Dan Le Batard joins the show to talk about his sabbatical and how it’s not really a sabbatical at all.

Le Batard hosts a Miami radio show for four hours a day, and still does PTI, but took time off from writing for the Miami Herald and ESPN the Magazine. We talk about why, and I ask if he misses writing.

We also talk about Miami, and I ask if it’s as bad a sports town as the rest of the country thinks. Honestly, I think I’ve attended bar mitzvahs that drew better than the Marlins have. That leads to a discussion about how he can do a sports talk show in a town that doesn’t care about sports. He actually feels that’s to his advantage and it’s an interesting thought as to why a show like his only works in a town that doesn’t really care about the minutiae of sports.

I’ve always wondered how people like Le Batard transition from being a reporter to being a pundit. People spend years learning how to report and cultivating sources. Then one day they are told how great a job they’ve done at reporting the news, they are being promoted to comment on someone else’s reporting. I ask Dan if he feels that’s a harder transition than one day putting down your tape recorder and getting on your soapbox. Does it take a different skill set to be successful in these disciplines?

We talk about his role on PTI, and if he’s actually hatable or if that’s just the schtick on the show. He wants to make it clear that he and Tony are friends and while he does genuinely annoy Tony, they do get along. And we get the real story behind “BAM!” Did he really have a public situation with Emeril in one of his restaurants?

1. “He asked if we needed anything or wanted anything and what I was supposed to say was, ‘yes I would love a photograph with you, Emeril.’  As if what the hell would I do with a photograph of Emeril Lagasse? What do I want a photograph with you for? Go get me my food....BITCH.”
   

We go from Emeril to Michael Phelps. Le Batard seems sorry that his interview with Phelps went the way it did. I think Phelps showed his true colors, and they aren’t red, white and blue.

I ask Dan about his relationship with Ricky Williams, and ask for his response to a quote he gave The Big Lead about defending athletes and judging people. How is he able to do his job without judging athletes? Interesting conversation, to say the least.

We end with a makeshift Big Finish, talking Kimbo Slice (is he done), the merits of golf as a sport (I say anything with a ball is a sport, he says if someone carries your equipment, you’re a wimp), McCain/Palin or Obama/Biden (he might not vote at all as their ‘both evil’) and if he watches Dexter.  Somehow I accuse him of being a psychopath.

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