Live From New York, It's Nick Wright | Hour 1

Summary

The Dan Le Batard Show – "Live From New York, It's Nick Wright | Hour 1"

Date: August 12, 2026
Location: The Elser Hotel, Downtown Miami
Featured Guest: Nick Wright (Host, FS1’s First Things First & What's Wright with Nick Wright podcast)

---

Episode Overview

In this energetic hour, Dan Le Batard and his crew welcome Nick Wright for a rollicking conversation live from Miami, despite common confusion (even among the crew) about where Nick actually lives and works. The show combines its signature blend of sports commentary, personal banter, and pop culture references with several running gags — including Greg Cody’s endless list of self-created catchphrases. Amidst all that, the crew unpacks breaking news in the sports business world, the controversial "Patriot Games," and international FIFA politics, all while maintaining their playful, irreverent tone.

---

Key Discussion Points & Segment Breakdowns

1. Nick Wright’s Location Confusion

[02:01–03:51, 21:43–23:38]

• The crew debates where Nick Wright is based, despite his show opening with “Live from New York” for years.
  • Nick clarifies he’s been in New York since 2017.
  • “Show used to be on at 6:30am Eastern. Those shows are tough to do from the West Coast. And so, no, I mean, we start literally every show with Kevin Wilde saying, ‘Live from New York.’” (Nick Wright [02:53])
• Playful ribbing ensues over Mike Ryan and others not knowing this basic detail, with Nick good-naturedly calling out their inattentiveness.

2. Greg Cody’s Top 70 Catchphrases Countdown

[01:20–12:59]

• Greg Cody continues his surreal, self-involved list of 70 personal catchphrases.

  • Nick expresses curiosity over missed entries.
  • Greg rapid-fires through highlights, with Nick pausing to praise or question a few:

    “I’m busier than a one armed paper hanger — you created?”
    “That’s amazing. I’ve heard it before, but I assumed it was Shakespeare or something.”
    (Nick Wright [08:46–08:51])

• Memorable catchphrases and their (sometimes dubious) origins spark laughter and requests for explanations:

  • The Little League Theory — Greg’s “legitimately profound” idea that over-anticipation leads to disappointment, while dreading things can yield surprisingly good results ([09:55–10:40])
  • Dancing Swords — Greg’s phrase for urgent, gurgling diarrhea ([11:47–12:13])

• The segment highlights the show’s absurdist humor and willingness to derail for inside jokes.

3. Christmas Family Traditions

[13:08–14:45]

• Prompted by a catchphrase about rapping gifts, Nick asks Greg about how gifts are unwrapped in the Cody household.
  • Greg: youngest-to-oldest, turns “drawn out” until it becomes “a free for all.”
  • Nick calls the idea of savoring Christmas morning “like a tantric Christmas…You want to draw it out as long as possible.” ([14:44–14:59])

4. Gravity Loss Conspiracy Banter

[05:15–06:38; 44:01–44:18]

• The crew teases Nick about an online hoax predicting the loss of gravity at 7:33, with Greg and Tony escalating the absurdity:

  • Tony: “You’re gonna start floating in the air for seven seconds… you may think you’re ascending into heaven.” ([05:27–05:41])
  • Nick: “I do think that seven seconds of no gravity would be… a mass extinction event.” ([06:13–06:16])

• This extended in-joke exemplifies the show's love for deadpan, surreal scenarios.

5. JJ McCarthy, Kyler Murray, and the Vikings’ QB Dilemma

[18:48–21:43]

• Nick weighs in on the NFL’s Vikings QB chaos, particularly how JJ McCarthy’s intangibles were overhyped in the draft.

  “All the compliments were about firm handshake, looking you in the eye. You never heard, like, man throws a great ball. It was a lot of, you’d love him to date your daughter. And I’m like, I don’t know, man. Top 10 picks — it seems like we’re on shaky ground here.” (Nick Wright [19:23–19:39])

• He suggests other teams (Steelers, Texans, Bucs) consider trading for McCarthy, but criticizes the Vikings' overall process.

6. Breaking News: Lakers Sold for Record $12 Billion

[26:05–27:12, 32:19–43:28]

• Ramona Shelburne reports the Lakers' sale to Josh Kushner and Bob Iger for a staggering $12 billion (breaking all franchise records).

  • The panel unpacks the implications for sports ownership: private equity’s march into sports, family dynasties fading, and what this means for fans.

  “It used to be how you crown someone who’s wealthy in this country. You own a professional sports team… and now it’s just about, hey, it’s an investment.” (Mike Ryan [42:26])

• Juju and Greg Cody observe franchises are now practically “guaranteed to escalate in value,” with massive profits over just a year between sales.

7. The Patriot Games: Propaganda and Sports

[24:51–26:02, 32:41–33:46]

• Tony and Mike shred the “Patriot Games” TV event, calling it taxpayer-funded propaganda with lackluster athletic competition and political undertones.

  • Tony claims: “It’s just using sport literally as propaganda with the Supreme Leader watching from the stands vision of what America should look like. And it’s hugely embarrassing…” ([25:06–25:30])

• Pat McAfee’s involvement is mocked, including a backwards hat incident (“Would you turn around the hat for anybody?”), paralleling Nick’s style and sparking more hat banter.

8. FIFA Politics and Gianni Infantino’s Future

[35:18–38:48]

• The crew updates the FIFA presidency drama, with Greg and Tony breaking down how regional voting dynamics (especially Africa’s swing votes) make leadership change difficult, despite mounting scandal.
  • Tony: “Gibraltar’s vote matters just as much as Spain’s…this is the beauty of FIFA and corruption.”
  • Greg Cody: “They need fresh air. I mean, it’s ridiculous what’s going on.” ([38:24–39:05])

9. Presidential & Quaker Banter

[34:20–35:07, 39:36–39:56]

• Offbeat tangents include which U.S. presidents would merit a forward-facing hat from Mike, and who is everyone’s “favorite Quaker.” (Consensus: Quaker Oats mascot!)

---

Notable Quotes & Moments

• On Minnesota Vikings QBs:

  “The process there is just so bad… while I’m not a believer in J.J. McCarthy, I would certainly call Minnesota… He’s younger than Ty Simpson… but I just, I don’t get what Minnesota did throughout this whole thing.”
  — Nick Wright ([20:29–21:37])

• On catchphrase creation:

  “I’m busier than a one arm paper hanger you created?…I’ve heard it before, but I assumed it was Shakespeare or something.”
  — Nick Wright ([08:46–08:51])

• On The Little League Theory:

  “That is legitimately profound.”
  — Nick Wright ([10:36–10:39])

• On the Lakers sale:

  “Just a year later, you flip it for a $2 billion profit. But it reminds me, like, I don’t understand what was the point in buying the Lakers?…Don't you want to own the Lakers?”
  — Mike Ryan ([39:55–41:09]) “Not only is it an investment, it’s one guaranteed to escalate in value. There’s very little more than sports franchises that are guaranteed to be worth more in two years than they were last.” — Greg Cody ([42:49–43:02])

• On the Patriot Games:

  “It’s just using sport literally as propaganda with the Supreme Leader watching from the stands vision of what America should look like. And it’s hugely embarrassing and straight up. If it were happening in another country...”
  — Tony ([25:06–25:30])

---

Timestamps for Major Segments

• Nick Wright’s Location/Living Situation – [02:01–03:51], [21:43–23:38]
• Greg Cody’s Catchphrase Countdown – [01:20–12:59]
  • Little League Theory Explanation – [09:55–10:40]
  • Dancing Swords Explanation – [11:47–12:13]
• Christmas Family Traditions – [13:08–14:45]
• Vikings QB/ NFL Draft Banter – [18:48–21:43]
• Lakers Sale Breaking News – [26:05–27:12], [32:19–43:28]
• Patriot Games Rant – [24:51–26:02], [32:41–33:46]
• FIFA/Infantino Segment – [35:18–38:48]
• Presidential/Quaker Hat Tangent – [34:20–35:07], [39:36–39:56]
• Gravity Hoax Gag – [05:15–06:38], [44:01–44:18]

---

Tone & Style

The episode is filled with quick-witted banter, self-parody, and absurdist humor — a signature of The Dan Le Batard Show. The hosts thrive on riffing off each other's quirks, poking fun at sports and themselves in equal measure. Nick Wright fits seamlessly into this dynamic, blending earnest insight with an embrace of the show’s contrived nonsense.

---

For Listeners Who Missed It

• Expect rapid shifts from sports headlines to riffing on Christmas traditions or make-believe “gravity loss.”
• The Greg Cody catchphrase thread is both a running joke and a glimpse into the show’s in-joke culture.
• Breaking sports business news and sharp commentary on the direction of franchise ownership make this episode timely and relevant.
• International sport and politics are covered with the same irreverence as local quirks and pop culture, making for a well-rounded, engaging, and often hilarious listen.

---

In summary:
Hour 1 is a classic Le Batard hour: a blend of inside jokes, sports debate, media satire, and breaking news, all delivered with a wink and a sly smile. Nick Wright is both insider and target, making for an episode that manages, as always, to be much more than just a sports show.

Transcript

[Dan Le Batard]

Folks, listen up. Can we all agree that bank fees are one of those things we've all just accepted for way too long. Monthly fees, overdraft fees, paying to use your own money. Somehow that became normal. And that's why Chime is changing the way people bank. They offer the most rewarding fee free banking without the hidden fees traditional banks are known for. With Chime, you can earn 5% cash back on your Chime card in a category you choose like gas or groceries while building credit through your everyday spending with no credit check. And if you're ever in a pinch, spot Me lets you overdraft up to $200 fee free. Honestly, I think just about everyone knows someone who would benefit from banking that works like this. Join the millions who are already banking fee free with America's number one choice for banking. Head to chime.comdan that's chime.comdan Sign up now. It only takes a few minutes. Chime is a fintech, not a bank. Banking services and Chime card provided by Chime's bank partners. Qualifying direct deposits. Required terms and limits apply. Go to chime.com disclosures for details.

[Mike Ryan]

You are listening to the Dan Lebatar show in partnership with the DraftKings Sports App.

[Greg Cody]

Now live in all 50 states, This episode of the Dan Lebatard show is presented by DraftKings Sports. DraftKings. The Crown is yours.

[Mike Ryan]

Go Greg. Today is a big day. We are going to reveal two more catchphrases. Correct?

[Greg Cody]

Yeah, we're in the top 10 now. We're revealing 10 and nine.

[Tony]

All right, rolling now. Huh?

[Greg Cody]

We are rolling now.

[Juju]

Any world where this is going to become 20 and 19?

[Greg Cody]

No, not as of now.

[Mike Ryan]

Final answer? Oh, as of now, yeah. All right.

[Greg Cody]

It's temporarily the final answer.

[Mike Ryan]

All right, there you go.

[Greg Cody]

Probably temporarily the final answer.

[Mike Ryan]

All right, so that's coming up. We'll have two more. Two more reveals here for Greg Cody's top 75. 70 top 70 catchphrases. Unbelievable. It started 15, then he added, what are we talking here? 20% more.

[Greg Cody]

Yeah. Went to 60 and then 70.

[Mike Ryan]

Let's bring aboard Nick Wright, host of FS1's First Things first and what's right with Nick Wright podcast. Nick, are you aware that in now, less than an hour from now, 10:33 Eastern Time, Lord's time zone where you are, that will be 7:33. Are you aware of this supposed gravity loss that, that, that people are talking about? Do you have any idea what I'm referencing right now?

[Nick Wright]

Let's first start with where do you think I'm at?

[Tony]

I think he's in New York.

[Mike Ryan]

Oh, you're not in L. A?

[Nick Wright]

No.

[Mike Ryan]

Oh, my boss.

[Nick Wright]

Not now. I moved. It was recent change. August of 2017. Been in New York since then. Show used to.

[Mike Ryan]

Hold on a second. I'm not, I'm, I'm not done. Hold on a second. You're telling me that your, your show is not in la?

[Nick Wright]

I mean, no, again. But again, that changed when the show started September 4, 2017. Yeah, nine years ago. Just. Just under nine years ago. The show used to be on at 6:30am Eastern. Those shows are tough to do from the West Coast. And so, no, I mean, we, we start literally every show with Kevin Wilde saying, live from New York.

[Tony]

Yep.

[Nick Wright]

But this is now data point number four or five, that while the show is growing, it is yet to capture the sought after Jonathan Zaslow demographic.

[Mike Ryan]

You know, Mike Ryan, you're, you're, you're real dick Mike Ryan. Because you're, you're saying that face. You're. That as when, when, when Nick Wright says at the start of every show, Kevin Wild says, live from New York City, then you jump right in, right? With a yup. As if you're locked in at the start of every one of Nick's shows.

[Nick Wright]

No, but he, but here's the thing. Here is the things. As if we're again going to go down this road. You, you don't have to be locked in at the start of every show.

[Mike Ryan]

Right.

[Nick Wright]

As long as you have watched more than one show and you hear someone start a show, like a certain way, you're like, oh, that's how they start their show. I'll do you fact.

[Dan Le Batard]

Yeah, go ahead.

[Tony]

I'll do you one better. If you just merely pay attention to some of the interviews that Nick has done. There have been plenty of context clues to suggest where he openly says that he's living in New York.

[Mike Ryan]

Greg.

[Nick Wright]

Or, or my interview with you guys last week when I discussed getting season tickets to see LeBron play for the Sixers, because for the first time in my life, he's playing for a team that I could go to the games. Where did he just leave? So the Lakers? Would it make a lot of sense for me to have been like, well, we're in la, Bron's been here the whole time. But now I'm thinking about getting Sixers tickets.

[Mike Ryan]

Great. So which is worse? Me not knowing that Nick's show is not in LA or Nick referencing what he just said last week, having no idea I wasn't even in studio last week.

[Nick Wright]

Well, I just assume, but. Yeah, but you're on the show.

[Tony]

You're on the show.

[Nick Wright]

You're not there.

[Tony]

Yeah, Yeah.

[Nick Wright]

I mean, you're pretty obvious staying abreast.

[Tony]

Yeah.

[Nick Wright]

Of what's going on. But listen, here or there. You were asking me about gravity.

[Tony]

Yeah.

[Nick Wright]

We're losing gravity.

[Tony]

It's 7:30 your time. You're gonna start floating in the air.

[Nick Wright]

My time?

[Dan Le Batard]

Yeah.

[Tony]

7:33, to be exact. 7:33 Pacific, to be exact. You're gonna start floating in the air for seven seconds. Now, you may think you should be happy that you're joining us because you may think that you're actually ascending into heaven.

[Nick Wright]

What.

[Tony]

What's really gonna happen is you're just gonna fall back down after seven seconds. That's why Tony's not here. I made all the preparations.

[Nick Wright]

Well, you know, I was gonna ask. I was. I'm bummed Tony's not here because I was gonna compliment him because that feat of strength yesterday, Unbelievable. Was legitimately impressive. Like, stunningly, legitimately impressive. I'm not up to date on this gravity thing. I do think that seven seconds of no gravity would be. I would imagine, would kind of end. It would be a mass extinction event. So I'm hoping you guys are wrong about that.

[Tony]

A lot of people are gonna die.

[Greg Cody]

A lot of people.

[Tony]

A lot of animals are gonna die. They're gonna be parts of the world where. All right, I'm back on the ground. That's. That's cool. I made it. And then, like a walrus falls out of the sky.

[Greg Cody]

Cars. Cars will be floating. Oh.

[Nick Wright]

Because the world. Because everything.

[Tony]

Everything loses gravity. Everything. Yeah, everything loses gravity.

[Nick Wright]

Oh, we're in trouble.

[Greg Cody]

Well, I. I haven't.

[Nick Wright]

Yeah.

[Mike Ryan]

So you believe it?

[Nick Wright]

Well, you're. I assume you're just not going to bring me false information. I'd never heard of it until right now. Zaz. You. This is. I, I, I. It had not hit my radar. I had other things, but now I'm at least moderately concerned about it. That's for sure. Can I ask Greg Cody a question?

[Greg Cody]

Sure, anything, Nick.

[Nick Wright]

Because I do apologize. I have missed some of the previous 60 catchphrases. I'm not going to ask you to go through all 60.

[Greg Cody]

I will. Later today.

[Nick Wright]

Me. Can you just give me a couple of your favorites that didn't make the top 10?

[Greg Cody]

Who made it a salad? Very good.

[Nick Wright]

What was the first one confused?

[Greg Cody]

Who made it a salad?

[Dan Le Batard]

I, I'm not.

[Greg Cody]

Trailers for sailor. Rent that 50 cent. Yeah, but I Absconded with it. I made it mine.

[Nick Wright]

Oh, okay.

[Greg Cody]

Yeah.

[Nick Wright]

And the key is Never a doubt gonna make it.

[Greg Cody]

That's not one of mine. Oh, no.

[Nick Wright]

Oh, they're only yours.

[Greg Cody]

Yeah.

[Nick Wright]

It's only your catchphrase.

[Tony]

That's right.

[Greg Cody]

Yeah.

[Tony]

It's very self involved, Nick.

[Greg Cody]

Yeah. There's patent pending on all of them.

[Nick Wright]

Oh, okay. You have 70 of them.

[Greg Cody]

Yeah.

[Mike Ryan]

And every and every week he rehashes, he counts backwards from. From 70 to the two that he's revealing.

[Juju]

Oh, man, I feel like Nick wants to hear him.

[Tony]

Yeah, I mean, why don't we do that? Are we wasting your time if. If you hear like the entire.

[Greg Cody]

Greg.

[Mike Ryan]

Yeah. I mean, Nick, do you want to hear them?

[Tony]

Yeah, because we got sports. Like, I can ask you about JJ McCarthy, no doubt, but you, You. You're the one that asked.

[Nick Wright]

I feel like it's better content to hear the catchphrases that I've missed.

[Tony]

All right, let's do it. Greg.

[Greg Cody]

It just takes about 20 minutes.

[Mike Ryan]

No, it doesn't.

[Nick Wright]

I don't have 20 minutes for it. Just go quick.

[Greg Cody]

All right, here we go. Ready? Yeah.

[Mike Ryan]

Let's do it.

[Nick Wright]

Yeah.

[Greg Cody]

Okay. Number 70. I'm Fuller than Vern Fuller. 69. Where's my click click? 68. Hey, Butterfinger. 67. Punt. 66. Scranton. 65. I'm busy in a one arm paper hanger. 64. Georgia, Georgia. 63. I'm the kind of guy that. 62. Ball on the jack. 61. Hey. Hey, with the monkeys, baby. 60. Thank you.

[Nick Wright]

Pause.

[Greg Cody]

Yes.

[Nick Wright]

I'm gonna pause after 10.

[Greg Cody]

Sure.

[Nick Wright]

I'm busier than a one armed paper hanger you created.

[Greg Cody]

Yeah.

[Nick Wright]

That's amazing.

[Greg Cody]

Thank you.

[Nick Wright]

That's. I like that a lot. I've heard it before, but I assumed it was Shakespeare or something.

[Tony]

That was Greg Cody.

[Mike Ryan]

Shakespeare stole it from Greg.

[Greg Cody]

Okay.

[Tony]

They were. They went to college together.

[Mike Ryan]

They were roommates.

[Greg Cody]

That's right. He was a good guy, Bill. All right, number 60. Thank you, Billy. 59. I love him like a pet. 58. Who made it a salad? 57. We're rolling now, huh? 56. Your brain beating me? 55. Let's go, States. 54. Driver comfort is paramount. 53. Dummy up, save up. 52 catches catch can. 51. Doesn't make it right. 50. So on and so forth. 49. Very good. 48. The Little League theory. 47. Nice hat, asshole. 46. The others, they all learn from me. 45. Don't go showering to try to please me. 44. Look at that jerk. 43. It's like a packing house in here. There should be hams hanging from hooks. 42. What'd you learn? 41. Hee haw. Three bad.

[Nick Wright]

What's the little League theory?

[Tony]

Oh, you'll love this.

[Juju]

I'm so glad you asked.

[Tony]

Yeah, you'll love this.

[Greg Cody]

It's. It's the most maligned of all the catchphrases, but a personal favorite of mine. When I was 9 or 10 years old, playing in Little League in a baggy uniform for Adler's drugs. Red and white colors, there would be a situation where I didn't feel like playing that day, and I was begging my mom and dad not to take me to that game. I didn't want to play. That's the game. I had three hits, made a great play in the field. If I really was amped for the game and wanted to play. Three strikeouts in an error. It just seemed to be the Little League theory. Sometimes in life, if you want stuff so much that you're so excited about it, you're let down. You. And the opposite is true. If you dread it, if you don't want to do it, you excel.

[Nick Wright]

That is legitimately profound.

[Greg Cody]

Thank you.

[Nick Wright]

Great advice.

[Greg Cody]

Thank you very much.

[Nick Wright]

This has been spec. All right. I can't im.

[Greg Cody]

I.

[Nick Wright]

The fact that there are 44 better than the Little League theory is stunning. Let's keep rolling.

[Greg Cody]

Okay. Where'd we leave off? Okay. 40. I'm not going to take a quiz. 39. Sassafras. 38. Would we break a window? 37. Hello. 36. Who won? 35. Trailers for sale or rent. 34. You gotta eat a peck of dirt before you die. 33. Three words. We are the Lobos. 32. You're gonna go to Buffalo with Bernie Pomelee. 31. Rappy Cac. 30. Another crisis solved. 29. Nice chatting with you. 28. He ain't heavy. He's my blank. Hey. 27. Hey. That's what I'm talking about. Yeah. That's Zazlo's favorite. 26. Who let a pet. 25. Good on you. 24. Dancing swords. 23. QK. Quick crap. 22. BA. 21. Blanking it. 20. That's a yeah.

[Nick Wright]

Is dancing swords a little double entendre sexual thing?

[Greg Cody]

No.

[Tony]

Common misnomer.

[Greg Cody]

Yeah, it is.

[Nick Wright]

What is it?

[Mike Ryan]

It's diarrhea.

[Greg Cody]

Dancing swords is when you have the gurgling deep in your intestinal area, and you know that you got to run fast but carefully to the bathroom. Those are dancing swords. Okay.

[Nick Wright]

I mean, you do paint quite the picture.

[Greg Cody]

Thank You.

[Nick Wright]

You are a word, Smith. All right, now we get to the top 20, but not the top 10. So excited.

[Greg Cody]

Yeah. 20. 21 was blanking it. 20. That's a fact, Jack. 19. Gotta want to learn, gotta want to earn. 18. Put a Lobo's mint under your pillow and dream. 17. Quite a bit. 16. Take the rest of the day off. 15. Do what now? 14. Right on. 13. Who shot John? 12. If I had a hammer. Number 11. Rap. Rap. Rap. They call him the rapper now. That's after. There was a song of that title, but in my case it was. It was born on Christmas Day. When anyone begins to unwrap a gift, I sing that song. And now we're.

[Mike Ryan]

No, no, now we're.

[Sponsor/Ad Voice]

We're.

[Greg Cody]

We're.

[Mike Ryan]

Hold on. Like, we. We did that for Nick. So Nick can hear what's already been revealed.

[Juju]

But.

[Mike Ryan]

But the new reveal, the next two. That. That's going to.

[Juju]

Yeah, that's not this hour. That's later.

[Nick Wright]

No, that has to. No, you got to. You got to build the anticipation. I do have a question, though, since you did the wrapping thing.

[Greg Cody]

Yeah.

[Nick Wright]

At the Cody household for Christmas, is it a free for all or is it one person does a present, they get to, like, examine the present, maybe put it on or, you know, whatever, and then to draw it out. And then the next person goes. Next person goes. Because this is. I feel like families that do it one way can't fathom families that do it another way. I'm very curious what it was in the Cody household.

[Greg Cody]

Very astute question by you. We go from youngest to oldest. So my granddaughter is the first one to open a gift. I am. My brother, who's older than me, my brother is the last to open a gift. And we all go in sequence. But that rule early in the morning, it's a law that everyone follows. And then little by little, it becomes a free for all. Like an hour into gifts giving and rap and rapping, it's like, whose turn is it? What? And then you get three people going together and it's like a cluster, you know?

[Nick Wright]

Got it. Yeah.

[Mike Ryan]

I.

[Nick Wright]

We. My family was a big one at a time. You couldn't really have a defined order because there would always be. Someone would have more presents, less presents, more expensive, you know, so you kind of just eyeballed who should go next. But I remember going to my play cousin's house one year, they did all their presents Christmas Eve. And I. It was. The whole thing was over in three minutes.

[Greg Cody]

Yeah.

[Nick Wright]

I couldn't believe it. It was.

[Greg Cody]

It was.

[Nick Wright]

My mind was blown. It also felt to me like a bit of a bummer. Like you wait all this time for Christmas and so you want to draw it out. Yes, as long like a tantric Christmas is what I would compare it to. You want to draw it out as long as possible.

[Greg Cody]

Yeah. Well our Christmas unwrapping probably takes at least an hour.

[Nick Wright]

That's great. The minimum.

[Mike Ryan]

Can you put it on the poll? Juju, do you like a tant centric Christmas?

[Dan Le Batard]

Folks, listen up. Can we all agree that bank fees are one of those things we've all just accepted for way too long. Monthly fees, overdraft fees, paying to use your own money. Somehow that became normal. And that's why Chime is changing the way people bank. They offer the most rewarding fee free banking without the hidden fees traditional banks are known for. With Chime, you can earn 5% cash back on your Chime card in a category you choose like gas or groceries while building credit through your everyday spending with no credit check. And if you're ever in a pinch, Spot Me lets you overdraft up to $200 fee free. Honestly, I think just about everyone knows someone who would benefit from banking that works like this. Join the millions who are already banking fee free with America's number one choice for banking. Head to chime.com dan that's chime.com/dan. Sign up now. It only takes a few minutes. Chime is a fintech, not a bank. Banking services and Chime card provided by Chime's bank partners. Qualifying direct deposits. Required terms and limits apply. Go to chime.com disclosures for details.

[Sponsor/Ad Voice]

I just bought a new house, which means I'm officially learning how many things a house needs. After you've already spent all of your money buying the house and windows, apparently you can't just leave those wide open and let the entire Neighborhood watch Tony TV for free. That's where blinds.com can help. For 30 years they've made it easy to find the perfect fit. Covering more than 25 million windows and earning 50,000 five star reviews. You can go full DIY or have a licensed embedded pro handle the measuring and installation or land somewhere in between. Need help with the style book? A free consultation with one of their award winning design specialists and they'll even ship samples fast and free. Plus everything is backed by their 100% satisfaction guarantee. Right now blinds.com is giving Levitar show listeners an exclusive 50 bucks off when you spend 500 bucks or more. Just use code Dan at checkout that's code.

[Tony]

Dan.

[Sponsor/Ad Voice]

Dan at checkout limited time offer rules and restrictions apply. See blinds.com for details.

[Dan Le Batard]

Folks, you could tell who's really in charge at my house by watching my dog, Benny. When a package gets delivered, she'll sit by the front door like she's expecting an online shopping hall. And honestly, half the time, she is. If you're a pet parent like me, you know about Chewy. And when they say they've got everything you need to keep your pet happy and healthy, they are not kidding. Chewy has over 100,000 products from all the brands Benny loves. Food, treats, toys, beds, you name it. It all shows up in one or two days, which is perfect, because I usually remember we're almost out of dog food when we're out of dog food. Plus, if Benny decides she suddenly doesn't like something, Chewy's 100% satisfaction guaranteed makes returns super easy. I use Chewy. And you should, too. For life with pets, there's Chewy. And right now, you can save $20 on your first order and get free shipping by going to chupanions.chewy.com Lew that's Chupanions chewy.com Levitard show to save $20 on your first order with free shipping. Minimum purchase required. New customers only. Terms and conditions apply. See site for complete details.

[Mike Ryan]

Down Levitar can't trade Marino. Nice hat.

[Greg Cody]

Nice hat, Zach.

[Mike Ryan]

It's what he's most known for. It's not like I'm holding on to it. Great. Cody. Nice nine and two. But it's Marino. And then the next time we saw Marino, after Greg Hoodie traded him, he threw for five touchdowns and he was getting the man on the COVID Sports. You can't trade Marino.

[Greg Cody]

Nice head.

[Mike Ryan]

This is the Dan Levatar Show.

[Tony]

Nick Kyler Murray QB 1. JJ McCarthy forced to be a backup. Is Adam Schefter gonna be okay? Are the Vikings gonna be okay?

[Nick Wright]

All right, so a few things here. Of all the things that if we're gonna poke at how Schefter phrases news and tweets, it's always interesting to me. The ones that get seized on, like, was he doing a solid for his Michigan guy? Sure. Do I f. You know, did. Do. I find that nearly as egregious as, you know, my. Again, I don't want to get yelled is a mean here. I don't want to get yelled at. I'm just get. I'll be clear. I'm just guessing on this, but my strong inclination that he knew the head coach of the 49ers was in a car accident weeks before he dane to reveal to America that it had happened. I thought that was maybe a bigger deal. I, I think that. But with all that said, and I didn't like the re. Sorry. I'm gonna give a long answer here, Mike. I, I didn't like the JJ McCarthy draft pick. And my. And I'm not a college football expert, Mike. The reason I didn't like the JJ McCarthy draft pick was every. The people that were the biggest fans of his, when they would come on the show or any show and talk about J.J. mcCarthy, all of the compliments were about firm handshake, looking you in the eye. You never heard, like, man throws a great ball. It was a lot of, you'd love him to date your daughter. And I'm like, I don't know, man. Top 10 picks, it seems like. Seems like we're on shaky ground here. So I didn't love the pick to begin with. With that said, the process of we have Kirk Cousins, we think he has a ceiling, so we're going to draft a quarterback. Then that quarterback gets hurt. Darnold goes out and wins 14 games. Ah, we think he has a ceiling. We want to go with the young guy giving that guy 10 starts and then being like, screw it, Kyler Murray, who. Everyone knows exactly who Kyler is, where he is in the quarterback hierarchy. The process there is just so bad. And so while I'm not a believer in J.J. mcCarthy, if I were the Pittsburgh Steelers with Rogers in his, you know, mid-40s, hell, the Tampa Bay Bucks with a potential contract issue coming. Pardon me, down the road with Baker, or maybe even the Houston Texans with real questions about CJ's long term viability and not a real contract in place, I would certainly call Minnesota and see if I can take a flyer on him for a sixth round pick. He's younger than Ty Simpson. He's three years younger than Tyler Shuck. Like, the age thing does matter to me. I just never really saw it as a prospect. But I just, I don't. I, I didn't get what Minnesota did throughout this whole thing.

[Mike Ryan]

He's the host of FS1's First Things first, what's right with Nick Wright, the podcast as well. Real quick, Nick, I don't want to be rude. So before we let you go here, how are you adjusting to the move to New York City?

[Greg Cody]

It's only been nine years.

[Nick Wright]

Everything new, you know, it's, it's. That's very nice of you. You know, I like it, Mike. You know, Mike. Shortly after I moved to New York, I think Mike and his lovely wife stayed with me for a weekend because they were going to a music festival I've lived in. I live in a different house now than the one Mike was at. But Mike's been to this one, too. I think when he was in New York, I think we watched football together here. I could be wrong.

[Greg Cody]

Oh, you got a big.

[Nick Wright]

But it's nice.

[Tony]

You cash a big bad.

[Nick Wright]

Oh, yeah, that's right. That is right.

[Tony]

I might big comeback in Arizona.

[Nick Wright]

That's right. It was that the. I forget. It was a lot.

[Mike Ryan]

It was a lot of money.

[Nick Wright]

When you have so many winners, Mike, they do run.

[Tony]

No, this is like a huge comeback.

[Nick Wright]

Yeah, it was one of the biggest ones ever.

[Greg Cody]

And then.

[Nick Wright]

And then it almost got blown. Right. Because the Broncos almost. Also blew a lead and then came back. Then almost, if I remember correctly. Doesn't matter. I love New York, so. Yeah, I enjoy it here. Where do you live, Zaz?

[Mike Ryan]

Cooper City, Florida.

[Nick Wright]

What's Cooper City?

[Mike Ryan]

It's a. It's a suburb near Fort Lauderdale.

[Greg Cody]

Yeah, he could have just said Miami.

[Mike Ryan]

Yeah, I could have said a different county.

[Greg Cody]

Yeah, I mean, nobody knows Cooper City. People in Davie don't know Cooper City. Come on. Good.

[Nick Wright]

Good roast. Greg. Greg, you live in Boca, I assume.

[Greg Cody]

No, I live in.

[Mike Ryan]

Now Greg's gonna tell you.

[Greg Cody]

Lives in Plantation, which is not a word I'm real proud of, but I do live there.

[Nick Wright]

Yeah, well, you know, you didn't name the town. Yeah, exactly. It's not your fault.

[Juju]

I have been meaning to start a petition to change the name of that

[Tony]

town that's been going around. Nick, thank you for joining us. I guess we'll catch you at the Patriot Games.

[Nick Wright]

The Patriot game.

[Greg Cody]

Yeah. I'll see you guys.

[Mike Ryan]

See you, Nick. There you go.

[Sponsor/Ad Voice]

Bye.

[Mike Ryan]

Speaking of the Patriot games, I got

[Tony]

a lot to say.

[Mike Ryan]

Okay, so, like, what is going on with. By the way?

[Tony]

You mean what is going on by the way?

[Mike Ryan]

Juju put it on the poll. Does Nick live in Los Angeles or New York City? What is. So this is a real thing?

[Tony]

Yeah, it's a thing that your taxpaying dollars went to. It's run by the same crooks that did the. The state fair. Freedom to 50. Everything is just a grift. And if this were happening in North Korea, Russia or C, we'd be like, yeah, no, that tracks for a lot of projecting about communist dictators from the. Right. They sure love acting like them. It's supposed to be what it was positioned as was. We're gonna take two of the best athletes from every state and we're gonna have athletic competitions. And these are gonna be the Patriot Games honoring 250 years of this amazing country. You tune in and it's what channels this on. It's streaming on ESPN. Oh, yeah, streaming on ESPN. In fact, Pat McAfee welcomed the president to town to an audience that was almost entirely white. And this whole thing is a huge propaganda thing. They're trading MAGA hats. In fact, kids that are from Massachusetts or representing Massachusetts don't live in Massachusetts. There's a Puerto Rican that's from Texas. And the games are terrible. And the athleticism, like, these aren't high school athletes.

[Mike Ryan]

They're terrible because they're stupid games.

[Nick Wright]

No, no, no.

[Dan Le Batard]

Well, they play kickball.

[Tony]

But the athletes aren't what was sold to us. We were sold, like the best athletes from each state being represented. And it's a bunch of homeschooled. And it's just using sport literally as propaganda with the Supreme Leader watching from the stands vision of what America should look like. And it's hugely embarrassing and straight up. If it were happening in another country,

[Mike Ryan]

I'm paying for this. You said.

[Tony]

Yes, taxpayer dollars are going to this. If it were happening in another country, you'd say that. That's so on the nose for Putin creating this whole thing just to justify and normalize his entire administration. And Pat McAfee is right there beside him being a pawn. Willing or unwilling. I think we're at the point where we need to stop underselling whether or not he's willing. Seems pretty damn willing and smart. And I'm sure he's going to be super defensive about it later today on his show.

[Juju]

It definitely doesn't remind me of the Hunger Games at all.

[Mike Ryan]

So this seems to be pretty significant breaking news we have here. Greg, I'll read this tweet from Ramona Shelburne. All right. The Los Angeles Lakers are being sold to American businessmen Josh Kushner and Bob Iger for a record breaking price of over $12 billion. Kushner and Iger were involved in the expansion process in Vegas, but a stunning turn. They pivoted to make an aggressive offer to buy the Lakers from Mark Walter, who had purchased a controlling interest in the team from the Buss family last year. So this guy owned the team for a year and now I guess, was just received an offer he can't refuse.

[Tony]

And big. So Josh Kushner is a part owner of the Miami Heat.

[Greg Cody]

Correct. Yeah. Jared's brother. Yeah.

[Tony]

Yeah. And tried to. He was spearheading the, the private equity attempt to buy the world.

[Mike Ryan]

All right, so he's obviously not going to ease, you know, sell his minority stake in the Heat, but wow, that's a really big deal.

[Tony]

Yeah. And also Bob Iger, liberal. Yeah. So, yeah, that's, that's, that's a huge deal. And that said the Buss family cashing in on one of the great bets in sports history. One of the great investments.

[Mike Ryan]

Well, when you say the Bust family cashing, that's because they still had a minority interest. Yeah.

[Greg Cody]

Huh.

[Juju]

Well, and that's after yesterday, the parent company of the Yankees, Yankee Global Enterprises announced a $2.6 billion financing agreement with Apollo Sports Capital. So more private equity going into sports as well.

[Mike Ryan]

That does seem like the move. If you're Kushner and Bob Iger here, would you rather have an expansion team or the Lakers? I'd rather have the Lakers.

[Greg Cody]

Yeah, sure, right. I mean, you're buying such a brand. Is that a record amount for any franchise?

[Mike Ryan]

Oh, you mean in any sport.

[Tony]

What did the commanders go for?

[Mike Ryan]

Yeah, I don't know. I mean, it's obviously record breaking price in the NBA, but does record breaking price mean all of North American sports? I don't know.

[Greg Cody]

Isn't Jeff Bezos buying Liverpool?

[Tony]

He's rumored to be involved in, in a group. He would have a stake in it.

[Mike Ryan]

Yeah. Buying a current team is so much, is so much better because then whoever gets the expansion Vegas or Seattle team, you then get a major part of that, you know, that entry fee. Like you, you'd much rather buy a current team, especially when that current team is the Lakers.

[Dan Le Batard]

Folks, listen up. Can we all agree that bank fees are one of those things we've all just accepted for way too long. Monthly fees, overdraft fees, paying to use your own money. Somehow that became normal. And that's why Chime is changing the way people bank. They offer the most rewarding fee free banking without the hidden fees traditional banks are known for. With Chime, you can earn 5% cash back on your Chime card in a category you choose like gas or groceries, while building credit through your everyday spending with no credit check. And if you're ever in a pinch, spot Me lets you overdraft up to $200 fee free. Honestly, I think just about everyone knows someone who would benefit from banking that works like this. Join the millions who are already banking fee free with America's number one choice for banking. Head to chime.comdan that's chime.comdan Sign up now. It only takes a few minutes. Chime is a fintech, not a bank. Banking services and Chime card provided by Chimes Bank Partners. Qualifying Direct deposits required terms and limits apply. Go to chime.com disclosures for details.

[Juju]

So getting to August it's now the end of the summer and it feels a bit like the calm before the storm of the fall. Schedule the show, there's broadcasting gigs, everything else. And so I need clothes that are comfortable, that look good and don't require a lot of thought. Especially here in Miami in the humidity where I'm going to sweat through everything. And that doesn't happen for me right now because I've been upgrading my staples with quints. Their ultra soft organic tees have become an easy go to for me. They fit well, they feel premium and they work whether I'm headed to the studio or if I'm going out afterward. Quince delivers that quality for 50 to 80% less than similar brands by working directly with ethical factories and cutting out the middleman. I use quints and you should too. So upgrade your everyday Download the Quince app for app Exclusion exclusive offers or go to quince.com dan get free shipping on your order and 365 day returns now available in Canada and the UK too. That's Q-U-I-N-C-E.com dan folks, you could tell

[Dan Le Batard]

who's really in charge at my house by watching my dog Benny. When a package gets delivered, she'll sit by the front door like she's expecting an online shopping hall. And honestly, half the time she is. If you're a pet parent like me, you know about Chewy. And when they say they've got everything you need to keep your pet happy and healthy, they are not kidding. Chewy has over 100,000 products from all the brands Benny loves food, treats, toys, beds, you name it. It all shows up in one or two days, which is perfect because I usually remember we're almost out of dog food when we're out of dog food. Plus if Benny decides she suddenly doesn't like something, Chewy's 100% satisfaction guaranteed makes returns super easy. I use Chewy and you should too. For life with pets, there's Chewy and right now you can save $20 on your first order and get free shipping by going to chupanions.chewy.com lebatardshow that's chupanions.chewy dot com levitard show to save $20 on your first order with free shipping minimum purchase required. New customers only. Terms and conditions apply. See site for complete details.

[Greg Cody]

Down Levitar.

[Mike Ryan]

Jessica thinks you're pathetic.

[Tony]

I saw the look on her face. It can never be the lane to victory.

[Mike Ryan]

No, I think Jeremy's pathetic.

[Dan Le Batard]

Jeremy just should hear him back here.

[Juju]

So sad.

[Tony]

Most absurd theater kid basketball analysis line

[Nick Wright]

that I've ever heard from him.

[Mike Ryan]

Jeremy Tache.

[Dan Le Batard]

My dad was talking about the adjustments that SPO made and criticizing him last night. And Jeremy just back here.

[Juju]

His adjustments were spectacular.

[Mike Ryan]

It's just like they lost.

[Dan Le Batard]

They're down.02.

[Mike Ryan]

This is the Dan Levatar Show.

[Juju]

The previous largest sale of a professional sports franchise in the world. World was for $10 billion. It was the Lakers last year.

[Nick Wright]

Wow.

[Mike Ryan]

So this really is a record breaking price in sports. Not just North American sports or in the NBA.

[Tony]

Something's going right for the Kushners.

[Mike Ryan]

They needed a win.

[Tony]

Yeah. They needed a big dub.

[Mike Ryan]

Yeah, there you go.

[Tony]

Little egg on their face last week.

[Juju]

Well, and in the Patriot Games, you know, if they're not around for that, they missed Pat McAfee's backward hat. That reminded me so much of Zazzle.

[Greg Cody]

I know he's still in your lane there.

[Tony]

Yeah. Another plain ass shirt from you. You're going with the sergeant slob.

[Juju]

But see, like that. No, but see, like that's a good color.

[Tony]

Yeah, that's a normal color to have

[Mike Ryan]

a plain shirt to win in this much better.

[Tony]

That's what I didn't know that you served. Thank you for your service. But yeah, at least it's a more reasonable plain shirt. The plain red was wild.

[Mike Ryan]

Well, and, and I, I kind of look a little bit like McAfee here where he's got the. He's got a solid shirt also and the backwards hat. Me and McAfee, we have similar looks.

[Tony]

Look at all those world class athletes.

[Juju]

So a bunch of people really confused why he didn't turn around the cap for the President. Which, like, what do I care with this guy? But like, would you turn around your cap for anybody?

[Mike Ryan]

Like if I was going to meet someone.

[Juju]

Yeah, if you were going to meet. Yeah. Someone that mattered.

[Greg Cody]

Yeah, like the Queen of England.

[Mike Ryan]

Like what I. Would I turn around the hat or take off the hat? Would I turn it around or take it off? Because backwards hats, as Colin Coward of course told us, is like not a good look. It's very unprofessional. Even though I'm on TV every day.

[Juju]

Like last three presidents, Trump, Biden and Obama.

[Nick Wright]

Would you turn around the hat if

[Juju]

you were meeting them?

[Mike Ryan]

I know that I'm going to meet them. See, I wouldn't turn. I think my look is. You know what? I think the only president I would turn it around for is Pat Riley.

[Juju]

I think that's fair. It's the one you respect the most.

[Sponsor/Ad Voice]

Admire.

[Mike Ryan]

I am what I am, you know, and if I was going to meet a sitting president or one of the previous two like that you mentioned right there, you know, this is me, take it or leave it. But if I'm going to see Pat Riley, that's a different story. So I wouldn't turn around the hat for Pat Riley. I would dress for the occasion.

[Juju]

So if Rutherford Hayes was still with us, you wouldn't turn around that hat.

[Tony]

Rutherford B. Hayes, big president or not a big president.

[Mike Ryan]

Yeah, I'm going.

[Juju]

Not James K. Polk.

[Mike Ryan]

If I got to say his name so that I could try and, you know, remember who he is.

[Juju]

That's not big John Quincy Adams.

[Mike Ryan]

That's big president.

[Greg Cody]

Not many Rutherford's anymore, huh?

[Tony]

What about.

[Dan Le Batard]

He's not even the first.

[Tony]

John Taft. Famously big president.

[Greg Cody]

Yeah. Bill Taft, £380.

[Mike Ryan]

Oh, yes. Yes. That's a big president. Ulysses.

[Juju]

Grover Cleveland.

[Mike Ryan]

Grover Cleveland. Not making any Grovers.

[Juju]

What about old Woody Wilson?

[Mike Ryan]

Woody. Woodrow Wilson. See, I know his full name. That means big president. Not a fan. No.

[Greg Cody]

No.

[Mike Ryan]

Okay, interesting. Is there something I should be aware of there that I'm not?

[Greg Cody]

It's a whole, you know, black thing.

[Juju]

A lot of initials.

[Mike Ryan]

It seems like something I should be aware of.

[Greg Cody]

Yes.

[Mike Ryan]

All right, just throw Franklin Black thing on me. Feel like I should be aware of that.

[Greg Cody]

What was.

[Juju]

One more time, can you repeat that?

[Tony]

Franklin Pierce. What did he do?

[Mike Ryan]

I don't know, man.

[Juju]

He had long hair. I'm clicking on the Wikipedia.

[Mike Ryan]

What. What is going on? What is the latest with this Infantino? All right. Gianni Infantino is catching it from, you know, all angles. Now, is this going to lead to him, like stepping down as FIFA president?

[Juju]

Democrat, who believed the abolitionist movement was

[Nick Wright]

a fundamental threat to national unity.

[Juju]

All right, we don't like Franklin Pierce. The whole black thing.

[Greg Cody]

Yeah. Frank Pierce. I think Global soccer hopes Infantino steps down or is voted out in March. And he could be. It just takes a simple majority to vote him out. And with the European Federation alone against you, you have a head start on getting.

[Tony]

You do. It's big, but you're definitely gonna need to have more allies. Africa has a lot of power here. And right now CONCACAF jointly put out a Statement falling in line with that of UEFA. But there was one wayward country that did not align itself that beat CONCACAF to the punch and put out a message of support, and that was Mexico. Also, Argentina also supported Infantino, shock of all shocks. But yeah, Mexico supported Infantino, which is curious because that is not in line with. With concacaf. And then there came reports that Infantino was working a backroom deal with Mexico to get them out of concacafen in the comnebol, the South American qualifying region.

[Greg Cody]

Imagine that back channels a North American

[Tony]

team, Mexico, famously in North America. They wanted to put them in the South American qualifying region.

[Mike Ryan]

Well, why would Mexico want to be in South America?

[Tony]

More money. More money?

[Mike Ryan]

Well, they're not South America.

[Tony]

Yes, but all of this means more money. But I mean, there are some examples of qualifying regions acquiescing and making exceptions, especially when you get into geopolitical conflicts, like, for example, or even not sometimes you outgrow your qualifying region. Like Australia used to be in Oceania, but they were always winning, so they moved them to Asia to make it more of a challenge. So there are some examples of that. But this was gonna. Utterly ridiculous. And I don't expect Infantino to step down or step aside. I imagine he's gotta fight this to the bitter end. The only way that he steps down is if it's made abundantly clear that he is not that it would be an embarrassing election result. And he seems to have a lot of support from a lot of countries that kinda dug his idea to get $40 million and also really enjoyed getting World cup tickets and being able to flip them, even though that's totally against the rules.

[Greg Cody]

But I haven't done the math. If you have the vast majority of Europe and South America and CONCACAF against you, don't you have enough votes?

[Tony]

No. There's a whole big, beautiful world out there.

[Greg Cody]

I know, but those are. Europe is by far the biggest federation. Right. In terms of number of countries up there. I gotta do the Africa.

[Tony]

I was reading an article that suggests Africa, in terms of swing votes, holds most of the court. Yeah, and look, this is the beauty of FIFA and corruption. Famously, they have used World cup hosting responsibilities as a bribe to keep people in power. But Gibraltar's vote matters just as much as Spain's.

[Greg Cody]

Right?

[Tony]

So. All right, Spain, you want to show me a message? All right, cool. I'll head over to uae.

[Greg Cody]

And that's exactly why FIFA is ripe for bribery and scandal, which they've had ever since Sept. Bladder and continue to have. You know, they need fresh air. I Mean, it's ridiculous. What's going on?

[Juju]

UEFA, it says on Wikipedia. And I can go deeper on this. As of being founded in 1954, it now has 55 members. Yeah, but it says for the Confederation of African football as 54 plus 2. I have no idea what that means.

[Tony]

Could mean a new, newer country.

[Greg Cody]

Hmm.

[Juju]

I'll dive deeper on this, but it's either Europe or Africa, and I'm not quite sure. Also, what about everyone's favorite Quaker, Herbie Hoover.

[Greg Cody]

Ooh, Herbie.

[Mike Ryan]

Let's put that on the poll. Is that everyone's favorite Quaker is Herbert Herbie Hoover? No, William Penn is Herbie Hoover. Everyone's favorite Quaker, William Penn.

[Tony]

That's top of the Heat.

[Mike Ryan]

You think so?

[Greg Cody]

I think it's the Quaker Oats guy.

[Mike Ryan]

Yeah, I think it's Buddy on the Quaker Oats. Oh, yeah.

[Greg Cody]

It's gotta be that guy. Yes, that guy.

[Mike Ryan]

That dude knows what he's doing.

[Greg Cody]

Yeah, he does.

[Mike Ryan]

That dude can. Quick.

[Greg Cody]

Nice hat too.

[Mike Ryan]

I'm trying to wrap my head around the Lakers sale which just happened a few minutes. It's just. The statement was just put out a few minutes ago that Mark Walter, after buying the Lakers last year for what do we say was $10 billion, which was a then record price, now in just a year, flipped it for a record $12 billion. So it just a year later he makes $2 billion, which sounds amazing. That's an incredible investment. Just a year later you flip it something for a 2 million dollar prop. $2 billion profit. But it reminds me, like, I don't understand what was the point in buying the Lakers? Because it reminds me, I was, you know, watching Winning Time on Showtime. Not on Showtime, it was HBO. It was on HBO. But it's about the Showtime Lakers, where Dr. Jerry Buss, played by John C. Reilly there, says how, you know, they're talking about how, you know, if you sell the team, you can make a lot of money. It's like, okay, but if I made all that money, what do I want to do with it? I would want to buy the Lakers, you know, So I don't understand. How do you buy the Lakers? And even though you make $2 billion a year later, what was the point in buying the Lakers in the first? Like, don't you want to own the Lakers?

[Tony]

Yes, I think making $2 billion, probably

[Juju]

the making $2 billion, you got to

[Tony]

be one of the first people ever to pooh, pooh $2 billion.

[Mike Ryan]

Okay, but there's a rush there because if you waited 5 years, 10 years, 15 years the Lakers weren't going to be worth.

[Juju]

But I could probably make $2 billion right now and then I can buy another team later. But if I can make $2 billion right now, I'm probably going to take

[Greg Cody]

the okay, but do it.

[Mike Ryan]

Every owner in the NBA can say exactly what you just said. Why aren't they all doing that? They can.

[Tony]

A lot of them seem to be

[Mike Ryan]

like Mickey Arison right now. Can sell the Heat and make a lot more than $2 billion profit compared to what he bought them.

[Juju]

Family business.

[Mike Ryan]

What about that?

[Juju]

It's a family business. Like the Lakers are no longer that. Once they sold, this was someone who clearly was in it to make money and then got offered $2 billion for a year of work. You take the $2 billion and you run. And then if you want to reinvest in sports later on, you can do that in another way. This clearly isn't someone who was like that invested in the Lakers brand and the Laker name. That was the Bus family. And once that ended, this was going to be. So that's going to be a money making venture, period. The Yankees. The Steinbrenner family is still in control of the Yankees, but the Yankees ownership group just sold to private capital for 2.6 billion.

[Mike Ryan]

So that's what sports are now, man is anymore. It's not.

[Juju]

Look at the Celtics.

[Mike Ryan]

I'm now like, this makes me. This is how you. This used to be how you crown someone who's wealthy in this country. You own a professional sports team. That used to be the crown. That meant you were a big time player. You own a professional sports team and now it's just about, hey, it's. It's an investment.

[Greg Cody]

Right? It's an. Not only is it an investment, it's one guaranteed to escalate in value. There's very little more than sports franchises that are guaranteed to be worth more in two years than they were last.

[Tony]

Proof positive. They just broke through their own high mark right in. In just a year it gained $2

[Greg Cody]

billion and you're buying the brand.

[Tony]

And they've reached prices now where you won't see the Steve Ballmers, the standalone owner that owns, you know, 100 of the team.

[Mike Ryan]

Well, it doesn't sound like a good thing.

[Juju]

No, no, it's not. It's real bad.

[Mike Ryan]

Like for fans that it does not sound like a good thing. No confirmation.

[Juju]

So I figured out that the associate members that I was looking at, they're ones that actually aren't affiliated with FIFA. They just participate in tournaments. So UEFA number one, Africa number two.

[Tony]

Were you able to tell that? One of the examples that I was trying to cite was how Israel's not grouped with all the countries that hate them.

[Juju]

Careful. Just careful around this one.

[Tony]

It's one of the examples.

[Greg Cody]

Yeah, good one.

[Tony]

The geopolitical ones.

[Greg Cody]

Yeah.

[Juju]

14 minutes.

[Tony]

There are a couple matchups there. Oh, 14 minutes.

[Juju]

Prepare yourself.

[Mike Ryan]

Mike is strapped down to his seat. He is.

[Tony]

The seat is strapped down, too. And I don't want to. That would have been really foolish if I were strapped down on the seat, but then the seat starts floating in there.

[Mike Ryan]

14 minutes away from this thing out.

[Tony]

Not as well as Tony has, but I thought this one out from losing

[Mike Ryan]

all of the ground. It'd be great if we can get Tony to send in a picture right now of him, you know, strapped in. I don't know.

[Juju]

I think certain people in the audience are gonna react well to me throwing the distraction from the whole Israel thing about as well as you guys did.

[Dan Le Batard]

I think.

[Mike Ryan]

I think we'll find out.

[Nick Wright]

That is legitimately profound.