The Big Suey: Zaslow Is An Excellent Speller (feat. Solen Base Leader Dave Dameshek)

Summary

Podcast Summary

The Dan Le Batard Show with Stugotz

Episode: The Big Suey: Zaslow Is An Excellent Speller
Guests: Dave Damashek, Mike Ryan, Jeremy Woo, and others
Date: January 30, 2026
Main Theme:
A spirited and irreverent discussion blending current sports topics (especially the looming Giannis Antetokounmpo trade, NFL quarterback debates, and the Super Bowl), the art of sports spelling, Miami sports success, and the culture of podcast banter, with a recurring tone of self-deprecation, inside jokes, and affectionately ruthless ribbing.

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Key Topics and Discussion Points

1. Giannis Antetokounmpo Trade Speculation (02:13, 40:47)

• Jeremy Woo dissects Giannis Antetokounmpo trade rumors involving the Heat, Warriors, and other teams:
  • He contends the Heat have a better package for the Bucks than the Warriors, citing young assets (Jaime Jaquez Jr., Tyler Herro, Khale Ware), and the ability to acquire more picks by moving contracts (Tyler Herro, Andrew Wiggins) for future flexibility.
  • “The picks that they're going to get from the Warriors... are all going to be at the end of the first round. So... the Heat can actually offer you both [blue-chip prospects and future picks].” (03:02, Woo)
• Dan challenges the notion that Milwaukee reporters' opinions on trades matter:
  • “Milwaukee reporters are not the ones making this trade. And I don’t think Milwaukee reporters get to be sources.” (01:45, Dan)

Further Developments (40:47)

• Jeremy elaborates on the complexity of three-team deals, the impact of expiring contracts, Jimmy Butler's diminished trade value post-injury, and Miami's potential to unlock more picks.
  • “All of your picks open up and you have far and away the best package in the NBA for Giannis Antetokounmpo.” (40:44, Woo)

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2. Spelling Bee: Antetokounmpo Challenge (04:13 – 07:06)

• Dan Le Batard organizes a spontaneous, hilarious spelling contest for “Antetokounmpo,” creating a classic, playful segment:
  • Multiple failed attempts; Zaslow finally nails it:
    • “A-N-T-E-T-O-K-O-U-N-M-P-O. Ding, ding, ding.” (06:10, Zaslow)
• Dan boasts about his childhood spelling prowess vs. rival Kristen Larson, to muted enthusiasm:
  • “One spring day, Kristen Larson missed a word. And Danishek continued his streak all the way through the fifth grade. Never missed a single word in the spelling quiz.” (06:17, Dan)
• “It is amazing how much more interesting you found that than the rest of us.” (07:06, Damashek)

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3. Football Talk: Super Bowl, Quarterbacks, and “Quality of Champions” (08:22 – 18:51, 15:50 – 18:51)

• Dave Damashek and Dan debate Super Bowl storylines and the meaning of parity:
  • Damashek argues dynasties are measured by who they beat, not just what they win.
    • “The reason I hold up the Pittsburgh Steelers as the greatest dynasty... is because of the competition around them.” (09:24, Damashek)
    • “Parity is...mediocrity. It's just a synonym for mediocrity.” (10:27, Damashek)
• Sam Darnold vs. Drake May: Who is the better bet at QB in the Super Bowl?
  • “What’s the skill set that you want? ...I guess I like at this point Drake May’s skill set better...the deep shots and the ability to functionally scramble.” (16:48–17:28, Dan)
  • Dave highlights Drake May’s anti-blitz numbers: “17 touchdowns, no interceptions.” (17:28, Damashek)
• Uniform Discourse & Patches (18:51–21:16)
  • Mike laments the “clash and atrocity” of this year’s Super Bowl uniforms, wishing for classic Pat Patriot and old Seahawks sets.
    • “This uniform matchup sucks... It's just an atrocity for the eyes.” (19:26, Dan)
  • “If I start shaking my fist and pounding the table about patches on uniforms, I'm just going to make myself loco and hurt my hand.” (21:16, Dan)

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4. Miami as ‘Title Town USA’: Big Three Champions Party (27:17–35:17)

• Miami’s championship glow celebrated at a Coconut Grove bash for Miami 305’s Big Three title.
  • “Miami has won four pro sports championships in the last 12 months. We are title Town USA.” (27:17, Mike Ryan)
• Player interviews (Reggie Evans, Lance Stevenson, Mario Chalmers, Jack McClinton)
  • Lance Stevenson: “Hey, look, we still got it, baby.” (29:13, Lance)
  • Mario Chalmers on his case for Hall of Fame:
    • “I agree with the Hall of Fame, but the six, you gotta give to LeBron.” (30:05, Chalmers)
  • Jack McClinton on building teams:
    • “We don’t care about nothing else...We want good energy, we want dogs.” (30:51, McClinton)
• Top “bucket-getters”: NBA greats and Michael Beasley debated (31:41)
  • “You gotta put Bees in there. You gotta put KD, Kobe...MJ.” (31:44, Lance/Dave)

Size Shock

• Hilarious, genuine surprise at former pros’ size:
  • “When I talked to Reggie Evans...his hand was like, from my...tip of my hand to like my elbow.” (35:03, Mike Ryan)
  • “Peyton Manning and Tom Brady. People are often surprised by how big those two people are. This one is funny, Shaq…it's always surprising to people.” (35:47, Damashek)

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5. Podcast Meta and Banter

• Dan gets called out for reusing anecdotes from other appearances (22:30–23:34)
  • “He just microwaved the turd, Dan.” (22:48, Mike Ryan)
  • “Mistakes were made, but let's not live life in the rearview mirror, Dan.” (23:34, Dan)
• Leveling and show sound quality commentary
  • “That's on me. I need to be better there with the levels.” (25:30, Chris)
• Endless inside jokes about negativity, “inner monologue” slip-ups, and behind-the-scenes gripes.

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6. Introspective Human Moment: Darren Waller on Addiction and Mindfulness (36:27–38:36)

• Clip from Waller’s “South Beach Session” highlights his struggle to sit still and not chase dopamine:
  • “A lot of what my makeup is, is just like the next high, like the next thing...So it's like that 30 minute window of just like absolute nothing.” (37:12, Waller)
  • Dave: “Not even meditation. It's just still with yourself and be comfortable with yourself.” (37:46, Damashek)
• The hosts react with both sincerity and signature crude humor:
  • “If I just sat down for 30 minutes doing that, I’d fall asleep...I’d probably jerk off.” (37:56–38:06, Dan/Mike Ryan)
  • “I stand by it. That was everybody’s 30 minute monologue.” (38:18, Mike Ryan)

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7. Rapid Fire & Memorable Quotes

Super Bowl’s Unlikely Matchup:

• “There has never been a 60 to 1 and an 80 to 1 odds teams facing each other. Everybody would be excited about that in the abstract. Why are they less excited about that in the actual?” (08:22, Dan)

On dynasties:

• “What makes them great is the competition.” (09:24, Damashek)

On Spelling:

• “I’m an excellent speller. I can’t speak, but you can spell.” (06:25, Dan)

Self-Awareness:

• “Mistakes were made, but let’s not live life in the rearview mirror, Dan.” (23:34, Dan)

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Notable Quotes (with Timestamps)

• Jeremy Woo:

  • “The Heat can actually offer you both [blue-chip prospects and future picks].” (03:02)
  • “All of your picks open up and you have far and away the best package in the NBA for Giannis Antetokounmpo.” (40:44)

• Dan Le Batard:

  • “I'm not going to apologize for that.” (00:42)
  • “This uniform matchup sucks... It's just an atrocity for the eyes.” (19:26)
  • “I'm an excellent speller. I can't speak, but you can spell.” (06:25)
  • “Mistakes were made, but let's not live life in the rearview mirror, Dan.” (23:34)

• Mike Ryan:

  • “Miami has won four pro sports championships in the last 12 months. We are title Town USA.” (27:17)
  • “If I just sat down for 30 minutes doing that, I’d fall asleep. I’d probably jerk off.” (38:06)
  • “I stand by it. That was everybody’s 30 minute monologue.” (38:18)

• Dave Damashek:

  • “[About Dan’s spelling story] It is amazing how much more interesting you found that than the rest of us.” (07:06)
  • “Parity is...mediocrity. It's just a synonym for mediocrity.” (10:27)
  • “He just microwaved the turd, Dan.” (22:48)

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Important Timestamps

• 01:45 – Dan on Milwaukee reporters and the Giannis rumor source
• 02:13 – Jeremy on Heat’s assets in trade offers
• 04:13 – Spelling Bee begins
• 06:10 – Zaslow correctly spells "Antetokounmpo"
• 09:24 – Damashek on dynasties and Steelers’ legacy
• 16:48 – Dan on Drake May’s skillset
• 19:26 – Dan criticizes Super Bowl uniform matchup
• 27:17 – Mike Ryan on Miami’s jam of championships
• 30:05 – Mario Chalmers on his Heat legacy, humility, and Hall of Fame case
• 35:47 – Damashek on athlete size surprises
• 37:12 – Darren Waller on coping strategies for addiction
• 38:06 – Mike Ryan’s deadpan joke about stillness ("I'd probably jerk off")
• 40:44 – Jeremy on Miami's potential unmatched trade package for Giannis

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Overall Tone and Feel

• Signature rapid-fire, irreverent, and affectionate chaos—equal parts sharp sports insight, self-satire, expert trolling, and spontaneous, often sophomoric, humor
• Frequent blending of deep sports analysis with show meta commentary
• Affectionate inside jokes and playful eviscerations among hosts and guests
• Willingness to shift abruptly from serious social issues (addiction, mental health) to pure comic relief

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For New Listeners

This episode offers a slice of the Dan Le Batard Show’s unique chemistry: witty, ruthless, and warm, with real sports knowledge layered between digressions, spelling bees, and Miami championship celebrations. Whether commiserating over patch-adorned uniforms, deconstructing an NBA blockbuster trade, or reflecting on the human side of professional athletes, the show remains persistently self-aware and always entertaining.

Transcript

[Dan Le Batard]

This message is brought to you by Venmo. Being a football fan isn't always easy, especially during the postseason. The stakes are high, the pressures are.

[Mike Ryan]

Through the roof, and your team is out there struggling against impossible odds while.

[Jeremy Woo]

All you can do is just watch, that's hard.

[Dan Le Batard]

But paying with Venmo all playoff long, that's easy.

[Mike Ryan]

Whether you're catching a ride to the.

[Dan Le Batard]

Stadium, ordering food to the Watch party.

[Mike Ryan]

Or hooking yourself up with some vintage.

[Dan Le Batard]

Swag, just pay with Venmo for great deals on your favorite brands.

[Mike Ryan]

Terms and exclusions apply.

[Dave Damashek]

Welcome to the Big Sui presented by DraftKings. Why are you listening to this show, the podcast that seems very similar to the other Dan LeBatard podcast?

[Dan Le Batard]

I'm sorry, I'm not going to apologize for that.

[Dave Damashek]

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

[Mike Ryan]

I've done it.

[Dave Damashek]

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

[Dan Le Batard]

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

[Dave Damashek]

Dave Damaschek is gonna join us here. Football America is a really good show. He does it with the Fuentes brothers. It comes out on Monday and Fridays, and he has a lot of fun and weird and football history as well. So there's a wide, wide net that he's casting twice a week on America. We will get to him in a second. But Jeremy, I want to go back to something here with Giannis. Jake Fisher has tweeted about the Bucs and their ask for Giannis. Quote, they're asking for the moon. One general manager told him Thursday morning, all of your young players and all of your draft picks. Now, Jeremy keeps saying to anyone who will listen that he is talking to Milwaukee reporters and they like the Heat deal better than the warriors deal. But Milwaukee reporters are not the ones making this trade. And I don't think Milwaukee reporters get to be sources. Where is it and how is it that you arrive at the Heat's offer being better than the warriors offer, other than those Bucs reporters having opinions because.

[Jeremy Woo]

They watch basketball, because of what the Heat can offer and what the Bucs reportedly want then. So they want blue chip prospects and they want future picks. The Heat can actually offer you both. As it presently stands, there are two parts of this the Heat can make maneuvers, sort of the move before the move that can add more picks and I'll get to that in just a second. But what the Heat offer right now, if it's every young player, it's Khale Ware, It's Jaime Hawkes Jr. Who's a sixth man of the year candidate right now at just 24 years old, it's Tyler Herro, an All star guard turning 26. And as much as we all around Heat fandom are constantly downplaying Hero because he has been a piece that many people have looked at as the thing that hasn't gotten them over the top. He's a 26 year old all star.

[Dan Le Batard]

Guard, can't stay healthy.

[Jeremy Woo]

And the Bucks, what you have to remember in all of this, they don't have their future picks beyond this year. So while they want to tank the rest of the season in order to build a core around the top level pick that they're about to get this year, they need to assemble a deeper young core moving forward. And do you want to do that with Jonathan Kaminga and Brandon Pajimski or do you want to do that with Khalil Ware? Casper Siakochonis, who was just a first round pick, who's a 19 year old point guard, Jaime Hak is junior potentially. Nico Jovic, that's something that can work for them. And the picks that they're going to get from the warriors if the warriors are really good over the next two, three years are all going to be at the end of the first round. So to me, when you look at that and you talk about potentially moving Hero and Wiggins as the salary instead of Jimmy Butler, what you're dealing with is two guys who will be on expiring deals next season who are future movable players for even more first round picks if you want them, or Tyler Herro you can give an extension and he can be one of the pieces during this stretch.

[Dave Damashek]

Do me a favor here, Howard Beck is saying the Lakers are involved. The writing is very small on your board so I can't see whether you have the Lakers 7 font I think. But do me the favor real quick with your back to us, just stand in front of the center of the board real quick. I just want you to stand in front of the center of the board. There's a reason I'm doing this. Just cover up the name of Giannis Antetokounmpo to the degree you can. And I want to ask everyone here in the room to try and spell the last name Antetokounmpo. Anybody. I want Damoshek to give it a Try as well. You're raising your hands as though. Are you confident about your ability to spell the name Antetokounmpo? You're confident, Damagek, do you want to give this a shot? Go ahead, Jeremy, you just make a buzzer sound as soon as Damoshek gets something wrong. Go ahead, Damachek. Go ahead and try and spell onto Takumbo.

[Dan Le Batard]

All right. A n, t, e. I'm writing this as I say it. That's why I'm looking down. A n t e k. No, wait. I'm going to slip. No, no, I know, I know.

[Dave Damashek]

No, you're out. Tony, go ahead and try and spell onto the compo.

[Mike Ryan]

A n t e, u.

[Dan Le Batard]

No, K, l, t. Not.

[Dave Damashek]

Okay. Mike, you want to take a shot at Antetokounmpo?

[Mike Ryan]

I'm not here to be deposed.

[Dave Damashek]

Chris, you want to take.

[Dan Le Batard]

Yeah, I won't take a quiz.

[Dave Damashek]

Okay. Zaslo wants to take a shot here. Let's go back to not going to take a shot.

[Dan Le Batard]

Right?

[Dave Damashek]

Let's go back.

[Jeremy Woo]

Jeremy can do it.

[Dave Damashek]

Let's go back to Damoshek here. Let's go back again to Damoshek. Damoshek. Go ahead and try again.

[Dan Le Batard]

A n t e t, a 10t. I mean e. No e E. All right, I'm out. I'm out. I'm out.

[Mike Ryan]

E k. Space. F R E, A k. Go ahead, Zaz.

[Dave Damashek]

You go ahead and take a shot at it.

[Dan Le Batard]

A n t E t, O k O u N P O. Ding, ding, ding.

[Mike Ryan]

Dave's.

[Dave Damashek]

Oh, that was.

[Dan Le Batard]

Color me impressed.

[Dave Damashek]

That was impressed. Look at him. Look at the swagger. And Zazlow over here after getting all his words wrong for the last.

[Dan Le Batard]

I'm an excellent speller. I can't speak, but you can spell. Excellent speller. Zaz in. In four. No, fifth grade, I. We had a spelling quiz every Friday, and me and Kristen Larson had not missed a word about two thirds of the way through the school year. 0 like. And there was a. Like it was a. You know, a perfect star for every time you got a perfect score on the spelling quiz. And then one spring day, Kristen Larson missed a word. And Danishek continued his streak all the way through the fifth grade. Never missed a single word in the spelling quiz. How about that claim to fame?

[Dave Damashek]

It is amazing how much more interesting you found that than the rest of us.

[Dan Le Batard]

Also, despite a lack of raw foot speed in little league in three seasons, 34 for. 34 in stolen basis. How about that?

[Dave Damashek]

So you were. You were a smart, smart. Color me impressed. All right. Put it on the poll at LeBatard show as a base stealer. Was Damoshek a good speller at Lebatard show?

[Dan Le Batard]

Cunning of the mongoose. Let me tell you this very quickly because I know you like to interrupt and my time is short here. And so I'm going to get it all out as quickly as I can. First of all, best football movie ever. All the right moves. Shout out to Lethal Weapon. A fun little. A fun little football scene.

[Dave Damashek]

Spit it out, man.

[Dan Le Batard]

Dazzle and I talked about. I was right about QB wins. Take that many times. Try to grapple with the fact that your hero Sam Darnold now is burnished his legacy for all of time by winning that game. Make sense of that1. Best TV show to rewatch is the Simpsons. Curb your enthusiasm is better than Seinfeld. How about them Penguins? And I need to confess, I did not vote for Bill Belichick for the hall of Fame. Mostly because I don't have a vote.

[Dave Damashek]

Put it on the poll at LeBatard show. Mostly, huh? Is Curb youb Enthusiasm better than Seinfeld? I don't know what the mathematical odds would have to be against the idea that you'd have two running series so popular that Curb your enthusiasm could end with fixing the Seinfeld ending. Because you have two series involving two characters that can rewrite a joke that is 12 years old. Like, the odds against that are crazy. Let's talk about something else. That the odds are crazy against your interest in this Super Bowl. Ostensibly. If I were to not give you these teams and just simply say we have in front of us the most unlikely super bowl of all time. There has never been a 60 to 1 and an 80 to 1 odds teams facing each other. Everybody would be excited about that in the abstract. Why are they less excited about that in the actual?

[Dan Le Batard]

Well, because you were getting at it about 10, 20 minutes ago, Dan. It's about who the champion has to go through to become the champion. It's the competition around you. It's Ali being in the same era with Frazier and with Foreman and Norton and all the rest of them. The reason I hold up the Pittsburgh Steelers as the greatest dynasty of the super bowl era is because of the competition around them. In that era, the 70s included the mighty Miami Dolphins, the Dallas Cowboys, the Oakland Raiders, the Minnesota Vikings. The Rams were real good, and so on. If I told you or asked you to make a list of the 10 or 12 greatest teams of the super bowl era, I just named roughly a third or half of the teams that would make that list and who stood head and shoulders above them all. The Pittsburgh Steelers four times out of a half dozen years. That's what makes them great is the competition. And there is a sense of like we've talked about, parody is. Is a negative. It is mediocrity. It's just a synonym for mediocrity is parody. And only thank goodness for Woody Johnson and for Jimmy Haslam and their ineptitude or otherwise it would just lay bare the fact that this is just basically a communist operation where every team's number eventually comes up.

[Dave Damashek]

This is the best argument I can make on behalf of the Patriots winning this game. Tell me if you have a better one. The best argument I can make you weren't watching football all season. If you think Darnold has been the last two games. What he was over a 10 game stretch toward the end of the season. The San Francisco 49ers were broken and the Rams defense is bad. So there is the possibility that the Patriots defense can actually make Sam Darnold look like Sam Darnold. Again, that's my best argument. Do you have a better one?

[Dan Le Batard]

Yeah, well, I mean, I think it has more to do with as much as I perpetuate the narrative of big spot for Sam Darnold and can he, you know, QB wins in the postseason and all of that. The reality of who he is is that he has games where he throws multiple picks and that would be the Patriots big shot in this one to be able to do that. The other side of it is though, the weird conversation that's emerged around Drake May and that he's been bad against better competition, which, I mean in terms of passing numbers and you know, the weather probably impacted him a bit in Denver too. But it still counts if you're a quarterback and you make plays with your legs. I know we celebrate Lamar Jackson and Josh Allen when they do. Somehow Drake May is diminished for that. Well, look at his Look. He threw 50% completion rate.

[Dave Damashek]

Yeah.

[Dan Le Batard]

He also made decisive plays that won them the game ultimately in the AFC title game. And that still counts even if he does it against the Seahawks.

[Dave Damashek]

Couldn't I make the argument? I don't know if I can make it because I haven't looked at it statistically that Drake May was the best runner at the position this year. Given that Lamar Jackson wasn't running very much this year.

[Dan Le Batard]

I mean, off the top of my head, obviously I don't know. But yeah, I mean, I think, you know, it was a consistent factor for the Patriots all season long. Yeah.

[Mike Ryan]

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[Dan Le Batard]

And that.

[Mike Ryan]

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[Mike Ryan]

This is the Dan lebatar Show with the Stuz.

[Dave Damashek]

Justin Herbert was great at a necessity running for his life the last five games or so. But Drake May did do that all season.

[Mike Ryan]

So if I get on design runs, I think Herbert had so many scramble yards.

[Dave Damashek]

But if I also Drake May has a ton of scramble yards too though. But if I give you a quarterback in one game, answer me this question, okay? Do you want Sam Darnold or you do. Do you want the quarterback who's the best deep ball passer in the league and runs better than anyone else in the league?

[Dan Le Batard]

Oh, that is a great question that I haven't considered All. So basically the question is all things being equal, right? We're not trying to assess Drake May with the no.

[Dave Damashek]

All. All I'm I'm doing what I'm doing is the D. Darnold reputation and all the things that Darnold is against all the things May is going to be because he's already the best deep ball thrower in the league and we just said he's the best runner at the position in the league too. So you're headed into the biggest game of your life. What's the skill set that you want?

[Dan Le Batard]

I the skill set you want because I have the baggage of Sam Darnold. The stink is off now. That's, that's the magic, that's the voodoo of winning in big spots is that it imbues you with a different level of confidence. Whereas I do suspect Drake May probably has some doubt. Man, I have not played well these last few weeks against high end competition and and now I have to play probably the best defense in the league raw. I mean just like in a vacuum. I guess I like at this point Drake May skill set better, as you say. You just identified the two greatest qualities he has which are the deep shots and the ability to functionally scramble and run design plays.

[Dave Damashek]

No. And he's also great against the blitz. 17 touchdowns, no interceptions. But this is where I would quibble with you though. I know everyone says the Seahawks are the best defense in the league, but what they're best at is stopping the Run they don't allow hundred yard rushers. The last two defenses he's played I think are harder for a quarterback to pass against than the one he's about to play.

[Dan Le Batard]

Yeah, I guess so. I mean we're splitting hairs if we're debating Seahawks or Texans. I think the Broncos are probably just a tick below those other two. You know, those not pass rush.

[Dave Damashek]

They're not, not pass rush. They're not right.

[Dan Le Batard]

But, but, but that's secondary and specifically those big corners can, can really, can really beat up. I mean Stefan Diggs and otherwise, I mean I don't like. I mean that's the, the case by the way for Drake May over Matthew Stafford is the MVP is the weapons that, that, that they respectively had. One guy was throwing it to PUK and Nakua and Devonte Adams and the other one throwing it to old Stefan Diggs and Hunter Henry. I mean you know, that's, that's the case in my. By the way, one, one is division, the other one finished third. But yeah, I think that, that obviously the, the inability to run the ball. Well, let's assume that the Seahawks are going to be able to take that away. Now the game's all on Drake May's shoulders with Stefan Diggs against those big corners. I don't love that matchup for him.

[Mike Ryan]

Dave, impromptu drip drill here. The super bowl uniform matchup. I was worried about this one because navy is prominent in both these uniforms. Now the AFC is the home team and rather than go with the home uniforms, I think this was a good development. The Patriots have opted for their all white ensemble which not the greatest look in their arsenal, but in terms of color clash does lens itself to something that is a bit easier on the eye. So I want your takeaway on the uniform matchup. And do these uniforms look too busy with a Debut of the America 250 patch?

[Dan Le Batard]

Well, I like that you're providing a little ray of sunshine there, Mike. That, that, that's nice of you to do because to be honest with you, this uniform matchup sucks. And part of the reason it sucks is because of the distance between what the reality will be and what is available. I know that they'll say well you're not supposed to wear your throwbacks and, and all that crap. But listen, it, it would be gorgeous. The Pat Patriot don't you know Pat Patriot. The white ones are nice with the red pantaloons and, and you know I'm snapping the ball. You ever notice by the way that Pat Patriot if you kind of blur your eyes it looks like Bill Belichick, by the way. Bill Belichick definitely not rooting for the Patriots in this game. And I also suspect Tom Brady isn't rooting for the Patriots. But, but the Seahawks, if they would wear the royal blue and the silver and the kelly green, it would be beautiful. Instead, we get that. We get this nightmare of a matchup. It's just, it's just an atrocity for the eyes.

[Mike Ryan]

Dave, While there is precedent for a team opting for throwbacks in a Super bowl, the Patriots and the Rams squared off and the Rams opted for a throwback look. It's a pretty unprecedented move. So of the traditional looks available, I.

[Dan Le Batard]

Do think, would anybody balk if they did it? Who would complain if that's what they did? If they said, yeah, we decided we're going Pat Patriot. And by the way, I've talked with high end Patriots Chris Long and otherwise from the Brady era with the Patriots. We resolved way back when and now the ship has sailed. When Brady left, so too should the flying Elvis uniforms. That should have been an era that stood on its own in New England lore. And then they should have reverted back to Pat Patriot and we would be, we'd all be much happier.

[Mike Ryan]

Too many patches. Too many patches on these things.

[Dan Le Batard]

If I start shaking my fist and pounding the table about patches on uniforms, I'm just going to make myself loco and hurt my hand.

[Dave Damashek]

Put it on the poll, please. At LeBatard show is Belichick rooting for the Patriots in this Super Bowl? And also put it on the poll. At LeBatard show is Tom Brady rooting for the Patriots in this Super Bowl? I made a mistake there.

[Dan Le Batard]

I have a quick story for you, Dan. I once was at a Super bowl in Houston, Texas. Texas. And I would, I had an interview book. Yeah, you gotta sit there and listen. This is a good story. I, I had an interview with the quarterback of the Houston Texans early one morning. And, and he showed up and, and, oh, hello, Deshaun Watson, I'm Dave, it's nice to meet you. And we had a pleasant conversation that ran about 15, 20 minutes. And somewhere along the way I asked him because Trevor Lawrence had just won another national title for the Clemson Tigers. And I said, this is great stuff. What an era. You win a title. Trevor. You don't want Trevor Lawrence one though, do you? And he said, why wouldn't I want that? And I said, well, because then that would obviously make two for him and make him the greatest Clemson quarterback of all time. And we chuckled and we moved on to whatever other subject. And about an hour later, I received a phone call that desean did not like.

[Mike Ryan]

That question I never thought I would miss.

[Dave Damashek]

Jeremy, the worst part about that, okay, is that the worst part about that is we're getting his Football America recycled shit. It's not even fresh. It's not even that. He just thinks it's a good story.

[Mike Ryan]

He just microwaved the turd, Dan.

[Dave Damashek]

Yeah, he microwaved the turd from Football America. Like that. And I. And I wanted to interrupt the story with Jessica snoring, but I got in her monologue over there waving me off.

[Dan Le Batard]

That's a good story.

[Dave Damashek]

Yeah, but I heard it already because you're giving us your recycled goop.

[Dan Le Batard]

You caught me. All right. I have. I have no. I have.

[Jeremy Woo]

No.

[Dave Damashek]

Not only did I catch you, the worst part of it is, do you realize that I can give the audience nothing better than I made a mistake there. And that's what you interrupted. I started with, let me correct a mistake I made. It's the best thing I can give the audience. And you're like, nope, let me give him some recycled shit a big turd burger.

[Dan Le Batard]

Listen, mistakes were made, but let's not live life in the rearview mirror, Dan.

[Dave Damashek]

The mistake I made is saying that Drake May is a better runner at quarterback than Josh Allen. You cannot put him ahead of Josh Allen.

[Dan Le Batard]

Right, right, right, right.

[Dave Damashek]

But we have. Coming up later in the show, we have. This is rare around here. We don't do it very much. A starting NFL quarterback.

[Mike Ryan]

And I told you it was damn good, too. I told you that.

[Dave Damashek]

That doesn't mean anything.

[Dan Le Batard]

You say everyone.

[Dave Damashek]

Coming from you, it means nothing.

[Mike Ryan]

Called vision, Dan.

[Dave Damashek]

They're a good quarterback. It's not. No. Who is the starting NFL quarterback? That would excite you the least, Dave, Starting NFL quarterback.

[Jeremy Woo]

I don't want to play this game.

[Dan Le Batard]

Can it be somebody who did start a game this year? Sure. We've got Tits Pad Tits Mac Jones.

[Dave Damashek]

Be a good get.

[Mike Ryan]

Honest McCorkle is great. He's a fun get. He grittied with. With Chris at the super bowl. Once.

[Dave Damashek]

We have an NFL starting quarterback joining later in the show, but I believe it's the one that most would say.

[Mike Ryan]

What are you doing?

[Dave Damashek]

Just don't finish that sentence. Everyone knows where you're going.

[Dan Le Batard]

I think it's a good one.

[Mike Ryan]

It's a great book.

[Dave Damashek]

What's the worst that could happen?

[Dan Le Batard]

I'd most like to hear. Well, two is the guy who's too honest, so it would be fun to hear from him. About this super bowl matchup. I think that the most interesting guy to hear on the microphone these days who plays quarterback is Bake. Mike Ryan's guy, one time MVP candidate up until about week 11.

[Dave Damashek]

According to Mike Ryan, football America, Mondays and Fridays. Check out the material before he recycles it, heats it up and serves it as a turd on our show. See you later.

[Dan Le Batard]

I'm sorry that happened. I got caught.

[Dave Damashek]

Get out of here.

[Dan Le Batard]

I am sorry. Let's go, Pens.

[Dave Damashek]

How about that, Penguins? Roy here. Enough of you. I've had enough of you. But, Roy, what are you. You're talking.

[Dan Le Batard]

He's hearing me. Wherever he is, he's hearing me. And he knows the truth. Look out for 87, everybody. Panthers indeed.

[Dave Damashek]

Chris, I'd like to ask you a question. Just curiosity, as someone who cares about how this show sounds. Dave Damoshek and his general Peking at the beginning of this screaming at us in a way that distorts all our microphones. How did you feel? That's on me. I need to be better there with the levels. Okay, that's on you. All right.

[Dan Le Batard]

I need to know when he shows up.

[Mike Ryan]

Put it to half.

[Dave Damashek]

Okay.

[Jeremy Woo]

Picture chicken nuggets in your head. Okay. Now forget them because Taco Bell's crispy chicken nuggets are here. And they're nothing like the nuggets, you know, all white meat chicken coated in tortilla chips for that signature Taco Bell crunch. A nugget like that calls for a sauce that can keep up. Introducing Hidden Valley Diablo Ranch, the iconic ranch you love. Fired up with Taco Bell Diablo sauce Bold meets Boulder. Ranch meets Diablo. And it works. Crispy chicken nuggets from Taco Bell, a brand new classic at participating US Taco Bell locations for a limited time only, while supplies last.

[Dave Damashek]

Don Lerd. While there's nothing official and conversations are still ongoing.

[Jeremy Woo]

Was that a fake chef dirt?

[Dan Le Batard]

Because it was pretty good. It was excellent.

[Mike Ryan]

I feel like there's legs.

[Dave Damashek]

Yeah. Tried at the beginning and then I lost confidence in it.

[Dan Le Batard]

Good.

[Mike Ryan]

It was good.

[Dave Damashek]

You got this. Nothing official. Conversations are still ongoing.

[Mike Ryan]

ST.

[Dave Damashek]

It is trending towards Nick Sirianni remaining the head coach of the Eagles. This is the Dan Lebatar show with the st. Mike Ryan, where were you last night? What were you doing last night? And how fun or not fun was it?

[Mike Ryan]

It was plenty fun. I was at a championship celebration. Miami has won four pro sports championships in the last 12 months. We are title Town USA. Can you count them? Dan, you have Inter Miami. You have the back to back Florida Panthers. You obviously have the Cyclones in battle court. And you have Miami 305, the big three champions. Mario Chalmers hit the game winning shot in an iconic final.

[Dan Le Batard]

Ice cold.

[Mike Ryan]

All right. Four championships in 12 months. We're not often associated with the title of title town, but we went to Coconut grand right next to your old stomping grounds where you got arrested that one time by Barracuda. And we celebrated with the big three champions, Miami 305. And if you're not familiar with the roster, great South Florida sports luminaries and Lance Stevenson. Howdy everyone. It's Mike Ryan, Tony Kaladiyud, Sean McGill. Approximately 75% of all tall Cubans are here in Coconut Grove. We are here to celebrate Miami 305 big three champs. Miami's title town.

[Dan Le Batard]

Make some noise for your 20, 25 big three champions of your Miami 305.

[Mike Ryan]

Let's go talk to some champs. Here with Reggie Evans. Reggie, how's it feel, man? Championship. Bring it to Miami. How do you feel the transition was from NBA to Big three? Oh, it wasn't too bad, you know what I'm saying? Cause we didn't play the game for so long, so we know how to adapt to anything. Yo, my man, a champion mascot. Here you go. The only flamingo to never skip leg day right there. What's the name?

[Dan Le Batard]

Fling.

[Mike Ryan]

What's Miami without a fling? You got the best nickname in NBA history. Born Ready. Where to come from? How do you feel about it?

[Dave Damashek]

All right, my name came from Rucker Park. Barbito gave me Born Ready and I stuck with it since now. Hey, look, we still got it, baby.

[Mike Ryan]

You play Miami so much in the playoffs, in the NBA now coming down and bringing a championship down to Miami. How does it feel?

[Dave Damashek]

Oh, man, it feel great. I mean, you know, it was a viral team, but you know, I had to get down with the Miami squad and we got the ring, so.

[Mike Ryan]

All right, we're here with the greatest number six in Miami Heat franchise history. The man, he's not only won an NBA title, he's not only won an NCAA title, he's not only won a Big three title, he's won a FIBA Champions League title. He is a four time champion all across the globe. That gets you in the hall of Fame, Mario Chalmers, do you agree with that? And do you agree that you are the greatest number six in the history of the Miami Heat? I agree with the hall of Fame.

[Dan Le Batard]

But I definitely think I should get a nod. But the six, you gotta get at LeBron.

[Dave Damashek]

Come on now.

[Mike Ryan]

All right, we'll settle for the greatest, number 15 in Miami Heat history. All right, so obviously we're recognizing champions here. Mike just got recognized GM of the Year. Look what they brought him. A nice ice cold margarita, complimentary. They said, you're a champion, right? And he said, yes, of course. They asked me if I wanted a margarita, and I said, I'm working. Bring it over here. With legendary Miami Hurricane, Jack McClinton, founding member of Miami 305, built this incredible world champion big three roster. We have something in common outside of our passion for the Miami Hurricanes. You know, I'm a bit of a GM myself. I built the Battle Corps Champions. You built the big Three champions. How do you identify a championship, Big Three side, Jack?

[Dave Damashek]

I'm a part of the process, but there's a lot of moving parts. It's great ownership, you know, great partners. We got great players. We want guys that are dogs. We don't care about nothing else about. We want good energy, we want dogs. Guys are going to fight for the prize.

[Mike Ryan]

Jack, how great was it beating the out of the Ohio State Buckeyes in that cotton ball?

[Dave Damashek]

Ohio State and Miami, let's go.

[Mike Ryan]

Game on the line, five seconds left. You're bringing the ball up court. Mario Chalmers is bringing the ball up court. Who is more likely to hit a dagger? You are real.

[Dave Damashek]

Go, Mario. Chers, did you. Did you see the Big Three? Did you watch it?

[Mike Ryan]

Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, I've seen it, Mario. I've been telling the boys over at the show, Michael Beasley, one of the coldest bucket getters of all time. Okay? No matter what, can you give me a top five bucket getters in the NBA?

[Dave Damashek]

All time.

[Mike Ryan]

All time. I put Rio on the. On the spot, too.

[Dave Damashek]

You got to put bees in there. You got to put kd, Kobe.

[Mike Ryan]

Okay?

[Dave Damashek]

You got Michael Jordan first Kobe. Cameron Durant, one of my personal favorites.

[Dan Le Batard]

Is always gonna be D. Wade.

[Dave Damashek]

Okay?

[Dan Le Batard]

And then MJ. MJ.

[Mike Ryan]

Steph Curry, okay.

[Dave Damashek]

LeBron, man.

[Dan Le Batard]

LeBron. Okay.

[Mike Ryan]

We got some legends, we got some goats in the bucket. Getter conversation.

[Dan Le Batard]

Mike.

[Mike Ryan]

305, baby. Brought it to the house. Let's go.

[Dave Damashek]

Think about Lance. And I would say every game he was trying to fight. Not. Not fight like fight, but like his energy was ready. We trying to win. I don't care who we playing. It was a first seed, last seed. Lance traded, like, the championship. Every game. It was a championship for Lance, and we won a championship. He treated every game like that. He treated me like a brother. That's love.

[Mike Ryan]

Team 305, man. Appreciate you guys. Thank you so much.

[Dave Damashek]

Why does no one who has played in the NBA understand the bucket get.

[Mike Ryan]

They don't get it down.

[Dave Damashek]

How is it that no one understands? You can't put Beasley with Michael Jordan.

[Mike Ryan]

Yeah, we were. We were very.

[Dan Le Batard]

You gotta have Beasley.

[Mike Ryan]

We were very kind to Lance Stevenson in the edit on number two, he just stared blankly for 35 seconds.

[Dave Damashek]

Well, he was big. I mean, he was obvious.

[Mike Ryan]

It was a title celebration.

[Jeremy Woo]

A bit of a cross situation.

[Mike Ryan]

We had a couple things in there.

[Dave Damashek]

I asked Mike Ryan today, did you blow in Lance's face? Like, because we were close.

[Mike Ryan]

I was anglin for it, you know, wouldn't have noticed. Here's the thing. Very disrespectful move to be a, you know, a surprise. I didn't feel like I was like a cranky anchor. Right. I don't want to surprise him with blowing him in his ear. He would have kicked my ass. These basketball players, tall, big. Mario Chalmers is my size.

[Dan Le Batard]

Yo, Mario Chalmers. I mean, you laid out the resume there. Dude's only all time winners.

[Mike Ryan]

I actually shorted him because he's a multiple time NBA champion and he also won a Greek league and for two of those titles, he hit the shot that won the title.

[Dan Le Batard]

He's won it every level.

[Mike Ryan]

If it's the Basketball hall of Fame. Yeah. Legendary Kansas Jayhawk has his jersey retired.

[Dan Le Batard]

He was serious when he said that.

[Mike Ryan]

Dude, I. Why not? He has a good argument when you look at what he's done globally. Find me a bigger global winner than Mario Chalmers. I'm not. I know this sounds funny, but you think so. I know so. But I can make a logical, sound argument that he deserves to be in the Basketball hall of Fame. When you look at his career on the whole, because I can't name a bigger global winner.

[Dave Damashek]

One of the things that was funny about that conversation with Mario Chalmers is that. That it's as humble as I've ever heard him merely saying that, yes, I should be in the hall of Fame because he finally conceded. Well, LeBron as the number six, is probably the better player.

[Jeremy Woo]

Fifteen.

[Mike Ryan]

I'll take that.

[Dave Damashek]

I have not heard him say that, though he generally. LeBron would make fun of Mario Chalmers all the time for thinking that he was as good as LeBron. Like, that's not a concession. Mario Chalmers. I haven't even actually. Even though it's obvious, it's not a concession I've heard Mario Chalmers make before.

[Mike Ryan]

I had a private moment with Rio in which I also coined the nickname Rio 5. I pulled him aside. I was like, hey, your second go around with the Heat. A lot of fanfare, but you never saw the court. I still hold resentment against spo. I don't even remember that Mario Chalmers signed like a 10 day DMP and he, he never got in a game and he never gave us Heat fans that one last riot.

[Dan Le Batard]

I have no recollection of that.

[Mike Ryan]

Speaking of basketball players, when I talked to Reggie Evans, me and him shook hands and his hand was like, from my. The tip of my hand to like my elbow. And then I touched him in his.

[Dan Le Batard]

Back and I. I was like, jesus.

[Mike Ryan]

I don't know how anybody ever got a rebound again.

[Jeremy Woo]

Dude, that guy is solid.

[Mike Ryan]

That guy's like a grizzly bear.

[Dave Damashek]

So you guys are really surprised that a great rebounder in the NBA would be big and strong.

[Mike Ryan]

He's actually kind of like undersized for how he was bigger than I was.

[Dave Damashek]

He was.

[Mike Ryan]

I wasn't surprised that Reggie Evans was imposing. I wasn't surprised that Michael Beasley was big or Sean Williams, Lance Stevenson doing that stuff on the wings. Being one of the more athletic guys, that was a little surprising to see, like his size. But the one that really shocked me the most was I had no idea Mario Chalmers was my height. He was like 6, 3. I mean, he's one of the little guys on the court.

[Dave Damashek]

Well, there are a number of ways and times that people get surprised. Over my lifetime, over the size of people. Peyton Manning and Tom Brady. People are often surprised by how big those two people are. This one is funny, Shaq. It's always surprising to people, and I don't understand how that one is surprising to people, but it's always surprising to people. How long Shaquille o' Neal is. Brandon Marshall came through here this week. Giant. I don't know how any cornerback ever covered anything that was happening there. Darren Waller came through here, and I want to actually play a clip. Another clip from Darren Waller in this south beach session with Darren Waller. For those of you who may not be interested in Darren Waller or even the Dolphins, this is a human being whose journey has been interesting. And he's wildly introspective about some of the things that he's had to do in order to keep himself mentally sane. And one of the things that he has had to do is going to be played in a clip here. I urge you, if you really want to know that there's a human being inside of some of those uniforms. Darren Waller in this south beach session was interesting. For a lot of different reasons. But one of the reasons is how he copes with addiction to things and an addictive personality.

[Mike Ryan]

I saw somebody on Tick Tock, they put in the term. I guess the term is called raw dogging now. I guess it used to always just mean like sex with no condom. But now it's like they no Internet now. It's like having time of your day where you're. They call raw dogging life. So it's like time where it's like I said my, I said a 30 minute timer, put my phone down. I just sit there because like a lot of what my makeup is, is just like the next high, like the next thing. Like something to get me out of sitting with things. And so it's like that 30 minute window of just like absolute nothing.

[Dave Damashek]

Not even meditation. It's just still with yourself and be comfortable with yourself. Even if it's uncomfortable. Do not get distracted.

[Mike Ryan]

Right. Meditation is outside of that.

[Dave Damashek]

What are you smiling about, Zaslo?

[Dan Le Batard]

I mean, if I just sat, sat down for 30 minutes doing that, I'd fall asleep. I mean, how did you stay awake? Just pass out.

[Mike Ryan]

I'd probably jerk off. Forgot to do the inner monologue button there. I said what. I said.

[Dave Damashek]

That would be great.

[Mike Ryan]

I stand by.

[Dave Damashek]

He attached that to me as the inner monologue.

[Mike Ryan]

I didn't want to do that to you.

[Dave Damashek]

Oh, thank you for your. Thank you for your grace and moment.

[Mike Ryan]

I'll jump on that grenade. I'll say what everybody. That was everybody's 30 minute, 30 minute monologue. Well, yeah, without Internet. Yeah, no Internet.

[Dan Le Batard]

Well, that's what I'm saying, dude.

[Mike Ryan]

That's raw dogging it.

[Dan Le Batard]

Good luck.

[Mike Ryan]

You got to go back into the bank.

[Dave Damashek]

O. Let's go out again to Jeremy to see if there are any updates on the Giannis Antetokounmpo situation.

[Jeremy Woo]

I've just been trying to figure out three team trades that if the Heat don't get Giannis, if the Lakers are in on it, maybe LeBron James comes back. But when you're talking about these two trades here, I, I mentioned before that Tyler Hero and Andrew Wiggins, if those were the guys that Milwaukee wanted because they wanted to have pieces for next year where they could compete, that helps their young core and, and they're both movable contracts individually. The Jimmy Butler money is what everybody's talking about. Jimmy Butler coming off an ACL injury for a potential two month run with another team as $54 million, that's one movable piece is probably going to be tougher to to put out in the market than Tyler Herro and Andrew Wiggins because Jimmy Butler didn't have a market before the injury. Now, as an expiring contract, he may for a championship team team. But those are two pieces of this conversation and the thing we really have to look at as well. Everyone keeps coming back to the Heat having just two picks available to them. But the Heat have several different expiring contracts. They have different movable young pieces. So if they have conversations with Milwaukee about, all right, what's the package that you're looking for? It needs to include four picks and three pick swaps, like the Warriors. Okay, which young guys do you want to have as a piece of of this going with it? What money do you want? Do you want the expiring contracts of, say, Terry Rozier and Simone Fontechio, or do you want the guys you can have for next year in Tyler Herro and Andrew Wiggins? Whatever it is that you want, the Heat can take that and look at the rest of their roster and try to maneuver for a pick in 2027. Why does that matter? If you get that pick in 2027 and you can convince Charlotte to convey the pick, all of your picks open up and you have far and away the best package in the NBA For Giannis Antetokounmpo.

[Dave Damashek]

I wonder what Mike does with the other 29 minutes.