The Dan Le Batard Show with Stugotz - Local Hour: The Better Tony

Episode Date: June 17, 2025

"Are you sure? I'm positive!" Are the NBA Finals over? Does a Kel'el Ware grow on trees? What's the origin of Willy Nilly? Are there a lot of Panthers fans by the pool? Today's cast: Dan, Stugotz, Tony Reali, Chris, Billy, Izzy, and Mike. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

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Chris, we were in the room just seconds ago talking with a bunch of people and we were talking about us not knowing that Roy yesterday arrived for work after landing three flights he took from Edmonton to Miami and he gets into Miami at 630 and then just comes straight in after the flight. And Stu Gott says out of the side of his mouth, Chris Cody lives 20 minutes away and couldn't get in yesterday. Yeah, give Roy a hard time. I didn't give Roy a hard time.

No, Dan was. Well, I was giving him a hard time about celebrating the time of his life with, I'm tired all the time. Like, all he's saying is he's tired instead of that he's joyful Like all he's saying is he's tired instead of that he's joyful, but he's choosing this and if we didn't allow him to do it,

he would be infuriated. Now I assure you, Chris, your father is now infuriated that he is not working this week, even though last week he was complaining about how often he's being used twice a week. I'm certain that everyone around here has a way to complain about the thing they don't have, even if they had it.

He's found a way to work both complaining and celebrating not being in the sport. Roy has developed a great talent there too, and it just seems like the wrong way to be the day you can win the championship in hockey. But you get it, right? Like three flights back to back to back, you land, get to quick turn

I who would have missed a flight. What would you have done yesterday? Right three flights comes to work yesterday wasn't a day They had a chance to win the cup today is yes, but but he wants to do it. He's asking to do it He requested it he and Rose concocted a trip to Finland last summer that they wanted to go I would have been a good one go spend time with Barkov and now he gets to do it and he's complaining about doing it. I think it's the coming in that he didn't love after landing at 6.30 a.m. with an overnight flight when again Chris lives 20 minutes away.

I was at a funeral yesterday. Oh well, I mean, where's that person going? Was it for Edmonton? Wow, jeez. Wow, jeez. Sorry Chris, by the way. That's because Roy is dry. That would be today, the funeral would be tonight for Edmonton, would it not?

It's usually the day after. If we kill them tonight, we'll do it tomorrow. I mean if someone dies tonight, you're gonna have their funeral, not tonight. It's not usually the day after, if we really wanna hold in on it. Sometimes in the Jewish community it is, sometimes. I'm gonna go ahead and tell you right now that what I'd like to do, even though Mike Ryan's gonna get furious because it's gonna infuriate McDavid and be a jinx, I'd like to now start planning us doing the funeral

for the Edmondson Poilers. See, you heard funeral. Every time Kachuk wears black for one of these games, we always end up losing. Just stop, let's try to win this one game seven would be so good This is the down laboratory show with this two guys podcast a Year ago at this time almost exactly to the day, we sent Tony Kaladiud out into Miami to go find all of the buzz around the Florida Panthers possibly winning the championship.

He failed to find anyone around our building. It was not a successful venture, so we've recruited a slightly better Tony at Man on the Street stuff to try that again today to celebrate the possibility that the Panthers will be back-to-back champions. But of course, I come in here and Izzy and Jeremy and Mike are just yelling at each other about Kevin Durant. They're just yelling about the idea that Simmons says a deal to San Antonio is already done. Zaslow saying the fact that the Miami Heat are even in this discussion suggests

that it's where Durant most wants to go. And I remember quaintly a time in sports when the player wanting to go somewhere made a difference, but Minnesota is now in play. Somehow, even though Minnesota's pretty close without Durant, probably doesn't want to break up its core for Durant in any meaningful way. And also, Durant has no interest in living in Minnesota.

The larger problem with the NBA is the NBA finals are going on and no one seems to care, even the people who are covering the NBA finals. That's not true. And we're talking about a 37-year-old who's not going to make a difference in terms of a team winning a championship. I'm sorry. I don't, I think you're just individualizing your experience and projecting it out. I think people that like basketball are into this NBA finals.

Although less so with Halliburton hurt just because that's a crusher of an injury. I wanted to ask you guys, I want to get into this. Do you know a coach who has the strength to go with McConnell the rest of the way in that spot? Do you know a coach who would sit his star player who's clearly hurt and cannot drive and just say, Halliburton, you're not playing anymore in the most important game of our season?

Any coach after 2019 with a calf injury, because that's what it was, it's a calf injury and he's trying not to ruin him for next year, so you gotta be very, very delicate with him. Also, I'm gonna lob a complaint. We were not yelling, we were not fighting. I could not have been calmer when I asked Jeremy Tashay, does a Kalilweir grow on trees?

And the answer may surprise you. The answer is yes. A seven footer with the mobility to guard a lot of people, but not everybody? They're entering the league at an astonishing pace. Honestly, it's made Bam even less valuable because he created a template that a lot of people are following. So if you want these big really tall guys that are rangy defenders that are smart with the ball in their hands, that can set other people up but maybe not be a total star, certainly not an

alpha, they're entering the league more. People see Bam and they're like, they're thinking differently. It's like how Europeans said, I don't care if you're seven foot, we're going to shoot, you're going to shoot outside. The game has changed a little bit and to potentially, even though I don't necessarily think it comes to this because I think when you look at the other teams, the Rockets and and the Spurs, they have more to offer. If they wanted to rant and he want to rant, they could put a better package together. Well, there's also this part about Houston though. It's the idea of how badly do they want to break up, not just the core, but how they operate, right? Like, yes, they need a closer.

Durant's your closer, yes. If that's how you're thinking of it, cool, bring him in there. They need a veteran too. They do need a veteran, yeah. But they're running everything around Shangoon. They think, a man, Thompson is a corner piece of that franchise.

And so I don't know how much they really want. Hey, let's get Kevin Durant here. Let's try to win a championship within two years and stunt the growth of everybody else. Let's get back to Stugatz's original point because I don't agree with him that nobody likes this series, but even Adam Silver is saying when horrified

by the ratings, hey, we're selling a lot of stuff locally in the cities that are in the finals, which doesn't sound great. What are you laughing about, Mike? Did Sugat's write on that whiteboard? I didn't write it. Whoever wrote it's in trouble.

If you don't subribe to God Bless Football, you get it. The word bribe had to find its way in there somewhere. If you don't subribe to God bless football you get it So God bless football is an emerging Titan here that is expanding in a lot of ways for Stu gots and Billy and we suggest where can we find on stew tube? Where can we find all things both God bless football and StuGots as you continue to build out your empire? On StuTube and wherever you get your podcasts, that's where you get it.

It's youtube.com slash at StuGots790. It's wrong to ask StuGots this question because when he says on StuTube. I'm just churning out content, baby. But when you say on StuTube, it helps no one find it. YouTube.com slash at StuGots790 no one find it. YouTube.com slash at StuGot790. Please subcribe. There.

How do you not know? It's not my job to know. Kind of is. It's your job to promote it. It is, yeah. We're doing fine. Thank you to everyone who's supporting us. Imagine how much better you'd do if you knew the handle.

How do you spell subscribe? The Kevin Durant thing that I want to talk about with StuGots thing that I want to talk about with Stu Gatz because I began to have sort of this discussion yesterday when I was just talking about acquisitions, trades, and how obsessed we are with them so that on a day that Desmond Bain or Weekend that Devers and Desmond Bain get traded,

the trade is less interesting to us than where's Yannis going? Where's Kevin Durant going? And when you talk, I want to give the stat again that I gave yesterday, because it's not a small thing. I understand, Izzy, the way that people are saying the last year of Kevin Durant, that's what it's going to be for Kevin Durant wherever he ends up because he's old. But it simply ignores that when he's scoring 25 points on 50 percent, he's old but it's simply a know ignores that when he's scoring 25 points on 50% he's shot 53% from the field last year more than 40% from 3

that him and Jokic are the only offensive players who can do that you Mike underestimate BAM when you say there are a lot of them there are not a lot of BAMs who can guard all five of your guys right where can't do it he's not gonna grow into being someone who can do it. How many elite players in this league or in the prime of their careers get paired with a young all-star wing and finish 10th in the East? How many? You know what he is.

You know what he is. OK, you can say all this. He was also the second best player on a team that got very close to the Eastern. And he's allergic to actually making the playoffs as a standard seed He always has to go through the play-in that is not a sustainable business model for the Miami He doesn't always have to go through the play-in the last few years of butlers aging he had to go through it I'm not alleging that Bams a number one I'm also not alleging he's a star what I'm saying is he doesn't grow on trees. The ability to guard five guys is still not something

that exists in this league. Draymond can do it, and Bam can do it, and not a lot of other people can do it. We're seeing though in the league, more and more people are entering the league that can do this, and what I'm saying is, fine, he's not a superstar. Is he a really good number two?

If he can't be paired with a young all-star wing and do better than 10th in the East, that is a legitimate question. Now, here's some pro-heat propaganda for you because this is an interesting thought exercise. Wait a minute, I don't think that you can do this though to Bam and not do it to Kevin Durant. If you're gonna do it just team play,

it can't be Bam's a 10 seed and Durant's out of the playoffs. I want Durant but not Bam. Bam was a one seed with a all-star going next to him. Understood, with one time with Jimmy Butler. But we've seen when you strip Jimmy Butler away what the ceiling is for this team potentially, and it ain't great. But it's also the style of player.

Jimmy Butler and Kevin Durant are two wildly different players who probably Kevin Durant fits better alongside Bam. And I thought we were talking Kaleo Ware's growing on trees, not Bam's. Right. I want to keep my eye on the ball here. Here's a pro-heap propaganda,

if you wanna do this thought exercise is, you could make the argument, well, who's better in the East with their top three? KD, BAM, Tyler Hero, get me a better three. Now, it's a cheap trick that I'm playing because I take New York's, yeah, the gulf between the third player is probably wider,

but if you look at Jalen Brunson, Carl Anthony Towns, you'd say I'd certainly take their two. You look at Siakam and Halliburton, you'd say I'd take their two, but you can't necessarily figure out who the third is. So if you look at the top three, you're like, yeah, I like my chances in this Eastern Conference, and I've heard that from a lot of Heat fans.

Obie Toppin was the third last night. Jalen Williams did something last night that I don't know if it surprised the national audience or newcomers but 40 points in a playoff game is not something Dirk has done, is not something the mailman has done, is not something that Kawhi has done, is not something Larry Bird has done, is not something that Karl Malone, did I mention the mailman, like these are giant names that haven't gone 40 points in a game and that wasn't as important last night as Halliburton's hurt and so if you're only

getting good games from Siakam and Topping and you get in a situation where you allow more points on turnovers than you have all season in a game. The Pacers haven't allowed that many points off of turnovers because they're good at protecting the ball and that's the first game in this series that has been played exactly the way Oklahoma City wants to play it. The first four games of this series, I told you yesterday, I thought that Carlisle had done an exceptional job coaching because I didn't recognize OKC. Like they're turning the ball over and not causing turnovers and and they had three of their first Four worst games of the season in this series

It's gonna be interesting to see what the Pacers do in game six Izzy of Halliburton is still limping around there And you're Rick Carlisle Do you have to start TJ McConnell like do you owe it to your team to start the healthiest guy to give your team the best chance to win and you're at home? I think you owe it. Not start it, but go to him earlier, right? Oh yeah, I mean I think you go to your best player, you give him the best opportunity

to give you valuable minutes, whether that means the opening minutes before he gets, you know, cooled down or whatever, whether that means coming off the bench, whether that means shorter stints, like Dan is saying, I don't think you have to necessarily make a big change. I do think the one thing that you have to hammer home is value the basketball.

This was the difference in the Warriors when they were great Warriors and when the rest of the pack can meet up with them. The Pacers feel like they don't value the basketball enough and if you can just cut down some of those silly turnovers, then a two point game in the fourth fourth quarter you might be up 10 but are you saying they didn't seem to value it last night because in this series the thing that I've been most surprised by is that OKC cannot and has not been able

to play the way that it wishes to play and last night even with haliburton gone eight minutes left in the game they're down to right on the road when jaylen williams is going crazy and she gilded alexander is going crazy chet home green is giving you nothing you're not getting much of anything else from a whole lot of players who are inexperienced in the spot and it couldn't be taken advantage of by another team that's also

inexperienced in this spot. What I'm saying Dan is what the phrase you hear all the time in basketball is good offense will beat good defense every time and so if the Pacers run good offense and that means valuing the basketball that means not going three straight possessions with a turnover a live ball turnover that's just not, again, valuing the basketball. That was, like I said, when Steve Kerr really wanted his team to really press and really focus in,

that's what the point was. If you don't turn over the basketball, we've got a great shot at scoring it or getting an offensive rebound or something like that, and there's just stretches in that game. That Oklahoma City defense has been the same from game one to game two to game three to game four to game five.

It's the Pacers when they play kinda will willy-nilly and wild they play into that defense that's when they the Thunder go on their runs. Can you find for me please willy-nilly I just need to know where that started the origins the history of willy-nilly why it I don't it can anything be willy without being nilly can it be nilly without being willy? All Wednesdays, yeah. Oh. The part about this that's disappointing from a sports fan perspective is if we're having the conversation of whether or not TJ McConnell should get the 30 minutes,

the series is done. But he's so good. You see what he does in his little minutes, why can't he just do more of that? Because he has to do it in the little minutes. He can only do it in the little minutes. If I give him a full game of that, I'm not going to... Look, he's gotten used to the role of giving me

a couple of minutes that aren't willy-nilly. Yeah, but we used to say that if you give any guy 40 minutes, he's going to get you the numbers, right? Well, no. No, you said that before. You oversimplify all of my points with absolutism. And you did it with that one too. It looks like the meaning has evolved because it originates from middle ages,

will ye or nil ye, basically whether you want to or not. And now it's taken on the evolution of someone being careless. I am told now that we are ready to go to Tony Reale who doesn't have a bounce house on him anymore but is just sort of hovering around our orbit searching for Panthers fans and trying to immerse South Florida in both positivity and the audience in the buzz of a championship town. The pulsating heart of South Florida right now beating beating as hard as it possibly can with Pantadom. Look behind me right here. We haven't found it yet. But we are going to find it here in the hotel lobby, I'm sure of it.

I was just thinking, Dan, and I know Israel's there too, my man. Can you send me up? I'm hoping to get this a sponsored bit here, okay? So, Israel, give me a, are you sure? I'm positive. That's our bit here okay so Israel give me a are you sure I'm positive that's our that's our bit here come on work with me here let's go willy-nilly here into into the fray here we're trying to sponsor this bit are you sure I'm positive that's what this segment is gonna be I'm positive we're gonna find some Panthers fans that's what I'm trying to say here so are you sure I am positive oh I almost went down right there that would be good radio all right so here we are and look at this guy I mean this

might be Barkov I don't know are you sure? not Barkov formula one? a little bit I'm from DC but live in LA now I'm Tony reality I'm very positive hello how now. I'm Tony reality. I'm very positive Hello, how are you? I'm still Tony reality. Nice to meet you guys. You guys have a wonderful day ahead of you, right? Yeah

Make sure she sits in the front seat use in the back. Yeah Talk and yes, then you went straight down. No, I could feel it. I mean he was wearing he was wearing Look at that guy that guy with that. Oh There we are. That's right, yes, Panthers, right? Florida Panthers today? No? Where are you from? Paraguay.

Paraguay, for Diego. For Boca Juniors. Oh, you're Boca Juniors. Yeah, a bunch of Boca Juniors fans here. We came up with a squad that was the Panthersthers juniors and they were kind of like a combination Do you think the Bokeh juniors could get on ice and play hockey? No, no, yeah Paraguay play hockey at all ice hockey

Paraguay have you ever been to a game in your life? Yes, okay you have because the Dan Leventhal show is ready to give you a rink side seats for tonight's game. That's not wow Really? That's not true. That's not true. Okay. No Sure, okay, why would you offer in that? Thank you very much. Yes, biggest favorite child. All right guys We are feeling pretty good about the energy in this room right now. Look at this. We are right here. I see you. Yes. Yes.

Are you a Florida Panthers fan? Oh, yes. We found a yes. Yes. And what are we doing here? Hello. My name is Tony. Hi.

I'm still Tony. It was wonderful media. That's his line. Are you guys touring the facilities? I work here. You work here. Yeah. My name is Tony. Hi, I'm still Tony. And it was wonderful meeting you. That's his line. Are you guys touring the facilities? I work here. You work here? Yeah.

Yeah. Gigi and they are owners that have an apartment here. Oh, that's wonderful. I've been to the pool. Lot of, lot of Panthers fans in the pool. We're going to go up to the pool right now to see the Panthers fans in the pool. Dan, that's what I got right now. All right, but hold on.

Tony, Tony, I feel like the, I feel like the person who works there might have been a bit fraudulent about how big a panther fan She is would you like to ask her any sort of panther questions? Just it's very simple like who her favorite players are panther who is your favorite panther player? And what do you think of the third line tonight? Yeah You got me okay, it's okay Very positive, I wish she said Belenco is going to be Yes, go to the pool it is literally a hotbed go up there there actually

That was about the into the most enthusiasm we got for the Panthers there was faked and sincere enthusiasm. You really set me up. You're in a hotel in downtown Miami. I'm going to find the positivity. You set me up. I know what you did. But I'm going to find the positivity of this town

no matter what, Dan. Thank you. We will check back in with you. Chris is loving this. Chris is absolutely loving this. Go to the Oasis at Sawgrass Mills. That's Hockey Town USA. He's an hour away. I mean

Club World Cups in town. They're all bokeh jr. Fans here. You need to go to Boca not bokeh juniors The Dan Leventhal show with Stu gots is sponsored by liquid IV All right So I'm getting ready for another beach weekend with the boys the finals game on the TV Sun Maybe even some grilling if my brother doesn't burn the hot dogs again which there's no guarantee he won't and with this Miami heat hydration is not optional that's why i'm packing liquid ivy everywhere i go they just dropped a new flavor arctic raspberry and it's a game changer cold crisp refreshing and it tastes like a glacier slapped you in the face in a good way baby hell yeah i always keep a few sticks in my bag just tear it pour in 16 ounces of water and

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Stugats. Tavis Halliburton, six points, fraud. Everybody was like, yo, he's better than J.L. President. He's better than, the Knicks should have drafted him. Fraud. This is the Don LeBattard Show with the Stugats. Chris, why are you pulling on your shirt? No, that was just...

They didn't give Tony a lot there. Well, welcome to South Florida. Welcome to Hockey Town. Do you realize how much it enrages Edmonton that this is happening down here? Do you guys realize how bad Canada feels right now, given its relationship presently with the United States, that this is the team taking Edmonton's trophy. This is the town.

I mean, you're in a tourism hub right now. Right. There are born and raised Panther fans here, but you're in a hotel. Everybody's from out of town. They don't care about the Florida Panthers. Mike, do you think if I wandered around Tampa the last few years of championship runs that that's what I'd be getting all over the hotel lobbies?

If you went to St. Pete in a hotel? Yeah. I think you'd run into a bunch of people that are like, what's the Lightning one is hockey? From the ones who work at the hotel. From the ones that work at the hotel? Maybe not everybody. Yeah, probably not. I mean you cherry pick one person, that poor lady. She said go Panthers Yeah, which is all the matters. Yeah, we need to do the follow-up We need a follow-up really name three songs to that poor lady like I mean you name three songs How about Tony go and name three players on Boca jr.? Oh, I like that

There's an s do you? Boca juniors there you go. I There's an S. Do you? Boca Juniors. There you go. I don't think asking her about the line of Listerain and Lundell and Marshoff is fair. I don't think that's fair.

I don't think that's fair. That's how good they've been. Dan knows them. Yeah. I mean, it took me five years to get E2's last name down. I still swap. Lusterinan, Lusterinan. In keeping with that conversation though,

and the conversation from yesterday, because I believe that we've done a disservice to what Brad Marchand has actually done in these playoffs by when we talked about it yesterday, talking about greatest trade deadline acquisitions ever throughout sports. We grabbed a whole bunch of pitchers, the guy who holds the ball in his hand

and can control the entire game with the ball in his hand do you know how strange it is to have Brad Marshawn become David Cone CC Sabathia or Randy Johnson because he plays on that line like because you can't control a game from there when you're the type of player that Marshawn is at 37 and yet he's controlling he's got 10 points and 10 assists in 22 playoff games which is nuts. To have a team that's been to back to back Stanley Cups now three straight that is coming off winning their first Stanley Cup and to add a piece at the deadline and that piece

becomes your best player in the postseason that is rare. Or one of your best players and so I associate forever when I think of postseason playoff runs I didn't expect I still go back 30 years to grab Mark Lemke's name because he was a second baseman for a Braves team that was loaded everywhere except at second base and he hit 400 over a playoff run and it's who i think of when i i don't believe we're giving proper reverence to the historical context of what marchand is doing because it's happening right now for a team that won a championship without

him i don't think we're properly representing what this story will mean to have this person win a championship at this age as possibly the best player when he's the Rat King and no one likes him. I thought the best comp was Clyde Drexler because he came into that Houston team

that had already won one, was a respected guy on the tail end of his career, actually performed and had a huge role in that championship and now will forever be remembered, not just because of that, because he did go to the University of Houston and it was five slam a jamma, but those two connected will make him forever

a Houston legend and it was a trade deadline acquisition. Who are the names that you guys associate though with what I'm talking about on Lemke, where it's a guy that you remember forever because of what he did in a postseason, but wasn't that kind of player. marshall is an excellent player and has been the entirety of his career i wouldn't say he's Drexler i wouldn't say as a comp hall of famer yeah all famer brend marshawn was

one of the faces of the league so it's it's comparable i think mark reckey did something similar for carolina although marshawn scored more goals mark reckey was his veteran piece on his way to a Hall of Fame that came to Carolina and helped win them a championship. Do you guys associate is there anyone when I and I know Lemke is an obscure and an old name but is there any one? Lemke batted like 240 for his career postseason was like 280. He was like an NLDS MVP right? It wasn't just. Yeah I think he was. But just to God's look at one look at the post seasons against Pittsburgh there was a three-year run where Lemke hit like 400 in the postseason and was just a sheer

absurdity and I know Carlos Beltran has done some stuff like that but Beltran's an otherwise great player and and Marchand and Drexler are also great players but Marchand at 37, so expendable that you got him for nothing, Marshawned is no longer considered a great player. Mike opened the playoffs by saying he's a bad player. Yeah, I was wrong about that. Players that age aren't important in that sport. They're not pivotal pieces. They become better when they're surrounded by better players. He's free to do what he can do. He's free. Like you think you were saying the other day, Mike, that somebody like Sam Miskevich could have,

you know, had this type of run. Wouldn't have had the same confidence. Wouldn't have had the same experience. Wouldn't have been able to jump between those players and get that goal there. That's all Marsha just being a vet. And it's clear Mackie is not playing because of what he lacks defensively,

and Brad Marshawn has shown you on the four check, he can be pretty valuable. He's been outstanding for them. No names to pair against Lemke. I don't blame you. I'm... David Fries? I've had... Yeah, that's a good one. That's a good one. I've had some problems finding the comp that I'm looking for.

Well, based on what you're saying, doesn't it have to be a little longer? Doesn't Marshon have to be here for a little while longer to have multiple runs? Because that's what I'm hearing from Lemke, right? The thing that I'm saying is that we are presently watching someone who's cementing legendary status for the next 20 years if this ends the way that it looks like it's going to end. And I'm just not used to, in my entire history, covering sports in this market, whether there's a standing ovation because all of a sudden you've acquired Mike Bibby and you think he's going to be the missing piece. Desperate time. In my entire history covering sports in this market I'm

trying to find a comp locally or nationally for what I'm presently watching. Ray Allen I think is a good one especially coming from Boston guy later in his career stepping up in big moments Although the no one was doubting Ray Allen's ability to remain good and everyone thought he would be Really superlative in that role which he turned out being and South Florida embrace him immediately I embrace Ray Allen from the jump, but he did come from Boston So I think that's a good one you mentioned mentioned Brad Marshon's age, and surrounding older players with young, excellent players the way that the Panthers have

on that third line, we're actually seeing it on the other team. Corey Perry's much older. Corey Perry's 40 years old. This is a former Heart Trophy winner in the NHL. He was a very good player last year, thought to be done. Because of the injury to Hyman, Corey Perry, who's vacillated between third and fourth liner,

all of a sudden gets first line minutes, and he's having an outstanding playoff for Edmonton. We've got Sam Amick of the athletic reporting that Durant wants to play for San Antonio specifically. And the reason I keep going back to Durant beyond it being interesting, obviously locally, is because I believe any analysis of last night's game and that series ends with Halliburton's calf situation. Like that's just a really disappointing end to everything that has happened there. If Halliburton can't be healthy, they don't have a chance to win a game seven at OKC.

Never, you know, I expect them to get extinguished in the next game. I expected last night's game to go about the way that it did, which was OKC leading wire to wire, but I expected that series to also be easier and my confidence in my analysis was shaken by the fact that the first four games of that series were played exactly the way Indiana wants to play them. Marco Gwyer to the Pistons in 1989. Oh, that's a good one. That was a huge change.

They needed a scorer. Yeah. Okay, we've got Reali checking in here, and for some reason I just saw his abs, they're good abs, and he's on a train train. Yeah, that's his, get your own gimmick. I just wanted to make sure we had the shot. I was, yeah, Israel.

You gotta roll up the pants, roll up the pants a little's all I need to know. Roll up the pants a little bit. Hold on, hold on Tony. Before you start, I need to explain to people that you are laying on actual train tracks the way Izzy did shirtless. Oh, these are real train, these are real train. That's a real train.

Damn call those pictures gay. Okay, well, I'm in pursuit of Panthers fans and I can feel like we're really, they're pulling into the station right now. But at the moment, I found some railroad tracks and I just needed to do this for Israel. So I need to get my cues right, Israel. What is it gonna be for my photo shoot? Arm over here.

How much are you flexing when you take that photo? Tony. Back then, very little. Tony, this is not a place to find Panther fans. We can't find Panther fans on the train track. All right, well that, all right. So I have a good feeling We're gonna find them on a history tour well there

They are they're all going that's Edmonton go to the hospital because they're on a there a doa for tonight's game or something I got him right okay, all right, so I have a good feeling we're gonna find them when we get to the port So that's what we're doing here that pool was dead anyway, so we're gonna go get some panthers fans We'll get back to you, but um um okay just do a picture to picture Israel on track vs me on tracks thank you who wore it best thank you very much Tony Bayside across the streets full of Panthers fans yep go find them Bayside? yeah is that right? yeah pretty sure we get kicked out there every time we bring a hard rock cafe over there Panthers fan? Panthers tonight? when the Panthers a goal, what do we do? Oh

Let's go Tony you got to get interactions for the audio audience It's funny video, but we've got the sound of the person talking is they're not saying I can't speak Spanish and I don't think Gentlemen spoke English. Dom Toretto just sped past you. Yeah, I know, man. Alright, we're doing alright, we're gonna get them. We're gonna get them. A positive.

Alright, yes, continue to be positive, spread positivity all over South Florida. Don't get hit by a car. Head to the burbs. Go back to the pool here in a couple of hours, it'll be jumping by then. It's a little early, everybody's still sleeping in South, Florida Watch yourself, Rob Nobody's got a job It's all Bitcoin and fraud

They just stay at night sales Everybody's sleeping in because it's Bitcoin fraud and they all snorted it last night and there's nobody out thinking about hockey now That's what's happening and look at him, he's walking in a Barrett This is also what it would look like I mean if it was an apocalyptic Miami out here. I was expecting to see people It's dystopian now maybe this is how it would look if there were no people in a zombie universe in South Florida Where is it? Danny Boyle Florida where is it? I've always wanted to be on a fire truck and I get on that fire truck all right really all right all right well check back in with you

there are people around you South Florida as you can see is the epicenter of the hockey world this is just how it is in Canada, if they're up three two with a championship defending champion hockey team. And Izzy, you're absolutely flexing that right arm. My nipple is right by your ear. That right arm is being flexed. No, the photographer constantly told me to flex my abs, and I guess when you flex your abs,

maybe you're flexing other stuff. What was the diet when you were trying to prepare for that photo? Hell if I know. First of all, I wasn't really preparing for the photo. I was just living and I had a friend who was a photographer, but the diet was a lot of protein and veggies and not a whole lot else.

Yeah, I don't imagine there were a whole lot of carbs being eaten. How did you decide on the railroad tracks? What was second place on where it is you were gonna take that photo? We were a little bit like Tony Reale, just kind of wandering the streets of Fort Lauderdale, and my buddy, the photographer, said,

hey, lay down right there, and I said, okay. Another spot was just a big white wall that we stood against, and another spot was a pool. So just random stuff. When you see it, you know it, right? Can we agree that Reale was a coward about taking his shirt off there? You can't recreate the photo

if you're just gonna lay there in a t-shirt. I don't think Tony would look terrible doing that. He's pretty shredded himself. But why didn't he do it? There was cowardice involved in not doing it. If you're recreating the photo. I would say humbleness there was there. You think humility.

Not everyone's down to just take off their shirts. When you look like Realli though, like Realli does. This is how peer pressure works. He's not just a piece of meat then. Right, yes. And he's being compared to Izzy. Well, he is just a piece of meat.

I mean, that's a wild thing to just say. I mean, technically I understand what you're saying. We all are. Yes, we're all pieces of meat. We're sacks of meat. The thing that happened in this series last night that decided the championship is Indiana losing game four when they hold the OKC to three three-pointers.

Like that's the game. Friday felt like the championship with that gut check. Well, but this is what Barkley said yesterday that Zazz was making fun of when Barkley declared the series over at 2-2. I mean, what's awesome is Indiana's going to have a great atmosphere to continue fighting for their season at a Game 6. I know Game 7 is the best two words in sports. Game 6 is pretty awesome. I mean it's pretty similar. You've got a team fighting for their life and a team that doesn't want to go on the road to fight for their lives with an opportunity to win a championship.

If Game 7 are the best two words in sports, these are a close second. The second best two words in sports, a topic that's never been discussed before in sports radio. I only remember two game sixes locally in my life. It's LeBron and it's Ray Allen. I don't have any other recollections. Game six Clay against the Thunder in 2016?

I meant locally. But yes, you're right. Clay shooting from half court down nine to bring them back when it looked like they were gonna lose at OKC is another great game six. But game six is not almost like game seven. Put it on the poll at Levitard Show. Is game six almost exactly like game seven? I like my hand here.

It's a game away, Dan. I like my hand here. I remember the last game six that these two teams played. That was not fun. That flight crossed North American continent and did have reports that that's the first time that these guys were kind of speaking it out like, man, did we blow this one?

But the series, both series, the Stanley Cup finals and the NBA finals, nothing's gonna surprise you, right? Like if this series comes back to Oklahoma City. Really? Indiana winning would surprise. If they win it home and force it game seven? All right, that wasn't the question that you asked.

You said nothing in these two series can surprise you. Indiana staving off elimination and going to OKC winning in game seven, that would shock me. To your point, Dan. I would not be surprised. About Tyrese Halliburton and his injury. We can point to every single playoff run almost and find a significant injury, right? Even those amongst those who have already made the finals.

The NBA, and I don't think people really can wrap their minds around this enough, is an endurance sport. Like it is a long regular season, a long postseason, multiple long runs back to back, are always going to test your body to its ultimate limit. You've seen it happen to Jason Tatum, you've seen it happen to Kevin Durant, Clay Thompson, and now Tyrese Halliburton.

It's a calf thing, he's got a couple of years now with deep playoff runs. Will it turn into an Achilles? I don't know, but it's all part of the tapestry. It's the entire picture of the NBA. It's always dotted with significant injuries because it's an endurance sport. Can you tell me, Chris Cody,

whether you have found anything to rival the second best two words in sports, game six? Is there anything better that we can say are the better two words? If it's just two words, it's tough. Giant, upset? Sudden death. Super Bowl, except I words, it's tough. Giant, upset. Sudden death. Super Bowl, except I don't think we're allowed to say it.

People are saying extra innings, playoff hockey. No, extra innings, please. Extra innings. The worst two words. Playoff hockey. Playoff hockey is pretty good too. I don't think game six is that good. This is awesome tonight.

You don't want to go back to Edmonton. I know you do because you're a psycho and you don't actually care the way that we care that's not true you don't know it is it is you want the Panthers to lose today I want the most drama in this series I want them to do the hardest thing the best way because they're the best and because their skill that they have that I'm speaking of specifically because you guys tried to corner me on the idea that because of the way that I was saying it,

you guys were saying that the fear is something you don't want. And what I'm saying is the fear is what makes it all more fun, more fulfilling, and it makes you feel more alive. You're wrong. If they lift the cup tonight, I'm not gonna be like, damn, do you imagine how sweet this would have been

if we were scared shitless for three days and flew to Canada? That would have been so much better. No, I wanna win back to back Stanley Cups. I wanna do it at home. I wanna take care of this. I wanna be considered one of the greatest teams in the history of this great sport.

I wanna get it done tonight. I also paid a lot of money on Game Time to watch it done tonight, and I'm gonna see it done tonight, hopefully. paid a lot of money on game time to watch it done tonight I'm gonna see it done tonight. Hopefully understood You're also gonna remember last year's more than this year's and it's not just because it was first It's because it was game 7 it was 3o then it was 3 3 shoot you down right now when it back-to-back does not happen often No, you remember them separately you because you're a fan of the team not a fan of a season You're gonna have have there all the little details and memories of every single one.

Brad Marshawn obviously being the lead memory right now.