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Happy Hanukkah, Stugats.

Hey, Marco, how are you doing? Surprise, surprise. This is Smoky Roberts, and I know you didn't expect to hear from me, but I was contacted by your sons, Jeff and Jerrord. And they wanted me... Theywere that you used to live in Detroit across from me, and gosh, that's beautiful. How are you doing again? Nice talking to you again, I guess. But anyway, you're living in Vancouver now, and they wanted me to wish you happy Chinooka. I have no idea what Chinooka is, but happy chanuk-ca because they said so. Anyway, God bless you, babe, and enjoy Chinooka. Have a wonderful time.

It's great. It will stand the test of time. It will be like some of the friends doesn't hold up, but that is going to be funny 60 years from now. Happy chanuk-ca. I wanted to talk about a number of different things, Dugust. I got so much on the plate. Really, we don't have enough time here. Max is containing us to just an hour, but we have so much to say today about so many different things. Princess Claire is here. Willow is here. Willow is here, jealous that Princess Claire is getting an awful lot of the attention that she used to get without any of the fear. We'll talk to Princess Claire in a.

Little bit. This has the feel of a Thanksgiving plate. There's a lot on this. You know what I mean? This isn't just your Tuesday night at home dinner plate. This is Thanksgiving, and I might go up for second's plate.

I'm stunned by the amount that we have to give the audience today in terms of creativity and clever, but I'm handcuffed at the very start of what it is that we're doing by a real and genuine unrest that we have that I need Jessica's help with as a union organizer because Jeremy and Lucy have walked out. The merch store is officially a problem. The stuff with Samson is a problem. Everybody wants their own merch to show their faces. We have three new items. We do have three new items for Tony, for Lucy, and for Jeremy. But they're mad because Samson's controlling how all of this goes out. Tony's been professional enough to show up, but I have labor on rest. The Emmy winner and the 24th highest ranked college football analyst in the land, they want to be paid what they're worth. We have new T-shirts, but Samson's being a problem..

That's right. You're a scab. Yes, you're breaking the solidarity of what is a mutiny here.

But it seems like the walkout has worked. I mean, they have stuff in the merch store now, right?

I mean-Well, no, they won't know, want no, but they want to know. Yeah, having stuff in the merch store is one thing. What is your percentage of the cut? Even though you own some of the company, that's the stuff that athletes deal with all the time and coaches deal with all the time. I'm trying to run a labor-friendly company that allows dogs and kids and everybody eats and things get in the way.

Of that. Your first mistake was hiring Samson then, I think.

But I keep telling people this is going to be a corporation with and they laugh in my face. A little oxymoron.

Well, the soul is David Samson.

Okay, but I'm going to have to force it on him, is the thing, right? Because he doesn't understand that I'm trying… He doesn't understand, and he's not the only one at this company who doesn't understand that I am insistent on building a company for and run by creatives. And so he says, I can't go discount. I'm already doing everything in the store. This is the argument I'm walking in on. I'm already doing everything in the store at a 20% discount for the holidays. I'm like, You need to pay JuJu and Angel and everybody what they're worth because I know we haven't been using that merch store right for two years. If I handed Juju that merch store and let him just sell things in the street. He would be cashing money all over the place, and we haven't been running it right. I want Samson to run it with an artistic soul and something that feeds creative. But he says that I'm already giving a 20% discount, so I can't give anymore. I'm saying the promo code now for these three items and only these three items, it's only these three.

Three and only three.

The rest of the store, Samson sucks, and the number 20 gets you 20% off. But New Greed, 25, that pass code gets you 25 % off on Tony's stuff, on Lucy's stuff, and on Jeremy's stuff, and just on that stuff. Twenty-five % off over Samson's objections. New Greed 25 is the pass code if you want to buy Tony's stuff, Lucy's stuff, or Jeremy's stuff, so that I can concentrate on doing the work here I want to do and not fighting over money anymore.

Smart man told me once, greed is good, Dano.

Smart man.

Well, Samson, as Corporate greed is not. Corporate greed is not. Corporate greed is part of why this country is as bleeped as it.

Is right now. Do you know how hard it was for Samson to take it down 20 %? He's never taking anything down.

20 %. I think in terms of Samson, we should just start with a soul before we worry about artistic soul.

Well, I believe at some point we will sell David Samson's soul on that site. I believe we will.

Actuallythat will be 30.

Percent of them. It's not an issue. It's not an issue. It's not an issue. It's not an issue. No, it's got to be the most valuable thing because it's the most treasured thing because no one's ever found one. Rare. I remember asking... We asked this question seriously one time of Drew Rosenhaus on pardon the interruption in five good minutes. Do you have a soul? Samson wants to.

Sell stuff. Was he stumped?

Yeah, he lied. He said he lied and said yes. That's what he did, because, of course, I have gotten into hard knocks. Man, it's been years since I've been into hard knocks. I got to be honest. But the dolphins, because they're showing these different personalities, and I can't help but notice, Oh, my God! Flores didn't treat Toa like maybe these things can be fragile and you don't tough guy everybody. Some people just need nurturing and love. Clearly, Mike McDaniel is like an ally here. How can I help you? Yeah, I'm in charge. I'm goofy, but how can I help you? How can I be an administrative assistant here for you to get to your greatness? Clearly, something there in that relationship, McDaniel has built something that was entirely built around Toa. Floris was something that was entirely built around Flores. It's like defense, defense, and I don't trust my quarterback. I'm going to humiliate people because I learned the way to do it in the Belichick way. You got to tough these soldiers up. Mcdaniel is like, Hey, how can I help? To see that play out in a way where he's the age of his players, he's not that much older than them, and they see day in and day out.

This is a person here who is going to help me, who cares about me. Then you're watching the audio, Stugat, of Tyrae Kills shouting, I'm the best in the world. Then you hear the audio of Van Ginkgo giggling like a six-year-old with the football in his hands because he can't believe him and his white hair flowed on a stallion into the end zone with a PIC 6. You hear his giggle sound like a six-year-old. That's where they make you fall in love with teams by showing you the personalities and tying you to caring about the human beings.

I believe we deserve a little credit for how great this season of Hard Knocks has been. Right when we got to Max, this is one of the best seasons I've ever had. We're from Miami. We're a Miami show. The Dolphins are our team. So I just think.

That- You okay.

There, Chris?

Getting emotional. New Greed 25 is the discount code for everyone here who thinks they deserve more.

But it makes me emotional because we've partnered with Max. The Dolphins are on hard knocks. There's just so much synergy in the world right now. And it's just, as a Max... Can I call myself a Max employee? I'm a Max employee. I mean, all my coworkers at Max, they did a great job with this thing. And I just want to commend them. I'll talk to them at the office party in a few weeks. Are you guys going?

I think a lot of people, Chris, and what you're going to be put in charge of if you end up becoming the executive producer of the show. Media people, because they don't understand sports business, are sleeping on the fact that we're on max now, and we just grabbed everything that Showtime does in sports. They're just sleeping on it. Andyeah. We've got some corporate assassins running our company, and we've been able to do this in the shadows for a while fighting over merch dollars. But there is a play here that allows us to partner with everybody because we're not confined to just ESPN. And it's taken a long time to get here. But we are linked up to make a Super Bowl run with the Dolphins. I'd go under those circumstances. Under those circumstances, I would go to the.

Super Bowl. If the Dolphins go, you go.

If the Dolphins the Super Bowl, I would go to the Super Bowl, and I would make sure that our show, and God Almighty, would that cost a lot? Make sure that every damn person on our show goes. God damn right.

Let's go. You're doing this in classic Metalyk fashion, though, where we'll have to wait until the week before to find out if we're going. Correct.

And then have to do everything- Two weeks? Do we get two weeks?

Let's assume we'll be there. Let's book the trip now.

Let's book it. This is where Corporate does need to help us because I was promised when we left the ESPN, Yeah, you'll land at music festivals every two months. I kept going in the same closet in a Cleveland or studio. Yes, because now we work for the machine. Draftkings needs three hours a day. Not a lot of people make as much as we make. If they don't kill us by the time we're done with this, we will have built a network for DraftKings that they paid us a lot of money. More than was reported, by the way, because we extended.

To build.

A network for them. I don't think people understand some of the business elements of this, but let them sleep in the shadows because it's an interesting time as media collapses. Hard Knocks, though, is legitimately good. I'm here to do an advertisement for Hard Knock. I know it has been for a long time.

No, it's great. It's always been great. But this team is special. This team is exciting. This team gets along. And your points about Mike McDaniel, they're great points because he has that ability that he cares about people. He cares about the players that are playing for him. He's very aware of their situations, even inside of an important game. So when Van Ginkgo, who is back in because Phillips got hurt, has that big, pick six and has a big game, you could see McDaniel on the sideline feeling good because he knows how much this means to him and his family.

But here's where it's tricky, Stugat, and we get caught up in the myth building that we do around sport. He cares about his players. Okay, that's a nice thing.

To say. Dan, he at least gives off the appearance that he cares about his players, and that's a lot of the battle for a coach.

I don't disagree with you, but what I'm saying is giving off the appearance that you care, and players who have come through what they came through to get to where they are, they have to feel that care. It's not about saying it. What I'm going to say to you right now, do I care about you? Yes or no? Yes. When money and disagreements about money are involved, do you feel cared for by me? By me? Yeah. By the company?

Corporate.

Gets in the way here on caring.

It's a good way of saying.

It, right? The furnace that is football and where Tyree, Kyl, and Toa, and McDaniel have to live and rely on each other. Care illustrates itself. In video you're watching on audio on Hard Knocks, where Tyree Kyl comes back to the huddle filled with ego after that deep throw. And he's yelling, Oh, hell no. Don't ever do that to me again. Terrible throw. And he comes back to the sideline, and they show him that Toe was trying to move him away from the safety. He was trying to help him. It wasn't a terrible throw. And he apologized to Tewell. And then he goes, and Tyree came here to be the star, Stugat. Not Kelsey, not my homes. He came here to be the star. He goes on social media and he says, Hey, this is a bad take that that was a bad throw. I thought it was a bad throw. They have the audio of me thinking it was a bad throw. I came back to the sideline. It was not a.

Bad throw. The best part about that is, and I do believe, Tyreke, in this instance, but he's been such a good teammate to Tatoah that I think he would do that even if it was a bad throw. I know we got the audio because of hard knocks. We actually hear in the moment that it is a good throw by Toe. But Tyreke has been... We talk about... Wide receivers get a lot of slack for being Divas and stuff like that. Tyreke has been the best teammate to Toe that I've ever seen from a wide receiver.

He's been a great teammate, period. I mean, if you're just basing it off what we're seeing on hard knocks, Tyreke Hill has been a great teammate.

It's not just a lot of slack. Tyric Hill gets whatever it is that he deserves, he has gotten, that gets wiped away by winning in 2,000 yards, and we get forgetful because it feels real good to go to the Super Bowl and spend money in Vegas. It's not some slack. I mean, Tyric Hill is reinventing himself with the help of Hard Knocks, with Max and with success.

With us and Max.

It's a lot easier to get along with your teammates when everybody is winning and everyone is getting theirs. But as we've learned with the merch store, not always does everyone feel like they're getting theirs. So levitartaf. Com is where it is. If you want to support Tony, NewGree'd 25 is the code. Lucy, NewGree'd 25, Jeremy, I'd support him less. You know what? I should have raised his prices. He's getting too much success too early. The Emmy, I should have done to him what I did to Pablo. Nobody likes someone who gets that much success that fast.

Adnan was infuriated that he's an Emmy winner, Jeremy, because Adnan isn't. It was one of those because I was doing the thing Bradley Cooper said he'd give up the Oscar win for all his new movie for an Eagle Super Bowl. Right. And I was like, because he's an Eagles fan, I was like, What's something in your world? He's like, I want the Emmy. I want that Emmy. And then I was like, How angry does it make you that Jeremy has won. He's like, I hate it. And he's a nice man, and he's ripping Jeremy.

The nicest man.

I.

Think if Hardknocks wins any Emmys, we should all get one as people taking credit. Oh, we will. And also if this show gets any Emmys now that we're on max, we should also.

All get one. We were nominated for one. Our half-time, our national championship watch-along thing where I was orange juggling. We don't have time. We don't want to pay for that.

I wonder where he didn't win.

Jeremy won a state Emmy, though. That's like lower on the tears. It's a.

Bit different.

Don't poop.

On his Emmy. It's not a national Emmy, though. I mean, it's...

Wow, you're pooping.

On his Emmy. I'm just saying all Emies aren't the same. That's all I'm saying. I didn't.

Know the difference. He wouldn't say it to his face, though.

Of course I would. I called him a magician. Of course I would.

Tony, I want toI want to get to a couple of things here with you because we have spent the week not getting in the local hour to something I wanted to get to for two weeks now. These gingles that you're obsessed with. You claimed the Maroonie, the local commercial, the Maroonie ad, it sounded like a ghostbuster song. You claimed that that was the best gingle ever. Then the next week you claimed another dingo was the.

Best dingo ever. -sanat and the Tentifours.

-now where are we? -we've got three.

New gingles, Daniel, because what I like to do is show the people that haven't been here that long, Jess, Lucy, Jeremy, people that didn't grow up in Miami proper that didn't get these gingles. Roy is an old head. He knows every gingle from all time, even in other markets, which is crazy. But I want to bring the audience a piece of our Miami. These are things that we grew up with. I know Chris has already pre-listened to some of these.

I love.

Them all. They're great. Fire off your.

Favorite one, Chris. I'm not doing that. I'm building up. I'm doing my least favorite.

Tony, what amateur are you? Don't be the favorite one. You build up trauma.

I was letting.

Chris be a professional. You weren't letting him. You were telling him how to do the job poorly.

Here is my third favorite.

Take your family, go with your friends to good times. Work for Never End. Be there. The Fair. It's all there. The Fair. Be there. The Fair.

Be there. The Fair, be there. The Day County Fair and Exposition, March third. Yes, you got a in the air from Roy. Right, elephant ears, Dan. Stugat, were you in the room when we talked to Claire and we asked her what are some of the favorite things that Daddy does at home? And she says, He laughs a lot. And all of us staring at her like she lied and was your daughter instead?

Yes, I was shocked as well. The room.

Was like, What?

Dad laughs a lot at home. I was super confused by that. That is not one of my favorites. It should not be on the bronze medal stand. Give me the silver.

That's.

Pretty good. That's when jingles were jingles, Dan-o.

I love that flourish at the end. We got to play that one again. -but I know. -the flourish at the end.

Before you get to the number one gingo locally. That was goosebumps. Can you guys, when you said you made me laugh, Tony, when you said of Roy, he knows all the jingles and all the markets. Video, can you please, as quickly as you can, just find crappy sports commercials in other markets that involve athletes? Because we could play that for months, and we can make local, regional advertising that uses the professional star. That market is so ripe to make fun of. Just find me a couple real quick before you play this gingle. And Washington is famous for them. They just have these crappy athletes do crappy commercials.

Where they have to say their name in it. For crappy things.

-hey, look, it's- No, that's the highest. That's Bryan O'Rackboe, pro bowler who's not a pro bowler. -cupcake. -no, that's the best of them. I'm talking about poor local guys who the car dealer, Jose, says, Hey, get your camera out there. Get Duncan Robinson. Sing a song with him. No, I'm talking about the guerrilla style Miami shit commercials is what I'm talking about. The number one gingle, according to Tony.

You'll see what there is to see at Miami's Aquarium. You'll see sharks and dolphins, sea lions and seals. Learnout. Let's sing, rain and roll out.

Florida residents. February is free annual pass month at Miami Sea Aquarium. Get a free annual pass with every regular admission. Pay once, come back the rest of the year.

For free. Miami Se Aquarium.

Diana Rosini is going to join us in 10 minutes. Tony, this is what I'm putting on your lap. If you want New Greed 25 to be something that sells, what I would like is a commercial for Miami Cquareom that has that happy music, but also an amenity has been stuck in a four by four cube with mildew for 19 years too long. I want to do a commercial for Miami C. Quesium that isn't quite that happy. We could do that. Make sure you do that.

You're putting that on his lap? Yes. Can you put me on his lap?

We could do it together, too. Actually, yes, go ahead. Really? Yes, go ahead. I will put you on his lap right now. Or the bucket maybe. He's standing. Yes, we do all have to go to the bucket. Let's do that now. Let's do it as fast as we can here. I could.

Do it from Tony's lap?

Yes, do the bucket from Tony's lap.

Reaper is moving a little slow today.

Come on, Reaper.

We got.

Hard out, buddy. Fine bucket.

And death. Okay, that's instantaneous. I'm sorry, Jess. How much is in the fine bucket? Not very much, right?

It's.

Only my second L of the season, too. I am sorry about that, but these are winning positions. Wait, it's empty. Someone stole the money from the fine. That can't be empty. I've been putting money in there. It's only me. No one else is putting money in there.

I've been taking it. No one.

Else is putting money. There were at least $50 in there. There were. I've been putting money. I'd leave it here on the console.

What? The thief is back?

The thief is back. Tony, who.

You got? I've got the instant putback, Carolina Panthers.

That is always a putback.

Keep an eye on them. They're both cheaters. Keep an eye on them, please. Keep an eye on them.

The reaper is like locked in, falcons' eye right here looking at me. Eagle's eye, whichever bird you like. The Tennessee Titan is probably not better.

Our titans are a 13.5 point dog against the Dolphins. Monday night at our watch party. Chris Cody, give the people the details on our watch party on Monday night. It's going to be Dolphins and Titans. I love that you just looked to Roy and said, What are the details? Go ahead, Stugats. Reach into the bucket.

We're going to the Dolphins Mall, Vivo, the Miller Lights stage. Our friends at Miller Lights, Dolphins, come hang out with us this Monday night. Titans Dolphins. We're going to be there. We're going to be having a fun time. Hopefully, the cyclones get to win before that.

All right, well done. Am I picking for Billy Gill here? What are we doing for Billy? Am I picking for Billy? No, just go. Okay, I'm going. I like to rummage. I'm on Tony's You.

Got to hurry up, dude.

I got the Carolina Panthers.

Five and a half point dog. Let's go. We got to rush this.

I know, I'm rushing.

I got the bears. Max has new rules. We got to get in and out of here. Bear's are at three and a half point favorite at home, our dog against the lions. You got the bears at home against the lions.

I have the dolphins keeping it. All right. Nice.

I had to have with Tony.

At the Dallas Cowboys. The Dallas Cowboys are three and a half point favorite at home against the Eagles. At home against the Eagles. Put it back. I don't have time. Let's go. No, you have time? Do you want to put it back? Do you want to put it back? No, I'm keeping it. Let's go.

I would.

Keep that. It's a three and a half point-favorite. Oh, the reaper works hard around here. He's got a-.

I'm sorry. I still can't get over the fact that I pulled the fine bucket and it's gone.

Sorry. I mean, I'm… Look, Jessica, I know a lot of people don't know what's a bit and what's not a bit around here. Someone is stealing the money. That's my money. Well, everyone's stealing the money, but in that case, someone is actually stealing the money. I've got the Colts. The Colts are a one-point dog at the bangles.

I'm not going to.

Be scared of them.

You're not going to be scared? Wow! You're a bigger man than I am, literally. I'm going to be scared of one game from the Bengals. I thought their coach is 4, 28, and 1 when Burrow doesn't play. Now he's 5, 28, and 1.

Oh, and… He's 1-0 in the last game he played without Burrow.

Jessica, someone stole.

The money. The bottom is gone.

This is ridiculous. We've hit the bottom. We've hit rock bottom. Don Lebertard. Greg Cody of the Miami Herald is writing an article, and I'm reading in it, Mass Miami, Sold Out: Miami artists, Miami culture. I'm reading Mass Miami is Sold Out, and I'm reading about Digital Podcast Network, and I'm reading about us. I'm like, This is our dreams coming true. Still got a thousand people come out, and we see the shipping container and they're on stage and they're like rock stars. You and me both had tears in our eyes. We're like mom and dad of sentiment, and it's hard to get you to sentiment, man.

That was a very emotional moment for us to see those guys. I'm telling you guys, you were on stage. Dan and I were both crying. Are you guys aware of this? Crying.

We were. Like crocodile tears. We believe Dan was crying. No, crocidile tears are fakes.

Crocodile tears are fakes. I thought they.

Meant big. This is the Dan Lebertar Show with.

The Stugat.

What a badass this woman is. God, I am happy to see her. It has been too long. I don't think people understand how hard her job is fighting for information in the sewer of football. And everybody wants to stop her and get out of here. We don't want to help you. And she left the ESPN, Stugat. I've admired Diana for a long time, but the move she just made, NFL Insider for the athletic to leave the comfort of the corporate entity to bet on herself for information and her ability to do this job.

Standing up. Great job, Diana. A standing ovation.

I thought it's down and watch us.

It seems like this week was unpleasant for you, Diana. It is nice to see you, but you reported something, and I feel like Aaron Rogers that thinks that you represent and we represent parasites who go to ruin Zach Wilson for our entertainment because the information is valuable. The truth is valuable. A lot of giant contracts these days where the information is, Diana is paid to go get it. She's really good at it. It's really hard to get. So you report, Zach Wilson, reluctant to play, and everyone calls you a liar and you mess up the jets, and then Aaron Rogers goes on ESPN and makes more news out of it.

The jets have messed up.

The jets. Yeah, but then what happens next is my friend gets swallowed, and it becomes too turbulent, and and awful. So what's your week been like? And thank you for being with us. I'm happy to see you.

Yeah. Thank you. Thank you so much for the intro. I don't get embarrassed much. You guys have known me a long time. I'm horrified hearing any of that. But thank you for all the support and love. And I never even thought of it the way you described it. So the athletic has been tremendous. I wish I spoke with you, Dan, before I took the job as a writer. No one told me that it will be the hardest thing I have ever done in my life. Writing is really challenging, but really rewarding as well. And this is probably a really simple, basic statement, but I'm really happy. I love what I'm doing now. And it took me 40 years to be able to really feel that and say that and express it. So it's really been a great three months already at the athletic. But as for my week, my week is trash. It's horrendous. I live in the New York market, so I'm in the cortex of it all. So I get to hear it. And then also hear from Jeff's fans when I drop my kids off at daycare. And look, when you've been doing this a long time and you've become a credible person covering the league, you hope that because of all the pastories you've done, you've built this trust with the audience and with the fans.

But I realized over the last few days, it's not that they don't believe the report is accurate. They know the report is accurate. The story is just unbelievable. And I think that's where.

The issue- Is it, though? Is it? Is it unbelievable?

A guy not wanting to play quarterback.

For his team. For that team. For that. Look, I think the jets have reached the breaking point. He's Zach Wilson. They're the jets. They've been bad longer than he's been bad. Zach Wilson wouldn't trust that organization to not get him to be amputated. Yeah, I wouldn't either. I wouldn't either.

Yeah, there was a lot of people that I've been... I've had tons of conversations since the story broke, but also even before we put this story out, and I wasn't getting a lot of, what do you mean he doesn't want to play? I mean, from some of the old school football people that I talk to, yeah, of course, it's like, no, no, he's going to play it. He'll figure it out. I was getting a lot of, why would he? Of course, he's not going to want to go out there and play. So I think Zach Wilson, no matter how you look at it, has just been put through the wringer this year with the jets. His entire career in New York has been really hard. And when you hear Aaron Rogers go on TV talk about why anyone would want to share that about Zach, and then, of course, why would the media, and he obviously pointed me out, why would I ever feel okay and and comfortable putting out a story about a player when it makes them look so bad? Unfortunately, it's just my job to uncover the story and uncover the news.

And when the number two overall pick doesn't want to play or is hesitant or reluctant, whatever word the jets want us to say or are comfortable with the world knowing about at this point, that's a story to me. It's a story. I feel bad for Zach. You guys know me. I have a heart. I'm not this cold, mean witch that just wants to piss on the jets organization. That's not my nature. But this is a story. And here they are now consumed with it, and they're off to face the Texans, CJ Strowd, and a really good number two overall pick.

You don't have to apologize. You shouldn't apologize. You don't have to explain what it is that you do and the job that you do, you do it well. But I am wondering because you mentioned Jet fans are getting after you. What have you heard from Jet fans? I want to hear some of this.

I don't think.

You do. I hope you've been hit by a car. There's been a lot of traffic outside of my house. I don't know if it's Jet fans, but it seems very busy. I think people are just... They want to blame someone, you know? And I understand it. But at the end of the day, if I was a fan and there was reporters, Zach Rosenblatt from the athletic and me covering a team and being able to share everything that's happening and giving you the truth, I don't know. I would appreciate it. But this isn't like me. I'm not coming on here, guys talking to you like, Oh, feel bad for me. My leg's so hard. People are so mean to me. The best part about reporting the truth is you're actually indifferent about it. I'm working on two other stories now. I've moved past it because I feel I stand by my reporting on it. I know all the people I talk to. Aaron Rogers knows I know. Zach Wilson knows I know. Robert Sala knows I know. Every person there knows I know. And it was up to them to deflect it. And I also understand why they did that as well.

Diana, I subscribe to Any pub is good pub. And this feels like a great week for you. Agree, yes. I can only imagine how many.

Views your tweets are getting this week. I go the other way on that. I would say that this is one of the most horrible weeks of her life, work-life, just because of how unpleasant this stuff can get.

Yeah. Well, the problem is I have other stories out there that I've been writing and working on, and I published a story. My first cover story for the athletic was on the Carolina Panthers and the dysfunction in that organization. And I worked with my colleague, Joe Persons, on it. And we spent so much time talking to over two dozen sources on this story to describe what's going on there. So I had The Jet Story Monday, The Panther Story Tuesday. And I reported also that Roger Goodell does it like the tush-push. And then the NFL came out yesterday and said, well, actually, Roger has never really publicly expressed his opinion about it. So I'm like three for three this week on feeling like I'm out here reporting truth and nobody wants to own it. But this is the job. And eventually, Dan, as you know, it all always comes out. So I'm now sitting in the spot where I'm just like.

Oh, someone.

Just own it. So until then, I look forward to and I hope you guys follow along when all three of these stories come out, eventually the truth does. And you can say, But no one ever.

Remembers that part, right? But if you had to choose one, good week or bad week, you can only choose one. I know it's got nuance. Good week or bad week?

It was a great week. I love telling stories. I love getting. I love sharing. I'm close to getting a divorce. My husband is so over it because I think part of the job, as you guys know that people don't get is it's not like you get a scoop. You get a text message from someone, you put it out, and then you go out to dinner with your family. That's not how it works. It's an all day thing. So I took a call the other night at 11:30, I was in bed, and I'm whispering to this source of mind while my husband is kicking me under the sheets. Because they're basically saying enough, enough. And also I'm trying to sleep. I have a job. Our kids are getting up in a few hours. So there's just like a view and element. So the collection of information as well that I'm balancing. And I have a two year old and a one year old-.

That's.

Chaos. -and- That's crazy. But that's reporting, whispering to a source in the.

Middle of the night. No, but people are impressed by what Woj and Schaefer to do. And it doesn't feel like that. It's not a two and a one year old hanging from your ears while you talk to God knows who at 11:30 and your husband's kicking you.

My children know. It's almost like the higher rank source it is, the louder their scream is. If it's an owner, Michael, my two-year-old, that's when he decides he wants to on top of his lungs, Oh, Christmas tree, or Yesterday. I don't know why he's in this phase where he likes to... His daycare teacher is Hispanic. He loves to speak Spanish. So he's screaming, Ola, at the top of his lungs yesterday. And I'm like, Okay, okay. We're not in Little Havana. We'll do this later. But Mommy needs to talk to this person because this is gigantic. So they don't care. All they want to do is eat their pizza and watch PAW Patrol. And unfortunately, and my husband and I talk about this all the time, for whatever reason, everything breaks in the witching hour. And all those parents know out there that have young kids, there's this witching hour between 4:00 and seven, where kids just lose their goddamn minds. And that's when everyone decides they want to call me and tell me their story.

Do you have any fear that one of your children's first words will be Zach Wilson or The Jets?

No, my fear is... My fear is what my son did the other day, which he took my phone and charged. So you know how an Apple Pay, you can charge people and give them money and ask them for money? They charged a very, very respected general manager in the NFL $50 at five o'clock.

In the morning. That's great.

That's a style of thing.

That's the end. And this is why I will fight for this GM till the day I die. Wrote back to me, Hey, is everything okay? Do you need money? And I'm like, What.

Did Belichick say? Is everything okay? He's going to fall for a scam. And Venmo, you're.

$50 because he thinks someone's abducted you at five o'clock in the morning. His thought is like, whatever you.

Need die. I didn't know what was that bad. You checked on a roster move I made the other day. We went to the last day's film was, Do you think you probably want to be cutting this guy? And then three days later, it's a $50 charge at 5:00 in the morning. It's hard. And I said, So sorry, that was Mikey. And he's like, But he wrote back. He's like, Is he all right? I'm like, He's fine.

He's too.

He's just pushing buttons.

I am thrilled for her. I urge you to follow what she's doing at the athletic. And just because I imagine, perhaps, Diana, you look at what's happening around here and it looks to you like it's not actually falling apart because of the contrivances of television. Behind you, you have a very credible thing here, as you've left ESPN, NFL Insider for the athletic, but that purple thing that you're sitting in front of, if you were to pull that down, what would that reveal to us about the professional surroundings around you as you've left ESPN and embarked on your own new journey of getting information-.

Please be in a closet.

Please be in a closet. -having to be.

On television. No, it's new journey, old journey.

Remember this is what I used to be.

Doing while I was in college? There it is.

I'm literally hiding my.

Old life. I've moved completely.

This is me. Look at her. That's great.

Every time someone checks in on me, just send them a picture of this. I'm doing well. How is balancing being a full-time insider with two under two? I'm not two. That's your marriage.

Do you have any friends? Don't live a tard. Many of you, by the way, are writing in and you're saying, Dan, quit being so mean to co-hosts that you always deem incompetent. That's the formula, man. Me being mean to the co-host is what allows Stugatz to take a very wealthy vacation right now. Stugats. It's a winning position for everyone but me. Have you guys not figured this out yet? That's the whole thing, is me being a rotten straight, man. As everyone else gets to be incompetent, then I yell at them for being incompetent. Here's the miracle of it, and it's the magic, elixir, bad, which is the only thing Greg Cody can be, becomes good and lovable. And it's because standing next to obnoxious, strident me makes everyone look that way. And the brush with death helped.

Yeah, that was planned by me. The whole thing was contrived.

This is the Dan Levator Show with the Stugats.

Hey, Margo.

How are you doing? Surprise, surprise. This is Smoky Robinson. I know you didn't expect to hear from me, but I was contacted by your sons, Jeff and Jerrord. And they wanted me... They told me that you used to live in Detroit across the street from me. And gosh, that's beautiful. How are you doing again? Nice talking to you again, I guess. But anyway, you're living in Vancouver now, and they wanted me to wish you happy Chinooka. I have no idea what Chinooka is, but happy Chinooka, because they said so. Anyway, God bless you, babe, and enjoy Chinooka. Have a wonderful time.

A totally understandable mistake. The first time I saw the word Hanukka, I did not know it was Hanukka. It was disorienting to me.

You thought it was Chinooka?

I didn't know what it was. I'm saying whatever it is that I saw for the first time without knowing, if you don't know what Hanukk is, if you just don't know what it is and you see it spelled that way, I understand how it is you'd arrive at the seas not silent totally. But a story that I couldn't believe, that seemed too impossible to believe, is that a six-and-six-bills coach on the hot seating deep trouble because we all know his team is good and somebody's going to get blamed. It already swallowed up Dorsey. Buffalo is never won shit. They expect to win something this year and they're going to blame somebody. Buffalo gets a lot of regional identity from that team, and it doesn't usually have these kinds of expectations.

It actually started with the defensive coordinator and McDermott took those responsibilities over and he's calling the plays now, and they're not playing that well, and then he fired Ken Dorsey.

Okay, so Stugats, I don't want to actually talk about Pittsburgh, New England last night. It doesn't deserve it. Okay, same. That game does not deserve our commentary. It's going to have a good game.

Sneaky over. Those teams. I shouldn't say the game. Overhit at half. Okay, we are going to talk about it.

A little cover data. I mean.

Bella check. Wait a minute. What happened?

You bet the Stealers. I did not bet the Stealers. I know normally I would bet the Stealers. I mean, a home favorite, minus six against a bad patriot.

I don't believe that that's how you bet. Little of the dog. Okay, I'm going to start making you do these things publicly because that is not your betting. That is not generally the way that you go on this. But how did this story get reported because if I give you hot seat controversies, what do I need to put by a coach from four years ago to make him look like just an intergalactic jackass? This story, I'm looking at it and I'm like, This can't be true.

Yeah. This was from Ty Dunn and Go-Long. And it was an anecdote about something that McDermott said in 2009, which is that he cited that the 9/11 hijackers were a group of people who were able to get on the same page to orchestrate the attacks to perfection. And then he started asking specific players in the room, What tactics do you think they used to come together? And then one of the young players was like, TSA. I said that that was their biggest... I'm sorry, I butchered that because Claire came in the room. Right before we were like, Should Claire be in the room when we're talking about 9/11? And then I panicked. But anyways, he said that the 9/11 hijackers were an example of good organization, which is the problem.

Don't do that. It was back in 2019. These guys are doing a deep dive on his coaching style, and his coaching philosophy, and they unearth that little nugget. He said he apologized for it to his players back in 2019. But when you really read it, it makes you wince a little bit, and it really makes you question his judgment...

His judgment is a fuss. This can't be real. This is a ball-side thing. Oh, no, it's real. No, this is a ball-side thing. You guys are getting ball-side. There's no way that a coach said, You know who did good organizing? The 9/11 hijack. That can't be true. I'm sorry, guys. You guys are.

Getting ball-seye. I'm sorry. Give me the time frame on this again. When did he do that? Why is it being reported now? Because it's not a sentiment, oddly enough, that I haven't heard before. Bill Mar lost his politically incorrect TV show, a show called Politically incorrect, because he played with the semantics of those hijackers. You can call them many things, but you can't call them cowards. They gave up their life in the principle of something, and he lost his show because of the heat that came down on him. I understand if we're going to make this so much about the military, footballs, the military, we were talking about Zach Wilson before, would he want to go out there? Yeah, a lot of soldiers want to be out there. And a lot are like, Man, I don't have any other options. I got to be out here fighting for my country. And if you ask him honestly, Is this in service of your country? No, I need a job. And it's scary, all this stuff. 9/11, obviously, is not something to be joked about, but in terms of football mentality, hey, you got to be willing to die for your job.

You got to be willing to be so with your teammates united that you're willing to fly into a building. The mentality of football, the stupidity of saying it is one thing, but thinking that way, think about the difference between that and what McDaniel is doing with, think of the difference that's happening at the top of that division in the AFC East where they've got a quarterback we all know is good, and the coach is doing dumb ass 9/11 analogies because we've all got to believe so much that we're willing to go to war with another country and give our lives in order to make sure that Josh Allen is 7 and 5.

There's so many other things he could have said too for like Band of Brothers. We got to come together, we're an army platoon, anything like that, that could get the point across without invoking a national tragedy.

So you're asking the timeline again, I will tell you. He said it back in 2019 during training camp, and he apologized immediately afterwards. This is according to him.

And so what's the blowback on it? What is happening to McDermott? Surely the Internet is flaming him, correct? And what's happening in mainstream media? Is it being covered as a giant controversy because a coach who's already in trouble did the.

Dumb thing? I mean, their report is on the front page, the home page of ESPN. Com. I saw it on Sport Center last night. I mean, you have a coach whose job is in jeopardy, who people are digging around, they're doing stories on him, and that came up. Certainly, you have to question that as a head coach, as a guy who's in charge of an entire organization, you have to question the judgment of Sean McDermott to go to an analogy like that at any point in his career.

But what if I tell you that the analogy, even if he doesn't say it out loud, that the mentality of it pollutes a lot of them? They think they're at war, Stugats. They do it all the time. They're not, but.

They are. Dan, there's a reason he chose the wrong analogy. As Tony said, there's a reason he apologized immediately after.

Saying it. I know, but all I'm talking to you about is the mentality. Yeah, you can disguise it and deliver it another way, but I'm telling you that's what Zach Wilson is living under. Sayla's got the commercials. He needs to protect his job. Oh, what do you mean you don't want to play Zach Wilson? What do you mean you don't want to play? Yeah, don't want to go to war. Have you seen our offensive line? Does that make me a coward? Scared or you're just not very good at your job, and I don't trust you, Coach?

Yeah, but point to another example in sports. Point anywhere else but where you pointed. Don't say, Hey, team, I want you to be organized the way the terrorists were on 9/11. Agreed. That's it. It's an easy stance, Dan.

Stugat.

Yes. Yes, Stugat. Way to get out there.

Thank you. You worked there all week.

The story just broke yesterday.

Yes, you are correct. The starting point on this should be put it on the pole. Hey, Coach.

Easiest stance I've ever taken.

Don't use the terrorists for inspiration. Yes or no? Yes, obviously. Thank you, Stugat. We're absolutely nothing. You seem confused by it. I'm not confused.

By it.

Timeline's off. Well, that part I am confused by because it's a controversy. Today on something he said years ago, Who did that to him? Like, somebody.

Did that to him. Now you're asking the right questions, Dano.

Isn't that obvious? Like someone wanted to make McDermott look like a fool. How do I do it? I report the single dumbest story you've ever seen.

In your life. I told you they're doing a deep dive into his coaching philosophy and they unearthed this fact. I mean.

It's crazy. Let's put that on the poll. Let's also recap some polls as we end our week here. The polls are brought to you by dollar shave club. Transition. Epic Razors. Epically affordable. Find them in stores or online.

Deep dives are terrifying. I mean, they are. They really are.

Sorry. Tony, what do we got today?

The cup that South Florida values more, Flanagans or Stanley? Obviously, Flanagans, the one for ribs, 92.6%..

Yours is better than his. Your Zegaki is better than his Zegaki.

Where is Mike McDaniel on the MVP odds? Yes, 63%. As opposed to no, 36%. Again, where is Mike McDaniel on the MVP odds? Yes or no?

You're trying to be a zagackie? This is a serious conservative broadcaster. Go ahead. Do this. Do this. Go ahead. Do this. Do this seriously.

We're in love with the Poles. Calling yourself a legacy fan. Dan, I don't know if I can repeat this.

Douche.

Oh, no. Not in front of Claire. 92.9%. No, Douche. 7 %.

You're Muff. Sorry, Claire.

Yeah. Douche wins there by astounding margin. Reagan margins. His pop star, never seen it, one of the greatest comedies of the last 10 years. 65% of the audience says no. Thank you.

Roy, take her headset away or hold her ears or something. This is bad parenting at this point as a show. As a show, not you. As a show. She shouldn't be hearing some of this.

Last poll here. She'll say it eventually. I'm so mad at you. Brought to you by a dollar shave club. Oh, you are.

Absolutely.

Right. She's going to kill me. Can you find at least 2% of helpful advice on the internet? 70.6% of the audience says yes. Dan, those are the balls brought to you by a.

Dollar shave club. Claire, what are your favorite three things about your dad?

That he laughs.

A lot. He laughs? What else?

What else? Oh, wow. What else? I need two more things. Okay. Do you have anything else? What else is good about your daddy?

-that's it. -that he.

Plays with me. All right, yeah, I love.

Cuddle time. All right, Claire, you are the princess, and you're always the princess, and you run this place, Penalty Box.

Two.

Minutes.

Claire. Get out of.

Here, Claire. -claire, by herself?

I have to walk you in there. That's fine. You can walk her. You get out to her. She's your responsibility. She deserves it, though. Claire, come on, Claire. You came in here and you belched a screaming sound, and I need some professionalism around here.

It's also a $5 fine.

She was better in the meeting.

I'm trying to run a media company here, Claire. Get out of here. Poor.