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Dan LeBatard
This is the Dan Levatar show with the Stugats podcast.
Stugats
Empirically, this is the most improbable super bowl matchup there has ever been. Correct. There have never been two teams at worse than 60 to 1 odds to start a season playing in a Super Bowl. The Pats were 80 to 1 before the season started. Seattle was 60 to 1 before the season started. I still don't trust the Patriots. Their schedule, getting to play the Dolphins, the Jets, and the minor league division of Carolina and Tampa Bay and the Saints.
Chris Cote
That.
Stugats
That is a rare path to the super bowl, where you're in the super bowl and you haven't played anybody or you've played teams that you were lucky to play against because you're going to Denver and you're playing a quarterback who does what Stidham did on that play.
Tony
And there's a chance that they go to the super bowl and then Sam Darnold turns into a pumpkin again and they go throughout the super bowl playing nobody.
Rachel
But we should have known that the Seahawks were going to make it, because this is the third straight time that when a new Pope was elected, the Seahawks went to the super bowl as a number one seed.
Zaslow
I mean, that the first super bowl that the Patriots won, Patriots, Rams, was crazy unlikely as well.
Stugats
It was crazy unlikely, but that was the greatest show on turf. Once we saw that season play out, we didn't question Kurt Warner the entirety of the season the way we've been questioning Sam Darnold. I don't think we can say that Sam Darnold's going to turn into a pumpkin again. I don't think that that's a reasonable expectation. He just beat the only team he actually throws the interceptions against over the last two years.
Zaslow
Well. And he was, what, the number three overall pick in the draft. Like, literally, this is what he's supposed to be. Right?
Greg Cody
Right.
Tony
Just took him a decade to do.
Stugats
It and five teams. Amin El Hassan is there and he is ready to get to his weekend observations. I also want to talk to him about an assortment of things going on in basketball because the Giannis stuff is really interesting. I just don't understand the Bucks are that bad with Giannis on their team. It doesn't make any sense to me.
Tony
The team around them sucks.
Stugats
Yeah, but still, like, I mean, if you have Giannis throughout the course of history, if you have that player, you're not seven games under.500.
Zaslow
You see their coaches.
Stugats
Okay, we'll get to him in a second. Yeah, he did get me cornered me on that Is Doc there? Is it too early on the west coast for Doc to be there? Is that too much of a test? What do you say, Doc Rivers, to what it is that Zaslo is saying where he got me because the. The Bucks have a bad coach.
Doc Rivers
Well, first of all, glad to be on the show. Last I checked, I'm on the top 15 coaches of all time list. And Zaz is nowhere near the top 1500 of radio hosts.
Greg Cody
Whoa.
Stugats
Definitely.
Doc Rivers
And he doesn't even rank as far as movie experts or lovers of football either, so I don't know what this guy's talking about.
Zaslow
Does Doc Rivers have any. Any additions to our greatest football movies list?
Doc Rivers
As a matter of fact, he does. First of all, how can we not name the replacements? Gene Hackman as the old coach, Shane Falco came back.
Tony
Doc's got a point.
Stugats
Put it on the poll at Lebitard show.
Chris Cote
Is the replacements one of the top.
Stugats
Five movie football movies of all time?
Chris Cote
Are you.
Stugats
Are you in agreement with me that there have not been five great football movies made throughout the history of cinema?
Doc Rivers
Oh, no, I disagree wholeheartedly. First of all, the. The slander by any given Sunday Wolf. Oh, what are you guys talking about? That's one of the great movies. And also two Americas. None of you guys got the LL Cool JB Fox fight, right? What do you mean it wasn't JB's fault? It was.
Stugats
Well, wait a minute. Jeremy was just reading. He was just reading straight from the Internet. What do you mean he didn't get it right? What did he get?
Doc Rivers
Oh, reading straight from the Internet. When's that ever led anyone astray?
Rachel
Read articles.
Greg Cody
Not the AI Christy Gnome has read.
Doc Rivers
Some things on the Internet too, you know.
Stugats
What did he get wrong? That's fine. You accused him of getting things wrong. What did he get wrong?
Doc Rivers
Can I do this in my regular voice?
Stugats
Yeah, I've been waiting for that since the first question.
Greg Cody
You guys kept asking Doc Rivers questions. I'm like, all right, guys, I gotta answer.
Dan LeBatard
That's it.
Tony
Ask Doc question.
Stugats
It is.
Chris Cote
It is. Weirdly, he asked Doc a football movie question. I don't know why he did that.
Zaslow
Well, he's not coaching. He's probably see. Probably home watching movies instead of practicing. What do you expect?
Stugats
He's coaching. He's.
Greg Cody
He's playing golf. Jamie and LL Cool J are doing the scene. And LL Cool J is unnecessarily intense and JB doesn't know what's happening. He's like. He's the. He's a really Good actor. I think he wants to kick my ass. That's how it started. Jamie didn't punch him first.
Rachel
That's exactly what I said.
Greg Cody
No, that's not what you said. You said Jamie punched him.
Rachel
No, I said LL Cool J back to back scenes, was being overly aggressive. So Jamie Foxx ends up punching him. Then LL Cool J takes his helmet, punches underneath, knocks him out. I said all of that word for word.
Greg Cody
You, you, you said that. First of all, you said that Jamie was aggressive. I don't.
Doc Rivers
I.
Greg Cody
Maybe you misread it or misspoken moment, but you said Jamie was being aggressive. Second of all, you said that Jamie punched first.
Rachel
I think we should get bogged down in it.
Stugats
Yeah, I think some more. That'd be good.
Greg Cody
Well, you guys asked.
Stugats
Yeah, well, you brought it up first and then it begged the follow up question because you said somebody got something wrong. And now here we are. Time now for Amin's weekend observations. Do them all as Doc Rivers as punishment.
Doc Rivers
Absolutely not.
Zaslow
It is time for to share his game notes. No one in the media will tell.
Stugats
You what happened better than my boy.
Dan LeBatard
I mean.
Greg Cody
Weekend observations is brought to you by Miller Lite. Legendary moments. Start with the light. You know what I'll do? I'll do that part in Doc's voice.
Doc Rivers
Weekend observations. It's brought to you by Miller Light. Legendary moments. Start with a light. And it's never Blake's fault.
Greg Cody
Then the stage is set, the card has been finalized, and the last two teams that you gushed about and had celebrity correspondence for have been eliminated. Now we have the rematch that Mena Kimes, Marshawn lynch, and the entire Pacific Northwest have been aching for. Don't need no checkdowns. Super bowl lx. It's crazy to think that this was all made possible by a former jets bust and Luke May's little brother. You guys remember Luke May? Big shot, big man on campus, North Carolina Luke May. That was the guy. Greg May, his little brother. Who's laughing now? Jared Stidham, not to be confused with Jason Statham, as Dan did last week, turned back into a pumpkin at around 6pm Eastern, the Lord's time zone. I love people complaining about the snow impacting the game as though it favored one side over the other. They both played in the snow. Also, I wore a jacket Yesterday. It was 68 degrees.
Doc Rivers
Oh, chilly.
Greg Cody
You guys getting that cold front down there?
Tony
We're gonna get a little cold front on the weekend. It's gonna be 50.
Greg Cody
Hey, can we talk about how the Rams lost to a Team that had Bart from how high as their quarterback part where the picture comes up.
Stugats
Did you give them a picture to put up or you just.
Greg Cody
No, I. I guessed. I guessed that they would read my mind, Dan, and know that. Oh, he's probably gonna mention Bart from alive.
Mike Ryan
There it is.
Greg Cody
Oh, hey, good job. That's. Is that not.
Stugats
Yeah, it looks. It's pretty good. It's the. The plume of hair in the front is something they both do well.
Greg Cody
How high is the jaw? The jaw also Puka and jsn. A battle for the ages. Puka and jsn. Two names that make white liberals uncomfortable for very different reasons.
Stugats
Is.
Chris Cote
Is he. Is the nickname JSN because people are afraid of saying his last name is that thousand.
Tony
He's got a long name, you know.
Zaslow
Aaron Andrews post game yesterday called him Jackson sn.
Greg Cody
I didn't see that for real.
Chris Cote
It's so strange.
Tony
I've never seen last name initial.
Chris Cote
But to be scared of the Smith is also something that's interesting.
Greg Cody
Like, think about it this way. Have you ever heard anyone say JSS for juju Smith Schuster? No, we said it's a long name. We said it.
Dan LeBatard
Yeah. Point.
Greg Cody
Dominique Rogers, Cromartie. We said that whole ass name.
Tony
No, we used to say drc.
Stugats
Yeah, but JSS is actually a cool nickname.
Chris Cote
JSN is just, you're cheating and you're scared.
Greg Cody
Do you remember when everyone was touching over. Was touching. Do you remember when everyone was gushing over Tony Romo? Pepperidge Farm remembers. Oh, you guys couldn't get enough. Tony Romo. Oh, he's so smart.
Chris Cote
Oh, how did he know what play was? Oh, Tony Rom was the best. Oh, where. Where have you been all my life, Tony?
Greg Cody
Now everyone's like, oh, Tony Roman sucks. Tom Brady, he's awesome. Give it a couple of years.
Zaslow
WrestleMania 13.
Greg Cody
Mike, you'll hate him too. Is Fernando Mendoza's brother any good? I'm asking. I need to know.
Mike Ryan
He runs.
Greg Cody
Nobody knows he runs.
Stugats
I mean, he entered the portal after his brother did something that can't be eclipsed. I have no idea if he wants.
Chris Cote
To get out of his brother's shadow.
Stugats
Or he's no good. I do know that there are thousands of people in the portal who will never play again.
Greg Cody
Word is he's going to Georgia Tech, so that's why I'm.
Mike Ryan
It's a good spot for him.
Greg Cody
Cinefobe Episode 297 National Lampoon's Van Wilder starring Ryan Reynolds Tara Reid, Kal Penn, Aaron Paul Bud from the Cosby show and Tech from Real World Hawaii. That movie was based off the real life exploits of comedian Bert Kreischer. Yeah, Tech from Real World Hawaii.
Stugats
You guys remember Tech Money?
Zaslow
Of course.
Greg Cody
Yeah. Ruthie was my favorite on Ruthie was Tupac.
Mike Ryan
Do you remember those rumors? The Internet special?
Greg Cody
She was since its inception, all she needed was just a little bandana.
Mike Ryan
There was a whole.
Greg Cody
Cal Penn took the role of a stereotypical Indian because he learned if he didn't, the role was gonna go to a white actor in brownface. Fun fact, Dan. They hired him a dialect coach to perfect the Indian accent. The dialect coach was a white woman. Kal Penn speaks Gujarati. She does not imagine that. Cinephone. Wherever you get podcasts. You guys remember when everyone was gushing over the Oklahoma City Thunder?
Chris Cote
Oh, my God, it's the greatest team ever. They're better than the Warriors.
Greg Cody
Were that 173 games Pepperidge Farm remembers.
Stugats
They lost to Toronto last night. Zaz said they were going to win 80. Yeah, yeah.
Greg Cody
You guys see that? When Lou Dor tried to block Sandro Mamu Kelishville and he landed on him. It was nuts. That was nuts.
Stugats
Got it. Yeah, got that.
Tony
The first tried to flex, by the way, on Mamu's full name. I didn't like that.
Doc Rivers
No.
Greg Cody
If I said Mamu, I was worried that Dan was gonna say, man, who's playing basketball again? And like, no. Oh, Manu from. From. What do you highlight or whatever? Like, no, not that one. Unless I said full name. Try the audience. Trying to do it for the audience. Can we talk about how the Rams lost to a team that had Johnny Worthington III from Monsters University as their quarterback?
Stugats
There it is. Video.
Chris Cote
There it is.
Greg Cody
Tell me that jaw isn't his.
Stugats
It's the tuft of hair again. You're doing it with the tuft of hair instead of the jaw.
Greg Cody
It's the jaw. Zaz thinks Mike McDonald has a little D. When asked about it, McDonald Scott has said, what a fool believes. What a fool believes.
Stugats
I think Mike McDonald is right here.
Chris Cote
I think. I haven't heard Mike's Mike McDonald in a long time.
Tony
I've been work shopping.
Chris Cote
Be ready next week. Oh, really? Perhaps a new bit or I'll keep forgetting. This is very exciting and the idea that we're going to break out Mike McDonald again because. Do you want a cool ruse?
Greg Cody
Ice Storm causes game postponement. Ah, I misread that. My bad. Should say Ice Storm Troopers cause game postponement.
Doc Rivers
Let it sit.
Greg Cody
Can we talk about how the Rams lost To a team that had a human Lego as their quarterback. Tell me that's not him.
Chris Cote
It is him.
Tony
He needs a ginger hair, though.
Chris Cote
We need to change the hair.
Stugats
Can we color the hair? Does the telestrator have colors on it? No, the telestrator.
Rachel
Just ask Edge and James.
Stugats
Let me see if I can find that.
Greg Cody
Do what now? I hereby nominate Dan as NFL commissioner. We'll fix a sport with two words. Dan. Game seven.
Doc Rivers
Oh, my God.
Greg Cody
Can you imagine a game seven in the Super Bowl? Oh, my God. The ratings would be like 8 billion. How. How many people are on earth? That's how many people be watching super.
Tony
Bowl lasting for two months.
Stugats
Yeah, so.
Chris Cote
And who would object?
Greg Cody
You know what?
Tony
You got me.
Rachel
Everyone will be injured by the end of it.
Chris Cote
Yeah, I mean, we just saw a conference championship game where Jared Stidham threw the ball backwards like that was that got the Patriots to the super bowl because an incompetent quarterback starting his fifth game ever threw the ball backward.
Greg Cody
Dan thinks the Rams are the better team. When Mike McDonald heard that, he shook his head in disappointment and said, I keep forgetting we're not in love anymore. I can't do the voices.
Chris Cote
No, you cannot.
Greg Cody
Okay. No, I can't do it for good. Do we need any more proof that Zaz is neither a football guy nor a movie guy? Be smirching any given Sunday. You ought to be ashamed of yourself.
Zaslow
Base.
Greg Cody
Yeah, here's a note that I already gave away. The show's never been wider than getting the Jamie Fox Lo Cool J fight details completely wrong. Here's the science. A bar rescue podcast. We break down episodes of Bar Rescue with Chelsea Reynolds, a restaurant bar consultant. Colin Cassard, a commercial vic kitchen and food truck veteran.
Stugats
You want to try that again?
Tony
Well said.
Greg Cody
Colin Kassard, a commercial kitchen and food truck veteran and functional alcoholic. Zach Harper and me. Here's the science. Wherever you get podcasts, please like subscribe, rate, review, etc. Etc. The Steelers hired Mike McCarthy on purpose. The hell they doing? Speaking of hell, R Briled. Those are the weekend observations.
Dan LeBatard
In sports, championships aren't one alone. The one with the right people around you. That's exactly what Intuit TurboTax brings to taxes with TurboTax Expert. Full service match with a dedicated tax expert who handles your taxes from start to finish. The experience is seamless. Start in person, finish online. Move between both whenever needed. The dedicated tax expert keeps things updated every step of the way so nothing falls between the cracks. Think of it like having a great head coach with a solid game plan. The plays are called, adjustments are made, and the work gets done while everyone stays focused on what actually matters. And just like Gamefilm doesn't wait for business hours, neither do taxes. With TurboTax Expert full service, you can get any tax question answered at no extra cost, even on nights and weekends during tax season. This is having someone in your corner running the whole operation and helping put points on the board. Get started@turbotax.com only available with Intuit TurboTax full service experts real time updates only in iOS mobile app.
Rachel
Hello listeners, Valentine's Day is almost here. One of my very favorite holidays, which should be unsurprising to you. And fellows, if you're listening, do not overthink this. My secret weapon every year is 1800-flowers.com because my wife, who all of you are always saying is too good looking to be with me, deserves something that shows I actually put thought into it. And that's why I trust 1-800-FLOWERS. They've been doing this for 50 years. They source roses from high altitude farms for bigger blooms, richer colors and flowers that last I can say firsthand. I've ordered 1-800-Flowers for my wife during the holidays and it really means a lot to her. The bouquet looks amazing. It's super fresh and when I've ordered it, it's lasted. This year they've got the Double blooms deal. Buy one dozen roses and they double it to two dozen for free. Twice the impact. Same budget. Make this Valentine's one. She'll remember to get your double blooms offer. Buy one dozen, get two dozen roses free. Go to 1-800-flowers.com/dan. That's 1-800-flowers. Com dan to double your roses for free.
Mike Ryan
Quick break to talk to you about Miller Lite, a partner of ours. Basically. Since our show's inception, Miller Lite has been there for so many great memories, especially recently this wintertime. Lots of trips to Texas one Arizona, surrounded by friends, welcoming in a new year and toasting that beautiful white can of Miller Lite, my favorite beer and an incredible partner. For almost half of its 50 year existence, Miller Lite has been partnered up with the Dan LeBatard show and we could not be more grateful. Some of my most legendary moments have started with let's get some Miller Lights. Whether it be a buddy's house, a watch party at the game or post game, you crack open a Miller Light, you take a sip, you look around at your friends and you think, yeah, this was the right call. You're locked into the game, the conversation, the Moment, not thinking about what you're drinking. Miller Lite just fits. Legendary moments. Start with Miller Lite. Great taste. 96 calories. Go to millerlight.com dan to find delivery options near you. Or you can pick up some Miller Lite pretty much anywhere they sell beer. It's Miller time. Celebrate responsibly. Miller Brewing Company, Milwaukee, Wisconsin. 96 calories and 3.2 carbs per 12 ounces.
Greg Cody
Don LeBatard.
Mike Ryan
Chris Cody does an impression. Just be careful.
Rachel
Dangerous game. Here is a dangerous game.
Stugats
I don't want to play this game.
Mike Ryan
He was saying, man, I could do such a great.
Chris Cote
No, I don't want to play this game.
Mike Ryan
He's like, man, this is who we're going to.
Chris Cote
This is who we're going to trust.
Greg Cody
I mean, you do it.
Rachel
Let's let a mean do it.
Stugats
I think stugats.
Greg Cody
I think he could do it. Chris, because you did a great Charles Barkley. You're one for one there.
Chris Cote
Did no one just hear the segment we just did with Amin? We cannot be taking judgment. Is not the council from the local drunk on whether or not you should do the impersonation of a black man stumbling over his words like you don't see the bad.
Stugats
There was Mose and Moody. Moody Moses. Mose Moody. That. It sounds worse.
Dan LeBatard
Be careful, man.
Chris Cote
We gotta like. We cannot do this. It's too close to the line. This is where the line is. Something legitimately funny can't be funny because we're scared our ginger is going to do something racist by accident.
Zaslow
Carry the hell on. Dan.
Greg Cody
Rachel, Dan. The line is where we feel alive, though.
Zaslow
This is the Dan Levatar show with the Stool Cats.
Greg Cody
I watched the Mel Brooks documentary of my dad.
Stugats
You know, Judd Apatow makes good documentaries. I assume that that's excellent.
Greg Cody
It's excellent. It's excellent because Mel Brooks has an uncommon amount of archival footage throughout history going back to him working with Sid Caesar. And it reminded me a lot of. For different reasons, but in that way of the Motown documentary. I don't know if you ever saw that one. Hitsville. It's incredible. It's on Paramount plus, I think. But what made it so great was it had archival footage of everything, including the Jackson 5 audition. They had that in. In. In the Hitsville documentary. But the Mel Brooks one was. Was incredible. And they talk a lot about him walking the line in terms of comedy, in terms of being kind of subversive, particularly with Blazing Saddles. They, you know, they asked whether it could be made today. It's Like, I don't even think it could be made back then. It's just because Mel Brooks was a genius and Mel Brooks had a writer's room that had obviously Richard Pryor in there. Richard Pryor was the one that was pushing for some of the language because he said, mel, people don't know. And you need to. You have the opportunity to let mainstream America know, hey, yeah, people are saying the N word left and right. Like, like these kind of racist things that are being said in the movie for fun and for laughs are also kind of a reflection of what society is. And so, Dan, I think you'd really enjoy it. It's an incredible two part documentary and I had a lot of fun. And my dad was a huge Mel Brooks fan.
Stugats
I love the book. The book is exhaustive. It's very. It's a thick book. But he tells the story, among others, of watching Sid Caesar on the original television. Like that Mel Brooks is so old that he was there for the advent of the first television.
Greg Cody
Sid Caesar told him, I got it. I got you a job. We're working in this thing called television. But he literally had to introduce the concept of TV to him in order to tell him, hey, come work with me. Also did not know this Mel BROOKS, World War II veteran. So when he does Springtime for Hitler in the Producers, when he does all these kind of jokes about. About Nazis or whatever there was at the time, people were very outrageous that even though Mel Brooks is very outspoken and proud of his Jewish heritage, it's a bad look to be making these kind of jokes. And it's like the dude was literally, like, going through minefields to make sure that these German mines weren't just going off and killing Allied soldiers. So I think once you've hit that level of like, yeah, I'm about this life, you can joke about whatever you want.
Stugats
We'll get to basketball stuff with Amin in a second. But zazzle. What did I see you so excitedly sending to the video department here a second ago while. While Amin was doing his weekend observation?
Zaslow
Well, I think Greg Cody is going to be in studio tomorrow, right? He's here on Tuesdays.
Stugats
Yeah.
Zaslow
Okay. Well, it sounds like he's going to have something to say to you. All right. Because on the latest episode of the Greg Cody show, featuring Greg Cody, they put out. They put out like a quick teaser on Twitter. Give this a listen.
Stugats
I know Lebatard very well. I know when he's serious. We're having two nuts. I know when he's serious and when he's not. He was serious. Well, you. What's that about? Oh, Dan, I don't have any idea what he's upset about. Does any. Can anyone give me any context?
Mike Ryan
Could be anything.
Stugats
It really could be.
Chris Cote
Couldn't.
Stugats
Like the LSU picture. It could be anything. Mike Ryan has seen how unreasonably mad Greg Cody gets about some things.
Chris Cote
We.
Stugats
We cannot predict when and why he gets mad about things. I legitimately have no idea what that's about. I was headed Saturday to the library to. To go and see what he and Ron McGill were doing, and then I got sick and couldn't get over there to.
Zaslow
Maybe that's what it's about, but I.
Greg Cody
Don'T have the library. The bar or the library.
Stugats
No, he was doing something with Ron McGill for their new book as he continues to grift off of Ron McGill at the library.
Greg Cody
Of the bar or at the library? The library.
Stugats
There's.
Tony
I actually saw a picture of this. I took the Metro reel today, and there's a picture in the elevator of the. You know, the poster. There was one that I thought I saw devil horns and somebody drew on Draco. On Greg Cody. I have to go double check in one of the elevators.
Stugats
Does no one know what he's mad at me about? Can someone ask his son? Does anyone know the whereabouts of his son? Can someone get me some information? Because no one's told me anything. I guess we'll find out together tomorrow when he gets here.
Zaslow
There's some good teases, though, that he put out. Apparently for this new episode of Greg Cody show featuring Greg Cody. He took. He took a horse racing quiz with Clark Spencer. All right, there's that. He also auditioned for Mike Biamonte's job as new PA The Miami Heat. He obviously, you know, he had words for you played right there.
Ad
And.
Zaslow
And apparently Greg was asked if his opinion of me has evolved after working with me now. Very interesting.
Stugats
Okay. Not surprised that Zasla would find himself interesting. So, I mean, can you please tell what you make of the Giannis situation in Milwaukee? And do you believe that Doc Rivers is among the not. Do you believe. Do you agree? Because I know you don't agree. Can you believe that Doc Rivers is Among the top 15 coaches of all time in anybody's list of the top. Anybody's list of the top 15 coaches, including docs.
Greg Cody
Look, the Giannis stuff is incredible because he's been giving these quotes all season long, just left and right. And, you know, me and. And George Sedano, years ago, came up with this line describing LeBron. And so LeBron doesn't leave breadcrumbs, he leaves whole loaves of bread, you know, in a sense, because he's. He's passive aggressive, but not. Not good. Like, he's just so obvious and blunt with it. Giannis is leaving bakeries behind. He had a game where he. He said his teammates were selfish and said, ah, you know, in the past, I've had teammates who understood the gravity that I bring to the game. But Appare, that's not the case anymore. He had the. The quote about how his agent is his own man. I don't. I don't. I'm not responsible for anything he says. He's all man, but he works for me. Like, what does that mean? And then the latest one, which is he gets hurt. You know, he pulls that calf, which has been bothering him. And after the game, and I talked to Jim Orzarski of the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, he says, this guy never talks, never talks about injuries. He comes out to the game, he says, yeah, I pulled my calf. We're gonna do an mri. When we do the mri, they're gonna show that my. My salonius or whatever has been pulled, and it's gonna take about four to six weeks of recovery. But during that time, if the team can stay within striking, he's like, giving us a whole prognosis. I'm like, what are you doing, buddy? I. I think this is Giannis's coy way of, like, saying, hey, this isn't my fault, everything that's happening, but he still doesn't want to do the thing, which I think all of us think. They just come out and do it and say, hey, man, thanks for the memories. I want to get traded.
Zaslow
I mean, does the injury now. Four to six weeks, calf injury, we know that that's like. That's the bugaboo term. Now in the NBA. Is a calf injury, does this affect his potential trade market in February?
Greg Cody
Not one bit. Not one bit. Anyone who's in the market for Giannis and a compo is in the market for Yanis and a compo, they don't care about him missing the next four to six weeks. They are there for it. And whether that's the Miami Heat, the New York Knicks, any of the Toronto Raptors are another one that's been listed. Like, they're all. They're ready to go. What's holding it all up is Milwaukee apparently is still saying, we don't know, or let's see if we can make a deal here. Around the Periphery. Maybe we could turn Kyle Kuzman into something. And they're still playing this game of chicken where they're like, we don't want to trade him. And Giannis is like, we don't. I don't want to ask to get traded. So we're just going to pretend that this thing is going to work somehow.
Stugats
I have not looked recently. They were 18 and 25, and then they lost against Denver at home. That doesn't even have yokesh. They're truly terrible. And I know that Kyle Koozman, Miles Turner is not good roster construction, but if I told you before the season, if I put Giannis on any team in the sport, am I going to have more than 18 victories at this point in the season? Wouldn't you have said yes?
Greg Cody
Yeah, I mean, if you said that 18 victories, the first thing I'd ask is like, well, he's. Giannis. Is Giannis healthy? And he hasn't been healthy.
Stugats
Right.
Greg Cody
He has missed games. I think he's only played 30 games this year. And then many of those games have occurred with a. With the minutes restriction. So, like, those two things do inform a little better why the record is as bad as it is, but it's still worse than what we would believe, even under those circumstances. But then I remember. Do you remember Charles Barkley in Philadelphia? Like, how could he be that great and that team be that bad? Man, It's a team sport. No matter how good a player is, at the end of the day, you have to have competent infrastructure, and that includes teammates, and that includes coaching, and that includes everything.
Zaslow
I mean, teams, you know, like Miami are going to just put all their chips to send them to the table and say, here, take whatever you want in order to acquire Giannis. But he's going to be 32 this year. He's dealing with a calf injury now. He's been kind of injury riddled. Like, should any teams kind of be worried about that?
Greg Cody
Yeah, like, he has a history of being durable. He's going through some stuff right now. It happens. Nobody's perfect. I mean, Jokic has been a durable guy and. And now he's been out for a considerable amount of time with an injury. So I don't put him in the same class. As, you know, we were talking a couple weeks ago about John Anthony Davis and those guys. Those guys have reached a point where it's like, you think twice with Giannis. Like, you take that risk because again, he has been durable, and when he's played, he's been just as Stellar as he's always been.
Stugats
Amin. Good seeing you. Thank you for making the time. Thank you for pulling out the Doc Rivers earlier than ever. It's very hard.
Dan LeBatard
You almost killed him, Dan.
Stugats
Yeah, it's very hard to get out of bed and do the Doc Rivers. Thank you, sir.
Greg Cody
Get out of bed. I had to take my kids to school. I've been out of bed for like three hours now.
Stugats
Okay. I just thought maybe perhaps I would give you some credit for the fact that you did something tough. Nevermind. I take it back. See you later.
Dan LeBatard
Well, he did do this though.
Greg Cody
Colin Cassard, a commercial vic, kitchen and food truck veteran.
Stugats
Not because he was tired. He was ready to go. He took his kids. Yeah. Been awake for hours. Totally rip roaring. Thank you. I mean, good talking to you.
Greg Cody
That's not fatigue. I'm not gonna blame it on fatigue. I just misspoke. It happens.
Stugats
Yes.
Greg Cody
What's your excuse, Lebatard?
Stugats
The I'm speaking four hours a day, not 15 minutes. See you later.
Greg Cody
I speak four hours a day, too.
Chris Cote
You didn't hear how many podcasts I plugged in that damn.
Tony
What's that excuse?
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Zaslow
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Stugats
Want to address Tony and all men who would wear that shirt in public.
Zaslow
Stugats don't do it. This is the Dan Levatar show with the Stadts.
Stugats
So I mentioned that The Patriots were 80 to 1 odds before the season started and then they lost to the Raiders at home. I think that they were pointing out during the game yesterday they were saying.
Chris Cote
Do you realize that this game is in Denver because the Patriots lost to.
Stugats
The Raiders at home? Tony has been wondering if the Patriots.
Chris Cote
Are going to be the first team to win the super bowl without beating anybody.
Tony
Without beating anybody. I'm telling you, if we look at Sam Darnold and I don't think it's going to happen, but there's an outside chance. What if Sam Darnold just completely implodes under the lights and then all of a sudden the Patriots go from a dumpster fire team? And I saw this stat, by the way, on Twitter. I don't remember who it was, but I want to give them credit, but I can't.
Dan LeBatard
So.
Tony
So since Dec. 21, the Patriots have won more games than the Tennessee Titans have since they fired Mike Vrabel. Again, that's off. Rip I don't remember who it was. Thank you for that stat. But the Patriots might just go the entire season with beating up on everybody and anybody and then do it in the Super Bowl.
Zaslow
Why don't you just take credit for that stat? Who cares?
Tony
Because I'm not that kind of guy. I'm not a sucker.
Rachel
It was Jamie Eisner.
Tony
Thank you Jamie.
Stugats
I should give credit. Thank you Tony for trying.
Tony
The credit was was I read it basically perfectly after seeing it for one second.
Rachel
No, he did. It's pretty perfect.
Stugats
Thank you for trying. The least possible amount to credit someone, which is More than Zaslow gave.
Tony
Would you.
Dan LeBatard
Why they like.
Chris Cote
You'Re just gonna leave. Okay, so wait a minute. He's just. He's tough. He's self reporting. Okay, very good. So he's. He's just g. That's right.
Zaslow
Walt's ass on over there.
Stugats
Minor penalty. 2 minutes for leaking confidence.
Zaslow
Head on over to that sucker room boy.
Chris Cote
Zaslow taunting you for misspeaking. Zaslo's had the last.
Zaslow
What an embarrassment.
Stugats
The last 10 days that he has had. Roy, get for me please. The. The assortment of library sound that we have of Zaslow just screwing things up over the last.
Zaslow
This guy's calling you a sucker. Tony. Get a load of this.
Stugats
I don't think it is fair to think after that particular game being less.
Chris Cote
Than 24 hours removed from that particular.
Stugats
Game to say that Sam Darnold is again going to turn into a pumpkin.
Chris Cote
Like you can't you at point.
Stugats
Correct. You can't question that. Sam Darnold is not afraid of big.
Chris Cote
Moments when the only team that intercepts him and causes him problems. Chris Shula is the defensive coordinator that.
Stugats
Has given Sam Darnold the most problems.
Chris Cote
To see Sam Darnold outplay Matthew Stafford.
Stugats
When Matthew Stafford has an all time game and Matthew Stafford has a game that a quarterback never has and loses. Because I don't think it's fair anymore after that game, never mind 24 hours. I don't think it's fair anymore to question whether Sam Darnold can play in big games.
Zaslow
Unless he totally throws up all over himself in the Super Bowl.
Stugats
I mean, but what then. Then how would you explain what just happened? If.
Chris Cote
If.
Zaslow
No, but. But if he goes from playing well, playing really, really well, which is what he just did, to throwing up all over himself in the super bowl, that has to be considered a choke.
Stugats
Then what do you think makes jets fans angrier? The Patriots in the super bowl or Sam Darnold in the Super Bowl? When he was their top five pick, he was the starting point on a traveling path through four other teams. And the jets thought they had a quarterback, they had hope. When Sam Darnold came in and looked the part. And it speaks to what Mike Ryan is saying about losing. Organizations are going to take everyone down with them.
Zaslow
I think the jets fan is more mad at the Patriots being in the super bowl because I feel like the Jet fan is self aware. Actually is self aware enough to know we're the shittiest organization. So of course we couldn't make it work with this really good quarterback. I Think they're. I think they're more angry at the Patriots are back.
Rachel
Well, especially because I think there were people that thought the jets would be better than the Patriots this year. Like, people were looking at that Patriots roster and saying, like, oh, they're not going to be very good. Who are their receivers? Like, yeah, sure, they brought in Diggs, but what are you going to do? The jets being as abysmal as they are still, like, as a Dolphins fan, watching the Patriots continue to do what they do is more frustrating. And if Darnold had left the jets and immediately gone to the super bowl with the next team, maybe we're having a different conversation. But with so many stops in between, you could be a Panthers fan, you could be a Niners fan, you could be a Vikings span. You're also frustrated by Darnold.
Mike Ryan
Yeah. Jets, I think, are off the hook because of all the teams that you mentioned there. If anything, you turn your attention to Minnesota and being like, yeah, it's probably not the greatest goal.
Stugats
What about Carolina?
Mike Ryan
But the thing is, Minnesota is the only franchise that had Sam Darnold consistently be good for them. Like, they saw it.
Stugats
They were 14 and 3.
Mike Ryan
They were really good last season, and they made the decision to go with the rookie. And of all the franchises that Sam Darnold is left in his wake, take Minnesota is really the only one that said, yeah, we saw this guy deliver 100.
Tony
Because then you look at what they have in JJ McCarthy and it's like, who would you rather have?
Stugats
Who would you rather have?
Rachel
Would you rather have?
Mike Ryan
Who would you have?
Tony
I did that on purpose.
Mike Ryan
You did?
Rachel
No.
Dan LeBatard
Yeah.
Greg Cody
No, you didn't. That's the joke.
Stugats
Hey, I'm not.
Mike Ryan
Sometimes you can say that ball went off me.
Tony
No, it was the part of the joke because I said.
Rachel
Said.
Tony
I said wather the first time, like an absolute idiot.
Stugats
All right, so how do you feel about being criticized for your speech by this guy?
Zaslow
Or you should know that guy's a fool.
Mike Ryan
Can't speak.
Stugats
That's not even one of the ones that we had from the library last week. How do you feel about being criticized for your speech by this guy?
Zaslow
I mean, how could. How can I not do it? Who didn't see that coming?
Mike Ryan
I mean, that's fine. Let's play on. That's Zaz Bean. Zaz. That's him starting to cook.
Stugats
Roy, how have you not found the three from last week that we have been playing as we've been filibustering for a good three minutes trying to allow you to find these three sounds from last week.
Dan LeBatard
Well, there's no photo for these things. They're not labeled. And I'm just creating excuses right now.
Stugats
So you don't have it. You still don't have it. You're still looking for it. You still can't find it.
Mike Ryan
We're never saved in the. In the J.
Rachel
Search. Bear lose.
Dan LeBatard
Bear lose. Yes.
Zaslow
Okay.
Tony
It search weapons. There's a litany of them that Zazlo can just maybe search.
Dan LeBatard
I just put the word Zazlow in there. You know, you would think that would be it.
Mike Ryan
Oh boy, this is bad. Here, you want to p. Yeah, I'm going to. I don't worry. I already got your.
Zaslow
I self reported.
Tony
You told me that if I self reported I was okay.
Zaslow
The packers win or the bear lose? Bears lose.
Mike Ryan
There you go.
Rachel
There it is.
Mike Ryan
Was saved.
Zaslow
That guy sing thinks you speak like a sucker. The packers winner. The bear lose. Bears lose.
Tony
Who are you a fool in front of there?
Zaslow
Diana Rossini? The packers winner. The Bear lose. Bears lose.
Stugats
Put it on the poll, please. At Lebatard show. Who would you rather be, Tony or Zaz?
Zaslow
The packers winner. The Bear lose. Bears lose.
Stugats
How about a 38 year old coach Mike McDonald who is being, you know, backpedaling the entire game with Matthew Stafford. I'm going to say it again. He had had at 1.13 completions for 265 yards. The number one defense sounds like a big D to me.
Chris Cote
How do you feel about Mike McDonald? I think I should capitalize the D and make it even larger than you normally capitalize it. I think, I think today, I think based on what I'm about to say, okay, Mike McDonald's name in graphics forevermore should have the D seven times as large as all the other letters in his name.
Stugats
Because.
Chris Cote
Because he's sitting there with Stafford fourth.
Stugats
And goal and he says, you know what?
Chris Cote
I'm going to throw at this guy who's played 17 years in the league and can't be fooled by anything. I'm going to have 70 linemen on.
Stugats
The line and then I'm only going.
Chris Cote
To rush two of them and I'm going to drop everyone into coverage. And you know what he's going to do? He's going to stand there and he's going to tap his foot.
Stugats
He's going to be like, I'm going to throw to Ferguson all time in the game. For the first time in the game.
Chris Cote
Even though he's totally covered, like he's in the middle of the Field. There's no one in the middle of the field. All is a. It's just an amoeba defense of. Why are the deal. Why do the defensive linemen have their back to me, they're all. They're all running.
Tony
Every receiver's double covered.
Chris Cote
And he's like, oh, it was like walking into a dark kitchen at night that's filled with cockroaches. And you turn on the light and then just every. Everyone scatters in every direction. And Stafford's like, I got Puka over here. I've got devonte Adams over here. I've got. I've got an assortment of tight ends not named Ferguson that I could throw to. Let me throw to a guy who's just totally covered in the middle of the end zone. No pass interference. I can't believe that that's the defense that he went with on in that situation.
Stugats
And I. I can't believe that the Rams lost that game when they were driving that way at the end.
Tony
Again, great situationally. And on top of that, Matthew Stafford over seven on third or fourth down, like that's playing great situational football as.
Stugats
A defense over seven, while Darnold was doing what he was doing on not just third, third and fourth down, but third and long like that. That's the thing that Seattle kept doing to the Rams defense. And I don't think it's being talked about enough. Just the calamitous decline of the Rams defense over the second half of the season. I've been surprised that you guys don't have more of a reaction to. Over the last nine games, the Rams allowed scoring on 40% of the plays.
Chris Cote
That's dreadful.
Stugats
It's why they were five and three down the stretch and why the Seahawks were eight. No down the stretch.
Chris Cote
Do you give the Patriots any cred.
Stugats
For being nine and oh, in road games this season.
Chris Cote
Unbeaten?
Stugats
Yeah, they lost to the Raiders at home to open the season. They. They lost 20 to 10 and then won all of their road games.
Zaslow
So I've thrown out a few things on the show today. I wonder if this has ever happened. I wonder if this ever happened. Has a team ever won the super bowl in a season where they lost to the team with the number one overall pick? Whoa.
Stugats
Did you just surprise yourself with that while you were pointing around the phone?
Mike Ryan
I'm certain, I'm certain, I'm certain.
Stugats
It's probably happened. You're throwing out. You're basically just saying, google this for me. You haven't been the same since you threatened Barubi.
Zaslow
I. I'm. I have a certain, like, glow to me.
Chris Cote
Right.
Zaslow
Like, I mean, this is someone who's very confident.
Mike Ryan
Yeah, that was. That was a good moment for you.
Zaslow
I know, right?
Mike Ryan
Today's show.
Zaslow
I'm projecting a lot of confidence here.
Mike Ryan
You've had a good show.
Zaslow
Oh, Greg Baruby.
Mike Ryan
I'm not sure he meant to do that Elmer Fudd thing.
Zaslow
Let's be honest.
Greg Cody
I did.
Tony
I absolutely did. That was okay if he didn't, but. No, I know. But I did. That was the whole point. Because I said wather like an idiot. And then I was like, you know what? It'll be funny again if I say it again.
Zaslow
No one believes you.
Rachel
Just one example. The Green Bay packers that won the super bowl, lost to the Carolina Panthers that year, who ultimately drafted Cam Newton.
Stugats
You pointed with such conviction as if you were making a good point, and then redundantly pointed, put it on the. The poll. Would you rather be considered unfunny or a liar?
Date: January 26, 2026
Episode Context: Live from the Elser Hotel in Downtown Miami, Dan, Stugotz, and the crew dive into improbable Super Bowl matchups, hilarious sports hot takes, pop culture tangents, and a visit from basketball insider Amin Elhassan. Plus, a deep-dive on mispronunciations, football movies, and whether a Super Bowl Game 7 could fix the NFL.
"The Pats were 80 to 1 before the season started... getting to play the Dolphins, the Jets, and the minor league division..." — Stugotz (00:08)
“I don’t think that that’s a reasonable expectation. He just beat the only team he actually throws the interceptions against over the last two years.” — Stugotz (01:14)
“First of all, glad to be on the show. Last I checked, I'm on the top 15 coaches of all time list. And Zaz is nowhere near the top 1500 of radio hosts.” — [Amin as Doc Rivers] (02:35)
“Cal Penn took the role of a stereotypical Indian because he learned if he didn’t, the role was gonna go to a white actor in brownface. The dialect coach was a white woman!” — Amin (10:17)
“Can you imagine a Game Seven in the Super Bowl? Oh my god. The ratings would be like 8 billion.” — Amin (13:28)
“...Mel Brooks had a writer’s room that had, obviously, Richard Pryor in there. Richard Pryor was the one that was pushing for some of the language, because he said, Mel, people don’t know… it’s a reflection of what society is.” — Greg Cody (20:54)
“LeBron doesn't leave breadcrumbs, he leaves whole loaves of bread… Giannis is leaving bakeries behind.” — Amin (25:17)
“Anyone who's in the market for Giannis Antetokounmpo… they don't care about him missing the next four to six weeks. They are there for it.” — Amin (27:09)
Doc Rivers (Amin):
“Last I checked, I'm on the top 15 coaches of all time list. And Zaz is nowhere near the top 1500 of radio hosts.” (02:35)
Amin on Giannis & LeBron:
“LeBron doesn’t leave breadcrumbs, he leaves whole loaves of bread… Giannis is leaving bakeries behind.” (25:17)
Game 7 Super Bowl Trope:
“Can you imagine a Game Seven in the Super Bowl? Oh my god. The ratings would be like 8 billion.” (13:28)
Greg Cody on Mel Brooks/Blazing Saddles:
“Richard Pryor… was the one that was pushing for some of the language because he said, Mel, people don’t know… it’s a reflection of what society is.” (20:54)
Amin on movie casting:
“Cal Penn took the role of a stereotypical Indian because he learned if he didn’t, the role was gonna go to a white actor in brownface. The dialect coach was a white woman!” (10:17)
Tony on joke construction:
“I said wather the first time, like an absolute idiot. All right, so how do you feel about being criticized for your speech by this guy?” (38:47)
The show maintains its signature blend: smart, irreverent, quick-joked sports talk layered with self-deprecation, pop culture asides, and recurring in-jokes. Listeners unfamiliar with the inside references still feel the infectious fun, as the crew bounces rapidly from NFL strategy to old MTV reality stars and Mel Brooks’ comedic daring.
This episode is a rich tapestry of sports analysis spun together with comedy, nostalgia, and meta-riffs on the art of podcasting. You’ll get:
This episode is the Le Batard Show in full, joke-layered, cross-talking stride—a treat for fans and a lively, eccentric primer for newcomers.