Hour 1: The Worst Takes In Show History (feat. Pablo Torre)

Summary

Podcast Summary: The Dan Le Batard Show with Stugotz - Hour 1: The Worst Takes In Show History (feat. Pablo Torre)

Release Date: January 30, 2025
Hosts: Dan Le Batard, Stugotz
Guest: Pablo Torre
Location: Elser Hotel, Downtown Miami

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1. Introduction to the Episode

In this episode, Dan Le Batard and Stugotz are joined by sportswriter Pablo Torre to delve into some of the most controversial and cringe-worthy opinions ever aired on the show. The primary focus revolves around questionable takes made by the hosts and guests over the years, highlighting moments that sparked debate and backlash among listeners.

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2. Media Scrutiny: Athletes vs. Executives

A significant portion of the discussion centers on the scrutiny athletes face compared to media executives. The hosts examine the double standards prevalent in sports journalism, especially concerning public figures' personal and professional lives.

• Cam Newton vs. Mark Andrews' Criticism

  Dan Le Batard raises the issue of Cam Newton criticizing Mark Andrews for not meeting with the media post-game. He questions the fairness of such scrutiny when media outlets themselves are embroiled in lawsuits and controversies.

  Dan Le Batard [00:34]: "Folks, the playoff season is here and the only thing better than the game day predictions are the foods that come with them."

  Pablo Torre counters, emphasizing the complexity of holding athletes accountable while media personnel often evade tough questions.

  Pablo Torre [03:40]: "Cam Newton, yes, but he's sorely mistaken. And it's proven out by the equivalency."

• Salaries of Sports Executives

  The conversation shifts to the disparity in public knowledge and salaries between athletes and executives like NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell.

  Dan Le Batard [08:44]: "I think it's not a terrible idea for a Pablo Torre finds out investigation to find whatever it is your theoretical ground zero is on."

  Pablo Torre reveals insights into Goodell's earnings, prompting a debate on whether his compensation is justified compared to top athletes.

  Pablo Torre [19:57]: "He as of 2020, 2021 was making $63.9 million per year."

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3. Media Access and Locker Room Reporting

The hosts discuss the evolving relationship between sports media and teams, particularly the reduction in locker room access for reporters.

• Impact on Reporting

  Stugotz highlights the hypocrisy of demanding transparency from athletes while media executives remain opaque.

  Stugotz [08:00]: "There's a bit of a hypocrisy when it comes to media people not wanting to answer tough questions..."

• Commissioner's Stance

  Dan Le Batard criticizes the NFL Commissioner's attempts to retain media access, noting the shift towards exclusive, paid seating that sidelines traditional journalists.

  Dan Le Batard [12:35]: "And the commissioner of the league has been trying to make access something that's contractually important because he believes that these relationships are important."

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4. The Evolution of Super Bowl Halftime Shows

A nostalgic segment explores how "In Living Color" transformed the Super Bowl halftime show, moving away from purely musical performances to include elaborate entertainment.

• Influence of "In Living Color"

  Stugotz recounts the 1992 Super Bowl halftime show, which was notably underwhelming and led Fox to innovate in subsequent years.

  Stugotz [17:46]: "It's remarkable how we owe a debt to the Wayans and David Alan Grier and Jim Carrey for birthing, like, the biggest piece of cultural real estate in America."

• Fox's Strategic Shift

  The hosts discuss how Fox responded to the poor reception by integrating more dynamic and widely appealing performances, setting a new standard for future shows.

  Stugotz [19:10]: "In Living Color put on something that actually stole audience from the Super Bowl."

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5. Highlighting the Worst Takes: Stugotz's Predictions

A humorous yet critical segment where the hosts and Pablo Torre discuss some of the most misguided predictions made on the show, spotlighting Stugotz's infamous takes.

• Alex Smith and the Detroit Lions

  Stugotz predicted that the Detroit Lions, despite a prior winless season, would perform exceptionally well.

  Stugotz [29:08]: "The Detroit Lions are going to be very good this year. I own that comment."

  Dan Le Batard and Jeremy mock the prediction, referencing the Lions' historic performance and the fallouts from such bold claims.

  Jeremy [30:18]: "First off, to do this to Alex Smith, who's been very good and loyal to Andy Reid and won him a lot of football games..."

• Funeral Game: A Lighthearted Yet Embarrassing Moment

  The hosts engage in a game where they hypothetically decide whether to attend funerals of pop culture figures, leading to awkward and embarrassing moments.

  Stugotz [16:31]: "Would you go to the funeral for around the horn?"

  This segment serves as a platform to reflect on past mistakes and the awkwardness that can ensue from off-the-cuff remarks.

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6. Reflections and Moving Forward

Towards the end of the episode, the hosts acknowledge their missteps and express a desire to improve their commentary and predictions moving forward.

• Acknowledging Mistakes

  Dan Le Batard reflects on Chris Cody's infamous mistake of looking at inappropriate content during a live broadcast, turning it into a teachable moment about maintaining professionalism.

  Dan Le Batard [35:11]: "He was looking at porn during the finals."

• Commitment to Growth

  The team emphasizes the importance of accountability and continuous improvement, aiming to provide more thoughtful and accurate sports analysis in future episodes.

  Dan Le Batard [34:55]: "We just pick where. We just announced. Here are the single best moments, sad moments, cringe moments..."

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7. Conclusion

The episode wraps up with lighthearted banter and reflections on the show's journey, setting the stage for more engaging and refined discussions in the future. The hosts express gratitude towards their listeners and guests, reinforcing their commitment to delivering quality content.

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Notable Quotes with Timestamps

• Dan Le Batard [03:55]: "And what is your take here, Pablo, in what is fair play when it comes journalistically to the lawsuit in general?"

• Stugotz [08:00]: "I think the distinction between you're famous, you get paid a lot of money, therefore we can hold you to account..."

• Pablo Torre [19:57]: "He as of 2020, 2021 was making $63.9 million per year."

• Stugotz [29:08]: "The Detroit Lions are going to be very good this year. I own that comment."

• Dan Le Batard [35:11]: "He was looking at porn during the finals."

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Takeaways

• Double Standards in Sports Media: The episode highlights the inconsistent scrutiny athletes face compared to media executives, urging for a more balanced approach.

• Impact of Media Relationships: The evolving dynamics between sports teams and media reporters have significant implications for transparency and accountability.

• Learning from Mistakes: By openly discussing past erroneous takes, the hosts demonstrate a commitment to growth and improving their analytical skills.

• Cultural Shifts in Sports Entertainment: The transformation of Super Bowl halftime shows underscores the broader cultural shifts within sports entertainment and media.

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This episode serves as a candid exploration of the pitfalls of sports commentary, emphasizing the importance of integrity, accountability, and continuous improvement in media relations.

Transcript

[Dan Le Batard]

You're listening to Giraffe Kings Network.

[Stugotz]

Yeah, sure thing. Hey, you sold that car yet?

[Pablo Torre]

Yeah, sold it to Carvana.

[Stugotz]

Oh, I thought you were selling to that guy.

[Amin Elhassan]

The guy who wanted to pay me in foreign currency.

[Pablo Torre]

No interest over 36 months.

[Dan Le Batard]

Yeah, no.

[Pablo Torre]

Carvana gave me an offer in minutes.

[Amin Elhassan]

Picked it up and paid me on the spot. It was so convenient.

[Stugotz]

Just like that? Yep. No hassle?

[Dan Le Batard]

None.

[Stugotz]

That is super convenient.

[Pablo Torre]

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[Dan Le Batard]

Levator show with the ST Podcast.

[Pablo Torre]

This episode of the Dan Leitard Show Stugot is presented by Smirnoff. We do game days. Please drink responsibly. The Smirnoff Company New York, NY what.

[Dan Le Batard]

Did you call your son in a rage because you got hard networked out there?

[Amin Elhassan]

You know I didn't mean it, but I just kiddingly referred to him as the Bronny James of broadcasting. You know, it wasn't meant as an insult.

[Dan Le Batard]

I mean, it was an insult. Like how can that not be an insult?

[Chris Cody]

I think the biggest insult is for you because he's telling you that he's the LeBron James of broadcasting.

[Amin Elhassan]

Well, I didn't want to say it. Well, thank you.

[Pablo Torre]

There are similarities. Really. Old people think you should probably hang it up.

[Amin Elhassan]

Thank you, Amin. I appreciate that. What'd you say?

[Stugotz]

I wasn't listening.

[Dan Le Batard]

Pablo Torre joins us now. Pablo Torre finds out is the name of ever growing, ever more popular podcast. Wanted to throw some subject matter at you that I have not talked about in a couple of weeks. On first take, Cam Newton was objecting to how it is that Mark Andrews was getting ripped for not meeting the media after dropping the ball. And he mentioned by way of comparison, why do reporters get to tell Mark Andrews that he has to come out and talk when FS1 has this lawsuit all around its sports department and none of those people have come out and talked? I understand it's a false equivalency. Wait a minute. You laugh. I mean, but when Gilbert arena says something, you say, well, this is the player's perspective. And I understand that you might not like the equivalency, but this is the opinion of some players. Most publicly.

[Chris Cody]

Cam Newton, yes, but he's sorely mistaken. And it's proven out by the equivalency. Right. It's a completely false equivalency between a legal matter and a performance on the field or in the field of play matter.

[Dan Le Batard]

And what is your take here, Pablo, in what is fair play when it comes journalistically to the lawsuit in general? For example, I've made some mistakes over the years, most recently I would say, in talking in any way about the Dwight Howard lawsuit. And I only did so because I got the permission from Dwight Howard. Once he talks about it publicly, now it becomes a news item. That's always been my standard on these things. What is the correct standard now as all of these things change? Because anyone can allege anything in a lawsuit and in the modern age, we're gonna feed on it whether it's fair or not. There aren't gonna be many standards. And furthermore, the mainstream media is going to lose by exhibiting any standards because it's going to be feeding frenzy on the Internet and sort of. And sort of like there is nothing that's happened with Fox Sports recently that has been talked more about than what's going on with that lawsuit.

[Stugotz]

Yeah, I do like that Cam Newton is now like an ombudsman character. I just appreciate that. I like his hats, I like his journalistic curiosities. I'm into it. The thing that he is saying though, I mean, look, Amin is fundamentally right. Like, of Course, these are lawsuits where people are afraid to comment because there might be further litigation. They might get sued themselves or be liable for stuff. I get it. Not the same. But the notion that Cam's at with like, hey, this is humiliating. You make us talk about this. Why don't you talk about it? You could have put in another example, and I think the point would have been, well, or better made. There is a bit of a hypocrisy when it comes to media people not wanting to answer tough questions that we would expect out of the public interest, celebrities in general to have to answer. And now, Dan, to your point, like the fact that everybody is a public figure, the fact that everybody is public enough and interest, the bar on that is so low because everybody is interested in something weird. Okay, well, maybe there's an audience member who wants to know the answer to this question. It's. It's as messy as you're painting it. I think the distinction between you're famous, you get paid a lot of money, therefore we can hold you to account to tell us how it felt when you did something publicly that was embarrassing. It's just not about athletes. It's not about celebrities, actors, Hollywood people. Everybody now meets that qualification. And so, yeah, it's uncomfortable. We all, everybody in talking to microphones should be uncomfortable that someone like Cam Newton wearing that hat is going to be like, you should feel the way that I feel.

[Chris Cody]

Pablo, you said, oh, the questions that media people don't want to answer. What's an example of that? I'd love to hear an example of someone in the media did something in the workplace, like so on camera, on Mike, that was a failure or an embarrassment, and then refused to answer questions about it.

[Stugotz]

Well, I think one basic thing that an athlete, for instance, could be frustrated by, understandably, is that we know everything about how much money they're making.

[Chris Cody]

Yeah, that's true.

[Stugotz]

We know all of the details. And in fact, we know them to the point where we argue about it and how they don't deserve it. And in reality. Right. Like, again, and the excuse had been Amina, you know, this again, having. Having explored such cap sheets, the example was justified because they got paid so much. And, and, and I just think that the thing we're trying to bridge all of the time is when do you have so much economic, cultural, celebrity privilege that you get a higher degree of scrutiny? And I think there are just a lot of people around who actually don't want that and shouldn't want that. And if they knew that this was maybe going to come for them. Wouldn't. Wouldn't want the athletes to if it meant protecting themselves. And I happen to be one of them. So, like, yeah, it's uncomfortable. But then you go into the realm, Dan, of like, hey, sports is different. And then we have to just. We have to just explain very carefully why we think sports is different. And maybe there's an argument there. I'd like to make it, but it's an increasingly less persuasive one.

[Dan Le Batard]

I think it's not a terrible idea for a Pablo Torre finds out investigation to find whatever it is your theoretical ground zero is on. When all of this changed our obsession with the money and athletes, it's the biggest reason that there's a gulf between them and the customers. It's a poison. We all know all of their salaries, and there's a ground zero on when that started because that stuff used to be private, and then it didn't become private anymore. And people who were giving out that information end up getting rewarded by it because we know what everybody in sports makes except Belichick sometimes when he coaches a coach here and there. And then Goodell gets really mad when his salary is out there.

[Stugotz]

Yes, yes. I think. Look, I think the immediate hypocrisy, right, is not. And this is where I would push back on Cam, I guess, like the real beneficiaries of the unequal treatment between athletes, let's say, and other people may be similarly situated. Increasingly similarly situated isn't media people. It's all. It's their bosses. Like, you want to know. I would want to know. Hey, your front office. What are you guys getting paid? Right? Like, it's uncapped, number one. Typically, it's a fascinating thing. What would you spend on executives when there was no restriction on how much you could pay them? And the Goodell thing is maybe the most flagrant one because the answer invariably ends up having sticker shock. Right? It's like 50. Fact check me, please. Jeremy, I trust your journalistic ethics. Please tell me what Roger Goodell has been making last couple of years. But it's like $50 million or something.

[Dan Le Batard]

I think it's more private because he didn't like that it was out there. I think it's harder to find out now because he didn't enjoy that it was out there before when it was in the 30s.

[Chris Cody]

Well, and I think the other thing that you can lump onto that is also the availability. So, for example, Pablo's, well, I guess not beloved Knicks anymore because he's a Sixer fan, but Leon Rose has famously spoken to the media, I think twice since he took over. Yes, he just doesn't talk. That's it.

[Dan Le Batard]

And the Knicks are fun and good?

[Chris Cody]

Well, I mean, not the entire time, but, yes, they're fun and good now, but he still does not talk. It's easy to say, well, you know, I don't need to talk the player, the team is doing great. They could talk for themselves. But there was a time when they weren't doing so great. And this dude still was like, yeah, I'm not talking to the media. I don't need to, but can I?

[Stugotz]

I do want to make the case for why sports and athletes do deserve to be held to a degree of scrutiny that is higher, right. Than just, let's say, again, the average citizen. I mean, it was hard, right? I remember Naomi Osaka, the tennis player, of course, basically making an argument. I fundamentally feel, not just uncomfortable, but I feel that it's unfair that I, Naomi Osaka, get scrutinized in my most like, emotionally harrowing moments after a defeat by people who are just trying to picket the bones of my life. It feels mean, it feels cruel, it feel unfair. It feels, in her view, I think, institutionally, like just wrong. And I do have an argument against that. Right. Like, the whole point of performing in public, fundamentally, is that you get the benefits of the crowd, but also the pain. Like, if we are to consider what you do, important people are going to care enough to dissect it. And at a certain point, adversarial questioning. And again, there are lines, of course, and Dan is a columnist, you know those lines, where it's too far, it's too mean, it's too invasive. But generally getting asked hard questions that, by the way, you can say no comment to, or you can evade it. However, way as many as Derek Jeter used to all the time in New York, you have the right to do that. But the questions should be asked. I'm not saying that they shouldn't be held to a degree of scrutiny. That's crazy relative to an average person. I just think that it's fair for them to then say, well, what about everybody else who I think would fall under that same criteria of public benefit and therefore public pain?

[Amin Elhassan]

I agree with you. But I think the. One of the aspects of athlete empowerment is that they're beginning to say, as a group, collectively, no, I don't have to avail myself in an open locker room after a game. If I want to be private with this, I want to be private. If I'M Mark Andrews. I agree that if you're cheering for Mark Andrews when he's the hero of a game, it would be nice if he availed himself when he misses the winning catch. But does he have to? And I think more and more we're going to see less and less media access for athletes who now can break their own news on their Instagram page.

[Stugotz]

Yeah, I'm curious about that. Sorry to interrupt. Dan, how do you feel about that? Like the locker room reporters out of their dynamic.

[Dan Le Batard]

I don't blame all of those people for realizing that that's not something they need in their life anymore, that it's invasive. And while it prevents me from doing my job and does hurt me and I prefer it not be that way, I understand exactly why it is that they don't want us around anymore. They don't need us anymore. And you can do it even when you don't have pedigree like Leon Rose in the biggest market. You can do it because you can just decide it now. And the commissioner of the league has been trying to make access something that's contractually important because he believes that these relationships are important. And his employees keep telling him, we don't want to do that. And then you hear him publicly say, yeah, I'm not going to be able to keep doing this forever. Because you can't help but notice that all of those seats on the sidelines that used to go to the media have now gone to people who are paying much more for those seats. Like that's happened in the last 15 years.

[Stugotz]

One of the funniest things is when I went to cover some Final Fours. I was in Houston covering the Final Four for Sports Illustrated a zillion years ago now. And it's the one place I don't know if it's still the same way. Maybe someone can correct me who's been more.

[Jeremy]

I got.

[Dan Le Batard]

I got good seats at the Final Four.

[Stugotz]

Oh, Dan.

[Dan Le Batard]

Oh, my God.

[Stugotz]

I was sitting in front of Drake. Drake and Vince Young were behind me, and I was like a fact checker at Sports Illustrated. Like, God bless how they used to respect us.

[Dan Le Batard]

Oh, but. But it's also funny you say, quote, used to respect us, also had us sit in expensive seats to sit atop the injustice and sell it for them. Like, they'd give us the most. They'd give the watchdogs the most expensive seats. Yeah, those are good seats. Don LeBatard Pablo leads all of podcasting.

[Greg Cody]

In Reading while smiling. If you listen to ESPN Daily, he.

[Stugotz]

Sounds like he's Having the time of his life.

[Dan Le Batard]

Stugats.

[Greg Cody]

Coming up next. I'm going to tell you how the.

[Pablo Torre]

Savannah bananas are changing. How do you know?

[Greg Cody]

Bananas.

[Pablo Torre]

How do you know I'm smiling.

[Greg Cody]

That's how I found my vocal range. Sometimes I just say, savannah bananas. Savannah bananas.

[Mike Ryan]

This is the Dan Levatar show with the stugats.

[Dan Le Batard]

Let's play a new round of our favorite new game. America's favorite new game. Bigger as entertainment than the show Matlock with Kathy Bates on cbs. It is. Would you. Will you attend their funeral? We're gonna play with Pablo Torre right now.

[Stugotz]

God.

[Dan Le Batard]

And the first nominee is Woody Page.

[Stugotz]

I just gotta Google to make sure that this is a hypothetical right now. Hold on real quick.

[Chris Cody]

Okay.

[Dan Le Batard]

Jes, what are you doing?

[Stugotz]

I'm just making. I'm just making. Just making sure that this is not a trap inside of a trap text. I'm. I'm going. I'm going. I'm going. Cut out the part where I had to Google anything. I'm going. I'm there. Of course I'm there. He's the most popular person on a show that is soon to be allegedly dearly departed. That changed my life. And Woody Page, even though he used to steal my FaceTime topics during the show after I used to say to the producers, I do feel like I owe him a debt. And it's a literal debt because my daughter is going to a private kindergarten probably next year. Year. So, you know, around the horn.

[Chris Cody]

Would you go to the funeral for around the horn?

[Stugotz]

I might be performing at it.

[Amin Elhassan]

Technology.

[Dan Le Batard]

I. I'm not sure this is a good game to play with him because he'll go optics instead of honest.

[Chris Cody]

Yeah.

[Stugotz]

I mean, look, you. Oh, sorry about David Sampson. Who. Who will tell you all of the ways in which the game you're going to.

[Dan Le Batard]

The game doesn't work if you're not going to. If you're going to just say yes to everybody. Because it looks good to say yes to everybody. You ruin the game.

[Stugotz]

Give me another one and I'll get a sense I can truly. Yeah. Be entertaining enough for you while also preserving my own human dignity.

[Dan Le Batard]

J A Adande.

[Stugotz]

Oh, come on. He's off the around the board panelists. Yes. J. I look. Yes.

[Dan Le Batard]

Clinton. Clinton Yates.

[Stugotz]

I go.

[Greg Cody]

Can I leave?

[Dan Le Batard]

Tim Kalashaw.

[Stugotz]

I'm going to. Yes.

[Dan Le Batard]

Jackie McMullen.

[Amin Elhassan]

Yes.

[Pablo Torre]

Let's play this with someone who'll be honest. Dad, would you attend Jeremy's funeral?

[Stugotz]

Yes.

[Mike Ryan]

I'll see.

[Pablo Torre]

No one played this game. Honestly.

[Chris Cody]

All right.

[Dan Le Batard]

There they are. The first ever ruiners of the game.

[Pablo Torre]

Because I appreciate Samson more and more.

[Dan Le Batard]

Yeah, yeah.

[Greg Cody]

Jason Sudeikis.

[Dan Le Batard]

No, he'll be there just for the.

[Stugotz]

Do I, Do I. Where? Where am I on the seating chart? I mean, that's the thing. I got a plus one, you know.

[Dan Le Batard]

All right, goodbye.

[Pablo Torre]

Pabloswamy.

[Dan Le Batard]

What is on? What is on? Pablo? Tori finds.

[Pablo Torre]

I think we got to know. Do we get our first.

[Dan Le Batard]

Of course, because it's easy because movers and shakers there. Yes.

[Stugotz]

Honestly, if I got to give a speech at Vivek's funeral, I would consider it. So on my show. We have a story today that's very interesting. It's how In Living Color, you know the TV show. Yeah. How it changed the super bowl halftime show forever.

[Chris Cody]

Yes, it did.

[Stugotz]

Super bowl halftime. Amin. Okay. Amin maybe knows some of this story. It's incredible.

[Dan Le Batard]

It is incredible.

[Stugotz]

1992.

[Dan Le Batard]

Yeah.

[Stugotz]

Oh, my God, it's 1992. Wyatt Tsanaku's a guest on this with Sarah Spain. We had a lot of fun reliving this. Wyatt wanted to make an In Living Color documentary. Couldn't do it. But we got to get what he found out, which was some of the inner details of how in 1992, Fox dared to steal audience from CBS, which was doing a halftime show that was emblematically horrible. And I'll save the details for you guys to lick. To click and lick, I guess. And like you said. But it's remarkable how we owe a debt to the Wayans and David Alan Grier and Jim Carrey for birthing, like, the biggest piece of cultural real estate in America.

[Dan Le Batard]

Do we know what plays opposite the super bowl halftime show now on other networks?

[Stugotz]

Great question.

[Dan Le Batard]

In Living Color put on something that actually stole audience from the Super Bowl. And that's where the super bowl realized that it needed to go entertainment with his halftime show and was aggressive and strategic about making sure they didn't lose the audience.

[Chris Cody]

And also part of this, and I'm sure you cover, is also the standing of Fox at the time as a network. It was an upstart network. It's not serious. It's where all the kind of the.

[Stugotz]

Married with Children, the Simpsons.

[Chris Cody]

Yeah, all the misfit programming went there. And so this was a direct blow to the establishment.

[Stugotz]

Just know that the following year, the NFL was so threatened. So threatened that a. We have no idea who even bothers to compete anymore because they followed that horrible halftime show, which you should watch. It's in the episode with literally Michael Jackson. Like, they were like, we gotta bring out the nuclear weapons. We will never be embarrassed by sketch comedy again.

[Dan Le Batard]

Jeremy, can you give me some Roger Goodell contract facts, please?

[Pablo Torre]

He as of 2020, 2021 was making $63.9 million per year. He recently signed a three year extension, but those numbers are not known.

[Stugotz]

I pledge to try and find out.

[Dan Le Batard]

Excellent. Can you find out for me? Ohtani's payments are deferred. I don't know what Soto has paid for year. How many athletes make more than Roger Goodell does in a season of any kind? Is there an athlete that makes more than that for a year? Given the Soto contract and the Ohtani.

[Greg Cody]

Contract, you don't think he deserves it?

[Dan Le Batard]

Yes, probably. As someone who continues to make profit.

[Greg Cody]

For the league, I understand he's overseeing the biggest thing. I understand how there are stars that are really good at their job that you would argue are better at their job. But he oversees those stars doing their job. He keeps the machine coming.

[Dan Le Batard]

I mean, the only way that I disagree is just because of how tired I am about all the inequities that make for labor bodies to be worth less than CEOs that create the divisions in this country that make people celebrate when a CEO for a health care industry is murdered in the street because of how much money he's making off of the pain of others.

[Stugotz]

I would like to know his work value over replacement commissioner. We should have analytics about this is all I'm saying. I'm just saying we should debate this. We should debate this in the way that we debate athlete contracts.

[Dan Le Batard]

Joe Scarborough, goodbye. Whoa.

[Amin Elhassan]

That wasn't a.

[Dan Le Batard]

Yes, it wasn't. But. But he ruined the game. We can agree that that universally popular game. But you have to be honest like the you you.

[Pablo Torre]

It's only. It's why we did it with Samson. He's the only one that will be honest with that type of stuff.

[Greg Cody]

I was in two. Unfortunately for him.

[Dan Le Batard]

Yes, you've created rifts in relationships that I have because you surprised me that get with that game. And for some reason I was intent on holding up the integrity of. We're going to try to make this entertaining. Right? We're not going to save Jeremy's feelings instead of. Instead of making inst. Of making the show worse because you're afraid of hurting Jeremy's feelings.

[Greg Cody]

The audience should thank you that you're willing to jeopardize your friendship with Michael K just for good content.

[Dan Le Batard]

I did jeopardize my friendship with Michael K. Because that's got to be here. This funeral's got to be in Florida. I'm not going in New York for that. And Cody's not going to Jeremy's funeral if it's not super convenient. And everyone else is going and he's complaining the whole way. Chris is driving him and he's complaining the whole way.

[Amin Elhassan]

Okay, first of all, is there an open bar at this funeral? Okay. That factors in.

[Chris Cody]

Yep. Do funerals have open bars?

[Dan Le Batard]

No.

[Pablo Torre]

Never.

[Chris Cody]

Well, no, hold on.

[Pablo Torre]

No, it's.

[Dan Le Batard]

It's.

[Chris Cody]

You know, do we know this?

[Amin Elhassan]

We will start a trend.

[Dan Le Batard]

Well, I. Actually, it's funny that you say that because I recently put that in my will as part of estate planning. Yeah.

[Amin Elhassan]

Yeah.

[Chris Cody]

Thanks, man.

[Greg Cody]

Yes, I have be there. Hey, howdy, listener. Why don't you sit down here next to me? Let's have a fireside conversation. In the winter, this is all theater of the mind. Anyways, if the weather outside is a little chilly, let's warm up. Let's cozy up not just to each other, but also to that beautiful white can of Miller Lite. That's right. Make these moments even better with Miller Light, the great tasting light beer for people who love beer. A new year is a perfect time for friends, family, and great tasting light beer. Tastes like Miller Time. You know, as the football games get bigger, everybody's talking about hosting parties. It's always difficult. Everyone's got an opinion. Why don't you just bring out a nice cooler of Miller Light and make everybody happy? You could be on opposite sides of the big game, but you still know that you are Brought together by Miller Time. Miller Lite is a great unifier. Miller Lite is brewed for taste. It hits different than other light beers. The original light beer since 1975 and still the very best one. Miller Lite. Great taste. 96 calories. Go to millerlight.com dan find delivery options near you. Or you can pick up some Miller Lite pretty much anywhere they sell. Beer tastes like Miller Time. Celebrate responsibly. Miller Brewing Co. Milwaukee, Wisconsin. 96 calories and 3.2 carbs per 12 ounces.

[Mike Ryan]

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[Greg Cody]

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[Amin Elhassan]

Don Libertard a woman who was out swimming with her friends is believed to have been swallowed whole by a 13 foot shark without any of her friends noticing. That's the weirdest part about that story. You're swimming with friends, you're having a good time and then all of a sudden people are looking around going, where's Shelly? Like nobody screamed.

[Mike Ryan]

Every friend group has a Shelly though, that if they go missing because a shark ate them whole, you wouldn't notice.

[Jeremy]

Classic Shelly.

[Mike Ryan]

Exactly right.

[Amin Elhassan]

Yeah.

[Dan Le Batard]

Stugats.

[Amin Elhassan]

She went quietly. Apparently if I'm swallowed whole by a shark, you're gonna know it.

[Mike Ryan]

This is the Dan Levatar show with the stug.

[Greg Cody]

I have Adam Schefter set to mobile alerts and he just tweeted at Stugatz. Stu Gotts Alex Smith Take because everyone's doing the flashback Thursday of, you know, several years ago the Chiefs traded Alex Smith to the Washington franchise. So people are now being. A lot of people are being introduced to Stu Gotts Alex Smith date. So it's gonna be a big day for Stu.

[Dan Le Batard]

Mike, I will tell you that one of my favorite things over the last couple of years of floating adrift at sea is when Stugac makes it to the shores of a new fan base like the 49ers or the Chiefs with no understanding of what the character is and get getting truly enraged by the character. And that take on Alex Smith, he's. I don't know. I understand that this is a shameless human being, but I really don't know how it is that you are so immune to wrong that you feel comfortable still giving Kansas City Chiefs takes when you have been spectacularly wrong the last few years in a way that's like historically wrong that Adam Schefter is now tweeting out to America, look how wrong this is. Because no one dared to say something this dumb about the previous incarnation of Andy Reid and the previous incarnation of Patrick Mahomes. It is crazy. This sound hall of fame worthy sound. I don't know. I'd like at some point before the end of our 20th anniversary for us to have a ranking that indeed selects some favorite show moments, some historic show moments. I would put this sound up against any ever set on our show for being most raw tough to be better.

[Jeremy]

Than 279 over your last two seasons and change like go ahead, Andy Reid, I dare you to go 14 and 2 and allow Alex Smith to leave Arrowhead Stadium to leave Kansas City. Go ahead, I dare you. Because of Patrick Mahomes. Because you think you could turn Patrick Mahomes into something that Alex Smith is not. Alex Smith is a very good quarterback. Okay, now he's a very good quarterback.

[Stugotz]

Dan.

[Dan Le Batard]

No, you just talked yourself in from average. You just went.

[Jeremy]

I said slightly above average is a fair place for you to put him. But I've always said that Alex Smith is a very good quarterback. I am rooting for Alex Smith to finally get it done this year because I've always said that Alex Smith is a good quarterback and Andy Reid, the audacity. First off, to do this to Alex Smith, who's been very good and loyal to Andy Reid and won him a lot of football games to dangle Patrick Mahomes out there because Andy Reid thinks he's some sort of quarterback whisperer, which he's not, by the way. He is not. Because if he was, Alex Smith would be better than he's been the last few years. So. But I care there.

[Dan Le Batard]

I mean, that's a record for Contrary.

[Jeremy]

It's on Andy Reid.

[Dan Le Batard]

That is.

[Jeremy]

That is offended.

[Dan Le Batard]

That sets a world record for Stugotz not paying attention to any of the things he said. The sentence before. They've made seven straight AFC championship games since then.

[Chris Cody]

Dan. I never realized that early on in that sound. We always get caught up in the which he is not part. But I've never realized early in the sound he said he's a very good quarterback. And you said. You said he was above average. I said, no, I'm saying that's okay for you to say. He took his take, he threw it on you, brought it back to him saying he's very good, and then end up contradicting himself again by saying if he was so good. Andy Reid.

[Dan Le Batard]

That's not nice of Schefter.

[Jeremy]

Whoa.

[Chris Cody]

Stugat's tweeted at him, so it's perfect.

[Jeremy]

Witchie. He's not, by the way.

[Stugotz]

I love that slur there.

[Pablo Torre]

You don't even.

[Jeremy]

Which he's not, by the way.

[Chris Cody]

Which he's. Say it again.

[Jeremy]

Which he's not, by the way.

[Dan Le Batard]

He does one more time. He is not by the way is multiple syllables. There he is Pronouns.

[Jeremy]

He's not, by the way pronouns.

[Chris Cody]

My pronouns are he, his.

[Dan Le Batard]

So wait.

[Jeremy]

Which he's not, by the way.

[Dan Le Batard]

So Schefter has tweeted that out to his. How many followers to bring attention to Stugatz being this kind of wrong?

[Chris Cody]

11.4 million.

[Dan Le Batard]

Now, that is going to end up feeling more historically wrong than me saying that. The Lions of Roy Williams and John Kit going to make some noise in the playoffs and then they went 0 and 16.

[Amin Elhassan]

Yeah.

[Stugotz]

God, that's brutal.

[Dan Le Batard]

Well, he got hurt. If Kidna had gotten. If he had stayed healthy, they wouldn't have been. That's when Orlovsky's running through the back of the end zone and stuff like, I'm watching that season. They were so good in the preseason, Roy.

[Chris Cody]

And. And that's how Orlowski realized he can't criticize quarterback.

[Dan Le Batard]

Well, let's see if we have. We have the lion sound. Is it just as bad? Lions are going to be very good this year. The Detroit Lions are going to be very good this year. I own that comment. Calvin Johnson is going to be really good this year. You know what you've seen so far from Ted Ginn? You've seen. All of a sudden, you've seen Ted Ginn's second year, you're like, oh, well, look at that. Look, he's figured some things out. He looks a lot better than he looked last year. Calvin Johnson is a lot better than Ted Ginn. Sure is. He's a lot better than Ted Ginn and he's a lot better this year. And he was a lot better last year. And he will be a lot better every year that they're healthy in the league at the same time. Could be the best. And I like Ted Ginn.

[Jeremy]

Could be the best tandem in the league. Dan, if Johnson's going, Roy Williams is amazing.

[Dan Le Batard]

Roy Williams is amazing. And I just think the Lions are going to be really good this year.

[Chris Cody]

What a teammate.

[Pablo Torre]

Stugats is a good take sandwiched in a bad take.

[Chris Cody]

I mean, it was an obvious take. Sandwich in a bad take.

[Dan Le Batard]

It became Dallin Johnson's really good man.

[Greg Cody]

Look how good Ted Ginn is in year two.

[Jeremy]

Oh, my God.

[Dan Le Batard]

Yeah.

[Amin Elhassan]

How about that? What a great pick.

[Dan Le Batard]

Again, it became the 016 Detroit Lions. I believe no team had gone winless before that. Do I have it right? Was that the first winless team in the history of the sport?

[Greg Cody]

I think with a season that long, yeah.

[Amin Elhassan]

Tampa Bay had gone 0114 in like 76 or something like that. By the way, you sounded youthful. How old were you then?

[Chris Cody]

Oh, he sounded so young.

[Amin Elhassan]

Yeah, it sounded like you were like 19.

[Greg Cody]

Not yet destroyed by the weight of society or alcohol.

[Dan Le Batard]

It was just dugout. It wasn't any of the other things. And it is, I will say this vulnerably to the American public in a way that leaves me a bit crestfallen and it is a bit crushing to sound to hear that sound and not only sound younger, but clearly sound thinner?

[Amin Elhassan]

For sure.

[Pablo Torre]

I think that's what we all. I think that's what we meant.

[Amin Elhassan]

100% jerk.

[Pablo Torre]

You can hear it.

[Dan Le Batard]

I don't believe that that's something I could have heard before now when I can't unhear it like before now. I don't think that you could have told me. Could you hear someone getting fat in their speech? Can you hear someone getting old in their speech? I don't think unless you play old. Sound for me that. That I could have gone to the grave without ever having that as a realization. Instead, now everyone has it. So thank you for pointing, pointing that out. You are correct. I do sound more exuberant.

[Pablo Torre]

Those Lions were the first non expansion team since World War II to go winless.

[Dan Le Batard]

Do you guys not think that is a good idea for our show? That at some point at the end of our 20th anniversary to have, like a SUI of all SU. We just pick where. We just announced. Here are the single best moments, sad moments, cringe moments, whatever it is those moments are. And what would qualify for most wrong? You've been like, among you guys making public predictions, what would you guys put up against Stugatz's. You can't bench Alex Smith for Patrick Mahomes. And me suggesting that the lions, who were 0 and 16, were going to be very good. What would you put up? Your. Your most famous embarrassment is that you traded Dan Marino in a column.

[Amin Elhassan]

Yes, I did.

[Chris Cody]

He was right, though.

[Dan Le Batard]

He was not right.

[Amin Elhassan]

Yes, I was.

[Dan Le Batard]

He was not right. He wanted to replace Dan Marino with Scott Mitchell. It's a terrible take. It's an enduring take. I've said before that he did an interview in front of the Miami Herald building and his face was pixelated and they distorted his voice because it was such a blasphemous thing to say at the time.

[Amin Elhassan]

Sure.

[Dan Le Batard]

Chris Cody, do you have an eternal echoing embarrassment? Surely you do. I mean, you got caught looking at porn during the finals.

[Chris Cody]

That's not. That's not.

[Pablo Torre]

No, I mean, it's exactly what happened.

[Chris Cody]

It is what happened.

[Dan Le Batard]

It is when it happened.

[Pablo Torre]

But you had been looking at porn.

[Dan Le Batard]

You had been looking.

[Chris Cody]

I had been doing research for a podcast I had to record, and the tabs were open, and I hadn't realized. Realized when I cycled through the tabs, trying to find the right window, that it was up there. That's what happened. I wasn't watching porn during the finals.

[Amin Elhassan]

What was that podcast about? What was the title of that podcast?

[Chris Cody]

Podcast? I'm glad you asked, Cinephobe. It's the.

[Amin Elhassan]

No, I know what your podcast. What was the episode that involved.

[Dan Le Batard]

Yeah, let him do the thing.

[Chris Cody]

Honestly, this is tiptoes, the LeBron James of broadcasting. I honestly thought he was seeing me up to do my. My spiel. I was like, oh, oh, grab grandson.

[Dan Le Batard]

He's not doing that.

[Greg Cody]

He was so over your spiel.

[Chris Cody]

He's like, no, don't do it.

[Greg Cody]

We know the thing that you do.

[Chris Cody]

Tiptoes is the movie.

[Pablo Torre]

The idea of my dad getting mad at someone else for wanting to plug their podcast like, we got you.

[Amin Elhassan]

I mean, I mean, if anybody should plug their podcast on this show, it's me.

[Pablo Torre]

That's what I was.

[Amin Elhassan]

Levitar never brings it up. Despite contractual obligations.

[Dan Le Batard]

The Greg Cody show, featuring Greg cody with the YouTube channel is something I'm asking you to support because I'm telling you that the Funniest thing comedy has going for it right now is when comedy is the word that I meant to say when he said it like Walken, he said it like, see no.

[Chris Cody]

Evil, hear no evil. With Gene Wilder, because he's deaf, he has to read lips. The broadcaster asked him, what do you think about Khomeini? And he's like, oh, well, one Khomeini is just as good as another.

[Dan Le Batard]

The YouTube channel I am asking you to support of Greg Cody has in it what?

[Amin Elhassan]

Roku, go on.

[Dan Le Batard]

You should watch Maestro Melee Cinefo. No, no, the funniest thing going is Chris Cody being able to spot when his father's laughter has gotten to a point in the wheezing that it's going to become a cough.

[Pablo Torre]

Here it comes.

[Dan Le Batard]

The. Here it comes. It's. It's just. It's such a tight window, and I don't think you miss. Like, I think that you might be betting a thousand on knowing with perfect clarity when it is your father is about to cough.

[Amin Elhassan]

I'm trying very hard to always make him wrong, and it never works.

[Dan Le Batard]

And I can see it on you. Like, I can. I can. I can see it on your face that you don't want him to be right. And then you start coughing, and then you get mad at yourself, and then you start coughing more. Yep, there it is. I am urging the listeners to check out Brad Williams and what he's doing for a remake of Spinal Tap that I believe Chris Cody really showed his ignorance on, not even knowing the name of the movie. The other day, Brad Williams was the.

[Chris Cody]

Guest on that podcast that I was watching.

[Dan Le Batard]

Wow. The porn podcast.

[Chris Cody]

I swear to God, it was because we were doing tiptoes.

[Stugotz]

How about that?

[Chris Cody]

And Brad Williams was a guest on that episode, so you can check that out, Cinephobe, wherever you get podcasts.

[Amin Elhassan]

You flipped me talking about my podcast to you talking about yours. That was brilliant.

[Chris Cody]

Synergy.

[Amin Elhassan]

Well done.

[Dan Le Batard]

Amazing. The chemistry that they have.

[Amin Elhassan]

Telling you what.

[Dan Le Batard]

Your podcast is growing in popularity, and I need your son over here. What am I gonna do?

[Amin Elhassan]

He's right here. What do you mean?

[Dan Le Batard]

No. Well, what am I gonna do about the fact that your son is being. He's the executive producer in the acting role of executive producer, and I need his help over here, and I've been trying to get him out of that podcast, and I can't get him out of that podcast.

[Amin Elhassan]

You've been trying to sabotage me.

[Pablo Torre]

You should ask Yeti how much attention I'm paying to the Greg Cody show these days.

[Stugotz]

Yeah.

[Amin Elhassan]

Yeti does the heavy lips in terms of what Christopher used to do, believe me.

[Dan Le Batard]

Does it make you mad?

[Amin Elhassan]

Trust me, you know, a little bit. I'm happy to have Christopher on my show for the one hour a week that he devotes to actual recording.

[Chris Cody]

It feels like an actual upgrade to have not Chris for this.

[Pablo Torre]

I'm pretty sure Yeti sent an email to me and my dad like in the last week where he's like the word of the year is effort. I think we could all like he.

[Chris Cody]

Was giving us a pep talk.

[Dan Le Batard]

I think we should.

[Stugotz]

I love that man with my whole heart.

[Pablo Torre]

Giving Greg Cody a pep talk for his own podcast.

[Amin Elhassan]

Yeah, I said we put in enough effort. Don't worry about it.

[Dan Le Batard]

It's bare minimum and you expect your son to put it in on your behalf. And now he's only giving you an hour and you're getting mad at him. And now Yeti is trying to produce the both of you by teaching both of you how to work.

[Amin Elhassan]

Yeah, we put in a lot of effort on the Greg Cody show with Greg Cody. Believe me, it's not just the hour of recording. There's a lot of preamble, a lot of organizing, a lot of planning. Staff meetings. You know, everything's going on.

[Chris Cody]

No, there isn't. How many staff meetings have you had?

[Dan Le Batard]

There hasn't been a staff meeting. Unless it's a meeting you're walking into with a staff.

[Amin Elhassan]

That's right.

[Dan Le Batard]

Holding a staff.

[Amin Elhassan]

Yes. Moses over here wearing a flowing biblical robe.

[Pablo Torre]

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[Greg Cody]

Hey howdy listener. Why don't you sit down here next to me? Let's have a fireside conversation. In the winter, this is all theater of the mind. Anyways. Weather outside is a little chilly. Let's warm up. Let's cozy up not just to each other, but also to that beautiful white can of Miller Light. That's right, make these moments even better with Miller Light. Great tasting Light beer. For people who love beer, A new year is a perfect time for friends, family, and great tasting light beer tastes like Miller Time. You know, as the football games get bigger, everybody's talking about hosting parties. It's always difficult. Everyone's got an opinion. Why don't you just bring out a nice cooler of Miller Lights and make everybody happy? You could be on opposite sides of the big game, but you still know that you are. Brought together by Miller Time. Miller Lite is a great unifier. Miller Lite is brewed for taste. It hits different than other light beats beers. The original light beer since 1975 and still the very best one. Miller Light 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 tastes like Miller Time. Celebrate responsibly. Miller Brewing Co. Milwaukee, Wisconsin 96 calories and 3.2 carbs per 12 ounces.