WEBVTT - The Best of The Dan Patrick Show 0:00:00.720 --> 0:00:03.560 You are listening to the Dan Patrick Show on Fox 0:00:03.600 --> 0:00:04.440 Sports Radio. 0:00:04.680 --> 0:00:07.360 He's Rich Eisen, host to the Rich Eisen Show on 0:00:07.600 --> 0:00:10.680 ESPN Radio. He'll be hosting the Pro Football Hall of 0:00:10.680 --> 0:00:15.440 Fame induction ceremony on Saturday. Rich joins us from Canton. 0:00:15.560 --> 0:00:17.840 Actually where are you right now? 0:00:18.560 --> 0:00:23.239 I am in the presentation center inside the Pro Football 0:00:23.280 --> 0:00:25.400 Hall of Fame Museum in Canton, Ohio. 0:00:26.800 --> 0:00:31.000 I'll be doing my show from here at noon Eastern. 0:00:32.120 --> 0:00:36.440 And you know, this is giving you a little behind 0:00:36.440 --> 0:00:40.760 the scenes bts and I'm you know, just hold on 0:00:40.800 --> 0:00:41.240 a second. 0:00:41.440 --> 0:00:45.720 Can you hold all the work please? You know you 0:00:45.800 --> 0:00:46.440 taught me to do. 0:00:46.400 --> 0:00:49.440 That a long time ago, just to make sure everyone 0:00:49.440 --> 0:00:52.239 we're live, you know, like, can you hold the And 0:00:52.240 --> 0:00:54.200 they've held the work, Dan, They've held the work. 0:00:55.240 --> 0:00:58.600 And that's the scene. That's the scene set. That's my 0:00:58.720 --> 0:00:59.280 scene set. 0:01:00.040 --> 0:01:00.120 Ye. 0:01:01.360 --> 0:01:04.280 Are you comfortable saying that's the greatest Hall of Fame 0:01:04.400 --> 0:01:08.520 game in NFL history? 0:01:08.640 --> 0:01:11.080 Well, I mean there aren't many walkoffs, right, we don't 0:01:11.080 --> 0:01:14.560 have any walkoffs. Tarico and Collinsworth called it as if 0:01:14.600 --> 0:01:18.240 it was the Super Bowl. That was fun, But that 0:01:18.360 --> 0:01:20.840 was great, Yeah, I mean, you know, we we saw 0:01:21.000 --> 0:01:25.399 deep ball leading to a big, massive hit, So you know, 0:01:25.840 --> 0:01:28.319 it definitely allows us all to say football's back. 0:01:28.800 --> 0:01:34.200 That that was a fun finish. 0:01:32.240 --> 0:01:36.640 And Haines King preesteing the end zone with no time 0:01:36.760 --> 0:01:39.160 left out have been great. If Dave Canalis like, we're 0:01:39.200 --> 0:01:41.080 just going to kick the field, let's play for overtime, 0:01:42.000 --> 0:01:45.399 you know, that'd been fun. 0:01:45.959 --> 0:01:49.200 But that was that was good. I mean, and the 0:01:49.200 --> 0:01:50.560 folks here in Ken deserve it. 0:01:50.640 --> 0:01:56.160 Dan Sure, dude, Uh, it feels like, you know, we tried, 0:01:56.480 --> 0:01:59.600 we remind ourself, don't over reac, don't over reen. But 0:01:59.640 --> 0:02:03.000 if you're a Cardinal fan, can is it okay to 0:02:03.080 --> 0:02:06.840 overreact just a little bit that you saw Carson Beck 0:02:06.920 --> 0:02:07.840 play really well? 0:02:07.880 --> 0:02:08.280 Of course? 0:02:08.440 --> 0:02:13.560 Of course, I mean, there's lots to be excited about that. 0:02:13.600 --> 0:02:20.320 Carson Beck is possibly the next quarterback of the Arizona Cardinals. 0:02:20.320 --> 0:02:21.480 That they did get their guy. 0:02:21.560 --> 0:02:25.360 That's the renewal of hope that we get every single year, 0:02:26.400 --> 0:02:29.840 whether it's at the combine. People watch the combine, they're like, 0:02:29.919 --> 0:02:32.720 that guy, that's the guy I need on my team 0:02:32.760 --> 0:02:34.880 because he can change the fortunes. And whether it's a 0:02:35.000 --> 0:02:39.920 draft or or its preseason and then the realities of 0:02:39.919 --> 0:02:44.840 football for many teams unfortunately arrive. One of them could 0:02:44.840 --> 0:02:48.720 be you know, Arizona looking around in their neighborhood and 0:02:48.760 --> 0:02:51.799 seeing the defending super Bowl champs and the team that 0:02:51.800 --> 0:02:54.520 that team beats, that could have been to the super Bowl, 0:02:54.560 --> 0:02:57.920 that has the MVP and Miles Garrett and possibly Aaron Donald. 0:02:57.960 --> 0:02:59.960 At any moment in time, we could check our watches 0:03:00.480 --> 0:03:03.600 and then obviously San Francisco is no pushover. But for 0:03:03.639 --> 0:03:06.200 the time being, sure, take take your time, take it in. 0:03:06.560 --> 0:03:08.440 You got a new coach, you got a new quarterback 0:03:08.480 --> 0:03:10.760 potentially for the future, You've got a new running back. 0:03:10.800 --> 0:03:13.680 You've got a lot to be hopeful for. That's what 0:03:13.760 --> 0:03:14.760 this time of year's about. 0:03:18.000 --> 0:03:20.240 Foregun conclusion, Aaron Donald's coming back. 0:03:20.720 --> 0:03:24.200 Okay, we have a segment on my show Dan we've 0:03:24.240 --> 0:03:26.440 called it. Is he back yet? That's what it's called 0:03:27.520 --> 0:03:32.040 because I mean, if you're gonna go through the paces, 0:03:32.160 --> 0:03:34.640 you're gonna go start doing this now, You're gonna start 0:03:34.960 --> 0:03:40.160 practicing in a helmet unless he just decides, you know what, 0:03:41.600 --> 0:03:44.000 I just I'm not ready for the riggers. 0:03:44.040 --> 0:03:44.520 I don't know. 0:03:45.400 --> 0:03:48.200 I don't I don't know. I don't foresee that. I 0:03:48.240 --> 0:03:51.240 think he is absolutely coming back. I think that is 0:03:51.280 --> 0:03:56.680 going to be one of the greatest handful of history 0:03:56.960 --> 0:04:00.560 of the game. You know, I'm no I'm speaking from 0:04:00.600 --> 0:04:04.640 a spot where there's many busts of handfuls, but there'll be. 0:04:04.800 --> 0:04:05.920 Spots across the hall. 0:04:05.960 --> 0:04:08.920 I'm wipe down the hallway from the bus gallery, Donald 0:04:08.960 --> 0:04:11.400 and Garrett are going to be there. And the great 0:04:11.400 --> 0:04:13.000 thing about it is the more you and I or 0:04:13.000 --> 0:04:15.320 everyone else in our industry talks about it, the more 0:04:15.400 --> 0:04:18.480 Seattle gets pissed, the more Dallas gets pissed. 0:04:18.480 --> 0:04:20.680 The more the chiefs that name anybody. 0:04:20.200 --> 0:04:22.240 That's on your list of Super Bowl contenders, they get 0:04:22.279 --> 0:04:24.880 pissed because they know football is more than just two 0:04:24.920 --> 0:04:28.839 of fifty three. I can't wait to watch it play out. 0:04:28.880 --> 0:04:30.200 Don't you think he's coming back? 0:04:30.360 --> 0:04:32.200 Dan? Like it's a foregone conclusion. 0:04:32.279 --> 0:04:34.680 Yeah, yeah, yeah. 0:04:34.760 --> 0:04:36.840 I would have said if he wanted to play home games, 0:04:37.040 --> 0:04:39.400 I was fine with that. He didn't have to travel 0:04:39.400 --> 0:04:42.560 in my opinion. You know, if he doesn't want to 0:04:42.560 --> 0:04:45.479 show up to camp until the last week of camp, 0:04:45.640 --> 0:04:47.640 as long as he's ready to go, when he's ready 0:04:47.640 --> 0:04:50.839 to go on his schedule, then yes, I think he's 0:04:50.880 --> 0:04:53.880 going to play. And this is one of those I 0:04:54.040 --> 0:04:56.800 liken it to Jalen Brown goes to the Sixers. I 0:04:56.839 --> 0:04:59.599 don't think Lebron goes to the Sixers. If Jalen Brown 0:04:59.600 --> 0:05:03.040 doesn't there, Miles Garrett goes to the Ram one hundred percent, 0:05:03.200 --> 0:05:06.080 I don't think Aaron Donald comes back to play unless 0:05:06.160 --> 0:05:09.680 they get Miles Garrett one. 0:05:10.800 --> 0:05:14.640 He's he's sitting at home getting ready for kids drop off, 0:05:14.760 --> 0:05:16.400 you know what I mean? Like that, that's what he 0:05:16.400 --> 0:05:19.280 would be doing if Miles Garrett was still a Cleveland 0:05:19.320 --> 0:05:22.800 Brown or he went somewhere else. And that's pretty damn 0:05:22.839 --> 0:05:27.360 exciting too, you know so. I also like in what 0:05:27.400 --> 0:05:30.600 you just said, to name your schedule, Aaron, you name it. 0:05:30.640 --> 0:05:34.120 We'll be open to anything or any any idea in 0:05:34.160 --> 0:05:35.960 the same way that the sexers are. Like you want 0:05:35.960 --> 0:05:38.800 to live in New York and take a helicopter, Lebron, 0:05:38.880 --> 0:05:41.800 you know, sure, go for it. You know that that 0:05:41.800 --> 0:05:44.760 that is one hundred percent the analogy And I can't 0:05:44.760 --> 0:05:46.799 wait to watch a playoff for sure. 0:05:48.160 --> 0:05:51.320 Rich Eisen Show coming up at noon Eastern on ESPN Radio, 0:05:51.360 --> 0:05:54.920 hosting the Pro Football Hall of Fame Induction ceremony on Saturday. 0:05:55.000 --> 0:05:57.040 What is your role as the host? 0:05:58.120 --> 0:06:01.080 Uh oh, I'm hosting the ESPN coverage. 0:06:01.080 --> 0:06:05.440 Actually with ESPN now having NFL Network and it's fold 0:06:05.520 --> 0:06:08.159 I'll be on the set Nooneaster with Kurt Warner and 0:06:08.240 --> 0:06:12.520 Lewis Ridick simulcasting the Saturday coverage. 0:06:12.800 --> 0:06:15.680 The official role I've got here at the. 0:06:15.600 --> 0:06:19.120 Hall is tonight for the Jacket Dinner, which is just 0:06:19.240 --> 0:06:23.320 the jewel of the weekend that nobody really sees. It 0:06:23.440 --> 0:06:27.280 is the first tangible item a Hall of Famer receives 0:06:27.360 --> 0:06:32.039 to make the reality of their football immortality. 0:06:31.800 --> 0:06:33.919 Dawn on them. 0:06:34.080 --> 0:06:38.200 It is a highly emotionally charged event where they're all 0:06:38.360 --> 0:06:41.120 introduced one by one. They walk through a gauntlet of 0:06:41.200 --> 0:06:43.680 all the returning Hall of Famers to the center stage 0:06:43.680 --> 0:06:45.080 where they receive their jacket. 0:06:46.240 --> 0:06:47.360 In the past, this. 0:06:47.240 --> 0:06:50.320 Is when Sterling and Shannon Sharp hugged it out and 0:06:50.360 --> 0:06:54.400 we're crying as Sterling slipped the jacket on Shannon. Or 0:06:54.440 --> 0:06:57.160 the other year where Shannon did it to Sterling, the 0:06:57.240 --> 0:07:00.120 year that Sterling did it for Shannon. I'll never forget 0:07:00.160 --> 0:07:03.839 that one because it was again highly emotional, and the 0:07:03.920 --> 0:07:06.320 two of them hugging it out and crying wound up 0:07:06.360 --> 0:07:10.520 on the front page of the Canton Repository newspaper, And 0:07:10.600 --> 0:07:14.720 the next morning I walked into the hotel where all 0:07:14.760 --> 0:07:18.720 the Hall of famers were Dan and I walked in 0:07:19.480 --> 0:07:22.680 to the lobby and there were only three people Jannon 0:07:22.760 --> 0:07:26.800 and Sterling getting an earful from the guy who was 0:07:26.840 --> 0:07:30.600 holding their photograph up at the from the previous night 0:07:30.640 --> 0:07:33.720 of them crying in the newspaper, and it was Deacon 0:07:33.840 --> 0:07:36.560 Jones telling them in the most profane manner that there's 0:07:36.560 --> 0:07:39.200 no crying in football and how. 0:07:39.160 --> 0:07:42.000 Dare you do this the night before? 0:07:42.280 --> 0:07:45.680 Like today's the day the drug induction, Today's the day 0:07:45.680 --> 0:07:47.600 you're allowed to cry, but even for a second, And 0:07:47.640 --> 0:07:49.880 he was f bombing them, and it was one of. 0:07:49.880 --> 0:07:51.320 The greatest things I've ever witnessed. 0:07:51.360 --> 0:07:53.080 It's one of those moments you turn around like anybody 0:07:53.080 --> 0:07:53.960 else seeing this, you know. 0:07:55.360 --> 0:07:57.240 So that's what the night's about. 0:07:57.520 --> 0:07:59.760 But they have given it a new twist here with 0:08:00.520 --> 0:08:03.560 h They don't have your presenter slip the jacket on 0:08:03.760 --> 0:08:08.000 your induction presenter. You now choose somebody who's returning from 0:08:08.000 --> 0:08:10.880 the Hall of Fame. It could be anybody to put 0:08:10.880 --> 0:08:16.280 the jacket on you, and it makes for some interesting combinations. 0:08:16.680 --> 0:08:20.520 Joe Thomas asked for Jerome Bettis to put the jacket 0:08:20.560 --> 0:08:22.240 on him and many Browns fans who. 0:08:22.160 --> 0:08:25.600 Are here stat. 0:08:25.400 --> 0:08:27.560 Actual Cleveland brown going into the Hall of Fame, like 0:08:27.960 --> 0:08:30.200 you're choosing a steeler, Like what gives? It's just that 0:08:30.360 --> 0:08:34.480 Joe respected Jerome and and and it's a neat thing. 0:08:34.720 --> 0:08:39.040 It's just and that's tonight and then tomorrow's the ceremony itself. 0:08:41.520 --> 0:08:44.640 Great to talk to you, have fun and uh, I'll 0:08:44.679 --> 0:08:46.040 see you in a week. 0:08:47.160 --> 0:08:50.160 That's right, Dan? How how is the how's everything going 0:08:50.679 --> 0:08:53.600 for that? Where are we? So do I get to 0:08:53.679 --> 0:08:57.520 finally reverse the question to you? Are you nervous? 0:08:58.160 --> 0:09:01.640 I will be nervous, Yes, I will be I'll be nervous. 0:09:02.000 --> 0:09:07.000 Uh yeah, I'm on a need to know basis. Okay, 0:09:07.559 --> 0:09:10.320 I just take direction. I got one thing to do, 0:09:10.400 --> 0:09:13.880 and that's get through the speech. The father daughter dance. 0:09:13.920 --> 0:09:16.959 I'm not worried about that. Just once the speech is done, 0:09:17.679 --> 0:09:21.839 probably do a shot and then uh we'll fly me 0:09:21.920 --> 0:09:24.880 to the moon and go out there and dominate on 0:09:25.000 --> 0:09:25.680 the dance floor. 0:09:26.559 --> 0:09:29.719 So is that the song? Is that the song? Okay? 0:09:30.960 --> 0:09:32.600 For you? 0:09:32.600 --> 0:09:32.800 You know? 0:09:32.960 --> 0:09:33.720 Yeah? I could do it. 0:09:33.760 --> 0:09:35.240 You know I can sing it for you if you 0:09:35.240 --> 0:09:39.040 need any any you know to insert myself into your 0:09:39.040 --> 0:09:42.400 father the moment, you know, but I'm going to serve. 0:09:42.760 --> 0:09:47.640 Uh Dan, Dan Hicks of NBC can sing Sinatra pretty well. 0:09:48.480 --> 0:09:50.240 I don't know if you can sing Sinatra. 0:09:51.400 --> 0:09:53.480 Well. Is this are you creating sort of a ron 0:09:53.480 --> 0:09:55.600 Bergen d type moment where we're gonna have a fight. 0:09:56.240 --> 0:09:58.880 Is that what you're saying. We're gonna step outside for 0:09:58.960 --> 0:09:59.360 the right. 0:10:00.120 --> 0:10:00.240 Uh. 0:10:00.840 --> 0:10:01.640 I don't want to do that. 0:10:02.160 --> 0:10:05.320 But the walking down the aisle, that moment is going 0:10:05.400 --> 0:10:07.760 to be the there's. 0:10:07.280 --> 0:10:08.920 Gonna be moment, isn't it. That'll be bad. 0:10:10.240 --> 0:10:13.120 Yeah, great, Yes, that'll be just trying not to make 0:10:13.160 --> 0:10:13.800 eye contact. 0:10:14.200 --> 0:10:14.600 That's all. 0:10:15.600 --> 0:10:17.480 Try not to make eye contact with anybody. 0:10:17.679 --> 0:10:19.720 I can't wait. It's gonna be great, Penny asked Susan. 0:10:19.760 --> 0:10:21.959 I will be honored to be there to watch watch 0:10:21.960 --> 0:10:24.079 it all go down, Dan, We'll be there. 0:10:27.000 --> 0:10:32.120 This bar reception will probably be a little livelier than yours. 0:10:32.440 --> 0:10:37.200 In the see I was waiting, I was, I saw 0:10:37.240 --> 0:10:41.760 the wheels turn there, I was waiting. We were taking 0:10:41.840 --> 0:10:45.040 family pictures, Dan, But you got behind the bar and 0:10:45.120 --> 0:10:47.199 started handing out drinks to everybody. 0:10:47.280 --> 0:10:49.240 So that's okay, that's okay. 0:10:49.360 --> 0:10:56.240 But I understand, okay, I was. I was busy wife. 0:10:55.920 --> 0:11:00.760 I went to a friend of ours wedding, Bill Fairweather, 0:11:02.160 --> 0:11:07.960 and Billy is a festive guy. Yeah, Billy, Billy fn Fairweather. 0:11:08.440 --> 0:11:11.839 And at one point I thought the party was lame, 0:11:12.280 --> 0:11:18.120 the reception, and I started ripping the sleeves off of guys' shirts. 0:11:20.040 --> 0:11:22.959 Don't ask me why, but a guy had his tuxedo 0:11:23.040 --> 0:11:25.120 shirt on it. I said, did you buy that or 0:11:25.160 --> 0:11:28.520 rent it? He said, I own it? And I we 0:11:28.559 --> 0:11:32.000 started tearing off sleeves and we were we were drinking 0:11:32.040 --> 0:11:36.440 shots of seagrums and I'm going, what is going on here? 0:11:36.720 --> 0:11:42.600 This is sad, sad, So this will be faster. 0:11:43.320 --> 0:11:46.199 For you to run the show. I look forward to it, Dan, 0:11:46.400 --> 0:11:47.120 I look forward to it. 0:11:48.400 --> 0:11:51.400 Thank Thank you, Rich, Thank you Rich. That's Rich Eisen, 0:11:51.480 --> 0:11:52.800 host of The Rich Iison Show. 0:11:53.360 --> 0:11:55.480 Be sure to catch the live edition of The Dan 0:11:55.600 --> 0:11:59.199 Patrick Show weekdays at nine am Eastern six am Pacific 0:11:59.440 --> 0:12:02.440 on Fuck Sports Radio and the iHeartRadio app. 0:12:03.640 --> 0:12:06.360 Hey, It's Rob Parker and Calvin Washington from The Odd 0:12:06.360 --> 0:12:08.240 Couple on Fox Sports Radio. 0:12:08.160 --> 0:12:10.880 And in addition to hearing us live weeknights from seven 0:12:10.920 --> 0:12:14.199 to ten pm Eastern on Fox Sports Radio we are 0:12:14.360 --> 0:12:17.680 excited to announce brand new YouTube channel for the show. 0:12:17.840 --> 0:12:21.280 That's right, you can now watch the Odd Couple live 0:12:21.440 --> 0:12:23.160 on YouTube every day. 0:12:23.679 --> 0:12:26.560 All you gotta do search Odd Couple FSR on YouTube 0:12:26.600 --> 0:12:30.520 again YouTube, Just search Odd Couple FSR. Check us out 0:12:30.600 --> 0:12:32.520 on YouTube and subscribe. 0:12:33.840 --> 0:12:40.720 Pablo Tory uncovers Kawhi Leonard's other hidden secret spon sponsorship. 0:12:40.760 --> 0:12:45.280 Here tonight, Pablo Tory finds out releases its latest installment 0:12:45.880 --> 0:12:49.640 of the saga that continues to linger here over the 0:12:49.679 --> 0:12:53.439 Clippers and the NBA. All right, so what's the update 0:12:53.520 --> 0:12:55.520 here and what does that mean? Bigger picture? 0:12:55.600 --> 0:13:00.160 Pablo Hi Dan, we are brought together once again by 0:13:00.520 --> 0:13:03.240 an alleged secret sponsorship deal for Kawhi Leonard. 0:13:03.880 --> 0:13:05.120 Always good to see you like this. 0:13:05.960 --> 0:13:10.040 What we're reporting is that two days after I published 0:13:10.040 --> 0:13:13.760 part one of my now thirteen part investigation, which I say, 0:13:13.960 --> 0:13:17.240 knowing how ridiculous that sounds, I'll fully cop to it. 0:13:17.280 --> 0:13:21.000 This is a thirteen part serialized novel. 0:13:20.679 --> 0:13:24.520 At this point, but it's actually an investigation right as 0:13:24.520 --> 0:13:27.120 an investigative series. And two days after we dropped part one, 0:13:27.960 --> 0:13:30.680 what happened was I got a tip saying that there 0:13:30.760 --> 0:13:34.160 is another secret sponsorship for Kawhi Leonard that was one 0:13:34.200 --> 0:13:37.080 thousand percent. That is a quote, one thousand percent designed 0:13:37.080 --> 0:13:39.480 to circumvent the salary cap. And I've spent the last 0:13:39.520 --> 0:13:42.839 eleven months trying to fact check that, confirm it, further 0:13:42.960 --> 0:13:45.120 report the story of why that would be, how it 0:13:45.160 --> 0:13:48.480 would be, And it turns out that yes, according to 0:13:48.520 --> 0:13:51.160 our reporting, we have two sources, two high level sources, 0:13:51.640 --> 0:13:54.079 one who was under contract with the Clippers into a 0:13:54.120 --> 0:13:58.040 don't project, the other a former Clippers high level source. 0:13:58.400 --> 0:14:03.000 They both say that the jump tron manufacturer, Daktronics, which 0:14:03.040 --> 0:14:05.040 you may not know by name, but you certainly know 0:14:05.160 --> 0:14:08.600 by sight. Then why are you laughing? Jumbo tron manufacturers 0:14:08.600 --> 0:14:13.880 are very very famous. Obviously this one, this one is 0:14:13.920 --> 0:14:16.079 the one that built the Halo board. This is the 0:14:16.120 --> 0:14:20.120 one hundred million dollar project that Steve Baumer built to 0:14:20.200 --> 0:14:24.120 create the greatest JumboTron and human history. And Kawhi Leonard, 0:14:24.120 --> 0:14:28.320 according to our reporting, had a secret, unannounced, no evidence 0:14:28.360 --> 0:14:32.520 that he did anything for it, multimillion dollar sponsorship for 0:14:32.680 --> 0:14:36.320 that company, which and I'll just beg one more bit 0:14:36.400 --> 0:14:42.480 of time here, because Daktronics had never hired a celebrity 0:14:42.520 --> 0:14:46.400 spokesperson or sponsor or endorser or partner like this before 0:14:46.720 --> 0:14:51.320 or since, and so hard to explain Otherwise, I would. 0:14:51.160 --> 0:14:58.000 Say, given these sponsorship deals and his salary, how much 0:14:58.040 --> 0:14:59.960 money was Kawhi Leonard making a year? 0:15:00.960 --> 0:15:01.600 Well, it is. 0:15:02.320 --> 0:15:06.520 It's a number that we're constantly chasing, and that is 0:15:06.520 --> 0:15:10.320 constantly changing, which is why we chase it. Look, he was, 0:15:10.400 --> 0:15:13.480 of course a max player in the NBA. What's interesting though, 0:15:13.560 --> 0:15:16.800 in that this timeframe we're talking about is actually after 0:15:17.000 --> 0:15:21.120 Aspiration collapses. So we're looking at twenty twenty three and 0:15:21.280 --> 0:15:24.720 Aspiration is going bankrupt. It's under federal investigation by the 0:15:24.800 --> 0:15:26.960 end of that year. And so that deal, I'll just 0:15:27.000 --> 0:15:30.040 remind people, was twenty eight million dollars under contract for 0:15:30.120 --> 0:15:33.200 a no show endorsement deal that was never announced. If 0:15:33.240 --> 0:15:35.960 this is it's sounding familiar, let me know. And also 0:15:36.000 --> 0:15:38.440 a twenty million dollar equity deal in the company that 0:15:38.480 --> 0:15:40.880 was guaranteed to him. So that's forty eight million dollars 0:15:40.880 --> 0:15:43.480 in total value that was guaranteed to Kawhi Leonard on 0:15:43.520 --> 0:15:44.920 top of his NBA contract. 0:15:45.080 --> 0:15:45.920 And that's just that. 0:15:46.480 --> 0:15:49.480 But Aspiration, according to our reporting, is struggling to make 0:15:49.480 --> 0:15:52.720 the payments in twenty twenty three, of course, and what 0:15:52.880 --> 0:15:56.560 happens next is the story of these last two. 0:15:56.480 --> 0:15:57.640 Episodes we've now done. 0:15:57.920 --> 0:16:02.000 And what's so interesting Dan answer your question in this context, 0:16:02.640 --> 0:16:06.000 January twenty twenty four comes around and Kawhi Leonard does 0:16:06.000 --> 0:16:10.840 something shocking to NBA media. Certainly he takes less than 0:16:10.880 --> 0:16:14.280 the max. And so if you just put this all together, right, 0:16:14.320 --> 0:16:17.640 a guy who truly is here to earn as much 0:16:17.680 --> 0:16:21.840 as he possibly can and beyond, decides to take less 0:16:22.040 --> 0:16:25.720 from the Clippers to extend in January of twenty twenty four, 0:16:26.320 --> 0:16:29.920 while also still being owed money from this team sponsor, Aspiration, 0:16:30.000 --> 0:16:32.760 which according to the bankruptcy filing we obtained, owes him 0:16:32.760 --> 0:16:36.160 at least seven million dollars. And so why and how 0:16:36.160 --> 0:16:38.360 does he do that? Is what leads me to the 0:16:38.400 --> 0:16:41.720 story of Daktronics. And so we don't know how many 0:16:41.760 --> 0:16:44.520 millions of dollars we're in the Daktronics deal. We are actively, 0:16:44.560 --> 0:16:46.960 of course, interested in finding that number. But when you're 0:16:47.000 --> 0:16:49.640 talking about what was he paid beyond the cap, we're 0:16:49.640 --> 0:16:53.080 talking about the largest alleged salary caps or convention scheme 0:16:53.120 --> 0:16:56.560 in the history of sports, right, We're talking about something 0:16:56.600 --> 0:16:59.240 that ranges into the fifty plus million dollars if that 0:16:59.280 --> 0:17:02.120 would be a reasonable projection beyond what he was allowed 0:17:02.160 --> 0:17:02.680 to be paid. 0:17:03.000 --> 0:17:05.800 That's just based on inferences on our reporting. 0:17:07.760 --> 0:17:10.359 Which brings me to when you request to speak to 0:17:10.400 --> 0:17:13.560 the Clippers owner Steve Balmer, the response is what. 0:17:14.440 --> 0:17:17.760 The Clippers have stopped responding to our request for comment. 0:17:17.840 --> 0:17:19.639 We tell them what it's going to be in the episodes. 0:17:20.280 --> 0:17:23.440 For months now they've stopped responding. They used to say 0:17:23.480 --> 0:17:27.320 stuff like this is all provably false. And I've learned 0:17:27.320 --> 0:17:30.439 in the story Dan that words are very carefully chosen 0:17:30.520 --> 0:17:31.200 by lawyers. 0:17:31.400 --> 0:17:32.439 I didn't go to law school. 0:17:32.880 --> 0:17:35.000 I didn't make it to that point, but I've been 0:17:35.000 --> 0:17:38.679 told that words are important in legal proceedings. Provably false 0:17:38.920 --> 0:17:42.520 is a big claim, and it's been it's August seventh, 0:17:42.560 --> 0:17:46.200 I believe, and it's been eleven to twelve months, right, 0:17:46.359 --> 0:17:49.080 a year almost that we've been waiting to show how 0:17:49.080 --> 0:17:53.040 this is provably false. What I started reporting with aspiration, 0:17:53.160 --> 0:17:57.320 that's now into a second hidden sponsorship. And so we 0:17:57.440 --> 0:18:00.840 always ask, and what's so interesting about this story? Because 0:18:01.000 --> 0:18:02.840 request for comment is really important to us to get 0:18:02.840 --> 0:18:06.800 it right. We went to Daktronics. We went to the 0:18:06.840 --> 0:18:10.920 company itself and asked all of these questions, and what 0:18:11.119 --> 0:18:16.840 our colleague and collaborator, Sam Koppleman learned is that Daktronics 0:18:16.880 --> 0:18:20.439 wanted a The first response was, here's our general counsel 0:18:20.480 --> 0:18:22.600 talk to them. And Kawhi Leonard had not even been 0:18:22.640 --> 0:18:25.720 mentioned yet, So I was like, okay, so something already, 0:18:25.800 --> 0:18:29.439 They're on alert. Then they send us to a crisis 0:18:29.520 --> 0:18:32.480 comms firm, and you love when those enter the room 0:18:32.520 --> 0:18:35.520 because apparently there's now a crisis, and we still are 0:18:35.520 --> 0:18:37.639 wondering what do they think the crisis is, because we 0:18:37.640 --> 0:18:39.520 have a sense, but we haven't even started talking about 0:18:39.560 --> 0:18:42.199 that yet. And that crisis comes firm, and this is 0:18:42.200 --> 0:18:44.600 really important. They say two things that I want to 0:18:44.680 --> 0:18:48.439 quote for you here. One is quote my understanding is 0:18:48.520 --> 0:18:53.480 Daktronics doesn't have a deal with Kawhi right now, and 0:18:53.760 --> 0:18:57.399 I think the tense of right now is a useful 0:18:57.480 --> 0:18:59.520 thing to handing the lantern on for a second. Here, 0:18:59.760 --> 0:19:02.199 right now is the tense that they stand behind on 0:19:02.240 --> 0:19:05.919 the record. The second sentence they say is, quote, I 0:19:05.960 --> 0:19:07.200 don't know what the company this is. 0:19:07.240 --> 0:19:08.120 The crisis comes firm. 0:19:08.440 --> 0:19:11.160 I don't know what the company Daktronics wants to say 0:19:11.280 --> 0:19:15.000 or can say given the walk Tell investigation. 0:19:15.920 --> 0:19:19.640 End quote, and that is the crisis. 0:19:19.160 --> 0:19:22.720 Comms firm volunteering the name of the law firm that 0:19:22.800 --> 0:19:25.960 the NBA hired to investigate the Clippers for secret no 0:19:26.119 --> 0:19:29.120 show sponsorships for Kawhi Leonard. And so at this point 0:19:29.200 --> 0:19:32.960 you're like, Okay, you're realizing this is of great interest 0:19:33.000 --> 0:19:33.679 to Dectronics. 0:19:33.680 --> 0:19:35.040 They're familiar with this investigation. 0:19:35.119 --> 0:19:37.919 In fact, they've been managing the crisis of it before 0:19:37.960 --> 0:19:41.200 we called. And so now when it comes to getting 0:19:41.240 --> 0:19:43.800 questions and responses about did you have any proof that 0:19:43.880 --> 0:19:46.360 Kui did anything, how much was the deal for, when 0:19:46.359 --> 0:19:49.440 did it start, there is no further comment or response. 0:19:52.680 --> 0:19:56.359 I'm wondering, though, how this plays out if these things 0:19:56.400 --> 0:20:00.840 are true the NBA. You start with, Steve, I don't 0:20:00.840 --> 0:20:03.920 know what you can do with Kawhi Leonard, but give 0:20:03.960 --> 0:20:07.800 me the scenario or scenarios that you think that how 0:20:07.800 --> 0:20:08.520 this plays out. 0:20:09.119 --> 0:20:12.240 Yeah, so all of this got phenomenally I think concrete 0:20:12.280 --> 0:20:17.120 and tangible. When the trade Kawhi Leonard is traded from 0:20:17.119 --> 0:20:19.600 the Clippers to the Raptors to the team. By the way, 0:20:19.720 --> 0:20:22.959 that originally alleged in twenty nineteen that Kawhi Leonard and 0:20:23.040 --> 0:20:27.040 Dennis Roberts and his uncle unlicensed agent, had requested benefits 0:20:27.080 --> 0:20:31.040 beyond the salary cap in violation of the CBA. These 0:20:31.080 --> 0:20:34.400 include no show jobs. These include equity in the companies 0:20:34.920 --> 0:20:36.960 that they were hoping to get in business with through 0:20:37.000 --> 0:20:39.480 the team. So the Raptors, I say that to say, 0:20:39.520 --> 0:20:43.520 the Raptors know the backstage of this with unusual clarity 0:20:43.920 --> 0:20:48.160 as that timeline twenty nineteen is concerned, and so they 0:20:48.200 --> 0:20:51.199 want to trade for Kawhi Leonard. But what happens is, 0:20:51.240 --> 0:20:53.680 of course the trade is frozen. And what I've been 0:20:53.720 --> 0:20:55.720 told and what has now been reported, is that the 0:20:55.840 --> 0:20:57.760 change is that the NBA puts in front of the 0:20:57.840 --> 0:21:03.240 Raptors a piece of paper effectively indemnifies the NBA, the 0:21:03.320 --> 0:21:06.720 league itself, and the Clippers from any legal resource or 0:21:06.840 --> 0:21:11.240 negotiation if there are punishments specific to Kawhi Leonard, because 0:21:11.240 --> 0:21:14.680 those punishments will travel with the player to Toronto. If 0:21:14.720 --> 0:21:19.280 you pay X, you're getting whatever Kawhi ends up being 0:21:19.480 --> 0:21:23.680 post punishment. And the Raptors, in their perhaps eternal wisdom 0:21:23.920 --> 0:21:27.159 and this backdrop, say then we're not signing this, and 0:21:27.200 --> 0:21:29.680 therefore the trade is not proceeding, and so that trade 0:21:29.680 --> 0:21:33.280 has been frozen for weeks obviously, and so the question 0:21:33.280 --> 0:21:36.440 of what happens next is when is this ruling gonna 0:21:36.440 --> 0:21:39.399 come down? Will this ruling speak to the things that 0:21:39.400 --> 0:21:42.320