The Dan Le Batard Show with Stugotz - Local Hour: The Panthers Pulled It Off

Episode Date: July 1, 2025

Greg Cote might have Covid+, Billy wants to be a theme-park journalist, Mike happens to know, the Cotes have a one-eyed uncle, and the Panthers brought everybody back. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

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This is how it sounds. It is Little Debbie Glazed Donut Sticks. Donut stick. Perfect for dunking. 370 calories per package. Not the healthiest way to go. So I've got an unhealthy Stugats over here, and now Greg Cody is playing hurt, and there's a virus running its way through the Cody family

because Chris Cody's out. He's been knocked out entirely. I think he's got hockey hangoveritis. I believe his tongue's been heavy for two months, but he claims his daughter's sick and his grandfather definitely is. I'm playing playing tough. I'm playing through it. Her grand her grandfather. Yes. Yes. Yes.

Correction. allergies though. It's that time of year, Greg. I don't know what it is. You know, that kind of thing. Mm hmm. I have an idea. What? What's going around, you seen the new variant? No. No. Does your throat feel like razors? It does not.

All right, then I think you're good. That's what the new variant does. All right. We're still talking about variants? Yeah, no, brother, got it at 11. There is a new variant and that is the main symptom. It is COVID plus. Why are you here if you have COVID?

No, it's like a 24 hour thing over the weekend. I'm good. You're fine. That's what we heard in 2020. It's a quick variant. But this is COVID plus. I feel fantastic. We gotta pay for it now?

I'm on N80. COVID with razors. Yes, it's a new, we should have a new streaming service, COVID plus. We should start that network at Metal Art Media. We should come out with our own plus, COVID COVID plus and it's just Cody's face on it because he doesn't sound good and his eyes are glassy and now his nose is running and this is straight out of outbreak because your nose is running and those are some nostrils yeah yeah now oh he's got tissues and I've

never seen him do that before I'm doing the best I can yeah you're looking rough do you think you're gonna have to go early do you think the show will get decimated in pieces over today? Because Roy's on vacation also smart. Yeah hockey hangover. I just worked hard and We've got to get to I Really really think it is the most intoxicating drug there is. The Panthers gonna keep everybody? Like they're gonna be able to also not lose anybody.

They're gonna be the 1972, 1973 Steelers. The reason, or no, I'm sorry, that was the Dolphins. The Steeler team that won five championships won because all 22 starters were the same. It was before free agency. Right, it was four championships. You're talking about Bradshaw and Lynn Swan and Stallworth and Franco Harris and the great Rocky Blyer?

I'm talking, yes, thank you. Your wheelhouse, I am talking about whenever- Little Mike Webster? They went back- Steel curtain! They, this one, what does matter? What is the matter with your voice? Allergies. The steel curtain. I'd say get closer to the microphone, but don't.

Okay, sorry. COVID plus. I know, super. COVID super. Greg, the last two weeks, I mean, you've always been bad at the details here, but the last two weeks, you've forgotten to be near the microphone.

Like it's an unusual thing you're doing at the end of your broadcasting career. It's a weakness in technology, they by now they should have a microphone that it moves you know it moves with you it moves quietly with you it's got an arm that could not be quieter that would move with you automatically rights the technology should be that this apparatus realizes that when i'm here yet it has to be like that. Adjust itself. Right, but it doesn't.

You know, old technology here. You or the mics? Both. This is the Don Leventor Show with the Stoogats Podcast. Alright, the show's under a little bit. I just saw Cody use the same soggy tissue that he had been dabbing his nose with to dab his leaking eyes with. Because it's the same tissue. I saw you do it.

I just saw what happened. I realize tissues all look alike, but it's not the same tissue. Okay, Greg Cody's playing hurt. This is another day of hockey celebration around here because I'm not real clear on how the Panthers get to keep everybody. I didn't think that was gonna happen. I didn't see anyone predicting

that that's what was gonna happen. Stugatz is hurting. Have you taken a bite out of one of this? Oh my God, so this is like- I had an entire donut stick. But you don't break them apart. These are supposed to be broken apart, are they not? No, I mean it's my stick, so.

Okay. Don't tell them how to eat. I mean. It just seems unhealthy, no? It is unhealthy, but I was hungry this morning. I stopped at the gas station. I needed gas. I got a pack of tissues for Greg Cody.

I got some donut sticks and a pack of heaters for myself. OK, so did you stop for the doughnuts or the cigarettes? How does that happen? The heaters. You're stopping for the cigarettes and then get re- And then- Stumble into the doughnuts. Yeah.

And so do you normally get those? Never gotten them before. And we'll never get them again. So you just saw doughnuts and were like, that seems, I'll just have some sugar. I'll chase the smoke with some sugar. Yes, I mean, the options were Twinkies, Hostess cupcakes, and I went with a donut stick.

I mean. There should be a combo. I think there should be like glazed cigarettes where you smoke half of the cigarette, and then you literally just eat the rest of it. Wow. That's a good idea. Kill two birds with one stone. If you're as lazy as Stu Gantz, something that you- then you literally just eat the rest of it. Wow. That's a good idea. Kill two birds with one stone. That's exactly right.

If you're as lazy as Stu Godd, something that- One stone's gonna kill me. Tony is back from Vegas, polluted I'm assuming. Do we have the video of you fighting a legitimate champion fighter? So here's the thing. We have video of me working out with legendary coach three-time coach of the year MMA Eric Nixik from extreme couture

we have Brad Tavares also in the picture helping us work out and stuff but if you between you and me Dan if you want me to be really honest with you I think that Brad was watching me hit the bags and was like you know what I got something to do after this I don't know if I can hang out with you and spar you after the workout. I've seen a little bit too much. So there was an issue where he had to go and I'm not gonna say he ran away from me.

I'm just telling you he was there and then I turned my back and he's disappeared. Hmm. Stugatz, you are our most qualified liar here. You are our most. Well thank you. Our most qualified liar here. You are our most expert liar. When a sentence starts with, if you want me to be really honest with you. Yeah, he's lying.

What comes after that, is that a tell, is what I'm asking you. I'm not even asking you is that a lie, because I know, I feel like all of that was obviously a lie but I'm saying if that phrase comes out, do you see it like a poker tell as another champion liar? Are you like, what's coming next? I know to dismiss this is going to be a lie,

he's telegraphed it. This is an amateur liar. Yes, you don't need to announce the truth, okay? If I'm telling the truth, if you actually are telling the truth, just tell the truth. Why wouldn't I want you to be really honest with me? And what would be really honest with me is that you didn't spar this person and we sent you out to Vegas and you didn't return with sparring video after we promised after we promised the audience that you were going to fight this guy.

Sure, of course. But when the guy disappears, what do you want me to do? Resurrect him from from wherever he went all of a sudden Dan? We're finished with the workout. I turn around. He's basically out the door running out I how am I supposed to take that you got to follow him and pick a fight? Yeah, Billy What's in your notebook there that you're looking through is it are you looking have you now started my to-do list that I have I have to call the dermatologist later text the roofer Maybe go to the Marlins game at 640 my daughter has gymnastics at 4. It's just what keeps me on track. It's a busy day

Oh, I think it's a little copy and the EP show wasn't on this list I have to add that and I check it out later Well, do we believe that Chris Cody has a sick granddaughter? I'm sorry sick daughter Greg Cody's granddaughter if you want to check out the 70 to 7 Olympics or 7 versus 70 Olympics, the Greg Cody Show featuring Greg Cody is a podcast that is occupying that lane alone. Well, that's next week's episode, I believe. This week's episode they spoke to... A bacon salesman, a letter carrier, and a 68-year-old hitchhiker.

Yeah. Two years away from being eligible for 7 versus 70. A salesman, a letter carrier, and a 68 year old hitchhiker. Two years away from being eligible for seven versus 70. What a joke. There's pretty convincing circumstantial evidence that Graceland and Greg are both sick. I'm going to say though that what his show is this week is a bona fide extravaganza. Did you hear that guest list?

Say it again, please. Because please say it again so that people understand. And this podcast is really the height of Greg Cody's narcissism. What he has done at the end of his career as journalists fight to evolve in a new media space, he has carved out the space of, do you want to listen to the narcissistic ramblings of a senile old man who crushes white hat in the playoffs with his analysis because he is not to be dismissed as a senile old man thank you yeah we we speak with a bacon salesman from Minnesota so good a letter carrier from Queens, New York, and a 68 year old wandering hitchhiker from Barcelona. You're a man of the people.

This is a man of the people episode. I'm a man of the people and I'm a fan of the people. I don't believe anybody has an uninteresting job. The selling of bacon has to be the easiest of sales, no? I think so. I mean, yeah, I asked him on because I'm such a bacon fan and he sells bacon. I mean what a match made in heaven We also had on Uncle Dick who is America's number one bacon consumer. Wow. Yeah, so it was a 20-minute confab on America's favorite food the American food as we celebrate the 4th of July,

no more American food than bacon. So thank you all the pigs that we slaughter to enjoy you. For those keeping score at home, it is starting to feel more like 4th of July week. We were talking about it earlier. Wasn't feeling like it, Greg. You said you don't think anyone has an uninteresting job. I discovered a job today that I didn't know was a job.

What's that? Theme park journalist. Really? Yeah. Sounds like a job for you. It's a job out there, theme park journalist. It sounds like a PR flag. I think we should create that for you here

at Metal Art Media. No, it exists. But I think we should create that. I think that you should have that as part of your job titles Wouldn't you want to wouldn't you want to be metal arts theme park journalist Billy take them up on this I? Suppose so get to write off all your trips. Yeah, are you kidding me? I mean can I like Disney? He really should well I Not be running a company hold on a second can I like?

If I have an expense in the past that affects my future theme park journalism, can that be expense? Yeah, I think so. No, I don't think that's gonna pass. It needs to learn immediately. You're rolling into a new job. Like if I'm- Rolling into previous expenses.

It's like you had previous experience with your new job, you gotta talk about Tower of Terror, every time you've ever written it, now you get to write that off. Well no, like for example, let's say, you know, I was, there's no better way to put it than this. Let's say I was suckered into getting Disney passes, and I will then use said Disney passes for my theme park journalism. I should be able to expense that.

No doubt. I would think. As a theme park journalist. No, it's already paid for. He's going to do content based off of his previous experience, so yes, he gets to write that off now. I'll go out there, guys, just wait for it. I'm gonna spar with Mickey Mouse,

and then I come back on Monday, and ah, Mickey left. Billy, I wanna talk about all of this for a second, because you were thrust in the EP role at a last minute because Chris allegedly has a sick daughter. He does. Put it on the poll at Levitard Show. Are you required, When you say confab To shake your shoulders the way Cody did while saying confab. I shook my shoulders did

You did again I want to go back to what Tony did where he said if you really want to if you really want me to be honest With you and then told an assortment of of what i think are lies but billy i saw your head down when i i asked for the vegas video of tony okay and then i heard a disembodied voice on one of the speakers here did you hear what that voice said what are you laughing about no i heard the voice of our final listen alright so no so so do you remember what was said i

just i want to put people in a room with us when I asked Tony the Vegas video Where is it? Then I hear a disembodied voice that doesn't have it's not there's not a human being in the room, right? This is coming from somewhere else that person said what do you remember what that person said of Tony's video by way of endorsement? Okay, I don't remember verbatim, but it was something to the effect, I guess you could air it. So you're talking to the guy that has the most enthusiasm and the guy that has the least enthusiasm. You're gonna go with the guy that has the least enthusiasm's point.

Well, I'm gonna go with the guy who worked for Craig Ferguson and knows how to make funny videos. And he works here now, so he doesn't work for Craig Ferguson or whoever else you're gonna say after he works I told you Tony work for Ariel Hawani. Thank you. Hmm. Okay. How about that mouse? What does that mean? He works here now? Dan is like, oh he worked at all these places. I don't like More he's working here guy that was very mean I don't like that

Yeah, come on happen to Craig Ferguson. It's hard to say confab without shaking confab confab right I have to go left to right confab. It's a fun word That was you were feeling yourself because it's 20 minutes of Uncle Dick in your narcissism warehouse So you were like really feeling like oh I get to talk about me and promote me Who knew Uncle Dick was the number one consumer of bacon in the world? He loves bacon. He puts salt on bacon. Really? He makes bacon bombs which is a... Oh, bacon bombs. A bacon bomb is one of the greatest things I've had it. It's divine. What's that? It's basically a sausage cake wrapped in bacon. We just don't care about talking

in the microphone anymore. I'm sorry. It should follow him. I don't know what to do about it. I don't know what to do about it. You're just having a one on one right now. Sausage is in bacon. Sausage wrapped in bacon?

Yeah, sausage and veggies on top of the sausage. I could do without that. No, no, no, when I say, you know, like onion and jalapeno. We were supposed to do a sausage and lentil off today, but your son's not here because he's allegedly sick. And I also- No, his daughter is sick.

Whatever. That's a farce. She doesn't drive. He wouldn't let her take an Uber to the doctor. So he's- There's a virus running its way, allegedly through the Cody household that doesn't allow Greg Cody's son to do his job.

And one of the things that I wanted to do with his son today when I had Greg and this crew in that I can't do now because Chris isn't here is last week out of nowhere we're doing show and Chris reveals for the first time to my knowledge and anyone's knowledge on this show that there's another uncle next to Uncle Dick and it's Uncle Mike and he doesn't have an eye! And I learned that last week and I wanted to put these ingredients together, the one-eyed Uncle Mike I'd never heard about. It's just spelled M-K-E. What?

As an aside, Uncle Mike died about 20 years ago. It doesn't matter. He told us. It's sad. It's not the point. There's a one-eyed uncle and we're sitting here talking. I'm so sorry. I am so sorry that your uncle Mike died. I should be more respectful. You should. He had a three-legged dog, by the way.

Yeah, we did mention that too. What? One eye and a three-legged dog? I know. I wanted to put these ingredients together, but your son's not here. Yes, I'm aware that we stumbled with the three-legged dog into one-eyed Mike. And then another Uncle Richard who he said he his words not ours. Be careful. Said was kind of a dick. But then Uncle Dick is not one. Right. Yeah. Uncle DCK. Yeah, we loved Uncle Richard. A little bit of a know-it-all. Really? Yeah.

In what sense? Well, I remember once trying to construct in my backyard a, I had a tree, an avocado tree at the time, and I wanted to build a wood table around the tree, you know, just to put plants on. Yeah, say it if you need to. Yeah, well, no, because it was like five feet off the ground. But it was like a table top. And I did it myself, but he at the time was very hands-on in terms of, oh, you should do this.

No, you should do that. No, you need a bigger nail than that. You need an angle bracket that's going to connect the two. And I appreciated it, but at the same time, it's like, let me do this myself, I'm a handyman. Yeah, that's one of those things, right? Sometimes you take on a project and you have people come over to help you,

and they don't actually help. They're just going in, trying to take over. And that's not the role you agreed to. Right, and it reminds me of there's a commercial on TV, I forget advertising what, I don't know, but it's a guy trying to start a fire. And three of his friends are all there going, oh no, no, no, no, you don't do that, you stack the wood like this, and you know, lighter fluid, what are you doing?

You've got to do that and this. And it's the same thing, you know, everybody's a know-it-all. When you have information, you want to impart it. And I can relate to that, you know, because now he hands me down the know-it-all, so if I'm around somebody trying to build a table around a tree, I'm gonna go, the first thing you need is four big angle brackets. You can't do it without an angle bracket. Wait, so he was right? Yeah, he was. Okay. Well, no, this is, this is specifically, you guys have to understand how male this is and how Greg this is. To prefer to be stubbornly wrong,

then just do it right. It sounds like he's helpful. He did know it all. He helped. He did know it all. He did know it all. Right. And Greg didn't like that.

It made him feel inferior. But the project- Well, Greg, I mean, Greg thought he knew it all. I wanted to fake knowing it all. Yes, yeah. The project that Greg undertook of building a table around a tree, I've seen it done in like mansions by multi-million dollar architects because it's hard to do.

You can't just, you just saying that you're a handyman is ridiculous and I wish we could talk to your son about it. I think poor people have tables too, not just multi-million years with architects. I know, but I'm saying that I've seen that, when that, to do that well is complicated because you're allowing a tree to grow through a table or through your home. I don't know, I don't know about you, Greg, but sometimes I go and I'm on vacation.

I remember, I was in Siesta Key, I don't know, a couple years ago, four nights ago, and I looked and I saw these wooden stools. I like to go on vacation where the house is themed because it's a beach house and it had like, kind of like a tropical Jimmy Buffett vibe, right? And I saw wooden stools and I remember thinking, and not just thinking, I said it out loud

to everyone that's here, I go, I can make this stool. And then I was telling them, like I was looking and I was taking pictures, I was like, when I get home, I'm gonna make this stool. Sure enough, I didn't make the stool, but I think you can make a table, I think you can make a stool, Greg. I think so too.

Yeah, I think, look, next week when Chrisris is back we do our uh... our cookoff and then i think maybe a couple weeks from now we buy some wood and you know that's ten as you make a table you're going to try and you're going to make a child it's going to be a table off try but i i don't think of graham is a handyman well here's the thing on the son of a master carpenter that's true okay and i'll build a new range is. And I inherited a lot of that acumen. Okay, I grew up in a house where most of the key furniture was built by hand by my father. Can you guys please call Erlene or call Chris? I need to get, there's no one here to independently

verify. I don't believe any of what he's saying. And we started the show with him, with Tony saying, if I really need to be honest with you yeah and now I'm now I'm just surrounded by liars well no I think here's the thing is when Chris is here Chris's role is to discredit his father where when I'm here my role is to support Greg so I feel like yeah the fact that Chris decided to not come in today whether he's tending to his child or whatever now we just have to kind of believe Greg today. It's Yes Day with Greg. Yes ands.

No, it's not Wild Willy Wednesday. That's a different day. That's not Yes and Tuesday. But it's a Greg Cody Tuesday. Yes it is. Is that back in my day? Damn it, I left it at home. Yeah.

Yeah, cold. No, I'm under the weather. Yeah, exactly. Razor Marriam. Yeah. Jeremy, you know something about me, right? You know when I'm grilling outside and it's summertime, you know how I supplement my summertime? Of course I do.

I make it Miller time. Of course. That beautiful white can. Oh, when it's so hot outside, I just put it right to my forehead, right there. And I just roll it sometimes right on the forehead, cool my body down, and then I crack it open in some relief. And then that first sip, brother, does that first sip? That is a top five sequence of events that you can possibly go through. And then I crack it open in some relief and then that first sip, brother, does that first sip?

That is a top five sequence of events that you can possibly go through. I'm just serenity now when I just imagine that first sip of Miller Lite. Just think about it, it's making me happy. Dude, the sun is out, it's nice, you have your friends showing up, you got your family there, you just had your first sip of Miller Lite and you know what? You're happy. You're blissful. You're fulfilled. I've been stocking my cooler with Miller Lite for years, and for good reason. It's brewed for taste. Only 96 calories and 3.2 grams of carbs. This year, Miller Lite turns 50. That is five decades of cookouts, laughs, and ice cold moments that never miss. It's the original light beer, and it's still

my go-to. Miller Light, great taste, 96 calories. Go to MillerLight.com slash Dan to find delivery options near you or you can pick up some Miller Light pretty much anywhere they sell beer. Cheers to 50 years of Miller time. Celebrate responsibly Miller Brewing Company Milwaukee, Wisconsin, 96 calories and 3.2 carbs per 12 ounces. Jägermeister sent us an ad to read on the show, but they're so confident they said, don't do any of that normal ad stuff. Tell the listeners two things, Jägermeister is great, but everyone's been drinking it wrong. Damn, that's cold.

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Damn, that's cold! And remember to check Jägermeister out at DraftKingsXJägermeister.com. Drink responsibly Jägermeister Liqueur 35% alcohol by volume, imported by Mass Jägermeister US. White Plains, New York. Hey friends it's Jarrah Bear here and I'm here to tell you all about Boost Mobile which is now a legit nationwide 5g network so I must take a break from the jokes here for a second and put on my serious voice because I would never ever joke about a 5G network that has invested billions building 5G towers across the country.

Not even once. Not even if Mr. Boost Mobile himself asked me to. There is nothing funny about it. Boost Mobile is now a legit nationwide 5G network and also provides coverage across 99% of America. Seriously. Visit BoostMobile.com or your nearest Boost Mobile store location to learn more. The Boost Mobile network, together with our roaming partners, covers 99% of the US population. 5G speeds not available in all areas. Don Lebatard. He called me on my own podcast, he called me full of shit, claiming that I'm faking interest in the solar eclipse.

Well you do do this. You love to just get excited about everything. Okay, Junior. Stugatz. I had to school you and explain to you. He was going to take you to Augusta. When I was 17 years old, Alan Sherry and I used to haunt the Bueller Planetarium. This is the Don Lebatar Show with the Stugats.

I want to get back to where it is that I started because what the Panthers are doing is not just a testament to architecture, right? Because Vegas and Tampa taught them how to game the salary cap system and so they hid Kachuk there last year and they got the two pieces, Seth Jones and Brad Marchand, that makes Greg Cody furious that Bill Zito doesn't win executive of the year and now they signed them after I thought Echblad was leaving and are they getting all these guys discounted so Mike's been doing a little bit of reporting here is this an is this a happen-to-know situation or is this a

you know for a fact situation? I know this one for a fact there were plenty of teams interested across the NHL in Aaron Echblad and they were told that they're not going to entertain any offers no matter how big provided that Florida gets to a certain number now we know what that number is. As long as Florida got to six million dollars Aaron Echblad would have turned down any offer from any other team. He flatly wasn't hearing any team out even though plenty of teams had big offers ready for him. He was going to stay in Florida provided that Florida got to six million dollars annually and they did. I know

that people are interested in the mechanics of how you GM and how you piece things together under the salary cap. But the reason that I'm like reacting to this with a little bit of, whoa, okay, this, okay, so this is what it's going to be. They've realized they've got the momentum and here's the money and they're going to keep spending and they're going to keep reinvesting. They know what it takes to be on top. They have proven that they know what it takes to be on top. And as an added bonus, all of these hockey players love that they play in this little swampland over here where they can live the rest of their lives,

otherwise in private in the way they never could in a bustling hockey town. Now, less so than before, because if they stay in Broward now, they've got a problem, but they can come to Dade and have a different experience with the world as if they're in the Caribbean and they kinda like the trophy in the ocean. So the idea that the Panthers now have exactly the momentum you need

to do exactly what Tampa did, which is make it a hockey peninsula for a decade beyond this because a generation of fans like what the beach feels like on parade day. Year over year, you see the growth. You see more down in Miami-Dade County, you certainly see more interest. The crowd at La Carreta grows year over year.

Incremental growth for the Florida Panthers. We know what it's like over here in hockey. This was a nowhere franchise that was constantly rumored to be relocating for about 25 years of its existence. But Florida has positioned themselves, and this is what you love about sports, right? We're not for the copious amount of steroids. This team is a team that loves each other, that plays the right way, that takes less money to keep winning. They should be beloved. But I understand why there's a fair amount of Panther fatigue across the league. Well, and Ekblad was suspended during the season. You guys hated Ekblad, and then he

took PEDs and was great, and you loved Ekblad again. Awesome. We were bouncing off each other before the show. This guy's an Hall of Famer, probably. I don't know how they're going to look at the PED thing, but he has a calder, he's got two cups, he's still 29 years old. How many years did they give Marshawn? They gave him six. That's crazy! That's the first thing I thought of, like how old is he? He's 37? A lot of this is confusing right because there's a new CBA and a lot of the CBA changes don't take into effect next year, it's the year after. So Matthew Kachuck's going to have surgery. I imagine they're going to exploit this long-term injury list rule one more year and either wait for somebody on the roster to get hurt and they can sash them away or make a move

in the middle of the season. But guys like Evan Rodriguez or Jesper Boquist, who you'd think would probably be on the way out with these deals coming in, they have a shot at sticking around, at least for the time being, if Matthew Kachuk does indeed end up on the long-term interest list. Greg, can I bring you in here though? Because I really do just for a second want to step back from it so that we can in the moment realize what history feels like and how it feels to be truly excellent at the

top of sports in a way that this market has only had a couple of teams ever that have felt this way that have this particular connection where it's like not merely that the team is excellent and has given you the feel-good but on top of this you got and I cannot state this enough, the ownership of Panthers before this ownership has been a turnstile of awful and incompetent grifters who have come and tried to steal, sell ice near the Everglades like snake oil salesmen to see this organization run this way where it's like, no, and here we go, we're going to invest it right back into the team. We're going to build it here we go we're gonna invest it right back

into the team we're gonna build it down here because we're building it down here we've done the hardest thing the hardest thing is everyone in the sport knows we're the best and now we treat our players better and now the owners spending big you're erasing you're doing what James Dolan can't do with even the Rangers. Like you're erasing 30 years of incompetence down here with the best of excellence we've ever had at the top of sports and a team that the rest of the continent doesn't particularly have an affinity for.

They're having a conniption right now because this team is sticking together and they can't really piece together why. I mean, these contracts are so below market value that it really doesn't matter about state taxes, which is a myth anyways. The Brad Marshain deal, we don't have full confirmation on what the deal looks like.

With the new CDA, it's a little confusing. Players north of 35, if they retire and sign a long-term contract provided that the annual average value is consistent and it's not front-loaded, once they retire, they come off your books. Now, I haven't heard anyone assume that Brad Marchand's gonna play to the end of this contract.

It seems like a long-term contract for a 37-year-old. You saw what they just did. They game the end of the system. It's a reward for pass play, and yeah, we'll just get the rest of your career. We're punctuating the Hall of Famers career. Play as long as you want. It appears that the avenue from what there is on social media and reporters poking around on this, it seems as though the deal for Brad Marchand is going to be front loaded, which

means if he does indeed retire during the term of this contract, some of that money remains on the books, but that money, that cap number will be smaller if they do indeed front load it. So Bill Zito had a couple of options here and he's still working all the options. Matthew Kachuck taking advantage of this last term of the long-term injury list too, is going to provide them some optionality, I think when it comes to the roster.

Mackie Samsekevich is a really good restricted free agent. I'm not exactly sure on what other teams can offer him, but if Matthew Kachuck is out for an extended period of time You'd like to see Mackie come back because Mackie can produce offensively on the puck He is very talented and if I were another team like Boston or Tampa or Carolina I'd do whatever I can to get a player like Mackie Well, this roster is so deep that you know, you talk about the four lines

They had the equivalent of fifth line guys who couldn't get on the ice and and Mackie's one of those guys But it isn't just the money they're offering It's the length of contract and in Marsha and the winning yeah Marsha for six years is one thing Not many teams are gonna offer Aaron Echblad an eight-year contract at age 29 and they did and They have everything going right now everything Vinny Viola is is not an out front owner people don't talk about him too much he's a quiet owner much like Mickey Harrison is but state-of-the-art right now ownership coaching general manager roster all of this stuff is easy to say

it's victory after victory after victory. The part that I'm telling you about though, that bears celebration as a genuine sports nobility. There has been no Panther ownership that felt secure enough to give eight year deals cause they'd be around for eight years. Like you're talking about- It was year to year. You're talking about top level wealth distribution here

with an owner who's now running the program the right way and it's flogging the rest of hockey. They're dismantling, over the last couple of years, the blueprints of Boston and the Rangers and Tampa have been dismantled by these people. Probably add Toronto to the list now. Maybe Carolina. Carolina's going to sign Ehlers today which should be great in mid-March. Maybe Carolina. Carolina's going to sign Ehlers today, I think. But Carolina has been sniffing around

every big potential name that's out there. Marner, they certainly wanted Echblad. They swing and miss a lot, but I think they finally connect today. Mike, you end Carolina. You end Carolina by simply saying that they want to try and figure out how to beat it. Carolina will not be able to beat it.

They know they're not as good as the team that the Panthers have built and the Panthers team isn't going to get any weaker. So I ask- If I may on Carolina, Carolina is a byproduct of this kooky playoff format that sucks by the way because the Florida Panthers play in arguably the toughest division in hockey they cannibalize themselves and you have a fraud ass team in Carolina that by happenstance makes it to the Eastern Conference finals because they have a much easier path if you rank the Eastern

Conference one through eight it would have been Carolina versus Florida in the first round and let me tell you something that gentleman sweep lands a lot differently if it's in the first round if it is in the e c f they are not that good they're tricking themselves into thinking they are i need more information on one-eyed mike uh... billy i'm gonna need your help here because i'm asking chris cody that he has imaging of uh... i happen to know or or uh... you know i know for a fact and we need to start reporting mike ryan's reports because they've all been credible.

He's batting 1,000, like he's never gotten one wrong. When it was wrong for the Supes on Noah Dobson. Carolina thought that they had Noah Dobson, then Columbus thought they had Noah Dobson. There was a feeding frenzy around Noah Dobson from Sugatza's Islanders. He ends up going to Montreal. But I was transparent with that,

but I do think Ealers is going to Carolina. Okay, but with facts, you're usually pretty good. Yeah, I know for a fact that was what the deal was. I'm going to get the imaging that Chris wasn't here to give us. We had good imaging for that one. I see here something that says, happens to know potential imaging. I don't know why you would say something as potential. Well, he was sending it to me to see if he was doing a good job and I haven't heard it

yet. You want to just hear this? Let's hear it together. This is the potential. Maybe Mike can choose his own imaging. He doesn't like what Jason's doing with Mercurial Mike Mondays or Manic Mike Mondays or Mike Mild Mondays. Maybe Mike can approve or not approve of this imaging.

Mike, you wanna hear this? Hold on a second here. Two-eyed Mike. He happens to know. Great Scott, he happens to know. He happens to know. Gather everyone. Get the children. He happens to know great Scott he happens to know gather everyone get the children he happens to know so wise there's one more here hold on oh my god he knows come everyone come and listen he happens to know well-informed

Great voice. I'll tell you what I don't think Mike likes it warm on it. Yeah, I did like the ending though You want to play it again? Yeah play the second one. I think the second one Very vulnerable for him to not like the eye doctor. Hold on a second one or two here. Hold on. Here's one He happens to know great Scott. This is like the eye doctor, hold on a second. One or two here, hold on, here's one. He happens to know? Great Scott, he happens to know! He happens to know. Gather everyone! Get the children! He happens to know!

He's so wise. He's like a nobleman. That was one. I love it. Oh my God, he knows. Come everyone, come and listen. He happens to know. That's good.

So we will inform. I think it's number two because Chris has this weird thing where he occasionally has this Wisconsin accent come out of nowhere sometimes. It's when he says the word both and listen to the start of this second one. It sounds like he's from Wisconsin. Oh my God, he knows. Oh my my god he knows oh my god he knows

come everyone come and listen we miss the the whisper the echoing hopefully Chris's daughter will be okay and the viral strain that is running through the Cody's will heal itself how are you feeling right now I've heard you sniffling a lot yeah drink've been drinking, you okay? Yeah, that's one of the reasons, this is gonna sound like a lie. One of the reasons I'm not eating the mic is that I don't want my breathing

and my sniffling to constantly be audible. Billy, why are you laughing? I'm trying to think of which is a better thing, not trying to sound like a lie or Tony just saying, this is the truth. No, Greg was right. He was just telling the truth. He didn't need to say anything. It's Tony. When you just saying this is the truth. No, Greg was right, he was just telling the truth. He didn't need to say anything.

It's Tony, when you announce that you have the truth, if I'm telling the truth, that's when you're lying. Right. I'm telling the truth, what do you want me to do? I guess if you say if I'm telling the truth, it's more like. Billy, should we? Am I not?

What are your thoughts? If I am, I may not be though. I want, since you're in the EP chair, I want you to help make an executive decision here. Oh my god, he knows. Okay, yes, this can be, look, let's use that, and that's you as the EP and that is God behind you making an executive ruling on this. Chris is God?

No, yes, it's you appearing as God, the decision decision maker and Chris is an odd servant who has just appeared. Oh my God, he knows. So make a ruling on this. Tony thinks his video from Vegas should air. Matt Kugler, who I've seen you aligning yourself with on South Beach Sessions, says you can air it, which shouldn't be our standard around here. It shouldn't be you can air it with indifference

So who do I side with Tony saying do I side with the unfunny guy? And oh that was Lewis. I'm sorry. That was Lewis who was saying that that wasn't Tony Do I side do we side with Matt Kugler or do we side with Tony? Oh? My god, he knows Everyone come and listen he happens to know well informed We're breaking news on the hockey front. Oh, Florida's made another move. I wanted Billy. I wanted Billy to make a ruling Breaking news. Oh, yeah, if you if you paid attention to the Panthers socials, they already said goodbye to Nate Schmidt,

who's going to hit the free agent market. Oh, that's too bad. Schmidty. Had a cat named Schmidty. Had a cat named Schmidty. He died. He died. So half of the two most recent PED violators

are now gone from the Florida Panthers roster. The cheetahs. Just leaves their neck bled. But Tomas Noschek is resigning with Florida for one year. He was an incredible fourth-liner for Florida. They probably don't make it to the Stanley Cup final were not for that fourth-line's performance down 2-0 to Toronto in the second round. Noschek was a huge part of that. He signs for $775,000. Yeah, that's why they had that line on the ice when they clinched.

Mm-hmm. I wanted to get to another local story, but you just reminded me of something and how perilous and fickle and fragile these things can be as I'm talking about you know what is gonna go down is some of the best sports ownership we've ever had in sports in this country given what they built and how they built it like just scrapped a model that was the best Panther team any of us had ever seen in the regular season and Turned it over into what it is now Which is don't you think it's so it's still Mickey but in a very short amount of time Vinny Viola is narrowing that gap and he seems with this core locked in

They might very well catch Mickey in terms of title What are you saying Mickey is the greatest owner in the history of South Florida sports really? I mean high Zenga would be up there now. I think it's Mickey what did Heisinga bring to all the sports? Well he was polarizing but I agree with two gods he doesn't get the credit he deserves. I think he got plenty of credit on his way out. Screw him. My point was that yes not only is that the conversation that you're allowed to enter when you have this excellence, but I was just sort of marveling at how fragile it is because they were done against Toronto. Like a random deflection happens in overtime of game three, Stugatz,

and none of what we're saying is so right now. none of it. We're not talking about any of the stuff we're talking about because they would have lost that series to Toronto in the second round and they would have been something that felt like it had underachieved somehow because we were dreaming of this. Like it would have felt one championship in three years, that would have been an epic disappointment

and it was an ice skate razor blade from happening. And it's just, it's an absurd thing to think that they now have maximum stability when it was on a razor's edge. It wouldn't have felt like this to God's at all. Nevermind no parade. It wouldn't have been, re-sign everyone eight years. It would have been, oh, that was disappointing. Oh, oh, Marchand and Echblad aren't worth resigning.

But now they're an historic team, Dan. They're going for three straight Stanley Cups, trying to make it to the Cup for the fourth time. They play in a state with no state taxes. Why would you want to leave? If you're any of these guys, Echblad could have got out in the free agency market and gotten himself nine million a year.

He stayed here for six. Why would you want to leave this organization? If they'd gone out in the second round, some of those guys would have left because it wouldn't have felt like a parade at the end. I agree. These guys genuinely do love each other. I had a friend that was in the Bahamas

at the same time they were, and he's like, the wives are just like on the phones watching their boyfriends and husbands just love each other's company, in the pool just being guys, growing out. And it's then when you realize, I don't think anybody actually wants to leave. And provided that Florida just hits the low end

of what their hopes and expectations are in terms of offers, these guys are gonna stick around. Red Morishan didn't really have this huge loyalty to Florida. We reported yesterday that if Florida just merely matched what Boston had for him, he would just 50-50 to take it, and he did for Florida, not for Boston. I feel like them coming down from two games against Toronto had nothing to do with kismet or luck. It had to do with how good the

Panthers proved that they are. No, no, listen listen what you just said is the nature of sports you could put every Dynasty hinges on that kind of thing that you just a couple of plays a couple of moments Yes, these aren't down 3o after three games. They weren't they were down to I'm saying they would have been down 3o What if could have a deflection and overtime that has in overtime that has nothing to do with whether or not they're better than Toronto. Something random happens in an overtime, as it can. A penalty, a bad call happens in overtime. They would have been down 3-0 and they would have been done.

Nature of sports. Yeah, destiny. It's still Toronto. You know, if anybody can blow it, it's them.