Local Hour: God Bless Yaz

Summary

The Dan Le Batard Show with Stugotz Episode: Local Hour: God Bless Yaz
Release Date: July 21, 2025

---

Introduction to Local Hour: God Bless Yaz

In this episode of The Dan Le Batard Show with Stugotz, the hosts delve into a variety of sports-related topics, with a particular focus on local South Florida sports scenes. From reminiscing about past Miami Dolphins playoff victories to discussing current player performances and upcoming events, the conversation is both engaging and deeply informative for sports enthusiasts.

---

Miami Dolphins: Playoff Drought and Future Prospects

Mike Ryan initiates a discussion highlighting the long-standing playoff drought of the Miami Dolphins:

“The last time the Miami Dolphins won a playoff game was December 30th, 2000. Patrick Mahomes was five years old. Andy Reid had one year of head coaching experience. Mike Ryan was a freshman in high school. Wikipedia didn’t exist. Social media didn’t exist.”
[10:25]

The hosts debate the severity of the Dolphins' situation, with Billy Corben emphasizing the contractual obligations of coach Mario Cristobal:

“Part of it is contractual. You know, Mario still has half of a very lucrative $80 million contract to play out, and I don't think they're thinking of that right now.”
[12:22]

Greg Cody adds perspective on the expanded playoff system and its impact on teams like the Dolphins:

“When the playoffs expanded from four teams to twelve, it put a clear onus on teams like Miami. All of a sudden, there's a dozen or more teams in the country who think they can be one of the top twelve.”
[12:40]

Mike Ryan questions whether the hot seat is any hotter for Cristobal compared to current coach Rich McDaniels:

“And why is it that you're saying that the hot seat is any hotter for him than it is for Mario Cristobal?”
[09:32]

The conversation underscores the immense pressure on the Dolphins' coaching staff to secure a playoff spot and break the two-decade-long drought.

---

Dee Gordon's Controversial Suspension

A significant portion of the episode centers around Dee Gordon, a former Miami Marlins player, and his controversial suspension for steroid use:

Dan LeBatard recounts Gordon's suspension story:

“Dee Gordon was suspended for steroid use, which confused absolutely everyone.”
[36:03]

During a podcast appearance, Gordon shares his perspective:

“2015, they told my little black ass don't win that batting championship. And I said, y'all got me up.”
[36:26]

Greg Cody challenges Gordon's account, pointing out inconsistencies:

“He wouldn't mention Bryce Harper the way that Greg Cody wouldn't mention where he's vacationing in Western Canada.”
[37:00]

The hosts debate the authenticity of Gordon's claims, with Mike Ryan highlighting discrepancies in statistics and historical records:

“He would have had to have a very big last day of the season to win the Triple Crown.”
[38:46]

This segment highlights the complexities and controversies surrounding performance-enhancing drugs in sports, questioning the credibility of athlete testimonies.

---

Billy Corben's Book Release: "The Pride of Alliance"

Billy Corben shares exciting news about his and Ron McGill's book, "The Pride of Alliance":

“The Pride of Alliance is now being distributed in South America, which is another big step.”
[28:30]

He elaborates on the audiobook release, expressing pride and enthusiasm:

“It's totally thrilling to hear a book you've written on audiobook. I listened to the first two chapters just to experience it, and it was wonderful.”
[29:38]

Mike Ryan critiques the decision to use a professional narrator instead of one of the authors:

“Our audience would have bought an audiobook read by Ron McGill. It's less of a sales item when you don't have it read by Ron McGill.”
[30:11]

Despite the differing opinions, Billy Corben celebrates the milestone, especially the book being an editor's pick for best nonfiction:

“It's also an editor's pick for best nonfiction.”
[31:08]

This segment underscores the achievements of the authors and the challenges of promoting literary works within the sports community.

---

Matthew Tkachuk's Wedding and Panthers' Performance

The discussion shifts to Matthew Tkachuk's wedding, intertwining with the performance and injuries within the Panthers’ team:

Greg Cody describes the unique atmosphere of Tkachuk's wedding:

“It's a hockey wedding with all his teammates there. What kind of lunacy was that thing?”
[44:00]

Mike Ryan analyzes the team's strategy and Tkachuk's role:

“They only have one more year, but they can do it for one more year.”
[46:11]

Greg Cody provides insights into Tkachuk's injuries and their impact on his performance:

“Matthew Tkachuk will age well in that the injuries are a conversation. And yes, he's got a smaller frame, but this is not a player that's ever really relied on his athleticism.”
[48:19]

The hosts debate Tkachuk's future in the league, considering his injuries and contributions to the team's dynamics.

---

Community and Listener Engagement

Throughout the episode, the hosts engage with their audience through polls and direct questions:

“Put it on the poll at Lebitar show. Do you miss MapQuest?”
[05:30]

“Put it on the poll at Lebatard show. Are you respecting the police?”
[26:47]

These interactions foster a sense of community and encourage listener participation, making the show interactive and responsive to its audience's interests.

---

Final Thoughts and Upcoming Events

As the episode concludes, the hosts briefly touch upon upcoming releases and personal anecdotes, maintaining the show's dynamic and conversational tone. Dan LeBatard shares enthusiasm for the upcoming Naked Gun movie release, while Billy Corben updates listeners on personal milestones and projects.

---

Notable Quotes with Timestamps

• Mike Ryan [10:25]: “The last time the Miami Dolphins won a playoff game was December 30th, 2000. Patrick Mahomes was five years old. Andy Reid had one year of head coaching experience. Mike Ryan was a freshman in high school. Wikipedia didn’t exist. Social media didn’t exist.”

• Billy Corben [12:22]: “Part of it is contractual. You know, Mario still has half of a very lucrative $80 million contract to play out, and I don't think they're thinking of that right now.”

• Dee Gordon [36:26]: “2015, they told my little black ass don't win that batting championship. And I said, y'all got me up.”

• Billy Corben [28:30]: “The Pride of Alliance is now being distributed in South America, which is another big step.”

• Greg Cody [44:00]: “It's a hockey wedding with all his teammates there. What kind of lunacy was that thing?”

---

Conclusion

This episode of The Dan Le Batard Show with Stugotz successfully navigates through a range of sports topics, blending historical insights with current events. The engaging discussions, coupled with personal anecdotes and listener interactions, offer a comprehensive look into the South Florida sports scene and beyond. Whether it's dissecting the Miami Dolphins' playoff challenges, unraveling Dee Gordon's controversial suspension, or celebrating literary achievements, the hosts provide a rich and entertaining narrative for their audience.

Transcript

[Dan LeBatard]

Discovery Shark Week is back and it's crunch time. The pop culture phenomenon returns with an amazing lineup of 20 brand new shows. From testing shark venom on a human to placing a camera inside a shark's mouth, Discovery Shark Week is pushing the limits like never before and is a week everyone will be talking about. Shark Week continues all week at 8 on discovery.

[Stugotz]

What does Zyn give you? Not just smoke free nicotine satisfaction but real freedom. Freedom to do what you love and choose your rewards. With Zinn Rewards, you can redeem points for premium tech outdoor gear and gift cards to your favorite retailers. Find your Zinn and keep finding rewards that fit your [e-mail] rewards. This product contains nicotine. Nicotine is an addictive chemical.

[Greg Cody]

Now's a good time to remember where tequila's story truly began. In 1795, Cuervo invented tequila. Cuervo, what are you doing here?

[Mike Ryan]

Cuervo? Anytime someone says Cuervo, I show up.

[Greg Cody]

Well, I do know that to be true. But even during ad reads like Cuervo, I think he could lay out especially for one of our great partners.

[Mike Ryan]

Sweet, delicious Cuervo.

[Greg Cody]

Since then, Cuervo has stayed true to its roots. The same family, the same land, the same passion.

[Mike Ryan]

Cuervo.

[Greg Cody]

So enjoy the tequila that started it all. Cuervo.

[Mike Ryan]

Cuervo.

[Greg Cody]

The tequila that invented tequila. Roximo. Cuervo.com Please drink responsibly.

[Mike Ryan]

Cuervo. I'm particularly worried about today because Greg Cody has just announced that beginning tomorrow begins his vacation. And so I think we're gonna get mail it in Cody today. And that's not particularly new, but maximum mail it in Cody is a little terrifying. Where are you going on vacation? Do you. Is it gonna be another cruise? Are you gonna. Are you gonna bump into more things in your car in Ireland?

[Billy Corben]

We are going to an unnamed western Canadian city. Christopher tried to convince me to spend my entire Canadian vacation wearing a MCOVA rated shirt. I declined. But, you know, we love Canada. We love western Canada. We've been there a couple of times.

[Mike Ryan]

Why is the Canadian city unnamed? And why are you now giving regional directions like on a compass telling us it's in the west of Canada, but you're trying to limit what we know.

[Greg Cody]

Because you respect people when they say they're going out of town. You don't want them to know exactly where he's going. It seems pretty obvious he's going to Vancouver, though.

[Billy Corben]

Okay, well, maybe, maybe not. You know, there's a lot of. A lot of prominent cities in western Canada.

[Dan LeBatard]

Big Country.

[Billy Corben]

Yeah, I could be going to Winnipeg.

[Greg Cody]

Nobody knows that's in central Canada.

[Billy Corben]

Yeah, whatever.

[Dan LeBatard]

Dan, to your point, the compass. I remember iPhones used to have the compass. I don't think they have the compass anymore. But do we still use compasses? Like, people still have those? They still sell them.

[Mike Ryan]

I heard somebody during the Marlins broadcast this weekend talk about Rand McNally. Yeah, the almanac and maps. Billy, you looked at me funny when I said during the Marlins broadcast, were you surprised that I was watching Otto Lopez have his 27th RBI in 23 games?

[Dan LeBatard]

No, I was processing the thought that no one uses a compass anymore. Like, people just have given up on trying to figure out what direction they're going.

[Mike Ryan]

The. The Marlins broadcast was talking about. Does anyone use maps anymore? Does anyone know what Rand McNally TV or radio? It was radio.

[Greg Cody]

I just got to an age where I figured it out. I think it was after Californication came out and Anthony Kida said, the sun may rise in the east, at least it settles in a fine location. Then I figured it out.

[Mike Ryan]

Oh, so you now don't need a compass at all. You always know. Just watching the sun, you're like a bit like Columbus. You're like an original explorer, where I'm Italian. You are using simply the sun. And in the event that you get lost in the wilderness, you will know which way you are going because you will need neither map nor compass.

[Dan LeBatard]

I had a coach that used to do that, and he put up his hands and he would like, get pretty precise with it. He'd be outside. Obviously he was a coach, an athletic director. He'd been outside for four years. So he was actually good at it. My wife tried to do that one time and tell me, like, I know what time it is based on the sun. Like, you do not know what time it is based on the sun.

[Greg Cody]

No, you can't.

[Dan LeBatard]

I'll take a gauge on that. You can. She can. No, she cannot.

[Mike Ryan]

Put it on the poll at Le Show. Can you tell the time roughly based on the positioning of the sun, yes or no?

[Billy Corben]

I can. In fact, they still sell sundials. You know, Google sundial.

[Mike Ryan]

That cannot be.

[Dan LeBatard]

No, it's not.

[Greg Cody]

Sundial over business.

[Mike Ryan]

That cannot.

[Billy Corben]

Oh, I bet it is.

[Mike Ryan]

Put it on the poll at Lebitard Show. Selling better these days. Compasses or sundials? Because I'm going to go ahead and say that neither one of those are doing terribly well. But I'm thinking, certainly there are compasses on boats, right? Like, they're just.

[Greg Cody]

Standard feature. I think yeah.

[Billy Corben]

GPS is the cheat sheet for everything now. You don't need to learn that. I didn't want to learn. Guy didn't want to earn when he's traveling.

[Dan LeBatard]

It's a good point.

[Billy Corben]

I missed the triple A triptych.

[Dan LeBatard]

Oh, triptychs are the best.

[Billy Corben]

I know. We used to get one with. They would, you know, mark all the construction and everything. Long before gps. I'd be driving, my wife would be next to me, flipping the pages, navigating. It used to be great.

[Dan LeBatard]

I was the best. You'd say, you know what? We're gonna head up to Savannah, Georgia, and they'd give you these big maps. They give you little books, tell you fun places to stop along the way. Oh, triptychs, Dan, you ever go on a road trip?

[Mike Ryan]

I. I miss MapQuest. That's what I miss.

[Billy Corben]

That's fairly recent.

[Mike Ryan]

Put it on the poll at Levitar show. Do you miss map.

[Dan LeBatard]

Did you print out your map quest?

[Mike Ryan]

Yes, of course.

[Dan LeBatard]

Yeah. Too many pages. No, but triptych was like the original MapQuest without the Internet. I have no idea what that is. I know MapQuest, my parents. I feel bad for your life that it lived without triptych.

[Billy Corben]

Triptych was a thick book.

[Dan LeBatard]

Yeah.

[Billy Corben]

You know, you felt like you were getting your money's worth. You spent X number of dollars to be a AAA member.

[Dan LeBatard]

Exactly.

[Billy Corben]

Never got a flat tire. You didn't need it.

[Dan LeBatard]

No. But that triptych gold, oftentimes I called aaa, I lied about trips just to get the books to feel like I was earning my membership, you know?

[Billy Corben]

Exactly.

[Dan LeBatard]

Yeah.

[Billy Corben]

Put a flat, you know, get an intentional flat.

[Dan LeBatard]

Exactly. Right.

[Billy Corben]

You can call aaa.

[Greg Cody]

Hey, everybody, it's Mike down here in South Florida. As the audience well knows, we've been celebrating a proper championship, and we've been enjoying every minute of it. And by my side throughout that entire championship celebration has been Miller like. Yeah. I wanted to make my championship time a Miller time, because much like most of the fun memories I've had as an adult, Miller Light has been right there by my side, supplementing every experience. And now that I'm about to travel during the summer, you can rest assured I'm going to be having plenty of Miller Lite along the way, because that's what summer is all about. And since 1975, Miller Lite has been right there. And all those memories for you listening right now, it's the 50th anniversary of Miller Lite. That's 50 years of great taste, great friends, great moments, Miller lite, great taste. 96 galleries. 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. Cheers to 50 years of Miller time. Celebrate responsibly. Miller Brewing Co. Milwaukee, Wisconsin. 96 calories at 3.2 carbs per 12 ounces.

[Stugotz]

Hey friends, the summer's here. That means more sun. It means more light. It means more time to do all the things that make summer so special all around the country. And the number one thing that I don't want to be doing all summer is spending hours cooking inside. That's where Factor comes in. Factor's chef crafted dietitian approved meals are ready in just two minutes. Taking the hassle out of eating well. Factor Meals arrive fresh and ready to eat. They're perfect for any active lifestyle over summer and beyond. For me, guys, I use Factor as a meal supply for me literally all the time. I just recently ordered seven different meals and it got me over the course of a couple of different weeks. I had the grilled teriyaki salmon that was really delicious. I had some roasted garlic chicken. There was a chicken cacciator. Every single time that I think maybe this one isn't for me, it ends up being as good, if not better than any version of that meal I've ever tried. I love Factor Meals. So you should get [e-mail] dan50off and use code DAN50OFF to get 50% off plus free shipping on your first box. That's code DAN50OFF at Factor Meals.com dan50OFF for 50% off plus free shipping. Factor Meals.com Dan50OFF this is the Dan.

[Dan LeBatard]

Levator show with the Stugach Podcast.

[Mike Ryan]

You guys aren't going to believe this, but Greg Cody swaggered in here today and he said that the temperature on Mike McDaniels is now at high heat.

[Billy Corben]

Yeah, sort of like this studio.

[Mike Ryan]

Greg's complaining about the studio as well. I told him he's wearing a long sleeve shirt and it is summer, but it is a little warm in here.

[Dan LeBatard]

Should have been here last week when it was boiling hot.

[Billy Corben]

I know, it's really nice.

[Greg Cody]

This is nice. Billy wouldn't put on a windbreaker if it wasn't nice in here.

[Dan LeBatard]

There's more to it than that.

[Mike Ryan]

Okay, good contribution.

[Dan LeBatard]

I didn't want to have freaking aquaphor put on my arms again. Every time I'm not wearing a jacket, they lube up our elbows so that they don't look ashy. And then I stick to the table and It's a whole thing. I didn't want it, so I put on a jacket. I'm going to sweat.

[Mike Ryan]

Greg, can you tell me why you're placing high heat on McDaniel and you're only playing. Placing a moderate heat on Mario Cristobal?

[Billy Corben]

Yeah. McDaniel, in my mind, has to. And this is purely speculative on my part, minimum, he has to make the playoffs to keep his job, perhaps win in the playoffs to end the embarrassing quarter of a century streak of no postseason victories for Miami. I think he and Chris Greer. It's a season of reckoning for both of their futures.

[Mike Ryan]

Would you guys please get for me a list of some of the things that were. So. The last time the Miami Dolphins won a playoff game, because it would be something I mentioned this last week that the last Dolphin playoff game was blacked out. It wasn't on local television. It hadn't sold out. That's an instant home Dolphin playoff. The last Dolphin. Yes. Forgive me. Yes.

[Greg Cody]

The rules have also since changed. So that's not going to happen.

[Mike Ryan]

I'm sorry. No, no. The last. The last playoff win is what I meant.

[Greg Cody]

Yeah.

[Mike Ryan]

Not. And it's not a home win. The last win of any kind in the playoffs was 24 years ago, and it was not on television locally because. And so. So no one this century has watched on television the Dolphins win a playoff game. And there. There is a good list that we can put together of things that were so. Back then, including like a $5 movie ticket.

[Billy Corben]

It was the 2000 season. So this is happy anniversary. This is the silver anniversary of that drought.

[Mike Ryan]

And it's crazy to say that it makes it in a league that legislates equality, rewards bad teams and keeps things equal through a salary cap. It is a crazy thing to say if the Raiders won a playoff game more recently than the Dolphins.

[Billy Corben]

Everybody has. Everybody has in the Raiders.

[Mike Ryan]

Is that right? Every. So the Raiders. Because you guys think about this like I'm sitting here saying it. I'm like, when the hell is Rich Gannon? The last time the Raiders won a playoff game.

[Greg Cody]

I think the Raiders went to a Super bowl after the Dolphins most. They did recent.

[Mike Ryan]

So that's the. But that's the one for the Raiders. The Raiders are. Bridge Gannon get to the Super Bowl. And that's. That's the. No, they don't. They don't.

[Greg Cody]

They. They. They lost because they lost to Tampa.

[Mike Ryan]

Right.

[Greg Cody]

Gruden knew all the plays.

[Mike Ryan]

That's correct. They got. They got blown out because Gruden had coached them but off the top of my head, the last playoff Raiders team I remember, Tony Saragusa injures, you know, MVP Rich Gannon. That's the best Raiders team.

[Greg Cody]

The BS whistle at Cincinnati. They actually hung tight with a. I think that Bengals team went on to the Super Bowl. That Bengals team got so lucky throughout the entire postseason and they made a bunch of big time field goals. But there was a really controversial play where there was a whistle and it was allowed to play on.

[Mike Ryan]

Do you know how crazy it is though that I'm watching now as people talk about football and they continue to say the Bills dominance of the AFC East? And it isn't that long ago that I watched The Bills go 17 straight seasons without making the playoffs. And now they're dominating the AFC East. The pressure can't be high enough on the Dolphins. Like you, right? You have to be playing for jobs this year and the pressure has to be at the maximum place. But why is it that you're saying that the hot seat is any hotter for him than it is for Mario Cristobal?

[Billy Corben]

Part of it is contractual. You know, Mario still has half of a very lucrative $80 million contract to play out. I don't think they would spend to buy him out, nor do I think they're thinking of that right now. Mike might have more current intel than me, but I think that 12, when the playoffs expanded from four teams to 12, it put a clear onus on teams like Miami. All of a sudden there's a dozen or more 18 teams in the country who even if they don't think they're championship contenders, they sure as hell think that they can be one of the top 12 teams. And um, just missed last year. I thought they should have made it at 10 and 2 before the bowl loss. I, I think they had a good argument for that 12th spot. They didn't get it. So I think the onus is definitely on crispal to be a playoff team. But I don't think if he doesn't make it that he's fired like I think McDaniels might.

[Mike Ryan]

I want to get to Tkachuk's wedding in a second. He can't be fired because they owe him too much money.

[Billy Corben]

That's the first thing I said, so.

[Mike Ryan]

Could Chuck Tkachuk's wedding we'll get to in a second. And I do want to get to the Marlins in a second because their road record is as good as three division leaders. That's nuts to say that they're as good as Houston, Toronto. It's nuts to say that Toronto is the division leader the Phillies and I want to get to some Dee Gordon sound in a second, but I was watching something this weekend and they were talking about the trio of Michael Irvin, Emmett Smith and Troy Aikman. And I got to thinking in football, if there are many since then trios that you can mention, okay, because I think Tyreek Hill, Travis Kelce and Patrick Mahomes had a chance at this, but they didn't stay together and they only won a couple of times as opposed to what Emmett Smith and Michael Irvin and Troy Aikman did. Is there another since Troy, Emmett and Michael anywhere in football trio that you can look at? Because Tom Brady never had one, right? He had some time with Randy Moss, but it was never like Marvin Harrison and Peyton Manning and Edgerton James come close but they only won once. Like so when you think of greatest trios in the history of football where there are three hall of Famers on a team, does Philadelphia have a chance.

[Greg Cody]

At putting together Philly's a good one. Keep in mind that Colts trio that you outlined didn't actually win. They moved on it. Joe Adai was the running back when they won their first Super Bowl. Philadelphia is a really good one.

[Dan LeBatard]

Bengals have an outside chance. Dan Joe Burrow, Jamar Chase, T. Higgins.

[Mike Ryan]

T. Higgins probably feels he's talking about running back too.

[Billy Corben]

Yeah, I thought you meant quarterback because.

[Greg Cody]

If we're going trio, we're going Tyree Kill, Travis, Kelsey and Patrick.

[Dan LeBatard]

But that's no running back.

[Mike Ryan]

No, but that's, that's no running back. And also they only won twice and that would be that. That's the best I could think of off the top of my head. But I was just thinking of the idea of like, is that even allowed to exist anymore? Because I don't think we can do it with Philadelphia. We certainly can't do it yet. And I don't know if, if Michael, Troy and Emmett set the standard. We cannot say Kansas City met it right? Because Tyree Kill left like they could have. They could have met it. Tyree Kill, when they won the first one, said, why can't we win seven or eight and imagine that offense last year. This is hard. Is this hard to believe for you guys when I say it to you, that the Chiefs won more games last year than any time in franchise history? Because we all thought that team felt like a fraud all season?

[Greg Cody]

Yeah, I recall that. And they, I mean it did. All those takes did end up coming true. They didn't have the Firepower to hang.

[Mike Ryan]

But that was the most wins the Chiefs have ever had in a season. Now, granted, they played 17 games and usually played 16 or 14.

[Greg Cody]

If you're not going to give it to Philadelphia, what's a. What's the reason? I mean, a thousand yard receiver. Saquon was damn near mvp. Jalen Hurts was brilliant last season because.

[Mike Ryan]

I don't think Jalen Hurts is a Hall of Famer.

[Greg Cody]

Oh, whoa, he's got a Super Bowl. I think he's on that trajectory. I mean, if you, if you look at Troy Aikman stats, you could say the very same thing. What made Troy Aikman the Hall of Famer was both the era that he was dominating in, but really the wins.

[Mike Ryan]

Well, but you're, you're making A.J.

[Greg Cody]

Brown, Michael Irvin, he's a thousand yard receiver.

[Billy Corben]

Everybody is. With 17 games. I agree with Dan. I don't think they have a receiver who's that level. I mean, to me, if you're replacing the Dallas triplets, you have to be hall of Fame level on.

[Mike Ryan]

I'm not trying to replace them. I'm just trying to think of what comes close. Like obviously Mahomes, Kelsey Mahomes, Kelsey Hill, obviously Tyreek Hill. Those three fit the category. In fact, Mike's right. Troy aikman only threw 20 touchdown passes once in a season. So he got carried a bit over the time period and the era by the fact that he had those. Those two players.

[Greg Cody]

That's about as many as Jalen Hurts got on the ground.

[Billy Corben]

But. But if we're doing the exact parallel, which means the third player has to be a running back, then Philadelphia has. Or Kansas City, rather than never had that running back to go along with Hill.

[Mike Ryan]

But playing during a time when the running back is entirely not needed as well, like it doesn't even matter. They can go interchangeably and win as.

[Greg Cody]

The Patriots, which is why we got to move the goalposts and say just trios, then it's for sure. Three Canton guys in Kansas put it.

[Mike Ryan]

On the poll at Lebatard show is. Is Jalen Hurts gonna be a Hall of Famer? Yes or no?

[Roy Bellamy]

The Dan LeBatard show with Stugats is sponsored by BetterHelp.

[Greg Cody]

All right.

[Roy Bellamy]

It's summer and you're feeling overwhelmed at work. You're not alone. 61% of people globally are dealing with higher than normal stress. That's a lot of us.

[Greg Cody]

Now.

[Roy Bellamy]

We can't all disappear to a beach and hit reset, but we can take small steps. For me, I like taking walks soaking up the sun and unplug for, like, 30 seconds. Punch a pillow. Hey, it helps. And sometimes you need a little more. That's where BetterHelp comes in. Whether it's learning boundaries, managing stress, or talking things out, therapy can help you feel more like you. BetterHelp has over 30,000 therapists, and they've helped over 5 million people. It's all online, super flexible, and you can switch therapists anytime. As the largest online therapy provider in the world, BetterHelp can provide access to mental health professionals with a diverse variety of expertise. Unwind from work. With BetterHelp, all listeners get 10% off their first month at betterhelp.com DLB that's BetterHelp. H-E-L-P.com DOB.

[Dan LeBatard]

Guys, guys. Comedy's back. Like, real, ridiculous, chaotic comedy. And it's coming in hot with the Naked gun hitting theaters August 1st. I've seen the trailer, like, five times, and every time I saw it, I was laughing more than the time before. Liam Neeson. Yes, that Liam Neeson is Now Frank Drebin Jr. He's leading the police squad, somehow saving the world and doing it all with that very serious Liam Neeson face while everything around him is just completely unhinged. It's glorious. They've got Pamela Anderson, Paul Walter Hauser, CCH Pounder, Shout out to the Shield, Liza Koshy, and even Cody Rhodes. Like, what. What is this cast? It's directed by Akiva Shaffer, the Lonely island guy, and Produced by Seth MacFarlane. So you already know it's going to be insane in the best kind of way. I genuinely can't wait for the Naked Gun to hit theaters August 1st. Already planning my outfits, so go watch the trailer now. Seriously, this thing looks amazing.

[Mike Ryan]

Don LeBatard.

[Dan LeBatard]

All right, we gotta go back out there.

[Billy Corben]

That was big. Wake him up.

[Mike Ryan]

Oh, he doesn't want. He doesn't want to be bothered anymore. Now it's getting tense because he didn't need that. As a result, he needs something that happens. You can see him.

[Dan LeBatard]

Mother effing.

[Billy Corben]

Can we bother?

[Dan LeBatard]

Are we bothering you right now?

[Mike Ryan]

Turn on your microphone.

[Billy Corben]

My microphone's on Stugats.

[Dan LeBatard]

Paint the scene.

[Billy Corben]

The paint the scene is. I gotta go to work. Good night.

[Dan LeBatard]

This is the Dan Levatar show with the Stugats.

[Mike Ryan]

I wanted to talk to Billy about what's going on with the Marlins, because, as I said, Otto Lopez, they won the series against the Kansas City Royals. What happened? What was that noise?

[Dan LeBatard]

Nothing. Go on. There's a minor bone to pick with them. But that's fine. We'll get to them.

[Mike Ryan]

What is the. No, what's the minor bone?

[Dan LeBatard]

Just, you know, old bait and switch. Yesterday at Lone Depot Park, I took my family to the loan because it was Mia the chicken plush giveaway day. You know, Mia the chicken. You know, the Great Rooster Race, Dan?

[Mike Ryan]

I do not.

[Dan LeBatard]

You don't know the Great rooster Race? Oh, my God. It's like the Great sea race. You remember the Great sea Race?

[Mike Ryan]

I do not.

[Dan LeBatard]

You don't remember Julio the octopus running around in the middle of the game? They would race, you know, like the. The nationals have the presidents that race the great presidents. Then there's the hot dog races. The Marlins, when they opened in 2012, had the great sea race where they had Spike the sea dragon and Julio the Octopus. Bob the shark. Angel, I think, was a. I don't remember what angel was. A stone crab or something. They would run around and they would have a race, and Julio would always lose. He was a tough luck loser. And then I think what we heard was that Julio was just so much heavier than all the other sea creatures, and that's why Julio would always lose. But Julio became beloved, and they gave away a Julio, you know, stuffed animal a couple years later. And then when the Jeter regime came in, they did away with the Great sea Race. And we were lacking in game races until recently. Where I believe last year, Great rooster race came in, and there was a number of roosters. Charlie's there and Bobby's there. And then there was some other guy. I don't remember who the other guy was. And then they introduced Mia the rooster. Well, I guess she's not a rooster. Mia the chicken from Kendall. And that's Mia. You can see the screen right there. There's Mia.

[Greg Cody]

She does look like she's from.

[Dan LeBatard]

Kendall has become very popular. And yesterday they gave away a Mia Plush at the game. And when it was announced, it was announced first. 3000 fans coming to the game get a Mia Plush.

[Billy Corben]

Everybody gets one.

[Dan LeBatard]

Wow. So we made it. We put. We actually. I actually put it down on my calendar, and I said, we got to get there early. We want to get that mia plush first. 3000 fans. First of all, 3000 seems like a very strange number, but marlins have been hot lately, so we got to get there early. And early we did. We got there very early yesterday. We're there damn near 90 minutes before the game. And then we had an issue. We were parking at someone's house.

[Mike Ryan]

You did. No blocking.

[Dan LeBatard]

Yeah, yeah. No, I like to support the local small businesses. And I park at people's houses, even if it's a burden to me.

[Mike Ryan]

How much did you pay?

[Dan LeBatard]

That's a good question. Because the advertised price was $15. I gave the guy a 20. And then we kind of just stood there awkwardly for a little bit of time and said, okay, thank you, and I went on my way. And I never got any change. But this was. This was an elderly man. We've been doing business together for some time now. And to be frank, he's not what he used to be. So I didn't. What do you mean by that?

[Greg Cody]

Hold on.

[Dan LeBatard]

What do you mean he's not what.

[Stugotz]

He used to be?

[Dan LeBatard]

Well, you know, the stadium's been open now 13 years. 13 years. He's aged in the 13 years that I've known him. And now, you know, he seems to have slightly less mobility than he necessarily did there. A little grayer than he used to be, and. And, you know, without putting anyone out, you know, I wasn't going to get into an argument with him. Eats a little slower. Didn't, you know, So I didn't want to argue with this man and confuse him or whatever. So I just, you know, ate it. I said, okay, fine, whatever. You get the $20. So then we start walking down the street, Me and my wife and my daughters in very hot day. And then his wife or daughter. So I don't know the exact relationship.

[Mike Ryan]

It's very important, people.

[Dan LeBatard]

But she comes chasing.

[Mike Ryan]

It's an important detail in the story.

[Dan LeBatard]

A much younger lady trying to figure out. Not much younger, somewhat younger. That's why there's confusion as comes chasing us down the block. And I think, oh, she's gonna give us the $5 that we're owed. And that was not the case. It was like, we need you to pull your car a little bit more forward because it's out on the sidewalk. And we might get a ticket from the police if they do that. Which, by the way, I support, you know, the bravest or the finest or whatever the police officers are. But they've really made it hard to park in people's houses. They're blocking side streets. It's a whole thing. I used to have my whole routine, and I had my way that I would get in and out, and I face zero traffic, dude. Now they've blocked it. It's a whole thing. Anyways, so didn't get the change. We had to move the car, and I was worried that we were gonna miss out on the plushes because, again, we had to be part of the first 3,000 fans, as was initially advertised. So we get in there, and I'm looking around, I'm trying to figure out which gate is gonna have it, because I know, how are they gonna do four gates? How do they distribute one gates? Gonna get like 750 of these. So we go in and. And they. I have my two daughters, and they give us a plush, and then they give another plush. And then I'm waiting there, and they're like, no, it's just for kids. And I'm like, whoa, hold on a second. We have a party of eight that was coming to this thing. I. I wanted eight MIA plushes here. What I was gonna do with eight of them, I have no clue. That's something I was driving in is how do I get rid of eight stuffed animals? Do I know any children? Like, what do we do here? Who are we going to give these to? Because eight of the same thing is excessive. We can all agree on that. Then I look on the thing before I came in because I had a bone to pick before I came out to blast anyone. I checked it, and I saw that it was switched to the first 5,000 kids at some point in time, which was not what was advertised when we got the tickets.

[Billy Corben]

Wow. Skullduggery.

[Dan LeBatard]

Nevertheless, I saw a lot of happy children, so I was glad that they did it. But I also, you know, told our party of eight, you got to get there early if you want those stuffed animals. So then we were just there early for a really long time for no reason. So we did face painting. A good day was had by all.

[Mike Ryan]

Again with a good time was had by all.

[Dan LeBatard]

It was. It was a loss. Nice little comeback there in the 9th. We saw some people. I met two different people that recognized me named Felipe. Two separate Felipe's.

[Billy Corben]

Wow.

[Dan LeBatard]

It was fun. We took some pictures, met Billy the Marlin. It was a whole thing.

[Mike Ryan]

They were down seven nothing. They won the first two games of the series. Put it on the poll, please. At Lebatard show. Are you respecting the police? If you call them, quote, the bravest, finest or whatever they are, I don't remember them.

[Dan LeBatard]

And the firefighters one's the bravest one's the finest firefighters. One gets shot at, one has to fight blazes. They're both brave jobs, but one of them is not known as the bravest. They're known as the finest. And I'm not sure which one.

[Mike Ryan]

Also, that was clear from the way you phrased that. Put it on the poll as well. At Lebatar show. Do you know what a changa is? Because I believe you guys were accusing Mia of being from Hialeah.

[Greg Cody]

Also, I need.

[Dan LeBatard]

I need you to repeat that.

[Greg Cody]

That word.

[Dan LeBatard]

Yeah, you made it. Yeah.

[Greg Cody]

You made, like a. Okay.

[Dan LeBatard]

Thank you. Yeah, it sounded chimney.

[Billy Corben]

Like a.

[Mike Ryan]

Thank you. Thank you for that. I've been in this country a long time, so.

[Dan LeBatard]

Good. Plus, you've been in this country your whole life.

[Mike Ryan]

Well, no, I've been in and out of this country in parts of Western Canada. So is Bob a good name for a shark as well? Is a question that Bob the Shark.

[Dan LeBatard]

Was a menace in the great series. He would win almost every single race. It wasn't fun. Bob would always win. He was a villain.

[Mike Ryan]

Is. Is this Shark Week? Is this week Shark Week?

[Greg Cody]

Yeah, it started last night.

[Mike Ryan]

Okay. This is a very exciting time for me.

[Billy Corben]

Ron McGill hates Shark Week. Terrible.

[Mike Ryan]

Why would he hate Shark Week?

[Billy Corben]

Because it. It portrays sharks for all of the menace and danger and negativity. And he doesn't like that when. When. When we refer to animals as monsters and he thinks animals have a bad rap.

[Greg Cody]

He's a lobbyist for Big Shark.

[Billy Corben]

Yeah, it could be.

[Dan LeBatard]

He plays his favorites with the animals. We can agree on that, right? Like, he's not unbiased as far as it comes to animals.

[Mike Ryan]

He's biased in general, thinking that all animals get a bad rap, I think. Right.

[Billy Corben]

Yeah, he does. By the way, just as a. As an aside, I hope you don't mind me saying, but I have some big news regarding my and Ron's book, the Pride of Alliance. May I say. May I say the big news, because it's exciting to me.

[Dan LeBatard]

Movie option?

[Billy Corben]

No, not yet.

[Greg Cody]

Paperback?

[Billy Corben]

Not yet. It's come out in an audiobook. Oh, wow.

[Greg Cody]

That is huge news. Read by.

[Billy Corben]

It's. It's very. Read by. I forget the gentleman's name, but he did a great job. Okay. Because. No, no, listen. I expected Ron to do it, but for whatever reason, they. They went to a professional narrator.

[Dan LeBatard]

Why not Christopher?

[Mike Ryan]

Where is Christopher?

[Billy Corben]

He's in Las Vegas. He was there for a Backstreet Boys concert at the Sphere, and I think he's coming back tomorrow. I'm not positive, actually.

[Dan LeBatard]

He's back. They're saying.

[Billy Corben]

All right, all right.

[Mike Ryan]

Just decided.

[Billy Corben]

Tell me why. Yeah, he.

[Dan LeBatard]

He.

[Billy Corben]

You know, Christy, I think led that.

[Mike Ryan]

His wife, but just decided to not come into work today.

[Billy Corben]

Well, he can't do both. You know, it's tough to be at work occasionally.

[Greg Cody]

It's a summer.

[Mike Ryan]

Yeah.

[Greg Cody]

You can do vacation and Go watch the Backstreet Boys and take a long weekend. That's all right.

[Mike Ryan]

Is he coming in tomorrow?

[Billy Corben]

I have no idea. I'm not my son's keeper. He's a. He's a grown man.

[Mike Ryan]

Is he? But is he? Is he? Is he? Because you're not a grown man.

[Billy Corben]

Okay, back to me for a second.

[Dan LeBatard]

Hereditary. Back to you. Big news.

[Greg Cody]

Great flick.

[Billy Corben]

It's totally thrilling to hear a book you've written on audiobook. Like that was a cheap thrill for me. I listened to the first two chapters just to experience it, and it was wonderful. And also, the Pride of a Lion is now being distributed in South America, which is another big step.

[Dan LeBatard]

So in English or Spanish?

[Billy Corben]

In Spanish.

[Dan LeBatard]

Nice.

[Billy Corben]

So more than a year after its release, that book has generated enough interest to be republished in a couple of forms like that. And it's. It's very exciting. I'm very proud of that.

[Mike Ryan]

It is a failure that Ron McGill did not read that book. That's a disappointment. That would.

[Billy Corben]

He would have been great.

[Mike Ryan]

The. The audio. Our audience would have bought an audiobook read by Ron McGill. It's less of a sales item when you don't have it read by Ron McGill. If you'd read it, our audience would buy the audiobook. It. It. No matter how good the sound of the professional narrator, the fact that it's not one of you two will sell fewer books, not more.

[Dan LeBatard]

Do you get a cut of sale? Sorry for asking. Do you get a cut of sales? Because, like, right now, if you want on Amazon, it is 77% off. It's 584. So I don't know if that's good for you or bad for you.

[Billy Corben]

Such a deal. Yeah, I don't. I don't. I don't know. The finance.

[Mike Ryan]

77% off.

[Dan LeBatard]

Yeah. 584 right now. So, I mean, you don't like that bargain. I don't like that we need that price to go this way.

[Mike Ryan]

I hear that 77% off is basically free. I sent it to my house, put it on the poll. Juju at levittart show is 77% off basically free.

[Billy Corben]

It's crazy.

[Dan LeBatard]

It's also an editor's pick for best nonfiction.

[Billy Corben]

Okay, thank you. Thank you for that. I didn't know that. 77 Sunset Strip.

[Mike Ryan]

All right. Go ahead.

[Billy Corben]

Nothing. I thank Billy for that information. I didn't know it was an editor's pick.

[Mike Ryan]

Let me give you some information on some things that were. So. The last time the Dolphins won a playoff game, it was December 30th. Of the year 2000. Patrick Mahomes, who has 17 playoff wins since, was five years old. Andy Reid had one year of head coaching experience. Mike Ryan was a freshman in high school. Wikipedia didn't exist. Social media didn't exist. Tua was two years old. The ipod didn't exist. Castaway was released in theaters and I think this is the most shocking one. Greg Cody was 46 years old.

[Billy Corben]

A pup.

[Mike Ryan]

Greg Cody was in his spry prime complaining that his columns were running inside the Miami Herald because me and Edwin Pope were on the front page.

[Billy Corben]

That's true. That was technically before I became a full time columnist, which I think was in 93, but or no. Yeah, it was in 95. So I was a columnist, but I was still third string back then.

[Greg Cody]

I remember listening to that Lamour Smith playoff game on the radio. Yeah, there was no way to watch it on TV because it was a home game and it was blackout. Blacked out during the playoffs, which became routine. There was another playoff home game that was blacked out against I think Elvis Gerbach and the Baltimore Ravens.

[Billy Corben]

Elvis.

[Greg Cody]

But that was a. A great moment in time. I was still I had some loyalty to, to the Dolphins back then because the Browns had just reentered the NFL and during that time I was a Dolphin fan. So there was a. That was an exciting time around town. Wish I could have seen it. It was a great performance by Lamar Smith.

[Billy Corben]

40 carries. Man, did they run him into the ground.

[Mike Ryan]

Their present starting running back hadn't been born. Hadn't been born. The last time. He wouldn't know who Lamar Smith is. No, he wouldn't have. Hm. Would have. No idea who Lamar Smith is?

[Billy Corben]

Nope. Not unless he's a historian after the fact.

[Stugotz]

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.

[Dan LeBatard]

The summer is heating up with Marvel Studios, the Fantastic Four.

[Billy Corben]

Light em up, Johnny. This Friday, time to save the planet.

[Mike Ryan]

What's the plan?

[Stugotz]

Trust me, I hate that.

[Dan LeBatard]

Bad plan.

[Billy Corben]

Come on, Terrible. That's a stupid plan.

[Mike Ryan]

Prepare for Fantastic.

[Billy Corben]

We will face this together as a family.

[Dan LeBatard]

Marvel Studios, the Fantastic Four. First Steps only theaters Friday. Some material may be inappropriate for children under 13. Get tickets now.

[Mike Ryan]

Don LeBatard.

[Billy Corben]

My wife says this is a sexy voice.

[Dan LeBatard]

It really is. Yeah, I'm hard.

[Billy Corben]

Thank you. Wow.

[Mike Ryan]

Stugats.

[Billy Corben]

So am I, actually. I don't know why.

[Dan LeBatard]

This is the Dan Levatar show with the Stugats.

[Mike Ryan]

Let me get for a second here to this De Gordon Gordon sound, because D. Gordon, if you do not remember, was a. What other details do I need here? Billy, he was a leadoff man for the Marlins. He was brought in and had one very good season for the Marlins.

[Dan LeBatard]

So D. Gordon was a Marlin. He traded for him. He was part of, like, the, you know, 20, 15, 16, 17 run of the Marlins. Leadoff hitter, fun, energy guy, middle infielder. And he's one of the few Marlins who has won a batting title. Now, after he won the batting title, it was very exciting season. There were high expectations for Dee Gordon the following season. And then, much to everyone's surprise, because D. Gordon, you know, seems like he's 5 8, 135 pounds, was suspended for steroid use, which confused absolutely everyone. So D. Gordon was on a podcast recently, and he was talking about the season that he won the batting title and then subsequent season where he was suspended for steroids use.

[G]

So, look, I got suspended in 16 for steroids. Look at me, King. It look like I took steroids.

[Dan LeBatard]

Ain't no way I'm about to say ain't. 165A. No way he said 165.

[G]

Let me tell y', all, I ain't gonna say no name nothing. But let me just put it like this. 2015, they told my little black ass don't win that batting championship. And I said, y' all got me up.

[Dan LeBatard]

Damn. So you went out there and said, I'm gonna go get this little.

[Mike Ryan]

Little.

[Dan LeBatard]

This little championship trophy.

[G]

And they said, don't do.

[Dan LeBatard]

It was like a money thing for them.

[G]

Nah, it was a guy. I ain't gonna say a name. He would have won Triple crown if I let him win the batting title. The last day of the season, I beat him for the batting title. I went 3 for 4 with a home run. I ain't saying Kane can say it.

[Dan LeBatard]

I mean, it'll be easy.

[Greg Cody]

If it's what I'm thinking of, he.

[Billy Corben]

Won MVP that year.

[Dan LeBatard]

They didn't like that.

[G]

They called me a week before his battle.

[Greg Cody]

They didn't like that.

[G]

And I was like, man, I'm from Avon park, bro.

[Dan LeBatard]

I'm from. He said, I'm from Avon Park.

[Mike Ryan]

That is strange that he wouldn't mention Bryce Harper the way that Greg Cody wouldn't mention where he's vacationing in Western Canada.

[Billy Corben]

That's true.

[Greg Cody]

He also wouldn't mention who they is or the fact that he gained 13 pounds in that off season, which is roughly 8% of his entire body weight.

[Billy Corben]

Yeah, the mystery of they might be the big issue here, I think.

[Mike Ryan]

Is there going to be anyone who believes anything he's saying there? Because if you look at Dee Gordon, I think there was another. Well, you can't do this visually, because I remember a pitcher, Guillermo Moto, I think he was for the Dodgers. He. I mean, he was a string bean. Like, he. You can't do this based on. On muscles or even 13 pounds of weight gain. But nobody would have thought Dee Gordon famously couldn't hit home runs. Dee Gordon produced one of the most magical moments for the Marlins this century because he hit a home run after. Immediately after Jose Fernandez died. And he never hits home runs. How many? Fine for me. How many home runs Dee Gordon hit for the Marlins?

[Greg Cody]

Everybody was surprised when the first person to get caught under MLB's Performance Enhancing Policy was, I think this outfielder from Tampa Bay, Alex Sanchez. And he was rail thin. But again, the rail thin guys, it's always deceptive. And then you realize, wait, what did they play at the year before they got pinched? And then it all makes sense. Oh, he was just small to begin with.

[Dan LeBatard]

Guillermo Mota also was surprisingly large. He was six. He weighed 240. But he was six' six, which is why he was big.

[Mike Ryan]

He was tall. But I don't believe that listing of 240. I don't believe it. Because if you showed. If I show you a photo of Guillermo Mota, you will see that that is not a person who looks like he is on steroids.

[Roy Bellamy]

D going to hit seven home runs as a moment.

[Mike Ryan]

That sound, incidentally, was from the Raw Room podcast. We should start crediting people when we use their sound.

[Dan LeBatard]

I would also say that I'm not questioning whether or not that story is real to Dee Gordon, but his recollection of the name he wouldn't mention possibly winning a Triple Crown was slightly off in that Bryce Harper hit.330 that year. He hit.333. He was tied for home runs with 42, but he only had 99 RBI, where Nolan Arenado had.130. So he would have had to have a very big last day of the season to. To win the Triple Crown.

[Billy Corben]

Lawyer.

[Mike Ryan]

Okay, so there it is. That would seem to be an untrue story that Dee Gordon was telling me.

[Dan LeBatard]

Come on, Memories. You know how they go. All of a sudden you remember you had 40, some odd home runs. He had some odd.99 RBI.

[Billy Corben]

Yeah, raw room. Got to set that record straight. Oh, I hate to say it, but you can't let a guy get away with that. Somebody got to step up and say he lost the RBI race by 31. But if you tie, because this happened to Karl Yostremsky in 1967, my original hero. If you tie for home runs, you still get the Triple Crown.

[Mike Ryan]

Tell us more about your original hero, Carl Yastremsky.

[Billy Corben]

I mean, in 1967, the impossible dream. You know, Greg Cody is 12 years old going on 13. It was my entree into loving sports, into loving baseball. I was from Massachusetts. I went to a few games as a kid at Fenway after the fact, because we moved there when I was three. But, yeah, Yaz was my first hero. Along with Willie Mays, I had an AL guy and an NL guy. The say hey, kid and Yaz were both my heroes. And years later, when a feminine product named itself Yaz, I was very, very upset. Nothing against feminine products, but they were usurping the name of my childhood hero, which I didn't like. To this day. I hope the product I'm listing has gone out of business, but that's a diversion from what I'm talking about. Everybody's got a magical. Everybody's got a magical hero. Mine in 1967, Yaz, son of a potato farmer, this guy. That's also. I read the Yaz book. First book I ever read as a kid, other than assigned books in school, was Yaz, the Potato Farmer's Son. And that wasn't the title of it, which would have been funny. But, you know, I've always had a place in my heart for Yaz. He's now in his late 70s. He's iconic, but yet he's a recluse. He's not one of the 45 to 50 hall of Famers invited every year. Living hall of Famers invited every year to hall of Fame weekend, which is in a few days. Never shows up. Never shows up. Dropped completely out of sight, in good health. As far as I know because his son, his grandson Mike is now in the big leagues, and I've seen them photographed together within the past couple years. So God bless you. As.

[Mike Ryan]

Put it on the poll. At Lebatard show. He's winded from how much carrying the show. I'm sweating carrying the show so far. Put it on the poll, please. At Lebatar. At Lebatard show. Did you know that Yaz was a feminine hygiene product?

[Greg Cody]

He's also.

[Dan LeBatard]

He's also almost 90, Greg. Not in his late 70s.

[Mike Ryan]

You're almost.

[Dan LeBatard]

You're almost in your late 70s.

[Billy Corben]

Wait a minute. Yes. Is almost 90.

[Dan LeBatard]

He's 85.

[Billy Corben]

You know, you're right. I did know he was in his 80s. That was amazing. Misspeak by me.

[Mike Ryan]

I will also say that the. The last time the Dolphins won a playoff game because he. He mentioned that he's hoping that Yaz is now out of business. In the time since the Dolphins won a playoff game, itunes was formed and then died. So the entire lifespan of itunes has happened in the time since the Dolphins last won a playoff game. Which did you like best from among all of those stats? TUA was two old. Mike Ryan was a freshman. HN hadn't been born. Social media didn't exist. Wikipedia didn't exist. That. That's a lot. And Greg Cody was 46 years old.

[Greg Cody]

That's my favorite one.

[Mike Ryan]

That's still the best one.

[Greg Cody]

It's beyond comprehension.

[Billy Corben]

Are you sure social media didn't exist in 2000?

[Greg Cody]

Yeah, for sure.

[Billy Corben]

Is that true?

[Greg Cody]

100.

[Billy Corben]

That surprises me.

[Greg Cody]

Now. The most social media thing that we had was AOL chat rooms.

[Billy Corben]

Okay.

[Greg Cody]

I guess Geocities message boards, but no real social media.

[Billy Corben]

I think I would. I think I would vote for that one. That surprises me.

[Mike Ryan]

Mike, why did you get beat by TMZ sports on the big giant, um, story that the Cavender twins were getting breasts? The TMZ sports.

[Greg Cody]

Why did I get beat on that already? That was my beat. The.

[Mike Ryan]

The.

[Greg Cody]

The, um, the Cavender twin breast augmentation. Others can have that scoop. That's. Go right ahead.

[Mike Ryan]

Let's play for the people. The video here. It doesn't have audio of the Tkachuk wedding. The Tkachuk wedding. Matthew Tkachuk is here. And also, is it a scoop if.

[Greg Cody]

They just take a selfie video saying, hey, we're getting boobs?

[Mike Ryan]

That is Keith Tkachuk being lifted. Are there shirtless people there? Tell me about. Oh, his belly's coming out from under the dress shirt under there. Big Walt. Oh, my God. A Hockey wedding. I can't even imagine how much fun those people. A champion hockey wedding. Tkachuk's wedding with all his teammates there. What kind of lunacy was that thing?

[Greg Cody]

Just the Kachuks, just. Just the Kachuk family being there. I'm sure it's a rager. And this is a nice little opportunity to say that before this run all started, Matthew Keith Kachuk, Matthew Tkachuk's father gave an interview and he basically called out the entire team, including the head coach, Paul Maurice, for being soft.

[Roy Bellamy]

The music in the background in that video was Pink Pony Club, which was the celebratory music that the Edmonton Oil is played.

[Billy Corben]

Oh, that's a good.

[Greg Cody]

We took that chapel Roan and we took that song.

[Billy Corben]

Thank you. Thank you, Billy. The only thing you took the headline. The headline of that video, by the way, was six Panthers injured lifting 270 pound men.

[Greg Cody]

It's a little heavier than his playing days. No doubt as a Panther fan it did warm the cockles of your heart watching Brandon Montour and Ryan Lomberg there. A bunch of former teammates still a part of the core nucleus that still by all accounts and is a very close team. And we wonder to see what's going to happen with Matthew Tkachuk. Reputable reporters are out there saying there's no way he plays at the start of the season. I think there's going to be some. This is the last year that they can do it. Manipulate the cap a little bit, have him wait to get his surgery.

[Mike Ryan]

You would not need him all season. Why would you play him all season? You could get all your players healthy. The thing that the Panthers can do, and this seems insane to say, it seems like a truly insane thing to say, but of all the crazy things they did in architecture of going from a team that was the best they had in offensively in the. In the history of the sport, was it not during the regular season and certainly in Panthers history? They blow that up because that can't play in the playoffs. And they have proven over the last two years that they can absolutely find an elevated place to play and can coast through the regular season like a basketball team where they don't have to worry about whether their seeding is one or third. They could go load management with surgeries and everything else. They can only do it for one more year, but they can do it for one more year.

[Roy Bellamy]

Well, as far as Tkachuk is concerned, I wouldn't be surprised if he got surgery because he's aiming to play in the Olympics in 2026 in Milan, so I wouldn't be surprised he got surgery.

[Greg Cody]

Well, there, there is also the, the little nugget that came out from guys that cover the league really well that he actually tore his groin. Not playing in the fight with Brendan Hagel, the iconic, but three fights in the first nine seconds. That fight appears to be where Matthew Tkachuk got hurt.

[Mike Ryan]

I mean, that dude, the last two playoffs has been out there like a torso on skates.

[Greg Cody]

Two of the last three, he definitely had that sternum injury, came back, had a game winning assist and the only win that the Panthers had in their history in the Stanley Cup Final up until that point. Just one of the gutsiest performances ever. And he was very clearly Florida's best player in year one of their run last year. He, I know he was hurt, but in terms of effectiveness and he came on a little bit later in the playoffs, probably top seven contributor. This team was so deep, so good. You have a pretty natural offensive minded forward in Mackie that can come in and pick up some of that productivity.

[Mike Ryan]

Okay. An asinine thing to say. Even though it's so asinine that maybe the best trade in South Florida sports history netted what was their seventh best player last year. And I ask you this, Roy, because even though he's a young player and they've got him in the middle or at the beginning of an eight year contract extension, he's small. And once the body starts breaking in a number of places, it often breaks in a number of more places. Do you expect Tkachuk to get back to what it is that we once saw from him at the very start of all this? Because he's been, and I don't even blame him, it's the sport, it's how he plays it and it's his size. So I understand, but his body's breaking down.

[Greg Cody]

I'll hand it over to Roy. I think his reputation and his star is kind of outshined even his own performance. Even though he's still a very good player, a very good American player. I don't think he's the better of the two Kachuks. I think there's even a considerable goal between the two. But I think Matthew Tkachuk will age well in that the injuries are a conversation. And yes, he's got a smaller frame, but this is not a player that's ever really relied on his athleticism. He's very slow.

[Billy Corben]

Yes.

[Roy Bellamy]

Yeah, he's the slowest. He's the slowest skater in the league, really.

[Billy Corben]

But because you could make an argument that he's the best American player with that personality that makes him. That's half of his stardom is being American and having a great personality.