Episode 114 takes a different turn as the boys welcome veteran sportscaster Naoko Funayama to the podcast for a fascinating conversation about hockey, officiating, broadcasting, and life on the road covering some of the world’s biggest sporting events.
Naoko has built an impressive career working with major sports organizations and networks, including NBC Sports, NESN, the New England Revolution, and most recently as a reporter for the Snow League. Throughout the episode, she shares stories from her career path and discusses what it was like covering four Olympic Games, including the delayed Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games, the Beijing 2022 Winter Olympics, the Paris 2024 Olympic Games, and the Milan Cortina 2026 Winter Olympics.
But this wasn’t your typical Chirping Zebras interview. Naoko flipped the script and put Geno and Mark in the hot seat, asking plenty of questions about hockey officiating, referee development, and what it really takes to work games at a high level. The result is a unique conversation that blends the worlds of sports journalism and hockey officiating, giving listeners a rare look at both professions.
From Olympic memories and international travel to hockey stories and referee insights, Episode 114 is packed with great conversation, plenty of laughs, and the perspective of a broadcaster who has truly seen the sporting world from every angle. Sit back and enjoy an episode where Naoko may have taken over the podcast—and the boys were more than happy to let her.