The Dan Le Batard Show with Stugotz - Hour 2: Kyle Is Always Watching...

Episode Date: February 7, 2024

From Radio Row in Las Vegas, Jess and Stu welcome NFL writer Kalyn Kahler of The Athletic to discuss the continuous cycle of Bears futility, Kliff Kingsbury’s hiring in Washington as OC, Billy’s pitch of a sports gossip podcast, Kyle Shanahan's surveillance state, and much more. Then, Stu and Billy yuk it up with Fantasy Football writer Matthew Berry on a variety of topics from being a DraftKings ambassador to being in Jay-Z’s entourage at a Super Bowl party once (a story told in a very reluctant, totally not name-droppy way). In a 2nd segment, Matthew is also sincerely puzzled as to why the Niners are favored in The Big Game -- and shares some game-specific bets that he likes. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

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The Dan LeBatard Show with Stugots is presented by DeGiorno. It's not delivery, it's DeGiorno. for details. an official sports betting partner at the NFL. Download the Draft King Sportsbook app today and use code Dan for a special offer when you sign up. That's code Dan only at Draft King Sportsbook. I feel pretty important right now because Stu got to put me in the driver's seat for this interview. Because we're talking to a former colleague of mine, Kailin Kaler, currently at the athletic. But we're also talking a lot about the Bears.

I feel like we never talk about the Bears. Well, why would we? Exactly. That's why we brought on someone who's an expert in all things Chicago. Yeah. We're in Chicago, right? I've lived in Chicago now for five years and proud of it. And your thoughts on the bears, where they are now versus five years ago, same exact place? Yeah, basically. Yeah. It's been just the cycle of fire the coach, get a quarterback, fire the GM, get another quarterback, get another coach, get another GM.

Nothing's ever on the same page. And actually this year, it does appear that, you know, they kept the GM, they kept the coaching staff much too. Some of them, though. Some of them. They got rid of some, yeah. They got rid of the offensive staff, which was good. I think that was needed.

Although I would have just, personally, I would have gotten rid of the offensive staff, which was good. I think that was needed. Personally, I would have gotten rid of the entire staff and then just clean start over, keep Ryan polls, but start over with the coach, bring the coach in the quarterback at the same time. And I think now the biggest thing that is really interesting is Caleb Williams. The rumors are swirling. The rumor mill. It's going. Tell us where we are at this point, because we're on radio row, guys. There's a whole world outside happening that I feel like we're just not even really- I'm not addressing it at all, to be honest.

But Cliff Kingsbury was hired to join the commander. Yes. And by the way, so- Over Eric B. Enemy, you got fired. Yeah. Cliff interviewed in Chicago, which we know for that offensive coordinator job. I thought it was really interesting that they didn't hire him. I thought for sure, if they're

going Caleb, they got to hire Cliff because the two of them had a good relationship going back to USC. And I was asking around at the senior bowl, you know, what does this mean? And there was just some, you know, chatting about like, well, maybe we saw Cliff pulled himself out of the Raiders offensive coordinator position. He thought we all thought he was getting that it was reported that he was getting it. He didn't have the contract. He didn't sign the contract. And then he removed himself and now he is the commander's offensive coordinator.

So before that happened at the senior bowl, people were chatting and they were like, they're like, what if he did the same thing in Chicago? We just don't know because maybe he knows something that we don't know about Caleb in Chicago. And now he's with the commanders who are the next team that needs a quarterback. It just dawned on me, sorry Billy, that Kingsbury is all about relationships with quarterbacks. He's like a salesman. He's a coach. Caleb Williams.

Caleb Williams. I'm this guy's guy. He befriends quarterbacks. He's a good guy to be. Yeah. I have an idea. I want to pitch to you guys Keep a friend's quarterbacks. Anyway, so I'm going to be. I have an idea I want to pitch to you guys that I was thinking as you were walking us through all of the drama. And it's not that crazy.

It's just presented in a different way. Sports gossip. So it's just a podcast where we're just gossiping about sports, which is really just sports radio anyways. But we're presenting it as sports gossip. You're packaging it differently. Exactly, right.

Especially this week because there's been a lot of sports gossip regarding the commanders and Ben Johnson and- Oh my gosh, that was a mess. That whole saga, should we like- An absolute mess. Should we present them? I'm already thinking of blind items that we can do on sports gossip. Like I'm already like- Let's give us the blind items on- I'm all in on this. But the key to gossip is making shit up, right?

Ben Johnson. Ben Johnson. Kailin, even though it's like, I mean it's been reported, but the key to gossip is making Even though it's like I mean it's been reported. Yeah, a lot of it is the blind item the blind item on Ben Johnson is that you know Well, you can't say his name. It's a blind One mad scientist NFL coordinator removed himself from NFL coordinator removed himself from consideration when his future employer was on the plane to come give him the job. Juicy, juicy gossip. Hot gauze. The thing about Ben Johnson that I do want to talk about is why can't we all just admit that not everyone wants to be a head coach and maybe not everyone is ready to be a head coach. And I think like what he's doing,

it's interesting that it's turned into this whole like he said, she said with the commanders and his camp. Yeah. And it's just like, why can't I guess as his agent, you don't want him to say, I don't want to be a head coach right now because you don't want to like eliminate people being interested in him later. But it's like, why is it bad to just admit,

I'm not ready right now. I would like to just stay here and keep doing what I'm doing. Or it's like, why is it bad to just admit I'm not ready right now? I would like to just stay here. Or just not for me, right? Yeah. Or I just don't want a coach in Washington for the commanders because do they have their shit together? But I thought part of that story was Ben knew he wasn't getting the job, therefore removed his name from consideration. I don't know. At the athletic, our commander commander's reporter, Ben Standig, and Dan Rossini, collabed on a story that came out yesterday. It seemed like from their reporting that they did want Ben or Mike McDonald. They were between the two.

And Dan Quinn was essentially the third choice who ended up with the job. They were on their way, and I think they had said in the story that they were basically flying there. It was like a formality. They were gonna give him the job. I love it too. It's so cute. He said she said... Have you ever been on your way, or like has someone ever been on their way to interview you and you were like, hey, buddy, actually I'm stickin' around? Yeah, all the time. I'm Medicaid.

Forget about job interviews, right? Radio interviews. We reschedule constantly. Right. So I'm on my way to radio, where you're like, actually, you got to, it's going to be tomorrow. I almost did it to you today. Why did Kyle Shanahan decide to start spying on his coaches? He's crazy.

Yeah, so I have a story coming out tomorrow about, I forget our exact headline, but it's something about, like, the Shanahan surveillance state, because his dad, Mike, started this in Denver as an assistant coach, or as the head coach in Denver. He had cameras put in all of his position coaches, meeting rooms, capturing the meetings live and streaming them back to his office. So it was like, he was like in a CCTV like security camera office. So like in a production room. Yes, basically. And he could listen in on any of the office. So he's in a production room. Yes, basically.

And he could listen in on any of the meetings he wanted to listen to because he can't be in all these places at once. And he thought it was really valuable to make sure his coaches had consistent messaging across the board. By spying on them. Yeah. Yes. So it started there.

I'm not going to lie. I wouldn't like that. Well, I mean, it's creepy. Yeah. Yeah. Does anyone, I mean, were creepy. Yeah, it's yeah. Does anyone I mean were there any objections to it? So there were some on background objections to it. Nothing that I could include as a on the record. Perfect. This is good for a show. You don't have to say it. Exactly right. When you start having sources this podcast is ruined.

Right. But that's the interesting part about it. It's like everyone who wanted to talk for the story, or who was comfortable talking for the story, was like, this is great. It's made me better coach. It's made me better player. Or they describe how weird it is, but they think it's just a good thing.

Yeah. They think it's making the team better, and the communication better across the board. And they have a lot of respect for Kyle Shanahan. But the people who disagreed were not willing to, because they're afraid, because the Shanahan tree is like unstoppable. Yeah. So, how about you trust your ability to hire the right people, just let them do their jobs, right? Because also, if you're working for someone and like you're also a leader of a group of people, you know, farther down on, on like the staff, like you're working for someone and you're also a leader of a group of people farther down

on the staff, you want to be able to sometimes talk shit about your boss. That's an important part of being in a company is like saying stuff that you're not allowed to hear, not that you're on different pages. I've never done it at this job. But when I worked at Ford's Illustrated, I was like, oh my god.

Of course. So necessary. I mean, why would we not talk shit about our bosses? I will say. Do you think leperture is spying the fourth hill straight, I was like, Oh my God, so necessary. I will say. Do you think Leopardtart's spying on us? Yeah, I do. I mean, there's not a room in the studio that doesn't have a camera. Kitchen has a camera where the couch is on. Oh, there you go. I mean, you guys are living in the Shanahan surveillance studio.

Are there, are there, are there like coaching sessions, like game tape sessions where he's like, guys, like I don't like the way you're doing this Really? I was joking. No, I have like several anecdotes of Mike do I have a bunch of good anecdotes about Mike doing that in Washington In Denver and actually Kyle Shanahan tells one all the time where he was installing The revamped offense for Robert Griffin the third in Washington. It was like 2012 The him and Mike had been arguing about the zone raid offense. They had like one point of contention of shotgun or pistol, essentially. He goes into Mike's office after his first install. He thought it went really well. Mike had been watching the whole thing. He thought it went well. And he says that Mike told

him it was the worst install he'd ever seen. And so he had that feedback because he'd been watching it live. And there are stories of like Mike going into rooms while meetings are happening and being like, no, no, no, you're not doing this right. And I was talking to some of the quarterbacks yesterday. While they're happening, he'd interrupt, he'd go in. Yes. And Brandon Allen, the Niners third string quarterback said that they refer to, they have a screen in their room because now everything's on Zoom. So the camera is still recording, but the coaches, if they want to, they can mute it

because it's on Zoom. But he said they refer to the screen in their meeting room as the voice of God because every once in a while Kyle's voice will just come in and not his face just his voice intentionally He'll just like interject. Yes, and I'll be like no no no Can we do this or like can you guys go back to that because he's listening while he's like multitasking? Yeah That's insane. Yeah. It's insane. Yes. No, it's like how are you? There's someone who hasn't won a Super Bowl yet. I know, right? You win the two or three. Yeah.

Pull it down. Pull it down. You can't just win one. You have to win multiple Super Bowls. He seems a bit distracted to me. Right. Trust your staff. Maybe do a little bit less.

And I will say, I'm with you. When Mike started it, back in the day, they didn't have Zoom, obviously. They had a light switch on the wall where you could turn it off or on, and it would control the audio Output what inside the room so if you did want to engage in a little you know gossip You could do that and actually Mike told his coaches like I don't want you to feel like you can't say things that

I'm gonna hear you know, so if you do it Like I want to know what you're saying about football. If you want to talk about other stuff, just turn it off. But then the Niners offensive line coach right now, Chris Forster, he was on the, uh, Shaney Hens staff, Mike Shaney Hens staff in Washington. He said if he forgot to turn his thing back on after he turned it off, Mike's assistant would come by and be like, Hey, uh, you got to turn your audio back on. Oh my gosh. Wait, wasn't that the Dolphins coach?

I think so. Yeah, it was. Yeah, it was. Yeah. Who was watching from a starting point? You know, he had, yeah. He had his demons. He's rebounded.

Exactly right. He's in a good place to help cross. A comeback story. But imagine Kyle saw that. Well, I do wonder what you have. You've written up an interesting point now about the surveillance. Right. Clearly they didn't have that in Miami.

No, it seems as though they did. When that occurred. But if I'm a coach and I know that that stuff is happening, I know Kyle's watching me at all times, I start having fun with it. Would you? Oh, yeah. Like being like talking to him, like, hey, Kyle,

what are you eating for lunch today? Yeah. Or just, you know, mother bleeping him. Yeah, right. Just to see how far you can play. It would be crazy if someone got me a glass of water right now. Just be passive aggressive, like asking people to do that. I sure wish someone was listening and watching. How far you could be crazy if someone got me a glass of water right? I sure wish someone was listening watching so we were talking about this this is unrelated

So in the beanie babies movie that I told you watch on the plane There's an apple plus beanie babies movie. Oh, right soon as what is it like animated? No, no, no It's about the baby. Yeah, okay. Oh Go like Chicago suburbs are like the oh of Beanie Baby. Oh my God. That's so many. Well done. So in this movie, spoiler alert. Chicago land, famously known for being the baby. It really is.

Yeah, it was like a point in the movie. They kind of created the Beanie Baby craze. Yes, I literally know that. It was a bunch of like wives. Wow. Yeah. So anyways, so the guy, Ty, whatever his name was, the head of the Beanie Babies. Kind of a weirdo.

Well, yes. But you'll the head of like the Beanie Babies. Kind of a weirdo. He, well, yes. But you'll find out to like different extents. But he had like in his executive's office, who he's also like dating and like in a relationship with, like microphones that they found out. And then they found it like, what the F? Right? So then they start talking. And then like one of her friends is in the thing.

She's like, oh yeah, you always wanted to play the guitar. And she like looked at her and she's just like, and then the next day or like a couple of days later, there's like a brand new guitar there. And she's like, wow, we're just so in sync. Oh, my God. So that's what they should be doing with Kyle. Oh my God. What would your relationship with Abby be like if she listened to all of your private

conversations? She'd be divorced. She'd probably, she'd probably be bored. It's like this again, God. This guy won't stop talking about rings and eaters. Yeah, divorce. Thanks, Katelyn. Yeah, of course. Quality sleep can help boost your reaction time, recovery time, and performance. That's why the Sleep Number Smart Bed is designed for your one-of-a-kind, ever-evolving sleep needs.

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Wow, Billy looks tired. My voice is shot. Matthew Berry is here. This is the time where you need to dig deep, Matthew. Okay. Dig deep, ready to row. You got to give 110% because people are tired. You're exhausted already. So I feel like what you're telling me here, Stu Gotts, is that you and Billy are going to phone this in. So I've got to carry the interview. Yes. Yes. Yes. I mean, listen, you're part of the family now.

Yeah, exactly. That's true. Welcome to the DraftKings family, my friend. The crown is yours. The crown is ours. Big time for DraftKings, huh? You and LeBron. Me and LeBron. Yeah. I don't think those press releases went out of that order. But yeah. No, listen, you know, DraftKings came on board with NBC earlier in the year. And so I was, I, you know, I would, I did all the DraftKings segments on football night in America. DraftKings came on board with NBC earlier in the year. And so I did all the DraftKings segments on Football Night in America. DraftKings is also a sponsor of Fantasy Football Happy Hour and Fantasy Football Pre-Game on Peacock and NFL and NBC YouTube channel, wherever you get your podcasts, etc., etc.

But then also, I have an individual deal with DraftKings. I'm an ambassador for DraftKings. And they also are a sponsor of my Fantasy Life newsletter and you know the Fantasy Life media company, our podcast network, everything like that. So I am a big DraftKings guy. Love me the DK. Love me the DK. The crown is indeed yours, my friends. As an ambassador, what do you do? Do you like speak to foreign nations about DraftKings? Yeah, exactly. I have a sash. I have a sash and a crown and I go and, you know, they send me like, like when it's a really bad, when it's a big country, like they send LeBron or whatever. But

like it's like, when they're like, right, exactly. When they're like, you know what, there's, there's a crappy town in Luxembourg. Can you just go, Barry? And like, you know, you know, give a thing of flowers to the mayor or whatever, you know, like that kind of stuff. Like I do those kind of things. A bunch of, you know, I do, I do overseas, you know, grocery store openings, like a lot of ribbon cutting, that kind of thing. Yeah. It's a thankless job. It's really, it's really, it's really, it's really, it's really, it's really, it's really something to do with. You know, it just dawned on me. I never asked you because I'm always focused on what quarterbacks should I take in the seventh round when it rains on to you.

Do you gamble? Yes. Thank you for not watching my Draft King. What about me being a Draft King's ambassador to do this? Do I get it? You understand that the entirety of what I do on Football Night America is literally betting segments. I meant more in terms of like, because we're in Las Vegas,

obviously, I meant more like Blackjack, Roulette, Crap's Table. Like, will you sit down at a table and just table for three hours, thank you. I have in the past, I haven't yet this trip, but yeah, Blackjack for sure. Yes. You know, I've occasionally played Craps. Those are my two games would be Blackjack and Craps, but I tend not to, I just have it, honestly. Like, I enjoy betting on sports a lot.

And there's, you know, here in Vegas, especially because there's between doing my own show, doing other shows, there's meetings, there's business, and there's some networking and parties. My wife comes in on Thursday. So just to find a three-hour chunk where you're just sitting at a table. What percentage of this week do you enjoy?

Not to say you don't enjoy the other stuff, but how much can you actually sit back and like take it in? Billy, I have five kids. I enjoy every minute of it. You have five children. Yeah, the wife is coming here. Yeah. She wants to get away too. She's like, oh, you're leaving me with all of them? Screw you. I'm coming out there too. Three of our kids are out of the house 25, 23 and 18. He's a freshman at Alabama, Roll Tide, but we do have twin daughters that are 12. And so, no, I mean, listen, it's, it's work, but it's fun work. Like, I mean, what we do for a living is technically work. But I mean, like it's not, you know, it's, it's, it's not laying bricks or whatever. I'll do no disrespect. No disrespect. You're very careful to choose

a profession. Thank'll do no disrespect. No disrespect. You were very careful to choose a profession. We thank you for your service, Brooklayners. Yeah, that's a percent. But the idea is just, right, no, but right? Like, I mean, it's just like it's not, it's, you know, we're very blessed to be able to do what we do. And so while, do I wish my show wasn't live at 9 AM, you know, Monday through Friday on Peacock?

Yes, you know, because getting up at 7, you know after night in Vegas is sure not the easiest thing in the world But but yeah, no, it's I enjoy the majority of the week It's a lot it is a lot of like trying to get here and trying to get here and and you know a lot of demands on your time And you come down a radio row and stew guts and I'm sure this happens to you guys as well You know, you got a bunch of people. Hey, can you come on this show this podcast? Can you do this and you always want to say yes and try to be helpful. But also it's, there's only so many hours of the day. How was it for you? I know you have the twin girls at home still,

but with the last boy leaving, going to college, like how was that for you specifically? It was weird. I'm going to miss him. Yeah. Especially because so that kid, Connor, my son, Connor, is an unbelievable athlete. And so he, and I've written about him before, but basically he was the town, I live in a town called Cheshire, Connecticut, and the football team finished fourth in the state. And the lacrosse team played and the lacrosse

team is even better because, you know, because you start football later. But Connor played lacrosse since he was in third grade, I think. And it's the same group of kids. And so my wife and I, we've seen the same group of kids since they were in third grade all the way to last year. And last year, they ended up winning the state title in Connecticut. That's a big deal there, man. Connecticut is a lacrosse state. deal there Matthew. The team had, I mean Connecticut is a cross state. And so Cheshire was, they had 10 kids that were first team all state, including my son. My son made first team all state. They had, they were named team of the year, they were named coach of the year. They were ranked fifth in the nation among public schools. There's a lot of private schools

where they recruit kids from all over, but among public high schools, they were fifth in the entire country according to USA Today. They had two kids that were high school Americans, including one kid that was raided by Max Preps as the number one lacrosse recruit in the country. And it was a really a magical kind of ride because it was all these kids that we've seen grown up. Like again, in Connecticut, there's all these private schools and they recruit, you know and like oh your defensements from Rhode Island You know that kind of stuff like these were all just city kids in a town of about 30,000 that stay together all the way Together and it's just like they they just all got better and played you know played with each other

And so and of course my wife and I we got to know all the parents the parents are all very close again Because we've all been watching games and practices, you know, for the last decade or so. And so, so that's a long way of answering your thing. It was very sad to me because not only is the son out of the house, but like that's a part of our life that is, there was a big part of our life going to all the games and practices and all the parents and, you know, all of his friends were the kids on the team. And like, it's just, you know, it's a, you know, sad chapter that's closing. No, a wonderful chapter. But you know what all of his friends were the kids on the team. And like, it's just, you know, it's a, you know, sad chapter that's closing. No, a wonderful chapter, but you know what I mean? I feel it because I coached my daughter.

I coached her team. She's at Northwestern playing lacrosse. And when she left and went to school and all the friends went to college, it left a big void in my life. It really did. So I understand I can relate to that. Yeah. Yeah.

Uh, so your wife's coming to Vegas on Thursday. Yes, sir. Are you guys going to the game? We are going to the game. Yeah. Nice. So that's it to Vegas on Thursday. Yes, sir. Are you guys going to the game? We are going to the game, yeah. Nice. So that's it.

You. It's been a tradition for us, because the football season is so long. And so she doesn't see me. So it's always been sort of a tradition where we get a babysitter. She flies out towards the end of the week. We leave the kids at home. We get to dress up.

We'll go to some parties. We go to the game and get to kind of celebrate the end of the year. You're invited to different parties, I think, than me and Billy are invited to. Most definitely. Is that fair to say? You have access to the rest. Although.

You want to bring us? Yeah, well, I'm going to the, are you guys not invited to the DraftKings party Saturday night? We are invited to the DraftKings parties. I mean, hopefully in a different section than me, but I assume you'll be in the building. Yeah, but here's the thing for me. There'll be the LeBron in a different section than me, but I assume you'll be the building. Yeah. No, but here's the thing for me. There'll be the LeBron and Kevin Hart section. Yes. Right. And then, you know, and then Dan will have a section and maybe I'm in a corner of Dan's section. And I think then it goes further down. You have LeBord staying for the Saturday night draft Kings party. I assume like a cardboard stand in.

Are we invited? I wasn't. So really? I know a guy. I know a guy. I can't. Honestly, I think if you just walk in, Billy, with this, it'll be fine. It'll be fine. Like, just say this is my invite.

And just there you go. What's the best Super Bowl party you've ever been to? Oh, I actually have an answer for this. And it's amazing how you do this. This is amazing how you do this, do gods. Because how many times have I been on your show or been interviewed by you, whether it's on LeBatard or, you know, stupidity or whatever, any of the various shows? Yes. And I don't know, whatever that like, I said, yes, seven, eight,

nine, I don't know what it is. But Billy, this is amazing. One way or the other, somehow Stu Godson, I don't think he even intend to it. He falls into a Jay-Z story. Yeah. He always just wants to So and by the way, he was so great on the Grammys the other night like, you know, he's such a goat and So it's flava flava by the way, but the it's our guy So and I apologize apologize to draft Kings of a draft Kings guy, but like a couple years ago in Miami was fanatics had a party right and So it's it's always a day party during the Saturday during the day DraftKings, I'm a DraftKings guy, but like a couple of years ago in Miami was, Fanatics had a party. Right.

And so it's always a day party during the Saturday during the day. Okay. So then, so we go in and like, you know, we go into the, we're happy to be at the party, but there's like a super secret, you know, crazy celebrity section there, right? And anyway, so as, as I'm there, I'm there with my wife and my kids. So my, my, two of my adult kids, and we're there. And all of a sudden Jay walks in and he walks in with two of the guys that are in the league with him that I know, you know, Mike Kaiser and Juan Perez. And so I'm like, Hey guys, you know, I wave at them and they all wave

at me. And of course, everyone immediately surrounds Jay like paparazzi and everything like that. But you know, that doesn't happen with Jay and Juan. I'm sorry with the one and Mike. And so like I look over and I'm like, Hey, and so, uh, guys, everyone calls my Kaiser guys, guys and one are like, you know, they give me kind of the knowledge. Come on. So like, you know, and I point to like my wife and like, you know, they give me kind of the nod like, come on. So, like, you know, and I point to them like my wife and kids and you know, they're like, yeah. And so we get to, we get to walk into like the super secret, you know, closed off VIP because we're, we're quote, part of Jay-Z's entourage, you know, kind of thing. And no one's questioning us. And so we just sort of walk in with this group.

And, and it's unbelievable. And so it's like it's in this small little section, it's like, oh, no, Beckham Jr. and Jeffrey Lurie and Kevin Hart and Meek Mill and OBJ and the chain smokers and Mark Cuban and me. Yeah, you bury. How did I get here? And obviously in Jay-Z, I mean, you know, and so, and they just never, they never kicked us out, you know what I mean? Like, at one point they gave me a look, like, and, you know, and I just, I pointed at Jay, and Jay gave him a like, you know, it's fine.

Let him be here. Jay gave me the, you know, the, you know, the King wave and anyway, so that was just like an unbelievable And especially for my kids for them to like, you know, my kids were like, I got a picture with Meek Mill. Like, they were so thrilled to like, you know, and Kevin Hart and like they were like, you know, super psyched and it was, and everyone just assumed we were supposed to be there. Right. I mean, let no one question like, I'm sorry. This is an A-list celebrity and you're like... We're the berries. Right. Aren't you like a low-rated basic cable personality?

Should you... You're friends with Jay-Z. You don't have to explain yourself to anyone. I know. So anyway, again, Jay is incredibly gracious as is, you know, as is Kai's and Juan. They're awesome human beings. And so that was, that's the best Super Bowl party I've ever been to just because just being able to experience

that but also see my kids experience that like they never like, you know, the last part of day where I was like a high school kegger. Yeah. You know, it's a good way to ruin your kids childhood and be like, yeah, none of the parties you're going to go to in high school. You shouldn't be at is going to be as good as this one. So just come out with mom and dad. We'll take care of you. It'll be fine. Yeah.

There you go. And once again, like, you know, I was hoping to avoid a Jay-Z story. Sorry, man. I feel like it's so name-droppy, but you know. You think I knew that when I asked the best Super Bowl party you ever went to? Yeah, you were hoping for it. I had an idea. I feel like you were fishing for it.

I kind of feel like you did. The Dan LeBertard Show with Stugots is presented by 1800flowers.com. DraftKings official flowers for Valentine's. We're presented by DraftKings Sportsbook and official sports betting partner of the NFL. Download the DraftKings Sportsbook app today and use code DAN for a special offer when you sign up. That's code DAN only at Drap King Sportsbook. Have your kids ever wanted to come along to the Super Bowl and you're like, this is mommy and daddy's time, like you will not be coming?

Oh, for sure. And in fact, my 12 year old daughters who of course are both huge Swifties, you know, as soon as the Chiefs won, they're like, Dad, Dad. And I'm like, you know, we wouldn't be sitting anywhere near her, right? You know, like you'll actually see her more on TV than you would actually at the. Until Jay-Z sees you and then you're in the street with her. And then you'll tell us that story. Anyway, but yes, the, the, the, my daughter's definitely one. And I have been able to over the years, thanks to the graciousness of various employers, been able to take my kids,

all my adult kids have been to Super Bowl. So very blessed and lucky there. Of that group of boys you talked about the La Crosse team, how many of those kids are hitting you up for fantasy advice all the time? Not that many because not every once in a while a couple of little slide into my DMs on Instagram. But for the most part, Connor, my kid is just like, don't, don't. You know, he's like, and Connor Connor was one of not only was I mean he was one of the captains of the team like he was going to the leaders of the team in addition to being one of their better players and so yeah they all listen to him they're all scared of Connor Connor was a defensive midi like a he's basically a football player with a lacrosse stick but

he's not like is he playing college he's not and I'm so annoyed about it but he got d1 offers and he just didn't want to he wanted he like, I want to go south. I want to be summer warm with a big football program and unfortunately, a southern school with a big football program doesn't have off the list. Men's lacrosse. Men's lacrosse. I was going to say University of Florida has women's lacrosse but you're right. Right. I mean like so it's like, he's at Alabama but he looked at So it's like he's at Alabama, but he looked at Bama, Kentucky, Missouri, Louisville, LSU, like all the, you know, South Carolina, Clemson, like he looked at all Southern schools with big time football programs.

This is his first season. His freshman, yeah. Yeah. And Saban bounced immediately. Not great. It might be Connor's fault. I don't know. Yeah.

Go to Georgia. Right. What are you going to do? Who are you taking in the game? Like, who do you like? When you place your bets at DraftGames Sportsbook, what are you putting down? Chiefs plus two and Chiefs Moneyline. I mean, I like the, there's some props I like. I like the over on Pacheco rushing yards. It's last I looked it was 65 and a half. I like the over on Pacheco rushing attempts at 16 and a half as well. There's some fun ones as well.

Like Elijah Mitchell to get over 1.5 carries rushing attempts with some small ones there. But I don't understand why the Niners are favored. I don't get that. I don't know. I don't get it either. We just saw the Chiefs go in the Baltimore and beat the Ravens. We saw the Chiefs go in the Buffalo and beat Josh Allen and the Bills.

And yes, why are they not favored yet on a neutral field against Brock Purdy. Thank you I made that I made that literally that exact right like this defense right and oh by the way They also shut down the dolphins and yes It was crazy cold But the chiefs were able to move the ball in that weather so it's like like they shut down a top ten offense in the dolphins And then they go on the road to beat Allen and Lamar Jackson Meanwhile Brock Purdy barely got by Jordan Love and Jared Goff at home. And all due respect to Goff and Love, we like both those guys.

They ain't Lamar Jackson and Josh Allen at this part of their career. And so, and then you're just the basic part of my homes versus Brock Purdy, right? Seems silly. And then the one Achilles heel of the Niners defense, obviously, is the run defense, right? We saw Aaron Jones have a huge game against them. We saw the Detroit running backs have a huge game against them. So I think you're going to see a lot of Pacheco. He's got some massive carry. That's why I like the over on the rushing attempts and the rushing yards. And then the last thing here is, by the way, and I think this is underrated, but in the playoffs with Patrick Wilms' quarterback off of a buy, Andy the way, and I think this is underrated, but in the playoffs with Patrick

Holmes' quarterback off of a buy, Andy Reed is six and one. When you've given Andy Reed more than one week to prepare for a team in the playoffs with Mahomes, he's got one loss and that was to Tom Brady and the Super Bowl. The key is with Mahomes because six years ago Andy Reed was the coach who couldn't win the big game. It's funny how that works, right? But you're right. It's a good point. But I mean, I'm just like, you know, and again, all due respect to Brock Purdy, he ain't Tom Brady. And so I just, like it's a football game,

anything can happen. But I honestly feel like it should have been, should be Chiefs Lyons in this football game. Yeah. Yeah. I think a lot of people wish it was Chiefs Lyons, because Lyons became America's team. They were so fun.

Quickly on the way out, two quick things. The fantasy guy that you thought was going to be great this year that turned out to be a disaster. Damian Pierce. He was getting massive workload in the beginning. I drafted him. I was right about the fact that the Texans would be better than people thought. I didn't think they'd do what they did. But I was like, this is going to be a competitive team. What does Dmiko R's want to do? He wants to run the ball, play good defense. And who knew CJ Stroud was going to be CJ Stroud? But I'm like, he wants to be a one running back guy. And I was right about that. The problem is the running back was Devin Singletary. And so Pierce was

just a bad fit for what Sloak wanted to do on offense. And just so that was the guy that I liked a lot in the preseason and didn't work out. Do you have any, can you arm Billy with anything about, Chris Sims and Billy have this wonderful blossoming relationship, it's a love hate relationship. Is there anything we can use against Chris Sims? Like can you hand Billy some material he can use against Chris Sims?

Is he a diva, is he hard to work with, anything? He's awesome to work with. I actually really like the guy. He lives on a farm, if want to give him crap about that. He doesn't have a gate. He told us about it. Okay. Chris tells us about his house and he tells us how he's neighbors with Adam Silver. And he talks about like how great this neighborhood is and basically like how well off everyone is. But then paints it as like, I'm just, I'm really struggling. I'm the smallest house

on this. I only have like eight acres. It's like Chris. Come on, man. Right. Like what are you doing? Yeah. Exactly. There's a little bit of that. I mean, like, listen, just, I'm really struggling. I'm the smallest house on this. I only have like eight acres. It's like Chris. Come on, man. Like what are you doing? Yeah, exactly. There's a little bit of that. I mean, like, listen, does, does he pull up to NBC Sports in Stanford, Connecticut and at Tesla? Yes, he does, you know? So, of course, Sims, he's doing just fine. Um, He's got a weird sweating habit. We noticed the other day sweats through his shirt. What is going on here? In a strange fashion. You know, it's interesting is, so his podcast is called Chris Sims Unbutton.

Yes. And so I remember asking him, because if you ever noticed, other than on Football Night in America, we were sort of tied, but he's always like, he's always got the top button. Yeah, but yes. Right? That's sort of his look.

And so I said, I said, oh, that's so clever, because you're always, I said, it's the unbutton because, like, you know, you finally get to unbutton the top button. He didn't get it. He goes, no, no, I just thought it was a good name. And I'm like, it has nothing to do. It's not based on like your look. And he goes, no, no, no, it's just, you know, and I'm like, but shouldn't it be? Like, shouldn't you lean into that?

Like, cause it all adds up. Yeah. Curses like a sailor to that much. Curses a lot, right? That much he does. I will say that if you want to, if you want to give him crap. And listen, he's been a greator to that much he does I will say that if you want to if you want to give him crap And listen, he's been a great teammate to me like moment one He welcomed me in and like we used to do our segments together in year one on football night

He's been awesome to me So I love Sims, but I will tell you he did ruin cursing because like like what a first week I'm there. I'm on unbuttoned his podcast and he's person like a sailor. I'm like, awesome. Yep. Things are fun on peacock. Yeah. Like we even need to call it peacock. Can we shorten it? Yeah. Like, you know, right? Oh, he would. Right. Yeah. And so, um, so then like my first show on, you know, first, second show on peacock, like I dropped an F bomb and they were like, Hey, um, you know, can we not? And I like, but Sims, like, yeah, you know, because Sims doesn't so I like, but Sims, like, yeah, you know,

because Sims doesn't so much, we kind of don't want to. Wow, he has his own rules. Incredible. The Sims rules. The George rules and the Sims rules. Incredible. 1,000%. Amazing.

What are you doing with NBC? Promote it. Promote all of it, Matthew. Go ahead. Fantasy Football Happy Hour. We're here live all week at the Zuboil on Radio Row. We're live at noon Eastern on Peacock And then you know available on demand on Peacock and the NFL NBC YouTube channel And of course wherever you get your podcasts and then of course

My my 2024 way way way too early top 50 rankings nice are available right now on road a little calm Of course for free and sign up for my newsletter at fantasy life calm You're sending out we're sending out bets all the time and you know, it's good stuff. It's free, 100% free. Never too early for me, my friend. You're always great to us. We appreciate it. You always have great stories.

You carried the segment. You did my job for me. Thank you. I knew I had to. You warned me at the beginning, Billy. You can go to sleep now. Yeah. Thank you, Matthew.

We won't see you at the draft Kings party. We're not invited yet. All right. I'm going to call somebody. Thank you. And make sure that't see you at the draft Kings party. We're not invited yet. Yeah, all right I'm gonna call somebody That happens. Hey, don't let them in these two not alone. Yeah