The Clay Travis and Buck Sexton Show

Episode: Hour 1 – Clay Parties with the Men’s Hockey Team

Date: February 24, 2026
Podcast Host: iHeartPodcasts
Link/Show Notes: [Not Provided]

Episode Overview

In this lively and humor-filled episode, Clay Travis and Buck Sexton dive into the national conversation sparked by the U.S. Men’s Olympic Hockey Team’s gold medal celebration. Clay shares his firsthand experience partying with the team at Miami's Eleven nightclub, sparking reflections on patriotism, American culture, and the left’s reaction to both the celebration and subsequent political overtones. The hosts discuss how this moment is being politicized, the generational and cultural shifts it represents, the reaction to President Trump’s interactions with the team, and how contrasting attitudes toward fun, patriotism, and outrage define today's political and cultural divides.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. Clay’s Night with the U.S. Olympic Hockey Team

• Clay recounts partying at Miami’s Eleven nightclub: Clay was serendipitously present when the victorious U.S. Men’s team arrived.
  • Viral Moment: The team and the entire club sang the national anthem and several patriotic songs, with "Lee Greenwood" highlights (04:10).
  • Optimism about America: Clay describes the event as "one of the most optimistic moments" he’s ever experienced about America’s youth and culture.
    • "I'm not sure ... I have ever been more optimistic about America. First of all, everybody there is under the age of 30 ... The US Men's hockey team showed up and began their night in the nightclub by singing the national anthem." – Clay Travis (04:10)

2. Political Backlash and Culture Wars

• Outrage from the Left: The celebration is receiving criticism—particularly over Cash Patel’s attendance and Trump’s congratulatory call.

  • Clay and Buck argue previous Democratic presidents (Jimmy Carter, Walter Mondale) did the same, and it was considered normal (05:50).
  • "The fact that Cash Patel, as the highest ranking member of the administration was in the locker room celebrating and called President Trump ... is actually 1 billion percent normal." – Clay Travis (05:50)
  • "Democrats can't be normal." – Clay Travis (05:57)

• Trump’s “Impeachment” Joke & Feminist Criticism: Trump jested about being impeached if the women’s team wasn’t invited to the White House. Some labeled the joke misogynistic.

  • Both hosts dismiss the outrage, comparing it to much larger issues facing women’s sports today (11:00).
  • "If you’re going to be outraged about a joke, isn’t the biggest joke of all that you’re letting men ... win women’s championships?" – Clay Travis (11:19)
  • "It was like a dad joke in terms of gentleness." – Clay Travis (11:54)

3. Culture, Patriotism, and Generational Shifts

• Millennial and Gen Z Patriotism: Clay frames the hockey team and their revelry as evidence younger generations are “over the woke BS” and proud to be American (07:15).
  • "The hockey team perfectly embodies ... the spirit that is taking over the country when it comes to young men." – Clay Travis (07:27)
• Culture Loss on the Left: Buck argues the left’s offense-taking is symptomatic of a wider loss of cultural influence.
  • "This is what happens when you lose the culture. You start flailing and looking ridiculous and lose even more of the culture." – Clay Travis (06:37)

4. The Unifying Power of Sports

• Trivia correction: Listener remarks that the U.S. beat the Soviet Union in the semifinals of the 1980 Olympics, not the finals; the gold medal came from defeating Finland (21:25).
  • "The point is, the big upset was beating the Soviet Union. Now you gotta then show up the next game and also perform at a high level." – Buck Sexton (21:49)
• On Celebrating American Achievements: Hosts lament the inability of prominent Democrats and left-leaning media to see past politics and celebrate a truly American moment (33:33).

5. The Miami Renaissance & Cultural Shifts

• Miami’s New Role: Clay argues Miami has replaced New York and LA as the country’s cultural center, especially as seen in events like the hockey team celebration.
  • "I think there is a very strong argument that Miami has replaced New York and LA as the cultural capital of the United States." – Clay Travis (26:20)
  • Buck agrees, noting South Florida’s booming cultural and business scene (27:22).

6. The Media Outrage Machine

• Clips & Commentary from Critics: The hosts play and mock commentary from Don Lemon, The View, and others who were perturbed by the team’s White House invitation, Trump’s involvement, and Cash Patel’s locker room presence.

  • "I don't understand why anyone would want to be anywhere near President Trump." – Don Lemon, quoted (30:21)
  • "They are losers. They should be mocked. And we will have a lot of fun doing so on the program today." – Buck Sexton (15:02, referencing left-leaning critics)

• Chiding Cancel Culture: Buck expresses that only a "party that likes jokes" can win culture and criticizes apologies for laughing, which he finds "the lamest thing you could ever do" (14:25).

7. Listener Engagement

• Call-ins and talkbacks include:
  • Listener correcting 1980 Olympic trivia.
  • Allison from LA questions whether Clay really happened to end up at the nightclub with the team by coincidence (24:29).
    • "Do you really expect us to believe it was a coincidence that you were in Miami for advertising and you just happened to end up at the same nightclub as US Men's hockey team?" – Allison (24:29)
    • Clay reiterates it was true serendipity (25:08-26:01).
  • Kathy from Milwaukee calls in to bemoan the negativity of critics, saying “they can’t even be happy that the USA won a gold medal” (42:49).

8. Spirit of Winning & American Exceptionalism

• Reflection on American Identity: Buck contends the Olympics matter because they celebrate national exceptionalism, not just individual or team achievements.
  • "It is a celebration of exceptionalism and the fact that we set an all-time record for Winter Olympic gold medals..." – Buck Sexton (35:17)
  • Clay: “Normal dudes look at this and say ... I would want people to celebrate American exceptionalism.” (32:15)

Notable Quotes & Moments (with Timestamps)

• On Nightclub Patriotism:

  • "The US Men's hockey team showed up and began their night in the nightclub by singing the national anthem. The entire nightclub sang the national anthem. They sang Lee Greenwood." – Clay Travis (04:10)

• On Left-wing Outrage:

  • "Democrats can't be normal." – Clay Travis (05:57)
  • "If you’re going to be outraged about a joke, isn’t the biggest joke of all that you’re letting men ... win women’s championships?" – Clay Travis (11:19)
  • "The fact that Cash Patel…called President Trump…is actually 1 billion percent normal." – Clay Travis (05:50)

• On Miami as Cultural Center:

  • "Miami has replaced New York and LA as the cultural capital of the United States." – Clay Travis (26:20)

• On Winning the Culture War:

  • "This is how you win culture: Be the party that likes jokes, even if sometimes the jokes are offensive." – Buck Sexton (15:02)

• Listener’s Correction:

  • "The U.S. hockey team did not beat the Soviet Union in 1980 to win the gold medal. They beat Finland." – Listener via Buck Sexton (21:25-21:36)

• Celebration and Unity:

  • "These are Americans that are on these teams. ... I think he [the President] should call whether he’s a Democrat, Republican. Because American exceptionalism and our success on the global stage is...an important symbol of America's success around the world." – Buck Sexton (43:33)

• On the Value of Fun and Joy:

  • "You can be a warrior and have lots of joy in your life at the same time. In fact, that’s the proper way to be a warrior." – Clay Travis (42:32)

Important Segments (Timestamps)

• 00:00–02:34: (Advertisements – skipped)
• 02:34–07:40: Clay recounts the Miami celebration; implications for patriotism and optimism in America.
• 07:40–09:10: Hosts discuss office hockey super-fans; Buck pokes fun at Clay’s lack of hockey expertise.
• 09:10–10:48: Discussion about toughness of hockey players, culture around the sport, impact on nation’s spirit.
• 10:48–12:47: Gender issues in coverage; Trump’s joke; media and feminist reactions.
• 13:41–15:02: Twitter outrage, apology culture, winning culture through humor.
• 21:08–22:41: Listener correction about 1980 Miracle on Ice.
• 24:29–26:01: Listener Allison’s skepticism about Clay’s nightclub story; breakdown of the true sequence of events.
• 26:01–29:08: Miami’s place in American culture; specifics on the nightclub and scene.
• 30:21–33:33: Don Lemon & The View criticize the celebration; hosts comment on loss of fun and normalization.
• 33:33–35:17: hosts denounce partisan politicization of proud American moments.
• 41:47–44:07: Final thoughts on joyless outrage; importance of bipartisan celebration of American victories.

Conclusion

This episode artfully blends storytelling, humor, and political critique, using the U.S. Men’s Hockey Team’s gold medal win and subsequent celebration as a springboard for wider commentary on patriotism, cultural trends, and the divides in American society. The hosts champion joy, unity, and national pride while lampooning what they see as the left’s rampant negativity, demonstrating why, in their view, cultural wins arise from positivity and communal celebration rather than perpetual outrage.