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Reposted by Alex Azzi

Jessica Luther @jessicawluther.com · 8d

As Serena once said: "I don't think any woman should be down on her knees thanking anybody like that"

Richard Cohen @richardcohen.bsky.social · 8d

One quote from Collier's statement that I haven't seen transcribed:

Collier: 'And in that same conversation, [Engelbert] told me "Players should be on their knees thanking their lucky stars for the media rights deal that I got them."' #WNBA

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Alex Azzi @byalexazzi.bsky.social · 8d

True three years ago. True today.

Screenshot of tweet from Sept 2022 that says: “Something I spend a lot of time thinking about: Many of the best women athletes in history could teach college courses on labor studies.”

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Reposted by Alex Azzi

Julia Poe @juliapoe.bsky.social · 8d

One of my first experiences covering Cathy Engelbert as WNBA commissioner was when she named gun violence as the main reason why the league refused to open up a Chance the Rapper concert to the public during All-Star weekend in Chicago. Didn’t get much buzz at the time but always stuck with me.

Daniel Thompson @dr-thompson.bsky.social · 8d

Napheesa Collier's full statement at the beginning of her exit interview.

She directly quotes conversations with Cathy Englebert that legitimately call into question how the WNBA is being led. (Part 1/2) #WNBASky

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Alex Azzi @byalexazzi.bsky.social · 8d

a man in a suit and tie is standing in front of a sign that says waystar

ALT: a man in a suit and tie is standing in front of a sign that says waystar

media.tenor.com

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Alex Azzi @byalexazzi.bsky.social · 8d

Phee, after that press conference:

a man in a suit and tie is sitting in the back seat of a car and looking out the window .

ALT: a man in a suit and tie is sitting in the back seat of a car and looking out the window .

media.tenor.com

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Reposted by Alex Azzi

Sarah Spain ✨ @sarahspain.com · 8d

Shoutout to this human ball of sunshine on an amazing career. 🫶

Hear us chat about her decision to retire and what's next for her on tomorrow's "Good Game."

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Reposted by Alex Azzi

Sarah Spain ✨ @sarahspain.com · 8d

Come for the WNBA playoffs talk, stay for the Ship of Theseus paradox… 🚢🏀

You never know what you’re gonna get from a Big Citrus chat on “Good Game with Sarah Spain.” Right, @mishthejrnalist.bsky.social @byalexazzi.bsky.social?

Listen to the full episode: podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/g...

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Sarah Spain ✨ @sarahspain.com · 8d

Big Citrus breaks down the suspension that caused Cheryl Reeve to miss game 4 of the Lynx’s series with the Mercury, Reeve’s criticism of WNBA officiating, and Phoenix’s return to the WNBA Finals. Plus we predict the winner of Game 5 of the Aces & Fever series.

podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/g...

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Alex Azzi @byalexazzi.bsky.social · 13d

Shoutout to @richardcohen.bsky.social and the whole @herhoopstats.com team for their excellent WNBA research.

Also, one nugget that didn't make it in here?

WNBA players don't make a salary during the playoffs. They still get per diem payments and there are also playoff bonuses, but no base salary.

Sarah Spain ✨ @sarahspain.com · 13d

Odyssey Sims is a great story - a hardship contract player going off in the playoffs - but the financial reality for these fringe roster players isn’t the stuff fairy tales are made of. Producer @byalexazzi.bsky.social breaks it down.

Listen to the full episode: podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/g...

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Sarah Spain ✨ @sarahspain.com · 13d

Odyssey Sims is a great story - a hardship contract player going off in the playoffs - but the financial reality for these fringe roster players isn’t the stuff fairy tales are made of. Producer @byalexazzi.bsky.social breaks it down.

Listen to the full episode: podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/g...

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Reposted by Alex Azzi

Sarah Spain ✨ @sarahspain.com · 13d

Big Citrus is back on the mic! @mishthejrnalist.bsky.social & @byalexazzi.bsky.social join me to discuss the WNBA semifinals matchups, the best championship storyline, the W’s coaching carousel, and OG fans getting priced out of tickets.

Listen: podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/g...

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Reposted by Alex Azzi

Sarah Spain ✨ @sarahspain.com · 14d

Great News! "Good Game With Sarah Spain" is a finalist for the Signal Awards in the Best Daily Podcast Category!

We're up against some heavy hitters, but you can vote for us! (You have to sign up to vote, but it’s just an email & password--super quick.)

Vote: vote.signalaward.com/PublicVoting...

The Signal Listener's Choice Award needs YOU

I just voted for this finalist to win a Signal Listener's Choice Award. You should too.

vote.signalaward.com

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Alex Azzi @byalexazzi.bsky.social · 15d

With Sandy Brondello out, Cheryl Reeve has officially been on the job longer than every other WNBA coach combined.

Cheryl Reeve's tenure: 5768 days
Every other WNBA coach combined: 4529 days

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Reposted by Alex Azzi

Sarah Spain ✨ @sarahspain.com · 16d

I would love for a reporter with an established history/relationship with Sophie to ask her which of Charlie Kirk’s messages she agreed & disagreed with.

I.E. “reject feminism,” “prowling Blacks,” Black women lacking “brain processing power.”

Not in an antagonistic way, asking her with curiosity.

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Alex Azzi @byalexazzi.bsky.social · 17d

Cheryl Reeve's tenure with the Lynx: 5766 days
The tenure of every other WNBA coach combined: 5862 days

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Alex Azzi @byalexazzi.bsky.social · 17d

Still, does that say more about Tibbetts (who was hired less than two years ago) or the WNBA’s coaching carousel?

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Alex Azzi @byalexazzi.bsky.social · 17d

The fact that Nate Tibbetts is now the fourth longest tenured coach in the WNBA is pretty wild.

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Reposted by Alex Azzi

Sarah Spain ✨ @sarahspain.com · 21d

Lexie Brown talks being a pro hooper whose biggest opponent isn’t on the other team–it’s her own body. After being diagnosed with Crohn’s disease, she’s taken on a new set of challenges, including learning to speak openly about an illness many endure silently.

podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/g...

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Alex Azzi @byalexazzi.bsky.social · 24d

I will appreciate this moment of progress, while still reserving the right to complain about how Google searches for "WNBA standings" still default to results by conference.

screenshot of google search result for "wnba standings" that shows results for the eastern conference

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Reposted by Alex Azzi

Ida Bae Wells @nhannahjones.bsky.social · 28d

The MSNBC commentator saying that most political violence has historically come from the left just once again showed how we suffer from failing to learn history. Lynching, pogroms, race riots, the political violence that ended Reconstruction, and against the Civil Rights Movement. Come on.

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Sarah Spain ✨ @sarahspain.com · 28d

Broadcast icon Robin Roberts talks about the advice she got from fellow legend Billie Jean King when she was contemplating leaving ESPN.

Listen to the full pm episode: podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/g...

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Claire Watkins @scoutripley.bsky.social · Sep 5

It’s not exactly handling something in house when you have to make a press release about it

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Nancy Armour @nrarmour.bsky.social · Sep 4

The NFL and Front Office Sports signed a deal this week that gives FOS behind-the-scenes access.
And gives the NFL the means to silence yet another avenue of criticism.

NFL's partners know criticizing the league never part of the deal | Opinion

The NFL and Front Office Sports announced a content licensing deal. What does that mean when it comes to criticism of the league?

www.usatoday.com

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Reposted by Alex Azzi

Meg Linehan @meglinehan.com · Aug 27

Who needs medical professionals when you have league discretion (which, as always, means at the discretion of the commissioner at the end of the day)?

Abigail Segel @abigailsegel.bsky.social · Aug 27

Here is the section of the policy in question, with the discrepancies between the old and new versions highlighted:

(discrepancies in brackets)

OLD NWSL EXTREME HEAT POLICY:
…
During the Delay
a. Similar to a severe weather delay, the match will not start or resume until it is safe to do so as outlined by the procedures below.
b. The Fourth Official will take another WBGT measurement 15 minutes prior to the scheduled start of the match. [Follow the same procedure as above, should the WBGT reading meet or exceed 95 degrees Fahrenheit.]
• If the WBGT temperature reads below 92.3 degrees Fahrenheit, warm-ups may begin.
c. [Following the reading 15 minutes prior to the start of the match, should the delay continue, a WBGT measurement will be taken every 30 minutes at the kickoff spot,] until it is deemed safe to play, below 92.3 degrees Fahrenheit, or until such time has passed that the League decides to postpone the match.
[• In the event a WBGT measurement is below the 92.3 degrees Fahrenheit threshold by 1 degree (i.e., 91.3 degrees Fahrenheit), it will be the Fourth Official in conjunction with the home club’s Team Physician with feedback from visiting team medical personnel, operations, officials and both technical staffs, to make the ultimate decision if and when play is allowed to resume.]

NEW NWSL EXTREME HEAT POLICY:
…
During the Delay
A. Similar to a severe weather delay, the match will not start or resume until it is safe to do so as outlined by the procedures below.
B. The Fourth Official will take another WBGT measurement 30 minutes prior to the scheduled start of the match.
○ If the WBGT measurement reads < 92.3°F/33.5°C, warm-ups may begin.
○ [If the WBGT reading continues to be ≥92.3°F/33.5°C, the match will continue to be delayed.]
C. [A WBGT measurement will then be taken every 15 minutes at the kickoff spot, until it is deemed safe to play], < 92.3°F/33.5°C, or until such time has passed that the League decides to postpone the match.

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Reposted by Alex Azzi

Sarah Spain ✨ @sarahspain.com · Aug 26

Big Citrus gathers to discuss the WNBA MVP race, including how voting works, whether “valuable” is the same as “best,” and how statistics, availability and vibes all play a role in which stars are considered MVP-caliber.

Plus how did we forget the Sky is falling?

podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/g...

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