Hour 1: Roy & David Smell Like Brian Skrudland

Summary

Summary of "The Dan Le Batard Show with Stugotz" – Hour 1: Roy & David Smell Like Brian Skrudland

Release Date: March 10, 2025

Hosts: Dan Le Batard, Stugotz, Mike Ryan, Greg Cody, Roy, David Dwork, Jessica, Billy Corben, Kendrick Perkins

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1. Florida Panthers: Team Dynamics and Brad Marchand

Overview: The episode delves deep into the current state of the Florida Panthers, focusing on player dynamics, particularly Brad Marchand's role and influence within the team.

Key Discussions:

• Brad Marchand's Trade and Team Impact:

  • Greg Cody remarks on Marchand's requested trade to the Panthers:

    "Considering that Brad Marchand actually requested to be traded here, I doubt [the Panthers' intentions to sabotage his career]." (03:37)

  • Stugotz speculates humorously about the Panthers potentially making Marchand's career difficult:

    "Is it possible that the Panthers traded for Brad to ruin the end of his career because they have such a wealth of talent?" (05:13)

• Fan Sentiment and Team Performance:

  • Mike Ryan expresses his continued resentment towards Marchand despite potential team success:

    "I'm gonna continue hating Brad Marchand. Where do you align yourself with?" (08:19)

• Locker Room Atmosphere:

  • The hosts discuss the physical environment of the Panthers' locker room, highlighting issues like lingering odors and cramped spaces:

    "The locker room always smells like mildew." – David Dwork (07:12)

Notable Quote:

"The Florida Panthers behaving like the Tampa Bay Lightning stashing away Tkachuk so that they could get a Marshawn... They have this opportunity to do what, you know, teams wish they could do." – Greg Cody (03:26)

2. NBA Insights: Denver Nuggets and League Evolution

Overview: Shifting focus to basketball, the discussion centers on the Denver Nuggets' performance, Nikola Jokić's outstanding statistics, and broader changes within the NBA landscape.

Key Discussions:

• Nikola Jokić's Dominance:

  • David Dwork highlights Jokić's unprecedented stats:

    "He puts up the first 30, 20, 20 in league history." (16:11)

• League Competitiveness and Team Strategies:

  • Mike Ryan questions the effectiveness of Denver's support for Jokić:

    "The architecture around him isn't getting better. It's not." (20:00)

• Media and Fan Engagement:

  • The hosts critique how media coverage favors big-market teams, potentially sidelining rising teams like the Cavaliers and Thunder:

    "You're just talking about the Warriors and the Lakers all the time." – Stugotz (26:36)

Notable Quote:

"What happens with Denver when Jokic is on the court and when he's off the court is a bit stupefying architecturally that they haven't gotten him more help in Denver." – David Dwork (16:11)

3. Media Coverage and Its Impact on NBA Popularity

Overview: A critical examination of how media biases toward established, big-market NBA teams affect the league's overall popularity and the visibility of emerging teams.

Key Discussions:

• Media Focus on Established Franchises:

  • Dan Le Batard points out the media's tendency to concentrate on major teams, diminishing coverage of others:

    "There's fewer opportunities to work in smaller markets now if you're a media member than there is to work at one of these major networks." (25:57)

• Consequences for Fan Engagement:

  • Stugotz discusses the challenges casual fans face in connecting with less-covered teams during the Finals:

    "If you're trying to get the Casuals to watch in the finals, the Casuals are going to want the teams that they know of." (25:57)

• Charles Barkley's Critique:

  • Kendrick Perkins and others highlight Charles Barkley's dissatisfaction with media coverage:

    "Don't get me wrong. If I turn out to be wrong, I got no problem with that. But y'all are idiots. Cause y'all talk about the Lakers and the warriors all the time." – Kendrick Perkins (34:09)

Notable Quote:

"We're in consensus on that. Correct? What was good enough a few years ago is no longer good enough in Denver, even though the MVP is better than he's ever been." – David Dwork (20:00)

4. Casual Conversations: Exploring Graveyards

Overview: In a lighter and more humorous segment, the hosts engage in an off-topic discussion about graveyards, revealing personal anecdotes and quirky interests.

Key Discussions:

• Roy's Fascination with Graveyards:

  • Roy shares his affinity for walking through graveyards, sparking playful banter:

    "You're in the garage late at night, all of a sudden you hear, so is that Alan Cherry?" (35:10)

• Family Dynamics and Graveyard Visits:

  • Jessica recounts childhood memories of her father's love for graveyards:

    "If we're at a hotel in walking distance to a major graveyard, I almost said I've died and gone to heaven." (38:27)

• Cultural References and Superstitions:

  • The hosts discuss the phrase "whistling when you walk past a graveyard," exploring its meaning and implications:

    "It's to pretend to be cheerful and not afraid of passing a graveyard." – Stugotz (35:24)

Notable Quote:

"I think most ghosts are good. I have not. I mean, not in a physical sense, you know." – Roy (35:49)

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Conclusion

In this episode, Dan Le Batard and Stugotz navigate through passionate discussions about the Florida Panthers and the NBA's evolving landscape, interspersed with lighthearted banter about graveyards. The hosts offer insightful critiques on team dynamics, media biases, and fan engagement, while also showcasing their personalities through casual conversations. Notable quotes throughout the episode provide depth to their perspectives, making the discussion both informative and entertaining for listeners.

Transcript

[Dan Le Batard]

You're listening to Giraffe Kings Network.

[Stugotz]

Wow.

[Mike Ryan]

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[Billy Corben]

Mm.

[Dan Le Batard]

Hey, have you checked out that spreadsheet.

[Mike Ryan]

I sent you for our dinner?

[Dan Le Batard]

Options Finance your car with Carvana and experience total control financing subject to credit approval.

[Mike Ryan]

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

[David Dwork]

Anytime someone says Cuervo, I show up.

[Mike Ryan]

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.

[David Dwork]

Sweet, delicious Cuervo.

[Mike Ryan]

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

[David Dwork]

Cuervo.

[Mike Ryan]

So enjoy the tequila that started it all.

[David Dwork]

Cuervo.

[Mike Ryan]

Cuervo, the tequila that invented tequila. Proximo. Cuervo.com, please drink responsibly.

[David Dwork]

Cuervo.

[Greg Cody]

This is the Don Levatar show with the Stugats podcast.

[Jessica]

This episode of the Dan Lebatard show with Stugats is presented by DraftKings. DraftKings. The Crown is yours.

[David Dwork]

Billy wanted to talk more Geno Smith.

[Roy]

Did he?

[Stugotz]

That's two. Now you get one more Geno Smith. Oh, now that's it. Now we can.

[Jessica]

Next person, penalty box.

[Roy]

Gino Vanelli.

[Stugotz]

Yeah. Gino Oriemma.

[David Dwork]

Let's go out to Roy. He is with the Panthers. He is on the ice. He is ready to give us an update on everything that's happening with the Florida Panthers. This is exactly where all hockey standups should be and how all hockey standups should look. Mike R. Ryan. Roy, I'm curious your opinion here because the hockey show that is often on Fridays was able to react to. This is in real time, correct? When this happened last week. Mike Ryan is not here for Brad Marchand though. How do you feel? That is a minority opinion. I feel like he's expressing on behalf of Panther fans. I do not believe that he speaks for all Panther fans that if you can get a 36 year old Brad Marchand for $125,000, you absolutely end up doing that. Roy, where are you? And thank you for joining us from arena. What can you give us in the way of information over there.

[Greg Cody]

Still injured. He's going to possibly be on the ice to do some stuff, but right now he's going to travel with the team up to Boston and that's when he's going to finally say goodbye to his former teammates. And he actually got broken up a little bit about talking about his time in Boston and how that went down before he was traded. So right now we're waiting for him to come back into the lineup, but can you imagine him being on that second line with Sam Bennett and Matthew Tkachuk? Oh, the Panthers would be the most hated team in the league.

[Stugotz]

Roy, he called Sam Bennett a scumbag today, didn't he?

[Greg Cody]

Yes, he did. He did it in as. In a joking fashion. Yes. He actually loved him. And they got together during the Four nations tournament, him, Sam Bennett and Sam Rinehart. They played together for Team Canada and it seems like they patched things up considering what happened last year in the playoffs when he got punched in the face by Sam Bennett.

[David Dwork]

Billy mentioned earlier that it seems wildly inefficient to have Marshawn fly down here to do this press conference only to go right back up there and be there with the team for the first road game in Boston.

[Greg Cody]

Yeah, it is kind of inefficient, but you know, he had to get down here, get downloaded on the actual goings on with the team and David Druck is right next to me. But yeah, I mean, it does seem inefficient for him to go down and then go back up, but he has to get his stuff and everything. But he's traveling with the team throughout the entire road trip. A six game road trip coming up for the Panthers.

[David Dwork]

What is the level? I'd like to talk to Dwark here if you don't mind, since he came into the shot awkwardly and you pointed out, I thought it would have been. It would have been slightly more amusing if he had just awkwardly appeared and then left. But David Dwork, your co host on the hockey show that sometimes appears on Friday, what would you give us in the way of fan and customer reaction to the Florida Panthers behaving like the Tampa Bay Lightning stashing away Tkachuk so that they could get a Marshawn?

[Chris Cote]

I think there's a lot of anger in the world out there and I think Panther fans don't give a bleep about it because they were the ones that were angry. Now they have this opportunity to do what, you know, teams wish they could do. The reaction on Twitter has been fun. To see, just because I think from our perspective, we're just basking in the greatness of what the Panthers are doing right now, and everyone else can just kind of cry about it.

[David Dwork]

Roy. I still am confused at watching and seeing the Florida Panthers, after 30 years, behave like an adult, mature franchise that reacts competently to what it is that their customers want. Want.

[Mike Ryan]

I know.

[Greg Cody]

It's weird, isn't it? I'm certainly getting used to it now. It's been. I don't know, how long has Bill Zito been in charge as general manager? Five years now. So I'm starting to get. Finally get used to it. An actual responsible, stable organization that's playing hockey down here. And it's actually fun to see.

[Stugotz]

Given the history, is it possible that. That the Panthers traded for Brad to ruin the end of his career because they. They have, like, such a wealth of talent that they've decided, you know what we're going to do? We're just going to mess with this guy because we hate him and we're going to make sure that he's miserable. You put a good show today. You give him the sweater, you give him the hat. All of Brittany's, you know, happy, go lucky. And then you really make the rest of his career difficult.

[Greg Cody]

Well, considering that Brad Marchand actually requested to be traded here, I doubt that's the case. But, hey, do what you want to do, Billy.

[David Dwork]

He always will.

[Stugotz]

Just ask.

[David Dwork]

It doesn't seem like there's a lot of energy, enthusiasm where you are, though. I don't feel like that is pulsating Hockey nation everywhere around you. I'm not feeling the kind of enthusiasm around the Panthers that I've been told exists. That you feel like you're standing in the middle of something cold and antiseptic.

[Greg Cody]

Because nobody's here. Dan. Practice hasn't started yet. And as soon as practice starts, I believe. I believe it might be. Is it an open practice today? No, no, it's not open practice today. So, yeah, there's not a lot of excitement because there are no fans here.

[David Dwork]

Okay.

[Roy]

Hey, Roy. Where would you rank Geno Smith among NFL quarterbacks?

[David Dwork]

We can't talk about Geno.

[Mike Ryan]

You're just writing this down. Hold on.

[Greg Cody]

Listen, I'm not going to the penalty box when I get to the studio tomorrow, so you're not going to bait me into that? No, sir.

[Mike Ryan]

All right, but pick a number between 10 and 15.

[Greg Cody]

10 and 15?

[Mike Ryan]

Yeah.

[Roy]

Lower the 12.

[Stugotz]

That's where Greg had him. That's where Greg had him.

[Mike Ryan]

Putting you down for team 12.

[Stugotz]

Incredible.

[Mike Ryan]

All right.

[David Dwork]

Thank you, Roy. We appreciate the coverage from an empty and cold arena where the players are not yet practicing. That locker room still smells bad though, right? No matter whether they're. Whether they're not sweaty or are sweaty, the locker room always smells like mildew.

[Greg Cody]

And must they have invested in an exhaust fan so it's not as smelly.

[David Dwork]

Okay, good breaking.

[Jessica]

Each locker has its own little air conditioning filter that filters air.

[Roy]

It smells like Brian Scrudland.

[David Dwork]

It does still smell like Brian Scrudland. That's right. And that's not a good smell. It's swampy and it's not good.

[Dan Le Batard]

Even though hockey's the smelliest sport. Right.

[David Dwork]

Football's pretty bad.

[Jessica]

Hockey, though.

[Dan Le Batard]

I think hockey's by far the worst. Then it goes football, soccer, baseball, and then golf.

[Jessica]

Smells great.

[Dan Le Batard]

Yeah, Golf doesn't smell that bad.

[David Dwork]

Football tends to be a bigger locker room with more. With more. More players in it. So there's more general open air. For some reason, the hockey locker room is smaller than I would like it to be, but they also have fewer players. Right. The hockey locker room is. Is a little more cramped than it needs to be. I feel like all hockey. Do I have this wrong, Roy? I feel like all hockey locker rooms need to be twice as large as they actually are.

[Greg Cody]

Well, there's only, what, 18 to 20 players in the locker room, as opposed to a football team which has about 60. So, yeah, it does need to be a bit bigger, especially the Panthers locker room. I mean, that arena has been, what, 1998 is over 20 years old, so they're not going to build a bigger locker room in there for them unless they get a new arena, which I.

[David Dwork]

Hope champions deserve a bigger locker room.

[Kendrick Perkins]

Yeah.

[Roy]

Yeah, for sure.

[Mike Ryan]

Well, absolutely. Their brand new facility is amazing. One of the big upgrades in all the sports from, like, Team HQs. But, Roy, I'm coming to grips with the fact that I'm in the minority here. I think most Panthers fans took them a second to warm up to it, but when they realized what they gave up, which is next to nothing, and the fact that they got to hurt Boston fans yet again without even doing something on the ice. They're in on this concept, but for me, I'm always going to hate them. I like hating them. I'm sure there's a hypothetical that you could craft game winning goal to send the Panthers to the Stanley cup final or a huge goal in the Stanley cup final where I may crack. But as someone that has sat on my hands every time Alonzo Mourning is introduced at the Triple A. And maintaining that level of resentment, I don't think I'm gonna budge on this one. I'm gonna continue hating Brad Marchand. Where do you align yourself with.

[Greg Cody]

Yeah, well, Brad Marchand as a person, as a human being. I've changed my mind about him maybe three years ago for his stance on Tony D'Angelo, for a stance on the, on the Bruins trying to sign a prospect by the name of Mitchell Miller, who bullied a developmentally disabled black kid by, you know, making him eat a piece of candy out of a urinal and repeatedly called him the N word. And the Bruins decided not to sign him based on how Brad Marchand, a couple of the other players felt on the team. So as a person, as a person, I definitely have turned around on him. He seems like a stand up guy, but as a player, he's perfect for this team. Absolutely perfect for this team.

[David Dwork]

What was that sound?

[Mike Ryan]

Probably the PR person dropping something. Roy, invoke that pass. I thought you were going to go face licking.

[David Dwork]

I thought Mike Ryan was down on Marchand as a person.

[Mike Ryan]

Mike Ryan, Yeah, I'm down. I don't like him as a person or a player, but whatever. He's a fourth liner. It's all right. Maybe sometimes we'll swap Greer for him.

[Greg Cody]

It's a fourth liner.

[Dan Le Batard]

Yeah, yeah.

[Mike Ryan]

I mean, go through our wingers. Who do you rate more? A bad player, Bad person. Occasionally, if we want to spark, maybe dress him occasionally. That's, that's cool with me, but I'm playing Greer over him. Not taking Jesper out.

[Greg Cody]

Yeah, I doubt that he's gonna.

[Mike Ryan]

Not taking Mackie out. Are you taking Mackie out? I'm not taking Mackie out. Verhaege seemed to figure it out a little bit.

[Greg Cody]

I'm not going to lead the lineup either.

[Mike Ryan]

I'm not going to lead the lineup.

[Jessica]

See you later, Greer.

[Mike Ryan]

Let's not marry ourselves to the idea that Brad Marchand has to play every game is what I'm saying is this.

[David Dwork]

This, is this the best and the deepest Panther team there has ever been.

[Greg Cody]

Yeah. Coming into, coming into March, they were already favored to get out of the east and make the final. But after this trade deadline, I think it's safe to say that the Stanley cup favorite.

[David Dwork]

Who do you fear the most?

[Chris Cote]

Rose?

[Greg Cody]

I would say Colorado's probably a good team to be fearing right now. I don't fear the Jets. I do.

[Jessica]

I am here for off mic comedy.

[Chris Cote]

Goaltending and they're really deep.

[Mike Ryan]

I'm Also here for you. Just naming teams in the Western Conference because that ain't our problem till we get to our third straight Stanley Cup Final, potentially.

[Greg Cody]

Yeah, Mike's right. It's not our problem right now. We'll worry about it come late June.

[David Dwork]

You don't fear Ovechkin?

[Greg Cody]

No, no. I think they might not make it out of first round.

[David Dwork]

Really?

[Chris Cote]

They're not built for the playoffs.

[Stugotz]

They're not built for the playoffs.

[Chris Cote]

They're built like the Panthers president's trophy team, exciting hockey bat end to end rushes. But when you get to the playoffs or everybody starts beating the snot out of each other, it doesn't really work that well.

[David Dwork]

Thank you, gentlemen. Appreciate all of your work on the hockey show and beyond. They are very exc. Everything around the Panthers is feeling championship excellent. And Bill Zito is somebody who is climbing up the ranks in terms of culture and legacy making executives in the history of South Florida because he's got a lot of popularity as it regards the architecture of that.

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[Roy]

Don Lebatard this guy comes in as the next Wayne Gretzky. His nicknames include the chosen1 and McJesus. Okay, he's a great player. He scores a lot of goals. He scores a ton of assists. But it hasn't translated to making Edmonton a powerhouse in the league.

[Jessica]

They're in the final Stugats.

[Stugotz]

What's your nickname for him?

[Roy]

Look overrated.

[Stugotz]

This is the Dan Levatar show with the Stugats.

[David Dwork]

We have learned that it is difficult to stay atop the championship mountain, not just in hockey, but you saw that Denver won the championship and now yesterday, you're watching and Denver is getting run out of the building late in the game against Oklahoma City because Oklahoma City is going to be good for a really long time. And when that game got to deciding time yesterday, the best offensive player I've ever seen stopped mattering. What happens with Denver when Jokic is on the court and when he's off the court is a bit stupefying architecturally that they haven't gotten him more help in Denver. He puts up the first 30, 20, 20 in league history. And do you understand how disorienting it is to have the first 30, 20, 20 in delivered by somebody who talks about their game this way? I can't dunk it, guys. Did you see me play? I never dunking.

[Mike Ryan]

Did you see me dunk?

[David Dwork]

I never dunk.

[Jessica]

What is happening in this league?

[David Dwork]

It is so strange to see him go for 30, 20 and 20 and be entirely unstoppable. But Denver hasn't gotten him enough help. He should make the. Make the mess that Jimmy made even though he won the championship because he's like, you guys can't do better than your Miles Garrett.

[Mike Ryan]

You found. We found. We found our Joey Football. He's in Denver.

[Stugotz]

The problem with him though is when he says, like, I don't want to play basketball. I won't come back. He really won't. Like he really will not. If he's gone, he's not going to come back.

[Mike Ryan]

Yeah, unlike Miles Garrett. I believe every word that he would say about the sport of basketball and not wanting to play it and being willing to hold out for millions and millions.

[David Dwork]

Toronto was a one year champion and then fell to the bottom of the league. Denver has not fallen to the bottom of the league, but they also haven't gotten any better since winning the championship. And a whole lot of teams around them have gotten better when they've been basically the same 55 win team. And Michael Porter is saying that be in a last dance type of situation this year where it gets broken up if they don't win a championship. And I don't know how he's doing the the arithmetic on that one because it's not going to be a last dance situation where they get rid of Jokic. They might get rid of Michael Porter, they might get rid of Aaron Gordon, but when you've got Jamal Murray and Jokic together and that's not good enough anymore, what's happening in Cleveland and Oklahoma City suggest that the league has passed them by and obviously Boston is still there beating the Lakers and LeBron is leaving the game as Jayson Tatum goes for his usual quiet 40.

[Mike Ryan]

All right, and let's pump the brakes on comparing us to the last dance. Like Dan already outlined, you're a one time champion. It's like Van Vliet going like, all right, we're in our last dance phase here. Let's relax, let's win more than one.

[David Dwork]

It's always, though, something that I enjoy monitoring when the rest of the league gets competitive on what the championship standard is and then passes the championship standard because we're all watching Denver. We saw what it took to win the championship and all of us are looking at that and saying that's not good enough anymore. The league has elevated beyond where I've seen a lot of people, including Greg Cody, complaining about all the leads that the Miami Heat are blowing and then blaming that on Eric Spoelstra when what's actually happening there is these games are decided in the fourth quarter the way that OKC and Denver was yesterday. The game's closed through three quarters and in the fourth quarter you just see OKC run away. The Miami Heat are so limited offensively that when it gets tight late, they can't hold on to their leads because offensively they are so wildly limited. And you can sit here and say they've got a bunch of double digit leads, but in that league that has ceased to matter. That's not something that matters anymore, that you have a double digit league, that they can be erased the moment that a team makes four threes. And so I don't know what your assessment is there, but it's not enough anymore to have just Jokic doing MVP things because they may take the MVP away from him because they're bored by him, but he's having his best season. Statistically, that human being is getting better and the architecture around him isn't getting better. It's not. That's not good enough anymore. We're in consensus on that. Correct? What was good enough a few years ago is no longer good enough in Denver, even though the MVP is better than he's ever been.

[Mike Ryan]

I think you're giving me a storyline that might actually get me to tune in for basketball reasons. I think a lot of it has to do with how humanizing that clip was. That's the funniest Jokic clip I've seen in a long time. Him talking to kids and just flatly saying, no, I'm this dominant player, maybe the greatest offensive force ever, and I don't dunk. I don't do that. So when you have the tinge of doubt and there's more than a tinge when it comes to Denver, you have this guy being a little bit more affable and now he has all the tools. He's unstoppable, but he's got all this doubt about this team. And you add a little last dance element. I'm in on the Nuggets.

[David Dwork]

Can you guys explain to me why it is that we do what it is that we did earlier in the show with OKC in Cleveland that would make those fan bases insane about how dismissive we are about their teams being excellent and how bad a Finals that would be? If it's OKC in Cleveland, can you explain to me why it is and how it is we do that with our big market bias where if I took those teams and simply put them in Lakers uniforms, in Knicks uniforms, in Celtics uniforms, I've got a kind of history in it that makes the Finals more interesting than this would be, even though that it is not unclear. The two best teams during the regular season, Boston will have something to say about that in the postseason. But during the regular season, these are the two best teams. And if I tell an audience outside of basketball, not the basketball heads here, are you true worthy Finals teams? Why is it that I make it so small market onerous that I offend OKC and Cleveland's fan base? When I say the nation doesn't want to watch that, even though basketball fans.

[Roy]

Do, I think you're looking at it through a likely TV ratings prism, right?

[David Dwork]

Because, well, just interest. I'm not doing TV ratings. I'm just doing interest and just generally how we want storylines that are familiar. We want the history that we're used to. It takes us a minute to adapt to. What do you mean? I have to be paying attention to how good Shea Gilgames Alexander is or how good it is when it's Garland and Allen and Mobley and Mitchell? What do you mean? I have to change how I do all of my information gathering on who's the best because it's what I'm used to, being the best as opposed to the new best.

[Mike Ryan]

I don't for a second. I totally understand where Cavs and Thunder fans are coming from, but we've been having these discussions about the NBA is at this inflection point. People aren't tuning in as much and it's all happening when Cleveland and Oklahoma City are at the top of their respective conferences and have been the best teams. Pretty much wire to wire here. Everyone's kind of bracing for that and the numbers are telling us they're not really digging it. We had a nice little pop on Christmas Day when it came to ratings, but generally across the board the story isn't a good one. This year they're asking Adam Silver every avail. What are you going to do to change your sport? And this is all happening with Oklahoma City and Cleveland atop it. It's not really working for the customer at large.

[Roy]

I mean everybody. By everybody, I mean people like us probably want Knicks vs Lakers or some city for city matchup like that.

[David Dwork]

I don't. I'm confused. I want excellence. I don't care the uniforms that it wears.

[Roy]

I think there's going to be a growing appetite for Cavaliers and Thunder if coming into the Finals, these are the two best teams in the regular season. SGA is the next tier of all time superstar players perhaps. I think this is a matchup that's going to grow on people. I'm interested in that final.

[Stugotz]

The problem is though, if the ratings are down and casual fans aren't watching during the regular season, when you see teams like the Cavaliers and the Thunder because you haven't been watching and you don't know how good the teams are, you don't have that connection points like if you tune into the finals, you want to see the familiarity and you want it to feel bigger than it is. Even if these are the two best teams in the league you're not watching during the regular season for whatever reason, one reason or another, the ratings have been down in the regular season. The All Star game was kind of a mess where they weren't really happy with the product, they weren't really happy with the competitions. So if you're trying to get the Casuals to watch in the finals, the Casuals are going to want the teams that they know of, not necessarily the best teams because they don't know these teams as the best teams because they're not watching them as they're becoming the best teams, which is the problem the NBA is having. You don't have the fans that aren't watching every night knowing who the best players and best teams are because they just want to see LeBron James in every championship.

[Dan Le Batard]

I think part of that though is like the snake eating its tail because the coverage just focuses on the big market teams. And the coverage in some respects is, is lazier. It's easier they're just trying to get the Cowboys every day than to talk about the, the Bengals and the Browns. But like, like that. As media continues to like conglomerate, I don't know if that's a word, and just get more condensed and focused into like these big markets, then you're gonna get less and less really outstanding local coverage. And that's how it's been for the last few years. Like there's fewer opportunities to work in smaller markets now if you're a media member than there is to work at one of these major networks. And they're just gonna keep covering what they always have been covering.

[Stugotz]

It's a like interesting, I guess maybe just us conversation. Cause people hate the media talk. But like, whose responsibility does it become to fix it, right? Like is it the league or is it on the media partners? Because the media partners are just going to go to what they always go to, where they know they're going to get the numbers. And they're not necessarily like the national media isn't going to necessarily invest in, you know what I need to develop the fans interest in the league and the product and getting them to know the players that's kind of on the league to let you know who their stars are and why you should be interested. Where the media partners just want the numbers so they just go to who they know will deliver them or, or who they hope will deliver.

[Mike Ryan]

And there's always been skepticism for younger teams that are ascending the old theory that you have to suffer a little bit. But in the few couple of years sample that we have of expanded playoffs and in this load management era, there have been kind of some screwy NBA finals when before it used to be pretty predictable. You have a devalued regular season and fans are like, nah, I don't trust you to get past the second round. Just like you did last year. You fell on your face. So when you want to be serious and you want to actually clear some adversity in the postseason, that's when I'll pay attention to you.

[David Dwork]

I want to get the sound though of Charles Barkley going after Kendrick Perkins and ESPN in general in a way that Bears monitoring Greg, because you have heard Shaq and Charles doing something on Inside the NBA that I believe doesn't get seen very often. They're headed toward ESPN and they're complaining about heading over to espn. There's some discomforts involved. I know Charles doesn't want to work there. I'm super interested to see how all of that plays out. But he's calling coworkers fools and idiots or future coworkers because he's complaining about what Jessica just mentioned, which is that anytime you turn into the main industry spokespeople on cheerleading and celebrating the sport, and I don't know whose responsibility it is here, is it the media's responsibility to get fans properly informed and interested in change and the newcomers, because the newcomers are here. They've arrived. Anthony Edwards is the reason that OKC didn't advance last year. Minnesota's less good. OKC has done some suffering. That OKC team was really good last year, young. This year they're better. They've grown. Holmgren is an important piece to OKC and what have they lost 11 times this year? Cleveland, as I mentioned, three double digit winning streaks this year. They're dragging people. And Charles Barkley is saying of the media coverage what Jessica's saying, which is you can't just be talking about the Lakers and Steph all the time. But look at what LeBron Steph did on Christmas Day. It's the only game that was able to put a dent against the NFL in terms of attracting people because we are lazy about liking what we've always liked.

[Stugotz]

But respectfully, Charles Barkley doesn't watch the majority of the teams in the league either. Like, he never knows who's on what team coming into the league. Like, he's the last person that should be criticizing media networks only. Only showing the games of like five teams.

[Dan Le Batard]

Yeah, I think I'm like the second to last because I'm not even the biggest NBA fan. But I do think you can speak to it more broadly just outside of the NBA where, like, I feel like the people that host a lot of these shows and like are sort of like the vocal leaders of the sports don't realize how much fans listen to them when they're telling you a player is good or when they're telling you a team is good or a team is interesting. Like a lot of people do listen to that and it does impact the way they view something. And if you're just talking about the same teams being interesting and Good. Over and over again. Like, eventually you're probably going to be like, ugh, the Thunder. Like, that's gross. But, you know, a decade ago when the Thunder were really good, I don't think it was very hard for people to view them that way and be excited to see that team make a run. It's just like a lot of things have changed in the last decade with how we're viewing media.

[Mike Ryan]

Correct me if I'm wrong. Also historically, in terms of, like, really touting the game and trying to be the type of entity that gets as many possible people in the tent and lifting up the product, that's not really what TNT has done with its basketball coverage. It doesn't really lift up the product. Half the time it's the guys taking the piss about, like, being bored on another blowout that's at halftime. And they're just joshing each other. And that's what people are drawn to, the personalities, and they're just perpetuating that.

[David Dwork]

But when we talk about media responsibilities and we talk about the main voices in the NBA, not only talking about the same teams, but also gravitating toward the dramatic storylines that don't have much of anything to do with basketball. I'm going to play some of this Charles Barkley sound. He's been doing it a lot of times. I'm not even sure this is the right sound because I asked them to get it now. And it doesn't look like the sound that I'm looking for. But I just wanted to ask the group and the people listening to this so that they understand the nature of the problem. If Shay Gilgeous Alexander walked into your life right now, walked in front of you, would you recognize him? I'm asking General Sports Fan, just because.

[Mike Ryan]

Of the commercial, the what a pro wants. And he's tall.

[Stugotz]

Yeah, he's very tall.

[Mike Ryan]

I would have been like, who's this tall guy? You look familiar. What a pro wants. Commercial.

[David Dwork]

He's not that tall, though, because I think you'd be. He's not walking in like seven footers walk into a room and you know that he's a basketball player. He's tall.

[Dan Le Batard]

I'm starting to realize. I think I watch the most NBA of anyone in this room.

[Mike Ryan]

I don't doubt it.

[Dan Le Batard]

That's a problem.

[David Dwork]

I don't think you do. But let's see.

[Stugotz]

She watches every night with Lehman.

[Mike Ryan]

She watches the Knicks with regularity.

[Dan Le Batard]

I watch basketball every night also. I watched all the women's conference tournaments this weekend. Wow, what a weekend. Ucla, Big Ten champs. That will never not sound weird to me. However, I should not be the one watching the most pro basketball ever.

[David Dwork]

Did you get mad at Draymond Green for going after your man's beloved Karl Anthony Townes unfairly by suggesting the other day and then apologizing awkwardly that Karl Anthony Towns did not play in the Knicks warriors game because he was afraid of Jimmy Butler?

[Dan Le Batard]

Okay, yes. Like, the initial claim was weak, but then the apology was just so bad. The apology was like, well, the show must go on. It was just, like, not really there. And it kind of bummed me out because, yeah, Carl Anthony Towns was at a funeral, so he missed the game. Like, one of his friends died of cancer or something. It was just very uncomfortable. The whole thing made me feel super uncomfortable to watch.

[Mike Ryan]

Some people are really mad at Draymond. Really mad. Like, I saw think pieces calling for Draymond and Turner to evaluate the relationship with Draymond. Yeah, that's a real bad look for Draymond.

[Roy]

Awful.

[David Dwork]

Let's play the sound here of Charles Barkley going after what could be his future coworkers.

[Kendrick Perkins]

I saw a fool idiot on TV talking about the Lakers. Saved the NBA.

[Greg Cody]

Saved the NBA.

[Mike Ryan]

Yeah.

[Kendrick Perkins]

Yeah, he's an idiot and a fool, but he know who he is. What's his name? Shaq. Which one you talking about? Kendrick Perkins. He said the Lakers. First of all, the Lakers have had a great two weeks. He said the Lakers saved the NBA season. That's because them fools on the other network, which we gonna be working for next year, that's all they talk about. Let me tell y'all something.

[David Dwork]

Tell me something.

[Kendrick Perkins]

And first of all, I want all the smoke.

[Greg Cody]

Tell us something.

[Kendrick Perkins]

I don't whistle when I walk by the graveyard or anything like that. I don't whistle when I walk by the graveyard. I like that. I'm stealing that one. The Lakers are doing great. Got a long way to go. But the reason the season's been going great for the Cleveland Cavaliers and the Oklahoma City Thunder. Y'all just want to talk about the warriors and the Lakers. They're both doing great. Don't get me wrong. If I turn out to be wrong, I got no problem with that. But y'all are idiots. Cause y'all talk about the Lakers and the warriors all the time.

[David Dwork]

Do you know the history of whistling when you walk past a graveyard? Because I've heard the expression, but I don't know what it actually means. Do you? Why do you whistle when you're going past a graveyard?

[Roy]

I honestly don't know, to appear nonchalant, maybe to appear as if you're not frightened.

[David Dwork]

But the way he was using it is saying, I don't whistle when I walk past a graveyard. And I just don't know, like, why. Why someone whistles by a.

[Jessica]

Maybe that's a bad omen.

[Roy]

Like, you wake the dead.

[Jessica]

Maybe, you know, you're in a happy mood while walking past something somber. I don't know. My dad actually loves a graveyard.

[Roy]

I do, and have never whistled in one.

[Stugotz]

It's to pretend to be cheerful and not afraid of passing a graveyard.

[Roy]

That makes sense.

[David Dwork]

So did he use it correctly? I don't whistle when I walk past a graveyard. Did he use it correctly? I don't.

[Roy]

He did.

[Mike Ryan]

Is he unbothered? They come off unbothered.

[Jessica]

Are you guys like my dad, though? Like, if my dad. If, like, we're traveling somewhere in our hotel there's a graveyard, he's just like, all right, I'm gonna go walk over to the graveyard. He just likes to.

[Roy]

All the time we stop at graveyard.

[Dan Le Batard]

Are you afraid of ghosts?

[Roy]

No, No, I embrace them.

[Dan Le Batard]

Have you seen one before?

[Roy]

I think most ghosts are good. I have not. I mean, not in a physical sense, you know.

[Dan Le Batard]

Have you felt one?

[Roy]

You know, there have been imaginary, perhaps apparition.

[Jessica]

You're in the garage late at night, all of a sudden you hear, so is that Alan Cherry?

[Roy]

No, not really. No.

[David Dwork]

Why do you do this? What is it that you do? Do you ever meet fellow grave lovers?

[Roy]

Sometimes, yeah. It's. It's surprising that you'll meet people who aren't there to see a loved one. They're there because they're fascinated by history, and graveyards are history. I mean, I think the oldest one in the United States in Boston has, you know, like, Civil War generals and everything, buried next to, you know, 20ft away from people who died a couple of years ago.

[Stugotz]

There's older graveyards who just built stadiums on them.

[Roy]

Yeah.

[Dan Le Batard]

You mean like Revolutionary War, though?

[Roy]

Yeah, yeah.

[Dan Le Batard]

There's also, like, ancient burial mounds all over.

[Roy]

Yeah, we stop at a lot of them. I never pass a graveyard that. That I don't want to see.

[Mike Ryan]

I do fancy a stroll through a graveyard if it's convenient.

[Jessica]

Nah, that's odd.

[Mike Ryan]

Chelsea play right next to a real old Gothic graveyard, and it's on the way over to the grounds. I like to cut through and just see the history.

[Stugotz]

You know, you just small talk with people at the graveyards when you're there sometimes. Yeah. Yeah. What's your go? What's Your. What's your icebreaker?

[Mike Ryan]

Do you ever whistle?

[Roy]

I never. I have never. I'm not a whistler. My dad whistled a lot, but like wild built when we were in New Orleans. I love the New Orleans graveyard with all the above ground stuff and it's probably multiple. And I had a conversation there with an older woman who was there not to see anyone, but because she also was fascinated with graveyards.

[Dan Le Batard]

Maybe she was a ghost.

[Stugotz]

Yeah. How do you know?

[Roy]

How do I know she wasn't a ghost? Yeah, I mean, I don't.

[Stugotz]

Did you ask?

[Roy]

It's not like I poked her to see if my. That would have been odd finger went through dust, you know.

[David Dwork]

You don't think this is weird that all of this is strange? Certainly you're not running into several other people often that are interested in just going to a graveyard where put it on the pole. Juju at Lebatard show. Do you ever walk through the graveyard that doesn't have anyone in it who you know?

[Roy]

I think a lot of people do, but I'm not one to strike up a conversation with a stranger, so.

[David Dwork]

But what is happening here that your family, your family clearly doesn't want to do this with you, Right? You're going, you're getting someplace with your family, and you're up. There goes dad again. He's wandering toward the graveyard.

[Jessica]

Like I can remember as a kid, like in New Hampshire. I don't even remember why we were there in Maine, somewhere up north, like, we're out, we're at our hotel and my dad's just like, I'm gonna walk. I saw a graveyard down the street. I'm gonna go. And I'm just like, I'll stay. Thank you.

[Roy]

Oh, my God. If. If we're at a hotel in walking distance to a major graveyard. I almost said I've died and gone to heaven. Which would have been a weird thing to say. I edited myself.

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