The Big Suey: David Samson Steals a Bike (feat. David Samson)

Summary

Podcast Summary: The Big Suey — David Samson Steals a Bike

The Dan Le Batard Show with Stugotz | Nov 13, 2025 | Featuring David Samson

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Overview

Broadcasting from the Elser Hotel in downtown Miami, this episode of “The Big Suey” welcomes frequent contributor David Samson for an expansive and emotional conversation. The show weaves together candid reflections on Samson’s personal struggles, behind-the-scenes sports business insight, and trademark show banter. The conversation is particularly poignant as Samson opens up about his family’s ongoing challenges, revealing the realities of working and parenting through immense adversity. The episode also covers the recent baseball gambling scandal, delves into pop culture, and, true to the title, recounts the saga of Samson “stealing” a rental bike in New York.

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Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. David Samson’s Personal Journey and Family Crisis

• Samson’s Head-Shaving & Beard
  Samson explains he shaved his head for his daughter, who is currently undergoing treatment, and keeps his beard because it brings her comfort.

  “I will never shave it...the hair was — because part of treatments is that she is without hair for the most part. And so I wanted it to be...take power over that.”
  — David Samson [05:23]

• Vulnerability & Working Through Pain
  Samson shares how working on the show and interacting with the audience gives him solace during this difficult period.

  “The reason I do shows is that I want to feel less lonely...I enjoy interacting with the audience.”
  — David Samson [07:01]

• Acting Cheerful for His Daughter
  Samson discusses the daily need to put on a brave face for his daughter, despite constantly battling his own emotions.

  “It is a lot of acting. It’s a lot of pretending...when you’re crying, you can’t stay in the room with her because you don’t want her to see you crying.”
  — David Samson [10:28]

• Grappling with Regret and Love
  He touches on the complexities of love, regret, and family dynamics under stress:

  “None of us are taking care of ourselves the way we should because we’re focused on taking care of her because that’s all that matters. And...the impact on everyone else is as significant as the impact on her.”
  — David Samson [07:54]

• Breaking Down

  “I’ve cried every day since September 12th...There isn’t a day that goes by...there’s no escape from it.”
  — David Samson [12:37]

2. Comic Relief: The 'Stolen' Bicycle Incident

• Rental Bike Fiasco
  Samson shares a chaotic moment — getting trapped with an alarm-blaring rental bike in a Manhattan studio while balancing intense family responsibilities.

  “During the filming of the show, the bike went dead and the alarm went off as though I had stolen it...I was schwitzing trying to move the bike...I was in full panic mode.”
  — David Samson [18:11]

• Bimmel’s 'Content First' Attitude

  “He can’t help me because he’s too busy videoing.” — David Samson [18:11]

• Show’s Playful Teasing

  “David Samson is a noted bicycle thief.” — Chris Cote [34:15]
  “Stop, thief.” — Dan Le Batard [34:31]

3. Wilt Chamberlain Debate

• The panel debates Wilt Chamberlain's skills, spotlighting multigenerational arguments about his legacy.

  “Wilt Chamberlain had an entire...great mid-range game...the things he was doing we’ve never seen since.”
  — David Samson [04:12] “His game was limited...he was bigger, stronger and more athletic than everyone else.”
  — Chris Cote [03:37]

4. Baseball Gambling Scandal

• Coverage vs. Consequences
  The group discusses why NBA gambling controversies overshadow the arguably more impactful MLB betting scandal, which now threatens a top closer’s career.

  “The basketball gambling scandal seems to be getting a lot more attention, coverage and interest when the baseball scandal means one of the best closers in baseball is probably never going to throw a major league pitch again.”
  — Chris Cote [21:04]

• Sportsbook and MLB Collaboration

  “It took three days for MLB and the sports books to get together and change the rules...that’s the thing to do when you’re in the news and it’s bad. Do something good and do it fast.”
  — David Samson [21:04]

• Players’ Financial Pressures
  Samson explains economic realities for players, especially from the Dominican, whose extended families often depend on their earnings:

  “The pressure on the players in the Dominican should not be undersold.”
  — David Samson [27:55] “Their expenses are so much higher than you realize.”
  — David Samson [26:25]

5. Pop Culture Sidebar: “House of Dynamite”

• David reviews the film “House of Dynamite” (Katherine Bigelow, Netflix), focusing on nuclear threats and political response. He laments how controversy often overshadows substantive art:

  “People are very concerned with the end of this movie and they’re losing what the movie was about...an examination of what perilous ground we stand on as it relates to nuclear proliferation.”
  — David Samson [33:13]

6. Lighter Bits, Whistles & Suit Talk

• Show Banter & Hijinks
  Ongoing technical and comedic bits ensue, notably involving video room distractions, studio “coach” press conferences, and a running joke about Charles Barkley’s appearance post-weight loss.

  “This is actively distracting to me as I’m trying to do a live show.”
  — Chris Cote [34:39] “You’re telling me that him skinny looks to you more mortal than him heavy?”
  — Chris Cote [41:33] “If he got, like, a fitted suit... it would be night and day.”
  — David Samson [41:43]

• Amin Finds Out: iOS Typing Glitch
  Roy Bellamy shares that iPhone users’ recent typing woes are due to an iOS bug, not a neurological issue:

  “It’s entering the wrong letters...I literally thought I was having some neurological disorder.”
  — Roy Bellamy [37:01]

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Notable Quotes & Timestamps

• On Persevering Through Family Tragedy:
  “I enjoy doing this with you every week. I enjoy interacting with the audience. Unfortunately, my day today... I have to do something with Pablo that I really don’t want to do, but I feel totally obligated to.” — David Samson [07:01]

• On Emotional Honesty in Crisis:
  “I’ve cried every day since September 12th. At some point. There isn’t a day that goes by where something where it’s not in my head. There’s no escaping from it.” — David Samson [12:37]

• On Player Temptations & Scandal:
  “Rich people want to be richer and players in that category... it doesn’t matter. Classe was not thinking to himself, ‘Hey, I got a chance to make $20 million. I’m going to turn down five grand.’” — David Samson [23:00]

• On Dominican Player Realities:
  “You have no idea how big the payroll is for some of these players, how many people they’re actually supporting...their families, their friends, their friends’ family.”
  — David Samson [26:25]

• On Ignored Context in Film Criticism:
  “We are forgetting the forest and we are so focused on an individual tree and its sapling that it’s making me insane actually.”
  — David Samson [34:05]

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Timestamps of Important Segments

• [01:44] — Chris introduces David Samson and his recent challenges
• [02:57] — David discusses head shaving, beard, and audience support
• [07:05] — On coping with love, time, regret, and family stress
• [10:19] — The difficulty of shielding his daughter from his own pain
• [12:37] — Samson reckons with daily emotional struggle
• [18:11] — The infamous “stolen bicycle” story
• [21:04] — Sports gambling scandals: MLB vs. NBA
• [26:25] — Discussion of Dominican players’ family and financial pressures
• [33:13] — Review and meta-conversation around “House of Dynamite”
• [37:01] — Roy reveals iPhone typing glitch
• [41:33] — Lighthearted suit talk and deeper commentary on aging and mortality

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Conclusion

In this episode, the Le Batard crew sets aside some of its usual irreverence to offer a remarkably empathetic look at hardship and resilience, courtesy of David Samson’s vulnerability. The conversation blends heartfelt moments with lighter comedic relief—true to the show’s DNA. Listeners are treated to honest insights into the business of sports, cultural debates, and the strange, chaotic, very human lives of the people behind the microphones.

Transcript

[Dan LeBatard]

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[David Sampson]

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[Chris Cote]

Welcome to the Big Suey presented by DraftKings. Why are you listening to this show, the podcast that seems very similar to.

[David Sampson]

The other Dan LeBatard podcast?

[Chris Cote]

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

[Shaquille O'Neal]

I've done it.

[Chris Cote]

And now here's the marching man to Nowhere, Fat Face and the Habitual Liar.

[Amin Elhassan]

This episode of the Dan Levittart show is presented by DraftKings. DraftKings. The Crown is yours.

[Chris Cote]

So I really don't know, even though I am talking to David Sampson, where and when the time permits. I really don't know how he is doing what he is presently doing, which is a daily show that is three times a week now, but is normally daily as he manages some stuff at home that has been really profoundly difficult. Some of the worst pain that I can't imagine, much worse pain than what it is that he's presently going through. I assume that he's still working because he's duty bound, he's responsible and because there are parts of this that he Enjoys. He has now shaved his head in solidarity with his daughter and his family. Family and Zaslow asked me a question. I didn't know how to answer it, even though I've known you for 20 years, and I could generally feel pretty confident answering these questions. He's like, can we say who David looks like now? Is that insensitive? Is it insensitive to say who in arts or entertainment David looks like now that he's got this big gray beard and that he's shaven? And I would assume that you'd be okay with that, but he didn't want to be indelicate over something that was, you know, so family personal as you shaving your head to show everyone really that you're in pain with your daughter.

[David Sampson]

Zaz, go ahead. I don't. I. I don't recognize what I look like. So to me, I don't look like anybody. But if you've got a doppelganger out there that you would like to advance the show with past Dan's ridiculous takes on Wilt Chamberlain, please feel free.

[Amin Elhassan]

You don't think Will could hit some threes?

[David Sampson]

I just think that Dan misled a fraction of the audience into saying that all he did was dunk because he was bigger than everyone else. Wilt Chamberlain had an entire. Not only did he have a great mid range game, and I mean, I don't know where you were here with telling Dan unless part of the rules are now at Metal Arc that we can't say anything bad to Dan we got. But that was just an irresponsible statement.

[Mike Ryan]

Dan threw it to Roy.

[Chris Cote]

Look, Wilt Chamberlain, his game was limited. He was bigger and stronger and more athletic than everyone else. And therefore he would say, what are you looking at me like? I don't know what I'm great passer. He was bigger. Like he was somebody for his time who was more athletically gifted in size, strength and mobility than everyone he was playing against.

[Roy Bellamy]

You could say he. That even today.

[Chris Cote]

That's not.

[Roy Bellamy]

Yeah, he's one of the most athletic.

[Chris Cote]

That's not what Jokic is. That's not what I'm watching when I'm watching Jokic. The reason Will Chamberlain shot that percentage from the field is because he was playing a whole bunch of people who got stuck in his armpit.

[David Sampson]

So I understand that you're going to double down on that. But if you go back to what mate Will Chamberlain, fantastic. There was a guy who played for Boston. I mean, I can't think of who he was. I think he wore Number six. But it's escaping me and all. Russell, William Russell. That's the guy. I mean, with all the titles that Boston won. So it's not as though that Wilt was able to carry the Lakers to this, as you know, all of these great things. I. I just took offense to the fact that you would sully Will Chamberlain when in fact, what we witnessed during that season when he was shooting 72%, the things that he was doing we've never seen since. Jordan, LeBron, Kareem, Jokic, Dokich, none of them.

[Amin Elhassan]

David, number one.

[David Sampson]

Who do I look like?

[Amin Elhassan]

Well, I found you unrecognizable when I saw your show on Monday. That's not insults, just I was like, I was shocked. I did not recognize you. But I think you look like Obadiah Stain from Iron Man. Oh, I think you look like Jeff Bridges character, the main villain in the first Iron man movie. I think you'll just like him.

[David Sampson]

Well, that's just bald with a beard.

[Amin Elhassan]

Yeah, that's a key component.

[David Sampson]

Let me give you the background just so I'm not hiding anything. The reason for the beard is not because I want to grow hair on my face, because I don't have it on my head. It's that I shave on Sundays and I shaved on September the sixth, which is the Sunday going into Monday, September 7th. And then my daughter got sick on September 12th. And the first thing that she did was when she regained consciousness was to play with my. What at the time was just sort of a little bit of growth. And every day since then, she plays with my beard all the time. And so I promised I would never shave it and I will never shave it until I just won't ever shave it for now. And so the hair was. Because part of treatments is that she is without hair for the most part. And so I wanted it to be along with her boyfriend and brother in law. We wanted to show the beauty of that and take power over that. And now it is a combination where she doesn't spend a lot of time up here. It's still the beard that is the infatuation. So that is the. That is the day. And Dan, the reason I do shows is that I want to feel less lonely. I enjoy doing this with you every week. I enjoy interacting with the audience. Unfortunately, my day today is that I have to do something with Pablo that I really don't want to do, but I feel totally obligated to. And I could blow it off, but I don't want to do it to our partner Pablo, who's releasing shows and investigating stuff and being investigated. So I have to do something that takes time away from my daughter with him today, Dan.

[Chris Cote]

So if I may, for the audience, if you want to support the things that David is doing, he's got an unusual connection with his audience and he does feel duty bound to that audience to do an entertaining show every day that he's still working on, even though it's obviously something that hurts to let the priorities down on, as he must. A difficult question for you that I've not asked you personally or privately. Where are you with the differences in how it is you're experiencing love these days and what has been changed about you over the last two months of nightmare as you've confronted a life turned upside down with something you could not have imagined in your worst nightmares as being this kind of life altering.

[David Sampson]

Definitely could never have imagined the situation. And I would say where I am with love. And it's something that I think about, obviously, because you think that your reaction would be that you want to take advantage of every minute, that you want to remember every moment, and that you are. You go back with some regret over decisions that you've made over time you didn't spend with your daughter when you could have. And the struggle I'm having is that I don't know that I would have done anything differently because I only had the information I had at the time. And I never would have expected there to be this sort of issue that, that exists that costs time because as you know, my relationship with time is far more complicated than my relationship with love. But right now, the family and we're very much hunkered down. And the problem is that there is no time to show enough grace to. To each other. There is no time to show enough love to each other because it is basically every day dealing with something. Does this help her get better? That's the question. Does this help give her a moment of being happier? That's the question. Not how do I show more love to myself or to others. None of us are taking care of ourselves the way we should because we're focused on taking care of her because that's all that matters. And the question you have to ask yourself is that balance is a difficult one because it is having a tremendously negative impact on everyone in the family. And I could almost argue, and people are going to misunderstand this, there is an argument to be made that the impact on everyone else is as significant as the impact on her. And there's a Bunch of factors that I don't want to talk about that make that a true statement. That may not sound true to you, but these are issues that come up, including until one in the morning last night during a family meeting, while there is a show the next day at, you know, 7:00am live, I had to be someplace, so I had to get on my bike and go to a House at 10:30 at night for several hours, and my phone goes off. And that's not a fine because it's on silent except for family who texts from time to time about treatments and stuff. So it's all a mess. Dan. And I don't want to waste your audience's time. And I'm not looking for anything other than love that you guys have given me, and I appreciate that.

[Amin Elhassan]

David, how do you make. Make sure. If it's okay for me to ask, how do you make sure that she doesn't see how it's affecting you? Because I'm sure you don't want her to have to think about that.

[David Sampson]

It's. It's a. That is the best question, and no one's asked that. And there's a lot of whispering that goes on. There's a lot of going to the other room. There's a lot of things that happen after she goes to sleep. So you. You're right. You can't show any of that. You have to be a united front. You have to be cheery and upright, upbeat all the time when you feel like not being that any of the time. And so it is a lot of acting. It's a lot of pretending. And the dichotomy of how you feel versus how you want to look is so different that you end up having to use the other people in the room as your bellwether. Hey, how do I look now? Because when you're crying, you. You can't stay in the room with her because you don't. You want her to see you crying. And so we have a place where she is where we go and cry out of sight. It's. It's really something, Zaz. But you're right, you don't want to ever show any of that to her.

[Chris Cote]

I'm going to try to move on to some of the other stuff here in a second, including playing some video that will lighten this up of David on a bicycle that I was sent yesterday. That must have been a mortifying situation to him, because it looked like he was running through the city of New York with a stolen bicycle. But before we play that particular video Just one more thing for people who have sort of witnessed your journey over 20 years with this show. There was a time that you walked out of a funeral many, many years ago where you felt something and you felt like you had almost cried and you felt a human emotion that was a bit rare to you. It had reached you in a place where you allowed yourself to be vulnerable. How much has that stuff changed in the last two months? Because some part of this has allowed you to be broken open and really, really realize that you have been a dutiful father and you have had love inside you that might come with regret and guilt right now, but you know how hard you love like you're under no confusion about that right now.

[David Sampson]

No, I'm not afraid to or ashamed to go full Rosie Greer I've cried every day since September 12th. At some point. There isn't a day that goes by where something where it's not in my head. There's no escaping from it. As I sit here with you. There's no escape. Even doing nothing personal, there's no escape. So I can't find the escape. I don't know if it'll ever happen. I don't know. What therapists have been helpful with is trying to navigate the unnavigable and the problem is that it can't. That road can't start right now because we're in such acute emergency situation that the only thing that matters is what we're doing in terms of care. So the answer is every day is a struggle in a way that is hard to talk about. And the video you're going to show is a perfect example. And I don't know how you got the video actually is a perfect example. I think it could have been Bimmel that I recorded a show that just came out last night with Pablo. That show was recorded yesterday and I was in between a treatment and in between a a therapy session and I had to get to your studio to record in a certain time frame and so the only way to do it was on a bicycle. And that, that is true, that happened yesterday. What does Zyn give you? Not just smoke free nicotine satisfaction but real freedom. Freedom to do what you love and choose your rewards. With Zinn Rewards you can redeem points for premium tech outdoor gear and gift cards to your favorite retailers. Find your Z and keep finding rewards that fit your [e-mail] rewards. This product contains nicotine. Nicotine is an addictive chemical.

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[David Sampson]

Don LeBatard Tae toss stugats. Tae Tas.

[Chris Cote]

This is the Dan Levatar show with the stugats. All right, so they're downloading it now. Pete Carroll has gotten in everyone's way in the video room. And something that would have been available moments ago is now being over managed and micromanaged because Pete Carroll had decided to go into the other room and block the video from being played because he's making some sort of editorial judgment in tone and content.

[Mike Ryan]

Dan, he's got to learn everybody's job top to bottom. That's why he's the CEO of the.

[Dan LeBatard]

Company and for the Oakland Raiders.

[Trevor Lane]

Like, he's the guy making sure.

[Mike Ryan]

Hey, guys, in the video room, I know what you're doing. I need to see what's going on over there. He's doing what he's got to do over here. I apologize.

[Chris Cote]

Let me know when it is that we have the video that we're playing for the audience to have perfect comedic timing of a stolen bicycle. But how mortified were you? Because you looked pretty miserable in the video. You looked like. Because the alarm was going off on one of your rental bike. It was a rental bike. And the alarm was. He couldn't take a step because all of a sudden the bike is hovering above the. And the rented bike needs to always be on New York pavement.

[David Sampson]

So let me explain. When you take a rental bike, you have to park it. And I had to get. This is really. This happened. This is me going from shooting the sporting class to the hospital. And I needed to be on a bike. And so I had a bike to the studio to arrive for shooting time, but I couldn't find a parking spot. So I had to take the bike into the studio and then take the bike out of the studio. But. But during the filming of the show, the bike went dead and the alarm went off as though I had stolen it. And when the electric bikes alarm goes off, they. They can't be moved and they're super heavy. So I was schwitzing trying to move the bike, knowing I had to get rid of that bike to get a new bike to get to the hospital at the right time in order to get to the next appointment. And I was in full panic mode. And Bimmel, God bless him as CEO, his first thought was a la Pablo. This looks like content. Let me tape it. So I'm trying to get the bike in the elevator. I can't lift it and he can't help Me because he's too busy videoing.

[Chris Cote]

Let me hear the sound. Play the sound here real quick so people can hear our. Our guy Bimmel harassing David Sampson with a stolen bicycle.

[David Sampson]

Since this happened, you were stealing a.

[Mike Ryan]

City bike and it's going to be.

[David Sampson]

Late to your sporting class.

[Dan LeBatard]

Couldn't be late.

[David Sampson]

I couldn't find a parking spot so I brought it to the studio and now they think I'm stealing it.

[Chris Cote]

David Sampson's life right now is an. It's an emotional iditarod. He is just running from place to place with sled dogs that are exhausted. Regardless, David, Mike, please stop hassling the people in the other room. You're getting in the way of the show. Like, stop. Stop doing that. We're trying to. You're chewing gum and distracting the entirety of the show with your punishment.

[Mike Ryan]

Danny kind of looks like Hancock in that video. He's got the beanie and the glasses.

[Chris Cote]

You do look pretty good, David. You do look like you've got your stuff together. Let's get to some sports stuff here because the sporting class is where it is that David Sampson, John Skipper and Pablo do the sports business stuff better than anywhere else I've heard. David does a lot of good sports business stuff on Nothing personal, but also I would imagine that you have been better on this baseball gambling scandal than most people because I've been confused that a. The basketball gambling scandal seems to be something that's getting a lot more attention, coverage and interest when the baseball scandal means one of the best closers in baseball is probably never going to throw a major league pitch again. And that seems to me to be a pr it should be a bigger story. It's a pretty big story, but it should be a bigger story given what that guy's career trajectory was.

[David Sampson]

Well, I think it's a pretty amazing story that it took three days for MLB and the sports books to get together and change the rules and basically curtail certain prop bets and limit the maximum amount you can bet to $200 on what let's say in game, next pitch, velocity, etc. The things that can really cut to the integrity in a way that is touchable, palpable. And don't I. I want to give credit to DraftKings. We're obviously a DraftKings network. We are a DraftKings show. But it's not easy when you are approached by a league with an existential crisis and your view can be the Heisman, which is, hey, you know, that's your fault. That's your problem. You can deal with it. Instead, they got together and said, we can find a way to make sure that all the customers, because that's what matters is customers, that they realize that we're all interested in the integrity of the moment and of the game and therefore we're going to be willing to throw money away, not take the amount of money that we could in order to give the appearance of more and more credibility. And it all happened super fast. And that's the thing to do when you're in the news and it's bad. Do something good and do it fast. And then there'll be the next story that people will focus on. And that's what MLB did along with the books.

[Chris Cote]

Walk me through this part of it, right? Because one of the things that has always been a deterrent in recent years to the biggest and best players in sports being contaminated by corruption is they make too much money. Can you explain to the people, given how good Emmanuel Class A is, was it was going to be over what is being reported as about $400,000 for just about everyone involved? How much money did he just cost himself as someone unlikely to ever throw a major league pitch again?

[David Sampson]

Yeah, I think that what people are missing is that rich people want to be richer and players in that category, they like a lot of free stuff. Rich people like free stuff. Stuff. If you go to anybody who's rich and say, hey, I'll give you an extra five grand, you might say, wow, I won't bend over for five grand. But guess what? Rich people do, they'll take the five grand. And so it doesn't matter. Classe was not thinking to himself, hey, I got a chance to make $20 million. I'm going to turn down five grand. That was not.

[Chris Cote]

But answer, answer my question. How much in career earnings did that closer with that arm at that age cost himself?

[David Sampson]

Let's conservatively say 25 million.

[Chris Cote]

Conservatively a year.

[David Sampson]

What's your point?

[Chris Cote]

A year?

[David Sampson]

No, that's about what he would make. That's about where he would make. Let's say now could he be one of the relievers who could do it for 10 more years? I'm just saying average. Just say 25 million, which would be an amazing amount of career earnings. But what people have been saying, and I don't think you're one of them unless you're doing it right now, is how could he be so stupid and short sighted to take, take five grand to throw a ball as a ball and sacrifice the possibility of the 25 million? And what I'M telling you is players, people, they don't think that way. The person who robs the bank is not thinking about getting caught. He's thinking about what he's doing with the money.

[Chris Cote]

I don't. I don't know. I don't know how the bank robber thinks. But you tell me, I mean, what you think of this? You think Terry Rozier right now is considering how dumb it was to count $100,000 in cash and risk all of his career earning.

[Amin Elhassan]

Like the bank robber, I mean, is not usually wealthy.

[Roy Bellamy]

I think the big thing is people believing it's something I can't get caught. So in the case of the pitchers, it's like it's the first pitch, I'm still gonna strike the guy out or get him out. No one's gonna notice. No one's gonna read on that, read up on that pattern. This kind of high profile case reveals to all pitchers now, yo, they know. They can tell, right? In the Tay Rozier case, I think there's a difference between, man, I don't know. I feel like a lot of times it's not necessarily, hey, I can make money on this. Like, oh, I'll help my boys out and I don't have to pay for it. That's the only thing I can think of. If indeed he is guilty, I could see that.

[Chris Cote]

Well, no, but that's probably the case in all the cases, isn't it?

[Roy Bellamy]

I don't know about those pictures.

[Chris Cote]

Yeah, well, no, when you read some of the details, that seems to be what's happening there, is it not, David?

[David Sampson]

Yeah, no, it's not uncommon what you're saying to mean where you think that players. And this happens in all sports, you see it in basketball and baseball, of course, you have no idea how big the payroll is for some of these players, how many people they're actually supporting. And this happens not just with Dominican players, but especially with Dominican players where their families just don't have money. I'm not talking about second generation like the Guerreros or the Tatis, but it is very, very common that that player is looked at not just to support his family in the Dominican, but his family's family, his friends, his friends family. And you see a lot of destruction and jealousy and anger that comes when people do not get money that they're expecting to get. It is a whole big McGilla. And so that is pressure that is on players that we would say, oh, my God, they're independently rich, but in fact, they're not as rich as you think. Because their expenses are so much higher than you realize.

[Chris Cote]

I legitimately did not realize until right now.

[Dan LeBatard]

Wow.

[Chris Cote]

What. What an unbelievable oversight by me. So the most desperate situation I feel like I've ever been in publicly involves Sammy Sosa's home run. You know, he finished second. He goes back to hurricane ravaged Dominican and people are literally trying to climb over the walls of his palace to get milk. Like there is just legitimate hunger outside. And I did not realize until this very moment that of course what happened to those two guys is they were probably that Ortiz USA had no idea that they were going to be throwing away their entire careers because they threw one pitch for a guy back home so that he can make some money on some inside information that he had. There's no way they had any earthly idea what the consequences of that were.

[David Sampson]

That's certainly where my head is. Dan and I see it all the time. And we see it mostly in the Dominican, not with gambling. You see it with steroids.

[Mike Ryan]

Steroids.

[David Sampson]

So many of the players in the Dominican are doing steroids and when they get caught, their view is, hey, listen, it was worth the shot. I thought that I could mask it. But if I do these steroids or if I lie about my, my age, I have a chance to get a larger signing bonus. I have a chance for my family to have an actual floor or an actual roof. The pressure on the players in the Dominican should not be undersold.

[Mike Ryan]

Give him a water break.

[Chris Cote]

Water break, Nothing Personal is the name of the podcast and he is back to watching some movies occasionally trying to get back to some semblance of normal life around what he is doing. Before we get to whatever it is that you're reviewing. Amin, have you seen Being Eddie on Netflix, the Eddie Murphy documentary?

[Roy Bellamy]

It just came out this week. I've been watching a lot of basketball.

[Chris Cote]

I will tell you just one story with, without spoiling it, that was great. Jesse Jackson saw the barbershop scene in Coming to America where Eddie Murphy is playing all of the characters, including an old Jewish white guy. And Jesse Jackson goes to Eddie Murphy and says, all those guys are going to be stars. I feel like all of those guys are going to be stars in the movie. Where's the spoon?

[Mike Ryan]

When I think about the holidays, I think about the little moments with my dog Roma, the ones that make the season feel special. Put a little elf ears on her. You know the deal. Take some selfies, post it for people that probably seen it too much. I love my dog. That's what I'm trying to get at. That's why I'm joining Chewy Claws, who's out here making pet's wishes come true. From November 4th through December 24th, you can share your pet's [e-mail] chewyclaus. It might come true. And it helps others too. Every wish triggers a donation of five meals to shelters and rescues across the country. And if you share your pet's wish through the Chewy app, they'll double that donation. That's 10 meals for pets in need just for participating. I've been using Chewy for years legitimately. They've made my life easier for me and my dog, Roma. Food, toys, meds. All of it shows up fast. No stress and being part of something like Chewy Claws, where a small thing like a wish can make a real impact. That's the kind of stuff I care about. Every pet deserves a wish come true. Send your pet's wish to chewy.com chewyclaus it might become a reality. Plus, your wish means Chewie will donate five meals to pets in need. Folks, the leaves are turning. The weather's getting a little chillier. That means the football games are more important. That means football time should be Miller Time. Game day hits different with a Miller Light in your hand. From jaw dropping touchdowns to fantasy heartbreaks. My fantasy season's over already. But you know what makes that better? Miller Time. It's the beer that's been there for every moment. 50 years of great taste, simple ingredients and that iconic golden color you can spot from across the room. And here's the kicker. It's just 96 calories, 3.2 carbs per 12 ounces. The original light beer since 1975 and still hitting different five decades later. So whatever your game day looks like, remember Miller Time is always a good time. Miller Lite great taste. 96 calories. Go to millerlight.com dan to find delivery options near you too. Or you can pick up Miller Lite pretty much anywhere they sell beer. It's Miller Time. Celebrate responsibly. Miller Brewing Co. Milwaukee, Wisconsin 96 calories and 3.2 carbs per 12 ounces.

[David Sampson]

On Fox One, you can stream your favorite live sports so you're there for the biggest moments as they happen. For me, I cannot deal with spoilers, so I need to see it live. Especially on college football Saturdays and NFL Sundays. With Fox 1, you get it all. NASCAR, the MLB postseason edge of your seat plays, Jaw dropping moments and that rush like you're right there in the action. Sports are meant to be watched live.

[Trevor Lane]

And you can do that with Fox One.

[David Sampson]

Fox One. We live for live streaming now. Don LeBatard.

[Mike Ryan]

It's not my favorite region. Context needs to be applied for a joke.

[Trevor Lane]

And thought the context was a we.

[Mike Ryan]

We'd like to rip that out of context. I was going for a thing. And you're going to have a family.

[Chris Cote]

You're going to pretend here that you don't love Matthew Tkachuk more than you love anybody you've ever loved.

[Mike Ryan]

I. I don't love Matthew Tkachuk more than my daughter. ST. Now it's pretty damn close.

[Chris Cote]

This is the Dan Levatar show with the st. What are you reviewing for us this week?

[Shaquille O'Neal]

David?

[David Sampson]

I hope someone in the room has seen House of Dynamite.

[Chris Cote]

Nobody? Not anybody.

[David Sampson]

Are you kidding me?

[Mike Ryan]

Audible House of Wax.

[David Sampson]

Okay, forget it.

[Mike Ryan]

Check out the line.

[David Sampson]

No, the. The purpose of this review would be to have a conversation. I can review a movie no one's seen on Nothing Personal on Netflix. Directed by by Academy Award winner Katherine Bigelow about what a government does when there is the Day After Tomorrow. Which is. That's an old reference. But for the younger people in the audience, that was a show about a nuclear war with Jason Robards where people thought there was an actual nuclear war. This movie, House of Dynamite is about what goes on when there is a threat. The possibility that there could be a. A first strike done by our enemies and what we would do, how we would react. What are the chains of command? House of Dynamite does it from every angle from different parts of government. And then it builds to an end where the end is. You wait. I can't say the end.

[Chris Cote]

It's the end.

[Mike Ryan]

Spoiler, Dave.

[Chris Cote]

The end of the chair company.

[Roy Bellamy]

And boom goes the dynamite.

[Mike Ryan]

No spoilers.

[David Sampson]

So no spoilers. Mike, thank you so much. So if you watch to the end, people are very concerned with the end of this movie and they're losing what the movie was about. And the movie was about an examination of what perilous ground we stand on as it relates to nuclear proliferation and what could happen any day with leaders who are irrational or leaders who don't understand what it means to be in a world order. And so this movie took a chance and it's being criticized because of an end and nobody's discussing the entire first hour. 40. And that's what I would prefer people to focus on.

[Chris Cote]

So Bigelow made award worthy art and the conversation gets hijacked afterward. That ignores the art and just becomes whatever the controversy of the day could be at the end. Of the movie.

[David Sampson]

And that's a very telling thing that's happening where we are forgetting the forest and we are so focused on an individual tree and. And it's sapling that it's making me insane, actually.

[Chris Cote]

David Sampson is a noted bicycle thief. He has nothing personal. You keep playing that sound whether Mike's ready to talk or not. Like you. You guys are not talking. Yeah, yeah, no, I know a lot.

[Mike Ryan]

Of Aaron whistles in the crowd.

[Amin Elhassan]

He stole a bike, Chris.

[David Sampson]

That I didn't call for a whistle.

[Dan LeBatard]

Stop, thief.

[Chris Cote]

Chris, I know you don't need to give me your breakdancing move of. I know what you're doing with the whistle, but Mike not hearing the whistle, reacting.

[Mike Ryan]

Keep doing the break dancing.

[Chris Cote]

Just. Just makes it something that's actively distracting to me as I'm trying to do a live show.

[Mike Ryan]

What was a coat? What was that camera Take more dancing.

[Chris Cote]

Okay. All right. I'm trying to do a live program here.

[Mike Ryan]

Look at those shoulders, Dan.

[Chris Cote]

That a lot of people are watching. That is not helpful. Pete Carroll is an active distraction. The punishment is only mine. David. Nothing personal. Support. The things that David is doing, he is being very willful about doing them right now. Thank you, sir. Much love. Before I update Doug Christie's latest press conference, I can't believe that I get to do ameen finds out.

[David Sampson]

Oh, nifbles.

[Chris Cote]

I've got a meme finds out because a meme came in here today wanting to report something and wanting to get into the Pablo Torre finds out game where he is revealing to the audience something it did not know in a way that delights and enlightened lights the audience.

[Roy Bellamy]

So, Dan, iPhone users might have experienced this thing.

[Dan LeBatard]

I haven't.

[Chris Cote]

He's too distracted. Okay, Chris. No. But it's not just you that's distracted. It's not just me that's distracted. Chris has imaging for a mean. Finds out he can't do it cuz he's too busy with those damn whistles like he does. He doesn't have the imaging ready because he's doing a different show. The show that him and Mike want to do that's now hijacked the video room too.

[Mike Ryan]

All right, let's pull him.

[Dan LeBatard]

Roy.

[Mike Ryan]

Roy, take over.

[Roy Bellamy]

He's going to the backup.

[Mike Ryan]

Yeah, we're pulling. You help the listener.

[Chris Cote]

Please help the customer.

[Roy Bellamy]

So if you are an iPhone user and you've recognized recently. Oh, man, I feel like I'm misspelling a lot. I know I'm typing. I was like, I'm making all these typing Mistakes. How is this possible? Right? Is there something wrong with me? You're not alone. This is happening to a lot of people, myself included. And the reason is there's a problem with the new iOS. I watched a video of a guy who slowed it down. You're typing the right letters, and it's entering the wrong letters.

[Chris Cote]

No way.

[Roy Bellamy]

I'm dead serious, dude. You see the H get typed, and instead of H, it'll be you.

[David Sampson]

Like, S for me, right?

[Roy Bellamy]

As like it is actively playing defense against you. This is a big problem. I don't know why the iPhones are doing this, but I literally thought. I swear to God, I thought I was having some neurological. Neurological disorder. And like, man, this is me getting older. Now I can't type. I think I thought of typing the right thing, but I'm looking at the words. It's gibberish. Turns out, no, it's not you. It's the damn phone.

[Chris Cote]

That is a mean finding out. I don't think you can do funnier than alleging against yourself a neurological disorder while stumbling on the neurological. It is.

[Roy Bellamy]

I might still be true.

[Chris Cote]

It is part of the aging process. You are feeling. This is unusual to say, and I hope that you can find for me, Roy, the sound and the video that I was trying to get from Chris, back when he cared about doing his job instead of whatever the hell he's been doing for the last 45 minutes. There is some Charles Barkley video and sound that I was going to go to that puts Amin in a position I have not heard before, as I'm hearing Charles Barkley in a position not a whole lot of people in the media are taking right now. Charles Barkley, as he often does, is saying something here that I'm not hearing a whole lot of other people saying about Nico Harrison and the Dallas situation. Because the mayor.

[Shaquille O'Neal]

The mayors were a mediocre team until he made those choices. He was doing a good job. Then he had the bad luck with Anthony Davis never being available, basically. But the thing that bothers me is he's just being made a scapegoat. Listen, Shaq knows this. Kenny knows this. There's no way in the world Nico Harrison had the power to trade Luka Doncic unless the owner of the team signed Patrick Dumont. Yes, like, that was his call. So I feel bad the way Nico is being made a scapegoat. But anybody who knows anything about basketball know good and well Nico Harrison did not have enough power to trade Luka Doncic. So that's the thing that bothers me he's had a streak of bad luck with Anthony Davis and Kyrie both getting hurt. But the premise of this trade is Nico Harrison. I hear all these fools and idiots on TV top. Nico Harrison going to be the guy guy who traded Luka Duncik. No, the Dallas Maverick organization made that call.

[Chris Cote]

Chuck is too skinny.

[David Sampson]

Oh, it's an odd look, man. He's got like Aaron Rodgers vibes.

[Trevor Lane]

For me it just looks off something.

[David Sampson]

You look at him, something looks off.

[Amin Elhassan]

I think he looks great. I don't know what you're talking about.

[Dan LeBatard]

I agree, he looks great.

[Roy Bellamy]

I think you look like you drink sodas.

[Trevor Lane]

His suits are blousy blouse.

[Mike Ryan]

Yeah, the shoulders are big on the suit. Shoulders are really big.

[Chris Cote]

Dan.

[Roy Bellamy]

There's a level of like mortality that I feel looking at that. Right. It's. It's not just the clothes, the ill fitting clothes. The face looks a little gaunt. The neck right here, little loose skin. It's like.

[Trevor Lane]

That's a great point by him, the skin, you know.

[Roy Bellamy]

Oh, maybe he's. Because he's on the. Not Ozempic but whatever. The weight loss journey GOP ones. Yeah, it just to me there, I'm seeing this a lot with a lot of people I know around the NBA. Former players, retired players who looked a certain way in retirement. And then you. You don't see them for a little bit. You see him again and like. Oh no, that's the sign of someone getting older. Not older like oh, my back hurts, whatever, like, but older like we're entering that next stage where I gotta worry every time I open my phone up to see a. A graphic, a something.

[Dan LeBatard]

Well, loose skin tends to happen when you are once big and then you get small. So that kind of happens there. It's not his. It's a good point.

[Chris Cote]

I don't see a lot of people talk. It is his fault because like it is Chuck's fault. Yes, he got heavy and then he lost the weight and so he got. I mean, whose fault? He's the one governing what food goes into his mouth.

[Mike Ryan]

Like lean on your experience.

[Chris Cote]

I am, I'm speaking as an authority here. I don't need your help with that. I'm doing fine.

[Mike Ryan]

We've been here before, coach.

[Chris Cote]

I don't need your help here. I got this. This isn't like before in the game when you asked me to just throw the ball to Roy out of nowhere?

[Mike Ryan]

Dan, your face looks a little more full though.

[Dan LeBatard]

I think you don't have the experience.

[Chris Cote]

Look, this is a strange thing that's happening with Charles Barkley in that. You guys are telling me you're feeling. I don't agree with you necessarily here. Even as I say he's too skinny, you're telling me you feel like he looks healthier, heavier.

[Trevor Lane]

Just looks off right now.

[David Sampson]

I can't explain it.

[Chris Cote]

You're telling me that him skinny looks to you more mortal than him heavy. That's what you're saying?

[Trevor Lane]

I honestly think.

[David Sampson]

Think it's the suits.

[Trevor Lane]

If he got, like, a fitted suit.

[Chris Cote]

I think he would look.

[David Sampson]

It would be night and day.

[Dan LeBatard]

So go to a tailor.

[David Sampson]

I'm sure he did, though, right? Like, did Chuck not do that?

[Roy Bellamy]

No, it's probably those old suits, man. That's probably like, he's just grabbing the ones from the closet and putting them on. Or maybe it's. Maybe it's laundry day. I don't know. Either way, like, I just. There's a part.

[Chris Cote]

Something's off.

[Amin Elhassan]

You're all base, man. He looks terrific. I don't know what you're talking about.

[Dan LeBatard]

What do you know?

[Amin Elhassan]

He looks.

[Mike Ryan]

I know things you don't know.

[Amin Elhassan]

I know things smart.

[Chris Cote]

I mean, I think you're having a take that not a lot of other people are having. I think most people think that Charles looks great. When I say that he's too skinny. Even as somebody who, like him, has fought his way all his life, I'm saying it because it doesn't have the. The things he's saying don't have the same oomph when he says them as a lighter person when he's. When he's thicker. This is. The comedy is better, and the points land harder. And in this case, he's giving voice to some who's feeling bad for Nico.

[Roy Bellamy]

So, ironically, a lot of former players, like what we've interviewed over the last few days.

[Mike Ryan]

You got two minutes here.

[Roy Bellamy]

They kind of echo these things, like, well, it wasn't just Nico. It was the organization. You got to understand, obviously, that Barkley has a relationship with Nico from Nico's Nike days, as do a lot of guys.

[Amin Elhassan]

So he's on the take.

[Roy Bellamy]

Not on the take, but just a little bit more sympathetic. But guys keep repeating this. Oh, it's organization. But it's. It's like it was Nico's idea. And the owner employs you to be an expert.

[Amin Elhassan]

Yeah, the owner's not a basketball guy. You're the basketball.

[Roy Bellamy]

It's like if I go to my doctor and my doctor says, hey, you should take this medicine, and then it has disastrous results.

[Amin Elhassan]

Oh, but you allowed him to give you the medicine.

[Roy Bellamy]

Yeah, like no one would say, oh, it's my fault for taking the medicine. It's my doctor who's the expert's fault for telling me.

[Chris Cote]

Why are we doing another press conference?

[Mike Ryan]

You're on, coach.

[Amin Elhassan]

All right.

[Mike Ryan]

You know, started slow, kind of. Kind of, Kind of sad. A little bit. Dug ourselves out of it. Whistles killed us. Whistles were, you know, they were just really bad. Too many whistles. Made the right call. Pull the young guy. I still have faith. He's our quarterback. 100%. He's still our quarterback. But Roy did give us a spark, and we settled in. We're able to come back in that one. Most important thing is, you know, just secure the W. We'll look at the film, we'll reevaluate, get out of the building, live.

[Chris Cote]

You've aged.

[Mike Ryan]

It's a hard profession. Any other questions?

[Chris Cote]

Yeah. What did you think of the idea of somebody distracting people with bit while they were trying to talk seriously about mortality?

[Mike Ryan]

I mean, it's a trick play, no doubt. Want to keep the defense off balance.

[Chris Cote]

Amin was palpably and obviously distracted while trying to talk about serious subject matter. Because you were in his ear, chewing gum and, I think, shaking ice.

[Mike Ryan]

I'm sorry, where's the question here?

[Chris Cote]

I'm down or down.

[Mike Ryan]

No one's down over here in this room. All right? No one's down. We're building a program. We're in year two. All right. What's up, Trevor? Folks, the leaves are turning. The weather's getting a little chillier. That means the football games are more important. That means football time should be Miller time. Game day hits different print with a Miller Lite in your hand. From jaw dropping touchdowns to fantasy heartbreaks. My fantasy season's over already. But you know what makes that better? Miller Time. It's the beer that's been there for every moment. 50 years of great taste, simple ingredients, and that iconic golden color you can spot from across the room. And here's the kicker. It's just 96 calories, 3.2 carbs per 12 ounces. The original light beer since 1975 and still hitting different five days decades later. So whatever your game day looks like, remember, Miller Time is always a good time. Miller Lite, great taste. 96 calories. Go to millerlight.com Stan to find delivery options near you. Or you can pick up Miller Lite pretty much anywhere they sell beer. It's Miller time. Celebrate responsibly. Miller Brewing Co. Milwaukee, Wisconsin. 96 calories and 3.2 carbs per 12 ounces.