Episodios

  • Top of the Key: Full Steam to the Olympics

    Top of the Key: Full Steam to the Olympics
    Jul 18 2024
    Grace and Thomas are back and there's a bunch to discuss. They begin with the injuries potentially threatening several Olympic players. Cameron Brink is already out, and Rhyne Howard and Napheesa Collier have injuries that seem somewhat serious. What would the procedure be, who would replace them, and does it even matter in the USWBNT's quest for an 8th straight gold medal? Next, they get into the state of the league at the break. The best team, and the top of the league's dominance. The mid-tier teams that will find a way into the playoffs most likely, and the bad teams that seem to have little hope of improving this season but are in a good position to get better soon. At least, most of them. Finally, they get into the All-Star Game and the surrounding festivities. With less than a week before the weekend there have been no announcements around the 3-Point Contest or the Skills Challenge, which feels like an own goal from a marketing perspective. They also discuss what they may do during the somewhat leaner Olympic period. There will still be basketball to discuss, but not quite as much. You can follow the podcast on Twitter/X @totkpod and email us at totkpodcast@gmail.com. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
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    55 m
  • Top of the Key: All-Star Reactions Live! (Almost)

    Top of the Key: All-Star Reactions Live! (Almost)
    Jul 5 2024
    Grace and Thomas are back with a week-ish of basketball news to discuss. They start by getting into the Commissioner's Cup game, which was won by the Minnesota Lynx 94-89. They break down what went right for the Lynx and wrong for the Liberty, and how this game showed the necessity for Nyara Sabally. Next, they break down the All-Star rosters just an hour after they were revealed. Team USA is the roster that was out a few weeks ago, but Team WNBA had some surprises, good and bad. The vote totals demonstrated how much growth the league has seen, but it still wasn't enough to get DiJonai Carrington or Ezi Magbegor in the mix. They also touch on what team might win based on the last time this format was used. And they briefly discuss where the next All-Star Game might occur. Finally, it's near the halfway point for most teams this season, so they do a heat check on four of the major awards. The MVP race feels locked up statistically at this point, but depending on team results there might be narratives at play. Rookie of the Year is way closer than most anticipated even a few weeks ago, with Angel Reese chasing history. Most Improved Player is a fascinating race because depending on how the voters define "improved" there are multiple different candidates. And Defensive Player of the Year is similar to the MVP race but Grace and Thomas make the case for guard defenders whose contributions aren't easily tracked on the stat sheet. You can follow the podcast on Twitter/X @totkpod and email us at totkpodcast@gmail.com. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
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    1 h y 9 m
  • Top of the Key: Three Weeks, Six Years

    Top of the Key: Three Weeks, Six Years
    Jun 26 2024
    The long hiatus is over, Grace and Thomas are back. They missed a lot in three weeks. They begin by doing a Caitlin Clark Discourse speed round, which turns into a discussion on how everyone needs to chill out and Clark needs to learn to better use her place of privilege to tamp down the bigotry seeping further into the women's basketball sphere as of late. Next, they dive into the latest developments in the Las Vegas Aces investigation. Outside law firms, changing stories, and fluid "facts" make this case confusing and shady. And the man at the center of all of it is doing a lot of talking without making a lot of sense. Finally, they get into some general league notes. The injuries around the league have been somewhat more serious of late, with Cameron Brink notably losing the rest of her season (and her first Olympics trip) to an ACL tear. They also discuss whether the Liberty are the best team in the league, and what's going on with the Aces on the court struggles. You can follow the podcast on Twitter/X @totkpod and email us at totkpodcast@gmail.com. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
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    1 h y 10 m
  • Top of the Key: Under Investigation

    Top of the Key: Under Investigation
    May 27 2024
    Grace and Thomas are back after a very busy first week of WNBA action. First, they get into the non-game news. Toronto has officially been named the 14th WNBA team, to begin in 2026, and in a way they're Canada's team. The league media rights are now back to looking like they will be bundled with the NBA rights. And the Aces are being investigated for suspected salary cap circumvention...again. Next, they get into the good stuff from this week. The Sun are off to a very hot start, in large part due to DiJonai Carrington and Alyssa Thomas. Napheesa Collier and Betnijah Laney-Hamilton both look like early awards contenders, and Sabrina Ionescu looks like she might have finally made the defensive leap she's needed for years. And the rookies are impressing, as well as the entirety of the Chicago Sky. Finally, they get into the not so good of the first week. The Fever and Mystics are off to tepid starts, and the condensed schedule is clearly having a negative trickle down, with fatigue setting in and injuries mounting and being more impactful. Also, Aaliyah Boston and Skylar Diggins-Smith have been uncharacteristically struggling so far. And the league is growing but it's leading to a lot of disingenuous chatter from people who don't pay attention and has led to a false narrative of a vendetta against Caitlin Clark. You can follow the podcast on Twitter/X @totkpod and email us at totkpodcast@gmail.com. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
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    1 h y 12 m
  • Top of the Key: Opening Day(s) 2024

    Top of the Key: Opening Day(s) 2024
    May 20 2024
    It's the first games of the WNBA season, and Grace and Thomas have so much to talk about. First, though, they cover the biggest non-game stories of the week. The upcoming Golden State expansion team finally has an identity, and Grace and Thomas are really into it. And the charter flights have started...kinda? It's definitely not the best or most organized rollout, but it is the most Cathy Engelbert rollout. Next they start getting into the first games for every team. They both watched the entirety of the Liberty/Mystics game, and as such they have a lot of thoughts on it. They discuss some positives and some negatives (that don't seem to be too long lasting, in one case at least). Next the Fever/Sun game, the incredible defense of DiJonai Carrington and the incredible offense of basically everyone on the Sun. And the Lynx Storm game, where they see a lot of similarities to the Liberty's start last year and why superteams built this way need time to gel. Finally, they get into the other three games. First, the Mercury/Aces game, and what the concerns are for the Mercury (and there are a few), and what the concerns are not for the Aces. Then the games from the second day, starting with a closer than initially thought Sky/Wings game, and how the Sky may not be good but they will be annoying. They end with the Dream/Sparks game and the comeback of a Liberty legend (legitimate) . You can follow the podcast on Twitter/X @totkpod and email us at totkpodcast@gmail.com. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
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    1 h y 12 m
  • Top of the Key: LOLCathy

    Top of the Key: LOLCathy
    May 12 2024
    Grace and Thomas are back to cover an unexpectedly eventful week of WNBA news. First they get into some Aces roster moves, in a segment that was supposed to be about more than just the Aces but when discussing the recent Jackie Young contract extension ended up evolving into salary cap and CBA discussions (as it is often wont to do with that subject). Next, some of the other preseason moves and news gets its spotlight. The Chicago Sky have two major injuries to draft picks. The Wings and Dream made a trade as well as the Mystics and the Sun, both of which make sense for the respective teams. And Marine Johannes is no longer under contract with a French basketball team, which makes her path forward in the WNBA in coming years a little clearer. Finally, there was some pretty seismic news from beyond the roster limits of the twelve WNBA teams. The new Golden State team announced their GM, Ohemaa Nyanin, who was last in the New York LIberty front office as an assistant GM. And then the surprise of the week was Cathy Engelbert announcing within a week of the season's start that they would be phasing in charter airfare for the entire league with no limits. It happened in pretty typical Cathy fashion so obviously there was a LOT to discuss. You can follow the podcast on Twitter/X @totkpod and email us at totkpodcast@gmail.com. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
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    57 m
  • Top of the Key: Candace Parker Rookie of the Year Award

    Top of the Key: Candace Parker Rookie of the Year Award
    May 6 2024
    Grace and Thomas are back with a packed episode. First, they discuss the stunning announcement this week of Candace Parker's retirement. They discuss her legacy, the way that the teams she's played for and the league at large should grapple with and celebrate her immense legacy, and the position this might leave the Aces in, having to fill massive shoes like that on the fly. Next, they begin season previews for each team. They start with the Eastern conference, discussing Atlanta's team make-up post Jordin Canada's injury, the Chicago Sky's highs and lows, and the Connecticut Sun's high return rate. They also get into what the Liberty may be looking for in their 11th (and in the coming months, 12th) roster spot, the backend of the Fever's roster, and the Mystics interesting position within the league this year. In the final segment they do season previews for the Western Conference. They begin with the Dallas Wings and their continuing flaws, the Aces and their continuing near-flawless construction, and the Sparks' baffling roster that is somehow second in the league in cap allocation. They also get into the Lynx's continuing improvements, the Mercury's odd roster build, and the Storm's quick, impressive rebuild. You can follow the podcast on Twitter/X @totkpod and email us at totkpodcast@gmail.com. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
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    1 h y 4 m
  • Top of the Key: Nothing Much To Discuss

    Top of the Key: Nothing Much To Discuss
    Apr 29 2024
    Grace and Thomas are back with another episode! It's the last episode before training camps begin, so there's a relative lack of news. The Atlanta Dream and Dallas Wings each sold out their allotments of season tickets, making them the second and third teams to do so, after the Las Vegas Aces earlier in the offseason. The WIngs will also be moving arenas to be closer to the heart of downtown Dallas, a good move both for fans and the team. Epiphanny Prince retired and joined the New York Liberty front office, and Sue Bird joined the Seattle Storm ownership group. Then, they get into some draft aftermath. First, the Lynx made a statement about their long standing interest in Alissa Pili that makes Chicago Sky's side in their draft pick swap look...less good. Caitlin Clark got a large shoe deal from Nike and Grace and Thomas discuss how good it is for the sport, who should be next (both players and brands), and briefly touch on the definition of marketability in regards to the WNBA. Finally, they touch on the little college news they've gotten. Hailey Van Lith has not actually committed to TCU or any school, Kiki Iriafen and Raegan Beers seem to be narrowing down their decisions. They also looked ahead at possible players in the 2025 WNBA Draft. It's never too early! You can follow the podcast on Twitter/X @totkpod and email us at totkpodcast@gmail.com. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
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    50 m