The Dan Le Batard Show with Stugotz - Hour 1: Nick Turturro's Yankees Fan Rage With David Samson And Michael Kay

Episode Date: December 18, 2024

In one of the most chaotic interviews in recent memory, Nick Turturro joins us to discuss the rage he has felt as a New York Yankees fan since Juan Soto signed with the New York Mets. As he unleashes his fury, David Samson is also with us to assess the situation and tells us where the Yankees have gone wrong in their Plan B since losing out on Juan Soto. Did they give Max Fried too much money? Is Cody Bellinger a solution in center field? Then, to add even more fun to the proceedings, the voice of the Yankees, Michael Kay, joins in on the fun to give us his thoughts on how the Yankees offseason has gone. Plus, would Dan attend Michael Kay's funeral? Would Michael Kay attend Dan's funeral? Would anybody attend David Samson's funeral? Also, this entire time Greg Cote is wrapping presents and forcing Michael Kay and Nick Turturro to watch. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

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much with david samson here david samson of nothing personal has landed the get that there is anywhere in baseball today because his rage speaks on behalf of all yankee fans and his place right now his backdrop looks exactly how I would have guessed it would if I thought where does that rage come from? Yeah it comes from those black and white photographs behind him. He is mad and pissed off on behalf of several generations of Yankee fans. And a sad Jets helmet to boot. Oh my god this fandom right here represents the voice of New York sports and betrayal and hurt and thank you.

I can't tell you how much we appreciate your rage. Let's play for everybody. Okay, Nick Tarturo's rage when Juan Soto betrayed his beloved Yankees. Hey Juan Soto, I got two words for you. F*** you, that's right. F*** you and the horse you rode in on. And the cavalry behind you. That's right, motherf***er. Yeah, I'm taking it personal. We gave you our love. We gave you our f***ing heart and soul.

It wasn't enough. You turned your cap around after the World Series. I saw that f***ing move. 700 million, 730. Yeah, it wasn't enough. It wasn't enough. Guaranteed years, it wasn't enough. You don't even choose the Dodgers. You don't even choose the Dodgers. You go off-Broad. It wasn't enough. You don't even choose the Dodgers.

You don't even choose the Dodgers. You go off-Broadway to the Mets. You don't want to be on Broadway. And you don't want to be Judge's guy. You don't want to be Judge's partner. Oh, that's right, Judge. Now it's your team. That's it.

Let's stick it up his fucking ass. That's right. Let's go out. Let's get Burns freed. Bregman. Let's go to the Oscar. I don't give a fuck. Now we're not fucking around.

Take those grungy whatever those fucking stuff. Oh, those f***s. Oh those stupid meds. F*** them. So good. I love the throwing of the bat. It's great. Yeah well my son said, you know, can we break something?

I said, I don't know. Let's throw a bat. You know what I mean? It was a prop bat. You know what I mean? Smart kid. Yeah, he's smart. He's sort of the genius behind this stuff. I've been doing this for years, like off camera. And you know, now it's like, now I'm doing it on camera. So. Oh, but you're an actor. This was not acting. This is rage. You, I looked in your eyes.

You were not there. You, you, you, this was not acting. This was the most real thing you've ever done, sir, on film. Well, baseball is very real to me. It has interrupted my life many times and almost ruined my marriage, a few things. So it's taken my emotion, you know, the day of the game when the Yankees are playing, even a regular season game, my mood is affected by whether they win or they lose.

And, you know, it has a big impact in my life. I'm not getting paid for this. This is like, I should be. I should be on a panel. I should be on a show. I should be a paid for this. This is like, I should be. I should be on a panel. I should be on a show. I should be a co-host. But I don't know, people are afraid of me in baseball.

They're a little vanilla, you know, and I'm a little chocolate or whatever. Maybe I'm a little too, they think too wild or they can't control me, but you can. You can if you just tell me what you want, you know, because I can handle myself with baseball. When it comes to this game, I know it. I don't have to research it because I live it.

Nick, have you have you tried caring a little less? Yes. And? No. A couple of years, a couple of years ago, I was on I think I was on WFAN and I said, I'm gonna, I'm not as into it. I don't know, maybe it was COVID, there was no crowd. I was kind of pissed off about that. No fans, and I was like, I'm done, I'm done. I'm not, and they were like, you're lying, you're lying.

You're gonna come back, you're, not you. And they were right, and it just didn't happen, even without fans. Couple of years ago, I got so pissed off at Bob Costas. I turned him off I muted him and watched the games in Spanish people think I'm Puerto Rican But I'm not and I couldn't understand a word in these Spanish guys Can't take Costas no more. Oh no.

What'd Bobby Q do? Dan's getting a call from Bob. Yeah, watch out. Bob, I'm talking, talking. Let me watch the game, I said. I just, I was yelling at the TV. Let me watch the game, Bob. Please, shut up.

And he wouldn't shut up. He would not shut up. It's his job to talk. If I saw Bob Costas, I would have probably, you know. When I saw him, when I'm watching a game, he was like interrupting me. And I was just like, can I watch it? Can you let it breathe? Please?

We know you know a lot about baseball. Stop being, you know, smarter than the game. You're not. I love these guys. Just even like when I'm at a game, I'm like, all right, enough, enough. I'm trying to watch the game. People want to talk to me.

And I'm like, I'm actually here to watch it. Not to go eat a steak. Turn your phone off tonight, Dan. I want. That's the guilty game five. Somebody gave me rich tickets and I was in those stupid, whatever, those legend seats. I went to eat and the fifth inning happened.

I blame me. I blame, I put the Maloiki on myself. Oh boy. By going, I usually go to the bathroom, I run right back. I blame I put the Maloiki on myself. By going I usually go to the bathroom. I run right back. I'm superstitious. I don't fool around with that stuff. And I should have never never. What did you do? I said let me enjoy the food a little bit. What a dumb mistake. I ran out there when the bases loaded. I almost stopped it, but the baseball guards came out. I almost stopped it.

He struck out Lux, he struck out Otani, and then that play at first base happened, and I knew it was over. All right, David Sam. I know in baseball when things are over. Hold on, Dan. All right. I tell people, it's over.

The game is over. Go home now. Five-one, I don't care. Go home. I'm telling you now, the baseball guards came out. They decided. Well, they decided when Freddie hit the home run. That series was over. That's baseball. If you understand, when you see a moment and you go,

Oh my God, they go, what's the matter? What do you mean, what's the matter? What's the matter? Were you not watching? The game is over. It's now over. They decided it's over. Whoever that guy is, whoever that baseball God is. You know, serious is really over and Valenzuela died. Baseball God said, you know what? The Dodgers need one. Well, I mean, I don't know if that was the that was it could be. I don't know. I didn't. I'm not ruling it out. Right? No, no, I didn't think it like that. I knew when they were bringing in Nestor off the couch, I went. That's when I went ballistic. That's when I went ballistic. You know what I mean? I just knew, you know, I mean, there are certain decisions where you go, Oh, my God, please let me go down with, you know, if I have Mariano and I have Clemens, let me go down with my best.

Don't put somebody in the middle and do that to me. All right. I need you to relax for a second if you can. I understand that you're... I thought you wanted some energy. I know. No, no, no. Don't relax.

Fat Joe wasn't the Yankees' best, if we're going to be honest, too. I mean, Fat Joe coming out after Ice Cube, what was that about? Fat Joe, that's a dumb move. The Yankees don't really show me enough love. They should. They should. I mean, I could rile them up. The Yankees don't really show me enough love. They should, they should. I mean, I could rile them up. They let me make a hype video years ago.

I was shocked for opening day. I was like, me, they're gonna let me do that? They did, they did. Every now and then, you know, they know I exist, but they could embrace me a little bit. Just because I'm critical. No, we need to make you honorary Yankee fan. Look, you spoke on behalf of Yankee fans there.

Well, you do, but the Yankees don't. All right, well, we're going to put some pressure on them in a second, but you're a bit of a maniac, and so I need to slow you down for a second, because what? That's the word that messes me up. This is knowledge. This is not just a maniac. This is knowledge with some heart and some passion.

OK, let me show you again this video. Perhaps you missed it the first time I showed it to you. Let's get that video again and play it for Nick so that he understands how it is. But there are other moments of me that you only want to show the heightened moments. That's right, that's what he does, Nick. That's right, that's what I do.

That's right, just clickbait. That's all I am. I just want to get the clicks of, look at this. This is just a moment in Nick Titoro's life when he hates Juan Soto the most. Hey, Juan Soto, I got two words for you. F*** you, that's right. F*** you and the horse you rode in on

and the cavalry behind you. That's right, mother f***. Yeah, I'm taking it personal. We gave you our love. We gave you our f*** heart and soul. It wasn't enough. You turned your cap around after the World Series. I saw that f*** move.

700 million, 730. Yeah, it wasn't enough. It wasn't enough. Guaranteed years, it wasn't enough. You don't even choose the Dodgers. You don't even choose the Dodgers. Go off-Broadway to the Mets. You don't want to be on Broadway.

And you don't want to be judges guy. You don't want to be judges partner. Oh, that's right, judge. Now it's your team. That's it. Let's stick it up his f***ing ass. That's right. Let's go out. Let's get Burns freed. Bregman. Let's f it up his fucking ass. That's right. Let's go out. Let's get burns freed pregnant Let's go to ask. I don't give a fuck now. We're not around take those

Grungy whatever those all those stupid Mets Hey folks, it's Mike Ryan the holiday season is upon us Christmas is coming next week. So what are you doing for it? I imagine you're gonna have some family over. How do you entertain the family? How do you keep everybody happy? Well I know one easy way. Make your holiday time Miller time. Bring out a nice silver platter of that beautiful white can or bottle, whatever your preference. Heck, do it on draft. As long as it's got that beautiful amber color and was triple hops brewed, you know it's going to be a hit. Why? Cause Miller Lite has a taste you know you can depend on.

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to find delivery options near you, or you can pick up some Miller Light pretty much anywhere they sell beer. Celebrate responsibly, Miller Brewing Company, Milwaukee, Wisconsin, 96 calories and 3.2 carbs per 12 ounces, fewer calories and carbs than premium regular beer. Don Lebatard. Go pee-pee. Stugats. Go pee-pee. This is the Don Lebatard Show with the Stugats. Samson, you brought us the delightful Nick Titoro and you brought us also Bob Costas

recently on Nothing Personal where Bob Costas said goodbye to the game with great grace and Nick just told him to bleep off and get the hell out of here. This is a total disaster. Oh, it's great. What do you mean? Knowledge. All right. Oh, it's great knowledge. All right. A couple of things of cleanup. Number one, Nick, the Yankees absolutely know you exist and they

love you and appreciate you, but they're not going to give you anything free. Number two, Bob, we love you. I agree that sometimes there are people who don't get you, but we get you here at the Dan Levitard show with Stu Gotts and Nothing Person with David Sampson. So please just know that Nick is speaking on behalf of Nick at a particular moment. Thank you.

Back to our regularly scheduled late segments. Okay, yeah. I'm glad you clarified that. I'm glad because I have nothing against Bob. He's a class act. He knows a lot about, I'm sure we clarified that. I'm glad because I have nothing against Bob. He's a class act. He knows a lot about, I'm sure we could talk baseball forever. But when I'm watching the game, Bob,

that's when you sort of got in my way a few times. And I have nothing against Bob. You know, and no, he did because sometimes- Nick, that's all he does. That's his job. He's the best ever of describing what you're supposed to look at. No, but-

Now you're looking at it in a different way. You're wrong. No, no, no, but David. He's telling Bob to dial it back. That's what Nick is saying, and I agree with Nick. Yes. Yes, because I'm watching the game with anxiety, and his voice keeps talking, and it's talking about maybe,

it's bringing on a negative vibe for me. So I'm like, please just talk a little less. There's a lot of guys like that, and they just give you that kind of anxiety. I just think Nick, that during your mania, you may not have realized that Aaron Judge was not exactly the recruiting perfect person for Juan Soto. Because what we've discovered,

which I think you know as a baseball fan, it's not that all the players love each other off the field. And Aaron Judge really, it wasn't, he wasn't interested in recruiting Juan Soto. And it turns out Juan Soto didn't really need to play with Aaron Judge or enjoy playing with Aaron Judge. So your mania regarding him not choosing Judge, you know, of course, he was choosing himself, which he's been doing his entire career. Yeah. Well, he's a solo act. It's pretty obvious that he's like a robot, like a character in a video game.

I've heard a few things about him. So I'm not surprised. He's a phenomenal hitter, but I'm not surprised that he's a bit of a weird, robotic character. Like those games that you see, those video games, he's one of those guys. I've heard it and I believe it.

He is like this. All right, all right. I think we it and I believe it he is like this all right I think we've gone too far when when Nick is out here saying I've heard things about him that's that's draped and stuff I don't understand I want to know what he's heard no I don't want to know I do know I don't want to those video game guys I've heard look I don't want to talk anymore about a slandering Juan Soto because Nick Turturro has some things. What I do want to do, what I do want to do is examine how betrayed Yankee fans feel right now and if you want to audition for this sports show that you speak of, because I do think you'd be very

good at this because of the way you care about baseball and know its nuances, I'm guessing that you and David Sampson disagree on what the Yankees have done since then because I don't think David Sampson Thinks the Yankees are very well managed right now. Do I have that wrong David? No, you've got it, right They had a plan B that they just thrust thrust themselves into by signing freed to an absolutely outrageous Contract thinking Cody Bellinger is the answer to their centerfield prayers, who's so overpaid it's hard to imagine because he won an MVP once upon a time. And then Devin Williams, he is dicey because you can't build your bullpen during the offseason.

We know that doesn't work, but the Yankees had to respond to Nick because Nick lost his mind. So Brian Cashman had to make all these moves because Hal was worried that Nick was somehow going to throw a bat in his general direction. So they've been signing players sort of like drunken sailors. Well, I mean, I don't know if they're drunken sailors, but they had to respond on some level. Max Fried may have gotten too many years, but he's not too shabby. You know, you win with pitching, David, and the Yankees did not have enough pitching. If Max is healthy, I think he can be easily a number one, number two guy.

He's way better than Rondon as a partner to Cole. And the bullpen, I agree. I don't know enough about this Devin Williams guy. Maybe he's been dicey in the postseason. You need another lefty out there. The Tanner Scott is there. Even bring back that dirty-looking guy. You need another lefty out there. The Tanner Scott is there. Even bring back that dirty looking guy.

What's his name? Tim Hill. I mean, you look- All right, wait a minute. Wait a minute. What do you mean? Wait a minute. I don't know, dirty looking guy.

Tim Hill. I mean, I- Oh, you know what I mean. Grungy. He was grungy. He reminded me of a guy in the 70s called Dirt Tidro. Dick Tidro. Ah, classic.

It was a nickname. Don't take it like he's dirty and wash. I'm saying he reminded me of like one of those guys. You know those guys in the 70s, they were like. I'm just saying you gotta be careful there, Nick, when you're doing the sports commentary game. If you wanna get into a debate show with David Sampson, you gotta be careful about calling somebody a dirty guy

in these troubled times. No, I mean dirty in a way that he looks like, you know, we got it. We got it. We understood. I'm not trying to get you in any trouble. I just wanted you and David to argue about something because you say you think you can do this

and David's very good at it. Look, he booked you on our show. You guys have probably been arguing about things for three days, I would guess. Listen, you know, listen, he's got a point on some level, but you know Belanger has a great swing for Yankee Stadium. I think he could easily hit he could easily get 2530 home runs and that band box and a fly ball is a home run that's a

joke of a place and maybe Devon Williams comes to the Yankees maybe doesn't have to be the ninth inning guy maybe can be an eighth inning guy. So I mean, Cashman, I'm not a huge Cashman guy. He's been, you know, done a lot of things to upset me in the past, but he still has more work to be done. I don't think they're done. They're gonna get a first baseman.

They need a third baseman too. I mean, I'm not against bringing Alex Bregman over here. He's not coming. He's a winner. He's not coming. Nice of you, yeah. We'll take Alex Bregman, I guess. Yeah, so here. He's not coming. He's a winner. Nice of you, yeah. We'll take Alex. Yeah. So Dan, the argument started because

when I got in touch with Nick, he was not aware that I was president of the team in 03 when the Marlins beat his Yankees. And so he did some sort of ridiculous Google search of some sort, or maybe his PR people or his brother, who is a star of my favorite movie, Fearless, number one. Somehow he discovered that I crushed him in 2003, and he had this visceral anger about that,

thinking that they were the better team, when of course they were the far inferior. Oh my God, your team was so far inferior to us in 03. It's not even worth discussing. Well, we were flat, flat as a button. I mean, you know, you won that Bartman series. What'd you win? You won Steve Bartman.

Steve Bartman had nothing to do with it, Nick. And I told you that via text. I asked you not to bring it up because it had nothing to do with Steve Bartman. He was just sort of the easy thing because of the Billy Goat curse. I asked him not to bring it up. I mean, really. How could you not bring up Bartman, he was just sort of the easy thing because of the Billy Goat Curse. Asked him not to bring it up. I mean, really.

How could you not bring up Bartman? Nick brings up what Nick wants to bring up. The Yankees had just won the World Series like a dramatic, I was at the Aaron Boone game. So the Marlins were an afterthought. They were an afterthought. I hope you like your pennant ring, Nick. They caught a break in that one.

The Marlins caught a couple of breaks. I hope you like your pennant ring Nick. They caught a break in that one. I hope you like your pennant ring. This guy's got a pennant ring. That's all you got, no three. A little pennant ring. Oh, you won the title in 04. Oh no, sorry, that was the Red Sox when you had a three nothing lead.

I asked you not to bring it up is something I did not expect to hear. Nick, thank you for being, Thank you for bringing it up. Thank you. Have a three. That's okay. You can have it. You know what I mean?

The Mullins are what they are. You know what I mean? They have a storied franchise, right? So they're the Florida Mullins. Don't forget you later, Nick. Yeah. Take it easy, David. Wow. I love it. All right.

They're hired. That's the start of a new show right there. There's a new baseball show in there somewhere with Nick Gatturo and David Sampson. We will try and get him on again because I want to get him fired up on sports. I was thinking just Nick. Yes, well, this was the nothing personal sponsored portion

of our show where we talked to David Sampson and he brought his own guests today. But there are a number of things that I did want to talk to him about, including what it is that we were talking about with Greg Cody a second ago, which is who's the better local columnist in town? Greg Cody or Dave Hyde?

Well, I had issues with both of them because they were both incredibly unfair to me and to our team over the years. And the way we would figure out who we disliked the most was always based on the most recent column. And we would try to get them to write something positive. We would beg for it and none of them ever did. Cody was rude with great reach.

Dave Hyde was way more biting and way more grumpy about it and way more angry about it. So to me it was a tie for the sort of lascivious prurient writing that I wanted no part of. All right, hold on a second. I'm going to just throw total chaos at this situation. This is so exciting. Nick, Nick, Nick, since you're right there,

since you're still with us, hold on a second. I'm going to give you what I hope is a little treat. I don't know if it's a little treat, but we have had some traffic get congested here. And so as a filibuster, I would like our camera crew to focus in on Greg Cody, who is right now at a live mic and has been taking about 45 minutes to wrap this. He is struggling with the wrapping of this gift. That's why he's so great at it, Dan. You gotta take your time with these things. All right, I'm gonna go to him in a sec. They haven't started yet.

Okay, I'm gonna go to you in a second. You haven't started yet, you're just waiting for your cue? All right. Yes. As you do so, you're gonna have to keep waiting because Michael K. has arrived. Oh boy. Yeah, Michael K., the legendary Michael K., who I have loved for a long time around here

And I don't know how Nick feels about him as a Yankee fan, but a distinguished career of Michael K I wanted to celebrate it today, but now it's collided against David Sampson and Nick Turturro So I'll just bring Michael K in now as we do this because we're live look at it Look at the smiling face. Look at the smiling face of the road has beaten me up for years kid I've been doing shows in this town for 30 years. It's football season every day I'm getting ground down by the national sports radio machine that needs to keep being fed and look at it It's ravaged him that Yankee baseball and people caring like Nick Totoro has made Michael Kay a legend in New York and also Somebody who thinks what of Nick Titoro's

active rage toward your beloved team, Michael, as he rails against Juan Soto? Okay, that's very good. Perfect. He's a video game character too. We're working on it, is what I got. We're working on it, is what I got from Lewis as I tried to combine those two elements. We're trying to get Michael K. Was that a robot? My God, it's Kane. I'd elements. We're trying to get Michael K. Was that a robot?

My god, it's Kane. I'd be interested in Nick's feelings on Michael K. Does he talk too much? Michael? Yeah. I like Michael. Michael's a longtime Yankee fan. He lived out his dream as a Yankee announcer.

He's got the best job in the world. I like Mike. I had nothing against Michael K. I'd love to come on and do an inning with him or something like that. I had nothing against Michael K. I'd love to come on and do an inning with him or something like that. Okay. My man. You know, I mean, but I have nothing against Michael.

I mean, other than that, he's a very lucky man to do that job, you know? I mean, but he's a great guy, great Yankee fan. I mean, I saw him walking around after we got eliminated. You could tell how sad he looked, how lost he looked. I was feeling the same thing. I was looking at him going, wow, my you could tell Michael looks, Nick, if we brought in Juan Soto right now, would you have that

sort of same sort of calm? Hey, Juan, man, thanks for last season. Love you. Good luck in flushing. Or would you be willing to show him that rage right with him as our guest? With him? Oh no, I could show him the disgust and rage, sure. I had nothing, there's no emotion. He just, you know, he left me for whatever. Because we show you Michael K and all of a sudden

you become this almost uninteresting normal guy. And I'm just trying to understand, is it a- David, David, I am not just a lunatic. I'm not just a maniac. I mean, you guys want to label me as this psychopath. Not me. There is a part of lunacy with me. There is a psycho side to me, but there's,

I'm telling you, there isn't, there are other colors. It's like being an actor. Am I a one note actor? Can I only do one thing? That's not that interesting. It's interesting when I can switch gears and then just calm down and be a little normal. I can't be always that.

Even my brother tells me, Nick, don't just be a lunatic. You're more than just a lunatic. You're more than just a lunatic. You're more than just that. You know, that's what makes you interesting. But I think what David is saying, forgive me if I have the accusation wrong, are you suggesting, David, that Nick Turturro bowed in the face of Yankee royalty, Michael K.,

big voice of the team, face of the team, are you saying that Nick Turturro tuned down his rage out of respect for Michael K., voice of the team, face of the team. Are you saying that Nick Totoro tuned down his rage out of respect for Michael K., voice of the Yankees? It certainly felt that way to me because the vigor and the passion, all of a sudden Michael comes up sounding like a robot with an outstanding holiday party day technological issue. And I saw Nick sort of recoil as Michael was about to discuss

whether or not he knows, loves, and appreciates Nick's rage. You got here right now, my friends over at Simply Safe are extending their massive Black Friday deal for our Leviton show listeners. Simply Safe is the home security I trust to keep my home and family safe. I've been telling you that for years.

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and save 10% off your first month. That's betterhelp, H-E-L-P.com. Don Lebatard. We love you, we've got you, we've all got each other. Let's go, right now! Stugats! 1, 2, 3, Brett, 1, 2, 3, Brett! This is the Don Lebatard Show, with the Stugats! Well, Michael, I'm told has just joined us again and Lewis said very comfortingly in my ear, I don't know about the audio.

Okay, so we're going to try it again. Yes, it was lovely. As we have all of these things collide together, I'm pleased that Lewis is in charge to guide me through these stormy seas. Can Michael K., if you can hear me, I'm sorry. I hear you great. Ah, Louis. Yes, look at this.

We have executed this. Congratulations, Louis. We brought live people together. Michael Kay, have you heard of Nick Titoro's ranting? What are your general thoughts as someone who was recently shown disgust for the sports fan? I've heard every single one. I've heard every single one. your general thoughts as someone who has recently shown disgust for the sports fan. I've heard every single one. I've heard every single one. I love Nick. I love him as an actor and I think a lot of it is performative. I just worry about his

health, especially the one where you threw the bat. But yeah, I love Nick tutorial. Performative Nick. That's an insult. Performative. Well, you know, Michael's trying to be a little theatrical. So, you know, sometimes things are heightened a little bit. Some of these videos are heightened a little bit. But when I'm watching the game, that's different. When you see the rage during the game, during the at bat, during the moment, that's 100 percent organic.

This stuff, you got to understand, is a little heightened. It's a little exaggerated. Everything in life gets a little exaggerated. You can't think I'm gonna beat the hell out of Juan Soto because I threw the bat. But am I mad? Yeah, how mad I am. It depends in the moment.

But I mean, it's sports. I'm a fan. I'm a very hardcore fan. But not everything you take, especially social very hardcore fan, but you know, not everything you take, especially social media, come on. You know what I mean? But why Michael, Michael, I would ask someone a fan like Nick, your job is to try to explain what Brian Cashman and how starmaners plan B is. And are you willing to

enable to convince Nick that the plan B that you've seen is actually making the Yankees a better team? When DraftKings has Are you willing to enable to convince Nick that the plan B that you've seen is actually making the Yankees a better team when DraftKings has a futures line that says the Yankees are the exact same. Their win totals 93 and a half with Soto. It's now 93 and a half with Freed and with Williams and with Bellinger. But how can you convince Nick that, hey, everything's fine? Well, David, one thing that I don't like is that, you know,

people are saying, well, they're going to be better without him. You can't lose Juan Soto and be better. Now, maybe the sum of the parts. Juan Soto was a transformative player. He's just one of the greatest hitters that we'll ever see. It's hard to lose him. That's why the Yankees went up to 760. But that doesn't mean that they're not

going to go to the World Series again. They have an easier path in the American League. I think the moves they've made so far have been great. Freed's excellent. Devin Williams is excellent. I think Clay Bellinger is a big fit. They need a first baseman. Third baseman. Cody, that's a fine.

Oh, what did I say? Clay again? Yep. Why'd you do that to him? I liked his dad so much. Yeah, I'll just call him Bellinger. Why did you? We thought you were reprimanding Chris Cody there?

I was like, what did I do because you corrected Michael Kay so sternly look Samson muscle memory on Your new to this game Samson look Michael Kay's been mispronouncing names for 30 years He was forgetting names when you were just an embryo Samson He was he was forgetting names when you were just an embryo Samson What do you know what he meant? It's not like I called him Cly I just got the wrong name. It's not a mispronunciation be better Telling both of you I'm telling both of you to be better because I know how long this man has been talking on the radio. Do you understand how grueling this man's life has been in sports media? He's had a hit television interview

show in New York. He's got a daily radio show and he's bouncing around the United States with the New York Yankees. The Yankees have aged him 15 years in the last five years. Those are choices Michael made by the way. Correct, he's insatiable and he wants to talk about sports until he dies. But Michael, you've given up here a little bit of your workload now and it's one of the reasons I wanted to have you on to celebrate you and forgive me here Nick and David for making the room for this. The reason I was actually calling and wanted to have you on was to celebrate

a truly legendary career that has come through print journalism and mastered all of the crafts to get to the freedom and the luxury that you have as being one of the kings of New York in the biggest sports radio market that there's ever been. So thank you to Michael K. On a totally overwhelming career that we're here to celebrate. Yeah. I feel a little uncomfortable, Dan. Sounds

like a eulogy doesn't sound real. I always do it, Dan. It's his specialty. I wouldn't go to your funeral. No, he won't. I definitely want to have a funeral before I die because I want to see what people actually really have to say and then I'll come back and get them. Wait a minute, David Sampson, did you just try to play the game with Michael K, would I attend your funeral? Did you just try to do that? No, he already said, David, he said he wouldn't. I said that I wouldn't and neither would you, Dan.

Now Nick may be there holding up some sort of sign of protest or some sort of sign of love but I would say, Dan, that's an easy game. would you Dan? Now Nick may be there holding up some sort of sign of protest or some sort of sign of love, but I would say Dan, that's an easy game. Would you go to Michael K's funeral? I'm a no on that. Now maybe if Bob Costas were doing the eulogy, we'd have to reconsider. Wow, would you go to Bob Costas' funeral, David?

Of course he would. It's become more of a possibility recently, but it depends on time. Nick? David, you've made the classic error of thinking It's become more of a possibility recently, but it depends on time David you've made the classic error of thinking that you would have been invited. So I'm not Wanted to clear months ago that Michael K would you attend Dan Leventhal funeral if it was close to where I was? And who here would attend Nick Tortura's funeral me If it was close to where I was, I wouldn't have turned the plane, no. And who here would attend Nick Torturo's funeral?

Me. If it was in New York, I'd go. Hey. Hey. Hey. I think, no, no, I don't think you would, Michael. I would. I don't. You're too busy.

You're doing stuff every day. You wouldn't cancel like any plan you had to go to Nick Torturo's funeral. Well, I wouldn't cancel like any plan you had to go to Nick Turturro's funeral. Well, I wouldn't cancel the Yankee game because that, I mean, Nick would respect that. But I would probably get out of the radio show to go to the wake. Get out of the radio show and see.

I love this game so much. Would you go to their funeral? No, but maybe if it's close and there isn't traffic. Or it gets me out of work. Michael, how are you as a gift wrapper? Because Greg Cody is in the other room and he's telling us he's an expert gift wrapper. I don't imagine from among our group of three here that we have any good gift wrappers.

I'm excellent, excellent. I wrap a lot of the kids' gifts, although Jody does a lot of it, but I actually like to wrap gifts. I'm surprised excellent. I wrap a lot of the kids gifts. Although Jody does a lot of it, but I I actually like to wrap gifts I'm surprised at Greg. I really am Well, Greg, what do you have there? Can you please get in here? Are you gonna start wrapping that gift or you're not gonna start wrapping the gift? Like what are you waiting for? I was I was waiting for a cue. Yeah, we told you go ten. You've been there 45 minutes. What are you doing? This is a diabolical shaped gift because it's not square or rectangle. What are you doing with that wrapping paper? I'm cheating here. I'm taking a little bit of

a detour because of the shape of the gift. But we're getting by. Rome was not built in the day. Alright, we'll come back to that I appreciate Nick and Michael day watching that with us at David Samson To that wildly entertainment segment shortly Nick before I'm not gonna eulogize Michael K anymore, but why don't you explain to the people as somebody who is like, Michael, look at the room that he's in. Nick is a Yankee fan at the core. Nick knows the company he's keeping right now as a voice in his head when he went from his childhood sportsdom to an adult.

Is Michael retiring? I mean... He is leaving one of his 74 jobs soon or thereafter. But I would like Nick to tell us what Michael K is as an announcer to him in New York as a voice for New York. Well, he's the voice of the Yankees, the modern day voice of the Yankees. He's not the voice I grew up with, but for the last, you know, 20, 30 years, Michael K and John Sterling, youling, they represent the Yankees. Yes Network, I mean Michael's the guy.

On the radio was John. Growing up, Michael knows it was WPIX, it was Phil Rizzuto, Frank Meza, Bill White. So Mike has become a family friend, an institution with Yankee baseball. He was a Yankee fan and now he became an announcer for the Yankees was a sports writer, but he is With the Yankees he's identified you think of the Yankees you think of Michael Caine But growing up it was a different story and Michael probably feels the same way Well Nick Nick Nick is younger than me, but I'm like Nick You know there were there were four male voices in my house. My dad, Bill Rizzuto, Frank Messer, and Bill White.

That was it. That's the coolest. It's such a cool experience here, Michael, watching. You know, I don't know how much more career you have left on all of the fronts. Have you been talking to my doctors? What are you doing? Damn, I know it's weird. I mean, what are you doing? Damn, I know it's weird. I mean, what are you doing?

Michael, I'm sorry. Michael, you also left your show to just start another show earlier in the day. So are you working less? I am working less, but the Yankees, I mean, I have a long term contract, Dan. Don't push me out. I want to celebrate one of your careers that sort of...

Yeah, really sounds like a celebration, Dan. He's not ending anything. He's just moving to earlier in the day. I mean, afternoons to mid-days. That is, I have worried about Mike for a long time because I feel like he works too much. And so what I'm happy about is that this portion of his career, he gets to celebrate

that he works less. And that's fair but Stu you have one thing wrong. What's that? You said I'm going to mid days now the longest time afternoon drive with Mike and Chris was one to seven so I'm just at the start of afternoon drive. Okay. I'm not at mid days. Apologies yes that is a big difference and apologize. I should have known better, Michael.

Michael, before we get you out of here, the state of the Yankees, who have had the sport wrestled away from them by the Dodgers and are not used to losing revenue fights. The state of the Yankees is what now, where a World Series appearance is somehow a disappointment because they've got a cataclysmic a collapse in a fifth inning. Wow. That was quite the question.

I don't think they've wrestled the sport from them and you know, they, they and revenue wise, the Yankees have the highest revenue of any team in baseball. So I think they'll be fine. I really do. I mean, you look at the American league, they're the best team in the American league and I don't think that they're done whatsoever in terms of the moves that they're going to make. So I think that they've rebounded nicely getting Max Fried was great, a little bit of an overpay. Devin Williams was outstanding and I think a Cody Bellinger is going to do really really well for them. I think they still have moves to make. So listen all you have

to do is beat the Dodgers in a best of seven and if the Yankees had not had Nester Cortez pitch to Freddie Freeman in the first game, and if they hadn't given up those five unearned runs in the fifth game, I think if the series returned to LA, I think the Yankees would have had a chance to win. And if I were 6'4", I could dunk. And you're not, you won't. And there it is. That is why he's the radio legend that he is.

That is why he's always quick on his feet. Early afternoon drive, Dan. That's right, thank you. Michael, I love seeing you. Happy holidays. Nick, I thank you for being on the show with us. We will have you on again whenever it is the Yankees enrage you.

Thank you, gentlemen. Sure, my pleasure. Bye, guys. You're welcome, Dan. See ya. Happy holidays. You're welcome, I gotta get your movie review while we check in with Greg Cody here to end your segment because we've thrown a lot out of you here, David.

I would like Nick to have the ability to join us whenever Nick feels like joining us. That's a terrible idea. David, your movie review as Greg Cody tries to get this right the last 50 seconds and give us the dismount with a perfectly wrapped gift. I would tell you that Mike Ryan is having me watch movies that make me incredibly uncomfortable and I did it for you Mike.

I watched Heretic. Heretic is a movie with Hugh Grant and it's about the Book of Mormon. Hi my name is Elder Cunningham Josh Gad, except two Mormon missionaries go to a door, Hugh Grant answers, and it starts the process of an amazing theological discussion. The first part of the movie is really cool about everything you think about religion, and then it gets weird when you realize

there may be no way for them to ever leave, which was my worst nightmare. I felt trapped, I felt anxious, I felt nervous. I was texting Mike while I was watching because I was doing it in the middle of the night. I didn't press send, I did send later, Mike, you're welcome. But I was scared, so I ended up with all the lights on by the end, I had the theater door open,

and I stopped watching the movie to do laps around the house to make sure there was no one in there All in all it was an uncomfortable uncomfortable watch but an important watch where you can have great discussions. I'm sorry. I'm laughing I'm just enjoying Michael K and Nick to tour a watch it out watching your movie segment as Greg Cody raps kids Just hit leave Michael segment as Greg Cody raps kids. Just hit leave Michael. See you later, goodbye. There's a button, that's all you gotta do. You're gonna say something good, I don't know,

maybe a good movie. I mean, I don't know. I was not gonna watch that, but after that review, David, I might, I don't think I'll feel trapped, because I will know it's fiction, but I loved it. I get scared all the time, Michael, and you can't watch it, you have young children, I believe. 10 and and a twelve year old that is way too young. They may not watch this movie You will be stuck with them in your bed for the rest of your life

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