Dave Portnoy's contract tale has Ohio's Tate denying it

The boss didn't name anyone. He just labeled it a sequel, and on Thursday afternoon that was enough to set the office guessing.

The 2.0 is a callback. Back in September 2025, Dave went on The Unnamed Show to weigh in on Barstool contract negotiation drama after Big T said he wanted to make more than Nicky Smokes and Mintzy. That pitch became the house example of how not to ask for a raise: tie your number to a coworker's. Now someone has run the same play using White Sox Dave's salary as the floor. Dave was clear it wasn't Big T this time. He also made it clear he didn't think much of the strategy.

Since nobody was named, the internet went looking for a suspect, and Ohio's Tate got out in front of it with no words at all.

Ohio’s Tate

@OhioTate

t.co/WF0B6nJhih

Dave Portnoy

@stoolpresidente

Big T contract negotiation 2.0. (Obviously not Big T but not the best negotiation strategy) I know how much @barstoolWSD said he makes and there is no way I should ever make less than him

The gif is a joke, but there was a reason he felt he had to post it. The rumor had already made the rounds inside the building, and on The Yak Tate named the person he says started it: Lucas.

Viva La Stool

@VivaLaStool

Lucas was spreading some rumors up about Tate.

Lucas being the one to throw him under the bus is the funny part. 2 weeks ago, when The Yak was arguing about who could be voted out of a competition, Tate was counting Lucas as his partner.

Barstool Yak

@BarstoolYak

“If the last two can beat Lucas and I in two on two, then congrats to them.” – Tate

0:29

So the 2-on-2 partnership is apparently over. None of this is a real labor dispute. It's studio ribbing, and Dave never said who the employee is. What's real is that the sequel is out there and anyone who walks into Dave's office with a coworker's paycheck as their opening number is now a running bit. The guilty party can either own it on air or keep quiet and let Lucas pin it on someone else.