Postgame Show: JuJu Gotti Wins Best Dismissal

Summary

Podcast Summary: The Dan Le Batard Show with Stugotz
Episode: Postgame Show: JuJu Gotti Wins Best Dismissal
Release Date: March 3, 2025

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Introduction

In this engaging episode of The Dan Le Batard Show with Stugotz, host Dan LeBatard, alongside Stugotz and the panel, delves into a diverse range of topics spanning sports, pop culture, and current events. Recorded from the Elser Hotel in Downtown Miami, the discussion is both lively and insightful, offering listeners a comprehensive look into the latest happenings and behind-the-scenes plans of the show.

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March Sadness Tournament Promotion (00:43 - 03:59)

The episode kicks off with Greg Cody prompting a discussion about the upcoming March Sadness event. Juju, a key member of the team, outlines the revamped plan aimed at increasing fan engagement after last year's lukewarm reception.

Key Points:

• Event Structure: March Sadness is approaching, just two weeks before Selection Sunday. This year, the team aims to enhance fan interaction by launching a Fan versus Fan tournament.
• Participation: Fans are encouraged to submit videos in response to specific prompts available on levitardaf.com. A total of 64 fans will compete in a bracket-style tournament.
• Prizes: Winners stand a chance to watch a game with Dan LeBatard himself. However, there’s a humorous twist planned where "stunt Dan" (Danny Benitez) might instead be the host for the game viewing, adding an element of surprise and fun.
• Urgency to Participate: Juju emphasizes the importance of early submissions to ensure fans’ videos are considered, mentioning the possibility of receiving up to 400 submissions.

Notable Quotes:

• Juju (02:34): "If you show up late, they're not going to not start the game. But they're not going to take your tickets away."
• Greg Cody (03:16): "We're encouraging the audience to be competitive about getting to spend a night with me."

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Weekend Fight Analysis (04:00 - 06:58)

The conversation shifts to the recent weekend's fights, with panelists expressing strong opinions on the outcomes and officiating.

Key Points:

• Elimination Chamber Review: John provides a detailed breakdown of Seth Rollins' fight, highlighting tactical moves and potential storylines involving Cody Rhodes and Bad Bunny forming a pseudo Latin coalition.
• Tank Davis vs. Lamont Roach: Gina criticizes the judging, suggesting that Lamont was the superior fighter, especially in rounds 7 through 12. The panel discusses the subjectivity in boxing judging and contrasts it with UFC's handling of similar issues.
• Overall Sentiment: There's a consensus that certain fights suffered from poor officiating, which can tarnish the sport's integrity.

Notable Quotes:

• Gina (05:16): "Tank Davis was the better man in that fight. It does a disservice to the game of boxing when you let results like that come about."
• Danny Benitez (06:37): "In boxing, it feels like this Happens very, very, very often."

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Oscars Coverage and Reactions (06:58 - 09:50)

The panel transitions to discussing the recent Oscars, focusing on the show's choice of experts and notable moments from the ceremony.

Key Points:

• Expert Commentary: The audience responded positively to Peter Rosenberg as the Oscars expert, despite initial plans to feature David Sampson and Adnan Virk.
• Notable Moments: Highlights include Adrien Brody's behavior on stage, Clement Duco and Camille's impromptu performances, and the Fire Chief’s jokes. Gina and Dan commend Conan O'Brien for his handling of personal tragedies and maintaining his likable persona.
• Conan O'Brien's Resilience: Greg Cody shares a heartfelt story about Conan's recent struggles, including the loss of his parents and a house fire, underscoring his continued dedication to his work and resilience.

Notable Quotes:

• Gina (07:11): "Justice for the Dune 2 producer who got cut off by the music and respected it."
• Dan LeBatard (08:11): "I'm with you on Adrien Brody being the joker of the week."
• Greg Cody (08:39): "He's living in a hotel where he's put the letter on a wall. Did people receive Conan O'Brien well yesterday? Because he's been for 30 years just exceedingly likable."

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The Panthers Drum-Banging Dilemma (09:53 - 14:19)

A significant portion of the episode centers around Dan’s contemplation of participating in a Panthers drum-banging event, exploring the ethical and professional implications.

Key Points:

• Invitation to Drum: Dan receives an invitation to bang the drum at a Panthers game, which raises questions about journalistic integrity.
• Debate Among Panelists: The team discusses whether participating would compromise Dan's credibility as a journalist. Suggestions range from sending an impersonator (Danny Benitez) to using an AI-generated hologram to maintain authenticity.
• Greg Cody's Conflict: Greg shares his internal struggle, balancing the allure of exclusive tickets against the potential backlash of participating.
• Gina and Juju's Perspectives: They advocate for maintaining integrity, urging Dan to handle the opportunity respectfully without tarnishing his reputation.

Notable Quotes:

• Gina (12:14): "This is an honor. When they give you one ticket, you go get that one ticket and smile, because these are the champions."
• Greg Cody (13:12): "If you bang the drum tonight, you negate yourself as a former journalist."
• Juju (12:31): "Greg. I'm kind of out there. This is not the juju. This is not the spirit of the thing."

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Audience Polls and Fun Segments (14:00 - 16:15)

Towards the end of the episode, the panel engages in light-hearted audience poll segments, discussing humorous and speculative questions.

Key Points:

• Speculative Questions: Topics range from the rudeness of speculating on another's tummy to whether a spouse can lie about being best friends.
• Humorous Interactions: The panelists react to audience polls with witty banter and playful disagreements, showcasing their camaraderie and the show's entertaining dynamic.
• Memorable Moments: Juju highlights his performance against UCLA, while Gina mourns the loss of Angie Stone, blending humor with genuine emotions.

Notable Quotes:

• Gina (15:26): "Would your dog eat you if you died? Rest in peace to Angie Stone, by the way, as well."
• Greg Cody (15:40): "It's always a great lie."
• Juju (16:03): "It's weird. Almost like there's a pandemic."

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Conclusion

The episode of The Dan Le Batard Show with Stugotz masterfully balances in-depth sports analysis, pop culture commentary, and interactive fan engagement. From promoting the revamped March Sadness tournament to dissecting recent fights and Oscar moments, the panel provides a thorough and entertaining discourse. The heartfelt discussion about maintaining journalistic integrity amidst tempting opportunities adds depth to the conversation, while the playful audience polls ensure the episode remains light-hearted and relatable.

Listeners who tune in can expect a rich blend of humor, insight, and genuine dialogue, making it a must-listen for fans of sports and pop culture alike.

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Highlights:

• March Sadness Tournament: A revamped, fan-centric competition with exciting prizes (00:43).
• Weekend Fight Analysis: Critical reviews of recent boxing matches and officiating (04:00).
• Oscars Reactions: Insightful commentary on the ceremony and Conan O'Brien's resilience (06:58).
• Panthers Drum-Banging Debate: Ethical discussion on journalistic integrity and participation (09:53).
• Audience Polls: Engaging and humorous interaction with listeners (14:00).

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This summary captures the essence of the episode, providing a comprehensive overview for both regular listeners and newcomers.

Transcript

[Dan LeBatard]

You're listening to Giraffe Kings Network.

[Billy Corben]

Daredevil is born again on Disney. Why did you stop being a vigilante? The line was crossed. Sometimes peace needs to be broken. Chaos must reign. On March 4th, the nine episode event begins. I was raised to believe in grace, but I was also raised to believe in retribution. Marvel Television's Daredevil Born again. Don't miss the two episode premiere March 4th only on Disney.

[Greg Cody]

We didn't talk at all about the fight this weekend. We have to do that and we also have to before juju comes in here. Billy, what's going on with March Sadness? It is the start of March. I am a little afraid about how little we have talked about what we are doing for March Sadness. What can you tell the people about what we are doing? Because I don't know anything about what you've been planning or why it is. You need a vacation.

[Juju]

Well, so March Sadness is, is fast approaching. We're like two weeks away from selection Sunday. And we said, you know what? Last year we're gonna be honest. People didn't like what we did for March Sadness, which is fine. That's fine. So we wanted to kind of reach out and give back to the fans and encourage some fan interacting. We have the, the Boost Mobile line that we've been doing, but that's, you know, once a week. That's not enough. So we said, you know what would be a great prize? If we open this up and we had a prize where someone could watch the game with Dan. Wouldn't that be exciting, Dan? We can have a fan. 37 bucks. No, not even. Not even $37. Not even. Yeah, free. Just go to levitardaf.com and we're gonna have a situation where we're gonna pick 64 fans. This. You're gonna submit a video. You're gonna get a prompt. The prompt is gonna tell you what this video is supposed to be about. When you go to Levitard af, you'll see it right there. It's gonna say March Sadness Fan versus Fan tournament. And what we're gon unify our audience by pitting them against each other. So they're going to have videos, they're going to be asked a question, they're going to answer said question and then fans are going to vote for the fan that they like, bracket style. They're going to keep moving on round by round. And the winner is going to get a very nice prize, including watching the game with one Dan LeBatard, which is very exciting. Now I'M not telling you which Dan lebatard but one Dan LeBatard is going to watch the game with said fan. So, Danny, act now because here's the thing.

[Greg Cody]

We stunt Dan at the end, we're.

[Danny Benitez]

Going to get with Danny.

[Greg Cody]

It's going to be a bait and switch where all of a sudden with, hey, all we told you is that you got to watch the game one with one Dan Leviton and it would be stunt Dan, Danny Benitez and maybe.

[Juju]

More, maybe more people will be involved in that situation. Who knows, Maybe there'll be like a, you know, I can't give away too much information.

[Danny Benitez]

Johnny will be there too.

[Juju]

In honesty, I can't give you too much information because I found out there are so many legal hurdles that go into contest. Lawyers have really been holding this thing right.

[Greg Cody]

So bas, basically what this is, you can watch the game with me. We're encouraging the audience to be competitive about getting to spend a night with me.

[Juju]

Well, don't phrase it that way. Legally, I don't know what's going on and that. Thank you, Greg. He gets it.

[Greg Cody]

Whatever.

[Juju]

So here's the thing. Just go online levitardf.com look for the things. Start submitting your videos. Why? You should be one of these people. They'll give you the question. Answer the question. There's only going to be 64 and if I've learned anything, it's probably going to be the first 64 that we get because there's going to be a lot. So act now and submit because if we start getting into like the 400 hundreds, good chance we're not going to see your videos. So get in there very quickly to make sure that we watch your video.

[Greg Cody]

Because if not, well, let's get in there very well with quality content because.

[Juju]

Or annoy Dan, be really annoying and maybe fans will vote for you to. So Dan has to watch the game with you because you're really annoying.

[Greg Cody]

Yeah, let's do it.

[Juju]

Whatever it is that you want to do.

[Dan LeBatard]

That's a good strategy.

[Juju]

But also try to be one of the first 64 because if it's after 64 again, there's a good chance if we put Taylor in charge of this, we're not even going to see the video.

[Greg Cody]

Okay. Excellent work, Juju. It is nice to see you and I want to get to a number of things with you, but the first thing that I want to get with you, get together with you on is the fight from the weekend because a whole lot of people were yelling and.

[John]

Screaming the elimination Chamber juju. Seth Rollins, after elimination, decides to curb CM Punk. And then, kind of weird, maybe some tea leaves there for a sign of things that come. John Cena does not show any hesitance. Straps in the stfu, chokes out CM Punk, punches his ticket to Wrestlemania. You think you got babyface versus Babyface after a warm embrace, after Cody Rhodes says, rock, go F yourself. But he doesn't say F. He actually says the word. And then daggers for eyes as soon as a rock throws a little throat slice across his throat, kick in the nuts. So your reaction?

[Greg Cody]

Tank Davis is what I was talking about. Tank Davis is what I was talking about.

[Gina]

Also, Travis Scott, you gotta learn how to pull your punches a bit. He punched Cody Rose so hard, like, sheesh. Learn the game.

[John]

Burn in sage, though. In the. In the corner is a great heel move. I like that. For him, this is all setting up a potential triple threat in which Bad Bunny comes to the aid. Maybe a sort of pseudo Latin coalition with Cody Rhodes.

[Gina]

Hell yeah. But with the other fight, that happened as well. Tank Davis versus Lamont Roach, man, what a sham, bro. Lamont Roach got screwed over, man. Tank Davis was. He took a knee mid fight. Usually in every other situation. Circumstance, that's a. That's counted as a knockdown. He got to take a knee and say, oh, yeah. My. My. My hairstylist put too much grease in my.

[Greg Cody]

Come on, time out.

[Juju]

What are we doing?

[Gina]

What are you doing? What are you doing? First of all, why would you blame sis? She at the house watching the fight, and she probably did. I wish you would. What's the meme from the. The Tim Robinson Show? Like, what the hell? You blaming me for this? That. That was so bush league. I think Lamont got screwed on that one.

[Greg Cody]

Doesn't everyone think that? Like, I. I've rarely seen consensus. Consensus. Even though we can have many subjective things in boxing, it's one of the sports most contaminated by ACC Fix. Because judging can be subjective. There didn't seem to be any argument on this one. It was just everyone in agreement. What's that? That's not boxing. That's different than any. That's not. That's not the way the rules work. You don't just protect this person.

[Danny Benitez]

It's weird, too. And that's. And that's why we look at stuff with the ufc, and it's like, even there, there's a couple of things. An eye poke here, a nutshot there, where it's like, oh, wait a second, something was up. But in boxing, it feels like this Happens very, very, very often.

[Gina]

Hell, yeah, man. Like everything that Tank threw at Lamont, he had a counter for it. The entire fight. Maybe the first couple of rounds, Lamont was filling them out, which Tank usually does. But in the around the 7 through 12, Lamont was clearly the better man in that fight. And I think it does a disservice to the game of boxing, the sport of boxing, when you let results like that come about.

[Greg Cody]

Did the audience have any issue with Peter Rosenberg being our Oscars expert instead of David Sampson and Adnan Virk? They both wanted to be our Oscars experts, and for some reason, and instead we went Greg Cody and Peter Rosenberg.

[Gina]

Damn right now. The audience loved it, man. You know the. I think the audience tuned in to David Sampson and Adnan's broadcast last night, which is still available online. Go check it out on YouTube if you. You missed the fellas. But, yeah, I think Mike was definitely right, bro. Like Adrian Brody, build a bridge and get over your damn self. Like, sir, don't you. Don't tell the music man to stop. I've been here before. And then go on with two more minutes of boring boringness. Like you, sir, are the joker of the osc. Alongside, I think her name was Clement Duco. And Camille, for singing the last 20 seconds of the Oscar deceptive speech, I salute sis, congratulations. But sis, Sis, come on, let's get off the stage. I think a couple other good moments was when the fire chief had The Joker Part 2 joke that made me. You know what I mean, Pretty much laugh like hell. There's a lot of great moments for the Oscars. I think you gotta. You got to just stay patient with a man.

[Dan LeBatard]

I'm with you on Adrien Brody being the joker of the week. Juju. It was annoying to me to see all of the other filmmakers get played off the stage. And then he was like, I'm actually the best actor, so I'm very important, and I can tell the band to stop. And then they did, and I was like, no.

[Juju]

Terrible.

[Stephen]

They should have gone louder, right?

[Gina]

Justice for the Dune 2 producer who got cut off by the music and respected it. Justice for him. You feel me?

[Greg Cody]

I have not seen any of the reaction. I mentioned earlier in the show that Conan, as a comedic, like, really a person that I've admired over 30 years, how he keeps reinventing himself. The reports before this appearance where he's trying to make the Oscars matter again. He's 61, and he's had a really tough couple of months in December, his parents, who were in their 90s, died three days apart in his childhood home in Massachusetts. Not long after the double funeral, just as he was settling back in Los Angeles to work on the Oscars, the fire started there and his home was evacuated. When his wife called to ask what to save, his only thought was of a 1980 letter from the author and essayist E.B. white. O'Brien had written to him as a teenage fan. And he wrote me back a really sweet letter, O'Brien said. So I just said, grab that and if the rest goes, it still goes. He's living in a hotel where he's put the letter on a wall. Did people receive Conan O'Brien well yesterday? Because what he's been for 30 years is just exceedingly likable.

[Gina]

Yeah, I think he was the bright spot of the show like, like Jessica said, when he was like, we're not wasting time while wasting. And a lot of, a lot of his transitions felt like just, just like the old Conan O'Brien show. Just, just great to watch. You feel me?

[Dan LeBatard]

Yeah, I think everyone liked Conan.

[Greg Cody]

Juju. What would you tell us about the verdict from the audience on whether or not journalistically I should be doing the Panthers drum tonight? Greg Cody. Last thoughts on this, Greg? Because I have not decided what to do. I do have two tickets. Greg is still arguing with his son. Greg is saying if he's get, if he, if he gets the two good tickets, he'll go. If he gets the two other tickets, he will not go.

[Stephen]

Y.

[John]

If you're part of Dan's four, you're getting good digits.

[Stephen]

We'll see about that.

[Greg Cody]

I thought those were the tickets we're giving away. If I go. But your last thoughts on this or what?

[Stephen]

I mean if, you know, if I'm getting a smoky old fashioned and maybe knock back a couple of those, I'll go. I don't think you should do the drum banging though. I think you'd say you will and then not do it and leave the Panthers hanging for not giving you a suite.

[John]

Enjoy all the spoils whilst being in the most exclusive suite that they have.

[Stephen]

Right on.

[John]

And not actually do the thing that got you access of this week.

[Stephen]

Yeah, that's the way to do it.

[Juju]

Yeah, it's possible. No, if you show up late, they're not going to not start the game. Cuz you're late but they're not going to take your tickets away.

[John]

It's another thing, Dan, you have to show up before the game. That's when this thing happens. Yeah, show up.

[Juju]

You do have Kind of time. Yeah.

[Greg Cody]

Traffic. Traffic will make this very hard to arrive on time. You guys know this is a two.

[Dan LeBatard]

Hour trip now, right? You should be leaving, like, right now. Yeah.

[Juju]

When did they say the game was?

[John]

This is an honor. This is an honor.

[Dan LeBatard]

You should have left, like, probably a half hour ago.

[John]

Not everything is fun and games.

[Stephen]

You should send an impersonator.

[John]

This is a true honor.

[Greg Cody]

Danny Benitez.

[Gina]

Right.

[Stephen]

Either that or an AI generated hologram of Dan Levitar.

[Juju]

You really should send Danny Benitez today and see what the Panthers reaction is. Because, like, but with Valerie, a lot. Yes, because a lot of these things, like, you're not gonna see the person that actually invited you. Right? Like, they hand this off to a handler, the handler hands that off to a handler. So, like, like, you're dealing with, like, third and fourth parties. In a lot of these instances, if Danny Benitez showed up and he's like, hi, I'm Dan Levatard. I'm here to bang the drum, they'd be like, oh, yeah, yeah, come in. Say, oh, yeah, it's two minutes from now. Come on, we're gonna rush you through the bowels of the arena. And they put you on a golf cart. There's always golf carts down there. Put you in a golf cart, and they usher you away. And then, boom. Danny Benitez is vamos, gatos.

[Gina]

Boom, boom, boom, boom, boom.

[Juju]

And then up at the suite with Greg.

[John]

I think any tomfoolery that you might pull off tonight might have my credentials struck.

[Gina]

So.

[Juju]

Whoa. It is about me.

[Greg Cody]

I'm kind of out there. This is not. Look, this is not the juju. This is not the spirit of the thing. Do you think. Do you see what is happening here? I would like to make a mockery of this honor. If I do, I'm going to cost us the relationship with the Panthers.

[Gina]

Dan, you are my brother and I love you. If anybody ever touched a hair on your head, I'm at them instantly. But who the hell do you think you are, Sir? Like when the Stanley cup champions ask you to bang the drum, you banged the damn drum with a smile on your face, sir. Like, this is an honor. You threw journalism out two miles ago, sir, they have revoked your journalism car severance style. News flash. We can platform some jokers up here. You, sir, need to put a smile on your. I don't give a damn. When they give you one ticket, you go get that one ticket and smile, because these are the champions. And they thinking of you in these moments. What in the heck Am I hearing, sir?

[Stephen]

Wow, that was. That was a great speech. If it was a speech, what would you call what you just said? It was a soliloquy. It was wonderful.

[Greg Cody]

Well, but you. You come out on the wrong. Argue with him. Okay, well, argue with him then. Don't give him. That's a great speech. But it goes contrary to everything I've said for four hours. No, you.

[Stephen]

You negate yourself as. As a former journalist, Stephen, retroactively, we strip you of all integrity if you bang the drum tonight. I've said that. I've made myself clear. But if you're going to agree to bang the drum, at least have them give you a damn suite so that you don't have to charge your friends to go watch you bang a drum. The whole thing takes about 10 seconds. 10 seconds. You know, Jack Nicklaus barely touched the skin of that drum. You got to really bang it, you know, you got to beat it like Michael Jackson.

[John]

What?

[Gina]

I think integrity was out the window around Richard Simmons costume. Like, I feel like, here we are in 2025.

[Stephen]

That's a point.

[Greg Cody]

Whole question. Updates, please. I don't know what I'm.

[Juju]

Wait. What costume are you wearing?

[Greg Cody]

I don't know that I'm gonna do it. Cuban born is the costume. Evidently, they got a jersey provided for you.

[Gina]

So Juju Watkins saluted. Juju Watkins going crazy against UCLA this weekend, dropping a 30 ball on their heads. Neither here nor there.

[Dan LeBatard]

No, it's here. UCLA looked bad.

[Greg Cody]

Juju here and there.

[John]

It's everywhere.

[Gina]

Is a part two ever Oscar worthy? 52% of the audience says, no, it is not. Dang. It's Thunderball Sharks with lasers on their heads. 76% of the audience says, yes, it is.

[Greg Cody]

You guys were really disrespectful to the 007.

[Danny Benitez]

Incredibly disrespectful. Sacrifice himself for his kid.

[Dan LeBatard]

We're all fans of 007. We want it. We want to see it do well.

[Greg Cody]

I'm done.

[John]

Sound like this is like the second 007 tribute that they've done in the last 11 years. One was for the 50th anniversary, and the other one is, well, we've sold it to Prime.

[Gina]

Is it rude to speculate on another man's tummy? 78% of the audience says, yes, it is very rude.

[Greg Cody]

Jessica. Sorry, Billy Truths around here.

[Danny Benitez]

Yes, rude boy.

[Gina]

Is your spouse lying if they say that you are their best friend?

[Greg Cody]

This is amazing. I couldn't believe this.

[Gina]

61 of the audience says, yes, they are lying. You're not the best friend.

[John]

It's always a great lie.

[Stephen]

Yeah.

[John]

Never hurt anybody.

[Juju]

Of course.

[John]

You're my best friend.

[Juju]

Yeah, of course.

[Gina]

Right?

[Juju]

Yeah.

[Gina]

Would your dog eat you if you died? Rest in peace to Angie Stone, by the way, as well. Yeah. 59 of the audience says yes. Their dog would eat them if they died.

[Billy Corben]

Dang.

[Danny Benitez]

It should be higher than that.

[Greg Cody]

So sad.

[Gina]

I'm no health expert, but people seem sicker. 86% of the audience says yes.

[Dan LeBatard]

Almost like there's a pandemic.

[Juju]

It's weird.

[Gina]

And those are the polls.