The Dan Le Batard Show with Stugotz - The Big Suey: Decorative Lies
Episode Date: August 14, 2024Dan, Stugotz, and Chris Cote were blown away from the conversation they had with Tua Tagovailoa at Dolphins camp yesterday and you'll hear that...sometime soon. Then, rewatching the best shows of all-...time, the potential of Ryan Tannehill returning to the Dolphins, and the Haason Reddick saga in New York. Plus, Pablo Torre is here to share his disdain for fake plants and explain how Charles Barkley can will his own market into existence. He also tells us the unbelievable story of massive corruption at the Paralympics with athletes faking maladies that he explored on Pablo Torre Finds Out. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
Transcript
Discussion (0)
You're listening to Giraffe King's Network.
Summer's the best time to run the way you want.
Dial it up with new challenges and programs and bring your workouts with you to make the
most of outside sunny days.
There's no better way to do that than with Peloton.
With Peloton, take advantage of how beautiful it is outside right days. There's no better way to do that than with Peloton. With Peloton, take advantage of how beautiful
it is outside right now.
You can go on an outdoor run or even a walk
if you're not feeling like running,
all while working on your tan.
Summer's the best time to push your pace.
Move how you want, enhance your fitness journey,
and feel like your most empowered self.
Whether you're prepping for a marathon
or improving your pace, whatever road lies ahead,
your training starts here with Peloton Tread or Tread Plus. Peloton's programs and instructors take you
to new heights. Tap into their expertly programmed workouts and real-time metrics like pace targets
that can take your fitness journey to new heights. From their strength classes designed
for runners on the Peloton Tread or Tread Plus to guided outdoor runs on the Peloton
app, Peloton's classes challenge you to be your best.
Call yourself a runner with Peloton
at onepeloton.com slash running.
This episode is brought to you by Mazda.
When you drive a Mazda,
you'll find out why our SUVs won more 2024 IIHS
top safety picks than any other brand
as of June, 2024.
Find out what makes Mazda different at Mazda.ca.
Welcome to the Big Sui presented by DraftKings.
Why are you listening to this show?
The podcast that seems very similar
to the other Dan LeBattard podcast.
I'm sorry, I'm not gonna apologize for that. In fact, the only difference seems to be this imaging.
I have been tempted in restaurants just walking past tables
to grab somebody's fries if they're just there.
That hasn't happened to you guys?
I've done it.
And now here's the marching man to nowhere,
fat face and the habitual liar.
The two conversation, I want to under promise and
over deliver but I will simply tell you I haven't heard him that way before. Now
it's not it's not that I have and it'll be either today or tomorrow that we end
up getting that for you but I was a little bit surprised for a couple of reasons, and there's
only one other time that this particular thing has happened to me with a professional athlete
of any kind.
When Edren James came out of college at the University of Miami, he was physically, obviously very much a man, but he didn't have very much
personality coming out that he was willing to show people for, you know,
wherever his distrusts lied. I was like, man, that's a super guarded person.
And then three years of NFL stuff happened to him
and I met him and talked to him three years later
and I was like, whoa, you have like really grown up.
Whatever the intensity of the last three years have been,
have been like really formative for you
in a way that's substantive,
that makes me go from thinking I was looking
at a bit of a child coming out of college
to okay, three years of real world, i got money now and everyone's coming for me
and i've got to compete against everyone to get better
and i'm going to win the confidence that that's given you
holy shit this is a different human being i'm talking to
when to a came out of college before he was drafted on lincoln road there did
like a corporate thing where i interviewed him for an hour in front of
a bunch of people and dominique afterward pulled me
aside and was like
your point eat their hand to work that was that was a crowbar that you had to
use
to get in there and try for an hour to get something out of to what i saw and
heard yesterday
was a different human being from that like the amount of confidence that that
person has
after whatever the fire of three years has been i was like
holy shit he's not making me do any i don't have to do anything here he wants
to carry the conversation yes and he wants to say things i'm gonna guess a
hundred sixty seven million guaranteed helps you with a lot of the confidence
in all not only that but having a head coach who believes in you
I think that's the big difference for two at least that's what I took away having a head coach that
Absolutely wants you to be his quarterback because he thinks you're the best quarterback for his system
It can be all of those things
I'm not saying that having the money doesn't make you happier and give you more confidence happier
Confident like when you're a rookie, you're like,
I don't wanna say anything that's gonna ruin it.
And my career by just saying,
because Dan is the guy who asks questions
that makes people say dumb things and all that.
But it's like $167 million and you give me Stu Gotts
and Chris asking me to go ask away.
Yeah.
I mean, maybe that's part of it.
This was different.
This was a different guy.
I walked away, I told Dan and Chris,
I want that guy to be my quarterback.
I want him to leap me somewhere. You want anyone to be your quarter. Well, I have Aaron but I mean we're doing that thing of
We're now we're overselling it
So but I'm gonna keep doing it there were times in that interview where me Dan and Stu gots are kind of looking each other
Like he's just going and we're like, this is holy crap. This is a two. I've never seen before. Mm-hmm
I mean took out Flores
Spoiler alert.
Spoiler alert.
Not giving away.
No, there's multiple answers there where I was just like,
man, this is as interesting as I've ever heard him
on this topic.
We talk contracts tomorrow.
We're gonna air it tomorrow.
Teaser.
Yeah, you gotta do a better job.
You can hear the whole tour interview tomorrow
on the Dan LeBattard Show at 9 a.m. Eastern on Max,
right, and on YouTube.
You're asking a question?
Like this is part of the problem.
It's the reason I don't promote anything that way,
it's because I've always got a question,
because I don't know when anything's gonna run about here.
I don't know when anything's gonna be ready.
Question mark.
That's it, right.
That's why I can't promote it differently than that.
I'll wait around for it to be at some point aired.
I will just tell you that I was surprised by it.
You can dictate that, man.
You want it to air today,
tell the people you want it to air today.
Let's go.
I also just imagine like watching NBC,
watching a game, and then you see like LA Law on at some point this week,
I don't know, stay tuned, check your local listings.
I was just told we can't do it today.
Yes, Duganju, say dictate that.
I'll be waiting to see if we got a gas bag
in the week this week.
I've asked for it 12 times and it comes in occasionally.
Because you got Beetlejuice back there running the boards,
just drinking head, man, salute.
Call back.
I have a- That's a deep cut head man. Salute. Call back. I have a-
That's a deep cut juju.
I'm not gonna lie, I was like,
who did he just call Beetlejuice?
The thing that I was watching yesterday
that I wanted to ask you guys about,
because I haven't done this a lot in my life,
where I re-binge watched something, because I liked it so much the first time.
I've done it only in my life with The Sopranos and now I am doing it in the middle of Succession
and I think Succession is one of the best television shows of all time. But I also think
that HBO has three shows
i wouldn't put game of thrones in this category is many of you would but i think
they have three shows
that are
best ever argument type shows all of them about crime families
and all of them about a time that we were in the wire
the sopranos
and succession i believe succession is indicative of the time we talk about
people being angry rich people cuz rich people are house assholes and out and
not altruistic and the difference between the haves and have nots is uh...
probably the greatest problem that we have
affecting all of our structural stuff that
there's such a larger difference
now between Elon Musk and the power that he can accrue and people who are
frustrated and struggling day-to-day trying you know peeing in in gallons for
Bezos so that so that he could keep making more money not hard knocks huh
not hard knocks no and i wanted to ask the group
of you
uh... how often will you go and read binge watch something and the reason i
put game of thrones in a different categories just because i think of that
is like uh... and and eight how hundred-hour movie or like well however
they i don't think of that as a television show always suppose it has to
be considered
a television show but these
three that i'm talking about represent sort of a generation of time
and a love that we have for understanding crime families. I'm a big
rewatcher like I'll rewatch all my favorite comedies over and over and over
again and just finish one and go back and have another in the holster for the
almost the nostalgia of it it's like a comfort thing. But with dramas are different.
You're talking about movies though, right?
Or you're talking about-
No, I'm talking about TV shows.
So like, for example, all of those shows
Mike Schur has worked on, Brooklyn Nine-Nine,
The Office, Parks and Rec, I'll re-watch those.
Well no, whether it's New Girl or Veep or any of those shows.
I'm re-watching Veep right now.
Just got to, finally Richard Splett has arrived
and we are really picking up steam.
What a great show.
Highly recommend, especially in an election cycle.
There's also comfort shows that you just put on all the time.
Like Modern Family I've probably watched three times
just because we're always watching.
It's Seinfeld I feel like I've seen every episode.
But in terms of like from start to finish,
I don't do that a lot.
It's more just like the fun light listens.
I've been doing it with Eastbound and Down. And it's, I forgot how great that a lot. It's more just like the fun light listens. I've been doing it with Eastbound and Down.
And it's, I forgot how great that show was.
That's so good.
And Vice Principals, oh my god.
Oh, that's next, that's next.
Speaking of crime families on HBO, Righteous Jabbstones.
Oh yeah, hung.
I rewatch shows whenever that show has a new season.
Like Mayor of Kingstown, East, no, no, Mayor of Easttown.
I'm talking about the Mayor of Kingstown.
You're talking about the one with Jeremy Renner, right?
The guy that he looks like Stu Gotts.
I've rewatched from season one,
once season three come out, so I do that with every show.
Oh wow.
There's a Mayor of Kingstown and a Mayor of Easttown?
Yes, Mayor of Kingstown is M-A-Y-O-R.
Mayor of Easttown is M-E-E-R.
E.
E?
Yes.
That one's depressing, right?
That one, I have not gotten into that one.
Kate Winslet?
Yes.
Yeah, it's pretty good though.
You gotta watch it.
But it is sad, right?
It's very sad.
It's gray.
Chris, I just wanted, there was a stray hung
that shot through the conversation there.
You guys don't pinch that one?
Go back.
I never heard of it.
What?
You don't remember hung on HBO?
What about true blood with sucker stackers?
Sucker.
Sucker.
My wife makes fun of me because if I'm watching anything for
Ten minutes or twenty minutes. It's just to watch one of these dark side of comedy dark side of the wrestling ring
You love dark sides, man. It is
It is 90s. Give me just just nostalgic 90s
90s thing for 12 minutes at a time.
A lot has changed over the years, listening audience.
Hey, it's Mike Ryan.
One thing that hasn't, the great taste of Miller Lite.
Now, you know, over the course of our history
doing this show, Miller Lite's kind of been there
for the vast majority of it.
And I have been a very public facing fan of the beverage.
Why?
Well, that's been up for debate
for a long time, pretty much since 1975. But one thing that is not up for debate? The undebatable
quality and great taste of Miller Lite. The fact that it is only 96 calories. This is a beer that
strips everything away that you don't need and holds on to what matters most. Less filling,
great taste, a light beer that tastes like beer.
You don't have to choose what you like best.
Miller Lite has great taste and is less filling.
Tastes like Miller time!
To get Miller Lite delivered right to your door, visit MillerLite.com slash Dan, or you
can find it pretty much anywhere that sells beer.
Celebrate responsibly.
Miller Brewing Company, Milwaukee, Wisconsin.
96 calories per 12 ounces.
Fewer cows and carbs
than premium regular beer.
Don Lebatard!
I ain't never met nobody in the world that's done hate on blues clues, bro.
Great nomination!
Like who don't like blues clues, bro?
If you don't like blues clues, you're a loser!
Stugats!
Look, you get one paw print, that's the first clue.
You put it in a notebook, now what do you do?
Blues clues, blues clues. Sit on the chair and
think about it. This is the Don Lebathor show with the Stugarts.
Dave Hyde of the Fort Lauderdale Sun Sentinel, still making it in the columnist game, had a take,
and I want you guys to tell me whether it's a good,
good take, a good, bad take, a bad, good take,
or a bad, bad take.
All right.
He says, yeah, it's to his team,
but can I interest you in the backup, Ryan Tannehill?
He's back?
Ryan Tannehill, he is, well, he's available.
He's available in the league.
We spent seven years here arguing
whether he was a starting quarterback or not.
I imagine Ryan Tannehill might look pretty good
with these receivers, as a lot of people
might look pretty good with this offense.
Oh, Chris Cody shaking his head no.
I vote no.
It's just like.
PTSD.
I don't wanna like, yeah, those feelings
of just I've done that before and it's just.
But it's your backup.
It's your backup.
Mike White's fine.
But Tuah doesn't play games sometimes
and I never ever ever wanna see Ryan Tannehill
wear a Dolphins uniform ever again., ever, ever wanna see Ryan Tannehill
wear a Dolphins uniform ever again.
I can't do it.
Ryan Tannehill has led a team to an AFC Championship game.
Stu Gotts, I don't care.
Derek Henry led that team, by the way.
And I cannot.
Tannehill played great in those games.
It's a good take.
I would, well, look at how upset we are.
Visceral reactions.
We're literally, I'm actually, like, I'm sweating
just thinking about the idea of having to watch
Ryan Tannehill quarterback my team again.
I can't take it.
I understand that you have some
post-Tannehill stress disorder, PTSD,
but I would say to you that if I offered
the general audience, hey, who do you want
as the backup quarterback next year,
your nine and four and you're gonna have
your quarterback
miss three games.
You want Mike White or you want Ryan Tannehill?
A whole lot of people are going to go with the bigger name there.
Tannehill, yes.
A whole lot of folks are going to want the established product that has been a starter
for a long time in the league and now is relegated to backup.
I have always thought Mike White to be an upper echelon backup, no?
Agreed, but never a starter.
Like not someone you think of as a starter,
whereas Tannahill has spent a decade as a starter.
Ryan Tannahill has thrown for 35,000 yards.
He has thrown 216 touchdown passes.
He's been the AFC champion.
I take him as my backup.
You can have him.
I would love to have him.
All right, take him.
I mean, I have Tyrod Taylor. I love that. I mean.
I think he'd be better served right now in Minnesota with what they got going on with
JJ McCarthy right now.
That's a big loss for them.
So I can see Tannahill stepping up for them.
Stugats, we didn't get to this yesterday, and I regret not getting to it.
What's going on with Hassan Reddick and the Jets?
What are the details there that are interesting to you?
Asking for a trade away from Aaron Rodgers
and Aaron Rodgers saying, hey, don't go.
It's gonna be a fun ride this season.
Like, what's happening there?
So they did a, the Jets and Eagles traded
because Redick wants an extension.
He wants a new deal.
He deserves a new deal.
He has four consecutive seasons of double digit sacks
and a guy off the edge.
He's the guy that hurt Brock Purdy two years ago in the NFC Championship game and had like two and a half sacks in that game and
the Eagles went on to the Super Bowl that they eventually lost.
But this is a guy who is 29 years old who the Jets traded for. They traded a third-round pick.
They traded a third-round pick they traded a third round pick and it
could become a conditional second round pick, but they did so, the Jets traded for them
with the idea of, hey, we're going to sign them to a long-term deal. And Reddick said
he's not showing up to camp until he gets that long-term deal and the Jets are saying,
no, we're not going to give you a long-term deal. Why'd you trade for them? Like I am
with Reddick on this. Stay put, do not play, get your money. You have one
chance to get paid. Over the last two years, I believe he
has, he's tied for second in the league for most sacks of
the NFL. That position is the second or third most important
position in the game right now and he wants to get paid and
the Jets traded him to give him a long-term deal. And the Jets need that guy off the edge
and they haven't done it.
And so if I'm redic, first off,
it's the Jets being the Jets, who does that?
Who does that?
Who trades for a guy who wants an extension?
They get the guy, they make the trade
and don't give him an extension.
And if I'm redic, I stay put.
I don't show up to camp.
It is an embarrassment what the Jets are doing to him.
They traded for him with the idea of, hey, you're our guy, you're getting a long-term deal.
Then he got there and they said no. Right, and he's racking up so many fines.
Like his fines right now could feed a small village because goodness gracious. I think like,
what you are 100% right. Don't trade for this brother. Knowing his position, knowing his
situation, he only coming over here because y'all had a little under the table.
Like, you know when I come over here, I'm a wanted.
And now they gonna back out.
I salute him for staying out because you can get hurt.
Like you see what's going on right now.
You can mess up all your money
in these training camp situations.
So commend my brother Hassan, give him his money.
I find fairly interesting, Sturgatz,
everywhere in the sport where you are noticing that basic
human dynamics are gonna make an appearance. Oh, Burrow got his money. Now
Jamar Chase wants his and isn't showing up. Oh, we're going to make Dak more
secure? What's going on with CD Lam? Like we have seen, the Chiefs have taught us, right?
You pay my homes, Tyreek's going to leave.
Doesn't matter how good the team is, Super Bowl ready, doesn't matter how fun football
is.
Like Tyreek Hill told us we can win eight or nine championships in Kansas City.
Why can't we?
That's how lightheaded he was and then he's like, get me out of here,
because I see what the financial constrictions are and the wide receivers are going to want their
money for making the quarterbacks. And I mean, I know you can speak to the very real pollution,
toxin that money is that can corrode any amount of human relationships. I imagine we now know, right?
J. Mon Green, Jordan Poole, that happened.
That was money related.
Well, no, it was because he called them
an expensive backpack for Steph Curry.
According to Pablo, Torrey finds out,
which is an excellent show.
Expensive, though, is the key word there.
Like, it's money.
Yeah, I mean, I think, think like they say in every NBA fight
it comes down to one of two things.
Either money owed or a woman.
That's like every NBA fight like in the locker room
that always comes down to one of those two things.
And I think the reality is,
this is the part I think fans don't get,
you only have a certain window of time
as a professional athlete to make as much money as possible.
This is supposed to last me forever.
I don't get to retire at 65 as a pro athlete,
and it's not realistic to say, oh, but then I'll
be a coach after that, then I'll make a lot of money doing that,
or I'll be a media guy after that,
I'll make a lot of money after that.
For most of these guys, this is it.
And so yeah, you treat it with the desperation of someone who says, this is my last shot.
I want to correct myself. He's tied for fourth in the NFL over the last four years in sacks.
Daniel Hunter, who has 49, I think he's tied with him, he just got a two-year $49 million
deal. Reddick's going to make $13.5 million this year.
He's like, how can you tell me I'm not?
Right. And he's going to be 30. He wants dollars this year. It's like, how can you tell me I'm not? Right, and he's gonna be 30.
He wants to get paid.
He should get paid.
The Jets traded for him so he can get paid.
Right, and when it comes to Jamar Chase right now,
he's on his rookie deal, and he's outplayed that, of course,
but he's in a position where I think that the owners
could benefit from paying him now
because his number is only gonna go up like that.
If Jerry would've paid that man a couple years ago,
he could've saved himself so much more money.
But you gonna keep letting these folks hold out
and they gonna get a bigger payday at the end of the road.
Folks, the Dan LeBittard Show is sponsored by BetterHelp.
What are your self-care non-negotiables?
Maybe you never skip leg day or therapy day.
When your schedule is packed with kids activities,
big work projects and more,
it's easy to let your priorities slip. Even when we know what makes us happy, it's hard to
make time for it. But when you feel like you have no time for yourself,
non-negotiables like therapy are more important than ever. If you're thinking
of starting therapy, give BetterHelp a try. It's entirely online, designed to be
convenient, flexible, and suited to your schedule. Just fill out a brief
questionnaire to get matched with a licensed therapist
and switch therapists anytime for no additional charge.
Self-care and therapy work hand in hand
to support mental health.
While therapy provides professional guidance and support,
self-care empowers individuals to take active steps
towards their wellbeing outside of therapy sessions.
Never skip therapy day with BetterHelp.
Visit betterhelp.com slash D-B to get 10% off
your first month.
That's BetterHelp, H-E-L-P dot com slash D-L-B.
Don LeBattard.
Pablo leads all of podcasting in reading while smiling.
If you listen to ESPN Daily,
he sounds like he's having the time of his life.
Stugats.
Coming up next, I'm gonna tell you
how the Savannah Bananas are changing things.
Savannah Bananas.
How do you know I'm smiling?
That's how I find my vocal range.
Sometimes I just say Savannah Bananas.
Savannah Bananas.
This is the Dan Lebatar Show with the Stugats. Pablo, were you shaking your head no?
You were doing so while Stugats was talking about Hassan Reddick.
Is it because of what he was saying or is it because of what Chris Cody was whispering
to you that you were objecting to?
Yeah, fix your camera there. because of what Chris Cody was whispering to you that you were objecting to.
Yeah, fix your camera there. Pablo Torrey Finds Out is the name of the podcast.
What were you shaking your head no about?
Me, I was just trying to get them to not catch the fact
that I am standing in a closet
and my shirts are like two inches to my right.
Okay, his closet has a window?
I've got a lot of questions for Pablo Torre today journalism is made you know plants
It is strange. Yeah, it is a strange closet that does not bake you hold on hold it
Just just accused me of having fake plants. No I asked earnestly are they real are they both those?
Yes, they look nice. They are they are very real both those. Thank you for acknowledging
It's a fake plants are the worst.
They're the worst thing on the planet to me.
Really?
They are, yes, they are by definition.
The worst thing, I mean.
Yes, yes.
Plants in reality are living things.
They give you psychological benefits.
They recycle and regenerate oxygen.
Fake plants are just decorative lies.
They're fraudulent.
How do you feel about mannequins?
Mm.
Uh.
Uh.
The devil's work, the devil's work.
Yeah.
Second worst thing in the world.
Because Pablo believes in human life
and if you fake any kind of life,
you're gonna outrage Pablo.
Mannequin or mannequin too?
That's right. Pablo, I wanted to include you on a couple Any kind of life you're gonna outrage Pablo. Mannequin or mannequin too?
Pablo, I wanted to include you on a couple of the conversations that we were having here.
One of them, Charles Barkley comes on here yesterday,
tells us that he could have gotten a minimum
of 100 million more dollars from someone else,
but wanted to go back to what felt like family,
and a whole bunch of people called him a liar
and said, bullshit.
I asked everybody here why that was happening.
Stugatz's theory is people are angry and broke
and they don't want to hear about how much money
someone is making.
Jessica had a different theory.
Your theory is what here?
My theory is that Charles Barkley has the ability
to generate a market just by willing it into existence.
And some of that does sound like a thing
you should not trust, the power of a guy to do that. But I think for him, it into existence. And some of that does sound like a thing you should not trust,
the power of a guy to do that, but I think for him it's real. I think his talent is one of the
scarcest resources in sports. And I also think that when it comes to Charles proving that there
are markets for him, remember, I mean, look, I love, I love Charles. I know Dan, he's a friend
of yours for decades now. Remember when he had that thing where he was like I think I'm going to the live tour now I was
like oh that he can just sort of like reach across the world and grab money
places and so it just so happens that with this NBA rights deal which we've
covered super extensively on the sporting class obviously I think there's
a lot of buyers who want to give Charles Barkley a hundred million dollars I
don't think he's lying there I think that's actually just the reality of his
life. On Pablo Torre Finds Out, I've told you before that he finds an assortment
of stories and attacks them vigorously with journalism and his curiosities. I
couldn't help but laugh at your most recent episode, even though I don't believe it was comedy, the Paralympics
are corrupt.
There are cheaters throughout the Paralympics.
Not a laughing matter.
It's hilarious.
It's hilarious.
I laughed so hard listening to that episode.
Tell us the extent of the cheating in the Paralympics, because it's unbelievable to imagine
people playing wheelchair basketball,
and then at the end just getting up out of their wheelchairs
and then walking on.
That's amazing.
It is darkly hilarious.
It is darkly hilarious, admittedly,
and infuriating to so many Paralympians,
because it is a massive, massive problem
that is currently being litigated in German court right now
because of an American Paralympian hopeful,
who's like, I am a hand cyclist.
And to Dan's description, he competes against people
who when the race is over, get up and walk around,
who end up having to, he sees social media posts of people
who are like, wait a minute,
you're just living your life, not doing the stuff that I have to do. This is David Burling,
American Paralympian, who is an above the knee double amputee, an Air Force vet who got in a
plane crash. And he's like, I see you guys lying all of the time. And this is something that's
beyond just one man. We talked to a class classifier the person who has to figure out which division you go into but the way i got into this because i am i'm again
i'm numb to so many things at this point we've done mortgage fraud investigations fencing
manipulation in the olympics match fixing um statistical inflation with tom haberstrow all
this stuff but when i heard that there was a story about a Spanish gold medal,
Paralympic basketball team,
where 10 of the 12 people had faked,
had tanked an IQ test,
had faked intellectual disabilities
to get into the tournament.
And they started blowing things out by 30.
And then later were revealed to be totally fraudulent.
I was like, that's a Johnny Knoxville movie. That is actually a thing that screenplays have been written about,
except it's just more ridiculous in reality. And this is just the tip of the iceberg,
as you might imagine. Well, tell us more though on what is most outrageous to the Paralympians,
because you're right to say that it's dark comedy and isn't going to be funny at all.
These are hugely inspiring stories of overcoming.
You watch the Paralympics, to God's and honest to God, almost every story that's not a cheater,
you feel like you're not as strong as these people who are able to overcome and still
do things that you might not have the will to train yourself to do in a pitiful, despondent state.
The balls you must have to get up off your bicycle
and walk away in front of a guy who can't stand up.
I mean, the balls, man.
I'm not laughing.
I think I am here to give you the blessing
of the ability to laugh at the sheer absurdity of this while also being like, oh,
this is massively f**ked up.
Both of these things are true in this story.
That's why I wanted to do this story.
And to the question that Dan had, the difficulty here is that the classifier, the job of a
person at the Paralympics who has to fact check these medical disabilities, these impairments, these claims that I cannot do
X or Y or Z. That job, I mean, what we talked to, what we investigated here, we talked to a
classifier who's now retired, he used to be the chief classifier of two Paralympic Games.
She said that she has seen people not just like lie on an eye test, but like take valium before
one of these auditions basically where
you got to prove I am actually what I claim to be. She has heard stories of people like rolling
around in the snow to make it seem like they are even more impaired than they are. They have people,
I mean it's the anti-NFL combine is the comedy of this. You go in and try to prove that I am even
worse than you think so they can tank the
Result and get into a more favorable class because the Paralympics is about
How do we match people up when the entire premise of this is disadvantage?
And of course there are lots of I'll say it there are lots of Stu gots is in there who are like you know
What I see an angle for me. Thank you. I see an angle for how I can win gold
even more easily You know what, I see an angle for me. I see an angle for how I can win gold
even more easily than I have any right to.
Pablo, I guess my question is,
the difference between the NFL combine
and this anti-combine is that in the combine,
we're trying to see how fast someone can go.
So you're trying to achieve that.
How do you test for the non-negative, right?
Like how do you check for something that's not there?
Yeah, how do you prove a negative?
They have a couple of things.
They ask for a doctor's note.
And as anybody who has, I don't know,
gotten a medical marijuana prescription in California
over the last 15 years knows,
not all doctors are the most rigorous fact checkers
when it comes to, I have back pain.
So there's just that as the first non-layer of defense. And then there is actually this audition. It's an audition is what
I call it. But you go and perform the sport in front of a volunteer because again it's the
Paralympics guys and so the classifiers here are not like highly paid experts. They are people who
want to help this incredibly inspiring, impressive
event function.
And so you have these people who are watching someone tell them, I can't do this.
Look at me play basketball.
Look at me swim.
Look at me hand cycle.
And they watch them, it turns out, many times perform the theater of being even worse than they are.
And so that is the classification process of the Paralympics to me is where all of the lawsuit strikes to the heart of that.
It's gotten so bad where there are protests by other athletes.
There is a hand cycle race that we report on where all but one person, the person that they alleged to be a cheater,
they stopped racing mid-race.
And that person just kept on going to signal,
we are not on the same page as this.
We need something to be done and no one will do anything.
And so the guy we interviewed, the protagonist of the story,
he said, I'm gonna sue the International Paralympic
Committee, the version of the IOC, the IPC in court
because he sees
this as something that has ruined the integrity of this entire enterprise.
I can't believe some of what it is that you're reporting because it does seem
like something a comedy scriptwriter would write. Yeah, it's South Park. It's a bit crazy. The outrage that I would have if I'd lost both my legs in war and then been an athlete better than all other wheelchair athletes reminds me some of what is happening around the gender women's boxing conversation.
conversation because one is a one is a fake argument that is politicized and is just awful to watch happen and the other one's not going to get any attention as
an actual outrage you're going to bring attention to it but it's not going to go
anywhere even though if i were to speak to anybody and say do you think it's
fair that somebody is playing without legs and somebody else is faking to get
into a wheelchair and then walking around and to win a gold medal like that is
worthy of legitimate outrage. Yes and there's a key distinction and by the
all of this speaks to what do we do when we're trying to regulate who's allowed
to compete in a lower class of sport
when it comes to performance that's the through line through the Algerian boxer story and the
Paralympics with the key distinction because I've reported now on trans controversies and now the
Paralympics controversy which should be an even bigger controversy The difference here is that the stuff that people think trans athletes have been doing in America,
the schemes of cheating and manipulation and lying
and medical fraud, that's actually happening
in the Paralympics and it's not happening over there.
And you know that because the Algerian boxer story,
it's funny when like I see Logan Paul and his lawsuit now, of course,
against Twitter and Elon and J.K. Rowling and all of them.
But when Logan Paul, I believe, is saying this is the this is this is the purest
form of evil watching this Algerian boxer punch a woman in the face.
And then not long after says, well, I may have been trafficking
misinformation there, I'm going to delete that tweet. It's like, OK, like face and then not long after says well I may have been trafficking misinformation
there I'm gonna delete that tweet it's all like okay like we they don't actually
know what's happening here and that's not even a trans athlete controversy
that is a controversy that speaks to its own form of medical complexity that says
actually maybe the whole binary between men and women on the level of sex and
therefore performance is actually a lot more complicated than anybody
Wants to admit what it's not is the level of cheating and fraud as a scheme
Because no one has reported that no one has provided evidence that there's anything like that happening there. That's happening in the Paralympics
Absolutely brother
Transition though keeping up with controversies. My
sister Ray Gunn is getting accused of a lot of things across the nation and I
have it figured out. Pablo, I got you on the line. I have I found out Ray Gunn is
in the CIA and guess what? Think of Steve Martin and Pink Panther. She was sent to
the Olympics to retrieve the diamonds,
the stolen diamonds, but guess what?
The stolen diamonds, they're in this one room,
and the only way to access that air-conditioned chute
is the breaking contestants.
And so they told her, they say,
hey, we got a case for you, Ray.
You're gonna have to go get the diamonds,
but bad news, you're gonna have to go get the diamonds but bad news you're
gonna actually have to compete and she was like free all right I got it.
We're distracted by her dance moves but we didn't even realize Australia got the damn
diamonds back in the home city. What you think Pablo? You know it reminds me of
another another theory that I have that I've been waiting to sort of like test on you guys
Juju, especially
What if okay? What if the number one overall pick in the NFL draft was given to a team?
That had to win a game to obtain it
What about that theory?
The two last place teams play each other for the number one pick. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah, that's a pretty good idea
Mm-hmm. We're good ratings in the Super Bowl. I'm telling well
Pablo Torre finds out is the name of the podcast you should find it wherever it is you get your podcast
You should find it wherever it is you get your podcast
Did I miss something or did Tom Brady?
Quietly debut as a broadcaster this weekend and no one had any kind of reaction to it on a preseason No way. Yeah, I saw him on the sidelines
And I saw some people talking about him pot
That's why I'm asking the question did I miss it or not because I?
Thought that Tom Brady,
some people were talking about how Sean McVay,
how great Sean McVay was,
they mic'd him up for a little while
and he just did a little bit of play-by-play
and it was more informational than anything
you've ever heard in play-by-play
because they were talking to an active coach
and Tom Brady needs to get some reps in before he starts.
Fox is saying they're waiting for the regular season
for Tom Brady to start.
Okay, so it didn't happen.
It was a post of when he was in the broadcast booth
last year and they posted it now,
which then confused everyone on Twitter
into thinking they missed a preseason game
in which he was the broadcaster.
Okay, I also saw him walking on a field
with Mike Silver chasing after him crazily.
Yeah, it's that video.
That could have been any time.
Mike Silver's a crazy person.
He spent his entire life chasing him.
That's exactly what Mike Silver has been doing.
That is absolutely correct.
Your experience with USA Basketball was what?
Because I thought that that team, I thought that they team had put the standard so high
that there wasn't gonna be a way for them to meet
where it is that we expected them to be.
And they somehow did it by playing close games.
No, I loved, I am embarrassed to admit
how much I loved these games
and how much I felt like one of those
like sunglasses in driver's seat of their car,
selfie, camera, patriot, avatars,
crawl out of my body.
As I was thinking to myself,
now we get to watch these NBA players,
these superstars play defense.
Now we get to see them at their full potential.
Because when you have a near death experience like that,
when your greatness is challenged like that,
you get to see the best of these guys.
And I believe that we saw the best of this version
of LeBron and KD and Steph and all of these guys
in a way that we just haven't really seen
as often as the NBA would like us to think we've seen it.
And so I was like, this is the version of the,
this is the basketball that I want more of.
And I understand that this also is by definition
an indictment of the basketball that we're otherwise watching.
But I loved it that much.
Pablo, can you find out why HBO Max was late
to posting Hard Knocks last night?
Because you get to watch it.
Yeah, I mean, look, I was, first of all, it's called Max.
Second of all, I was upset because I was ready.
I was so ready to come in and argue with Smeddy
about Kayla Williams and stuff like that.
Because as we know, she's a big beer fan.
We think.
And nothing.
And what does it say about us as a society, Pablo,
where we are so beholden to streaming platforms
that when something isn't uploaded, we all lose our minds.
Is this where we all make fun of our own video team
or is that gonna happen during the break?
Tua, at some point in the next three months.
See you later, Pablo.
Summer's the best time to run the way you want.
Dial it up with new challenges and programs
and bring your workouts with you
to make the most of outside sunny days.
There's no better way to do that than with Peloton.
With Peloton take advantage of how beautiful it is outside right now.
You can go on an outdoor run or even a walk if you're not feeling like running.
All while working on your tan.
Summer is the best time to push your pace.
Move how you want.
Enhance your fitness journey and feel like your most empowered self.
Whether you're prepping for a marathon or improving your pace, whatever road lies ahead,
your training starts here with Peloton Tread or Tread Plus. Peloton's programs and instructors
take you to new heights. Tap into their expertly program workouts and real-time metrics like pace
targets that can take your fitness journey to new heights. From their strength classes designed for
runners on the Peloton Tread or Tread Plus to guided outdoor runs on the Peloton app, Peloton's classes challenge
you to be your best. Call yourself a runner with Peloton at OnePeloton.com slash running.
Lot has changed over the years, listening audience. Hey, it's Mike Ryan. One thing
that hasn't, the great taste of Miller Lite. Now, you know, over the course of our history doing this show, Miller Lite's kind of been
there for the vast majority of it, and I have been a very public facing fan of the beverage.
Why?
Well, that's been up for debate for a long time, pretty much since 1975.
But one thing that is not up for debate, the undebatable quality and great taste of Miller
Lite.
The fact that it is only 96 calories. This is a beer that strips everything away that you don't need
and holds on to what matters most. Less filling. Great taste. A light beer that tastes like
beer. You don't have to choose what you like best. Miller Lite has great taste and is less
filling. Tastes like Miller time. To get Miller Lite delivered right to your door visit MillerLite.com
slash Dan or you can find it pretty much anywhere that sells beer.
Celebrate responsibly. Miller Brewing Company, Milwaukee, Wisconsin 96 calories
per 12 ounces. Fewer cows and carbs than premium regular beer.