Dave Damashek (1:00)

This is the Dan Levator show with the st.

Dan Le Batard (1:08)

Final weekend of the NBA season. Final Friday of this NBA regular season. Tony, there's a lot happening this weekend.

Stugotz (1:17)

Then it's moving day in the NBA.

Dave Damashek (1:20)

Moving couple days in the NBA.

Dan Le Batard (1:21)

Is that what they refer to it as?

Dave Damashek (1:23)

No, I'm just saying it because we talked about moving day at the Masters. But the next couple days in the NBA, moving day, we're going to see who's filling. Filling out the brackets where who's filling in the three seed, the five seed, the six seeds, where all these things are.

Dan Le Batard (1:33)

That'll catch on. Moving day.

Dave Damashek (1:35)

I'm trying to get there.

Dan Le Batard (1:36)

I would lose that. Do you have a top five for us?

Dave Damashek (1:38)

I've got a top five storylines heading into the NBA playoffs, gentlemen.

Dan Le Batard (1:42)

Okay, let's do it in the Oli,

Dave Damashek (1:45)

which I have four of get locked in right now. Dave Damaschek, I'm filling you in because you're a guy that's that likes to fill in on the NBA post NFL season. We had that show a couple of weeks ago. Now I'm locking you in for what's going on into the future of the playoffs. So Oli number one, nobody wants to play Charlotte.

Dan Le Batard (2:06)

Let me ask you something.

Dave Damashek (2:07)

You think Detroit wants to play Charlotte?

Dan Le Batard (2:09)

Okay, hold on. Let me ask you something. Because we do this every year. No one wants to play this team. No one wants to play this team. Does the team that no one wants to play ever actually do anything in the playoffs?

Dave Damashek (2:20)

No, of course not.

Stugotz (2:20)

The Miami Heat. We were saying that the Zombie Heat

Dave Damashek (2:25)

from a couple years ago.

Stugotz (2:25)

I want to play these Miami Heat in the playoffs. Mike Scher was going on for a full year.

Dave Damashek (2:29)

Bill Simmons has a. Has a conniption every time they're there.

Stugotz (2:32)

Want to play those Miami Heat in the playoffs.

Dave Damashek (2:33)

The Charlotte Hornets, even though we've laughed at them for multiple. Multiple decades, have been the best team this year.

Tony (2:40)

Right.

Dave Damashek (2:40)

This calendar year, they've been one of the best teams of 2026, which is insane, but they've got a lot of young players, and I think they're going to be given problems to a Detroit team, a Boston team. I don't think either of those guys want to see the Charlotte Hornets.

Dan Le Batard (2:54)

I think Detroit would smack them. But nonetheless, this is your list.

Dave Damashek (2:56)

Thank you. You said it. Second Oli. New York. Sneaky contenders. The New York Knickerbockers. Very interesting. In the Eastern Conference. Oli, number three. Can Houston do anything in the West? Something to keep an eye on a big team, a team that can get a lot of offensive rebounds.

Dan Le Batard (3:16)

They won eight in a row.

Dave Damashek (3:17)

One eight in a row. They've got kd. They've got Shepard, who's been playing really well, too. Like, there's an interesting piece there in Houston. I got to see what's going on.

Stugotz (3:25)

The fourth note, the number four.

Dave Damashek (3:27)

I haven't gone there yet.

Stugotz (3:28)

No, no, no. I mean, like, number. You're going in ascending order. Right? So, like, what was the last one prior to this one?

Dave Damashek (3:32)

New York Knicks. Sneaky contenders, huh? Can Houston do anything?

Stugotz (3:37)

Well, no, I know that the New York ones. You wrote that down.

Dave Damashek (3:40)

I had that one prior to. I wrote this in the morning.

Stugotz (3:44)

All right.

Dave Damashek (3:48)

Fourth, Oli. Last Oli. A healthy Philly team is intriguing, all right, but we.

Stugotz (3:54)

But they're not.

Dan Le Batard (3:55)

He had an appendicitis operation yesterday.

Dave Damashek (3:57)

He'll be fine. He'll be fine.

Dan Le Batard (3:59)

Yeah, for next year.

Dave Damashek (4:00)

No, he'll be fine.

Zach (4:01)

Bold take of Embiid when healthy.

Dan Le Batard (4:03)

Good.

Dave Damashek (4:03)

No, that's not your.

Dan Le Batard (4:04)

He just had an appendicitis.

Stugotz (4:05)

Still somehow worse than the Knicks observation. Yeah, no, they're good.

Dave Damashek (4:09)

No, the Knicks observation was sneaky contenders. Like.

Stugotz (4:12)

Yeah, they're.

Dave Damashek (4:14)

They're good. They're one of the.

Stugotz (4:15)

Yeah, they're one of the favorites. I mean, help me out here.

Dan Le Batard (4:20)

No, I want to focus on him saying, if the Sixers are healthy, right after Joel Embiid suffered an appendicitis.

Dave Damashek (4:27)

You don't think that they're going to try to get him out on the floor? I mean, from what I saw, appendicitis, who cares?

Dan Le Batard (4:32)

From what I saw, it's a month recovery.

Dave Damashek (4:35)

A month.

Stugotz (4:37)

That's not true.

Dave Damashek (4:37)

Jason Tatum came back in nine months at an Achilles.

Stugotz (4:40)

Remember Uncle Jesse had an emergency appendectomy when Rebecca went into labor, and he walked down and he was holding both babies by the carriage when they walked in the house. And then he misplaced the socks, and then he forgot which one was Nikki and which one was Alex.

Dave Damashek (4:56)

Number five. The east is wide open this year. Yeah, as the. The east is wide open.

Tony (5:04)

Yeah.

Zach (5:04)

But yet the Knicks are not one of the favorites in the East.

Dave Damashek (5:07)

Boy, sneaky contenders. But if you look at the Celtics and if you look at the Pistons, those are two teams that have been better than the Knicks all season. They've been struggling against really good teams all year in the Western Conference and in the Eastern Conference. So as we look at the Knicks, we're like, all right, they. They made it to the Eastern Conference finals last year. Brought the same team back, have a new coach, have a couple new players.

Stugotz (5:26)

They're sneaking up on teams. There's a team that made.

Tony (5:30)

Hey, I would not be surprised if in the upcoming NFL season, if the San Francisco 49ers make a little bit of noise.

Dave Damashek (5:39)

You see, that's how I know you're a. That's how I know you're a moron.

Zach (5:42)

If they're healthy, they're good.

Dave Damashek (5:43)

49ers have made it to multiple Super Bowls. Look out for them. When did the Knicks made it to the NBA Finals? Damage. I gotta watch them.

Dan Le Batard (5:50)

The Rams, if Seattle's healthy, they could put something together. Oh, you guys are morons.

Dave Damashek (5:55)

All right.

Stugotz (5:55)

Denver Broncos, Rams, they made it to the conference championships. They didn't make it all the way. Look out for them. Sneaky contenders.

Dave Damashek (6:01)

Number four. Try to bring you guys gold, and you. You pawn it off. Okay, number four. If I was the Spurs, I'd try the NBA on the 65 game rule with Wemby. I tell you guys really, like the 65th game.

Zach (6:14)

You.

Dave Damashek (6:15)

You want. You want Wemby to go play with a rib contusion? We're sitting them out. 64 games. Try to vote for him for. For defensive player of the year. Do it. I dare you, Zaz. I dare you. Well, take him out of the MVP race. Take him out of the depot race.

Dan Le Batard (6:27)

First of all, I. I don't have a vote all right, so, like, whatever. With daring me, but you don't think that he's going to play in these final two games?

Tony (6:34)

No, he will.

Dave Damashek (6:35)

He will. But if I'm the Spurs, I'm trying to teach the NBA a lesson. I'm trying to tell him, you know what?

Zach (6:39)

You're going to hurt Wemby to teach the NBA lesson?

Dave Damashek (6:41)

No, because he's hurt. And he's going to go play hurt in one of these last two games. What if he gets more hurt?

Dan Le Batard (6:46)

I think the NBA is teaching them a lesson by having this rule, a

Dave Damashek (6:51)

rule that we all hate.

Zach (6:53)

Is he going to do the thing where he plays five minutes?

Dan Le Batard (6:55)

No, you have to play at least 20 to qualify. Okay, I didn't know that until.

Tony (7:00)

When it comes to World War II, be on the lookout for the allies. I think they have a shot in this one.

Dave Damashek (7:11)

Number three. Lakers or dead men walking.

Zach (7:14)

Now that's a tape.

Stugotz (7:15)

There you go.

Dave Damashek (7:15)

They can finish.

Zach (7:16)

That's how you do it.

Dave Damashek (7:17)

You guys like that. You don't know that. Luca and Austin Reeves are both not playing.

Zach (7:21)

You're making a statement.

Stugotz (7:22)

Yeah, you're putting yourself out there.

Dave Damashek (7:24)

New York Knicks, sneaky contenders is also a statement.

Zach (7:26)

Everyone would agree with that.

Stugotz (7:27)

They're not even sneaky.

Dave Damashek (7:29)

They're very sneaky. No, they are not.

Zach (7:31)

This is flat out a contender. In the east, they beat the Celtics.

Tony (7:34)

Sleepy borough of Manhattan. They might make some noise out of there. Pay attention, everybody.

Dan Le Batard (7:39)

Did you see yesterday LeBron get into it with a courtside fan?

Dave Damashek (7:42)

I did. Yeah.

TurboTax Announcer (7:43)

That was.

Stugotz (7:43)

That was interesting.

Dan Le Batard (7:44)

Telling the fan to sit down and relax.

Stugotz (7:46)

Relax, relax. Just watch the game. Watch the game. How can the Knicks sneak up on anybody?

Dave Damashek (7:51)

Very simple.

Stugotz (7:52)

Whenever they're over 500, we have Sam Morrell on the show for like 15 minutes.

Dave Damashek (7:56)

That is true.

Stugotz (7:57)

Dan won't let the Knicks sneak up on anybody.

Dave Damashek (7:59)

That is true. But if you're telling me the Knicks are the three seed and the Atlanta Hawks are the six seed, you're not worried about the New York Knicks?

Stugotz (8:06)

No. We saw that game unfold.

Tony (8:07)

You're not worried?

Stugotz (8:08)

I think it'd be a great series. I think Atlanta is going to like whoever they play, be it Cleveland, be it New York. It'll be a hotly contested series. Might go 6, but I think those teams end up.

Dave Damashek (8:18)

So you're not worried whatsoever.

Stugotz (8:19)

Styles make fights, right?

Dan Le Batard (8:21)

Why would he be worried? He's not a Knicks fan.

Stugotz (8:23)

Yeah, because he's on the other side of the circle.

Dave Damashek (8:25)

He's a Knicks fan.

Stugotz (8:26)

No, what I like about. About The Eastern Conference. What I like about the Eastern Conference is the matchups are hugely important because no Knicks fan wants to see the Pistons, for example. Right.

Dan Le Batard (8:37)

Oh, that.

Stugotz (8:37)

That team has our number. Cavs had to make a move to be able to handle the Knicks because the Knicks give them all sorts of problems. So I do think Sals make fights in this conference. No doubt.

Dave Damashek (8:48)

And I think Atlanta is a. Is a. Not to use the sneaky word again, but another sneaky team in the Eastern Conference that if the Knicks are looking down and say, damn, we have to play Jalen Johnson and Dyson Daniels and everybody that's playing over in Atlanta, Nikhil Alexander Walker, who should be six man of the year over Kelton Johnson, in my opinion. That's another.

Stugotz (9:04)

I think Atlanta can give Detroit issues, but I don't know if they can give, you know, the Knicks.

Dave Damashek (9:10)

I don't know about that.

Stugotz (9:11)

Just like, you know, Boston picked by many, but the Knicks seem to give Boston some issues. Sal's make fights. You know, that you're. You're an MMA guy.

Dan Le Batard (9:17)

Which would hurt less as a Heat fan? Boston winning the championship or the Knicks winning the championship?

Stugotz (9:23)

Just give me Boston because I'm used to it.

Zach (9:25)

Celtics would hurt less. Much less.

Dave Damashek (9:26)

Yeah.

Dan Le Batard (9:26)

See, that's an interesting way to look at it, because I think the Knicks winning would hurt less because these days I hate Boston so much more. But I've experienced Boston winning recently. At least New York, if we keep them from ever winning, that's a good thing.

Stugotz (9:41)

Yeah. You've changed my mind. I am annoyed by the Boston media types, whereas I find the Knicks fans funny.

Dan Le Batard (9:48)

Yeah.

Stugotz (9:48)

And I kind of would revel in seeing their reaction.

Dan Le Batard (9:51)

Yeah. I think I would hate it less if the Knicks won.

Stugotz (9:53)

Yeah.

Tony (9:54)

Keep your club exclusive is exactly right. The Knickerbockers don't matter outside of the early 70s. You don't want them passing the velvet rope that you're on the right.

Dan Le Batard (10:04)

I could see that side.

Tony (10:05)

Yeah.

Zach (10:05)

That's where I'm at.

Dave Damashek (10:06)

So back to the Lakers. Lakers, dead men walking. They can finish anywhere from three to five in the Western Conference. If they do finish in that four or five matchup, they're going to be playing Houston, which is going to be a tough matchup for them if they end up three. Minnesota's already locked to the six seed. They just got back Jaden McDaniels.

Stugotz (10:21)

The.

Dave Damashek (10:21)

The Minnesota Timberwolves are a very spooky team for the Lakers because they beat that ass last year.

Dan Le Batard (10:26)

Are you with me? I said this a couple of months ago. And I, I might fall ass backwards into being right here, but a couple of months ago I said the Lakers will not win a single playoff game.

Dave Damashek (10:37)

I remember, I remember you saying that.

Dan Le Batard (10:38)

I'm sticking to that now. I think I'm gonna wind up being first. I was, I was right. Then I was wrong. Now I might be right again.

Dave Damashek (10:45)

Luka had the. One of the most incredible marches we've ever seen in any, you know, year of this league.

Stugotz (10:51)

And it was a June.

Zach (10:54)

If they win a series four to one, will you take a partial victory of like, ah, come on.

Dan Le Batard (10:58)

No, they have to win none, none, none games.

Dave Damashek (11:02)

You don't think Luga can get him to one? He's not going to.

Dan Le Batard (11:04)

You understand how injuries work.

Dave Damashek (11:06)

I, I don't think you understand how gutting it out works. I think you're missing that part.

Stugotz (11:09)

Yeah. Did we.

Dave Damashek (11:10)

You gut it out?

Zach (11:10)

He doesn't get it out on vacation.

Stugotz (11:13)

Also, I don't know how much an injury hampers Luka because he doesn't really lean on his athleticism.

Dave Damashek (11:19)

A hamstring, you can't play.

Stugotz (11:20)

I know, but I mean, he's the last guy down the floor.

Dan Le Batard (11:23)

Last guy up the floor. He's been playing better.

Dave Damashek (11:25)

He's been playing better.

Stugotz (11:27)

If anybody can play hurt, it might be Luka.

Dave Damashek (11:30)

And that's what I'm trying to tell Zaz, who doesn't understand gutting it out. Your hamstring hurts. Great. It's the playoffs.

Tony (11:34)

Get out there.

Dan Le Batard (11:35)

Okay.

Stugotz (11:35)

He's not explosive.

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Stugotz (14:15)

Don LeBatard to US residents.

Tony (14:19)

Oh, wow.

Dan Le Batard (14:19)

That's for sure. It's in there.

Stugotz (14:21)

Think I haven't been practicing stugats?

Dan Le Batard (14:25)

I didn't realize we had a substitute. Complicated legacy brought to you by headquarters Road. Huh?

Dave Damashek (14:31)

441 Power Line Road. Second down to nine.

Dan Le Batard (14:35)

This is D. Ler show with the St.

Stugotz (14:37)

Gods.

Dave Damashek (14:38)

Number two, Denver may have the toughest gauntlet to go through ever in the Western Conference. If they're three, Here we go. If they end up on the team, dude, then they're going to have to play Oklahoma City. Then they're going to have to play. Excuse me. They have to play San Antonio spurs and then Oklahoma City. What? In the Western Conference.

Stugotz (14:56)

That's what we want to see. Brutal.

Tony (14:57)

It is.

Dan Le Batard (14:58)

It is interesting that you say that, because tonight the Nuggets have the Thunder.

Dave Damashek (15:02)

So it's a huge game, but the Thunder already clinched.

Dan Le Batard (15:05)

You can't expect Oklahoma City to be playing anyone tonight. See, I feel like that's, it's essentially a giveaway game for, for the Nuggets.

Dave Damashek (15:12)

Not only that, the Nuggets play Oklahoma City and San Antonio the next two games. That's who the Nuggets finish the season with. So it's like, all right, what are we going to see from these teams? Both teams are clinched in one and two. Are we going to get a ton from Oklahoma City? Probably not. Are we going to get a ton from San Antonio? Is Wemby going to play or be is to it going playing the game prior? Like we don't know what's going to happen there.

Dan Le Batard (15:31)

Okay, so let me ask you something then. So this is interesting. If you're Denver, you want to lose one of these next two games at least, right? Because you, you'd kind of want to drop to four.

Dave Damashek (15:43)

I don't know. But the thing is, you tell your team, hey, we want to avoid San Antonio. We just want to play Oklahoma City.

Dan Le Batard (15:48)

I mean, you're just being smart. Like, like you'd have to get to the finals by playing both San Antonio, Oklahoma City, or if you drop down a spot, you're only on the Oklahoma City side.

Dave Damashek (15:58)

But then you're gonna have to pay San Antonio at some point.

Tony (16:00)

Dave, I think trying to cultivate matchups is a bad idea spiritually. Then you get it. I think don't, don't beg for a certain matchup because then that team's gonna play you with a chip on its shoulder. If that's at all public.

Dan Le Batard (16:15)

I just think it's bad juju.

Tony (16:16)

Angry, right? Everybody knows Tom Brady was a six round pick and Ryan Fitzpatrick went to Harvard and Tony Gonzalez played college basketball. At least those things are true. I think the. That one of those things that is a touchstone that comes up every single broadcast. Not just with the Denver Nuggets, a whole team, but with the entire city of Denver, the entire sports town. It is never not mentioned the altitude and the advantage that that gives a team. Everybody talks about that. Shouldn't all of Denver sports teams, shouldn't they all be ashamed for not winning more? If this is such an advantage for them, shouldn't they be more dominant, all of them at home? Okay, we can give a pass to the Rockies, but shouldn't the Nuggets and AVS win all their home games if it's such an advantage? Oh, and you got to Go to high altitude. Good luck though. Your lungs can't handle it. Then shouldn't the Nugs be, like I say, undefeated every season?

Dan Le Batard (17:17)

Can I tell you something in all honesty, because I spent last week. I don't know if you heard, I ended my vacation a day early. Dave.

Tony (17:22)

I didn't.

Dan Le Batard (17:23)

I was in.

Zach (17:23)

Know about the breathing.

Dan Le Batard (17:24)

I was in Vail, Colorado. It was my first time ever in Colorado. And I felt the air like it was a problem for Uzi the whole. I just. I was constantly short of breath. Yeah, I felt it weird.

Tony (17:40)

But right though, I mean, don't you. How much do we have to hear about this with it having no apparent impact for. For decades now?

Dave Damashek (17:47)

Oh.

Tony (17:47)

Oh, the altitude. Oh. It's a factor that you have to deal with if you're a visitor. Then why shouldn't we. Should point spreads be. Be. Be. Favor the Nuggets more than they are? Why do you say there's no benefit?

Dan Le Batard (18:04)

Why do you say there's no apparent benefit? Like, what would convince you? Do you have to see players collapse on the court and die?

Tony (18:09)

Shouldn't the Nugget. Well, the Nuggets, the. The home road splits for the Nuggets and abs should be. Should be much greater than they are. The Nuggets 27:13.

Dave Damashek (18:19)

27:13 at home. The Nuggets are.

Tony (18:22)

Isn't that weird?

Dave Damashek (18:24)

Should be better.

Zach (18:24)

Pretty good record.

Dan Le Batard (18:25)

It's weird.

Dave Damashek (18:26)

Yeah.

Tony (18:26)

But.

Dave Damashek (18:26)

But if you look above them, San Antonio is 31 and 7 at home, and the Oklahoma City Thunder are 34 and 6 at home.

Zach (18:34)

Okay, good point.

Tony (18:35)

So the Denver should be ashamed. The Broncos too. They're. They're lumped in too. I don't care that you have to play with your backup quarterback. The Patriots had to play in thin air.

Dave Damashek (18:44)

So with the Denver. Denver Nuggets possibly going through some of the toughest gaunts we've ever seen in the NBA, it stands to reason that Nikola Jokic, who's been incredible all season, it would be a waste of an all time incredible season for them to fall short. Even though they've got a great team, they've got the best player on the planet right now, who should be the mvp. We're not. They're not going to give it to him.

Dan Le Batard (19:04)

But Dan said yesterday, greatest offensive player of all time.

Dave Damashek (19:07)

Again, I would follow Dan into the breach on that. Like, Jordan scored a ton. Did he grab a ton of rebounds? Did he grab a ton of assists? No. Like, that's not how that works. Number one. Can Oklahoma City go back to back? They've been.

TurboTax Announcer (19:20)

And we're.

Zach (19:21)

Damn. He had two good ones.

Dave Damashek (19:22)

What do you mean, oh, stop? What do you mean, oh, stop?

Dan Le Batard (19:26)

Can they go rip it up again?

Dave Damashek (19:28)

Doesn't know ball. Just started watching basketball. Just. Just started watching basketball. Two weeks, one year.

Stugotz (19:32)

You're watching all the sports and your number one observation was, man, can this team do anything?

Zach (19:37)

The question is, you gotta throw a jack in there.

Dave Damashek (19:39)

At least can they go back to back jack?

Dan Le Batard (19:42)

Okay, a little cliche.

Tony (19:43)

This is the same Mike Ryan essentially, actually just walked out of the movie.

Dave Damashek (19:49)

Come on, are we going to talk about it or not?

Stugotz (19:51)

That was your number one observation, but let's hear it.

Zach (19:53)

Go.

Dan Le Batard (19:54)

We'll give you a chance because Oklahoma

Dave Damashek (19:55)

City has been the most injured team all year yet. They've been the best team all year.

Zach (20:00)

Right.

Dave Damashek (20:00)

So they're starting to get healthy at the right time, but they have to go through either Denver and San Antonio or just San Antonio and whoever else pops up, whether it be.

Dan Le Batard (20:12)

How do you feel your explanations going so far?

Dave Damashek (20:14)

Well, if you. If Mike wouldn't scream, I'd probably hold.

Stugotz (20:16)

The whole thing about this season is who. Who can knock off the champs

Dave Damashek (20:22)

in the opposite. In the opposite. Can Oklahoma City go through and beat some of the. The toughest teams we've ever seen coming?

Stugotz (20:29)

This just dawned on you, buddy.

Dave Damashek (20:32)

Do you know the record? Do you know San Antonio spotties over the Oklahoma City Thunder?

Stugotz (20:37)

No, I'm super.

Dan Le Batard (20:37)

They own them.

Tony (20:38)

Yeah.

Dave Damashek (20:39)

But they haven't won this season against the San Antonio Spurs. So can this. Can they go back to back? Can they go back to back? Jack, when you have. When you have them standing, I'm aware

Stugotz (20:50)

of the roadblocks in their way all year long.

Dave Damashek (20:53)

And you're looking at Wemby and he's covering the entire door and you can't go through.

Zach (20:57)

Yeah.

Dave Damashek (20:57)

We've spent the question. Dave Damoshek.

Tony (21:00)

Tony's right. Tony's right. The west is shaping up to be kind of tough.

Stugotz (21:08)

Thank you for identifying the roadblocks in their way.

Dan Le Batard (21:10)

Tony. You know what? I'm going to give Tony a chance here to redeem himself because I know he's been wanting to get this conversation off the ground, which really doesn't make sense that it wasn't included in one of his top five storylines over the weekend going forward.

Dave Damashek (21:24)

Remember, this isn't to the playoffs.

Dan Le Batard (21:25)

Okay. All right, fine. I'll give you a pass there then. But you, you. You have been wanting to get the rookie of the year conversation going.

Dave Damashek (21:33)

This is the greatest rookie of the year race. That we've ever seen in the n in its history. I don't think that there's anything better of these two than you know about

Dan Le Batard (21:40)

Grant Hill, Jason Kidd. Okay, what happened there? The award and I think we should

Dave Damashek (21:43)

do the same thing now.

Dan Le Batard (21:44)

Wow.

Dave Damashek (21:44)

I think Cooper, Cooper flag has had an incredible season. I think con canipple has an has had an equally incredible season in his own lane on his team. Cooper flags are number one, con two or three, depending on the night. But he's been so effective in shooting, in spacing the floor, in playing off ball with the Hornets. He's basically been the key to unlock the entire thing in Charlotte. Cooper's just been amazing from the jump, has had higher highs, but con canyble's been so great consistently that it's been a very cool race to see back and forth.

Zach (22:15)

I have an idea. We settle this on the court one on one.

Dan Le Batard (22:19)

They play.

Tony (22:20)

Ooh, I think we need more one on one to settle all hash. I think that's how we, we should replace the all star game, in fact, with a one on one tournament. How do you do that though? How do they make it so that you split the rookie of the year? I mean, obviously the voters would have to collude, right? They would have to say here's what we're going to do so that it breaks exactly evenly, Right? I mean, you would have to know. I wonder why press boxes don't do that at when they're voting for super bowl mvp. There's some times where it's like we should give it to the whole defense or we should give it to the offensive line. But that would require the journalists pow wowing beforehand and saying, let's make this happen as a group. Right? That's what you would have to do to have a split rookie of the year with intention.

Stugotz (23:09)

Yes, you would obviously have to collude.

Dan Le Batard (23:11)

But like Jason kidding. Grant Hill. It was just the same amount of votes.

Stugotz (23:14)

That was. Yes, that was random. That was a random occurrence. But you know, if we want to have this debate saying they are both worthy, we cannot leave it to chance. Let's all collude together.

Zach (23:26)

I like the idea of somebody sending out an email to all the voters of like, hey, I got this idea. And he lists out like you all

Dan Le Batard (23:32)

for your eyes only.

Zach (23:33)

All these people are going to vote this way. All these people will vote this way and we will get them both. And then one guy responds all like, not doing it.

Dan Le Batard (23:40)

Or do you think someone's like, no, I want to be on this Side. Does someone want to switch with me?

Zach (23:44)

No, no. I'm voting for Wemby or no? No, we're talking rookie. That's a great race, too, though. We could talk about the same thing in the mvp.

Dan Le Batard (23:53)

Mike, you brought this to my attention.

Dave Damashek (23:54)

My ass is still chapped about the SGA and Oklahoma City conversation.

Dan Le Batard (23:57)

Number one thing, by the way, try harder.

Zach (24:01)

Throw a jack in there, dude.

Dan Le Batard (24:02)

Yeah, just do better next time. That solves all the problems.

Stugotz (24:05)

Don LeBatard.

Dan Le Batard (24:06)

I've never stepped foot on that campus.

Tony (24:08)

I.

Dan Le Batard (24:08)

If you told me right now, your life depends on it. Go to Santa Fe University and just, Just, just take a picture.

Stugotz (24:14)

Stugats.

Dan Le Batard (24:15)

I would die. I don't know where it is. This is the Dan Levatar show with the st. So we spoke about Lamar Jackson on the show yesterday and talking about, like, how much pressure he has, I guess, going into next season. And really the crux of the argument or discussion I should say was, all right, hardball's out. All right, You. You won that battle. You won that face Off. You're also. So there. There's an inherent pressure on that. And on top of it, are your best days still in front of you. And you only have one more year of guaranteed money. Under. In fact, it's pretty legitimate discussion about Lamar Jackson's future. While not everyone was. Was pleased about the discussion. Right.

Stugotz (25:03)

It's your classic sports radio topic. We were talking about Lamar Jackson. Part of the criticism is like, why is this news? Well, I would ask you the same question. Why is Lamar Jackson showing up to the first day of OTA's news? The answer is, because that's a rarity in Baltimore. So he seems bought in, understands that this season's important or how much does

Dan Le Batard (25:24)

it have to do with. Okay, I have a new coach here. Let's set the tone.

Stugotz (25:27)

That could be part of it, too, no doubt. But, you know, I'm sure he knows that he doesn't have any guaranteed Money after the 2027 season. So Kyle Van Noy, who played with the Ravens, I think, currently. Yeah. Good player, nice career in the NFL. He took exception to the segment, and I think he watched it. It wasn't very long. But do we have the tweet? Because.

Dan Le Batard (25:49)

So we put out it. We put out a clip, you're saying.

Stugotz (25:51)

Yeah, we put out a. We put out a clip. Let me. All right, I'm gonna have to read this on my phone because that. That is very. How am I supposed to read this on the.

Dan Le Batard (25:59)

What happened? 140 characters.

Zach (26:01)

I can See it, but I don't like reading on it.

Stugotz (26:02)

All right, here, I pulled it up. So let me pull up this tweet. All right, so this is what Kyle Van Noy said to our clip. Can I ask why y' all are trying this narrative of pressure with Lamar when he already won the pressure argument? All right, let's. Let's dissect that. Trust me, it gives us a lot to.

Dan Le Batard (26:20)

Exclamation point, not question mark.

Stugotz (26:23)

Because when you're one of the best in the league and you haven't won a Super bowl, that's sports.

Dan Le Batard (26:29)

Welcome to Sports Kyle.

Stugotz (26:30)

Yeah. Kyle apparently has played in sports for a long time. We have to explain what sports are.

Dan Le Batard (26:35)

He's never heard sports discourse, apparently.

Stugotz (26:37)

Okay, but. All right, you can take exception to that. Y' all started off his career by saying he should play wide receiver or running back. No, that was actually famously Bill Polian.

Dan Le Batard (26:46)

Just one person.

Stugotz (26:47)

The hall of Fame executive. He won a Heisman as a. As a. As a quarterback. I saw that. I thought he was a quarterback.

Dan Le Batard (26:53)

Did Bolian also suggest he could be running back? I don't remember that.

Stugotz (26:55)

Yeah. I think the closest thing that I said that could maybe be considered meek support of Bill Polian was, you know, that guy's a really sick athlete. I bet you he'd make an awesome wide receiver, too, if he wanted to. Concentrate on that.

Dan Le Batard (27:09)

Okay.

Stugotz (27:10)

All right, But I didn't say that. But I guess y' all is the royal. Y' all in that. It's the media, cuz, you know, athletes. Let me explain sports to you. Athletes hate the media.

Dan Le Batard (27:21)

They also have no idea what the media's actual job is.

Stugotz (27:24)

But the media also didn't play the sport. You also have to know that going into it.

Dan Le Batard (27:28)

Of course. Which means that you shouldn't be talking about it.

Stugotz (27:30)

Yes, he said he. Lamar Jackson said, watch this. And won an MVP not just once, but twice. Again, this. This goes into the pressure argument. Yeah, we're. We actually in that clip gave him so much credit for doubting, for. For conquering the naysayers here. He should have been. He argues that it should have been three MVPs, but he. It's a long enough tweet, and he decides he's going to save that for another day.

Dan Le Batard (27:55)

Looking forward to that.

Stugotz (27:55)

If he never plays it down again, he's literally a Hall of Famer. Interesting point. Hadn't considered it, probably Right. He's the most influential football player. He's like AI is to basketball. 100% agree.

Dan Le Batard (28:09)

Yeah, that's true.

Stugotz (28:09)

Yeah. And he literally changed the way people take quarterbacks in this league. 100% agree. So GTFOH, what does that stand for? Get the BLEEP out of here with pressure. Winning a Super bowl, that's just the cherry on top.

Dan Le Batard (28:25)

That's not true.

Stugotz (28:26)

No, I think it's like, I don't think it's true. Yeah, I'm with you Zach.

Dan Le Batard (28:30)

It's literally why you play.

Stugotz (28:31)

It's why. Yeah, it's why. It's a discussion. It's why, you know, Charles Barkley point,

Tony (28:37)

let's just cancel that, that whole tournament that they conduct for in January and into February then if it doesn't really matter if it's, if it's a little sprinkle on top of, of the good times of the regular season, why don't we just cut to the chase and hold a, hold a vote around the holidays and decide who we all think is the best?

Stugotz (28:57)

Well, I don't know.

Tony (28:58)

Actually conducting.

Stugotz (28:59)

I don't know if you knew about. Kyle Van Noy helpfully points out that people have no idea how hard it is to win a championship and talk about it like it's so easy.

Dan Le Batard (29:06)

Right.

Stugotz (29:07)

Had no idea.

Dan Le Batard (29:08)

Thank you.

Stugotz (29:08)

Illuminating thought.

Dan Le Batard (29:09)

Right.

Stugotz (29:10)

Would it be nice for him to win a Super Bowl? Duh.

Tony (29:13)

Duh.

Stugotz (29:13)

Yeah. You could argue the same thing for Allen. Again it's in the clip. But he has proved he is hall of Fame worthy. Lamar and his mom won the moment he won an MVP and proved he could play, he could play quarterback at a high level.

Tony (29:27)

Oh yeah.

Dan Le Batard (29:27)

On a personal level, okay.

Stugotz (29:28)

Yeah, that's a great personal achievement. But again team sport that's graded on championships. If you don't think that's a fact, go back and look at all the garbage experts air quotes. Well, actual quotes were saying during his draft process he was picked 32nd by a team. By the way, that doesn't scream he's going to be our quarterback of the future. I think all these, I think we were very kind to.

Dan Le Batard (29:51)

That's bullshit right there. Like expectations change depending on who you are. Like that's like saying just because Tom Brady was selected in the sixth round he doesn't have to do any winning.

Stugotz (29:59)

He, he raised the bar of expectations for himself and now he is judged against what the standard should be for a multiple time MVP in that league. And the same is said for Josh Allen, especially with that loss in Denver in which he didn't play well. He made some mistakes. Josh Allen goes further, more consistently than Lamar Jackson has. Dave Damaschek what say you?

Tony (30:25)

I think they're side by side. I think you can try and draw distinctions about Josh Allen's a tick better in January, but they're both in the same boat, which is that they're both tracking to Marino Island. Marino is one of one. I know there's Fran Tarkenton and Jim Kelly, but I think we all, you know, living in the real world, all associate Dan Marino as the guy, the tragic figure in the quarterback league who never got over the hump, who's still in the conversation that's one of the five best quarterbacks of all time. He's about to get some company there on Marino island and it's going to be maybe Josh Allen and Lamar Jackson. And by the way, how do we account for the fact that if. When we. When we just so casually. And I think it comes from this weird place of performative or convenient sort of empathy like. Yeah, you can't, you can't. Don't take Lamar Jackson to task for not doing the thing that is the entire point of every season that goes on. And by the way, the other thing is too, I disagree with his adjective influential. I know you just agreed with it, Mike, that Lamar Jackson is the most influential quarterback and has changed the way people consider quarterbacks. I don't really think that's true. Lamar Jackson is a one of one who's really comparable, who changed their approach to quarterbacks and expectations based on what they saw with Lamar Jackson.

Dave Damashek (31:48)

I.

Stugotz (31:48)

All right, well, I kind of agree with Kyle's point there, but I think that there can be a couple of those players. I also think Patrick Mahomes is hugely influential. I think Steph Curry, they're a lot like Steph Curry.

Tony (31:58)

How in that people grow up in

Stugotz (32:00)

that people grow up trying to pattern their games after this guy because they have unique skill sets. They are. They are one of one. the same way that now everybody wants to shoot threes because Steph Curry did it at the clip that he did shooting threes from deep distance. I think people do grow up wanting to be Lamar Jackson in different ways than just your standard local sports hero. I meant to ask you like though, what you meant. He made several points of his general overall point though. Not just like he may find himself not winning a championship. But this whole thing about there is no more pressure anymore for Lamar Jackson because Bill Polian once said that he should play wide receiver. That's well in the past.

Tony (32:43)

Yeah. That he's exceeded that expectation set by a weird old man in Bill Polian and It's not just Bill Polian. There were people out there, I remember at the time saying that I don't think he translates to the NFL. And that was always that weird curmudgeon kind of logic that as soon as you see it on the field you're like, oh, I guess I was wrong. It is possible to play that style of ball in the NFL. Remember they. Lamar Jackson, the knock on him was he's going to break, you're going to end. I got to say he has kind of broken, you know, the, the, the idea that he had clean health and wasn't getting over the hump the first couple of years of his run when he was an MVP candidate and he still is every year he is breaking down and missing big games. And it's happening fairly consistently with Lamar Jackson and with Josh Allen too. I think they both, at roughly age 30 now have to consider for the good of the team and how far they can get in January. And you see some of that starting to happen with the way they play, not running as much anymore. But they kind of need that Michael Jordan, Kobe Bryant, mid career playing style adjustment. You know, they were much more dynamic in their 20s. Jordan and Kobe were attacking the rim and then they sort of realized at age 30, I think mid range jumpers are more the way to go here. I think Josh Allen and Lamar Jackson both need to become that guy. I don't know if they're capable of doing it and if they'll be as effective if you take away their ability to run with the ball.

Zach (34:12)

In Kyle's defense, Lamar Jackson is a Mark Andrews catch away from this being a totally different conversation.

Tony (34:18)

Is it though, do you know, I mean, people always give Lamar Jackson that benefit of like, well, Mark Andrews had caught that ball. Now we're having a. How do we know that Lamar Jackson was going to run and the Ravens were going to win out if they win that game?

Stugotz (34:33)

That's right.

Tony (34:33)

It's assuming it's a second round game.

Stugotz (34:36)

Yeah, I don't.

Tony (34:36)

I.

Stugotz (34:37)

That's a lot to assume. Like we're, we're talking about several rounds. Yeah, getting to the game would be nice. Josh Allen also hasn't gotten to the game. It's why it's held against him. Winning a Super bowl is another discussion entirely. But he was several steps away from that. Even if you give him that catch,

Tony (34:51)

people don't like it at. You know, I've argued this with Mina Kimes on this show and elsewhere many times and it all amounts to. And I get where People are coming from with it, the advanced analytics, but what it adds up to is diminishing those singular moments. And you can say it's not fair for an entire career to boil down to a handful of plays. That's like. Like Babe Zaslow said a couple of minutes ago, that's sports, man. That's the whole point. The things that will resonate in a quarter century or a century from now are those singular moments. You know, you may not like the fact that Bobby Thompson, if you were a Dodgers fan that day, you may not like the Bobby Thompson hit that home run when he did back in 51, but he hit that home run, and that's why we know who Bobby Thompson is now. You have to come through in big spots for your name to. To loom over the generations to come. That's how it works, everybody. I'm sorry, Kyle Van Noy, Chris, if

Dan Le Batard (35:50)

I can steer our attention real quick here to baseball. What are the Dodgers upset about with Shohei Ohtani?

Zach (35:58)

Well, it's not just Dodgers. Other teams are saying that Ohtani is getting special treatment because there's. I don't know what the exact. Is it two minutes in between every inn winning, you have X amount of time to get back in the dugout, get back out to the field. The pitcher has to be warmed up. And those. There are times when Ohtani's on base that it takes them a little longer because no other pitcher these days is having to do that. Every other pitcher is just sitting in the dugout with their glove. So teams are complaining, although this was

Dan Le Batard (36:21)

probably an issue, you know, every now and then when there wasn't a DH

Zach (36:25)

in the national, but there wasn't a time limit then. So it's just a different situation. And teams are complaining to the Dodgers that their umpires are giving them a little too much time. And now we have sound here of Dave Roberts, he's defending Ohtani, saying he actually deserves special treatment.

David Frankel (36:39)

You know what I think, just talking about the World Series, obviously they were a little frustrated about, you know, how long Shohei takes, you know, in between innings. But if he's on the bases, you know, there's got to be some grace, which I think the umpires are trying to give him. But yeah, I mean, if you're on the other side, you're trying to rush him as much as possible and treat him like any other pitcher. But, you know, the truth is, is that he's different. And so. But I understand that they're. They're great.

Zach (37:05)

Does he deserve grace, Dave Damasch, which parking garage do you park in?

Tony (37:09)

You know, the. One of the great ironies of sports conversation, rolling conversations is, is that we all want to be able to rightly assert I'm watching. We're watching the best in the history of contextualize the players and teams we're watching right now and how they compare with those of the past. And we love to do that and make our case for it. We're watching the greatest baseball player of all time. And this is what we're talking about is griping about like, yeah, he takes too long to take his pads off and to get back out there on the hump. This is where we are. We have to tear down these things to. Instead of celebrating this, Ohtani is the greatest player in the history of people. We should rejoice about that and lean into it instead of like, man, he's taking too long.

Zach (37:59)

I would be okay with an extra 30 if they make a rule for, for the Otanis and anybody else that decides they're going to pitch and hit in this area.

Dan Le Batard (38:06)

Like, how much more time has he been getting? What are we talking about?

Zach (38:08)

No, I think they're. I think they're just. I think it's two minutes and they're just kind of not being super strict with it. And you have on deck batters being like, hey, the time's up. Why haven't we started this in.

Dan Le Batard (38:16)

But all the other teams purposely trying to rush because I think now they

Zach (38:19)

are realizing that, like, why are we giving him this grace? Dave Roberts says he deserv grace, so really this is a grace off. Does he deserve grace?

Stugotz (38:28)

I'm with Dave. He deserves a grace because he's doing something we haven't seen. It's. It seems hard to do.

Zach (38:34)

We got one vote for grace, Tony. Grace or no grace.

Dave Damashek (38:37)

Everyone deserves grace.

Dan Le Batard (38:39)

I'm going no grace. Like, if you're going to play both sides, play within the rules.

Zach (38:44)

I mean, someone could go out to him with his glove. Like a bat boy can help him speed it up. When he's on second base, you rush out with his gloves so he doesn't have to come.

Dan Le Batard (38:52)

Remember in Little League when you were the catcher and you were on base, didn't someone bring your speed up rule? Yeah. Well, didn't they bring like your, your, your shin guards? And you would wear the shin guards on the bases, right?

Zach (39:02)

No, you wouldn't wear them on the bases. You'd wear them on the index circle so that if the third out happens, you're halfway dressed.

Dan Le Batard (39:07)

Yes. Yes.

Zach (39:08)

And then they would take them off on the on deck circle. That's. That's a funny visual, though, of them.

Tony (39:11)

I mean, for real. Manfred should weigh in here. And I'm. It's so completely arbitrary. And the. I, the fact that we're talking about a two minute stopwatch on the transition between innings and all of that is, like I said, completely arbitrary. So Manfred should step in and accommodate the. The star of his sport. He is. Ohtani is the number one reason why baseball is making strides at catching up with pro basketball a little bit more than any other, I would say. So I would say to the grace point, give. Give your greatest star a little bit of grace there, Manfred. And from the commissioner's office say, okay, guess what? We're making it two and a half minutes now.

Dave Damashek (39:53)

Playing Little League catcher sucked. I played a couple games a little League catcher, and I was like, no, I liked it.

Dan Le Batard (39:58)

You were involved. You got to. You got to catch the ball. Every. Every.

Zach (40:02)

My knees would hurt.

Dave Damashek (40:03)

My knees would kill me. And I was a bigger kid, so I was like, man, this. I like to go all the way down here. And like, I hated it. And then the pitchers were never that good. So you're trying to catch the ball alone.

Dan Le Batard (40:12)

That's true.

Dave Damashek (40:12)

You're like, oh, hey, hey. Ball would go through the legs.

Dan Le Batard (40:15)

I mostly played third base, but sometimes I played catcher. I liked catch corner.

Zach (40:19)

If you're playing catcher, you could get the speed up rule where you get on base. If there's two outs, they just put in a runner for you and you get to go back in the dugout.

Dan Le Batard (40:25)

No, but you want to run the bases. The most fun part of playing base.

Zach (40:28)

Yeah, but usually it's the most fun. I would disagree with that.

Dan Le Batard (40:31)

Absolutely. Running the bases is the most fun.

Zach (40:33)

I would say hitting is more fun. Pitching is more fun.

Dan Le Batard (40:36)

No, hitting is hard as hell. Running the bases is just fun. Fun.

Zach (40:39)

I just love the idea of, like, we like running.

Dan Le Batard (40:42)

Like, but you make a decision. Should I leg out? Slide? Yeah. Do I slide head first? Do I slide feet first? If you pulled.

Zach (40:49)

If I went to, like a little league team and I'm like, what's your favorite part of this guy?

Dan Le Batard (40:53)

Running the base?

Zach (40:54)

Going to say hitting, catching. No one's going to say running.

Dan Le Batard (40:57)

How disappointed are you when you're on first base and the third out is made by a strikeout and you didn't get to run the bases? You worked so hard to hit and get on base. That's the whole point of hitting, is to get on base and then when you're on base you don't get to run. That's a disappointment.

Tony (41:17)

You know what no one ever says I'd like to do at the baseball field is I'd like to lord the rules over everybody else and call balls and strikes and who's out and who's safe. What kind of weirdo in this rolling conversation about baseball umpires and now is the NFL going to have to do deal with replacement referees again and should we be using the the graphic to call balls and strikes over over human beings and all of that? It ignores the fundamental weirdness of being a human being who decides to be an umpire or referee. What kind of weirdo wants to be in that spot not not playing the game and I'm not good enough to play. So instead I am going to lord the rules over those people.

Dave Damashek (42:02)

What a dork my ass is still chat. By the way, Ric Flair said if you want to be the man, you got to beat the man.