One of the titans in the sports insider landscape has suddenly exited the game.
For seven years, we have clung to our phones waiting for Woj bombs and NBA updates, but now that is no longer the case as Adrian Wojnarowski has decided to step away from his role as ESPN’s go-to NBA insider to become the GM for his alma mater, St. Bonaventure.
On the latest episode of The Dan Le Batard Show with Stugotz, Dan and the crew discussed the sudden departure of Wojnarowski. The news shocked Le Batard, with the host feeling the need to confirm that the news was real and accurate rather than fake news from imposter social media accounts.
The suddenness of Wojnarskowski’s decision leaves people questioning why now. Dan even asked whether the pay would be comparable, given that Woj recently signed a massive new contract with ESPN. He also observed how valuable the information space has become thanks in part to Woj’s influence and efforts. Further, Dan speculated that this move had to have been prompted by something else because it does not make much sense for one of sports’ top journalists and news breakers to simply walk away. Dan pondered the potential mental health strain it must take for Woj to remain on top of breaking news constantly and even the impact it possibly can have on his family. Indeed, Woj referred to the time commitment the job takes in his announcement and The Athletic also reported that Woj told his bosses at ESPN that he was feeling completely burnt out.
With Woj out of the information space, ESPN will seek to fill a hole in their NBA reporting team, and some speculate that Shams Charania will be one of their top candidates. It will be interesting to see who takes Woj’s place as the go-to NBA insider, although it is fair to say that we all did not see this Woj bomb coming.
Make sure you tune into The Dan Le Batard Show with Stugotz Monday-Friday at 11 a.m. ET on DraftKings Network!
SHOW BREAKDOWN
Local Hour: The Most Voluptuous Number
Today’s Cast: Dan, Stugotz, Greg, Amin, Billy, Tony, Jeremy. There’s a living, breathing Babe Ruth in baseball right now and the crew claims they’re interested, but nobody actually seems that interested. Why will nobody talk about how incredible Shohei Ohtani is? Why was Jose Altuve taking his shoe off in the batter’s box? Plus, we take you Behind The Bit one of the most iconic moments in show history, when Chris Cote dressed up as a car battery for an entire show and Dan got into it with the security at the Clevelander.
The Big Suey; The 50-Cent Piece
Pablo Torre saved the day of Family Feud in incredible fashion, and our show still isn’t over it. However, in typical Greg Cote fashion, he is simply not impressed and thinks his answer would have been better. Is there such thing as a 50-cent piece? That leads us to discuss how what Feud answers would be like if 100 Greg Cotes were surveyed. Plus, Stugotz has questions about the Feud in general. Then, David Samson joints the show to discuss the new Aaron Hernandez show written by Domonique Foxworth, Shedeur Sanders as a celebrity in Boulder and Tennessee’s new ticket pricing fiasco.
Hour 1: The Final Woj Bomb
It’s rare to have major breaking news during our live show, but Adrian Wojnarowski has done it by announcing his immediate retirement from the news breaking business to take over as the GM of the St. Bonaventure basketball program. Dan, Amin, and the rest of the crew dive into his career, why the role he’s played over the last several years can be an unhappy one, and whether or not ESPN can immediately find another Woj. Then, Ron Magill is here to discuss animals showing affection toward humans, Chimp Crazy, the origin of “get their withers up,” killing animals instead of people, and Greg’s birthday party guest list.
Hour 2: Jack of All Trades
Amin and Stu have not stopped with their take on Jordan Chiles’ bronze medal while OFF the air for the last few weeks, so it’s time to bring their gripe ON air. Then, a NFL kicker Stat of the Day, Nevin Shapiro’s criticism of Dan, and Greg ruins a game. Plus, Tua Tagovailoa has landed on the IR after his latest concussion, so we listen to some advice from Tedy Bruschi and analyze what the next steps should be for Tua. Is it the right of anyone but Tua’s family to tell him how to handle his career? Also, we finally get to our Family Feud style game: “100 GREG COTES WERE SURVEYED.”
Postgame Show: Gen CFB
Jessica Smetana and Lucy Rohden are back with a new episode of Gen CFB. They give out an Ope of the Week Award for a moment that made them laugh over the weekend and then preview week four of the College Football season.
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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