The Herd with Colin Cowherd - Sharp or Square - Milan Cortina Winter Games Update - Curling, USA Hockey, Eileen Gu and more

Episode Date: February 19, 2026

The Winter Olympics in Milan Cortina end this weekend, but not before even more thrilling action on the slopes and at the rink! Betting expert Chad Millman and professional gambler Simon Hunter are joined by producer Matt Mitchell as they discuss all things Winter Games. Together they discuss the deal skier Eileen Gu forged with China, along with the controversy that has taken the international curling world by storm. We also hear plenty of praise for the men and women of USA Hockey, who have put on a glorious show in Italy thus far. We get an update on reported penile injections for ski jumpers, and hear why Olympic hockey betting reminds this show's producer of his days sweating Korean baseball during the pandemic. #Volume -- All lines provided by Hard Rock Bet  Subscribe to Sharp or Square for gambling advice, best bets, and predictions from sports betting experts Chad Millman and Simon Hunter. Follow on all platforms: https://www.instagram.com/sharporsquare/ https://x.com/SharporSquare_See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

This is an IHeart podcast. Guaranteed Human. Hey guys, it's us. The Jonas Brothers. I'm Joe. I'm Kevin. And I'm Nick. And guess what? We created our own podcast called, Hey Jonas.

We invented a podcast? Well, we didn't invent it. We just contributed to it. We're the first people to do podcasts. We get to ask other people questions because we're sick and tired of being asked questions. Well, sick and tired is a strong way to put it. But, you know, tired and sick. Listen to Hey Jonas on the IHeart Radio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you.

you get your podcast. Just listen. We don't care where you hear it. Another podcast from some SNL late night comedy guy, not quite. Unhumor me with Robert Smygel and friends. Me and hilarious guests from Bob Odenkirk to David Letterman help make you funnier. This week, my guest, SNL's Mikey Day and head writer Streeter Seidel, help an a cappella band with their between songs banter. Where does your group perform? We do some retirement homes. Those people are starving for banter. Listen to humor me with Robert Smigel and friends on the ice. Heart Radio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts.

What's up, fam? It's Isaiah Thomas. And I'm C.J. Toledano. It's our favorite time of the year on our podcast, Point Game, the playoffs. We're digging into the biggest surprises of the season. And I'm looking back on some of my greatest playoff moments. If we didn't talk ever again, I was crying. You just understood.

That's how personal it got. Wow. Then after that game seven, Marquis'clock, he's like, you know, I love you, dog. You know, it's all love. This was just playoffs. This was just basketball. So listen to Point Game on the, IHeart Radio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts.

Therapy is fantastic, but once again, it does not have a monopoly on healing. That's why I create the resources and that's why I create the community because I really just want you to have more access. On the podcast, Cultivating Her Space, Dr. Dom and Terry Lomax create a space where black women can show up fully and be heard. It's tough because we're suppressing our emotions and so many of us are like high-achieving individuals. Listen to cultivating her space on the IHeart Radio app.

Apple Podcasts or wherever you get your podcast. Welcome to Sharper Square presented by Hard Rod Bet. We are part of the volume podcast Network. This is the betting show that makes the squares sharper and makes the wise guys pay attention all year long. I am Shadmellman. I am joined by my BFF, my companion, my compadre, my co-host, professional better, Simon Hunter. Hello, Simon.

Hello, Chad. It's that time of year, buddy. Olympics. Olympic time. And that's why we're not just doing it. You and me today. We're having Matt Mitchell join us in his Olympic jacket. Because we've been talking a lot about the Olympics before our records.

Because Matt Mitchell is betting them like a freaking maniac. And the truth is. is, if you look at the numbers, there's nearly 30 million people a day watching the Olympics across all of the various NBC platforms. And I'm watching too, and the coverage is phenomenal between the live during the day and then the recaps and sort of more narrative-focused shows going on on the main network at night. It's truly awesome. I'm loving it. Matt Mitchell, just lost his mind because he's got a bet going on right now on some Canadian hockey game as we record this. Matt, Matt Mitchell, welcome to the show.

Thanks for having me. It's really an honor. Big, first time, long time. Big fan, right? Big fan. Yeah, especially, hopefully there's some more indulgent Chad Millman-focused Chad Milman stories, as told by Chad Milman in this episode. Yeah. I mean, I guess we can address the elephant. in the room is that, you know, I've had a crazy eight weeks. And in our first non-real non-football show, Simon asked what was going on. And I just come back from the All-Star game. And I had some stories. So fucking sue me. Yeah. It's, Simon, it's so crazy that someone so handsome and funny could also be so interesting and humble at the same time. We are truly blessed. It's true.

Well, now it's like I'm at the dinner table. So listen, today, guys, we are going to talk about the Olympics because there is a ton going on. And I would say, even if you're not betting it, and look, the truth is, you know, there's been a lot of conversations around the prediction markets and the betting markets that they're creating around the Olympics, as well as the betting markets available for the Olympics. on all of the online sports betting operators that are legal. And the truth is, Olympics is not a big betting sport. It's never been a big betting sport. Winter Olympics especially is not a big betting sport. But I will say that these Olympics have captured people's attention

because there are so many freaking narratives going on that to me have been amazing. And so I want us to go through like what are, since we all have very specific points of you, what our favorite betting stories are so far. But I know you guys are both very invested in the hockey. So Matt Mitchell set us up for some hockey betting conversation and what that's been like for you during the Olympics.

Oh, I think Olympic hockey is such an absolute joy to watch the men's and the women's. I mean, really, especially the women's. You're getting so much action. It's laid out one after the other. You've got games. I mean, this morning I woke up at 6.30 in the morning with two small children. And I'm great. I'm already in the third period of an Olympic hockey game.

I wake up to a full lather because Slovakia and Germany are neck and neck. Like it's such a nice reprieve as someone that doesn't really like college basketball at all, to the doldrums of mid and late February to have high stakes, highly organized elite, nonstop hockey action every day for basically two weeks. It has been such a joy. And these American ladies are a collection of complete savages. And I really look forward to watching them in the gold medal match, which unfortunately will be, I think, basically being played as this episode releases on Thursday.

I love the idea of you getting up your two small, children who can be incredibly challenging. I mean, not your son, he's a dream, but your daughter, she can give you some fits, and needing to manage a full sweat while making them breakfast and getting them ready for school. Yeah, as usual, there's a lot of, dad, why are you making that face? No, I was just thinking about the weather. Yeah, it's great. I've been doing it. Actually, my daughter was born the week that sport shut down in 2020.

And then I can remember holding her, you know, then extremely small body. And when KBO, when the Korean baseball was coming back. And that would those games would end at like 6 a.m. And just holding her, which is, I'm, I should be humiliated by this admission, but I'm not. But like, I can remember holding her looking at the window and the sun's coming up, a beautiful spring morning and just being like, if one more guy, God damn Korean bullpen blows a seven run lead. I'm not going to live to see this girl's 10th birthday.

We need real sports to come back and we need to come back right away. And this, how these hockey games are a little taste of that. Yeah, I was going to say the funny thing about Winter Olympics is, especially because I'm just showing to football, I honestly have no idea to come. And when all of a sudden it's just here, like I'll see there the opening game ceremonies, whatever it is. All of a sudden you're just like, wow, four years just went by.

That happens to me every time. I always know the Summer Olympics is coming because like you said, it's so much bigger. You know it's coming with the Winter Olympics. To me, it's the best surprise. It's something that grew up on the X games, always loved the Winter X games, snowboarding, all that stuff. And as I've gotten older, obviously, just like anyone does, especially as a gambler, you watch all the sports now as I've gotten older. And for me, my first love will always still be the snowboarding stuff like this year,

or maybe they had it in the last Olympics, but they do these snowboarding. I've really gotten into. They basically wear like red, yellow, blue, orange, whatever. And it's four teams and they race against each other, you know, four different countries. I've really loved that for betting aspect. But yeah, for I said to Matt Mitchell, for betting wise hockey has been what I've been betting on Chad. And, you know, the USA women, we've kind of hit the peak.

Like I didn't want to fade them last week, but I think they were like seven and a half or eight goal favorites. I had to go against that. It was just way too much. I think they won five nothing against Sweden, who's, you know, Sweden. Very talented. The U.S. women are just that dominant right now. And I think they beat Italy 6-0.

But the men's has been the really big surprise here of, it's always interesting, chat, where they just throw these pros together. And you don't know how they're going to gel. And hockey guys, I mean, I don't know. Everyone has different opinion in different sports guys. To me, when I think of my favorite personality types, I always think of the hockey guys, the hockey bros.

Like even in high school, I love the hockey guys. In college, I love the hockey guys. As I gotten older, I meet hot guys who play, you know, weekend warriors play hockey and stuff. They're always the best characters. They're either hilarious to drink with or whatever. They're just always funny guys. And you could tell these USA team gels. Like these guys hang out.

They actually like each other. And you're looking for that stuff as someone that's betting and looking for angles. And it's shown up. Like they should have blown out Denmark. They won six three. You go back and look at those three goals by Denmark. Super stupid fluky goals where it's like this hockey. Nogers, crashing nets, very fluky.

Germany dominated them. Germany got like a fluke one goal at the very end of the game. They beat them 5-1. So I don't know about Matt Mitchell. They play today, like we're doing this on Wednesday. I play at 310. The women play tomorrow, if anyone wants to catch that game at 110, Eastern. I would definitely check out the women's, obviously.

But yeah, the men's, I'm looking for it today. They play against Sweden. So obviously people here, it's the little bit of the result there. But I honestly think this team is legit. They have a real chance to win it all. What's amazing about this Olympics, it's it's really taken hold of the narrative and sort of for fandom right the the condom story the running out of 10,000 condoms is fantastic. You know the story behind that why they they disappeared?

Well apparently people were taking them for souvenirs. Exactly. They put the it they has a condom with the Olympic symbol on it. So like these guys who don't make any money, why would you not grab a thousand? I love that like a middle America was like, oh my God, the Olympics were having tons of. sex. Oh, these condoms are going. But here's a thing. It's like, dude, they are having sex, but they are grabbing that stuff to sell. Let's be real. That's, that's a moneymaker. But still, I remember we did this story at ESP in the magazine, I think around the 2012 Olympics.

Sam Aliport, who's a great reporter, a really fun writer, does a lot of TV stuff now in L.A. He wrote this story about the Olympic Games basically being, always being, not this but massive orgies. Just like you've got good looking people in great shape together. Young people in great shape who are like hyper competitive. Most stressful environment of their lives. Yes. And like and they stay in the village and they just fucking let it go.

Right. And so there is a lot of sex going on in the Olympic village, regardless of whether or not they're using all 10,000 condoms. The good news is according to the New York Post as of today, A new shipment of condoms has made it to the Olympic Village. So rest assured, people can have safe sex in Milan Cortina right now. I'm not just saying this because I lost all my money betting on Chechia Live at 10 to 1 to beat Canada and just had to watch them lose the minute overtime started. But I am embarrassed.

Another one millionth example of how I'm still poor that I didn't think. to just get on a plane, go to the Olympics, to grab as many condoms as I could carry, to fly immediately home and sell them on the black market and make a killing, like I'm sure so many of the world's finest athletes and their hangers-on thought of. What was I doing? I was just sitting here listening to Chad's NBA All-Star Game Stories instead of doing that. It's a shame there's a bus. There's no bus line between Milwaukee and Milan.

Otherwise, I probably would have thought of it. Would you say that my All-Star Game stories are better, worse, or the same than, say, the story about penis flapgate at the Olympics over the past two weeks? I mean, that's really a question for, like, I don't know, like Jimmy Goldstein or Demi Moore. I mean, that's a question you'd ask, like, similar A-List celebrity. Matt, it's Demi. Like, you're showing your Milwaukee. She's always been Mrs. Bruce Wallace to me as the world's number one Bruce Wallace fan.

And people are being too hard on Chad here. I said to multiple people that were making fun, you were picking on you, Chad. I said at least he didn't tell us what his son's college roommate thinks. Because that to me was peak level, Chad just missing the plot. I never want to hear ever again

about Chad's son's roommate in college, what that kid thinks. Literally could care less. but Chad, he cares. And that's why we love Chad. I don't even remember what that story. Whatever it was. I just remember when you went there.

I was just like, my God. Indiana football. Yeah, sorry, Indiana football. He just lost his mind. He was in like a state of psychosis. Yeah. Oh, my God. When Hulk Hogan would say he was entering a state of Hulkomania,

like Chad's Hulkomania was Indiana football for like a hundred days. That was quite a time to be alive. Now, what are we going to do, boys? Are we going to make fun of Canada for being cheaters in the lamest game ever? Are we going to talk about this, the controversy? Oh, curling? The Canadian curling, this is what, this is why the Olympics is so great this year, is curling has a controversy and it is turned the world against Canada for being foul-mouthed and poor sports.

That's amazing to me. I still can't tell if they're cheating, if they're doing the double touch, but now all of a sudden there's got to be intensive video reviews of all of it. They could be getting away with it. I don't think Canadians cheat. I love Canadians, very kind people. Matt Mitchell, where do we stand on the Canadians cheating? I really appreciated that. My understanding of the controversy is that there's no, the culture of curling is one of incredible sportsmen's

and like self-regulation, the athletes call their own fouls on one another. It's very sporting in that sense, very old school. So as part of that, there's not traditionally a down-the-line view of what's called the hog line, which would result in a double touch if you're touching the stone when it touches that line. The Swedes believed that the Canadians were cheating and not calling it. So they set up their own camera angle, which again, not. gave a part now. They set up their own a sting. They set up an Olympic

sting, which is why the Canadian Mark Kennedy was so apoplectic and profane about defending himself because he thought, well, there's no way, there's no footage of it. That's like, that's our whole thing. As former, all of us, as former employees of a Danish-owned

company, the whole Scandinavian region is so unbelievably calm and refined and within themselves emotionally. I'm none of those things. So seeing the Canadian lose his mind and get really pissy And the Swedes look at them with the same look many executives look to me When I would be explaining something of like how curious your anger is very curious to me

I'm not not sure it calls for this histrionics and they nailed them nailed them perfectly it was it's a perfect scandal It was there's a good guy there's bad guys there's a sting it's low stakes because it's curling but it's also high stakes Because it's the Olympics 10 out of 10 scandal and it's my favorite part too it's like I don't watch I'm watching many more because now I mess with my head about driving. I used to always watch those dash cam videos of accidents. And it's when the people get like reverse end of people and they get out to blame on them. And then they see the dash camera. That's what the Canadian guy felt like where he was so sure, so confident.

And the Swedish guy like Matt McHen said he's just so relaxed letting him just air it out. And then it's simply being like, we brought our own camera in here. I'm going to show the footage to the referees. That was just icing on the cake. Great comparison. Great comparison. Yeah, very well done, Simon. It's also a little bit, it's, they pre-planned that, right?

They must have seen some kind of footage or in competition. Some other team told on them, apparently. Okay. And they denied it, again, at that time. And again, the Swedes, I love it. They're like, we'll set up our own camera and literally zoom in on this guy. This is a juicy, soapy, dishy Olympics. we had the dude who won a gold medal I think and while being interviewed admitted to cheating

on his girlfriend or might have been a bronze but still even even more it was bronze bronze bronze yeah well that's just that just shows how dumb you are you know what he was doing though that was a good move by him oh yeah you got a lot of like you knew that would be a big story because I think it was like day two. And yeah, they ran, they immediate ate it up right away. They're like, oh, did it was like the next day? They're like, did she take you back? And it's like, no, I'm still blocked.

I think my favorite part of that, by the way, was that the initial headlines were essentially athlete admits cheating in acceptance speech, which was true and misleading and made everybody click on it. And then I read it. It was like, oh, outstanding work, perfect execution. because it was even more hilarious than admitting actual cheating at the event. Admitting cheating on a girlfriend. Ah, perfect.

You think he did this to manipulate the story and get more action? Like this would put him on the market and give him opportunities? Well, he's already a narcissist because he cheated on a girl after whatever it was, two, three months. So that just adds up. I honest, when I first saw the headline like you, I thought it was like that. I think it was like a South American soccer player that basically thanked his wife and then

his girlfriend in his acceptance speech. Like he wasn't thinking. clearly because he was so excited. He said, I want to thank my wife and my girlfriend. And then like, I had to retract him. Like, yeah, I cheated on my wife. I thought he did that moment. It was like, no. This guy openly admitted to it. He was like, yeah, I told my girlfriend before I came here and she dumped me. And she's the love of my life, even though we've only been together for three months. And it's like, oh, my God, this man is a head case for six months, whatever it was. But yeah, that, again, like you said, I love these Olympic stories.

Because you get stuff like that where it's just these crazy Europeans. As much as they think we're crazy Americans, there's nothing better than a crazy European. There's two more stories I want to talk about, but let's take a quick break and hear from our sponsors at Hard Rock Bet. Today's show is brought to you by our presenting sponsor Hard Rock Bet, Florida's sportsbook. I know it's tough with no football, but like the song says, I bet I will survive. With Hard Rock Bat, there's always something to bet on every night. Hoops, hockey, and so much more.

Plus all the great same game, Parlay live betting and player. Prop options you're used to, and did you know? Hard Rock Bet is the official sports betting partner of the Miami Heat and the Orlando Magic? Incredible. So if you haven't signed up with Hard Rock Bet yet, there's never been a better time new signups can double their winnings on their first 10 bets, max 50 bucks. That's right. If you would have won 100 bucks on your bet, make that $200. The Hard Rock Bet Sportsbook app is. is the only legal sports book for whenever you're in Florida. And it's also live in Arizona, Ohio, New Jersey, Indiana, Tennessee, Virginia, Illinois, Colorado, and Michigan.

Coming soon to more states, too. Plus, hard rock bet offers new promos daily. So whenever you're listening, just open the app and check out what you've got any day of the week. Download the hard rock bet and make your first deposit. Offered by the Seminole Tribe of Florida in Florida, offered by Seminole, Hard Rock Digital LLC and all other states. Must be 21 or over and physically present in Arizona, Colorado, Florida, Illinois, Indiana, Michigan, New Jersey, Ohio, Tennessee, or Virginia to play. Terms and conditions apply. Concerned about gambling.

In Florida, call 1-833 playwise in Indiana. If you or someone you know has a gambling problem and wants help, call 1-800-9 with it. In Ohio, call 1-800-My reset. Gambling problem, call 1-800 gambler in Arizona, Colorado, Illinois, Michigan, New Jersey, Tennessee, and Virginia. Hey, it's us, the Jonas Brothers. And guess what? We have some big news. What's the news, name? Huge news. We created our own podcast called Hey Jonas. We invented a podcast? Well, we didn't invent it. We just contributed to a...

We're the first people to do podcasts. Pretty, yeah, pretty wide range of podcasts around there. But this one's extra special. So how do we actually come up with a name Hey Jonas, guys? I honestly don't remember. I think it was on a call about what we should call it. And we were thinking I'm originally calling it one of the early names of our band before Jonas Brothers. This is how you guys remember it going down? Yes.

I have a very different memory of this. We were talking about a thing, a bit for the podcast, where people could call in and say, hey, Jonas. And then I wrote down on my little notepad, Hey Jonas, and offered it up as a potential title for the podcast. But thanks for remembering that, guys. Listen to Hey Jonas on the IHeart Radio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcast. Just listen. We don't care where you hear it. Another podcast from some SNL late night comedy guy. Not quite. Unhumor me with Robert Smygle and friends. Me and hilarious guests from Bob Odenkirk to David Letterman help make you

funnier. This week, my guest, SNL's Mikey Day and head writer Streeter Seidel. Help an Acapella band with their between songs banter. Where does your group perform? We do some retirement homes. Those people are starving for banter. Listen to humor me with Robert Smigel and friends on the I Heart. radio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts. Last night, a blown call changed a game. This morning, the internet lost its mind. Highlights are trending, opinions are flying, and nobody's telling you exactly what

happened. That's where Sports Slice comes in. I'm Timbo. Every episode, we're cutting through the noise, breaking down the plays, the controversies, and the stories behind the headlines. We go straight to the source, the athlete themselves, their locker room stories, their reactions, the stuff nobody gets to hear. The laughs, the drama, the triumphs, the moments that never make the highlight real.

From viral moments to historic games, from buzzer beaters to controversial calls, we break it down, give you context and ask the questions everybody wants answered. Sports Slice brings you closer to the action with stories told by the people who live them. Listen to Sports Slice on the Iheart Radio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcast. And for more, follow Timbo Slic Life 12 and the TikTok podcast network on TikTok. The French Open is one of the toughest tests in tennis, and I know firsthand because I competed there myself. I'm Renee Stubbs, and on the Renee Stubbs Tennis podcast, I'm breaking down everything happening at Roland Garris. Every match, every upset, and what it really takes to win on Clay.

Jenchian win. I mean, she went down in three to Rabakina, but I'm delighted. She's an outsider to win the French for me. And she likes Clay. Listen, Lerabakina is arguably the best player in the world. right now and I actually can win on any surface because if she's serving well good luck. Consider this your court side seat to the French Open. Listen to the Renee Stubbs tennis podcast on the IHeart Radio app, Apple podcast or wherever you get your podcasts.

Presented by Capital One, founding partner of IHeart Women's Sports. Imagine an Olympics where doping is not only legal but encouraged. It's the enhanced games. Some call it grotesque. Others say it's unleashing human potential. Either way, the podcast Superhuman documented it all, embedded in the games and with the athletes for a full year. Within probably 10 days, I'd put on 10 pounds. I was having trouble stopping the muscle growth. Listen to Superhuman on the I-Hard radio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts. All right, so to me, the contrast here between the American expectations and the Quad God, falling and openly admitting sort of the pressure getting to him, which I think is wonderful

that he's present and open and talking about it. Michaela Schiffrin has done the same thing. And until her last attempt, she had not won a gold medal. She now won a gold medal in the slalom. She's actually, I think, the winningest skier for gold in American history now with three. She's only the second person to win the slalom. in two different Olympics. No taking away from Michaela Schiffen,

who's obviously the greatest skier, downhill skier in history, man or woman. But meanwhile, Norway, talk about like Scandinavian Nordic countries that just keep moving forward. They're cross-country skier, who now has, I think,

10 overall gold medals. Johann Hostflot Claibaut, who basically runs uphill during cross-country skiing and he's doing six-minute miles on skis in the snow. That is, to me, bar none,

the best story of the games. He has created a new technique that makes him so dominant, people can't see him when they are like in second place. He's so far ahead. The best. I read a fabulous piece and I can't find that. I can't credit the person.

But the person was in Nordic kind of games and said the most impressive part of that isn't that they, you know, he's acting like they cut out secretary's heart and put it inside his body. It was that he was doing that in concert with this incredible support team that these Scandinavian teams have for these games because they're the best at it, that you have to wax your skis and you have to use two different kinds, one to help you slide and one that helps you stick. And so it requires mastery to apply. But if you screw it up, for example, if you try running up the hill like that and you're using it wrong, you'll slide backwards. It'll be totally self-defeating

so that the way to do that, to execute it as he did, was to stop your feet straight down really hard. and the fact that he was running it like over 11 miles an hour at one point and looked like he was just, it was churning like a train, but he was actually having to stomp each step straight down into the snow, but doing so so quickly that it looks like he's jogging was absolutely the most impressive part of it because he had to do it in such a precise way. And if you messed up, that way because you got tired or whatever,

you would ruin your whole advantage. Remarkable, this guy's an absolute, like animal. It was unbelievable to watch. Yeah, I had never heard of them. And I feel it was NBC or someone did a storyline on one the first day. And it was like, this is the Michael Phillips of this cross-country skiing. It's like, all right, I got to check out this guy's event. The first one I watched, I was joking with you, Chad.

The announcer was like, and this is his worst event. So this should be a real challenge for him. And then it cuts to, you know, an hour later. He's got like a 10-second lead on another guy from Norway. Because Norway is just dominant at this cross-country skiing stuff. And he blows him out. He wins. And he's like laying down.

down there. All these guys, they collapse at the end of it, right? They're just so exhausted. They lay there for a minute. This guy is such a good dude. He doesn't get up and go do, like interviews and stuff like that. He waits for his teammates who come and collapse and then takes off all their skis for them. And it's like the humbleness of this guy. And the fact that he is, just everyone says he is a psycho. Like you said, his training apparently is just insane. The same thing you suffered about Michael Phillips. Michael Phillips did not miss a day in the pool for 10 years every day seven days a week apparently this guy's the same thing it's middle of july he's going to the highest nordic pines alps you know of the top the arctic circle of norway just to go uphill on snow

like this guy is just a full-on psycho so yeah he's what 24 you said so we're going to get another two possibly three more olympics of this guy we'll see how he how he heads into his 30s but pretty incredible what he's accomplished at such a young age i think you guys know from having work with me for so long. And now our audience knows. I am that kind of selfless, unselfish person. You are. I would not celebrate before helping you guys take off your skis.

Oh, thanks, Chad. I would have a beer before. I'd have at least a beer while waiting. Well, I would have won by so much that I could do that. Go get your nuts. Go into yourself. Yeah, you have some exotic oils. Audit oils and nuts from trees we don't even have access to.

They're the ones at Jimmy Goldstein's house. Yeah, you and Demi, you and Demi, you and Demi, sharing a macadamia spread. You can't get those nuts. On the flip side of this, and this is the last story, sorry to end it on a downer, but. No, I'm glad you put this, is this going to be the China stuff? Yeah, for all the glory of NBC's mastery of the Olympics and how great the stories are. the number of times I have heard announcers say Eileen goo, who's from San Francisco, is skiing for China to honor her mother.

I have heard it so many times that if I got a dollar, I would be as rich as Eileen Goo for all the money she has gotten from China, which was a story this week, that broke, that she has been paid millions of dollars to ski and compete for China. China, to put it in context, she is the fourth highest paid female athlete in the world behind Cocoa Groff, Sabalanka, and Sweiatek. Is that how I say her name, the tennis player? So apparently just competing for China was another money grab. Yeah. I saw it was basically like her incentives were wild too. Like no one knows how real the money is because it is China.

But I believe she did get silver. Apparently if she had gotten gold, it was like insane what they were going to give her part of her contract. But yeah, I think the story you saw the same one I did, Chad, was that China basically spent $40 million on just American athletes alone. Wall Street Journal to compete in the Olympics, which is, you know, a lot of people might be like, stick their nose up at it. But we talk all the time, America's advantage, especially on the women's side, from your youth to your adulthood of just. support in sports. It's not like these other countries. It's just America is just so much more committed to sports in these other countries.

So to me, China, I feel like this is a smart little cheat code for them. If they can keep getting away with this because you're using all the institutions that America has all the great coaching, everything like that, and you're just paying the back end of it. And you can reap the rewards of it. So because we know China's winter Olympics is not good. Like that, you know, there's the ice, the fast skating and stuff like that is stuff. They've always been good at the synchronized skating.

But yeah, this was, I was shocked to read this because once again, I didn't know any of this was happening. So yeah, good breakdown by you, Chene. I mean, I don't want to get overly serious or overly political, but I do want to address right to camera the People's Republic of China right now. It's just you and me, China. Listen to me. Only you can help defeat the capitalist dogs of the Indiana Hoosier football program. together with your tens of millions of dollars, you, me, and my University of Missouri Tiger football program

can overthrow them and begin a new glorious revolution within the SEC. All, my phone lines are open. I can help bridge this gap, and it will only cost you several hundred million dollars. We can do this. I support you. I actually wonder, I really thought you were going to make a plea for them to sponsor your daughter as a future Olympian or whatever sport. She chooses.

This is a serious question, which is, how much would it take for you to decide to compete for another country in the Olympics? Because to me, isn't part of the joy of being in the Olympics is like competing for your country? and I don't know, like, you want to make money. I'm not blind to the idea that a lot of these athletes are professionals. They make a lot of money. You get bonuses for being the Olympics, et cetera, et cetera, et cetera. But like, at the end of the day, it's not just about being a mercenary competing for the most money.

It is about the joy and like draping the flag and walking in the opening ceremonies and walking in the closing ceremonies and being part of a team of countrymen. that like is supposed to be inherent in the experience. So what would, I can't even think of a number that it would take for me to want to go compete for somebody else. You've had a very good, comfortable life, Chad. So that makes total sense. I'm right there with you.

I could never, I don't know what the dollar man would have to be, but if I was great at a sport, I'm right there with you. I'd rather be great under the American flag than China's flag. But these other people, I get it. Like if you have some sort of ties to it, especially if you're a West coaster and the money is just that big. Like that's an insane, like what they're reporting is an insane amount of money that she's being paid.

So I get your perspective. I shared, but I can't hold it against her. That's just so much money to turn down. And like you said, I think they're trying to use the loop of them that she's doing it for her mom. Whatever, whatever gets her to sleep in night. But we all know. We all know. So, you know, you got to live with that, right?

Simon is always the voice of like the cold, heart. truth, whereas I'd like to believe in sort of the best of people. Simon doesn't see that, Matt Mitchell. The idea of two countries, including America, competing for my athletic services on the world stage is as insane and hypothetical as if I had wings, would I still be allowed to compete in the Olympics? I'm not even really sure how to engage with this hypothetical. I think we can all agree on one thing. This Olympics has been a conversation starter because I don't think we've ever talked about the Olympics on this podcast, either in its previous iteration or obviously in this one, in our seven years together. That's how big the Olympics have been. 30 million people a day

watching these things. And now we're talking about it. We are off next week. We're back the week of March 2nd. That's kind of when football season kicks off. We have some football conversations lined up for that week already. A lot of conversations that are going to impact player movement, futures, Howard, digesting, handicapping, and thinking about the NFL season to come. This has been Sharper Square. Part of the Volume Podcast Network, watch or listen on YouTube at Sharper Squitty or Sharper Square. Like this video, subscribe to the channel, download us with Spotify, Apple Paws, whatever you get your pods.

Rate, review, subscribe, leave us five stars, say whatever you want. Feedback is a gift. time. Love you. Hey guys, it's us. The Jonas Brothers. I'm Joe. I'm Kevin. And I'm Nick. And guess what? We created our own podcast called Hey Jonas. We invented a podcast?

Well, we didn't invent it. We just contributed to it. We're the first people to do podcasts. We get to ask other people questions because we're sick and tired of being asked questions. Well, sick and tired is a strong way to put it. But, you know, tired and sick. Listen to Hey Jonas on the IHeart Radio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcast. Just listen. don't care where you hear it.

Another podcast from some SNL late night comedy guy, not quite. Unhumor me with Robert Smygel and Friends. Me and hilarious guests from Bob Odenkirk to David Letterman help make you funnier. This week, my guest, SNL's Mikey Day and head writer Streeter Seidel, help an a cappella band with their between songs banter. Where does your group perform? We do some retirement homes. Those people are starving for banter.

Listen to humor me with Robert Smigel and Friends on the IHeart Radio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts. What's up, fam? It's Isaiah Thomas. And I'm C.J. Toledano. It's our favorite time of the year on our podcast, Point Game, the playoffs. We're digging into the biggest surprises of the season.

And I'm looking back on some of my greatest playoff moments. If we didn't talk ever again, I was hiring. You just understood. That's how personal it got. Wow. Then after that game seven, Marquis come in, he's like, you know I love you, dog. You know, it's all love.

This was just playoffs. This was just basketball. So listen to Point Game on the Iheart Radio app, Apple Podcasts or wherever you get your podcasts. Therapy is fantastic, but once again, it does not have a monopoly on healing. That's why I create the resources and that's why I create the community because I really just want you to have more access. On the podcast, Cultivating Her Space, Dr. Dom and Terry Lomax create a space where black

women can show up fully and be heard. It's tough because we're suppressing our emotions and so many of us are like high-achieving individuals. Listen to Cultivating Her Space on the IHeart Radio app, Apple Podcast. or wherever you get your podcast. This is an IHeart podcast. Guaranteed human.