The Herd with Colin Cowherd
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PodcastThe Herd with Colin Cowherd
Publisher/creatoriHeartPodcasts and The Volume
Published
Shortcast updated
About this episode
This week, Show Me Something goes LIVE with Marriott Bonvoy from the biggest March Madness® bracket in the country. Sophie Cunningham and West Wilson check in from Indianapolis, home of the 2026 Men’s Final Four®, to set the stage for March Madness chaos, Cinderella dreams, and the travel that powers it all. Recorded on March 17—before the first tip‑off of the tournament—they break down why March hits harder when you travel for it, from bracket‑breaking possibilities to the emotional rollercoaster of buzzer‑beaters and heartbreak. Along the way, they give flowers to the unsung heroes of March Madness: the parents, fans, coaches, and communities who crisscross the country to support their teams. Then things level up with special guest, Joel McHale, who joins the show with unforgettable travel stories, behind‑the‑scenes Hollywood moments, and peak fandom energy. From his college football days and legendary University of Washington tailgates to hotel must‑haves and dream sporting events, Joel brings humor, heart, and March‑level intensity. He also talks current and upcoming projects including Scream 7, House of Villains, and Animal Control—because whether it’s underdogs fighting to survive or rivals colliding on the biggest stage, Joel knows March Madness energy when he sees it. In this episode: March Madness predictions and bracket chaos Why travel is inseparable from the Final Four experience The emotional highs and lows that define March Joel McHale on fandom, football, tailgating, and travel essentials Hollywood stories and life on the road This is March Madness like you’ve never heard it before, and the first of four live episodes with Marriott Bonvoy. Follow Show Me Something for the rest of the limited series. Check us out @showme_pod on Instagram to enter for a chance to win tickets to the Final Four. NO PURCHASE NECESSARY. Void where prohibited. Open to legal residents of the 50 U.S./D.C., who are at least 18 years old as of date of entry. Sweepstakes ends 11:59 PM ET on 4/15/26, with two (2) entry periods. For complete Official Rules, visit rules.dja.com/livefromthebracket. Sponsor: Marriott International, Inc. [Depicted] Men’s March Madness bracket located at the JW Marriott Indianapolis. Episode filmed at The Westin Indianapolis. Marriott Bonvoy is the official hotel partner of the NCAA, March Madness, and Final Four. 00:00 - We’re Live from the Bracket in Indy! 1:00 - Welcome to Westin 1:53 - West and Sophie Post Up in the New Studio 2:57 - Who are West & Sophie Backing in March Madness 2026? 4:09 - How NIL and Travel Has Changed the March Madness Landscape 6:18 - Home Games and Familiarity Matters 8:38 - Game Styles Per Conference 9:49 - West’s Love for Seeing Small Schools Make It to the Big Dance 10:26 - Shoutout to the Parents! 12:06 - Teams Supporting Teams; Women’s Tournament is a Tight-Knit Community 13:30 - West’s Favorite March Madness Memory 14:31 - All the Emotions of March Madness 15:38 - West & Sophie’s Hotel Power Rankings 19:21 - Welcome Joel McHale 20:30 - March Madness: A Perfectly Designed Tournament 21:31 - Selection Sunday Thoughts & Reactions 22:00 - Who Joel’s Got for #1 22: 13 -Joel’s Time at University of Washington 23:16 - Joel’s Top College City to Visit 24:40 - How Far Would Joel Travel to Watch the University of Washington Play? 25:48 - Joel Reflects on Hosting the ESPYs 26:16 - Experiencing the City When You Travel is a Must 27:11 - Joel’s Latest Projects: Scream 7, Animal Control, and More 29:10 - Wait, Joel Was Born in Rome? 30:50 - Dream Vacation Spots 32:50 - Joel’s Travel Essentials 33:15 - Best Tennis Venues Around the World 34:04 - What Sporting Events Are on Sophie and West’s Travel List? 36:08 - Final Four Sweepstakes: How to Enter All lines provided by Hard Rock Bet See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
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Episode summary
Live from the bracket with Marriott Bonvoy, we’re kicking off at the Westin in Indianapolis with NCAA trophies behind us and a bracket so big it wraps the JW Marriott.
We’re right outside that wall-sized bracket—forty seven thousand square feet over eighteen floors, built from hundreds of panels and updated round by round—so dial in, because Joel McHale is joining us.
My team missed the dance, so I’m borrowing Mizzou energy and pulling for underdogs, and I’m still salty enough to want blue-bloods out early; NIL and the portal make it tougher for small programs to keep veteran cores together, even if all that coast-to-coast travel might harden teams for March.
Mizzou squeaked in and we’re playing in St. Louis, so our fans will show up; the Miami matchup has ties because a longtime Gates assistant is over there now, and travel’s less scary when you live on flights and hotels, though time zones can still smack you.
On the women’s side, those early rounds on home courts are a real edge, and Selection Sunday’s geography puzzle is half the fun because new cities mean new crowds and storylines.
From four straight NCAA trips, I’ll say this: novelty is overrated in March; knowing a gym’s feel matters, and so do styles—SEC is bruising and athletic, other leagues spread you out and launch threes—so it’s beautiful chaos when strengths collide.
We played plenty of powers and I’ve got love for parents and diehards who spend their own money to follow us; you meet gracious fan bases, build respect for opponents, and still compete like crazy because losing hurts no matter who you face.
Arena days create borrowed allegiances, like when Saint Peter’s turned whole buildings into peacock country and Sister Jean became a star; March squeezes out joy and heartbreak in the same hour, and you feel every bit of it under one roof.
I cried at season’s end win or lose because the work pours out of you, and that’s why this month hits different.
Quick hotel power rankings for road life: throw open blackout curtains to a killer view, sink into that Westin bed, find a legit gym, take a high-pressure shower, then blast cold AC after a hot day.
Give me an empty pool to reset, room-chilling AC, charging ports where I actually need them, a steamy shower with a door and good products, and two queens so one can be the luggage bed.
Thanks for having me—March Madness is perfectly designed mayhem, wall-to-wall from the opening tip, and I’m riding with Washington because loyalty’s the point; I practiced more than I played at UW football, but I can still talk a big game.
Seattle’s a major city that still shows up for UW, and I love that you all literally sailgate; how far are you traveling for a Huskies Final Four, and did work keep you from that title game in Houston?
We dock boats right by the stadium and it’s wild, and I’d go to Mars for a Huskies Final Four; sometimes the job blocks a trip, but the miles are stacked.
You’re always on the move—planes, hotels, sets—so what’s been especially nerve-wracking and what’s on your plate now?
Big sports award nights in Los Angeles feel like walking into a wax museum of legends, and Animal Control has me with real animals; I even rode a young camel named Mayhem, no saddle, and just prayed he didn’t bolt.
I’m taking the family to Japan for Tokyo, Kyoto, and Mount Fuji, I was born in Rome with relatives across Italy and beyond, and I travel better with earplugs, an eye mask, and a tablet; I’m a tennis nut who loves Indian Wells and Paris, and Australia is calling.
My dream event is a world-class surf contest because I get the beach and a sport you rarely see up close.
I’m doing the Kentucky Derby this year and I’m going all-in on the outfit; I also want pro bowling and darts because the crowds are quietly unhinged in the best way.
Put me at Cameron with Ken Jeong for a Duke game and I’m set, and thanks for the invite to Derby season.
Before we roll, Marriott Bonvoy is giving away pairs of tickets to the 2026 and 2027 Final Four—enter by commenting on the Live From The Bracket post at showmesomething on Instagram with the hashtag live from the bracket; see the episode notes for full rules and go chase that memory.
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