Transcript of A Fever Dream With Jason Benetti | Hour 3 New

The Yankees shot to the sun that's shining above. From rays that Dan loves, a Tampa we'll celebrate. Singing today the words we all say.

Happiness, they'll sing with a glow.

I know they'll do it with Sinatra's words, oh, they'll choose. So, stop— start spreading the renews.

Uh, Jeremy is, uh, super pissed off at Chris Cody because he says that Chris Cody stole his limited fake Jason Bonetti doing limited fake boog.

I, uh, know this is, uh, my bit. Uh, I, uh, do it better than Jeremy. No, uh, no you don't. You just start talking slow and then you No, the key is the deep rasp. Jason, you want to get in on this? I know that it's better.

So Jason Benetti is our favorite announcer in any sport. He's the play-by-play announcer of Sunday Night Baseball on NBC and Peacock. And he's also a raging coward because he refuses to do our catchphrases when the Yankees are around because the Yankees are holy and sacred and he's got to treat baseball correctly. But we've had an assortment of other announcers throughout sports. Do Greg Cody's catchphrases. It begins with Kyle Brandt.

But we have a great game tonight with 2 quarterbacks. We know driver comfort is paramount, and you know, the Bills will probably win at home, but you never know those Lions.

Uh, you've got Ross Tucker doing it during an NFL game.

Tight ends, running backs working pretty well for the Steelers.

1st and 10 at the Cleveland 30. Yeah, we're rolling now, huh? Troy Futonu with an incredible block on the toss crack out in space. Their left tackle is an athlete. Uh, you have Kevin Harlan doing it during a Dolphins game. Offensive line has kept Mahomes clean and quiet.

He drives this offense and driver comfort is paramount. 2-minute warning in Miami.

And you've got Arkansas broadcaster Hayden Herrera doing 16 of them in a minute and 20 seconds.

Well, I know everybody wants to know the Arkansas-Texas A&M game.

Who won?

We're not going to show you that.

Only 2 Razorbacks ran in the men's 8K, but the women's team had a full squad for the 5K.

We're rolling now, huh?

Look at this kick down the homestretch.

The definition of you never know.

Comb giving it everything she has.

It's a fight to the finish, and Comb gets the win by 1/10 of a second. 15:59. Absolutely incredible.

Talk about me maximum.

Braylon, good on ya. Number 2 Georgia. Georgia moves to 5-0 with a 38-14 win over Vanderbilt.

Russell threw for nearly 300 yards and had 4 total touchdowns.

Very good.

Just like that, the Tide are 5-0. And you know what? Austin Simmons had 2 touchdowns and the Gators had no answers. That's a fact, Jack. A colossal win for Eli Drinkwitz and Mizzou.

45-17 the final from Columbia.

Another crisis solved. Byron Brown finds Arlis Boardingham. 16-yard touchdown.

It's a 3-point game.

Do what now?

Vols and Hogs kick off Saturday at 3:15 PM.

On SEC Network.

Right on.

Finally, you see they're trying to line up. That is weird, wild stuff.

So instead of an extra point, they decide to go for 2. Whoa, whoa, whoa, whoa, what? Kenny Minchie to a wide-open Willie Rodriguez for the 2-point conversion. Hey, that's what I'm talking about.

And what a start to the Will Stein era in Lexington.

Kentucky wins in overtime and the Wildcats are 4-1.

That kind of thing.

Do what now? I can feel Jason Bonetti's shame from here. Uh, Bonetti, welcome to the program. It's good to see you.

Hi, gentlemen. I just have a quick Broadway-related question for you. Is that okay? Might I ask a question of you as a group?

Yep.

Have you ever seen Little Shop of Horrors? Of course.

Yes.

Classic.

The movie? What do you think of the musical Little Shop of Horrors?

Haven't seen it yet. Well, the movie is a musical, kinda. It is.

Yeah. What do you think of the movie? What do you think of the movie? Rick Moranis? Yeah, I like the movie. You know, the whole thing.

Steve Martin also.

Big giant eating flower.

Yeah, it's a good movie.

Feed me, Seymour! Yeah, that's right. That's right. So at the end of the movie, at the end of the movie, what happens? Everything gets eaten because of one little pinprick on his finger. Seymour feeds that plant, just feeds the plant, feeds it a little bit. You feed the plant and you keep doing the same thing over and over again. And then suddenly the whole world's gone. I was concerned about the tentacles of the plant that were getting built in front of me and having that be a cautionary tale. I just didn't want to fall into the same pitfall as Rick Moranis in that movie. And I figured if I kept feeding the same plant, number one, destruction would come. And number two, I think it would get a little bit boring. Honestly, I kind of think been there, done that. We had a great time, right? We had a great time rating my tone and then, and then doing it again. Like, the sequel's never better, man. The sequel's never better. So I— it's not shame. It's more just an abstention and a very poised decline.

Ah, there you go.

So you're a prick and a coward.

Absolutely.

What did you make of the way the Yankees season ended, Jason?

You know, I think it was one of those, like, you beat Boston and you feel like, man, you know, they could be rolling. And then you show up to face—

we're rolling now—

team like Tampa and you're like, we're at Tropicana Field with—

Yeah, we're rolling now, huh? I love the raise so much.

See what happens? You see what happens when you do something like that? It just falls flat when you do it a second time. He was trying— the internet cut out. He was trying to do, you're going to go to Tropicana Field with Bernie Parmalee, but the internet really— Oh, my internet died. Yeah, seriously. I was doing a bit. I was doing a bit. I was bringing it back. Devastating. The internet died.

Rick Moranis. Yeah, it would have worked. Unfortunately, it didn't. And you remain a prick and a coward.

I think that internet is bad.

The way they ended their season, though. Cashman apparently is going to come back. Aaron Boone is apparently going to come back. So anemic without Giancarlo Stanton and Aaron Judge. Legitimately the worst statistical postseason a Yankee offense has ever had in our most historic sport. I just don't know how the noise can get much louder around the way they failed, right? Getting swept by the Rays, a team that has such a smaller payroll, having one of the games 17 errors in the first inning. Like, how much worse could it have possibly been? And what What's it going to take to actually have them have some, you know, leadership change?

Well, I think, I think part of it is to like the way it happened to a team in your division, as you said, Dan, and to Tampa Bay, who was one of the best teams in baseball. But nobody in New York wants to hear that. They want to know why we're not Tampa Bay. Right. And that's, that's the way that's going to go. So I just wonder if they believe like small sample size, whatever it might be, or like had Aaron Judge not gotten hurt, you can convince yourself of a lot of things. over the course of a baseball postseason. That's absolutely true. But I, you know, I do think there's a piece of this where you go, okay, you know, a couple of years ago we decided we needed to be more athletic. We got more athletic and we still didn't win a title. Something— I totally understand where Yankee fans are coming from when they say something has to change. But like, there is star power there. Ben Rice is a legit star. I think George Lombard is going to be a really good player. But that's not enough against a team in Tampa that was loaded with athleticism and loaded with guys who catch the ball and loaded with starting pitching.

So yeah, I wonder, I really do wonder what it's like in those halls because I wonder if it's that Spider-Man, Spider-Man thing where you're like pointing. I'm sorry, guys. My, my home internet went out like 5 minutes before the show. So I apologize. And now I feel like I should just do it in full Blair Witch Project mode and go horizontal.

Yeah, that's fine. Yeah, just keep doing it as you talk. You were finishing the point, though, of the Spider-Man meme. Who's pointing at each other? Keep flipping.

I think everybody in the hallways, right? When you struggle to win, I think that's what ends up happening in your hallways.

You can keep doing that as you answer the questions. So let's do it on this one. Keep spinning it around as I ask you what it is that you make of the home run that wasn't a home run that became a ground rule double yesterday.

I thought I was going to be the one that got myself in trouble by mentioning Jeffrey Mayer on a non-Jeffrey Mayer sort of situation the other night in the Red Sox, uh, the Yankees wildcard stuff. But we ended up with full Jeffrey Mayer. I think it's a, it's a really tough one, but it's all like umpire discretion. And New York had a great look at it. It looked to me like it was interference. So, you know, I mean, I, I, it's a, it was a better look that they had in New York than you have of me, certainly right now. How we doing? We good? We feel good about it?

The video room is so much— there's They're so mad at me right now. The video room is furious with me for telling you to keep doing that. Yeah, they're, they're upset, but we should just lean into the fact that his internet's not working. He looks like he's in a washing machine, and I'm watching him go around—

or a dryer, I guess.

Both of them. Both of them.

Yeah, do you want me to make thumping sounds while I do it too? Like, like 2 tennis shoes? Yes, it's a really good team, the Milwaukee.

Yes. In fact, tell— give me a serious answer while doing that to who presents the greater challenge to the Dodgers, the Rays or the Brewers.

You know, the Milwaukee with the starting pitching, the starting pitching that Milwaukee has, I think they're the type of team, especially with the athleticism they have, I think is truly a danger to the Dodgers. Dan Le Batard, the first Jeremy Tatché. Why ends? Uh-oh. This is the Dan Le Batard Show.

I love the Brewers and I love the Rays. I love the way both of them play baseball. The athleticism that is in that sport at the moment, Jason, it's just crazy. It's got— there can't be a time in baseball where the athletes are what they are today.

No, I don't think so. I think it was a lot of guys who were kind of one-dimensional back in the day when baseball started. And I think Major League Baseball did a really good thing by creating these rule changes to allow for teams like Milwaukee and Tampa Bay with a very defined style of play. You know, back to the Yankees, I think what we're learning, at least in this postseason, I think what we're seeing this postseason is teams that know exactly who they are and what they are willing to sacrifice and what they are willing to really lean into just in terms of skill sets, right? I think, I think the White Sox have shown that to be something that's really important. Now I feel like an Andy Warhol. The only thing missing is a Campbell's Soup can right now on the top of my head. Or is this like a Depeche Mode music video or something? I think that's a great analogy. I feel like I should just go, and I run, I run so far.

Don't get us singing. You're gonna cost us money on top of that by singing songs. It's not gonna be a good time.

Less than 6 seconds, he's good.

It's not good.

Also, I got the lyrics wrong and that's not Depeche Mode. I'm really fun at parties.

I know that's not Depeche Mode, but it felt like the kind of song that you'd want to do that with.

Flock of Seagulls.

This is brilliant. This is real. This is like if Anne B. Davis dropped acid before she became the Brady, uh, maid.

It's Flock of Seagulls. Why can't you get anything right? You're— Flock of Flock of Seagulls. No, no, no.

I knew that wasn't Depeche Mode, but that song came into my head after I said Depeche Mode.

Strange Love. People are—

Look, things, things are upside down in my mind, Dan. Things are upside down, man.

This is a fever dream.

This is crazy, man.

Why is Acuña so stinky?

I mean, he was great in the regular season. This baseball small sample size 5-game series stuff drives people crazy. Because if you don't perform in 3 games, you're just toast. And it feels just so different than the baseball regular season. I really like the overreaction both to my internet and to the way baseball is in the postseason.

Except it doesn't happen to the Dodgers, except it's their 9th hitter in Miguel Rojas that saves their season. It's not even— it's not even guys that are— well, I mean, Freddie Freeman and others, but Ohtani can be bad, Betts can be bad, and it doesn't matter. Acuña-Mataza.

Because you're insulated, because you have more of a chance, because, you know, the bigger payroll, you have more of a chance to— and they went for it more than everybody else, right? Like the Brewers had a chance to go get Tarik Skubal. They didn't. So if they end up short on pitching at the deadline, we can debate Not that they're at fault, but one— the one thing that they didn't do is go get a big-name starting pitcher. So yeah, I, I mean, I understand where you're coming from totally on that. I think it's just a matter of, can you, in a short-ish series, can you overcome the warts that you have?

When it comes to salary cap, we were talking earlier in the show with David Sampson, and I was pointing out that there are so many low salaries that remain in the playoffs. The Dodgers are the only big one. Everyone else is 19th or lower. But 7 of the top 9 payrolls, I believe, did indeed make the playoffs. Where are you on the work stoppage that's obviously approaching and the need for a salary cap when it is a small sample, but the low payrolls are still playing baseball?

Yeah, it is a— it's a question that is way above my pay grade in terms of answers. But where I am on sports in general, we've talked about it before. This is not just a general answer. I'm not trying to dodge it. I really like seeing underdogs win. I think it's good for sports to have the NCAA tournament have 15 seeds win. I think part of the goal of sports nowadays feels like trying to eradicate the underdog. So to me, one of the things we need in sports at all times is David versus Goliath. Now, how much the Davids try and how much the Goliaths try is up for, you know, debate and collective bargaining. But I like having both in the postseason. I think it's valuable to viewership, and I think it's valuable to have people who are from different parts of society care about different teams. So to me, the one thing that worries me across the sports landscape— and I'm not in the room on the collective bargaining, but what if I was? That would be hilarious, because then they would just replay that dryer bit over and over again to kill my credibility.

But, but I do think we need to still have the little guy matter and have a chance to win. I don't want to sound like Horatio Alger in social studies class in like freshman year of high school, but rags to riches matters.

What's your favorite storyline for the rest of the playoffs?

You know what? If I think Milwaukee and the Dodgers— can the Brewers stress the Dodgers? Can the Brewers make the Dodgers either impatient Or can the Brewers make the Dodgers throw the ball all over the place? Can Milwaukee's pressure cooker type of offense— and then Miz, right? How much does Miz throw? But I wonder if the Brewers can knock the Dodgers off their spot early and what happens with the Dodgers thereafter. I mean, I still think Cleveland can end up beating the White Sox in these next 2 games. I am interested in what the White Sox could do if they get through because they do have that kind of team of destiny flavor. So Milwaukee Milwaukee putting pressure on the Dodgers is number one. And if the White Sox get through, how far can they go just based on kind of like vibes and power?

Why do the White Sox have more of a team of destiny flavor than the Rays or the Brewers or the Guardians?

I think it's Mike Vassell's magic wand. I think, I mean, like the White Sox have been that team all year that when the Tigers went there and over the last 3 years and I had done their games before, you'd feel like something bad was going to happen to the White Sox very Early this season, that ballpark flipped, and it became a place where you go, "Oh, we're gonna lose." They're gonna figure it out late. They've had like Miguel Vargas is a great story. Two years ago, when he got traded from the Dodgers to the White Sox, he was sitting in the dugout and looked forlorn, looked like he was really in a bad place and had horrible numbers. And he's turned out to be one of the best players in the American League this year. I mean, they have. Such young talent and they have, you know, they have Mike Vassell who, you know, I don't know how much your viewers have seen him, but like he's a pitcher on the IL and he's got this magic wand that he just like waves at people, which frustrated Skubal earlier in a Tiger game this year.

But like, it's kind of funny. Like they just have kind of— they have like a, like a 12-year-old at a birthday party just being themselves sort of vibe. And I think that has been pretty valuable for them this year.

Yes or no, if the White Sox make the World Series, Obama and the Pope will throw out first pitches.

They absolutely— the White Sox will pursue that. I think they would. I think they absolutely would.

Hey, Jason, is that Wi-Fi settling down a little bit? Is it just me?

Looks like it. Yeah, I mean, it's— this is, this is all 4G LTE or whatever we have now. Are we on like 7G? What do we got going on? I still don't have Wi-Fi.

Oh, you know, you don't have Wi-Fi? Damn.

I do not.

Ah, damn. I have such a sick idea that I would love for you to take part in, but it's alright.

You can try. We— you can—

Well, I sent you an email of, uh, some dialogue that I would have loved—

I already ate the apple.

Yeah, but I can get you another apple. I wanted you to recreate a scene in Dracula the audiobook, and it was gonna be great. It's gonna be really funny, and then the Wi-Fi ruined everything.

Dracula the audiobook, as though it's different in the—

Oh, buddy, is it different? Alright, let's play.

Let's play.

This blood that pours from me has your Lucy in it.

Now, drink.

It is you, the figure in my dreams.

Drink.

No, no, no, no, there is no leaving.

You will not wriggle away.

Drink from Ah, and with this baptism of my blood in your mouth, throat, and veins, you shall be my servant. I wanted you to do that with Zazz.

What? Can I do it as Droopy Dog? And with the baptism of your blood in my veins.

Yeah, if you could read the script.

Do you have it? Do you have it in front of you?

We did email him, but like, he's gotta switch tabs.

What's Boog doing here? I heard Boog in the—

why is Boog being attacked by Dracula?

You have some blood in your veins?

I, uh, just learned that. You will not get away. Yeah, you know, I, uh— It is— I am with Jeremy in that you do need to have like this sort of vibrato. Like, the low hum is one of the hallmarks of a good fake Boog. I will not wriggle away. Yeah, it's pretty good.

The 2-2.

Pretty good. Right. The 2-2. And then JD chimes in with something that is only understood by them.

The 2-2. Do you have, do you have Wi-Fi? Have you gotten it? Are you willing to partake in the stupidity of this exercise?

I literally don't have Wi-Fi. I have a blinking orange light on my— the only thing I can What I could do is try to minimize the screen on my phone, but we're— I mean, we're talking Maytag whisper quiet situation again.

I'd rather do it right.

All right, we'll do it next time. But one more question that I wanted to ask you, one more baseball question. Ohtani is batting .163 with no home runs, 1 RBI, and 32 strikeouts in his last 86 plate appearances. He's in no way healthy, correct?

I, I have to imagine there's something going on, right? I have to. Oh, that is fantastic. Is that— I, I couldn't tell whether or not there was a smiling going on because of the Dracula moaning in the background or because there was another bit happening. I do feel like we need to go to Arnold's and Fonzie's gonna be here in a second. This is the open to Happy Days, but from hell.

Saturday morning. Answer the question. Answer the question about Ohtani and quit getting distracted. I did.

I did. No, I, I did. I said there's gotta be something going on, right? Like if he's, if he's swinging Looking at it like that, I just imagine there's something going on. But I, you know, like, there are a lot of guys by the end of the season who won't tell you if there's something going on with them or whatever. So I have no idea. But I, you know, I, I can't get that picture of myself in a dryer out of my head. And I just, I don't know. I don't know if that's gonna haunt me or if it's gonna be something I laugh at. Yeah, that's, I mean, that, that really is, that really is what nightmares are made of.

The play-by-play announcer for Sunday Night Baseball on NBC and Peacock. He is the best. Thank you, Jason. Good seeing you.

Sunday, Monday, happy days. Sorry about my— wow, Boop doing the Happy Days theme is a good— And with the baptism of your blood in my veins. Uh, see you later, Jason.

He wriggled away.

I, uh, look forward to seeing you later.

See you later, Jason. Good seeing you.

Dan Levitar. Put a finger in there, but if you tell anyone, I'll deny it.

Mike Ryan.

Don't just stare at it, eat it.

This is the I see the Reaper out of the corner of my eye.

He's sweating.

Death always— death always appears over my shoulder when Zazz is moaning in a sensual fashion. I get very uncomfortable. Let's everybody go now. He's shaggy. Let's go to, uh, the Buckeye. Please. Uh, Chris Cody's gonna go first here.

And let's remember, Amin owes a punishment.

No, that means—

doesn't— precedent is on my side. No, there is no precedent. I am the president. Oh, I got the Chiefs on a bye!

Heck yeah!

Congratulations, Chris. No one's happy for you. Let's go to Mike, uh, Michael Ryan. They're at the Patriots. They're a 3.5-point dog.

They won that game last year, but I'm putting it back.

They did win that game last year. It's random, right? The Patriots lost 3 times last season.

The AFC champion, week 1.

Browns on the road. They did it too. The Browns are at the Jets. The Browns are a 1.5-point dog.

All right, man, what a great story that team is.

I'm rummaging. Uh, who are the, uh, Uh, who are the bye teams?

Chiefs and Carolina.

So I want Carolina this time.

I got the Seahawks. They're playing the Niners.

They are at home and they're a 3-point favorite. I'm throwing it back.

Yeah, put those kids to bed.

He said, I want Carolina this time, insinuating he got Carolina another time, which means he participated in that week, which means he owes a punishment.

I got a Brock Purdy MVP ticket that I've been sitting on since preseason.

I'm feeling pretty good. I got the Rams.

Oh, they're at home against the Bills. They're a 3-point favorite. I don't feel good about that. I mean, that's your favorite home.

It's a tough opponent.

It's a tough opponent.

Most of these spreads this week are close.

They got the Raiders.

Yeah, I'll take the Patriots.

They're a 3.5-point favorite.

I don't feel good about it, but I'm taking it.

There aren't a lot of big lines. There are not a big line There are a few touchdown favorites, but everything else is close. There's not a lot of good stuff in that helmet.

I have the Chicago Bears.

The Bears are at the Packers and they are a 1.5-point favorite for the first time in 20 years at Lambeau.

That's too—

that's too close. Will the Packers win or will the Bears lose?

The Buffalo Bills. All right. So you downgraded.

They are on the road and an underdog at the Rams as 8.5-point underdogs. 3-point—

head-to-head with Amin.

Yeah. Is that Monday night, by the way? It is. It is.

Yes.

It's a good Monday night game.

Yeah.

Zaz is gonna select now.

I have Army, Navy. What is it? TY— thank you for your service.

Thank you for your service.

All right. So you got Army at home against Tulane. They're a 3-point favorite. You got Air Force on the road. They're the big— the biggest favorite is Air Force at Northern Illinois, 7.5-point favorite. And what's Navy? Navy's a 2.5-point favorite at home against Tulsa. And what was Army? Army's a 3-point favorite at home against Tulane.

What about Air Force?

I'm not doing this.

What about the Coast Guard?

We always forget about them.

I'm gonna put it back.

Really?

A 7?

You think you're gonna do better than a 7.5-point favorite? You don't believe in the troops? You think you're gonna do better than a 7.5-point favorite? This guy hates the troops.

He put it back.

He hates the troops.

I was thinking of taking Army. Not even Air Force. I don't know, I got trusty. Are you gonna put it back? No, put it back. I don't care. Wow, it's wild. One of the worst decisions.

He got the Titans. Good God.

Oh my God, that might be the worst. This guy's already lost 3 out of 4 weeks.

You should have did that. You should have waited a tick too. The Coast Guard's on a bye.

Oh my God, what a disaster for you. The Titans are a 7.5-point underdog at home the Texans. It's just brutal. I got the Jags. I'll keep them. They're a 7-point favorite against the Eagles. Thank you, Reaper. Excellent work.

There's a couple things that we've talked about today that I want to put a ribbon around. We reached out to Dominique Foxworth. It is not true that he was held out of that Nick Saban segment.

What was the direct quote?

Not true. I asked him, is it true you were not able to go on with Nick Saban because they thought you were gonna challenge him? Jim, and he says not true.

Okay, so I have a quote here from, uh, you know, look, this is, uh, on his own podcast, and, and forgive me because I did get some of this wrong, and I'm not looking to cause him any trouble here. Sounds like you are. Uh, no, I just want to get it right.

Well, maybe we should pay attention to his direct quote now.

Well, but he said there's something on his podcast that he said that he wished that—

Right, but the denial that we just got.

Okay, Fine, fine. We'll move on.

I mean, I know you want to be right, but maybe you should take a tip from Stephen A. Smith, who, quite frankly, Dan, I think— frankly, I think he nailed this apology. Yeah, it's so good that I kind of feel like he might have gotten coached up a little bit.

So I recognize some of this based on what it is that you were saying. There have been times in my career, okay, when I have stepped in it and my initial response—

Like now?

with ego and defiance is sort of a stubborn leaning into it. And then I realize after 12 hours, there are so many people who I respect telling me that I'm wrong, that I have to reconsider my position. Now, clearly, I don't respect anyone in this room on what it is that you're saying, or Dominique Foxworth, because on his own podcast, I have quotes that are different than what it is that you said. Try to do it again.

It's crazy, man. But when Stephen A's better at it than Dan—

Stephen A was better about it today after he did the rinse-repeat move that he's been doing for a while now, which is say a thing on First Take, get the blowback, and then say the thing on your own platform that you continue to grow while at ESPN because he is preparing for his next move while at ESPN and he wants to make make sure that he's got his own thing independent of ESPN, because there are obstacles and an assortment of potholes in front of him on whatever is, uh, him at 60 years old at ESPN, as ESPN makes very substantive changes to the way that it does business. But let's identify for a moment what it is that happened here and the core issue, because I am actually very encouraged by what I believe to be a seismic shift in how people react around mental illness, that have people hearing that Lane Johnson left football and extending an athlete humanity and compassion. And I don't even think anymore that it's actually empathy. I think so many people are struggling right now with an assortment of so many unhappinesses, illnesses and things from the exhaustion and chaos of what just is happening everywhere around the world, that it's not empathy even.

It's just simply Lane Johnson being extended compassion. And Stephen A. Smith acts as an avatar for a very easy thing to attack because he wasn't being any kind of humane, decent, or compassionate in how it is that he reacted to Lane Johnson quitting football because he's in How much do you think the reaction has to do with the participants involved?

Lane Johnson being a popular figure and Stephen A. Smith being an easy target to go up against?

Uh, that has something to do with it. Also, in his apology, he referenced Jay Glazer, and it wouldn't surprise me in the least if Jay Glazer reached out to Stephen A. But I actually think this entire story is a reason to hopeful because Lane Johnson was met with universal praise and understanding, at least in the national media space. And Stephen A.'s opinion used to be the norm, used to be the only opinion that was espoused, and very few people would be talking about Lane Kiffin doing the right thing and being— I'm sorry, Lane Johnson doing the right thing.

Lane Kiffin's never done the right thing.

And showing the proper By the way, in Simone's apology, he went on to say like his deepest regret is that his reaction to it might've stopped people from seeking the help that they need because he is playing to a trope that makes it very difficult for people to seek help, especially with his prominent role there. I think this entire experience down to the pitch-perfect apology is growth for everyone in the sports space.

It's also interesting to me though that over the last 10 years, What you have seen in a narrative shift in general about those are human beings wearing those gladiator pads. When it comes to the violent hits, we now have a recoil that's pretty instantaneous on that's illegal now. You can't allow that. Safety comes first. And when it comes to the damage and pain that that sport causes, where these guys are literally limping through retirement to early deaths, we're all understanding. That sports has mental health challenges when you're sitting here fighting over money, that I'm telling you, I associate with DeMar DeRozan and Kevin Love not that long ago, sort of helping us change the toxic masculinity or the armor that men have notoriously worn on crying is weakness, anxiety is weakness, sharing your feelings is weakness, telling people you need help is weakness. And there's just been a shift. That made everyone turn on Stephen A. Smith with what used to be man style, man up, don't quit, tough it out, bury your feelings, swallow it in brown liquor, make sure that nobody knows that you're hurting.

Don't do that to your teammates. Don't do that to your fan base. I, I'm actually, in retrospect, glad that Stephen A. went through what he went through here. With the initial reaction that was on the wrong side and then working it out and 24 hours later admitting the error of his ways and actually doing some, some good work through his apology. I think that this is all great.

It's just really a big change though. Like, it's just, it's really unusual. I don't— look, I'm sure in Philadelphia, I'm sure that when your feel-good gets taken away because that guy makes your offense good, I'm I mean, I really can make the argument that the most important player on the Eagles the last 10 years, it's not Saquon Barkley, it's that guy. Like, I can make the argument on an offensive line that had a bunch of Pro Bowlers on it and he was the best of them. He's the best right tackle ever in the history of the sport. I don't know how anyone can question his particular toughness.

Well, look, we saw the pushback and were happy with the reaction from people because again, I think it's easy to look at Stephen A. and say, hey, you're being a jerk in this spot. But like yesterday, you think if you turned on WIP in Philadelphia, you think the caller is all like, oh, this is really good, I feel good for Lane?

One step at a time on progress. Like, these things aren't linear. Yeah, and also, like, there is a part and parcel of being upset— upset he's not there for my team, but also, like, upset that he's going through something so tragic that he's got to be like, enough, I can't do this anymore.

Yeah, he's missed time because of antidepressant withdrawals. I think that this is being met inside that market in large part too because he's so accomplished and he was so good for that franchise. But let's not forget what Paul George went through last year where it felt like it was a line of convenience rather than— everyone pretty much buys in knowing his history and respecting the man that this is so.

I think that's the important part.

You asked if it's been Because it's Stephen A. and he's an easy target. How about if this is Jalen Hurts? Do people be like, yeah, man, don't do this, he has the right to do that? Or are they like this?

Yeah, I, I see your point, and it wasn't lost on me the difference— one of the main differences between Paul George and Lane Johnson. I mean, Jalen Hurts is a Super Bowl MVP. I know he's kind of going through it right now with that fan base, but it would kind of help explain some of the stuff that we'd see. And I I do think that he would get certainly a lot more grace than Paul George got.

A lot of people are also pointing out that both of Lane Johnson's parents are sick, and Stephen A. did mention what it is that I was saying to you before, that it wasn't just Glazer that reached out, it was also Michael Wilbon. He— Stephen A. has developed a bit of both armor and immunity on the idea that he wants to fight with everybody, and it must be wearying. But when the people you respect the most reach out to you and say— and I've said I've had it happen to me where I get— where I buck up with ego, I get a little little bit defiant on let me say what I want, and then I start hearing from the people who I respect, and when they tell me that I've got it wrong and I hear from multiple of them, then you have to look in a mirror and you have to do what it is that Stephen A. did today. But this is another thing that's happening in the manosphere, just so that you know. Don't apologize is a thing. Like, don't— Be a And don't ever apologize. Like, don't— you do not need to apologize.

Double down. Don't apologize, double down.

It's called the dad theory.

Yeah, Stephen A. rarely ever does what he just did today. Who said that?

He had to do what it is that he did today because he didn't have any allies. There were none. Like, it was a chorus of shouting him down on please respect mental illness.