The Dan Le Batard Show with Stugotz - Local Hour: Do You Smell That?

Episode Date: April 3, 2024

Today's Cast: Amin, Stugotz, Chris, Jessica, Jeremy, Mike, and Tony. Do you smell it? That smell. The kind of smelly smell. The kind of smelly smell that smells... smelly. That's right. That's the NBA Playoffs! Amin says the NBA Playoffs have arrived after last night's action including Heat-Knicks, Wembanyama-Jokic, and Joel Embiid's return, but Stugotz just wants to play a game of "if the season ended today." Then, Mike is watching baseball and hockey, Terry is Scary, and Tom Thibodeau says "fouled" over and over and over again. Plus, Pablo Torre may be a Look at me Louie, but he's here to discuss his latest PTFO with huge business news involving Suns owner Mat Ishbia, Cavs owner Dan Gilbert, Isaiah Thomas, and potential legal repercussions involving Mortgage Lending. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

You're listening to Giraffe King's Network. monthly fee, unlimited debit transactions in Canada, Avian points on debit purchases, and so, so much more. Unlock more perks for less with RBC Vantage. Conditions apply. Offer ends June 30th, 2024. New eligible clients only. Complete criteria by August 30th, 2024. Visit rbc.com slash student 100. Sasquatch here.

You know, I get a lot of attention wherever I go. Hey Sasquatch, over here. So when I need a judgment-free zone, I go to Planet Fitness. Today's episode is sponsored by DraftKings. Stay tuned because you'll hear more about DraftKings and all it has to offer throughout the show. DraftKings, the crown is yours. Stuart, do you smell that? Is that me? Mm.

Probably me. I smell it back here. Do you smell that, too? I do I do oh For I know exactly what that smells hold on I can't quite place it everyone take a sniff deep deep sniffs Augusta You know what I smell? I smell playoffs, baby!

Wow. Oh, the NBA playoffs started last night. I know the schedule doesn't say that. But boys, if you watched basketball last night, man, even the Spurs made the playoffs last night. How about that? Victor Wemba, Nyama versus Nikoli Okic. That was a great game.

There were so many great games last night. The Heat and Knicks, yes. So you're saying you're declaring that the NBA playoffs have begun. The playoffs have started. I was at Heat and Knicks and the first of all the crowd was incredible. It was, I've never seen this before. It was legit NCAA tournament style 50-50. It really was. Like I know there are usually a lot of Nick fans in the building for Heat games. This one felt obnoxious to the point where A,

we got dueling MVP chants for Brunson and for Butler. Every time they went to the free throw line, like loud MVP chants. And then B, there was a point in late in the game where the crowd was chanting, let's go, let's go, let's go. And I could not tell whether it was Knicks or Heat. It was that many people shouting at the same time.

It was incredible. And by the way, let me just say right now, this ain't your older brother's Knicks. They're good. They're good. There's a point when I'm watching, holy shit, they used to make mistakes, and you knew they were gonna do something

boneheaded down the stretch, like no, not these guys. I do like that they're staying in these games on the road against a team like the Heat, and they're without two of their best players. Sure, I mean the Heat. Like they're doing it with McBride. McBride's nice.

Whose Knicks are they though? Are they like your uncle's Knicks? These are your Knicks. Only your Knicks, because they haven't won for anybody. We're not yours, these are Leh. Whose Knicks are they though? Are they like your uncle's Knicks? These are your Knicks! Only your Knicks because they haven't won for anybody. These are Lehman's Knicks and Taylor and who else is a Nick fan around here? Pablo Torre.

He's got a lot of teams. He's sixers one day, he's Knicks the next, who knows? Really coming from you? He's often at Nets games with Jason Sudeikis. He's got his little basketball crew with Jason Sudeikis. What? Yeah. He's got his little basketball crew. He was at Albany. And he wants everyone to know about it.

Yeah, he was in Albany with Sudeikis, Ezra Edelman. Like there's a little crew there of Hoopers. I feel like we didn't, first of all, they're not Hoopers. Hoop Watchers. Hoop Watchers. I gotta see those J's. Thank you. Real Hoop Watchers, no.

Look at that, and there he is with a very self-serving selfie. Like, how do you do this? I don't do this. I don't ask people, even if I'm friends with them, I don't ask, hey man, let's take this. Like, that's the point in the night when Sudeikis regretted it the most. When Pablo's like, hey, can we do a selfie?

He's like, oh, we're doing this. You know what that is? There's probably some dude in that group of hoop watchers that didn't make it to Albany. And you take a picture, hey, let's send to so and so. And then you got your picture posted. Then you post it. To make that person jealous?

That's the move. That was probably for right home. Have you ever been in one of these selfies? Yeah, have I been? Who's the most famous person that you've taken one of these, oh, let's send this to so and so? Because I did it with Dan Patrick once. Really?

DP. Who'd you send it to? Dan Levatard. Oh, I thought you said Priya. DL. I did do that with Colin Coward at WrestleMania last year. Dan Patrick once. Really? DP? Who'd you send it to? Dan Lovatard. Oh, I thought you said Priya. DL. I did do that with Colin Coward at WrestleMania last year.

You sent a tube to Colin Coward? No, no, no. I took a picture of Colin Coward. We selfie'd it to send to Dan. Oh, okay. You guys use Dan a lot in these. Well, that's a move. And then the memories pop up.

One year ago, oh yeah, let me post that with Colin Cowher. It's all about the memories, man. Stu Gotz, have you ever pulled this move, like take a selfie with someone famous under the guise of I'm sending this to Dan? No, I just, no, I want it from me. That's the way I go about it. Like hey, I like you, let's take a selfie together.

I'm not sending it to anyone. Have we discovered the one place where Stu Gotz is actually gonna be honest and straightforward You tell them like no this is for my Just ended up being someone else so Not Aaron Rodgers For what it's worth the selfie was in response to a fan who had tweeted to Pablo saying he thought he saw Pablo in the crowd around Sudeikis and Ezra Edelman. No, I was look it was not only one way or another

It was not in response. He is had in the bag. You know what? Bless you. Okay You good. I'm back in Pablo's defense of that point I did just see Pablo during that broadcast where I was like was that Pablo that I saw I'm gonna for I had seen All the pictures. I'm gonna tell you what I saw before I saw the pictures. I saw a video, like Caitlin Clark hit a three, the replay, the show nerd running back up court. High fives. And as they pan, not just high fives,

I saw Pablo doing like the three point sign like she does and I said, there's your objective journalist, Metal Lock Media, right there. It's a big Iowa fan now, huh? All of a sudden, out of the blue. Yesterday was just market correction for him He wants us to talk about this You know he like sent the picture to slack and was like in case you guys bring up the fact that I was with Jason

Sudeikis because they put this up during PTI yesterday him and cornheiser were talking about it And I'm like, you know, he sent this to the producers. Okay, we should get Pablo on to talk about you know What I'll get on idea. I'll shoot him a text. Just this I'll ask him to come on and answer for his sins against humanity this guy Pablo Torre I'm beginning to see what you what you see in him. What do you mean what I see in him? I've never said anything bad about probably season him as a plug And the guys figuring stuff out I don't see anything. The Heat and Knicks though. I mean. Finding out. Fine. Featuring. The Heat and Knicks right. So that game last

night pulls the Heat within two games of the Knicks. Miraculously. Like this is after it looked like the Knicks might be a two seed and the Heat man will get used to the play in. All of a sudden the Heat man will get used to the play in. All of a sudden the Heat are a half game back of Indiana. They're two games back of the Knicks. They're two games back of the Magic too. It's like, wait a second. Is it too little too late or is it just enough

at just the right time? Getting healthy at the right time. Kevin Love played his first minutes in over a month last night. What you saw last night in terms of your rotation, if Tyler Hero doesn't come back, which all the players and Spoh continue to insist that he will come back and be available at some point,

obviously, I mean, when he went out, nobody expected it to be this long. But if he doesn't come back, last night is your playoff rotation. The minutes that you saw last night, Jaime Jaquez is gonna be probably that last guy in your rotation if Tyler comes back, he takes from Jaquez primarily.

But what you saw, including your closing lineup of Terry Rozier, Jimmy Butler, Bama Di Baio, and then Haywood Highsmith and Caleb Martin in there playing defense and hitting threes. Look, they've been playing really good basketball as of late, the previous two wins were over the Blazers and the Wizards, so everybody discounted them,

but now with the win over the Knicks and you get Joellen beatin' the Sixers on Thursday, it seems like they're starting to play in the right direction. Dude, all I'm sayin', Scary Terry arrived last night. Scary Terry. Mike Miso apologized. Kevin Love, Public Apology.

Kevin Love and Spoh both said after the game, like the defense, like Scary Terry is comfortable now, and he's arrived Hey, they put Jalen Brunson in the blocks in the in the blockade. What is the arcade? That's an animal log Yeah, oh man stocks. I think it's just stocks stocks, but if you ask Knicks fans He was just fouled all night and asked Tom Tibbitt. Oh wait, but you're saying he's arrived now He's coming off games in which he scored 27 points, 24 points. But defensively, defensively is what I was talking about. Mike, how do you feel about this?

If that's the Terry Roseier that you're going to get, who wouldn't like that? It's just Terry Roseier is entirely capable of going for 34 points. We're not talking about the, I don't know, I mentioned the points, we were talking about his defense. I didn't watch last night, I don't really have interest in the NBA regular season. I'll be there for the playoffs. But the playoffs already started. Yeah, but the playoffs have been going on on the ice for two months.

So you can take a break. If the playoffs have been taking for two months, you can take a break, watch the NBA playoffs, and then go back. I'm telling you, the NHL has just been so good that I'd rather watch Ducks flames than Knicks heat. Than when he versus Jokic. I'm full.

Why would I want to watch Jokic versus women? Yama the Spurs. It was incredible. It was an amazing game. OK, cool. Yeah, but the Spurs take I'm with Mike on that. But they almost won. Tell me about it. Stu, even if they had won, when you

almost had a quadruple double. Just not really feeling the sport right now. That's all. And I'm happy that the Miami Heat are winning. I'll turn it on. Come play off time. I wish Terry Rozier was what you saw last night He seemed to have a really good game that that's it. Terry Rozier is who he's always been always been

Once in the playoffs, hopefully it's against Boston that'll be great and then the next game he might go For you know seven in the first half and drive you crazy. He might end up with a four for 17 stat line. That's just who Terry Rozier is. Mike, among other things that happened in basketball since you were too busy watching little men skate around on ice. Oh yeah, no, they're not tough. Yeah, no. You know what's tough? Joel and B. You were watching little men running around in shorts. Not little men. Big men. Big men. Big dogs. Dukats here for my friends over at Simply Safe.

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Don LeBretard. Number three, Chick-fil-A waffle fries. Yeah, we can get mine. Love it. I mean. Nah, I think it's an overrated fry. You guys go ketchup or Chick-fil-A sauce when you have the Chick-fil-A fry?

Chick-fil-A. Polynesian sauce. Polynesian. That's my brother right there. Good call. You're my brother. Stugats. Oh my god.

What a weird interaction. White guys. What, what, what, what, what? Wow. This is the Don LeVatar show with the Stugats. Dole and B came back last night. Yeah, I saw, I was just looking at highlights. He's going to be back in time for that Miami Heat game. That's cool.

A new haircut. Yeah, guys, it's just, it's just a personal preference. I'm glad Terry Rozier did well. I'm glad that Heat fans are feeling themselves again. As Stugats mentioned, there were players hurt for the New York Knicks. The Miami Heat are running into some good luck. That changes with Joel Embiid now back into the lineup.

Maybe they gave him a maintenance say because he came back against the Thunder, but they're catching teams at the right time now. So we talked about Scary Terry putting Jalen Brunson in the hole, right? Prison style. There was one person who thought it was prison fouls out there. And that person was Tom Thibodeau. Take a listen to his postgame press conference. Well, you know, the thing, he's not going to play great in every game.

No player in this league does. And so the challenge is to still find a way to win, which he did a lot of good thing, I think he is pretty good when you have 20 points and 10 assists. And the game is tied with a few minutes to go. And it wasn't an A plus game for him, but he's gonna compete on every possession and that's all you could ask of anyone So miss shots shouldn't impact them you know and again he

It says ten free throws, but you know, he's getting fouled. It's really I hate to say it's it's it's that simple He's getting fouled. He getting fouled. He's getting fouled. He's getting fouled. He's getting fouled. He's getting fouled. He's getting fouled. He's getting fouled. He's getting fouled. Tibs needs to come home, I think. By the way, my kids, when they saw Tibs for the first time, they said, I swear to God,

from the mouth of one of the 10 year olds, that guy doesn't have a bald spot. He has a hair spot. I love you, Tibs. He's got the island. spot, he has a hair spot. I love you Tibbs. He's got the eye on him. He's getting fouled, it reminded me of, first of all, I sat there in that press conference, watched him answer the question which was, Jalen Brunson had a tough shooting

night and a bunch of turnovers, how do you feel? And that's why he started, well he's not gonna have a great game every night. And it was a regular answer, and then at some point where he said, Ten Fritos, you can see his eye twitch, and everything snap, and then at some point where he said ten free throws You can see his eye twitch and everything snap and then it's like he just went into like spiral mode, right? and In person it I felt like I was one having a stroke like what's happening here. Do I smell toast, right? Yeah, because his face doesn't really change in saying it. It was like cadence is exactly the same

It was like that CD skip in like we were talking about yesterday. Yes, exactly. And you smell playoffs. I smell playoffs. Were you smelling toast? So everyone else. There was an actual eye twitch.

I don't want to run it back, it's a long video. I didn't notice it. But you could see like his face like glitch on the, and then it's like, oh man, this is the point that I've been angry about for a long time and I can't hold it anymore but here's the other thing I thought listening to him say it's getting fouled it reminds me of the Borat skit where he goes to self-defense class and wants to learn about defending against a certain group of people and so what if he comes out

to you with the claw the claw the claw the claw, the claw, he's getting fouled. He's getting fouled, he's getting fouled, he's getting fouled. I was just like, Borat? Is Jalen Brunson getting fouled? I just saw someone who got locked up. Well, what Thibs is saying is he went to the line 10 times, probably should have went to the line 20 times. It doesn't matter to me.

The Knicks have been so impressive this entire year. They're gonna be a playoff team. This is as good as it gets for a Knick fan if you're my age, it really is. The fact that, I know we had Ewing, we had those teams, they were great teams, but I had no idea Jalen Brunson was gonna be able to be the best guy on a team and lead that team

into the playoffs consecutive years. So still got something to ask you as resident New Yorker. Yes. Do you ever see the tide turning on Brunson? Because New York does this right after a while. Like if you don't deliver, it's like man, this guy, he's got to win some playoffs series. Yeah. One means one one. I think his story is so unexpected that I don't think Nick fans are going to get on him if they lose in the first round this year. I really don't because no one expected this from Brunson. I feel like there's a bunch of people, there's a long line of people who get got first, who get whacked first before they get to Brunson, right?

Randall's first in line. Randall's absolutely first in line. No doubt. Tibbs is not that far behind No, I think he's done a great job. Mm-hmm Leon Rose You know, what's his name Josh Hart even though they love Josh Hart Mitchell Robinson It's like almost everybody on the roster is gonna get got first before they get to before Brunson before They have him on such a great deal and he's overplaying his deal so much that it's like how do you do anything to a guy

that you have control from a contract perspective who's giving you this album? That's what I'm saying, Tony. It's all about expectations, right? I mean. But I'm not talking about like the people in charge. I'm talking about the fans. The fans in the media.

At what point, because they turned on Patrick Ewing. Like who was literally, if you look back, it's like, this was the only good thing that happened to the Knicks for 15 years. I know, but Ewing came in with massive expectations, championship expectations. No one thought Jalen Brunson was gonna lead the Knicks to an NBA title.

There. You know? Many still don't think that, Stu. How do you know, you're watching? I'm not watching. I'll watch in the playoffs, like, I don't know. There's just options now and it's just not, they just don't care as much. How are the NHL playoffs going?

The NHL playoffs have been going on for like two months. Every night there's a banger. There's a Toronto plays Tampa today. Last night Nashville played Boston. There's just like- Just name it cities. There's- Okay. Well, like,. There's just a cities. There's Okay. Well, okay. I guess the schedule I guess you can disparage the sport that I'm presently favoring more I mean anyone that knows me over the air for 19 years. I've been primarily on the air on Miami Heat guy I love hoops. I love the Miami Heat. I'm the reason why there's this awful Twitter

Version of Miami Heat fans Mike in part, Ryan Cortez doesn't exist without me. Jeremy Tashay doesn't exist without me. You made them. I did, they're made for my image. I'm just telling you right now, I'm as bored with it as they are. Ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha Jeremy? I don't even know what to say. Well, he's right. Taking credit for me existing is a new one. Yeah, well, in terms of the on-air persona, you're very welcome.

Who's your daddy, and what does he do? I know the Knicks daddy. It's Bam at a bio. Ha ha! They think Bam is a dirty player. It's so funny. They're the only fan base in the NBA that thinks that. So Jeremy, this is the fun part, right?

I'm in a group chat with a bunch of my friends from New York who are all crazy Nick fans. And that's how this theory landed on my doorstep about a year and a half ago, where they just started saying, bam, dirty player. I'm like, what? And so they have this highlight reel of greatest hits by Bam Maddabai showing that he's secretly a dirty player. And my thing is, I think if Bam were a dirty player, the Celtics fan base would have sniffed this out a long time ago.

And would have been a much louder presence given that they played each other eight million times in the last four years, including actual meaningful games as opposed to what most of these Nick games have been. Bam with an edge? Now that sounds appealing I'm into that was a dirty play. Yes. Yes. No if there was an edge I'd be all for that be a little bit dirty. He could he could afford some of that. He was he was dominant last night, man

He was that that's great again. The Knicks are bit beat up. So I don't know how much we can read into these things But it's great that gonna be beat up It's great for them that Terry Rozier is more comfortable, especially defensively. And I think what really excites me is Heywood Highsmith probably coming online a little bit here, maybe getting himself into that rotation. I think on the perimeter,

the guy can give the Miami Heat something defensively. And if he can knock down shots in a timely fashion and look like a guy that someone's gonna overpay by about $16 million when he comes up for a contract, that's Heat Basketball. Just pull them in. I hear passion. I hear passion in his voice.

I was reeled in. Here it comes. Security Pounder. Listen, you smell playoffs. Yeah, smell it. I liken Miami Heat Basketball at this point to the election coming up in November, which is I'll dial it up when I have to.

I'm just like super fatigued with the ups and downs of the Miami Heat season and then playing just flat out unappealing basketball games. Jimmy Butler told me it was time and then he took three games off. Like it's just bring the games on. Too many superstars sitting. I don't feel like watching these bad games

against the Wizards, even though I have occasionally. It's just I have options right now. Like any discerning sports fan, I'm just picking what's a little bit more appealing to me. There are times out, this is going to shock you, that I'm favoring baseball games. No, get out of here.

Get out of here. You're lying. Right now, my least. You're gambling. I am gambling. I am gambling again. I've maybe bet seven NBA games because I'm not gonna bet on games that I don't know.

And trust me, that takes a lot for me to admit because there are times that I just fly blind. You bet on South Korean baseball during a pandemic. Yeah, but I know that. I know that. I know that. I know that. I know that.

I know that. What do you mean you know it? The dinos were my team. Like I- Dinos. No, I run in circles where people got a good hunch What do you mean you know it? The dinos were my team. Like, no, I run in circles where people got a good hunch on a game and I listen to that and I'll watch that, but when it comes to the NBA, it's just, I don't want to watch it. I don't want to watch it right now.

I'll watch during the playoffs, trust me. I will come around to it, especially if the heat are in it. Why do I have to explain myself so much? I'm just not feeling feeling that much right now. I'll be coming back. But Amin is saying he smells the playoffs. The playoffs have begun. No, it seemed like a cool atmosphere.

I'm just explaining what, I just didn't feel like doing that last night. I mean, I'm glad you smell the playoffs because coming in today, I thought I wanted to play a game, okay? Called If the Season Ended Today. Ooh. All right? Yeah, okay. called If the Season Ended Today. All right? So I'll sprinkle these in throughout the course

of the show here, but in the East, if the season indeed ended today, in the East, you would have a seven eight matchup playing game, Heat Sixers. Oh, massive. And a preview for that tomorrow night with Joel Embiid in the lineup perhaps, maybe, we don't know, but. He'll play.

He'll play? He'll play in that game. They need it. They need it, and it's not the second night of a back-to-back, so he has today to recover. Jessica, I did not watch last night because I was watching a playoff game here in Miami. How do you look?

I did because the Knicks Heat game was blacked out at my apartment that is like a two-minute drive from the Heat arena, so that's great. Even though we have league pass, couldn't watch it. Should have texted Jer-Bear for his Valley Sports login, but I figured he was busy. I mean, I would never share that. I watched the first half, and B looked good.

I mean, he looked like a little tired, a little gassed, but like he looked good. He had a huge brace on his knee, but overall I was like, okay, Not bad. He had a new haircut. Did he have the juju walk-ins, like in the commercial? You guys have not seen that commercial? I've seen the haircut where he's in the barber's chair and they try different hairstyles on him.

Different hairstyles and then juju walks in. See, I know ball, man. I know ball. You guys watch commercials. I immediately zone out. I watch commercial. If you're watching a live event, though? I watch live events.

Immediately zone out. I saw a bunch of, I think I saw that commercial during Iowa LSU. I love commercials. I you're watching a live event though? I watch live events. Immediately zone out. I saw a bunch of, I think I saw that commercial during IOLSU. I love commercials. I don't know why. I haven't watched a commercial in like seven years. Do you have a structured settlement?

Immediately zone out. You need cash now? You need cash right now? Call JG1. That's an older commercial so I've seen one. It's episode of Cash Now? Yeah, I saw. It's from Curb.

Yeah, I saw Curb last night based on your recommendation. I knocked out an episode. It's getting warmer. Dude, I'm telling you man. And I saw it like Richard Lewis did look worse in your recommendation. I knocked out an episode. It's getting warmer. Dude, I'm telling you, man. And I saw it like Richard Lewis did look worse in this episode. I'm telling you, Mike. This was the script one.

I thought the girl that was dating Funkhouser knocked it out the park. What a great episode. Yeah, she knocked it out the park. The moment where Vince Vaughn realizes that she just works at the Disney store and he turns and looks at her. So good.

Perfect. That was a perfect, that was an all-time episode. She was great. I had to look her up afterwards, because I think she's going to be in a couple things. Stu Gottz. I said that well. You're not playing the game correctly.

You're supposed to choose a winner here. Oh, heat. Heat. You're taking the heat over the Sixers. Yeah. All right. If the season ended today, 9-10, Bulls and Hawks. Ooh.

That's going to be a good-ass game. Loser goes home. Now, is Trey Young playing or not?. That's gonna be a good ass game. Loser goes home. Now is Trey Young playing or not? If the season ended today, you tell me. If the season ended today, Trey Young's not playing. That's how they play that game. But are they better though?

They are better. Without Trey Young. If there's a game on the calendar, if there's a game on the calendar tomorrow night that I absolutely must see in the NBA, let me know, and I'll give it a try. I'm giving baseball a try. And I'm liking baseball as I just attested to.

Baseball changed all the things that I was asking for them to change and I haven't done my part in giving it a fair chance. This is you holding up your end of the bargain. Yeah, I'm holding up my end of the bargain. What I found out is I need a rooting interest to really follow the sport. And see through uniforms.

And see through, well the uniforms are, we got into, the uniforms are a disaster and it's triggering. It bothers me. I have problems watching these games with mismatched grays. It's just really rough on the eyes. But the sport is flying by. The game is kind of pleasant to experience.

Some of these teams are doing really creative things with their broadcasts and I'm liking baseball. I'm glad I gave it a shot. You sound very, you know what you sound like? You sound like someone in like couples therapy. I think my relationship with this microphone is often that. Be nice if the Marlins could create a win, I mean.

Must win today? Just getting there. DQ freezer opening to bring back two of your favorite treats, delectable Rollo and legendary brownie batter. Back for its 20th anniversary, but it won't be open for long. So hurry in and get these flavors before the DQ freezer closes and keep your eyes open. You never know what may come out of the DQ freezer next. Only at DQ, happy tastes good. Don Lebatard. All these high-paid analysts,

I don't want to mention names, TNT, ESPM, you know, oh yeah, they are dead. They cannot, they're not going to make it, you know. Even if they win in, if they lose it in Miami. I need to calm you down. That's right. If they lose in Miami, they don't get a chance in Boston. Oh, they are going to have their ass, you know what, in Boston, you know.

Stugats. They were wrong. They were, are they going to lose their job? No. Are they going to get a cutting pay? No. What are they going to do? Keep predicting what is the obvious. They are going to say, oh the nuggets are going to win, oh Denver the altitude, and you know what?

The heat are going to win it all. This is the Don LeVatarar Show with the StuGards. ["The Stugarts Show Theme Song"] All right, we located him. I sent the urgent text out to Pablo Torre. Apparently, it found him in bed. He gathered himself. He splashed some water on his face. He wiped the crust out of his eyes.

Put on his glasses. Splash. Yeah, there it is. I have an issue with you before we get to Pablo Yes We're doing if this season ended today and I keep asking you about particular matchups and you're not giving me the result that I need The results so we can continue to play the game Hawks. Okay. What was the question? It was the playing game the Bulls and the Hawks the 910 you already have the Sixers went on the heat beating the Sixers Oh, I've got thank you. Okay. That's good music right that I've got the Hawks winning, the Heat beating the Sixers. I've got... Thank you.

Okay, that's good music right there. I've got the Hawks winning. Okay. At the season-ended. So Hawks, Sixers quickly, then we'll get to Pablo. Sixers. Okay, good. So the Sixers of the Eight, the Heat of the Seven.

Yes. All right, continue. I didn't know he's filling out an actual bracket here. So prepared, Stugato. Thank you. Pablo, before we even allow you to say a single word on this program, let me just do this real quick. Look at me, Louie.

I deserve that. I didn't come on here to talk about this. I feel blindsided. I am wiping crust out of my eyes. I am wearing glasses. I do feel gross. I am very tired. Didn't want to talk about this,

but I will talk about this because I guess I'm already here. So what do you want to know? So first of all, I don't believe you when you say you didn't come on here to talk about this. I have an episode I'm trying to get people to listen to. It involves a giant, giant scandal. It's really interesting. And yet I'm talking about something that I think is significantly less important, significantly, significantly less important. So you sent the picture, you sent the picture to us in advance of this

conversation. I did not send the picture to you. I put it on, I guess, a platform where millions people can see it, in fairness. So not directly for you, mostly for others. Look, I feel bad because I kind of gentrified Lucy's whole fandom here. Absolutely. I showed up, I had no prior stake in this, and I felt myself guiltily sending Lucy just updates and videos, almost cameo style, because I was at this game with, you know, with fucking Ted Lasso, yeah. It's true.

The part that i thought was most offensive if i may be blunt well ranking ranking various parts that were offensive i just don't know what were the most offensive it has to be him being an iowa fan rights and what not not to know it wasn't even that also it is related to that there's a sh a shot right

caitlin clark it's a shot they call time Caitlin Clark hits a shot, they call time out, we're going to break, and as we're going to break, they're showing the replay, and she's running back up court, and as they pan, I see the unmistakable figure, the silhouette of Pablo Torre, doing the Caitlin Clark three point celebration. Oh, you saw that. I saw that one.

Everyone's got the high five. I saw the one doing the celebration, and that serves disgusting. I was doing all sorts of celebrations.'s got the high five I saw the one yeah in the celebration and that sir is disgusting I was doing all sorts of celebrations. I was doing high five. They did three to the dome I was doing that for a while It was the look I want to say this because I want Lucy to understand how much I enjoy this on her behalf That was as much fun as I've ever had at a sporting event I truly mean that it was one of the great it was could give you, I mean you guys watched it all, everybody watched it,

the entire country watched it more than anybody's ever watched a college basketball game played by women before ever, so I think you guys have a sense of this, but every time she pulled up, I stood. And I'm not just saying that to say, wow, look at me, the biggest Caitlin Clark fan. It was just that exciting. Like I cannot stress how unbelievable the Albany I think was the MVP arena that we showed up in this like tiny place contained one of the great sporting events in basketball history truly I mean that and so yeah I was doing all sorts of stuff that compromised my journalistic integrity it's true I didn't know it means all of it but I was

doing all sorts of I was like hugging Iowa fans I was sitting next to Caitlin Clark's family you really didn't know it means all of it, but I was doing all sorts of stuff. I was like hugging Iowa fans. I was sitting next to Caitlyn Clark's family. We even raced after the game. No, no, no, no, no. It was absolutely appropriate. It's absolutely appropriate to have that many. So you showed up at the arena, how'd you show up? That's not important.

Hi. How'd you show up? On two feet. So you walked how'd you show up? on two feet So you walk the jacket on you walk all the way took a chopper I live I live in New York City you took a chop and there are only so many ways to get to Albany the train And so I got to Albany. Did you take a chopper? Absolutely, I look all I'm here to say is that the best way to get from New York City to Albany is not by train and not by car because of course it's so annoying to get to Albany. I hadn't been to Albany since the

New York State High School debate championships. You took a chopper. Which we won by the way. Dork. How long is a chopper ride? Are those headsets from the chopper that they have on right now? Look guys, I'm not here to talk about planes, trains, and automobiles. Right. Right, come on. How long is that chopper ride? Mm-hmm. I'm just out of curiosity.

If you were to take it. I mean, hypothetically, it would be like 45 minutes, door to door. Well, I do want to switch gears because you had a pretty major story drop on your famous podcast, as Sue Gotts called it, Pablo Torre Figures Out. Figures stuff out, yeah. He's finding stuff out, bettering stuff out. Drop on your famous podcast as two gods called it Pablo. Tori figures out

Sue gots did not hear the episode so I had to give them an encapsulation of a very sophisticated a very nuanced story I'm getting to it and It took me a good took me a good five minutes to explain all the details. So how can you explain this story to our audience in about 30 seconds? Okay, so I'm just gonna tell you to watch and listen to this episode. I promise it's worth it, I promise. It sounds boring because it's about mortgage lending.

I promise that this explains a lot about America and the NBA, and there's a voicemail that I will use just to dangle for your audience specifically, if you can play a voicemail that i'll use just a dangle for your audience specifically if you can play that voicemail that we have in the episode anybody hope you're doing good as well as a lot yet took those cars down or if you can stick it to forever those guys were number one to take a shot of a broker or one

you don't have to go on your number one world over one together and i think he with all my heart. We keep kicking their ass every f***ing day. That's why I was here f***ing 4 a.m. again today. I don't give a f***. We're gonna keep kicking ass. And so, love you man. We talked about it. We waited for the wait suit to go up. I'm gonna win. You're gonna win. Both are happening right now. Keep hiring, keep building, keep growing. Let's f***ing go. Sounds like a regular business voicemail. What's wrong with that? You should know that this episode is an interview I did with a reporter from Hunterbrook Media,

a new media company that does investigation of public data. And so along the road of investigating the public data around mortgage lending in America, this reporter, Sam Kauplaman, was led to the feet of Matt Ishbia, who happens to own the Phoenix Suns and the Phoenix Mercury, who happens to have paid a record price, $4 billion. That's the valuation of those teams in December 2022. And that's his voice. That's Matt Ishbia's voice. And who Matt Ishbia is talking about, what he's talking about there is his desire to obliterate Dan Gilbert. Wait a second, the same Dan Gilbert from the Cavs? Look, this story is about how two MBA owners are fighting in the way that you just heard

for control of an industry that you may recall was at the heart of the financial crisis in 08. And so what I'm saying here is that using public data, it has been revealed by Hunter Brook that approximately $39 billion over the last four years in American homebuyers mortgages Went to Matt Ischia and United Wholesale mortgage the king of mortgage lending. These are independent brokers Okay, I just want to explain very briefly here and then you can listen to the episode. I'll stop talking about mortgages Okay in America Independent mortgage brokers are supposed to be the advocates for everyday American home buyers.

And what the data shows is that there are thousands upon thousands of them who send Matt Ishbia 99% of their business. 99% despite saying we're going to shop around and get you the best deal. They send those people 99% of the business, Matt Ishbia, despite there being cheaper options elsewhere. So the question is why and how? And it gets to Dan Gilbert, it gets to Isaiah Thomas, which is how I started reporting the story. I fell into an Isaiah Thomas rabbit hole and was led to Sam's reporting on this.

It's wild. It's genuinely one of the biggest stories in sports in recent years, as well as on the biggest stories in sports in recent years as well as on the biggest stories in business it might be as Hunter book claims the biggest mortgage fraud since the financial crisis and also there's a guy saying cocksucker a lot and cursing like a zillion times in 30 seconds. There's a there's huge implications because of the the housing crisis there was all sorts of reform that followed this is even though there's flashy headlines with bleep sucker and an NBA story here, this is a business story that Hunterbrook

media broke. What kind of feedback are you hearing? How is this circulating in the business world? Yeah, so it is a big deal in the world of business. There are repercussions to come, I am told, but Hunterbrook itself is a fascinating story. So I say public data keep on stressing that but hunter book media does is it analyzes publicly available information so that voicemail was actually leaked

to a face book group of mortgage brokers the data we're talking about what i looked at was analyzed truly giant enormous databases publicly available federal and county level mortgage information to find out okay what are americans getting charged by these independent brokers who are the independent brokers really how loyal estate via are they and simultaneously i shall also point this out

what hundred brick does publishes information and affiliated trading arm on a brick capital then takes a financial positions on that reporting it's a new model to support investigative reporting that itself is controversial of course they're transparent about all of it but of course the next double this conversation is mad ish via

just released a statement yesterday and i'll direct people to find it online so i don't misquote it but he's saying this is all biased reporting by hedge fund short seller and some of that i understand the misinterpretation but a lot of this is going to be litigated out in public because madish via is seemingly fighting for his life because that is the degree to which this is a serious story the the author he's written several really

interesting books with or co-authored several interesting books including one with eric holder was a former attorney general of the united states how much of that relationship there informed kind of he saw in what what united uh... wholesale mortgages doing yeah i mean what they did was consult legal experts i mean it's not just the fact that they went to the highest level lawyers in the country to say does this

sound fishy. They went to experts who connected the dots here right. So what happened in 08 was all of these regulations came to be about how you got to protect American homebuyers because again mortgage brokers are at the center of it. And this article the hundred published is arguing is that what matters for you as wholesale mortgage have been doing is scurrying those rules is violating the idea of we need to protect the american home buyer by disclosing fully

who these people are really working for who they're working with and so all of this ameen has absolutely very real legal consequences that have been vetted by people who are not employed by hunter brick media are not me and by the way the story goes to the top in terms of janet yellen secretary of the united states treasury pointing out that she is worried this is months ago about these private lending companies like you w m like rocket mortgage taking the place of the big banks who got essentially incentivized to leave this

space because of regulation. And so what are these private lenders doing has been a question the entire time. What I didn't fully realize was how this question also helped explain a national NBA mystery, which is what in the hell is Isaiah Thomas doing with the Phoenix Suns? That, that's the other part of the story And I think that's the that's the important part of this story for sports fans who might hear Mortgages and securities and our lawyers and I don't care about that. How does it relate in the sports world? There's two things one is the relationship with Isaiah Thomas and the other is that the finances that this that this team is buffered by are happening under

these auspices right yeah look Isaiah Thomas we have confirmed we did the reporting on this part is an independent was an independent board member of United Wholesale Mortgage what does this mean it means that on a board of a company you're supposed to have people who are there to of course decide what compensation the family gets in this case the family the ishbos who run the company and also to be a guardrail against the malfeasance the specific type of malfeasance that hunter-brooke discovered and Isaiah Thomas was it a position to be that guardrail I'm not saying that Isaiah Thomas specifically was devising the mortgage strategies

that are discussed in hunter-brooke's, what I am saying is that he as a board member who has paid a six-figure salary annually was there as a supposed guard rail, in fact an independent one, and the independent part for years has been, it turns out, at issue because simultaneous to all of this you may recall what Chris Paul was saying when he got traded from the sons right now he is interviewed the new york times and he says three separate times the reason he is no longer with the sons of the got trading that bradley beal deal was because of matt and isaiah

matt and isaiah matt and isaiah he was just the latest voice to indicate that in fact one of the most influential voices determining the basketball operations of the most influential voices determining the basketball operations of the Phoenix Suns has been Isaiah Thomas who happens to be Matt Ishby as childhood idol and a guy he trusts enough to put on the board of the biggest mortgage lending company in America. So all of this connects in a way that the episode spells out these These are really top-line descriptions, but it is incredible to realize how the dots connect through that NBA gossip story into, again, a potential enormous financial story. Check out the episode.

It's an important conversation. I'm glad we're having it. Pablo, you mentioned your last trip to Albany. You went to some sort of debate competition. Were you attending or competing? I was the, I I mean this one I'll disclose I was the president of the New York State Champion Lincoln Douglas debate team so that doesn't answer the question though you might have just gone get a ring for that or what I met the criteria I met the criteria to win a state championship. Was I competing in the debate itself? Yeah. You know, maybe not. Maybe not.

I was just, I was the leader though. I was the leader. My leadership is an important criteria that I met for winning a state title.