If there’s one thing we’ve learned in recent years, it’s that reunions often fall short of expectations and past glory when it comes to beloved television shows.
And certainly, Pablo Torre and Pablo Torre Finds Out discovered that firsthand with the video they unearthed which represented the Knicks’ attempt to woo LeBron James back in 2010 featuring … a bad Sopranos reunion? Pablo Torre joined The Dan Le Batard Show with Stugotz on Tuesday to discuss it all.
First of all, Pablo did this all for Stugotz. But putting this aside, Pablo says Dan framed this correctly — there was a crossroads in basketball history when everyone in NYC thought they were going to get LeBron to come to the Big Apple because of course he would, NYC has everything! Pablo says the question facing James Dolan was: How do you convey this in a short amount of time behind closed doors with King James?
Pablo notes that this video he discovered had been long rumored, almost to the point of becoming mythological. The rumors were the Knicks got James Gandolfini and Edie Falco to return to their famous Sopranos roles three years after one of the most controversial finales in TV history just for LeBron James. Don’t believe it’s real? Let’s go to the video tape!
EXCLUSIVE: We found the secret tape the Knicks made to recruit LeBron.
— Pablo Torre Finds Out (@pablofindsout) April 16, 2024
It’s a Sopranos reunion … and so much more.
Watch our reveal with @PabloTorre, @netw3rk and @WorldWideWob: https://t.co/DJ9erPKdji pic.twitter.com/W0QCYMV8en
I think Dan speaks for all of us when he says, “Oh, my God, the Knicks made the Sopranos bad!”
The Knicks somehow got the famously reticent Gandolfini to make this video, which they thought no one would ever see, just for LeBron and know, Pablo says, we know the answers to a couple of questions:
- What happened after the end of one of the greatest TV shows of all-time? and also very crucially;
- What the f*** were the Knicks doing?
Pablo says this recruitment video, in all of its 10-minute-long glory, does not age well. Even though he initially actually liked the clip shown, it gets really BAD immediately thereafter. Pablo says it’s really a window into how James Dolan thinks, who are the Avengers he summons to come through the portal and convince LeBron that the Knicks are the team he needs to play for. Dan says it not only changed the fate of basketball over the next 15 years, but now that we can see the video it reveals how the Knicks BOTCHED the seeming slam dunk of LeBron to New York. And just when you think it can’t get any worse, the first face you see after the Sopranos reunion you can’t see? Donald Trump. Yes, the Knicks really botched things, folks.
But judge for yourself by checking out the full video and discussion on the latest episode of Pablo Torre Finds Out. And check out the full discussion above and make sure to tune into The Dan Le Batard Show with Stugotz Monday-Friday at 11 a.m. ET on DraftKings Network!
SHOW BREAKDOWN
Local Hour: We’re In the Air
- Today’s cast: Dan, Stugotz, Greg, Chris, Billy, Jeremy, and Roy. Greg Cote is in a foul mood as he arrives late, and we have to get to the Knicks and Play-In teams having better title odds than them in just a second, but first, it’s time to discuss the biggest event from last night: the WNBA Draft. Plus, Pablo Torre is here to discuss his investigative work on Pablo Torre Finds Out to find the video pitch the Knicks made to LeBron James back in the summer of 2010 including a revived Tony Soprano, Donald Trump, and a presentation from Donnie Walsh in a wheelchair.
Big Suey: Complicated Legacy
- How did the Knicks turn actors from The Sopranos into bad actors? Would Mero pee on Pat Riley’s gravestone? Then, the crew roasts Dan for how we handled O.J.’s passing on the day it happened, Greg goes after “Heat bulls*** culture bluster bulls***” and David Samson, Billy finally gives us a Marlins update, and the Panthers only win title games with both of them in the building. Plus, Ron Magill is here as we discuss his first pitch at the Marlins game, the fellow inductees into the Hot Dog hall of fame, and a 1-on-1 on-campus championship.
Hour 1: The Living Artifact
- LeBron James is still goin’ at it, huh? We give Greg Cote a new nickname before listening to Mike Tyson run. Then, we pay proper tribute to legendary Yankees broadcast John Sterling as he announces his retirement. Plus, our Iowa Correspondent Lucy Rohden joins the show to discuss her night at the WNBA Draft and dive into all the most interesting aspects of the night that was!
Hour 2: A Youthful Middle Age
- Greg Cote and Stugotz discuss the report that Rory McIlroy could potentially head to the LIV tour, and Greg wants to build a statue of himself. Then, Greg ALSO wants his own personal logo. So, if you’re keeping track, a statue and a logo for Greg Cote. Plus, Greg explains his Jimmy Buffet experience, Verne Lundquist will still your girl and make you feel the verne, and Billy shares a story about his machete. Wow. After writing the notes, I’ve realized this was a pretty chaotic hour.
Postgame Show: Sky Guy
The crew tries to figure out which WNBA teams they root for as Chris faces turmoil and Jeremy defends his long-term fandom of the Fever.
VIDEO:
Check out the Le Batard and Friends YouTube page for more and subscribe to the show on Apple Podcasts, Spotify or wherever you get your podcasts. You can also follow the show on X at @LeBatardShow.
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