The Dan Le Batard Show with Stugotz - Hour 1: Roy & David Smell Like Brian Skrudland
Episode Date: March 10, 2025Greg Cote gives the crew some helpful tips & tricks on the best small talk at a graveyard. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices...
Transcript
Discussion (0)
Now is a good time to remember where Tequila's story truly began.
In 1795, Cuervo invented Tequila.
Since then, Cuervo. I think he could lay out, especially from one of our great partners. Sweet, delicious Cuervo.
Since then, Cuervo has stayed true to its roots.
The same family, the same land, the same passion.
Cuervo.
So, enjoy the tequila that started it all.
Cuervo.
Cuervo.
The tequila that invented tequila.
Proximo.
Cuervo.com.
Please drink responsibly.
Cuervo.
This is the Dan Leventor Show with the StuGuts Podcast.
This episode of the Dan Lebatard Show with StuGuts
is presented by DraftKings.
DraftKings, the crown is yours.
Billy wanted to talk more Geno Smith.
Did he?
That's two, now you get one more.
Geno Smith, oh, now we can't.
That's it.
That's a damn shame.
Next person, penalty box. Geno Vanelli. Yeah, Geno Oriy't. That's it, oh now we can't. Next person, penalty box.
Gino Vannelli.
Yeah, Gino Ariema.
Let's go out to Roy, he is with the Panthers,
he is on the ice, he is ready to give us an update
on everything that's happening with the Florida Panthers.
This is exactly where all hockey standups should be
and how all hockey standups should look. Mike Ryan, Roy, I'm
curious your opinion here because the hockey show that is often on Fridays was able to
react to this in real time, correct? When this happened last week, Mike Ryan is not
here for Brad Marshawn, though. How do you feel? That is a minority opinion I feel like
he's expressing on behalf of Panther fans
I do not believe that he speaks for all Panther fans that if you can get a 36 year old Brad Marshawn for
$125,000 you absolutely end up doing that Roy. Where are you and thank you for joining us from the arena
What can you give us in the way of information over there?
Still injured. He's going to possibly be on the ice to do some stuff
but right now he's gonna travel with the team up to Boston and that's when he's
gonna finally say goodbye to his former teammates and he actually got broken up
a little bit about talking about his time in Boston and how that went down
before he was traded so right now we're waiting for him to come back into the
lineup but can you imagine him being on that second line with Sam Bennett and Matti Kachuk?
Oh, the Panthers would be the most hated team in the league.
Roy, he called Sam Bennett a scumbag today, didn't he?
Yes he did.
He did it in a joking fashion, yes.
He actually loved him and they got together during the Four Nations tournament.
Him, Sam Bennett, and Sam Reinhardt, they played together for Team Canada.
And it seems like they patched things up,
considering what happened last year in the playoffs
when he got punched in the face by Sam Bennett.
Billy mentioned earlier that it seems wildly inefficient
to have Marchand fly down here to do this press conference,
only to go right back up there and be there with the team
for the first road game in Boston.
Yeah, it is kind of inefficient,
but you know, he had to get down here, get downloaded on the actual goings on with the team for the first road game in Boston. Yeah it is kind of inefficient but you know he had to get down here get downloaded on the actual
goings-on with the team and and David Dwork is right next to me but yeah I
mean it does seem inefficient for him to go down and then go back up but he has
to get his stuff and everything but he's traveling with the team throughout the
entire road trip a six game road trip coming up for the Panthers. What is the
level I'd like to talk to Dwork here if you don't mind, since he came into
the shot awkwardly and you pointed out, I thought it would have been slightly more amusing
if he had just awkwardly appeared and then left.
But David Dwork, your co-host on the hockey show that sometimes appears on Friday, what
would you give us in the way of fan and customer reaction to the Florida
Panthers behaving like the Tampa Bay Lightning, stashing away Kachuk so that they could get
a Marchand?
I think there's a lot of anger in the world out there and I think Panther fans don't give
a bleep about it because they were the ones that were angry.
Now they have this opportunity to do what teams wish they could do.
The reaction on Twitter has been fun to see just because I think from our perspective we're just the basting in the greatness of what the Panthers are doing
right now and everyone else can just kind of cry about it.
Roy, I still am confused at watching and seeing the Florida Panthers after 30 years behave
like an adult mature franchise that reacts competently to what it is that their customers
want.
I know it's weird isn't it'm certainly I'm getting used to it now
It's been I don't know how long has Bozey. Oh been a in charge as general manager five years now
So I'm starting to get finally get used to it an actual responsible stable organization that's playing hockey down here
And it's actually fun to see given the history is it possible that?
That the Panthers traded for Brad to ruin the end of his career?
Cause they have like such a wealth of talent
that they've decided, you know what we're gonna do?
We're just gonna mess with this guy.
Cause we hate him and we're gonna make sure
that he's miserable.
You put on a good show today, you give him the sweater,
you give him the hat, all of everybody's, you know,
happy go lucky and then you really make the rest
of his career difficult.
Well, considering that Brad Marshawn actually requested to be traded here, I doubt that's the case.
But hey, do what you want to do, Billy.
He always will.
It doesn't seem like there's a lot of energy and enthusiasm
where you are, though.
I don't feel like that is pulsating hockey nation
everywhere around you.
I'm not feeling the kind of enthusiasm around the Panthers
that I've been told exists, that you feel
like you're standing in the middle of something cold and antiseptic.
Because nobody's here, Dan.
Practice hasn't started yet, and as soon as practice starts, I believe it might be.
Is it open practice today?
No.
No, it's not open practice today.
So yeah, there's not a lot of excitement because there are no fans here.
Okay.
Wow.
Hey, Roy, where would you rank Geno Smith
among NFL quarterback?
We can't talk about Geno Smith.
He's just writing this down.
We'll see, let's hear his.
Just curious.
Hold on, listen.
I'm not going to the penalty box
when I get to the studio tomorrow,
so you're not gonna bait me into that.
No, we're sure.
All right, but pick a number between 10 and 15.
10 and 15?
Yeah.
Lower the bar. 12.
Oh!
That's where Greg had him. That's where Greg had them.
That's where Greg had them.
Putting you down for team 12.
Incredible.
All right, thank you, Roy.
We appreciate the coverage from an empty and cold arena
where the players are not yet practicing.
That locker room still smells bad though, right?
No matter whether they're not sweaty or are sweaty,
the locker room always smells like mildew and must.
They have invested in an exhaust fan,
so it's not as smelly.
So, the first.
Okay, good, breaking news.
Each locker has its own little air conditioning filter
that filters air. Still stinks.
It smells like Brian Scroogeland.
It does still smell like Brian Scroogeland,
that's right, and that's not a good smell.
It's swampy and it's not good, even though.
Hockey's the smelliest sport, right?
Balls pretty bad hockey though. I think hockey's by far the worst then it goes football soccer
Baseball and then I don't smells great. Yeah golf doesn't smell that bad
Football tends to be a bigger locker room with more with more more players in it So there's more general open air for some
reason the hockey locker room is smaller than I would like it to be but they also
have fewer players right I that the hockey locker room is a is a little more
cramped than it needs to be I feel like all hockey do I have this wrong Roy I
feel like all hockey locker rooms need to be twice as large as they actually
are but it was only what 18 to 20 players in a locker room as opposed to a football team which has about 60 so yeah it does
need to be a bit bigger especially the Panthers locker room I mean that arena
has been what 1998 it's over 20 years old so they're not gonna build a bigger
locker room in there for them unless they get a new arena which I hope
champions deserve a bigger locker room yeah yeah for sure well absolutely
they're the brand new facility is amazing one of the big upgrades in all
the sports from like team HQ's but Roy I'm coming to grips with the fact that
I'm in the minority here I think most Panther fans took them a second to warm
up to it but when they realized what they gave up which is next to nothing
and the fact that they got to hurt Boston fans yet again without even doing
something on the ice,
they're in on this concept. But for me, I'm always gonna hate them. I like hating them.
I'm sure there's a hypothetical that you could craft a game-winning goal to send the Panthers to the Stanley Cup final or a
huge goal in the Stanley Cup final where I may crack.
But as someone that has sat on my hands every time Alonzo Mourning is
introduced at the AAA and maintaining that level of resentment, I don't think I'm gonna budge on this one. I'm gonna
continue hating Brad Marshawn. Where do you align yourself with?
Well, Brad Marshawn as a person, as a human being, I've changed my mind about him
maybe three years ago for a stance on Tony D'Angelo for a stance on the
Bruins trying to sign a prospect by the name of Mitchell Miller
who bullied a developmentally disabled black kid by making him eat a piece of candy out of a urinal
and repeatedly called him the N-word and the Bruins decided not to sign him based on how Brad
Marshawn and a couple of the other players felt on the team. So as a person, as a person, I definitely have turned around on him.
He seems like a stand up guy. But as a player, he's perfect for this team.
Absolutely perfect for this team.
What was that sound?
Well, the PR person dropping, hearing Roy invoke that pass.
I thought you were going to go face licking.
I thought Mike Ryan was down on Marshand as a person. Mike Ryan?
Yeah I'm down. I don't like him as a person or a player but whatever he's a
fourth liner. It's alright maybe sometimes we'll swap Greer for him. He's a fourth liner?
Yeah yeah I mean go through our wingers who do you rate more? A bad player, bad
person. Occasionally if we want to spark maybe dress him occasionally that's
that's cool with me but I'm playing Greer over him. Not taking Jesper out.
Yeah I doubt that. Not taking Mackie out. Are you taking with me, but I'm playing Greer over him not taking Chesper. I doubt that he's not taking Mackie out
I'm are you taking Mackie out? I'm not taking Mackie out
Verhagy seem to figure it out a little bit. I'm gonna lead the lineup beater. I'm gonna lead the lineup. I just
See you later. Let's let's not marry ourselves to the idea that Brad Marsh on has to play every game is what I'm saying
Huh is this this is this the best and the deepest
Panther team there has ever been?
Yeah.
Dwarf, yes Roy, yes.
Coming into, coming into March,
they were already favored to get out of the East
and make the final, but after this trade deadline,
I think it's safe to say that the Stanley Cup.
Who do you fear the most?
Rose.
I would say Colorado is probably a good team
to be fearing right now.
I don't fear the Jets.
I do.
I am here for off-mike comedy.
They've got amazing goaltending, and they're really deep.
I'm also here for you just naming teams
in the Western Conference, because that ain't our problem
till we get to our third straight Stanley Cup final,
potentially. Yeah, Mike's right. It's not our problem till we get to our third straight Stanley Cup final potentially. Yeah Mike's right it's not our problem right now we're worried
about it come late June. You don't fear of Etchkin? No no I think they might not
make it out of first round. Really? They're not built for the playoffs. They're not built for the playoffs.
They're built like the Panthers president's trophy team exciting
hockey bat end-to-end rushes,
but when you get to the playoffs or everybody starts beating the snot out of each other,
doesn't really work that well. Thank you, gentlemen. Appreciate all of your work on the hockey show
and beyond. They are very excited. Everything around the Panthers is feeling championship
excellent and Bill Zito is somebody who is climbing up the ranks in terms of culture
and legacy making executives in the history of South Florida because he's got a lot of
popularity as it regards the architecture of that.
Howdy folks, it's Mike Ryan.
I talk to you about Miller time all the time, but we're in the winter time right now and
one of my favorite past times is to
crack open a Miller light and enjoy myself some Miller time during the wintertime because when
there's a brisk chill in the air it just makes everything right. My friends and I who live down
here in South Florida can actually sit outside because it's not super muggy. We can thoroughly
enjoy our Miller time together. And for you listening, I know there's a lot of things going
on right now. Sports? Chief among them, nothing more important than sports.
From basketball and hockey to game night, winter means more moments with the coolest
people in your life.
Make these moments even better with Miller Lite, the great tasting light beer for people
who love beer.
Now's the perfect time for friends, family, and a great tasting light beer.
Taste like Miller Time.
And you know, Miller Lite is brewed for taste.
It hits different than other light beers, and at just 96 calories and 3.2 grams of carbs per 12 ounces, Miller Time is always
a good time. Miller Lite, great taste, 96 calories. Go to MillerLite.com slash Dan to find delivery
options near you, or you can pick up some Miller Lite pretty much anywhere they sell beer.
Tastes like Miller Time. Celebrate responsibly. Miller Brewing Company,
Milwaukee, Wisconsin. 96 calories and 3.2 carbs per 12 ounces.
The Dan Levitard Show with Stu Gotts
is sponsored by BetterHelp.
Who's in your support system
and how have they changed your life?
Think about that your favorite leaders, mentors, idols,
they don't all have the answers,
but they do know when to ask for help.
In a world that glorifies hyper-independence,
we sometimes forget that we thrive with support. We're stronger, healthier, and more resilient when we have people to lean on.
Therapy is one of the best ways to build that support system. It helps with positive coping
skills, setting boundaries, and becoming the best version of yourself. Here's the thing,
therapy isn't just for those who've experienced major trauma. It's for everybody. Whether you're
facing a big life transition, feeling overwhelmed, or just want to grow, therapy can help. That's where BetterHelp comes in. With over 30,000 credential therapists,
you can find somebody who truly understands you. It's fully online, making therapy accessible,
affordable, and convenient. No waiting rooms, no long commutes, just the support you need
whenever and wherever you need it. And by the way, if you ever feel like switching therapists,
it's no cost to you whatsoever. Build your support system with BetterHelp.
Visit betterhelp.com slash DLB today
to get 10% off your first month.
That's BetterHelp, H-E-L-P dot com slash DLB.
What does the future hold for business?
It's a question I've been asking myself,
and I know if you ask nine experts,
you're gonna get 10 different answers.
Bull market, bear market, inflation up, inflation down.
Could someone please just invent a crystal ball?
Until that day comes, over 41,000 businesses have already future-proofed themselves with
NetSuite by Oracle, the number one cloud ERP.
NetSuite seamlessly integrates accounting, financial management, inventory,
and HR into one powerful platform. With one unified business management suite,
you get one source of truth, empowering you to make quick, informed decisions.
And thanks to real-time insights and forecasting, you're not just guessing,
you're acting on actionable data. Close your books in days, not weeks, and spend more time looking ahead,
whether your company earns millions
or even hundreds of millions.
NetSuite helps you meet today's challenges
and seize tomorrow's opportunities.
Speaking of opportunity,
download the CFO's guide to AI and machine learning
at netsuite.com slash dlb.
The guide is free to you at netsuite.com slash dlb netsuite.com slash dlb
Don LeBretard this guy comes in as the next Wayne Gretzky his nicknames include
the chosen one and McJesus okay he's a great player he scores a lot of goals he
scores a ton of assists but it hasn't translated to making Edmonton a
Powerhouse in the league in the final two gods. What's your nickname for him?
McOva rated this is the down Libertar show with a stew guards
We have learned that it is difficult to stay atop the championship mountain, not just in hockey, but you saw that Denver won
the championship and now yesterday you're watching
and Denver is getting run out of the building
late in the game against Oklahoma City
because Oklahoma City is going to be good
for a really long time.
And when that game got to deciding time yesterday the best offensive player
I've ever seen stopped mattering. What happens with Denver when Jokic is on the
court and when he's off the court is a bit stupefying architecturally that they
haven't gotten him more help in Denver. He... he puts up the first thirty twenty twenty
in league history and you understand how disorienting it is to have the first
thirty twenty twenty in league history uh... delivered by somebody who talks
about their game this way
i can't don't get guys
did you see me play? I never dunk.
Did you see me dunk? I never dunk.
What is happening in the league?
What is happening in this league? It is so strange to see him go for 30, 20, and 20 and be entirely unstoppable, but Denver
hasn't gotten him enough help.
He should make the mess that Jimmy made even though he won the championship because he's
like, you guys can't do better than Eric Gordon.
You found your Miles Garrett.
You found, we found our Joey football.
He's in Denver.
The problem with him though is when he says
I don't wanna play basketball, I won't come back,
he really won't.
If he's gone, he's not gonna come back.
Yeah, unlike Miles Garrett, I believe every word
that he would say about the sport of basketball
and not wanting to play it and being willing
to hold out for millions and millions.
Toronto was a one year champion
and then fell to the bottom of the league.
Denver has not fallen to the bottom of the league, but they also haven't gotten any better
since winning the championship.
And a whole lot of teams around them have gotten better when they've been basically
the same 55-win team.
And Michael Porter is saying that they might be in a last dance type of situation this
year where it gets broken up if they don't win
a championship and I don't know how he's doing the the arithmetic on that one because it's not going
to be a last dance situation where they get rid of Jokic they might get rid of Michael Porter
they might get rid of Aaron Gordon but when you've got Jamal Murray and Jokic together and that's not
good enough anymore, what's happening in Cleveland and Oklahoma City suggests
that the league has passed them by and obviously Boston is still there beating
the Lakers and LeBron is leaving the game as Jason Tatum goes for his usual
quiet 40. All right and let's pump the brakes on comparing us to the last dance.
Like Dan already outlined, you're a one-time champion.
It's like Van Vliet going like, alright, we're in our
last dance phase here. Let's relax.
Let's win more than one.
It's always, though, something that I enjoy monitoring
when the rest of the league gets competitive on what
the championship standard is and then passes the
Championship standard because we're all watching Denver
We saw what it took to win the championship and all of us are looking at that and saying that's not good enough anymore
The league has elevated beyond where I've seen a lot of people including Greg Cody
complaining about all the leads that the Miami Heat are blowing and then
Blaming that on Eric's bolster when what's actually happening there is
These games are decided in the fourth quarter the way that OKC in Denver was yesterday
The games closed through three quarters and in the fourth quarter you just see OKC run away
The Miami Heat are so limited offensively that when it gets tight late they can't hold on to their leads
because offensively they are so wildly limited and you can sit here and say
they've got a bunch of double-digit leads but in that league that has ceased
to matter. That's not something that matters anymore that you have a double
digit league that they can be erased the moment that a team makes four threes and
so I don't know what your assessment is there but it's not enough anymore to
have just Jokic doing MVP things because they may take the MVP away from him
because they're bored by him but he's having his best season. Statistically, that human being is getting better and the architecture
around him isn't getting better. It's not, that's not good enough anymore. We're in
consensus on that, correct? What was good enough a few years ago is no longer good
enough in Denver, even though the MVP is better than he's ever been. I think you're giving me a storyline that might actually get me to tune in for
basketball reasons. I think a lot of it has to do with how humanizing that clip
was. That's the funniest Yoke-Itch clip I've seen in a long time. Really good. Him talking to
kids and just flatly saying no I'm this dominant player maybe the greatest
offensive force ever and I don't dunk. I don't do that. So when you have the
tinge of doubt and there's more than a tinge when it comes to Denver,
you have this guy being a little bit more affable
and now he has all the tools, he's unstoppable,
but he's got all this doubt about this team.
And you add a little last dance element,
I'm in on the nuggets.
Can you guys explain to me why it is that we do
what it is that we did earlier in the show
with OKC in Cleveland that would make those fan bases insane about how dismissive we are about their teams being excellent and
how bad a finals that would be if it's OKC and Cleveland. Can you explain to me why it
is and how it is we do that with our big market bias where if I took those teams and simply
put them in lakers uniforms
in nicks uniforms in celtics uniforms
i've got a kind of history in it that makes the finals more interesting than
this would be even though that
that it is not unclear
the two best teams during the regular season boston will have something to
say about that in the postseason but during the regular season these are the
two best teams and if I tell an audience outside of basketball
not the basketball heads here are you true worthy finals teams why is it that
I make it so small market onerous that I offend OKC and Cleveland's fan base
when I say the nation doesn't want to watch that even though basketball fans do i'd i'd think you're looking at it through
a to uh... a likely tv ratings prism right because just interest i'm not
doing tv ratings i'm just doing interest and just generally how we want
storylines that are familiar we want the the history that were used to it takes
us a minute to adapt to,
what do you mean I have to be paying attention to how good Shea Gilder's Alexander is?
Or how good it is when it's Garland and Allen and Mobley and Mitchell?
What do you mean I have to change how I do all of my information gathering on who's the best,
because it's what I'm used to being the best
as opposed to the new best.
I don't, for a second, I totally understand
where Cavs and Thunder fans are coming from,
but we've been having these discussions about the NBA
is at this inflection point,
people aren't tuning in as much,
and it's all happening when Cleveland and Oklahoma City
are at the top of their respective conferences
and have been the best teams pretty much wire to wire here.
Everyone's kind of bracing for that
and the numbers are telling us they're not really digging it.
We had a nice little pop on Christmas Day
when it came to ratings, but generally across the board,
the story isn't a good one this year.
They're asking Adams- Adam Silver every avail,
what are you gonna do to change your sport?
And this is all happening with Oklahoma City
and Cleveland at Toppitt.
It's not really working for the customer at large.
I mean, everybody, by everybody, I mean people like us,
probably want Knicks versus Lakers
or some city for city matchup like that.
I don't, I'm confused. I want that. I don't I I'm confused I want
excellence I don't care the uniforms that it wears. I think there's gonna be a
growing appetite for Cavaliers and Thunder if coming into the finals these
are the two best teams in the regular season SGA is is the next tier of all
time superstar players perhaps I think this is a matchup that's gonna grow on people.
I'm interested in that final.
The problem is though, if the ratings are down
and casual fans aren't watching during the regular season
when you see teams like the Cavaliers and the Thunder
because you haven't been watching
and you don't know how good the teams are,
you don't have that connection point.
So if you tune into the finals,
you wanna see the finals,
you wanna see the familiarity,
and you want it to feel bigger than it is,
even if these are the two best teams in the league,
you're not watching during the regular season.
For whatever reason, one reason or another,
the ratings have been down in the regular season.
The All-Star game was kind of a mess,
where they weren't really happy with the product,
they weren't really happy with the competitions.
So, if you're trying to get the casuals to watch
in the finals, the casuals are gonna want the teams
that they know of, not necessarily the best teams,
because they don't know these teams as the best teams,
because they're not watching them as they're becoming
the best teams, which is the problem the NBA is having.
You don't have the fans that aren't watching every night
knowing who the best players and best teams are,
because they just want to see LeBron James
in every championship.
I think part of that though is like a snake eating its tail
because the coverage just focuses on the big market teams
and the coverage in some respects is lazier.
It's easier to talk about the Cowboys every day
than to talk about the Bengals and the Browns.
But as media continues to conglomerate,
I don't know if that's a word,
and just get more condensed and focused
into these big markets,
then you're gonna get less and less
really outstanding local coverage,
and that's how it's been for the last few years.
There's fewer opportunities to work in smaller markets now
if you're a media member
than there is to work at one of these major networks,
and they're just gonna keep covering
what they always have been covering.
It's a interesting, I guess,
maybe just us conversation if people hate the media talk,
but like whose responsibility does it become to fix it?
Like is it the league or is it on the media partners?
Because the media partners are just gonna go
to what they always go to where they know
they're gonna get the numbers
and they're not necessarily,
like the national media isn't gonna necessarily invest in,
you know what, I need to develop the fans' interest in the league and the product and getting them to know the players
That's kind of on the league to let you know who their stars are and why you should be interested
Where the the media partners just want the numbers so they just go to who they know will deliver them or who they hope will
Deliver and there's always been skepticism for younger teams that are ascending the old theory that you have to suffer a little bit but in the few couple of years sample that we have of expanded playoffs and in this
load management era, there have been kind of some screwy NBA finals when before it used
to be pretty predictable. You have a devalued regular season and fans are like, nah, I don't
trust you to get past the second round just like you did last year, you fell on your face.
So when you want to be serious and you want to actually clear some adversity in the postseason
that's when I'll pay attention to you. I want to get the sound though of Charles
Barkley going after Kendrick Perkins and ESPN in general in a way that bears
monitoring Greg because you have heard Shaq and Charles doing something on
inside the NBA that I believe doesn't get seen very often. They're headed
toward ESPN and they're complaining about heading over to ESPN. There's some
discomforts involved. I know Charles doesn't want to work there I'm super interested to see how all of that plays out, but he's calling
Coworkers fools and idiots or future co-workers because he's complaining about what Jessica just mentioned
Which is that any time you turn into the main?
industry
Spokespeople on cheerleading and celebrating the sport.
And I don't know whose responsibility it is here.
Is it the media's responsibility to get fans properly informed and interested in change
and the newcomers?
Because the newcomers are here.
They've arrived.
Anthony Edwards is the reason that OKC didn't advance last year.
Minnesota's less good. OKC did advance last year. Minnesota's less good,
OKC has done some suffering. That OKC team was really good last year. Young. This year,
they're better. They've grown. Homegrown is an important piece to OKC. And what have they
lost? Eleven times this year cleveland as i mentioned
three double-digit winning streaks this year they're dragging people
charles barkley is saying of the media coverage what jessica saying which is
if you can't just be talking about the lakers in steph all the time
look at what lebron steph did on christmas day it's the only game that was
able to put a dent
against the NFL in terms of attracting people
because we are lazy about liking what we've always liked.
But respectfully, Charles Barkley doesn't watch
the majority of the teams in the league either.
Like he never knows who's on what team coming into the league.
Like he's the last person that should be criticizing
media networks only showing the games of like five teams
Yeah, I think I'm like the second to last because I'm not even the biggest NBA fan But I do think that you can speak to it more broadly just outside of the NBA where like I feel like the people that host
a lot of these shows and like are sort of like the vocal leaders of the sports don't realize how much
Fans listen to them when they're telling you a player is good or when they're telling you a team is good or a team is interesting. Like a lot of people do
listen to that and it does impact the way they view something and if you're
just talking about the same teams being interesting and good over and over again
like eventually you're probably gonna be like, ugh, the Thunder, like that's gross.
But you know a decade ago when the Thunder were really good I don't think
it was very hard for people to view them that way and be excited to see that team make a run. It's just like a lot of things have changed
in the last decade with how we're viewing media.
Correct me if I'm wrong. Also, historically, in terms of like really touting the game and
trying to be the type of entity that gets as many possible people in the tent and lifting
up the product, that's not really what TNT has done with its basketball coverage. It
doesn't really lift up the product.
Half the time it's the guys taking the piss
about being bored on another blowout that's at halftime,
and they're just joshing each other,
and that's what people are drawn to, the personalities,
and they're just perpetuating that.
But when we talk about media responsibilities,
and we talk about the main voices in the NBA,
not only talking about the same teams,
but also gravitating toward the dramatic storylines
that don't have much of anything to do with basketball.
I'm gonna play some of this Charles Barkley sound.
He's been doing it a lot of times.
I'm not even sure this is the right sound
because I asked them to get it now
and it doesn't look like the sound that I'm looking for,
but I just wanted to ask the group and the people listening to this so
that they understand the nature of the problem.
If Shay Gilgis Alexander walked into your life right now, walked in front of you, would
you recognize him?
I'm asking general sports fan.
Just because of the commercial, the What A Pro Wants. And he's tall. Yeah, he's very tall. Would you recognize him? I'm asking general sports fan. I mean-
Just because of the commercial, the what a pro wants.
And he's tall.
Yeah, he's very tall.
And I would have been like, who's this tall guy?
You look familiar, what a pro wants commercial.
He's not that tall though, because I think you'd be,
he's not walking in like seven footers walk into a room
and you know that he's a basketball player.
He's tall.
I'm starting to realize, I think I watch the most NBA
of anyone in this room.
I don't doubt it. That's this room. I don't doubt it
It's a problem. I don't think that you do but let's see what she's every night with
She watches the Knicks with regularity. I watched I watched basketball every night I watched also I watched all the women's conference tournaments this weekend. Wow, what a weekend UCLA big ten champs
That will never not sound weird to me. However, I should not
be the one watching the most pro basketball ever. Did you get mad at
Draymond Green for going after your man's beloved Carl Anthony Towns
unfairly by suggesting the other day and then apologizing awkwardly that Carl
Anthony Towns did not play in the Knicks Warriors game because he was afraid of Jimmy Butler? Um, okay, yes. Like the initial claim was weak, but then the apology was just so bad.
The apology was like, uh, well, the show must go on. It was just like not really there.
And it kind of bummed me out because yeah, Carl Anthony Towns was at a funeral, so he
missed the game. Like one of his friends died of cancer or something.
It was just very uncomfortable.
The whole thing made me feel super uncomfortable to watch.
Some people are really mad at Draymond, really mad.
Like I saw Think Pieces calling for Draymond and Turner
to evaluate the relationship with Draymond.
Yeah, that's a real bad look for Draymond, awful.
Let's play the sound here of Charles Barkley
going after what could be his future coworkers.
I saw a fool idiot on TV
talking about the Lakers saved the NBA.
Saved the NBA?
Yeah, yeah, he's an idiot and a fool,
but he know who he is.
What's his name, Shaq?
Which one are you talking about?
Kendrick Perkins.
Oh.
He said, the Lakers, first of all,
the Lakers had a great two weeks.
He said the Lakers saved the NBA season.
That's because them fools on the other network,
was we gonna be working for the next year?
That's all they talk about.
Let me tell y'all something.
Tell me something.
And first of all, I want all the smoke.
I don't whistle when I walk by the graveyard
or anything like that.
I don't whistle when I walk by the graveyard. I like that.
I'm stealing that one.
The Lakers are doing great.
Got a long way to go.
But the reason the season's been going great
for the Cleveland Cavaliers and the Oklahoma City Thunder,
y'all just want to talk about the Warriors and the Lakers.
They're both doing great.
Don't get me wrong.
If I turn out to be
wrong, I got no problem with that. But y'all are idiots because y'all talk
about the Lakers and the Warriors all the time.
Do you know the history of whistling when you walk past a graveyard? Because I've
heard the expression, but I don't know what it actually means. Do you...why do
you whistle when you're going past a graveyard?
I honestly don't know. To appear nonchalant, maybe?
To appear as if you're not frightened to death?
The way he was using it is saying,
I don't whistle when I walk past a graveyard,
and I just don't know why someone whistles by a graveyard.
Maybe that's a bad omen.
You wake the dead, maybe.
You're in a happy mood while walking past something somber.
I don't know, my dad actually loves a graveyard.
I do and have never whistled in one.
It's to pretend to be cheerful
and not afraid of passing a graveyard.
That makes sense.
So did he use it correctly?
I don't whistle when I walk past a graveyard.
Did he use it correctly?
I don't.
He did.
Is he unbothered?
Did he come off unbothered?
Are you guys like my dad though?
Like if my dad
It's like we're traveling somewhere in our hotel. There's a graveyard. He's just like I'm gonna go walk over to the graveyard
He just likes to time we stop a graveyard. You afraid of ghosts. No, no, I embrace them
Have you seen one before? I think most ghosts are good. I have not I mean not in a physical sense, you know
Have you felt one?
you know there Have you felt one? You know, there have been imaginary, perhaps, apparitions.
You're in the garage late at night, all of a sudden you hear,
is that Alan Cherry?
No, not really.
No.
Why do you do this?
What is it that you do?
Do you ever meet fellow grave lovers?
Sometimes, yeah.
It's surprising that you'll meet people who
aren't there to see a loved one they're there because they're fascinated by
history and graveyards are history I mean the I think the oldest one in the
United States in Boston has you know like Civil War generals and everything
buried next to you know 20 feet away from people who died a couple years ago
there's older graveyards who just built stadiums on them.
Yeah, they're the sand patrols.
You mean like Revolutionary War though?
Yeah.
Okay.
There's also like ancient burial mounds all over.
Yeah, we sop at a lot of them. I never pass a graveyard that I don't want to see.
I do fancy a stroll through a graveyard if it's convenient.
Nah, that's odd.
Chelsea played right next to a real old gothic graveyard
and it's on the way over to the grounds.
I like to cut through and just see the history.
You know, you just small talk with people
at the graveyards when you're there?
Sometimes.
Yeah?
What's your ice breaker?
Do you ever whistle?
I never, I have never, I'm not a whistler.
My dad whistles a lot.
But like, when we were in New Orleans,
I loved the New Orleans graveyard with all the above-ground stuff and probably
multiple and in and I had a conversation there with an older woman who was there
not to see anyone but because she also was fascinated with graveyards maybe she
was a ghost yeah how do you know how do I know she wasn't a ghost yeah I mean I
don't did you ask it's not like I poked her to see if my finger went through dust.
You don't think this is weird, that all of this is strange?
Certainly you're not running into several other people often that are interested in
just going to a graveyard where, put it on the poll, Juju, at LeBittard Show, do you
ever walk through the graveyard that doesn't have anyone in it who you know?
I think a lot of people do,
but I'm not one to strike up a conversation
with a stranger, so.
But what is happening here that your family,
your family clearly doesn't wanna do this with you, right?
You're going, you're getting someplace with your family
and you're, oh, there goes Dad again,
he's wandering toward the graveyard.
Like I can remember as a kid, like in in New Hampshire I don't even remember why we
were there in Maine somewhere up north like we're out we're at our hotel and my
dad's just like I'm gonna walk I saw a graveyard down the street I'm gonna go
and she's like I'll stay thank you oh my god if if we're at a hotel in walking
distance to a major graveyard I've I almost said I've died and gone to heaven Which would have been a weird thing to say I edited myself
Howdy folks, it's Mike Ryan
I talked to you about Miller time all the time
But we're in the wintertime right now and one of my favorite pastimes is to crack open a Miller light and enjoy myself
Some Miller time during the wintertime because when there's a brisk chill in the air
It just makes everything right my friends and I who live down here in South Florida can actually sit outside because it's not
super muggy. We can thoroughly enjoy our Miller time together. And for you
listening, I know there's a lot of things going on right now. Sports? Cheap
among them! Nothing more important than sports! From basketball and hockey to
game night, winter means more moments with the coolest people in your life. Make
these moments even better with Miller Lite, the great tasting light beer for
people who love beer. Now's the perfect time for friends,
family, and a great tasting light beer. TASTE LIKE MILLER TIME! And you know Miller Lite is
brewed for taste. It hits different than other light beers and at just 96 calories and 3.2 grams
of carbs per 12 ounces, Miller Time is always a good time. Miller Lite, great taste, 96 calories.
Go to MillerLite.com slash Dan to find delivery options near you, or you can pick up some
Miller Lite pretty much anywhere they sell beer.
Tastes like Miller time.
Celebrate responsibly.
Miller Brewing Company, Milwaukee, Wisconsin, 96 calories and 3.2 carbs per 12 ounces.
The Dan Levitard Show with StuGots is sponsored by BetterHelp.
Who's in your support system and how have they changed your life?
Think about that your favorite leaders, mentors, idols,
they don't all have the answers,
but they do know when to ask for help.
In a world that glorifies hyper-independence,
we sometimes forget that we thrive with support.
We're stronger, healthier, and more resilient
when we have people to lean on.
Therapy is one of the best ways to build that support system.
It helps with positive coping skills,
setting boundaries, and becoming the best version
of yourself.
Here's the thing, therapy isn't just for those who've experienced major trauma.
It's for everybody.
Whether you're facing a big life transition, feeling overwhelmed, or just want to grow,
therapy can help.
That's where BetterHelp comes in.
With over 30,000 credentialed therapists, you can find somebody who truly understands
you.
It's fully online, making therapy accessible, affordable, and convenient. No waiting rooms, no long commutes, just the support you need whenever and wherever you need it.
And by the way, if you ever feel like switching therapists, it's no cost to you whatsoever.
Build your support system with BetterHelp. Visit BetterHelp.com slash D-L-B today to get 10% off
your first month. That's BetterHelp. H-E-L-P dot com slash D-L-B.