Rose Lavelle: Comeback, NWSL Championship, and USWNT's Future

Rose Lavelle's Comeback Season

• 💡 Rose Lavelle discussed her challenging year, starting with her first-ever ankle surgery and a difficult, painful recovery process, which she described as a "very, very hard return to play."
• 🏆 Despite the injury, she had a "killer year," winning the NWSL Championship with Gotham FC and being named US Soccer Female Player of the Year for 2025.
• 🌱 Lavelle reflected on Gotham FC's underperforming regular season but highlighted the team's ability to reset for the playoffs, finding confidence in their group and talent as underdogs.
• 🧠 She noted that her ankle is now feeling much better, realizing how much it hurt last year, and emphasized the importance of giving herself a full year to heal properly.

FIFA Women's Champions Cup & Scheduling Challenges

• ⚽ The inaugural FIFA Women's Champions Cup featured top club teams globally, including Gotham FC, with Arsenal winning the tournament.
• ⚠️ A major issue was the scheduling congestion, as the tournament fell during the offseason for some clubs (like NWSL teams) and mid-season for others, leading to player overload for top athletes.
• 📊 The discussion highlighted the growing business of women's sports, where the desire to add games and revenue creates tension with player health and safety.

The USWNT's Evolving Dynamics

• 🚀 Lavelle described the current USWNT environment as having "such good vibes," emphasizing learning, vulnerability, and trust within the group, despite shorter camp windows.
• 🌟 She shared her childhood dream of playing for the national team, inspired by Mia Hamm, and the surreal feeling of achieving that goal, despite being a "scrawny little player."
• 🤝 The importance of veteran leadership was discussed, with experienced players like Lavelle now shielding younger teammates from outside pressure and helping them navigate stressful moments.

Rose Lavelle's Memorable Pranks

• 😂 Megan Rapinoe and Sue Bird recounted some of Rose Lavelle's pranks, including convincing Sue about a non-existent Nao restaurant and a memorable incident where Rose teased Megan about spitting up during a game.
• 🐶 In a playful "Start, Bench, Cut" segment, Lavelle humorously chose her bulldog, Wilma, to "start" over her parents, showcasing her unique personality.

WNBA CBA & Social Activism

• 🏀 Sue Bird provided an update on the WNBA CBA negotiations, noting the significant difference in revenue allocation proposals (league offering 70% net vs. union asking for 30% gross).
• 🗣️ The discussion touched on the use of strategic media leaks during negotiations and the public's limited insight into the process.
• ✊ Megan Rapinoe highlighted resources for resisting the immigration crisis and ICE raids, including donating to Safe Haven Minnesota and Minneapolis Mutual Aid, and boycotting companies via Scott Galloway's "Resist and Unsubscribe" platform.