Local Hour: Akbar Domestique

Summary

Podcast Summary: The Dan Le Batard Show with Stugotz Episode: Local Hour: Akbar Domestique
Release Date: March 26, 2025

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Introduction

In this episode of The Dan Le Batard Show with Stugotz, hosts Dan Le Batard and Stugotz delve into the tumultuous relationship between Miami Heat star Jimmy Butler and the organization. The conversation is enriched with discussions about local journalism, the enigmatic figure Akbar Domestique, and their implications on sports culture in South Florida.

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Jimmy Butler's Departure from Miami Heat

[02:03] Stugotz:
“This is how we're starting.”
Stugotz sets the tone for a critical examination of Jimmy Butler's exit from the Miami Heat, highlighting the lack of acknowledgment and strained relationships resulting from his departure.

[06:22] Stugotz:
“Competitiveness is overrated as just a value to have because it ruins a lot of things. It ruins relationships.”
Stugotz emphasizes how Butler's competitive nature may have adversely affected his relationships within the team.

[07:40] Stugotz:
“Like, how is that not so telling? About as much as we enjoyed this Jimmy Butler experience for five plus years, it was always gonna be that because that's who he is.”
He contrasts Butler's persona with teammates like Steph Curry, illustrating the dichotomy in team dynamics.

[09:13] Jeremy Tache:
“He burned bridges with people that he played with.”
Jeremy criticizes Butler for not maintaining professional relationships, suggesting that monetary motives overshadowed personal bonds.

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Akbar Domestique and the Journalist Incident

[16:12] Jessica:
“The journalist did his job.”
Jessica addresses the confusion surrounding the authenticity of Akbar Domestique and the journalist's role in the incident.

[18:13] Greg Cody:
“Classic Dan.”
Greg highlights the skepticism regarding the journalist's recognition of Akbar, questioning journalistic standards.

[20:11] Greg Cody:
“So it was a real artist then, Akbar, Domestique.”
Discussion revolves around whether Akbar Domestique is a genuine artist or a fabricated persona, leading to debates on media credibility.

[23:07] Dan Le Batard:
“You published the story.”
Dan challenges the podcast hosts on the responsibility of the journalists who published the potentially misleading story about Akbar.

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Local Journalism and Media Credibility

[41:08] Dan Le Batard:
“That was not a mean. So now we're back to square one.”
Dan critiques the local journalism landscape, highlighting failures in fact-checking and editorial oversight.

[42:30] Greg Cody:
“Because the editors are being all chewed up and bad things are getting into newspapers.”
Greg discusses the decline of traditional editorial roles and the rise of self-managed content creation, leading to inaccuracies.

[43:42] Greg Cody:
“Also mentioned in the announcement, they will still have Wheel of Fortune, so.”
He notes the shift in local news programming, balancing between serious journalism and popular entertainment segments.

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Impact on Miami Heat and Fanbase

[35:58] Jeremy Tache:
“I'd like to explain for one second, everyone was like. It was mixed cheers and boos at first.”
Jeremy describes the confusion among fans during Jimmy Butler's game, reflecting the divided sentiments within the fanbase.

[36:38] Billy Gill:
“Jimmy was basically taken out of the game from the jump like Bama to bio. Shut him down last.”
Billy criticizes Butler's performance during the game, attributing it to his strained relationship with the team.

[38:35] Jeremy Tache:
“With this Heat team sagging for a flagging?”
Jeremy questions the team's future strategies, pondering if the Heat are considering tanking for better draft positions.

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Hosts' Interactions and Lighthearted Moments

Throughout the episode, the hosts engage in banter and light-hearted exchanges, balancing the serious discussions with humor.

[26:35] Billy Gill:
“Don LeBatard Aminohassen stugats amino acid.”
A playful jab at the unfolding discussions, adding a comedic element to the conversation.

[35:15] Stugotz:
“People start getting let's go Heat.”
Stugotz remarks on the energy shifts during games, using humor to highlight the fickle nature of fan support.

[39:08] Billy Gill:
“Oral commitment.”
Billy introduces a humorous bet regarding the inability to discuss Jimmy Butler, showcasing the camaraderie among the hosts.

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Conclusion

The episode concludes with the hosts reflecting on the day's discussions, acknowledging the complexities of Jimmy Butler's tenure with the Miami Heat and the broader implications on sports journalism and fan dynamics. They humorously propose a temporary rule against mentioning Butler, emphasizing the intense and often chaotic nature of sports discourse.

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Notable Quotes

• Stugotz [02:03]:
  “Competitiveness is overrated as just a value to have because it ruins a lot of things. It ruins relationships.”

• Jeremy Tache [09:13]:
  “He burned bridges with people that he played with.”

• Dan Le Batard [18:13]:
  “That was not a mean. So now we're back to square one.”

• Billy Gill [39:08]:
  “Oral commitment.”

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Key Takeaways

1. Jimmy Butler's Departure:
   Butler's exit from the Miami Heat has left underlying tensions, with the hosts debating the role of competitiveness and personal relationships in his departure.

2. Akbar Domestique Incident:
   The episode scrutinizes the authenticity of Akbar Domestique, raising questions about media integrity and the responsibilities of journalists.

3. Local Journalism Crisis:
   There's a critical discussion on the decline of traditional editorial roles in local journalism, leading to increased misinformation and reduced credibility.

4. Fanbase Dynamics:
   The mixed reactions from fans during recent games reflect a broader disillusionment and divided support for Butler within the Miami Heat community.

5. Hosts' Camaraderie:
   Amidst serious debates, the hosts maintain a humorous and engaging dynamic, making the discussions relatable and entertaining for listeners.

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This episode offers an insightful look into the intersection of sports, media, and personal accountability within the Miami Heat organization, all wrapped in the engaging and humorous style characteristic of Dan Le Batard and Stugotz.

Transcript

[Dan Le Batard]

You're listening to Giraffe Kings Network.

[Stugotz]

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[Amin El Hassan]

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[Billy Gill]

Cuervo. Anytime someone says Cuervo, I show up.

[Amin El Hassan]

Well, I do know that to be true. But even during ad reads like Cuervo, I think you could lay out, especially.

[Billy Gill]

For one of our great partners, sweet, delicious Cuervo.

[Amin El Hassan]

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[Billy Gill]

Cuervo.

[Amin El Hassan]

So enjoy the tequila that started it all. Cuervo. Cuervo, the tequila that invented tequila.

[Billy Gill]

Proximo.

[Amin El Hassan]

Cuervo.com, please drink responsibly.

[Billy Gill]

Cuervo. Shadow Show.

[Jeremy Tache]

Shadow Show.

[Billy Gill]

Shadow Show.

[Jessica]

Shadow Show.

[Billy Gill]

Shadow Show.

[Jessica]

Shadow Show.

[Billy Gill]

Shadow Show. Shadowing it. Shadowing it. The Oddball guys made it about themselves yesterday. Like, it couldn't be about Jimmy Butler. It couldn't be about Miami. Couldn't be about the story. It had to about Oddball. Had to be about, how can oddball trick a journalist? How can oddball make a name for itself on basketball's big stage? Oh, boy.

[Stugotz]

This is how we're starting.

[Jeremy Tache]

That's not even close to what we set out to do. What we set out to do was to honor commemorate Jimmy Butler. And we wanted people to come up to us and share their thoughts on what a Jimmy Butler statue should look like. If there should be a Jimmy Butler statue, which most people agree that they should.

[Stugotz]

You're saying us? I mean, I don't remember you there.

[Jeremy Tache]

Well, I produced the show.

[Stugotz]

Oh, okay.

[Jeremy Tache]

I'm just saying, like, what that was. The show objective was to have people come up and talk to us about a statue. Should there be a statue? I feel like most people, Izzy, were supportive of a statue.

[Stugotz]

Very supportive.

[Jeremy Tache]

Nobody said no statues.

[Stugotz]

Yeah, I mean, you can have the options.

[Izzy Gutierrez]

Where did you find the gentleman, the artist? Where did you find him?

[Jeremy Tache]

Oh, he's known. He's known in circles.

[Stugotz]

He's from the opposite side of the world.

[Jeremy Tache]

He came from all across the world. He's made very. He's made statues. Some very famous people. Right.

[Stugotz]

I don't remember the names, though.

[Jeremy Tache]

One was Abdel Khalif Mukhtar, and then the other one was Sharon Stone. And so diversity. Yeah, he's been around. He's done a lot of great work around the world, and we got him. And he was gracious to do it. I mean, you know, it was just a lookbook. It wasn't really. He wasn't like, sculpting right in front of us.

[Stugotz]

Sharon Stone, because Stone.

[Jeremy Tache]

I mean, you gotta ask him. I don't know. But the point is.

[Stugotz]

Dan, give it a second, at least.

[Jeremy Tache]

Jesus. The point is. The point is, is that that's what was the aim. And then the team was approached by a journalist who was very fascinated by the work of Akbar. And so he talked to Akbar.

[Billy Gill]

Well, but this was Jeremy's friend. And this was embarrassing. Like, what happened for whom? What? What for whom?

[Stugotz]

It's never whom.

[Billy Gill]

What do you mean, for Jeremy's friend?

[Jeremy Tache]

This is a.

[Billy Gill]

This. This is.

[Stugotz]

I thought you were saying it was embarrassing for me because Jeremy's friend, a South Florida journalist, did not recognize me.

[Billy Gill]

That was.

[Jeremy Tache]

That was bad. Recognize Akbar.

[Greg Cody]

I mean, it was a bad thing for everyone involved, right? That no one here who's of note was recognized, and that journalism is clearly very, very dead.

[Jessica]

And maybe we're not as fantasy as.

[Stugotz]

I was the only one here.

[Jeremy Tache]

Blackbar is very famous. He got interviewed by the media last night. So he's famous.

[Jessica]

He had a giant sign in front of him that basically said, come interview me.

[Jeremy Tache]

I don't know.

[Billy Gill]

How could you guys? How? I know it's oddball. I know. I get it. It's oddball. I get it. But how could you guys make Jimmy Butler about you the way that you did yesterday? By. By creating news. By creating news that appeared in the Sun Sentinel, doing so, making the day about you.

[Jeremy Tache]

Allow me, if I may. See, Dan is seeing this through his Dan glasses. In Dan's world, how can I make the. Oh, guys, I gotta dress up like a chicken and then say something controversial. And then people pay attention. That's how you do it. The way we do it is we actually go out and try to do the show. And then accidentally. This is how it used to be, guys. Things would go, remember, boom goes to dynamite. That guy didn't show up that night and say, I'm gonna say, Boom goes to Dynamite. And then everyone on the Internet is gonna talk about me. He was just trying to do his job. But the way he did his job was so magnifique that. That it went viral. Now you got guys like Dan LeBatard, clickbaiting, trying to go viral. Let me say something crazy now. I'm dressed like Pirates of the Caribbean.

[Greg Cody]

If it happens behind a paywall at the Sunset Knoll, did it happen?

[Stugotz]

Wait, but you read it for like five seconds before the paywall comes up so you can get like a different graph each time.

[Billy Gill]

Put it on the poll, please. Juju at Levittage show. If it happened behind the Sun Sentinel paywall, did it actually, that was a surgical slice by Billy Gill.

[Jeremy Tache]

I mean, you know, the crazy thing is there were comments underneath. And I thought for sure the comments underneath the tweet are gonna be like, dude, that's not Akbar Domestique, that's someone else. And no, everyone's like, I don't know why Jimmy Butler should have a starch on me.

[Greg Cody]

This is the Dan Levatar show with the Stugats podcast.

[Billy Gill]

Does the audio not work? Okay, see if you guys can get the audio up there so that we can. Jessica, why does that delight you? You've got a little Billy in you on a wild willie Wednesday that we can't get even the simplest things right. Is that what's making you laugh?

[Dan Le Batard]

Yeah.

[Billy Gill]

Yeah. Okay, so sound is important in this medium, as you guys know. So if you're trying to set up a joke, you need to have sound with the video. We've been working hard on the video, so. Perfect. The sound is sort of a problem at the moment. Jimmy Button, Butler, last night, that entire spectacle, the entirety of it, was sad. I was made sad by all of it.

[Stugotz]

And which part specifically?

[Billy Gill]

That a relationship that was good with everyone involved can't even shake hands at the end like that the money would get that corrosive. Look, I'm gonna tell you a couple of stories here because. Allow me here to get here. Cause it's gonna take a second. But the nature of competitive people, okay, my father, my brother, was very competitive. Okay, that's an impossible industry, Art. Selling shit out of the back of your car, fighting for money because you want to do what you dream about. And at the end of his career, because somebody was getting in the way of his money, there was an 80 year old man who runs a company that my brother was ready to fight, physically fight, because of whatever competitive is. At the most competitive. Jimmy Butler is a million times more competitive than my brother. And I think Pat Riley is more competitive than that. And those two dudes Want to fight. And I imagine the marketing meeting where Riley's coming into the room and telling everybody, I know we want to be class and everything, but can we say at the end and also bleep you, Jimmy, at the end of the video? I don't know. I want to know who talked Riley into doing that. It had to be the Arisons. I'm going to find out because I don't know what you guys made of the emotion of that. But it wasn't just that the game was a bummer. It's that, man, that was a good relationship. That was a good relationship for everyone involved. And the money gets in the way like that.

[Stugotz]

Competitiveness is overrated as just a value to have because it ruins a lot of things. It ruins relationships. It ruins a lot. And when you talk about somebody like Steph Curry, for example, who's kind of in, you know, the center of their universe, what do people say about him? I mean, what do people say about Steph all the time? First thing they say, nice guy, great guy. Jimmy Butler said in a story by Anthony Slater and the Athletic. He's real, real, right? He just treats everybody really nice. You know, that's not like a skill, Right. You know, that's something that you can just do to people, right? And so when you watch the end of that game or beginning of that game where they don't shake hands, I mean, nobody, like, bam. Walks past him as if he was a stranger. And then after the game, they have, you know, not only does Jimmy just kind of slink off and go back to the back without talking to any Heat players. What does every single Warrior do? That played with Andrew Wiggins, including Steph Curry, who had already gone back to the locker room, came back out to talk to Andrew Wiggins. Why? Nice guy.

[Jeremy Tache]

People love him.

[Stugotz]

Like, how is that not so telling? About as much as we enjoyed this Jimmy Butler experience for five plus years, it was always gonna be that because that's who he is. And I'm sorry for the warriors, but at some point, he's going to be that there, too.

[Jeremy Tache]

Wow. Are you calling the shot now?

[Stugotz]

Well, I mean, you know what? I take that back. Steph Curry could be that powerful of an alien, that his power of friendship is just more, you know, stronger than everybody else's. But it's just. It was. It was the relationship between Miami and Jimmy Butler in a nutshell last night.

[Jeremy Tache]

Like, what are we doing? He didn't leave on good terms. He didn't leave on good terms. And again, we've Made it about the root cause, which is true, I think, the money. But in his pursuit, he burned bridges before he was out of here. He burned bridges with people that he played with. And so, like, I didn't look at that, and, like, they're not saying hello. I'm like.

[Stugotz]

But that normally happens. Like the. The issues between the player and management. That's usually, hey, I'm dunking, and I'm yelling at the GM on the sideline. This was just icy. This was. This was worse than Kobe, Shaq, because it was nobody on that team that he want that Jimmy wanted to talk to. Nobody on the Miami team.

[Billy Gill]

Can I talk to you guys about the idea of proud men being disrespected? Because when I tell you that Shaq wanted to fight Pat Riley at the end over money and disrespect, when the conversation is. And all of this starts with Jimmy saying, and I would have taken us to the finals if I hadn't been injured, and Pat Riley publicly saying, shut your mouth. Shut your mouth. The word. Shut your mouth on. On disrespect of a proud man. When I tell you that my brother wanted to fight an 80 year old and Jimmy Butler, it. Jimmy Butler, whatever he was doing in private, that's where disrespect started. And so he enters the game yesterday saying, I've got nothing to say to Pat, and he better not have anything to say to me. What.

[Stugotz]

What is he gonna do, punch an 80 year old? Like, what is that?

[Greg Cody]

What's an 80 year old gonna do? Punch him? Like, this is a ridiculous scenario in which neither person is actually gonna fight the other. I'd love to see them fight. I really would.

[Jeremy Tache]

No, you wouldn't.

[Greg Cody]

I would absolutely love to see them fight. This is tough guy bullshit that they're both going back and forth.

[Jeremy Tache]

I'll fight him.

[Greg Cody]

I'll fight him. And neither one of them wants to actually fight the other. I would love for. Jeremy, please. I would love for everyone to just kind of stop being the guy that holds the other one back. And everyone just won't be like, you know what, guys? Go, let's. Let's resolve this exactly how you guys want to. And I agree with you what happens there, because neither one of them would actually fight the other one. Let him fight. See how it goes. Because neither one of them will hit the other one.

[Stugotz]

Jeremy was so excited about today, and with two words in seven minutes, you have crushed him, Billy.

[Jessica]

Nothing can crush me.

[Dan Le Batard]

He was so annoying. I walk into the makeup room this morning and he's like, this is the best night of my whole year. And I was like, you were fist bumping a buzzer beater like, a month ago. Yeah, don't act like this is the only Heat game that's made you happy.

[Jessica]

I was fist pumping my own interview.

[Greg Cody]

He said this. Okay, this is better than my wedding day.

[Dan Le Batard]

He said, yeah, we all believe that, Jeremy.

[Jessica]

I told my wife that last night.

[Jeremy Tache]

Honey, are you watching this? Isn't this better than our anniversary? No. Look, I don't know if the word fight came out of anyone's mouth. You guys are making a leap here, right? When he says, you better not have anything to say to me, it's not. Or I'll punch him in the face. Or I'll say things that have been behind the scenes that no one has revealed that I will reveal. And I think both parties kind of feel like, hey, I could have made this a lot worse if I talked about the way you guys did this or the way you did that. But I'm trying to take the high road. They're both trying to do that, and it is what it is.

[Greg Cody]

No one's trying to take the high road here.

[Jeremy Tache]

Yes, they are.

[Greg Cody]

No, they're not. Get out of here, dude.

[Jeremy Tache]

If the. They're not taking the low road is what I'm telling you.

[Greg Cody]

They're not taking the low road. But, like, when he puts out a tweet of Andrew Wiggins saying hi to all of his teammates and then put something along the lines in the caption of great to see a former player go and make up with his coach and teammates. Like, come on, you're not trying to take the high road.

[Stugotz]

Well, they definitely didn't. I mean, look, that. That intro video was half baked. It wasn't. It didn't have, like, the play by play. Didn't have the celebration, oh, Miami Heat win the Eastern Conference Championship. Didn't have any. I didn't have quotes from Jimmy Butler showing, I wonder why and everything.

[Jessica]

I wonder why the quotes weren't there. Because they were all lies.

[Stugotz]

They also don't normally do that. Jeremy, please. They also don't normally do that in the intros because they want it to build up a little bit. Right? And they do that as the. The. After the first break. You're coming.

[Dan Le Batard]

Because no one's there.

[Stugotz]

Because no one's there.

[Jeremy Tache]

That's another reason that building was packed. Now, 40% of them were warriors fans. There were a lot of Steph Curry jerseys. Can we talk about that? Look, we thought the warriors fans are going to be like, yeah, Jimmy Butler's going to. It was. No, they're like, jimmy who? No, Steph Curry. 90% of those fans speak English.

[Stugotz]

Yeah, 90% of the Steph Curry fans didn't speak English. This man is an international megastar. Jimmy Butler's just another teammate.

[Jeremy Tache]

To them. It's still the Beatles, Dan. I get it. They're like the seventh seed or whatever they are in the west, they're still the Beatles. People still show up, and they show up early to watch that guy warm up.

[Billy Gill]

But I mean. I mean, come on, like, if I told you, in some incarnation of the future, there's going to be a bunch of human beings who are unbelievably athletic, but one is an actual wizard, floats around the court and does something that no one's ever been able to do. Like everyone who comes internationally to watch Steph Curry. Just because you watch the games every night and know that you're no longer amazed by something amazing doesn't mean that you're watching something it's not in sports. It might as well be God coming to life and appearing before you, because it's unlike anything you've ever seen before. And you can't imagine anything better than that either, at that size.

[Jeremy Tache]

I'm not desensitized by his magic, but I am surprised that a team that has fallen from grace, you know, relative to where they once were, still attracts the traveling caravan of people from across the globe to just glimpse him.

[Stugotz]

Dan, they don't even have to. He doesn't even have to play.

[Jeremy Tache]

There were so many. There was so much media at the game that he pr. Had to seat us, like, in the stands. That's how many people were there. And as I'm sitting there, Dan, as I'm sitting there, I'm hearing people. They know. He's not playing. When he came to sit on the. Hey, there he is. Where? Look over there. Look over over to the left. And like, they were losing their mind and just glimpsing him. Sit down.

[Billy Gill]

I didn't recognize that nationality.

[Stugotz]

Well, by the side of the world.

[Jeremy Tache]

Global, International.

[Izzy Gutierrez]

It could be from anywhere.

[Billy Gill]

Do we have the oddball clip here? Of. And I just learned before the show that, I mean, the Sun Sentinel reporter did not know that this was you. I just want to.

[Jeremy Tache]

He knew what it was.

[Billy Gill]

Go ahead and play the clip.

[Jeremy Tache]

You. You make show.

[Stugotz]

I do. I make a show, yes.

[Jeremy Tache]

What's name? What's name?

[Stugotz]

Show. Oddball. Odd, like strange, Weird, like. Yeah, Ball. Oddball is life.

[Jeremy Tache]

Art is life. Life is art.

[Stugotz]

I do a show with somebody called Ameen al Hasan Amin El Hassan.

[Jeremy Tache]

Amin is your. Is a very good name. I mean, it means trust. Trust. Amin. Thirst. Oh, okay. Yes.

[Stugotz]

And Amin we trust.

[Jeremy Tache]

Yes.

[Stugotz]

Okay.

[Jeremy Tache]

Yes. Very good. Very good. Hello.

[Billy Gill]

Hello.

[Jeremy Tache]

He's. He's magical. Talk about Steph Curry being magical. Akbar is magical.

[Jessica]

Was that Borat?

[Jeremy Tache]

No, that's Akbar Domestique.

[Stugotz]

Just to be clear, I know he's got some French accessories.

[Jeremy Tache]

I don't believe he's French. I don't believe he's French.

[Stugotz]

I asked him a million times. He's not French.

[Jeremy Tache]

I was. Remember we had some guys from Congo.

[Stugotz]

That's right.

[Jeremy Tache]

Approach him and Jonathan Kaminga's cousin. Jonathan Kaminga's cousin came up and tried to.

[Billy Gill]

Jeremy, what happened to your friend? What happened to your friend from the Sun Sentinel?

[Jessica]

Well, it seems like he wrote an article about, according to Amin, a very real artist that was out there trying to get a Jimmy Butler statue created. And if that artist wasn't real, then it might have been a bit mean spirited to go unrecognized and fool a journalist.

[Stugotz]

Well, since Amin wasn't there, I'll explain what happened. You know, Akbar and I were sitting there trying to get fans votes on which Jimmy Butler statue pose we should pick. Right? Because I told everybody, hey, things are gonna ease off with the. Between the Heat cooldown. Between the Heat and Jimmy Butler. And they're going to put a statue up there. And so what were the options? Again? They were. Jimmy Butler was tired.

[Jeremy Tache]

Yeah. So first of all, Akbar walked tirelessly on this. Nobody. We should take a second to thank him for all of his work that he did. Pro bono, by the way. It doesn't. Until the statue actually gets made, he doesn't get paid.

[Stugotz]

He made all that money from the Sharon Stone statue.

[Jeremy Tache]

Yes, exactly.

[Billy Gill]

Thank you, Akbar.

[Jeremy Tache]

Thank you, Akbar.

[Billy Gill]

Thank you, akbar.

[Jeremy Tache]

So. So Mr. Domestique came up with five different options.

[Dan Le Batard]

Monsieur.

[Jeremy Tache]

Well, no, he's not French.

[Dan Le Batard]

Oh, my gosh.

[Stugotz]

Let's be clear, Jess. I just said that.

[Billy Gill]

It's okay.

[Greg Cody]

He's from Kazakhstan.

[Jeremy Tache]

No, he's not.

[Billy Gill]

It's confusing. It was.

[Jeremy Tache]

Wow, you guys are so jingoistic and nationalist. Where are you from, boy? Where do you come from?

[Unknown]

What country is that, Dan?

[Jeremy Tache]

That's. That's what all of you sound like, demanding to know his national organization. Do you want to see his papers, too? How about that? Let's. Hey, Akbar, show us your papers. Your. Your passport. We want to see what's what your visa say, boy. Huh? You want I'll be here.

[Greg Cody]

Classic Dan.

[Billy Gill]

That would never.

[Dan Le Batard]

I mean, it seems like maybe the guy that interviewed Akbar should have asked these questions to confirm he was a real person. That's usually what editors do when you do an interview with a random person on the street. And now I'm kind of like, I feel bad for this guy. He got fooled. At the same time, someone probably should have caught it. Someone should have Googled, is Akbar Domestique a real person?

[Jeremy Tache]

Well, I'll tell you what.

[Dan Le Batard]

You published the story.

[Jeremy Tache]

Google Jimmy Butler statue. Let me know what the number one the result is.

[Stugotz]

It's Akbar.

[Jeremy Tache]

Akbar domestic.

[Stugotz]

Spoiler alert.

[Jeremy Tache]

Number one on Google, baby.

[Dan Le Batard]

Okay, it's really hard to do this whole bit now because, like, half of us are. You're right. I'm sorry. I'm confused. Like, when we started, the show is, like, Oddball.

[Stugotz]

Monday through Thursday, we talk about this.

[Dan Le Batard]

Thing that happened, but now we're like, this thing never actually happened because this was a real thing. And I'm.

[Jessica]

Did somebody get fooled or not get fooled?

[Dan Le Batard]

I'm lost in the. I'm lost in space right now.

[Billy Gill]

Well, this is what happens with Oddball. And when you start a show with no audio, like, this is part of what it is that happens when you're trying to communicate with people and don't.

[Stugotz]

Just like the Miami Heat did last night.

[Billy Gill]

Oddball. Oddball is. And if you want to explain to the audience what it is that you guys were doing yesterday and what you did to a journalist with a clip that would show us what happened to that journalist, that would probably be the correct way to do this. But they're odd.

[Jeremy Tache]

Well, I would say, first of all, watch Oddball to get the full segment. Number two.

[Stugotz]

Not now, though.

[Billy Gill]

Later. It's not out yet. But our audience would like to understand what happened here.

[Jeremy Tache]

What happened?

[Billy Gill]

Some of it's confusing.

[Jeremy Tache]

It's not confusing. No, I'll explain it.

[Billy Gill]

Trust me when I tell you. Trust me when I.

[Jeremy Tache]

Let me give you chocolate.

[Billy Gill]

No, trust me when I tell you it's confusing.

[Jeremy Tache]

I can explain it or not, right? Like, explain real quick. We wanted to get a Jimmy Butler statue commissioned. We had the artist out there. His name's Akbar Domestique. He sat out there with Jim, with Izzy. Izzy was soliciting people to come give us their opinion. Which one was the best of the designs. One of the people who came up to us unsolicited was a reporter. We did not know from which outlet. He said, I'm a reporter. He identified himself as media. So Akbar granted an Interview. He never does this, by the way.

[Greg Cody]

So it was a real artist then, Akbar, Domestic.

[Jeremy Tache]

Yeah.

[Billy Gill]

I don't know. Jessica thinks it's a bit, you know, I.

[Dan Le Batard]

You. Thank you for explaining it. It's not a bit.

[Jeremy Tache]

There you go.

[Greg Cody]

I don't understand if this, like, why did this reporter not see a camera crew around you, microphones on you?

[Stugotz]

Not only did he see a camera crew ask questions, I had a microphone in the reporter's. It was reporter inception, and he still didn't know what was going on. And so, yeah, next thing you know, there's a story in the Sunset, and.

[Dan Le Batard]

But it's a real story.

[Billy Gill]

It's a real story.

[Jessica]

So then we're fine.

[Jeremy Tache]

Right?

[Jessica]

The journalist did his job.

[Billy Gill]

But this is. This is the problem with the real story. Like, Jeremy's friend is the journalist who.

[Jessica]

Wrote this, who did a great job apparently, writing about this. Real artist.

[Greg Cody]

Is this a real journalist?

[Billy Gill]

It's a real journalist. And it might be fake news, but it's a real journalist.

[Greg Cody]

Do they put out like a retraction or like a comment on this? Like, hey, we were duped.

[Jessica]

Well, why would it. Why would they have to do that? Apparently, Akbar Domestique is a real person.

[Greg Cody]

Right?

[Jeremy Tache]

I mean, there's the lead is, does Jimmy Butler deserve a statue outside the Casia Center? Most Heat fans would likely say no, considering why the star five and a half year Miami tenure ended. But Akbar Domestique, an artist from Khartoum, Sudan. Oh, so that's where he's from. Says yes. And he set up a tent outside the arena before Butler's return to Miami with the Golden State warriors on Tuesday to advocate for the cause. Quote, jimmy Butler, great Miami Heat player. He wins very much. He great things for the organization.

[Stugotz]

You don't have to do it in his voice.

[Jeremy Tache]

Well, I didn't. I just. I just read. I read in my.

[Stugotz]

By the way, great reporting. Now we know where he's from.

[Billy Gill]

See, we should give this reporter some not great reporting. Not. Not great reporting overall.

[Stugotz]

Got to the bottom of something.

[Billy Gill]

Well, I'm glad that Jessica is protecting journalism here. I genuinely am.

[Dan Le Batard]

I'm not. Honestly, I'm not. I'm just. I think people listening probably are just so confused right now.

[Jessica]

Yeah, this is incredibly confusing because I'm confused.

[Jeremy Tache]

Is it confusing? How about this? Let's do Q and A. We'll answer. We're the oddball representatives here. We'll answer any questions.

[Greg Cody]

Q and A time.

[Jeremy Tache]

We're opening up the press conference. Q's. Any Q's?

[Izzy Gutierrez]

Yeah. How did the guy not know that there was a guy with a fake mustache and a beret in front of the stadium?

[Jeremy Tache]

Well, the beret is a sartorial decision. I think a lot of people around the world will look at that and say, that's a snazzy hat. Particularly the color scheme. Red for Miami Heat.

[Stugotz]

Red, yes.

[Izzy Gutierrez]

Pretty nice scarf, too.

[Jeremy Tache]

The scarf is matching. Little, little hints of black there as well, but mostly red as well.

[Izzy Gutierrez]

Also heat colors. How about the fake mustache?

[Jeremy Tache]

Well, the mustache is a little gaudy, but, you know, some people like to put in a little bit more product, a little bit more extra.

[Stugotz]

I'm sorry. There are people every day that I see with fake eyelashes. So what's wrong with a little bit of an extra hands?

[Izzy Gutierrez]

Mustache. There's more hair to the mustache than there is the eyebrow. Plus I saw a little bit of the glue, I think, on the backside.

[Jeremy Tache]

Shout out. Shout out to my guy from White Lotus. Women have full frontal nudes all the time and nobody cares. But when a guy does it, all of a sudden there's all sorts of questions.

[Dan Le Batard]

You saw he walked that back, right? He's like, I shouldn't have said that. That's my bad.

[Jeremy Tache]

I'm sure Akbar will walk it back one day, too. Any other questions? Questions?

[Izzy Gutierrez]

So the journalist, I'm forgetting his name, by the way. Respect to him. What's his name?

[Billy Gill]

It's still confusing.

[Jeremy Tache]

The Journal's name.

[Izzy Gutierrez]

Barry. Was it Barry?

[Jeremy Tache]

I don't know. Is it Barry?

[Billy Gill]

Jeremy, your friend's name is what?

[Jessica]

His name is Adam.

[Billy Gill]

Adam.

[Izzy Gutierrez]

Okay, Adam.

[Jeremy Tache]

Okay.

[Izzy Gutierrez]

So Adam got very close to Akbar.

[Jeremy Tache]

Yes, he was.

[Izzy Gutierrez]

Did he not look at his Lookbook, right?

[Unknown]

Close.

[Jeremy Tache]

Yeah. Showed the lookbook as close to me and Dan right now.

[Unknown]

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[Jessica]

Hey, friends, it's Jerbear here and I'm here to tell you all about Boost Mobile, which is now a legit nationwide 5G network. So I must take a break from the jokes here for a second and put on my serious voice because I would never, ever joke about a 5G network that has invested billions building 5G towers across the country. Not even once. Not even if Mr. Boost Mobile himself asked me to. There is nothing funny about it. Boost Mobile is now a legit nationwide 5G network and also provides coverage across 99% of America. Seriously? Visit boostmobile.com or your nearest Boost Mobile store location to learn more. The Boost Mobile network, together with our roaming partners, covers 99% of the US population. 5G speeds not available in all areas.

[Amin El Hassan]

Weather is starting to warm up. Regular season starting to wind down. Games of consequence in sports starting to ramp up. I know what you're gonna need by your side. It's by my side already. Miller Lite. Yeah, that's right. I'm making my springtime a Miller Time. I'm making my sports time. Miller Time. Going to a car race Miller Time. Gonna see some tennis Miller Time. Gonna chill in the backyard with some friends and make some memories. Miller Time. I love Miller Lite because it's got tastes that I know I can depend on. No games, no gimmicks. It's that simple, folks. It's just a great beer. For people who like beer, Miller Lite is brewed for taste. It hits different than the other Lite beers. It's got simple ingredients, and at just 96 calories and 3.2 carbs per 12 ounces, Miller Time is always a good time. The original light beer since 1975 and still the very best one. 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 tastes like Miller Time. Celebrate responsibly. Miller Brewing Company, Milwaukee, Wisconsin. 96 calories, 3.2 carbs per 12 ounces.

[Billy Gill]

Don LeBatard Aminohassen stugats amino acid.

[Greg Cody]

This is the Don Levatard show with the Stugats that.

[Jessica]

I have a question, Amin. Are you embarrassed that no one recognized you, considering that just looks like you, but has sunglasses and a beret?

[Greg Cody]

Was Amin there?

[Jeremy Tache]

I. I was. I was in the vicinity.

[Billy Gill]

I mean, what are Jessica to this show? Dan? No, but that's Billy right there. That's what a wild Billy Wednesday is.

[Jeremy Tache]

You.

[Billy Gill]

You were trying. Yeah. What do you mean? What do I mean?

[Greg Cody]

I was trying to get to the bottom of this. We're pretending this artist really exists.

[Jessica]

Cannot believe this is what we're doing and not talking about Jimmy Butler. Up, Jessica for that game, Billy.

[Billy Gill]

Thank you, Jessica. That was Billy simply doing the show for just you there. He wasn't doing it for anyone else there.

[Jeremy Tache]

No.

[Dan Le Batard]

He's doing this for the millions of people sitting at home right now that are like, what the hell are they talking about?

[Billy Gill]

So check out Oddball. Check out Oddball. It's a bit of a mystery, and that's the reason that you should listen to it. I'm guessing, though, that many people would like to hear your serious basketball analysis. This on a dumb night that did not live up to anything, but allowed us to do the thing that we loved to do more than anything in sports, which is just gossip about whether people like each other or not.

[Jessica]

Didn't live up to anything.

[Billy Gill]

And how much do they. How much do they dislike each other and how much disrespect was there?

[Stugotz]

And what's wrong with that? I mean, what do we do? What do we watch all day on TV is just that drama. And I think after five and a half years of them being together, to go from even the fake platitudes and the fake niceness and just, hey, that's my teammates. Those are my boys, to just absolute nothing like the I. That has to be a falling off. Like, one of the worst you've ever seen in the NBA. Like, I even like Kobe. Shaq wasn't even. I mean, I know it was bad, but, you know, people figured a. They'll get over it. This one. It just feels like this is just the end of any relationship he could possibly have. And he said they didn't want to burn any bridges with the organization. It seems like he has, I think.

[Jeremy Tache]

So we keep bringing up Kobe. Shaq. I know we have to consider the source, but according to Shaq, it was all marketing. Like, Shaq took something that was real and inflated it for the sake of theatrics. Shaq is a master of this, of going in there and, like, taking something and making it way larger than it really is, just out of sheer entertainment of himself.

[Billy Gill]

Man, I think that's some revisionist history from a guy who's in the tank for Shaq. Like, Shaq was on.

[Greg Cody]

Far East.

[Jeremy Tache]

I don't remember beating a drum at Shaq's games like, hey, Diesel.

[Billy Gill]

But Shaq was on a stage in a New York nightclub singing, hey, Kobe, tell Me how my ass tastes.

[Jeremy Tache]

It was funny.

[Billy Gill]

No, that. I mean, come on.

[Greg Cody]

By the way, comparing this to Kobe vs. Shaq is the most insane thing that's happened this entire segment.

[Stugotz]

You're welcome. I mean, it is. It is the relationship, like, the ended. It's not like it's. It's dissimilar. But I think the best part about this, to me was all the pettiness from the heat. It was not just not talking to him. I think Alec Burks might get in trouble, by the way, because he actually did go.

[Jessica]

The only guys who Jimmy spoke to last night were Kevin Love, Terry Rozier, and Alec Burks. If that doesn't show you, that's his guy. Everything about Jimmy, me, I don't know what does.

[Jeremy Tache]

Shout out to Kaylov. K. Love said he posted the clip before the game.

[Jessica]

I don't got a problem with these guys. My beef's not with them, never will be. But I'm not going to go acknowledge them. I'm not going to look in their direction. I'm not going to speak with them. It was.

[Stugotz]

I could not.

[Jeremy Tache]

Ask you. Did you see Bam and Tyler going like, jimmy, Jimmy.

[Jessica]

Wait, who's the one that left?

[Jeremy Tache]

I'm just saying. You're saying, like, oh, he didn't say, what's up? It's like when people say, you didn't call me. Mfer. You didn't call me either. What are we doing? Oh, I. Oh, like, it's only on me to call you. I gotta be the one to pick up the phone. But if you don't pick up the phone, I never give you any problem.

[Jessica]

But he did call. People called Kevin Love and Terry Rozier.

[Stugotz]

But the relationship didn't end when he left. The relationship was over while they were here. So they don't. I mean, they're not happy with Jimmy as well.

[Jeremy Tache]

I'm just saying I don't know if. Look, if they had done the. Look, I've seen it before. It's happened to me where I went and reached my hand out to shake hands with someone that I'd had a strained relationship with, and they looked at my hand and walked away. And I just stood there with my hand out and I looked at everybody around like, see, I tried. I reached out. They didn't do anything. That's not what happened.

[Jessica]

No, you're right.

[Jeremy Tache]

Look, I'm not saying Jimmy's an angel. I'm just saying let's. Oh, poor Bam. He didn't even say hello, even look at him.

[Stugotz]

Neither did he. Neither did He.

[Jessica]

Yeah, one guy showed up for the game and the other didn't.

[Izzy Gutierrez]

It also feels like if this score was opposite, Jimmy would have been center courtly, right?

[Billy Gill]

He would have been there.

[Jessica]

Where's.

[Izzy Gutierrez]

Pat him on the ass.

[Jeremy Tache]

I'm a you right now. I don't think so. I don't think so.

[Jessica]

You think he would have said all the glowing things he said after the game if he would have won? He had to get his butt kicked by the team to be able to go say anything nice. Look, man, there are some guys when the lights are on on national TV that show up for big games and other guys don't. And Jimmy's just not one of those guys. He just doesn't show up when the lights are on.

[Stugotz]

This is fake, right? This is acting.

[Izzy Gutierrez]

He's wearing glasses.

[Stugotz]

You need a mustache.

[Jeremy Tache]

Akbar in here. Should we get Akbar?

[Greg Cody]

Is this where we're at? Can we call like we're celebrating getting to 10 games under.500? Like, this is where we're at. Gloating.

[Billy Gill]

I'm.

[Greg Cody]

I'm ashamed. I'm ashamed. It's a fun night, fans, to be honest.

[Jessica]

You know what I'll say? I will say, and this is. This will be the most embarrassing thing that I say. I was so proud watching Heat fans last night know taboo every time Jimmy touched the ball. Because before the game, I was. I was talking to other people in the media and saying, like, the most passionate of fan bases would. No, right. Oh, this is. It's cheers and booze during the intro, and then every time that guy touches the ball, you boo him. That's what happens. Right? And I honestly did not expect it. I didn't expect it from the crowd. And then it happened. There was a guy heckling him and he got a five second violation. You couldn't have drawn that night up better. Jessica, you speak for the worst of people like me.

[Billy Gill]

You speak for all of us, Jessica. I can't speak. It's embarrassing.

[Jessica]

I know it's embarrassing.

[Stugotz]

I don't care.

[Billy Gill]

Well, that's okay. And I understand that you don't care, but I legitimately left yesterday's show thinking to myself and not knowing the answer because the Heat were coming off of a 10 game losing streak. I wanted to ask you guys, like, which is harder to do in that league, winning 10 straight or losing 10 straight?

[Jeremy Tache]

Because you're losing 10 straight. Ain't that hard.

[Billy Gill]

Well, I mean, Cleveland's 110 straight, three times, like 10 straight losses for the Heat. It's confusing to me where we've lived for 15 years. That makes everyone crazy around here and makes Jessica put her head in her hands when Jeremy does what? What Heat fans.

[Jessica]

It was just fun watching Jimmy stand in the corner during a regular season game and it not affecting the Heat in a negative way.

[Billy Gill]

Okay. And so Heat homer. Jeremy has this to say about Miami fans. It was great for them to be knowledgeable enough to know to boo Jimmy every time he touched the ball. And then there's Steve Kerr saying this of Miami fans. I didn't know what was going on pregame because there was a video with no sound. So, yeah, I. I was wondering what was happening. You know, Miami is. It's a great place to live, and so people don't ever seem too, you know, too amped up around here. They're living a good life. So it really wasn't that rabid of an environment. It was typical Miami.

[Izzy Gutierrez]

So, I mean, hold on, hold on. I mean, respectfully. Respectfully to Steve Kerr. He does a great job. He has no idea what he's talking about. Nobody in Miami's amped up, brother. Have you been to like Aye Ocho during traffic during prime time? 5:00 rush hour, Please.

[Jeremy Tache]

That.

[Stugotz]

That was the strangest part of the whole night because as the beginning of this show had no sound. As soon as you're supposed to hit the music, they played this one part and it was like, I think it's this part of Eminem, right, where he's just like, it's a return of. Just kidding. And I was like, wait, wait a second. That seems like a shot at Jimmy Butler. But it was like the Vice Jersey thing, right? So that was the beginning of that one. And then the music just didn't play. The video was playing, but no music.

[Jeremy Tache]

There was a popping sound that happened, and I thought, oh, they got fireworks. But then there was no firework. And then the intro video plays exactly like how we started the show today. I would say that we are doing meta stuff. And I'm not blaming the video department. I'm saying the video department was Johnny on the side. It was a tribute because they played the intro video to complete silence. And it took like a strong five or six seconds before, like. Like the game Ops. People are like, start a chance or something.

[Stugotz]

People start getting let's go Heat.

[Jeremy Tache]

And then that, like, it. It couldn't. I was like, wow, they can carry this throughout the entire video. That'll be an insane environment. TNT will love it. And then like, three. Three goes, let's go Heat.

[Stugotz]

Let's go it was a feeling of, oh, Jimmy Butler's gone. And everything goes to the energy.

[Jessica]

Was so weird to start yesterday's game because you had like the mixed cheers and booze right during the. The intro video. Then you have the heats intro video where the sou out and the speakers go out. Then a minute into the game, Draymond Green is hurt and laying on the ground and you're wondering what's going to happen. Then not two minutes later, Jimmy Butler himself has a five second violation where there's a fan behind him yelling, you're a bum. Then the.

[Jeremy Tache]

The Wiggins, the.

[Jessica]

Yeah, Andrew Wiggins immediately gets an 8 second violation. After that, then there's a backcourt violation. Then there's Back to back 24 second violations by the Warriors. It was like. And that was all in the first eight minutes of the game. It was one of the strangest starts to a basketball game, including Jimmy Butler having two points.

[Jeremy Tache]

I'd like to explain for one second, everyone was like. It was mixed cheers and boos at first. I was like, wow. So there are a lot of Heat fans that are still happy about Jimmy. Then I realized, oh, no, that's just the warriors fans because 40% of the building had Steph Curry jerseys on. That's the thing that I think people are missing. You guys are thinking the Miami crowd was split. No, they weren't. It was just a bunch of wars.

[Billy Gill]

I'm surprised that you're surprised by this. So last night. Yeah. The Golden State starters, did they have 10 points by the half? The five of them? The starters.

[Jessica]

Insane. I mean, their, their starting lineup got dominated and Jimmy was basically taken out of the game from the jump like Bama to bio. Shut him down last.

[Billy Gill]

I would say he just did.

[Jeremy Tache]

I would say that Jimmy did. Like I've seen people who are trying to force the issue. I got to prove a point to not. He did the opposite.

[Jessica]

Yeah, he didn't show up.

[Jeremy Tache]

He seemed very passive.

[Billy Gill]

Okay.

[Jessica]

He didn't show up.

[Jeremy Tache]

Very passive.

[Billy Gill]

Okay, but can we just examine. Look, I don't want to talk about this any more than Jessica does anymore.

[Jeremy Tache]

Wait, hold on. But. No, time out. Let me stop you there. You and Jessica. I'm sorry. What the hell do you guys think today's show was about to be about?

[Billy Gill]

Golf.

[Amin El Hassan]

Thank you, tennis and spoiler wedge.

[Dan Le Batard]

You're not here every week. This is what every show has been about for years.

[Jessica]

This is literally the last day that we could do.

[Billy Gill]

It's literally the last sports.

[Stugotz]

And it won't be.

[Jessica]

No, it will Be. It will not.

[Stugotz]

This is it.

[Jessica]

They're not going to face each other in the finals.

[Dan Le Batard]

I don't want to talk about this is the funniest thing that has ever been uttered on the show.

[Greg Cody]

Yesterday also, by the way, we were talking about, should the Heat be tanking for the lottery? So, like, now the question is, you had your NBA Finals today, making sure.

[Dan Le Batard]

Not tanking. Maybe this. He tanked the game.

[Greg Cody]

You know what? Maybe that is. What happened is Jimmy didn't want them to get a higher pick, but we were talking about yesterday, should the Heat tank for the lottery? So now that the Heat won their championship last night, the Jimmy Butler revenge game, are we now back to tanking.

[Jeremy Tache]

With this Heat team sagging for a flagging?

[Stugotz]

I mean, I don't know if it's a serious conversation, but look at the standings. There's just no chance.

[Jeremy Tache]

Cooper for Cooper.

[Stugotz]

They're stuck in this play, in purgatory. They can't. They can't. I don't even think they can move into 7 and 8. They're just in that 9, 10 land.

[Jeremy Tache]

Right now, bailing for Bailey.

[Dan Le Batard]

You know what? I'll let you guys have today if you can promise me you will not say the name. This is for Jeremy and Dan. You will not say the name Jimmy Butler for the rest of the NBA season.

[Jeremy Tache]

Can you do that, Dan?

[Billy Gill]

I. I got to figure out what I got to trade Jessica for that there's going to be. The warriors are going to be a negotiation. I'm not gonna just.

[Greg Cody]

Just to say a week. Just say a week. A week is gonna be hard enough. A week.

[Dan Le Batard]

You're a bad negotiator.

[Billy Gill]

I will figure out what it is. Let me think about it. I want it to be a thread throughout the show, and at the end, we will make a bet on whatever it is that is so that. Don't let me forget yet. I want to have stakes on this because I also want stakes on yesterday's bet where there was an oral commitment there. Billy said for a raise, he'd have another kid. So we've got a deal.

[Amin El Hassan]

Get on that.

[Billy Gill]

Get on that. He might have last night. I don't know.

[Jeremy Tache]

Oral.

[Billy Gill]

Oral commitment. Oral commitment. I'm sorry. What?

[Dan Le Batard]

Can't have a kid that way.

[Jeremy Tache]

Be respectful.

[Billy Gill]

You and me have made a deal. Everyone heard it.

[Greg Cody]

Why? If I have a child.

[Billy Gill]

That's right. Well.

[Jeremy Tache]

Well.

[Stugotz]

Oh, have confidence.

[Billy Gill]

But you can. If you have a child, you can have a raise. We made a deal. I want. I want there to be a huge.

[Greg Cody]

I want I don't think that this is binding in any sense of the word.

[Billy Gill]

The words being spoken right now are an oral commitment.

[Stugotz]

Any contract is binding.

[Greg Cody]

Oral commitments are not. They're oral commitments.

[Billy Gill]

You're backing down?

[Greg Cody]

No, I'm just saying he's scared, Dan.

[Izzy Gutierrez]

Is what it is. You put the money up and he's like, no, I don't want to do it anymore.

[Dan Le Batard]

How much money are we talking?

[Billy Gill]

Like, it's a good question.

[Jessica]

Well, I just had a kid, so.

[Izzy Gutierrez]

Me and you could talk after. Right.

[Greg Cody]

Oral.

[Dan Le Batard]

And what if you have a fake baby?

[Unknown]

Wow.

[Dan Le Batard]

But you get the million dollars adoption. Like, let's work this thing out.

[Jessica]

Let's figure out.

[Billy Gill]

Let's figure out what the consequences are.

[Greg Cody]

He's going to have to name cash, right? Obviously, yeah.

[Billy Gill]

Because I'm going to be willing to make the bet of. It's just the name. Jimmy Butler. Correct. Just the name, Yeah.

[Stugotz]

I already lost.

[Billy Gill]

I'm not. I'm not.

[Dan Le Batard]

That's why I said our negotiation is that you just. You just can't talk about him.

[Greg Cody]

Problem is.

[Dan Le Batard]

But you also can't.

[Greg Cody]

Oh, I have an idea for this bet, and I'm just. If we're figuring out bets, if. If Dan wins, you have to wear a costume of some sort. If Jess wins, Dan can't wear a costume for a year.

[Jessica]

Oh, wow.

[Jeremy Tache]

That would kill him.

[Billy Gill]

You know what's frustrating about this? I was undefeated last year. Undefeated. It's the reason I don't. Didn't wear a costume all year. I was undefeated at the grid of death. I went every single week and was. And never lost again.

[Stugotz]

She hated it. How about if he loses, he shaves the beard?

[Greg Cody]

Oh, and if she loses, Jess has to grow a beard.

[Stugotz]

Oh, I've got a mustache for that.

[Dan Le Batard]

Not a bad trade because I can't grow a beard.

[Billy Gill]

So you can wear mean buckles. Beard, Akbar.

[Dan Le Batard]

Apparently that was not a mean. So now we're back to square one.

[Jeremy Tache]

Yeah. He's in his mind. What are you talking about, Akbar?

[Billy Gill]

Well, the way the show should have started. I saw in preview the clip of Jeremy's friend being fooled by Akbar. And I just am curious where we are with journalism because Jessica asked, where are the editors here? And the answer to your question, Jessica, is WPLG in Miami closes down with ABC after 80 years and has to go totally local. Is there are no editors anymore. We can't pay anybody anymore. So Greg Cody has to write his own headlines on his own stories because. Because the editors are being all chewed up and bad things are getting into newspapers and.

[Stugotz]

Hey, I thought Akbar was quoted warmly and accurately.

[Greg Cody]

Well, also like that story. So ABC is still going to exist, but WSVN now is going to have Fox and ABC on their second channel. And then WPLG announced that they are focusing on journalism and they're reinvesting all of the money that they were going to be asking for to get the ABC license license into local journalism. And they're going to do more local journalistic shows and they're going to have longer news days in the morning and they're going to have different programming that's specific for local because they thought that ABC was asking for too much, I believe.

[Izzy Gutierrez]

Billy, hold on.

[Stugotz]

Are you PR for wp?

[Greg Cody]

No, I, you know, read a shot. Heaven forbid I read a story before we talked about it.

[Billy Gill]

So journalism.

[Greg Cody]

Yeah. The guy that runs the network doubled down on his commitment to local journalism and covering local stories. So it's not a situation where that, like the network is folding.

[Izzy Gutierrez]

Okay, Billy, let's bring back sports. Bang. Sell it to them. Local journalist Billy Gill. Tony Gladyute. All of a sudden take on sports.

[Greg Cody]

Wait, who is the second person that's doing this?

[Izzy Gutierrez]

Me and you. Me and you take on sports.

[Amin El Hassan]

Pass.

[Jeremy Tache]

I love that idea. It's like they've been covering like, politics and like Wall street and all of a sudden we're gonna take on sports.

[Izzy Gutierrez]

Yeah, with Sports Bag, we both wear, like suits.

[Greg Cody]

We'll be Jim Barry. Jim Barry keeps jumping back and forth between sports and news. He can be the third.

[Izzy Gutierrez]

He can be the third.

[Greg Cody]

I like that.

[Izzy Gutierrez]

Me, you, and JB.

[Greg Cody]

Okay.

[Billy Gill]

Roy must be wounded in the history of WPLG. That's 79 years.

[Stugotz]

Dwight Lauderdale.

[Billy Gill]

I mean, that's what I mean. They taught me about news like that was television news when we were growing up. And then ABC comes in and says, no, it's going to be network. And yes, they're trying at Channel 10 to do something that is a special thing where they take care of local news. But to answer Jessica's question. Question. There are no editors. There's not money for editors. They're like five newspapers in the country that can afford editors.

[Greg Cody]

Also mentioned in the announcement, they will still have Wheel of Fortune, so.

[Billy Gill]

Oh, great.

[Greg Cody]

Don't be worried about that.

[Billy Gill]

Jeopardy.

[Izzy Gutierrez]

Good lead in for us.

[Greg Cody]

I think Jeopardy. Too.

[Billy Gill]

Excellent.

[Greg Cody]

And Kelly and Mark or whatever the Kelly shows.

[Dan Le Batard]

I never really liked Wheel of Fortune that much.

[Greg Cody]

Really, it's fine.

[Dan Le Batard]

It's just like, I think Jeopardy. Is so much better.

[Greg Cody]

I haven't seen any of the Seacrest episodes.

[Dan Le Batard]

Yeah, me neither.

[Greg Cody]

Not a one.

[Dan Le Batard]

I guess that sort of we. We agree then.

[Greg Cody]

Yeah.

[Jessica]

You know, speaking of 10, when's the last time you saw number 10 Jimmy Butler show up for a big game, huh?

[Greg Cody]

Oh, boy.

[Stugotz]

Likes Ronnie not to talk about that.

[Jessica]

He's got his boys and matching Joy shirts.

[Billy Gill]

Has he already Ended my negotiations.

[Stugotz]

Beard's coming off.

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[Billy Gill]

Did you hear that? Yep.

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