You're listening to Giraffe King's Network.

This is the Dan Levatore Show with the Stugatz podcast.

I am warning the audience right now, Stugatz, because the audience is divided on this subject. I will tell you that long-time listeners to this show have spoken. They do not want to hear me talking about the sports industry, sports media industry.

The sports industry, yeah. The games, they want to hear about that. More of that, sometimes they ask. Yes, thank you. Unless it's hockey, then they say less of that. Or they heat less of that, too. Very picky, if we're going to be honest with you. Talk more sports, but the right sports, not this sport, that sport.

Come on, make it in the right- Billy, I would love for you- You can't lose them all, Billy.

Consulting here.

I would love Billy. Honestly, if you want to be someone who does get extra money as a metal art consultant, but only on air, speaking most honestly for the audience in the regard that you just did, this is what... You on behalf of the audience, Juju does that very well, but I would be willing to pay extra for this-I need it in writing, though.

I've learned that.

With Stugatz? For this character to be stronger and give us honest consulting opinions on what needs to be better around here, I would take it because I would say to you, while our long time audience doesn't want to hear me talk about the sports media anymore. It does seem to be that people who don't listen to this show eat up that stuff and then end up at our show because they want to hear more of it. Our audience rejects it, but the audience at large that consumes sports media, absolutely not. They want to hear about RG3 being replaced by Jason Kelsi on Monday Night Football, even though Jason Kelsi is saying, I am virtually guaranteed to have CTE. They want to hear about, Is NBC going to outbid TNT and end the greatest sports studio show of all time? Hold on a second, because I think we have imaging for this. Do you get annoyed every time Dan Levitard pontificates about the sports media industry? Well, too bad, mother. He knows he don't give a damn about what he's going to say. It's time for sports media talk today. You're good. I am? You are now.

Okay. But I don't think that's what I want to talk about. Oh, wow. The oak. I'm not sure. The old bait and switch. But I want Metal Art Consultant Billy Gill to opine, speak on behalf of the audience on things this show needs to do better.

I don't know about that. I feel like I'm in a lose-lose position there. Okay, you either take- If I say the unpopular thing, then I get yelled at by one side or the other side.

No, but you pretty much do that all of the time. You speak for the audience as if you don't think that I don't listen on Friday when you guys are spinning that wheel and the only topics- I didn't want to do that. We knew you were listening. I didn't want to do that. The only topics that you went to are the topics and the things that you wouldn't go to are things that I like to talk about. I didn't ask to do that. You do it in the shadows. I didn't do that.

It's an inside job. No. Can I ask you guys something? No. King Charles in this picture, is he in hell? What is this painting of King Charles? Did you see the official first portrait of King Charles? You know King Charles, King of England? Familiar with King Charles? That's the official first portrait of King Charles. He's bleeding. Well, I don't know what's going on here.

Dan? Well, what's going on is you've sprung something on me that has no context whatsoever, that has nothing to do with what we were talking about.

I was on TMZ and it popped up and I was just curious.

Okay, keep your distractions to yourself. I'm doing the show over here.Paid.

Consultant.but.

Hell, What do you think? He wants to be executive producer. Not really. But hell. Obviously not really.

With Art Brio, what do we think is going on? That's a weird first portrait. Would you not agree with that?

Why is it in our show right now? What is the context for it? Because the internet's buzzing about it. But that's not what we were doing. I was trying to do the show. But this is Billy's job as a consultant. I'm consulting you. To tell you what the internet is buzzing about. When did that become his job?

Nudging you slightly over it.

When did that become his job?

King Charles thought. It's not his job. I'm telling you, put King Charles In the algorithms. We're going to be buzzing. We're going to be the biggest sports show in England right now. Sorry. Son of Queen Mom. That's all my knowledge. Why are you looking at me?

I didn't do anything. Queen Mom. You didn't do anything. What did I do? You didn't do anything. What you've done, you and him for 20 years. What? No, you. Who? You and him for 20 You didn't do anything. I was doing the show. I know. I was doing a show. I was trying to do it with you. That's right. You were trying to do it with me, but then he started doing the show he likes to do. Where did you go? I go with the flow. No, you go with him is what you do. Then you two do that for 20 years, and he yells at me, I want it in writing.

There's a butterfly on his shoulder. Is that butterfly in hell? Wow. Or did that butterfly accidentally land the painting, and now it's stuck and dead.

The thing that I wanted to talk about, because there are two things here I wanted to talk about. That wasn't one of them. This is not one of them, and it's the first I'm learning of this. The way that Billy did that, which is just to throw it at me when I'm in the middle of doing our show and I have no context whatsoever for what it is that he's doing, it works against his career advancement.

We have video of the unveiling, if you would like that. We can put that up. Here's the king, and there. There he is.In hell.It's like a floating head. We have the butterfly that may or may not be living. Well, it's dead now if it's stuck to the painting. This is the awkward videos you see of celebrities that they get the sculptures and it looks nothing like them. I would imagine. Unless he likes this, right? You think he likes this? I'm sure he approved it. I don't know. Well, yeah, that family you would think approved it. He's the king. I don't think he surprised the royals with these things.

Back to Megan did.

They didn't like that. Not back to you, Dan. Back to you.

The thing that I wanted to do here-They were two. That I thought you guys would enjoy, Iceivert on X wrote what I believe to be a sports poem. Nobody understands the bond between a boy and the mediocre wide receiver he watched when he was nine years old. Oven and friar.

Brian Heartline, Chris Chambers, Devon Bess.

Wink, rebet. This is a game that could be played forever. Now, does it also, Lucy, nobody understands the bond between a girl and the mediocre wide receiver she watched as a child?

I was more in the mediocre quarterback, so I think that was more my style.

That's all you had. If I tried to connect with you, a nine-year-old Lucy loves this quarterback who's not very good, but she thinks he's good because she's being introduced to quarterback play.

Look, I got introduced to football with Iowa football, so my entire perception of everything, very skewed. Also, my parents got divorced around that time, so everything is off. I don't know what's real or what's not.

So does this tweet speak to you like a poem the way that it speaks to a nine-year-old boy who would become a sports fan because he fell in love with some crappy receiver that had 440 yards for the Dolphins one season?

Sure. So my team that got me into Iowa football, and football in general was the 2009 Iowa Orange Bowl team led by Ricky Stanzi. And when I went to the Big Ten Championship game, three years ago, I got super drunk, and I saw him there, and I saw the whole team, and I told them that they changed my life, and I started crying. And they were like, Who is she? And I was like, You guys don't understand. I work in sports because I love you guys so much. And they were like, Okay, cool. And it was very embarrassing.

It's where I wanted to go, Billy. I thought there'd be a decent show there.

Good path.

I talked about me crying. I feel like that's great.

I agree.

You agree it's good that she cries? Yes.

Happy tears. For content. Happy tears. Yes, for content. Man, happy tears for content. I mean, we've been milking Lucy for those for an entire year. No one around here cries around sports. You guys don't even care about sports comparatively. Comparatively, you guys, I would say, are totally indifferent about sports compared to how Lucy feels them. Not you, Jeremy. I'm going to leave you out of this. Roy, don't look at me like that as if your soul isn't dark. You don't give tears of joy to a regular season game. Why is Roy's soul dark? Look at him. Yeah, look at me. Look at him for 20 years. Jimmy Cefalo had to be one of those guys, right? Jimmy Cefalo, an average wide receiver that you fell in love with. He played football? He was He caught a countdown, a bomb in a Super Bowl. He did.

Ricky Prole.

Ricky Prole. I feel like our audience could play that game forever. Alvin Harper. Well, Alvin Harper is not mediocre. Alvin Harper wasn't mediocre. He was when he went to Tampa. Is that a nine-year-old wide receiver? I don't mean to argue with the nine-year-old you, Roy. But Alvin Harper was a number one receiver when he left Dallas and failed at it. So does that go mediocre? I feel like he was a very good wide receiver. I'm with you on that. Not good enough. Ricky Prole isn't Brian Hartline. Brian Hartline is a good one for a nine-year-old. Yes, that's a great one.

Greg Camarillo?

That's almost below average. That would be today's Berrios, right?

But he had a big catch on a 1-15 team, right?

He had that TD. He did. He saved them. He saved them. He saved them. Some would say he's a legend. I mean. Put it on the poll, please, Juju. Would some say that Greg Camarillo is a legend? Because I don't believe a single person would say that. Some would. Okay, I heard that already. Thank you, Metal Art Consultant. We don't need an echo. This place is already an echo chamber. One Moment, Hall of Fame, Camarillo.

Wow. That's true. That was another game. That's a good one. Did you like that? That's a good one. That's a good one.

That's a good one for the One Moment, Hall of Fame. Who are the One Moment, Hall of Fame first ballot?

He has Reggie Miller in there for some reason. Nine seconds.

Hall of Fame or first ballot, One Moment Hall of Fame.

There are two moments in that nine seconds, though. Steve Bartman.

You're right, Roy. I didn't think about that. Who was the... David Thierry? The Chinese- David Thierry.

One Moment Well-famed. Yeah, it's a good game. Mediocre receiver.

It's a good game.

The butterfly and the portrait.

Howdy, folks. It's Mike Ryan. And as you know, you're probably a sports fan. You know it's playoff time, and you probably have a team that you want to root on. And maybe you're like me and you're not a seasoned ticket holder, so you missed the first crack at getting tickets. So what do you do? You check the secondary market. Well, let me tell you about my best friend in that secondary market, because I've tried them all, and no one's as good as GameTime. The only ticketing app that gives you complete peace of mind with your purchase. You get to see the view from your seat on your phone before you buy the tickets. All in pricing shows your total cost upfront, so there are no surprises. Buy tickets in seconds with just two taps. Telling you folks, this is a personal endorsement from me. I was using GameTime long before they joined us, and I'm so happy they're with us, so I can preach the A good word. Trust me, folks, GameTime, that is what you need. Take the guesswork out of buying NBA tickets with game time. Download the game time app, create an account, and use code Dan for $20 off your first purchase.

Terms apply. Again, create an account and redeem code D-A-N. For $20 off. Download game time today. Last minute tickets, lowest price, guaranteed.

Dan Levatard. You were that sad this morning, taking the barrage of anger from Stugatz because you hadn't booked him enough interviews. The only reason I keep bringing this up is because You not are throwing a big party on Thursday. You're doing it, and I want people to support what you're doing because Stugatz has not made this easy. Stugatz.

Well, you know. Well, yeah. This is the Dan Levatard show This is the way this two guys. That's right.

It's Time for... Against us, Brad. Brad. What happened there? It's Brad. It's Brad. It's restart there. I don't know why we're so bad at this after so much time. Draftkings, I'm sorry. Draftkings, I'm just sorry. No, we're starting.

We're just starting over there.

I thought it was funny. I thought we were playing. I thought we were fooling around. No?

That was too slapy. That's where Chris takes it very seriously.

Okay. Now, you know what? I'm leaving all this in. Just start over. Just leave it all in. Just leave it all in. I think it's a good choice. Our incompetence. I remember Mike would do this. We get to start over. Chris Cody, our incompetence is something... Look, we either succeed or fail on our incompetence because doing it the competent way, it ain't working. Bingo.

That's right. It's our first time doing Against the Sports.

It is brought to you by DraftKings Sportsbook.

Stay tuned because you'll hear about All that DraftKings has to offer throughout the show. Draftkings, the Crown is yours. Roy, kick us off. All right, game five of the Avalanche Stars series. I'm going with the stars. They are a home favorite goal and a half. Sending inside the Valerian Nustrucian suspension, the stars have won the last eight games after a road win. They won game four, and they have won by two in the last three games. So I'm going to say that this trend will continue. Go with the stars as a home favorite, one and a half.

Against the The Spread.

Jeremy. I'm really into tennis now because of the movie Challenges. I found a challenger tournament in Bordeaux, Kyrian Jacques, against Andy Murray. Andy Murray is minus 165. I'm taking Andy Murray. Against The Spread. That's how you're doing Money Line. One Moment Hall of Famer.

Yes.

Lucy.

More WMBA action. I'm going to take the Chicago Sky to cover plus eight against against the Wings. Both teams are missing their big right now. Camilla Cardoza is out for six weeks. Very sad. But the Sky beat the heck out of the Liberty in the preseason. I know it's preseason, but the vibes are high. I think the Sky will cover. This is Angel Reese's WMBA day you. My sky.

That's against the Sun. Billy, bring us home. Real quick, though, just right there. Lucy, do you follow... Juju tries and works very hard on these parlays. It hurts him when he loses. And last Last night, he got two easy rebounding numbers in the WNBA, and Vandersloot killed him by not having enough assists. But Juju really knows what he's doing when he's analyzing this sport. It hurt me to see him lose that three-team parlay because Vandersloot had five assists instead of six and a half.

Mystics were a problem last night. I'm shocked. The Liberty were trailing most of that game. I'm sorry for Juju, and I think you should bet on DraftKings, but I don't know how much you should trust me because I don't put my whole heart I'm so into it. I do try, but I don't put my whole heart like Juju does.

Billy, bring us home. All right, Dan, I'm going to take the Carolina Hurricanes minus one and a half over the Rangers. Why, you ask. It's a great question. I don't know if you guys were watching, but during the NFL Draft Watchalong, we had an offensive line expert named Ian, who we later revealed to be Taylor's roommate. Now, I found out that Ian is actually a giant Rangers fan. It's the number one team that he follows. And after the last Ian was not happy. He said, Panarin is a fraud. Been saying that for years, he's a regular-season mercant. So are Kreeter and Zbanajad. Core is made up of losers. And for that reason, I am taking the Carolina Hurricanes minus one and a half over the New York Rangers. Against the spread.

Objectively, I'm grateful that you poured yourself into that research. Research. Yes. Getting Taylor's roommate.

Kreeter, not Kreider. Yes. The breadman.

I will tell the audience and people who watch this show on the DraftKings Network and watch it seriously for information because on channel 1168 on samsonTV plus. Com and on thedraftkingsnetwork. Com.

A regular-season merchant, Dan.

There are people looking to this channel for their gambling information. You have just suggested, okay, and I'm going to go to my hockey expert here for help. Ian.

You have your hockey expert. I have mine.

I haveI have Roy.

Yours is Roy.

Roy, forgive me. But if I were to tell you that the Rangers, the best team in hockey, are going to lose tonight by more than a goal, you would tell me that you think that's probable, possible, likely?

It's probable.

They lost at home to the Carolina Hurricanes last time, so it's probable. Probable that the Rangers will lose by more than a goal. Yes, it's probable.

The hurricanes can get an empty net goal, and they can lose by two.

Jeremy made a pick on a tennis match off a movie he saw. Well, and more than that, here's the thing. When I heard the way that he made that pick, I was legitimately thinking to myself, is he making a bet that makes him look like an asshole on purpose?

Yeah, that's right. I'll tell you this, the Stakes are high in this one for Ian because he said, If the Rangers blow this, I will never watch another hockey game for the rest of my life. So game for his fandom, game for his life.

We are in a contract here with DraftKings. Yeah.

That's why if I don't know something, I reach out to the experts. Ian, he's in finance.

All around us on this network, this gambling network, all around us are people who are wildly informed on how it is they make their bets, they are touts, they are helpful, they are information people. And we sit here like a turd in a- Turdlet. No, no. A turd in a fruit punch bowl at a party, at a great party, a gambling party. We sit in the middle of it, betting tennis because this one saw a movie, and betting Carolina by more than a goal because- Ian's watched every game.

He's in sales, we think.

You want those picked from Ross Tucker, huh? Ross Tucker is more informed.

You think Ross Tucker is watching more Islander games or Rangers games, whatever, than Ian? Doubtful. I doubt it. But who knows? Because Ross Tucker's time seems to be working very different than everyone else's time. The guy knows everything. Nfl, college. He has a show for every different sport, and he knows everything about all of them. How? How does Ross Tucker have the time?

I just texted my best friend Hannah and asked her who she thinks is going to win tonight, and she has never watched a hockey game this entire season. She's picking the Rangers. She's an astrophysicist. She's real smart.

I'll text Joey. Dan, you know what I found out about Hannah today? An anagram.

Lucy, you said Anna or Hannah? Hannah. Okay, I don't know.

Anna, too, depending on how you spell it. Even though if there's two ends, it's also an anagram, same with one end Anna. Anagrams are fun. A Hannah-gram.

Lucy, I would like to talk to Hannah, the astrophysicist, and make hers the bet of the week that we're betting because I want better information than this group of clowns is providing me.

She said, I don't think that's what I just said. I don't know what she was trying to type there. It doesn't make sense. But she said, If I'm wrong, that's showbiz, baby. So you have to trust that.

I went to get another source.

I texted my little sister and I said, Who do you think? And she said, Rangers. Caine's fans are annoying. Two great sources.

Wow. Don't worry, Dan. I texted my brother as well. We'll find out soon.

I mean, it was an asshole bet on purpose you were making, right?

The movie's really good, Dan.

Have you seen Challenges? Just all of it. I'm going to bet Tennis. Look at me. I probably smell like potpourri. Thanks. Okay. Yes? All right. That's what we were doing. The thing I wanted to get to before-Willie Galt. You're going too old, Stugatz. Pick something in this century for people to connect to. It was my childhood. I know, but you're making- When he was nine. I know, but you're making jokes for You're making jokes for people. Freddie Solomon?

We didn't get to your guys as against the spread. You're right.

I don't have it against the spread because I wasn't prepared for this segment.

You need an Ian in your life.

You have actively played defense against me today in a way that has rarely been this undercutting.

Defense wins the championships, baby. That's show business.

Hannah said that. The story I was trying to get to. I want to talk to Hannah, the astrophysicist, and I want to make bets with her.

She's so smart. Not Ian.

No. See, this is what I want to do with our show. No, don't let Billy's team of dumb demons spew all over the bottom of this company and piss all over the show. No. Ian broke I found everyone that was drafted on the offensive line except centers because the Jets didn't need one. Let's have Ian go against the astrophysicist head to head, and let's see, let's put some money on it. You're an informed idiot or Lucy's actually smart person who doesn't know anything, but at least we're going to choose an astrophysicist and not Taylor's roommate who's not named Ian.

Well, I will say this. I've never met Ian in person, so I can't completely vouch for him. But I was also told in my head said that Danny Benita's cousin is also an astrophysicist.

This is what Billy wants to do. You can have a roundtable of astrophysicists. No, I've got enough Danny- Should you like? Fucking Benita's as I'm paying around here because we've hired everybody's friends around here to run our video department.

His cousin, though, astrophysicist.

No, I don't need any more of these people from the Miami that they told me never to build this in. What do you mean by these people? My people. Lavernius calls. My life. He's too good. What? Don't get out of here. He's too good. What? I'm getting That's too good. Get out of here. Lavernius Coals is not mediocre. Hey, Mitchell. That's not fair. Find me Lavernius Coals' best seasons, they are not mediocre. Roddy White? No, don't change it. Roddy White was very good. How do you not know the definition for mediocre? You're right. I should know it. No one's more He's mediocre than me.

Joey likes Carolina. Okay, so now we're split. What do we do?

Well, probably not get another contract from DraftKings. If I had to guess, my guess would be that in a contract year, they would find this segment insufficient for the people who want gambling content.

I don't know. I trust my sister.

I don't think anybody's given you info on the challenger tournament in Bordeaux, though, Dan. Yeah.

The Bordeaux was the... I'm like, he's not doing this on purpose. But when you said Bordeaux, I'm like, he is. He must be. He's leaning into, I'm going to be an asshole on purpose. It was the Bordeaux that got me.

It's what got me, too. That's why I paid attention to it.

The story I was trying to get to, I'm going to tease a segment here because I think it's good. Just put up on the screen the frozen picture of the story I'm going to talk about next because I've been wanting to get to this for two segments. This is sports television. Steven A. Space. Just all of it. No, it's how Steven A. It's how Steven A. It's going to age with grace by empowering very strong, funny people to take that show into whatever it becomes. It's great. It's a great career move. What you see on the screen is Steven A. 'S future, and those guys are dominating sports media, and JJ Reddit could have any job he wants. I've been trying to get to this story for two segments. Would you guys please allow me, or do you want to give me more information from Taylor's roommate about what's going to happen in- That's fine.

The Dan Lebitard Show with Sue Gots is sponsored by Better Help. We all carry around different stressors, big and small. When we keep them bottled up, it can start to affect us negatively. Keeping things bottled up can feel like carrying a weight that gets heavier with time. Whether it's talking to a trusted friend, journaling, or seeking professional help, finding ways to let out your thoughts and feelings can bring relief and help you navigate challenges more effectively. Remember, it's okay to reach out for help when you need it. It's helpful for learning positive coping skills and how to set boundaries. It empowers you to be the best version of yourself. If you're thinking of starting therapy, give better help 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 at any time for no additional charge. Get it off your chest with Betterhelp. Visit betterhelp. Com/delb today to get 10% off your first month. That's betterhelp. H-e-l-p. Com/dlb.

Don Lebatard. Photography is not as hard as it's made out to be. And now with computers, I mean, you can make anything look like anything. It's almost cheating. It's not fair. If you push a button and it takes a thousand pictures, you're going to find a good one in the batch.

There were a lot of photographers there taking thousands of pictures. One got that photograph. Okay, good retort. Stugatz.

Haven't you ever passed by photographers? I guarantee you, when that shot was taken, we didn't just hear... That's not what you heard. If you were by that camera...

In my ear with that.

He does a good camera. This is the Dan Levatard show with the Stugats.

So Stugats, I I need to tell our audience and everyone here, wherever it is that you are tired of me talking about sports media, I totally get it. I am tired of me talking about it, too. It has been not just talking about it, but living it over the last few years has been quite the illuminating experience because our business is changing. Anybody who's been with us for this long knows everything that happened with us. And it's an interesting thing in the pandemic, leave a safe thing that's changing and just push ourselves into an unknown future where you're fighting for yourself, you're self-employed, and the media landscape is totally changing. And, oh, look, during that time, Travis Kelsey and Jason Kelsey just built a giant entire empire. And look over here in that time. Shannon Sharp has decided to get in the game in a way that notices what McAfee is doing and says, Well, I can be that because I'm going to be a workaholic late in life who competes the way I did at football. And fucking, watch what I do now when I get some power and some business. And Steven A links up there and says, Yes, welcome.

Here, first take. We'll have a platform and we'll build all our own shit on ESPN because ESPN is changing. Everyone sees the game, right? Everyone sees McAfee's renting. Mcafee, $17 million rents, comes in and engulfs Steven A's salary. And renting. They don't own McAfee. Mcafee plays there and gives what he wants to to them because he passed Steven A, let's not say, in voice or face of a franchise, but did in money. Now Steven A is coming up for a contract, and he just buried Skip Bayliss. Ended his career because I told you at the beginning of this, Stugatz, watch how the old guys in media who have always been the king's age, whether it's Jim Rome or Colin Cauherd, getting into business with Shannon Sharp as we get into business with all the smoke and now try to make big deals in the realm where JJ Reddick resides, where he's saying to himself, Okay, I built this really cool thing over here. It's a play thing. It's a hobby. Do I want to coach with LeBron? Charlotte Job, not enough. I'm going to go to the head of the line. What do I want to do with my life as someone who regrets not being around for my child on Christmas days?

Do I want to compete against the media where it's an easy win because it's not as tough? They all just realized it's to God's all of them, Wait, all I got to do is beat Lebitard and Steven All I got to do is beat cow herd. Wait, the punter, McAfee can do that? How did he do that? I'm more famous than him. I'm so much- That was a tight end. No, no. So, Kelsey builds that, and now Amazon's bidding for that, and Jason, Kelsey, and his brother goes right to the front of the line. Rg3, get out of here. You may have a media career, but it's not going to be on the biggest thing. No, Jason, Kelsey gets that. A center goes right to the front of the That happened in the last three years. That happened even though Travis, Kelsey was in Stugats' ear in Tahoe. Hey, how do I do this? That all happened. How do I do this? How do I get to where you guys are? That's the conversation in Tahoe. And how does he do it? In 10 minutes. Yes. As soon as he gets into the game, he does it.

Now, JJ Redick, and I'm sorry if you're tired of hearing it, but it's been my life for three years, and it's been the second worst thing in my life in those three years because all of these athletes are coming for gambling money that is keeping the entire industry alive as ESPN and Disney shake so much that they got to rent to McAfee. And here comes Kelsey and Shannon Sharp. How do I use your platform to build what Steven A. Smith did as Steven A. Smith? Every day on their air from 10:00 to noon is selling, I'm in a contract here. I'm the biggest voice you got, and I'm about to be a free agent to do whatever I want. Look at what I built here. I built this entire thing that has been number one for 12 years. I did it over Bayliss. Bayliss went over there and competed, did it the same way, lost. Has Paul pierce, using the N-word, undisputed by accident because that entire thing is caved in as Shannon Sharp and JJ Redick are sitting next to Steven A. Smith, and he ages like that. I've told you I admire that man.

Now, I don't love some of the things that he does to broaden audience, because I don't think audience is always the most important thing. But as a conqueror, as a dude who knows how to win at this industry, there has never been anyone better because look at the teammates he has now, Stugatz. He's gone and grabbed the best you can grab at what it is that they do, which is make good television. And he's got total power in a contract year about to leave ESPN as all the athletes around. You're paying Joe Buck You're paying Troy Akeman what? How are they worth more than I am? How am I getting? He's got a production deal. It's the big salary. Plus, how do I build this with ESPN? Because you don't think that Omaha Productions and Tom braided and Steven A, you don't think he wants to compete with them there for the big money? How do I partner? Omaha has got a 10-year deal, Stugat. It's crazy. It's all built around Eli and Payton are willing to join you from their basement. Yeah, they are programming ESPN right now. Them and Pat McAfee. Correct. It used to be nick Khan of CAA who was programming ESPN.

He is now doing the wrestling stuff. He's now on live television, bringing wrestling to Netflix. So this game has been my life for the hardest three years of my life, and I'm fascinated by what it is that's happening. Of course. Jj Redick has been great on first take. Great because he's smart, he knows the members. And now, do I want to do a podcast with LeBron James and build that empire? Because, man, it's great dominating, making interesting content about the sport I love. Or do I want to coach LeBron James? That's the choice that one of the people on First Take who has used First Take very well has because the whole thing at ESPN is changing where everyone can lilypad, jump, you get there, they build your thing, you use them, you go to the next thing. Mcafee can do that if he wants. You don't want Aaron Rodgers on next year? Okay, I'll do this somewhere else. You've helped me build it. Or I'll get Belichick. Right. Or Saban. Right, correct. I will dominate whatever the future of ESPN becomes. But the thing I wanted to get to as it relates to JJ Redick and Doc Rivers, because Doc Rivers, before JJ Reddick, played the media game better than anybody.

Charisma, charm, doesn't matter how much I lose. I am great. At just making you like me. And so I throw ESPN's entire broadcast plan for the NBA into total upheaval. They kick out Jeff Van Gundi. They make a spot for me Because I've been let go and I immediately jump, Well, I can coach Giannis. Okay, I've got a better job over here in actual sports, not sports media, which the athletes know they can conquer. It's easy. Doc Rivers has conquered media. That's easy. What he can't conquer is above him. He's won one title with a team for all time that birthed all the super teams. J. J. Redick says things like this about him, and you will hear afterward, Doc Rivers' recent rebuttal Smith, Steven A. Smith. So play all of that sound, please. I've seen the trend for years. What's the trend? The trend is always making excuses. Doc, we get it. Taking over a team in the middle of the season is hard. It's hard. We get it. Just like getting traded in the middle of the season is for a player. We get it. But it's always an excuse. It's always throwing your team under the bus.

They lose to Memphis. Oh, it's his players. Memphis was playing G League guys and two-way guys. Then you look at his quotes over the weekend, now he wants to take credit for the James Harden trade to the Clippers working out. He wants credit for that. There's never accountability with that guy. That was a couple of months ago, and everyone seized on it. A lot of people were hearing it for the first time, even though a lot of people know of At Doc Rivers, he is extraordinary at the media game. Yes, he is. Just really great at how it is it that I get you to like me. Well, this is how. He rebutts JJ Reddick when he's on Steven A Smith's show this way. What I want you to listen to is how candy sweet he is all around it while really insulting JJ Reddick. Jj Reddick was on the record getting on you pretty adamantly about some of the things that you were saying once you ultimately ended up in Milwaukee and talked about passing a buck or whatever. Did you two ever talk about that? Did you ever resolve that with one another?

No. Jj has had a problem with me for a while, and that's fine. Players do. One thing, when you coach Steven A, you can be called a players' coach or whatever you want to be called. But if you make decisions that the player doesn't agree with, in JJ's case, we didn't cite him back. With the Clippers, I stopped playing him as much because he wasn't very effective in the play-off. That's all known, but I'm fine with that. Usually, they all come back to you. They do because they know everything you tried to teach them or do for them was in good. Jj Reddick's best numbers of his career was under one coach, and you're looking at him right here. I'm the one that grabbed him out of Milwaukee and decided to start him. From that point on, his career took off. All the movement played, everything. First play of the game, every game, when we played with the Clippers, you would have coaches and teams come to you and say, You're not going to score in that first play with JJ. I would always say, Just watch us. We're going to figure it out. So overall, nothing but love for JJ.

Obviously, there's things he doesn't like, and I have no issues with him.

Nothing but love at the end.

That is a gift, man. It's a gift if what you like is shit sandwiches because he said nothing but love, no issues, except for, yeah, I'm the reason for all of his success, and he didn't wasn't effective in the playoff, so I benched him, and he wasn't very good.

The coach for his best season, you're looking at him.

That's right. I'm the reason for his success. It is the shittiest version of braided versus Belichick. I'm the reason you won. No, I'm the reason.

And nobody is really...

No one cares but them. No one But them. But they care, though. The greatest, Doc at the end, that is God Almighty, Doc. So insincere. But lovable. You can tell through- The fraudulent, and if you don't like a Accountability, and you're like, fraudulent. Yeah, lovable. My guy. It's easy to trick the media is my point. It's where I started, Stugats. I know. The media is-We're idiots. We won the media game. We. Look. Me. Look at what did that DraftKings segment. We won the media game. Do you know how easy it is to win the media game? It's filled with idiots.

I texted my friend Hannah and said, Hey, do you want to make pics for us? And she said she's going to create her own algorithm to get pics for us. So DraftKings, you are welcome. She goes to Berkeley. Smart gal.

Eric Decker, please get Feldman to sponsor- Ian. No. No. Your astrophysicist friend and her gambling knowledge so I can get rid of all these clowns who are polluting our contract here at DraftKings, because we might not keep winning. They were not clowns.

They were mascots.

We might not keep winning of the media game this year in the contract here. We have a 20-year winning streak, though. We're in danger. We're going to take it hell. Draftkings this year could get any of the people who are competing against us.

Like Hannah, my friend. They don't have Joey. My friend.

Ricky Prole? You did him already. Oh, I did.

Howdy, listeners. It's Mike, and you know, a lot has changed over the years. Just look at sports. There's instant replay, a three-point line. There were shifts and then not shifts. But one thing that hasn't changed over the course of all those things I just mentioned, the great taste of Miller Light. That's right. It's so good. And it's also less filling. So what's the best thing about Miller Light, the original light beer? Well, Miller Miller light sparked this debate way back in 1975. We still haven't settled it. Be like me. I don't pick one. I like it because it's both. Miller Light keeps it simple. Undebatable quality. Great taste. Only 96 calories. It's a beer that strips away everything that you don't need and holds on to what matters most. You don't have to choose what's best. Be like me. Say both. Miller light. Great taste and is less filling. Tastes like Miller time. To get Miller light delivered right to your door, visit millerlight. Com/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 and premium regular beer.