Hour 2: Don't Look Now

Summary

The Dan Le Batard Show with Stugotz: Episode 2 - "Don't Look Now"

Release Date: February 27, 2025

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Hosts: Dan Le Batard, Stugotz, Billy Gill, Mike Ryan, Jessica, Amin Elhassan, Chris Cody

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Introduction

In the second hour of "The Dan Le Batard Show with Stugotz," the hosts dive deep into the latest happenings in the NFL, shedding light on intriguing stories from the scouting combine, draft prospects, and the intricate dynamics within sports organizations. The episode, aptly titled "Don't Look Now," offers a blend of sports analysis, humor, and candid conversations about the intersection of competitiveness and workplace culture.

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Investigating the Jordan Schultz Incident

[02:02] Stugotz opens the episode by highlighting the need to unpack the recent incident involving Jordan Schultz's confrontation with Ian Rapoport at a Starbucks in Indianapolis. The hosts express curiosity about the nature of the verbal altercation and seek more details to understand the underlying motivations.

Dan Le Batard remarks on the investigative attempts by NFL insiders to dissect the event:

"And now all the nerds at the NFL are all like posted pictures of the Starbucks. They're like I'm doing investigative Work here..." [02:26]

The discussion pivots to the credibility of sources, with Billy Gill questioning whether the story was initially broken by PFT or another outlet:

"Let's find out whether it was the real fake real or the fake PFT that broke the story..." [03:12]

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Draft Talks: Abdul Carter vs. Cam Ward

A significant portion of the conversation centers around the uncertainties surrounding the upcoming NFL draft, especially concerning the potential number one pick.

Mike Ryan introduces the looming possibility of Abdul Carter requiring surgery, thereby shaking his status as the frontrunner:

"Don't look now, but Cam Ward may actually be the number one pick." [04:38]

Billy Gill and Dan Le Batard debate the implications of this shift, with Dan expressing his preference for drafting Cam Ward due to his versatility:

"You have a unicorn that can play on both sides of the ball..." [05:05]

The hosts also critique the overall quality of the quarterback class, referencing past drafts and current sentiments:

"2018 kind of rough, but other than that, there's no such thing." [05:40]

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Workplace Culture in Sports Organizations

The discussion takes a philosophical turn as the hosts analyze the correlation between a grueling work environment and team success in sports.

Amin Elhassan posits that successful individuals in sports often adopt an "asshole" demeanor as a byproduct of their competitiveness:

"The most successful individuals... are also, like, giant assholes..." [16:06]

Jessica counters by emphasizing that it's not just individual treatment but organizational culture that demands sacrifices:

"The thing is, you can't say, well, it's my wife's whatever, when everyone else is like, well, we're here, we're working..." [16:51]

Billy Gill challenges Amin's viewpoint, questioning the ethical implications of sacrificing employee well-being for success:

"You're saying that there is a link. You're saying causation." [17:37]

This segment delves into real-world examples, citing figures like Bill Belichick and organizations like the Chiefs and Dolphins, to illustrate how leadership styles impact team dynamics and employee satisfaction.

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The Tush Push Controversy

Shifting back to on-field strategies, the hosts discuss the recent debates surrounding the "Tush Push" play, popularized by the Philadelphia Eagles.

Billy Gill critiques the play's entertainment value, arguing it detracts from the game's appeal:

"I would argue the Tush push is bad for that sport... it's not entertaining." [39:08]

Mike Ryan provides counterpoints, highlighting its strategic benefits and the challenges in defending against it:

"Teams were stopping it, especially in the playoffs... but they have also been stopped." [39:17]

Dan Le Batard humorously suggests alternative play calls to balance offense and entertainment:

"First down. Tush push, Tush push. Tush push. First down... all the way to the end zone." [40:06]

The debate underscores the delicate balance between innovative play-calling and maintaining the sport's core appeal to fans.

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Behind the Scenes: Workplace Dynamics on the Show

Interwoven with the main discussions are candid moments among the hosts, showcasing their camaraderie and banter. A humorous segment ensues when the hosts joke about implementing costume days to enforce workplace discipline:

Billy Gill: "I'm gonna fire somebody today... and watch everybody will be wearing cocktails costumes." [42:28]

This lighthearted exchange serves as a reflection of the show's informal and engaging atmosphere, contrasting the more serious topics discussed.

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Conclusion

"Don't Look Now" serves as a comprehensive exploration of current NFL narratives, the complexities of draft decisions, and the often-overlooked impact of organizational culture on team success. Through insightful analysis and engaging dialogue, Dan Le Batard and his co-hosts provide listeners with a nuanced understanding of the sports landscape, all while maintaining the show's signature blend of humor and candidness.

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Notable Quotes:

• Stugotz on Venmo Introduction:

  "It's the sound of money hitting your Venmo account..." [00:12]

• Billy Gill on Draft Story Source:

  "Let's find out whether it was the real fake real or the fake PFT that broke the story..." [03:12]

• Amin Elhassan on Competitive Culture:

  "We've seen all the videos that came out in the Last Dance... where he's talking about how miserable it is to be Michael Jordan." [18:57]

• Jessica on Workplace Sacrifices:

  "I'm saying the things that we call a bad place to work... because we're playing on that day." [16:58]

• Billy Gill on Tush Push Debate:

  "I would argue the Tush push is bad for that sport. I would argue I don't want my customers to be entertained by four scrums a game..." [39:08]

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This episode masterfully balances in-depth sports analysis with personal anecdotes and humorous exchanges, offering listeners both entertainment and insightful commentary on the ever-evolving world of sports.

Transcript

[Dan Le Batard]

You're listening to giraffkings Network.

[Stugotz]

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[Amin Elhassan]

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[Billy Gill]

This is the Dan Levatar show with the Stugats Podcast.

[Stugotz]

This episode of the Dan LeBatard show with Stugots is presented by DraftKings. DraftKings the Crown is yours.

[Billy Gill]

We only have an hour left and a post game show to hunt down Jordan Schultz, friend of the show on verbally accosting Ian Rapoport at a Starbucks in Indianapolis. We need more information on that story. All of us are interested in what the accosting consisted of.

[Dan Le Batard]

And now all the nerds at the NFL are all like posted pictures of the Starbucks. They're like I'm doing investigative Work here. Like, oh, I'm gonna get down to the bottom of the other all. Like, I'm an Indy, too. Look, I'm at the Starbuck. I'm so jealous of them. I want to be there.

[Jessica]

Do you? Have you ever been?

[Dan Le Batard]

No, I've never been in the combine, but I watch it on TV every year.

[Mike Ryan]

Everyone that goes says it's fun.

[Jessica]

It's all about what happens after hours, right?

[Mike Ryan]

Yeah, the drinking.

[Jessica]

Exactly. St. Elmo's.

[Mike Ryan]

I like to drink.

[Billy Gill]

Well, I believe this story, the Jordan Schultz Ian Rapoport story was broken by PFT from. Pardon my take, I believe he was the one inter. Isn't that the one that ended up spreading? I'm thinking I saw the.

[Dan Le Batard]

The story that Florio wrote initially, but it may have been broke. Maybe the other pft.

[Billy Gill]

All right, well, let's find out. Let's find out whether it was the real fake real or the fake PFT that broke the story of the combat.

[Mike Ryan]

We are primed for a great find here for Dan. If it's the actual pft.

[Billy Gill]

What is. What is it about media fights that makes this something that everyone is interested in? When I told you yesterday that some of the news that came out of the scouting combine, because the information people are gathering with the football people. This is a partial list of the news that came out yesterday that Jamar Chase is going to be the highest paid non quarterback in the league. This turned out to be refuted that Gronk was making a comeback. Gronk is defi. Is denying that, but the Raiders might trade up for Cam Ward.

[Stugotz]

Is this don't look now what's happening right now?

[Billy Gill]

The Eagles. The Eagles were going to try and get in on Myles Garrett is. Don't look now.

[Mike Ryan]

Hey, are you looking, pal?

[Amin Elhassan]

Stop looking.

[Jessica]

Are you looking? You got to stop.

[Billy Gill]

I didn't know that don't look now was just football information.

[Mike Ryan]

No, don't look now is mostly football information. At least that's how it's been grandfathered in. And if you're trying to jump in and talk right now as an ensemble cast, know that I cannot see you whatsoever.

[Billy Gill]

I guess we're doing don't look now, even though that's not what I thought we were doing.

[Stugotz]

We're all not looking, but Dan still is, so.

[Billy Gill]

Okay, I will stop looking.

[Mike Ryan]

Just waiting for Chris to hit the music.

[Stugotz]

No, that's good. There's no music.

[Mike Ryan]

There's no music.

[Stugotz]

Yeah.

[Mike Ryan]

All right. You tell me when to go.

[Stugotz]

Go ahead.

[Billy Gill]

Why don't you just hit the Duvall Sound.

[Mike Ryan]

Are you looking? Are you looking?

[Billy Gill]

No.

[Mike Ryan]

All right. No one look me in the eye. Dan. This is very easy for you because.

[Billy Gill]

Your eyes aren't showing.

[Mike Ryan]

Don't look now, but there is all sorts of confusion as to what's going to happen with the number one pick. Abdul Carter may have to get surgery now. Now, there was all sorts of whispers and smoke, rumor and innuendo out of the combine that he was positioned to be the number one pick, especially when you saw the Landry news. But now with this injury and potential surgery. Don't look now, but Cam Ward may actually be the number one pick.

[Billy Gill]

Wow.

[Jessica]

The confirming.

[Billy Gill]

That's a. That's a good look. That's a good. Don't look now.

[Mike Ryan]

Dan, what would you do with this number one pick? Because this is one of the more complicated number one picks that I can ever remember. There's no consensus number one. It's not a great quarterback class, but we can all agree that Kane Ward is a top it. I know you're a big Cam Ward guy. You have a unicorn that can play on both sides of the ball. And you have a prototypical number 11 from Penn State pass rusher. Those always seem to work out.

[Stugotz]

Answer while not looking.

[Billy Gill]

Isn't it a bad draft? I mean, the top 10 is good, but doesn't it then get weak after that such thing?

[Dan Le Batard]

Except for that one time, 2018 kind of rough, but other than that, there's no such thing.

[Mike Ryan]

Well, bad quarterback draft, no doubt.

[Billy Gill]

I thought it was a bad draft in general. Did I not hear Adam Schefter say the other day that what you get at number 10 is usually what you'd get at number 35? Isn't that what I just heard Adam Schefter say?

[Jessica]

Don't look now, but Mike isn't talking into the mic.

[Mike Ryan]

Don't look now, but Andy Dalton has resigned with the Carolina Panthers, and it's a nice insurance policy behind Bryce Young. But do we have confidence that the Bryce Young that we saw at the tail end of the season is real? Bryce. Bryce Young. I mean, I like this as an insurance policy. No doubt, guys, but I'm curious to hear your thoughts.

[Jessica]

Is it okay if I check my watch while Mike is talking since he can't look now?

[Billy Gill]

Well, he's off Mike, and he's looking in the wrong place.

[Mike Ryan]

Well, I can hear, so I'm sorry. Thank you for correcting Don't Look Now.

[Stugotz]

It's presented by Smirnoff, the world's number one vodka. Please drink responsibly don't look now, but.

[Mike Ryan]

Eric Bedard has been on like 40 line combinations for the Chicago Blackhawks. I'm pretty certain he may not be putting.

[Dan Le Batard]

I'm not going to look at that, but I do want to look at the, the draft thing.

[Mike Ryan]

Did I call him Eric Bedard?

[Dan Le Batard]

You did.

[Billy Gill]

Yeah, you did.

[Mike Ryan]

Oh, I'm sorry. It's a Canadian.

[Stugotz]

I've done that too.

[Dan Le Batard]

I thought you were doing like a Lady Gaga bit, so I just kind.

[Billy Gill]

Of let it go.

[Dan Le Batard]

2013 was the draft of the last two decades that is considered not the best. Not the best. This one maybe, but I'm not looking.

[Mike Ryan]

Don't look now, but Anthony Richardson and the Indianapolis Colts may be headed for a breakup. The GM was non committal and Kevin Clark had a report today from the Combine had a report today from the Combine that they may not be able to fix these issues between these two.

[Billy Gill]

Anthony Richardson has played like what College and Pro20 total starts. How many total starts does Anthony Richardson has before?

[Dan Le Batard]

I'm not going to look, but I am going to look at my texts because PFT commenter confirmed he did break the story.

[Jessica]

Oh, wow.

[Billy Gill]

Thank you. One of my three favorite words.

[Mike Ryan]

Don't look now, but there is a.

[Stugotz]

I think we got it, Mike. Thank you.

[Billy Gill]

Yeah, we do have it. Let's check in with some podcasts going.

[Mike Ryan]

To the New York Giants.

[Jessica]

Don't listen now either.

[Billy Gill]

Let's. Let's go to some podcaster on podcaster crime here. We've got two very good podcasts that may or may not be feuding with each other. Other. It is what it is with Cam and Mace and you've got Shannon Sharp and Ochocinko have nightcap and so let's play the sound of Camron going after Ochocinko in a way that caught some people off guard yesterday.

[Guillermo]

I don't really with Chad Orchocinko, to be totally honest with you. He all right. But at the end of the day, when we started this show, the was hating from the very beginning. We started the show, we was doing very well. It was very successful. We didn't have no deal, no sponsors or nothing. We was doing this off the muscle. He comes out of nowhere talking about, yeah, I'm gonna get myself back together and I'm taking Cam's spot. Why the you gotta take my spot? You talking about you've been a football player your whole life now because I'm doing sports, you come take my spot. And at that particular time we had only been doing the show about two And a half months, three months. But that's how much of an impact that I had that. That felt threatened, you know what I'm saying? Then after that we tried to call him, shout out to my bub. My bub knows some. He know I tried to give him a job. He like, yo, talk to my agent. I said I'm talking to you now. What the. Oh, I don't do business like that. I talk to my agent. See, you so dumb you can't even speak for yourself. Stupid. I tried to offer you more paper than you probably get now. Ask Mark Jackson how he got paid. Ask Mike Irvin how much he got paid. Ask them if they was living lovely off the checks me and Murder was sending. Ask him. I bet you you ain't getting paid the money that Mark Jackson and Mike Irvin got paid working with us. I don't know this for a fact, but ask Mike Irvin and ask Mark Jackson if they get paid lovely. And if I threaten like you, this is why you going to do the you doing telling Stephen a about getting your piece. Yo, I don't like you. I don't like you. I don't like your con. Your whole style is made and I don't with you.

[Billy Gill]

That was.

[Stugotz]

What did he mean by that?

[Billy Gill]

That was smoke.

[Amin Elhassan]

Want some popcorn?

[Dan Le Batard]

No.

[Jessica]

Oh my God.

[Billy Gill]

We don't have enough beefs around here. We only do Gary Fuhrmann. That's legitimate beef.

[Dan Le Batard]

Is that why you try to make us beef with each other all the time?

[Jessica]

Yeah, that's what he wants.

[Stugotz]

You love beef.

[Billy Gill]

I don't need to make you guys beef. You guys beef. Naturally. Yesterday's my note taking was interrupted by Jeremy, who's the nicest among us, shouting at Fuentes. You're a short sighted moron.

[Chris Cody]

That's right.

[Amin Elhassan]

I was also talking about Mike, this Mike.

[Stugotz]

So much popcorn on my back right now.

[Jessica]

Don't look now.

[Dan Le Batard]

Is this Dan's special popcorn?

[Billy Gill]

It is not. Oh, better. What? How dare you.

[Dan Le Batard]

How dare Chris has so much popcorn in his hood.

[Stugotz]

Burn.

[Billy Gill]

Oh shit.

[Stugotz]

Let me put my hood on and see how this goes.

[Billy Gill]

How dare you accuse me blasphemously of producing that particular popcorn. You'd know it was mine. It would be sprinkled with all sorts of mysteries and magic.

[Dan Le Batard]

I can't eat popcorn this early in the morning.

[Billy Gill]

You can't?

[Stugotz]

Mike, get away from the computer, please.

[Billy Gill]

Yeah, Mike, Mike, just. You're all tangled up.

[Stugotz]

Nope, it's not time for a.

[Amin Elhassan]

Turn it up.

[Billy Gill]

Here is something we like to call straw man. Is that guy. Mike, get back in your place, man. You're just fouling up everything with your. Don't look.

[Dan Le Batard]

Don't look now.

[Billy Gill]

Were we supposed to release him from. Don't look now. I don't know. I don't know how this bit works. I don't know what it is.

[Mike Ryan]

No other cues to take. You're going to have to say it's.

[Jessica]

That interview with a vampire. What do you mean we have to release you?

[Dan Le Batard]

I release you.

[Billy Gill]

Can you guys tell me whether or not you met yesterday's news of the NFLPA polling of franchises that treat their employees best with a yawn? When we celebrated it when the Dolphins were winning and Mike McDaniel was turning things around. But when you get the reports that yesterday, for the second year in a row, the Vikings and the Dolphins are the two teams that treat their employees best, it was. It felt like a more charming story when everyone liked a little bit more what Mike McDaniel and the dolphins were doing. Now they're under some pressure and heat, and it lands as if, like, maybe he needs to treat the employees a little bit worse.

[Dan Le Batard]

I mean, yeah, the flip side is the Chiefs having, like, low ratings and ownership for the last couple of years, but they've won several Super Bowls and been in three back to. Back to back.

[Billy Gill]

They like Andy Reid. The Chiefs. What's funny about Andy Reid and the Chiefs is that overall, as an organization, the Chiefs get very bad grades, grades that are comparable to Woody Johnson's. But everyone loves Andy Reid, so they're putting all of the fault elsewhere. None of the responsibility on the guy who's responsible for creating the culture.

[Jessica]

This is like Ian Carmel, the comedian. He has a standup special that's out now, and in it, he talks about all the countries that gave us the best dumplings. Also have a history of fascism, so it's the same thing. It's like all the organizations that give us great traditions of winning also treat their employees like shit. Maybe that's. Maybe that's a prereq. Who knows?

[Billy Gill]

Really? You guys. You guys think that. That you guys are going to do correlation causation? What are you guys going to do with the idea of. Because Belichick, notoriously, Darkness. It was dark and cold. Everything Patriots was dark and cold. You're going to make a link? I guess I could probably do it in football. Maybe I can make a link between the amount of discipline, the amount of, you know, iron fist that the players are. Are getting. But I would assume that most players wouldn't like to play under, you know, conditions that make it so that Woody Johnson is getting an F or. We're talking about just amenities that feel minor league. In some of the instances, some of the. In some of the instances, the employees are saying, this doesn't feel like it's professional. It doesn't feel like it's major league. It doesn't feel like I'm at the top of my business.

[Jessica]

You know, it's weird, Dan, because I've often thought about organizations that have a lot of resources, tend not to operate as efficiently. And it's terrible because I hated working for an organization that was cheap and cut corners at every single turn. But I also recognize, on some level, man, they made us really, really good at, like, squeezing every last drop of blood out of a stone, right? And I think there is, like, a balance between. You got to give people the tools to do their job, make an environment that's healthy, while at the same time not maybe not lavish people with greatness. Because at the end of the day, we're talking about paying the ultimate price, right? The ultimate price is you miss Christmas, you miss Thanksgiving, you miss holidays, you miss birthdays, you miss. I can't remember. It was a general manager told me. I said, he's a guy who had a lot of kids. And I said, how do you manage it? And he said, honestly, one of the things we do is that we don't have anniversary dates. We have, like, weeks. So at any point in this general vicinity, we're going to celebrate this. It's not going to be on that particular day, because otherwise, if we're staying hard and fast with the day, Honey, this is our wedding anniversary. 100 is your birthday, whatever, then I'm going to miss a lot of them.

[Billy Gill]

I'm shocked by what Amin is saying. He is basically saying that in order to win, you've got a better chance of winning in sports if you're an asshole to your employee. That's what he's saying. Well, that is what you're saying.

[Jessica]

More. More than that, then much more dastardly than that. You have a better chance of winning if you're an asshole to your family. Like, if you are not a good spouse. Not saying, like, oh, carousing and stuff. I'm saying, like, inattentive and like, you're so ingrained and focused on this right here that it makes you not very supportive. You miss the kids play, you miss this. Whatever that's probably going to lend towards success.

[Stugotz]

And text my wife this clip.

[Jessica]

So if this is right, if that's your starting point. If you're like Bill Belichick and say, I don't do birthdays, I don't do anniversaries, this is the life, right? This is the life I chose. It's easy for him to say that, but then the rest of the organization follows suit. I remember a long time ago, someone I worked with, the son said, look around, everybody here is married. And he said, you know what that is? I said, well, no. I said, because Jerry's married now. There was another organization at the time where the guy at the top was not married. And you say, you could go through the whole front office. None of those guys are married. Because the thing is, you can't say, well, it's my wife's whatever, when everyone else is like, well, we're here, we're working. That's the ultimate price we're talking about.

[Billy Gill]

I think anywhere I find competitive people and excellence, I'm going to find a lack of general balance.

[Jessica]

Yes.

[Billy Gill]

I think I'm going to find a whole bunch of people who are lopsided. It is very difficult to compete against everybody who's super competitive at being excellent when they're doing things that give them life balance and you're consumed by your job every day. But I'm talking about two different things there. I'm not talking about life balance. You're actively saying. You're saying that there is a link. I'm going to win more if my employees have to make sacrifices that make them feel unappreciated in their environment because, say, the amenities in the kitchen are less than the Dolphins or the Vikings have.

[Jessica]

I'm saying that the things that we call a bad place to work, sometimes it's, oh, my God, my boss treats me like shit. And then sometimes it's just, oh, we didn't have Thanksgiving Day off. And I'm like, yeah, because we're playing on that day. That's why we didn't have it off. And if you're going to be someone who holds on to those things because a regular person, a normal person does have those flexibilities, it would make for a shitty place to work. But also, in the words of Paul Abdul, maybe this isn't the place for you.

[Amin Elhassan]

Well, this is also why, like, sports is such a different thing than so many other industries, because ultimately, like, most of the most successful individuals that we've ever seen in sports are also, like, giant assholes, right? Like, Michael Jordan is not necessarily known as, like, this kumbaya super cool to hang out with. Type of guy. He's also someone who had to be pretty miserable through the experience of being one of the greatest in the world. Because even though you're being lavished with praise and money, you know, we've seen all the videos that came out in the Last Dance and otherwise where he's talking about how miserable it is to be Michael Jordan. So this is. Whether it's organizationally or individually, you're dealing with people who, if they're that competitive to be the very greatest, are probably also kind of assholes.

[Jessica]

So in a weird way, this conversation ties together this whole show today because Michael Kosta tells us about that misery of rooting against someone's success. Right. Timothee Chalamet talking about, I want to win this. I want to be known as one of the greats. And that place all coming together right behind Jeremy is a cardboard cutout of Pat Riley.

[Stugotz]

It's cardboard.

[Jessica]

Oh, it's a statue. Excuse me. Pat Riley. I remember talking these years and years ago the video coordinators in Miami, where I was like, hey, you go out, it's like, no, I gotta get. I gotta get back. Because Pat calls the office line in the video room at six in the morning to make sure they're in there. And I said, but it's August. He says, it doesn't matter. Right. If that is your workplace, Dan, does that sound like a great. Like a cool place to work? Great work, life balance?

[Billy Gill]

No, no, no.

[Jessica]

But. But if I ask you any organization in this league, regardless of the talent on the court, the way they run it, who runs the most championship culture organization in this league, you'd point to the man behind Jeremy right now.

[Billy Gill]

Well, but this is the thing, though, that I. Later in life, okay, as I have spent a lot of time examining where it is that I've been competitive and discarded some of the things later in life that I think I had backwards on how competitive I should be. I have talked to so many athletes and coaches, and a regret I hear all the time is, I wish I'd enjoyed it more while I was doing it because I was so threatened by the number of people around me who were coming after and wanting the same things. And we're talking about my livelihood and feeding my family that I couldn't enjoy it. And now you're sitting here, you're attaching it to winning. You're. You're saying, the worse I treat the employees, the better off I am as a team, the more likely I am to have success. You're making it a correlation. You're making it causation.

[Jessica]

I'm not saying that. I'm saying many of the things that make you successful would be to normal people unacceptable as a work environment.

[Amin Elhassan]

And I would argue that that might be shifting. That's the history of this. That's the history of this. Because those types of things and how you motivate an individual that you need to succeed is generally changing. We've seen it with some of the, you know, entitlement, for lack of a better word that we talk about with some of these young individual stars. How do you motivate the people in your workplace? That's shifting obviously in workplaces like this and elsewhere, but in the sports avenue, it is shifting ever so slightly. And that's why when you find guys like Cooper Flag that we talk about as these competitive asshole maniacs, everyone salivates over them because that mold of person is also.

[Billy Gill]

Well, let me, let me ask you guys this as it relates to our environment, because we've been talking about for a couple of weeks here, I thought you guys wanted a loose reign. I think most people listening to this would think that they would want to work in this environment, but this environment has a general lack of consequences. I'll give you one example. Okay. I've been saying for I don't know how many years now that I would like people to wear costumes and.

[Jessica]

Oh, you're this environment and.

[Billy Gill]

Well, I'm talking now about this environment. Yeah, I'm talking now about what makes people successful and an absence of consequences. I assume that if tomorrow and this would be funny, it would be a funny way if I fired somebody for the first time and the reason was not wearing a costume. I imagine that then people would then wear their costumes and the audience would get the payoff from the grid of death punishment.

[Dan Le Batard]

If I also imagine a lot of people wouldn't want to work here.

[Billy Gill]

Agreed. But it would be better. It would be better as a show if we got the costume.

[Amin Elhassan]

My point, it would be better as a show if we got a costume let go of an employee.

[Dan Le Batard]

It doesn't matter if Chris Cody's kid has health insurance anymore. You should have just dressed up that day.

[Billy Gill]

That is correct. But the show would be better to. To a means.

[Mike Ryan]

Better if we lost Chris Cody.

[Billy Gill]

No, the show would be better if that day costumes were worn and then the show would get better every time costumes are worn. I'm saying that a means point on this one would be, yes, people would like to work here less, but you might get a better result on consequences. And Accountability. Because we do have those problems here. They're. They're legion.

[Jessica]

What's the price you want to pay? That's. That's what it comes down to. What price are you willing to pay? And ultimately I'm talking for sports. I don't know from a media company because I don't even know what wins or losses.

[Billy Gill]

Well, don't you. It's the, the argument that, the argument to have is do you get better results from your employees if you make it a nice comfortable place to work or if you make it an uncomfortable place to work and your results oriented, that it's. I know, Jessica. I understand what you're saying. It's the environment that I've pledged myself to.

[Dan Le Batard]

But how comfortable and nice do you think the is? Like, maybe this shouldn't be a conversation for on air, but I would argue that you think it's a lot more comfortable and nice from your vantage point than a lot of us do from ours.

[Billy Gill]

But when it comes to costumes, this one's pretty simple. Like that.

[Dan Le Batard]

Give you costume.

[Amin Elhassan]

Well, don't you worry, Dan. We have a plan in place for costumes every other week. Did you get to football season?

[Stugotz]

Did you ask for anything yesterday?

[Chris Cody]

That's a good question.

[Amin Elhassan]

Executed immediately.

[Stugotz]

Yeah, look at us.

[Mike Ryan]

Yes.

[Stugotz]

Pat on the back. Thank you.

[Chris Cody]

All right, I know I gotta do this ad read, but hold on, let me reapply.

[Dan Le Batard]

Did you hear that?

[Billy Gill]

Yep.

[Chris Cody]

That's my new favorite lip gloss from NYX Cosmetics. Now I'm ready to talk to you. I've been a huge fan of NYX Cosmetics for many years now. In fact, I use their Thick It Stick it brow gel every single day. So you can imagine my excitement when we recently received a special delivery to the Lebitard Studios from our friends over at NYX Cosmetics. And there it was when I opened the box. Glowing. I heard the angels sing. It's their latest lip gloss, Fat Oil Lip Drip. It's Nyx Cosmetics first lip oil of its kind. This creamy lip oil will have your lips dripping with fat perks. You get all the shine of a lip gloss and none of the stickiness while experiencing 12 hour hydration. I'm usually a matte lip gloss kind of gal. My normal go to is NYX Cosmetics lip Gloss, the lingerie and xxl. But after applying the status update shade, I have found my new go to lip gloss. Fat Oil Lip Drip has high shine finish with comfortable wear and none of the sticky texture. A lip product that's hydrating, non sticky and only $9. Now that's a win. Try Fat Oil Lip Drip from NYX Professional makeup, available in 14 universally flattering shades. Find your perfect Fat Oil Lip Drip. Shop [e-mail] or retailer near you hey.

[Amin Elhassan]

There travelers and dreamers. We all have that dream trip that we've been wishing we could go on, but too often life just gets in the way, whether it's work, family responsibilities, or in my case and I'm sure many of yours, price. But your dream trip doesn't have to stay a dream any longer because Priceline is here to help you book it with millions of deals on hotels, flights, cruises and rental cars that Bucket list destination? Yeah, it's a lot closer than you think. You know, I've been wanting to go see the Pittsburgh Pirates for a long time at PNC park in Pittsburgh. That's like at the top of my list of bucket list destinations of baseball parks around the country. And because I now know about the type of deals that Priceline offers, I may pull the trigger this summer and go see those Pirates. Priceline makes it easy and stress free to book a flight and a hotel so I can go see my team play live. With millions of travel deals like up to 60% off hotels, I know I'll be able to find great options even when I need to book last minute. So don't just dream about that next trip. Book it with Priceline, download the Priceline app or visit priceline.com to go to your Happy price. Actual prices may vary. Limited time offer terms apply.

[Mike Ryan]

Hey folks, Happy wintertime. You know, wintertime's a great time to hang out with friends, maybe take a hockey trip. It's what I did with my friends. Hockey time quickly became Miller Time responsibly, of course, because Miller Light was made for me and my crew of friends. Bunch of guys that love the taste of beer and don't want to feel guilty about the beer that they're having. Miller Lite delivers across almost every note. Because Miller Lite is brewed for taste, it hits different than other light beers. The taste you know you can depend on with no games and no gimmicks. Just a great beer for people who like beer. Like you, like my friends, and like me. 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 tastes like Miller Time. Celebrate responsibly. Miller Brewing Co. Milwaukee, Wisconsin 96 calories and 3.2 carbs per 12 ounces.

[Billy Gill]

Don Le.

[Dan Le Batard]

I don't like smelly either.

[Billy Gill]

Stugats.

[Dan Le Batard]

Women stay home in the kitchen where they belong.

[Billy Gill]

This is the Dan Levatar show with the Stugats.

[Mike Ryan]

Are you saying don't look now, but costumes are coming?

[Billy Gill]

Is that what's being alleged for the first time now? Costumes are coming, by the way.

[Jessica]

I just want to point out something for the audio listeners that in. In the middle of this very serious conversation we had, Mike started looking behind Pat Riley because he wanted to see if there was a Steve Kerr statue behind him.

[Stugotz]

We cut away from it right when he got to it.

[Amin Elhassan]

You want to ruin the show with this already?

[Jessica]

Oh, my God.

[Amin Elhassan]

I only have like 15 minutes left.

[Jessica]

I want to get into it legitimately loud because he put on the don't look now blindfold. Just started bumping around back there.

[Billy Gill]

Louis just said maybe. Louis just said in my ear maybe. Set up the bit correctly. Also hostile work environment. That's just the commentary that I just got in my.

[Mike Ryan]

Some accountability. You got preview screens, pal.

[Billy Gill]

I heard what Amin said and I wonder. I know that the audience. You've heard me say before. Sports fans want their team to be run by the boss they themselves would not like to have. And Amin is telling you that basically, the more miserable the work environment, the more likely I am to get the results that I want against sports.

[Jessica]

I'm not saying that. I'm saying some of the things that will be asked of you many people would consider to be miserable Now. Now I work for Steve Kerr in Phoenix. Steve Kerr is not a taskmaster, right? He is a people person. He's a great motivator, great leader. And as a result, I worked a lot. I worked like 15 hour days and I never complained about it. And I worked every single day. I think there was a stretch of, like, I wanna say, 800 days in a row. I came to work in one shape or form or fashion. It wasn't because Steve Kerr was like, you'll get fired if you don't. But it is because I understood it to be. This is the cost of doing this, right? You want to be a part of this thing and you want this thing to be successful. This is what is expected of you. Now I'm like, this is great. I work with Steve Kerr. I work with Alvin Gentry and David Griffin, all these great people, and Steve Nash and Grant Hill. I'm living my dream, but I know I could. Holy shit. Scared the shit out of me.

[Billy Gill]

It would be better if he didn't interrupt you while you were talking. But continue.

[Jessica]

It could have been. It could have hit Dan first.

[Billy Gill]

The.

[Mike Ryan]

But you can't see, so.

[Jessica]

No, that's true. It's a good point. Don't look now, but the.

[Billy Gill]

Is he still tied to the headset? That cord is gonna break and hit someone in the head. Like, that cord cannot be this long that it allows him to be stuck to things. Is it still interfering with your board over there? You don't get the show. Is it still knocking over but buttons and stuff? You were saying?

[Jessica]

What I was saying was, Dan, as I describe that life to people, I know there are plenty of people who are like, that's ridiculous. What do you mean, 800 days in a row? What do you mean? 15 hour days? What do you mean? And they can't accept that. It's like, I would hate working there.

[Billy Gill]

It doesn't make sense that he would be standing over there and knocking over the Tony music. I don't think it is time now for a weekly update on our favorite team. No, no, no.

[Jessica]

How dig. How deep are we digging for these sounds? Because some of these sounds I have not heard in years. White woman. Cannonball.

[Billy Gill]

All right, we need to stop doing that. It's long past knowing Mike.

[Jessica]

You need to look now.

[Billy Gill]

Yeah. You need to.

[Stugotz]

I release helmet of heart.

[Billy Gill]

Are we gonna get Jordan Schultz? Because he was a friend of the show and now he's running away.

[Stugotz]

He told Monday it's a little late.

[Billy Gill]

Yeah, we don't wanna.

[Dan Le Batard]

If it's Monday, it better be an exclusive.

[Billy Gill]

Everyone's gonna have fed at that particular trough by Monday. That's not gonna do us any good.

[Jessica]

Well, to be fair, he's at the combine, so it's a little harder for him to, like, get loose in order to do a hit. But, yes, I'm with you guys. That would suck if you had gave it to pft, for example. Who is there? Maybe we should have someone there. Jessica, how fast can you get to the combine?

[Dan Le Batard]

I can get you Charles McDonald right now.

[Billy Gill]

Jessica, you articulating an envy that everyone is at St. Elmo's in Indianapolis at an event that. What is the fun that you're getting off of this event that I'm not seeing? Is it just being around the whiff of football?

[Dan Le Batard]

I'm just getting fomo. I'm getting text messages all night with updates on the. This silly story, and I just. I wish I was there to gossip about it in person.

[Billy Gill]

Do all of you wish that you were there? That. Scott, the scouting combine is something that. That fills you with yearning and oogling also.

[Dan Le Batard]

I want to see Olaiman on Sunday.

[Stugotz]

I'd like to go once. That'd be cool. You know, check out the scene.

[Jessica]

The, the reality, Dan, is that they go out and they get hammered every night, right? And, and it's a very collegial atmosphere where you have all of these people, we all cover the same sport. We all know like. Oh, it's kind of like their version of summer league, I guess. You go out and you drink every night basically.

[Billy Gill]

The thing that. When did Armstead, Taron Armstead, the Dolphins left tackle, when did he run at the combine was. It would have been, I guess probably 10 or 11 years ago. I don't know what his height and weight is, but he ran a 4, 7 1, which I think remains the fastest time an offensive lineman has ever run at the combine.

[Amin Elhassan]

He is listed at 65304 pounds.

[Billy Gill]

The, the Scouting combine produces a lot of athletic freak numbers. Was it, was it worthy who had the fastest 40 time in the history of the combine? Because these guys have gotten so good at the mechanics of running the 40 well or, or testing well whether anything to do with football or not.

[Jessica]

4.21 seconds was that record. But this was just brought up. Did you guys see Pac man Jones with McAfee the other day? Pac Man's almost 40 years old. He ran like a 4540451. I want to say that's insane for a 40 year old who has been through that sport and had the beatings that he's had to be able to just get up and say, yeah, I can run a 40, almost a 4, 440.

[Billy Gill]

From the numbers that we just discussed. I don't know if the most stunning thing in any of the numbers is the fact that the fastest combine time ever is worthy. And that half a second later is when armstead finishes the 40 yard dash as a left tackle. That the difference in speed between the fastest guy in the sport and the fastest guy testing at the combine and a left tackle is half of a second.

[Stugotz]

I mean a half a second is like an hour at the 40 yard dash.

[Billy Gill]

But you, you think that the, you think that any of you think any of us could come within a half second of four, seven one of what Armstead is running. Like to hear an offensive lineman at 471 is a total insanity.

[Jessica]

By the way, he also has a 34 1/2 inch vertical jump. That's. That is kind of insane for an officer.

[Billy Gill]

Can we play the sound Please of Mike McDaniel? Talking this week about what it is that the Dolphins need, because the idea that the Dolphins are still after. I've spent this entire, this entire century listening to the Dolphins talk about how they have to improve along the offensive line.

[Stugotz]

I'm excited because I think we have a tangible opportunity to improve. And that starts in free agency with a couple of, you know, guys that we have targeted that we, you know, you think that you can get a deal done with them and that continues into the draft. I think this is a very, there's a. It's a very good time to have, you know, some need and we have. It's time for us to invest in that position. Excited to. And that can come. I would expect it to surface itself in both free agency and the draft. Man, it's so funny how he rubs me the wrong way now know, like, I used to love hearing him talk and now it just annoys me. I have heard this from him and the GM every off season for the last five seasons. It's like, oh, we got options in free agency. We're gonna look at the draft. Yeah, no, how about you actually get someone though this time? It's always this statement, and then they spend a third round pick on a guard that stinks. And that's all we do.

[Dan Le Batard]

We knew this stick would get old. We all knew. We all knew one day you're not gonna find this guy so cute.

[Stugotz]

God, was he charming at the beginning.

[Dan Le Batard]

We got there.

[Stugotz]

I just got there in this clip. Like I'm telling you before the clip, I was still good with McDonald during that. I'm like, I've heard this for five years. Done with it.

[Jessica]

He's not coming to Heat games anymore, huh? He's the bell of the ball. Sit courtside.

[Billy Gill]

You guys know how all this stuff is copycat in that league. We've talked before about how innovation ends up being something that is forced upon the league because somebody is a front runner. The Philadelphia Eagles just sort of changed how people win at football. Correct. Like, I understand that this has been true since the beginning of time, but we had a space age movement to all the young coaches, all the, all the guys throwing quick routes and scheming and then they go back to, no, we're just going to maul you. We're just going to maul you with our offensive lineman and we're going to have Sirianni do it and we're just going to, you know, Saquon Barkley is going to run down your throat. Does this mean that we're going to Go now to watching teams try to out offensive linemen, everybody. Because one of the big news items that came from the league, from the scouting combine was a team has complained about the Tush push. A team wants it banned. And then Diana Rossini reported that team is the Packers. The packers have said that they don't want that, that play to exist in the sport, the Eagles. And a lot of people say, if you don't want us to run the play, stop it. But I'd argue the Tush push is bad for that sport. I would argue I don't want my customers to be entertained by four scrums a game when I've only got 11 minutes of action. And four of them are going to be stupid rugby scrums that not only can injure people, but are just. We are going to try and get six inches because you can never stop us from getting six inches. That's not entertaining. It's not. If what you care about is made for television product, that that is not something your customers are going to like.

[Jessica]

I'm going to be the football ignorant person in the room. A, how often does that happen? B, how many teams are actually good at it? We know the Eagles are good at it, but is anyone else?

[Stugotz]

Bills?

[Billy Gill]

No, not, not. I mean, they do it really good. Well, they, they. Well, they lost. Their season ended because they weren't good enough at it at the end.

[Mike Ryan]

Well, teams were stopping it, especially in the playoffs. Kansas City had success stopping it against Buffalo. Washington had success and it gave us a very memorable repeated offsides in which the. The referee was threatening them. But they had success within that game, made Philadelphia uncomfortable and do different things. I. Ultimately, I think that the league's just got to get better at stopping.

[Stugotz]

Okay, what can you outlaw the pushing behind a player because a quarterback you can't take out of the game.

[Mike Ryan]

Listen, did you think Goldberg's streak was bad in WCW because like, this is an unstoppable thing. And the second that someone's gonna stop it in a crucial moment, you're gonna be thankful for this narrative going into that moment, right?

[Dan Le Batard]

Like it's this crazy unstoppable play because they're so good at it and they practice it a lot. Right?

[Billy Gill]

So you say it's unstoppable, but it's been stopped.

[Dan Le Batard]

But the Eagles specifically.

[Billy Gill]

No, but they have also been stopped. I understand that they're exceptional at it and they don't get stopped very much. I'm just talking about what is entertaining and what's not entertaining already. You've got too many of these games are 19, 17 already. There's too much there. There's been a reworking that makes the defenses. They've caught up some to the offense.

[Dan Le Batard]

But they're running this on like 4th and 1. So it's like okay, yeah, maybe it's not entertaining, but a fourth and one handoff for a one yard gain. That's not the most entertaining play either.

[Billy Gill]

Oh, but they're do. They've been doing it for a while now.

[Mike Ryan]

You're longing for fullback dive, power zero. They just found a creative way to do something. We always saw that Tom Brady was unstoppable at the quarterbacks.

[Dan Le Batard]

I would agree with you if they did what I've wanted them to do forever, which is do it the whole way down the field three yards at a time. Tush push, Tush push. Tush push. First down. Tush push, Tush. First down.

[Mike Ryan]

All breaks.

[Dan Le Batard]

No all the way to the end zone.

[Jessica]

Then is there a play action for Tush push you could do and just go deep like 50 yards.

[Billy Gill]

You say that, but it's how the Eagles played this year. Like it's metaphorically like they. The way that they played this year was Saquon's going to do that.

[Stugotz]

Saquon. Saquon. Tush push. Saquon. Saquon.

[Billy Gill]

Tush push. And so I'm asking you, every year you've seen.

[Stugotz]

Don't look now.

[Billy Gill]

Play action, you've seen reactions to actions in that sport.

[Dan Le Batard]

Someone said the magic words.

[Stugotz]

He's back, baby.

[Billy Gill]

I didn't want to. I didn't. I don't. I don't want. I don't want wandering around very like.

[Dan Le Batard]

He'S giving me count Orlock and I don't like it.

[Billy Gill]

Time now for Guillermo.

[Dan Le Batard]

You must bounce on it.

[Jessica]

That Tik Tok crazy style.

[Mike Ryan]

He is on right now.

[Billy Gill]

Where is.

[Jessica]

Is he in the.

[Stugotz]

He's in the kitchen now in the eating area.

[Billy Gill]

Oh no.

[Dan Le Batard]

I just hear people screaming out there.

[Jessica]

They're running out of the way because he's just bumping into things. Thankfully we don't have enough.

[Dan Le Batard]

We have hot plates.

[Jessica]

We do have hot plates.

[Guillermo]

And.

[Jessica]

And it low. It's around lunchtime too. Oh, remember that.

[Billy Gill]

Just empty it. Empty the clip. Just. I mean I got 20 seconds of show left and I couldn't do anything with offensive lineman. He wants to wander around. Got. Yeah.

[Jessica]

You just fell.

[Billy Gill]

I'm gonna fire somebody today. I am. I'm gonna fire somebody and watch everybody will be wearing cocktails costumes. Stu Gach was right. Holy Stoogach was right.

[Mike Ryan]

Hey folks, happy wintertime. You know, wintertime is a great time to hang out with friends, maybe take a hockey trip. It's what I did with my friends. Hockey time quickly became Miller Time responsibly, of course, because Miller Lite was made for me and my crew of friends. Bunch of guys that love the taste of beer and don't want to feel guilty about the beer that they're having. Miller Lite delivery across almost every note. Because Miller Lite is brewed for taste, it hits different than other light beers. The taste you know you can depend on with no games and no gimmicks. Just a great beer for people who like beer. Like you, like my friends, and like me. 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. Tastes like Miller Time. Celebrate responsibly. Miller Brewing Co. Milwaukee, Wisconsin 96 calories and 3.2 carbs per 12 ounces.