Bussin’ With The Boys: The Boys Survived The Ice Storm & Will Compton Goes Toe To Toe With AT&T | For The Dads (Jan 28th, 2026)
Hosts: Will Compton & Taylor Lewan
Main Guests: Bussin’ with the Boys Crew (special dad edition)
Episode Focus: Nashville’s historic ice storm, fatherhood in chaos, prepping for disaster, and hilarious scars from service outages
Episode Overview
This episode of “For The Dads” is a raw, funny, and heartfelt debrief of Nashville’s 2026 generational ice storm straight from the trenches. Will Compton, joined by the usual crew, share their personal war stories of keeping homes intact, being “dad operators” through calamity, going toe-to-toe with AT&T over internet, and the universal experience of just trying not to lose your sanity as a parent. The episode offers both chaos and camaraderie as the guys highlight community, preparedness, and the weird joys (and pure stress) of dad life during a crisis.
Table of Contents
- The Ice Storm Hits Nashville (02:35)
- Dad Instincts: Preparation and “Recon” (05:56, 09:30)
- “It Was Like Tornado Damage… with Ice” (10:16)
- Power Outages, Generators & Resourcefulness (21:34)
- Will vs. AT&T: The Internet Standoff (31:27)
- Adventures in Apocalypse Shopping (14:53)
- Parenting in the Freeze: Chaos & Comedy (37:35)
- Community, Dad Hacks & Survival Lessons (58:06, 62:36)
- Listener Write-Ins & Sicko Moments (89:03, 113:54)
- Crack a Cold One: Celebrating the Small Wins (62:45)
- Closing Thoughts, Notable Quotes & Lessons (120:34)
The Ice Storm Hits Nashville
(Starts ~02:35)
- Nashville hit by a “once in a generation” ice storm; over half the city loses power, thousands stranded, roads blocked by downed trees and wires.
- Will, Taylor, and team set the scene: relocating families to hotels, huddling around generators, and noting "dad energy" surging citywide.
- Quote: “If you’re a father, there’s nothing like preparing for a storm…two things we don’t mess with — celery and ice.” — Will (06:05)
- Sherm’s family holes up in a pet-friendly hotel after losing power; Chef survives with his old man with a stove-heated, rationed house.
Dad Instincts: Preparation & Recon
(05:56, 09:30)
- Dads get an adrenaline rush prepping for crisis: “warm nose” meteorology debates, generator testing, and midnight “neighborhood recon.”
- Reconnaissance described as a borderline compulsion: “You know how dads are… you get a little curious, a little PT6 curiosity.” — Sherm (09:25)
- Community vibes: Dads helping dads cut down trees, block off live wires, or just gawk at the chaos outside.
“It Was Like Tornado Damage… with Ice”
(10:16)
- The guys compare the aftermath to post-tornado scenes: trees on houses, blocked roads, neighbors tree-watching from windows after hearing a crash.
- “It was truly reminiscent of tornado damage… Just everywhere.” — Sherm (10:16)
- Tales of harrowing drives, near-misses with “curious dad” syndrome, and the absurdity of Target (which looked “post-apocalyptic”) being the oasis.
Power Outages, Generators & Resourcefulness
(21:34)
- Will’s saga: Moves into a new house days before the storm, bets everything on a not-yet-approved generator. NES (Nashville Electric Service) slow-walks the final “orientation.”
- Called Uncle Chris for DIY generator guidance: “You have that one uncle that understands everything…” — Will (23:17)
- Finally gets the generator humming after multiple calls, manual scouring, and trial-by-error with error codes (31:07).
- Memorable sequence: Will nervously following instructions over FaceTime: “So I can touch this thing and I ain’t gon’ die, right?" — Will (30:15)
- Meanwhile, Sherm’s family splits up between friends, hotels, the shop, and dog sitting, highlighting grit and the emotional toll.
Will vs. AT&T: The Internet Standoff
(31:27, 79:30)
- Will’s power is saved by the generator, but the real crisis is the loss of AT&T internet: “You don’t know the true meaning of powerless until you can’t stream NFL playoffs.”
- Describes deploying a Starlink he grabbed at Home Depot, setting it up amidst the snow, dodging trees, and using every dad hack he can Google up.
- Quote: “You’re connecting to a possibility of my foot up your ass!” — Will, to AT&T’s corporate (81:36)
- Special recognition of how influencer rage will get you a customer support ticket—faster.
Adventures in Apocalypse Shopping
(14:53)
- Will’s classic “dad supply run” to blackout-Target: “Felt like I broke in…pushing around, wheel squeaking and echoing, nobody inside.” — Will (16:10)
- Scores the prize haul of the storm: toilet paper and Olipop drinks.
- Breaks into the blue-tarped produce aisles to find his favorite drinks, contemplates the moral line of shopping from under tarps.
- “Am I allowed to buy these? Buddy, it’s just you in here.” (18:49)
- “Hit a couple donuts in the Target lot—sue me!” Will, illustrating the need for small wins.
Parenting in the Freeze: Chaos & Comedy
(37:35)
- The rawest moments of dad life: Keeping kids busy with no TV, freezing pipes, and constant “bear games” (“My knees are bleeding right now” – Will, 58:47).
- Sherm describes the “spiritual” pain of leaving his house for a hotel: “Didn’t want to leave my damn house… but with a six-month-old and dogs, you gotta make the call.”
- Legendary description of the dog-friendly hotel: “These shits looked like fat Cuban cigars, but like double that…” — Sherm (52:28)
- Will’s daughters’ personalities on vivid display—Scotty, the chaos agent, choking on pizza, falling in the snow, and eating with the “dog in her” (38:09, 40:21)
- “She’s different. She is truly your daughter.” — Sherm (39:42)
Community, Dad Hacks & Survival Lessons
(58:06, 62:36)
- Apocalypse bonds: Neighborhoods sharing firewood, rides, and, if needed, hotel tips.
- “Nashville’s already a great community, but it’s really cool to see that physical manifestation.” — Sherm (66:59)
- Dad hack gold: Always over-prepare (“failure to prepare is preparing to fail”), keep the fire-starter kit close, know your emergency hotel policy, and “plan as if you’re leaving and don’t know when you’ll be back.” (116:44)
- Candid prep advice: “Every night before bed, drip every faucet, open up the cabinets…” (59:19)
- Learning the hard way: Always keep more salt than you think you’ll need (58:56)
Listener Write-Ins & Sicko Moments
(89:03, 113:54)
- Community engagement peaks—massive Spotify and YouTube comment threads, subreddit R/forthedadspodcast shoutouts.
- Dad competition: Listeners betting diapers on high school basketball games, prepping for newborns, and learning to “embrace the suck.”
- Hilarious clap-back to an online “hater dad” upset by dad victories: “Maybe I’ll still tuck him in. You don’t want to see family victories? Here’s a couple of my personal ones…” — Will (70:09)
- Listener voicemail from Andy, a 27-year-old storm responder: “All men should prepare like they’re about to leave and don’t know when they’re coming back—even if you’re lucky enough to stay home” (116:50)
Crack a Cold One: Celebrating the Small Wins
(62:45)
- Sponsored by Olipop—special shoutout for pandemic-era Target haul.
- Small win: Doing yoga as a family in the power outage, kids climbing all over during stretches.
- Nashville's mutual aid: “Shout out to good people being good people!” — Sherm (66:59)
Closing Thoughts, Notable Quotes, & Lessons
(120:34)
- Sherm’s family mantra: “All that matters is that we’re together… Years from now, you won’t remember the schedule, score, or money—you’ll remember the people who were with you in the trenches.” (from his mom; 118:36)
- Will’s Dan Gable quote, applied to dad prep: “A lot of my intensity…was due to my mental preparation before the matches. I got myself into a different world.” (121:00)
- Final takeaways:
- “Prepare for the worst, hope for the best.”
- “When it feels heavy, come back to what matters most—the people around you.”
- “My valleys are higher than most people’s peaks.” — Dan Gable; dedicated by Sherm to his family after the loss of their 16-year family dog (122:38)
- Gratitude for hardships: These are the stories you’ll remember and bond over down the road.
Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments
- On Dad Hacks & Curiosity:
“You know how dads are, we get a little curious…let’s go do a little recon.” — Sherm (09:25) - On Losing Internet:
“You’re connecting to a possibility of my foot up your ass!” — Will, to AT&T (81:36) - On Surviving the Suck:
“These are the times you look back and be like, hey, we made it…we graded out through this.” — Will (58:06) - On Parenting Chaos:
“I feel like maybe watching a boy…the amount of trouble she gets into, she’s just devious.” — Will on Scotty (37:35) - Summing Up the Episode:
“Being together doesn’t mean everything is easier. Oftentimes, true growth comes from the deepest trenches.” — Sherm (120:34)
Timestamps for Key Segments
- Ice Storm Context/Survival: 05:56, 10:16, 21:34, 58:06
- Generators & AT&T War: 23:16, 31:27, 79:30
- Target Run & Apocalypse Shopping: 14:53, 16:10
- Parenting Highlights: 37:35, 38:09, 39:42
- Community & Dad Hacks: 62:36, 89:03
- Listener Voicemail (Andy): 114:56
- Crack a Cold One Segment: 62:45
- Reflection & Final Lessons: 120:34
Episode Tone & Charisma
Unfiltered, fast-talking, high-energy banter with self-deprecating humor, classic dad competitiveness, and palpable affection for family, friends, and community. The boys strike a pitch-perfect mix of laughing at their own struggles and highlighting the seriousness of real hardship, all while using the language and inside jokes of “dads” everywhere.
For New Listeners
Whether you’re a dad, parent, or just a “curious sicko,” this episode captures the messy beauty of showing up for your family, your friends, and your city when stuff hits the fan. Prepare to laugh, nod along, and maybe even get a little choked up.
P.S. — The community continues in the comment sections, voicemails, and the newly thriving Reddit page: r/forthedadspodcast.
Contact & Merch:
- Merch: BWTB.com
- Call-in: 601-the-Dads
- Email: 601thedadsgmail.com
POW! Stay warm, stay safe, and as the boys would say, “Good.”
