Le Batard & Friends Network

Leave us a voicemail at 631-377-4869 It’s So You Wanna Talk to Samson Wednesday! Let’s start things off with a message from my Mom!? She asked about my friendship early on with Red Holzman and Jack McKeon. What was the most important thing I learned from them. (11:00) How much can a team trade in cash to acquire a player? Can you spend $120 million to acquire Paul Skenes? (19:00) Service time manipulation! Let’s go! (28:00) Someone asked me about Jose Alvarado and the statement that he released. Are you kidding me? (34:30) The Dallas Stars own the hockey rinks around the Frisco area. It’s become a nightmare for the locals. Woof. (43:00) Revenue sharing. How does it work in MLB? Is sharing a percentage of revenue with employees a good business model? (49:00) The WNBA has a problem. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Today’s word of the day is ‘equity’ as in ESPN as in the NFL as in billions as in Red Zone as in Roger Goodell as in Bob Iger as in journalism! Let’s discuss what the NFL is doing, what ESPN is doing, and what the future holds for us all. ESPN is getting the NFL. ESPN is getting the WWE crown jewel events. Bob Iger says that journalism will live there… how? (26:30) The NFL has banned smelling salts. Huh? Ah, concussion cover ups! (32:30) Review: Captain America - Brave New World. (34:30) Will Kyle Schwarber get a career payday? He’s in the final year of his deal now with the Phillies and he is MASHING! (40:10) Devin Williams fell apart again yesterday. Devin Williams is bad. The Yankees are bad. Jake Bird, new acquired? Demoted! (45:00) NPPOD. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Jonathan Zaslow joins us! It’s his debut! Let’s go! (29:30) Donald Trump came out and said that Saquon Barkley would be part of the council for fitness, or something. Well, it turns out that Barkley is not on that board. (35:30) Jobs report. (39:40) Giannis is on the Milwaukee Bucks. Why do we have to hear about this everyday? (47:00) The Cubs are going through it. Last week they acquired Mike Soroka, and in his first start he’s hurt. Straight to the IL. Horrible. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Today’s word of the day is ‘crumble’ as in not the cookie as in the Yankees as in the Mets as in playoff races as in falling apart. Let’s start with the Yankees. Another blown save from Devin Williams. Another bullpen acquisition given up a walk off homer. What about the Mets? They’ve been bad since mid-June! Starting pitching stinks. (17:00) Let’s review our July predictions. And then discuss some August predictions. (22:30) Can you be a star in a small market in baseball? Can Elly De La Cruz be a star in Cincinnati? Let’s discuss because David Ortiz and Derek Jeter had some thoughts. (34:00) Review: The Life of Chuck. (38:30) What is the Browns plan at quarterback? Is it Flacco? Is it Pickett? Is it Gabriel? Is it Sanders? Is it Watson? Is it Huntley? (44:30) The Chargers/Lions preseason game was watched by 6.9 million people. Wow. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Micah Parsons and the Dallas Cowboys are in a standoff. Jerry Jones looked at Parsons’ trade request and laughed. Jones looked at the fans and laughed. Jerry Jones will not change. Year in and year out, it’s all the same! Who is right and who is wrong here? (11:45) ESPN and the NFL have an agreement over media assets. It’s a monster deal. Billions of dollars. (22:30) NPPOD (25:30) What is going on with the Connecticut Sun? Are they moving to Boston? Are they being sold? (33:15) We got a Commanders vote. The first approval has been done by the D.C. City Council. But it’s still not done. More talking, more votes, more revisions. (39:00) Governor Mike DeWine of Ohio wants to do away with prop bets. Two Cleveland Guardian pitchers are out right now as an investigation is ongoing into betting on baseball. (46:00) Luka is back with the Lakers. He’s got a new deal. He’s setting himself up for an even greater deal. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Today’s word of the day is ‘reunion’ as in back in Miami for the first time to see a Marlins game! What a strange feeling being back. What a great feeling to see the stadium rocking. The Marlins are HOT right now! (13:40) The Yankees are a mess right now. There is so much bad that this team does. The little mistakes add up and Aaron Boone is finding out the hard way that letting his players get away with those mistakes isn’t good! (27:00) The Houston Astros and Boston Red Sox got into this weekend… over sign-stealing! But it was the Astros mad at the Red Sox! (34:30) Review: Materialists. (38:00) MLB had its Bristol Speedway Classic on Saturday. Disaster. No food. Bad views. Bad weather. A suspended game in the first inning. Nightmare. (44:20) The NFLPA has its new interim boss. The same guy who was a finalist with Lloyd Howell. The same guy who had past problems. But the NFLPA doesn’t seem to care. Welcome David White to the party! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

And now it's time for Coca Friday! We chat about MLB Trade Deadline! ABS! Replay! A lot of baseball talk! You can follow me on Twitter @matthewcoca !!! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Today’s word of the day is ‘whirlwind’ as in so many trades as in deadline as in mayhem as in Padres as in Astros as in buyer as in sellers! What a day it was! Let’s kick things off with the San Diego Padres. AJ Preller has done it again. Trading away one of the top prospects in all of baseball for a reliever and a starting pitcher. Wow. (8:40) Carlos Correa is back with the Astros! And the Twins are paying big money in order to save money. The Astros are going for it again. (11:00) The Twins have traded everyone. 11 players traded away. 40% of the roster switched over. (20:00) It’s time for a Front Office Roundup. So many GMs and team presidents spoke yesterday. These were our favorites. (39:30) Review: On Swift Horses. (42:00) NPPOD. (47:00) Wait to see updates! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Mike Fuentes recounts his days as a 19 year old movie theater manager drunk with power. Later, Izzy debuts a new game of "Are you ok?" with the group, Jessica brings attention to the flood of AI video content on the internet and Tony wants to know how Robert Downey Jr. is going to end up playing Dr. Doom in the Marvel Cinematic Universe. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Our semi-regular roundtable on sports business reconvenes for expertise from the boardroom: David Samson takes Pablo behind the scenes of Ichiro's viral joke about him at the Baseball Hall of Fame, then John Skipper translates the math from the ESPN negotiating table to the Unrivaled cap table the looming strike over WNBA salaries — and team valuations at large. Plus: foreskin, poppycock, psychedelic pastel paisley, pandering to the people, talking with your eyes... and a haberdashery version of pre-determinism. • Subscribe to Nothing Personal with David Samson https://www.youtube.com/@NPDS • From Pablo's Substack: We're One of the 100 Best Podcasts of All Time (Allegedly) https://www.pablo.show/p/were-one-of-the-100-best-podcasts Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

The great, the legendary, the broadcast God, Bob Costas joins us! We talk hall of fame, we talk Ryne Sandberg, we talk hall of fame voting, we talk the state of baseball! (30:30) Max Scherzer is a funny guy. He said he can’t wait to have a face-to-face with Rob Manfred. Why? You have his number! (37:00) Shannon Sharpe is out at ESPN. Done. Finished. Just weeks after his lawsuit was settled. (45:00) Gilbert Arenas was arrested for hosting poker games. Here’s why he can’t do that. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

As the NFL returns, Pablo and Pro Football Talk's Mike Florio are back with more secret documents, a federal investigation, new government names, billions of union dollars, an O.J. Simpson parking space, the world’s largest strip club... and one big "clusterf*ck." Does the OneTeam Partners saga connect to a Game of Thrones-style power play by the NFLPA's shadow boss? Or could the feds be on the trail of an even bigger scandal? • Part One: The NFL's Secret Collusion Case, Revealed https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=P42Wq3fmTYg • Part Two: We Got Another Secret Union Document — and Smoked Out Another Cover-Up https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=P42Wq3fmTYg • Read our latest NFL document on Pablo's subscribers-only newsletter: https://www.pablo.show/subscribe • Pre-order "Big Shield" by Mike Florio https://www.amazon.com/Big-Shield-Mike-Florio-ebook/dp/B0FGH43V6D • Ex-NFLPA boss Howell's strip club expenses sent to investigator (Don Van Natta Jr. and Kalyn Kahler) https://www.espn.com/nfl/story/_/id/45703132/nflpa-nfl-agreed-keep-collusion-findings-secret • "If he failed, their process failed": Inside the NFLPA meltdown (Don Van Natta Jr. and Kalyn Kahler) https://www.espn.com/nfl/story/_/id/45800610/inside-nflpa-executive-director-lloyd-howell-tenure Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Today’s word of the day is ‘arms race’ as in trades as in flurry as in Mets as in Phillies as in Mariners as in buyers as in sellers! Let’s start with the slugger. Eugenio Suarez is back to the Mariners. Big pop. Joins Cal Raleigh and Julio Rodriguez. (13:00) The Mets and Phillies is the real arms race. The Mets trade for a bullpen arm. The Phillies trade for a closer. The Mets then trade for another bullpen arm! That’s how it goes. The divisional race then the bullpen race. (26:00) The Reds have traded for Ke’Bryan Hayes from the Pirates. He is an elite defensive player. He is so bad at the plate. (32:50) The Red Sox traded for Steven Matz last night. He’s a starter that’s been in the bullpen. (35:30) Review: Field of Dreams. (40:00) Shohei Ohtani was pulled from his start for cramping in his hip. It was the first time he went into inning 4 this year. He stayed in the game as DH. (44:00) NPPOD. Let’s talk about the Yankees and Anthony Volpe. The errors won’t stop. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

If you want to leave a voice: 631-377-4869 It’s another So You Wanna Talk to Samson Wednesday! Let’s go! First up is about Tom Brady and his comments about Scottie Scheffler and fatherhood. Hmm. (13:40) How much control does the manager have during and before a game? Does a manager like Bruce Bochy get more control? (26:30) Does the Yankees ownership cave to fans? (33:45) Why doesn’t MLB have a RedZone channel? Is this something they will do? (42:00) How do teams authenticate that trade proposals are real? Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Today’s word of the day is ‘Fleetwood Mac’ as in rumors as in trade deadline as in the Miami Marlins as in sellers as in buyers! The Marlins have two of the biggest trade chips in the sport right now with Sandy Alcantara and Edward Cabrera. What calls are they taking? Are they holding out for more? (12:00) The Giants have the worst record in baseball since the trade for Rafael Devers. Oh boy. What will Buster Posey do? (16:40) We have a rare trade! A trade in-between a doubleheader! (23:00) The Minnesota Twins are finished. Byron Buxton is hurt again. Horrible. (25:30) Ronald Acuna is hurt again. This is a sad one. He’s missed so many games due to injury. (28:30) Framber Valdez was not happy with his teammate. (35:00) Review: The Accountant 2. (38:45) There’s been updates on the shooting in NYC the other day. The man had a suicide note about his brain, and CTE, and how much he hated the NFL. (43:35) Jimmy Haslam had some more quotes that need to be discussed. He’s the owner of the Cleveland Browns. (49:40) NPPOD. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Tom Bogert joins us! We have soccer talk! Thomas Muller transfer to MLS? Messi is mad at MLS? Tom will break it all down! (29:00) Steph Curry thinks he’s underpaid. Here is why. Equity. (37:00) NPPOD. (40:00) NFL players are in big trouble for selling Super Bowl tickets. Uh oh! (47:00) The NFLPA is still going through it. Every week is a new story. This time its a criminal investigation into funds. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Today’s word of the day is ‘sadness’ as in just a terrible morning for so many of us. Ryne Sandberg died last night after a long battle with cancer. Sadness because of a mass shooting in New York City yesterday after a gunman stormed a building and killed four people. What are we doing? What is this country? (9:00) Trying to honor Ryne Sandberg on a day like today is hard, but he deserves it. (16:30) Bryce Harper and Rob Manfred got into it. Wow. Harper cussed out Manfred over a meeting that the commissioner was having with the Phillies. Manfred stood his ground. This CBA negotiation will be ugly. (29:50) Review: Sovereign. (39:40) Eugenio Suarez was hit on the hand yesterday. Uh oh. X-rays were negative, sigh of relief. (41:00) Emmanuel Clase is under investigation for gambling. Here we go again. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

The viral commercial has a mysteriously simple message: sportsmanship. The child actor has gotten dunked on by NBA Twitter for more than a decade. Correspondent Zach Schwartz untangles a web from Madison Avenue to the Supreme Court to Damian Lillard, in search of a boy named Alex — and the meaning of perseverance. (This episode originally aired January 7, 2025.) • Subscribe to Pablo's Substack for exclusive access, documents and invites https://pablo.show/ Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Long before the viral Coldplay concert, there was another — and even wilder — affair caught on camera. Two pitchers for the Yankees agreed to the wildest trade in sports history: They switched wives. And children. And furniture. And pets. David Mandel laments his big-screen adaptation that never was... even though the ultimate passion project could have starred Matt Damon and Ben Affleck. (This episode originally aired April 30, 2024.) • Subscribe to Pablo's Substack for exclusive access, documents and invites https://pablo.show/ Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Aaron Judge is hurt. Horrible. Having one of the best offensive seasons we’ve ever seen, and now a flexor strain and straight to the IL. (15:30) The Astros got swept by the Athletics. So many injuries for Houston. How will they respond? Are reinforcements coming? (23:00) The Atlanta Braves are finished. All five Opening Day starters are on the IL. That’s how fast things end in MLB. (28:00) Seth Lugo is signing an extension with the Royals. One of the biggest trade chips is now off the market. (34:10) Review: Stick. NPPOD. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices