
Loading summary
Commercial Announcer
Every holiday shopper's got a list. But Ross shoppers? You've got a mission. Like a gift run that turns into a disco, snow globe, throw pillows and PJs for the whole family. Dog included. At Ross holiday magic isn't about spending more. It's about giving more for less. Ross, work your magic.
Dan Le Batard
Thursday Night Football is on. And it's only on Prime Video.
Chris Cote
Brilliant.
Dan Le Batard
Just brilliant. This week, the west coast action heats up when the Rams meet the Seahawks in a huge divisional showdown. Coverage begins at 7pm Eastern with football's best party, TNF Tonight, presented by Variety. And don't miss the Broncos and Chiefs on Christmas night. It's Thursday Night Football only on Prime Video. Not a Prime member. Not a problem. Simply sign up for a 30 day free trial. Restrictions apply. See Amazon.com amazonprime for details.
Commercial Announcer
Marshall's buyers are hustling hard to get amazing new gifts into stores right up to the last minute. Like a designer perfume for that friend who never RSVP'd wishlist topping toys for her kids who came too.
Dan Le Batard
Mm.
Commercial Announcer
Belgian chocolates for the neighbor. A cozy scarf for your boss and a wool jacket for your husband that you definitely did not. Almost forget Marshalls. We get the deals, you get the good stuff. Even at the last minute. Find a Marshall's near you.
Stugotz
This is the Dan Levator show with the Stugats podcast.
Dan Le Batard
Matriculate.
Commercial Announcer
Mature.
Dan Le Batard
Matriculate. Matrix. Matic. Matric. Matriculate. I have had trouble this week sort of segueing from some of the stuff going on in the real world to the other things that we talk about. Silly. Every day. Like, we have still not talked about what happened with Rob Reiner because I had nowhere to put it in us trying to do nonsense. And I will just tell you that David Sampson is going through an impossibly hard time. I wouldn't wish what he's going through on anybody that I cared about.
Zach Harper
Ever.
Dan Le Batard
It's the hardest thing. And in a recent episode of Pablo Torre finds out, Mike Scher and Joe Mandy are auctioning off a hat made by Mandy to raise fund for St. Jude's for Sampson's daughter. And if this audience, there are seven days left in the auction. Wants to help with, you know, David Sampson is trying to do a good thing at an impossibly hard time. And he's trying to raise funds for St. Jude's as a man who's run on seven continents in seven days to raise money, he's an impossibly strong and willful man. And what he's Going through is the hardest thing. So he. If you want to help Sampson's daughter. St. Jude's people going through difficulties with illness. Ptfo.betterworld.org There are seven days left in the auction. Ptfo.betterworld.org and Mike Schur has broken his feud with David Sampson. That was a real thing. Mike Scher has no use for David Sampson's worldview. David Sampson wanted his number because he's like, I can win anybody over. And Schur's like, don't ever give him my number. Nobody give him my number. I never want to talk to that person like that. I don't like what he represents in sports. Labor. And Mike Scher, because of what David Sampson is going to, is trying to help raise money for St. Jude's and for David Sampson, and none of the money will go to Sampson, obviously. Samson is actually very giving with his money.
Mike Schur
So Helwani said something similar last time he was here, too. I was very touched by it.
Dan Le Batard
Ariel Helwani also broke his feud with David Sampson as well. Yeah, Helwani's in town for this fight, and I wanted to ask you guys, I've got a bit of a dilemma in that I kind of want to go to this fight, and I kind of don't want to go to this fight, because the last time that I went to an MMA event here and Trump came in, I felt really alone in my own city with what everything that was about the worst parts of Miami that I don't want to be around. But I kind of want to be ringside. And so what do I do? Because you go.
Zach Harper
You go. You go, and you bring your bag of shepherd's pie. There you go.
Mike Schur
God, I love shepherd's pie.
Dan Le Batard
You think shepherd's pie is worse than spaghetti? Like, spaghetti is so bad, guys. You guys are really.
Juju Smith-Schuster
But I could see, like. Yeah, like, a little pee falling onto the floor and, like, rolling away.
Dan Le Batard
You guys are doing spaghetti different than I'm doing spaghetti, though, because you're just doing it. Red sauce. Like, I can make it, like, a fettuccine or anything in that family and make it wings really more disgusting.
Chris Cote
You can't make a spaghetti.
Trista
Just pulling chicken wings out of a bag would be funny.
Chris Cote
You make spaghetti fettuccine. It's just fettuccine.
Dan Le Batard
Whatever. I can. Those noodles covered in an even creamier sauce than a red sauce. I can make a spaghetti even more fattening. You will not be surprised.
Chris Cote
Oh, you mean Alfredo.
Zach Harper
The red sauce pops, though. That's the problem. You see It. And it does that little stain on the side of the plastic. That's why whenever you put spaghetti and Tupperware, it's ruined forever.
Mike Schur
I would have a hard time eating the spaghetti at the game out of the plastic bag because I eat spaghetti with a fork and a spoon.
Zach Harper
Whoa.
Mike Schur
Yeah, I gotta like, you know, the.
Zach Harper
Noodles the worst fancy.
Mike Schur
So I wouldn't be able to do it.
Juju Smith-Schuster
What about jello?
Dan Le Batard
Is that the worst? You think it's the worst? He's just doing it neatly so it doesn't.
Trista
Get over yourself. If I see someone twirling pasta with a spoon at the end of it. Get over yourself.
Mike Schur
I have to do the spoon.
Dan Le Batard
You guys think he's eating pasta wrong by using the spoon.
Trista
You're not better than me. You're not better than me.
Zach Harper
He's eating it aristocratically cleaner than you.
Juju Smith-Schuster
You can't wear that outfit. And then also that way.
Dan Le Batard
Is there a proper way to eat spaghetti? Like, is there a.
Zach Harper
Definitely the spaghetti with the spoon. That's how you're supposed to eat it. If you are someone who doesn't wear a Roman Reigns T shirt to your.
Chris Cote
Anniversary dinner, you know what an alpha move is? Bringing scissors.
Dan Le Batard
I'm really bad. My. My family. I'm really bad. I've gone through 57 years of my life not knowing some base, very basic thing about table manners. For example, Mike Scher was actually the one who showed me this the other day. I was unaware until a month ago that you put your credit card in the bill at the top to tell the waiter that that's where you put the credit card.
Trista
You think a little flap was there?
Mike Schur
What do you think that's not.
Zach Harper
That little pocket was there for us.
Dan Le Batard
Listen, listen. There are a thousand things you guys would be surprised that I don't know about. Very simple table manners. And I'm asking you genuinely, how do you properly eat Spaghett? If I were to eat at a formal dinner with royalty, what is the correct way to eat spaghetti out of a bag?
Zach Harper
Dan, all your years just as an adult, you go out to eat, whether you went to Chili's or you went to prime or whatever, anything in between, they hand you the bill. There's there no intellectual curiosity of you when you open it up? What is this plastic pocket at the top?
Dan Le Batard
I don't admit this with anything except shame and embarrassment.
Mike Schur
How would the server know that you're ready to pay?
Dan Le Batard
You guys are properly shocked. I too was shocked to learn this a month ago.
Zach Harper
I'm not. I'm not shocked that you didn't know. I'm asking you the millions of times you opened up the bill and you saw that plastic thing at the top. What did you think about it?
Dan Le Batard
Never noticed it. Never noticed the receipt. I've noticed the plastic thing at the top. Never noticed that one of those was there for me. I put the credit card in the thing and I put it away from where it is that I'm eating. That's how I've always told the waiter that the bill is ready to be taken. I have never once noticed that flap or used that flap.
Mike Schur
That's wild.
Dan Le Batard
Are we done here? Like, are we done? Making me feel judged about this. Like I admit something to you.
Trista
Give us another one. What else do you do?
Dan Le Batard
How do you eat spaghetti?
Zach Harper
Doesn't know how to eat spaghetti.
Dan Le Batard
I know you guys seize on the piranha. Twirl the fork.
Trista
You twirl the fork. You put your mouth.
Dan Le Batard
You bite.
Trista
You lean over the plate like an animal.
Dan Le Batard
You're going to teach me? Yeah, I'll teach you.
Zach Harper
Let's get some spaghetti in here. Have Zaz demonstrate.
Dan Le Batard
Do you want to go to this fight? But I'll only let you go if we spend the entire time eating things out of bags that disgusting. That could be on the Internet forever. Like, I'm not going with you otherwise.
Mike Schur
Okay, but you have to sneak it in. Like, they're not going. You carry. You're going to put under your shirt.
Zach Harper
Dan Levitzer. What you don't let us.
Dan Le Batard
They'll let us do what we want at this fight. They're not. Tickets aren't selling the way you think they are. Like, if, if we go, I am. This is a C or B seen thing and I don't want to be seen by these particular people. And then I'm going to be sitting there for four hours because the thing's not going to happen till 1, you know, 1O'. Clock morning.
Trista
Can I bring the trophy battle court?
Mike Schur
Don't even ask me.
Dan Le Batard
Do you guys want to. Who would want to sit next to me at this fight? Because I am. I am genuinely. I don't want to go. The only reason to go is to be seen at this fight.
Trista
I'll go.
Mike Schur
What time again is the main event going to be?
Dan Le Batard
It'll be at 1 o' clock in the morning.
Juju Smith-Schuster
So you don't want me to go?
Zach Harper
Dan. I'll go. I'll go. But I have to wrap myself in a flag and it's not the American flag. Thank you.
Dan Le Batard
I'm asking you guys for Genuine advice on this. Because, first of all, my wife learned this morning that I demand on paying for tickets, that I can't take tickets for free. I won't take tickets for free.
Chris Cote
Journalists.
Zach Harper
You're for real? You're one of these people?
Dan Le Batard
Yes.
Mike Schur
Wow.
Commercial Announcer
Because you're a journalist.
Chris Cote
Big J Used to be.
Zach Harper
It told me very deep into my ESPN career, like, you're not supposed to accept free tickets. I'm like, the hell I'm not.
Dan Le Batard
Yeah. But my wife learned this this morning because I insist on paying for the tickets. And my question to you guys.
Mike Schur
Only for sporting events, like concerts.
Dan Le Batard
You would.
Zach Harper
No.
Dan Le Batard
Anything. I can't. Well, the Heat run that facility. I can't take concert tickets from the Heat.
Zach Harper
Conflict of interest. How is he supposed to be an unbiased journalist when he's getting all these freebies?
Dan Le Batard
Why am I explaining this to you as a journalist?
Mike Schur
Like, I love free shit. Come on.
Dan Le Batard
Well, then. So you just take everything? Yeah.
Mike Schur
Oh, yeah, baby. That's me twice.
Dan Le Batard
That's so radio. I'm asking you guys for advice here because I genuinely had the conversation. It's my birthday week and I wasn't able to celebrate it Tuesday. I postponed it so that I could spend this time with my wife. I don't actually wanna go to this thing. The only reason to go to it, and it's gonna be expensive. Cause I have to pay for the ticket. The only reason is to be seen at an important event in Miami. There's no other reason to go for it. And I don't like the people physically who are gonna be surrounding me.
Commercial Announcer
It sounds like a pretty easy decision.
Dan Le Batard
Don't do it.
Chris Cote
You're curious.
Zach Harper
You gotta go.
Chris Cote
You've been curious about this fight. Don't you want to get up close?
Dan Le Batard
Well, I want to see him get knocked out.
Zach Harper
And also then you owe it.
Dan Le Batard
It's the only. The only reason to go is to see him lose badly in the first round because he shouldn't be in the ring with this person.
Mike Schur
If you don't finish the spaghetti in the bag and he gets knocked out. You stay in your seat until you finish eating.
Zach Harper
You let everyone walk out, get up and walk out around you as you sit there.
Dan Le Batard
It's four hours. It's gonna be like. It's not gonna be a lot of fun until the one minute I'm there for like. It's four. It's four or five hours. Coverage starts at five. So you juju.
Stugotz
I mean, I feel like you didn't ask me because, you know, I want to Go. You know, I would be the person to go with. If you pull up, we gonna be. Come on, man. You know, going with me places is like going with damn near MC Hammer somewhere. You know, we just gonna be dancing and having a lot of high fives, bro.
Zach Harper
Dan, if you want to see and be seen, right, and have people make a spectacle, you bring that man with you right there. I guarantee you Jake Paul, on his way into the ring, will stop and dap him up.
Dan Le Batard
He's not an ornament, he's a human being.
Chris Cote
Goodell dapped him up.
Dan Le Batard
Yeah, okay, so you. Well, that's a different experience.
Stugotz
Trust me. Trust me, Dan. Outside of these walls, people like me. I'm a pretty good guy.
Zach Harper
Outside of here, Dan, I'm an NBA guy, right? I'm a big deal. I go around all star weekend. I'm telling you, no better access in my life than having juju by my side, man. Access to everything, private rooms and stuff. Like, what's going on here? Then they just saw juju.
Stugotz
Hey, man, what's going on?
Zach Harper
And next thing we know, we're inside.
Juju Smith-Schuster
Marty Supreme Christmas Day. Marty Supreme Christmas Day. Marty Supreme Christmas Day. Marty Supreme Christmas Day. You know what I'm gonna be doing on Christmas day? And it's gonna be watching Marty Supreme. Because I didn't even need to know that critics were calling Marty Supreme a full throttle masterpiece and the best movie of the year. I already knew that was gonna be the case. From A24 and starring Timothee Chalamet alongside powerhoused cast Gwyneth Paltrow, Odessa Azion and Tyler Akoma. Marty Supreme Christmas Day only in theaters.
Jeremy
What does Zyn give you? Not just smoke free nicotine satisfaction, but real freedom. Freedom to do what you love and choose your rewards. With Zinn rewards, you can redeem points for premium tech, outdoor GE and gift cards to your favorite retailers. Find your zen and keep finding rewards that fit your lifestyle@zen.com rewards warning. This product contains nicotine. Nicotine is an addictive chemical.
Juju Smith-Schuster
Hey everyone, it's Jeremy here. Happy holidays. And I know that during the holiday season my personal favorite part is getting to spend time with family, spend time with friends, reminiscing over years past of the holidays that we spent together before. But in my case there have been some years I haven't been able to be around mostly because of work. I'm lucky to live near my family. But I know for some of you that might not be the case. And if there's distance between you or even if it is a work conflict. You don't have to feel disconnected from your family during the holidays. And a great way to stay connected is 1-800-Flowers.com because they make it easy to bridge miles, to bridge distance, to bridge time with gifts that just say, I'm thinking of you, so that the people who have always made your Christmases magical still feel close even when they're far away. I recently ordered the peppermint rose bouquet for my wife. It was gorgeous, super vibrant, looked freshly picked, and it instantly brought this burst of holiday cheer into our household. It was really wonderful. It made her really happy. Beat the holiday rush and save up to 40% off Christmas bestsellers at 1-800-flowers.com dance that's 1-800-flowers.Com dan for up to 40% off Christmas bestsellerers.
Mike Schur
Don Lebatard my algorithm on Instagram is dan it's all boobs.
Chris Cote
Stugats.
Dan Le Batard
It's a good algorithm.
Stugotz
This is the Dan Levatar show with the stugats.
Dan Le Batard
I have been remiss in mentioning that before, what is the single biggest game in the history of Thursday Night Football? I have erred and not talking about this before now because the title's going to someone new. It's gonna be something fresh. And you're about to learn things about Puka Nakua because you're paying attention that might be uncomfortable to learn about Puka Nakua because you've only sort of known for a while that, oh, there's another Ram that's catching all the touchdown passes and the Rams can make anything with anyone. They can make Puka Nakua into Cooper Cup. Davonte Adams is going to try and play in this game, which is sort of crazy, and he has to because it's a kind of important game and there's never been one like this. We used to make fun of Thursday Night Football. Now it's Al Michaels and Kirk Herb street calling the single biggest Thursday night game there is because we're ready for a new champion and a lot of us would think it might be playing tonight on either sideline.
Chris Cote
Yeah, well, Philadelphia is still alive to win the super bowl, but this is the first time that two 11 win teams have matched up on Thursday night. It's been a very strange NFL season. Feels like a whole new era. It's week 16 and no one's won a division just yet. These are the two favorites to win the next Super Bowl. Whoever wins this game is going to have the inside track because they're going to have home field. This is the biggest Thursday night football game in the NFL ever.
Mike Schur
That's interesting that they're so. They're number one and two favorites because one of them is going to have to play all road games in the playoffs.
Chris Cote
Yeah, we'll see how it impacts the odds. But the AFC is so wide open that, yeah, you have two teams inside the same division.
Dan Le Batard
Oh, but this is. There are a number of things that are important about this game, but whenever they do super bowl matchup type stuff, the NFC is so much stronger than the afc. The teams at the top of that division, whoever, the Rams, if the Rams lose a couple of games, they're suddenly not in the same position that they were in as a team that this season has lost three games. All of them by one score. All of them weird. That team could be undefeated. All of them weird games. Like the Rams could be easily undefeated because they have an offense. McVay, I guess, got forgotten last year because they got hurt, but they have an offense that will make Devonte Adams try to get out there tonight. But the last time he had these two receivers, Odell Beckham got home, got hurt in the super bowl and was going to go for 200 yards. Like McVay can do it with this quarterback. He's shown us. He was throwing no look passes to Cooper cup in a Super Bowl. That team plays tonight against a team that it needed to turn the ball over four times. And the Seahawks were still kicking for the game at the end because the Seahawks are really good, but they play in the same division and in a conference where the 49ers have four losses. It's absurd what that division is and it's absurd that anything from Tampa Bay's division is going to be playing a playoff game.
Chris Cote
Oh, you know you're going to be taking that home dog, that NFC south home dog first round. You do not want to go into that building.
Dan Le Batard
It's a giant game. And the. The wide receiver for the Rams, Puka Nkua is a household name because he's got a poetic name and he's super excellent, super tough. His brother has been arrested for shoplifting and he was on a live stream, not shoplifting. I'm sorry for car. I'm sorry for. I'm sorry. I didn't. Shoplifting.
Zach Harper
I wish it was shoplifting.
Dan Le Batard
I confused him.
Chris Cote
Grabbed a Twix.
Dan Le Batard
I confused him with Brett Favre's sister, who we did this to. She was a shoplifter.
Zach Harper
Also, Lonzo Ball's brother was a shoplifter.
Dan Le Batard
Pukinakua's brother did a carjacking Allegedly, Pukinakua has also been on a live stream in which last was it? Last night with Aiden Ross.
Chris Cote
Never let that happen. By the way, teams don't let your athletes go on Natum Ross.
Juju Smith-Schuster
Good lord, man.
Chris Cote
You can't let that one sneak through communications.
Dan Le Batard
It's a very popular podcast. It's a very popular podcast in sports. Puka Nakua has been on that show and these are popular. This is a place where an athlete who is young, who wants to reach a different audience. You mean Nazis or Pukinakua? So let's talk about this for a second because what Pukinakua has done on this live stream, the news of yesterday was that he went on the live stream and he said the refs are making calls just to be on television. The refs are the worst. That was yesterday's controversy.
Chris Cote
There was some other stuff.
Dan Le Batard
No, but see, that hadn't gotten to me until I just heard you guys talking about it 10 minutes ago.
Chris Cote
Yeah, you could say certifiably worst week in the Nukua family went to Puka. And then last night happened. Just a banner day for the surname.
Zach Harper
His brother said, hold my beer.
Chris Cote
His brother who plays in the UFL slapped a fan. There's video of this in full uniform.
Mike Schur
Why?
Chris Cote
You know, right here we have video because the fan probably said something that bothered him. That's just my guess. I haven't reported on the situation.
Zach Harper
Great reach. But that didn't happen yesterday. Or that wasn't the news that came out yesterday. The news, Dan, that came out yesterday about Puka Ngua's brother Samson, by the way, is his name Samson Nakua? Was that. He was arrested for stealing a car. Now you say whoa, was a random car. Like no, it was a Lakers player car. Then you say, well how did they get caught? Like was there a police chase? Like no, they drove the car and they valeted it.
Chris Cote
No.
Zach Harper
And then they went inside a hotel to hang out and. And cops came to arrest him and his dumb ass buddy in the hotel lobby.
Chris Cote
The crime is almost too perfect.
Zach Harper
The valet, the stolen car, the proof.
Dan Le Batard
For the cops could be found in the pocket. Like hand me the valet slip or the picture you take of the valet.
Zach Harper
I guess the car had a tracker in it, but again they valet parked it.
Dan Le Batard
Who was the Laker he stole it from? Do we know which it's the rookie.
Zach Harper
What's his name? Yeah, Tiero, I do.
Dan Le Batard
So it's a nice car. He just stole a Laker.
Zach Harper
He plays with the Lakers, Dan. It's not a It's not a Mazda Miata.
Dan Le Batard
Yeah, but did he just go to the valet stand outside of the. Like, how did he steal the car?
Zach Harper
He did.
Dan Le Batard
I called it a car. First I called it shoplifting, then I called it carjacking. Did he just take it from the valet?
Zach Harper
No, he took the car and then valeted it later. He's like, I'm driving a stolen car. You know what I'm gonna do? I'm gonna valet it at the place I'm at right now.
Mike Schur
I think Dan's asking how he hopped.
Dan Le Batard
Carjacking. I accused him of carjacking. That's not. Same thing. That carjacking is with a gun. Did he just pick it up outside the lake?
Chris Cote
You're the one that made a carjacking.
Dan Le Batard
So he just picked up the car outside the laker.
Chris Cote
The spectrum of crimes that poor Samson Nakua has allegedly committed, according to Dan Lebatard.
Zach Harper
Also, by the way, going back to Puka Nakua, he did the stream and all that stuff. But do you guys know he tried to get those guys into the practice facility?
Dan Le Batard
Okay, so do you guys, though, want to talk about what he did on the live stream?
Mike Schur
Jeremy sounds like he's got something to say.
Zach Harper
Before we get to the live stream, I just want to say all of these things that PUK is doing, they're very, very, very familiar. I don't know if you guys remember Antonio Brown at the very beginning, when he's still with the Steelers. What was Antonio Brown doing? He's live streaming from the locker room. He's doing all this stuff. He's hanging out with these people. We're like, oh, he's just eccentric. And then we know where I ended up. This feels very similar.
Juju Smith-Schuster
Really?
Chris Cote
Yeah. Is he still dating Charlotte Flair?
Dan Le Batard
I don't want to just skip past the anti Semitic parts of this. It's not a great time. I don't. I don't want to ruin this by making Jeremy make us all serious, but it seemed like you. I was learning about what happened here from you and Zaz talking about it 10 minutes ago.
Mike Schur
Yeah, I was learning about it too.
Dan Le Batard
Okay. It's not something that I don't know. We're talking about the other parts of this story. Not a part of this story that probably not a lot of people are talking about, but it's kind of about.
Zach Harper
It's Dan, it's Tanuka. We don't want to bring the move down.
Juju Smith-Schuster
More like Puka. No jewels.
Dan Le Batard
Okay? So we are gonna just move on. Bring in the Grim Reaper here. The Grim Reaper and the bucket. The Dentek Bucket. I don't have this mouthpiece in. Yeah, I was. I'm sorry to Dentech for not having the mouthpiece in. You should have it in in order to stop headaches if you grind at night.
Trista
The bucket is presented by Dentek's ultimate fantasy football punishment. The next big fantasy fantasy football punishment is almost here. Watch for your wow. Watch for the reveal@dentek.com.
Chris Cote
It'S okay, Trisha.
Dan Le Batard
You know about that mouthpiece. I got it in. Chris was not wearing a mouthpiece.
Chris Cote
That's why he stumbled.
Dan Le Batard
That's how that happened.
Stugotz
I got the Atlanta Falcons.
Chris Cote
Peace up.
Dan Le Batard
A town down.
Chris Cote
They're at the Cardinals and they are a three and a half point road favorite.
Stugotz
I'm gonna put it back.
Dan Le Batard
Really? You're Atlanta. Really? What are you doing?
Chris Cote
That's why.
Stugotz
I know. I know that. Don't take the Falcons rummaging.
Dan Le Batard
Ah, the Jets.
Chris Cote
It's always dangerous to put back a favor.
Dan Le Batard
They're right at the Saints. They're at the Saints. They're four and a half point dog.
Trista
Trista, you know how this works. You can make a pick and if you don't like it, you get one.
Chris Cote
Put back seven point swing on that.
Zach Harper
All right, we are.
Dan Le Batard
We are rummaging.
Zach Harper
We are rolling around.
Dan Le Batard
Chief Gardner Minshew at Tennessee. Three and a half point favorite.
Commercial Announcer
Three and a half, I think.
Chris Cote
I think.
Dan Le Batard
I say yes.
Chris Cote
Wow.
Dan Le Batard
Wow.
Chris Cote
Gardner Minshew for you.
Dan Le Batard
Mania. Good for you. Yeah, good for you. Show some guts. Why don't. It's a three and a half point favorite. Team of a generation against the worst team in the world.
Commercial Announcer
Yeah, I think they're pretty good.
Chris Cote
I got the Patriots. They got Sunday Night Football at Baltimore. That is a Waterloo game.
Dan Le Batard
Baltimore's a 3 1/2 point favorite.
Chris Cote
I like road variable, but this isn't against the spread. This is straight up. I'm putting it back.
Juju Smith-Schuster
Wow.
Chris Cote
All right, here we go. Alan Falcon, Sir.
Dan Le Batard
Upgrade.
Zach Harper
All right, guys. Hey, did you know there's a Cam Ward documentary on Tubi?
Chris Cote
That's right.
Dan Le Batard
Is it any good?
Chris Cote
Zero star. That's the name of the show, not my review.
Dan Le Batard
Is it any good?
Chris Cote
I don't know. They were filming it for a while. That's great information, Mike.
Dan Le Batard
Insider.
Chris Cote
They were working on it.
Trista
You happen to know.
Dan Le Batard
Did you get the Lions there?
Zach Harper
I got the Panthers. They're playing Tampa Bay.
Dan Le Batard
They're a three and a half point dog at home.
Zach Harper
And the winner just wins a division, right? No, that's too many stakes. Too many stakes.
Chris Cote
Wahoo.
Zach Harper
No. Too many stakes.
Dan Le Batard
You mentioned that. It's a three and a half point favorite. A three and a half point dog at home for the division.
Zach Harper
Dan, the statue outside has balls. I don't.
Dan Le Batard
Let's see what you also.
Zach Harper
I'm 5 and 0 this year, so I need this. I need the undefeated season.
Juju Smith-Schuster
Ooh, milk steak out of a bag.
Zach Harper
Commander.
Chris Cote
They are a 6.5 point home dog to the super bowl championship Eagles. This might be it for your undefeated streak. That game is on Saturday.
Dan Le Batard
Should be worse.
Juju Smith-Schuster
I got Tony's Jacksonville Jaguars.
Chris Cote
Jacksonville is at Denver. They're only a three and a half point dog, but Denver's a hot spot. No, I'm a huge Denver guy.
Zach Harper
If you had a documentary, would you want it to be airing on Tubi, specifically?
Dan Le Batard
Hey, I got the Broncos.
Chris Cote
Where'd it go?
Dan Le Batard
Wow.
Chris Cote
Some good game changers. If you had a documentary, my inclination is you just want it anywhere. Hard to sell those things.
Zach Harper
If you say. I'm just saying. If you say, I think tubi, I mean, hey, we're gonna make a documentary about your life. It'll be on tubi.
Chris Cote
That's right.
Zach Harper
You know what? Nevermind. I got the swap helmet put on YouTube.
Trista
Let me pick my helmet. Now I got the Vikings.
Chris Cote
All right.
Dan Le Batard
That's all I want to. Well, he doesn't have to keep it anyways. No, he's gonna give it to somebody else.
Trista
Let me see here. Who do I want?
Zach Harper
Commander.
Dan Le Batard
Commander.
Trista
Go in there. I'll make my.
Zach Harper
Take the Commander.
Dan Le Batard
Vikings are at the Giants. There's a good helmet.
Chris Cote
You should probably keep it.
Dan Le Batard
Three and a half point favorite.
Chris Cote
It looks like Ocala's kind of figuring out JJ McCarthy, too. It is starting to come online.
Zach Harper
One game.
Dan Le Batard
No, two.
Chris Cote
Two games.
Mike Schur
I got the Buffalo Bills.
Chris Cote
Buffalo is. Are we still doing bye weeks?
Zach Harper
We are.
Dan Le Batard
Camaraderie. I'm gonna keep it. Ten and a half point favorite.
Trista
And I will swap with Zaslow.
Dan Le Batard
I got the Jags. I don't believe in either of these teams. I don't believe in Jacksonville and Denver. So I'll just keep Zazzle.
Juju Smith-Schuster
You have lack of belief in Denver.
Trista
Zazzle, you have the Vikings. I'm swapping with you.
Dan Le Batard
All right.
Chris Cote
That was fun.
Dan Le Batard
It wasn't really. I would say there was too many people. I would say that it reminded me of all the times I haven't enjoyed doing the bucket because probably keep the mouthpiece in.
Trista
What do you think?
Dan Le Batard
No, I think that's also.
Chris Cote
Thank you to Dentek.
Dan Le Batard
Yeah.
Chris Cote
And not Dan.
Dan Le Batard
We had a good season at the bucket. It was much more disciplined. People. People paid their penalties.
Juju Smith-Schuster
We've still got a few to pay off.
Chris Cote
Don't you worry, Dan.
Juju Smith-Schuster
I'm on it.
Trista
Could not have lost more this season.
Juju Smith-Schuster
Yeah, you owe four punishments still.
Trista
I think it's three.
Juju Smith-Schuster
Nope.
Trista
I'm gonna check my math on that.
Juju Smith-Schuster
I have the math.
Chris Cote
I have a dangerous punishment. I have to pick any name out of a bucket, a cast member from this show, and I have to dress like them.
Juju Smith-Schuster
We're filling it only with me.
Zach Harper
What if you pull Zaz?
Chris Cote
That's terrible. I'm not wearing a flex fit backwards. I'm just not. I'll. I'll quit. The World cup is coming back to North America for the first time since 1994. 48 teams, these giant stadiums, the whole continent turning into one massive party. I cannot wait. But actually getting tickets to any of this. Yeah, that part. Brutal. That's why the gametime map has been a total lifesaver. It gives the advantage back to us, the fans. You can track price drops in real time, get alerts when seats open up, grab tickets the second they hit the app, all backed by the game time guarantee. I'm on the app looking at World cup matches in Miami because, you know, I am not missing that. That I'm scrolling through every section in the building. Behind the goal, midfield, lower bowl, upper bowl, and the deals are good. I had great seats locked in within minutes. The experience is so simple and intuitive. Two taps and I'm done. And the price. No surprises. Fees are included. The seat views are my favorite feature. And you'll get a full panoramic look before you buy. Take the guesswork out of buying soccer tickets with GameTime. Download the GameTime app, create an account and use code DAN for $20 off your first purchase Terms apply again, create an account and redeem code dan for $20 off. Swipe, tap ticket. Go download the Gametime app today. It's the holiday season and the 50th anniversary of Miller Lite. The holiday is all about spending time with friends and family. Why don't you sit back and toast a few Miller lights? Make your holiday time tis Miller time. And with the 50th anniversary of Miller Lite, you get to remember and reflect. Reflect on all the good times that you had with your trusty buddy by your side. Miller Lite, brewed for flavor with simple ingredients like malted barley, rich balanced toffee notes and that iconic golden color. And at 96 calories and 3.2 carbs per 12 ounces. It lets you enjoy the season without weighing you down. The original light beer since 1975 and still hitting different 50 years later. The best holiday beers are the ones you don't expect. Miller Lite great taste. 96 calories. Go to millerlight.com dan to find delivery options near you. Or you can pick up some Miller Lite pretty much anywhere they sell beer. Tis Miller time. Celebrate responsibly. Miller Brewing Co. Milwaukee, Wisconsin. 96 calories and 3.2 carbs per 12 ounces.
Trista
Folks, listen up. You know my holiday pattern by now. Every single year I tell myself, listen, Chris, you're going to be thoughtful this year. You're going to get good gifts. You're not going to be lazy. You're not just going to get gift cards. And this year, guys, I have news. I pulled it off. No panic. No sad little card. You know what I gave? I gave an aura frame. Like, why is it so hard to find a personal gift these days? It's for the people I'm closest to. My parents, my wife, my in laws, my kid. The most important people in my world. I have no idea what I'm supposed to get them as a gift, but one thing I know, people light up when they get photos.
Jeremy
People love photos.
Trista
So I loaded up my aura frame with all the moments I know they'll love. My daughter being adorable. Random selfies. Group pictures where none of us are looking in the same direction. I kept adding them because. Because aura lets you send unlimited photos and videos right from your phone anytime. And the best part, you can preload the thing before it even ships. So when it's open on Christmas morning, all the memories are already there. I'm telling you guys, this is a great gift. And folks, for a limited time save on the perfect gift by visiting auraframes.com to get 35 off or's best selling Carver Matte frames named number one by Wirecutter by using promo code DLB. This deal is exclusive to listeners and frames sell out fast. So order yours now now and get it in time for the holidays. Support the show by mentioning us at checkout. Terms and conditions apply.
Dan Le Batard
Don LeBatard.
Stugotz
I ain't never met nobody in the world that's gonna hate on Great nomination. Like who don't like Blues Clues? Bruh, if you don't like Blues Clues, you're a loser.
Chris Cote
Stugats.
Stugotz
Look, you get one paw print. That's the first clue. You put it in a notebook. Now what do you do? Blues Clues. Blues Clues.
Trista
Sit on the chair and think about it.
Stugotz
This is the Dan Levatar show with the Stugach.
Dan Le Batard
I mean, I wanted to ask you somebody, something. As somebody who dedicated his life to front office success. When the nationals hire someone 31 years old to be their general manager to run their baseball franchise against the, against the Nets and the Braves, the person is 31 years old. Were you equipped at 31 years old to run a franchise, to be the GM of a franchise?
Zach Harper
Absolutely not. And I think for several reasons. And this guy might be awesome. I don't know anything about him. I just learned the story from you right now. But here's the problem, right? Number one is you have just experience and institutional knowledge that's so huge in these things. Yes. There's all sorts of new cutting edge technologies and stuff that being able to adapt to, being able to adopt is easier for a younger person. But a lot of stuff is just knowing stuff that's happened because you've lived it. You were, you were around when, hey, I remember when we traded so and so, or when so and so was traded for such and such. And I think that's a huge thing that people overlook when they hire a young exec. Number two, I know for myself, I definitely did not have the temperament to be a leader. Because when you talk about leading ops department, it's not just, oh, what trade should we do? And give me the analytics readouts. It's like, I have to, number one, manage up. And that's a skill in and of itself. How many billionaires have you been around in your life to where you know how to handle this situation? Number two, you've got to know how to delegate. And a lot of times when you're that age, I know for me, I was when I was age, I know a lot of people like this. You're in this constant feeling of, I gotta prove to everybody I know my shit. Which means I gotta do everything and I gotta do it at a high level. So everyone says, oh my God, he's so good at this and so good at that. And I think those are kind of maturity things that I'm not saying people are immature at 31. I'm just saying things that you have to have a certain comfort level that is not typical among someone that young.
Dan Le Batard
The reason I ask you the question is I'm trying to think if baseball is somehow different. Okay? So at the start of the Moneyball movement, when they started hiring young people who were good at math, modern Paul Dipatesta left the Oakland A's and was wanted to run a baseball team. And he's gone back and forth between baseball and football and whatever power they gave him with the Cleveland Browns has been a disaster with the Cleveland Browns. If he had anything to do with anything happening there, that was a failure. And now he goes to the Rockies, who are epically bad, and he goes to run the Rockies with whatever he's learned from being whiz kid to being 50 year old. Sean McVay obviously knows something as a young person, as a 31 year old that the rest of us didn't have access to. How do I bridge the gulf if I'm going to give this over to a baseball team is different than some of these other teams. A GM is different than a coach. And they really are going after the numbers guys trying to get the whiz kids who know better about how to exploit market inefficiencies with the numbers through the data.
Zach Harper
Right. I think first of all, there's a big difference in coaching and GMing. Like front office work and coaching work is totally different. To me, a coach can be young, especially if he's got a playing experience or has been an assistant coach for a while. There's a lot of stuff you can figure out as a coach with. Again, with being a gm, being in the front office. There's so much juggling of things that are. That seem like are beyond what most people consider the. The auspices of the game. Like, this is what you need. This is. This is the stuff that is important. There's so much more. And then like I said, when you're interacting with an owner, I don't know. Again, I just learned this story right now from you. Is he the president of baseball operations?
Dan Le Batard
He's the general manager. He is not. He's more powerful than the manager. He's running the place.
Zach Harper
Yes, but. No, no, but see, there you go. I'm gonna stop you there because this is a new thing across baseball and basketball. This thing where like I have a GM and this is a gm, he does all the trades and he has the analytics and stuff. But then he answers to another layer before we get to ownership. The president of ops. And that guy is typically going to be like, Stan Castin was in LA and stuff.
Juju Smith-Schuster
And for the Nationals, that is Paul Taboni, who is 35 years old. Their manager is 33, their GM is 31. Every single one of those guys is born after 1990.
Chris Cote
Chris and I are a little confused that you're going to amin on this when you're looking at The GM of the Year. I'm sorry. Did you win a championship in your sport?
Trista
What do you need to know?
Chris Cote
Did you build a championship roster?
Zach Harper
No, I didn't. I.
Chris Cote
Well, Amare came off the bench. We all know what happened.
Dan Le Batard
We all.
Zach Harper
Hold on.
Trista
Did you find an unda.
Zach Harper
Hold on, man. First of all, you're not gonna disrespect my WNBA titles.
Chris Cote
That's right.
Zach Harper
An Olympic gold medal and an Olympic gold medal. But I was not. To be fair to y', all, I was not the GM in any of those segments.
Chris Cote
That's right. And you're pretty far removed from the game. We won a championship last week.
Juju Smith-Schuster
It is pretty crazy that the Nationals front office is younger on average age than the Cyclones front office.
Trista
What do you want to know, Dan?
Dan Le Batard
Are you GM of the Year or is he the GM of the year? Which of you is the GM of the year? That's right.
Juju Smith-Schuster
Yes.
Chris Cote
Yes.
Dan Le Batard
Okay. You're both the GM of the year.
Chris Cote
There he goes, trying to drive that wedge.
Zach Harper
The Nationals leadership is younger on average age than the Clippers. That's not the Clippers front office. Not the Clippers coaching staff. The Clippers.
Dan Le Batard
I mean, I need your help with a couple of movie things, since you are our movie expert and you have said that Zaz is not. Zaz has something for you on the movie front, too. But among these three movie stories, I want to know which one you find more interesting, because I discovered three things I did not know about. About recent movies and a 1980 movie. Have you ever heard of the movie roar from 1980? Because it was 150 large cats, and apparently everyone on the set got mauled. Like, there were 70 injuries to staff people. So I want to know whether you want to go down that path, whether you want to go down the path of Pedro. Pedro Pascal was in a movie this year that made $2,750. $2,750. And then the other movie fact that I learned here recently, and I couldn' believe it. Do you remember the movie the Fan with Robert De Niro? Truly, truly awful movie. I won't spoil it for you. But at the end, Robert De Niro does something as the umpire that's unspeakable.
Chris Cote
In a driving rainstorm.
Dan Le Batard
But the thing that I wanted to tell you about this is, were you aware of there's a worse movie than that called the Fanatic by John Travolta? And the thing that I did not know, it was written and directed by Limp Biscuits Fred Durst, which is another person that Zaslo dresses like.
Zach Harper
Okay, so first of all, the fanatic, Cinephobe, episode 26.
Chris Cote
What's Cinephobe?
Zach Harper
The Cinephobe is the podcast where Zach Harper and I watch movies that are poorly rated on Rotten Tomatoes and try to ascertain whether they're accurately rated or maybe didn't get a fair shake. Cinephobe. Wherever you get podcasts, today's episode is the Three Musketeers. It just came out today. Blue. But episode 26 was the Fanatic. Episode 60 of Cinephobe was the Fan. So I've reviewed both of these movies, Dan, and I know a lot. And the central character in the Fanatic is played by John Travolta. He plays perhaps a mentally challenged. We don't know. It's never explicitly said. And his name is Moose. And one of the most famous quotes is Moose is in the house.
Dan Le Batard
You were very excited about that.
Zach Harper
These are.
Chris Cote
You opened up a Google Doc.
Zach Harper
Yeah, these are. I gotta know the episode.
Chris Cote
He's got the notes.
Zach Harper
These are two of my all time favorite episodes we've ever done in the Fan with Robert De Niro and Wesley Snipes.
Dan Le Batard
Hey, Bobby.
Zach Harper
There is a sports radio character who we all believe to be modeled after Michelle Beadle, even though Michelle Beadle wasn't doing sports radio in the 90s. Ellen Barkin.
Dan Le Batard
Yeah.
Mike Schur
You know who the producer is?
Zach Harper
Oh, it's Jack Black. Yep, yep. See, so they open. This is one of my favorite things, Dan, because people, like I said, people watch movies. They don't know shit about anyone else's jobs other than their own. But I've worked sports radio. So imagine a sports radio show where it's like, all right, hey, welcome to the Da Da Da show. Let's open up the phone lines. Now immediately, the first segment, before she even lays anything out, opens up the phone lines. And then the, you know, Bobby De Niro is driving and he's like calling, yeah, we got our guy, Bobby Rayburn, and da, da, da. And I just hate the negativity you always have on the show. And he starts killing her right there. And then Bobby Rayburn hears and he calls in. This is all in the first segment of a radio show. He calls in and then him and Robert De Niro start having a conversation like, hey, man, thanks for being such a great fan. That's why I came here and signed with the job. It is a great movie, Dan. You call it a bad movie, It's a great movie.
Stugotz
Negativity is what Amin said.
Dan Le Batard
Negativity I am honestly stunned that I placed in front of you a movie that had 150 big cats mauling crew members. And you're more excited about the Fan with Robert De Niro and a sports radio call at the beginning of that. Your love of bad movies is staggering.
Zach Harper
So here's the deal. So he's a big free agent signing. He comes back to San Francisco Bay area, everyone's excited. But then he doesn't start so hot. And then he has his number, and he didn't have his number. Who wore his number?
Mike Schur
Juan Primo.
Zach Harper
Juan Primo, played by Benicio Del Toro. Benicio Del Toro. Yeah. Look at this.
Dan Le Batard
Connecting. Okay, experts.
Zach Harper
All right, so. So Robert De Niro's character, Gilbert, he's upset. He's like, it's all because you don't have his number. And it's that dude's fault. So what does he resolve to do? He confronts Juan Primo and says, hey, man, why don't you just give up the number? It's all good.
Mike Schur
And then where does he confront him?
Zach Harper
At a strip club in the bathroom.
Chris Cote
Wow. Not a single eyelid was open in that scene between Del Toro and De Niro.
Zach Harper
And so Juan Primo, imagine a player having some fan come in and say, you gotta give up your number to the other guy. Get the hell outta my face. So, of course, Gilbernard, who I should mention at this point is a knife salesman.
Chris Cote
Yeah.
Zach Harper
Stabs him to death.
Chris Cote
That's a thread.
Mike Schur
Got him his number back.
Zach Harper
He did.
Dan Le Batard
You two have never been so aligned. You. You two have looked in each other's eyes, and you have a love of movies in a singular language. You're.
Zach Harper
Look, you can love a sports movies. I think. I think this is a sports movie.
Stugotz
Great movie.
Zach Harper
Have you seen the Fanatic?
Juju Smith-Schuster
Of course.
Mike Schur
With. What's his name?
Zach Harper
Devin Sawa.
Mike Schur
Yes.
Chris Cote
I'm a big fan.
Dan Le Batard
Wait a minute. Wait, that's what.
Mike Schur
Patton Oswald.
Chris Cote
That's right.
Mike Schur
Yeah, I've seen that too.
Dan Le Batard
You have not seen the movie by Fred Durst.
Zach Harper
I have.
Dan Le Batard
You. He said.
Zach Harper
Oh, oh, maybe I haven't.
Mike Schur
No, maybe I haven't.
Dan Le Batard
Then with John Travolta.
Mike Schur
No, I haven't seen it.
Dan Le Batard
It's the biggest turd on a Travolta resume that has a thousand turds on it. Bop Peacock.
Stugotz
What kind of nonsense is it that a player on your team passes away and you give the number to the other teammate? What is that like Philip Rivers? How does he get to wet? Number 17, Daniel Jones is on the roster, man, it's called the Slump Buster.
Zach Harper
Samson taught us that.
Dan Le Batard
Again with the Slump Buster. We have never foiled Samson that way. He has never had that experience where he was just Derek Jeter's a bad person. Everyone knows that.
Zach Harper
You don't respect the boulevard and you don't respect the fans.
Stugotz
Samson also said that Philip Rivers would not start he was uninsurable.
Zach Harper
I guess they got some insurance.
Dan Le Batard
That is, no one else broke down the Philip Rivers story the way Sampson did with He's Uninsurable.
Commercial Announcer
The crazy thing about Sampson is that he opened up the show to take a shot at Zsasz and other people about being so confidently wrong.
Juju Smith-Schuster
Wow.
Commercial Announcer
Multiple times during the show and I.
Chris Cote
Think the WNBA will prove this that.
Commercial Announcer
Take that he's so confidently wrong.
Jeremy
What does Zinn give you? Not just smoke free nicotine satisfaction, but real freedom. Freedom to do what you love and choose your rewards. With Zinn Rewards, you can redeem points for premium tech, outdoor gear and gift cards to your favorite retailers. Find your Zen and keep finding rewards that fit your lifestyle@Zinn.com rewards warning. This product contains nicotine. Nicotine is an addictive chemical.
Date: December 18, 2025
Hosts: Dan Le Batard, Stugotz, with Chris Cote, Mike Schur, Zach Harper, Trista, Juju Smith-Schuster, and Jeremy
This episode is a classic mix of sports, pop culture, personal confessionals, and signature banter, focusing on the evolving line between fandom and fanaticism in sports, laced with hilarious takes on table manners, sports controversies, and the intersection of sports and movies. The team navigates everything from the discomfort of big Miami events to GM youth movements in baseball, with diversions through bad-movie nostalgia, food etiquette, and the latest NFL headlines.
[02:02–04:15]
[04:19–11:01]
[15:13–18:28]
[18:07–22:58]
[23:24–28:30]
[32:45–37:49]
[38:00–43:29]
This episode is an essential listen for anyone who loves sports talk that isn't afraid to wander, joke, and uncover the beating (often bizarre) heart of what it means to be both a fan and a fanatic.