The Dan Le Batard Show with Stugotz

The Big Suey: David Begs For a Lawsuit (feat. David Samson)

Date: December 4, 2025
Location: Elser Hotel, Downtown Miami
Guests: David Samson
Main Theme: Sports, lawsuits, player empowerment, and pop-culture through the irreverent, insider lens of Dan, Stugotz, and company, with deep dives courtesy of former MLB executive David Samson.

EPISODE OVERVIEW

This Big Suey episode features a lively, sharp, and wide-ranging conversation between Dan Le Batard, Stugotz, and their recurring guest, former Miami Marlins president David Samson. They dissect trending sports and pop-culture stories with equal parts insight and mischief, from rumors of a lawsuit involving Bill Belichick’s girlfriend and Pablo Torre, to hot takes on Giannis’ tenure in Milwaukee, baseball contract absurdities, movie theater gripes, and the controversial workings of the college football playoff committee. It’s a quintessential blend of sports business insight, wild speculation, and the show’s signature absurdity.

MAJOR DISCUSSION POINTS & INSIGHTS

1. Jordan Hudson, Pablo Torre, and the Wish for a Lawsuit

[02:10-04:56]

• Topic: Online sportsbooks are offering odds on personal events involving Bill Belichick’s girlfriend, Jordan Hudson, including whether she'll sue Pablo Torre.
• David Samson’s Take: Actively wants her to file suit, promising to make it “my second life's work to make sure all attorneys fees are paid by Bill Belichick…and to embarrass her by losing every single motion.” He gleefully fantasizes about everyone from the show being named in a frivolous suit.
  • Quote: “I want her to sue Pablo so badly...I just want her to keep trying because it gives Pablo more. Dan, you should love that, it’s about Pablo and the show and his ability to find out more stuff.” — David Samson [03:30]
• Dan and Stugotz’s Reluctance: Both are anxious about actually being sued or deposed.
  • Quote: “I’m not going to be deposed.”— Dan Le Batard [03:58]
  • Quote: “You haven’t lived until you’ve been sued.” — David Samson [05:14]

2. Giannis Antetokounmpo Trade Rumors & Player Empowerment

[05:19-11:25]

• Discussion: Speculation swirls around Giannis’s discontent in Milwaukee and potential trades.
• Samson: Pro-Fan, Not (Always) Pro-Management: While often associated with management, Samson claims he just wants Giannis to make a decision, bemoaning the yearly uncertainty.
  • Quote: “He keeps us hanging like some lover at a middle school prom. Will you dance with me or not?” — David Samson [05:38]
  • Hot Take: Would trade Giannis to the Clippers out of spite because they’re a “losing organization.”
• Stugotz Challenges: Insists pettiness is a bad basis for trades, asks if Samson’s ever made a “punishment trade.”
• Faking Injuries/Phantom IL:
  • Samson’s Reveal: Yes, teams (including his own) have manipulated injuries for roster reasons.
    • “We’ve been a part of faking injuries too…in baseball, it’s called the Phantom IL.” — David Samson [08:09]
  • Giannis Accusation: Implies Giannis’s calf injury is suspiciously convenient to avoid scrutiny.
    • “I’m accusing Giannis of simply manipulating Milwaukee and our emotions.” — David Samson [09:19]

3. The Absurdity of Mega Baseball Contracts

[12:20-18:57]

• Kyle Tucker Free Agency: Rumored to be offered up to $400 million, which Samson finds “asinine.”
  • “$400 million better be someone who defines your team. Kyle Tucker is a championship piece, he is not a championship maker.” — David Samson [13:14]
• Comparisons to Tom Brady & NFL Contracts:
  • The crew marvels that players like Tucker may earn more than Brady, simply because MLB lacks a salary cap.
  • Salary Escalation: “He's making more money broadcasting than he did in his [NFL] career.” — Dan Le Batard [17:40]
  • Samson explains the structural differences between MLB and NFL contracts — MLB’s are longer and fully guaranteed, while NFL deals rarely offer such terms.

4. MLB Front-Office Insights: Buyouts, Management Firings, and Dysfunction

[19:03-22:52]

• Anthony Rendon’s Mega Fail:
  • Samson describes how buyouts only restructure payment, never reduce total guarantee, and offers a window into MLB players’ union policies and the Yankees’ infamous “phantom IL” maneuvers.
• San Diego Padres Turmoil:
  • Samson suspects manager Bob Melvin left due to an untenable relationship with GM A.J. Preller, and explains the Padres’ financial mismanagement and coming sell-off.
    • “Spending like drunken sailors, signing players, not winning, losing money hand over fists. And finally MLB said, that's enough.” — David Samson [21:51]

5. Chris Paul’s Mysterious Clippers Release

[23:00-24:38]

• The group is baffled by the Clippers nocturnally cutting Chris Paul, agreeing it makes no logical or sporting sense unless a major, urgent issue was at play.
  • “There's no reason to release in the middle of the night unless somebody's life is in danger.” — David Samson [23:09]

6. Jonathan Zaslow’s “Buck Soul” Controversy

[24:38-25:56]

• A running joke about whether Zaslow said “Buck's soul” or “butthole” during a Heat/Bucks discussion.
  • “Every time that it's played, I'm vindicated further. Now it took the...”— Dan Le Batard [25:33]

7. The Decline of Theaters and Modern Movie Watching

[26:23-35:03]

• Box Office Disasters: Recent movies are flopping hard; Nicholas Cage’s “Jesus’ Dad" is a new low.
• Audience Habits:
  • Samson and Dan agree that the convenience and comfort of home means they rarely visit theaters now.
  • Top reasons: pause/replay, no “shiving” (mispronouncing 'shiv'), eating own food, stretching freely, telling people off, feeling zero guilt about falling asleep mid-film.
    • “You need to be a little bit uncomfortable so you don't fall [asleep].” — Dan Le Batard [32:40]
• David’s Emergency Room Anecdote:
  • Samson admits to storming out of a hospital with his daughter, tying his impatience and desire for control to both real life and theater preferences.

8. Samson’s Movie Review: “Come See Me in the Good Light”

[36:13-37:41]

• Samson reviews a new Apple TV+ documentary about two women—poets and spouses—navigating terminal illness with spoken word art.
  • Calls it “incredibly powerful,” recommends it for awards, and says it hit him personally due to recent struggles.
  • “It really is a good movie in that you have an opportunity to hear someone manifest their lack of power, their lack of control, their mortality. And they do it in a really articulate way.” — David Samson [36:51]

9. David’s Broken Movie-Watching Streak

[38:02-39:08]

• After 38 years of watching a movie daily, a family illness broke Samson’s famed streak.
  • “All the way from 1987 until 2025…and now it’s… that’s a long streak.” — David Samson [39:08]
  • Details how he now watches movies in fragments as life allows.

10. Sports & Trivia Closes: Yankee Clipper, College Football Playoff, Absurd Polls

[39:05-45:25]

• Chris Cody’s Ignorance: Samson is amused (or incredulous) that Chris Cody thought the “Yankee Clipper” was a hotel, not Joe DiMaggio.
• CFP Committee Rant
  • Stugotz and Dan believe the committee crafts outcomes for TV drama, with Samson a bit more skeptical.
    • “Do you think it is still a heated debate and they just can't decide? ... because I feel like they have it all planned out and I'm annoyed...” — David Samson [42:26]
• Endlessly silly polls: e.g., “Is Shiv 1V?” “Do you respect someone less if they edit with their mouth open?”

MEMORABLE QUOTES BY TIMESTAMP

• David Samson:

  • “You haven’t lived until you’ve been sued.” [05:14]
  • “He keeps us hanging like some lover at a middle school prom.” [05:38]
  • “I want her to sue Pablo so badly…It would be so fun.” [03:30]
  • “We’ve been a part of faking injuries too…in baseball, it’s called the Phantom IL.” [08:09]
  • “$400 million better be someone who defines your team. Kyle Tucker is a championship piece, he is not a championship maker.” [13:14]
  • “Spending like drunken sailors, signing players, not winning, losing money hand over fists.” [21:51]
  • “There's no reason to release in the middle of the night unless somebody's life is in danger.” [23:09]
  • “The ability to fall asleep…to tell people to shut the hell up without worrying about being shiv’d—that’s the top five reasons why you avoid a movie theater.” [34:32]
  • “All the way from 1987 until 2025 … a streak of 38 years.” [39:08]

• Dan Le Batard:

  • “I’m not going to be deposed.” [03:58]
  • “He’s making more money broadcasting than he did in his career.” [17:40]
  • “You need to be a little bit uncomfortable so you don't fall [asleep].” [32:40]

• Stugotz:

  • “You would do very poorly in prison.” (in response to “shived/shifted” debate) [35:09]
  • “Do you respect someone less if, when they edit, they have their mouth open?” [36:00] (a classic in-show poll)

TIMESTAMPS FOR KEY SEGMENTS

• 02:10 – Lawsuit Odds: Belichick’s Girlfriend, Pablo Torre, and Speculation
• 03:30 – Samson Wants a Lawsuit, Litigation Fantasies
• 05:38 – Giannis, Player Empowerment, and Pettiness in Trades
• 08:09 – “Phantom Injuries” in Professional Sports
• 13:14 – Mega MLB Contracts: Kyle Tucker’s Value
• 17:40 – Comparing MLB Contracts to Tom Brady’s Earnings
• 21:51 – Padres Meltdown and MLB Front-Office Dysfunction
• 23:09 – Clippers’ Late-Night Chris Paul Release
• 25:33 – “Buck Soul” Audio Controversy
• 27:06 – Movie-Ticket Sales Disaster and Disappearing Theaters
• 32:40 – Decline of Theaters & Home Viewing Perks
• 36:51 – “Come See Me in the Good Light”: Movie Review
• 39:08 – Samson’s 38-Year Movie Streak, Now Broken
• 42:26 – College Football Playoff Committee: TV Drama or True Debate?

CONCLUSION: THE BIG SUEY IN ITS GLORY

This episode is a rich blend of sports-room candor, inside-baseball (and basketball) knowledge, derisive humor, and moments of unexpected sincerity, notably from David Samson. Fans will appreciate the signature blend of real and ridiculous — from rumors of lawsuits to phantom injuries, to the post-pandemic collapse of the movie theater, and the raw reality of family health struggles.

If you want sports debate at its funniest, sharpest, and strangest — plus a window into the mind of a true sports executive — this is the Big Suey at its best.