Best of DLS: Chris Steals Greg's Laptop

Summary

---

The Dan Le Batard Show with Stugotz

Best of DLS: Chris Steals Greg's Laptop
Date: January 1, 2026

---

Episode Overview

Broadcasting from the Elser Hotel in Downtown Miami, this episode dives deep into the heart of the show's signature blend: high-energy sports banter with a uniquely Miami lens, comedic asides, and playful inter-host drama. The focal point is an escalating feud between Greg Cody and his son, Christopher Cody, sparked by the on-air theft of Greg’s laptop—which contains top-secret NFL power rankings. The episode also features an in-depth interview with tennis great John Isner covering his career, the state of tennis, and athletes’ relationships with their sports.

---

Main Themes

• Comedy of Familial Conflict: The recurring bit—Greg Cody’s overblown, genuine rage after Chris snatches his laptop—showcases the family dynamics that have become a DLS hallmark.
• Secrecy and Stakes in Fantasy Football: Greg’s “threats” to cancel a beloved fantasy football draft party drive home the seriousness (and absurdity) of fantasy sports stakes.
• Candid Sports Conversation: The episode features extensive, honest commentary on professional tennis with John Isner, including athlete psychology and the grind of elite competition.

---

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. The Laptop Hostage Situation and Draft Party Ultimatum

• Setting the Scene: Greg is immersed in composing NFL power rankings for the Miami Herald. Christopher, sensing content gold, “steals” Greg’s laptop, throwing the studio into comedic chaos.
• Conflicting Loyalties: Greg oscillates between parental authority and showman, making theatrical threats to cancel the annual fantasy draft party.
• Dramatic Escalation: Throughout the segment, Greg becomes increasingly agitated, underlined by his repeated, serious tones and ever-rising stakes.

Greg Cody (04:08):
“If anybody on this show reveals where I have the Dolphins ranked or anything else about my rankings, I am not hosting the draft party Thursday night. Take that to the bank. I’m saying it all my life… I will not host the draft party Thursday night.”

• Playful Interference: Co-hosts Dan, Mike Ryan, Jeremy, and John stir the pot, speculating about Greg’s rankings and pushing Greg’s buttons for comedic effect.
• Threat Becomes Personal: Greg invokes sacred family oaths (“on my granddaughter’s life!”), underscoring both his frustration and the bit's performative heart.

Mike Ryan (10:18):
“Why does this keep escalating? Who else’s life is he going to take before the end of this? Again, I remind people... this is the difference between the Dolphins being ranked 17th and 14th.”

• Resolution?: The clock runs down, the draft party hangs in the balance, and the group ultimately returns the laptop—but not without leaving bruised egos and lingering father-son tension.

---

Notable Quotes and Moments

(timestamps in MM:SS)

• [03:18] Greg Cody’s boundary:
  “If you reveal on the air where the Dolphins rank, I am going to be genuinely pissed at you... He steals my computer, breaks the whole screen.”
• [04:28] Smirnoff Announcer commending Greg:
  “Greg standing on business right now, talking to you.”
• [06:16] Greg’s breaking point:
  “I want my laptop back. I’m not the least bit amused by this. I’m not kidding in how angry I am.”

---

2. Family Dynamics and Showmanship

• Old Patterns, New Bits: Mike Ryan shrewdly observes that Greg’s meltdown is a replay of past family disputes—shadowed by comedy but tinged with real emotion.
• Overlapping Real and Performed: The team debates how much Greg’s rage is genuine versus “for the show," blurring lines for listeners and creating a uniquely layered bit.

Christopher Cody (14:45):
“I have seen him yell at Christopher this way since Christopher was 4. When he starts throwing around the ‘Christophers,’ I don’t need to see the front of his face to know he’s serious.”

• Humorous Backchannel:
  The threat of “moving the draft to Christopher’s house" and Mike Ryan’s plant-hiding become running bits symbolizing both fear and fun.
• Aftermath Reflection: The team discusses how the punishment (canceling the party) affects Greg most, and whether the threat ever truly landed.

Mike Ryan (21:04):
“That threat was something meaningful to you. But it wasn’t... it clearly wasn’t working as a threat.”

---

Notable Quotes and Moments

• [12:06] Mike Ryan’s childlike analogy:
  “All of them have been reduced to nine-year-olds. Fearing a father and a grandfather’s wrath. You have, you have reopened the scars here...”
• [16:00] Greg Cody bluntly:
  “You have no control over your emotions. You have no control over your emotions when you’re calling someone, you know, an idiot. I don’t deserve it.”

---

3. Tennis Deep-Dive with Guest John Isner

(Segment begins ~24:15)

• Introduction:
  John Isner joins for a friendly, insightful exploration of tennis culture, the US Open, and personal athletic discipline.
• Big Server’s Perspective:
  Isner discusses the advantages of height and serving ability, the “serve bot” stigma, and the frustration of opponents (“that’s what I wanted…”).

John Isner (25:21):
“When you’re almost 7ft tall playing tennis, the serve is 100% going to be your best weapon. And if it’s not, you shouldn’t be playing tennis at all.”

• Hitting the Professional Wall:
  Isner recounts his late start in the pro ranks, his surprise at becoming a top-ten player, and the physical toll of a long career.
• Mental Health in Tennis:
  Discussion on Daniil Medvedev’s meltdown and the psychological exhaustion present in the sport. Isner advocates stepping back rather than seeking professional help.

John Isner (30:41):
“Life is all good. Take a break from it and then come back and he should be all right.”

• Athlete Obsession and Longevity: Explores the unique longevity of Novak Djokovic and the “Tom Brady” level of dedication requisite for such a career.

John Isner (31:05):
“He’s a bit like Tom Brady in that regard. And that’s why he’s the greatest of all times… It’s very remarkable.”

• The Post-Retirement Transition:
  Isner candidly admits missing the sport’s grind and routine, and finds partial solace in sports group chats and media opportunities.
• Tennis and Its Emotional Cost:
  Both Isner and hosts discuss the emotional hardship and “torment” of tennis careers. Isner estimates 40% of ex-players have a tough or unhealthy relationship with the game.

John Isner (39:34):
“I’d give it 40% that, like, don’t have the healthiest relationship with this game, because it just… This game can torment you.”

• Venus Williams & Retirement:
  Reflections on Venus playing at 45, the difficulties of knowing when to retire, and the loneliness inherent in tennis.

---

Timestamps for Major Segments

• Laptop Heist & Draft Ultimatum: 02:05 – 23:01
• John Isner Interview: 24:04 – 42:10
• Venus Williams and Retirement: 35:09 – 37:57

---

Notable Quotes from Isner Interview

• On the “Serve Bot” Label:
  “Fans like to poke fun of us as like being serve bots. But like, what do you want us to do, right? Like kick a serve in and rally 30 balls with Carlos Alcaraz? It’s not going to happen.” (26:22)
• On Career Longevity:
  “He [Djokovic] knows exactly what to put into it… he’s sort of obsessive about his recovery, and that’s a big reason why he’s still doing what he’s doing at 38.” (32:33)
• On Post-Retirement Life:
  “I miss it a lot. Like, I would prefer the stress of waking up and having a match… The feeling of winning a match at a Grand Slam… is something like I seriously miss because these are the… pinnacle of our sport.” (33:15)

---

Episode Tone & Style

True to the Dan Le Batard Show brand, the tone is a seamless blend of sharp sarcasm, real emotional stakes, and self-aware absurdity. Whether feigning anger over NFL rankings or exchanging banter with a tennis legend, the hosts maintain their spontaneous, irreverent Miami vibe.

---

Summary for Non-Listeners

This episode is a perfect encapsulation of what makes DLS unique: the tense-funny family fights that turn petty grievances (“Where did you rank the Dolphins?”) into full-cast chaos, mixed with moments of disarmingly honest commentary on the emotional labor of sports—both for players (John Isner) and obsessive fans (Greg Cody). The dynamic swings between farce and sincerity, with both old wounds and fresh laughs opened along the way. And, if you ever doubted the stakes of a fantasy draft party, Greg Cody’s nuclear threats to cancel will put you straight.

---

Transcript

[Dan Le Batard]

Today's episode is brought to you by Venmo. Look, no matter how your favorite team does this season, there's still one way to feel like a winner, and that's with Venmo. That's because when you use venmo to transfer 50 or more to a DraftKings DFS account for the first time or the first time in three plus months, you'll get $25 in DraftKings bonus credits. Terms apply. Just go to draftkings.com venmoffer to activate your offer. Then choose Venmo to add Funds to your DraftKings account. Add $50 or more and boom, 25 bonus credits will appear in your DraftKings account if you're eligible. This offer is only good through February 15, 2026, or while supplies last, so don't fumble your chance before time runs out. Here's the deal. Venmo is a fast, easy way for you to add money onto DraftKings. And if you don't have a Venmo account yet, don't sweat it. You can download the app and sign up in minutes. So what are you waiting for? Just add $50 or more to your DraftKings DFS account with Venmo and you'll get $25 in bonus credits. Go to draftkings.com venmoffer and go get that bonus. Gambling problem? Call 100 Gambler in New York, call 8778-HOPE NY or text Hopeny at 467369 in Connecticut. Help is available for problem gambling. Call 888-789-7777 or visit ccpg.org 18+ in most eligible states, but age varies by jurisdiction. Eligibility restrictions apply. Void where prohibited. 1 per customer minimum 50 transfer from your Venmo account to DraftKings DFS account. 25 reward issued as non withdrawable DK dollar site credits that do not expire while rewards last. 20,000 total transfer redemptions available see [e-mail] Venmoffer ends February 15, 27:59pm Eastern Abercrombie.

[Commercial Announcer]

Knows how denim should fit and feel, and this year is about curating a denim collection that carries your closet head straight to Abercrombie's Baggy and Ultra Baggy Fits. These are the pairs that turn any tier shirt into a full outfit. All of their jeans come in classic fit with select jeans available in athletic fit designed for guys who want more room in the thigh shop. Abercrombie Denim in the app, online and in stores.

[Greg Cody]

This is the Dan Levator show with the Stugats podcast.

[Christopher Cody]

I've been asking. Go ahead and keep typing. Don't let us back it away.

[Greg Cody]

I didn't know you were starting.

[Christopher Cody]

You ended this last segment, so the.

[Dan Le Batard]

Countdown usually is where. Oh, you didn't have your headphones on.

[Christopher Cody]

Okay.

[Jeremy]

Okay.

[John Isner]

His team rankings are due today, guys.

[Greg Cody]

He has a deadline. You could clue me in that we're starting.

[Dan Le Batard]

How high do you have the Dolphins?

[Greg Cody]

I'm not telling you.

[Dan Le Batard]

You're gonna be top. Like, oh, my God.

[Greg Cody]

I happen to have my rankings open in front of me, but it's top secret information.

[Dan Le Batard]

I bet you I'm at 14.

[Jeremy]

Nah, it's too high.

[Smirnoff Announcer]

Like 17.

[Christopher Cody]

No, it'll be in the top 15. He would never go against his team that.

[Smirnoff Announcer]

You don't think 17, Dan, like, throw people off.

[Christopher Cody]

Like, there's just no way he's going under the midway point. I guess it would be 16. There's no way.

[Greg Cody]

Okay, first of all, the rankings that I have now, which Christopher probably purloined and. And illegally looked at, are not the official final rankings. So I'm going to come in there.

[Dan Le Batard]

And help you with something. I'm not going to look at your screen.

[Greg Cody]

No, this is not happening.

[John Isner]

No, I assure you.

[Christopher Cody]

Tone. I assure you. I promise you that there's no way that he puts the Dolphins in the bottom half.

[Greg Cody]

You're not doing anything.

[Smirnoff Announcer]

17 is just enough to throw the.

[Dan Le Batard]

People off the scent, right?

[John Isner]

Oh, there we go. We got a second.

[Mike Ryan]

Oh, no. They're going to be elbows grabbed. They're going to be elbows grabbed. He's furious.

[Greg Cody]

Okay, I'm going to tell Christopher right now. If he. If you reveal on the air where the Dolphins rank, I am going to be genuinely pissed at you. You do not do that. You're getting into my business now. Seriously. He better not do that. Okay? He steals my computer, breaks the whole screen.

[John Isner]

There it is.

[Jeremy]

Charge.

[Greg Cody]

There it is.

[Mike Ryan]

He's left you with just a keyboard.

[Greg Cody]

Christopher. Christopher.

[Mike Ryan]

He took your dignity.

[Commercial Announcer]

Just looking.

[Greg Cody]

Don't say anything about it. I'm serious. Okay? I'm going to tell you this right now. Are you hearing me? If you say that on the air, I am not hosting the draft party Thursday night.

[Dan Le Batard]

Wow.

[Greg Cody]

Period. Do you understand me? Do you understand me? The draft party will not be at my house Thursday night.

[Mike Ryan]

We got an Avery Johnson.

[Greg Cody]

If anybody on this show reveals where I have the Dolphins ranked or anything else about my rankings, I am not hosting the draft party Thursday night. Take that to the bank. I'm saying it all my life so many tabs open. I'm saying it all my life. I will not host the draft party Thursday night. If anybody says anything about my rankings on the air.

[Smirnoff Announcer]

Greg standing on business right now, talking to you.

[Christopher Cody]

And now I want to push this because, among other things, I want Chris to actually take that to a bank. I want him to go to a.

[Mike Ryan]

Bank and say, listen, my father. See what the teller's reaction is when you say, my father has threatened that.

[Greg Cody]

If I take that back me back my computer.

[John Isner]

Jack. Jack.

[Rubrik Agent Cloud Announcer]

Avery Johnson's father thinks this is aggressive.

[Dan Le Batard]

I may have exited out. I hope you have it saved. Oh, no.

[Mike Ryan]

1440 is the password.

[Greg Cody]

Oh, no.

[Dan Le Batard]

All right, I'm going to bring it back in. I'm scared.

[Christopher Cody]

No, no, just hold on to it for a second.

[Mike Ryan]

I'll stay here.

[Rubrik Agent Cloud Announcer]

And, Dan, you can't see our van.

[John Isner]

This is not. This is a bad idea.

[Christopher Cody]

I have seen him yell at Christopher this way since Christopher was 4. When he starts throwing around the Christophers, I don't need to see the front of his face to know that he's serious. And the greatest of all the threats, when he threatens not to host a.

[Mike Ryan]

Draft party when it's the center of his life, he doesn't want to take away that draft party.

[Christopher Cody]

That's what he wants to be.

[Jeremy]

But he will.

[Mike Ryan]

But he will. If you reveal that the dolphins are 14 instead of 17. If you reveal that and take away his paywall thunder. Really?

[Jeremy]

You're.

[Dan Le Batard]

He just spoke to me in sign language.

[Mike Ryan]

He. No, it wasn't even sign language. He did not waste words. He just did Keanu Reeves the Matrix and summoned you over with a finger because he didn't want to waste the breath of having you test.

[Christopher Cody]

His rage anymore.

[Mike Ryan]

He's just sitting here with nothing but a keyboard, and I gotta tell you, it looks pathetic.

[Greg Cody]

I want my laptop back. I'm not the least bit amused by this. I'm not kidding in how angry I am.

[Christopher Cody]

I know you're not, okay? And this is what I'm gonna do.

[Jeremy]

Give it back, please.

[John Isner]

Okay?

[Jeremy]

Stop stopping us from giving it back, please.

[Christopher Cody]

I am gonna. No. I'm gonna send them both to the penalty box.

[Greg Cody]

I'm not going to the penalty box.

[Dan Le Batard]

Put it together. I'll bring this.

[Greg Cody]

I want my computer right here before I do anything. No, I'm not going to the penalty box until I get my comp.

[Christopher Cody]

You can bring it to me. This is fine. This is good.

[Greg Cody]

No, you can bring it to me.

[Christopher Cody]

Craig, you're gonna stop that now.

[Greg Cody]

No.

[Mike Ryan]

Yes.

[Greg Cody]

No. I'M not.

[Christopher Cody]

You're.

[Mike Ryan]

You're going to stop that now.

[Christopher Cody]

No.

[Greg Cody]

No, I'm not. I'll leave. I'll go home if you want me to with my laptop, but I am not going in the penalty box until my laptop is connected to my computer. My son is. This is not your fault. My son has gone over the line here. I am genuinely upset.

[Christopher Cody]

We know.

[Greg Cody]

Okay, so how about make it right?

[Jeremy]

Yeah, you're.

[Greg Cody]

Instead of continuing the joke.

[Jeremy]

It's partly Dan's fault.

[Greg Cody]

It's ridiculous.

[Christopher Cody]

It's partly my fault.

[Jeremy]

Yes.

[Mike Ryan]

That we're not able to have fun with Greg Cody's rankings of 14 or 17.

[Greg Cody]

That's right. Because they're serious to me.

[Jeremy]

Yeah.

[Greg Cody]

Okay. Christopher, if I don't have that computer here in three minutes, I am not hosting the draft party Thursday night.

[Christopher Cody]

Put the clock on the screen, please.

[Greg Cody]

Do. Do it, Louis.

[Christopher Cody]

Put up a clock on the screen. That gives us our three minutes.

[Greg Cody]

Ok. And please do that. And, Christopher, you send out a notice to the rest of the league saying that the draft is going to be at your house because of what you.

[Christopher Cody]

Did to me today.

[Mike Ryan]

Just a second to gather ourselves here.

[Christopher Cody]

For the nature of this threat.

[Greg Cody]

Okay, where's my three minute?

[Mike Ryan]

Hold on a second.

[Greg Cody]

I'm going to start.

[Mike Ryan]

All right, you're going to start.

[Jeremy]

Don't wait till 30 seconds.

[Greg Cody]

Just go in there.

[Christopher Cody]

No, no, no. I need the dramatic tension of the three minutes I think we have.

[Jeremy]

Of course. Yeah, I got. I'm good on tension.

[Christopher Cody]

No, I want it a little more.

[John Isner]

I want to guess who Mike Fuentes is.

[Jeremy]

Okay, again, listen to what's happening.

[Greg Cody]

Greg.

[Christopher Cody]

Let's play now. Billy.

[Mike Ryan]

That's a good idea. Let's play the game right now.

[Christopher Cody]

Does Greg know the name of everyone in this office? Let's. Let's.

[John Isner]

This is how you make things, Chris.

[Christopher Cody]

And.

[Mike Ryan]

And his computer.

[Greg Cody]

It's on the screen 245.

[John Isner]

Oh, boy.

[Christopher Cody]

I don't.

[Mike Ryan]

Do you guys understand what this threat is? I don't totally understand.

[Smirnoff Announcer]

It's a big draft party that's happening Thursday. Greg has been gracious enough to open his home draft.

[Greg Cody]

If Christopher thinks I'm kidding, I am not.

[Christopher Cody]

He doesn't think you're kidding.

[Greg Cody]

No, I think he does.

[Christopher Cody]

No, he does not. We are in a tense situation, though, and we're stuck in it. Like, the discomfort is real. It is awkward. And we are now on the clock, and it's very dramatic.

[Greg Cody]

It's down to almost two minutes.

[Christopher Cody]

I know.

[Mike Ryan]

It's 2:15, which means he still got.

[Christopher Cody]

A little bit of time now, I.

[Greg Cody]

I cannot express you how serious I am.

[Dan Le Batard]

All right, yeah.

[Greg Cody]

No, no. On my life, Greg, I am not hosting this draft party Thursday night. Have we.

[Dan Le Batard]

Have you revealed anything?

[Greg Cody]

I don't care. I'm giving you an ultimatum. You now have a minute and 50 seconds.

[Christopher Cody]

It's. Yeah, it's a minute 49. Now. This is been.

[Greg Cody]

I've never been more angry connected with this show, ever. A minute and 38.

[Dan Le Batard]

We put up the LSU photo, please.

[Greg Cody]

Oh, I don't care. That doesn't make me nearly as mad as what's happening right now. Anybody who thinks that's me is an idiot. A minute 20. Minute 15. It has to be in my hand before it goes to all zeros. In my hand. A minute eight. See, Christopher thinks I'm kidding about not hosting this draft party. Okay. On my life, on my granddaughter's life, on my granddaughter's life, I am not hosting this draft party unless I have that computer.

[Mike Ryan]

Why does this keep escalating? Who else's life is he going to take before the end of this? Again, I remind people, as a discomfort sweeps over the room dramatically, that this is the difference between the Dolphins being ranked 17th and 14th. And I'm guaranteeing you it's not going to be in the bottom half of the league. And the only way it's going to be in the bottom half of the league is if he changes it the.

[Christopher Cody]

Way that he just alpha ed.

[Mike Ryan]

This room is the single most impressive.

[Christopher Cody]

Thing I have seen Greg Cody do.

[Mike Ryan]

Since he had a funeral for his.

[Christopher Cody]

30 year old deck shoes. Look at the tension in the other room there, Greg.

[Greg Cody]

Good. There's tension in this room too, emanating entirely from me.

[Christopher Cody]

I'm fanning it a bit. I'm participating. Well, but you would never. Well, wait a minute, though. First of all, you will not tell me that this is not good.

[Mike Ryan]

You will not tell me that.

[Christopher Cody]

And I'm watching Mike's hiding behind a plant.

[Mike Ryan]

And the rest of you, I can see your faces. But what he has just done is old man strength. What you just saw was him telling you as he's told you for a.

[Christopher Cody]

Little while, I got stamina. And what you could do is you.

[Mike Ryan]

Can go to an old fashioned bank.

[Christopher Cody]

And you can tell them that he's.

[Mike Ryan]

Not hosting that draft party.

[Christopher Cody]

If you. I still want you to do that. I want you to go to a bank and find a teller and see what they're. I just want to see an assortment.

[Mike Ryan]

Of tellers, what their reaction is. And I wonder if there's some sort of crime that you could be committing that they will make you like a bank robber or something because you're just.

[Christopher Cody]

Weirding out people and you're going to be escorted out by security.

[Mike Ryan]

Do you care at all that you look at, look at what that room.

[Christopher Cody]

Looks like right now?

[Mike Ryan]

All of them have been reduced to nine year olds. Fearing a father and a grandfather's wrath. You have, you have reopened the scars here on. Oh, come on. We were just playing with somebody that we respect and like, why are we arguing this way about the fact that he was waving keyboard at us?

[Greg Cody]

I didn't hear a lot of respect and like in what just happened. I certainly didn't feel any respect for my son.

[Christopher Cody]

The respect that you did not feel that is accurate for you not to.

[Mike Ryan]

Feel is a respect for a top.

[Christopher Cody]

20 list of rankings.

[Greg Cody]

It's a top 32. It's.

[John Isner]

Any hack could do 20. Who.

[Greg Cody]

Does the top 20 rankings?

[John Isner]

It's insane before the season starts.

[Greg Cody]

Ridiculous.

[Rubrik Agent Cloud Announcer]

So everyone's deploying AI agents now. They're automating tasks, running workflows, making decisions, basically moving faster than anyone can keep up with. And when they work, it's great, but when they don't, they delete the wrong files, make changes you didn't authorize or just go completely rogue. That's the scary part of AI it lets you move fast and break way more things in way less time. Rubrik Agent cloud is the only platform that allows you to monitor, govern and rewind AI agent actions. One platform to help you unleash more agents faster without the risk it's running in the background the whole time, giving you full visibility, enforcing guardrails and making sure agents don't go off script. This is why hospitals, banks are turning to Rubric Agent Cloud. It's real AI resilience that doesn't slow innovation. If your business relies on AI agents, you need the ability to modern govern and rewind their actions. Right now, Lerd show listeners get exclusive early access to Rubric Agent cloud. Head to rubrik.com that's R U B R I K.com rubrik.com the stage is set.

[DraftKings Announcer]

The college football playoffs are here. Every snap, every Drive, every touchdown. DraftKings Sportsbook, the number one sportsbook for live betting puts you right in the middle of the action. From real time wagers to season ending thrillers, DraftKings keeps you locked in from kickoff to the final whistle. Download the DraftKings sportsbook app and use Code Dan. That's Code Dan for new customers to turn five bucks into $200 in bonus bets. If your bet wins in partnership with DraftKings, the Crown is yours.

[Commercial Announcer]

Gambling problem. Call 1-800-GAMBLER in New York, call 877-8-HOPENY or text hopeny467-369 in Connecticut. Help is available for problem gambling. Call 888-789-7777 or visit ccpg.org Please play responsibly on behalf of Boothill Casino and Resort in Kansas. Pass through of tax may apply in Illinois, 21 and over. Age and eligibility varies by jurisdiction. Void in Ontario. Restrictions apply. Bet must win to receive bonus bets which expire in seven days. Minimum odds required. For additional terms and responsible gaming resources, see DKNG CO Audio limited time offer.

[DraftKings Announcer]

Here's to quitting. Quitting the couch for a quick run. Quitting the snooze button for a morning workout. Quitting. Giving up after two weeks. You see, staying committed to your fitness goals isn't easy. But with Apple Watch, you don't have to do it alone, because Apple Watch gives you real time motivation, plus advanced metrics that track all your workouts. So you can stick to your New Year's fitness resolutions. And once and for all, quit quitting with Apple Watch. IPhone 11 or later required.

[John Isner]

Don LeBatard.

[Jeremy]

I'm not gonna apologize.

[Greg Cody]

I wouldn't expect you to apologize. You're a giant infant, okay? You have no control over your emotions. You have no control over your emotions when you're calling someone, you know an idio. I don't deserve it.

[Jeremy]

Okay?

[Greg Cody]

I don't deserve it.

[Jeremy]

All right?

[Greg Cody]

And you're a fool for saying it.

[Jeremy]

Okay?

[John Isner]

Stugats.

[Greg Cody]

You're a fool.

[John Isner]

I was kind of following.

[Rubrik Agent Cloud Announcer]

Oh, you're locking in right now.

[John Isner]

You're locking in on us.

[Greg Cody]

Yeah.

[Jeremy]

All right.

[Mike Ryan]

Let's drop the gloves, pal. Let's rock.

[Jeremy]

You should be thanking me.

[Greg Cody]

For what?

[Mike Ryan]

Every day.

[Greg Cody]

For what?

[Jeremy]

For what I've done around this character. And the second shit gets real for you, you want to come at me.

[Mike Ryan]

And call me a fool, huh? No, no, seriously, Jeremy.

[Jeremy]

Seriously.

[John Isner]

I've added 10 years to your career.

[Greg Cody]

This is the Dan Levatar show with the Stugach.

[Mike Ryan]

So in football, we've got Kenny Pickett going to the Raiders. We have Amari Cooper going to the Raiders.

[Jeremy]

Can't do that shit. My parents divorced.

[Greg Cody]

What do you show?

[Christopher Cody]

You put something in the middle of it here. That is a bit.

[Greg Cody]

Oh, I put it in the middle of it. That started with me.

[Dan Le Batard]

You're acting like we revealed it when.

[Greg Cody]

Someone stole my laptop. That's me.

[Dan Le Batard]

You're acting like it was revealed. We did it like we was revealed. What was revealed?

[Greg Cody]

You said a number. That is much too close to the number.

[Dan Le Batard]

Well, that's just guessing.

[Mike Ryan]

I don't remember what it was.

[Dan Le Batard]

Anything.

[Mike Ryan]

You won $12,000 yesterday.

[John Isner]

Damn it.

[Mike Ryan]

You revealed the number. I didn't hear it. And he's pointing it out. I didn't hear the number. What is the number he said?

[Dan Le Batard]

Now he's mad again.

[Mike Ryan]

I'm gonna say, did any of you hear the number that Chris said?

[Smirnoff Announcer]

It's 17. Dan, I told you already.

[Greg Cody]

Whatever number he said will not be where the Dolphins are.

[Mike Ryan]

Wait a minute.

[John Isner]

Oh, wait. Now the number's changing.

[Greg Cody]

Maybe.

[Smirnoff Announcer]

Oh, no.

[Greg Cody]

Depending on how accurate he was. You know, it's ridiculous. You're messing with my. My livelihood when you do stuff like that. Yes, yes. Okay. And you know, you're. You're. You're thinking of the show first, which. In that seat. I get it. But I almost wish you hadn't brought it back so you would have seen how serious I am about not hosting the. You should cancel it anyway.

[Mike Ryan]

You want to take it again? You want to take it seriously.

[Greg Cody]

You want something else to piss me off. And you'll be sending out a group text and you'll be hosting that draft.

[Dan Le Batard]

Put up the hospital photo. No, I'm kidding.

[Smirnoff Announcer]

Don't do.

[Jeremy]

I like the Kenny Picket topic. Let's do. That was a good transition, the Mark Cooper thing. That's how like Jacoby Myers you do.

[Rubrik Agent Cloud Announcer]

What?

[Jeremy]

Now we're going to get a mark.

[Christopher Cody]

The hospital photo is as mad as I've ever seen him before this. But the hospital photo is something that.

[Mike Ryan]

We showed only because he had already shown it on social, like he provided.

[Christopher Cody]

It for us, so.

[Greg Cody]

No, no, no. I provided it to my social media followers.

[Mike Ryan]

Yeah, you made it that public, though.

[Dan Le Batard]

That's putting it out public.

[Jeremy]

Okay, what does a pick a trade mean for shadow?

[Dan Le Batard]

If you tweet out a photo, you.

[John Isner]

Can'T be upset at that, Gabriel.

[Greg Cody]

That's fair.

[Jeremy]

Who's QB2?

[Christopher Cody]

But this is an anger that I don't know that I've seen from him before. He says you're messing with his livelihood. I don't believe that that's true. I. I don't believe that his livelihood would be impacted in any way whatsoever if you revealed that number. I don't believe that there will be more subscriptions to the Miami Herald to get to that paywall, but. Okay, he's entitled to feel that it escalating from he was willing to give his life, and then he just gave up your daughter's life as well.

[Dan Le Batard]

That's where the game ended for me.

[Greg Cody]

Yeah. Because I needed to inform you how serious I was.

[Jeremy]

I was aware.

[Greg Cody]

No, you weren't.

[Christopher Cody]

I don't think you were. I feel like we all were, Greg. No, Mike was hiding behind a plant.

[Greg Cody]

I don't think Christopher honestly thought that I would stand firm and not host that draft Thursday night.

[Dan Le Batard]

You don't think I can tell when you're really upset, can I?

[Greg Cody]

You can come back very soon with the left.

[Christopher Cody]

Okay, that was. That was my fault. I just want to examine for a second before we move off of this.

[Greg Cody]

Please, just.

[Christopher Cody]

Well, I don't want to move off this part, though. It's such a funny threat to get to the height of rage and say you're going to have to host your own party. I'm going to pull the party.

[Mike Ryan]

I don't think Chris particularly cares.

[Christopher Cody]

I don't know. I know you care about made it work. I know you care about that as a threat.

[Mike Ryan]

That threat was something meaningful to you. But it wasn't. It clearly wasn't working as a threat.

[Dan Le Batard]

It's like one text. Hey, we're having it at John's house now.

[Greg Cody]

Well, great.

[John Isner]

Like this.

[Greg Cody]

Okay.

[John Isner]

What does that draft party mean to you, Greg? Just so we have an understanding, because it seems as though they're not taking this seriously. Like, it would just be a text to change.

[Greg Cody]

I mean, I. I enjoy the league. It's a keeper league, which is itself a pain in the ass, but I enjoy the league.

[Christopher Cody]

I feel like you're punishing yourself with that threat, though, that you want to host that party. And if you don't get to host that party, it's. The punishment is greatest for.

[Mike Ryan]

For you.

[Greg Cody]

No, no, that's not true. Christopher asks me to host the party every year.

[Dan Le Batard]

You have a bigger house than I do.

[Greg Cody]

Okay? And. And I'm happy to do it, but in the buildup to me hosting the draft. You don't want to piss me off.

[Dan Le Batard]

You know what? I feel bad for what's happened here. Let me set you up for. To talk about this more.

[John Isner]

It is time now for a weekly update on our favorite team, Rex Lobos.

[Christopher Cody]

O, look at that. They're trying to cheer you up. This.

[Mike Ryan]

This is makeup sex right here.

[Dan Le Batard]

Just did your draft on Saturday.

[John Isner]

You had a good draft.

[Greg Cody]

I haven't memorized my lineup yet.

[Christopher Cody]

He's not ready for a Lobo's office.

[Greg Cody]

He's not ready for a Lobos opera.

[Dan Le Batard]

You stick ready.

[Greg Cody]

Scott, you're springing on me, all right?

[Christopher Cody]

So hold on a second there, will you now, honor?

[John Isner]

Minor penalty.

[Christopher Cody]

Two minutes.

[John Isner]

Murdering the show with her bare hands and a dismemberment kit in cold blood.

[Christopher Cody]

Murdering the show with a dismemberment kit with your bare hands and cold blood. That's a two minute penalty for.

[John Isner]

For you. Yeah, well, because a victim of a crime.

[Greg Cody]

Thank you, Billy.

[Christopher Cody]

That's okay. We're victim blaming. And now that he's shown everybody who's boss because he.

[Mike Ryan]

He.

[Christopher Cody]

Look, it's only happened one other time where Dominique just refused the penalty. You have to respect the system here. Even though we've disrespected you, your rage has subsided. And perhaps you can respect the delayed.

[Dan Le Batard]

You can leave the laptop. Just leave the laptop.

[Greg Cody]

But the way. You know. But the way to make up for what just happened is to send me to your ridiculous penalty box. That's a good way to make me happy.

[Christopher Cody]

Well, I'm sorry we're not making you happy, but he's gonna go to the kitchen.

[Dan Le Batard]

What are we talking about here?

[Mike Ryan]

Rage fueled.

[Christopher Cody]

Rage fueled. 20 minutes where I can see everybody's scorched eyebrows in the other room because I felt like he was yelling at you the way that he yelled at you when you were five. Like it was just a completely unreasonable escalation of things.

[Dan Le Batard]

That's right. I've seen that yell many a time.

[Mike Ryan]

Don LeBatard, you owe me everything. You owe me everything.

[Greg Cody]

You have added 10 years to my career.

[Mike Ryan]

Yes, I have.

[Greg Cody]

This man has. You haven't.

[Rubrik Agent Cloud Announcer]

That man.

[Greg Cody]

Who the hell are you?

[John Isner]

Stugats.

[Mike Ryan]

I am. Who the hell are you?

[Greg Cody]

You're a rude young man.

[Mike Ryan]

You're a fool. You're a fool.

[Greg Cody]

I already called you a fool.

[Mike Ryan]

Right.

[Greg Cody]

You can't call me an idiot again. It's a fool.

[Mike Ryan]

TW.

[John Isner]

You're an idiot for dismissing how much I've helped you.

[Greg Cody]

This is the Dan Levatar show with the stugats.

[Dan Le Batard]

Dan, we have John Isner here. This is very exciting. This segment is brought to you by Comcast Business. Powering the engine of modern business with advanced networking and security solutions.

[Mike Ryan]

What kind of introduction is that for John Isner? We've been wanting to talk to John Isner forever. John Isner's a hero of ours.

[Jeremy]

Usually he's the taking part in something that's dragging on too long.

[Dan Le Batard]

Big highlight fan.

[Mike Ryan]

That is correct. John Isner. This is very exciting. We have not gotten to speak to you before, but we have spoken of.

[Christopher Cody]

You for a long time because your serve is the most majestic thing that any of us have ever seen in tennis. So thank you for joining us. We appreciate it. It feels like. I don't know if we've talked to you about this or if I've read about this because. Thank you for joining us.

[John Isner]

As I said, thanks for having me.

[Jeremy]

How long is this question? Longer than your matches?

[John Isner]

Yes, it's a long one. Spit it out.

[Christopher Cody]

Your physical advantage is. Is there a way that physics allows you to serve better than anyone else in the sport?

[John Isner]

Well, yeah, absolutely. I'm able to create angles when I was playing that most of my opponents aren't. Aren't able to pull off. You saw that a little bit last night with Riley Opelka, although he lost, of course, to Carlos Alcaraz last night. He's about my height and he can create some ser. Various angles when he's serving. So when you're almost 7ft tall playing tennis, the serve is 100% going to be your best weapon. And if it's not, you shouldn't be playing tennis at all.

[Christopher Cody]

I should mention that he's won 16 ATP Tour singles titles. He's the tallest top 10 player in history. Your history. When did you know you were going to do this as a career?

[John Isner]

Oh, that was, that wasn't until my junior year of college. I didn't have of pro aspirations and typically in tennis, like bigger players take much longer to develop. It just takes a lot longer time to grow into your body. So that was definitely the case for me in my junior year in college. I got pretty good and decided that, you know, I didn't want to work a regular job. So I pursued professional tennis after my senior year. I mean, I still, I went to all four years of school at the University of Georgia and had a long pro career after that. So going to college was critical for me. But it actually, like some players, when they leave high school, they face a tough decision whether to turn pro or go to college. For me, it wasn't tough at all. I had to go to college. I just wasn't good enough.

[Christopher Cody]

Do players or fans get mad at how you play tennis because you're so singularly excellent at aces?

[John Isner]

Yeah, players do. And that's a good thing. That's what I wanted. I wanted them to get mad and get frustrated because that's, that's basically when I knew I was doing my absolute best out there. Has been frustrating my opponents when they can't get a racket on my serve and they don't have much rhythm. That's typically when I was playing my best ball. Sometimes I would even feel uncomfortable out on the court. But at the same time, I needed to realize that my opponents were feeling more uncomfortable than I was. Fans alike, big servers, we're affectionately known as serve bots, as Mike Ryan definitely knows about that term. And yeah, like, fans like to poke fun of us as like being serve bots. But like, what do you want us to do, right? Like kick a serve in and rally 30 balls with Carlos Alcaraz. It's not going to happen. So. So, yeah, but really, I mean, most of that rage comes from, you know, the Twitter spaces and stuff like that. So it's really not in real life. I think at tournaments, fans are much nicer.

[Christopher Cody]

I should tell the folks that we're in the middle of the US Open here, the first round, and it's been interesting so far. Isner's joining us from the US Open and have you seen what happened with Medvedev? I know we have hotheads throughout the sport, but where you've got a match point and the photographer seemed to feel really bad about what happened there. Your thoughts on what happened there where Medvedev is just going crazy?

[John Isner]

Yes. So I have a bit of a different take for. For first of all, I don't think that photographer's credential should have been revoked. He clearly made a mistake. He clearly felt awful about it. Kicking him out of the tournament. I think that's a bit harsh. If I was the umpire, I think the letter of the law. He made the right call. But in that situation when Medvedev was already losing his mind, that's much easier said than done when you're watching this match, you know, from tv. He should not have awarded Bonzi a first serve just knowing that Medvedev would lose his shit if, you know, had he got a. Had he got a first serve. So I think you should just let it be. You know, it's just a four or five second delay. No one would have complained if they just. If he just let it go and just said second serve.

[Jeremy]

John Medvedev, since blowing it against Sinner at the Aussie, is a totally different player. This is a guy that was thought to at once be challenging the kings of the sport. And I believe this is his third first round exit in a major in his last four attempts. It's manifesting. I mean, he's always been a hothead, but he's breaking rackets, he's doing BJ signs to. To opposing players. Is this, is he long for this sport? It feels like that was. That might have been it.

[John Isner]

Yeah, he's losing his mind. I mean, three first round losses in a row for a guy like Daniil Medvedev, who's made lots of slam finals, has won a Grand Slam, this1 the US Open, spin number in the world. He's just losing his marbles. I, I think truthfully, he's just mentally exhausted. Trying to chase perhaps at the front end of his career, Djokovic and Rafa, and maybe even fed a little bit. And now towards the mid to late part of his career, center and Alcaraz come along and just the prospect of him winning a big tournament has just become a lot more challenging. And I think that chase has just worn him down. But also, you know, he's a big guy and he plays, as you all know, he plays 13, 14ft behind the baseline. He's big and he's skinny, and maybe his body's just wearing out on him a little bit because he plays such a physical game out there. Moves so well for his size, but he's very wiry and just maybe his body's taking a little bit of toll. It definitely does seem like he should take a break, put the rackets away, mentally refresh, and, you know, try to come back strong next year.

[Greg Cody]

Boris Becker said Medvedev needs professional help. If you're a friend of Medvedevs or a family member, would you tend to agree?

[John Isner]

I don't know about professional help. I think he would need to. In my mind, he would need to just, you know, sit down and talk with those closest to him, his wife, his coach, his trainer. I think just putting the rackets away and not focusing on the next tournament and having to practice. And he's got two kids, I believe. Just spend time with your family and don't focus on tennis and realize in my mind, like, that dude's made a crap ton of money. He's been very successful. Life is all good. Take a break from it and then come back and he should be all right.

[Christopher Cody]

You played 17 years, so can you explain to us physically what it is that Djokovic is doing, having had a career longer than 17 years? What is this? Do people even understand what this sport does to the body?

[John Isner]

Yeah, it's, it's brutal. I mean, especially when you, for the most part, we're playing on hard courts, which is very, very tough on your body. So what Novak is still doing is otherworldly. I mean, he's 38 years old right now. Of course, he's playing a limited schedule, but, like, for his ridiculous standards, he's been, like, the fourth, the fifth or sixth best player in the world, like, to date, having not played many tournaments this year. It's just crazy. But for him, as you get older, you certainly have to pick and choose your spots. And obviously, he's just focused on the Grand Slams. He wants to get the number 25, but. But he's, in my mind, the most dedicated and professional player I think our sport's ever seen. Like, everyone works hard on the court and off the court. You know, Rafa is a great example of that. But I think what Novak does off the court with his diet and his sleep and his habits, he's a bit like Tom Brady in that regard. And that's why he's the greatest of all times, just like someone like Thomas. I hate to compare two goats like that, but they take care of themselves so well. He's so strict on his diet, his hydration. He sleeps in a hyperbaric chamber. I mean, he's sort of obsessive about his recovery, and that's a big reason why he's still doing what he's doing at 38 right now, having played all these matches in his career. It's. It's very remarkable. In my mind, he's one of the greatest athletes of all time. Not just tennis players, we know that, but I think greatest athletes of all time. He's. He's remarkable.

[Christopher Cody]

How is he different from you in terms of being obsessive compulsive about taking care of himself? Because I would assume that you were similar. You're all.

[John Isner]

You're.

[Christopher Cody]

You're all looking for edges, wherever it is that you can get them. And you spent 10 years in the top 20.

[John Isner]

Yeah, I was. I was very dedicated to my body. I mean, I. I just did a lot of things. I took care of myself. Being so big, I have to spend a lot of time in. In the gym to keep myself healthy and keep myself feeling strong. I. I don't know. I mean, he knows his body, like, better than anyone knows their body. He knows exactly what to put into it. Early on in his career, he figured out that gluten was not for him. He's a vegan. He has his own supplement company that. That he promotes and drinks. And just like everything he does, like, he just knows exactly what. What fuels him perfectly. I was very good in that regard. I'd like to think I was. I was one of the best. But Novak just takes it to another level.

[Rubrik Agent Cloud Announcer]

What do you love being able to do now, John, that you couldn't do while you were an active player?

[John Isner]

Oh, well, I like. I like being on the other side of tennis. I'm doing some work for ESPN during. During the first week of this, so it's certainly less stressful. But truthfully, like, I miss it a lot. Like, I would prefer the stress of waking up and having a match and having those butterflies and having to warm up and stretch and get your body ready. The feeling of. Of winning a match at a Grand Slam and then knowing you have the next day off to just totally chill and try to recharge is something like I seriously miss because these are the. These tournaments are obviously the, the pinnacle of. Of our sport. And, you know, you don't get that anymore when, when you're retired. I get my. My fun out of sports with a hockey chat that I'm in with. With Mike Ryan and I'm even in a tennis chat as well that. That he's the commissioner.

[Dan Le Batard]

Don't forget about highlight.

[Christopher Cody]

Highlight chat.

[John Isner]

There's a highlight chat. Yeah, that's an unbelievable chat. There's a chat about. About pickles.

[Christopher Cody]

Yeah, that's a good one.

[Dan Le Batard]

Yo.

[Rubrik Agent Cloud Announcer]

My movie the. Yourself Pickles.

[John Isner]

Yeah. So anyway, I think the pickle chat's my favorite one anyway, so, you know, I'm always going to stay tethered to the sport of tennis and just tethered to just sports in general. I'm a sports nut. I like to talk about it, but it's very fortunate. I mean, I had a. Had a good career and I was an American. I've got a lot of, you know, cool opportunities because of that. And one of those is this week at the U.S. open. Being able to. To talk about this tournament.

[Christopher Cody]

But just to be clear, when you say that you miss it a lot. The chats about pickles and high, they have not replaced what it is to play the longest match in Wimbledon history. Like, you haven't been able to recreate it with the text chats.

[Dan Le Batard]

Williams.

[John Isner]

Not quite. The highlight chat is closing that gap, though.

[Christopher Cody]

Okay.

[John Isner]

That's a special chat. I'm a Cyclones. I'm a Cyclones guy for life now.

[Mike Ryan]

Okay. Yes. The owner is Chris Cody. This is his father, Greg. You walked in on him.

[John Isner]

Yeah. Is that Greg?

[Christopher Cody]

Yes.

[John Isner]

Is that Greg of the mc? Overrated take. There we go.

[Greg Cody]

Thank you. Gotta be famous for something.

[Christopher Cody]

Venus Williams is playing at 45. Greg Cody has had some opinions on that. She's playing in the US Open. Or she was.

[Greg Cody]

Yes. I mean, and she apparently looked. I didn't see the match, but she drew raves for her match even though she lost. I give her all the credit in the world. You know, one of the hardest things to do. And maybe you can relate to this, John. When you age as an athlete, it's tough to know when to retire and how to retire because it's so much of, of, of who you are. And for her to still be doing it at 45, mad, mad respect and, and. And love for what she's done.

[Christopher Cody]

Mad respect.

[Rubrik Agent Cloud Announcer]

Mad respect.

[Christopher Cody]

You were mad before because of the disrespect.

[Greg Cody]

Well, it's too easy to say. Has been, you know, no. When to retire, get, you know, get out and let the younger people do it. If she still wants to play at 45 and can be competitive, I give her all the credit in the world.

[John Isner]

No, I'm with you there. I think. I think for me, with, with Venus, it's. It's easy to gear up for Washington D. Played a few weeks ago in Cincinnati, which she played two weeks ago and in the US Open. But her rankings, nothing right now. She's like, I don't know what she's ranked. It's super, super low 7, 800 in the world. So what is she going to do from this point forward? Does she want to, like, go down and play challengers or she want to go to Asia and play the Asian swing? Like, so that. That's tough to do at 45, especially when you've been so accomplished like, like she has been, obviously, when you get to play on Arthur Ash Stadium in a night match, like, I'll come back for one match for that for sure, because you can't replicate that feeling of playing in that court under the light. But it's not all glitz and Gl on the tour. It certainly is at the US Open. So it's a lot more difficult once this tournament ends and you look at what the rest of your tournament schedule looks like.

[Christopher Cody]

I would think that tennis, though, might be something. And I don't know whether you're missing the routine here as well, just the form of what your life used to be. But tennis is so lonely and eats up so many of your childhoods that I would imagine that after 17 years, there would be some relief on. Finally, like I said, I get to rest a little bit. This has been a really lonely pursuit.

[John Isner]

Yeah, no, like, for. For me, for sure. Like that. That rest period is, was. Has been nice, but, like, I still miss it. I get to recreate my childhood, a sense like through my children now, which is, which is very special. And maybe they'll go on the tennis journey that I went on as well, which I would love for them to do. But definitely, like rest is, is nice. My body isn't beat up as, as much anymore. And you know, it's life's all good after tennis, but, but when you play for 17 years, as you mentioned, Dan, it's like you become so routine and just so ingrained. You wake up and you ask yourself the question, like, how am I going to get better today? Even if you're not practicing on that day, you're still trying to get better, get your body better. And that's what you don't have when you retire. So it becomes difficult. It was a difficult adjustment for me. I think a lot of athletes, not just in tennis, face that, of course, when, when, when they retire.

[Jeremy]

John, you have one of the healthier relationships with tennis. Out of all the former pros. You're hosting the Nothing Major, co hosting the Nothing Major podcast, you're constantly covering the sport. Is that because you were a sort of late bloomer in the sport, you kind of got really good at it later? Because there are other tennis players, Marty, that hate tennis now and that seems to be the norm.

[Dan Le Batard]

Yeah.

[John Isner]

You know what I always said like midway through my career and towards the end of my career that you wouldn't really see me on the tennis tour after I, after I retired. Clearly I didn't hold myself to that. I just quickly realized that, I mean, this sport for me, it gave so much to me and there's still a lot of opportunities I can gain from in the sport of tennis after I retired. And our podcast has been a great way for us to stay relevant. Unless you're an all time great, very quickly forgotten on the tennis scene. So our podcast has been great to keep us relevant in that regard and again, like be able to talk tennis and New York City for espn. Like, that's really cool. So these great opportunities that have come my way, I've jumped at the opportunity to do them and hopefully I can continue to do this for quite some time. I really do enjoy it. You work with some great people and it's a lot of fun. You get treated great. And so I think a lot of people would trade positions with me right now to be able to, I guess, wear a suit and talk about a sport which I should know a lot about.

[Christopher Cody]

Again, the podcast is called Nothing major. The U.S. open continues today. First round men's and women singles on espn. Do you agree with Mike Ryan's assessment? If I said to you I'm polling all former players now, what's the percentage that hate tennis?

[John Isner]

I don't think it's as severe as Mike maybe said. I would say I'd give it 40% that, like, don't have the healthiest relationship with this game because it just, It. This game can torment you. I mean, you have, you know, so many tough losses and so many horrible nights of sleep after a tough loss. But I think overall, the good definitely outweighs the bad. So, yeah, there's. There's some. Here's good friends of mine.

[Christopher Cody]

Number, though, John, you're. I mean, that's a high number.

[John Isner]

That's a very high number. And this game. This game can be. This game can be tough. And Mike and I. Mike, I have some friends in the tennis world that don't love the sport. I like it, and I still very happy to be a part of it.

[Jeremy]

John, how. How much of that is this generation, both on the women's side and in the men's side, they went up against generational talents that hung on to the sport at unprecedented ages. And how much of that was not just the sport and the loneliness of. Of the sport breaking them, but the fact that they're trying to conquer the unconquerable?

[John Isner]

Yeah, I think for top of my head, like, you name some European players, like, if you guys would know, like, a. Thomas Burdick is an unbelievable Czech player who's never able to win a Grand Slam because of those three. I mean, like, for me, like, I consider myself lucky to play in the same era of. Of those guys, but it's not like I was getting, like, thwarted by one of those three guys at every single Grand Slam in the quarters or the semifinal. So I don't have, like, I don't have that. That feeling, but certainly a lot of players do. There are a lot of incredible players. David Ferrer of Spain with that now, Rafa probably has a Grand Slam on his resume and might be in the hall of Fame, but he doesn't. Now, there's a heck of a player, ridiculous career, but those players were very selfish. In the top two players in our game right now, Corson Sinner and Alcaraz are also selfish. They're going for eight straight Grand Slam wins between the two of them here at the US Open.

[Christopher Cody]

We've got less than 30 seconds left here, but I just want you to entertain a hypothetical with me. If I put you in your prime time, serving to John McEnroe, beyond Borg, Boris Becker, all of these people. What would happen?

[John Isner]

I can. I can hold my own with my. With. With my serve. I actually saw some highlights of Rod Laver playing on grass years and years ago. He was an absurd athlete. So I think even a guy like labor would do well in today's modern game. But, yeah, you gotta favor, of course, the greats like Johnny Mack. And no, you're in Borg over someone like myself. Although I haven't said that I. I could definitely hold serve against those two and make them. Make them sweat a lot.

[Christopher Cody]

Isner you would embed tennis balls in their forehead. Thank you for being on with us. We appreciate the time. The name of the podcast is nothing major, US Open.

[John Isner]

Thank you.

[Christopher Cody]

ESPN men's and women's singles first round on espn. Thank you, sir.

[John Isner]

All right, thank you, guys.

[Greg Cody]

See you.

[Dan Le Batard]

Go clones.

[Jeremy]

Go clones.

[John Isner]

Go clones. Let's go.

[Christopher Cody]

Greg Cody is still rabidly enraged.

[Smirnoff Announcer]

All right. Kicking things off with Smirnoff, the official vodka sponsor of the NFL and the number one vodka in the world. Chris.

[John Isner]

Cody.

[Smirnoff Announcer]

Cody, you're here.

[Greg Cody]

Smirnoff.

[Smirnoff Announcer]

Wow. You're on the money with Smirnoff. Chris, you know what goes great with Smirnoff? Yes, but I'm really talking about game day fit. The style's gotta match the vibe. All right, here's the deal.

[Greg Cody]

Game day is everything.

[Smirnoff Announcer]

And that's exactly why your fit has to match the occasion. Starting this December, Smirnoff is giving fans 21 and over the chance to score limited edition Smirnoff commission merchandise from some of today's top creators, including Kayla Jones, Gavin Matthews, and a Laylee May smear.

[Greg Cody]

Enough.

[Smirnoff Announcer]

Here's the kicker. One lucky fan will take home the grand prize. A trip to the biggest game of the offseason. Plus, one fan will win a Laylee May's one of one game day jacket.

[Dan Le Batard]

Wow.

[Smirnoff Announcer]

The merch will be dropped on select dates from December to January 21st. And it's all courtesy of what brand? That's right, Chris. Fans 21 and over can head to Smearnoff Socials to learn how to sign up. And don't forget to grab a bottle of smirno vodka, number 21, at your local retail. Please drink responsibly. Lee Smirnoff, number 21, vodka distilled from grain, 40% alcohol by volume. The Smirnoff Company, New York, New York. Please do not share with anybody under legal drinking.

[Greg Cody]

Hate Smirnoff.

[Smirnoff Announcer]

No purchase necessary. Must be legal. U.S. resident, 21 or older. Sweepstake starts 12 15, 2,025 at 12aM Eastern and ends 1 23, 2,026 at 11:59, 59pM Eastern. See official rules at program website.