Hour 2: The Pro-Cupcake Show

Summary

Podcast Summary: The Dan Le Batard Show with Stugotz – Hour 2: The Pro-Cupcake Show

Release Date: December 9, 2024

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1. Introduction

In the second hour of "The Dan Le Batard Show with Stugotz," titled "The Pro-Cupcake Show," hosts Dan Le Batard and Stugotz engage in a vibrant discussion covering various sports topics, including college football dilemmas, major league baseball contracts, and the intricacies of sports management. The episode features insightful debates, humorous exchanges, and notable commentary on recent sports events.

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2. Amin's College Football Dilemma

Amin Elhassan kicks off the discussion by presenting a personal conflict related to his collegiate affiliations:

• Background: Amin has been branding himself as Georgia Tech’s most prominent alum who didn’t play sports. However, he faces a dilemma as his alma mater is actually Arizona State, a team now in the College Football Playoff.

• The Issue: Amin desires to attend the playoff game without the hefty price tag, seeking a way to secure tickets as a celebrity-like figure despite the high demand and sold-out status.

• Key Quote:
  Amin Elhassan [01:13]: "I want to go to the game, but I don't want to pay. What I don't want is, I want to be able to go like, as a celebrity."

The hosts and co-panelists, including Greg Cote and Mike Ryan, engage in a light-hearted yet practical exchange about possible solutions, highlighting the challenges of ticket availability for high-profile games.

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3. The Coffee Table Movie Discussion

A significant portion of the episode revolves around a controversial film dubbed "The Coffee Table," which Mike Ryan recommended to David Sampson:

• Controversy: Mike lauded the movie as a "great film" with impactful performances, whereas David expressed strong negative reactions, stating it "ruined his Thanksgiving."

• Debate Highlights:

  • Mike Ryan [12:01]: "It's a shocking film. The beauty lies within the performances."
  • David Sampson [13:06]: "It's one of the best films. It's going to be on my top 10 list of films I've watched this year."

• Notable Exchange:
  Dan Le Batard [12:31]: "Because you're criticising the contracts that baseball are holding out, are handing out the."
  David Sampson [13:53]: "I can get a list, please, of the NBA players who are overpaid and making tons of money because there's a salary floor."

The conversation underscores differing perspectives on the film's value, blending sports talk with cultural critiques.

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4. The Scoop on Juan Soto's Contract

A focal point of the discussion is Juan Soto's recent contract with the New York Mets:

• Contract Details: Soto signed a 15-year deal worth $765 million, making it one of the most substantial contracts in baseball history.

• Analysis:

  • Greg Cote questions the long-term viability and impact of such a high-value contract.
  • Mike Ryan argues that the contract may age better due to changes in baseball’s financial landscape and Soto’s exceptional skills.
  • David Sampson emphasizes Soto's value as a generational talent, contrasting it with other players like Shohei Ohtani, whose versatility justifies his contract.

• Key Quotes:
  David Sampson [20:01]: "It's a dream come true. Ballmer wanted to be Steve Cohn so badly..."
  Mike Ryan [24:25]: "He's got the best eye in the sport. I don't see that eye getting worse over time."

The panel debates whether the Mets' hefty investment in Soto signifies a sustainable strategy or an overreach in player contracts.

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5. Comparing MLB and NBA Contracts

The hosts delve into a broader discussion about the differences in contract structures between Major League Baseball (MLB) and the National Basketball Association (NBA):

• Salary Caps:

  • Amin Elhassan points out that the NBA has strict individual salary caps, limiting how much star players like LeBron James can earn despite their market value.
  • Greg Cote and Mike Ryan discuss the implications of these caps on league competitiveness and player compensation.

• Deferred Payments:
  The conversation highlights how MLB teams utilize deferred payments to manage large contracts, contrasting with the NBA's more rigid financial frameworks.

• Key Quotes:
  Amin Elhassan [31:56]: "If we kept the NBA salary cap as is, but allowed players to get paid whatever their market value is..."
  Dan Le Batard [35:27]: "You hope he's good in his 30s, but that's you're paying him double the going rate per season on the front end of that contract."

This segment underscores the complexities of sports economics and the varying approaches leagues take to balance player salaries and team budgets.

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6. Steve Ballmer and Team Management

Steve Ballmer's management of the Los Angeles Clippers becomes a point of comparison:

• Franchise Challenges:

  • Dan Le Batard criticizes Ballmer’s strategies, suggesting that despite significant investments, the Clippers remain underperforming.
  • David Sampson counters by highlighting the long-term investments and the potential for future success.

• Ownership Strategies:
  The discussion touches on how ownership decisions, such as venue enhancements and player acquisitions, impact team performance and fan perception.

• Key Quote:
  Dan Le Batard [26:56]: "Steve Cohen spent $765 million to do that today, to win a day to do that today, to win, to knock football out of the way."

This dialogue reflects ongoing tensions between ownership ambitions and on-field results, emphasizing the delicate balance required for successful team management.

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7. Final Thoughts and Conclusions

Wrapping up the episode, the hosts reflect on the broader implications of high-value contracts and ownership decisions in sports:

• Market Dynamics:
  The conversation reiterates the importance of understanding player value within the market and how contracts like Juan Soto’s redefine team strategies.

• Future Outlook:
  Mike Ryan suggests that abolishing salary caps across all sports could lead to a more balanced and competitive environment, although acknowledging the potential challenges.

• Closing Remarks:
  Dan Le Batard emphasizes the need for financial control and strategic investments, drawing parallels between baseball and other sports in managing player contracts.

• Key Quote:
  Dan Le Batard [35:58]: "You're paying him double the going rate per season on the front end of that contract."

The episode concludes with a nuanced examination of sports economics, ownership strategies, and the evolving landscape of player contracts, leaving listeners with much to ponder about the future of professional sports.

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Notable Quotes with Timestamps

• Amin Elhassan [01:13]: "I want to go to the game, but I don't want to pay. What I don't want is, I want to be able to go like, as a celebrity."

• Mike Ryan [24:25]: "He's got the best eye in the sport. I don't see that eye getting worse over time."

• Amin Elhassan [31:56]: "If we kept the NBA salary cap as is, but allowed players to get paid whatever their market value is..."

• Dan Le Batard [35:58]: "You're paying him double the going rate per season on the front end of that contract."

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Conclusion

In "Hour 2: The Pro-Cupcake Show," Dan Le Batard and Stugotz navigate through intricate sports topics, offering listeners an engaging blend of humor, analysis, and spirited debate. From Amin's personal branding dilemma to the financial gymnastics of major league contracts, the episode provides a comprehensive look into the current state and future of professional sports.

Transcript

[Dan Le Batard]

You're listening to DraftKings Network.

[Mike Ryan]

Being a marketer is no sweat. You just have to manage dozens of channels, launch hundreds of campaigns, score thousands of leads and. Okay, fine. It's a lot of sweat. Unless you have HubSpot's AI powered marketing tools to help you do all that and more. Get [e-mail] marketers.

[Stugotz]

This is the Dan Levator show with the Stuttgarts podcast.

[Amin Elhassan]

Guys, I have a sports fan dilemma.

[Greg Cote]

Really?

[Stugotz]

Yeah.

[Amin Elhassan]

So, as you guys know, last couple of years, I've devoted a lot of time and energy to branding myself as Georgia Tech's most famous alum who didn't play a sport. Also, Jimmy Carter may have not gone to Georgia Tech. I still haven't gotten any clarity on that. And so it's been great, right? High profile wins, even the loss to Georgia. I had so many people hit me up, but I effectively branded myself as Georgia Tech Guy. Here's the problem. I graduated from Arizona State. Arizona State's in the College Football Playoff. They're playing in the peach bowl on January 1st.

[Dan Le Batard]

Oh, that's okay. Mike allows it.

[Amin Elhassan]

Well, what's up?

[Stugotz]

No, let him finish.

[Greg Cote]

Yeah, let's hear him out.

[Stugotz]

There's a dilemma.

[Amin Elhassan]

So here's the dilemma. So I want to go to the game, but I don't want to pay. Like, I don't. I don't want to. What I don't want is, I want to be able to go like, as a celebrity. Like, Arizona State's one of most famous alums. Right? But it's a pretty big ticket. I mean, it's a playoff game.

[Mike Ryan]

Oh, it's highly in demand.

[Amin Elhassan]

And there are no tickets, as I understand it, retail out there. They're all sold out. They're all gobbled up. So what do I do?

[Mike Ryan]

I mean, do not listen to this show, you idiot, because we have a partner in Game Time that makes that very easy. If you haven't downloaded that app, I'm going to strangle you. Download the Game Time app and create an account amin and I can get you $20 off your first purchase. If for whatever reason, you don't become a huge influencer for Arizona State because you've been a Georgia Tech guy the entire. Let me tell you something. Maybe you don't get sidelines, but you can get panoramic seat views from anywhere in that building. Any ticket that you're looking at within the app and all in pricing, no surprises at checkout, you have a low price guarantee. For whatever reason, you find a better price out there on the secondary market, for whatever reason, they will cover you up to 110%.

[Greg Cote]

No way.

[Mike Ryan]

I'm telling you. And you get unparalleled customer service. So download the Game Time app today, create an account and use that code. Dan.

[Greg Cote]

Dan.

[Amin Elhassan]

Got it.

[Mike Ryan]

Dan. For $20 off your first purchase terms apply. Download Game Time today. Amin, what time is it?

[Amin Elhassan]

It's game time.

[Dan Le Batard]

I want to get to the funniest thing from the sports weekend in a second. I do believe that Amin should be allowed to be Georgia Tech's loudest non athlete supporter. As somebody who has enjoyed joining the college football conversation over the last five weeks of being spoiler to Miami and playing Georgia close, you felt so close to the buzz as a basketball guy.

[Amin Elhassan]

Buzz, yes. Abso. Name of the mascot. No, but Dan, it's. It's great because I get to parachute in and tell Mike his team sucks, and then you don't. You guys don't understand. Here's the worst part. I had so many texts and tweets ready in my drafts during that Georgia game. Elle Duncan doesn't know what kind of hell she avoided.

[Stugotz]

Doesn't know my name either.

[Greg Cote]

L. Duncan.

[Dan Le Batard]

Oh, hey, what's up, Greg?

[Stugotz]

Still scarred from that.

[David Sampson]

As you were.

[Amin Elhassan]

It was. And that feeling, Dan, of living on the edge of knowing, oh, my God, all it takes is one press of us button, hit send, and I'm going to be the most obnoxious person in this person's life. It's exhilarating, to be honest.

[Dan Le Batard]

Well, Mike. Mike spent his whole season right on the fringe of that. His entire Mike Ryan just right there.

[Mike Ryan]

With you with the ACC agenda against the sec. That was a huge game for me. That was a real bummer. I had all sorts of means ready to go, too.

[Amin Elhassan]

That was, by the way, the first pang of like, oh, this isn't going to go well. Was Mike sending me texts during the day? Like, oh, it's going to happen. It's going to happen.

[Dan Le Batard]

Wait a minute. If I may, David Sampson's in here now. And I do want to get to more of the Soto stuff because I believe that. I believe that David has better information here than anybody in the media on this particular story, biased though it may be. But I believe that we've glossed over. Not at all we've glossed over that. This is one has to be one of the most crushing sports feelings that Mike Ryan has ever endured. He got a little us against the world, Miami against everybody. He had more proprietary interest in what was happening as Miami had the best quarterback in the sport and you get that close and at the end all you've got is the argument. And it's a compelling argument. It's a pretty good argument. On behalf of. Would you please care to think that maybe Syracuse and Georgia Tech are a little better than you thought they were? Because if everyone is three lost bad, including Georgia and Alabama, if they're all field three lost bad, can we give some credit to the teams Miami lost to by a small combined margin that he would find himself at the center of the argument but have only the argument and the heartbreak makes this, I think, one of the most hurtful sports experiences of Mike Ryan's life.

[Greg Cote]

I'm not certain Georgia Tech and Syracuse being better than we thought they were going to be is ever a good argument. I mean, I'm sorry, I just. Not a football.

[Mike Ryan]

Well, it became an argument for when Bama lost to Vanderbilt. Well, they're a lot better than you thought. What was devastating was the loss, not what happened afterwards because I knew the loss would breed what happened afterwards because we were going to. If it became down, if it came down to an SEC team versus Miami, they were going to go with the SEC team. And it's just because of what I was warning against the entire time, this damn preconceived notion. But I, I do. I'm still hurting. I was. I did not watch really. I watched the end of the ACC championship game, but I avoided it because of the pain that I felt a week before. It's a shame because this was a good season. If you would have told me before the year, two losses by nine points, I'm saying, okay, then I'm fully guaranteeing a trip to Charlotte didn't end up working out. This was a really good season for Miami. It's the type of season that we've been begging for for 15 years. Miami has an opportunity to win 11 games for the first time since 2003. I'm ultimately through it now and happy with the season that we've had.

[David Sampson]

Are we square?

[Mike Ryan]

What do you mean are we square? How we personally.

[David Sampson]

Yeah. Are you now more miserable about Miami than you ever were about the Marlins? So are we good now?

[Mike Ryan]

No. No. That's not what made us square. What made us square is what I did to you on Thanksgiving.

[Stugotz]

You're coping though, right? Because like Mario Cristobal was brought in to get you into a four team playoff, not miss a 12 team playoff.

[Mike Ryan]

Right, I understand. Mario Cristobal was. No, Mario Cristobal was brought in to turn the program around and the program has been turned around. Hopefully this is sustainable. But I'm happy with the trajectory of the program from year one to year two to year three, year four for a recruiting based coach like Mario Cristobal is that's when you start winning big. So that's the challenge. Miami's got to replace a lot of players.

[Greg Cote]

But isn't turning it around at Miami making it to the playoff, winning national championships?

[Mike Ryan]

I think it's yes, yes, but you got to build. And I think it's irrefutable that Miami's headed in the right direction and that's where I'm going to hang my hat.

[Stugotz]

But Kurt Cignetti turned around Indiana in a year.

[Mike Ryan]

Well, Kirk Cignetti also played three teams with winning records and if Miami had the very same thing, they'd be in the College Football Playoff.

[Dan Le Batard]

The Cam Ward experience that makes me think that this isn't quite recreatable is if I'm going to lose a couple of games because of my coach and I don't have the best quarterback in the sport. What does all this look like? Because the defense, they were saying the.

[Mike Ryan]

Same thing about Tennessee after Peyton Manning left. And then Team Martin rolls around. There are so many examples of great, unprecedented unicorns at the position. And the guy that follows is not nearly as good.

[Dan Le Batard]

It's better than the alternative. Like it can't be seen as anything but progress when you get to more wins and better quarterback play and all the recruits that come from more wins and better quarterback play. It is the stepping stone that can't be disputed. But Billy's not wrong when he says Mario Crystal ball and a giant investment of $90 million was supposed to get you into the playoff by year three. And they were as close as anybo could get without getting into the playoffs.

[Mike Ryan]

If Miami played smu, if Miami played Clemson, things would have worked out a little different. It's a little unlucky. SMU has a slightly more favorable conference, but Miami was up 21 0. You got to own that question.

[Dan Le Batard]

I had the question. And has Miami ever lost a football game when they were up 21? Nothing. I'm asking if I don't think they've blown 21 point leads before. But I can't recall a game that Miami lost when they led 21. Nothing before this one.

[David Sampson]

The question that people are asking, I don't know if they have. But that's not the issue that athletic directors are dealing with and coaches. Now you heard what the Alabama AD said. We gotta start thinking about strength of schedule. Now and about what to do with non conference games. And now that we've seen one selection by this CFP committee when it's 12, not four, there's meetings going on. I promise you that.

[Mike Ryan]

No, I would advise Miami just schedule cupcakes because you actually schedule ambitiously and you don't get credit for it. At the end of the day they're just gonna hold up your conference and what you doing it against you. So just do what the SEC schools because you get, you don't get rewarded for what schools want to go to Florida. Miami never shies away from a challenge when it comes to scheduling. They put, they put Michigan State in, lsu, Florida, Alabama, they don't care and they don't get the reward for it. Now they've never really been in position to be close enough to take that into account until this year. They beat Florida and everyone just moves a goalpost on Florida. Well, September, they're not as good as they were before. That wasn't a close game. This wasn't a game one inside of margins. That wasn't. Well, if they had DJ Lag way they'd win that game. I saw DJ Lagway for about half of that game. It was a 40 point victory essentially.

[David Sampson]

So one of the things you have to think about when you're scheduling is that maybe it doesn't matter who you play in week two, week three versus the end of season. Maybe it doesn't matter. Strength of schedule and there are people arguing don't do cupcakes. But where I come out is I am definitely doing cupcakes. Pro cupcakes. This show pro cupcake big time. Because there's way more money by making it into the final 12 for the school.

[Mike Ryan]

No doubt pay San Jose State $1 million. Although that team might be too good. I don't want any part of.

[Dan Le Batard]

Well, Notre Dame, Notre Dame did pay Northern Illinois to play there, did they not? I think. When did they become cupcakes? Can you get me the origins please of this cupcake talk that we're having?

[Greg Cote]

I think it was Dickie V. I.

[Dan Le Batard]

Gotta be honest, I don't think he invented the cupcake talk. I think you think Dickie V invented referring to someone as a cupcake, referring.

[Greg Cote]

To sports teams as cupcakes.

[Dan Le Batard]

Well, which, which is the older phrase? Tomato can or cupcake like. Which is the older phrase for referring to somebody that is an easy beat to the fixes in on the.

[Mike Ryan]

I think tomato can is like the older one.

[David Sampson]

Cupcake.

[Greg Cote]

Yeah. No tomato can.

[David Sampson]

It's also not just weak. It's also. Hey, you're a cupcake.

[Dan Le Batard]

I don't know why you're doing your eyebrows at me that way.

[David Sampson]

Because you're a cupcake.

[Dan Le Batard]

Okay, please stop talking. There.

[Stugotz]

Swap. We could fix all of this, but we don't need to.

[Dan Le Batard]

I don't. I don't. What? Where did I finish in the listener league, Billy? I don't know your username.

[Greg Cote]

What's your username? I mean.

[Dan Le Batard]

I mean, geez, I can't have one. I had Kyler Murray in the Eagles defense.

[Greg Cote]

You lost.

[Mike Ryan]

We will never be even. Maybe Jordan Addison, just so you know, just so you're abundantly clear, we will never be even. For you killing my passion for what.

[David Sampson]

You did this Thanksgiving to me. You.

[Dan Le Batard]

What happened there? What happened? Mike mentioned it before he ruined your Thanksgiving.

[David Sampson]

Literally ruined it, which is not easy to do because normally family just will do it. But Mike did it this time.

[Mike Ryan]

He took my advice to watch a movie, and he did so on Thanksgiving morning, and it ruined his day.

[Dan Le Batard]

He saw the coffee table.

[David Sampson]

I did. On Thanksgiving.

[Greg Cote]

I was wrong. It wasn't Dickie V. It was Kendrick Perkins.

[Mike Ryan]

What did you think of the coffee table, David?

[David Sampson]

It's really close.

[Dan Le Batard]

It's got to be before Dick Vitale. Kendrick Perkins did not get the credit. Bent the cupcake as a phrase. What happened with the coffee table? I still don't know what this is about. I don't want to know what it's about.

[David Sampson]

Then how can you? Why don't you want to know?

[Dan Le Batard]

Because everyone is so disgusted by it, and Mike has spoken about it in cryptic terms. And I haven't wanted to go on the Internet and know what the premise of this movie is. Anthony Jeselnik is one of the great dark comics that there have ever been. He thinks of this as a comedy. He recommended it on South Beach Sessions and Mike decided to try it. It is not a comedy. I'm assuming from the way you guys are reacting, it is disgusting. But I still don't know if you guys are so disgusted that you won't speak it out loud. It's only been whispered to Stu Gotz and Chris Cody. I don't want to know what this movie's about.

[David Sampson]

But why is it that you refuse on the recommendation to see it.

[Dan Le Batard]

Because it's disgust.

[Mike Ryan]

It's a great film. No, it's not a disgusting film. Maybe some people come away with that opinion. I think it's a shocking film. And the reason why we don't want to give away the plot is I think the shock value has a lot to do with this film's power, but the beauty lies within the performances. The drama lies within the story as it goes. Because, yes, there is a central plot line that if I say it, it gives away a large chunk, but that is honestly just the tip of the spear when it comes to this. It's about the residual effects of one action.

[David Sampson]

Yeah. I don't think that it can be spoiled because the tension of the movie is not the act that we're discussing. It's actually what happens after, which is the majority of the movie. What ruined my Thanksgiving is not the first thing that happens. That's a Tuesday that you can see it happened. Right. Life happens. The performance that haunts me to this day. And I want to speak to your guest. I like the Netflix, but I really want to understand the comedy part because Mike told me too. That you thought it was a dark comedy.

[Mike Ryan]

Yes, I think that there is an aspect to this film. There's a central action that has all sorts of ramifications. And I think the comedy is in the situations that they put the main actor in. And also that the main horror of this film is not necessarily the bad action is how do I go about telling my wife that this thing happened?

[David Sampson]

But to me, that's a Tuesday. So I spent 29 years saying to myself, well, how am I going to tell my wife this? So that to me was just a learned sort of knee jerk thing.

[Mike Ryan]

But you genuinely think it's a good film? I think it's a massive, very good film.

[David Sampson]

It's one of the best films. It's going to be on my top 10 list of films I've watched this year.

[Mike Ryan]

Okay.

[David Sampson]

That's how significantly good it is. It's not a movie from this year, so it didn't. It's not going to get nominated a couple of years old, but I do a separate list of. Of movies I've actually watched because I watch older movies.

[Mike Ryan]

But it is a movie that there's before the coffee table and after the coffee table. And I would recommend it will impact your holiday if you choose to watch it on Thanksgiving morning.

[David Sampson]

You never told me that. That's your getting me back. Now we're even. We are even.

[Mike Ryan]

Howdy, folks. It's Mike and guess what? It's Miller time. The holiday season brings around lots of joy and also lots of family. Lots of family gatherings at your home. You're inviting people in there and you want to make sure they're happy. Why don't you make their time at your place A Miller Time. Pass around that beautiful white can of triple hops brewed Miller Lite and watch the smiles adorn those faces. Make Miller Light the official drink. The official beverage of your holiday get together. You know why? Because it is a perfect beer for the holiday season. You'll take a sip, you'll look around and you'll think immediately, yeah, I made the right call. It's got tastes that you can depend on. No games, no gimmicks. Just great beer. For people who like beer making memories at year end gatherings. Tastes like Miller time. Go to millerlite.com dan to find delivery options near you. Or you can pick up some Miller Lite pretty much anywhere they sell beer. Celebrate responsibly. Miller Brewing Co. Milwaukee, Wisconsin 96 calories and 3.2 carbs per 12 ounces. Fewer calories and carbs than premium regular beer.

[Greg Cote]

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[David Sampson]

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[Greg Cote]

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[Dan Le Batard]

Don Lever.

[Mike Ryan]

Great nomination.

[Dan Le Batard]

Like who?

[David Sampson]

Don't like bl. If you don't like Blues Clues, you're a loser.

[Dan Le Batard]

Stugots.

[David Sampson]

Look, you get one paw print. That's the first clue. You put it in a notebook.

[Stugotz]

Now what do you do?

[David Sampson]

Blues Clues. Blues Clues.

[Stugotz]

Sit on the chair and think about it. This is the Dan Levatar show with these two gods.

[Dan Le Batard]

I have a number of different things that I wish to get to because there was a lot of stuff in football over the weekend that was interesting. And also I want to talk more about this Soto story because if you want more information, if you are interested in sports business, Nothing Personal is the podcast for you and David devoted because it's such a seismic thing that just happened. It's super rare for the baseball story. Just I can't even think in the hypothetical, what's the baseball story that's climbing into my Sunday and knocking out all of the football? Like that's I it. I can't think of one in the hypothetical, it's not if the Dodgers do this, it's not the same. If the Red Sox get him, it's not the same.

[Greg Cote]

It's the Mets taking him from the Yankees.

[Dan Le Batard]

That too. On top of everything else, you're beyond the Boris and Stevie cone hatred that you have and they are 12 and people that you dislike in your sport, like who's 1 2.

[David Sampson]

And remember, it's not personal. I mean, Scott Boris, I don't break bread with him, but I will never forgive him for the way he acts towards his clients, especially Jose. So he's 1 and 1A in Jose.

[Dan Le Batard]

Fernandez, the Marlins pitcher who lost his life. It was very emotional and personal to you and Scott Bors came in, did some press conferences, did some smiling, and then stopped caring about the family.

[David Sampson]

And that's a good summary. But didn't. Didn't insure it, didn't let us sign him long term where he could have set up his child and his wife. But anyway, I digress. What is interesting about this Soto situation is the first person I thought of was Steve Ballmer.

[Greg Cote]

Hmm.

[David Sampson]

It's a dream come true. Ballmer wanted to be Steve Cohn so badly, if you think about it, he bought the Clippers. The Clippers are the Mets. The Lakers are the Yankees. In the same area, it'd be like the White Sox taking a player away from the Cubs. And Steve Ballmer was saying to himself, I thought I had it with Paul George. Oh, that didn't work. All right, how about a new Intuit Dome? I've got all the technology. Took everyone on the tour. He said, this is better than Staples Center. Of course, it's not in any way. And the Clippers are the Clippers. And Steve Cohn is devoted to spending whatever it takes to make the Mets bigger than the Yankees.

[Mike Ryan]

I think most people are arguing that it is absolutely better than Staples in terms of a venue because of all the cool things that they've done to it. I've heard from several media members, and they're like, I've never seen a place like this on the planet.

[David Sampson]

But that's. But the Clippers are still the Clippers.

[Dan Le Batard]

That.

[Mike Ryan]

That is true.

[David Sampson]

He did it to try to get the Clippers in a different conversation vis a vis the Lakers.

[Greg Cote]

And it didn't work, is what you're saying.

[David Sampson]

I'm saying it didn't work. It's early. It's not that early in Ballmer's career as an owner. It's not that early.

[Mike Ryan]

It's also not early in the careers of the guys that he's counting on to make it happen for them.

[Dan Le Batard]

Chris, can you get us the famous Ballmer sound of him? When we were all introduced to Ballmer, him running on stage breathlessly and introduced himself to us, because the larger point that David's bringing up here, when your franchise has been historically inept in a way that makes you laughingstock, which is both the Clippers and the Mets. The Mets have been an afterthought in that city for a long time around all its other sports in baseball. They are the lovable loser locally that had the worst team in history in 1962 and has been laughed at since.

[Greg Cote]

They're the jets, they're the Islanders.

[Dan Le Batard]

They don't beat them. They don't beat the Yankees in free agency. They don't. Nobody beats the Yankees in free agency. Until recently. The Dodgers have the better cable contract. But get for me the Sound of Ballmer because I want to put it against what David is saying. Do you realize that among these rich owners that it's all high school? Everything is still high school. And Stevie Cohen wants to show that he's got more money than everybody else and he'll win getting Juan Soto. You watch. Even though Juan Soto is not any kind of superstar outside of the confines of baseball. You're not putting Soto in commercials. You're putting him in regional commercials. You're not putting him in national commercials.

[Greg Cote]

I don't think, though, there's anything that Steve Cohen can do that will help the Mets eclipse the Yankees in terms of popularity in that.

[Dan Le Batard]

But today he has.

[Greg Cote]

Today.

[Dan Le Batard]

It cost him $765 million to win today.

[Greg Cote]

Yes.

[David Sampson]

I don't think he won, actually. Look at what we showed. I believe what we showed on this show were two videos of Yankee fans. I don't think we showed any Mets fans.

[Dan Le Batard]

That's winning. Yes, that's the Mets winning. Making Yankee fans that mad is that. That's winning.

[David Sampson]

But it's still the Yankees brand. It's still Yankees.

[Greg Cote]

Yeah, but he pissed Yankee fans off. And that's winning for a day.

[Dan Le Batard]

That's winning just for a day. They won the day.

[Stugotz]

Right?

[Dan Le Batard]

The Mets paid 760 day. They won the day. It was expensive, but for what? Look, Stevie Cohn has done this before. It's his greatest trick. He's already won free agency a couple of times, has he not? And then the team stunk.

[David Sampson]

Yeah, he was. They were the lovable last year. Underdogs.

[Greg Cote]

Yes. On a rebuild.

[David Sampson]

$100 million payroll. Billy, I heard you say this was a good one. They were paying players not to play. And you were right. But still, that's their payroll. There's still. Yeah.

[Stugotz]

No, but this is why I'm saying they don't spend their money wisely when they pay for them to just go away.

[David Sampson]

A lot of teams pay for players to go away, but he does it at a level that's sort of. Look what the Dodgers do.

[Stugotz]

You. Do you think Juan Soto is going to finish this contract with the Mets?

[Greg Cote]

Who cares? Yeah.

[David Sampson]

It's not an A rod situation.

[Stugotz]

No, I know. I'm just asking out of curiosity. You think he's going to finish the 15 years there?

[David Sampson]

I think he will actually opt out five years from now. And then Mets will opt him in to give him an extra amount of money which we haven't talked about yet. He can get up to 800 million.

[Greg Cote]

But I know where Billy's going those last five years, six years, they're going to be bad, but the next 10.

[Dan Le Batard]

Are going to be amazing. No, but wait a minute. Hold on a second.

[Greg Cote]

He's 26.

[Dan Le Batard]

I thought the new math on all of this wrought by David with through Cabrera and Stanton and what these deals are. I thought we all were of the understanding, even if three quarters of a billion dollars sounds like a ridiculous amount, that what the going cost in baseball is, if you want a player's next eight years, you better spend for his next 15. You're paying him basically twice. You hope he's good in his 30s, but that's you're paying him double the going rate per season on the front end of that contract.

[Mike Ryan]

If I may, like everyone says, this is not going to age well. Well, what he does is not. He's not just universally built on power. And we're also kind of forgetting that they did kind of change the rules in baseball. I think all those factors do help this contract age a little bit more with Grace. He's got the best eye in the sport. I don't see that eye getting worse over time. I don't see his plate discipline getting worse.

[Dan Le Batard]

You're hoping that he's as good from 35 to 40. And he's not like, you can't expect that. You can't be. You can't expect.

[Mike Ryan]

But I'm saying the sport is in a better position for his contract to age with Grace now than it was a couple of years ago.

[Greg Cote]

No question. Mike is right about that. And I don't care about 35 to 40. I care about 26 to 35.

[David Sampson]

I mean, 35 to 40 comes quick. Yeah, I know it comes quick.

[Greg Cote]

So I know. Can I enjoy the nine years, though?

[David Sampson]

I want you to enjoy it. But you know very well that he's not going to get you a World Series on his own. I know the first thing Mets fans said is, oh, we're not done. We can't be done. What a thing to spend 765 on the number one free agent.

[Dan Le Batard]

Well, the Dodgers did it. The Dodgers did it with Ohtani and Glass, now the Dodge and now Snell. Like that. That's the game you're in.

[David Sampson]

Don't mention Ohtani. They're paid Ohtani 2 million. They're paying. They're paying Soto 75 just an assigning bonus.

[Dan Le Batard]

I want to ask about the good and the bad in the deal from your perspective. But first, let's play that sound of how we were introduced as a show to Steve Ballmer where he's talking to his Microsoft employees on stage and he runs out.

[Mike Ryan]

Ladies and gentlemen, Steve Ballme.

[Dan Le Batard]

Come on, get out, get out.

[Mike Ryan]

Come on.

[Dan Le Batard]

Come on. Give it up for me.

[Greg Cote]

Come on.

[Dan Le Batard]

Who said sound?

[Mike Ryan]

I got four words for you.

[Dan Le Batard]

I love this company.

[Mike Ryan]

Yes.

[Dan Le Batard]

Steve Cohen spent $765 million to do that today, to win a day to do that today, to win, to knock football out of the way. I'm big Stevie Cohen, and I just bought my way into the game. Scott Bors didn't use me at all.

[David Sampson]

It's very Chris Farley like is what you just did. I mean, that video feels that way.

[Dan Le Batard]

It's. I wish. I wish I lived in a world where football owners could fight over labor the way that these fools do.

[David Sampson]

You could have that. You could absolutely have that if you wanted. Would you trade a salary cap if you're baseball, do you want to take the salary cap away in football and add it to baseball? Do you think it would impact Jerry Jones?

[Dan Le Batard]

The greatest advantage that football has in all regards is that that Tennessee Jacksonville game is going to be close. That the equality of what they've legislated like that there are so few teams that can win in the margins because the margins are smaller than they've ever been. So that every damn game is close. And when I'm tuning in to even the Bills, who I know to be good, they might lose at the. Because all the games are going to.

[Greg Cote]

Be close, including all the Chiefs games.

[Dan Le Batard]

Every single one of the Chiefs games is going to be close.

[Greg Cote]

Yeah.

[Dan Le Batard]

And that's the advantage that that league has. So I understand why that league would want it. But it's bad for the labor, good for the customer. Your sport has a problem on its hands because you cannot tell me in any world that this person, though he is a great baseball player, is worth 15 years of guaranteed money. That Patrick Mahomes is not worth just as an economy. Never mind just what the way the sport matters to Kansas City. Like you have made Patrick Mahomes so underpaid because baseball cannot keep its salaries in order because the owners are always going to do this for the best players.

[David Sampson]

You're really struggling with timing. It's hard to compare today's free agent to a deal that was done during COVID when there's a possibility that who knows what the world Will be like, people take their guaranteed money when they can, and someone will beat Soda. I remember when we signed Stanton, it was, hey, I don't want to be the number one contract. I'm too uncomfortable being that. And I said to him at the Beverly Hills Hotel, it won't be long. And I actually don't know how long it was, but I don't know. You may have that. Who beat his 325? It may have been Harper at 330. Who came in 5 million above that purposefully. But I said it won't be long. So this 765, it's not going to be long.

[Dan Le Batard]

Again, though, it shows the scam of all of this business in front of everybody. The fact that the players are worth a lot more than you guys. The ownership pretend because once you get two teams competing for it, the going rate now for a superstar, it's not even a sports superstar that transcends his sport is now in a galaxy where Tom Brady was not paid this much. Tom Brady's not paid half this much now.

[Mike Ryan]

Yeah, but the insanity isn't what baseball is doing. The insanity is what the other sports are allowed to do. It's not something that's allowed in global sports.

[Greg Cote]

Baseball's doing it right.

[Mike Ryan]

That's why all the European soccer owners want to replicate the American model, so they can actually cap the wages of the labor that's actually bringing in the revenue. What's crazy is that you actually look at Tom Brady, who's the greatest ever do it, and say, you can only make this much.

[Dan Le Batard]

David loves that. He loves it. It's just controlled costs on idiots.

[Greg Cote]

Well, it makes it more competitive on rich idiots.

[Mike Ryan]

It sounds like you love it too. You've been telling David for 20 years his sport is out of control. Are coming off a very popular World Series. Their. Their sport is certainly healthy enough to be dishing out contracts like this. So I think maybe you're wrong.

[Dan Le Batard]

What am I wrong about?

[Greg Cote]

Huh?

[Mike Ryan]

Because when you're criticizing the contracts that baseball are holding out, are handing out the.

[Dan Le Batard]

How were you taking his sports?

[Mike Ryan]

Because for 20 years you've been telling his sport, David, that his sport is out of control. And what does he have to show for it? The contracts keep getting bigger because the sport has actually been successful.

[Dan Le Batard]

Was only out of control because he was lying to us about what the costs were, that we were being lied to about what the value of these people were.

[Mike Ryan]

I think the unjust thing is the fact that they cap people in other sports.

[David Sampson]

I never lied directly to you just.

[Dan Le Batard]

Know that we were being. We were being just everyone else. We were being lied to about what the. What the value.

[Mike Ryan]

Perfect.

[Dan Le Batard]

What the value of the player was like. We now know in retrospect that LeBron as an economy has been underpaid every time he lands somewhere. If this baseball player is worth this much, then all athletes at this level of excellence are underpaid.

[David Sampson]

Can I get a list, please, of the NBA players who are overpaid and making tons of money because there's a salary floor.

[Mike Ryan]

It's a lot easier to get the ones you get scrubs, right?

[David Sampson]

Get like $60 million.

[Greg Cote]

But don't you want a more balanced league, balanced competition?

[Dan Le Batard]

I'm arguing out of the both sides of my mouth because I'm arguing on behalf of both the customer and what the customer wants, but also that these owners have been lying to us about how valuable these people are for many, many years. They've been lying to us when obviously look how valuable they are.

[Amin Elhassan]

Dan, I think the big issue is in the NBA, the reason why the best guys don't get the money that they deserve is not because of the salary cap. It's actually because the NBA, unlike any other sport in the world, really has a cap, an individual cap on how much a player can get paid. The max, right? If we kept the NBA salary cap as is, but allowed players to get paid whatever their market value is, LeBron could theoretically get paid 70, 80, $90 million a year. It's just now you've got $25 million to spend on the remainder of your. Of your roster.

[Dan Le Batard]

But do you guys realize what I'm saying and how the entire thing, once you've negotiated, once you've out negotiated in collective bargaining, the players and you've created, as David did so well for many years, laughing at the Tony Clarks of the world who were leading their unions, fighting for the wrong things as David took the things that actually had giant value you. To watch the union in that sport negotiate something that gets these amounts of money now suggests to me that everything that you guys have been paying these players when they were undervalued was allowing you to get away with murder and creating the business of baseball.

[David Sampson]

You are taking an outlier and you're trying to make a rule when it's actually the exception. So your entire argument is not, not well served by having Juan Soto as your stake in the ground. Juan Soto is a generational free agent talent at 26 years old. That's why he could get 15 years. Ohtani wasn't going to get 15 years. And Ohtani's way more valuable than Soto to a team on the thought that he could pitch, but he was 30. So the examples you're bringing up, I never saw Cabrera was a young free agent. It happens once in a blue moon. So I would be, I mean it was Bryce Harper.

[Dan Le Batard]

Was this like what.

[David Sampson]

He was young too. You're bringing up, you're bringing up guys.

[Mike Ryan]

That were so good enough to get into the league at the age that they did that.

[Amin Elhassan]

Dan, by way of example, right, the max in the NBA for an NBA salary, it varies depending on how many years you play. But it's around like 40, some odd million dollars. There are four players in baseball with an average annual value of $40 million. If I drop that down to 30, which is max for like a guy in his first few years in the league, that's 16 players in Major League Baseball make 30 plus.

[David Sampson]

That's not a lot.

[Amin Elhassan]

That's not a lot. Now what they do have is the 15 year deal, the 10 year deal. Whereas in NBA it only goes to five years.

[Mike Ryan]

Crazy deferred payments where you can pay somebody 40 years after the contract.

[David Sampson]

But players agree to that.

[Amin Elhassan]

But at the end of the day for no cap, what David is telling you is you're getting distracted by the peak when the reality is, and this is exactly what they collectively bargained for. I would much rather pay a shit ton of money to an elite player and then underpay everybody else than what we have in the NBA, which is our best players by value are underpaid, but then our rank and file are for the most part overpaid.

[Mike Ryan]

I think there's a creative solution. I think they should abolish salary caps in all the sports because go ahead and try paying a quarterback $500 million that sport. There's so many injuries that that stuff will figure itself out. And the NBA is a little bit more difficult. You have five guys on the court. You know that the top 1% in that sport is just so much better. If that top 1% is only dispersed over three teams, those three teams are going to be there at the end. It's almost a virtual guarantee. So the NBA probably would have to have a more creative solution.

[Dan Le Batard]

I've never been against everybody making as much money as they can make here. I'm not saying that their sport is out of control. I'm saying quite the opposite. If you can afford this, you must have control of your financ. Like you must know that when you're going to Give that deferred money to Ohtani. You can recoup it all as investment by keeping Blake Snell, getting Blake Snell and continually getting every good player, Freddie Freeman, and continuing to do that and just making the deal with Ohtani that Brady made with the Patriots, which is, look, I'll play undervalue and you can just get me a bunch of other players.

[David Sampson]

Oh, Tony's not playing undervalue.

[Greg Cote]

Why?

[Dan Le Batard]

You understand what I'm saying? They can get everybody now because they're deferring some of his payments versus they might not be able to get Glassnow and Snell right now. They might not be able to pay for them if they didn't have the promise of Ohtani being return investment before they even play him.

[David Sampson]

That's not what it was. Ohtani was the unicorn because he had the income from endorsements that Soto doesn't have. Nobody has as a baseball player. His income by being Japanese and being who he is. Let's say it's 60 million. What his agent said to him is, you can make 60 million for the next 10 years from endorsements, then you'll be a fly on the wall. Your endorsement income will drop off and then you'll get 68 million million from the Dodgers for the next 10 years. So we basically got him 20 years at 60 to 70 million and will pay for himself.

[Dan Le Batard]

And will pay for himself.

[David Sampson]

That's a whole nother story, which. Stop reading all of the information you're getting. Ohtani did not generate 121 incremental dollars. It doesn't happen that way. There's not. The attendance, the Japanese sponsorships by half inning. It's totally insane.

[Dan Le Batard]

You're telling me he's not. What's he worth then to Japan?

[David Sampson]

Oh, he's. Listen, the Dodgers are fine because they're taking the money and they're investing it and they're going to make money on the deferral.

[Dan Le Batard]

I'm asking you, Ohtani, as an investment. They pay him deferred money. You're telling me that they're not recouping whatever it is that they're making right now? Because you're. What are you saying?

[Mike Ryan]

He's saying that they're investing the money that they were planning on playing, paying him, and that way that money grows.

[David Sampson]

This is what. It's like what the Mets did with Bonilla, except they got Madoff.

[Mike Ryan]

No, are you talking actual investments?

[David Sampson]

I'm talking what Guggenheim Partners does for a living.

[Greg Cote]

Oh, okay.

[Mike Ryan]

They're making actual investments on the money. Having the money that they're saving work for them to actually pay Ohtani off.

[Stugotz]

I think they said. I think Pazon said yesterday his actual contract value is like $320 million or something like that. But they have to pay him 700. But it's over a span of like 20 years.

[David Sampson]

It's 460 is the present value. Yes. That's how it's counted by the union and by the league. So it's 460. That was the record that Boris was trying to break.

[Dan Le Batard]

The Dodgers have rigged the finances of the game with their regional and therefore the Mets have to keep up.

[David Sampson]

I don't understand why you keep saying they rigged it. They're playing within the rules. George Steinbrenner, one of the first things he ever said to me, he looked at me and said, I give you money not to kick my ass, but by the way, I play by the rules.

[Mike Ryan]

By that argument, Dan, like Juan Soto is rigging it because he got someone to pay him what he's worth. That's not rigging it. That's a marketplace.

[Greg Cote]

They're protecting Ohtani from Ohtani. You know, the whole gambling.

[Dan Le Batard]

I don't want to use the look at me Louie anymore. I want a new sound for that. Can you put something together real quick that is more overtly what he just did? Where he's just name dropping with Steinbrenner there. Yeah, that's better than that. That's better. Well, we just got it.

[Amin Elhassan]

It would. It would also break if you did.

[Dan Le Batard]

I just asked him to make it.

[Stugotz]

Just made.

[Dan Le Batard]

Yes, we just made it.

[David Sampson]

That's how good you guys are.

[Dan Le Batard]

Yeah, that's how quick it was.

[David Sampson]

Can you play it again? Because you just did it. Paid for his salary for the year.

[Stugotz]

You agree with Stugotts on the gambling thing?

[David Sampson]

He did for sure.

[Stugotz]

Really?

[David Sampson]

Oh, please.

[Stugotz]

It wasn't ebay.

[Dan Le Batard]

What are you claiming? What are you claiming?

[David Sampson]

I'm not going to relitigate this issue.

[Dan Le Batard]

What are you claiming? Hold on a second. Sorry, wrong button. Sorry.

[Stugotz]

Credibility and get reckless. Here is something we like to call reckless speculation.

[Greg Cote]

You're good.

[David Sampson]

I will speculate the fact that it is highly unlikely that anyone had his story go away faster than Ippei, the Uber driver. It's a damn miracle.

[Dan Le Batard]

What are you claiming?

[David Sampson]

He never knew that Epay was gambling at all. All. Not.

[Dan Le Batard]

I mean. What do you mean not? That's not how you would report that? What do you mean not?

[Mike Ryan]

Joe presses reckless speculation like that.

[Dan Le Batard]

Come on. Come on.

[Mike Ryan]

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