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Dan Le Batard
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David Sampson
online for details this is the Dan
Dan Le Batard
lebatar Show with the Stugats Podcast.
Zazie Beetz
This episode of the Dan Lebatard show is presented by DraftKings. DraftKings the Crown is yours.
Dominique Foxworth
I will apologize yet again to the very punctual David Sampson, very organized David Sampson, that our show is always eight minutes late when he is a human who is exceptionally punctual and we're always making him wait because we've always got our thumb in our foot. But I have a number of questions to ask David that don't have anything to do with sports in the moment. And one of them is this David. I feel bad every single time this happens and yet I can't stop it from happening and it just won't stop happening to me. David Sampson does a show with Coca by themselves. It's very hard to do what they're doing. He's talking all the time without quite as much support as we have around here, and I'm perpetually accidentally texting him during his show live because I forget that he's on the air and I don't know it's 7:06 in the morning instead of 6:43 and I'm not paying attention to whether or not David Sampson's on the air. And so I'm actively distracting. I am Ronaldo. I'm getting in the way of David Sampson being able to do his job better. And he has a compulsive need also to answer every single text he gets. So he ends up doing a live show while texting me. The guilt of live on air. The reminder of he doesn't have to do that. He can just not answer. But he's like live on air because he wants to make me feel bad. But I already do feel bad because I can't stop doing it.
Greg Cody
It'd be great if this preamble lasts 25 more minutes. Just never gets you.
Dan Le Batard
Apologize. I would be quick.
Greg Cody
We'll talk to you next time. Nice. Shanwe do that.
Dan Le Batard
I'll be quick with you. Dan. I. I don't buy your excuses anymore. It's been 7am for a year. You do it all the time. And you know that you're on my very short list of people where the alert comes through because I assume when you are texting me there is of some meaning to it and I don't want to leave you hanging because you want to respond. So I'm going to.
Dominique Foxworth
I don't want to.
Dan Le Batard
But you do it in the middle of the show and then apologize. So. Okay, it's. I'm over it. It's fine. I've learned to live with it. The list is very short of people who get through the barrier between seven and nine. And you're on it and you're never going to get off it as long as you have me at metal or.
Zazie Beetz
I'm interested in who's on this list. Like who, who, who gets through at 7 in the morning. So Dan, Dan gets through and no one else in this room, right?
Dan Le Batard
Yes, one other person gets through.
David Sampson
Jeremy.
Dan Le Batard
Mike Ryan.
Dominique Foxworth
I can't believe you and Roy have
Dan Le Batard
that relationship when Mike knows. Because Mike knows. Mike is aware of the time. So if he's texting between 7 and 9, there is a critical issue that needs to be addressed, not general drivel.
Zazie Beetz
Okay. And you're responding to Dan during your show like you can't. Like you start to get Odino right if you don't respond.
Dan Le Batard
No, I'm actually. I was doing a segment when he texted.
Dominique Foxworth
What were you talking about? Do you remember? Do you remember what was it? Was it difficult subject matter? Were you talking about Israel?
Dan Le Batard
No, I was likely talking about the fight going on between Fox and ESPN at the moment regarding the World Cup. That's sort of been my angle. Now this is happening. Now that I'm going to do. Oh, Chris, this is a joke. All right, thank you.
Dominique Foxworth
Well, it's not between seven and nine. No, it's not.
Dan Le Batard
So let me tell you this story. If Cody calls while I'm on the air, the assumption is that there's a technical issue or that I need to know not to talk about something. So I'm going to answer you. You guys. You kill me.
Dominique Foxworth
I really wish. David.
David Sampson
I wish he picked it up.
Dominique Foxworth
David, I wish you had answered the phone and then heard Chris go. David, I wish we'd heard it through the speaker in your phone. Chris Cody. Chris Cody calling you from the other room. I want to get to the ESPN coverage because holy people are complaining about it. But before we do that, I want to get Zaz's answer to my question before the break. And, David, I want to include you in on this conversation. In the information age and in the misinformation age, we've got a whole bunch of people reporting on Giannis and Jaylen Brown. And I'm telling you that I know that Mike Ryan's information is good because anytime he's put a story in front of people here happened. So what am I to do, Zaz, before we go to Sampson, on the fact that three credible reporters, including Windhorse, are saying something, I don't know if you think they're all paid propaganda for the Celtics. They're all bought in some way. They're saying one thing, and Mike Ryan is saying the opposite. A day after I've told you, Zaz, who do you believe? It's gonna get kind of important in tomorrow's America that you have people you believe on information.
Zazie Beetz
Yeah, this is a tough one for me because, you know, the way that I lean, which is I go with the really credible guys. The guys like Wind Horse who aren't afraid to tell. Tell you when they don't know. I feel like a lot of the guys out there on television and even some of them on the Internet, you know, they'll tell you something because they have to be in the game. They have to have some kind of information. And the reason I tell you that this is hard for me to decipher now, because I trust Mike. Like, I. I know him, and I trust him, and he's not making things,
Dominique Foxworth
but I trust his work, though. It's the body of work. It's not just Trusting Mike, your friend and you trust a friend?
Zazie Beetz
Yeah, I trust he's broken some of
Dominique Foxworth
the biggest stories in sports the last few years.
David Sampson
Look, I don't like how this is being positioned. They're saying that Jaylen Brown isn't on the table. I'm telling you, I'm hearing something totally different, that Jaylen Brown is absolutely involved in these discussions. And guys, just use your brains here. If Boston is indeed interested in Giannis, which everyone from the Boston media is conceding, then Jaylen Brown is obviously being discussed. It is not a non starter for Boston, especially given Jaylen Brown's behavior. And if he is indeed being talked about in these discussions, that's a horse of a different color if you're a Miami Heat fan.
Zazie Beetz
Here's the place where I do doubt what you're saying because, okay, Boston has Jaylen Brown on the table. What are we still doing here? Like, what's the hold up?
David Sampson
Then there's other teams.
Zazie Beetz
Other teams, what?
David Sampson
And there's other teams to. To facilitate because this isn't a one
Zazie Beetz
for one, but it's not hard to find any number of teams that, that want Jalen Brown and will give.
David Sampson
No, no. If you follow the league, there is uncertainty about one of the teams out there and what their capital may look like. Look, the Los Angeles Clippers would be an interesting destination, one that would suit Jaylen Brown. Jaylen Brown has shown you in his career he can fit in with another wing that eats first. But what's going to happen to their draft assets? Could the league hand down punishment? I do think that there is some uncertainty with some of these teams.
Jeremy
And remember, like Tony brought up the third team for a reason because ultimately you're looking at, at. At a team in the Clippers that, yes, they have that fifth pick available, but what if you're Milwaukee, you might get that fifth pick, maybe one other future pick and then a bunch of expiring salary and salary filler. Especially if the Heat were able to facilitate hero to another team and you're getting potentially four picks that, that looks different.
David Sampson
And the other thing too is like Jaylen Brown wants to get a trade, but then he's going to get traded to the same exact situation he just left in. Another all Star great wing. It just, it doesn't make sense. Well, David, let me throw this back to you. Let's say Los Angeles, the Clippers are interested in facilitating this deal and certainly would be interested in a deal that helps them net Jaylen Brown in these discussions. How would Boston and Milwaukee handle the Clippers investigation right now because the league may drop down a punishment and couldn't draft picks be potentially on the line here?
Dan Le Batard
They're definitely on the line. And those conversations you call the league actually when you are looking at a player and you know there's an investigation around that player, around that team, you call the commissioner and look for guidance. And the commissioner is not going to tell you exactly what the punishment is prior to the report being given to the owners, but they will certainly give you the guidance of timing. And we saw Adam Silver do that at ptfo. We, they. I almost said we. Interesting. All of us are ready because we believe that post parade, the pre draft is when there's going to be an announcement of what the findings have been by the investigating firm, Wachtel Lipton. And that would make the most sense to give certainty to all of the clubs in the NBA. So the timings now, but you do work prior to the announcement. But that's why there's no Giannis trade yet because you have to know the entire circumstances surrounding every team. And, and there's great uncertainty with the Clippers. However, the other side is, I don't think internally there's as much uncertainty as what I'm telling you exists publicly. I believe the Clippers are very aware of what their punishment is. Steve Ballmer will not read about it from a press release. It is going to be. He's going to be spoken to. There will be a discussion. Some would argue that discussion has already happened long before Wachtel Lipton even started their investigation. But the, the absolute finish to the aspiration investigation is when it is publicly announced. But in terms of teams being ready, they're getting ready right now.
Dominique Foxworth
I want to get to James Dolan with you and we're going to see who joins us for the parade and how good the wi fi is. We're going to check in with a New York parade that has already been shut down and closed off. And while I want an answer to the question on just generally who's credible, who do you believe, I do move to a different subject as well. Because the amount of criticism ESPN is getting for not reaching this particular moment in the world's game is a delicate spot for me to be in because people are always going to assume that if I'm critical of espn, I'm being bitter, I'm mad about something or whatever else. Okay. So I'm simply telling you that I'm reading an enormous amount of criticism and also it's supremely jarring to me to watch ESPN and have them use pictures the way we do stills because they don't have the video to something and it makes it really hard to cover this particular thing if all you have is stills and you see how FIFA is very protective about you better not be using any of their stuff, their sponsors or anything because they get all the money. When ESPN Mike is criticized about all of this, we are going to be seen as a biased, informed informant on this. But I'm just telling you, I'm reading the criticism of others and I cannot believe how harsh it is. Even Fox is making fun of the coverage of espn.
David Sampson
Yeah, I'm curious Dave's take on the Fox thing, but we saw this freight train coming for years. As a US Soccer fan, I was so jacked up about us hosting a World cup and you would think that the worldwide leader would meet the moment in some form or fashion. But guys, they have about $100 million tied up in daytime personalities that are fairly limited of their daytime programming. The only guy in that group that can talk soccer with Authority is Pat McAfee because he played the game and he's genuinely excited about it. He's a soccer fan. But Stephen A. Can't talk about more than two sports and it's not even the majors. The second biggest sport in this country is college football. A guy has no knowledge of it. They pay this man $40 million and he's asking Roger Bennett, hey, can France finally pull this thing off when they've won two World Cups on the men's side in the last 30 years? This has been a recent development with France of them winning at the highest level. And when they don't win, they flame out in spectacular fashion or they make it to a final and headbutt a player. It's France. It's Kylian Mbappe, it's the World cup in America. Is it too much to ask your big time talisman Talent who makes $40 million a year? Hey, bone up on this just a little bit. Mike Greenberg. Hey, bone up on this just a little bit. Maybe we run the gamut with Taylor Twelman and we force him into these conversations so you don't embarrass yourself here. Hey, here's a little basic stat pack. France has won two World Cups. Let's start there. Is it too much to ask for these high priced talents to do a modicum, a small, minuscule amount of research in preparation for what is the biggest sporting event on the planet?
Dan Le Batard
Boy, do you have unrealistic expectations. And I'm sorry. Because ESPN doesn't have the rights. That means it's not the priority. And you're asking why they're showing stills. That's what you do when you don't have highlight rights. And the rules are they can't show highlights until Fox is off the air at the end of the day. So they can't show highlights two hours after the 3pm match. They have to show highlights of the 3pm match at midnight when Fox is done. And in the old days, the skipper days, that'd be fine. People would go to SportsCenter for those highlights. But now you get the highlights elsewhere faster and there's not that need. So ESPN says, you know what? What am I even bothering? They've got a rundown. They've got minutes allocated to sports that matter to them financially. The World cup is not driving their earnings right now. It's simply not. No one is going to ESPN for World cup, so why would they lean into it?
Dominique Foxworth
Is the criticism fair? Is the criticism fair?
Dan Le Batard
Like, no, no. How are you criticized when you show stills? Because you don't buy highlight rights, but you can.
Dominique Foxworth
Wait a minute, wait a minute. Look, it's easier to have the video, obviously, but you can still cover it well and be entertaining and cover it as if it's the world's biggest event.
David Sampson
Yes, cbs. CBS does not have the rights either, and they have an entire network dedicated. Galazzo does a great job in the morning. Yes, I. The whole deal with rights, and I don't want to conflate the two. You can still have discussions. The Ronaldo topic should be an easy one for Stephen A. Smith. Surely a guy that has paid that much to follow sports can be vaguely familiar with Cristiano Ronaldo, where he is in his career and what this storyline is. Put the work in. Is someone afraid to ask him to put the work in? You're paying them a lot of money, and I know you're saying it's not driving the revenue. That's their fault. There are people the world over that have underestimated the drawing power of the World cup in particular. This is going to be the most profitable World cup, not just for FIFA, which is price gouging, but also for the broadcaster because of the introduction of hydration breaks that. That has already netted them $250 million on a half a billion dollars.
Dan Le Batard
That's old news, Mike. No, no, no match breaks. No, no, no match breaks.
David Sampson
What, What? What I'm saying is ESPN doesn't know how much meat is on the bone because they don't even care to try.
Dominique Foxworth
David, the thing that's happening there.
Dan Le Batard
Full bone Dan. David, I'm sorry.
Dominique Foxworth
The thing that's happening here, you can answer. I want to hear what you have to say. But when it's not just that the ESPN's coverage is being universally except for you being said that it's bad, it's also that the coverage you're getting on Fox is extraordinary, like it's on the broadcast.
David Sampson
However, Awful Announcing had an interesting take, that there was this initial report that Fox is upset with the lack of coverage from ESPN and then it got walked back. David, I have a theory as to why it got walked back. It's the NFL. All these people have to make it work. They're all sharing highlights when it comes to the NFL. And if you have network on network crime, that can get ugly with your other partnerships. But Awful Announcing was wise to point out, hey, Fox, you're not exactly doing great World cup coverage with your FS1 daytime programming either. In fact, you have Major League Baseball rights, you have college basketball rights, and you don't really pay any attention to that with your daytime programming. So you're throwing stones from a glass house.
Dan Le Batard
I think it's important to note how rundowns are done in those big shows. And you call it playing the hits. If you talk about LeBron, you have a goat conversation. You talk about the Dallas Cowboys, you touch on the Yankees, don't forget to mention the Dodgers and Ohtani. I've had these conversations with Skipper about how espn, of course, he claims I have nothing to do with rundowns. I didn't say what had to be done. Okay, I'll take him at his word for that, though. I don't believe him. And I will say that what they
Dominique Foxworth
do is they're not taking someone at their word.
Zazie Beetz
That's the opposite.
Dominique Foxworth
That's. It's the opposite of that. It's the.
Dan Le Batard
So I will not take him at his word to say that when I'm building rundowns, and I see them built at CBS as an example, I understand exactly how the rundowns are built according to rights packages, highlights packages. And what plays Stephen A. Smith talking about soccer. Mike, it doesn't play. So why would he do it?
Dominique Foxworth
What about Damian Woody?
David Sampson
You have no. I know. You say it doesn't play because we have no evidence of it, but it probably would play if he researched on it. Or they outsource compelling coverage to someone which they're trying with Roger Bennett and Stephen A. Smith is in like embarrassing himself a little bit on these conversations. I think a little bit of preparation would have gone a long way. You see these ratings for the World cup very clearly. There is a midday audience for the World Cup. So while you say there isn't an audience for it, the reason why there isn't an audience for it is they are not seeking it out. They are not investing in that audience. They have their hits. I'm surprised we're not hearing about Dak Prescott's contract right now. You can find good coverage. And if you're into World cup coverage, you are certainly going elsewhere. And that should bother people at ESPN. That should bother people even at FS1 when they have the rights. Why is everyone kicking our ass on this? And quite frankly, it's not just a soccer issue. It comes to the NHL, it comes to Major League Baseball. They are on daytime programming until you get to Pat McAfee, A2 Sport Network. They are the NBA and they are the NFL. And the reason why that is is because their talents are NBA and NFL. That's all they know. If their talent was well versed in all the sports, I think if you pay a sports expert $40 million, they should know as much as Zaz knows when it comes to sports. They should be watching every game all the time. No, this is basic. This is basic understanding. Like, this is sports. You're a sports fan. You're the worldwide leader. You're paid the most handsome contract in the history of 20 broadcast.
Dominique Foxworth
It's 20.
Dan Le Batard
Well, it is 20, Dan. Correct. But by the way, Mike, what are the two biggest investments that Disney makes in sports?
David Sampson
The rights, the NFL leagues, the NFL and college football.
Dan Le Batard
So I'm going to tell you where NBA is and what the investment is with Disney. And you're going to say, oh, I guess there may be a correlation. All I'm arguing is for correlation, FS1 is a different story. And obviously this is your moment. To me, if I'm Fox and I know that I have the rights at a discount, which is clear, there's like lawsuits about it. But I am trying to buttress FS1 right now and try to even get one inch into ESPN's dominance of midday. This is their. This is their moment. Like, get them now and try to keep them and retain them. But it's sort of like the Marlins trying to keep people who come to World Baseball Classic games. It's really hard to retain when that event is not particularly happening. But it would be worth the investment for FS1 for sure.
Zazie Beetz
Damn Was buttress mean?
David Sampson
I'm not asking for them to break down Vitinia's holding midfield play when PSG is playing in a Champions League final. I'm saying this moment comes once every four years.
Dominique Foxworth
That was a show off move.
David Sampson
It's not. I mean, it's. Come on, it's Virginia and it's psg. I could have gone way.
Dominique Foxworth
I know you could have, but you did that on purpose. You were.
David Sampson
You were making a point. Yeah, making a point. This is the World Cup. It happens every four years. And this time, it may be the last time we have it on this continent. Like, do some basic stuff. Be able to talk messy. Be able to talk Ronaldo. I'm not asking for much. And this isn't just a soccer thing.
Zazie Beetz
I know.
David Sampson
I'm a soccer fan. By the way, a new episode of Morally Abhorrent is already on our feeds. Thank you, Jeremy, for calling it, quote, really good. That is an upgrade over what Dan calls it, which is, quote, a situation.
Zazie Beetz
Dan is buttressed like a queen.
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Dan Le Batard
Hey, that's what I'm talking about,
Zazie Beetz
folks.
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Dan Le Batard
Don Levatard TAE Toss Stewgats Tae Toss this is the Don Levatar show with the Stugats.
Dominique Foxworth
I have a lot of questions here. One of them Jeremy, can you tell me why is a horse of a different color?
Jeremy
Oh, I'm so glad you asked, Dan. So this originally stems from Shakespeare and Twelfth Night, but it was popularized in 1939 with the wizard of Oz. So when Dorothy approaches the gates and gets to, you know, try to see the wizard, the the guard there says, oh, you're, you're wearing the ruby red slippers. That's a horse of a different color. Now you also might hear that and think, no, but that sounds like the 90s to me. Where it's referenced is in the movie Rookie of the Year when Henry Rowan Gardner shows up to the Cubs locker room and they're like, what's this kid doing here? And he knocks on it just like in the wizard of Oz. And the guard pops out with his big curly mustache just like in the wizard of Oz. And he says, oh, you're Roan Gardner. That's a horse of a different color. I didn't know that was a Wizard of Oz reference. Dan.
Jess
Thanks for that, Jeremy.
Jeremy
You're welcome.
Dominique Foxworth
That's worth a toast brought to you by Cuervo.
Jess
Dan, this parade's getting going here. We got happening here is the players making their way to the buses. But I'm already seeing way more former Knicks and celebrities than actual players. Saw John Starks, Saul Chalamet, saw Chris Rock. I'm seeing Kat here. But it seems like this is gonna be. These celebrities are gonna make it about themselves.
Dominique Foxworth
Where is Amin? And what can we get from Amin? When's Amin gonna join us? What is amin's. It started 10 minutes ago. The punctuation. David I will simply put on the conversation that we're having about content before I ask you about James Dolan. Is I just. If this business model is interesting to you. ESPN used to have 110 million people in. They used to be in 110 million homes. It's about 60 million now. That's a big drop in a little bit of time. And 109.5 million of those homes were not watching my television show with my dad. They were paying for it, but they weren't watching our shows, my father's. All of the shows, they're just infomercials. They're infomercials for sports and for leagues. And if you have the rights on those leagues, of course you're going to cover the hell out of basketball and football because you're just doing infomercials all day in order to get to the games. But the Knicks are in the middle of a championship here. And this is what's going to be talked about. America's champion, not the world playing. This parade of champions is going to be a story today because New York hasn't felt like this very often. James Dolan, the White House. James Dolan's going to the White House. I don't know if the Knicks are going to end up going to the White House. Everything that's happening right here with James Dolan, where he's doing interviews and saying, yes, yes, of course I'll write the biggest of checks to keep the team together, but not if I have to go into the second apron. No, that's a check too far. I'm not. I'll write Any amount of money, but not that amount of money. And he's not going to keep Mitchell Robinson and Landry Shammon no matter how much you're invested in them emotionally. James Dolan and being the center, the hood ornament of this when he's been a truly, epically unethical bad owner the entire time he has been in the sport.
Dan Le Batard
So we just recorded Pavo Tory finds out that's going to come out very soon about this very subject. And I gave some nuance on nothing personal this morning. I want to give you a little bit of nuance here. James Dolan was in the middle of a renaissance that comes with being an owner of a champion. You get the benefit of a doubt for a hot second. It may not last. If he owns the team for 15 more years and doesn't win again, then he's got one championship and 35 years of ownership, whatever the numbers end up being. But what he did to himself yesterday was a self inflicted injury which was totally unnecessary. It is very reasonable not to go in the second apron even as an NBA champion. The second apron was developed in the CBA not to be put in by any team. And when teams are in there, they regret it. Mickey Arison is one of the great examples. Don't talk apron to me. I ain't going and I still have multiple rings. It can be done. But why say it? Yesterday he had an opportunity to glow in the rebirth of his reputation and he crapped on it for no apparent reason other than what I can think of, Dan, which is that he just can't help himself. Which may explain most people's oh, he's
Dominique Foxworth
got to be loving this, David. Like he's just this it. Look, this guy's wanted to be. This guy's wanted to be more popular like a high school boy for a long time. He's got his own band and he is an epically bad owner. This does not change that. Like he is awful in almost any way you do the measurements except that he has now won a championship. This is a name that's synonymous with this guy is bad at ownership and controlling and he shouldn't have that much control because if he has control, he's going to do the wrong things with that control. As unpopular an owner as New York has ever had and they had Steinbrenner and this does not change that in any way. He is still all those things. His team just won.
Dan Le Batard
Dan, I love, I love you. It's as though you were in on Pablo show yesterday. You said Steinbrenner known as an epically bad owner. If you ask somebody outside of New York, like, let's say someone like a Dominique Foxworth. Hey, what do you think of George Steinbrenner? First words. Won a lot of World Series. Just think about what you're saying for a minute when you're talking about when
Dominique Foxworth
he had the most money. And in this sport, their salary. Captain, you got to be smarter than the other people. And Dolan hasn't been. And he's an awful person, like, objectively an awful person.
Dan Le Batard
And I know people who have worked for him and he's a nightmare, much like Steinbrenner was to work for. However, James Dolan has changed his reputation. No matter what you or Pablo say.
Dominique Foxworth
No, he's not.
Dan Le Batard
He is now won a championship.
Dominique Foxworth
Asinine. Asinine.
Dan Le Batard
That is, you're saying it's. I didn't say no.
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No.
Dominique Foxworth
You know, you don't get to be a horrific. You don't get to be a horrific human being. And then your team wins a championship because you have a lot of money and then you're not a horrific human being anymore. That's not how.
Greg Cody
That.
Dan Le Batard
I didn't say wasn't a horrific human being. I said there's been incremental change in his reputation because he now has a ring and they will never take that away. He is the owner who brought a championship to New York for the first time in 53 years. He was sued yesterday because all of our personal information is in the hands of cyber terrorists. There's a class action lawsuit. And you know what? He's still a championship winning owner.
Zazie Beetz
He's come off like an owner who loves to meddle and loves to talk and didn't do a whole lot of talking for the last few years, really, since they hired Leon Rose. And now that they've won, it's like, oh, great, I could talk again. I could say whatever I want. That's exactly what's been happening for the last few days now.
Dan Le Batard
And he'll keep doing that, Zaz. And that is who he is. And he will end up burying himself as he started yesterday with the apron talk and the White House talk. But guess what? No one will think twice about the apron. If the Knicks defend their championship and win another one next year, no one will say a word about Mitchell Robinson or sham it or anybody. Because at the end, what the fans want is they want rings.
Zazie Beetz
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Dominique Foxworth
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Dan Le Batard
Don LeBatard we love you. We've got you. We've all got each other. Let's go right now.
Dominique Foxworth
Stugats.
Dan Le Batard
1, 2, 3. Brett 1, 2, 3.
Dominique Foxworth
This is the Dan Levatar show with the stug. Okay, PTFO is now out and Pablo has been doing a wonderful job with that show in a number of different ways. He and David are Pulitzer winners with some of the work that they have done on that show, as well as Amin, who's at the parade. I'd like to get Amin. I don't know what has happened here. I just saw Mike Breen in A suit at the parade. And I'm like, oh, no, Mike, Mike, what have you done?
David Sampson
Only guy in a suit in square miles.
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Mike.
Dominique Foxworth
No, Mike. I put it on the poll at LeBatard show. Is Mike Breen always in a suit, even when he's naked? Because you can't go to the parade. You can't go to the parade in a suit.
Boar's Head Ad
Well, he might be an emcee at the podium.
Dominique Foxworth
Can't go in a suit. You gotta go polo.
Zazie Beetz
Tank top or polo.
Dominique Foxworth
No, look, Mike Breen can look good under all circumstances, except wearing a suit at a parade. Like he's gonna. And that's like Wall Street. There'll be plenty of people there who are dressed. And no, Mike, don't dress like that. Not at a parade. Not when we're sampling. Not when. When we're celebrating Washington Heights because Karl Anthony Towns wants to touch the people.
David Sampson
Shout out to Dykman.
Dominique Foxworth
The most Hispanic moment in the history of basketball. Him winning at the center.
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It really is.
David Sampson
Dan, if we really want to talk about it. Is the most Hispanic moment in NBA history.
Dominique Foxworth
Yeah, it's close. It's either that or that guy who played with gel in his hair for puerto Rico at 40 years old in. In the Olympics, Ortiz Manujanobi killed a
David Sampson
bat with his bare hands. Yeah, easy.
Dominique Foxworth
I don't think of Ginobili as Hispanic. The same kind of Hispanic. There are different kinds of Hispanic.
David Sampson
You're a noted Argentina hater. Yeah, I do hate Argentina, and I have a lot of preconceived notions, which is weird because I'm part Italian, and yet I escape it.
Dominique Foxworth
Not all Hispanics are the same. And while Ginobili. They're not all the same.
Greg Cody
They're not.
Dominique Foxworth
Don't say they're all the same. Don't say whoa. We're all the same. Jeremy. We're all the same.
Jess
Jeremy.
David Sampson
We're not all the same.
Dominique Foxworth
We're all the same.
Zazie Beetz
Peg you as they're all the same.
Dominique Foxworth
We're all the same. I have nothing to do with do we all look the same to you?
Jeremy
Qualifying.
Dominique Foxworth
We look all the same to you.
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I'm not in this.
Jess
That one got me.
Dominique Foxworth
Mexicans, Argentinians, Cubans, Puerto Ricans. They're not all the same. Jeremy.
Dan Le Batard
I'm sorry.
David Sampson
They speak Spanish. I don't know what. What we're doing with Argentinians other than pointing out their curious history and why everyone has blue eyes.
Dominique Foxworth
Jeremy. I'm sorry. Minor penalty. Two minutes. Accidental racism. Hispanics are not all the same. We're not all the same. Puerto Ricans are not the same. The same as Mexicans. Yes, David.
Dan Le Batard
Dan, My first day in Miami, when I met with the marketing department, I wanted to do Hispanic marketing. And I thought that it would just be, you market to Cubans, you market to Mexicans, you market to South Americans, people from Ecuador. I thought just put an ad in Spanish, and that is Hispanic marketing. And I was taught. I just didn't know. And I learned very quickly that it's totally different marketing, totally different language, different messages to Cubans in Miami, to Mexicans, to every different type of Hispanic. So I understand someone thinking all Hispanics are the same, But I learned that that, in fact, is not the case. And it was literally the first marketing meeting I ever had in 2002 in Miami.
Dominique Foxworth
When I tell you that Pablo Torre is doing good work. It's today. Now it is. Sampson and Dominique. And Dominique is going to be here next week spending some time with us. Chris, Cody, can we include David Sampson on the conversation from a couple of days? So just present. I don't want to contaminate the jury pool. So you present to David the winning argument that you believe you have on you should behave this way at a grocery store.
Jess
David, I feel like you'll agree with me that it's okay to do this. Okay. If I'm in a grocery store, I got a cart full of stuff. I got a bunch of creamed corn, a can, Cans of creamed corn. Because, like, I'm making a nice corn souffle, and my wife texts me, hey, we don't need creamed corn. We actually have a bunch. And I'm like, seven aisles away from where I got the cream corn. I'm just gonna take those two cans of creamed corn that I have and put them wherever, whatever aisle.
Dominique Foxworth
On the Mother's Day cards.
Jess
On the Mother's Day cards. Anywhere. I'm putting it out. I'm putting it anywhere. David, you agree with me on this.
Dan Le Batard
Now, this is an easy one. You take it with you to check out, and you give it to the people at checkout and say, I'm not taking this.
Jess
That's not as fun.
Dan Le Batard
They have a pile.
Jess
That's not as fun, though.
Dan Le Batard
You can't put it in the wrong place. That is. That's wrong for the next people.
Jess
But I sometimes, while walking through a grocery store, see a misplaced item, and it makes me smile because I'm like, oh, I've done us.
Dan Le Batard
There's.
Jess
There's a lot of me's out there.
Dan Le Batard
Yeah, no, that you're doing it wrong. Try, try. Just keep it in your cart. And then as you're putting it on the belt, you point out to the cashier, hey, I'm not taking this. Don't ever put something in the wrong place.
Dominique Foxworth
How about as. As a crime at the grocery store? What's worse? That one or Chris's other one?
Jess
The shopping cart. I mean, like I said, I just kind of defend. I think people are hypocrites with this, David, this whole shopping cart thing. If there's a corral near my car, I'm going to put it in it. But if there's no corral, I'm not walking all the way back into the store.
Jeremy
To.
Dan Le Batard
To put the cart in 100%. You put it in between the back to back parking spots so that both cars can pull in.
Zazie Beetz
That's right.
Dan Le Batard
But so you. You put a parallel where the middle of the cart is the middle of the end parking line that represents the line between two cars.
Zazie Beetz
I got messages from listeners yesterday who said that I'm a thousand percent right where I like to take the cart. I put it on the opposite side of the parking lot. I don't care. And I got messages from people who have worked at supermarkets. They love that because it's more time that they get to just prance around in the parking lot and not work. I was right.
Jess
YouTube chat. You're lazy. I'm not lazy. You're lazy.
Dominique Foxworth
Okay, take your. Take your arguments with the YouTube chat into another room. I don't want them getting in the way of our show. And find me Amin, please, as we close this out with David Sampson, because the parade has started. Amin's there. We'd have dodgy Internet. And I'm going to have to go to Jess before I go to Amin, because she's going to be in position and ready. Do we know if Jess is going to be able to get in there? Given that the police have told us that two hours early, they shut that down. David, you don't strike me much as a parade guy. Would you have any interest in anything that's happening out there?
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No.
Dan Le Batard
I will only be in parades, not watching parades.
Greg Cody
Wow.
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Jerk.
Amin
That is.
David Sampson
So you've retired from that game.
Dan Le Batard
Yes, I am done. I'm done. I was in one parade, and it was awesome. And I would not go to this parade if you paid me money. So I'm glad you didn't ask me to cover this, Dan, because I would have had to have said yes to you. I could have. I could have pulled the sick daughter card, but I wouldn't have done it. I would have done what you would have asked but I would have been despondent at that assignment.
Dominique Foxworth
Pitch clock is going to be later in the show. I want to get to David's review for a second but to just indulge Jeremy who takes a bit of a beating around here for reasons that are earned.
Jeremy
He really does.
Dominique Foxworth
Can you tell me if Otto Lopez is an all star for Jeremy? He wants to know if. If he Otto Lopez into the major league All Star gamey.
Dan Le Batard
It's a guarantee. Who, who else do you think would represent the Marlins?
Dominique Foxworth
Well, he's saying they should have.
Zazie Beetz
They'll have multiple.
Dan Le Batard
It's not going to be it. It'll be Max Meyer will be the pitcher and I would say there is a 90% chance that Otto Lopez will be a second. If they can keep hovering around 500, they'll have two all stars. It won't be Hicks, it won't be Edwards.
Jeremy
You don't think Edwards should make it? Is he deserving?
Dan Le Batard
I think he could, but I just don't see him sliding into either. I don't think the managers choose him. I don't think obviously the fan vote and I don' will either too much depth there. But Lopez and Meyer I believe will be all stars. You don't have to worry. But don't do a Brunson. Don't do that on this show because don't make fun of it. Otto Lopez is a deserving all star and he will get there on his own accord. He doesn't need the Brinson.
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Brinson.
Jeremy
Oh, I, I just think our show should use the. The audience that we have to get a deserving all star in auto.
Zazie Beetz
That's not how we roll to be starting off show.
Dan Le Batard
That's not the show number one. Number two, he'll never be voted in. He will never be voted.
Jeremy
I'll use pitch clock to do that.
Dominique Foxworth
Pitch clock is later in the show. Bring on Amin here. We've only got two minutes left. So I'm now going to combine David's movie segment with a means bad Internet. This is also Wemby. The sound that Wemby makes when he joins us without his mask on. I don't know what's happening here. I cannot see Amin. Amin, give us a live report from the parade. That may just be a phone because your video stinks.
Amin
Yeah, no video. It doesn't stink. It just doesn't exist because the signals are jammed. There are way too many People in lower Manhattan, so we can't get a single signal here. The parade has started late because apparently the Knicks could not get to the start of the parade because there were so many people in the streets blocking traffic. They couldn't start the parade on that because they couldn't even get to the float. It's pandemonium out here. I've never seen this many people in one place at one time. The number of people who aren't in the parade zone, Right. There's a security zone with NYPD counterterrorism kind of running the security check. Then there's like 100 yards, and then there's a barricade, and there's another barricade, and that's where the rest of humanity is. And it's just a sea of people everywhere.
Dominique Foxworth
David, please walk me through. We are a video company in the modern age that spent a lot of time just yelling at ESPN for its World cup stills. And now We've got Sean McGill with a dangerous backpack in hard in the middle of New York. They've gotten into the parade, but we can't get any video from the parade. We've just got a still of Amin in a Knicks jersey. Your thoughts?
Dan Le Batard
It would have been nicer to have not gone to him at all, but I love you, Amin, but that was just not acceptable, Dan, by any stretch.
Dominique Foxworth
Okay, no time for David's review. Sorry, no time for your movie review. We had to go out to a phone line. In the modern age in 2026, Amin will next be sending his future reports with a stamp that cost 78 cents. Thank you to Sean McGill and Amin for joining us from the lowest rung of the show business ladder.
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Episode: David Samson Will NOT Be At Your Championship Parade | Hour 1
Date: June 18, 2026
Broadcast from the Elser Hotel in Downtown Miami, this lively episode showcases the full Le Batard experience: sharp-witted debate, inside scoops, sports media meta-critique, and the usual assortment of digressions and running bits. Hour 1 features Dan Le Batard, Stugotz, Dominique Foxworth, David Samson, Zazie Beetz, and the crew, focusing primarily on credibility in sports reporting (especially around NBA trade rumors), the media landscape around the 2026 FIFA World Cup, the New York Knicks’ championship parade, and the complex legacy of James Dolan, Knicks’ owner. Expect signature irreverence, behind-the-scenes chatter, and debates about grocery store etiquette.
[01:41 - 04:01]
[05:23 - 08:53]
[08:04 - 11:08]
[11:08 - 18:15]
[15:12 - 21:28]
[26:10 - 32:25]
[25:20 - 37:05]
[38:14 - 40:53]
[40:53 - 42:00]
[41:34 - 42:49]
This hour gives you classic Le Batard Show chaos with substance, mixing high-level sports business/ethics talk (the credulity crisis in sports info, the dynamics behind NBA trades, and the TV rights-driven landscape of American sports coverage) with everyman gripes (grocery store etiquette). The episode is capped by a look-in at the Knicks’ long-awaited championship parade and an ongoing debate about whether one great win can cleanse decades of a sports owner’s misdeeds. It’s engaging, irreverent, and satisfying for those who want smart sports talk that doesn’t take itself too seriously.