Our Girls Play Hockey: Celebrating Women Athletes at She Weekend (A Day in the Life Series)

SPEAKER_01 1:15

This episode is powered by NHL Sense Arena. Hello, hockey friends and families around the world, and welcome back to another edition of Our Girls Play Hockey. It's Lee Elias with Mike Benelli and the guest of honor with this type of episode today, once again, Haley Skomora. Uh, this episode is a fun one. We have no rundown, no script today, nothing that I'm gonna read because it's kind of a supplemental day in the life uh that we wanted to do because Haley was just in Las Vegas. We're recording this on July 21st. She's fresh back from She Weekend in Vegas, which was brought to you by Flavor Flav uh and several other people. Paris Hilton, a lot of people gotten involved in this, and we wanted to document it because let's just be honest, Haley. It looked like a lot of fun. I think we're gonna have a lot of fun discussing it. And I know our audience wants to know the deep details, uh, which is basically just gonna be what happened from day to day. So, welcome home, welcome back. Let's just start how was she weekend overall?

SPEAKER_03 2:19

Thank you. Uh, she weekend was absolutely incredible. I think it exceeded just any and all expectations we might have had for the weekend. I mean, I can't say enough about Flave Flave and like all the sponsors that helped out, like the hotel, the I mean, the gifting that we got. There was just so many, and there were so many small details about the weekend that they thought of. Like, so not for us, we flew from New York City right to Vegas, but there were some people who flew to Salt Lake City first to meet and like have like a little celebration, like event to get onto the plane altogether to go to Vegas. And it was a full female flight crew, like all female pilots and stuff. So it was just like little things like that, just really showed like how much they actually cared and like were putting in the work to have it be about women and to celebrate women. So it was um unbelievable.

SPEAKER_00 3:07

That's pretty awesome. Yeah, I mean it's it's it's it's funny too. Like you're just you know being just signed with Vegas, and I hope you were able to expense it out as a as a way to get out there early for the trip. But uh it's it's it's a fun, it's fun that it just happened to be in the same place, so you gotta get to know anyway, right? So getting getting getting those flight pass in and figuring out okay, wow, New York to Vegas. Let's uh let's figure out the best route and the best hotel lounges and uh and go from there. But that's it's uh it sounded like a great weekend. It looked like a great weekend from what I can see. I wasn't invited, but you know.

SPEAKER_01 3:39

No. No, so the way we're gonna do this today, gang, is we're gonna kind of go day by day with She Weekend first. Then we're gonna talk about the SBS, and I'm gonna say it the absolute snub from ESPN to most hockey people. I will say USA hockey, both uh men's, women's, and athletes have been incredibly gracious with ESPN because it is, as as Haley will say, an honor to be nominated. But I will give you my true thoughts if anybody cares about that later on. But let's start with the fun stuff, Haley. You get there, it's just like from an Instagram standpoint, looked like a party the entire time. When did you enter into we'll say she weekend? What was the first introduction or the you're here part of it that you remember?

SPEAKER_03 4:20

We so our crew got in at like 2 p.m. on Thursday. So we were there a little earlier than the rest of the group. So luckily I was able to nap. I needed a recovery after the SB's. Um, and then it kind of started off right away. We had interviews downstairs with all these different news outlets in Vegas and you know, magazines and websites, you know, whatever. And so just all these cameras on, lights on. I was like, I just got up from my nap. Like, this is a little like crazy. Uh and that was really great because I got interviewed just about the weekend itself, but also about PBHL Las Vegas. Like everyone was so excited for the team to be there. Funny enough, our hotel was at Park MGM, and right across the street is T-Mobile Arena, which is where we'll be playing our games. So that was a pretty surreal moment. I was like, oh my gosh, I will literally be living here and playing games here. Like this is insane. Um, so yeah, started off with interviews right away. Then we were uh we were taken to like a back lounge area because we were gonna meet the girls on the bus as they arrived to walk through the hotel together because they had like people with signs and like excited to celebrate us and cheer us on and everything. Um, so yeah, so we walked through the whole hotel and it was just lined up with people, like just screaming and just so excited. Um, and then after that, we, you know, they had a complimentary drinks and things in this lounge area, and we got to just kind of meet other athletes. So it's all winter, like it was uh female winter Olympian like medals and paralympian medals, yeah, medalists. Um, and then the bobsled teams were there. So there was a few guys and like some figure skater guys, but other than that, it was all women and uh just got to meet more people, which was really fun. And uh especially because like a lot of the snow athletes, like we didn't really get to meet because their village was so far away. So meeting a lot of them was really cool and um yeah, just sharing stories, sharing experiences, and it's it was amazing. And so from there, then it was the parade time. So they had two like double decker buses next to each other, all labeled with She Weekend. And so we got on those and um Flavo Flav came on every bus and hugged every single athlete and said hi and introduced himself and everything, which was incredible. And uh then we went through the city of Vegas real quick, like a really quick, like uh not even a block, I would say, to get because the uh the main event after the parade was gonna be at T-Mobile. So it was a literal rectangle. And uh yeah, we went through the streets and it was really cool. People lining up in the streets on the on the bridges, like the little overpass you have to do to cross the streets there in Vegas. And um yeah, everyone was so excited. And then there was a main stage where everyone was waiting for us to celebrate, and uh, so that was really cool. And we got to like walk the carpet, which we didn't realize how official this carpet was gonna be. So I'm wearing like Lululemon shorts and like a tank top with my fanny pack on. And all of a sudden we see all these cameras, and all of us girls are like, we did not dress appropriately for this. Like, I do not need red carpet photos looking like this, but we have them. They're not great. Um, so yeah, so we get there and then we waited backstage, and like the mayor of Las Vegas was there, and he had like a speech for us, and he had individual keys to Las Vegas for all of us in like these nice little containers. So that was really cool. Um, and then Flave of Flav performed with as Public Enemy with the that guy on stage. And yeah, that was pretty much the day.

SPEAKER_01 7:43

Look, a few notes. One is you know, Haley, I know you're still getting used to this, but when you win a gold medal, you can do whatever you want on a car. Okay, you don't need to be yeah, in a gown or anything like that. Um I I think what what's really cool in what you're saying is again the parade and the people. All right. Uh keeping in mind too that you know, I think it's easy for people to forget that when you win a gold medal as a team or isn't even as an individual, there's no like Stanley Cup championship, Walter Cup championship parade because essentially you spread out after that. You know, you might get invited to like Washington, you might get invited to Colorado to USA hockey or something like that, but there's no parade. So I think that's number one, fantastic, right? Um, number two, I love that people are there and they're supporting hockey. I mean, that just builds hockey in Vegas again, almost kind of an additional perk for you specifically, yes, um, in the sense that, like you said, you're gonna be there, you're gonna be playing at T-Mobile Arena, which is you know, people are saying, Oh, that's an NHL arena, and I go, No, it's an NHL and a PWHL arena, you don't have to separate them. Uh, it's just a hockey arena at this point. Um, you know, one of the cool things that came up, I saw Flav get interviewed, and the question was, Why the hell do you care so much? Right? And he just gave the most organic answer, almost the answer you'd want to hear. He goes, Look, I have daughters, and I've seen the disappointment on their face when things don't go the way they should go, or there's no recognition or the left behind. Um, I think that there was uh a small amount of people, and I'm actually saying that as a positive, because I think years ago that would have been different, to think, oh, this is a gimmicky thing. And I don't think it was gimmicky at all. I think the word that came to my mind was overdue, right? Like this is something that should be happening, honestly, for all Olympic athletes, but especially female women athletes that have represented the country so well. So I wonder if you could talk to that a little bit about, you know, uh being uh an athlete, a female athlete in sports, you know, we've had conversations on the show about the progression of not just women's hockey, but women's sports. It feels like this is like another step up of sorts, right? Of where not where we're going, where we are.

SPEAKER_03 9:55

Yeah, I mean, it's been years of not really having that, you know, the recognition of the success or any sort of celebration for the different successes we've had. And like we've worked just as hard, if not harder than the men, on less money than them, too, for lots of years. Um, a lot less money. Yeah. And you know, we've done it for the next generation, and we, you know, have built this foundation and like to see it like uh grow so much and get gain all this recognition and all this like celebration of our success is huge. But then it's like, wow, what's it gonna be like in the next 10 years?

SPEAKER_02 10:29

Right.

SPEAKER_03 10:29

And so that part's really exciting to see. And it's really uh it's been incredible to kind of like to have all of this. Like it's it's honestly just so surreal. Like, I still can't believe it sometimes that we're doing all these different things and meeting all these different people and having all these celebrations like this. And it's it's stuff that came second nature to the men. They don't think twice about it when they get things like this, but for us it it truly means a lot, and we're very grateful for it. And but again, we want to be second nature for women, like we don't want it to be such a big deal in that sense. Like at some point, it's gotta just be like, Yeah, of course we had a parade, like that's what you do. Obviously, like obviously, people were there to celebrate us, so it's just you know, we're getting there, obviously, but it's it's exciting to see and exciting to be a part of.

SPEAKER_00 11:14

Yeah, I mean, just coming from a point of view, like, and again, I it it's probably a negative, but you know, I didn't know a lot about this, and I didn't really I don't have I don't have daughters, I I don't I'm not involved in the women's game, like deep in like you know, Lee's talking, you know, when Lee talks to his national team, these are women, right? And you're obviously you're in the women's game. You know, for somebody like me who's coming on the outside, I see it happening. I'm obviously like, oh, that's cool, like this is a great event. Or can you talk a little bit about like how did this come about? Um, not the why, but like who who said, Okay, let's put this thing together, and then how are we putting it together? Uh that it's that is benefiting women's uh you know, women's sports.

SPEAKER_03 11:53

I mean, flavor flaves set everything up. I he he did everything. He he's the one who kind of like sent out the tweets and made it public. He's the one who reached out and but then you know, sponsors reached out to him in turn and wanted to be a part of it.

SPEAKER_00 12:08

You want to attach yourself to him. I mean, and is that is that like Lee was saying, it was was it really like like is I used to have this conversation all the time when I was with the whale, right? That everybody would ask me for free tickets. I'm like, well, if you really want to promote women's hockey, buy the tickets. It's the same idea, right? If you really if you want to say you're promoting women's hockey and female sports, then put what you and it sounds like he put his money where his mouth is.

SPEAKER_03 12:30

Yes, truly. He uh, because he also supports the water women's water polo team and the women's sponsor team. Yep, because a lot of a lot of Olympic athletes have to pay their own way for a lot of things. So actually, USA hockey and you know, we actually get you know travel paid for equipment, like different things like that, where like these other athletes, they're doing it all on their own dime. Right. So they bank on sponsors and they also don't get as many sponsors in those sports unless it's an Olympic year potentially. Um and so he stepped in and financially supported them and still does. Um, and then does things like this where he's and then he goes to games, like he's there physically as well. He's not just like sitting on his couch at home watching on his TV. Like he he is out in the public going the game, supporting.

SPEAKER_00 13:16

He's doing like he's actually very involved.

SPEAKER_03 13:18

Yeah, he is he is very involved, so yeah, just so so incredible of him. And then obviously he has a team behind him as well that he he credited a lot to as well, that um that did a lot of work behind the scenes to make this happen. Like there was different, you know, contacts we could reach out to whenever we needed it. Hey, this flight, hey, this train, hey, like we need the help with this, you know, all these different things that we could talk to, and they they were on it like that. It was unbelievable.

SPEAKER_01 13:43

You know, there are times I wish we could go back to 1992 and be like the leading proponent of women's sports is gonna be flavor-flave of public enemy and Snoop Dogg, uh, big Olympic correspondent, by the way, in 26. Uh, it it's it's it just shows you never know who or what is going to do.

SPEAKER_00 14:07

I gotta I gotta update, I gotta update my playlist, I think.

SPEAKER_01 14:10

Yeah, I've got to admit it, right? Uh, if there's any kids listening, you should not go listen to public enemy unless you're over the age of 16 or something like that.

unknown 14:18

Right.

SPEAKER_01 14:19

Um, you know, I I do want to say this too, uh, on this note that uh I want to also shout out like Flavor Flav did obviously an unbelievable job creating this. I think the other thing that was pretty amazing, Haley, was he put kind of an open call out of who's who's gonna join me, which is I'm gonna say a little bit of a gutsy thing to do, right? Because you don't know what's gonna happen when you do that. Yeah, and it's like Paris Hulton jumped right in. Uh, I I saw the gift giving suite, like like everyone wanted to be a part of this. Um, and I do want to say this too you deserve this, all of you did. Um, this was also born out of well, I don't want to get into it too much, but a bit of a slight that happened, and and Flav said, No, that's not gonna happen, right? And I I actually give them a lot of credit for flipping the script on this. No, we're not even talking about the slight, we're talking about she weekend right now, right? Yeah, but um, who else? Because I don't want to miss anybody that you remember at least, who else got involved, right? Besides Paris. I mean, you guys were at the sphere, you guys got were you at the backstreet boys concert? Did you get to go to that? I mean, I'm I'm watching, you know, Haley, we live vicariously through you. So I'm going through your Instagram. Most of my friends are with their dogs that weekend, like next to the Backstreet Boys at the sphere, just hanging out. Yeah, no big deal. What was that like?

SPEAKER_03 15:35

It was crazy. So honestly, I can kind of go over Friday. So Friday, um, uh it started off with like the gifting lounge. They had it set up for like a certain time frame, and that was incredible because you you walk into this room and the walls are just filled with things. And I'm like, wait, I can just go in and grab these things and go, yeah, your bags are outside. You fill it up, get one of everything. And I'm like, wait, even this? Like what? So, like it was JBL headphones with the She Weekend logo on them. It was a JBL speaker, it was NULO, which is like a pet food company, a fanny pack for your dog or your cat. There was a Fitbit, there was uh air tags, there was uh jewelry. We got like you could pick between a diamond bracelet, a necklace, and a um and something. It was, I forget what the other thing was. Earrings. There it was. Like there was there was just so many things. There's all this like skincare, there was uh makeup, there was anything you could think of that you would need was in this room that you could grab. Uh the Vegas Raiders clothes, there was, which I felt a little guilty. I did take one hoodie. I don't think it'll even fit me though, for the Buffalo Bills. No, you're someone else. You got it for somebody, yeah, yeah, for someone else. I'll give it to someone else.

SPEAKER_01 16:46

Yeah, I won't let you do that to yourself.

SPEAKER_03 16:47

Um so yeah, like we just got all of these things, and um, those are just like the uh ones that come top of mind in our in our hotel rooms. Dove was a big sponsor, so they gave us um like shark hair uh stuff, which is like the blow jar that can also straighten your hair or curl your hair or brush your hair as you're drying it. Uh, so that was really nice. A lot of like soaps and scrubs and um just all these different things were in our room as soon as we got there. Um, so yeah, I had thank goodness I brought an extra bag because I had filled it completely with just the gifts that we got. Um, so yeah, that was really a really cool experience for sure.

SPEAKER_01 17:27

I should note on gifting suites real quick, just because I've been in them before. Every NHL All-Star game has these.

SPEAKER_02 17:33

Oh, really? Oh, yeah.

SPEAKER_01 17:34

Every every All-Star. I didn't know this. Yeah, I'm letting you know right now because I again I've been in them and the the All-Stars is coming in, like you can literally take whatever you want. Most of these brands are just trying to get in front of these guys, but yeah, like like I I'm saying that not to make you jealous, but yeah, it's go we're going the right direction, right? Exactly. Every all-star game has a gifting suite, every single one.

SPEAKER_03 17:55

Uh oh, there was also squishmallows. Forgot about those. Those lines the top, can't forget the squishmallows.

SPEAKER_01 18:00

Every uh a lot of our audience is gonna know what that is. Yeah, all right. Let's talk about the sphere too. Um my gosh. Just go ahead.

SPEAKER_03 18:08

So, yeah, that was our evening. So, so then, okay, so for Friday and Saturday, you had the option to pick an event to go to. So you could either do Cirque du Soleil, Blue Man Group, or a concert. So Friday night's concert was Backstreet Boys, so I'm pretty sure almost every athlete picked Backstreet Boys at the sphere. Right. Um, what I didn't get the memo on was uh wearing all white. And I also was like, you know what? Maybe the athletes won't even know that. Like, I'm sure everyone's just gonna wear whatever. So I'm wearing jeans and a black uh shirt. Nope, everyone knew. I'm like the only one in no white, right? Um, so sadly I was not prepared in that sense.

SPEAKER_01 18:46

But well, you're gonna stick out in the photos now. That's the good.

SPEAKER_03 18:48

Oh, I do. I do. I have seen the photos, yeah. Um, but yeah, it was unbelievable. The sphere is sick. Like we're driving by and you can see the outside of it, and it's like changing graphics the whole time. Like at one point it was a beach ball rolling, and then it's like an emoji, and then it's all these different things. And then obviously for Backstreet Boys, it was like their stuff. Um, and so we actually so we did a meet and greet with the Backstreet Boys. So this was, they must have obviously been okay with this. So they were really great. I mean, there was 30 of us in this room that they came in and chatted with and took time out of their, you know, before their big concert to talk with us and take a picture and everything. And um, it was really cool. And they were kind of just telling us like how it's such a different experience at the sphere. Like they prepare for months and months, like nine months, I think they said, to just plan their performance for the sphere and like what graphics they're gonna use and like all that stuff. Uh, because it's obviously different than any other venue you would go to. Um and so inside it's just like all digital inside on the screen, and like things are kind of coming at you, or things are like going out and like opening up. Like it was like at the beginning, it was like a rocket ship, and the the top was opening up into like the sky with the stars, and then then they come down in the stage, and then oh my gosh, it was just so it was the coolest experience. The concert went by so fast because it was just so much fun. You're just looking everywhere. There's things coming out of the wall on this side, and like they're performing up there and dancing, and like I don't know. It was it was a very, very cool experience, and um, they also did a shout-out for us on stage. I don't know if you guys had seen that, and it was so nice. Like Kevin, Kevin came out with the American flag, and backwards.

SPEAKER_01 20:30

And they were like, We have it. Yeah, I'll say it. It was forwards to him. That's that's what I'll say.

SPEAKER_03 20:38

Yes, and then um AJ was like gave us a shout-out to like the whole the whole arena, which was just such a nice touch. Like, no one none of us expected that either. And I thought that was a really uh classy move. So I really appreciated that.

SPEAKER_01 20:50

I gotta tell you, you just got me very excited because again, not to make the show personal or anything like that, but I'm going to see Metallica at the sphere this October with my children, uh, who are very, very, very excited about it.

SPEAKER_03 21:02

And you've never been there, never been there.

SPEAKER_01 21:04

Uh, it does sound like you're more dressed for that concert based on what you said with the black t-shirt and jeans. Yeah, never been there. And I I've joked that that's gonna actually ruin Metallica for my kids because that's gonna be their first Metallica concert. And like next time we go, we'll be like outside, like, well, what where's all the sphere stuff? Like, no, that they just do the music now. Uh, but I'm really excited about that, Haley. I'm not sure.

SPEAKER_03 21:24

That is going to be so cool.

SPEAKER_01 21:26

Yeah, sorry all you're going to love it.

SPEAKER_03 21:28

Yeah.

SPEAKER_01 21:28

Sorry for letting me divert there. Stay in the life. We might be very important. Yeah, no, we're gonna be doing that. But look, just just amazing stuff. Um, you know, Haley, I wrote this question down, and I'm just gonna ask it the way I wrote it. Because now you I think I'm gonna get a funny answer. Did you realize yet you're a celebrity? Do you have any clue, any grounding of that yet? No, no, yeah, like because like you, you know, you are a celebrity now uh in the athletic world. Like, because you know, I'm just gonna go through the checklist of celebrity things. Like, you won a major award, you won a major award, you won a major award that can keep going on. Uh you got gifting suites, the Backstreet Boys are calling you out on stage, right? Um, uh major musical artists are supporting you and your team. Uh, you headline a podcast, a very popular podcast that also has awards. I'm just gonna say that too. Uh, you're a celebrity, and I think the reason I'm bringing this up is because you're so humble, right? I want to show that to our audience listening, that in spite of all of this, you're still you. Like, none of this has changed you. And again, a lot of people have known you throughout your life. We've known you kind of at the start to now, in terms of like, like, we'll just say the hockey stick chart going up. I think that's fair, right? You've been the same humble, wonderful person every single day. And I just I think that's the coolest thing, and one of the big messages of this is that none of this stuff's changing you. You're a good person, I think that's why this stuff's coming at you. Right?

SPEAKER_03 23:05

Well, yeah. Well, thank you. I appreciate that. I try to, you know, keep grounded and uh remember all of that. And it's been fun to have all these experiences. So yeah, well, and again.

SPEAKER_01 23:15

Been fun to have a way of for us to interview you about it. Before we move on, is anything else from She Weekend you want to recap or talk about? Because I mean, just the stuff you said is pretty amazing. It was only what two and a half days, really, right?

SPEAKER_03 23:28

Basically, yeah. Well, then Saturday was kind of well, actually, I forgot about this on Friday, Friday night. There was like a or no, was that Thursday? It was Thursday night. They had like a little blackjack tournament that you could play. Like they gave you like $1,500 of like money. And then like the top three people whoever won the most money, and like you did have like a 10-minute round where you could play baccarat, blackjack, and roulette. Um, and then whoever won the most money, the top three, got like a certain amount of money of free play. So that was a really cool uh little addition there. We are in Vegas, it made very much sense. And then on Saturday, we went to the Ed Shearan concert. Yeah, and we were supposed to do a meet and greet there, but we were show we showed up a little late. Uh, we didn't get the bag memo and clear bags for allegiance stadium, so that was a bummer. But his concert was incredible, he was unbelievable.

SPEAKER_01 24:18

This sounds incredible. Yeah, um I gotta ask this now. This was the first She weekend. Has there been any talks of like this? This needs to be every four years, every year, how anything like that?

SPEAKER_03 24:31

I was hearing rumors it could be an annual event. I don't know, but you know what the invite list would look like from year to year, I don't know, but very excited. We got to be a part of the first she weekend. It was unbelievable. Highly recommend. Hope they do it annually. Yeah, um, so we'll see.

SPEAKER_00 24:46

Was was Haley? Was the whole like did you have a really good uh as far as the attendance go from the team? Did everybody was everybody everybody able to make it?

SPEAKER_03 24:52

We had about 14 girls show, so pretty good. Some girls had conflicts, some girls were just stressed and busy and just couldn't make it work, and yeah, yeah, but yeah, 14. So that's pretty good. Yeah, I I was not missing that weekend for anything.

SPEAKER_01 25:06

No, no, you deserve it. Like you know, another thing about you, Haley, that I love, and I'm actually gonna bring this up as a positive. You're not afraid to enjoy, you know. Uh I don't want to say the victor go the spoils kind of thing, yeah. You're not afraid to enjoy it. I think that when I was younger, I had a hard time with that. But as I as I evolved as a person, I understand it's okay to enjoy these things, like not just that, like, hey, we earned it, but you should enjoy your victories while you can because moments don't last forever, right? Like, again, Olympic gold medals are a little different. You have a four four-year window to kind of celebrate that. But look, we could say about the Walter Cup, like, you know, not that that's over, but like the seasons are around the corner, right? And it's you're on a different team. Like, these things don't last forever, so you got to embrace these moments.

SPEAKER_03 25:52

Yeah, I think you know, you kind of realize that, especially you know, with the Walter Cup a week and a half later, I'm on a different team. Like it goes by so fast. And so, and as I've gotten older, I've gotten better at that too, and like enjoying celebrating the victories because like you do realize like how rare it is, you don't know if it'll be the last one, and like, and sometimes I'd be nervous to like not train, like I can't not train. Oh my gosh. It's like, okay, you are fine, you are in shape, you you're missing two days, like you will be okay.

SPEAKER_00 26:20

Like, if that's so like I guess that's really my question, too, is like from a dinosaur's perspective. Like, like back in the day, like you you people win. I mean, I think low late lately, we saw it, you know, we've seen it like we're right in the cusp of uh the World Cup and and you know, of of uh with soccer or football, whatever. And and it's like you know, you're seeing the personalities of the athletes maybe just because it's just our our you know, because we have Instagram and and and TikTok. Like you didn't get to see those. I took the for me, like the first time I really saw that was like Alex Ovechkin winning the cup and swimming in the fountain, and like like that. But before that, a lot of that stuff was always hidden. That's true. He's a professional athlete. Like, where do you where do you think that that that pendulum is now swinging? Like, like you just said it, like a lot of fans are like, oh, Hayley's not, she's not, she's not even preparing for the season, and she's you know, but and and the fact is like all these guys are on boats and they're hanging out as cabo and and they're enjoying themselves. Like there is an enjoyment factor that has to be had, but there's also the perspective of listen, I'm doing the work, but uh, but at the same time, I'm allowed to be uh, you know, somebody who enjoys uh the fact that we have victories here.

SPEAKER_03 27:33

For sure. I think you know, I haven't heard any of that, so like I don't think that's really happening. But I think actually what women act have to face a lot is the whole, oh, you're a role model, how could you do that? And it's like, I'm an adult woman, I can literally drink if I want to drink. Like I I assure you, there's like plenty of male athletes out there drinking and smoking cigars, and you're not saying, hey, you're a role model. Like, that's not my job. I'm not my my professional job, it's not role model. It's I'm an athlete, I can do what I want. So I think that's like the biggest misconception that happens a lot. Um, again, haven't heard that uh in recent times, but that has happened a lot in our careers, and I think that's something that uh is a double standard that's a little ridiculous.

SPEAKER_01 28:15

But yeah, you know, I I remember uh male sports had that back in the 90s. Was it was it Charles Barclay who said, I'm not your role model? I I remember there's a huge moment when uh NBA star had he came out, he's like, Look, I'm not I'm not your role model, right? And it was it was talked about, right? And now 30 years later we're having a similar discussion. That's so funny, but it's true, you have every right to to be an adult and to enjoy those things. And look, while being a professional athlete or celebrity comes with more cameras and more eyes on you, and there I do think that there is a I don't know if responsibilities are right where there's an awareness of that. You got to live your life, and and like I said, I think it's okay to celebrate as a coach now. You know, when when I see my team win or we go through big victory situations, I've learned how to enjoy those moments, primarily in watching my team celebrate and kind of just enjoying that. But you know, it's okay for me to have a minute after the game and you know, have it beverage and you know, not crazy, right? Like things like that.

SPEAKER_00 29:17

I think it's generational though, too, because like you know, like for me, like the you know, like that's accepting now, like you're accepting it because like it's almost like that when you have a conversation with your kids about like oh, everything's online and and your employer is gonna be and and everybody's gonna be able to see your history of who you were. And I'm like, Well, yeah, but they're all doing it too. Like, like it's just the world you have to manage the world you're in, and it's just like you know, for somebody like me who's like, Oh my god, like that's gonna be with the rest of their life, and be like, Yeah, well, who cares? That nobody cares.

SPEAKER_01 29:45

I'm gonna say this too, Mike. It it there's so much judgment, like, not to be the real life Ted Lasso. So, again, there's too much judgment, not enough curiosity out there, right? It's so easy to look at you, Haley, be like, Well, okay, you win a gold medal, you get yeah. No, the way I look at it is like I'm so happy for all of you, yeah, that you're getting not just recognized, but celebrated. That's the other side of it. I think I think recognition's been there for a minute. The celebration's the other side of it. Um, Mike, real quick, just because you called yourself a dinosaur, I'm gonna refer to you as Benelosaurus the rest of the show. That's okay. If that's okay with you, okay.

SPEAKER_00 30:20

My kids my kids refer to me that way anyway. But I think it's like I I think, but again, it's just it's just a mindset of of of being in a in a place where like a 19, 20, 26-year-old doesn't see things the same way. And like I think that's where that generational piece is like looking, going, huh, like they're not uh are they really serious about what they're doing? And everybody else, like, this is I'm like, I'm seeing it because I was in Norway for three weeks, right? Watching this Holly kid, you know, kind of turn into the superstar person in the US, and everybody knew who he was, but all of a sudden he's like, I don't give a crap what other people think of me. I'm being me. And I think athletes are allowed to be that more and more and more. Um and and and the fact that they're having success is even a greater accomplishment. It's like not only am I having fun, I'm having a lot of success. And the reason and there, and I can have that back and forth, and the world we're living in is take, you know, the the windows of of celebrityism, right, is small. And so take advantage of it when you can and then build on it. That's the whole point.

SPEAKER_01 31:23

Well, I think it's been a great discussion about She Week, and I did promise this. We only have a few minutes left. Uh, I'm gonna talk about the SBs real quick. I will start this by saying these are my opinions and mine alone, not anybody else on the panel. Um, ESPN, I thought you had a huge snub situation to not just the women's Olympic team, but the the men's Olympic team as well, um, who were up for best team, best moments. Uh, you know, we'll give Declan Farmer a huge shout out for winning his award for USA hockey. But uh, you know, it became the New York Knicks show at the SB's, you know, which I'll tell you why I'm bugged by that, friends. And again, I'm not trying to pass judgment on ESPN. I grew up in a time period where hockey was largely ignored by ESPN, even when they had NHL tonight. And I think if you're having a true awards situation and the award is for best team, I am not in any way disregarding the amazing thing that the New York Knicks did that the New York Knicks did this season. Unbelievable playoff run. Was it an unprecedented playoff run? No, was it magical? Yeah, you know what else was magical? Both our women's and men's national teams winning the gold medal. That's pretty freaking amazing. And if we're talking about the best team, and this really is my opinion, you had the most dominant women's hockey team in history sweep the Olympics, win in dramatic fashion, by the way, in a gold medal game against a Titan Canadian team. That's the best team, period. And I'm picking that over the men because I thought Team Canada was actually better than Team USA men's hockey team. God bless the men for winning that game. But I I just think we missed the mark. I understand there's a fan vote aspect to this, and I respect fans' votes. But if yeah, ESPN, if the SPs are really gonna portray these real awards, I just think we totally missed the boat. By the way, best play went to um, you know, that great tippin' in the NBA finals. Again, was it a great, amazing play? Absolutely. You know what was a better play? Our men and women's hockey team winning gold medals in overtime in the Olympics. Okay, I'm getting a little pissed off. I'm gonna this is like an older version of me coming out. I look, I'm just gonna say it. And I said this to Haley too, all right? The SBs are the Espies. Gold medals are gold medals. Bob Johnson Awards are Bob Johnson awards. All right, those are the those are the real awards that matter. And I'm gonna say it too. Team USA, both sides have been nothing but wonderful with the SBs and gracious with the SBs. Haley, I'm not gonna even ask you to say anything unless you want to. I'm just saying, as a hockey fan, it's it's pretty annoying. All right, it's not like the Olympics happen. The NBA final happens every single year. Every single year. By the way, it's final, not finals, not a plural. Sorry, I'm getting petty now. Okay. Uh Haley, you guys want my SB for best team. I just want you to know if that matters at all. I appreciate it. Congratulations. All right. That was a little bit of a rant. That'll get some views.

SPEAKER_00 34:34

Yeah, hopefully the the the 500 million more that the NBA gets over the NHL. But I think it's it's it's it's just it is what it is, right? I think these are these are things, again, I don't even know if they're right or wrong. It's just what hockey people accept. Like when you when you ask a normal, like, run-of-the-mill sports fan where hockey ranks in their like you know, their list, it's usually like, you know, football and then basketball and then baseball and then soccer, and then it's just, you know, that and hockey somewhere in there. It's and I but but that's what makes our sport such a beautiful sport to be involved in because it is niche, it is special, it is close. And and the men and women knowing that, like listen, we know what we did. I mean, and USA hockey knowing what they did, but the rest of the world, it's at least it's very similar to what just happened in the US. Like, I hadn't watched a soccer game in 35 years, like I could care less. Like, but but because my family's Norwegian and they they were doing well and there was this whole thing going on, it's in the US. All of a sudden, I'm sitting there in a you know uh watch party watching soccer. I'm like, this is crazy because I can't watch soccer, like it's just something I don't do, right? So but I think but I think to your point about the SBs, like they're you know, at the end of the day, they're business too, right? They're like, okay, well, this is our ship. Um, it wasn't in the sphere, right? It wasn't in the where was it in New York City? Oh, it was back in New York City, okay.

SPEAKER_01 35:56

So that's why I didn't lead with it, because it's not a I didn't want to lead with a negative, but yeah, I got it.

SPEAKER_00 36:00

Yeah, well, it's stolen city anyway, so you gotta give the nickname.

SPEAKER_01 36:03

It's your show.

SPEAKER_03 36:05

Um, well, no, Flavorflave also set up us getting to the SB. So like our whole team wasn't originally invited. So we uh he got the rest of us like flights and stuff out there. The glam squad came to do our hair and makeup, paid the stylist who is with our uh in our pro league to style us and everything. So I just wanted to add that in there. And and started and started. Well, I don't know, like I think we would have had to pay for it ourselves.

SPEAKER_00 36:29

I think we were inviting it to the Espies, but not a way to get from Vegas back to the Espies.

SPEAKER_03 36:35

Um, the Espies were first. Oh, it was before. So I think um we probably would have had to pay for ourselves our own hotels. Some of our girls were invited, so like seven of them already had a hotel and things like that, but the rest of us got later. But Flavor Flav set us up, so thank you again for that. And Paris Hilton, and Paris Hilton got us the hotel rooms, and when we it's easy for her to get hotel rooms, but uh yeah, but yeah, she doesn't have to do that.

SPEAKER_00 37:02

Come on, I guess you gotta download some uh Flavor Flav music now. I but I'll work on that.

SPEAKER_01 37:07

Yes. Well, listen, Haley, I'll I'll say this overall, very positive. Look, it is it is I do want to say this, and I'm not I'm not walking back on what I said. It is always uh uh amazing to be nominated for those awards, all right. Um but I promise you, audience, I you know you can say I'm biased as a hockey person. I've analyzed these teams that were nominated. Uh, I'm gonna stand by what I said. All right, the Olympics don't happen every year, you don't see dominance like that every year. I'm not saying the Knicks got lucky in any way. All right, they've earned they earned that championship, but come, come on, come on. She weekend was a complete triumph. Haley, any final thoughts on She Weekend? Well, ended on a positive, just an amazing, triumphant. That's the word I'm gonna use, uh celebration of of women's sports, right? Yeah, in Vegas by Flavor Flav. Yeah.

SPEAKER_03 38:01

I mean, just thank you to Flavor Flav. Thank you to MGM uh for setting us up with the hotels and the whole weekend. Thank you to all of the sponsors. I mean, uh there's just almost too many to name, but I named it with the whole gifting stuff. Uh, so just thank you to everyone who was involved in any way, shape, or form. It was one of the best weekend celebrations we've gotten to experience together.

SPEAKER_01 38:20

So well, first of many, Haley. I really mean that. Thank you. Not just the first and only one for you. We hope to see you back there so we can have another one of these supplemental episodes as Haley begins her journey in Las Vegas with PWHL Vegas. We'll have a pretty cool, I'm sure, name for that team sooner than later uh as we follow her day in the life. But this was a fun one, gang. Thanks so much for joining us again. Uh, we'll have more hockey stuff on the next episode of Our Girls Play Hockey. But who, let's be honest, audience, you guys love these episodes.

SPEAKER_02 38:49

It's pretty cool comparison with the Haley.

SPEAKER_01 38:51

For Mike, for Haley, I'm Lee. We'll see on the next Our Girls Play Hockey, everybody. Take care. We hope you enjoyed this edition of Our Kids Play Hockey. Make sure to like and subscribe right now if you found value wherever you're listening, whether it's a podcast network, a social media network, or our website, our kidsplayhockey.com. Also, make sure to check out our children's book, When Hockey Stops, at when hockey stops.com. It's a book that helps children deal with adversity in the game and in life. We're very proud of it. But thanks so much for listening to this edition of Our Kids Play Hockey, and we'll see you on the next episode.