below 15 um we've seen the storm bring it down temper that a little bit I did have um Additional Questions Discussed another question that I'm gonna turn over to the fourth quarter but I want you to think about this uh both of you H my additional question that's not in our notes that I was thinking of as you were speaking earlier is um where does Sammy witcom fit into this especially given the role she played in the Olympics and for you Brian we mentioned Niara briefly um and I saw a comment regarding um regarding Steph Dolson what do you like about nara's game compared to Steph doon's game uh what do you not like you know compare and contrast what do you what do we get when we have Niara and what did the New York Liberty get uh with a Steph Dolson and do you agree with I think it was Jen that uh or aloicious one of them uh I'll look I'll look up the comment in a minute but we'll save those to just think about them now for the fourth quarter specific questions for players who we haven't exp we talked about a little bit but I think could be key not just for this matchup but moving forward okay we're trying Pass or Play Segment something new in the third quarter we're going to do pass or play and if you are in our slack Channel then you got to see these um earlier today but pass or play so how this is going to work you two is and this is going to be kind of more of a rapid round so we can get to some of the comments um and questions in the chat but I'm going to give you a statement it's going to be a statement um and then you're going to if you like it you're going to play if you are like absolutely not you pass and then if you wantan to if you would like a brief explanation then you can do that but we're going to keep it pretty rapid fire you both get to respond but I'll start with the person who is our our you know black Rosie media expert so our first pass or play uh this one hoba for you first and then Brian if you want to chime in Gabby Williams got getting her first start you like it or you don't oh play absolutely play you know give Gabby Williams what she needs give Gabby what she wants put her in I love it Brian what do you think I mean objectively Gabby wonderful and a front Court of Gabby NECA and eie is Sensational scary absolutely okay next passer play we go to Brian first and then H that you can chime in if you have any thoughts Leoni Feit is a first team all rookie candidate play play she's there like I think she's locked in right now like she's been awesome like she's she's won various games for this team she gives them a level of flexibility that they didn't have last year also she loves like she does the Marine thing where she'll just like take those threes in Rhythm when the crowd is really turning up and then they go in and then they get even louder I feel like Leo has a sort of hidden Knack of making threes like that she's been excellent play all right over you have thoughts on that one absolutely play what she's doing for the Liberty in her rookie year you know is is in a season where you have so many outstanding rookies uh sorry I'm just saying hi to my wife who just got back from work uh in a season where you have so many outstanding rookies the fact that she is standing out herself says a lot and she 100% deserves uh I know it's too late for uh you know Rookie of the Year anyone else should be included in the Rookie of the Year race but first thing for sure I love it okay this one is definitely for New York Liberty fans uh so Brian that means we're coming to you first New York Liberty season ticket prices as they have been shared on social media you're gonna pass or you're gonna play yeah that's a pass like you you can't you can't do that sorry like I I get that there's an an upswing the attendance is like 10,000 plus every single night I respect that and I appreciate that you can't jack the prices on people like this I feel like there's no whatever sort of logic that may come from the team and the league office about oh we're spending more on players we're spending on this and that no no no no like you can't you can't really you can't jack up the best basketball product in barklay center for the next like like I feel like doing that nah like if if you want to increase like like a small percentage I mean that's part of the game I understand but to just like jump it up by like 200% for some people I'm like nah don't do that like you ow you owe people better than that and you have enough like money from from the people running the organization to not feel the need to sort of like raise the prices on people and the ticket Services as well too like they got they got enough like you don't need to price out the the fans and and with that you're pricing like it's almost like Erica it's it's almost like an MSG when a Nick so good it's like oh it's it's so loud it's like all the rich people are there and it's like it's not like real people you know you want to have an environment where it's like you know actual like people who don't wear like I I don't know it's like you're not like a CEO like you just be like a regular person who can who can get a ticket to the game pull up with your family have a great time and not feel like you have to devote an entire paycheck for tickets so I think that that's a pass for me and I want them to do a little bit better yeah Jen writing it was a shock for sure bums me out that the 28-year fans and families are going to be priced out this league was built on community I agree and hob I don't know I I know we shared it in slack but you know we're seeing an upwards of you know 0% increase that's due in less than a month like baby I mean where's the payment plan at cuz like how you gonna jack up prices and then that turnaround is crazy like you ain't even give people the off seon to come with it that's crazy to me like I don't know but yeah are you officially passing or playing on that uh you know I I recently finished an MBA in sports and entertainment management so I have lots of thoughts about it I'm going to try to keep it short uh when you're trying to you know establish your product as a sports team especially as a women's uh basketball team you cannot you cannot uh lose your uh Grassroots fans you know people who have been supporting you because that's going to put a stain on your image like do you want new fans to come in and be like do you want people to be like oh am I going to be the next one to be like screwed over price uh price ticket prices um so there's that I think that they should come up with a plan you know a loyalty plan uh some sort of discount or like if you can you know just give them the down payment all right so you've been with the team for this long how for if if you've been with the team if you've been a season ticket holder for that long we're going to give you like you need a lower we we're going to allow you to give a lower uh payment plan and you have New York a city where you have billionaires in a city where you have people who struggle uh it's not a cheap City you're people are going to have to choose between New York Liberty games on summer or New York Mets New York Yankees game uh if you increase your prices it's less likely that people are going to go to your game uh on the other hand to you know to maintain a team to pay front office to incre to like value your product you need to ticket prices pay a big uh role on it so if you have $10 tickets sponsors are going to look at it and be like is that a is that uh is that the kind of product that I want to be involved with uh there are lots of factors that go in the decision making arena is also a factor so when the storm went back to uh climate pledge Arena prices kind of like went higher a little bit uh and I I I I've personally personally uh I have a good relationship with the uh with the head of ticket operations at the storm and they re I know that they really value uh long-standing fans and I know that the reason why people continue uh renewing their uh their uh season ticket is because they know that they're going to be taken care of uh again the storm and the the ticket people who have been the storm for a long time they have Report with the fence the New York Liberty has just changed uh ownership how what is their report with the fans do they feel close because that also pays play plays a big factor when it comes to fence uh you know buying into a team and you know I saw that price $8,000 a season you're making a big investment on that 9k yeah yeah like you know 9k in New York is what two month rent you know it's a lot it's a lot of M it's a lot of money uh so I think that they need to have a strategy that's going to Value both the uh product and that's going to raise the price of their product and that's going to Value uh long-term season ticket holders so I think that one doesn't go without other I think so I'm absolutely passing on this but to your point H done and I think we can all understand this like the the yesterday's price is not today's price for the WNBA period Point Blank and while we understand that like don't be don't be out here playing you know people to their Bas so Jen's saying that there is going to be a 10% break from what they'll charge a new subscriber but dang like that price win Sky High and then you just to be clear uh it's a pass for me yeah yeah um you know it's um it's just kind of wild and you can by arbitrarily raising the price too early um like you can also harm the you can harm the product uh and and the brand so that's something to keep in consideration we did have two left but Las Vegas Aces Championship Contention we we talked about Caitlyn Clark at the top of the show so we'll end on this one am I being a little petty by adding this probably but you know what it's my podcast I'll do what I want Las Vegas Aces will contend for a title this one might be a little tough I'm curious what y'all think pass or play anyone can start I I'll put y'all I'll take y'all out the hot seat since this is not team specific to a a black Rosie media podcast I'll start I am going to at this particular moment with the caveat that I might change my opinion later I'm gonna pass then I do not think that the Las Vegas Aces make it to the WNBA final now I had them in my preseason prediction taking on the Connecticut Sun as their matter of fact but if I had to If I Had the Chance which I just gave myself to amend that prediction I think I'm going to pass I think that we see uh someone else other than the aces in the WNBA finals why don't we go to Hera first and then Brian will close out with you before getting to some other questions you know considering it's it's not an easy uh I would say considering I would say that they are contenders I would say for me they have a pretty solid chance at making the finals uh that might not be I'm I think that I'm not taking into consideration the moment I'm taking into consideration like the history and Chelsea grade playoffs mode as someone who was in Seattle when Chelsea Gray destroy the storm in those semifinals inant classic that series is an instant classic it deserves so much respect but okay yeah so I would yeah you're gonna play all right Brian what what do you think I'm passing like like they you can't I feel like watching them for the past month they can't get no rebounds they can't get stops like their defense is like falling apart they're experimenting with starting with with the starting five now when this is the point where you need to be sort of like ironing things up for your bench rotation for the playoffs and after the game on Wednesday in in in in the TV post game Natasha how's like hey we know we're a good rebounding team they're not a good rebounding team so it's like okay you know that we can like just last week fee outrebounded the entire team by herself and thaty changed to starting five because the game before fee cooked Kia Stokes over and over and over so oh AC go guard fee tonight oh no I'm Gonna Get You 30 and 18 tonight while you guys get 17 rebounds as a whole team so I feel like every I feel like if they were if there were 12 Asia Wilson's on the team I would say differently but it's just one and amaz one but everybody else on that team they not it right now kp's been super like Jackie's been bad after the break like Chelsea I'm going to cut all the slack in the world for because she she's coming back off a severe injury and like the mind is there but the body hasn't caught up with with it yet you know Meg she she was supposed to like beat beat the three-point spacer for the team it hasn't really hit like that yet we saw it in the game against Chicago but that's like one otherwise Becky hasn't even played her that much Kia on the boards like and after that they don't play anybody else like you're you're only playing Seven you've been playing seven people for like three months and what do you like how like last know I remember last year Becky made the joke that oh if I play Asia Moore she would have won the MVP well she's gonna get the MVP and she's having to score 35 like 35 to be oh my yeah yeah and they had to like they had to crawl from behind in that game and then 42 against Dallas and you guys let a fourth quarter lead go and you lost and even the game before against Chicago I think they were up by 10 in the fourth quarter and then it took Asia at the buzzer to save them like it's very hard for them right now yeah there's I feel like there's so many issues for them and if everything hold now they're starting on the road and they've been the they've had the best I want to say they've had the best record in the league the past three years 21 they lost the Phoenix in the semis and then 22 and 23 they start they have they had home court throughout the entire playoffs this year at best they might get home court in one round and worst case scenario they might beat a five SE going to either Seattle Connecticut or Minnesota to start and those are going to be incredibly hard matchups and for a team that's still trying to sort of figure it out on defense and you got a team like Minnesota in particular who who punishes every single mistake like the Liberty could tell you themselves that hey make a mistake they they're going to get us and a defense that's not doing well right now against offense like that big big trouble yeah I think it's G to be interesting Jen saying Vegas will turn it on H uh you know don't have it right now but wouldn't count them out um I I mean like I said if if since it's my podcast asked the question today today is a it's a no for me dog it's a no for me dog I I I will openly admit on here this here podcast we could do a week to week and have this in pass and play every week if we want to we're not going to do that because this not about the Las Vegas ases myy I might switch it up I might switch it up okay listener questions if you have any burning questions Now's the Time put them in the chat I start a few New York Liberty's #1 Seed Prospects and I already asked I have some prompts for you too but first let's go back to some of the comments that I starred uh hey Erica hey hey hey fam hey what's up do you think the libs hold on to that one spot okay this is a great question because I've been thinking about it a lot and just by virtue of me knowing myself um and that I've been thinking about it that means that I'm starting to question whether they will hold on to it we talked about this with Misha on the last episode of got to get up a podcast for New York Liberty fans and I said if they can keep the losses for the rest of the way under five or at five then yeah I had they had a good chance that being said I did not expect them to lose to La that was not one of the losses that I credited to them um that I gave them leeway for and I do think that uh Damen had said it in the in the chat earlier who and Damien also asked the question um but Damen saying that you know the New York Liberty were the first or he alluded to the I should say the standings and the lead in the standings not really being that much what is it right now two and a half games they're up two and a half games on Minnesota up three games on Connecticut and up six on Seattle up seven on Las Vegas two and a half games there's still a decent amount of games left I think it's absolutely doable and we need to see I think I want to reserve my definitive answer until they get through that break Brian um because right now my answer might be different uh they're just not looking like the the New York Liberty team that's been able to secure the playoff spot the first team to secure the playoff spot am I concerned yes but not I'm not panicking I guess is what I would say but Brian what do you think do you think they hold on to the number one spot I think they do and I think that we'll get a better feel on if they can lock everything up by September 10 when they go when they travel to Dallas for two because yes three games a a a home and home with Seattle and then a Sunday game against Las Vegas if they're able to be able if they're able able to sort of like play well in that stretch I feel like they do more than enough to to wrap things up because after that Dallas for two Minnesota in Brooklyn for a Sunday afternoon game and then they close with Washington and Atlanta that's a very doable stretch right there and I think that if they're able to get the wins that they're supposed to maybe like grab an up not not an upset because they want in the league like there's no upsets for them but if they're able to beat Minnesota because that gives them the season series over because they have they have the season series over Connecticut they have it over Las Vegas if they can grab it over Minnesota that pretty much locks the number one seat down for them 100% And then it's just a matter of making sure everybody's fully ready to go for playoff weekend in barklay Center I like it this I love Jen that you put this in here because I forgot to put this in the shoo around what do you think about the New York Liberty Mascot Insights new sky mascot first of all who was it I for I was one of the newsletters that I get which is how I found out that this guy had a new mascot but you know they've been boycotting Sky guy at least all season long and a little bit and a little bit last season too um you know I feel like I need to know more about this mascot but when you have Ellie I mean it's hard to be and I love that there's already like mascot pet in is going on I'm here for it I'm all here for it and so H let's stick with you then and then we'll get Brian's thoughts because I I could tell Brian you got some thoughts on this one um but specifically uh Ellie say I am an only child in response to folks saying Ellie had a sister listen as the oldest I love that Ellie whether it's true or not you just stick with your story sis yeah no and Ellie is completely right you know she she was here first uh that and that's just full Ellie personality coming out you know you don't want to go you don't want Ellie going Pacific Northwest on us you want Ellie to continue being Ellie and I love that you know what actually I changed my I changed my mind see Ellie is such a personality that I almost made I made a grave Injustice if you listen or watch the got to get up intro then you know that Maddie is in that intro so Ellie baby baby don't forget from Once you came like she's fire let's not let's not act like it but Maddie Maddie is the one who taught a lot of New York Liberty fans to spell Liberty okay let's not let's not be disrespectful I don't think that came I don't think that was pointed at at Maddie I think that was talk about New Wave mascots but I'm just saying here on got to get up we not going to forget we not not gonna forget Brian what are your thoughts I so I feel like this happening the same weekend that Ellie wanted to go pay d kenon a visit for for trying to bully Jaylen sherro is like okay you guys oh my God guys are messing with the wrong elephant this time like I need but I I I would say I I think I Roberta I've told Erica this before I am the resident mascot lover on the podcast like I'm like yeah I like it more mascots I enjoy them a great deal but I will say for the for the new Sky mascot like was a sky guy at Ellie's birthday I feel like Ellie yes I was surprised Sky guy did show up though Ellie might have a little bit of solidarity with Sky guy so you know Sky guy did roll through was Doppler there too I gotta I gotta I don't think was there okay was there oh he was yeah I'm not a big mascot person I'm a big Ellie person but I'm not a big I mess with Ellie I will always remember Maddie and Mr and Mrs met but specifically Mrs met I mess with all all y'all others I I just keep my mouth closed because I'm not a mascot person I like very specific New York mascots and the rest of them like a mascot but I've said this before I think I was talking actually on a hockey podcast mascots are not made for my demographics so I like I like the Sounders mascot the Sounders mascot I don't know oh that's cool also I had a very bad mascot experience in Connecticut I'm not really ready to share it on this podcast I have shared it publicly before it's actually not very funny at all it's very inappropriate but um yeah it was anyway it was weird so the person because it was a person it wasn't a mascot cuz you know mascot's EMB body a character the person that was playing that mascot extremely inappropriate that's all I will say about that at the moment yeah it was like gross anyway um anyway we will move on so and but even before then I have not been a big mascot person not really my vibe uh okay we did have a a Noelle Quinn vs Sandy Brondello Comparison late entry from the household of Rodriguez so how and this is another thing that I we talked about it hob know before but I thought it was interesting Brian I'm going to come to you first for this one how did the coaching Styles between Noy and Sandy compare and contrast H that's a fascinating question I think on the comparison piece they're both they're both coaches who will stand up for their players in public like you'll you'll never have a situation where they'll throw someone under the bus I think Roberto I feel like you could probably expand on this a little bit more but early in the season when Skyler was struggling there was a lot of like early discussion about oh Skyler's not doing this Sky's not doing that and noi qu it might have been after the game in New York in fact where noi was like hey you need to give her time like she's she's working hard she's doing what she needs to do like y'all need to like she's been gone for a year and a half like give her that respect and that understanding and I feel like having a coach who will go go to bat for you in public like that is such a valuable thing like you never want to have a moment when you feel like the boss is questioning you like when when you when the person leading the organization puts their full faith and trust in you not just privately but publicly as well and in the way that Noel did I think it's really incredible and Sandy has done the same over the years like like one of the most famous examples is when the Mercury players didn't want to do post game after the finals it was s taking hits for every y stay up there like really made sure to Shield her players from all the the the heat that came their way and knowing Sandy she do it again like if like she's someone that will stand up for players in public really be able to give them that confidence and I think even when players are struggling and having questions about their role like she's she's a open book when it comes to that regard like famously last year bashini Hamilton was like yo what is my role here like I'm just like standing in the corner this is not what I do and then they had that conversation and then you saw the you saw Sandy accomodate and make room for be and really allow her to make that big push down the stretch so I think that you know even this year Kennedy Burke mentioned hey this is a transition for me I I'm here I'm just and then Sandy really gave her that encouragement so I think the similarity is that they're really they're really coaches who and I think what helps is coaches who played in the league like that's that that's a Buon respect that that comes with the job when you've been in the grind with the players and and going through what they've gone through I think that helps a lot as far as coaching style differences I feel like the LI this might this might just be me thinking more about like roster Construction in this context but in the sense of like the Liberty don't do isos like like they're they're not an ISO team like that's not what they do when they when they're playing well like when they're ising all the time you know they're in trouble because they're not doing what they're supposed to do whereas with Seattle I think they have the the ability to do that a lot more I think a lot of that stems from juwel and also NECA being able to do that whereas the Liberty like they they look their best when the ball is moving side to side third fourth action things like that where they're really able to pressure the defense and bend them in that way so I think that would be a difference as far as a coaching style but I feel like that might just be me putting a little bit more emphasis on the rosters per se yeah I'll chime in here uh quickly before we um get hoba to respond specifically um you know to standing up for players because I'd love for you to chime in there but I think for me and hob I know we talked about this noi is quite honestly the biggest difference and the the the contrast is that Noel Quinn is not a red and a winning head coach um we talked about that now Noel Quinn knows how to win she's been a part of a winning culture at Seattle but not as the head coach Sandy brondello has been a winning head coach not with her current team the New York Liberty so I guess maybe there's a little bit of similarity there that they're playing a different role each has winning pedigree but not with the team or in the role that they're holding right now so that's also a similarity I think for me if I had to put a fine point on it with where Noel Quinn is right now I give Sandy The Edge on being able to make sharp um decisions at the end of games I think Noel Quinn is still figuring out what buttons she wants to press and for me um it's hard as Brian was saying to kind of remove that from the roster that you have but for me I think if I did pull back and if I really had time to sit down and chat with these questions I would or chat with these coaches about these questions I would lean into Sandy being a little more confident with what she's going to do regardless of her team whereas Noel Quinn is still figuring that out and I think you can even point to the Olympics um you know Sandy was kind of joking around Brian right that uh uh she would call plays in the Olympics and then you know Stewie in particular I believe she mentioned would be like oh that's a New York Liberty play you know because has she has her book you know there's the book of brondello I think Noel Quinn is still trying to figure that out and she doesn't have the same um autonomy at the international level um with Canada that Sandy has with the Opals so I and honestly that just comes with years in the game right so um all things being equal well they're not but I think um you know Sandy brondello which is understandably so is a little more assured and she will also I think this is probably a similarity but I think Sandy is 100% comfortable and confident in taking the heat when her decision- making doesn't work out I think she's also clear on when decision making or the process isn't working out and those two things are different people outside of um organizations sometimes conflate those things but I think Sandy does a really great job of telling us when her decision- making didn't pan out and when she feels like things didn't pan out because her team is in the middle of a process and that she still is is trusting the process and that her team is being guided to trust the process I think we're still trying to figure out what what the difference is between what Noel Quinn's systems are and what she takes responsibility for as a head coach and and where we are in the process I don't think we're far off but to me that's a more clinical or technical I guess coaching thing as opposed to kind of a bigger basketball thing so I don't know yeah my thoughts are very similar I think that they differ in the way that um noi has more of a place safe mentality and I think that Sandy is more daring probably because of their experience and because they each have like because Sandy has her own Playbook she knows what works she know what doesn't work so that might be where they differ most and I think that where they're similar is just really uh respecting and giving room for the players to uh you know make their own decisions when they have to I think they are really good at making their players comfortable yes exactly and we'll lean into that fully it's like I don't care if you think it looks ugly I don't really care if it does look ugly right now because this is what the process has to be and we heard that especially from Sandy with the Opals who did not look great and Sandy minced no words she's like yeah yeah we didn't look great that's not how we play but she wasn't about to to Brian's point get on her players she said the coaches we have to be better like we have to you know be sharper and and that's effectively what they did um kind of speaking of the Olympics though I wanted to Circle back to the questions that I had posed to Sami Whitcomb's Role for Seattle Storm y'all so we'll start with um Sammy witam uh what is uh Sammy Wickham's role right now hober for the for the Seattle Storm and how if at all do you think it could impact tomorrow's game uh she is the team's Energizer you know when the team is down when the team is um going through uh through those Downs during the game Sami comes in and she hits key three-pointers that kind of give the storm the energy that they need in order to um in order to get back in the game so she really is a North for that team she was known as the um you know the the rousel bunny you know the the energy but the Energizer Bunny for the team because she does have that with her she brings a lot of authority on the court and players really respect her I feel like coming back from the Olympics she brought the energy that she had in the Opals to the storm I feel like she steps on the court and she uh takes responsibility she becomes that team leader when she's on the court she becomes like the PG uh when uh when Skyler digging Smith Goes to the bench and uh Samy comes in the storm doesn't struggle because they both match each other's uh level so I think she brings the stability and energy for the storm I love it I wanted to go back to this comment I know I posted it but yes um when the Liberty clinched this was in the game or not the game notes but the press release if I'm not mistaken Brian that every time Sandy brondello has served as a head coach in the WNBA she has gotten her team to the playoffs that is a wild breath of work so for anyone who disrespects Sandy brondello or questions her now y'all see why I hold her down um because that's that's wild I also wanted to get to this now I know D and you also asked me about what I thought the New York Liberty record was going to be I don't think I ever said the final record I did say and I think I repeat it ear today I was saying that they won't lose more than this was when we had the show with Misha so right before we came back I was like I don't think they lose another five games no more than five games for the rest of the season I think I said that five to seven range but if I'm not mistaken Brian I don't think they can get mathematically to 35 wins yeah I think I saw today that that that the most they top out they can top out at is 34 because of six losses in the 40 games yeah so 35 they're not gonna hit uh I think that if they're like as long as they get the one seed that's all that matters like if like I'll say 32 I feel like I feel like they might trick off a game here or there like knowing them and knowing that people are people sometimes and sometimes you have like a rough day I feel like they might get got like a game or two coming down the stretch to finish it like a 32 and eight yeah 29 30 31 32 so yeah I think we're pretty much saying the same thing um because if they if they lose if they lose another six games I think that puts them at 30 I don't know I got to re-engineer the math I don't think in numbers because it hurts my brain um same here I don't think it numbers because it hurts my brain okay Brian I wanted to come back to you cuz there was a comment I'm going to look for it let me ask you I'm going to frame the Stefanie Dolson vs Kia Vaughn Analysis question how I'm thinking of it and then I'll post the comment later so I don't have to because I can't always find what I need but I had asked you to think about Steph Dolson versus Niara saali um and I'd love for you to weigh in there what do you see as the similarities are the do you even have a handle right now of if of if the Liberty are better or worse with one versus the other I think with Niara we've really got to see it more in the past couple games like her Mobility really opens up a lot of things for them like she's really like she's a great roller on the pick and roll when she Dives to the basket like in the Dallas game in particular she was doing great work on the glass like we starting to see her do a little bit more as far as like hand like handoffs in in the mid post and the top of the key really being able to tap into that so I think that her game and she she has a really good touch at the rim and she has a great motor coming down up and down the court which I think is a nice change up from what Steph was last year like Steph could really spot up from three and she's a great passer especially in like the top of the key she's really smart and knows the offense really well and can adjust and do things on a particular level so I think as far as like passing and maybe three-point shooting step has the advantage but for what this roster needs I think Niara is a better fit because especially you know if you put her on an island against like a Kelsey meta for example she could move her feet keep up step for step and then use her length to really make things hard for a player at The Rim so I like that Nia's mobility and I think her increased I think increased confidence plays a role too like she was like Erica you were New York Liberty's Projected Record there she was amazing and she was great and I feel like she's carried that over after the break like we see her really like beast on the glass like she was she was really going in there against like big Dallas team with like with satu Natasha Howard and tiarra M like she was really able to hold her own down there and I think that was incredibly impressive and I think even last night in the Sparks game Sandy started her after halftime and I like okay I see you're doing a great job I trust that you won't get in foul trouble how about you start w w with with with with the other guys and then like that right there I think is the biggest tent confidence because okay I trust you to play with all my all my top pieces and my top players and I trust that you're going to do what you do well and there was a stretch where she had like SE I want to say like six or seven points in the third quarter as they fought to get back in I'm like okay Niara like moving moving well rolling rolling hard to the basket T good touch at The Rim being able to catch difficult passes very very impressive and I think that it's really I think it's a testament to what she's been doing for the past year yeah I would have to agree I was quite honestly Blown Away with what she was was able to do at the Olympics because we haven't seen her healthy in the states quite honestly whether it's people tapping in at Oregon uh tapping into the New York Liberty we know that she has put up numbers internationally in other leagues and obviously with Germany um so to see it I was like oh heck yes now to comp her to Steph she doesn't give you the size or even the strength that Steph Dolson does but I think she makes up for it as you mentioned in her Mobility think Steph Dolson if I could take any one thing from Steph and give it to Niara or literally anybody Steph Dolson she gets it booked for it a few times but sister says a mean screen like she said to me she could knock at out with a screen and you know that's sing a lot um so yeah I'd take that but other than that I if I had to go like for like um I think there was a time and you already hit on this so I don't need to really elaborate too much I think there was a time in the New York Liberty where Steph doson made a lot of sense and I think that time has passed and Niara is a really solid choice for what this New York Liberty team is now and is hoping to become and growing into and the fact that she can grow alongside Sabrina who she's familiar with Leo hopefully who she's familiar with learning a alongside Stewie and jqu Jones I mean I really like I think she can be oh how do I want to say this I think her game more mirrors Stewie than JN quell Jones and I think if you have Niara continue to learn under a Stewie she can be um a version of Brianna Stewart like a like a little like sub portion like Stewie is Stewie let's not get it twisted um that being said what do we say HOA about Stewie's game that makes her so fantastic especially in international play is that she is a a post player right that is effectively a Swiss army knife and she can pull post players out because of what she does she's like sneaky solid and sound defensively Naro will block your shot before you even realize that it didn't go into the rim you know what I'm saying like she's just smooth and I feel like that's she's the closest to what I've seen of like a little bit of how Stewie plays on that whole rounded Approach at that position at the post position yeah and I think it has a lot to do with her International uh experience uh I was actually thinking about that before I'm sorry that obviously that was for Steph Dolson yeah that's hilarious yeah I I was actually thinking about that right before uh we started here how like I think because today I think I would say that Stuart for me Stuart Stewart is my favorite player and I think it is because she when I started uh watching and following women's basketball it was because of feba basketball that's kind of like what cut my eyes and I think that Stewie embodies that she is the ultimate uh FBA WBA Transformer and I think that makes her very special yeah I would agree all right folks well that's what we got Preview: Liberty vs Storm Game thank you so much for your comments and questions and tomorrow is a big one it's part of the ion sequence of games ion has been appointment viewing on Fridays for the WNBA and the uh well I guess they do stack they stack two of them because the aces are hosting but um one of the last two games on ION um is going to be the New York Liberty at Seattle Storm playing at climate pledge Arena the odds via FanDuel the odds via FanDuel I've never seen odds like this I just took a look because now they have the odds in the schedule like just just to give you an example on Friday the fever play the Chicago Sky the odds are minus 5.5 for Indiana plus 5.5 for Chicago then you have Minnesota links in the Dallas wings and I like these odds uh because Dallas like eight and two 22 not great but the way they've been playing they they're playing with some spark right now minus 7.5 in favor of Minnesota plus 7.5 um it's 10.5 plus minus in favor of Atlanta wait hold on did really is that how the odds work because sometimes I mix these up no no no okay okay no no no no no no no it's plus I was like wait really minus 10.5 they just have it listed uh the home team is last that's why I got confused um minus 10.5 in favor of the aces 10 point plus 10.5 for the Atlanta Dream the odds for a Seattle Storm New York Liberty are two that's how close that the the yeah that's wild to me I don't think I've ever seen odds like that before plus minus two um and they are in favor of the New York Liberty minus two in favor of the New York Liberty I feel like when you see low odds or like a game that the odds makers think is going to be close five is like close that's a close game they have the odds at two that's wild to me I've never seen that before yeah I feel like what helps Seattle is that their home court advantage is so like distinct like watching watching the watching that crowd cuz like they I think they've sold out every game like in in that building's existence if I'm not mistaken so they've created such it's a nice I've never watched a w game there but I've seen hockey there and it's a it gets it gets really fun in CPA anyway look like it looks like such a gorgeous Arena too I'm like man they did it's beautiful yeah great job putting that together yeah it is a lot of fun this is an interesting one Damian we're not going to have time to get into it but let's do Pass or Play: Kayla Thornton's 6th Woman Candidacy pass or play real quick we'll wrap up the show and just for fun H that we'll start with you then we'll go to Brian and then I'll I'll close us out passer play Kayla Thorton should be in position for sixth Woman of the Year it's a pass for me I don't think so Brian I'm gonna play I like I like what KT's been cooking this year it's a play for me o for me thinking of if I think about what Kayla Orton has done at Key moments for the New York Liberty it's a play I am I need to do a a little bit more of my list on who I think other people could be for sixth woman of the year because honestly another person who popped into my head uh for sixth woman who also plays for the New York Liberty Leo ah good good shout I like it yeah so I want to think on that but I appreciate you dropping that in the comments Daman let's keep that we did it pass or play to end this episode but let's keep that for a a topic for our next episode of got to get up a podcast for New York Liberty fans Brian you usually join me on that show sometimes Misha comes through when she got something to say about the Washington mist of course of course we have Hova who has been joining us when we have of not just our squadcast as I like to say or crossovers but also for some International Duty and we'll stick around for our Seattle Storm podcast but on behalf of hoba who is the birthday woman tomorrow so what is it again F anniversario right y perfect anniversario and Brian florentin holding it down in Brooklyn you know as we get ready for a new school year on the other side of Labor Day my name once again Erica L aala we appreciate you so much for joining us on black Rosie media um it is almost a pick them it's wild um but we appreciate y'all stay tuned for the game and if you're not already a member of our slack Community go ahead and do that we'll have that slack link on our social media accounts and of course when we post this on YouTube but go ahead and do that because you best believe we're going to be tuned in to this game locked in and uh definitely commenting what we think so you'll get all of our our thoughts before uh the next podcast but all right now it's time to awkwardly wave goodbye get out of here later days everybody have a good night yes happy birthday happy birthday thank you