The Dan Le Batard Show with Stugotz - The Big Suey: Caught In A Pickle

Episode Date: August 2, 2023

The crew goes to Billy and Chris Cote live from Marlins Park where they're playing in a "celebrity" softball game with mixed results. Plus, Adnan and Samson do their Top 5 list on best underdog sports movies. Also, how will the new NBA play-by-play team fair. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

You're listening to Giraffe King's Network. Welcome to the big suite! Presented by Giraffe King. 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 there. That hasn't happened to you guys. I've done it. And now, here's the marching band to nowhere, that face and the habitual liar. Chris Cody and Billy are out at Marlon's Park.

Chris Cody, are you batting right now in this celebrity softball game? Right now. OK. All right. All right. Right now. Can we hear him, Billy?

Are you going to give us play by player? Why? Can we hear him as the camera goes out and follow Chris Cody as he bats? I can't hear you. I feel like a camera person person we want to see Chris you know what he really like you want to see Chris you want to see Chris they dan it's Billy they bill all right so here we go we've got a celebrity softball game this was set

up expertly and with the kind of efficiency that we expect her. He's calling his shots. He's putting a drop of bubble. Hey, yeah. You're not there, fuck, alright? Oh, there he goes. He's gonna, uh, is that gonna fall in? Yeah. Is he gonna go for two? No, he's not. That's a single. That's what we, single.

And what is he doing? That's what, that's what we did. Okay, excellent work by all of us. Yeah. I should pay off. Yeah, I should pay off. Is that real man's soul? That's everywhere.

Billy, give us, give us the update there. Forgive me, I should probably tell the audience that for some reason Billy and Chris are playing and is it a celebrity softball game? Is celebrity surrounded by the greatest quotes you've ever seen? Because it's not actually celebrities. Well, Dan, it's Billy, hi, how are you?

So this is what happened. We were invited to a media softball game on a Wednesday at 9 a.m. When most of these media members should be working. So what I thought was, I should tell my bosses, I wanted to field work today. So I came out to the field and started playing baseball, but I wasn't expecting a camera.

I love that. Oh, Donovan Campbell right up the middle. There goes Chris, you're going to go first, a third, no. Come on, just stay in the station. You're going to be the best. Come on, let's go. Realistically, camera person. We can hear Billy just keep looking at Chris,

because he's the one that has he doing. Yeah, just look at Chris. John, just look at Chris. Look at me. We have an injury on the field, it seems, or someone lost a contact. Something's going on here. One out, one out. One out. Sorry, we have an injury on the field it seems or someone lost a contact something's going on here Let's find it. We're standing. We're standing. Someone lost to be appropriate to come out and play softball and say stay on base Chris

What lever would have wanted? I'm gonna go listen to this huddle Chris go back to second, please don't get tagged out Camera guys, anyways a big exciting trade deadline yesterday for the fish, Dano. Lots of moves were made here to field any questions you like from the scene of all the action. I'm in the middle of the field, so let me get on with this. Yeah.

Billy, did you say it's going about as you would expect if I put things in your hands and Billy's hands it's going about that way. Billy, thank you for all of the orders up. We don't need to see Jason Lattimer's on the field. We don't need to see Billy. Well I can hear his voice that's fine. I want to watch Chris Lay baseball. Yes. There it is. That's what I was saying. He's got a little greedy like BGO. You guys think is this great softball player? I'll tell you it's this damn microphone in my hair.

I don't know how many outs there are. The fleeting feel over his head and rolls to the home run on the second batter of the game. He got tagged out in a pop fly to the shortstop. That should be an infield fly rule. They should be eligible to be tagged out in a play. No one would do that. Billy showing frustration with his teammate. What I had today, the one goal that I had today was don't get hurt.

That's all I want to do. And I promise myself. I'm going to get into it. And then. All right, what I want to do is make sure that whoever the camera person and audio people there are fired before they get back to the building. And I don't know about- I think they're on the Marlins payrolls.

I don't know about Billy and Chris either if they're going to survive this. Billy, tell me what you think about your baseball team. I'm sure. Trading for Jake Berger and Josh Bell, the Marlins went all in and then lose Chris, you've got to stop talking to others as if you're not on the air right now. Just please shut up for a while unless I ask you a baseball chat. Dan, you got to chat them up. Yes thank you. You better better better better. Billy your thoughts on work. The Marlins did yesterday. You know there's some people out there. Should I hold on to some? Let's go ahead and leave. No, no, no. The other park. Metal Arc media has been is paying presently to do today's show. I'm thinking 20 to 25 people, some of whom I can

hear. I thought, well, we're paying, we're paying for this. Even then, I'm fleeing for free. I wanted to get Marlon to expert analysis here. That was your first mistake. You know what I'm going to do here? I'm going to stop what we're presently doing. I'm going to stop. Why would you do that? We are going to start over and we're gonna fix our audio. We're gonna take this off right now. We're gonna stop going live on YouTube and I'm going to start over. Thank you. This is live. Don Lebertard. Give me a favor, favor Chris look up Gerald McCoy's IMDB Let's see how many stats do God's gets right about what Gerald McCoy I am DB. Yeah, look at movies Look at him to check it out check out Gerald McCoy's IMDB his profile focus great Stugots, okay, so I'm on Gerald McCoy's IMDB There was an acting credit in which he played Gerald McCoy in The League, which

was a popular show on FX. Then he played himself on the Dan Patrick show in episode 12.4, 2018, and also something called the Game Day Commute. He played himself. Archive footage he was featured once on Roman's Burning. I mean, look at that. This is the Dan Libertar show with this two guards. We have with us right now at a fairly busy time in baseball two foremost baseball authorities. We are in the middle of the news. There is a lot going on in baseball. People in baseball are super interested in the moves being made. I bet you add, Dan, thanks. That infield of the Dodgers early 80s with Ron say is the greatest infield of all talk. All right we might or might not get

to that in a second but we talk underdog sports movies today with David Samson and Adnan Verk. I will tell you again that cinephile is where you should go if you want to find Adnan Verk really doing the thing he's most passionate about in entertainment more than than baseball, more than tennis, more than anything, the movies, and also nothing personal. David Samson back from a long trip. He reviews a movie every day on nothing personal. Watches a movie every day.

So we're going to do top five underdog sports movies in just a second. But before we do that, let's answer these questions. Do you believe Adnan-Verk? Because Tim Kirchen just texted me, I'm getting on a plane, I don't have time to answer your very important question. Do you believe Adnan-Verk that Ron Sey, the penguin, was actually five foot ten? Yes or no? I don't believe that, no. I love the i love the fact that nictim was the penguin by

the end of his nictim is the penguin is going to be under five eight uh... five ten feels it creates to me but i love steve garvey for talk of dodgers and field but yes i'll answer the question sir yes i think he's under five ten toney uh... toney's informed us that steve garvey was the same height as ron say according to the Tony, Tony informed us that Steve Garvey was the same height as Ron say. According to the, according to the internet,

David Samson, you're an authority on not being tall. What are your, what are your thoughts on the idea that Steve Garvey would be the same height as Ron say? It's no chance. I can look eye to eyebrow to Ron say and with Steve Garvey it's eye to chin. The blatant disrespect of all of you. Do you believe Adnan Burke and you could probably tell us this empirically, Stugots with a take straight out of 1979, said that Dodger Infield where I'm guessing Bill Russell had an OPS of 312.

He was dreadful, but big hits and big spots. He said that that is the best in field ever. Do you believe it is a top 10 in field ever in the advancement of baseball since? No, I can't even go talk to him. There's no muscle skill. Listen, to play KH2, I would say his met at a great infield back in the day at Garthaw Alfonso, Ray Ardonia's, Roberto Alamar, John Oldwood, certainly defensively great infield, but that Dodgers infield. Three 12 opi. I can't get back. Can you find me a better infield than our Marlins team of

Oh three with Derek Lee, Luis Castillo, Alex Gonzalez and Mike Loa. Is there a better infield? Alex Gonzalez is a weak link in that budget. Yeah, absolutely. He's Bill Russell. I mean, Alex Gonzalez was the greatest chance. Shortstop I ever saw other than Ozzy Smith. You have to be the only one who takes that.

He's a bit overrated, Ozzy Smith. Ozzy Smith has no business being in baseball's Hall of Fame. Seriously, you can't have it. No, no, no, no, I'm sorry the Wizard of Oz you cannot have 17 career homers and get into the Hall of Fame It doesn't work like that. No, they were the biggest home runs in Carbals history go crazy folks go crazy And you do are you back flips? Yeah, Stu you're telling me if he didn't do the back flips He wouldn't be in the Hall of Fame. You're saying that's why you got done you if you got a hit every now and again he'd be in the hall of fame i mean he is he is in the hall of fame in my hall of fame okay your personal hall of

fame uh... let's start with david samson top five it's it's just underdog sports movies it's not sports movies it's top five underdog sports movies. It's not sports movies. It's top five underdog sports movies. Isn't every sports movie and underdog sports movie What's what's the who's the underdog in field of dreams? Okay, almost every oh our shoes Joe Jackson. He's an underdog. No, he's an overdog. He's a pariah It's an underdog Kevin Costner's the underdog get a build a baseball field in his backyard. Absolutely outcast Is not underdog David kind of got your ass. I mean. Number five, David Samson. Slap shot. Paul Newman with a hockey movie with one of the great hockey fight scenes pre-anthom

in the history of all sports. Pre-anthom in the history of all sports. Pretty an- Slap shot. Jessica, what year was Slap shot Jessica? 1977. Slap shot qualifies for Medicaid. No. I was told on the- Put it on the pole, please, at Levitar Show. Does the movie Slap shot qualify for Medicaid?

Adnan, you were going to say something. Yeah, listen, I love Paul Newman in that movie, Dan. And the handsome brothers are fantastic. Of course, put the foil on. What I find hilarious about Slapshon, I do like the movie. I'll back up, David, on this one is Pacino at one point. It was rumored to be playing the lead role until he informed them the ex you couldn't skate.

Just imagine how Pacino would fall into the hole. Who are? That goalie's got a great ass! Put it on the pole, please, at Lebitar Show. Can you imagine the movie Slap Shot starring Al Pacino? Oh, number four. You got to go hot on the full check. Number four, Samson.

Eddie, the eagle. Eddie is about a ski jumper, and it is now an expression used by everybody when you are over your skis, which clearly many of us in this show are. Eddie the Eagle, put your hands by your sides and just face down. What a lame movie.

Like this is a real story. Unspeakably lame. Great David. The real story of any of the eagle, the ski jumper from Great Britain is a good story. Back to the Olympics taking place in Canada. The movie's about as lame as it gets. I mean, Teran Edgerton, Christopher Walken, Hugh Jackman, they wish they could excise this from their IMDB.

This is about as phony and false and controdemos as bad as sports movies get. They could excise it from their IMDB if they so chose because its user generated by agents. But that said, we're talking about underdog sports movies. Who is a greater underdog than Eddie the Eagle? Just because it's a true story, doesn't mean it's a good movie. The movie was bad, it was howlingly bad.

Roll your eyes bad. As like your list. I know you're talking about Ed Belford. I love that Belford. But Ed Belford, if it was anything you could let Ed Belford that wall fight. Yes. Number three, Samson.

Rudy. BELL RINGS Overrated. Anytime you have a short guy on the football field, that's something I want to be a part of. It is a movie that makes you cry. It's a movie be a part of. It is a movie that makes you cry. It's a movie that makes you laugh. It's a movie that makes you hope.

It's called Rudy. Go ahead, Adnan. Say one bad thing about show-napping. I dare you. 10 good minutes. Doesn't mean it's a good movie. 10 minutes. He gets one sack.

And I'm like, this is now going to be one of the great inspirational ways of all time. Ned Beatty. This is my dream to see my son feel. Charles S. Dutt relegated that role of the black guy who's like, eh, doing for Rudy, I'm so happy for Rudy. Like, this is a ridiculous movie. There's no chance Rudy's a great movie.

Come on. I'm losing audience every time you open your mouth. So I'm gonna do it in fact. You need to get me up. Charles S. Dutt, back me up. I'm on team, I'm on team Adnan, it's a two hour version of a participation trophy. One of the greatest movie scores of all time though,

we can all have that. Oh great music, great music. Great music. Yeah, no, here, here. Music elevates the movie for sure. Number two. I'll buy the soundtrack. I can't.

Number two is one of my prize possessions and one of my all time favorite movies filmed at county stadium in the middle of the night, not in Cleveland, it's called Major League. It was ruined for me by the idea that you would score from second to on a bunch to end the game as Lin-Mass Tom Berenger can't get down the road. Exactly. Basically, catch all his last leg for someone able to score with full legs from second base of the fun. I made a proposal in 2013 to the owner of the Marlins that I wanted to put a picture of him in the clubhouse

and rip off a piece until he was in his skivis because that's after we had broken down the 2012 team and it got summarily rejected, but I think it would have been awesome. We've been great for jack macchi uh... jesse got to any are you familiar with major league the movie or is it too old for you well think

that is nineteen eighty nine uh... it's a little bit on the cusp for me number one uh... the greatest sports underdog movie of all time david and i'd dare you i dare you the bad news bears. I like the remake because of Billy Bob Thornton. I'm originally going to be the remake stinks.

No, the original is overrated. It's a nice story, it's cute. Tatum O'Neill, I got it, but nobody's rewatched that. I couldn't pay winning him enough money to watch that video right now. I watched it last year. I watched it last year. The greatest coach in cinematic history Doesn't hold up about as for me like as it gets. I mean back me up here I like Brad newsbearers. I like I think you're being too harsh at them, but Brad newsbearers will be a great movie

Like that. By the way, Samson. How is how is buddy ducks not in your top five? Mighty ducks come on man. Plin plin plin plin plin you short guys on that one So I didn't want to make the entire list about short guys So I made the number one about children in order to excuse and the guy whose name is now escaping me live The one who smokes and rides the motorcycle and Telly Lee. And he is the character. What was his name? Telly Lee. Yes, exactly.

Played by the guy who also made movies as an adult, very creepy movie with Kate Winslet. That said, when I watched the Bad News Bears, it made me love baseball way more so than any other movie has. And it also is famous for me because all of the movies that came after the Bad News Bears go to Japan, Japan spring training the redo with Billy Bob Thornton they were all crap but the original deserves to be in the Smithsonian. Jude you put her on the pole please at Lebitard show is Walter Mathau the

greatest cinematic coach of all time. I'm closer to Samson than I am on Adnan because while Adnan says his formula, hey, the formula was invented by bad news bears. It's a 1977 movie. It's the first movie of that kind that I have seen. So I would place that in my top five. Let's see what Adnan's list looks like here. Number five, do you have any, do you have any of David's top fives in your top fives? I have one, Dan. I have one which we had to agree. And other than that, my list is clearly much better.

And we kick it off in number five, win, win. Great movie with Paul Giamatti, Bobby, kind of, Valley, Jeffrey, Tamber, Giamatti, one of our great actors playing a wrestling coach, an absolute underdog right now, inspiring, taking care of this kid. It's a funny movie, it movie. It's amazing. Win-win and it's recent before Jess gets on me. That's the most recent movie of any list on any of these lists. Win-win is a great underdog. It is recent, but it appears to be a movie that none of us have seen. Samson, your thoughts on win-win. Here's where he got that. And I know exactly what you did at man. You did your usual. You went on the computer and you wanted to get a movie that would make you look like you know about movies

So you go to project mod you go to win win thinking oh, I'm gonna look all smart today But I'll put it at number five and then I'll recover with a few movies the people have heard of Jim my favorite actors and I do look smart because I am smart number four We've never four is Hoosiers. Oh no. Oh no. Oh no. Oh no.

It's a little dated, okay? I admit the montages of the 80s music in the short shorts I could do without. But Dan's mentioned great coaches. Are you kidding me? You're gonna get Gene Hackman in there and Dennis Hopper as an alcoholic. Best supporting actor nominee. Gonna give some love to Hooters. Come on. He wasn't even acting

Shout out to Jean Hackman parting with baby Billy back in the day. I can't believe your list so far, Adnan It's one of the worst things you have ever done number three Time for redemption Dan number three is Friday night lights Based on Buzz Bissinger's book and an incredible performance by Billy Bob Thornton, laid back coach, Texas football inspiring and most of all because the interdogs do not win. So it is both realistic and inspiring. Five night lights, cuts right to the heart and of course inspired a very good television show. Can they be considered, pandering? Can they be considered underdogs and they went 11

and one in Texas high school football? They're not really underdogs as such. Against the Permian Panthers though, Chris, they were pretty big underdogs. That's a good point. But I will say another preposterous sports movie ending. That doesn't that game end like they win the big game on like a triple reverse fleeflicker like in the top five pantheon for worst sports movie endings of all time. Like in the top five pantheon for worst sports movie endings of all time Samson your thoughts there you're shaking your head vigorously He likes for example worried about screen time here because I think you're gonna cancel this segment going forward I actually am seriously worried because adnan is so beyond comprehension and how he's doing these lists

That I'm afraid we're gonna lose audience number sometimes, sometimes someone is a forward thinker, okay? It all comes around the hand. Go ahead, Dan. Number two, Major League. You're not a man. Gotta be in cahoots on this one. Number with, number one. So far, Dan, by the way, who's the list you like better?

His, right? Yep. Yeah, get ready for this. Number one. That, that, that, that, that, that, that, that, that, that, that, that, that, that, that, that, that, that, that, that, that, that, that, that, that, that, that, that, that, that, that, that, that, that, that, that, that, that, that, that, that, that, that, that, that, that, that, that, that, that, that, that, that, that, that, that, that, that, that, that, that, that, that, that, that, that, that, that, that, that, that, that, that, that, that, that, that, that, that, that that that that that that that that that that that that that that that that that that that that that that that that that that that that that that that that that that that that that that that that that that that that that that that that that that that that that that that that that that that that that that that that that that that that that that that that that that that that that that that that that that that that that that that that that that that that that that that that that that that that that that that that that that that that that that that that that that that that that that that that that that that that that that that that that that that that that that that that that that that that that that that that that that that that that that that that that that that that that that that that that that that that that that that that that that that that that that that that that that that that that that that that that that that that that that that that that that that that that that that that that that that that that that that that that that that that that that that that that that that that that that that that that that that that that that that that that that that that that that that that that that that that that that that that that that that that that that that that that that that that that that that that that that that that that that that that that that that that that this ball fights is stupid list. My list is way better. My top five is Rocky, Rocky II, Rocky III, Rocky IV, and Creed. How about that? And Miracle, invincible. No love for little giants.

No. Docu1 is boring. Dodgeball? Anyone? Dodgeball literally has underdog in the title. Same with the Cororan movie. Dodgeball is not a sports movie now i'm sorry you know what i mean i we need an underdog comedy have a kingpin can we get

all the kids we get one yeah the kingpin is great left out karate kid all karate kid underdog yeah ox on wax off guy see you later on that you were you were bored you're in different you stifled a yawn during that wax on the wax off. Thank you for your trade analysis at the major league baseball trade deadline, gentlemen. Don Lebertard. Earlier in the show, the question was asked, what would Stu got to do with one invisible day? Stu got one day where he could be invisible. We decided

that during banking hours, he would choose a week day, he would rob all the banks in the universe from eight to five. And then at night, he would alter sporting event results by being an invisible man in games he had better. This is the Dan Lebertar show with this two guts. Waiting him. Welcome back. But for the grave error of confusing the ending of Friday night lights with the ending of Remember the Titans Go sit in the penalty box No matter how big you get because of Apple TV and all of your success because now messy is someone that you're Hobnobbing with

He needs direct. He's like where's the penalty box? I swear to God he just asked he did just ask where's the penalty box? I swear to God, he just asked. He did just ask, where is the penalty box? Remember the Titans did end, though, that way, with Sunshine Trevor Lawrence on a crazy double reverse fooling the opposing state championship coach who hadn't considered the possibility that they would have a play in their playbook of surprise that would go for 80 yards at the end of the game.

I actually have the play call that they called inside the huddle. It's fake 23 blast with a backside George reverse. Oh, the backside George. Shout out to my god Wood Harris who played a teenager even though he's like 42 years old. Only did his shavest mustache, and that was it. I'm in character now. I think if we rack our brains, we could probably have some fun if you think for a minute

about the worst casting in the history of the movies when it comes to what a mean is specifically talking about, which is someone playing someone younger, who is 50 or 60 years old. My guess is that if we went through the movies a little bit, that would be a good nominee, but I'm guessing if we thought about it for a minute, we would find some amusement on people who are older than they are cast. The bad guy from Greece, you guys remember him? Everybody.

Everyone from Brazil, the bad guys, especially. No, he was like 45. Dude, let's hold them. No, but there was somebody else. They're the guy with the black hair. There was somebody in Greece. Hold on, let's pull up some photos of the 1977 classic Greece.

I am promising you that everyone in that movie who was playing a teenager looked like they were 40 but there was a round guy a heavy guy who was playing one of the bit characters who had black hair who seemed like he was older than canickie what the whole i know i know exactly who you're talking about with the look at the was twenty eight when they filmed this i don't believe that canickie canickie was part of the i the I know I'm not like Jeff Connoway is the actor's name can Nikki is like famous for looking the oldest in that no The guys don't know who you're talking no the guy who's the oldest is the bad guy can Nikki was part of the gang Can Nikki was down with with the

Travolta with Travolta in the rest of them. I'm talking about the guy had awful skin He wrote a motorcycle. Yes, I eat like he said. I'm looking it up. I know exactly who you're talking about. He had Awful Skin. It's such a great, important detail to his character. You know, I was going to say, but I thought it was inappropriate that it looks like somebody put a fire out on his face with a screwdriver. That's a great way to describe. His name is Leo Balmudo. Does that ring a bell? I've never seen him before. Does that ring a bell? No.

Stocker Channing played Rizzo and Greece. Oh, she was supposed to be 18 years old. She was 33 at the film. Easily. The entire movie would classify as people who were told. I mean, I am thankful that you are here. I should have mentioned in the last segment that you were here. It might have rung as a surprise to some people, but I wanted to talk to you about a move that was made on

what Mike Ryan was arguing is the most famous basketball announcing team of any kind broadcasting since Marv Albert Mike brain Jeff van Gundy and Mark Jackson worked for I think they didn't work for 17 years together I know I think Van Gundy and brain worked that long together and then Jackson joined the mix but now they've been replaced. Mark Jackson, I know Jeff Angundi was surprised. Mark Jackson seemed like he had survived it, and it seems like he was also surprised. And what I imagined there is that they were just waiting to negotiate a deal with Doc Rivers. And so they couldn't get rid of Mark Jackson until they had hired and secured Doc Rivers.

But now it's Doris Burke, Doc Rivers and Mike Brain. What did you think of that? And does any of that matter? Because to me, as someone who largely consumes these things with the sound down, I almost don't care at all who is broadcasting that you can only get my attention if you're truly awful and most of the other pieces I view as interchangeable. So I imagine Doc Rivers and Doris Burke and Mike Brain will be about as good as Jeff Van Gundy, Mark Jackson and Mike Brain.

Yeah, let me start with that. Like, both of these people are great at broadcasting. Doris obviously is awesome, everyone knows. We don't need to read it right. She's literally a hall of famer at this and Doc Rivers For a lot of the younger listeners they won't remember doc when he stopped playing he was doing color analysis Very good for spurs local and for Turner national and he did such a good job I think if I'm not mistaken he might have been the first hey

I like listening to you talk about the game. Why don't you be my head coach? Like that thing that Mark Jackson has done and Steve Curry has done, now he's seen it happens a lot more often. I think Doc Rivers was the first one of his ilk to go from playing to the broadcast booth and from the broadcast booth to head coach immediately. And that's when he went to the Orlando Magic and he did a great job in the first year with a very rag tag roster. Then ended up being 500.

And everyone thought they were gonna be one of the worst teams in league and he won coach of the year. And that's kind of the legend of Doc Rivers started there. So even after he left Orlando before he went to Boston, he did the ABC finals, the NBA finals on ABC with Al Michaels. So you're talking about a guy

who's really good at broadcasting. And I think that's kind of helped him as well as a head coach because he knows how to deal with media because he has that background. I believe that Doc River's greatest strength post career is talking for sure. But I'm not kidding you when I say that as a coach, leader of men, one of the great coaching failures

when it comes to important basketball games, his resume has more important losses on it than almost any coach. Coach usually doesn't get many chances to do the failure that he has done. And I believe that Doc Rivers has made much of his post playing career retirement money in just being charming as a talker. He's very good at talking, you're right, but I mean to

the original point and original question by Dan, I like Mike Breene. I like Jeff Fane Gundy. I like Mark Jackson. They were a great trio. Great at calling games, but The replacements are really really good. It's gonna take them a minute to form the chemistry that those three had But there is I don't care if no one's calling the game if it's a game I want to watch I'm going to watch the NBA game like people get outraged about this stuff and I guess I understand Why but if you want to watch a basketball game You're not tuning in because Mike Breene is calling it. Right and we've had this conversation before we talk about Tom Brady being offered eight

billion, gazillion, trillion, bajillion dollars to call games and it's like who cares? I'm going to watch Monday night football or whatever anyway. That's all well and good, right? But I think there is something very important that happens and we know that from kind of the story that when come out, a little bit as the league hasn't been too thrilled with Van Gundy in particular because he can be very critical particularly of officiating but also of the game of things

like load management, things like that. And he is somebody who gets criticized for not liking basketball enough because of the way he's talking about it, not just from the commissioner of the league. When you're, and when you're, you are the voice, you got your right. I'm not going to stop watching the NBA finals because Jeff and Gundies calling it or whatever, but or he's not. Right.

But when, you know, however many million people are watching, this is the most watched event in our sport, and you're getting bombarded with kind of a negativity, I could see from the league standpoint of like, yo, we're trying to do a thing here, we're trying to sell this, we're trying to let people be excited about it and be optimistic about it, and I do always point this out, and the same goes for the Turner guys,

the Turner studio guys, we're the only sport that continuously shits on the current product and says everything was better 20 years ago. Nobody is saying in football, no one's walking on say, man, I'm telling you what, you know, boomer, a sys and would be the best quarterback in the league right now. No one says in baseball that, oh, you know, Doc Goodin would be the best pitcher in baseball right now. We all kind of accept that the modern version of this is the best version in the same way that no one looks at you saying both. Carl Lewis would have just smoked it. But our sport for whatever reason lives constantly in the past.

Our players constantly fight ghosts. They're not playing like LeBron's not playing Steph Curry. He's playing Michael Jordan and Part and parcel of that is losing And was it as you do need like a breath of positivity in it That's from that standpoint. I don't think you're right people don't turn off or turn on the game But our overall perception of the game can be colored by the people who are bringing it to us at the highest profile moments. There are a couple of things that are interesting about this to me because I do believe the people listening to this who are sports fans do believe that coaches as leaders of men and because we want to believe in the idea of the coach knows how to strategically toughen and strengthen this group of people.

I believe a lot of people think about sports that it is merit-based. And what you just said, the evolution of guy talks on television well about basketball. Therefore, let me hire Doc Rivers to become my coach because he broadcasts well and had a good Orlando team. And let me watch him lose every damn game seven and every three one lead that he has because why would that happen? Oh, because I've hired a broadcaster to do this. Counterpoint, Dan.

Counterpoint. He's a top 15 coach of all time. He was voted one of the top 15 coaches of all time. So it's like he's not a bad coach. Let's let's get that straight. He's got more failure on his resume that is apocalyptic than anyone other than George Carl who is considered a good coach. Yes, absolutely. But in the same breath, Jerry West is one in nine in the finals. One in nine as a player in the finals. We never talk about that. We talk about Mr. Clutch.

We talk about, we focus on, he's a good player who happens to have a terrible track record in the most high profile moments. I would say the same about that. I'm just talking about the general stupidity of hiring your leader because he talks on television. Which is not good stuff. You know how that works, right? That's someone who makes billions of dollars watches TV says

I like well, though, he's got me that guy bring me that guy. That's how that works None of that makes sense, right? The idea that oh because you sound like that That should be the reason why I should hire you Oh, because you sound like that. That should be the reason why I should hire you. That's what happens when billionaires have hiring power on really micro-managed positions. Why are you pushing your phone over to me? Well, I'm showing you the picture of the guy

from Greece. His name is Dennis Stewart. He was 30 when they filmed Greece. That dude was not 30. That dude was not 30. That dude was not 30. They called him crater face. That was his name. Crater face.

I spent your entire conversation looking him up.