Hour 2: Panther for Life or Whatever

Summary

Detailed Summary of "Hour 2: Panther for Life or Whatever" from The Dan Le Batard Show with Stugotz

In the July 10, 2025 episode titled "Hour 2: Panther for Life or Whatever" of The Dan Le Batard Show with Stugotz, hosts Dan Le Batard and Stugotz engage in an expansive discussion that traverses sports rivalries, institutional trust, cultural idioms, South Florida landmarks, athlete interviews, legendary sports figures, and mental health in sports. The episode is marked by lively exchanges, insightful commentary, and a deep dive into both local and national issues.

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I. Sports Rivalries and Summer League Highlights

The episode opens with Stugotz expressing enthusiasm about potential summer league matchups between Bronny Flagg and Cooper Flagg, igniting a conversation about emerging young talents and their impact on the sports scene.

Stugotz (00:08):
"Do I have anyone in our group tonight who is going to make appointment television out of Bronny and Cooper Flagg making a summer league appearance against each other?"

Chris Cody adds to the discussion by highlighting the scarcity of major sporting events during the season, mentioning the Club World Cup and Wimbledon as notable exceptions.

Chris Cody (00:39):
"The Club World cup is down to the final. You don't have nighttime soccer games going on right now. Wimbledon happens during the day."

The conversation then shifts to the heated rivalry in the American Century Championship in Tahoe between Marty Fish and Steph Curry. The hosts dissect past controversies, including allegations of corruption and unsportsmanlike behavior, emphasizing the intense competition and its implications on the integrity of the sport.

Chris Cody (01:00):
"Steph Curry is one of the more corrupt finishes in all professional sports. Everybody's talking about it."

Dan Le Batard (01:57):
"Bullshit."

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II. Trust in American Institutions and Jeffrey Epstein

A significant portion of the episode delves into the public's declining trust in American institutions, using the Jeffrey Epstein scandal as a focal point. Stugotz articulates a collective skepticism towards the Department of Justice and government transparency.

Stugotz (04:29):
"I legitimately can't remember Americans being that uniform in distrust of a government institution that you're supposed to protect justice."

Chris Cody expands on this sentiment by critiquing political narratives and the handling of Epstein's legacy, suggesting a deeply entrenched corruption within the system.

Chris Cody (06:22):
"Now we have that person president who has installed all these other people... Epstein described President Trump as his best friend."

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III. The "Can of Worms" Idiom

In a lighter segment, the hosts explore the origins and literal interpretations of the idiom "a can of worms." This leads to a humorous debate about bait vending machines and the practicalities of storing live bait.

Stugotz (07:31):
"Do they still come in cans? Is that why there's a can of worms? Because it's bait related?"

Chris Cody (09:15):
"The opposite of a treasure chest. You get worms instead of, you know, treasure."

The discussion underscores the idiom's metaphorical usage to describe complex or troublesome situations.

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IV. South Florida Culture and Ball and Chain Venue

The episode highlights South Florida's vibrant cultural scene through a focused discussion on Ball and Chain, a historic entertainment venue in Little Havana. The hosts emphasize its authenticity, rich history, and significance to the Cuban-American community.

Stugotz (03:57):
"I want you to get over to the Freedom Tower here, Tony... what are you going to check out?"

Dan Le Batard (11:04):
"Beautiful band shell in the back too. A lot of flavor there."

Dan Le Batard describes the venue as a cultural hub reminiscent of Cuba, reinforcing its role in preserving Cuban heritage within Miami.

Dan Le Batard (33:47):
"It makes me feel like... When you're here, right, it feels like you're in Cuba."

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V. Interviews with Sergei Bobrovsky and Athlete Communication

The conversation shifts to the challenges faced by foreign athletes, particularly focusing on Sergei Bobrovsky, a Russian goalie whose interviews are often hindered by language barriers. The hosts discuss how these barriers limit personal insights and the ability to connect with fans.

Stugotz (15:10):
"He's trying to get through a second language to give people information..."

Stugotz (18:33):
"Struggling through an interview."

Roy Bellamy and Chris Cody elaborate on Bobrovsky's introspective nature and the complexities of expressing depth in a second language, highlighting the broader issue of communication in international sports.

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VI. Sports Figures and Legacy: LeBron vs. Jordan

Stugotz draws a parallel between LeBron James and Michael Jordan, analyzing how both athletes' legacies extend beyond their playing careers. He contends that LeBron, unlike Jordan, is strategically positioning himself for continued influence and ownership in the sports industry.

Stugotz (25:02):
"There will be no circumstance in which LeBron James has the equivalent of walking to his car with boxes as an employee..."

This segment underscores the evolution of athlete influence and the importance of legacy-building beyond active competition.

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VII. Wimbledon and Amanda Anisimova's Success

The hosts celebrate Amanda Anisimova's remarkable journey to the Wimbledon final, marking a significant achievement for American women in tennis. This leads to a discussion on the mental fortitude required to succeed in high-pressure environments.

Chris Cody (28:37):
"Amanda Anisimova has made it to the Wimbledon final... She has now had the opportunity to play for a Wimbledon championship this coming weekend."

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VIII. Mental Health in Sports

Emphasizing the growing awareness of mental health among young athletes, Stugotz praises figures like Coco Gauff and Sam Bennett for their openness in addressing personal struggles. The conversation highlights a positive shift towards prioritizing well-being alongside competitive drive.

Stugotz (29:43):
"It is super interesting to watch young people and young athletes specifically... have the courage to separate their work from their identity..."

Chris Cody (31:19):
"You're just nuts if you think that that doesn't have a trade market..." (Note: This seems misattributed; likely linked to the previous discussion on LeBron James.)

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IX. South Florida Local Interaction and Culture

In the latter part of the episode, the hosts interact with guest Josephine Phoenix at Ball and Chain, showcasing the venue's dynamic atmosphere and its role in Miami's cultural landscape. The conversation delves into Cuban heritage, community connections, and the authenticity that Ball and Chain embodies.

Dan Le Batard (35:09):
"Josephine Phoenix, also my friend. Local. Miami... you've been amazing... the real Miami."

Josephine Phoenix (36:10):
"When we say refy, it's our way of connecting to our parents' land, to what they used to listen to, what they drank, what they ate."

The segment reinforces the show's commitment to celebrating local culture and fostering authentic community connections.

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Conclusion

Throughout "Hour 2: Panther for Life or Whatever," Dan Le Batard and Stugotz blend humor, insightful analysis, and cultural appreciation to create an engaging and multifaceted discussion. From dissecting sports rivalries and institutional distrust to celebrating South Florida's rich cultural landmarks and addressing mental health in sports, the episode offers listeners a comprehensive and entertaining exploration of contemporary issues and local heritage.

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Notable Quotes:

• Stugotz (00:08):
  "Do I have anyone in our group tonight who is going to make appointment television out of Bronny and Cooper Flagg making a summer league appearance against each other?"

• Chris Cody (01:00):
  "Steph Curry is one of the more corrupt finishes in all professional sports. Everybody's talking about it."

• Stugotz (04:29):
  "I legitimately can't remember Americans being that uniform in distrust of a government institution that you're supposed to protect justice."

• Stugotz (07:31):
  "Do they still come in cans? Is that why there's a can of worms? Because it's bait related?"

• Dan Le Batard (33:47):
  "It makes me feel like... When you're here, right, it feels like you're in Cuba."

• Stugotz (25:02):
  "There will be no circumstance in which LeBron James has the equivalent of walking to his car with boxes as an employee..."

• Josephine Phoenix (36:10):
  "When we say refy, it's our way of connecting to our parents' land, to what they used to listen to, what they drank, what they ate."

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This comprehensive summary encapsulates the essence of the episode, ensuring that even those who haven't listened can grasp the key discussions, insights, and cultural appreciations presented by Dan Le Batard and Stugotz.

Transcript

[Dan Le Batard]

This is the Dan Levatar show with the Stugats podcast.

[Stugotz]

Do I have anyone in our group tonight who is going to make appointment television out of Bronny and Cooper Flagg making a summer league appearance against each other? Am I intriguing any of you? It seems I'm getting some faces that have. They're sort of like Andrew Hawkins at the line of scrimmage, running a route that is shoulders and hands. Mo. But I can't tell you guys aren't really in on this. You're sort of trying. You're sniffing something, and it's. And it looks like you're smelling something bad.

[Chris Cody]

I'm trying to scan what. What other sporting options there are at that time. And it's. It's kind of slim, so I might throw that up on a second or third screen while I go on with my life with the main. But, yeah, the Club World cup is down to the final. You don't have nighttime soccer games going on right now. Wimbledon happens during the day. I could throw that in there.

[Stugotz]

Marty Fish against Steph Curry.

[Chris Cody]

Oh, Tahoe, baby. It is the greatest rivalry in golf, which is weird to say, but you have to keep in mind the last time we were unified as a country outside of what's going on with Epstein right now was when Steph Curry and Team USA put us on their back, and we got one brief moment of what it's like to be a Golden State Warrior fan. And it was pretty awesome. And we wrapped ourselves in the flag USA all the way. But because Steph Curry was a national hero last summer, that took him away from Tahoe. And remember the year prior, Steph Curry won a very controversial American Century Championship where someone on Marty's backswing, some asshole who got dragged out of town, banned for life, fixed it because he, when caught by security, said, I had a wager on. Steph Curry is one of the more corrupt finishes in all professional sports. Everybody's talking about.

[Mike Ryan]

He shouted in Marty's backswing, I believe, on 18th tee.

[Chris Cody]

Yes.

[Mike Ryan]

The final tee, final hole, the whole tournament.

[Dan Le Batard]

Bullshit.

[Chris Cody]

Yes. Huge bullshit. Marty Fish ends up losing. No credit to Seth. He made a big shot, but the opportunity would have never presented itself were not for this heckler. So we didn't get the rematch. Last year, Marty Fish ran through the competition, won his second American Century Championship, and now Steph Curry is back from international duty, and we get them facing off in Tahoe. But that's not on during nighttime, so I'll be locked in on a third TV if I can be to Bronnie versus Cooper Flag.

[Mike Ryan]

Summer leagues for other people. Tony has this thing we do with on Mystery Crate, which is. That's for other people. That's how I feel about summer league. Like, I get it. You guys can be interested in it for other people.

[Dan Le Batard]

So I was watching the California Classic, and I saw Caspar yakon chonas go 1 for 15 the last couple games, and I was like, summer league. But I'm intrigued by Cooper Flag cc. I'm very intrigued. So I will be peeking in to see what Cooper Flag. Well, just see what's going on there. Peeking in, like, I'll have. I'll have. I'll have it on the tv and then I'll switch it. My wife's gonna be like, why are you watching that? And be like, oh, Cooper Flags. Like, I don't care. So it's gonna be very regimented.

[Chris Cody]

You haven't seen Heat Twitter already. Cope and start putting up the tiles of Jalen Brunson's summer league debut to kind of pacify themselves as Yak and Chunis goes through his struggles. I gotta tell you, I watched a handful of Illinois.

[Mike Ryan]

Jalen was bad.

[Dan Le Batard]

Yeah.

[Chris Cody]

Yeah, it was bad.

[Mike Ryan]

Makes me feel better.

[Chris Cody]

Yeah, no, he's bad. So clearly we have Jalen Brunson, tall and white. This is great for us. I did watch a handful of Illinois games, and when I did, he was impressive, but I did not know the stat about how often he would have more turnovers and points. That seems to be bad. And that. That seems to be, like, don't get you in the league. You're not going to get playing time your rookie season if you can't keep. Keep giving up.

[Dan Le Batard]

Pick sixes, that's for sure. But you can see some glimpses of in those games in Illinois because he hasn't proved it in the summer league, but you see some glimpses of. Of some really good play as a point guard, which he desperately need.

[Mike Ryan]

You watched a handful of Illinois games, huh?

[Chris Cody]

I mean, a point guard's supposed to keep the ball, though.

[Dan Le Batard]

Yeah.

[Chris Cody]

You're not supposed to give it to the other team. You have to give it to your guys.

[Stugotz]

He's got 12 turnovers. He's over 11 from three. If you want some more Tony, you will get some more Tony. At the end of this hour, another Tony tonight. I want you to get over to the Freedom Tower here, Tony. They're reopening it here next door. My father, that's how he got into this country, by going the Freedom Tower. I want you to do a Report here during Tony tonight of some of the things that you find all over Miami. What is this week's, this week's nomination from you? What are you going to check out?

[Dan Le Batard]

I think I'm checking out Ball and Chain on Calle Ocho. You think you are very exciting.

[Stugotz]

Ball and Chained on Calle Ocho, which I think is not a ringing endorsement for the situation.

[Dan Le Batard]

But Dan, I've been all over the city.

[Stugotz]

I mean, obviously City Commissioner Joe Carollo tried to famously shut it down with a bunch of cub state militia tactics. Look at the smile that brings to Roy's face in God we trust. And is that God that's been protecting me? That is empty there. That is Joe. That's Joe Corolla who tried to shut down Ball and Chain within a series of a series junctions. Dan, fix tactics that were not in any way legal. Mike Ryan mentioned Jeffrey Epstein. I know that I've been saying for a while here that American institutions are failing and the public's trust in American institutions are failing, but I legitimately can't remember off the top of my head. Now, I might be having some prisoner of the moment stuff going on, but off the top of my head when the Department of Justice says something, I cannot recall a circumstance when so much of America was like, yeah, that's bullshit. That's. That's the official statement. And we're in consensus on we don't believe that the Department of Justice is credible here and it's just sweeping and uniform where everyone is like, no, we know that two guards don't fall asleep like that, that all of that is power protecting power. And I just off the top of my head can't remember Americans being that uniform in distrust of a government institution that you're TR costing to protect justice.

[Chris Cody]

Well, why is Maxwell locked up if there weren't clients? We heard for years that there was a client list. Now, let me be abundantly clear. Democrats failed here too. And there's plenty of Dems that were linked on this and flight logs. And the difference is the other party very effectively campaigned on not on our watch. We're going to expose this deep state corruption even though at the top of their ticket you have someone that was named in a lawsuit or for sexual assault in 2004, well before he ran for president, by the way, which was still deemed as a witch hunt for an underage person. But now we have that person president who has installed all these other people, some of them with podcast that have grown into huge personalities because they said, we know this Epstein Stuff is out there, and if I'm ever in charge, you will rue the day. Now there's no client list and you have the president, who can't stop talking about an election in 2020, telling us, why do we still talk about Jeffrey Epstein, even though Jeffrey Epstein, in his own words, described President Trump as his best friend for nearly 10 years. It stinks to high hell. And it's one of the weird unifying points that we have in this nation right now.

[Stugotz]

When you say it stinks to high hell, I think it's high heaven. I'm not sure there is a high hell. You also mentioned earlier, and I don't know the origins of this, but you mentioned a can of worms, and I don't know if worms still in cans. Did they come in cans for bait? Is that why there's a can of worms? Because it's bait related? And do they still come in cans? I told you, I've told you before that one time. And there's some of this in South Florida because we're an outdoor place, but for espn, I went one time for a funeral. Weirdly, I had to cover a funeral in just nowhere Kentucky because Tim Couch, someone close to Tim Couch, had died. And I really don't even remember why I was there, but I do remember specifically pulling into a gas station and being surprised by a vending machine for bait. It wasn't even. You didn't even have to go in to get the bait. It was just vending machines for bait. But I can't imagine that there are still cans of worms because why would worms be in cans? Is it indeed bait related?

[Dan Le Batard]

Yeah, it has to be. And obviously the bait vending machine down here, you got live bait or you got frozen bait. Wouldn't do well in a vending machine. But the worms, you kind of just put them in there. And I don't know if they're live worms. I don't know if they're dead. They just put them in there.

[Stugotz]

But they have to. If you're opening a can of dead worms, then you're not opening a can of worms. That's dangerous. It has to be a can of worms that is. Is alive. But I don't know. I'm not. This will surprise no one. Not a fisherman, not much of a boater. Yeah. Squeamish.

[Dan Le Batard]

Never hooked a worm on a hook. Dan.

[Stugotz]

I have. I have. It was a long time ago. Didn't like doing it. Not for me. All sorts of dead fish parts. Not for me, chum. In general. Not for Me, I would say me not having the home field advantage over the animal kingdom in the ocean. Not for me. Like all of these things.

[Chris Cody]

So it seems like this idiom is quite literal. And it gained traction in the military where they would open up cans for ready to eat meals and whatnot. And it was just something that would be considered messy. Not any kind of William Shakespeare type origin, where this was just something like, hey, you know what would be really messy? Opening up a can of worms. The worms would go everywhere.

[Stugotz]

So it's not bait related necessarily. And in fact, you wouldn't keep bait or worms alive in a can. So they would just die from a lack. Lack of oxygen. So it's just nonsense is all it.

[Chris Cody]

Is just dirty, squishy, ugly. The opposite of a treasure chest. You get worms instead of, you know, treasure.

[Stugotz]

Tony making faces.

[Chris Cody]

Yeah.

[Dan Le Batard]

No, you think you get in a treasure chest, all of a sudden you open up its worms. It's like, what are you doing to it?

[Chris Cody]

But Epstein isn't just a can of worms, Dan, as Jose Canseco once said, maybe opening up a can of anacondas.

[Dan Le Batard]

How do you put those in there?

[Stugotz]

Is it still popular? The can that you open of the. The snake that comes flying out gets me every time. If it's not popular, it should be.

[Dan Le Batard]

Going back to Tony. Tonight's Casa Lo Truco. We had the gentleman there, Manolo, I think his name was, I don't remember. He opened up a can and then bam, a snake came out. Yeah.

[Chris Cody]

I hope you get into the history of Ball and Chain. Very proud jazz history. A lot of all time greats. Chuck Becker, Baker, played shows over there. Really illustrious history there.

[Dan Le Batard]

Beautiful band shell in the back too. A lot flavor there.

[Stugotz]

How many. How many years old do you know exactly? Ball and Chain, because it's. It does have a lot of history. Galleautra obviously has a lot of history. Tony showing you a lot of history with everything that he does with Tony tonight and gets into some of the strange and unusual and historic places all over south Florida. But I believe Ball and Chain has been around for a ton of time. I don't think. And it was before Coyote. Coyote. For those of you who do not know, my grandparents lived near Coyote. Were able to live in this country without speaking English, without ever learning English, because they live near Cayojo, Little Havana, and it is so Hispanic over there that you can actually get away with not speaking any English.

[Dan Le Batard]

1935 is when ball and Chain saloon opened its doors.

[Chris Cody]

How many shows did your dad catch there, Chris?

[Stugotz]

All of them.

[Tony]

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[Chris Cody]

Hey everybody, it's Mike down here in South Florida. As the audience well knows, we've been celebrating a proper championship and we've been enjoying every minute of it. And by my side throughout that entire championship celebration has been Miller Light. Yeah, I wanted to make my championship time a Miller time. Because much like most of the fun memories I've had as an adult, Miller Lite has been right there by my side, supplementing every experience. And now that I'm about to travel during the summer, you can rest assured I'm going to be having plenty of Miller Lite along the way. Because that's what summer is all about. And since 1975, Miller Lite has been right there. And all those memories for you listening right now, it's the 50th anniversary of Miller Lite. That's 50 years of great taste, great friends, great moments. 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. Cheers to 50 years of Miller time. Celebrate responsibly. Miller Brewing Co. Milwaukee, Wisconsin. 96 calories at 3.2 carbs per 12 ounces.

[Dan Le Batard]

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[Stugotz]

Don LeBatard what is the worst part of the life?

[Chris Cody]

Stugats.

[Dan Le Batard]

The worst part of the life of what?

[Stugotz]

This is the Dan Levatar show with the Stugats. I'm glad that you brought brought Chris into the proceedings because I've been negligent since the draft. That not making reference to the fact that Chris Cody, in a way that surprised me a little bit, found himself with a connection point to a 7 foot 1 Chinese basketball player named Yong Hansen who was drafted I believe by Portland in the middle of the first round. And what was your connection point with young Hansen?

[Mike Ryan]

Chris I just heard him ask the question about just what are you into? What are your hobbies? And I was just like, like I am him, he is me. Let's play it.

[Chris Cody]

What are some of your interests and what do you think you'd be doing if you weren't playing basketball? Sometimes I sleep all time sleep and I like play PS5 and I like eat.

[Mike Ryan]

Sleep PS5 eat.

[Chris Cody]

I mean kawhi Leonard type laugh too.

[Stugotz]

There was some good laughter in there that him struggling through a second language made me think of something that Chris Cody said the other day because we were wondering why it is that in hockey you get your core stay together more often whether it's Dallas or the Panthers with a bunch of guys who end up taking discounts because they really enjoy each other's company and they do seem to love each other. Their families seem to love each other. And we were talking about why it is in basketball, for example, over the last 15 years that the super teams haven't been able to stay together or the friends haven't been able to stay together. And a theory I had, I didn't have a good answer for Chris when he was asking, why is it in hockey that you might have that be more likely than in basketball? Basketball obviously has plenty of foreigners as well. But one theory that I left with without answering you when you said it is in the case of, for example, Sergei Bobrovsky. I don't know if South Florida has ever had a superstar that we know less than Bobrovsky. And I wonder how much of these foreigners, how many of these foreigners that aren't as Americanized as Antetokounmpo or Joel Embiid or even Jokic, how many connection points they have in their second language wandering around a place like South Florida that isn't to their teammates, who are also often foreigners. I know in the case of the Panthers that they have some Americans, but I didn't have a good theory for what it is that you were saying to me. And so the best I could come up with is like, how many people in our audience right now feel like they have any knowledge, Roy included, about Bobrovsky. Every time I've seen him interviewed, there's very little there. And it's not because I actually think he's uninteresting. I think it's because he's having a struggle of trying to get through a second language to give people information, the same way that young Hansen was having trouble giving people the information. Struggling through an interview.

[Roy Bellamy]

Well, I actually think that Sergei Bobrovsky is kind of deep and introspective, especially when he talks about his faith. But as far as talking about hockey is concerned, you know, it's the usual cliches, you know, stop one shot at a time types of things.

[Stugotz]

I feel like his interviews lack introspection, not because he's not introspective, but because he's doing the best he can in a different language. And I just do wonder in hockey, when you're talking. Talking about hockey, okay, you are talking about a lot of players, more so than, I would say, basketball, by a good distance, that haven't quite been as Americanized as others making their way through interviews and whatnot. This happens to Doncic. Doncic, I think our audience would be like, yeah, I know his game, but I don't know that person I don't feel like I can listen to an interview with that person and gather something that resembles insight. And it's at least in part because in your second language it's really hard to.

[Chris Cody]

Goalies are also weird. And like Roy said, he's super religious, so we don't really get to know him the way that we've gotten to know the other players. We've gotten to know the other players through their success and celebrations where they've shown us their personalities. The team's going to 11. We've been to 11 for the last two title celebrations. He doesn't. He's not going to go to 11. It's not. It's not with his religion, Bob. So, like, that's not really something that he does. And he's not gonna let loose at the championship celebration. So on top of having a different language, being Russian in particular, as you've seen with a lot of the Russian personalities, a little bit dicey right now, all of them have kind of agreed we're gonna keep a low profile because we don't want to be asked about what's going on in the world. The fact that he's religious. There's a lot of things going on with Bob and also he's just a different cat.

[Stugotz]

You mentioned that we get to know them through the parties and the celebrations. Did you guys have any thoughts on Sam Bennett's wedding? Int. PRODUCTION can we get that? Thank you. That was very quick. You guys found that. That here is Sam Bennett coming in.

[Mike Ryan]

This is walking out at his wedding entrance to the goal song that the Panthers play when they score goals. Now I get why he stayed with us because he probably had that planned. And his wife's like, we're not changing it. It's set. And we're. That's just something we can't change at this point.

[Chris Cody]

Also, I heard that he doesn't like meeting new people. So he's like, I'm not average. I'm gonna stay. How much of a pay cut? I don't like to meet new people. We do. You should know, though, our show is responsible for one of the more memorable Sergei Bobrovsky interviews. Roy really cracked him open.

[Roy Bellamy]

All right, we have Sergey Bobrovsky here. He's been in many All Star games. And right now you are in the All Star skills competition. Tomorrow you're in the one on one competition and you probably don't know what's going to happen. So you're just going to go ahead and have fun. What are you gonna do?

[Dan Le Batard]

Yeah, to be.

[Stugotz]

To be honest, I don't know what.

[Dan Le Batard]

Happens in next hour. So.

[Stugotz]

Like an egg, that guitar riff that came back from Canada with Roy and was the star of that particular piece is something that brings us vastly more joy than Mike's satanic music in the morning. That that guitar rift is something around here for some reason creates more happiness than I think anything in the history of Meadowlark media. Roy, you have said that Bobrovsky is introspective. You do understand that we have precious little evidence of that in interviews.

[Roy Bellamy]

Yeah, I tried in training camp. I tried at the end of the season and he did give a good answer about that. I'll try to find that in a couple of minutes. But yeah, he is deep and introspective. I can have a one on one talking about his faith then. That'd be awesome.

[Mike Ryan]

I asked him, like, because it was after last championship, this was preseason, before this last season, they had just won. I'm like, how do you keep the team hungry? And like, I did this, like just a ridiculous question of like, what's the way to keep a team hungry? What are we putting? What are we eating? And he just was like, we're going to try hard this year. Like, he like just ignored my question and was just like, I'm not answering that ridiculous that you just said. I'm just going to give you a cliche.

[Stugotz]

I will say among the things that is hardest in second language. I know this because Spanish is my second language, is to be funny in that second language. And sarcasm will be lost in that second language. And tone confidence will be lost in that second language. But the guitar riff is something that can support you and make you feel stronger when an interview is not exactly blossoming.

[Chris Cody]

It made the whole trip worth it over there. Yeah, goalies are weird, man. Goalies are weird.

[Stugotz]

You'll agree with me though that in the history of South Florida, we have not had a superstar less known than this one.

[Chris Cody]

I'd agree with that in terms of like upper tier. So helpful for a championship. It's probably to his own personal detriment because Sam Bennett did deserve the Conn Smythe, but Brad Marchand finished second and this is not. I retired that bit. Brad's a Panther for life or whatever. But Bob should have been more seriously considered as the Con Smythe. He was great throughout the playoffs. Those were his best moments in a Panther uniform. And typically when a goalie plays that well, they get more credit for it when it comes to postseason hardware.

[Stugotz]

I have to stop Mike Ryan when He leans in for months as heavily as he did on Brad Marchand, and then just announces, yeah, panther for life or whatever. Yeah, like just running. That is running away. Panther for life or whatever.

[Chris Cody]

Remembered forever as a panther.

[Mike Ryan]

Tyreek Hill running away from that.

[Stugotz]

Well, it seems like he's putting his sword down at the feet of Brad Marchand very quietly and then scampering away like Chris Cody from a fireworks fuse that's been lit.

[Chris Cody]

Yes. I know our show is known for hammering bits into the ground, but I've decided someone else can have this one biz. It's all yours. I'm not going to do this for five more years. He beat me into a bloody pulp. He's a panther for life. Someone else can have it. And you're welcome, by the way, because it very clearly worked.

[Stugotz]

You're welcome is the route you're taking.

[Chris Cody]

Yeah. I feel like I motivated him to be moved to the third line. That jump started his entire career.

[Stugotz]

I wanted to circle back on a point I made earlier this week, not particularly well. And I remember, and I don't think that I put quite the detailed picturesque on it that it required so that it would sink in the LeBron James conversation that we were having about how much power he's going to make sure to have at the end of his career. The reason I remember Michael Jordan's exit in Washington when he was an employee is I believe in his last season with the Wizards, Michael Jordan was something like 10 games under.500 or something like that. And that entire season, he toured the nation as a traveling rock star act, making the Washington Wizards more relevant than they have been at any time in my lifetime. It was a monster, monster economy around the Washington Wizards. And then a bad owner ran Michael Jordan out at the end. In a way that reminds me that I saw Michael Jordan with the equivalent of boxes after an exit interview, walking through a parking lot as an employee to his car with no real power after having made the Washington Wizards. The kind of money that LeBron James will make with any team that he goes to. I think it was Bobby Marks who said on ESPN that he doesn't think that there's a trade market for LeBron, that there wouldn't be someone who would give up assets for, quote, a year or 2 of LeBron. And I'm like, you're out of your mind if you believe that somebody doesn't want just the economy of LeBron James will fill my home seats.

[Chris Cody]

I'm sure Detroit would love the opportunity, but he has no trade.

[Stugotz]

But you're just nuts if you think that that doesn't have a trade market. Even as you understand that it's hard to trade that contract with only one year, he would absolutely have a trade market. But because of the contract language and because of the people who run his career, what I'm telling you is there will be no circumstance in which LeBron James has the equivalent of walking to his car with boxes as an employee after an exit interview with a terrible owner in a Poland who still has the power at the end of his career. If you're not taking any inventory of what's happened over the last 15 years, this week of LeBron James's move, take inventory of it from there. He will not be just a sneaker sale and he will not just be an employee. He's been planning his ownership path while he plays. And at the end of his career, under whatever the circumstances are, because of the economy that he brings, wherever it is that he goes, LeBron James will not punctuate his career as impotently his playing career as impotently as Michael Jordan did. Because I was made sad by the injustice in that. Remember Chris, that you were mentioning, I think earlier this week somebody was mentioning the idea of Tim Tebow. Imagine the amount of nil money he would have been worth at Florida, given how much money he made for Florida. That was Michael Jordan with the Wizards who have never mattered. And at the end he had no real power, even though he was a traveling circus. That everywhere The Wizards went, 10 games under.500. I don't know if you guys have looked it up.

[Dan Le Batard]

37, 45 is what they finished.

[Chris Cody]

They also like robbed us of a great all star where he had the game winner, but then someone else had the nerve to hit another game winner in his face. That was our moment. God dammit.

[Stugotz]

Did you guys did that?

[Chris Cody]

Oh, we have big breaking news for America. Amanda Anismova has made it to the Wimbledon final. On the ladies side. This is the fourth straight major tournament in which an American has made it to the final. Just days after Greg Cody said America is bad at tennis.

[Stugotz]

You've been wanting to rip him for that odd time by my dad.

[Chris Cody]

Weird timing. This is the best run outside of Serena that the ladies have had. We have more men in the top 10 that we've had since 2006. Strange timing from one Greg Cody, by the way. And it's Movo. Really cool story. Took 2023 off. 23 years old, still took 2023 off for a mental health break. Now just beat Sabalenka who was on a hell of a tear in getting to championship final. She has now had the opportunity to play for a Wimbledon championship this coming weekend.

[Stugotz]

You guys have heard me say before, and I've talked about it before, as someone who now runs a company that young people have a different relationship with work than my generation, I say this as no indictment. It's probably a healthier relationship with work that they have. And young athletes have a different relationship with work and mental health and balance. And it really does encourage to see young athletes have a sense of perspective and self knowledge enough to know. Lonely sport eats up its young, makes people crazy. I'm gonna go take a mental health break. Hell, just Coco Gauff saying after, after winning the US Open that she fell apart at Wimbledon, at least in part. Cause she was just overwhelmed in general by what happened to her life from winning that tournament. It is super interesting to watch young people and young athletes specifically happen, have, I'm going to say, the courage to separate their work from their identity in a way that allows them to take a break so that they can nourish themselves and be healthier about work and competition.

[Chris Cody]

I guess in that sport they also have it more right than anybody else where the dialogue. And I know Marty Fish has done a lot of work in this regard. Carlos Alcalaz has openly talked about it to the point that we were critical. You're one of the game's all time greats. You have potentially, you're the most athletic dude maybe ever to play this. Why don't you add that killer instinct. But in that sport in particular, the community around it is a lot more accepting of someone taking a mental health pause.

[Stugotz]

It's a sport that doesn't have teammates. It's a sport that is awfully, awfully lonely. Tony tonight, as I mentioned, is going to be in a second here from Ball and Chain, a historic South Florida landmark entertainment venue. But I ask a question on behalf of all of us here that's curious and doesn't have an answer. Where's Andrew Hawkins? Don Lebatard?

[Roy Bellamy]

We're gonna win.

[Chris Cody]

Stugats.

[Roy Bellamy]

We're gonna win.

[Stugotz]

They're annoying.

[Mike Ryan]

Old reference.

[Stugotz]

This is the Dan Levatar show with.

[Dan Le Batard]

The Stugats Familiatone tonight is brought to you by Cuervo, the tequila that invented tequila. Did you know the very first margarita was made with Cuervo? There's nothing like the original. It's Marcy season, so keep it Cuervo all summer long at Ball and Chain in Little Havana on Cayo. This is my buddy Louis at Primo Mio Lewis. How you doing? The one and only Ball and chain is a super cool, authentic, authentic Cuban spot that not only tourists go to. There's a flock of tourists all the way out here. And it's raining, by the way. That's Miami. Miami. It rains every 20 minutes. In 20 minutes, it'll be sunny. We'll be fine. The tourists are out here. The real Miamians are out here. This is a place that everybody goes to. Why? Because it's authentic. We're inside of a pineapple right now. If you can kind of go around here. We're in the middle of a pineapple. A little spongebob action. A little spongebob action in the middle of a pineapple. And it feels the most like Cuba that you can be in Miami. Not only be. Not only because we're in Cayo, but because we're in a place that if you close your eyes and you hear it and you listen to it and you feel around you, it feels like Cuba. We're not Florida. This is Miami. This is Miami. This is the closest that you can be to Cuba than anywhere else closer to the Keys, actually, somehow. Not the point. Not the point. Not the. Not geographically. I'm talking about spiritually, dude. I'm talking about in the heart. When you're here, right, it feels like you're in Cuba. Well, I already got offered three cigars, an eight ball Coke, so I feel like, okay, kind of Miami and kind of like that. I like that. The cool thing is when you look at this place, it makes me feel like when Michael Corleone went to Cuba in Godfather 2, and they're going all. All around to the different places. It makes me feel like that because I've been back here when there's been a Cuban big band playing, there's been Afro Cuban musicians that come and you just sit out here, you're having uno.

[Chris Cody]

You're just chilling.

[Dan Le Batard]

And to. To me, that's what I feel like. My ancestors, my grandpa, both of my grandfathers that came from Cuba. That's what they wanted me to experience that we didn't have the option to experience because of, you know, communism tyrants. I was wondering why you chose to laugh there. Because they're just. I just hear the.

[Chris Cody]

We have.

[Stugotz]

We're not gonna acknowledge them, but we're.

[Mike Ryan]

Gonna have dancers here.

[Stugotz]

I love it.

[Dan Le Batard]

It's electric.

[Stugotz]

I love it.

[Dan Le Batard]

I love all of them. Are you distracted by that? I'm super distracted.

[Stugotz]

Her hips are definitely not lying at all.

[Chris Cody]

How many of these have you had, really?

[Stugotz]

Six? Six?

[Dan Le Batard]

Six, six, one?

[Chris Cody]

Six? Seven. I don't know.

[Dan Le Batard]

You know what would be even better than just having random people dance behind us? Very happy, by the way, to be dancing. Besides, you know, is if we had. And right now, we're not dressed appropriately. Right now you're wearing a black shirt.

[Stugotz]

I'm wearing a black shirt.

[Dan Le Batard]

I can literally snap my fingers and we'll have everything immediately. Do you want that option? Yeah. I didn't even know that was 3, 2, 1. That was nice. I don't know if the camera caught that, but that's very hard to do. Well, the good news is I have another friend joining us.

[Chris Cody]

Okay.

[Dan Le Batard]

You thought it was just gonna be you? I have more friends than just you. Look at you, celebrating with a cigar.

[Stugotz]

I'll tell you what, brother.

[Dan Le Batard]

My ancestors didn't swim here for nothing. That's right. Going to enjoyation, right? With your official ball and chain, seven buttons down.

[Stugotz]

All right.

[Dan Le Batard]

Luke is as you thought.

[Chris Cody]

You were my only friend.

[Dan Le Batard]

We bring in Josephine Phoenix here, also my friend. Local. Miami. Miami. Singer, dancer, actress, comedian. She's been making us laugh all day right here.

[Josephine Phoenix]

Hello, everybody. I mean, Phoenix. I know. Talent, talent, talent. Hello, everybody. How are you?

[Dan Le Batard]

You cannot do that. I cannot do that.

[Josephine Phoenix]

No.

[Stugotz]

Okay.

[Dan Le Batard]

Kind of can do that. Sexy. It's like genetics in the mouth. Do you like coming to ball and chain?

[Josephine Phoenix]

I do. I come to ball and chain when I feel refy okay. When I feel.

[Dan Le Batard]

Okay. Hold on. We need to explain to people what that means, what refy means. Because us Miamians know what that means. It connects with us because we know people are like that. Or we have a gene inside of us that makes us feel like that once in a while.

[Josephine Phoenix]

I think there's a common denominator with a lot of Miamians where if you are Cuban, but you've never ever been to the island or were born there, you still say you're Cuban, right?

[Chris Cody]

Yes.

[Josephine Phoenix]

So when we say roughy, it's our way of connecting to our parents land, to what they used to listen to, what they drank, what they ate. When we feel refy, we kind of want to regress to, like, you know, pre CRO cua, you know?

[Dan Le Batard]

Yeah, yeah. Okay. Let's get to the real nitty gritty questions. When a social club or celiacrun chang, there's only one answer.

[Josephine Phoenix]

I don't live in an oral world, bro.

[Chris Cody]

I live in an.

[Dan Le Batard]

There is not just one answer.

[Josephine Phoenix]

I'm going to go for the underdog. Chan Chan, go for the underdog.

[Dan Le Batard]

Let me know if at the Freedom tower there was 250,000 people during the.

[Chris Cody]

Funeral, let me know.

[Stugotz]

All right, all right.

[Dan Le Batard]

There was more people there during S's funeral than there was at the Miami he parade.

[Josephine Phoenix]

It wasn't their fault they were living inside a common communism in Cuba. It was not their fault that everyone did not know and wasn't in papa with their talent. Okay.

[Dan Le Batard]

Celia Cruz was our Princess Diana. I said she was our Selena. Who's the most Cuban person in your life?

[Josephine Phoenix]

Without a doubt, the most Cuban person in my life is my mother.

[Chris Cody]

Jose Fina que collo te vasa.

[Josephine Phoenix]

My mom is like, for example, my mom is a Miami Heat golden oldie dancer. Right.

[Dan Le Batard]

How did she get that gig?

[Josephine Phoenix]

I manage them. I manage my parents to do clinica medical shows, and my dad plays.

[Dan Le Batard]

Hold on. That is. Hold on, hold on, hold on, hold on. Everybody stop. What you just said was such a Miami thing that flew by people's heads so fast.

[Josephine Phoenix]

Yes.

[Dan Le Batard]

That I have to stop and ask the same thing. Leong Medical center is a medical center for old people to go make sure they get checked out, hang out.

[Josephine Phoenix]

Because the hangouts, it's a community place.

[Dan Le Batard]

They take buses. They. You see Leon Medical center buses all over the place, usually stopping at railroads, and we run right by them. So your parents do TV for Leon Medical Center Music.

[Josephine Phoenix]

My mom has done a couple of commercial commercials, but they do music. So my mom was dancing there. I managed them. They do shows, but then she's also a dancer. She used to date Julio Iglesias.

[Dan Le Batard]

Wow.

[Josephine Phoenix]

She was, like, friends with Celia Cruz. And then I told her, miami's having an audition. You should dance. She went. She got chosen. She's been with him for about five years. And now she says, every audition I go to, I get picked. And you still living in my house. The star here is me. I'm over here on your show. Everybody trying to get a drink, because no one gives me a drink here. Right. And she's performing for 20, 40,000 people.

[Dan Le Batard]

That's what happened.

[Josephine Phoenix]

But she's very Cuban. Yes.

[Dan Le Batard]

Come on.

[Mike Ryan]

That was our bad.

[Dan Le Batard]

We're about two minutes away from losing.

[Chris Cody]

Louis for the night.

[Dan Le Batard]

I can tell. I can tell. Okay, let's get to the more important questions here. Important questions in the Cuban culture, there's a lot of ways to say a lot of things. And one of the things that me and my friend groove at work. We talk about, talk about, are you a Kulo person or a Naga person? Because there's A very different connotation for each. But they both mean the same thing. But ass.

[Josephine Phoenix]

Whatever do you mean by the way we say it? Is that what you mean when you.

[Stugotz]

Have to say kulo or nanga?

[Dan Le Batard]

What do you say?

[Josephine Phoenix]

Who says nala? Do you know anyone that says.

[Dan Le Batard]

Kulo is a very crude way to say it. And if you have a very respectful grandparents.

[Josephine Phoenix]

Right, or if they're little kids, you say nalgitas.

[Chris Cody]

Yeah.

[Dan Le Batard]

Right. Like you, your daughter. Beef on the ito. Bueno. Josephine, thank you for hanging out with us. You've been amazing. You've been a breath of fresh air. You're the real Miami.

[Chris Cody]

That's.

[Josephine Phoenix]

Tell me, tell me more. Don't stop. Oh, man. No, you guys have such a great, welcoming energy about you guys. You really invite the space for people to be themselves, authentic, altruistic, and that's a special energy you guys have. So I really appreciate it.

[Dan Le Batard]

That's the Miami energy, though. That's what we try to bring. Bring his family is, you know, good vibes. That's what we are here.

[Josephine Phoenix]

Yeah. Yeah. Authenticity at its finest, obviously.

[Dan Le Batard]

Thank you for watching Tony tonight.

[Chris Cody]

Hey, everybody, it's Mike down here in South Florida. As the audience well knows, we've been celebrating a proper championship, and we've been enjoying every minute of it. Of it. And by my side throughout that entire championship celebration has been Miller Light. Yeah, I wanted to make my championship time a Miller time, because much like most of the fun memories I've had as an adult, Miller Lite has been right there by my side, supplementing every experience. And now that I'm about to travel during the summer, you can rest assured I'm gonna be having plenty of Miller Lite along the way, because that's what summer's all about. And since 1974, 5 Miller Lite has been right there. And all those memories for you listening right now, it's the 50th anniversary of Miller Lite. That's 50 years of great taste, great friends, great moments. 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. Cheers to 50 years of Miller time. Celebrate responsibly. Miller Brewing Company, Milwaukee, Wisconsin. 96 calories at 3.2 carbs per 12 ounces.