Hour 1: BREAKING NEWS DURING THE LIVE SHOW

Summary

Episode Summary: Hour 1: BREAKING NEWS DURING THE LIVE SHOW

Release Date: June 30, 2025
Hosts: Dan LeBatard, Stugotz
Location: Elser Hotel, Downtown Miami
Focus: Sports, Pop-Culture, South Florida Scene

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1. The Intersection of Sports and Gambling Scandal

Timestamp: [01:24] – [06:32]

The episode delves into the ongoing scandal surrounding NBA player Malik Beasley, whose promising three-year, $42 million contract negotiations have stalled due to allegations of him engaging in illegal gambling activities, specifically on prop bets during his games. Stugotz raises concerns about the normalization of gambling in sports and questions why only high-profile cases, like that of Ohtani, gain significant attention:

Stugotz: "Who is the criminal? On how scandalous these things should be. ... Because this has gotten to one of the players it can't get to because we haven't had any seismic stuff happen except when there was the sniff of it around Ohtani." [02:59]

Dan LeBatard provides historical context, referencing the Tim Donaghy scandal, emphasizing that gambling-related issues have long plagued sports integrity:

Dan LeBatard: "Before gambling was legalized in states, we had a massive Tim Donaghy scandal that should honestly couch any discussion we've ever had." [03:04]

The discussion highlights how the legalization of gambling has enabled better monitoring and data sharing between gambling partners and sports leagues, potentially increasing the detection of illicit activities. However, voices like Chris Cote argue that the focus often remains on lesser-known players rather than elite superstars who might also be susceptible:

Chris Cote: "I think it's, it's a guy like Malik Beasley because If you're a LeBron level superstar, frankly, you don't need the money..." [04:37]

Stugotz counters by pointing out the inherent temptations athletes face, citing Michael Jordan's own struggles with gambling and the pressures of maintaining a competitive edge:

Stugotz: "I believe athletes are more inclined ... based on just human personality traits that would make them great at their jobs." [04:52]

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2. Deandre Ayton's Contract Decision and Anecdotes About Aging

Timestamp: [07:46] – [15:33]

The hosts shift focus to Deandre Ayton's decision to opt out of his contract with Portland, delivering this breaking news amidst light-hearted banter about Ayton's youthful appearance:

Dan LeBatard: "I want you guys to look at this person and tell me how old this person is. Tell me how old that person, DeAndre is." [07:46]

Despite appearing much older, Ayton is revealed to be 27 years old, sparking laughter and reflections on aging:

Stugotz: "Are we raising a generation of kids who do not know what a nickel looks like?" [09:24]

Mike Ryan shares a personal story about rediscovering the use of coins in his car, humorously recounting how he underestimated his past spending:

Mike Ryan: "I found out it was only $38 in there. So somehow I've spent like $28 in change that I wasn't aware of over the years." [10:58]

Greg Cody interrupts with a surprising trade update:

Greg Cody: "The Miami Dolphins have agreed to trade three-time All-Pro cornerback Jalen Ramsey to the Pittsburgh Steelers..." [11:26]

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3. Jalen Ramsey Trade Analysis

Timestamp: [11:26] – [40:33]

The core discussion revolves around the high-profile trade of Jalen Ramsey from the Miami Dolphins to the Pittsburgh Steelers in exchange for All-Pro safety Minka Fitzpatrick and a late-round draft pick. The hosts dissect the implications of this move:

Assessment of Jalen Ramsey:

Stugotz questions the narrative that only superstars like Ramsey face scrutiny:

Stugotz: "Who is the criminal? ... What's the name I have to put in front of you?" [02:59]

Dan LeBatard emphasizes Ramsey's exceptional skills and his importance to Miami's defense:

Dan LeBatard: "He's a former felon. ... This is always a crime we’re talking about." [06:24]

Chris Cote provides statistical context, comparing Ramsey's performance metrics to Hall of Famers like Deion Sanders:

Chris Cote: "Pro Football Reference has a Hall of Fame monitor and its hall of Fame monitor says the average hall of fame DV DB rates 96. And right now Jalen Ramsey's career metric is 59.3..." [17:46]

Trade Implications:

Stugotz critiques the Dolphins' strategy, suggesting that trading away Ramsey weakens their cornerback position significantly:

Stugotz: "They traded Minka Fitzpatrick more earlier than anyone wanted him traded. ... that leaves them bereft at an important position." [32:02]

Dan LeBatard and Chris Cote discuss the potential future of Ramsey, including his possible position switch to safety to prolong his career, drawing parallels to legends like Charles Woodson:

Dan LeBatard: "Charles Woodson as a lockdown corner we were having these discussions. Is he overrated? And then he moves to safety and becomes a depoy." [18:34]

Strategic Moves by the Steelers:

The Steelers' acquisition of Ramsey is portrayed as an aggressive, "all-in" move to bolster their defense as they aim for playoff success. The hosts debate whether this trade positions the Steelers for immediate victories or sets them up for future contention:

Stugotz: "This trade, both of these trades have been talked about for a while. ... It's a season of uncommon pressure for Mike Tomlin..." [38:05]

The conversation also touches upon the Dolphins' loss of key players like John O. Smith and the potential long-term effects on their roster depth.

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4. Tribute to Dave Parker and Reflections on Legacy

Timestamp: [21:24] – [26:31]

The show pays homage to the late Dave Parker, a beloved baseball player who recently passed away. The hosts reminisce about Parker's impact on their childhood and the sport, highlighting his physical prowess and charismatic presence:

Stugotz: "And I know that we're doing more and more of it these days where burying pieces of your childhood, Greg, as you age... This is when Dave Parker dies." [21:24]

Chris Cote shares personal memories of hosting Dave Parker on his podcast, emphasizing Parker's influence both on and off the field:

Chris Cote: "He was an all-round player, a great right fielder. ... I was very fortunate to have him on my podcast once." [24:14]

Stugotz reflects on the changing landscape of athlete recognition, contrasting the past with today's media-driven exposure:

Stugotz: "He's a time in Pittsburgh baseball where Pittsburgh baseball... because they had Dave Parker and Willie Stargell." [24:47]

The discussion transitions into Parker's Hall of Fame induction, expressing sadness that he did not live to enjoy the honor fully:

Stugotz: "He didn't get to enjoy it. Like I've said before, the greatest thing about making the hall of Fame is that it becomes a fountain of youth. ... Not in this case, no." [25:40]

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5. Soccer Segment: Inter Miami vs. PSG Club World Cup Match

Timestamp: [26:31] – [31:43]

The hosts critique Inter Miami's performance in the FIFA Club World Cup, particularly their heavy defeat against Paris Saint-Germain (PSG). While acknowledging Inter Miami's achievements in reaching the final stages of the tournament, the consensus is that their performance against PSG was overwhelmingly poor:

Stugotz: "It was an ass kicking. It was ridiculous." [28:18]

Dan LeBatard appreciates Inter Miami's overall success but cannot overlook the significant loss:

Dan LeBatard: "From a football standpoint, major success. ... It's just sad to put it that way after you get drubbed." [31:06]

Chris Cote emphasizes PSG's dominance in ball possession and control, attributing the loss to Inter Miami's inability to match PSG's intensity:

Chris Cote: "They were intimidated. They just almost visually were beaten before the Met." [28:20]

The segment underscores the dichotomy between Inter Miami's historic run in club soccer and their stark performance against one of the world's elite teams.

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6. Additional Sports Commentary and Anecdotes

Timestamp: [31:43] – [40:33]

The latter part of the episode features a mix of sports commentary, personal anecdotes, and lighthearted banter:

• Greg Cody and Stugotz discuss the legacy of NFL players and coaches, touching upon Mike Tomlin's tenure with the Steelers and the expectations placed upon him amidst recent trades.

• Chris Cote and Dan LeBatard engage in nostalgic reminiscing about legendary NFL matchups, comparing past athletes like Deion Sanders and Jerry Rice to current players, highlighting the evolution of defensive strategies and player dynamics.

• The conversation also touches upon the challenges of maintaining a successful sports franchise, the pressures of coaching, and the impact of significant trades on team chemistry and performance.

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Notable Quotes:

• Stugotz on Gambling Scandal:
  "It's not just one person, but Malik Beasley thinks, I'm guessing I'm a middle-class player. The attention is not going to be on me like it would be on KD or somebody like that." [05:57]

• Dan LeBatard on Tim Donaghy Scandal:
  "Before gambling was legalized in states, we had a massive Tim Donaghy scandal that should honestly couch any discussion we've ever had." [03:04]

• Stugotz on Dave Parker:
  "It feels to me like you're resurrecting a portion of my childhood I have not thought about in a while." [23:25]

• Chris Cote on Inter Miami's Performance:
  "They were intimidated. They just almost visually were beaten before the Met." [28:20]

• Dan LeBatard on Jalen Ramsey's Potential:
  "Lockdown corners don't get thrown on. They don't have the opportunity." [32:48]

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Conclusion:

In this episode of The Dan Le Batard Show with Stugotz, the hosts navigate through a tapestry of breaking sports news, from the gambling allegations surrounding Malik Beasley to the seismic NFL trade of Jalen Ramsey. They balance these heavy topics with personal stories and nostalgic tributes, such as their homage to the late Dave Parker. Additionally, the discussion extends to international soccer, evaluating Inter Miami's commendable yet flawed performance against PSG. Throughout, the hosts provide insightful analysis, interspersed with humor and personal reflections, making the episode both informative and engaging for listeners.

Transcript

[Dan LeBatard]

Now's a good time to remember where tequila's story truly began. In 1795, Cuervo invented tequila. Cuervo, what are you doing here?

[Stugotz]

Cuervo? Anytime someone says Cuervo, I show up.

[Dan LeBatard]

Well, I do know that to be true. But even during ad reads like Cuervo, I think he could lay out, especially for one of our great partners.

[Stugotz]

Sweet, delicious Cuervo.

[Dan LeBatard]

Since then, Cuervo has stayed true to its roots. The same family, the same land, the same passion.

[Stugotz]

Cuervo.

[Dan LeBatard]

So enjoy the tequila that started it all. Cuervo. Cuervo, the tequila that invented tequila. Proximo Cuervo.com Please drink responsibly.

[Greg Cody]

Cuervo what is Daddication?

[Billy Corben]

The thing that drives me every day as a dad is Dariona. We call him Dae Date for short. Every day he's hungry for something, whether it's attention, affection, knowledge. And there's this huge responsibility in making sure that when he's no longer under my wing that he's a good person. I want him to be able to sit back one day and go, we worked together. We did a good job.

[Greg Cody]

That's dedication. Find out [e-mail] brought to you by the U.S. department of Health and Human Services and the Ad Council.

[Mike Ryan]

This is the Don Levator show with.

[Stugotz]

The Stu Guts podcast.

[Dan LeBatard]

Game time's coming through big for the FIFA Club World Cup. I've used them several times already and we got a gigantic matchup coming to town tomorrow night. Two titans, you, Juventus and Real Madrid. Right now, gametime's got a 10% off exclusive zone deal package that they've trotted out there. Yeah, really good seats for the World cup matchups. You're talking world class teams, high stakes now, less money out of your pocket. Game time, last minute tickets, lowest price guaranteed. It is my sincere hope that game time is going to be this effective come next year when the World cup is there and it meets a hell of a lot more demand because it has been a lifesaver. Saved a lot of money so far. Seen marquee matchups and a typical mild summer so far for South Florida.

[Stugotz]

I am interested in talking to both you and Greg Cody about Inter Miami and reaching the final 16 and what should be the shame or no shame in losing to Paris Saint Germain 4 to nothing if you're Lionel Messi. But before I do that, I wanted to do a couple of other things and ask you among them, when I say that Malik Beasley was about to have a three year, $42 million contract and now those talks have come to a halt because the NBA is cooperating with federal prosecutors investigation that Beasley may have been gambling on prop bets in his games. I don't want to get so numb to this that we only yell about it when it's Ohtani's interpreter and it's close to Ohtani. But then it's not the crime we're talking about or the alleged crime. Who is the criminal? On how scandalous these things should be. These should be scandalous stories every time you hear about them. No matter how normalized gambling is and no matter how much sports has had its integrity impugned by an assortment of different people with everything from immoralities to illegalities. I'm asking you, what's the name I have to put in front of you? Because it ain't Malik Beasley. What's the name I have to put in front of you to make one of these go right to the front of all your screens? Because you realize this has gotten to one of the players it can't get to because we haven't had any seismic stuff happen except when there was the sniff of it around Ohtani, probably a.

[Dan LeBatard]

Quarterback or a true superstar. I think that's probably how more people pay attention to it. Look, before gambling was legalized in states, we had a massive Tim Donaghy scandal that should honestly couch any discussion we've ever had. When we discuss is this rigged in the NBA and you have tons of people that were aligned with Tim Donaghy that had incriminating text messages at the time that are still officiating in that league and we just move on past it. If anything, the legalization of gambling in all these states has allowed these gambling partners to share more data with their league partners and point out things like, hey, there's a bunch of sharp action right now and Malik Beasley's unders and his rebounds. You may want to go ahead and take a look at that. Stuff like this has been going on for decades. There's going to be more of it because yes, gambling is more legal, but there's also going to be more of it because these gambling partners are also sharing the data. So people like Malik Beasley can't get away with going three under their average for the season for a string of games.

[Chris Cote]

I think it's, it's a guy like Malik Beasley because If you're a LeBron level superstar, frankly, you don't need the money you're going to get from gay.

[Dan LeBatard]

Calvin Ridley was a big time player, a star in that league and it didn't really resonate.

[Chris Cote]

Yeah, he was a receiver.

[Stugotz]

I don't think you can do. Don't need the money when like this. I believe athletes are more like. I don't have any metrics on this, but I would say athletes are more inclined in terms of generality to be the obsessive compulsive kind of addiction and competitive. That would make people more prone to the temptations of gambling and competition than the average person. I would think that the average athlete is more susceptible to these temptations based on just human personality traits that would make them great at their jobs. And then they couldn't necessarily turn off when they left the facility because there's an addiction to competing as well. This is what Michael Jordan always said. He said he didn't have a gambling problem. He had a competition problem.

[Dan LeBatard]

It's also not always about that. You never know what position an individual's in. If they're being dragged into that, it could be some sort of leverage play them trying to get out of a bad situation. It's not always because this person just likes to chase a bet here and there. It's not. It's not always like that.

[Chris Cote]

Yeah, I think that's the danger to leagues is that if Malik Beasley is not working alone, so to speak, if he has people he's beholden to for one reason or another, then it becomes more of a network issue. Not just one person, but Malik Beasley thinks, I'm guessing I'm a middle class player. The attention is not going to be on me like it would be on KD or somebody like that.

[Stugotz]

Everyone knows what the dangers are here.

[Dan LeBatard]

He's a former felon.

[Chris Cote]

I think they do now.

[Dan LeBatard]

He's a former felon. Like bringing, bringing this into his life, allegedly it's high risk game for him.

[Stugotz]

I never know when you guys start saying someone doesn't need the money. I don't know where the line is on can Michael Jordan ever have a gambling problem? And the way Charles Barkley says it is I can afford it. I like to gamble. I don't have a gambling problem. I can, I can afford it. There are very few people though in the tax bracket where Michael Jordan and Charles Barkley exist that you can have a gambling problem. And it doesn't actually affect your life in any meaningful way. When you get caught on one of these spirals. Like I, I remember what it is that Travis Henry, the former Bills running back got caught for, I think after his playing career. Because once you get used to Making a certain amount of money in a certain lifestyle and you start getting into a range where you're gambling too much on airplanes or wherever else with people who are flippant around money. You could lose a lot of money very fast and find yourself in a problem that makes you make compensations on your principles, even though you know what the risk is. I wanted to show you guys something. A little bit of news that came in. Deandre Ayton opted out of his contract in Portland. And I just want the picture put behind me that they used with this story on ESPN.com of Deandre Ayton. I want you guys to look at this person and tell me how old this person is. Tell me how old that person, DeAndre is. Based on his photograph, I would guess like 48.

[Mike Ryan]

Yeah.

[Chris Cote]

53.

[Mike Ryan]

27.

[Stugotz]

Billy got it exactly right.

[Mike Ryan]

Did I?

[Stugotz]

Wow, you are really good at this game, Billy. He is 27 years old. Somehow that is impossible to believe.

[Dan LeBatard]

Federal cocaine trafficking conspiracy for Travis Henry.

[Stugotz]

You should have put a little pause between that and deandre Ayton so that it. People didn't think that it was.

[Dan LeBatard]

I thought we were talking soccer.

[Greg Cody]

He's actually turning 27 this month. So.

[Stugotz]

So he's not even still 26.

[Mike Ryan]

He looks old for his age.

[Chris Cote]

That's high mileage right there.

[Stugotz]

We're going to get to Inter Miami in a second because as you guys know, it is mercurial. Mike. Monday. As it is every Monday. Congrats, Mike.

[Mike Ryan]

He doesn't like.

[Stugotz]

Congratulations, Mike. It's. It's a mercurial. It's a. It's a compliment to all the things Mike is. I wanted to tell you guys something that happened to me yesterday that continues to offend me on this even though I remain somebody shouting at the bottom of a well and no one cares about my complaints. I told you guys the story of walking into a Trader Joe's and holding up a piece of cash in front of the cashier. And the cashier is so used to automated, no one pays cash anymore that it was 6 o' clock in the evening and the cashier said to me, oh, I'm sorry, that's the first time anyone's offered me cash all day. And since then, there have been more and more places that simply will not accept my cash. They won't accept it. They are card only as a philosophy. You heard me say this is un American. But this weekend it went a step too far. When I am giving someone cash and they have to give me change and they hold up an American Nickel and say to me, how much is this one worth? What? On a coin? On a. How much is this one worth? And I said, 5 cents. Because they're so not used to anyone needing change in the establishment that I'm in. Because everyone is using a card that. It's not just from last week's lament, that cursive is now being expunged from old people. Are coins now being expunged? Are we raising a generation of kids who don't actually know the rate or the. The. That what a nickel looks like? Are we. Put it on the poll at LeBatard show? Are we raising a generation of kids who do not know what a nickel looks like? Because this was not a teenager. This was an adult that did not know that a nickel was worth 5 cents.

[Chris Cote]

Yeah. Answer is yes. And I have done a. Back in my day on that, on your air and in this book. How about that?

[Mike Ryan]

Wow. You know what I did this weekend, Dan, because I'm getting old, I, I noticed my car has like little slots for coins in it. And I said, you know what? I kind of want to fill up those slots with some coins. And I wanted to start paying with, with cash again and with change again. So I have this, this little jug that's a money counter. So you put in the penny and it keeps track of how much money's in there. But it's been years since I've actually used it. It just kind of sits in the corner and I looked and it said it had like $60 in change. But sometimes I take some in, I put some out, whatever. So I went and I did penny by penny, you know, nickel by nickel. I found out it was only $38 in there. So somehow I've spent like $28 in change that I wasn't aware of over the years, that I thought it was short, but I went and I put.

[Greg Cody]

In my car and then I. Dano the free agent. First per Jordan Schultz and now per Adam Schefter ESPN sources, the Miami Dolphins have agreed to trade three time all pro cornerback Jalen Ramsey to the Pittsburgh Steelers. As part of the trade, Ramsey will get a $1.5 million raise this season, bringing his compensation up to $26.6 million.

[Jeremy Tache]

My dad's first thought, shit, I gotta write a column.

[Dan LeBatard]

Hell, yeah.

[Chris Cote]

I mean, he's been on the trade market for about nine years. I don't know if I always judge breaking news by how surprising it is. It was just a matter of time until they traded him. Right?

[Jeremy Tache]

So you don't want to have to go right. Is that just you pitching? Why you don't need to go right at Colin.

[Stugotz]

That's how you react to a major name.

[Dan LeBatard]

Didn't he have a rivalry with DK Metcalf?

[Stugotz]

I can be cool. I can make the argument that Jalen Ramsey is one of the best athletes in the history of the state of Florida. From Florida State on one of the top five athletes I've ever seen in.

[Dan LeBatard]

Terms of like, being jealous that there are Knoll and not a cane. Jalen Ramsey's right up there with Dalin Cook.

[Stugotz]

I. I don't believe. Well, this isn't even arguable. The Jalen Ramsey era here didn't produce any of what it was supposed to for anyone. But Jalen Ramsey, who I believe delivered on everything it is that he was promised to be. And they didn't have enough around him to rise to his level of excellence. And now a very long career heads to Pittsburgh with Aaron Rodgers and a team that's totally in win now mode. In a way. In a way, the Dolphins aren't right. The Dolphins can't be seen as being in win now mode given that they're now paying the penalties of all they were in. All they didn't accomplish the last three years while being in win now mode. And now they can't afford Jalen Ramsey.

[Chris Cote]

Yeah. Particularly because it leaves their cornerback position probably the weakest cornerback room in the league or close to it.

[Dan LeBatard]

That's cool that he and DK get to fight and practice every day now too.

[Chris Cote]

They were.

[Dan LeBatard]

It was for a couple of years. They're really fun to watch those two go at it.

[Greg Cody]

And a quick correction. Jalen Ramsey actually tweeted out a pre produced video one minute before the reporters actually had that information.

[Mike Ryan]

So how do you know?

[Greg Cody]

As he tweeted break my own news.

[Chris Cote]

He.

[Stugotz]

He tried to sort of change the paradigm some and couldn't be anything but a copycat given that he was following Deon Sanders at fsu. But when he shows up to Jacksonville for, you know, camp in a Brinks truck, was it because I forgot about. Was it. Was it because he was about to be paid or he had been paid? Why is it.

[Jeremy Tache]

I think it was like, I want to get.

[Dan LeBatard]

Yeah, he was. Yeah. Pay me.

[Stugotz]

Jalen. Jalen Ramsey has traded him. Jalen Ramsey has tried to. To manufacture his own news with music videos or making viral noise for about the last five to 10 years. And what I associate with him in no particular order is extraordinary. Florida athlete showed up in a Brinks truck at Jacksonville and immediately Jacksonville got scared and traded him because of everything that that was in copycat Deion Sanders style and did an interview with, I believe, GQ in which he said, among other things, that Josh Allen sucks and would always suck and just crushed an assortment of quarterbacks and then never spoke that honestly to the media ever again after that story because he said Josh Allen was going to suck. But take me, take me through the history of this right here where he's showing up in Jacksonville with duffel bags emerging from a Brinks truck and you're telling me he had not yet gotten his money. Are you sure he had not yet gotten his money? It looks like he's gotten it.

[Greg Cody]

It claims here in this article that it was a nod to the fact that they need to pay him and.

[Jeremy Tache]

It was at the start of training camp. So I assume he wasn't paid yet and showed up to training camps with a bag full of money, which seems like the opposite.

[Dan LeBatard]

Seems like Adidas helped him out with the activation with the feel the boost tagline and him coming out with an Adidas bag.

[Greg Cody]

That was July 24, 2019. He was traded to the Los Angeles Rams by October 15, 2019.

[Dan LeBatard]

Hall of Famer.

[Stugotz]

Can you look? I'd say so, yeah.

[Dan LeBatard]

Super bowl champion. I think he's hall of Famer.

[Chris Cote]

I don't think so.

[Dan LeBatard]

No. Even more impressive than super bowl champion, AFC Championship game with Jacksonville.

[Chris Cote]

His. I mean, you at his position, you start by looking at career interceptions and his total is not.

[Dan LeBatard]

No. Because they don't throw on him. I think that guy's like first generation, probably top three at the position.

[Stugotz]

I don't think. I don't think that Greg Cody is using the right necessarily using the right metric for the modern age. The story. I've told you guys this story before and it's my favorite. It's my favorite Dion story. It's. It was a. Against Wanstadt's Bears, he only had Steve Walsh as quarterback. Steve Walsh couldn't throw the ball very hard. Deion Sanders was on the opposing team. Dave Wanstead was the coach of the year. Muddy field, playoff game, they avoid Deion Sanders so much. Muddy field, playoff game, his side of the field so much that they lose 44. 3. And after playing an NFL playoff game in the mud, Deion Sanders is running off a field and his uniform's not that dirty after playing an entire football game because they wouldn't throw to his side of the field. And I asked him if he'd ever played in a more boring game. And the only reason Deion Sanders is a better athlete than Jalen Ramsey at FSU in my memories, because his answer was, yeah, it's called baseball. Jalen Ramsey is a Florida athlete. I don't know whether people care about this stuff like Anquan Bolden when he talks about being the athlete of the year in the state of Florida and that there are 10 guys in his neighborhood who are better than than he is. For Jalen Ramsey to be one of the best athletes in the history of the state of Florida and at fsu, combined with the fact that people wouldn't throw to his side of the field when he played because they were afraid of him. There has to be a better metric than the one that you're using their interceptions on a cornerback.

[Chris Cote]

But let me give you another metric. And I'm not saying this is the be all end all, but Pro Football Reference has a Hall of Fame monitor and its hall of Fame monitor says the average hall of fame DV DB rates 96. And right now Jalen Ramsey's career metric is 59.3 like 60% of where he needs to be to be a Hall of Famer. I could be wrong. I'm not a Hall of Fame voter, but I think he's got a lot of late career work to do to be thought of as a Don't you.

[Stugotz]

Believe that his name is the one associated with best corner at the position? And when you're throwing around the names, you're going to throw out half a dozen of them and over the course of a decade his name is going to be one of the first that you're mentioning as a name.

[Dan LeBatard]

7 time Pro Bowler 3 time AP.

[Stugotz]

First Team Yep, a name shut down corner he has.

[Chris Cote]

There's an argument and and seven time Pro bowl gets your attention. 24 career interceptions in a long career.

[Dan LeBatard]

Does not turning 31. It's going to be yep, he's already fallen off some. There have been talk, there's been talk about moving them to safety which by the way could give him extra longevity. Charles Woodson as a lockdown corner we were having these discussions. Is he overrated? And then he moves to safety and becomes a depoy. So maybe that's a move for him.

[Greg Cody]

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[Unknown]

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[Stugotz]

Don LeBatard.

[Jeremy Tache]

All right, we gotta go back out there. That was big. Wake him up.

[Stugotz]

Oh, he doesn't want. He doesn't want to be bothered anymore. Now it's getting tense because he didn't need that. As a result, he needs something. That happens.

[Jeremy Tache]

Can we bother? Are we bothering you right now?

[Stugotz]

Turn on your microphone.

[Chris Cote]

My microphone's on st.

[Jeremy Tache]

Paint the scene.

[Chris Cote]

The paint the scene is. I got to go to work. Good night.

[Mike Ryan]

This is the D. Levatar show with.

[Stugotz]

The st. One other sports thing that I wanted to get to before speaking of Pittsburgh before the show ended today. And I know that we're doing more and more of it these days where burying pieces of your childhood, Greg, as you age, I know that this is happening more and more for you. And so every couple of weekends, a Dave Parker, someone who was a part of my childhood, who introduced me to baseball, someone who looked unlike anyone I had ever seen in a baseball uniform before because he was so big. He was 6, 5, and he was just clearly stronger than ever everyone else. And his arm was stronger than everyone else. He is a time in Pittsburgh baseball where Pittsburgh baseball, the only time in Pittsburgh baseball came to rival what it is that the Steelers were in town because of how Pittsburgh baseball mattered during his time and during Barry Bonds time. And he had been sick for a while and he had been, in a way, when he had been in public, he had been so physically weak that you had warning that this was coming. And yet still, when it's a sports figure, that reminds me specifically of the childhood awe and wonder I had before cable television of discovering an athlete. I'm not even sure that the way that I discover Dave Parker in the late 70s as someone being introduced to baseball just because the Yankees play spring training games in Fort Lauderdale, I'm not sure a kid today can discover an athlete the way that I would have discovered an athlete in 77, where you're seeing them at a spring training game for the first time, before you see highlights, before you see social media, before you even know what someone is, that the only access to information you would have is not cable television, it's magazines. It's baseball magazines over the summer or a game of the week that doesn't allow you the nightly access to both highlights. This is when Dave Parker dies. It feels to me like you're resurrecting a portion of my childhood I have not thought about in a while. And then you are burying it again and making me sad because you're reminding me of a connection that I will never have to an athlete again.

[Chris Cote]

Yeah, he finally made the hall of Fame just before he died, which is a victory, I think, if you're a Dave Parker fan or a fan of that era. But he also had a personality. Like he had a bravado to him, an aura to his Game. It wasn't just the. The power or anything. He was an all round player, a great right fielder. And yeah, I was very fortunate to have him on my podcast once. And I only say that because back then I'm like, wow, Dave Parker agreed to be on my podcast and it was a big deal and I was really honored.

[Stugotz]

Well, actually you only say that because you wanted to say that you had him on. That is the only reason that you had. And I should also say that was at a time in baseball that there weren't a lot of black players that was a black team because they had Dave Parker and Willie Stargell on behalf of Pittsburgh, representing Pittsburgh in like, we're physically more imposing than you ways in baseball that people weren't used to seeing.

[Mike Ryan]

He also was elected to the hall of Fame, but his induction hasn't happened yet. It's in a couple weeks. So it was this year that he got elected in.

[Chris Cote]

At least he knew he made it, though.

[Mike Ryan]

Yeah, yeah, yeah.

[Chris Cote]

Fair.

[Mike Ryan]

It's just a sad kind of.

[Stugotz]

Yeah. Note is that he didn't quite get there. Yeah.

[Mike Ryan]

No, he made it. No, he's in. He just.

[Stugotz]

Yeah, he didn't get to enjoy it. Like I've said before, the greatest thing about making the hall of Fame is that it becomes a fountain of youth. You're here to point out. Not in this case, no.

[Mike Ryan]

What?

[Stugotz]

No.

[Mike Ryan]

I had a Dave Parker bat.

[Stugotz]

Did you?

[Mike Ryan]

Yeah, that was my dad's that I used it and my friend's broken. I had to explain.

[Stugotz]

Was it signed?

[Chris Cote]

Oh, wow.

[Mike Ryan]

Well, no, it was a Louisville Slugger. Was. I mean, it was. Was like engraved signature signed.

[Stugotz]

It's a big black bat. Right.

[Mike Ryan]

This one was not. It was like a regular tan color. I don't. What would you even call that color? Bat tan?

[Stugotz]

Beige?

[Mike Ryan]

I don't know. Wood grain.

[Stugotz]

Yeah, wood. But I thought that. Well, do I have my. Maybe my memory is wrong on this. I remember Willie Stargell having a big black bat.

[Mike Ryan]

Okay.

[Dan LeBatard]

Enter Miami.

[Mike Ryan]

Big one.

[Greg Cody]

Just googled Willie Stargell. Big black bat. I'll let you know what comes up.

[Mike Ryan]

Checks out after last Friday's Google searches. Nothing surprising with you, Jeremy.

[Dan LeBatard]

Skip past one of his cock.

[Stugotz]

Inter Miami. Greg Cody. I want to read directly from his column. Would you guys like to hear directly from Greg Cody's Miami Herald column today? Greg Co. Now that he's a grandfather and he's softening in old age, he has a, you know, moral victory column. The scoreboard says route. It says the loser was not just beaten, but Closer to embarrassed. But more needs to be said of how the FIFA Club World cup ended for Inter Miami on Sunday in Atlanta. Sometimes in sports, not often, a team gets to leave a game feeling almost as if it has won, no matter the scoreboard's clear descent. Athletes and coaches are loathe to admit even a shred of positive in any defeat, let alone in the immediate aftermath. But if ever the moral victory existed, can't Inter Miami claim some of that even after a 4 to nothing defeat? Stop being a homer, bro.

[Chris Cote]

I believed that before the game and I'm not going to change my opinion because they lost 4 nil to the best team on the planet and my opinion was influenced somewhat by a much, much better second half. Now granted, PSG took its foot off the the gas pedal, I'm sure, perhaps out of respect for Messi, but they were much, much better in the second half. They controlled the ball more. Psg, their ball possession is like anybody, nobody else on earth. It was more than 73% in the Club World cup and it was almost 70% yesterday. About 65, I think. So they just control the ball. Miami couldn't get it in the first half. That's not on Miami. That's on them playing the best team on earth, I think, and I think Mike agrees, them.

[Stugotz]

It was an ass kicking. It was ridiculous.

[Dan LeBatard]

It was a crazy ass kicking, absurd ass kick. I've never seen a team get. All right, so PSG had four goals in that first one.

[Chris Cote]

Ridiculous, right?

[Dan LeBatard]

Miami had three completed passes in PSG's end of the pitch.

[Chris Cote]

They couldn't get the ball.

[Dan LeBatard]

It was as thorough an ass kicking as you can. And you know what? Sometimes that it looks like that when one team has a billion dollar roster and the other team has a $60 million roster. I do agree with your point though. This is one of the greater achievements in club soccer history in this company. They went through an entire group, group round. They didn't drop a game. Their first loss in the competition is to the reigning European champions, who by the way, in the final against Inter Milan won 5, 0 and beat them up pretty good. But you. I understand the point. Let's take a treetop view and say this is one of the best achievements. This team is only five years old and in five years they have what is arguably the greatest achievement in club soccer in this country. But at the same time you can be really disappointed with how they approach that game and what they needed to do. Obviously they're going to have to have an outsized effort. They're going to have to play really smart. And they show that they couldn't.

[Chris Cote]

No, they were intimidated. They just almost visually were beaten before the Met.

[Stugotz]

That's not intimidated though. I mean when your first half is called a bloodbath by your coach and you can't get passes in, that's not intimidating. They're just a good deal better than you. That's okay. Like you're.

[Dan LeBatard]

But it's expected. That's. It's the Champions League winner. There are a couple of weeks removed from beating Inter Milan in the final in one of the biggest ass kickings we've ever seen in a cup final. So that was, that was some. I mean we getting some feedback.

[Stugotz]

Well, here's what's happening. You guys can go into the parking garage. There are people working on the other side of this wall. I just walked into the garage and they are using like very large tools to install something on the other side of the wall. It sounded earlier in the show like I was being hit in the head with a shovel.

[Dan LeBatard]

Sounded like a sandblast.

[Stugotz]

And so they' on stuff out there, but we keep giving you content. We don't care what's being erected around here. You two though specifically are. Are sitting here arguing on behalf of the achievement when they were embarrassed. They should be embarrassed by being in a game where they have no practical chance to complete a pass.

[Dan LeBatard]

Yeah, I mean if they hung on to their 20 lead against Bob Mitz which actually made it to the quarterfinals, they avoid PSG entirely and do battle with Botafogo. And that that game probably makes you feel better. As an Interfan, I don't know if they go on to advance, but they certainly do better. They have chances in the final third as opposed to what PSG did which totally let off the gas in that second half and change players in. But when they put in their subs, they put in Dembele.

[Chris Cote]

I know their best player.

[Dan LeBatard]

It's an insane embarrassment of riches.

[Chris Cote]

It's crazy.

[Dan LeBatard]

And Inter Miami have its limitations. Even you have Messi and you have Jordi Alba doing the best that he can. But Luis Suarez obviously is super limited. Although he showed you a moment of brilliance in this tournament. I think there was. There was plenty to be proud of. And they ended up making north of $20 million which is an insane haul for an MLS club. Certainly more than they've ever made for any of their on pitch successes. By a hell of a lot. So. So from a. From a football standpoint, major success. And you can honestly say it's one of the best achievements in MLS club soccer. It's just sad to put it that way after you get drubbed.

[Stugotz]

Whoa. The Steelers have traded is this true all pro safety Minka Fitzpatrick to the Dolphins in exchange for Jalen Ramsey. Is that.

[Mike Ryan]

Yeah. Player for player.

[Chris Cote]

Great trade.

[Stugotz]

It's all of a sudden the conversation great trade, great trade says, so that's.

[Chris Cote]

A great trade for the Dolph. Are you kidding me?

[Stugotz]

They traded Minka Fitzpatrick more earlier than anyone wanted him traded. And Minka Fitzpatrick, if you're talking about interceptions and that's the stat you're going to use, that's a bit of a surprise.

[Dan LeBatard]

Is it not a one for one all pro for all pro trade in the NFL? When's the last time? I don't think this ever happened.

[Jeremy Tache]

The Dolphins got the younger one right.

[Greg Cody]

Like by a few years.

[Dan LeBatard]

Also seems like Ramsey is going to make that move to safety.

[Chris Cote]

If that's the case in another position of new that is okay. That's a smart deal for the Dolphins. Ramsay's fading. You know, you can put him in Canton already if you want to, but he's a fading 30, almost 31. Had two interceptions. I know you don't like interceptions.

[Dan LeBatard]

Lockdown corners don't get thrown on. They don't have the opportunity.

[Stugotz]

Fitzpatrick does produce interceptions like I don't.

[Dan LeBatard]

That position will. And I imagine if Jalen Ramsey gets moved to safety, you're going to see his interception numbers go way, way up. The same way that they did with Woodson and Woodson before him.

[Chris Cote]

Okay, you know what? Corners who aren't thrown to that much find a way to get interceptions.

[Jeremy Tache]

No, tell me that on the pole.

[Chris Cote]

Okay, what is, what is Deion Sanders career?

[Dan LeBatard]

Let's look up Reedus.

[Chris Cote]

I guarantee it's more than twice that of Jalen Ramsey and I don't even have the stats.

[Stugotz]

Minka is 28. Go ahead and look up the stats. If you're guaranteeing stuff, we do need to look up more of the advanced metrics. I would not use interceptions. I would trust that the people doing the scouting and people doing individual grading on play to play, route to route, taking into account schemes and who you're playing against is a much better, more accurate measurement.

[Chris Cote]

What about the pro football reference rating?

[Dan LeBatard]

You like it, it's an incomplete grade.

[Stugotz]

You like it and it's a piecemeal thing that allows you to make it slightly more chewable. But I, I can't sit here and break this down intelligently beyond telling you that Minka Fitzpatrick is A couple years younger than Jalen Ra. Jalen Ramsey will indeed probably have to change positions from cornerback to safety. I imagine he will be a very good safety.

[Dan LeBatard]

Rod woods and Charles Woodson showed this and here's a good comp. Daryl Revis in 11 seasons played, had 29 interceptions. Jalen Ramsey in eight seasons played, has 20 as of the end of 20, 24. So he has an opportunity to catch up. And that's his interception total is aligned with a shutdown corner that eliminates the side of the field.

[Chris Cote]

How about Deion?

[Dan LeBatard]

Deion Sanders played in a different era and was a different player altogether.

[Greg Cody]

But Greg is right and better.

[Dan LeBatard]

But okay. The level for hall of Fame is Deion Sanders. That's not the tipping point.

[Greg Cody]

53 interceptions for Deion Sanders in his career, 24 for Jalen Ramsey.

[Dan LeBatard]

He was a ball hawk. How about that's not Jalen Ramsey's game.

[Stugotz]

How about Minka Fitzpatrick? How many? If we're going to do it just with interceptions, we've got a cornerback for cornerback trade between two teams.

[Jeremy Tache]

That corner for a safety.

[Stugotz]

Okay, yes. Forgiveness.

[Greg Cody]

20 for me.

[Stugotz]

So it's 20 for Minka. Okay. And it's between two teams that between them cannot win a first round playoff game. Correct. Between them, since Ben Roethlisberger, there have been no victory. So much so that Mike Florio is on with us and he's doing the tap dance of Mike Tomlin. Hot seat, yes or no? 18 seasons coaching, never a losing season, but can't get past the first round. Do you realize how absurd it is to say in the modern age, in a show where I was talking about how quickly Toronto's general manager can be deposed, that one of the most amazing stats in sports is the Pittsburgh Steelers have had three coaches. That makes no sense.

[Dan LeBatard]

I really wish Pro Football Focus was around when Jerry Rice and Deion Sanders were going head to head two times a year.

[Stugotz]

Year.

[Dan LeBatard]

You guys are old enough to remember. What was that like? The greatest DB ever against the greatest football player ever going up twice a year.

[Stugotz]

Oh, you know how that was. Jerry Rice did everything the right way and Deion Sanders does everything the wrong way.

[Dan LeBatard]

But who won? Who got the better of the other one? Who won? Who won? Who was better?

[Stugotz]

I don't remember.

[Dan LeBatard]

Really?

[Stugotz]

Yes, Well, I mean, Jerry Rice won for all time because remember.

[Dan LeBatard]

Josh Norman versus Odell, when Odell was at the peak of his powers was amazing. There are rumors that the NFL has buried that NFL Films video because of what was being said on the field.

[Stugotz]

The best one was Andre Johnson and Courtland Finnegan. Right.

[Dan LeBatard]

Well, I mean, he beat his ass. And for Andre Johnson to display that when that's not his personality type, let's say, at all. And it shows you why there are weight classes in combat sports as well. DK Jalen Ramsey got up there, got.

[Stugotz]

Pretty hostile, but the best one we have seen. Wait a minute, didn't Talib have one too?

[Dan LeBatard]

Didn't Crabtree? Right, right.

[Stugotz]

Crabtree and Talib, two guys who get so emotionally volatile and are at such a frenzied state of competition that inevitably they end up fist fighting because there's a disrespect in the middle of it. Andre Johnson, though, that was so far out of character. Everyone knew that that was Courtland Finnegan being Courtland Finnegan because Cortland Finnegan could do that to anybody. But once you've done it to Andre Johnson, Andre Johnson's the rare person in demeanor where everyone watching that is like, yeah, Cortland probably did something wrong there. I don't know what he did, but clearly. But he probably did something that deserved that beating.

[Chris Cote]

Yeah, well, he was. He was a dirty player. Cortland Finnegan, I mean, that was.

[Stugotz]

But I'm just saying, do you know how, how rare it is for a player to have the pristine reputation that while he's kicking someone's ass, you're like, yeah, that other guy probably deserved it.

[Dan LeBatard]

We're going to. We're doing some digging right now. John O. Smith has been linked to the Steelers for the longest time. Schefter, Sweden about it. There may be a John who Smith angle.

[Greg Cody]

Rapaport says the Steelers are trading for Johnny Smith and he's one of Arthur Smith's favorite weapons as an offensive coordinator. Seems like $12 million extension. So at this point, all in all, according to Schefter, the Steelers get Johnny Smith and Jalen Ramsey. The Dolphins get Minka Fitzpatrick in a late round pick.

[Stugotz]

All right, so let's break this down quickly for a moment on the idea that the Dolphins have been win now for three years. They've been trying to get to where the Steelers are. They have not gotten to so much as a playoff victory. Mike Tomlin is doing win now stuff that feels desperate. This trade, both of these trades have been talked about for a while. I didn't have the Steelers getting both of the Dolphin guys. The tight end obviously is something that Aaron Rodgers has used very well over the years. This is going to be a short play, conservative offense like most of Tomlins are. It's going to be a lot of DK Metcalf and John Usmith are not guardable on button hooks, so let's throw a bunch of accurate 6 yard pass.

[Jeremy Tache]

Steelers going all in it's been it's.

[Dan LeBatard]

Been 21 years since the last trade in the NFL featured an all Pro for an All Pro champ Bailey for Clinton Portis.

[Stugotz]

But this is what all in looks like if you're the Steelers and you've got a coach, one who has as much stability as an organization can ever give a coach, but but also has provided as much stability as a coach can provide. And this is a season of uncommon pressure for Mike Tomlin because of the desperation he welcomes into his huddle in a win. Right now Aaron Rodgers, the Steelers are going to be just aggressively all in on Tomlin. Either gets further in the playoffs this year or he's in big trouble.

[Chris Cote]

The problem is you would think that the Dolphins would have been in that same mind frame. They trade a Pro bowl cornerback at a position of great need that really leaves them bereft at an important position and they trade John Ooh Smith, the former FIU Panther who had a great season for Miami last year. He came in as a very offensive tight end and did just what he was supposed to. So they missed both of those players.

[Stugotz]

I'm going to guess though that McDaniel feels like he can do that with a tight end, whoever that is. I mean it's one of the reasons that they let go of Gasecki. I'm sure he can stuff like that still with Burrow, because I'm guessing that that's a position that they feel is pretty disposable, but it's not going to be for Aaron Rodgers and the Steelers.

[Dan LeBatard]

It wasn't until last year though, it was weird. Tight ends always produce in that zone scheme that dates back to the Shanahans and it wasn't until John New got here that they got that production. So to see him go, it's going.

[Stugotz]

To be a live breaking trade in the middle of the show.

[Dan LeBatard]

I'm alive.