The Down Laboratory Show, in partnership with DraftKin Sports, expands its reach across all 50 states with new streaming platforms and introduces Levitard Plus, a premium Apple Podcasts subscription offering exclusive content. A central segment features fans guessing Michael Wilbond’s surprise opinions, especially his criticism of ESPN’s lack of promotion for his show, which he frames as a cultural and regional issue reflecting Chicago’s South Side pride. The discussion pivots to a heated debate over whether a backward-throwing pass by Josh Allen constitutes a fumble or a legal play, highlighting the nuances of football rules. The hosts also mock absurd sponsorships during college football broadcasts, such as the fictional "Skyrizzy" medicine, criticizing the growing commercialization of sports content. A separate segment examines Tony Romo’s exit from CBS broadcasting, attributing it to personal pain and declining public appeal, while praising Mike Tomlin’s potential as a broadcaster due to his energetic, game-enthusiastic style. The episode concludes with a comedic take on the Yankees’ mistake during a no-hitter, where catcher Austin Wells attempts to take third base, prompting outrage from Tim Kirchen over poor base-running and the perceived disrespect to the game’s rules. Throughout, the show blends humor, analysis, and deep dives into sports culture, offering both entertainment and insight.
You are listening to The Down Laboratory Show in partnership with the DraftKin Sports app. Now live in all 50 states! There are as I've told you more places to get us than ever before. A partial list includes Samsung TV plus the Roku channel, Visio Watch Free, NBC Sports Now, which is also available on YouTube TV, Peacock, My Free Direct TV, Google TV, Sling Free Stream, 2B, The DraftKin's Network, Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Amazon Music and Sirius XM, Channel 85, NBC Sports Now, or wherever it is you get your podcasts. And also, we've started Levitard Plus. It's a subscription. It's audio only. It's exclusive to Apple Podcasts. It's built for the people who love us the most. It's bonus content twice a month to start with early, laugh, access and member perks on the way. Fear not, the show is still free every single episode. But this is the beginning of something else and we appreciate your support there. Levitard Plus, get in there early. Have you guys figured out- It's twice a week. You said twice a month. Twice a week. Excuse me. Out yet, how to do the imaging correctly on Michael Wilbond and the unpredictability of Michael Wilbond's opinions. Dan, we are so ready to cook with this segment. Last time, our third time, you know, third time's a charm. We nailed it. So we're cooking now. We're rolling. All right. Let's do it. Time to play a new game. It's sweeping the nation. It's called Guess what Michael Wilbond's response will be to this. What do you say? Shocking opinions. Unexpected answer. You know about those answers. Shocking revelation. I can't believe he said that. What do you say? Today's clip, Dan O. What does Michael Wilbond think of the way ESPN promotes his show? So do we get to guess, though? Do we- Okay. How does this work? I don't think you know how this game works. We work cooking. No, but I think- Print the food. Let's slow it down. We run the risk of him guessing exactly what he thinks and rendering the clip mood. I don't think- I think that that's the exercise that we're doing. If we can correctly guess it, then it makes fun of how long that intro is. But then it makes it predictable. You know, Dan made me think when he said, have we figured out how to execute this hit? Yeah. I think Dan is just falling for some fantastic imaging. Because in that imaging, you're thinking we're about to be shocked. The whole thing is it's very predictable, Dan. I know. And so if we predict it correctly, each time we're illustrating- Let's try it out. Maybe Dan made the game better. Dan guess. I don't think he feels like they've ever gotten enough promotion. Alright, let's find out together. You watch a lot of promos of this network of all the shows and this network and you'll never see mention of this show. There's a phrase where I'm from that utter. Alright, well, it starts with an "F" and ends with a "U". That's how I feel. I'm from Southside of Chicago. I got to chip on my shoulder every day. And you want to ignore this show really? Go ahead. But then ignore it. Don't watch it. Turn the channel. I don't care. But the promotion. You can go on your ESPN app. Steven A says, "MacAfee says" Steven, you won't find a mention of this show. So I got it right- You nailed it. But what if I had said I'm from the Southside of Chicago? What if I throw that in there? It's a big one. Go to that one. I think they're celebrating 25 years this month. I'm just learning about this because- I've never seen the show promoted. Couldn't we make the argument in Zazlow that that's a Mount Rushmore sports show of all time? Like, top four all time. I remember the first time I saw the show. I was blown away and I'm looking at- hold on. They're telling us what the topics are going to be that they're going to talk about blown away. They invented that on cable television. That wasn't done before that. I remember also that first week the show existed and Booge said it'll never last. Two sports writers talking on television will never last. What else is on the list of- if you have to go Mount Rushmore and you only get four- Studio shows for all time? I'm saying, there's only one from the studio shows that you're allowed to pick. I mean, I think maybe some of you will take college game day, but I think it's got to be inside the NBA. There's a short fire, Mount Rushmore show for all time. But if I say HBO real sports, 29 years- that was a really good show. Sports center has to be in there. Outside the lines. I think if you put sports center on there, outside the lines wouldn't end up making the cut. If your standard is inside the NBA, sports center, pardon the interruption- I'm X. How do you end up saying something, Dumber, that it's not out of the realm of possibility that Lane Johnson missed a game Sunday because he had become a ghost? I think he's helping. Are we doing the will-bond thing correctly yet? I don't know at this point. Well, how do we feel about Dan messing exactly what he was going to say? I don't like that. And then I'll split. Okay, so- Let's all go around the room. So how do you guys want to- Exactly. Oh, wait, no, I'm so guessing Lane Johnson's problem. See, that's a good game. Guess the personal problem is a good game. There is one time, okay? I'm doing this off of memory so I don't know how accurate I am. But Barrett Robbins is- that's his name, correct? Barrett Robbins, the center for the Raiders, who missed a Super Bowl because he had had a mental breakdown before the game. That's the only kind of personal problem that I think of when I think of an NFL player missing a game when the entire standard of what it is, those guys believe is you have to be able to count on the guy next to you. He will play through anything in order to be out there because we are brothers in arms in administering violence and we view what we're doing as sort of, you know, the equivalent of war when we start using our terminology on real estate acquisition. I'm messy just missed sometime because his dad died unexpectedly, sometimes players choose to be there for the birth of their children, which is really selfish of them. Regardless, we will move on to other subject matter. There he is. He wants to play that game so bad. You notice that I do? Well, it's just, you don't see it a whole lot. What could be going on there? My larger point is it's fairly rare when you only get 17 Sundays. These guys are preparing all year for 17 chances. I'm not including the playoffs, but it's for 17 chances. They don't often miss things for non-health-related reasons and usually there's not some sort of mental reason like anxiety for why it is that you would miss games. It's a good game. It's going well, too. I have a question because they're showing this Josh Allen incomplete pass. Did you see the throw that he tried to throw behind his back as he was getting pressured? He's about to get a safety on him and he just like, he's throwing underneath. Yeah, he chucked it, underhanded, but back underhanded, right? And everyone just accepted. I had it on mute, so I don't know if this was a discussion, guys. Everyone just accepted, oh, the arm was going forward, but no it wasn't. Yeah. The arm was going backwards, damn. The arm, it's going upwards, but not forward, it is quite literally going in the opposite direction. There was not a receiver in the area. He was inside the tackle box, but like it, like it conventionally I can understand why, you know, if he was thrown with like a conventional throwing motion, he can escape that. But they miss out on a sack. Shouldn't that be a fumble? Think about it. If you're tossing back underhanded, a ball, that's not a pass, that's not the arm going forward. That should be a fumble. Which way did the ball go? It went forward, backwards, but he was throwing it backwards, but it went forward. From where he was facing, it went backwards. Listen to him. TDF went us through three and two-thirds innings against the Dodgers in a win for the race, and the guy who started the game worked at 7/11, nine years ago. That's not the ball going forward at that point. It's a ball going backwards. The ball went over the line of scrimmage, that means it went forward. Yeah, but he was facing the opposite direction, and his arm was not going forward. It was going backwards. Listen to him. Funtus is also just 21. The last two weeks of Josh Allen have been fun, among my 51 observations last week was the play he made on 4th and 7 to help them win the game, which was him breaking
out of a tackle and then just sort of flipping it forward to get eight yards and the reverse of that is what you saw yesterday from Josh Allen, where he somehow gets out of the sack on, I think it was, what was it, second and 15, he gets out of the sack, no it was going to be 4th down, so it was 3rd and 15, he gets out of the sack and I don't know how he got out of the sack, I was draped on him and then he just chucks it down field and gets double coverage. I remember my analysis, which is as bad as any analysis that I have made on television or privately, honestly, where in a game against the Houston Texans, I saw Josh Allen throw into, deep down the field, double coverage to his full back, like 40 yards down field. After running the opposite way, like 15 yards if I remember correctly. It's hard to trust, you would agree, but it's so exciting when it works. He remains reckless, correct? Yeah, but I mean, I don't think that's what comes to mind at first from everyone anymore. Like he's toned that down significantly. Well, he's an MVP candidate, but I don't know, I think, I don't think he's actually toned that down significantly. I think he gets in trouble on it less than he used to and some of that is random, but he's still reckless as evidenced by the conversation we were just having, is that a forward pass when you throw it forward, but you're throwing it backwards because your arm is going forward, but your arm is going backward. It's going to be when it does happen, and I'm not sure when it does, but when the sport catches up to him and he starts aging, it's going to fall off pretty sharply for him. Put this on the pole, please. Was Josh Allen throwing the ball forward while throwing it backward, throwing it backward while throwing it forward? I'm just going to say fumble. Or fumble. It should have been fumble. Should have been fumble. Okay, some people in the chatter staying that he was outside the tackle box. Okay, then here's my argument, fumble, not a pass. The arm's not going forward. If it's going forward, though, which way is my arm going forward or backwards? But forward if your face matters where the ball is going matters where I'm facing. That's how you decide. But your line is images that way. If I do this, is that a behind the back? Yokech. Was that a behind the back pass or a forward? It was a cross-court pass. That's a behind the back pass. Behind. He made the forward pass behind his back. You can do that sometimes. But when you're facing that direction, if I'm facing this direction, I'm just throwing the ball backwards. I'm throwing the line is images that way. No, but it's got to be behind the line. But it's a backwards. My arm's not going forward. So are you telling me if you're facing backwards, but you throw the ball forward, that's not a fumble, forward pass. Which way am I throwing this pen? Which way? No, why don't you answer my question. Which way do I throw that pen? Let's do it forward. No, I threw it backwards. This is where you throw it forward. This conversation in the history of the sport is only one we can have around Josh Allen. No one, this isn't a conversation that has-- No, no, no, no, I disagree, I disagree. This conversation is not one we can have about Kim Ward or Horma Holmes. This is a Josh Allen exclusive conversation. Kim Ward, whoo, Dan. Kim Ward. All right. So, just so we all agree, let me-- this is a screwdriver. All right, forward. Forward. Don't have gas. Down lebertar. You're going to go to Buffalo with Bernie Pormley. Mike Ryan. In the jigs. This is the down lebertar show. Something else that I wanted to point out from the college football games, I want to, I want to just, I think I am not prisoner of the moment when I say we live in a time that has more hard to pronounce unspellable medicines than we have ever lived in, where the person comes on at the end with a ukulele and they give you 45 seconds of side effects that include anal bleeding and spinal leakage and don't worry about death. Yeah, just an assortment of just hard to pronounce impossible to spell things, but there was a sponsor on the final two minutes of a college football game that I left when they put up on the screen, basically a bunch of letters that were just gibberish and it went on endlessly, okay? I'm not making this up when I say that the medicine is called Skyrizzy and it's SKY. That's a classic thing. Skyrizzy. It's not Skyrizzy that gets you. Related to Darren Rizzy. It's not the Skyrizzy that gets you. It's SKY R-I-Z-I and then beneath it and I'm not making this up. It's sponsored the last two minutes of a football game I was watching. R-I-S-A-N-K-I-Z-U-M-A-B-Dash-R-Z-A-A and we're just taking money from anybody now to sponsor anything because we need to put sponsorships on everything. It's not enough that we're building all of the sports customers by charging them more than we've ever charged them by making them go to every single streaming service that exists if they want to make sure to get all of their football games. But beyond that as well, this is for what? It's for psoriasis. What is this? Exactly. Not Dan. They're notorious spenders on all sports products. You see it in the NBA, a ton. You see in the NFL. You see it everywhere. What if I sell you this, Danny? You ready? The Dan Levitage Show brought to you by Skyrizzy. Nothing is everything. Which is a good tagline for us. R-I-S-A-N-K-I-Z-U-M-A-B-Dash-R-Z-A-A. You want to try and pronounce that, Sazlis? Yeah. Rizankazooamob. Rizza. Jizza. The old dirty bastard. Rizankazooamob. It's expected deck. Blue liner for the penguins. And the ghost face, Kula. Man, if I was this company, I would just buy time on our show. There were a couple of broadcasting stories over the weekend that I found interesting. One of them is Tony Romo ends up being out at CBS. That happened somewhat quietly. I felt like over the weekend where football is moving so fast that JJ Watts, the guy for the rest of the season. And now one of the premier broadcast teams has been broken up. And I would say this is a bigger fumble for Romo than the extra point that he dropped in the playoffs against the Seattle Seahawks to cost the Dallas Cowboys a playoff game as the holder. A giant fumble by Romo, whose last words on the subject in a statement was that he was in constant debilitating pain and that he had swapped out alcohol for pain killers because of the amount of pain that he was in. He had one of the premier jobs in all of broadcasting and these jobs don't require any training. He went right to the front of the line and became one of the premier sports broadcasters in America. And maybe he works again in broadcasting, but it's going to be quite the substantive climb to get back in the game. Dan, the tough part is that I was just starting to miss Tony, right? Like because when you watch JJ Watts and listen to him, it sounds like all the other ones. What I loved about Tony's is that he would break in with me. I don't know. I would break up the monotony of listening to the game and the cadence of all right, first and 10. Here we go. Well, that was a great play by the, by the eight gap, you know, block or whatever. Like Tony was able to cut into things that I had never heard of, which were sounds usually. Can you remember a broadcaster who was as popular as he was immediately that had a downfall like this? I don't mean downfall as in, you know, do I lose a job? Whatever it is, but from the public, not really liking him so much anymore. A broadcaster that was wildly popular at the beginning, he had a parlor trick, right? The thing that he did at the beginning is he was so fresh off of the game that he was correctly predicting the play that was being run because he had so recently been in a huddle and it's something we hadn't seen before. And so I feel like he was getting credit for that more so than even the charisma, the charisma work, but there have been other charismatic broadcasters. In fact, in order to be one of the most popular broadcasters, you have to have a charisma and an enthusiasm for what you're watching, all of the greats whoever you think they are. John Madden, John Gruden, whoever, whoever you associate with, they're the best of the analysts, their love for the game shines through. And when he mentions JJ, well, I told you the first time I heard JJ, what it felt to me like he was trying to summon an enthusiasm that had been practiced, like that they are telling him in the conference rooms, hey, JJ, you have to be even more excited than you usually are because otherwise it's going to sound muted by comparison. But another very popular broadcaster whose popularity alludes me even though I don't mean this is criticism. I don't. I just have not understood why it is that everyone seems to love Kirk Herbstreet so much that we have to have him on all of the broadcasts. The reported details on his latest deal with Amazon is that Amazon could get out of the deal at any point if they find a broadcaster that they like more than Kirk Herbstreet. And I just found that to be unusual and I assume that the reason for that is that Al Michaels is in his 80s and Al Michaels and Kirk Herbstreet.
do not have magical chemistry, like it's a professional broadcast, but it doesn't sound special compared to the other broadcasts. It sounds special because our Michaels is on it and you know who our Michaels is. But as part of the chemistry that the two of them have, I don't think any of us would say that it's even the chemistry that Romo and Nance had or that Collinsworth and Terrico have or that Buck and Ickman have. We've now seen this happen with Tony Romo. And granted there's some personal issues that have affected this, but there's all sorts of ambiguity is what what is the ESPN going to do with the Monday night football booth? Detroit men's contract status is up in the air. We now have this Kirk Herb Street deal signed and everyone's like, wait, there's a weird out here. The entire industry is waiting for Sean McVey to go into broadcasting. That's what it is. And everyone wants to see how the dominoes fall after that because the same way Tony Romo bursts on the scene, everyone is fully expecting Sean McVey to be immediately incredible at this predictive analysis, charm, a voice that feels big when you attach it and pair it with someone, which is something that J.J. Watt is kind of struggling with a little bit right now because he's following somebody who had a genuine enthusiasm for the game. And even if it wasn't, it paired well nicely, a stick, a thing, a gimmick. And McVey enters broadcasting with all those things already established. So you're saying Herb Street signed a non-guaranteed deal. Like the team doesn't have to hold up their end of the contract. They can get rid of him when they want. While paying him whatever the substantive penalty costs would be to get out of the contract, I think Mike Tomlin could already be that if you wanted him to be that. If you wanted to stick Mike Tomlin in one of these booths, one of the rare things about what it is that we're talking about is it's fairly stunning and doesn't happen in a lot of other places where meritocracy is supposed to be what it is that you're striving for. Where somebody with very little experience just shoots right to the front of the line on the very best and high-paying jobs in the sport. Now you have to have generally the pedigree of a Cowboys quarterback. You have to have a resume like Troy Ackman's or Tony Ramos in order to do it. But it is rare that you shoot to the front of the line. Let me ask you, Tomlin, what he's presently doing. Do you guys think Tomlin will ever coach again? The way that this is going right now, I would say no. Depends on how long you want to stay away from it. I think he will. Because Cower for like four years was still at the top of every list and then eventually people got the idea and the game passes him by. Tomlin is going to be at the top of the list in terms of being sought out for a window here. It's always though always something that intrigues me how it is that you could have the cushy job that pays just as well that has no pressure or you can have the job that makes you miserable and so many of them and pays the same, doesn't pay more or pays the same and so many of them choose the misery. McVeigh could have gotten in his mid-30s after winning a Super Bowl, could have been cushy for the rest of his life on let me go just be adjacent to the game. But there's something addictive about being part of the game because these guys, I've told you guys before that these coaches are all control freaks and some of the weird things that happen around the shape of the ball and some of the weirdness that happens in the games gives them an absence of control. So they control the timeouts and they control who plays but very often they can't control how well the person is playing and there's something addictive about even having that much control which you lose when you're in the booth, when you're not actually connected to the people. There are production meetings but you're on the outside and there is a walled, a giant wall between you and the access, the glorious, holy access to what is the misery, the pain, the suffering and the pressure. But if your, Tomlin looks so much happier, he looks, he looks just when he's talking like he's happy to be talking as opposed to his press conferences when he's grinding through the press conferences in order to get through them but not necessarily looking like a man who's enjoying his work. Optics matter but a lot of those people love that misery. It's like the scene in heat, the action is the juice, like it's, it's not about the money, the action is the juice. But you understand what I'm saying when I say that one of the jobs allows him to spend time with his family and not have stress when he's away from the office and not have just an assortment of headaches because these are sprawling businesses and I've told you guys before that whether you're the director of a Hollywood movie, whether you're a CEO or whether you're a coach, all you actually are is the place where all of the problems go. Like I know the power position looks to people like of course I want that, it's the money I want the power but it's just if there's a problem anywhere in your organization, the 52nd guy did something dumb the night before the problem ends up on your desk and I would just think that in the case of Mike Tomlund for what? Like what do you, every season that you had a season you produced a winning season even when your quarterback was Mason Rudolph, like you've won a Super Bowl. Everyone knows you're great at your job. Why would you risk going back to anything the way Bella check has, like what, what's the point of doing anything like that when you already out your golden, you have, you have been released. Wait, you're not the center of an ecosystem. Yeah, there's misery and a lot of hard work but you're the guy, the buck stops with you. You're just a part of a team where you are the team and control freaks probably like that. Frank Costello could have gotten out at any moment when he was asked directly, hey, why don't you get out? It's a product of his environment. Right now you're just working with Jason Garrett, the most electric man on TV. I was seeing people were tweeting us that like I didn't catch any of it but that there were some glares from Jason Garrett not loving how electric Mike Tomlund is that there were some like looks back off. Why are you killing this? Simmons suggested that Tomlund get a couple cracks in the main booth with Collins Worth and to recon. This is what I'm telling you. I like that. I think that's the next step for him. I think there's no way he's bad at that job. Like the old occasionally get multiple games that they'll get a playoff game. Maybe he gets worked into that third broadcast and we realize because the one like Groot and made it hard last week because I'm I like John Groot and on on on social media videos. I love this enthusiasm of the game. If I if I could pair two people together, be Harlan and Groot and just give me that because I love Groot and sing. And then was well on his way before he decided to go back to being that generations, John Madden. Super exciting. Kitchie voice. A gimmick. Though I think Tomlund has some of that potential. I believe that when you're talking about McVey as the up and coming candidate, he's not more credentialed than Tomlund. Those are equals. Those are like to me. I know that he's got more word of mouth and people think of McVey as somebody who's got more personality. I say push. I say even. I say you can sit there and tell me whatever it is you want about McVey and I would say that Tomlund is just as good and has just as much credibility. I think what people are looking for with McVey is like this weird borderline rain man thing when it comes to offense because you've heard him talk. Yeah, memory being able to go back into his vast archive. Whereas what Tomlund gives you is more of a John Madden, the John Groot in type of enthusiasm where he'll just like spout a cliche but it'll land and it'll make you smile where if it came from somebody else, I don't like that guy. I like this guy. Did we know that Tomlund was going to do this like were we talking about this a year ago, two years ago, three years ago that when Tomlund is done coaching that he's going to go into broadcasting. No, we all expect about McVey. Yeah, we all expect that I'm going to go back into coaching. Yeah. So the point that I make it is Tomlund as like part of what has helped Tomlund's case here is it's a little bit of a surprise like, oh my God, he's so good at this. McVey, I don't know, maybe we're building it up too much. We've been expecting this from him for five or so years now and he finally gets there. He'd better be great. Anybody who's listening to this and has been listening to our show for a while knows that Mike Tomlund speaks electrical. Splash. Everyone who listens to the useless sound montage knows that Tomlund can make a cliche that he could dress it up and make it sound like it's not a cliche. The only worry for him is that he's so great in long stanzas that to like get him in bite size pieces. How can he do that? No, that's so much stuff to say. That's my worry with McVey. Like when you want him to do the rain man stuff on memorizations, my worry would be that on McVey. It's less so on Tomlund. He's going to be like, I remember seven years ago, we ran this exact, sorry, just focus on this game. I want to hear him say that though. He's got the exact play seven years ago in the third quarter and seven minutes left. Yeah, see? I don't like your McVey. I hate your McVey. I'll work on it. I don't think I like McVey anymore because of that. Your fake McVey sounds like a 30s guy. Uncle Poe. Yeah. You sounded like a 1930s guy in a reporter with a press hat going in with a lot of flash bulbs asking interrogation questions during the prohibition era. It was, it was very strange, but it is that you made. I was just trying to go higher with the voice.
and when I think higher, I go, "Ah, I'm old timey now." - "Down Levitar." - DJ Lars is playing Gulu in the back from my pit pool. I'm here with Dave Davish, and he's like, "Hey, guys, Pittsburgh, uh. " - All right, everybody's like, "What the f*** is this guy?" - Dave, then a chick. - He goes, "What TV's the Penguins game on?" (laughs) - Who the hell is this guy? - This is the "Down Levitar Show." (dramatic music) The Rams might not have rescued their season yesterday, but they did some salvaging, uh, how they almost lost to an Eagles team that is empirically playing the worst offense that an Eagles team has played this century. They were over 12 on third downs yesterday, going back to the two games that have been like, "Over 17 on third downs." It is a nept offense, and the reason for it is, and I'm gonna keep saying this, because I know that we get so enthusiastic because the games are close and exciting and interesting that we miss it, but the Eagles missing nine starters cease to be the Eagles. Those are just the Eagles uniforms. You can't be missing half of your team and expect for the offense to look the way that it looked during the Super Bowl. They can't even do the Tush push anymore. - They're not good at anymore. - They can't, they can't stop. I mean, Kelsey and those guys were really stronger than everybody else for a while and had an unstoppable play that had us changing league rules for a while. But do you understand what I'm saying when we keep putting the uniform out there? We keep putting what is ostensibly an NFL product out there. But the Detroit Lions secondary might as well have people running around in mechanics scrubs. Those are not NFL players that are getting dusted in the Lions secondary the first month of the season. They're pretending to be NFL players. They're NFL players only because all of the other NFL players are gone and we're a month in. We're a month in and Washington season is ruined. Washington season, they cannot play. - Maybe not, I don't know. Jayden is we come back. - You got the injuries for a fifth time before Drew Rasmussen? Drew Rasmussen, Dan. - I saw Austin, I clear out there. - What's your boy? - It's like, so I go to it in eighth time. - I saw Austin, I clear out there as well. - Call of a gun is to Austin, I clear. I was like, whoa. - Jeremy, who here do you think I would talk with about Drew Rasmussen? Who here even, like, do they know what he plays or what he plays for? - Well, they know what he plays for. - 'Cause I brought it up. - He's a brewer. - He could be a heat 15th man at this point. - You guys are killing me. - I know Colby Rasmussen. - Drew Rasmussen through seven and two thirds, no hit innings against the Yankees. - He's a Padre. - That bass running. - He's a Padre. - He's a Ray. - The Dodgers and Braves were playing at the same time as Sunday night football, and it asked me, do you want a second screen? - I live. - No. - No. Not whatsoever. I do. Panthers sharks. - Oh my God. - Let's talk about the bass running mistake that the Yankees made. - Oh, I'm so good. - Rasmussen, when they did finally get a hit and decided to, instead of just settling for second base, trying to get to third base on the most efficient, fundamental team that there is in baseball, the raise have not made this bass running mistake all year that the Yankees made in a playoff game, a playoff game that they lost one to nothing. Tim Kirchen was appalled by it. It was, Tim Kirchen found it to be blasphemy, the idea that you would try to take third base when you're already in scoring position, and the right fielder is holding the baseball. - 'Cause it's the first hit of the game. They haven't gotten a hit off Rasmussen. It's a one, nothing game, and Austin Wells, a catcher, tries to take third. - Not only did he try to take third, I love the analysis, and I don't know why it is that we all use a piano as the analysis, but many people were pointing out that as he rounded second base, you can see him slow down as if someone had placed a piano on his back. - Kirchen's reaction. - Yeah, let's just see Kirchen's reaction here so that people can see just, he's exasperated. I've enjoyed listening to him with Michael Kay on the Yankee broadcast, and he was just pissed off on behalf of baseball. On behalf of baseball played correctly. He was angry that the Yankees would desecrate the uniform by not understanding. You can't hit this human being. You have finally gotten a hit. You're in scoring position, get his ass out there, pinch run form, put him on second base, see if you can get another hit. You're buying yourself nothing by getting the third base. You're already in scoring position. Is Mike in his phone because he doesn't want to listen to baseball. - I was listening to Mike Verapel talk about CJ Gardener Johnson. - Oh, he said, I saw that quote. - Yeah, for God's sake, it's been on 18 teams. You should know the drill. - But Dan, as we're going to, we got to play this Kirchen sound. I want you to, for the audio, it's good audio here, but the visual audience, two things to look at. Tim's hands flying up and just annoyed at the bad base running and then the ultimate. I don't know if Tim Kirchens ever done this. The flip of the glasses. He flips his glasses onto the table because he is mad. Let's play it. - Rasmussen rocks slightly and fires. Hard line drive and it's down the right field. A lot of fair ball. The no hit bid comes to an end. Wells rounds first, heads for second. He's going for third. The relay throw from the shortstop. Wells beat him by a mile and he is 20 third base. And the inning is over. (laughing) A roller coaster of emotions as the no hitter disappears. And so does the Yankees threat of scoring here in the eight. - That can't happen. - Can not happen, Eddie. This is the big leagues. - This is the playoffs as well. That can not happen. Throw now by more than four steps before you even go head first into third base. I am sorry. But you do not make the first and third out at third base, especially when a pitcher like Drew Rasmussen is absolutely dealing on the mound. (laughing) - He's pissed. - Oh my God, that's a good pitch. - Look at that still shot of tennis. - It is angry as hell has ever been in his life. - He is so mad. Drew Rasmussen, the raise of one, his last 13 starts. Every time that guy takes the mound, they win his games and he strikes out to 10 people. - Well, look, it's in space. - And nobody knows it. Nobody outside of baseball knows it. Nobody, I could have quized you guys for the rest of time and you wouldn't have told me who it is that Drew Rasmussen pitches for or that he was even-- - He's a brave. (laughing) - Against the Yankees in the first round. - He's a guardian. - He's a guardian. - So let's just look at it. - In our defense, we weren't listening. - Let's just look again. Just you know, I don't want to play it again, but I just want to see the pictures. Any press, though I don't press crosses his arms and just stares down-- - Look how mad it is. - Hold on to that moment. - They are just so mad at the Yankees for playing baseball incorrectly. It's particularly offensive though to have your catcher try to take an extra bag.
Podcast Summary
Key Points:
The show introduces Levitard Plus, a new Apple Podcasts-only subscription offering exclusive, bonus content twice a week to fans who support the show.
A humorous segment challenges listeners to guess Michael Wilbond’s unexpected opinions on ESPN’s promotion of his show, highlighting the unpredictability and regional pride in his commentary.
Michael Wilbond criticizes ESPN’s lack of promotion for his show, referencing a regional phrase from South Side Chicago and calling it a "Mount Rushmore" moment in sports broadcasting history.
The discussion turns to a debated play involving Josh Allen, where the team argues whether a backward-throwing pass should be ruled a fumble or a legal pass, emphasizing technical precision in football rules.
The hosts mock absurd sponsorships during college football games, such as a nonsensical medicine named "Skyrizzy" with a complex, unpronounceable name, criticizing the over-saturation of commercial content.
Tony Romo’s exit from CBS broadcasting is discussed, with the hosts noting his loss of popularity due to personal pain and lack of chemistry, contrasting with other broadcasters like Kirk Herbstreet.
Mike Tomlin’s potential transition to broadcasting is analyzed, with the hosts suggesting he has the enthusiasm and charisma of John Madden and could thrive in the booth despite his coaching past.
A deep dive into baseball errors, particularly the Yankees’ ill-fated third-base attempt during a no-hitter, showcases Tim Kirchen’s outrage and the hosts’ playful commentary on poor base-running judgment.
Summary:
The Down Laboratory Show, in partnership with DraftKin Sports, expands its reach across all 50 states with new streaming platforms and introduces Levitard Plus, a premium Apple Podcasts subscription offering exclusive content. A central segment features fans guessing Michael Wilbond’s surprise opinions, especially his criticism of ESPN’s lack of promotion for his show, which he frames as a cultural and regional issue reflecting Chicago’s South Side pride. The discussion pivots to a heated debate over whether a backward-throwing pass by Josh Allen constitutes a fumble or a legal play, highlighting the nuances of football rules.
The hosts also mock absurd sponsorships during college football broadcasts, such as the fictional "Skyrizzy" medicine, criticizing the growing commercialization of sports content. A separate segment examines Tony Romo’s exit from CBS broadcasting, attributing it to personal pain and declining public appeal, while praising Mike Tomlin’s potential as a broadcaster due to his energetic, game-enthusiastic style. The episode concludes with a comedic take on the Yankees’ mistake during a no-hitter, where catcher Austin Wells attempts to take third base, prompting outrage from Tim Kirchen over poor base-running and the perceived disrespect to the game’s rules.
Throughout, the show blends humor, analysis, and deep dives into sports culture, offering both entertainment and insight.
FAQs
You can find the show on multiple platforms including Spotify, Apple Podcasts, Amazon Music, YouTube TV, Peacock, NBC Sports Now, Roku, Samsung TV, Google TV, Sling Free Stream, and My Free Direct TV.
Levitard Plus is an exclusive audio subscription available only on Apple Podcasts. It offers bonus content twice a week, early access to episodes, and member perks. The show remains free to listen to without a subscription.
This interactive segment involves audience members guessing Michael Wilbond's unexpected or shocking opinions. If the prediction is correct, it highlights the predictability of his responses, adding humor and engagement to the discussion.
Michael Wilbond criticizes ESPN for not promoting his show, stating he hasn't seen any mention of it in their app or promos, and calls it a sign of neglect despite the show's impact and legacy.
The show debates whether a backward-throwing pass by Josh Allen should be ruled a fumble or a forward pass, arguing that due to the arm movement and direction, it likely violated the rules of a legal pass and should be a fumble.
The show references a bizarre sponsorship during a college football game featuring the unpronounceable name 'Skyrizzy' (related to 'Skizzy' or 'Skylizzy'), which was displayed for over two minutes and sparked jokes about the absurdity of sports sponsorships.
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