Former ESPN host Keith Olbermann has sharply criticized his old “SportsCenter” colleague, Linda Cohn, referring to her as a “self-obsessed, politically motivated clown.” This came after Cohn discussed Toronto Maple Leafs captain Auston Matthews’ visit to the White House, following Team USA’s gold medal win against Canada at the 2026 Winter Olympics.
On Thursday, Cohn shared her thoughts on X, expressing disagreement. A recent article from the Toronto Star argued that Matthews chose to align himself with President Donald Trump over Canada during celebrations for the U.S. men’s hockey team’s nail-biting 2-1 overtime victory against Canada in Washington, D.C.
Cohn tweeted, “Are you kidding me? If this is how Leafs fans feel, if I were Auston Matthews, I would take control of my life and go where I’m needed,” in reference to Matthews’ decisions. She emphasized her view in a piece titled “Auston Matthews made choices that put Trump above Leaf.”
In her tweets, she included a quote from the Toronto Star, urging, “Please be better. I hope I don’t speak for Leafs fans.”
Olbermann quickly responded, stating, “I hate to finally break it to you, Linda Cohn. I want to say, ‘Please get better,’ but that’s impossible.” He shared a screenshot of her post for context.
He went on to address her more pointedly, “You’re a self-obsessed, politically motivated clown who thinks her tendencies are sacred and everyone else’s should be suppressed. We’ve coddled you for years, and that’s over.”
There’s quite a history between Olbermann and Cohn. Both were key figures at ESPN in the 1990s and co-hosted a “SportsCenter” reunion special in 2018. That same year, Cohn renewed her contract, boosting her profile in hockey, while Olbermann shifted his focus to political media in 2020.
Matthews, leading the U.S. men’s national team, visited the White House with most of his teammates recently but skipped President Trump’s State of the Union address.
Following their gold medal victory, the men’s team has faced criticism regarding their response to a lighthearted joke made by Trump during a congratulatory call, which some deemed inappropriate. Members of the team were heard laughing during the call, further stirring controversy.
The Toronto Star’s article criticized Matthews, stating he “failed in every respect as captain of the Leafs, miserably,” partly due to interactions between Team USA and Trump.
Furthermore, the article took issue with Matthews celebrating in Miami with Team USA post-victory. It suggested, “At that point, Matthews could have said, ‘I’m sorry, but I have to get back to work.’ Six games in 11 days in Italy, followed by a return to NHL action, might have shown the kind of leadership he should embody, especially as the Leafs risk missing the Stanley Cup Playoffs.”
