The Herd with Colin Cowherd – "Show Me Something"
Episode Date: August 27, 2025
Guests: Sophie Cunningham, West (co-host)
Episode Theme:
A candid and lively conversation with WNBA player Sophie Cunningham, exploring the realities of post-surgery recovery, honest insights into the WNBA season (particularly the Indiana Fever vs. Minnesota Lynx matchups), mode culture, iconic NYC events like the US Open, celebrity run-ins (including Real Housewives and designer Kristin Juszczyk), and perspectives on authenticity in sports, fashion, and charity.
1. Surgery, Recovery, and Painkiller Real Talk
Timestamps: 00:56 – 05:15
- Sophie shares her recent surgery process and struggles with pain meds:
- "Honestly, that's been a freaking show… I react so weird to pain meds… I was on Hydros… then I got to oxy, and you're only supposed to take one, but… I had to take like two and a half, and then I was finally feeling good." (01:25)
- "I could feel every little, like, cut and incision they did on my knee." (01:50)
- Challenges of Post-Surgery Life:
- Discusses the struggle to straighten the knee after surgery, not just bend it.
- Highlights the difficulty staying positive and healthy—"I've been so bad because...I had Burger King, I've had a box of donuts and I went to Texas Roadhouse..." (03:21)
- Jokes about food reviews: "All I'm doing is sitting around and eating... I think I'm going to start doing like food reviews." (02:56)
- Honest takes on side effects: "Painkillers are gonna blow you up because you… it's like impossible." (04:38)
- "I've been literally just inhaling food. And nothing's come out." — Sophie (04:43)
- Laughs about needing laxatives and sharing bowel movement updates on future pods.
2. US Open and Social vs. Sport Vibes
Timestamps: 06:15 – 13:15
- Is the US Open more about tennis or the scene?
- "I'm working on appreciating this sport...but the country club sports of it all..." (06:38)
- "If we're being totally honest, the US Open in New York, I feel like it's kind of a social event." — West (07:15)
- The culture is more about "vibes," networking, and fashion than hard-core fandom.
- Run-ins with Celebrities & Housewives Crossover:
- West meets Meredith Marks (Real Housewives of Salt Lake City):
- "I swear to God...she goes, shut up. Like, show me. Like, she was so hype." — West (08:44)
- "Can we please get her on the show? I'm not even lying." — Sophie (09:43)
- West meets Meredith Marks (Real Housewives of Salt Lake City):
- Exclusive US Open Culture:
- Describes the "Honey Deuce" cocktail—the event's signature, wildly popular (and expensive) drink.
- "The revenue that they make from these drinks… it's enough to pay the prize money for the men's and women's champion." (12:17)
- Food in the luxury suites includes sushi and lobster rolls; the event is branded as "bougie."
- Memorable fact: US Open sold a record $12.8M of Honey Deuce cocktails in 2024.
- Describes the "Honey Deuce" cocktail—the event's signature, wildly popular (and expensive) drink.
3. WNBA Deep Dive: Fever vs. Lynx & League Trends
Timestamps: 18:39 – 24:35
- Minnesota Lynx Praise:
- "Their offense... She [head coach Cheryl Reeve] is a genius... like, they run a motion offense, everyone on the floor can shoot, everyone cuts, everyone passes the ball...the ball movement they have is ridiculous." — Sophie (18:49)
- Highlights Nafisa Collier's exceptional play and her Missouri ties.
- "She's probably the best player in our league. She's a hell of a player." — Sophie (20:26)
- Parallel Evolution: WNBA and NBA
- "You don't really see a lot of standard post players anymore..." (21:55)
- Tracks how offensive evolution (spacing, shooters, ball movement) in the NBA has paralleled the WNBA, citing Candace Parker as a key transitional figure.
- "Now, even bigs are shooting the ball." (21:55)
- "My kids are going to be frigging guards. Like, they are going to learn how to be guards regardless of how big they are." — Sophie (24:00)
- Fever's Underdog Status & Injury Woes:
- "Our team has fought… for us to have the roster we do, that's pretty freaking big." — Sophie (24:26)
- Discusses challenges of constant roster turnover:
- "At the end of the day...it's hard to catch a rhythm and chemistry when you only have two days together." (26:16)
- On team building: "You have to peak at the right time. That’s what it is in the whole season." (25:11)
- All-Star break is seen as key moment to start peaking.
4. Fashion, Athlete Tunnels & Merch Culture
Timestamps: 29:39 – 38:05
- Sophie and West embrace their fashion lanes:
- West shows off streetwear collab: "They're called Pluto Golf, it's a golf streetwear brand...and it's a collab with Captain Morgan." (29:43)
- Sophie is set to model designer Kristin Juszczyk's jackets, joining the ranks of high-profile NFL player wives and Taylor Swift:
- "She's going to the W, and so I'm going to be one of the first W players to rock her style in tomorrow's tunnel fit." (32:09)
- "She [Kristin] seems like the nicest human…and she's absolutely stunning." — Sophie (32:16)
- Both express the need to be creative with fashion:
- On designer clothes: "I don't really wear designer...everything I wear is from eBay or thrift shops." — West (34:25)
- On functionality: "I could never get myself to spend like...a thousand plus dollars on a white shirt that you could literally get at Target." — Sophie (36:17)
- Athlete tunnel fits: Can't outfit-repeat; stylists and staple pieces are key for that "mix-and-match" look.
5. WNBA Lifestyle: Team Housing, Moving Realities & Financials
Timestamps: 39:53 – 44:04
- Team Logistics:
- Describes the nuanced process of moving cities as a professional athlete:
- "Each team...pay[s] for shipping...Anything you have to move, if it’s your car, plus bags…they pay for all that. You can choose to do team housing...or get a stipend and live where you want." — Sophie (40:16)
- Details about WNBA team housing vs. buying, and the appeal of living rent-free into your late 20s.
- "There are some teams that…not great." (41:25)
- Describes the nuanced process of moving cities as a professional athlete:
6. Local Allegiances: Adopting (or Not) the Home Team
Timestamps: 42:33 – 45:26
- On supporting teams in athlete’s current city:
- Sophie: "[In Phoenix] I became a Diamondbacks fan…Cardinals fan…Coyotes fan…Here [Indy] I’ve definitely become a Pacers fan. I think that I'll definitely go and check out the Colts…Deep down, I always have my team, which is the Chiefs." (43:33–44:08)
- Discussion of “loyalty” vs. embracing where you currently live, with a nod to players like Jayson Tatum.
- "I think for me, I am not shy. Like, everyone knows I'm a huge Chiefs fan...But will I go and support the Colts for a game? Yeah!" — Sophie (45:09)
7. Authenticity in Sports, Charity & Purpose
Timestamps: 46:36 – 51:48
- Doing Purposeful Charity Work:
- West shares a charity event supporting foster dogs:
- "It felt so good...to do something that is important and helps people...The idea is that people can meet them and then hopefully adopt...even if it’s just a day to give the dogs some love." (46:36–47:50)
- Discusses how having a platform brings opportunities for giving back—especially in meaningful, authentic ways tied to their real life and passions.
- "I think it's important for it to come from somewhere so it's not just like throwing a dart at a board..." (50:44)
- "If you don't fully believe in it, then you're just going to half ass it, and that's never going to be good." — Sophie (51:10)
- West shares a charity event supporting foster dogs:
8. Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments
- "Their offense…She is a genius…They run a motion offense, everyone on the floor can shoot, everyone cuts, everyone passes…ball movement is ridiculous." — Sophie Cunningham on Lynx Head Coach Cheryl Reeve (18:49)
- "I've been literally just inhaling food, and nothing's come out." — Sophie, on painkiller side effects (04:43)
- "I feel like that's a good way to end on the most positive note ever." — West (51:52)
- "Hopefully you have a BM for the next podcast." — West, continuing the running digestive update joke (46:17)
- "I think that what you had to say, all of that is, like, so valid and real." — Sophie, on navigating a rough season (25:11)
9. Episode Flow & Tone
- Energetic, unfiltered, and deeply honest: The co-hosts riff on everything from practical realities of being a pro athlete, to personal challenges, to the social fabric of elite sports events. The episode weaves humor, raw experience, and thoughtful takes on sport, fashion, and life purpose.
- Inside access: Real talk about what happens behind the scenes—housing, contracts, medical complications, and the fickle nature of team chemistry.
- Inclusive, community-oriented: Both hosts are eager to engage with fans, consider listener questions, and highlight ways athletes can give back.
10. Listener Callout
Timestamp: 52:45
- Sophie invites listeners to call in questions for the next episode:
"If you have a question for me or West...about love, life, advice, or you just want us to talk about certain things, you guys can actually call us now…"
Recommended Listening Segments
- Post-Surgery & Life on Painkillers: 00:56–05:15
- Real Housewives/US Open Crossover: 08:14–10:03
- Insightful WNBA X's and O's: 18:39–26:35
- Fashion Tunnel Fits & Kristin Juszczyk: 31:38–33:17
- Charity, Platform & Purpose: 46:36–51:48
For fans and first-timers, this episode delivers both the laughs and the learning—unfiltered WNBA truths, deep-cut athlete lifestyles, authentic thoughts on sports culture, and plenty of fashion and fun.
