8 Burst results for "Cindy Brunson"
The Her Hoop Stats Podcast
"cindy brunson" Discussed on The Her Hoop Stats Podcast
"This is what we gotta fix for the next time. It just adds another element to being invested. And then also more TV deals. You know, we talked about ion getting in on the games. We talked about a 40 game season with the W so Cindy to kind of close this. I really just want to ask you, what are some goals you have in the future short term for the W to grow? How can it continue to expand how can it continue to pull in more of his audience? Well, I ultimately agree with the goat on my team, Diana taurasi, who says, ultimately, we've got to play when basketball is being played in the winter for the devil. To really get into that next stratosphere. But until we can get there. I think it is very critical. Like we were just talking about connecting the bridge between college and pro. I can't tell you how many times I've asked a collegiate basketball player. Who's your favorite WNBA player? And I get told in NBA name. That can't happen. I mean, you have to aspire to what you want to do. That's great that you think Kevin Durant is really good at basketball. I do too. But who is the woman that you are forming your game after? I'm so excited to talk to Jenny Sims today. I was like, favorite player. Simon Augustus. I'm like, I see that. I see that when you go off the mountain, I see that you worked on that over the summer. I get it. So I think it'll help fans go from one to the other, right? Because we stopped playing college basketball, we crown a champion, and then a week later, we're having the WNBA draft. So for me, it would be really connecting those dots between college fandom and WNBA so that we're not just getting 9.9 million or 10 million for an NCAA championship game that we're getting those numbers for the WNBA championship as well. Yeah. I love TV deals coming up one more year, right? Yeah. I mean, I expect a brinks truck from set ESPN or whoever. I mean, if you look at what MLS got and compared numbers, I do some basic financial analysis for a living. I get forecasts how big this deal could be. If it's done right. I'll tell you what. ESPN has done a good job of being a steward to this point, right? Sure. You know, especially in the last couple of years, they have been very intentional about giving a variety of women's sports they're shine. But I would love to see somebody else swoop in. Apple, Amazon, whoever's got that exact money. Daniel, you know more about that. But to just give it a fresh, a fresh perspective. And so that it could be priority one. ESPN, NFL one, MBA two, and women's basketball, where does that? I mean, I got to deal with Major League Baseball for Sunday Night baseball. So that's why we couldn't have the championship game on a Sunday Night. If we can't have the NCAA women's championship game on a Sunday Night because of Sunday Night baseball, then ESPN's priorities aren't quite where they need to be. So let's let somebody else at the table. Let them into the party room and see what they can cook up and what kind of priorities that they could have for both the NCAA championships and women's basketball and the WNBA. It's so brilliant. It's so funny that it took me what two months now to figure out that's why the game was played at three 30. Eastern Time. I'm sitting there at this action network party and someone's like, hey, you know, can click Caitlin Clark and I will win it all. And I'm like, absolutely not. They're like, why not? And I'm like, they're gonna be South Carolina with a losing championship. They're like, why? And I'm like, not in prime time. Prime time? Absolutely. But the game is a two 30 local time in Dallas. I don't know why, makes zero sense to me. Thank you so much. I mean, I would have came back to that next year probably if it's still on there. I mean, yeah, what ESPN probably is like a ten year deal. I think, but oh God, this conversation has been awesome, Cindy. I'm so, so pumped. I gotta go out to Phoenix and see a game there here and you'll talk about this experience. Yes. Let me know. We have great restaurants here in the Phoenix metro area. So let me know I'll hook you up. Yeah, I won't bring Ollie, but maybe the wife. Okay. And yeah, we'll make it make it happen. Are you coming to call liberty in the chair now? No. Do liberty. All the road games will call off a monitor. We hate that. Let's fix that. WNBA. Yes, yes. And everybody. When Connecticut pulled through and they pulled through with their television broadcast team, aces did the same thing. I'm like, okay. I see you. Make sure my bos YouTube, please. Awesome. Cindy, thank you so much for joining us and thank you for your time. It's been really awesome. Oh, thanks for having me. I appreciate you guys. Keep crushing it.
The Her Hoop Stats Podcast
"cindy brunson" Discussed on The Her Hoop Stats Podcast
"And then in terms of tanisha Wright in Atlanta, I just believe in her. The feeling that she is building something that she's got the players that are coming along with her. And I'm excited to see the growth in Ryan Howard. Just her plank new year going overseas doing what she's doing, but coming back and now being a more mature superstar on the floor. And I think tanisha, I can put the most out of her and her young ears. Yeah. Let me add, I gave you my one a's, right? One B, Indiana. Melissa Smith is a problem. And now you can focus on her because aliyah Boston is there. That team has some really nice pieces. Was the defensive player of the year season two for AU pro hoops. She looked good. Won the whole darn thing. I called my first 50 point game in my career because Smith went off in the tube. She is special. Yeah, I really like being in person and seeing what Lexie hold was doing. I was like, okay. This bump might be real next year. I did not believe in in Lexie hull at all until seeing it up close and then watching when I left Alice, and I was like, wow, okay, and then Melissa, I feel like every game just was getting, you know, it felt like a triple level. So definitely definitely there on my radar. It's super cool this year. I mean, as I've told you before, with the betting stuff, but we're getting reading lines for women's sports that we've never seen before. Like we have WNBA regular season win totals. Wow. And it's so funny that you brought up the dream and the fever because I'm like, I want to already bet these overs. I tweeted about it. But the dreams when total line was at 7 and a half. For the entire season, right? Yeah. The tad low. Yeah. With 40 games when they won 7 last year, okay. Yeah. And the dream was 19 and a half, and I want to say mercury probably right around 22 or 2021, some are at 20 6 for the only ones higher than that decides to super teams to write a 28, 29, but then you brought them Natasha cloud, her season average. Above or below, but it's at 6 and a half. And I'm like, have they not been watching the last two years? Yeah. That's an easy one. Yeah. Yeah. I mean, I loved it before, but I was like, I'll sleep on it. This was last night, and then now after this call, I will be doing something and tweeting about it in terms of an over with Natasha's. So I do love that. Getting into the mercury, what do you think the ceiling is for this team? Realistically. And knowing that there are super teams, but no championship is guaranteed in any sport. So what do you believe the ceiling is for the mercury? I can easily see them making the Western Conference Finals. Because BG is back for her tenth season, and she is the best post player in the world. So she's there to build around. And she's got shooters everywhere. I can see that both the general manager and our new assistant general manager Monica have been very intentional about making whoever is not named BG. They have to shoot the three. That lefty magic is nailing threes, like her ability to breathe is a part of the process. He has really locked in. That is something that has improved markedly for her in the off season. And so a four that can pull the defense away from the basket open space up for BG. You got breezy there, rebounding. Sophie Cunningham has developed a mid range game. She called son's pre and post all MBA season long. And became a fan of Devin Booker's game. For three point shooting, she hit 70 last year once to finish in the top ten and three point makes this year will also be going off the balance and pulling up for 15. So I really like the team's ability to fill up the box floor and wreck some people. There are some shooters on Sam Thomas worked on her three point shot. If she makes the team and gets run, she's out there to shoot threes. So yeah, three point shooting huge. Well, mo Jeff, she came to the team and she love her. It was second in the WNBA last season and three point percentage of 47%. Had a damn triple double. Mojave triple double last year. Yeah, Minnesota against Dallas. The exact game. I mean, I'm like 99% sure I've been on that game. It was on the right side of history, but mo Jeff is a special place in my heart with how well she did last year. Look, she was a part of that last UConn win, right? 2016 completed the Rihanna Stewart four P and Yukon hasn't won a championship. Yeah, since then. It was funny because Nina Westbrook and I got into it in Dallas, because I literally got up at some speaking engagement. I was like, Yukon is not making the championship game. Mark it down. I don't even think they're going to make the final four, blah, blah, blah. And she's like, oh, that's blasphemous. How could you say that? And I was like, have you seen the team? I don't know what you're watching, but no baby. No fuck. Come on. Whatever. So we got into it a little bit, and I was kind of smug. What happened last night? That's funny. But I love that for women's basketball, right? Because remember, it was Yukon. And before that, it was Tennessee. And so it's so wonderful to see South Carolina get a couple. LSU is back and finally gets one. You know, it just makes things so much more interesting. It's about how many people bet on it. I mean, just mind-blowing the amount of attention because it's, to me, it's great. It's more viewers, more people getting exposed to the opportunity to watch from play basketball, which is a great product as it is. It's just stop listening to Joe schmeling the Internet, he says it's not cool, you know? You would have loved this, but I was in a conversation with friends the other day going to bat for a woman's basketball and people watching more. And I said, if you don't believe me, start gambling on it. I said, I have a friend of mine who was growing the game because he gambles because he talks about it because he has these conversations because people are invested in money and making money. And I was like, but I was like, is another avenue that we can use just to grow the game in terms of, especially the W, which is, oh my goodness last year, constantly talking to danno about how games went, but also, hey, this is what I cashed in on.
The Her Hoop Stats Podcast
"cindy brunson" Discussed on The Her Hoop Stats Podcast
"Blah, blah, blah. I was like, okay, well, I'm gonna do that for watching his date. This is great. And because Stewart and then when van pelt started hosting SportsCenter, he did the same thing for Maryland. Then it was okay, but those guys, because they just thought it was so absurd in their head. They're like, no. I mean, even when Twitter first launched and like, what was that O 6? ESPN was hesitant to put our Twitter handles. I mean, it sounds silly now, but when it first started, they were hesitant to put our Twitter handles on the graphic with our name. And then it became a requirement. And then some guys went against the grain, right? Like, my friend Neil Everett and John Anderson, and they're like, well, no, I'm not doing this Twitter. Ah, that's just extra work that I'm not going to get paid for. This day they don't pay attention to Twitter, which is hilarious, but yeah, so it was interesting in the culture that it was, yeah, you had to be a diehard sports fan. And we all loved it because of that. It's so refreshing just to hear your stories because you've been a part of this industry for so long and you've seen it change. But one of the elements that we've definitely seen change is just women calling more games. How important is it that women call more games and that they're calling games at all levels and regardless of sport? I think it's incredible. And honestly, if I'm being completely honest, I never thought I would see the day that not wanting two women are NBA team broadcasters. I just didn't think that that was possible. And now we have, you know, Hannah storm is calling annual games on Amazon Prime. I didn't think that would happen. I always sat there, had to be some sort of tie between playing the sport. So I thought football was out. I thought basketball was out unless it was WNBA. Unless you were an analyst because we'd seen some analysts get into that MBA space. So I'm glad that my gut was wrong and that my perception of how bosses could look at things, but I tell you what, if we hadn't witnessed the year of our lord 2020, I don't know that we would see Kate Scott with 76ers, or at least a buying, and with the bucks. That was so transformational when we're all at home, on lockdown, right? And we're watching George Floyd get murdered on TV. Everybody has to deal with that. Because we don't have any other choice. And I think because of that seismic event regarding racial and social justice, it made the bosses that had normally made the decision to go with the white guy again and again and again to say, you know what? You can't do it that way anymore. We have got to pivot off of this. It was George Floyd and it was also Maria Taylor's with ESPN that I think created a watershed moment for that company in particular because they were very contractual when Rachel Nichols said she had a contract to do a certain job. She's not kidding. That's exactly how they would spell it out in their employee deals. And so I see Rachel's side of it completely. But I also get where Maria was coming from. It doesn't let the cream rise to the top, right? If you are the best person for the job, it shouldn't matter what the contract says. And how that whole mess was handled was ridiculous. I'm sure Maria is happy about it now. Cashing those checks in PC. And again, she's using that as an opportunity to create space for somebody else, right? Yeah. I first met Maria Taylor at national black journalists association conference. And we literally had been given marching orders from ESPN at that NABJ to find the next Aaron Andrews, but she's got to be black. I'm like, okay. So I'm in this mixer, and I see Maria across the room because she's very tall. She's like 16. And I go over to her and I talk to her for a couple minutes. And I was like, okay, well, mission accomplished, I found it. My guy, Al jaffee at the time, and I was like, Al, you need to talk to that young woman who attends the university of Georgia in the corner. She's the next one. And my finder's fee is this percentage. Exactly. Right. I did, I did. Ron's bold on rude's edition. Robinson's edition. I know talent. I should have been a talent agent, actually, now that I think about it, I did it all wrong. But you can just see and what they have and what they bring to the table and how they comport themselves. And they're passion and how they relay that to you. It was very identifiable. What stunned me is that Maria didn't get more opportunity right away. But that was part of the machine at the time. It just, it didn't foster growth, like it does now. I see so many different faces, especially women of color, getting opportunity to do things at ESPN. And that just was not the case when I was there. It was me and one other person. Yeah, I mean, I remember starting that book, those guys have all the fun about and for some reason I got busier, but after this conversation, I want to go finish the book. I mean, it's such a fascinating time period. And granted, hats off. For going through the struggles that are essentially paving the way for so many different women and people of different nationalities to come through and have an opportunity. And that's probably what they, everybody wants. This is an opportunity. This talent's there. Yeah. Yeah. I never had to wait for the ladies room. I tell you that. Linda. Joke about that all the time. You don't have to wait in line. You can have the whole space to yourself. Do you want to get back to some WNBA preview? I mean, I could definitely ask you a million questions about your past all the time, but so thank you about that, but this coming season, we obviously have our super teams, but outside of the mercury just from what you know, what you've heard, who are some teams that you're just super excited to watch play, and it could be because of roster changes or because they were building something great last year. Not just one, two. On the Washington mystics. Healthy. And I tell you what, cash cloud, you think she was impressive last summer? She's gonna destroy that assist record. And she done it threes. Those guys are scary. And then Atlanta because the GM who put together primarily the roster that we see minus Candace Parker with the aces. Is running the show in Atlanta, and he is drafting well and he is signing well, and Les cha gray dominated athletes unlimited pro women who season two. She must have finished in the top four on the final day of the season because she stuffs stats. And she is one of the first women that I have seen that can do a chase down defensive block from the behind deal like LeBron James says, right? Leash flies down the floor and somehow gets it clean, doesn't get called for the foul so athletic. I asked Cheryl swoopes, who reminded her most of her in season two. She said leash. And she's just scratching the surface of how good she's going to be. So I think if she. Destroy the competition opposite her and I think if they can get those new pieces to mesh with the old pieces, I love what Erie McDonald was doing in her season. She's ready to make some a I've really like Atlanta. So those two teams in particular have my intense attention. I love those two teams. Or different reasons are different players. Washington mystics, you know, they talk about their defense all the time, right? In media day, we stream different posts, they're talking about defense. They added Britney Sykes to their defensive catalog. Someone that is going for an all defensive award every single year. Playing with your living with her and Syracuse, she cares about defense. And so I love that she's just going to embody that. And really take, I think, the mystics up another level.
The Her Hoop Stats Podcast
"cindy brunson" Discussed on The Her Hoop Stats Podcast
"It's like, well, it's not like I can change genders right now. I just, you know, but I was going berry's office and he would let green the paint off the walls about the absurdity and then I could move in. So I owe him everything. But as you guys put together your telecast, I was very impressed with you always come out of commercial break with the fit walk. And I'm like, every team in the league should be doing it and should be doing it that way because it's just structured part of the telecast and the fact that you guys always have in the times that I've tuned in, a sideline. I think every team should have a sideline reporter, and we don't in Phoenix, and I feel like we're just not serving the fans who are maximum ability because of that. Yeah. That's a great point. It's wild like the things that I'm considered with at work right now are making sure all the fonts at the same size and the PowerPoint decks have put together, you know. But like Cindy, you were part of SportsCenter in the heyday of television 'cause it's not really. Hundred pound gorilla. The cable TV without live sports to me is just, I mean, you look at stock numbers, whatever, or to look at the number of subscribers, it's just kind of not the way technology went. So you were kind of there in its heyday. And I know, I mean, I've read you talk about being on during some incredible sports moments, but for you, what was something super different that kind of changed the way you felt about sports and its connection to the people? Oh. I would say, it goes to my hardest day at work. And that was the day after K Yao passed away. I was charged with interviewing pat summit. She was so gracious to come on just hours after her dear friend had passed away. And I had put her on such a pedestal is every woman's basketball fan does. And she was tearing up and I was tearing up and it was the hardest thing I've ever had to get through. And I just kept sitting there just admiring her strength and just her commitment to wanting to share case message and the power of her life. So I miss those big platform opportunities to command people's attention. That was the one thing that ESPN did for me in particular in certain instances. And I love the jobs that I have now, whether it's packed 12 or athletes unlimited or Phoenix mercury that take up a lot of my calendar. I just don't have the reach that I did with those four little letters from Bristol. Yeah. I mean, still always do an amazing work for sure, but it's so cool to see and know, I mean, I think you can tell with Scott that felt, for example. Ever. I know. It's jealous out of name dropping people that you're like, you could probably be Bros with, but you can just tell that you're not only good at your job, but you're super passionate about sports. And that creates quality entertainment. And feeds not just males 18 to 35, but across the spectrum all the way girls coming up 5 years old talking about the New York liberty. Saw it happen like two days ago walking in Brooklyn, so really cool stuff. And I just thank you for your service to supports. Oh, thanks. No, I love that you mentioned Scott. He was always great about because you got to listen. When I'm in a SportsCenter meeting, I was the one that was always, oh, we're just going to put up a graphic that the liberty are playing the mercury. And I'm like, we're not going to have 15 seconds of video with that. So when that graphic came on, trust and believe, I gave 45 seconds of content and break down about that one game. And Scott, when I would work with him, he could have complained, but he's like, no, that's great. Yeah, who should I Diana to Rossi? Okay, you got a penny Taylor all right. And he would chime in and get on board. So the bosses wouldn't give me static back. He was a great ally in that respect. Would you say the culture was like that across ESPN? Like as far as like the anchors go, like, to be on that platform, you had to possess a certain passion about sports. Oh, 1000%. Yeah, no. You didn't get hired because you were a fan of breaking down numbers on the stock market. It was where'd you grow up, what were you a fan of? What are you passionate about? All of that. And it was funny because there was a time in the early 2000s. Well, late 90s, before I got there, I got there late 99, September ish. Where Stuart Scott is blowing up, rich eisen, all of that. Dan Patrick. So it was becoming those guys being bigger personalities than SportsCenter. You know, people were tuning in because they wanted to cease to and that whole deal and the bosses wanted to tamp that down, right? They're like, nobody's bigger than ESPN blah blah blah. And so they put out this edict, you can not say what school you graduated from. You can't cheer extra hard, blah, blah, blah. Wow. Stewart's got like, take your little rule. He would just be out there, you know, North Carolina this,
The Her Hoop Stats Podcast
"cindy brunson" Discussed on The Her Hoop Stats Podcast
"Was it that hard? Vanessa and I are offense. Four times. Four. She had an original offensive set with PG had to change that. Then Tina Charles leaves, she had to change again. Then Skyler wasn't available for some games, had to change again. And then a fourth time, when the injuries at the end of the season, when Skyler wasn't available because she turned out to be pregnant. And then Diana was hurt as they go into the playoffs facing the eventual champion aces. It was a completely different lineup and system to accommodate the players that she did have healthy and available. So I was very impressed. Now she's tweaking staff because she knows what she wants and what she's looking for. So we got a couple new faces there, but Nikki blue return. And I think she's just having gone through all of that last year is going to be a much better coach this year. And she wasn't very solid last year, you know? Again, it goes back to the reps like we were saying at the top of the show. She was nothing is going to faint turnout. And she also has the buoyancy of having. I think I speak for all of us when I just feel like it's going to be a good year for them. It is just going to be that year where they can bounce back where they're hopefully can be some stability where you can just kind of love around VG and just express that you're so happy that she's on the court with us every single game. But also just for the team to be able to focus on basketball. Like the credit to them last year of just they could have focused on anything else. The whole entire season and it could not have looked how it did. And so I just, I know it being a player, it'll just be a breath of fresh air just to focus on basketball. And so, you know, our players in the league in their home. I want to ask you just in terms of dealing with all these different situations being part of a team. Where do your mentors come in? Who are your mentors, who are those people that get you through those tough times and that kind of help you learn and grow along the way, even in this position right now. Well, my first mentor is my husband, Steve birth you. He's the television play by play man for the Arizona Diamondbacks. He's the reason why we moved to Arizona after 13 years at ESPN because he messed around and got his dream job after trying to just 6 months hold up a telecast there. But anyway, that man has watched more women's basketball, both pro and college. As a non super fan, then anyone person should. Helping me find my voice. So he is. Second is Kate's got. I got to know her when she was at pack 12 network before she went to the MBA 76ers. And she has just been a ballast for me. I got to see the job that I wanted to do watching her do it. Because I had never done play by play before I moved west. ESPN asked me a couple of times and I always thought I can't travel, I never see my husband now. We work in the same building. So it just never seemed to work for my family. But then when my husband got his dream job, I was like, all right, I gotta pivot and Kate was somebody that I ran into very early when I was at PAC 12 in 2014. And I saw her excellence. And I appreciate her grind and I was like, I want to stick with that person. And I actually affectionately call her my carrot. And when she got the 76ers job, I sent her a big plush doll carrot. Because she always does it the right wing. And she hustles and, you know, she's the one who told me that's great that you're getting feedback from your husband, but reach out to your friends that you trust at ESPN, send them your tape. I also still am a contact with my favorite former professor at Washington state university Glenn Johnson, who is now the mayor of Pullman Washington. Wow. Send him stuff to critique or if I'm on FS1, calling a men's college basketball game. Hey, tune in. Tell me what you think. What do you like? Don't like that kind of stuff. So yeah, just a few trusted voices. Because you can't do it yourself. You can only listen to yourself and critique yourself so much. You need feedback and constructive feedback and sometimes it hurts and sucks and whatever, but it makes you better. So I'm a huge believer in iron sharpening iron and turning to the people that I really trust in our good at what they do. And I'd be so bad at giving criticism just don't know how to be. Really? It depends. No problem with it. It depends. I'm saying with people like you and ice like, people on TV, I'm just so it's just another level of talent, I guess you can really see the bad ones, right? Stand out. I can tell you. Coming into a game and know who has done their homework and who hasn't. Yeah. And know who's buttoned up production wise and who isn't, because when you've been on that side of the camera, you never watch television the same way again. Right? Never. It's funny I was watching Lakers warriors the other day. And I think it was after, oh, I think it was after the Lakers won. There was a typo on the lower third graphic. And it was like LA leads three zero. My boyfriend goes, that is ridiculous. Come on. This is prime time TV. They can't make a mistake like that. And I'm sitting here. I'm like, babe, like, yes, but you know, it's one little typo. It's just one line. He's like, but no, it's not okay. This is TV. And I thought I felt so critical because I understand. I get it. When the littlest things happens in our productions to which other people don't even know. I think that would always be a cool story to know is like conversations in control rooms and production meetings that equal the product that you see. But as all the different kinds of information we decide to share and not share and how we craft different stories, but you do become very critical. You watch everything and it's just like, I would have held that information maybe to the third quarter if I knew that I was going to bring in this later. It is so interesting just how you do that. Yeah, for sure. Once you get better, right? I'll watch a Connecticut telecast. And I'm so sorry for your loss with very sex, that I'm still trying to get over that. But anyway, he was so great to me at ESPN. He would let me scream at the walls, like why won't they put one women's college basketball? Why won't they let me host this that and the other? And at the time, this is like 2004, 2005. I'm hosting women's college basketball and I'm asking to take the show on the road and I'm asking to be the primary host and not have a male host. It went from Trey wingo to Kevin negandhi. And I love Kevin. And I love Trey, but I was just like, oh, man, should be doing that. And I was told by my bosses. No, a man has to host because if people are flipping around, especially males, 18 to 35, they will stop the remote if they see someone who looks like them, talking about the sport and maybe stay.
The Her Hoop Stats Podcast
"cindy brunson" Discussed on The Her Hoop Stats Podcast
"I have been a fan ever since we landed in Phoenix in 2013 because before I got opportunities to call games, I was a season ticket holder. The entire time up until I got the call to sit courtside at the table doing TV. So I'm very familiar with how it's run. It's elite. It is so engaging. The fan experience is second to none, in my opinion. I think the reason why The X Factor are so engaged is because they have no other option. There are so many opportunities presented by the mercury organization to get fans hyped up about the team. Loud and proud, all of it. And the Phoenix mercury were one of the first to come up with the idea for pride night and to actually ride night. I mean, they've just, they've been on the cutting edge and on the right side of history, time and time again. And I have such pride saying, I'm the television play by play voice for the Phoenix mercury. I love that. I feel like last year, coming into, I guess your first full season, you might be able to write a book about everything that kind of went down last year. I assume. I know, and I was praying for everyone involved with a variety of situations, but the players are going through it, but I mean, could you feel the tension and just kind of the emotional toll every day? Oh, 100%. I mean, we started in the off season, right? For anything happened with Brittany griner, we see on paper that we have a roster comprised of players that will put a starting 5 on the floor that will all stars from the previous season. No other team was going to do that. Everybody's getting so excited about Las Vegas in New York this season. That was Phoenix last season. Going into 2022. And then Brittany griner gets wrongfully detained. And there was just a gray cloud over the organization all season long. And I felt so bad for the players because as an announcer, I was so excited, but it was me, right? Because we weren't full excitement because of BG terrible situation. So I can't even imagine it was hard for me to get up for games. No, it was my first season, and I was unbelievably excited. I just had to dial it back. And so it felt to me like the rest of the league was playing in color TV, and we were in black and white. Whatever we did, just wasn't right. It wasn't good enough. What have you? And then team chemistry was an issue. We had a divorce. What is have Tina's doing? What? I mean, it was just surreal. And Skyler digging Smith finds a way to make an all star team again, flirts with 600 points made my job so easy every single night. And Diana was Diana, right? Second in the league and made three pointers with 92. Are you kidding me? She celebrated a birthday in the middle of last summer. And she missed a lot of games. Yes. Yeah. She didn't miss any games until the very end. Yeah. Yeah, yeah. 31 games, and then had the leg issues. We got to see the emergence of Shea petty. Diamond to shield was finding her way. They just needed a 100% diamond du shields. That's how thin the roster was. They needed more from her and she just physically couldn't give it because she was working her way back from not even thinking she might play basketball again. I mean, it was just a lot. So now, you know, I just came from the practice facility. And it's just so light and bright. And BG as much as she is a force on the floor. It's a way from the floor. It's her in the locker room. It's her traveling. She is just a big teddy bear. And all of the tension that went on, especially at the guard position with the mercury last season. Would have been dispelled had BG been there. Because that's what she did in years previous. So yeah, it was a lot, but I think we're all better for having survived it. And I know that BG in particular is really looking forward in every game she plays in every arena thanking the fans for their support. I will say watching a ton of games, I did like that, at least from the fan perspective, it didn't feel too sad or negative. I mean, I feel like you'll always give a nod to BG. But you just kept the talk about hoops coming to you and I think Anne. Which is fantastic. So credit to you, because someone with ADD, I definitely just get distracted all over the place and compartmentalize so many things. So I can not imagine some of the background stories that may have gone on, especially like, I mean, and I feel bad like bringing up Tina Charles, but I know she's expecting to probably play with BG, right? So there's some, you feel some empathy towards her. And when things changed and she was asked to play the 5, that didn't work. That was where she wanted to be. And I get that. Look, she came to the mercury, having led the league in scoring in Washington. She's a former MVP. When you sign Tina Charles to the dotted line, you know you're getting production. It just didn't fit her vision of production. So I get that. And her vision is unique and is wild when we think about it, you know? We're going to have final rosters on May 18th and Tina Charles isn't on a roster yet. Yeah. It's something. I mean, I don't know enough about Vanessa to speak too much to, but the fact that they won so many games that they should not have, the Phoenix mercury, down players, I think there was a game against the liberty they didn't have Skylar Diana and I think they still went off and it's like shape petty and Sophie. Just ridiculous games, the zone was like working to a T in certain teams. She would switch in and out of it. What's your opinion on her? Vanessa was an unknown quantity, right? Not only did last year, but to me personally, I knew of her from windward high school where she coached because she coached kids like charisma Osbourne at UCLA. So from my pack 12 women's basketball schedule, I knew of her, but I didn't know her. I tell you what, I'm still irritated that she didn't win coach of the year last year. I had an argument. Really?
The Her Hoop Stats Podcast
"cindy brunson" Discussed on The Her Hoop Stats Podcast
"Thanks for having me. So cool to be a part of your awesome show. Oh, you know, we have some fun. And I think we have some, it's great when we have two people who call games or do color and I'm just amazed by the similarities in your experiences and like you talking before the show about getting reps. It's like, I've heard I used to talk about that all the time. Yeah. It matters. For me, every rep is a step. So every time I get an opportunity to call a game, I know I'm getting better. And I can tell you going into this second season with the Phoenix mercury, I am a thousand times better than I was. Game one last year, because I've had so many games in between, in addition to that full first WNBA season. Did doing athletes unlimited help as far as just kind of a 100%. It got me into the pro women's basketball space, right? I'm knocking on the door forever. I've lived out in Phoenix, Arizona, galley, since 2013. Amber Cox, the former COO of the team, gave me a couple of nipples, and then of course she moved on to do a zillion other things. And now she's back running the Dallas wings. But so yeah, it was hard. I mean, there were so few opportunities here in the valley. There were so many people who want to do them. They're lined up like planes on a runway. It's ridiculous. To just continue to beat that drum and fight that fight was a lot, but athletes unlimited gave me an opportunity and I'm so grateful for it. They paired me with the Hall of Famer Cheryl swoopes so incomparable, so knowledgeable. And so we just had fun. And we heard that. And they heard it sounding like we were just sitting on the couch with a red cell minus the swear words talking to who? And then Phoenix decided, you know what? We went in on that too. So yeah, I owe everything to AU pro hoops. Oh. I love that, Cindy. I love that you first start off just talking about growth. You know, just where you are in your career, where you've been in your career. It just says a lot. That's still at this point in your career, you're still looking to grow, especially in the women's basketball space and calling games. In this last year that you've been in the W athletes unlimited, where do you see the most growth that you've had personally and professionally working with the W and then some of those athletes and AU? Just that close connectivity with the players and their stories, right? It's one thing to watch at home from your couch and there's another thing about being in the arena and having the access to the athletes and the coaches. The facilitators and athletes unlimited. And everybody that has a hand and growing the game, when you can have those one on one conversations, it just enhances your ability to do your job. And then the reps themselves. Just looking at the docket, we've got a 40 game season this season in the WNBA. And I can go, all right. I know national TV is going to take a few of those away. The ion road games will go away as well. But still, I'm going to end up doing more games in total than I did a season ago. So that means I'm going to be that much better at the end of this season. When there were fury, make the playoffs for an 11th straight time. Just putting that out there. Yeah, I mean, I know I talked to you about odds before because you got on to me for not betting Washington state during the back 12 tournament. Hello. Cut down the net. Right? But yeah, I mean, I was like, there's no way Phoenix does not not make the playoffs, you know? It just happens. BG's never missed. And I guess what Diana's maybe mister once. I don't know how Diana's been a league forever. She was there before playoffs started. So I did bring it, am I saying it right? I mean, I'm from Texas and now I live in the east coast. I don't know too much about the West Coast life, but wazoo. Washington state. I read a story that you actually bought a car because of the color. And it made you think of Washington state. Is that real? That is real. When I was at ESPN, I needed a snow car, right? Connecticut, feet of snow during the wintertime. And this is before we had carvana or anything. None of that. You just literally would go to the dealership and pick out a car. And I had no idea about snow cars. I kind of had a vibe as to, all right, I mean, it's got to be bigger and heavier or whatever. So I pull into the little Nissan lot, and I see a murano, bigger car, and it's crimson. I didn't even take it for a test drive. I said that one. That's what I want. So yes, that is true. I love that vibe. I just want to be that sure about every decision I make. I love that car. I'm not a car guy. I would much rather see my money hanging in my closet. Handbags, whatever. So yeah, absolutely. How about that? Every decade or so. Yeah, that's the only joy about living in New York. You don't need one. There you go. Yeah, yeah. But the ties to the West Coast, do you ever see yourself, I mean, I guess Arizona consider West Coast. It's on its own time zone. Yes. It's on to someone time zone. Half the year, we're Pacific, and the other half were mountain time zone. But yeah, I think just both big Arizona school as being in the PAC 12. I think it's just all considered West Coast. It's very chill. You rarely see a businessman wearing a suit. I mean, it's very relaxed. Yeah, then I have bachelor party time or two in Scottsdale. I bet you have. And I think there's a reason why James Harden still has his home in Tempe. Oh, 1000%. Facility at ASU has his face all over. Oh yeah. Yeah. Yeah. I will say calling a game out there last year working for the Connecticut sun. Phoenix is one of my favorite places to go. And just the 40 hour I felt like gaff that we were there. The exploring the actual city, like the nightlife, was really cool. But also just the Phoenix mercury and event presentation. Just the game and how it makes you feel like that atmosphere. I loved it. I had felt like, okay, obviously I've been to a number of W games 'cause I'm sitting here calling games about this season. But this made me feel almost like, I wish I was a fan right now. I wish I was a game, like getting the t-shirts, like yelling out different things, like what do you like most about, just the mercury and the atmosphere that they provide for you guys? Especially at home.
Around the Rim
"cindy brunson" Discussed on Around the Rim
"And i'll let let china kinda put her lists out there and then we can go from there. Can y'all hear me yes Okay so we still have some time to narrow down our list from twenty five to one. And i haven't quite gotten there but i'll tell you lose all my leaderboard right now and obviously the very difficult conversation to have right because there are a lot of great players out of there but right now my top two four greatest of all time and i do believe that my final selection will come from. This list is cheryl swoops and to make a catching now. What i will say about shirl swoops is this in someone. Brought me brought this to my attention on on twitter. That cheryl students. I believe is the only player to win four championships and win three. Mvp awards right. She was also defensive player of the year re times. I don't know if anyone has four rings which is the second most only rebecca brunson has five. So they're out there. Players have four now because you go houston go minnesota sue bird but she got four three. Mvp's and three defensive players that year so it says that she was the best player on the court as an mvp. She was the best defensive player and for rings. I don't know that anybody can match that. But i know what you guys are saying. It goes back to the field and all that other stuff. She was also one of the founding players in the league i ever had. We'll see your with nike. Like to me cheryl swoops it. I'm not there's no community aspect there necessarily heard the accolades but to me. She checks all the boxes now. Catching is probably like in my number two slot right now. And that's where it goes back to what holly said what you said about. Just feeling like a player is dominating. a gain like catch was always the hardest worker on the floor. Her intensity level her relentless lists like i will laid out there that i don't think any player that has ever played in this league has laid it on the line every night. The way to make a catching on both ends of the floor period. Five defensive player of the year. She did win an mvp attorney. She wanted finals. Mvp as well but that one to me less accolade driven more of just a feel for the way she could dominate the game in the impact. The game on both ends. So that's why right. Now i talk to okay. So let's get spicy can get spicy right out of the gate. Klay i want. I want one little note on something. Just to add to la- china's amazing breakdown there thorough breakdowns. Also for your sloops argument. Because she's all mindless she won. Mvp and defensive player of the year in the same season two times and so that also shows like the ability to dominate. Both sides want the highest level. Not once but twice and there've been a few players who've done at once but stoops has done that and as we continue. Go ahead make it spicy highly. Okay so. I don't know she was even the the goat of her own team. Right with I'm just. I'm just putting us out here. And i respect her immensely and i agree with everything. You're saying china. But i was kind of shocked when i started breaking down stats with cynthia cooper. Because i don't know that. We talk about cynthia cooper as much. She was also a four time. Wnba champion four time finals mvp two-time time regular season mvp and led the league in scoring for three years. She averaged twenty one points per game throughout her career whereas sheriff swoops only averaged fifteen points per game throughout her career. Now cheryl had a baby. She had other circumstances and injury. But i wanted to. I guess maybe ask you guys of wears scoring on your list of gauntness like if you look at the at the accolades. Cynthia cooper has as many but she actually was a higher level. Score than cheryl swoops. But she didn't have the defensive player of the year that swoops had so where is followed by separate those two highly. That's got me sure. You we city cooper toby out of her own mouth. I let them take the defensive in. She will tell you that yes me that out of her own mouth. So with that. Being said clearly cheryl was being a little bit more time in energy on the defensive end therefore you know her offensive stance may have struggled to bid. But you gotta be doing enough scoring three times in vp. I'm sorry we'll check in with listeners. Right now chris. Hairston cheryl's swoops is the complete goat We've got a deandra science. Hallam latina day call. J. call put a vote in for To make a catching you got diana to rossi getting avoid here from pad dad and i know we have so cindy brunson showed us loved throughout the conversation. And i know cindy brunson and and ceriga as well are listening and going to join the conversation i wanna hear from our wnba hashtag wnba twitter family here and get their thoughts on the conversation so that was just a taste of the conversation and hopefully get your wheels turning it. Gets you to thinking about players more than the guy. Just hope that you've heard some of that became the salvaging about the twenty five years in this league and how amazingly exciting it has been and how hard it is to get it down to twenty five players because there's been so many great in a pack of players in the wnba. So yeah it's a good problem to have. But i am interested to see what the fans think when voting all said done so cast your vote and thanks for listening to another episode around the rim. You can hit us on twitter at around. The rim pod will answer any questions. You have about this episode. You can also email us at around. The rim podcasts at g. dot.