Postgame Show: The Hard Knocks Curse (feat. JuJu Gotti)

Summary

The Dan Le Batard Show with Stugotz
Episode: Postgame Show: The Hard Knocks Curse (feat. JuJu Gotti)
Release Date: August 5, 2025

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1. Introduction and Return of Juju

The episode kicks off with Juju Gotti rejoining the show, signaling the wrap-up of another engaging Tuesday broadcast. Juju expresses his appreciation for Hawk's contributions, setting a friendly and dynamic tone for the discussion ahead.

Juju: "Juju's back. Which means that it is the end of another great Tuesday. Thank you, Hawk." (00:32)

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2. Main Topic: Bills' Hard Knocks Season and the Curse

The primary focus of the episode centers around the Buffalo Bills' participation in HBO's Hard Knocks. A listener, David, voices his skepticism about the potential impact of the show on the team's performance, fearing it might jinx the Bills for the upcoming season.

David: "The Buffalo Bills hard knock season starts tonight on HBO. What do you predict with the Bills this year? I'm a Bills fan, so I'm always thinking that, well, hard knock showing up. This is going to be our worst year ever. We're going to be jinxed. What do you think, bruh?" (00:55)

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3. Impact of Hard Knocks Filming on Teams and Players

Hawk delves into the implications of Hard Knocks filming on NFL teams, highlighting how media exposure can influence player behavior and team dynamics. He suggests that the presence of cameras can lead to excessive self-promotion among players, potentially disrupting team cohesion.

Hawk: "When hard knocks cameras around. It's not so much the veterans. Well, some of the veterans as well, but the young players do play into the camera because it becomes this, like, opportunity for superstardom that football players typically don't get." (01:17-02:22)

Hawk also touches on the artificiality introduced by the show, comparing players' on-camera performances to acting during training camps.

Hawk: "It almost felt like acting, you know, in the middle of training camp." (02:12)

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4. Bills' Prospects and Player Analysis

The conversation shifts to analyzing the Bills' prospects for the season. Hawk expresses a cautious outlook, attributing potential struggles to the added pressure from media exposure. However, he remains optimistic about key players like Josh Allen and Elijah Moore, suggesting that their synergy could alleviate some of the team's challenges.

Hawk: "Elijah Moore, your boy be on the lookout for Elijah Moore. I think he's going to have a good season with them and he'll be able to take some of that pressure off of Shakir in the slot." (03:11)

Chris chimes in humorously, referencing previous player narratives that were possibly exaggerated by the media.

Chris: "They probably was planning ahead for this hard knocks run. My boy ain't put on a pair of shoes since Obama now." (04:02)

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5. Poll Discussion: Dark Web Question

Transitioning to audience engagement, the hosts discuss a humorous poll question regarding the necessity of a separate Ethernet cord to access the dark web. The surprising result shows 62% of respondents believing a separate cord is needed, prompting laughter and light-hearted banter.

David: "The only one. Do you need a separate ethernet cord to get on the dark web?" (04:26)
Juju: "62% of the audience says yes." (04:56)

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6. Handling of Calls and Phone Etiquette on Air

A significant portion of the episode delves into the etiquette of handling phone calls during live broadcasts. The hosts share personal anecdotes about managing calls while on air, emphasizing the balance between accessibility and maintaining focus on the show.

David: "I think that I'm an old school guy. I prefer talking to you for two minutes versus text messaging." (07:46)

Hawk discusses his strategy of not changing his phone number to avoid unwanted distractions, highlighting the importance of setting boundaries.

Hawk: "I've had the same cell phone number since I originally got a cell phone in 2002." (06:10)

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7. Discussion on Jerry Jones and Michael Parsons

The hosts critique Jerry Jones's handling of Michael Parsons, questioning whether Jones's actions are strategic for brand building or overstepping. Hawk defends Jones by framing his decisions as business-minded moves to enhance the Cowboys' reputation.

Hawk: "I think he's being a business mind. I think like we've done, we've gone through this song and dance so many times with Dak, with CD Lamb..." (09:06)

Juju underscores the unnecessary drama stemming from public disputes, advocating for a more harmonious relationship.

Juju: "We don't need him to fight with Michael Parsons." (09:48)

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8. Movie Review: War of the Worlds

Shifting gears to pop culture, the hosts briefly discuss the movie War of the Worlds featuring Ice Cube. David shares his disappointment with the film's online format, while Juju humorously critiques the movie's rating system.

David: "I saw Ice Cube, War of the Worlds. I'm clicking it. Say less. ... I exited. I ain't even getting more than five, man." (10:39)
Juju: "If you haven't watched the whole thing, why do you have a right to assign a number to it?" (11:14)

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9. Show Promotions and Conclusion

As the show nears its end, David promotes his involvement with WNBA coverage and appeals to listeners for support through subscriptions. Juju and the team reciprocate the appreciation, culminating in a warm sign-off.

David: "I've had the same cell phone number since I originally got a cell phone in 2002... So they threw me over there on DLS Hoops." (11:50)
Juju: "I know Zaz will do it because he's heard of every single podcast known to mankind and womenkind and people kind." (12:23)

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Key Takeaways

• Media Influence on Sports Teams: The episode explores how reality TV shows like Hard Knocks can impact team morale and performance, particularly through increased media scrutiny and player behavior adjustments.

• Balancing Accessibility and Focus: The discussion on handling phone calls during live shows highlights the challenges of staying connected without compromising the quality of the broadcast.

• Business Strategies in Sports Management: The critique of Jerry Jones reveals the complexities of managing high-profile sports franchises, balancing public relations with business objectives.

• Audience Engagement: Through polls and listener questions, the hosts maintain an interactive and entertaining rapport with their audience.

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Notable Quotes:

• Juju on returning: "Juju's back. Which means that it is the end of another great Tuesday. Thank you, Hawk." (00:32)

• David on Hard Knocks impact: "This is going to be our worst year ever. We're going to be jinxed." (00:55)

• Hawk on media performances: "It almost felt like acting, you know, in the middle of training camp." (02:22)

• Juju on phone calls: "I like you." (12:33)

• Hawk on team dynamics: "I think he's being a business mind." (09:06)

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This episode of The Dan Le Batard Show with Stugotz offers a blend of sports analysis, personal anecdotes, and light-hearted humor, making it a comprehensive and engaging listen for fans seeking in-depth discussions on current sports topics and beyond.

Transcript

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[Juju]

Juju's back. Which means that it is the end of another great Tuesday. Thank you, Hawk.

[Hawk]

Oh, my pleasure.

[Juju]

Having you as a running mate today has been a pleasure.

[Hawk]

I like them.

[Juju]

It's. I do. Having the whole room here. Juju's joining us and I believe, and I could be wrong, I believe he has a specific question. Just for you. Not for me, not for Chris, just for you. Juju. What do you got?

[David]

What's up, y'? All? Great show today. You feel me? But how. We didn't necessarily dive into your professionalism. We, we dove into a lot of Lenny Kravitz isms. And you being a scary black man, even though you're just sitting there being a handsome guy, not threatening at all. I don't know. No.

[Hawk]

Every white charges pearly white veneers. I paid a lot of money for it. I'm just the scariest thing David's ever seen. Go ahead, Militant. Yes.

[Juju]

He said it, not me. Juju.

[David]

The Buffalo Bills hard knock season starts tonight on hbo. What do you predict with the Bills this year? I'm a Bills fan, so I'm always thinking that, well, hard knock showing up. This is going to be our worst year ever. We're going to be jinxed. What do you think, bruh?

[Hawk]

Yeah, I would agree with that. I do think it's going to be a bad year in your context. I hate to be the bearer of bad news when hard knocks cameras around. It's not so much the veterans. Well, some of the veterans as well, but the young players do play into the camera because it becomes this, like, opportunity for superstardom that football players typically don't get. Unless you're the quarterback because we have helmets on and nobody notices us and no one knows our faces. And now your storyline could be something that someone follows throughout the season. So when hard knocks came to Cincinnati when I was there, people couldn't get in front of the cameras enough. It almost felt like acting, you know, in the middle of training camp, they.

[Chris]

Never put those clips. I bet that happens a lot during these hard knocks things where another guy's like, look at that guy playing up for the camera. They probably cut that stuff out because they don't want the person exception of that out there. But that has to happen every year.

[Hawk]

So in television as you go, guys know in entertainment, when you're extra on television, it comes across as normal. And when you're normal on television, it comes across as boring. So those moments when you're watching in camp and they feel like, man, that's great content. They're typically probably being played up by the player or whoever because they know the cameras are rolling and everybody's putting on a performance. Yeah. So I don't know how that bodes for your team if you can withstand that. If we come out of hard knocks and you're like, yeah, nobody was actually playing up Juju, you could be like, yeah, this is a good team. They probably going to the super bowl because this is a good early test.

[Tony]

You're out a couple weeks, though, with a high ankle spray.

[Hawk]

Now. I don't like that.

[David]

Exactly.

[Hawk]

Yeah. But Elijah Moore, your boy be on the lookout for Elijah Moore. I think he's going to have a good season with them and he'll be able to take some of that pressure off of Shakir in the slot. And he. His. His skill set fits with Josh Allen because Josh Allen is so good at buying time and Elijah Moore is best when he can kind of do all his crafting in the middle.

[Chris]

And good thing Matt Collins is gone because, you know, they would have played that up there. They would have, like, had him in like an actual igloo. Like, look, he lives in an igloo now.

[Hawk]

They would have hired Taylor away from the metal art company specifically to create all the storylines around Mac Holland.

[Juju]

How much higher is the Bills over under win total than the Dolphins? I believe we talked about. The Dolphins are 7 1/2 according to DraftKings latest bills. Are they three games better than that, like 10 1/2 or are they even higher?

[Chris]

We're on it.

[Hawk]

Yeah. I like the Dolphins more than seven and a half, though.

[Juju]

Then you should pound the over.

[Hawk]

I may. Yeah.

[David]

Now that you said it, though, I think that. Because when it happened, I was like, damn, why did we get rid of Mac? That was a good contract and he provided some good catches in the playoffs. But when you put it that way, yeah, they probably was planning ahead for this hard knocks run. My boy ain't put on a pair of shoes since Obama now. So that was a good call.

[Juju]

Juju, how do we do with polls today?

[David]

How do we deal with pose? You had a good poll that I was able to catch on to a yo. But the one that I got that I was able to. To hear because the first poll was. I know how to word it. It was like Magic Johnson, 16 year old. Right. I didn't get the wording right, but this one was one that I got right. The only one. Do you need a separate ethernet cord to get on the dark web?

[Juju]

Great.

[David]

62% of the audience says yes.

[Hawk]

Yes, that's it.

[Juju]

Trying to tell you they've got it wrong, Tony.

[Hawk]

I got people.

[Juju]

Can you call your guy and just end that?

[Tony]

I can't. I can't talk to my guy on the phone.

[Hawk]

No, we.

[Juju]

You. Because you won't. Because we're doing a show.

[Tony]

No, not because we're doing a show. Because he doesn't do phones.

[Chris]

You talked to him and he was like, I'm. I'm on the air.

[Tony]

He doesn't do phones. I have to kind of do things differently with this guy.

[Hawk]

Do WhatsApp.

[Juju]

Yeah. Before you come back at some point, will you try to find your guy? Cuz we need to know the.

[Tony]

Oh, I know exactly where he is. The problem is I can't call him.

[Juju]

But you can go visit him.

[Tony]

Yeah, I can visit him in person. He does in person stuff.

[Hawk]

There was a store in Beverly Hills when I lived in LA like 8 years ago on Rodeo Drive, and they were like expensive cell phones that were completely off the grid. So they're on Rodeo for like rich people to come buy these phones and these services. And they're completely untraceable. They were like $7,000 a piece. And at one point I went back, I'm going to get one of those phones. And they had shut down like a burner phone. In and out, like luxury burner phones. They have those for the incredibly rich. Talking about dark wizards, did you run.

[Juju]

With two phones when you were a player?

[Hawk]

No. That is a. You're. You're typecasting me still no.

[Juju]

What?

[Chris]

One for your agent and one person.

[Hawk]

I feel like you're.

[Juju]

I've had the same size. You have two phones.

[Hawk]

I've had the same cell phone number since I originally got a cell phone in 2002.

[Juju]

There were some. Like Hanley Ramirez would change his cell phone number three times a season.

[Hawk]

Yeah, I won't change it because actually you're doing the opposite. So now, because I'm not the same person I was when I was 17 and I have more people just assume that I've already changed my number. So when they text me or try to reach out and I don't want to respond, I'm not Like you, I'm not going to answer and say on air. I'm just gonna ignore. And they're just gonna assume that I changed my number anyway. But it says delivered, so it might be just somebody else.

[David]

Spoiler alert.

[Hawk]

Yeah.

[David]

But, yeah, I'm more of the idea of David. Whenever he answered the phone and was like, I'm on there. I. I love the fact that whenever I. Somebody called me, no matter what, if I see it, if I'm. If I'm. If I see the phone, I'm to answer it, no matter what. Even right now, if my girl call, I'm gonna answer it, but then I'm gonna let her hear what I got going on right now. So she'll hang up eventually.

[Hawk]

I wouldn't mind. But Juju, that makes sense.

[David]

But it was just the unfortunate timing of you telling Hawk how distracting him touching the table was.

[Hawk]

Exactly. And then created the most distracting environment I've ever been in in media. Like, right? I'm gonna tell that story for 20 years. Like, one time I was on air and somebody answered their phone in the middle of my sentence and then acted like I was distracting them from moving the table trying to get closer to their conversation. It's ridiculous, man. It really, truly is.

[Juju]

I'd like to officially apologize and tell you that it will not happen again until we sit next to each other.

[Hawk]

One more question for Juju and you, David. When you answer the phone to acknowledge that you're on air and you won't let it just go to voicemail, why do you do that, Juju? Why?

[David]

Because I think that I'm an old school guy. I prefer talking to you for two minutes versus text messaging.

[Hawk]

Okay?

[David]

Because people's tone. You can't digest the tone during the text message. So I like to have people know that, bruh. I care. I'm here for you. If it's an emergency, I'm going to always answer, but at the same time, you hear me. I'm online right now with Hawk and David Sampson. So text me if you need it. Right now.

[Hawk]

That's kind of my point. So it's a way to tell them you care. Like, you don't want them to feel like you're just ignoring their call. So I'm going to ask you, David, why do you answer the phone?

[Juju]

It's the same. Juju and I are completely aligned, completely alive.

[Chris]

Now you care that people.

[Hawk]

Now he cares what people think. Wait, I doesn't want them to think he's ignoring them. Hawk, did I get him? Did I get Him, Chris.

[Juju]

I won't answer an unlisted number. Not in my phone.

[Hawk]

But it's still a person that you.

[Juju]

Care about and you care what you're on my phone.

[Hawk]

So you care what people think.

[Juju]

It's not.

[Chris]

You just say, I'm an air. Like a different voice.

[Hawk]

I'm on air.

[Juju]

No, actually, what I'm going to do from now on is watermelon paperclip. Then you'll have no idea.

[Hawk]

Yeah, mouth it too. So I don't hear it actually. Right.

[David]

Speaking of don't care, not caring how, how do you feel about Jerry Jones's handling of Michael Parsons right now? Like, is he foul, is he over the line or is he just being Jerry?

[Hawk]

I think he's. I think he's being a business mind. I think like we've done, we've gone through this song and dance so many times with Dak, with CD Lamb, with Zack Martin over the years, Ezekiel Elliott, Emmett Smith. I think he marketing dollars value of this being the number one story on every platform. And so he's like, every time we have a big contract, even if I want to pay them, we're going to draw it out because it's going to help continue to build the business brand of the Cowboys, which in some ways is genius. It's uncomfortable, yes, but we all know the players will get over it the moment you give them the money.

[Juju]

You think he's selling tickets. We had this conversation yesterday, show maybe where the thought was that Jerry Jones, this is what he does.

[Hawk]

Yeah.

[Juju]

No, I didn't draw it out in order for people to be like talk. We talk Cowboys. Either way, we don't need him to fight with Michael Parsons.

[Hawk]

Right. But you got to realize every time you talk it every year, that demographic of fan who views him as America's team gets older and eventually it's no longer America's team if you don't continue to use the same tactics. Much like baseball when we were young, baseball was America's sport. And they didn't do a good enough job of continuing the next generation thinking that way. And now football is America's sport. So for the Cowboys, every new person that the kids know and love, I gotta make an example out of because we need them to understand that a Cowboys are America's team. So when they get in your seat 20 years from now, they will still be talking about the Cowboys the same way.

[Juju]

I'm gonna want to end this show because I want to go watch War of the Worlds juju. Are you gonna watch that movie or not bruh.

[David]

Saturday night, I had the exact experience of people online. Like, I saw. I opened up Prime. I seen Ice Cube, War of the Worlds. I'm clicking it. Say less. I'm talking about five minutes in, when I realized how it was going. You know how you can scroll over the. Like, the actual runtime of the movie and you can see pictures of what's to come? When I saw that it was all an online broadcast or some type of virtual event, I said, nope, and I exited. I ain't even getting more than five, man.

[Hawk]

You watched the movie through a. Through a collage? That's crazy.

[Juju]

Can you rank a rate a movie? I would just say that it's still 3.2. It was when the day started, so it may still be a 3.2. If you haven't watched the whole thing, why do you have a right to assign a number to it?

[David]

That's a good one. That's a good one, right? I'm not assigning a number to him. I'm. I'm assigning. My time is too valuable for me to watch Ice Cube battle a war against the world, gets an eye incomplete.

[Juju]

And I. Yeah, you stop after five minutes. It's a straight eye.

[Hawk]

What channel was channel I when you grew up in New York?

[Juju]

I have no recollection. I only know Channel J.

[David]

Speaking of channel J, also, before I get out of here, the alley oop right now we're doing WNBA coverage. I just interviewed my sister. Rise. Go on Wu day. It's on at DLS Hoops. It's not a part of the Levitage show. Excuse me. Pardon me, Paige, you know how they do us. So they threw me over there on DLS Hoops. So I need your support, man. Like, please, like, if you out there and you care about me having a job, please subscribe. Subscribe to DLS Hoops, man, because if you don't, I'm out of here.

[Juju]

I know Zaz will do it because he's heard of every single podcast known to mankind and womenkind and people kind. So you've got a bunch of subs here. Thank you, Juju.

[David]

Thank you.

[Juju]

Take care, Hawk. I like you.

[Hawk]

I appreciate it, David. Likewise, brother.