Welcome to another episode of the Adrien  Ross Show, where sports and culture  connect. Indiana Fever fans are reeling  from the news that Ary McDonald and  Cydney Coulson both are out for the rest  of the season because of injury during  the same game against the Phoenix  Mercury.

A game that I talked about in a  couple videos already. And what a shame  it was that Phoenix engaged in abusive  behavior that the officials did nothing  about it. Bad enough that the fever  got demolished, but to me that’s a side  note to the rest of what happened and  what was allowed in the game. black  eyes,  injuries, hit in the head,  horrible screens that were not called as  moving screens, though they were just  just something that did not resemble  what we know to be basketball.

Sophie  Cunningham, however, was a bright spot.  I mean, she came, she brought her game,  she let the nonsense on the court fuel  her. It got really chippy at one point,  but seeing that she had a black eye,  some say even a busted lip, we can see  why she got a little chippy, but she  played well. She was like the only fever  player who played well. I mean, I know  Kelsey Mitchell had 12 points, so she  was the second player in double digits.  However, I think she ended up in double  digits after the game when the game was  just about over. But it was just a tough  night for everybody. And I watched my  videos to to hear my take on all of  that. But Sophie Cunningham did go to  the postgame press conference and you  could tell right away she was not happy.  Yeah, she gave a little smile here and  she was cordial.  She wasn’t happy and for good reason.  But something happened during the  interview that changed the atmosphere  and even changed the cordial little  smile that was more like, “Get me out of  here. I’m so done  to something  really sincere and heartfelt.”

There was  something that I feel melted her heart  even in that moment. And so I just  wanted to share this because in the  midst of all the chaos and the  disappointment and everything with the  fever from Fever fans and the rejoicing  I’m sure from non- Fever fans, I think  this is something to highlight and  hopefully it just encourages you a  little bit. So we’re going to go to the  Indiana Fevers YouTube account to that  postgame conference  with Sophie Cunningham. What does it  mean to come back here and be able to  play or just ask an opponent today?  Yeah, you know, um A was good to me. Um  but I’m way happier where I’m at now. Um  it was it was good to see people. It was  fun to play um in front of some fans. Uh  but for me, I’m way happier in Indiana.  So right there, I mean, you can just  tell she’s not happy and she’s not happy  with Phoenix either.  And so she’s going to acknowledge, okay,  it was it my time in Arizona, my time  with Phoenix, the Mercury, fine, but I’m  so over you right now. So yeah, that was  a dig. I’m happier.

Indiana, I’m I’ve  turned the page, especially after that  game.  Left the game in that second quarter  with that left ankle, I think it was.  Just how are you feeling with that?  Obviously, you came back and seemed to  be fine.  Yeah. Yeah, I’m good. you know, um I  think we face some adversity with some  injuries uh this game. Uh but you know  what? We’re we’re used to that. You  know, we’re we’ve had that at the  beginning of the year. Uh this is just  another hump that we’re going to get  over and we’re going to we’re going to  be okay.  Obviously, Sydney went down with that  injury in the first quarter. Just  I mean, you can just read her body  language. You know, there’s a little  little smile there, but the body  language is what you would expect after  what happened in that game.  What was that like just Yeah. haven’t  seen that. How does that affect like the  rest of the game?

For sure. I mean, it sucks, right? You  don’t you don’t ever want to see anyone  be injured on any team. Um I feel like  there’s been a lot of injuries this year  in the W. Um harsh ones, I think. Um and  there have been a lot of injuries, harsh  ones. I’m not laughing at the injuries.  I’m laughing at  I’m I’m laughing at the calling out  because as many others have done,  they’re calling out the fact that there  have been so many injuries in this  league this year more than ever because  according to some of the people in this  league, the officiating is not getting  better. The officiating is getting  worse. people are getting injured, harsh  injuries like they experienced  even that same night.

You know, it’s just another one. And Sid  is still the heartbeat of our team.  She’s going to be okay. Um, our team’s  going to be okay. And again, just  another hurdle that we’re going to have  to get over.  So, here you’re going to actually see  Sophie Cunningham’s countenance change  when she realizes who’s asking the  question. Now, it’s difficult to hear. I  really wish that they would make sure we  could hear these reporters. Here is a  child reporter, if you will. And Sophie,  when realizing that this is a child  asking a question, her whole countenance  shifts and she even leans in to the  question.  Here’s the smile.  Um, did you ever think about quitting  when you were younger? And if so, what  made you keep going? So, what she’s  asking is if she ever thought about  quitting, ever thought about giving up,  throwing in the towel, how do you keep  on moving? She probably wanted to say to  the young girl, “Yeah, like tonight.”  Okay, cuz Adrien is saying, “We should  have left and not even graced them with  our continued presence.”

But this child  just asked this innocent question. And  in that moment, I just really believe  you kind of remember  why you do what you do. Yes, you love  the game, but they talk a lot about  these young people and what it means to  them when they show up and when they get  to see them play and when they get to  sign autographs and all those things.  And it’s just such a sweet question. In  the midst of all the chaos and the  physicality and all this stuff, you get  this child who just says, “Do you ever  just want to give up?” What a perfect  night for her to hear that question. It  puts everything in perspective.

But  again, I’m going to back it up just a  little bit. Just look at her face when  she sees this child asking such an  innocent question.  Catholics. Um, did you ever think about  quitting when you were younger? And if  so, what made you keep  Great question. Um, you know, yeah, I  think when you’re growing up, uh,  sometimes it’s really hard, right?  Sometimes you doubt yourself, sometimes  you lack confidence. Uh, but there’s  always a fire in you. And I think the  biggest thing that everyone’s always  going to fail. And I think if you’re  not, um, trying or if you’re not  failing, then you’re not pushing  yourself hard enough. And so, uh, for  me, I think when you put in the work and  you’re the hardest worker, sometimes  it’s ugly, right? But you just have to  kind of stack the days. Um, and I just  think if you keep showing up and you  keep working hard, good things are going  to happen.

Yeah. to be more specific, that young  girl was asking her about if she ever  felt like quitting when she was younger.  And she’s like, “Great question.”  So, here’s this moment. Who knows what  this girl is going through? Who knows if  she’s talking about, you know, I’m an  athlete and and and sometimes I just  feel like throwing the towel or who  knows if she’s trying to find  encouragement for whatever it is she’s  going through.  But that’s what brings it again back  into perspective and even the same for  us in the midst of being like what a  season and in the midst of all the  toxicity online and oh my goodness is it  ever.  Anyway, in the midst of all that, you  ever feel like quitting? the child asks  and then you go, you know, you just have  to remember what you put into it. You  got to remember what matters. You stack  the days and you keep putting one foot  in front of the other.

And I just  thought that that was encouraging for  us. Whether we’re talking about sports,  whether you’re talking about your  marriage, whether you’re talking about  your work, whether you’re talking about,  it doesn’t matter, fill in the blank,  whatever you’re talking about, out of  the mouths of babes, countenance  changes. Everything comes into  perspective,  and it really is  a situation of hope. Just wanted to  leave you with that encouragement.  I’ll catch you next time, God willing.  God bless you abundantly.  You got it.