The Dan Le Batard Show with Stugotz - The Big Suey: What We Hit In the Shadows

Episode Date: April 1, 2024

The crew continues their discussion on Zach Edey vs. DJ Burns Jr. and analyzes Edey's pro prosects. Then, Jazz Chisholm Jr. says the shadows might be to blame for some Marlins offensive struggles, and Mike's targeted IG ads are getting out of control. Plus, Donovan Clingan, UConn's 7-footer, joins the show to discuss the program's dominance over the last couple of years, style, Connecticut restaurants, and the advantages and disadvantages of being incredibly tall. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

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. We should be fair to the Zach Eady discussion. It's not like everyone's out there saying that this is a bus in the making

or someone with zero pro prospects. Jeremy, you were telling me that some people are higher on him. Yeah, I mean, he's polarizing. I was just looking at a few different mock drafts. The ringer has him going at 12, right? But then Bleacher Report has him at 30th to the Boston Celtics, which is perfect.

And then on CBS, you have, in their mock drafts, they have two different analysts doing it. One has him in 30th to the Boston Celtics, which is perfect. And then on CBS, you have at Nermok drafts, they have two different analysts doing it. One has him in the lottery at 13, the other doesn't have him in the first round at all. So the reality is, is it'll need to be the right team, the right fit, a team that already has a starting center that you can take some time to project Edie as a prospect and get him into the type of NBA shape we were just talking about, leaner, quicker, allow him to grow. One of these drafts had him going to Oklahoma City

where you already have this really good young core and it could give him time to grow as a player, but the skills operating offensively are obviously there. It's just, that's what makes him polarizing is can that translate as a guy who mostly just plays back to the basket to the NBA at this point? But everybody in the NBA can get buckets, right?

It's what you can do defensively. If they can just ice you off the court because they'll just put a shooting center on you and you can't play on the perimeter, you're kinda cooked. Not everybody in the NBA can get buckets, man. Not everybody. Mike, I guarantee you. We're getting to that point. Everybody on the floor

can get buckets. You can't have a weakness in the NBA. It's almost getting to that point. If you can't, that's Duncan Robinson, right? He took a whole year off to learn how to play more so he couldn't be a weakness at certain parts of the game. But with the big guys, you know, especially with somebody like Zach Eadie, and I know he's polarizing, but I don't think any of those people think he's going to be a franchise center, right? So you just look at him as a potential rotation person. I don't really think you just look at him as a potential rotation person. I don't, I don't really think you even think of him as a starting center for 10 years in

your league. I think if you can convince yourself that he can be a rotation player and then he comes in and surprises you, that's the best case scenario. Couple DMPs, like on the, on the high end of things, he could be like maybe a poor man, Zenith Cantor is a situational player that you put in there. You're certainly, if a team's gonna try to blitz you and catch you on switches and operate from the perimeter,

and you realize, okay, this is not the right counter punch, what is the situation? Where's Zach Edie can flourish at the next level? It has to be the right coach, and somebody has to be inventive. You have to be able to utilize something that only 40 years ago we thought was the most important characteristic of a basketball player was simply height.

We would draft you if you're seven, six, regardless. And it's so funny to me that the best example, and this is, you know, I wrote a story on the Thompson Twins a couple years ago, so I follow them a lot. Watching them on two different teams and watching a coach use them entirely differently. And it's so obvious how one is using that player's skillset the right way, and one is not.

And the one who was not was Monty Williams in Detroit, and Asara Thompson just sitting in the corner all day long on offense, just kind of staring at the ceiling, and Amen Thompson, all you gotta do is move him in closer to the dunker spot, changes the entire game. And so when you talk about somebody like Zach Eadie, if you bring him in with somebody who has convinced themselves that, hey, it's not part of today's game, he's not going to work, then he's not going to get the best of himself. But if

you put him with somebody who still believes that there's a place for him in this league, then yeah, he's probably going to get the best out of him that you could possibly get. And in the pro games, isn't there already starting to be somewhat of a pivot back to having a role for traditional big men where it was the school of thought just like two years ago which is we, anybody that's over six foot 10 needs to be able to move laterally. They basically need to model their game after ban

and now you do see more of the traditional bigs. It's never gonna be, unless the game drastically changes, it's never gonna be like it was before in the 90s, where Zach Eadie would universally be considered a lottery pick back then. Is Brook Lopez an Eadie comp? Like, if he ends up shooting threes, can you play him out there, like, if he's as mobile?

Does he have that type of shooting touch? I have most of the highlights of the series. I've never seen him shoot a jumper yeah ever but Brooke Lopez didn't shoot at all when he first came into the league and it's not a free throw to evolve that's not a free throws I've never seen Zack Edie in a shooting motion have both hands on the ball ever like think about everything is a jump hook yeah everything yeah he's excellent at that I yeah Brooke Lopez would would be great Brooke Lopez turned himself into a shooter.

A knockdown three-player shooter. The question is gonna be, what does Edie actually have in his bag outside of what we see in games, right? Because that's what helps his team win at Purdue right now and get to the Final Four, but Bam Adabayo is actually a perfect example. He played at Kentucky,

and nobody knew he was capable of dribbling the ball. Like he literally, I remember watching his hype tape coming out into the draft and him hitting threes, you know, and going full court in some of those summer league games and everyone was like, wait, who is this guy? I didn't know he was capable of that.

So maybe Edie is capable of shooting a little further out, but right now, as a seven foot four guy in college who wants to win a championship, that's all you're seeing. The same way somebody else look at Jalen Durin and say, oh yeah, that's a bam out of bio comp. We're just making body, just like projections. Zach Edie's body type is what we're saying. What he shows on a practice court in the NBA,

we don't know, maybe he's only doing what's necessary. I can't find on the internet him taking a jump shot. Cause he's never taken a jump shot. It's labeled as a jump shot, but it's clearly just a hook. It's a hook shot from the free throw line. He makes it. It's just always one hand on the ball.

But his free throw's like George Mikin. Yeah. He doesn't look, like the ball doesn't look awkward coming out of his hands in the free throw. 70% I'm seeing from the line. What's that gonna look like Zack Hede versus DJ burns? Look at us talking basketball What is it good taco fall versus that kid in high school? Oh, remember that one? Yeah, a little the little round kid just looking up like what the hell I think DJ Burns is going to look a hell of a lot Smaller than that we've grown accustomed to

By just matching up next with Zach Eady, but it's really hard to discuss NC State in all of this because I don't, are they who they've been for the last month or are they who they were entering the ACC tournament? Or is Duke just not really good? I am. Because I was unimpressed by that. McCain is really good.

He's the only player on that team that impressed me and even then I see him as like a, um, just a solid off the bench NBA type of player, but that happened to be their best player. Their most salt smartest player. Um, good jumper gets to the rim on occasion, hits free throws like their best player, but not impressed with anybody else. I've been trying to see what all the hubbub was about Filipowski coming into Duke,

and I still haven't seen it. All right, you don't wanna talk basketball anymore. I was trying to really ride the March Madness wave. It's a special time. We've ridden it. Yeah. I mean, I feel good about this. I'm excited about tonight.

Man, baseball's back too. This is a fun time in sports. It's sneaky. I know March with the March Madness, like this time of year is kind of crapped on, but this couple weeks we have right here with MLB starting, did MLB get anyone else? Because I'm a sucker for the first couple weeks of MLB.

Like you really want to check back with me in a couple weeks to see if it really has me. But over the week, I mean the Marlins stink. The Marlins stink. Marlins are bad, but I mean, shadows, as as you know they can just be a nightmare to deal with why if we bought a roof Just keep it closed the entire time. Why would we open up a roof? I mean jazz complaining about it after he hit a grand slam was a little I can make an argument that he was not in The shadows yet. I'm not well. I'm not, this is not me defending the quote.

But he was not in the shadows when he hit that Grand Slam. He was standing in shadows, but the ball was not going through shadows. Sounds like you just said he was in shadows. Well, he was standing, if you look at it, the shadows are there, he is covered by shadows, but his sight line is not covered by shadows quite yet. That's actually the trickiest spot for a hitter.

Where the ball is not in the shadows, but you are and you have that contrast, it's tough. No, the tougher part is when the ball goes through shadows. Yeah, yeah, that's what I meant. Right, so the ball didn't go through shadows at all. Oh really? Shadow, shadow. What the hell is he talking about?

He was talking about, this is the problem. So the quote, Jeremy has the shadow beat covered. So for those who don't know. who have the shadow beat covered, for those who don't know, Jazz Chisholm Jr. There's a quote circulating that he essentially was blaming the shadows for the lack of offensive performance. He was saying in a high scoring game that the Marlins ordinarily keep their roof

closed. They're not used to playing with the type of shadows that come through it at Lone Depot Park. I remember last year, I think it was the Diamondbacks, I can't remember which team could have been the Phillies, that complained that the shadows at Lone Depot Park were a literal danger to the players. That that's how stark they were. So what Jazz was asked about is why the Marlins struggled

so much against the Pirates relievers in particular. And so what he was saying is that later in the game, as the shadows were creeping, and they've got guys that are throwing 100 out of the pen, that that was the issue. So what everybody pointed out was, Jazz, you hit a grand slam in this game. What are you doing complaining offensively?

What I would tell you is, the shadows were not affecting him yet in that at bat. And I actually think that what jazz was trying to do there Was not make an excuse for himself who played pretty well this weekend But kind of take some pressure off of his teammates who all struggled so much offensively Me what a stand-up guy. I'm just a shadow correspondent Who makes the decision to open the roof like who's the actual decision maker on that? Is it Skip? No, it's not Skip, I don't think.

I'm not sure what the answer is there. I think the preference is if there's good weather, they keep the roof open. It's a beautiful weekend. That's the default. That's why you have a retractable roof. Well they know in a couple months there's no shot because it's gonna be so hot.

Exactly. If we can get a couple in here early in the season. That's the premise is if you can avoid rain, which you can still this early in the year, and you can avoid the type of heat that you're gonna get in the middle of July, you're gonna keep the roof open. Jazz is not wrong that they don't normally

play with the shadows, but that is a really horrible excuse considering the fact that your own reliever struggled so much. It's not like the Pirates are ripping the ball. That was more about the Marlins not throwing strikes. But I mean, you can't come out here after an 0-4 start and blame the Shadows. Is there a softer explanation in sports than the Shadows are a danger to the players?

It was don't disrespect, but it's just hard to hit. 100 mile an hour fastball, dude, you need to see clearly. The Sun's in a different position. The 100 mile an hour fastball is a scary thing, not the Shadows. Just like in the NBA, if there was like one light off in the somewhere, they'd be like, NBA players would be freaking out

if there was one light on the court that was off. So our oldest game and we haven't figured out how to deal with the shadows. Well, they're trying to do this thing with roofs and the- What we do in the shadows. The whole dome situation. Even though we've covered this quite well, I do wanna hear Jazz for himself

because the quote in it, when see in black and white it does kind of give off kind of like a sore loser vibe but contextually let's see what kind of tone was adjacent to this. What made like the Pirates bullpen so challenging this series? That we couldn't see. That's why I feel like the shadows was a really, we're not used to playing in shadows. We normally play inside every day, you know? So when we get a shadow for three of the four games at home for the first time this season, it's kind of hard to adjust to, you know,

we're used to the roof being closed and being able to see everybody at bat. It's kind of tough to see when it's black out there and facing a guy throwing a hundred and one, you know? Man, he was quick and ready with that. He was that seems very he's not emotional He was just frustrated like I kind of believe him like that. Honestly listening to the clip now I'm kind of like, all right, let's let's not have the shadows anymore I guess former captain is somewhere in la cracking up about absolutely Miguel Rojas

Yeah, that that much is clear. McGee. Absolutely. Love that quote. Can't wait for him to go on the road in the open air stadium Well, it's just the Pittsburgh Pirates don't play here. They had to play in the same exact conditions too. And I know that you just got swept by them, but you realize it's like it's, it's the same game for both teams. It is. That's very much is the same game. I know in the earlier part of the game, they complained about the three point line in the women's game. It's like you both had to deal with it. They didn't complain nearly as much as as jazz did. TurboTax experts make all your moves count filing with 100 percent accuracy

and getting your max refund guaranteed. So whether you worked a side hustle to afford season tickets or move states and adopted a new team, switch to TurboTax and make your moves count. See guaranteed details at TurboTax.com slash guarantees. Experts only available with TurboTax Live. Don LeBattard. Are you back on the caffeine? Are you back on the Red Bull?

Yes. Something's wrong. See, we are. Something's wrong. I mean, it's unbelievable how manic he is and he sort of just, he keeps, he keeps, you know, chewing on his bottom teeth in a way that's scaring me a little bit. Stugats. I've been up since 5.30 a.m. producing content.

And in terms of being able to be on, my body needs a little boost. And that's why I turned to cocaine. This is the Don Lebatar Show with the StuGats. I got, perhaps, the single most concerning IG targeted ad of my life. And I don't- You had a lot. I've had a lot of concerning life. And I don't- You've had a lot. I've had a lot of concerning ones. But this one takes the cake

because it would appear that this ad that I got, it's got, the product itself has one sole purpose. And it is to smuggle cocaine into music festivals. The IG ad, I'm gonna describe it as vividly as I can. Go on, I'm listening. So it's this dude on the sand at a beach somewhere, and he takes out what looks like one of those new IG wallets that got me, certainly, and he takes this thing out and he puts this wallet in the sand, and there's all these little holes, and he smooths it out,

and you can barely see any of the sand at all in this little thin aluminum case, and then pops up a straw that he just takes out and just puts in the individual holes. Doesn't do anything with it. But he doesn't put the straw in his mouth, does he? Doesn't put the straw in his mouth. And so it shows its durability,

it shows that look, none of this sand will fall out of this case. That's important that sand doesn't fall out. And also we had to showcase that it does have this straw and it's not for slurping up some sand. The whole purpose of this product is to smuggle cocaine in two places. Are we Jason Whitlocking ourselves? Because I have been a victim of the ad where it's clearly a grinder, but they're doing fresh herbs or food or they're cheese in it.

Coffee grinder. And they roll it into a little piece of paper and then here's how you get your cheese cigarette. And it's like, wait a second, why am I gonna smoke cheese? And so they just cover it. Mike, couldn't also yours be for some, Smoked Gouda's pretty good. Yeah, Gouda.

Somebody that needs to, you know, they're at a restaurant and they need to bring sugar for some coffee. Yeah, it could be for condiments. And I feel like I should've seen, I should've seen that application. But I also get targeted ads for mushrooms, like crazy, like Lion's Mane. Good stuff.

I've tried the mushroom. Turkey Tail. It's supposed to be like for mental clarity, like two months Mane. Good stuff. I've tried the mushroom gummies. Turkey tail. That's good stuff. Like it's supposed to be like for mental clarity, but like two months with it, I'm pretty sure I'm the same amount of mental clarity. I can't tell. There are times which I do,

the irony is not lost in me, where I forget to take my Ginkgo and I don't really see it. I started taking Ginkgo when I felt like I was experiencing COVID brain, but really what's happening with me, and you can tell by my purchases, is I'm aging. Whether it be a hat that I can wear in the pool,

whether it be for mental clarity, whether it be for a shirt that looks better because of its stripe pattern on someone of my size than other people. Like the dudes tugging at their shirt in the IG ads are always getting me like, look at this shirt. Like, oh. BLYT, whatever those shirts are.

Oh, built? Oh, dude, I'm a big built. I'm wearing built right now. I'm built by built. Dude, that's all me. They're just like, hey, here's a shirt that won't make you look fat. I am, I know.

Look at the side view. No one's ever gonna believe me with this and it's a losing battle and I know it's April Fools but I'm not joshing you. I've never done cocaine. The whole idea of cocaine scares me. Putting something in my nose and snorting it. Look, if cocaine came in a pill form,

which I'm sure it has, but I've never seen it around nor have I been offered it. Anytime I get offered cocaine, I say no, no thank you very quickly. I don't do cocaine. I've never done cocaine. I only like the way that cocaine smells. I've also never done mushrooms, in the conventional sense.

If someone's handed me a chocolate before, I've taken it and I didn't notice anything. I've never done like, all right guys, we're shrooming. Is this a drug confession episode or do we do it? No, I'm just being honest with you. Like, I'm honest about my gummies. You know I love Miller Lite. I've been honest about where I stand on uncertain vices.

But I'm just, I'm not a shroom guy, I'm not a psychedelic guy. And the last few years where it's become a more regular part of the conversation and the people that are touting these things are precisely the types of people I don't want to take their advice on these things from. Like shamans?

Like Dan. Or Jake Plummer. Or Jake Plummer, even though he seems like the most grounded. He's locked in. But like Aaron Rodgers, the guy has just gone totally bizarre in the public eye. And you could draw, there was a line of demarcation when he started being honest about his regiment. bizarre in the public eye. And you could draw, like, there's a line of DeMar

Cajun when he started being honest about his regiment. And it's not the greatest endorsement. And I don't know if it's because of the work I do on this show. I don't understand how I'm getting targeted for these ads specifically. So you're not talking to us, you're talking to your Instagram right now.

You're trying to change it up. Yeah, I don't, it's not even, like I don't go searching for it, I've never purchased any of these products So I don't really necessarily understand how it's been on my algorithm Certainly there has to have been something in my in my search pattern Maybe it's trying to constantly look up Aaron Rodgers on Pat McAfee clips that I'm getting targeted for these ads I have what I've I'm not gonna stop drinking. I am a social drinker. I like drinking. I hear you. But I don't, don't like my face getting so red after I drink. And I don't like

getting fatter as I get older. Now I've slimmed down some, but nowhere near to where I want to be. I see where I'm in, I'm at that age range now where I see pictures taken from like seven months ago and I'm like, man, I had it cooking back then. I think it's like a bygone era. Like you should have seen me just seven months ago. I'm at that place right now where I feel like, I feel myself aging. I took this medication, it did wonders for me,

but it also put on 50 pounds. It feels like a therapy session. Tony, what were you on when you saw God? Sober, baby. Really? Just clean, just water. That's it. But there are people that espouse these virtues

of stopping drinking, and I've had friends in my circle. You know, someone needs to do a stand-up routine about how around age 38, every friend group has at least three folks that have decided they're gonna stop drinking for a little bit. Wait, I'm confused, Mike. What are you trying to find here? age 38, every friend group has at least three folks that have decided they're gonna stop drinking for a little bit. Great, so I'm confused, Mike. What are you trying to find here?

Are you trying? So I've been looking at drinking alternatives. Drinking alternatives. Seltzer water? I've been trying to, like I... That's the big one I'm always told. Yeah, I'm just exploring my options. I know that there have been great health benefits from it.

I've looked up fasting. So I don't know if that's how my algorithm, I'm just talking this out with you guys. I'm trying to see how I'm being targeted for mushrooms. I kind of understand based on my search history. The Coke wallet, I have no clue how that got in there. That one I think they were fishing for you. You live in Miami.

You also bought the other wallet. You said they got you on a wallet. I bought the Ridge wallet, but there's a difference. So you're in their algorithm of like, this guy likes wallet. There's a difference. See how far he'll go. There's about one wallet. I bought, I did, I've only bought one wallet

from Instagram. Big wallet guy. And it was several years ago. But they see you on concert pages, they see you looking up stuff. They're like, you make jokes. This guy likes to party. They hear your jokes here.

We know this guy likes Miller Lite. Yeah, no, I think what you're getting at it might be it. Bought a wallet once, and I'm always posting about concerts. They're fishing. What about the rejoin with the, that's probably your phone's hearing that. My character that I portray on the air loves cocaine.

A lot of chuggy group chats. Like your subconscious is dealing a lot with like chuggies. Yeah. You know, it's not drugs, but I mean, how comes a drug? Roy, have you ever been targeted for a Coke wallet? No, not yet, even though I'm like you, I bought a wallet as well. Oh, I see what you did.

As the pants get slimmer and slimmer, well the fit, certainly not the waistline. As the fits get slimmer and slimmer, I want a wallet that's not got a bulge out there, and also it's helped my posture by putting the wallet in different pockets. We're actually going the opposite way now. Baggies back, baby.

Yeah, I've seen that. I don't like the baggy fit. I gotta be honest. I think people look like David Byrne with these big puffy suits. I don't like, in sync look good. We're back to the aughts. Yeah, but in sync look good when they do their comeback photo

shoot, but I just can't stop looking at it. What's going to happen when we get to the mid-aughts style coming back, because that was just a mishmash of a bunch of horrible styles altogether. Like, are we gonna have the, like, remember the Kanye sunglasses? What's a mishmash? Is that not a word?

It's a hodgepodge. It's a hodgemash? Mishmash. Mishmash. Yeah, yeah. What was Scotty Barnes wearing the other day? You guys see that? Do we have any video of that?

He was wearing, you were talking about a loose fit, like he was wearing some large pink bell bottoms, I wanna say, with maybe some platforms. Scotty Barnes is an interesting character. I'm not this big fashionista. Again, most of my wardrobe is now just, oh, that fat guy's tugging at that shirt, and it seems to be stretchy,

and the nipples look fine in that, let me do that. I think my algo's all cut up on my horniness when it comes to be stretchy and the nipples look fine and that, let me do that. I think my algo's all caught up on my horniness when it comes to buying clothes. If you make something look kind of sexy, I feel like I would look great in that. I'm gonna buy it. There's a few, several of those. It's not just, oh, you're gonna look thin in this,

but maybe some boxers. Never really was a boxer guy, but I was like, I don't know, that guy looks good in those boxers. I feel like I'm gonna wear those. Boxer briefs. Never looks the same on me. You see yourself in it, you're like, don't know, that guy looks good in those boxers. I feel like I'm gonna wear those. Boxer briefs. Never looks the same on me. You see yourself in it, you're like, yeah. I'm not gonna broadcast myself in these boxers,

but you know, I see myself in them. It's funny that my IG algorithm is just like, oh, this guy wants to look thin. He doesn't necessarily want the equipment to get thin and do what he's told. He just wants to appear thinner. So we're gonna help my guy out at the start of the pandemic. I was getting all these resistance bands and all that.

They did overtime work on those resistance bands. Oh dude. Over time. Yeah. I just see one in my garage. I'm like, you got me good. I worked out twice with this thing. Got me so damn good. The bar was always so tight. Like you can go to a certain point, you're just like doing half ass squat. Resistance. And also the resistance, it's very like, we're holding on for dear life on this door right now. Yeah, exactly. Because there was one time I was doing chess and I just got smacked by the band in my back

and then I needed to buy something from IG to make the wealth go away. But my IG at Targeted Ads had specifically been like, all right, let's cut more of these corners. We know what you're about. You don't want to put the work in. I would subscribe to your IG if it was just you working out. Because I went to his house one time to work about,

I'm not like that. No, no, no. You're off my horniness, by the way. No, no, no. I'm saying, like, Mike getting out there and working on stuff, that would inspire people. Yeah, yeah, yeah. It's fire people.

I mean, I'm beefy. I can throw up the plates and stuff. I go to the gym regularly. Don't let him see you run. But cardio is not a part of this. I've never seen something more miserable than running side by side with this guy. No cardio, no.

No. This guy comes to my house as a guest, and his idea to work out is running in the sun. It was just a warm up. It was just a little warm up. He's got a big block. He wants to run? It's a big block we had to run around.

It was a large block. And I was very, very tired. and we were doing all these lunges. I was so tired after that. I've never invited I never want to work out with this ever again This is why Chris and I don't hang out as much because we first started hanging out I took him to my trainer and he said he wanted to lose weight. He's like, ah, this is the worst I want to that guy was awesome. I should have stuck with it because it was good stuff, it's just hard, man. I am not actually interested in getting in good shape, I just want to appear like I'm in good shape.

That's exactly how I feel. The difference between you and me is when buying clothes based off of targeted ads on IG is you see clothes on someone and you're like, that makes him look sexy, and your decision is, I will look equally sexy, let me buy that. If I see something where I'm like, oh, that looks really good on that guy,

my immediate response to that is, well, I won't look that good. I know I won't look that good. There is nothing more depressing than when you get, when you got got on IG and it comes in and you put it in and it's just barely hanging over your belly button and you realize, from and it's just barely hanging over your belly button and you realize, from an IG sizing standpoint,

I'm essentially a quadruple XL. I'm gonna take a picture of this outfit that I have. I've talked about it before. It's just Instagram got me one. It's like this matching pants and button down. It's like flat floral and it's just something I could never wear but I tried to buy it and I've never worn it. Can we make a bet where you can wear it on the air? It's so embarrassing. It's probably snug at this point

Tomorrow on the Levitard show we're all gonna wear our worst IG purchases Don Levitard you are very comfortable talking about how you met your wife how much you love her her, how important she is to you, and that's the reason that I asked the question. I've always admired that about you, that you have no problems whatsoever professing your love. Well, the thing is, I got a new wife now. Me and Bianca didn't make it. So I moved on. We moved on.

It was for the better both of us still gots Things just got a little awkward there. So let me be the first on this show to congratulate you on the new wife Vance Congratulations on on on feeling whole feeling complete, you know Let's talk tailgating. Yeah Don't be those don't feel awkward, buddy Yeah. Don't feel awkward, buddy. You know, it's awkward. No, I don't.

I mean, Dan does. It's much too late for that, Vince. I appreciate you soothing me in this regard, but I already feel terribly awkward. And then my teammate comes to my defense with not a question, but just a healthy congratulations and the further pointing out of that awkwardness because he's always good for me in those spots.

I'm also thinking of divorce, Vince, after many, many years, 18 years, with a partner who does things like that to you. This is the Don LeBathardt Show with the Stugarts. ["The Stugarts Show Theme"] We obsessed over women's basketball. We obsessed over the big meaty men matchup in the final for DJ Burns versus Zach Eady, and here we are in UConn is very well positioned to repeat as champs.

And they haven't really been tested and Donovan Klingon is joining us now. Donovan, number one, holy hell, you guys are dominant and you're a big part of that. And number two, how do you maintain this dominance? I know you guys have had a really impressive season, but over the last two tournaments, you guys haven't come out flat once. You haven't really been tested. And the whole nature of this tournament with just one game sample after one game sample is inevitably you guys are gonna come out flat or you have to find the motivation to Win a grinder and it hasn't happened yet. How have you guys been so sharp now going for two straight tournaments?

You know coach Shirley really Instills a lot of intensity and fire into us and makes us, you know, stay hungry you know,. He's a competitor. He wants to win so bad. And he reflects that on us. And everyone in this locker room just really wants to go out there and win. We come into practice today.

We'll go practice tomorrow, this whole week, really. Practicing, we have a 1A thing. And there's still a lot on the table, which there is. And, you know, everyone realizes, you know, what we're really trying to achieve. Um, and you really can't take your foot off the gas for a single second. You know, you're going to get every team's best shot. Um, you know, so it really just staying hungry, really trying to compete for the highest of accomplishments and, um, you know,

really just staying hungry and practicing and sticking together. Donovan, you already won a championship, so you have these moments, you have these memories, or what have you, but that 30 to nothing run the other night, like within it seemed like you guys were having the most fun I've ever seen a college basketball team have. Can you sort of describe what that run was like

and just kind of where it fits into your memories of college so far? Yeah, you know, I actually had no clue what run we were on. You know, I knew that going into the half, we were up five, you know, we were playing great defense shots were falling on the offensive end. And, you know, half time we talked about, you know, sticking to our defensive scripts, you know, just keep doing what we're doing, the shots will fall. And then in that second half, really just coming off with the defensive intensity,

I had that big block in the second half, which led to the dunk on the other end. And I feel like after that, really just the energy within the team just changed. And everyone really was just trying to, just one possession at a time, break the other team and they'll come out with the win. You know, but that's just one thing about this team is everyone's so unselfish.

Everyone, you know, whatever it takes to win, you know, whether that's zero points, 10 assists, 10 rebounds, you know, every single person on this team, they don't care about their stats, they just care, you know, care about winning. And you know, that's why this team is so special. Your team is certainly special and you articulated how Dan Hurley motivates you guys but it is easier to tune out the noise and all that and have this tunnel vision and have success. When you're actually not part of the national conversation which is wild to me all that you guys are poised to repeat and yet the intention and great

players in their own right the attention may be going to other teams. Are you guys bothered by that or it's just that's UConn basketball and it helps us maintain this program. That's how we like it. Yeah I mean I feel like that keeps us hungry. You know people are going against us, people are rooting against us and you know they want to see someone else win and you we hear that, we see that, and that just gives us a little more fire, a little more energy just to go out there and prove people wrong. And I feel like we've done that all year. We had a target on our back coming off

as defending national champions the whole season that we got every team's best shot. And people still didn't rank us where we felt we should have been ranked. And you know, so we just really just stay hungry. Um, and really just try to, you know, make people quiet. What do you think about Kling Kong? I love it. Do you like that nickname? Yeah, I love it.

It doesn't really roll off the tongue. What, have you had other nicknames in your career and this one's just as easily the, the best one because you've just had bad ones Yeah, I mean I think this one really like took off like just after last year You know people just called me like DC and stuff around the locker room really haven't like any you know big nicknames or anything but you know, Clint Kong is just Just turning into something big Now you're a giant and with that and and you don't have the pro travel accommodations.

UConn treats their players very well, but you're still taking some commercial flights that are blocked off, and you're having to squeeze into tight situations. Can you explain the day in, day out grind of having to be this college basketball player that is traveling from city to city in a world that isn't necessarily made for the to consider seven foot two people? Yeah I mean you know the last two trips have been um not not the most fun uh the bus ride to New York the bus ride to Boston um you know the buses are definitely not the best for me in my size. It's definitely more of a tight squeeze. Can't get comfortable with those three, four hour rides. What's the go-to? How do you sit? Like what's the, how do you get comfortable? I try to lay across the row and put my legs across

the aisle into someone else's seat, but then that's bothering someone else. So really just constantly moving and never finding that comfortable spot. But planes are much easier. You know we're very blessed enough to have you know charter flights to you know have the first-class seats and the extra leg room which is nice. So that five-hour flight to Phoenix shouldn't be too bad. All right that's good. I am a little worried about the buses but it's a college basketball team. There's a bunch of people that feel uncomfortable but not quite a lot of seven foot two people so I what about an

everyday life not just travel what is we we all have seen throughout this run of yours that there are a lot of benefits of being seven foot two but what is something that we take for granted as someone that is not seven foot two that is annoying to you in everyday life? You know clothes, you know I try to find stuff that fits me and you know you're searching for hours. You know I got long legs and you know smaller torso so you know it's hard to find the pants in my length.

You know I hit my, I feel like I hit my head 20 times a day and that obviously at times keeps me from getting concussions because I feel like I've hit my head so much that I've got to hit really hard to knock me out. But there's a lot of people around campus, a lot of people around stores stopping me for pictures and stuff. I like that. I appreciate the support, the love. There's a lot of benefits for being 7'2 on the basketball court and there's a lot of drawbacks, the love. There's a lot of benefits for being seven to two

on the basketball court, and there's a lot of drawbacks off the court. Who do you get? Because now you're getting a little famous with this run and stuff, but I imagine do you ever get like, you're somebody, but who are you type stuff? Sometimes, yeah.

I mean, really when we travel more than when we're in Connecticut. I grew up in Connecticut, Um, so, you know, I feel like I have a pretty big fan base in the state of Connecticut, but you know, when you travel out of state, you know, I'm sure people in Phoenix that don't really know what's going on out there will be like, Oh, it looks like you're Mike Muscola over there. Yeah. It looks like you're a basketball player. You know, what team do you play

for? You know, it's like stuff like that. Sometimes I'll get it's got to be annoying. Like you must play basketball. Yeah, I must. And I'm so quite good at it. You're just stopping me because I'm a giant. That's all that's all you're doing right there. You just have to talk to me because I have at surely at this size. I must be somebody. Yeah, that's I get that all the time.

What is the best thing about being outside of basketball? What is the best? The biggest advantage of being as tall as you are? I can reach a lot of things No, I mean, you know, sometimes I like I like just seeing what's going on and you know over crowds Does it sink to go to a concert because you're worried about the person behind you and you're like I get this all the time Or is it awesome? Let me know if I'm in your way Is it awesome to be going to a concert or is it a little annoying? Little bit of both, you know people stop you and try to get pictures and stuff

You know, but the same time, you know, you don't get no one's in your way and you get to see everything You know miss a thing but you're at like a movie theater and I'm just like, there's a poor kid sitting behind ya, and it's just like, yeah, sorry buddy. Donovan, we mentioned those, you know, the final four, the big meaty men in this final four. We talked about, a little bit about, how there isn't quite the place in the NBA

for some of these big guys. I wonder what the big guys like yourself talk about. What does it take for you guys to feel like, hey, I'm going to succeed in the NBA today as a big man? What kind of big man has to succeed at that level? Yeah, really just being as elite as possible. There's the pick and roll game, defending the rim at a high level.

Now with how the game has changed, being able to step out behind the three point line and knock down a three here and there, rebounding the ball, defense, just really moving your feet. And because now you're switching on the guards and guards of speedy fast, so really just trying to move your feet. And one thing I really thought about you know to myself is you know My team needs me for a certain, you know Needs me a place or a way to be successful and you know Whenever my time comes to move on to the next level, you know

you work and try to expand your you know your game into many other ways and you know, you You work your games towards a how the team needs you. You know, I mean just right now, you know I'm just trying to do whatever I can on my team win and whatever way that is. And so however your team needs you to play to win, that's what I'm willing to do. DC, I spent a little time in Connecticut. In West Hartford, are you an elbow room guy

or a bar taco guy? Ooh, bar taco. Attaboy. I love the question. No, he knows. He knows. He's been out there at the bar taco. Come Ooh, bar taco. Attaboy. I love the question. No, he knows. He knows. He's been out there at the bar taco. Come on, he knows.

Attaboy. DC, we were talking earlier before you got here about how we've got and got on IG ads. And I imagine your IG ads are all targeted because you're very tall. And it's not the easiest thing getting close, as you mentioned. Have you gotten got by IG?

Have you ordered something? And it came in the mail and you're like there's just no goddamn way I can fit in this thing. I feel like definitely sometimes you know some brands run a little bit smaller and you know I'm like oh this thing's this is my sweatshirt and I'll order it and I get it I I'm like, I don't even know if it's, I'll get my sister, you know what I mean? Like, it's like. Someone needs to do something about this. IG's getting away with this stuff. I maybe have a 40% success rate on clothes

that I buy off of IG. I've got Donovan trying on a romper and being like, oh, this is not anything what I thought it would be. Yeah, then there's those, like maybe you've had, maybe you're out and maybe your confidence level is maybe you've had, maybe you're out, and maybe your confidence level is different on a certain night, and you're like,

when did I ever think that I could pull this off? Like a tie-dye pair of sunglasses? Who am I? I'm not Macho Man Randy Savage. Why did, I'm 39 years old, and this is not something that you run into, but why, I have a wife that loves me, who am I doing this for?

Have you ever asked yourself, who am I doing this for? Um, no, I doing this for? Have you ever asked yourself, who am I doing this for? No, I mean, just like, are you talking about the fashion? Yeah, I mean, yeah, it's also, you play in a sport where fashion is just so paramount and people try to establish their brands, and so maybe you do something a little outside of your comfort zone because you're trying to, you know, establish the DC brand, and then you realize,

like, why did I do this? This came into play, it barely fits me. Yeah, I'm pretty basic, man. Sweatshirt and sweatpants, that's the way to go for me. Donovan, that look on your face is confusion. It's because Mike does these things. He has therapy with the guests. He talks his way through these things.

This is for Mike's benefit. I don't think I'm in the, I don't, I'm certainly not in the middle of a midlife crisis because it's been happening for a while, and maybe it's happening a little too early. John Mayer famously called middle of a midlife crisis because it's been happening for a while and it may be it's happening a little Too early John Mayer famously called it a quarter life crisis. Maybe I'm having multiple ones of that, but you'll you'll see Let me just say you will see and the IG ads are only good to get worse. Yeah Are you a Frank Pepe's guy DC? What is that?

What's your what's your New Haven slice of choice I'm cheese I mean he is a basic guy he just told you he's no no no the place the place Sally's Sally's okay all right well I wish you the best of luck it seems as though you're gonna be doing all right for yourself here in a couple of years and you could just like maybe buy entire clothing departments as opposed to just getting targeted IG ads. I'm very happy for your success even though I'm a Miami Hurricanes fan and in retrospect that's a team that's challenged somehow even though you blew them out is the

team that's challenged you the most in the NCAA tournament. I hope for your sake it continues to be a flat track and I gotta say the the bracket lays out pretty nicely. If you guys beat Alabama, do what you're supposed to do, you're gonna be going up against a big man that you can flash your skill set and set yourself apart from. And I'm sure just by the looks of you, you're kind of eager to get that spotlight

and have people talk about you and what Coach Hurley is doing over there. Thank you so much for your time and continued success, sir. Thank you, Kling Kong. Thank you for having me, man. Appreciate you guys. Thanks, man.