This Is Woman's Work with Nicole Kalil - You Might Also Like: Good Game with Sarah Spain

Episode Date: February 10, 2025

Introducing When It’s Time To Leave with Callie Brownson from Good Game with Sarah Spain.Follow the show: Good Game with Sarah SpainCallie Brownson, former NFL assistant coach turned senior director of high performance for USA Football, joins Sarah to discuss knowing it was time to leave the NFL for a new opportunity, being on a staff with a problematic high-profile player, and how she’s making sure Team USA is ready for flag football’s 2028 Olympic debut. Plus, the worst kind of “National Girls and Women in Sports” day tribute, an NWSL x WNBA crossover, and a Black History Month spotlight you won’t want to miss. Check out Veronica Wells’ story on Billie Harris here  Fill out a bracket for the Unrivaled 1-on-1 tourney! The bracket on the Unrivaled site is pretty hard to read, but super slice Joey Maldonado made a better one that you can print out here  Find out more about the new NWSL x WNBA training facility in Portland here  Interested in season tickets for Denver’s new NWSL team? Details are here  The NCAA basketball schedule can be found here  The NCAA softball schedule is here  The Unrivaled schedule can be found here  The LOVB schedule can be found here Find the PVF schedule here Leave us a voicemail at 872-204-5070 or send us a note at [e-mail]  Follow Sarah on social! Bluesky: @sarahspain.com Instagram: @Spain2323 Follow producer Misha Jones! Bluesky: @mishthejrnalist.bsky.social Instagram: @mishthejrnalist Follow producer Alex Azzi! Bluesky: @byalexazzi.bsky.social See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.DISCLAIMER: Please note, this is an independent podcast episode not affiliated with, endorsed by, or produced in conjunction with the host podcast feed or any of its media entities. The views and opinions expressed in this episode are solely those of the creators and guests. For any concerns, please reach out to [e-mail].

Welcome to Good Game with Sarah Spain, where we're 50% PIMS Cup and 50% purple drink. But we still haven't gotten our hands on a beignet. It's Friday, February 7th, and on today's show we'll be kicking it with Callie Bronson, former Cleveland Browns assistant coach, now senior director of high performance and USA national football operations. We'll talk about getting the US ready for flag football in the Olympics, getting to contribute to a global movement, what she learned from the NFL, and how she handled being on a staff with a problematic high-profile player.

Plus, how not to celebrate National Girls and Women in Sports Day, an NWSL-WNBA crossover in the Rose City, and bracket season is back, baby. It's all coming up right after this. Hey, it's Bobby Bones. Join me and former NFL quarterback Matt Castle every Wednesday for our new podcast, Lots to Say with Bobby Bones and Matt Castle. Between us, we have over 17,500 passing yards, multiple New York Times bestsellers,

and one mirror ball trophy from Dancing with the Stars. So where else are you gonna find a show with that much athleticism and football insight? We talk sports, but we talk pop culture and music and a little bit of everything. Listen to Lots to Say with Bobby Bones and Matt Castle on the iHeartRadio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts.

What's up everyone? Julie Swift Brinks here, along with former NHL player Nate Thompson. We're doing a new podcast together. Here we go. The name? Energy Line with Nate and JSB. Each week we'll get together and talk about hockey, life, all topics are fair game, right? Exactly. And you'll never know who will drop by to join us. Julie is pretty well connected. She has text threads going that you wouldn't believe.

Listen to Energy Line with Nate and JSB on the iHeartRadio app, Apple podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts. Dressing, dressing. Oh, French dressing. Exactly. Ha ha, oh, that's good. I'm AJ Jacobs and my current obsession is puzzles.

And that has given birth to my podcast, The Puzzler. Something about Mary Poppins? Exactly. This is fun. You can get your daily puzzle nuggets delivered straight to your ears. Listen to The Puzzler every day on the iHeartRadio app, Apple Podcasts,

or wherever you get your podcasts. $1.4 billion in NFL quarterback contracts, the untold stories behind the biggest deals in football history. I'm AJ Stevens, Vice President of Client Strategy at Athletes First, introducing the Athletes First Family Podcast, the quarterback series. My co-host, Brian Murphy, Athletes First CEO, and I are sitting down with the agents who have negotiated contracts for Justin Herbert, Deshaun Watson, Dak Prescott, Tula Tugna-Vaioloa and Jordan Love. Listen to Athletes First Family

podcast on the iHeartRadio app, Apple Podcasts or wherever you get your podcasts. Welcome back, Slices. Happy Friday. Here's what you need to know today. In idiotic news, Trump signed an executive order on Wednesday banning transgender athletes from participating in girls and women's sports. The quote, keeping men out of women's sports order, mandates that schools and institutions receiving federal funding must abide by the new administration's interpretation of Title IX, where quote-unquote sex is

defined as the gender a person is assigned at birth. Worth noting, on his first day in office, Trump issued an executive order declaring that the US government would only recognize two sexes, limiting the definition of a male or female to a person's reproductive cells at conception and requiring that the federal government use the term sex instead of gender. Trump will allegedly lean on the Department of Education to help investigate and enforce this new executive order, presumably the same Department of Education he's seeking to dismantle. Also, no word yet on how they plan to investigate whether someone is a girl or a boy,

and how to enforce that. In a statement about the executive order, NCAA President Charlie Baker said, quote, we strongly believe that clear, consistent, and uniform eligibility standards would best serve today's student athletes instead of a patchwork of conflicting state laws and court decisions.

To that end, President Trump's order provides a clear national standard. Baker continued, the NCAA Board of Governors is reviewing the executive order and will take necessary steps to align NCAA policy in the coming days, subject to further guidance from the administration. The association will continue to help foster welcoming environments on campuses

for all student athletes. We stand ready to assist schools as they look for ways to support any student athletes affected by changes in the policy." End quote. It's not lost on us y'all that Trump announced this executive order on National Girls and Women in Sports Day. The cruelty is the point.

Even though we had a feeling this was coming, even though we dreaded that this might be coming, it is still extremely upsetting. We're sending love to all the athletes and all the families affected, and we will certainly still be covering this issue more in the future. Trans girls and women in sport are girls and women in sport. In NWSL News, the Denver expansion franchise has become the fastest new side in league history to reach 5,000 season ticket deposits. Denver received 5,280 deposits only three days after being named the NWSL's 16th team on January 30th. That's a huge show of support and further proof

that fans in the mile high city were eager for their first women's pro sports team in a major national league. Do you live in the Denver area? We'll link to the site where you can sign up for season tickets in our show notes. In NWSL and WNBA news, it was announced on Thursday that the Portland Thorns and the city's

yet to be named WNBA expansion team will train together at a brand new $75 million training facility that's expected to open ahead of the 2026 WNBA season, part of a larger $150 million project. Both teams are owned by the Bethal family, who purchased the Thorns in January of 2024 and then won the bid for the WNBA's 15th team in September of the same year. Construction will take place in stages with the training facility coming first, but eventually the family hopes to build out a broader campus that will function as a dedicated center for women's sports performance and recovery. Per a Thorns release, the completed 12-acre campus

will include a 63,000 square foot training facility, a 17,000 square foot practice gym with two full-size basketball courts, two full-size soccer pitches with an outdoor training zone, a 5,000 square foot strength and training facility with top of the line equipment, an outdoor turf zone, and a yoga Pilates room, dedicated dressing rooms for Thorns FC and WNBA Portland, a dining room with a full-time chef and nutritionist,

dedicated rooms for players' families, and team meeting rooms and social media content rooms, and more. One other cool tidbit, the Bethals are working with Workspace Property Trust to repurpose a former Nike office complex west of Portland in order to minimize environmental impact while building out this vision.

We'll link to the Thorns release and mockups for the facility in our show notes. We love these facility wars, y'all. Keep battling to be the best, teams. We love to see it. More WNBA news. Free agent Tiffany Hayes is headed to the Golden State Valkyries. The 2024 sixth woman of the year signed with the WNBA's 13th team and will rock

Valkyrie Violet this upcoming season after coming out of WNBA retirement last year to join the Las Vegas Aces. She's a 12-year vet and is currently hooping in the unrivaled basketball three-on-three league with former Aces teammate Kate Martin, who also moved from Vegas to the Bay this Aces. She's a 12-year vet and is currently hooping in the unrivaled basketball three-on-three league with former Aces teammate Kate Martin who also moved from Vegas to the Bay this offseason. Hayes brings flat-out scoring ability and a veteran presence to a team that's mostly composed of youngsters and some excellent glue players led by first-time WNBA head coach Natalie Nkase. In unrivaled news, the bracket for the league's one-on-one tournament dropped

and my oh my there are some Intriguing matchups coming our way. Kayla McBride versus Dejanae Carrington Jackie Young versus Rekia Jackson Tiffany Hayes versus Courtney Williams and those are all just the first round We can't wait to see where this tournament goes It starts on Monday and while originally it was billed as a winner take all the site now reads that the winner will earn $200,000 for themselves and $10,000 for each player on their basketball club plus runner-up gets 50k and semi-finalists get 25,000 of course because the folks behind the scenes know we welcome the possibility of maximum chaos

Co-founders, Defica Collier and Brianna Stewart are on opposite sides of the bracket. And get this, there's even a bracket challenge, just like in collochoops, but with a twist. We'll link to the instructions on how to fill yours out in our show notes. We happen to notice that the version on the Unrivaled website has a super dark background. So if you print it out, you're not gonna be able to see what you write.

But thankfully, super sliced Joey Maldonado saves the day again. He independently of the Unrivaled one being posted, made one himself and it has a white background. So if you go to my blue sky, you'll find it, or we'll put the link in my show notes. That's an easier one to print and fill out and share. Some Unrivaled games tonight too.

We love these Friday night face-offs. First up, it's the 6-0 Lunar Owls versus My Phantom BC at 7.15 PM Eastern, followed by Rose BC versus Mist BC. More games Saturday too. We'll link to the schedule in our show notes. The college softball season kicked off yesterday, so there are a bunch of teams, ranked and unranked, hitting the diamond today.

Too many to preview, so we'll link to the day's full schedule, you guessed it, in our show notes. To Pro Veebs, League One volleyball is back tonight. Love Atlanta faces Love Salt Lake at 9 p.m. Eastern at Maverick Center in Salt Lake City. You can watch that live on love.com and Dazone. Love's got two other games tomorrow as well.

We'll link to the schedule in our show notes. And don't forget, it's Love with a B, L-O-V-B. Don't be, don't be Googling love.com. I don't know what's on that site. More Veebs, the Pro Volleyball Federation's got two games tonight. First up is Grand Rapids Rise versus Columbus Fury at 7 Eastern, streaming live on YouTube.

Then it's Vegas Thrill at San Diego Mojo, starting at 10.05 PM Eastern on Volleyball World TV. PVF has two other games tomorrow. We'll link to the schedule in our show notes. Elsewhere in the sport adjacent sphere, the Met Gala's reviving its host committee tradition this year. And a few of our faves were tapped to serve as members. Team USA gymnast, Simone Biles, WNBA, Unenrivaled player, Angel Reese,

and Team USA sprinter Sha'Carri Richardson all made the list, which also includes folks like Mr. Biles, Regina King, Janelle Monáe, and more. LeBron James is the honorary chair. The committee will support the evening's festivities and help set the tone for this year's dress code, tailored for you, a nod to the museum's super fine tailoring black style Costume Institute exhibit. Can't wait to see what looks they put together. Finally in college hoops, a couple big matchups going down this weekend. On Saturday, number 8 Ohio State tries to bounce back from a 65-52 loss to top

ranked UCLA the other night. They traveled just a few more miles to play number seven USC. And then on Sunday, number four, Texas hosts number two, South Carolina for an SEC showdown. We'll link to the full weekend schedule in our show notes. Finished up day two of Radio Rose Slices. And I have to say I'm leaving the ick behind and finding just joy. So many old friends and colleagues, athletes that I've covered in the past and people that I am so glad to finally meet in person. As long as I steer clear of that out kick stage, just joy the rest of the way out. Also I got to quickly

chat with Sabrina Ganescu. We talked unrivaled and Phantom BC as she hustled between interviews. Tried to get her. We'll be sure to grab her for the show soon when she's not hawking products and over-scheduled. As for last night, I continued to take all the wrecks and bop around the French Quarter, heading back to see my guy at Aaron Rose for another frozen Irish coffee. Then off to the Davenport Lounge at the Ritz

for a Pym's Cup, that's a New Orleans specialty. That's the spot where the Chiefs are staying this year. And listen to some jazz from local legend trumpeter Jeremy Davenport. Then it was off to hear some live piano at Lafitte's Blacksmith Shop built in the early 1700s. It's alleged to be the oldest structure used as a bar in the US. Good times always there. I took a risk.

I ordered the frozen Fudu Daiquiri, which is called purple drank. It is made with bourbon and everclear, but somehow just tastes like a purple Jolly Rancher. Very dangerous, just had one. I did some sightseeing on Bourbon Street, always some good people watching there, grabbed some food, hung out with some friends, enjoyed the scene, and things are only gonna get hotter and busier and crazier as we get closer to the weekend

and the big game. And speaking of the big game, quick props, two former Cornell football players are facing off on Sunday. Hunter Nurzat of the Chiefs and Jalick's Hunt of the Eagles, both in their rookie NFL season. So either way this weekend, Cornell wins. Hope y'all enjoyed the game. We're going to take a quick break.

And when we come back, Callie Bronson joined me on Radio Row to talk about what she learned from the NFL that she's brought with her to the world of women's flag football. Hey, it's Bobby Bones. Join me and former NFL quarterback, Matt Castle every Wednesday for our new podcast, Lots to Say with Bobby Bones and Matt Castle. Between us, we have over 17,500 passing yards, multiple New York Times bestsellers, and one Mirrorball trophy from Dancing with the Stars. So where else are you gonna find a show

with that much athleticism and football insight? Based in Nashville, we're more than just your basic NFL show. We talk sports, but we talk pop culture and music and a little bit everything, because we got lots to say. I texted you and you texted me back. Now, I don't know if you have the update, but like all the little thumbs up and heart and stuff, like it's all colored.

They changed it. And the heart's a little pink. It felt like I told you I loved you. I'm gonna be honest, it was a little pink. There was something sentimental when you sent it. You're just like, do I send the heart now? I don't like the color edition. It's extremely pink.

Listen to Lots to Say with Bobby Bones and Matt Castle on the iHeartRadio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts. It's Julie Stewart-Pinks. I'm doing a new podcast from iHeart Podcasts and the National Hockey League, and I'm paired up with one of my favorite players, the always quotable Nate Thompson. I wore nine NHL sweaters and I have story after story to share. And believe it or not, I have plenty to say and not just about hockey. Believe me, he does. Energy Line with Nate and JSB is the name of the podcast and it's going to be, well, it's going to be quite the ride. We're officially line mates, Nate. We're the Energy Line.

We'll have plenty of folks join us, current players, some of my former teammates, Hall of Famers, and wait to see some of the connections that Julie has. She has quite the Rolodex. Okay, we'll lean into Nate's playing experience and tap into our interests away from hockey and try to do what Energy Lines are supposed to do, provide an emotional boost. How do you feel about all that, Nate? I'm vibing, Julie. I'm ready to roll.

Listen to Energy Line with Nate and JSB on the iHeartRadio app, Apple podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts. Ever wonder what it's like to be on the phone with an NFL general manager as you finalize the biggest contract in NFL history? I'm A.J. Stevens, vice president of client strategy at Athletes First, where we've negotiated $1.4 billion in current NFL quarterback contracts,cing the Athletes First Family podcast, the quarterback series. Along with my co-host Brian Murphy, Athletes First's CEO,

we're pulling back the curtain on how these historic deals come together. You'll hear directly from the agents who shaped the NFL's financial landscape. The ones who negotiated Justin Herbert's extension and Deshaun Watson's fully guaranteed contract that sent shockwaves through the league. This isn't just about the numbers though, it's about the untold stories behind these massive negotiations and the relationships the NFL superstars like Dak Prescott, Tua Tunga-Valliloa, and Jordan Love have with their agents at Athletes First. For the first time ever, the agents who orchestrate these deals are sharing the details of the negotiations and everything that led up to their clients signing on the dotted line. Listen to the Athletes First Family podcast on the iHeartRadio app, Apple Podcasts, or

wherever you get your podcasts. What's going on everybody? This is Justin Penick from John Boy Media, the host of the Football Today podcast alongside Bobby Skinner and Chris Rose. We're rolling three times a week on Mondays, on Wednesdays, on Fridays, breaking down everything you need to know about the NFL. We're talking about the MVP race. Is Josh Allen going to pull it out? Lamar Jackson? Can Saquon Barkley even break the rushing record? Can the Steelers keep up their momentum?

We talk about everything. We break it down. Stats, analytics, and of course Chris Rose is bringing his perspective on being a pro in the media world as well. Listen to football today on the iHeartRadio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts and you will be glad you did. Hope you could join us for the postseason run. Joining us now, she's a barrier breaking coach at the college and professional levels who just joined USA football as the senior director of high performance and national team operations after spending five seasons with the Cleveland Browns in the NFL, acting as chief of staff and assistant wide receivers coach.

She's the first woman ever to coach an NFL position group in a regular season game. She was a two time champion with the DC Divas in the women's football alliances, a free safety and running back, and a two time gold medalist with the US women's national American football team. It's Callie Bronson. What's up, Callie?

What's up? Wow, that's a lot. DC Divas. Yeah. How'd you feel about that name? It wasn't my favorite. It seemed like a big fit for you. Yeah.

Let's just say I wasn't on a lot of the advertisements. I didn't fit the diva mold, but I still repped when I had to. Is that the same league that had the Philadelphia Lady Bells? Yeah, yeah. Yeah. And now they're the phantoms, I believe. Okay. Well, shout out to my sister, Katie. Yeah, shout out. I always weasel that in. I don't think she talks enough about how cool it was that she played professional football for two years. Okay. I want to first start with this new gig because you're overseeing USA Football's US national team program. What does that mean? What do they do? Yeah. Okay. Well, so obviously the big news that came out was flag football is in the Olympics.

I think to preface that and rewind, like there's always been, we've always had national teams. I played for the women's tackle national team and obviously in the past few years we've failed at flag national teams, both men and women, adult and junior national teams. Well obviously now it's in the Olympics. Everybody's talking about it. Big deal. Men and women, adult national teams are in the Olympics. So with that happening, we're seeing such a shift and a growth in the sport.

So really my job is to figure out our process, both player evaluations, to player selection, to coach selection, to how we practice, how we train. So we're really kind of taking our operation and souping it up to get to the point where over the next few years, we're putting together the perfect operation for our national teams to go and win gold in LA. And you're coming from the NFL. Yeah. So they want someone that knows how things run at the very highest level of football and to bring those standards to flag. Exactly. Yeah. You know, I always I've already done it. You know, I'm in week three. So wow.

I go back to a lot of the stuff I dealt with as a chief of staff, you know, putting these processes in place and understanding what's going to be the best and really like the role. All of us, everybody on the high performance team. Our job is to just create the best possible environment for our players and our coaches. That's sick. How do you feel about the timing of the Olympics?

Because whenever I talk to women athletes, like, you know, Sue Bird is like, of course I'm jealous that right now people are making millions of dollars and they have the best resources in their flying charter and their, you know, do you wish that you would have had a shot at it at the Olympics?

I think about it all the time, you know, just in general. I think about sports for women right now and how amazing it is. I mean, what an awesome time to be a female athlete Yeah, like whether it be Olympic level or even what you're seeing in a WNBA like it's so cool to see so yeah I mean, of course those of us who are competitors and and put our bodies on the line are a little jealous But I'm also so excited. It's so it's so cool to see how this is grown and it's late It's overdue, but but it's happening and we have to keep driving that momentum.

Yeah, I'm definitely a little bittersweet. I also like to convince myself that if all these things had been around when I was a kid, I would have worked harder and then I would have been at the level of being in the Olympics even though that probably isn't true. Okay, tell me about this Champions Rising documentary. Yeah, so obviously they followed our national teams last year going through the whole process. I love it because it's going to be a great way for the random person who wants to learn more about what the national teams are because it follows the whole journey from trials to

training camp all the way through competition. So you get such a great view of what it is to be a national team player, but also what our process is. I get so many questions, especially since I took this job on what our operation is all about and, hey, I never heard of this. This like gives such concrete legitimacy to what we do and how it works. You watch that and you're like, this is a full-on operation. And it is. We're the national team.

So I think it's awesome. It's coming out. It'll be on the YouTube channel. The trailer came out. I encourage everybody to watch the trailer because I think that's a great little snippet of what it's going to be about. But when it comes out on the YouTube and through USA Football Eye, I encourage everybody to watch it. I think if you have any questions about what we're about and what it is, it's a great foundation for what the national team is. And you get to see the sport from some pretty cool angles too.

So yeah, I mean, it just feels like the ability to film in places and have more documentaries of every kind has allowed us to see the legitimacy and value of things that previously weren't given that treatment because it was primarily focused on men's sports and also because documentaries are much rarer. And also with streaming, there's more space to put them. And I'm looking forward to watch that. Okay. I want to ask you what you find most exciting about the current moment for women's flag football.

Yeah, a lot, to be honest. I'm excited about a lot. But the biggest thing is like where we are and how competitive it is. You know, watching these women play and even the girls on the junior national team, it's come such a long way and it's only growing. So what I'm most excited about is being at this point and looking back in a couple years and then looking back as we go to LA and being like, wow, we just built something very special because the other thing that's being that I take as a task of mine is yeah We need to go in gold right and and we need to take it You know a great two great teams to LA, but we want to grow this for globally We want every team that shows up in LA to be competitive

We want every game to be you know close and competitive in this display of the amazing athletes that are part of it so part of our approach these next couple years is to continue to grow the game and help in our capacity to do that and help these other countries get to a point where when we go to LA everybody who watches flag football is like wow. I have to tell you the only flag football name I know, men's or women's, is Diana Flores. Frickin badass. She's a friend. We were on the Gatorade Women's Advisory Board together. Mexican national team quarterback. Okay so I'm like, okay, Mexico's gotta be great because they've got Diana.

Is that true? Oh yeah, great. They got a good team. And they have done a great job with the sport of football too, because I know when I both coached and played on the tackle team, the national team, they have a great women's tackle team too. I mean, yeah, they definitely deserve their flowers

and their respect in that regard. And it's always a pretty competitive matchup anytime the US national teams team up with team Mexico. So it's really cool. You guys usually win? Of course. Oh, great. Good to know.

Good to know. You know, a lot of times when say, for instance, there's developments in the softball world, softball players are excited, but also women who play baseball don't necessarily want to be diverted to softball if baseball is their love. How do you feel about flag football being the thing that's getting pushed for women and what it might mean for tackle football for women? Yeah well so one of the things I like

to say when this comes up is they're vastly different sports. So I mean vastly tackle versus flag so it's not going to be for everybody right? There are going to be plenty of women who currently play in the in the tackle leagues around the U.S. and even around the world who don't need to venture into the space. Now, I know it's appealing because it's in the Olympics, but they're vastly different sports, not going to be for everybody. But what we're looking at is the transition of athletes from every sport. So men and women, you know, basketball players like what are the translatable skills

that make a successful flag football player that exists in other sports? I mean, that's where a lot of that talent pool is gonna come from. So we've kind of started looking into all those things and it's been really exciting because you know to that point It's not gonna be for everybody and that's okay. You know, you know tackle football have resources still. Yeah, of course. Yeah, absolutely And tackle still falls under us at USA football, you know, we are the governing body of football in the in the US It's flag and tackle so we have not forgotten about tackle. It's near and dear to my heart. So I certainly haven't forgotten about it.

But we're very invested in all those things. You're very small. Were you always very small? I can't picture you wrapping someone up and taking them down. You must have had perfect form. I have some pictures and yes, I worked on my form. But I was a little beefier back then in a good way. Like I think when I was playing, I was 155, 160 on this frame.

I had some muscle about me. I've leaned out in my retired years. None of the sports I played allowed tackling. It didn't always stop me though. And I wish I'd had more opportunities. I don't doubt that. I want to ask how you first got into football. Yeah, I grew up loving the game

because my dad loved the game. So he went to university Miami. And so I grew up loving the game because my dad loved the game. So he went to University of Miami. And so I grew up watching like the glory days of Miami, like Larry Coker was the head coach and all those guys come through the hurricane program. And so that's what we did on Saturdays. We watched Miami Hurricane football. And we used to go to games and we used

to go down for spring practice because he's still at a house down there in Coral Gables. So it was kind of ingrained in me from the jump to love football. I mean, baseball was my first love because I grew up watching Cal Ripken in Baltimore and that was hard. It's hard to shy away from that kind of stuff. But football always like had a different pool on me. Yeah. And then you got into softball because they wouldn't let you play football. They wouldn't let me play football. And you don't have to answer this if it's sensitive.

You were raised by your dad. Yeah. Solo dad. Yeah. How come? Well, my parents got divorced early on. My mom was kind of going through some stuff personally, and it was just the right decision. And I tip my hat to my dad every day for making hard decisions like that. But it really made me who I am today. And I'm so grateful for

him. Tough things for families to go through, but necessary things. And and I'm just I'm so happy to call him dad. Yeah. OK, so you play softball in college, but then you get back into football. You've always had this like love of it. And in 2019, you became the first woman to coach full time in Division

one college football as an offensive quality control coach for Dartmouth. Yep. That was my number one choice. I did not get in, but that's OK. I really enjoyed where I went. Will not hold it against them for the rest of my life, even though I sort of am. What do you think Coach Buddy Teevin saw in you back then? Yeah, I remember when we met. We met at the Manning Passing Academy.

They're doing a clinic for women and girls down in Thibodeau, Louisiana at Nichols State University. It was like early August. It was so hot. I remember that part, and I remember Buddy. We just clicked. We sat there the night before the camp with a whiteboard, and he and I went through.

He had never really done a camp for women and girls before. So he was like, how advanced did we go? Whatever. So I sat there in the locker room with him and we were writing everything, all the stations down on a whiteboard. And it was just one of those things that felt so organic and so easy. Like we saw things the same way. We communicated the same way. He was a very like, organized, I need to know what's happening at all times. That's how I operate. And so then the next day at the camp just rolling around, he could see how much fun I was having. And a week later, I got a call and he said, I don't know what it is, but I want you to be a part of our football program. Can you come up and intern for us during camp? And I told him, I said, I share the sentiment,

you know, I was so honored to work with you. And even in those two days, what I learned was incredible. So kind of took off from there. And even when I left Dartmouth, Buddy was one of my closest friends. We didn't stop talking and we were always in touch and somebody I considered a really close friend. Yeah, he tragically passed away in a bike accident, but had a great, great resume of helping make the sport more safe. Yes. And more equitable and diverse. Absolutely. And so the reason you were ready for that job is you play college softball, and then you transferred to George Mason. And while at George Mason, that's when you started playing with the DC Divas. So

you're playing alongside women in their 20s with full time jobs while you're at college. Yeah, that's how much you want to get back into football. How did you translate playing to being ready for an opportunity at Dartmouth when that opportunity presented itself? It's a great question and I think it's something that a lot of like former players can attest to but when I was playing I was such an analytical, I saw the game from a way that I wanted to learn every facet of it. I was a film study nerd, I really wanted to learn the game schematically and I played both sides of the ball so that really helped

me. Understanding defenses made me a better wide receiver. You know understanding the wide receiver position and the specifics that go into that made me a better defensive back. So I just I was like a football junkie. I loved it and even on the field you know the resources in women's tackle are not where they need to be. So some of us had to step up and be coaches during practice, you know? And I just always had a knack for it. I was coaching high school softball at the time trying to make some money while I was in school and all so forth.

And so I loved coaching because coaching is just teaching. And to me, coaching is teaching on something that you're like massively passionate about. Like that's coaching. So I was like, I love football. I love to coach. And that's kind of how it intertwined and amazing. Yeah. It's really cool. How do you decide when you're with the Browns and you're getting a lot of publicity as one of the few

coaches in NFL women coaches? How do you decide whether to just do the work or to lean into what representation means for other women and how your influence might impact future generations? I think it's important to find the balance because at the end of the day, you're not going to be in that position of influence if you're not doing the work and you're not doing your job. So I think it's a balance. It's like I always say like with some of the women who jump in there, it's like finding a way to be passive and aggressive at the same time.

So knowing like- I'm very passive aggressive. Passive and aggressive. I'm just joking. I will. That's my follow-up. I'll be asking. No, but it's one of those things where you do need to use your platform. I always tell like some of the women who come in like when you get asked a question or when you do something, if you do a podcast, if you do an event, are you doing it for yourself or you're doing it for the greater good? If you can answer that question, you're doing it for the greater good, then it's worth your time. If you're doing it for yourself and your self promotion, go back to work. like pick up something to do.

Because I think that that's that's where you have to get really careful. But I think anything you do to promote women in football, and it's for the benefit of anybody else who wants to get in or who is currently in, you should do it. Absolutely. Use your platform. I've talked to Coach Lowe about this, Laurie Locust, and she said the problem is like, if you're getting a ton of attention that other people around the same position aren't getting, it can isolate you. And it can make you feel othered in a way that doesn't bring you to the team.

And a huge part of being one of the only women on the staff is to make sure that you can be a part of the squad and not always on the outside. And so she was very careful and continues to be very careful about what publicity she does do and how she uses her platform and then also not othering herself. And I agree. And I think you just have to be selective careful about what publicity she does do and how she uses her platform and then also not othering herself. And I agree and I think you just have to be selective in the things you do, you know. At the end of the day, you got hired to do a job. It's cool that it created this platform for you.

It's actually great that it did. But I always found too like doing a really good job at what you do and then getting promoted, that's a bigger message than anything else you're doing. So always choose job and work first and it's okay to say no to things. Yeah. While you're with Cleveland, the team acquired quarterback Deshaun Watson

after he was sued by more than two dozen female massage therapists for sexual harassment and sexual assault. He's settled 20 claims of sexual misconduct. I often find that marginalized groups are expected to advocate for themselves and their peers while members of the offending group aren't taken to task for their silence and their complicity. I don't expect you to talk specifically about Watson.

I just wonder whether you felt a particular burden as a female member of that coaching staff either to speak out or express your displeasure or otherwise. Did people demand something of you they didn't demand of others? I would say this. I have so much respect for Kevin and Andrew Berry already. How they handled that situation internally was even more respectable. You know, I didn't feel marginalized. I didn't feel like I couldn't, you know, say my piece. I didn't, you know, I never felt that way.

I think between the two of them internally, they handled things well. Can you tell our listeners who they are? Andrew Berry is the general manager of the Cleveland Browns and Kevin Stefanski is the head coach. And I think they really care about the people around them and they understand certain decisions and there's controversy behind them. I would say I never felt isolated.

I never felt not supported. I never felt unheard. And that's a credit to them as leaders. Yeah, for sure. I never felt unheard. And that's a credit to them as leaders. Yeah, for sure. I feel like it's frustrating when I've been in the space of speaking out about issues like that. Or even when there were issues at ESPN, people would come to me and be like,

how do you keep working there when this guy did this? And I'm like, are you asking all the men why they're still working? You're not. And we can't be the ones being victimized and also the ones expected to put our necks on the line or jobs on the line and have nobody else step up. And I will, I'll say this too about those two. I, and continue to still have so much faith in their leadership and what they would do that at the end of it all, if they felt

it was the right thing for the organization, I was with them. And that's how I feel about them as individuals and leaders. I would run through a brick wall for both of them. So if it's a direction they wanted to go, I'm right there. I'm with you. Then why did you know it was time to leave? Honestly, this opportunity is what made me start considering it. I didn't really have any, you know, it was going to be the NFL forever. And, you know, other people had expectations for what the next five to 10 years of my life were supposed to be in the NFL. When this opportunity came up, I just saw this as an incredible opportunity that was once in a lifetime.

And as I continued to talk to the people at USA Football and what they envisioned for this role, I had to ask myself, if I look back in a year, two years, or three years and pass this up, would I be okay with it? And I didn't feel like I would be. This is something really special and it's going to change. It's not just the Olympics. It's going to change the nature of American football in the United States and in the world. Like American football is in the Olympics which makes a big statement and we at this point have the opportunity to build it how we want it to be and open it up how we want it to be and educate people on how we want it to be and get coaches up to speed. Like it's such a

special thing that when I do look back in five or 10 years and we get past the Olympics, it's something that you can literally say like, I'm so proud I was a part of that. So it was hard for me to say no, like honestly. Right. And you've got the talent that if you change your mind and the NFL is calling again, you can always go back. Of course.

What was the biggest lesson you learned from your time in Cleveland? I learned a lot, but I would say one of the things I really respected about coach Stefanski is he's so cool, calm, and collected through everything. And I said this to him here too, when I was chief of staff, I was like, I need to learn composure from you because as chief of staff, you have so much going on. And I always, you know, I would let myself, biggest thing I took away was that part.

You got overwhelmed a lot. It was, it was just a lot, you know, and you didn't want to always react to things, you know. It's like in the game when the quarterback throws an interception and they immediately zoom in on the head coach, you know, and I was like, okay, who would I be in that situation? I'd be like throwing things and so I literally, I told him, you know, year two, I was like, that's what I'm going to work on this year because I think in order to lead people, they need to see that even in times of trial, you're unshaken and that's who he is. So I really worked on that with him. And I mean, we saw it all the way through,

I mean, 2023 season, everything we went through, four or five quarterbacks, all this stuff. And Kevin, every meeting, even behind closed doors, unshaken. So I've really tasked myself with that. That's the biggest thing I took away is like, how can I be a leader that when things go awry and the boat starts to rock, everybody's looking like she's cool. So I'm cool

Yeah, okay final two questions honest answer no bias Who will win the first Olympics in women's flag football The US okay who will win a Super Bowl first the Chicago Bears or the Cleveland Browns the Cleveland Browns god damn it Bias that there was a ton of bias that was not an honest answer. You don't even have a quarterback situation figured out. The Cleveland Browns figured out. Yeah. What we do.

Dog pound the land. Cleveland Browns figure out is what the fans have been saying for literally decades. And they'll do it again this year. Do it again this year. It's fine. They've been telling the Bears that too. Callie, thanks so much for the time. We're looking forward to seeing how everything goes.

Thank you so much. We have to take another quick break. When we come back, we celebrate Black History Month by introducing you to a pioneering softball player. Hey, it's Bobby Bones. Join me and former NFL quarterback Matt Castle every Wednesday for our new podcast, Lots to Say with Bobby Bones and Matt Castle every Wednesday for our new podcast, Lots to Say with Bobby Bones and Matt Castle. Between us, we have over 17,500 passing yards,

multiple New York Times bestsellers, and one mirror ball trophy from Dancing with the Stars. So where else are you gonna find a show with that much athleticism and football insight? Based in Nashville, we're more than just your basic NFL show. We talk sports, but we talk pop culture and music and a little bit everything, because we got lots to say.

I texted you and you texted me back. Now, I don't know if you have the update, but like all the little thumbs up and heart and stuff, like it's all colored. They changed it. And the heart's a little pink. It felt like I told you I loved you. I'm gonna be honest, it was a little pink.

There was something sentimental when you sent it. You're like, do I send the heart now? I don't like the color edition. It's extremely pink. Listen to lots to say with Bobby Bones and Matt Castle on the iHeartRadio app, Apple podcast, or wherever you get your podcasts. It's Julie Stewart-Pinks. I'm doing a new podcast from iHeart Podcasts and the National Hockey League.

And I'm paired up with one of my favorite players, the always quotable Nate Thompson. I wore nine NHL sweaters and I have paired up with one of my favorite players the always quotable Nate Thompson I wore nine NHL sweaters and I have story after story to share and believe it or not I have plenty to say and not just about hockey believe me He does energy line with Nate and JSB is the name of the podcast and it's gonna be well It's gonna be quite the ride. We're officially line mates Nate. We're the energy line Quite the ride. We're officially line mates, Nate. We're the Energy Line.

We'll have plenty of folks join us, current players, some of my former teammates, Hall of Famers, and wait to see some of the connections that Julie has. She has quite the Rolodex. Okay, we'll lean into Nate's playing experience and tap into our interests away from hockey and try to do what Energy Lines are supposed to do,

provide an emotional boost. How do you feel about all that, Nate? I'm vibing, Julie, I'm ready to roll. Listen to Energy Line with Nate and JSB on the iHeartRadio app, Apple podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts. Ever wonder what it's like to be on the phone with an NFL general manager as you finalize

the biggest contract in NFL history? I'm AJ Stevens, Vice President of Client Strategy at Athletes First, where we've negotiated $1.4 billion in current NFL quarterback contracts. Introducing the Athletes First Family Podcast, the quarterback series. Along with my co-host Brian Murphy, Athletes First CEO, we're pulling back the curtain

on how these historic deals come together. You'll hear directly from the agents who shaped the NFL's financial landscape. The ones who negotiated Justin Herbert's extension and Deshaun Watson's fully guaranteed contract that sent shockwaves through the league. This isn't just about the numbers though, it's about the untold stories behind these massive negotiations and the relationships the NFL superstars like Dak Prescott, Tua Tungo Vallilola, and Jordan Love have with their agents at Athletes First.

For the first time ever, the agents who orchestrate these deals are sharing the details of the negotiations and everything that led up to their clients signing on the dotted line. Listen to the Athletes First Family podcast on the iHeartRadio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts. What's going on everybody? This is Justin Penick from Jamboy Media, the host of the Football Today podcast alongside you get your podcasts. race? Is Josh Allen going to pull it out? Lamar Jackson? Can Saquon Barkley even break the rushing record? Can the Steelers keep up their momentum? We talk about everything. We break it down. Stats, analytics, and of course, Chris Rose is bringing his perspective

on being a pro in the media world as well. Listen to football today on the iHeartRadio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts and you will be glad you did. Hope you could join us for the postseason run. Welcome back, Slices. It's Black History Month and throughout February, we're going to shine a spotlight on some black women's sports pioneers you might not know about. Since college softball season just got underway,

feels fitting to start there. Now, we're certain you've heard of Jackie Robinson, the man who broke Major League Baseball's color barrier, but who led the way in softball? One of the women who took the field first was Billy Harris. If you've seen a league of their own, Harris is one of the real-life players that inspired some of the show's characters.

According to an excellent article by Veronica Wells in Essence Magazine, Harris discovered softball through a piece she read about a couple local Arizona softball teams back in 1947. From there, she started working on her skills. As she practiced on the side of the road one day, a stranger came up to her and asked if she'd like to try out for a team called the Sunshine Girls.

She made the team and the rest was history. In her long career, which lasted until she was 74 years old, she threw 70 no-hitters, pitched four perfect games, and scored 123 runs. Some folks even called her the Jackie Robinson of softball. Of course, it wasn't all peaches and cream. During the time she played, she was often the only black woman on her team.

Segregation meant she was mistreated compared to her white teammates, and sometimes her teammates were the ones being racist and showing hostility toward her. Despite that, and so much more, she went on to become the first African American woman inducted into the USA softball hall of fame. Fast forward to present day, and we've got so many talented black softballers to cheer on, like Odyssey Alexander, Nigeri Kennedy, and Michaela Edenfield, just to name a few. But there's still work to be done to ensure that young Black kids are welcomed in the sport. Believe it or not, in the year 2024, Olivia Madkins, Columbia softball's first ever Black

softball player, took the field. Now, does that mean Columbia softball has been intentionally biased since the program's first team was formed in 1998? Not necessarily, but it just goes to show that there have always been opportunities that could have gone to black players and didn't. So hats off to Billy for getting in the game back in the late forties and more power to Olivia and other athletes still breaking down barriers today. We always love that you're listening, but we want you to get in the game every day too, so here's our Good Game play of the day.

Fill out your unrivaled one-on-one tournament bracket and give us your logic as to why you picked the way you did. We'd love to know who you got and see if any slices can correctly pick the last couple players standing. Find the bracket in our show notes and let us know your thoughts by hitting us up on email, goodgameatwondermedianetwork.com, or leave us voicemail, talking about it, 872-204-5070. Don't forget to subscribe, rate and review too everybody. It's real easy, watch.

The WNBA and O-PIL partnership. Rating, five out of five keep doing the damn work. Review, with so many companies already bowing down to the dictatorial directives and threats from above that are trying to erase progress, shouts to the WNBA for pushing ahead with important initiatives, like the one with over-the-counter daily oral contraceptive, Opal, and nonprofit organization Black Women's Health Imperative. Level the Court, which launched on Tuesday, kicks off with a spring campus tour, stopping at the University of Texas at San Antonio,

and then three historically black colleges and universities. A rep for OPL told ESPN's Ari Chambers that the black women's health imperative chose schools in quote, states where there is more restricted access and restrictive laws surrounding what girls, women, and those who can become pregnant can and cannot do, unquote. The tour is just the first of several planned events

and opportunities to provide black women with more information and options surrounding their reproductive health care. WNBA Chief Growth Officer, Coley Edison told Chambers, quote, the WNBA has always said that women's health is society's health. We're really trying to mirror the work our players are already doing. End quote. Now it's your turn to rate and review. Thanks for listening.

Have a great weekend. See you next week. Good game, Callie. Good game, Billy Harris. F*** you, anti-science, anti-intellectual, anti-common sense, anti-humanity policies. Good Game with Sarah Spain is an iHeart women's sports production in partnership with Deep Blue Sports and Entertainment. You can find us on the iHeart radio app app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your

podcasts. Production by Wonder Media Network. Our producers are Alex Azee and Misha Jones. Our executive producers are Christina Everett, Jesse Katz, Jenny Kaplan, and Emily Rudder. Our editors are Emily Rudder, Brittany Martinez, and Grace Lynch. Our associate producer is Lucy Jones. And I'm your host, Sarah Spain. Our associate producer is Lucy Jones and I'm your host, Sarah Spain. Hey, it's Bobby Bones. Join me and former NFL quarterback, Matt Castle. Every Wednesday for our new podcast, lots to say with Bobby Bones and Matt Castle. Between us, we have over 17,500 passing yards, multiple New York Times bestsellers

and one mirror ball trophy from Dancing with the Stars. So where else are you going to find a show with that much athleticism and football insight? passing yards, multiple New York Times bestsellers, and won Mirror Ball trophy from Dancing with a Star. So where else are you going to find a show with that much athleticism and football insight? We talk sports, but we talk pop culture and music and a little bit of everything. Listen to Lots to Say with Bobby Bones and Matt Castle on the iHeartRadio app, Apple podcast or wherever you get your podcasts. What's up everyone? Julie Swift Brinks here along with former NHL player Nate Thompson.

We're doing a new podcast together. Here we go The name energy line with Nate and JSB each week We'll get together and talk about hockey life. All topics are fair game, right? Exactly, and you'll never know who will drop by to join us Julie is pretty well connected She has text threads going that you wouldn't believe Listen to energy line with Nate and JSB on the iHeartRadio app, Apple podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts.

Dressing, dressing. Oh, French dressing. Exactly. Ha ha, oh, that's good. I'm AJ Jacobs and my current obsession is puzzles. And that has given birth to my podcast, The Puzzler. Something about Mary Poppins? Exactly. This is puzzles. And that has given birth to my podcast, The Puzzler. Something about Mary Poppins? Exactly.

This is fun. You can get your daily puzzle nuggets delivered straight to your ears. Listen to The Puzzler every day on the iHeartRadio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts. $1.4 billion in NFL quarterback contracts, the untold stories behind the biggest deals in football history. I'm A.J. Stevens, vice president of client strategy at Athletes First, introducing the Athletes First Family Podcast, the quarterback series.

My co-host, Brian Murphy, Athletes First CEO, and I are sitting down with the agents who have negotiated contracts for Justin Herbert, Deshaun Watson, Dak Prescott, Tula Tung of Ailoa, and Jordan Love. Listen to Athlete's First Family Podcast on the iHeartRadio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts.