The Dan Le Batard Show with Stugotz - The Big Suey: Jeremy's Jimmy Butler Tears (Feat. David Samson)

Episode Date: January 6, 2025

David Samson joins the show enraged by how the Tampa Bay Buccaneers fed Mike Evans the ball to get him a 1,000 yard season and help him earn $3 million. He then has a crazy take about what he would do if a team tried that hard to get a player that much money, and shares some things he used to do to prevent players from getting incentives. Plus, how did he break his toe and why the hell was he sumo wrestling? Then, Jeremy Tache joins the show to discuss all the drama between the Miami Heat and Jimmy Butler after the relationship fell apart over the winter break. How would things be different if the Miami Heat had just agreed to pay Jimmy this offseason. Then, Izzy Gutierrez joins us from our Barry Jackson Room (yes we have a Barry Jackson Room) to take us inside the mind of one of the most interesting columnists in Miami sports history. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

You're listening to Giraffe King's Network. What's in this McDonald's bag? The McValue Meal. For $5.79 plus tax, you can get your choice of Junior Chicken, McDouble, or Chicken Snack Wrap, plus small fries and a small fountain drink. So pick up a McValue Meal today at participating McDonald's restaurants in Canada. Prices exclude delivery. Welcome to the Big Sewy presented by DraftKings. Why are you listening to this show? The podcast that seems very similar

to the other Dan LeBittard podcast. I'm sorry, I'm not gonna 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 fat face and the habitual liar This episode of the Dan LeBattard show with Stu gots is presented by DraftKings DraftKings. The crown is yours Would you guys be kind enough please to put up that video of David Sampson wrestling a

sumo wrestler? I want to put that up for people. I'd like for that to run in the picture and picture during the questions that I have to ask David Sampson. That of course is the video of the Houston Rockets fighting Tyler Hero.... david samson broke his toe during that at some point as well which seems a great way to you know have a walking tour of japan with a broken toe uh... samson thank you for being on with us the reason we're having you on is because i want to talk to you about this mike evans thing you guys thought that was cool right that was one of the to see someone to see mike evans happier than you've ever seen in in a Hall of Fame career

Because these guys are playing for money and to see it because it's a three million dollar catch and see everyone be happy For him was a really cool moment Well the record to itself seemed like one of those unattainable records in NFL history Whenever you look at the NFL receiving records Jerry Rice owns damn near everything and it seems like it's impossible to catch. And he did that and it was just like a confluence of emotions. You won the game, you put it away, you clinched the playoff spot and as a walk off you get your franchise's greatest receiver that crowning moment. It was really hyped to see and somehow still the second best way an athlete has ever left the field of play for that franchise.

I have a different way of asking this question to David, and I feel like I'm going to connect with him here. David, why did you hate that moment so much as a former executive, and what is your best story of making sure your players did not reach their incentives? And why do you look like that now? Yeah, you just release them. No, George Michael, not Bono.

You release them. You move them to the bullpen. If he's got an incentive based on game started or game's finished, you don't let him finish games. There's no reason to have thrown $3 million away. I'd rather save it and use it to increase fan amenities or use it to do something else with the player the next season.

It was a wasted $3 million. Dan, can you imagine if before a must-win game to get them to the playoffs, at the Buccaneers last week, cut Mike Evans. That's right, that's right, Sampson, come on. You don't think they're gonna make that back in merch opportunities? Sampson, come on.

Come on, man. Does our merch store make three million bucks? Come on, give me a break. You try to resell tickets, physical tickets, to a Roy Halliday perfect game after the fact. I think the Bucs, and the biggest sport in the country, can find a way to pull three million dollars of a return on that investment.

I'm not begrudging paying Mike Evans. I think that he breaking the record at time, the Jerry Rice record outstanding. But let me tell you this scenario that would make me insane, which is when you can kneel and win a game, you don't run a play. Could it be Joe Pasarchick? Probably not.

Could there be some sort of something that could have happened? The odds are infinitesimal, but why even take the chance? There was no upside at all. If you wanna give Mike Evans three million bucks as a thank you, cut him a check, but you don't do it right at the end when you're about to make the playoffs.

So if you run the Buffalo Bills and you see Sean McDermott punting the ball from the 36 yard line so that his punter gets a $100,000 bonus, it's great for Sean McDermott's relationship with all of his players. I imagine as an executive you would not like that and would you have a talking to with Sean McDermott after the fact? Well those conversations all happened before the game. So you read about all the players and the incentives you saw what Jerry Jones did

He didn't play rush. We're not gonna take the chance to give him 250 We meet with the coach or the manager and go through every game We go through what incentives players are on the track to achieving and going into week 18, you know, in advance, Sean McDermott did not give him because he had to get it down within the 20. And it was just a give me punt to get him that in order to get the bonus. At the end of the day, he's gotten permission from that because if not, that is truly a fireable offense. In fairness to David, can you imagine you imagine dan if it was a pick six he he he he he he he he he he he he he he he he he he he he he he he he he he he he he he he he he he he he he he he he he he he he he he he he he he he he he

uh... many years ago i remember uh... edger and james i did a magazine story with him and he said that a victory formation that he and payton agreed and it made him more insane victory formation that he and Peyton agreed and it made Jim more insane victory formation hand Edren James the ball he ran for a touchdown and he said and he said if you don't want me playing for money don't put those incentives in my contract he simply defied his coach David you are running the Tampa Bay Bucks last week you're not serious about waving Mike Evans but as that last play approaches you are making sure that your coach knows that he is not to get that player the three million

dollars like you're interfering like that. A hundred percent that's all discussed that's why I don't want to make a bigger issue of this than it is they knew eyes were wide open that they were running that play if it comes out in any way that that play was run without the acquiescence of the front office and ownership, that is game over. So I'm gonna assume the best that they wanted to reward Mike Evans with that, but that sort of play at the end,

again, you joke about it, but what if it had been? They weren't playing for nothing. They were playing to make the playoffs, which is all that matters. And is it likely? No, is it possible? Yes, it drove me insane. What does game over mean there? He's game over I would move on I'd move on from all of them. You'd wave everybody. You'd have a playoff game to play. All of them. I may have a game next week. You'd fire everybody before the playoff. I'd get rid of every last damn one of them if you're telling me. You'd have Kyle Tres starting. Come on, Samson.

Guys, I promise you, you have this wrong. The Buccaneers had it planned to allow for him to get the three million, and if that was planned, great. What's wrong with that? It's a beautiful sports moment. Like everyone, when is everyone happy for an athlete making a lot of money?

When does that happen? Every single year, Dan, there's all sorts of times when Josh Allen goes in the game to keep a consecutive game streak going and he does a handoff, that's part of a plan. You plan it all. I'm not begrudging, I'm not the damn Grinch, Dan. I'm just telling you how it works.

All of it gets discussed in advance. What's going on with the glasses? You bought them, how much did they cost? You said you were gonna get them at auction. What's the story? These are worn by George Michael at a concert. So these are George Michael's concert worn glasses and I just got them.

They happen to fit me perfectly and I'm just deciding I'm not gonna put them on a shelf, I'm gonna wear them. You are? I am, you don't think I look good in these? No. I don't think people would say that those look like, well, it might be the ensemble, you might need to put something on different than a sports coat. But if you're looking to maintain the value, I'm not certain wearing them is the best idea,

maybe you don't care about the value, they're yours. I'm not selling this, I got an offer by the way, it's a brand new one, it's a brand new one, it's a brand new one, it's a brand new one, than a sports coat. But if you're looking to maintain the value, I'm not certain wearing them is the best idea. Maybe you don't care about the value, they're yours. I'm not selling this. I got an offer by the way, anyway, doesn't matter. Memorabilia is not to be sold now. What about these?

Do you want me to go with the Elton John glasses instead? Elton John glasses, game worn. That looks better, that looks better. Are they prescription? No, I love where your heads at because I checked before bidding because you can't wear them if they're prescription. Wait, I love where your head's at cause I checked before bidding because you can't wear them if they're prescription. What do you mean you can't wear them if they're prescription?

Just change the lenses. What do you mean? Well, why would you, why would you, they're not game worn by him then. I mean, they are, but it's like, you know, they changed the lens. I wouldn't want that. I want the lens in there.

What do you want to wear Elton John's glasses for with no prescription? Because I, these are sunglasses. What are you wanna wear Elton John's glasses for with no prescription? Because these are sunglasses. What are you even talking about? I got the memorabilia so I can engage with it and wear it and enjoy it. Meanwhile, my toes throbbing, I've got belly belly. Are we covering more stuff here than we have?

Wait, no, which player did you screw over? You didn't tell us that. Yeah, you didn't tell us which player you screwed over on an incentive. I'm happy to get back to you on Wednesday. I'll get the full list of every player who we didn't let reach incentives. My guess is it's about a dozen players.

Oh wow, a top 12. Wait, okay, so you got a top 12. Well then no, but also I want a list of all the fan amenities you approved with that money. No, we used it to get payroll. Your misunderstanding, which is fun for the show if you want to do it as a bit, but we're not the only front office

who pays attention to this stuff. Players in baseball get released every year, their jobs get changed, they move from starter to reliever. All of this happens because you're keeping an eye on what the incentive levels are. And the NFL is just a joke. Week 18, there's a list of 10 players doing a bunch of random crap in order to get extra money.

Give it to them in base salary. Don't do it in these incentives that all of a sudden take away from the game. Forget it. It's crushing me. So you're saying that the Bucks front office, when that play happened and the crowd is going crazy and the sidelines going crazy,

there's an executive up there physically groaning. Oh! No, because, no, I'm not saying that because they approved it. If they hadn't approved it, he's doing more than groaning. He's calling the HR attorney, but I assume it was approved. Of all the Elton John glasses, you found the tamest ones, I feel like.

They look the most like normal glasses. Yeah, I was looking for that because I didn't think that I could wear around sort of, I can't pull the star ones and all the crazy Elton John glasses. I don't know. So I wanted ones that looked actually decent, but the George Michael ones are my true love.

There's no question. There's also a third thing, which I'm not gonna show you right now because I'm hesitant to unpack it, but a third thing that I got, and it was waiting for me when I got back from the trip, I can't wait to show you. Maybe I'll unveil it on Wednesday,

but that's gonna require gloves. I have to hold, wear gloves. We're doing both of those things on Wednesday. Get your top 12 players you've screwed out of incentive money. Very exciting. And get that for Wednesday as well. Your broken toe situation, what happened?

So I just got stupid. I volunteered. I forgot that I was 56. I went to a sumo wrestling and I was asked. I went to a sumo wrestling and I was asked would I wanna volunteer to sumo wrestle a sumo wrestler. And I said, of course. And so I went after him.

I couldn't move him as you see, he's about 400 pounds, about six, five. And then he twirled me around like a rag doll. And then when he twisted me here, my right big toe got stuck under. And I ended up having to go to the hospital in Tokyo in order to have it taken care of, sort of like a Lost in Translation moment,

but my toe, it's a absolute disaster, and it's staggering how much you need your big toe to walk. Did you sue him or what? Put it on the poll, please, at LeBotard Show. Is it staggering how much you need your big toe to walk? And Chris, you've never done better on interrogation questions that what does game over mean there because him doubling down on I'd fire everybody before a playoff game and wave all the players is one of the most asinine things I've ever heard.

A home playoff game. I mean he gets the gates. A very important distinction. Thank you. Thank you Stu gots a home playoff game. And Dan give the full distinction, Dan. You're not being fair. I said, if they didn't know in advance

and approve it in advance, put that caveat. But yes, I'd put that caveat, except you wouldn't approve it in advance. No, I would not. Like that's the part that's asinine. Like that's the part that will make the players not want to play for your organization. Oh, because Mike Evans is playing for the Buccaneers organization.

He's happier getting the extra three million if they won a damn Super Bowl. The players are all happy. Do you know the players keep track also of their own incentives and of their teammates incentives? And they all work together in order to get that for themselves, which causes the front office to work against them to stop them from happening. I don't think that you're gonna get people on your side with this, David.

I'm not asking for anyone to be on my side. I'm asking you just to understand how it actually works. Believe me, Billy, if you were paid an incentive to do a 240th show and you were getting an extra 500K, I promise you, you would not be on the schedule for a 240th show. I believe you. That's not true. I'm here Monday through Wednesday.

That is not true. That is brutal. Samson, get out of here. I'm, nothing personal with David Samson is the podcast. It's very popular and it's every day, 8 a.m. Eastern. I wanna get to Jeremy Tashay, who I imagine is infuriated by everything going on around the Heat and the conversation around the Heat. But first, let's play for everybody the Paul Pierce sound, because there are a lot of people

right now taking victory laps, because this is the disaster scenario for the Miami Heat. You're going to get Jimmy Butler cheapened with every day when you could have gotten some of this solved earlier than now. You're going to lose him for something that probably doesn't have very much value. And you needed to get something for him. And everyone saw this coming. And so we'll get to Jeremy in a second. But let's first play the Paul Pierce sound on him going after Pat Riley because I would say for the first time in

a long time it is open season on Pat Riley. Jimmy Butler's not the loser here. People will get mad about his behavior or they'll get mad at the league because how can you not have joy in your game when they're paying you 50 million dollars but he ran the playbook. Like this is how you get out of town. This is how he didn't get Dame Lillard because Dame Lillard wouldn't do all of this. Like you gotta be illness, not trying, I'm gonna go publicly and say things. You gotta make a mess.

Jimmy really wants it. He does. I mean, Dame didn't want it enough and Jimmy really wants this. He wants out of Miami and he's taking all the necessary steps to get himself out. Wow. What's up? I just bought and financed a car through Carvana in minutes. You? The person who

agonized four weeks over whether to paint your walls egg shell or off-white bought and financed a car in minutes. They made it easy. Transparent terms, customizable down and monthly. Didn't even have to do any paperwork. Wow. Mm-hmm. Hey, have you checked out that spreadsheet I sent you for our dinner options? Finance your car with Garvana and experience total control. Financing subject to credit approval. Don LeBattard. Teammates can't shoot from three.

Now they're gonna see a different Jimmy. Now he's just, just playing. Nickelback in the locker room and Stugats They'll play D and show threes as they chase the Nats for the sixth seed These five words in his head scream are we winning games yet? This is the Don LeVatar Show with the Stugats Let's play that Paul Pierce sound please.

When you look at when Heat Culture started, when Shaq and Lonzo and Haslam and Wade and all got there, look what he's done to a star player since Heat Culture started. He ran Shaq out of town. You ran LeBron out of town. You ran D Wade out of town of all people. One who drafted, who won, you won your first championship

with then you kind of try to make up for it. Now you running Jimmy Butler out of town of all people one who drafted who won you won your first championship with then you kind of try to make up for it now you running Jimmy Butler out of town this to me tells me that he culture lives and dies with Pat Riley and if he doesn't change the way he is being you know kind of like stubborn and don't want to pay guys and it's his way or the highway then I don't see he culture being the same any longer Jeremy I want to hear from you and Mike Ryan on this. I've talked enough and I've already broken my New Year's resolution for the record 40th straight year. I cannot get my tone right when discussing things.

So it's 40 years now, a New Year's resolution. Yeah, broken and a couple of days in. But I want you, Jeremy, you represent, Jeremy and Mike Represent different parts of this fan base Mike's been fed up for years and Jeremy's been carrying water for years Jeremy The floor is yours Yeah, I mean happy January 6 Dan It's a real shitty situation which speaking of I heard it. It smells a lot like poop over there. So that's that's not fun

but look this is listening to Paul Pierce say Things about heat culture and running players out of town when the Celtics are what they are now Simply because of the trade package that they received for Paul Pierce at the end of his career is one thing But this situation did escalate from the place when you say everyone saw this coming. No one saw this specific thing in the middle of the season coming, including Jimmy Butler, who showed up day one to Heat Camp and said, in extension, that's just money. I've made enough money in my career.

He said of everything Pat Riley talked about him over the summer, I'm here to play games. Pat was right. He came in with that sort of attitude. It's the reason everyone anticipated this would all at least play out over the course of a season. And if you wanted to argue that like Mike did, that this team as constructed wouldn't be competitive enough to win a championship,

you can feel perfectly validated today. And you can feel validated about where this all goes. But this has little to nothing to do with acquisitions made or not made over the span of the last few years. It has everything to do with a contract extension. It all comes down to the money. If the contract extension would have been offered this past summer, Jimmy Butler would still be perfectly

happy playing for the Miami Heat, and nothing would be any different outside of our arguments about whether or not the roster was good enough. No, something else would be different. They could trade him now for value if they'd done that. But now they're bleeding. If he had a contract extension, I would argue that his value would be different they could trade him now for value if they'd done that they would not but now they're bleep He had a contract extension. I would argue that his value would be worse You do think he decided with money already signed it would be worse off for the heat

You think you right now you think that if he got an extension of three years you believe he'd have less value than he does Right now if Jimmy Butler got an extension either he never would have said anything and he would have finished out his career in Miami like he said he was going to do or there would be teams all around the league looking at a Jimmy Butler at his age and saying, I'm not sure I want to trade for a max player. I mean, Mike, I would have to think on that front.

You would agree. Oh, I think I think he certainly has a lot more value because part of this value is teams would be looking at him as a rental. This is an expiring deal. Comes off our books. Maybe someone gives him his extension. I don't have a doubt that he's going to get a big money deal that'll satisfy him. It may not be to the team that he gets traded to.

But in terms of what you can get back, you get more back because he's an expiring deal at his range. That's right. Oh, see, I would have argued, I understand what you're saying back because he's an expiring deal at his right all see i would have argued i understand what you're saying about the value of an expiring contract but i would value if i were pat riley the flexibility of if i've got jimmy long-term and i can then trade him after six months because i've changed my mind on what it is that like i'm not agreeing to no trade extension with jimmy jimmy you want your money's fine. But at any point I can trade you. I would think that that would still have value for a Golden State trying to win in Steph Curry's window.

Especially for a Golden State, the value for me is that I don't have a commitment beyond this year and I can make another run with it. I completely agree with Jeremy, by the way. It doesn't matter. Like, yeah, they could have gotten Damian Lillard. Hell, they could have won Larry one year. Jimmy was going to be mad no matter what if he didn't get his extension and the Heat was always going to resent him for going along with a plan that runs counterculture. Okay we'll save your body, we'll follow this along, we'll pay you to not play, but come the playoffs you got to be that Jimmy Butler guy again and he got injured in the play-in tournament and it blew up in their face and they were at their wits ends with it. Maybe a misstep by

Pat Riley before the season. I think we've all been kind of playing chess and yes Jeremy I get what you're saying. You said he showed up day one he actually didn't. He showed up late to media day. Like they have their public comments that seemed relatively aligned even after Jimmy Butler was saying damn purple and gold that looks good. This was all a cat and mouse game and I think Dane was absolutely right to say Pat Riley checkmated himself. I think number one it was pretty tone deaf by putting that statement out because half the fan base by the time that thing came out was pretty divided on whether or not you keep things

going with this and also you back Jimmy Butler into a corner, and Jimmy Butler's the greatest ever at blowing things up and getting his way and being able to force his way out of a franchise, and you made that be the only move, which in turn probably affects the return that you're gonna have on him. I just ask everyone to examine what the last 10 years do you guys have been since Pat Riley sort of got stood up by LeBron James in the Las Vegas hotel room, he room is outside with championship trophies he's got to make a

recruiting pitch lebron is in the room watching the world cup uh... feed on a table with his friends because they were about to take over the next ten years of the league and they knew it and from there what ends up happening right now has no precedent in pat riley's history or in the Miami Heat's history. This sequence of things, public mess, says out loud on comment, because the Heat don't comment on this stuff. He's not being traded.

A week later has to totally change it because the dynamics in this sport have changed. This mess has never existed under Pat Riley. And you can probably understand why opposing fans say good. Yeah, they deserve this because their whole talent acquisition strategy seems to be, have the other superstars somewhere else, make this kind of mess, and we could be there to pick up the pieces. And you were playing with fire when you brought Jimmy Butler in, knowing his history, and it's finally happened to them. They built something around Jimmy in a way that no other franchise has for him

throughout his entire career. And when I say built it around him, I mean, he got to be Jimmy in every manner in which you could be Jimmy Butler. Like he was given sort of privileges in a way that a lot of other star players have not in Miami. Over the course of, I mean, we're talking about the big three, we're talking about Shaq and Wade, when they were together, we're talking before that, they built this whole thing around him and led

him to a ton of success. I mean, in those first couple of years, they did try to cash in at deadlines and make moves to acquire guys. For that matter, they got to the finals because of a move that they made in the first year that Jimmy Butler was here to acquire Andre Gidala and Jake Crowder and make a run. They could have won the finals if they had not had Bam Edibayo and Goran Dragic get hurt. So they built it around him. It's just here at the end, no matter the moves that were going to be made,

it comes down to a contract dispute. And I think the obvious change is in that Pat Riley statement. When he says, we're not trading Jimmy Butler, it's because the clear and obvious understanding from every party involved going into the year was look, clearly this is just going to have to play out over the course of the year and we'll deal with it in the off season. I don't think the Heat ever anticipated after everything that their relationship has been,

contentious or not at any given moment, they kind of liked butting heads throughout a lot of this. They liked the on court arguments where UD's breaking up, Spoh and Butler, it's how they all click and how they all tick. It's fine. But now at the end, this is more of an in season public mess than they ever anticipated that Jimmy Butler would make. And maybe, maybe they're wrong to not anticipate it because of the way some of these other things have ended.

But I think they thought they could get through. They're wrong, they should have seen it coming. Jeremy, not maybe, we'll let you go on that note, but I don't think the heat ever anticipated. The job is to anticipate. They've been left behind because the other people in their conference have anticipated. It's the job.

You can't be leading and not ever anticipate and not have it be a blemish on your resume. Well, the anticipation, they controlled the situation going into the season by not offering an extension and giving themselves the flexibility that if things didn't go well this year, Jimmy Butler would either opt in and they could trade it or He would opt out and they would get all of that money off of the books after all of the respect

That did exist between these two parties over the last five years After everything that they did to sort of cater to what it was that Jimmy Butler wanted The only thing that they really missed out on was that Damian Lillard trade. All of the other ones were just conjecture. This is not an ending that any star in the league has made outside of James Harden. No one does this mid season in the way that Jimmy Butler has.

And sure, you can say that they were wrong to not anticipate that but they believed and or at least I believe that They felt in the type of control with his contract situation That they would be able to move it one way or another even if it was at this deadline But a major stink like this a month before it I don't know that anyone should anticipate that considering what the relationship was for the last five years. All right. Happy new anus. Thank you for being on the show. Appreciate your time.

Happy new anus to you. I have a number of things that I want to get to here, Stugatz, because it isn't just that this has no precedent in my lifetime with the Miami Heat, a notoriously private organization that doesn't let these things spill out in public. Yes, Billy? Jimmy should be happy because they went out and got him Jay Crowder.

Like, what are we doing? Jimmy should be happy, though, that they turned Jimmy a guy who was perceived as, hey, if he's your third or fourth best player, you have a good team. If he's your best player, you don't have a very team if he's your best player you don't have a very good Team I mean he did turn him into a superstar I mean I'm saying that Jimmy did ever say it I know but the heat can always chalk that thing up to like heat culture He played his best basketball when he was here because of us

Who do you who do we think did more for the other one Jimmy for the heat of the heat for Jimmy? It was a great relationship. An argument can be made that Jimmy did more for the Heat than any other player in taking them to two finals basically by himself. Yeah, but we were having the questions, is Jimmy Butler a superstar before the Heat acquired him? And then he left little doubt.

Through his own performance, I might add, in the playoffs. Also, just as an on-air community note, it's mighty convenient for Jeremy to sweep aside some of the other failures in their talent acquisition pursuits as conjecture. No, they failed when it came to Kevin Durant. They failed twice. They failed their entire time down here. And I think that the biggest misstep here in this franchise is they kept playing this game of chicken, and now Pat Riley has so little leverage because this is an

absolute tire fire and it's a tire fire in part because Pat Riley sauntered in and put out a statement thinking that it was 1997 again totally not reading the room totally not understanding that Shams had a better beat on what was going on than he did I think yes you can totally criticize their lack of foresight here when Shams is out there who isn't wrong reporting what's going on in your he did. I think yes, you can totally criticize their lack of foresight here. When Shams is out there who isn't wrong reporting what's going on in your house and you're defiant and you're pounding the table and you put out a statement and then you put the guy who you don't put into a corner and you have zero leverage

now, zero zilch. You mishandled this situation. This holiday at T-Mobile I'm joined by a special co-anchor. What up everybody? It's your boy Big Snoop D-O double G. Snoop, let's talk about T-Mobile. Zilch, you mishandled this situation. to make some eggnog, Snoop. Respect. And people do love T-Mobile, where you can save on every plan versus the other big guys when you switch. You know, you ought to take some of those savers and buy some Snoop merchandise. Always a great starting stuffer, Snoop. We up out of here. Hold your horses, Snoop D-O-Double G.

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See how you can save on wireless and streaming versus the other big guys at T-Mobile.com slash switch. Apple Intelligence requires iOS 18.1 or later. The Day on the Batard Show with Stu Gotz is sponsored by BetterHelp. Every January feels like a fresh start. 365 blank pages, just waiting for your story to be written. In 2025, maybe you're ready for a plot twist. Ready to revise the parts of your story holding you back. Life isn't about New Year's resolutions that disappear by February.

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If it's not a right fit, you can switch therapists at any time at no extra cost. Write your story with BetterHelp. Visit betterhelp.com slash D-L-B today to get 10% off your first month. That's BetterHelp, H-E-L-P dot com 10% off your first month. That's better help. H E L P dot com slash D L B. Don LeBattard, you're a big disappointment, Paul Pierce. My I'm only upset right now that I don't get to do this in person.

Paul Pierce. How disappointed is it to be a Miami fan right now? Stu gots brother. Actually, you make a really great point. This is the Don Lebatar Show with the Stugats! I will say again before we get to the palette cleansing of a heat song, I will say again that it was, and I know these things get noisy and messy, it was a very good marriage for both sides. Jimmy Butler didn't get as far in Philadelphia,

Minnesota or Chicago as he did here. When he got here, we all doubted whether that was the move we thought it was and good God, it was a fun era of basketball for the Miami Heat. Everybody won except in the way of the standard of today, which is you gotta win the whole thing, which makes the Dolphins a failure every year but three and makes the Heat a failure every year but three.

The Panthers are a failure every year but one. The Marlins are a failure every year but two. Well, hold on a second. They're saving their money. Spend wisely. This is like when Tom Brady and Gisele put out a joint statement. this is not a failed marriage. It's a very successful marriage.

We had a lot that we're proud of and we achieved. And I would look back on the Jimmy Butler, and say wild success, outperformed. Let's put that to the side though. Pat Riley, as president of this franchise, has a duty to maximize the hall for Jimmy Butler. And he misstepped several times here, and now he's got zero leverage.

That is part of the problem, but only part of the problem, Stugat, because the gulf between where Boston is and where Miami is now, in the conference, when this, you know, I've said four years ago they met at the rim. Bam Anabayo is a shell of himself. They've got Tyler Hero playing the all-star basketball and if he's your best player you'll be 500. Congratulations you're the Hawks. He needs to bulk up a little bit, you can't be

thrown around like that. It's not just the Celtics by the way, I mean it's the Cavaliers. The Cavaliers are 31 and 4. That's right. I know they got injured but it was also the magic. Within your own division, a team that is a relative punchline to you, that you never even entered a season thinking about. And then, as soon as this becomes a mess with Jimmy Butler, you lose by 36 at home to the Utah Jazz, who have seven victories this season. You have your worst loss of the season right after that and now you've got a West Coast trip. And when we talk about the strategies

to God's of how it is that you get maneuvered on things when I'm hearing Jeremy, the heat could have never expected. And I hear Mike Ryan saying, we saw all of this happening. It was all headed here with this player. We know who this player is. You should know better player. We know who this player is. You should know better than anybody who and what this player is. Mike Ryan's mad at the Miami Heat media. We've got Barry Jackson fighting people in a way

I've never seen Barry Jackson from the Miami Herald fight people. Oh, I love this Barry Jackson. By the way, the Jazz are up to nine wins now. Just a... They got a big hot streak. Put up the Barry Jackson tweet real quick here, but Mike's mad at the Miami Heat media,

because the Miami Heat media has been real light all around this. Isn't it possible though, that the Heat when they acquired Jimmy Butler thought to themselves, we're never gonna have to build around Jimmy Butler? Like they didn't expect you, because Jimmy Butler was not the guy

that he's been since he's been here. They needed to get a player in his five years better than Jimmy Butler. That's what they had to do and they failed to do that. I'm not even sure Pat Riley would disagree with that. J. Crowder. The Heat Media thing is, it is a little funny in that, look, I am certainly, it was a willing participant

in carrying water for this franchise, but then the Damien Lillard thing happened and I realized like, oh, we're just a pawn and we are willing and able mouthpieces for this franchise and I can't disassociate my hand in that wrongdoing. So that was a eye opening experience. Me neither by the way. It was an eye opening experience for me and we did this entire just ridiculous season where we know where this is all headed. We're going to spend two years just treading water. Let's at least

speak the truth. Let's at least acknowledge our missteps. And there are just certain aspects of heat media that refuse that they're just going to carry water all the way. And what I hated the most about this whole Jimmy Butler thing is they turned on a dime the second Jimmy did that thing, which in my mind changed nothing. It was just speaking it out there. All it changed was Miami's leverage and the return that they were going to get on this zero foresight or they just turned a blind eye to it. And for them to so willingly and transparently just turn on Jimmy Butler after people were saying these things for months and months and months and they were the first people in your mentions to go at you. It's

just a bad look. And like no public capitulation for them, no accountability. They just keep it moving. And it was one of the things that turned me off to this whole franchise and its fandom. Like they need to rebuild their whole mantra. They need to rebuild this whole franchise and they're off to a terrible start because trading Jimmy Butler could actually help rebuild your franchise, could actually bring back assets, but you wanted to pound your chest and be the Godfather one more time,

even though you went to high school the same time Joe Biden did, and you just totally misplayed it because you thought you knew better than the best information guy in the sport. It was a good high school. Pat Riley joining us on South Beach Sessions this week. Oh, nice.

Are you saying the game has passed Riley by? Is that just over clear? I'm saying if you want to make that argument. Be careful. If you want to make that argument. Be careful. Pat Riley can stay here as long as he likes, he deserves to be and he can, like, to his last breath,

he deserves what he did to this franchise. Like he deserves to go out on his terms. But he totally botched this Jimmy Butler thing and he has for years. Why did I catch a stray there? Let's go out to his terms. But he totally botched this Jimmy Butler thing and he has for years. Why did I catch a stray there? Let's go out to the Barry Jackson room where Izzy Gutierrez joins us as a lifetime observer of Barry Jackson of the Miami Herald.

Again, Barry Jackson is in- It's an odd room. It is, it's the Barry Jackson room. Billy, why are you making faces at the Barry Jackson room? I didn't know we had a Barry Jackson room. Yeah, we do have a Barry Jackson room. Nick Cage is there too. I mean, we had a Barry Jackson. Yeah, we do have a Barry Jackson room. I mean, we're happy about it.

Metal arc is expanding. Explain to people, Izzy, how long have you known Barry Jackson of the Miami Herald? I've known Barry since, I believe, the year 2000. Okay, so what can you tell us about Barry Jackson and when he writes, go back in your jock sniffing hole instead of questioning integrity of multi-time winner of Sportswriter of Year Award.

Yeah! Have a nice day. What is happening there? Break it down. Izzy Gutierrez in the Barry Jackson room. Well, first of all, I thought you were going to put me in a jock-sniffing hole instead. I'm surrounded by Barry Jackson's

not the best situation here. But look, I think you can tell where the heat are in their whole building, rebuilding phase, whatever they are, just based on Barry Jackson's reactions, okay? You've talked about Barry on the show before. He's been doing this forever. He's the intrepid reporter. This is the reason why he's shown up on the show.

He's just a little bee. He'll just be anywhere that you need him to be, okay? But this is not the LeBron era. This is not the Dwyane Wade and Shaq era. He doesn't have to treat this the way he treated those. This is the Jimmy Butler era. This is the third best era, third best iteration of this team that Pat Riley has put together.

So now it's Jimmy's time. Okay, whatever. Do you know how many franchises would have loved this six year stretch? Would have been the best six year stretch of their entire franchise. For Pat Riley, it's light work. Oh, I've gotta get rid of him now?

Nobody thought I could even get him. And you wanna talk about full circle moments. I know this is supposed to be a Barry Jackson thing. It's really not. Yeah, I'm not sure what's happened here in that I was asking you about Barry Jackson and all you're doing is giving us heat takes. Because, look, it's a new year,

I've gotta get these things out, okay? The idea. Happy new anus. I will take one, by the way, if you're offering. I mean, a new body. I've got to get these things out. Okay, the idea happy new way, and I will take one by the way If you're offering I mean a new body part why not? My what a trade or oh, no, I need a brand new one brand new one not used, please But this full circle moment for Jimmy Butler like I don't understand how Jimmy Moment we're just gonna skip past your full circle moment? No one wants my anus. Wait, I don't.

I don't. Is he? Is he? Is he? Is he? He's cooking. At 47 years old, Dan, I don't care what body part you offer me, I'll take a new one.

If it starts with the, then that's where it starts, okay? But I don't understand how Jimmy Butler checkmated Pat Riley when this is very much a full circle moment here for Jimmy Butler, the Warriors will not trade Andrew Wiggins for him. Carl Anthony Towns is dominating in New York and Jimmy can't find a team. And I don't even think this is about leverage because the Warriors did not want to trade Kaminga and Wiggins for Jimmy before all of this mess. And now it just shows you that Jimmy overachieved here,

Pat Riley in the heat overachieved here, and now it's breakup time. Oh well, but what about Barry? I don't understand what just happened. Like this is not the way that this is supposed to be done around here, and... I'm already here. No!

We'll be two minutes, asshole. Get Izzy out of here. A new one, a new asshole, please. Happy new asshole, get out of here, Izzy. I here. A new one. A new asshole, please. A new one. Happy new asshole. Get out of here, Izzy. I asked you for Barry Jackson information because it's really odd. Billy, you know this.

It's unusual for Barry Jackson to hit somebody with all of this and then- That is of late. Yeah, Barry changed like two years ago. Yeah, something happened. That close outline of have a nice day though, that is awesome. Well, he told us what happened. He said, you know, I've been dealing with some stuff with my family and I'm just not gonna take it anymore.

Like two years ago he decided he wasn't gonna take it anymore and he hasn't taken it ever since. Hey moron, I presented both sides. That's what journalists do. I didn't guess who was telling truth and who was lying. Go back in your jock sniffing hole instead of questioning integrity of multi-time winner of Sports Writer of Year award.

Have a nice day. So good. Put it on the poll at LeBataart Show. Do you enjoy the sarcastic have a nice day as an insult? He wants that person to have the worst possible day. That is correct. Jessica, I need to find out about why it is you were running into Shane Gillis at the Golic House at 1.30 in the morning.

We'll do it next. The Day on the Batard Show with Stu Gotz is sponsored by BetterHelp. Every January feels like a fresh start. 365 blank pages just waiting for your story to be written. In 2025, maybe you're ready for a plot twist. Ready to revise the parts of your story holding you back. Life isn't about New Year's resolutions that disappear by February. It's about picking up the pen and becoming the author of your life.

Therapy can help you do just that. Therapy isn't just for the big traumas. It's for anyone who wants to grow, heal, and thrive. With BetterHelp, therapy is convenient and affordable. It's fully online. You can access it anywhere, anytime. BetterHelp connects over 5 million people with a network of 30,000 licensed therapists. Specialized, experienced, and ready to help. If it's not a right fit, you can switch therapists at any time at no extra cost. Write your story with BetterHelp.

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