The Big Suey: Wild Week In The NFL (feat. Dianna Russini)

Summary

Podcast Summary: The Big Suey: Wild Week In The NFL (feat. Dianna Russini)

Podcast: The Dan Le Batard Show with Stugotz
Hosts: Dan Le Batard, Stugotz
Guest: Dianna Russini
Release Date: December 3, 2024
Location: Elser Hotel, Downtown Miami

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1. Miami's NFL Performance and Playoff Contention

The episode kicks off with a heated discussion about the Miami Dolphins' recent performances and their implications for the NFL playoffs. Greg Cote and Billy delve into Miami's unexpected losses against Georgia Tech and Syracuse, questioning the rationale behind the coaching decisions that led to these outcomes.

• Greg Cote notes, "[...] Georgia Tech and Syracuse are pretty good teams. Miami was favored by double digits in both those games." [02:41]

• Billy argues, "When you lose two out of your last three games, you've given up the rights to your fate." [02:30]

The conversation emphasizes the idea that subjective judgments by playoff committees should be replaced with objective, on-field decisions, critiquing the loss of control teams have over their playoff destinies.

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2. The Impact of Billboard Advertising: Cam Ward's Heisman Campaign

A significant portion of the discussion revolves around Miami Dolphins' quarterback Cam Ward and his prominent presence on billboards, sparking debate over the effectiveness of such advertising in today's digital age.

• Mike expresses skepticism, "I'm worried about Nick P... they've started a campaign to get him a Heisman." [03:42]

• Greg Cote sarcastically adds, "I guarantee if Cam Ward knows about this billboard campaign and he's driving along I-95 and he sees himself on a billboard, I guarantee that's a cheap thrill for him." [08:08]

• Stugotz counters, "It's all recruiting. It all comes down to recruiting." [05:22]

Billy further questions the relevance, stating, "Does a billboard still matter in the currency of young people today?" [06:02]

The hosts debate whether traditional advertising methods like billboards hold the same weight in influencing young athletes' decisions compared to previous generations.

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3. Humorous Anecdotes: Heating Issues in South Florida

Transitioning from serious sports talk, the hosts share lighthearted stories about the challenges of using heating systems in South Florida, where temperatures rarely dip low enough to necessitate heating.

• Greg Cote humorously recounts, "Last night I put the heat on for the first time in forever in my house. And my wife kept asking, is the house on fire?" [10:16]

• Lucy adds, "Yesterday I had a T-shirt on and somebody stopped me to be like, hey, do you need to go get a jacket or something." [10:32]

These anecdotes provide a comedic break, highlighting the unusual situation of dealing with heat in a typically warm climate.

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4. Tony's Top Five NFL Observations (Featuring Dianna Russini)

Tony introduces his segment featuring Dianna Russini, presenting his top five observations for the week in the NFL:

1. Ravens' Kicker Situation

   • Tony predicts, "The Ravens need to quietly let go of their Hall of Fame kicker. It's going to cost them in the playoffs." [14:11]

   • Billy challenges this by questioning if the team can let him go quietly, sparking a debate on the handling of veteran players.

2. LeBron James' Performance Slump

   • Billy critiques, "LeBron James aging has finally arrived. In the last four games, 0 for 19 from 3..." [15:11]

   • Greg Cote responds, "Do you want to bench LeBron? Is that what you're saying?" [15:46]

   The discussion revolves around attributing LeBron's decline to age versus labeling it as a temporary slump.

3. Jameis Winston's Entertaining yet Troubling Performance

   • Tony highlights Winston's dual-threat nature, stating, "First player in NFL history to have 450 passing yards in a game with multiple pick-sixes." [16:03]

   • Billy sarcastically suggests, "The solution for the Browns is to teach their receivers to tackle better so we can get more Jamis." [16:31]

   The focus is on Winston's capability to both entertain and frustrate his team.

4. NFC North Playoff Implications

   • Tony discusses the competitiveness of the NFC North, emphasizing the high stakes of upcoming matches. [16:57]

   • Greg interjects, "There are real who's and fake who's." [18:55]

   The segment examines which teams are genuine contenders and which are overhyped.

5. Kansas City Chiefs' Performance Concerns

   • Tony expresses doubt, "The Chiefs can't keep getting away with this." [19:12]

   • Greg Cote questions, "What are you talking about?" prompting a deeper analysis of the Chiefs' game strategies and sustainability.

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5. Kirk Cousins' Deteriorating Performance and Future

The discussion shifts to Kirk Cousins, with Dianna Russini sharing insights into his recent poor performance and the potential consequences for his career.

• Tony bluntly declares, "I'm also declaring it over for Kirk Cousins in Atlanta." [20:28]

• Dan Le Batard provides context, noting Cousins' recovery from an Achilles injury and previous solid performances, but acknowledges, "This was a bizarre, weird off game for Cousins." [26:09]

• Stugotz questions whether Cousins' struggles are due to external factors or his own declining skills. [28:45]

The hosts debate whether Cousins is experiencing a temporary slump or if his performance issues indicate a more significant decline, potentially leading to his replacement.

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6. Chicago Bears' Head Coach Firing

Following the Kirk Cousins segment, the conversation turns to the Chicago Bears' decision to fire head coach Matt Eberflusse after a contentious game against Detroit.

• Dan Le Batard explains, "The locker room was lost not because of the decision he made in that game... it was just the fact that he never took any accountability." [31:24]

• Greg Cote speculates on the next hire, suggesting a focus on offensive-minded coaches or culture changers. [31:27]

• Billy emphasizes, "Would you agree that the Bears are a good team, that they've lost a bunch of games in freaky close fashion?" [32:23]

• Dan concurs, "It is a good job... It’s really going to come down to who wants to work with them." [32:39]

The segment explores the dynamics behind the coaching change and the future direction of the Bears under new leadership.

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7. Aaron Rodgers and the New York Jets' Future

Dianna Russini joins the discussion to analyze Aaron Rodgers' uncertain future with the New York Jets.

• Dan Le Batard states, "Aaron Rodgers is not done playing football. I think Aaron Rodgers wants to continue playing football." [37:26]

• Greg Cote raises concerns about the Jets' ability to retain or effectively utilize Rodgers, given their current roster and coaching situation. [33:31]

• Stugotz questions, "Have you received any more clarity on Aaron Rodgers' future?" prompting Dan to detail the Jets' potential strategies, including seeking a veteran quarterback or leveraging free agency. [36:57]

The discussion highlights the complexities of managing high-profile quarterbacks and the impact of organizational decisions on their careers.

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8. Russell Wilson's Role with the Pittsburgh Steelers

The episode concludes with an analysis of Russell Wilson's integration into the Pittsburgh Steelers' system.

• Dan Le Batard praises the synergy between Wilson and coach Arthur Smith, noting, "This has worked out perfect. It's been a great marriage." [38:14]

• Mike questions future decisions, "Do they pay him or do they need to find another quarterback?" [38:41]

• Dan suggests, "You stick with Russell Wilson," emphasizing his positive impact on the team. [38:46]

The segment underscores the successful collaboration between a veteran quarterback and a strategic coaching approach, forecasting a promising future for Wilson with the Steelers.

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Notable Quotes with Timestamps

• Greg Cote: "Georgia Tech and Syracuse are pretty good teams. Miami was favored by double digits in both those games." [02:41]

• Tony: "The Ravens need to quietly let go of their Hall of Fame kicker. It's going to cost them in the playoffs." [14:11]

• Billy: "LeBron James aging has finally arrived. In the last four games, 0 for 19 from 3..." [15:11]

• Greg Cote: "Do you want to bench LeBron? Is that what you're saying?" [15:46]

• Dan Le Batard: "Aaron Rodgers is not done playing football. I think Aaron Rodgers wants to continue playing football." [37:26]

• Stugotz: "It's all recruiting. It all comes down to recruiting." [05:22]

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Conclusion

This episode of The Dan Le Batard Show with Stugotz provides an in-depth analysis of several pressing NFL topics, including Miami Dolphins' playoff hopes, the efficacy of billboard advertising for athletes, and the future trajectories of key quarterbacks like Kirk Cousins and Aaron Rodgers. Additionally, the hosts examine leadership changes within the Chicago Bears and celebrate successful quarterback integrations with Russell Wilson and the Pittsburgh Steelers. Featuring insights from sports analyst Dianna Russini, the discussion is enriched with humor, personal anecdotes, and sharp critiques, making it a comprehensive listen for NFL enthusiasts.

Transcript

[Dan Le Batard]

You're listening to DraftKings Network.

[Stugotz]

Feeling lucky? All bets are on Bookie, the hilarious comedy from Chuck Laurie and Nick Makai, starring Sebastian Maniscalco as an old school bookmaker just trying to stay alive in a world of bad beats. Does a house always win? Find out as Bookie returns for season two, December 12th on Max. Please watch responsibly. Being a marketer is no sweat. You just have to manage dozens of channels, launch hundreds of campaigns, score thousands of leads and okay, fine, it's a lot of sweat. Unless you have HubSpot's AI powered marketing.

[Tony]

Tools to help you do all that and more.

[Stugotz]

Get [e-mail] marketers.

[Greg Cote]

Welcome to the Big Sui presented by DraftKings.

[Billy]

Why are you listening to this show.

[Greg Cote]

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

[Billy]

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

[Greg Cote]

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

[Billy]

Lucy and Mike have spent the entire break arguing, just screaming at each other, just yelling back and forth.

[Lucy]

I don't scream. I'm a lady.

[Billy]

Billy, Billy, you've been in a corner with opinions.

[Mike]

I tried to walk over there and get coffee. The screaming followed me and then tried to walk and hide in the bad jet. He can't get away from it.

[Billy]

I think that we need to reexamine what happened yesterday where Mike actually showed you how he felt by dropping his sword on we should be in the playoffs. And then the last 24 hours, he's heard the people who have made good arguments on behalf of Miami and he wants to believe in them and I want to believe in them as well. But when you lose two out of your last three games, you've given up the rights to your fate is all that's happened. Because now you've turned it into something that's subjective. When you. If anyone that we've been discussing right now had lost two of their last three, make it any of the teams with any of the strength of schedules, they're allowing the judges to end up making decisions about things that can be decided on the field. Like anyone. You could take any of them, Oregon give them two of three losses in the last three games. That is a hard thing to argue on behalf of. That is that has the Momentum. Even if you argue close games on the road, teams that are better than we think they are. If I put those two of those three losses at the beginning of the season, I'm thinking Miami might be in the playoffs right now.

[Greg]

Yeah. And I also think it's fair to note that Georgia Tech and Syracuse are pretty good teams. They're not great teams. Miami was favored by double digits in both those games. The Tech line might have gone down to nine and a half by kickoff. Definitely double digit favorites against Syracuse, at Syracuse. So these are losses you really can't excuse coming at a point in the season when they did.

[Billy]

Billy, did you want to say anything that wasn't able to get out because Lucy and Mike had spent the last 15 minutes yelling @ each other?

[Mike]

No, I'm just. I'm worried about Nick Buckay. I'm still trying to get closure on that situation. I mean, some, you know, devil's addict son could point out, like the cow game wasn't very good. Didn't really blow out anybody the entire season. Like, what's the big win? But like, not me. I'm worried about Nick P. Louisville's a big win.

[Billy]

Louisville's a good win to win that game on the road.

[Mike]

That was, you know, I think three straight of three straight games where we saw, you know, a cameo by Miami's MVP of the season, the Heisman Trophy, the ACC review room. By the way, I've been, I've been driving down the expressway.

[Greg Cote]

Yeah.

[Mike]

And I've seen all these Cam Ward billboards up now. Have you guys seen it? They're like they started a campaign to get him a Heisman. I mean, some would argue the campaign would be give him the ball when the game's on the line and then he could win the Heisman instead of putting up all these billboards.

[Greg Cote]

But trust your quarterback.

[Mike]

I've seen like I'm telling you, no less than six billboards. So they're going all out.

[Greg]

Yeah.

[Mike]

At least on my route.

[Billy]

He's getting, he's getting wind and dine in Miami too. I have been to a couple of restaurants recently where people have gone out of their way to whisper and tell me what a big star he is that he was in recently. Like, he's getting, he's getting the best parts of Miami, I feel like.

[Mike]

And I don't know, right, how you would run this if you're like running a campaign to win them for Heisman. But like, I would just find out who in town because like me seeing it does nothing. I don't have a Heisman vote. You have a Heisman vote, right? Your dad, I believe, still has a Heisman vote.

[Billy]

No, he gave it up and I told him he shouldn't have.

[Mike]

Why?

[Billy]

Well, because he said when he retired from television, he didn't deserve to have a Heisman vote.

[Mike]

I mean, when he was on television, he didn't deserve to have a Heisman vote. So what difference does it make if we're going to be honest? So who, who else in this town has a Heisman vote? Because, like, I wouldn't just be putting up random billboards. I would just figure out who has Heisman votes and I'd be putting billboards up right in front of their houses.

[Stugotz]

It's all recruiting. It all comes down to recruiting. Like, come to Miami, you have a good season first off, you can totally change the trajectory of your career. You can go from someone who's borderline undrafted to someone who is top three in terms of betting lines to be the number one overall pick. You come to Miami, transform your career, and we'll give you all the billboards and pump you up and make you feel great and make you feel like the star that you are because you made that choice.

[Lucy]

That's the same pitch Iowa gives to punters. Same one.

[Billy]

Cam Ward was a 5th round pick projection before coming here, correct?

[Greg Cote]

I think so, yeah. Do you think 20 year olds care about having their face on a billboard?

[Mike]

Yes, absolutely.

[Greg Cote]

Really?

[Greg]

Big time.

[Mike]

Really?

[Stugotz]

Of course.

[Lucy]

Oh my God.

[Greg]

Why wouldn't they?

[Greg Cote]

Really?

[Lucy]

It'd be so cool.

[Stugotz]

They care. Everybody cares. Everyone likes their ego stroke.

[Greg Cote]

Dude, I'm guessing 20 year olds have no idea what billboards are.

[Billy]

I think what the argument, what does that even mean?

[Dan Le Batard]

What does that even mean on the.

[Greg Cote]

Highway before, I mean, you know, front lobes, all that stuff.

[Billy]

I think what Stugott is trying to say there and on this part, he's not particularly wrong. Once upon a time, it was a big deal for any kind of athlete to have to set aside six to eight hours of their day to do a photo shoot for Sports Illustrated. That day no longer exists. A 20 year old might not be inclined. Shador Sanders might not be inclined to give eight hours of his day to be on a magazine cover because it doesn't matter anymore. What Stugatz is asking you guys is, does a billboard still matter in the currency of young people today? Does it have the value that it did to people like us back when Stugatz was putting up billboards with my face on them and we put cardboard birds shitting on that face. And everyone who was driving through South Florida thought that somebody needed to clean up that billboard because they didn't know that they were plastic birds.

[Mike]

Greg, I don't know if you have a. Back in my day today, but I feel like billboards. Right. For the picking. Because billboards used to mean something.

[Greg]

Right.

[Mike]

Digital billboards really killed the billboard.

[Greg]

Oh, yeah.

[Mike]

Because before you had to commit, I want to pay this price, and I'm committing to a month of this message being on this billboard. Someone has to go out there, they have to get, like, whatever that instrument is, where they go, and they kind of like, push it up. It looks kind of like a paint roller, but it's not. It's individual hanging. Exactly. Right now, five seconds to the next. The message on the billboard, constantly changing.

[Greg]

There's nothing more frustrating than when I'm driving, you know, I'm going fast enough, as is, where you got to look quick at a billboard, and it changes. In the middle of me saying it.

[Juju]

You see something, you see something you're intrigued by. You're like, oh, what's this? And then it goes away, and you're like, hopefully it comes back before I pass it. And you pass it.

[Greg Cote]

Do you slow down?

[Juju]

You try to a little, but there's no time.

[Mike]

No. Then you have to figure out, like, how long did it last? Then it's like, well, I'm gonna have to wait until tomorrow to see if I get that message and figure out what Anita is promoting.

[Billy]

Right.

[Mike]

I mean, like, what's going on here?

[Greg]

Yeah. See, I'm old school, of course, and old in general, but the idea that my face for a minute was going to be maybe on a billboard in Edmonton thrilled me.

[Greg Cote]

Yeah.

[Greg]

Like that. That was just an absolute thrill. And I guarantee if Cam Ward know about this billboard campaign and he's driving along i95 and he sees himself on a billboard on i95, I guarantee you that's a cheap thrill for him and that he manages to get a video or a photo of that billboard.

[Billy]

Okay, But Cam Ward is posting the videos of him that are in Times Square, which I imagine do a little more for him than seeing the billboards in our regional swamp over here driving down 95 as he drives to school.

[Stugotz]

The billboards are not for Cam. The ones in Times Square might be for Cam. And the school certainly wants Cam Ward to win a Heisman. Why? Why does the school want Cam to win a Heisman? Because it helps him with recruiting. And that's what the billboards are doing.

[Greg Cote]

It's A waste of money though, right? Because he's not going to win it.

[Billy]

I mean.

[Stugotz]

No, because that's not the ultimate goal. That would be a happy byproduct. They know that he's third in this race by a good amount. But they're not going to cease trying because that's also recruiting. They're going to put in every effort.

[Billy]

Let's go out here to Tony, who I see is waterside near the Ferris wheel over there. South Florida is beautiful this time of year. It really is. Like, you cannot do better weather wise than what Tony is right now presently standing in. This is our winter. It's not even 70 degrees, I don't think, because it gets hot. It gets hotter over the course of the day because it was, it was. I think today was the coldest day of the year. I think, I think this morning was the coldest day that we've had in south Florida in that. It was in the 50s.

[Greg Cote]

It was. It's 64 right now. I had to turn my heat up in the car today. I did. I was at like 74. It felt great. It feels like something is burning. Whenever I turn the heat on down here.

[Juju]

You do that and it feels good for like five minutes. And then it's way too hot.

[Greg Cote]

Yes.

[Billy]

Then there's. Then your skin starts to dry because we don't know how to do it. We don't know how to use our heat.

[Mike]

We don't go way too hot.

[Juju]

And then it's like this is. I'm burning up in here. And then you have to turn it way down. It's hard to find that medium.

[Greg Cote]

Last night I put the heat on for the. The first time in forever in my house. And my wife kept asking, is the house on fire?

[Juju]

Oh, you did it in your house. I was talking about the car. I've never even used it.

[Greg Cote]

I went house and car.

[Billy]

At this point, you guys all get a smell with that, right? The heater gets turned on. Does that happen to people who use their heater every day?

[Juju]

No, it can't.

[Greg Cote]

No.

[Billy]

That is.

[Greg Cote]

That's an us thing.

[Billy]

That smell is.

[Stugotz]

Lucy, need your help here.

[Lucy]

No, yeah, it's like. It's sort of like the thing where like you. If you don't use your car for a while, like you want to make sure you're setting it so it doesn't, you know, get rusty or whatever. Yeah. This is just. These are you all problems? Yesterday I had a T shirt on and somebody stopped me to be like, hey, do you need to go get A jacket or something. I was like, it's okay. It's really chill. And it was like 63 degrees or something.

[Greg]

I drive a 9 year old car. Heater has never been on, not once. I would not know how to turn it on. I think there's a little red button that probably is the heater.

[Lucy]

You just go to the red.

[Mike]

Just make it warmer.

[Greg]

I have never turned it on, not once.

[Billy]

Put it on the pole, please. Juju at Le Batard show. If you live in south Florida, have you ever turned on the heater in your car?

[Mike]

Nine year old car. Sounds like he hasn't gotten that invoice cashed out yet.

[Greg]

I'm telling you what, I need a race. Driving an antique.

[Billy]

Do you? Do you need a race? Because I feel like you're making more here than you're making at the longtime employer of 40 years.

[Mike]

You know, when I was driving my first car, my car was so old that I looked into how old does a car need to be to get one of those classic license plates. It was by no means a classic. It was a Honda Civic. It was just a very old car. But I did the research. I think once you get to like 20 years, you can apply for a classic car license plate whether it's in actual good condition or not. It's just old enough that they're like, this is a classic car.

[Billy]

All right, put it on.

[Greg Cote]

Put it on the poll.

[Billy]

Put it on the pole, please. Does Billy's Honda Civic classify as a classic car slash antique car? Tony, where are you? What are you doing? And how many oli are there in Tony's top five football observations?

[Tony]

Dan, thank you. Today we were at Bayfront park right here. As you can see over my shoulder, we got the port of Miami shout out to Rick Ross. We've got Bayside right next to us. People would say that the best time to be by the water is when it's sunny and when it's hot and you can go in. I would say, contrary to popular belief, like you were saying, Daniel, actually being on the water during a colder day is better. Being on the boat, getting the breeze going. You got a little light jacket on because the chop is making it a little bit breezier than you think. That's the best time to be. I'm going to give you that one for free. That's the time you saw five of them.

[Stugotz]

That's fine.

[Billy]

An observation I didn't want and didn't ask for. Thank you for free. We got our money's worth on that one. Let's go, Oli.

[Greg Cote]

These are the ones he gets paid for.

[Billy]

These are the ones that are lucrative, the ones that are expensive.

[Mike]

I have some sad news for you, Greg. I was looking it up. They've changed it. Now. Your car needs to be 30 year old, 30 years old to be an antique or a classic form 83045.

[Billy]

So you're telling me that my 1989AMC Spirit would classify as an antique?

[Mike]

That's what you're saying, 89? Yeah. Yeah. It just has to be 30 years old. Whether it's a clunk or not doesn't matter.

[Greg]

It's crazy to think that if you're driving a 1995 car, it's an antique. That's insane.

[Billy]

Put that on the poll. Juju at Le Batard show. If you're driving a 1995 car, is that an antique?

[Mike]

There's also like a fine line, right? Like, you could just have like a junk car that's 30 years old. And like, if it's 18 years old and it's a junk car, people scoff at you. But if it's like a junk 30 year old car because you held on for 12 extra years, you've done nothing. You just tell people, yeah, now I'm fixing it up. And they're like, yeah, that makes sense. That's why it's in such bad condition.

[Billy]

Tony outside looking in. How many you got?

[Tony]

Speaking of lucrative, Dan. Tony's top five is presented by Doordash. Get all your game day faves delivered. Head to DraftKings.com DoorDash to play for free. Restrictions apply. Void were prohibited. We start off only one Oli this week after the free one I gave you about being on. The water is nicer when it's cold.

[Greg Cote]

That was nice of you.

[Tony]

I don't want to. That was the first. Oli. That was the first. This is the second and last. I don't want to talk about it. But the Ravens need to quietly let go of their hall of Fame kicker. Mark my words, it's going to cost them in the playoffs.

[Billy]

Wow. You can't let go of him quietly. That's not. You think he can do that quietly? Can they do that quietly? I don't think you can.

[Tony]

I mean, news dump on a Friday, you know, kind of kick him out and be like, all right, we're. We're Zane Gonzalez right now.

[Greg Cote]

He's always somewhere waiting.

[Billy]

It's one of the things.

[Tony]

He's in Washington, I think.

[Billy]

One of the things that I never understand. Stugots. I don't know that you can see it physically, right? You can't predict that Justin Tucker from one day to the next isn't going to have it anymore. And, hey, look, LeBron James aging has finally arrived. Over the last couple of days, it took, I don't know, six years longer than I thought it would.

[Greg Cote]

But Dan, he's a Hall of Fame kicker. They. They have played in a lot of close games. He has actually cost them games. I'm not certain what Baltimore should do, but cutting him seems like a good idea. I mean, he's costing him games.

[Billy]

All right, hold on a second. We'll get back to that in a second, and we'll get back to the top five in a second. But do not look at the games on LeBron James game log before the last four games, because he was amazing. But in the last four games, 0 for 19 from 3 and putting up some of these stinkers where it's like, wait, what do you mean? Just 10 points, 12 points? Like what? What do you mean? What's happening there? They're calling it a slump, but when you're approaching 40, it ceases to be a slump at some point and becomes. Okay, that's what that's supposed to look like at that age.

[Greg Cote]

Do you want to bench LeBron? Is that what you're saying?

[Billy]

I do not. I am just saying that if you're looking for aging process on LeBron overnight, 19 from three in the last four games might sound some alarms around aging. Tony, what else you got? Number five.

[Tony]

Number five. Jameis Winston continues to be the most entertaining man in the NFL on the field. First player in NFL history to have 450 passing yards in a game with multiple pick sixes. The Jameis Winston experience, ladies and gentlemen.

[Billy]

It's so good. It is so good. Like that. That game last night went exactly how you would want it to go if you needed to be reminded. You cannot trust your franchise to what happens there.

[Mike]

That's coaching, right? Like, that's on Stefanski. You need to coach your guys to know Jameis is going to throw an interception. We need to tackle. Like, don't, don't. Don't allow them to score touchdown because you know Jameis is going to do it. You teach your receivers to tackle.

[Billy]

All right, I put it on the pole, please. At Le Batard show is the solution for the Browns to teach their receivers to tackle better so we can all get more Jamis. Number four.

[Tony]

Number four, Dan. Three teams in the NFC north with nine plus wins, and if the season ended today, all of them would be in the playoffs. But I've got something to report. I know you haven't looked at the schedule for next week. We've got Green Bay versus Detroit Thursday night. Dan, do you know what that is?

[Billy]

I don't know what that is.

[Tony]

It's a who's who game.

[Greg Cote]

Oh.

[Billy]

I thought we might be pudding. We're not putting kids to bed.

[Tony]

No, no.

[Billy]

I want.

[Tony]

I want the kids to watch this one. I want to see. The kids want to see Jordan Love. The kids want to see Jared Goff. They want to see Knuckles. They want to see Sonic. They want to see all these people. So it's not a put the kids to bed game. It's a who's who game. Because I've got a little flyer on DraftKings sportsbook for green Bay to win the super bowl. And if they beat Detroit on Thursday, it'll tell you who's who in that division.

[Billy]

Really?

[Greg Cote]

Yeah.

[Billy]

Because I thought already we had determined that the Lions are who. I thought we'd already arrived.

[Greg Cote]

The packers win.

[Billy]

Yeah, but I still think the Lions are who. They still.

[Greg Cote]

The packers win. The Lions are still in first place.

[Billy]

Yeah, but the Lions still are who we can. I thought. I don't think this is a who's who's game. I don't think this is a who's who game. I don't. I think the Lions are who.

[Tony]

Well, one of them are who. Right. But then if. If the. The Green Bay packers beat the Lions, then they're also who. A couple of who.

[Billy]

Okay, so there are a couple of who. What you're saying. So you're acknowledging you're conceding the point that the Lions are indeed who. But if the packers beat the Lions, then they too would be who it would be.

[Tony]

Exactly. Right. And the NFC obviously very strong. There's a lot of who's to be to be had. And one of them could be the Green Bay packers if they win on Thursday.

[Greg]

Yeah, but there are real who's and fake who's. Am I right?

[Tony]

That is true.

[Greg Cote]

Like the Vikings. Are they a who fake who?

[Billy]

Fake who?

[Tony]

I don't think so. I don't think so. They're a fake who. Yeah, they're a fake who.

[Greg Cote]

Interesting.

[Billy]

I think the Steelers are a fake who too.

[Greg Cote]

Really? You are wrong.

[Tony]

I like that. I like that. Actually.

[Billy]

Who else is. What number are we on here? Three. Two.

[Greg Cote]

Three.

[Stugotz]

What?

[Tony]

Number three. Number three. The Chiefs can't keep getting away with this, Dan.

[Billy]

I agree.

[Tony]

I know you guys talked about it yesterday. How they may be the worst 11 win team in history, the worst 11 to 1 team win in history, but the way that they're winning their games, something's up there and I don't like it. And they can't. Can't keep getting away with it.

[Greg Cote]

What?

[Billy]

Stugott's minor penalty.

[Juju]

Two minutes for chief's talk.

[Greg Cote]

I didn't say a word.

[Billy]

You made a sound.

[Greg Cote]

I made a sound.

[Billy]

You made a sound. You made a sound. You made a sound.

[Greg Cote]

I did make a sound.

[Billy]

You made a sound.

[Greg Cote]

I did. I did. I did make a sound.

[Billy]

You didn't say a word, but you did make a sound. You're not allowed to talk around the Chiefs. No sounds from you. Number two, Tony.

[Tony]

Number two, Dan. Speaking of who's. Who's, I think this is a real who. The Eagles feel like legit super bowl contenders.

[Billy]

I believe everyone agrees with that. I believe the fact that they haven't. They've only lost two games, and when A.J. brown is in there with Saquon and Goddard, it makes things very difficult. Did Devontae Smith even play in the last game? He didn't even play. He didn't know who else is.

[Tony]

He was out. Yeah, Yeah.

[Billy]

I think everybody would agree with that. Now, Diana Rossini told us that before anybody else when we questioned her, when she said she knew the Eagles were a good team because of how they started the season. Number one, Tony.

[Tony]

Number one, Dan. I'm very sad to report this, and it's going to be a shock coming from me, but I'm also declaring it over for Kirk Cousins in Atlanta.

[Dan Le Batard]

Whoa.

[Tony]

I know, I know, I know, I know, I know. I've been the biggest proponent and biggest champion for Kirk Cousins probably in media history. I still think the last two minutes of a game, he's still a Hall of Famer, but right after this game, I had to. I had to throw up the shoe on the. On the. On the power line and be like, you know what? It's over. We need to chop it up. We need to get Michael Penix in there because it's over for Kirk Cousins. Dan, did you know he didn't have one throw over 36 miles an hour? I can throw 36 miles an hour with my left hand. Something's off there. I don't like it. Kirk Cousins. It's over.

[Billy]

All right, let's talk to Diana Rossi. Thank you, Tony. I appreciate it.

[Greg Cote]

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[Stugotz]

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[Billy]

Wow.

[Greg Cote]

It's in there better.

[Stugotz]

You think I haven't been practicing stugats.

[Billy]

I didn't realize we had a substitute. Complicated Legacy brought to you by headquarter.

[Tony]

Toyota 441 Powerline Road, second down to nine.

[Mike]

This is the Don Levatar show with the Stuttgarts.

[Billy]

Diana Rossini is joining us now, and we will continue that conversation with her. Because the Kirk Cousins thing is interesting, Diana, because I believe that a lot of people are not paying attention to the coaching job that Jim Harbaugh is doing with the Charger. The idea that their defense is the best scoring defense in the league is one thing. In that game 17:13 it was a failed fake punt, but he tried it in his own territory. Up 1713. And there are a couple of coaches in the sport. There aren't that many. Dan Campbell's one of them. Harbaugh has maximum confidence in. I'm good. Like you can't say nothing to me. You can't say nothing. I'm going to just be aggressive and bleep all of you. I don't care if you're going to question my decisions and hardball coaches like that. So did that happen, Diana and thank you for joining us. Did that happen to Kirk Cousins? Was there something wrong with his arm? Because it was a dreadful performance that didn't even look like the Kirk Cousins from a month ago.

[Dan Le Batard]

Yeah. Hi guys. So good to see you. I hope you guys all enjoyed your holiday weekend. Yeah, the, the Kirk Cousins situation is a bizarre one right now because we've seen some good Kirk this year. Actually there's been some moments here. Remember he is coming off this Achilles. Started off a little slow if you recall, but then he had some throw some moments I'd say probably in October really is when he was really starting to shine a bit and look comfortable again and look like the Kirk we saw in Minnesota just last season. And I do think this was, was just a bizarre, weird off game for Cousins. I don't know of the Atlanta Falcons right now having conversations internally about benching him and turning to Michael Penix at this, at this point, obviously with him being there that, that we always knew this was going to be the story. I even talked to Kirk Cousins this summer just about that decision that the organization made in the draft to go for panics and how that's going to make it high pressured. Doesn't matter how much they paid Kirk Cousins. Just the fact that you have a talented young player sitting on that bench, the yells are going to get really loud when you're not performing well. And I think just big picture though, when I think of the Kirk Cousins situation and I actually think of like remembering free agency and how he was the biggest name, you know who was not a big name? Russell Wilson. That was not a big name. And yet Russell Wilson is the one outperforming Kirk Cousins at this point. And look at the difference in salary they're making each year. So yeah, credit to Jim Harbaugh. Look, the Chargers, they want to Jim this whole time because he wins everywhere he goes and he's obviously instilling something there that is going to be successful for a long time as long as he doesn't wear them out.

[Billy]

Can you guys help me with this? Because I didn't see enough of the Atlanta Chargers game in order to make an accurate assessment on what I'm about to tell you. Can you guys tell when watching that game whether that was being done to Kirk Cousins or whether Kirk Cousins was having what Diana is saying, a rare off game where I don't see a lot of quarterbacks like Trevor Lawrence one out of every five throws. It's going to be somewhere that I don't understand because he looks so much different than the other quarterbacks on what's an easy out pass. One out of five passes. Kirk Cousins, I don't associate with having a Rare bad game that's not done to him where he's just going out there and he's terrible on his own accord.

[Stugotz]

I can't speak to that because I don't. I'm not under center. But there were more than plenty of passes that you're asking, what are you seeing? What are you doing? Triple coverage. That's your read.

[Billy]

But is that being done to him, is what I'm asking? Is Harbaugh doing something to him that's making Kirk Cousins confounded?

[Stugotz]

I don't know enough about the position, but quarterbacks historically shouldn't be throwing into triple coverage, and I don't know if you can do that to somebody. I watched that performance start to finish. It's one of the worst quarterback performances I have ever seen from a quarterback that has been perceived to be good. It was terrible. This is soaked in my gambling bias, but it was. I was wondering if there was something wrong with Kirk Cousins.

[Billy]

I saw. I don't know whether you're talking about the throw into the end zone when they're down 1730.

[Stugotz]

My knees just buckled.

[Billy]

Terrible decision. Terrible. It was just.

[Dan Le Batard]

That was some hyperbole there from Mike.

[Mike]

Wow.

[Dan Le Batard]

This show never does that. I'm surprised he went as far as saying the worst quarterback performance he's ever seen.

[Greg Cote]

He had money from a quarterback that.

[Stugotz]

Is perceived to be good. Yeah. I've seen plenty of bad games. I've seen worse games this week in the NFL. Not many, but from a quarterback that comes in with a huge contract and has this overall perception that. Look, most of the sports media and sports fandom came around on Kirk Cousins and said, he's. He's all right. He's not Tom Brady, but he's good enough. And that was just a terrible performance.

[Billy]

I want to go through the Diana Rossini information as fast as I can here because I need more information from her and I need to know what she thinks on a variety of things because there are a lot of football things to cover. So let's go back to Thursday. Let's get the music moving fast.

[Mike]

Wow.

[Billy]

Back to Thursday, and let's start with everything that happened with the Chicago Bears at the end of that game. Explain to me the most interesting thing about the entire Eber Fluss experience, that.

[Dan Le Batard]

The locker room was moved on from Matt Eberfluss way before that game against Detroit on Thanksgiving. They were done with him after that Hell Mary against the commanders. It was that moment when the locker room was lost, not because of the decision he made in that game or at Least the play before the Hail Mary. It was just the fact that he never took any accountability. So that just rubbed players the wrong way. Which is why captain Jalen Johnson in the post game locker room went at Eberfluous. So Eberfluze addressed the team like he normally does and he's, he's kind of a steady Eddie when he talks to the team after games in terms of the messaging. And this was not one of those games that called for just the same old, same old and the players had enough of it. And that's why Jaylen Johnson spoke up and basically told his coach like, nah, we have talent here, we're good. This is on you. And Matt Iberflusse wound up leaving the locker room. And then as we know, the next day he was fired.

[Greg Cote]

Who do you think gets that job?

[Dan Le Batard]

Somebody that wants to work with Kevin Warren. Because it is very clear that Kevin Warren has all the power in Chicago. They made the decision to stick with Ryan Polls, the general manager. They seem to be a tandem here, but it's very clear to me that Kevin Warren is going to call the shots. Just having conversations around the league now, look, it makes sense that they want to look at offensive minded head coaches because they've got the quarterback, he's a star. But when you listen to Kevin Warren talk about what they're looking for, he says a leader of men. I would like more details. I don't know what that means, but I think we all can assume that's a Dan Campbell type, a Mike Tomlin type, a Jim Harbaugh type. Guys that just have a very clear understanding and confidence to what they do. So I'm not sure if Chicago's gonna go all in on offensive minded or perhaps pick the culture changer.

[Billy]

I'm gonna need you to speed all this up a little bit. But would you agree with.

[Dan Le Batard]

I'm talking so fast.

[Billy]

Would you agree with this assessment? Would you agree that the Bears are the best bad team not named the Bengals, that the Bears are a good team, that they've lost a bunch of games in freaky close fashion?

[Greg Cote]

That's a great job.

[Dan Le Batard]

It is, it is a good job. And Kevin Warren said that in his press conference. This is, this is the job that everyone's going to want. I don't necessarily believe that though. I don't. I get it. I think on paper, when you look at that team, everything about it, the storied history, they're, they're, they're cap for next year is 80 million plus. They've got the quarterback. They've got some players, they've got the foundational pieces there. It's really going to come down to who wants to work with them. And that may not be the formula that, that head coaches that are going to have options are going to want. So we'll see who's going to be. Be the one. The Ben Johnson, Detroit's offensive coordinator, is the big name that everyone's talking about in terms of going to Chicago because he's proved that he knows what he's doing and probably can get the most out of Caleb.

[Greg]

Diana, the evolution in the, in the Aaron Rodgers saga and soap opera seems to be that they might or they're considering maybe benching them. Can you ever see that happening? I can't.

[Dan Le Batard]

Yeah. Hi, Greg. Thanks for not speeding me up.

[Greg]

Talk slowly because we don't.

[Mike]

We're not.

[Billy]

We gotta speed it up.

[Greg Cote]

I like that. Let's go.

[Billy]

We gotta speed it up.

[Dan Le Batard]

Well, I think.

[Greg]

Yeah.

[Dan Le Batard]

That the jets have a difficult decision to make here because look, this is a future hall of Famer. This is Aaron Rodgers. This isn't some random quarterback who has started for you for just a year and you know, you don't really care and you don't care about his legacy. This is not as simple that as just look, this isn't working. We all know what the situation is, right? Just watching. This is over. Aaron Rodgers isn't going to play for the Jets. The jets aren't going to want Aaron Rodgers back. This is headed to a divorce. But this time in between is. Is going to be, I think, sensitive because how do you handle a Hall of Fame quarterback? You don't just bench Aaron Rodgers. Even though they've discussed it before. Is it going to be an injury situation? Are they going to put him on ir? He says he's healthy and then you got to look at his contract. Right. They're not going to want to be on the hook to have to pay him anything if he gets hurt. So I do think that the jets are going to have to make these decisions even though they don't have a GM right now. Right. They have an interim. But this is going to come down to what Woody Johnson wants to do.

[Greg Cote]

What'd you make? You reported it today. Jacksonville. The safety. I can't remember his name. I apologize. He got a three game suspension. Not Jacksonville. The guy who hit Trevor Lawrence.

[Dan Le Batard]

Yes.

[Greg Cote]

Three games. Was that excessive? Do you think that was right? What do you.

[Dan Le Batard]

Yeah, yeah. I think that's a lot.

[Billy]

I was.

[Dan Le Batard]

I checked it twice actually. When I got the email from the league. Three's a lie. And in these situations it always comes down to their history. It has really nothing to do with that actual moment. Even though I think we could all say that it was a. It was a pretty ugly play. But. But three is a lot. But that's because he's been fined twice before. So that's how the league made that decision. But three games, that. That's tough for the Houston Texans team that is really trying to bounce here with a few games left, knowing that they really have not hit their stride this year.

[Billy]

A lot of times when people are talking about the perfect season dolphins of 1972, they do not say that that is the best team ever. Even though, as Benny from Fort Lauderdale said, they won all their games in the regular season and the post season. It is not considered by a lot of people the. The best team of all time, even though it has the best record. The Kansas City Chiefs are the blank best team in football. They've got the best record. I do not believe that they are one of the top two teams in football.

[Dan Le Batard]

Yeah, I think that's fair. I would go the Lions, the Eagles, the Bills, the Ravens, the Chiefs. So I'd say fifth. The Kansas City Chiefs are the fifth best team in football.

[Stugotz]

We've talked a lot about Aaron Rodgers. He left that jets franchise somehow in a worse position than when he got there. Not worth all the off the field antics, which I know was a headache when he wasn't available to them last year. What kind of roster is New York planning on going with next year? Have you received any more clarity on Aaron Rodgers future? Sure.

[Dan Le Batard]

Yeah. They're going to be looking for a quarterback. I think the jets are going to try to find a veteran that they can pull or trade for or perhaps sign in free agency. Because if you look at the draft, as we know, there's not a. It's not a very quarterback heavy draft class with a lot of skill. So the jets are going to have to try to figure out how to plug for next year, I think until they can find their future quarterback.

[Billy]

Need to speed this up. Up.

[Dan Le Batard]

And oh my gosh, I want people to understand me.

[Billy]

You gotta do it with the music. The music is sped up. You've got to speed up.

[Stugotz]

Yeah, Sanders, Wait, did you guys turn.

[Dan Le Batard]

The music off for me this time? Thank you so much. Okay, so I think Aaron Rodgers is not done playing football. I think Aaron Rodgers wants to continue playing football. We just have to figure out where he's going to play next season will probably not want to finish out his entire career with the New York jets blemish on him. He's going to want to succeed under probably a really good coach with a with a roster that's already built. So we'll see where he goes. But for the New York jets, they've got to find a gm, a head coach and a quarterback and they have a lot in their plate. And now Woody Johnson was not named Donald Trump's ambassador of the uk. So Woody Johnson could perhaps be around the New York jets for a longer period of time than we expected because we were expecting his brother to Christopher Johnson to take over and make a lot of these decisions. But that's not going to be the case now that Woody Johnson to be part of it.

[Billy]

Excellent.

[Greg]

Nice.

[Greg Cote]

Wow.

[Mike]

Did Russell Wilson work out out too well for the Steelers? What do they do?

[Dan Le Batard]

I think it worked out real too well. I don't think they really had any hope for him. I think they were like let's just roll the die and see how this works out. But then Arthur Smith came in here. He's a great play caller. He's getting the best out of Russell Wilson. The locker room is embracing him. The moon balls, the run game. They're doing everything the Pittsburgh Steeler likes to do it. And Arthur Smith, that's the kind of offense he calls. So this has worked out perfect. It's been a great marriage. But let's not forget Mike Tomlin was on was on an island a couple weeks in when they wanted to make the switch from Justin Fields to Russell Wilson. And look what he is doing. Mike Tomlin, coach of the year.

[Mike]

Okay, but what do they do with him next year? Do they pay him or do they then need to find another quarterback?

[Dan Le Batard]

You stick with Russell Wilson.

[Mike]

How much do they pay him?

[Dan Le Batard]

I don't know how much at this point. A deal that like a Geno Smith type of deal, something reasonable. You're not, you're not blowing the bank out for for Russell Wilson. But he's proved that he can figure this out, that he can run this system and this has been the best option that this team has had since Ben Roethlisberger.

[Billy]

Excellent work. Did you see how much better you were at the end? Did you see how much better you got at it? We need to keep in pushing and prodding you.

[Stugotz]

Who's drafting Shador?

[Billy]

It was ridiculous. Who's drafting Shador?

[Stugotz]

Possibly his entire family.

[Billy]

Who's drafting Shador?

[Dan Le Batard]

Horrible. This was the worst segment I've ever Harbaugh.

[Billy]

Who's Harbaugh.

[Greg Cote]

Harbaugh.

[Billy]

Harbaugh's drafting Shador. Who's drafting Shador?

[Dan Le Batard]

The Raiders.

[Greg Cote]

Wow, wow, wow.

[Billy]

Aggregate her. There it is. Deion Sanders is going to the Raiders. They could use a coach. The whole thing goes to the Raiders. Make sure to aggregate her. She loves when that happens. People yell and scream about her every opinion. Good to see you. Good to see you, Diana.

[Dan Le Batard]

Did you see shepter to the Hail Mary. The Hail Mary.

[Stugotz]

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