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Dan Le Batard
Now's a good time to remember where tequila's story truly began. In 1795, Cuervo invented tequila. Cuervo. What are you doing here?
Stugotz
Cuervo? Anytime someone says Cuervo, I show up.
Dan Le Batard
Well, I do know that to be true. But even during ad reads like Cuervo, I think he could lay out, especially for one of our great partners.
Stugotz
Sweet, delicious Cuervo.
Dan Le Batard
Since then, Cuervo has stayed true to its roots. The same family, the same land, the same passion.
Stugotz
Cuervo.
Dan Le Batard
So enjoy the tequila that started it all. Cuervo. Cuervo. The tequila that invented tequila. Proximo. Cuervo.com Please drink responsibly. Cuervo. This is the Dan Levatar show with the Stugats podcast.
Lucy Rodin
I'm a little worried that Arkansas got raptured. I mean, there's like, really nobody here. God does love the SEC more. Hey, Dan, it's me, Lucy. And we are here at beautiful Fayetteville, Arkansas. This is a lovely town. Dixon street is awesome. Arkansas fans, they. They are very kind people. The football here is terrible. It's awful and it's so, so bad. And their fans, they're very sad. And I gotta say, one game of this, I'm pretty sad too. How would you describe being an Arkansas fan? Disappointing.
Dan Le Batard
It's tough at times waking up on.
Lucy Rodin
Saturdays to my dad screaming, yelling at the tv.
Darren Waller
We're the bottom pit of the sec.
Dan Le Batard
Oh, heartbreaking at times. Well, most of the time heartbreaking. We call them the heartbreak hogs for.
Lucy Rodin
And it's always a big disappointment.
Dan Le Batard
But it's still fun. We get our hopes up every year.
Lucy Rodin
Why does it never work out? I blame Bobby Petrino.
Dan Le Batard
It's all Bobby Petrino's fault.
Lucy Rodin
It's literally all Bobby Petrino's fault. Are you guys the unluckiest athletic department athletics in all of college sports?
Dan Le Batard
Oh, hands down, Hands down. We're cursed.
Darren Waller
You know, they say you can have.
Dan Le Batard
Some good friends that'll leave you, you'll have some girls that'll leave you, but your team will never leave you. So they're always there.
Lucy Rodin
This team might. This team might actually leave you. Oh my gosh. Por sport chop pork chop. Sorry, he's talking to a kid now, but I would like to talk to him. Woo, pig. Love you, buddy. What I'm gonna do is I'm just gonna hand you the mic because this is your segment, this is your moment. This really isn't even about.
Darren Waller
I think you're right.
Dan Le Batard
Yeah, we got a free people sign. The People want to hear from people. The canes are like, 4 0. The fans want to know what people have to say right now. So, like, bring people back, please. Free people.
Lucy Rodin
I can tell you, Billy's gonna hate this so much.
Dan Le Batard
I'm speaking for the fans here. We want to know. We want to know where people's going, what he's thinking right now.
Lucy Rodin
You speak for the fans? I speak for Billy. Billy says no. If you guys got to pick Arkansas's head coach, who do you want and who do you think it'll be?
Dan Le Batard
I think Jon Gruden will be the coach. The Arkansas.
Lucy Rodin
Jon Gruden. What?
Dan Le Batard
Jon Gruden.
Lucy Rodin
Everyone is saying that. That is when everyone is given that answer. That's mental illness.
Dan Le Batard
Probably. Nick Saban.
Lucy Rodin
Yeah, that would be my top choice, too. You think he's coming back to go coach Arkansas specifically?
Dan Le Batard
Oh, yeah.
Mike Ryan
Yeah.
Dan Le Batard
When I hit the Powerball and I just have unlimited amount of money, I'm gonna throw him probably about 150 million to come be our coach.
Lucy Rodin
I love that. All right, so everyone go buy lottery tickets and get Nick Saban down here to Fayetteville.
Dan Le Batard
I'm not a rookie here. I bought some college football tickets in my time, but I've already used Code Dan.
Darren Waller
So here, use Code lucy.
Lucy Rodin
Lucy, for 20 off, your first order terms apply.
Dan Le Batard
So I used Code Dan. Now. This is great. Now I can actually use it again. I just got to get another fake burner email. But the heady play here is you get the wife to download game time and then use Code Lucy if you've already used it. That's how we got 20 off, and here we are.
Lucy Rodin
So the vibes here, I gotta be honest, they're off. People don't really seem to be drinking that much. Which, like, is Arkansas. It's the sec. I was not expecting that. Truly, this is like a defeated fan base, and it's honestly kind of sad. But I do love all the pig stuff. I think that's really cool. What was your reaction to your first time hearing them call the hogs wild? My dad, when he came here for orientation, said he needed a few more drinks. It's freaky in the best way.
Dan Le Batard
I've been trying to find out what actually wu pic suey means.
Lucy Rodin
Suey is a hog call. So because Arkansas is a farming state, there are a lot of hogs here, by the way. Wild boars, terrifying animals, and we're very scared of them. So when you're at a farm and you need your hogs to come and.
Dan Le Batard
You go.
Lucy Rodin
And you get the hogs to come.
Darren Waller
Let's do that again.
Lucy Rodin
Will is potentially the biggest show fan we've ever met. So we would like.
Dan Le Batard
I'm going to be the nuttiest fan this week.
Lucy Rodin
We would like to declare you the Hampton Farms nuttiest fan.
Dan Le Batard
Nuttiest fan of the week.
Darren Waller
Wow.
Lucy Rodin
We got you my favorite flavor which is spicy dill pickle.
Stugotz
Pickle.
Dan Le Batard
I saw him. I saw him eating this one. This is going to be a fan fan favorite.
Lucy Rodin
I think that is the best one. Today's trip and today's woo Pig sui was brought to you by Hampton Farms. Get nutty with Hampton Farms, the official snack nut of the tailgate.
Dan Le Batard
Go Hogs.
Lucy Rodin
Do you think this is Sam Pittman's last year?
Dan Le Batard
I've heard rumors we don't win today.
Darren Waller
I think he's out.
Dan Le Batard
Yeah, probably so.
Darren Waller
I hope so personally. Yes, yes, I do. Maybe his last game. I think he retires.
Mike Ryan
I don't think he quit or we fire him.
Darren Waller
I think he retires.
Lucy Rodin
I don't know. I'd have to ask my dad then come back to you. Okay. Yes. We gotta get your dad on the phone and he'll tell you he's done with Sam Pittman.
Stugotz
Notre Dame wiped the floor with Arkansas. You knew Arkansas was in big trouble when Notre Dame is doing football. 4th and 9 from its own 20 yard line. A double reverse fake punt with a pass from its own 20 yard line because they had no fear of anything Arkansas was doing. Lucy Rodin joins us now. How was the experience? You look beaten down from the experience. You look like a little sad while you're watching that video.
Lucy Rodin
Fayetteville. Lovely. Like one of my favorite towns we've gone to. Dixon street is really cool. The fans were really nice, but it was the first time. Well one, this is our first off roading firing. So that's kind of a big deal for us. Congratulations team. But this was the first time we went to a game where like, it was just the fans were apathetic. They were there just to like be there, but clearly like the vibes are off. That's probably one of the worst defenses I've ever seen. It was just like all around. That's a fan base too that I think you need the context of. Like they have gone through hell and back in every single sport. Like everything goes wrong for them in the most ridiculous way ever. So to break Arkansas fans, that has to be like rock bottom. And I was not expecting for them to fire Sam Pittman after this game just because he had A really weird contract, but. But I'm glad they're trying Bobby Petrino again. I'm sure that's going to work out really well.
Stugotz
This allows us to put on the screen your Bobby Petrino costume and my Bobby Petrino costume. Do you want to talk some Bobby Petrino? Because it's just lovely that Bobby Petrino would be back after, you know, ruining the entirety of his reputation and career while wrecking on a motorcycle.
Lucy Rodin
It's like, it's one of those things where, like, like I said earlier, things just go wrong for Arkansas. Everything is bad. And then occasionally you just look around, you know that's kind of your fault. Right? Like, this is a choice you made. Like, you're going back to Bobby Petrino after everything that has happened is like the most Arkansas ever. And so he's interim coach right now. He has made it very clear that he's like, I want this full time. Like, this is where I want to be. I want to be the head coach of Arkansas again and Arkansas. What was so fascinating about going to Fayetteville was seeing how much money there is in northwest Arkansas. Like, that is a. A very, very wealthy area. And Arkansas is a school that should be like Texas Tech. They should be just like, mopping it up in NIL with Walmart there, with Tyson Chicken there, with JB Hunt there. Like, they should be a very, very, like, wealthy athletics department, and it just isn't happening. So I don't know who they go out and hire. I don't know who they get for that job when the money isn't there, even though it should be. So it does feel like Bobby Petrino is the next head coach at Arkansas. And will it be good? Probably not. Will it be awesomely entertaining? Absolutely.
Stugotz
Gruden would fit there, vibes wise.
Lucy Rodin
Yes. He's. He's got the. The calling the hogs vibe, but it's just like, Arkansas, what are we doing? Like, what I think Arkansas should do is know that, okay, sec wise, you're kind of low. Maybe you could get some extra money. You were able to get the extra money to fire Sam Pittman. You got to try to find that next young guy. Like, you don't want to do what they're doing at UNC with Bill Belichick. You don't want to go back to Bobby Petrino. Like, you need to just go take a chance right now because, like, you have no other shot of succeeding.
Dan Le Batard
Lucy, how do you think the brass at Penn State feel about James Franklin?
Stugotz
Let me give some of these numbers by the way, James Franklin 1 in 15 against top 5 opponents, 4 and 21 against top 10 opponents, 15 and 30 against top 25 opponents, 4 and 17 against Michigan and Ohio State.
Lucy Rodin
Yeah. So after that loss, me just in my like full sicko brain, I immediately went to watch his postgame press conference. I was like, I got to watch this. And it was sa. Like one of the things that I'll, I'll give James Franklin, he's very self aware. Like someone asked him a question of like, okay, so this ranked team thing keeps happening, you keep losing. And he's like, I understand that narrative. And at this point it's not a narrative, it's factual. Like it's right in front of you. If I'm a Penn State fan, I'm frustrated because this is the best roster that you have had in a long time. And the big thing with Penn State was, okay, we are going to go and do the one thing we're supposed to do. We're going to go to the portal and get wide receivers. Because that was the, the issue. And they did that. They got three really good wide receivers out of the portal. They went and spent all that money on Jim Knowles. Like this was supposed to be the all or nothing year. And then you have James Franklin punting from the Oregon 36. You can't be all or nothing in the off season. And then in game, James Franklin is like, ah, let's just, let's just hope for the best. Like it's. Clearly there's going to be an insane level of frustration, but I don't think they're going to move on from James Franklin because like, who do you get? Like, it's. He is such a good coach. Except for in the game. Except for in the game. He just can't do that, which is like bad, but it's good. And so you're just like living your life as it is right now where Penn State will win a lot of games this year. They are a very good football team. But you look at like what is happening with Oregon and Dan Lanning lives his life. Like, I don't even know if they got a punter on that roster. The way he, he's calling fourth downs. Like Penn State needs a little bit of that. Like they need some urgency. I just feel like James Franklin doesn't know what's going on during the game.
Dan Le Batard
Did you watch Dan Lanning immediately following the game? Is he okay?
Lucy Rodin
Yeah. There are rumors going around that I won't, I won't acknowledge I have been to A Penn State whiteout game. That energy is insane. And I think he was just really, really hyped up on that energy. And maybe not anything else. I'm not going to make any assumptions.
Dan Le Batard
It was a white out. For sure.
Lucy Rodin
It was a white out. It was definitely rumors.
Stugotz
It sounds like you guys just did the rumors.
Dan Le Batard
You just know. You don't do that. Don't take it there, Dan. I mean nobody. He did.
Mike Ryan
He did.
Dan Le Batard
He did. That whispered in Zaz's ear. And then he'll say it.
Stugotz
Darren Waller is going to join us here in about 10 minutes. Fresh off his first two touchdown game is in five years.
Dan Le Batard
It's cocaine.
Stugotz
The last time.
Lucy Rodin
What?
Dan Le Batard
Whoa.
Stugotz
The last Darren Waller had two touchdowns was also against the Jets. He'll be joining us in a little bit. Let's get to lsu. Losing to Ole Miss.
Dan Le Batard
LSU really hates Priests. Wow. You turned on him. Finally. Tired of this. Can't hold it in for that long. Whatever. What am I protecting him for anyway?
Stugotz
You went to jail for him. You.
Dan Le Batard
What am I protecting him for? You're right. I spent my time thinking about what I did and I realized, why am I protecting him? This episode is supported by F X's the Lowdown starring Ethan Hawke. Allow us to introduce you to Lee Raybon, a quirky journalist slash rare bookstore owner, unofficial truth seeker who's always on the tail of his latest conspiracy. This time, his most recent expose puts him head to head with a powerful family that rules Tulsa. Meaning only one. He must be onto something big. FX is the lowdown. All new Tuesdays on FX stream on Hulu. You ever try to name all your financial accounts and their balances? 401ks, investments, properties. I can barely remember what I had for lunch, let alone all that stuff. That's why I started using Monarch Money. It's an all in one finance tool that pulls everything together. Your accounts, budgets, goals. And do one clean dashboard on your phone or laptop. And let me tell you, it was a wake up call. I found a 401k from some job I forgot existed. And it wasn't some small change. Ended up being a nice little chunk of change there for the boy. I realized that I had cash just sitting there doing nothing in my investments. Not as smart as I thought it was. Monarch makes all that obvious and actually feels doable. No spreadsheets, no hopping between apps. Just a real clear view of my money. You can even share with your partner or financial advisor.
Mike Ryan
No more.
Dan Le Batard
Wait, let's see how much we spent on that coffee or that takeout. Monarch puts everything on the table, literally. Don't let financial opportunity slip through the cracks. Use code dan@monimalmoney.com in your browser for half off your first year. That's 50% off your first year@monimalmoney.com with code DAN. Hey, Jeremy, old buddy, old pal.
Stugotz
Hey, Mike.
Dan Le Batard
I want to talk to you about Miller Lite. You and I have bonded over these last few weeks talking about our shared love of Miller Lite. That's right. A great partner of our show for practically its entire existence. It's been a partner of this show since I was 10 years old, and it's been around for 50 years, and they've been a part of our show for almost 20. We're approaching incredible partner status with Miller Lite. I mean, to think that people were celebrating at my bar mitzvah with Miller Lite as they were a partner of this show is pretty incredible. You're talking about the moments that are made better by making those times, those special times. Miller time. Jeremy, there's nothing like cracking open Miller Lite with your crew this football season. It's especially true whether it's a touchdown you didn't see coming or just arguing about fantasy lineups you already know you're gonna lose. Miller Lite has been the taste you can depend on for 50 years. Brewed for flavor with simple ingredients, rich toffee notes that iconic golden color. And here's a kicker. Jeremy.
Mike Ryan
What's that?
Dan Le Batard
It's just 96 calories. I still can't believe that we say it every week. I can't believe it. It's just 3.2 carbs per 12 ounces. It's the original light beer since 1975 and still hit indifferent five decades later. Miller Light, great taste. 96 calories. Go to millerlight.com dan to find delivery options near you. Or you can pick up some Miller Lite pretty much anywhere they sell beer. It's Miller time. Celebrate responsibly. Miller Brewing Company, Milwaukee, Wisconsin. 96 calories and 3.2 carbs per 12 ounces. Don Lebitard.
Stugotz
I want to talk to Hannah the astrophysicist, and I want to make bets.
Lucy Rodin
He's so smart.
Stugotz
Nobody and I want to know. No. See, this is what I want to do with our show. No, not. No. Don't let Billy's team of dumb demons spew all over the bottom of this company and piss all over the show. No stugats.
Dan Le Batard
Ian broke down everyone that was drafted on the offensive line except centers because the jets didn't need one.
Stugotz
Let's have Ian go against the astrophysicist head to head. And let's see. Let's put some money on it. You're informed. Idiot. Or Lucy's actually smart person who doesn't know anything. But at least we're going to choose an astrophysicist and not Taylor's roommate who's not named Ian.
Darren Waller
This is the Dan lebatar show with the Stugats.
Stugotz
LSU cannot run the ball. Let's check in with Brian Kelly when he was all defensive about being asked about the fact that among other things, his team can't run the ball.
Dan Le Batard
What are you seeing with your offense? Stop. Really? Is that the first question? We won the game 20 to 10. Try another question. What do you want me to tell you? I just laid it out for you. We played the game to win the game. We played the game to win the game. All right, how about third down then? What is going on with third down? It's one game. Last game we were great on third down. Your micro. You're looking at this from the wrong perspective. LSU won the football game. Won the game. I don't know what you want from me. What do you want? You want us to win 70 to nothing against Florida to keep you happy?
Stugotz
No, I think people want to know why you can't run the ball.
Dan Le Batard
Quite. We can run the ball. Did you see the last play of the game? That's all you need. You just need one. There's a ridiculous questions and I'm getting tired of it. That football team just work their tail off to get an SEC win. And you want to know what's wrong?
Stugotz
You know what? You're spoiled.
Dan Le Batard
You're spoiled. This team is 17 and one at night. 17 and one. Give them some respect. How about that? Give them some respect instead of micro analyzing every little thing. This is ridiculous. For a group of seasoned reporters, that kind of question is so out of line.
Stugotz
Was that Paul Kaharski? Was he. Was he badgering Paul or Brian Kelly? They can't run the ball. And Ole Miss dragged them. Lucy.
Lucy Rodin
Well, did you see that Mike Elko started his press conference off that way? He was like, do you guys want to talk about how we're not good at this? Like, he was clearly making fun of Brian Kelly, which I love. Michael. He's so fun. Yeah, they can't run the ball. They literally can't do it. And because they can't run the ball, Garrett Nussmeier is like lost in space. And so you have this offense that is so one dimensional that it becomes like zero dimensional. They can't do. Do anything because like you're not afraid of lsu. It's weird because it's a complete reverse of like what we've seen in previous lsu. Brian Kelly Teams of like their defense is what's keeping them around. They're like really getting close to Iowa territory here. Of like you no matter how good your defense is, if your offense cannot stay on the field, like your defense is going to get tired and this is just going to be like the, the existence you live where they. I know Kaden Durham didn't play this game but like you have to be able to run the ball. They can't. Ole Miss on the other hand, that is a good football team. What a problem to have where you go get this D2 transfer who is just like changed your entire world and now Austin Simmons is just like we got to stay with the hot hand. So it's going to be Trinidad Chambliss and they are a really good football team. And with Georgia losing to Alabama this weekend, we don't really know like sort of what the SEC is looking right. Like right now there's no front runner. Ole Miss is in an amazing position. Like they were in such a good spot where. Which we did not see coming with how much that team lost from last season.
Stugotz
Give me a better college football name than Trinidad Chambliss. Just one. Off the top of your head. Just a name.
Lucy Rodin
Shoot, there is a lot of good ones. I can't think of them right now. There's an all name team that none of the names are coming back to me.
Stugotz
ACC is blank.
Lucy Rodin
I mean it's Miami's to lose right now. Like that's what it is. It's a conference where I know Georgia Tech won this week, but they went and they just completely first happened. The bet against Wake Forest, like they were useless. It took Haynes King doing Haynes King things again to bring them back to life. You have Florida State losing on the road at Virginia which by the way that was the fastest field storm I've ever seen. Like they didn't.
Dan Le Batard
There was no jump. Yeah, they like just went straight forward into the field.
Lucy Rodin
It was so like I love a field storm. I don't want to pretend that I'm not a person who does, who doesn't. That scared me because it went so fast. It just like happened and. And nobody was off the field. Like that was terrifying. It happened so quick.
Stugotz
Mike had it right when he said World War Z. It's when the zombies Are that fast. It's terrifying when the zombies are fast.
Lucy Rodin
And like I think what was just so remarkable is like they didn't even try to stop. I don't see a security guard in sight. Like they knew it was going to happen. But like normally you have like at least like a 30 second buffer. That was crazy. It was so scary.
Dan Le Batard
Joseph Manjack the fourth, a white wide receiver from TCU who doesn't wear gloves.
Stugotz
No gloves. Give me, give me some music here for Lucy's Internet minute to close out the segment here. She's at Notre Dame this weekend fighting Irish, Boise State. Give us an Internet minute here to keep me and Cody younger than we actually are.
Lucy Rodin
So unfortunately the Internet was not as strong this week as it was last week. The rapture really was like just a great way to start. I haven't heard from any of the non raptures but I do have some pretty sad news. I hate to break this to our show audience to you all. Keith Urban and Nicole Kidman have separated. That came out. That was shocking. They have been together for 19 years. No one really knows what happened. What happened? Keith side said he initiated it. Nicole side that she said that she was trying to make it work. And it's. They need to fly all the aim AMC like flags at half staff today or half mast. I don't know why I couldn't say that. That's my Internet.
Dan Le Batard
Bill, your thoughts?
Lucy Rodin
That was like 20 seconds.
Dan Le Batard
I saw that this morning and I was really sad about the fact that, you know, they were together for such a long time and now that it's. It's over. Also Nashville is like a really weird place, right? Where like you could just go to the grocery store and Nicole Kidman is there.
Lucy Rodin
Yeah, it's a weird. I've never been to Nashville, but it doesn't seem like a city. I would like. I'm just gonna say that I'm sorry.
Dan Le Batard
Oh, it's lovely.
Stugotz
It is lovely.
Mike Ryan
It's a great city.
Dan Le Batard
Nashville Bulls we found. Ask you about it tomorrow. But today it's lovely. We found a rice player named Mobility.
Stugotz
That's pretty good.
Dan Le Batard
As good as it gets. Don't believe you. That's pretty good. We looked, we checked. Moh bility 19 years in, right? That's what they were together for. Married for Lucy and think about what.
Lucy Rodin
She went through with Tom Cruise. So you're like, no, Nicole, you just deserve love more than anybody. So it was very shocking. But let me remind you, separated is not divorced. I know divorce. My parents are divorced and they Were never separated. They were just straight up divorced. Straight to it could still get back together.
Stugotz
We will talk to you next week. Thank you, Lucy. Appreciate the insight.
Dan Le Batard
After that amount of time, I think I wouldn't give up. I'd just be like, this is what it is. I think after that amount of time, you know that it's over. I think you're just like, it's just.
Lucy Rodin
I don't know.
Dan Le Batard
Let's go.
Lucy Rodin
I'll just tell you. I could tell you confidently my parents are not getting back together, but Nicole.
Mike Ryan
And Keith might I have one more.
Dan Le Batard
Nerdy football question for. For Lucy. The SEC is basically the ACC with bigger budgets and a better publicist because that was an ACC ass weekend for the SEC too. Everybody that they tell you is good, all of a sudden one weekend passes, you have all sorts of questions about. I've been really liking what I'm seeing from Mizzou. Does Mizzou have what it takes to really surprised. Ahmad already is an incredible running back.
Lucy Rodin
They have an easy schedule, like by SEC standards. I think what is so interesting about Mizzou is if you look at what happened to Penn State this weekend, had they had Bo Peerbullah, I think that game would have gone differently. Like Drew Aller kept them in at parts, took them out. Like Bo might have been the better quarterback out of the two of them. He's so dynamic. He can run. They are like they're an Eli Drinkowicz team. They're going to have a real fun offense and they're really not playing anybody that season. Like, Mizzou is very much still in the fold. But the SEC is very, you're right, it's very SEC. It's very Big 12. Like it's all over the place. And I think we just keep telling ourselves that it's so great because, like, that's what we've always been told. We're like, I think it's very clear right now the Big Ten is the best conference in college football.
Stugotz
One more nerdy. One more nerdy football question before we get to Darren Waller. Give me the stat of the day music here quickly. Chris Cody, before I get to it and before. Before I ask Lucy about Georgia's quarterback situation.
Darren Waller
Start of the day, start of the day it is the start of the day Start of the day Start of the day it is the start of the day Start of the day Start of the day it is the start of the day Start of the day.
Dan Le Batard
Start of the day it is the.
Darren Waller
Start of the day.
Stugotz
Mike Ryan was blaming Georgia's quarterback situation and Kirby Smart for not staying with Carson beck. But the 13 third downs that Alabama converted against Georgia is the most any team has converted against Georgia in more than 30 years. Do you agree with Mike Ryan that there are six, seven or eight better quarterback situations just in the s the SEC than Georgia's quarterback situation?
Lucy Rodin
Yeah, I think I would agree with that. Just like off the top, like you Lenora Sellers, like you Ole Miss probably has two quarterbacks better than what Georgia has right now. I think you saw a little bit in this game of like kind of what Carson Beck dealt with last year, like drop passes. I think Georgia's real issue is their secondary. Like Alabama was cooking them through the air. When you're, when you're throwing a bubble screen to a 350 pound offensive lineman like you're just in hell. Like that's just what's happening.
Stugotz
We will talk to you next week. Lucy.
Dan Le Batard
That is a really good wide receiver room that they got in Alabama. They got three excellent dudes out there that's like Washington Husky wide receiver. So I guess Calen DeBoer can recruit wide receivers a little bit.
Stugotz
Thank you Lucy.
Lucy Rodin
They're throwing to offensive linemen like we cannot forget that they're doing that.
Dan Le Batard
That's insane. Do you hate Kaden Proctor?
Lucy Rodin
No, I wish him the best.
Stugotz
It was a screen pass. I can count on a 350 pound person to catch a screen pass. And then it was great fun watching. Do you know how odd it is to watch Georgia's defenders specifically look like sixth graders trying to attach themselves to somebody? He was that.
Lucy Rodin
There'S nothing you can do.
Stugotz
What are you gonna do? He just felt, he just leaned forward and everyone kept bouncing off of him.
Lucy Rodin
And he was like athletic with it. Like, like it was just crazy. It was the funniest thing I've ever seen. Like Ryan Grubbs back in his bag.
Dan Le Batard
I'm excited again.
Stugotz
The person catching the ball was 150 pounds heavier than everyone trying to tackle him.
Lucy Rodin
And they spent so much of the broadcast being like. And that's the skinniest he's ever been. Like he finally dropped down to this weight.
Stugotz
Thank you Lucy. Appreciate it.
Dan Le Batard
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Stugotz
So Greg Cody was very comfortable earlier in the show calling someone a nerd. And Rex ryan called Mike McDaniel nerd boy. Rex Ryan is publicly, as an announcer, meaner than most. I don't think he's in a position specifically.
Dan Le Batard
Yes, he seems mean, right?
Stugotz
He is mean. But him calling someone else a nerd, as in if he gets to be the cool one when he's got a van full of pizza boxes, fake teeth, and a foot fetish like you get to be the cool one. Let's hear Rex Ryan here talking about Shador Sanders and being mean.
Dan Le Batard
Stefanski is one of the.
Darren Waller
I mean, an outstanding coach, all right.
Dan Le Batard
But why the hell isn't he putting Shador Sanders. We're all waiting to see this Shador Sanders be the guy. Or Gabriel, whatever. Something's missing. Something's missing with this kid. This kid talks, he runs his mouth like he's a. I could be a starting quarterback with his arms crossed like this. Get your ass in the front row and study and do all that if.
Stugotz
I know the whole league knows.
Dan Le Batard
Quit being an embarrassment.
Darren Waller
That way you got the talent to be the quarterback. You should be.
Dan Le Batard
You should be embarrassed that you're not the quarterback.
Stugotz
Now him saying someone else runs their.
Dan Le Batard
Mouth really put his foot in his mouth there, huh? I mean, he is paid to do it here.
Stugotz
He is. But I. I'm going to go ahead and defer. I understand we all have our opinions, but I'm assuming Flacco is the starter because the the coach is seeing things that we're not seeing. He's got more invested in this need for winning than the rest of us. My guess is that the Young quarterbacks aren't ready.
Dan Le Batard
I mean, maybe Shudder does sit in the front of the film room. How does he know?
Mike Ryan
I mean, Diana Rossini's been on this show talking about why Shador Sanders is where he is on that depth chart. There's so many mistakes, so many things he did wrong in college that they're still trying to repair and get right. But I don't think it's a criticism to call somebody a nerd or nerdy. I think that's a compliment. I think in the context of NFL coaches, okay, It's a scale. Right up here on the macho end of the scale, you have the Dan Campbell's, you have the Mike Tomlins. Down here, you have the Mike McDaniels and the Liam Cohen's. Visually, just visually, they are nerdy, okay? If you take that as a criticism, that's on you, not me.
Darren Waller
What are you doing to Liam Cohen?
Mike Ryan
I think he's nerdy.
Dan Le Batard
He's like a big guy.
Mike Ryan
I don't care size. Visually, they're doing great for what they're working with.
Stugotz
You think it's a compliment when Rex ryan calls Mike McDaniel nerd boy?
Mike Ryan
Yes, yes. Because nerdy conveys intelligence. The nerd is the. Is the math whiz, the science whiz. If you're called nerdy in high school, you know what? It's the call. It's the football player, the thick necked football star calling you nerdy because he's jealous of your intelligence. When I call Mike McDaniel nerdy, look, he's nerdy visually, but he's got a mind.
Stugotz
Speaking of thick necks, we've got Darren Waller on. And I was telling you when the Dolphins signed Darren Waller, that what I saw from him, from the Raiders was someone who was unstoppable. It was really nice. It was a really nice story last night to see Darren Waller catch two touchdown passes. A man that size catching that pass on fourth down in the back of the end zone. That was a great pass and a great play all around. Want to welcome Darren Waller to the show. Congratulations on last night, Darren. You also recovered the onside kick at the end. I'm wondering, given what your journey has been the last few years, my guess is that you felt some pretty seismic joy at being able to contribute like that. Your first. Your first game out for the Dolphins.
Darren Waller
Yeah, I'm not gonna lie. I felt like I was on drugs most of the night. It was kind of crazy. But, yeah, definitely a lot of joy, man. Like. Like I always been Talking about getting back to the joy that I felt like when I was a kid. Like, the pure joy getting away from, like, the numbers, the stats. Just, like, being present to the moment and enjoying the game in the moment. And that was. Couldn't ask for more first game back. It's crazy.
Stugotz
Can you condense for us your journey over the last five years? Because it was. It was a really nice story to see you go from, you know, with. With in New York. It sounded like you had lost some of your love for football. You left football, and now you've returned to football this way. Take us through your feelings and. And the articulation of what the last five years have been like for you.
Darren Waller
Yeah, last five years. 2020 was the year where I had over 100 catches and made my. Made the Pro Bowl. So that was like, peak career. And then 20, 21 was when the injury started happening. 22 was hit by injuries, 23 was hit by injuries. Still productive years for when I was on the field, but the injuries were really holding me back, and that was kind of frustrating me. Life was just frustrating me. I felt like I needed to step away, and I feel like my higher power was leading me in a different direction, and I feel like going in that direction allowed me to come back to appreciate football just a cleaner vessel, you know what I'm saying? And, yeah, just still having something to provide. Just still trying to be a teammate that, you know, guys can look over to me and know that they can count on me to make something happen, whatever my role is at any given time. So, yeah, it's just crazy to be here and. And getting into camp, like, first two weeks of training after I signed with the Dolphins, I blew my quad out. Damn near tore my quad from my hip. So it was like, what is going on? Not trying to piece together, like, what this journey is supposed to be and not having the answers in the moment, but having a night like last night, just battling through the rehab and the humbling of just watching guys go through camp and not being able to be out there. It was just a crazy journey, man. It's been so many journeys in my life like that that if you had.
Stugotz
To choose a reason that you left football, would it have been physical pain or mental pain, which was more responsible for making you leave?
Darren Waller
It was more mental and emotional. Physical definitely contribute to it because it was just frustrating. I couldn't really feel like I could find answers, I guess, and maybe the mental and the emotional contributed to it, but it was like I found myself still at the same spot. Like, you know, when I was out the league for all the drugs and drinking I was doing, it was like, I don't know what I'm doing with my life. I feel like my life looks great on paper, but I don't know what I'm doing. And I felt that same feeling in 2023. And I was like, I need to, yeah, like, go into another chapter of reinventing myself and healing and, and growing. Like, if football's really meant for me, which I didn't think it was. Like, I was, I thought I was done for real and. But it opened the pathway, like I said, for my higher power to lead me back into this when I wasn't even necessarily looking for it. It just kind of happened organically. So. But answer your question, it was definitely more internal.
Stugotz
You've been very open talking about the darkness that you were feeling. What can. What are you comfortable sharing on the drinking and drugging and what kind of coping you were doing there to self medicate?
Darren Waller
Oh, yeah, back in the day, man. Yeah. I mean, smoking weed, drinking Percocet, like painkillers was my number one. Xanax, cocaine, you name anything, I could just give you a feeling and allow you to escape. Whatever the craziness is going on on the inside, I wanted to, to be a part of. So it was a, it was a wild journey before getting sober.
Stugotz
The Giants was the experience of not being a hundred catch person anymore because you really were unstoppable with the Raiders. You were, you, you were always open cornerbacks and those people are too small in the secondary to cover you. Can you take us through specifically how it is you went from 100 catches to losing your, like, how gradual was that?
Darren Waller
I mean, I can even look back to moments in those seasons. Like I always tell people this story. Played the jets in 2020. I had two, 200 yard game and the first practice back out on the field on Wednesday, I'm like, damn, I can't drop this passing routes on air when I literally just caught everything that was coming to me. So it's like there's always this internal doubt that I feel like I'm fighting every, every day or like this fear that I got to show up and press up against and, you know, just stand firm and be courageous. So, yeah, I don't know, man. I feel like if I'm not right internally, mentally, and staying with the practices that help me reinvent my life on multiple occasions, if I drift from those, whatever I'm doing, I'm probably going to Lose joy. And I feel like I lost sight of a lot of what makes up my spiritual life and keeps me feeling alive every day in 2023. And I feel like I needed 2024 away from the game. And the journeys through 2025, especially through this recovery from this injury, was a major spiritual test for me as well. Just humbling me in a lot of ways. Just getting me back to ground level with how much I love football. So, yeah, getting away from all the stats, like I said, and the accolades and just being like, man, what was that joy I had when I was a kid connecting to football and just trying to stay in that mind state.
Mike Ryan
Darren, you mentioned after the game last night that of all of the emotions you felt, one of them was a little bit of fear. Where does that fear come from?
Darren Waller
I think just being human, I feel like being afraid most of my life. That's why I was coping with the things I was coping with. A lot of times I was just afraid and, you know, just being out, being out of football for almost two calendar years. It's a violent game. It's a fast game. You know, these dudes that are coming out the league, I ain't played against most of them. Now I'm like, I think I'm the oldest dude on my team. And, you know, there's a lot of young dudes, they. They get faster, stronger, and it's just like. Like, you know, can you keep up? Like, can you still do what you did? Because my. My prime years that people may know me for was five, six years ago. So you can't necessarily rest on that. You gotta earn it every day. You gotta earn opportunities like last night. So, yeah, I feel like fear is in question. Like, I was sitting in my apartment yesterday before I went to the game, like, I'm really about to get hit. Like, we just about to see what happens. And not trying to play everything out in my head and try to make sure things go the right way. It's like, I've always been able to adapt, so let me just stay in the moment. My fear always feasts on me, either being in future or being on something in the past.
Dan Le Batard
Darren, what do you make of playing for Mike McDaniel compared to your past coaches?
Darren Waller
Mike McDaniel is really kind of blown me away a lot because, you know, we've kind of connected on, like, having similar journeys. I know he battled with alcohol a lot of his life and was able to find sobriety and just seeing, like, the principles and the standard that he preaches every Day were the same principles and standards that helped me change my life and still, I think, helped me find success in football, too, too. Because people think, like, 100 catch guy. Like, I'm going into the league the year thinking I'm getting 100 catches. It's really. Nah. Like, I'm just maximizing the moment that's right in front of me. I can't control how many opportunities that necessarily may be. If it is 100, great. If it's 42, it's going to be the best 42 possible. And, like, staying present, like, not even trying to go out there and say, I want to get certain level of results. You know, you think of, like, Bill Walsh, too. Like, he's one of the greatest coaches of all time, and he. He had a book called the Scoreboard Takes Care of Itself. So it's just like letting go of results, being focused on the standard. The process about which you go and get those results is something that he stands on and preaches. And I'm like, I never thought I'd hear a coach preaching this over, just like, we gotta be better. Get your ass going. Like, that's what I appreciate about him and that he stands on that. So it's really been refreshing to be.
Stugotz
Around him, given what your journey's been. That first touchdown last night. Give me one you've had in your career that felt as good as that one.
Dan Le Batard
One.
Mike Ryan
Ooh.
Darren Waller
You might got me stumped there. A game that I. That I feel like I held, like, in my memory, like, when I'm done and looking back as, like, a grandfather or something, one day it would be. We played the Ravens on my birthday in 2021. That was, like, my first game against Baltimore. That was my former team, and I had a whole bunch of family there, and I had a touchdown in the fourth quarter. And really, just that whole game was memorable. But, yeah, not. That touchdown was. That's. I don't think anything really compares to that for me.
Stugotz
Did you need the humbling?
Darren Waller
Absolutely. I feel like I always need it. I feel like everybody needs it. People that go too long without it. I don't know, man. I can only speak for my own journey. I feel like I definitely need it because I can begin to rest on my laurels and think I got everything figured out when I'm up. And, yeah, I feel like being humble gets me back to the things that really matter, that keep me grounded, whether the success is there or not. Not. And, yeah, I think I'm always going to need steady doses. I'm not going to like it when I get it. But nights like that, like last night prove that there's a process and nothing that happens to me or in my life isn't ultimately happening for my good.
Stugotz
What did you miss in 2024, man?
Darren Waller
It's a good question. I definitely missed the like, locker room camaraderie, like having guys like you could just laugh with, cut up with every day. Because 2024 was like, you know, I had some solid friends around me, but it was a lot of time spent alone, a lot of time spent doing a lot of hard work on the inside of myself. So it was a pretty lonely time, I would say. So that locker room, just joy, just like jumping and just being happy and playing pranks on people and all that stuff. Like, I hold that with so much more gratitude now. And yeah, just being in the mix, being in football and, and knowing that I have some gifts that God gave me and being proud of those and being going through the ups and the downs that come with having those gifts and saying like, yeah, my feet are planted here. I'm approaching this with a whole different perspective. Like, I needed, I needed to miss it. I think I feel like most people, we don't appreciate things while we got them. They got to be gone. I guess. So, yeah, I would say that.
Stugotz
What else did you realize that you hadn't appreciated enough?
Darren Waller
I don't think I appreciated the past versions of myself enough. Like, I never realized how passively critical I was of younger versions of myself. Like the younger versions of me that were doing drugs and drinking and getting arrested and being in trouble and stuff like that. But those younger versions of me were just in pain and trying to do the best they could to get through the experiences that I was. He was going through. So I got to show love to that younger version of me. Me from college, from high school, from middle school, you know, really intentionally form that relationship with the younger versions of myself. I wasn't necessarily doing that. I was so self critical of myself and still can be. So that's like a full time job of just not trying to beat myself up.
Dan Le Batard
Darren, how bad are the jets.
Darren Waller
Man? The jets, bro. They, I mean, I kept looking up at the screen, I was like, bro, they got so many rushing yards. Like, they were like, I mean, they're moving the ball, bro. Like they were efficient and, and you know, they got talent on, on defense. They got a great coach leading them. So I mean, I think it's a matter of time, like they got the leadership in place to, you know, Correct. Some of the things that aren't necessarily going their way, man. So they're a good football team, and they fought to the end, and they, you know, had chances to win that game. And to, you know, go up at fumble in the beginning, I feel like, was huge, too, because they were building a lot of momentum. Could have been a different game, but. But, man, it don't matter what happens, bro. I feel like teams can always respond to wherever they're at.
Stugotz
Darren, congratulations. It was really nice seeing that. I was happy for you last night. Thank you, sir.
Darren Waller
Yes, sir. Appreciate you having me.
Stugotz
The stat that I saw when he speaks of rushing defense and the reason that I was telling you that they were getting gashed is the Dolphins are allowing almost more than five yards per carry.
Mike Ryan
Yeah, terrible.
Stugotz
Like, that's. There can't be. There can't be another team in the league allowing five yards of carry. You allow five yards of carry, you're going to lose most football games.
Mike Ryan
Yeah. I think part of that is dropping back in coverage, though, because, you know, your cornerbacks are so bad and you have three cornerbacks injured.
Dan Le Batard
Smart move. Darren Waller's answer there. They play the jets again.
Mike Ryan
Yeah.
Dan Le Batard
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Stugotz
Cuervo? Anytime someone says Cuervo, I show up.
Dan Le Batard
Well, I do know that to be true. But even during ad reads like Cuervo, I think he could lay out, especially for one of our great partners.
Stugotz
Sweet, delicious Cuervo.
Dan Le Batard
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Stugotz
Cuervo.
Dan Le Batard
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Date: September 30, 2025
Hosts: Dan Le Batard, Stugotz
Guests: Lucy Rohden, Darren Waller, Mike Ryan
This episode blends the show’s signature irreverent humor with commentary on the wild world of college football, the perennial misery of Arkansas fans, and an inspiring interview with newly resurgent NFL tight end Darren Waller. Lucy Rohden reports from a deflated Fayetteville, Arkansas, as the Razorbacks hit rock bottom, while the hosts riff on coaching controversies, college football drama, and internet gossip. In a different tone, Darren Waller delivers a candid discussion about overcoming addiction, injuries, and his triumphant NFL return.
[00:43–06:16]
Key Points:
Notable Quote:
“It’s always a big disappointment… We call them the Heartbreak Hogs.”
— Dan Le Batard [01:50]
[07:34–09:31]
Notable Quote:
“Going back to Bobby Petrino after everything that has happened is like the most Arkansas ever.”
— Lucy Rohden [07:53]
Commentary:
[09:31–13:54]
Notable Quote:
“You can't be all or nothing in the offseason, and then in-game, James Franklin is like, ‘Ah, let's just hope for the best.’”
— Lucy Rohden [10:09]
[16:24–19:20]
[19:20–22:30]
[22:50–25:30]
[25:30–26:45]
Notable Moment:
“It was great fun watching... Georgia’s defenders... look like sixth graders trying to attach themselves to somebody.”
— Stugotz [25:51]
[28:19–31:13]
[31:13–43:33]
Key Insights:
Notable Quotes:
“I’m not gonna lie. I felt like I was on drugs most of the night. It was kind of crazy. But, yeah, definitely a lot of joy, man.”
— Darren Waller [31:55]
“If I’m not right internally, mentally, and staying with the practices that help me reinvent my life on multiple occasions, if I drift from those, whatever I’m doing, I’m probably going to lose joy.”
— Darren Waller [35:53]
“I always need [humbling]. I feel like everybody needs it... it gets me back to the things that really matter, that keep me grounded, whether the success is there or not.”
— Darren Waller [40:17]
This episode offers:
For listeners who missed the episode:
You’ll get a strong sense of the cultural chaos, football follies, and real-life comeback stories that make both the sport—and this podcast—so compelling.