Exclusive Interview With Laila Edwards As She Makes History

…The way Thee Stallion is going to be providing Olympic coverage on her YT channel. Thank you, NBC Universal, for making this possible. We owe you our lives, just like we owe Megan our knees. 

The NBA wants to flood your social feeds with All-Star Weekend coverage. They’ve hired 200 creators to cover this weekend’s events and programming to attract new fans. The commenters aren’t too happy. Though in fairness, Twitter commenters are rarely happy. 

In what I am dubbing the craziest interview of all time, Olympic or otherwise, Norwegian biathlete Sturla Holm Laegreid admitted to cheating on his partner (and regretting it) the week before he won the bronze. It appears it was an attempt to win her back, and I’m not sure how that will go, but I know her group chat is popping off right now. 

According to the tennis pro himself, Nike really knows Jannik Sinner (ok, lucky). His latest Atelier collab with the sportswear giant proves that. It’s perfect for the Dolomites-born would-be professional skier who likes the cold. 

If you read my newsletter regularly, you know I’m kind of out on many ads these days. But I’m all for brands that can understand and anticipate what their audience wants. My editor and writer of our sister newsletter, SportsVerse, Daniel-Yaw Miller explains how Adidas and Nike hit the Super Bowl out of the park. I mean, out of the … field (?).    

I spoke to Laila Edwards before some of the biggest moments of her life. Before her 22nd birthday party, before her trip to Italy for the Olympic Games, before Team USA’s easy victory over archrival Canada yesterday. The Ohio alliance, as always, is very alive and well within Laila’s network. The Kelce brothers, both Cleveland natives, paid for her family to attend her historic games as Team USA’s first Black women’s hockey player. Larry Nance Jr. rocked her jersey pre-game. And in talking to her, you can tell how much these acts of kindness and support mean to her. We talked about that, old Drake, “Heated Rivalry,” and more.  

Ashtyn Butuso: You've seen it a little bit already, but the whole world is gonna be rooting for you. Have you fully grasped that? 

Laila Edwards: No, I haven't fully grasped it, but I'm still extremely grateful for it. I'm just a hockey player at the end of the day, but it's been really, really motivating and heartwarming.

AB: Larry Nance Jr. wore your jersey recently. 

LE: It was crazy. I mean, I gave it to the media staff, hoping he'd wear it, but I didn't expect him to because it was like a day's notice, and he had no obligation, but he did, and it was so cool. I saw it on my Instagram, and I was like, “Whoa!” I sent it to my family. It was a really special moment for me. 

AB: And the Kelce Brothers helped your family fund their trip [to the Olympic Games]. Have there been any other notable exchanges with fellow athletes or celebrities that have made you feel supported?

LE: Lindsey Vonn has shown me a little bit of love on her foundation account, which has been really cool…There's been a lot of NHL guys' wives to show support. Kyle Palmieri’s wife, Ashlee, JT Brown, a former player, his wife, and Patrick Laine's wife. She's been really cool. So yeah, a lot of really cool people. 

LE: [They’ve said] very meaningful things like, they're proud of me, they're rooting for me.

AB: I saw the Red Bull spot with Isabeau Levito, which was hilarious, and I was like, “Okay, but Laila's actually pretty good at this!” 

LE: I did a little bit of figure skating, at the same time as when I started hockey, but I knew I didn't have a future in it [laughs].  

AB: I did a little Instagram creeping and saw that your mom uses the hashtag #blackkidsplayhockeytoo. How did your family come to hockey…and figure skating, and I guess all the cold sports?

LE: [Laughs] Right? Yeah. My dad, growing up, played hockey, and he got us into skates as soon as he could. And he also had us figure skating, and his plan all along was that it would help us with hockey, but I didn't know it at the time! 

AB: Oh, that’s so sweet. 

LE: Yep. So my older brother, older sister, and younger brother all played. We were a big hockey family. 

AB: I know you like to read. What are you reading now?

LE: Lately, I've been into Freida McFadden, so some murder mysteries. I really like things that keep me on my toes and make me wanna keep the book.

AB: Speaking of books, kinda, I have to ask, obviously, did you watch “Heated Rivalry”? 

LE: Yeah, I loved it. I think I love when hockey gets attention and becomes mainstream because it's not the most popular sport. I loved the storyline, and it was great. 

AB: Who are you following on Instagram right now? 

LE: Hmm, Hmm. There are a lot of people, but Maddie Mastro. She's a snowboarder. She's really cool. I met her last summer and she was really cool. I like her content and she was just named to the Olympic team, so I'm really happy for her. 

AB: I wanted to talk a little bit about your relationship with Hillary Knight because it's so interesting to be in the Olympics, because you have someone that's 21 and someone that's 36 on the same team, which is not always the case.

LE: Yeah, I'm very grateful for her relationship. I grew up idolizing her. I've always watched her on TV. Any chance that I could try and meet her…I would, like…I went to a meet and greet; she came on the ice one time and presented our team with a trophy. I was freaking out. And I still look up to her. She's an incredible athlete, but an even better teammate, leader, friend. I think we've had the opportunity to learn from each other and just grow into a friendship instead of me idolizing her, which I still do, but not the way I used to, in a weird way.

AB: Do you have a pre-game routine? Music, silence, podcasts? 

LE: The only consistent things I have are, like, music and a Red Bull. Because I have to get going. The games are long! 

AB: What music are you listening to? 

LE: I've been really into Drake's old music lately. [His albums] “Thank Me Later” or “Take Care.” 

AB: Early Drake just really hits.

LE: All the time. 

AB: Sometimes I joke, obviously, I'm way older than you, but I'm like, we need to get kids back to the clubs. And if people were making music like old Drake songs, people would get back in the club. 

LE: Yes, exactly. 

AB: We need bangers. We need like Fetty Wap. 

LE: Yes, yes. Maybe at my Red Bull party [this weekend]. 

AB: I was just about to say it’s almost your birthday. How are you gonna celebrate? 

LE: We have a game…and then afterwards, Red Bull is throwing a [birthday] party. It's gonna be super cool. My teammates, my friends, my family, are all gonna go! 

AB: And then when you get to the Olympics, do you have any special goal celebrations planned?

LE: I don't. They kind of just come to me. That's a good question. Maybe I'll do a little bit of planning when I get over there with my teammates. 

AB: Maybe something Italian? [Doing the Italian pinched fingers gesture]. 

LE: I like that. 

AB: Tuck that one away. What else are Italians known for? 

LE: Food?

AB: Yeah. Maybe you could do like an eating pasta situation.

LE: Right, right, yes.

The NBA has seen three “fights” in the last three days. I use quotation marks because we all know an NBA fight is not a real fight. It’s more of a kerfuffle, but still. The NBA should be encouraging these “fights.” No one should get in trouble for this little tiff between Kris Dunn and Julius Randle. This shove by Mo Gueye the other night was kind of cheap, but I say we let the boys decide who is at fault. Because in the Hornets-Pistons feud, it was hard to tell who overstepped. 

Maybe it’s because I’m watching hockey as I write this. Nonetheless, hear me out. 

I love the NBA, and I love basketball, so when I say this NBA season has been a little bit underwhelming, just know it’s a truth I’m not happy about. While we’ve also seen a 19% increase in views since the same period last year, other sports are seeing even greater growth (albeit from a smaller base). The NHL is boasting a 40% rise in interest this year (since “Heated Rivalry” premiered, to be exact). 

Anyways, I don’t care about ratings at all. That’s none of my business. But if executives do, they should let people fight. And when I say this, I’m obviously not referring to UFC-style kicks or knees or chokeholds — I don’t want anyone to get seriously hurt, and there should absolutely be a line (and someone to police that). But a little noogie here and there might make things interesting. 

Reason 1: It’s good business sense from a player perspective. If you are one of the players who wants to fight, you could make serious cash by taking on the “enforcer” role. Instead of being suspended for being #himself, Isaiah Stewart, aka “Beef Stew,” could monetize this. Imagine the commercial opportunity. 

Reason 2: There are few better ways to unite a fanbase than a good old scrap. If my team got in a fight, not only would I be texting 100 miles per hour in every group chat I’ve got, but I’d be riding that high for weeks. I’d stay locked in. 

Reason 3: It looks cool. And NBA players love being cool. It’s their whole thing! 

Reason 4: (Commissioner, look away) It’s a way to circumvent the load management rules. “I’m not sitting for no reason, I have a black eye!” 

Reason 5: A cast, splint, tape, gauze, all make for great tunnel fit accessories. 

Reason 6: They could rap about it. Some of them are good rappers, but they lack material. This would fix that problem. 

Honorable mention reason: If they were allowed to fight, there might actually be fewer fights, because NBA players wouldn’t really be able to do the “hold me back” thing they do now. If they really wanted to fight, they’d have to. 

So, who’s with me??