The Dan Le Batard Show with Stugotz - Local Hour: Garbage Reflexes

Episode Date: July 3, 2025

The Miami Marlins' eight-game winning streak came to an end last night, and they may have gotten hosed because an umpire was daydreaming. Is AJ Greer hosting a Stanley Cup party in Westchester proof that Miami is becoming a hockey town? Or is it because the Miami Heat refuse to choose a direction? Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

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Comcast business helps turn the PGA Tour into a game-changing golf experience. It's how courses become automated turf tending, never look so amazing tournament backdrops, how 18 holes becomes up to the millimeter ball spotting technological marvels, and how the fan experience gets turned into mobile device paying unforgettable moments. With leading networking and connectivity, advanced fiber solutions, and expert partnership, Comcast Business is powering the connectivity of the PGA Tour. Powering possibilities. Billy stomped in here today and I don't know who he's mad at but I got to be honest I was not expecting midway through the season as the All-Stars are being announced in baseball for Billy to

have baseball games that he cares about. I shouldn't care about this team at this point in the season. And I say that with all due respect, and I have a date with them on Friday, but I shouldn't be caring. You're going to the game tomorrow? You're celebrating the fourth in America by going to an old fashioned Major League baseball game. Yeah, hot dogs, fireworks, baseball. Americana. Americana.

You know what I mean? That'll be a good fireworks show, right? There won't be a lot better than, oh. Hopefully. You'll think there'll be a lot of better fireworks shows than the one put together by the Major League Baseball team? What would constitute where you're there watching and you're like, fireworks show kinda sucks.

Kids crying, them being asleep, us planning to go to see fireworks with them, but then leaving early because they're fussy, because it's late for them. Nine innings, two kids. Woof. Starting at 710, if I see the fireworks tomorrow, I will be shocked.

I will be shocked if I see the fireworks tomorrow. How do the kids feel about fireworks? They don't have feelings yet, they're two and four. Yeah. They still have developed feelings. How I tell them to feel. How they feel about fireworks. They're probably gonna be horrified crying,

if I were to guess. One of them likes it when we do it like in the driveway and stuff. So she'll probably like it. The two-year-old or the soon-to-be two-year-old will probably start crying and be scared, even though it's far away, but it's loud. I don't know, we'll see.

We can talk them into it. They've seen them at Disney, and they're like sometimes okay with it, sometimes not. Chris Cody, I will say to you that there have been two or three times over the last month that I have been away from the show and just laughing about something that you had offered on the show.

And one of them was the principle, the life principle of never feeling more alive than when you're jogging slowly away from the fireworks as the fuse go back pedal If you're really feeling it as you Disney guy What does that mean? Like you take your kids at Disney? I guess your kids are older now They be out of the Disney phase. Yeah, we used to yes. Well because like I we Feel like you are but you know that means grown teenagers like that's my personal I'm a Disney guy not like do you like to go to Disney? No, no, I don't okay. Never mind

Then I'm not gonna tell you waiting in the lines. It's the most overrated place. There is Disney Whoa, I mean very clearly not you could have just said no, you know, you're not why aren't you? No, but you're asking like is it a place I used to take my kids. Yeah. Yeah Yeah, I'd be careful with that opinion given that you're a climbing star at ESPN I'm allowed to not want to stand in a three-hour line in 95 I'm telling you you're not doing it right lightning lanes nowadays. You can get a there's not as long a lines as you want Dan I feel like you haven't been there in forever. Do you understand how expensive it is? I have been there in the last I'm gonna say five years and I went there right before we left the ESPN

With those passes that Chris talks about right if you have those passes. It's a great experience. You're not waiting in any lines Well, I'd slow down on the not Different passes we just like able to go in not wait some date like some random Wednesdays We could go in for free I don't know what you had like there's the line where you wait incredibly long and then there's the lightning pass, which is you just wait long. Zazz, you're a rising star at ESPN.

You have to make asks to make your Disney experience better. You have asks that you can make. I get comps, I get comp tickets. But you can get better than that because- Really? No, Dan can get better than that. There's a disconnect here. I don't know, I mean-

Zazz is a rising star. Do not question Zazz's rising stardom. This is the Dan LeBattor Show with the Stoogats Podcast. Not surprisingly, at the beginning of the Shadow Show Show I asked Billy why it is that he was mad. We still do not know. We have not gotten an answer to the question of what it is that he was upset about. He stomped in today. Zazz wanted to talk about Disney so what are we supposed to do? He's the co-host today. He brings up Disney. We go down the Disney path.

That's right. The Marlins last night had a chance to put all of us in play so that we had a Billy live watch party tonight as the Marlins went for a winning streak last night had a chance to put all of us in place so that we had a billy live watch party tonight as the marlins went for a winning streak larger than any winning streak in franchise history i'd like to billy watching nine innings of the twins uh... marlins baseball and keys side but he was denied that because the marlins lost two to one and their eight game winning streak which could become nine

and tied the franchise record dissolved because of controversy. We sent Jeremy Tachet out to Marlins Park. We will have a live report from the controversy. What was the controversy Billy? So it was in the 6th inning. We have the video here if you want to see the video here for those of you who are on YouTube who are not tuned in to Marlins Twins. So Kyle Stowers just hits a ball that seems to be a base

hit right up the middle. Runner on second base comes around to score. Everyone's saying, okay, tie game two two. But no, if you look, the umpire throws up his hands and he says, does it even hit him? I interfered with this play. And if you watch it, I mean, it barely grazed him

if even that, the run was sure to score anyways. Ball doesn't even seem to really change directions. So what they end up doing is they don't say, okay, you know what, runners on first and third, no. They sent Jesus Sanchez back to second base when he was halfway to third base with his lead anyways and said, no, dead ball, runner doesn't advance. And there's no review of this. It remains a two-one game.

For those of you not watching, there was a runner in scoring position at second base. It's a line drive, clear as day up the middle. No one's near it except the umpire. The second baseman and the shortstop are nowhere near it. The ball is hit hard. The ball, the only reason I know that the ball hit the umpire is because the umpire immediately threw his hands up and say it hit him and that's an automatic dead ball. But even on replay I cannot tell that the you're slowing it down for me, you're freezing it for me,

and I still can't tell that the ball hit the umpire, and you're mad, you knew the rule beforehand, right, that if it hits the umpire, it's an immediate dead ball, but you didn't know that they'd send Sanchez back to second. I think everyone was confused, and you know, on the call, Tommy Hutton was, you know, Tommy Hutton, he was not happy with the way that this

thing played out. Well, he got upset. You know, know I don't he seemed a little hot under the collar after this call he always does though at LeBretard show does Tommy Hutton always seem a little bit hot under the collar you guys are with me on this when I said yesterday that I've rarely been more scared during a sporting participation than playing third base in a softball game against Ozzie and Jose Contejo, that's why right there, the way the ball comes off Stowers' bat, like that is an umpire who's not anywhere near where that ball's being hit

and he does not have the speed, the exit. He's exactly where the ball is being hit. The exit velocity on what it is that's happening there, he doesn't have the speed to get out of the way. Can we be honest though, that's garbage reflex by the umpire. It is. That's that, like whatever, alright, he's not standing in front of the pitcher's mound. That's garbage reflex. If you're gonna stand there, like it's your job, okay you gotta stand there, it's also your job to not get hit by that ball, and that's garbage, that's garbage reflex. I garbage, Relief Flex.

I mean, it didn't impact the play at all. So I feel like, if we're going to be honest, he wasn't paying attention. I don't think it hit him. I don't think it hit him. You don't think it hit him? No, I don't. 100%.

I'm not sure. It clearly changes direction. It does change direction. Nah. I don't know. What's weird is it actually makes it. A little English on that ball. The deflection actually carries it closer

to the second baseman, which is, I mean I mean Marlins got bone there. Mm-hmm He should be diving like if he's diving to catch but in the opposite direction out of the way if he was paying attention I think he's in that no man's land or it's like I'm calling balls and strikes. There's not anyone on first base No, I know what it is. What do I have to do? I know what happened. It's garbage reflex I do like Billy's theory though that the umpire was thinking about other things There's so much time out there to be thinking about other things that it is possible that he just wasn't paying I mean think about how many times he's standing behind the pitcher board and the balls not hitting him not hit anywhere near him And he doesn't have to worry watching the runner on second base. Is there gonna be a pickoff?

No, no one's even covering second base. What am I doing with my life? There have to be times where the umpires down the line. This is what I'm have a check swing That's exactly what I'm dreaming. Yeah, and all of a sudden the home plate umpires pointing down to that And they're just like nope, like they just have to say something totally with you That definitely happens where you weren't paying the closest attention at third to the checks. Oh, they're coming to me Yeah, the ump'm having marital problems Something just something there there's something wrong with the tuition payment like just there he's thinking about something on parlay Yeah, that too that you got baseball guys. Okay. Well, he's really healthy about his twins Like at that parlay. Well, he's probably also thinking like, you know what? Like, tomorrow noon game, what are you,

maybe I can move my flight back a little bit and to the beach or something. Time to throw away all journalistic credibility and get reckless. Here is something we like to call reckless speculation. You're good. I'm good? Someone's good.

You're good. He's on the take? I mean, I didn't say that. You did kind of say that. No, I said not baseball. You did kind of say, you said, you can't be an umpire and bet on other parlayes. Yeah, he could be betting on the WNBA.

Could he not? I don't believe that- Commissioners' Cup was just the other day. I'm gonna guess that there's a rule against umpires doing any gambling of any sort. I'm also gonna guess, possibly, that umpires aren't even allowed to go into a casino in Vegas. And gamble.

That they're not allowed. They're definitely not allowed that. Really? Yeah, you can't go in a casino. What if they wanna go see a magic show? Better hustle in and out of that casino. If you get caught off guard down the line with a check swing, you always just go no swing, right?

Yes. You can't go, uh-huh. You can't just throw the same, it's easy. You can't swing if you're just like. I've always theorized this. No clue. They're not locked in on every pick. Right. Right. Can't be. Right. Put clue. They're not locked in on every pitch. Right.

Can't be. Right. Put it on the poll please at LeBotard's show. If the umpire is daydreaming on a check swing, is he just going to hold his hands out in the safe gesture? It's too much paying attention to be locked in on every pitch when you're standing at third base. And there had to be one where it's like,

that one I was locked in on, they didn't ask me. I want the honest umpire that like points down the first base, that umpire points to second base. it's like, that one I was locked in on, they didn't ask me. I want the honest umpire that like points down the first base, that umpire points the second base. It's like, what do you think? Or just a shrug. It can just be. In the NBA, that happens all the time with the referees who are like, he looks for help,

he doesn't know who it went out on. Why does that never happen at first base? They always know. You know what drives me crazy in basketball? When the official furthest away from the play makes a call. Oh yeah. Oh my God. That's your call! Hey, that's his call. He didn't say anything.

NBA officials, we can say bet on the games, right? I mean, hit the sound. No, I mean, Dan, that's not even... Time to throw away all journalistic credibility and get reckless. Here is something we like to call reckless speculation. By the way, did you see the Malik Easley stuff? Like we, I told you, there are other factors in life.

It isn't necessarily a dude trying to cash a teaser. This guy seemed to be under it a little bit. Well, that's what I was saying to you guys when you don't know what someone's financial issues are, no matter how many millions they're into guys when you don't know what someone's financial issues are no matter how many millions they're into and you don't know what someone's gambling problem is either. Yeah, well that's where I took offense. He may not have the gambling problem.

He may be doing something for someone else that does because he's under it. That's right. And I believe that that is the general danger that everyone has underestimated in normalizing and enjoying gambling the way that this show does. But wouldn't the danger be when it's not regulated so it doesn't go checked like this? I'm with you like everyone's just go to point and say hey there are more of these now and it's clearly because gambling is legal and all these additional states but these leagues have partnerships with these betting

partners that hand over the data. It's what happened with Calvin Ridley, where they hand over the data to the league and say, hey, this is suspicious. This is a pattern directly from this person. That wouldn't have been caught before it was legalized. No, and it also goes without saying that this stuff, Malik Beasley, there are probably dozens upon dozens

of examples of Malik Beasley's out there that have gone totally unchecked, even with the current state of affairs, with these checks and balances, but prior to, I mean, so many people got away with this stuff. This has been happening for hundreds of years. Yes. By the way, Terry Roger cleared. Yeah, we talked about that, and Mike Ryan was enjoying the fact that he was accused of fixing games, but was cleared and is simply bad at basketball, he was accused of fixing games but was cleared and is simply

bad at basketball and was accused of fixing games because he's that bad at basketball. But we have in play already what it is that I said about, or what it is they said about the umpire and check swings. Can you guys find for me information whether umpires or referees can indeed go into a casino of any kind, and I want to ask the poll question at Levitard Show, if umpires are not allowed in casinos, can an umpire go through the casino lobby to go to the magic show?

Yes or no? Because I don't think you're allowed to gamble, but maybe the band extends to like, you can't go at the Bellagio to see O either, which would be the greater hurt for an umpire who has no interest in gambling but perhaps is interested in the arts. What if you just like the Blue Man group, you know?

And now you can't go anymore. He has to go outside to get to the theater. Yes, an MLB umpire can physically enter or walk through a casino so long as they do not violate MLB's gambling rules. But they can't gamble on anything, correct? That would be violating MLB's gambling rules. But they can't gamble on anything, correct? That would be violating MLB's gambling rules. Can they gamble on Lotto?

Are umpires allowed to gamble on the lottery and also put this on the poll, does Rick Carlisle look like a retired member of the Blue Man group at LeBotard Show? Before I do any more Marlins talk, because Billy, I do want to get into this team and now we've done enough of them probably MLB umpires can play the state lottery they can even they can even bet on other sports legally can they roll dice how about the

ponies I assume if they can bet on other sports highlight yeah they can do that Wow you were right, so you were totally right. Apologies. Yes, I will apologize to you because you were right. Jeremy, you know something about me, right? You know when I'm grilling outside and it's summertime, you know how I supplement my summertime? Of course I do. I make a Miller time. Of course. That beautiful white can. Oh, when it's so hot outside, I just put it right to my forehead, right there. And I just roll it sometimes, right on the forehead, cool my body down and then I crack it open in some relief and then that first sip, brother, does that first sip? That is a top five sequence of events that you can possibly go through.

I'm just serenity now when I just imagine that first sip of Miller life. Just thinking about it is making me happy. The sun is out, it's nice, you have your friends showing up, you got your family there, you just had your first sip of Miller Lite, and you know what? You're happy. You're blissful. You're fulfilled. I've been stocking my cooler with Miller Lite for years, and for good reason.

It's brute for taste. Only 96 calories and 3.2 grams of carbs. This year, Miller Lite turns 50. That is five decades of cookouts, laughs, and ice cold moments that never miss. It's the original Lite beer, and it's still my go-to. Miller Lite, great taste, 96 calories. Go to MillerLite.com slash Dan to find delivery options near you, or you can pick up some Miller Lite pretty much anywhere they sell beer. Cheers to 50 years of Miller time. Celebrate responsibly. Miller Brewing Company, Milwaukee,

Wisconsin, 96 calories and 3.2 carbs per 12 ounces. Don LeBattard John Zaslow How you love that catchphrase Bad news for opposing teams in, with the Stugarts. Before I go any further though, I would like to address with the group, when was the last time particularly that you saw the flames and the volume get this high on the Miami Heat? Because a lot of people right now are mad at Barry Jackson because he's reporting the Miami Heat's quote-unquote plan, and it isn't much of a plan. And the internet is pretty mad, okay, at, in in general what's happened to the Miami Heat. So you've got Evan Parsons, 85,

saying this is the type of that pisses me off, them running propaganda ops through their big three, Barry, Ethan, and Levitard. That's not gonna work anymore, and now whenever I hear them talk about the team, I feel like I'm being played. Biscayne Maine says, Heat culture is all about taking accountability unless you're the

architect of the franchise putting together these teams. Big Idiot Heat Guy says find someone who's willing to make excuses about you in the same way Pat Riley is willing to make excuses for the mediocre ass rocket roster he assembled and then Greg Silander the writer says a close friend who's been a Heat fan since before, Riley just texted me, yeah, I'm out. They're just gonna continue to tread water, which is the one thing that Heat fans didn't wanna see after the years of frustration finally caught up

to the majority of the fan base. There were sub-sects of the fan base that were like, I don't think this is the right path. I mean, I'm aggravated. I haven't been aggravated like this, and I don't know. You should be. I was talking to Billy before the show. I'm like, their plan is essentially to run it back. And he correctly said, well, they're not running it back.

Duncan Robinson isn't here anymore. They might actually be worse. Their plan is, there is a part in this article of Barry's, which is the Heat don't feel like they actually got a fair shot to evaluate the roster because of all the chaos Jimmy Butler caused. Again, not exactly accepting your accountability on your part in the Jimmy Butler mess, Miami, but that's fine. They also blamed Andrew Wiggins ankle injury. They want to develop these young assets, hopefully trade for a superstar, but there is a huge flaw in the logic and even Barry Jackson admits

this. Say they develop guys, already have two all-stars in Tyler Hero and Bam Manabayo. Their package if they went all in on trying to acquire a superstar like Giannis they don't have a good hand compared to Houston or San Antonio. They're still falling short and the reason why they don't want to go in the other direction in tank is because they point to several examples of where tanking doesn't work. They don't point to the Oklahoma City Thunder where it does work spectacularly.

Do they not have confidence in their own ability to rebuild the roster? Their best trade assets are the two All-Stars. Tyler Hill, bam, and a bio. We got a season, they blamed the Jimmy Butler chaos, but we got a- The Rockets tanked too, correct? The Rockets also tank markets also tankers and rewarded for tank and they took your lunch money on Kevin Durant and they still have plenty of assets to go ahead and beat

you to Yanis so it's not hard why they're not willing to do the tanking part Riley's 80 that's why like that part's not hard but okay so what's more important Riley's age and I'm just asking this question because you could answer that Riley gets to go however he wants because he's the godfather and he brought us all this success and he made the franchise relevant But what is more important Riley's age and his timetable or the betterment of the franchise? I want to ask you guys a number of questions related to that point right there Okay, that he just mentioned because this is the loudest I've ever heard it around,

Pat Riley, Jeff Teague is saying, quote, you know what's so funny? What Pat said at the end of the year, this won't be the same team as last year. Yeah, well, you're right, actually, it won't. You let Duncan go, you got worse, unless they are about to get Bradley Beal something, or, and quote.

It's right on the money, and Pat said that. It's not right on the money. The move that Jeff's not right on the money the move that Jeff Teague wants to make is getting Bradley no no no it's right on the money and calling out what Pat Riley said at the end of the year which got he fans excited all right the Godfather finally realizes he got hit in the face with the biggest blowout in NBA playoff history there are changes coming and the changes are Duncan Robinson isn't going to be here anymore that's true now the Bradley Beale thing casts out to the side, but it's absolutely a fair accusation and to me it leads me to believe, wait, there is an alignment here in what Pat said and what the final verdict was, so who's in

charge? Zazz, let's do this because I will say when you say who's in charge this is an interesting one, right? because I floated this guy to you guys before because This is a bit of a crossroads for the Miami Heat and I've told you the inner workings of this team aren't what people think it is the people who run this team are Mickey and Nick are Mickey and Nick Erison. Nick is Pat Riley's boss. When Mickey Erison came up through the cruise line industry, he was put in charge of everything when he was 30 years old and he did the same thing for his son with this organization. And I'm not positive that Nick and Pat are

connected right here where Pat is at 80. I want to win right now and I don't know if Nick would rather have the draft picks or not and I don't know what kind of tension it might cause because it has caused tension and it's not big tension but how do you imagine Pat Riley feels about reporting to Nick Erison who used to be a ball boy? How do you imagine that would go in the places where there's disagreement and nick has to win things i don't know i don't have the answer for you on how often nick is overruling pat how often nick is the deciding vote in the vote of five among the group of five that make the decision but i will keep telling you again and

again and no one seems to know this the person that that Pat Riley reports to is Nick Areson. Nick was probably 10 years old when Pat Riley got here, right? I'm being serious. He was probably 10 years old, something like that. And now it's his boss. But wouldn't you assume, if we're just using common sense here, wouldn't you assume the CEO who is Nick Areson's age, or he's 40, whatever he is, and Pat Riley who is 80,

wouldn't you assume that they're on completely different sides of how to Move forward with this team like wouldn't that be common sense? I think the way though that it comes off whether it's intentional or not is when it's good times It's Pat Riley when it's bad times. He can't do anything. It's not his fault What I'm telling you though is that Pat's not gonna drop He's not gonna go for six draft picks. He's not gonna do that. If you, what, you guys gotta tell me

whether you're okay with this. This is what you have to answer for me if we're gonna go ahead and flush out this hypothetical. You guys good with Pat Riley just stepping down because he decided to go to rebuild? Am I good with it? If that's what he decides on, I... No, but he would be being forced out because they're running the organization differently

than you guys want it to be run and differently than he would want it to be run. I just want the franchise to get to being a contender quickly. But how long is his leash is the question, right? Because everyone's like, yeah, Pac can go out on his own terms, but if this is just the same thing every year for the next decade, how long is it going to be he can go out on his own terms? Here's a couple of things that have bothered me about Miami Heat fans pushing back on this notion. Everyone points to the two finals in three years and you got to- Pushing back on the notion that Pat Riley-

Yeah, that he's done and that he's cooked. Look, man, they won two Eastern Conference Championships. Number one, the roster is totally different right now. Number two, that was a long time ago because the Dallas Mavericks were... It was a long time ago. The Dallas Mavericks were in the NBA finals more recently than the Miami Heat and they were a punchline come Martin Luther King Day. So we were all laughing at Dallas, but apparently we can't laugh at Miami for being the same kind of disaster. I genuinely don't know what is the quicker path to being a contender. Writing it out and presumably they hope that they can develop the young guys into assets that can somehow usurp the package that Houston and San Antonio could present for a superstar

or just saying, Bam and Tyler are our best assets right now. let's get a bevy of picks and do it the Houston way. I think the most damning thing about the Heat and Pat and just like the front office right now is it's crazy to say but it was ten years ago so ten years ago you had LeBron James you had Dwayne Wade you had Chris Bosh back-to-back titles you were the toast of the town you were the team everyone envied in the NBA, people hated, whatever, right? You took the town from the Dolphins, and in 10 years, you're on the precipice

of losing the town to a hockey team. Well, no, no. You're trending towards losing the town to a hockey team that historically Miami has not cared about. Yeah, that's not true. I mean, as much as I love the Panthers, and the Panthers, I mean, essentially, get my attention first these days,

they're not in jeopardy of losing the town. You think if you go around the town, everyone's like, the heat, the heat, the heat? It's two different towns. Yeah, it's a good- We're talking about Broward and Dade, it's two different places. Yeah, there are incremental gains in Miami-Dade,

and they're gonna have to keep chipping away. Like AJ Greer is having a party in Westchester tonight, that's something that would. Whoa, what's going on there? I don't know about that. A fourth line winger is going to a local brewery to celebrate the Stanley Cup in Westchester. It boggles the mind.

Is he gonna have the cup? He's not gonna have the cup. They're putting the names on it right now, right? No, the cup, yeah, they're engraving it right now. To be fair though, to what it is the Heat have built here, just to be clear, and Zaz is right about this, the Panthers are becoming something that is more of a Dade County team.

The Heat, over the virtue of the last 20 years, are Dade and Broward. They're not just Dade. No doubt, but to Billy's point, Greg Cody wrote an entire column on this, is like the shoe's on the other foot now. The Panthers are what the Heat once were, and the Heat. With the great management and the winning.

In terms of where they are as a franchise, and getting close to a championship, and the perception and the respect that they garner from around the league and what the fans actually feel about their team's chances The Miami Heat are stuck in the middle of no man's land right now They are but let me just stop you guys for a second on what it is you're doing First of all, I want to ask a question Mike has now used this expression a handful of times over the last few weeks He has commented on the taking of lunch money. Are we still doing lunch money

given that we're not doing cash anymore? No, actually the bill that just passed made sure that there was no more lunch money and no more lunch period. The big beautiful bill just passed this morning at 6 a.m.? Well, part of the deal was they can't call it that anymore because that triggers people. All right, so, but lunch money, physical lunch money,

is that something that bullies still take take put it on the pole at? Levitard show is is lunch money still something that bullies take but the place that I wanted to stop you guys and forgive the fire Alarm we're gonna just blow right through it because we're on live and we don't care and we didn't get yeah We didn't get the preemptive. This is just a drill tonight We will continue to ignore these until one day we get the viral moment of all of us going up in flames here because we've ignored the fire alarm again. But the thing that you guys do and this is really easy to do right because we all get to be general managers and no one holds us accountable for when we get it wrong. You say the

heat have failed the last few years. Well you guys didn't want hardin you want kairi are being you didn't want them they were they were both available they just signed quietly elsewhere it seems to have worked out you didn't want those guys you wanted dame and if you've got them you wouldn't be real happy right now if they mean willard had also gotten here so all your moves and up move at the end up working even though they don cuz Harden just signed quietly with the Clippers hasn't been an issue there they love having him 40 million dollars a year Kyrie Irving just signed quietly with Dallas doesn't seem to have any problems I don't know if

you're what you're doing is right again apologies for this fire alarm that does not shut the we were talking about Tyler hero for James Harden that was an actual debate and a lot of people felt really strongly about getting James Harden. Kyrie Irving had a lot of off-the-court stuff going on at the time. They both did. And this was at the time where Miami was actually competing for Eastern Conference Championships. But there were plenty of arguments to be made, and I think most people landed on whatever the franchise decides on.

Damian Lillard, yeah, we wanted Damian Lill whatever the franchise decides on. Damian Lillard, yeah we wanted Damian Lillard, Miami Heat wanted Damian Lillard too and they approached that like total assholes, alright, and they failed. In fact, every example that you cited, Miami Kick the Tires and tried to put together something to get these players and they failed. My biggest problem with the Heat's plan right now is they are seeming it doesn't have to be seemly they their MO is to have all these assets Young players whatever draft picks they have and they are waiting For a star player a superstar player to get upset with his current situation And then they are going to pounce and to me

with his current situation, and then they are going to pounce. And to me, that's not a plan. Like, hoping that someone gets... Because it's plentiful, where you're hoping for someone to get angry enough to want to be out, and then you're also hoping for that team to be willing... You're not just convincing a free agent to come to you, it's you have to convince that team to then send him to you, but in reality, that player has to make a mess of the situation so that it doesn't matter if another team has better assets than you.

And that to me, that's not a plan. Okay, you say it's not a plan, but I would say that it's been the transplant plan of Pat Riley since he got here. Go get Alonzo Mourning, go get Tim Hardaway, go get Jimmy Butler, go get LeBron James. Like he hit on Wade and changed his entire philosophy. Okay, I will trust young players. I'm not going to do it anymore the way that I did it with the Knicks and the Lakers. Yeah, but what happens with Duncan Robinson, who's one of these guys who's on your roster

who you don't end up trading because you believe in him and now he's gone anyways. So you never traded him for a star and now you've got nothing in return for him. That's true. And you got a player that you invented out of nothing as you've got nothing in return for him. That's true, and you got a player that you invented out of nothing, as you've gotten the reputation for doing, since drafting Dwayne Wade gave you the opportunity to change your entire philosophy on how it is Pat Riley does things,

because he now does trust young players in a way. That was the biggest knock on Pat Riley. The only knock on Pat Riley is, he will not allow young players to grow but when you say that's not a plan what do you mean miami's a transient community and this franchise is absolutely has has rested for the last fifteen years on the plan of we'll wait until somebody's mad where they are and we will get them because we have better tax breaks in florida they don't get them yet that that hasn't that example right there

has not happened since Goran Zragetch. No, it happened with Jimmy Butler. He's a free agent, though. But he was unhappy where he was. And they got Jimmy Butler when they didn't. When no one thought they could get Jimmy Butler. Look how that played out, too, though.

You get the disgruntled guy, and then he comes in, and he's disgruntled, and he makes a mess and throws off your blanket. How did that work out? It worked out spectacularly. No, it didn't. This is championship culture, they didn't win a championship.

Like don't come up with this bullshit of we're gonna win the championship or bust and then not win a championship. Like, but we got super close. They failed him and the Sixers, he wasn't disgruntled. The Sixers chose Tobias Harrison to move the roster in a different direction. He was disgruntled with wherever he was in Minnesota

and Philadelphia, he wanted his money. The thing that you guys are doing on this though is that Jimmy Butler failed but Kyrie Irving hasn't or James Harden hasn't like they were the available guys you wanted them they've been successful but they didn't get ultimate success so they failed they just got Harden and and Irving just got resigned because they failed in Dallas and Los Angeles. I'm not going to go as far as to say they fell short of their ultimate goal, which is a championship. They certainly, Coach Spoelstra certainly maximized the talent available

on the roster. Pat Riley did fail because it was clear from the day that we acquired Jimmy Butler, they needed a player better than Jimmy Butler to win a title. Now, Jimmy Butler made us think about that more than twice with incredible playoff performances, but the fact remained they needed to get somebody better they knew this and along the way players like that popped up that did the things that you want the disgruntled superstars to do and the Miami Heat were in the mix and usually that resulted in the Miami Heat getting those players they didn't they chose not to like they didn't want to go in all in to support Jimmy Butler for some they didn't want to go all in on

Lillard historically who's a disgruntled person, became disgruntled again here because he felt like he wasn't getting the support that he was asking for. And now he left and here they are. Howdy folks, it's Mike Ryan. NASCAR is back in Chicago and it's not just out of track. No, no, no. They're racing through the actual streets of downtown. I've been there for this race.

It is a great race Beautiful skyscrapers Lakefront Grand Park July 5th and 6 feels like America It's a NASCAR Cup series in the Xfinity series, which was a great race last year tearing it up in the Windy City We're talking 40 drivers Chase Elliott Denny Hamlin my favorite Kyle Larson flying through the street course like you've never seen it before It's part race part music festival all. Chicago turns into one massive summer block party with horsepower. Want in? Head to NASCARChicago.com right now and grab those tickets. Watch the Xfinity Series July 5th at 4.30pm Eastern on the CW, then the Cub Series July 6th at 2pm Eastern on TNT Sports and streaming on Max. This isn't just a race, it's a whole vibe.

Hey friends, it's Jerr Bear here, and I'm here to tell you all about Boost Mobile, which is now a legit nationwide 5G network. So I must take a break from the jokes here for a second and put on my serious voice because I would never ever joke about a 5G network that has invested billions building 5G towers across the country. Not even once. Not even if Mr. Boost Mobile himself asked me to. There is nothing funny about it. Boost Mobile is now a legit nationwide 5G network and also provides coverage across

99% of America. Seriously. Visit BoostMobile.com or your nearest Boost Mobile store location to learn more. The Boost Mobile network, together with our roaming partners, covers 99% of the U.S. population. 5G speeds not available in all areas. Don Lebatard! All these high-paid analysts, I don't want to mention names. in all areas. losing in Miami. I need to calm you down. That's right. 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 a 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 Lebatar show with the Stugats. So I want to ask everybody this question because you've heard me say a number of different times while watching, for example, the Patriots. I can't even imagine what Boston sports radio is right now when it comes to conversations about the Patriots because you get so spoiled of we expect to win the championship a third

of the time. The Miami Heat have placed the standard in a place that makes all of this louder than it has been at any time, at least in part because of where they placed the standard of, oh, the fan base is used to getting whoever or whatever they want, and now when they don't get the people they want, you guys say that Jimmy Butler is a failure somehow, or the Jimmy Butler experience was a failure

when it went from Dion Waiters and Hassan Whiteside to they're in the finals twice. Can we travel back in time though momentarily? What was the general feeling when the Miami Heat got pretty much beat up by the Denver Nuggets in the NBA finals? Not good enough. They're not good enough.

Everyone agreed. Incredible season, maximize it. Hell yeah, we beat Boston, that feels amazing. But if we wanna win a title, we beat Boston, that feels amazing. But if we wanna win a title, we know we gotta get better. Three years have gone by of them failing to get better. They've gotten worse. I think after three years, and I was sounding the alarms

after they made the final saying that this isn't good enough and I was confused as everybody else around us got better. All right, that's fine. Year one, maybe I need jerk. Year two, start listening to me. Year three, that's why the flames are as high as they've ever been. I understand. Bam said at the last presser, there are going to be a lot of changes this

summer. Be prepared for that. And there hasn't been anything since. And I understand the frustration. The place that I'm just sopping you guys at the risk of being accused a mouthpiece, being accused of being a mouthpiece for the Heat. You're part of the big three. I am part of the big three. I am part of the big three. I didn't like my ranking there, Barry, Ethan, then me. You occasionally go into it. You build up.

You're not as consistent as the other guys. Because I don't, I am never, ever leaked anything volunteered. That's not something the organization does. I sometimes go around and ask questions, but the demand being made, I get it. I get the frustration. But please understand when you point to me and you say, okay, they did what they did with Jimmy Butler

and got to the finals and then weren't good enough. And then you're saying, you know what I realized during the finals? Need someone better than Jokic. Okay, okay, you win. Not necessarily. No, but you win. Need someone better than Jimmyokic. Okay, okay, you win. No, but you win. You need someone better than Jimmy. No. And that was consistent. That was a six-year conversation. You get to Denver and the reason you lose is because Jimmy's

not as good as Jokic. Right, but what we were worried about wasn't necessarily like look they got to make it through the West. Hopefully someone takes Jokic out before you get there. But it wasn't a sustainable business model being able to beat Boston. It was wonderful that you did it as many times as you did, but everybody else continued to improve and we didn't. You say a sustainable model. I would say that the Heat selling out their arena has been a sustainable model for 15 years because they've been relevant. And I would also say that while Pat Riley set the standard at championship or bust, it makes damn near

every player in the league a bust to make it championship or bust. Because by that definition, Jimmy Butler is a bust. By that definition. I agree, we're on the same page. I don't agree with that. You just said it. I don't agree with it.

You just said it, we agree. By that definition. Well, Jimmy Butler agrees. And whether you think it's performative or not, he has given plenty of interviews since his departure, and even while he was here being allegedly happy, saying we failed. Right, and Luca failed last year and then was traded,

cause he's a bust too. We're just gonna keep doing that. But we're just gonna give Pat Riley a pass forever. Like he can just do whatever he wants, and whatever Pat Riley. I honestly think anyone's giving him a pass. Oh please, we're giving him a pass right now. Well first of all, he's not getting a pass. First of all, he's not getting a pass right now. Well, first of all, he's not getting a pass. Second of all, if anyone in sports were to get a Pat Reilly

or forever pass, I'd name it after Pat Reilly because... Same, because he gets it forever. No, just I don't know what you... So what would you do, Billy? Say it. What would I do? Right now, just say it. I think Pat Reilly needs to go. I don't think that anyone's been beating around the bush. So fire him. Would I fire him? I mean, I would say I think that we need to move in a different direction. So fire him. Would that necessarily be fired? He may decide to resign if Nick Iresen tells him,

hey, we just don't agree with your plan. We're going to trade Bam. We're going to trade Tyler. This is the direction that the franchise is going to go into. And I can see Pat Riley saying, I don't want to be a part of that. I'm just going to willingly step down. Pat never fight. Pat Riley should never be fired. This this thing that you guys are doing. But he's not going to leave on his own volition.

I think he might if that's if that's presented to him. Dan would know. If the if that hypothetical I've not asked so I don't know that and I'm just throwing it out there as a hypothetical though but it would make sense. It's a logical hypothetical for Nick to have not been in charge for as long as he has been and to want to be in charge now that they're making a change I would say to all of you though if you're firing Pat Riley then you're also saying that the rest of it isn't because Spohr has a tremendous amount to do with every decision being made around there he's one-fifth of it's

him Ellis- Now it's not Pat Riley, it's Eric Spolstra's fault that this isn't working out. Everyone, it's just never Pat Riley's fault. Everyone, dude, we're the only ones talking about the five. Everyone is saying it's Pat Riley's fault. Everybody nationally, it's just Pat Riley. You put on television, Stephen A. Smith only refers to Pat Riley.

He never says Nick Harrison or Andy Ellisport. Outside of us on this show right here saying that there's a five-headed monster here, I don't hear anyone else. Everyone else is just Pat Riley. And that's okay though, but that's how the whole thing is set up. It has worked for many years.

So what would you do? And it'll, by the way- If this is not working according to you, what would you do? If I may, before you answer that, that perception nationally is how Pat Riley likes it. Oh yeah. That's why Pat Riley is the one that's doing the end of the season. It's how the era- I didn't tell you answer that, that perception nationally is how Pat Riley likes it. Oh yeah. That's why Pat Riley is the one

that's doing the end of the season. It's how the Erisons. I didn't tell you organizations like it. It's how the Erisons like it as well. No, it's mutually beneficial. And Pat loves going out there and gassing up the Heat fans, talking about whales and talking about changes and leaning into the godfatherness of that.

You say he loves that, but there's a reason he only talks to the press once or twice a year now he doesn't actually want to do much. He doesn't love attention for Saatchi man with his slick back hairs and like the spotlight. He doesn't like to get in Spolstra's way on whatever the voice for the organization is and so he doesn't actually speak very much and everyone I told you guys this recently everyone in Hollywood says that the big Documentaries that can get made by anybody at any time or Larry Bird and Pat Riley. Can we trade that in for? Giannis like can can we the provisional green light for Pat Riley's documentary is that a trade ship?

Let me let me ask Larry Bird. He's so boring They make from Larry Bird document stories by others that would I think a Larry Bird documentary in theaters would the stories by others that would be good. I think a Larry Bird documentary in theaters would be out of theaters by week two. Really? You don't think so? Oh, it'd be a massive loss. He's famously like a great talker. He's the hick from French Lick, the rivalry with Magic dating back to college, being a white guy in Boston. I think there are plenty of interesting stories.

There's a lot of white guys in Boston. No, no, no. But you know what I mean? Let me answer Billy's question here, because I don't want to avoid it when he says what it is that I would do. And I will say that you can catch me in an inconsistency here locally, if you remember, as my father does,

how insulted Don Trula was that I called for his replacement in the Miami Herald. Cobbler. When he has the same kind of reputation that Pat Riley does in this town and with building this organization. That doesn't get the same attention as my dad's trade merino column.

You did a fire Shula column? Yeah, because I wanted to replace him with Jimmy Johnson. And so what I'm saying- Shula grilled him. Yeah, he was mad at me. But what I'm saying to Billy in terms of an answer on the Miami Heat is, I would be fine, actually, with you telling me that the Miami Heat have a

different plan for Pat Riley that will have a graceful exit for him and you have a better solution for me. Like because it's just gonna be Spoh in charge of the organization. Right, what would change if Riley's not running the show today? Are you bringing someone else to run the organization? I don't think they would though. It's gonna be someone in the organization. It's gonna be somebody the Erisons want. Adam Simon probably. It's gonna be someone in the order. It's gonna be somebody the Aresons want. Adam Simon probably. It's gonna be somebody that the Aresons already know and you know the Aresons aren't gonna make it look like Pat Riley was fired.

Like that's not ever gonna happen. Okay, but not the Aresons. What would Dan Levitard do? This is not what would the Aresons do. Give me someone better. Give me someone better. Okay, is Spoh better? And if you find someone better, what do you do?

No, Spoh is not better because Sp spo's already there. He's already doing it Like what what's better about spo being in charge seem to be a lot of people better at it right now in the NBA Over the last three years. It's hard to argue. Give me a name that would excite you guys and Presti. I would love Scenario give me Brad Stevens