Your Neighbors Rice Smells Better? | Local Hour

Summary

The Dan Le Batard Show with Stugotz

Episode: "Your Neighbor’s Rice Smells Better? | Local Hour"

Date: June 12, 2026
Location: Elser Hotel, Downtown Miami

---

Episode Overview

This Local Hour dives into the South Florida sports and pop-culture scene, exploring everything from World Cup soccer quirks and NBA trade rumors to local traditions and quirky personal anecdotes. The crew—Dan Le Batard, Stugotz, Mike Ryan, Roy, Chris, Tony, and West Coast correspondent Dave Damaschek—bounces between in-depth soccer analysis, playful banter, the ongoing NBA Finals, and classic Le Batard Show tangents. The titular segment “Your Neighbor’s Rice Smells Better?” springs from a cryptic tweet, serving as a lens on perception, envy, and sports fandom.

---

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. World Cup Fever and FIFA’s Brand Control

[03:17 – 06:11]

• FIFA's Branding Iron-Fist: The group discusses how, when the World Cup comes to town, FIFA mandates the erasure or cover-up of all stadium corporate sponsors. Miami’s Hard Rock Stadium becomes simply “Miami Stadium,” even on road signs and government communications.
  • “FIFA is its own government… Your local governments have to refer to that stadium as ‘Miami Stadium.’” —Mike Ryan [04:34]
• The team reacts with playful disbelief at the rigidity, likening FIFA’s rules to a new world order, and riffing on what could happen to announcers who slip up on-air.
  • “If the announcer slips up and says ‘the Hard Rock’... they just get killed, right? No trial, no jury, on the spot.” —Dan Le Batard [05:49]

2. Sleep Confusion: Relatable Panic Tales

[06:11 – 09:06]

• A lighthearted segment as Louis (video guy) describes waking from a nap at 7:45 p.m. in a panic, mistakenly believing he’s late for work; this launches a series of confessions about similar experiences.
  • “I have recurring dreams... that I am late to work and just this panic washes over me.” —Dan Le Batard [06:47]
  • Mike and Dan swap stories about accidentally getting up, showered, and dressed in the middle of the night.
• Dave Damaschek shares his own anecdote: missing boarding his flight while sitting at the gate, “immersed” in his laptop.
  • “…the closest thing I've had to that was once… I got immersed in whatever I was looking at online… the flight took off.” —Dave Damaschek [09:06]

3. World Cup Preview: US Team Analysis & Storylines

[10:30 – 18:50]

USA vs. Paraguay: Group and Format Insights

• Mike Ryan provides an in-depth preview of the U.S. team’s group and the format, noting it’s a “favorable” group since they’re hosts and get a high seeding.
  • “The US has really struggled in breaking these gritty teams down… but their last two matches have me optimistic.” —Mike Ryan [11:18]
• The new format allows third-place teams in groups to advance, reducing early elimination risks.

Who Are the U.S. Stars?

• Listeners bemoan not “knowing the players” like past generations (Donovan, Dempsey, Howard). Mike points to Pulisic, Balogun, Tim Weah, and Weston McKennie as key names.
  • “This isn’t a story of promise… Pulisic has won the Champions League with Chelsea… but for the U.S. to go deep, he’ll need to be on form.” —Mike Ryan [13:52]
• Discussion of U.S. lineup: uncertainty at goalkeeper, Pochettino's experimental tactics, and fan uncertainty over the formation.

Name Confusion & Family Connections

• Banter over Pulisic pronunciation (“Pulisic” vs. “Pulisic”) and Mike’s “insider” claim to have confirmed Christian’s preferred pronunciation.
• Mike reveals that Alex Freeman (projected to start) is the son of NFL star Antonio Freeman, launching a sidebar on iconic unrepeatable NFL catches.
  • “Alex Freeman is Antonio Freeman’s son… I like him to show up in the score sheet at some point in this tournament.” —Mike Ryan [18:28]

4. NBA Finals, Giannis Rumors, and Jaylen Brown’s Cryptic Tweet: “The Neighbor’s Rice Always Smells Better”

[22:11 – 29:44]

Trade Rumors & Boston’s Interest

• Dan speculates on the upcoming NBA “silly season”—Giannis being the domino that could drop after the Finals and before the Draft.
• Boston is suddenly “all in” on Giannis, possibly packaging Jaylen Brown, though Dan is skeptical of media smoke vs. real signals.

Jaylen Brown’s Tweet Sparks Mystification

• Jaylen Brown tweets: “The neighbor’s rice always smells better.” The crew riffs on possible meanings—grass is greener, cultural idioms, and whether “rice” can even “smell.”
  • “I don’t know what the hell that means.” —Dan Le Batard [24:43]
  • “He’s like Confucius, in other words.” —Dave Damaschek [25:16]

Trade Mechanics: Miami vs. Boston

• Miami is rumored to be exploring multi-team trades to boost its offer, as the Heat’s proposed package (built around Tyler Herro) may not match Boston’s if Jaylen Brown is truly available.
  • “If Jaylen Brown is a part of this for Boston, the Miami Heat are not going to get back into that trade conversation unless Bam is on the table.” —Mike Ryan [28:44]

Cultural Context for the "Rice" Tweet

• A caller points out it’s a Cantonese idiom meaning “the grass is always greener”—Brown picked it up during a recent China trip.
• Conversation veers playfully: ethnic rice vs. “white rice” aroma, with the crew naming their favorite flavorful rices.
  • “White rice can’t smell, but all the ethnic rices, they smell.” —Mike Ryan [29:21]

5. Stanley Cup Finals: Goalie Controversy and Cultural Critique

[29:44 – 35:43]

• The crew parses Game 5, noting it lacked the “cocaine hockey” chaos of prior games but had its intrigue—with Vegas’s Carter Hart setting an unwanted record for consecutive games allowing four goals.
• Highlights a testy John Tortorella press clip:
  • “That could be the stupidest question I’ve heard.” —John Tortorella (on goalie change question, paraphrased by Mike Ryan) [31:31]
• They discuss Carter Hart’s controversial status—recent sexual assault acquittal, fan chants (“no means no”), wearing a separatist Alberta shirt.
• Broader point: “Fungibility” of NHL goalies—once the star, now quickly replaceable.
  • “Now a guy is good one season, and then the next season, he's the reason your team isn't making the playoffs.” —Dave Damaschek [34:34]

6. Fandom Moments: Knicks in the Finals and Mariska Hargitay’s Superfan Sprint

[39:12 – 44:50]

• Dan celebrates Knicks fans finally having “their moment,” noting his unexpected joy for them—except if “it was Boston."
  • “I even said, if this was Boston…I would not feel good for the Celtic fans.” —Dan Le Batard [40:21]
• Storytime: Actress Mariska Hargitay puts on a fan masterclass, sprinting ten blocks after a double Broadway show to catch Game 4 at MSG, in custom sneakers from Jalen Brunson.
  • “I took four minutes off the running time of my show and…I sprinted from the Hudson Theater on 44th and 6th to MSG. But I knew everything was going to be all right because I was wearing my Jalen Brunson Kobe 5 protos…The 10-block sprint after a two-show day was no joke.” —Mariska Hargitay, as quoted by Dan [42:30]
• Discussion of the Knicks fan invasion expected at Game 5 in San Antonio, as over 50% of tickets were snapped up from NYC/NJ fans.

---

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• On FIFA Rebranding:
  “FIFA is its own government... You have to fully assimilate and give yourself over to them.” —Mike Ryan [04:10]
• On the Anxiety of Waking Up Disoriented:
  “I have recurring dreams that I am late to work and just this panic washes over me.” —Dan Le Batard [06:47]
• On the U.S. Soccer Team’s Progress:
  “This isn’t a story of promise. Christian Pulisic has won the Champions League… but he’ll need to be on form.” —Mike Ryan [13:52]
• On Jaylen Brown's “Rice” Tweet:
  “You don’t understand it because he’s too wise for you… He’s like Confucius.” —Dan Le Batard and Dave Damaschek [25:05, 25:16]
• On Mariska Hargitay's Knicks Passion:
  “She is a legit, hardcore Knicks fan…sprinted from the Hudson Theater…10-block sprint after a two-show day was no joke.” —Quote via Dan, retelling Mariska’s story [42:30]

---

Important Timestamps & Segments

• [03:17 – 06:11]: FIFA’s stadium rebranding and “government” powers.
• [06:11 – 09:39]: Panic wakeups and relatable sleep confusion stories.
• [10:30 – 18:50]: U.S. Men’s National Team preview, star focus, World Cup changes.
• [22:11 – 29:44]: NBA offseason speculation, Giannis rumors, Jaylen Brown’s “rice” tweet, trade mechanics.
• [29:44 – 35:43]: Stanley Cup Finals: goaltending controversies, cultural tangents, and Tortorella’s spice.
• [39:12 – 44:50]: Knicks fan euphoria, Mariska Hargitay's Broadway-to-basketball dash, MSG playoff crowd analysis.

---

Tone, Energy, and Style

The show maintains its signature blend of irreverence, local color, and sharp sports takes, punctuated with self-mockery, genuine fan joy, and seamless segues between the ridiculous and the insightful.

---

For New Listeners

You’ll walk away with:

• Fresh context on World Cup quirks and U.S. soccer’s evolution
• The latest NBA rumor mill decoded—with healthy skepticism
• Modern Miami/South Florida sports culture in full (“being a fan means feeling”)
• Playful handling of complicated topics (fandom, trades, cultural idioms)
• Enough laughs, inside jokes, and relatable stories to feel plugged into the show’s universe

Skip the ads, enjoy the ride—the neighbor's rice always smells better on The Dan Le Batard Show.

Transcript

[Fox Sports Announcer]

This episode is brought to you by Fox 1. Watch all 104 matches of the FIFA World cup live in 4K for just $19.99 a month with 3 days free. Build your own multi view, choose up to three streams and follow player spotlights. Stay on top of every moment with live stats, highlights and instant replays. The FIFA World cup streaming live on Fox One. Offers are subject to change. See fox.com for complete terms and conditions.

[TV Show Promoter]

Marvel Television's Wonder Man. An eight episode series now streaming on Disney.

[Mike Ryan]

A superhero remake. Not exactly what we'd expect from an Oscar winning director.

[TV Show Promoter]

Action Simon Williams audition for Wonder Man.

[Dan Le Batard]

I'm gonna need you to sign this. Assuming you don't have superpowers,

[Mike Ryan]

I'll never work again.

[Dan Le Batard]

If anyone found out monolips are sealed.

[TV Show Promoter]

Marvel Television's Wonder Man. All eight episodes now streaming only on Disney.

[Home Depot Advertiser]

Thinking about refus refreshing the carpet in your home? Now's the time to do it for a limited time at the Home Depot. Get 10% off installed carpet projects on trusted brands like Lifeproof. Lifeproof with pet Proof technology, Home decorators Collection and TrafficMaster Plus. With installations starting at just 49 cents per square foot, upgrading your space is more affordable than ever at the Home Depot. Offer valid June 11, 2026 through June 28, 2026. Exclusions apply for licenses. See homedepot.com licensenumbers

[Sports Promo Announcer]

Football, Football, Football is back Jack the beautiful game is on a roll and we'll have an eye on every goal Shouting magisterial no need to back down just park the bus Stop the attack Will the hand of God put your header back on track? Football is back, Jack Mbappe's flying through the air Ronaldo's here for one last

[Dan Le Batard]

prayer

[Sports Promo Announcer]

Will Messi come out to play? Or is it victory for the usa it's corner kicks when the box is packed that's how you know that football is back Jack Let me hear you say football, Football, football. Football is back, Jack the time is here, open the gates the long wait is over so we'll yell let's go, States no need to back down Just strike the ball, start the attack if you say this game's the best, I'll say zag Football is backjacked Football is

[Mike Ryan]

back,

[Sports Promo Announcer]

Football is back, Football is back, Jack.

[Dan Le Batard]

All right, we did it. Everyone give it up for Friday. Everybody give it up for Friday. Good job. Come on now. How about that? We made it through the week. Look at this crew. We got Roy and we got Chris and we have Mike and Tony and out on The west coast is our pal, Dave Damaschek. Hello, Dave. How are you this morning?

[Dave Damaschek]

No hands. It's soccer season, everybody. I'm doing great. How are you?

[Dan Le Batard]

How about that? They play the World cup games out there on the west coast, too. You're into it.

[Dave Damaschek]

That's right. I believe if my sources are correct, there's a soccer game this evening in Sofi Stadium involving these United States.

[Mike Ryan]

It's Los Angeles Stadium.

[Dan Le Batard]

Is that what they're calling important? Correction.

[Mike Ryan]

Yeah, you can't. You can't call any of the stadiums by their unapproved sponsors.

[Dan Le Batard]

Is that true?

[Mike Ryan]

Yes, that's true. Like MetLife is New York, New Jersey Stadium. Hard Rock is Miami Stadium.

[Dan Le Batard]

Really? Yeah. You didn't know that?

[Chime Advertiser]

They covered up everything.

[Louis (Video Guy)]

All the sponsors.

[Mike Ryan]

All the sponsors have to be covered up. Mercedes Benz. There's just a big banner that covers the Mercedes Benz logo, and it just says World Cup. You know how Hard Rock Stadium has the Hard Rock signage in each end zone? You have to put a sign over that.

[Dan Le Batard]

Why is that exclusively a World cup thing? Like when the national championship is here, they don't cover up Hard Rock Stadium.

[Mike Ryan]

No, because FIFA is its own government. Pablo did a fascinating episode of Pablo Torre finds out, and they get into that specific detail. Zaz, it's not just, you know, the window dressing of covering up the signage on the stadiums. Internally, your local governments have to refer to that stadium and as Miami Stadium.

[Dan Le Batard]

So you're telling me on the broadcast when I'm watching the game, you know, whenever the first game on television is here at Hard Rock Stadium, they're going to call it Miami Stadium.

[Mike Ryan]

That's correct. In fact, if you live in an area that has road signs that point to the corporate sponsor that don't just say stadium, but say, you know, hard Rock Stadium, it'll have to be changed to Miami Stadium.

[Dan Le Batard]

Like on the Turnpike. I drive here. I take the turnpike every morning. Driving here, I pass Hard Rock Stadium every single morning. You're telling me that on Monday because I didn't look today. When I look at the signs, it's not going to say Hard Rock Stadium.

[Mike Ryan]

It's going to say Miami Stadium.

[Dan Le Batard]

That's so stupid.

[Mike Ryan]

Everybody in internal comms, your local government has to. This was a ridiculous detail because I knew about the stadium itself and the stadium grounds and how FIFA takes over and how they are with sponsorships. I didn't know written into the contract that your local government has to fully assimilate and give itself over to them.

[Louis (Video Guy)]

And if the announcer slips up and Says.

[Dan Le Batard]

Says the Hard Rock. Yeah, they just get killed, right? No trial, no jury on the spot.

[Mike Ryan]

And then Grace Whittingham gets tagged in.

[Dan Le Batard]

Oh, all right. Says something to Root for, says, brilliant, I'm here now.

[Mike Ryan]

Yeah, yeah, he's on the sidelines. He's been.

[Dave Damaschek]

He.

[Mike Ryan]

He signed an agreement that when they execute. Because it will happen when they execute. Ian Dark, he just gets.

[Dan Le Batard]

That's exciting. What if he slips?

[Mike Ryan]

Then he's dead.

[Dan Le Batard]

Then we watch the game in silence, and no one will make a mistake. Speaking of mistakes. Chris, Cody, what. What happened with Louis this morning?

[Louis (Video Guy)]

Oh, my God. It was last night. Louis, our video guy. Shout out to Lewis, by the way, for everything he does around here.

[Dan Le Batard]

Just love Louis.

[Louis (Video Guy)]

All right, but last night at 7:45, I get a panic text. Well, I get a missed call, and I'm like, oh, my God, why is Lewis calling me right now? And then I see a text of him saying, dude, I'm running late. I. I missed my alarm. I'm so sorry. And I'm like, at what time is this? 7:45pm last night. I'm like, oh, my God, we have a nighttime recording. Like, I'm late for something. I start freaking out, and then I like right back. I'm like, what meeting?

[Dan Le Batard]

What alarm that is, by the way? It's. I think I've told you guys this. I have recurring dreams. I have, like three or four recurring dreams, and that is one of my newer. Well, no, it's not even newer, but that is one of my recurring dreams that I am late to work and just this panic that washes over me. You may continue.

[Louis (Video Guy)]

So he realizes that he. He thought he Woke up at 7:45 last night from a nap, thinking it was 7:45 in the morning and that

[Chime Advertiser]

he was absurdly late for work.

[Louis (Video Guy)]

He went downstairs. He's mad at his wife for not waking him up.

[Sports Promo Announcer]

He.

[Louis (Video Guy)]

His wife sitting there feeding their kids dinner, just in awe.

[Dan Le Batard]

What? He thought she was feeding them breakfast.

[Louis (Video Guy)]

He thought it was breakfast. He said that it was 7:45pm so

[Chime Advertiser]

it was like that.

[Louis (Video Guy)]

That time of day where it looked similar to early morning twilight. And I was honestly cracking up at my house at the idea of Lou. He said he brushed his teeth.

[Mike Ryan]

That's happened to me once before when I was in high school.

[Dave Damaschek]

I got.

[Mike Ryan]

I put on my uniform, I started having breakfast, and I was like, why the hell is PTI on that?

[Dan Le Batard]

Brushed his teeth. That happened to me once in high school as well, where I went to sleep, you know, probably like, I don't know. 10:30, 11:00pm and I woke up thinking it was morning. I gathered my clothes, I went upstairs, I showered, I put my clothes on, I brushed my teeth, I did everything. I went through my entire morning routine. And then I went into the kitchen like maybe to grab some orange juice or something. And I saw the time on the kitchen microwave and it said like 12:20am Brother. And I realized what happened. You know what happened here? I realized what happened. At some point during that day, the power must have went down in my house and my alarm is on. And what happens with those electronic alarms when the power goes out, it resets to midnight to 12am so my alarm was now set. Instead of 5:30 in the morning, was set at midnight. I was probably asleep for an hour. My alarm went off, I went up, I showered, I brushed my teeth. I'm fully clothed and I'm like, what the.

[Mike Ryan]

Yeah, mine was just a really good nap. And I was like halfway through my breakfast of two Entenmann's rich frosted chocolate donuts and a tall glass of milk and I was like, why are Wilbon and Kornheiser on? Dave, that's never happened to you? By the look of your face, I can tell it hasn't.

[Dan Le Batard]

No.

[Dave Damaschek]

That's bizarre. I mean the closest thing I've had to that was once I was sitting in an airport at the gate waiting to get to board the flight and I was on my laptop and, and doing it and waiting and waiting. When are we gonna board? And eventually I, you know, I got immersed in whatever I was looking at online and eventually I picked my head up, I'm like, what are we boarding this and where is everybody else? And then I went up to the gate agent and they said that thing boarded like 20 minutes ago and everybody is on there and the flight took off. I said, how? What?

[Sports Promo Announcer]

What?

[Dave Damaschek]

What the hell? How, how did I completely miss the entire process of get of calling? It's, it's now your turn to get on the flight. And the entire 45 minute long process somehow eluded me while I was sitting right there. That's as close as I have to what you guys are talking about. Sounds like all of you have issues with booze or otherwise.

[Sports Promo Announcer]

So.

[Mike Ryan]

I was in high school.

[Dan Le Batard]

I was in high school also.

[Mike Ryan]

Why is Jesus sitting on your microphone?

[Dave Damaschek]

It's my. He's my co pilot. Always.

[Dan Le Batard]

He's explained that to us.

[Dave Damaschek]

Before I found him, he was. I went to an amusement park with the ca and there he was just sitting on the bench waiting for Me, you know. And so I took him. It was a sign from above or otherwise. So I figured I better bring him home with me or sitting on. I'm sorry.

[Louis (Video Guy)]

Yeah.

[Dan Le Batard]

Could just have been a toy set.

[Mike Ryan]

He's gone.

[Dave Damaschek]

Good. Goodbye. Jesus.

[Dan Le Batard]

So we got a lot to get to. We got the Stanley cup from last night. Really the first game of this series that wasn't like a banger, you know, we. We got the NBA Finals which continue tomorrow. That's right, all the games now. Game 5, 6, 7, extra day in between because they're allowing for extra travel day, which is fine because you get to late in the series, you want to make sure the games are as well played as possible. So no NHL tonight, no NBA tonight. But thank, thank the Lord we have World cup tonight which includes, includes the United States who are playing this evening. What do I need to know tonight, Mike?

[Mike Ryan]

As far as Los Angeles Stadium?

[Dan Le Batard]

Yeah, that.

[Mike Ryan]

Don't want to make that address that. And it's a big game for the U.S. now, qualification for the knockout stages is a little different for this.

[Dan Le Batard]

Does US have a tough group? Paraguay, Australia?

[Mike Ryan]

No, no, it's not a tough group because being a host nation, they get put in pot A with the global elites, which means they get to avoid the likes of Spain and England. So it's favorable to those teams that essentially get the highest seed imaginable. But Paraguay is a difficult team. They counterattack, they've got some good players. If you're familiar with mls, a former Inter Miami player in Diego Gomez Almiron has been back and forth between the MLS and Europe. They play this counter attacking style and the US has changed its identity in recent years. They want to take advantage of what was labeled a golden generation, more skilled attacking players and they want to control and dictate the game. But as we've seen in CONCACAF in particular, you run into these gritty, hard nosed teams that are very organized and want to make the most of their opportunities. The US has really struggled in breaking those teams down. Now I think the US ultimately wins this game, but this is a tough opponent that does things that I think the United States struggles against. However, if you're looking for hope in this entire tournament, the last two matches that the US have had in this warm up for the World Cup, Senegal is a very good team. The United States pretty much bossed that game and got a lot of what they wanted on the attack in the Germany game. I'm really optimistic after the Germany game because for long stretches of that game, the United States controlled that game. And that is a top tier opponent. So I do think this is going to be a little cagey, especially early on, and I think we're going to be a little nervy. But even if the United States, hell, even if they lose, the tournament format allows for a third place finisher in the group to advance even to the knockout stages. They're taking eight teams that finish third, so it's not dead the way that it would be in previous tournaments, but a big one if you want to get an easier draw in the knockout stages, which is why you want the US to win this group.

[Jaylen Brown Fan/Caller]

Mike, I'm having a tough time like really getting into this USA team. Right. Like the generation prior, the Clint Dempsey generation, Tim Howard, Landon Donovan, all those guys I knew. I feel like I don't know anybody on this team outside of Pulisic.

[Mike Ryan]

Yeah, Pulisic is the. Well, they also miss a golden opportunity in missing a World Cup. This is only Pulisic's second World cup and he seems to have been a name that we've all been familiar with for damn near a decade. Yeah, there's a bit of a transition here, but Baligun is a good player over in France.

[Dan Le Batard]

So it's been eight years since the US has been. Since I've watched us in the World Cup.

[Mike Ryan]

No, no, no, they were in the last World cup, but this is only Pulisic second because they missed the one in Russia because they lost to Trinidad and Tobago.

[Dan Le Batard]

So that was eight years ago. That was eight years ago.

[Mike Ryan]

Yeah, but Pulisic is now, I think, 27 years old. This isn't about. This isn't a story of promise. Christian Pulisic has won the Champions League with Chelsea. For long stretches of times he was the best player on AC Milan. However, this season was really disappointing. Struggled with injury, which is always the case with them. However, he's gotten going here very recently. Finally scored again for that national team. And it seems as Pochettino, our manager, is going to do what favors his skill set, which is get Christian Pulisic in space. We have some really good players on the wing. Tim Waya has been a good player. Wesley McKinney on form has probably been the best club player. He was the best player for juventus. Now if McKinney is your best player, you have a ceiling as Juventus found out. For the US to get where we all hope that they go, which is a deep run in the knockout stages, it's going to have to be Pulisic because when he's on, when he's in form, he can prove against global elites that he is fully, fully capable of being the best player on the pitch.

[Jaylen Brown Fan/Caller]

So those are the three guys that I'm looking for. Pulisic, I'm looking at Waya, and I'm looking at McKinney.

[Mike Ryan]

Yeah, McKinney is going to be good and Tyler Adams is going to do all the dirty work in that midfield. In terms of your defensive mid, in terms of being like a state, we

[Dan Le Batard]

have a good keeper.

[Mike Ryan]

No, that, that is a big change from. I'm not even sure who starts today. It'll be curious. I think Matt Turner is going to get the nod who you're a little familiar with. He's. He's repped the US before in big time international competition. Freese kind of had the inside track again based on form, having the strongest season. But Pochettino is a bit of a wild card because the US did not have to go through a qualifying stage. Pochettino took the opportunity to get in like close to 80 players in rotation in this squad to figure out what he wants. And we're here on the day of their first match and I really can't tell you the formation we're going to play with. I have a good idea. But it seems as though Pochettino is favoring versatility.

[Dan Le Batard]

I'm a four three, three guy.

[Mike Ryan]

That's. That's what you like?

[Dan Le Batard]

Yeah.

[Mike Ryan]

Prepare to be disappointed.

[Dan Le Batard]

So I want to get to a local story here. Thank you for all the soccer there, Mike. We're going to do actually a lot of World cup stuff coming up later on in today's show.

[Dave Damaschek]

But Zaz, you are going to be watching, right?

[Dan Le Batard]

Oh, no, I'm, I'm, I'm going to watch every game. Like, obviously I will watch every US game for sure and every other game as, like, as long as I'm. I'm not out doing something, I will watch every other game. Like this afternoon. I know Canada is playing at 3pm I'm going to watch that game this afternoon and I'm 100% going to watch the US game. So no, I'm, I'm dialed into it. I like it. I love soccer. I just, it's not like I know the players or what have you, but

[Dave Damaschek]

I love like, Jim. Oh, you do?

[Dan Le Batard]

Okay. Yeah.

[Dave Damaschek]

So for me it's a little bit like, you know how Jim Carrey has to dip it. Had to dip his toes into the drama waters he had mastered. I feel a little bit like I'm pretty steeped in every sport except for the most Popular one, which is soccer. And I really do. It's a ramp up for me. And so. So the words of Mike Ryan are useful.

[Dan Le Batard]

Oh, I love it.

[Dave Damaschek]

I really do feel like a complete casual like Super Bowl. Who are these two teams and how did they get here? Tell me about what I need to know. I'm exactly like, like Tony. I don't really know. I know the name Pulisic and that's about the extent of it.

[Mike Ryan]

I think he prefers it pronounced Pulisic,

[Dan Le Batard]

you know, the right way.

[Mike Ryan]

But. No, no, no, it's. I mean it. He's not pronouncing it the right.

[Dave Damaschek]

Tony and Mike just mispronounced. They had two different pronunciations.

[Dan Le Batard]

Tony's not the guy to follow.

[Mike Ryan]

I said it the right way.

[Dave Damaschek]

I said it the right way.

[Mike Ryan]

I say it. I used to work with Chelsea, so. And interviewed Christian quite a few times and I had to like nail down like how do you prefer to say it? And it seems like I'm the only one that says it the way that he told me. But there is an NFL thread. Dave, are you aware that there is a son of a pretty damn good NFL player that is projected to start for the US Men's national team? Did you know that?

[Dave Damaschek]

Yes. One of the three most unrepeatable catches in the history of people. Antonio Freeman, the one that went off.

[Dan Le Batard]

Is that right?

[Dave Damaschek]

Went off the Viking. Yeah, that's right. You could never go out there. You could go try a million times to repeat the Monday Night Football and Antonio Freeman touchdown in overtime. That hits off the Vikings defender's butt into his hand. You know the catch I'm talking about, right? Yeah, that one. The Curse catch in the super bowl. Super Bowl 49 that precedes the interception. The Russell Wilson, Malcolm Butler. That's unrepeatable. And the Julian Edelman catch. Those are the three most. You could go out there and try to do it infinitely and you would never get the exact same bounces to repeat themselves.

[Mike Ryan]

What about the. The dude from Seattle? Oh my God, what was his name? Curse.

[Dave Damaschek]

I said curse.

[Mike Ryan]

Yeah, yeah, Curse.

[Dave Damaschek]

Yeah, Curse. That was incredible, right?

[Mike Ryan]

That one.

[Dave Damaschek]

Yeah, the one up the sideline.

[Mike Ryan]

Alex Freeman is Antonio Freeman's son.

[Dan Le Batard]

I didn't know that.

[Mike Ryan]

And he. I'm a big fan of his. I think he's got four dolphin. I. I think he's got potential to make it four in Europe right now. He plays for a semi decent sized club in Spain. And Villarreal, he can get frisky in the attack too. 6 foot 2. I like him to show up in the score sheet at some point in this tournament.

[Chime Advertiser]

Folks, Chime is changing the way people bank and it matters because a lot of people are still dealing with these fees that do not need to be there. Overdraft fees, monthly fees, even paying to access your own money. Well guess what? Chime is fee free banking built for everyday people, not the old system. With Chime you are upgrading to a smarter way to manage your money. With direct deposit you unlock access to up to 1150 in annual rewards. They are rated 5 stars by USA Today for customer service with real people available 24,7 the benefits stack up. You can get up to $500 of your paycheck when you need it. With My Pay Spot Me lets you overdraft up to $200 fee free. You can earn 5% cash back on your Chime card and savings grow with 3.75% APY. Somebody I know would benefit from this. Chime is not just smarter banking. It's the most rewarding way to bank. Join the millions who are already banking fee free today. Head to chime.com dan that's chime.com dan it only takes a few minutes to sign up.

[Chime Legal Disclaimer]

Chime is a fintech, not a bank. Banking services for MyPay and Chime card provided by Chime's bank partners. Optional products and services may have fees or charges. Stated annual percentage yield and cash back for Chime prime only. No minimum balance required. Checking account ranking based on the J.D. power Survey published October 20, 2025. For more information on APY rates, MyPay Spot Me and travel perks go to Chime.com disclosures Summer always hits different once

[Mike Ryan]

a big game starts stacking up. Now you've got finals games on every other night, baseball's rolling all week, racing on the weekends, and suddenly everybody's looking for an excuse to get together. The other night a buddy texted me, we've got the game on come through. I figured I'd stop by for maybe an hour. That was optimistic. Next thing you know, everybody's locked into the game and we're all part of the coaching staff. Somebody's yelling at the ref, somebody else is suddenly an expert on pitch strategy, and nobody's even pretending they're leaving early anymore. It's one of those nights where you take a sip of Miller Lite, look around and realize, yeah, this is exactly what summer is supposed to be. That's why Miller Lite is always part of these nights for me. It's clean, refreshing, easy to drink when it's hot outside and perfect for long nights hanging with friends, watching games. An all American summer starts with an all American beer Miller lite. Go to millerlight.com dan to find delivery options near you. Or you can pick up some Miller Lite pretty much anywhere they sell beer. It's Miller time. Celebrate responsibly. Miller Brewing Co. Milwaukee, Wisconsin 96 calories and 3.2 carbs per 12 ounces.

[Jaylen Brown Fan/Caller]

Starting an online business now feels impossible because every website wants you to create an account, remember a password, verify your email, solve a puzzle, identify six traffic lights, and then maybe, maybe, maybe buy the thing you wanted in the first place. But occasionally you get to check out and see that purple shop pay button. Suddenly, everything gets easier. One tap done. No hunting for your wallet. No remembering passwords with one capital letter, one symbol, your blood type. It's beautiful. And that's Shopify. They help you build beautiful online stores with ready to use templates that look professional, not like something your cousin made at 2 in the morning. Shopify is also packed with AI tools to help write product descriptions, page headlines, and even improve product photography. And they make marketing easier too. With built in email and social media campaigns that help customers actually find your business. See less carts go abandoned and more sales go with Shopify and their shop pay button. Sign up for your $1 per month trial today at shopify.commiamidan go to shopify.commiamidan that shopify.commiamidan

[Dan Le Batard]

Don LeBatard witty.

[Mike Ryan]

We have a photo right here. If you can see in this photo with my daughter there, I am pointing exactly to the point on the Stanley cup where it says you suck ass stugats right there.

[Listener/Caller]

Engraved.

[Home Depot Advertiser]

Really?

[Mike Ryan]

It's like, yeah, they got an engraved right there. It says Chris Whittingham sucks ass.

[Dan Le Batard]

This is the Dan Levatar show with the St. Gods. We'll get back to a lot of World cup stuff coming up in the show today, but I do want to talk about something local here and that is, you know, the, the NBA finals could end tomorrow. All right, I, I think, I think the series still has, I think it's gonna go at least six. Still has a shot to go seven, probably ends in six. But I do think San Antonio wins tomorrow. But that means that we could get some, some Giannis news once the Finals end. All right, The NBA draft is on the 23rd, so it certainly seems at some point between the finals ending maybe tomorrow and June 23rd that Giannis Antetokounmpo is going to wind up being traded now, it feels like there's a lot of smoke out there right now in regards to Miami, and we have talked about that. But see, I think you guys know where I stand with this kind of stuff. I don't believe anyone. I don't think anyone knows anything. And, and, and that only proves the. My points only proven when a few days ago, Boston not interested, not interested in Giannis. They're not in on Giannis. And now a day or so later, Boston's in. Boston's going hard after Giannis. Well, you couldn't have not been in. And now you're like. Like you're out on Giannis and now you're making calls and you're trying to quiet. Well, that. Then you were never out on him.

[Dave Damaschek]

All right?

[Dan Le Batard]

So there. Apparently, if you believe what people are saying, they're all in on Giannis now. They're trying to get him. I will say, though, I like. I like trying to. To figure out where the tea leaves are going. And Jaylen Brown, all right, who, like Jaylen Brown's Kyrie Irving 2.0. We could all admit that, right? He played with Kyrie for a little bit in Boston, like Jaylen Brown's new Kyrie Irving, where it's like he's. He's smartest guy in the room. Jaylen Brown walks through him. He. He's going to say things you're not going to understand because he's too wise, you know? And so Jaylen Brown tweeted out yesterday amidst all of the Giannis and Boston rumors, the neighbor's rice always smells better.

[Mike Ryan]

Now swinging like a wide receiver.

[Dan Le Batard]

I don't know what the hell that means.

[Louis (Video Guy)]

I think he's going for. The grass is always greener.

[Dan Le Batard]

The neighbor's rice always smells better.

[Mike Ryan]

Yeah, Dave, you speak diva wide receiver. What does he mean by this?

[Dave Damaschek]

I'm lost by it. Because. Because Rice famously has no smell to where it was. Smell rice. That's a characteristic.

[Dan Le Batard]

You don't understand it because he's too wise for you. I already told you, when he talks, if you're not on his level, you don't. You can't possibly understand the things that he's saying or thinking. He's too wise.

[Dave Damaschek]

I see. I see. He's like Confucius, in other words.

[Dan Le Batard]

So it feels like. Because if the Celtics are going to trade for Giannis, like they're going to trade Jaylen Brown. Are we worried now that, that. And I told you yesterday, I don't think that these trades happen, and then all of a sudden that's when everybody finds out. Like, I don't think the player is finding out anymore by seeing the scroll on ESPN television. Oh my God, I got traded. I think these trades happen days before any of us find out, you know, that's why like a couple days ago, right, Tyler Hero puts out the post and Tyler Hero's brother responds with a picture, a gif of a, of a buck, you know, and oh, he, he must know the trade's done. The trade happened. Oh, he stopped following the Miami Heat on Instagram like the trade's done. And then you get stuff like this as well. Are we nervous that Boston is going to take our sick about it?

[Mike Ryan]

I'm absolutely sick about it. Yeah, I am nervous about it too. I've heard from someone that's pretty plugged in. That said, Miami's starting to reach out to other teams about Tyler Hero to try to get more for Hero because he doesn't necessarily work in the package. And Boston surging now.

[Dan Le Batard]

I mean, that Milwaukee would not want

[Mike Ryan]

Tyler, right, that, that Miami's making overtures to other teams in regards to Hero to try to get more to make their package a little bit more appealing. Again, not my deal, but the person that I heard from, it heard from on this matter, I do kind of trust. He's pretty plugged in the Heat. Notoriously quiet on this front. So I don't think it's coming from the Miami Heat side.

[Jaylen Brown Fan/Caller]

Barry had tweeted a bunch of stuff yesterday. Barry Jackson talking about the possibility of a three team trade where Portland would send all of the assets of Milwaukee wants back.

[Dan Le Batard]

You know, I saw this where Barry Jackson tweeted out over to Portland. It was something to the effect of, you know, if you want to think about like the doom and gloom situation, this is what could happen. They could do this and they could do this and they do this. That would trump Miami's offer. And I'm reading this and I'm thinking myself, why are you giving them ideas how to make like the better off? Like we all. I know. You know, if you're a reporter, you're supposed to be. We all want Giannis to come here. Why are you giving out all the ways that other teams can do things so that he don't get Giannis?

[Mike Ryan]

This is an inside information, though. I think we can all concede that if Boston is indeed willing to part with Jaylen Brown and if he is indeed on the table for the Milwaukee Bucks as a legitimate option, we're so well there.

[Jaylen Brown Fan/Caller]

Well, they wouldn't even get him, they would send Jaylen Brown.

[Dan Le Batard]

Yeah. I don't think Milwaukee would want Jaylen Brown, even.

[Mike Ryan]

Even. Even that being so, if Jaylen Brown is a part of this package, we don't have a leg to stand.

[Dan Le Batard]

Right, right, right.

[Dave Damaschek]

Zaz, go back. Why does Milwaukee not want Jaylen Brown?

[Dan Le Batard]

Well, I'm just assuming there and my assumption there is. All right, if you're trading Giannis, you're clearly in a rebuild. Okay. And if you're going to rebuild being. Being. Being attacked with a $300 million contract, you can't rebuild like that.

[Mike Ryan]

Also, if you get the value for Jaylen Brown, you get what is tantamount to his talent in terms of trades. Like, you get that haul, and Jaylen Brown, you help facilitate it. Because Jaylen Brown probably doesn't want to be in Milwaukee where that franchise is, so he'd rather go. Let's say it's Portland, at least. I know. I know what you're thinking, but Portland was in the playoffs. Portland does have some nice little pieces there. So it would certainly be more appealing to Jaylen Brown to go to Portland than Milwaukee. Just from a competitive standpoint and also from a town standpoint, too. That's just an example. But if Jaylen Brown is a. Is a part of this for Boston, the Miami Heat are not going to get back into that trade conversation unless bam. Is on the table.

[Listener/Caller]

The neighbor's rice always smells better. As a Cantonese idiom, a way of saying the grass is always green on the other side. Jalen Brown was in China this past week.

[Dan Le Batard]

Okay. All right. There you go.

[Jaylen Brown Fan/Caller]

Zaza would make sense, but rice doesn't

[Dave Damaschek]

have a smell to it.

[Mike Ryan]

No, but Cantonese rice does. They fry their rice.

[Dave Damaschek]

Was it like a fried rice? Yes, Like, I might get a Benihana. Now. That's very good, because they put that butter in there. Butter? Yeah. Very good. Yeah, it's a garlic butter.

[Louis (Video Guy)]

I love that butter.

[Jaylen Brown Fan/Caller]

We also have a Rocco Pollo that has a beautiful smell to it. When you're cooking in a Hispanic home,

[Mike Ryan]

too, white rice can't smell, but all the ethnic rices, they smell.

[Dan Le Batard]

Yeah. I mean, I walk into Benihana, I could smell that fried rice. Come on, now.

[Jaylen Brown Fan/Caller]

Smell like it for days.

[Dave Damaschek]

The ethnic rice. I don't know what you mean by that.

[Mike Ryan]

Well, don't take shots at me. We were talking about Cantonese rice, and you took it all the way over to Japan.

[Dan Le Batard]

Yeah, it's all right.

[Mike Ryan]

I forgot that you mentioned Jermaine curse

[Dave Damaschek]

before, so we're even gentrified rice. All right.

[Dan Le Batard]

So last night was really like the first game of the Stanley cup final that wasn't a total banger. Like, it wasn't, oh, my God, this is cocaine hockey.

[Mike Ryan]

And it was still a comeback.

[Home Depot Advertiser]

Yeah.

[Mike Ryan]

It still scored the first goal, which appears to be a bad idea in

[Dan Le Batard]

this series, but it wasn't cocaine hockey. Like, last night was a regular good hockey game. And Carolina won 4, 2. So they now have a chance to win the Stanley cup tomorrow night. I know Sunday they're taking extra day, too. So Sunday they have a chance to win it in Vegas as they've gone up now three games to two. But I want to give you a little bit of Tortorella. Okay. John Tortorella, head coach of the Vegas Knights, and you bet. So Carter Hart, his goalie, has now set a record. If I could, if I have the stat off the top of my head. Correct. Carter Hart has set a record for first goalie ever in the Stanley cup final to go five consecutive games, giving up four or more goals, which makes sense that that would be a record because normally if you're in the Stanley cup finals because your goalie is awesome and your goalie has been awesome. So to go five straight games giving up at least four goals. Yeah, that makes sense. That's a record. So here's John Tortorella. He was asked after the game about the. The idea of. Of maybe changing goalies for game six.

[Louis (Video Guy)]

Far right side.

[Mike Ryan]

Elliot. John, you watched the end of the basketball game last night. I did. Okay. So I just wanted to ask you about.

[Dan Le Batard]

Wow. Let's go to the other. Wow.

[Mike Ryan]

Ron Rossing in the house.

[Dan Le Batard]

Not different. Stop.

[Mike Ryan]

Stop it.

[Dave Damaschek]

Stop.

[Dan Le Batard]

Hold. Queue up.

[Mike Ryan]

New.

[Dan Le Batard]

Let's queue up. Tortorella, the short one of him being asked about the goalie.

[Mike Ryan]

John, did you consider at all going

[Dan Le Batard]

to Aiden Hill in the third period or was there any conversation.

[Mike Ryan]

That could be the stupidest question I've heard.

[Dan Le Batard]

Why is it so stupid? Brandon Bussey, like, Carolina changed their goalie and they've won two games in a row with the new goalie. Why is it such a stupid question, Roy?

[Louis (Video Guy)]

I don't.

[Listener/Caller]

I don't know. But the Freddie Anderson thing that, that leads to a question is he's been healthy, scratched.

[Dan Le Batard]

Yeah.

[Listener/Caller]

Past two games.

[Dan Le Batard]

Right. And Brenda was like, oh, he needs the time off. He needs the rest. Like, Emily Kaplan did a really good job in the middle of the game. She did a really good job at that, like, first period bench interview and asked about him not even being the backup. And Brindamore gave some kind of answer. Like, he's better when he just has the time off.

[Listener/Caller]

Like, all right, well, keep in mind his agent was Claude Lemieux, and he had just recently could very well be protecting Freddie Anderson.

[Dan Le Batard]

Oh, good job, Roy. Okay.

[Mike Ryan]

And the dialogue around Carter Hart is ever present. It's a weird bit of feedback that you guys don't talk about Carter Hart. And I'm like, you want me to shoehorn sexual assault?

[Dan Le Batard]

People upset that we're not, like, all over that.

[Mike Ryan]

So for those that don't know, Carter Hart was, along with others, found not guilty for a sexual assault in London and Ontario. But, you know, there is evidence that suggests something. Something happened there. And he's been extremely controversial. You have the crowd in Carolina chanting no means no now when it comes to his performance, it's been really solid for Vegas right now. And Tortorella just, you know, bucked up against the notion of Bullingham. Aiden Hill is a Stanley cup winner. We know from our time in the Stanley cup playing Vegas. Aiden Hill was really terrific there. It's a normal question to be asked, but Tortorella is particularly spicy.

[Dan Le Batard]

So are we, like, you know, people are upset that Carter Hart was even allowed back in the league, that Vegas even signed him. So, like, are we happy that he's getting crushed here? Because, like I said, first goalie ever, five straight games in the Stanley cup finals, allowed four goals.

[Listener/Caller]

People kind of.

[Mike Ryan]

Yeah, yeah. People were unhappy that he even got the opportunity.

[Sports Promo Announcer]

Right.

[Mike Ryan]

So he's been highly controversial.

[Louis (Video Guy)]

Yeah.

[Dave Damaschek]

Very easy to root against these Gold Knights for many reasons. Carter Hart, the presence just of, if you, like, merit of the regular season. You want to root against the Golden Knights here. It's weird that they've wound up in the final. It kind of invalidates the regular season of hockey, which is a bad look for a borderline kind of fringe sport. John Tortorello is a jackass to beat all jackasses. That's another reason to root against them. But the other thing is, if you're trying to look at this hockey final in the final days, maybe just 60 minutes less than this season, all the conversation about fungibility of running backs in the NFL applies to NHL goaltenders now. Roy, it's super weird. I mean, that's a big distinction from now versus a decade or so ago, the names used to resonate. The guy between the pipes was everything. Now a guy is good one season, and then the next season, he's the reason your team isn't making the playoffs. I don't have to tell people in Florida that too much. Bob kind of blew up this season after being the linchpin to those cup runs the last couple of springtimes, right?

[Listener/Caller]

Yeah, exactly. It's been a bad week, by the way, for the NHL as far as giving people second and third chances. Considering that Mike Babcock might. Might be the head coach of the Edmonton Warriors.

[Mike Ryan]

The NHL, not exactly leaders in that department. Still got a ways to go there, but the sport has changed. Typically, if you made it to a Stan cup final, it's because your goalie got really, really hot. And that can still happen, but you don't need this incredible goaltender to win a Stanley cup anymore. These guys kind of come and go now, which is a change for the league. Also, additionally to Carter Hart, why he's even more controversial is within Canada, he wore a free Alberta shirt, which is separatist. Well, it's a separatist movement inside conservative pockets in Canada. And so he's, you know, he's. He's a pariah, and he's.

[Dan Le Batard]

Alberta wants to, like, leave Canada.

[Listener/Caller]

Yeah, the Texas of Canada.

[Mike Ryan]

We're used to the separatist movement being the French Canadian thing. That was.

[Dan Le Batard]

That's how my family got here, was. That's literally how. Because my family is Canadian. They're from Montreal. That's how my family came here in the late 70s was. Because of the. Because of the French separatist movement.

[Mike Ryan]

Yeah. When I was growing up, there was always talk that Quebec was going to secede and form its own independent country. Now Alberta has really shifted that conversation.

[Jaylen Brown Fan/Caller]

Kind of like the Conch Republic with Key West.

[Dave Damaschek]

Right.

[Jaylen Brown Fan/Caller]

Where they're like, hey, we're going to do our own thing over here.

[Mike Ryan]

Yeah, we're doing our own thing. Wait, you're not picking up our garbage. All right, we're back.

[Quince Advertiser]

So my style sort of changes depending on what time of year it is. Once we get to the summer here in South Florida, it's unbearably hot.

[Louis (Video Guy)]

I really.

[Quince Advertiser]

I call it oppressively hot, which means I'm constantly sweating. And it changes how I get dressed, because you got about 12 seconds before you start regretting your outfit choices. So lately I've really been trying to keep it a little more simple. Light, breathable, comfortable, but still looking put together, because that's what I care about. And that's why I keep going back to Quint's. Their European linen shirts and pants are perfect for the summer, and they start at just 34 bucks. Their tees are soft, they're easy to wear. They've got lightweight cotton sweaters for the random nights where the AC is sort of freezing everywhere you go. And everything at Quint's is priced 50 to 80% less than similar brands because they work directly with ethical factories and cut out the middlemen. I picked up one of their European linen shirts in a sky blue color. I've actually even worn it on the show and it's become one of those shirts that I keep reaching for without even thinking about it. So you should elevate your summer wardrobe and go to quince.com dan for free shipping on your order and 365 day returns. Now available in Canada too. That's Q-U-I-N-C-E.com dan for free shipping and 365 day returns. Quince.com dan hello listeners. I know you know this, but the cup? Yeah, it's taken over the US and only DraftKings Sports has you fully covered. The DraftKings Sports app is now available in all 50 states, giving you access to every market and keeping you in on the excitement at the speed of sports sweat all the matches you love all in one place with one app. New DraftKings customers sign up with code DAN, spend five bucks and get $200 in rewards within 21 days. That's code DAN in partnership with DraftKings. The crown is yours.

[DraftKings Advertiser]

Bet with DK Sportsbook gambling problem call 1-800- gambler 1-800-myreset New York call 877-8-HOPE and why or text HOPE and WHY. Connecticut call 888-789-7777 or visit ccpg.org on behalf of Boothill Casino in Kansas. That text Pass through May apply in Illinois, 21 and over. Void in Ontario event contract trading with DraftKings pred risk of loss sportsbook bonus bets expire in 7 days. $50 in predictions dollars issued weekly for 3 weeks expire in 1 year. Redeem one non withdrawable reward. Availability varies. Predictions offer void in New York ends June 28 terms at DKNG Co Audio

[Windows 11 Advertiser]

Study and play come together on a Windows 11 PC and for a limited time, college students get the best of both worlds. Get the unreal college deal everything you need to study and play with select Windows 11 PCs. Eligible students get a year of Microsoft 365 Premium and and a year of Xbox game Pass ultimate with a custom color Xbox wireless controller. Learn [e-mail] studentoffer while supplies last ends June 30th. Terms at aka mscollegepc.

[Dan Le Batard]

Don Lebatar Mike Ryan's in there and he's the one with a baby. He's the one who's got to, like, worry about what the future is. And Mike Ryan bet on DraftKings because Mike Ryan bet on us. This is the bet you're afraid of doubling down on, putting up a billboard in Edmonton.

[Mike Ryan]

Stugats. I care more about Matthew Tkachuk than I do my daughter.

[Dan Le Batard]

This is the Dan Levatar show with the Stugats. I do want to. I want to. I want to mention something from the game the other night from Game 4 of the NBA Finals. And I talked a lot about this on Zazlow Show 2.0 yesterday. You know, everyone's got the same talking points, essentially, after game four, we all saw the finish to the game, and. And I took a little bit of a. Of a different tact on Zaslow Show 2.0 yesterday, which was. I. I just. I wanted to talk about the experience as a fan in these kind of moments, and it really is because I'm not supposed to like the New York Knicks. We're not supposed to like the Knicks. I'm not supposed to feel good for the Knicks fan. And I even said, if this was Boston, all this was happening in Boston, I would not feel good for the Celtic fans. I would not. Okay, I. I would be treating it different. But still, it is New York and it's the Knicks. So it is still surprising that I'm even, you know, happy for them in any sense. All right? But. But I. But I really am.

[Dave Damaschek]

And.

[Dan Le Batard]

And I really. I've really enjoyed people that I know, friends of mine who are experiencing this joy. And it just reminds me how I felt about the Panthers a few years ago, because it's the same type of misery that you've lived for decades now. And. And I'm also at a point in my life where that really is what I appreciate about sports. And so my favorite story, though, from a couple of nights ago is Mariska Hargitay, who I think is the star of these NBA Finals. Now, based on what has happened, what happened in Game 4 at the end of Game 4, with her being a huge Knicks fan and running on the floor, and she hugs all the players and. And celebrate the best night of her life. She proclaims it at the end, like, this is a legitimate, hardcore New York Knicks fan. And. And I love all the little tidbits I can get about Mariska Hargitay, because my wife. My wife and I are big fans, all right? We, obviously, we love Law and Order svu, and my she is my wife's favorite. And so my wife and I, we were in New York City last weekend, right? We went to New York to see Mariska Hargitay. That's why we went, you know, we went for the weekend to go see this play that she just a one woman play that she just started doing a few weeks ago called Every Brilliant Thing. And once we saw, because she doesn't do anything outside of Law and Order. Nothing. What are the movies seen her in?

[Jaylen Brown Fan/Caller]

Law and Order.

[Mike Ryan]

Money's good.

[Dan Le Batard]

She does nothing outside of Law and Order. This her Broadway debut and it's a one woman show. We went to New York City to see Mariska Hargitay. And so we went and we saw the show on Saturday night. We're sitting on the stage, we're up closer. She said hello to my wife. Like it was a thrill for her. It was really great. And she was phenomenal. So we love her anyway. And then to see this, you know, a couple days later and how happy she is.

[Louis (Video Guy)]

It's really cool.

[Dan Le Batard]

So I was wondering, how is she not, how is she at the game? Because does she, does she, when they do the dates for the show because the show's every night. Do. Does she say, okay, no show these nights because maybe the Knicks are going to be in the NBA Finals? Like, how does she not miss the game?

[Louis (Video Guy)]

I would imagine months in advance, she tells the scheduling people there, I'm going to be going to these playoff games. So when that schedule comes out, I'm out those nights.

[Dan Le Batard]

I would have thought so also, but that's not true. So here's this, this anecdote from a couple of nights ago. Mariska Hargitay is such a devoted Knicks fan, she decided to sprint to Madison Square garden after a two show day on Broadway to make it to the 8:30pm tip off. Quote, I took four minutes. It was. We saw the show the other day. It was a little less than two hours. The show. I took four minutes off the running time of my show and I knew the traffic would be crazy, so I sprinted from the Hudson Theater on 44th and 6th to MSG. But I knew everything was going to be all right because I was wearing my Jalen Brunson Kobe 5 protos that Jalen gave me a few months ago. I'm not going to lie. The 10 block sprint after a two show day was no joke. End quote. I mean, how cute is she?

[Louis (Video Guy)]

Fan of the year?

[Dan Le Batard]

How you know, she, you know what?

[Louis (Video Guy)]

Worth a toast.

[Dan Le Batard]

Yeah. Yeah. Okay. All right.

[Louis (Video Guy)]

Worth A toast presented by Cuervo. Keep it fun. Keep it Cuervo. Just shout out to you great fan.

[Listener/Caller]

Those 10 blocks, those are New York blocks. Those are big blocks.

[Dan Le Batard]

I. I love her so much. Like, she. And I love that story because she is. She is a legit, hardcore Knicks fan. And. And I love seeing people like her, just huge fans who are experiencing this kind of joy for the very first time. And. Yeah. So just wanted to make sure.

[Dave Damaschek]

I thought it was great, too, Zaz. And I was so glad she could enjoy it with her best pal, Taylor

[Dan Le Batard]

sw. Well, she is. Look, she doesn't come up with the seating chart, all right? MSG put Taylor Swift next to Ms. Gargit. They're like, hey, these two will have some fun. We'll put them together.

[Mike Ryan]

But she had one of the.

[Dave Damaschek]

Swifty brought her a T shirt. She got her another. She got her one of the matching T shirts that she and the other ladies were wearing.

[Dan Le Batard]

That's right.

[Mike Ryan]

Good look.

[Dan Le Batard]

That's right.

[Dave Damaschek]

Big, big Knicks fans.

[Dan Le Batard]

That's right. I saw, by the way, tickets for tomorrow night in San Antonio. 50% of the tickets being bought have come from the New York, New Jersey area. That building is going to be packed with Knicks fans. They're gonna take over the arena.

[Dave Damaschek]

9,000 people are going to fly down from the New York Tri state. That's the. That's the assertion here.

[Dan Le Batard]

50% of the tickets have been scooped up by New York, New Jersey.

[Mike Ryan]

Plenty will fly down, but a lot of people are from New York. I imagine San Antonio has a lot of people with New York roots or people that are just Knicks fans.

[Dan Le Batard]

They're.

[Mike Ryan]

They're. They're a big brand.

[Dan Le Batard]

I told you. We went over the prices the other day. San Antonio ticket in San Antonio. Hotel airfare still half the price of a ticket into Madison Square Garden. So, yeah, I think the building tomorrow night is going to be flooded with blue.

[TV Show Promoter]

You can't reason with the sun. Trust us, we've tried. This summer, it's time to put that angry ball of fire on mute. Columbia's Omnishade technology is engineered to protect you from the sun's harsh rays that can burn and damage your skin. The sun is relentless, but so is our gear. Level up your [e-mail] to spend more time outside and less time slathering on aloe lotion. You're welcome, Columbia. Engineered for whatever.