Transcript of Hour 2: Rick Barnes Would Rather Be At Practice (feat. Rick Barnes)

You're listening to DraftKings Network. Yeah, sure thing. Hey, you sold that car yet?

Yeah, sold it to Carvana. Oh, I thought you were selling to that guy.

The guy who wanted to pay me in foreign currency, no interest over 36 months? Yeah, no.

Carvana gave me an offer in minutes, picked it up and paid me on the spot. It was so convenient.

Just like that? Yeah. No hassle. None.

That is super convenient.

Sell your car to Carvana and swap hassle for convenience. Pickup fees may apply.

This is the Dan Lebitard Show with the Stugats podcast. This episode of the Dan Lebitard Show with Stugatz is presented by Venmo.

Roy has a stat of the day to get to in a moment. Please put it on the poll. Have you ever called someone a slap dick at Lebitard Have the rest of you seen or heard this video of a Buffalo Saber's broadcaster being hit by a puck? I'm always in hockey floored when anyone gets hit in the in place with a puck. I would be very scared of the puck. The puck is, I don't know whether it's underestimated in hockey because hockey players are so tough, but to get in the way of a slap shot is an act of bravery every last time. This announcement is hit by a puck that's just ending up in the crowd. Let's hear what that sounds like when that happens. The puck has dropped and it's four to... It was in the opening period, and Razor just took another one. Wow.

That was a rocket.

Doctors checking razor out very quickly. That was close to the- Kevin James got hit right in the forehead. When that happened, you can all understand whether you're broadcasting or not, the reflex like a doctor hitting you on the knee and making it kick out is going to be to say the F word. It's not even another word. It's the opening period. Even if you're not a cursor, even if you're someone who never curses, if a hockey put hits you in the face, that's how that's going to go. If you're in a funeral, if you're on the broadcast, if you're at a funeral, any place that that happens, it doesn't matter whether you're supposed to be appropriate or not. It was in the opening period.

It's Rob Ray that got hit in the face, not Kevin James.

It wasn't Kevin James? No. It was Rob Ray.

The opening period. Tough son of a gun when he was playing. Sixth all time in penalty minutes. All that from finding majors.

But you guys all understand-Finding majors. Forgetting that you're on the broadcast and just cursing. In fact, we'll all allow it, no? Yeah, you have to. That's the opening, period. Thank you, Billy, for the support. I appreciate the no there.

As an end game broadcaster, I can tell you there's a certain level of professionalism that you have to compose yourself with in said position. You know what I I would never say the F word during a live broadcast. But here, rules are a little loosey-goosy, and we're on the DKN podcast, and we just throw around some curses on the max, et cetera, et cetera.

All right, since the rules are a little bit loosey-goosy- You said the F word today.

Not on a broadcast, though. It was a sporting event. Didn't you get dumped during one of our Marlins' broadcast? Didn't you say something like that? I said, Hell. That was a curse. Come on, Hell? Get the hell out of here with that. Hell was a curse. They dumped me. That was crazy. Crazy behavior. I try when I get in broadcaster mode to change my entire lifestyle and not curse in any aspect of my life.

I understand, but if you get hit in the face with a hockey puck, my entire point is that whatever your rules are, whatever your plan is, the hockey puck to the face is going to alter that plan. Good one's duck.

I actually have here Billy cursing on the broadcast. We should get through the Trevor Roger stuff earlier, though, because he's probably only going to go four, right?

Well, last time he went four.

It would be really good if he went maybe five. That damn Jordan Walker I wasn't falling off so many pitches. Did you just swear on the air? How can I not say that? No. Let's refrain.

Might have to hit the dump button back in the station. It was damn not how, but they didn't catch him because Billy's an unruly loose cannon. You can catch him on FIU Baseball ESPN Plus.

Saturday, Friday.

That was a star-making broadcast. Billy is now on the FIU Baseball broadcast, and Kyle Seeloff is now the television voice.

I think that about Sports Bank sometimes, to be honest with you. I look around at who was on Sports Bank with us back in the day, Stugats, Goldie, Amber. We had a who's who. Bryant McFadden was on there. Joy was on there. We had everybody on the show. Bre Beauty. Oh, yeah. Bre Beauty was on there performing. She was obviously one of Bryant McKinney's artists, but they had a falling out. I don't think he represented her anymore in the musical front. She performed our only performance on a Saturday morning sports channel.

Do you guys have any sound When Stugats on Saturday morning television- It's 22: 00 this time. When Stugats on Saturday- You're at 11: 00. A little later. When Stugats on Saturday morning television, Sports Bang, commercial content, had Bryant McKinney, the famed Left tackle, who had a music production team and decided that Bre Beauty was going to play on Saturday morning. All of a sudden, Stugatz and Billy got bullied by the musical act. And next thing you know, Sports Bang has a musical act out of nowhere because Billy couldn't say no, basically, to Bryant McKinney.

Hold on a second. What What am I supposed to do in a situation? Because I was in a control room, and by the time I'm called over to come in from said control room to have a conversation, this conversation has clearly been had multiple times. The decision was made like, Billy, Bre's going to perform for us at the end of the show. I think it's going to be awesome. I was like, Okay.

Yeah, Billy. Do we have an extra chair? Billy, the control room would seem to be a place where you would be able to exhibit control.

No, because they'd have these conversations off mic in the studio, so I wasn't there to handle the situation. You're the producer of the show. Yeah, but I was in the control room. Imagine. It's like saying, Lewis can control what we're doing here.

I mean, you've stood next to Bryant McKinney.

Exactly. Thank you.

How do you say no to that guy?

That wasn't even my favorite Bryant McKinney story from Sports Bang Off-Air. My favorite one was during Bullygate, we had him in studio. Proving a false name. We're like, so Bryant, they found your guy's journal, and they've released photos of the journal. He's like, They found that? And then just started laughing. I was like, Okay, guess we're not going to cover this seriously. Moving on?

Not journalism. It's highest standard with-Well, I mean, it was come on Saturday morning.

We were the lead into it. I don't even... Exactly right. Our demo, by the way, when I would look at the ratings, dude, we killed it in Women 60 plus. Killed it. That was our demo.

Can you explain to me? Because I really do We want to relive this entire time with you. Do you believe we can do an oral history on Sports Bang? That's as long as- No, it's too dramatic.

That's a long one.

Can someone tell me whether or not I was ever on Sports Bang? You were.

Because I don't remember. I think at least twice, maybe.

We have you down as a three.

Yeah. Okay. You're a three. Mike was on it. Mike posted a couple of times, I think. Well, twice maybe.

When I came in here today, can you guys explain to me? Because I hate the lack of respect that there is around here. I careened in here with the meat sweats off of Food and Wine Festival. Everyone was laughing at something involving me, but I don't know exactly what it was, Chris. Can you give me some background on what it is that you guys were knocking when I came in here today? It was you at the event with Belkies, and you have your glasses on, and you're talking to the crowd, and you're hitting some sponsors, and your way of doing it, you're used to us.

You wanted to get a chant going, and you got help from about one guy. It's a nice crowd here.

Big turnout, but not everyone bought into the cheer.

So let's relive this video.

Coca-cola. Can I get a Coca-Cola?

Coca-cola.

Excellent. Like Belichick, huh? Wow.

No days off. Why are you wearing sunglasses?

It's a good question, Billy. Thank you for- Brighten the Tint.

Is that Belkisnerre of Deco Drive?

I felt bad for Dan because I heard her intro him as, He's the sports guy. Why? I was like, Oh, Belgie. You can hear Dan sweat in that video.

So thank you for asking the question because it's funny. I'm driving there and my wife says... It's rare for me to feel quite this old. It did happen one time in a stoplight when there was an accident near me and a guy tried to hit and run, and Valerie's like, Step on and get him. And I just go through the traffic light at 14 miles an hour. I'm not going fast enough. I'm like, Oh, my God, I'm my grandfather. This particular thing, Valerie says to me as we're going in, Did you bring your glasses? Because the only instruction that I got was to bring my glasses, and I had not brought my glasses. As soon as they hand me the copy as to what the only thing I have to do there is, which is just be there to say Coca-Cola and get off the stage. You did it? Yes, but I'm putting on sunglasses. I look like a Jackass, and I tried to get a chant going. I can't tell you're reading.

The glasses did a lot of work there.

But I felt like an asshole for wearing sunglasses while doing this in an airplane hangar at seven o'clock at night. Let's relive it. Coca-cola. Can I get a Coca-Cola? Coca-cola. It didn't feel like a sell-out. Just going up there reading-Dorothy Boyd. How is it to feel that a chant you tried to start to fell flat immediately? Right after that, I think I went to another spot. You guys didn't even air the part that was the most embarrassing there, which is I I went to another sponsor after that that was more syllables than that, and then I got the chant, the wrong cadence on it because I needed it to just be coca, cola, but the next one had too many syllables in it.

How about that one guy, though? Good on that one guy.

Thank you for the support.

Wait, you did that twice?

But you have food and spices.

Well, goya. When I say goya...

Was it aquafini you screwed up or something?

I say goya, you say foods. See, that would have been great. I could have had a whole team of people there. I'm here for you, Dan.

Howdy, folks. It's Mike. And look, it's been an exhausting couple of weeks. Even on the show, there's all sorts of debate which sport takes it seriously enough. Where's the effort? Let me tell you something. As long as I'm sitting down on the couch and I have a beautiful white can of Miller Light in my hand, I'm good. I make any sports time a Miller Time, and it's a perfect supplement because Miller Light makes all the moments better with great tasting light beer for people like you and me who love beer. It's always the perfect time for friends, family, and a great tasting light beer tastes like Miller Time. Miller Light is brewed for taste. It hits different than other light beers. The taste that you know you can depend on. No games, no gimmicks. Just great beer for people who like beer. It has simple ingredients like malted barley for rich balanced toffy note flavors and the iconic golden color that we all know and love. The original light beer since 1975 and still the very best one. Miller Light. Great taste, 96 calories. Go to Miller dot com/dan to find delivery options near you, or you can pick up some Miller Light pretty much anywhere they sell beer.

Taste like Miller time. Celebrate responsibly. Miller Brewing Company, Milwaukee, Wisconsin, 96 calories and 3. 2 carbs per 12 ounces.

Don Levatard is They're Back in My Day? There is, actually. What?

Were you not going to tell anyone?

Wait a minute. What's it? Wait a minute. What's it? It's Tuesday. Guys, it's a Tuesday.

It's a Tuesday. Stugatz.

Here's your guy, Greg Coty with Back in My Day.

Shit, I can't help my other.

Okay, here it is. Sorry.

Adultery.

We are back.

We are waiting for this one.

This is The Dan Levatard Show with the Stugats.

Is that Rick Barnes? Nobody told me Rick Barnes was coming on. It's a delightful to see Rick Barnes. Let me talk to Rick Barnes here for a second. Rick Barnes has been doing this for about 40 years, kicking ass. His team is in the top 10 again, as it almost always is. And thank you, Rick, for joining us. Tennessee is 22 and 5 on the season. Is coming off a victory at Texas A&M. And I'm just curious before we get started here, Coach, what appetite do you have for this particular give and take where you have to come on here and sell your basketball team after 38 years and say all the things that maybe are boring to you that you'd rather be at practice and not talking to media members about?

Well, you're right on it. I'd rather be in practice. You really are. I'd rather be in. I would much rather do that. But as you know, we owe it to the program, and we owe it to our fans to get out there and talk about our program. We're proud of what we've been able to do here the last 10 years. But this time of year, you do get so focused in on your team, and you know from game to game how hard this league is. I mean, it's ridiculous what this league has become this year. But it is what it is, and you got to be ready to play our preparation. As soon as I get done with you, we'll go in and start our film session for today and then get ready for LSU shoot. And we got a late game there tomorrow night, which it's tough when you play those nine o'clock games on the road, but it is what it is. And then we come back, and we were supposed to play Alabama at twelve o'clock on Saturday, but they moved that back to four. So whatever comes your way this time of year, you just have to do it.

Is there a correct way for me to do this in order to make this more fun for you than the average interview? What are the topics that I need to bring up that would be in the barns wheel Hillhouse because he doesn't want to talk about that much about Tennessee basketball. He wants to talk about the delicious yogurt that he was having right before he came on here because he's all about fuel efficiencies when it comes to making juggernots.

Well, since you're talking about fuel efficiency, we can talk about NASCAR. I love NASCAR I'm a big NASCAR fan.

What did you think about that caution finish? That was terrible.

I'm not into that rule. I'm not into that one. I think they all have to race it all the way to the finish line. Last week, the Daytona race, it must be a big sport because they stayed on the air from about 12: 00 till 10: 00 that night because of rain delays and all this and all that. But I grew up in Hickory, North Carolina, where NASCAR started over in that area. At a young age, my brothers and I, we'd a way to get to Hickory Speedway or Lenore Burke, Antioch Speedway, and we'd go to a race on Friday or Saturday night. My first love was NASCAR, but then I fell in love with the New York Yankees, and baseball was probably my second love. But I don't mind talking about basketball because it's changed so much in my over 40 years in the business.

No, you opened the NASCAR door now, my friend. You did. Now we're talking NASCAR.

You did, but also you mentioned that you're a Yankee fan, so I would love your opinion on the policy reversal from the New York Yankees that well-groom beards are now allowed.

Well, I haven't kept up with anything other than when I talk about the Yankees, I'm talking about 1963, 1964. Good old days. There you go. They have all That's because you know what? To be honest with you, there's only three TV stations on TV at the time. For whatever reason, the Yankees were on every Saturday and playing somebody. But Coach Knight gave me a book one time because he was an avid reader, and one of the books he gave me, he thought it was one of the greatest books he had ever read was the summer of '49. Talking about the rivalry with the Red Sox and the Yankees. I would recommend anybody that loves sports and wanted to get a history of anunciers and everybody in the game. That is a incredible book to read by David Halberstam, The Summer of '49.

It is. Halberstam, a great author. What would you regard as the greatest of the sports things that you have read? I am assuming that you're always looking for, whether it's leadership leadership help or self-help on how it is to get better at this? I imagine you're always searching.

Well, I go back when I first got into coaching, I knew really when I was in college, I wanted to be a coach, and I played for a really good basketball coach by the name of Bob Hodges, who still is East Carolina's all-time leading scorer. He made us put together a coaching book. Back then, the coaches that I really, first one, I really, really, really dove in to try and learn everything about was was Vince Lombardi. Then from there, obviously, Coach Wooden was in his prime at that point in time, Dean Smith, Bob Knight. Those were the guys that I really, anything and everything I could get my hands on, I wanted to learn about them and study them. I'll be very honest with you, every game that I have coached, I have used something from Coach Knight and Coach Smith. Every game. When we went to A&M, we actually did some things that we hadn't done all year that Coach Knight would have been very proud of because when he retired, he called me one time and he said, You need to come out here to Loveick and let me teach you how to play, how to coach basketball.

That's what he said to me. He said, Offensive basketball. I went out, spent a day with him, and we had a wonderful time. He's just so passionate about what he believed in, and that's what made it work, obviously. It was as hard to guard as anything. We'd go into every game against him thinking that we were this great man-to-man team. After two minutes, we'd end up going zone because we couldn't guard him. To be honest, we had better players at every position, but he made every game so competitive. Then Coach Smith, when I was in college, I had to do a coaching book, and everything I did in that book was based on what I could find about what Coach Smith, being from North Carolina, going to school in North Carolina. We have some special situations that we used. Then when I got in the coaching, I learned so much from going around with the best high school coaches, Morgan Wooten, Joe Gallagher, Steve Vetter, some coaches coaches that were just great high school coaches that you could learn from. To be honest with you, I really think if I stop, even today, trying to go back and doing some of the things and trying to continue to learn how to play coach this game, I think I'd quit because that excites me that I know that even as long as I've been in this game, I can still learn it, learn some things about it, and learn from everybody.

I've learned something from everybody I've coached against, but that's what's exciting about it because you can coach play this game, play this game a lot of different ways, but I don't ever want to get stale and mundane. That's what I do to keep myself going. I'm always looking. Bob McKillip has been a major influence on my career. We were together my first year in coach when I was a volunteer, and he was a full-time coach at Davidson. He and I would go running every day, and I'd pick his brain about everything. He's had a tremendous influence on my life.

Rick, we are going to get some more NASCAR out of you, whether you wanted or We also have Shot For Your Life with one of your players that we're going to play, where we're going to pin you down and we're going to make you pick one player. You're not going to be able to do this coach wiggle dance where you can't... We're going to force you to pick one player. But Mike, what do you got for him on NASCAR?

Well, who's your driver? Are you loyal to a team? Are you loyal to a number or a specific driver?

Growing up, I was a woods brother guy back in the day, Kelly Arb, or David Pearson, those kinds of guys. Obviously, I became a big Dale earnhardt senior. When he passed, I obviously would love to see his son do well. Then became a Martin Truax guy. But also knowing Joe Gibbs, I pulled for his because he was the head coach of the Washington Redskins when I was an assistant at George Mason back in the day. I got to spend a lot of time at Redskan Park out there with a friend that knew Coach Gibbs. So I do pull for those guys. But for some reason, I caught myself yesterday pulling for Kyle Bush. I don't know if it's because last year It was the first time he hadn't won in 20 years. But as he's getting older, I love to see him have a great run. Like last year, I was pulling hard for Martin Truax to finish it up on a great note. This year, I think my guy is going to be Kyle Bush and hope that he can get back where he wants to be one more time.

Were you mad at Hocevar? Because Kyle Bush certainly was. You watch that radio transmission?

Yeah. I get to the guys being competitive. And I want to say this to you. I've become very impressed with Michael with Jordan's team, with Denny Hamlin. And Bubba Wallace's mother, I think, ran track here at the University of Tennessee. So I've met Bubba, and he tries to bring his dad over to a game every year. And so I will be polling for him, obviously, too. But, yeah, something Some of those guys, I wish I could be back in the day, like when Richard Petty, they were the first family. I think they had multiple cars, and one of them went out and was a blocker. I'd like to be a blocker. I don't think I'm good enough to win, but I could definitely wreck somebody.

Well, wait a minute. So you can Could you have been a driver? How close were you to being a driver? Was it just something you were dreaming about? Or did you actually do anything to start down that path before basketball?

No, I dreamed about it. I can remember sitting in the third and fourth grade getting in trouble because I'd always draw race cars. My teacher would come by and I'm not doing the school work, and I'd be trying to draw different race cars and love trying to put these creative numbers on them and all this and all that.

You failed at your dreams. You failed at your dreams. You did not succeed.

I did get a chance to drive the Pace car over at Bristol when I first got here. I'd ask somebody, I said, What's the fastest this car has ever gone around his track? They said, Carl Edwards took around the track at 97 miles an hour. Over there, it's a small track. I said, Well, I'm going to beat that. I got it to 75, and I had enough.

I could have done it. Before we get you out of here, Coach, Tony's got a game for you. How many shot for your life, one shot for your life, picking only from among the 38 years of players Rick Barnes as Coach?

That's right. I've It's a little bit down to the guys that he's put in the NBA, too, because sometimes there's people that you haven't heard of that coach would bring back from 1991. This is going to be Coach, NBA players that you've coached in college, shot for your life. You can only pick one when I give you these sets of players.

You ready?

Okay. All right.

Grant Williams or Avery Bradley?

Shot for your life.

Grant Williams.

Good dad.

P. J.

Tucker or Lamarcus Aldrich?

Oh, man. When you say, Shot for my life, you mean the wing- Shot for your life, coach.

They got the ball in their hands.

They're going to shoot it.

Life's on the line. Is it in the corner? Coach, the clarification is unnecessary. It's for your life.

Get it wrong. You're joining Dale Seed.

I love Lamarcus Aldrich, but P. J. Tucker, second best before I The second best college score I've ever coached. Wow. Wow.

Okay. First and first.

Real hoopers, no. First is KD, obviously, Dan. Come on. What are we doing here? All right, this one's going to be tough because neither were known...

Well, one's known for a shooting, but one wasn't.

Dexter Pippman, Miami Heat legend or Miles Turner.

Miles Turner.

That was quick. All right, we're going back to the old school, Dan. Greg, you'll remember some of these names.

Austin Crozier or Chris Mim?

Mim. Austin Crozier.

Like a He was stretch four for his time, right, Coach? Good college player. Dj Augustine or Booby Gibson?

Dj Augustine.

Did you call him Booby Coach or no?

Yeah, I did. He was a great player, but DJ Augustine played with KD and had a big influence on KD, too. I can't remember, could tell you how many times DJ would go over to Kevin and say, Man, we need you to take this game over. And I'd say, I agree with him.

It's good coaching. That's why you're the genius that you are.

Denny Hamlin or Kyle Larson? Race for your life.

Denny Hamlin.

Wow, really? It's a Gibbs thing.

The Intimidator or the King. I know you think I'm crazy when I say that. It's just Denny has been around a long time, and when you get to my age, you like those older guys.

Yeah, a better Speedway racer. Do you think the Speedways are too random? I'm sorry, it's your time. Thank you. I see my time.

Ernhardt or petty, Coach?

You know what? I have to tell you this story. I was at Providence. Do we have time for me to tell you this story? Yes.

For an Ascar story? Absolutely.

Here's what happens. I'm at Providence College, and I've taken the Clemson job, and I get a call one day from the guy from the Providence Journal. He said, I'm going to ask you a quick question, what you did right there, and say, you can't think about it. You got to be spontaneous. He said, If you could have dinner with any two people, who would it be? And I said, Billy Graham, Richard Petty. Because when I was growing up in the state of North Carolina, Billy Graham, the great evangelist, I mean, everybody knew him around the world, telling everybody about Jesus Christ. Then Richard Petty was the king, right?

There was Christ, and then there was the king.

I get a call from a guy, and he says, Would you really like to meet Billy Graham? And I said, Yeah. So he's going to be in Boston at a function up there. You and your wife can come up. So we drove up there and went to a ballroom. And I didn't know how many people was going to be there. It just happened to be about 5,000 people, but they took me over to meet him. He was in his 70s and wanting as healthy as he was getting older. But when he went up on the stage, I've never seen a guy transform himself and start talking about Jesus. Then two years later, I get a chance. I'm at a Speedway in the year we went to the final four. Dale Jarrett, who I grew up with, and Dale's racing on NASCAR, his family. Dale invites me to the race up in Texas, and I go up there. As we're getting ready to leave, Dale's brother is hustling us out so we can get on a helicopter, get over to the airport to get out. I see Richard Petty standing by himself, and I go over and I say, I got to meet the King.

I say, I grew up really loving this guy. I walk over there, he's eating an apple, and I'm telling him this I'm sorry.

Red or green?

Yeah. I'm telling Richard about it, and he looked at me and he said, Richard Petty, Billy Graham. He said, We're a long way apart, man. But he said, I appreciate that. But I did get a chance to meet him. Obviously, growing up, I don't know why I wasn't I'm a big Richard Petty fan growing up. But for some reason I love Del Irnhardt. Obviously, like everyone involved with NASCAR, it was a sad day when he lost his life. But I admire watching Richard Petty still doing what he's doing, going to the track and doing what he does.

Rick, he was wearing the cowboy hat, obviously, when you saw him. We're going to get you on to recap Talladega, but ask him one last question before we get out of here.

Tough as for last, Coach, TJ Ford or Kevin Durant? Wow.

No, come on.

I tell you what, you're going to have to hang me because I'm not going to pick between those two. You got to pick one, coach.

You got to pick one to shock me in your life, coach. Forget how bad T.

Why would we hang you?

Well, because you know what? T. J. Ford taught me a lot about college basketball and coaching a great player. Then Kevin Durant, because of what T. J. Taught me when KD came in, I said, Hey, man, you're going to be who you are, do what you do, because T. J. Ford won 77 straight games. One of the greatest stories in my coaching career, we're playing Oklahoma the year that Kansas, us, and Oklahoma are one, two, three, we all get a number one seat, and we're at senior night up at Norman. Then Kelvin is the coach, and we've had some epic battles. I get mad at Brian Bodeker. He gave up three straight offensive rebounds, and I called time out. This is when I was really emotional, and I reamed Brian Bodekerer and say, Hey, man, you are done. I'm not going to play any more the rest of the tonight. He goes over, I put him on the bench, and they're up 11 points, and I'm walking to the bench, and T. J. Walks up behind me, puts his arm around me, said, Coach, what are you thinking right now? I said, I think we're getting our butt kicked.

He said, Do you want to win? I said, I want to win. He said, Well, for us to win, you had to put Brian Botter back in the game. I said, T. J, you heard what I just told Brian. I told him, I'm not going to play him anymore tonight. He looked me dead in the eye and he said, Coach, you don't want to win then. I walked right down to the bench and I said, Brian, I'm going to give you one more chance. Whoa. He goes in the game, and this is a true story. In 45 seconds, he three straight threes. We ended up coming back winning the game. When I'm walking off the court, TJ came up and he hit me so hard on the butt and looked at me and he said, You're a heck of a coach. I wanted to hit him because he hit me so hard. I didn't know who it was. I learned right then and there more than ever, when you got a guy like him, and then when Kevin came in, I'll ever told Kevin Durant, We're going to help you get better at what you do, but you got to be who you are.

Obviously, if he told me Kevin is going to be a Hall of Famer, I wish T. J. 'S career could have gone different for him, but he had that neck problem. But those two guys taught me a lot about how to deal with great players, and in some ways, it's been a curse because those two guys love basketball- Pick one, Barnes. Work harder than anybody I've ever touched. When you get guys that work that hard, you expect that from everybody. Pick one.

You got to pick one, Barnes. You're not going to be a coward about this.

I'm not going to say about T. J, but I'm going to pick KD. There it is.

We badgered him in. We badgered him in. They got a body on somebody. We will not hang you.

What do you think about the 12 cars' ability to come back to the field?

Well, after Teledeg, we'll talk to Rick Barnes. Thank you, Rick. Good team. Roger Maris or Joe Pepetone. Okay, get- Rays help, Raysdale, right, Coach? Get out of here. Goodbye, Rick. Thank you, guys. Thank you.

Rubbin is...

That's right, racing. All right, stop it. All of you, stop it.

Hey there, wellness warriors. If you're like me, you've given a lot of thought to how to improve your health and wellness routine this year. I've started stretching more, do a little mind mindfulness, some meditation every day. How to clear my mind, make my body feel right. Take your health routine to the next level with the magic of contrast therapy. Meet our new amazing sponsor, Redwood Outdoors. They're making it easy to bring the benefits of saunas and cold plunches right to your backyard. A Redwood Outdoors backyard sauna seats 2-8 people, where you can relax, unwind, and enjoy all the benefits like reduce muscle tension, improve sleep, and glowing skin. And it doesn't stop there. Redwood Outdoors' invigorating cold plunge helps to boost circulation regulation, sharpen your focus, and leave you feeling absolutely revitalized. Whether it's detoxing deeper, reducing inflammation, or connecting with loved ones in moments of peace. Redwood Outdoors has you covered. Enhance your physical and mental wellness routines with Redwood Outdoors. Take advantage of special savings today. Visit redwoodoutdoors. Com. Use code dan to save $175. That's redwoodoutdoors. Com code D-A-N to save $175 on your order. Redwoodoutdoors. Com code dan.

Yeah, sure thing.

Hey, you sold that car yet? Yeah, sold it to Carvana. Oh, I thought you were selling to that guy.

The guy who wanted to pay me in foreign currency, no interest over 36 months? Yeah. No.

Carvana gave me an offer in minutes, picked it up and paid me on the spot. It was so convenient.

Just like that? Yeah. No hassle. None.

That is super convenient.

Sell your car to Carvana and swap hassle for convenience. Pick up these apply.

Dan Levatard. Imagine if someone told you you couldn't have a Corvette.

Stugatz. I'm a grown-ass man who's not filthy rich. I can't afford a Lamborghini. Well, I probably can, but that's beside. Hey. This is the Dan Levatard show with the Stugatz. I He lost Greg Cody in the middle of that. Greg Cody drifted off. He drifted off to another place. I asked the best question. Serene. He refused to answer.

All those legacy fans are Wood Brothers guys. It's crazy.

I want to play some video for you guys here, and I wonder if you guys, I don't know if you do this, I don't know if you care about these things. Almost every time that I see one of these videos where someone's getting into the Hall of Fame and they're surprising a Hall of Famer, and you get to see the genuine emotion of somebody that you may not have seen before. Let's play this Patrick Willis video of Patrick Willis is a very feared man. He was also not somebody... You're breathing during the Rick Barnes interview. It's been wild. I've heard your breathing all show today, and your nostrils are substantive in the amount of air that I lead the league in nostrils.

This is on Roy and I because my dad, for weeks now, he's had mic way too far away.

So today we gave him a big speech of like, please adjust the mic so you don't have to lean your head down.

So I think the mic is just closer today, but it is so annoying.

Have you not noticed? I saw Chris was telling you Chris was making hand signals toward his nostril trying to get your nostrils away from the microphone. It really made me feel like I was at the height of entertainment, like that I was really doing something important in show business. You lead the league in nostrils, huh?

Yes, ma'am.

The Cody man. Ma'am.

I got my mom's nose, but yeah, my dad and Wild Bill.

He's running out of gas. You do have your mom's nose. I do. Listen, he's running out of gas because I'm going to just be honest, okay? Rick Barnes took it out of Cody.

Come on. He was electric. I thought Rick Barnes was good.

I'm not saying he wasn't good. I'm saying that you got tired listening to him. I'm not saying he wasn't good. He said you weren't.

I ordered the summer '49.

It was incredible. No, it was really good. It was the little learning tree with Rick Barnes. Pj Tucker, the second best scorer.

That was pretty good.

You put him in the corner.

That was pretty good. A little flip shot. Over Lamarcus Aldrich. Yeah, PJ Tucker. Lamarcus Aldrich was a gifted score. You really lured him out there, Tony. Come on.

Real hoopers know, though, Dan. You knew what was going to happen.

We will play the Lamarcus Aldrich sound that's classic from Stugats in a second.

He did immense words when he came to Carson Hocebar. Yeah.

But before we do that, let's play this Patrick Willis video because this is not a demonstrative man. He's one of the best linebackers ever. You don't see a lot of emotion out of him. This is the most I've seen. No way.

His kid's at the door.

Go get your dad, he said. Good boy, good girl. That's a family running out of the house. It's children running around. William sent the kids out.

I'm sure he has no idea anything's happening right here.

Yeah.

She's covering his eyes. He's walking to the front door. Could be dinner. No. Oh, man. Come on, man.

Pee, Willy. Oh, The fountain of youth that that is for players who are probably in a great deal of pain in retirement to be able to go and revisit what was five years ago, those are always emotional in ways that show a gratitude post-career for something that they might not have felt or could have articulated during their career because they were so busy being competitive.

There's no time to slow down and realize how much how great it actually was until you have the appreciation of being five years removed from it. Will you stop on one of those every time or not? I become a cynic with those.

I'm always like, the producers probably showed up an hour before and they're like, he'll be here soon. That would seem like no one planned that happening. It would seem like you should have maybe called someone. I thought that was great. Yeah, that was great. You need a little David Baker, if we're going to be honest with you. Yeah. Big. Well said, honestly. A little dash of David Baker.

Yeah, big guy. Yes, David Baker, for those of you who do not know, the Hall of Fame man is in size. He is ogre-ish. I don't know how else to say it. You guys say David Baker, and nobody knows what you're talking about. I'm talking about a substantive man, a man who fills out the jacket, a man that when he arrives to welcome you into the Hall of Fame, is the size that that human being should be.

I just found a photo of him where a construction helmet doesn't fit his head, which I'm going to send over to you. There he is. So you could see.

He's a big guy. Like John Tauffer, if you just inflated him a great deal. That's a good call, Dan. But he has the face of John Taffer. In Chow. In Chow, John Taffer. In Murala Gassi.

He also sounds like he looks. That helmet's doing nothing, right? That's protecting a bee or whatever it falls. His head is protecting the helmet.

That helmet is so small on his head. That is a construction helmet.

His ear is the size of the Now, wait a minute.

I know that I'm not being fair, right, just, honorable in any way when I call him the consistency of an ogre. But how else would you say it? If Shrek and Richard Kind had a baby. What I told him is he's welcome right up until the last moment. He does sound like he- Well, he doesn't sound like Richard Kind. No. That is such a great call by you. If they can get picture of Richard Kind, can you get for me before you do that, though, the famous to God sound of Lamarcus Aldrich? Because at some point, I hope to have top 100 show moments. At some point in our history- Like the Great Cody show. I'm stealing my material. At some point in our history, I would like to have the show moments that are most memorable.

Give him the Rick Barnes interview of five. I had a three.

I had a one. I believe that Stugatz taking out Lamarcus Aldrich for being a choker in a game that Lamarcus Aldrich won is one of the best sounds Stugats has ever produced. Lamarcus Aldrich, awful.

No, he's an embarrassment, man.

I'm telling you, Greg Popovich is going to get rid of that guy in the offseason. He was an embarrassment last night. He is so out of shape. There are so many times where the Rockets were playing five on four on offense because Lamarcus Aldrich was walking back on defense. He's bad. He's not a good player.

I don't know what happened to him because when he was in Portland, he was fantastic. He is not good, Dan. He caused them the game last night, although they won the game.

But had they lost, I'm telling you, it would have been on Stat of the only reason it's not is because they won the game.

Otherwise, San Antonio would be crushing him today.

I'm still going to crush him even though they won. Let's do Start of the Day. Start of the day, start of the day.

Stat of the Day is presented by Miller Lake. Alexander Oberschkin is the first player in NHL history to score 200 or more goals in three different decades, respectively.

He scored 245 in the 2000s, 437 in the 2010s, and 200 in the 2020s.

How are we going to revisit this particular time of science and sports when an Ovechkin can have three goals the last time he played? Is he 12 away now from what was supposed It's supposed to be an unbreakable record?

I'm usually with you there. We can have that discussion with LeBron. Have you seen what Alexander Ovechkin looks like? This is the first offseason that I've actually seen him try to get in shape. This is not a guy that's aged in terms of physically with grace.

Looks like the Cookie Monster.

I'm not saying he's ever looked like anything other than somebody who's Yarmir Jagr light, able to do amazing things even though he parties his face off. The Ovechkin sound that I have that's most What's memorable to me is him at a parade slurring his words through the speech. I think of him as an epic partier. What I don't understand is how you can be an epic partier, 39 years old, and challenge a record that I did not think was challengeable. I don't get how Jager and Ovechkin. Jager does these workouts at 50, at midnight in the rink, wearing all sorts of ankle weights and stuff after partying all day. I don't get how people like this are able to do this. That's sports too It's hard to do that at 39 the way Ovechkin is doing.

I couldn't explain this other than saying in terms of goal scoring, he's as gifted as they've ever come.

I know the record. Tony knows the record, but what record are we talking about?

Wayne Gretsky's goal scoring record. Got you.

He does look Richard Kind. It's such a good call by Chris Coty there. It's yours, boys and girls, and boys. Let's go.

Hey, there, Wellness Warriors. If you're like me, you've given a lot of thought to how to improve your health and wellness routine this year. I've started stretching more, do a little mindfulness, some meditation every day, try to clear my mind, make my body feel right. Take your health routine to the next level with the magic of contrast therapy. Meet our new amazing sponsor, Redwood Outdoors. They're making it easy to bring the benefits of saunas and cold plungees right to your backyard. A Redwood Outdoors backyard sauna seats 2-8 people, where you can relax, unwind, and enjoy all the benefits like reduced muscle tension, improved sleep, and glowing skin. And it doesn't stop there. Redwood Outdoors' invigorating cold plunge helps to boost circulation, sharpen your focus, and leave you feeling absolutely revitalized. Whether it's detoxing deeper, reducing inflammation, or connecting with loved ones in moments of peace. Redwood Outdoors has you covered. Enhance your physical and mental wellness routines with Redwood Outdoors. Take advantage of special savings today. Visit redwoodoutdoors. Com. Use code dan to save $175. That's redwoodoutdoors. Com code dan to save $175 on your order. Redwoodoutdoors. Com code dan.

Howdy, folks. It's Mike. And look, it's been an exhausting couple of weeks. Even on the show, there's all sorts of debate, which sport takes it seriously enough? Where's the effort? Let me tell you something. As long as I'm sitting down on the couch and I have a beautiful white can of Miller Light in my hand, I'm good. I make any sports time a Miller Time, and it's a perfect supplement because Miller Light makes all the moments better with great tasting light beer for people like you and me who love beer. It's always the perfect time for friends, family, and a great tasting light beer tastes like Miller Time. Miller Light is brewed for taste. It hits different than other light beers. The taste that you know you can depend on. No games, no gimmicks, just great beer for people who like beer. It has simple ingredients like multibardly for rich balanced toffy note flavors and the iconic golden color that we all know and love. The original light beer since 1975 and still the very best one. Miller Light. Great taste, 96 calories. Go to millerlight. Com/dan to find delivery options near you, or you can pick up some Miller Light pretty much anywhere they sell beer.

Taste like Miller time. Celebrate responsibly. Miller Brewing Company, Milwaukee, Wisconsin. 96 calories and 3. 2 carbs per 12 ounces.