The Dan Le Batard Show with Stugotz XX
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[14] This is the Dan Levator show with the Stugats podcast.
[15] Stugats, you have heard me lament in the way that things have sped up in coverage of sports and just social media addictions in general.
[16] Mm -hmm.
[17] That we rarely appreciate historic greatness when we're sitting in the middle of it.
[18] Usually it's something you have to look back on and then your arguments can never be wrong when you're arguing on behalf of Michael Jordan being the best ever and he represents what I want represented as that part of the generation.
[19] Michael Jordan went over Carl Malone and Clyde Drexler and Charles Barkley and all of them.
[20] He ends up trampling everybody and I want to know from Amin and you where you put this age against Michael Jordan, given that the three guys who were competing over this generation that we just enjoyed in the Olympics, because we all realized, oh, this is the end of something pretty special here with these three guys.
[21] You had three Jordans going against each other, and one of them had a more valuable shot than the others.
[22] Jordan didn't have to play against anybody who was making all the threes who was shooting like Curry, he only had to do it against Reggie Miller.
[23] The game's math changed, and then Durant joins Curry, and LeBron can't get to a couple of the championships from there.
[24] So, I mean, historically, how will we regard the three guys who end up elbowing out, Mello, and Dwayne Wade, and Chris Paul, whereas the previous generation, Michael Jordan was there to vanquage all comers, but I don't know that Drexler was as good as Curry or Durant are.
[25] Yeah, I don't think Drexler specifically is as good as those guys that you name, but I think people would name different names from that era.
[26] They would say, you know, Charles Malone, Elijah Juan, Patrick Ewing, Shaquille O 'Neal, like those are the names of that era.
[27] Now, all of them are big guys because that was what the game was.
[28] The game was center -driven, big man -driven.
[29] If you think about, like, shooting guard was kind of like the least glamorous position.
[30] And then, you know, Jordan kind of changed that.
[31] But, Dan, I mean, that's the hard part about comparing errors.
[32] That's why I'm not a big fan of the, oh, LeBron or Jordan conversation.
[33] Because there's so many variables that every one of these great players both benefited from and were penalized.
[34] I'm just asking you to put this group, these three unprecedented players having to play each other at the same time.
[35] put the generation in some sort of context before it ends here.
[36] Are you talking LeBron, Curry, and Durant, those three in particular?
[37] I'm talking about how wonderful a time it was in basketball to see these guys fight over a decade for all the titles.
[38] Well, I mean, it's not over yet.
[39] Like, all three of those guys are still really good, and all three of their teams have aspirations of continuing.
[40] It is all over.
[41] You think it's over?
[42] It ended last year.
[43] I told you this last year, and you disagree with it.
[44] You believe in old guys forever.
[45] You believe in the old guy ability to summon something, and the young guys took the league last.
[46] year.
[47] That one is obvious.
[48] Those three guys will not have a better chance than the ones they've already had.
[49] I disagree on the grounds that it's not like those three guys came short.
[50] I think the supporting cast around them came short.
[51] They were not provided with all the tools necessary.
[52] So by way of example, if you take Jason Tatum off the Celtics and you put Kevin Durant, you think the Celtics aren't as good?
[53] But that's not what happened.
[54] Kevin Durant joined Jason Tatum Celtics to win the two titles that he won.
[55] My point is this, Dan.
[56] My point is it's not that Durant and LeBron and Curry, their time is over.
[57] It's that the surrounding infrastructure around them has failed them at this point.
[58] And fail is a tough word because those guys have experienced a lot of success in their day.
[59] But I'm just saying, in the present time, the part that is stopping them from winning again isn't, oh, if only Curry was as good as he was a couple of years ago.
[60] No, he's just as good as he was.
[61] it's, man, Jonathan Comingo, not quite good enough, right?
[62] Clay Thompson, not quite as good as he once was.
[63] And so I'm not going to see here and say it's over for any of those three guys because they're still playing at an extremely high level.
[64] It's just how do we get them to help and support they need?
[65] I would say for LeBron, it's over.
[66] Like, LeBron has shifted his focus.
[67] I want to be there for my kid.
[68] I want to play with my kid.
[69] He's not chasing championships.
[70] If he wins one more in L .A., great.
[71] Curry, I still think he can win a championship.
[72] and Kevin Durant, oddly, has the best chance to tack on multiple championships to his resume.
[73] Both of you...
[74] If he lands in the right spot.
[75] Both of you have upset me now because I'm trying to have a conversation with you about the last 10 years and you want to have a conversation about the last 10 minutes.
[76] I'm not interested in the end of their careers.
[77] I'm asking you both to put into context the fact that we have seen three all -time greats, three all -time grades that don't have precedences basketball players.
[78] None of the three.
[79] there's never been anyone who's existed like the three that we just watched.
[80] They fought for the championships for 10 years and last year was oddly unsatisfying with the Celtics throttling everybody because they didn't have one of those three guys.
[81] They basically indoctrinated an era of fans into these are the three best and good luck discussing and arguing who's fourth among them because these are three guys for all time.
[82] Now I'm asking you to put it in some sort of context because they beat each other and one of them didn't just beat the other two every time the way that Jordan did.
[83] I mean, the context is that this was a great generation, and it's a generation that's not over.
[84] But, yeah, like, I don't know what you're looking for in this argument, to be honest with you.
[85] I will tell you the generation that had Jordan was the best generation.
[86] If you're trying to compare generations, don't do it.
[87] I care about you.
[88] I'm not trying to compare generations.
[89] I'm trying to ask you guys whether it can properly be celebrated what it is that we just witnessed.
[90] because we spent the three years criticizing Durant and LeBron.
[91] Steph's the only one who comes out of that unscathed.
[92] We spent the entire time questioning their greatness.
[93] Well, Steph never chased titles.
[94] I told you when Durant started to chase titles, Dan.
[95] It was going to work against him.
[96] Okay, I did.
[97] I told you that the second he started doing it, Curry just stayed put.
[98] He stayed put with a team that was built through the draft, mostly, and then they tacked on Kevin Durant.
[99] Like, Curry didn't go anywhere.
[100] And so I think Steph Curry is probably going to win, like, one more title.
[101] But I'm with the mean.
[102] I don't know what you want us to do with context.
[103] I mean.
[104] What's the, do you guys got anything for us here?
[105] I just, I just think it's, no, but I think it's an error for all time is my point.
[106] It's the only one that pales.
[107] Your parents, okay, can tell you all about Wilt and Bill Russell.
[108] And no one can explain to you how it is that actually Bill Russell ended up dominating a player like Wilt who was the better player, like in an obvious way.
[109] That time is so far in the past, it might as well be ancient fossilized nostalgia.
[110] We're living in a time for all time right now and it's what you just felt during the Olympics the fact that you sort of realized it while they're taking out the Wembenyamas and the Yokic is who are now, as you argue, on behalf of they've still got time left.
[111] I mean, they've had the sport taken from them by who is regarded as the best in the world and it's Yokic.
[112] It's by consensus.
[113] Whether you like him or not.
[114] And the Celtics.
[115] Yeah, but they've had the sport taken.
[116] Best player in the world title is not something we'd give staff, Kevin, Durant, or LeBron, right now.
[117] Right, and the words of Ricky Bobby's dad, oh, you could be second, you can be, hell, you can be third.
[118] Like, okay, so they're not the best.
[119] You think, like, so they're out of the top 10?
[120] They're out of the top 100?
[121] Like, they're still great.
[122] I said that about Affleck, and you guys told me that I couldn't have him in the top 20.
[123] Affleck, but he never was.
[124] That's the difference.
[125] The Affleck was never in the top 20.
[126] I'll work on a list.
[127] But then, you went back to Wilt and Bill Russell.
[128] Dude, in the 80s, we had Dr. Magic, Bird, Isaiah Thomas, Preach, Moses Malone, and all these guys fought over the titles, and they won the titles, and they split, and they had to go through one another.
[129] So I don't think, like, this is unprecedented.
[130] We have a habit of, like, thinking what's happening to us right now is, like, the only time this has ever happened, right?
[131] I saw the stand -up comedian talking about, he said, oh, people say, oh, I don't want to bring a child into this world.
[132] what, a world of, like, medicine and air conditioning and things like that.
[133] Like, somehow it would be better to bring a child into the world 100 years ago.
[134] No, like, look, man, the reality is we're all going through a similar, not the same experience because there are different challenges and different benefits and rewards, but it is similar in that there's always going to be a bunch of other people that are dealing with the thing.
[135] What are we laughing at?
[136] Oh, nothing.
[137] I mean, just keep going.
[138] You're rolling.
[139] You're sounding good.
[140] I was.
[141] You're doing the generational context thing.
[142] When everybody's laughing, it's going to be.
[143] 50 years ago.
[144] What's that?
[145] Some rights have got away that we did have 50 years ago.
[146] And some rights.
[147] There was a better time.
[148] Yes, there are things that we had.
[149] This is the few ones that got taken away like a year ago.
[150] Summer of 84.
[151] The LA games.
[152] There was a time you used to be able to treat your quarterback like shit and you wouldn't go crying to the media.
[153] Tony and I were doing like a top five gun slinger list back here.
[154] So that's kind of where the distraction has been, Dano.
[155] So it's top 20 male actors of the 2000s.
[156] where you're putting Ben Affleck?
[157] I would put him in the top 20 of male movie stars.
[158] I would put him of this millennium.
[159] No, he only had like that.
[160] So 2000 forward.
[161] 2000 forward.
[162] Okay, I'll work on that.
[163] Get some bangers in the early 90s, though.
[164] No, not really.
[165] What, in the early 90s?
[166] Goodwill hunting.
[167] Mid -90s, my best.
[168] 98 was good.
[169] That's the end of the 90s.
[170] They were already on the way out.
[171] And by the way, that was like finally him and Matt Damon arrived.
[172] And then they started getting rolls after that.
[173] Those roles didn't happen to, because people saw the movie in the 98.
[174] Like, wow, let's cast them.
[175] So then they filmed the 99.
[176] 2000, when was the first of those movies came out?
[177] Thank you.
[178] I mean, what happened was that we were watching the Gardner Minchu video back here, Dan, and then we started thinking, Gardner Minchu, Gunslinger, right?
[179] And then we started thinking, who's another Gunslinger?
[180] Let's get top five Gunslinger's going.
[181] So we've got that list for you.
[182] Thank you for doing that.
[183] And at any point you guys want to participate in the show we're doing over here, that'd be good, too.
[184] Because I'm prepping for the next second.
[185] I hadn't gotten to Gardner Minchew yet.
[186] I don't think anyone understood what you were trying to get to.
[187] That's the generational context.
[188] I don't know what you want.
[189] I think since 2000 is what Tony cut off.
[190] Was that 2000?
[191] Does Brett Farves off the field antics remove him from the equation?
[192] That makes him more of a gun slinger.
[193] We're putting them in a vacuum, guys.
[194] No off the field, anything.
[195] What am I doing this vacuum?
[196] Just on the field.
[197] Chris Cody bit.
[198] Don't judge around here.
[199] Why can't he be in the gun slingers?
[200] Not his list, my list.
[201] We'll see.
[202] We're going to bring politics into this?
[203] What do you make him more?
[204] I try not to.
[205] A means arguing saying.
[206] Billy was just asking.
[207] Makes him more.
[208] of a gunslinger.
[209] Dude, if you're out here scamming people and showing your dick and stuff, that's kind of gunslinger attitude in the behavior.
[210] He's right about that, by the way.
[211] I'm just saying gunslinger is not a positive or it's just like a catch -all for all types of reckless behavior.
[212] Sometimes a reckless behavior is positive, like throwing a dart down the field for a touchdown, like when your dad just passed away before.
[213] Sometimes you're like, oh no, yes!
[214] I would think this list is specific to football, though, not just general gunslingers.
[215] Again, hadn't gotten there yet.
[216] I don't know why you guys were doing your own private show back there about gunslingers.
[217] Preping for the next second.
[218] Yeah, but I wasn't going there yet.
[219] We have to be a step ahead.
[220] We're playing a step ahead.
[221] We're trying to be where you're going, not where you were.
[222] Dan, you're a little bit of a gunslinger.
[223] I don't know if you know this.
[224] See, they've got to be prepared.
[225] They've got to be organized.
[226] You're out here just throwing it like, curry, step, LeBron.
[227] In the NFL, there is no margin for error.
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[240] Don Lebertard.
[241] Stugats Every cup game And at what?
[242] This is the Dan Lebatar show With the Stugats Well, here's something that's happening around here And now we're not going to garden a minchin You can stop our dimension.
[243] Oh wow, looking at you.
[244] You got us.
[245] Whoa.
[246] Dunson, you're just denied.
[247] All you've done is denied the audience.
[248] You haven't denied me anything.
[249] But they really wanted to hear about Gardner.
[250] You know they did.
[251] Guys, you know they did.
[252] We drew up the play.
[253] Everyone's lined up.
[254] Dan hikes the ball says you know what fuck it I'm going that way took it put it under my arm and walked right out of the stadium Dan's the one that ends in the homes he toss it behind his back the play starts breaking down he makes it happen he makes these things work Dan Kama Trava Hardoi and we're getting in his way so stop it right now Dan back to you yeah gunslinger talk that's really what I want to do can't wait to do it the thing that I wanted to ask you guys because this is happening around here a lot and I don't know what to do with it you have a bunch of people in the other room who are clamoring and really want to do a fantasy show for the audience.
[255] And we are not good at doing fantasy shows.
[256] You can absolutely rig your clickbait by just this time of year doing fantasy garbage.
[257] People are snorting it.
[258] Everybody is trying to you know, they're basically trying to get up to speed on all things football a week before the season.
[259] Mike Wright on God bless football this Friday.
[260] I mean, Oh, nice.
[261] Fantasy footballers.
[262] Getting you ready.
[263] And the video team wants to do something fantasy -related.
[264] I don't know whether it's centered around Tony.
[265] And I am just adamantly, I'm adamantly against us doing this as a cheap content play just to diddle the audience because of the fantasy shit that you guys love.
[266] First off, let me speak for the video team, the fantasy audience.
[267] We could do a kick -ass show if we were allowed to do a kick -ass show.
[268] I think that's the more important thing.
[269] So if we had the go, we could make it happen.
[270] The green light.
[271] Exactly.
[272] And then we can make it happen.
[273] Tony, not to cut you up, I'm going to just say this right now.
[274] Maybe if you had a couple of gunslingers, you'd do the show.
[275] What is this?
[276] There can only be one gunslinger.
[277] There can always be multiple gunslingers.
[278] You think gunslingers wait for an okay?
[279] It's just gunsling.
[280] That's what they do.
[281] Also, diddlers.
[282] Not the word I would use.
[283] I'm not here to dittle the audience, by the way.
[284] The fantasy stuff is.
[285] It's disgusting to me. It's disgusting how much you guys eat it up.
[286] I maintain that if we started a fantasy show, and Tony's right, it needs to be a good fantasy show.
[287] We could turn anyone into a fantasy expert.
[288] Well, no, you can.
[289] No, I think we can.
[290] It's a guessing game.
[291] No, no, I know you think we can.
[292] I think a lot of people think we can.
[293] I think that's the problem.
[294] We can't.
[295] You have to actually know what you're talking about.
[296] I think there are people who work with us that know exactly what they're talking about and be very good at it.
[297] They just need people to set them up.
[298] That's all.
[299] When's the last time you checked Field Yates for whether he's right or wrong on this stuff?
[300] No one ever does.
[301] That's my point.
[302] Good point.
[303] I'm saying.
[304] That's what I'm saying.
[305] Well, the thing that I wanted to ask all of you, because you're all fascinated by this fantasy stuff, I want to play some sound for you here of, and I think Stugats, you may not have noticed this because of how you both produce and consume content at this point.
[306] But whether it's Hassan Piker or people like Warren Sharp, there are a whole.
[307] lot of people in the democracy of the podcast space who are aggressive, okay, type A personalities on how it is they're going to conquer everybody by having better and more information than others.
[308] And they found a way to, I don't know what Warren Sharpe's past is, but a lot of people who didn't like their happiness in law like Mike Florio or one of the original content monsters.
[309] They wanted another career.
[310] They found that the sports industry was ripe with both people who were cavemen and kind of lazy.
[311] And so they have more information and better information than most.
[312] But having that information doesn't necessarily result in you being able to predict results.
[313] Because I'm going to play some sound for you here of Warren Sharp, who is excellent at football information.
[314] I honestly don't know what his past was, but I'm going to just give you a two -minute breakdown of him talking about all two of things, and this guy's preordained right to this as a career, Sturgat, is just that his information is really good, and people trust that he's making value measurements on the NFL that have more data than most.
[315] To his rookie season was 20 -20, second season was 2021, both of which were under Brian Flores.
[316] His rookie season and his second second season.
[317] You know where the Dolphs Offensive Line rank?
[318] Dead last.
[319] They were the worst in pass -block win rate.
[320] They were the worst in PFF grades, the worst offensive line in the league.
[321] His receiving core of those two years, you know, where they ranked, dead last in wide receiver separation.
[322] They could not get open.
[323] His number one receiver was Devonte Parker.
[324] We know his problems.
[325] His number two was a tight end, Mike Keseki.
[326] Number three was Jalen Wattle, who he only had for one season.
[327] And number four was a running back, Miles Gaskin.
[328] An utter catastrophe of guys, mostly with limited skill and no ability to separate.
[329] They ranked second to last in yards after the catch, obviously, because they were not being able to get open.
[330] The receivers couldn't contribute it.
[331] The offense wasn't designed to give it, which brings me to coaching.
[332] His rookie season, the offense was designed by a formerly retired 64 -year -old Chan Gaylee.
[333] He comes out of retirement to design the offense for Ryan Fitzpatrick.
[334] It was COVID, and Tua is rehabbing this ridiculous hip injury that ended his college career.
[335] Fitzpatrick takes all the snaps during camp to get him ready for the season.
[336] Tua then is thrust into the offense midway through the And if you remember, after this season, Chang Galey comes out and says that he was totally shocked that Flores decided to throw Tua in there because he didn't have a preseason.
[337] He didn't get any reps and it was a totally new offense for him.
[338] Galey doesn't make many changes to the offense forces Tua to play Ryan Fitzpatrick's offense, and obviously it's a disaster.
[339] Then you go to 2021.
[340] He's got co -offensive coordinators this season.
[341] So new set of coordinators, George Cotsie and Eric Studsville.
[342] These guys have no experience calling plays.
[343] It was very confusing who was going to do what.
[344] Brian Flores doesn't announce who's going to be doing what.
[345] His number one receiver misses seven games.
[346] His receivers had the worst separation in the NFL.
[347] He's playing behind the worst offensive line in the NFL yet again.
[348] And his running backs ranked 30th in rushing efficiency.
[349] So he's got nothing on the ground.
[350] His receivers aren't helping.
[351] His offensive line is terrible.
[352] The play calling is not good.
[353] And despite all of that, he improves in nearly every single stable quarterback metric across the board.
[354] So you want to look at his overall stats and say, oh, Tua wasn't great.
[355] his first two years in the NFL.
[356] Maybe you could say that if you want to, it's a bad argument to make considering everything else that went around him and what we have seen these last couple of years when he's been actually playing in a competent offense with decent play calling and a little bit better structure.
[357] You chose that video over Gunslinger Talk?
[358] I mean, Jesus.
[359] Knows what he's talking about.
[360] Tighten it up.
[361] Guy was an engineer.
[362] How about you put your hand in the dirt?
[363] Oh, God.
[364] Final penalty.
[365] Kim Boat.
[366] Rambling.
[367] He says, I sent Sharp to the penalty box.
[368] It was rambling, but I will just say to you, all of it was set up for the following.
[369] Clearly knows what he's talking about.
[370] And when he came on with us, went over 13 picking games and had to give people a subscription rate of a dollar because he was so embarrassed because all of the knowledge in the world doesn't actually help you predict the results in real or in fantasy.
[371] But you guys would be here to tell me I'm wrong, correct?
[372] Then in fantasy, you can have information that's better than all.
[373] the people you're competing against.
[374] Sure, you can, but I think fantasy is a lot about the vibes too, Dan.
[375] The show has to have vibes on it, right?
[376] It has to be fun.
[377] It has to be getting you ready for the week.
[378] It has to be like, all right, we're starting these guys.
[379] We're not starting these guys.
[380] But it's got to be fun.
[381] If it's just information -driven, it's kind of boring.
[382] Yeah.
[383] You got to give the people something.
[384] I'm going to give the people what they want.
[385] That's the problem, though.
[386] I think that most of what it is that you're seeing skyrocket up the charts this time of year in fantasy is not entertainment.
[387] It's all info.
[388] They want the information.
[389] It's not because it's a wacky show.
[390] It's how do I beat this guy out of my $800 league because someone's giving secret information out there that I don't have?
[391] Everyone's hunting for gold right now.
[392] It's not to say there's not a market for a different fun fantasy show.
[393] I'm certain that there is.
[394] But Dan is right.
[395] People who listen to that stuff, they want that information.
[396] No, everybody is just hunting for.
[397] They want to be at their draft.
[398] They want to make a pick and they want everyone to say, good pick, good pick.
[399] Well, yeah, of course.
[400] And I need other people to tell me who those good picks are going to be.
[401] Who am I taking in the seventh round?
[402] Where's the value?
[403] I just want people to congratulate me. I don't actually care if I win in fantasy.
[404] I just want, there's nothing worse than you go up to your board in the draft.
[405] You put your sticker there and just silence.
[406] Or one of these moves.
[407] I'd rather be mocked for a bad pick than just silence.
[408] That, that, that, that, that, that, that ear, it's like the longest walk back to your table when you're at the draft.
[409] And there's just nothing said.
[410] What is he doing?
[411] Are you guys still doing physical in -person draft?
[412] I have a couple.
[413] Those are the best.
[414] I never do that.
[415] No, I don't like doing that.
[416] The online ones are faster, but I love it.
[417] a good, let's all get together.
[418] Let's talk shit.
[419] Flowing.
[420] But I mean, they also live in the same place where they grew up, so they have, like, bigger friend groups here.
[421] Like, I don't have any friends here, so that wouldn't work for me. Friendless.
[422] Chris Cody, you are telling me that you'd prefer the echoing laughter of drafting River Craycraft than just silence when you go to your board?
[423] I'd rather hear, reach, reach, than just silence.
[424] Can you guys tell me what you think of the worn sharp mustache?
[425] In general, it's aggressive.
[426] It's a signature look.
[427] I can't imagine Warren Sharp without the mustache.
[428] That's a good point.
[429] Look, he's in the penalty box.
[430] Yes, he's in the penalty box.
[431] Two minutes for rambling.
[432] It was good condensed information, but Stugats, I think.
[433] Condense it more.
[434] Exactly right.
[435] Do you have, well, he condensed two years into two minutes.
[436] Well, you know, you can talk fast enough to have people think, you know.
[437] Let's get it down to 60.
[438] All right, so you don't think he knows what he's talking about?
[439] Well, you're the Duke.
[440] You're ranked fifth.
[441] You're not here to start problems with Warren Sharp.
[442] That's not what I'm doing here.
[443] I like Warren Sharp.
[444] Put it on the poll.
[445] Does the Duke know more about football than Warren Sharp?
[446] Does the fifth internationally ranked fifth football insider?
[447] It's six.
[448] Are you fourth now?
[449] What are you?
[450] This is going to be awkward when we get to the football meetings and I see Warren Sharp, and now we're going to have to talk about this thing that Dan causes, this wedge between us.
[451] Stugans, do you have the book bag on you that the other day you pulled out one of these magazines you're still going through to get your fantasy?
[452] Your fantasy secrets, because do any of you still use any of the fantasy magazines in order to stock your team with ringers instead of listening to the five podcasts that have skyrocketed up the charts?
[453] I actually have a bone to pick with Warren Sharp, if we're going to be honest.
[454] Actual physical magazine.
[455] Okay.
[456] Here's the thing.
[457] I tried to get his Warren Sharp, like, pre -season, like, book.
[458] He puts all this work into it or whatever.
[459] It's the Bible.
[460] Did he call it the Sharp picks or something like that?
[461] I want a hard copy.
[462] It's called Warren.
[463] What is it good for?
[464] I don't want to be scanning and scrolling through a PDF.
[465] I want to go like this and I want to put my fingers through all the different pages.
[466] I want to leaf the pages.
[467] You know what I mean?
[468] Like I want to annotate things.
[469] Like I want stuff like that, but it's just a PDF from what I could find.
[470] He used to have the regular book.
[471] Yeah, I want a hard copy.
[472] That became more of a tax on him actually creating a business.
[473] So like the PDF is way easier because you could just send you 500 pages instead of printing a book and then sending it to you.
[474] And also, Billy, are you not a fan of Control F?
[475] No, I'm not.
[476] I like going through.
[477] I like feeling like I have accomplished something.
[478] If I'm going to read 15 words in a book, I want to, you know, go through 200 pages to get to those 15.
[479] Are you reading the book or are you just looking at it?
[480] I was intending on reading it, but now...
[481] There's a lot of information in those Warren Sharp NFL previews.
[482] Like, there's a lot of graphs and numbers and data.
[483] There's like 6 ,000 pages.
[484] Stugats is waving around now.
[485] It's like seeing Donald Trump holding the Bible upside down.
[486] He doesn't totally know how to hold something.
[487] 350 plus pages.
[488] Dan, you want to touch it?
[489] Something that needs to be read.
[490] He doesn't know how to hold it up.
[491] I got my errand shots.
[492] God, I'm so confused reading that.
[493] I don't know what the hell's going on.
[494] By the almanac.
[495] Does the Phil Steele tell you who the other three running backs were who won the Doke Walker Award two years in a row?
[496] I didn't get to that page.
[497] I'm glad we got back to that again today.
[498] It went so well yesterday.
[499] Put it on the poll, please, Juju, at Lebitard show.
[500] What should Warren Sharpe's book be named?
[501] Warren, what's it good for?
[502] Or Sharp's picks?
[503] Is that what you called it?
[504] Is Warren Sharp his real name?
[505] No. Sharp is a fake name, right?
[506] Of course.
[507] What is?
[508] Is it Bill Sharp?
[509] What is it?
[510] His first name is that, but his last name is not sharp.
[511] There's no way it's sharp.
[512] It can't be sharp, right?
[513] Find out Warren's the real name for me. Please, I want more information.
[514] The judge coach, sweetie.
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[536] Don Lebertard.
[537] You were that kind of sad this morning.
[538] taking the barrage of anger from Stugats because you hadn't booked him enough interviews.
[539] The only reason I keep bringing this up is because you not are throwing a big party on Thursday.
[540] You're doing it.
[541] And I want people to support what you're doing because Stugats has not made this easy.
[542] Stugats.
[543] Well, you know, I, well, yeah, you know.
[544] This is the Dan Levitar show with the Stugats.
[545] Would you guys please do me the favor of getting me updated on the following that I am now being texted about and tweeted about?
[546] Somebody is accusing Stephen A. Smith of, well, that's interesting.
[547] Stephen A. Smith on first take insinuating that Dan Lebitard and his show are in cahoots with the Dolphins and the NFL and Tua with that interview.
[548] Inside job.
[549] I don't know what the accusation is entirely.
[550] Guys, I'm sorry.
[551] I got to come clean.
[552] I am actually an agent for Roger Goodell, and I've orchestrated all of this.
[553] Everything, the building of Metal Arc Media, the studios, everything you've done here over the last three years, basically, since freedom, has been one massive conspiracy between the NFL and myself to entrap you, Dan Levitard, and make you a tool of our oppression.
[554] I am grateful that you immediately jump into the moment.
[555] mode of defending us against this with your sarcasm, but I'd like to know the nature of the accusation first.
[556] Jessica, what did you just take a giant bite out of there?
[557] It looked delicious, and it looked a bit carnivorous, and I think there was some cupcake involved.
[558] How much food did you just stick in your mouth?
[559] Hold on, Jessica.
[560] It looked carnivorous.
[561] It was trying to eat Jessica back?
[562] Yes.
[563] You need to fill more time, Dan.
[564] You can't talk yet.
[565] I made a mistake just now.
[566] I forgot to eat breakfast during the break because Taylor had the Phil Steal book, so I started reading through the Phil Steelbook, and then we started looking through the 247 rankings of 2028 recruiting class quarterbacks to see who was still in college.
[567] A number of players still in college, actually.
[568] So I was distracted by all of that, and then I was like, oh, my God, I forgot to eat my toast from this morning.
[569] So then I was like, well, I have to eat it now because I can't wait for another break.
[570] So I took a big bite of it just now.
[571] It looked like icing, though.
[572] It wasn't it?
[573] It was cream cheese of some sort?
[574] It's avocado toast.
[575] It's just avocado.
[576] Okay.
[577] I'm sorry, it looked both like dessert and meat, and it looked like a great deal of delicious.
[578] I'm not going to eat meat until Sunday.
[579] I'm saving my meat appetite for the barbecue contest.
[580] Make sure that I'm ready, you know.
[581] To go to Key West with Roy.
[582] The fishing tournament slash barbecue slash all -purpose charity event that Roy and Jessica are doing on the southernmost point of the world.
[583] I think Roy called a mish mash of random charitable shit.
[584] Yes, they did an excellent job of not promoting it well.
[585] They were exceptional at that.
[586] So it means a spy?
[587] That's what he is claiming, but I'd like to get back to the previous detailed reporting of what is Stephen A. Smith actually accusing me of.
[588] Can you guys get some actual information as opposed to, I mean, just riffing?
[589] It seems like he's saying that, you know, the dolphins wanted you to ask Tua that question.
[590] You asked the question so Tua could give that response.
[591] He wanted to get it out there.
[592] But you're basing this on no information that you've got either.
[593] Okay, very good.
[594] So you want to mean not giving me. I did.
[595] I know, but I don't know what he did.
[596] And before you guys go straight into reaction mode can you please tell me what he did we will get to your reactions in a moment get yourselves informed before you give the reaction if that is what he did though did the dolphins tell you to ask that question yes obviously the thing that I wanted to get to with all of you from the last segment is we've done some research some journalism groundbreaking and Warren Sharpe's real name is Tyler Brickener No doesn't work Brickner Tyler Brickner that's a fine He missed the opportunity to go by The Brick.
[597] Oh, my God.
[598] He was a Hoops guy that would have worked, though.
[599] But J .T. already had it.
[600] No, if you go hoops and you go by the nickname The Brick, you're just Russell Westbrook.
[601] You don't want to be The Brick.
[602] Shout out to J .T. The Brick is a legend.
[603] It really is.
[604] Put it on the poll, please.
[605] At LeBetard Show, Jiu, is J .T. the Brick a legend?
[606] It's a radio hall of favorites.
[607] Absolute legends.
[608] Well, let me go back for just a second here, okay?
[609] because I'm telling you that I know Warren Sharp does know what he's talking about.
[610] And I also admire, I really do, that in the age of content creation and democracy, that some people hustle their way into the zeitgeist by just having better information when they're eating at the same trough that everyone else is trying to eat at, and the hunger is obvious in their work.
[611] Take the mustache away, though.
[612] He's got nothing.
[613] I mean, it's fair.
[614] That's his whole bit.
[615] Well, he does have good information.
[616] Again, it's not just the mustache.
[617] No, but, you know.
[618] It's helping, certainly.
[619] Not going to dispute it.
[620] But the thing that I wanted to ask you guys, because Stugats really does believe that everyone can lazy their way into it the way that he did.
[621] And so he believes he can create a Warren Sharp out of just magic and God bless football that he and Billy can find their, what do you mean no, Billy?
[622] What do you mean no?
[623] No, this is a situation where we had a talk and I said, let's try to be on the same page this season if we can so that, you know, everything runs as smoothly as possible.
[624] Like, keep me up to date on some of these things, you know, this and that.
[625] Just like, let's, you know, let's make this smooth.
[626] Let's make this football season fun.
[627] Let's be, you know, hand in hand here, me, you.
[628] Let's like talk to the people that help.
[629] Very unlikely here.
[630] It's an untethered balloon that's always deflating.
[631] You will have no control over him.
[632] You'll be tired by week three.
[633] Did Jessica just spit a bunch of avocado into a cup?
[634] It was a radish.
[635] That was a radish, yeah.
[636] Well, lo and behold, I walk in and I find out Stugats is pitching new fantasy shows.
[637] I've not been made aware of.
[638] And with new shows compromises of where they're going to air and such.
[639] And, you know, I find these things out on air.
[640] And I say, please, let's not continue.
[641] Says, okay, we won't, won't.
[642] And apparently this has been going on today.
[643] If you overheard this somewhere in another room, I don't know what's going on.
[644] Stugat's believes he can create out of Chris Cody's law.
[645] or his mother's law office, that he can create a character that dominates the fantasy space by just going on God bless football all the time and siphoning audience.
[646] This is all I'm saying, and it's all I've ever said as it relates to fantasy, okay?
[647] I have a friend, his name is Inferno.
[648] He's a ringer.
[649] I hired him to run my baseball team.
[650] He is going up against people who do this for a living.
[651] Jamie Eisenberg at CBS Sports.
[652] He beats them every single year.
[653] He has the information.
[654] He's doing the research.
[655] He has no interest in talking into a microphone, but I can take somebody else.
[656] There are countless people like Inferno out there roaming the earth that don't have a platform that know more about fantasy sports than the guy's actually talking about fantasy sports.
[657] I'm going to find one.
[658] And you think it just so happens to be Chris and Tony.
[659] Well, no. I think Chris may know someone.
[660] Tony might know someone.
[661] I know a few people that know a lot more than some of the people I'm hearing out there.
[662] That's all.
[663] Give me a chance.
[664] Give a platform.
[665] Stugats, I don't believe that there are great many people who know a lot more than Matthew Barry.
[666] Like, his whole game is...
[667] Dan, how hard is it to do this?
[668] Listen, don't take a quarterback first five rounds, you know?
[669] The gap between the best quarterback and the worst quarterback.
[670] It's not that big of a gap.
[671] That's why you don't take one to the fifth or sixth round.
[672] But the gap between the best running back and the worst running back, a lot smaller.
[673] That's why you take them in the first round.
[674] Boom, information, fantasy guy.
[675] Matthew Barry joining us next week.
[676] Is he?
[677] Yeah.
[678] He's awesome, man. Matthew Barry.
[679] He's great.
[680] You know what, Dan, earlier you played up?
[681] Have you heard his Jay -Z story?
[682] I have, because he's in the same fantasy.
[683] You're getting here to get Monday.
[684] You were talking about Warren Sharp, and it's like, oh, this is what fantasy, you know, info, fantasy content is like, I would argue that Matthew Barry finds a way to make it fun and funny and engaging.
[685] His studio had puppets.
[686] We got in trouble for using that studio.
[687] Dude, that studio, that show is awesome.
[688] You got, wait, what?
[689] Yeah.
[690] We tried to use his studio.
[691] The puppets?
[692] Yeah, because we went up.
[693] and we did a little stint in Bristol when Dan was on his honeymoon and what happened was is this was at the peak of a music dome and the mass singer and I was really pushing to do a music dome from the sports center set and they did not like that idea at all and the consolation ended up being you can do it in Matthew Barry's studio but don't tell anyone and we did do it in Matthews Berry's studio and what I heard was the line that we crossed was when we started playing with the puppets like it was fine to be doing the studio we were pushing all the little levers and everything things were flying down we were like we were really exploring the space updating everybody on what happened on the mass singer and then once we touched the puppet that's when we really got in trouble and we had it talking to alarms went off in the life of Matthew Barry as soon as any of the puppets are touched wait where did you touch him what all right let's see what we've got here let's see here just anything we'll do carefully just fine minor penalty two minutes asshole So fail, try and fail to get, go ahead.
[694] Thank you.
[695] Get out of here.
[696] Excellent timing.
[697] You've been impeccable today.
[698] Yeah, my fault.
[699] It was my fault on the timing.
[700] Let's talk about how you failed already to get Matthew Cherry off the ground on God bless football because you wanted an alternative to Matthew Barry.
[701] And that fantasy expert didn't actually become anything.
[702] Well, that was before we thought we could get Matthew Barry on the show.
[703] Then he got on the show.
[704] We kind of punted on the idea.
[705] Well, Matthew Cherry, guys, spoiler.
[706] alert.
[707] If you are catching up seasons one through three of God bless football on your podcast, you may want to change the channel right now because about week four, season two of God bless football, we introduced Matthew Cherry, which is actually Greg Cody giving fantasy advice.
[708] Good idea, wrong guy.
[709] No, it could have worked, but then we also didn't realize there was an actual Matthew Cherry that played football, and we caused a lot of confusion that week as well.
[710] And then Greg was busy, I believe, the following week, and then that idea just went away.
[711] Yeah.
[712] That happens with God bless football.
[713] Well, Billy, do you feel like you're on the same page enough?
[714] I've been hearing from Stugats for several months.
[715] This guy in Chris's office, I'm going to make him a fantasy star.
[716] This is not weeks old.
[717] He's been talking about it all summer.
[718] This is the first I hear of this.
[719] Someone in someone's office?
[720] Yeah.
[721] What?
[722] Yeah.
[723] Just your regular average Joe, Billy.
[724] I'm telling you, I can, first off, I am certain because I trust Chris, that this person, he's like inferno, okay, knows more about fantasy than the people talking about them.
[725] Secondly, these people who do the research, who put in the time, they just need a platform.
[726] I'm going to give this person that platform.
[727] That's all, it doesn't have to be a God bless football thing.
[728] It could be his own entity.
[729] I don't care.
[730] You're just charitable work.
[731] You just want to give this guy a platform to get him off the ground.
[732] No, hold on.
[733] What we're trying to do here with me, Stugatz, and Chris, is basically almost like an American idol, but for fantasy.
[734] We're going to give people the platform.
[735] Hey, you're a great singer.
[736] Prove it to America.
[737] Correct.
[738] You're a great fantasy football.
[739] I Prove it to America.
[740] And then we're going to give them the platform.
[741] If they suck, we boot them, we got somebody else.
[742] And we're going to fact -check all the guys who are doing it because no one else is.
[743] You're going to fact -check all the guys doing.
[744] Well, someone on our staff is, but, I mean, it's not going to be me. But we are going to check the Field Yates is, the Matthew Berries.
[745] You're just going to talk about doing things you don't actually do for months.
[746] Can you ever just sit down and just take a breath?
[747] I have a tough time sitting down.
[748] I've noticed.
[749] I like to pace, man. I do.
[750] You're a busy man, but it's like you.
[751] cause his own problems for yourself.
[752] I'm busy doing nothing.
[753] Yeah.
[754] No, I don't know.
[755] Good luck this season with God bless football, Billy.
[756] You're going to be made crazy.
[757] Can we give the people the start of the day music, please?
[758] We've got competing stats of the day here between me and God.
[759] Start of the day.
[760] Start of the day, start of the day, start of the day.
[761] Start of the day, start of the day, start of the day, and this year, start of the day.
[762] Start of the day Start of the day It is the start of the day Is yours inside of sports or outside of sports Your stat of the day?
[763] Inside of sports, I think Well, you would know You'd be the only one who would know Some of it's inside, some of it's outside 50 -50 Let's see what we've got Courtesy of At R .D. Mancini on Twitter Sister Gene was 12 years old when Thomas Edison died.
[764] Beat that!
[765] Is that a better stat that in Finland there are more saunas than cars?
[766] Oh, wow.
[767] It's hard to believe.
[768] Which is the better stat?
[769] Put it on the poll, please, at Lebitard show.
[770] Did you know that in Finland there are more saunas than cars?
[771] Weirdly, they do both naked.
[772] It's a weird thing about Finland.