Good Game with Sarah Spain

The Athletic staff writer Steph Yang joins Sarah to talk about the USWNT winning gold, reports of a new NWSL CBA and San Diego hiring Landon Donovan as interim head coach. Plus, the return of No Dumb Questions, we ride a rollercoaster with a USWNT legend, and producer Alex goes on a field trip!  Follow Steph Yang on X here Bookmark The Athletic's women's soccer hub here Listen to Full Time with Me...

Indiana Fever beat reporter Chloe Peterson of the IndyStar joins Sarah to talk about the Fever’s ascent, how Caitlin Clark has been used to fuel culture wars, and the moment Chloe realized that Clark was a big deal. Plus, Becky Hammon responds to Dearica Hamby’s lawsuit, A’ja Wilson and Bam Adebayo’s soft launch, and we celebrate some sold out soccer. Read more about Dearica Hamby’s lawsuit here  ...

Sarah turns [redacted]! And, producer Mish hops in the mix to dish on the first week of WNBA action post-Olympic break, including why Caitlin Clark and the Indiana Fever might ruin a team’s season come playoff time. Plus, some TOP TIER “sportsmanship,” a “What The Fact” that shows how much work needs to be done before we achieve equity in coaching, and a team of footballers worthy of entry into th...

It’s a jam-packed episode, y’all. Olympic 100m hurdles gold medalist Masai Russell tells Sarah about why she’s working out just days after winning in Paris, the DMV’s secret sauce and how her failures helped her reach the top of the sports world. Plus, former pro cyclist and forever activist Kathryn Bertine discusses the history of the Tour de France Femmes and why equality in cycling is still a l...

Reporters Erica L. Ayala and Lindsay Schnell just left Paris and have stories to tell about witnessing USA Basketball's quest for an eighth straight gold medal. Plus, a potential status upgrade for the runner-ups of the world and a “Fight Me!” featuring non-basketball athletes who would shine in a game of 3-on-3. Check out the full WNBA Schedule here ! Phoenix Mercury @ Chicago Sky, 8pm ET on Prim...

Khristina Williams, host of “In Case You Missed It with Khristina Williams,” joins to preview the second half of the WNBA season. Plus, everyone watches women’s sports (duh), an explanation of why the Paralympics require patience, and a primer on a new pro women’s soccer league. Listen to “In Case You Missed It with Khristina Williams” here Check out the bronze clock necklace Flavor Flav made for...

The Paris Olympics were a wild ride! They might be over but stay strapped in, cause we’re giving you our Olympic highs and lows, info on how to keep watching your favorite women athletes from the Games, and a *teensy-weensy* dose of Sarah’s inner ugly American. The story we mentioned about UNC soccer can be found  here   The 2024 WNBA schedule is  here The 2024 NWSL schedule is  here Athletes Unli...

The Paris Olympics concluded with plenty of drama and last-minute heroics—we’re here to unpack it all, from USA Basketball’s gold medal slugfest to Emma Hayes making USWNT captain Lindsey Horan cry. Plus, a full breakdown of the gymnastics drama surrounding Jordan Chiles’ bronze medal and some Olympic history that even producer Alex didn’t know! Read more about the history of the Tour de France Fe...

Start your weekend early by indulging in a charcuterie board of Olympic stories! As the Paris Games wind down, we feast on the U.S. basketball dynasty, nibble at the breaking competition and feed you a wrestling story you need to know. Plus, statues you wanna see and astronauts we wanna rescue. Submit your suggestion for the Toronto WNBA team name  here Check out Angel Reese’s Reebok collection  h...

Former USWNT soccer stars Sam Mewis and Becky Sauerbrunn join Sarah to talk post-match eats, the Emma Hayes era, and preview the USA v. Brazil gold medal match. Plus, a Whopper with a side of gold (extra salt) and proof that when one person cheats, everybody loses. Check out the hilarious social media trend from the top of the show here ! Listen to Sam Mewis's podcast, "The Women's Game" here. Mak...

Rose Eveleth, host of the Tested podcast, joins Sarah to gender verification testing in track and field, how efforts to achieve fairness exclude some women from competing, the boxing controversy in these Olympics and how sports are wrestling with human sex not being binary. Plus, a reminder to turn in your homework and a USWNT moment that has the show reimagining international soccer’s Golden Boot...

Sarah gets perspective on Olympic pressure from someone who knows it well but isn’t currently enduring it, American cross-country skier and Winter Games gold medalist Jessie Diggins. Diggins talks watching versus competing, the post-Olympic letdown, and how society reacts to athlete emotions. Plus, a USWNT v. Germany soccer preview, the results of our Chicago-style vote on listener names, and we h...

In this episode, Sarah gives flowers to medaling Olympians from smaller countries and shouts out her fellow "olds." Plus, producer Alex answers your burning Olympic questions, we consider how drag queens could get more involved at the Olympics and a marble-ous “Yes, And!” you shouldn't take for granite.  Check out Sierra Rooney’s study on monuments to historical women  here ! Check out Diana Mosko...

Ari Saperstein, host of the gymnastics podcast, Blind Landing, joins Sarah to talk about the individual all-around final, Simone Biles’ greatness and his list of athletes to watch in this weekend’s apparatus finals. Plus, Olympic boxing blows up the internet and all the Paris tea you can handle. Vote on our listener names! Here’s the link to make your voice heard! Listen to Ari’s podcast, Blind La...

In this episode, Around the Horn producer Josh Bard and Kelaine Conochan, an ultramarathoner and VP of global sales for Legends, join Sarah for another edition of Group Chat! The trio discusses what *still* needs to change in women’s sports coverage, respond to a listener email and talk USA 3x3’s bumpy Olympic start. Plus, a "Fight Me!" featuring Olympic athletes they'd like to see star in a featu...

Ahead of their Olympic debut, 1500-meter runner Nikki Hiltz joins Sarah to talk about how their TikTok algorithm knew their identity before they did, how they’ve prioritized their mental health, what being nonbinary and trans means to them and trying to meet people in the middle. Plus, a show correction sends Sarah into timeout.  Leave us a voicemail about your favorite memory of watching the Olym...

Sheryl Swoopes, one of basketball’s greatest players EVER, joins Sarah to talk about her early stardom, playing while parenting, Athletes Unlimited Basketball, the growth of the WNBA and her response when opinions about Caitlin Clark devolved into personal attacks. Plus, a What The Fact that will enrage you and an Olympic basketball Good Game, Good Game, Fact You that'll blow your mind!  Follow Sh...

CBC Sports senior contributor Shireen Ahmed joins Sarah to give a lowdown on the drone-driven spy scandal overshadowing Canadian soccer. Plus, producer Alex Azzi shares some Olympic factoids that are guaranteed to impress your friends, so long as your friends are also Olympic nerds. What Olympic questions do you have? Try to stump producer Alex. Reach out to Alex on X @ByAlexAzzi or leave us a voi...

Maggie Steffens -- widely regarded as the best water polo player in the world(!) -- joins Sarah to set the record straight on how tough her sport is (spoiler alert: they CAN'T touch the bottom of the pool), team hype man Flavor Flav, and how seeing Taylor Swift helped Team USA prepare for the Olympics.  Watch Maggie compete in Paris! The full U.S. women's water polo schedule can be viewed here   ...

Reporter AJ McCord joins Sarah to discuss her new podcast, The PowHERful, highlighting Olympic and Paralympic athletes, plus the history of women’s surfing in Tahiti and the logistical challenges and thrills of reporting from the middle of the ocean.  Sarah snuck an easter egg into every show so far – *8 shows, *8 eggs -- did you catch them? Send the overall theme & three examples from shows t...

Comedians Erin Foley and Morgan Murphy join Sarah for the first edition of Group Chat! They discuss the growing enthusiasm for women’s sports, all the exes they ran into at WNBA All Star, and more. Plus, it’s time to square up for a segment we like to call… Fight Me! If you think Erin Foley and Morgan Murphy are funny (we sure do), check out their stand up sets! Follow Erin on social: @ErinFoleyCo...

USWNT legend Abby Wambach joins Sarah to talk about her expectations for the current U.S. soccer team and head coach Emma Hayes at the Paris Olympics. She also discusses why fearlessness is necessary to perform in big moments, and the time in her own career when she felt like the worst player on the team. Listen to “In Case You Missed It with Khristina Williams,” the newest podcast from iHeart Wom...

Sarah talks to U.S. Women’s National Team soccer player Tierna Davidson about new coach Emma Hayes, journaling before games, the private and public handling of teammate Korbin Albert and more. Plus, a What The Fact about Olympic softball you won’t soon forget! To make sure you’re registered and ready to vote in this year’s presidential election, check out rockthevote.org/teamw/ Who are you followi...

Hi! We missed you. Was your weekend awesome? Our weekend was awesome. In this episode, we give you the rundown on FOUR (!!!!) different historic performances at WNBA All-Star in Phoenix, the women’s basketball legends who got their well-deserved flowers, and what it was like for Sarah and producer Misha to meet IRL for the first time! Check out the trailer for In Case You Missed it with Khristina...

Happy Friday, folks! In this episode, Sue Bird joins Sarah on the pod to talk about the challenges of being in control of her own schedule, the moment she first felt “old,” and who she’d pick as Rookie of the Year halfway through the WNBA season. Watch a few of Ticha Penicheiro’s top assists, courtesy of this WNBA highlight: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ieAs4eHps5Y   Want to see what the Phoeni...