The Dan Le Batard Show with Stugotz - Hour 1: The Final Face Time (feat. Tony Reali)

Episode Date: May 22, 2025

"This is what you want a spleen answering." Around the Horn ends tomorrow, and Tony Reali is here to grace us with his art of conversation. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

This is the Dan LeBattor Show with the StuGuts Podcast. I feel like I should owe the audience some apologies here for Amin's general disrespect of Jim Ursay and StuGuts not giving the people what they want today on the New York Knicks tiers. He's a very public Knicks fan and all of a sudden he doesn't care about the Knicks anymore. We're two hours into the show and people are here for your tears and you're not giving them to them. You're saying have perspective Knicks and six.

Well, I have confidence in this team. They were down 20 twice against Boston. Tatum was healthy. They came back, they won both those games. They lost game three at home. They came back and they bounced back in game four and they won that game. They're sitting here in the Eastern Conference Finals. Last night hurt.

I'm not going to say it didn't hurt. Of course it hurt. I was broken last night, but having time to think about it and think about this Knick team, it's game one. They're not going to back down from the Pacers. They're a strong team. Brunson's probably the best player on the court every time he takes the court at this point. And so I have confidence in the Knicks winning this series in seven games. Yes.

Amin, what do you think of what he just said? Brunson's the best player on the court in this series. I don't think that's out of the question, right? I mean, obviously Halliburton's great too, but I think Brunson has kind of proven that he's the real deal. They're both the guys that are kind of underestimated by most people for different reasons. Brunson because he's short, Albert because he's annoying. The annoying is a lot of fun and this is also a lot of fun, Stugatz, because you're saying I'm soaking all of this with numbers that me and Jeremy are annoying with all of the

math. How about some fun? Would you like to hear a Korean broadcast celebrating the biggest collapse in New York Knicks history? That was actually amazing to see the waveform, to see the gap between the ball hitting the rim and you actually hear Knicks fans celebrating in the background thinking that it's a miss. Can we just isolate the shot? That was crazy. That was also a full second in the background thinking that it's a miss. Can we just isolate the shot? That was crazy. That was also a full second in the air. You guys have to appreciate this part of it though, Stu Gatz. Because the fear was growing in the building over the last six minutes, because there was such silence there, you're picking up sounds here that you normally wouldn't pick up because there's just a blanket

of fear in the place and the ball suspended as if the games buffering. Little moment of cheering as makes fans the cheers on the way up. Because normally when it clangs that way on the rim you don't get to be celebrated today is better than Dame Lillard and the best player in this series I'm reminded cuz he got lucky cuz he got cuz he got lucky yeah shooters touch that was shooters bull about that put it on the pole put it on the pole at LeBittard shot it was a good

looking shot put it put it on the pole at it on the pole at lebatard shot shot It was a good-looking shot put it put it on the pole at lebatard show Was that shooters touch or shooters both the shooters touch doesn't clank that far high I mean it was on such a line like it was a good shot It was so pure that it bounced Totally vertically and as if pulled on a string to tear out the heart of all of New York. Little angelic. We're celebrating a guy who made a mistake. He was trying to step back and take a three.

He took a more difficult two. I mean, that's a take. That's a take. Well, what he's saying is that was actually in every way a failure. There's a method. It's the opposite of playing the result. Opposite of playing the result.

Out of all of the players to say make a free throw or hit rim, step back a little further, Halliburton's the take. I like what he's saying because a mistake and luck knocks Neesmith off of the news. Six threes, not as important as the one that wasn't a three but he thought was a three and almost ended up with an eternal choke sign because he couldn't

put his foot in the right place. You all thought of Durant there, right? Little bit. Well, I mean, that's what I thought was a three and almost ended up with an eternal choke sign because he couldn't put his foot in the right place. You all thought of Durant there, right? Little bit. Well, I mean, that's what I thought was going to happen in overtime, that they were going to lose the game and then we'd all look back and say, that's the second time a guy wore a sneaker that was a size smaller, they'd be moving on. But no, but no, they ended up winning in overtime. And that was the impressive thing about the Pacers.

For reasons I don't understand, Stugz has a top five list of people who have scored more than Reggie Miller. He would like to do that in a second, but before we do that I have been remiss Mike blew so much NASCAR breath in my face when I got in here today and and IndyCar too. Have you guys been getting this? Mike's got it all day yesterday. Yeah Mike's... Got it all day yesterday. Yeah, Mike's obsession with... All day yesterday. Got it for 30 seconds, which is what I'm limited to on this ridiculous show, even though NASCAR is now a proud partner of this show.

30 seconds too long. NASCAR is now a proud partner of this show. Oh yeah, and more NASCAR. You know what? Hold on a second. Dipshit. This is still alive. Still alive.

I love still alive. Get out of here. We've got a penalty. Dip shit. This is Miller Lite, Miller Lite, I love Miller Lite. Get out of here. We've got a penalty, five minutes, major asshole. ["Dreams of a New World"] Are you an idiot? Like, are you an idiot? Say what you want about me, but I would never, ever, ever criticize the brands that are invested in our show. Does he have to go to a meeting?

He's gotta go to a meeting. We've got a penalty, five minutes, major asshole. invested in our show. We've got a penalty five minutes major asshole Do you know how much I appreciate our sponsors? How much I appreciate our sponsors and we got this clown show back here one one in one in a vest the other one just I'm a renegade. I can't be controlled. But I got so many funny impersonations speaking of our proud sponsors I've said a couple of times this week it's a biggest week in motorsports Sunday the biggest day in motorsports now yesterday we covered Kyle Larson aiming to be just a second human being in history to run all 1,100 miles in both the Indy 500 and the Coca-Cola 600 so the nightcap of that double,

should Kyle Larson do the impossible? Can you explain this for a second? Because don't speed through this. I know we don't give you a lot of time here, but just, this has been tried before, and he couldn't do it the last time he tried. Last year he tried it. It's actually what got me really into NASCAR,

the pursuit of history. Kyle Larson racing two different races, two different cities, two different circuits. Kyle Larson racing two different races, two different cities, two different circuits. Kyle Larson made a rookie mistake last year in the Indy 500, came in too fast into the pit, and it cost him the opportunity to win that race. He's Deion Sanders. Yeah, he can, Kyle Larson, we've talked about him before.

If it's got wheels, he's probably the best in the planet at driving it. And in Charlotte, because I want to focus on the NASCAR end, he has the opportunity, should the weather hold up, because that was also part of the issue last year, he finished all the miles in the Indy 500 last year, but that race got delayed by weather. And he flew into Charlotte, he was going to switch with a driver in one of the pits, you can do that in NASCAR, but the weather did not cooperate in Charlotte and he never actually got in the car. So he didn't even feature in that NASCAR race but the weather did not cooperate in Charlotte and he never actually got in

the car, so he didn't even feature in that NASCAR race. He's aiming to do all 1,100 miles. The only person in history to do that was Tony Stewart. He finished top six in Indy, which was really impressive, and top three in Charlotte. No one's ever won both races in one day. If Kyle Larson does that, every show in America needs to be talking about it. Unlikely for him to do that, correct? It's unlikely because he's not an Indy car driver. He just does this as a one-off. And we'll see if he has enough speed. He's kind of pushing the car a little bit, crashed out a couple of times in practice because he's really pushing that car. We'll get to what's

going on in an Indy car, but I want to focus on NASCAR because should Kyle Larson finish the race in Indy, do all the miles there. He's aiming to do something for just a second time in history, finish all the miles in what is NASCAR's longest race. Charlotte has, and Larson won at Charlotte last year when it was the Roval, but he's going to be doing this very long primetime race. It's

going to be Amazon Prime's first race of their new contract with Dale Jr. helping on the call, and it should be an amazing race. Hendrick, he's a racer for Hendrick Motorsports. They usually perform quite well in Charlotte, so he has a really good chance at this track. Should he do the Indy 500, and just for him to complete all the miles,

that's a hell of an accomplishment. Should he win it, everybody needs to be tuning in to Charlotte to see if Kyle Larson can do something that no one has ever done. Gearhead by the way is presented by NASCAR, our proud partners. For all the latest insights and storylines to find out when and where to watch visit NASCAR.com. He's too dangerous a pirate. This is what he is. He is Amin Elhassen. He cannot be trusted

around our beloved brands because he's too dangerous for mainstream media. I love them all. I love all of our brands. Every single last one of them. By the way, if we have another break, I'd love to tell you what's going on with Team Penske and Indycar.

It's a huge controversy, biggest scandal in sports. Well, so I'd like to actually talk about this for a second before we get back to, I do want at some point Stu Gotz's tears because when he says broken last night I don't know if he still cares as much as you need to care about just in general sports and I'm not like we've been in this business a long time Stu Gotz so, I understand how it is that, like, Ben Stiller, for example, would be just a child around the Knicks, still.

Like a child, and that being in this business would harden you in a way that wouldn't make you break anymore after 25 years of suffering, because you're an adult now, and you're not, you're not consumed and obsessed with sports being your entire life like when you were in your early 20s and so it doesn't hurt for you if you don't care as much as the next person does. I care deeply it hurt last night but it was game one of a best of seven series in which we have home court and so I believe in this next team my

apologies for believing in my team I've been waiting 25, 30 years for this team to get to an Eastern Conference Finals. They're here. I'm not going to let the good feelings I have be sullied by one lucky basket by Halliburton. I'm just not going to do it. What if they lose game two? Tears, full tears.

Then the series is over. Then I have something to cry about. Last night was bad moment the season's not over yet there's still hope I still feel like we have the better team the thing that I'm confused by the only thing that I'm confused by as it relates to how it is that Stu gots would or should suffer it sure that's the perspective to have if any team that's the favorite loses game one at home. However, the way they lost, the way they lost where your fan base goes from jubilant to now terrified, they're now going into the same arena they played in last time with this fear sweeping through New York because you

dared to hope the thing that's been hopeless for a long time. And so in the careening emotions of that, I can imagine that this will linger. You're showing the correct perspective, but it's not in a way. It will linger if we lose the series. It will not linger if they win game two and go back to Indiana 1-1. They'll be fine.

Okay, so do you believe in the idea of this kind of loss mean something? We're having some conversations about do you think Carl Anthony Town towns was relieved this morning because Brunson shot the air ball and he merely tick the front of the rim. So wasn't to straight air balls while you're choking from your 2 big guys. The call it 3 times is waking up and raising a fist to the air because he's like Brunson

didn't even hit the rim. I I came closer. I Dan I look at last night's game because they're so evenly matched, but I see the Knicks up 14 with under three minutes to go, up nine with under a minute to go, and I feel pretty good about her chances moving forward. Like last night really, really hurt, but it was game one. It was not game six. It was not game seven. It was game one, and we have home court advantage. Get this thing back to the Mecca for a game seven at home Leave what you're hearing and we went can do you guys come Mike? I learned it from you like we've been doing this show for 20 years now it

Historic laws the pace are all timed and and Stu gots is gonna just bravado his way through it Also for his take to be I have faith in my team. They're the New York Knicks No, no, no, why this is not he hasn't done anything yet for his take to be, I have faith in my team. They're the New York Knicks. That's something like- This team. No, no, no, why? This team hasn't done anything yet. This is not a typical New York Knick team. This team is good. They just had the biggest choke in NBA history.

What are you talking about? This is not the same New York Knicks. They'll bounce back. Aren't you guys interested to see if this team has the mental fortitude to bounce back into that devastating loss? Yes, very interested. But if this team has the mental fortitude to bounce back into that devastating one? Yes, very interested. But if I were a Knicks fan, I'd be highly doubtful and not cocksure the way that you

are. I'm confident in Brunson. What can I tell you? He gives me confidence that guy. This is faux cocksure-ness. It is. It is. You think I'm devastated, huh?

I think it's a mask. Yeah. I think you're spewing lies as always. That or you were genuinely locked in on SARS oilers. It's the only other explanation I mean, I can't believe they blew that third period lead. You are we the best player in the world The nba finals are almost here and every second counts with draft king sportsbook an official sports betting partner of the nba You're not just watching history. You're betting on it an official sports betting partner of the NBA, you're not just watching history, you're betting on it.

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Don LeBataard if Daniel Day-Lewis did it you'd be jerking off all over yourself. Oh come on. Yeah, I would be I mean, what is it? What is that? I'm just saying I see that photo of Daniel Day-Lewis looking like Lincoln before he's about to start filming Lincoln. And you know what I do? I mean, Stugats. I jerk off all over myself. That's what I do.

Lincoln, who you outed the other day? Don't make this a rejoin. This is the Dan LeBattar Show with the Stugats. Tony Reale, would you like to make a verdict here we think that I got to got to the news. I love still feeling these emotions in his life where everything's going to work out great and it's wonderful because we have such a history of of year upon year of

success. You should be padded you should be pulling your hair out right now still what are you talking about? You're not giving the people the authentic heartbreak that they want today. New York, Stugatsk. They dared to hope. I'm not saying that it's hopeless. It can't start worse than that. It can't, but if you asked any Knick fan, hey, Eastern Conference Finals home court advantage before the season, they'd be like, yeah, we'll take it. Sign me up. That feels good.

That's just a coping strategy. What you're doing now is you're trying to lower expectation so that the fall from the top of this mountain is not going to hurt you. It's all self-protection. He won't show us his real feelings. This is just caveman male behavior from him. We know what this is. He's wrapped from him with that he's wrapped in our

mobile tree. I come from a place of being a jet span it comes from a place we get what that is but there is a part of the Knicks that is jets and that is met there is a part of the next that is Yankees in that way the fans may feel there that but they're not there is a trait of DNA sequence in the New York Knicks that leans Mets and Jets. How did you feel as somebody who loves New York,

I would say, to say? I have melancholy of missing out right now. I said this to somebody this week because this show's ending in the middle of the playoffs, Dan. Now I'm beginning to at least feel a little bit like what? You know, in the middle of the playoffs, Dan. Now I'm beginning to at least feel a little bit like what? You know, in the middle of the playoffs, I've waited for this story for 20 years to talk about New York basketball and I'm not even going to see it to the end. I went to the game a couple games ago,

I see all my colleagues, Courtside and Presrow, I went as a fan just to hang out with some friends and I'm not even going to see it to the end. So now I'm experiencing that and I'm watching how good these games are and just like I'm have a chance to talk about it today on around the horn, but I won't next week. And that's now something that's in this part. It hits me here. It hits me right here. Well, can I hire you as a Metal Arc New York Knicks correspondent better than Sam Morell to do something after Around the Horn. You don't have enough? You've got Stu!

Stu, I am impressed honestly by your positivity. Thank you. It's something that I find aspirational. Thank you. I think you've got Stu, you've got it covered. Do you know how sad it is when Tony Reale is looking for inspiration for positivity? That's the sign that this is rock bottom. And I found it in Stu got this is Tony's fault. I spent too

much time with them talking to him is that a wonderful conversation so still has questions. Yes, the top questions. Yes, the questions Dan Patrick won't ask right. And that was that was a wonderful thing. So Stu and I shared a moment this week and that he may have taken on my overall outlook of life with the New York Knicks, which is undeserved that you should not have that outlook with the Knicks.

They haven't earned it. Man, a guy that's going to be out of work soon. Dan offered him a job and he said no. That's pathetic. That's what I mean. I thought he said he wanted to work around the Knicks. He's going to miss it so much and then he's off. Not for us.

Sounds like Dan Patrick. I'm Patrick. I'll be yelling at a street corner, I'll be going for you I don't know what I'm going to do it. I just wanted that to see his season to the end and not add on May 23rd. It's going away. It's just the end of the. Houselessness over. You're making the media rounds these days.

I'm reading a lot of things about you all of a sudden. I said yes to everybody, which is, you know, somebody called me a recluse, Dan, this week, the usually reclusive reality. I've been on TV every day for 25 years. I think I felt like I had my voice out there. I didn't need to do interviews every day, but I was appreciative. You know what I was appreciative of?

I came on, you said, come on the show, that one day the press release came out or whatever it was. I was basically holding a phone in front of, you know, I was on the screen. I just came on, it was the worst photo you could possibly, now that's the photo they put out there. What awful announcing is like, you know,

we polled five people in our office and around the horn was just okay. Well, thanks for that article I'll put down and this is the photo. We're gonna put a reality out there. So Yeah, your hair was terrible in it. You looked unprofessional. You look I dropped the phone into my crotch in the middle It was embarrassing as an audition for America. It was embarrassing as well, but It was embarrassing. You seemed nervous as well. But things- You did that to me. You loved that. But now look at you. Now soaring through the sky,

turning down job offers, have competition for everyone. All of a sudden, everyone's like, look at this positive television sports person who can do live things well. Perhaps he's been in a cage at ESPN and is now going to soar freely through the cosmos. I never felt I was in a cage. You know, I'd be the circus animal

who'd be dancing along in the cage, like, hey guys, how we doing? You know, I'm too much of a pleaser to be here. Okay, well, Pleaser, you've made the media rounds here recently on a show that had more episodes. I saw Pablo wrote this the other day. More episodes than Oprah,

more episodes than Jerry Springer. There somebody else I'm I'm I'm forget I mean it was on there you know these are talk shows right. I mean sesame Street and Simpsons have an incredible numbers and a higher number than that but those aren't talk shows like just having to generate show every day those are the numbers that's the and pts even above us by another 200 episodes you know. So yeah, that the numbers. That's the and PTI is even above us by another 200 episodes, you know? So yeah, that's pretty great. That's in the top 10 all time in the history of that medium.

If it if if you trust Wikipedia, art of conversation is a good one. It was a good art of conversation is what you hit me with. It was two episodes. Riley and Ricky. Ricky. No, no, it was Tyson. I said Tyson. Oh, Ricky, huh? No, not Ricky. No, it was Tyson. I said Tyson. Oh, my bad. You see where his Cristin already was doing. You know what I'm doing there.

They had Ricky in the can. It didn't get picked up. Do you have the unreleased Ricky on the part of conversation? Do we have the rights to that? No. You should hear that. It was unnecessary.

We're celebrating this man. Yeah. Yeah, you could give me me I can take anything you got. That's fine. Well, but no, they're making fun of the art of conversation. A two episode show that I have a what a talk show is somebody was critical of me today because I had allowed to say that there were journalists on our show and And they even practiced journalism from occasion. Cause I didn't acknowledge it was a show,

a sports show, an entertainment show. I mean, I didn't think that was needed to be said. Right? I mean, I think that was that we, do we take ourselves too seriously? Nobody in my life would imagine that I think- I think he might actually literally be thinking about the art of conversation. He doesn't know about the show he doesn't know about he was still talking about it he was faking it he can do that he's a tell he's a

he's a professional television person he can roll with anything he has no idea what the art of conversation is it was a joke you made cut me, and it was funny to the people in our audience who saw either of those two episodes or have heard us talk about it, but reality doesn't know what you're talking about. Were you ever tuned into ESPN 2 at 2 a.m. in the morning in the year 2017? I was sabotaged!

For a two-week period. I was, there was a, no, I missed, I missed those two episodes, but I, I did. A lot of people did. There was a third. And they're important in the story that we're telling. didn't get a primetime slot. Van talk had a longer run. Wasn't given a real shot. Not the point when I'm talking about around the horn.

One of the great success stories in the history of ESPN and in sports television and he now leaves the job and you guys should know the conversation around it by the way because your last show is next Friday Tony and then you're going to come down this Friday but thank you yeah thanks for keeping up with my life sorry okay tomorrow I'm on here you're the second to last person I'm going to talk to a cornizer gets that last one on Friday morning and and and that's where we are. And then on Friday afternoon, I'm gonna be taking the boat over to the studio

for the last time and we got our finale planned. Forgive me for this. I have been very in tune with your life, as you know, over the last many months. And you've been running toward this springboard with trepidation and excitement because it's an entirely new life for you but while you're making these media rounds

i'm seeing someone who is my friend and exceedingly kind person a light uh... all the time having to make arguments against j mary oddie about your show or espn being to political or too woke when all I've ever seen you to be politically on air is kindness and decency. Yeah, I don't know what I mean. I don't know where really started.

I'm not that person, but I mean, I know what I am. So that's fine. I don't feel like I have to respond to anybody. I don't mind responding. I still in my head and scoring those arguments. You read an article about the show that is even viewing it in a critical eye? Prove why your opinion is right. But if you're not going to give me examples of the reason why you feel this way, why the show got too serious, because

on the week that a Denver Broncos player died by suicide, Woody Page wrote a column about Denver Broncos player died by suicide. Woody Page wrote a column about his depression. And we talked about it on the TV show. That's taking you too serious. I can understand that some people view one show as only one thing. This is only an escape. I only want to see faces get muted. And I only want but the show could evolve to something else as well

and aspire to be something else for 30 seconds, for 60 seconds, and then go back to whatever it was we were doing before. I was proud to be on a show that had that type of flexibility and agility. And I thought that, and I think the network should be happy about that. That it's not just cowboy hat wearing, cowboy stink.

And it's not just good cop, bad cop on the show that I love more than anything PTI you know, then there was a moment where somebody may have be bearing a soul for 30 seconds and then the same breath will be talking about who you got Aaron Judge for showy Otani in my life. I like to do it all I like to do everything so the conversation that our show where I was hopeful that they were everything but I can understand people feel different. How's

the last week been for you? It's been great. Oh, I got to see Michael Smith, who I hadn't seen in years. I got to see Israel Gutierrez is around us. I got to see, you know, all some old friends that hadn't been on the show for a while. I have enjoyed every second of it.

This is the weird thing about goodbyes. I've had a long goodbye too long of a goodbye. If I had my pick, I don't think we should be saying goodbye. The show but one now that it's been decided and we're saying goodbye. I'm enjoying that right because you don't usually get to go out on your own terms. And and maybe somebody might no one said anything to me. I haven't heard a thing from anybody, even in this week. But I've not know like, it's gonna be a great week.

We're watching. I haven't heard that from anybody. I don't need to hear that. So I'm going out the way I wanna go out, which means I'm gonna be, the real ones know that the first two minutes of tomorrow's show are gonna have a very reality moment. I'm gonna recreate something that means a lot to me.

And the back end of the show is gonna have the scoring explained, because I'm happy to do that. And lot to me. And the back end of the show is gonna have the scoring explained, cause I'm happy to do that. And we're gonna see our eight greatest panelists, our eight, you know, biggest winners in the show's history for the breadth of the show. How difficult was it to pick the panelists for this week?

Cause I'm sure you wanted everyone part of it. I'm sure everyone wanted to be part of it. I wanted to go with the 30 bucks, Chris. You know, when Atlanta gets a snowstorm and they they show the weather people in an 18 box or whatever it is and they're all pulling their hair out because there's an inch of snow I wanted that you know, we couldn't necessarily pull it off I think it's pretty easy when you look at the the final standings, which we do Still when you're on the show, we sent you a research packet you never opened that up

I'm not there's no doubt in my mind but if you had opened it up the last page of every research packet was the all-time standings because I wanted everyone to be competitive about that so we have a pretty clear top eight actually of wins and appearances so that's what it came down to I think you would know the list. Of course, you can't do tomorrow's show, the finale without Woody Page and Bob Ryan and Tim Kalashaw and Jay Adane and Kevin Blakestone. I'm going to be able to welcome Jackie McMullen back as well, which is great. You know, Frank Isola is on the show tomorrow, which I love. And Pablo is going to be in the house, but he didn't crack the win percentage because

of all those terrible predictions he had. Would I be in that 30 box, Tony? Would I be in that 30 box? Would you crack the top 30? Yeah. Now, I think Lil Wayne would be pressing you out right there. Oh, that's too bad. He had an incredible take in his FaceTime. I just went back and watched it. This is Lil Wayne, just dropping in for an episode because he was a fan of the show. He had just won, you know, Grammys and he was on his way to having eight root canals. Eight root canals. I remember this because I was tracking what he was doing the week after and the story came but his FaceTime was I spent my whole life with this this fear of Lawrence Taylor, LT, the toughest guy in the world, the

toughest football player in the world. Oh, he's going out there like a pack of crazedogs, L.T. And he talked about how great of a player he was, and they said, now L.T. is on Dancing with the Stars? Little Twinkle Toes, L.T. And I thought it was a great... What a great FaceTime. So sorry, Stu, that knocked out the moment where you appeared as the enlarged mononuclear spleen of Sam Darnold, your Jets quarterback,

who was at that time out with Mono. I won that week, too. You did. You deserved the win. You dressed up as a spleen on international television. And the first words you said was, Tony, let me spleen something to you. All right, I got some spleening to do here. I mean, how could I not reward that?

So yes, this was a show that took itself very seriously. I thought of myself as 60 minutes and meet the press as I was interviewing a spleen on TV. How does this work for you in terms of being surprised? Look at that face right there. That's my surprise face too. You know, that's listening face. You know, that's the face.

That's his hand. I'm sorry, Dan, I interrupted you. That's my young face. That's okay. That's my surprise face to you know, it's listening face, you know that's that's that's I'm sorry to interrupt the young face that's that's your young face look at why why is your hair wet. He showered show he shot. It was that Dan's wedding. Yeah, when you were rolling in well after the ceremony like I'm why watch the big rushing and you just and you took a shower with a water bottle. I saw it in a guy's drive from the car to where we were and

you put water in your hair. You like that look, huh? I do brushing his teeth by the bush. We were all there. I mean we saw it. We saw it. We were all there. You can't you can't run from that.

That's that's why that man is not worried about the Knicks, because he knows when it comes down to it, he's going to be able to brush his teeth on the way to somebody's most important moment of their lives and wash his hair with the water bottle. Can you take us through here, when you're talking about how great this week has been, whatever goodbye is going to be,

and however you want the punctuation on this thing to look tomorrow, I am certain that you will get emotional. I know I did, and I did a show that I was very proud of that didn't have a third of the run. The art of conversation. Of your show. You have something in your legacy that very few people ever get, which is a community of a generation of people

Who care about something that you did on television and and so what's going to happen tomorrow as you say goodbye What are you imagining as you walk in and what are you leaving? Mm-hmm. I mean this week just to start with that I've had to already say goodbye to now 10 panelists, 15 panels. They won't be on tomorrow's show. Their spirit will be there, yada yada. So I mean to see Harry Lyles yesterday was very emotional talking about it because I know what's behind that too. I really do.

We've done the work Harry and I together, you know, and I tried to do that with it with every panelist, but I know what he's feeling and what he's talking about because he was a reporter, much like myself when I was 25 on TV as a host, you know, we all had imposter syndrome and we're faking it until we make it and doing everything, right? And he's just imagining himself. What am I gonna be thinking? Well, that first two and a half minutes of the show

where I am gonna be in Tony performer mode, you know, which is naturally me, but it's going to be, you know, I'm not going to get emotional at that. My kids are going to be on set, you know, I have a special guest on set that is probably going to make me not get emotional. It's going to make me giggle and have fun. So the first the first segment of the show will be that I'm going to have, you know, some some close people to me right off camera to which is which is probably going to throw me for a loop a little bit when I am in the moment of the show, but I'm going to be very focused on Woody and Bob and Tim and and J.A. making sure that they get their moment.

So I'm not I mean, I'm the star in my own movie, but everybody's a star in their own movie. So I have to be the host. Is that his, is that, who's dinging around here? That's me. So, I mean, I don't know if you know this, but I'm also doing a round more today. Yeah, you're very popular.

What was the ding you heard? I have to do the twinkle from Back to the Future. You have to find. Is that a copyright now that you guys are gonna be charged for stealing your own? When you come down here later, when you come down here in a month $5 you owe us because yeah, sorry about that's not allowed. Let me turn it off. Um, so yeah, so I have to I have

I'm gonna be too present. There's my mononucleus Definitely sam darnold spleen ladies and gentlemen, this is two guys breaking through to stardom Through the costume right? I mean you can see that that was touched by the finest seamstress in land. We didn't have much of a costume budget then, I don't think. That just looks terrible. If you look at it from a different angle, it's just even going to a worse place than the spleen.

Oh my goodness. What did we allow that on TV? Let me ask you. What a great question. Did the gnats win it or the Astros blow it? I mean, this is what you want a clean answer. You see that's so that way. Let me get that right.

So then that had to be like game three of the world. Yeah, I heard Tony when you came into it, when you came into the broadcast, I heard someone say that you were shaking your head before you came into the broadcast, I heard someone say that you were shaking your head before you came on because someone said something around here about mental fortitude. That you immediately, who was it? Was it Stu Gantz talking about mental fortitude? Intestinal fortitude, mental fortitude.

You had said maybe even the word tortured soul. So of course, this is what I'm walking into. I didn't know what I was listening to. I thought you were talking about me. So I mean, always gonna be about me. You always do. You always do. That's what television distorts. Yeah, yeah, that's a lot of it.

These are, that would be a banned phrase around the Horn of Admitted. Yes, that is correct, because no matter what the critics would say about that show, it did do it differently, and it made things smarter. It was viewed and weaponized as a political vehicle just because Tony proudly gave diverse voices a chance to speak on a stage where ESPN was woefully deficient in that area.

These were groundbreaking shows that Eric Ridehome proceeded over and his, this one ends, and I'm reading reports with this that they wanted Tony and Mike to do twice the show now but they weren't the reports are saying they weren't offering them more money to do more of the shows but clearly what's being what what was built there is being pushed out because you still haven't gotten a good explanation from anybody. Yeah I had to to live with the idea that, I mean, do I need one? I've gone through, you know, moments where I need one, do I not need one?

I have to now, because of the absence of any explanation and any communication, you know, they've got their hands full. And they have to be understanding that, you know, I have to be understanding that they're dealing with things that are yes much very serious So they have to be addressing those and they've already made their decision. I thought I could change their mind for many many months And and maybe there was a plan. I would have to believe and hope there was a plan But I don't know if I had it explained to me. I know I definitely said well, this is going away You know what what if I was doing if I was in the business of running

things, I would be paying the highest rated show, all the money in the world, and asking them to work as long as I possibly could. So yeah, I don't think it would be the best PTI if PTI expanded from 30 minutes to an hour. But I sure as heck would want the highest rated show and my friends to be making so much more money to do more work.

Absolutely, that's what I would have approached it as, yeah. But you're proud of what you made. Of course, of course, Dan, I'm proud. I mean, I still will believe it's good that there's different shows on the network and there's different voices on the network and the shows that do different things. So I will be more than I always felt PTI and around the horn.

And I will say this proudly. It wasn't the ESPN PTI 30 minutes. It was the ESPN happy hour. You know, it's you can tell me anyway. I know this show was driving ratings that they had to be happy and proud of because I've seen press releases for shows at our network that they've been happy and proud of.

And the ratings weren't even that. And the ratings growth wasn't even what we had the day the first report came out that they were thinking about it. So I know what that is. I've heard from people who know the business a lot more than me, well, how profitable a show this was. I have an idea how profitable it was because I, because people have written about other shows and they're wonderful contracts and everybody

should be making all the money in the world. But hearing all these wonderful things, I know our show had to be incredibly profitable for a network. And that fills me with a little bit of pride from a business side of it. And that fills me with a little bit of pride from a business side of it. But that doesn't mean anything to me. When I wake up in the morning and go to bed at night after doing a show, I wanted to put great content out there, great shows out there, fun shows, because I think more

than anything, I have to say this now, because somebody thought I was being serious at times in our 50,000 episodes, and I was happy to be heartful, would be the word I would use. We had fun! So this was a fun show. And PTI around the horn, highly questionable. I know in my heart, and I know viewers have told me this for 20 years plus, those shows feel different. They feel different than what the network does, and that's good. You should want different.

That's how I feel. You've always been very cool about being publicly vulnerable and honest. So I am legitimately curious about this, because I haven't asked you this off air. In what tomorrow will be for you at the punctuation of an incredible run, do you think you'll have 100% gratitude

without any of the hurt or the, like I know you, we can put on a- Yeah, I think I'm there. I think I'm already there. That's about me releasing the need for an explanation or me knowing. I've had my two conversations over five months and I don't know if I'm getting another one.

I would welcome another one. I would welcome another one. I would welcome another one today. Even someone saying, you know, I know you had a big show tomorrow. We'll be watching and the shows have been great. That would be nice to hear. But I don't need to hear that. I've had six months really to deal with this, Dan.

And you've been on the other end of the call many times. But hold on, but hold on. If I just may, right? Like you're putting a brave face on them. Yeah, it's business. Nobody has to care about you. You're not owed anything. That's what the money's for.

They paid you. But it sounds like what you're saying is some form of, hey, does someone over there wanna give me a hug because we did a nice thing here together for 23 years? And just, like I mean, I give hugs, the hugs are free. So yes, I would appreciate a hug. Yeah, of course, I can admit that.

I have had heart to hearts with many people in the industry. And you're at the top of that list then, who have told me what a gift this is for me. A gift. So I was given a gift. They may not even be thinking about me as you know, but I have a gift going forward and I've had many, many moments in the last two to three weeks.

Again, I'm sorry. Two to three weeks, uh, where people who are in the industry that I don't know who, who are just aware of me, who have given me a gift that I don't have anxiety about May 24th and August 31st, and the next whatever years of my career. I have no anxiety for that because I know I am appreciated. I know it was not unnoticed that I was on TV for 23 years for a show that made an imprint and did some wonderful things.

I know that's that's known I have no fear, I don't need someone to tell me that every single day well, it's a punctuation coming so they want to be just but just so you know, and I know you know this because I know you know the power of television, I know you know the power of feelings just so that you know. Jeremy Tashay says that you are his greatest inspiration now that is a lovely compliment and also an insult. He was incredible with the Bachelorette party at the baseball game last night. Thanks Tony. I haven't said you

that know yet Jeremy, but it's on my things to do this. I said this stupid thing that I was going to reach out to everybody who said something to the show now I'm starting my website then want to give me a yes please here the floor is your reality calm but hold on if I may I look to support everything that unspools in Tony's future here and so there's gonna be a lot of unspooling tell the people where they can where and what they can find where they look for you I want to connect with with people

like Jeremy but even I've been getting a lot of letters throughout my career I've been getting books sent to me and vice versa these are about sports these are about sports casting but more often they're not there about some of those more heart full stories not the too serious this was called the more heartful stories I was on the phone yesterday Then with a phone number that was left on the bottom of a letter that I've been trying to call for a week And there was no one picking up on the other end of that phone

And I was worried and I had someone pick up on the other end of that phone yesterday And right when I sign off with you, I'm getting called. So yesterday's pickup was, I can't believe you actually called. Today's phone call is going to be talking about exactly how heartfelt his letter was to me and why somebody needs to be talking to him right now. So I want to be doing that in spaces as well. And this is sports conversations as well.

But on my website, tonyreality.com, Icom I'm gonna have some buttons and I'm working with tech people where we can have this connection and forums where we can have the great sports debates that I was having with with everybody and Stu included the experts and Stu that I had on around the horn I'm gonna go around the horn with the average viewers the our average sports fans our fans We gotta go reality. Okay, I quit. There's a YouTube page, too. There's a YouTube page, too All right, we're gonna put it up here for you. We're gonna put the graphics up for you There's a YouTube page too, but still has an important question for you as punctuation. All right, very quick panelists for your life

Okay, someone you have to choose one of these guys. They going around the horn, they have to win the game or you die, okay? Bob Ryan, Woody Page, panelist for your life. Wow. Bob Ryan would win the debate. Woody Page would be the one left standing with life. You said for life, then Woody Page is just going to survive cowardice in that answer. No cowardice you ask me what would be surviving for their

life would be paid no you need to choose one panelist they need to win around the horn otherwise you die that's right that's that's that's that's that's absolutely. Finger on the laser beam and we're about to explode planet earth and I needed somebody to win the arguments and do it in and around the horn way. Prove their opinion, do it in an entertaining way. Maybe the commish, Saris Bates. Good seeing you Tony.

We'll see you in a couple of weeks. I love you, Den. Middle of June. I'm coming for a full week in Miami. Love you, buddy.