The Dan Le Batard Show with Stugotz - Hour 1: the last great american dynasty?

Episode Date: January 29, 2024

It's time for Stugotz's Weekend Observations! Then, our friendly neighborhood race lady Jemele Hill is here after her San Francisco 49ers beat her husband's Detroit Lions. Jemele learns of how her husband *almost* betrayed her on the air, discusses Dan Campbell's decision making, and explains why it's okay that Brock Purdy isn't "elite." Plus, is the NBA starting to have a legitimate problem on its hands with players continuing to sit out marquee matchups? Is that even the reason why fans aren't flocking to the sport on TV? Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

You're listening to DraftKings Network. Presented by Drap King's Fantasy Sports, check out what Drap King's has to offer this season with code Dan because life's more fun when you're in on the action. Drap King's, the crown is yours. Gambling problem, call 1-800 Gamble, agent eligibility restrictions apply. Foy were prohibited, see DrapKings.com for details. Juju, please put this on the poll, Better Legacy Act, Quiet Riot or White Snake. Wow. Let's do Stugatz's weekend observations. It is time for Stugatz to share his game notes.

No one in the media will tell you what happened better than my boys do. Weekend observations brought to you by Miller Lite. Great taste, 96 calories available for delivery. Then, while most eyes were on the field, mine were on a celebrity watching their favorite team win and advance to the Super Bowl. Considered by many to be the greatest musician of all time, not to mention the most successful touring act as well, people might say they are tired of the attention.

But me? I can't get enough. And Dan, just like that, make no mistake about it. Bob Weir is back. Put it on the pole, Juju. Does anyone say Bob Weir is the greatest musician of all time? I do. Oh, you didn't say we're here. And countless others.

Okay. Yeah. Patrick Mahomes, here's an idea. I do. And countless others. Okay. Yeah. Patrick Mahomes, here's an idea. Maybe help out your defense once in a while. Lamar Jackson, woodacuda should have. Jurgen Klopp announcing he's leaving Liverpool at the end of the year.

So he gets the applause. Jurgen Klopp, the coach K, is strong in you. Well said. Thank you. Dan, you know what the C in Klopp stands for? There's a C. It stands for coach K. It's Jurgen Klopp. I don't think there's a C. I don't think there's not a C. It's it's okay silent Jurgen Klopp if you're so great come to the MLS and do it against messy 24 7 lions in the first half 27 7 49ers in the second half a tail of two halves Look at you. I didn't even ask you that! How'd you know I was gonna ask?

Because... That's incredible! Yes, because you're you. Well, maybe I wasn't though, I mean... Huh. Interesting. To change my game around a little bit. You know...

I'm sorry. You know what else was a tale of two halves? The Lions Watch Party. You see that at Ford Field? Oh, man, I felt so bad for those people. I mean, they're gonna be sick for a month. Yeah. Lamar Jackson.

I knew you were in trouble when you walked in. If there's one thing I know about Steve Spagnova, it's that Steve Spagnova is going to dial up a game plan. Spags. It's what he does. I thought we only dialed up Blitz's. We dial up game. Game play. I thought the phrasing dialed up is for a blitz and only for a game plan as well.

Okay. Kansas City Chiefs. The last great American dynasty. What's the matter, Jess? She's just exasperated with you. Luca Donkic, 73. Joellen Bied, 70. Devin Booker, 62.

Carl Anthony Towns, 62. But the real proof that the NBA has a defense problem is PJ Washington scoring 43 off the bench. Ow. Do we have a defense? Everyone's averaging 20 points a game now. But do we have a defense problem or is it just that the offense is that good? No one's playing defense anymore, Dan. Really?

What it feels like to me. You have to look at some 80s basketball if you think they were playing defense back then and aren't now. Death, taxes and Duke squeaking out a win at Cameron Indoor after getting bailed out by the refs. Thinking of all the Lions fans today that book trips to Las Vegas up 24 seven. Dan, the Ellen Las Vegas stands for let's hope you can get a

refund Lions fans put it on the pole please do you at Levitard show would you ever book a trip to the Super Bowl if your team was up 17 at the half putting back the tray table on United Airlines dangerous game it's tricky it is I hurt my thumb last night. Yeah It is you can tell when the cross season When it's airline when it turns into airline observations, these are tricky though These you have to take out slide out then pull it out so you can eat and then once you put it back in you have to slide it back in Before you put it back in there's have to slide it back in before you put it back in. There's a slide scale. It's like weird.

It's weird. It's hard. Tricky game. Get ready for three and a half months of airline observations. He got in at 1.30 this morning on a flight from Chicago. The Windy City. Delayed, man. I know hair.

Forget it. Is that where you watched the NFC title game? Yes. Rach. Rach scored two goals. Yes. She did. She had a game. It's exciting.

Where was it? Shocked to see the Niners and Chiefs playing in another Super Bowl. I thought they would never ever ever get back together. I'd look these up. Really? You don't know Taylor Swift lyrics off the top of your head. Going to be a cruel summer for Lamar Jackson. He's delivering them seamlessly.

49ers a quarterback away. Marquez Valdez scantling never makes it look easy. Even when catching football. So heart attack that guy. Detroit Lions ahead coach away. CJ Gardner Johnson waving goodbye to 49er fans in the second quarter. Hey CJ, you counted your chickens

before they could convert a fourth down attempt. In this week's edition of Hold or Old, Jameer Nelson's son is on TCU. He poured in 30. Nelson was so good. I saw during one of the bowl games, I saw there was a blades brother running around, I think for Duke and it was Al blades kid. It wasn't even Brian or Benning. What? It's like the son of the son. He played at Miami for several years.

You just found out about him? You know what the F in Zay Flower stands for? I do not. Fumbled at the goal line. Dan, I don't know if you know, but this week, UNC and Duke and UNC is the top three team. Since I mentioned bluebloods, Miami, hard fought win against 12 and eight pit. Right at the ship. You needed that one.

Ed Cooley leaving Providence for Georgetown, but asking Providence for a bonus check for the energy he brought there. Ed Cooley, the Stugatz, is strong in you. The E in Ed Cooley stands for energy. 0-3 since the trade, 30% from the field, 14% from 3, and a team worse minus 58 and 90 minutes The only thing scary about Terry are those stats scary Terry Dan it isn't officially college basketball season until Joe Lennarty has wake forest it is next four out

the deeks we're getting there it's close enjoy the next two weeks people soon me you baseball Joey Chestnut Katie Nolan do it in the finals oh come on. What I mean, it's super impressi it off, do it in the fin Hmm. Dan, since you didn't you to do, which was to t honors. Dan, you know, any

people have more playoff w anyone who has ever made t a single game. So, you know You don't play off. You don't need people have more playoff wins than Joe Mauer Anyone who has ever made the playoffs and won a single game I don't understand what's happening with Stugatz the Knicks are legitimately good this year He hasn't wanted to talk about that. He doesn't know he doesn't know what the shortstop for the Mets Looks like when presented a photo of Francisco Lindor. But when it comes to Joe Maurer, it has re-sparked Stugatz's interest in sports to keep him out of the Hall of Fame.

Well, playoff wins are a catcher statistic. Yeah, they are. Everyone knows that. Knew that. Maurer's postseason record was Joe in 10. You didn't do it. I didn't keep him out of the Hall of Fame. That is correct.

When people say he's not your average Joe, I assure you they're not talking about Joe Mauer. Top four Minnesota Twins from the 2019, the year Joe Mauer won MVP. Yes, the rare top four. O-L-I I Joe Maurer. Number four, Joe Nathan. Number three, Michael Kadiar. Danny had a year. Dan look up Kadiar's year. He had a year. I looked it up. Maurer was the MVP didn't? Mauer had a year that year too. Number two, Jason Kubel.

Kubes. Number one, Justin Mornau. Dan, the New York Nica-Bockers. That's all I got. That's it, there it is, finally. He mentioned Mauer before the nicks. I was wondering. They just announced Julius Randall injury. That's where you keep them out.

I know. I know. Separated shoulder. LeBron didn't just beat Steph Curry over the weekend. You know who else LeBron defeated, Dan? Father Time. He did. Father Time is no longer undefeated. He was. I thought Brady beat him first. Oh, LeBron. when's it gonna end?

Dan your Detroit she'll afford Bill Belichick. He calls you today. What do you do? I ask you a question You yell at him for map Patricia I You yell at him for Matt Patricia. I set the over under on the amount of I told you so text that Bill Polly and sent yesterday at 20 and I'm taking the over. You. He said he couldn't play quarterback. He's these two times until he wins a Super Bowl.

Two time MVP. At quarterback. Yeah, I understand that. That made more of an impact as a receiver in yesterday's game. Just a reminder, you heard it here first three weeks ago. The Clippers are winning the NBA championship. They throttled Boston, man. They went into Boston and dragged them. Throttle Boston man, they went into Boston and dragged them. Yep, Bob Weir do a concert in Vegas at Super Bowl week I dare you actually I beg you 30 and 39

30 up 39 for 241 yards one touchdown Patrick Mahomes the Alex Smith is Strong in you the Detroit Lions came so close to going an entire season Without acting like the Detroit Lions Jared golf loves entering through the back door. What? He does he does Mike will bond a rant complaining about analytics

collision course, to lose in that fashion, hell will freeze over before the Lions get to a Super Bowl. Speaking of hell, Arp Riles, Dan, those are the weak get observations. Winning on Valentine's Day is easy. It's Flowers! Don't forget the Flowers! Order early at 1800flowers.com and you'll be entered for a chance to win $10,000 cash, a bouquet that's guaranteed to wow and the chance at winning $10,000 cash.

Just go to 1800flowers.com slash Dan. That's 1800flowers.com slash Dan. No purchase necessary ends at 11.59pm Eastern Standard Time on February 4th, 2024. Open a legal residence at the 50 US States and DC. 18 years of age or older, sponsor is 1800Flowers Inc. For free entry method and official rules, visit www.18hundredflowers.59 p.m. Eastern Standard Time on February 4th, 2024. Open illegal residence of the 50 U.S. states and D.C. 18 years of age or older, sponsors 1-800-FLOWERS-INC for free entry method and official rules. Visit www.1-800-FLOWERS.com slash sweeps. Don Lebatard!

Ha ha! Could I interest any of you in an opportunity to make money? Where I buy some calling cards and I sell them to you. And then you get three friends, and then you're making money off the ones they sell. Ha ha! amila. Stugats! And he's tanked Twitter now? The more friends the more you make friends, amila.

This is the Don Lebatar Show with the Stugats! Stugats, the 49ers and Jamel Hill have ruined what would have been a excellent segment here that we were building up toward where she doesn't know this. I do not believe. I believe her husband, I hope her husband in this one instance was able to keep a secret because our intention was to bring him on after the Lions won at the end of the segment and surprised Jamel Hill because we had all we've worked it out we had talked to him in private he was gonna be here but he's a

Lions fan and she's a San Francisco 49ers fan and they've been taunting each other and he was going to burn her San Francisco 49ers jersey live on air is what was gonna happen yes yes that's what we had. We had it all planned. It was all ready to go and everything got ruined by the Detroit Lions totally self-destructing. Did you end up watching the game in or around him with him? Where were you? Paint the picture for us as his entire life fell apart in front of you and you enjoyed it. First of all, I cannot believe you all were going to do that to me. You know what they at first Jason would like now this. Look at you as a lovable surprise.

We were going to surprise you, betray you with the help of your husband, but it all got ruined because you're 49ers. Man you were scared in that first half. Oh, look, I'm not going to lie. I was already preparing my acceptance of that ass-kicking speech. Okay. And, you know, I was texting some of my friends because everybody, of course, was blowing me up in the first half. Like, are you okay?

Do I need to do a wellness check? Like, all these things. I'm just like, I'm not actually playing guys. I'm just a fan kind of enjoying this you know this game in this moment. And so yes I was I was totally in the mind frame that this was going to be a humiliating exit from the playoffs. Like last year the 49ers had a bit of an excuse. But Kurti got hurt in the game. We proceeded to you know just get completely pummeled by the Eagles.

This year, there would be no excuse and worse. This is my husband's team. He has been antagonizing and terrorizing me since obviously both these teams played to get to this position. And so he chose a wise option. We did not watch the game together. I was at home by myself, which frankly, was probably better for society in general.

He was at a Buffalo Wild Wings that's close to us, where Lions fans gathered to watch the game. He found his tribe or his pride since they're lion fans. And so he was watching separately. We did not text each other at all during the game. I to his credit, he somehow restrained himself. Even though the 49ers were down 24-7, I'm truly shocked by that because I thought for sure he would start early trying to humiliate me, but he didn't. And then the game is over. And of

course, I still, I was like, you know what, he probably needs some time to mourn Let me be the bigger person like Michelle Obama said let me go high all right, and He was at the bar with some some friends that we know They came to our house. He immediately hopped out the car got in his car and left I didn't even see him for like a couple hours Because he was so destroyed and then then when he finally, he needed a buffer. So he went to one of his friends house when he finally came in, you know,

the door he came through our side garage door. And he just peeked his little eyeballs around the corner and looked at me as I was sitting on the couch ever so gracefully. And because I'm a good wife, I said to him, I said, I realize this is the first time that you have experienced this you're in shock you're still processing it I will not be nearly as petty as you probably would have been had that outcome of the game gone the other way I reminded him how magnanimous I was because had the shoe been on the other

foot trust me I probably would have had to sleep somewhere else last night. Well, like I said, he was going to burn the jersey on air as a surprise. Correct. That was something that was organized and ready to go. So, Jamel, now that you know what he was willing to do, does he have a lion's jersey you'd like to burn on air here? Okay, so here's the thing,

because I had my jerseys in a certain place, and I realized a few days ago, they were gone. Because I recognize, I had my jerseys in a certain place and I realized a few days ago they were gone. And he had put this picture on Instagram that everything, a lot of the things that I owned that I read on my 49er stuff, he put it somewhere in a bag and he said he was throwing it away. That is what he's taught me.

I was like, okay, I see what you're doing here. So all of his lying stuff, I was like, okay, I see what you're doing here. So all of his lion stuff I have in a secret location, I will not return it until I see my items. So he will just not be able to wear any lion gear period because we need to do, he's holding my stuff for ransom, I'm now holding his stuff for ransom. So all I know is I better get my stuff back or he's never going to see these lion's items again. Do you think it's at all strange Jamal that the two of you as husband and wife who love each other and love sports cannot watch this game together? Is that weird? I mean you know listen sometimes and Dan I hope

you have figured this out as somebody who got married not too far from when I got married, is that sometimes you have to know your strengths and know your weaknesses. There is no way our household would have survived if we watched that game yesterday. And I'm glad that he had the wisdom to know and understand this because I think that would have been bad for both of us. You know, the emotional upheaval, it was obviously, you know, a tale of two halves. Like, his behavior, the first half, my behavior and the second half, that's good for nobody. So, I don't think it's strange. I think it's wise, Dan, that we don't watch this game together. What are your sports observations from yesterday? What did you find interesting about the...

Dallas who has. About the strategizing, about the decisions that Dan Campbell made. When Dan Campbell was going forward on Fortdown, were you saying you're a fool or were you scared because you're scared of the aggressive coach going forward on Fortdown when he can steal your soul? So Dan, but I have the text messages to prove it, a friend of mine who's a really big 49er

fan, we were going back and forth texting during the game and I said to him when we started to get a little bit more momentum in the second half, I said Dan Campbell's going to give us an extra possession because he can't resist the urge to go 4th on 4th down and he's going to give us the ball back and I promise you it's gonna be a key moment. I literally predicted exactly what would happen and obviously because of my husband I've watched pretty much every Lions game this season and I get it that that is part of what makes him a great coach. It's part of what changed the culture in Detroit. It's in his DNA but despite what analytics say, situation and momentum matter.

And that was the wrong point in the game to me to go for it. If there was any point in the game, I thought he should have gone for it. It was before the half on their last score. If they score there, I'm not saying he made a bad decision, you know, actually getting the points. I was actually pretty surprised

because I thought with them being up so significantly on the road, he was going to try to put a stake through the 49ers heart and he took the points and I was really surprised. Fast forward to the second half at that point in the game, given what you've seen and the game is tightening up now. It's like you, you take the points. There's no, you know, I understand the philosophy of doing the things that got you there,

but you also part of coaching is being able to understand the moment. And I thought he let them down despite the drops and obviously the turnover, the fumble that kind of again, was part of the turning points of the game, is that you still have to know the context of the moment. And I felt like he, that was where he misread it. That just because you take the points in one instance,

doesn't mean from here on out, you can't ever take the points again, or you can't ever go forward or forward down again. That's not what that means. So I think maybe in some reflection in the off season, hopefully he'll realize is that just because that's part of my DNA, it's okay if I make a different choice that doesn't change that I still don't believe in the way that I coach.

Jamal, what are your thoughts on the whole Brock Purdy of it all? So this is what I don't understand about people is that like, I think they don't really get where the phrase once in a generation talent comes from. Patrick Mahomes is a once in a generation talent. So that means when you see that, everybody else doesn't have that same chip. And just because you don't have the physical ability, even from a farm talent standpoint and the creativity standpoint of Patrick Mahomes

or of Lamar Jackson or of Josh Allen or any of these quarterbacks in the league that are considered to have elite talent That doesn't mean that you can't win. Okay, and you know You have to what I like about Brock Purdy is that he plays within his strength And we literally are seeing him grow up because people forget that like he does not have that much to starting experience Even though obviously he's headed to the Super Bowl. I thought against Green Bay and I said this to you guys when I was here that week is that I thought he took a major step there because he had a terrible game, but he was able to collect himself in the end they won the game.

Because I'm not saying he's going to be Joe Montana, but the one thing that people forget about the catch, the infamous game when he touched out between Joe Montana and Dwight Clark. Joe Montana was terrible in that game. He threw multiple interceptions, collected himself at the end, and he was a guy that was not considered the most physically talented quarterback. He was considered to have above average cool and calmness and obviously a pocket presence

at the time. And so Brock Purney just has to be what he is. And I think he's answered a lot of questions. Like he made three or four plays yesterday easy that we haven't seen from him before, but that he made because he was rising to the moment. Those scrambles that he had, and yes, he did look up on the past

and bounced off the Lions defenders helmet and right into the hands of Brandon Nyeut. Like, yes, sometimes lucky moments happen just ask Eli Manning when it comes to you know, obviously the throw he made to win the Super Bowl. But I think that you have to give Brock Purdy a lot of credit credit. And we have to stop having this kind of dumb dialogue about whether or not he is elite. You don't have to be elite to win a Super Bowl. I promise everybody in the history of the game has not met the criteria of what some people consider to be elite I'm confused by why it's happening though

I'm confused why people need to get so right the the proper measurement of how good Brock Purdy is as so much so That it makes a guy who should be a lovable underdog story Polarizing somehow we it's all about narrative band it and you would think this would be something that would endear people to brachford the fact that he was mister irrelevant in the draft and you know was was sitting there just kind of buried within the organization and now he's the starting quarterback and headed to a superbowl and i think a lot of times because in our mind there is a

perception or narrative about what a quarterback that goes to the superbowl and I think a lot of times because in our mind there is a perception or narrative about what a quarterback that goes to the Superbowl should look like. No disrespect but Rex Grossman went to a Superbowl. So again, it's not a perfect science and Brock Purdy is a lot better than Rex Grossman and he's a lot better than Jimmy Carappolo. The last quarterback to take the 49 is there but the thing is he interrupted a narrative and that is why I think he gets more flack than he deserves. And in a lot of people's minds, he is accomplishing things that people

in his station shouldn't be accomplishing. And because he was in the MVP conversation for so long this season, you know, this guy who looks like he was probably a social studies teacher, who is the IT guy that shows up when something is wrong with their laptop. He is interrupting all these different narratives about what it's supposed to look like. And I think people have kind of used that against him in the narrative and discussing him. How did your husband sleep last night? I think he would look he would demand feel bad about about the game like that that maybe we won't talk about it like this one is gonna hurt

it's gonna stick a long time but now that you guys have informed me about what the plan was and uh... and uh... and alliance victory but this is gonna be a real fun day for him and i thought i mean the opposite of that so he was seen you could feel him see thing correct you could feel the energy next to you see the i feel it when he came in the house but it was just i knew it was going to be ever-present like this was going to be one of those he wasn't going to be able to go over

quickly i get over quickly so uh... but last night you know we he was able to gather himself you know after we watch some of the coverage uh... i think you watch hell's kitchen, I think that's what it was. So Gordon Ramsay helped to calm him down. So, you know, he, I will be more again, more sensitive to him in his time indeed than he would have been if the shoe was on the other foot because that I'm built like that. I'm built for the high road.

built like that I'm built for the high road. That was your friendly neighborhood race lady. We didn't even discuss race with her again. That's a record number of appearances. Thank you Jamal. Good talking to you. Congratulations. We'll catch up with you during the Super Bowl. Don Lebatard.

All the cruise ships go out at like 5 p.m. And like, it's like a parade of cruise ships and they're all blowing the horn, and you're like, brrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrr That was a good one. That was good. We do it again, do it again. Limited fake cruise ship horn. Stugatz. Mmm. Really good. I'm waving to you. I'm waving.

Yes! This is the Don Lebatar Show with the Stugatz. The NBA, I think, Stugatz has a pretty substantive problem on its hands that revealed itself again the other day when 15 minutes before tip-off Joel Embiid said, I'm not playing against Denver and the ABC game, a game that a lot of people paid money to see Joel Embiid. If you're watching Nugget Sixers without Joel Embiid, that's not what you paid for. And it feels like false advertising. The NBA's investigating how soon before tip-off it was learned that Joel Embiid is out of

that game. And when I say they've got a substantive problem, the LSU South Carolina women's basketball game at the top of the sport between two of the best teams in that sport did a better ratings number than Heat Celtics on TNT. Heat Celtics is two of the best teams with a rivalry. It's a featured game. The stars were playing in that game.

It's not even like somebody was sitting out, but now the NBA is investigating Joel and Bede sitting in the Nuggets game. And I would ask you, if you paid for tickets to that game to see Denver, Philadelphia And then you're already at concession you're already there and you learn that Joel and Bede is not Playing don't you feel lied to I'd be pissed off. Yes. Yes 100% I'd be disappointed the NBA on Saturday had a bunch of games on national TVs You know, they were the featured sport like it's you know I'd be disappointed. The NBA on Saturday had a bunch of games on national TVs.

You know, they were the featured sport. Like it's, you know, the network's trying to get you in the mode of football's over, here's the NBA, the NBA season's going on. And they had a bunch of games on national TV. I don't know what you do when Mb comes out moments before the game, because I do believe Joel Mb. I don't think he's afraid of Jokic.

I think he wants to play. I think he wants to play every game. But what are you supposed to do when he comes out before the game and says, hey, something's not right? And it's a regular season game that in his mind is meaningless. And he has a history of injuries, which I think you have to take into account, too. But customers don't care about that sort of thing. Jokic plays all the games. Jokic doesn't do anything in the way of sitting. And I'm also juxtaposing this against. We can celebrate the popularity of women's sports, which have gotten huge and they have

earned it. South Carolina and LSU have earned that number because it's an interesting basketball game. But to see what is in college, college sports are minor league sports compared to professional sports. To see, this is like seeing a college football game do a bigger number than one of the big NFL football games where you're like Celtics. He should do a pretty substantive number and it's getting beaten out here

by something that wouldn't have at any point during the history of basketball becoming a big television event since the games were on tape delay in the 80s. This is the first time that you're seeing something like this happen with the ratings numbers. Well, I think there are a couple red flags for the NBA, one of which certain owners in the NBA that you would imagine would have a difficult time parting with something that they identified with Mark Cuban leaving but this is the same guy that knew exactly

when to get off the internet bubble as it was about to burst and he made his name that way I think what's most concerning about these NBA numbers is and people are gonna make accusations that it's woke they've made those accusations about all sports all sports and all sports are trending upward I mean even hockey the Panthers Bruins game seven was a ratings bonanza You have women's college basketball out rating the NBA Baseball I know they had a bad fall classic, but there was an uptick in in their ratings NFL is as big as it's ever been right now

from a ratings standpoint. There's been a big boom with live sports rights and the NBA is trailing far behind. Also, this matchup between LSU and South Carolina, this is like a national championship caliber matchup that you might only get to see one time this year because they didn't get to play each other in the tournament last year because South Carolina

lost in the final four. So we got the Iowa LSU matchup instead, but these are two of probably the most famous head coaches in all of women's basketball at this moment, Kim Mulkey and Don Staley going head-to-head against each other with two like super star-studded teams and we might not get to see it again for the rest of the season the way things you know play out with their schedules and everything. So I do think, like, I don't know how many heat Celtics games we've seen in the last just year.

Like, they've played each other a number of times. Frankly, I have sat here dissecting those games. It feels like 30 times. It feels like they play every single day. And so to me, like, watching LSU and South Carolina, a matchup of two teams that are like two of the best in the sport, it's a no brainer. The stakes are just higher in that game.

It was a huge game and South Carolina almost lost, which would have been a great upset win for LSU, but South Carolina was able to pull it off and win. And also the home environment, the crowd at the game was like super into it and it was really fun to watch. But what you're saying there that is accurate is stakes. That's what football has. That's why football regular season is so important

and it's what baseball and hockey and basketball do not have. And in basketball, you've got more and more players sitting out and Joel and Bede. I would feel robbed by I would as a customer feel robbed if I'm learning 15 minutes before game time when I'm already at the arena that I'm not going to get to see Joel and Bede because if you're not going to give me stakes you at least need to give me stardom or unprecedented access to a skill level that I haven't seen before which is what Joel and Bede has. This was a point of focus for the NBA.

They said things like what happened with Joel and Bede, if it indeed, I know you mentioned that they're looking into it. If what they look into turns out that this was player rest and load management, they said on the front end before this season, they were trying to eradicate it. They've done things to spice up the regular season. You talk about stakes.

They did the in-season tournament. This game that you're talking about, Heat Celtics, was part of a week that they marketed as Rivalry Week. They had all their marquee matchups. You had a great moment with LeBron and Steph Curry over the weekend that several years ago would be the weekend that it several years ago would be the thing that you would talk about if it wasn't going up against Championship Monday. They're doing things that they should. They've got new

stars coming online into the league and it's not working. The numbers keep dipping. I don't know outside of a drastic change to the sport. Maybe there's Peaks and Valleys, but they're they're scoring a bunch and everyone loves scoring. They have a lot of problems and a lot of concerning things going on with their television numbers. The 76ers and Joellen Beter in an interesting spot because put into place this year was a minimum number of games played in 65 that he needs to play and to be eligible to win the MVP. He's played in 33 so far and there's 38 to go. So he can only miss six more games the rest of the season.

He's already missed 11 so far this season. So at a certain point, he may cost himself the MVP to just be resting for the playoffs. We mentioned last week that story with Halliburton's to God, it's a fascinating one. He's got incentive clauses that if he makes all NBA and I think he's got to play 65 games in order to make all NBA, he gets $41 million.

But he rushed back and he got re-injured because he rushed back. Because why wouldn't you rush back if you're incentivized by $41 million in order to rush back. Isn't part of the problem though, the biggest star in the game? Like Mike's right, okay? You have guys taking, you know, nights off consistently that never used to happen. But the biggest star in the game is an international player. It seems like he doesn't want to be here.

He's on a team and in a city that no one really cares about, Nicola Jokic. That's one of the problems. Like it used to be Michael Jordan, it was Kobe Bryant, it was LeBron James, and now the best player in the game is a guy that appears to be bored being here and wants to get out of here as quickly as possible. But he plays all the games. He's not your problem.

He's not load managing. He's just a load that's hard for others to manage. No, but I'm wondering if him being your best player is a problem That's what I'm wondering. I mean that the game is going international and that he doesn't have a personality type That's easy to sell usually the marketers figure out Michael Jordan wasn't terribly interesting We figured out how to make him interesting like the marketers did that it's not because he was filling up He was filling up a bunch of magazine profiles or television sound bites with a whole lot of personality No, but his style of play made him vastly interesting. It's the NBA. I don't think that's the issue

I really don't I don't know if it's changing the court dimensions They're blessed the same way that the NFL was blessed and that they had the greatest of all time Playing against the next greatest of all time LeBron still in this league playing against the next greatest of all time. LeBron's still in this league. Steph is still in this league, says new stars like Tatum and Yokech are there. You get to see these matchups cross pollinating, and it's not birth and the numbers that everybody else is.

To me, the NBA conversations like just slightly different from the heat Celtics conversation because in the heat game, correct me if I'm wrong, but everyone played, right? Like Jimmy played, both teams had their starters in the heat game, correct me if I'm wrong, but everyone played, right? Like Jimmy played. Both teams had their starters in the game. I really just think when it comes to it, like the LSU South Carolina game is just a better product.

It's a more exciting game and it actually matters. Hashtag it just means more. It's the SEC women's basketball, Dan. And the heat have stunk lately. They stink. I'm sorry. We don't, you can tell when the heat stink because this show, we stop talking about them.

And guess what? We haven't talked about them in a couple weeks. Losing streak. With the MB thing, most people have the perspective of, yes, if I find out 15 minutes before the game, I'm gonna be disappointed, but that's just how this works. They think he might be a little injured. So there's, yeah, I remember trying to go to big three games,

like I'm gonna go to finally a big, and then LeBron sat out the game and it's like yeah I'm a little upset, but I'm not like writing. Yeah, but you're a dad You pick out your circle one game on the calendar because you could afford one game All right, and then you have a nice lesson for your child And you go and beat and joke itch and then in B doesn't show up and you tell your child. Hey sometimes Happens like that Sometimes happens like that. Why are we so upset?

Why are those my only two choices a little upset and rioting