The Big Suey: That's a Bar

Summary

Summary of "The Big Suey: That's a Bar" Episode - The Dan Le Batard Show with Stugotz

In the December 6, 2024 episode of The Dan Le Batard Show with Stugotz, hosts Dan Le Batard and Stugotz delve into a range of topics spanning NFL team dynamics, high-profile media contracts, and the evolving landscape of college football. The episode is structured around lively discussions, insightful critiques, and spirited debates, excluding advertisements and promotional segments to focus solely on content-rich conversations.

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Detroit Lions Performance and Fan Confidence

The episode opens with a critical analysis of the Detroit Lions' recent performances. Jessica raises concerns about the team's schedule, noting, “[00:31] Jessica: That, incidentally, was Detroit's third game in 11 days. Like, that team has separated itself.” She highlights the internal turmoil within the team, emphasizing the impact of key players leaving: “[01:33] Jessica: Calvin Johnson was better than Matthew Stafford at what he did. Their two very best players quit saying this. I can't play with these people anymore.” The hosts discuss the overconfidence exhibited by Lions fans despite the team's instability, questioning the realism behind the fanbase's unwavering support.

Notable Quote:

“[01:33] Jessica: Calvin Johnson was better than Matthew Stafford at what he did. Their two very best players quit saying this. I can't play with these people anymore.”

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Stephen A. Smith and Pat McAfee's Media Contracts

A significant portion of the discussion centers around the landmark contracts of Stephen A. Smith and Pat McAfee. Stugotz candidly remarks on the disparity in their compensation: “[04:36] Stugotz: Then there's also the crushing reality that's like, damn, Stephen A. Smith is more than 140 times better at this than me.” The conversation explores how Stephen A.'s substantial deal with Disney sets a new benchmark in the sports media industry, potentially causing a cascade effect that could recalibrate contract negotiations across the board. The hosts express concerns about the sustainability and fairness of such inflated contracts, debating the long-term implications for talent acquisition and retention within the industry.

Notable Quote:

“[07:20] Stugotz: But I will say that McAfee does a lot for that network. And the college game day ratings have totally turned around. They're averaging more than 2 million viewers. McAfee is a big reason for that.”

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College Football Conference Competitiveness: Lane Kiffin's SEC Comments

The show shifts focus to college football, particularly addressing Lane Kiffin's controversial remarks about the Southeastern Conference (SEC). Jessica introduces the topic by highlighting Kiffin's belief that the SEC operates akin to a professional league: “[28:26] Jessica: One of them involving Bill Belichick. ... interviewing for the North Carolina job just sort of disoriented me.” The hosts, including Al Michaels and Jeremy, dissect Kiffin's assertions, debating the SEC's dominance and the robustness of other conferences. They critically assess whether Kiffin's perspective holds merit or if it's a biased viewpoint influenced by recent team performances.

Notable Quote:

“[28:26] Al Michaels: ... Here's the NFL, here's the SEC, here's those few Big Ten teams, and then here's everybody else. So you're gonna see it in the draft. I mean, it'll be different like it always is with the SEC... It's a bad system.”

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College Football Recruiting and NIL Issues

The discussion transitions to the Financial aspects impacting college football, particularly Name, Image, and Likeness (NIL) agreements. Mike Elko provides insights into how NIL deals are reshaping recruiting and team dynamics: “[40:06] Mike Elko: I think we're in a really good spot and I don't think NIL played any role. ... But I think you have to be really intelligent when you manage this thing, how you manage it for the culture of your program.” Jessica underscores the boldness of openly discussing financial strategies within the sport, admiring Elko’s transparency: “[41:05] Jessica: I still can't get used to it. I still. I'm still not used to a coach talking about the business that cleanly, but he ain't wrong.”

Notable Quote:

“[40:06] Mike Elko: ... some of these insane freshman deals. I would just like to know how the upperclassmen in their program feel when these freshmen come in making five times more than the returning starter.”

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Concluding Thoughts on SEC and College Football Standings

In the final segments, the hosts engage in a robust debate over the perceived biases against the SEC and the implications of timing in team performances. They dissect Miami's losses to Syracuse, questioning whether the timing of these defeats unfairly impacts playoff considerations: “[37:37] Stugotz: If you lost to Syracuse and Georgia Tech earlier in the season, you would have already been out of the ACC race.” The conversation highlights the complexity of rankings and playoff selections, emphasizing the need for a more equitable evaluation system that accounts for various factors influencing team success.

Notable Quote:

“[38:39] Stugotz: Do you think Alabama gets in if the last thing that you saw this. It's a good question. I'm asking if the last thing that you saw from Alabama was the only other game that they played before then against a FBS team. If they lost 24-3 and that was your last impression on the season of Alabama. Do you think that they get in.”

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Overall, this episode offers an in-depth exploration of current sports dynamics, critically examining team performances, media influence, and the evolving college football environment. Through engaging dialogue and careful analysis, Dan Le Batard and Stugotz provide listeners with comprehensive insights into the intricate workings of sports today.

Transcript

[Dan Le Batard]

You're listening to DraftKings Network.

[Stugotz]

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[Chris Cody]

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[Mike Ryan]

Welcome to the Big Sui presented by DraftKings.

[Jessica]

Why are you listening to this show.

[Mike Ryan]

The podcast that seems very similar to the other Dan Lerd podcast? I'm sorry, I'm not going to apologize for that. In fact, the only difference seems to be this imaging.

[Jessica]

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

[Mike Ryan]

I've done it. And now here's the marching man to nowhere, fat face. And the habitual liar.

[Jessica]

That, incidentally, was Detroit's third game in 11 days. Like, that team has separated itself. Even in a sport where you understand, yeah, Philadelphia might be able to beat them and Baltimore might be able to beat them and the Chiefs might be able to beat them or the Bills might be able to beat him. But Detroit has everyone in the league knowing that. Holy, this is the best Lions team there's ever been. Like, none of us have seen a Lions team that looks like this one. None of us have believed that there's a Lions team that could do anything like this. They made. They made two of their greatest players quit and the third greatest went to win the championship immediately somewhere else in Matthew Stafford. Like, that's. That history is like that fan feeling. A Lions fan feeling so full of themselves on the field to go after the packers coach is a Lions fan. I have never known. And I have never known his father and I have never known his grandfather. And I've never known a Lions fan that feels that kind of confident on what their team is. Because you can't. Because two of their best players quit early. Not one they're two best. Calvin Johnson was better than Matthew Stafford at what he did. Their two very best players. Quit saying this. I can't play with these people anymore.

[Andrew Hawkins]

You know, when you say it like that now I think the fan deserved it. Now I'm like, you know what, I get it. He's allowed to be intoxicated on the field.

[Jessica]

He's intoxicated with Lions football.

[Andrew Hawkins]

That's what I mean. I should have qualified that.

[Jessica]

Yeah, that's what, that's everything that's happening there. If you want to be with us on Sunday, watching football, enjoying our company, having Stugotts sign books. Stugatz is selling and signing books.

[Chris Cody]

I believe he's just signing them. We will not be selling Stugotts books there. If you have a Stugotts book, bring it. He'll sign it. We will be selling coloring books, signed coloring books at the watch party this Sunday. It's at Dolphin Mall Vivo 1pm Game time. The event is from 12 to 5. God bless football. A bunch of the crew will be out there. Come on out. Was that better than yesterday?

[Jessica]

Yes, thank you. Yes, slightly better than yesterday. You might have a future in this business. You too might have a contract like Stephen A. Smith's one day in the future. What I see both of you are vying for it. Andrew Hawkins with his hot takes and, and you, what did you guys make of the reporting on the. Stephen A. Smith is close to terms. I haven't talked sports media in a while. I've got a lot of interesting stuff here. I have found some interesting stuff out here. That, that is like the way that he's going to change the game from inside the machine is going to be really fun to watch.

[Jeremy]

Dan, When I saw that first off, I was made very happy, right? Because when you look at somebody in the industry and then they set a new high water mark, you're like, wait a second, I'm in this industry. I have hope. Don't tell me that we can't reach the stars when there's footprints on the moon.

[Andrew Hawkins]

Sure.

[Jeremy]

Andrew Hawkins, you know what I'm talking about. Leader of men. You look at, you look at somebody say, like, oh, wait, he got how much? Wait a second. There's money around here that we can all make money. Let's, let's be happy for this.

[Andrew Hawkins]

Yes, Lord, deliver us from, from all these pick sixes. Yeah, from. From these pick sixes.

[Stugotz]

Then there's also the crushing reality that's like, damn, Stephen A. Smith is more than 140 times better at this than me.

[Jessica]

Let's go ahead and play the imaging so that I can talk about this. Do you get annoyed every time Dan.

[Stugotz]

Levitard pontificates about the sports media industry?

[Jessica]

Well, too bad, mother. He knows he don't give a damn about what he's gonna say. It's time for Sports Media talk. So I am proud that we have a Miami media company. Those are hard to come by. Not many of those ever in the history of this town. And one of the things, English speaking for sure. That's correct. You know what?

[Stugotz]

Yeah, we got about a two dozen down here.

[Jessica]

We've got plenty. Spanish speaking but as we do this party on Sunday and I explain to the audience what it bought us beyond coloring books and parties. This is what it bought us at the middle of what Stephen A. Smith is doing and has done. We were worth a certain thing at ESPN and we jumped as the media collapses all over the place into a different thing that makes us worth a lot more. And McAfee and Stephen A. Smith saw that and bring it to Disney and are like, and where's ours? They give it to McAfee and when you give it to McAfee, you gotta give the production deal to Stephen A. Smith. The one thing that I don't know, I don't know if what I'm about to say is true because this part bums me out and I didn't totally understand it. I don't know why around the Horn is actually going away. No one has told me. But it has the ratings. First take does. So it doesn't. It's not a business sense thing that makes any sense to me. I need the reckless speculation here because I don't actually know this. Hold on a second.

[Andrew Hawkins]

Time to throw away dull journalistic credibility and get reckless. Here is something we like to call reckless speculation. You're good.

[Jessica]

Thank you. I. I'm guessing that they're going to put whatever Stephen A. Smith wants wherever it is that he wants it and there'll be something for him at 5pm there because Stephen A. Smith wants it because he has just changed the game on. If you guys give McAfee a deal for 20 million and a production deal and he doesn't have the ratings I have and he doesn't, then what are you giving me? You give me everything Disney has. You give me everything that's here because Disney needs me more than I need Disney right now. Because I've been building my on your dime in front of everybody on the side. And if I take it Somewhere else, I'm going to be able to sell it for more than all of these other people sell it for. Yeah.

[Stugotz]

But I will say that McAfee does a lot for that network. And the college game day ratings have totally turned around. They're averaging more than 2 million viewers. McAfee is a big reason for that. He also does things in digital video that Stephen A. Smith doesn't quite do.

[Jessica]

Not yet.

[Stugotz]

He does things in the pot. Well, he does. Stephen A. Does do digital audio and video, but he has that siloed to his own. He has those carved out. He's not doing it for ESPN Now. McAfee, to a degree, does it for ESPN and also does it for himself. It's a. It's a kooky deal. But McAfee. I would not say McAfee doesn't bring the ratings that Stephen A. Does because McAfee can point to that Cadillac on Saturdays and be like, I'm a big reason for that turnaround.

[Jeremy]

They're going to try and kill Stephen A. More than they already are.

[Stugotz]

Right.

[Jeremy]

If that deal goes through and everything. Is it like that? He's going to be just on 24 7.

[Jessica]

Well, the problem is him there. He's a workaholic. So he wants all the things inside and outside of the machine, but he's going to get them. Is the thing like this is this is going to be a groundbreaking deal that no one in the history of the media has seen before. He's always wanted to be Howard Cosell and he's going to be the modern day version of Howard Cosell.

[Stugotz]

But you know how, like in the NBA and the NFL we've seen this with quarterbacks before? Like, wait, you're giving them what? That's going to ruin contracts for everybody else. Espn, along the time that they got rid of us, had a different approach when it came to talent. And don't worry, Hawk, I'm going to be very careful around.

[Andrew Hawkins]

I was going to say, I'm looking. How to jump into this. This is a very weird situation I'm in.

[Stugotz]

Yeah, I.

[Andrew Hawkins]

In this conversation we all understand.

[Stugotz]

Hold on.

[Jessica]

Do I need to let him go for a second? Hold on. Let me see if I can help him. No, no, let's.

[Stugotz]

He never served a penalty for the.

[Jessica]

All right, let's.

[Stugotz]

The brothel.

[Jessica]

Hold on a second.

[Stugotz]

The brothel hustle thing? Yeah, it delayed penalty. We had six on the ice. Let's go.

[Jessica]

I've got the other one on now. I've got multiple things going on. Hold on a second. I'M going to. Let me find the one. Delay, delayed penalty. I've got the right one now.

[Stugotz]

Hold on. We've got a penalty. Five minutes.

[Chris Cody]

Major asshole.

[Jessica]

Wow, that's unfair and harsh. He doesn't want to sit here and talk with us about this thing. We're giving him cover.

[Stugotz]

Are you the. You gotta understand his situation here. But I, what I would say is they pivoted and they realized that we have a bunch of talent that's in a, in an upper tier.

[Jessica]

You know what? Forgive me for a second for. Forgive me.

[Stugotz]

Major penalty on the ice. Five minutes for spreading propaganda.

[Andrew Hawkins]

Might be worse.

[Stugotz]

You didn't say anything.

[Andrew Hawkins]

I said you're good.

[Chris Cody]

Not helping, Dan.

[Andrew Hawkins]

I was prompted to.

[Stugotz]

Don't worry, we're all going to come around and make the point here, which is, thank you, Dan. I'm pretty sure that's how this one ends, where Dan says, you're welcome. But they have a different approach to talent. Instead of like spending it on a bunch of people that would be like, are they like an A level star? Are they A minus, B level? They decided we're going A plus across the board. We're going superstar game changers. But if that reported number that's attached to that deal is accurate, it's going to have a trickle down effect and it's going to be difficult for them to navigate on their contracts going forward because you're going to say things like, are you to tell me that Stephen a. Smith is 75 times more valuable to this company than I am?

[Andrew Hawkins]

To which yes would be that that.

[Jeremy]

Number keeps getting smaller.

[Andrew Hawkins]

It was me.

[Stugotz]

No, no, no. I was. No, I know he's 140 times more important to that network certainly than I am. But I'm saying for, you know, the other talents, without naming names, if, if McAfee or Greenberg comes up, they're going to be like, they're going to be pointing to that deal because that's going to set a new standard. And they're going to be doing the math. Like, is he really that much more valuable to this company than I am? That's just, that's just the nature of, of talent contracts.

[Jeremy]

Mike, you've turned it to David Sampson during the Ichiro conversation. Like, the $100 million contract is going to end the sport. And now 15 years later, we've got a billion dollar contract.

[Jessica]

Well, it's been redefined though, because this kind of thing, as they cut costs all over media, and I tell you that media is collapsing. It's hard to make the argument that media is collapsing when you can afford to pay Stephen A. Smith the kind of money that allows him not only these things, but also Disney property access that is huge, more valuable, perhaps, than even the money we're talking about. And I'm also guessing freedom. I'm guessing that he also gets to do, outside of those things, all the politics that he wants and everything that he wants everywhere else. But there is not enough time in the day for him to do all of the things that he wants to do in terms of conquering moneymaking and then spreading that money around to help build whatever it is he wants to build, to leave a legacy for others behind him in the business, because he's interested in that, too. This isn't just a money game for all the people who are competing at the top of it. It's the power game of how do we rescue the parts of media that are gonna remain three years from now?

[Stugotz]

Let me be abundantly clear, though, because I was just talking about the possible ramifications. I think the ramifications are good, because if it's always good, and you got this when we had our deal with our wonderful partners over at DraftKings, which is even McAfee said, thank you, because that's great. That's a number that's out there in the public space, and you're growing the industry for others. If there is a talent that should be the highest paid in the game, it's Steve. Well, no, it's Stephen A. Smith. I like that it's Stephen A. Smith. But then we get to do the math. Like, well, is he 150 times more important than us? And it's all great stuff for the industry. So I say, you're the greatest of all time. Set that number to an absurd place and keep reaching for the size to the moon.

[Jessica]

I also want to make just one clarification, because I'm forever being aggregated here in spaces that can cause me problems with people. There have been times that McAfee feels like, for whatever the reasons, that I have not been supportive of what it is that he's doing. So the math that I was simply giving you before was to show you the basic humanity as we talk about crazy, insane numbers of if we'd leave ESPN. And that opens up the door for McAfee to turn everything that he did, he had the deal at Fanduel that he got that was like the one that we've got got with DraftKings. And then he says, nope, rip it up. I'm going there because I Can do the things that Stephen A. Wants to do. When Stephen A. Sees that happen. And it's a deal for X with production expenses that also have millions of dollars in it that allow McAfee to go on game day and do all the. I'm gonna pay $100,000 for a kick. I'm gonna pay $1 million to Aaron Rodgers to do this over here. Stephen A. Smith sees the new person. Get that. At a company that once wouldn't allow the precedent between Dan Patrick and Keith Olbermann to be. No, Dan, we can't put a TV in your office because then Keith will want one. The precedent that they've set could have.

[Stugotz]

Talked about this on Monday without Hawkins.

[Andrew Hawkins]

Yeah. I'm just disappointed.

[Jessica]

Why does this make it. Does this sound bad for. What am I doing that it puts him in the bad position of talking around.

[Stugotz]

Don't ask him that directly. Objection. Your honor.

[Andrew Hawkins]

Yeah, I did the thing again.

[Stugotz]

Yeah. That is. Yeah.

[Andrew Hawkins]

Yeah.

[Stugotz]

The union is back. Andrew Hawkins. Yes.

[Andrew Hawkins]

I'm pro union. You talk about contracts that my other employer.

[Stugotz]

Yeah. Do that yourself again.

[Andrew Hawkins]

Goodness gracious. I've been thinking about this. The reason why my brain. I figured it out. The word association of brothel and hostel. The movie hostel.

[Chris Cody]

Right Into a brothel.

[Andrew Hawkins]

When he. They're going. He goes. States with somebody. It turns into a brothel. That's where my brain just subconsciously just.

[Jeremy]

L at the end for both of them.

[Stugotz]

Too.

[Jessica]

Right.

[Chris Cody]

Hostel.

[Mike Ryan]

Brothel.

[Dan Le Batard]

There's E's and there's O's.

[Stugotz]

Also there's E's and also Eastern European thing.

[Jessica]

Yeah.

[Chris Cody]

It's like hostels need a better PR agent.

[Dan Le Batard]

Hostels are brothels.

[Andrew Hawkins]

Need a better PR agent. Am I right?

[Stugotz]

Well, without your own.

[Chris Cody]

No, the brothels are the. I'm confused.

[Andrew Hawkins]

I'm just kidding. Hostels definitely need a better PR Is good for.

[Stugotz]

Let me just be clear. I've never said that either.

[Andrew Hawkins]

Yeah, me neither. I've only ever seen him in movies.

[Dan Le Batard]

It's just like there's bunk beds and you share a communal bathroom.

[Andrew Hawkins]

Yeah, that sounds dangerous because I watched the movie and I just now associate. When there's a hostel, there's a brothel not too far away from it.

[Dan Le Batard]

There's hostels in Miami Beach. Are there brothels on Miami Beach?

[Andrew Hawkins]

I'm sure there are not.

[Stugotz]

Well, they can't be advertising it.

[Jessica]

Here's your age.

[Andrew Hawkins]

Here's what I'll say about the Stephen A. Smith contract. Now that I acted like I wasn't going to say anything. Is now it's like football in the Sense, you've pushed the veteran money up and you've pushed the rookie money up. Right. Pat McAfee being the rookies where like Sam Bradford was coming in and they were like, they're making too much. But then also the veterans were making money. Then they put the rookie wage scale on and it ruined everything because now you're capping the guys coming in early and now nobody can make money. You're cutting veterans. So the fact that now everybody's getting paid, both the rookies and the extreme vets like Stephen A. Smith, I feel like that's a great situation to be in for talent. To your point, Mike, this is a.

[Stugotz]

Fantastic thing for talent all across. And creators, content creators, because you want to keep pushing where the ceiling is. Yes, always. Anybody that's in this game wants the water level to rise and establish a new high point because that's going to be used for better or for worse. Another piece of confetti just fell. This is amazing.

[Andrew Hawkins]

Congratulations.

[Stugotz]

That's just still dating back. That's how big that peacock announcement was.

[Andrew Hawkins]

Yeah.

[Stugotz]

That's just the way that all these talent contracts go is you're going to say, well, that guy's worth that to you, so I must be worth playing.

[Andrew Hawkins]

Yeah. And it also prevents you from, like, when I think about McAfee, who obviously is incredible, I have a ton of respect for McAfee. I looked up to what he's built on his own and then leveraged it literally anywhere and everywhere because he's like, I am the entity. Well, now for someone like Stephen A. Smith, again, to your point, who sees that this gives you an incentive to say, okay, well, it's still not too bad to stay in House at ESPN in this world of creators and YouTube and social media where everybody is trying to build their own thing, much like this company here who has the ability to do so.

[Stugotz]

Yeah. And Stephen A. Is certainly charting his own course in that. McAfee built that outside of ESPN.

[Andrew Hawkins]

He.

[Stugotz]

He built something that was attractive that ESPN wanted in on. Stephen A. While he's been at espn, has gotten carve outs for his own digital enterprises and he is growing those while being their most known talent, certainly their most important talent over there. No one's really been afforded that over there. So he's charting a new course for himself, but also a happy byproduct of that is he's starting a new course for everybody else because that's what leadership is. He may not have gotten into this thinking that he was a good leader, although I'm Pretty sure he thinks he's an amazing leader. I've seen him say that he should.

[Jeremy]

He is an amazing leader.

[Chris Cody]

He's following Dan's lead. I mean, let's be honest.

[Stugotz]

Well, thank you Dan. Is how this all ends.

[Jessica]

There you go. Thank you, Dan. What confetti you guys got there. Well done, Dan. Excellent work by you. But when it comes to involve, you know, evolving sports media types, I want to ask you guys this question because this is. It's one of the most amazing stories I've ever seen in the history of sports media. He was let go by Ian ESPN and now he returns to conquer it. Al Michaels. A lot of people were complaining about him last night, complaining that that game, he wasn't meeting the moment with his enthusiasm as an old person. Al Michaels, one of the greats there's ever been and is getting more and more criticized every time he does a broadcast. Tricky thing aging with grace in this space. ESPN has done a great job with Lee Corso and Dick Vitale. How do you do this?

[Stugotz]

Yeah, well, Al Michaels is awesome. His voice across something makes it feel big. I'm not going to give, I'm not going to pay attention to rabble rousers on the Internet. I like hearing Kirk, Herb street and Al Michaels on a game. And by the way, I don't know how many of you actually carve out parts of your day to watch the pregame from Amazon, but I think it's spectacular. I love that team that they have there. They have actually built a really compelling good product. Now we saw what happened on Thursday when teams have full rest. There are certain inherent things that Thursday night football Hawk, maybe you can attest to someone that's played in those Thursday night games on. On short weeks and it's part of the players union that I was in.

[Andrew Hawkins]

The wave of games on Thursday that sucked. Yeah, that was like my error. Like were you in that game where playing the Jags.

[Stugotz]

Were you in that game where they're like effort. Josh Cribbs is quarterback now. Were you in that one? That one was a great one.

[Andrew Hawkins]

That was a good one.

[Stugotz]

But I think they do a great job with it. And now they also have this flex scheduling you see when they have a good game. Conceptually, Thursday night football is an amazing idea and I think that the broadcasting for a company that is just starting with this property, they're killing it.

[Dan Le Batard]

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[Stugotz]

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[Dan Le Batard]

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[Mike Ryan]

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[Jessica]

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[Chris Cody]

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[Chris Cody]

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[Stugotz]

Sub 500 seasons. It's been lonely now. The best players on our side.

[Andrew Hawkins]

Been.

[Stugotz]

Losing and losing for much too long. But now we're back with New York Pride. Stugats. J L. You've got us on our feet, Jaylen. We're going to win the East, Jaylen. Without Randall, we're still doing fine.

[Andrew Hawkins]

This is the Dan Levatar show with these two gods.

[Jessica]

Let me put in front of you a couple of college football stories. One of them involving Bill Belichick. Okay. Because I was surprised. Perhaps I shouldn't have been. I hadn't heard a lot of people talking about him to college. Interviewing for the North Carolina job just sort of disoriented me.

[Stugotz]

Wasn't it because of the youth move movement in Chapel Hill?

[Jessica]

I wasn't expecting you guys were unsurprised by this.

[Stugotz]

Well, Taylor actually told me a couple of days ago that this was happening. Taylor's super plugged in over there. Anything Chapel Hill? You just run that by Taylor?

[Chris Cody]

You want just revealing your sources?

[Stugotz]

No, no, no. I mean, it's out there now.

[Andrew Hawkins]

I wonder why Stephen A. Makes the big bucks.

[Stugotz]

You want to ask Taylor?

[Andrew Hawkins]

Taylor told me. Taylor told me three days ago.

[Stugotz]

Apparently his dad used to coach at North Carolina. I think this is him just kind of kicking the tires. And it does appear that the NCAA is going to follow more of an NFL model. The NCAA is going to get all the things that it's looking for.

[Dan Le Batard]

And we know he can relate to 20 year olds.

[Chris Cody]

Let's not forget that Taylor once texted Mack Brown that Mack Brown should be fired from unc.

[Andrew Hawkins]

That is not a real story.

[Jeremy]

To protect him. He didn't. He didn't tell me he was going to get fired.

[Chris Cody]

Yes, it was on accident. Somebody had said like he should. He meant to text his buddy. Max should be out of here, and he sent it to Mack Brown.

[Andrew Hawkins]

That is worse. I don't. There's no version of that that sounds better.

[Dan Le Batard]

It was Roy Williams, so that. It's much better.

[Chris Cody]

Oh, Unc. I got my. I got my old UNC coaches mixed up. That's my bad. That one's on me.

[Jessica]

And you were so eager to do it that you didn't even hear anybody correcting you. Like you were just a puppy dog. So excited to tell him that story that you didn't even hear the people who were correcting you, man.

[Stugotz]

You sure you don't want Taylor on this? He's really good. Have him here at all times.

[Jessica]

I do want Taylor. Thank you for putting him there, because.

[Stugotz]

Look, so don't ask what he's doing down there.

[Jessica]

Andrew, I am going to explain to you something Taylor related. At the last watch party, we did the only bit of Stay there, Taylor, please.

[Andrew Hawkins]

I would love for you to explain to me how he knows what's coming.

[Jeremy]

So he wants to leave before you say it.

[Jessica]

Yeah. Well, yes. So there's more to it, though, because I need to explain this to Hawk and the audience. Taylor's a bit of a meathead. Okay. Taylor loves our show and is very helpful and wants to help everybody as a producer. But every once in a while, a game will break out and he'll get distracted and become a.

[Andrew Hawkins]

Is he a volunteer? Because that's how you're describing him right now. No, he's not.

[Jessica]

Well, he's not a volunteer. He gets paid, but.

[Andrew Hawkins]

Okay.

[Jessica]

But things like what I'm about to tell you happen often.

[Stugotz]

Tar Heel, not a volunteer.

[Jessica]

So I'm. I this. So this person who evidently is more plugged into North Carolina than anybody and should be breaking North Carolina stories left and right because he knows all of them because he played for the North Carolina football team. I am in near. Near Wynwood getting out of my car yesterday. And I'm getting out of my car, and I'm like, man, Belichick to North Carolina. Like, interviewing. That's surprising. And as I'm doing it, Taylor, through the sunshine, loves Miami. I'm surprised he wasn't shirtless. Just waves. Is like, hey, Dan. And keeps moving. And I'm like, is there any reason you didn't break this story? And like Jess says, yeah, I had it three days ago. But it doesn't tell anybody. Just doesn't. Just wanders around in a media company, doesn't know to impress by Breaking a Belichick story that, like, I think that would have been a nationally important story.

[Andrew Hawkins]

And it might have been able to get him paid here instead of the internship he's clearly doing.

[Jessica]

He's being paid. Oh, but you don't know.

[Dan Le Batard]

But no insurance.

[Jessica]

No insurance.

[Chris Cody]

By the way, we're pushing back that he actually is a meathead. There's no doubt his voice sounds like a meathead, but he's not a meathead. I'm a meathead.

[Andrew Hawkins]

Okay, okay.

[Jessica]

But anyways, at the last watch party, somebody's. I said, you got any constructive criticism for our show? And his only thing was Les Taylor.

[Andrew Hawkins]

Wow. Okay. I mean, that would explain why he's under the desk of Mike.

[Stugotz]

I don't even. I don't even talk on the show. We're just giving voices to the vocal minorities.

[Jessica]

All right, get out of here. Thank you for all your good work in turning on the show. And you should have broken the Belichick story, because I think that one is super interesting. I want to play some audio of Lane Kiffin and Mike Elko here because there are two different kinds of stories that I want to get to. But let's begin with the Lane Kiffin sound, because the Ole Miss coach. I love him. I love that he's a part of this program. I love that he has resurrected himself after a couple of stumbles and that he continues to be wildly interesting and doesn't care either if anything he says makes sense.

[Al Michaels]

I think that this is probably what you're going to have to get used to as fans, you know, teams having multiple losses in this conference. And he kind of tricked me into it. It's why.

[Stugotz]

It's.

[Al Michaels]

Why it's just different. It's just totally different. And these comparisons of other conferences and ACC and Big 12, I mean, it's just like, it's. You might as well be in different leagues. Not conferences, different leagues. You know, like, here's the NFL, here's the sec, here's those few Big Ten teams, and then here's everybody else. So you're gonna see it in the draft. You know, it'll be different like it always is with the sec, the amount of kids drafted out of here and there. And so it's really a bad system. Here you go. You got me going. It's just a bad system. It's a bad system, and you got people in there in place of it. And, I don't know. They gave me the list of the coaches today. You know, any of those coaches ever been down here in the Deep south into these stadiums and played in these games that are on this. So how do they even know. How do they even know what it's like to have to go win in these stadiums in these places and on the road of teams that they say, well, these teams are 500 teams, and we have, you know, the week where the three favorites all lose on, you know, the senior. Senior day and night in three of the hardest stadiums in America to play. It's much different than where these other conferences go and play. They're, you know, six and six teams that they got to go play, or five and five teams at the time. Just totally different. And you got to get up for it every week. It's a lot easier when you got to get up for two games a year, you know, to get your team up.

[Jessica]

I do not agree with him. I think the nation does, though. I think the committee does. I think the prevailing feeling is the SEC is the next professional league. There's professional football, there's the sec, and then there's everything else. I think it's outdated information. It's wrong information. But I think most people. It's the information they have.

[Stugotz]

I think most people disagree with Lane just because of the nature of their losses down the stretch, too. But he says it's difficult to go into those SEC places. And I think he made a lot of good points in terms of, like, where players are drafted. But just note Louisville and Miami played two of the SEC teams he lost to on the road and won by a combined 50 points.

[Jessica]

You really feel like you.

[Stugotz]

Well, that's a. That's a. That's bar. It's a bar. Miami blew them out by 40, and you lost on senior day.

[Andrew Hawkins]

He looked at you over his left shoulder.

[Stugotz]

You lost a Kentucky brother. You lost a Kentucky brother. Louisville went over there. Wasn't hard for them.

[Dan Le Batard]

I think most people do disagree with Lane. Dan. I feel like he's the wrong messenger for this. Given the season that they've had and where. Where they had it and the talent on the team. I really just think most people are like, yeah, we're not buying it this year. I'm sorry. It's just not true.

[Jessica]

Oh, but, Jessica. Okay, so I would say to you, though, that. That you and Mike are in the weeds on caring about college football in a way that fuels college football to its rabid heights. But if people who really like sports and are watching on Saturday but not consuming college football the way Mike is investing in it and Jessica is snorting all of it, I believe that Most people still believe that SEC football, that if I just go around the country, hey, do you think it's harder to play in an SEC stadium than all the other stadium, Louisville, than in Louisville? Do you think it's harder? Yes or no?

[Stugotz]

They would say yes, but that.

[Jessica]

Do you think the SEC is better than the other? Do you think the SEC is better than the conference that Duke is in and that Louisville are in? Yes or no?

[Stugotz]

They all say yes.

[Jessica]

I think it would be outdated information.

[Dan Le Batard]

But it depends on the stadium. Vanderbilt stadium's half under construction and they still upset Alabama in front of mostly Alabama fans.

[Andrew Hawkins]

Like fans, nobody. But here's a damn about what playing in the state, they're better because they have better players. But Lane have more money, they have better recruits. If you take the whole team of Alabama and you put them on Toledo, guess who's going in the playoff.

[Stugotz]

Well, Toledo did win at an SEC.

[Andrew Hawkins]

Team we beat Mississippi.

[Stugotz]

Mississippi.

[Andrew Hawkins]

And it wasn't that crazy. You know why, Jess? Their players sucked. Okay, it wasn't rocket science, but it.

[Stugotz]

Just means more over there. I will say that while Lane is making a losing argument for Ole Miss, he doesn't realize that. No, for that very logic, you won. There was an ACC 2 loss team that was borderline and an SEC 3 loss team. And they used your logic, Lane. They just had three teams to pick from and you finished third in that regard. But your overall point, that's what got Bama into the playoff.

[Dan Le Batard]

Do you say rocket science on purpose? Was a good pun?

[Andrew Hawkins]

No. As you can tell from the brothel hostile situation, my word association is a little off, but thank you. I should get the makeup from earlier.

[Jessica]

You really are wounded. Are you unforgiving of yourself on mistakes? Like you're really hurt by the public mistake of confusing a brothel in a hostel.

[Andrew Hawkins]

No, I'm not hurt at all by that.

[Jessica]

Actually.

[Chris Cody]

He does seem insulted that we like offered makeup to him though. No, I was just like, I don't need makeup.

[Al Michaels]

Look at me.

[Chris Cody]

I'm like, you look good.

[Andrew Hawkins]

Well, I felt like when people say like, hey, do you need makeup? And I've like never requested makeup. I'm like, well, I would rather you just tell me, hey, bro, you got blemishes?

[Jessica]

I have never seen. I have never seen our makeup staff so insistent.

[Andrew Hawkins]

Exactly. And me either. And I'm like, well, yes, if you're telling me I need makeup, then please don't have me in here not looking. I mean, she does like a heartthrob.

[Chris Cody]

Get paid to do it.

[Jeremy]

Which is why I'll do it. I wouldn't do it if I didn't know.

[Stugotz]

Next time, just say a little patter on the nose. It's fine.

[Jeremy]

It's called leadership. It's called teamwork.

[Jessica]

Do you understand how. Do you understand how weird it was for me to see him say, no, I'm good. Look at him. And I'm like, no, he's beautiful. He's probably been beautiful all his life. He's fine. And then they leave. Unless he says, unless you're telling me I need it. And they're saying, no, you don't need it. Then the next commercial break, they come in and you need it.

[Stugotz]

Well, then you start getting a little shinier because you're talking. That's actually good work there.

[Andrew Hawkins]

Cracks half. I'm actually sweating right now because it is. I'm hot.

[Stugotz]

You could use a little powder.

[Andrew Hawkins]

I'm used to a little colder weather. Like when you play in the atmosphere of somewhere like Toledo and you got 28,000 screaming fans. Right. That's a tough environment for anybody. SEC or not.

[Jessica]

The thing that just happened with Mike, Ryan and Jessica, I'd like to put a final bow on all of this because I would say I was startled this week and delighted that our little show just got grabbed by college football argument talk where Jessica wants to talk on days she's not here, and Jeremy wants to talk on days he's not here. And Mike wants to talk on the day he missed even though he monopolized the three days before that that he was here. And then he gets back here and he says something and then he says it to me. And then by 50. And he looks at me and then he says, that's a bar. Because he wanted to end the note on a bar.

[Stugotz]

And I'm speechless. Left you all speechless. Run the T. I was like, I guess we're going to break now because I killed it.

[Chris Cody]

So goddamn not.

[Stugotz]

30. Maybe. Maybe Stephen A. Is only 50 times better than me.

[Andrew Hawkins]

That was a damn good delivery. I could not 40.

[Chris Cody]

50.

[Jessica]

Can I get though one final not. I don't want a closing argument. I just want to send. I want. I want Jessica and Mike to go bar for unsaid bar.

[Chris Cody]

You want more?

[Jessica]

No, just. I want to finish the subject for the week.

[Stugotz]

I rest my case. After I left you speechless gavel.

[Jessica]

Jessica, any further thoughts on this? That was his closing argument. Any further thoughts on college football argument. I know I'm getting you after the martinis and the hangover.

[Dan Le Batard]

Yes, there's sec bias. Some of it. Is deserved. Some of it is not. And Miami still should have beaten Syracuse. That's all I got. That's all I got.

[Jessica]

That's it.

[Stugotz]

Also, we have a guy that is presently employed by the University of Michigan making these arguments. They're all gonna protect themselves because let me tell you something. If Indiana had the same record as Miami, Indiana was getting in. Because those two. Look, it's. The fact of the matter is I.

[Dan Le Batard]

Don'T think that's true.

[Stugotz]

Well, this is an ESPN property.

[Dan Le Batard]

How dare you talk about Immaculate Ward Manual like that.

[Jessica]

Oh, wait.

[Dan Le Batard]

Sorry. Incarnate Ward. Dammit. I screwed up. Your screw up.

[Jessica]

You made a face at him on Indiana and he needs rebutting here on the idea if he would have put.

[Dan Le Batard]

Us in Michigan, they would have been out.

[Stugotz]

I don't think so. Yes. What's weird to me is like. Yes. Do you think. Can I ask you a question? I like them. Can I ask everybody in Nebraska?

[Jessica]

They wouldn't have been out too. There's no way they would have made.

[Stugotz]

It if they lost one of those games. Can I ask everybody a question?

[Jessica]

What sounded like to people.

[Stugotz]

I'm gonna ask everybody a question now. And it's not. I don't have my own take on this. I'm just curious.

[Dan Le Batard]

You think there's Hoosier bias? You think there's Indiana Hoosier bias in football? That's crazy.

[Stugotz]

No, if higher, higher like em. Everybody was telling me the timing of Miami's loss was bad. They lost to Syracuse again.

[Andrew Hawkins]

It sounds like a goblet.

[Dan Le Batard]

A turkey.

[Andrew Hawkins]

Turkey goblet.

[Jessica]

Throw some of the Hawkins. I like him. From last week in the mix.

[Andrew Hawkins]

I like him. There it is.

[Stugotz]

So everyone says that the timing of Miami's loss to Syracuse was bad.

[Andrew Hawkins]

I like him.

[Stugotz]

And that overlooks the timing of Alabama's loss to Oklahoma is bad. But I guess because it happened a week earlier, it's less bad. I like Georgia.

[Andrew Hawkins]

I like him.

[Dan Le Batard]

That's all the argument.

[Stugotz]

But they beat him in September. So if Miami had a loss in September, I guess it would have been fine. So. So if they had a good win.

[Chris Cody]

It would have been fine.

[Stugotz]

Here's my point. Here's my question for you guys. Switch the weeks. Say Miami's loss to Syracuse happens the week that Alabama lost at Oklahoma. And this past week Alabama loses to Oklahoma the way that they did, which is 24 to 3. Who has the better win though? Do you think Alabama gets in? If the most recent thing that you saw, not the thing that you saw two weeks ago, the most recent thing that you saw from them was 243 losing to Oklahoma. And you just swapped the order of Miami's loss to Syracuse to the win against Wake.

[Andrew Hawkins]

I like him.

[Dan Le Batard]

If you lost to Syracuse and Georgia Tech earlier in the season, you would have already been out of the ACC race. You would have been ranked at the top 15 going into last week of the season.

[Stugotz]

Do you think Alabama gets in if the last thing that you saw this. It's a good question.

[Jessica]

I'm talking about Miami a month ago.

[Dan Le Batard]

Instead of four days ago.

[Stugotz]

Is this my answer? It's a good question. I'm asking if the last thing that you saw from Alabama was the only other game that they played before then against a FBS team. If they lost 24. 3 and that was your last impression on the season of Alabama. Do you think that they get in.

[Dan Le Batard]

Miami would have been out the second that their ACC championship game hopes were dashed when they lost their second game of the conference in the season?

[Stugotz]

I am done with that.

[Jessica]

Spit well, but it is the ending argument is don't lose to Syracuse and Georgia Tech.

[Stugotz]

Right. But don't lose to Oklahoma doesn't exist. Which is the benefit of the doubt that Link Kiffin seems to think he's not getting. Brother, you got it. You just weren't good enough to be the one to get it.

[Jessica]

So let me get to this Mike Elko sound because I was saying most of the season that Texas A and M had a team that had three defensive linemen who might be taken in the top hundred and they could wreck something like an SEC with that kind of defensive line. But let's let's just hear from Mike Elko, who has been a good quote this season, which is not what I was expecting, talking about where he finds himself in the middle of the mediocrity of the sec.

[Chris Cody]

There's reports that some states have been.

[Jessica]

Able to already go into rev shared.

[Stugotz]

Deals with their student athletes.

[Jessica]

I know that law here prohibits that.

[Stugotz]

Still, was that at all any challenges.

[Jessica]

With that and how do you see.

[Chris Cody]

That shaping things up moving forward?

[I]

No, not that. That wasn't a challenge for us at all. I think we're in a really good spot and I don't think NIL played any role. NIL didn't play any role in our inability to land anyone. Maybe our NIL plan didn't allow us to get involved with certain kids or to continue to recruit certain kids or to match a number that might have allowed us to land certain kids. But that was more of an internal plan than it was a lack of resources. I think you have to be really intelligent when you manage this thing, how you manage it for the culture of your program. You see some of these insane freshman deals. I would just like to know how the upperclassmen in their program feel when these freshmen come in making five times more than the returning starter. And so I think that will be a really interesting dynamic for a lot of these programs when these freshmen show up on camp.

[Jessica]

I see Hawkins and Chris Cody and Mike Ryan nodding vigorously. And I gotta be honest with you, to hear a coach talk that way about the finances of college football is so brazen that I still can't get used to it. I still. I'm still not used to a coach talking about the business that cleanly, but he ain't wrong.

[Andrew Hawkins]

No, I mean, you could probably play that clip and then make a callback to the Stephen A. Smith situation. Right. Because that is economics of anything. I like them, not that callback. What are we doing here?

[Jeremy]

I forgot who that was. But then Chris reminded me of who it was that you said you liked.

[Stugotz]

Yeah, people tend to forget what happened with Jaden Rashada. It'll be curious to see. I'm not here to rain on the parade. We'll all figure it out. Maybe. Underwood's an incredible investment. It certainly got vibes going good, and they had a good recruiting class thereafter because they had a lot of positive momentum at that position. I'd rather keep my powder dry for something a little bit more proven because we know that the portal is going to be popping this year, and as Coach Elko spoke to, it does have a residual effect to the rest of your roster. It's going to be hard to manage.

[Dan Le Batard]

Sometimes you go all in on a quarterback, but you still lose to Syracuse and you don't make the playoffs.

[Stugotz]

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