Off The Looking Glass: Recent Episodes
Kate Fagan & Jessica Smetana
Kate Fagan and Jessica Smetana host this magazine style podcast. The show will include a mix of interviews, skits and discussions that consider an alternative historical point of view on culture, as well as women’s sports and those who have critiqued them. While the show is technically about sports, it will mostly enter through the side doors of pop culture and comedy, with a northstar of telling the story of (women in) sports with humor, insight, and joy.
In this, the Season 2 Finale, Kate & Jess go INTERNATIONAL, talking all things F1 (and W Series!) with Sky Sports host and professional driver Naomi Schiff, which leads to a very loud rabbit hole; then, Kate brings an “Extra, Extra!” in advance of the 2022 Euros about the “FA ban” — the story of when England’s Football Association barred women from its fields. Plus, the show gets a new sponsor: Cameo’s Oopsie Doopsies! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Jess & Kate commemorate the 50th anniversary of Title IX with an “Extra, Extra” that explains why the NCAA running women’s sports is like the fox guarding the hen house. Plus, USWNT midfielder Kristie Mewis — recent reader of The Five Love Languages — joins the show in a wide-ranging interview (from Sam Kerr to A League of Their Own to claiming shotgun as a kid). Oh, and, DON’T SKIP THE ADS! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Two-time FIFA world player of the year Carli Lloyd joins Jess & Kate, and she has some thoughts about what she sees as the changing culture of Team USA. Plus, Jess takes us back to the ‘70s for an “Extra, Extra” about her favorite sport. Oh, and — multiverse alert — we take a trip to an alternate universe and try to help make men’s sports matter. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Kate and Jess welcome the sensational — and Arby’s-lovin’ — Mo’ne Davis … a convo that briefly plunges the hosts down a youth sports’ rabbit hole; then, in this edition of “Does it Hold Up?”, Jess & Kate face their biggest fear: A Very Big Wave. Plus, the latest edition in the show’s incredibly-popular line of tactical gear! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Kate and Jess listen to Kate’s recent TedxBoston Talk about why we watch sports. Cameos include Ada Anderson and Inez Patterson of the Philadelphia Tribunes. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Fellow Notre Dame alumnae, Jess & Skylar Diggins Smith, chop it up about ol’ South Bend, then Kate shares an “Extra, Extra” that includes shots of Jack Daniels in paper cups and the phrase “pawnshop proprietor”. Also, OTLG welcomes another new sponsor: the Brag Hotline for Parents. (You probably need it.) Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Come along as Jess & Kate & Dawn Staley brainstorm the future: the next big signature shoe (Dawn), a game-changing brick and mortar business (Jess), and your next binge-worthy TV obsession from Disney ++, GOOD BOYS (team effort). Oh, um, yeah, and a gritty “Does It Hold Up” that leaves Jess and Kate questioning the wisdom of The Academy. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Jess & Kate are joined by the iconic Cheryl Miller, who tells stories from the ‘80s: the first time she dunked, her pre-game meal, and the day she stopped playing Reggie 1-on-1. Plus, in keeping with the RAD theme, Kate tells an Extra, Extra about Lynne Cox (whose new book TALES OF AL is out now!) and her daring swim that helped end the Cold War. Oh, and, as always … don’t skip the ads! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
In this episode, OTLG goes full Hollywood: Jess & Kate drop a trailer for their new blockbuster film, chat WNBA streaming rights with Los Angeles Sparks’ all-everything Nneka Ogwumike, and dip into the 90’s for a “Does It Hold Up?” of epic — or tiny? — proportions. (Hi, Little Giants!) Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
The SEASON 2 PREMIERE! Jess & Kate are giddy over welcoming the iconic Geena Davis, who helps put a bow on Season 1 and addresses the controversial debate: Did Dottie Henson drop the ball on purpose? Plus, Cheryl Miller pops by for a quick story, Kate drops an Extra, Extra on the American Basketball League, and the aggressive Tactical company has a brand-new product for your consideration. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Crossover pod alert! Kate and Jess are pulled away from writing Season 2 to join Basketball Illuminati (hi, Tom and Amin) in the pursuit of truth: how and why did UConn end up with a home game to get to the Final Four? We investigate.... Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
!!!SPECIAL POD ALERT!!! Kate & Jessica are back in your feeds and for good reason: the benevolent NCAA overlords have “allowed” the women’s tournament to use the March Madness branding and to celebrate we’re taking you on an OTLG-style journey into the tournament: the top two all-time scorers in NCAA history — Jackie Stiles and Kelsey Plum — tell us the story of how they are linked forever; Kate drops an Extra, Extra about the lingering pain of the most famous upset in tournament history; and the NCAA surprisingly buys ad space for their new product: the POWER card. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
A guest fit for a season finale: all-timer Cynthia Cooper joins Jess and Kate and brings her infectious championship attitude, which leads to a brief UConn-tallying rabbit hole; then, Jess (!) flips the script and brings her own ‘Extra, Extra’ that attempts to answer, “Why does softball exist?” — plus, Jon from New York has constructive criticism and Kate and Jess hint at what (and who!) is to come in Season 2. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
In this, the second-to-last episode of Season 1, Jess and Kate talk pro leagues — foreign and domestic — with one of the coolest to ever play the game, Ticha Penicheiro, which leads to a rabbit hole about an ex-KGB spy who once ran the most opulent women’s team in the world; then, an “Extra, Extra!” about the first-ever World Champions, the Fort Shaw Indian Boarding School. Plus, goodies (Geoff! Nneka! Ads!) sprinkled throughout. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
A show filled with a few of the greatest: Jess and Kate are joined by baller-for-life Nancy Lieberman, which leads to a rabbit hole about the late 70s WBL; then, a “Does It Hold Up?” analyzing (perhaps?) the best sports movie of all-time, Love & Basketball. Plus, in keeping with the Hollywood x Sports theme, Gabrielle Union shares her Moment of Epiphany, and, finally, a returning sponsor hawks us a brand-new product. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
The show goes way back for an Extra, Extra that makes a very modern point: that what we love about sports is more simple than most of us — including the show’s new caller, Geoff from Austin — recognize. Plus, Kate and Jess break down ESPN’s breakdown of them, and the Calm Meditation App for Coaches runs its inaugural ad. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Two-time NCAA title-winning coach Muffet McGraw -- should we call her “Coach”? -- drops by the show to share her thoughts on the NIL as well as UConn, which leads Kate and Jess down a champagne-popping rabbit hole; after, an “Extra, Extra” about one phone call from 1994 that might have changed the direction of women’s college ball, and the show finally gets Zip Recruiter, er, um ... Recruiter Recruiter? ... as a sponsor. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Sue Bird, Megan Rapinoe, Ashlyn Harris, and Ali Krieger ALL join this episode, and so much star power triggers some anxiety from Jess, which Kate admits to sharing. This happens after our hosts stake out a controversial opinion on a beloved film, leading to a rabbit hole about what went wrong with one long-ago women’s professional league. Plus, the show finally finds a sponsor — and we hope Draft Kings approves! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Buckle up for this one: The OG, Chamique Holdsclaw, stops by the show, which sends Kate and Jess down multiple rabbit holes about heroes and villains and pettiness in sports, then we take a spin with a 26-year-old Pat Summitt as she drives the team van. Plus, the show goes roundtrip to the multiverse and (it seems) Kirk from FC leaves his final missive. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
OTLG is back for Episode 3 with (arguably) the best hooper in the world, Breanna Stewart; the conversation leads Kate and Jess down a rabbit hole about the history of signature sneakers and, down even further, into another Extra, Extra from Kate — this time about the most famous women’s kicks of all time, the Air Swoopes. Plus, Kirk from Fort Collins leaves the show another (!) voicemail and Spandex for Golfers hopes to revolutionize the game. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
In this, the second episode of OTLG, Kate and Jessica expand their range: bringing on Olympic marathoner Kara Goucher to discuss the ripple effects of one photo of her from 2008 (which sends Kate and Jess down another rabbit hole), then Kate tells Jess the epic story of one long-ago athlete whose life is the stuff of Hollywood. Plus, Kirk from Fort Collins leaves ANOTHER voicemail, and a tactical gear company pitches its newest product. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
In this, the inaugural episode of OTLG, you’re introduced to everything this show will be about: Kate and Jessica plunging down rabbit holes (UConn privilege, anyone?), mining ideas with superstars (hi, Seimone Augustus!), and deconstructing nostalgic pop culture (“Wait … Madonna is in this?"); also, Mr. Everyman, Kirk from Fort Collins, has opinions on what the show should be about, and the NCAA pitches us on their brand-new app, athlEATS. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Off the Looking Glass coming soon... Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices