The Dan Le Batard Show with Stugotz - Hour 2: Back In My Day

Episode Date: February 27, 2024

Dan is delighted by Chris Cote and his costume, Billy doesn't believe Jimmy Graham, Monty Williams torches NBA referees, and Stugotz messes up an advertisement for one of our sponsors. Then, Greg Cote delivers his latest Back in my Day! Plus, our New York Knicks correspondent Sam Morril is here to discuss beating the Pistons, being somewhat scared of the Heat and Celtics, his lack of faith in Doc Rivers, why he trusts Jalen Brunson more than Jayson Tatum, and why he doesn't want LeBron on the Knicks. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

You're listening to Giraffe Kings Network. I'll talk to you guys later. Thank you. Good luck. Thank you. Love you No commentary on what you look like I want somebody to comment on what you look like Like when you say love you, I wonder if Jimmy Graham leaves college and he's like man that LeBatard show is a Listen to those guys when I was in college and who's that Ben Franklin? Who's the George Washington in the corner that visual joke all show today you've had me smiling because of how how ridiculous you look as the Larry David Billy did he convince you do you believe Jimmy now that he's gone you can give you a true feeling believe on what I never said any such thing about Jimmy Graham I just came here I was sitting down my own business my own business. It was not doing any... It's body of war.

Who's the guy on the one show? It's that one. Historically, Billy, when someone crosses an ocean, your skeptic... I think that's where skeptical Billy was born. I don't know. Look, I've got a couple of origin stories here. Okay, forgive me for just a second, because I want to get to this audio from last night of Monty Williams. The original look at me, Louis, I remind you, Monty Williams, who now makes $78.5 million with the Pistons, is the original look at me, Louis.

And me now, Hassan, was brave enough to say, the world's nicest man, someone that everyone loves, that this person, by going into the locker room after a series that he had lost, to say congratulations to the winners, that he's the original look at me, Louis. Last night he was robbed, and this is a nice man and him being a rate in rage about the officiating you know he is totally right

uh... nothing he's saying is wrong the pistons were robbed up and down last night and later in the show we're gonna talk to our new nicks correspondent sam morel about uh... just what is happening with the new york nicks who won last night uh... because my this is as angry as any of us have seen Monty Williams, correct? Like none of us, this is original nice guys, two guys. He's upset he didn't win his ninth game of the season. There are a scrappy eight-win bunch.

They are a scrappy eight-win team. Scrappy. He should actually thank the referees. He should thank whoever he needs to thank. That's a good loss for that. Scrappy means you're awful. But did you see the end of the game though? Okay Okay, I mean look Laughing in your face Come on last night and there was one sports story in the area It's your team stew gods. Yeah, yeah, how do you know this little about the things happening in the sports world?

But the Greg's point the pistons, okay? So that protests still out there. They haven't ruled on that yet At the end of the game last night This is a clear and obvious foul the pistons have won the game or should get the game and foul the Pistons have won the game or should get the game and after the next were robbed in a Rockets game they too had an official complaint and an appeal that they should win because of the bad officiating at the end of a game the refs autumn one thank you Sturgats for even less than you just gave me before Lamar autumn one thank you for giving me even less than you did moments ago.

You guys are at the top of your game, but it's a clear and obvious foul. He's got the ball, and then there's no call, and then this is how the Knicks win, and it's ridiculous. And there's the end one. And New York gets the storyline it needs and deserves. They got their call back from the other night. Mike, why are you shi- Good one.

You're on fire. Mike, why are you shaking your head? That's a brutal call. It's bad. It's real bad. They had the game won, or at least they were headed to the line. That stinks. Here's Monty Williams at the end of the game. You have to understand this isn't just your common everyday coach going off about the

officiating. This is a man who always represents the league well. This is a man who is viewed by all as a reason for respect. He is having a tough go of it, man. He got a record-breaking contract. That team stinks. And he's in New York and he just got robbed. And here he is, and he is pissed off.

And it hurts more when the nice guys, the guys who are always about your league when they get pissed off. Where's the New York media now? Where's the New York media now? The absolute worst call of the season. No call and enough's enough. We've done it the right way. We've called the league.

We've sent in clips. We're sick of hearing the same stuff over and over again. We had a chance to win the game and the guy dove into a Sar's legs and there was a no-call. That's an abomination. You cannot miss that in an NBA game. Period. And I'm tired of talking about it. I'm tired of our guys asking me what more can we do coach. That situation is exhibit A to what we've been dealing with all season long and enough's enough.

You cannot dive into a guy's legs in a big time game like that and there be a no call. It's ridiculous and we're tired of it. We just want a fair game called period. And I got nothing else to say. We want a fair game and that was not fair. I'm done. It really does mean more coming from him. Does it? Wow. It does. It does. I kind of really feel bad for that. I want to go and support Monty Williams and the Detroit Pistons and I know exactly how.

I'm going to open up my game time app and I think I saw on that graphic over there that they're gonna be in town here on March 5th. Well, look at that! Flash deals available all in pricing, $23 a get in price and you can actually see your view from that seat. I want to thank Game Time because they've re-up because of all the love our audience has given them. Thank you so much audience and thank you so much Game Time. They're a great sponsor. Download the Game Time app now.

Create an account. Go watch Monty Williams in the Pistons and use code Dan for $20 off your first purchase. I mean, no. Do you realize that if you use that promo code? What do you mean, no? I don't want to watch the Pistons. I don't want Monty Williams telling me after the game,

after his 49th loss of the season, that the reason they're going through this season is because of the referees. And I want to hear it. You know what's unacceptable? Being the highest paid coach of the NBA and your team being 8 and 49. What was the code?

Just out of curiosity. Sorry, Mike. Yeah, so I do want to see the Pissons. And if I create an account for the first time, I use that. I use code Dan. I get $20 off my first purchase. That means that Pissons game is $3. Terms apply, last minute tickets, I always check for last minute tickets

because people are always trying to load those off so make sure you head on over there. Lois Price guaranteed. I love game time. Thank you so much. Stugots. The playoffs are coming up here and you're gonna have to be slightly less lazy than my team is the story of the sport tonight and I don't know what you're talking about. Can you be slightly 1% less worse? When we get to the second season, yeah. Less worse than that. You can't do better than that.

That's the best you can do. They're not gonna play the Pistons in the postseason, I promise you. So that's the best you can do. Greg Cody, are you gonna rescue us? I would really love some rescue here from just the profound unending laziness that is the two of you knowing nothing about sports

while still cashing sports checks. Do you have a back in my day to rescue us today? I don't. He hurt his knee. Yeah, I do. What? No, I do. With a hurt knee?

Do you have a no you can offer up after I say a prompt to download an app? Because that's helpful. I just said no to the game. The piss did. You're probably listening, Derna. You're probably listening to all people. Of all people. That's a penalty box, right? That's a penalty box.

Listen, all I said is no, I don't want to see the pigs there with the worst time. Let me stop for a second. Stugatz, five minute major. Go sit in the median across the street. Go sit. Wanting to see the. No, no, no, Stugatz, go sit in the median across the street. Go sit, go sit, no, no, no, still gots. Go sit in the median in the middle of the street.

Right, which one? For five minutes. Which street? You've just given him a smoke break. That's fine, Joe smoke a cigarette out there, that's fine, we'll do the show without him, it can be done, and the reason is for that. In case for 10 years.

The reason is because I value more than ever the sponsors that you do not. And game time has been legitimately good for us. You have no idea about these things because you're just looking for your latest grift where you can sell your book that you're not writing. I was looking for my keys and my cigarettes. You can leave, go.

I'm gonna take you a little bit to walk down. What are you doing? I care very much about game time, I don't care about the pistons! Go, please, sit in the street. Well, not in the street, in the media. In the media, yeah. Where the camera shot is. I'll honestly be okay with the street. Don't say that. Wait, that's mean. You alright? Yeah, sorry. Bless you. Mike, it's not an at you. It's okay. I Am offended by what Stu gots just did there because I keep telling that the sponsors like the relationships with us And it was such a great organic place for it

Independent brands need the support of their sponsors and their independent audiences We have a very good one in game time and our audience as it always does Supports the brands that support us so he should not say no don't download the game Yeah, well he was saying no to the piss ends, but timing couldn't have been worse There's just really bad out of him. You'd expect more. He's a professional salesman. Yeah, no not really Well, he's a con artist. Yeah, I bought donal mart tickets on game time. Oh, not really. He's a con artist. I bought Donal Mart tickets on Game Time. It's not just sports. You can do concerts, comedy, all kinds of things. Big concert guy.

Yep. Well, how about that? I'm going to the Trilogy Tour. Really? Yeah. Second leg of the concert. I would have rather seen them down here in Miami, and Rike, Ricky Martin, and Pip Bool. But I'm actually going to go up and see them in Sunrise. I cannot wait for that.

Ooh, wait, they're coming back down? Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah. When is this? Two weeks? March 8th? Yeah, I'm obsessed with Cyclones Conflict. I'm gonna probably, Chris, I need you to cover that one for me because as you know, I'm a big gearhead.

And Pitbull just conquers every industry he goes into. And did anybody congratulate Pitbull for winning at Atlanta Motor Speedway? Congratulations. He did that. What a Congratulations. He did that. What a time. He did that. How's Pippo gonna have a concert the same day,

I guess his team's off that day? He actually never ended up getting a highlight team. What? Which is weird, because the team's named the Fireballs, but you know, it's there. The key's under the mat. Oh, so he doesn't. They kind of merged it, like, without telling anyone,

he went from owning a team to being like an ambassador for the league. Really? Yeah. Well, he's Mr. Worldwide. Who's got the team? Mr. Red? Mr. Red is a team. Yeah.

I have a bone to pick with Mr. Red. Why? Because I was at the last game and Mr. Red sent his people to talk to me. As opposed to just like straight up talking to me. What does that mean he sent his people to talk to you? He's like, hey, I represent Mr. Red. I'm watching a highlight game.

Just totally unexpected to hear the words, hey, I represent Mr. Red. I'm watching a highlight game. Just totally unexpected to hear the words hey I represent Mr. Red. It'd be great to get him on the show. I'm like cool. Making the big contacts. Working your way up in the game. Yeah. Keith Bogans was there. How can Stugots not know? He wants to be on South Beach Sessions. How can Stugots not know that? Got any questions for Keith Bogans? I kind of promised him yes. You never know who you're going to find in South Beach sessions. How can Stu Gatz not know that? Got any questions for Keith Bogans? I kind of promised him this. You never know who you're going to find in that center chair.

It's always wild. They put the two teams, and then there's just this little center couch area. The most random people. When Keith Bogans is dying to talk to. LDK has been there a bunch. Yeah. Great golfer.

What are you guys doing? So this is where? They're luminaries. This is Miami Media Sports Elite, sort of legends of the game where you guys doing? So this is their luminaries. This is Miami Media Sports elite sort of Legends of the game where you guys are sitting next to people whose history you know because they've been conquerors and sports Ray Lewis was there. I'm assuming it's people that are paid to be there. No, no, no, no No, these are owners luminaries people that go there for the love of the game Yeah, Dan you remember a time here Dan didn't Greg certainly remembers a time where all South Florida luminaries,

their big weekend plans were to go over to the front on and watch them highlight. Of course. Chris Cody paid to be there. Well, they're basically getting away free money. You go in, they give you money that you can gamble on the game. No risk.

I'm actually going on Sunday. What? Because we have family days now. There's a Sunday and I've been told that it's the only day of the week and you can actually bet real cash. when your kids can run the magic city your kids can run the front on after that's not really that's not a thing oh Sunday fun day storm the court no we we know how to stop that although Corbio will

embellish the day in laboratory show was to got to sponsor by better. A lot of us spend our lives wishing we had more time. The question is, time for what? Go for a run, take a nap, read a book, show up for a friend? If time was unlimited, how would you use it? The best way to squeeze that special thing into your schedule is to know what's important to you and make it a priority. With more time available, individuals may find it easier to schedule therapy sessions without feeling rushed or overwhelmed. This can lead to more consistent attendance

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H-E-L-P dot com slash D-L-B. Don Lebatard! Hey everybody. Not here. We can't cover the phones. Leave them there. See, doesn't that sound better? No, it does not. It does not sound better.

It sounds... He is absolutely slurring his hey everybody. By the way, not surprising at all that he would answer the phone and think just everybody is there only one person Everybody still gots Everyone It's everyone calling him at the same time. He's doing a little show, a little show. Everything is good content, the Greg Cody show.

Featuring Greg Cody. Hi everybody. This is the Don Lebatar show with the Stugats. He's waving to people out there, smoking a cigarette. And it's lovely out there today. The last few days around here have been like California. He's enjoying sitting on a stump. Is that a joint? Smoking a cigarette and during it's lovely out there today. The last few days are in here. I've been like California. He's enjoying sitting on a stump. Is that a joint smoking a cigarette?

There is a high probability that police tell him to move during this segment. Cars are whizzing by him. I don't think that's the median either. I think that's one of my favorite moments at ESPN was him very dangerously standing on a rooftop in a bar holding a misspelled sign, wanting to get on air on highly questionable and he could have parasailed

right off of the roof because it was a liability he had to sign a bunch of paperwork he is in real danger there we have more pedestrian deaths than anywhere that is a median though can confirm all right so he's in the median so if he gets struck by a car the driver is at. I will blame someone else as I- How small he is in this world. I threw him in the street. He will be returning a smelling of cigarettes and sweat as he has for a while now.

We have a back in my day to get to, but Mike Ryan's complaining about this, and he made an embarrassment out of everything Metal Arc Media and Business Partnership related when he went so strongly at Paul Pierce the other day. And now Nick's fans are about to get loud. This is the most annoying viral strain there is in,

I'm gonna say down here in general, I was trying to get to the point earlier telling you what these heat teams do. New York's been dying to be relevant since Pat Riley left there. They were for a couple of years and they've been really loud with a playoff win here and there, they are dying to topple the heat.

Well, Stugots isn't. They are dying. No, but this is my point is I need Stugots to keep up in the media game where everyone wants to talk New York basketball, but Mike Ryan is mad at me because everyone in New York has a podcast now to talk New York basketball.

Dan, I think you're doing a very brave thing. As you know, New York Kn a podcast now to talk New York basketball. I think you're doing a very brave thing. As you know, New York Knicks fans, I mean, totally on an island to themselves. No real platforms nationally were on podcasts to tout their New York Knick fandom. So I think you're actually doing a great service and you're servicing a really underutilized part of the media, Knicks fans.

You and Jimmy Graham, right here. The best part of this is that no one actually thinks that they're going to win the championship. Everyone is saying the thing of... Except for them. This is the best they've been in a long time, but still, I just let the best part about this. They will talk themselves into beating Boston just like last year. They would have talked themselves into beating the Heat. They played the Heat harder than anybody played the Heat,

but they too would be terrified of the Miami heat. I would say the nuggets most would. And the Celtics did take the heat to seven. The Knicks just barely got to six because Jimmy Butler decided to sit a game out and the heat still almost beat them. But yeah no it's great. The Knicks fandom is a special one and the game probably does actually need them now. For the first time you can actually say the game of basketball might be better with the Knicks being good. And thankfully they have

a good team because they have two conference championships in the last 30 years. The Miami Heat, Crown Jewel of the Eastern Conference have 7. You understand? 7. 7. Celtics 3, Knicks 2. You combine their Eastern Conference championships as long as many of our audience members have been alive. They don't have as much as a Miami Heat do in your lifetime, seven. My point is over many, not many administrations, but many classes.

Let's add the Sixers in there. Combine them, six. Miami Heat, seven. They are the cream of the conference and what I was saying earlier when Sacramento loses for 22 years when Charlotte wins two playoff series it's not normal to change not administrations but your roster over and over again and continue to get excellent results. The Knicks have arrived here now into this conversation. Miami's been here since Pat Riley left there.

It's been a 20-year run. It's good to have New York in that conversation again. Greg Cody, your back in my day is ready? It is. All right. What's it, I can't wait to hear this. What's it's about? That's fine. Good timing. Well, you said he couldn't wait. And now it is time to take a trip down memory lane. Here's your guy, Greg Coty, with Back in My Day. Water beds! Ask somebody today if they have a water bed. It's about the same look you'd get if you ask if they drive a Mercury Bobcat or an AMC Hornet. Waterbeds were really, really popular, especially with the in-crowd, back when people said the in-crowd.

That was back when all the guys looked like cheech or chong and everybody including your pet dog was sucking smoke out of a bong. The waterbed was invented by a guy in San Francisco, of course, patented in 1971, and popular throughout that decade and well into the 80s. At its peak, almost 25% of all beds sold in America were floatation mattresses. Now it's barely 2%, and most of those are related to medical rehab. What happened? The waterbed was cool once, embraced first by hippies and the free spirited free love movement before it caught on in the suburbs Bump check a bump bump if you catch my drift. Oh, it's not a drift anyone wanted a baby

Unmistakably there was a sexual element Hugh Hefner in the prime of Playboy famously had a waterbed trippy bands like the Jefferson Airplane did too. Advertising for waterbeds in the swing in the 60s made it clear. One famous ad slogan was, two things are better on a waterbed. One of them is sleep. The waterbed boom was starting just as the bump chick a bump bump was donning in Greg Cody's life. You made it a game show sound. You made it a game show sound.

You made it a game show sound. And he tried one out in his friend's off-campus apartment. Hated it. Don't get me wrong, I can sleep on anything. I've slept on a bed of nails. I don't need any bells or whistles. Don't need a foam memory bed that outlines my body like a victim of a crime scene. Don't need sleep number bed, certainly don't need a water

bed that to me was like trying to fall asleep or do anything else, wink, wink, on a raft in the middle of an ocean. Similarly, back in my day, a lot of roadside motels and lower level hotels had vibrating beds. Creepy. So water beds ran their course. And for a number of reasons new mattress

technology made non-water beds better. Water beds were high maintenance with the possibility of leaking and property damage and algae and mold. Many apartment complexes banned them. Moving them was a bitch. For me even the squishy sloshing sound they made was weird. To install one you had to run a hose into the bedroom. The whole thing was bizarre. To install one you had to run a hose into the bedroom. The whole thing was bizarre. This is where I'd usually say bring back the waterbed. No, don't do it. You go ahead and ride the waves to sleep. I shall repose on the firm dry land. Thank you. I'm Greg Cody and that's how it was back in my day.

I slept on a bed of nails. It was that necessary? I did once. But you know what? They... It's another five dollars. No, no, the nails weren't super sharp. Like they round off the nail head. What's the trick to that? So technically you're sleeping on a bed of nails, but they make it tolerable. It's weird like that. You can do that. Anybody can sleep on a bed of nails. It's all weight distribution, right? It's all weight distribution right it's all weight distribution but also this is super sharp. This is the new and improved Dan Lebatar show with the Stugas. Gamble on by Graf Keens. Folks whether you're hosting a game day a movie night Dijorno knows that planning a

watch party on a budget isn't easy you need the perfect setting the perfect squad the perfect eats and luckily you squad, the perfect eats, and luckily you're a game time mastermind and you know that grabbing Dijonno classic crust pizza can bring home the dub because it's packed with half a pound of cheese, sauce and other toppings and comes at an incredible price. Make the game winning call and grab a Dijonno classic crust pizza from the grocery store today. It's not delivery. It's Dijorno. Don Lebatard! Who I'm thinking of is Lauren Green. We all remember Lauren Green. Who could forget? Bonanza.

Lauren Dorn. Am I right? There's a cookie named Lauren Adoon or something like that. It's my favorite cookie. It's number one of my top five cookie list, yes. Okay. You and nobody else. But Lauren Green played the head cowboy in Bonanza. Thank you. You're so old. Thank you. Yeah, the stumbling on his word there, the precise manner of it was as old as you've ever

sounded. Stugatz. Also, why did you say thank you at the end of that? Well, because I'm enlightening people. People out there nodding like Balba has going, yeah, yeah, Lorne Green, Bonanza. I remember that. You should remember you're welcome man. Well, I mean bonanza and gun smoke were like big rivals on TV It was must-see TV we'd watch them at 1440 on a black and white Magnavox every week Grandma used to watch those shows every day Greg. I'm right. She would have been 90 this year. Hello

Good for her. She had good taste in TV. Lauren Green. This is the Don Lebatar Show with the Stugats. He's got shows coming up this weekend in Salt Lake City. He's got four shows early next month in Boston. That's gonna be fun. I'm sure he's gonna rile up Celtics fans going in there strong and heavy as a Knicks fan.

He's got a T-shirt with Mike Breen on it. That's right. He is auditioning to be the Knicks fan. The greatest Knicks fan there is. He's also auditioning to be our Knicks correspondent. He's got a Netflix special, same time tomorrow. Sam Morell is on with us. We will see if Jesus and Mero compete for this position,

but we are proud. We're proud to have you here. You enraged, you enraged Stephen A. Smith fans last time you were on, but Nix fans thought you were a conquering hero. You became a stronger voice in the Nix universe than you had been, right? Are you still feeling like lightheaded from how you rode around on that white stallion on behalf of Nicks fans? It's better than cocaine. I mean, the hatred of Stephen A Smith only riled up the Knicks faithful. And by riling up Stephen A Smith fans, you mean people with a collective IQ of under 80. So I'm okay with that. Oh no. Yes, I am taping a special. I'm taping a special next week in Boston. That's the ultimate next fan heat check I'm fired up for the next right now. We're injured and we keep winning

How does this work for you those Sam because when you go into Boston at this is this seems like an allegiance to you That's a bit unreasonable. I don't know if you have any other relationships like this anywhere in entertainment Your identity is tied up in this team being good this year and you're going into Boston looking for a fight. Are you not? You like that there's that decades-backed racist tension coming to fight you with the Celtics? Yeah, I mean decades back. Sure. If you say so, I guess it's only, there's only racism in Boston in the 60s. Whatever you say, Dan, they've cleaned up their act and they're good to go now. I mean, I don't know.

They're a great team, the Celtics. What can I say? They beat us on Saturday. They worked down three starters. Isaiah Hardenstein is not 100%, but they're a hell of a team. I can't take anything away from them. They're a great basketball team. Can you explain to us what happened last night? Let's play this video and this audio for him because Monty Williams.

I also want to get into Monty Williams. People, when nice guy Monty Williams starts complaining about the officiating, you got a real officiating problem. But here's the end of the game here. But wait, he's making 80 million dollars and he's won eight games this season. He shouldn't be complaining about anything. Yep. I love you, Monty.

You're an ex-Nick. We have nothing but respect for you. But I could have won the same amount of games this year for five million a year. I'll take five million when you eight games by just telling Cade Cunningham to shoot. I think that would work. You can name a piston, huh? Okay, yes. Yeah.

All right, let's just play the end of the game here. Not the Monty William sound just yet, but just the end of the game here. Do you want to try the play-by-play here? Do you want to take a crack at the most factually correct version of it? All right, let's see what we've got. Sure, I'll be completely unbiased here. Let's do it.

A miss, a rare miss by Jalen Brunson a loose ball And oh my god. I dare Hardenstein save it up and now a pass stolen by Osir Oh and a completely legal Goldberg spear by Dante Divincenzo and an and won by Josh Hart Oh my god the next win Okay, fine, so we got away with one. What do you want from me? So now, so I guess now that pistons won't make the playoffs, what a big deal. This doesn't really, this doesn't compare to the, to the call, a no call is not the same as a blown whistle that happened to us in Houston just recently. You know, Aaron Holliday shooting a three that was not a foul on Jalen Brunson.

We lost the game because of that. The NBA evened out every once in a while and the basketball gods, I guess, smiled on us for once. Depleted, we beat a bad piston team, but we needed that W, man. Grimes came in and was killing us in the fourth. I still love Quintin Grimes.

Once in Nick, you're always in it. You're scared Quentin Grimes. Once a Nick you're always a Nick. You're scared of the Miami Heat, yes? I think the Heat are tough. They always scare me a little bit. They're hot lately. Spoh is undeniably one of the greatest coaches I think. And yeah, no, I got to admit they always do scare me. I do think we're a better team than we were last year, but the Heat are tough. The Celtics, he didn't the Celtics are probably a team as a Knicks fan that scared me the most. The Bucks, I don't, I'm not buying the Bucks and I'm not buying Doc.

Doc Rivers is like for a dude who's willing to trade his son, you think he'd be a better coach. You think he'd be like more cutthroat, you know what I mean? But he's just like, he doesn't scare me. Sam, I'm starting to hear you say that just because of this, okay? For no other reason, an overly simplistic, I know they've been bad at basketball, bad at defense. But if you give me Giannis and Damian Lillard in any incarnation throughout the history of time, the Knicks need to fear that combination and not ever feel like they can beat those two guys. Not in any incarnation of the Knicks I've seen.

I think if we're ranking the teams I'm scared of, they're third I'm most scared of. I think it's Celtic's Heat and then the Bucks and then probably Philly in the East. I think the Knicks, I'm not scared of the Cavs. The Cavs don't have a tough guy. You need a tough guy to win a playoff round. Mitchell Robertson toyed with Jared Allen. Julius beat up Evan Mobley. Josh Hart beat up the great Donovan Mitchell. I think size and toughness play a role in the playoffs. Do you have an opinion on what is happening right now

with Jason Tatum as face of the league stuff? Jason Tatum is saying he's the best player in the league. He's anointed himself as face of the league. You don't get to do that. That's like giving yourself a nickname. It doesn't work. He's like, do I think I'm the best player of the league? Yes. And we're like, cool, you're not. You can think that you're not. You're not top five. I'm sorry. No one in the league is taking him over. Gilgis Alexander over. We're talking young guys. You want to build a team? I'm taking aunt over him. I'm sorry

You're like neck and neck with Devon Booker. I I guess due to length you get the nod over Booker Maybe I'm not taking him over Luca. I mean, there's just too many dudes that that I would take I mean obviously Yoke it shouldn't be to read him. I've just named five easy You're not you're not the face of the league. It's like, why? Cause we're so xenophobic, it has to be an American guy. Well, what's he saying about MVP though? Like when, when Dreymond Green is saying, and I don't have the sound here for you,

but Dreymond Green is saying, why are we moving the goalposts on Jason Tatum? We don't have to get a championship from him to conclude him in an MVP conversation. He's the best player on the best team. You know why he's saying that? Because they beat him the best team. You know why he's saying that? Because they beat him in the finals. That's why he's saying that.

Dremond is like, it's a classic dude who could be nice to a guy that he's beaten up. That's why he's doing it. I don't think, fine, best player in the best team. I guess, you know, we've done that in the past, but I just, they have too many good players to make him MVP. I'm sorry, we're awarding Jason Tatum because he doesn't drop 30 at night. He doesn't have to.

That's a privilege. Jalen Brunson has to drop 30 at night because we're depleted right now. You got Tatum. And by the way, if it's game seven, Nick Celtics, I think J. I trust Jalen Brunson more than I trust Jason. Oh, my God. Oh, Sam, Sam, you're getting up. I do.

Sam, that's aggressive. Sam, that's an aggressive take, Sam. Go next. Sam. So I think they have so much, I'm sorry, the Celtics, you don't get to be in the MVP conversation when you have maybe the best perimeter guard defense in the last 20 years, dude.

You got Drew Holiday and Derrick White, elite defenders, maybe both all NBA this year. And then you got poor Zingas at the five, who I still have a fondness for as a Nix fan, and I have a fondness for holiday. It really annoys me that they got those two guys. And you got Jalen Brown, another all star. I mean, I'm sorry, you're not in the MVP conversation. It's great. you have a great record. It's on paper, one of the best starting fives at the last 20 years, I'd say. You're not in the MVP combo. Was Durant in the MVP combo when he was on the Warriors?

No. Exactly. He was the best player on the best team. Sam, here's the big question. Would you draft Brony if it meant you could get LeBron James to the Knicks? No. What?

We have, where are we putting them? We have a- We put Brani on the bench, I mean. Well, where we put in LeBron? I just don't, I don't really want LeBron. I think he's a distraction. I think we have a culture. What is happening?

What is, Mike? What is happening? Mike, hold on. Mike, what is happening now where Kn's fans don't want LeBron? Oh, I'm sorry. Cause, cause when you were really hot and you passed on us and now you got a few more pounds on you and we're like, eh, yeah, that's how it happens, dude. Yeah. But Sam, what if we get knocked out Eastern Conference semi finals, game seven and you know, Brunson isn't isn't as good as you think he's going to be in a game seven and then you feel like you're a LeBron away. What do you do then? I'm not saying we don't need another guy. I'm saying why does it have to be a guy who's going to be 40 next year? Yeah. Yeah. I'm sorry. I'm not.

You don't want a LeBron or a James Bond or Josh Hart. Are they making the same money? No, they're not. I'm not comparing them to each other. I'm saying I love Josh Hart though. But yeah, the same reason you're not casting a 65 year old to start a James Bond franchise That's why I don't want LeBron on the Knicks. All right. I don't want a 40 year old as my primary ball handler I Don't want him. I LeBron's a great player, but I don't want him on the Knicks. He had his moment and I'm sorry. Are the Lakers a good team? Am I missing something? Why are we talking about them like they're a good team?

Yeah, you have made a lot of good points. You are injured. You do keep winning. I mean, thankfully that call yesterday, you went from three and seven in your last 10 to now four and six. So you're really finding a good group just two and a half up on the Miami Heat. Right. Well, unlike you, we actually been... We're not hurt at all. Yeah, yeah, we're hurt, we're not suspended like you degenerates. We actually have injuries in our team. Mitchell Robinson, you know,

the great O.G. Annobe and Julius Randall, and we're back, look out, it's fucking coming, dude. Sam, Sam, Sam, only Dallas and Memphis have had more different lineups than the Miami Heat. You haven't had more injuries than other people. And I've told you, you're the second team I'm most scared of in the East. What more do you guys want? I admit you're a scary team.

You're a tough team. Jimmy Butler is a killer. BAM is a great two-way player. What else do you have? You got great shooters. You know, I don't know how I feel about the Rose Year move. I don't really, I don't think it's amazing. It wasn't like, yeah, it's what

it's a great point. I don't like Rose Year. Yes. Okay. So so you may not like everything I say, but we roofed for different teams. And I think I'm being fairly unbiased. You're actually being quite kind to the Miami Heat chances. I appreciate that. Okay. I think Spowe is a scary coach. and I look, I like he culture. I'm a Nick's fan. Like we want that to be our culture.

That's, Tibs runs a tough ship. It's a similar type of culture, I think. Sam, you're kicking ass so far. You're the only one who has gotten any Nick's correspondent love around here. Same time tomorrow is the Netflix special. And again, Salt Lake City four shows early next month in Boston. He will for sure sell those out. Sam Morel.com. Thank you, sir. That's a special tape and I'm taping a special next week, so it's going to be fun. I can't wait till you go after Boston. That should look good. Thank you, sir.

Thanks, guys.