The Dan Le Batard Show with Stugotz - The Big Suey: Aghast and Agog (feat. Nick Wright)

Episode Date: October 21, 2025

"My empire is crumbling because of one man's inability to take an L." Nick Wright joins us to share the full story of his night at a billionaire's poker game and one of the worst beats of his life. That leads us to the story of the time Roy hogged all the questions in a meeting with Tim Kurkjian. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Now is a good time to remember where tequila's story truly began. In 1795, Cuervo invented tequila. Quervo. What are you doing here? Quervo. Anytime someone says quarevo, I show up. Well, I do know that to be true, but even during and reads, like... Quervo.

I think he could lay out, especially from one of our great partners. Sweet, delicious quervo. Since then, Cuervo is stayed true to its roots. The same family, the same land, the same passion. Quervo. So, enjoy the tequila that started it all. Quervo. Quervo.

The tequila. That invented tequila. Roximo.com. Please drink responsibly. Quervo. Welcome to the big sui. Presented by Draft Kings. Why are you listening to this show?

The podcast that seems very similar to the other Dan Levitard podcast. I'm sorry. I'm not going to apologize for that. In fact, the only difference seems to be this imaging. I have been tempted in restaurants just walking past tables to grab somebody's fries that if they're just just there. That hasn't happened to you guys? I've done it. And now, here's the marching man to nowhere, fat face

and the habitual liar. This episode of the Dan Levitart show is presented by Draft Kings. Draft Kings. The crown is yours. Zaslow has just returned from South Bend. I want to get some of his reporting. He says he was overtaken a bit. Was surprised by the number

of young people who are fans of the show in South Bend. That he bust in first class. bust in three hours. That was wild. Yes, first class. I was telling people about that all afternoon yesterday. Everyone loved that story yesterday.

I'm glad no one thought it was like a bit or it was fake. Like people were shocked by the story and it's completely real. Well, let's include Nick Wright on this conversation. The story is that Zaslow, who's gotten first class amenities as he deserves as part of college football coverage at the highest levels of ESPN, is expecting to fly into South Bend first class. He gets there and it's a connecting flight because Chicago's not that close. to South Bend and the second half of his first class flight is a bus that is going three hours to South Bend and he did not know that and so he's looking around where's my first class seat and he's on a bus well I'd love to feel badly for him

Dan but I'm I'm in a bad way I'm in a bad well here I okay so no so so Nick's feeling a bit self I didn't really come I didn't come on to hear about your stupid bus trip yeah to be totally honest what came on what happened to Nick no it's well what happened to Nick so thank you Thank you, Nick, for correcting this. Nick had a big bet. He made on behalf of the shipping container, and he wasn't able to cash it. He's an honorable gambler.

It's so much worse than that, Dano. It's really a lot worse. So here's the deal. It's important, I think, from a journalistic and public responsibility standpoint, that if I'm going to come on this wildly popular show, as to your point, that young impressionable Notre at AIM student are listening to and talk about, you know, swaggering big bets with you, all these things that they see the other side of it too. Because I imagine folks think right now I'm happy as a clam.

Chiefs are back where they should be, the favorites across the board. Mahomes is favored to win MVP. The now iconic play known as the tackle that turned the tide flipped the entire NFL season. So why am I, why am I bordering on insolvency? Just follow me on a journey, if you would, Dan. Because I do feel badly for the shipping container. Because I really wanted them to win that $5,000 I won from you. Such a gangster move by you in what you believe in spiritually

to be able to just dump five grand cash here and there as you win big in public with big bets. Like I was proud of you for trying to give them a role. of gangster money yeah well you know what we might be we might we might have to you know drop the stakes again I'm gonna try to get through this so here's the full setting here's the full scenario I'm I am sitting on a futures ticket that the expiration of is today that is a stone winner that was purchased at like 28 to 1 that I have I have cashed that money in my mind and it's a big enough

winner that I am then giving myself the grace to take some bigger shots like we're gonna try to run this up and so one of the shots was the poker game right after I won the Lions bet with you and that poker game was bigger than I can play in I told you was at a billionaire's penthouse that was not a lie. I told you I thought I had an edge in the game. That was not a lie. But it was, it was bordering on irresponsible to play. But I have this, you know, this piece of equity in this futures ticket that even if I lose will cover almost all of that night. And I did lose. And because of that, I wasn't able to give the shipping container $5,000. But again, but

crushes you. Like for people who think it crushes me. Oh my God. And I, and I, it crushes me even more when I knew it could have been Billy's goodbye present. I'm watching you cry talk about Billy Gill. I'm getting emotional and I and I almost and thank God I didn't. I almost texted you after I saw that just give the whole thing to Billy. Whoa. He's fine. He's fine. He got he can go to hell. Okay. All right. But wait guys and I'm going to try to get there but I want to do this story justice. But again, I'm I'm okay. And then this week, weekend, I do as I do often, not always, but often, because I'm a reverse hedger. I don't emotional hedge.

I don't hedge bets. I actually just go max pleasure, max pain. So I made a perfect Chiefs weekend parlay, which that is the Chargers losing, check, the Chiefs winning, check. And what's the last piece of that to put them in first place in the AFC West? Broncos losing. The Broncos losing. Oh, my God.

Had I mentally spent that money? Maybe. Was I aghast and a gog at so many things down the stretch of that game? You've got to be shitting me, Nick. I'm not, you are a god. I'm not shitting you. And here's the other piece of it that you need to understand. I take screenshots of the cash out options and send them to my gambling consortium

because I'll never cash out. never I ever under any circumstances because it's just it's not EV and I'm not going to do it but I'm texting my buddies I'm texting your friend Adam Lefco my friend Danny Parkins look at these guys thinking I'm going to let them off the hook I'm going to but I was but again it's okay that was more what I could win than what I lost because I have this this ticket that again is supposed to pay out Tony wants more information. Tony wants more information on this ticket that you can catch out. Well, that's what I'm about to explain. That's what I'm about to explain, Dan. Because listen, I know there's a

draft king show and I, I love draft kings. I've done great stuff with them. I do stuff with hard rock. This is, but there are certain types of wagers you can make that draft kings and the traditional gambling outfits don't offer, which places like Kalshi and Polly Market have started to do, which is futures contracts. You can basically be like, hey, Will, Joe Bucks say safety on Monday night football and you know whatever it is so I dabbled in that about nine months ago and I hit a nice nice win on a few things to where that was a real amount of money and there's like a sports media piece of it that there's not it's not a very vibrant market but like for

instance the you know I smashed the over on Toblo Tori Peabody Award mentions post him losing it because the marketplace thought, well, he won't keep mentioning this. He didn't win the award. So that was like over under five and a half in 2025. That cashed by August. So I've got a real amount of money in that account. And I bet no on a bet that I will tell you what it is in just a moment. And no was trading it when I bet it at seven cents a share.

if you guys don't know how it works a winning bet pays a hundred cents a losing bet pay zero so it trades like a stock market so they were saying basically had a seven percent chance of happening and as of two days ago that was at around 91 percent and this was how i was going to pay off the poker debt and that bet was prior to the start of the 2025 2026 NBA season will stephen a smith do another media tour about how LeBron bullied him. And he couldn't wait a day. Another, and tour means more than one appearance. Can't just be set in passing. And the day before the start of the season, I got to watch this guy go on and say, they didn't have the right camera angle.

I got to, I got to watch. I got to see the pivot, and then all of a sudden, 7 p.m. in Brooklyn, and realize my empire is crumbling because of one man's inability to take an L. And I just, I, Dan, I'm in a bad way. That's all. So he suffers these things, Chris, if you think that, if you think that Nick Wright is fooling around, he is looking for market inefficiencies unemotionally throughout sports. This is a clinical. Made a chiefs parlay. No, but it's a clinical business to him. It's not because he believes just that the Chiefs are that great.

He thinks that he's exploiting an easy advantage. The Chiefs bet is an emotional one. That's not analytical. I'll be honest. Most of the other bets are pretty analytical. The Chiefs Parlay wasn't, I, again, guys. No, the Chiefs will slaughter a team and then be kneeling victory formation with four minutes left in the game. And they'll pull my home's out in the third quarter because everyone agrees even Pete Carroll.

Yep, yep, let's wrap this all up. great deal better than we are yeah you had all that coming and i was loud wrong for three weeks and doubting that it would be back at all yeah but on the bright side of that dan you're not broke so you know i get to i just listen you we have to rebuild okay so this is you're gonna chase all right you're gonna chase it now because you're in well you can't not i mean you can't not man i mean uh i mean was was here's a here's a question i'm gonna tell you text this to Chris Cody just be and he won't even understanding Cody don't put this on screen because but I just want you to see it and I don't let me see if the phone is if the time is even

on there because what I'm texting Chris Cody is a picture from 1 30 in the morning of me playing a game called Deuce to 7 drama ha in a crypto poker casino okay I'm looking yeah I mean that by the way Are you sending him an amount of money, a screenshot? No, I'm sending him a screenshot of a winning hand. Listen, this is the life we have chosen. And I just felt it was important for me to apologize to the shipping container for not coming through for them. And then also important to let the audience know, don't ever consider a ticket, a winning ticket, until it is won, even if all you need for it to be a winning ticket is the biggest name in

sports media to hide his utter shame and embarrassment that he got in his mind, I guess, punked on national TV nine months ago for one more day. Nick, just to put it in perspective, did you lose out on more or less than the cost of a human heart on the black market. Well, I don't know what that cost. That seems... Well, Tony told us it's $500,000. $500,000.

Oh, oh, under. Under. Did I, though... Yeah, definitely under. I mean, it's not... But... You live in a dirtier world than Tony. The human heart is more expensive to Tony.

Look, look, I think, Tony, you might think you're more gangster than Nick Wright. Nick Wright is traveling... Nick Wright is traveling through some regions where he could find out what a human heart costs, because that's how desperate the people who are gambling against it. No, Dan, Dan, I lay my sword at the feet of Nick Wright. I lay my sword at the feet of Nick Wright in dirtier places than I've ever been or I can even

have them going. It's not just dirtier places. It's not just dirtier places. It's that Nick Wright, in order to bet an amount of money that hurts, like these stakes, he is caring deeply. He wants to be able to win so he says, so he can say, like Helmuth, I can roll off five grand than just give it to my buddies because i i took these suckers over here like it's the whole spirit of who nick is yeah that's it's all true i again i can't tell this story on on publicly

i can kind of tell it but this this watch i won in a card game really that's a that's a presidential day date by the way for those watching day date which means it's even more money yeah with the onyx face and the baguettes uh yeah i won those factory or those not factory they are they aftermarket no no no no this is this factory but um quick break here to talk to you about the official ticketing partner of the dan levitard show folks it's mike ryan you know how much i love this product i use it frequently i'm often buying tickets on the secondary market and for me game time has always been the best place to go for NFL tickets concert tickets comedy these shows. It's just the best. Here's why. Zone deals, favorites, panoramic seed views,

the lowest price guarantee where GameTime will credit you 110% of the difference. I love that thing. GameTime's ticket coverage. Your purchase is covered with the most flexible customer service policy in the ticketing industry. You get all those guarantees, pal. Join what many in our show have already done. They download that GameTime app. Because GameTime guarantees you can trust you'll be getting 100% authentic tickets on time and at the best price. Plus, fees are always included, so what you see is what you pay. Take the guesswork out of buying NFL tickets with GameTime. Download the GameTime app, create an account, and use code Dan for $20 off your first purchase.

Terms apply. Again, create an account, and redeem code D-A-N for $20 off. Swipe, tap, Ticket, go. Download the GameTime app today. Howdy listeners, it's Mike Ryan and Chris Cody. Hey, everyone. Hey, Chris. We love hanging out so much.

You were at my birthday the other day. You're old. what I saw, in your hand, a can of Miller, whether it's a can, whether it's a bottle, a draft pour of Miller light, the draft pour, you see that beautiful iconic color. Oh, the coldness to it. Oh, she's so good. Yes, Chris, the ice coldness to it. Oh, whether you're hanging out with me on my birthday because I'm old or you're at a game,

you know, that Miller Light just makes every special time a Miller time. That's how you make the special times by making them Miller times. Game Day just hits different with Miller Light in your hand. Hitting different. From jaw-dropping touchdowns to fantasy heartbreaks, it's a beer that has been there for every moment. 50 years of great taste, simple ingredients, and that iconic golden color.

That coldness, Chris. That icy coldness. The original light beer since 1975 and still hitting different five decades later. Miller Light, great taste 96 calories. Go to Miller Lite.com slash Dan to find delivery options near you or you can pick up some Miller Lite pretty much anywhere they sell beer.

It's Miller time. Celebrate responsibly Miller Brewing Company, Milwaukee, Wisconsin, 96 calories, and 3.2 carbs per 12 ounces. I see coldness. This show is sponsored by Liquid Ivy, and man, let me tell you something. Transitioning from the lazy vibes is summer to the far grind, it's brutal. The energy dips, the focus slips, you know the deal. That's why I'm all over, Liquid IV's new energy multiplies sugar-free hydrating energy. When sticking 16 ounces of water hydrate you better than water alone,

with three times the electrolytes of a sports drink, eight essential vitamins, and no sugar, no jitters, or crash, just smooth, balanced energy. I throw a packet in my work bag and my hockey bag when I go to the rink, heck even in my car. You guys really need to check out the strawberry kiwi and the black lemonade. Pest your workouts, powered through meetings, or just survived that post-summer slump.

Seriously, it's like a wake-up call for your body, hydration and energy, all in one. This is the upgrade your fall routine needs. Don't let the grind drain you. Digged a glitch with zero sugar and zero crash from LiquidIV. Teripor live more. Go to LiquidIV.com and get 20% off your first order with code Dan at checkout. That's 20% off your first order with code D-A-N at LiquidI-B.com.

Don Lebatard. I've never stepped foot on that campus. If you told me right now, your life depends on it, go to Santa Fe University and just take a picture. Stugats. I would die. I don't know where it is. This is the Dan Levatar Show with the Stugat. I'd love a top five list of Nick's top five like things he's one in a poker

no most valuable jewels Bobble symbolic jewels this is number one this is number one um by by a lot uh and I'm glad I got to show it and tell that story because I'm about another 10 day down swing away from having to, you know, one of the, you know what they say about fancy watches. They only, you're kind of costing yourself, you're costing yourself money by not getting one because they only go up in value. And I'm about 10 days away from having to test that theory, Dan. Find out. Find out. Tony, I don't know.

I mean, you clocked it right there. I mean, you can on or offline make me an offer. We can see. It's more than I can offer you. I know what, I know what it's going for right now. and somebody would buy it for not the money i have you saw him clock it you saw him say 70 grand 75 grand how did he did he read it on your face or did you say oh well no just the way he the way he i mean the way he snapped knew exactly what what watch it was i a man that can do that knows about

what the going market rate is for it um yeah that's about seven about 70 75 if you go to a deal it'll probably low cut you tell you 50 but you don't want to do that clock that watch no yeah I didn't even turn off phrase. How was your bus trip, Zaz? I mean, Zazel, just be quiet for a second. The story that

Nick Wright brings us just as Zazel a question. Just be quiet. No, I'd rather do what Dan's doing. Dan's Wright because he might have, he might have, you know, Dan's a genius for a lot of reasons.

He might have, He might figure out the only way to make, you know, for me to feel a little bit better in this whole situation. Well, let's do that. That's what I wish to do. And I thank you for revealing your vulnerability and also because this, I don't think, I think that they think that you casually lost five grand the other day. When I'm guessing, I don't know if I have this right, but the stakes where Nick gambles with his heart, like where he actually cares about stuff, I'm guessing the fact that he couldn't call and, or make. a video in the middle of the night that says here's the five grand i won that was a great shame to him a bit of a disgrace because he thought he was a great it was a great shame and disgrace and it also

was only because i had lost a mini multiple of that like if yeah of course it was especially because i'm supposed to be this great card player i believe i actually am and i'm losing to a bunch finance dorks like come on man like the and so and so yeah that was it was it was covered in shame there is no question about it and then the real question is did i as the game ended say hey same time next month right and the answer to that is of course yes well so this is where we have i got to spin this back up this is where we have to figure out what the stakes need to be because before we were going to do white corvette i don't know what happened with that but now now we've got to start putting so if you're you're going to chase it and we're going to you're so basically

all right so okay all right so what if nick what if this show and by that i mean dan puts you in the game and we do a little 50-50 we stake you so i don't do so here's the deal that that's actually a so i got again and then all and then again i hope the audience likes this i don't know i got invited there's a there's a stream a poker stream out in LA called Hustler that they play varying size games and anywhere from like a $5,000 buying game to they have a game where everyone at the table sits with over a million dollars like insane wealth right I got invited to a game that basically you would have to have a quarter of a million dollars to play and to feel comfortable and I had folks once they saw who the lineup was offer that exact thing to buy pieces of my action you know to stake me so I put up 50 they put up 200 and then the split goes 80 20 their way I don't like doing that because I don't feel like I play cards but I if it's if I feel accountable to someone else I don't think I play my best I feel like I don't make a move that I think is a smart move because if I'm wrong and it looks bad, will the person think I dusted off their money?

So I try not, I really only play with my own money. And I really wish that wasn't the case last week. I wish it was all Dan's money. I'd have been sick. Not my problem anymore. This guy's trying to bet white Corvettes for a lark. I don't know. I mean, I guess Dan's been rich for a long time.

Yeah, he's serious about this. I want, let's figure out how to do this. I want to continue to raise the stakes. I will no longer bet against Kansas City. though that would seem to be foolhardy at this point. Well, I mean, there is, there is that, and that is, and listen, I mean, I, I, there is some solace, there's double solace. One is it for my, my, my, you know, child's heart of my hometown team, the only sports team I've ever

truly lived and died with being back to greatness, that makes me feel good and pure and awesome. There is also the spiteful piece of me that wants there to be some form of accountability, and I'm not talking about you, Dan, per se, but you might be lumped in with this for all the alleged experts across every form of media that stared at a team that had been to seven straight conference championship games, five of the last six Super Bowls, three straight and won two of the last three Super Bowls, and because they started O and two, they were like, Well, that's over. Clearly they're broken. People I really respect Stephen Ruiz of the ringer writes an article,

the slow, boring demise of the decay of the Chiefs dynasty. Bill Barnwell, three weeks ago, who I think is the single smartest person covering football, did, hey, let's look at these trades from years ago and regrade them and graded the Tyree Kill Chiefs trade, a win for Miami and a loss for the Chiefs. The chiefs have been to every Super Bowl since then the Dolphins are imploding. And then the Piaz de resistance, the king of the we actually get football mountain, pro football focus

at Sunday, Dan, I don't know if you know this, I swear this is true. Sunday gave Gino Smith a higher passing grade for that game than Patrick Mahomes. And we're supposed to act like... that's credible that can't be that happened that happened you're lying to me that did not i swear to god that you are wrong you're lying to me on sunday you're lying to the people they gave gino smith a 67 point two passing grade and they gave patrick mohams a 62.2 passing grade that is a fact look it up to which i would say a logical company would say boys we have to shut it all down and pause.

Click on passing grade, scroll down. Just for week seven. For week seven, is that on week seven? You're lying. You're a liar. I swear to God it's true. Video just said, give me a second. They took my homes out in the third quarter. They were in victim formation with Minschew with four minutes left in the game.

And the smartest people covering football allegedly said, well, when you actually look at the tape, Gino Smith played slightly better. That's true. So I, the, I, at some point, all of football commentary is that stupid IQ meme where the, the total, you know, like morons and the geniuses, and by geniuses, I mean me, agree, have the exact same take, which is, I don't know, the team with Mahomes and Reed that always wins will probably win. And then the very middle is the people who think they're smart. They're like, well, when you look at the DVOA, the Ravens have actually been better and it's the lion's era and Dan I'm sorry

in this instance you're the guy in the middle I got to go I love you guys all right see you later thank you Nick I feel a little better after that yeah I feel a little better Chiefs Colts in a month that's a big one if I don't know if he's back tomorrow or not but we'll figure out what the state

he's not can I ask him one question before he goes real quick you gave us the vine at the start of this think he's gone oh damn it all your favorite NBA play players are back. In Draft King's Sportsbook, an official sports betting partner of the NBA, is D.Place to bet on NBA stars this season. New customers, download the draft king's sports app now use code Dan. That's code D-A-N to bet five bucks and get three months of NBA league pass, plus get $300 in bonus bets if your bet wins. In partnership with

Draft Kings, the crown is yours. Gambling problem, call 1-800 Gambler. In New York, call 877-8-Hope-N-Y or text Hope-N-Y-4-669. In Connecticut, help is available for Gambling called 888-78-9-777 or visit ccpg.org. Please play responsibly. On behalf of Boot Hill Casinoin Resort in Kansas, pass-through of per-wager tax may apply in Illinois. 21 and over. Age and eligibility varies by jurisdiction. Void in Ontario. Restrictions apply. Bet must win to receive bonus bets which expire in seven days. Minimumum odds required. NBA League pass auto-renews until canceled. Additional terms at dkng.com slash audio. Limited time offer. me from nowhere. One no, man!

Baby we were born! Witness a true story of risking it all. These new songs, they're the only thing making sense to me right now. To fight for what you believe in. This is not been good for Bruce. Don't need to be perfect.

I just know it to feel right. Springsteen, Deliver Me from Nowhere. Only in theaters Friday. Check out the big stars, big series, and blockbuster movies. Streaming on Paramount Plus. Cue the music. Like NCIS, Tony and Ziva. We'd like to make up our own rules.

Tulsa King. We want to take out the competition. The substance. This balance is not working. And the naked gun. That was awesome. That's a mountain of entertainment. Don Lebatard.

World Rar 3. Stugats. We're going to get that off the ground. World Rar 3, colon, our group chat has a pretty good feeling about this one. This is the Don Levitar show with the Stugats. I mean, he was going to share Stephen A. Smith opinions because, Stephen A had a day yesterday. Yeah, well, I suppose that we should have this because, man, oh man, there are a lot of people mad at him and the black community is like feeling he's running off toward where Whitlock is without realizing it.

And so some shit is happening. Wait, Roy, can you speak for the black community and not Dan? Yeah, Dan's right. You're good, Dan. There you go. You're good. I mean, well, I just, for the last. look, Stephen A. Smith has parlayed an amazing, an really amazing career from being fired at ESPN to getting all the power at ESPN and then negotiating a really groundbreaking deal where at ESPN they only pay him millions and millions to do first take and now he's going to do the same thing in politics with his own radio show and his own empire. And the political depths and we're in a divisive time right now.

And obviously, we're in a divisive time right now. If you have the depth and stomach for politics, it can't just be fame as the currency, and you're going to be seen as well. You're going to get to the other parts of his day. But in betraying the black community in some spaces where you're coutowing to Donald Trump because he's in power in a way that can't be abided in the modern age, no matter how central you are. Like, this has to be fought what is presently happening.

And you can't turn on your own people publicly. while feeding your political ambitions. I was talking about his LeBron takes and the Kyrie one too. He was right about that one. So this article... I don't know why we're towing cows. This article that you've handed me here that writes about a Hollywood ending, the dreams and drama of the LeBron Lakers.

There's some good stuff in there, Dan. I had forgotten Russell Westbrook was a Laker with LeBron James. I had put that out of my mind. Makes sense. Now you saw that video the other day where Russell Westbrook wouldn't sign the autograph. for the kid holding a Westbrook Laker jersey? All right. So I think, look, people can call Russell Westbrook a lot of things.

I don't think fake is one of them. Russell Westbrook gives off he's real. I think Westbrook looks good in this whole situation. He does. And he's playing to a longstanding theory, which is as real as Russell Westbrook appears, LeBron, be it his revisionist history, is his constant capon, as Jalen Ramsey called out. Westbrook is saying all the things. I think that a lot of players are thinking.

Braun is perceived as a phony. You ain't reading these books. Well, that's part of it. You can't give me a single line from the Godfather, your favorite movie? The ringer put out. You can't give me Fredo? I knew it was you. If you like the juicy NBA locker room gossip stuff,

and if you like stories about LeBron being a phony, the ringer just gave you a catnip with this incredible story that apparently all came to a head revolving around this speaker series that the Lakers had put together. they had Kendrick Lamar show up and they had Dwayne the Rock Johnson show up and six months after the Academy Awards controversial slap between Will Smith and Chris Rock, they brought in Will Smith to speak to the team. And Dan, I've done you the service to highlight some of these incredible exchanges. The writer did such a great job with this article in the ringer that I think

we should let him paint the picture here. So can you please turn to the part where they get to this genius series that Rob Polinka had organized for the Lakers' leadership, their players, as sort of like a galvanizing moment for the team as it got off to a slow start that season. Okay, you're going to have to help me, Mike, because you guys handed this to me. I did help you. I highlighted it. I'll turn to that page, Dan. I thought I was helping you by giving you a bridge. We started, well, the impetus, I don't know where we are in the recent.

materials, but the impetus appeared to be recent rumors involving Kyrie Irving. LeBron's former co-star was entering the final season of his contract with the Nets, a $36.9 million player option. You're hitting the right spot. Keep turning the pages and reading only the highlighted portions. With multiple outlets reporting that the Lakers were one of Irving's preferred destinations and that LeBron wanted a reunion, negotiations between the Lakers and the Nets went nowhere, and the Nets had no desire to take Westbrook back. For the Lakers to acquire Irving would have been by dealing Westbrook. Westbrook knew this, and he knew that LeBron did as well,

meaning that no matter what LeBron said in public, the reality was clear. He was pushing for the Lakers to ship Westbrook out. That's right. I remember that now. Now all of a sudden our minds are back at this point in time. Please keep reading. Westbrook knew LeBron's reputation.

He'd seen all the examples of LeBron seemingly misrepresenting himself. There was the time. LeBron claimed that the Godfather was his favorite movie, but then he failed to recall a single line when asked during a press conference to name one. There was the time he carried the autobiography of Malcolm X into a media session, but stumbled when asked to name his biggest takeaway. Look what they did to my boy.

They massacre my boy. Palinca informed the players a special guest would be coming through. He'd created a program called the Genius series, as you mentioned, and Will Smith arrived right after months removed from the Chris Rock slap. When Polenka and Ham left to fetch him, LeBron seated in a middle row, stood up. y'all got this he said he stormed out a back door shit man davis said he stood and followed lebron out stunned the rest of the players sat there looking at each other unsure what to do westbrook rose next

so are we all leaving he asked nah ross said patrick beverly a brash veteran point guard the lakers had acquired we got to stay leave the gun grab the canoli them two guys can do whatever the they want beverly said they want a championship westbrook was thinking as a nine-time all-star and former MVP and future Hall of Fame or why would there be a difference between him and them. Polenka came back in. Are we ready? He asked.

We're not ready, Beverly said. We need five minutes. Look at Brassy sleeves with the fishes. Polanka left. Minutes later, I'm sorry, he's as I wasn't quite ready to have you do Godfather while Mike Ryan ordered me to read my own show. Yeah, good stuff coming. Good stuff coming.

Ham re-entered and sat silently at the front of the room as Westbrook and Beverly. continued arguing. That's good leadership right there. He then stood up and exited through the same door LeBron and Davis had used. Soon after he returned with both stars. Next, Ham went to get Polenkin Smith. When they all returned, Smith was

greeted with smiles and dapps. He opened the floor for questions. LeBron was first. He had a question, he said. Smith answered. Then LeBron had another question and another after that, and another after that, and another after that. On and on he went, stretching what was

supposed to be a 30-minute session into nearly an hour. The same guy who was trying to leave is now quoting back movie lines and going through the guy's whole life story, one attendee, recalled thinking, seating it in the third row, picking at a bowl of fruit. Westbrook watched in disbelief, shaking his head and rolling his eyes every time LeBron spoke. I hate that fake shit, Westbrook said to a teammate afterward as the Lakers gathered for a team photo. I just can't do it. The next afternoon, the Lakers posted the picture on social media.

There, standing a few feet to Smith's right was Westbrook. His face twisted in a team picture into a scowl. Quoting movie lines of Will Smith after leaving the meeting. Incredible, all while Will Smith just hanging out in the offices as the Lakers clear this thing up. Come to me on the day of my daughter's video team. Can you put that picture back up for me really quick because there's somebody really important standing to LeBron's right. Asking me for a favor. That's Cole Swider.

Swider, whip? I thought that was Rob Lowe, honestly. Every time I see Polinka, I think the same thing. I can't help but see that it's a great Hollywood actor that's leading the bogus Lakers. Everyone's so happy except Westbrook. It's the most human thing in the world, though, for Russell Westbrook to not feel like LeBron's much of a bigger star than him. And that Russell Westbrook at the end of his career wouldn't like being powerless in a room where LeBron can trade him. I think it's also like Anthony Davis getting up and following him.

Right. Anthony Davis. I mean, what a follower. I mean, LeBron gets hard. I've got to get up too now. Dork. Roy did the same thing. The first time we had Tim Kirchian in studio, Roy was just so overly eager to talk to Tim Kirkshan. I'm like, this is fake, Roy. Wow, you turned a 30-minute meeting into a 60-minute meeting. Poor are you. Jays' is All-Star weekend, Roy. You remember that. I think Roy was genuinely excited to meet and talk to Tim Kirchian. No, he stole all the questions. He did a Q&A. Roy got all the questions. Hogged the Tim Kirchardt's time. I had gotten up early and said y'all got this.

Oh, what's your favorite ballpark? Seven questions in. Let me get a question next time, Roy, what do you remember? How would you defend yourself on this front? Did you hog all the Tim Kirchon questions? I can't defend myself. Wow. Indefensible.

There's a picture out there of me, Roy, Billy, and Kirchon together. That was the day. I got up. Tony followed me. So y'all got this, right? Bimel was like, I'll get them. How human is all of that? LeBron didn't want to stay an extra hour at the facility to be with Will Smith.

And then, I mean, the intimacy of that is cutting on both counts because I think most people, LeBron has spent eight years with the Lakers. It's longer than any other team he's been with. Westbrook toiled in his shadows while winning an MVP and being a great player. And at the end, LeBron got eight years. in L.A. and Westbrook bounces around on the fringes of the league when that was an MVP, and I get how the human dynamics of all of that would make Westbrook feel like LeBron had gone full Hollywood. A scowling angry, as if there's any other kind, Russell Westbrook,

picking at a bowl of fruit because he is now in a meeting that has gone into 60 minutes when it was supposed to be a short thing, while LeBron is rose in front of him after threatening to leave saying, welcome to Earth. I'm Mo Green. I made my bones when you're going out with cheerleaders. That's a great point in the movie. How will this stick to LeBron on Just adds to the lore. Hollywood phoniness at the end.

He needs to lean in. He needs to lean in. I think LeBron's biggest issue, even dating back to wanting to wear the black hat because everybody hated him was he obviously cares a lot what people think. You're at the age now. You're North of 40.

Aren't we supposed to let some of that stuff go? I'm not saying stop being and phony. I'm saying embrace your phoniness. Make it part of your character. Like work with it. Be someone that laughs at the joke too. There's this photo. Roy, I think this

is advice. That's the day. This is advice for you that Mike is giving wisdoms from the back row. Be the one who laughs at the joke as well. I am told that you hogged all of the Tim Kirchon time. Desperate Billy still resents it to this day. Might have cited as one of the reasons that he left. Look at

Chris Cody, right in the middle there. Tony and Mike not pictured. And Lorenzo can talk, boy. Lorenzo, I didn't let talk. Tony and Mike went out of the side door, like LeBron. We worked at the Clevelander. I went for a happy hour. Got one of those umbrella drinks.

Chris, wanted to ask one question. When did you switch from the backwards hat to the forwards hat? Good question. When you became EP. Yeah, that day. That is really what you did. That is... A hat goes this way.

We need that hat to go this direction. I guess it's time to grow up. Colin Cowher would be proud. Yeah. That's the last time I remember the dolphins feeling this way. Was Cam Cameron or, yeah, we need the thumbs to go in this direction. Well, that'll fix it, coach. This is your version of corporate Chris?

That is how Chris rose into the position. He took his backwards cap and put it forward. Zazlowe's on the climb. Zazelah's vying for the same position. He is a rising star. He just came back from South Bend. and all he came back with, you will not believe how many people listen to your show in South Bend. It's true.

A lot of people passing by the air stream studio is yelling Thai food. It's your signature phrase. Be careful what you say. There's corporate Chris. That's how he rose up the ranks here when he followed corporate Mike into the abyss. And for six straight months, he decided he was going to be someone who wore his cap in this direction. Best I ever looked right there. I use that photo often.

I miss Christmas. What do you mean often? Anyone needs like a head shot? or something. Hey, we need a photo for something. I'm like, here it is. There it is. The LeBron thing soap opera welcomes in the NBA tonight with a double header where the same stars are the stars that they have always been and they've got the stage themselves at a crowded time because I really am ashamed. Again, for the second straight day, I am publicly ashamed that I am taking this long to talk about the baseball because it is flat amazing. And Mike Ryan

And Baiton switched me by text last night. He's like, best two words in sports tonight. And I'm like, they better not pitch to Vlad. They better not pitch to Vlad. And he's like, Baker Mayfield. The best two words of sports. Walked right into that one. I did.

I felt ashamed of myself. I responded, yes, I tricked you. Best two words in sports. And I immediately want to talk to Ron. My analysis is they better not pitch to a lad. He's supposed to be a Meritor's fan. I was devastated. Baker kept missing high all night.

Now is a good time to remember where tequila's story truly began. In 1795, Cuervo invented tequila. Quervo. What are you doing here? Quervo. Anytime someone says quarevo, I show up. Well, I do know that to be true, but even during an ad reads, like... Quervo. I think you could lay out, especially from one of our great partners.

Sweet, delicious quervo. Since then, Cuervo is stayed true to its roots. The same family, the same land, the same passion. Quervo. So, enjoy the tequila that started it all. Quervo. Quervo. The tequila.

that invented tequila Broximo.com, please drink responsibly. Cuervo.