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Dan Le Batard
All right. Smirnoff, official vodka of the NFL. The world's number one vodka. Here's the deal. Game day is everything. The noise, the rituals, the passion, the.
Mike Ryan
Dip, the wings, the dip.
Dan Le Batard
Again, Smirnoff belongs in that mix. Because if you're tailgating or hosting or just sitting there checking your fantasy lineup.
Mike Ryan
Every 30 seconds, you need Smirnoff.
Dan Le Batard
Otherwise, it's not a real game day.
Mike Ryan
They've been doing this since 1864, which is. I don't even want to do the math.
Dan Le Batard
A long time.
Mike Ryan
They're award winning, they make cocktails super easy, and they're all about bringing fans together. So, yeah, we do game days. That's their thing.
Dan Le Batard
And if you're over 21, you should, too. Grab a bottle of Smirnoff at your local retailer and head to smirnoff.com to find recipes of delicious cocktails perfect for game day.
Mike Ryan
Please drink responsibly.
Dan Le Batard
Smirnoff 21 vodka distilled from grain, 40% alcohol by volume. The Smirnoff Company, New York, New York. Please do not share with anyone under legal drinking age. When did making plans get this complicated? It's time to streamline with WhatsApp, the secure messaging app that brings the whole group together. Use polls to settle dinner plans.
Chris Cody
Send event invites and pin messages so no one forgets mom 60th, and never miss a meme or milestone.
Dan Le Batard
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Chris Cody
Or mls, YETI has you covered with.
Dan Le Batard
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Mike Ryan
This is the Dan Levator show with the Stugats podcast.
Chris Cody
All right, go ahead and pot it up, Chris. Let's listen to what a lot of suits. A lot of suits in front of microphones next to Cash Patel, who's in an FBI jacket.
Mike Ryan
The person speaking right now is U.S. attorney. Well, he's moved off from for the star of the show, Kash Patel. Here we go.
Dan Le Batard
Good morning. Today we are here in New York to announce a historic arrest across a wide sweeping criminal enterprise. That envelops both the NBA and La Casa Nostra. The men and women up here standing with me represent a small portion of the leadership team that brought profound justice in an era that needed it more than any. I'll just highlight some of the, some of the details in the case and the FBI work and then you'll hear from the others. But as you now know, individuals such as Chauncey Billups, Damon Jones and Terry Rozier were taken into custody today. Former current NBA players and coaches. What you don't know is that this is an illegal gambling operation and sports rigging operation that spanned the course of years. The FBI led a coordinated takedown across 11 states to arrest over 30 individuals today responsible for this case, which is very much ongoing. Not only did we crack into the fraud that these perpetrators committed on the grand stage of the NBA, but we also entered and executed a system of justice against La Casa Nostra to include the Bonanno, Gambino, Genovese and Luchesi crime families. And you'll hear more about those details today. The charges and the arrests that were taken down across this country range from wire fraud, money laundering, extortion, robbery, illegal gambling. This FBI will leave no room for any perpetrator of crime across this country. You hear a lot about our work of defending the homeland and crushing violent crime. Well, this work is also representative of a colossal portion of the FBI's mandate to keep America safe and to keep our entertainment industry fair and secure. The men and women that are standing up here today worked tireless hours, days, months and years. And the fraud is mind boggling. It's not hundreds of dollars, it's not thousands of dollars. It's not tens of thousands of dollars. It's not even millions of dollars. We're talking about tens of millions of dollars in fraud and theft and robbery across a multi year investigation. And we could not have done it without our interagency partners that are before us today. The nypd, HC and teams of law enforcement officials from around the country made this day possible. It takes a team to bring this kind of justice, sweeping justice into the halls of the United States courtrooms where our brave United States Attorney has led this prosecution. It takes courageous prosecutors to stand before you and say, we will not allow this kind of illicit activity to happen. Not only at the national sporting level, but also where it hides in La Casa Nostra. And when these two collided together, they perpetrated a fraud that is historic in terms of not just money, but the scheme and the deceit that they utilize to Steal and swindle people from money to include crypto fraud. This is an operation that showcases to you that under President Trump's administration, there is no room for any type of criminal behavior, be it on the world's largest stage or in the back rooms of tiny parlors where guard games are being played.
Chris Cody
They ain't got no more names.
Dan Le Batard
We are proud to stand here today with the men and women.
Mike Ryan
I'm just going to.
Dan Le Batard
And this legal team.
Mike Ryan
Still no action.
Dan Le Batard
To the United States Attorney, I just want to thank you personally for taking the time to display the work that the media is about to hear about today in detail. As I said, it does take courageous prosecutors, but it takes a courageous United States Attorney to bring this case because we are going to take heed for it. But we don't shy away in this administration. We don't say no. What we do is we bring the results across the finish line. We bring them to the public. We bring you accountability. And yes, they will have their day in court. And you will hear the evidence through the court system exclusively. We will not deny anyone of due process. And that's the brilliance of this system. That's the brilliance of this administration. Everyone will be held to account. So with that, I turn it over to United States Attorney Nosella.
Chris Cody
Thank you.
Guest or Legal Expert
Thank you, Director Patel. To be clear, we're announcing today indictments in two major cases, both involving fraud. One involves sports betting and the other involves illegal gambling, very specifically rigged poker games. The first indictment involves six defendants who are alleged to have participated one of the most brazen sports corruption schemes since online sports betting became widely legalized in the United States. This scheme is an insider sports betting conspiracy that exploited confidential information about National Basketball association athletes and teams. The second indictment involves 31 defendants alleged to have participated in a nationwide scheme to rig illegal poker games. These defendants, which include former professional athletes, used high tech cheating technology to steal millions of dollars from victims in underground poker games that were secretly fixed. The games in the New York area were backed by the Bonanno, Gambino and Genovese crime families of La Casa Nostra. While the cases are separate, there are three overlapping defendants charged in both cases. Damon Jones, Eric Earnest, and Shane Hennan. The indictments in these cases contain only allegations, and the defendants are presumed innocent until they are proven guilty in a court of law. But my message to the defendants who've been rounded up today is this. Your winning streak has ended. Your luck has run out. Violating the law, movie poster proposition. And you can bet on that.
Chris Cody
Yeah. Yeah. Nailed the dispo.
Guest or Legal Expert
I would like to talk about United States.
Chris Cody
He practiced last night. He was practicing basketball.
Guest or Legal Expert
Gambling. The defendants in this case are Eric Earnest.
Chris Cody
All right, turn it down.
Guest or Legal Expert
There will be no traveling Shane Hennin De Niro Laster. Damon Jones, a former NBA player and coach and Terry Rozier, a current NBA player. Other co conspirators were previously charged for their roles in the scheme, including former NBA player John Tay Porter.
Chris Cody
All right, go ahead and turn this down.
Mike Ryan
That's actually pretty newsy that John Tay Porter's room associated with this.
Chris Cody
My favorite part so far was him Cash Patel coming out and saying we're not talking about hundreds of dollars like those crappy Chris Cody poker games. We are talking about tens of millions of dollars.
Guest or Legal Expert
Those are the big out early for purported injuries or illnesses. They relied on corrupt individuals including Jones and Rosier. They also misused information obtained through long standing friendships that they had with NBA players and coaches. And in at least one instance, they got their information by threatening a current player, Porter, because of his preexisting gambling debts. Defendants used this nonpublic information to place hundreds of thousands of dollars in fraudulent bets, mostly in the form of prop bets on individual player performance. The bets were placed through online sportsbooks and also in person at casinos. The defendants relied on a network of straw bettors to place the maximum amount of bets to increase their potential profits. Most of these bets succeeded and the intended losses were in the millions of dollars. The defendants then laundered their illegal winnings in various ways. Peer to peer platforms, bank wires and simple cash exchanges.
Chris Cody
All right, that's enough. Those are the big crime families. They had some.
Mike Ryan
They got all the big boys, Dano.
Chris Cody
They got some big crime families involved and Chauncey Billups is. And I guess Damon Jones are the only new information. Right. We knew that some of this was already. They didn't say any about Malik Beasley, but we knew that some of this was already around John Tay Porter and we knew some of this was already around Terry Rosie.
Dan Le Batard
Yeah, but Arenas too they didn't mention.
Mike Ryan
Yeah, we knew that some of this stuff was surrounding johntae Porter, but we didn't know that there was a direct tether to johntay Porter, which that was pretty revelatory there.
Chris Cody
I'd like some more information about Chauncey Billups. If indeed we've just ended his coaching career and forever smeared his name. I would like some more.
Mike Ryan
They are giving more talking on the poker game aspect of this.
Guest or Legal Expert
If you like to scheme to use wireless cheating technology to run rigged poker games across the United States, including in the Hamptons, Las Vegas, Miami and Manhattan. The scheme targeted victims known as quote fish who were often lured to participate in these rigged games by the chance to play alongside former professional athletes who were known as quote face cards. The so called face cards included the defendant, Chauncey Billups, who at the time of the scheme was a former NBA player and is currently the head coach of the Portland Trail Blazers, and also Damon Jones, a former NBA player and coach. What the victims the fish didn't know is that everybody else at the poker game, from the dealer to the players, including the face cards, were in on the scam. Once the game was underway, the defendants fleeced the victims out of tens or hundreds of thousands of dollars per game. The defendants used a variety of very sophisticated cheating technologies, some of which were provided by other defendants in exchange for a share of the profits from the scheme. For example, they used off the shelf shuffling machines that had been secretly altered in order to read the cards in the deck, predict which player at the table had the best poker hand and relay that information to an off site operator. The off site operator sent the information via cell phone back to a co conspirator at the table, and that person at the table was known as the quarterback. The quarterback then signaled secretly the information he had received from others to others at the table. And together they used that information in order to win their games.
Mike Ryan
Howdy listeners. It's Mike Ryan and Chris Cody. Hey everyone. Hey, Chris. We love hanging out so much. You were at my birthday the other day.
Chris Cody
You're old.
Mike Ryan
You know what I saw in your hand?
Guest or Legal Expert
What?
Mike Ryan
A can of Miller. Whether it's a can, whether it's a bottle, a draft pour of Miller Lite. The draft pour. You see that beautiful iconic color, the.
Dan Le Batard
Cold right away, the ice coldness to it. Oh, so good.
Mike Ryan
Yes, Chris, the ice coldness to it. Oh, whether you're hanging out with me on my birthday because I'm old or you're at a game, you know that Miller Lite just makes every special time a Miller time. That's how you make the special times, by making them Miller times. Game day just hits different with Miller Lite in your hand hittin different from jaw dropping touchdowns to fantasy heartbreaks. It's a beer that has been there for every moment. 50 years of great taste, simple ingredients and that iconic golden color. That coldness, Chris, that icy coldness, that icy coldness. The original light beer since 1975 and still hitting different five days decades later. 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. It's Miller time. Celebrate responsibly. Miller Brewing Co. Milwaukee, Wisconsin 96 calories and 3.2 carbs per 12 ounces. Icy Coldness.
Dan Le Batard
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Mike Ryan
Quick break here to talk to you about the official ticketing partner of the Dan LeBatard show, folks, it's Mike Ryan. You know how much I love this product. I use it frequently. I'm often buying tickets on the secondary market and for me, gametime has always been the best place to go for NFL tickets, concert tickets, comedy shows. It's just the best. Here's why. Zone deals favorites, panoramic seat views. The lowest price guarantee where GameTime will credit you 110% of the difference. I love that thing. GameTime's ticket coverage. Your purchase is covered with the most flexible customer service policy in the ticketing industry. You get all those guarantees, pal. Join what many in our show have already done. They download that Gametime app because Gametime guarantees you can trust you'll be getting 100% authentic tickets on time and at the best price. Plus, fees are always included. So what you see is what you pay. Take the guesswork out of buying NFL 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 Game Time app today. Don LeBatard did someone say conservative entity?
Chris Cody
Wow. No. Oh, see, this is why stugats.
Dan Le Batard
Hers is better than mine.
Chris Cody
The fifth Zagaki. How is the fifth Zagaki better than the third and the fourth Zagaki already?
Dan Le Batard
This is the Dan Levatar show with the Stoog.
Chris Cody
All right, turn this down for a second. I've got a couple of different questions here. Does it matter to you guys at all if Billups was doing this while he was a player but not as as a coach?
Mike Ryan
Like, no distinction there whatsoever.
Dan Le Batard
I mean, my biggest takeaway from it is Billups comes off As a total dirt bag. Like he's in on a poker scheme to rip off civilians.
Chris Cody
Oh no, you're stealing money, ripping off fish. Total dirtbag. You're stealing money from the fish for sure. That's just theft is all. Like you're scamming in order to steal the money of others. But the reason I'm making the distinction is the position that Chauncey Billups is presently in. If he's doing that as a coach, to me it does feel different than if he was doing it as a player.
Mike Ryan
Why?
Chris Cody
Because of how long ago he was doing it? Because he's not in the position of authority when he is taking advantage of his leadership position. It's still wrong. I'm not saying it's not wrong. I'm just saying that when Chauncey Billups, his name was associated with this. The reason to me it's a bigger story than Damon Jones is cuz he's the head coach of something. Like he, he's. It's not, he's not an assistant coach and he's not a former player. He's actively in the league. And this sounds like they are coming after him for actual crimes. But, but crimes from years ago, not crimes committed while as a coach. To me there is a distinction there I'm not getting.
Mike Ryan
I didn't grab that from that. It seems like he's the draw right in the poker game. Oh, we got Chauncey Billups in this game. And then whoever's the fish is, is like, oh, I'm going to go over there. I want to play with Chauncey Bill. I don't know how you have that takeaway when they said that Jonte Porter is involved in this and that's a, a recent thing.
Chris Cody
Okay. So.
Mike Ryan
But that Mike that was on the, on the sports gambling side of it, not the poker. Yeah, but there was. Yeah, but there was a tether to it. Like they, I think Damon, I think they made the distinction that Damon Jones is the tether to. Yeah, but I don't, I don't think we're talking about something that happened during Chauncey Billups's playing days. I don't like, I don't, I didn't get.
Chris Cody
Just because he said it's a criminal enterprise that goes back years. Like I don't know where all of this goes back years where all of this started. I don't know how.
Mike Ryan
Casa notra.
Chris Cody
Yeah, they were.
Dan Le Batard
Yeah. Why is he calling it la casa? It's not a house.
Chris Cody
Well, he was nervous. You could Hear the nerves.
Dan Le Batard
You know that's what it means, right? La casa means house, Daniel. That's right.
Chris Cody
About that, do you know what the nostra means?
Guest or Legal Expert
La Costa Nostra means this thing of ours.
Chris Cody
You. You're a real godfather expert.
Dan Le Batard
Don't question my gangster knowledge.
Chris Cody
So do you guys want to know anything else from.
Dan Le Batard
Seems to be wrapping up. He's like thanking the people who worked on the investigation.
Chris Cody
So I win the bet. No bigger names, right? I get all your money. I get. I get everything here. The biggest we're doing here is Terry Rosier. He nailed though. He really nailed the dismount. And you can bet on that. Like that. That was.
Dan Le Batard
That was a winning streak has ended.
Mike Ryan
Your luck has run out. And you can bet on that. But what we did not hear because we parted the audio down, he called the Toronto Raptors.
Dan Le Batard
The Toronto Rangers. No, I was like, what team is he talking about?
Mike Ryan
So that's obviously johntay Porter.
Dan Le Batard
My favorite part though is not hundreds, not thousands, not millions, but billions, kazillion trillions of dollars.
Chris Cody
I really did think he was gonna go to billions and trillions, but he did tens of millions. Wait a minute. Tens of millions are millions?
Mike Ryan
Yeah.
Chris Cody
You should know that. Your name is Cash.
Mike Ryan
Not one, not two, not three.
Chris Cody
So not qualified for that position. Shouldn't be speaking in front of Microsoft.
Mike Ryan
You know, he started his career here. Public defender, Miami. I thought you were. Because of course. Hey, hey.
Chris Cody
Can we put the story to the side now? And realize that the biggest news happened before they came and gave us the details. That was going to be the biggest news that we had. The biggest news. And the biggest news is just names. It's just names. And they were doing something, but we don't have the information.
Mike Ryan
They gave us some detail.
Guest or Legal Expert
I thought the poker scheme was interesting.
Mike Ryan
Yeah, the poker stuff that was pretty detailed. And. And they gave a little insight as to how they actually use their insight, the people that are alleged of doing these crimes. Dan, did you hear what gamblers.
Guest or Legal Expert
Did you hear what they call like.
Dan Le Batard
The guy who relays the information? Quarterback?
Chris Cody
Yeah.
Mike Ryan
Cause they get the play in the headset.
Dan Le Batard
Why wouldn't they call him the point guard?
Chris Cody
I understand that this is obviously a big story and I'm not going to dispute that it's a big story, but it's being made bigger by the big show that they're making of Chauncey Billups was cheating at cards. That's what the story is on. Chauncey Billups. It's not. Chauncey Billups was affecting the integrity of the game. Chauncey Billups is a thief who was cheating at Cards, but not. Chauncey Billups is over here doing what Terry Rozier and when John Tay Porter were doing. It's a. It's an important distinction.
Dan Le Batard
Yes. CNN put, straight up put on the screen, Terry Rozier allegedly rigged NBA games.
Chris Cody
ESPN has not covered this at all. They're talking about Aaron Rodgers. There's no coverage anywhere on ESPN of what is presently happening. ESPN is slightly less nimble than it used to be about going to live programming off of news events. So I don't know what's happening here and I can't make an accusation on what's happening here, but it is suspicious that the FBI just had a 10am press conference and ESPN was talking about Aaron Rodgers during it. They can't. They cannot or have not broken into coverage of what this, what this scandal.
Mike Ryan
Yeah, but what are they saying about Aaron Rodgers? Steelers are playing well, right? Obviously they had a hiccup last week.
Dan Le Batard
But they're back on track.
Mike Ryan
Aaron Rodgers could be dark horse for maybe an MVP if they keep winning the.
Chris Cody
The Steelers. What happened to them last week against the Bengals was legitimately confusing to me to watch offense like that happen against the. The Steelers, but I don't.
Guest or Legal Expert
Steelers defense sucks this year.
Chris Cody
They haven't been very good. It's weird. There is one thing that I said with certainty before the season started, which is that the jets and Steelers defenses are good. It's not looking great.
Mike Ryan
Can't win them all day right now.
Chris Cody
Yeah, well, I don't win many of them. So. Chauncey buildups, if you're just joining us, cheated at cards and stole the money of Fish as the quarterback who should have been named the point guard. That just makes sense. Why wouldn't you just make it the point?
Mike Ryan
I mean it would be so simple. The point.
Chris Cody
God, it's.
Mike Ryan
John would have been so simple.
Chris Cody
Chauncey Billups. Right. The way they were doing that though, the. That sucks to sort of realize like you have to understand that there is some fish out there turning on his television. He's like, wait a minute. Chauncey was using a rigged shuffling deck. That's. That's why I kept losing. There's somebody who woke up this morning tuned into this press conference is like. Knew it. I was so happy to be with Damon Jones and Chauncey Phillips. And they had a rigged deck and.
Dan Le Batard
The three full houses in a row.
Chris Cody
And the dealer, Emily, was in on it. She was in on it as well.
Mike Ryan
He was so nice.
Chris Cody
How were they always folding their cards when I had ace, king, how. How they are.
Mike Ryan
How'd they know?
Chris Cody
I thought they were such good poker players, but they happen to know they were using. They were using Jose Altube.
Dan Le Batard
Is that a bold trash can banging on a trash can?
Chris Cody
No, wait a minute. It's not. It's not. It's not. Buz. The money was being sent to text.
Mike Ryan
Well, the guy's checking his phone like, yeah, I'm gonna fold.
Chris Cody
Here you go.
Dan Le Batard
All of a sudden, the phone on the table just vibrates. Why did you catch on to every time the phone was vibrating? Fish.
Chris Cody
Did. Did that attorney practice how he was gonna say known as the fish? He learned that term. He learned that he hasn't watched Rounders. He doesn't know anything. If. If you don't know who the sucker is at the table and the sucker is you. This guy got an indoctrination to what. What gambling is with this story and was thrilled to do that press conference.
Dan Le Batard
First take. Actually just took the press conference live. They have it now.
Chris Cody
It's just a bunch of people in suits applauding. They've. They've already given out. They've already given out the news.
Dan Le Batard
It just some guy, 30 years he's been here. They're just now giving like platitudes to.
Chris Cody
People.
Mike Ryan
To those wrongdoers. You have gone up against a full house and you just have twos and.
Dan Le Batard
We got the nuts.
Mike Ryan
You have busted out. I suggest you fold now.
Chris Cody
It felt like a movie poster. Can you guys get for me? Just him saying, your luck has run out. He was practicing that with his wife.
Mike Ryan
We have an ace up our sleeve, babe. What do you think of this one? What if I use a betting pun at the end? Even I didn't like that.
Chris Cody
Yeah, it wasn't great, but they were really enjoying giving. Giving a lot of big adjectives to the great work that they are doing. And again, Chauncey Billups has been caught cheating at calling cards.
Dan Le Batard
Get him.
Chris Cody
Let's get him.
Mike Ryan
It is a sensational name and it takes my attention away from other stuff. What even's going on out there. What other stuff is that guy talking about? Exactly right.
Chris Cody
If you want to spend some time with Tony this weekend, he's developed a fun side hustle on weekends that is watching some MMA with some of his closest friends. What are you doing? Where are you doing it this weekend?
Mike Ryan
Dano, you are sitting in the seat that I will be sitting in come Saturday, 2pm for UFC 300. And 21, we've got Tom Aspinall, the undisputed heavyweight champion after Jon Jones has retired. He's now standing in the fold at the top of the mountain for the heavyweight title. He's fighting Cyril Gone, who fought Jon Jones last a couple years ago and had Jon Jones win the heavyweight title. So very cool situation there in the heavyweight division. We'll be hanging out. It's an Abu Dhabi for, for everybody out there. Start time 2pm So 2 to 5pm MMA Hangout presented by Boost Mobile. We'll be here in studio doing our thing.
Chris Cody
First time you've done that in studio, correct?
Mike Ryan
Exactly right. So we're gonna have fun. We're gonna have. Be watching the fights, be watching some college football, doing a whole bunch of stuff. So we'll be, we'll be hanging out. MMA Hangout presented by Boost Mobile 2pm start time. Everywhere that you watch, I imagine the story will continue to develop. This was just a press conference. We're not privy to every detail, but Jeremy did catch some things. Pretty interesting in terms of teams that were named. Yeah, it wasn't just the Toronto Rangers that that were mentioned. It was Lakers Rangers along with the Lakers, the Hornets and the Blazers, which is obviously interesting in regard to anything that could be going on with Chauncey Billups. The Lakers, of course, I believe, and I'll. I'll go back and check. Now, Damon Jones might have been an assistant on their staff when LeBron first got there because obviously their connection from having played together in Cleveland, and I can go search for that. And then the Hornets, that's where this was going on with Terry Rosier, obviously.
Dan Le Batard
The Miami Heat, not named.
Chris Cody
Very quick to point that out, of course.
Mike Ryan
Well, I think the news here is that was indeed Terry Rozier trying in a Miami Heat uniform.
Dan Le Batard
This show is sponsored by Better Help. October 10th was World Mental Health Day. BetterHelp used that day to put a spotlight on the real heroes. No, not your qb, on your fantasy lineup.
Mike Ryan
The therapist.
Dan Le Batard
The ones who show up, listen, and help you figure your life out. Because every session isn't just talk, it's a moment that matters. Like learning to be patient with your kids, fixing a relationship, or finally shutting off your brain at 2am I know I need to figure that one out now. I love my friends, don't get me wrong, but they're not therapists.
Mike Ryan
My group chat chaos.
Dan Le Batard
That's where BetterHelp comes in. Over the last 12 years, they've helped more than 5 million people connect with over 30,000 licensed therapists. Around the world. Here's the thing. Life's hard. Talking to someone trained to help can make all the difference. World Mental Health Day has passed, but we're still celebrating the therapists who've helped millions of people take a step forward. If you're ready to find the right therapist for you, BetterHelp can help you start that journey. Our listeners get 10% off their first month at betterhelp.com DLB that's BetterHelp H-E-L-P.com DLB folks, fuel your game day with the unbeatable crunch of Hampton Farms, the official peanut of bowl season. Perfect for sharing with friends, tailgating outside the stadium or cheering from the couch. Grab a bag from the produce aisle of your local grocery store and savor the game one peanut at a time. Let's get nutty.
Mike Ryan
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Guest or Legal Expert
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Mike Ryan
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Dan Le Batard
That's code DAN to bet five bucks and get three months of NBA League.
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Dan Le Batard
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Mike Ryan
St yeah, I love you, but that's on you.
Chris Cody
I don't know you that well. Yeah, they said that you both suck ass and were bitten in the ass. So those are both things that you you were accused of during this you're rough in my ass situation.
Dan Le Batard
This is the Dan Levatar show with the Stugats.
Chris Cody
Foreign let's go to the Dentech Bucket. Let's do some of our football picks this week. My wife has been very concerned about how to make me look like Bad Bunny.
Mike Ryan
Which one are you going to go with?
Dan Le Batard
Dano yeah because there's a lot of.
Mike Ryan
Looks for Bad Bunny. I know you know that, Josh.
Chris Cody
Roger Goodell yesterday said that blowback. He is undeterred. He is still going with Bad Bunny as the super bowl halftime. As he should.
Mike Ryan
My commissioner. Thank you.
Dan Le Batard
The bucket is presented by Dentex Ultimate Fantasy football punishment. Learn more and sign up your league@dentech.com.
Chris Cody
Jeremy, you are first.
Mike Ryan
I got the Carolina Panthers.
Chris Cody
They are a seven and a half point dog at home against Buffalo. Rifle.
Dan Le Batard
Keep it.
Mike Ryan
Revenge game against the Bills.
Dan Le Batard
But I like that. I like them.
Mike Ryan
Are you kidding me?
Dan Le Batard
The COVID not to win.
Mike Ryan
I got the Detroit Lions who are on a buy.
Chris Cody
Congratulations. No one's happy for you.
Dan Le Batard
Woo.
Mike Ryan
Definitely not me.
Chris Cody
Mike Ryan is going now.
Mike Ryan
I got the Chicago Bears live dog against the Ravens. None of them are this week.
Dan Le Batard
I like that.
Chris Cody
Baltimore minus they're plus six and a half.
Mike Ryan
They removed the ping pong tables from the Ravens locker room. Oh shit. But is Lamar still there? I think he's coming back.
Dan Le Batard
I don't think so.
Chris Cody
Think about what you guys just did there. He's coming back because Chicago is a six and a half point dog. Even though they're four two against one five.
Dan Le Batard
Baltimore, a one in five team that's a six and a half point favorite.
Chris Cody
I like that.
Mike Ryan
I got the San Francisco 49ers. They're at C.J. stroud and the Houston Texans.
Chris Cody
The Texans are a one and a half point favorite. You hate the Texans. You're happy to be on the other side of the Texans.
Mike Ryan
Yeah, I think there's an opportunity. McCorkle. Let's see. I got the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.
Chris Cody
They are New Orleans, four and a half point favorite at New Orleans.
Mike Ryan
Yeah, I'm gonna keep them. This is my last week of the golden helmet.
Dan Le Batard
Jeez, I thought you were leaving too. Wow.
Chris Cody
Holy. Sound like it sound like you're making your announcement. Leave it to go where.
Dan Le Batard
That is.
Mike Ryan
How you you would do it.
Chris Cody
Where the hell am I going?
Dan Le Batard
This is my last week.
Mike Ryan
Oh shit.
Chris Cody
Roy.
Dan Le Batard
Hockey news nowhere.
Mike Ryan
Going to the Hockey news.
Dan Le Batard
I got the Bears now. I'm putting that back. Hey, where's your mouthpiece? Put your mouthpiece.
Mike Ryan
I'm far in man.
Chris Cody
Your dentech mouthpiece.
Dan Le Batard
I got the Steelers, Reena half point.
Chris Cody
Underdog at home against Green Bay. I'll keep her.
Mike Ryan
That game is going to be really hard to look at.
Chris Cody
You're in big trouble.
Mike Ryan
Both teams wearing gold garish uniforms from the Pittsburgh Steelers.
Dan Le Batard
Hey, I like that man.
Chris Cody
Was that your Nixon? Who was that? What was that impersonal uniform.
Mike Ryan
Garish uniforms.
Dan Le Batard
I got the Saints. Let's go back. Me and you.
Mike Ryan
Me and you.
Dan Le Batard
You want to switch to me? No, I'm saying I got the vote.
Chris Cody
There's no switching.
Dan Le Batard
He's got the Saints.
Mike Ryan
We have a little friendly wager menu.
Guest or Legal Expert
Nope.
Chris Cody
I'm putting that back.
Dan Le Batard
Wow.
Mike Ryan
Scared track.
Chris Cody
I got the Washington commander.
Mike Ryan
You got Marcus Mariota, pal. Against the Kansas city chiefs. You should have gone with me, buddy.
Chris Cody
Woof, woof, woof.
Dan Le Batard
I would have made it worth your while.
Chris Cody
I got the Dallas Cowboys. Do I want the Dallas Cowboys? They are on the road at Denver. I do not want the Dallas Cowboys.
Dan Le Batard
Plus three and a half.
Chris Cody
How did I get them again?
Dan Le Batard
Because you're terrible at putting that with the Browns.
Chris Cody
This is the second time this season you draw.
Guest or Legal Expert
This is why you rummaged.
Dan Le Batard
Truly awful rummage.
Mike Ryan
You got an orange?
Dan Le Batard
You want to switch?
Chris Cody
I don't think that that's the way that that's supposed to go.
Mike Ryan
I should go. It's a possibility. That's why we say put it back in.
Guest or Legal Expert
It's always possible.
Chris Cody
I want to get to some sound here. Please turn that off. Our thanks to Dentek for sponsoring the bucket. I have told you before that I was grinding my teeth at night and I was having some issues with.
Mike Ryan
I don't think I've lost this here.
Chris Cody
With tmj and this was very helpful. So if you're having any of those issues where you know that you're grinding your teeth or you don't know that you're grinding your teeth but you feel some soreness in your jaw, Dentek will take care of you.
Dan Le Batard
Tony hasn't lost this year.
Chris Cody
He mentioned he thought it was very important to interrupt. I think he thought his mic was off.
Mike Ryan
Turn this mic back on.
Chris Cody
I don't know what happened. I was so interested in that and it turned it off in any way. Interesting.
Dan Le Batard
Dan was telling about his grinding and all of a sudden I haven't lost this week. Really happy for you.
Chris Cody
A stray. A stray. Interesting fact. Only undefeated. Tony. Yes. The thing that I wanted to play for the audience, though, Joe Flacco and I don't know, I feel like I've got a group of people here who are self conscious about eating alone. Put it on the poll at Le Batard show. Are you self conscious about eating in a restaurant alone? I never have been. But just what happened to me the other day because I was eating in a restaurant alone and then someone recognized me and I realized that without the buffer of having somebody with me, people can take inappropriate amounts of your time because you're alone. And I don't really have an excuse if my food is in front of me and I'm eating alone and there's nobody else around. I have no buffers from somebody just sitting down comfortably if they're willing to do the thing of the day, which is if you have no shame, you'll get whatever you want. And so the person just sat down across from me because I was eating alone. Yes.
Dan Le Batard
They did say, like, hey, can I sit here?
Chris Cody
No.
Guest or Legal Expert
And when they sat down, what did you say?
Chris Cody
I mean, I'm never going to be. I'm never going to be anything other than polite to anybody who's a fan of the nonsense that we do because it's our customers. So I sat there and I ate with him.
Dan Le Batard
How long did they stay?
Chris Cody
About 20 minutes.
Mike Ryan
Whoa. What'd you guys talk about?
Chris Cody
The show. Yeah, the show. And you know what? One of the things. And this one happens to me all the time, this conversation is one that I have all the time with strangers. And it. And it happens just like this. Cody really doesn't understand the show, huh? And I'm like, no, he still doesn't understand it after 20 years.
Dan Le Batard
Like, I'm getting it.
Chris Cody
Like, that's, That's. That's a real thing with Greg. Cody, what'd they think of me? That. Yeah, you didn't come up. So Joe Flacco was eating alone, and he's got a take on eating alone. That is the wisdom accrued by the aged, the wisdom accrued by kids who buy the Jameer Gibbs jersey instead of rooting for you. Their father, who's in a game, he's got wisdom accrued of. I like eating alone. You know why? Because my family's not there.
Mike Ryan
I. I think there's always a challenge.
Dan Le Batard
Of sitting in a room by yourself and.
Guest or Legal Expert
And being lonely.
Mike Ryan
So for me, it's trying to find ways to maybe stay over here a.
Dan Le Batard
Little bit longer and then, you know.
Mike Ryan
Just kind of take myself out of.
Dan Le Batard
That mindset, call home, go sit at a restaurant by myself and realize that, man, that's pretty enjoyable to do.
Mike Ryan
You know, after. There's not too many situations.
Dan Le Batard
I tell you, I tell people all the time. I mean, I used to see guys sitting at a bar by themselves or.
Mike Ryan
You know, just sitting by themselves, eating.
Dan Le Batard
And grabbing a little meal, and I'm like, man, I feel so bad for that guy. You almost want to go join him. And now I realize, like, that dude was in heaven. It's so True. I love eating by myself.
Chris Cody
You just love eating.
Dan Le Batard
I do love eating. I've never seen a guy eating by themselves and just wanted to join them. You never thought. It's sad, though, not wanting. I'm with you on not wanting to join them, but it does convey, like, oh, they're alone.
Mike Ryan
I was at an Italian restaurant in Chicago a few months back, and there was a dude that dressed up, was wearing a collared shirt, took off a blazer, sat down, treated himself to a nice Sunday red sauce.
Dan Le Batard
Sunday, took himself on a date. Date yourself.
Mike Ryan
And I was like, man, this guy is a king.
Chris Cody
This is a place, I believe where people listening will separate on what they believe about this. Because I do remember being in a restaurant with Moises Alou, and Craig Counsel had just been traded over to the Marlins, and Moises Alou was looking at Craig Counsel eating in the restaurant by himself, and he just said under his breath, that poor guy. Everyone listening to this has an opinion on this. There is an opinion on how you feel about the person eating alone at the restaurant. And I do believe it matters whether you have kids or not, because as. As we've Lear around here, many of you go to the bathroom to hide from your kids. Like many of you around here, this is a trick in these circles and not a very good one. I'm going to read for 45 minutes, and my family might think I have stomach problems, but I just have. I don't want to be around my family problems.
Dan Le Batard
Is there a difference in sadness in eating alone at, like, a booth by myself and at the bar? Because in the booth by yourself, bar, 100% never sad bars also. So if I'm at a booth alone, that's sad. Yeah, yeah. Like, if you're not sit at the bar, you got to sit at a table that's like a table for two, but you're by yourself. That's okay. You can't sit at the booth by yourself.
Mike Ryan
I like a booth.
Dan Le Batard
What if, like, it's an empty restaurant? So I had my choice, and I'm like, I'll take a booth.
Mike Ryan
Yeah. I don't want to sticky elbows. I don't want to go to the bar.
Dan Le Batard
Really? You prefer the booth?
Mike Ryan
Are you not familiar with my brand? Don't talk to me.
Chris Cody
You mentioned that was just a character earlier in the show. You got penalized for that blur.
Mike Ryan
The lines work. Shoot. You never know.
Chris Cody
This is from Chris Vanini on Twitter. Within a week, we've had a major jewel heist, a mafia involved poker ring and sports gambling. Corruption. We're all living in the 1920s. I fully expect prohibition to fall upon us here in the.
Mike Ryan
It feels more like the late 30s, early 40s.
Chris Cody
Can you get me the sound, please? And forgive me for not knowing who this suit was who got in front of us and gave this press conference that he practiced in a mirror last night. But I just want you to imagine this sort of on a Schwarzenegger movie poster as he comes out as the local DA to tell some athletes that all of a sudden their gambling, in sports terms, is going to end up with them holding a losing hand.
Guest or Legal Expert
Your winning streak has ended. Your luck has run out.
Chris Cody
There was another sentence, though, to that dismount. I want the third sentence, because he absolutely hit three notes there.
Guest or Legal Expert
And you can bet on that.
Dan Le Batard
Nailed it.
Guest or Legal Expert
And you can bet on that when.
Dan Le Batard
He practiced it the night before, he definitely thought this would be like a round of applause, right?
Chris Cody
Did he practice it wearing the dress shirt, the tie, but no pants? Like, did he practice classic look with the boxes?
Mike Ryan
Only then again, in the morning, doing.
Guest or Legal Expert
The necktie, and you can bet on that.
Chris Cody
Does he have. He's got beige dress socks on and the dress shoes. Only thing missing is the pants.
Mike Ryan
Correct syrups to hold up the socks.
Guest or Legal Expert
You're winning streak has ended.
Chris Cody
Thank you. That's about the only stuff from that press conference that I want to hang on to. I also, though, want to go back to what it is that's happening at this point in the career of Joe Flacco, where I've always thought that he has the personality of a dry cleaning bag, like, just sort of starch. But now I love him because he's a human robot.
Mike Ryan
It says a lot about aging. No, he has found his personality. Every time he's had, like, a great clip a week in front of the press, when he's made available, he speaks. It's refreshing.
Dan Le Batard
Opposite of tua.
Mike Ryan
He's not necessarily worried about what he's gonna say because he knows he's not gonna say anything that, like, tua, that'll hurt his team. He's just been a fountain of knowledge. I'm like, I never in a million years would have thought, man, I want to see Joe Flacco in the media. And now I'm like, put him in the Monday night booth.
Chris Cody
Well, one of the things that I'm enjoying about Joe Flacco, and he seems to realize just how precious this is because I've talked to so many athletes who don't realize this until after they're done. He is absolutely Carrying himself with the gratitude of, oh, I can't believe I get to throw to T. Higgins and Jamar Chase at the end. Like, I get to throw a couple more footballs to good receivers. And he's carrying himself as if he knows he's got the fountain of youth in his locker where he's just super grateful to be able to play when so often these guys leave the game and they're like, ah, I didn't. Why didn't I enjoy it more? I didn't, I didn't know what I had in my hand.
Mike Ryan
He's articulated that, that it's a. I know T. Higgins and Jamar Chase help matters, but he's always been grateful to still be playing at a level where he feels he belongs in the league because he loves playing these games. He just, he feels blessed to be doing it. And he articulates it in ways that you don't often hear.
Chris Cody
It's a funny thing, though, to hear him be grateful just because at that age, it must really hurt when the 300 pounder lands on you and you've had all 200 of those hits.
Mike Ryan
Not just that, it must hurt when your former super bowl champion and you're being churned out through the league. The jets didn't want you. They wanted Tim Boyle over you. You're doing a pit stop in Philadelphia, you're in Cleveland twice. You don't have to be doing that a lot of the stuff. When guys reach this age and yeah, they may be able to play at a, at a level like Flacco, they don't want to swallow their pride. I'm a Super bowl champion. What do I got to be third string on the depth chart? Joe Flacco is just blessed to be still in camps.
Chris Cody
It is a bit crazy, though, when you think about he still got the hose. Like he's still that, that game against Pittsburgh. I'm not kidding you when I tell you that was as confusing a game as I've seen this season. It's not just because Pittsburgh's not good at defense and I expected them to be good at defense. It's. I didn't expect the Cincinnati offense to look like it was led by Joe Burrow. If it wasn't Joe Burrow leading the offense like, I, I, I did not expect it to look that easy when I'm watching every quarterback in the league throw for 150 yards.
Dan Le Batard
Does Jake Browning stink or does the Cleveland offense stink?
Mike Ryan
Jake Browning kind of stinks. But you, you talk about Flacco, he got there in A week and was.
Dan Le Batard
Like, yeah, I got, I got the.
Mike Ryan
Offense throw it to these two guys.
Chris Cody
Well, but he targeted. What was the target rate? 23 on Jamar Chase. It was, he threw them. But it's not just 23, it's 23. And he's always open on the shallow route. Like he's open bikes. He like everything was super easy. Weirdly easy. Offense is no longer easy in that league. Who's making look, man, for 18 weeks, I don't care what you say, the Chiefs offense wasn't making it look easy. Like they, they, they made it look very easy before that. They're making it look very easy the last couple of weeks. But for 18 weeks, Patrick Mahomes was not making it look easy at all.
Mike Ryan
18 weeks they made it a Super bowl.
Chris Cody
But it looked constipated on offense. You're not going to dispute me on that, right?
Mike Ryan
No, in fact, I was not disputing that. I was just saying they need guys.
Chris Cody
But Joe Flacco looking all of a sudden like better than the Detroit offense that you guys give me. Maybe Baker Mayfield and Sam Darnold in a shootout. Give me all the offenses day offensive days. You've seen this season that looked as easy as what Cincinnati made it look like against Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh and Jets.
Dan Le Batard
Week number one. Like that was it.
Mike Ryan
Justin Fields looked incredible against Pittsburgh. Crap defense, Buffalo and the Ravens.
Dan Le Batard
I see those uniforms though and I'm like, that has to be a good.
Mike Ryan
You see those uniforms. But trust me, Joe Flacco's got stinkers up his sleeve. He's going to look pretty bad.
Chris Cody
Oh, he'll throw three and four interception games. That's what's been the case the last couple of years. Why you're not going anywhere if he's your number one starter. Except he can get you to Burrow. He can do that. He can give you two or three games. Like if you're going to get the three interceptions from Browning anyway, go top end and see if you can get him from Flacco.
Mike Ryan
That's the one last job that's like, do you still have it, Joe? Get me to Joe Burrow with a chance to make the playoffs. That is all you have to do. You don't have to run a table, you don't have to set passing records. You just got to basically go.500 the rest of the way. Can you do that?
Chris Cody
You mentioned that Flacco is press conference you want to see. Zaslo was saying that now that two press conference are must see. But for all the wrong reasons.
Dan Le Batard
He was asked why he didn't target Jalen Waddle more.
Chris Cody
I think with with that some of it has to do with being able to see guys with their guys also up front and our guys.
Dan Le Batard
And I'm not the tallest guy in the back there either.
Chris Cody
So being able to see and then.
Dan Le Batard
You know, sometimes when that happens, you don't want to just throw it blindly. So I, I want to throw to them but there's these, they're tall in front of me and I, I don't see him.
Mike Ryan
I don't want to throw it blindly but then I threw three picks blindly.
Dan Le Batard
But I really want you to think that I know what I'm doing here. So I'm going to talk like I really think that they're just tall. So I just, I don't see them.
Guest or Legal Expert
Is that your tua?
Dan Le Batard
That's my two.
Chris Cody
I work on that. He needs.
Dan Le Batard
It's more of the tone of like I'm saying something really important.
Mike Ryan
You have the cadence sound because I'm.
Dan Le Batard
Really just trying to sound smart.
Chris Cody
It's the same thing a sixth grader would say if I threw him on an NFL football field and said why didn't you throw to Waddle? I I couldn't see him. Those guys are really big.
Mike Ryan
Look, I know over the last few weeks you guys have been worried about my brains and my approach to the game. I just want to remind you I also have physical limitations. I can't do half Josh.
Dan Le Batard
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Mike Ryan
Time offer Howdy, listeners. It's Mike Ryan and Chris Cody. Hey, everyone. Hey, Chris. We love hanging out so much. You were at my birthday the other day.
Chris Cody
You're old.
Mike Ryan
You know what I saw in your hand?
Guest or Legal Expert
What?
Mike Ryan
A can of Miller. Whether it's a can, whether it's. It's a bottle, a draft pour of Miller light. The draft pour. You see that beautiful, iconic color right away.
Dan Le Batard
The ice coldness to it. Oh, so good.
Mike Ryan
Yes, Chris, the ice coldness to it. Oh, whether you're hanging out with me on my birthday because I'm old or you're at a game, you know that Miller Lite just makes every special time a Miller Time. That's how you make the special times, by making a Miller Times. Game day just hits different with Miller Lite in your hand. Different from jaw dropping touchdowns to fantasy heartbreaks. It's a beer that has been there for every moment. 50 years of great taste, simple ingredients and that iconic golden color. That coldness, Chris, that.
Dan Le Batard
That icy coldness.
Mike Ryan
That icy coldness. The original light beer since 1975 and still hitting different five decades later. 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 that they sell beer. It's Miller time. Celebrate responsibly. Miller Brewing Co. Milwaukee, Wisconsin. 96 calories and 3.2 carbs per 12 ounces.
Dan Le Batard
I see coldness.
This episode, broadcast from the Elser Hotel in downtown Miami, centers on reactions and analysis of a jaw-dropping FBI press conference announcing a massive criminal case involving NBA players, coaches, and major organized crime families in sports gambling, poker scams, and match rigging. With their signature irreverence, Dan Le Batard, Stugotz, Chris Cody, Mike Ryan, and guest contributors break down the saga, explore its implications for sports and pop culture, and mock the melodrama of the officials’ announcement, all before diving into NFL banter and the quirks of eating alone.
| Segment | Timestamp | |--------------------------------------------|-------------| | FBI Press Conf. & NBA Gambling Bust | 02:07–13:33 | | Reactions & Media Critique | 16:55–23:58 | | Poker Scheme Tech & Terms | 21:22–24:58 | | NFL Picks & Banter | 31:11–35:29 | | The Great "Eating Alone" Debate | 35:41–40:35 | | Memorable Press Conf. One-Liners | 41:39–42:17 | | Joe Flacco Wisdom & NFL QB Talk | 42:31–47:44 | | Miscellaneous Sports Talk & Wrap-up | 47:45–End |
The discussion weaves sharp sports analysis with classic Le Batard humor—irreverent, incredulous, and critical of spectacle. They gleefully lampoon law enforcement’s “movie poster” theatrics, bemoan the seriousness of the charges, and always return to self-deprecating banter about their own sports picks and social quirks.
This episode offers a lively, skeptical breakdown of seismic news in the NBA and organized crime, complete with play-by-play on how such cases are packaged for the public, and closes with the pure ‘guys being guys’ sports and life chat listeners expect. A wild hour for any sports or pop culture aficionado.