Le Batard & Friends Network

The NBA MVP race is heating up, and Nikola Jokić and Shai Gilgeous-Alexander are making their cases. What were Amin and Izzy’s takeaways after a back-to-back showdown between the Denver Nuggets and Oklahoma City Thunder earlier this week? We break down Jokić’s comments on the race, and Coach Mike Malone’s argument for his star player to take home the award. Plus, Tyrese Haliburton delivers the Iciest Shot of the Week, the latest on the Pacers’ playoff positioning, and a look at must-watch matchups ahead.

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Today’s word of the day is ’icon’ as in Shohei Ohtani as in Dodgers as in MLB as in Fortnite as in Demon Slayer. What!? Ohtani is ready to takeover Japan again. But this feels so much bigger. Let’s discuss this series for MLB and the activation of promotion that MLB has done there. (13:20) Vladdy Jr wants $500 million. No deferrals. That was his last offer to the Blue Jays. (23:15) Brian Cashman said exactly what we said! The Yankees will not spend right now on a new starter. Not going to happen. (28:50) Review: The Search for Instagram’s Worst Con Artist. (34:24) The great Junior Bridgeman died yesterday. What a legacy he leaves behind. (36:30) So You Wanna Talk to Samson!? Someone asked me about the new MLB Overlap hats from New Era. Who approved them!? (43:33) NBA to NIL is the new way. Steph Curry and Davidson. James Harden and Arizona State. Russell Westbrook and UCLA? (51:30) NPPOD.

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NBA champion and Cleveland Cavaliers legend Channing Frye steps into the hot seat to separate fact from fiction about the Cavs’ title hopes. How does Cleveland’s starting five compare to Oklahoma City and Boston? Is Donovan Mitchell better than Jalen Brunson? Did the Cavs overpay for De’Andre Hunter? Could this year’s squad beat the 2016 championship team? And most importantly: can Channing Frye handle the heat of the hot seat?!

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Today’s word of the day is ’mileage’ as in Gerrit Cole as in Aaron Boone as in the Yankees as in Tommy John. That’s it. Cole’s season is done before the end of March. What a disaster for the Yankees and for Cole. (11:07) The Seattle Mariners are already down a starter. George Kirby is shutdown because of shoulder inflammation. Uh oh. The team says not to be worried, but Mariners fans still are. (24:00) The Dodgers just gave Dave Roberts a huge new deal. Another record-setting contract. Good for him. (33:15) Review: The Girl with the Needle. (35:30) The NFL QB carousel is spinning and spinning and spinning. Seahawks traded one away and signed one. Jets got one. Steelers need one. Giants need one. Vikings need one. (47:01) Former MVP Mo Vaughn admitted to HGH use. He was in the 2007 Mitchell Report, but now he’s on record. (51:20) NPPOD. 

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Nobody makes opponents miss free throws like Arizona State’s student section and their infamous Curtain of Distraction. On the brink of March Madness, we embed with the Sun Devils writers' room — and the Lorne Michaels of college basketball — to test the limits of absurdity (with a little help from the likes of Donald Glover and Mike Schur). Then we activated polyamorous conjoined unicorns on the baseline… on live national television. What could possibly go wrong?

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With the playoffs one month away, these regular season powerhouse matchups are hitting a little different. After watching the Lakers take on two of the top teams in the East and the Thunder take down the Nuggets over the weekend, Izzy and Amin are turning their attention to the hunt for the Larry O'Brien trophy. Today they're power ranking the top six teams by record-- Cavaliers, Thunder, Celtics, Lakers, Nuggets, and Knicks-- to determine who has the best chance of winning a title this season. Plus, how will LeBron James and Jalen Brunson's injuries affect the title race?

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Today’s word of the day is ’change of heart’ as in Myles Garrett as in the Browns as in Cleveland as in the NFL. Garrett is staying in Cleveland. Wanted out. Browns said no. Browns paid him record-setting money. What happened to winning? (13:30) Josh Allen is the new highest paid player in NFL history. $250 million guaranteed. Sorry, Watson. (18:45) Gerrit Cole could be done for the season. This is a nightmare for the Yankees. (28:50) The Mets will be without catcher Francisco Alvarez for 8 weeks. Here we ago again! (33:45) Review: Goodrich. (36:10) It’s Rays update time. This is a big one. (47:00) The Sacramento Athletics of Las Vegas has a huge announcement. Was it a move? Was it the new stadium? Was it a sale? Nope. It was a new patch. (50:34) NPPOD.

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On this episode of Goalless… We’re onto the Champions League knockout stage, a “what if” starting 11, and a crazy injury in Germany. Plus, actor and comedian Jon Glaser joins us to talk about how FIFA made him a wolves fan, World Cup 94, the world’s best kits, Detroit City FC and finally, The Diet Mug Root Beer Dana Carvey Show.

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Today’s word of the day is ’working’ as in going to work as in Vladdy Jr. as in the Blue Jays as in Juan Soto. What are we talking about? Vladimir Guerrero Jr. said he asked for 14 years but fewer than $600 million. He said he didn’t want Juan Soto money, but he did want the years! Is he going to get close to that? (9:45) The Yankees are falling apart before the season begins. Luis Gil is out. DJ LaMeheiu is out. Giancarlo Stanton is out. (14:50) What is the latest on Shohei Ohtani? Did he have a setback? Is he going to pitch this year? (20:20) So You Wanna Talk to Samson!? Someone asked me if I ever put a player on an innings limit because I knew he’d be traded later in the season… wow. (31:48) Review: All We Imagine as Light. (34:15) Athletics are back in the news. A new team president. New renderings. A new extension to a young player. So much positivity… but where is the stadium? (46:50) NPPOD. (49:20) Mark Cuban shared his thoughts on the Luka Doncic trade. Oh boy. 

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Billy, Mikey A and Fuentes play everyone's favorite game: Headlines! Are we setting up for all the former Seattle players to wind up in Vegas for one more run with Pete Carroll? A game of More Mikely has us questioning Travis Hunter's future in the NFL. What has happened to Hard Knocks that now they can't even get a college team to do it. And Billy asks the all important question: which NFL coach would you least like to be on a plane with?

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