Hoops Off Luminary

Thanks to the length, the D, and the penetration.... the NCAA Women's basketball champions are the South Carolina Gamecocks! Liz and Karen share their excitement for ~women in sports ~ in general, and the satisfaction of the SC win with Louis Vuitton Dawn as the coach of the year. They also talk about how the women's coverage by Elle Duncan, Andraya Carter, Chiney Ogwumike and Carolyn Peck has elevated the game throughout the tourney. In addition, they take a look at the NBA Play-off picture; discuss the Lakers and Warriors odds to make it to the playoffs; and take a look forward to the WNBA draft with top picks of Caitlin Clark, Cameron Brink, Rickea Johnson, Kamilla Cardosa, Aaliyah Edwards and Angel Reese up for grabs. Lastly, get ready to fuck up your algorithm with the first Hoops off Shaq review - his workout playlist on Apple Music which successfully made a child carsick, made Liz want to enter her pug Lola into a dog fight, and had Karen re-living her rave days.
Links & Mentions:
- Kyndall Freer (Social @ Yahoo Sports): https://www.instagram.com/kyndallfreer 
- NBA Playoff Picture: https://www.nba.com/standings 
- Shaq Playlist - DIESEL: Music That Move Me Apple Music Fitness: https://music.apple.com/us/playlist/diesel-music-that-moves-me/pl.52b620ddc6654b73a4e74d4fb703c67e - UP NEXT Shaq Review: ICY HOT: https://www.icyhot.com/en-us/icy-hot-squad

The WNBA had its moment this week with the 2024 draft class, talk of expansion, and the outrage sparked by number one draft pick Caitlin Clark's rookie salary. Liz and Karen recap the first seven picks of the first round of draftees in the 2024 WNBA draft. They discuss the storylines around Kamilla Cardoso's journey from Brazil at 15 to the WNBA 2nd round pick, Angel Reese and Kamilla Cardoso going from rivals to team mates for the Chicago Sky, and Rickea Jackson being dubbed a "ready made baller" as the second pick for the Los Angeles Sparks. They also breakdown some of the fashions and fashion brands that were worn by the rookie players on the Orange carpet, includcing Caitlin Clark being the first draftee in both WNBA and NBA to be dressed by Prada, and Alissa Pili's paying tribute to her Samoan-American heritage with the tribal symbols. And a Hoops Off first this season: Liz and Karen tag team the Hoops Off segment, sharing outrage about Caitlin Clark's rookie salary of $76,535 for her first year when she is obviously worth millions.



Mentions:

Caitlin Clark salary: https://www.nbcnews.com/news/sports/gap-caitlin-clarks-wnba-salary-male-counterparts-draws-outrage-rcna148024

WNBA Draft Grades by Sabreena Merchant: https://theathletic.com/5418814/2024/04/16/wnba-draft-grades-caitlin-clark-angel-reese/

WWD WNBA draft fashions slideshow: https://wwd.com/fashion-news/fashion-scoops/gallery/wnba-draft-2024-photos-1236315177/2024-wnba-draft/

WNBA expansion headed to 16 teams: https://theathletic.com/5418223/2024/04/15/wnba-expansion-16-teams-portland-toronto/

The NCAA Women's basketball tournament is moving fast and furious into the Final Four. Liz and Karen give shout outs to players in the WBB, spotlighting Asian and Latinx representation. They also follow up on the Kim Mulkey/Washington Post story as well as the latest sexist narrative that was published in a L.A. Times sports column by a staff writer for the news organization that pitted LSU as "dirty debutantes" vs UCLA as "milk and cookies." Liz and Karen also recap the Sweet 16 and Elite 8, make predictions for the Final Four, check the bracket status, and of course, give us their hoops off.
Mentioned:
CNN Report: https://www.cnn.com/2024/04/01/sport/la-times-kim-mulkey-lsu-article-spt-intl/index.html
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The first and second rounds of the NCAA Women's Basketball Tournament is in the books, and the Sweet 16 has been set. Liz and Karen discuss their brackets, game winners and losers, highlights, thrillers, upsets, and players who balled out! They also make their picks for the winners in the Sweet 16 round with the LSU vs. UCLA game as the one to watch. In addition to tournament talk, they also unpack the Kim Mulkey statement at the press conference about the "hit piece" she alleges the WaPo is going to publish on her, and how she will sue for defamation; Dawn Staley's 7-year, $22.4M contract extension; and former NBA Player Matt Barnes vs. a Possum.
Mentions:
Pepper Persley was a guest in Season 1, Ep 73.
Her book "Not Too Anything" https://www.museinc.net/product/not-too-anything
ALSO:
Make sure to send voice notes to hoopsoffpod@gmail.com
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Let's Dance! The NCAA Basketball has begun and we all have a touch of March Madness. Liz and Karen go over the brackets they have put together for the NCAA Women's Basketball Tourney. They discuss methods to bracket building, potential game upsets, Cinderella teams, and their Final Four picks. Along with the tourney talk, they give flowers to players in the women's game who are making big strides, reflect on how Sports Illustrated magazine is making a comeback in print, and share thoughts on Lebron's new "Mind of the Game" podcast. Plus, breaking show news: The new Hoops Off gmail account for listener voice notes is live!
Make sure to send voice notes to hoopsoffpod@gmail.com
Follow us on Instagram @thehoopsoff

In preparation of NCAA March Madness, Liz and Karen do an overview of NCAA Basketball and March Madness bracket building methods, including the ESPN app, Yahoo Sports app and the NCAA printable bracket. They also give the first Hoops Off Podcast recommendation of which method they will be using. Also in this episode they take a look at the NBA standings for the East and West teams, discuss Steph and Ayesha Curry's new member of the starting lineup, and the substack described as "If the Bravo Cinematic Universe and ESPN had a baby."
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