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Willard and Dobs continue to react to the Valkyries championship and discuss how they pulled this off in just their second season of existence.
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00:00WNBA champs, the Golden State Valkyries, in year two.
00:03I mean, what are we talking about?
00:05So, what was your experience?
00:07How did this hit you?
00:09Can we get some stories of what you were doing on Saturday night?
00:13And, yes, a special invite to those of you who might be new to the whole, like, sports radio thing.
00:20Because we're talking about a team that is not part of the big three that takes up 90% of
00:27our year.
00:29So, let's go to, let's start with Ed and Benicia.
00:34Hi, Ed.
00:34What's going on, man?
00:37Hey, how you doing, Mark?
00:39What's up, Ed?
00:41Yeah, you asked the question about where were we.
00:45My wife and my daughter, we were driving back from Southern California trying to hurry to get back to the
00:51house to be able to see the game.
00:52And we made it, you know, about an hour and 15 minutes before the game started.
00:56But that allowed me to see the pregame.
01:00And when I saw the Atlanta coach talk to his team before the game, I said, the dreamer in trouble.
01:06It was uninspiring.
01:07The coach from Atlanta was uninspiring before the game.
01:11The players weren't even looking at him before the game started.
01:14So, that's the first thing I know.
01:15But the second thing is, my first opportunity to see the Valkyries in person was just like what you said,
01:22Mark.
01:23The team played and they lost.
01:25And the fans gave them a standing ovation.
01:28I've never seen that before in my life.
01:30So, I feel like, you know, when I think about what makes the Valkyries different compared to all of the
01:36other teams in the Bay,
01:37they have a spirit, the Valhalla has a spirit that we love you no matter what.
01:44And I've never seen that before in sports.
01:47This is the fan base for the Golden State Valkyries.
01:51They give them love, whether they win or lose.
01:54They're in it no matter what.
01:57So, I don't think that going forward, that spirit is going to change.
02:01Then when you throw in the rappers, too short, his anthem, gets played in every game.
02:08I mentioned earlier when I called in on the earlier show, the fact that they decided to have their own
02:16color scheme
02:16compared to the Blue and Gold of the Warriors, I think, was a brilliant move.
02:21I think Jeff Smith is in charge of the business side.
02:24And I'm sure she has some involvement with the color scheme.
02:27But the fact that they're the only professional team across sports with Violet as their primary color, it separates them.
02:37When you see it on TV, it's beautiful.
02:40It's different.
02:41And then when you add the fact that this is really, really a celebration for women in general and also
02:47the LGBT community as well.
02:50Violet is one of their colors.
02:52Now, I'm not part of the demographics.
02:54I'm too old for that.
02:56But I'm on board completely with the Valkyries.
02:58I'll be at the celebration, the parade on Wednesday.
03:04And, you know, I got an area in my house, in the garage, where it pays homage to the Warriors,
03:09the Giants, and also the A's.
03:13My walls are sold out, but I got to move somebody.
03:16That makes some room, Ed.
03:18Ed, that's a great call, man.
03:20And thank you and enjoy the parade on Wednesday, 888-957-9570.
03:25I think what he's talking about, for me, and like, listen, we're going to talk about the game.
03:31We are talking about the game.
03:32We're talking about the experience.
03:34But for me, that is actually maybe even the number one takeaway in all of this, which is that it
03:41is a completely different experience.
03:44And I am not under the impression at all that that is going to bleed into some of the other
03:50sports that people have been following for 50, 60, 70 years or anything.
03:55But I do wish it would a little bit.
03:58The lack of cynicism, the lack of anger, when a group is doing a good job, you notice it.
04:06But that doesn't mean you win every time.
04:10It doesn't mean that every decision is right.
04:12It doesn't mean that every pick and every signing and every shot, it doesn't mean that it's always right.
04:19But you just notice you're impressed by what is done well, and then you just stay there.
04:25You stay there, and it's a supportive environment.
04:29And I love that.
04:32I love that about this particular experience.
04:35And part of it is that they're only a year and a half old.
04:37I get it.
04:37But I'm with Ed.
04:40I don't think it's actually going to change anytime soon.
04:42And I think it's the nature of, you know, having it be women's sports and having more women being fans
04:48than men.
04:48Because in general, women are much less likely to go out there and rip a product like that.
04:55And so you see the product, and it's great.
04:57And he's right about the color scheme.
04:58And I heard his call earlier with Stiney and Evan talking about, you know, the nature of the color scheme
05:04and how it was brilliant to do something different.
05:06And I do think that the color itself is very, you know, leaning toward women where it's a light purple
05:12as opposed to, you know, blue and gold, whatever.
05:14It could be conceived to be more masculine.
05:17But the scheme, the branding, all of it, that's all fine and good.
05:21And even if they don't go out there and win right away, which they did last year, they won.
05:26They made the playoffs.
05:27And then now they've won the title.
05:28Even if they didn't, I still think that the fan base would be much more tolerant as opposed to, you
05:33know, football, baseball, basketball, even hockey,
05:36where you're much more prone to be somebody who's going to be critical.
05:39Well, and it does, I mean, it's all, it is also easier to stay on the positive side when you're
05:44like, I can look at the whole operation from the Valkyries.
05:48The way this was born, the player decisions that they've made, we're talking about color schemes, presentation, all of it.
05:59I can't find anything that wasn't done right.
06:04And I can't find, like, they've done a good job with everything.
06:07How the hell else do you win year two?
06:09What are we doing?
06:11You're like, I still say that out loud.
06:14And you're like, there's no way.
06:15Right.
06:16There's no way.
06:16They won the whole thing in the second year.
06:19And I, you know, I know, I know there's not 30 teams, 32 teams, but still, like, there's just, they
06:25have done almost everything, if not everything.
06:28They've done it at least with the right approach, the right idea, and the right execution.
06:34It's very, very impressive.
06:36And you had Joe Lacob on with Stiney and Evan earlier today, and, you know, they kind of were, you
06:40know, picking his brain about all those things.
06:42Like, how did you do it and this and that?
06:44And you go out there and you find a good GM, and you and I both were critical of Ohema
06:49when she came out.
06:50And, you know, she talked about how she was exhausted.
06:53And, you know, you had a first-round pick, and you sent that pick away, and you got back a
06:58player that you then cut, and you got a future second-round pick, and it didn't make sense.
07:02And the way she came out in her first real appearance at the podium for this season, we both were
07:08kind of, you know, scratching our head like, that's not what we're normally used to.
07:11And you got a head coach who is absolutely ferocious, and yet you go out there in year two, and
07:16you keep winning, and you grab the number two seed and all the rest of it.
07:19And so it becomes really impressive when you look back at it, even more so knowing that this is year
07:25two.
07:25Let's keep hearing some more stories.
07:26888-957-9570.
07:28Maggie in the city.
07:29Hi, Maggie.
07:30Thanks for calling in.
07:31What's up?
07:33Hi, guys.
07:34Thanks for taking my call.
07:35Yeah.
07:35I was at the game, Section 22, under the basket, have had season tickets for both years.
07:41I played basketball in the 1960s and 70s and could have dreamed that a woman could earn a living playing
07:47the game that I love.
07:49So I've had a blast.
07:52I would say defense, defense, defense.
07:56It was old school.
07:57I remember learning playing defense like that.
08:00And I think Kia Stokes should be runner-up for MVP, the way she blocked out under that basket, got
08:07the rebounds, blocked shots at key times, and was chill as could be.
08:12So it was so exciting to be there and be a part of it.
08:15Maggie, I'm glad you had such a great time, and I think your observations, thank you, Maggie, are awesome.
08:20Because, look, I know that this, in the late first quarter, second quarter, started looking like it was headed the
08:27dream's way.
08:29But I felt very, very confident the second that we turned the game on, and I think it was 8
08:37-0, Valkyries.
08:38Yep.
08:38And what they were making Atlanta do to get shots, I was like, that's going to play.
08:47That's going to last.
08:48And that's going, like, I know Gabby's going to get all the attention for the fourth quarter shooting, and she
08:54deserves it.
08:55But also, the lack of shot-making from Atlanta in the second half had a lot to do with what
09:02was happening in the first half.
09:04The defensive intensity that this team hit the floor with.
09:08This is why, first of all, I can just say they're a very well-coached group.
09:13And then they deserve credit on an individual basis for whatever was said to them and whatever process they used.
09:21They summoned that motivation.
09:22They summoned the energy.
09:24The defensive intensity they started the game with.
09:27I'm like, I don't know if Atlanta's going to score in the first quarter.
09:33I mean, the first quarter's halfway over.
09:35They haven't scored yet.
09:36Right.
09:36Zero.
09:37It was 8-0, like, five minutes in.
09:39Yeah.
09:39I'm like, oh, my goodness.
09:41And that helped them.
09:42That, like, the tone that they set at the beginning helped them in the end.
09:46No doubt.
09:46And I'm just looking at the play-by-play.
09:48And the first possessions for Atlanta, it was turnover, block shot, block shot.
09:53And you get all the way into about the five-minute mark where they finally called timeout.
09:57And they're down 8-0.
09:58And I'm thinking, man, thank God I bet the under.
10:01And I hope people were listening to me fade the dibber.
10:04Like, the under was an absolute lock.
10:06It was easy.
10:07But even at that, like, they're up 8-0.
10:09And yet, somehow, the Valkyries went through their own drought of not being able to score.
10:13And so, that's where I was thinking, you know, they might lose this game 50-49,
10:18which would be a shame because the defense was so good.
10:21Yeah.
10:21They were incredible.
10:23And Kelsey was on my phone trying all night.
10:28You want to trade out?
10:29I'm like, no.
10:30No.
10:31I'm getting every penny of this sucker.
10:33This is an ottoman play.
10:36Absolute ottoman.
10:37How about Ray in the East Bay?
10:39Ray, thanks for calling us, man.
10:41What's going on?
10:43Hey, guys.
10:44I haven't called the radio station in a long time.
10:46I'm glad you guys are talking about it.
10:48I was there season ticket since day one.
10:52I think you guys hit it on a nail.
10:54It was just female sports.
10:57It's about time.
10:57It's way over doing the Bay Area.
11:00I just wanted to make something really – I just wanted to make a point I'm not sure if you
11:04guys have made yet.
11:05But we did start off just wanting to celebrate, just wanting to support, just wanting to let them start our
11:13journey with this team
11:16and go through the downs and the lows.
11:18We were just – everybody in my section and everywhere else was just ready to do that.
11:23And it was a crazy surprise how good they were.
11:26And then it went from just – it went from just being supportive to basketball.
11:33We can't lose the basketball part of this.
11:36Every person in that stadium knows all those players' strengths, their weaknesses, what they can do well, what we need.
11:43And the Valkyries are not a perfect team.
11:47They're the worst third-quarter team.
11:49They go – they have a hard time scoring sometimes.
11:52It is not something that's pretty to watch all the time.
11:55But they hang their hat on team togetherness and playing hard defense.
12:01I would say everybody in the stadium would be lying to you if they said they thought we was going
12:05to get past the Aces.
12:07So, you know, we were still nervous.
12:09Everybody was still biting their fingers.
12:12They thought this could fall apart at any time.
12:14And for them to do it and pull it off the way they did it, there's nothing like it.
12:19There'll never be nothing like it.
12:20It wasn't just happy, jolly feelings.
12:24Everybody in that stadium is invested.
12:26And from day one, happily surprised.
12:29We know basketball, all those people in there, it's a once-in-a-lifetime thing.
12:36And I hope they just keep winning.
12:38And I can't even explain to you how crazy it was.
12:42It was – it's right on the money off, everything going, like you said, the right way.
12:47Getting a perfect job, getting overpaid, work with people you love.
12:51And you're just like, this is awesome.
12:53And that's what – that's what that was.
12:55Ray, that's a great call, man.
12:57You know – thank you, Ray.
12:59You know where my mind goes when Ray says all that?
13:01There is a little bit with this Valkyries team that reminds me of what we came to know as torture
13:08for the 2010 Giants.
13:09It's not a perfect team.
13:11It's not a we're going to come out – you know, it's not Kevin Durant's Warriors where we're just like
13:16we're going to crush you,
13:17which is even more amazing that it's only year two.
13:21They did not – I don't even think they've had a chance to.
13:23How could they this quickly build a team that would physically overwhelm opponents,
13:29which is why coaching comes into play.
13:32It's why strategy comes into play.
13:35That San Francisco Giants team in 2010, there were a lot of nights we were just praying for a run.
13:40Can somebody give Matt Cain a freaking run?
13:43And they went out there with pitching, and then what did they do?
13:47It was timely stuff, right?
13:49Cliff Lee's on the mound, and the whole baseball world's like, well, you can't hit Cliff Lee.
13:53You can't beat – you can't beat Cliff Lee.
13:55And then they scored ten runs that night because, you know,
13:59Juan Uribe got a hold of one off of a lefty reliever.
14:02Like, the timing of it, same thing with this Valkyries squad.
14:06How many times just in this series alone were you like, oh, okay.
14:10You know what I mean?
14:11They're down two games to one on the road on a Saturday afternoon in Atlanta,
14:16and you're thinking, oh, probably not.
14:19And then they would summon it, and the timing would be there.
14:22Same thing in game seven.
14:23Same thing when you're – okay, like, Atlanta wins game six,
14:28and now they kind of took that defensive effort off the top of the game,
14:32and they're getting a lead, and it looks like it's going to be a six- or seven-point lead,
14:35and you're like, where are we going to get the points to come back from this?
14:38And the timing of that Gabby flurry was just – it was just perfect.
14:45This is perfect.
14:46That's the stuff the championships are made of.
14:48Yeah, and even like we talked about the opening where you're up 8-0,
14:51and, you know, the dream can't score, and your defense has been so sturdy.
14:55You end the quarter, and you're up 14-12.
14:57So even at that, your defense was so good, and you would think, you know what,
15:02we should probably be up 26-12, but offensively they couldn't score either.
15:06So the whole thing was going to be a rock fight,
15:08which is what Steve Kerr told us last week when we actually got his thoughts about the game,
15:12and that's what it turned out to be.
15:13Yeah, no doubt about it.
15:14All right, 888-957-9570 is the number.
15:21Steve Burton, Veronica Burton's dad, who is also a broadcaster,
15:26is going to join us in about 45 minutes.
15:29So we're definitely looking forward to that.
15:32We'll keep taking your phone calls.
15:34And, again, special invite to those of you who might be kind of doing the sports radio thing
15:41for the first time or it's rare for you.
15:44Ladies, what did this mean to you if you're just kind of only a Valkyries fan
15:49and maybe not that big on some of the other teams that we cover?
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