The Big Suey: My Voice Is Strong and My Bottom Is Fresh (feat. David Samson)

Summary

Summary of "The Big Suey: My Voice Is Strong and My Bottom Is Fresh (feat. David Samson)"

Episode Release Date: April 2, 2025

Introduction In this episode of The Dan Le Batard Show with Stugotz titled "The Big Suey: My Voice Is Strong and My Bottom Is Fresh," hosts Dan Le Batard and Dominique Foxworth engage in a spirited conversation with guest David Samson, President of the Miami Marlins. Recorded at the Elser Hotel in Downtown Miami, the episode delves into a variety of topics ranging from sports management and fan engagement to the intricacies of player contracts and league policies.

Guest Introduction At [01:44], Dominique Foxworth introduces David Samson, prompting an immediate blend of humor and relatability with Samson quipping, "My voice is strong and my bottom is fresh" ([01:56]). This light-hearted opener sets the tone for a candid and engaging dialogue.

Fan Injuries and Liability Waivers A significant portion of the discussion centers on the handling of fan injuries during sporting events. Dominique raises concerns about the standard practice of requiring fans to sign liability waivers to participate in in-arena activities, such as throwing objects onto the field. She argues for a more compassionate approach, emphasizing goodwill and long-term fan relationships. Dominique states at [09:59], “I would think that the $20,000 or whatever it would cost on the front end to get somebody.”

David Samson counters by outlining the legal and financial constraints teams face, explaining, “We could get away with absolutely nothing, but we'd probably give him a nice bag on the way out the door, and that's about it” ([08:22]). The conversation highlights the tension between maintaining legal protections and fostering positive fan experiences.

Tyler Perry's Madea Franchise vs. Eddie Murphy's Success The hosts and Samson transition to a discussion comparing Tyler Perry's Madea movie franchise with Eddie Murphy's body of work. Dominique questions Samson on whether he has seen Tyler Perry’s films, leading to an exploration of the commercial versus critical success of these franchises. Samson points out, “Tyler counting dollars...I would say Eddie” ([05:02]), suggesting that while Perry’s franchise is financially robust, Murphy's reputation as a comedic talent may hold more weight in terms of quality and audience appeal.

The Torpedo Bat Debate At [14:25], the conversation shifts to the use of Torpedo bats in Major League Baseball (MLB). David Samson provides an insightful analysis, likening bats to personal equipment like golf clubs, emphasizing the importance of individual preference. He explains, “What the torpedo bat is, it's not new at all... it’s a personal choice” ([14:25]). The discussion also touches on Ichiro Suzuki’s meticulous bat management, highlighting the personal bond players have with their equipment.

Handling Lawsuits in Sports Events Further delving into legal matters, the hosts discuss the frequency and nature of lawsuits arising from sporting events. Samson reveals, “over the course of a year, at least 10 every year” ([18:53]), categorizing them as mostly frivolous. Dominique challenges this by questioning the adequacy of such responses, advocating for more substantial support for injured fans beyond mere token gifts.

Player Contracts and Performance: Zion Williamson vs. Ja Morant vs. Joel Embiid A pivotal segment involves a deep dive into high-profile NBA contracts, focusing on Zion Williamson, Ja Morant, and Joel Embiid. At [30:01], Samson bluntly assesses Zion Williamson’s situation, stating, “I think Zion Williamson is a clear bust.” The hosts and Samson discuss the complexities of drafting elite players who are frequently sidelined by injuries, weighing their immense talent against their inconsistent availability. Samson elaborates, “You have great skill. Sometimes you say great skill, no head” ([32:48]), emphasizing the delicate balance teams must maintain between on-court performance and player reliability.

Competitive Balance and League Policies: Free Agency, Draft, and Tanking Solutions The conversation progresses to broader league policies, particularly addressing the contentious issue of tanking—the practice of teams deliberately performing poorly to secure higher draft picks. Dominique proposes several solutions, including abolishing the draft in favor of a free agency model and flattening lottery odds ([35:48]). Samson critiques these ideas, citing existing measures like the NBA's draft lottery adjustments and the Baseball Collective Bargaining Agreement (CBA) restrictions on top picks ([35:59]).

Dominique counters by suggesting tiered revenue distributions based on team performance to incentivize competitiveness, arguing, “if you want to get your top distribution, get in the damn playoffs” ([41:22]). Samson remains skeptical, pointing out the entrenched interests of team owners and the difficulty in enacting widespread policy changes, especially when even franchises like the Yankees resist altering their strategic approaches ([41:46]).

Conclusion The episode culminates in a heated exchange where Dominique expresses frustration with the systemic issues in professional sports, lamenting the lack of accountability among team owners and the perpetuation of profit-driven decisions over quality and competitiveness. Dominique states emphatically, “You can't...they exist in this cartel, a closed ecosystem” ([42:15]). Despite the tension, the episode wraps up with light-hearted moments and advertisements seamlessly integrated into the conversation.

Notable Quotes

• David Samson: “I'm not gonna apologize for that” ([01:18])
• Dominique Foxworth: “I think we're looking to disincentivize teams from losing” ([35:48])
• David Samson: “Players want to be on” ([42:50])
• Dominique Foxworth: “My life doesn't change the fact that you assholes exist in a system” ([42:19])

Takeaways This episode provides a multifaceted exploration of the challenges in sports management, from legal liabilities and player-performance dynamics to league policy reform. David Samson offers insider perspectives that highlight the complexities of balancing profitability, legal protections, and fan engagement. Meanwhile, Dominique Foxworth advocates for systemic changes to promote fairness and competitiveness within professional sports leagues. The candid exchanges underscore the ongoing debates surrounding the business and ethical dimensions of sports.

Transcript

[Home Depot Advertiser]

Spring starts with savings at the Home Depot. So if you're working on getting your yard spring ready, you'll need the right tools to get it done. Like the Ryobi One 18 volt cordless string trimmer, now only $129. Or the Ryobi One 18 volt cordeless blower, also for only $129. Save on cordless power during spring starts. Event at the Home depot, now through April 2nd.

[Cuervo]

Now's a good time to remember where tequila's story truly began. In 1795, Cuervo invented tequila. Cuervo, what are you doing here? Cuervo?

[Dominique Foxworth]

Anytime someone says Cuervo, I show up.

[Cuervo]

Well, I do know that to be true. But even during ad reads like Cuervo, I think he could lay out especially for one of our great partners.

[Dominique Foxworth]

Sweet, delicious Cuervo.

[Cuervo]

Since then, Cuervo has stayed true to its roots. The same family, the same land, the same passion.

[Dominique Foxworth]

Cuervo.

[Cuervo]

So enjoy the tequila that started it all.

[Dominique Foxworth]

Cuervo.

[Cuervo]

Cuervo, the tequila that invented tequila. Proximo. Cuervo.com please drink responsibly.

[Dominique Foxworth]

Cuervo.

[Home Depot Advertiser]

Welcome to the Big Sui presented by DraftKings.

[Dan Le Batard]

Why are you listening to this show?

[Home Depot Advertiser]

The podcast that seems very similar to the other Dan Lebatard podcast? I'm sorry.

[David Sampson]

I'm not gonna apologize for that.

[Home Depot Advertiser]

In fact, the only difference seems to be this imaging.

[Dan Le Batard]

I have been tempted in restaurants just walking past tables to grab somebody's FR that if they're just there. That hasn't happened to you guys.

[Dominique Foxworth]

I've done it.

[Home Depot Advertiser]

And now here's the marching man to nowhere Fat face and the habitual liar.

[LinkedIn Advertiser]

This segment is presented by LinkedIn Jobs. Post your job for free at LinkedIn.com dls Terms and Conditions apply.

[Dominique Foxworth]

We back and we are bringing in another teammate to help us get this dub in game three, the rubber match. The great David Sampson's in the building. What up, David?

[David Sampson]

How are you? I wish I were in the building. Yeah, sadly, I'm just on a little square. But my voice is strong and my bottom is fresh.

[Dominique Foxworth]

Okay, there we go. Love that. You got a problem.

[Dan Le Batard]

Flea flicker. Every first down, that's how we start.

[Dominique Foxworth]

Oh, I love it, man. So there are a couple of things I want to get to with you. There's a game that I want to play with you also. So my social media algorithm has shown me recently that a a lot of wives and girlfriends are playing music for their significant others in hopes that they can clap on beat. I feel like I'm looking around this whole thing, and I'm like, you know who I think would do a great job of this is David Sampson. So, David, how are you musically? Are you. Are you have that type of rhythm?

[David Sampson]

I'm a big Jack Wagner fan. All I need is just a little more time to be sure how I feel. Is it just in my mind?

[Dominique Foxworth]

It's incredible. It's outstanding. The only other question that I have for you, or not only other question. There's one other question that's not on the list of things that I wanted to talk to you about, is have you ever seen or reviewed a Tyler Perry movie?

[David Sampson]

I have not reviewed it on the show, and I've seen two of them, is my guess.

[Dominique Foxworth]

Wow.

[Dan Le Batard]

Which ones?

[David Sampson]

How many? How many made is. Have there been too many?

[Dominique Foxworth]

Amadeus?

[David Sampson]

Like seven.

[Dominique Foxworth]

What's my five?

[Dan Le Batard]

I think he means Madea.

[David Sampson]

Oh, Madea. Madea. Tomato, tomato.

[Dominique Foxworth]

So you've seen a couple of them? Which ones?

[David Sampson]

I think I've seen two.

[Dan Le Batard]

Madea Goes to Prison.

[Dominique Foxworth]

Was it.

[Dan Le Batard]

It's like saying, I've seen a couple of earnest movies.

[David Sampson]

Madea says, paint or Fast and the Furious is.

[Dominique Foxworth]

Wasn't there.

[Dan Le Batard]

Yeah.

[Dominique Foxworth]

Was there a Halloween one? I don't know. I thought there was a Halloween one.

[Dan Le Batard]

If you're listening or viewing this at home and you're like, oh, Dominique's so funny, man. He's just making up stuff. No, that's real.

[Dominique Foxworth]

I believe that's a real one.

[Guest/Listener]

There are 11 listed Madea movies. There's Diary of a Black Woman, which I guess is where we were.

[Dan Le Batard]

Mad black. Mad black Woman.

[Guest/Listener]

Yeah. Where we were introduced to Madea. Then Madea's family reunion. Meet the Browns. Madea goes to jail. I can do bad all by myself. Madea's big, happy family. Madea's witness protection. Madea gets a job. A Madea Christmas.

[Dan Le Batard]

Boom.

[Guest/Listener]

A Madea Halloween gets a job.

[David Sampson]

One nothing. Tyler, you can't get a movie made these days. And he got 11 of them done with the character. Is that a more successful franchise than what Eddie Murphy did with his, oh, God. Nutty professor moment? Nutty professor clumps. Who's got the better, bigger franchise? It's got to be Tyler Perry.

[Dan Le Batard]

I mean, Tyler counting dollars and, yes, Tyler Perry for counting, like, actual movies that people want to watch? I would say Eddie.

[Dominique Foxworth]

Yeah. I don't. I don't consider them the same category, you know? Like, I feel like they're playing different sports. It's like Tyler Perry is like, producer, actor guy, and Eddie Murphy is, like, talent yeah, One of the greatest movie stars and comedians in the history of everything. Maybe his franchise isn't the best, but that tends to be the case is like the most profitable things are always the the highest quality. Right.

[David Sampson]

That is a very sad statement, but a very true statement. And it comes on the heels of a. Val Kilmer passed away last night. And I was thinking about the Batman franchise and I was thinking about all the different actors who have played Batman and well, where Val sort of stands and is it because he was sick young and that becomes more sympathetic? Are people going to remember Batman Forever is a better movie than it actually was? I think about whether or not sort of early tragic death changes people's reput and the art that they made. And I think it really does often.

[Dan Le Batard]

Let me tell you right now, it's not going to. People are not going to remember that movie kindly. By the way, that was Cinephobe episode. Which one was it? 245. You can catch that wherever you catch.

[Mike Ryan]

Podcasts doing great here.

[Dominique Foxworth]

Me, I would love. I don't know if I would have been more impressed or happy or frustrated if David said he's seen all the Madea movies. I don't know how that makes you feel because I know that this from my gallivant with Charlie, his friend who is a well to do white has goes to see every Madea movie really on opening night. Which like my reaction to that is like wait, why? Like wait, what?

[Dan Le Batard]

I mean, there's an angle. What's your angle?

[Dominique Foxworth]

Like you just. You just appreciate the cinematic quality of it or you going. You laughing at or with Madea? Is my question.

[Dan Le Batard]

You guys ever heard of a movie called White Man's Burden? Yes, has John Travolta.

[Dominique Foxworth]

It's like the flip, right?

[Dan Le Batard]

Flip flop. Reality Switch Sides is the tagline, right? We also reviewed it for Citadepo, by the way. But in the reality Switch Sides universe where black people are the predominant culture or whatever, if I heard a white guy say go to watch Madea on opening night, he's getting flagged. Red flag. You gotta bring him in. What's the deal? What are you up to, boy? What's going on?

[Billy Gill]

David? David, did you see the clip of the Hawks fan falling during the in arena tic tac toe layup game last night?

[David Sampson]

Of course you tore his knee.

[Billy Gill]

Well, perhaps a few. A few weeks ago we were talking about what you as the Marlins president would give fans if they were injured on premises. So what's this guy getting? If this is at one of Your sporting events.

[David Sampson]

So this is a good example where you don't get to do this unless you've signed a waiver, a specific liability waiver. So we could get away with absolutely nothing, but we'd probably give him a nice bag on the way out the door, and that's about it. But he is really up to himself. He's got to show insurance prior to doing an activity like that. You don't just get. Like, when you have fans running in the outfield, what's the one. Atlanta does the free when they freeze. The freeze when they have to beat the freeze. Can't you just picture the guys, like, pulling a hammy or something? So in order for that to work, you do sign something. So, no, I would just apologize to the guy, say, tough break, and help him to help him. To the doctor.

[LinkedIn Advertiser]

When you say a bag, you don't mean of money. You mean a bag of, like, a T shirt and a hat.

[David Sampson]

That's exactly what I mean. A T shirt, a hat, a giveaway. Maybe throwing a bobblehead. Maybe an autographed ball. If it's actually torn, I'd probably. That's a torn. ACL is probably an autographed ball. If it's acl, MCL and meniscus. Probably an autograph bat.

[Dominique Foxworth]

What if he throwed a PCL in there, too? We get all of them Alphabet soup.

[David Sampson]

Then you get to meet somebody. If you tear them ACL also, we'll take you down, and we'll have a player visit you on your way being wheeled into the ambulance.

[Billy Gill]

So question. Do you do the ligament test yourself, or do you take his word for it? Because Billy is alleging that maybe he was embarrassed that he kind of slipped and fell and was sort of doing, like, you know, the grape lady.

[Dominique Foxworth]

Like, yeah, you just grab your knees.

[Guest/Listener]

To save face a little bit. Like, oh, that poor guy. He got hurt. He can't continue, and it's really just embarrassment.

[David Sampson]

Yeah, you need the MRI results. This is not based on the honor system.

[Dominique Foxworth]

Now I just want to hear the grape lady, David.

[Billy Gill]

I feel bad because I don't think she was faking it.

[Dominique Foxworth]

It's just the sound, David, is there, there. So there's no circumstance where you would not just take care of this guy. Like, I'm.

[Dan Le Batard]

Take care.

[Dominique Foxworth]

I'm looking at. If you take.

[David Sampson]

Do the surgery.

[Dominique Foxworth]

No, not use yourself, but pay for it.

[Dan Le Batard]

Take care.

[Dominique Foxworth]

No, no, no, no, no, no. I mean, take care of his knee. Like, there's no circumstance, because you have this waiver protection. There's no Circumstances where you would waive the waiver and recognize that, all right, this guy is in such bad condition. And it's so unfortunate that we are going to at least take care of your surgery in rehab, right?

[Dan Le Batard]

What the hell are you talking about?

[David Sampson]

I literally don't understand the words you're saying, but it must be me. I don't know if I have a bad connection. I think I hear you right. But, Dominique, no. There is not a scenario under which we would pay for the surgery of someone who gets hit or hurt during an on field game that we would play in between. Okay?

[Dominique Foxworth]

So there's a couple of reasons why I would push back and think that it will be worth considering. One is goodwill with your fan base, which maybe you don't care about. And two is long term protection against when this guy can't afford to pay for his own surgery because his. He doesn't have insurance and his whole life and family falls apart. Ten years from now, there's a big expose about how David Sampson had a waiver in his face rather than help him out. Like I. I would think that the $20,000 or whatever it would cost on the front end to get somebody. Right. Will be worth protecting yourself because you know what's not going to matter? Your stupid ass waiver was like, hey, hey, I understand that his life has fallen apart and he is now without home, but don't worry, don't worry. We were legally protected guys, right? Don't you are you have any fear of that?

[David Sampson]

No. And Dominique, I would encourage you. I understand what you're saying, but I would like you to find one. You try to make me the only team president who acted this way. Find another team that does that. When there's an injury to a fan, whether it's a foul ball or someone slips and falls, you may do a settlement for a lawsuit. We talked about that on a recent show. But paying for the surgery. Find me one other team that does that.

[Dan Le Batard]

No, I'm just saying the waivers. This is standard practice across all sports, across all arenas. I work. My first job in NBA was game ops. And so we were the people at the pick these people from the crowd to do these things. And the first thing you do is you hand them a piece of paper. So you gotta sign this. It says anything happens out here, you're on your own.

[Dominique Foxworth]

I feel like you probably picked people in hopes that they would do something funny. Oh, no, I don't think you were out there looking for athletes.

[Dan Le Batard]

Oh, no. It's all about, you know what it was mostly about is making sure the two were equal. Like, you didn't want, like, one person was, like, doing windmills and the other one was doing that.

[Dominique Foxworth]

Right. All right, let's lift the spirits. Give me some grape, lady.

[David Sampson]

Vineyard tours, seminars, arts and crafts. It's a lot of fun.

[Dominique Foxworth]

A whole day. Stop. Oh. Oh, oh.

[Dan Le Batard]

Oh. Oh.

[Dominique Foxworth]

Oh.

[Cuervo]

Oh.

[Dominique Foxworth]

Oh. Oh.

[David Sampson]

I can't.

[Dominique Foxworth]

Ow. Ow, Ow, ow, Ow. Stop. Oh, stop.

[Dan Le Batard]

Oh.

[David Sampson]

I can't breathe.

[Dominique Foxworth]

Stop.

[Billy Gill]

Oh, no.

[Dan Le Batard]

Oh, dear.

[Dominique Foxworth]

I think she's actually hurt.

[Cuervo]

No, she took a hard fall off there.

[Dan Le Batard]

So the background is like, they're squashing.

[LinkedIn Advertiser]

Grapes under their feet, making wine.

[Dan Le Batard]

And then, like, she says, like, something to the effect of, like, okay, let's race. And then she says, stop. But then she keeps going, right? Like, we're like, all right, let's stop. We're not stopping. And that's when she falls and busts her ass.

[Dominique Foxworth]

And she's on a platform, too. Like, it's not just busted ribs on the ground. For whatever reason, they had to elevate.

[Billy Gill]

Apparently she broke a couple ribs.

[Dan Le Batard]

Did she?

[Billy Gill]

It sounds like she stays out of the spotlight now.

[Dominique Foxworth]

I can't breathe. Stop.

[Billy Gill]

So this was 2006. This is one of the early YouTube viral videos world.

[Cuervo]

No, I think she is. Yeah, she's hurt. She took a hard fall off there.

[Dan Le Batard]

It was her and the guy who got the fly that flew in his mouth.

[Dominique Foxworth]

Oh, yeah, yeah. Where he went from being the news guy to being our uncle.

[Dan Le Batard]

I hate this country ass shit.

[Billy Gill]

By the way, Dominique, I suggest if you and Taylor do some sort of raise, do not sign any metal up waivers. David will try to slide you on.

[Dominique Foxworth]

Resist signing any waivers. You know what I think, Billy? Can you somehow find my guy that's behind Taylor in that race?

[Guest/Listener]

Jason?

[Dominique Foxworth]

Yeah, Jason. Jason Mason. Okay, that was the guy on the thing. We'll get to that in a second. David, I do. I respect you in your sport of baseball. There's the picture of Taylor.

[LinkedIn Advertiser]

So find that guy.

[Dominique Foxworth]

Yeah. Hey, hey, Billy Gill.

[LinkedIn Advertiser]

Find that guy can get you Taylor.

[Dominique Foxworth]

I want. No, not Taylor. We got Taylor. Give me that guy. I got a question for you. Or I do want to give you an opportunity to discuss the tour Torpedo bats. Like, I feel like we've been all over the place. I'm not a fan of the Torpedo bat. Lots of people are fans. I'm confused why every player doesn't have a Torpedo bat right now. What are your thoughts on the Torpedo bat in MLB right now, David?

[David Sampson]

So let's start with why every player doesn't have one. Bats. I'm trying to think of the football equivalent to a piece of equipment that you use that is so personal, it's so based on feel, and that there are major differences between bats, both in length, all within. It could be shoes for football players in the NBA. I can't think of anything maybe how you tape your legs or how you tape your ankles or the shoes that you wear, the sneakers. Why everybody doesn't wear full high tops is funny to me because it can help protect the ankle. But in bats, to me are the. The only equivalent I can think of is a golf club where golfers have a certain feel of what clubs they like in. In. If you talk to a baseball player, a bat is second most personal item to their glove. But a bat is how you make your money. And what the torpedo bat is, it's not new at all. Players have been using it. Nine Yankees have been using it, including last year. But what it does is it gives you analytically a better chance to have hard contact when you hit the ball where you're supposed to hit. Doesn't mean that it's the right configuration for every player. Because when a player holds a bat and I've spoken, Ichiro is a great person to talk to. He treats his bats like their family. He wasn't allowed. We were not allowed. Part of the deal with Ichiro is we weren't allowed to travel his bats with the other equipment. Because there's a bat case that all the bats go in. His bats were totally in a separate case, Totally separate. Never to be lost and never to be touched by anyone, by the way. And it's a feel that you have not just at the bottom, but it's the weight and how the weight's distributed. And what the torpedo bats do is they distribute the weight differently. And some players just don't want that. So it really is a personal choice.

[Dan Le Batard]

Hold on. You got Ichiro's bat sitting in first class and watching the other bats go behind as a chip champagne. Like, oh, those bat.

[David Sampson]

The other bats are not in first class. They're not in coach. They're in steerage. So where they are shoved onto the plane in a way that would make your eyes water. But Ichiro's bats, they're down there dancing like us.

[Dan Le Batard]

Like us at Dan's wedding. Remember that? That's a callback at Dan's wedding. For those who don't know Dan's wedding, there was like two sections. There was like the hoity toity section. That's Where Dan Patrick and Sarah Spain and Mina Kimes and Pablo Torre all hanging out. And then there was the Titanic section. It was me and Chris and Ryan Cortez. And Ryan Cortez.

[Dominique Foxworth]

Is it true that Ichiro kept his bat in like a humidor?

[David Sampson]

So when you say humidor, I associate that with. With a mechanism inside that does something with temperature. Is that accurate? Yeah. So it's not a humidor. It was just. It was a protective case that. That very much would not let them touch any other bat. Would not let them touch each other. They were very much separated.

[Dominique Foxworth]

Bat segregation. I don't know how I feel about that.

[Dan Le Batard]

No touching.

[Dominique Foxworth]

All right, Charlie, I think you got something for me, right?

[Mike Ryan]

Yeah, we're doing a little bit of research. We're doing a little bit of research. David, was there an issue when you were at the Marlins of shooting a T shirt gun that hit a woman in the head that you guys got sued over? Would you care to comment?

[Dominique Foxworth]

Does this sound.

[David Sampson]

I would say. I wouldn't comment only in that. That would be one of scores of lawsuits that every team gets. Standard. We ended up not being able to shoot, like hard things, like hot dogs, too high. It's why when you go to a game, it stinks. Only the people with good seats tend to get stuff these days because we were told by lawyers, don't shoot stuff into the upper decks. Not that we had the upper deck open all that often, but don't shoot stuff too deep because you could end up hurting someone. Did someone get hit by a T shirt? I sort of remember that, but it didn't matter enough to me. I'm going to say maybe that's a 10k issue at best.

[Mike Ryan]

So no, no, no bag with no T shirt.

[David Sampson]

No, no, that was. That would know. Because once the lawsuit comes in, then there's no conversation at all, except with the lawyers. And then you're just talking settlement.

[Guest/Listener]

How often would you guys get sued a year for stuff like that? Because like this past weekend I was at Disney and I was sitting down eating. I was like, man, there are like hundreds of thousands of people here. They must get sued a hundred times a day by someone for something stupid.

[David Sampson]

I think that's too many, but I would say over the course of a year, at least 10 every year. It's not. It's not 100 a day, but at least 10. And that's actual filing of suits related to things that happen in the stands. There's all sorts of other lawsuits that happen just during the course of a business. And we weren't the only team. You sue your corporate sponsors when they don't pay, or your season ticket holders when they don't pay. Every team does that as well. But you're talking about slip and fall cases specifically. I would say 10 most frivolous one.

[Dan Le Batard]

That you've received or that you remember.

[David Sampson]

I mean, to me, remember my perspective, I find them all to be frivolous. But I think the most frivolous lawsuit I ever saw is when we were blamed in for the divorce of a couple. And there you go. The argument was that the wife was flirting with players and managers down near the dugout and that caused the divorce. And so we were sued and we were blamed for the dissolution of the marriage.

[Dominique Foxworth]

That's. So was the. The argument were your players were too handsome, your players were too approachable, your players were too flirtatious. Like just existing is not, I would think, enough to put in a legal argument, right?

[David Sampson]

Oh, you can put anything in a legal argument, of course. But yes, this was. This was an interesting one. I actually got served personally for this one. Being blamed for having introduced the woman to a player or a manager that then led to some nefarious activity that then led to the dissolution of marriage. Of course, I had no recollection. And of course that's not actionable. Of course that's ridiculous. So of course it was dismissed summarily, immediately. I never appeared, never testified. I only had to do one or two depositions on it. But it's. It is crazy to me that you could blame a third party. It's like blaming a bartender for your slump, buster. It just doesn't really make sense to me.

[Guest/Listener]

Wait, so was there more to this relationship than just like the introduction?

[David Sampson]

So allegedly there was an introduction that led to things that happen after people are introduced.

[Dominique Foxworth]

I mean, not every time people are introduced.

[Cuervo]

Hey, folks, it's Mike Ryan. And if you're watching our show, you probably know your boy has undergone a little bit of a body transformation. And I gotta tell you, Peloton has helped me on my fitness journey. It got the ball rolling for me because I watch my wife on the Peloton. She takes all these great classes. She has her favorite instructors. I listen to the music. I'm a big music guy. Gets me fired up. Makes me want to take part in this fitness phenomenon known as Peloton. Peloton offers a variety of challenging classes, from four week strength building classes to running, cycling, and everything in between. Peloton will help you achieve your goals, and maybe you'll have some fun along the way. I know I have. It's backed by thousands of members whose lives have been changed. Be part of that group. Telling you I'm better for it. Have it in my office. Sometimes I can put on the baseball game. Sometimes I can put on a soccer match. Some other times I'm totally locked in on an emo playlist. Find your push, find your power with [e-mail] weather is starting to warm up. Regular season starting to wind down. Games of consequence in sports starting to ramp up. I know what you're gonna need by your side. It's by my side already. Miller Lite. Yeah, that's right. I'm making my springtime a Miller Time. I'm making my sports time Miller Time. Going to a car race Miller Time. Gonna see some tennis Miller Time. Gonna chill in the backyard with some friends and make some memories Miller Time. I love Miller Lite because it's got taste that I know I can depend on. No games, no gimmicks. It's that simple, folks. It's just a great beer. For people who like beer, Miller Lite is brewed for taste. It hits different than the other light beers. It's got simple ingredients and at just 96 calories, 3.2 carbs per 12 ounces. Miller time is always a good time. The original light beer since 1975 and and still the very best one Miller Lite. Great taste. 96 calories. Go to millerlight.com dan to find delivery options near you. Or you can pick up some Miller Lite pretty much anywhere they sell beer. Tastes like Miller Time. Celebrate responsibly. Miller Brewing Co. Milwaukee, Wisconsin 96 calories and 3.2 carbs per 12 ounces.

[Jerbear]

Hey friends, it's Jerbear here and I'm here to tell you all about Boost Mobile, which is now a legit nationwide 5G network. So I must take a break from the jokes here for a second and put on my serious voice because I would never, ever joke about a 5G network that has invested billions building 5G towers across the country. Not even once. Not even if Mr. Boost Mobile himself asked me to. There is nothing funny about it. Boost Mobile is now a legit nationwide 5G network and also provides coverage across across 99% of America. Seriously. Visit boostmobile.com or your nearest Boost Mobile store location to learn more. The Boost Mobile network, together with our roaming partners, covers 99% of the US population. 5G speeds not available in all areas.

[David Sampson]

Don LeBatard Tae Toss Stugats Tae toss.

[Guest/Listener]

This is the Don Levatar show with the stugats.

[Dan Le Batard]

Those of us that aren't familiar, what is a slump buster.

[Dominique Foxworth]

Nope. I don't want to talk about that. Play some music for me. See if David can clap. Guys, let's play a little music.

[LinkedIn Advertiser]

Over zoom. You feel good about this, Dom?

[Dominique Foxworth]

Does he know what a beat is?

[Dan Le Batard]

I feel like he's giving us multiple claps to catch all of them.

[Dominique Foxworth]

So there's one tempo. Like, get the tempo, and maybe there's a delay here.

[Dan Le Batard]

More claps.

[Dominique Foxworth]

That's not a clap. Either way, whether it's a delay or not, this is not on beat. On beat. Has to be.

[David Sampson]

It's on beat in my ear. Dominique.

[Dan Le Batard]

That's the only answer.

[Dominique Foxworth]

That's all we needed. That's the only answer we could ever give. That's all we needed, buddy. All right, I want to get back to this. The. Nope. I do not want to talk about that. You nailed it. Good job, David. You won. But I do want to get back to the idea that. So you introduced these people so they weren't just, like, regular fans. Right? You didn't just. These were.

[David Sampson]

I have no recollection, you, Honor.

[Dominique Foxworth]

Oh.

[David Sampson]

Oh. Not know of what you speak. Oh, hold on. Do you know how many times. Hold on. This is insane that you're. Dominique, you of all people in this room, if you wanted to meet someone in the stands, do you agree that there's someone in your clubhouse or in your organization who could effectuate such meeting?

[Dominique Foxworth]

This is. This is. Again. Last time we were on together, you were awesome. You're the MVP of that week, and it was great. But I remember saying this to you then also is. Football is very different from basketball and baseball. We don't have that. Like, that's just not a thing. The.

[Dan Le Batard]

What?

[Dominique Foxworth]

No. Where you. So, like, if you've ever been on a football field, it's not quite. Yeah, I know how you guys are. You guys on the road. You play a hundred games, and the fans are much closer, and there's time to look around. That's not how football works. It's so rare for a football player to be in one of the 16 games of the year to look around and say, oh, where's the baddie section? There. There's a baddie. Go get him. I know this happens, but it doesn't happen in football.

[Dan Le Batard]

Hold on. You're on the sideline. You're telling me there's no. There's no. Like. Huh?

[Dominique Foxworth]

Like that?

[Dan Le Batard]

Not you specifically.

[Dominique Foxworth]

No. I know. I know what you're saying. I. It's not. It's rare. If it happens, like football guys are.

[Dan Le Batard]

Locked in on the game.

[David Sampson]

Yeah.

[Dominique Foxworth]

Whether it's.

[David Sampson]

I'm not buying it. I mean, me neither.

[Dominique Foxworth]

Okay. Y'all don't have to buy it. I imagine that there is a time when it's happened, but generally the fans are not as close, the weather is not as nice, and you aren't in. We have fewer games, there's more locked in. So of all the players, and there are only a couple of players who have that level of pull. Like most of the guys on a football roster are trying to stay on the roster. They're not looking up to see what they going to do. Tonight, we fly into a city, you have dinner, you have a curfew, you go win the game, you get on a plane and you fly out. I'm trying to explain to you guys that it's very different from what you guys do where you go to a city, you hang around, you play a game, you got another game a night later, you come back to that city in two weeks, it's a whole different. You got 82 games or 100. Well, you got 160. Some games.

[David Sampson]

162, 81. On the road.

[Dominique Foxworth]

Right.

[Dan Le Batard]

A bunch of nerds, man.

[Dominique Foxworth]

We are. Football players are nerves. That's why people like us.

[Guest/Listener]

Did the guy renew his season tickets the next season?

[David Sampson]

They did not renew after the divorce.

[Dominique Foxworth]

The thing that we do have.

[Guest/Listener]

Did the players stay on the team yet?

[David Sampson]

No, but not for that reason.

[Guest/Listener]

So it's all for naught.

[Dominique Foxworth]

We do have. Where we do have a little bit of this type of behavior is in seating charts, is like on the plane. No, not on the plane. In the stadium. Oh.

[Dan Le Batard]

Where you got to make sure the family section is different from the jumping.

[Jerbear]

Yeah.

[Dominique Foxworth]

I mean, I'm sure that you guys are aware of that. And also the wristbands to get into. There's like a family room or like an area, a backstage sort of area where you go to if you need a break or to get some food or to meet the players after the game. That's a big thing. And that's where we've had a couple fights where someone gave someone else a wristband. So, like, flavor of the week in. In a city, there are obviously some people who frequent the clubs and parties, and there was someone who was friends with multiple people on the team, and they let him into the family room, created a beef.

[Dan Le Batard]

You guys never have that conversation at the beginning of the year.

[Dominique Foxworth]

Like I think it was.

[Dan Le Batard]

No, like I'm telling you, as an organization, D.A.V. sure you guys had this too. It's like you get this many family room credentials. This is for family. This isn't for.

[Dominique Foxworth]

Right. So you have, you have that, that conversation. But if you are new to the city and you meet someone that you like and she becomes your girlfriend and you give her a wristband to get into the family and friends, you did not know that maybe she was someone else's friend at some point. And then they get into the room and then there's some issue because the wife is like, what's this person doing here?

[David Sampson]

So you're only talking about home games then. Because on the road you said there's no time to meet anybody because you have dinner, curfew, play, win the game, you said, yeah, yeah, and then fly out. So you mean the home games.

[Dominique Foxworth]

Speaking of these type of things, you think Zion Williamson is a bus.

[David Sampson]

Oh, I think that I've been talking about that on nothing personal for years now. How I don't care how good you are when you're on the court, if you're only on the court 30 games a year, you can't be considered a successful player. Now, would I rather have John Morant or Zion? I've said from the beginning I'd rather have John Morant and that's given all of his off court issues. Frankly, I'd probably rather go e none of the above. But Zion's out of trances for me. They gave him that huge max deal, I mean, which made me crazy, a total waste because every year with him it is something and they just shut him down now. And you're going to say, oh, it's for tanking, there's nothing to play for. No, I want to see that guy actually play and perform, not have him sit the way he always does. I think Zion Williamson is a clear bust.

[Dominique Foxworth]

You're so angry about it though. Like, that's the thing that I want.

[David Sampson]

Players to play well.

[Dominique Foxworth]

Zion is the lightest that he's. That he's been since college. It appears that like the injuries, some of them, I guess you could argue about his fault. And you said even taking along jazz off court issues, I think you could argue that Zion has some off court concerns that could get in the way also. But I guess I'm just surprised and shocked. But it reiterates how valuable players of this level of talent are in the NBA.

[Dan Le Batard]

Zion is like the, is the toughest kind of case study because he is good. Like if he wasn't good, this would be an easy conversation. His contract, as you know, David has provisions that are not common in the NBA in terms of a level of non guarantee, a level of guarantee only if he hits weight and plays a certain number of games that like for next year, it's 40% guaranteed had he stayed at a certain amount of weight and played at least 41 games. Right. It's another 20% guarantee if he plays at least 51 games. Right. So that's already a level of contract that we never see in our league. Right. So you could say, man, this guy's always hurt and he's always out of shape. We should cut him because we've got all this protection in the contract that basically allows us to walk away scot free. The problem is he's good and you know it. And you know if it ever comes together like in terms of just staying healthy, he's gonna kill it somewhere else. And then you gotta explain ownership, how you let this guy just walk. The John Morant one is different because beyond his off the court issues, which seem to be behind him at this stage, he also gets hurt a lot. Not as much as Zion, but he's hardly a vision of health himself. And so both of those guys, and I would throw Joel Embiid in there in the conversation as well, it gets you into real murky waters because you know, when they're healthy, they are elite, but the problem is when they're healthy, that part is not a guarantee.

[David Sampson]

Teams are scattered. The sports world is scattered by players who have this intoxicating level of skill that when they're on the field, it's just so good. It's like poetry, except they get hurt all the time. And at some point you just realize that's what you have here. You have great skill. Sometimes you say great skill, no head. And you need both ahead and skill to succeed at the big league level or at the professional level. Sometimes you have a great head and that overcomes not perfect skill. But the hardest thing, as you pointed out, is admitting to yourself when it's time to move on. And one of the lessons you learn at GM and president school is you're not going to get everyone right. And I'd rather be wrong early than right late. And Zion is a case for me where I don't want to throw any more good money after bad. I want to move on from him and reallocate my resources, start again. And if he ends up being healthy and good for 10 more years after this, with someone Else that just counts as one of the bad. But I like my chances.

[Dan Le Batard]

David, how much does job security factor into that decision making?

[David Sampson]

So it's why we like signing our GMs to long term deals, because we didn't like GMs. No matter what you say, it's a normal reaction that you don't think about five years from now. If you're not going to be there five years from now and if you're on the last year of your deal, which is what the Yankees do, they never extend people until their contract runs out. And they hope the people are loyal enough to think about the future that may not benefit them. I have found that that is a rare trait great for employees or presidents to have. It is totally normal to think about yourself and to act in your self interest. It's actually expected at certain levels of the corporate ladder. And so having people, that's why you give stock options and stock to people at public companies, because it's in the best interest of everyone for the stock to go up. In sports, it's really hard. So we tried to ameliorate that by doing longer term deals.

[Dominique Foxworth]

You don't want to get into a moral hazard situation. I wanted to run something by you. I never quite got to any of my solves for tanking because Amin was convinced that tanking isn't even an issue. But from, from a team president standpoint, I want to throw a couple solutions at you. One of the ideas that was floated, that isn't my solution, but I would be on board, is to have rather than a draft, to have free agency. So anyone who's coming in, you could have, you could put together a contract offer for a player who is a rookie in order to add that player to your team rather than to have the draft. The other. One of the other solutions is to flatten the lottery odds for everyone who misses the playoffs. And then there was another solution that I thought was interesting. That was to do what the WNBA does and have the record over the course of two years determined who is going to be who's going to have the top pick. Are any of those more or less attractive to you?

[David Sampson]

Well, a lot of those exist. Go back to Patrick Ewing's lottery and maybe I'm wrong, but I think everybody had the same odds because it was your logo in an envelope in a jar.

[Dan Le Batard]

Yep.

[David Sampson]

I think everyone was equal there. In baseball under the new cba, you cannot get the top pick multiple years in a row. But let's talk about what you're saying about Tanking and the reason for it, everyone talks about tanking for a player and I don't believe that as a front office we ever did that in baseball. It's really hard too, because you're 1:1 overall, it's still only a 50% chance of hitting. But I've thought about it in basketball and when it's a straight line where you have the worst record, you have the top pick tanking for, that absolutely makes sense. But if they've changed it the way they did in the NBA, where you're not guaranteed that, that then taking all of a sudden doesn't increase anything but your number of ping pong balls. And that has proven not to be as important as what we're seeing now with Philly that you were discussing, which is protecting a pick, period. So what I would propose to do is to disallow any trades of first round picks that are protected. When you make a trade and you're willing to trade your first round pick, you're throwing caution to the wind. It may be the number one pick.

[Dominique Foxworth]

Pick.

[David Sampson]

It may be the number 30 pick. It doesn't matter. Because what protection does is it actually incentivizes a team on the edge to make sure that they no longer on that edge. And I think that's a big problem.

[Dominique Foxworth]

Might be the first time I've ever agreed with you on anything, David.

[Dan Le Batard]

See, that's how you go. You got to watch your bedfellows.

[LinkedIn Advertiser]

Good job, David.

[Guest/Listener]

Good answer.

[Dominique Foxworth]

Yeah, I like this bedfellow. You don't like that as an idea?

[Dan Le Batard]

No, I don't. I like protections. I like the idea of betting people's futures. I like the idea.

[Dominique Foxworth]

Well, you can still bet the future without the protection.

[Dan Le Batard]

I know, but I just, I like, I like the added complexity of like how sure are you on this bet, right? When it turns into protections, we're basically giving shades of gray to what would be a black or white issue.

[Dominique Foxworth]

When I was talking earlier about any type of tweaks and I've been a part of a couple CBA negotiations and everything that you put into every rule that you put into the next CBA always has some knock on effect. That was not what you anticipated called unintended consequences.

[David Sampson]

Unintended consequences.

[Dominique Foxworth]

And that's always. You always think that you're going to solve this problem. I think the NBA is an example of it in that like they put in the max salary because they were like, all right, we need to make sure that more money goes to the lower players.

[Dan Le Batard]

It wasn't cause of that it wasn't about like distribution, it was about Kevin Garnett got how much salaries out of control. And they thought like, this will get salaries in line. And what ended up happening was it just redistributed the money to create this massive middle class. So in the beginning it was the owners who wanted max salaries. And the players were like, absolutely not. Because the players association was led by Patrick Ewing and like David Falk and all the big money guys, right? And now it's flipped where it's like the owner's like, why do we have max salaries? And the players like, no, we need them.

[Dominique Foxworth]

Because the unintended consequence of the max salary. And Charlie talks about this very often as a Wizards fan and any team who, anyone who's a fan of a team that doesn't have one of those top 15 guys, you, everyone, every team kind of has to give someone the max. And then you give the max to a guy who's not a top tier guy. And then your team, you can't build a competitor. And if you don't give a max to your top tier guy, he leaves. So that's one of the knock on effects of the guaranteed or the, the max salary is it impacts the rosters in that way. So I think whenever we make any of these proposals, you have to be aware of the knock on effect. So I threw a couple out there that I did not agree with with David, you were opening your mouth to say something.

[David Sampson]

Yeah, I just want to say that I wish you worked for MLB's union because you threw one out there that I don't know if you meant, but you were calling for immediate free agency and the elimination of the draft. Amen. We proposed that always immediate free agency, permanent free agency, every single year, no problem. And the union said no, thank you because they did not want that for their players.

[Dominique Foxworth]

For the. That's a whole nother conversation which like I didn't want to get into specifically free agency. You still have contracts. It's not a free agent. Every year you sign a contract for however long you determine the contract's gonna be for. But the solve that I wanted to throw at you for tanking and you specifically is the reason why I think a lot of these tankin solves don't work is because we're looking to disincentivize teams from losing. And I think that not only do we have to do that, but we have to incentivize them to win. So my argument would be that particularly because you're impacting the entertainment quality of the game by putting trash lineups on the floor. That the top eight teams in every conference that make the playoffs, top 16 teams in the league get one distribution, one level of distribution of the TV money, then all the teams after that who do not make it in. You get a tiered lower level of revenue distribution based on where you rank because then you also are incentivized and it does not. I can't foresee any knock on effects that will be a problem for roster construction going forward. And it holds the team accountable and incentivizes them to put their best product on the floor. If you want to get your top distribution, get in the damn playoffs. If you don't go ahead and no.

[David Sampson]

And lose, you won't get one vote for that. You don't even get the Dodgers to vote for that because at the end of the day, every league is.500 at the end of every season. And so there's going to be teams that miss the playoffs. Even the Yankees from time to time will miss the playoffs. And there's no way they're going to take a smaller cut of their TV revenue. It impacts valuation and cash flow. It impacts budgeting. You wouldn't get one vote out of 30 teams.

[Dominique Foxworth]

You get a couple votes. You probably wouldn't get enough to get it passed. But it's the most infuriating thing. I'm going to let you go after this, but one of the most infuriating things about pro sports owners is how much they love capitalism until you try to apply to them. You all exist in this cartel, a closed ecosystem where no matter how bad your restaurant is, you're still going to turn a profit. No matter how broken your your McFlurry machine is, no matter how trash.

[David Sampson]

Somebody hurt you, Dominique.

[Dominique Foxworth]

You can't.

[David Sampson]

Yeah, I mean somebody hurt you badly and I'm sorry for that.

[Dan Le Batard]

My guess is.

[Dominique Foxworth]

Hold on, hold on, David, don't you misdirect. Yes, I've been hurt. My life doesn't change the fact that you assholes exist in a system where you get to, no matter what you produce, go ahead and cash in. And I wish we were in a situation where the franchise, the freeloading franchises would have to compete in a way that forced them to put the best product on the field. And you don't get to just show up and be trash and get a big.

[David Sampson]

It's amazing, Dominique. Players want to be on.

[Dominique Foxworth]

Relegate them.

[David Sampson]

It's amazing.

[Dominique Foxworth]

Relegate them. I don't want to talk to you anymore. You're out of here.

[Cuervo]

Weather is starting to warm up. Regular season starting to wind down. Games of consequence in sports starting to ramp up. I know what you're going to need by your side. It's by my side already.

[Dominique Foxworth]

Miller Lite.

[Cuervo]

Yeah, that's right. I'm making my springtime a Miller time. I'm making my sports time. Miller time. Going to a car race. Miller time. Going to see some tag tennis. Miller time. Gonna chill in the backyard with some friends and make some memories. Miller time. I love Miller Lite because it's got taste that I know I can depend on. No games, no gimmicks. It's that simple, folks. It's just a great beer. For people who like beer, Miller Lite is brewed for taste. It hits different than the other Lite beers. It's got simple ingredients and at just 96 calories, 3.2 carbs per 12 ounces. Miller Thyme is always a good time. The original light beer since 1975 and still the very best one. Miller Lite. Great taste. 96 calories. Go to millerlight.com dan to find delivery options near you. Or you can pick up some Miller Lite pretty much anywhere they sell beer. Tastes like Miller Time. Celebrate responsibly. Miller Brewing Co. Milwaukee, Wisconsin 96 calories, 3.2 carbs per 12 ounces.