The Big Suey: Dan Takes Out The National Media (feat. Tony Calatayud)

Summary

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The Dan Le Batard Show with Stugotz

Episode: The Big Suey: Dan Takes Out The National Media (feat. Tony Calatayud)
Date: February 4, 2026
Hosts: Dan Le Batard, Stugotz
Notable Guests: Greg Cote, Mike Ryan, Tony Calatayud, Jeremy, Cody

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Episode Overview

Broadcasting from the Elser Hotel in Downtown Miami, Dan, Stugotz, and the crew deliver their signature blend of sports, Miami-centric commentary, and pop culture musings. This episode, part of the “Big Suey” segment, focuses on Dan’s pointed critique of the national NBA media coverage around potential trade destinations for Giannis Antetokounmpo, debates on James Harden’s reputation and NBA player transactions, a Miami field report and “Top 5” from Tony, and a deep NFL playoff/Super Bowl prediction session.

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Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. Dan Takes Out the National NBA Media

(Starts ~01:56)

• Dan rails against the perceived bias and laziness of national media: He argues that they are ignoring the Miami Heat’s superior trade package for Giannis, instead focusing on flashier narratives with teams like Minnesota or Golden State.

• Media’s motives questioned: Dan maintains this bias is due to both leftover envy from the "Big Three" Heat era and frustration that Miami’s front office keeps trade plans closely held.

  Quote:

  • “The national NBA media is spewing out of both sides of their mouth... The obvious best offer comes from Miami…But that doesn’t fit what would be easiest for the national media.” — Dan Le Batard (02:01)
  • “They’re willing to do it to the detriment of one of the league’s best ever organizations because of leftover jealousy over the Big Three era in Miami.” — Dan Le Batard (03:38)

• Humor and show self-awareness: The crew jokes about how these takes will inevitably get aggregated online, poking fun at their own social media process.

  Quote:

  • “Use the quote at the end that it’s about the jealousy of the Big Three era. Signed, Dan Le Batard and Croppy.” — Greg Cote (04:57)

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2. James Harden, Player Reputation, and the Business of the NBA

(Starts ~05:21)

• New information paints Harden in a different light: Dan and Mike discuss a recent report from Ramona Shelburne, in which Harden denies asking for a trade and thanks the Clippers for allowing a respectful split—unusual candor from the often-maligned star.

  Quote:

  • “There are ways to end things in relationships without having to crack each other...I just didn’t want to feel like I was holding the Clippers up in their future. I wanted them to have a chance to rebuild.” — James Harden (via Stugotz quoting Ramona Shelburne, 08:49)

• Media and fans' narratives vs. player perspective:

  • The group discusses how sports fans often vilify players for choosing money or requesting trades, sometimes unfairly.
  • They use the example of Jimmy Butler’s departure from Miami, noting the complex, sometimes forgiving nature of fan reactions.
  • The conversation pivots to high-profile NBA ownership drama (Steve Ballmer, Mark Cuban) and violates the “rules of the playground” mentality in today’s NBA.

  Quote:

  • “These quotes from James Harden are the first time I’ve found him interesting on anything.” — Dan Le Batard (12:05)
  • “It's oddly introspective for a dude that wore a Blue Lives Matter scarf inside the bubble.” — Mike Ryan (15:26)

• Reflection on Harden’s career arc: The panel discusses how Harden’s lack of playoff success colors his legacy, suggesting that one or two championships would dramatically shift the narrative.

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3. Tony Calatayud’s Miami Field Report & Super Bowl Top Five

(Starts ~17:10)

• Tony broadcasts from the abandoned Crandon Park Zoo:

  • Provides a quirky, Miami-centric backdrop with plenty of birdlife and local lore.
  • Incorporates playful banter about Miami’s geography and its ever-present highway noise.

• Tony’s Top 5 Super Bowl Predictions:

  • 5) Defensive/Special Teams touchdown will occur
  • 4. Jackson Smith-Njigba will have 150+ yards and a touchdown
  • 3. Bad Bunny will open the halftime show with “Nueva”
  • 2. Both quarterbacks will throw an interception
  • 1. Patriots will win 27-24 with a Drake May-led last-second touchdown

  Memorable exchange:

  • “I do not hear a lot of people saying that. I don’t know how many people are picking the Patriots. Thank you, Tony.” — Dan Le Batard (23:47)

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4. Deep Dive: Patriots vs. Seahawks Super Bowl Preview

(Starts ~24:41)

• Drake May’s Talent Underappreciated?:

  • The panel highlights Drake May’s strengths: deep passing, blitz evasion, and rushing ability.
  • They debate why the line hasn’t shifted despite May’s capabilities and analyze whether New England is being underrated.

  Quote:

  • “Better at the deep ball than anyone in the league, better against the blitz than just about anybody, and can run better than anyone but Josh Allen…presents a set of problems to the Seattle defense that Stafford did not.” — Dan Le Batard (31:57)

• Seattle’s Defensive Streaks:

  • Greg Cote presents stats on Seattle’s defensive dominance against the run, noting an extended streak of not allowing a 100-yard rusher.

  Quote:

  • “They did not allow a single hundred yard rusher all season.” — Greg Cote (32:21)

• The “Sam Darnold: Elite?” Conversation:

  • The absurdity of labeling Darnold “elite” after a single Super Bowl mirrors past debates (e.g., Joe Flacco).
  • Skepticism about Darnold’s ability to protect the ball in a high-stakes game.

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5. NBA Trade Talk: Collapse in Memphis

(Starts ~38:07)

• The Grizzlies’ sell-off: The crew discusses Memphis trading a 26-year-old, two-time All-Star rim protector (Jaren Jackson Jr.) to Utah, asking why there weren’t more bidders and speculating about the team’s direction in the wake of Ja Morant’s troubled tenure and the “James Harden era” attitude among young stars.

  Quote:

  • “Why is Memphis getting rid of him?...Why isn’t there more of a market for him than that?” — Dan Le Batard (39:29)

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Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• On NBA Media Narratives:
  “The national NBA media is trying to commit a heist on behalf of the league...to manufacture the sexiest storylines.” — Dan Le Batard (02:34)

• On Player/Team Relations:
  “Maybe we just don’t see a future with each other. Maybe we just outgrew each other. Whatever the case may be...”— James Harden (via Shelburne, 08:49)

• On Quarterback Evaluation:
  “The three things that I want my quarterback to have—never mind against a great defense, period...”— Dan Le Batard (31:57)

• On Miami Reporting:
  “Stugotz: Did you go as a jit?”
  “Dan: Not as a jit.” (18:14)

• On Drake May and the Patriots:
  “He’s going to finish second behind Stafford in the MVP vote...that's how good I think he is right now.” — Greg Cote (30:00)

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Important Timestamps

• 01:56 — Dan’s NBA media tirade
• 05:21 — Transition to James Harden discussion
• 08:49 — Stugotz reads Harden’s Shelburne quotes
• 17:10 — Tony’s field report from the old Crandon Park Zoo
• 21:00 — Tony’s Top 5 Super Bowl predictions
• 24:41 — Patriots vs. Seahawks detailed preview and analytics
• 31:57 — Dan lists the three Drake May “must-have” traits
• 38:07 — Memphis Grizzlies trade discussion

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Key Takeaways

• Dan Le Batard continues to challenge national narratives, especially as they pertain to Miami sports teams and the transparency of front office dealings.
• The episode presents a rare, introspective look at James Harden, suggesting some narratives around player disloyalty and “chasing money” are oversimplified.
• Tony brings local flavor with his onsite segments and quirky Top 5 lists, grounding the show in its Miami roots.
• The panel provides thoughtful, statistics-driven Super Bowl analysis, with compelling debate over underrated and overrated teams and players.
• The NBA trade segment closes the show with reflections on how league-wide culture shifts (player empowerment, media narratives) are remaking franchises in real time.

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This summary covers the essential themes and standout exchanges of the episode, providing context and insight for listeners new and longtime alike.

Transcript

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[Dan Le Batard]

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[Mike Ryan]

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[Dan Le Batard]

Up to 20% off at the Home Depot. To organize every room in your home from your garage to your attic, visit homedepot.com how doers get more done welcome to the Big sui presented by DraftKings. Why are you listening to this show, the podcast that seems very similar to the other Dan LeBatard podcast?

[Stugotz]

I'm sorry, I'm not going to apologize for that.

[Dan Le Batard]

In fact, the only difference seems to be this imaging. I have been tempted in restaurants just walking past tables to grab somebody's fries that if they're just there. That hasn't happened to you guys.

[Greg Cote]

I've done it.

[Dan Le Batard]

And now here's the marching man to Nowhere Fat Face and the Habitual Liar. The conversation around Giannis and the trade packages for him feels entirely corrupt. The national NBA media is spewing out of both sides of their mouth and they're trying to manipulate the public opinion for their own benefit. The obvious best offer comes from Miami. It's built around a 25 year old all star guard, a 21 year old and 7 foot tall do it all Freak of Nature in Khalil Ware has several picks including available pick options that the national media conveniently leaves out. But that doesn't fit what would be easiest for the national media? Sure, they might want to come to Miami for a vacation more than Minnesota, but their laziness makes it easier to say, oh, here's Giannis and Steph and, oh, here's Giannis and Anthony Edwards. They're forcing their narratives without even including the team with the clearly best offer. And they're doing it specifically because Pat Riley and the Miami Heat know that real GS move in silence like lasagna. So they don't share their plans. They don't share their plans with anyone in the national media and makes the media's job more difficult. The national NBA media is trying to commit a heist on behalf of the league. The to manufacture the sexiest storylines. It's obvious. And they're willing to do it to the detriment of one of the league's best ever organizations because of leftover jealousy over the Big three era in Miami. How's this going? Not the best angle. We pick up the lower third. How do we not have better angles around here? Why is it that you would not be moving? Why?

[Ad Voice]

Why?

[Dan Le Batard]

It's a camera. So now this is going to get aggregated and this is going to get aggregated. Yeah, but why didn't we do that before?

[Cody]

Very flattering. The other one.

[Dan Le Batard]

I didn't even see the angle. If I saw the. If I saw the angle, you think I would have gone with this stupid idea? Take two. I saw the angle early on. Let's do it again. Let's do it again. I'm going to do the whole thing again. That's it.

[Greg Cote]

There's some really good points you made.

[Cody]

Get a flat super close up.

[Dan Le Batard]

This is too wordy. Jeremy, it's clear you wrote it. It's wildly inefficient. I don't know what you're talking about.

[Greg Cote]

These are all your takes and everyone should take them very seriously because your voice matters.

[Dan Le Batard]

Dan, let me do it again. That's the one that, you know that. That's the one that people are going to pick up on. The one that has the lower half of my body looking like Charlie Weiss. Like the bottom half of my body is sewn on backwards. You know what? I'm not doing this again.

[Mike Ryan]

Good decision there.

[Greg Cote]

Okay, social media team, clip that and make sure it gets aggregated. Use the quote at the end that it's about the jealousy of the Big Three era. Signed, Dan LeBatard and Croppy.

[Mike Ryan]

Welcome back, Dan.

[Jeremy]

Let me remind people that this episode of the Dan Lebatard show was presented by DraftKings. DraftKings. The Crown is yours.

[Stugotz]

I think it worked.

[Mike Ryan]

Let me expect to have so many opinions on James Harden. Didn't expect him to be a trigger for me. I apologize. Hey, the Cavs play the Clippers tonight.

[Stugotz]

Is it tonight?

[Mike Ryan]

I think so.

[Dan Le Batard]

Well, there's new information on James Harden too, so I'm not even sure we're being fair to him. This happens sometimes, right? Bill Polian's kid did this last week where he's like, man, you guys are being really unfair to my father on something that's not true. Because we need to find somebody, blame somebody to blame for dumb shit. So what's happening here with James Harden? And I should should point out that Zaz got this wrong and he will suffer a penalty in a moment for getting it wrong. It was not the 73 win warriors that the Rockets beat in game seven when going 7, 4, 44 from three or lost to. It was the warriors that went 58 and 24 in that 2018 season. So that. But is that Durant?

[Mike Ryan]

They swept the cat.

[Stugotz]

Yeah, that's Durant.

[Dan Le Batard]

Okay.

[Mike Ryan]

It was LeBron's last year. How did that team go?

[Dan Le Batard]

15, Cleveland 24.

[Stugotz]

They must have had injuries in the regular season.

[Greg Cote]

It was really easy for them to play basketball, so they didn't care about some regular season games.

[Dan Le Batard]

So what's here? What's the latest reporting on Ramona Shelburne? And I need to remind people as well. Tomorrow we're going to be doing a live stream as the trade deadline approaches. We're going to go and be on live for a couple of hours after our show and have some fun with all the trade deadline stuff. If you want to hang out with us, that should be some fun. But what's Ramona Shelburne reporting as it. And what are you apologizing for, Mike? Like what? He's a trigger. Of course he's a trigger. Sports fans are always going to get bothered when the athlete chooses the money. Like it's not. It's their business, not our business. And it becomes our business when we get hurt by these guys behaving in a way that chooses money over us. I don't know.

[Mike Ryan]

Maybe I've stayed on it too long. I. I typically don't display that kind of passion. Is. It's just weird. I feel like I'm speaking for the vast majority. You are sports fans.

[Dan Le Batard]

You are.

[Stugotz]

It's not weird for you as a sports fan to be offended with not Just a player choosing the money. Fine. Like, if you're any kind of grown up, you understand a player choosing money. Okay, let's not be babies here. But you're. You're upset because it's a player mid season who multiple times quits in the.

[Dan Le Batard]

Middle of the season.

[Stugotz]

That's the offensive part.

[Dan Le Batard]

But did he indeed quit here? Like, what's being reported? We'll get to this in a second. What do you have, Cody?

[Cody]

I. Look, I think fans understand the business side more than we give them credit for. You know, in our own lives, if we work for a company and we have a chance to go to another company to make more money, most of us are going to do it. Nobody left the city uglier in recent NBA history than Jimmy Butler left Miami. When he comes back to Miami, I thought he might be vilified and booed. It was by far mostly cheering. I think fans remember what good the athlete did, what good he brought to the city.

[Jeremy]

Jeremy says it was 5050 you0 said by far. Cheers.

[Mike Ryan]

Okay.

[Cody]

I don't. You think it was 5050?

[Greg Cote]

Yes.

[Cody]

Okay.

[Dan Le Batard]

Cody. I think he. Fans now hate Jimmy Butler.

[Greg Cote]

A certain segment of them.

[Cody]

What about the ones that cheered him, though?

[Greg Cote]

Some hate the front office.

[Stugotz]

They don't hate him.

[Mike Ryan]

I wasn't too mad about Jimmy Butler. I know I've said some things in character, but as we were going through the entire thing, I'd be like, I'll cheer Jimmy Butler. He gave him some good years and at the end of it, he just became Jimmy Butler. I thought how that all went down. The franchise shouldered most of the blame because it was super predictable how it was going to go and they thought they could control the situation.

[Stugotz]

Right, Right, Right. So Ramona Shelburne, last night, she tweets out, I'll read you these here. I just spoke to a reflective James Harden who denied asking for a trade and thankful the Clippers for the opportunity to play the last two and a half years in his hometown. Quote, in life, not even just basketball, when things don't work out, there are ways to end things in relationships without having to crack each other. Maybe we just don't see a future with each other. Maybe we just outgrew each other. Whatever the case may be, I feel like the other situations weren't like that. And that's why I can respect Steve and L. That's Lawrence, Frank and T. Lou, because they didn't put me in a weird position. As much as everybody tried to make it like that. Harden went on and said Quote, he didn't want to feel like I was holding the Clippers up in their future. I wanted them to actually have a chance to rebuild and get some draft capital. Even though they didn't get any draft capital return in Cleveland, I see an opportunity to win in the East. That's a very good team. Coaching staff, all the above. So as much as I want to stay in L. A and give it a go, I've never won before. As a basketball mind, I think we have a better chance. End quote. So you're telling me that in the middle of the Clippers playing the best basketball in the league, they won 15 out of 18 games. They are finally in the playoff picture. The Clippers woke up one morning and said, let's trade James Harden, Blow it up.

[Dan Le Batard]

No. I think the Clippers are under a unusual amount of duress that no one understands because of Pablo Torre's reporting, and they have to be in hiding. And that whole thing has come undone because Cole. Why Leonard made the business decision he did after everything that happened in San Antonio and Toronto, where he's like, ah, we really shouldn't have a salary cap, should we? I'll take money wherever it is that I can get it. Cuz all these people are in it for themselves. And me and Ballmer don't have to listen to anybody's rules. And I think people don't understand what's coming with that stuff. Like, people think that you can hide and that there's gonna be no consequences to Ballmer. No way are those owners gonna turn away when one of the other owners came in and said, when the richest of the owners. You think these basketball players have egos? You think these basketball players have egos? These billionaires, you think they're gonna be okay with Ballmer saying, I don't care about your rules. Like, yeah, I know this whole thing is important to you guys, but this is a small business for me. I want to come in here and win in the playground. I'm gonna cheat with Uncle Dennis and Kawhi.

[Jeremy]

Allegedly.

[Dan Le Batard]

Allegedly. Thank you.

[Mike Ryan]

It's important, and it's important to note that Mark Cuban caped up pretty hard for old Steve.

[Dan Le Batard]

That's Mark Cuban. And I don't know what he's doing or why he did it, because. But I have talked to other owners. They're not okay with Steve Ballmer already having a bigger bank account than all of them and then coming over and saying, I don't actually have to respect any of your rules. I'm going to make a side Deal over here. The ones who keep up for Ballmer. If you hear any of the others do publicly, it's because they don't want Pablo sniffing around what they might be doing inside transactions. Because it's crazy to think what's happened there and how complicated it is. And it's not over. The reporting on it is not over. The information that we still don't have that we're going to get is not over. And we're going to look back and say, oh, that's where it fell apart. This organization didn't actually know how to handle an unprecedented scandal, and it broke apart in there. It was already an old team, and Kawhi kind of fouled it up because of whatever it is the business did to him, where he's like, I don't have to respect the rules of your business. What are the consequences, really, if I allegedly grab a whole bunch of money on the side? The thing that happens around the money. And I know that people. Look, I know that people think that money's a panacea, but it's often a poison disguised as a panacea. These guys, all of them are most interested in the money. They just happen to make it through the playground, and it doesn't matter how much of the money you give them. It's a contaminant. And so when you salary cap it and Kauai's allowed to grab a bunch of stuff on the side, and James Harden gets yelled at by every media member when he tries to grab at the money. These quotes from James Harden are the first time I've found him interesting on anything. This guy has been famous for a long time. He has not been publicly introspective. His reputation for a long time has been. Nah. Prefers strip clubs in the party life to whatever it is basketball is, and it's harmed him. Like, it's. It's. I've rarely seen a player of this kind of excellence whose reputation is going to be. Yeah, didn't care enough. And also was small in all the biggest moments like that. Reputation's hard to get my head around because I've rarely seen anybody who's there this kind of good.

[Cody]

Who.

[Dan Le Batard]

If he'd won. Look what you guys. Listen to, what you guys are saying. If he'd won because Kevin Durant and Russell Westbrook got a call against a Heat team that was more ready than they were because they'd suffered a little bit more when all of them were 23, we'd be giving James Harden credit for something that he didn't even do.

[Stugotz]

That was not a foul. That was good defense by Shane.

[Cody]

Yeah.

[Mike Ryan]

They lost him 5.

[Stugotz]

It's not a foul.

[Mike Ryan]

And we were in town around that NBA Finals, there were loads of stories about what James Harden was doing in terms of game prep.

[Dan Le Batard]

If they'd won that title, if OKC had somehow beaten the Miami Heat, or if. When James Harden. Was he a rookie? He was a rookie third year. He was a sixth man, though. Right? He was coming off the bench for that team.

[Mike Ryan]

Yeah. San Antonio had no answers for him.

[Dan Le Batard]

We'd look at the entire career of James Harden differently because he got one championship. And then if they win that Game 7 against the warriors and win the title that year by winning the next round, too, he'd have two championships.

[Mike Ryan]

Yeah, but don't you think that all set the table for what was then a disappointing career because he made it to the NBA Finals? Early in his career, there were three tremendous players. Everyone knew James Harden was good enough to be a superstar that could carry a team. And everybody assumed he'd be making it to the NBA Finals. Not regularly, but plenty more times, and it never happened.

[Dan Le Batard]

Do you believe him here, though? Because does it change the narrative at all? If he's saying, quote, I didn't want to feel like I was holding the Clippers up in their future, he's saying.

[Mike Ryan]

He did not demand a trade, I'm inclined to believe him. I've never heard James Harden really speak that way, ever. It seems reflective. And Ramona says she caught up with James Harden. So I don't think that that's a statement.

[Dan Le Batard]

It reads like, no, let's read it again. This is him talking to Ramona. In life, not even just basketball, when things don't work out, there are ways to end things in relationships without having to crack each other. This is him learning.

[Mike Ryan]

By the way, this is oddly introspective for a dude that wore a Blue Lives Matter scarf. Inside the bubble.

[Dan Le Batard]

Maybe we don't see a future with each other. Maybe we just outgrew each other. Whatever the case may be, I feel like other situations weren't like that. And that's why I can respect Steve Ballmer and L and T. Lou Lawrence Frank, because they didn't put me in a weird position. As much as everyone tried to make it like that, I believe him. I don't have any reason to not believe him.

[Stugotz]

Yeah, I read it a little bit differently. I think what he's saying there is true, but the respect those guys for not putting me in a weird position. It didn't become combative. It didn't become nasty in the media. He didn't want the money. He didn't want to stay there because they wouldn't extend him. And they were like, okay, let's find a trade that works for both of us. And no one slung mud at each other like that. To me, is what that says. Why are you laughing at me?

[Mike Ryan]

It sounds like he's got gratitude for this one not being ugly. Like, oh, I get what I want and I don't have to cause the scene.

[Stugotz]

That's how I see it.

[Greg Cote]

Last time he, you know, with Daryl Morey, he went to China and told a group of kids, Daryl Morey is a bleeping liar. That's what it took from there. So the fact that he gets to go to the Clippers and say, like, hey, let's just work this out quietly right before the deadline, there.

[Dan Le Batard]

There is gratitude.

[Mike Ryan]

I didn't have to do that. That's what you do, Giannis. You call your GM a bleeping liar. That's how you do it in front of Chinese kids. In front of kids.

[Dan Le Batard]

Don LeBatard. I don't like smutty either. Stugats women stay home in the kitchen where they belong.

[Stugotz]

This is the Dan lebatar show with the Stugats.

[Dan Le Batard]

Tony is out in the field for his top five as we segue into football with super bowl week. Katie Nolan going to be on with us later. Mad Dog Russo is going to be on with us later. It's a surprise. I do not know where Tony is. He likes to surprise us with his reports from locales in the wilderness of Miami. Where are you, Tony?

[Tony]

Hey, Dan. Oh, good morning. I'm at a very secretive location, as you can see. Danny, see if you can pan around here. We're in some place that is almost. You can't even get here, Dan. We are at the old Crandon Park Zoo on Key Biscayne. I wanted to save something very cool that we had to kind of hike to for one of my last hits of the year. So we've got this one, and then obviously we've got the Post Super Bowl 1. But I wanted to do it here. This is the last one of the last standing structures of the Key Biscayne Zoo that operated from 1948 to 1980 before they moved over out west and became Zoo Miami. A lot of rescued circus animals started the Key Biscayne Zoo. The Crandon Park Zoo. Dan, did you come as a jit to the Crandon Park Zoo?

[Stugotz]

Did you Go as a jit.

[Dan Le Batard]

Not as a jit.

[Stugotz]

You know about those jits.

[Cody]

Too legit to quit. Did you.

[Tony]

So did you not. Did you not come to the Crandon Park Zoo?

[Dan Le Batard]

No, I never went to the Crandon Park Zoo. That is not a place that I have been. So I. But this is. You're on. Bit of a haunted burial ground, right? There are a lot of animals still there. Are there still a lot of animals wandering around, even though there's not a real home there anymore?

[Tony]

There is. There is a lot of avian animals still around. We have some B roll of some stuff that's going to appear somewhere here. We got some peacocks. I was looking for a Seahawk, but. But I don't think Seahawks live in South Florida, Dan. So I was looking if we found a lot of other birds, but. But no Seahawks.

[Dan Le Batard]

How close are you to a highway? Why is it that everywhere you go in Miami, there's the ambient sound of a nearby highway of cars?

[Tony]

Yeah. Okay, so obviously you've been to Key Biscayne, Dan. I'd figure say yes, right?

[Dan Le Batard]

Yes.

[Tony]

Okay. So you know how. You know how there's basically two lanes, one that goes south, one that goes north. We are maybe 35ft from the northbound lane here in Key Biscaynes. So that's why you hear the cars passing by. There's a big fence and a bunch of matoho over here to kind of shield people from getting over. But on the other side, there's actually a bridge that would connect to the. To the other pieces of Crandon Park Zoo, which is right here. We actually can't go through to that bridge, even though I wanted to. They told me it may fall if I walk on it, so I'm probably not going to do that.

[Dan Le Batard]

Okay. All right, let's do.

[Tony]

Yeah, it's a little. It's a little scary.

[Dan Le Batard]

Let's do a top five. What was that? So what we're going to do is.

[Tony]

I'm going to take you in here, though I don't know what that was, but I'm going to take you in here. So this is one of the last few structures that they have at Crandon Park Zoo, as you can tell. Full of graffiti, but very cool. Oh, is that a Seahawk?

[Dan Le Batard]

Oh, that is cool. So we're gonna do. It is cool.

[Cody]

Yeah.

[Mike Ryan]

Here we go.

[Tony]

So something that you don't usually see, a freestanding building full of graffiti on Key Biscayne. Because obviously, if you know anything about Key Biscayne, it is a very wealthy place.

[Dan Le Batard]

So this is it. Does it doesn't look like it. Yes. So for those of you, you who do not know, Key Biscayne is wonderful, beautiful and lovely. Tony has decided to go to a place that is none of those things.

[Tony]

Beauty's in the eye of the beholder, Dan.

[Dan Le Batard]

Let's do your top five here. Do you have any Oli? One of the last of the season. We should say it's not one of the last of the year because it's February and so the year's got a lot of days left. But it is your last hit of the football season. So. What a strange animal noise you're. You're putting in there. Go ahead. Go ahead, Tony, and start. Do you have any Oli?

[Tony]

No.

[Greg Cote]

Olive.

[Tony]

This is the second to last of the season. Obviously. We'll have one right after the Super Bowl. This one, Dan, is Super bowl predictions think that I things that are gonna happen in the super bowl from my predictive standpoint. So that's what we're doing right now. No, Ally, just five right off the rip. All right, here we go. Number five. There's going to be a defensive or sweet special teams touchdown in the Super Bowl. Defensive or special teams touchdown?

[Mike Ryan]

Yeah.

[Tony]

You can use these as gambling advice if you'd like. This is what I feel about what's going on. I like the Patriots special teams. I obviously very much like the Seattle Seahawks defense. I feel like there's going to be a score somewhere in there. Whoa, whoa. All right, number four, Jackson, Smith, and Jigba goes for 150 yards and a score.

[Dan Le Batard]

Score.

[Tony]

You can lock that one in. Seems just on par with what he's done the entire season.

[Dan Le Batard]

Chris, I'm pretty sure your animal sounds have someone talking underneath them.

[Greg Cote]

You.

[Dan Le Batard]

You haven't vetted. You haven't vetted your animal sounds. So there's someone. There's an AI Human voice talking underneath your animal sounds. I already asked you once to play those less. How about you stop playing them at all?

[Tony]

All right, so number three. And we're gonna get to the halftime show here. Bad Bunny starts the halftime show with Nueva. Okay. That's the song people that have been trying to bet, trying to figure out what the first song that Bad Bunny's gonna play. It's gonna be Nueva. I'm letting you know now. So when it does happen, you already know where you heard it from. Dan, you feel. You feel good about that?

[Dan Le Batard]

I do. He's never wrong. He's just early. He's Tony number two.

[Tony]

Thank you, buddy. Both QBs will throw an interception. Both QBs to throw an interception, which. I love that one.

[Greg Cote]

Both.

[Tony]

Both QBs. When, when, when pressured.

[Dan Le Batard]

We heard you the first two times. You expect both of them to throw an interception. We heard you.

[Mike Ryan]

Okay, okay. My bad.

[Tony]

The reception's spotty here. If you can't tell him in the wilderness. If you can give me a little bit of grace on that, Dan, please.

[Dan Le Batard]

Okay. I'm sorry. I was too hard on you. You're right.

[Greg Cote]

It's okay.

[Tony]

It's okay. It's okay. Number one. Even though Mike Vrabel is going to be a coward on fourth down at least one time in the game, it's gonna happen. It's gonna be fourth and short. He's gonna punt and it's gonna drive me crazy. Even though that is gonna happen, the Pats are gonna win on a last second drive by Drake May. They're gonna win 27, 24.

[Greg Cote]

Okay.

[Tony]

They're gonna be down 24, 20. Drake made is going to go down, score a touchdown at the final seconds of the game and win despite Mike Vrabel being a coward on fourth down at some point in the game, Dan. So that's what's going to happen.

[Dan Le Batard]

I do not hear a lot of people saying that. I don't know how many people are picking the Patriots. Thank you, Tony. Appreciate all your reports. Appreciate how you get into scenic Miami into creative, clever and different places. Thank you for showing us a part of Miami that I had not seen seen before. It is an interesting vantage point you have chosen. Thank you, sir. Thank you, Don Lebatard. There is no question, Dan Lebatard, show included anybody else, that this guy is the best player on the planet. Whether he wins the Stanley cup or the Coxmite this year, there is no question about it. St overrated. What's going on? Dan Levitar, how you doing? Altered world or what? Oh, my goodness.

[Stugotz]

This is the Dan Levatar show with the Stugats.

[Dan Le Batard]

Greg, what he says there, okay. The Patriots have stuck as a four and a half point underdog and Drake May is great at the deep ball, better than anyone in the league. He has been great against the blitz, better than just about anyone in the league. He has been better running the football than any quarterback other than Josh Allen. However, everyone has forgotten that, at least in part because the last two games he has played defenses that I think are better equipped to slow him than this one, which is said to be the number one defense in the league. I thought that Denver and Houston had the specific Things that could slow Stefan Diggs and others that Seattle doesn't have. I don't recall. I don't regard you guys help me with because I know what the numbers say. The numbers say Seattle is the best defense in the league. I think Denver and Houston were the single worst matchups that Drake May could have seen, that there were not worse ones anywhere in the league. I think he should fear Seattle less than those two. But Seattle is the best defense in the league.

[Mike Ryan]

And Greg, it's the first time that he's faced one of these elite defenses with the benefit, at least recently, of good weather. That's another layer to the numbers that he's put up. Not just two of the top three defenses in the league, but in terrible weather games.

[Cody]

Right. I. I'm surprised the line hasn't crept down a little bit. I love the Pat's getting four and a half. I think the Patriots are going to win outright. I predicted it in my own podcast and I'm going to predict it in the Herald tomorrow and explain why. But what I think is, look, the reason New England beat Houston in the playoffs is that New England's defense outplayed Houston's defense. I think.

[Dan Le Batard]

I don't think that's accurate. I think that C.J. stroud was terrible in that game and Drake May just didn't make the giant mistakes that C.J. stroud was making. I didn't think that was because of New England. I think that was because C.J. stroud in the playoffs had two giant turnover games.

[Cody]

I think part of that though was was the Patriots defense, which I think is really, really underrated. I think New England's defense is on a par with Seattle's and I think Drake May is better than Sam Darnold. I think Darnold is going to revert to his tendency and have a couple of turnovers. I just think New England is really being underrated going into this game and maybe that Seattle is being a little bit overrated.

[Dan Le Batard]

So here's where we are on the Patriots, right? They've gotten lucky in some spots. They've had an easy schedule. They have withstood somehow the fact that the right side of their offensive line is injured. Injured and can't block. Like they've somehow withstood that. The point that you guys are making about the weather is a good one. We have not been reminded of how good this quarterback actually is during these playoffs because of the defenses he's playing against. But the reason I underregard the metrics that say that Seattle's defense is indeed great is because I saw the last two Rams games against them like they didn't look like a great defense. They didn't never mind the number one defense in the league. They didn't look like a good defense because of how Matt Stafford and Puka Nkua made them look. So while you have the stat that the last month of the season the Seattle defense did not allow a single play of over 20 yards but both times around that, that they faced a quarterback like this one, they allowed the Rams to run all over the field. The, the Seahawks did not win those games because of their defense. They won the first one because of special teams and because their coach went for a two point conversion. And they won the second one because Sam Darnold torched a Rams defense that over the last nine games of the seasons had allowed a scoring drives on 40% of their drive.

[Stugotz]

Well, so a couple things. You know that great Seattle defense going up against the Rams and Matthew Stafford who's probably going to win the mvp. I don't think there's any shame in the MVP of the league having a good game.

[Dan Le Batard]

And the number one offense in the league.

[Stugotz]

Yeah, I don't think there's any shame in that having a good game against a great defense.

[Mike Ryan]

They're division opponents, they're well familiar and that's Sean McKay we're talking about.

[Stugotz]

And the second part that I would add also I think it's in his three years as head coach of the Seahawks. McDonald lowercase D. Greg. All right. Quarterbacks who are 24 years old or younger are like terrible against that.

[Dan Le Batard]

But okay, but most of the quarterbacks who are 24 and younger are terrible. Very few of them are as good as this one. What Seattle does. Okay, can you look up for me the last time Seattle allowed 100 yard rusher because Drake May is going to have to win this football game. It's not going to get won by them running the football or because they're doing a whole bunch of play action because Seattle fears the run. I think Seattle's got the longest stretch in the league by a good amount of not allowing 100 yard rusher. The Patriots are just not going to be. I, I can't imagine the Patriots are going to be able to run the football. Seattle's the number one defense in the league because you cannot run against them. Nobody can run against Seattle and the Rams don't have to. Right, the Rams, the, the Rams ran some against Seattle but the way the Rams are going to beat you is because you're going to be the quarterback is going to act like the mvp.

[Cody]

When I say that we may be seeing the beginning of Patriots Dynasty 2.0. It's because of Drake May. He's 23 years old. He's going to finish second behind Stafford in the MVP vote. I think he's that good. I'm not comparing to Brady. That's five years from now that you even dare do that. But I think Drake May is that good right now.

[Dan Le Batard]

It's 20 years from now that you do that with Tom Brady. Don't insult Tom Brady by comparing anybody to him.

[Cody]

But okay, five years from now, if he's won two Super Bowls, people are going to be comparing.

[Dan Le Batard]

That's fine. They can and he still will not be halfway to how many Super Bowls Tom Brady has won.

[Stugotz]

He won't be a third of the way.

[Jeremy]

It's three in the next five years.

[Dan Le Batard]

The the thing though about Drake May, I'm going to say it again because I think, I think Greg is right when he says a lot of people, myself included, have under regarded the Patriots. The three things he has that a quarterback must have must have better at the deep ball than anyone in the league. Seattle's very good at explosive plays. Seattle has a ton of explosive offense because Smith and Jigba is amazing. The three things that I want my quarterback to have nevermind against a great defense, period. Better at the long ball than anybody, better against the blitz than just about anybody and then as an added bonus can run better at the position than anyone but Josh Allen. That presents a set of problems to the Seattle defense that Stafford did not because he couldn't run, couldn't go anywhere. Stunned me when he got a converted a fourth and one. And Tom Brady's shouting oh my God and I'm telling you I would have been less surprised if my coffee table had gotten up and run and gained three yards like I when Stafford ran for two yards I was like that's crazy. I do believe that the way Drake May has beaten teams all year is the way that that Patrick Mahomes would remember all those third and seven plays where Patrick Mahomes would run eight yards. Drake May took that from him this year. Drake May was doing a ton of that where he was bailing that offense out when it failed two times and bailing them out when a third play was failing on a drive because he's just running for eight yards on third and seven.

[Greg Cote]

To your point, on their defense they did not allow a single hundred yard rusher all season.

[Dan Le Batard]

Oh it's longer than that. I think it's been more than two seasons almost, hasn't it?

[Greg Cote]

Well, sure. I thought we were doing sort of the defenses and transferable from one year to the next.

[Stugotz]

Why didn't you also look up last year?

[Greg Cote]

Because I was trying to find the stat to get to you guys. So There were only three players to rush for over 80. Individually, they were Jonathan Taylor, B. John Robinson and Kyron Williams. They had seven games this season where the total rushing yards for the opponent was even over 100 yards. And in several of those it was through the example that you're talking about where it was like Washington and Jaden Daniels was running in one of the games. He was healthy. So it takes the quarterback being able to scramble to do anything against it. I will go find the last time they.

[Stugotz]

Yeah, I mean, I just. I just feel like if it extends into the previous season or even the season before that, like I'd like to know. Maybe it's just me.

[Cody]

I don't know.

[Dan Le Batard]

Sam Darnold does run some and I think the streak, I don't know if it goes into the 20s, but it dates back to last season, 25 games. The thing though, that is most interesting to me about all of the scheming, all of the planning. McDonald's obviously a great coach. Vrabel is a great coach. If the Patriots are going to win, to me, in my mind there's only one way that it happens and it's when plays break down. And it doesn't have anything to do with planning and it doesn't have anything to do with how you've game planned. And it doesn't have anything to do with preparation or will or anything else. It's just Drake Mays in a panic and he busted everything open. And it not only allows him to run for 50 yards a game, it also allows him to throw that deep ball while rolling around in the pocket because he's bought extra time against the defense that Stafford cannot buy against that.

[Mike Ryan]

And that dude is entirely capable. The first time I saw Drake May in person was at Hard Rock City. I'm like, this kid is outrageous. The second time I saw him in person was at Chapel Hill and I saw a Miami defense perfectly execute its game plan against some nuke plays at the line of scrimmage and it wasn't enough. He'd either throw a bomb downfield that with pinpoint accuracy or he'd call his own number and be superman. This guy is entirely possible of saying, I'm going to put the team on my shoulders today and getting it done against a good defense.

[Dan Le Batard]

The way that Cody describes this, though, and this is the thing that I would fear if I were a Seattle fan, okay? Because I'm going to keep banging at home on this front. The reason that there aren't more giant explosive plays in that sport deep down the field is because of the amount of precision it requires to throw a ball 50 yards and have everything be perfect. And this guy does it better than anyone in the league. I'm routinely stunned by the amount of accuracy that he has. 30, 40, 50 yards down the field.

[Mike Ryan]

You're pounding the table literally for Drake May. I'm on four and a half. I'll take it. And it's Vrabel as an underdog. This one's easy.

[Dan Le Batard]

You say it's easy.

[Mike Ryan]

Four and a half. Give me the points.

[Jeremy]

Does feel easy to bet.

[Mike Ryan]

Give me the points and give it to me. If you even want to take the Seahawks, why don't you hedge against that and cook up a little Drake Mays Superman parlay with like rushing yards or what have you. Because that is New England's chance in this game. Drake may become Superman. So hedge against Seahawks minus four and a half with that if you want to take action in this one.

[Stugotz]

I'm all over Seattle.

[Dan Le Batard]

I am too, actually. Even though I just pounded the table.

[Greg Cote]

For Drake, us saying that definitely didn't help.

[Dan Le Batard]

Well, that's true. That's always true that anything that looks like it's easy in that sport is never easy. But the safer bet, I'm guessing the entirety of this season would be just take the points under any circumstance, in any game. Because football is always being football. It's weirdly close late in a bunch of games that you never expect it to be.

[Stugotz]

Wouldn't it be great if just one time it was easy?

[Dan Le Batard]

No.

[Stugotz]

No? What do you mean, no?

[Dan Le Batard]

I want a great game.

[Cody]

I want a great.

[Stugotz]

But I want the money. But that grave was just easy one time.

[Cody]

I know, but that's why I'm shocked the line hasn't moved. I would think it'd be three and a half by now.

[Dan Le Batard]

It's because of the last two games the Patriots have played and because people are forgetting what Drake May did all this all season. This is what they're also forgetting. They're forgetting what Sam Darnold did for 10 games of the season because of what the last one looked like. Like Sam Darnold erased an awful lot. And we got one of our favorite conversation points, making an appearance all over ESPN today. If Sam Darnold wins, will he be considered elite? I haven't heard this one since Joe Flacco.

[Cody]

I know I was making fun of that headline earlier today. It's crazy. No, I think it takes more than a super.

[Jeremy]

How about very good?

[Cody]

Especially if he doesn't win it. If the defense wins it and he has an average game. I think he's still Sam Darnold. I could be wrong.

[Stugotz]

What if he has over 300 yards and the game winning touchdown?

[Cody]

He's elite.

[Dan Le Batard]

I believe that Sam Darnold will throw interceptions again.

[Cody]

I do too.

[Dan Le Batard]

And I mean I think. Are they with Gonzalez playing or starting, they've lost like once this season. Like as a corner he's. He's elite. He's elite. As a corner, I don't, I think he's certain, but he's in the conversation of best players there are in that league.

[Mike Ryan]

On defense, it looks like the books have finally adjusted to JSN though.

[Stugotz]

That the over under Jackson sn.

[Mike Ryan]

Yeah, the over under on his totals. Insane. Because you, you cannot guard this guy. Effect.

[Greg Cote]

It's like puka.

[Jeremy]

You can't bet that. I'm not betting over seven and a half catches. I don't care who you are.

[Mike Ryan]

They know who to call when they need a big play and doesn't matter if he's not even open when you throw it. He'll get open.

[Dan Le Batard]

He's ridiculous. I wanted to ask you guys about some of the stuff going on in Memphis because quietly Memphis, you know, just traded a two time all star who's a rim protector and is 26 years old and the whole Memphis thing has collapsed and it has made me wonder and I don't know what the details are with Jaren Jackson on what has been happening in private, but I do think the dangers of growing up under the James Harden time in this sport is making it so that the 20 year olds like Ja Morant, a generation removed from that are learning really bad habits about how hard it is to be consistently excellent in this league because Memphis was a contender and now they're a joke and they just blew it up and they just traded a two time all star. Now he's got some mileage on him because somehow 26, he's got seven years in the league so he doesn't get to be quite a young player anymore. But this is a two time all star who's a rim protector. Like why are they getting rid of him and sending him to Utah like and why isn't there more of a market for him than that. Like what? What is it that I don't know? That Utah is the one putting together the best offer for a two time All Star who's a rim protector, who's only 26 years old.

[Greg Cote]

Three first round picks is a lot.

[Dan Le Batard]

But why wouldn't someone else also want that player? And why is Memphis getting rid of him?

[Mike Ryan]

Him?

[Greg Cote]

I think they're getting rid of him because they've decided to press full reset now in the next seven years they have 13 first round picks and they might attach one of those to move Ja Durant. Stay tuned. Ja Durant. Damn it.

[Jeremy]

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[Stugotz]

Hopefully.

[Jeremy]

Grab a bottle of Smirnoff at your local retailer and head to smirnoff.com to find a cocktail rest recipe perfect for game day. Please drink responsibly. Smirnoff number 21 vodka distilled from grain, 40% alcohol by volume. The Smirnoff Company, New York, New York. Please don't share with anyone under legal drinking age. Now let's get back to arguing about refs.

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[Dan Le Batard]

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[Dan Le Batard]

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[Dan Le Batard]

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