The Dan Le Batard Show with Stugotz

"Best of DLS: Pete Carroll Runs a Play for Roy"

Date: January 2, 2026
Location: Elser Hotel, Downtown Miami
Hosts: Dan Le Batard, Stugotz, Mike Ryan, Chris Cody, Zaz, Ethan

Episode Overview

On this lively episode, Dan and the crew channel their signature blend of irreverent sports debate and office chaos focusing on:

• Absurd 'punishments': Mike Ryan cosplays as Pete Carroll (gum chewing, headset, football jargon) as his latest fantasy league penalty.
• Spirited NBA discourse: The collapse and future of the Heat, Mavericks, and Clippers—are major blow-ups ahead?
• Fan frustration: Unique emotional dynamics between NBA franchises and their supporters, particularly in Dallas.
• The overlooked brilliance of OKC and Nikola Jokic. Plus, there’s plenty of classic “team mutiny” energy, math arguments, and meta commentary on sports media storylines.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. Internal Show Mayhem: Punishments and Pete Carroll Bit

Timestamps: 01:28 – 11:23

• Dan’s Disarray: Dan opens up about his need for leadership, as a double crisis unfolds: Lous’ desperation for Chiefs winnings, and chaos in enforcing league punishments.

  • "I've got Louis roaming around here saying how badly he needs this Chiefs money on Sunday." (01:34)

• Punishment Bit Escalates: Mike Ryan, assigned a punishment, parodies Pete Carroll. This entails wearing a Raiders sweatshirt, chewing gum ("200% more," he claims), and muttering play-calling lingo to disrupt Dan.

  • "Every time I'm talking, Mike is whispering into his headset '57 is the mic...'" – Dan (04:20)
  • "I have to chew gum during the show…There might be times I have one, maybe two pieces of gum in my mouth while talking." – Mike Ryan (02:54)

• Disrespect or Commitment?: Dan argues Mike’s half-hearted costume disrespects both the audience and the punishments.

  • "You're cheating the punishments and the audience…You should be ashamed.” – Dan (09:54)
  • "Give me a break. Can you give me a break?" – Mike Ryan (10:10)

• Show Mutiny: The group gleefully distracts Dan, muttering fake football playcalls (“take the air out of the ball!”), causing show-within-a-show confusion.

  • "It's not just chewing gum. He's throwing marketplace at me, decoy plays at me." – Dan (11:11)

2. Miami Heat: Flaws Exposed, Fan Accountability

Timestamps: 05:04 – 08:57

• Heat Collapse: The group laments Miami’s “very bad loss” to an under-manned Cavs squad and the rare candor of Norman Powell admitting it was “a really bad loss.”
  • "'That's a really bad loss.' That’s something fans say. I rarely hear players say that." – Dan (05:12)
  • "Good for you, Norman Powell. I like you even more now." – Ethan (06:13)
• Fandom and Excuses: The loss prompts a wider discussion about team accountability, isolation-heavy offense, and fans’ higher expectations.
  • "This doesn't feel right. It's a lot of ISO ball...so much isolation from the Heat..." – Zaz (07:56)

3. Mavericks’ and Clippers’ Dysfunction: Blow It Up?

Timestamps: 11:23 – 29:49

• Dallas Mavericks: Fan Revolt & Tear Down?

  • Fan Hostility: Mavericks fans chant “Fire Nico” (GM) during crucial moments, reflecting deep-seated frustration after the Luka-for-Anthony Davis trade.
    • "Our customers are coming to the arena, and they kind of hate us." – Dan (13:03)
    • "Don’t tell me not to be angry and to move on." – Ethan (14:33)
  • Energy Matters: Is home-crowd negativity uniquely damaging for athletes?
    • "Home field advantage is a thing because the energy of the crowd matters…You’re gonna tell me the opposite of that doesn't affect players?" – Dan (19:51)
    • "The thing that I don’t think any pro athlete in any sport is prepared for is home crowd negative energy." – Zaz (20:45)

• Should Dallas or the Clippers Reboot?

  • Dallas Dilemma: With their pick still available, some argue it's time to “push the red button” and rebuild—even if trading away stars like Anthony Davis means losing value.
    • "You can't keep digging a hole and thinking, if I dig deeper, maybe I’ll get out of the hole." – Zaz (28:55)
  • Clippers’ Nightmare: The Clippers may stand to supercharge OKC if they implode, thanks to unprotected future picks.
    • "This other one's going to go down as one of the worst we've ever seen in the history of sports because…you’re going to be giving the [top] pick to OKC..." – Dan (33:50)
  • Blueprints and Cautionary Tales: Brooklyn’s failed gamble (Pierce/Garnett trade) is cited as the model for how trades can doom franchises for years.

4. NBA Discourse: Jokic Dominance & Underappreciated Regular Season Greatness

Timestamps: 41:10 – 43:58

• Jokic Stat Watch: Awe at Nikola Jokic’s historic shooting percentage (68% overall, 78% on twos), comparing him with Wilt Chamberlain and LeBron’s best seasons.
  • "He’s shooting 68 from the field...better than anyone ever, right?" – Dan (40:47)
• OKC’s Excellence and Media Blindness: Despite winning blowouts, teams like OKC and Denver are less watched—“the best teams aren’t always the best stories.”
  • "Their regular season is not interesting to the public." – Dan (42:23)
  • "If every game is a blowout, then it's really hard to keep people tuned in." – Zaz (43:05)

5. Signature Banter & Memorable Quotes

Timestamps Noted Throughout

• "Excellence is not an act. Respect a habit." – Mike Ryan (09:52)
• "If Daniel Day Lewis did it, you'd be jerking off all over yourself." – Zaz (36:11) [Classic boundary-pushing banter]
• "You know, it starts with me. I made the call to go to Roy..." – Mike Ryan's post-segment "coach speak" parody (44:54)
• “Lincoln, who you outed the other day.” – Dan (36:36), after Mike’s Daniel Day Lewis riff

6. Wrapping Up: Self-Awareness & Sports Media Satire

Timestamps: 44:54 – End

• The team, in classic style, jokes about “miscalling” Roy, pokes fun at coaches’ postgame clichés, and closes with meta jokes about focusing too long on basketball versus their bread-and-butter content (like CFP rankings and politics).

Notable Moments with Timestamps

• Punishment/Pete Carroll Role Play Causes Chaos: 02:42–11:23
• Norman Powell’s Candid Quote on Heat Loss: 05:12–06:13
• Dallas Fan Discontent Deep Dive: 12:26–22:59
• Should Mavericks/Clippers Blow It Up? (Perspectives and Trade Theories): 27:24–33:50
• Jokic Stat Marvel and Discussion: 40:47–41:37
• Signature Quote on Excellence: 09:52
• Daniel Day Lewis Jab: 36:11–36:23
• Coach “Press Conference” Parody: 44:54–45:34

Tone

The episode is filled with fast-paced banter, inside jokes, math arguments, and a healthy dose of meta satire mixed with real sports analysis. The energy is chaos-forward—a trademark of the Dan Le Batard Show—that both lampoons and reveres sports culture.

For listeners old and new, this episode is a snapshot of the show at its most chaotic, clever, and insightful: sports media critiqued and performed, with all the inside-baseball you expect.