Loading summary
Mike
Shot clocks, big shots, upsets, aces. TGL playoffs are here. First, Atlanta drives, starts their repeat run against Los Angeles Golf Club. Then Rory's Boston Common golf and Tigers Jupiter Lynx face off in their playoff debuts. Who will advance? Keep up its playoffs. Tune in Tuesday, March 17, at 6:30pm and 9pm only on ESPN and the ESPN app.
Dan LeBatard
Welcome to the Big Sui, presented by DraftKings. Why are you listening to this show, a podcast that seems very similar to the other Dan LeBatard podcast. I'm sorry, I'm not gonna apologize for that. In fact, the only difference seems to be this imaging. I have been tempted in restaurants just
Tony
walking past tables to grab somebody's fries
Dan LeBatard
if they're just there.
Tony
That hasn't happened to you guys.
Mike
I've done it.
Dan LeBatard
And now here's the marching man to Nowhere Fat Face and the habitual Liar.
Chris Cody
This episode of the Dan LeBatard show is presented by DraftKings. DraftKings. The crown.
Mike
Yeah, that's right.
Dan LeBatard
Yeah. Let's go, let's go. Yeah.
Mike
Yeah. All right.
Chris Cody
Yeah.
Tony
On.
Dan LeBatard
Come on.
Zaslow
What are you on about? You don't like the pause between ridiculous, ridiculous.
Chris Cody
What are you on about? Such a funny way.
Dan LeBatard
So Chris Cody got back from vacation a couple days ago and it's like, do you not know what's going on in the NFL? Because he just saw Dave. He just saw. So Chris was on a cruiser. You all inclusive?
Chris Cody
All inclusive.
Dan LeBatard
All right. So he was away for a few days. He just got back yesterday. And, and, and it flashes across the screen just a couple of minutes ago, Mike Evans signs three year deal with the 49ers. Like, did, did you not decide to catch yourself up on what happened when you were away? You just showed up. Like, I'll, I'll, I'll catch up on the fly.
Chris Cody
On the day back, I was kind of just going through Twitter and, you know, looking at all the news and see, guy's here, this guy's here. And I thought I saw a lot war. I thought I saw.
Zaslow
We're at war.
Chris Cody
Bam.
Roy
Did what?
Chris Cody
But, and then, and then I, and I'm, you know, but stuff still trickling in. A lot of shit happened.
Dan LeBatard
But when you. Okay, so you're at the all inclusive, do you not. You don't like, you actually unplug. You don't follow.
Chris Cody
Oh, I'm for sure. Like, my screen time is way down. Like, yeah, I'm having like, moments where I'll get on phone for like five or like a five minute here, five minute there. But no, like, for the most part, I am way less. Why? You don't disconnect?
Dan LeBatard
No, like, you don't know about that.
Mike
Disconnect.
Dan LeBatard
That's my gimmick. Like, Dave, I. I feel like we live. We work in a business where we can't just disconnect for a week and then play catch up. Like, I. I'm not on my phone the whole time when I'm on a cruise or something, but I get. I get the WI fi package and I make sure I check what's happening,
Tony
you know, what the hell is Chris. Cody. Unplugging from sports that way? Like, I. I've never been an ER doctor, but I've watched the pit a few times and I can understand wanting to get away from that sometimes. Well, I get away from sports. That's the whole reason you choose to do sports for your life. I mean, you know what? I'm plugged.
Mike
This is.
Tony
This isn't work. This is. This is fun work. This is more just getting away.
Chris Cody
It's more just getting away from my phone in general.
Dan LeBatard
Okay, but how much is it?
Tony
Okay, I've got to unplug. I've got to unplug.
Dan LeBatard
Let's, Let's.
Tony
I gotta. I gotta get away from it all. From what?
Zaslow
From.
Chris Cody
From.
Tony
From watching sports.
Mike
From Canucks Flames.
Dan LeBatard
All right, let's get down to brass tacks here, though. How much is it, Chris? Because. Because if on your vacation you got your phone out and your wife scolds
Chris Cody
you, I mean, it's. It's really not that at all.
Zaslow
I mean, she's reading her book. She doesn't even see.
Chris Cody
Exactly. She's reading smut the whole time. That's my wife. Anyone.
Tony
But you have to. You have the built in excuse, Zaslow, of course you know that. Cody, if anybody said. What were you doing on your phone? Can't you focus? Can't you be present with us? I'm sorry, I wish I could. I wish I could, but it's my job to be plugged into what's going on in sports. And. And unfortunately, I use that.
Chris Cody
It's my job line so much throughout the year. Guys, I gotta take like a few days off the. Hey, honey, that's why you do it.
Tony
That's one of the reasons I gotta watch Panthers tonight.
Chris Cody
I gotta watch Panthers tonight. I gotta work. Like. I use that a lot guy. I go to that well a lot.
Dan LeBatard
Oh, my. My wife always says me, do. Do you have to watch this game for work?
Zaslow
You know, the answer's always yes.
Chris Cody
We have highlight on Friday. Nights. And then afterwards, I'm still working. Honey, we're.
Roy
We're.
Chris Cody
We're like, meet. It's a team meeting. We're doing after. Here. At. At Las Rosas.
Mike
That's right. Which for me is also kind of work.
Tony
See, dude, wow.
Roy
Good point.
Chris Cody
It all falls under the work.
Zaslow
A BW. Always be working.
Tony
And by the way, it's 100% the truth, too. That's what you have on your side. Like, I got to watch this game for work. Like, do you feel like you're. You're. You're lie.
Chris Cody
No, you're not. While I'm.
Tony
Well, you should watch. That's what you're supposed to do. You're supposed to be watching the games, everybody, while we just. Guess what? It's fun, too.
Roy
You good? While.
Dan LeBatard
While I'm done.
Tony
I'm done. I got. Well, no, I don't. I didn't know if you needed to unplug for a few minutes right now.
Chris Cody
Speaking of Panthers last night, how about this? Bobrovsky deciding to play well as soon as we're eliminated. I am over this, Bob. They're eliminated the last.
Tony
They're not eliminated the last week.
Chris Cody
I know they're not technically eliminated, but they're.
Dan LeBatard
They win the rest of their games,
Chris Cody
they'll get in the last week or so. Every game. It's Bob playing out of his ass. Now we're at. Now that we're out of it. I'm. I'm over this. Bob playing well late in the season.
Mike
Oh, good.
Chris Cody
We could just talk about out of.
Tony
You're over. You're.
Roy
You're.
Tony
You're over the guy who just delivered two Stanley Cups to you?
Chris Cody
No, I'm over him.
Tony
What the hell's going on with Cody?
Chris Cody
I'm over him.
Dan LeBatard
Somebody unplug him.
Tony
Roy, unplug him, please.
Mike
His mic's off.
Zaslow
Don't worry. He's not talking anymore.
Dan LeBatard
I'm glad that Chris brought that up because, yes, Sergey Bobrovsky was incredible last night. Kept them in a game where the Panthers were generating no offense the first two periods. Third period was actually very exciting. And the Panthers win. Reinhardt scores the winner, and they win 2:1 in overtime. But I feel like last night, Bob, was so incredible, and. And last night, for me, if.
Tony
If.
Dan LeBatard
If you didn't feel this way before last night, you have to at least have some type of feeling about. I think this year will be a blip on the radar when the team comes back healthy next year, certainly when Barkov is in front of him next year. And that it is. You have to bring Bob Brovsky back. You probably sign him to a two year extension, you bring him back next year and it's pretty likely he bounces back. Like, I thought last night was maybe the best moment of the season because. And you heard what, what, what guys were saying about Bob after the game and even what Sergey said after the game, you saw there were quotes from him just about, I love it here. I don't ever want to play anyone else. This is the only place I want to play. I want to finish my career. Like, you can't get rid of this guy. I'm so glad they didn't trade him. I'm so glad.
Mike
Well, I mean, this is the first time we've heard anything like this. It's. His contract's been a looming situation and it was almost as if the deadline forced this conversation into the local narrative. We're not that kind of media market, that if this were Toronto, they'd be banging on about his contract for two years. But that's not how South Florida is. I think the players like that. But it's cool to see like every Panther fans kind of wondering, wait, are we going to lose our legendary goaltender number 72? And they've answered that pretty loudly and they're showing him love and they're giving him flowers. And for Bob, who is not at all vocal to come out and say what you've been wanting to hear, like in terms of direction, like, because I can understand from a hockey perspective why the team may move on, but that's not what's at play here. I just wanted to get clued in to the direction. I wanted to know if Bob wanted to stay here. We're getting answers to all those questions and it's cool to see this team bounce back from a form perspective when they decided we're not going to be trading any of these guys that helped get us there. We're going to ride this thing out and we're going to come back next season with a vengeance. And to see them take that message from the front office and it translate into three consecutive victories on the ice against teams ahead of them in the standings that they need to catch. It's been great to see Roy Bobby. Yeah, he's getting paid $10 million a season. I'm looking for him to take a team discount like Sam Bennett and the rest of those guys took in the off season. But yeah, the way he's been very good the last two games that he's played and annoying.
Zaslow
It's Annoying.
Mike
Like, I'm fine with them not.
Dan LeBatard
It's not annoying like, you're.
Chris Cody
You're annoying because he played, like, all season, and then as soon as we're like, it's. We're out of it. I mean, I know we're not technically out of it. We're out of it. And now he's playing well. It's just annoying.
Mike
Well, listen, I'm fine with them missing the playoffs. They need the rest. They've played an equivalent. They played an equivalent of a full regular season in the playoffs the last three years.
Zaslow
They need the rest.
Roy
So.
Dan LeBatard
Anyway, I'm glad you brought up the Panthers there.
Tony
Bam.
Dan LeBatard
Doesn't erase now, Chris. Going back to your vacation?
Zaslow
Sup?
Mike
Your.
Dan LeBatard
Your wife's into the smut, huh?
Chris Cody
Dude, ever since he did rivalry, she's just into the whole genre.
Mike
Yeah.
Chris Cody
I mean, it's not just. She does it all. Like, she doesn't discriminate. She'll go. It's a whole thing. Mf. Mm. Ff Whoa.
Tony
Wow.
Chris Cody
That's what. That's how. That's literally.
Tony
Yeah.
Chris Cody
My Fuentes, the Love Story. It's either male, female.
Dan LeBatard
Dave, you know about that? Ff.
Chris Cody
Know that.
Tony
FF no, no. Tell me more.
Mike
Cody.
Chris Cody
It's what it is.
Tony
Plug me in.
Chris Cody
It's.
Roy
It's.
Chris Cody
It's like, what? The love story. It gives you a little, like, when you're looking at a cover. Okay. FF It's a female. Female love story. Mm. It's two males. Fmf. It's male, female.
Dan LeBatard
What about that? Fmf.
Chris Cody
You know, they don't. She loves it all. She. She reads about, like, six books a week. It's all she's doing every day. We're like, watching a show finally, for
Dan LeBatard
paradise, reading smut all day long.
Chris Cody
I mean, there's pros and cons, but I. I think she's just. She won't stop. And I finally, like, with, like, we're watching Paradise. We're watching paradise. And I'm like. I'm looking. I'm like, oh, it's a good scene. I look over and she said, like, I finally got. I'm like, no, if. If we're watching a show, the smut goes away for a half hour.
Tony
Your what? Your wife has a porn addiction, Is what you're saying, is that. Is that the long and short of a written.
Zaslow
A written word porn addiction?
Chris Cody
I wouldn't call it very popular. Like, she's not the only one. She's got a whole, like, the Fabio.
Tony
Like, are you talking about, like, the. The.
Chris Cody
I mean, she's got a whole friend group.
Tony
They're all generation like the Fabio books.
Dan LeBatard
Is it a smut book club?
Chris Cody
Yes. There's like a whole group.
Zaslow
You know about that smut book club?
Dan LeBatard
I don't. It is a little.
Chris Cody
My wife is like the leader of it though. Cuz we sometimes hang out, talk about it's a bunch of couples and they're always just like, Christy tells us what to read. We all listen to her. If she suggests it. I mean, it's a good one.
Tony
Couples. Are you a part so you're not dragged into this or are you?
Mike
Oh, good for you.
Chris Cody
Thank you.
Tony
You read it.
Chris Cody
No, but I do like to play the game of looking over her shoulder.
Mike
I'm telling you, gets a toast tingling.
Chris Cody
The word throbbing is just like. I can't look over her shoulder without seeing the word throbbing.
Mike
Good for you, dude.
Tony
I think, I think everybody is thinking the same thing, right? Like you're just about a half step away from a key party. Right?
Chris Cody
I mean, I like the party, but
Tony
we know what a key party is.
Mike
Of course, dude.
Tony
I don't know where Chris Cody's.
Mike
I don't know if Chris knows what he's talking.
Chris Cody
I thought a key party was like, hey, we're drinking, so put your keys in the bowl here. Cuz we're no drive. No one's driving.
Mike
Wait, keep going. Tell me what you think a key party is. Like we all put our keys in a bowl because we're all drinking. Yeah. And that's a safe.
Chris Cody
And then we're putting it away and no one's driving.
Mike
Yeah.
Roy
Ubers or.
Tony
Oh, close.
Chris Cody
Is it a thing where you pick the keys out? It's like, I'm going home with this person.
Mike
Yes.
Tony
You finally got there.
Mike
You know about that ice storm. Sergeant Kevin Klein.
Chris Cody
I want to park my car in that garage.
Roy
Huh?
Tony
Dave, you. Well, you want to plug in? You're going to get plugged but good. Hey, yo.
Chris Cody
Now I'm starting to feel uncomfortable.
Dan LeBatard
So back to the original part of this conversation you're trying to catch up on. You're trying to catch up on NFL News. You do know that Kyler Murray yesterday signed with the Vikings, right?
Chris Cody
I did see that. I saw the funny meme of him walking through the Vikings facility. But it was a baby walking through
Dan LeBatard
so many memes of like, like little people and they're like, KY Murray. All right.
Mike
People hate Kyler Murray. People don't like Kyler Murray. Dave.
Dan LeBatard
You saw these, like so many memes. Kyler Murray. It's like a It's like a child walking through the airport on his way to Minnesota. Why do we, why do we treat Kyler Murray like he's 4ft tall, 5ft tall?
Tony
I think we resent him. At least I do, because you know, when I see, you know, it's like Brad Pitt with the most beautiful women in the world. It's like, okay, that makes sense. He's Brad Pitt. You know, Dan Marino makes sense for being an NFL superstar versus me. He's 6 foot 4 and has a rifle for a right arm. Kyler Murray, it's like he, he then makes me doubt myself. He, he lowers my self esteem. Like if he can make it in the NFL at 5 foot 10, I feel like he's showing me up. It feels like I didn't work hard enough. I should be in Kyler Murray's shoes given that he overcame being 5 foot 10. But either way, I kind of like that he went to his favorite childhood. I mean, way back to where we started 30 minutes or so ago. It's kind of cool that he went to his boyhood favorite team.
Dan LeBatard
Oh, is that true? That was his favorite team growing up.
Mike
Yeah. He was claiming that he would cry after big time defeats. I mean, that's one way to ingratiate yourselves to a Vikings fan base.
Roy
Hello friends. Hello listeners. I want to talk to you about Chime because Chime is changing the way people bank. And honestly, it just makes sense. This is fee free smarter banking built for regular people like you and me, not old school banks charging overdraft and monthly fees just for trying to get through the week. This is banking that actually feels like it's on your side, which is very, very important. Chime isn't just another app. They unlock smarter banking with tools like MyPay, giving you access to up to $500 of your paycheck when you need it. And boy, do we sometimes need it. It even lets you get paid up to two days early with direct deposit. I know someone who would benefit from that. No overdraft fees, no minimum balances, no monthly fees. Chime helps your everyday spending work harder with credit, building tools and savings, earning up to 3% APY. And there's the new Chime card. Build credit with your own money and with qualifying direct deposits, earn 1.5% cash back on eligible purchases. Chime is not just smarter banking. It is the most rewarding way to bank. Join the millions who are already banking fee free today. It just takes a few minutes to sign up. Head to chime.com dan that is chime.com
Ad Read Voice
dan Chime is a financial technology company, not a bank. Banking Services A secured Chime Visa credit card and MyPay line of credit provided by the Bancor Bank NA or Stride Bank NA. MyPay eligibility requirements apply and credit limit ranges $20 to $500. Optional services and products may have fees or charges. See chime.com feesinfo advertised annual percentage yield with Chime+ status only. Otherwise, 1.00% APY applies. No min balance required. Chime card on time may have a positive impact on your credit score. Results may vary. See chime.com for details and applicable terms.
Zaslow
This episode is sponsored by Better Help March is one of those months where we talk about celebrating women. And it's very, very deserved. Because when you actually look around, a lot of women in our lives are carrying a ton. Work, family, relationships, expectations nobody notices or sees. I start thinking about the women around me. My wife, my mom, my sister, my friends, my co workers. People who somehow take care of everybody else while still trying to hold it together themselves. And it's a ton to carry. Therapy can be a place to put some of that weight down. It can help you figure out what's yours, what isn't, and how to set better boundaries so you're not running on empty all the time. BetterHelp works with fully licensed therapists in the US and they handle the matching process for you. You fill out a short questionnaire and if your therapist isn't the right fit, you can switch at any time. With more than 30,000 therapists and over 6 million people served, it's the world's largest online therapy platform with an average of 4.9 out of 5 session ratings. Your emotional well being matters. Find support and feel lighter in therapy. Sign up and get 10% off@betterhelp.com DLB that's BetterHelp H E L P.com DLB folks, listen up.
Chris Cody
Quick break in the action. Are you counting down the days until payday? Instacash from Moneyline can help you Access up to $500 of your hard earned pay early. There's no interest, no credit check and no monthly fees, so you can manage those in between expenses with less stress. Download the MoneyLion app and link your qualifying bank account to see what you qualify for. Moneylion make money easy. Instacast is subject to terms and eligibility requirements. Expedited delivery requires a turbo fee.
Dan LeBatard
See moneylion.com Don LeBatard I've never stepped foot on that campus. If you told me right now your life Depends on it. Go to Santa Fe University and just, just take a picture.
Mike
Stugats.
Dan LeBatard
I would die. I don't know where it is. This is the Dan Levatar show with the stug.
Mike
I think it's an interesting fit. I'd like to just talk football here for a second with Dave.
Tony
Yeah.
Mike
Because I think KOC has deserved. Deserves the benefit of the doubt when it comes to quarterback reclamation projects. Not AOC, KOC, but what he did with Sam Darnold was amazing. JJ McCarthy, everyone, everyone has kind of decided stinks because they're doing a little confirmation bias with what they saw in college and he's been injured. He's had some moments in the NFL. It'll be an interesting quarterback battle. I don't think they promised Kyler murray the. The QB1 job. What's your takeaway from this, this acquisition by the Minnesota Vikings?
Tony
Well, the declaration for weeks on end, which I think was probably informed by everybody understanding that that's what the Vikings wanted to do and that Kyler was incented to go to Minnesota. But. But the declaration by the national voices that like, well, this is the obvious only place for Kyler to go here, I don't exactly get. Because of exactly what you just said, Mike. He's entering into a competition with J.J. mcCarthy and Koc to some degree. Okay. They showed the GM the door. But Koc had a hand in bringing J.J. mcCarthy in. And I, I get. It's. It's sort of like for the QB whisperer conversation. Kyle Shanahan has Trey lance, that's his one strike. And Koc, it appears, is. Or at least looming is J.J. mcCarthy was his choice and that may not work out. But by bringing in Kyler Murray, isn't he. If Kyler Murray has a bad game or two, isn't there going to be some push from Koc to like, let's see if JJ McCarthy can turn things around. I. But by that alone, I think there are better spots for him and I think the Pittsburgh Steelers would have been a great spot for him. I think the reason he wasn't chased harder by the Steelers or why he didn't pursue the Steelers more is because it was understood Aaron Rodgers is already aligned with the Steelers for 2026, which is even crazier than. Than Kyler Murray entering into Minnesota for a quarterback conversation competition with JJ McCarthy.
Zaslow
It feels like it's kind of.
Tony
I don't know if I ramble too much there. To answer your question, I think it's Kyler has pole position, but I do Think in football terms, Koc, what he wants optimally is a distributor. A guy who throws short and intermediate passes, gets the ball into the hands of Jordan Addison and Justin Jefferson. That doesn't exactly speak to Kyler Murray Skill set Mike McCarthy in, in his optimal offense. If you look back a dozen 15 years or so ago when he had ironically, Aaron Rodgers in his prime, it's a lot of that boot rollout stuff that Aaron Rodgers used to torture NFL teams doing. Kyler Murray is better suited to doing that than Aaron Rodgers at 43 is. Really feels like, as I said the other day, it feels like they should wife swap before they get married. Kyler should be the Steelers quarterback and Aaron Rodgers should be the Vikings quarterback. That makes way more sense to me than what the reality is going to end up being.
Zaslow
But they had the opportunity and KOC basically said no, right? Like the Aaron Rodgers wanted to go to Minnesota and it was like, hey, nah, like we're good. We've got, you know, the guys that we've got in this locker room. And it's interesting because I think, I think nine. I think J.J. mcCarthy is going to be given the first kind of crack at being number one. But then if he has a couple of bad games, how long are the Minnesota Vikings fans going to be like, all right, we need to see Kyler Murray out here making sure that we have some. Because Dave, you can talk about it. Their roster is one of the best rosters in the NFL. If they had a quarterback, they could be making legitimate noise in the, in the playoffs.
Tony
I completely agree with that. If they get the QB right, they absolutely have a Super bowl run in them. And I know people keep pointing to what happened with Sam Darnold and there are a number of examples now out there and I think that is in line. I'm surprised though, Tony. Is that, is that something Koc, Is that something the Vikings have voiced in the last 24 hours that they. JJ McCarthy is, is. Is in the pole position right now and Kyler is going to have to win the gig. I don't understand why Kyler Murray would want to enter into a QB competition. Because there were start there were available opportunities for him to be a starter in a prove it year.
Zaslow
Yeah, nobody's, nobody's come out and said in, you know, in Minnesota, hey, yeah, JJ's our number one guy. We're going to make sure that he's got, you know, the best opportunity to make this team win and whatever. But that hasn't come out and been
Dan LeBatard
maybe it being his favorite team played a big role.
Zaslow
Yeah, maybe.
Tony
I mean, I think that would be absolutely spiritually cool if that were the case. I think practically they're like, doesn't work that way. There, there were may there, there was at least one that I can see, but maybe multiple spots where he would be the clean starter without any competition. And why you wouldn't take that if you're in the spot career wise that Kyler Murray's in right now in a, like I say, a prove it year.
Zaslow
It just, my bad, it just feels like koc, the front office, whoever's, you know, kind of in the, in the building looking around at J.J. mcCarthy being like, all right, we can, we kind of got to get off this because it hasn't really worked. It doesn't look like it's working. Maybe we bring in Kyler Murray halfway through the season, he can come in, be a plug in guy and then we can go try and get somebody next year free agent wise or trades or whatever. But it just feels like the JJ McCarthy era has coming to a very screeching halt.
Tony
Well, it's all, it's over. If they roll with Kyler, what then do you do with J.J. mcCarthy? Because practically I, you know, I, again, I know I'm obsessing about the Steelers, but they have a void at quarterback and so they, you know, that would make some sense.
Dan LeBatard
I mean there can't be some kind of market day for, for a guy who was, what was he, top 10? Was he number 10 overall? J.J. mcCarthy, he's, he's only had one year of playing experience. There's not a trade market for that.
Tony
Not even, not even a year. I mean, we've already rendered a verdict on him. I mean, he's played, he's played two and a half.
Dan LeBatard
That's what I'm saying feels like.
Tony
Yes, of course. And you know, Malik Willis, I don't know if you heard about where he landed. I mean, he's played basically. I mean, he's played a little bit more, I guess than J.J. mcCarthy, but we've already decided that he's the man. And by the way, you do kind of have to project when you get desperate in the quarterback league. You do have to, to shift into the Malik Willis conversation a little bit here. You do have to swing a little bit bigger there. You know, the, the, the metaphor for me is, you know, if, if you're playing with house money a little bit, you can afford to go up to the craps table and make the, the sober place bets on six and eight and back it up with double odds and all of that. If you're the Dolphins, if you're the Steelers, if you're a team that doesn't have the answer yet at quarterback, then you have to get up to the roulette wheel and put it all on one number and hope it comes up. You have to take some chances here because until you solve that position, you are nowhere in the NFL. So I, you know, I think that makes sense. But Moving on from JJ McCarthy, unless Koch is looking at the man in the mirror and saying, you missed on this one fella that you know it, let's just move on and get Kyler in there and pretend J.J. never happened. If that's the reality, maybe. But I still think without knowing what's inside Koc's head about the guy he drafted, I think he's going to be incented to try to make JJ work at least this season in at some moment, at some point in the NFL season, he's going to put J.J. mcCarthy in there to see what he's got. Right.
Dan LeBatard
More likely to have success in their new spot. Kyler Murray or to a. I mean, I laugh.
Tony
You know, I agree that the Vikings have a pretty good roster and the only thing that's in their way, you know, as we sit here in March, is that they happen to be in the NFC North.
Dan LeBatard
Falcons have really good offensive players.
Tony
Yeah, right, right. I mean there were spots to me and like I say the national voices who decreed like, well, where else is Kyler going to go? Is that a rhetorical question? Because I, I got a bunch of opportunities for him that are better than the one in Minnesota. Yeah, I get it. He's throwing to Justin Jefferson. But it's also a fundamentally, it, it's fundamentally the wrong offense for what Kyler can do.
Zaslow
I kind of don't hate the spot for two in Atlanta and I, and I know I may be kind of on the out to that, but like the, the supporting, the supporting Cassidy he has around him, the Drake London's, the Kyle Pitts, the Bijan Robinson's. Like if Stefanski can kind of work this offense where two is quick throwing and doing the stuff that he was doing with McDaniel. I don't hate it. Playing in a dome, playing in a pretty soft division.
Tony
I agree. It does feel though like when you watch Tua, like every, every defensive coordinator knew exactly what Tua was going to do. I mean it was weird watching Tua this past year. It felt sad, like he was outmoded from some different generation or something. But otherwise though, Tony, yeah, I like that Falcons team quite a bit in that bum in that in that eternally bum division that is inexplicably always the winner is somewhere between 8 and 9 and 9 and 8. Or at least that's how it feels. Yeah, I think TUA can absolutely make a go of things in Atlanta. And for the millionth time, I will say, because that's where Zaz and I first fell in love was our on our agreement. The entire Mike McDaniel to era blew up in that one loss to the Titans or otherwise on Monday night. Or else we would have completely different opinions of the Miami Dolphins over the last few years. They would have won a playoff game. Who knows where they might have gone.
Ad Read Voice
Love the Night Reach for Zinn After Dark, a limited cocktail inspired series for those who get up when the sun goes down, try Zinn's Mojito Spiced Cider, an espresso martini. Nicotine powder pouches. Find them at select retailers. Available while supplies last. Zinn After Dark Bring on the night Warning. This product contains nicotine. Nicotine is an addictive chemical Quick break
Mike
to tell you about a special Miller time I had with my good buddy Mochetta. Mochetta texted me the other day. He said, hey, what are you doing for the game? I said, I'm just on my couch right now doing nothing, enjoying it. He's like, hey, do you want some company? I said, from you, Mochetta? Absolutely. Mochetta comes over to the house and I pull out the Miller Light. Miller Lite made that casual hang a memorable good Miller time with my good friend Mochetta because Miller Lite brought us together. We took that first sip after we toasted our beers and we knew we made the right call. We watched a game. All of a sudden we're standing up on our feet, big threes are being drained and white cans are being clanged. See times like these. That's exactly why Miller Lite is my go to Clean, refreshing, easy to drink. Brewed for taste with simple ingredients. The original light beer since 1975 and it still hits different for yours truly and his good friend Mo Chedda. Cheers to legendary moments made with Miller Lite. Great taste. 96 calories. Go to millerlight.com dan to find delivery options near you. Or you can pick up some Miller Lite pretty much anywhere they sell beer. It's Miller Time. Celebrate responsibly. Miller Brew Co. Milwaukee, Wisconsin 96 calories and 3.2 carbs per 12 ounces DraftKings
Zaslow
sportsbook, the number one sportsbook for live betting is built for March. The tournament is unpredictable, but the rewards are guaranteed, baby. And DraftKings is delivering some of the most generous rewards in the market. New to DraftKings bet just five bucks and get 200 bucks in bonus bets instantly. Download the DraftKings sportsbook app and use code DAN. That's code DAN to turn five bucks into 200 bucks in bonus bets instantly in partnership with DraftKings. The crown is yours.
Chris Cody
Gambling problem. Call 1-800-GAMBLER or 1-800-MERNET NEW YORK. Call 877-8-HOPE and WHY or text HOPE and WHY CONNECTICUT. Call 888-789-7777 or visit ccpg.org on behalf of Boothill Casino in Kansas. Wager tax pass through may apply in Illinois, 21 and over in most states. Void in Ontario, restrictions apply. Bonus bets expire seven days after issuance. For additional terms or responsible gaming resources, see sportsbook.draftkings.com promos Limited time offer Don
Dan LeBatard
Libertard John Zaslo how you love. Bad news for opposing teams in the triple air stall. Smiles till LeBron's are clutch again, Clutch again, Clutch again. This is the Dan Levatar show with the Stugats. I don't know if you know this Dave Damaschek, but speaking of quarterbacks, you know, we, we do have a. We do have a quarterback in this room, Tony.
Tony
I heard about that.
Zaslow
Dave. Did you know once upon a time I was played some quarterback in high school ended up, you know, choosing the basketball route, which I probably shouldn't have. Long story short, Andrew Hawkins thought I could have played tight end in college. I still agree with him on that part. That's another story for another day. But I did try out. I was working out. I was getting my, you know, my body ready. You say six, four with a rocket arm. That's also me. I can throw the ball about 60, 65 yards. Like I had some of that stuff working for me. So I got a QB coach.
Dan LeBatard
No one's going to check him on that 60, 65 yards.
Zaslow
I can go do. I can go do it if you want.
Tony
Let's see.
Zaslow
Do we have a football?
Tony
So wait, physical specimen like Jamarcus Russell then. So the. So the problem was between the ears?
Zaslow
It was. Yes, the problem was between the ears.
Chris Cody
It's a throbbing specimen.
Mike
Can you throw a real football 65 yards or one of them? F. No, I don't throw a little one of them.
Dan LeBatard
Is it one of those Nerfs with like the, the.
Tony
Give me a real, give me a real big football.
Mike
Get to the punchline.
Zaslow
Give me a real big football. So Dave, we're getting there. I'm going to FIU at the, the time. And I'm like, all right, I'm gonna just try out for the team. Maybe I can make scout team. Maybe I can be a taxi squatter. I can just be a part of the program, right? So I get to walk on tryouts. They start running the 40s, they start doing this and that. You work out, whatever. And I'm like, all right, perfect. I'm ready to go. Like, obviously I don't have tape because I'm, you know, three or four years out of high school. Like, I don't really have tape on me. So we get to the quarterbacks, everybody comes in, Coach goes, all right guys, excited to see all. You look really good. All right, so here's the plan. We're going to start here. Everybody get in the line at the 30 yard line. Let me see your three steps, let me see your five steps, let me see your seven steps. And I'm like, all right, perfect. We start hitting it. Boom, I'm back. And he's like, all right, so what we're going to do is we got the wide receivers coming in and we don't have footballs. So we kind of, everybody looks around like, yeah, like. So the problem is if we would give you guys footballs, we'd actually have to take a day of practice away from the real team. So we're not gonna do that.
Dan LeBatard
I mean, no one's able to run a sports authority pick up some balls.
Zaslow
Again, NCAA at that time, they were like, nah, you can't. If you give balls to the, to the walk ons, you have to take a day of practice away from the real team.
Dan LeBatard
I mean, that is some real stupidity.
Zaslow
I agree.
Tony
It was bullshit. Chris Cody's wife's getting hot with all this talk about giving ball.
Mike
So all the.
Zaslow
Wow.
Mike
Geez, Dave.
Zaslow
So he's like, all right, what we're gonna do is wide receiver is gonna run a post. You're gonna run a five step drop and then throw the ball to him. So I sit back and I'm like, okay, we do arcade. I sit back, boom, five step, I let it go. The guy's like, nice.
Chris Cody
I think that's when you got to show off and just throw it 65 yards downfield. Even though there's a receiver right there. Be like just to show him you can do Well, I did chuck it down the field.
Zaslow
I did. I threw it as hard as I could, shadow. So at the end of it, they were like, all right, guys, everybody did a great job.
Tony
Nobody made it.
Zaslow
And that was that. So I did the entire tryout.
Dan LeBatard
Well, what would it take for someone to make it when they didn't give you a football?
Zaslow
It was a sham. It was a witch hunt.
Chris Cody
These guys know what they're looking for. They're looking for form. They're looking for footwork. Tony, you just didn't have it, dude.
Zaslow
A guy who's 6 4, you don't want to sniff around and be like, you know what? What if we give this guy a football?
Chris Cody
He saw enough.
Roy
See it?
Chris Cody
He saw enough.
Tony
Just look at me in a uniform.
Roy
You want me on this team.
Zaslow
That's what I'm saying.
Tony
I don't understand why they didn't bring
Dan LeBatard
footballs to a football.
Tony
I. Dave, at least. At least bring a pine or at least tell the players to the. The. The. The candidates to bring their own football or have fun with it and bring a pineapple or something like that to throw something.
Zaslow
Football shape would have worked.
Mike
We had nothing. Chris knows about that.
Chris Cody
Damn it.
Tony
He's unplugged.
Chris Cody
Upside down.
Dan LeBatard
So, Mike, something caught my attention earlier today. And Ticketmaster, Live Nation. That's how you get the tickets. Everybody knows that. But very, you know, if you know anything about the ticket industry, and I happen to know a lot, people call me the ticket ninja. And you will know that, that, that business is really shady.
Mike
Yes. I mean, you're a Pearl Jam fan. They've been fighting against the monopoly of Ticketmaster.
Dan LeBatard
Went all the way to Supreme Court.
Mike
Yes. And everybody was hopeful because there is consensus buy in from American consumers. Taylor S.W. swift was a real impetus for this because her fans would always try to get tickets to her concerts and bots would swarm this thing. And these fees were like, outrageous.
Dan LeBatard
I just went through this with Metallica last week.
Mike
Fees are outrageous. The consumer gets boned here in America when it comes to ticketing. My wife knows about that. There was an antitrust case that went all the way to the Supreme Court. The Biden administration was really the driving force about breaking up this monopoly because they essentially run the entire ticketing industry and there is no competition. Competition would at least keep these companies honest.
Dan LeBatard
Well, and to add some, you know, context to that, when Pearl Jam fought against Ticketmaster, that. To show the control that Ticketmaster Live Nation has, Pearl Jam decided they're not going to use Ticketmaster. But as a result of not using Ticketmaster. They also had to book all the venues on their own. And it was small venues venues that ended up creating a huge logistic problem for them because all the main venues across the country are tied to Ticketmaster.
Mike
So this case was headed to the Supreme Court. And this week the DOJ copped a deal with Live Nation Ticketmaster that in a punitive sense only really accounted for what is tantamount to four days of revenue for Live Nation Ticketmaster. And they in essence get to keep their monopoly now. So on the state side this battle isn't totally over. States do have some power here, but ultimately feels like Live Nation Ticketmaster got away with it and there is no change. The top lawyer when it came to the antitrust division of the DOJ was fired. This seemed to be a Biden led legislation and they decided to just do away with it. And many consumers feel like Live Nation Ticketmaster were off the hook. Then yesterday there were all sorts of leak from internal emails from Live Nation that these people that are high up, one person is still presently running all the amphitheaters in their library. They're laughing at the American consumer quote, we're robbing these people blind. I feel like, I almost feel bad how we're taking advantage of these people. And it just, it really chaps my ass how the American consumer always loses here with something as popular as this isn't fair.
Dan LeBatard
It's not like this in other countries with their ticketing system. Right?
Mike
Maybe for musicians, but there are protections like the European sports consumer has so much power they blew up a multi billion dollar super league deal. I know someone that runs business operations for a premier league club. If he raises sodas $0.27 he needs to have a town hall here. They just keep getting away with this monopoly, keep charging you fees you don't even like. You and I were talking about it with Metallica. I don't even try anymore to get tickets when they're, the moment that they're
Dan LeBatard
put on sale, it's not, it feels like, like, like Dave for me. And again I like, I, I'm pretty good when it comes to the ticketing system. I know how to get the, the tickets, pre sales, all that stuff. It's the same for me as what Mike just said where I don't even participate anymore in the, in the, on sale. You know, you go back 15, 20 years ago, you want to go to a show, you better be on at 10am right when those tickets get on sale and scoop up your tickets and now that. That's not even the way to go about getting tickets anymore.
Tony
Oh, I'm old enough to remember even before that. You guys are talking about the newfangled trying to jump online at just the time. I remember sleeping outside. I didn't personally do that, but I remember a lot of people who did it and showing up hours and hours in advance to try and get Jane's Addiction tickets and all that kind of
Dan LeBatard
at the local Ticketmaster outlet. Right? Like down here. Like down here. It was. It was. It was Peaches. Peaches Music. Sam Goody Specs music was Sears. Those were Ticketmaster outlets here.
Tony
Tower. Tower. You would go places like that. But yeah, people literally would sleep outside to try and get tickets. I guess Duke fans still try to do that to get in to Cameron. But I'm always struck by the fact, the incongruity of how much these tickets cost. It's sort of like. And this happens in Miami and Los Angeles both. I drive around L. A and I look at. I look at Bel Air to Pasadena to Malibu, Beverly Hills and all of these, and I am always struck by who in the hell is filling all of these places? How are there enough people in America, let alone in one city, to fill all these multimillion dollar mansions? And the same is true when you drive around Miami, too. How that. How do these bands. How do these, you know, Bruce Springsteen or any. How do they survive? Like, who are the people that go to these shows, who populate all these shows, paying those ticket prices?
Dan LeBatard
You know, given.
Tony
Given the economy in these United States right now? It's very weird.
Dan LeBatard
It's such a great question, because I thought this recently, like, this past summer, I took my younger son, he and I went to go see WWE SummerSlam up in New Jersey at MetLife Stadium. And WWE tickets these days are astronomical. Like TKO, like, they're robbing people. All right, but people are paying it, so it is what it is. But I had the same thought where we're at this show and we sit close to the ring, and I know how much these tickets are close to the ring cost. And I, like, I look at some of these people, like, how did you afford to get here? How did you pay for this? Like, how are you here? And yeah, I have those exact thoughts, too. How are people affording credit card debt?
Roy
The.
Dan LeBatard
It has to be.
Zaslow
It's really. It's really easy.
Dan LeBatard
It has to.
Zaslow
I had the same idea. It's like, I see people in Miami all the time, just. Everybody's just walking around like, people Just walking their dogs and just like out
Tony
at the beach, like, what are you doing?
Zaslow
Then you get into an Escalade. It's $160,000 only fans. It can't just be onlyfans.
Mike
Credit card debt is at an all time high. Previous administrations tried to cap interest rates. They're not doing that. The consumer in America just continues to get boned. You don't even have your day in court. That's what's so frustrating about this. It's as arbitrary as a Department of justice saying, no, we'll take it into our own hands. And the punitive measure is none. None. They get to keep their monopoly. The system stays unchained. You get unchanged. You get to continue paying fees that are just made up. Fees that internally in emails, they're just laughing. They were literally laughing about $250 for parking.
Dan LeBatard
Sound good?
Mike
It was just a scene in Goodfellas.
Dan LeBatard
Well, and not just, not just that right there. There also seems to be something going on with the ticketing system. Where there are these programs. I don't know. Have we talked about this yet on the show? Where there are these programs online. I think airlines use it also. But where the ticket systems they, they can track how many times you're, you're checking to purchase tickets. And if you're doing it multiple times, they know that this is something you really want. So the ticket prices, they don't lower, they actually rise because they know it's something that you really want, you really need.
Mike
Again, like this is.
Dan LeBatard
How is that, how is that the
Mike
previous administration tried to penalize the, the, the airline industry here, where you at
Dan LeBatard
least definitely happens with airlines, you would
Mike
have some consumer protections. If they weren't on time, you would get refunds. And this administration rolled that stuff back too.
Zaslow
Why?
Mike
Who's asking for this? Who's asking? Hey, you know what I love about America? What a pain in the ass it is to get a flight to go see a concert. Because I love paying $300 fees that are just totally made up from internal documents. We just keep taking it up the bottom.
Roy
But it's for the people who fly on private jets. It's the people who fly on private jets who make all the money off of that. And then we talk about, oh, how can all of these people afford to live in those homes? Well, it's all the people who then don't have homes.
Mike
That's, that's how that happens. Maybe, maybe a couple less million dollars. Maybe be happy with 5 billion as opposed to like 5.4 like this is insane. We, they say that this stuff is going to change. You actually search, start seeing it change. And then the political pendulum swings and we decide we don't want consumer protections. I feel like that's a bipartisan issue. We should have consumer protections.
Tony
Is it, I mean what you always hear is, and I don't want to sound like a pretentious ass or I mean, I guess that's unavoidable for Dave, but is it what people describe, that it's just corporations and foreign entities buying up, up property or do they also buy up say season tickets? Who, who has all these luxury boxes? It would end if people stopped, if the luxury boxes weren't populated, if the front row seats at MSG and Staples center and otherwise or whatever they call it now.
Mike
No, there, there's, it is a class.
Tony
If people stop doing that right, it
Mike
is a class thing. And there is absolutely going to be a reckoning in this company where it did. All right, you guys have been been on Fox News saying about class going on and on about class warfare. Next time it will actually legitimately be that way. But at the very least, if you want, look, I'm a capitalist. I would love free market capitalism. Free market capitalism would mitigate a lot of this stuff. We're all off about bots from the left side of the political spectrum to the right side of the political spectrum. We want to be able to buy tickets online. Would the second they go out, if we're going to go that extra mile and be online with a little pre sale passcode, we want to be able to get these tickets. But no, you're not going to get the tickets that you want because bots are going to do it. A way to mitigate that would be break up monopolies, keep these venues honest, have a company say, look our way in this marketplace. Our foothold in this marketplace is no bots over here. But if you keep this monopoly intact, that is just gigantic. With no real competition there. As everyone's been mentioning, the structure right now works for them, it's perfect for them and it's terrible for the consumer.
Dan LeBatard
Dave, I don't know if you saw last week when I tried to get Metallica tickets because they're playing at Sphere and, and I, I jumped into the, the pre sale where on Ticketmaster, you know, you, you jump into the queue, you know, and the queue tells you how many people are ahead of you before it's your turn to enter into the space where you could purchase the tickets. And I didn't end up getting tickets for that show because in my queue, there was 305,000 people ahead of me.
Tony
Listen, I hate to get up on Mount Pius about it, but Mike just is exactly right. I keep saying it. It's not left versus right. It is grotesquely wealthy versus all the rest of us. And I am priced out of having a good seat for a game. So I just want to go to the next key party with the Cody's.
In this lively “Big Suey” segment, Dan, Stugotz and the crew (Mike, Tony, Chris, Roy, Zaslow, and guest Dave Damashek) deliver their signature blend of irreverent sports talk and pop-culture banter. The show centers on themes of digital unplugging, sports fandom burnout, Chris Cote’s wife’s passionate smut/romance book club, quarterback transitions in the NFL, and a detailed exploration of America’s broken ticketing system and class stratification in event access. The episode’s tone is playful, sometimes raunchy, and often self-deprecating as the group cycles between personal anecdotes and big-picture rants.
For newcomers or those short on time, this episode is a quintessential slice of the Le Batard show’s unique blend: the hosts dissect how digital burnout affects sports fans and media members, laugh about the boom in romance-lit (“smut”) and book club culture, analyze the shifting NFL quarterback landscape, and channel real anger at America’s broken event ticketing system — never missing an opportunity for innuendo or a deadpan one-liner.
Final comedic beat: The gang, feeling priced out of good tickets and playful about couples’ book clubs, jokes about just wanting an invite to the Cody’s next key party. (44:54)