Divas On The Ground Podcast

How much should athletes be expected to play through injury? In Episode 4 of Divas on the Ground, Jordan, Koa and River dive into player safety in professional sports, the physical demands of football and hockey, and why fans and leagues sometimes celebrate athletes who keep playing while hurt.

The conversation moves from NFL and NHL injury concerns to aging sports stars, the growth of women's sports, and the way athletes connect with fans on social media. Then, in true Divas fashion, the group takes a detour into AI-generated media, the possibility of a Glee reboot, and their favorite pop-culture rabbit holes.

Part sports debate, part chaotic group FaceTime, this episode brings plenty of opinions, laughs and a reminder to support women in sports.

Note: This episode features conversational opinions and commentary; claims about individual athletes or medical situations have not been independently verified.

Is BookTok ruining book-to-movie adaptations? In Episode 3 of Divas on the Ground, UNLV student hosts Jordan, Koah, and River dive into the online backlash over David Iacono's casting as Wes Bennett in the adaptation of Better Than the Movies—and debate fandom expectations, race, representation, and the importance of reading with nuance.

The conversation takes a deep dive into Twilight: Team Jacob vs. Team Edward, Bella's fascination with immortality, Stephenie Meyer's portrayal of Indigenous characters, and the controversial Renesmee storyline. Then the Divas revisit DracoTok, Harry Potter reality shifting, Wattpad and AO3 fan fiction, and what AI-generated fan fiction means for creative writing.

They also debate boundaries between fan culture and professional journalism, including fan fiction about real athletes, before reflecting on college friendships, finding your people at UNLV, and how their journalism classes brought the three of them together.

From BookTok hot takes to nostalgic fandom confessions and honest college-life conversations, this is an unscripted Gen Z discussion that goes wherever the Divas take it.

Topics: BookTok, Better Than the Movies, David Iacono, Twilight, Jacob Black, Indigenous representation, DracoTok, Harry Potter, Wattpad, AO3, AI fan fiction, college friendships, UNLV student life.

Drake Maye is skeptical of the moon landing, the Las Vegas Raiders are suddenly winning, and hockey fandom may have a parasocial problem.

In Episode 2 of Divas on the Ground, Jordan and River take on the sports stories and fan-culture debates dominating the conversation right now. They break down the Raiders’ surprising start, NFL underdogs, sports betting expectations, early-season hockey pressure and the way media coverage can shape how fans see young athletes.

Then things get wonderfully off the rails: Drake Maye’s viral moon-landing comments lead into a bigger conversation about athlete personalities, repetitive press-conference questions and why traditional sports media may be losing ground to creators who actually know how to make interviews fun.

The episode also dives into hockey romance, Heated Rivalry, Off Campus, female sports fandom, BookTok, parasocial relationships and the uncomfortable line between enjoying fictional sports romance and projecting those relationships onto real athletes.

Topics include: Drake Maye and the moon landing, Las Vegas Raiders, Kansas City Chiefs, NFL Week 5, sports betting, NHL, young athletes and media pressure, Macklin Celebrini, Will Smith, hockey romance, Heated Rivalry, Off Campus, BookTok, female sports fans, parasocial fandom, athlete interviews, sports journalism and the future of sports media.

Why did Madonna win Artist of the Year at the 2026 MTV VMAs—and does Gen Z think award shows are losing touch?

In the first episode of Divas on the Ground, Jordan, Koa and River dive into the 2026 VMAs, Madonna’s big night, PinkPantheress, celebrity overexposure and why younger audiences may be tuning out traditional award shows.

Then the conversation turns to movies and streaming: the breakout horror film Obsession, Disney’s sequel and remake fatigue, Marvel and Star Wars overload, Netflix and Prime Video cancellations, the success of Heated Rivalry, shrinking TV seasons, weekly releases and one major plea: bring back sitcoms and filler episodes.

It’s a Gen Z pop-culture roundtable about what’s working, what feels tired and what the entertainment industry should be doing differently.

Topics include: 2026 MTV VMAs, Madonna, PinkPantheress, award show viewership, Gen Z pop culture, celebrity overexposure, Obsession, indie horror, Disney, Disney Channel, live-action remakes, Marvel, Star Wars, Netflix, Prime Video, HBO Max, Heated Rivalry, streaming fatigue, short TV seasons and the return of sitcoms.