The Dan Le Batard Show with Stugotz - Local Hour: The Greatest Play-In Team in The History of the NBA

Episode Date: April 17, 2025

Let's get down to brass tacks, Zas: if the Heat take that ass, you get to go to Pearl Jam, but if the Hawks take that ass... Today's cast: Dan, Jonathan Zaslow, (Patrick) Roy, Amin, Chris, Jeremy, and Tony. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

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Fees apply at out-of-network ATMs. MyPay eligibility requirements apply. Credit limits range 20 to 500 dollars. Two dollar fee applies to get funds instantly. Chime checking account required. Go to Chime.com slash disclosures for details. Hey folks, it's Mike Ryan and if you're watching our show, you've probably known your boy has undergone a little bit of a body transformation and I gotta tell ya Peloton has helped me on my fitness journey. It got the ball rolling for me because I watch my wife on the Peloton, she takes all these great classes, she has her favorite instructors, I listen to the music, I'm a big music guy, gets me fired up, makes me want to take part in this fitness phenomenon known as Peloton. Peloton offers

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Shadow show. Shadow show. Shadow show. Shadow show. Shadow show. Shadowing it. Shadowing it. Zaslow, did you sleep last night?

I slept like a baby last night. I am fresh and Ready to go look at this face right here. Look at this face You can't see the face because it's the shadow show and look at it. There's no video. Hold on a second There's no video yet. The audience doesn't know this but during the status shadow show We all have our eyes closed so that we can know he's not be like the audience. So here This is the thing, right? I would like us to tell the audience and for the audience to know that yes, during the

Shadow Show, the reason that we're doing it is because we all have our eyes closed and we are remembering what the show was when it was only an audio experience. Only audio. And so let's all close our eyes right now and do what Chris wants us to do. The Naked Chris segment. Please. I'm now naked, only wearing a hat,

cause that's my thing. Good call back, back to you. No, I'd like to stay with the spirit. Look, I haven't gotten the Shatter Show where I wanted it. The way that I wanted the Shatter Show to work is us milling about and just talking the way we do in the morning meeting. And if they overhear it, they overhear it. That's what I wanted it to be. But we didn't get there. But let's do it now as an exercise with Zaslow, old timey 790 radio. Zaslow, you can do that with your eyes closed, could

you not? Yeah, I'll roll out of bed. I'll hit it out of the park. Come on. This is why he's a rising star in the business. This is why we're lucky to have his time at ESPN. Yesterday he ran out of here, to do what with ESPN? They're pulling him by the ear, they want to send him into the stratosphere. Yesterday was a long day. I did afternoon drive yesterday on ESPN, which I love, it's great. No, but I'm saying, Zaslow's a rising star, everybody knows it, he's a legend in this

industry, and now he's got stakes on the next few shows because the reason I was asking you how you slept last night, I figured that with the Pearl Jam tickets still up in the air, you would have slept much more peacefully because there was hope now that there wasn't before. Yeah, that's why I slept really well.

I was able to get through the night because even though I don't have the tickets in hand, it feels like I might be going. Alright, Chris, this is what I would like for you to help me with. Still naked. Through the entirety of the show naked, Chris. Thank you. Just a hat. The entirety of the show today, I would like for all of us to work together to see how high we can get the stakes on, Zaslow will, rising star Zaslow, at ESPN radio, who's very busy right now, will give us the entire hockey playoffs,

will give us what, in exchange for the hardest ticket in South Florida and I don't know how long, Pearl Jam and an intimate venue, 10 minutes from his home. So close, I could walk there. I wouldn't walk there because I'd be sweaty by the time I got there, but I could if I wanted to. It's that close. Can't be more difficult than a Taylor Swift concert.

Come on. The most difficult ticket. I feel like we're prisoner of the moment right here. Okay, Taylor Swift was playing in a venue of 60,000 seats. That's true. Are you saying that Pearl Jam is better than Taylor Swift? No, I'm saying that it's a harder ticket. You're right.

A harder ticket? Yeah, it's only like 8,000 seats. You know how math works, right? I don't think I'm right. You think I'm right? Yeah, I think you're right that it's an incredibly hard ticket. You think it's a harder ticket? It can't be a harder ticket than Taylor Swift.

I love that Dan said this is the hardest ticket in South Florida. Yeah, now he's mad that I agree. And Zazzle said, yeah, he's like, wait, wait, why are you arguing? Yeah. This is the Dan Leventor Show with the Stoogats Podcast. OK, so if America thought this show was annoying, this show was annoying when Mike Ryan and Jeremy are Heat Homers and Parrot Keek. Oh yeah, baby.

All right, so wait a minute. Oh yeah. This is gonna be bad. I mean, this is gonna be bad today because people do not like when the playoffs start in the NBA and we're gonna start with Heat Talk because I was the most wrong yesterday. I predicted matter of

factly how they would lose and they did not lose that way at all uh... they go to chicago and they win and in the last fifteen games you could talk yourself into some andrew wiggins and uh... of course they will lose to cleveland but last night i look like a fool to start i am totally wrong again but zaslow's gonna be worse than Then Jeremy Mike Ryan two-time champion broadcaster about what that heat victory meant last night Fairly certain they're gonna be the first ten seed to get to the finals

Fairly certain not a hundred percent fairly certain What a night. What a day. I had a day. Can we be honest for a second? It's a good day. We're doing good day or bad day. It's a good day. He thinks it's a good day because he's very close to these Pearl Jam tickets. Oh, I'm sorry I should have said something. Wah Bellamy, thank you for being the executive producer today and thank you John Amici for finally getting someone to wear a costume.

Roy, I have to admit, you look great in a hockey uniform. Thank you, I appreciate that. There's one problem though. I've had an itch on my nose for the past 10 minutes and I can't get to it. I would love to scratch your nose. No. Let me do it for you.

Oh, please, I wanna see it. It's on the right side. All right, so here, this is him. They're gonna have a moment. They're gonna have a moment. Yeah, there we go, there it is. It's a moment. It, please. I wanna see it. It's on the right side. All right, so here, this is him. They're gonna have a moment. They're having a moment. Yeah, there we go, there it is. It's a moment.

It looks like he's picking his nose. Yeah, thank you, Chris, I appreciate you. All right, so thank you, Wah Bellamy, for being in the executive producer seat today. It's a difficult job. I would say to you, it's a difficult job when you're not wearing equipment. It doesn't seem like you can move very well.

You're very imposing. You look more like a leader than you ever have because you're the biggest body in the room. Yeah, also I had the captain seat on the old jersey. So that also helps. I'm the captain today. Okay, you're the captain, but I don't, look, that's a big job.

Chris Cody can tell you, Chris, like what, I'm worried about his ability to do a very technical job today in this costume. I got the A today. I'm here to support Roy, anything he needs. Yeah, alternate captain over there. What makes you worry that he's wearing gloves and he has to press buttons? I always thought the A stood for assistant.

No, it's alternate. Alternate. It should be assistant. Come on, man, amateur hour. It should be assistant. You're assisting the captain? You're the assistant captain. Alternate.

Roy looks like one of those mannequins you see at the team store. That's fully clothed, head to toe in all the gear. Right when you walk in. A progressive team store. He looked strapping. Look, you guys are gonna tell me I've got this wrong. Roy Bellamy walked in the room today. He did so in a hockey uniform.

He's a champion. Roy Bellamy enters these hockey playoffs with a hockey show occasionally on Fridays and he's a defending champion Zaslow can't say that no I'm not a hockey champion no also you're not wearing skates Roy's wearing skates right now go ahead show the cameras wow Roy is more of a hockey media legend in this market than Zaslow is you would agree correct you would agree yeah I mean he's he's hockey guy yeah yeah so Roy's in charge today, but his equipment doesn't work. Yes. This is what's gonna Chris. You're not being helpful

He's trying to plug his thing back. Look at Chris. He's cheating Chris so He can't do the job this way Chris I think he's crushing it Tony Zas low is a heat homer Jeremy is a heat homer I mean, what are you talking about? I mean, I need you to reign Zaslow in here because They will excite themselves very quickly about the idea of well If Andrew Wiggins is healthy and it's a big three with two all-stars and somebody's doing the scoring

Can we talk ourselves into culture can do something for six games? they try to blow the game last night what are you talking about the game last night a single moment in that game that you thought Chicago had a chance you know what let's just get to brass tacks here you know what happened in the Bulls last night does somebody want to ask me what happened in the Bulls last night that's what happened in the Bulls got that. Zazz, what happened in the Bulls? Got that ass took. Oh, not again. Not again with this. Rising star. Not, Tony, it's not fair. I told you what the game plan was yesterday, Dan-O,

during against the spread. All you gotta do is kick this game down the road. It's the Bulls, let them have a, let them have something, who cares? All right, you focus on 2%, you focus on 9.4% to get a top four pick. All of a sudden, now we're gonna be playing Atlanta, then oh oh you beat Atlanta, then you go to Cleveland like what are we doing? It's mentioning a bunch of W's is what you're doing

They got one more opportunity on Friday. They do they do they got an opportunity to make things right on Friday just let Trey young have like 40 and say oh, are we gonna do Trey young went crazy and Your kangaroo was the killer on the boards and 47 rebounds never happened before Dyson Daniels had 17 steals in the first quarter And then and then we just lost the game after that and no one will be none the wiser You're talking about the greatest playing team in the history of the NBA and That right there is not something you could dispute because all the facts are on my side And you think the greatest playing team

in the history of the NBA is going to Atlanta tomorrow, they're losing to the stupid Hawks? That's what you're trying to tell me? It's just, it's so ridiculous to play a game where it's like, hey, let's compete for who can't get Cooper flag, huh? And it's just like, I'd rather lose. Like when we had Jimmy, I was in the team of,

let's just get in the dance, we have a chance. Zazz, Jeremy, you guys know. That's a bar. You know. That's a bar right there. They know this team can't make it. This team, without Jimmy, this team's not making that run. With Jimmy, you could say we have a chance.

Let's give me that 3% chance at Cooper flag. Did you see what Tyler Hero did last night? I did. He was nice. Tony, they're stealing your shit. You told us, you were so, Tony, you were so ahead. So, look man, people make fun of Tony around here. Tony had real vision.

He told us years ago, just tank for the point, point, point, oh, oh, oh, one percent chance that the seven seven inflatable car wash guy who flaps in the wind won't break and you said don't don't try to win tank tank and get wemba nyama and look at him he's become the best player in the NBA almost then I'm you know the the shoulder thing the blood clot you know who can see that coming but but again we thought it was gonna be an ankle we thought it was gonna be a knee whatever something else we can all see that coming but but again we thought it was gonna be an ankle we thought it was gonna be something else we could all see it coming he's 7 7 or whatever they're not supposed to be that big or flying that much which is another story no let's say what it is though what the blood

clot or whatever it was gonna be it was gonna be something it's gonna be something but I'd rather be something here than be something somewhere else right so now I impl I implore you guys again, one more time, okay? See what we're looking at here. We have almost, I don't even know what the percentage chance, like a thousand percent better to get Cooper flag than we do Wemba Nyama at that point. And we keep talking about Cooper flag, but there's Ace Bailey, there's Dylan Harper, there are other great players in this draft. You've got almost a 10% chance of moving to that top four versus getting your head caved in

by the Cleveland Cavaliers in a couple of nights. I mean, what's the point? I don't know about that. I don't see anyone in the heat jersey that's getting their head caved in. I don't know what you're talking about. Cleveland Cavaliers, what have they ever won? Okay, here we go.

So, listen to me. This is a problem we're gonna have with Zazz. Somebody look up brass tacks for me, I don't know, do you know what it means to get down to brass tacks? I don't really know what it means, I know it sounds like something, but I don't know what it means.

Do you, Zazz? Yeah, it means we're getting serious. Okay, that's not an answer to my question. What are brass tacks? I don't know. That's the thing I said. They're these little tacks and they're made out of brass. Yeah, literally.

T-A-C-K-S. What are they? Yes. They get everybody's attention. It gets you serious. It gets you serious. No. It's not.

That's brass tacks. Okay, look. This is not gonna work around here. If Zazzle is just trying to get off phrases and he already got off one with got that ass took. You wanna ask me what Tyler Hero did last night? Somebody asked me what Tyler here do last night somebody asked me what's out here What tell her do less? Kind of walked into that one

It's a great trick he has it in all shapes and sizes got him Alright so look I mean I mean I will I will not be talked into a Miami Heat playoff run. I will not have the team be what it's been all year, be confused at every turn with, hey, you got two All-Stars, this should all be better than it. Oh, okay, so maybe a bomb goes off and Andrew Wiggins can be Jimmy Butler if you give him 20 healthy games. What, can we figure it out? And talk ourselves into the Cavs aren't a whole lot better than the Heat and you can't talk yourself into any of this. Not even a game against the Cavs.

I think the big problem is when you look at the Heat overall, the team doesn't really have a runway of improvement. Not with the current guys and cap space is still at least a year away. So in a draft like this, having that pick as opposed to not having it, not having a lottery pick, not having a pick at all, because it goes to Oklahoma City if you make the playoffs, it's kind of important to give this team a little bit more assets in the cupboard.

Well, they are gonna get Golden State's pick. Like they do, they are gonna have a first round pick. It's gonna be in the cupboard. Well they are gonna get Golden State's pick. Like they are gonna have a first round pick. It's gonna be in the late teens instead of what would have been the early teens. I mean come on, what are we talking about here? It's not that much of a difference. It's about my chance to jump into the top four. That's what we're talking about.

Ah but come on, a 3% chance, that's what we're talking about. That's a keeper flag buddy. It's a 10% chance to jump into the top four. It's again the top four, right, right. I'm talking about to get number one, yes, correct. Number one is a stretch. I always say, look. You think?

I mean, that literally never happened for this franchise, never. We're due. It's true. I just love that we're having the exact same conversation and show that we had during the play-in in 2023, as we were doing this exact same thing about a can't miss prospect.

And you tried to tell us then, and the team that lost the play-in game just got the pick that they were projected for, did not get Victor Wemba Nyama, and the heat went on to go to the finals. And I'm not saying that this is the same team. I'm not saying this is the same team at all. But I just can't believe even a fan base

that has witnessed the impossible happen wouldn't want to give themselves a chance at a fun playoff series and would rather rely on ping pong balls when through 2028, the amount of first round picks that you have will not change regardless. It's just the year. But you just said this team is not the same.

Like in that sentence, you're like, I'm not saying that this team is, this team is not as good. you know that's the same not the same not saying that this team Is this team is not as good well if you want me to do that thing like we all celebrated Jimmy Butler is being the greatest play in performance the other night And then Tyler hero went out and scored the same amount of points more efficiently so He can be great so can bam out of bio, and I know that from talking to them They're certainly not afraid of I know that from talking to them, they're certainly not afraid of the calves.

From talking to them. They want it. Well, Jeremy just hit the room with a from talking to them. I want to know the day that you talk to them and they say, Jeremy, I'm a little nervous. I'm nervous about the Hawks on Friday. I think they're more, if I had to bet, if I had to bet, they're more concerned about playing the Hawks on Friday than going into a seven game series with Cleveland.

They knowing themselves. That doesn't make sense. The one game sample. I actually think we might have had this exact conversation and this exact take two years ago as well. Let me just say right now real quick. There's a difference between scoring 38 against the Bulls versus scoring 38 versus Memphis, right?

What Jimmy did on Tuesday night was, that was everything that when you think of, oh, this is a team that could make a run, Jimmy and Steph Curry doing what they did, versus what I saw last night, which is, why is this game even happening? Like this shouldn't even, this nine, 10, this one should have been eliminated, right?

Like neither of these teams is going to do anything. We're just wasting time. That's a good slogan. It is, Jaslo, don't laugh at that. Don't laugh at that, cause we are all wasting time, but Jaslo will not believe that. He will never believe that. He's more in the tank for the heat than anyone has ever been. Not true, because we are all wasting time. But Zasla will not believe that. He will never believe that. He's more in the tank for the Heat than anyone has ever been.

Not true. I'm sitting next to him. I just like Adam Silver's playing it. We're wasting time. I mean, we are. We're wasting time talking about a game, because it's the last embers of the dynasty, unless you want to believe one last time somebody surprises

sports, please. It's the only argument I have You know what I feel bad for I feel bad for the Cleveland Cavaliers. That's right. Everybody else is train is common Everybody else knows who they're gonna play. It's like, you know, Boston knows they're playing Orlando the Knicks know they're playing I know they're gonna play no, they don't they they got do advanced scouting on. They've known for a few days actually. You missed, I mean, that in that small window that the Cavs, Zaslow warned, this train is coming. I didn't miss it, I ignored it. You can't ignore it.

Listen, this is, I want you to, please, somebody put a camera and bring it close to Zaslo's face because if Heat fandom were to have a face of its most passionate cavemanery over the last 15 years of consuming Heat basketball in a way that is, was deeply unhealthy. He was doing morning shows that aged him

about 15 years and about three. He was doing post games at midnight, like four hours before. Radio carved this man up. He loved the heat during the hardest time. It built an economy and now today that face is here to tell you, he's not gonna bow, that train is coming.

Look at this face. Ha ha ha ha ha ha ha. Nice skin. You sure you got good sleep last night? Very good. So where are we with these Pearl Jam tickets? Chris Cody, what should these negotiations be? Because it appears, this is, I'm about-

What a day. I can't believe what I'm about to tell you, Chris Cody. Our ticket people for Zaslow combined have gotten Zaslow an ability to have, not just, I mean possibly in the best case scenario here, not just ticket, like great tickets to both nights two, great ticket, but nights two, great ticket, but also two other tickets for one of the nights

because we had an accident and too many people calling in power at the same time. Well, I'd like to know because Zazz sounds very confident. Very confident in the Heat. The L sound very confident in these Pro Jam tickets. Well, no, I don't have them. You're like, I'm hopeful. What are you more confident in? I like what Amy's doing here pro jam tickets. Well. No, I don't have them you like I'm I'm hopeful What are you more confident in? I like you'll be a pro jam or that the heat will beat the cat

Well, I don't have the pro jam tickets yet in my hand and Dan like we still have a lot of negotiating to do right They heat don't have I don't have any negotiating to do with the heat It's happening the heat don't have the eight seed in hand either Can we be serious for a second here? Like this isn't fantasy. I mean Get serious all right wasting time Can we be serious for a second here? Like, this isn't fantasy. I mean, get serious, alright? Wasting time. Hey folks, it's Mike Ryan and if you're watching our show, you probably know and your boy has undergone a little bit of a body transformation. And I gotta tell you, Peloton has helped me on my fitness journey.

It got the ball rolling for me because I watch my wife on the Peloton. She takes all these great classes. She has her favorite instructors. I listen to the music. I'm a big music guy. It gets me fired up. Makes me want to take part in this fitness phenomenon known as Peloton. Peloton offers a variety of challenging classes from four-week strength building classes to running, cycling, and everything in between. Peloton will help you achieve your goals and maybe you'll have some fun along the way. I know I have. It's backed by thousands of members whose lives have been changed. Be part of that group. I'm telling you, I'm better for it. Have it in my office. Sometimes I can put on the baseball game. Sometimes I can put on a soccer match. Some other times I'm totally locked in on an emo playlist.

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Stugats. Look at this face while I tell this to you. Okay, because I don't want there to be any kind of confusion. You look me right in the eye. Panthers are going to take that ass, man. This is the Don Lebatard Show with the Stugats. This is what Zazz is doing to you, Amin, is he is saying to you, please stop getting me to comment with respect for the Hawks.

Like look at what my face is over the last 15 years. It is not threatened by Hawks basketball. John Concak's not walking through that door. So maybe if the Hawks beat the Heat, you only go to one night? A Pearl Jam? Yeah. No, no, no, no, no, no no no. Like oh you're not that confident in the Heat. Oh no I'm just I thought you were asking like would I not go to Pearl Jam because I have to stay home and watch the Heat. No, so wait a minute so Chris hold on a minute that is a good bet hold on so could we

actually bet right now since there are two extra tickets would Zaslo be willing to make a bet that is the Heat Heat will beat the Hawks. If they do, you get the two tickets. If they don't, you don't get either ticket. Whoa. Like what are you willing to? That would be the highest stakes ever for me watching a Miami Heat game. And I was there for the Heat playing game seven

against the Spurs. You're confident though, you're super confident in the Heat. No, I am confident in the Heat, but do I wanna sit there sweating out that if the Heat, I would, if the heat, but do I want to sit there sweating out that if the heat I would if the heat Were to lose that game, so I lose pearl jam tickets. I would hate the heat I wouldn't be able to recover the stakes would be so high for me. I don't like that well No, we're doing it then no. I don't like that. I don't like that. What do you mean? No, so they're gonna Take that ass right well. They are yes

That's all part of a bet you have to if you're confident you risk something. Yeah, you know what screw it. Let's do it Hawks The Hawks are gonna prevent me from yeah screw it. Let's do it. So he's already we're in this scenario We're giving him the first night the two two tickets, and now this Heat game determines whether he gets Saturday. Let me just stop you for a second, okay, because I'm simply worried about Wah Bellamy. I asked him before the show to get me the sound

of me just saying matter of factly yesterday, just matter of factly, the Heat will lose that game, they will have a lead late, and then they will lose it because they're bad late in games, because can't score matter of factly and then the season yes will be over and I got it all wrong and I asked Roy to get that for gas bag of the week to make me the gas bag of the week but when I asked him for it his stick broke he had some trouble with an entanglement with his skate and I and because of how long

it took him to walk in here in that costume, he can't touch the buttons that I need to get so that I get the sound of me getting it, matter of fact, wrong and he can't do, Wab El-Ami can't do his job correctly today. I just want to say to Zaslow right now, as you accept this wager, the gambling problem, call 1-800-GAMBLA

or visit www.1-800-GAMBLE.NET. In New York, call 8778-HOPE-NY or text HOPE-NY 467369. In Connecticut, help is available for problem gambling. Call 888-787-97777 or visit ccpd.org. Please play responsibly. It's hard to do. This is the stakes and

This is big because Zaslow please just I mean a minute or less. Can you tell us? Explain your Pearl Jam fandom if you were trying to impress somebody there is nothing in my life that brings me as much joy as Seeing Pearl Jam. I love them so much. I started going when I was 16 years old. I fell in love with them I've seen them 27 times. It's not love with them. I've seen them 27 times. It's not a competition, but I've seen them 27 times. And now I take my son with me, sometimes both, but now I take my son with me. He's 16, I was 16 when I first started going to shows.

So it's the thing that we do now together and it's like the greatest joy in my life. Does he actually, does he genuinely like it? Loves it. Because my dad brought me to a Bob Dylan concert. We're not talking Bob Dylan, we're talking Pearl Dylan. And I was just like, hmm, he likes this music, huh dad? Loves him. Loves him. Alright, so Father Son Connection Through Music, it's the, you feel the music and you know all the lines and you know the set lists and you can remember what they played in what

order in 2003. Oh my god. I mean, gimme, give me, I'll name every song in two notes. All right, I know every song they're about to play. I love it. All right, so the stakes on this are he is so confident that the Atlanta Hawks, so help me with this, the Atlanta Hawks will have their ass taken or they're gonna have their ass taken? They'll get their ass took. Okay, so you understand tense, right? No, I? No, you're too fast for me here. Too relaxed. Yeah, well this is his signature catchphrase. One of them, I got a few.

Yeah! Man, that's old school. Gotta evolve. The stakes are you're so confident the heat will take that ass that you're willing to say right now that two Pearl Jam tickets that you have secured for one of the night's good seats is the bet. We're betting for the second show now, right?

We're betting for a show that there's two extra tickets to. I don't know which show it is. Wait, so he's only risking the two extra tickets? That feels like he's not risking a lot. No, he shouldn't be able to go to one of the nights. Are you kidding? Of course I'm risking a lot. I need to be at both shows, I'm risking everything here. No, I'm confused.

Okay, so forgive me. Are there four tickets to one of the shows? All right, no, this is, I'm gonna explain this again, I know people hate their math, so here's the deal. Somehow, this very difficult ticket, because so many people were calling in favors yesterday was a golden taylor's this this is an embarrassment of riches it honestly embarrasses me

that says was not only going to be able to get his dream scenario possibly of too shows two nights great seats dream scenario it's why you couldn't sleep for how long it's been a few weeks now because you were not gonna get tickets it's just it's yeah and you were not gonna get good tickets not gonna get tickets all right so we are plus two on his dream scenario in this scenario he can bring guests to one

of the games and he gets his dream scenario now what what needs to be taken away they're there Chris for the stakes to be high enough for you, for the stakes to be Zaslow's gonna work for us for free through the hockey playoffs. We're gonna figure out how to make the bet. Zazz works for free for months. With the confidence he has in the Heat, I think if the Heat lose against the Hawks, he needs to not be able to go to one of the Knights.

Zazz, please play responsibly. Okay, but so when I say no, then what happens? How much do you believe in the Heat? Do I just get the tickets anyway? No, no, no, no. How much do you believe in the Heat? The stakes are, say publicly, whether you actually believe 100%

and it's not a character that there's gonna be an ass taken here. Yeah, the Heat, I mean. No, do you know it or do you not? Yeah, the Heat are going into Atlanta tomorrow night. They're winning that game. Okay, so you're so sure of it that you'll take I'll take one night away one total night away if they lose well But the point is why do I have to do that?

Can I just say to prove your allegiance to the heat and how much you believe in that he's making a great point He's saying basically if I'm going to wager that's because I'm going to win an even greater price right like if I have the backstage Passes right what if what if we said if he's right he gets backstage passes on top of it but if he's wrong he doesn't get to go at all but if you now are just aches no if you don't take the bet you're just admitting to us that you don't actually believe in the heat yeah who gives a shit I want to go to Pearl Jam saying that's what you do in a minute then the whole thing falls apart You guys don't understand how this works No

Zaslow has to be tested for his heat allegiance and the stakes have to be You don't get one of the things in the dream scenario can't be we just all go back to normal Afterward because he didn't actually care about it that much $500 bar tab courtesy of Dan if you get it right. Now we're talking. What am I trying to get, alcohol poisoning? Dinner, dinner too, dinner. It's a totally different game.

I'm just trying to add something. If he wins, I'm trying to play the game here. All right, so I mean, I feel like we're negotiating very poorly here. You understand that what is, the value of what is here is Zaslow's dream scenario plus that is available to him right now in exchange for he's got to work for free if he gets those tickets but he's get now got his heat allegiance being tested

because he says he believes in the heat, but he doesn't actually. But I think, look, you gave him the reward. He's already got it in pocket. That's what it's about. He's got no point in proving his allegiance to you. That's what it's about. You already took that ass and that's it. I already took that ass, so what's the point? But we're seeing how scared you really are as a Heat fan.

That's what you're revealing to us. No, but this is the other thing. No, but I'm not scared. No, but you are. No, but this is the thing, guys. This is what I'm saying. How do we put the other thing. No, but I'm not scared. No, but you are. No, but this is the thing, guys. This is what I'm saying. How do we put the stakes on this so, yes, the tickets are secured.

Zazz will not get them unless the stakes are, this needs to happen, or Zazz works for free. I think that's the thing. That's probably the wager. That's probably the wager. That's probably the wager Yeah So if he if the heat win am I willing to put the heat win on the line versus working for free? That's probably the wager so that so that he does not right now

He has nothing and the stakes on all of this have to be For Zazz Los pearl jam allegiances for his Heat allegiances, for him to test, win or lose one bet, I either get my dream night or not if this happens. I'm ready. I'm ready. Yeah, I'm ready. If that's the wager, so Pearl Jam tickets, you have them. I don't have them.

You have them for me. Am I wagering to get those tickets? You will never get those tickets unless the stakes are decided by the end of this. Like it has been decided. Zazz does not have the tickets. He does not have the tickets and will not get the tickets unless it gets decided before the end of the show today. So we basically rescinded our offer from yesterday. Well no, he, he, we didn't know we had the tickets. That's a fair question.

We didn't know we had the tickets. That's a fair question. We didn't know we had the tickets. Yes, that offer has been rescinded. David Sampson negotiated poorly. Everyone agrees with that, correct? He just gave them away. That was such an easy yes for me. But that's privilege. Like four shows.

Come on, that's privilege. Jesus, that's a show off move by him. Like that's honest to God. Obnoxious, obnoxious. Oh, you kidding? Obnoxious. David Sampson Oh, you kidding? Obnoxious. David Sampson, we're talking about the same guy. The best part is I went home yesterday

and I said to my son, I said, hey, I think we got Pearl Jam tickets. He was so happy, he was so pumped. And he says, how? I say, well, David Sampson from the Lebatard show. And my son goes, you mean the guy everyone hates? Yep. Yeah.

Uncle David. He's a problem. Chris, how would you react? I'm your father walking and say, buddy, guess what I got? Hey, dad. We got Bob Dylan tickets from David Sampson. Yay.

Super excited to spend time with you, Dad. That's not really someone I want to go watch, though. That one hurts me for your dad that he took you to Bob Dylan and you didn't care at all. I was just looking around. I'm like, what are we doing here? He's just like, uh. Uh.

Uh. Uh. So disrespectful. To who? To Bob Dylan or to Greg? No, look, Greg and Chris not connecting here has to infuriate his father. Because you're not... Elton John I kind of get.

He showed me Elton John, I like Elton John. The Bob Dylan thing, I was just like... It sounds like Greg took you to an Eric Reid concert. It's the third time you've sent me to this concert. I was just like, it sounds like Greg took you to an Eric Reed concert This you guys understand and please help me figure it out. It's not that confusing Tony. I need your help Why I need your help Jeremy I need your help We got off to a stumbling start because I don't understand how to make the stakes to the bet but the stakes have to be Zaslow being tested for all of his allegiances all of his Pearl Jam allegiances all of his Heat allegiances has to have a

single bet that will put him at risk of getting nothing at all or getting a bounty beyond his dreams and the stakes are he'll also somewhere in here have to work for free for the entire hockey playoffs. Okay I think we've got it so to combine tickets working for free and making sure that we're not rescinding offers that were made before. If the Heat win, Zaslow gets tickets to both nights of Pearl Jam and actually gets paid to work here for the work that he does. But if the Heat lose lose he gets one night of

pearl jam tickets and has to work for free no I think if the we have to take away entirely entirely you gotta put pearl jam on the line buddy oh man pearl jam I was trying to hedge that at least a little for you see how much he believes in the heat and indentured servitude that's the other part of this they're gonna take that ass well yeah it's not just how much do I believe in the heat, it's also working for free. My wife loves money. I don't know if you know this about wives.

They love money. They love it. So that I have to go home and tell her I'm working for free, not the ideal scenario. Wives love money. You love Pearl Jam. I love Pearl Jam so much the stakes the stakes have to be all or nothing here people like you understand it this is a magical place where music and sports meet and please help me figure it

out because wah is in trouble is the sound ready yes it is Dan can you press it with your gloves I actually wanted in the local hour to talk about simply a play-in game against Chicago that they will lose late after leading because they can't do anything late in games because they have a systemic problem. Gas bag of the week. Fairest thing ever said around here. So matter of fact they have and this will happen and this will happen and this will happen, cause I literally know it all. As if I know anything about sports. Been faking it for 40 years.

I can't tell you what's gonna happen. It wasn't that. And the Heat has taught me no lessons over 15 years. Cause every time they do this, I'm like, oh, that's stunning, is it? That third quarter though, you felt like, ah, I'm a genius, it's all happening now. I think Giddy hit like back to back threes

and you're like, oh, here we go. No way, there was not a single moment that you thought that the Bulls were making that. The Bulls, the closest they got was like 13. Do you understand that the stakes on this heat season, I mean, yeah, maybe they get a whale or whatever, I mean, but the stakes on this heat season i mean yeah maybe they get away or whatever uh... i mean but the stakes on this heat season is with your your playing what for what feels like the last embers of what was a pretty cool thing for fifteen years and here's where the meteor falls apart

they're not nearly as good as these other teams uh... they needed someone like jimmy at the top of this thing yeah i mean i think it's uh think it all depends on how you view Tyler Hero. If you are gonna... Well, I said he was maxi. Hahaha. How do I, how should I view him? Is that a cool way to say he's worth a max deal?

No, no, I... Tyrese maxi. No, Tyrese maxi. He's maxi. I wish I had, I wish I... He seems maxi. Hahaha. I'm not mad, I wish I. He seems Maxey. I'm not mad at that by the way. I like it, I like it.

Like we could say Kevin Durat, Max player, right? Super Maxey. No not even Maxey, Super Max right? LeBron James, Super Max, Luca Donci, Super Max. Tyler Hero, Maxey. Maxey. Why did you laugh Tony, Super Max. Tyler Hero? Maxi. Maxi. Why did you laugh, Tony, at the idea that Tyler Hero would be about the equivalent of Maxi?

Because Tyrese Maxi's so much better and we had this conversation, like the Wemba and Yama conversation, two or three years ago, I was like Tyrese Maxi's clearly the better player. And now Tyler Hero's one of the most improved players in the NBA. Most improved, sure.

And had a great season. Now most improved has to go to a guy who was number one overall at some point. It's crazy. I hate the way they do it. It's a dumb award Look the guy has played very well I'm not saying he's Jimmy Butler in terms of being able to take over games But to turn your nose at it no but hold on said if you're not saying Jimmy Butler

Jimmy Butler it was literally all Jimmy Butler in that playoff run. After the Bucs series. And Caleb Martin. And Gabe Vincent. And Caleb Martin and Gabe Vincent. Right, and so what are you watching last night? Watching all of these other guys contribute. Right, it wasn't Tyler Hero, but Tyler Hero was there now

as a completely different player than he was two years ago. I'm actually not even sitting here trying to say that the Heat are gonna like make this run to the finals. I'm saying I think it's valuable for- Get down the best play-in team of all time. I'm not doubting, look, I'm not doubting anybody. I think that the Heat are capable of it. I'm not trying to predict it.

Capable of going in and having a competitive series against the Cavs and- Okay, because you keep saying finals run, finals run. Maybe upsetting them. What I'm asking is, is there, all I'm asking is, is there any value for a team like this one to extend their season, go to the post season, have a different collection of picks and get guys like Glo Ware, who's a first round pick,

an opportunity to play against the Cavs in the first round where we'll have tough matchups. Like, it's not all always about the championship when there are experiences for your younger players to be had, especially when you're not actually losing picks by making the postseason, you're just changing the years in which you have them. Here's the question, all right,

I'm gonna put an end to this. I just don't. Here's the question. If the Cleveland Cavaliers, they got the truth serum, we pumped them with the truth serum. Tomorrow night, how badly are they rooting for the Atlanta Hawks? Now that I agree with. Of course. But I can agree with that and also say they're not going to beat the Cavs. Like both those can be true. We said the same thing about the Boston Celtics

the other night, Orlando versus Atlanta. Of course they would have rather played Atlanta than Orlando. There are easier matchups, but that doesn't mean the matchup itself is dangerous. It's just one is less easy than the other. I don't know what the Cleveland Cavaliers have ever won. Guys on this Heat team have been to the finals.

Some of them several times. Really good one-on-one defenders on that Heat Team. Several times. Got wings and bigs and guards. I gotta ask, how excited, how pumped did you guys get when Mitchell had the 24-second violation? Can I ask you something? I wanna be serious here.

Can I ask you something? Go ahead. Because this is something I'm really confused with that I have this conversation at home with my son over like the last month Because my son really likes what he's seeing from Davion Mitchell and man that block he had on Colby White in the violation Oh my god dog. All right, that's heat culture right there. Oh Everyone hates that is Davion Mitchell good because like it's one of those where I can't, I don't know, I can't tell. Why can't it just be he's a really good perimeter defender? No, I'm talking overall.

He might be good, but I don't know, I can't tell. Some nights. I think he is a talented player. He's a lottery pick. I also think that when you burn through three teams in like three years, that means something. Right? Well, unlike Gabe Vincent,

he's shooting a thousand percent from three right now. So that sort of changes things. The Dan Levitard Show with Stu Gotz is sponsored by BetterHelp. Life gets busy, boy do I know that. And your mind carries it all. But just like your body needs care, so does your mental health.

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