The MidMajors

The Atlanta Dream shock the New York Liberty in Game 1, while the Golden State Valkyries outwork the Las Vegas Aces in a huge WNBA Playoffs upset. Tacarra and Courtney break down Atlanta’s physical defense, Angel Reese’s impact, DeWanna Bonner’s huge performance off the bench, and the Liberty’s 21 turnovers. They also discuss how the Dream took control with a dominant third quarter and whether New York can respond in Game 2. Then, the conversation shifts to Golden State’s stunning rebounding advantage over Las Vegas. The Valkyries dominated the glass 52–25, including 17 offensive rebounds, as Gabby Williams and Kayla Thornton helped set the tone with their effort and physicality. Can the Liberty bounce back? And can A’ja Wilson, Jackie Young, Chelsea Gray and the Aces solve their rebounding problems before Game 2? In this episode: Atlanta Dream vs. New York Liberty Game 1 reaction Angel Reese’s defensive impact DeWanna Bonner’s 23 points off the bench Liberty’s 21 turnovers and offensive struggles Atlanta’s dominant third quarter Breanna Stewart’s limited shot attempts Golden State Valkyries vs. Las Vegas Aces reaction Valkyries dominate the rebounding battle 52–25 Gabby Williams and Kayla Thornton’s impact What A’ja Wilson, Jackie Young and Chelsea Gray need to do in Game 2 CHAPTERS 00:00 – Dream Shock Liberty & Game 1 Reaction 00:08 – Dream vs. Liberty: How Atlanta Took Control 02:06 – Angel Reese’s Defensive Impact & Leadership 04:08 – Atlanta Dream’s Defense & Effort Take Over 06:10 – Liberty Turnovers Become a Major Problem 08:15 – Injuries, Foul Trouble & Atlanta’s Adjustments 10:06 – Stewie, Sabrina & Jackie Young Performances 12:08 – Valkyries OUTWORK Aces on the Glass 14:06 – Leadership, Effort & the Valkyries’ Mentality 18:05 – Game 2 BASK & LATHER Protective style season means keeping the scalp healthy underneath! We’re loving Bask & Lather’s Hydrating Mist and Scalp Stimulator to keep the scalp moisturized and refreshed. Shop Bask & Lather and use code MIDMAJORS for 20% OFF your order. Shop: https://baskandlatherco.com Code: MIDMAJORS Like the video, subscribe to Mid Majors, and turn on notifications for more WNBA playoff coverage, reactions and live watch parties. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Kelsey Mitchell’s Exit Interview and the Indiana Fever Fallout Tacarra and Courtney break down Kelsey Mitchell’s exit interview and the contradictions around the Indiana Fever’s messaging after the season. The conversation focuses on how the organization handled fan behavior, what the GM said first, and why the comments landed so badly for players and observers. They also dig into what this means for Kelsey Mitchell’s future, the team’s culture, and whether top players or coaches would want to join an organization amid that kind of controversy. Key topics In this episode: Tacarra and Courtney react to Kelsey Mitchell’s exit interview and why it immediately sparked conversation on social media. They discuss how the Fever GM’s earlier press conference made the later framing feel contradictory. Tacarra and Courtney unpack the “selfish standpoint” comment and why they read it as a player choosing her own wants and needs. They talk about loyalty, with both noting that Kelsey Mitchell has given the franchise a long time and cannot be accused of abandoning the team easily. The biggest issue discussed is the GM’s dismissal of concerns about the fan base, which Tacarra and Courtney argue directly clashes with what players have experienced. They highlight Brianna Turner’s public pushback, including her calling the GM’s remarks “unequivocally false” and pointing to repeated complaints from players. They discuss how toxic fan behavior, including racist and abusive comments in DMs and comment sections, can affect players on and off the court. They examine how the Fever’s current environment could affect free agency, coaching interest, and whether players would want to sign there at all. Tacarra and Courtney also address the idea that Caitlin Clark is the clear priority for the organization, and what that means for everyone else in the locker room. They close by saying Kelsey Mitchell should do what is best for herself and wish her the best moving forward. Video credit Tony East https://youtu.be/j8AbO6QtArk?si=Q59kquU9feog0S1I Timestamps: 00:00 - Kelsey Mitchell exit interview reaction begins 00:55 - Why the GM’s interview made the situation worse 04:41 - What “selfish standpoint” means in context 05:23 - Choosing yourself after years of loyalty 15:46 - Why the fan base comments became the real issue 17:42 - Kelsey Mitchell’s message and feeling unappreciated 18:45 - Why the interview felt contradictory 19:35 - Brianna Turner pushes back on the GM 20:20 - Why this looks bad for free agency 21:55 - Why even the coaching job looks unstable 23:29 - Should Caitlin Clark make a statement? 24:47 - Why Kelsey Mitchell may be out of there 26:00 - Racist fan abuse and the player experience 27:38 - Wishing Kelsey Mitchell the best Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

The WNBA Semifinals are here! Tacarra is joined by Terrell “Da Bartender” Barnes to break down Atlanta Dream vs. New York Liberty and Golden State Valkyries vs. Las Vegas Aces. Can Atlanta’s balanced scoring, Rhyne Howard and Jordin Canada overcome New York’s championship experience? How big will Jonquel Jones’ advantage be on the glass? And does Golden State have enough offense to keep pace with A’ja Wilson, Jackie Young, Chelsea Gray and the Aces? Tacarra and Terrell break down the matchups, X factors, rebounding battles, playoff experience and their predictions for both WNBA semifinal series. ATLANTA DREAM vs. NEW YORK LIBERTY GOLDEN STATE VALKYRIES vs. LAS VEGAS ACES 00:00 Terrell “Da Bartender” Barnes Joins the Show 01:02 Atlanta Dream vs. New York Liberty Preview 01:58 Can New York’s Championship Experience Be the Difference? 04:02 Jonquel Jones Is Atlanta’s Biggest Matchup Problem 05:58 The Rebounding Battle Could Decide the Series 07:13 Atlanta Has to Keep Jonquel Jones Away From the Paint 08:29 Atlanta’s Winning Formula: Balance & Ball Movement 09:11 Rhyne Howard Has to Stay Aggressive 10:35 Can Atlanta’s Depth Give New York Problems? 11:07 How Betnijah Laney-Hamilton’s Absence Impacts New York 12:20 Jordin Canada Could Be Atlanta’s X Factor 13:37 Dream vs. Liberty Series Predictions 14:59 Golden State Valkyries vs. Las Vegas Aces Preview 16:09 A’ja Wilson & Jackie Young Are MAJOR Matchup Problems 17:37 How Golden State Can Make A’ja Wilson Work 18:14 Chelsea Gray Is the Aces’ X Factor 19:33 Does Golden State Have Enough Offense? 20:58 Why Las Vegas Can Beat You Multiple Ways 21:56 Can Golden State’s Home Crowd Make a Difference? 23:41 Final WNBA Semifinal Predictions And apparently, the Mid Rangers have officially given Terrell a new name: DA BARTENDER. Subscribe to The Mid Majors for WNBA playoff reactions, live watch parties, women’s basketball analysis and college basketball coverage. #WNBA #WNBAPlayoffs #AtlantaDream #NewYorkLiberty #LasVegasAces #GoldenStateValkyries #AjaWilson #RhyneHoward #SabrinaIonescu Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

The Golden State Valkyries are moving on! Dallas built a 16-point lead in Game 3 but couldn’t hold on as Golden State battled back for a hard-fought WNBA playoff win. Tacarra and Courtney break down how Dallas lost control of the game, Golden State’s defensive pressure and discipline, Arike Ogunbowale’s impact throughout the series, and Paige Bueckers’ difficult 3-for-13 shooting night. They also discuss Veronica Burton’s huge all-around performance, Jessica Shepard’s work on the glass, Golden State’s bench production and what could be next for Dallas after its playoff exit. Now Golden State advances to face the Las Vegas Aces in the next round. SUBSCRIBE to The Mid Majors for WNBA playoff reactions, live watch parties, women’s basketball analysis and college basketball coverage. Follow The Mid Majors across social media: @themidmajorspod TIMESTAMPS 00:00 - Show intro and subscribe push 00:50 - Dallas blows the 16-point lead 01:07 - Why the Valkyries deserve more respect 02:06 - Arike’s 45-point night and Dallas getting taken over 03:27 - Golden State’s discipline and hustle 04:24 - Paige Bueckers contained, but Arike still shows up 05:43 - Arike’s inconsistency and Dallas’ approach 06:12 - Paige’s 3-for-13 Game 3 and concerns about passivity 07:05 - Dallas’ growth compared with last season 07:29 - Golden State’s bench impact 08:17 - Veronica Burton’s double-double and hustle 08:35 - What Dallas needs to change 09:14 - Golden State vs. Las Vegas Aces preview 09:43 - Final thoughts #WNBA #WNBAPlayoffs #PaigeBueckers #ArikeOgunbowale #GoldenStateValkyries #DallasWings #WomensBasketball Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Tacarra and Court break down a high-intensity Game 3 between the Indiana Fever and Las Vegas Aces, focusing on how the Aces closed out the series with veteran execution. They dig into the officiating, the pace of the game, and the key adjustments that swung the second half. The conversation centers on how Las Vegas slowed Caitlin Clark, leaned on Asia Wilson, Chelsea Gray, and Jackie Young, and outlasted Indiana’s early energy. They also touch on coaching, rebounding, late-game shot creation, and why the Aces simply looked like the better team. Timestamps 00:00 — Opening reaction to Game 3 and the Aces’ 94–83 win 01:50 — Why Las Vegas’ experience took over late 02:18 — Indiana’s fast start and the Aces’ second-half adjustment 03:10 — Caitlin Clark’s stat line and how Las Vegas slowed her down 04:06 — Jackie Young takes the tougher defensive assignment 05:12 — The difference between stopping a star and containing one 06:12 — Myisha’s bench impact and the Aces’ overall edge 06:48 — Asia Wilson’s 36-point, 10-rebound takeover 07:41 — Asia’s defensive impact, foul trouble, and second-half rebounding 08:05 — Chelsea Gray’s clutch plays and playmaking role 09:07 — Why Chelsea Gray had to produce for Las Vegas to win the series 09:32 — Jackie Young’s all-around line and 40-minute workload 10:41 — Rest, recovery, and the physical cost of the series 11:07 — Indiana’s offensive flow breaks down in the second half 12:02 — Why the hosts put the loss on Caitlin Clark, not just coaching 13:00 — Frustration with officiating complaints and closing out the series 13:47 — Final thoughts, the Aces move on, and next live coverage Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.