Hey Riddle Riddle – Patreon Preview #372: A League of Their One (eye) w/ Tyler Davis
Release Date: April 24, 2026
Episode Main Theme:
An improv-heavy episode featuring a heartwarming and hilarious story about a misfit cyclops longing to fit in on a not-so-great penguin baseball team. Adal Rifai, Erin Keif, John Patrick Coan, and guest Tyler Davis bring signature character work and banter, blending themes of perseverance, acceptance, and underdog comedy.
Main Storyline: Penguin Baseball & the Outsider Cyclops
The core of the episode is an extended improv scene about a struggling youth penguin baseball team, featuring an earnest but awkward cyclops player, his beleaguered teammates, a sarcastic coach, and an unexpected visit from a penguin baseball scout.
Key Discussion Points & Insights
1. The Penguin Baseball Team’s Struggles
- The episode opens mid-game with the team lamenting yet another strikeout and their perennial losing streak ([00:02]):
- Marco (A): “Another strikeout. Ugh. This sucks. We suck. We're losers.”
- Coach (B): Tries to console the players, albeit halfheartedly.
- Cyclops player Sigh (C) laments his lack of depth perception due to his single eye—making it comically difficult to track the “egg” (the ball) ([00:25]):
- Sigh (C): “I got this one eye and it makes it so I see really good. But the depth of the ball is... I’m petering off… I don’t really know what this one eye does.”
- The game itself is played with eggs instead of balls, poking fun at penguin behavior and further heightening the absurdity ([00:38]):
2. Team Dynamics and Banter
- Teammates tease Sigh (C) for his struggles, but he persists despite continual setbacks ([00:25]–[02:37]).
- Coach is both a source of tough love and comic antagonism, often singling Sigh out for his failures, and lamenting the frequency of their blowout losses:
- Coach (B) ([03:57]): “You cannot enact the mercy rule more than seven times in a season… every time Cy has been in the roster, we have hit that 30 odd point deficit.”
- The group humorously references orange slices, Capri Suns, and the dynamics of kids’ sports ([01:16]):
- Sigh (C): “My mom brought orange slices and Capri Suns. If anyone wants to partake...”
3. Why Play? – The Cyclops’ Motivation
- In a poignant moment, Sigh tries to explain his motivation:
- Sigh (C) ([03:09]): “When I was a baby cyclops, my dad took me to a New Orleans Night Owls game, and it was the best night of my life… all these penguins come alive, sliding on their stomachs… It’s the greatest game in the world.”
- He expresses that passion doesn’t require talent:
- Sigh (C) ([03:47]): “You don’t have to be good at something to be passionate about something.”
- This is met with resigned confusion from teammates who focus solely on wins and losses.
4. The Arrival of Moxie Calhoun, Penguin Baseball Scout
- Enter Moxie Calhoun (Tyler Davis, D), a comically world-weary scout whose car broke down and attends the game merely for lack of options ([05:35]):
- Moxie (D): “I’m just out of gasoline… I’ll just sit down here, grab a hot dog, grab a snow cone, and wait for AAA…”
- Sigh (C) excitedly asks if a cyclops might ever get to play in the league ([06:49]):
- C: “Do you think maybe one day they could let in a Cyclops such as myself?”
- Moxie’s response is characteristically bemused, vomiting with laughter while eating a hot dog ([07:16]), underlining the absurdity but not dashing hope outright.
5. Final Game Moments: Hope, Humiliation, & Acceptance
- Sigh misses his at-bat due to distraction:
- Umpire (A) ([07:21]): “Strike three. The batter never came to the batter’s box. So Cyclops has struck out.”
- Sigh (C): “Sorry, guys. Sorry I let you down again.”
- Moxie notes Sigh’s passion, considering him not as a player but as a “gopher” (assistant)—a backhanded offer of inclusion ([08:02]):
- Moxie (D): “Like a gopher. Like, go get coffee or, like, grab folding chairs for meetings.”
- Coach’s vulnerability is revealed after a devastating insult from Sigh, showing he himself is an outsider in his own way ([08:29]):
- Coach (B): “I didn’t want to be the penguin baseball coach… it was kind of forced on me. And I’m not good at it… But I deserve a chance. And you… I guess you deserve a chance too.”
- The team ultimately loses spectacularly, but not without camaraderie ([10:05]):
- A: “That’s the game, folks. They lost big time.”
- C: “We probably should have kept the eye on the egg.”
- D: “Wow, the other team isn’t even celebrating. That’s how easy a win it was.”
Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments
| Timestamp | Quote | Speaker (Character) |
| -------------- | ----------------------------------------------------------------------------- | --------------------------- |
| 00:47 | “How you gonna play penguin baseball with no egg?” | Coach (B) |
| 01:37 | “This little Cyclops lookin’ ass.” | Coach (B) |
| 03:47 | “You don’t have to be good at something to be passionate about something.” | Sigh (C) |
| 05:53 | “I am a penguin baseball scout.” | Moxie Calhoun (D) |
| 07:16 | [laughing while eating a hot dog] | Moxie Calhoun (D) |
| 08:29 | “Yeah, well, you’re a history teacher, sir. Coach. You weren’t even hired to be a Penguin baseball coach. You were just a history teacher and they needed someone.” | Sigh (C) |
| 08:43 | “Oh, I’M being read to filth.” | Coach (B) |
| 09:35 | “That sick burn really got me thinking.” | Coach (B) |
| 10:12 | “Wow, the other team isn’t even celebrating. That’s how easy a win it was.” | Moxie Calhoun (D) |
| 10:23 | “Hey, Riddle. Riddle's Clue crew.” | Sigh (C) (breaking the 4th wall) |
Key Timestamps for Segments
- 00:02–02:10: Team’s struggles, Sigh’s self-doubt, baseball game setup
- 02:10–05:20: In-game banter, mercy rule, Dougie’s broken legs, scouting rumors
- 05:20–06:49: Penguin baseball scout Moxie Calhoun appears
- 06:50–08:12: Sigh’s aspirations, comic hot dog disaster, missed at-bat
- 08:13–10:00: Moxie offers Sigh a “gopher” spot, Coach opens up, Sigh delivers an epic burn
- 10:00–10:23: The crushing defeat, postmortem, meta joke to “Clue Crew” listeners
Tone & Style
- Improvised, irreverent, and heartfelt—true to Hey Riddle Riddle’s signature comedic style.
- Balances zany character work with moments of sincerity and sharp wit.
- Language stays playful and tongue-in-cheek, with the cast often riffing off each other’s absurd premises.
For First-Time Listeners
This episode exemplifies Hey Riddle Riddle’s blend of surreal humor, character-driven improv, and surprisingly poignant moments. Set against the quirky backdrop of “penguin baseball,” it explores what it means to pursue passions even when you’re on the losing team—literally and figuratively.
Not to be missed:
- Sigh’s heartfelt (and hilarious) monologue about his love for the game ([03:09–03:47])
- The comic escalation of the coach’s apathy and Moxie’s unexpected sincerity
- The “meta” sign-off pitching the Patreon, remaining true to the show’s running jokes
If you enjoyed this episode, check out the Clue Crew bonus content for more improv-heavy, off-the-wall riddle and character adventures!
