Nick Mullen characterizes the Soviet Union's state-sponsored sports program as brutal and demanding, involving severe physical hardship for its athletes.

“they were pissing blood and [ __ ] and it's like you know the Soviet Union it's like it was like a military designation it's like you have to play yeah those guys were all generals oh yeah and they have to you have to like you have they have like ice skate carrying Boulders completely naked”