March 27, 2025 • 40 mins
In this episode of Levels to This, Sheryl Swoopes and Terrika Foster-Brasby kick off the show with birthday wishes and a heartfelt reflection on gratitude and resilience. The two discuss the devastating injury of USC's star player Juju Watkins, and Sheryl shares her own personal experience recovering from an ACL injury, emphasizing the mental and physical challenges of recovery. Plus, the two zoom out to talk more broadly about the madness of the opening round of the NCAA women's basketball tournament, look ahead to a few Sweet 16 matchups and Tee and diverge in their Final Four predictions…
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Episode Transcript
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Speaker 1 (00:00):
Levels to This is an iHeart women's sports production in
partnership with Deep Blue Sports and Entertainment. You can find
us on the iHeartRadio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you
get your podcasts.
Speaker 2 (00:15):
Hey, everybody, what's going on? It's your girl, Trica Foster Brasby, what's.
Speaker 3 (00:19):
Up, y'all? It's your girl, Cheryl Swoops And.
Speaker 2 (00:22):
This is the levels to this podcast. This is the
show where we share that there is levels to the
ship that women go through. We have got such a
great show lined up today.
Speaker 3 (00:33):
But first, Cheryl, what now?
Speaker 2 (00:38):
I know I know when this episode airs that this
probably won't be accurate, but I'm gonna say it anyway
because my dad it anyway that I'm not gonna say
happy birthday.
Speaker 3 (00:54):
Thank you.
Speaker 1 (00:55):
I know I know when it airs it won't be
my birthday. But oh well, okay, thank you. Tell everybody
that's your twenty one today, twenty one again, for the
fifth time, all over again.
Speaker 2 (01:08):
At what point do we, you know, as women, be like, Okay, listen,
this is I'm embracing the fact that I am this
age because I'm thirty, I'm forty until I turned forty five.
Speaker 1 (01:18):
Listen, I'm like, I'm already there. Seriously, I say that
when people are like, what are you twenty again, I'm like, yep,
but like I embrace every bit of my like I'm
a fully grown ass woman.
Speaker 3 (01:32):
Yep, I'm fifty four today.
Speaker 1 (01:35):
And it's so funny because before we hopped on which
I do this every morning, but for some reason this
morning it was.
Speaker 3 (01:42):
A little different.
Speaker 1 (01:43):
Like every morning when I wake up, I give thanks
to God to all the things right. So I was
walking outside this morning and I had a moment, Oh
my God, here come in tears.
Speaker 3 (01:52):
But I had a.
Speaker 1 (01:52):
Moment where it was just a thank you for allowing
me to see another day, but you know, another birthday,
especially given all the ship that we're going through right
now in this country, in this world.
Speaker 3 (02:08):
And I said, you, you, God, you chose me to.
Speaker 1 (02:12):
Wake up this morning and give me an opportunity to
be a better person, which is what I always try
to do every single day. So yeah, it's the big birthday,
and you know I celebrated already, but yeah I got
to do a little something else today.
Speaker 3 (02:26):
Because it's the official day. So yeah, I'm kicking it
with you this morning.
Speaker 2 (02:31):
I know that's how you know it's loved like other
people would have been, like Tarika kick Rocks, it's my birthday,
and sherol is like, Nope, we're gonna record this show.
Speaker 1 (02:40):
Let's go first of all, because we got some good
shit to talk about, like we do.
Speaker 2 (02:47):
It's a it's I'm looking forward to this conversation, but
it definitely won't be an easy one because we all
know that there are great things that happen when you
play sports. There are great opportunities that come along when
you play sports, but there are also the realities of
playing sports, and part of that reality is injuries. And
(03:09):
there are some people who are so fortunate to go
through their entire career and never ever ever see an injury,
and my god, how blessed must you must be to
have that kind of career. Unfortunately, there are others who
have to figure out how to deal with either nagging
injuries or a one off injury, and sometimes even a
career ending injury, and those are the worst. And so
(03:32):
today on today's show, we got to talk about our girl,
Juju Watkins, because man, can I tell you that I
was devastated at the moment that I saw her go down,
And honestly, it was even a little bit before that,
if we being honest, but let's just go ahead and
take this conversation to the next level.
Speaker 3 (03:54):
Let's get it.
Speaker 2 (04:00):
So in the second round of the NCAA Tournament, USC
and their matchup against the Mississippi State Bulldogs, very early
into the first quarter, Juju Watkins was on a fast break.
Speaker 3 (04:14):
Her knee kind of buckled a little bit.
Speaker 2 (04:16):
With maybe just like a slight contact with the player,
and immediately she fell to the ground, grabbing her right knee.
Her face was just all tore up, and I think
if anyone has covered basketball long enough, you probably looked
at that and instantly thought it's probably her aco. But
(04:37):
of course you don't want to put that juju in
the atmosphere. You know, no pun intended, and you want
to be optimistic. But unfortunately, and the wee hours of
the morning after that incident, it was confirmed that Juju
Watkins will be missing the remainder of the NCAA Tournament
for an acl tire and Cheryl, you know, I've been bled.
(05:00):
I didn't play basketball in college. I played softball and volleyball,
and I was blessed to not have to worry about injuries,
nagging pain, absolutely, but injuries not so much. So I
don't have the experience of what it means and what
it takes to come back from an injury.
Speaker 3 (05:17):
But you do. And so the moment that.
Speaker 2 (05:20):
You saw what happened to Juju, what was the first
thing that came through your mind?
Speaker 3 (05:24):
Oh, I knew, and I got sick to my stomach.
Speaker 1 (05:30):
It's hard to watch, and you never want to see
any player, I don't care who it is. You never
want to see any player go down with any type
of an injury, especially when you pretty much know that
it's going to be a season ending injury. Just in
the timing of it all, it just was so bad.
But when a player like a Juju Watkins, who has
(05:52):
the whole world talking about women's basketball right now, you know,
and she goes down like you feel it. I just
I walked away from the TV and no, lie t
I was grabbing my knee and rubbing my knee like
I felt her pain. I felt it, and I knew
(06:12):
it wasn't just like she bumped knees with anybody.
Speaker 3 (06:16):
So I tore my ACL back in two thousand.
Speaker 1 (06:19):
And it was just like non contact I was working
out with the rockets, was going down for a layup
all by myself, no one even near me. I went
up and as soon as I like planet, I knew
it was something.
Speaker 3 (06:35):
And that's what I saw with Juju.
Speaker 1 (06:37):
And let me just say this real quick before we
really get into the conversation. I know that they were
playing at home, and you know, it's their fans, but
for the booing that happened, I was like, y'all, come
on it right, Like they didn't do anything intentionally, Like
the players were doing what they were supposed to do.
They were trying to play defense, they were trying to
(06:58):
slow down, and it was like they intentionally hurt her,
you know what I mean. But Juju's a tough kid,
like she's a tough athlete, and that look on her
face when she grabbed her knee was a look of
this is serious and I am in some sorry fucking hate.
(07:22):
And then when she sat up, I was like, okay.
But when they literally had to carry her like she
couldn't put any weight on it, I was just like, oh, yeah,
I don't know. Even this morning, like I knew what
it was seriously, but it didn't really feel real until
it was confirmed, right, like, this is what happened. I
(07:44):
don't know even this morning. I just woke up, I
said a prayer for her, and like, I am sick
to my stomach right now. It's just for her because
you want her to be healthy, to come back stronger,
which I know she will, but you know, for selfish reasons,
like I wanted to see her ball. I wanted to
(08:06):
see her take her team to the final four, Like
just as a competitor, as an athlete, you want to
see the best playing against the best.
Speaker 3 (08:15):
YEP, one hundred percent. That was one hundred percent.
Speaker 2 (08:18):
I mean, the obvious is that you want players to
be healthy, and the obvious is that you never want
to see somebody have to deal with an aco injury
that's or any injury ever.
Speaker 3 (08:28):
But it's so common.
Speaker 2 (08:30):
And the one thing that I think becomes a positive
is that modern medicine has changed and evolved so much
sure that it doesn't end up being career ending like before.
Like for example, I want to say it was Cheryl
Miller who tore her ACL in the eighties, and Cheryl
never Cheryl never played at a professional level. Yeah you
(08:53):
know what I mean, And I'm like, damn, in twenty
twenty five, there is a time to there is a process,
there is, you know, an opportunity for you to not
let it end your basketball story. But the part that
I think is going to be most challenging, and you
can correct me if I'm wrong, it's the mental hurdle.
Speaker 3 (09:16):
It's the mental.
Speaker 2 (09:17):
Hurdle, because yeah, your body can get right, but like,
do you mentally say to yourself, you know, am I
more cautious when I'm coming up and down the court
because I'm afraid that it might happen again?
Speaker 3 (09:28):
Am I you know, a little bit more.
Speaker 2 (09:31):
Cognizant of how I step, how I turn my footwork,
like you know, how I play defense? Like to me,
it feels like there could be this constant nagging in
the back of my head that you have to be
more careful versus when previously you might have played a
little bit more free.
Speaker 1 (09:49):
Absolutely, and that's only human right to think about that
and for that to always be in the back of
your mind. So again, toward my acl in two thousand,
I went through a period of like woe is me?
Because I wasn't concerned with me being able to come
back physically, because I was going to put the work in,
(10:09):
I was gonna rehab, I was gonna do all the
things and then some. From a physical standpoint, I was like,
you know what, I will be able to come back
from this.
Speaker 3 (10:17):
The hard part for me was once.
Speaker 1 (10:20):
The doctors gave me the okay, right, like you're good,
I still wore my knee brace for mental reasons. I'm like, okay,
I know you said I am, but you're not me
and it's my knee and I went through it. So
it took me a good year to get to a
(10:41):
point to where I was like, you know what, damn
this knee brace.
Speaker 3 (10:44):
I can get rid of the knee brace. I'm good, tee.
Speaker 1 (10:47):
Because you're always thinking about what you did when it happened. Yeah,
for me, I was like, it was just a layup,
and layups are one of the most shocks in a game, right,
And so I had to mentally tell myself every single
time I stepped out on the court, you're okay, You're okay,
(11:09):
You're okay.
Speaker 3 (11:10):
It's not gonna happen again.
Speaker 1 (11:11):
It's not like I had to tell myself these things mentally,
but the defense, you know, being able to side and
all the things involved with basketball are in the back
of your mind without question. I don't care who you are,
how mentally strong you are. Those things are going to
constantly be in her head. But the other thing that
(11:34):
helped me was besides the doctor right, like you're good,
you're one hundred percent healthy, Like having my teammates, having
my teammates they're saying, take your time, right, like you're
not on anybody's timetable. So the pressures of like I
just said, we want to see her play, right, but
(11:54):
the pressures that you might feel from the media, from fans,
from whomever saying dang, it's been X amount of months
or years or whatever, like why aren't you back, Why
aren't you one hundred percent?
Speaker 3 (12:06):
Why aren't you ready?
Speaker 1 (12:07):
Having your teammates there in your corner right saying whatever
you need from us, we got you, we gonna hold
it down for you. Take your time. Just that support
from your teammates will go a long way. And like
I said before, there's no doubt in my mind that
Juju Watkins will not only come back, but come back stronger, better,
(12:29):
if that's possible, to come back better, right, and she
will be okay. But this shit hurts and it sucks,
Like let's just be honest. The timing of it yes,
it sucks. Like I know, some people will be like, well,
you know, it's part of the game.
Speaker 3 (12:45):
And honestly it is. Injuries are part of the game.
But this sucks. I don't care what anybody says. So bad.
It sucks so bad.
Speaker 2 (12:53):
And I think that's what her teammates did in the
remainder of the game. I mean, first of all, when
the injury happened, the Trojans were already up thirteen two,
so it wasn't like it was, you know, a close
matchup even at that point. They were already up eleven
points by the time the injury happened, and I enjoyed.
Speaker 3 (13:12):
Even though it wasn't It wasn't a close game at all.
Speaker 2 (13:14):
So it wasn't enjoyable from the sense of this is
a competitive match. But what I did enjoy was watching
keyky area Fin step up and say you know what,
I got my girl, and like to your point about
having your teammates have your back, that's what having your
back looks like, like, don't worry about it, we got you.
(13:36):
We gonna make sure this thing doesn't get close. We're
gonna make sure there's no question about what USC can
do without Juju Watkins. Now, there's definitely questions about what
USC can do without Juju Wakins.
Speaker 3 (13:49):
But you didn't know it last You didn't know it
in the in the game.
Speaker 2 (13:52):
And that was Yes, you didn't know it in the game,
and that was something that I admired but overaw and
I tweeted this. I said, the NCAA tournament is not
even going to be the same anymore. And it's just
the facts, right, Like we saw that USC was gonna
be on a collision course with Yukon. But it feels
a little different, yes, now, because you want to see
(14:14):
these teams at full strength.
Speaker 3 (14:16):
You want to see the best against the best.
Speaker 2 (14:19):
And that was the same thing that we said last
year because Yukon and USC met up last year, and
when they met up last year, it was a seven
roster rotation for you, because they had so many injuries
that they were on a short roster.
Speaker 3 (14:35):
They didn't have Azy Fud.
Speaker 2 (14:37):
It was just like, oh my god, can we see
like a full healthy team out here?
Speaker 3 (14:41):
And so that's a thing that we're going to hate.
Speaker 2 (14:44):
And you never want to feel as a competitor, you know,
even in the sports I play, I don't want to
play you when you got your best player hurt because
I don't want to hear all, y'all only won because
such and such wasn't there. Y'all only played because such
as it had been different if such such as in
a game like well, damn, you know what I mean, Like,
even though you earn it, you still feel like, Man,
(15:06):
this ain't even this, This ain't even this, ain't even
a way I wanted it.
Speaker 3 (15:09):
As a competitor, this ain't even a way I wanted it.
Speaker 1 (15:11):
And that's what you hear, right, Well, y'all only won
because we didn't have our best player.
Speaker 3 (15:16):
Yeah, because Johnny got Juju.
Speaker 1 (15:18):
But also being a competitor, right if And I know
there are other games before, but that's what I was
looking forward to because I was pissed that the community
even had them in the same region. Right, I was like, what,
so now we're going to see him before the final four?
But right, because I was already there, and now the
thought of potentially USC playing Yukon, it just doesn't feel
(15:44):
the same. But also, knowing Paige Becker's the little that
I do know, Paige also wants to play against the best, right,
It's like, no, I want to play against a full, rostered,
healthy US team and let the chips fall where they may.
May the best team win because there's always gonna be
(16:05):
question marks now right. If USC loses, it's gonna be
what they have one had Juju been playing. Yeah, I
just last night when it happened, I had a thought
of not saying her life changes. But you know, as
an athlete, being healthy is a big part of your
success and a big part of you being able to
(16:29):
obviously compete and do the things that you're doing and
to wake up yesterday right or the day of the game,
you go to shoot around, you know your pregame, you
go through your whole routine, and you're right for the game,
and in a blink of an eye, it changes, like
your entire mentality goes from I'm about to bust your head,
(16:54):
bust your ass today to damn, I got a long.
Speaker 3 (16:58):
Road ahead of me.
Speaker 1 (17:00):
Yeah. And if you're if you're not mentally tough in
this world, first of all, but as an athlete, if
you're not mentally tough, when you do get injuries like this,
like serious injuries, it can completely change your mindset moving forward.
Speaker 2 (17:18):
Yeah, and I'm gonna tell you the reason that I
mentioned earlier in the show about I was concerned before
now is because in the first round when USC played uncg.
Speaker 3 (17:31):
Juju heard her me.
Speaker 2 (17:34):
And it was later in the game and it was
like they were already up by like forty points, so
I think it was like forty to something or whatever
at that time, but it was like, wait a minute now,
and she kind of, you.
Speaker 3 (17:46):
Know, limped off a little bit on just.
Speaker 2 (17:49):
And in my head, I just kept thinking when I
saw this injury against Mississippi State, I was like, wow,
I wonder how much of what happened and the first
round played a role and how easily that buckle went
as far as it went in this round. And again,
it's not something that you're thinking about as an athlete,
(18:11):
because as an athlete, you're like, listen, I just I
need to be good enough to play. I need to
it's good as straight if I'm not carried off this court,
I'm playing.
Speaker 3 (18:19):
I get that, right, Like I get that.
Speaker 2 (18:21):
But as a spectator and as an analyst, I'm constantly
thinking to myself, how much did what happened in the
first round play a role in the stability of how
quickly that incident and that injury happened in the second round,
and it's just something to be, you know, to think about,
because if you're Lindsay Gottlieb, right, you she said it yesterday,
(18:43):
like you know, this is one of the toughest kids,
I know, you know, But if you are a coach,
in your head, you know, I got to think that
sometimes coaches are replaying moments and replaying decisions and replaying things,
and then there may be something that are just like,
you know what, Hey, it it kind of was what
it was.
Speaker 3 (19:01):
There's nothing that we could have done about it. It is
what it is. And that's a great mindset to have
if that's it. But we're human.
Speaker 2 (19:07):
Coaches are human too, and I think that there may
be in your head as a coach sometimes a chance
where you're like, dang, if I had just maybe made
a different decision, or maybe if I had, you know,
decided not to start her this game, you know, maybe whatever,
would that have changed anything? I don't know, Maybe it
would have, maybe it wouldn't, But you know, it feels
(19:28):
like the human thing to do would be to be like, dang, like,
you know, what could have I done differently?
Speaker 3 (19:33):
And again that answer could be nothing.
Speaker 2 (19:35):
There's nothing you could have done differently, maybe, but you
can't help but think about it.
Speaker 3 (19:38):
You know, Well, even.
Speaker 1 (19:40):
If she is feeling some type of way about that,
she's never gonna say that publicly ever, do you know
what I mean?
Speaker 3 (19:48):
She's ever. No, she's not. But here's here's a to me, there's.
Speaker 1 (19:55):
Nothing good out of what happened to Juju. It just isn't. Yeah,
it's opportunity for your your teammates, it's opportunities for other
players to step up, which everyone's going to have to do.
And we did see that Kiki did that. Yeah, but
Juju has a really good team around her, meaning her
her mom, her dad yea yeap, just her team, her agent,
(20:19):
all of all of them. They are going to give
her the time and space she needs to deal with this,
and then they're also going to uplift her, encourage her
and say.
Speaker 3 (20:31):
Listen, it's just a it's just a little setback.
Speaker 1 (20:35):
And to me, as hard as it is, I don't
question it, right because there's clearly God has a plan
that's all out. I'll say I always say it. I
don't care what it is that we're doing, and I
know it does it sucks to hear it because when
it happened to me, I was like, Okay, God, I
(20:55):
know you got a plan, but damn it. Yeah, and
I just I hope she stays.
Speaker 4 (21:05):
No.
Speaker 1 (21:05):
I know she'll stay in a good headspace, she'll attack
the rehab and all the things as quickly as she can.
Speaker 3 (21:13):
But yeah, it's just you know, unfortunate part of it.
I do want to say this because.
Speaker 1 (21:18):
You remember last year Rory Harmon, right, she tore her
a cl and even when I look at Rory played
today like right now, she's not the same Rory Harmon
to me. But again that's she She came back I
think quicker and sooner than anybody thought she would. Now,
(21:38):
don't get me wrong, she is still balling, she's still
doing the things, but she's not the Rory Harmon she
was before the injury, and she's still getting to that point.
So to me, I think in another year, Roy Harmon
will be the Rory Harmon that that we're used to seeing. So,
(21:59):
you know, everybody bodies different timelines, different pain tolerance is different,
all those things. But to me, the best advice that
I could give Juju or I would want to send
her would be to just stay stay up, like keep
your head up. It is it isn't an injury. They happen,
(22:19):
but this too shall pass and you you're built for this,
and you and she will come back.
Speaker 2 (22:26):
Yeah, one hundred percent agree, one hundred percent agree. You
built for this, girl, you got it, and you will
come back stronger than ever. And when we come back
on the other side of the break, real chat just
a little bit longer about some more NCAA basketball because
the tournament is kind of heating up. Yeah, I guys, Charlo,
(22:52):
I don't think I have ever seen like six teams
just put up a whole century on people. In the week.
Everybody was like, I got a hunt it, you gotta
hunt it, you gotta hunt it.
Speaker 3 (23:05):
A damn can you let somebody else score?
Speaker 2 (23:10):
You gone put up a hunt it and didn't even
let the other team score forty points. I said, my Jesus,
South Carolina, we got a bucket for you. Texas, we
got a bucket for I said, my what is going on?
Speaker 3 (23:27):
Nah, are y'all playing dominant or not?
Speaker 1 (23:30):
It's March madness, baby, and we have seen some of
the madness. Listen, South Carolina. I feel like they're like, oh,
this is what y'all are doing. We got something, you know,
They're like, we got.
Speaker 3 (23:47):
Something to prove. Now.
Speaker 1 (23:49):
Granted, I need them to get off to better starts
because at Indiana game, I was like, oh no, no, no.
Speaker 5 (23:54):
Yes, yeah, but the disrespect I think they feel of
not being the overall number one seed given the.
Speaker 3 (24:05):
Strength of schedule all the things that they did.
Speaker 1 (24:08):
So I knew whoever that sixteen seed was going up
against South Carolina opening night, yeah, it was gonna be
a long night for you. And I'm sorry but it happened.
Speaker 3 (24:19):
But so here's what I do. Don't judge me.
Speaker 1 (24:22):
I'm judging, I know, but I can't watch those games.
I start off watching, I'm sorry. And when it gets
to a point where it's a fifty point game, yeah,
I'm like okay, and right now I can do that
because we got so much basketball going on. So I'm
let me go find and yeah, I'm like, let me
go find a better game. But the game I loved.
(24:46):
There's been a few, but Kentucky Kansas State.
Speaker 2 (24:49):
Yes, that was a game. And I think we're both
gonna agree on this. On Maryland and Alabama, oh yes.
Speaker 1 (24:58):
Oh god, yeah, yes, yes, yes, yes, those two, I
was like, this is what Mark Madness is all about.
Speaker 2 (25:08):
But there was another game that I think went under
the radar unless you were watching live.
Speaker 3 (25:13):
And I've been saying it all weekend. I know they lost,
I get.
Speaker 2 (25:16):
It, but people better put some respect on HBCUs because
Norfolk State. I don't care what that final score looked like.
Norfolk State came and competed and gave Maryland, and honestly,
I honestly think if it wasn't for some very bad
fouls in the third quarter where they filed Maryland behind
(25:38):
the arc like three times in a row and I basically.
Speaker 3 (25:41):
Spined the nine points.
Speaker 2 (25:43):
We could be talking about a very different situation because
Norfolk State came to play. And shout out to Larry Vickers,
who is now the head coach of Auburn women's basketball,
coming from in Norfolk State, so shout out to him.
But I said, Norfolk State, y'all came to compete, and
I appreciate the committee giving them a thirteen seed. I
was so sick of HBCU was getting fifteen and sixteen
(26:06):
seeds always like they don't deserve that, they don't deserve that.
So with all of that said, there was some very
good basketball in the first and second round.
Speaker 3 (26:16):
So I totally agree with you on that.
Speaker 1 (26:19):
And when I watch a lot of the HBCUs play
honestly te and I told my husband, I said, like
Norfolk State. I was like, they're just a couple of
players away from really being able to not.
Speaker 3 (26:32):
Just compete, but upset some of these teams because it's
usual it usually.
Speaker 1 (26:37):
Comes down to size, right, like HBCUs don't have the height,
but the athleticism, the quickness they do. But you're right,
they gave Maryland all that and then some work the
other game. I didn't think it was that good. I
thought maybe it be more competitive, but I was happy
for Haley vanlift her little and TCU and TCU coming
(27:02):
out with the win.
Speaker 3 (27:03):
Make it the Sweet sixteen the first time? Was it?
Is it ever? Or since like two thousand and two
or something.
Speaker 2 (27:10):
Like, it's since I two thousand something. They make it
as Sweet sixteen. But I'm about the I'm about to
hit the fan. I am TCU on my final four.
You do not stop that, I sure do.
Speaker 3 (27:21):
I sure do. You don't know, you don't I sure do,
I sure do.
Speaker 2 (27:25):
I have had CCU in my final four because I
think they can upset nor to day, and I don't
even think it's an upset. It's not an upset because
they're already didn't they That's that's my point.
Speaker 3 (27:35):
That is exactly my point.
Speaker 2 (27:37):
And they're a different Notre Dame team that lost to TCU,
because I think this Notre Dame team is better.
Speaker 3 (27:43):
But I don't think we've ever shared our final four.
Speaker 2 (27:45):
But my final four is UCLA, South Carolina, Yukon and TCU.
Speaker 1 (27:49):
Wow, So I think I have all of them except
I have a Notre Dame.
Speaker 3 (27:55):
Yeah, that makes it a tc YE but makes sense
because I believe it's interesting. I believe.
Speaker 2 (28:04):
I think the way that the bracket falls is that
I've always thought that Texas was the most vulnerable number
one seed, and not necessarily the like the like. I
don't think that the worst number one seed. No, that's
not what I mean. I just mean vulnerable because of
the bracket that they play in. Right when I look
at all of the teams that everyone has to go through,
(28:25):
to me having to go through first off, we were
to really see what they're made of because they're going
to have to face that Tennessee press. Because I was like,
if y'all gotta face Tennessee or Ohio State. Both of
these teams gonna full court press you. So we really
gonna see which Texas team shows up. And Texas, to me,
I think against the press, you got to be able
to shoot and pass very well. And yes, they sometimes
(28:47):
have offensive lapses. As much as Madison Booker and Rory
Harmon can go off, they also have moments where I'm like,
daw y'all, I.
Speaker 1 (28:55):
Mean, the strength of this Texas team is their defense. Yes, yes,
And so when they got a score of the ball,
I'm nervous. That's all I'm saying. They're not saying it.
Speaker 3 (29:09):
Can.
Speaker 1 (29:11):
I love me some Madison Booker Rory Harmon, but offensively,
I'm like, where are your offensive weapons?
Speaker 3 (29:19):
You need a little bit more when you need them,
when you need them, exactly when you need them.
Speaker 2 (29:23):
And so if they start off early and they get
going early, then hey, it's good for them. But you're right,
the strength of Texas is their defense. And so I
questioned whether or not they were the most vulnerable. Then
to me, I thought they were, So that left Notre
Dame TCU, and so for me, I thought TCU had
(29:45):
the best chance if Texas was out like if Texas
for whatever reason doesn't. But I think I actually have
Texas and TCU face it off and the.
Speaker 3 (29:54):
Elite eight, and.
Speaker 2 (29:58):
I do like I'm here for I'm here for chaos.
I'm here for chaos. Don't nobody think this that's my
personal feelings. I'm here for chaos.
Speaker 3 (30:05):
Well, listen, after hearing Haley.
Speaker 1 (30:09):
Vanlist's postgame interview when they beat Louisville, I think it
was that game.
Speaker 3 (30:14):
I'm here for it.
Speaker 1 (30:15):
Like everything she had to say was all about about God,
what she's been through, how she's gotten through it, the darkness,
the challenges, and she just poured her heart out and
like I felt all of that too, and I was like, girl,
you better share your testimony with these people. You better
let them know how you've overcome all of the things
and who's been there with you, who's gotten you through.
(30:38):
So my point being, I know what God can do,
So having got on your side ain't a bad thing.
Speaker 4 (30:43):
Team when you're talking about trying to make it to
the Final four, surelin, I mean I look at this
TCU team and I remember that, like a year ago,
this was a TCU team that had a walk on
tryout facts.
Speaker 2 (30:59):
That was just like you could ball, if you could play,
probably you know what I'm saying, you could come, you
can come try out and you can come play with us.
I mean, you could barely get two thousand people in
the stadium that was the same. So definitely going to
show them some love. But yeah, I think UCLA did
a great job of maintaining. And now the one other
team that I want to mention before we wrap up
(31:21):
is Ole Miss.
Speaker 3 (31:23):
Ole Miss is another team.
Speaker 2 (31:24):
First of all, shout out to the SEC, because the
SEC got six teams in the sweet sixteen, and I'm like,
y'all do that. But I want to show some love
to Ole Miss, not just because Coacho and Madison Scott
are my sorority sisters, but also because they did not believe.
I mean, we talk about people who were upset with
their CD. Coachy Oh was not quiet about the fact
(31:47):
that she didn't think Old Miss should have been a
five seed. She felt like they should have been seated higher.
She felt like they should have been hosting at home.
And I don't necessarily disagree with them, And so how
do you share that you're upset about some You go
on the court and you handle business and they did that,
and they did that against the top like they didn't.
Baylor did not come and just lie down like they
(32:10):
had to bail out in those last few minutes in
order to kind of get comfortable for sure to win
that game. And so I think, you know, I think
about Old Miss, and before Coach Yo got there, I
don't even think I mentioned Old Miss in basketball at
all before Coach Yo got there, to be honest, no,
I never even no never. And since Coachyo's been there,
(32:30):
they've got what four NCAA tournament appearances too Sweet sixteen appearances,
Like Yo has turned that team around. They believe in her,
they believe in her ability. And I'm telling you, man,
that's why I love black women, because you can put
us in any situation. We will figure out how to
make lemonade out of limits fit. We will figure it out.
(32:51):
And Coacho has figured it out. So I am excited
to see what they do in the Sweet sixteen.
Speaker 3 (32:55):
I am too.
Speaker 1 (32:56):
I agree with you. I didn't even really watch Old
Mess before Coach Yeah. So I'm just really excited what
she's doing. And they could they they could be some
a spoiler, they could surprise the people the game.
Speaker 3 (33:10):
I want to talk. I don't even want to talk
about it.
Speaker 1 (33:12):
I just want to mention because I was highly disappointed.
I thought the LSU Florida State game would be better.
I did too, What what girl?
Speaker 3 (33:22):
That game was? The first half I was like, Okay,
we're gonna have a good one. And then.
Speaker 1 (33:29):
Came halftime and the second half it was a completely
different story.
Speaker 3 (33:33):
I was like, oh yeah, time to change the channel. Yeah, yoh,
I could do it.
Speaker 2 (33:40):
I mean between Mikayla, Anissa and Andflage, yeah, way too much.
But now, does that make you rethink if there is
a clash between l s U and u C l A.
Speaker 3 (33:53):
If there is a clash because.
Speaker 2 (33:56):
NC State is still lurking around, NC State is gone
on something to say about something, But that makes does
that make you rethink if there is a clash between
LSU and UCLA that maybe ls you got a better
shot than folks may give them credit for.
Speaker 1 (34:12):
I think they probably have a better shot than folks
giving them credit card. But but I'm still going to
go with Ukla. Listen, I think you CLA is playing
really good ball right now. I do to me if Lauren.
When Lauren Betts decided she's gonna get on the block
and be dominant and demand the basketball and.
Speaker 3 (34:34):
Be physical and the like.
Speaker 1 (34:36):
LSU doesn't really have anybody that can defend Lauren Bett's
one one. I don't think Anissa Morrow is undersized to me,
but I love her. I love how she battles, how
hard she plays. But I'm I'm still gonna roll with
you still if that happens, if that matchup ends up happening.
Speaker 2 (34:54):
She ain't undersized to you. She's an undersized period. She's six,
she's six one, Lauren six seven, ain't nothing she can,
ain't nothing. No nobody gonna do with you. I ain't
know nobody gonna do with that. But at any rate,
it should be shaking up to be an incredible continuance
of women's basketball. In the NCAA Tournament announcement, we are
(35:16):
going to be in Tampa for Final four. Y'all comes,
So y'all make sure when infation drops about where we
will be recording that you all come check us out,
come support, come hang out with us, because we act
the food. We ain't got no sense, and the show's
gonna be great. But after this we will go ahead
(35:39):
and level this thing off. So stick with us, all
right show, it's time for us to go ahead and
level off and wrap this thing up. But I will
say I am excited about the excitement that continues to
exist around women's basketball and the women's basketball tournament. I
(36:03):
give the men some credit. They kind of stepped it
up this year. Last couple of years, I've been a
little confused this year. This year, the games have been competitive,
the name association with some of the teams have been
so I have enjoyed flipping between men's and when's basketball
all first and second round. So I'm excited to do
(36:24):
the same. As a matter of fact, I think this
weekend I'm gonna go to the sports book and watch
the game. You know what, Speaking of the sportsbooks, can
I just tell you real quick how I lost out
on two hundred dollars? Sure, So I had my little, quick,
little four leg parlay.
Speaker 3 (36:38):
Right.
Speaker 2 (36:38):
This was on Thursday, and so I had Arkansas because
I knew Arkansas was gonna win. This is men's now,
I had Arkansas. I knew Kansas was gonna win. I
didn't care who they was playing, as John Caliperry, that
man is going to the sweet sixteen.
Speaker 3 (36:50):
So I had.
Speaker 2 (36:50):
Arkansas and then I had Saint John's by eighteen and
a half because I was like, Saint John's gonna win,
work Peteino going and at least get y'all out the
first round.
Speaker 3 (36:58):
So at eighteen and a half, I had Drake over.
I forgot who they Missouri, I forgot who they was playing,
but I was like.
Speaker 2 (37:05):
I'm going for the underdog because a five and a
twelve or twelve always gets one. So there's that and dream.
But then I mistakenly added Baylor.
Speaker 3 (37:18):
Hear me out.
Speaker 2 (37:19):
I mistakenly added because I was only going for a
thursday's sleep and Baylor didn't play until Friday morning, so
I didn't realize that I added Baylor to my parlay.
So when I went to check my slip at the
end of Thursday, I was like, oh crap, I got
another game. But I was winning, so my ten dollars
(37:40):
bet I had sixty dollars. It was like, you can
cash out now for sixty dollars or you can wait
until tomorrow, and it's two hundred and ten dollars, and
I was like, I don't know, it's an eight nine matchup.
I don't trust Baylor. Let me go ahead and take
my sixty dollars because that's a fifty dollars come up.
(38:02):
Baylor beat the hell out of the damn team. The
next day, I was mad, like I should have kept
my I mean, listen, scam money, don't make money.
Speaker 3 (38:10):
Scare money, don't make money. That's what they say, scan money,
don't make money.
Speaker 2 (38:16):
I said, you know what I gotta do better? You
know what I gotta do better. So that, yeah, that's
my that's me. That's how I'm leveling off this week.
I'm not pulling out my bed.
Speaker 3 (38:24):
Okay.
Speaker 1 (38:25):
So I will say this before I get to my
quote for the day, because we're recording this on my birthday,
three twenty five. And the news that everyone's waiting for
is where is Aliah Chavez going to go?
Speaker 3 (38:41):
The top prospect in the.
Speaker 1 (38:43):
Twenty twenty five class, And it supposedly is down to Oklahoma,
Texas and Texas text. So she's making that announcement sometime today,
so we shall see.
Speaker 3 (38:52):
I think this is Cheryl letting you know where you
need to go. We shall see.
Speaker 1 (39:00):
Listen, listen, listen, I got a good one for you.
Speaker 3 (39:03):
This is from girl. I can't say I need an
adopttionis appointment eight g wells.
Speaker 1 (39:10):
It's real short, real simple, real sweet, and it can
apply it wherever it fits. And I am going to
send this to Juju Watkins. If you fail down yesterday,
stand up today.
Speaker 3 (39:27):
That's It can mean.
Speaker 1 (39:28):
A lot of different things, but Juju, we got you,
we got you back, We see you, We are here
for you, sis, and this too shall pass and you
will come back better, stronger than ever.
Speaker 2 (39:40):
Keep your head up, absolutely one hundred percent agree, and
we are going to drop the mic right there. So, guys,
thank you all so much for listening to Levels to this.
We are going to be back next week with more
next level conversations just about the real shit.
Speaker 3 (39:55):
That we go through as women.
Speaker 2 (39:56):
And I want you all to remember that this is
not just our show, but it is our show.
Speaker 3 (40:00):
So we want to hear from you.
Speaker 2 (40:02):
Leave us a review in Apple Podcasts, or email us
at Levels Too this podcast at gmail dot com. Tell
us what you thought about this week's show or whatever
you might want to talk about next and then make
sure you're following us on Instagram at lctpod. So until then,
keep your mentals ground level and we will be back
next week.
Speaker 1 (40:20):
Peace, guys, peace, listen to Levels to this on America's
number one podcast network, iHeart. Open your free iHeart app
and search levels to this with Cheryl Swoops and Treka
Foster Brasby and start listening.
Levels to This is an iHeart women's sports production in
partnership with Deep Blue Sports and Entertainment. You can find
us on the iHeartRadio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you
get your podcasts.
Speaker 2 (00:15):
Hey, everybody, what's going on? It's your girl, Trica Foster Brasby, what's.
Speaker 3 (00:19):
Up, y'all? It's your girl, Cheryl Swoops And.
Speaker 2 (00:22):
This is the levels to this podcast. This is the
show where we share that there is levels to the
ship that women go through. We have got such a
great show lined up today.
Speaker 3 (00:33):
But first, Cheryl, what now?
Speaker 2 (00:38):
I know I know when this episode airs that this
probably won't be accurate, but I'm gonna say it anyway
because my dad it anyway that I'm not gonna say
happy birthday.
Speaker 3 (00:54):
Thank you.
Speaker 1 (00:55):
I know I know when it airs it won't be
my birthday. But oh well, okay, thank you. Tell everybody
that's your twenty one today, twenty one again, for the
fifth time, all over again.
Speaker 2 (01:08):
At what point do we, you know, as women, be like, Okay, listen,
this is I'm embracing the fact that I am this
age because I'm thirty, I'm forty until I turned forty five.
Speaker 1 (01:18):
Listen, I'm like, I'm already there. Seriously, I say that
when people are like, what are you twenty again, I'm like, yep,
but like I embrace every bit of my like I'm
a fully grown ass woman.
Speaker 3 (01:32):
Yep, I'm fifty four today.
Speaker 1 (01:35):
And it's so funny because before we hopped on which
I do this every morning, but for some reason this
morning it was.
Speaker 3 (01:42):
A little different.
Speaker 1 (01:43):
Like every morning when I wake up, I give thanks
to God to all the things right. So I was
walking outside this morning and I had a moment, Oh
my God, here come in tears.
Speaker 3 (01:52):
But I had a.
Speaker 1 (01:52):
Moment where it was just a thank you for allowing
me to see another day, but you know, another birthday,
especially given all the ship that we're going through right
now in this country, in this world.
Speaker 3 (02:08):
And I said, you, you, God, you chose me to.
Speaker 1 (02:12):
Wake up this morning and give me an opportunity to
be a better person, which is what I always try
to do every single day. So yeah, it's the big birthday,
and you know I celebrated already, but yeah I got
to do a little something else today.
Speaker 3 (02:26):
Because it's the official day. So yeah, I'm kicking it
with you this morning.
Speaker 2 (02:31):
I know that's how you know it's loved like other
people would have been, like Tarika kick Rocks, it's my birthday,
and sherol is like, Nope, we're gonna record this show.
Speaker 1 (02:40):
Let's go first of all, because we got some good
shit to talk about, like we do.
Speaker 2 (02:47):
It's a it's I'm looking forward to this conversation, but
it definitely won't be an easy one because we all
know that there are great things that happen when you
play sports. There are great opportunities that come along when
you play sports, but there are also the realities of
playing sports, and part of that reality is injuries. And
(03:09):
there are some people who are so fortunate to go
through their entire career and never ever ever see an injury,
and my god, how blessed must you must be to
have that kind of career. Unfortunately, there are others who
have to figure out how to deal with either nagging
injuries or a one off injury, and sometimes even a
career ending injury, and those are the worst. And so
(03:32):
today on today's show, we got to talk about our girl,
Juju Watkins, because man, can I tell you that I
was devastated at the moment that I saw her go down,
And honestly, it was even a little bit before that,
if we being honest, but let's just go ahead and
take this conversation to the next level.
Speaker 3 (03:54):
Let's get it.
Speaker 2 (04:00):
So in the second round of the NCAA Tournament, USC
and their matchup against the Mississippi State Bulldogs, very early
into the first quarter, Juju Watkins was on a fast break.
Speaker 3 (04:14):
Her knee kind of buckled a little bit.
Speaker 2 (04:16):
With maybe just like a slight contact with the player,
and immediately she fell to the ground, grabbing her right knee.
Her face was just all tore up, and I think
if anyone has covered basketball long enough, you probably looked
at that and instantly thought it's probably her aco. But
(04:37):
of course you don't want to put that juju in
the atmosphere. You know, no pun intended, and you want
to be optimistic. But unfortunately, and the wee hours of
the morning after that incident, it was confirmed that Juju
Watkins will be missing the remainder of the NCAA Tournament
for an acl tire and Cheryl, you know, I've been bled.
(05:00):
I didn't play basketball in college. I played softball and volleyball,
and I was blessed to not have to worry about injuries,
nagging pain, absolutely, but injuries not so much. So I
don't have the experience of what it means and what
it takes to come back from an injury.
Speaker 3 (05:17):
But you do. And so the moment that.
Speaker 2 (05:20):
You saw what happened to Juju, what was the first
thing that came through your mind?
Speaker 3 (05:24):
Oh, I knew, and I got sick to my stomach.
Speaker 1 (05:30):
It's hard to watch, and you never want to see
any player, I don't care who it is. You never
want to see any player go down with any type
of an injury, especially when you pretty much know that
it's going to be a season ending injury. Just in
the timing of it all, it just was so bad.
But when a player like a Juju Watkins, who has
(05:52):
the whole world talking about women's basketball right now, you know,
and she goes down like you feel it. I just
I walked away from the TV and no, lie t
I was grabbing my knee and rubbing my knee like
I felt her pain. I felt it, and I knew
(06:12):
it wasn't just like she bumped knees with anybody.
Speaker 3 (06:16):
So I tore my ACL back in two thousand.
Speaker 1 (06:19):
And it was just like non contact I was working
out with the rockets, was going down for a layup
all by myself, no one even near me. I went
up and as soon as I like planet, I knew
it was something.
Speaker 3 (06:35):
And that's what I saw with Juju.
Speaker 1 (06:37):
And let me just say this real quick before we
really get into the conversation. I know that they were
playing at home, and you know, it's their fans, but
for the booing that happened, I was like, y'all, come
on it right, Like they didn't do anything intentionally, Like
the players were doing what they were supposed to do.
They were trying to play defense, they were trying to
(06:58):
slow down, and it was like they intentionally hurt her,
you know what I mean. But Juju's a tough kid,
like she's a tough athlete, and that look on her
face when she grabbed her knee was a look of
this is serious and I am in some sorry fucking hate.
(07:22):
And then when she sat up, I was like, okay.
But when they literally had to carry her like she
couldn't put any weight on it, I was just like, oh, yeah,
I don't know. Even this morning, like I knew what
it was seriously, but it didn't really feel real until
it was confirmed, right, like, this is what happened. I
(07:44):
don't know even this morning. I just woke up, I
said a prayer for her, and like, I am sick
to my stomach right now. It's just for her because
you want her to be healthy, to come back stronger,
which I know she will, but you know, for selfish reasons,
like I wanted to see her ball. I wanted to
(08:06):
see her take her team to the final four, Like
just as a competitor, as an athlete, you want to
see the best playing against the best.
Speaker 3 (08:15):
YEP, one hundred percent. That was one hundred percent.
Speaker 2 (08:18):
I mean, the obvious is that you want players to
be healthy, and the obvious is that you never want
to see somebody have to deal with an aco injury
that's or any injury ever.
Speaker 3 (08:28):
But it's so common.
Speaker 2 (08:30):
And the one thing that I think becomes a positive
is that modern medicine has changed and evolved so much
sure that it doesn't end up being career ending like before.
Like for example, I want to say it was Cheryl
Miller who tore her ACL in the eighties, and Cheryl
never Cheryl never played at a professional level. Yeah you
(08:53):
know what I mean, And I'm like, damn, in twenty
twenty five, there is a time to there is a process,
there is, you know, an opportunity for you to not
let it end your basketball story. But the part that
I think is going to be most challenging, and you
can correct me if I'm wrong, it's the mental hurdle.
Speaker 3 (09:16):
It's the mental.
Speaker 2 (09:17):
Hurdle, because yeah, your body can get right, but like,
do you mentally say to yourself, you know, am I
more cautious when I'm coming up and down the court
because I'm afraid that it might happen again?
Speaker 3 (09:28):
Am I you know, a little bit more.
Speaker 2 (09:31):
Cognizant of how I step, how I turn my footwork,
like you know, how I play defense? Like to me,
it feels like there could be this constant nagging in
the back of my head that you have to be
more careful versus when previously you might have played a
little bit more free.
Speaker 1 (09:49):
Absolutely, and that's only human right to think about that
and for that to always be in the back of
your mind. So again, toward my acl in two thousand,
I went through a period of like woe is me?
Because I wasn't concerned with me being able to come
back physically, because I was going to put the work in,
(10:09):
I was gonna rehab, I was gonna do all the
things and then some. From a physical standpoint, I was like,
you know what, I will be able to come back
from this.
Speaker 3 (10:17):
The hard part for me was once.
Speaker 1 (10:20):
The doctors gave me the okay, right, like you're good,
I still wore my knee brace for mental reasons. I'm like, okay,
I know you said I am, but you're not me
and it's my knee and I went through it. So
it took me a good year to get to a
(10:41):
point to where I was like, you know what, damn
this knee brace.
Speaker 3 (10:44):
I can get rid of the knee brace. I'm good, tee.
Speaker 1 (10:47):
Because you're always thinking about what you did when it happened. Yeah,
for me, I was like, it was just a layup,
and layups are one of the most shocks in a game, right,
And so I had to mentally tell myself every single
time I stepped out on the court, you're okay, You're okay,
(11:09):
You're okay.
Speaker 3 (11:10):
It's not gonna happen again.
Speaker 1 (11:11):
It's not like I had to tell myself these things mentally,
but the defense, you know, being able to side and
all the things involved with basketball are in the back
of your mind without question. I don't care who you are,
how mentally strong you are. Those things are going to
constantly be in her head. But the other thing that
(11:34):
helped me was besides the doctor right, like you're good,
you're one hundred percent healthy, Like having my teammates, having
my teammates they're saying, take your time, right, like you're
not on anybody's timetable. So the pressures of like I
just said, we want to see her play, right, but
(11:54):
the pressures that you might feel from the media, from fans,
from whomever saying dang, it's been X amount of months
or years or whatever, like why aren't you back, Why
aren't you one hundred percent?
Speaker 3 (12:06):
Why aren't you ready?
Speaker 1 (12:07):
Having your teammates there in your corner right saying whatever
you need from us, we got you, we gonna hold
it down for you. Take your time. Just that support
from your teammates will go a long way. And like
I said before, there's no doubt in my mind that
Juju Watkins will not only come back, but come back stronger, better,
(12:29):
if that's possible, to come back better, right, and she
will be okay. But this shit hurts and it sucks,
Like let's just be honest. The timing of it yes,
it sucks. Like I know, some people will be like, well,
you know, it's part of the game.
Speaker 3 (12:45):
And honestly it is. Injuries are part of the game.
But this sucks. I don't care what anybody says. So bad.
It sucks so bad.
Speaker 2 (12:53):
And I think that's what her teammates did in the
remainder of the game. I mean, first of all, when
the injury happened, the Trojans were already up thirteen two,
so it wasn't like it was, you know, a close
matchup even at that point. They were already up eleven
points by the time the injury happened, and I enjoyed.
Speaker 3 (13:12):
Even though it wasn't It wasn't a close game at all.
Speaker 2 (13:14):
So it wasn't enjoyable from the sense of this is
a competitive match. But what I did enjoy was watching
keyky area Fin step up and say you know what,
I got my girl, and like to your point about
having your teammates have your back, that's what having your
back looks like, like, don't worry about it, we got you.
(13:36):
We gonna make sure this thing doesn't get close. We're
gonna make sure there's no question about what USC can
do without Juju Watkins. Now, there's definitely questions about what
USC can do without Juju Wakins.
Speaker 3 (13:49):
But you didn't know it last You didn't know it
in the in the game.
Speaker 2 (13:52):
And that was Yes, you didn't know it in the game,
and that was something that I admired but overaw and
I tweeted this. I said, the NCAA tournament is not
even going to be the same anymore. And it's just
the facts, right, Like we saw that USC was gonna
be on a collision course with Yukon. But it feels
a little different, yes, now, because you want to see
(14:14):
these teams at full strength.
Speaker 3 (14:16):
You want to see the best against the best.
Speaker 2 (14:19):
And that was the same thing that we said last
year because Yukon and USC met up last year, and
when they met up last year, it was a seven
roster rotation for you, because they had so many injuries
that they were on a short roster.
Speaker 3 (14:35):
They didn't have Azy Fud.
Speaker 2 (14:37):
It was just like, oh my god, can we see
like a full healthy team out here?
Speaker 3 (14:41):
And so that's a thing that we're going to hate.
Speaker 2 (14:44):
And you never want to feel as a competitor, you know,
even in the sports I play, I don't want to
play you when you got your best player hurt because
I don't want to hear all, y'all only won because
such and such wasn't there. Y'all only played because such
as it had been different if such such as in
a game like well, damn, you know what I mean, Like,
even though you earn it, you still feel like, Man,
(15:06):
this ain't even this, This ain't even this, ain't even
a way I wanted it.
Speaker 3 (15:09):
As a competitor, this ain't even a way I wanted it.
Speaker 1 (15:11):
And that's what you hear, right, Well, y'all only won
because we didn't have our best player.
Speaker 3 (15:16):
Yeah, because Johnny got Juju.
Speaker 1 (15:18):
But also being a competitor, right if And I know
there are other games before, but that's what I was
looking forward to because I was pissed that the community
even had them in the same region. Right, I was like, what,
so now we're going to see him before the final four?
But right, because I was already there, and now the
thought of potentially USC playing Yukon, it just doesn't feel
(15:44):
the same. But also, knowing Paige Becker's the little that
I do know, Paige also wants to play against the best, right,
It's like, no, I want to play against a full, rostered,
healthy US team and let the chips fall where they may.
May the best team win because there's always gonna be
(16:05):
question marks now right. If USC loses, it's gonna be
what they have one had Juju been playing. Yeah, I
just last night when it happened, I had a thought
of not saying her life changes. But you know, as
an athlete, being healthy is a big part of your
success and a big part of you being able to
(16:29):
obviously compete and do the things that you're doing and
to wake up yesterday right or the day of the game,
you go to shoot around, you know your pregame, you
go through your whole routine, and you're right for the game,
and in a blink of an eye, it changes, like
your entire mentality goes from I'm about to bust your head,
(16:54):
bust your ass today to damn, I got a long.
Speaker 3 (16:58):
Road ahead of me.
Speaker 1 (17:00):
Yeah. And if you're if you're not mentally tough in
this world, first of all, but as an athlete, if
you're not mentally tough, when you do get injuries like this,
like serious injuries, it can completely change your mindset moving forward.
Speaker 2 (17:18):
Yeah, and I'm gonna tell you the reason that I
mentioned earlier in the show about I was concerned before
now is because in the first round when USC played uncg.
Speaker 3 (17:31):
Juju heard her me.
Speaker 2 (17:34):
And it was later in the game and it was
like they were already up by like forty points, so
I think it was like forty to something or whatever
at that time, but it was like, wait a minute now,
and she kind of, you.
Speaker 3 (17:46):
Know, limped off a little bit on just.
Speaker 2 (17:49):
And in my head, I just kept thinking when I
saw this injury against Mississippi State, I was like, wow,
I wonder how much of what happened and the first
round played a role and how easily that buckle went
as far as it went in this round. And again,
it's not something that you're thinking about as an athlete,
(18:11):
because as an athlete, you're like, listen, I just I
need to be good enough to play. I need to
it's good as straight if I'm not carried off this court,
I'm playing.
Speaker 3 (18:19):
I get that, right, Like I get that.
Speaker 2 (18:21):
But as a spectator and as an analyst, I'm constantly
thinking to myself, how much did what happened in the
first round play a role in the stability of how
quickly that incident and that injury happened in the second round,
and it's just something to be, you know, to think about,
because if you're Lindsay Gottlieb, right, you she said it yesterday,
(18:43):
like you know, this is one of the toughest kids,
I know, you know, But if you are a coach,
in your head, you know, I got to think that
sometimes coaches are replaying moments and replaying decisions and replaying things,
and then there may be something that are just like,
you know what, Hey, it it kind of was what
it was.
Speaker 3 (19:01):
There's nothing that we could have done about it. It is
what it is. And that's a great mindset to have
if that's it. But we're human.
Speaker 2 (19:07):
Coaches are human too, and I think that there may
be in your head as a coach sometimes a chance
where you're like, dang, if I had just maybe made
a different decision, or maybe if I had, you know,
decided not to start her this game, you know, maybe whatever,
would that have changed anything? I don't know, Maybe it
would have, maybe it wouldn't, But you know, it feels
(19:28):
like the human thing to do would be to be like, dang, like,
you know, what could have I done differently?
Speaker 3 (19:33):
And again that answer could be nothing.
Speaker 2 (19:35):
There's nothing you could have done differently, maybe, but you
can't help but think about it.
Speaker 3 (19:38):
You know, Well, even.
Speaker 1 (19:40):
If she is feeling some type of way about that,
she's never gonna say that publicly ever, do you know
what I mean?
Speaker 3 (19:48):
She's ever. No, she's not. But here's here's a to me, there's.
Speaker 1 (19:55):
Nothing good out of what happened to Juju. It just isn't. Yeah,
it's opportunity for your your teammates, it's opportunities for other
players to step up, which everyone's going to have to do.
And we did see that Kiki did that. Yeah, but
Juju has a really good team around her, meaning her
her mom, her dad yea yeap, just her team, her agent,
(20:19):
all of all of them. They are going to give
her the time and space she needs to deal with this,
and then they're also going to uplift her, encourage her
and say.
Speaker 3 (20:31):
Listen, it's just a it's just a little setback.
Speaker 1 (20:35):
And to me, as hard as it is, I don't
question it, right because there's clearly God has a plan
that's all out. I'll say I always say it. I
don't care what it is that we're doing, and I
know it does it sucks to hear it because when
it happened to me, I was like, Okay, God, I
(20:55):
know you got a plan, but damn it. Yeah, and
I just I hope she stays.
Speaker 4 (21:05):
No.
Speaker 1 (21:05):
I know she'll stay in a good headspace, she'll attack
the rehab and all the things as quickly as she can.
Speaker 3 (21:13):
But yeah, it's just you know, unfortunate part of it.
I do want to say this because.
Speaker 1 (21:18):
You remember last year Rory Harmon, right, she tore her
a cl and even when I look at Rory played
today like right now, she's not the same Rory Harmon
to me. But again that's she She came back I
think quicker and sooner than anybody thought she would. Now,
(21:38):
don't get me wrong, she is still balling, she's still
doing the things, but she's not the Rory Harmon she
was before the injury, and she's still getting to that point.
So to me, I think in another year, Roy Harmon
will be the Rory Harmon that that we're used to seeing. So,
(21:59):
you know, everybody bodies different timelines, different pain tolerance is different,
all those things. But to me, the best advice that
I could give Juju or I would want to send
her would be to just stay stay up, like keep
your head up. It is it isn't an injury. They happen,
(22:19):
but this too shall pass and you you're built for this,
and you and she will come back.
Speaker 2 (22:26):
Yeah, one hundred percent agree, one hundred percent agree. You
built for this, girl, you got it, and you will
come back stronger than ever. And when we come back
on the other side of the break, real chat just
a little bit longer about some more NCAA basketball because
the tournament is kind of heating up. Yeah, I guys, Charlo,
(22:52):
I don't think I have ever seen like six teams
just put up a whole century on people. In the week.
Everybody was like, I got a hunt it, you gotta
hunt it, you gotta hunt it.
Speaker 3 (23:05):
A damn can you let somebody else score?
Speaker 2 (23:10):
You gone put up a hunt it and didn't even
let the other team score forty points. I said, my Jesus,
South Carolina, we got a bucket for you. Texas, we
got a bucket for I said, my what is going on?
Speaker 3 (23:27):
Nah, are y'all playing dominant or not?
Speaker 1 (23:30):
It's March madness, baby, and we have seen some of
the madness. Listen, South Carolina. I feel like they're like, oh,
this is what y'all are doing. We got something, you know,
They're like, we got.
Speaker 3 (23:47):
Something to prove. Now.
Speaker 1 (23:49):
Granted, I need them to get off to better starts
because at Indiana game, I was like, oh no, no, no.
Speaker 5 (23:54):
Yes, yeah, but the disrespect I think they feel of
not being the overall number one seed given the.
Speaker 3 (24:05):
Strength of schedule all the things that they did.
Speaker 1 (24:08):
So I knew whoever that sixteen seed was going up
against South Carolina opening night, yeah, it was gonna be
a long night for you. And I'm sorry but it happened.
Speaker 3 (24:19):
But so here's what I do. Don't judge me.
Speaker 1 (24:22):
I'm judging, I know, but I can't watch those games.
I start off watching, I'm sorry. And when it gets
to a point where it's a fifty point game, yeah,
I'm like okay, and right now I can do that
because we got so much basketball going on. So I'm
let me go find and yeah, I'm like, let me
go find a better game. But the game I loved.
(24:46):
There's been a few, but Kentucky Kansas State.
Speaker 2 (24:49):
Yes, that was a game. And I think we're both
gonna agree on this. On Maryland and Alabama, oh yes.
Speaker 1 (24:58):
Oh god, yeah, yes, yes, yes, yes, those two, I
was like, this is what Mark Madness is all about.
Speaker 2 (25:08):
But there was another game that I think went under
the radar unless you were watching live.
Speaker 3 (25:13):
And I've been saying it all weekend. I know they lost,
I get.
Speaker 2 (25:16):
It, but people better put some respect on HBCUs because
Norfolk State. I don't care what that final score looked like.
Norfolk State came and competed and gave Maryland, and honestly,
I honestly think if it wasn't for some very bad
fouls in the third quarter where they filed Maryland behind
(25:38):
the arc like three times in a row and I basically.
Speaker 3 (25:41):
Spined the nine points.
Speaker 2 (25:43):
We could be talking about a very different situation because
Norfolk State came to play. And shout out to Larry Vickers,
who is now the head coach of Auburn women's basketball,
coming from in Norfolk State, so shout out to him.
But I said, Norfolk State, y'all came to compete, and
I appreciate the committee giving them a thirteen seed. I
was so sick of HBCU was getting fifteen and sixteen
(26:06):
seeds always like they don't deserve that, they don't deserve that.
So with all of that said, there was some very
good basketball in the first and second round.
Speaker 3 (26:16):
So I totally agree with you on that.
Speaker 1 (26:19):
And when I watch a lot of the HBCUs play
honestly te and I told my husband, I said, like
Norfolk State. I was like, they're just a couple of
players away from really being able to not.
Speaker 3 (26:32):
Just compete, but upset some of these teams because it's
usual it usually.
Speaker 1 (26:37):
Comes down to size, right, like HBCUs don't have the height,
but the athleticism, the quickness they do. But you're right,
they gave Maryland all that and then some work the
other game. I didn't think it was that good. I
thought maybe it be more competitive, but I was happy
for Haley vanlift her little and TCU and TCU coming
(27:02):
out with the win.
Speaker 3 (27:03):
Make it the Sweet sixteen the first time? Was it?
Is it ever? Or since like two thousand and two
or something.
Speaker 2 (27:10):
Like, it's since I two thousand something. They make it
as Sweet sixteen. But I'm about the I'm about to
hit the fan. I am TCU on my final four.
You do not stop that, I sure do.
Speaker 3 (27:21):
I sure do. You don't know, you don't I sure do,
I sure do.
Speaker 2 (27:25):
I have had CCU in my final four because I
think they can upset nor to day, and I don't
even think it's an upset. It's not an upset because
they're already didn't they That's that's my point.
Speaker 3 (27:35):
That is exactly my point.
Speaker 2 (27:37):
And they're a different Notre Dame team that lost to TCU,
because I think this Notre Dame team is better.
Speaker 3 (27:43):
But I don't think we've ever shared our final four.
Speaker 2 (27:45):
But my final four is UCLA, South Carolina, Yukon and TCU.
Speaker 1 (27:49):
Wow, So I think I have all of them except
I have a Notre Dame.
Speaker 3 (27:55):
Yeah, that makes it a tc YE but makes sense
because I believe it's interesting. I believe.
Speaker 2 (28:04):
I think the way that the bracket falls is that
I've always thought that Texas was the most vulnerable number
one seed, and not necessarily the like the like. I
don't think that the worst number one seed. No, that's
not what I mean. I just mean vulnerable because of
the bracket that they play in. Right when I look
at all of the teams that everyone has to go through,
(28:25):
to me having to go through first off, we were
to really see what they're made of because they're going
to have to face that Tennessee press. Because I was like,
if y'all gotta face Tennessee or Ohio State. Both of
these teams gonna full court press you. So we really
gonna see which Texas team shows up. And Texas, to me,
I think against the press, you got to be able
to shoot and pass very well. And yes, they sometimes
(28:47):
have offensive lapses. As much as Madison Booker and Rory
Harmon can go off, they also have moments where I'm like,
daw y'all, I.
Speaker 1 (28:55):
Mean, the strength of this Texas team is their defense. Yes, yes,
And so when they got a score of the ball,
I'm nervous. That's all I'm saying. They're not saying it.
Speaker 3 (29:09):
Can.
Speaker 1 (29:11):
I love me some Madison Booker Rory Harmon, but offensively,
I'm like, where are your offensive weapons?
Speaker 3 (29:19):
You need a little bit more when you need them,
when you need them, exactly when you need them.
Speaker 2 (29:23):
And so if they start off early and they get
going early, then hey, it's good for them. But you're right,
the strength of Texas is their defense. And so I
questioned whether or not they were the most vulnerable. Then
to me, I thought they were, So that left Notre
Dame TCU, and so for me, I thought TCU had
(29:45):
the best chance if Texas was out like if Texas
for whatever reason doesn't. But I think I actually have
Texas and TCU face it off and the.
Speaker 3 (29:54):
Elite eight, and.
Speaker 2 (29:58):
I do like I'm here for I'm here for chaos.
I'm here for chaos. Don't nobody think this that's my
personal feelings. I'm here for chaos.
Speaker 3 (30:05):
Well, listen, after hearing Haley.
Speaker 1 (30:09):
Vanlist's postgame interview when they beat Louisville, I think it
was that game.
Speaker 3 (30:14):
I'm here for it.
Speaker 1 (30:15):
Like everything she had to say was all about about God,
what she's been through, how she's gotten through it, the darkness,
the challenges, and she just poured her heart out and
like I felt all of that too, and I was like, girl,
you better share your testimony with these people. You better
let them know how you've overcome all of the things
and who's been there with you, who's gotten you through.
(30:38):
So my point being, I know what God can do,
So having got on your side ain't a bad thing.
Speaker 4 (30:43):
Team when you're talking about trying to make it to
the Final four, surelin, I mean I look at this
TCU team and I remember that, like a year ago,
this was a TCU team that had a walk on
tryout facts.
Speaker 2 (30:59):
That was just like you could ball, if you could play,
probably you know what I'm saying, you could come, you
can come try out and you can come play with us.
I mean, you could barely get two thousand people in
the stadium that was the same. So definitely going to
show them some love. But yeah, I think UCLA did
a great job of maintaining. And now the one other
team that I want to mention before we wrap up
(31:21):
is Ole Miss.
Speaker 3 (31:23):
Ole Miss is another team.
Speaker 2 (31:24):
First of all, shout out to the SEC, because the
SEC got six teams in the sweet sixteen, and I'm like,
y'all do that. But I want to show some love
to Ole Miss, not just because Coacho and Madison Scott
are my sorority sisters, but also because they did not believe.
I mean, we talk about people who were upset with
their CD. Coachy Oh was not quiet about the fact
(31:47):
that she didn't think Old Miss should have been a
five seed. She felt like they should have been seated higher.
She felt like they should have been hosting at home.
And I don't necessarily disagree with them, And so how
do you share that you're upset about some You go
on the court and you handle business and they did that,
and they did that against the top like they didn't.
Baylor did not come and just lie down like they
(32:10):
had to bail out in those last few minutes in
order to kind of get comfortable for sure to win
that game. And so I think, you know, I think
about Old Miss, and before Coach Yo got there, I
don't even think I mentioned Old Miss in basketball at
all before Coach Yo got there, to be honest, no,
I never even no never. And since Coachyo's been there,
(32:30):
they've got what four NCAA tournament appearances too Sweet sixteen appearances,
Like Yo has turned that team around. They believe in her,
they believe in her ability. And I'm telling you, man,
that's why I love black women, because you can put
us in any situation. We will figure out how to
make lemonade out of limits fit. We will figure it out.
(32:51):
And Coacho has figured it out. So I am excited
to see what they do in the Sweet sixteen.
Speaker 3 (32:55):
I am too.
Speaker 1 (32:56):
I agree with you. I didn't even really watch Old
Mess before Coach Yeah. So I'm just really excited what
she's doing. And they could they they could be some
a spoiler, they could surprise the people the game.
Speaker 3 (33:10):
I want to talk. I don't even want to talk
about it.
Speaker 1 (33:12):
I just want to mention because I was highly disappointed.
I thought the LSU Florida State game would be better.
I did too, What what girl?
Speaker 3 (33:22):
That game was? The first half I was like, Okay,
we're gonna have a good one. And then.
Speaker 1 (33:29):
Came halftime and the second half it was a completely
different story.
Speaker 3 (33:33):
I was like, oh yeah, time to change the channel. Yeah, yoh,
I could do it.
Speaker 2 (33:40):
I mean between Mikayla, Anissa and Andflage, yeah, way too much.
But now, does that make you rethink if there is
a clash between l s U and u C l A.
Speaker 3 (33:53):
If there is a clash because.
Speaker 2 (33:56):
NC State is still lurking around, NC State is gone
on something to say about something, But that makes does
that make you rethink if there is a clash between
LSU and UCLA that maybe ls you got a better
shot than folks may give them credit for.
Speaker 1 (34:12):
I think they probably have a better shot than folks
giving them credit card. But but I'm still going to
go with Ukla. Listen, I think you CLA is playing
really good ball right now. I do to me if Lauren.
When Lauren Betts decided she's gonna get on the block
and be dominant and demand the basketball and.
Speaker 3 (34:34):
Be physical and the like.
Speaker 1 (34:36):
LSU doesn't really have anybody that can defend Lauren Bett's
one one. I don't think Anissa Morrow is undersized to me,
but I love her. I love how she battles, how
hard she plays. But I'm I'm still gonna roll with
you still if that happens, if that matchup ends up happening.
Speaker 2 (34:54):
She ain't undersized to you. She's an undersized period. She's six,
she's six one, Lauren six seven, ain't nothing she can,
ain't nothing. No nobody gonna do with you. I ain't
know nobody gonna do with that. But at any rate,
it should be shaking up to be an incredible continuance
of women's basketball. In the NCAA Tournament announcement, we are
(35:16):
going to be in Tampa for Final four. Y'all comes,
So y'all make sure when infation drops about where we
will be recording that you all come check us out,
come support, come hang out with us, because we act
the food. We ain't got no sense, and the show's
gonna be great. But after this we will go ahead
(35:39):
and level this thing off. So stick with us, all
right show, it's time for us to go ahead and
level off and wrap this thing up. But I will
say I am excited about the excitement that continues to
exist around women's basketball and the women's basketball tournament. I
(36:03):
give the men some credit. They kind of stepped it
up this year. Last couple of years, I've been a
little confused this year. This year, the games have been competitive,
the name association with some of the teams have been
so I have enjoyed flipping between men's and when's basketball
all first and second round. So I'm excited to do
(36:24):
the same. As a matter of fact, I think this
weekend I'm gonna go to the sports book and watch
the game. You know what, Speaking of the sportsbooks, can
I just tell you real quick how I lost out
on two hundred dollars? Sure, So I had my little, quick,
little four leg parlay.
Speaker 3 (36:38):
Right.
Speaker 2 (36:38):
This was on Thursday, and so I had Arkansas because
I knew Arkansas was gonna win. This is men's now,
I had Arkansas. I knew Kansas was gonna win. I
didn't care who they was playing, as John Caliperry, that
man is going to the sweet sixteen.
Speaker 3 (36:50):
So I had.
Speaker 2 (36:50):
Arkansas and then I had Saint John's by eighteen and
a half because I was like, Saint John's gonna win,
work Peteino going and at least get y'all out the
first round.
Speaker 3 (36:58):
So at eighteen and a half, I had Drake over.
I forgot who they Missouri, I forgot who they was playing,
but I was like.
Speaker 2 (37:05):
I'm going for the underdog because a five and a
twelve or twelve always gets one. So there's that and dream.
But then I mistakenly added Baylor.
Speaker 3 (37:18):
Hear me out.
Speaker 2 (37:19):
I mistakenly added because I was only going for a
thursday's sleep and Baylor didn't play until Friday morning, so
I didn't realize that I added Baylor to my parlay.
So when I went to check my slip at the
end of Thursday, I was like, oh crap, I got
another game. But I was winning, so my ten dollars
(37:40):
bet I had sixty dollars. It was like, you can
cash out now for sixty dollars or you can wait
until tomorrow, and it's two hundred and ten dollars, and
I was like, I don't know, it's an eight nine matchup.
I don't trust Baylor. Let me go ahead and take
my sixty dollars because that's a fifty dollars come up.
(38:02):
Baylor beat the hell out of the damn team. The
next day, I was mad, like I should have kept
my I mean, listen, scam money, don't make money.
Speaker 3 (38:10):
Scare money, don't make money. That's what they say, scan money,
don't make money.
Speaker 2 (38:16):
I said, you know what I gotta do better? You
know what I gotta do better. So that, yeah, that's
my that's me. That's how I'm leveling off this week.
I'm not pulling out my bed.
Speaker 3 (38:24):
Okay.
Speaker 1 (38:25):
So I will say this before I get to my
quote for the day, because we're recording this on my birthday,
three twenty five. And the news that everyone's waiting for
is where is Aliah Chavez going to go?
Speaker 3 (38:41):
The top prospect in the.
Speaker 1 (38:43):
Twenty twenty five class, And it supposedly is down to Oklahoma,
Texas and Texas text. So she's making that announcement sometime today,
so we shall see.
Speaker 3 (38:52):
I think this is Cheryl letting you know where you
need to go. We shall see.
Speaker 1 (39:00):
Listen, listen, listen, I got a good one for you.
Speaker 3 (39:03):
This is from girl. I can't say I need an
adopttionis appointment eight g wells.
Speaker 1 (39:10):
It's real short, real simple, real sweet, and it can
apply it wherever it fits. And I am going to
send this to Juju Watkins. If you fail down yesterday,
stand up today.
Speaker 3 (39:27):
That's It can mean.
Speaker 1 (39:28):
A lot of different things, but Juju, we got you,
we got you back, We see you, We are here
for you, sis, and this too shall pass and you
will come back better, stronger than ever.
Speaker 2 (39:40):
Keep your head up, absolutely one hundred percent agree, and
we are going to drop the mic right there. So, guys,
thank you all so much for listening to Levels to this.
We are going to be back next week with more
next level conversations just about the real shit.
Speaker 3 (39:55):
That we go through as women.
Speaker 2 (39:56):
And I want you all to remember that this is
not just our show, but it is our show.
Speaker 3 (40:00):
So we want to hear from you.
Speaker 2 (40:02):
Leave us a review in Apple Podcasts, or email us
at Levels Too this podcast at gmail dot com. Tell
us what you thought about this week's show or whatever
you might want to talk about next and then make
sure you're following us on Instagram at lctpod. So until then,
keep your mentals ground level and we will be back
next week.
Speaker 1 (40:20):
Peace, guys, peace, listen to Levels to this on America's
number one podcast network, iHeart. Open your free iHeart app
and search levels to this with Cheryl Swoops and Treka
Foster Brasby and start listening.
Hosts And Creators
Terrika Foster-Brasby
Sheryl Swoopes
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