Diving into the Deep End

Seahawks, Lakers, and Fever, Oh My!

Kiayla Zhané is a Fever, Lakers, and Seahawks fan who was also the Fever's good luck charm through a lot of last season. She’s also a singer and worship leader with a hilarious X presence.  In our conversation, we dig into what it’s like to be a fan of a player first and a team second, how people react to a Black woman supporting a white female athlete like Caitlin Clark, how that Seahawks Super Bowl loss hit her (yep, you know the one I’m talking about…), how she feels about the Luka-Austin bromance in LA, the main differences between the WNBA and NBA (and which one is better), and how to make friends with professional athletes.  1:14 Where love for Caitlin Clark started 1:37 Toxicity in the WNBA fanbase 6:38 Old WNBA fans vs. new ones 8:36 Good luck charm for the Fever 10:00 Origins of Lakers fandom 10:57 Austin Reaves & Luka Doncic bromance 11:56 Most hated players 14:38 WNBA vs. NBA 16:09 Seahawks loss in Super Bowl 19:05 First athlete crush 19:48 Becoming friends with athletes 23:38 Seahawks predictions 24:37 Lakers predictions Connect with Kiayla: ⁠X⁠ [https://x.com/CayZeeElle],  ⁠Instagram⁠ [https://www.instagram.com/kiaylazhane/]

NFL Fan of the Year

Megan Stefanski (@blue_jeep [https://www.instagram.com/blue__jeep ]) is the 2025 NFL Fan of the Year and the 2024 Lions Fan of the Year. She’s also a librarian, Tigers fan, published children’s book author, and philanthropist. Her motto is: Hate the Team, Not the Fan. In our conversation, we dig into what it’s like to support a losing team for decades, how it feels to be winning all of a sudden, what it’s like to meet Jon Hamm and Micah Parsons at the same time (!!!), and how she helps her team win (hint: it has something to do with a blue skort and a neck rash). 1:05 Superstitions and traditions 3:32 Dan Campbell’s head at the Draft 3:46 Driving 5 hours to home games 4:35 Living beside Packers fans 8:28 Dealing with a  losing record 10:33 Community’s role in fandom 11:10 Feeling intimidated at tailgates 12:34 The NFL’s Fan of the Year program 14:27 Meeting Micah Parsons and Jon Hamm 17:00 A career in sports 18:05 The Hospice of the EUP Connect with Megan: X [https://x.com/blue_jeep], Facebook [https://www.facebook.com/mbstefanski⁠ ], Instagram [https://www.instagram.com/blue__jeep⁠ ] Buy Megan’s book [https://a.co/d/1clSIe0⁠ ] Donate to the Hospice of the EUP [https://www.hospiceoftheeup.com/donate/⁠ ]

Fashion in Football

Monica Blakely was the 2023 Commanders Fan of the Year and is the owner of Passion for Ezra, a custom apparel company that set the standard for sports fashion. In this episode of Storytime Sports, we talk about how a man from Iran became a Commanders super fan, how weight loss and fandom are connected, and how you can dress like the stars by ordering custom clothing from Monica’s business. Hit her up at passionforezra.com [http://passionforezra.com] or on social media at @passionforezra to learn more.

Eagles Fandom Boosts Mental Health

Birdmann has his Eagles fandom to thank for his mental health. In this episode, we discuss what it's like to be married to a division rival, how much he hates the Chiefs, that one time he got banned from all NFL stadiums, and so much more. Reach out to him at @birdmann125 on IG if you have leads on costumes, want to join him at a tailgate, or are looking for a fellow veteran to bond with. For deep dives on athletes' backstories, head to Storytime Sports @footballfangirl23 on IG or TikTok.

Diving into the Deep End

Fins Rider is one of the more distinctive Miami Dolphins fans in the Deep Zone. In this episode, learn how a little boy from Connecticut came to hate the Patriots, his relationship with Bills fans, sobriety at tailgates, and why being a fan of the Miami Dolphins has changed Fins Rider's life. Reach out to him at @finsrider on IG if you're looking for a buddy at the next East 12 tailgate. And, if you're looking for another admirable Phins fan to learn about, Lisa Siegel, the 2024-25 Dolphins Fan of the Year, is doing a ton to make a difference in the community. Find her at @finatic1972 on IG. For deep dives on athletes' backstories, head to @footballfangirl23 on IG or TikTok.