Top 5 Chokes In Sports History | Postgame Show

Summary

Podcast Summary: "Top 5 Chokes In Sports History | Postgame Show"

Podcast: The Dan Le Batard Show with Stugotz
Hosts: Dan Le Batard, Stugotz
Date: June 11, 2026
Location: Elser Hotel, Downtown Miami
Episode Theme:
This lively postgame episode sees Dan, Stugotz, Juju, Tony, Greg, and others debate the art of the sports "choke," ranking the worst in history and dissecting a wild Knicks-Spurs game. Along with signature humor, they riff on sports pop culture moments, celebrity courtside drama, and poll results that range from basketball etiquette to Michael Jackson.

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Episode Overview

The crew opens by recapping an epic NBA collapse and uses it to launch a spirited "Top 5 Chokes in Sports" countdown. Spirited debates break out over the magnitude of specific sports disasters, the greatest play in Knicks' history, and whether the comedic pain or joy of celebrity fandom trumps the agony of blown leads.
Concurrent sidebars cover celebrity courtside politics, Taylor Swift-Scooter Braun beef, and running inside jokes about current Knicks legends.

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Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. Recapping the Knicks-Spurs Game and "Choke" Dynamics

• Juju: Calls the previous night "pretty high" on the choke scale, crediting both the Knicks’ excellence and the Spurs’ collapse. Proclaims OG Anunoby “the best Knick ever” for his late-game heroics.
  • Quote: "That tip was not no regular tip. That was a tip with some, some arc on it...OG has moved himself into number one position. Best Nick ever." (02:57)
• Tony: Compares Anunoby’s tip to Patrick Ewing’s famous missed finger roll, suggesting this new play erases decades of Knicks pain.
  • Quote: "You can make the case, like I know Juju wants, he's the greatest Nick. Now you can make the case. That's the greatest sequence by an individual player possibly in Knicks history." (04:05)
• Poll Debate: Should Anunoby’s play now surpass Larry Johnson’s four-point play in franchise lore? The panel wrestles with generational bias and the emotional value of each play.

2. Juju’s Top 5 All-Time Sports Chokes

• Juju: Reveals his personal top five “chokes,” hijacking the segment with a tongue-in-cheek but deeply engaged countdown:
  1. Warriors blow 3-1 lead vs. Cavaliers (NBA Finals)
  2. Falcons blow 28-3 Super Bowl lead vs. Patriots
     • Tony immediately calls this his own top pick. (06:22)
  3. Bomani Jones chokes… (joke entry referencing a fellow ESPN personality)
  4. Alexa Grasso chokes out Macy Barber (UFC, literal choke)
  5. Latest Spurs collapse vs. Knicks – Juju ranks it as “number one” in the heat of the moment:
     • Quote: "This the number one joke ever, man...the spurs...choked it away." (06:46)

3. Sidebar: Celebrity Courtside Drama & Taylor Swift

• Greg and Tony: Dive into how celebrity seating works at big games (02:11). Sydney Sweeney, Scooter Braun, and Taylor Swift all get name-checked amid speculation about relationship and feud dynamics.
  • Quote: "People paid $50,000 for courtside seats. They're going to take that revenue over putting Jeremy Strong courtside." (02:03)
• Dan: Unaware of Taylor Swift's feud with Scooter Braun, sheepishly admits: "I'm not all caught up on everything..." (02:39)
• Juju: Jokes about Taylor's habit of writing post-breakup songs: "She does that sometimes. Good job, Dan." (02:47)

4. Iconic Knicks Moments — Ranking Plays

• Tony & Greg: Argue if Anunoby’s put-back trumps all, with Larry Johnson’s four-pointer as the prior gold standard.
  • Recurring Joke: Assigning point values to famous Knicks moments for comedic effect: "Larry Johnson's like, I made one that was worth four, but that one seems like it's worth four and a half at least." (04:47)
• Tony (sarcastic): "30 years from now when I am doing this show, I'm going to say this is the best Knicks feeling since that Anunoby tip that was worth four and a half points. Be quiet. Me. Shut up." (05:03)

5. Poll Results & Humor

• Juju: Updates on the day's quirky polls, providing both data and comic commentary:
  • Should screens be allowed in pickup ball? (67% yes) (07:34)
  • Was it strange to see Larry David happy? (92% yes) — features a sidesplitting visual of Larry nearly fainting courtside (08:12)
  • Collapse or comeback? (68% say collapse) (08:50)
  • Do you feel guilty for liking Michael Jackson? (54% say no) (09:46)
  • Notable Moment: "Did Charles Barkley go Spurs money line last night? 94% say yes." (09:06)
• Female Panelist (re: pickup screens): "You can’t screen anybody, dork. Go do math." (07:52)
• Greg/Panel: Ongoing riff about confusion between Malik Monk and "the Monks," with Tony cracking: "The Monk family. You think we were referring to the Monks as someone was confused." (10:31)

6. Basketball Pop Culture & Meta-Humor

• The show is peppered with inside jokes, running references to Wu-Tang Clan, Method Man, and Raekwon, and self-aware cracks about generational knowledge and sports nostalgia.
  • Dan proudly claims street cred for seeing Wu-Tang live: "My first ever concert. Wu Tang. I get street cred, right?" (01:21)
  • Juju quick with support: "Yes, sir. 100% street cred, 1,000%." (01:31)
• Meta moment: Tony, on the idiocy of sports fandom and analysis: "We saw the dumbest basketball team in the history of civilization." (10:42)

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Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• Juju (on Knicks win): "I think OG Anunoby might be the best Nick ever right now. If they pull this off, I think he is the greatest Nick ever..."
• Tony (on fan pain): "It's not just that he had the tip. He had the tip and he was further from the basketball when it left Jalen Brunson's hands than anybody but Brunson." (03:39)
• Greg (on celebrity seating): "People paid $50,000 for courtside seats. They're going to take that revenue over putting Jeremy Strong courtside." (02:03)
• Larry Johnson (via Tony): "I made one that was worth four, but that one seems like it's worth four and a half at least." (04:50)
• Juju (poll result): "Do you feel guilty when you're enjoying Michael Jackson's music? 54% of the audience says, nope. Oh, wow." (09:46)
• Tony (on basketball stupidity): "We saw the dumbest basketball team in the history of civilization." (10:42)

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Timestamps for Key Segments

• [02:57] Juju debates Knicks’ choke vs. Spurs collapse; OG Anunoby love-fest
• [04:05] Dan and Tony: Anunoby’s sequence as greatest Knicks play ever
• [05:14] Juju introduces his "Top 5 Chokes in Sports History"
• [05:51] Juju’s complete top five choke list
• [08:12] Larry David courtside reaction to Knicks’ near-collapse
• [09:06] Poll: Did Charles Barkley bet the Spurs money line?
• [10:42] Tony’s "dumbest basketball team in the history of civilization" line

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Tone and Style

The episode features rapid-fire banter, playful jabs at each others’ sports knowledge, and running pop culture references. The mood is energetic, sarcastic, and a bit absurdist, with each panelist eager to one-up the last on cleverness, fandom pain, or nostalgia flexing.

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Summary

For sports fans and pop-culture junkies alike, this episode delivers the signature Le Batard blend: deeply unserious, unexpectedly insightful, and always ready with a poll, a side-tangent, or a “best-ever” list.
Whether you care about OG Anunoby’s tip, Taylor Swift’s exes, or just hearing basketball discussed like a fever dream, this installment gives you a hilarious ringside seat.

Transcript

[Tony]

Foreign.

[Juju]

Thunder is presented by DraftKings. DraftKings. The Crown is yours, Juju. Shabba man. Thursday Thunder hit goal last week. You dig me? And we gonna replicate that action again tonight. First leg, I'm going with queen Asia Wilson for over 10 rebounds tonight against the FL Fire. Next leg, Jonqu Jones is bringing her behind to Atlanta to play the dream tonight. And damn it, she going to get 8.5 rebounds. And the last leg. The bridge is over. The bridge is over, boy. Bye. Bye. Bridget Carlton. I'm going with my sister for under 3, third N under 13.5 points tonight against the Aces. Lock that in.

[Tony]

He won his last one, Zaz. He won his last one by betting against Cornette. Under two and a half points.

[Dan]

Oh, yeah, we made. We made fun of him.

[Juju]

And he went to the free throw line early in that game. I remember thinking that, wow, first quarter. Yeah.

[Dan]

Juju, how about the Revelation? We had Method man and Raekwon on the show today. How about the Revelation? My first ever concert. Wu Tang. I get street cred, right?

[Juju]

Yes, sir. 100% street cred, 1,000%. And you get more street cred because you do the show every day with two Wu Tang members, Jeremy Tashay and Greg Cody.

[Tony]

If you remember, I was surprised by what Hank told us about that celebrity suite. Like, that's a little bit crazy even. Even by the standards of New York and hottest ticket in town. When I tell you that that group of people had to sit in a section that made it hard to see the players, that's surprising to you, is. No, Tony, you're shrugging.

[Unknown Female Panelist]

There's only so many places that people can go, right? People paid $50,000 for courtside seats. They're going to take that revenue over putting Jeremy strong courtside.

[Greg]

They did spend a lot of money on putting a club section up there. And a lot of celebrities that. There's only so many seats courtside. A lot of those celebrities did you see, like, Sydney Sweeney and Scooter Braun were directly.

[Dan]

Almost like Sydney Sweeney.

[Greg]

Yeah, yeah, she was there. Yeah. But Scooter Braun, you know who she's dating? She's dating Scooter Braun. He was like five rows behind Taylor Swift.

[Dan]

Oh, is there a thing with him and Taylor Swift?

[Greg]

Yeah, a thing is one way to put it. You're lucky Jeremy isn't here.

[Dan]

I'm not all caught up on everything she made.

[Tony]

And she made an album about him. Did she. She make songs about whatever the heartbreak was there?

[Dan]

I guess.

[Unknown Female Panelist]

I don't know.

[Juju]

She does that sometimes. Good job, Dan.

[Dan]

Juju last night, was that a choke by the spurs or do you go with the Knicks? Big win for the Knicks.

[Juju]

I think you gotta see it as both. If, if you're a Knicks fan, you say, man, the Knicks are incredible. But if you a Spurs fan, you know, you choked it away also too. I think OG Anunoby might be the best Nick ever right now. If, if they pull this off, I think he is the greatest Nick ever because that's the statue outside of the arena. That tip was not no regular tip. That was a tip with some, some arc on it. It had some spin on that guy, Pete San through the sky. So yeah, I think OG has moved himself into number one position. Best Nick ever.

[Tony]

Do you know historically, if it basket that Patrick Ewing missed the finger roll

[Dan]

on, it was yes.

[Tony]

And like, because when that happened, if you want to erase all of what has hurt the Knicks over the last 30 years, that guy skying in from an impossible position says, I'm going to keep saying it because I don't think it's something that's being paid enough attention to. It's not just that he had the tip. He had the tip and he was further from the basketball when it left Jalen Brunson's hands than anybody but Brunson.

[Dan]

Okay. And the possession right before it, he blocked Fox's shots. Like that whole sequence, it was. You can make the case, like I know juju wants, he's the greatest Nick. Now you can make the case. That's the greatest sequence by an individual player possibly in Knicks history.

[Tony]

Well, put this on the poll. Is the Anunobe play the greatest play in Knicks history, period? Is it the biggest play in the history of the New York Knicks?

There's a four point play from Larry Johnson.

I think it just knocked it off. I think it did. Yes. I think it did.

No, this was only two points. That was four.

Yeah. How many people though it seems like it was worth five. Though it felt like it was worth five.

Larry Johnson was in the house and he's like, that's the best place.

Yes. Larry Johnson's like, I made one that was worth four, but that one seems like it's worth four and a half at least.

No, no, no, no. We're holding onto that trope forever. That is our cliche. There is no OG on anomie. There is only Larry Johnson. No.

30 years from now when I am doing this show, I'm going to say this is the best Knicks feeling since that Anunoby tip that was worth four and A half points. Be quiet. Me. Shut up.

[Dan]

Juju, where would you rank? Juju, where would you rank? Like if we were. If we were to do a. A ranking of all time choke jobs, where does, where does last night rank for you, bro?

[Juju]

It is pretty high because they made history. So yeah, I got a top five chokes in sport history list right now for your mind.

[Greg]

Whoa.

[Tony]

Because this one's not going to rank higher. Well, I don't want to spoil his list, but I. When I think of games that felt last night. You're going to spoil it the way that it felt last night. I'm guessing mine will be on juju's list. Let's see how high mine is on juju's list. Go ahead, juju.

[Juju]

Oh no. Oh well, I. The Cleveland Cavaliers choke away game one versus the Knicks. Very ass. Kenny Atkinson still on my shit list. Number five. Number five, the warriors blew the 31 lead against the Cavs. Choked it away. Number four, the Falcons choked away the 28 to 3 lead against the Patriots in the Super Bowl.

[Tony]

That's mine. He's got three better than that. That was mine.

[Juju]

Yes sir. Number three, Bo Mani Jones chokes during the ad. Number two, Alexa Grasso chokes the hell out of Macy Barber. Holy.

[Unknown Female Panelist]

Her eyes bugged out. She wants to win on herself.

[Tony]

You want to try that again?

[Juju]

Number one choke ever. Oh wow. This the number one joke ever, man. The spurs and Jordan had the flu game, but this was the WOO game. Choked it away.

[Tony]

This is it.

So that. So we saw the greatest choke in the history of choking last night. That's what juju is saying for the record.

[Juju]

Boston Celtics all over themselves last night.

[Greg]

Some of you did not watch the Champions League final between AC Milan and Liverpool many years ago. And it shows. There's a documentary. Go ahead and catch up on it.

[Dan]

Documentary being filmed courtside of this Knicks game last night.

[Tony]

I don't know if you're aware. Let's see what it is. It's gonna be so great when Ben Stiller's documentary is them losing in seven. Can juju update the polls? It felt like we had a ton of them today.

[Juju]

Yes, sir. Should setting screens be allowed in a pickup basketball game? 67 of the audience says yes it should. Oh wow. Wow.

[Unknown Female Panelist]

The other 40 some odd percent or 30 some odd percent have never played basketball before.

[Juju]

Hey, you can't you.

[Unknown Female Panelist]

Hey screening. You can't screen anybody, dork. Go do math.

[Juju]

Was it, was it really strange seeing Larry David happy? 92 of the audience says yes it was. Oh wow, did you see Larry David during Josh Hart's Ms. Layup? My boy almost died.

[Tony]

Wait, we have that. Don't, don't we have that? Let's, let's play the video of what it is that Juju's talking about there because was Larry David on his hands and knees on the court?

[Dan]

He almost collapsed.

[Tony]

What? But he was just bent.

[Unknown Female Panelist]

He was not in a Michael Irvin stance.

[Tony]

He was just. But what, so he was just bent over or whatever?

[Dan]

Yeah, like he's standing like everybody else. Like his seats were at the basket where the Knicks were shooting in the second half and Josh Hart as the wide open layup. And like he has to hold on to the guys who he's standing next to to hold him up because he's going to fall. He almost passed out.

[Tony]

Okay, but he didn't fall to his knees. His knees just sort of gave. He was, he was sort of old. Yeah, yeah, he's old. He's just old.

[Juju]

Collapse or comeback? 68% of the audience says collapse. Oh, wow. Did Charles Barkley go Spurs money line last night? 94% of the audience says yes, he did. Oh, wow.

[Tony]

Would anybody have any problem with that if I reported or if Charles Barkley volunteered?

[Juju]

Yeah.

[Tony]

The reason I was so angry in my analysis is because I had bet on the Spurs. Like, would it. Would anyone even object to that?

[Greg]

I don't think it's just that, like, if you like basketball, you're right to be triggered by that. That was a performance that would piss you off. If you're, if you're not a Knicks or spurs fan and you're just watching basketball, what are you? This is dumb, right?

[Juju]

Have you ever crossed your fingers hoping someone would get kidnapped? 57% of the audience says, no, they have not. Oh, wow.

[Greg]

Was way too tight for my liking.

[Juju]

Do you feel guilty when you're enjoying Michael Jackson's music? 54% of the audience says, nope. Oh, wow.

[Dan]

I mean that, that question is timeless.

[Juju]

When you think of Iman Shumpert, what jersey is he wearing? A Knicks jersey or a Cavs jersey? 57% of the audience says a calf's jersey. Oh, wow.

[Greg]

Just think of Teyana Taylor.

[Juju]

Right. Last poll. Do the monks have an offensive bag? 52% of the audience says, yes, they do. And those I oppose. Wow.

[Unknown Female Panelist]

Doing a show for non ball noise is insane.

[Greg]

Maybe they thought Malik Monk naive.

[Unknown Female Panelist]

A Malik Monk, not a big bag on him.

[Tony]

The Monk family. You think we were referring to the Monks as someone was confused.

[Greg]

Hey, hey, we're the Monks, baby.

[Juju]

The USA show.

[Tony]

It was Tony Shumletiches.

We saw the dumbest basketball team in

the history of civilization.

[Juju]

Wow.