Ali G Is Back?! | Hour 2

Summary

The Dan Le Batard Show – "Ali G Is Back?!" | Hour 2

Original Air Date: July 13, 2026
Location: Live from The Elser Hotel, Downtown Miami
Host: Dan Le Batard
Recurring Cast: Stugotz, Chris Cote, Zas (Jonathan Zaslow), Dave, Tony Fiorentino, others
Main Theme:
A sprawling, irreverent mix of sports talk, pop culture deep-dives, and comedic asides, highlighted by Sacha Baron Cohen bringing back his iconic Ali G character, contemporary NBA discussion (LeBron's free agency saga, the Miami Heat's offseason), and the show’s unique chaos, including on-the-ground reports from a youth basketball camp.

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Episode Overview

This hour blends vintage Dan Le Batard Show humor with real commentary on sports and pop culture. Highlights include:

• The return of Ali G and Sacha Baron Cohen’s comedic legacy.
• LeBron James’ ongoing free agency circus and Heat-centric trade debates.
• Playful coverage of Tony Fiorentino coaching at a Miami Heat youth camp—mostly against kids.
• The show’s signature tendency to drift into meta banter about itself and its cast.

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Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. The Return of Ali G

Timestamps: 02:17 – 11:17

• Sacha Baron Cohen Resurrects Ali G:
  Dan Le Batard marvels at Cohen’s ability to reintroduce his infamous satirical character after years of retirement, noting that “a generation does not remember this character” so the prank potential is renewed (03:34).
• Cultural Context:
  Panelists reflect on their initial exposure to Ali G during college and the character’s knack for making “serious people look stupid” by interviewing them in-character (09:10).
  Quote:

  “We didn’t understand how he’s getting these politicians... to actually be there with him. And the way that he would make them look stupid—it was incredible to us. We’d never seen anything like it.” – Zas (09:10)

• Ali G's Comeback Mechanics:
  The return includes a movie (already filmed) and publicity stunts like appearing in character at Wimbledon. The panel discusses his chameleon-like ability to stay relevant and how the passage of time creates comedic opportunity.
• Ali G at Wimbledon:
  The group plays and reacts to a new Ali G bit at Wimbledon, loaded with irreverently British-humor and classic misdirection (10:17):

  "Wimbledon, which, despite its name, ain't a party. For gaylords, it's like the World Cup of tennis, which is like a crap version of ping pong."

• Nostalgia Effect:
  Zas sees the comeback as a “nostalgia act that's all of a sudden back and I could enjoy again. That’s awesome.” (11:17)

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2. Tony Fiorentino at Heat Youth Camp

Timestamps: 11:31 – 15:52, 40:10 – 41:41

• Tony’s Activities:
  The show checks in with Tony, physically present at the Miami Heat’s facility—actually leading drills for 7-9-year-olds. A running joke ensues about Tony potentially “posting up” children.
• Show Banter & Hijinks:
  Zas tries to bribe Tony with $100 (then $20 via Venmo) to run across the gym and make a spectacle—in front of Heat staff (13:28).
  Quote:

  "I do not want any smoke whatsoever." – Tony Fiorentino on crossing the strict head coach (15:00)

• Meta Commentary:
  The crew jokes about Tony trying out for the Heat by dominating children and possibly traumatizing them:

  "...we will see if he ransacks some children and leaves them scarred for life..." – Dan (15:52)

• Fundamental Drills:
  Later, Tony describes teaching basic basketball skills, including waking up the hands for dribbling, and confirms his team assignment:

  "You're never too formed to not revisit the fundamentals every now and then." – Tony (41:19)

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3. LeBron James Free Agency & The Evolving NBA Marketplace

Timestamps: 18:42 – 30:55

a. LeBron and the "Voicemail" Era

• Media Scrutiny:
  The news that teams are attempting to woo LeBron via voice memos is dissected with relish and skepticism.
• Cultural Shifts:
  The panel discusses how phone use has changed, expressing disinterest for voicemails vs. the past excitement of missed calls.
• Quote:

  "There has to be a date where the phone became a computer and just a computer." – Chris Cote (25:18)

• Pat Riley's Hypothetical Voicemail:
  Imagining how an aging Pat might record a voice memo:

  "Pat's definitely starts with like, ‘How do you start this thing?’" – Dan (23:16)

• Media Honesty:
  Zas credits Brian Windhorst for being the only NBA reporter honest enough to admit, “No one knows anything.” (21:06)

b. Heat's Trade Package for Giannis & Local Reactions

• Trade Analysis:
  Discussion on how the national media underestimates the talent sent out in the Heat’s blockbuster trade for Giannis.
  Quote:

  "Anytime the Heat come out with these trade rumors, they kind of shit on these players… Not enough was made about how much the Heat extended themselves in this trade." – Stugotz (37:54)

• Fan Expectations:
  Panelists caution Miami fans to consider the current offseason a home run, regardless of whether LeBron returns (38:50, 39:16).

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4. Pop Culture Tangents & Show Self-Parody

Timestamps: Recurring

• Phil Hendry Parallel:
  Dan connects Ali G’s comedy to Phil Hendry’s radio genius:

  "The genius of what he was doing was lost on me. Because I didn't realize that he was playing all of the characters..."

• Meta-Show Chaos:
  The hour is replete with asides about segment derailment, including Chris complaining about others ignoring his discussion topic:

  "Can we do that for a little while? Just a little while, where we're doing what it is that I want to do as opposed to what you guys want to do. Is that possible?" – Chris (35:45)

• Show Regulars’ Rapport:
  Frequent jokes about each other’s quirks, e.g., Jeremy’s self-involvement and the “secondhand embarrassment” of on-air stunts.

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5. Favorite Quotes & Memorable Moments (with Timestamps)

• Ali G at Wimbledon:

  "For gaylords, it's like the World Cup, something called tennis, which is like a crap version of ping pong." – Ali G as played by Sacha Baron Cohen (10:17)

• On Phil Hendry’s brilliance:

  "He would do a radio show where he was all the characters… and the whole point of the exercise was just to find somewhere in the audience a caller who would get upset by what the other Phil Hendry character was saying." – Dan (08:05)

• On nostalgia and reinvention:

  "It’s like a nostalgia act that’s all of a sudden back, and I could enjoy again." – Zas (11:17)

• On fundamental basketball drills:

  "You're never too formed to not revisit the fundamentals every now and then." – Tony Fiorentino (41:19)

• On the change in phone culture:

  "There has to be a date where the phone became a computer and just a computer." – Chris Cote (25:18)

• On Heat trade skepticism:

  "Anytime the Heat come out with these trade rumors, they kind of shit on these players… Not enough was made about how much the Heat extended themselves in this trade." – Stugotz (37:54)

• Meta moment, addressing lost discussion thread:

  "Can we do that for a little while? Just a little while, where we're doing what it is that I want to do as opposed to what you guys want to do." – Chris (35:45)

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Important Segment Timestamps

• Ali G and Sacha Baron Cohen discussion: 02:17 – 11:17
• Ali G Wimbledon Clip: 10:17 – 10:59
• Tony at Heat Camp: 11:31 – 15:52, 40:10 – 41:41
• LeBron Free Agency & Voicemail Debate: 18:42 – 30:55
• Heat Trade Analysis: 35:31 – 40:10

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Final Notes

The episode is quintessential Dan Le Batard: a blend of sharp sports analysis, nostalgia-tinged pop culture, and the raucous, meta humor fans expect. Sacha Baron Cohen’s Ali G comeback is both a pop culture moment and a lens to examine how generational cycles change comedy. The LeBron free agency saga is explored with a mixture of skepticism, humor, and exasperation about media speculation, while the Heat’s transactional reality gets a fair local defense. Amidst it all, the show thrives on unpredictable chemistry, self-deprecation, and its unapologetic South Florida flavor.

Transcript

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[Chris Cote]

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[Dave]

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[Dan Le Batard]

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[Stugotz]

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[Chris Cote]

Conor McGregor's 1 in 5 record since 2017 in combat sports includes the last time I got this mad about the attention that Conor McGregor was getting for fighting, which is the fight against Floyd Mayweather, which was a similar type of money grab. That has next to nothing to do with being good at the sport. Now it has everything to do with being good at the sport once upon a time. Where are we with Tony and the Miami Heat and this camp that he is doing as he Is he going to play against the eight year old?

[Dan Le Batard]

I hope so.

[Chris Cote]

One of the funniest things Peyton Manning has ever done was an assortment of videos that he made in which he was just throwing footballs at children and hitting an assortment of children. Is Tony going to start posting up 8 and 9 year olds here? Is he doing doing drills against 8 and 9 year olds? We're gonna check in with Tony at the heats facility in just a second, but before we do that, I was delighted to see at Wimbledon something that happened. I can't believe that enough time has gone by that, the following is true. Sacha Baron Cohen, many, many years ago, became internationally famous creating a character, Ali G, who was an idiot sort of hip hop guy who would go around inter interviewing people, serious people, political people, serious powerful people, not just political people. And it's an assortment of people who took themselves seriously would agree to an interview with Ali G. I'm not sure how many people know this because it was so long ago. So at one time he was famous in England. Sacha Baron Cohen was as this character, Ali G, who crossed over with satire that was so funny. Fake interviews with serious people where he was playing the straight man as an idiot character. He did so much embarrassing of important people that he could no longer do the character because they couldn't find people to be fooled by it because he was becoming too famous. And so he had to retire the character and become Sacha Baron Cohen. He's bringing back Ali G because the time has gone by and now people don't remember this entire time. A generation does not remember this character.

[Zas]

It's awesome.

[Chris Cote]

So he can bring back the character now. And evidently, incidentally, what he's done after the Borat movies, he is now going, he's already done the Ali G movie. Like, he's already done the filming for this. And this is the last stages of promotion where he's appearing at Wimbledon as the character he's resurrected, resurrecting a character from how many years ago? 20 years ago.

[Zas]

I was in college watching it.

[Stugotz]

Yeah. He was in the Madonna music video in the late 90s. He's already filmed this film, the Ali G comeback movie, which is why he feels comfortable letting the cat out of the bag hard, launching himself, putting a social media video of himself as Ali G in character on social media.

[Chris Cote]

And he doesn't look that different. He can pull it off. He's taken on a lot of serious roles since then. He's not just doing comedy. In fact, I'd be curious how harmed he was creatively by everything that happened with the dictator. Because Ali G arrived at a level of stardom that allowed him to be a true movie star. I've told you the story before about Hank Azaria after he. What is the movie that Hank Azaria did here where he. Birdcage. Birdcage. Thank you. Yes. After he. That was sort of his coming out party in terms of stardom, even though he had done a lot of different roles and he said that he would. After that, he got three giant movies offered to him. And that's sort of how you become A leading man with the three choices you've made after you've broken out. Sacha Baron Cohen did the Borat movies and then had those three movies. I don't remember, but one of them was the dictator, and then the others disappeared because Hollywood was like, never mind. We're not gonna. We're not gonna honor our commitments, et cetera, et cetera. And so since then, he's had some serious roles and has had nothing that's broken through. It's been the last time you guys. Is Talladega Nights the last time you guys saw something where. Where Sacha Baron Cohen was. Was being Sasha Baron Cohen?

[Zas]

Oh, yeah, maybe.

[Chris Cote]

Has it been that long?

[Stugotz]

I don't. I don't understand. Being Sasha Baron Cohen. He's always playing someone else.

[Chris Cote]

No, when. When he was in Talladega Nights, that was a starring role that he did successfully that everyone liked. Since then, his most prominent role in a. In a film that people have been talking about is blank.

[Stugotz]

The shave of the face, the trim of the beard. Sweeney Todd. Demon Barber or Fleece?

[Zas]

I would never watch that movie.

[Stugotz]

Oh, he's great.

[Dave]

What about Les Miserables?

[Zas]

Watching that either.

[Chris Cote]

When is the Ali G movie supposed to come out? Because you're saying that it is.

[Stugotz]

I don't have the answer to that.

[Chris Cote]

It's completed, so it would be relatively soon, and the character was just great. I don't know how to explain it.

[Stugotz]

He did dust off Borat fairly recently and had that incredible moment with Rudy Giulian.

[Chris Cote]

The Ali G character, though, was so perfect for the time. And Zaslow is having a similar experience. I don't know how many of these you have in your life. The experience of discovery in entertainment, where you are in college and you're seeing something for the first time that's so different from anything that you've ever seen and is a bit of an inside joke for just you. We're gonna have a South beach session soon here that I really enjoyed doing with Phil Hendry because it was so. Yeah, it was. It was similar to this. For those of you who do not know who Phil Hendry is, he would do a show where he was all the characters and certain members of the radio show. Yeah, he would do a radio show. Yeah. Thank you, Szaz. It was not a visual show. He would do a radio show where he was all the characters. And the first few times I listened to it, I did not know that, did not understand that. And so what he was doing was. The genius of what he was doing was lost on me. Because I didn't realize that he was playing all of the characters, including some women. And in playing some of the characters, one of the characters would say something outrageous. And he, as Phil Henry, would always be the straight man interviewing the character. And Phil Hendry would just do the interview as a traditional radio host. And then Phil Hendry would be saying, as the other character, outlandish stuff. And the whole point of the exercise was just to find somewhere in the audience a caller who would get upset by what the other Phil Hendry character was saying. And then to watch Phil Hendry and all his characters argue amongst each other and support the caller or yell at the caller. And it was simply genius. Discovering this was, to me, illuminating and inspiring. And I imagine Ali G, in some respect, was that to you when you were in college and you're seeing for the first time who's this young person who clearly shouldn't be in this position because he's an idiot. And then you realize, oh, wait a minute, he's being an idiot on purpose. And he's doing it to embarrass the. The powerful who don't get that he's doing it on purpose.

[Zas]

Phil Hendry was amazing. I mean, I was. I discovered philanthropy when I was in high school down here. And it was introduced to me, like, I didn't fall for it because it was introduced to me as, yo, you're not going to believe what this guy does. This is the show. It was amazing. But, yeah, Ali G was something we discovered when we were in college. And we just. We didn't understand how a. How he's getting these politicians, these senators and representatives, how he's. He's getting them to actually be there with him. And the way that he would make them look stupid, it was. It was incredible to us. We never see anything like it.

[Stugotz]

The Ali G show on HBO introduced all these other characters. Bruno Borat, right?

[Zas]

They little skits mixed in, which were

[Stugotz]

the ones that resonated with American audiences most. Cause Ali G was always. Ali G had his own standalone movie, but it was produced out over. Across the pond because terms of resonating with American audiences, Ali G is the one that struggled the most. Because to get the jokes, you have to be really familiar with English culture, so I'm surprised that it's making a comeback. But he put out a social media video on his own here. So let's see what the character is doing here in 2026.

[Guest or Caller]

I'm the men's singles in Wimbledon, which, despite its name, ain't a party. For gaylords, it's like the world cup, something called tennis, which is like a crap version of ping pong. Them say that tennis is better played on grass, which is why I intend to sell as much of it while I is here. So if you want some herbal remedies, Mia's got anything you want. Box of kush miga, some homegrown as in row HC329. There ain't any prophecy so it'll be easy to find me in it. Respect.

[Chris Cote]

Are you surprised, Zaz, that it's been long enough now that the character became so popular that he could no longer successfully prank anybody because everyone ended up seeing him coming, no matter the generation. But here he is coming back and I didn't think he could. I didn't think that that character would ever get resurrected.

[Zas]

I love it. It's. It's just watching that there, that's the first I've seen it and so that's the first I've seen anything new from Ali g in like 20 years. It's like a nostalgia act that's all of a sudden back and I could enjoy again. That's awesome. I would definitely watch that.

[Chris Cote]

Tony is out at the heat facility. He has bait and switched us. I thought he was going to be playing against professionals. Instead he is playing against nine year olds. What are we doing out there, Tony? What is this camp for kids? And are you going to do a drill with somebody or what?

[Stugotz]

Yeah, Dan, it is the camper kids.

[Tony Fiorentino]

But I also think this is also a tryout for me with the brass

[Zas]

of the coaching staff.

[Dan Le Batard]

Right?

[Tony Fiorentino]

Like they're going to be able to

[Chris Cote]

go and tell the team.

[Zas]

We can't hear you. Can you speak louder, please?

[Stugotz]

I can hear the coach. I can hear the coach pretty well.

[Zas]

Louder, Tony.

[Stugotz]

Coach.

[Guest or Caller]

All right.

[Tony Fiorentino]

Coach is trying to explain offense.

[Zas]

I can't hear you.

[Stugotz]

Bring the microphone closer to your mouth.

[Tony Fiorentino]

Okay, Coach. Coach is trying to. He's trying to go through the option offense right now. Teaching the kids, making sure that understand passing cut or pass and screen away.

[Dave]

Right?

[Tony Fiorentino]

So we're working on that. I've got my team. I think one of my two teams is going to be here. I don't know if I'm going to be the Bucks or the Celtics. See, pass and screen, pass and screen away. Dan, you ever heard of that option offense? You know that or no?

[Chris Cote]

Yeah. Yes. But what are you doing? Like, are you going to be. Are you going to be participating with them? I'd like to get your Conor McGregor thoughts while you're doing drills with them. I don't want your. I don't want your Conor. I don't want.

[Tony Fiorentino]

I heard a lot of yours.

[Chris Cote]

I don't want your Conor McGregor thoughts.

[Guest or Caller]

This guy.

[Chris Cote]

Am I right Before. I don't want your Conor McGregor thoughts before you're doing the drill. I want. During the drills. Are you going to be doing drills with them?

[Tony Fiorentino]

Yeah. Yes. So. So after they.

[Guest or Caller]

After they.

[Tony Fiorentino]

They go through the option offense here, Dan, we're going to go through working on our. Our shooting, our dribbling, different drills and stuff, bank shots, layups, all that. So I'll give you my Conor McGregor thoughts during that or if you want them during the 5 on 5. I can really confuse kids by talking about Conor McGregor while I'm dribbling basketball. So one of the two. Which one do you want?

[Zas]

Tony? How much would we have to give you to run out to that far hoop and make and just take a layup right now?

[Dave]

Which.

[Tony Fiorentino]

Which one?

[Stugotz]

The one behind me.

[Tony Fiorentino]

All the way back there?

[Zas]

Yeah. All the way back there? Yeah.

[Chris Cote]

Like, you'd be running straight through the presentation and you'd be running through.

[Stugotz]

He's trying to make this team. You're gonna. You're gonna put him in that spot in front of the staff.

[Chris Cote]

I'm not putting him in that spot. Zaz is putting him in that spot.

[Zas]

How much would we have to give you? Yeah, how much?

[Tony Fiorentino]

100 bucks. 100 bucks right now?

[Chris Cote]

100 bucks.

[Zas]

Do we want to pull together 100 bucks here?

[Stugotz]

No, I want them to make the team. Yeah.

[Dave]

Yeah. I don't want it.

[Chris Cote]

So. Z, look at what just happened.

[Stugotz]

Secondhand embarrassment.

[Chris Cote]

Hold on, hold on. Look at what just happened there. Zaz tried to get Tony to do something Tony doesn't want to do. Tony's bidding price wasn't that expensive. Zaz tried to all of a sudden go socialism. Everyone paid.

[Zas]

Yeah. You want him.

[Dave]

Don't do that. You won't give him a hundred dollars.

[Zas]

I want him to do that because he's going to get yelled at if he does it.

[Chris Cote]

Yeah, but. But why wouldn't you pay for it as opposed to asking everyone else whether.

[Zas]

Why didn't try to come to work today and spend money. I'm trying to make that money.

[Chris Cote]

But your. It was your idea.

[Stugotz]

I know.

[Zas]

It's a good one.

[Chris Cote]

To try and entice Tone. To entice Tony. He. He came in with a reasonable fee to do what it is that you wanted. I think a hundred dollars is enough.

[Zas]

Tony. 20 bucks right now. Take it or leave it. I'll venmo you right now.

[Stugotz]

No, leave it.

[Guest or Caller]

No. Leave it.

[Dan Le Batard]

Tony, which coach are you most afraid of yelling at you if you were to do hijinks?

[Zas]

Coach.

[Tony Fiorentino]

Coach Fiorentino right here.

[Zas]

Tony. Tony. My boys went to that camp for years. I've seen Coach Fantino yell, you don't want that smoke.

[Tony Fiorentino]

I know, I know. That's what I'm saying. Like, Coach Tony. I do not want any smoke whatsoever. All right, good action there by that guy. That was coach Lucas, Dan.

[Chris Cote]

All right, well, Coach Lucas right there. Let's put him back in picture. In picture. And we'll come back to him when he's close to doing a drill so that I could get his Conor McGregor thoughts while he's doing a drill. That's how I want to do this. Get back to us when you're ready, Tony, and we will check back in. I appreciate all of your efforts out there. The Heat brain trust can indeed lord over the facilities and see what he's doing. And he's trying to show them that he can indeed play. And I believe he can be dominant among these eight and seven year olds. I believe that he's got a chance to post up. Some kids, have some size advantages, and so we will see if he ransacks some children and leaves them scarred for life with a trauma that they will wear in their body for decades.

[Stugotz]

He's learning from some good coaches out there, assembled quite the staff. Jay Lucas, Tony Fiorentino out there, Tommy Tighe. For 22 years on this show, we've debated the greatest athletes of all time. Who's the goat in football? Who's the goat in soccer? Who's the goat in hoops? One thing that we all know is Dan's the goat of finding the worst possible take. But there's another kind of MVP goat that doesn't get enough credit. The friend who knows to show up with enough Miller lights plus extra ice. Because they just know the one who already has seats at the bar when you walk up. That is Miller time. Nvp. I've been on this show long enough to know that Dan is gonna make everything about his feelings and Jeremy is gonna push back on whatever I just said. But here's something nobody on this show will argue with. Miller Lite is the summer beer, the original light beer since 1975. This summer, recognize your MVPs. We all have that one friend who makes every game better. Now it's time to give them their moment. Head over to Miller Lite's Social media pages. To learn more about being a Miller Time mvp, you can pick up some Miller Lite pretty much anywhere they sell beer. It's Miller Time. Celebrate responsibly. Miller Brewing Co. Milwaukee, Wisconsin. 96 calories and 3.2 carbs per 12 ounces.

[Zas]

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[Stugotz]

Tony, you know that moment at a party or at a tailgate where everything just sort of clicks? I know it well.

[Tony Fiorentino]

It's usually when I show up, everybody goes crazy.

[Stugotz]

Yeah, you usually take all the credit for it, but it's because Tony usually walks in with Cuervo. Walking like this. Yeah, yeah, yeah. Cuervo is a thing that turns hanging out into this is the night.

[Tony Fiorentino]

It has that effect on people.

[Stugotz]

It does. You usually take the credit for it. But again, it's the Cuervo effect. It's like that moment in a big game where everyone in the crowd just starts standing up, hooting and hollering, keep it Cuervo.

[Tony Fiorentino]

Keep it Cuervo.

[Stugotz]

Baby. Down.

[Zas]

Levitar analytics have are ruining the game.

[Chris Cote]

We're playing AI Hoops.

[Zas]

That's his team. His team's in the forefront of all that. Don't steal my thunder. I'm sorry. I'm sorry. Sorry. Jonathan Sasslo. I get carried away. This is the Dan Levatare show.

[Chris Cote]

The news. I'm going to put that in quotes. The news that was reported that LeBron James is getting voice memos from teams. I. I am really enjoying the scraps of information coming out on the diluted and distorted cheapened LeBron watch that has gone from what it was 15 years ago when we were laughing about the idea that Donnie Walsh was recruiting for the Knicks and he was showing up to LeBron's place in a wheelchair because he was not at his greatest strength. And so what the Knicks were offering back then seemed like it was mockable because Donnie Walsh was doing the recruiting and he was showing up in a wheelchair because he was in a weakened state. To go from that to the reports of the quote unquote news teams trying to lure LeBron with voice memos. Seems like the decision has really lost some of its luster in 16 years. It doesn't mean that we still aren't interested. It doesn't mean that it's not going to be a viral thing the moment LeBron does pick his team. Find interesting that LeBron is milking this for all that it's worth. Do you believe that? It's because he's undecided.

[Zas]

I'd like them to start this week, by the way, soliciting handwritten notes. That seems more effective than the voice. Like, you have to. If you write a hand, if you write a note by hand, that's, you know, you're putting in some effort.

[Stugotz]

It certainly plays to our strengths down here in Miami. I'm a little worried about the. All the phone technology that we have to use here with Pat.

[Zas]

Dan. There is no way LeBron doesn't know what he's doing right now. Get the hell out of here. I mean, this has been going on for, like, three weeks now. LeBron hasn't taken any time to sit down and decide what. What is he still thinking about? What is he still mulling over? He doesn't know what he wants to do. He 1000% already knows where he's going.

[Stugotz]

I disagree. I think he's still listening to pitches. I think he's still hearing voice notes. Now, he may have a good idea. He may be. Have been leaning a whole way this entire time and is letting people have the opportunity to perhaps talk him out of that. But I think it's pretty clear that he doesn't know quite yet. And I think the thing that's most clear is that nobody knows.

[Zas]

Nobody that. I agree with you. No one knows anything. And the funny thing is, only one person out there in the media, and the media, look, they showed their ass in the whole Giannis, Heat, Celtics horrendous coverage. Only one person in the media is actually coming out and telling you, I don't know anything. No one knows anything. And it's Windhorst. Everyone else is. I'm hearing this. They're in the lead right now. They're the favorites. Windhorst is the only one who's being honest here and telling you the truth, which is no one knows shit.

[Chris Cote]

Let's examine this for a second, though, because for those of you who do not know Brian Windhorst's history, He's been covering LeBron's since he was in high school. A lot of people who are critical of Wyndhorst, I Am not one of them. They deduct points from who he is as a credible source because they accuse him of having made his entire living off of LeBron James because he was covering him back in Akron. He would be more likely to have information than just about anybody, given how many relationships he has and how long those relationships go back. But examine with me for just a second the detail on the only reason we do know that there are voice memos is because LeBron's camp is telling you that you're saying you think LeBron 100% has his mind made up. Mike just said it's clear to him that it's not made up. My question to both of you is, what's the voicemail that sways it? Like what's. What is of a voicemail that anyone could possibly send or voice memo that anyone could possibly, possibly send where he's like, well, I was thinking I was gonna go to Cleveland, but now that I got that voice memo, now I'm thinking differently.

[Stugotz]

Perhaps it's just a test to see if Pat can do this at 80 years old, execute a voice note and that goes a long way. He's not even listening to see if what he says. He's listening to see if he did it and it doesn't catch him midpoint.

[Dan Le Batard]

Pat's definitely starts with like, how do you start this thing?

[Stugotz]

Yeah. 3, 2, 1. 3, 2, 1.

[Dan Le Batard]

Are we rolling?

[Zas]

Do you think? He says on it, hey, this is Pat. And then he leaves his phone number the way that we used to, used to say who's calling? And used to say your phone number. Usually you say your number twice too.

[Stugotz]

Does he drop the rings on the table?

[Dan Le Batard]

Hear that?

[Chris Cote]

Let me put this on the poll. At Lebatard show, do you ever leave voice messages, yes or no? At Lebatard show, when calling someone, do you ever leave voice messages, yes or no? Because I do so. But I always do so self consciously and I always do so announcing that I'm the only person still doing it. Like I, I always say, yes, this is an old fashioned voice message I'm leaving you. But do you guys even check your voicemail? Put that on the poll as well. Put on the poll as well. At Lebatard show, do you even check your voicemail, yes or no?

[Zas]

I delete it so fast without even listening to it. Sebastian Maniscalco does this bit right where it used to be back in the day, if someone knocks on your door of your house, that's very exciting. But now if someone knocks on the door, hide what the hell is going on? It's the same. It's the same thing with the cell phone. It used to be very exciting if someone's calling you, and now if someone's calling me. What are you doing?

[Stugotz]

Something must have gone sideways. Two guys, when I spoke to him more regularly, would always leave voice memos of voicemails and it would always be like, hey buddy, call me back. Good. Is that. That's the implication with a miss, I see you called. It's Stu. Guys called me back.

[Chris Cote]

But wait a minute. When did this happen? And why did no one alert anyone else? That there had to be a point. Okay? I don't know what year this is. I don't know what time it is. It cannot be the same for everybody. It just simply can't be. There is a date somewhere in the past and I think it's different for all of us. Where I can say to you, hey, when did you stop using your phone as a phone?

[Zas]

There.

[Chris Cote]

There has to be a date where the phone became a computer and just a computer. There has to be a date when I say to people, hey, did you realize you were no longer answering your phone ever? Or did you realize you're no longer checking your voicemail ever? That date is different for all of us. How does that work? Because we didn't all discover text messaging at the same time. But there's something you say the maniscalco bit about. Yes, the door, the knock on the door. Now, what a funny and interesting thing to have happen with very little awareness. This kind of change where we become so disconnected cuz we're so connected to these things that a. A knock on the door goes from something exciting to something you don't ever want to happen. And a voicemail goes from something you would look forward to checking because someone called you to being like, I don't need to ever check my voicemail. I have the missed call. This can't have happened to all of us at the same exact time. How is it it that it happened to all of us though?

[Zas]

How.

[Chris Cote]

How is it that it's happened to everyone in the world where you no longer use your phone as a phone and now when your phone rings, when your cell phone rings, I never see anyone talking on a cell phone. Like it's just. It's never happening where people are using their phone as a phone, they're always using it as a computer. When did this happen? 10 years ago?

[Zas]

More than that? Yeah, more than that.

[Stugotz]

I would say after blackberries, when I was stylist when people start doing that,

[Zas]

oh, you know about that BlackBerry, Dan?

[Chris Cote]

I do know about that BlackBerry. When did they. It seems like out of style. Longer than 10 years ago. There was no announcement. What an odd. What? It is an odd thing. We can agree that it's an odd thing that everyone is the same in this regard.

[Zas]

Who likes getting a phone call? It's terrible. It's a terrible thing. Get a phone call.

[Dave]

I kind of do. From, like, oh, my God. If a friend of mine that I haven't talked to in a while, cold calls me first, I'm a little worried that something is. Has gone wrong. But then when I answer and it's like, hey, just if you're free, like, would love to catch up. That's one of the best feelings ever. I've actually been trying to make. I've been writing in my calendar randomly assigning days after the show to call friends that I haven't talked to in a while from, like, my closest friend group because I like catching up with people over the phone. I talk on the phone probably every day, mostly more often when I don't get to talk that much here, because then there's just all these words that need to come spilling out of me. So I gotta talk to somebody.

[Chris Cote]

Put it on the poll at LeBatard show. Do you talk on the phone to somebody every day, yes or no? I just saw Tony's in this layup line and the two kids before him threw it right at the bottom of the rim. Like they just got under the basket and threw it as hard as they could and hit the bottom of the rim as hard as they could.

[Dan Le Batard]

It's the first day week long camp. Let's check back Thursday. Friday they'll be better.

[Stugotz]

They didn't ask for this second lane. Given the current cap situation, we may need contributions from them. Yeah,

[Chris Cote]

Tony, it is funny seeing him visually in this line be twice as large as all of the human beings that he is dealing with. What did Kenny Atkinson say, ZAZ, about the LeBron situation?

[Zas]

Kenny Atkinson, the coach of the Cavs, he said analytically, LeBron's already on the team right now. No, he did not say that. During a summer league game. He was on the broadcast with George Sedano and I believe Danny Green and Kenny Atkinson. He sat down with them and, you know, let's talk about the upcoming season, what they're excited about. And you tell me, Dan, is this Kenny Atkinson saying he knows something?

[Guest or Caller]

And then, you guys know there's a little free agency thing going on right now. So you know, that could be our real jump. Yeah. And you know what I'm talking about. So you know that. That's exciting too.

[Dave]

As intriguing as that sound is, this reminds me more of what I saw from Sedano over the weekend, which is him sort of awkwardly dapping up they walk by. Look at this form from Sedano.

[Dan Le Batard]

Not great here. It's.

[Dave]

It's not his best. I mean, if you see what happens here. There's Danny Green

[Zas]

alligator arms from Sedano.

[Dave]

Almost seems like I'm owed an apology.

[Dan Le Batard]

You got. You got to curl the fingers and the hand there. His problem is really just. He goes in with like a straight.

[Dave]

Just a plank of wood.

[Dan Le Batard]

It's like a plank of wood hand. And then he gets. He kind of the actual connection. And the. The dap is not terrible. It's the hand straight going up that we don't like.

[Chris Cote]

I will analyze that in a moment because he really did throw a limp fish in there and there wasn't a lot behind it. But I more want to analyze how quickly Jeremy took what we were talking about. Me and Zaz totally ignored it and then did whatever he wanted to do.

[Dan Le Batard]

Yeah, that's right.

[Chris Cote]

Like we were talking about Kenny Atkinson and who cares?

[Dave]

It's a nothing. It's a nothing sound.

[Chris Cote]

We were talking about LeBron James and Kenny Atkinson, a something that has at least moderate interest in the audience. And Jeremy immediately went and took it to what. What about my dap compared to Sedano's dap, which isn't in any way what we were talking about.

[Zas]

Not even close. Nobody would have thought, hey, I wish Jeremy would jump in and talk about the way Sedano daps.

[Dan Le Batard]

You wanted us to show the Marcy dap. That's really what you were aiming for?

[Dave]

Yeah, dude, I was smooth. I was smooth and he wasn't you.

[Chris Cote]

No, there was nothing smooth about any of this, but nothing smooth. We were talking about. We were talking about whether Kenny Atkinson had given America a clue as to where it is that the LeBron sweepstakes were. We were analyzing whether or not Kenny Atkinson knows something. And Jeremy just totally disregarded everything that was being talked about and decided to do his own thing.

[Zas]

He said, do the Jeremy show.

[Chris Cote]

Why?

[Dave]

Because I don't have time to talk on the phone after the show, so I gotta get the words out.

[Chris Cote]

Is it. Cuz it's always the Jeremy show. Like, does. Does Jeremy always think it's the Jeremy?

[Zas]

You're a little too confident today, Jeremy. If we're.

[Dave]

Well, it's what the Today show thinks and SportsCenter thinks, and it's kind of all over the Internet, so.

[Chris Cote]

What is this? Go ahead. What is this? You talked to some dogs?

[Dave]

Yeah, I did. I did talk to a dog. Jonah the dog. In fact, he had his dream day at the ballpark yesterday. It was incredible.

[Stugotz]

He's.

[Dave]

He was a dog who looked jealous of another dog eating a hot dog. It went really viral. This was about a month ago on the Marlins broadcast. And the Marlins sent out a psa.

[Zas]

Like, we need to find this dog.

[Chris Cote]

Oh, my God.

[Zas]

And then they found him.

[Chris Cote]

It was Joe.

[Zas]

How often do they do this dog

[Dan Le Batard]

bark at the park markets?

[Dave]

Every Monday.

[Dan Le Batard]

You can get your tickets. That's. I. That's it.

[Dave]

Cuz.

[Dan Le Batard]

I've noticed it too, zaz. It feels like every week. And we learned it is every every

[Zas]

week dogs are at the park.

[Dave]

Every home Monday, you get two a season.

[Dan Le Batard]

That's my rule.

[Zas]

I mean, I've gone once. I went a long time ago. It used to be a once a

[Dave]

season thing, and now it's every home Monday. And this dog, Jonah the dog was at the game watching another dog eat a hot dog. And then the Marlins brought him out for his dream day. He threw out the first pit. I got to interview him on the broadcast, and that clip went viral because I'm good at my job.

[Dan Le Batard]

I think bark at the park's weird.

[Chris Cote]

I'd like more evidence of that while you're doing this job.

[Dave]

You want me to go get the three Emmys or what?

[Chris Cote]

You didn't win any of them for anything you've done here.

[Dave]

Yeah, no. I'm good at all my other jobs, just not here. I wonder if it's the way I'm positioned.

[Stugotz]

We're all wondering why.

[Chris Cote]

Okay, Tyler, hero. It's everybody else's fault.

[Dan Le Batard]

All right.

[Stugotz]

I can punch in the face if you'd to like. Like.

[Chris Cote]

I would like. Actually, I'd like. I'll give you the hundred dollars that we didn't crowdsource.

[Stugotz]

We'll see how professional Jeremy thinks that is.

[Dan Le Batard]

I'm sure there are DMs out there of Jeremy badmouthing us behind.

[Dave]

Oh, yeah. Come on.

[Zas]

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[Dan Le Batard]

Down Levitar for five minutes I was watching everyone just like, nope, not letting you in, not letting you in. So when I got up there I had to say something and I said it. Cheaters never prosper. Chris Cody my buddy was saying, not today. Yeah, but you're not today. I think that was what he was adding. Yeah, that's so much better. I'm telling you, the response I got from this guy, what I Said was amazing. Cheaters never prosper. This guy yelled as angry as he could.

[Stugotz]

I ain't cheating.

[Zas]

This is the D Ler show.

[Chris Cote]

Can you guys tell me whether we would have any interest in having the guest bookers go after the DM account that betrayed Tyler Herro?

[Dan Le Batard]

Like I thought you're going to say the guy that got attacked by a bison.

[Dave]

I thought you were going to say the dog.

[Chris Cote]

Okay, how about what I said, though? How about what I said? How about we stay on what I'm saying as opposed to what you guys want to say? Can we do that for a little while?

[Stugotz]

Yeah, but if it's.

[Chris Cote]

How about we do that for a little while? Can we do it for a little while? Just a little while, where we're doing what it is that I want to do as opposed to what you guys want to do. Is that possible? Do you guys think it would be interesting Zas to talk to that person or would we feel skeeved out and kind of gross by the doing of that?

[Zas]

I think when you ask him why did you do it? And then he says, why? I don't know where we go from there, Isn't that it?

[Chris Cote]

I don't know. I don't know whether people would be interested in hearing from that person or not. It is a betrayal, is it not? Because we certainly like the information and we certainly like clucking about the results of him doing that with the information. But if I'm Tyler Herro and I have any sort of relationship with that person, I don't know whether he has any sort of relationship with that person. But I'd be just as mad at him right now as I am at Bam Adebayo for everything that happened there. Because that's not a great way to start your new experience in a new city. To head there as an all star caliber player and for this was interesting to me the way that this was sort of absorbed. Giannis is such a huge star that it's sort of lost that those are really good players, young players that the Heat sent over there that because the team didn't make the playoffs, but they won more than they lost. And they had some other reasons that the losing happened other than they're all never going to be good enough. Like the Lakers with Khalil Ware. I think they really could have made him a special player if he was doing nothing but taking Doncic and Austin Reaves alley oops all the time. Like they need exactly what Khalil where is. And I just think that everyone is sleeping on the amount that the Heat had to give up because the Heat didn't want to give up that amount, but because it was a nowhere team, they're not looking at what that hole was and being like, that's a lot of players to get for Giannis, a lot of good young players who are going to get better.

[Stugotz]

I think there is something to the gripe that the Heat have with how the national media constantly diminishes their trade packages because. Because what ultimately got Giannis was players that have been in the mix for these superstars plenty of times now. It wasn't the full lot of them, but constantly, anytime the Heat come out with these trade rumors, they kind of shit on these players. Wait a second. Jaime Jaquez was in contention for sixth man of the year. Khalil Ware has shown in his career he can pop off for 2020. Tyler Herro was an all Star, and I think Jakon Tunis has a chance to be the best one of them, and I think he was very clearly the tipping point point in getting this deal done. Yeah. Not enough was made about how much the Heat extended themselves in this trade. And if it doesn't end with LeBron James this offseason, they've got some work cut out ahead of them to. I'm sure the team will be fine and they're an effort team and they'll do something at the midway point near the deadline, but, you know, it's. They got a lot of holes on this roster.

[Zas]

Now from a local perspective, that's the part that I'm afraid of where if the Heat falls short of acquiring LeBron, I hope the Heat fan isn't disappoint, isn't too disappointed because this offseason, it's been a huge home run. Like they made the biggest move of the off season. They. They got the best player to ch who will change teams this off season. This has been a massive success this off season for Miami, but in terms

[Chris Cote]

of what the Bucks got, as everyone was saying that Jaylen Brown is a better offer. Tyler Hero is a formed player and you can have your quibbles with what Tyler Herro is. And you would not be wrong in saying Tyler Herro is not the player that Giannis is, but the four other players beyond the draft picks, the other players, they're not as good as they're going to be. You have not seen the best of what those players are. Those are still players who are forming and they're young. And while the team finished a little bit over.500 with those players. It's not. With the best version of those players.

[Zas]

Haquez is probably who he is because he was drawn to. He was older already. But Ware is certainly going to continue growing, and Chakashunas is certainly going to continue growing.

[Chris Cote]

Tony is out there. Can we go to Tony again? They're doing drills. I don't know what the. Tony, what is this drill that you're presently doing? What is this? What are you doing?

[Stugotz]

I know, I know. You have no idea what's going on, Dan. It's called waking up the hands. When you're doing dribbling drills, you got to wake up the hands first. Then we'll probably do some of these.

[Chris Cote]

We'll probably do some of these.

[Stugotz]

We'll probably do some of these. It depends. So right now we're working on the. Just waking up the hands, then.

[Chris Cote]

You've been out there for three hours. Why are the hands asleep? Hands. The hand should have been awake.

[Stugotz]

Yeah, I agree. I agree. But again, this is a. This is more of a learning situation. More so than.

[Chris Cote]

Are you. Are you waking up the hands? Because those kids always take a nap at 11 o' clock during the day.

[Guest or Caller]

Yeah, lunch.

[Stugotz]

Lunch is actually in 10 minutes. So I'll be joining my team. We're the 70.

[Tony Fiorentino]

76ers.

[Chris Cote]

Dan, wait, I thought you were gonna be the box. I didn't. I didn't think the 70s.

[Stugotz]

Yeah, no, they changed. They changed it. Yeah, they changed it. Clippers, Lakers actually playing in the far court. We got Suns and Rockets playing here. On this near court, we're the 76ers. And I want to say those are the Bucks, maybe. So we'll be playing them later on. You're never too formed.

[Tony Fiorentino]

I'm on Coach Phoebe's team, Dan.

[Stugotz]

To not revisit the fundamentals every now and then. And I think so far I've been watching picture in picture. Tony's flashing.

[Dan Le Batard]

Yeah.

[Chris Cote]

The fundamentals, as far as I can tell, being used by the player behind Tony is. He keeps hitting himself in the forehead with the basketball. He just.

[Stugotz]

Why are you so bad with kids?

[Chris Cote]

Why are you bullying children? He put the basketball on his forehead and then careened out of the screen. Everyone saw what?

[Stugotz]

Don't ask one of the kids if all they're good for is crying and shitting. Do that.

[Chris Cote]

These are older kids. All they're good for is complaining. They've graduated beyond the crying and shitting stage and now they just complain about everything. It's like Meadowlark employees. Hey, man, what do you mean the kid just put the ball on his forehead for some reason. I was just pointing out what it is that he was doing. Tony, you're doing excellent with all of the skills here. Zaz, would you like to revisit what I was originally talking talking about before we were derailed by Jeremy's self involvement? What Kenny Atkinson said there? Does he know something the rest of us do not know? Let's play that sound again. We have not heard Kenny from Kenny Atkinson since he said that analytically, they had won a series that they were swept in.

[Guest or Caller]

And then, you guys know there's a little free agency thing going on right now. So, you know, that could be our real jump. Yeah. And you know what mean I. I'm talking about. So you know that that's exciting too.

[Zas]

I do think it's interesting that he so willingly mentioned that. I think if Eric Spoelstra was in front of a microphone, I don't think he acknowledges that whatsoever.

[Stugotz]

Pretty cocksure. Cocksure, Kenny.

[Chris Cote]

Is it because he knows something or is it just because he's always cocksure Kenny?