Curling-Snoop Dogg in the house: Rapper cheers US to mixed doubles win

CORTINA D'AMPEZZO, Italy, Feb 6 - Rapper Snoop Dogg brought a touch of flair to the mixed doubles curling competition on Thursday, sporting a custom jacket featuring the faces of American duo Korey Dropkin and Cory Thiesse while cheering them to victory over Canada.

Snoop was in attendance at the Cortina Olympic Curling Stadium to witness the American pair beat Canada's Brett Gallant and Jocelyn Peterman 7-5 in front of a raucous stadium packed with U.S. supporters.

It was the U.S. team's third straight win in the mixed doubles competition at the Milano Cortina Winter Olympics.

"It's the Olympics, and our family and friends are here cheering us on. Snoop Dogg's here cheering us on! It (the jacket) was so cool. Loved it. Coach Snoop looked good today," a fired-up Dropkin said.

"Man, we are so fortunate to have our family and so many friends of ours here cheering us on. Even some folks that we don't even know, but they showed up and they're cheering loud and proud...

"He (Snoop) had his arm around my mom! Like, get out of here. This is wild! I think coach mum was helping Snoop out, telling him all about curling."

Hip-hop icon and sports fan Snoop, who was named the Honorary Coach of Team USA in December, got hands-on with the sport and was given a quick primer on the basics by members of the U.S. men's and women's teams on the ice after the match.

He also distributed "Coach Snoop" beanies and chains featuring the logo of his music label Death Row Records to players and coaches.

"He came out to meet the teams, he brought us all little gifts and it was fun," U.S. coach Phill Drobnick said.

"We got a necklace and a Coach Snoop hat. Good to see him, sitting with Korey's mom, watching the game, learning about the sport. He had the jacket with Cory and Korey on it, so that was really cool."

Snoop was ever-present at the Paris Olympics, serving as a hype man for Team USA and performing at a beach party in his native Long Beach during the handover ceremony for Los Angeles 2028. He was re-signed by NBC for the Winter Games.

SELFIE WITH TEAM GB'S MOUAT

The Americans were not the only team to attract Snoop's attention at the tournament, with the rapper also asking Bruce Mouat, the skip who led the British men's curling team to silver at the Beijing Games, for a photograph together.

"That was pretty crazy," Mouat said.

The Scot's mixed doubles partner Jennifer Dodds said she was left awestruck, adding: "That was so cool.

"He said to Bruce he's heard about him and he knows who he is, so that was pretty cool! I was like 'Snoop Dogg!' When we got out there, I was proper like fangirling, going, 'oh my god! Snoop Dogg?'" REUTERS