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Dan LeBatard
Close your eyes. Exhale. Feel your body relax, and let go of whatever you're carrying today.
Ad Voice
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Dan LeBatard
And breathe.
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Greg Cody
1-800-contacts.
Ad Voice
This is the Dan Levatar show with the Stugats podcast.
Stugats
Just when I'm, like, about ready to. To really sink my teeth into this Heat team and start to believe that they can do something and even. Even fake excitement about it, you know, you've won three in a row. You're going into Milwaukee, and I get it. Milwaukee's had a good February. Whatever you're going into Milwaukee. You got a chance here to beef up the record a little bit. And then you have that stinker of a fourth quarter last night. And I'm just reminded how completely average this team is. Like, that was, like, that was frustrating last night, right? Go to Milwaukee. Beat the stupid Bucks. Give me a little bit excited here. You know, that kind of performance. And like, I'm. I can't. I can't get wrapped up in it.
Greg Cody
Yeah, disappointing loss for sure. Definitely disappointing. They couldn't get any stops on the defensive end kind of from the beginning of the game. Like, they just really weren't as physical as they usually are defensively.
Stugats
Were we up 12 at the beginning of the fourth early?
Greg Cody
They got up 8. They got up 8 at the beginning of the fourth quarter. And then it was back to back threes in the span of about 15 seconds that forced a timeout. And the frustrating part down the stretch was like, not only could the Heat not get a field goal, they were getting to the line, but they just could not stop Milwaukee. And that wasn't even a product of. Of personnel. It was their starters on the floor. Milwaukee just kept spamming the same play over and over again. They got hot, and the Heat couldn't make threes, didn't make their free throws. They were up two with, I think, like, two minutes left, and Andrew Wiggins missed two free throws, and they couldn't close it out. And it was a really disappointing loss. Cause you want to continue that momentum. Like, if you have to pick a win this week between Milwaukee and Philly, it's obviously Philly because that's the team you're chasing, but you want to continue what was happening. If you're going to try to get yourself excited about a run.
Sid
Didn't you say earlier this week, don't let them win, too?
Greg Cody
I did because I said I would be insufferable. I didn't say they were going to do anything.
Roy
So, like, are we.
Sid
Don't let him win one now.
Dave
We're good. No, we're good.
Roy
No, we're good.
Greg Cody
I won't be insufferable.
Dave
You won't be insufferable.
Dan LeBatard
Okay, good.
Ad Voice
Yeah.
Greg Cody
Congratulations. You should actually be celebrating.
Roy
Jeremy, when you say that they couldn't stop anybody in Milwaukee, remember, Giannis is not playing. They couldn't stop Kevin Porter Jr. They couldn't stop Ryan Rollins. They couldn't stop Bob Porter.
Greg Cody
Not Ryan Rollins, man.
Roy
Good player.
Greg Cody
Good player.
Roy
They couldn't stop Kyle Kuzma. Those are the guys that we're talking about. Kyle Kuzma couldn't stop.
Greg Cody
He was hot to start the game. No, I mean, that was hot.
Dan LeBatard
They.
Greg Cody
The. The two of. Of them, between Rollins and Kevin Porter Jr. Were both really, really good last night, but it was more the defensive scheme. Like, they just didn't. The Heat did not play well. They didn't hit threes, they turned the
Sid
ball over a lot.
Greg Cody
They played poorly defensively, and they lost the game to a team that's now won seven of their last nine and is.
Stugats
I don't want to hear about the Bucks.
Roy
That's what I told him.
Greg Cody
Finish my.
Roy
Then him walked in this morning. He's like, the Bucks are playing well. I was like, they suck.
Greg Cody
Okay, but team sucks. Okay, but they are playing well.
Stugats
Like, I mean, does that team suck?
Dave
That team sucks.
Stugats
Yeah, come on.
Greg Cody
But they're playing well. And it's a matter of where you meet teams at what time you go on the road. You lose to a team, it's not a good loss.
Stugats
I didn't know where that team sucked.
Greg Cody
I didn't try to say it was a good loss. Buck suck.
Stugats
Yeah, he know.
Dan LeBatard
Dave knows about.
Greg Cody
No, I get it. I. All I was trying to finish the sentence was saying they're playing well enough to maybe get that 10 seed and let Giannis have an opportunity to get to the play in, which would be kind of fun.
Sid
I think we learned something from yesterday to today. Greg Cody showed up, still with the goatee, basically accepting the praise of Sid, our guest yesterday. Zaz goes against the man in the mirror by wearing a hat. I thought you just declared yesterday that when you're in the king's chair, the throne. You treat it with respect.
Dave
Yes.
Sid
And act like Kingpin. Show up bald. Maybe.
Stugats
Maybe I didn't like everyone laughing at me. All right, that's so bad.
Sid
King Kong.
Stugats
A little self conscious.
Dan LeBatard
And maybe I didn't realize that Sid was being facetious when he was complimenting my goatee.
Sid
He wasn't.
Stugats
I don't think he was.
Greg Cody
No. That's a good goatee.
Roy
Fifteen years younger, Greg.
Dan LeBatard
I know, but that.
Stugats
See, that part's a little bit facetious. 15 years younger. Like, what's he trying to tell you?
Dan LeBatard
He said 18. No, when I listen to it back, which I do, all.
Sid
You listen to it.
Dan LeBatard
I listen to it back.
Ad Voice
Jack.
Sid
Ask him how many times he listens to his own podcast throughout the week.
Dan LeBatard
And you know, the Greg Cody Show.
Stugats
You listen to your podcast back as well?
Dan LeBatard
I listen to it twice every week.
Dave
Why?
Sid
Through different ears. Dad, talk it.
Stugats
Why?
Dan LeBatard
I'm going to tell you why I listen to it. First of all, I listen on 1.5, so. Okay, quickly. I listened to it back the first time.
Stugats
I've never done that, by the way, with anything. I listen to people. People say they think and that it's a great little 1.5.
Sid
Yeah. I do advocate for listening back to yourself periodically and with some distance. Don't do it immediately after. I'm a big 1.5.
Roy
Only way to do it.
Sid
Yeah.
Roy
Gotta go through it quick.
Dan LeBatard
No, the reason is the first time I listen to a back. I try to listen as a listener. Like, I don't listen to it critically. I'm like, okay, what is the listener hearing? Is he enjoying it? Is it funny? Is it good?
Stugats
And do you do this right after you. Rather it comes out?
Dan LeBatard
Yeah. Generally it comes out every Monday. I generally hear it Monday. And then the next day I listen to it critically. Like, what did we miss? What should we have done?
Stugats
Critical year.
Dan LeBatard
Yeah. And. And that's what I do. And then the third time, I listen to the YouTube version the third time.
Dave
Now, Greg, I'm with you on this 100%. I will listen to Cinephobe every time it drops. Now, the difference is our episodes dropped, like weeks after we recorded it. So everything is kind of on a delay. So I do have some distance, but I will listen. And I listen at one time speed because I want to know, are you
Sid
as a listener, are you as a producer?
Dave
A little bit of both.
Sid
Like, you could kill two birds there.
Ad Voice
I don't know why.
Sid
My dad does two different. Listen.
Stugats
It's a mindset.
Greg Cody
So.
Dave
So because I have some distance, though, it's easier to do that because when I'm listening, it's like I don't even remember what we were talking about. So I'm laughing, and sometimes I'll be in a sense where like, oh, man, this setup, man, I should have just come in with a slam dunk right here and said this. And then I'll say it on the pod. I'm like, oh, my God. Same note, too, to myself from three weeks ago. It's a great feeling to know that I'm consistent like that.
Dan LeBatard
Yes.
Dave
Now, the watching of the YouTube, that one might be a little much.
Stugats
Glovain.
Dan LeBatard
Lil Vane. Yeah.
Stugats
You think so?
Dave
Will Vane.
Stugats
Lil Vane.
Dan LeBatard
Yeah.
Sid
Just trying to get the nose. I guess the bottom line is, do you like what you're hearing, Greg? Cody, when you do your critical. Well, which is your favorite? Is it when you listen as a listener, as you just described, and then you give it your critical ear, what does the critical ear detect that improves the show?
Dan LeBatard
I'll give you an example from the current episode where we're live at Gulfstream park watching my horse run for the first time. And the critical ear was like, wow, all I hear is the wind. It was. It was windy and. And the mic was picking up.
Stugats
The sound team didn't do a good job.
Sid
So in hindsight, you would have said, hey, wind cut it off.
Dan LeBatard
Yeah, exactly.
Roy
How'd the horse do, Greg?
Dan LeBatard
Not good.
Roy
That.
Dan LeBatard
Well, no.
Sid
You know, it could have.
Roy
What?
Dan LeBatard
Middle of the pack would have finished last. Dead last.
Stugats
So what happens now? You put it down. What happens?
Dan LeBatard
Yeah.
Roy
Glue factory.
Dan LeBatard
Yeah.
Dave
Really?
Dan LeBatard
No.
Dave
Gonna have a bad day.
Sid
He put it in his own bed. The head of the horse.
Roy
Own bed.
Sid
The episode ends with him putting it down.
Dan LeBatard
Well, the problem was, we learn after the fact that there was a physical excuse.
Stugats
Shocking With a horse.
Sid
So I like that we call it destroying the horse. I don't know if that helps. If it makes it feel more humane
Dave
to us to destroy it.
Sid
We destroyed the horse.
Dave
I mean, like, who says that?
Stugats
You know, that is the terminology. Yeah.
Sid
When a thoroughbred gets put down, they say, we destroyed the hors.
Roy
Yeah.
Dave
They don't say put down.
Stugats
No. He had to be destroyed.
Dan LeBatard
Only dogs get put down or euthanized.
Dave
We say destroyed.
Sid
None of that sounds good.
Dave
Makes me think it's an object. It's not a. It's not a.
Sid
Well, I think that's what we're saying.
Stugats
I think that is what it is to a lot of these people.
Dave
Like the Death Star, like The Death Star Guide.
Roy
It was like he destroyed the horse.
Dave
What happened to the horse? Destroyed the horse.
Dan LeBatard
The problem with racehorses is they're very fragile. They're extremely fragile. More so than human athletes.
Stugats
Well, whose fault was it that it came in last?
Dan LeBatard
It had only run one race in its. In her. It's a Philly in her career, and not for 10 months. So she. Although she had been training with Bill Mott, a Kentucky Derby winning trainer, Bill
Stugats
Guy didn't do Bill Mott thought she
Dan LeBatard
was ready, and apparently she wasn't. But she needed to run. She needed the practice, so to speak.
Stugats
So what's the outlook?
Dan LeBatard
She hit the gate. Coming out of the gate. She immediately crashed into the gate. And that's no good.
Sid
It was a disaster from the. Like. It wasn't like there was hope. And she faded. It was like last place the entire time. 2020 hindsight. 2020 hindsight. But you should not have had Chris as jockey. Yeah, I think that would be the first change I would make.
Stugats
Do you know how to ride a horse?
Sid
I've ridden a horse.
Stugats
Does anyone here know how to ride a horse?
Dave
What's so hard?
Roy
I'm sworn off horses.
Dave
Don't. He almost died.
Roy
Almost died in the horse in Dominican Republic.
Dave
Diablo, you gu. This is a great story.
Sid
Is it your honeymoon?
Roy
No, it was not my honeymoon. I was like 12 years old, 13 years old. And we go to Dominican Republic. Used to go every single year to Punta Cana. And one of the times my parents were like, hey, let's go horseback riding the mountains. And we're like, all right, cool. I'm 13. I don't know, whatever. So we get to this. This. This ranch up in the mountains, and they've got a couple horses. And obviously I'm a big kid. Like, I've always been a big kid my whole life at 13, even at 13. So they kind of look at me and they're like, we can't put them on a smaller horse. We got to put them on kind of a bigger horse. And look over and they're like, gonna put you on that one over there. That one had its own pen. So it's by itself. The other horses are in the other.
Stugats
It's got like the Hannibal Lecter mask.
Ad Voice
Yeah.
Roy
Kind of had like a leather thing on it with the blinders. And I was like, okay, whatever. Pull it up. So we start going down this grove of maybe a mile long of grove until it goes to, like, this cliff. And then you go down the cliff and you go into the. Into The. To the beach. So the cliff. Imagine a row of a mile long of just palm trees on each side with just, like, mangroves. And then we're going down. So we're all in a line together, maybe 15 horses. We're going down. Dominican guy in the front leading the pack, and everybody else, all the tourists in the back. So one of the guys, one of the families that we were with, the husband, was like, hey, can I go and, like, run my horse a little bit? I ride horses. Like, can I go do it? The guy's like, yeah, for sure. Go do it. So the horse gets out of line, and he starts going. And my horse sees that, like, looks through the line, is like, oh, wait a second, it's on now. So he comes out of line. Remember, I'm 13 years old. I've ridden a horse maybe, like, three or four times in my life. This horse starts going like, we're in the Kentucky Derby. And I'm sitting there, and we're getting to the cliff. So the cliff is, like, half mile away now, a quarter mile away. And this guy is not slowing down. He passes the horse now that originally started running. He's gone. And it's just me in the cliff.
Stugats
Is anyone on the trail yelling, yes, but they're. So you do something.
Roy
They're so far behind that all I can hear is the commotion of yelling.
Stugats
Yeah.
Roy
And not, like, an actual task.
Sid
Your mom screaming.
Roy
My mom scream, everybody.
Stugats
Did you consider just bailing?
Roy
So this is what I'm thinking. I'm like, 13. I'm like, all right, I can see the cliff maybe 100 yards away.
Stugats
I don't know if this.
Roy
If this horse has a death wish and it's going to fling me a thousand feet to my death. So I have to be like, all right, I might have to jump off this thing. But we're going, like, 30 miles. We are flying. And at a certain point, I'm like, all right, I can't do that. That's crazy, because all it is is, like, shards of glass and rock and whatever. And I'm like, I'm going to shards of glass.
Sid
Yeah. Because people like you've added that to the story. I feel like there wasn't shards of glass. Shards of glass just around in the Dominican.
Stugats
Can you lie?
Roy
No, because listen, listen.
Stugats
Why?
Sid
I believe the rocks part.
Roy
There was. Listen, there was trash inside the mangroves because I guess locals and stuff, they
Dave
drank and they throw the bottles.
Roy
Exactly right. Thank you. I'm telling you, there were shards of glass. I remember looking down There said, Chris,
Dave
you throw a bottle of glass.
Sid
Bottles, snakes, like shards.
Roy
But I would be lying if I said snakes. I'm telling the truth, that they're shards of glass.
Sid
Go on.
Roy
The reason why we finally slowed down and I didn't get flung to my death is because of the trash. So the horse starts realizing, oh, wait a second, there's something I can eat here in this trash. So he starts slowing down, and I find we're like, maybe a good 65 yards from the cliff where I would have, you know, been flung off. So we start getting into the mangroves, and I'm getting, like, hit by the mangroves.
Sid
I'm like, ah, ah.
Roy
And the horse starts eating stuff in the thing. Come to find out, his name was El Diablo, which means the devil.
Dan LeBatard
Perfect. So did you have reins to pull?
Roy
Yo, I had reins, Greg. I was pulling them.
Sid
Okay.
Roy
I was pulling them.
Sid
He.
Roy
He was fighting through Diablo.
Sid
Listen to Greg. He's looking for a new purchase.
Greg Cody
This.
Roy
I don't know if this horse is still around. He was probably a long time ago.
Dan LeBatard
Yeah, he's probably a little agent.
Roy
Yeah.
Sid
Greatest birthday party in the history of my life was Mo Dam. My mother, as I was a big lone Ranger guy growing up. And when I was five, we. She got a horse. I don't know how she did it in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. Got a horse to come over to the house with a trainer. The horse didn't just show up.
Stugats
Oh. Maybe she just convinced the horse and
Sid
had a human handler. A human handler brought a horse to the house. And me and my pals, we got to do a horse ride around the house. It was the greatest. It was the greatest. It's all been downhill ever since.
Dan LeBatard
No, horses are great.
Roy
I don't trust them. Don't.
Dan LeBatard
So you shouldn't trust them. But they're wonderful animals.
Greg Cody
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Stugats
You know, as a guy, we start to get up there in age and all of a sudden the energy that we used to have when we were younger just isn't there anymore. I mean, I'm 45 years old now. I may look like I'm still 35, but I don't feel like I'm 35 anymore. So when the new year came around, I had to find something to get energized again. And that's why now I'm taking Mars Men as it unlocks usable testosterone. So I'm feeling like myself again. That's right, my body, it makes testosterone, but a lot of it gets locked up, gets hidden away and it can't be used. So I learned there's this protein called shbg. It handcuffs your testosterone. Well, Mars Men is designed to free up that lock testosterone. And now my body can actually use it. Mars Men supports healthy T levels, energy and stamina. We're talking eight naturally clinically dosed ingredients made in the USA, 90 day money back guarantee. So there's no risk. Worst case, you don't absolutely love it. You get your money back. For a limited time, our listeners get 50% off for life plus free shipping and three free gifts@ Mengotomars.com it's a perfect way to kick off the new year strong. That's men. Go2Mars.com for 50% off and three free gifts at checkout. After you purchase, they will ask you where you heard about them. Please support our show. Tell them our show sent you. Don LeBatard.
Dan LeBatard
I want to address Tony and all men who would wear that shirt in public.
Stugats
Stugats don't do it. This is the Don lebatar show with the stugats. So I did a poor job yesterday. I felt bad about this because. Okay, you got in your jokes. You good?
Greg Cody
All right.
Stugats
So I did a poor job yesterday because Greg was in with us yesterday. He's in with us on Tuesdays and Wednesdays. And I did not ask, like everybody knows. I went to Vegas two weekends ago. I think we asked me how my trip was and no one asked Greg how his trip was to Vegas this past. You were in Vegas this past weekend?
Dan LeBatard
I was. We were there at the Sphere, stayed at the Venetian, walked over to the Sphere, saw the eagles and.
Stugats
Because you weren't sure who you were going to see at the Sphere originally,
Dan LeBatard
I, I was not positive. Yeah. Nor did I know where we were staying. Love the Venetian right up the street.
Stugats
Venetian's great.
Dan LeBatard
From Harrah's. We walked to Harrah's and I saw Big Elvis. He said, you guys know Big Elvis?
Stugats
No. What is that?
Dan LeBatard
He's like a £450 Elvis impersonator who has a residency at.
Sid
At Harrah's and he sits and performs.
Greg Cody
That's where Dan is right now.
Dan LeBatard
I was slow catching up to that. Well done, Jeremy.
Ad Voice
Like your horse.
Greg Cody
Thank you.
Dan LeBatard
And no, we had Big Elvis on our podcast a couple of years ago. So I went up to him reintroduced myself.
Greg Cody
He did not remember you.
Dan LeBatard
Yeah, he did. He claimed he did. Oh, there he is. Hey, how you doing? Big.
Sid
What are you talking to a photo?
Dan LeBatard
I know. I literally am.
Dave
Sometimes you got to do that.
Dan LeBatard
Vegas was great. I had heard Dan consistently saying lately that Vegas is going downhill.
Stugats
I thought there it was well enough attended when I was there.
Dan LeBatard
I did too. Yeah, I did too. I mean, there were lines at every restaurant. It was crazy, crazy popular, crazy crowded.
Sid
Your first sphere experience, correct?
Dan LeBatard
It was.
Stugats
And how is that?
Dan LeBatard
It changed my whole attitude about the sphere.
Sid
Because you poo pooed it on the front end. You're like doing too much. Don't need all the bells and whistles.
Dan LeBatard
I thought it would be very distracting. Like I'm there to listen to the Eagles. One of my favorite.
Stugats
Now where were you sitting? Because in the sphere, it's not. I think it's not like a given that you want to sit all the way up front. I think there's something to wanting to sit higher up.
Dan LeBatard
Yes, we were. I don't know the Sphere well enough to know what everything's called, but we were like on a mezzanine level.
Sid
200 level is probably where you were.
Dan LeBatard
Okay, that's probably where.
Ad Voice
But.
Dan LeBatard
But we were overlooking the stage. They were really good seats and. But the presentation that they do is almost ineffably astounding because it's. It's probably all AI, but you see the entire 180 degrees and they start off with. It's like a hotel California scene where you see all these sites from California, the Hollywood sign and the oceans over here, and it's just astoundingly real.
Stugats
You seem to be very moved by this experience.
Dan LeBatard
Yes, I was. Because it doesn't affect the music. It doesn't affect your ability.
Sid
It enhances.
Dan LeBatard
Yeah, it doesn't affect your ability to appreciate the sound.
Sid
What drugs were you on? I was just going to ask. Tripping. What were you doing?
Dan LeBatard
I felt like I was like. That was the experience. But it was wonderful.
Roy
Just 14 Miller Lights.
Dan LeBatard
It wasn't that many.
Sid
No, a couple of things. First of all, this is snobby. And it's unclear whether or not this is the case. Is it Eagles or the Eagles?
Greg Cody
Because Talking Heads.
Sid
Talking Heads is properly talk, not the Talking Heads. And there are a lot of people who will advocate.
Stugats
It's a good question.
Sid
It's just Eagles, right?
Stugats
Cause like Foo Fighters is Foo Fighters. Not the Foo Fighters. It's Foo Fighters.
Dan LeBatard
Okay. And it's Eagles.
Sid
I see.
Stugats
Oh, really? No, the.
Dan LeBatard
It's Eagles.
Sid
I think that's correct. The Beatles, though.
Dave
Dave, Dave, you dropped the. The. It's a lot cleaner.
Sid
I hear you, right, that you want to. Yeah. You want to grease the skids a little bit. But the other thing is with the Eagles or Eagles, that it's funny that you as a Floridian dig them, because I have said before, there are a lot of people who don't love Eagle. Eagles or the Eagles. Now it's in my head now. It's ruining the conversation.
Stugats
You think it's just Eagles, but Eagles
Sid
or the Eagles I consider to be the ultimate. You know how we have system QBs. They only thrive in certain circumstances. Bands only work for my ears in certain circumstances. And the Eagles are, for me, the ultimate system band. I don't. I didn't love the Eagles growing up in Pittsburgh or going to college or anything, but when you're driving at sunset on the 405, when you're driving on PCH and you're driving down and the sun is setting over the Pacific and you put on Take it to the Limit, yeah. It's the optimal song you could be playing in that environment. And they are therefore the greatest system band. But you dug them here while looking out at the Atlantic, eh?
Dan LeBatard
I did, yeah. I think they're a national band for me. You know, two generations ago, three generations ago, it was. The Beach Boys were always considered the. The American band.
Sid
That's a great conversation, too, because I think REM has now overtaken both. But I'm sorry, didn't mean.
Stugats
Really?
Dan LeBatard
Atlanta Zone. No, they're not Atlanta. Where are they from? Athens. I think they're a niche band. I like R.E.M.
Sid
so Eagles is your number one greatest American band of all. Like, you went to the Eagles mainly because mom wanted to go.
Ad Voice
I feel like this is two America.
Dan LeBatard
She's a bigger fan than. Well, I think.
Sid
Go ahead, Roy.
Dan LeBatard
Who do you like, Roy? Earth, Wind and Fire. What do you got?
Roy
Oh, yeah.
Ad Voice
Earth, Wind and Fire is excellent. Excellent.
Stugats
Dave in the gang. I think if the Eagles were Greg's favorite band, he would have known for sure that's who they were going to Vegas to see.
Dan LeBatard
Well, here's the thing. We've seen the Eagles before because your wife.
Sid
I think you're just latching on to Mom's fandom for the Eagles right now.
Dan LeBatard
Does she like the Eagles more than me? If we're gonna, like, have a weight.
Sid
You didn't know you were going to
Greg Cody
see them in Vegas?
Dan LeBatard
I wasn't sure it'd be like, if.
Stugats
When I'm going with my son up to Boston to go see Pearl Jams, like, who are you going to? I think we're going to see Pearl Jam.
Dan LeBatard
Okay, but. But you have blinder or equine blinders on when it comes to Pearl Jam.
Stugats
I know. They're my favorite.
Dan LeBatard
I like a lot of different groups and types of music.
Stugats
Right.
Greg Cody
We need to get younger, say, Drew Ski.
Stugats
So I want to bring something up that I saw yesterday that I. I hope we can start giving more attention to. And this is just a Jumping off points when we're talking about local athletes who are beloved here. Like, Dave brought up yesterday when we talked, like, what position group is the best down here, you know? And soccer forward. We talk about Marino, obviously, and Dwyane Wade. But I'm gonna tell you something. We better start having a conversation about Alexander Barkov. All right, you see Alexander Barkov yesterday. He's been. He's been very involved for years now. I mean, what's he been on the team, by the way? For 13 years?
Dan LeBatard
Like nine or 10. Nine or 10, I think.
Sid
Yeah.
Stugats
I thought he was drafting, like, 13. Maybe. Maybe you're right. He's been down here forever. It's the only team he's played for and for a very long time. He is extremely generous and charitable with his time with the Joe DiMaggio Children's Hospital, which, by the way, like, it takes a special kind of dude, I think, a special kind of person, period. But when you're an athlete and you're devoting your time to going and spending time with sick kids, okay, it's a. That is a special type of person.
Dave
And when you say sick kids, are they nice with it, or are you talking about sick, like, ill?
Stugats
I'm talking about ill.
Dave
Okay, Ill. Do you mean, like, ill, like in the 80s, yo, that kid is like. Or do you mean, like.
Stugats
I mean, he is in a very unfortunate circumstance. Got it.
Dave
Okay.
Stugats
It takes a really special type of dude, all right, to devote their free time to being around and trying to make a great day for sick children. And he spends a lot of time at that. I mean, the place that he took the Stanley cup was to the Joe DiMaggio Children's Hospital. And yesterday they unveiled that he made a. They didn't give the exact number, but a seven plus figure, digit, figure donation that he personally made to the. The hospital yesterday. And they named, like, like, an area, like a wing in the hospital they named after him. He's crying up there at the honor that he's received. And this is a guy who shows zero emotion.
Greg Cody
All right.
Stugats
It's part of what makes him so great.
Sid
I believe he says. And we don't have the video, but he says in it, I don't think I've ever cried. Yeah. This is the first time I've cried.
Stugats
Yeah. And I just. I. I hope. And granted, the Panthers winning the Stanley cup the last couple years plays a major part, and that's great. But I hope that we overall start to really acknowledge this person for how great he is and what he does in this community, and yesterday was a really good time to bring that up.
Greg Cody
He's a kind guy, and he spends genuine time with those kids. One of my campers at Camp Fiesta, which is that summer camp for children with cancer that I'm a part of. Kaden, he's a patient at Joe DiMaggio Children's Hospital, and he was one of the kids who last year actually gave Barkov, like, an award that they had created for him. And the way Kaden talks about Alexander Barkov is as if they are truly friends, because that is the amount of time that Barkov spends tremendous at that hospital. And this is just one of dozens of kids who he has spent that type of time with. He's a really special human being for being around and present the way that he is. It's one thing to donate your time. It's one thing to donate your money. It's another thing to do both.
Sid
Well, listen, I didn't know you were doing that, Tashay, so you also deserve credit for that, because I say it all the time. We talk about courage and bravery and all those sorts of things where. When it comes to sports and obviously military action and beyond, I mean, the balls to do that. I mean, people, you know, I'm, as I've made clear, a Steelers fan, and people are very down on Russell Wilson a couple of years ago, and I was, too, from a football perspective. But you will never hear me say a bad word about what a strange guy he is. And his life. His life arc is strange, man. He every faithfully goes to children's hospitals. Even after the Malcolm Butler game, which, you know, professionally was a down moment for him, he made his regular appointed visit to the Children's hospital in Seattle. J.J. watt does that. Charlie Batch does that. Guys who do that, man, that is courage to go. And, Tashay, you deserve a shout out, too, because if you can. Look, if you can go and with those kids, what they go through and to boost their spirits is. Is the greatest balls you could have.
Greg Cody
Now my family is that part of
Sid
that turn of race. Greatest balls you can have.
Greg Cody
My family's been a part of that for a long time. So I'm really just like a Nepo hero. I was born into it.
Stugats
We take back some of the questions.
Sid
You work hard.
Dave
It's like the Incredibles.
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Stugats
Don LeBatard Quiet man.
Sid
Yes.
Dan LeBatard
You know, I'm a married man. I don't cheat on my wife. Despite that gratuitous line in back in my stugats. I wish you were here. My wife, I really miss her. No, I don't. That's the thing about being married, you know, you're not allowed to say, I don't miss my wife. I've been gone two days. I haven't been gone long enough to miss my wife. I'm sorry. I call her. I'm gonna call with her for 30 seconds. You know, what am I. Hello? All right. All right, we'll see ya. All right. And then, you know, I'm gonna see her in two days. I was jumping Charlie. Good.
Stugats
This is the Dan Levatar show with the Stugats. Barkov's the real deal is the point that I'm trying to get to. And if hockey here meant to all of us all these years, what it does, let's say to people in Pittsburgh, Alexander Barkov would be the tops of the tops.
Dan LeBatard
You know, 100%. I totally agree with that. Because right now, again, doing the Mount Rushmore thing, I think it's always going to be Wade Marino as a starting point.
Stugats
Well, and then we need to have a conversation about Barkov.
Dan LeBatard
Yeah, they're baked in. Sort of.
Sid
That's great. Yeah. He should be the face of the Panthers by athletic deed, too.
Dan LeBatard
Especially now. It's not a niche sport anymore. When you win two Stanley Cups in a row and you're selling out every arena, it's not a niche sport. It has arrived. Hockey has fully. I don't care what Sid said yesterday, making fun of South Florida as not a hockey town. And so you're right. I agree with you. I think Barkov deserves to be elevated to that echelon. Not just for the off field stuff you mentioned, but partly because of that. And on the ice. We've seen this year the downfall of the Panthers, which I think is totally related to Barkov not playing.
Sid
And the goalie being terrible.
Dan LeBatard
That too.
Sid
And the reality in the 21st century of the number of games you play. And it's take it to the limit once again style of play in all the major sports.
Greg Cody
Look, take it easy with the Eagles references. Well.
Sid
But.
Dan LeBatard
Well put that.
Sid
You see, I missed that one.
Stugats
Push it to the limits better than take it Easy.
Dave
Push it to the Limit is a way better song.
Stugats
Much better.
Sid
Push it to the limit.
Stugats
What movie you think about when you hear that?
Sid
Should we put that on the poll? What song Better to go down Pch those two songs.
Dave
Absolutely. But what movie? Forget about what. What scene.
Stugats
Oh, what? When they're. They're making the money, they're making moves.
Dan LeBatard
You got the duffel bag.
Roy
The duffel bags inside the van.
Dave
Starts with the money counter.
Stugats
Making moves.
Dave
What is that? I don't even know what this Take it to the Limit song you're speaking.
Stugats
That's what I'm saying.
Sid
It's strange to me. I never has occurred to me until literally the last 90 seconds. Miami, which feels to me like a storied American city. And obviously it is. It's funny to me that the Dolphins are by far and away the most tenured team in this town. Yeah, it's weird. Everything else is 15 minutes ago.
Stugats
Yeah, I mean my. A good portion of my childhood we only had one professional.
Sid
That was really strange. Has there been a major city that went with. I mean even just one team and they went with the Dolphins? I should know. The 69, they come around 66. 66.
Dave
Dave, here's the deal. This is the common misnomer that Miami is a major city. It's really not. It's like the growth physically and population wise is pretty recent. But I remember even when LeBron came down here and everyone's like these big markets are getting on technically in the NBA scheme of things, 30 teams, Miami was below the top 15. They were a small market. It's just. It's a really cool place.
Sid
But market. Yeah, I always go with market over population and within the city limits. But the market of Miami is gotta be top eight or number 13.
Stugats
13, 13, really.
Dave
And again, that's a lot of that is recency. A lot of that is recency. Traditionally, historically it was not a big market. It was not looked at as a market that can support a lot of professional sports.
Sid
We also don't talk nearly enough as a football obsessed society about the Dolphins. I know some people are touchy about that and say it's embarrassing what the state of the Dolphins has been for many decades now. It' not a national conversation. They are very much now like the Kansas City Chiefs eight or so years ago, which, you know, they inhabit a weird. They inhabit that weird space. Like it's easy to make fun of the Browns who never do anything. But the Chiefs for a long time is like imagine being in. Well, I don't have to have you guys imagine that you're Dolphins fans.
Stugats
I used to always tell us more about the Dolphins.
Sid
Imagine you're.
Roy
You're.
Sid
You're one of the most storied franchises in pro football, our most popular sport, and people hold you up is like, wow, the Chiefs were. Were great for a long. The Dolphins, man, they're a tent pole franchise. They haven't done nothing for this millennium. No, we can imagine that.
Stugats
You guys hear that.
Dan LeBatard
We live it.
Stugats
If I think real hard, I can imagine it.
Dave
I hear the foot. Is that. Is that Dan Levitard running in here? They're like, I gotta talk about this. How they haven't been relevant in 25 years.
Dan LeBatard
Yeah. A quarter of a century since the last playoff win.
Sid
I mean, are they the best but for real? I guess I'm getting hyperbolic to try to make a point, but are the Dolphins the team that have that. That we sort of in our brains considered like.
Greg Cody
Oh, yeah, though.
Sid
I mean, I can't. They're. They're not a punchline team. Like, kind of are after the last.
Stugats
They are. They are. We're aware.
Dave
I'll give you five words. We are the New York Knicks.
Sid
Okay. I feel fair. Fair.
Dave
That's a team that's like. Hasn't had success. Is that six words?
Sid
Six.
Roy
They were in the Easter Conference finals last year. That's like the. That's like the Dolphins going to the AFC Championship game and then losing.
Dan LeBatard
Right. Like.
Roy
Like they haven't done that, I guess.
Sid
Well, you know, the other one that I would volunteer is they're not a punchline team, but the Niners, they inhabit. What I'm describing here, which is if you are 40 or younger, people talk about the Niners as one of the most. You didn't experience that viscerally.
Roy
You.
Sid
You know about it from the elders in your community.
Ad Voice
But you.
Sid
But. But you don't know what it feels like to.
Stugats
Actually, I like the idea of area where there's just one 49ers elders who are hanging out together.
Sid
It's Joe Montana. Yeah. Just sitting there in a throne, much like Zaslo in his backwards hat. Yeah. That the Niners are kind of that now too. That if they. But they. There's a distinction to be made between them and the Dolphins because the Niners go to Super Bowls. But then they cause you great pain. If you're a Niners guy.
Greg Cody
Sure.
Roy
But you have playoff wins.
Sid
Well, that's a philosophical debate. Do you like getting to the big spot, Zaz?
Roy
Would you rather get to Super Bowls and NFC Championship games
Ad Voice
are doing.
Stugats
Because I. I'm at a point in my life and I think I've been pretty clear about this. I'm at a point in my life where it isn't just about winning the championships anymore. I want the moments.
Sid
The moment destination.
Stugats
It's the moments that lead up to. It's why, like the Miami Heat when they lost the finals in 2023 to Denver. Holy shit, Did I enjoy that playoff run. There were so many amazing moments, particularly spearheaded by Jimmy Butler. I look back really fondly at that. I want the moments. The moments to me are just as good as winning the championship. And the Dolphins. I haven't had a moment with the Dolphins since the Lamar Smith game. We're going back 26 years.
Sid
Dolphins are Nebraska. Football used to mean something now.
Stugats
Joke.
Dan LeBatard
I think that that's a good one. I think if you're a Dolphin fan, you had a moment a few years ago when they're the best offense in the league and they're scoring 70 points against Denver. That was really exciting. That's supposed to last.
Sid
Oh, my God. That's supposed to last longer.
Stugats
A regular season feeling. That's not good enough.
Greg Cody
That's best moment Dolphins football of my lifetime.
Dan LeBatard
Yes.
Greg Cody
Like I was born in 95 and.
Dan LeBatard
Right.
Greg Cody
The Wildcat. That era is the second best Dolphins football I've ever witnessed. It's been all mediocrity. The way you guys have complained about, like two seasons of the Heat being in mediocrity and.
Sid
Oh, I'm not going to want to watch.
Stugats
I'm not going to do this a
Sid
little more than two seasons, buddy.
Greg Cody
I just like two seasons playing and out. We're in the finals the year before.
Sid
If I could just say very quickly, you guys had some really nice moments this past season with the Canes. I. You came up a little.
Stugats
Yeah.
Sid
And I mean, you should.
Stugats
Amazing.
Sid
You shouldn't hang your head. I mean, I know that the opportunity
Stugats
for you to do it.
Greg Cody
I know what he's doing.
Roy
He's doing the bullshit right now.
Sid
Championship. And that was a great moment. But I want to take a moment to pour one out for the Canes fans.
Roy
First off. First. Guys, don't do that.
Sid
Look at me. Keep your chin up.
Roy
Look at me right now. Look at me. You're not looking at me. Look at me right now. I'm going to take what you did.
Sid
Yeah.
Roy
Which was the bullshit. And we're going to flip it into the right stuff. Because when you talk about what the Canes were Doing the. Going to Texas A and M in the middle of a windst. Ending it with an interception. Okay. Bryce Fitzgerald ending the season for Texas A M. That was a huge moment. Ohio State.
Sid
You just did the Fernando Mendoza dive into the. No, I didn't.
Roy
I did the. I did the Price.
Sid
No, I didn't.
Roy
I did the Fitzgerald pick six against Ohio State.
Stugats
That was a moment.
Roy
On New Year's Eve, of all things.
Stugats
Carson Beck running into the end with his legs. That was a moment like, I got the moments from the Canes. Yes. Winning the championship would have been amazing, but I. I got the moments. So to answer your question, would I take the heartbreak of the Dolphins losing in the AFC Championship Game or in the Super Bowl? Yes. Because I'm likely still gathering the moments leading up to that point.
Dave
Yeah. Well, also in the moment, you don't know. It's not like you have divine foresight of what's going to happen. Well, no, but.
Stugats
But I do. I am acknowledging in that moment, holy shit, that was unbelievable. And then. And then the entire next day I'm thinking about how I felt and I can't watch enough highlights of Carson Beck
Dave
running into the end. The next day you're like, oh, my God, I can't believe we lost that. But in the moment you thought you believed, oh, my God, it's actually going to happen in a way that right now you don't even have that feeling. You'd rather have that feeling and have the heartbreak associated with it.
Sid
Yeah.
Dave
Than to be bereft of any feeling whatsoever.
Roy
The Keonta Scott interception.
Stugats
Amazing.
Greg Cody
Will live.
Roy
Greg, you tell me, Is that a 25 year highlight? We're 25 years from. We're like. You remember that New Year's Eve?
Stugats
I think so.
Roy
Like Keonta Scott intercepting the ball, going the other way, reading the entire situation, beating Ohio State, like doing all the things that the Canes did in that run was something I'll never forget.
Greg Cody
The only problem with that is that that is going to. If it doesn't continue on for the next 25 years with any other moments that's going to be looked at by future generations. Sitting here doing shows like this, the way that I look at even the Marino years, you're absolutely.
Sid
You guys are all right about celebrating these moments. That if. If you set the expectation as a fan that my team wins the title or it's a bust of a season, you're going to be a pretty miserable human being going through life. But then again, you touch on expectation and why it hurts extra worse is if you have Dan Marino, if you have a generational guy, then you set expectations at a different level. And when you don't meet those, that's when it's crushing. The Dolphins haven't even had a reason to be hopeful. No.
Roy
You know what else I'll never forget Roy saying that Carson Beckstone. Throw the interception on my deathbed. I'll remember that for the rest of my life. For the rest of my life, I'll remember that.
Sid
Spring break isn't what it used to be. It's better this spring. Stay three nights and get a $50 Best Western gift card.
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Sid
Visit bestwestern.com for complete terms and conditions.
Date: February 25, 2026
Broadcasting from downtown Miami’s Elser Hotel, Dan Le Batard, Stugotz, and the crew serve up their signature blend of sports banter, pop-culture chat, local flavor, and quick-witted debate. This "Local Hour" opens with Heat despair, sports heartbreaks, and the fallout from Greg Cody’s horse's ill-fated race. Expect plenty of Miami sports talk, memorable Vegas tales, and a poignant discussion of South Florida’s sports icons, all packaged with trademark sarcasm and self-deprecation.
The episode continues Dan Le Batard and crew’s tradition of blending sharp sports analysis with rapid-fire wit, self-effacing humor, and a knowing sense of South Florida community. They oscillate between earnest praise (Barkov, charity work), world-weary fandom (Heat, Dolphins, Canes), and meta-commentary about media, music, and what it means to be a sports fan—always with playful jabs and no one taking themselves too seriously.
This Local Hour embodies the Le Batard Show’s best: local sports gripes, existential sports questions, weird side stories (runaway devil horses), and an earnest appreciation for the athletes and moments that make Miami special—despite all the heartbreak. Whether lambasting the Dolphins’ futility or getting surprisingly deep about community, it’s a characteristically rich episode for both new listeners and long-suffering South Florida sports fans.