Hour 1: Sound Blind (feat. Nick Wright)

Summary

The Dan Le Batard Show with Stugotz

Episode: Hour 1: Sound Blind (feat. Nick Wright)
Date: April 8, 2026

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Episode Overview

This episode delivers the signature Le Batard Show mix of irreverent sports talk, sharp NBA analysis, and playful crew banter, highlighted by FS1’s Nick Wright. The conversation dives into the state of the NBA—especially the controversies around the league's 65-game eligibility rule, Adam Silver’s leadership, LeBron’s legacy, and rampant tanking. Other topics include media feuds, the weirdness of NFL coaching exits, and the show’s meta-humor about sound and studio quirks.

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Key Discussion Points & Insights

LeBron James’ Longevity & The All-Star Debate

[02:25–05:17]

• Nick Wright revisits his famous take that LeBron could be an NBA All-Star at 50, using LeBron’s impressive current performances (age 41) as evidence.
  • Nick Wright: “My LeBron can be an All Star every as long as he wants to be.” [03:02]
  • Nick invokes Jason Kidd’s late-career Mavericks run as precedent, suggesting LeBron’s versatility.
  • A playful but intense back-and-forth as Nick demands Mike Ryan admit he’s (so far) right.
  • Mike Ryan: “I will gladly admit that I'm wrong. I think it's foolish to call this race after one year when we were talking about a nine year contest.” [04:56]
  • Nick retorts the sooner Mike acknowledges Nick as right, the less embarrassing it’ll be. [05:09]
• The debate spotlights how LeBron’s ever-green value tests norms about aging athletes and sports pundit accountability.

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Adam Silver, The NBA, and the 65-Game Rule Controversy

[05:21–10:59 | 14:25–18:20]

• Nick demands Adam Silver (NBA Commissioner) “take a page out of Donald Trump's book” and unilaterally suspend the 65-game requirement for season awards eligibility, at least for this season:
  • Nick Wright: “Adam Silver today should come out and levy a $50 million fine against the Kings and say, fight me in court... The 65 game rule? Off.” [05:23]
• Context: Several stars, including Victor Wembanyama (“Wimby”), Luka Doncic, and Cade Cunningham may miss out on honors due to missing games.
  • Nick argues this could “make the season a joke in the record books,” damaging NBA history/legacy. [08:10]
• Discussion about ramifications, the collective bargaining aspect, and whether Silver pragmatically could—or should—override the rules.
  • Nick Wright: “I think Adam Silver needs to take a page out of Donald Trump's book—just make an executive order... This 65 game thing, absolutely no one would be upset.” [05:21]
  • Dan Le Batard: "Can you think of any historical precedent for a commissioner... taking this path from 'good' to 'not very good'?" [14:41]
• Nick contrasts Silver’s lawyerly, cautious approach with predecessors (Stern; Goodell in NFL), suggesting a lack of “wartime consigliere” leadership for the crisis at hand.
  • Nick Wright: "He does not appear to be a wartime consulary and I'm not sure if he recognizes right now the NBA needs that.” [07:40]

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The Tanking Problem & NBA “League A and League B” Parity

[23:11–25:07]

• Dan Le Batard and Nick Wright lament the late-season NBA blowouts and blatant tanking, highlighting staggering stats (from Tom Haberstro) about “League A” (trying) vs. “League B” (tanking).
  • Nick Wright: "This is one of the three biggest stories of this NBA season: the ascent of Wimby, an all-time MVP race, and this disgrace of a third of the league actively not trying to win." [23:55]
• Nick calls out the Sacramento Kings for egregious behavior, notes the increasing cynicism as teams now don’t just put out bad lineups but make tactical choices to lose.
  • “...it’s actively making sure at the end of these games you lose—and that is obviously untenable for a professional league.” [24:26]

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MVP Metrics: Offense vs. Defense and the Wembanyama Phenomenon

[20:13–22:25]

• Nick Wright interrogates media and fan infatuation with Victor Wembanyama, especially the notion that being the best defender is as valuable as being the best offensive player.
  • Nick Wright: “We created something called roll Gravity to explain why a player averages 24 points and 4 assists is actually a wildly impactful offensive player...every era...the best offensive player in the sport will still get his.” [21:05]
• Nick cites Joker (Nikola Jokic)'s dominance against “defensive aliens” as proof that great offense still trumps great defense—reinforced by Jokic's 41-point averages versus Wembanyama.

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Other Topics & Moments

Sound Blind: Studio Antics & Self-Deprecation

[18:20–20:10 | 32:48–33:53]

• Hilarity ensues as Dan and the crew roast Greg Cody for breathing loudly into the mic, calling it “sound blind.” Nick spins it positively, inventing the term “sound blind” as a defense for not hearing his own nostrils.
  • Nick Wright: "For all I know, maybe I breathe loudly out of my nose and I've just become deaf to it as a self defense mechanism. Sound blind...I was thinking nose blind, but then I was like, no, it's, it's auditory." [19:24]
• Crew attempts to find and play the “nostril” audio, with comedic effect.

Senor Tilt Feud—Twitter Insults & "Aura"

[26:22–28:36]

• Dan reads a scathing insult of Nick by poker rival “Senor Tilt,” who calls Nick a “little dweeb—short, ugly AF—with mediocre intelligence at best, and zero aura.” [27:00]
• Nick demands validation from the crew about his height and “aura.”
  • Nick Wright: “I, I like to think I have some aura...I'm 6:1 on the nose. And that's just a matter of record.” [27:10–27:39]
  • Dan & Mike Ryan confirm Nick is not short, and discuss if aura is binary or a spectrum, with the show claiming authority.

NFL: Mike Tomlin's Disappearance and Iconic Coach Exits

[33:55–38:26]

• Dan finds it odd that Mike Tomlin—after a legendary, two-decade run as Steelers head coach—vanished without fanfare, press conference, or even a statement, calling it “almost unheard of.”
  • Dan Le Batard: “Could you guys have imagined a scenario… an icon name in the sport... says goodbye without ever saying goodbye?” [34:51]
• Crew discusses cultural expectations, noting that farewell pressers are “a totally manufactured construction,” but the silence is remarkable given Tomlin’s stature.

Steelers Quarterback Situation & Rodgers Rumors

[38:35–42:14]

• Discussion pivots to Steelers QB prospects after Tomlin; rumors about Aaron Rodgers returning, but no other available options are truly exciting.
  • Dan Le Batard: “What is the hopeful exercise that you can hypothesize outside of trading for players who aren't actually available?” [39:24]
  • Greg Cody facetiously suggests Joe Flacco or Malik Willis as alternatives to Rodgers, with the crew riffing on bringing back "the whole band."
• This segues into a humorous, derailed game about former Steelers and Packers, with Greg Cody misfiring on the rules and naming random team legends.

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Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• Nick Wright (on LeBron’s All-Star prospects): “I demand Mike Ryan lay down his sword and say, ‘Nick, you were right.’” [03:02]
• Nick Wright (on Adam Silver): “I think Adam Silver needs to take a page out of Donald Trump's book. Just make an executive order...” [05:21]
• Mike Ryan (on aging QBs): “Joe Flacco at 41. Joe Flacco threw 450 yards in a game.” [40:23]
• Nick Wright (on “aura”): “Is aura binary? Like you have it or you don't? Or is it a sliding scale?” [27:31]
• Dan Le Batard (on Mike Tomlin): “Could you guys have imagined a scenario where I tell you a guy who has won for 20 straight years…just vanished?” [34:51]
• Nick Wright (playfully self-deprecating): “Maybe I'm, you know, deaf or sound blind. Sound blind. The word is deaf.” [19:24]
• Greg Cody (misunderstanding the game): “They could have gone in another direction. Joe Flacco is mad that nobody thinks he's a starter...” [40:22]
• Show meta-moment: The crew attempts to cue up “breathing-in-mic” audio, turning Greg Cody’s nostrils into a running joke about sensory experiences and studio distractions. [32:48–33:53]

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Important Timestamps

• 02:25 – Nick’s LeBron All-Star at 50 debate
• 05:21 – Adam Silver, the Kings, and the 65-game rule
• 08:38 – Collective bargaining and the logistics of ditching the 65-game rule
• 14:41 – Dan asks about historical precedents for Silver’s commissioner role
• 18:20 – Studio banter: “sound blind” and nostril audio
• 20:13 – Nick debunks the “Wemby as best player” argument, MVP offense vs. defense
• 23:11 – NBA’s tanking problem and blowout stats
• 26:22 – Nick’s feud with Senor Tilt
• 33:55 – Mike Tomlin’s silent exit and the customs of NFL goodbyes
• 38:35 – Steelers’ QB situation and Aaron Rodgers rumor mill
• 40:22 – Greg Cody hilariously misplays the "name that former Packer/Steeler" game

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Tone

The episode is a blend of nerdy sports analysis, animated debate, and tongue-in-cheek humor. Nick Wright brings verbal volleys and righteous indignation, while the regular crew balances incisive questions with warm, absurd banter. Pop culture references, running gags, and playful jabs keep the conversation lively, accessible, and emblematic of The Dan Le Batard Show’s unique style.

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For listeners or readers, this recap captures the important stories, strong opinions, and prime hilarity you’d expect from an hour with Dan, Stugotz, Nick Wright, and the ever-distracting Shipping Container crew.

Transcript

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[Nick Wright]

K Pop Demon Hunters, Haja Boys Breakfast Meal and Hunt Tricks Meal have just dropped at McDonald's. They're calling this a battle for the fans. What do you say to that Rooney? It's not a batt. So glad the Saja Boys could take breakfast and give our meal the rest of the day. It is an honor to share. No, it's our honor. It is our larger honor. No, really, stop. You can really feel the respect in this battle. Pick a meal to pick a side.

[Dan Le Batard]

Ba da ba ba ba and participate

[Nick Wright]

in McDonald's while supplies last.

[Dan Le Batard Show Announcer]

This is the Dan Levatar show with the Stugats Podcast.

[Commercial Announcer]

This episode of the Dan Lebatard show is presented by DraftKings. DraftKings.

[Dan Le Batard]

The Crown David Sampson said on Nothing Personal and he's right about this. The Marlins will trade Sandy this season. That's a thing that's going to end up happening and they're going to get something good for him and it's going to be incredibly sad when that happens. Nick Wright is with us. He's the host of FS1's First Things First. What's Right With Nick Wright is the name of the podcast and I can tell by looking at his face that he's in a demanding mood today. Can you see that? Can you look look in his face. You can see that he's feeling demanding right now.

[Nick Wright]

Lot to us.

[Dan Le Batard]

What?

[Nick Wright]

Yeah, that's right.

[Dan Le Batard]

What. What is on your list of demands?

[Nick Wright]

Should I start with the shipping container custodian Captain of the shipping container custodian. I listen, I, I demand Mike Ryan lay down his sword and say, I know it seemed hyperbolic, but when we see fresh off, you know, being taken off the shelf, Dustin the cobwebs off. LeBron joined Shea and Joker as the only guys all year to put up a 30 and 15 that maybe, just maybe, my LeBron can be an All Star every as long as he wants to be. Take was correct and you need to lay down your sword, my friend. I demand either an apology or you to just say, nick, you were right. I shouldn't have fought this war.

[Mike Ryan]

Nick, when it comes to LeBron at age 41, you were mostly right. Outside of the two months that he was.

[Dan Le Batard]

Well, he said he'll be an All Star at 50 is what he said.

[Nick Wright]

I said he could be an All Star at 50. I said he could easily play the Jason Kidd Mavericks role. And then somebody was like, yeah, but what does that mean? And then you're like, oh, wait, Jason Kidd was an All Star on the Mavericks. And, and maybe I undershot it because if after he can go from the best Swiss army knife in the league to immediately, you know, neck and neck with Shea and Joker for best offensive initiators out of nowhere, maybe I've undersold it. I just know that the. We are likely, sadly not going to get an official verdict on this because it is unlikely LeBron plays another nine years. So this is going to be a hypothetical debate for the entirety of it. So we're going to need, I have to, you know, we're going to need people's judgment calls to decide who was right and who was wrong. And I'm simply saying right now I have a seven furlong lead in the race. That's all I'm saying.

[Mike Ryan]

You are doing pretty well at age 41. However, this was a discussion to the age of 50. And I think calling it after one season. I don't think anybody anticipated the wheels falling off at 41, but you're looking good. Nine more years to go.

[Nick Wright]

Anybody anticipated wheels falling off at 41? The. Your fearless leader was calling the Weir's wheels falling off at 33. Well, he got voted the so. Okay, all right. So I am not going to get that demand. I'm not. That demand's not going to be met.

[Mike Ryan]

You're trending in the right direction.

[Nick Wright]

Thank you. Appreciate.

[Mike Ryan]

I will gladly admit that I'm wrong. I think it's foolish to call this race after one year when we were talking about a nine year Contest.

[Nick Wright]

I'm sim. I'm not calling the race. I'm simply saying that it will be less embarrassing for you the earlier you

[Mike Ryan]

admit you're not calling the race. You're just simply demanding an apology. Year one into your project.

[Nick Wright]

That's right. That is correct. That is.

[Dan Le Batard]

What other demands do you have on your demanding face?

[Nick Wright]

I have a demand of Adam Silver. And this is the following sentence is something I never thought I would utter about any human being in any circumstance whatsoever. But I think Adam Silver needs to take a page out of Donald Trump's book. Just. Just make an executive order ever. About the the There are Adam Silver today should come out and levy a $50 million fine against the Kings and say, fight me in court. And today say, by the way, this year we'll address it in the off season. But this year and this year only until we address it in the off season. 65 game rules off. Because what's about to happen is the spurs are going to be locked into the 2 seed in about 36 hours. They're gonna have no reason whatsoever to play Wimby through his bruised ribs and they're going to have this outrageous choice to make of do we have Wimby hobble out there for 20 minutes so he can win defensive player of the year and show up on MVP ballots and be first team all NBA, or do we forfeit that? Luka's got a appeal about, hey, I had a kid born halfway around the world, all of it. And that would c. Listen, finding the Kings for what they did last night, certainly the owners would be upset. The 65 game thing, absolutely no one would be upset. But Adam Silver, I think is a little too lawyerly. And so he doesn't. That's not really his the way he does business. But it is. It has been. The tanking is as bad as ever. The players are getting banged up as much as ever, and we're about to have a farce of an all NBA ballot, defensive player of the year ballot, MVP ballot, if these guys aren't eligible. I don't know why Adam Silver doesn't just come out and say this year it's off because he's a nothing. Think what?

[Commercial Announcer]

Because he's a nothing. Adam Silver, he does nothing. What does he do?

[Mike Ryan]

Nick?

[Commercial Announcer]

Yeah, I mean, I'm like, I'm agreeing with you. You're right, he doesn't.

[Dan Le Batard]

No, no, no.

[Greg Cody]

I'm.

[Nick Wright]

It's a little. I mean, calling him a nothing is maybe a little stretch. I'm fine with saying LeBron being all star at 50, calling the commissioner of the NBA a nothing is maybe a bridge too far for, for your old buddy Nick Wright, but I do think he, this is it is. He does not appear to be a wartime consulary and I'm not sure if he recognizes right now the NBA needs that. And the Wimby thing is like what is the. The I care greatly and deeply about the history of this league and about going back and making lists and all of these things. And this season is going to be a joke in the record books if Luca and Wimby and Cade Cunningham seasons, you know, are basically vacated from the year. It'll be a joke again.

[Commercial Announcer]

Nick, I, I agree with pretty much everything you're saying, but wasn't the 65 game rule collectively bargain like the players?

[Nick Wright]

No, that's what I'm saying. Correct. I'm not. The players are to blame for this existing as well, but the players by edict can't get rid of it. And so that's why I'm saying I, if, if, if I were advising Adam Silver I would tell him hold a press conference and say guys, when, when the media gets their ballots, we're putting everyone on and if folks want to file a grievance or sue me, we'll deal with that. You know, as you know, over the course of the next few months, obviously this has been a misstep and in the off season we will collectively bargain a solution. But in the meantime, I am simply saying everybody's eligible. Fight me in court about it because this is something I don't think you would be fought in court about. I guess maybe if there's a player who otherwise was is going to make all NBA if not enough guys are eligible and and then doesn't and therefore his contract doesn't boost. Maybe he that theoretical, you know, is this Jalen Johnson get screwed by this? No, he'd be all NBA either way. But you had Stefan Castle. Does he get screwed by this? Maybe, but I think it would be universally popular. But yes, you're right, Zaz. The players are to blame in part for this existing but they can't fix it the way I think Adam can. And I'm really curious what the spurs do because you know, Wimby lectured us about ethical basketball and about playing the right way, but he also let us know how much he wants the mvp. Now he also said offense is, you know, defense is half the game. And the greatest offensive player in the league showed him it's actually not. I can put 40 on you whenever I want, because that's how basketball is played, young man. But. And then he said, you know, there's more to offense than scoring. But then in going for the mvp, he upped his scoring because, of course, scoring is the most important thing in the league. But with all that said, he has no reason to play again this year because he's banged up and they can win the championship. But if he doesn't play again this year, Chad Holmgren is going to win the most fraudulent defensive player of the year award I've ever seen. Well, except for the year LeBron got screwed, Mark Gasol wasn't even first team, all defense. Give me a break, folks.

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[Mike Ryan]

Hey, Roy, buddy.

[Dan Le Batard Show Announcer]

Yo.

[Mike Ryan]

You know that energy shift when the game gets good and everybody all together in unison knows to stand up on their feet?

[Dan Le Batard Show Announcer]

Oh, absolutely. Mike.

[Greg Cody]

Yeah.

[Mike Ryan]

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[Dan Le Batard Show Announcer]

Oh, delicious.

[Mike Ryan]

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[Dan Le Batard Show Announcer]

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[Dan Le Batard]

Don. Len.

[Greg Cody]

Yes. You know, I'm a married man. I don't cheat on my wife. Despite that gratuitous line in back in my routes to guts, I wish you were here. My wife. I really miss her. No, I don't. That's the thing about being married, you know, you're not allowed to say, I don't miss my wife. I've been gone two days. I haven't been gone long enough to miss my wife. I'm sorry. I call her. I'm 30 seconds. You know, what am I? Hello? All right, all right, we'll see you. All right. And then, you know, I'm going to see her in two days. I was jumping Charlie. Good.

[Dan Le Batard Show Announcer]

This is the Dan Levitar show with the st.

[Greg Cody]

Nick, are you speaking fancifully because everybody hates the Everybody hates the 65 rule or should? But does Adam Silver pragmatically have the executive power to just announce that it's no longer existing?

[Dan Le Batard]

Well, he's saying it would end up in court. And I wanted to ask Nick a form of the question of if he has any historical precedent for a commissioner going through this particular spin cycle where it seemed impossible to replace David Stern? Well, comes out by getting rid of Donald Sterling. Everyone thinks he's really in charge. And since then, he's proven to lose a lot in terms of public belief. So answer his question, but combine it with the historical precedent that you have for a commissioner Taking this path from, oh, I thought he was good to, ooh, he's not very good.

[Nick Wright]

Well, so let me do it in reverse order. It feels like it's almost the opposite path Goodell has taken. Goodell took over for Tagliaboo, and it was just controversy after controversy. There he was, you know, Revi, you know, so unpopular that booing him at the draft became, you know, a tradition. And now the NFL is in seemingly such a healthy financial and PR place that Goodell almost has to, like, bait the crowd into booing him because everybody, whatever, you know, fair or not, everybody seems to think, well, must be doing a pretty good job. League's more profitable than ever, more popular than ever. His, you know, Q rating, if you will, has gone in the opposite direction of Adam Silver, who took over for Stern, who Stern. It was a little too many edicts, a little too much of dictatorial. And listen, Silver is a lawyer. And I don't. And I do think Silver's a good guy. And I. Here's one of the things that I think Silver has working in his favor. Even the biggest Adam Silver critics, I don't think believe he's unethical. Now, listen, I. And I'm not being a smart ass here, maybe Pablo. And the aspiration story has made some people feel, you know, put that into question. I don't put Adam Silver's ethics into question. And I think if he's simply. Greg, you are right in asking the question, can he do this? But that's almost why I mentioned, you know, somewhat tongue in cheek, the Trump piece of it, because what we have learned on things that really actually the US Government and checks and balances is for certain things you can do whatever you say you can do. And I. I just don't. I think if Adam Silver came out and said, hey, the voters are getting ballots. They are electronic ballots. I am. The person that's sending them out is putting every single player in the league's name on that ballot. Or we're lowering the 65 games to 60 for this year for extreme, you know, act of God, extreme extenuating circumstances. All those names are showing up on ballots. Voters are gonna vote. We're gonna have an award ceremony. I'm gonna hand out trophies. There's gonna be on NBA.com a first team, second team, third team, all NBA. And if in five months in court, all of a sudden they're saying, I can't, all right, well, it already happened. And so I just. And I don't think there would be massive pushback about that. I just, I don't know who, you know who the aggrieved parties of seeing Cade Cunningham, Wimby and Luca get their just deserve or just rewards for this season.

[Dan Le Batard]

Just desserts deserved rewards.

[Nick Wright]

It doesn't matter.

[Dan Le Batard]

The crew here is not listening to you. And I'm pretty sure I know why is the crew laughing? The custodians are they laughing and not listening to anything Nick Wright says Because Greg Cody, when asked to speak in front of a microphone, does so very far away from the microphone. But when breathing with giant nostrils into the microphone during never been close to a windstorm, you can hear a sailboat sailing through. They're just his nostrils. You can hear the sailboat sailing through. Nick Wright thoughts in a turbulent sea.

[Greg Cody]

Do you want me way back or

[Dan Le Batard]

talking to the microphone and breathe loudly away from the microphone when Nick Wright is doing his soliloquy.

[Greg Cody]

Unlike yourself, I'm not perfect.

[Commercial Announcer]

I got to give Nick credit for powering through that the entire time.

[Dan Le Batard]

But I'm not being perfect. I'm laughing that they're laughing at being distracted at not listening to Nick Wright because the sound of your breath is that loud.

[Greg Cody]

The honored guest didn't have a problem with it. Did not hear my nostrils.

[Dan Le Batard]

The whole crew is not back there. Well, you're too in love with the sound of your own voice to hear anything that's happening while you're talking.

[Greg Cody]

Wow.

[Nick Wright]

I defend my guy Greg Cody, who by the way, has never looked better. And also I as a guy who for all I know, you know, maybe I breathe loudly out of my nose and I've just become deaf to it as a self defense mechanism. So maybe I'm, you know, deaf or sound blind. Sound blind. The word is deaf.

[Greg Cody]

I like sound blind. Yeah, I like that.

[Nick Wright]

I was thinking nose blind, but then I was like, no, it's, it's auditory. Geez Louise.

[Mike Ryan]

Right?

[Nick Wright]

I don't know what's wrong with me.

[Greg Cody]

Sorry about that. Yeah. The alternative to breathing is not a good situation, by the way.

[Nick Wright]

That's right. I listen. I'm with you, Greg.

[Greg Cody]

Thank you.

[Nick Wright]

You know, it's going to be hard for me to criticize Greg Cody.

[Dan Le Batard]

Any other demands here? Do you have any others before?

[Nick Wright]

No, I, I mean, I kind of, I kind of weaved in my WIMBY stuff. There was a, there was a brief period of time and we discussed this last time I was on when the media was so enraptured by Victor Wen Benyama, mostly understandably that we started lying about what the NBA Is and what the NBA has always been. We created something called roll Gravity to explain why a player averages 24 points and 4 assists is actually a wildly impactful offensive player. And we pretended that being the best defensive player in the league is just as valuable as being the best offensive player in the league. When date literally dating back to Wilt versus Russell we have had proof of concept every single era of this great sport that if the best offensive player in the sport plays the best defensive player in the sport, the best offensive player in the sport will still get his. Wilt Chamberlain for his career averaged 30 points and 23 rebounds. And Wilt Chamberlain in 144 games against Bill Russell averaged 30 points and 26 rebounds. And yet and so I thought this weekend Joker reminding everyone this 8 foot tall alien that's gonna change the game and that all of this yeah, I can still get a bucket whenever I want. And Joker making a point. The last two years sit post Wimby's rookie year they've played three times and Joker averages and he's not like doesn't always look for a shot but against WIMBY he averages 41 points per game. It is, it is a reminder that great offense on an individual level is always more valuable than great defense. And that's why the MVP voting goes to the greatest offensive players in the sport. It's probably going to be Shea this year, but Joker threw his hat in the ring pretty strongly.

[Dan Le Batard]

We've got five minutes left and there are a number of things that I want to get to with you. This is a tweet from Tim Reynolds. It was four days ago and even though Mike Ryan has made him excommunicado no longer friends. There have been two days in NBA history spanning 80 years where at least nine games were played with an average margin of victory being at least 24 points. Only two such days in 80 years. One was yesterday, the other was Sunday. Like what is happening at the end of the season is the the tires falling off of this league because the games are crap. There are a couple catastrophe every once in a while. There's an Atlanta, there's an atlant to playing against New York. But there are a lot of bad basketball teams playing basketball very poorly.

[Nick Wright]

Well and your guys pal Tom Haberstro, you know this stat is now a little outdated but he wrote an article a week or so ago separating the league from teams that are trying in tankers and called it league A and league B and said that when league B plays league A in their last 179 games. They were 12 and 167. And that is. And that again circles back, I think to the. Some of the Adam Silver stuff, which is sadly, this is either the. This is one of the three biggest stories of this NBA season are the ascent of Wimby, an all time MVP race, and this disgrace of a third of the league actively not trying to win. You can rank them however you want. And I just, I think the only way I I know they're. They're like, hey, we're gonna flatten the odds. We're gonna do this. All of these very complex or convoluted ways to fix the lottery. But the other way, the, the more direct way in the meantime is to harshly and severely financially punish ownership. And I thought what the Kings did last night, I've never seen anything like it. I didn't understand it like you're fouling Seth Curry. We, we used to always say the way tanking worked was teams could tank, but once the game started t you know, players would try to win. You could just put out bad players and bad lineups, all those things that ain't the case anymore. It's no, it's actively making sure at the end of these games you lose. And that is obviously untenable for a professional league.

[Dan Le Batard]

I'm gonna try this again less subtly. We have now one minute left and a number of things that I want to get to with you. Your best thoughts on Michael.

[Nick Wright]

Five extra minutes, your overtime.

[Dan Le Batard]

Your best thoughts on Michael Malone, please.

[Nick Wright]

I think that the best college jobs are better than the best NBA jobs at this point. And it seems pretty he was gonna get an NBA job. But they're a longtime NBA coach now is five years. You win a championship, you get popped. So I think you'd rather go to college. That quick enough for you?

[Dan Le Batard]

Yeah. And I have a follow up though. Why would there not be any evolution that would consider that whatever his skill set in getting ready Aaron Gordon ready for whatever the tendencies are of the night aren't the skill sets that he needs to run a college program in

[Nick Wright]

an nil E. Well, listen, I'm. Because I'm not sure that what I think he is obviously a great basketball coach. Like he's just great at getting players to play their best and motivating people. And I think the NIL era might make that those skills more transferable because it's less about being the slick recruiter and more about the GM or the brand of your school. Acquires the talent and you get the Most out of.

[Dan Le Batard]

Let me get to your feud with Senor Tilt when you were on with us the last couple of times. You have made a show of making sure that this guy was buried under you take his money and everyone sees him embarrassed publicly as a poker player. He says, I spend zero time thinking about people like Nick Wright. I don't, I didn't know who he was until Buffalo Hanks explained it to me. But he clearly spends a lot of time thinking about and rambling about me. His behavior is childish and insecure and when you take one glance at him, it makes sense. He's a little dweeb. Short, ugly, af, mediocre intelligence at best and zero aura. Someone told, someone told me he made his career glazing LeBron.

[Nick Wright]

Yeah. Thank you, thank you for bringing that to the audience's attention because I have one final demand. Because I'm not short. I'm, I'm, I'm 6:1 on the nose. And that's just a matter of record and matter of, I suppose everything else he said there is a matter of opinion and subject for debate. I like to think certainly I don't have mediocre intelligence. And is, is aura binary? Like you have it. You either have it or you don't. Or is a sliding scale because I, I, I, I like to think I have some aura. I'm not certain on that. I do know there's a 45 year old man who also in a follow up tweet, challenged me to a cage fight, which I will, you know, politely decline. But can I, can I get Mike Ryan and Lebatard and the folks in there who I've. Chris Cody, who I've actually spent time with in person to at least Veri, you look great, Chris. Oh my goodness. To at least verify that I'm not, you know, that I'm not sure. Not short everything. Thank you.

[Mike Ryan]

Not at all.

[Nick Wright]

I feel like, I feel like there's a defamation suit and you have an aura and this whole. I do, yes, one. Yeah. But you can, you can lose aura, but you can also gain it by aura farming. So like it's a sliding scale.

[Dan Le Batard]

If it is a sliding scale, he cannot be accused of having no aura. Aura is a, you know, a manila folder. It's something that doesn't have no aura is not having any personality. That can't be said. We are the authority on this. That's right.

[Nick Wright]

Thank you.

[Dan Le Batard]

I'm glad.

[Nick Wright]

And I just wanted you guys to know that entire beef started on this show. It didn't exist prior to that. But I was in it. I was in that. It was when I was in the airport and you guys thought I was in the bathroom and I was just, you know, I was just doing what I'm always doing. Tapped it. See, now that.

[Dan Le Batard]

This is to prove your proof your height. This is to help. This is to help.

[Nick Wright]

I thought this was to prove the ugly.

[Dan Le Batard]

Afraid someone's got over there.

[Nick Wright]

He might be standing on something. We got to see the feet. I'm not say, hey, man short. Thank you. I've never seen him in person. I don't know.

[Dan Le Batard]

He's not Portnoy standing on his tippy toes for pictures.

[Nick Wright]

I don't see the feet there.

[Mike Ryan]

You happy, Dan? You got him in a fight with Senor Tilt.

[Dan Le Batard]

He got him. He got him in a fight with Senior till I did.

[Nick Wright]

I did it. But I did it, you know, to serve your great audience. Oh, can I tell you one other thing? And then I will go. Your guys show very popular. I spent a few days at. In the Bahamas for my daughter's spring break. Your guys show very popular there. Of the. Not the. Not the tourists, the Bahamians, the people working at the airport, in the resort or whatever it is. A lot of love you on Lebatard. So shout out to you guys for having, you know, that area of the world really on lockdown.

[Sponsor Announcer]

I like that.

[Dan Le Batard]

He is the host of Baja Mars.

[Nick Wright]

We got a couple looks at the Baja Mar when I went.

[Dan Le Batard]

He's the host.

[Nick Wright]

It's gorgeous. And I'll stay there if you ever want to go. Tony, I think I'm gonna have free rooms for a bit because funny fact about casinos, if your first time gambling with them, you leave enough money there, they'll invite you back forever. So yeah, Tony, maybe you and me spend a weekend, buddy.

[Dan Le Batard]

I don't care what he's the host of. See you later, Nick.

[Nick Wright]

Bye. See ya, folks.

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[Nick Wright]

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[Dan Le Batard]

Don LeBatard surely every time you're watching this, you recognize that your wife is laughing, that she married. She married Larry David.

[Greg Cody]

I do. Yeah. One of the great characters in the history of television, in my humble opinion and and to my credit, my personality,

[Dan Le Batard]

in my humble opinion, followed by to my credit, it's amazing.

[Greg Cody]

My personal amazing predate. Curb your enthusiasm.

[Dan Le Batard]

ST. Oh, wow.

[Greg Cody]

I'm not going to say Larry David patterned himself.

[Dan Le Batard]

You copy. All right, Put it on the poll, please. Juju Did Greg Cody copyright being an long before Larry David this is the

[Dan Le Batard Show Announcer]

Dan Levatar show with the st.

[Dan Le Batard]

I saw Chris Cody searching the sound system to find sound of the nostrils. It sounds blind. It's sounds of the nostrils of Greg Cody breathing and he doesn't feel confident that the sound is good enough. But I will tell you won't do

[Sponsor Announcer]

it justice because there were some good ones.

[Greg Cody]

Oh, but yet it's not recorded. It's not recorded. Imagine that.

[Sponsor Announcer]

It's hard for me to preview stuff

[Nick Wright]

with like the show.

[Dan Le Batard]

Let's try it now. We have to try it. He doesn't have a great deal of confidence in this, but let's listen to the Nick Wright sound and See if Greg Cody's giant nostrils are distracting and disorienting.

[Sponsor Announcer]

You hear Nick talking and on the back end you hear the breath.

[Nick Wright]

Whatever, you know, wow, you can hear.

[Greg Cody]

Say that again. Play that again.

[Nick Wright]

Whatever, you know.

[Dan Le Batard]

Sounds deaf, sounds blind.

[Sponsor Announcer]

No, I'm like, I'm. I'm trying to, like, that's what you're listening for. The. At the end.

[Nick Wright]

Whatever, you know, nothing.

[Sponsor Announcer]

It happened like four consecutive times.

[Mike Ryan]

Just let him live.

[Dan Le Batard Show Announcer]

Every.

[Mike Ryan]

Quite literally, let him live.

[Dan Le Batard]

I wanted to ask you guys a question that I think is interesting as I see the Steelers after 20 straight years of winning a one of the landmark franchises anywhere in American sports. It's weird to see them have Mike McCarthy as the coach, to see them not have any quarterbacking options that would excite anybody that aren't Aaron Rodgers, and to wonder if Aaron Rodgers is going back there. But not quite as weird as what I'm about to say, which is, could you guys have imagined a scenario where I tell you a guy who has won for 20 straight years, had winning seasons at the top of one of the most majestic franchises to be found anywhere in American sports, quits, vanishes without an explanation, never gets a goodbye or a press conference, and we still haven't heard from him. Him, like, no. Does anyone not think that's weird? Like a real icon name in the sport says goodbye without ever saying goodbye. Nobody hears anything from him and just gone like, I can't off the top of my head have any recollection. And maybe you guys have an example of this where that's not weird, where you are sitting there and we were talking about Giannis and his connection to Milwaukee. I'm sure power. Mike Tomlin has a relationship with that community. Does he have any responsibility to explain anything to anyone or does he have so much power that he can just vanish quietly and no one has any reaction to it even being weird? And I'm not even saying it critically, I'm just looking at it and saying, man, that's unusual.

[Mike Ryan]

I mean, power. The. The. The farewell press conference is a totally manufactured construction. He doesn't have to do it. It's not required by his contract. Most times when people leave organizations, they don't do that. Granted, we do get some ceremonial thing when it's a mutually beneficial relationship that spans over a decade and they've had success, but not all the time. I'll look up previous examples, but this is a man made construct. It's not required.

[Dan Le Batard]

You say that, but my starting point on this is in the Jerry Jones documentary One of the things that I Learned in the 10 parts, one of the few in that sanitized documentary, is that after Tom Landry, a local icon who meant something to that community, was let go in somewhat of dishonorable disgrace because Jerry Jones was clumsy and brought in Jimmy Johnson, his exit was an actual parade. Tom Landry left and they gave him a parade as a goodbye, as a thank you, as we love you, as we recognize, recognize that this relationship was a real one. And mostly it was thank you. I'm not even saying I want to be clear on this. I'm not saying Tomlin deserves any criticism. I'm surprised that Tomlin doesn't want any of the outpouring, that Tomlin doesn't want any of the connection of this community. Really loved you and can give you a truly, you know, a eulogy that you get to listen to while you're still alive to show you how loved you were and that it wasn't just, hey, this is unacceptable that you win nine or ten games every season. But don't get past the.

[Mike Ryan]

I don't even know how many of those I remember. I remember, like John Elway's. I'm not sure. Nick Saban had one.

[Commercial Announcer]

Shula did, right?

[Mike Ryan]

I know locally, the coach of the Miami Sharks had one. But then he announced that he was going to the new franchise in Albuquerque and that he had signed Willie Beeman. Everyone's like, whoa, how'd you surprise us?

[Greg Cody]

I mean, the Dolphins gave Dan Marino.

[Dan Le Batard]

Sorry, that's another $5.

[Greg Cody]

The dolphins gave.

[Dan Le Batard]

Pardon me, that's another fight.

[Sponsor Announcer]

He leaned back.

[Greg Cody]

If I were breathing more through my large nostrils, I wouldn't have to clear my throat as much.

[Sponsor Announcer]

We heard you once.

[Greg Cody]

The Dolphins gave a stadium farewell to Dan Marino, and I think it's customary when you've been in one city for as long or as successfully as Mike Tomlin, you don't just disappear. I think this is almost unheard of. If you don't have the traditional press conference announcing the movement, you. The guy takes out a full page ad in the paper or says something on Instagram, there's some farewell, there's some sign that you meant something in this community and here's why we're leaving. But. But this, it's. He just disappeared.

[Dan Le Batard]

Mike, Nick Saban did sit down with Rhys Davis a couple of days afterward.

[Mike Ryan]

There is an interview that's an exclusive, not a presser.

[Dan Le Batard]

No, but I'm just. There's an explanation somewhere. There's his voice. There's his voice somewhere on fans can grab on to something and be like, how does our icon feel after being gone after 20 years? I have a new report here from Mike Silver. You guys, tell me what you do with this. The Steelers organization is, quote, reasonably upbeat about the possibility of Aaron Rodgers coming back and playing another season. I have not. I have not. I have not. But I have not seen. I have not seen before the phrasing from one of the insiders that an organization is not upbeat. Reasonably upbeat. What is. What does that reporting mean?

[Nick Wright]

Is that cautiously optimistic?

[Dan Le Batard]

No, it's better than that.

[Nick Wright]

It's reasonably upbeat. Like they shouldn't have a reason to, but they do.

[Greg Cody]

I think the phrase should have been. The Steelers are sadly resigned to the fact of maybe having Aaron Rodgers again. Who would want that guy back? Move on. They should. They should assign Malik Willis.

[Dan Le Batard Show Announcer]

McCarthy.

[Dan Le Batard]

No. McCarthy says that he'd like him back. Get the band back together and there's nothing better available. Like, there's nothing. There's. I should say this. There's nothing available that's going to make the fan base more excited than Aaron Rodgers. I have that right, Right. Like, are they going to be excited? I didn't say excited. Reasonably upbeat. I said more excited than Aaron Rodgers. What is the hopeful exercise that you can hypothesize outside of trading for players who aren't actually available? You in trade. What is the name that I could give. You're a Steelers fan. You are tired of what you say is mediocrity. That isn't actually mediocrity. It's two straight decades of never a losing season.

[Greg Cody]

Yeah. I mean, they could have signed Malik Willis. They could have signed Joe Flacco. They could have.

[Dan Le Batard]

Joe Flacco.

[Greg Cody]

They could have gone in another direction.

[Dan Le Batard]

Joe Flacco is mad that nobody thinks he's a starter. Joe Flacco at 41. Joe Flacco threw 450 yards in a game. But you just put Joe Flacco out there as someone you'd be more excited about if you were a Steeler fan than Aaron Rogers.

[Greg Cody]

As excited. As excited. I'm just saying Aaron Rodgers, at this point in his career, you're not excited about him. He's your. He's your one more season stop gap until you get a real quarterback for the future. That's all. I mean. And the coach saying, let's get the band back together, you have to say that publicly just in case he is.

[Dan Le Batard]

You don't. But you don't have. You don't actually have to say anything. Look what Tomlin just Proved. You don't have to say anything public.

[Greg Cody]

Yeah, but if you're resigned to the fact that. That you. You. You are going to have Aaron Rodgers again, then you have to say that publicly.

[Sponsor Announcer]

If you're getting the band back together. Let's just go full. Jordy Nelson.

[Nick Wright]

Ooh. James Starks.

[Sponsor Announcer]

Ryan Grant.

[Mike Ryan]

Jeff Janis.

[Dan Le Batard]

Oh.

[Nick Wright]

Donald Driver.

[Greg Cody]

Jerome Bettis.

[Mike Ryan]

Fat.

[Sponsor Announcer]

Not playing the game.

[Dan Le Batard Show Announcer]

Right.

[Greg Cody]

Coon.

[Mike Ryan]

You said Jerome Bettis.

[Sponsor Announcer]

You know what game we were playing?

[Greg Cody]

No.

[Dan Le Batard Show Announcer]

We should have said his first name, too.

[Commercial Announcer]

Yeah, I was uncomfortable.

[Greg Cody]

Heinz Ward.

[Dan Le Batard]

Jerome Bettis.

[Commercial Announcer]

You're still playing it wrong, Craig.

[Greg Cody]

Troy Palomalo, former Packers is what we're doing.

[Dan Le Batard Show Announcer]

What are you doing?

[Commercial Announcer]

It's guys who Rogers played with.

[Dan Le Batard]

Greg, what are you doing?

[Greg Cody]

He's that old. He's played with all these guys.

[Dan Le Batard]

What are you doing?

[Greg Cody]

What are you doing? Lever jinx. Oh, there you go.

[Sponsor Announcer]

Get it back.

[Dan Le Batard]

Oh, he got me.

[Mike Ryan]

Greg's right about that.

[Dan Le Batard]

He did get me. So getting back to that because Green.

[Mike Ryan]

It's a new game.

[Greg Cody]

The curtain. Bring back the steel curtain.

[Mike Ryan]

Antoine Randall Bradshaw.

[Greg Cody]

Terry Bradshaw's got free time.

[Mike Ryan]

He's right about that.

[Dan Le Batard Show Announcer]

Goodell Stewart.

[Greg Cody]

Last time I looked. What's T. Brad doing?

[Mike Ryan]

Somehow he's still doing halftime highlights. Inexplicably. It's not making the poor man do this. This. Who's asking for this?

[Nick Wright]

Why?

[Mike Ryan]

It was never a good thing.

[Greg Cody]

Antoine Randall.

[Nick Wright]

Steve Martin.

[Greg Cody]

Also Antonio Brown. Still. Still looking for work. I could go on and on. George Pickens. I mean, former Steelers are out there, man.

[Dan Le Batard]

Do you guys believe that Anyone in the history, the 80 year history of Terry Bradshaw has called him T. Brad before.

[Sponsor Announcer]

I liked it.

[Greg Cody]

Thank you.

[Dan Le Batard Show Announcer]

You're welcome.

[Greg Cody]

Leon Bell. Nope.

[Mike Ryan]

All right.

[Greg Cody]

Charlie. Charlie Batch.

[Mike Ryan]

They might be on the running game here. They're crowding the box.

[Nick Wright]

They brought the safeties in.

[Mike Ryan]

We'll play action.

[Dan Le Batard Show Announcer]

Greg Lloyd.

[Sponsor Announcer]

I thought my dad burped when he said T. Brad. No.

[Greg Cody]

T. Brad. Will that be on the countdown? No, and you know it.

[Sponsor Announcer]

You probably put the burps all together as one. Just my burps, Brad.

[Greg Cody]

Right.

[Nick Wright]

That.

[Greg Cody]

That would be a suite of burps because there are four main.

[Sponsor Announcer]

Right.

[Nick Wright]

There's a few.

[Greg Cody]

Right.

[Mike Ryan]

Could you explain them?

[Greg Cody]

No.

[Nick Wright]

There's Yike.

[Greg Cody]

You're giving away all my going through the burps. What?

[Sponsor Announcer]

There's Brad, there's Yike.

[Greg Cody]

Right?

[Nick Wright]

And then there's Ass wipe.

[Greg Cody]

Yeah. Sassafras.

[Sponsor Announcer]

Anyway, sassafraft's not a burp. That's just a different saying.

[Greg Cody]

Yeah, that's true. True.

[Sponsor Announcer]

It's almost sassafras is when he can't figure something out, and he's just like sassafras.

[Greg Cody]

Yeah, that's a good point.

[Sponsor Announcer]

Not a burp at all, right? Why'd you say sassafras?

[Dan Le Batard Show Announcer]

I don't know.

[Dan Le Batard]

20 more carries.