Dana Taylor

hello and welcome to usa today's the excerpt i'm dana taylor today is thursday february 5th 2026. joining me now to discuss one of america's favorite events ice skating and what else to watch out for at milano cortina 2026 is usa today national sports columnist christine brennan and olympic gold medalist brian boitano the host

of USA Today's Milan Magic Olympics podcast.

Christine and Brian, it is so wonderful to have you here on The Excerpt.

Thanks for joining me.

Christine, of course, anything can happen at the Olympics, but Team USA is stacked.

Who are the megastars we'll be watching?

Olympic team.

Brian, let's go in-depth on the U.S.

skaters.

Who are the favorites?

And of course the games showcase athletic excellence from across the globe.

Brian, who are a few of the international Olympians to watch out for?

Christine, we all love a Cinderella story.

Which Olympians on the U.S.

roster do you think could surprise the world?

Brian, if you were to highlight just one, is there an athlete story this year that's compelling to you, perhaps something that goes beyond meddling?

Brian, you uniquely understand the immense pressure athletes from around the globe are feeling right at this moment.

What does the mental preparation look like and feel like for the athletes we'll be watching?

I'll never look at an onion the same way again.

Christine, can you share with us something about the backdrop, the venues, the Italian winterscape that I'll be watching on my screen and the two of you will be experiencing on the ground?