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00:00We got Valkyries action coming up at 4.30 today against the Washington Mystics.
00:06You can hear the whole thing on our dedicated Valkyries channel on the free Odyssey app.
00:13Just go on there and search Valkyries, and then bang, you'll be able to tune into the game.
00:20But along those lines, a couple of things that we would like to unveil right now
00:25on Willard and Dibbs here on 95.7 The Game.
00:28All right.
00:28First of which is our brand spanking shiny new weekly Valkyries superfan correspondent.
00:38This person is tapped in to the fandom of the Valkyries like no other.
00:44We hope that you've heard of him.
00:46He goes by the name Brandon Pajemski, Valkyries superfan and correspondent joining us here on Willard and Dibbs.
00:55Brandon, you there?
00:56Yes, I am.
00:59What's going on, man?
01:01Nothing.
01:02Just chilling.
01:03Get ready for this game tonight.
01:05All right.
01:05And then the other thing that we're going to see, you guys let me know when it pops and we're ready to rock.
01:11But we are going to have Brandon Pajemski not only on the air, but on the YouTube stream.
01:19Pods is on the tube?
01:20That's right.
01:21So not only do you get to hear pods, superfan correspondent Valkyries, but if you get over to YouTube right now,
01:28youtube.com slash 95.7 The Game, you can see pods on the stream.
01:33So, pods, I hope you brushed the hair.
01:34Yeah, curls are looking good.
01:39Always.
01:40The curls are always popping.
01:41Hey, man, what's kind of just your overall view of the way this season has gone?
01:46I loved a lot of the players saying, this is not a surprise to us,
01:50even though it's kind of a surprise to everybody else that they're playing this well, this fast.
01:55What do you think?
01:57I mean, it's definitely super impressive.
01:59I know that the last expansion team, I think, was the Chicago Sky, and they only won, I think, four or five games.
02:06And for us to be triple that right now is really impressive.
02:10Natalie and the staff have done a great job.
02:12But I think all the players are just using this as an opportunity to showcase to the rest of the league what they can do.
02:20A lot of them didn't have those same opportunities with their previous teams.
02:24And so they're just, you know, taking advantage of an opportunity.
02:27You've been so front and center, and it's been awesome to see.
02:30I was just wondering if this is a new experience for you, or are you kind of an OG when it comes to women's basketball?
02:36I wouldn't say I'm an OG, but I definitely follow it, just because, you know, playing basketball in the offseason,
02:44there's only so much you can watch.
02:45It really comes down to baseball and women's hoops.
02:49And so I kind of just fell into it coincidentally.
02:53But I've enjoyed it.
02:54I think I've been watching it for like five, six years now.
02:57And so it's been an enjoyment.
02:59And now that we have, you know, basketball in the Bay year-round, it's really cool to be a part of.
03:03No doubt.
03:04So super fan correspondent.
03:05He's always right there in the front row, rocking every single game, just about.
03:10That's Brandon Pajemski joining us here on Weatherton-Tibs, 95-7 the game.
03:14Brandon, I really dig this aspect of their story.
03:17Not that she got hurt, but the fact that they've still held it together.
03:21Kayla Thornton goes out with a season-ending injury, and the team is still able to hold it together.
03:29How does a team do that when essentially their best player goes out?
03:33I mean, you got to try to do it by committee.
03:37Everybody has to step up a little bit.
03:40You can't just put it on one person's shoulders to do more.
03:43Everybody's doing a lot collectively.
03:44So I think that's just what the mindset has been.
03:48But they're a team that finds different ways to win every night.
03:54And I think, you know, we hang our hat on the defensive end.
03:57And I think even though KT has been out, you know, we've done a great job of, you know, weathering the storm, per se, and finding ways to win.
04:05But how much does the atmosphere at Valhalla help this team?
04:0910-5 at home, and, you know, you're front and center, and you've got 18,000 of your closest friends right behind you.
04:15How much does that atmosphere help this team have a real home court advantage?
04:20Nah, it's electric.
04:22It's definitely something that I love being a part of.
04:26The noise in there is a different type of noise than what we have with our games.
04:32It almost feels louder most of the time.
04:36But it's really cool to see, you know, I think we have 15 home games so far, and we've had all sellouts, all 15.
04:42So just to see the support that the Valkyries are getting in year one is just really impressive.
04:47By the way, I want to remind everybody again, Brandon is not just speaking to us over the air.
04:51He is also visible on YouTube.
04:54If you want to go check out our YouTube stream, you'll see Brandon there.
04:57By the way, where are you sitting, man?
04:58You look like you're sitting in the backyard just hanging out somewhere.
05:02Yeah, I'm in Orlando.
05:04I'm just, you know, doing a bunch of my workouts this summer here in Orlando.
05:09So I'm just outside enjoying the weather.
05:13Looking good, man.
05:14Looking good.
05:15Well, I think that's how it works.
05:17I want to go back to the statement you just made, though, with regard to sort of the energy in the building for Valkyries.
05:24And how you said it almost sounds even a little bit louder for their games than it does for yours, right?
05:31It's a little bit of a different audience, different vibe, and different time in each team's history.
05:36But how would you compare the way it feels to be on the floor for the Warriors versus in the seats for the Valkyries?
05:43I think as a player, you're so in tune and locked in in the game.
05:48A lot of people don't know, like, when you're playing the game, you don't really feel how loud it is.
05:55And you don't really see many people in the crowd just because of how the lights are.
06:00And you're so locked in on what you're trying to accomplish.
06:02You don't really feel the noise.
06:04You're just trying to keen in on you and your teammates.
06:07But as a fan, when you get to really, you know, sit back and not have to worry about anything on the floor and you can just, you know, be a fan, you can tell the noise is different.
06:16Obviously, the crowd is very much different.
06:19Valkyries games are more, you know, family oriented.
06:21You see a lot of mom, dad and kids.
06:24Where our games, it's usually not as much of that.
06:29So the audience is different.
06:30And you know how kids are.
06:32They hear other kids cheering, so they just want to cheer even if they don't really know what's going on.
06:36So that brings in more noise, you know, as that is, too.
06:40And so it's definitely different.
06:42But the product they've produced has been really, you know, amazing for me, at least.
06:46Now, it's fun for all of us to watch.
06:48And we start to lock in on every game.
06:51And one thing that has struck me is the physicality of the league.
06:54And you're right there courtside.
06:55And you're seeing a lot of it, and the players have had their complaints with the officiating.
07:00What do you make of just how physical this game is and how they're trying to rein it in?
07:06Yeah, I mean, I love it.
07:08I love the intensity that all the ladies across the league bring.
07:11But like I said before, we especially hang our hat on defense.
07:15And, you know, to see, you know, Veronica and KT when she was out there really being point of attack.
07:20And, you know, just upping the intensity and the physicality and setting the tone and, you know,
07:24really making a statement like this is who we are, I think it's important, especially as a new team in the league
07:29and especially a team that's trying to make the playoffs.
07:32He is our new, shiny, Valkyries superfan correspondent, Brandon Pajemski, here on Willard & Dibs, 95-7 the game.
07:41Hey, I don't want to get ahead of ourselves, but assuming the Valks are able to make it into the playoffs,
07:47they're in a slot right now, the first round, because a lot of people, as you know,
07:51there's a lot of education around WNBA for Bay Area fans.
07:54The first round of the WNBA playoffs is a little unique or quirky.
07:59It's a three-game series with the better seed hosting the first two.
08:05So if the Valkyries were able to go on the road and win one of the first two,
08:09that would set up kind of a do-or-die advance situation at Chase Center.
08:15What do you think about that setup and who it kind of benefits, the lower or the higher seed?
08:22I think, honestly, it benefits the lower seed, at least in my opinion, how I would look at it,
08:28just because, you know, all you have to do is sneak one.
08:31Like, you ain't supposed to win.
08:33And so if you're able to just sneak one, now it puts, you know, the higher seed,
08:36not at a disadvantage, but pressure on them, like, okay, they just stole one at our place.
08:40Now we have to win game three or we're going to lose a series.
08:43So I think it benefits the lower seed.
08:46And obviously we probably are going to be, you know, five through eight, just reality.
08:52And so I think it helps us because I know we can win on the road
08:55and I know we can especially win at home.
08:58Is that the mentality you guys took into Houston?
09:00I know it's best of seven, a little different, but just, you know,
09:03the idea of get a split and get control.
09:06And so as you look at a possible Valkyries series,
09:08it's really the same mentality you guys had going to Houston.
09:13Yeah, I think, you know, both Houston and Minnesota,
09:16both being on the road to start the series,
09:19our goal was just to get one out of two.
09:21Obviously in Houston, we were able to get both at home, which would help us.
09:25But it was just trying to get one out of two.
09:27We got game one both times.
09:29And so I think that could be a similar mindset for the Valkyries.
09:32Just try to get one.
09:34Obviously if you get the first one, it makes the second one a little bit easier, per se.
09:39You don't put as much pressure on trying to get that one.
09:42But yeah, it doesn't matter where you're at.
09:43You just try to get one.
09:45My man, did it just start to rain out there in Orlando?
09:49Yeah, it's crazy now.
09:52Yep, there's Florida for you.
09:55Pods has moved inside.
09:56Brandon Pajemski with us here on Willard and Dibs.
09:59Hey, I want to ask you about Tiffany Hayes.
10:01She has a career mark, right?
10:02She passes Cheryl Swoops on the all-time WNBA scoring list.
10:07I wanted to let you comment on that.
10:08What do you think that says about Tiffany's career as a whole?
10:12I think it's just, oh my God, lightning.
10:16I think it's amazing just what she's been able to do.
10:20I think she's been in the league, you know, over a decade now.
10:23So, you know, coming over from, I believe, the Aces, just to see the leadership she's
10:29brought to the team, it's been amazing, especially for the young ladies that we have on the team.
10:34But her just being consistent, always showing up, offense, defense, kind of whatever the
10:38team needs, it's been impressive to watch.
10:40And you've had a good chance to look at the coach, Natalie Nakase, and her coaching style.
10:46And she can be fiery at times.
10:48What have you made of the way she's approached this team and how the squad has responded to coach?
10:54Yeah, you can tell that she came from Vegas.
10:56She has a little bit of Becky Hammond in her.
10:58You can tell her fieriness, competitiveness, just how she coaches, the style of play that we play offensively, defensively.
11:06It kind of mirrors, you know, Becky a little bit.
11:09But I think it was really a joy to see for me, at least.
11:13Just her mindset wasn't just being satisfied with just a new team and expecting to lose.
11:18She wanted to come in and win games, and that's what she expected.
11:22And I think the players have followed suit with that.
11:25And, you know, our record reflects it.
11:27All right, Pods, Violet has hatched.
11:31Are you excited to meet Violet at the next home game for the Valkyries?
11:38I'm very excited.
11:40Unfortunately, I wasn't there tonight to go against Connecticut.
11:44But I'm looking forward to meeting Violet and, you know, having a good time.
11:50I mean, did you almost take offense?
11:52I think a lot of people thought you were the Valkyries mascot.
11:57No, I didn't take offense to it, but I do think it's super dope that we, you know,
12:01we have a mascot that's pretty cool to see how we introduced it.
12:05That was pretty special.
12:06I was watching the game on Monday and how we introduced it at halftime.
12:08That was pretty cool.
12:10And so, you know, I think we're just going to keep getting bigger and bigger
12:14when it comes to Valkyries and Bay Area.
12:16It's such an incredible brand, and, you know, you're becoming a definite part of it.
12:21When do we get you back out here?
12:22You've got Sunday and Tuesday, and then after that, end of the month, some more home games.
12:27When do we get pods courtside again for the Valks?
12:31Trying to get back out there for the end of the month.
12:33Obviously, I just got cleared for, you know, to be back 100%.
12:38So I'm just trying to – this is really my offseason right now because I didn't have it
12:42in July because of my surgery.
12:44So I'm just trying to get back to it.
12:49All right.
12:49We also – we do want to remind everybody that you do still play for the Golden State Warriors.
12:56That's right.
12:56So I thought with the schedule coming out this week, and we do know a couple of games,
13:01let's get a reaction to opening at the Lakers.
13:05I think that I see that the Nuggets will be your home opener,
13:08and then the Dallas Mavericks and Cooper Flagg and whoever else on Christmas Day.
13:15What are your thoughts?
13:18Excited.
13:19Big-time teams, playoff teams, championship, a couple of teams that we get to play.
13:25You know, the NBA is really good at scheduling, you know,
13:27marquee games that people want to watch.
13:29And I think those three that you named are going to be really fun for us,
13:33really good, you know, chance to see what we're made of, especially early on.
13:38But I think we'll be ready for it.
13:40And the Cup games got released also today, and tomorrow the full schedule will come out.
13:45Is that something that you and other players get excited about,
13:48or is it just, oh, the schedule's out, I'll take a look at it?
13:52No, I definitely get excited for it.
13:53I'm one of those weird people that memorizes our schedule as soon as it comes out.
13:57So I always mentally know, like, hey, where I'm going to be
14:01in case I need to let family know if I'm in town.
14:05So I'm one of those people that just memorizes it, what road trips we have.
14:08When I go back to Milwaukee, obviously, it's important to me.
14:12But just all those little types of things.
14:14Okay, so when you join us next week, we're going to have you put on a blindfold,
14:18and we're going to test you.
14:19We'll go through the whole 82.
14:21Let's do it.
14:23Okay, sounds good.
14:24Hey, Pods, thanks for doing it, man.
14:26Great to catch up with you, and we'll talk to you again soon.
14:29Cool.
14:30We'll talk to you guys next week.
14:31Go Vouts tonight.
14:32Yeah, stay dry, Pods.
14:33Game coming up in an hour.
14:35There's Brandon Pajemski.
14:36He's going to be on each week.
14:37We're shooting for Wednesdays around 3 p.m.
14:40Normally, based on his availability, Valkyries and Mystics today at 4.30.
14:46Download the Odyssey app and search Valkyries to listen to the game and all games.
14:52Valkyries return home on Sunday this week, okay?
14:55And we'll host the Atlanta Dream at 5.30.
14:58Tickets are available at Valkyries.com.
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