The Dan Le Batard Show with Stugotz - The Big Suey: Top 5 Naps You Can Take (feat. Brian Scalabrine)

Episode Date: February 28, 2025

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You're listening to DraftKings Network. Welcome to the Big Sui, presented by DraftKings. Why are you listening to this show? The podcast that seems very similar to the other Dan LeBattard 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 man to nowhere, fat face and the habitual liar. This episode of the Dan LeBattard show with Stugat is sponsored by Draft Kings. Draft Kings, the crown is yours.

Izzy, yesterday was the nine year anniversary of Steph Curry pulling up. Oh, what'd you do to celebrate? From half court. Well, it popped some champagne. And then I said, bang, bang! The half court shot against Oklahoma City. And the backstory to that was-

Don't call it a half court shot. What do you want to call it? It was about a 35 footer. It was more than 35 feet. Let's look up the state. It was more. He said the half court shot and I knew what he was talking about.

Exactly. Logo three? I thought he was talking about the one yesterday. It was well past the logo. I mean if it's a logo three, it's half court. Look it up again. I think it was just a standard. The rare regular season moment that transcends.

Not rare. I'm not gonna let you do that. Really? transcends. Not rare. I'm not gonna let you do that. Really? It was a double bang. I'm not gonna let you do that, not rare, but also. In terms of like an appointment, like a regular season game in its own TV window, like that's kind of- It felt huger than any regular season game since-

It was a Saturday night ABC game, right? It was certainly magnified for a regular season. Yeah, I mean, and this was in the middle of the Warriors having their historic season and Curry having a historic season of his own. But I remember in that year, again, this is the second Ethan Strauss drop in one episode, but Ethan, I said to Ethan, like, what happens in practice that like doesn't happen in the game?

And he said, well, they talk about Steph shoots from half court routinely. And like, what do you mean shoots? Like he just like takes, you know, the little throw. He's like, no, like he's shooting jump shots from half court. In rhythm jump shots. In rhythm jump shots. And Ethan said, I asked him,

why don't you ever do it in a game? And Steph was like, because he was worried that it would literally break people's minds. Like the idea of like, basketball has been played a certain way for 70 years, right? And then all of a sudden, a guy walks past half court, takes a shot, it like, it will shatter everyone's vision

of what basketball is. And then he did that like two weeks later, I think after I had that conversation with Ethan. And now I think about how many people shoot from deep and it all started from that moment there nine years ago. May I issue you a challenge? Yeah. Because you said that big regular season moments are not that rare. This happened nine years ago. Yeah. Can I challenge you to give me a top five regular season moments of the last ten years. I absolutely will do that.

You can have Kobe's last game. You can have Kobe's final game too. Okay, thank you. You can have that one. Do you want like more recent than nine years? Because that was... Within the last 10, yeah, but like, do the 2020s.

Regular season moments. I'll do that. But first, I have a top five list that I promised the crowd, which is top five best naps you'll ever take. Right? Any OLIs. I have one OLI, Roy. Okay.

When you're on a flight and there's a movie on there that isn't available anywhere else yet, other than in the theaters, and you really want to watch that movie, like, oh great, I than in the theaters, and you really wanna watch that movie, like, oh great, I get to watch it, you're gonna fall asleep, and it's gonna be the best nap ever. Can it ever really be the best nap

if you have that back of your mind fear, oh, I'm flying through the air in a seated position, this could end up terribly? No, because your intention is not to take a nap in this scenario. Your intention is to watch this movie, like, oh great, they have The Brutalist on and I don't want to pay 20 bucks to go watch it

on streaming or whatever. Better be a flight to Tokyo. It's gonna take you a while to get through it. Intermission. Number five, at work after lunch. Never had the opportunity. I'm telling you, you're at your desk, you just had lunch, it's like 1.30, two o'clock,

and it's that quiet time, it's not, you know, the morning is very, very busy. Everyone's digested. And you kind of just put your head down a little. But you wake, like, you put your head down, you wake up with a little drool on the desk, you wake up with lines on your face, and you gotta be like, hey boss, how's it going?

Was I sleeping? No. Look, I'm not telling you what the aftermath is like. I'm telling you, you're going to love that. That sleep is gonna feel so good, you'll never want it to end. And you'll be so productive afterwards. I love a good nap where you got a little bit of drool because you're just like, wow, that was a good one. I would never do that if I was a dentist.

Oh, that's REM. That's REM sleep right there. Number four, in an Uber on the way back from a night out. Good answer. You gotta fight that one. There you are, about to knock out. You rest your head against the window and it's like, oh, it's a good night out.

And next thing you know, your Uber driver's like, hey, we're here. I'm like, oh, sorry. This may be like a difference between you and I thing. I could never fall asleep in an Uber. I would be terrified. Yeah, you couldn't. No, I could never fall asleep in here. I would be terrified. Yeah, you couldn't.

No, you're right, you couldn't. But if you did, that sleep would be amazing. You'd wake up terrified. But then sleep, woo! It's a good one. Number three. With a baby resting on you after the baby's been crying all the time

and finally the baby fell asleep. Good answer. Now mind you, it's not going to last long, because the baby's going to wake up and start crying again. But in those moments where the baby's asleep and you're asleep and you don't want to move, you're 100% maximum comfort. Those are the moments I just accept praise

for putting the baby to sleep and then give it back to its proper owner. No, you're asleep too. You're asleep too. Number two. On the couch watching NFL late games. I thought you were gonna say golf. No.

That is the deepest sleep I've ever had. Or baseball. Golf would never be on my TV. Baseball would never be on my TV. But football, again, you wanna watch them. You wanna watch those 4 p.m. games. You need to watch golf just for the golf nap. I'm telling you, it hits different.

Although I will be watching more baseball now because of Jeremy and my buddy Ryan Bass out in Tampa. You guys. Yeah, thanks. We will have also the pitch clock coming back here. Yeah. Just a week before the season. An answer in the New York Times Friday Crossbow.

Yeah, they were celebrating our show. The pitch clock. That's what we're doing here. We're doing plugs in the middle of my top five list. What's Cinephobe? You've been doing a plug for Oddball this whole month. I have. And it's going great. Monday through Thursday, every day but Friday.

Same thing. Number one, at the movies. Let me tell you something. Wow. 20 bucks. I pay 20 bucks to sit in that chair and pretend to wanna to watch this movie and then at some point my eyes start feeling heavier

and heavier and then I'm out and I wake up and I'm trying to piece together how much of the plot I've missed, but all I can remember is, man, that sleep felt so good. I'm like, I can't believe I spent $20 to go take a nap, but God damn it, if it ain't the best nap I've ever had. I think that's the problem that I would have is, I don't think I spent $20 to go take a nap, but god damn it, if it ain't the best nap I've ever had. I think that's the problem that I would have,

is I don't think I could fall asleep knowing how much money I just spent to be at that movie. I think I'd be so stressed out. It's just a sudden explosion that's gonna wake me up and scare the crap out of me. Yeah, what movie are you watching? Any movie, any movie. I've sleep, that's my big problem

about going to the theaters. I'm terrified that I'm gonna fall asleep. Like I'm gonna miss it. It's too cozy. Roy, I wanna add two more, you got the sounder ready? On the Bright Line. Solid one. I nearly woke up in Orlando yesterday.

That's the problem. This is the issue. The doors were closing at Fort Lauderdale. I'm like, wait, wait, I gotta get off here. That's the exact fear. That's the fear is that I'm gonna sleep through the couple of stops, cause I'll sleep through anything.

I'll sleep through a couple stops and all of a sudden we'll be in Port St. Lucie and I've got an hour and a half until I'm getting to Orlando and now, now what? Now I've gotta pay $100 to come back. You might as well just go to Orlando. Yeah. Have a weekend.

And the last one is watching an episode of Severance. Not because it's a bad show. I absolutely love the show. I've just had to watch episodes over and over again because it's so soothing that it just puts me to sleep. I found that, that probably isn't all I have for me, watching a dramatic show where you have to pay attention, like Shogun, I love Shogun.

Great show, but there were so many times, especially because it's so much subtitle, I get droopy-eyed and the next thing I know is like, wait, I've been listening to them talk and my sleep brain is talking to me saying, you understand, you hear them, you know what's happening. They're like, no, you don't speak Japanese, dumbass. Like you have to rewind and watch it all again to read the subtitles.

Have you ever fallen asleep while getting a massage? This is a very tricky one. Absolutely. Yeah, it's very relaxing. You don't worry about accidentally farting? No. No, but now I think I have. I've never fallen asleep during a massage,

in large part because I've gotten a couple's massage before in the same room room and Anthony has fallen asleep and starts snoring. You okay? And I'm just. I'm not. Maybe before that massage I won't have oranges, garlic, gluten, dairy, what else does Dan have?

You can't just have couples massages in your voice. Stand up. I hate massages. But I've done like two massages in my life and like in the. Two? Yeah, they tell you to avoid eating. Wait, you've had two massages in my life and like in the Two? Yeah, they tell you to avoid eating. Wait, you've had two massages?

I don't like, yeah. I've never been told that before. Why do you hate massages? I've never heard that before. I feel like my body's fighting it the entire time. I get like the feeling afterwards, but I think my body's just relieved that it's over as opposed to like the runner's side.

I don't like that. Is it, what about when Genesis comes? Oh, I don't like that. Really? He doesn't get mashed yet. Really, I don't like that. Is it, what about when Genesis comes? Oh, I don't like that. Really? He doesn't get mashed, yeah. Really? Dude, is it just like that you're tight, like you're jumpy?

Because I am like a bag of popcorn, where I'm like, just don't worry about that. I'm ticklish, my calves, very ticklish. Yeah, your calves ain't you? I can't really explain it, I don't find it. I do my best to relax my body. It's not like I'm tense the entire time, I just don't enjoy it.

I have another nap nominee. What's that? On a recliner, shade lounge outside at a pool under an umbrella. Oh, good one. When it's warm, but you're in the shade. Maybe you're reading a book, listening to a podcast, and you kind of just doze off. A little white lotus action, right?

I call that the white lotus. I'm just going to be out by the pool. Until someone gets murdered. Yeah. You know what wakes me up in those scenarios? A tiny drop of sweat like rolling down your body and pooling in any place absolutely will wake me up. I think there's a bug on me.

That's not a good one. Oh yeah. Oh, I got a good one. At the RNC when your son is speaking. That goes at the top of the list. It's a quality one. I wanna ask you, I wanna circle back to the Oscars because I'm doing what a lot of people are doing

which is trying to cram before the Oscar day. Are you a hardliner about your favorite movie should win best picture out of like the nominees or do you understand that, look I understand that I probably don't have the prevailing opinion here, this film probably deserves it even though it wasn't my favorite, because that's where I am with Wicked. I actually think it's a good thing for the box office and a good thing for studios for Wicked to win,

because I think we should be encouraging that type of movie making. No, the opposite. You have to root against Wicked, not because it's not good, but because it's more of IP and churning out franchises and all that and anytime we don't reward Hollywood for those kind of movies, I think is a good thing.

But it's a musical so I think you have to credit them. There is some ambition here when it comes to Wicked. It's not an easy movie to make. They were talking about making it for a very long time. It's not a new genre though. We have a new movie musical all the time. I agree with you, it's better, I mean way better than Cats. It's a lot better than a lot of the ones I've seen.

Well that's part of it, right? I think what I like so much about, I'm a stickler, my favorite movie of the year was Alien Romulus. Oh, yeah? And what I love so much about Alien Romulus is also what I liked a lot about Wicked is, I watched this movie, I'm a big Robbie Williams fan, I watched this movie Better Man the other day, and the entire movie looks CGI. And it's not just like the main character. Everything looks washed out like a Marvel movie.

I totally agree with you on Wicked getting credit for like building an actual set. Yeah, Romulus and Wicked had these practical set designs and it took me back to a time and it makes me feel like I'm really truly immersed in this world. Same thing with Nosferatu. These movies actually transported me to this time and era in a more believable way. Well, practical effects is making a huge comeback all over. For Disney Plus, Andor, season two is coming in about a

month. And the big thing about Andor was it was all practical effects, real sets, as opposed to the volume, which is this thing that was literally created to do the Mandalorian. When it's like almost, instead of a green screen, it's a dome so that the actors, rather than responding to like a tennis ball, like, okay, and that's a monster, they can actually project it on the screen.

And so it's more realistic as far as the acting experience. But again, you get that washed out look that you're talking about. And the practical effects on Andor of like real sets, real on location, just gives it a level of, you know, polish that you don't get with CGI. Ideally, the studios would take the lesson that I'd hope that they take,

which is build more practical sets, truly immerse your audience in this world, but I think you're right in that all Hollywood and the studios are gonna take from that if Wicked Wins is more IP. Yeah, more franchises, more bankable franchises that we can invest in. I do think that this actually might just have a greater effect on how we produce musicals though, right?

Because the whole issue with Cats was that it was just this weird CGI world where they were like forgetting to do CGI on certain hands, and it was this kind of cheapened version of what a- It's also not the best IP. Well it's not a great, that in itself as well, but what I would imagine this will do is have more studios investing in musicals the way that Wicked was invested in

rather than trying to do that on the cheap and making a product that feels like that or even the Mean Girls musical that was like not quite up to snuff. So it's about investing in the property where Wicked's not like, Wicked isn't IP beyond what it is now. They can't extend that story beyond what it is.

They totally can. Jessica, what was Rebel Wilson's character name in Cats? Do you remember? Oh, I can't remember who she played. I know it and don't know it. I haven't seen Cats in a really long time. It's like Jenny Annie's Dippin' Dots or something like that. I was like, I watched Cats

and I have no idea what it's about. Like, what? Jenny Annie Dots. Yeah, what is it about? What's a Jellicle Cat? They like, I hated, I really, and I understand this is really pretentious coming from someone who loves Star Wars,

but I hate movies that expect you to do homework to understand what the hell is going on. Like, I have to go do homework, figure out like what's a Jellicle Cat and what's this that? Jellicle songs for Jellicle Cats. What the hell does that mean? I have no idea. I don't know what you're talking about.

It's a wacky, wacky stage musical. I just saw Cats for five minutes, and I was like, we deserve to die. And then I think the pandemic happened shortly after. No, it happened during the pandemic. It was like a month later, I think. You lost me on the premise. I hate cats. I'm not going to watch it. Oh, that's nice.

That's like my dad had a friend who wouldn't watch any movie if there was a horse in it. Like, if a horse showed up midway to the movie, dude, get up and leave the theater. So watch any movie if there was a horse in it. If a horse showed up midway to the movie, the dude would get up and leave the theater. So you hated Animal House. And my dad's like, he never explained why. He's like, I don't like horses. I mean, I get where you're coming from. If Wicked wins, studios will take the wrong lesson for this. So you're actively rooting against Wicked to win. What film out of the nominated pictures

would Hollywood take the best lessons from? The best lessons. What do you think should win? What are you hoping wins for the whole movie industry? All right, so definitely not Amelia Perez. No. No, I think we're all in agreement there. You know what?

I'm going to go with, I mean, the funny thing is they're all adapted, they're all IP. I don't think Enora was in it. No, it's not. And Enora is one of the favorites to win right now. I thought Enora was actually really good. I think the best like capital M movie was Conclave. So I slept on it.

Which is adapted from a book. I slept on it. It took me two days to get through Conclave. I really enjoyed Conclave. One of my friends told me that he's never gasped so much at a film about old men voting. And I think there were a lot of shocking twists and turns that happened in this movie.

And I really liked it, but I slept on it. And I think out of the nominated pictures, my favorite one is Enora. Yeah, I liked Enora. I felt like it could have been a little better. Synopsis? Synopsis is, it's a young woman in Brooklyn who's a stripper and this son of a Russian oligarch

become married, but you're not really sure if they're actually, if she's in love with him or not, which is where I sort of was confused. But then it's sort of a dark comedy because these henchmen come and his family wants them to annul the marriage because they're, you know, very dismissive of her and it's very, they're very dehumanizing towards her. And so then it kind of is just a weird, wacky sort of like follow along the henchmen in a Nora film for a while. With romance.

When you said it's a horny movie, I said you had my curiosity. But now you got my attention. No, I've never seen so much sex in a film. Movies to root against, A Complete Unknown. Again, everyone tells me that he did an amazing job. He did, I really liked it. I don't need any more biopics. I'm about 25 minutes in.

I'm never gonna say a bad thing about a James Mangold biopic. I'm not a big Bob Dylan guy,. I'm about 25 minutes in. I'm never going to say a bad thing about a James Mangold biopic. I'm not a big Bob Dylan guy, but I'm appreciating the performance so far. Sure. I just don't need any more biopics. Well, you're about to get one with Jeremy Allen-White.

What's he playing? He's doing a Springsteen biopic that is just based off of one album that he recorded. So it's based off the recording of Nebraska. You're going to love it. That was why A Complete Unknown worked for me, I think, because it only was like four years of Bob Dylan. It wasn't like, he was born in Minnesota,

and he's such a mystery, and now he's 87 years old. Another movie to root against, and this one I did see, Dune, part two. Boring. I liked the Dune movie, so. Part one was good. I'm with you, but I do think that we should be I like the Dune movie though. Part one was good. I'm with you, but I do think that we should be encouraging films like Dune.

No, it's IP and franchise. I mean, it was famously like an impossible movie to adapt though, and you found a way to do it. But also we got that boring ass HBO show, which even though HBO does great content, I love White Lotus, and I'm really excited for Righteous Gemstones, but the Dune show, I was like, this is not good.

I liked Austin Butler though, he was so creepy. Yeah, he was solid, it was pretty to look at. Yeah, I think that's the best thing you could say about it. Yeah, I like movies that are nice to look at. Good looking film. That encourage you to go to the movie theaters and see it on a big screen. I did not have that experience with either of the Dune films.

I probably would have appreciated it more. Mike, I had this conversation with your buddy Mo yesterday. Spades? Yeah, Mo Speezy, exactly. Mo buckets. The last Mission Impossible, Dead Reckoning that came out. Part one. Yeah, well, andoning that came out. I- Well, then they changed it.

And then they changed it. And now it's like Live, Die, Repeat. Which that, woof, Live, Die, Repeat, I will never call it that. It, the day after, or the, what's it called? Not the day after tomorrow, it's called the, when was the original name? It's called Live, Die, Repeat, isn't it?

No, it's called- No, no, no, no. You're proving why it should be called Live, Die, Repeat. Oh, it? No, it's called Live, Die, Repeat. No, no, no. It's a different name. You're proving why it should be called Live, Die, Repeat. Oh, I'm just having a break for it. But anyway, Dead Reckoning, I seem to remember you were like, ah, it's okay. And so I didn't watch it in the theater, I watched it on a flight,

and this is how good it was, didn't fall asleep. I was on the edge of my seat the entire time, and by the end of it the seating rage I had him you weren't the only one but you and a couple other people were like, uh, I'm like this movie was amazing I should have seen it in a theater. Yeah, it's it's legit why then when final reckoning comes out. I'm going opening night I'm not on the edge of the seated movie. You have to be in a in an airplane like this. Where'd your knees go? Inside the person in front of me. Yeah.

Inside. Edge of tomorrow by the way. Edge of tomorrow, that's it. I watched it again and upon rewatch I liked it more, but I think there was a couple issues with Dead Reckoning part one. And I think Chief Among Them, even though they were, they had incredible foresight on the villain,

but they needed to put a face to that villain, and I thought they missed the mark so bad on the baddie in the film that it kind of ruined it for me, because this franchise has had some really good villains attached to it, and this was one of the worst. What level of depressed am I when I have zero interest in watching movies? Like, I don't feel like I don't get the joy in them anymore.

I'm getting boxed out from you guys, and it's just, I have this feeling like, wow, I'm just missing an entire part of my life that I used to enjoy. I'm sorry, I don't mean to make you feel like you're missing out. Did you watch Oilers Cats? I did, I watched some of it. I was kind of working, so I didn't really,

I had it on the background a little bit. Oh man, what a moment. What a time. And we're going to, it's our third annual Kitty Caravan, where I take a group of like 30 plus people to To a Florida Panther game and he takes a group, but we all pay for yeah, we all go but you know Half y'all don't understand interest payments. I Mean there's a screw quite the sacrifice here, but Ryan Lomborg returns to Florida,

a beloved Florida Panther legend. I love Ryan Lomborg. We had a great time with him at 11. He was your feisty enforcer type that had a pension for some big moments and just a vibes guy. Just an iconic vibes guy. I always think about TPS reports with him. You're gonna need those TPS reports.

You got the same name? No, okay. Reference for everybody else. No, I get the reference. I'm just trying to, well, Lomborg, is that his name? Lomborg, yeah. Okay, yeah. But Ryan, oh, Bill Lomborg.

Lomborg. Yeah. But Ryan Lomborg is matriculating his way down the East Coast, and he was in Tampa yesterday, and he was caught on a live mic about, he was asked, he had a pretty iconic goal in a playoff series against Tampa, an overtime winner, and he was asked about playing the Tampa Bay Lightning again,

and he's like, I love the palm trees, I love the sunshine, and on a live mic for his RSN interview, he goes, but I hate these guys. Yeah. Charged me up welcome back Lombs you absolute ledge. He is going to get such an outsized reaction compared to what his actual contributions were for this team because he's beloved you go to a game you still see number 94 jerseys out there and I'm really hoping the fans

bring it they've been so good as all these former champions have come back and been honored. The Lomburg one that's the one that I circled my calendar for. That's the guy that was everybody's like low-key favorite. You loved his tenacity. You loved his story. You loved his vibes. And I'm so happy he's coming back tomorrow and I hope that it is a nuclear pop. You've got a lot of history in this building. Some good, some bad. Do you like coming here or do you hate it? I like the palm trees and the sunshine but I hate these guys Wow the best that's a great the delivery is great there the little pause and laugh because that's that indicates I know what I'm about to do right now I mean to answer your question

about movies that I think would be good to win Best Picture for the movies two nominations for that category. One, The Substance, because horror film doesn't normally get a lot of love. I didn't love it, I thought it was a little too long also, but it was very interesting, very gross, good acting. Second one, Nickel Boys, really good movie, based on a book, and incredible acting,

incredible storytelling. It's obviously about very difficult subject matter. It's about these children being abused at a reformatory school in Tallahassee. But really, really well done, and I think it should be getting some more love. It's nominated for best picture and best adaptive screenplay.

The guy who's nominated for best adaptive screenplay is Rommel Ross, who is the Georgetown player who played in a pick up game against Michael Jordan. Randy Moss and Phil Collins. What do you think Phil Collins's basketball game is like? He's only like 5'6". Probably a good passer. He's taller than Prince though, right?

Scott Skiles is what I think of when I think of Phil Collins' game. Is it because of the hairline? Little bit. Yeah, he's feisty, you know? Point of attack defender. Yeah, getting the paint. I have him putting his arm around Michael Jordan and telling him like, when they double me,

you gotta go that way. I have him calling for screens. Oh, Randy Moss is really having a moment. No, MJ, you set the screen. One of the fun things that happens when we're filling in for Dan is that Dan will send us notes. Oh, no. He sent a note about this comment by LeBron James.

Do you want to send it? OK. A comment by LeBron James about Anthony Edwards' statement at All-Star that he isn't striving to become the face of the NBA Quote from LeBron Channing Frye said it Why do you want to be the face of the league and all the people that cover our game and talk about our game on? A day-to-day basis shit on everybody I do not want to start any sort of comment that we're supposed to have a discussion on with Channing Frye was right

No offense to Channing Frye. It just makes me feel like wait a second. Why are we why are we saying this? First of all face of the league stuff is a second, why are we saying this? First of all, Face of the League stuff is a made up fake title, right? I've never grew up thinking to myself before I was a journalist, hey, who's the face of the NBA? And I probably never would have. Oh, that would be Jordan, by the way.

Well, of course, but I never would have. You never had to ask the question. If I wasn't a journalist, right? And so the idea, but he goes, oh, everybody's going to nitpick your game, et cetera. Well, it doesn't matter if you're the face of the NBA. If you are a player that everybody wants to watch because you have an incredible game,

people are gonna dissect it anyway. That was my takeaway. I'm like, why are we acting like if I'm not the face of the NBA, then I get to skate, no one will give a shit. Like we've done, by the way, this is how this game has been done forever. I told a story before about, I love NBA on NBC intros. I'm really excited for the return of NBA on NBC

because I want them to do those intros where they build this huge thing. Oh, for so and so, it's the time of a lifetime. That whole kind of little monologue before. You think they're going to replicate that? They have to. Why not? They have to.

I've already told No Eagle, he's got to do it. Create stakes for every single game. We have people who maybe aren't as big NBA fans listen to that and be like, hey, I know what's happening now. Let me watch this. One of my favorite ones was, it was game seven, Rockets versus Suns, and they were like, for the dream for- Well, you don't need it for a game seven.

But still, it's awesome that they say Charles Barkley has been searching for the promised land, and winning the title. What in the maw of Austin? Yeah, for a holiday fame career. For Hakeem Olajuwon, that dream was achieved last season, but the banner in the summit does not hang for Clyde Drexler.

And I'm like, oh, shit, Clyde Drexler needs this. Clyde Drexler needs this. But I bring it up because one of my favorite ones of all time was like, OJ Simpson rushed for 2,000 yards, but never played in the Super Bowl. Andre Dawson never played in the, you know, the MVP never went to the World Series. So so it's i that's like doing all these great athletes who are hall of fame careers

never won the big one every reply for the one michael jordan has another house that we're doing this or asking a michael jordan ever going to get to the finals that was a time and happen the most hallowed the most celebrated men in the history of our sport they were asking the same damn questions so what makes you so goddamn special they say mean things about me my favorite point that somebody tried to make on face of the league the contrived conversation

that i've never heard more than this year was you can't be a foreigner it can't be an international player to be the face of the league, why not? Who's ever said that? Whoever says like, oh, I'm dissecting Victor Wimbenyama, I'm watching him all the time, he is the guy that's on my TV all the time, not the face of the league though. Too foreign.

Yeah, it's Dan, Dan's the one who said it. Yeah, when people, that's people? Yeah, yeah, when you hear people, it's Dan. Dan is the one who's insinuated. Dan does that all the time, by the way. He just says like, oh you hear people, it's Dan. Dan is the one who's insinuated. Dan does that all the time. He just says like, oh, people are talking about it and saying that Nikola Jokic and Luka Donkic can't be the face of the league because they're not Americans. Even Shea, he's a Canadian, can't be the face of the league.

He likes voice ironmaged. Who said it? He voices his opinions on people. Classic shitster. Hey folks, happy winter time. You know, winter time is a great time to hang out with friends, maybe take a hockey trip, it's what I did with my friends. Hockey time quickly became Miller time. Responsibly of course, because Miller Lite was made for me and my crew of friends. Bunch of guys that love the taste of beer and don't want to feel guilty

about the beer that they're having. Miller Lite delivers across almost every note because Miller Lite is brewed for taste. It hits different than other light beers. The taste you know you can depend on with no games and no givings. Just a great beer for people who like beer. Like you, like my friends, and like me. Miller Lite, great taste, 96 calories. Go to MillerLite.com slash Dan to find delivery options near you or you can pick up some Miller Lite pretty much anywhere they sell beer. Tastes like Miller time.

Celebrate responsibly, Miller Brewing Company, Milwaukee, Wisconsin, 96 calories and 3.2 carbs per 12 ounces. Hey friends, it's JarroBear here, per 12 ounces. joke about a 5G network that has invested billions building 5G towers across the country. Not even once. Not even if Mr. Boost Mobile himself asked me to. There is nothing funny about it. Boost Mobile is now a legit nationwide 5G network and also provides coverage across 99% of America. Seriously. Visit BoostMobile.com or your nearest Boost Mobile store location to learn more.

The Boost Mobile network, together with our roaming partners, covers 99% of the US population. 5G speeds not available in all areas. Folks, who's scoring big this NBA season? That's right, you are, with the new ways to get in on the action at DraftKings Sportsbook, an official sports betting partner of the NBA. From monster slams, to dishing the rock, to cleaning up the glass, get behind your favorite players and the prop bets you can make on DraftKings, the home of NBA player props. Here's something special for first timers.

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These things, I'm telling you. I love sugar daddies. They get stuck in your teeth. I like those too. What? Like you can't chew them. They're like impossible to chew. They are impossible to chew.

Working for sugar daddies everyday. Stugats. Hell yeah, bro. This is the Don Lebatard show with the Stugats. ["Dreams of a New World"] This is the Don LeBattar Show with the StuGards. Our next guest has been affectionately nicknamed the white mamba. You can hear him every single morning, weekdays with Frank Icehold on SiriusXM, NBA radio. Except the days that he's off and that's when I fill in. Oh, there you go.

Scal and I have never entered the same place at the same time. He's also a Celtics analyst on NBC Sports Boston, and of course, bringing them in because the Cavs and the Celtics do battle tonight in Boston. Scal, welcome to the show. And I guess we'll start right there. We have this weird tendency, people covering basketball, to say, oh, well, I don't believe in them until they show me

they can do it in the playoffs, right? And even a team like the Celtics who have been to the finals, have been to the conference finals a bunch of times, it wasn't until them winning it last year that people now say, oh yeah, of course, of course they're gonna win it. And so the Cavs find themselves in that position now where they've been the best team in the conference, clearly all season long, wire to wire, and yet a lot of people are doubting because we haven't seen them do it in the playoffs. From your perspective how does a team show you that they're ready to do it without doing it in the playoffs? I mean that's I think that's

like low-hanging fruit when people just check out of that. I think that they're good really good. I think the reason they're winning regular season games is because they have a super high floor. If you, like they can have an off night and they could still beat you, right? And so, you know, they're a version of what the Celtics do. They move it extremely well offensively. They have guys that can play make, you know,

staying away from mobility right now, because I want to get into him later. They're just a. They're just a smaller version of the Boston Celtics, like our two ball handlers are Tatum and Brown 696667. And you know their guys are Mitchell and Garland, you know, 616 foot and you know, as you know, like in the playoffs, that stuff does kind of add up.

But I think the Cavs are bona fide. I think they're great. They're well coached. They they move it well. Their benches has won them games. And they've added the Andre Hunter, which I think this is like part of the NBA right now. People are looking to find guys to stop Tatum and Brown. And you know, like the Knicks did it with Mikhail Bridges.

Now the Cavs are doing it. I love Kairos Levert, great offensive player. Just not the caliber defensive player that Deandre Hunter is. So I think that addition will be really interesting to see tonight. We'll decide if you get to talk about Darius Garland or not. What happened the other night against the Pistons?

And this isn't so much a what's wrong with the Celtics question, because obviously it's the regular season. What do you like about the Pistons? Love. I've been pumping the pom-poms for Cade Cunningham for like three years. And I was wondering last year if I just got him wrong. Like a guy that can,

so I'm big on owning your space in the league, right? I think it's underrated. I think the guys that own their space, all the all time great players, they all own their space, even in a weird way like Iverson, as small as he was, he owned his space. But Cade operates with a little Luka Donchich,

you know, offensively where he could go where he wants to go. He's not affected by contact. He gets to spaces on the floor. He keeps his composure, even as he's hitting guys and dislodging them. And that's really hard to do. So I'm high on Cade Cunningham.

And what they've done is, you know, last year they weren't that bad. They shouldn't have been, what did they win? 14 games, 17 games last year. They shouldn't have won that many games last year. But what we're seeing though is they weren't where they're at this year. They've improved, no doubt.

They've added some professionals in the room. And Tobias Harris gets a lot of heat from Philly fans for whatever reason. But in this league right now, a guy that consistently plays hard brings it and plays a lot like he's relatively healthy. A lot of the times it shows a professionalism kind of starts such a tone and Malik Beasley entering into a contract year. I'm going to tell you right now the way he's playing you want Malik Beasley

to be in a contract year every year because he lights out. But by the way, like I kind of hated on his defense last year with the Bucks, unwarranted for sure. Because if you look at the net rating, he was that starting five group with the Bucks last year was really good. Doc Rivers decided to bench him for Patrick Beverly.

What a gift to Detroit. Malik Beasley's having another impactful season and we just start, we've got to just start looking at him as a different player. Whatever he was three or four years ago, he is not that same guy anymore. Is it as simple as that? Malik Beasley, Tim Hardaway Jr. and Tobias Harris,

and this team goes from the team that lost a record number of games in a row? And no Monty, because Monty was starting Killian Hayes for whatever reason. Man, heat right there. Nice job Israel. You know, I'll tell you guys, so there's been five all-time great turnarounds for the Celtics. They had, you know, Garnett and Ray Allen. Then you add, I think it was two Spurs, Tim Duncan, yeah. Yep, and then David Robinson. Yep, yep. You know, the year that they got David Robinson.

Another one was Phoenix and Steve Nash, and the other one was the Celtics and Larry Bird. And now, it's Malik Beasley to buy his hair, baby. Those guys are next up. Chalk him in as Hall of Fame players. Brian, I wonder your perspective from Boston. Nationally, Jason Tatum obviously gets a lot of hate and kind of disrespect, I think,

considering the amount of winning he's done in his young career. We have led the charge on that. We have been some of the biggest Tatum haters that there have been. But my theory is it's almost just because he makes things look so easy, and in a theory is it's almost just because he makes things look so easy and in a sense it's almost boring

watching him play because everything looks like it was made in a lab. His personality is not bombastic, he's not in your face and in turn there ends up being more disrespect levied at him than he should just because he's not a polarizing player. Almost being unpolarizing makes him polarizing. What's your view of why people look at Jason Tatum and maybe don't give him the respect that another player with his resume would get?

All right. The only way for me to answer that question is to ask you a question. So, Jeremy, give me your three favorite players in the NBA right now. That's a really tough question, man. I'm around the heat. So Tyler Hero, Palel Ware, Bam Atabayo. Oh my God. No, I know what you're saying. I love watching, I mean,

I've always loved watching Steph Curry. I love watching Anthony Edwards. I love watching Shea. Okay, there we go. So like, and Shea doesn't have a bubbling personality, but. No, he's a similar to Tatum in that respect Yeah, but the NBA has done a really interesting job Of like marketing players, right and the best part about today's NBA is

like I Was gonna say something like I blank with that guy. Oh, yeah, I blank with him. I like him, right? I like John Moran. I don't care about what he did a year ago with the guns and stuff. I want I love watching John Moran play. What do you want me to say? Right. I'm a white kid from the middle of nowhere. I love watching John Moran play. I like watching Anthony Edwards. I like them more last year than this year. There was a time. I know it sounds crazy. I liked watching Ben Simmons play, right? Yeah, it's just everybody has what they like and I think oh I think if you ask a lot of people

I'm not sure a lot of people outside of Boston say man I just love watching Jason Tatum play I don't I don't think they they resonate with him for whatever reason you know it could be, he's on every commercial, but you don't really know anything about Tatum. You know, you don't see him on certain podcasts or anything like that. Maybe that's by design. You know, did he ever answer a question

besides this thing right now saying, if you take away the name and the face, like I get disrespected. But I just think we're in a generation now where people like different things. Like there was a time, I'm sure, where all you guys loved Jimmy Butler and the way that he played.

And then now Jimmy Butler did what he did with Miami and you don't like him. Yeah, I don't know what you're talking about. We never liked that guy. It's just, no, but it's just like, that's the league we live in right now. But I think that any analyst and any fan can all admit that he's a top five to 10 player in the NBA. That's exactly it. He's so spectacular in terms of production, in terms of efficiency,

and all of the things that he does on the court. It's surprising, but I think your explanation makes a lot of sense. It's just that people don't gravitate to him as like, I'm I F with that deal. Well, a couple of things though, Scott, see if you agree with me here. Like early on in his career, like I interviewed him a bunch pregame, he had nothing to say. Like he was not really that exciting of a personality. He has definitely grown in that respect, has more to say, but not really a whole lot, right?

And then when he does say stuff after winning, he's just basically parroting other people who have already won, and then in part of the game, and this is not really an insult to him, he just does what he needs to do. He doesn't over dribble, he doesn't have to, he doesn't do all this fancy stuff like maybe he did when he was younger,

he just does the one or two moves, a side step, maybe a little push off, and then that's it, that's all he needs to do to be at this level and win, and so maybe that just doesn't draw that many eyes. Yeah, I don't know, listen, I've covered Tatum for whatever amount of years, I don't know. Listen, I've covered Tatum for whatever amount of years. I don't know what he likes.

I know he likes Deuce. Yeah, I know that. I mean, I'm just being honest. I was like, I don't know. Just Tatum go on a show and like you get a personality of Jason Tatum. I don't know. I don't know.

I know that his brand is spotless. The guy had the new outfit and he does the whole thing every single day. I know the stuff he says after the game. I listen to all the press conferences. It's just like, you know, I got it. I understand the whole thing, but I'm just not a message to Tatum or anything like that. But it's like, I think don't be surprised when people don't like you as much as they like somebody else,

because people just gravitate towards certain people for whatever reason. I think like, if you look at LeBron the last four years, maybe three years, I think everyone just totally respects what LeBron is doing. Like the whole polarizing figure, he's no longer a polarizing figure. The guy's 40 years old and dominating, right? So I think like even us in Boston are like, yo, man, this dude is incredible.

I don't care that he left Miami, left Cleveland, went to LA. I don't care that he chased his championship. I don't care about any of that. Like he's still doing this thing at 40. Like man, I give you all the credit, all the love in the world. Steph Curry as well. Like those guys, I've always liked Steph, but it's like, you know, there's a certain point when Tatum is stacking championships or whatever

it may be that people are just going to be like, you know what? Say whatever you want to do to his plays all the time. He defends. He scores. He does everything he's supposed to do. You're just going to end up saying, yeah, I'm cool with Tatum. Scott, let me ask you a question because you brought up Tatum kind of saying like, oh, if you take my name and my face away from him and just blind resume, people respect me a lot more. You've got LeBron James basically bigging up what Anthony Edwards said during

the All-Star break. I don't want to be a face of the league because why would I wanna be a face when all people talk shit about me all the time? And you, me, Izzy, we're all roughly the same age. So we remember that this isn't a new phenomenon. Like when you were at the top, people talk shit, ask questions until you win and then you haven't won enough and all that stuff. It's happened for the entirety of our league.

And I told the story of an NBA on NBC intro where they were asking, is Michael Jordan ever gonna go to the finals? They questioned Michael Jordan. So when you hear current players, and especially an older guy like LeBron, whine about the criticism that they receive. Are we, is it, am I reading this wrong?

And it's like, hey, this has always been, or has it gotten worse for these guys? I mean, this is, if you say, like, let's say I do this show, right? I don't know if I've said anything, any hot takes on this show, but let's just say I did say a hot take. That would be, that would go viral.

So, so like, there are people out there that are trying to do that, say hot takes, get people to go viral and then be great. It's a topic of conversation that can lead into tonight's PTI or around the horn. It's just how our business works. But if we all just came up here and gassed up everybody and how good everybody is in the league is amazing and all that stuff. Like, that's not going to do anything. So I kind of feel like we're any because of social media and everything like that, we're in the environment of the negativity. The negativity is this was going to spread to, you know, like even the conversation of LeBron and Michael Jordan. Somehow that's a slight on LeBron to say he's not as good as Jordan.

It's not a slight. Dude, Jordan was a whatever a beast of like Greek God and LeBron is right there next to him. But that's a polarizing topic that people think you're hating, you know, like that's just a world that we live in. So the thing that gets back to Tatum are going to be the negativity like this is it is this going to get back to Tatum the dude plays all the time. He rebounds. He defends. He makes the right play.

He's passing the ball. That's not getting back to anybody. That's not going viral, you know, like anything else would go viral. So that's that's why people think you catch shit as you said or grief or whatever because it's the negative is what kind of gets exacerbated. All right, Scal before we let you go,

in under 30 seconds, if Nico Harrison had called Brad Stevens and said Luca Donchich for Jason Tatum. Nah. You wouldn't do it? No. Nah. Okay, 15 seconds or more. But, yeah. It's more. But Wimby? Now we're talking. Scott. Come on, guys. He's the

most untradable guy in the history of the league at this point. No one, everyone wants Wimby. So whatever. All right, Scott. Thanks for joining us. Thank you, Scott. See you. Hey, folks. Happy winter time. You know, winter time's a great time to hang out with friends, maybe take a hockey trip. It's what I did with my friends. Hockey time quickly became Miller time, responsibly,

of course, because Miller Lite was made for me and my crew of friends. Bunch of guys that love the taste of beer and don't want to feel guilty about the beer that they're having. Miller Lite delivers across almost every note. Because Miller Lite is brewed for taste.

It hits different than other light beers. The taste you know you can depend on with no games and no givings. Just a great beer for people who like beer. Like you, like my friends, and like me. Miller Lite. Great taste. 96 calories. Go to MillerLite.com slash Dan to find delivery options near you or you can pick up some Miller Lite pretty much

anywhere they sell beer. Tastes like Miller time. Celebrate responsibly. Miller Brewing Company, Milwaukee, Wisconsin, 96 calories and 3.2 carbs per 12 ounces. Hey friends, it's Jarro Bear here and I'm here to tell you all about Boost Mobile, which is now a legit nationwide 5G network. So I must take a break from the jokes here for a second and put on my serious voice. Because I would never ever joke about a 5G network that has invested billions building 5G towers across the country. Not even once.

Not even if Mr. Boost Mobile himself asked me to. There is nothing funny about it. Boost Mobile is now a legit nationwide 5G network and also provides coverage across 99% of America. Seriously. Visit boostmobile.com or your nearest Boost Mobile store location to learn more. The Boost Mobile network, together with our roaming partners, covers 99% of the US population.

5G speeds not available in all areas.