The Dan Le Batard Show with Stugotz - Hour 2: Further I Say If Not

Episode Date: May 13, 2025

Jorge Sedano joins the show to discuss the time he asked David Stern if the NBA was rigged, the crew breaks down Jimmy Butler's lackluster performance in Game 4 against the Minnesota Timberwolves, and Zaslow has a bone to pick with Panther fans. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

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He is, he loves the kale smoothie. He's radiant. He also is a rising star at ESPN and Jorge Sedano is here to recount the tale that mortifies as low as as low How would you frame this story of Jorge Sedano at his most rebellious in Miami? Irresponsible and not journalistically sound well I don't think George thought he was being irresponsible I think he probably thought he was being responsible by trying to get to the bottom of something

that has been talked about. But I get agita just thinking about it. Like it gives me anxiety the spot that George put himself in with at the time was a very scary man. Jorge, Jorge, I don't believe anyone here actually knows the story. I believe they're too young to remember. This was the first moment I believe that Jorge Sadano made a national splash and I believe it might be his worst public moment. Do I have this wrong? I don't know, maybe. I don't think of it as a bad public moment at all.

I actually found it, to Zazzle's point, me asking the question everybody wanted answered to the guy that you needed to ask the question to. So just to give the details, so this is 2003-04 season of the NBA. It's Dwayne Wade's rookie year. At that time, I was the Miami Heat pre and post, what was that? That's our very competent executive producer. Doesn't have the job at all

because his old man is my best friend. Oh, okay. So I was the Heat pre and post game show host on radio. This is like a playoff game for the Heat. They're playing Indiana, I believe at the time. This is the second round when Stan Van Gundy and Dwayne Wade and those guys got to the second round. So David Stern is coming over to be interviewed by me.

And at the end of the interview, I asked him, I said, you know, Commissioner Stern, fans are very upset about the officiating in this series. They feel like the team, the more veteran team is getting the benefit of the calls. And then we've had these controversies, obviously, and this is coming off of the Sacramento thing, right? So I mentioned that. And he looks at me, he just kind of looks me up and down and he says, you know, George, what you're saying would be illegal in 50 states. Further, I say if not. And then I just kind of like kept going back at him because I didn't know any better at

20 something years old a little bit. But you know, I eased off the gas a little bit and we just kind of had a discussion about it. He elaborated some about the officiating and you know who these guys are and what they're you know what they go through and the rigorous testing that the league does for them on a game to game basis etc etc. And then we're done. I wrap up the segment.

He tapped me on the shoulder and goes good job George like a little kid, you know Like just almost like he should have just tapped me on the head to be honest with you when he walked away The further I say if not is a great condescension that is just no doubt. Oh my god What does that even mean further? I say if not? Yeah, like you're Mike's I mean You're an asshole is what put it on the pole at? Levitate show if you say further. I say if not are you 100% an asshole and also Well, it's good. Why are you boy good job Chris? I know it was beautiful your boy job Chris I know it was beautiful yeah well I'll say this I felt both in that situation after it was over I was both proud of myself for asking

the tough question to the scariest man in the world at the time sweating bullets still after the fact but felt good about it honestly because I just think that's what everybody wanted to know at that time so George when when the Commissioner Stern all but patted you on the head and said good job George How much of that was condescending how much of it was sort of sort of real and Georgie did he call you Georgie? Did he did he condescend you? No, I think it was a combination of both. I think it was condescending no question about it I wish I could really explain his tone even when he said it. Like he almost, he took a breath.

He buried you. He buried you with public relations. Like he bullied you publicly because he knew who he was. He sent Mike Bass after you to put you in an anaconda vice. No, I love Mike Bass. Don't you miss merch Mike Bass. Anyway, the, but I will say this. He did kind of give me a smile.

Like, you know what? I'm kind of proud that you asked the question, like you had the balls to ask it. Like, whereas nobody else seems to want to ask it, I guess, at that time. So it was a combination of both. He was patting me on the head like, good job, kid. You know, nice try, but you're not going to get me. His creative muse begs a question. George Sadano, is the NBA rigged given what we saw last night?

No, it's not rigged. Look, I actually just spoke to somebody who was in the room yesterday, a media member. So I'm sure you guys maybe have already seen this, but there's a thousand and one permutations four digit combinations. There's several media members in there, 14 representatives from each team,

and then two guys from Ernst & Young. And one guy pulls out the ball, hands it to a guy who's not even looking at the machine, and he says the number, right? And then when they get through the four digits, each team has a booklet that has these four digit combinations. And this person told me that not only was there an audible gasp as people were looking through the booklet when they realized there was Dallas. There were several media members who absolutely cursed. You're supposed to be completely silent during all of this.

So that's how the reaction was in the room, according to this person. And then they had to be locked up for another hour and a half because you can't leave the room and you don't have like your phones or anything like that. George, compared to Adam Silver, who will do nothing. How would David Stern have reacted to LeBron James continually referencing that the draft lottery is rigged? He would have been called to Stern's office. There's no question. Um, I remember, you know, when I worked with Mark Jackson,

he told us a story about how him and Charles Barkley got into it early in their career about something and Stern. And again, I'm paraphrasing this, so, you know, like don't quote me on any of this stuff, but basically long story short, he invited them over to his office and he basically admonished them to the point that, like, he just told them like, hey, I know you guys think you're a big deal,

but I run this thing, okay? So stop acting like, you know, idiots is basically what he said. I don't remember the specifics of the story, but that's just how he ruled. He ruled with an iron fist. There's no doubt about it. I just won horse.

Do you think that this process though is ultimately working in the NBA's favor, given that it's not stopping teams from tanking and it's also not stopping fans from just theorizing somewhat recklessly that the league is rigged. Well, I'll tell you this, Mike, I do think that it works in the league's benefit. I, at this point, you know, Stern would lean into that stuff in a lot of ways too. Like remember,

he was the first commissioner to, you know, embrace fans booing him at the draft. And, um, you know, I think he handled all that stuff well from a PR standpoint in a way that was almost defiant right. So I think that the league you know still in a lot of ways albeit not as vocal as he was you know still just lets these things go and let people think whatever the hell they want to think they don't care. All right George I need your help with something because want to think they don't care uh... george i need your help with something because uh... i i i really first off first off art would it be a good podcast or segment further i say if

not the most condescending uh... sports take of all time i feel like you can throw one of those uh... at us but i believe that uh... the basketball itself like i'm getting bothered by the fact you're someone who really loves uh... the nuances of the game the strategy uh... you know what a heartbreak that is for boston last night structurally to

their franchise you know what it means that the nicks are around now uh... you know that the paces can beat anybody so uh... does it bother you at all seeing the sports grow the sport grow and we've spent three four questions about uh... is it rigged in the draft instead of man holy shit the basketball is so fun the best was been fantastic uh... i was in oakland or she's been denver this past weekend for games three and four that series and i know people could say all of you know that first quarter was dreadful and it it was OK. It was as wild a thing as I've ever seen live at all.

I mean, they tied for the lowest combined score in the first quarter on Sunday in NBA playoff history. But the reality is it was still close. And I think that that's what people want. Like I have friends, Dan, who kind of went away from the NBA over the last five to 10 years, and they are locked in. OK, and we haven't had very many series go long. This is about the individual games being interesting.

And yeah, I feel terrible for Jason Tatum. If you're a Boston fan today, you've got to feel awful. Your championship window may be closed because the basketball part of it, he may not play next year. There's the new ownership page part of it where there's already been talk about them having to shed salary because they're paying six billion dollars for this team and it's just not sustainable to keep paying this crazy luxury tax with all these guys. So in essence that window is probably closed and now you've got this Indiana team know, that I heard Ernie Johnson on your

show say, don't sleep on the Pacers. And honestly, no one has been more right about anything in a sport that we know nothing about regarding the results clearly at this stage anymore than Ernie Johnson telling you weeks ago, don't sleep on the Pacers. Not true, not true, Sadano. A year ago and that two years ago, excuse me, and then this April I told you the Heat need to get out of the playoff. They cannot be in the playoff. They need to be in the draft lottery at 11 and then all of a sudden we see what happens.

I only, that only happens once. Yeah, but that's nonsense, Tony. Like the reality is it's a lottery. If they do that over again one more time, it's the same four balls are going to come out in the same order. Oh, they needed was one shot though. They needed one shot. It's a lottery. Do you guys not understand how a lottery works? I don't know how revisionist history works. Do you not know how revisionist history works? I mean, it's an easy trope for you guys today. I get it. You ever hear hindsight of 2020? You guys get the sense, you guys trope for you guys today, I get it. You ever hear of hindsight of 2020?

You guys get the sense, you guys get the sense Sadano's on the take now? You know what I mean? Like he worked his way up, he was there, he was like the young congressman going to Washington. Who's that guy behind you, Sadano? Get that guy, hey, that guy's on! What's that guy doing? Photo bomb! You're hiking right now?

I'm on a hiking trail. Yeah, I was hiking. Well that's why your Wi-Fi's shit. He's a, well it's not Wi-Fi out there It's just 5g you think it's 5g bro. Yeah, but Billy's point. You're just a mouthpiece for the league now Yeah, he's not gonna bite the hand that feeds him. Come on get out of here His Lakers got Luca and they knew that was part of the arrangement my Lakers. Yeah Your Lakers George Sedona going out there. We gotta fix

Yeah, your Lakers. Charlie's on the Adano. Yeah. All the way with George Sadana going out there. There we go. Gotta fix that lottery, George. Fix it. You know what? Here's the deal.

Tell the Heat to pick a lane, okay? That's what they need to do. Pick a lane. Thank you. I thought you were part of the Heat. By the way, I know that historically you've been known as a Heat fan even though you're a Lakers fan now. Yeah.

But so you grew up hating the New York Knicks. And I'm curious what's happening as you're watching this series because Zaz and I are fully aligned. We're big Knicks guys here Yeah, we love rooting for the Knicks, especially against the Boston Celtics almost exclusively. Yes It's a Boston Silver Lake Sedano. Give us the scoop Silver Lake Sedano. Tell the people What you think from your mountain on high? If you would have told me that in the year 20 if you would would have told me in the year 2000, that in the year 2025,

I would find the Knicks to be an endearing story that I would be enthralled by and following with every bated breath, I would have told you, you're out of your mind, go bleep yourself and kick you in the face. I tell you that I am locked in on them. I wouldn't go as far as say I'm rooting for them because I'm rooting for anybody, but I love a good go this far say I'm rooting for them I'm a read for anybody but like I will but I love a good story and for me

That's all I'm chasing is a good story every day when I talk about this stuff And they are as good a story as any in the sport right now get better internet further I say if not. Thank you, sir and on your way out Thank you, Sedano. He can't be bothered too busy hiking old California Sedano. It's disgusting. He used to be Miami, but why doesn't he live in Miami anymore? Because our buildings don't allow us to do shows without bothering us with a fire alarm the entirety of every conversation we're having. It's been a tricky day that way. Well, you guys have listened to oral history and you know that the origins of the show were Once just a dream for Dan and for Stu gotson that dream turned into the show and now the business of metal arc media

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Download game time today. Last-minute tickets lowest price guaranteed. I want to get to some of the hockey in a moment here with you guys, but the Warriors lost by seven last night. In a game they had to win. At home, Jimmy Butler had 14 points. He took nine shots. And it's not like he took nine shots and it's not like it's not like you took nine shots and he had 18 free throws all right he took nine shots

he had five free throws in a game they lost by seven he was a team worst minus 30 they lost by seven he was minus 30 and have you guys seen the discourse on social media about Jimmy because whoo it's not a good day he's been praised he's had a charm existence out in Golden State it was all working for him but then one thing that he didn't plan for was a player that was finally better than him on a roster that he was on would get hurt and now everyone's pointing at, which I don't suppose is super fair, Zaz, I'm curious. No, but they got him for this. Like, not to carry a team to a championship,

but they got him and gave him the huge money because, God forbid, the team leaves the locker room and the camera pans to a Steph Curry who's in street clothes and he's waving. We all saw him waving to them. See you guys. Like they got him specifically to give the team a stay of execution where maybe Curry will be back game six.

They're not going to get out of game five. Like that's why they got Jimmy Butler. 14 points minus 30 Wolf yesterday was basically an elimination game because if you win that game at home All right, all the sudden the series gets extended you go to six. Yep, Steph can come back something can happen game seven It's a miracle. Yeah, old statement was on the Western Conference finals It's inexcusable for Jimmy Butler to make the stink and make the the shitstorm that he made in Miami To then go to Golden State to have a great stretch run the end of the the end of the season and make the shitstorm that he made in Miami, to then go to Golden State to have a great stretch run the end of the season

and then put up a nine shot game. Nine shots is what Buddy Heal takes. Nine shots is what Kavon Looney takes. Nine shots is what he took when he was actively passive aggressive and trying to take games while in the lineup for the Miami Heat. In a game the Warriors had to win without Steph Curry

Four other players took more shots than Jimmy Butler did Pajimski healed Dramond took more shots unacceptable and comingo off the bench and by the way Kaminga who took more field goal attempts in him 13 field goals was also 11 and 12 from the free throw line So Kaminga was far more a little series for him by the way Butler good little series for him. They think Back maybe come on as they buried him at the end of the bench when when Jimmy Butler got there They said they didn't want to play me didn't play all of a sudden 30 points

He doesn't do a whole lot else other than score. No zero rebounds last lane 30 minutes I don't know you want to do everything I want to do a little bit of something. Should it be crashing around him a little bit louder than it is right now in the media? Jimmy or coming in? For Jimmy. I mean, given the mess that he made down here in Miami. It's a good question,

because it doesn't feel like the, it feels like a social media fan thing right now. I don't feel like- Stepping out gives him a pass, I think. Not for nine shots. I don't think so. But he shouldn't be getting a pass. He shouldn't be getting a pass because he's just

playing off Jimmy. This is why they got him. He's playing off Jimmy. And on top of that, it's one thing if he goes out swinging, right? It's one thing if he goes out like playoff Jimmy, if he has a good performance or if he's putting in an effort that is like, all right, at least Jimmy was going for it.

Neck first to the cup, trying to draw fouls. But you're going out the way that you did when you were milking the clock over here in Miami. That's not what this was about. That's not the standard that everyone holds you to now in the playoffs that you established. They're questioning on the broadcast. And look, we saw this plenty of times here.

And this would happen every now and then. It was like this in game three also, where it's like, why isn't he shooting that? Why isn't he being more aggressive? but even the broadcast was openly questioning last night where he'll drive to the basket and it seems like you know He's got a floater or he's got a you know an eight-foot shot and instead he passes to the corner to Gary Payton the third's like Why don't you shoot they were they were questioning on the broadcast?

Why are you shooting there was something that kind of happened in that Nugget series, where you could see like he lost confidence in his own shot in the NBA finals after being on an absolute terror. And I know he had isolated moments here and there afterwards, but there was something that happened in that series where they were daring him to be the guy. And it wasn't until they were facing elimination

did he have the confidence to even put it up. I think he's pretty self-aware about his limitations now, despite the bravado, despite what he did to the Miami Heat, which probably might actually make it worse because his intentions were, let me get the money now because I know I'm never going to be at that level. But I do think for a player that was getting all sorts of praise adorned on him by the national media, and rightfully so, Miami people down here were burned by the entire experience, wondering why the coverage was so favorable, and he was looking like he was coming out a winner.

For the plan to be solely dependent on Steph Curry's body, and for you to not give them one of those moments. One of those moments that they acquired you for, not just to take the pressure off of Steph, but in the event that something happens to Steph, you can win us a game. For him not to do that, it's worth coming down on. He was doing the Jimmy stuff the last night of we're still in this we're winning this series

You could say that if you take 22 shots and you got 36 points He lost by 7 that game was 20 out of reach for the entirety of the second half Until they start make a run with like three minutes left where all the starters were out But if you're Jimmy, this is how you age we knew this was gonna happen, right? You can't throw yourself at the cup every single time. Which I guess you're also saying this is exactly why he held Miami hostage. Exactly.

And only cared about getting the money right now. But if I may, like, counterpoint, he's top five in free throw attempts in the post-season in these NBA playoffs. Sure. So he's shown in these NBA playoffs that he can be that guy. Now I know he took a tough spill a couple games ago

and he's been dealing with that. A glute injury, right? But, But like you got to. You have to. You have to play the game that gets you easy points at the stripe when Steph Curry is out. Out of respect for that franchise and the team that gave you that contract. Where it's like, okay, I'm if we're gonna lose we're gonna lose with me taking 20 shots The other thing is to the point that I was making is You can't if you know your body is not ready or not able at this point in the in the season To go and take 18 free throws and you have to rely on your jump shot that you've kind of had a shaky Situation with the last couple of years. It's like how do you not at least try? Nine nine attempts is nothing line that nine attempts is laughable and and you know situation with the last couple of years, it's like, how do you not at least try? Nine attempts is nothing.

Nine attempts is laughable. And you know, I'll get stuff on social media where it's like, what was happening there? Why wasn't Jimmy shooting? And like, we would get this every now and then in the playoffs with the Heen's like, I don't know. He just has games like that. He loses confidence in his shot.

It's apparent because he doesn't attempt shots that he would be. It's pump fake, pump fake, pump fake. Sometimes it's pump fake, go up for a layup when you probably should have passed out of it, or not take the easy layup, pump fake, nobody, get yourself injured. This is the end of his career. It's a guy that played his entire career one way, very aggressively, a lot of minutes on that body. He doesn't necessarily trust his shot and he certainly doesn't trust his body anymore.

Zaz on the flip side of that, looking at the Wolves though. Wolves are looking good. Julius Randall's kind of that missing piece of that big that can score outside of Nazrede. We know Gobert is going to be kind of a defensive stalwart. Anthony Edwards finally putting things together. He hasn't really had good first halves, but he's had really good second halves of these games.

And it feels like like could they be healthy enough to compete against whoever's coming out of the slugfest on the other side? I need to see it from the Wolves first because you know the reality is right now with Minnesota all right they're beating up a warrior team that is a very big man down and then the Laker team they beat in the first round incomplete and incomplete like they may not have been that good the Lakers team, they beat in the first round. Incomplete, an incomplete team. They may not have been that good, the Lakers. We may have been wrong about the Lakers. So, I'm down on the wolves for the way they handled game one.

Like, this series should be over. It should have been a sweep. It should have been done with. It was like such an unprofessional effort from them where they couldn't win that first game when Steph Curry leaves. So, they shouldn't lose another game in this series. I don't think they're going to lose another game in this series. They're getting like their first real test in the conference finals when the reality of it is whichever

team they wind up playing the Thunder or the Nuggets, they're already going to have been tested. I mean the Nuggets won a seven game series in the first round. If the Thunder get past Denver here, they had to come back from a 2-1 deficit at one point. I'm not in on the Wolves. They're gonna have to earn it in the Western Conference Finals. Why is the NBA like this now? We've had like a five-year run here, kind of dating back to COVID, where just the finals and who makes deep runs in the playoffs is kind of screwy. Used to be predictable this sport. It was always wrong. No, but what happened? What changed?

You have teams a couple years removed from the finals not making the playoffs at all. Hell, you have one team that was Western Conference champions. I understand they made the trade. They didn't make the playoffs. Number one. Phoenix fell off the map after they made the NBA finals. Look what happened in Milwaukee. A disaster pretty much. The Heat? Yeah, the Heat. Two random appearances. Actually, one of the more consistent teams of this sample

size that I'm referring to right there. Boston's been in that makes making deep runs. You could point to them and say, look, even Golden State, they've been helter skelter. In the middle of that, they have one random championship. They fall off. Denver and Boston have been consistent, right? Other than that, it's been crazy.

I mean, how about this, guys? They just fired their coach, though. Denver, they fired Mike Malone. So it's all over the place. You want to talk something we've never seen before in the NBA playoffs, this second round of the playoffs, the road teams 11 and 4. It's insane. Like we've never seen this. So this could be an outlier, but I'm looking at an entire sample here of five years and this is, I think we can say justifiably, you can confirm and did. This is the most random this sports ever been

Can you think back up the tow truck right now, I love like is that the new NBA now I mean you guys watch who way more than me is this what the NBA is I can't speak to You know the last five years, but I think over the last couple of years I do think this is the new NBA I do think and we're seeing it and we're going to see with the Boston Celtics where the way you build a roster and the way you're able to keep or not keep a team together, this is today's NBA with how the CBA works. There's going to be a lot more parity.

And look, we're going to have now, Boston's done. I'm reporting that by the way, Boston's done. Wow. I'm reporting that, they are done. We're gonna have for the seventh consecutive year, a new champion. Like it's never happened before. So this is the new NBA.

And again, I can't speak to the last five years, but the last couple years, like yeah, teams are getting used to this. This is how you have to build rosters now. I wanna ask you guys about something that is really bothering me. Wait, if I may, I know that you said to build rosters now. I want to ask you guys about something that is really bothering me. Wait, if I may. I know that you said seven seasons, different champion.

You may. But let's really. Do you need to approach? You OK there? Let's really inspect these last five NBA finals. Lakers heat. Lakers kind of fell off being a title threat after they won that one in the bubble.

They won an IST, maybe they had a couple of times where their fan base would feel frisky, but not a real title threat. I think they got to the West Finals two years ago. But again, random occurrence, because they kind of fell off, tried to build themselves back up. Heat, okay, bubble, weird. They got swept the very next year

in the first round of the playoffs. By the Bucks, who played the Phoenix Suns in the NBA Finals, Suns kind of fell off like right after that. They were a one hit wonder also, yeah. And they should have won that series. Then you had Heat Nuggets. We can circle that as like, that was pretty much, well, they make an ECF after that.

But Nuggets? Before that, in 22, the Heat made the East Finals, and 23, NBA Finals. Didn't the following year after they made it to the NBA Finals, the Strews was at the before or after? That was 22, that was in the East Finals, they lost game 7. Yeah, so they made it all the way to the Finals and they lose to the Celtics who play the Golden State Warriors who throughout this time weren't even in the conversation, they

were like a champion from yesterday and they end up winning that. Then the Celtics, okay, I guess we can piece together, the Celtics during this five year stretch are probably the most consistent team. And they play the Mavs. Consistently losing. Who's, I mean, what are the Mavs? They just won the NBA lottery, this was several months ago. So is this a good thing, everything you're saying,

isn't this good for the NBA? I don't know. I don't know because at the same time simultaneously you have such a change of the playing style, which might actually be the root cause of why everything is so random But I don't I don't know because people make a lot about their their TV ratings going down Whether that's a good faith argument or not playoff numbers are way up whether that's a good faith argument or not is to be determined But the NBA was it's at its strongest when you can kind of count on the story arcs

of certain teams. The Bulls were always there. Who was gonna knock off the Bulls? You were very familiar with the Knicks story arc. You were very familiar with the Pacers. When the Pistons have their run multiple times, you know the pieces, the players, and those stories actually carried over

for the better part of a decade, helped this league. We're in the most random territory in NBA history right now while everybody is saying, there are things wrong with this sport. I'm trying to figure out, is what's wrong with the sport, the teams at the end of it fighting it over, or is it a larger issue that is probably contributing

to these very random finals? Just waiting to get Minnesota versus Indy in the NBA finals. Feels like the top teams are not as good. I don't think that what contributes to either ratings overall being down, which again, they're way up in the playoffs, but ratings overall being down, lack of interest, what have you. I don't think it has to do with there not being

this dynasty or consistent team winning. It has to be what has drawn me slightly away from the game, which is the style of play the style of play players not playing I mean the NBA player loves two things more than anything else that's complaining and not playing alright And that stuff is a turnoff to me and the style of play all the three-point shooting the Celtics being the biggest example That to me. that's my biggest problem with today's NBA and I think a lot of fans would echo the same sentiment. I should correct myself. The new leaf that I turned over is when I'm wrong, I'll admit it.

I did say that it kind of feels like you tune into these games in the first quarter, there's a 20 point deficit and you can kind of write that game off. There has been five comebacks of 20 points or more so far this postseason. Yeah, you don't panic. If we go back to the late 90s, early 2000s, you're down by 20 in a play, you shut the game off. Yeah, so shout out to that Twitter person that mentioned that to me.

I would also like another study being done on how many of those 20 point games become 40 point games. A lot of them have. It kind of feels like the reason why I'm coming away, no, it goes both ways. Feeling that way when I'm watching games is a lot of times when I do watch a game That's a 20-point deficit early on it grows So a 40-point deficit and there's no reason to watch this and there are very few things in sports worse

Then when you build up all the drama all the anticipation for an NBA playoff game and it's a dot of a blowout sure But this it's a numbers game, right? Because then you have those games that are really really great and that shows why the NBA playoff ratings are up because like oh yes this is what I was but this is what I've been searching NBA playoffs up because the New York markets making a deeper run because the Boston markets there because the Bay Area we're only in the second round I understand but there are there are some big-time TV markets that were in the like sure but the play has been great the play has been great I mean it's

certainly been better than the years that i've highlighted i think um if i could like disassociate myself from my heat fandom like this has been a fun mba playoffs because there have been really dramatic games and i tell you and i said this last year like i understand why dan turns us in to wf at like they got a juice to them their fan base has a juice them. They get people talking I do I was always I was always the heat homer in me was always bucking at the the notion that the NBA is healthier When the Knicks are good because I had lived most most my life with the NBA being perfectly fine and the Knicks not being good At all, but now in this moment where the seas are a little bit more turbulent true. It's helping. Yeah, it's helping Yeah, so I went to both Panther games this weekend game three and game four In this moment, where the seas are a little bit more turbulent, it's helping. It's helping.

Yeah. So, I went to both Panther games this weekend. Game three and game four. Thank you. Not enough is being said about how you helped the team get back to 2-2. I had to pull up. I had to pull up. And something really bothers me about, and I can tell Chris, it bothers him too.

Say it, please. I saw Chris at both games this weekend. He was there, he had to pull up also. We parked next to each other. The random, the big parking lot, Zazz parked right next to me. I literally pulled up both games this weekend. He was there he had to pull our next to each other the random the big parking lot Is that right random to me? I put literally pulled up right next to him and Say I know where you're going with this. Yeah, it needs to be said This has been this been bothering me for a couple of years. Okay, but it's really bad now the boom guys

So they brought it look the Panthers won the games They did a good job and by the way Keith the handle shout out Excellent job as well banging the drum that's that's back now. We're back AJ big boom big justice yandel This is much better than last round does everyone sign the drum. I saw some people sign the drum So like the Dan signed the drum as well did yeah, yeah, so During the national anthem over the last several years the crowd always chants red and the Rockets red glare. All right, that's the team's color. Okay, it's a hockey thing.

Okay, fine. Also for the last several years, they chant Knight for Spencer Knight when that lyric comes across. They're still doing it. Not only did he not play at all this season, like he was technically on our roster, like in our organization to start the year.

No, he played plenty this year, he did. That's true. He did, but whatever, okay? Because they've been chanting Knight for years, including years where he literally was not on the active roster. That kind of felt more like support because he was taking that mental break too. And it's mental health awareness month.

So like, but now- What are we doing here? Look, there were reasons. Look, he was still on the roster, but now he's not on the roster. We traded him mid-season. He's not a legend. So we don't care about him. So now what happens, Billy, is you get to that part of the national anthem and there's still people shouting night.

Not as many, but it's still loud. It's audible. It's enough to hear and then you always hear the murmuring after of the national anthem and there's still people shouting night not as many but it's still loud it's all enough to hear and then you always hear the murmuring after of the fans being like why are we doing this so game three Friday nights I'm wondering and my kids are looking at me because my boys know I hate it I mean going back to the Stanley Cup finals in 2023 we're playing the night stuff and the fans are yelling nights during the national fans do that We were in unison. It was a loudest part of the it's a disgrace So my boys are looking at me. They're like it's coming dad it's coming and they know I hate it and and of course you got the dopes who yell night and

Then afterward there was some booing like fans were not happy about it on Friday. But then Sunday, game four ruled around, and the night chant was even louder. Terrible. And like, They knew you were in the building, that's why. We gotta be better than this. We're all, as fans,

It's part of the culture now. As a fan base here, we're already behind the eight ball. It's a bad look for us. Because we've had lousy attendance forever until the last few years, all right? Now we got great support. We're a Sunbelt team. We don't know hockey down here.

We ain't got no history. Like we're already behind it. And the Dopey fans who are still yelling night, like obviously you're embarrassing yourself. That goes without saying. But you're embarrassing me too. You're embarrassing everyone in the building! Like, do we need to, like, should they put something up

before, hey, don't yell Knight. Like, I'm, it's that bad. Like, I don't know what, are these- Are these rabble rousers? Are they dumb? Are they trolling us, or do they not know he's gone? I... Cause Bob's had a pretty consistent string of players.

Like, literally, Spencer Knight did not contribute to them winning a Stanley Cup That's a fact he had no contribution Just I wonder I wonder if it is fans who don't know why they yell night They went to a game a few years ago. They remember night, so they're just like we're gonna yell it Yeah, and it's coming from the upper deck It is really yeah, because I'm always turning my head looking up there because I send the upper deck for Panther games I said front row in the upper deck you got to handle head looking up there. Because I sit in the upper deck for Panther games. I sit front row in the upper deck.

You gotta handle your business up there. You gotta get them in line. I look around, when that happens, they know better. If I worked for the Panthers, I would literally be having a team meeting with all the ticket vendors around. Like, when someone walks by you, you tell every person that walks in this door,

don't yell nothing. I think you tell the ushers, you see one of these, they gotta go. Every person that walks by you, don't say nothing. Maybe a sign. Isn't that how you stop it? You kick people out, that's gonna stop. Don't make me do I think you tell the Oscars you see one of these they got to go every person that walks by you Don't say no, maybe a stop it. You kick people out. That's gonna stop me do a PSA before Don't make Goldie go up there and embarrass himself and like just so you know we traded away Spencer Knight We got Seth Jones you scored a goal the other day That's actually what they should do those little like intermission like Goldie little updates just be like hey by the way guys So don't yell night. Yeah, you like that Seth Jones assist well

We have Seth Jones because we traded away Spencer Knight who you insist on invoking his name during the national anthem despite no real contributions to this franchise over the last few years. I'd rather them yell Jones instead of Knight. Or Seth instead of, like that would at least make, I would be like, alright, we're smart fan base. But I also love the anthem

and I don't wanna disrespect the anthem because you don't wanna say, you don't wanna say Jones when Knight night is a lyric which bothers you more Yelling of night during the national anthem or the USA chants at the end of the game. They're coded