The Dan Le Batard Show with Stugotz - Hour 1: The Southern Hockey Coach From Toronto (feat. Adnan Virk and The Kid Mero)

Episode Date: May 8, 2025

"My name is Craig Berube, and I'm the coach of the Maple Leafs." Black knuckleballers, Top 5 Names in Sports Who Connote Star Wars, and forcing Mero to choose between Dominicans and dollars. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

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No. Some wine? Yes. Get almost, almost anything delivered with Uber Eats. Order now. Alcohol in select markets. after details This is the Don LeBattor show with the StuGuts podcast StuGuts I know I know okay, we talk sports for a living It's a yeah sort of it's kind of it's a nice life to have we don't have very much to complain about

however our people kind of it's a nice life to have we don't have very much to complain about however our people can't get to work we're over saturated with cars and people and greed and and it's and uh... roi has been dying to get in roi has been waiting 30 years to have the Panthers feel like this. Roy is a fandom

that is super rare in South Florida. When I'm not kidding that I say that Roy is a hockey media legend. He's dejected. No, I mean, this is not because he, I know he wants to, Roy doesn't actually want to talk that much ever, but he wants to talk about this team. Roy was going to these games when this team was lousy. Roy and Walter Katz are the only two people in South Florida who have a right to be happy for this team.

Okay, look, look, I know this has been, let me explain something, because Roy gets angry black man just from the way that he looks, and it's so unfair to Roy because, well, he is angry. Roy gets angry black man just from the way that he looks. And it's so unfair to Roy because, well he is angry. And he is black. And he is a man.

But Roy doesn't talk very much on this show because he's a man of few words. And also he cares desperately about sound, how things sound. And he never wants to be the reason that whatever it is that we're singing all of us with chemistry is the one that gets in the way of tripping that up so all those things conspire so that Roy has not climbed to the place in this business that I've always wished for him to be

because he's got to be very careful about when he talks so that he doesn't interrupt the song of whatever it is that we're doing. And he respects that more than anyone in the history of our show. Basically, I'd say him and Juju and all I do every day is thank Tony for being somebody who's trying to learn that because Tony doesn't want to interrupt anybody. Roy is really, really happy as a sports fan right now. Happier than I have ever seen him, happier than in 30 years.

Well they won the cup last year. Well but, they didn't just win the cup. They took that ass. Yeah. I think we need to remove that. I don't think that we can have a room full of dudes and do anymore what Zaslow's doing about taking ass. In fact, you know what?

I'm gonna be too woke and I'm gonna get old, let me see here. Look at me, Leroy! I'm gonna penalize a man with a look at me Leroy, and I'm gonna, I gotta get to this other one here. Hold on now. You have to get to Adnan. Minor penalty, two minutes, asshole. You out. Okay, I'll get to Adnan in a second. You're breaking up the Necrows!

I'll get to black knuckle ballers in a second that's a good way to introduce adnan actually now that i think about it but my point was rois pissed off now because his team down oh two and it took three hours of traffic to get in here and now there's no time for you to talk even with that build-up royce i'm sorry we'll get back to what you're back to you in a little bit adnan wants to talk hockey adnan wants to talk the movies and then once the talk baseball

but it seems to me that it should just be nicks celtics all day today it doesn't seem to me like anything else should be involved but we begin in the obvious place at man name a black knuckleballer unfortunately i cannot think of one day and i i've been racking my brain i tactic urchin there's no one as you said on the show previously, a black man is not going to rely on the depth. He's throwing a fastball as hard as he can every goddamn time. We grew up on Bob Gibson. We grew up on Bob Gibson.

I know with your knuckles, with your knuckles is how you're going to beat us. First you made it the Negro leagues and then you made it the Necroleagues, and then you made it the Necroleagues. Now let me tell you guys a story, let me tell you guys a story, because I may have an answer here. Now there was a left-handed pitcher in the 80s named Danny Boone. Danny Boone just had a cup of coffee in the Bigs,

but after his cup of coffee he went away, he disappeared from baseball for five years. In 1990, after joining a league called the Senior Professional Baseball Association, a league that only lasted for two years. He came back as a left-handed knuckleballer and ultimately got signed by the Orioles, traded to Cleveland, and in September 30th of 1990,

he made the one start that he ever made in the major leagues as a left-handed knuckleballer. He was a lefty, he was a white guy. But in the early 80s, he was traded for infielder Joe Pittman, a black man. So a transitive property, black knuckleballer. If you're white, you're white. Transitive property, black knuckleballer.

That's the best we got. No, no, no. If you're white, you're white. You're Anthony Mason and your brother's J. Fiedler. Transit of property. By the way, by the way, Dan, I haven't been able to sleep after Stigatz had the image of David Sam's having sex with Paul Pierce. Yes. The truth. Wait, what? I don't know who's Roger Clemens or Johnny Bench in that relationship. Okay, that's enough out of you. Can we get, Chris, please? You know. Can we get to Paul Pierce and the sound? I just want to play the sound real quick

because Paul Pierce is, he's in the middle of this series and now that Adnan has brought him up, what is the bet that Paul Pierce has made? How confident are you? The Celtics are off the next night. If The Celtics will be next tonight. If the Celtics lose game two at home, I promise you, I'm walking here tomorrow.

I'm walking here. Why you got to do that? Wait a minute. I'm walking here 15 miles. I'm walking here. I don't know, Pete. This is your friend. In my robe.

Get your friend. No shoes on. Somebody save him. Bare feet. No. If what? If the Celtics lose tonight. Oh, my god. He's on. Somebody save him. Bare feet. If what? If the Southerners lose tonight. He's gonna regret that one.

He's gonna regret that one at the end. He escalated it too much. Was that Rick Buecher? It was Rick Buecher. Rick Buecher's fighting. Put it on the poll at Leviton Show. Was that Rick Buecher? Yeah.

Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. Adnan, what a golden time in heat basketball that was. uh... uh... admin what a golden time in heat basketball that was many many years ago near white you k admin you want to talk though i'm gonna give you your choice because it's nicks eltig stay what's most

important to you sinners baseball or hockey panthers down o two i'm gonna go off the board and plug my book. It's coming out August 12th from Mango Publishing, which is in Miami. They published Greg Cody's books. I need blurbs from all of you. It's called Cinephile, Essays and Interviews on Performance, Ambition and Art. Dan, I texted you Sunday looking for a blurb. You haven't responded.

Stu, you're a best-selling author. I'll take a blurb from you and most importantly from Amin Elhassan, aka Don Kang. I'll take a blurb right now. Cinephile the book coming out August 12th. Strictly in the United States. Get on that blurb Dan I mean. Now back to the Panthers being down 0-2 I'm concerned about Sergei Bobrovsky Dan and I feel for my buddy Roy Bellamy only at 16 saves in game two the Leafs says we all love not one of Stanley Cups since 1967.

It says a nation that has never been, you know, prone to these types of moments. They haven't been up two oh in series back to back years since 1963, but they've been clicking. Joseph Wall came in last night and replacing Anthony Stoller. So it was out after game one at that collision with Sam Bennett, Mitch Martin, who just became a dad. He killed him.

He killed him. You can't, you can't, you can't beat the defending champions with your backup goalie when they're empirically the best third period team in the league. You can't tie the game and then give it back seconds later. That is a crusher for the champions. I'm with you, Dan.

It's one thing to say, well, Toronto help serve at home. But again, your backup goal-tening Joseph Wohl comes in there with Stolart's out and martyrs their star he ends with scoring the game-winning goal just became a dad for the first time the Leaf stars have stepped up and their supporting cast max Petruetti has been great the Panthers have had no answer for him add man it's terrifying it what Roy has been swaggering around here with bravado and for two years I keep telling him I'm afraid of all these teams in hockey though the bit the very best ones are really

great and you can tell me all you want about toronto's history but i just talk i'd just saw them take out what i know to be a champion and deserves and is it good enough to be a champion this year knows how to do it better in the third period than any of the other teams and you cannot give a city that kind of feeling and a country that kind of feeling at this time in america without me fearing that going back in game seven in toronto is terrifying not to mention the tariffs i mean there's a lot going on right now to our two countries let's be honest yeah i mean for toronto

absolutely for florida say as serious as a beginner tell're at home ice. They're gonna have that big boost. Roy Bellamy will be there, Bill Lindsay will be there, but no one was expecting this Dan. I thought Panthers would win this series in six. Toronto has wrestled control impressively so so far. Well yeah keep in mind here that the Edmonton Ollis versus the Los Angeles Kings they were down 0-2 and came back to win that series so it is possible. So I'm pretty calm and collected right now. Okay, you're still calm and collected. We're making a big deal about a series

that hasn't started yet. I mean, geez. Okay, so. Got a point. But Adman, you tell me, shouldn't he be a little scared? Are the Panthers that much better than Toronto that you can feel like, oh, I don't have anything to worry about here,

they just beat me with my backup goalie at home. There should be palpable concern, I love it. I'm pulling for the Panthers, but here's why, to Dan's point, the Leafs, if ever there was a time they were gonna break through, this is their year. In the past, they've had this amazing collection of offensive talent, those guys have not been able to perform come playoff time.

Austin Matthews still has yet to get going so far. Marner, Neil Landers scored yesterday, John Tavares, and yet this year Craig Barubi, who's a Stanley Cup winning coach, won it with the Blues back in 2019. He's instilled a more hard-nosed approach. They've improved defensively. Tana has been a great shutdown guy for them, and they've been able to use this balance of goal-tuning to much success. So for Toronto, you feel like if it's not going to be this year, then whenever, the last five, six years, they've expected to be a stud team. They haven't made the conference file since 1993 So Roy knows the Leafs in terms of talent wise are right there with Florida. Do they have the moxie the grit etc?

That's the question now and I got a question for how much did the coach for the Maple Leafs had to tell him boys Hey, they're trying to rough up our goalie We got a strike back how much of a motivation you think that was and I gave two victories for them boys that that's southern hockey coach Don you're absolutely right, you know what happens Dom when you get like that, right? No, that's not done. That's not It's not Dom, Dom, Dom. Dom what am I? Number one. Dom Kang, I beg your pardon. Number two, I'm the hockey coach

with a little bit of a southern swag to him. He thought that was Don King. Well you know, I could see. The big difference between Dom Kang and the head coach of a hockey team is for two things. Number one, Dom Kang used much more flowery language. I don't, my boys can't understand it.

They've been hitting on the head. Too many violent blows to the brain, if you know what I mean. And I'm coating rocket five. Check out CinePog, wherever you get podcasts. What kind of racist thing, Ed, man, what kind of racist thing is that that you're doing that you think that Don,

that Don Kang is the Southern, the Southern hockey coach? It didn't, if you will. I was a little flummoxed by that. I was a little thrown off by it. I'm a little out of sorts, but I appreciate anybody with flowery language, with ornate language. I think Don King or Dom King have a certain ineffable-

It's not- Power through, Edmund. No, no. It is not Don King. It's Don Kang. It's Don- All right. Don.

You know, damn number two, you get a little too big for your britches over there. Bless your heart, I know you're trying, but you need to relax. My name is not Dom King, who's a very fine gentleman of mine, and I know him very well from his boxing exploits. And how about them Timberwolves and Warriors? But that's not who I am. I'm the head coach of a hockey team up in Toronto, Ontario. We like it.

Toronto is what we call it, where I'm from, we're in our parts, and I'm just asking the hockey expert, Adnan Burke, how much you think factored in when I told my boys, hey man, we gonna let them push our boy around like that? I love the histrionics and excellent presentation of Toronto. It's a second T is silent, excellent work. I'm still confused.

What a weird character. I, well, I'm gonna try and catch two gods up here Don King King is the famous boxing promoter. Thank you He was Dana white before Dana white and that hair that he had on his head electric He put his finger into a light socket. That's correct. And but that hair Did that because it was trying to get away from him? He was awful a criminal literally and so bad the hair was trying to get away from him. He was awful. A criminal literally and... So bad the hair was trying to get away from him.

That's correct. No, but so that's not Don King. That I thought was Don Kang. Now I'm being told that's Dom Kang. That's the first time I was learning that. I didn't know it was Dom kane two different people all along then one had nothing to do with the other i understand that part i just did not know that don king that was

dom kane but i also thought that the hockey coach that is southern that you're playing that adnan thought that that was dom kane when it was clearly a white it was clearly a white man

it's a high-tech coach you were clearly a white man and he thought it was dom kane and i'm accusing publicly adnan of racism i'm a good you know believable what the hell can a better to this day i was telling you that and then if you will i'm accusing Dan Leventhal of racism. I don't see race. How do you know I'm a white coach or a black coach? I just happen to have a little southern twang

and you just assume because it's hockey. Tell them. Man, I'm going to tell you right now, the first family of baseball is the Necrows, and they love hockey too. And then as you were, how much did that factor in when I told them boys, hey man, they're not going to push our boy around like that.

It was a huge part of it. There's no question about it. When a team gets pushed like that, you know what it's like in the ring. You know, you take their punch, you get a counter punch, come back strong. You're absolutely right. Dom, Dom, what the hell your name is. That's not my name! Wait, wait, what are they all doing? I coach a hockey team!

That's it. Yes, it's called coach. Coach, yes, exactly. When in trouble, Stu's right. Just go ahead and coach. Excellent advice there, coach. By the way, I also want to mention the NHL draft lottery, Stu. This is for you. This took place this week.

Everyone's been talking about the NFL draft. I want to mention the NHL draft. The lottery took place. John Buchigras in the studio in Secaucus, New Jersey. Your New York Islanders had a 3.5% chance to get the number one pick, 3.5% chance. They were number 10 and they got the number one pick overall. Unbelievable. They're going wild in Long Island.

But I got to tell you, there are no Robert De Niro's in this draft, nor are there any Al Pacino's. But congratulations to the Islanders. My name is Craig Barube, by the way. I'm the coach of the Maple Leafs. Barube. They tell me it's Cajun. He was a white man and Adnan was racist there. I'm going to stay entrenched on this. I don't like calling my friends racist. Certainly not privately, not publicly.

Santa Claus's hat. Hat Hall of Fame. Oh that's a good one. Oh that's a good one. That's a great one actually. Yes. John Alleroode Fame. Oh, that's a good one. Yeah, that's a great one actually Yes, John all arouds helmet Yes, yes, yeah, just the helmet yes, yes that he wore at first base I Am open mouth with awe Because I just realized taught by you guys put it on the Juju, is Santa's hat the greatest of all the hats? It's either that or Yankee hats.

Bear Bryant, come on. Whose hat is better, Santa's or Bear Bryant's, is an excellent poll question. It's gonna be Bear Bryant, Dan. I trust those Southern boys. Come on, Craig Barubi, talk to me. Man, let me tell you something, man. I wish they let us wear hats and hockey.

They be telling us you can't wear that. Yeah, I'm confused, I get the customer. I say, why, why, why, why come, why come Bear Bryant can wear that hat? Why, why, why come Vince Lombardi can wear one, but I can't wear no hat and doors, huh? My name is Craig Barube, and I'm the coach of the Navy Leagues. It's Baby Billy. There's some Baby Billy in there.

I can hear him. He's trying to get out. Barube. Roy, you're scared and you're full of shit. Bullshit. I'm not scared. I don't know who you're talking about. Chichi Rodriguez. Oh, wow. Wow. It's a hell of a hat.

I thought he was doing serial killer Cheat-cheat too nice. It is you're right, but I just hear three syllables now And I think I'll Anthony town serial killer you guys fell into something. I wasn't expecting yesterday Do you think Don Baylor sounds like a serial killer? I know it's not three days But I think Don Baylor is pretty intimidating Donald Baylor. Oh Yes is better yes, John David Booty That's it that's in the sat that's a guy that shot the president John David Booty shot the president Booth Bonser Isn't today a day that we should be only talking about self-tax

nicks admin comes here with his baseball he wants to talk about erin josh yeah well but what what you just out that it mean that i would say it cited erin judge at before i said erin judge because what he's doing right now to his incredibly sitting four hundred of four ninety one on base percentage in the seven fifty slug nice easy round numbers for everyone understand twelve forty one o p s

he's been the best player in baseball he's got the most on runs of twelve he's got the most are very thirty four i understand the celtics and the next rivalry i get it maybe Maybe Brunson's the biggest star in New York. I heard Amin's point. I'm with you. But I'm telling you, Aaron Judge is on a historic pace right now. He's a two-time MVP. He's never been better. Now, I have a question to you. You're admitted by your own words there that the Jalen Brunson is more popular. I don't know much about basketball hockey or baseball. I'm a hockey man myself. But you're saying that Jalen Brunson is more popular than Aaron Judge and you are the baseball man.

So if you said it, it goes. Well, I'll tell you this, Craig. In New York, not everyone is a Yankees fan. Of course, we have Mets fans. So, you know, there's Juan Soto supporters. There's Francisco Indora. Pete Alonso right now is on a revenge tour like Taylor Swift. He's been incredibly.

He's got the second best OPS in all of baseball. on a revenge tour like Taylor Swift, he's been incredible. He's got the second best OPS in all of baseball. But the Knicks, I mean that kind of unites the city and this team has been so trash for so long, let's be honest, I think that Brunson right now is the biggest star in the city. This is the only team that brings New York together. The Jets and the Giants, people are split there,

Mets and Yankees, Islanders and Rangers. This is the team that makes New York the happiest. This is the team that brings all New York sports fans. I know, but what's crazy about watching it, if you understand the history of this, like it's truly nuts if you understand that New York hasn't actually felt like winners very often. They feel like winners for a reason.

It's the Yankees. It's always been the Yankees. It's only the Yankees. It's only the Yankees It's been the Yankees occasionally the Giants once in a while the Mets and that's about it Yeah, the eye owners in the 80s But when I associate a region with its excellence and the obnoxious it thinks it's earned from that excellence The loudest of the New Yorkers is loud Because of the Yankees and I'm what Stu gots is telling you is true

from this angle and obvious I might add Aaron judge is Barry Bonds and Brunson dwarfs him and I can't believe I'm saying that in that town baseball has always been what's mattered Aaron judge can't become the star that Brunson can become because he's playing the wrong sport Luttrell going on a killing spree well Well, he just killed it right there folks Was good while it lasted what about goose gossage? Mordecai three finger Brown

That sounds like a mobster. Yeah, Coco crisp Cereal hey add then while we have you here. You're a big Star Wars fan. I'm a big Star Wars fan. Adnan! Mero's in here. He's not wrong. He's not wrong. He's not wrong. He's not wrong, but he's not right entirely.

You know what I'm saying? Like, Aaron Judge is him. Yes. He's putting up historic, they're stupid. It's like when I play MLB the Show, 2021 20, 21 on easy, you know what I'm saying? Our rookie mode. That's what he's doing out there. It's spectacular. It's insane. It's crazy. But this baseball season is so long

and it's so early in the season that maybe, you know, he's not going to touch what he deserves. But he's out here doing robot shit, bro. It is insane. It is like A.I. baseball. Like, yo, Chad, can you make the best baseball player ever in the world and make him biracial? You know what I'm saying? Add that.

With broad appeal. I love the backup. The Kid Mero preach. I love it. You know what I'm saying? No, but it's crazy to watch this giant be Barry Bonds in that uniform and sort of say, oh, we're really fighting America and Japan and Dodgers, Yankees over who got the biggest payroll.

Aaron judge drops a fly ball and he says, Oh, Tony, you pitch too. Okay. It's me and you at the top of the sport. You know what I'm going to do? I'm going to get better. Do it in the playoffs, Dan, because right now Jalen Brunson is doing it in the playoffs and he's doing it in Boston. Not even at home. I got it in Boston, man. Is what gives him a slight edge, bro. It's in Boston, not even at home. I got it in Boston, man. That is what gives him a slight edge, bro. It's in Boston.

We all hate Boston. I think everybody in the Zoom can be like enjoy hands and shake hands and be like, yo, we all hate Boston. Nobody likes Boston, bro. Two people like Boston, Ben Affleck and Matt Damon. That's it. You know what I'm saying? And Kandace, I have to say, she likes Boston too, but that's it. You know what I'm saying?

Nobody else likes Boston. Look, I mean, he got a Knicks jersey on. You know what I mean? Notorious hater, I mean, got a Knicks jersey on, bro. He's on his support and Sean Love. You know what I'm saying? J. Lebrunson is him. You know?

J. Lebrunson is him. Like y'all said, he's doing it in the playoffs. He's doing it in Boston, in the most hated place, the fake garden, bro. He's over there torching everybody and he's with the same height. He's 6'2". You know what I'm saying? He shouldn't be doing this.

Bro, he's embarrassing Jason Tatum, dog. Come on, stop it. Stop it. He's the king of New York right now. That's it. He's not paying for food. He's not doing any of that. So he just said it.

It's Jalen Brunson 1, Aaron judges 2. Easily. Oh, but no, but I went a step further. I said that Brunson's already the most beloved Nick there's ever been. No. Oh, no, no, no, no, no. He's right here.

That's wild. Damn, time out, time out, time out. There's a lot of Nick's there. Mero, he's up there, man. Come on. He's definitely up there. Who you going to say? He's definitely up there.

Yo, y'all see Pat walking into the arena yesterday looking like a Jamaican uncle. That is the number one most beloved Nick of all time, hands down, no matter what. You know what I'm saying? Truly and like, Lies! Like,

Lies! Yo, listen, Mero! The next phase that we are talking to right now, I'm not talking about the 11 year olds in the game with their dad, Jalen Brunson is their guy. Okay. But for me, 40 year old man,

Nick's like fan forever has been suffering silently, just watching Jamal Crawford cross people up in 2006, hoping, you know what I'm saying, that maybe we cover, you know what I'm saying? Like those guys are Pat Ewing guys. I'm a Pat Ewing guy. I'm gonna say this right now, you a Pat Ewing guy now,

and you were in 2006, cause you realized, oh shit, we had it good, and we didn't enjoy it. When Pat was playing, what's with Joe Budlon? Can't be like Pat, you weren't looking back at that layup. They were booing Pat, they were giving Pat shit. It's the reason why Pat didn't sign autographs. It's why he didn't sign autographs,

it's why he didn't take pictures, because he remembered every single thing, all the shit tall people said at the time. So if we're talking about in the moment, active Knicks, Jalen Brunson is more beloved than Patrick Ewing was. In the moment. In the moment. In the moment.

Because now it's a different generation. I mean, back in the day, you couldn't just tweet at Patrick Ewing. You know what I'm saying? I'm sure if there was social media back then, the hate versus love would be more balanced. You know what I'm saying? There would definitely be a lot of Pat Ewing glazers. Yeah, hell yeah. If they had Twitter back then, the hate versus love would be more balanced. You know what I'm saying?

There would definitely be a lot of Pat Youn glazers. Yeah, hell yeah. If they had Twitter back then in the 90s, there'll be like hashtag Pat Youn is the greatest. You know what I'm saying? Like hashtag Hoya's New York legend, you know? But now- Hashtag Duncan.

Yeah, I mean, I'm saying that. Hashtag 8.9 seconds. That's a- Look, Twitter would not have made things more positive. We know that for a fact. There's no era in time in history where it's like, you know what we needed to make things more positive? Twitter, Twitter. Adnan, you got an opinion, Adnan?

Patrick Ewing, Jalen Brunson, most beloved Nick Everett settled the debate between these two people who don't know what they're talking about. Oh boy. I beg your pardon? Listen, I think it means right, revisionist history. The Knicks didn't know how good they had it back in 1994 with Ewing and Starks, and they didn't realize Oh boy. I beg your pardon? Listen, I think it means right. Revisionist history. The Knicks didn't know how good they had it back in 1994 with Ewing and Starks.

They didn't realize that that was the hated. They didn't realize now clamoring for this Knicks-Pasters, potentially Eastern Conference finals for the first time in 25 years. They didn't realize, hey, this is going to be our moment. So yeah, when you're looking through the rose-colored glasses, Ewing's the most beloved, but I'm telling you, Brunson is like mercury right now. Nothing is hotter than this guy. I think he's the most beloved. Guys, money is tight for everyone right now, and even a small step forward with your money

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and yammed it, I was like, wow, that's crazy. You're on perks. Stugats. You know what I mean? Allegedly, allegedly, allegedly, allegedly, allegedly. This is the Don LeVatar Show with the Stugats. you guys don't get it. Meryl, hear me out here, okay? Because with Patrick Ewing came expectations, right? And if I told you the second they drafted Ewing, we would never win a title with Ewing, you would have been upset, okay? And it turned out that we never won a title with Ewing. Jaylen Brunson was an afterthought. But whose fault is that? Jaylen Brunson was an afterthought. Jordan's fault. Jaylen Brunson was an afterthought. He was a guy that Dallas didn't want and he's exceeded every expectation

that snitch fans have had for Jalen Brunson. You guys are all missing that part. No, but you guys are... He's an underdog. I know you love that underdog story. Yes. No, it's a marrow. And everyone said that was a miss. Everyone said they should have signed Donovan Mitchell and everyone said, oh Brunson, he's not going and everyone said that was a miss everyone said they should have signed Donovan Mitchell and everyone said oh Brunson He's not gonna be good people are crushing the move all the Knicks overpaid and he's been unbelievable. He's been underpaid Yeah, Stu gots is so right about this though the part you guys are missing and Marrow Sounding like unk is out here old man saying I know what Ewing limped through. I know how close they were I know how he was betrayed by management

close they were. I know how he was betrayed by management. I know how he fought the heat and I know that it wasn't really his fault. It's just what Stugat said. It was Jordan. It was Jordan. He was doing it to everybody. But here's the thing though. Here's the thing you're missing. Nobody loves the giant. Ewing was physically bigger than everyone else. This is the smallest dude on the court. New York so badly wants to be an underdog and you can't be and you're not but you stink. With Ewing you didn't stink. Everyone thought you should win. Nobody thinks you can win and it's the smallest guy on the court who's making you believe it. And it's delicious. It's delicious. It's like my cafecito in the morning, bro.

It hits like crack. Bro, put it in my veins. You know what I'm saying? Every time they kick the ball off, everybody's like, oh, Carl Anthony Towns, he's so soft, he's so zesty. Look at him. Oh, Jalen Brunson's so small.

He's not the best player on the court in the series. Boo, boo, boo, boo, boo, boo, boo. And then 48 hours later, those takes are ice cold, bro. Mero, if I had to, I asked Sam Merl this the other day, I'm asking you the same question. Rank these shots for me. Allen Houston against the Heat, Larry Johnson four point play,

Jalen Brunson to send the Pistons home. Rank them for me. Oh wow. Oh wow. LJ, Jalen, the other one. Allen Houston. Thank you. Thank you. Oh wow. Oh wow. LJ, Jalen. Alan Houston. Thank you. Thank you.

Yeah. Alan Houston. That Houston shot would be one for me. Yeah, it'd be one for me. Yeah, the Houston. Listen, it was in the moment, right? But like, in my mind, I was like, we're not winning all of this.

We're not going all the way. Like even then, as a kid, in 99, I knew, I was like, yo, we're gonna make a run, but we're not going all the way because the Spurs are unstoppable You know I'm saying and like we weren't ready for them. We didn't have Pat like all this stuff was going on It was a short season yada yada yada. So it's kind of weird It's kind of like how people argue about the bubble championships versus you know, I mean, so it was it was like a weird thing LJ four-point play

Under not like like crazy. I mean, like still still like even though it was like the same situation it was it was just the the the energy and it was in the garden. It wasn't supposed to happen. LJ not have known for shooting threes. You know what I mean? Like it's not none of this was supposed to happen and then it happened and the way the arena erupted. The I think like I had maybe I had just like, had like a different type of sexual experience with a girl for the first time. So I don't know if I'm like conflating these two things,

but it was a special time in my life. You know what I'm saying? So it mattered a lot. Hey, Adnan, you're a Star Wars fan. He has a book out as well. He had a book coming out soon, soon, wherever you get books. And then, Stugarts and I have dueling people in sports with names that can know Star Wars. We wanted you to kind of help us, you know, judge it.

I mean, I can't wait. We just had May the 4th be with you. I'm all in. Let's talk Star Wars. Okay, so you celebrate that lame holiday. You dress up like a Star Wars. I'm not dressing up like an Ewok, Steve. Oh, that's wild.

Ewok. We can't do star. That's not dress up in a walk. Stewart Stewart. That's well, you can't do that. That's not allowed. I'm not walking around like C3P. It's a little straight. Oh, thank you. You can't do it. It's strange, right? Yes. You know, it's not allowed, bro. You could do like something like you could buy like some Star Wars

branded thing like an iced tea, something like a black all day. Yeah, that's wow. That's OD. Like if you go to work with like a lightsaber. Right. Come on, gang. Like you got to take it out. You're just happy to see me. Come on. Yeah, exactly. You. That's OD. Like if you go to work with like a lightsaber, come on gang. It's not a lightsaber nip-knock, you're just happy to see me. Come on. Yeah, exactly. You know what I mean? You empty, you got to wear a clear bag to work. Because you got all kinds of Coutrements, like weird wrinkly skin to be like, I'm Yoda. Like bro, cut it out. We're all going to Burger King for lunch.

David Berkowitz, General Manager, St. Louis Cardinals. Jesus, David Berkowitz. And then you are a person who dresses up as Roger Federer when Federer plays tennis. That's true. He's got you there. You got me Stu. Nike headband. Mimic.

Antimiming. It's pathetic. It's pathetic. I need the pictures. Send us the pictures. It's the most pathetic thing I've ever seen an adult sports fan do. Stu Gott, do you have any one eyes? I do. I have two.

Okay, I've got two as well. Go ahead. We're alternate, you and me. Okay. First of all, I. Brett Light Saberhagen. That's great. Darth Maul Pierce. Oh, boy. Very good.

Tyrone Ar Lou D2. OG one. I knew Kenobi. Yeah. All right. Number five. Stugats. Anakin Soren stand. Gareth Bale Organa. Number four. Vita Blubaka. Number four, Kylo Renteria. Number three, Michelle Weepie-3-0.

Number three, Grievous Vasquez. That's just his name. Exactly. That's just his name. Number two, Leon Bobolette. Number two, Jabba Chamberlain. Number one, Lando Kalripian Jr. That one was tough to say.

Number one, Glenn Yoda. He's the NBA editor for the athletic. That doesn't work. That's pathetic. Get out of here. I mean, what? Major penalty, five minutes, rooming comedy. It's a person only you know, someone named Yuna. Lots of NBA writers know who he is.

We've got a penalty, five minutes, major hassle. I wouldn't be a Mero Pierce on the show if I didn't somehow shoehorn some Dominican Dominicans into this whole shit. And I want to let you know that right now in the NBA playoffs, there are two Dominicans battling it out. That's right. As big men. That's right. And that's Al Horford and Carl Anthony Tausz. They're going at it and they are performing, baby. All right. So we are represented in the NBA. All right. So I've got a couple of different.

OK, I heard you the first time. And thank you for being on with us. Appreciate your time, sir. Thank you guys. Buy the books. Send a file August 12th and pay the construction workers. I've got two questions for you here, Mero. They are difficult questions to answer. They're going to be escalating in nature and tension. Are you ready? Yes, sir. Jalen Brunson is already more popular and beloved than my Dominican brother, Carl Anthony Towns, which makes me choose Jalen Brunson over my Dominican community.

No, no, no, because we have not yet seen the heights that Carl Anthony Towns can get to, you know what I'm saying? Like we know what we got. We got a closer in Jalen Brunson. And like you said, you can't be the underdog and be a giant. And this guy wears size 21 shoes, which is very large. You know what I'm saying? So, but my Dominican-ness-

What are you saying? What are you saying? What are you prevent? What are you saying? What are you saying about the shoe size? What are you saying about his? He's a large dude. Carl is a big dude. Yeah, that's what he did. What are you saying about Carl Anthony Towns when you why do you know his shoe

size? Because he has the largest in the NBA. That's why. That's what I heard. Why do you know that? Why? Why? Why do you care about that? Because you're proudly Dominican? Yes. So anytime you can be number one in anything, in any category as a Dominican, I'm going to highlight that.

So he has the biggest feet in NBA, so he's number one in foot size. You know what I mean? Probably also number one in shooting percentage for everybody, anybody over seven feet tall. That's crazy. So that's nice. Right, you've got basically an extraterrestrial playing for you, and he seven feet tall. That's crazy. Like that, so that's nice, right. You've got a, you've got a, basically an extraterrestrial playing for you

and he's your second best player. But I'm going to ask the question again. You're telling me that Jalen Brunson is not more popular and beloved than your Dominican brother? Yes, he obviously is. It depends. It depends where in New York you are. Oh, okay.

It depends where in New York you are. If you're in Taichman, forget it. That guy is super, hey, give me a look, give me a look. Give me a look, give me a look. How's it going? That's where New York you are. If you're in Taichman, forget it. That guy is super. Ryan. No, no, no. So, so, so you're telling me this, you got Dominic on one side, but you have your OG Dominic on the other side. I know that there's a little piece of your heart with, without a torch.

It's passing the torch. He's still getting it done. No, he's the OG, but he's old for eight with people six feet from him. Like, what are you doing? That's just numbers. Who cares about that? Guys, guys, come on, come on, guys. That's not what he does. Guys, look, the Celtics do not pick. I know I'm going to blaspheme against Stugats here. Al Horford is his favorite player and I know Mero loves him.

I'm okay this time around. For a lot of different reasons, but I'm just here to tell you, if Porzingis is out for this series and what they need is old man Al Horford to give him too many minutes, El Viejo is going gonna put them in trouble No, El Acaba And Stugatz is gonna be in trouble on what his allegiances are Because Al Horford has no bigger or better public national supporter than Stugatz It's more than you Mero

If you guys wanna do Who's More Dominican? Stugatz or Mero in their love for Al Horford I choose St gots. Can't look at it. I just, yes. That's what I choose. All right. You want to do a Dominican off?

All right. Let's do a Dominican off with, with marrow. No, no, no. It's not to your local. Where's the hookup? You got to. Listen to me. If you take Carl Anthony Towns, uptown, Washington, Stikeman area,

he is more popular than Jalen Bronson. Just for the simple fact that he is a star for the Knicks. Like you said, the second best player on the team. Well known. You know what I'm saying? I would say, like, let's look at the Jersey sales. You know what I'm saying? Because I know, you know what I'm saying?

If there was like a temperature map of Jersey sales. I thought that, you know what? It is, it is. Lavaray, I was saying. You know what, I made a mistake. I underestimated your Dominican and I underestimated your people. But now I'm gonna put you in a more difficult spot

because I know you love your Dominicans, but I also know you love your money. I know you love your money. Oh boy. All right, yes, so here's the question for you. Yes, 7PM in Brooklyn is the show he does with Carmelo Anthony. It is very popular, it is very good.

And Carmelo Anthony, you may have heard, once upon a time, was a very beloved and popular Nick, but I believe there's a Nick. There is. Wait, wait, wait, wait, wait, wait, wait, wait. I believe there is a Nick right now playing in town who has already surpassed Carmelo Anthony, your business partner.

He is more beloved than Carmelo Anthony. So I would like for you to say publicly in front of all to hear, and I would like you to choose between Dominicans and dollars when you tell me. I believe that Jalen Brunson is right now more beloved and more popular than Carmelo Anthony and I believe He did it in the last three games. I want you to make it. I want you to make it official

I want you it's the last three games combined with how much you loved him last year. You changed the whole team You're ready for them to betray you because you're not good at home. Nobody trusts Carl Anthony towns Even fewer people trust Bridges, but you got Brunson. I do. You got Brunson. You do, but nobody else trusts Bridges. We trust Bridges. Listen, we trust Bridges and I don't care. I'll say it here. I know we're not supposed to curse you. I'm going to edit this out. I do not care. I do not care. I don't care if there's the best sixth grader in the world out there right now that they made in their lab and he's a combination of Shaq and KD and Steph Curry.

I don't care. After picks, Mikhail Bridges won us those last two games with clutch defense in crunch time, bro. What is the last time you heard the Knicks won the game in crunch time with defense? What's the last time you heard that, bro? Patrick Ewing days, bro, the nineties, you know what I'm saying? And now we're back. You know what I'm saying?

And now we're back. You know what I mean? He didn't answer the question. He didn't answer the question. Hold on, hold on, Meen's got some context. Okay, I wanna, just because he said, I don't care about them picks. What if we go in the future and it's like Milwaukee's like,

we would have traded Giannis to the Knicks, but they didn't have those picks anymore and we even needed picks. Yo, run and dunk and stay there. Run and dunk and stay Milwaukee. Run and dunk. Run and Dunk can stay there. Run and Dunk can stay Milwaukee. Run and Dunk. Run and Dunk can stay Milwaukee. You can go to the Lakers, you can do whatever you want,

champ, I don't care. The Knicks are solid, we are good, we are good. And plus, Timbs don't play more than six guys anyway. So even if he did sign them, it don't matter. You know what I'm saying? Because somebody else is gonna sit on the bench. We got Mitch, we got Josh, we got JB, we got Kat, we got Mikael,

we got a whole bunch of other dudes. We are good, we are good. We got OG Ed and OB JB. We got cat. We got Mikael. We got a whole bunch of other dudes. We are good We are good. We got og ed and obi. Come on dog. Like he is like emotionless He is he's him. You know I'm saying like that guy is dunking everything It's like the opposite of Pat, you know I'm saying like instead of doing a layup. This guy's dunking everything I thought it was gonna hurt himself dog in that in that 16 Chapel dunk where he just was like this Please don't please don't do'm saying? Please don't do that again. Please don't do that again. Don't do that again.

Mirro, let me try it this way, okay? You host a podcast, 7 p.m. in Brooklyn with Carmelo Anthony. If I told you right now you could switch out Carmelo and insert Jalen Brunson, would you do it? Listen, there, different guys. There's two different guys, two different styles of play. Two different styles of play. My dad has a counter for you on that.

You sound like my father there. What was that? What was that sound you made what how is still popping down though that's called but the down door is able to corner you you're very good at this he just trapped you and you had no rebuttal you're very terrible spot I put my very good at talking you got out of the bolenga I did not expect this from a fellow Dominican I did not expect to be caught it you know saying I have to fly a flight my way out of this interview.

You know what I'm saying? Like I did not expect that. Who's more, answer the question. Who's more beloved, Jalen Brunson or Carmelo Anthony? Jalen Brunson. Not right now. No, Jalen Brunson. No, right now.

Right now. No, not right now for Peaks. At their Peaks. At their Peaks. At their... Okay. Okay. At their Peaks At their. OK, OK. At their peaks, we have we seen Jennifer Brooks speak?

We're not even in the East the capital title deal. Right. Fair point. So we saw. So he's already. We saw Melo. So he's already passed Carmelo. Because Carmelo lost all these. I think Carmelo would tell you

in terms of popularity. Yeah, he's passed me. Let him answer the question. Sorry. Oh, well, I thought the bigger brother, he can speak for me. You know? Trying to help you out. I put you in a bad spot.

Yeah. Come here, Brugal. I'm trying to, hee hee. Let me tell you about my heart. Listen, so yes, in terms of popularity, because of the way the world is structured today, Jalen Brunson is more popular than Carmelo Anthony. I said that qualifier in front of it to confuse y'all so that it doesn't look like I'm saying

anything slanderous or bad about my brother Carmelo Anthony. You don't want to be aggregating. No, this is what's happened. He's made this such a mess that he can't be aggregated. So I'm going to ask the question again. Are you willing? I'm trying to clip it out. Yes, but you know this and you're playing kung fu with me.

So the question again, new episodes every week on their YouTube channel. It's at 7pm in Brooklyn and it's delightful. He's created something out of nothing next to a hero of his and it's just great to watch the interactions where a fan and cultures meet. But his business partner is less beloved in New York than Jalen Brunson. Yes, I think you know what's crazy?

I think Jalen's popularity has actually helped Mello's popularity because, you know, Nick's fans once a Nick, always a Nick. And Mello came here when no when it was just like, all right, bro, what are we doing? Like we're uh, and we had a very listen, 2012, 2013. Don't forget. You know I'm saying scoring champ defense player of the year, Jarrett Smith six minute a year new episode coming soon. You know I'm saying but Right now it's Jalen Bronson and I and I agree. Yes He may have surpassed Mello now in terms of popularity Because of what he's been doing on the court and because again, we're in New York and New York loves the underdog

You know I'm saying like guys, we are the same height. You know what I'm saying? I'm six two. And I'm like, I'm like the tall guy when I walk in the room, but not when I'm in the NBA locker room. You know, he's in there in the post, shit footwork, bro. He's playing under the rim. He's just step back three, bro. That again, like the shot to send Detroit home is. Well, but this is the thing. No, but this is what I'm saying. He's already, he's already got the moment.

Tatum doesn't have, he got it in the last period. Yeah, but Tatum has a ring. Yeah, but he's got no, but Stu got this. This part's important. The ring is important. I will grant you, but a ring without moments, man, that's marrying somebody with no scrapbook. That's true.

But this is the thing. Moments matter almost more than a chip because did the Yankees win the World Series last year? No, they did not. But everybody remembers Juan Soto sending them there in that ad-bat against Cleveland. You know what I'm saying? Everybody remembers that.

That's a moment. Put it on the poll. What's remembered more, championships or moments? Willy Wonka's hat, hat hall of fame, strong. Yeah, that's a good one. Yeah. Wow, huh. Let's go down.

You got the Willy Wonka hat, bro, that's crazy. Let's go down on this? No, the tie game is untouchable, though. Do you have, Mero, do you have 10 more minutes or do you have to go? Because Tony was trying to get in with something that would have been fun for you, Hispanic. I didn't have room for it.