The Herd with Colin Cowherd

"Show Me Something: Sophie Cunningham & West Wilson on Dating Rules, Emotional Cheating & Fever Offseason Plans"

Date: October 18, 2025

Episode Overview

In this candid and upbeat mailbag episode, co-hosts Sophie Cunningham (WNBA’s Indiana Fever) and Wes Wilson field listener questions on a range of personal topics—dating rules, emotional cheating, career plans, and more. Sophie discusses her offseason recovery and future ambitions, while both dissect modern relationship norms, self-growth, and the quirks of pro-athlete life. The episode focuses on honest, lively conversation, blending practical advice with humor and vulnerability.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. Sophie’s Offseason Routine & Recovery (03:13–05:52)

• Injury rehab: Sophie updates listeners on her progress, joking about feeling "weak" but making steady gains.
  • “I'm getting stronger slowly but surely. I'm a weak piece of shit right now, let me tell you… but it's fine.”—Sophie (04:09)
• Balance in life: She values diversity in her activities, doing broadcasting and events as well as focusing on training.
  • “There's some people who can just, like, be in the gym 24 hours a day, 365 days a week. And, like, that is just, like, not me at all… I need the balance of both.”—Sophie (04:56)

2. Emotional Cheating & Relationship Ethics (06:00–08:15)

• Communication is key: Sophie and Wes agree cheating (emotional or physical) is a serious breach, but emphasize the importance of conversation and boundaries.
  • “If I were to catch that [emotional cheating], I would...say something to my person, and if it, like, continued, then I'd be done.”—Sophie (07:03)
  • “Emotional cheating is a little grayer and...deserves a conversation...I don’t think people always necessarily do that on purpose.”—Wes (07:47)

3. Overcoming Setbacks & Mantras for Tough Times (08:21–11:19)

• Building resilience: Wes shares he grounds himself by remembering he’s not alone and trusting he'll get through challenges.

  • “Am I going to die? No. Do I have family and friends around me who always love me?...As long as you have that base level, you can get through everything.”—Wes (08:51)

• The value of struggle: Sophie views adversity as necessary for personal growth.

  • “That's where you learn a lot about yourself. That's where you grow…there's so many benefits and beauty when there's trials.”—Sophie (10:06)

• Metaphor: Wes uses calluses as a metaphor for growing stronger through hardship.

  • “You callous as a human. Every time some shit's, like, really tough, it—It breaks you down and then you’re like a callous. You grow tougher and stronger.”—Wes (10:54)

4. Sophie's Post-career Ambitions (11:40–12:35)

• Uncertain but open-minded: Sophie hopes to play 8–10 more years, considers coaching, broadcasting, being in entertainment, or “on a yacht, not doing anything.”
  • “I would love to coach, but...the life of coaching is not so ideal...maybe broadcasting...I would also love to be on a yacht, not doing anything. We have a lot of options.”—Sophie (11:54)

5. Dating Age Gaps & Poetry (12:43–16:07)

• Dating age preferences:
  • Wes: Won’t date anyone younger than his brother (five years younger). No upper age limit, but jokes about “give me 85.”
    • “No one younger than my brother would I ever date, which is five years [younger]”—Wes (13:34)
    • “There’s no ceiling. Give me 85.”—Wes (14:29)
  • Sophie: Prefers older partners; only dated older.
    • “I think only older. I’ve only dated older.”—Sophie (16:00)
• Creative expression: Neither writes poetry, but Wes used to write rap lyrics and Sophie journals to remember special moments.

6. Collecting & Memorabilia (16:18–17:49; 21:56–22:41)

• Sophie is not a collector except for swimsuits.
• Wes collects jerseys, unique shirts, hats from places he visits, and even has a custom “Big Westie” trading card.
  • “May I interest you in a Big Westie card?...No left hand, but scrappy, wants to have fun.”—Wes (17:02)
• WNBA players don’t do jersey swaps due to limited supply:
  • “We legit get, like, two or three jerseys, and we wear that same one every game…If you mess it up, you are screwed.”—Sophie (22:47)

7. Martial Arts Histories (23:15–25:38)

• Both did martial arts as kids (taekwondo, karate, wrestling) but stopped young.
• Sophie trained under Mr. Hawkman and even got a black belt at age 6. Team did Krav Maga as off-season self-defense training in college.

8. Society Without Cell Phones or Cosmetic Surgery (26:14–29:56)

• If one invention were erased:
  • Wes chooses cell phones, wants to see how society would be different.
    • “If cell phones were not invented, our entire personalities, interactions, relationships, existence, society would be so different.”—Wes (26:34)
  • Sophie wishes Botox/injections/implants didn’t exist, for more authentic self-love and less pressure to look a certain way.
    • “It would allow people to authentically be themselves and love themselves.”—Sophie (28:27)
  • Wes jokes about dishwashers being unnecessary unless you have a family.

9. Youth Basketball Advice (30:22–35:34)

• Multi-sport development: Both urge young athletes to play multiple sports to develop diverse skills and avoid burnout.
  • “Play as many sports as long as you can...helps in so many different ways.”—Sophie (32:17)
• Simplicity in training: Even pros do basics like layups and defensive slides.
  • “So many kids think you have to do something special, but really it’s doing the most simple, basic things...even at the highest level.”—Sophie (32:45)
• Effort and attitude: Wes’s favorite advice from college:
  • “The only things I can control are my attitude and my effort.”—Wes (33:36)

10. Fights & Drama in the WNBA (35:37–38:08)

• No real brawls: Sophie says fights rarely happen, even with fiery competition. Conflict is addressed with conversation and mutual respect.
  • “That never happens. Literally never happens...Everyone just wanted to do their best to grow.”—Sophie (36:03)
• Compartmentalization: Athletes are good at handling intense moments and moving past them.
• Funny Team Punishment: Wes’s high school team made fighters hold hands and walk around the field to defuse tensions.

Notable Quotes & Moments

• Callus metaphor:
  “You callous as a human. Every time some shit's, like, really tough...you grow tougher and stronger, and you'll just callous your way through life.”—Wes (10:54)

• On emotional cheating:
  “I am not a fan of any type of cheating...It's a respect type of thing. It's communication.”—Sophie (06:25)

• On playing multiple sports:
  “It helps in so many different ways...let your kids play as many [sports] as they can, as long as they can.”—Sophie (35:18)

• Jersey swap reality for WNBA:
  “We legit get, like, two or three jerseys...If you mess it up, you are screwed.”—Sophie (22:47)

• Future plans—keeping options open:
  “I would also love to be on a yacht, not doing anything. So we have a lot of options.”—Sophie (11:54)

• On invention they'd erase:
  “If cell phones were not invented...society would be so different.”—Wes (26:34)

Timestamps for Important Segments

• Sophie’s off-season & balance: 03:13–05:52
• Emotional cheating discussion: 06:00–08:15
• Mantras & resilience: 08:21–11:19
• Career after basketball: 11:40–12:35
• Dating age gaps & poetry: 12:43–16:07
• Collecting memorabilia: 16:18–17:49, 21:56–22:41
• Martial arts & childhood sports: 23:15–25:38
• Removing an invention: 26:14–29:56
• Youth basketball advice: 30:22–35:34
• WNBA locker room drama: 35:37–38:08

Tone & Takeaways

• Tone: Playful, sincere, and relatable. Both hosts are open about their strengths and faults, and the show is peppered with laughter, teasing, and encouragement.
• Takeaway: Sophie and Wes champion honesty, resilience, self-awareness, and living life with balance—whether in sports, relationships, or personal development.