Hour 2: The Day After July 5th

Summary

Summary of "Hour 2: The Day After July 5th"

The Dan Le Batard Show with Stugotz
Release Date: June 30, 2025

In this engaging episode of The Dan Le Batard Show with Stugotz, hosts Dan Le Batard and Stugotz delve into a variety of hot topics ranging from significant NFL trades and the evolving landscape of boxing to the future of College Game Day and LeBron James' contractual decisions. The conversation seamlessly blends in-depth analysis with spirited banter, providing listeners with both insightful commentary and entertaining moments. Below is a detailed breakdown of the key discussions, complete with notable quotes and timestamps.

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1. NFL Trade Analysis: Minka Fitzpatrick for Jalen Ramsey

The episode kicks off with a deep dive into a monumental NFL trade involving Minka Fitzpatrick from the Pittsburgh Steelers to the Miami Dolphins in exchange for Jalen Ramsey. The hosts analyze the performance and potential impact of both players, referencing detailed statistics and expert opinions.

• Performance Insights:

  • Stugotz references a Pro Football Focus analysis, highlighting Fitzpatrick's impressive career stats: "In his six years for the Steelers, Fitzpatrick has 18 interceptions including three return for touchdowns, four force fumbles and six tackles for loss" (02:02).
  • Dan LeBatard adds, "He was graded 44th in the NFL at his position last season," emphasizing Fitzpatrick's recent decline.

• Trade Significance:

  • Greg Cody underscores the trade's magnitude: "This is a massive trade. You don't see trades like this in the NFL" (03:25).
  • Billy Corben expands on its national impact: "For me, it's mostly a major national trade because it directly involves Aaron Rodgers" (03:53).

• Strategic Implications:

  • Stugotz discusses the Dolphins' strategy: "This is them kind of being like, no, we don't want good picks. We want a player that can help us" (05:24).
  • Greg Cody further explains the Dolphins' stance against rebuilding: "We're building for the future... this is them kind of being like, no, we don't want good picks. We want a player that can help us."

The conversation highlights the strategic maneuvers of both teams, assessing how the trade aligns with their respective goals and the potential long-term effects on their defenses.

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2. The Ascendancy of Jake Paul in Boxing

A significant portion of the episode centers on Jake Paul's burgeoning influence in the boxing world. The hosts debate whether Paul's success is a testament to his boxing skills or a masterclass in marketing and self-promotion.

• Marketing Genius vs. Boxing Talent:

  • Stugotz critiques Paul's rise: "He's fooling a gullible public the way it's easy to fool the uneducated and take money from them" (07:16).
  • Billy Corben counters by acknowledging Paul's marketing prowess: "He is in a way that we haven't seen before... he's duped us all in the sense that we continue to talk about him like a legitimate big star" (11:02).

• Impact on the Sport:

  • Dan LeBatard reflects on the state of boxing: "We're in a bad place with boxing, but also they're giving the people what they want" (10:15).
  • Stugotz laments the sidelining of skilled fighters: "I find myself wounded for actual excellent fighters that it's marketing today that wins and not excellence was marketing" (07:16).

• Comparisons with Boxing Legends:

  • The hosts draw parallels between Paul and historical figures like Floyd Mayweather, discussing the evolution of personal branding in combat sports.
  • Mike Ryan remarks, "He works hard," emphasizing that despite criticisms, Paul's dedication shouldn't be overlooked (15:36).

This segment offers a thought-provoking examination of how individual branding and marketing strategies are reshaping traditional sports landscapes, using Jake Paul as a focal point.

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3. College Game Day's Transition and Coach Joe's Retirement

The discussion shifts to the beloved College Game Day, speculating on the potential retirement of its iconic host, Coach Joe, and the future of the show's traditions.

• Potential Retirement of Coach Joe:

  • Stugotz raises the topic: "Is it even possible for a 90s rock and roll band to exist today... is it even possible for a band to break nationally the way we're making" (20:02).
  • The hosts humorously explore creative replacements for Coach Joe's signature headgear, brainstorming ideas like paper-mâché heads and giant mascots.

• Creative Solutions and Banter:

  • Greg Cody suggests engaging alternatives: "Have them do a headgear thing" (26:02).
  • Billy Corben playfully envisions replacements: "They’re gonna have the two mascots side stage... releasing confetti like a pinata" (29:56).

• Maintaining Tradition:

  • Dan LeBatard emphasizes the importance of College Game Day's emotional elements: "It’s the headgear [that] tug at the heartstrings that make you root for Purdue" (34:05).
  • The hosts discuss how the show might preserve its essence amidst potential changes in its hosting structure.

This segment is a blend of nostalgia and creative thinking, reflecting on the show's legacy while entertaining possibilities for its future.

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4. LeBron James' Contract and Potential Team Moves

LeBron James' recent decision to opt into a substantial contract sparks a lively debate about his motivations and possible future with the Los Angeles Lakers.

• Contract Opt-In Analysis:

  • Stugotz questions the underlying reasons: "Would you believe someone like this is doing this for attention?" (34:05).
  • Billy Corben asserts, "You can’t be LeBron James without craving the spotlight" (36:05).

• Potential Team Destinations:

  • Mike Ryan speculates on possible moves: "Cleveland, where he could go back and be a hero once again... the Dallas Mavericks" (36:14).
  • Billy Corben adds Miami as a strong candidate: "There's no question that there will be returns to the Heat" (36:43).

• Impact on the Lakers and the NBA:

  • Stugotz expresses skepticism about the Lakers' championship prospects influencing LeBron's decision: "I'd vote no because they're not gonna win a championship and he knows it" (37:00).
  • The hosts discuss how this decision marks a departure from LeBron's long-standing relationship with the Lakers and the broader implications for team dynamics and fan expectations.

This discussion encapsulates the uncertainty surrounding one of basketball's greatest players, exploring both personal ambitions and team strategies.

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5. Lighthearted Segments and Banter

Interspersed with the main topics are moments of humor and camaraderie among the hosts, providing a relaxed and entertaining listening experience.

• Reese's Peanut Butter Cups Observation:

  • Stugotz muses, "Why are there ridges on Reese's peanut butter cups?" prompting a playful response from Dan LeBatard (18:55).

• Celebrating Birthdays and Personal Stories:

  • Billy Corben shares his birthday plans, "We're staying home tonight. We're watching the debate on TV..." leading to jokes about enjoying events typically favored by older generations (19:24).

• Coach Joe’s Dance Mishap:

  • The hosts humorously reenact a scenario where Coach Joe struggles to remove his dress shirt on the dance floor, resulting in a comical situation where his shirt gets stuck on his wrists (31:56).

• Speculative Fun:

  • Ideas for replacing College Game Day traditions include mascots dancing and exploding with confetti, adding a whimsical touch to the conversation (30:23).

These segments add a layer of lightness to the episode, balancing serious analysis with genuine laughter and relatable anecdotes.

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6. Final Thoughts and Predictions

As the episode nears its conclusion, the hosts recap their discussions and offer predictions on upcoming sports events and trends.

• College Game Day’s Evolution:

  • Dan LeBatard reflects on the show's adaptation under Pat McAfee: "They probably had a difficult time navigating that transition" (34:05).

• Speculations on Final Concerts and Retirements:

  • The conversation humorously touches on Black Sabbath's final show and Coach Joe's potential retirement, blending factual discussion with playful skepticism (30:39, 31:02).

• LeBron James' Future Moves:

  • Greg Cody and Billy Corben continue to explore the implications of LeBron’s contract choices, emphasizing the unpredictability and potential seismic shifts within the NBA (36:50).

These closing segments encapsulate the hosts' forward-looking perspectives, leaving listeners with food for thought on the dynamic worlds of sports and entertainment.

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Notable Quotes

• Greg Cody on the NFL Trade:
  "You have a reigning Pro Bowler and John Smith. You have two former all pros Minka Fitzpatrick and Jaylen Ramsey. Yeah, this is a massive trade." (03:31)

• Stugotz on Jake Paul's Marketing:
  "This is one of the biggest marketing achievements of my sports lifetime... it's a genius celebration of marketing." (12:53)

• Billy Corben on LeBron James:
  "You can't be LeBron James and have the length and the breadth of career you've had without craving the spotlight." (36:05)

• Dan LeBatard on College Game Day:
  "When I think of College Game Day, yeah, it's the headgear. But second are those like Rinaldi pieces, those pieces that tug at the heartstrings." (34:05)

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This episode of The Dan Le Batard Show with Stugotz adeptly navigates through pressing sports topics while maintaining an engaging and humorous tone. Whether dissecting major NFL trades, critiquing the commercialization of boxing, or pondering the future of iconic sports shows, Dan and Stugotz provide a comprehensive and entertaining commentary that both informs and amuses their audience.

Transcript

[Dan LeBatard]

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[Stugotz]

Cuervo? Anytime someone says Cuervo, I show up.

[Dan LeBatard]

Well, I do know that to be true. But even during ad reads like Cuervo, I think he could lay out especially for one of our great partners.

[Stugotz]

Sweet, delicious Cuervo.

[Dan LeBatard]

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[Stugotz]

Cuervo.

[Dan LeBatard]

So enjoy the tequila that started it all. Cuervo. Cuervo the tequila that invented tequila. Proximo Cuervo.com Please drink responsibly Cuervo this episode is brought to you by State Farm. Knowing you could be saving money for the things you really want is a great feeling. Talk to a State Farm agent today to learn how you can choose to bundle and save with a personal price plan. Like a good neighbor, State Farm is there. Prices are based on rating plans that vary by state. Coverage options are selected by the customer, availability, amount of discounts and savings and eligibility vary by state.

[Chris Cote]

This is the Dan Levator show with the Stugats podcast.

[Stugotz]

It has been funny as the rare live trade makes an appearance involving the local team during our show. To see Greg Cody in real time go from that's not surprising. Ooh, good trade. Ah, less good. It's happened in the last few seconds as the information has trickled in on Minka Fitzpatrick for Jalen Ramsey, we have done a Pro Football Focus deep dive. We have consulted a Barry Jackson article. In his six years for the Steelers, Fitzpatrick has 18 interceptions including three return for touchdowns, four force fumbles and six tackles for loss. But last season was his worst. He permitted a bloated 127.6 passer rating in his coverage area, a huge drop from the previous five years. I suggest you go look at whether or not TJ Watt played in those games. I suspect there is a difference between the games he plays in and the games he doesn't in the Pittsburgh secondary.

[Dan LeBatard]

That's a good theory too. Apparently they used him a lot different. He was more free roaming when he had his success over in Pittsburgh. But look, he was ass last year. He was graded 44th in the NFL at his position. They were using him in the box a hell of a lot more so not at first.

[Greg Cody]

I thought you said he was asked something.

[Dan LeBatard]

He was asked to play more in.

[Greg Cody]

The box and he was asked.

[Dan LeBatard]

And then he gave up a career high five touchdown surrendered and he wasn't he wasn't doing the I know Greg loves turnovers so much. He wasn't forcing those many. On the other side of the coin, Jalen Ramsey was pretty good at corner despite all the talk about him switching positions and they did a lot with him in terms of sending him. He had batted balls at the line of scrimmage, he created a lot of pressures. He was actually quite good at the run game. Was 16th among corner.

[Stugotz]

However, when he's a more he's a more versatile player.

[Dan LeBatard]

When PFF put out a list of their top 10 corners despite it not necessarily matching up with the grade, they gave them a top 10 spot in their top 10 rankings. So Jalen Ramsey a pretty solid year at corner despite everyone trying to move them over to safety. Now it's natural to assume if they're giving up an all pro safety and Minka Fitzpatrick is a plan to finally move Jalen Ramsey over, would he be better being used the way that Minka was? Cuz Minka was proven over the course of a full season to struggle with that. So an interesting trade. No doubt.

[Greg Cody]

I know these guys are all pros but is is this feels like just a local trade. Like is this that big of a trade nationally?

[Dan LeBatard]

Dude, you have a you have a reigning Pro Bowler and John Smith. You have two former all pros Minka Fitzpatrick and and Jaylen Ramsey. Yeah, this is a massive trade. You don't see trades like this in the NFL. You had a Eric Dickerson for Cornelius Bennett trade and like we mentioned at 21 years since the last all pro for all pro swap in the NFL.

[Billy Corben]

For me it's mostly a major national trade because it directly involves Aaron Rodgers in terms of what they're doing to make this a win now moment for Aaron Rodgers who they're not going to assume they have more than one season.

[Stugotz]

I think the most interesting part about what Greg Cody just said there is the only way that that elevates into a people are talking about it as a game changing type of trade is because you've already seen the paradigm shift of the Steelers and Dolphins. Used to be excellence as a national brand. Now they are regional phenomenons that when you get Aaron Rodgers and go this aggressively win now with a trade you're going to get people's attention because Pittsburgh is playing a different game. But by getting what is clearly the last year of Aaron Rodgers his career, incentivizing it and creating around him so that he has the dink and dunk that they tried to win the super bowl with Roethlisberger at the end with conservative offense and let's see if T.J. watt can stay healthy.

[Dan LeBatard]

And they needed to do something to upgrade the weapons on offense too, because if you look at it, they kind of, really, even though they added DK Metcalf, they really stripped away from that roster. Most people can't name their RB one, and now they bring in a Pro Bowler coming off a career year, a guy that's produced in their OC system before. So it's a good move.

[Greg Cody]

And this is the Dolphins essentially saying we don't want to rebuild because they're I would have thought these guys would have been traded for picks. We're building for the future. So this is them kind of being like, no, we don't want good picks. We want a player that can help us.

[Stugotz]

Now I wanted to ask you guys, off of a conversation that we began to have last week where I was lamenting when we talked about Max Kellerman, that boxing hasn't been able to find what has always been its rightful place atop the combat sports over the weekend, Jake Paul beat Julio Cesar Chavez. You'd be forgiven for thinking it was the father. It was not. It was the son. He hadn't fought in a while. And Jake Paul continues to do a really extraordinary job of marketing where he's feeding on people who don't know anything about boxing. And so he's going and grabbing an assortment of smart names to make him a true boxing phenomenon in the pay per view age, where I can't even dismiss anymore his actual boxing skill. And it's not because he's eating name fight and beating named fighters. It's because he's done such a great job of picking the correct ones to fight so that he's fighting. He's fooling the uneducated fan into thinking that he's a phenomenon. And he's made perception reality by picking the perfect marketed fights in order to not he wasn't gonna be able to top what he did with Netflix and Tyson in terms of a viewing experience. But he continues to win fights and the phenomenon hasn't ended. And furthermore, on behalf of the circus of boxing, I find myself wounded for actual excellent fighters that it's marketing today that wins and not excellence was marketing.

[Mike Ryan]

Not always a huge part of what made this legend though in boxing, like all of these names, it was first and foremost skill, but it was the legend that then grew around these guys. And as someone who is an uneducated boxing fan like you started to say that Paul has turned himself into a Pretty good fighter, but is it just a mirage? Like, how good is that skill?

[Stugotz]

If he can win these fights, he's an okay fighter. But I can't have Ariel Helwani as the gatekeeper for MMA saying that Jon Jones's legacy is somehow tarnished because he didn't fight all comers and didn't fight all the best. And now I've got Jake Paul making his name only because he's stepping on names that don't have anything left. And the MMA fighters that he was fighting, none of them were strikers. You're fighting Anderson Silva, and 10 years after his prime, when is the, when is the last time this Cesar Chavez had fought? Because even when he was thinking Anderson Silva, even when he was fighting, when he was fighting in boxing, he was losing the last of his fights.

[Chris Cote]

But like Ariel and Jon Bones Jones, what he also said was he's tested multiple times positive for performance enhancing drugs. He's dodged the biggest names. That's why he doesn't consider him one of the greatest of all time. I don't think anyone considers Jake Paul the greatest boxer of all time. So it's not like the same thing.

[Dan LeBatard]

And Ariel's for Montreal. No.

[Stugotz]

Right. But right now I can make the argument that if I ask people listening to this name a boxer.

[Dan LeBatard]

Jake Paul, Mike Tyson, Julio Cesar Chavez.

[Stugotz]

It'S an odd thing that has happened where someone who is not quite an amateur fighter, he can fight professionally poorly, that he is somebody who is beating an assortment of people who are spent and still has a conversation around him that allows him to make giant dollars. It's not. I, I haven't seen a whole lot of people, Jerry, rig the modern game the way that the Paul brothers have on turning influencer status into genuine real sports influence. At a time where I've told you guys before that say what you will about Floyd Mayweather, he was well ahead of his time as a business in realizing the power that individual brands have in sports. LeBron was late to realizing it. Aaron Rodgers was late to realizing it. Tom Brady was late to realizing it. Floyd Mayweather maximized money. Mayweather maximized money because of how he figured out how to sell himself in the modern age. Jake Paul. I can make the argument that Jake Paul is a bigger star in combat sports than anyone Dana White presently has.

[Dan LeBatard]

Yeah, I'd say quite easily.

[Stugotz]

Okay, so where are we in terms of the best or the most known fighter in the world is somebody who's not one of the hundred best fighters in the world?

[Dan LeBatard]

We're in a bad place with boxing, but also they're giving the people what they want. They have a failure to develop their own stars, much like the UFC has now. But the UFC has at least shown you they can build back up after these valleys. They can have peaks again. They're in valley right now. Boxing gives its biggest cards over to Saudi Arabia. It's usually on streaming platforms. People have to go behind a paywall. It's not super accessible to the sports fan. They don't have these super fights that get the, the attention of the people all that much. Boxing has a lot of issues, but also they'd argue no, we're our sport is doing fine. Prize fighters get big time purses. We're doing great with our buy rates. And even though we're not part of the sports nomenclature anymore, we're a huge booming business. Especially with all that sodding money pumping in.

[Billy Corben]

Well, isn't Jake Paul the first self made Spectacle, the first YouTube star, the first influencer who has been so good at self promotion that he has elevated himself to a level way beyond what his talent deserves?

[Dan LeBatard]

Certainly the archetype for that.

[Billy Corben]

Yeah, he is in a way that we haven't seen before. I mean it's an individual sport. So way back to Cassius Clay becoming Muhammad Ali, we saw a guy with personality in the ring, who was reading poetry, who became bigger than just a boxer. But this guy is doing it from YouTube. This guy is just literally manufacturing himself from nothing. And I'm going to say he's duped us all in the sense that we continue to talk about him like a legitimate big star.

[Stugotz]

Oh no.

[Billy Corben]

Even though historically he is not.

[Stugotz]

No. But this is not a, this is not a duping. This is one of the biggest marketing achievements of my sports lifetime. This, these sports are the gutter. They are filled with bad business and an assortment of immoralities. They are individual sports that don't require team play. To have someone who on merit hasn't climbed to what is one of the merit most meritorious things there are. Can you beat other people up for money when it's just you against him? Like merit doesn't get more measured by everyone than that. This person has skirted merit. It's. It's not all marketing, but it's a genius celebration of marketing. It's just enough boxing talent to allow the marketing to make him rule combat sports when it comes to fame right now without needing the credibility.

[Greg Cody]

This is happening all over. This is happening all over social media. All these TikTok social media people, they're like what's my next avenue? Some have gone boxing. Addison Rae is a big music star now. Some try to be stand up comedians. It's just like we get this fame, we have this following. Where's my avenue? And Jake picked this avenue. And it started at the beginning as just let me fight my other YouTube friends. And he's decent at it, so he's just riding this wave.

[Stugotz]

And if you hear this as something that sounds like criticism, and I understand why the tone of it would and I understand why specifically me and Cody talking about this might seem like the establishment mainstream is threatened by whatever is the democracy of the Internet. But I have for years wondered what happens to sports content when everyone's in the game, when everyone has access. And more specifically during a time where mainstream media crumbles, where you've had it, if not contaminated, eaten up by the number of different options that the person listening to this has. I have told people before that the success of our business model is at least in part because of the numbers that we have of people. But it's also the amount of time that they spend with something Jake Paul has mastered. How do I get fans? Not sports fans, fans. How can I be interesting enough? And of course he would choose the carnival game that has no rules in terms of media governance. Boxers say and do things that are worse than anyone else because everyone knows that that's the sewer. And whatever your corporate sponsorships are, you make your money with your fists. Except this guy doesn't actually have to. Fights old men, fights old names, fights people who aren't actually strikers. And continues to fool a gullible public the way it's easy to fool the uneducated and take money from them. These days it seems easier than it ever has been.

[Billy Corben]

Well, when I used the word duped, I meant I was referring to a gullible public. You know, you refer to him as a marketing genius and he is. And he's a self manufactured bad boy. That's why after this most recent fight, the crowd is booing him and, and he's saying F you. Shut up. F you to the crowd. That's the person, the skills.

[Stugotz]

Not boxing though, the skills, attention getting.

[Billy Corben]

And he's brilliant at it. Okay, But I just am sort of hesitant to just cheer a marketing achievement instead of a sports.

[Stugotz]

But it's not just a marketing achievement though. He's beating name fighters. He's beating, he is.

[Dan LeBatard]

Look, he beat Mike Tyson. He's, he's the son of a name fighter. He, yes, he beat Anderson Silva.

[Greg Cody]

He works Hard.

[Dan LeBatard]

This. I don't think this is working, actually. I think the Mike Tyson thing worked and people went there not for Jake Paul. They went there to see Mike Tyson possibly die in a boxing ring. And we saw Mike Tyson pass up a clean shot at Jake Paul. I don't think this stuff is working. I don't know anybody that watched this fight. By the way, he was on Disown during the club World Cup. We're talking about it after. We're probably the people in the media space that are talking about it the most. I think. I think he needs to start challenging himself because the novelty of Jake Paul talking his way into watching you see if he can get punched in the face or not, I think that's worn thin. It wore thin after he lost and he had to go to the Mike Tyson trough.

[Mike Ryan]

But he'll eventually just jump to the next thing, right? Because the way that this is working in every industry, whether it's boxing, whether it's music, whether eventually sports media, it's creating fame for yourself as an influencer first and then picking some sort of quote unquote profession from there that you go into that industry and you master. So to Chris's point, Addison Rae, she was just a TikTok influencer who was studying sports broadcasting in college, but she blew up and then has tried to find her niche and now it's music.

[Stugotz]

Why?

[Mike Ryan]

Because all of her followers are flooding Spotify and gaming. Not those algorithms, but listening to the songs. And you have to have a quality of. Of music or boxing or whatever it might be that is up to snuff to be there. But you'll end up having way more success because of the fame that you gained on the front end.

[Dan LeBatard]

They take a lot of hacks too. They'll try a bunch of things. Speed tried a song and it was terrible.

[Greg Cody]

Everyone's tried to be a DJ at one point.

[Dan LeBatard]

Yeah, that is going to be a big time revenue stream.

[Mike Ryan]

This show is sponsored by Game Time, the official ticketing partner of the Dan LeBatard Show. With stugats. And folks, let's be real. Buying tickets for concerts or games is usually a pain. You hop online early, you wait in some never ending virtual queue, which I truly can't stand. And by the time you get through it, prices are sky high or tickets are gone. It's the worst. That's why I use Game Time. Look, you guys know me. I'm a white guy who likes to project like he thinks he's smarter than other people. Which means Vampire Weekend is one of my favorite bands. And when Vampire Weekend was coming to town just a couple of weeks ago, I was looking for tickets. And not only did I find amazing seats on game time, but I actually saved a ton of money. Gametime has last minute deals that let you save up to 60% off for concerts, comedy, theater, sports, you name it. And soccer fans.

[Greg Cody]

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[Mike Ryan]

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[Stugotz]

Why are there ridges on Reese's peanut butter cups?

[Dan LeBatard]

Probably so they never slip from her hands. Could you imagine?

[Stugotz]

I'd lose it.

[Dan LeBatard]

Luckily, Reese has thought about that. Wonder what else they think about.

[Stugotz]

Probably chocolate and peanut butter.

[Dan LeBatard]

Close your eyes. Exhale. Feel your body relax. And let go of whatever you're carrying today. Well, I'm letting go of the worry that I wouldn't get my new contacts in time for this class. I got them delivered free from 1-800-contacts. Oh my gosh. They're so fast. And breathe. Oh, sorry.

[Mike Ryan]

I almost couldn't breathe when I saw.

[Dan LeBatard]

The discount they gave me on my first order. Oh, sorry. Namaste. Visit 1-800-contacts.com today to save on your first order. 1-800-contacts.

[Stugotz]

Don Lebatard Greg.

[Mike Ryan]

How's your birthday going so far?

[Billy Corben]

I invented it. It's going fantastic. My wife and I are staying home tonight. We're watching the debate on tv. We're going to do something special for baby. It's a. It's a nice day for me so far.

[Stugotz]

Stugats.

[Mike Ryan]

That sounds like a. Not a super nice night. The debate.

[Chris Cote]

Old people love that shit.

[Billy Corben]

Yeah, that's exactly right. Yeah, that's exactly right. Old people do love that shit. And I'm old now. I can't deny it anymore.

[Chris Cote]

Now this is the Dan Levatar show with the Stoogats.

[Stugotz]

Is it even possible? I'm dead serious about this. When I asked the question because I was listening to a band, I was listening to just old rock music this weekend and I was wondering to myself if it is even possible for a 90s rock and roll band to exist today as a discovery. Given how we're making music these days, is it even possible, nevermind the idea that rock and roll is dead. I'm just talking about is it even possible for a 2020, the way music is made today, for a band to break nationally the way that we're making.

[Mike Ryan]

Things the same way that individual artists would, which is going on TikTok and having a song that ends up streaming enough to where you gain that popularity on the front end. But bands are few and far between these days. It's why like the 1975 was headlining Glastonbury and their like the only band left.

[Dan LeBatard]

I want to. I want to die. Just Dan Lebatar looking into a camera saying rock and roll is dead. They're. They're banned. Not saying they're banned. And yeah, Tick Tock is. Yeah, you said it. You said, you said rock. Rock and roll is dead. I think there are plenty of rock bands that have burst onto the scene lately. I think rock music is exciting. I, I'm a little disappointed about rock music's lack of things to say right now. It seems as though coming out and being overtly political works against people's best interests. I think there's like a Rage against the Machine type of hole left in rock music right now. But there's plenty of exciting bands. Fontaine, cc Idols, Turnstiles having a huge moment right now. Bands are blowing up. It's a moment.

[Stugotz]

How about Coach O at a wedding? How about Coacho at a wedding singing and dancing? Can they get.

[Greg Cody]

Look at this guy. Shirts coming off. Whose wedding is this? That he just feel. I mean, I guess you're Coacho. You just take it off.

[Stugotz]

He's always shirtless. I always see him running on the beach shirtless.

[Greg Cody]

Have to be somewhat close to the people getting married to do that, right? Or you're just Coach. Oh, and you do it.

[Stugotz]

Do you have to be. Put it on the poll at Le Batard show. Do you have to be close to the people getting married to take your shirt off while dancing on the dance floor?

[Greg Cody]

Aggressive move.

[Mike Ryan]

If you're not close, you can't be a plus one.

[Stugotz]

Coach has a different set of rules. I think, I think Coach show. If Coach was at your wedding, you're going to be disappointed if he doesn't take his shirt.

[Billy Corben]

Was he invited to the wedding is my question.

[Stugotz]

Can I hear what he said at the beginning there? Because I didn't hear what he shouted. What was the, what was the drunken slogan that he shouted? Gold tigers and rod Roll.

[Dan LeBatard]

Who was it?

[Greg Cody]

Dwyane Wade's Wayne wedding.

[Dan LeBatard]

Maybe it was Roll. Wade.

[Billy Corben]

What?

[Stugotz]

Gold daggers And Roll Away.

[Dan LeBatard]

Also, he's in recovery. Dan.

[Billy Corben]

Yeah.

[Stugotz]

From the weekend. Go Dagger, then row.

[Greg Cody]

Wade, man, I want to get to.

[Mike Ryan]

The bottom of this.

[Greg Cody]

What the hell's he saying there?

[Stugotz]

Is it Wade? Is it Wayne? Go Tiger. Then roll away.

[Billy Corben]

Roll away.

[Greg Cody]

Someone wave.

[Billy Corben]

Maybe he's saying go Tigers.

[Stugotz]

And roll Wave.

[Dan LeBatard]

Wade.

[Stugotz]

The point is that he was on the dance floor and he was shirtless. He was wearing a dress shirt and he took it off entirely the way you imagined he would take it off one seductive button at a time.

[Dan LeBatard]

He struggles with the wrist. Always a tricky part of the button down.

[Stugotz]

The people around him cleared as if they knew, like there were a group of people around him while his shirt was on. And then his shirt got taken off. But not all of it. That the. The arms.

[Dan LeBatard]

So vulnerable.

[Stugotz]

The arms and hands got stuck in the sleeves inside out. And then he looked like an inflatable car dealership, man.

[Mike Ryan]

It's not just that part. It's the fact that he goes to unbutton the shirt and he unbuttons every button but the bottom.

[Greg Cody]

But I've been there.

[Mike Ryan]

And then still goes to take it off over his head. And that's where he gets stuck. Why not just finish the button?

[Stugotz]

He didn't uncover the wrist.

[Greg Cody]

Dancing with the shirt.

[Dan LeBatard]

Do you put your foot. Like, once you. Once you have it connected to both wrists, do you push down with your thigh?

[Stugotz]

What has happened here is that he's already started to undo the shirt and now he's in too deep. And now the shirt is inside out and the sleeve is caught on his expensive watch. The watch. And so he gets it stuck over.

[Dan LeBatard]

It's on both wrists. My man's in a straight jacket right now.

[Stugotz]

But it's because. It's because he didn't unbutton the sleeves. He didn't unbutton his cufflinks. That looked about like what I expected it to look like. And what they don't show you is the sort of murmuring, lack of grace as you stumble off the floor realizing that you haven't successfully taken off your shirt and you're just wearing a dress shirt as handcuffs now in front of you.

[Billy Corben]

Go Tigers.

[Stugotz]

And roll.

[Dan LeBatard]

He's beloved. Yeah.

[Stugotz]

Oh, for sure.

[Billy Corben]

Yeah.

[Dan LeBatard]

Inexplicably speaking of beloved coaches, what do they do with Corso? Because Corso is having his final college game day. He's going to put on Brutus. A Buckeye. We all assume to make it a full circle. Beautiful moment, and then you have a full season. College game day is known for the headgear. Do they retire the bit? Do they give it to someone like Saban or McAfee?

[Greg Cody]

Well, I think, like, McAfee kind of has turned his pick into the. Like, I'm gonna engage the crowd.

[Chris Cote]

So I said, they're retiring it. They're not doing it.

[Greg Cody]

No, I know. No, he's not gonna do headgear. But I just think they will now end with McAfee will do his big, like, I got some dogs over, you know, where he, like, gets the whole crowd. Like, that's how I think they'll switch from headgear to just McAfee make your big.

[Dan LeBatard]

Excited. Really? I. I think they're gonna kind of need that headgear. They're gonna need that moment. I think they should make the guests do it.

[Greg Cody]

But you can't have another. Like, that's just his thing. Right?

[Dan LeBatard]

You can have a role if it's.

[Greg Cody]

The Bradley Cooper putting on a headgear. Like, it's.

[Dan LeBatard]

Are you kidding?

[Greg Cody]

No, I'm gonna be like, are you kidding?

[Dan LeBatard]

Bradley Cooper putting on headgear is amazing. I'd be like, that's. You want to talk about social interaction? That's great. Actually, we fixed it.

[Greg Cody]

You can't do it. Let Bradley Cooper do it just to him every week.

[Stugotz]

You think the solution to all things related to losing Corso is covering the beautiful face of Bradley Cooper at the very end.

[Dan LeBatard]

Have them do a headgear thing.

[Greg Cody]

You gotta retire the headgear thing.

[Dan LeBatard]

Hey, we have. Here's the singer from Rascal Flats. He's our guest this week. Hold the umbrella.

[Stugotz]

Boom.

[Dan LeBatard]

I got a bulldog on my head at the end. That's great. That's Buku. That's a. That's a social media bonanza right there.

[Greg Cody]

Now you're talking, Gary. Now you're talking my language. Gary lavotte.

[Dan LeBatard]

Hit him with that voice.

[Stugotz]

You guys think Bradley Cooper is the solution? Billy just said it's retired. It's over. You gotta come up with a big mistake.

[Greg Cody]

Saying they shouldn't.

[Chris Cote]

They didn't decide it.

[Dan LeBatard]

They should not. When is it gonna end? We need a big booming moment that's gonna pop right before kickoff of the noon games. We're just gonna have a pick, and it's gonna be Pat McAfee doing the thing that he's gonna be doing all throughout the weekend from his show, like, Roll Tide. Ho ho. We've seen that, and that's his thing. But we're gonna. You can't end with something that you've seen all week.

[Greg Cody]

That's what they're gonna do. I'm telling you. They're gonna move him to the last spot. He's gonna get the last guys were.

[Stugotz]

Telling me that last year Fox was making inroads with its. The college game day is one of the most successful brands in the history of sports television. And I don't believe that Corso is a ratings game breaker one way or the other. As beloved as he is, I don't believe that him not being there to do the one silly thing is going to be what puts one pregame show over the other.

[Greg Cody]

I would regularly. That's just always put it on in the morning TV for me. But if I miss it and it's like 1150, I always am like, oh, let me go to the pit. Like I don't know if I'm going to do that as much now.

[Stugotz]

You won't know. You obviously won't. Obviously. If you're. If you're going to the end of college game day, at least in part because your college slothy Saturday is starting soon.

[Dan LeBatard]

You're on the corner.

[Stugotz]

Nine Sunday, nine Saturdays get through July noon sloth. I think it's. What are we, 10 weeks away? I heard the other day and it made me sad. I actually heard the other day somebody start a segment with can Schottenheimer make the Cowboys successful again? And I'm like, no one can answer that question successfully. There's not a person on earth who could give a good answer.

[Greg Cody]

It's why.

[Stugotz]

It's a great question, but it's why it's on in June and July. That's right. It's just like Cowboys Ken Schottenheimer, make them successful. Go ahead, show me all the people who are great at answering that. Go ahead. I'll wait.

[Billy Corben]

Yeah. You know who isn't Jerry Jones isn't great at answering that.

[Dan LeBatard]

It.

[Stugotz]

We are starving.

[Greg Cody]

Have a sip of your coffee. That was a good answer. That was a good contribution right there. Have a sip.

[Stugotz]

We haven't heard from him in a while. We've been. We've been missing Greg Cody. This hasn't felt like a Greg Cody Monday.

[Dan LeBatard]

Is he writing his column the way that it needs.

[Greg Cody]

Check his computer.

[Stugotz]

The tr. He wasn't interested. He wasn't interested in the column when it was just Jalen Ramsey. But all of a sudden some more.

[Greg Cody]

Names got a lot of pecking over there.

[Stugotz]

Yeah, there were some clicks involved and all of A sudden he's sniffing around, trying to figure out how he can get to the front of the Internet line.

[Billy Corben]

Quick remark about Corso retiring. You have to retire the big comical paper mache head. Here's what's going to happen. I predict paper mache head. Yeah, here's what's going to happen. The game of the week. You're going to have the two mascots side stage. Okay. You're not going to know who they're going to pick. You're going to find out who they pick when the winning mascot bounds joyfully onto the center of the stage. That's the way they're going to replace the Corso head.

[Greg Cody]

They're just way more boring.

[Billy Corben]

Well, it's, it's dramatic.

[Dan LeBatard]

Hey, it's an idea.

[Billy Corben]

You got the two mascots there nudging each other, you know, playfully. Who's going to be.

[Dan LeBatard]

All right?

[Greg Cody]

No bad ideas. What about a wrestling ring? Two opposing fans get in the ring, wrestle.

[Chris Cote]

Nah. Okay, you need the paper mache heads. Greg, I have an idea. What if you make like a deal with like Hasbro or whoever it is. Right, Right. And you have giant rock em sock em robot mascots.

[Billy Corben]

Now you're talking.

[Chris Cote]

And then you start going like this and it's a dance, a boom, boom, boom. And then all of a sudden the mascot who loses head explodes with confetti coming out and candy like a pinata.

[Billy Corben]

I'm telling you what. Billy has that.

[Chris Cote]

Thank you.

[Billy Corben]

Nailed.

[Chris Cote]

Thank you.

[Billy Corben]

Nailed it. Patent that.

[Stugotz]

Black Sabbath with Ozzy Osbourne is playing its final show ever in Birmingham, England, the day after July 5th.

[Greg Cody]

They say final show, but July 6th.

[Billy Corben]

July six, like Jon Jones retiring. You don't believe it.

[Greg Cody]

Another good one. Take another sip.

[Billy Corben]

No.

[Stugotz]

You don't believe that Ozzy Osbourne and Black Sabbath are retiring. Why wouldn't you believe that? I would believe that.

[Billy Corben]

I will say, and I love Ozzy Osbourne. I will say he's had pretty serious health problems. So. Because of the health? Not because of the age. Because of the health. It could be.

[Stugotz]

You're willing to allow this retirement as being above your skepticism in this. Because Ozzy's sick?

[Billy Corben]

Yes.

[Dan LeBatard]

My favorite holiday is the day after July 3rd.

[Stugotz]

It's the most dangerous holiday the day after.

[Dan LeBatard]

I don't know why you presented July 6th this way. I'm kind of reeling right now. He's gonna play with Black Sabbath the day after July 5th.

[Stugotz]

I meant to say. You know what I meant to say? I meant to say the day after July 4th. Instead I got stuck. It's a. It's. It's late in the show and I'm stumbling around. So I meant to say after July 4th, thank you for seizing on that. Immediately go, tiger. Then roll away.

[Dan LeBatard]

You were trying to take your dress shirt off and it got caught on the wrist.

[Stugotz]

I want you guys to imagine what that felt like to Coach Joe immediately when the camera stopped. Okay, so he's taken off his dress, short stress shirt, poorly. The bottom button has not come off. He has taken it over his head and slid it down inside out, down both his arms, but it's now clearly stuck on both of his wrists.

[Greg Cody]

And he starts doing a dance move with it, realizes he's got nothing else, and it just goes above the head.

[Stugotz]

He can't get it off, though. He has.

[Greg Cody]

And when you can't get it off, there's one move to do that's a.

[Dan LeBatard]

New Game Day tradition. Have a logo painted on his chest.

[Stugotz]

What do you do if you are trying to keep a show alive that is the most popular thing that you have almost ever had as a network. Right. If I was to make a list of most popular things that ESPN has ever had, SportsCenters on the list and College Game Days on the list, and there aren't a lot of other things that would be above those two things.

[Dan LeBatard]

They very clearly have pivoted some and credit to the addition of McAfee leaning into the energy of Game Day. It probably got a little too antiseptic for a little bit. My wife loves tuning in for those field goal competitions that he has. I think using what Pat does really well in those environments are pretty good. But the show has changed. The reason why I gravitate a little bit more to Big Noon is a lot of the producers that used to work on College Game Day, ESPN decided to put the resources to talent, bring in a Pat McAfee. But I Man, when. When I think of College Game Day, yeah, it's the headgear. But second are those like Rinaldi pieces, those. Those pieces that tug at the heartstrings that make you rooting for Purdue on your couch on a Saturday evening. That's the stuff. That's a secret sauce. I thought to College Game Day. So I do gravitate towards those think pieces a lot more that that Fox has been doing. But I think Game Day probably had a difficult time navigating that transition in year one of McAfee leaned into it a little bit more year two and it was smoother.

[Stugotz]

Cody, can I ask you here because I don't want to normalize what it is that just happened in the news stream yesterday. LeBron James, as the oldest player in the sport, opted into a $50 million contract. He's one of two players with a no trade clause, along with Bradley Beal, ridiculously enough. And immediately after opting in his agent, Rich Paul said a bunch of stuff that made it seem like he's already at odds with the Lakers, because obviously they're a team playing for the future. But LeBron wants to win right now. And my question to you is, would you believe Billy's theory, for example, that people like Aaron Rodgers and LeBron James just want to keep getting attention at all times, that this is creating a tension, because for the first time in LeBron's career, he's playing the last year of a contract. That's the first time that that's happening in 23 years where he's playing in the last year of a contract. It may or may not be his last year. Do you believe that someone like this, in the most nefarious of skepticisms, is doing this for attention, craves the attention that much? I don't believe that. I'm not willing to believe that. But I'm surprised always by the number of people who want believe it.

[Billy Corben]

I don't. I don't think you can be LeBron James and have the length and the breadth of career you've had without craving the spotlight and not wanting to ever give it up ever. And he's not ready yet. I think. I think what's happened in the last 24 hours tells us that LeBron James thinks he has one last hurrah and it ain't in la. He wants to go to another team. He wants to be able to pick that team. He's going to have one last season, next year or the year after, and it's. It's going to be glorious.

[Mike Ryan]

In his mind, there's two teams that immediately stand out. When you think about it, it's Cleveland, where he could go back and be a hero once again. Go on putting a one seed over the top.

[Chris Cote]

Here we go.

[Mike Ryan]

I'm not going to. I'm not going to say what you think. And then the Dallas Mavericks, because they have Kyrie, they have Anthony Davis, who seemingly he didn't want moved out of town. They also have Cooper Flag. That's a team that he probably assumes he could join if they give up the rest of their assets and win big. But the Eastern Conference is the place that is the most enticing. Obviously there's Cleveland at the top. But there are some other teams that would probably be interested in adding.

[Greg Cody]

So now Nico trades Cooper flag for LeBron James. That would be a plot twist.

[Billy Corben]

There would be at least a half a dozen themes. That's not where the rumors came up. Including the one we're in right now. Miami.

[Mike Ryan]

Yes.

[Billy Corben]

There's no question that there will be returns to the Heat.

[Stugotz]

If you had to guess, does he end this season with the Lakers? Yes or no? Cause I'd guess no.

[Billy Corben]

Ooh.

[Stugotz]

I'd vote yes.

[Dan LeBatard]

This is a pick em line.

[Mike Ryan]

Might not start there.

[Stugotz]

I'd vote no because they're not gonna win a championship and he knows it. And it should be Luka's team now. And he kind of gets in the way.

[Dan LeBatard]

I think he tries to get to New York.

[Mike Ryan]

Could you imagine a LeBron James move at a trade deadline? That'd be nuts.

[Stugotz]

I mean, he's gonna be the one who orchestrates it.

[Billy Corben]

Yep.

[Chris Cote]

Just a quick correction. The final concert is not the day after July 5th. It is in fact July 5th, the day after July 4th.

[Stugotz]

Thank you. Thank you very much. Also a correction. T.J. watt played in all the games that make a Fitzpatrick.