The Dan Le Batard Show with Stugotz - Local Hour: Pouring Gasoline On An Idiot

Episode Date: June 21, 2024

Today's cast: Dan, Greg Cote, Jonathan Zaslow, Chris, Jeremy, and Mike. The Florida Panthers and Edmonton Oilers face off in Game 6 of the Stanley Cup Final tonight, so it's time for our (fake) pregame show. This is genuinely one of the most contentious episodes in the history of the show as the rivalries between Dan and Mike, Greg and Zaslow, and Greg and Mike are inflamed to a point of potentially no return. Mike and Greg argue to where the man writing this description is genuinely hoping some of it was a bit because it was *actually* horrifying. There are words like "idiot," "pal," "nobody," "clown," and "giant infant" thrown around. It's intense. This needs to stop. Please. Please... Please. At least let it stop before Roy stops by to break down the game near the end of the hour. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

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Now's a good time to enjoy Cuervo. The Tequila that invented tequila. Go to Cuervo.com to shop tequila or visit a store near you. Cuervo, now's a good time. Trademarks owned by Bekle, SAB, the CV, copyright 2024, Proximo. Jersey City, New Jersey, please drink responsibly. Chris, I'm a little bit worried about your father. He's been coughing a lot. Zaslow is roaming around the premises here. He would never admit that being face-to-face with Zaslow would be a thing because he's a longtime newspaper guy and radio, you know, Zaslow's just a radio foof. But Zaslow's here and he's

not happy and your father has already begun his coughing and so I told him do you want to switch seats with Zaslow where you have a cough button he's like no I've got it under control and I'm like really Greg you've never had this under control and he's like well I can't guarantee anything and I'm like I'm really worried about this cough in the first segment because this is an important show we're doing there haven't been a lot of shows like this in our history and your father has already begun Coughing what do I do about this? Well the great ones they tell their body not today And so rest assured I have the control over my own body

I will not cough today you've passed out twice trying to prevent coughing once at highlight You've passed out trying to stop coffee. That's true. He's honestly, he's a guy though, he's staying who he is in the most critical times. Like if he came in here today and wasn't coughing, that would be alarming. Like he's a coffer, he's coughing today. What do you want from him? Yeah, that's a point.

Okay, all right, all right. Let him be who he is. Just like we need Bob to be, just like who he is. This is the Don Leventor Show with the Stugats Podcast. 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.

Meow. My friends hate me. This is the fake pregame show. Our Panther group chat, we're confident against the lighting. With Dan Lebatard. hate me. serious I'll never forgive Greg Cody it's a million times worse than the trade Marino article I will never forgive him and the shit-star himself Greg Cody look overrated for weeks I wondered aloud what Kevin Stenland did and then about three weeks ago it hit me He gives him one of these and he gives him one of those. Ah, ha, ha, ha, ha. I'll give him one of these and I'll give him one of those.

Here comes Krabs down the right side. He's got Skratzler's with him. Krabs fires a shot, rebound the score! Pour some sugar on me! Woo! World War 3. We're gonna get that off the ground. World War 3 colon, our group chat has a pretty good feeling about this one.

Stu gots us at a dead show. Is there any chance that Greg Cody might be a little bit right about what he wrote about Connor McDavid? No. Zero. That is actually funny. That's a headline grabber. I don't know how anybody could call Connor McDavid overrated. Connor McDavid is the real deal. Anybody who says any different has never played against him.

And no offense, you're in Kote, you've never played against Connor McDavid. He probably plays what? Seven, eight minutes a game? Seven, eight? What? Oh, crap. I mean, how many minutes has Connor been? I think at some point. I don't have to say anything.

I know. And I'm talking like this. All right, all right. I'm talking like this. I'm giving away. Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah. I believe you. I believe you.

Some people are saying here there should be an option to decline a penalty and a power play. It's the biggest game in Florida Panthers history. Scared shitless. I care more about Matthew Kachak than I do my daughter. Fake pregame show. Look overrated. I care more about Matthew Kachuk than I do my daughter. Fake pregame show. McOver Raider. This guy comes in as the next Wayne Gretzky.

His nicknames include the Chosen One and McJesus. And this is coming from a guy that's watched Connor play six times. Right. If that. Puck Drop is 11 hours away. Meow! But the fake pregame show starts now. I am unusually fired up

for a number of different reasons. We've got mustachioed coughing Greg Cody in here face to face with Zaslow 2, legitimate South Florida media legends. The original gangster, Greg, Greg, I'm worried about you. I'm worried about you. Do not stifle those coughs. Let them go.

Just let them fly. Don't make me laugh then quit referring to me as Mustachioed Your mustache looks ridiculous. You've been growing it for 10 days Zaslow is legitimately enraged with you and we brought him in to Pacify that baby Mike Ryan I come in here today and he's like you should be thanking me Thanking me for protecting your ass to pacify this baby mike ryan who wants to talk with a real florida panthers fan deep in the weeds on all the important hockey things

that need to be discussed today and says low is legitimately disgusted with you sure yeah he's trying to stare me down uh... no is not trying to stare you down he is successfully staring you down we will get to him in a second cuz he is fired up so i'd love that i'm here with two old friends and that we've got this tension in the room to play with but uh... the thing i'm more excited about

is that the next few days have a chance to create generational sports fandom in this town for a sport not unlike it happened in Tampa because everyone can fall in love with this team the very best way because it beats the best at its best in the biggest moment it's a giant hockey time in this town and I can think, I can count on one hand the number of teams that I have truly loved in this market, truly loved and there is only one of them among that group that didn't win the championship.

It was the 96 Panthers, a team not as good as this one that taught me and my father about hockey my father was weeping in the stands getting swept in the final and he thought the pop was made of metal because this sport is the best this time of year that team was not as good as this one but what that team taught me what that team taught me and going through the boston bruins and eric lindroth

to make david yager and let me know is that the best team wins this time of year not a team with one player not a team with one guy who's better than everyone else but this guy so good that he can take it down any can make you a laughing stock from up up three oh because he's that good and i am scared shitless but i also believe in this team i believe in its

ability to be better in the third period than other teams so let's get to the tension of the day zaslow against greg cody because greg i could see a squirming around i don't blame you zaslow the floor is yours tell the people why it is you're so mad at greg cody because greg i could see a squirming around i don't blame you as well the floor is yours tell the people why it is you're so mad at greg cody uh... hey guys uh... that was a hell of a stare down you would have won the staredown olympics on the greg cody show featuring greg cody a lot of us that out for a couple

minutes and i don't know if they're done require two people looking at each other you were looking away you know i forgot forgot Zazz was in the room. Listen, alright, Greg, I don't, this is the first time I've ever been in a studio with Greg, right? First time ever I've ever. You have not liked Greg Cody's columns for a long time. Well I don't have to, he doesn't have to like my shows, I don't have to like it, that doesn't mean I dislike all of them, but I don't have to like all his columns, he doesn't have to like all my shows. That's nothing personal. I'm sure he's a really nice guy And here's the thing Greg all right and please I'm trying I'm gonna say is in the nicest way possible Okay, if the Panthers lose this series

You're going to be remembered for this people are gonna be so angry They are going to remember you for this you you've had a great career here I a legendary writer for the Miami Herald, and that should be your legacy. That should be what everybody remembers one day. Wow, Greg Cody, amazing writer, represented the Herald and South Florida. But if the Panthers lose, they're going to remember you for this, and you shouldn't be remembered for this.

You should not be remembered for the Panthers losing. You should be remembered for saying Moreno should have been traded. Not this! Yeah, there's two people on earth who are going to blame me if the Panthers lose this series, Zaslow and Mike Ryan, because what an ultimate conceit to think that something, anything I wrote, and by the way it wasn't a whole column, it was two paragraphs in a column. To think that that has a scintilla of effect on the outcome of this series is beyond the pale of ridiculous. Beyond the pale of ridiculous. It's just, it's anti-logic, it's anti-intellect, superstition is in thin air. You're choosing to be superstitious, you're choosing

to believe in jinxes, none of it matters. What matters more is if a fourth line Panther falls asleep for five seconds and gives up a goal tonight. Look, Mike Ryan has no, he's super fans. Super fans Zazlo and Mike Ryan have zero effect on their team winning. What a writer writes has zero effect on a series. To think otherwise is just patently absurd. But it can't help. Well, see that's my point. That's my point right there. I don't even disagree with the things that you're saying, okay? What you're saying is completely logical, alright?

But do saying what you said about McDavid, it's not gonna help the situation It could only hurt and we know that it got back to him Okay, David's father knows you think kind of McDavid's father's keeping a secret at this point He definitely called his son up as a listen son, you know, I know you got some things on your mind But there's this great C coach a who's down in south florida says you overrated what are you gonna do about it now maybe nothing baby doesn't do anything about it but maybe he does do something about it right yeah you'll walk asleep in china at all saying yeah

you know what happened there yeah when when dad and uh... and connor were speaking the way that conversation ended was you know what? I wasn't particularly excited about this series. I mean, granted, it's my first final ever, and winning it is going to take such a burden off me. It's the biggest series of my entire life, but I needed that little extra incentive from a Miami writer I'd never heard of calling me overrated. Now, now I'm ready to do something.

He had one point though through the first three games. Maybe he said, listen, it's bad enough to lose the Stanley Cup final. I also don't want Greg Cotet to end up being right. So look at you now, games four and game five. He's the best player you've ever seen. Maybe it did wake a sleeping giant. I wrote what I wrote. Maybe it didn't, but maybe it did. I wrote what I wrote before the series so what

happened in those first three games? He was the leading point scorer. Yeah and they were 0 and 3. Yeah and then you started playing in billboards around town. Not me. Yeah then you started playing in billboards around town. Get on your hands and knees and thank me for saving your legacy. Yeah you know what I now both of you can I see you and the clown in the hat has has anyone not as long has anyone thanked Mike Ryan yet it also has anyone thanked him for making sure that billboards don't go up I haven't decided if they're not going up or not yet no but they're not but there's another weekend to think about it if they lose

Are you serious man? You guys are you guys are assholes you guys are assholes this matters this Matters to me life this matters to him this matters to him This matters to him and you're making a joke of it! Don't screw with my life! Yes! Come on! You would never do this to other franchises. You're showing your ignorance because it's hockey. Mike, Mike, you say this. You know how I know you would never do it? Because you've never done it before!

No, no. You said, this is one of the arguments you made that's infuriating, okay? You said the Panthers would think it's classless. I got suspended at ESPN. You think what I did there that he thought was classy? Do you You think what I did there the heat thought was classy Do you think that what I did there to get suspended from ESPN? Do you think the heat was like that's a classy move what Dan's doing getting suspended there liked it. They were bitter I'm their own president said smiling faces hidden agenda. I'm in me. I'm in waited till after he left You didn't do it in the middle. I'm in reruns on this. It's an old joke.

I've already made it. I'm hoping nobody noticed it. You never actively tried to celebrate a championship before it's been won. You never did that. Rance notwithstanding, you have never, with your team up 3-0, tried to put up billboards. You should be thanking me. The billboards. Because you know how much different your life would be after the last two games if those

billboards were up. No. We're talking national controversy. We're talking the greatest mush of all time. Wait a minute. You're talking national controversy? Please, let's get on the screen. The video I've enjoyed so much the last couple of days of how I've gotten dragged into national

controversy. Show me Steve Levy at his maximumve levy doing television ever so graceful tan too much from the boca beach club and pointing to the camera with his left hand because he doesn't even need his dominant hand to be great at television conor mcdavid saying it now and he's doing it on the biggest stage leave buckle up yeah i'm buckled already don't get me going it's all world this guy i think last rated wait It's all world, this guy. I think last- Overrated, wait, some of you are overrated.

What's going on? Dan Levatore. Oh please, no national controversy. Don't give me any of that. Please, don't give me any of that. So you're doing this for attention because it doesn't matter to you. It doesn't.

You're just an attention seeking charlatan. That's what you are. You are way worse than him. He's an idiot. No one took him seriously. They had a week to draw up a story line. No one gives a shit. They talked about it because they had a week and they moved on.

You are pouring gasoline on this idiot. This is really taking a turn. He said he played seven minutes a game. No one took him seriously. Greg is mad. Greg is legitimately mad. And I knew this was going to happen. I knew this was going to happen i knew this was absolutely

you know somebody for for mike's next birthday somebody out of by a magi and wouldn't cross because the burden you bear the burden you have to bear as they self-appointed world's biggest panthers fan who apparently has already given up on his team you know that's the part that's the part that i'm very Shove this crucifix up your ass. You don't have to even know what's sideways.

Because I am not the self-proclaimed biggest Panther fan. I am one of six. You're a fake. I am one of six. You're a fake Panther fan who has already given up on his team. Shut up. You're a fake columnist. You're a fake sports expert.

You thought he played seven minutes a game. If you believed in the Panthers, you would not be nearly as upset right now. I would want to be a Panther. I believe in the Panthers, but I also believe you guys have made a mockery of this. And you're doing it again, against my wishes. You got all this shit going on behind me. We're spending 12 minutes on the top talking about you guys, which is all you wanted and it's all you love. I Don't know what we're yelling about

You don't we've spent two weeks on it. I wrote two paragraphs on Connor McDavid, okay, and the idea that I wrote this for clicks. Let me bring you into the analytics a little bit I have written three columns this month that have been more red than the Conor McDavid column, which ranks for the year. The year is not even half over. That is the 19th most read column I have written. The idea that I wrote two paragraphs... What did that say? Stat of the day. There's my father singing. Okay, I thought I heard poppy. It's like, bring some levity to this little unnecessary stat. It's like, no, I'm...

It's weird. It's weird. Not that this is about clicks. That was my 19th rated click column. I want people to know that I didn't write this. Which one was the 12th rated? I could tell you if you want me to. Please look it up.

No, I don't. Not surprising that we would go to the depths of your self-involvement. Zaslow, please. I don't want to talk about his columns and I don't actually. I do want to talk about this game and this next couple of days because I do believe in this team. Why would you not? Oh, I believe very much.

I think it's going to end tonight. I believe very much in this team. It's just, this is my life. There's so much stress that guys like me, first of all, I need this thing to end tonight. I really do. It's consuming my life. It's all I think about.

All day long, every day, it's all I think about. I can't sleep at night. You think I wanna wake up in the middle of the night thinking about Conor McDavid and Riot Nugent Hopkins and Stuart Skinner I don't care to think about these people I need this series to end tonight and I don't want the mockery again everything that you said Greg is completely logical but all logic doesn't matter what my feelings involved right now I watch these games Greg I'm on the verge of projectile vomit for 60 minutes alright?

And I don't want to hear about Conor McDavid being overrated and then we happen to KNOW that it got back to Conor McDavid. Like if I said something about Conor McDavid right now, he's never gonna know about it. He knows what you said. Maybe he decided to try a little bit harder. I don't know. Come on. I don't know. Come on. I don't know. That's the point. To try a little bit harder in the final? He's not going to try less.

That's for sure. Maybe he wanted to try harder. I can't deny that. Rack him. I don't know. Rack him. I don't know. I'm trying to win a Stanley Cup here.

I don't want to hear about Conor McDavid being overrated. Here's the thing. Panther fans are like myself and like Mike Ryan and like the great Roy Bellamy who by the way was on my show yesterday was phenomenal he was in the car on the way to Edmonton what a terrible trip good get for you super long time panther fans we've been waiting our entire life for this series for tonight and instead of the middle of the series you're right smack in the middle of it I wasn't thinking about about that 20 years ago. You know what, the next time the Panthers have a shot here, Greg Cody's gonna be the main conversation. I mean, that's not what I was planning on. I'm the main conversation because you and Mike Ryan are acting like- No, no. You're the main conversation because of Dude in the Middle.

I'll never forgive you. Because of Dude in the Middle. Greg, what'd you text me yesterday about the podcast, our podcast? It's doing good numbers. There's your stat. Okay, and I don't think I even mentioned Conor McDavid in my last podcast, did I? You did an emergency podcast episode.

Yeah, that was a couple weeks ago. Response to Canada. Yeah. I don't want to keep covering recycled ground because I do wanna talk about the game, but I cannot abide Mike Ryan with the Steve Levy left hand Pointing at me and saying that this is my fault when I was off that week Yeah, I was simply off that weekend when I came back. They were up 3o

You cannot blame me for anything here. Well, guess who's back and ruined everything Where's your hot dog costume because we're all trying to find out who did this you just pointed it out like can you go back? to where you Scram skid hattle this is not adult behavior. It's childish this is sports. It is childish behavior This is completely yeah, that's how sports work man. You know what a cup can be one side. It's completely appropriate This is a game Yes, like what do we do when I win a championship? We pour drinks on one another and we have a parade This is childish. He thinks this is a game

He does he's playing with our emotions and Dan is also playing with our emotions because admittedly he hasn't cared since 1996 He told you himself. No No What I said was don't misquote me. I'm not gonna allow you to misquote me. What I said was that in my lifetime, I think there are five teams in this market that I have truly fallen in love with

for a variety of different circumstances that I won't bore you with here. And the only one in my lifetime, it wasn't last year's Panthers for me, it was not because this franchise has done to me what the Marlins have done to me, which is sort of kill my soul a little bit. And I don't want to watch mediocre stuff for 30 years and keep caring. So I was late to this particular party, but they have gotten my attention because what they can do right now is bigger than

what they could have done last year, even though it would have been an upset, by slaying the most giant of the giants at the end. It's not just that you took your nemesis down and that was the appetizer. You took down the deserving champion that has ruled this state and made hockey matter in Florida. You took them out after they were your nemesis. And then what you do is you take out the historic franchise that everyone in Miami hates because Boston's racist.

And then you take out the New York Rangers. And we hate everybody from New York because they've come down here and infected our town with everything they do. And then who do you take out the end? The biggest, baddest giant. So don't tell me I'm not excited. I'm telling you, the next two games are for my love.

They're for my love, for me remembering you. Stop saying two games. There's one game for the rest of our lives. May there be a game seven overtime so I can be scared. Maximum scared. Let me step out a bit. Let me step out a bit for one second and try to calmly articulate how important this is to me.

I'm scarred by the Stu Barnes trade for Chris Wells. After I left high school, I went straight into an organization that was on a lockout. I miss an entire season, and I worked under Michael Yarmark. I saw 50 people get fired. I didn't get paid a single cent. I've seen this team go from blue to red

to possibly move into Hamilton to maybe Hank Aaron owning the team. I've seen them trade Pavel Burry after they acquired his brother. I was so excited to see that tandem. I didn't really get to see it. I've seen Todd Bertuzzi come here for Roberto Luongo and Luongo have a Hall of Fame career.

I had Mike Keenan, I shared elevators with Jacques Martin and Mike Keenan. This matters to me, deeply. And it would have been fine and wonderful if I won it in four games. It would have been amazing. I wouldn't have felt any wonderful if I wanted in four games it would have been amazing I wouldn't felt any better if I wanted four games or six but you were making a mockery of how much I care and it was very evident to everybody how much we all cared about the Miami Heat you don't care the same

way I get it but I do take offense to you guys making a mockery of it because this is serious stuff to me because I'm a grown manchild I'm 38 years old I want to see this I feel like I deserve it why is this a mockery oh please no I'm asking you please why is this a mockery yes what have we been talking about a column a throwaway line that you even added boom after because you know what you were doing right why is it a mockery for anybody not just me to have the opinion that until? Connor McDavid wins a Stanley Cup he has not lived up to the hype that's it That's a valid it's a valid opinion all the games you're calling it a mockery. Yes, because you've made a mockery since the Mick overrated

Let me ask you something going into the 1991 NBA finals Michael Jordan and never won yet going into the NBA NBA Finals, Michael Jordan never won yet. Going into the NBA Finals, would you have said Michael Jordan overrated? I would have said it with the qualifier, until you win an NBA Finals, you have not lived up to your hype, to your potential, and that you have underachieved based on expectations. Yes, absolutely. I think that's consistent across sports. Dan Marino was a great quarterback.

The fact he never won a Super Bowl matters. You better not say, I mean, you. It matters. Yeah, I mean, let's look, come on. You better not say Marino's overrated. Better not say that. Marino underachieved based on his. Oh my God.

Based on his talent. Based on his. Did you ever go to Nike Town and see the cleat he was playing with? Did you just say he was over, are you saying now for the first time, are you doubling down now on also Merino is overrated? Are you saying that Merino is overrated? Is that what you're announcing today?

Don Shuler next? One of the problems. Yes or no? I'm not going to say yes or no. Yes or no? Overrated? Who all of a sudden has respect for something. He's never won a title.

Look, the words overrated and under achiever are incendiary, okay? In this case, perhaps they were intended to be. They certainly were attention-getting, which is part of it. I'm not gonna shy away from the fact that as a writer, I love it when I write a column that becomes a conversation piece. That's a good thing. Okay? This is not life and death despite the rant you just heard from Mike Ryan. This is not life or death. This is sports. You found your lane. You're the overrated guy now. Look. Okay. Is Dan Marino overrated? When you're, when you call yourself McJesus. He didn't call himself that. He didn't troll into the league and say, I'm McJesus.

That was LeBron. LeBron is the one. Right, LeBron, he comes into the league, the king, he lived up to it eventually. Can you imagine he walks into the league, I'm McJesus. McJesus, please refer to me by that. I'm 18 years old, I'm McJesus. Hey folks, it's Mike Ryan. I'm talking to you all the time about game time. Well, which comes as no surprise to you

that I've basically been living on this app for the last few weeks between hockey and summer concert season. I just can't get enough. In fact, I just snagged two tickets to the Red Hot Chili Peppers for my wife's birthday. I love Game Time. One of the things that I love so much about this app

is the all-in pricing feature. You just click that little feature on the top right of your app and it shows you all the prices upfront. No surprise fees at checkout. You also get to see seat views. You get a panoramic view from your seat on the app before you buy. Lowest price guaranteed. Game Time will credit you 110% of the difference and their customer service folks is second

to none. So please take the guesswork out of buying tickets with game time. That's what I do. Download the game time app, create an account, use code Dan for $20 off your first purchase terms apply. Again, create an account and redeem code D a N for $20 off your first purchase. Download game time today. Last minute tickets lowest price guaranteed.

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This guy comes in as the next Wayne Gretzky. His nicknames include the Chosen One and McJesus, okay? He's a great player, he scores a lot of goals, he scores a ton of assists, but it hasn't translated to making Edmonton a powerhouse in the league. They're in the final. Stugats! What's your nickname for them?

McOva Raiders. This is the Don LeVatar Show with the Stugats! I genuinely and really do want to get to the micro about tonight's game. I can't tell you the last time I was excited about the idea of doing a pregame show because the minutia of the game is also interesting to me in hockey. It's been a long time since I felt that. And I will say as we're sitting here,

arguing among family and friends, and Greg Cody is hot right now. Like Greg Cody told me during the break. He's mad. He's mad. Like he like he's in fact because some people are going to be thinking that this is bit you go ahead and tell the people what you just saw from Greg Cody during the yeah he's mad and I don't want you to be mad at me I think you're a nice man okay oh he's not mad at me he's not mad at you I was glad he's not mad at Mike Ryan he's really mad at my really mad at mike

ryan's okay why was will get to that in just a second and we'll get a real villain what will get to the micro of the game in a in a second just macro because i'd really do to agree with stugats and zasaslow somewhere here on where it is that sports reaches us in the best places, in the very best places. The last three years, I think we can admit around here at this company, life in America, like super, super hard, okay?

For anyone listening to this for a variety of reasons, the last three years have been really hard. If you've been listening to this show and me falling apart, grieving, falling apart for three years, the last three years have been hard. To feel this particular medicine that takes you away from real life problems is why sports are the giant business that they are, because people care unreasonably about this medicine that soothes them and allows them to escape during a hard time.

I'm sorry that we're fighting during all of this, because this is a legitimate, lovely time, but this is what happens around sports. Everyone's falling apart, and now Greg Cody, during the break, Cecil, you heard, he said he demands an apology from you. He said he demands an apology from you he said he demands an apology I demand a thank you for the for fighting against the

billboards I demand a thank you hold on a second how about and this is not surprising coming from you you don't respect your superiors because you don't think anyone is superior he looks at you and says I won't be called an idiot twice to my face on the air Well, I had Greg just say that Greg says I know but I just heard him say it And he says I demand an apology was telling me off air. He's not joking. He's demanding He's not asking for an apology. He's demanding one. Okay, I don't I don't mind anyone Disagreeing with anything I've written and and I'm used to it, and I have thick skin for it.

And I would say, and I don't read comments, social media comments, if somebody I don't even know calls me an idiot, who cares? When somebody I do know calls me an idiot twice, how about you control your emotions? No, I'm serious. Oh, that's what I want to hear right now is calm down. That's what I want to hear. Your skin is so thick you bumped into a door and started bleeding today. I don't believe you for a second.

And no, I'm sorry. I've told you for two weeks now how this has bothered me. And when you did it, I wasn't here to check you either. So no, I will not apologize for doing something on air because you've made my entire life performative for everybody else. I care deeply. And if you wanna keep running this bit

and your jolly friend over there wants to keep ramping things up because you are just a member of the family and you are sitting next to Charles Manson. Whoa, jolly. Be careful with jolly, that's coded. My dad does have thin skin but thick toenails, am I right dad? Yes, you are right about that.

No, I'm not gonna apologize. I wouldn't expect you to apologize. You're a giant infant. You have no control over your emotions. You have no control over your emotions. When you're calling someone you know an idiot. I don't deserve it. Okay I don't deserve it all right, and you're a fool for saying it okay You're a fool. Yeah, I was kind of falling

You're locking in right now. You're locking in on yeah, right. Let's drop the gloves pal Thanking me for what every day for what I've done around this character And the second shit gets real for you You want to come at me and call me a fool Seriously Ten years to your career you want to call me a fool wait a minute you'd be toiling away you Michael your mark you won't be everything You have added 10 years

You're a rude man, you're a fool You're a fool! You're a fool! I already called you a fool! You can't call me a fool! You're an idiot again! It's a fool on! You're an idiot twice! You're an idiot for dismissing how much I've helped you!

You are a fool! You're nobody! You are an infant! You have no thick skin! You are nobody to me! I literally put together a freaking stage for your toenail! I am your career right now, pal! Look at me!

I am your career! You have messed with the world! You have messed with the world! You have messed with the world! You have messed with the world! You have messed with the world! You have messed with the world! You have messed with the world! You have messed with the world! You have messed with the world! Stage for your toenail. No Your career right now pal look at me No, you have mess with me David and now you're messing with me and I'm more dangerous Too many pals dance fault. You brought all this there with my dad. Come on. Yeah, he's in there muttering under his blood. Let me out of here.

I'm apologizing, you got air with it. Thank me, thank me for saving you. This is what you've done. This is what you've done. So how about that apology? Well, Mike did say in there, no, I'm sorry. I've told you how I've felt about this for weeks. So no, I'm sorry is gonna be what you get.

No, I'm sorry is gonna be the closest we come to an apology there. He did say the words I'm sorry is gonna be what you get. I know I'm sorry is gonna be the closest we come to an apology there He did say the words. I'm sorry. It was just no. I'm sorry. I've told you how I feel about this for two weeks It was me saying no, I'm sorry's Well, that's not what it sounds a common like no, I'm sorry zero. I'm sorry I do want to get to the smaller stuff here, but this this is genuinely tense now and Jeremy want he was whispering back in my day song on a number one album for you Mike Mike I think I need you to stop with the bona fides here He does not respect what I do Wow he doesn't he doesn't know what I do

I understand you're a voice actor as well is that right right? When you quit Metal Arc in May you're gonna become a voice actor? Well he's very close to quitting. He's very close to quitting. Not close enough. Well he's also close to being fired so like we're in both places. Once he gets there with the... I mean he called me a dick the other day by text because he's totally... he's lost his mind as many people have because sports will do this to you was it went when did he call you a dick like when it was while you were losing for one for two to Edmonton headed into the third period it's very stressful moment very small I just I was losing not you very stressful Mike can't control himself he's an immature man he

doesn't he wouldn't admit it but there's a real immaturity to someone who calls his boss a dick who calls a a older co-worker an idiot all you just don't do that in polite society you should probably tell him to calm down again yeah that's never I'm sure that's never good Jeremy why Jeremy whispered in my ear like a scared child. Jeremy was so scared. Well no, he did whisper. He's like, can I leave the room? I want to leave the room. I know the feeling. I mean, seriously, it's like, this is not a working condition. You're the one that wanted to make it real. This is what happens.

What does that mean? I wanted to make it real. This is what happens when people stop being fake and start being real I wrote two paragraphs three weeks ago I take responsibility for that what else am I responsible for the Panthers losing two in a row is a writer right now the writer I love how you make it that it's only two paragraphs like kind of distances you from it like you still said it calling them overrated in just two paragraphs Right of an entire column

T-shirts I saw McDavid mc-overrated Dash-greg-kody okay, those are not what you did those are not for sale in my merch store My point exactly stop fighting with me and avert your eyes and turn your attention To the real bad guy because Dan didn't call me an idiot. He's more polite than that. To your face. Well, I did say that my favorite part of the inside joke for only our audience, like the favorite part of the joke

is that the people listening to this, when we put the billboards up, those people who listen to this show will know where the opinion came from and so it will be all the funnier Not that it came from an idiot, but that it's an idiotic opinion and we all know it that it looks like a duck Greg No, that what I do. I mean if it writes two paragraphs like a duck But me thinking that idiotic is not calling him an idiot. I know it's not. It's, I don't. And me screaming into this microphone doing what I do best.

Better than anyone who's ever been a producer in this industry has ever done it. Wow. Calling you an idiot and taking it personally, shame on you. But if you want to get real, we can get real, pal. We can get real. Another pal? We can get real. That's our third pal.

We'll get real. How are we three pal territory? We'll get Tory. How is this escalated? What's game seven gonna be like? We not talk about game seven when they're gonna win it tonight cut it out forget about game Said what's game seven gonna be like stop with that all right tonight is gonna be one of the best nights of your life I need to hear about game seven when next year Next year? The year after? There's not game seven in this series. This is ending tonight. I'm going to watch my favorite little hockey team, the best hockey team in the land, that includes Canada, raise the Stanley Cup over their shoulders. You know how great it's going to feel when Sasha Barkov hands that Stanley Cup to Aaron Echplad? Don't talk to me about game seven. It ends tonight. Finish him.

It's my life. That's what you got to do to McDavid. You got to do that. But we haven't broken out the finish him in a minute and now it's getting aggressive. It's a three-pal situation and a finish him situation. It's a three-pal and a finish him situation on McDavid. And when you say scared of this, I'm not scared of this. There's plenty of this. it's running down my leg i'm scared of him i'm scared of him and i'd believe the best team wins in that sport we have to i believe the panthers are the best team it's empirical what they do in the third

period is better than anyone in the sport i saw it coming back even with what he did in game five i saw it coming back they were pelting edmonton because they are championship worthy. This is the most championship worthy team I have ever seen play hockey in this market. Go on. No, it is. This is the best Panther team there has ever been. That's not in any way up for dispute, but it's empirical.

It's not just that they're not doing it as an eighth seed last year. No, it's that they were a hundred point team all season. They play a style of play that wins this time of year. Edmonton plays a style of play that doesn't win the way this one does, but they have a player that can nuke everything. They have a single player that can nuke everything historic in hockey that happens to the best teams. And then on top of that, hockey can happen to you. Hockey can just happen to you because you hit the post a couple of Time can happen to you if the ice is choppy. They had a snooped out Snoop Dogg concert last night

I think that benefits the Panthers probably that's a person You know like that ice is a slow it down slow the game down that bad ice is a tricky thing because you never know When it's gonna pop up and it could pop up like during a golden opportunity for you But if I told you that the player that relies on could pop up during a golden opportunity for you, but if I told you that the player that relies on puck handling and precision the most and is the greatest skater, maybe ever, he might be the greatest, like Scott Hamilton would like a word, that's it. There has never been a better skater in that sport. You'll take it, you know that you've won some grinders out there, and I think that's what

tonight is going to have to be for the Panthers to win this. I don't see this being, you were talking before the before the shows as and you said maybe a 6-4 final Well, no, no, I like five and a half. I had a dream. My dream was that last night. They won six four I don't think it's gonna be a choice. You don't have to choke the life out of this game. I think yeah Can we just be up three nothing after the first period? Well, that was what we were offering everyone after the first period? Well, that was, but we were up three nothing after the first three games. Does that make everyone's life easier if they're up three nothing after the first period tonight?

Isn't this just all, it's easy to say, but it feels like this is just all on Bob. Cause that's the difference the last few games. If Bob is Bob, like from the first three, we got this. How about don't get doubled up on the special teams for the series? Well, listen, five on five, the Panthers are a better team. And I don't care who argues that.

It's after that when the trouble begins. If they stay out of the penalty box, they win tonight. They win the series all as well. People don't hate me anymore. It's perfect. If they get in the penalty box a lot, People still hate you. People are mad at you. They are taking chances, though, with their fourth line. They're bringing in Ryan Lomborg,

who was there the last game I thought provided the energy. Cousins tonight. But cousins, these are Ryan Lomborg and Nick Cousins are reputed to be your two biggest mistake makers. Nick Cousins, reputed Rat King, Hothead. Is Paul Morty's keeping Verhagy on the top line? Or he switched that, right? Yeah, Verhagy and Barkov had this weird thing. This is a Verhagy game, he's only had one goal in this series. Say his name. Come on. Say his name and he appears. It's time to have a conversation about Carter Verhagy. Say his name and he appears. I believe in Verhagy. Carter Verhagy, that's my dog. I believe in Verhagy. I thought Ekblad was one of their big mistake makers. Ekblad too. That's my dog. I believe I thought eclad was one of their big mistake makers I'd like to ask my dog ecblads not not a great skater and He's been great though this postseason. He has but the last two games

We he had that really unfortunate thing happened to his ankle and when this is over We'll find out how hurt everybody is and he's not necessarily a player that has shown you he can maintain A really good level of form. He's gonna be great tonight. He's gonna be great. I believe. Are you a homers as? Are you like how does this work? I know you're scared so you're projecting confidence at every turn but I know you're scared of it's not even the history of the Edmonton Oilers though you can you could be scared of that too. This is a historic franchise now being led by the second coming of Gretzky and you're going into a building. Let me assure you of this.

Okay. Edmonton's number one pride internationally is this hockey team and this player. That place cares about that player and that team in a way that gives it its name, its city city name Edmonton is known for what Gretzky did in that uniform and now McDavid is the second coming of Gretzky that building is going to be a total insanity. This Panther team they've been better on the road in the postseason they don't get phased with these road crowds the biggest problem to me with playing this game on the road tonight is not having last change. That's a major, major deal. We're never, I mean really rarely gonna be about Barkov and Forsling and Echblad on the ice at the

same time. Maurice has to pick one or the other. It's a fantastic point. So when we talk about home ice advantage, the crowd, like that doesn't matter. It's about not being able to get our guys on the ice all the time alongside McDavid so that is a major disadvantage for tonight's game That's the part that I'm most worried about but I know our guys are gonna be great tonight I know they are less less change really pokes its head out. It's a big deal face off in your own zone Yeah, it's a everything else can be on the fly. We've seen McDavid We've seen Knoblox send McDavid out on the ice when Barkov's not on the ice. He didn't need to be a home team to take that advantage. So

you're going to have to take it where you can get it. But it is, it can't be, it can't be understated. Like we're going to start with the Barkov line tonight. Maurice is going to hand in his car. We're going to start with the Barkov line and they're going to start with their second line. Like McDavid's not going to start for Edmonton tonight because we're going to put our first line out there to begin the game and that's where the Chess match begins now not that I don't trust Paul Maurice because it's amazing that I was calling him all year last year the murder Of fun and I kicked him out of my city and now I love him so much Paul Maurice my dog

All right, he is my dog. So I trust him. But look that's that's the that's my biggest concern tonight It's not being able to match up with McDavid. But I think tonight's gonna be one of the best nights of my life, I'm so excited! Dan, earlier you said that in 96, they went through two guys that are McDavid in Yarmir Yager and Mario Lemieux, two of the all-time greats.

They have another McDavid on their team. Dry Cytl, he's been fairly quiet, not recently, and his biggest impact in the series has been that dirty hit that he had on Bark team. Dry Cytl, he's been fairly quiet not recently and his biggest impact in the series has been that dirty hit that he had on Barkov but they have two of the top five players in the world. This is a really good team and because McDavid is that good the Dry Cytl thing is is not really a storyline they have the two best players in this series and everybody else like Florida just throws waves upon waves of

depth and that depth things like the fourth line decision taking out Lawrence taking out a post so that's gonna matter tonight that depth is why empirically they're the best third period team in the league the thing that I want to ask you guys because it's the best third period team in the league is something that continually wears you down over the course of the game so that by the end, the way that you want to knock off Lemieux and Jagger is it's too much. There are too many waves.

It's too much of it. The thing that I want to ask you about Paul Maurice is this. I have seen over the last two years something that I did not think was possible okay. Barkov in whatever it is that they were doing before two years ago was a source of great frustration for everyone in the fan base and then this style comes here built around everything he does and now it's best two-way player in the world where I heard all the muttering complaints about this player for a really long time and when I don't know the sport well enough to know how much Paul Maurice has to do

with that but I extend from that oh you guys trust this guy like you trust Spoh you you guys trust that this person will make the right decisions you might have quibbles with where he's putting Montour every once in a while but generally speaking you're extending your trust to this human being as being smarter than you, and trusting him implicitly. Yeah. He's also never done it. Like, when you look back, he's coached among the all-time leaders in games coached.

He's also among the all-time leaders in losses. Yeah. Like, he's never done it, ever. He's gone close. The face of joy joy the face of joy has now taken four flights and landed in Edmonton Roy Bellamy who starred on Zazzle Tell the people where they can find you so they know well. Thank you Yes as low show 2.0 whenever you get your podcast I could list all the places but I'll be sitting here forever So wherever you get your podcast Zazzle show 2.0 wherever you get your podcast. I can list all the places but I'll be sitting here forever So wherever you get your podcast Zaslow Show 2.0 every day. I love you long time Roy was there with you

Yesterday and he brought the charisma. I'm told he smiled more than he usually does around here He is not smiling right now Roy. How bad was the flight and how bad is your breath right now? Brushed my teeth. My breath is fine. The flight was much, much better than it was flying to Edmonton the first time. I tell you that right now. It was 11 hours plus a three hour drive. So yeah, the flight was good.

The drive was so-so. And how are you feeling about things? We've got a lot of tension here back in the studio since you left. I think you might be enraged with Greg Cody right... greg cody right now as well my grind is called him an idiot twice what your general feelings about greg cody right now he's going to click some that happy about it then uh... he's embarrassed us as a fan base is but embarrassed alone a journalistic entity also yes i'm not happy with the record right now

us yeah thank you do you mean by us Roy I'm here right now on I Greg yeah so by us though do you mean fellow Panthers fans but it does be careful with by you people he means Panthers fans yeah yeah just making that clear both ends of the spectrum okay yeah. Yeah, okay, okay Roy speaking to that was cutting Roy Roy speaking to what's bothered me Up there like top two things that's bothered me about this is this should be a moment of arrival and a moment of legitimacy And it might still be well it may be it will be well

There's a nice little guarantee right there from Dan, but I think we've made this a circus. I'm not happy with my actions today because this is taking attention away from what should be. If this team does it, talked about as one of the greatest teams in the 21st century, whoever wins this series is going to be stacked up with the Penguins and the Blackhawks. What the Panthers have done in this-

Overcoming this group of teams this postseason is a monster run it's not just it's not just a postseason it's the regular season two and how great everybody was and for once in my life as a panther fan i felt like i was being taken seriously and people were having to already cope once i went up three zero with the fact that this market has arrived the ugly stepchild of of the state of Florida when it comes to hockey has finally been here and we're fighting amongst ourselves. We're trying to put up billboards before the thing's been done and we've made an absolute circus of these things when all I wanted was what Zaslow gave me. What all I wanted was talking about the quality of the ice and talking about Nick

Cousins and his discipline. That's all I ever wanted out of this stuff. So you got, you get to have your cake and eat it too, I guess, Dan, because you wanted more fireworks and you got them. Not just that though, Roy's hockey show. If you want some of the deep in the weeds analysis of all the good stuff, he's been doing a great job with David Dwork and he keeps flying out to Edmonton. But I want to get at this tension that there is specifically with newspaper guys and radio guys, because I've seen it for a long time in this market and elsewhere, and Greg does not respect radio, and Zaslow doesn't respect some of Greg's columns, and you just derisively hit Roy with, you're not a journalist.

You just did that to Roy Okay, Roy is I don't think Roy would call himself a journalist. Maybe he would I Mean Roy is gonna have a plaque in that arena near are we doing to each other well? I don't like any of this you guys really hate it going at Roy now like all because you said something stupid I'm not going at Roy just admit you said something stupid. I love Roy I said I had Roy on my show yesterday, and your response was that's a good get. And it was a good get. Now you're going to attack Roy. You're just going to keep going at everybody. I am not attacking Roy. Roy is blossoming. And just not admit that you said something stupid. Roy's had such great content over these last few weeks. It's among the best work he's ever done. I really like Roy. Roy, can I ask you one quick question though? Roy, are you there?

You've traveled to, is this the fourth game that you've traveled to this postseason? Yes it is. What is your record? This is postseason number four. What is your record? Oh, it's an important question. Very important.

Currently one and two. One and two? Uh-oh. Which one did you win? Game one in New York, I believe. The Rangers game, game five, yeah. Oh my God. All right. Thank God those are doing God if Roy is one and two on the road It's a jinx. It means the Panthers are doomed Roy get the hell out of there fly back Save the Panthers or or or it could mean a split

That's right that you become two and two and you're holding up the trophy and you're in Edmonton. Two and two is a good road record in the playoffs. It is. I do not want to cope with that, Roy, and that is a long flight, and for you it's probably three connections. I don't even want to consider what our lives would look like if they lose this game,

and everybody in North America will be saying this series is essentially over, And this market would have to endure a second straight year of having a team in the summer blow a three-oh lead. The odds of that have to be astronomical. You always, Dad, go at it with Mike. Are you seeing yourself in the mirror now? You went at it with Roy.

Can you take a step back? If Roy's attacking you for this take, can you like see it now that maybe it was a dumb thing to say? Roy is a Panthers fan, which disqualifies him from being considered a neutral journalist. He's gonna have his picture up in the press box. He covers that.

I know, and he should. He's covered more Panthers games in the last month than you have in your entire career that that's not true I have been a hawk. I have been behind the scenes campaigning for Roy Bellamy to be added to the wall of fame I'd never in that press box. I never heard that I have no you're making that up. No never heard that up I'm gonna start. No never I didn't make that up Roy is a legend and you yes He is you have you're're also a Panthers fan Can we get Roy's analysis? So are you then by that math? You're not a Panther fan?

You're supposed to be a champion for this market. You've been like the fan. You're a homer I am in fun look boxing Roy out and I feel bad about it. Okay, let's go to Roy. I agree What are we going to Roy on? The game the biggest game of our lives. Where is Roy? Like he covers a team David Dwarf covers the team. I want to know what the vibes are I want to know if this team that has never been this close if I can read into the fact that they've lost the two games And they've lost the two games on aggregate by a lot not by a little I want to know if what we saw through the regular season is gonna play itself out or if that Edmonton team is too good and they figured something out. Roy talk me off the ledge pal that's the nicest pal I've

ever met. Oh yeah I'm sure it is. I found it interesting that Brandon Montor is not gonna be on the power play line number one considering that was his turnover that led to Connor Brown's Breakerweight goal shorthanded so he's not going to be on that line So that I found that pretty interesting and of course the lineup changed for the fourth line Like it Pomeris is making changes right now to his lineup And he's trying to match up with the Orlas and the Orlas still don't have

Evander Kane Kane so that's gonna be interesting. Just cut to it, are they gonna win tonight Roy? Come on! Can you tell them to start Evander Kane? I can't do that. The series turned when Evander Kane was just like I can't do it anymore. Wait you just yeah you just let things flipped. You stepped on Roy saying they very strong not quite a guarantee of yes I believe they will win just sort of farted out of the side of his mouth do you think we're gonna win say it's similar base yes voice yes yes yes yes there it is Roy can you give

me with some base in your voice the best and most positive of analysis that you would put together because you actually believe in this team. I was saying before you came on here that historically if you are the best group of players, the best team that goes up three nothing, there is no coming back from that, even if you have Connor McDavid. So explain to us in your basest tone why it is that the Panthers will win tonight well i believe they will stay discipline tonight they will look at it when limit their penalties tonight and uh... defense is going to come back and help bob in this

in this game so that's why i believe the panthers will win there is a little needed a four check inside all of them there it is five thousand and we sent him to add minton for that report. Not quite a guarantee, but the vibes are positive and Roy is positive. You're doing well. Yes, Roy. Where can people find you after the Stanley Cup champion Florida Panthers hold up the trophy tonight? Where can people find you and David Dwork immediately? I'm assuming that sometimes on a Friday that tonight would be one of the nights where people can

find you after the game? Well, we have the hockey show that is to date as going to air today. That's leading up to tonight's game. And then we got the post game show, which will hopefully be uploaded sometime within the next week. In the next week? Maybe. Maybe in the next week. Well, tonight would be a night to capitalize. Who knows? Okay, very good. Who knows? Hey, folks, it's Mike Ryan. I'm talking to you all the time about Game Time. Well, it comes as no surprise to you that I've basically been living on this app for

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