September 17, 2024 • 46 mins
Big Randy/Phil Landes of the golf site No Laying Up joins Sarah to explain why he has two names, talk shirtless celebrations and smokin’ heaters on the course, and share how the LPGA and its broadcast partners need to do a better job of building the women’s game. Plus, a couple of balls for A’ja Wilson, gathering flowers for Diana Taurasi and some statue news!
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Transcript
Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
Speaker 1 (00:00):
Welcome to Good Game with Sarah Spain, where we just
want Asia Wilson to have all the balls. On today's show,
we'll be talking with Phil Landis aka Big Randy about
the Solheim Cup, the state of women's golf, and being
a dog guy, plus a new woman in bronze red carpet, advice,
and lots of balls. It's all coming up right after this.
(00:23):
Welcome back, my little slices. Here's what you need to
know today. We mentioned yesterday Asia Wilson becoming the first
WNBA player to score one thousand points in a season,
but we need to spend a few more minutes talking
about the postgame celebration and all the high jinks. After
the game, Wilson was gifted the game ball with her
parents by her side, a very wholesome, family friendly moment
(00:43):
until Ace's teammate Sidney Colson came along. Colson had a
field day on social media, writing on Twitter, quote, that's
now two balls you've been able to take home with
you this season, Asia Wilson. Asia replied with quote, just
adding another pair, and that's when missus Wilson. Asia's mom
entered the chat, writing in all caps, Asia Asia played
(01:06):
it off with a classic defense, saying someone hacked my account. Mom.
Now that might be an excuse that some naive dorm
room mamas would believe, but not me and not missus
Wilson either, I'm sure, But back to the balls. Asia's
not so undercover boob Bam Autebio tweeted out after the
game as well.
Speaker 2 (01:23):
He wrote, hope.
Speaker 1 (01:23):
Everybody finds a thousand reasons to smile on this lovely Sunday.
A apostrophe thousand stop. It's Hispanic Heritage, a mont celebrated
in the US from September fifteenth to October fifteenth. The
month recognizes the contributions, influence, and achievements of this Hispanic
and Latine community that includes our girl, Diana Tarassi, whose
mother was born and raised in Argentina. She's in action
(01:46):
tonight with her Phoenix Mercury taken on the Sparks at
ten thirty pm Eastern, and it could be the second
to last regular season game of her incredible career. Ew
I hate it so much. We got four more WNBA
game tonight, including the two seed Minnesota Links taken on
the three seed Connecticut Sun at seven Eastern and the
four seed Las Vegas aces taken on the five seed
(02:07):
Seattle Storm at ten Eastern plus. The Mystics, Sky, and
Dream are all in action tonight two as they continue
to fight for that last playoff spot.
Speaker 2 (02:15):
Little update on where that three way race stands.
Speaker 1 (02:18):
The Mystic, Sky and Dream are all thirteen and twenty
five right now. DC holds the eighth seed for the
moment they win the tiebreaker because they've got a better
combined head to head record against Chicago in Atlanta. Chicago's
got the ninth spot thanks to a two to one
head to head record against Atlanta, and the Dream are
hanging on.
Speaker 2 (02:34):
To the tenth spot.
Speaker 1 (02:35):
Got it, It's not all that important.
Speaker 2 (02:37):
Just watch the games and see who wins. We'll figure
it out. More hoops.
Speaker 1 (02:41):
It had been a couple weeks since we got the
latest Unrivaled reveal, but on Monday, the new three on
three league announced the twentieth player to sign on, and
it's Courtney Vander. Salute Slutie, y'all. The talent in this
league is going to be so good. Every game is
basically going to be a three on three All star game.
I'm pumped to soccer and the Under twenty World Cup.
The US and Germany faced off in an epic quarterfinal
(03:02):
round match.
Speaker 2 (03:03):
On Monday in Colombia.
Speaker 1 (03:04):
Down two zero to two minutes left, tem USA pulled
off a comeback for the ages, with Florida State's Jordan
Dudley scoring in the eighth minute of stoppage time and
Utah Royals rookie Ali Sentnor finding the equalizer in the
ninth to force overtime. After a scoreless thirty minutes of
extra time, the US won the ensuing penalty kickshootout three
to one, and they'll advance to the semi final round
for the first time since twenty sixteen, where they'll take
(03:26):
on North Korea. It's a promising result for the US
given how much the youth national teams have struggled in
recent seasons. Tmusa last won the U twenty World Cup
in twenty twelve.
Speaker 2 (03:36):
To College hoops were.
Speaker 1 (03:37):
Less than fifty days from the start of women's college basketball,
and over the weekend, Don Staley and the defending champion
South Carolina game Cocks appeared on ESPN's College Game Day
announcing some big plans for this season.
Speaker 3 (03:48):
Take a listen for this group, for this team to
will we call it raven.
Speaker 2 (03:55):
What's the repeat tour?
Speaker 4 (03:58):
Let's go last.
Speaker 1 (04:00):
That's right, the repeat Tour looks like the rest of
women's college hoops has been put on notice.
Speaker 2 (04:07):
We've got some statue newspeople.
Speaker 1 (04:08):
If you're a longtime listener of the show, and by
long time, I mean however long we've been on, which
is like a month and a half, then you know
that we're into women's statues. And last Friday, Oklahoma softball
coach Patty Gasso, a National Fast Pitch Coaches Association Hall
of Famer, was honored in bronze outside the school's love field.
During her thirty one seasons at Oklahoma, Gasso has won
eight national championships, including four in a row, and has
(04:31):
advanced to the postseason every single year.
Speaker 2 (04:34):
She's also been named Big Twelve Coach of the Year.
Speaker 1 (04:36):
On fifteen different occasions and is the winningest active coach
in NCAA softball history.
Speaker 2 (04:41):
We love this.
Speaker 1 (04:42):
More statues of women, More statues of women, Yes to
the red carpet Our. Rugby queen Alona mar was at
the Emmys on Sunday night, giving espnW her advice for
young athletes.
Speaker 2 (04:54):
Take a listen.
Speaker 3 (04:55):
First off, try mini sports out rugby might not be
for you, but try rugby, trick, soccer, try dance, whatever
it is, just to see where your bodies people of
I think as women, sometimes our bodies are looked at
something to be objectified, and our bodies are so much
more than that, and sports can show us what they
can do. So try it all out. Also, remember like
strength is really powerful and your body is meant for
(05:15):
a purpose.
Speaker 1 (05:16):
So Abbott Elementary Cheryl Lee Ralph came with some real
wisdom for espnW two.
Speaker 4 (05:21):
Everybody told me that sports was not for me. I
was actually Athlete of the Year in my high school,
not because I did anything other than try. I tried.
I did not win, but I tried when nobody else
would try. But I also wrote a letter to the
Regent of New York and I said, why can't girls
have a coach for track? And they said, okay, let's
(05:46):
think about that. To this day, Uniondale High School our
track team, we are the champions every year because somebody
wrote a letter and asked the question, why can't we
have a coach.
Speaker 1 (05:59):
By the way, to the Young People Listing or parents
of Young People Listing, Title nine demands that your daughters
get the same resources and opportunities as your sons. So
if they don't have a coach or a field or
equipment and the boys do, that is illegal. Complain and
if complaining doesn't work, threaten to sue and actually follow through.
That's the only way things change. Okay, So before we
(06:23):
get to this golf interview, we understand that golf can
be confusing for the non golfers out there, So before
we dive in with an expert, just a quick explainer
on how the Solheim Cup works because we're going to
talk a bit about that tournament that just happened. So
it's a three day competition with teams and each team
has twelve players. First two days are a combination of
what's called foursomes and four balls.
Speaker 2 (06:41):
So in the foursome.
Speaker 1 (06:41):
Stage, two golfers from the same team are strategically put
together to compete against two golfers from the opposing team,
but there's one ball between the pair and they play
alternate shots until the end of the hole. In the
four balls stage, instead of two balls, each player plays
her own ball and the lowest score from each team
is the one that's counted. Final day of is simple.
One player from team Europe competes against one player from
(07:03):
Team USA, each with their own ball. We told you
there were a lot of balls to day.
Speaker 2 (07:06):
You keeping up? Okay? Great? When we come back, it's
tea time with Phil Landis joining us now.
Speaker 1 (07:18):
He covers golf for the website No Laying Up. Is
a proud Miami of Ohio, a lum and has an
adorable pup named Arthur that's turned him into a dog guy.
It's Phil Landis aka Big Randy. What's up Phil, Randy?
Randy Phil?
Speaker 5 (07:32):
Yeah, take your pick there, Sarah. I am great. I
am just back. I got in late last night, Sunday night,
from a wonderful week outside of our nation's capital covering
the Solheim Cup. It's one of my favorite events. This
was the third one I went to, but I missed Arthur.
You know, I looked forward to those hugs when I
walked in the door. Yeah. Good research there, and I'm
(07:54):
really happy. Let me just say congrats to you and
your whole team on getting this podcast up off the ground.
I know that is no small feet and I'm very
honored to be here today.
Speaker 2 (08:03):
Thank you.
Speaker 1 (08:04):
I want to get back to Arthur later, of course,
because I'm a certified dog person as well. But I
want to start with the Phil Randy thing. Your name
is Phil Landis you go buy Big Randy? Why do
you have two names?
Speaker 5 (08:15):
Yeah? Great question one I asked myself a lot. It
actually goes back to my time in Oxford, Ohio at
Miami and when I was in school. I'm dating myself
a little bit. But we would watch the Real World.
I'm guessing maybe Sarah you watched as well. I don't
know if you remember the San Diego season. Two of
the main guys were Brad and Randy. Randy was tall.
(08:38):
They called him Big Randy. And so in our disgusting
off campus house which fourteen guys lived in, we had
one bathroom on the second floor. And yeah, one time
we lost like the main door to the bathroom facility,
and so this created like a sightline. One of my
buddies his desk situated such that, you know, without that door,
(09:03):
when he was working at his desk, he could kind
of see into the restroom. And he was a very
outgoing guy and would just love to chat with you.
And I'm more of an introvert, and especially when I'm
in the bathroom, Sarah, just doing whatever and one day
extroverted bathroom.
Speaker 1 (09:18):
I'm gonna be honest with you. I don't care how
converted you are. I'd like you to be an introvert
in the bathroom at all times.
Speaker 5 (09:23):
Well, one day, you know, I was in there and
he must not have seen me walk in, because he, Hey,
wh who's in there in the bathroom? What's going on?
I was like, Oh my gosh, I don't you know,
I'm not necessarily want to have a chit chat right now.
The first name that popped into my mind, I'm assuming
because we just watched The Real World recently, was like,
it's Randy. And he didn't know Randy, so that kind
(09:43):
of cut the conversation off at the past. Well, you know,
I don't know what I was thinking. Of course, as
I walked out of the bathroom, he's like, Phil, you idiot,
and I was like, I don't know. So they started
calling me. You know, we'll fast forward, no laying ups,
getting off the ground. We have jobs in the quote
unquote real world, and I don't know, it just seemed
(10:04):
maybe prudent to use a pen name an alias. I
wasn't sure, you know, I'm very conscious of like, hey,
don't say or put anything in writing that like you
wouldn't want on the front page of the New York Times,
and I thought, hey, if I go by Randy, you
know that gives me at least one extra layer of cover.
Speaker 4 (10:23):
And mm hmm.
Speaker 5 (10:24):
Yeah. Now fast forward ten years, and I think we've
been fortunate, no laying ups, kind of grown in prominence.
H And I think a lot of people in the
golf world know me as Randy and it's like, I
shock people. I'm like, well, my real name's Phil. They're like, WHOA,
I didn't know.
Speaker 1 (10:39):
Just created a second life for anonymity that now you
don't really want anymore, because now you want publicity for
the coverage you're doing and the things you're writing about.
Speaker 5 (10:47):
That's exactly right.
Speaker 1 (10:48):
That is the most dude story ever, by the way,
no bathroom door yelling out a random name that isn't
yours and then just deciding to live by it.
Speaker 2 (10:57):
Congrats on all of that.
Speaker 1 (10:58):
That is a circus tail, but it landed us where
we are, which is where we're gonna go with Big Randy.
We're gonna go with Big Randy, which I assume is
what everyone was calling you at the Solheim Cup.
Speaker 2 (11:07):
You mentioned you just got back.
Speaker 1 (11:08):
Great result, great highlights, some logistical issues. Let's start with
something quickly I was curious about in the lead up
to the tournament. I was talking about this on the
show Can you explain the whole tie last year? But
it counts as a win for Europe. I'm confused by that.
Speaker 5 (11:22):
Yeah, of course, So the rules of and this goes
back really the precedent was set on the men's side
with the Ryder Cup, which stretches back way further than
the Solheim Cup on the women's side. But each you know,
you play twenty eight matches across three days, and each
match is worth one point, and so if the US
(11:47):
team wins, they get that full point. Obviously in Europe
gets zero points. Well, if a match gets to eighteen
or through eighteen and it's tied, then they split that point,
so half point each way. They don't play it off
for the full point. And so it creates a situation where,
because there's an even number of matches and even number
of points, you could have a fourteen to fourteen result
(12:09):
when it's all said and done. And so for whatever reason,
they decided, hey, we don't want to do a tiebreaker
out on the course, and so they default to whoever
won the Solheim Cup the prior playing they will retain
the cup in case of a tie. And so this
year in Washington or Gainesville, Virginia where the Solheim Cup was,
(12:32):
the US coming into the week knew they had to
win fourteen and a half points because another tie they
would not get, they would not trophy.
Speaker 2 (12:40):
This sounds very European, Randy.
Speaker 1 (12:41):
This sounds like, you know, the place where they liked
the soccer and the football with the ties all the time.
In America, we absolutely would have made a tie breaker.
Speaker 2 (12:50):
There would be a winner every time.
Speaker 1 (12:52):
No one's walking away just keeping the trophy because you
didn't beat them for it.
Speaker 2 (12:55):
I don't like that.
Speaker 1 (12:56):
I'm not a fan of that. But there were other
things that I was a fan of. We saw a
lot of really good play. What were some standout moments
for you?
Speaker 5 (13:04):
I think, I mean, gosh, it's hard not to just
kind of run through the team. USA play the big
highlight once again. They had done so also last year
in Spain. But they jumped out to an early lead.
They got out to a commanding through Friday and Saturday.
At the end of Friday, excuse me, they were up
(13:25):
six to two, and so you saw Roseang was finally
playing like the top ten player in the world that
she is, but was starting to match the heavy, heavy
expectations that have been placed upon her due to a
sterling amateur career, a great run in college, she won
her very first professional start on the LPGA Tour, and
(13:48):
so I think she has carried this weight for the
last year plus, like, hey, you know, when are you
going to start winning all these majors? And that can
be a burden. She's twenty one years old. But this
week we got a glimpse of Roseang at her absolute best.
She went four and oh she was the leading point
getter on either side, and she just had a lightness
(14:09):
about her. And I think that was the real takeaway.
You looked all across Team USA, and I'll credit the
captain Stacy Lewis Roseng. Nellie Corda is somebody that you know,
it doesn't usually give you a lot of joy, a
lot of fist pumps, a lot of smiles on the
golf course, and that's fine right week to week, whatever
your style is. Yep, yes, exactly. But it was just
(14:31):
fun to see Nellie in a team environment. And she
said afterward in her press conference, like this is about
the most fun I've ever had playing golf, and it's
show awesome.
Speaker 2 (14:41):
Yeah, ask about that.
Speaker 1 (14:43):
So first of all, Roseng, I believe only the fourth
USA player to ever go four and oh in a
Solheim Cup, so it's not common to win every matchup,
every head to head, so very impressive. And then to
your point about Nellie, you know, I was just at
the US Open talking to a couple former tennis players
who said that the most joyful time for them was
the team tournaments like the Olympics or now like the
(15:06):
Billy j and Kingcup, because they do get to be
playing with and alongside and rooting for the people that
they usually are just traveling and spending all of their
time with, but competing against.
Speaker 2 (15:15):
Does it feel like that's the same story here for
these golfers.
Speaker 5 (15:18):
Absolutely, And I think every woman would tell you that,
not only this week, but probably that's ever competed in
a Solheim Cup. Is it's such a nice departure from
the week to week grind that is individual stroke play golf,
and you're just in your own little world. You know,
most of them travel with a caddy and they might
have some type of support system, perhaps parents, a coach,
(15:40):
you know, whatever it is. But it can be very insular,
and when you're not playing the greatest, it just can
turn into a burden. It's a very mentally challenging game,
just as much as physically. And so you get to
a Solheim Cup and you get to be a part
of a team environment, and some of these players, like
saying who went to Stanford, spent two years in college
(16:03):
and had a great time at Stanford. You know, she
was very that that was a very conscious choice on
her part to get that college experience because she wanted
to be part of a team. And so every two
years and we can get into that, Sarah like, wait,
you said they played last year. I can explain that.
Speaker 1 (16:21):
I trus Man, I was confused on that too, But
I'm like, all right, buy Anny all most of the
time and then occasionally back to back.
Speaker 2 (16:26):
We'll just let it ride.
Speaker 5 (16:28):
They love being able to be a part of a team,
to have eleven teammates, to have a captain, to have
assistant captains. It's I think it reminds it brings them
back to their youth and some of their when golf
was truly fun right before it turns into a professional
grind and just getting back to it like you just
(16:48):
saw that this week with Tamosa, And again, I think
that's a credit to the environment that Captain Stacy Lewis
was able to create for the team.
Speaker 1 (16:55):
There's a lot of pressure playing for the rest of
your team, but there's also so much excitement around doing
well on behalf of your team, and that includes some
of the enthusiasm for other people's play that we saw,
you know, rooting for each other, and we even saw
that with the caddies. You need to explain to us
the backstory of the shirts off Celly that went viral.
Holing out from eighty six yards very impressive, but doesn't
(17:16):
usually result in caddies ripping their shirts off.
Speaker 2 (17:19):
Can you talk to us about that moment and how that.
Speaker 5 (17:21):
Yeah that I think that was a first for the
Solheim Cup. Unfortunately I was not there in person on
that whole I did not see it in person. I'm disappointed.
I was laughing. I think Max home and I'm sure
somehow the term like tarps off.
Speaker 2 (17:35):
Yeah, turns to the shirt yeah.
Speaker 5 (17:37):
I'm I'm you know, maybe I'm just old. I had
never heard that sound.
Speaker 1 (17:40):
I think it's from a show that I actually just
started watching one or two episodes of that centers around
a small Canadian town and they say tarps off a lot.
I think that's that might be the origin. I forget
the name of it right now. I'm only like two
episodes in, but it's got that vibe of like inventing
a little bit of new slang for like Broie, but
like kind of mocking it. I'll remember when when you're
(18:02):
done telling this tale of the tarps off Selly.
Speaker 5 (18:05):
So as best I know, and I won't claim to
have this ironclad, this was kind of like secondhand that
I was getting. I guess Megan Kang and her caddy
had some type of bet, and I think the caddy
had lost and Meghan was like, hey, I don't want
It was like a monetary bet. She's like, I don't
want the money if we hole out this week, and
meaning Meghan and her playing partner who happened to b
(18:26):
Allison Lee who made the Eagle, She's the one who
hold out. You guys need to take take the tarps off.
And that's exactly what happened, both Megan's caddy and Allison's
Caddie got into it now, Sarah, one of my favorite
parts of this is, of course this is an American
versus European competition, and part of Europe is you know,
(18:47):
the United Kingdom Britain. Yeah, and the British golf writers
especially can be a little bit dodgy. You know, they
very much like their golf tradition, and so part of
the fun for me was just seeing their Yet you know, oh,
this should never happen in a Solheim Cup, and I'm like,
come on, it's good fun exactly. I think it pulls
(19:08):
in the common viewer and was certainly one of the
highlights of the week.
Speaker 2 (19:12):
Okay, so correct me if I'm wrong.
Speaker 1 (19:14):
Though, I saw a clip of a player from the
European team.
Speaker 2 (19:20):
Lighting up a heater in the middle of her round.
Is that real?
Speaker 5 (19:25):
So that would be Charlie Hall, England's Charlie Hall, who
I have a few things to say about this. Yes,
she is a smoker, I believe in one of her
practice rounds she was smoking actual cigarettes. She had at
one point had gone to somebody in the gallery looking
for a lighter, was provided a lighter. She also had
some type of I call it like a vaporrig. I
(19:48):
don't know what the official term for it is. Charlie
is a magnetic presence. Her Instagram account is a trip.
She's one of the most recognizable people on the LPGA
A tour. But I will say I think she gets
a little bit pigeonholed with this fascination. Oh my gosh,
this this young woman. You know, she's smoking on the
(20:09):
golf course. It's such a throwback today's of old. But
I will say Charlie is a fantastic golfer, eleventh in
the world. And I think her story, her personality, she
has such a great sort. In fact, we're like efforting.
We would love to do more of an in depth
profile on Charlie because her whole deal is just an
(20:30):
amazing person.
Speaker 1 (20:31):
For those people trying to argue that golf is a
sport not a game, being able to just light up
a heater from a fan in the middle of year
round isn't really helping. But fine, yeah, fine. The show
I was thinking of is called Chorsy. For those who
are wondering, it's called Shorzy. If anyone wants to watch.
I've enjoyed Marky, Yeah, I've enjoyed the first couple episode
and definitely.
Speaker 2 (20:50):
Some tarps off.
Speaker 1 (20:51):
Let's talk Lexi Thompson, probably her last Solheim Cup.
Speaker 2 (20:55):
She's announced her plans to retire after this year.
Speaker 1 (20:57):
An eleven time LPGA Tour winner, a major champion, a
two time Olympian, longtime Stalheime Cup team member. Can you
talk about the legacy that she's leaving on the game
of golf when she's done, and if you're surprised at
all that at twenty nine she's hanging them up.
Speaker 5 (21:11):
Gosh. I think with everything Lexi there, it is such
a shade of gray with her and it is such
a mixed bag. I'll say her legacy is one she
is widely beloved and respected by her peers and the
fans of the LPGA Tour. I don't think anybody signs
more autographs for anybody, especially kids. Lexi is very giving
(21:35):
of her time while she's out on the golf course.
Where it gets a bit mixed is Lexi's always had
a little bit of a frosty relationship with the media
and you know, however you feel about that, it's it's
part of her legacy. I think in terms of actual golf,
she's been one of the foremost American women of the
(21:57):
last fifteen years. I think she's been a very important
part of American women's golf. She started at a very
young age, and so for that reason, again, I was saying,
how much of a grind this can be imagined getting
out onto tour as a professional at fourteen years old.
I've been doing it for fifteen years. You know, that's
(22:17):
a heck of a career for anybody in any field.
Speaker 1 (22:21):
Especially if you start to get worse, right, and you
aren't guaranteed to get better.
Speaker 2 (22:26):
It doesn't really matter the age you're at it.
Speaker 1 (22:27):
You might just feel like, well, I guess I peaked
at seventeen or whatever.
Speaker 5 (22:32):
Now I know, And she did win a major fairly early.
She's had major heartbreaks, is really has what has defined
her play in the last several years. But I don't
blame her for wanting to take a step back from golf.
I think we'll still see her in events. I think
she'll be very choosy about where and when and on
(22:55):
what terms she plays. I don't think this is a
cold retirement from golf. But at age thirty, it's like, hey,
you've proved yourself in professional golf and you're still not
even thirty years old right now, she's nine, And so
for that, I'm like, I'm a bit envious of her,
though the gold is truly her oyster, and I really
hope she's able to whatever it is that makes her happy, professionally,
(23:19):
starting a family, whatever it may be. I think she
deserves to go pursue that.
Speaker 1 (23:25):
Yeah, And the nice thing about golf is if you
change your mind, if you're mostly still got your body
parts working, you can always come back Senior tour or
come later like you got plenty of years left. It's
not quite the same as other sports when you say goodbye.
Speaker 5 (23:39):
No, and they would gladly have her back again, just
because she's such a fan favorite and she still draws crowds.
You know, you men kind of be in out of
form relatively speaking. She is still one of the biggest
attractions any golf tournament you go to, And so, yeah,
if she wants to come back, she will be welcomed back,
and honestly, she'll probably be a Solheim Cup cap in
(24:00):
sooner than later.
Speaker 2 (24:01):
Nice, very cool.
Speaker 1 (24:02):
It seemed like quite a crowd there, but maybe some
trouble accommodating.
Speaker 2 (24:05):
How was it in person?
Speaker 1 (24:06):
And did it feel like the organizers expected maybe fewer
fans or just didn't have their shit together.
Speaker 5 (24:11):
Yeah, I didn't have their shit together Friday, and it's
a totally unforced air. I hate that it dominated the
first day headlines because it should have been about the golf.
It was perfect weather, Robert tren Jones Golf Club was
a great host venue. You had twenty excuse me, twenty
four of the best golfers in the world. They had
(24:32):
just played a very tight Solheim Cup the year prior
in Spain. All the focus should have been on the golf.
But the LPGA Tour, you know, Commissioner Molly Marcusseman, she
addressed the media Saturday morning. Okay, so Friday was the
shit show. And really my first whiff of it was
we were walking out to the first t six forty
(24:52):
five am in the morning. That is like the pinnacle,
at least for Friday of the Solheim Cup. It's that
first t experience. It should be rocking, it should be packed.
They have a DJ, you know, the music's going. It's
really the best atmosphere anywhere in women's golf. And we
walked out there and in the stands were at least
(25:13):
half empty, and it's like, guy, like, holy shit, what's
going on here? And you come to find out all
of these thousands of fans who they had directed to
a parking facility and the plan was to use charter
buses to get them to the golf course, well, they
quite simply just didn't have enough buses. And whether that
was just a gross negligence and planning, whether that was hey,
(25:36):
we didn't quite expect that many people Friday morning, I
don't think it matters, because it just had to be
better and so right.
Speaker 1 (25:42):
The ultimate results is that we end up with being
able to without that context, either blame the product and
say it didn't draw or use the same excuses we've
seen for years in women's sports, which is a constant
underestimation of interest, and that results in saying, oh, everything's
sold out in twenty four hours.
Speaker 2 (26:00):
Okay, well that's a lost profit.
Speaker 1 (26:02):
If you sold out everything immediately, that means you didn't
make enough, you didn't account for enough, and we use
that as a positive and instead, what it ultimately does
is point to final numbers that allow people to keep
under investing.
Speaker 2 (26:12):
It's so frustrating, it's.
Speaker 5 (26:14):
So frustrating and I'll just say from our perspective, like
with no laying up, this has been an event. We've
been telling everybody in our audience, Hey, this is a
wonderful event. If you're going to come to one event,
if you live in the area, get out to the
Solheim Cup. And a lot of those people were having
a nightmare situation, you know, to two and a half,
(26:34):
three and a half hours just waiting in a line
to get on a bus to get to the golf course.
And you just can't help but feel like, how many
people this would have been their first impression of women's
golf and you just don't get a duel over on that,
and it's frustrating, well, and it's totally frustrating.
Speaker 1 (26:52):
The Cup presentation from NBC left a little something to
be desired to what happened there.
Speaker 5 (26:58):
Just short I think Stacy Lewis got picked up on
somewhat of like a hot mic being like is that
it it just Sarah for anybody that's ever listened to
our podcast. Part of the problem in my opinion with
the women's game in golf right now is I don't
think they're broadcast partner. Who is NBC Golf Channel? I
(27:23):
just don't think that they are in a position where, hey,
the LPG you see women's sports growing everywhere, right, we
are there is a wave here that can be profitable
for people too, you know, like it's not just out
of like, oh the goodness of our heart, we want
to do this. It's like, no, this is business, right,
there is interest, and you just don't see the broadcast
(27:47):
partner investing or really giving a damn at the end
of the day about the product. And I think that's
a massive problem. And the bus issue, the logistics, it
kind of speaks to we have real reservations about like, hey,
is the LPGA as an organization, are they equipped with
(28:07):
the resources, the manpower, the will to like catch this
wave because you go back to the start of the season,
Nelly Korda having won five straight events, like that should
have been.
Speaker 2 (28:18):
Ever, should have been huge, It should have been everywhere.
Speaker 5 (28:21):
Yeah, and it just you know, on the heels of
Caitlin Clark, and there's so much good stuff happening in
soccer right and it just feels like man between between
the organization, between the broadcast partner, it just felt like
a wasted opportunity where you have this young photogenic, marketable
(28:42):
American star like guys. It was served up on a
silver platter to you, and I feel like it was
a bit of a wasted opportunity.
Speaker 2 (28:51):
Yeah, I was gonna say.
Speaker 1 (28:52):
You know, one of the things that the LPGA has
quote unquote struggled with or had to try to figure
out a way to monetize and really popular is a
lot of foreign born players that were starring in their tournaments,
and a lot of them that weren't native English speakers.
Made it a little bit harder to stir up interest
in America. But then you get someone like Nelly Korda
doing something like that and you're like, Okay, here's your moment,
(29:14):
Like what are you doing with it? And the answer
was not much. I'm just wondering, how can the LPGA
take advantage of this moment? What can they do, how
do they get you know, you do see Nelly in
some commercials, You've seen her get out to some events
where she's interacting with people, But like, it feels like
there's so much more that they could be doing with
some of the names that are coming out right now.
Speaker 5 (29:34):
And I think that's a great way to put it there.
It seems like there's more they can be doing, because
I don't want to say they haven't done anything. You know,
there is effort, and it's not because of a lack
of effort. I just think and listen. If I had
all the answers, I would probably not be sitting here.
You know, I'm just a guy behind the microphone it
spewing opinions. But in my opinion, I think, listen the
(30:00):
LPGA Tour. Mike Wan was a charismatic, beloved commissioner of
the LPGA Tour who resigned that position to go become
the head of the United States Golf Association. And I
like Molly Markusseman. I've I've played a pro am with her.
She's she was so easy to talk to. But you
(30:20):
just wonder with that transition of power, you know, I
think there was real momentum, and it just gets back to,
you know, from from the top down, is the LPGA
Tour doing enough to and can they do enough? And
that's the thing, like we don't know because there's not
great transparency, But you just wonder about the resources, the manpower,
(30:45):
you know, how much money is at their disposal to
really get creative that they're in a TV contract that
was negotiated for him years ago by the PGA Tour,
and they just get short shrift at every turn.
Speaker 1 (30:57):
It feels like, creatively though, there's so many spaces that
they haven't tried.
Speaker 2 (31:01):
There's so many things they haven't tried.
Speaker 1 (31:03):
There's some really cool independent creators and folks that have
smaller shows. There was a great sketch that was kind
of flipping on its head the idea of a men's
only club and it was a women's only club, but
she was bringing your boyfriend. We'll link to it in
our show notes for the people who haven't watched. It
was really clever, just showing all the ways that in
little baby steps, you can go and try to play
golf and you'll still feel like you aren't welcome.
Speaker 2 (31:24):
That could be anything from nothing at.
Speaker 1 (31:25):
The pro shop for you, to the women's locker room
being like a couple stalls while the men's is this
like gorgeous, luxurious spa. And the sketch did it in
a way that felt much more young and compelling than
simply complaining.
Speaker 2 (31:39):
And it feels like.
Speaker 1 (31:39):
There are a lot of opportunities to do cool, young,
interesting stuff.
Speaker 2 (31:43):
And I'm going to talk about this later in the show.
Speaker 1 (31:45):
Not always do I agree with them, like a partnership
with Barstool, but there are other interesting, compelling people and
places that want to bring these athletes to light, and
I just feel like they're getting in their own way sometime.
Speaker 2 (31:57):
What about a paired LPGAPGA tour.
Speaker 1 (32:00):
I know a lot of people we've had that, But
what if we had both sides bringing all their top
ranked players and you really had the draw of seeing
that these women are doing. Like, honestly, what more people
at home can relate to than watching the guys with
their drives that you're never touching no matter how many
times you practice.
Speaker 5 (32:19):
Yeah, God, there's a lot to unpacked there. No, no, no,
it was it was all spot on. Let me start
with your last point about the potential of a mixed
you know, female male event. They have gotten that going.
It's it's at the end of the year and it
is an exhibition event. Okay, I apologize. My dog Arthur
(32:42):
is starting to bark if that's in the pack, and
I literally.
Speaker 1 (32:44):
Just let my dog in the room and out just
to prevent him from crying. He doesn't know where he
wants to be, but it's near here, so we're both
in the same boat.
Speaker 5 (32:51):
I'm guessing the male man might be visiting right now.
So there is a mixed event at the end of
the year. They put you know, they can create their
own teams, but they put one female with one male
and you play thirty six holes and it's great, but
it's not you know, there's really no stakes to it.
(33:12):
It doesn't happen.
Speaker 1 (33:13):
The best men weren't there when they did it, right,
the top ranked women were, but most of the top
ranked men weren't.
Speaker 5 (33:18):
Yeah, you had a handful, but certainly not like hey,
just going down the line. And the men's game is
so fractured right now too that that's.
Speaker 2 (33:24):
Whole live and everything else.
Speaker 5 (33:26):
Yeah, can of worms where I wanted to go with
this though. And Stacy Lewis, who is a great voice
and a huge proponent, I think probably the most important
voice really right now in the women's game. She came
out but prior to the Solheim Cup and said, Hey,
the President's Cup, which people might not know the President's Cup,
it's actually happening next week on the men's side, and
(33:47):
it's essentially like the Solheim Cup or the Ryder Cup,
which is the PGA equivalent. The President's Cup is team
USA versus the entire world minus Europe. And you mentioned
earlier the strength in women's golf in Asia between Japan, Korea, Thailand,
(34:09):
China's beginning to emerge. They have so much talent there.
And so what Stacy's point was, and this is a
drum that I will beat too, is the President's Cup
should be a mixed event with that feeling of hey,
this is a major event. Yeah, you could take you know, truly,
six of the top American men, six of the top
(34:31):
American women, six of the top international men, six of
the top international women, and it would be a wonderful event,
I think. And the President's Cup has been dominated by
the United States. They've only lost one time going back
to the nineties, and the President's Cup needs a refresh
I think as is, like, it's not competitive, and if
(34:52):
you introduce the international women, who are as a group
extremely strong, all of a sudden you have a much
more captivating President's Cup. I love this.
Speaker 2 (35:00):
I think that's a great idea.
Speaker 5 (35:01):
That's an area. Yeah, that would be awesome to see.
Speaker 1 (35:06):
Do you have any ideas for listeners who want to
get into watching and supporting women's golf.
Speaker 2 (35:09):
What are a couple first steps? Obviously follow no laying up, listen, read,
et cetera.
Speaker 1 (35:13):
But what are some good places to go and first
steps to take an entry point?
Speaker 5 (35:18):
Well, I have to be brutally honest sometimes my biggest
frustration is being a fan of women's golf can be
a can be a bit of a challenge because the
broadcasts are you know, sometimes it's tape delayed. Sometimes it's
you just never quite know what platform is it on
Golf Channel, is it on Peacock, is it here? Is
it there? I just want to warn people it can
(35:39):
be a bit of a challenge right now, and that's
part of our frustration. But we are we have made
a big commitment to you know, our goal is, Hey,
we've we've been doing this for years on the men's side.
There's no reason we shouldn't be giving as much equal
attention on the women's side. There are a number of
wonderful people out there. I would say beth Anne Nichols,
who writes for Golf Week, has been and somebody that's
(36:00):
covering the LPGA tour for twenty years. She's kind of
like the og meg Atkins at the at website called
the Frida Egg is doing really good things. Gabby Herdzig
for anybody that subscribes to The Athletic, she is a
wonderful golf writer. So there are journalists and there are
people covering the game, but it could use a lot
(36:25):
more creativity. The video that you mentioned earlier, I believe
was Hallie Ledbetter.
Speaker 2 (36:30):
Yes, that was it.
Speaker 5 (36:32):
Yeah, that's a wonderful video. It's more of a one
off at this point, so like part of part of
my like I wish I could sit here, Sarah and
just be like, oh go here, go here, go here.
These are all wonderful. It's a challenge right now, and
that's something that you know, it takes a village, but
I think it starts with like the LPGA Tour has
(36:52):
to have a real vision, in a real drive, and
that allows people like us at no laying up to like,
hey we bring us along, you know, like let's let's
we're all in this together, let's elevate the game. So
I love that.
Speaker 2 (37:05):
It's a challenge, which means it's an opportunity.
Speaker 1 (37:08):
So yes, hopefully there are people listening who are women's
golf fans that are thinking to themselves I've got ideas,
I've got creative approaches, I've got my own sketches, I've
got my own thoughts that can can do something and follow.
Speaker 2 (37:19):
No laying up.
Speaker 1 (37:20):
Listen, watch to all your stuff, and maybe even pitch
y'all on some content if they want to get involved
and add their own take, cause it's really I have
to admit, like I used to play golf a lot,
not as much lately, but when I get into it,
I'm into it.
Speaker 2 (37:33):
It's just hard.
Speaker 1 (37:34):
There's not a lot of entry points, and it feels
like it needs to ride the wave of women's sports
fandom right now, like you mentioned, and we need some
more opportunities to do so.
Speaker 2 (37:41):
But no laying up.
Speaker 1 (37:42):
Love that the coverage is as much about the women
as the men, and love that you're bringing some of
the fun to it. So thanks so much, Randy, Phil, Phil,
Randy Big Phil, Randy for coming on.
Speaker 5 (37:53):
I'm going to go make sure Arthur is okay. But
I did just want to add one thing. If you
go to LPGA dot com check out their schedule. If
you live around an area where the LPGA hosts an event,
that's a great way to get introduced to the game
and I'll say in my experience, you know, bring a child,
bring bring friends. It is such a welcoming environment. The
(38:17):
players are so available for autographs. They'll you know, they
they'll high five you. It's just a wonderful first access point.
So I should have mentioned that, get out and watch
the golf, you know, follow somebody that you've heard of,
follow somebody that you've never heard of. I think you'll
have a really good time.
Speaker 2 (38:34):
So I love it.
Speaker 4 (38:35):
Er.
Speaker 2 (38:35):
You gave us a lot of names.
Speaker 1 (38:36):
Yeah, you gave us a lot of names to follow,
and now we've got to find some tournaments to get
to as well. Go check on Arthur, give them a
boot for us, and welcome to the world of being
a dog person.
Speaker 2 (38:45):
You're late, but I'm glad you made it better.
Speaker 5 (38:48):
Late than number. Thank you, Sarah.
Speaker 1 (38:52):
Thanks again to Phil for taking the time. And another
quick thought on the LPGA here before we move on.
It involves their merchandise partnership with Barstool Sports, and justa
heads up that this is going to mention rape culture,
sexual harassment, and allegations of sexual abuse. So a few
weeks ago, I was kind of poking around some golf
sites reading a bunch of LPGA coverage, and I was
surprised to see an LPGA times Barstool merchandise club. Now,
(39:15):
if you're not familiar with barstool, they're a sports website.
They've got blogs, podcasts, videos, and a really heavy social
media presence. They are wildly popular, especially with white men
and college kids. They've been at the heart of some
pretty big controversies, including founder Dave Portnoy being the subject
of investigation in which two women accused him of sexual assault.
He made a video saying to the CEO of the
(39:35):
site investigating him, quote your head is going to be
on my spike, and he encouraged his millions of followers
to harass the author of another story on the investigation.
Portnoy was also charged with violating the National Labor Relations
Act and has been caught on tape using multiple racist slurs.
They have a recurring series grading the attractiveness of female
high school and junior high teachers who rape their male students.
(39:56):
A twenty ten blog post read, if you're a size
six and you're wearing skinny g you kind of deserve
to be raped, and Portnoy said of the SIT's quote unquote,
blackout parties just to make friends with the feminists. I'd
like to reiterate that we don't condone rape of any
kind at our blackout parties. However, if a chick passes out,
that's a gray area. Barstool has published nude photos of
an athlete's toddler child and commented on the kids genitalia size.
(40:18):
They've sexualized, harassed, and threatened female reporters, including saying one
should quote unquote be sleeping with one eye open and
should watch her back. They'll turn their army of fans
against anyone who speaks ill of the site or challenges
their work. In fact, there's a good chance just me
saying this will result in an attack from the barstool folks,
even though everything I've said is proven and is fact.
The site can also be very funny. The site has
(40:41):
rallied its rabid followers to do some great things, like
raise a whole lot of money for good causes. The
college campus accounts tap into a certain culture that's particularly
hard to resist for young folks who want to fit in,
have fun, see the funny videos, and be in on
all the jokes and stories around school. It feels risky
and raunchy and provocative. It's a thrill for young people
(41:01):
or for people who have decided that the world is
too sanitized or quote unquote woke or safe. Barstool highlights
behind the scenes fights and disagreements between coworkers, kind of
like a reality show, and they've done a really good
job turning employees into characters that fans want to follow
and know more about. One of their podcasts consistently gets
the top guests. They've got a hold on a young
audience that brands are dying to get to, which I
(41:23):
guess explains why the LPGA would want to be in
business with them, despite their long history of misogyny and
their lengthy list of former partnerships that blew up and
ended in either controversy or lawsuits. I reached out to
the LPGA and they came back with this statement quote.
Female athletes and leagues deserve broader mainstream coverage and to
be elevated By attending LPGA tournaments and covering our athletes.
(41:44):
Barstool Golf has helped and shown a commitment to expanding
the reach of women's golf as they've done for the
men's game. The LPGA is dedicated to growing the game
and providing more opportunities to women in golf. It's critical
that we engage new and younger audiences. We are trying
collaborations with the range of platforms that will allow us
to promote the sport and celebrate women's golf, further elevating
the women's game and our athletes.
Speaker 2 (42:05):
End quote.
Speaker 1 (42:05):
Now, folks want to watch, or read or listen to
barstool that's on them. There's a lot of content out
there that's not my favorite or I don't agree with,
but it's not my culture into I do, however, worry
about major companies, especially companies serving women, getting into the
business of barstool, and mostly I worry about it extending
the time that girls and young women spend under the
thumb of misogyny. Today's culture is so much better than
(42:28):
the one that I came up in my twenties, where
every single sports blog was half sports and then half
hot wives and girlfriends, hometown hotties, top ten hottest sports
reporter lists. It was inescapable, and the only way to
be in on the sports jokes and enjoy the culture
of sports was to accept or even join the bro
culture that was mocking women and it's not like that anymore.
(42:49):
I want girls and young women to get to a
place earlier in life where they align with women, support women,
uplift other women, and care more about becoming leaders themselves
than impress and serving men. And I know that male
leadership is still the norm. I know that proximity to
power and centuries of patriarchy pushes us to prioritize serving
and pleasing and earning the respective men in order to
(43:11):
move up the latter and find success and be accepted
and liked in the rooms where things happen. But if
we break away from that earlier and younger, we can
create more spaces that are run by women, with cultures
that serve everyone better. I remember when I read Glennon
Doyle's Untamed, and I wished that I had had it
decades earlier, so I could identify all the ways that
I had internalized misogyny and I had doubted myself and
(43:35):
other women because of what society ingrained in me. While
that book and so much more content like that, is
out there now, and I hope that women in their
teens and twenties are reading it, talking about it, sharing.
Speaker 2 (43:45):
It, and living it.
Speaker 1 (43:46):
Because when we sell out to places with popularity that's
earned through racism, misogyny, and rape culture. We continue to
tell women that success can only come by abandoning our morals,
our standards, our self respect, and our safety, and that cannot.
Speaker 2 (44:00):
Be the way. We got to take another break. Stick around.
You're back. We're back to welcome back. We love that
you're listening, but we want to get you in the
game every day too. So here's our good game play
of the day. If this is it, we don't want
to believe it, but the Phoenix Mercury keep telling us.
Speaker 1 (44:21):
So Thursday could really be Diana Trossi's last regular season game.
Speaker 2 (44:25):
We want to hear from you. What is your favorite
DT memory.
Speaker 1 (44:28):
We'd especially love to hear your beautiful voices, So leave
us a voicemail at eight seven two two oh four
fifty seventy. A favorite basketball moment, a favorite off the
court moment, a quote, really, anything that you love and
remember best about DT. Or you can hit us up
on email if that's more your jam. Good game at
Wondermedia neetwork dot com, and don't forget to subscribe, rate
and review. Like Shimshady thirty three, who wrote in part
(44:52):
after the first few episodes, it quickly moved into my
regular daily rotation of podcasts. If you've ever watched Theah
on ESPN, you know she's funny, knowledgeable, and relatable. Well
topics and guests have range and are entertaining. I consider
myself a sports scal so it's nice to have a
podcast tailored to me, not a pod where one in
every twelve episodes is tailored to me. FYI, that's literally
not tailored. That's TJ Max Clearance rack. This is not
(45:13):
your Homeboys podcast. Five stars, Thanks Shim Shady. This is
a podcast for your homeboy, your homegirl, your home non binary,
and everybody in between. And we're glad that you feel
like it's meant for you. One more rating, Dogs Infinity
out of five stars.
Speaker 2 (45:27):
Listen.
Speaker 1 (45:27):
John Oliver's Emmy speech, as disjointed as it was, touched
a lot of hearts, and he shouted out the beloved
family dog that he and his.
Speaker 2 (45:34):
Wife just lost.
Speaker 1 (45:35):
It was a dog that was there through moves and
babies and a pandemic, and anyone who is a dog
person can relate, even newbie dog guys like Big Randy.
As the mother of three, two of them getting a
little long in the tooth. I really see every day
that I get with them as a gift because they
never live long enough. And it's probably why sometimes you
might hear them contribute to the show because I just
(45:56):
feel bad making them go anywhere. I just want them
near me at all times. You truly do not deserve dogs.
Go rescue one or twelve. I promise it'll change your life. Okay,
now your turn, rate and review. Thanks for listening. See
you tomorrow. Good game, Phil, Good game, Asia's mom, you
not having a coach for a whole ass high school team.
(46:16):
Good Game with Sarah Spain is an iHeart women's sports
production in partnership with Deep Blue Sports and Entertainment.
Speaker 2 (46:22):
You can find us on.
Speaker 1 (46:22):
The iHeartRadio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts.
Production by Wonder Media Network, our producers are Alex Azzi
and Misha Jones. Our executive producers are Christina Everett, Jesse Katz,
Jenny Kaplan, and Emily Rudder. Our editors are Jenny Kaplan,
Emily Rudder, Brittany Martinez, and Grace Lynch. Production assistants from
Lucy Jones and I'm Your Host Sarah Spain
Welcome to Good Game with Sarah Spain, where we just
want Asia Wilson to have all the balls. On today's show,
we'll be talking with Phil Landis aka Big Randy about
the Solheim Cup, the state of women's golf, and being
a dog guy, plus a new woman in bronze red carpet, advice,
and lots of balls. It's all coming up right after this.
(00:23):
Welcome back, my little slices. Here's what you need to
know today. We mentioned yesterday Asia Wilson becoming the first
WNBA player to score one thousand points in a season,
but we need to spend a few more minutes talking
about the postgame celebration and all the high jinks. After
the game, Wilson was gifted the game ball with her
parents by her side, a very wholesome, family friendly moment
(00:43):
until Ace's teammate Sidney Colson came along. Colson had a
field day on social media, writing on Twitter, quote, that's
now two balls you've been able to take home with
you this season, Asia Wilson. Asia replied with quote, just
adding another pair, and that's when missus Wilson. Asia's mom
entered the chat, writing in all caps, Asia Asia played
(01:06):
it off with a classic defense, saying someone hacked my account. Mom.
Now that might be an excuse that some naive dorm
room mamas would believe, but not me and not missus
Wilson either, I'm sure, But back to the balls. Asia's
not so undercover boob Bam Autebio tweeted out after the
game as well.
Speaker 2 (01:23):
He wrote, hope.
Speaker 1 (01:23):
Everybody finds a thousand reasons to smile on this lovely Sunday.
A apostrophe thousand stop. It's Hispanic Heritage, a mont celebrated
in the US from September fifteenth to October fifteenth. The
month recognizes the contributions, influence, and achievements of this Hispanic
and Latine community that includes our girl, Diana Tarassi, whose
mother was born and raised in Argentina. She's in action
(01:46):
tonight with her Phoenix Mercury taken on the Sparks at
ten thirty pm Eastern, and it could be the second
to last regular season game of her incredible career. Ew
I hate it so much. We got four more WNBA
game tonight, including the two seed Minnesota Links taken on
the three seed Connecticut Sun at seven Eastern and the
four seed Las Vegas aces taken on the five seed
(02:07):
Seattle Storm at ten Eastern plus. The Mystics, Sky, and
Dream are all in action tonight two as they continue
to fight for that last playoff spot.
Speaker 2 (02:15):
Little update on where that three way race stands.
Speaker 1 (02:18):
The Mystic, Sky and Dream are all thirteen and twenty
five right now. DC holds the eighth seed for the
moment they win the tiebreaker because they've got a better
combined head to head record against Chicago in Atlanta. Chicago's
got the ninth spot thanks to a two to one
head to head record against Atlanta, and the Dream are
hanging on.
Speaker 2 (02:34):
To the tenth spot.
Speaker 1 (02:35):
Got it, It's not all that important.
Speaker 2 (02:37):
Just watch the games and see who wins. We'll figure
it out. More hoops.
Speaker 1 (02:41):
It had been a couple weeks since we got the
latest Unrivaled reveal, but on Monday, the new three on
three league announced the twentieth player to sign on, and
it's Courtney Vander. Salute Slutie, y'all. The talent in this
league is going to be so good. Every game is
basically going to be a three on three All star game.
I'm pumped to soccer and the Under twenty World Cup.
The US and Germany faced off in an epic quarterfinal
(03:02):
round match.
Speaker 2 (03:03):
On Monday in Colombia.
Speaker 1 (03:04):
Down two zero to two minutes left, tem USA pulled
off a comeback for the ages, with Florida State's Jordan
Dudley scoring in the eighth minute of stoppage time and
Utah Royals rookie Ali Sentnor finding the equalizer in the
ninth to force overtime. After a scoreless thirty minutes of
extra time, the US won the ensuing penalty kickshootout three
to one, and they'll advance to the semi final round
for the first time since twenty sixteen, where they'll take
(03:26):
on North Korea. It's a promising result for the US
given how much the youth national teams have struggled in
recent seasons. Tmusa last won the U twenty World Cup
in twenty twelve.
Speaker 2 (03:36):
To College hoops were.
Speaker 1 (03:37):
Less than fifty days from the start of women's college basketball,
and over the weekend, Don Staley and the defending champion
South Carolina game Cocks appeared on ESPN's College Game Day
announcing some big plans for this season.
Speaker 3 (03:48):
Take a listen for this group, for this team to
will we call it raven.
Speaker 2 (03:55):
What's the repeat tour?
Speaker 4 (03:58):
Let's go last.
Speaker 1 (04:00):
That's right, the repeat Tour looks like the rest of
women's college hoops has been put on notice.
Speaker 2 (04:07):
We've got some statue newspeople.
Speaker 1 (04:08):
If you're a longtime listener of the show, and by
long time, I mean however long we've been on, which
is like a month and a half, then you know
that we're into women's statues. And last Friday, Oklahoma softball
coach Patty Gasso, a National Fast Pitch Coaches Association Hall
of Famer, was honored in bronze outside the school's love field.
During her thirty one seasons at Oklahoma, Gasso has won
eight national championships, including four in a row, and has
(04:31):
advanced to the postseason every single year.
Speaker 2 (04:34):
She's also been named Big Twelve Coach of the Year.
Speaker 1 (04:36):
On fifteen different occasions and is the winningest active coach
in NCAA softball history.
Speaker 2 (04:41):
We love this.
Speaker 1 (04:42):
More statues of women, More statues of women, Yes to
the red carpet Our. Rugby queen Alona mar was at
the Emmys on Sunday night, giving espnW her advice for
young athletes.
Speaker 2 (04:54):
Take a listen.
Speaker 3 (04:55):
First off, try mini sports out rugby might not be
for you, but try rugby, trick, soccer, try dance, whatever
it is, just to see where your bodies people of
I think as women, sometimes our bodies are looked at
something to be objectified, and our bodies are so much
more than that, and sports can show us what they
can do. So try it all out. Also, remember like
strength is really powerful and your body is meant for
(05:15):
a purpose.
Speaker 1 (05:16):
So Abbott Elementary Cheryl Lee Ralph came with some real
wisdom for espnW two.
Speaker 4 (05:21):
Everybody told me that sports was not for me. I
was actually Athlete of the Year in my high school,
not because I did anything other than try. I tried.
I did not win, but I tried when nobody else
would try. But I also wrote a letter to the
Regent of New York and I said, why can't girls
have a coach for track? And they said, okay, let's
(05:46):
think about that. To this day, Uniondale High School our
track team, we are the champions every year because somebody
wrote a letter and asked the question, why can't we
have a coach.
Speaker 1 (05:59):
By the way, to the Young People Listing or parents
of Young People Listing, Title nine demands that your daughters
get the same resources and opportunities as your sons. So
if they don't have a coach or a field or
equipment and the boys do, that is illegal. Complain and
if complaining doesn't work, threaten to sue and actually follow through.
That's the only way things change. Okay, So before we
(06:23):
get to this golf interview, we understand that golf can
be confusing for the non golfers out there, So before
we dive in with an expert, just a quick explainer
on how the Solheim Cup works because we're going to
talk a bit about that tournament that just happened. So
it's a three day competition with teams and each team
has twelve players. First two days are a combination of
what's called foursomes and four balls.
Speaker 2 (06:41):
So in the foursome.
Speaker 1 (06:41):
Stage, two golfers from the same team are strategically put
together to compete against two golfers from the opposing team,
but there's one ball between the pair and they play
alternate shots until the end of the hole. In the
four balls stage, instead of two balls, each player plays
her own ball and the lowest score from each team
is the one that's counted. Final day of is simple.
One player from team Europe competes against one player from
(07:03):
Team USA, each with their own ball. We told you
there were a lot of balls to day.
Speaker 2 (07:06):
You keeping up? Okay? Great? When we come back, it's
tea time with Phil Landis joining us now.
Speaker 1 (07:18):
He covers golf for the website No Laying Up. Is
a proud Miami of Ohio, a lum and has an
adorable pup named Arthur that's turned him into a dog guy.
It's Phil Landis aka Big Randy. What's up Phil, Randy?
Randy Phil?
Speaker 5 (07:32):
Yeah, take your pick there, Sarah. I am great. I
am just back. I got in late last night, Sunday night,
from a wonderful week outside of our nation's capital covering
the Solheim Cup. It's one of my favorite events. This
was the third one I went to, but I missed Arthur.
You know, I looked forward to those hugs when I
walked in the door. Yeah. Good research there, and I'm
(07:54):
really happy. Let me just say congrats to you and
your whole team on getting this podcast up off the ground.
I know that is no small feet and I'm very
honored to be here today.
Speaker 2 (08:03):
Thank you.
Speaker 1 (08:04):
I want to get back to Arthur later, of course,
because I'm a certified dog person as well. But I
want to start with the Phil Randy thing. Your name
is Phil Landis you go buy Big Randy? Why do
you have two names?
Speaker 5 (08:15):
Yeah? Great question one I asked myself a lot. It
actually goes back to my time in Oxford, Ohio at
Miami and when I was in school. I'm dating myself
a little bit. But we would watch the Real World.
I'm guessing maybe Sarah you watched as well. I don't
know if you remember the San Diego season. Two of
the main guys were Brad and Randy. Randy was tall.
(08:38):
They called him Big Randy. And so in our disgusting
off campus house which fourteen guys lived in, we had
one bathroom on the second floor. And yeah, one time
we lost like the main door to the bathroom facility,
and so this created like a sightline. One of my
buddies his desk situated such that, you know, without that door,
(09:03):
when he was working at his desk, he could kind
of see into the restroom. And he was a very
outgoing guy and would just love to chat with you.
And I'm more of an introvert, and especially when I'm
in the bathroom, Sarah, just doing whatever and one day
extroverted bathroom.
Speaker 1 (09:18):
I'm gonna be honest with you. I don't care how
converted you are. I'd like you to be an introvert
in the bathroom at all times.
Speaker 5 (09:23):
Well, one day, you know, I was in there and
he must not have seen me walk in, because he, Hey,
wh who's in there in the bathroom? What's going on?
I was like, Oh my gosh, I don't you know,
I'm not necessarily want to have a chit chat right now.
The first name that popped into my mind, I'm assuming
because we just watched The Real World recently, was like,
it's Randy. And he didn't know Randy, so that kind
(09:43):
of cut the conversation off at the past. Well, you know,
I don't know what I was thinking. Of course, as
I walked out of the bathroom, he's like, Phil, you idiot,
and I was like, I don't know. So they started
calling me. You know, we'll fast forward, no laying ups,
getting off the ground. We have jobs in the quote
unquote real world, and I don't know, it just seemed
(10:04):
maybe prudent to use a pen name an alias. I
wasn't sure, you know, I'm very conscious of like, hey,
don't say or put anything in writing that like you
wouldn't want on the front page of the New York Times,
and I thought, hey, if I go by Randy, you
know that gives me at least one extra layer of cover.
Speaker 4 (10:23):
And mm hmm.
Speaker 5 (10:24):
Yeah. Now fast forward ten years, and I think we've
been fortunate, no laying ups, kind of grown in prominence.
H And I think a lot of people in the
golf world know me as Randy and it's like, I
shock people. I'm like, well, my real name's Phil. They're like, WHOA,
I didn't know.
Speaker 1 (10:39):
Just created a second life for anonymity that now you
don't really want anymore, because now you want publicity for
the coverage you're doing and the things you're writing about.
Speaker 5 (10:47):
That's exactly right.
Speaker 1 (10:48):
That is the most dude story ever, by the way,
no bathroom door yelling out a random name that isn't
yours and then just deciding to live by it.
Speaker 2 (10:57):
Congrats on all of that.
Speaker 1 (10:58):
That is a circus tail, but it landed us where
we are, which is where we're gonna go with Big Randy.
We're gonna go with Big Randy, which I assume is
what everyone was calling you at the Solheim Cup.
Speaker 2 (11:07):
You mentioned you just got back.
Speaker 1 (11:08):
Great result, great highlights, some logistical issues. Let's start with
something quickly I was curious about in the lead up
to the tournament. I was talking about this on the
show Can you explain the whole tie last year? But
it counts as a win for Europe. I'm confused by that.
Speaker 5 (11:22):
Yeah, of course, So the rules of and this goes
back really the precedent was set on the men's side
with the Ryder Cup, which stretches back way further than
the Solheim Cup on the women's side. But each you know,
you play twenty eight matches across three days, and each
match is worth one point, and so if the US
(11:47):
team wins, they get that full point. Obviously in Europe
gets zero points. Well, if a match gets to eighteen
or through eighteen and it's tied, then they split that point,
so half point each way. They don't play it off
for the full point. And so it creates a situation where,
because there's an even number of matches and even number
of points, you could have a fourteen to fourteen result
(12:09):
when it's all said and done. And so for whatever reason,
they decided, hey, we don't want to do a tiebreaker
out on the course, and so they default to whoever
won the Solheim Cup the prior playing they will retain
the cup in case of a tie. And so this
year in Washington or Gainesville, Virginia where the Solheim Cup was,
(12:32):
the US coming into the week knew they had to
win fourteen and a half points because another tie they
would not get, they would not trophy.
Speaker 2 (12:40):
This sounds very European, Randy.
Speaker 1 (12:41):
This sounds like, you know, the place where they liked
the soccer and the football with the ties all the time.
In America, we absolutely would have made a tie breaker.
Speaker 2 (12:50):
There would be a winner every time.
Speaker 1 (12:52):
No one's walking away just keeping the trophy because you
didn't beat them for it.
Speaker 2 (12:55):
I don't like that.
Speaker 1 (12:56):
I'm not a fan of that. But there were other
things that I was a fan of. We saw a
lot of really good play. What were some standout moments
for you?
Speaker 5 (13:04):
I think, I mean, gosh, it's hard not to just
kind of run through the team. USA play the big
highlight once again. They had done so also last year
in Spain. But they jumped out to an early lead.
They got out to a commanding through Friday and Saturday.
At the end of Friday, excuse me, they were up
(13:25):
six to two, and so you saw Roseang was finally
playing like the top ten player in the world that
she is, but was starting to match the heavy, heavy
expectations that have been placed upon her due to a
sterling amateur career, a great run in college, she won
her very first professional start on the LPGA Tour, and
(13:48):
so I think she has carried this weight for the
last year plus, like, hey, you know, when are you
going to start winning all these majors? And that can
be a burden. She's twenty one years old. But this
week we got a glimpse of Roseang at her absolute best.
She went four and oh she was the leading point
getter on either side, and she just had a lightness
(14:09):
about her. And I think that was the real takeaway.
You looked all across Team USA, and I'll credit the
captain Stacy Lewis Roseng. Nellie Corda is somebody that you know,
it doesn't usually give you a lot of joy, a
lot of fist pumps, a lot of smiles on the
golf course, and that's fine right week to week, whatever
your style is. Yep, yes, exactly. But it was just
(14:31):
fun to see Nellie in a team environment. And she
said afterward in her press conference, like this is about
the most fun I've ever had playing golf, and it's
show awesome.
Speaker 2 (14:41):
Yeah, ask about that.
Speaker 1 (14:43):
So first of all, Roseng, I believe only the fourth
USA player to ever go four and oh in a
Solheim Cup, so it's not common to win every matchup,
every head to head, so very impressive. And then to
your point about Nellie, you know, I was just at
the US Open talking to a couple former tennis players
who said that the most joyful time for them was
the team tournaments like the Olympics or now like the
(15:06):
Billy j and Kingcup, because they do get to be
playing with and alongside and rooting for the people that
they usually are just traveling and spending all of their
time with, but competing against.
Speaker 2 (15:15):
Does it feel like that's the same story here for
these golfers.
Speaker 5 (15:18):
Absolutely, And I think every woman would tell you that,
not only this week, but probably that's ever competed in
a Solheim Cup. Is it's such a nice departure from
the week to week grind that is individual stroke play golf,
and you're just in your own little world. You know,
most of them travel with a caddy and they might
have some type of support system, perhaps parents, a coach,
(15:40):
you know, whatever it is. But it can be very insular,
and when you're not playing the greatest, it just can
turn into a burden. It's a very mentally challenging game,
just as much as physically. And so you get to
a Solheim Cup and you get to be a part
of a team environment, and some of these players, like
saying who went to Stanford, spent two years in college
(16:03):
and had a great time at Stanford. You know, she
was very that that was a very conscious choice on
her part to get that college experience because she wanted
to be part of a team. And so every two
years and we can get into that, Sarah like, wait,
you said they played last year. I can explain that.
Speaker 1 (16:21):
I trus Man, I was confused on that too, But
I'm like, all right, buy Anny all most of the
time and then occasionally back to back.
Speaker 2 (16:26):
We'll just let it ride.
Speaker 5 (16:28):
They love being able to be a part of a team,
to have eleven teammates, to have a captain, to have
assistant captains. It's I think it reminds it brings them
back to their youth and some of their when golf
was truly fun right before it turns into a professional
grind and just getting back to it like you just
(16:48):
saw that this week with Tamosa, And again, I think
that's a credit to the environment that Captain Stacy Lewis
was able to create for the team.
Speaker 1 (16:55):
There's a lot of pressure playing for the rest of
your team, but there's also so much excitement around doing
well on behalf of your team, and that includes some
of the enthusiasm for other people's play that we saw,
you know, rooting for each other, and we even saw
that with the caddies. You need to explain to us
the backstory of the shirts off Celly that went viral.
Holing out from eighty six yards very impressive, but doesn't
(17:16):
usually result in caddies ripping their shirts off.
Speaker 2 (17:19):
Can you talk to us about that moment and how that.
Speaker 5 (17:21):
Yeah that I think that was a first for the
Solheim Cup. Unfortunately I was not there in person on
that whole I did not see it in person. I'm disappointed.
I was laughing. I think Max home and I'm sure
somehow the term like tarps off.
Speaker 2 (17:35):
Yeah, turns to the shirt yeah.
Speaker 5 (17:37):
I'm I'm you know, maybe I'm just old. I had
never heard that sound.
Speaker 1 (17:40):
I think it's from a show that I actually just
started watching one or two episodes of that centers around
a small Canadian town and they say tarps off a lot.
I think that's that might be the origin. I forget
the name of it right now. I'm only like two
episodes in, but it's got that vibe of like inventing
a little bit of new slang for like Broie, but
like kind of mocking it. I'll remember when when you're
(18:02):
done telling this tale of the tarps off Selly.
Speaker 5 (18:05):
So as best I know, and I won't claim to
have this ironclad, this was kind of like secondhand that
I was getting. I guess Megan Kang and her caddy
had some type of bet, and I think the caddy
had lost and Meghan was like, hey, I don't want
It was like a monetary bet. She's like, I don't
want the money if we hole out this week, and
meaning Meghan and her playing partner who happened to b
(18:26):
Allison Lee who made the Eagle, She's the one who
hold out. You guys need to take take the tarps off.
And that's exactly what happened, both Megan's caddy and Allison's
Caddie got into it now, Sarah, one of my favorite
parts of this is, of course this is an American
versus European competition, and part of Europe is you know,
(18:47):
the United Kingdom Britain. Yeah, and the British golf writers
especially can be a little bit dodgy. You know, they
very much like their golf tradition, and so part of
the fun for me was just seeing their Yet you know, oh,
this should never happen in a Solheim Cup, and I'm like,
come on, it's good fun exactly. I think it pulls
(19:08):
in the common viewer and was certainly one of the
highlights of the week.
Speaker 2 (19:12):
Okay, so correct me if I'm wrong.
Speaker 1 (19:14):
Though, I saw a clip of a player from the
European team.
Speaker 2 (19:20):
Lighting up a heater in the middle of her round.
Is that real?
Speaker 5 (19:25):
So that would be Charlie Hall, England's Charlie Hall, who
I have a few things to say about this. Yes,
she is a smoker, I believe in one of her
practice rounds she was smoking actual cigarettes. She had at
one point had gone to somebody in the gallery looking
for a lighter, was provided a lighter. She also had
some type of I call it like a vaporrig. I
(19:48):
don't know what the official term for it is. Charlie
is a magnetic presence. Her Instagram account is a trip.
She's one of the most recognizable people on the LPGA
A tour. But I will say I think she gets
a little bit pigeonholed with this fascination. Oh my gosh,
this this young woman. You know, she's smoking on the
(20:09):
golf course. It's such a throwback today's of old. But
I will say Charlie is a fantastic golfer, eleventh in
the world. And I think her story, her personality, she
has such a great sort. In fact, we're like efforting.
We would love to do more of an in depth
profile on Charlie because her whole deal is just an
(20:30):
amazing person.
Speaker 1 (20:31):
For those people trying to argue that golf is a
sport not a game, being able to just light up
a heater from a fan in the middle of year
round isn't really helping. But fine, yeah, fine. The show
I was thinking of is called Chorsy. For those who
are wondering, it's called Shorzy. If anyone wants to watch.
I've enjoyed Marky, Yeah, I've enjoyed the first couple episode
and definitely.
Speaker 2 (20:50):
Some tarps off.
Speaker 1 (20:51):
Let's talk Lexi Thompson, probably her last Solheim Cup.
Speaker 2 (20:55):
She's announced her plans to retire after this year.
Speaker 1 (20:57):
An eleven time LPGA Tour winner, a major champion, a
two time Olympian, longtime Stalheime Cup team member. Can you
talk about the legacy that she's leaving on the game
of golf when she's done, and if you're surprised at
all that at twenty nine she's hanging them up.
Speaker 5 (21:11):
Gosh. I think with everything Lexi there, it is such
a shade of gray with her and it is such
a mixed bag. I'll say her legacy is one she
is widely beloved and respected by her peers and the
fans of the LPGA Tour. I don't think anybody signs
more autographs for anybody, especially kids. Lexi is very giving
(21:35):
of her time while she's out on the golf course.
Where it gets a bit mixed is Lexi's always had
a little bit of a frosty relationship with the media
and you know, however you feel about that, it's it's
part of her legacy. I think in terms of actual golf,
she's been one of the foremost American women of the
(21:57):
last fifteen years. I think she's been a very important
part of American women's golf. She started at a very
young age, and so for that reason, again, I was saying,
how much of a grind this can be imagined getting
out onto tour as a professional at fourteen years old.
I've been doing it for fifteen years. You know, that's
(22:17):
a heck of a career for anybody in any field.
Speaker 1 (22:21):
Especially if you start to get worse, right, and you
aren't guaranteed to get better.
Speaker 2 (22:26):
It doesn't really matter the age you're at it.
Speaker 1 (22:27):
You might just feel like, well, I guess I peaked
at seventeen or whatever.
Speaker 5 (22:32):
Now I know, And she did win a major fairly early.
She's had major heartbreaks, is really has what has defined
her play in the last several years. But I don't
blame her for wanting to take a step back from golf.
I think we'll still see her in events. I think
she'll be very choosy about where and when and on
(22:55):
what terms she plays. I don't think this is a
cold retirement from golf. But at age thirty, it's like, hey,
you've proved yourself in professional golf and you're still not
even thirty years old right now, she's nine, And so
for that, I'm like, I'm a bit envious of her,
though the gold is truly her oyster, and I really
hope she's able to whatever it is that makes her happy, professionally,
(23:19):
starting a family, whatever it may be. I think she
deserves to go pursue that.
Speaker 1 (23:25):
Yeah, And the nice thing about golf is if you
change your mind, if you're mostly still got your body
parts working, you can always come back Senior tour or
come later like you got plenty of years left. It's
not quite the same as other sports when you say goodbye.
Speaker 5 (23:39):
No, and they would gladly have her back again, just
because she's such a fan favorite and she still draws crowds.
You know, you men kind of be in out of
form relatively speaking. She is still one of the biggest
attractions any golf tournament you go to, And so, yeah,
if she wants to come back, she will be welcomed back,
and honestly, she'll probably be a Solheim Cup cap in
(24:00):
sooner than later.
Speaker 2 (24:01):
Nice, very cool.
Speaker 1 (24:02):
It seemed like quite a crowd there, but maybe some
trouble accommodating.
Speaker 2 (24:05):
How was it in person?
Speaker 1 (24:06):
And did it feel like the organizers expected maybe fewer
fans or just didn't have their shit together.
Speaker 5 (24:11):
Yeah, I didn't have their shit together Friday, and it's
a totally unforced air. I hate that it dominated the
first day headlines because it should have been about the golf.
It was perfect weather, Robert tren Jones Golf Club was
a great host venue. You had twenty excuse me, twenty
four of the best golfers in the world. They had
(24:32):
just played a very tight Solheim Cup the year prior
in Spain. All the focus should have been on the golf.
But the LPGA Tour, you know, Commissioner Molly Marcusseman, she
addressed the media Saturday morning. Okay, so Friday was the
shit show. And really my first whiff of it was
we were walking out to the first t six forty
(24:52):
five am in the morning. That is like the pinnacle,
at least for Friday of the Solheim Cup. It's that
first t experience. It should be rocking, it should be packed.
They have a DJ, you know, the music's going. It's
really the best atmosphere anywhere in women's golf. And we
walked out there and in the stands were at least
(25:13):
half empty, and it's like, guy, like, holy shit, what's
going on here? And you come to find out all
of these thousands of fans who they had directed to
a parking facility and the plan was to use charter
buses to get them to the golf course, well, they
quite simply just didn't have enough buses. And whether that
was just a gross negligence and planning, whether that was hey,
(25:36):
we didn't quite expect that many people Friday morning, I
don't think it matters, because it just had to be
better and so right.
Speaker 1 (25:42):
The ultimate results is that we end up with being
able to without that context, either blame the product and
say it didn't draw or use the same excuses we've
seen for years in women's sports, which is a constant
underestimation of interest, and that results in saying, oh, everything's
sold out in twenty four hours.
Speaker 2 (26:00):
Okay, well that's a lost profit.
Speaker 1 (26:02):
If you sold out everything immediately, that means you didn't
make enough, you didn't account for enough, and we use
that as a positive and instead, what it ultimately does
is point to final numbers that allow people to keep
under investing.
Speaker 2 (26:12):
It's so frustrating, it's.
Speaker 5 (26:14):
So frustrating and I'll just say from our perspective, like
with no laying up, this has been an event. We've
been telling everybody in our audience, Hey, this is a
wonderful event. If you're going to come to one event,
if you live in the area, get out to the
Solheim Cup. And a lot of those people were having
a nightmare situation, you know, to two and a half,
(26:34):
three and a half hours just waiting in a line
to get on a bus to get to the golf course.
And you just can't help but feel like, how many
people this would have been their first impression of women's
golf and you just don't get a duel over on that,
and it's frustrating, well, and it's totally frustrating.
Speaker 1 (26:52):
The Cup presentation from NBC left a little something to
be desired to what happened there.
Speaker 5 (26:58):
Just short I think Stacy Lewis got picked up on
somewhat of like a hot mic being like is that
it it just Sarah for anybody that's ever listened to
our podcast. Part of the problem in my opinion with
the women's game in golf right now is I don't
think they're broadcast partner. Who is NBC Golf Channel? I
(27:23):
just don't think that they are in a position where, hey,
the LPG you see women's sports growing everywhere, right, we
are there is a wave here that can be profitable
for people too, you know, like it's not just out
of like, oh the goodness of our heart, we want
to do this. It's like, no, this is business, right,
there is interest, and you just don't see the broadcast
(27:47):
partner investing or really giving a damn at the end
of the day about the product. And I think that's
a massive problem. And the bus issue, the logistics, it
kind of speaks to we have real reservations about like, hey,
is the LPGA as an organization, are they equipped with
(28:07):
the resources, the manpower, the will to like catch this
wave because you go back to the start of the season,
Nelly Korda having won five straight events, like that should
have been.
Speaker 2 (28:18):
Ever, should have been huge, It should have been everywhere.
Speaker 5 (28:21):
Yeah, and it just you know, on the heels of
Caitlin Clark, and there's so much good stuff happening in
soccer right and it just feels like man between between
the organization, between the broadcast partner, it just felt like
a wasted opportunity where you have this young photogenic, marketable
(28:42):
American star like guys. It was served up on a
silver platter to you, and I feel like it was
a bit of a wasted opportunity.
Speaker 2 (28:51):
Yeah, I was gonna say.
Speaker 1 (28:52):
You know, one of the things that the LPGA has
quote unquote struggled with or had to try to figure
out a way to monetize and really popular is a
lot of foreign born players that were starring in their tournaments,
and a lot of them that weren't native English speakers.
Made it a little bit harder to stir up interest
in America. But then you get someone like Nelly Korda
doing something like that and you're like, Okay, here's your moment,
(29:14):
Like what are you doing with it? And the answer
was not much. I'm just wondering, how can the LPGA
take advantage of this moment? What can they do, how
do they get you know, you do see Nelly in
some commercials, You've seen her get out to some events
where she's interacting with people, But like, it feels like
there's so much more that they could be doing with
some of the names that are coming out right now.
Speaker 5 (29:34):
And I think that's a great way to put it there.
It seems like there's more they can be doing, because
I don't want to say they haven't done anything. You know,
there is effort, and it's not because of a lack
of effort. I just think and listen. If I had
all the answers, I would probably not be sitting here.
You know, I'm just a guy behind the microphone it
spewing opinions. But in my opinion, I think, listen the
(30:00):
LPGA Tour. Mike Wan was a charismatic, beloved commissioner of
the LPGA Tour who resigned that position to go become
the head of the United States Golf Association. And I
like Molly Markusseman. I've I've played a pro am with her.
She's she was so easy to talk to. But you
(30:20):
just wonder with that transition of power, you know, I
think there was real momentum, and it just gets back to,
you know, from from the top down, is the LPGA
Tour doing enough to and can they do enough? And
that's the thing, like we don't know because there's not
great transparency, But you just wonder about the resources, the manpower,
(30:45):
you know, how much money is at their disposal to
really get creative that they're in a TV contract that
was negotiated for him years ago by the PGA Tour,
and they just get short shrift at every turn.
Speaker 1 (30:57):
It feels like, creatively though, there's so many spaces that
they haven't tried.
Speaker 2 (31:01):
There's so many things they haven't tried.
Speaker 1 (31:03):
There's some really cool independent creators and folks that have
smaller shows. There was a great sketch that was kind
of flipping on its head the idea of a men's
only club and it was a women's only club, but
she was bringing your boyfriend. We'll link to it in
our show notes for the people who haven't watched. It
was really clever, just showing all the ways that in
little baby steps, you can go and try to play
golf and you'll still feel like you aren't welcome.
Speaker 2 (31:24):
That could be anything from nothing at.
Speaker 1 (31:25):
The pro shop for you, to the women's locker room
being like a couple stalls while the men's is this
like gorgeous, luxurious spa. And the sketch did it in
a way that felt much more young and compelling than
simply complaining.
Speaker 2 (31:39):
And it feels like.
Speaker 1 (31:39):
There are a lot of opportunities to do cool, young,
interesting stuff.
Speaker 2 (31:43):
And I'm going to talk about this later in the show.
Speaker 1 (31:45):
Not always do I agree with them, like a partnership
with Barstool, but there are other interesting, compelling people and
places that want to bring these athletes to light, and
I just feel like they're getting in their own way sometime.
Speaker 2 (31:57):
What about a paired LPGAPGA tour.
Speaker 1 (32:00):
I know a lot of people we've had that, But
what if we had both sides bringing all their top
ranked players and you really had the draw of seeing
that these women are doing. Like, honestly, what more people
at home can relate to than watching the guys with
their drives that you're never touching no matter how many
times you practice.
Speaker 5 (32:19):
Yeah, God, there's a lot to unpacked there. No, no, no,
it was it was all spot on. Let me start
with your last point about the potential of a mixed
you know, female male event. They have gotten that going.
It's it's at the end of the year and it
is an exhibition event. Okay, I apologize. My dog Arthur
(32:42):
is starting to bark if that's in the pack, and
I literally.
Speaker 1 (32:44):
Just let my dog in the room and out just
to prevent him from crying. He doesn't know where he
wants to be, but it's near here, so we're both
in the same boat.
Speaker 5 (32:51):
I'm guessing the male man might be visiting right now.
So there is a mixed event at the end of
the year. They put you know, they can create their
own teams, but they put one female with one male
and you play thirty six holes and it's great, but
it's not you know, there's really no stakes to it.
(33:12):
It doesn't happen.
Speaker 1 (33:13):
The best men weren't there when they did it, right,
the top ranked women were, but most of the top
ranked men weren't.
Speaker 5 (33:18):
Yeah, you had a handful, but certainly not like hey,
just going down the line. And the men's game is
so fractured right now too that that's.
Speaker 2 (33:24):
Whole live and everything else.
Speaker 5 (33:26):
Yeah, can of worms where I wanted to go with
this though. And Stacy Lewis, who is a great voice
and a huge proponent, I think probably the most important
voice really right now in the women's game. She came
out but prior to the Solheim Cup and said, Hey,
the President's Cup, which people might not know the President's Cup,
it's actually happening next week on the men's side, and
(33:47):
it's essentially like the Solheim Cup or the Ryder Cup,
which is the PGA equivalent. The President's Cup is team
USA versus the entire world minus Europe. And you mentioned
earlier the strength in women's golf in Asia between Japan, Korea, Thailand,
(34:09):
China's beginning to emerge. They have so much talent there.
And so what Stacy's point was, and this is a
drum that I will beat too, is the President's Cup
should be a mixed event with that feeling of hey,
this is a major event. Yeah, you could take you know, truly,
six of the top American men, six of the top
(34:31):
American women, six of the top international men, six of
the top international women, and it would be a wonderful event,
I think. And the President's Cup has been dominated by
the United States. They've only lost one time going back
to the nineties, and the President's Cup needs a refresh
I think as is, like, it's not competitive, and if
(34:52):
you introduce the international women, who are as a group
extremely strong, all of a sudden you have a much
more captivating President's Cup. I love this.
Speaker 2 (35:00):
I think that's a great idea.
Speaker 5 (35:01):
That's an area. Yeah, that would be awesome to see.
Speaker 1 (35:06):
Do you have any ideas for listeners who want to
get into watching and supporting women's golf.
Speaker 2 (35:09):
What are a couple first steps? Obviously follow no laying up, listen, read,
et cetera.
Speaker 1 (35:13):
But what are some good places to go and first
steps to take an entry point?
Speaker 5 (35:18):
Well, I have to be brutally honest sometimes my biggest
frustration is being a fan of women's golf can be
a can be a bit of a challenge because the
broadcasts are you know, sometimes it's tape delayed. Sometimes it's
you just never quite know what platform is it on
Golf Channel, is it on Peacock, is it here? Is
it there? I just want to warn people it can
(35:39):
be a bit of a challenge right now, and that's
part of our frustration. But we are we have made
a big commitment to you know, our goal is, Hey,
we've we've been doing this for years on the men's side.
There's no reason we shouldn't be giving as much equal
attention on the women's side. There are a number of
wonderful people out there. I would say beth Anne Nichols,
who writes for Golf Week, has been and somebody that's
(36:00):
covering the LPGA tour for twenty years. She's kind of
like the og meg Atkins at the at website called
the Frida Egg is doing really good things. Gabby Herdzig
for anybody that subscribes to The Athletic, she is a
wonderful golf writer. So there are journalists and there are
people covering the game, but it could use a lot
(36:25):
more creativity. The video that you mentioned earlier, I believe
was Hallie Ledbetter.
Speaker 2 (36:30):
Yes, that was it.
Speaker 5 (36:32):
Yeah, that's a wonderful video. It's more of a one
off at this point, so like part of part of
my like I wish I could sit here, Sarah and
just be like, oh go here, go here, go here.
These are all wonderful. It's a challenge right now, and
that's something that you know, it takes a village, but
I think it starts with like the LPGA Tour has
(36:52):
to have a real vision, in a real drive, and
that allows people like us at no laying up to like,
hey we bring us along, you know, like let's let's
we're all in this together, let's elevate the game. So
I love that.
Speaker 2 (37:05):
It's a challenge, which means it's an opportunity.
Speaker 1 (37:08):
So yes, hopefully there are people listening who are women's
golf fans that are thinking to themselves I've got ideas,
I've got creative approaches, I've got my own sketches, I've
got my own thoughts that can can do something and follow.
Speaker 2 (37:19):
No laying up.
Speaker 1 (37:20):
Listen, watch to all your stuff, and maybe even pitch
y'all on some content if they want to get involved
and add their own take, cause it's really I have
to admit, like I used to play golf a lot,
not as much lately, but when I get into it,
I'm into it.
Speaker 2 (37:33):
It's just hard.
Speaker 1 (37:34):
There's not a lot of entry points, and it feels
like it needs to ride the wave of women's sports
fandom right now, like you mentioned, and we need some
more opportunities to do so.
Speaker 2 (37:41):
But no laying up.
Speaker 1 (37:42):
Love that the coverage is as much about the women
as the men, and love that you're bringing some of
the fun to it. So thanks so much, Randy, Phil, Phil,
Randy Big Phil, Randy for coming on.
Speaker 5 (37:53):
I'm going to go make sure Arthur is okay. But
I did just want to add one thing. If you
go to LPGA dot com check out their schedule. If
you live around an area where the LPGA hosts an event,
that's a great way to get introduced to the game
and I'll say in my experience, you know, bring a child,
bring bring friends. It is such a welcoming environment. The
(38:17):
players are so available for autographs. They'll you know, they
they'll high five you. It's just a wonderful first access point.
So I should have mentioned that, get out and watch
the golf, you know, follow somebody that you've heard of,
follow somebody that you've never heard of. I think you'll
have a really good time.
Speaker 2 (38:34):
So I love it.
Speaker 4 (38:35):
Er.
Speaker 2 (38:35):
You gave us a lot of names.
Speaker 1 (38:36):
Yeah, you gave us a lot of names to follow,
and now we've got to find some tournaments to get
to as well. Go check on Arthur, give them a
boot for us, and welcome to the world of being
a dog person.
Speaker 2 (38:45):
You're late, but I'm glad you made it better.
Speaker 5 (38:48):
Late than number. Thank you, Sarah.
Speaker 1 (38:52):
Thanks again to Phil for taking the time. And another
quick thought on the LPGA here before we move on.
It involves their merchandise partnership with Barstool Sports, and justa
heads up that this is going to mention rape culture,
sexual harassment, and allegations of sexual abuse. So a few
weeks ago, I was kind of poking around some golf
sites reading a bunch of LPGA coverage, and I was
surprised to see an LPGA times Barstool merchandise club. Now,
(39:15):
if you're not familiar with barstool, they're a sports website.
They've got blogs, podcasts, videos, and a really heavy social
media presence. They are wildly popular, especially with white men
and college kids. They've been at the heart of some
pretty big controversies, including founder Dave Portnoy being the subject
of investigation in which two women accused him of sexual assault.
He made a video saying to the CEO of the
(39:35):
site investigating him, quote your head is going to be
on my spike, and he encouraged his millions of followers
to harass the author of another story on the investigation.
Portnoy was also charged with violating the National Labor Relations
Act and has been caught on tape using multiple racist slurs.
They have a recurring series grading the attractiveness of female
high school and junior high teachers who rape their male students.
(39:56):
A twenty ten blog post read, if you're a size
six and you're wearing skinny g you kind of deserve
to be raped, and Portnoy said of the SIT's quote unquote,
blackout parties just to make friends with the feminists. I'd
like to reiterate that we don't condone rape of any
kind at our blackout parties. However, if a chick passes out,
that's a gray area. Barstool has published nude photos of
an athlete's toddler child and commented on the kids genitalia size.
(40:18):
They've sexualized, harassed, and threatened female reporters, including saying one
should quote unquote be sleeping with one eye open and
should watch her back. They'll turn their army of fans
against anyone who speaks ill of the site or challenges
their work. In fact, there's a good chance just me
saying this will result in an attack from the barstool folks,
even though everything I've said is proven and is fact.
The site can also be very funny. The site has
(40:41):
rallied its rabid followers to do some great things, like
raise a whole lot of money for good causes. The
college campus accounts tap into a certain culture that's particularly
hard to resist for young folks who want to fit in,
have fun, see the funny videos, and be in on
all the jokes and stories around school. It feels risky
and raunchy and provocative. It's a thrill for young people
(41:01):
or for people who have decided that the world is
too sanitized or quote unquote woke or safe. Barstool highlights
behind the scenes fights and disagreements between coworkers, kind of
like a reality show, and they've done a really good
job turning employees into characters that fans want to follow
and know more about. One of their podcasts consistently gets
the top guests. They've got a hold on a young
audience that brands are dying to get to, which I
(41:23):
guess explains why the LPGA would want to be in
business with them, despite their long history of misogyny and
their lengthy list of former partnerships that blew up and
ended in either controversy or lawsuits. I reached out to
the LPGA and they came back with this statement quote.
Female athletes and leagues deserve broader mainstream coverage and to
be elevated By attending LPGA tournaments and covering our athletes.
(41:44):
Barstool Golf has helped and shown a commitment to expanding
the reach of women's golf as they've done for the
men's game. The LPGA is dedicated to growing the game
and providing more opportunities to women in golf. It's critical
that we engage new and younger audiences. We are trying
collaborations with the range of platforms that will allow us
to promote the sport and celebrate women's golf, further elevating
the women's game and our athletes.
Speaker 2 (42:05):
End quote.
Speaker 1 (42:05):
Now, folks want to watch, or read or listen to
barstool that's on them. There's a lot of content out
there that's not my favorite or I don't agree with,
but it's not my culture into I do, however, worry
about major companies, especially companies serving women, getting into the
business of barstool, and mostly I worry about it extending
the time that girls and young women spend under the
thumb of misogyny. Today's culture is so much better than
(42:28):
the one that I came up in my twenties, where
every single sports blog was half sports and then half
hot wives and girlfriends, hometown hotties, top ten hottest sports
reporter lists. It was inescapable, and the only way to
be in on the sports jokes and enjoy the culture
of sports was to accept or even join the bro
culture that was mocking women and it's not like that anymore.
(42:49):
I want girls and young women to get to a
place earlier in life where they align with women, support women,
uplift other women, and care more about becoming leaders themselves
than impress and serving men. And I know that male
leadership is still the norm. I know that proximity to
power and centuries of patriarchy pushes us to prioritize serving
and pleasing and earning the respective men in order to
(43:11):
move up the latter and find success and be accepted
and liked in the rooms where things happen. But if
we break away from that earlier and younger, we can
create more spaces that are run by women, with cultures
that serve everyone better. I remember when I read Glennon
Doyle's Untamed, and I wished that I had had it
decades earlier, so I could identify all the ways that
I had internalized misogyny and I had doubted myself and
(43:35):
other women because of what society ingrained in me. While
that book and so much more content like that, is
out there now, and I hope that women in their
teens and twenties are reading it, talking about it, sharing.
Speaker 2 (43:45):
It, and living it.
Speaker 1 (43:46):
Because when we sell out to places with popularity that's
earned through racism, misogyny, and rape culture. We continue to
tell women that success can only come by abandoning our morals,
our standards, our self respect, and our safety, and that cannot.
Speaker 2 (44:00):
Be the way. We got to take another break. Stick around.
You're back. We're back to welcome back. We love that
you're listening, but we want to get you in the
game every day too. So here's our good game play
of the day. If this is it, we don't want
to believe it, but the Phoenix Mercury keep telling us.
Speaker 1 (44:21):
So Thursday could really be Diana Trossi's last regular season game.
Speaker 2 (44:25):
We want to hear from you. What is your favorite
DT memory.
Speaker 1 (44:28):
We'd especially love to hear your beautiful voices, So leave
us a voicemail at eight seven two two oh four
fifty seventy. A favorite basketball moment, a favorite off the
court moment, a quote, really, anything that you love and
remember best about DT. Or you can hit us up
on email if that's more your jam. Good game at
Wondermedia neetwork dot com, and don't forget to subscribe, rate
and review. Like Shimshady thirty three, who wrote in part
(44:52):
after the first few episodes, it quickly moved into my
regular daily rotation of podcasts. If you've ever watched Theah
on ESPN, you know she's funny, knowledgeable, and relatable. Well
topics and guests have range and are entertaining. I consider
myself a sports scal so it's nice to have a
podcast tailored to me, not a pod where one in
every twelve episodes is tailored to me. FYI, that's literally
not tailored. That's TJ Max Clearance rack. This is not
(45:13):
your Homeboys podcast. Five stars, Thanks Shim Shady. This is
a podcast for your homeboy, your homegirl, your home non binary,
and everybody in between. And we're glad that you feel
like it's meant for you. One more rating, Dogs Infinity
out of five stars.
Speaker 2 (45:27):
Listen.
Speaker 1 (45:27):
John Oliver's Emmy speech, as disjointed as it was, touched
a lot of hearts, and he shouted out the beloved
family dog that he and his.
Speaker 2 (45:34):
Wife just lost.
Speaker 1 (45:35):
It was a dog that was there through moves and
babies and a pandemic, and anyone who is a dog
person can relate, even newbie dog guys like Big Randy.
As the mother of three, two of them getting a
little long in the tooth. I really see every day
that I get with them as a gift because they
never live long enough. And it's probably why sometimes you
might hear them contribute to the show because I just
(45:56):
feel bad making them go anywhere. I just want them
near me at all times. You truly do not deserve dogs.
Go rescue one or twelve. I promise it'll change your life. Okay,
now your turn, rate and review. Thanks for listening. See
you tomorrow. Good game, Phil, Good game, Asia's mom, you
not having a coach for a whole ass high school team.
(46:16):
Good Game with Sarah Spain is an iHeart women's sports
production in partnership with Deep Blue Sports and Entertainment.
Speaker 2 (46:22):
You can find us on.
Speaker 1 (46:22):
The iHeartRadio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts.
Production by Wonder Media Network, our producers are Alex Azzi
and Misha Jones. Our executive producers are Christina Everett, Jesse Katz,
Jenny Kaplan, and Emily Rudder. Our editors are Jenny Kaplan,
Emily Rudder, Brittany Martinez, and Grace Lynch. Production assistants from
Lucy Jones and I'm Your Host Sarah Spain
Host
Sarah Spain
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