Hour 1: Dan Le Batard Is An Insane Person

Summary

The Dan Le Batard Show with Stugotz

Episode: Hour 1: Dan Le Batard Is An Insane Person
Date: January 23, 2026

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Main Theme / Purpose

This episode, recorded at the Elser Hotel in Downtown Miami, features Dan Le Batard, Stugotz, and the crew providing their irreverent, insightful takes on recent sports happenings—especially NFL playoffs, college football's championship game, sports media trends, and the unique personalities shaping the conversation. They dissect the mystique of certain teams and coaches, reflect on iconic plays, and passionately debate the cultural importance of sports television broadcasts.

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Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. Puka Nacua, Sean McVay, and the Rams’ Wide Receiver Magic

• The episode opens with a playful "Puka Polka" song celebrating breakout Rams receiver Puka Nacua.
• Dan marvels at how the Rams “just replace Cooper Kupp” with another unstoppable target, highlighting the uniqueness of McVay’s offensive system (01:00).
• Discussion centers on McVay’s brilliance, Matthew Stafford’s quarterback play, and the front office’s talent scouting.
• Quote:
  Dan: “I don't understand how it is that one coach can do that and...none of the others can.” (03:24)
• They question if Nakua's success would happen on any other team, crediting the Rams' unique structure and philosophy (02:47).

2. NFL Playoff Psychology & Mistrust in Teams

• Dan fixates on the unpredictability of players like Sam Darnold, using the spread in the Rams-Seahawks game as an example (04:44).
• The group discusses how playoff BYE weeks are the “biggest advantage” in the NFL, pointing to Bill Belichick’s Patriots as the masters of exploiting this system (05:21-06:33).
• They reminisce about times when quarterbacks like Sam Darnold have torpedoed high-stakes games (07:25).

3. Oz the Mentalist and Warlock Jokes

• A comedic debate erupts about Oz the Mentalist’s uncanny sports picks, playfully accusing him of being either a fraud or a “warlock” (07:56–10:17).
• Quote:
  E: “He's one of two things: the biggest fraud ever or a warlock.” (08:09)
• They riff about Oz having the power for “global domination” if he chose to.

4. Sports Media, MMA, and Dana White

• Tony’s MMA Hangout gets props for engaging the audience, while the group notes rising discontent among MMA fans about Dana White’s detachment and boredom (11:06–11:58).
• Dan muses on the importance of authenticity and hustle in engagement-driven sports media.

5. Miami vs. Indiana — College Football Championship

• The iconic moment of Indiana’s Fernando Mendoza scrambling for a miracle run on 4th and 5 is dissected and celebrated, with Dan insisting on playing the Spanish radio call to emphasize the drama and emotion (15:13).
• The show relives the tension, the miracle play, and its instant place in sports lore.
• Quote:
  Dan: “In terms of like, championship game moments...you never have the situation of fireworks in the sky, I think one team is the champion...oh, there's a flag...never mind, the other team gets to win the championship. It's just not something that has a precedent.” (18:51)

6. Iconic Game-Endings and Sports Drama

• The crew compares Mendoza’s scramble to other all-time great moments (refs mentioning Vince Young, Jameis Winston), debating if “theatrical” dives matter for legacy (18:32–22:44).
• Debate Highlight:
  Dan argues that Mendoza’s dive was “wildly unnecessary and for show,” while others say it was pure instinct and exhaustion.
  F: “He knew the size of the moment...It’s the better way to do it.” (22:17) C: “You’re not remembering the play the same way if it doesn’t conclude with the punctuation of a dive.” (25:00)

7. College Football Playoff System, Ratings, and Miami’s Brand

• The national championship breaks viewership records, sparking conversation about Miami’s relevance and the imperfect measurement of “best” teams (16:13, 25:24).
• They hit on the flaws of the expanded playoff format, arguing that many teams (Alabama, Oklahoma) were in the running without real title chances (27:05).
• Discussion of how this postseason affected broader perceptions of conferences and team selection.

8. Sports Broadcasting: Evolution vs. Tradition

• The crew addresses changing opinions on NFL announcers, specifically the perceived decline of Tony Romo and improvement of Tom Brady (32:01).
• Extensive analysis of why people resist broadcast innovation (Manningcast, Netflix alternate coverage), while still craving novelty and nostalgia.
• Quote:
  Dan: “People do believe that the broadcast needs to be sacred. They just want big and epic. They want Joe Buck and Troy Aikman to do it.” (35:23)
• Mike Ryan argues broadcasts need to evolve, side-casting should be attempted, but the “big game voices” (Buck, Aikman) still matter most.
• The crew notes that, despite complaints, the NFL’s draw is so strong that audiences persist regardless of who is announcing (38:28–39:39).

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Memorable Moments & Notable Quotes

• On Puka Nacua and the Rams’ Offensive System:
  Dan: “I don't understand how it is that one coach can do that and...none of the others can.” (03:24)
• On Oz the Mentalist:
  E: “He's one of two things: the biggest fraud ever or a warlock.” (08:09) E: “I'm saying global domination. We've already ushered in a new world order. Oz, you could be an evil leader…” (10:18)
• On Iconic Plays:
  Dan: “In terms of...championship game moments...never have [we had] the situation of fireworks in the sky...Oh, there's a flag...never mind, the other team now gets to win the championship.” (18:51)
• On Mendoza’s Theatrical Dive:
  Dan: “He could have just run in.” (20:09)
  F: “He did that because he knew the size of the moment.” (20:26)
  C: “You’re not remembering the play the same way if it doesn’t conclude with the punctuation of a dive.” (25:00)
• On Sports Broadcasting Innovation:
  Dan: “People do believe that the broadcast needs to be sacred. They just want big and epic. They want Joe Buck and Troy Aikman to do it.” (35:23)

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Timestamps for Important Segments

• Opening Puka Nacua Song & Rams WR Discussion – 00:10–03:42
• NFL Playoffs, Sam Darnold & The Power of the BYE – 04:44–06:44
• Oz the Mentalist Debate – 07:56–10:17
• Tony’s MMA Hangout and Dana White Commentary – 11:06–11:58
• Miami-Indiana CFB Title Game, Miracle Run & Spanish Call – 15:13–17:00
• All-Time Great Plays and Theatrical Dives Debate – 18:32–25:24
• College Football Playoff Format & Miami’s Ratings Bump – 25:24–28:54
• Broadcast Critique: Romo, Brady, Manningcast, and Voice Nostalgia – 32:01–39:39

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Overall Tone

Lighthearted, combative, humorous, insightful, and self-effacing—true to the show’s tradition, the conversation is a mix of high-level sports analysis and comedic banter, with Dan often taking contrarian or theatrical stances and the rest of the crew both sparring and riffing with him.

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This summary delivers a vivid sense of the episode’s signature blend of sports depth, pop-culture savvy, and the show’s inimitable personality-driven takes, structured for easy reference and rich with specific detail and memorable exchanges.

Transcript

[A]

This is the Dan Levator show with the Stugats podcast.

[B]

Ukanakua Okanakua for you and me Ukanakua is here for you and me with that we can all agree so many receptions mean a content of perception that he could become the MVP we should all anticipate this cause he's got precision, greatness, echo going throughout eternity Sanford throws a frozen rope in and in Pukka's hands are open It's a touchdown for you and me Everybody do the puka Puka his quarterback is nothing Tonga Baloa so come along now rise and shout Tell the whole world about Nakua for.

[C]

You and us that is the Puka polka I would like to never hear it again. Do you guys have an explanation for how it is that the Rams do that? Like where they can just replace Cooper cup at 2,000 yards for a season? No look passes in the super bowl and then I don't think anyone had Pukinakua being this in his last game. It's a surprise that Pukinakua only has four catches. I gave the stat earlier in the the show that the Seahawks haven't allowed a 20 yard play on defense in more than a month. But when they last allowed it, it's because you cannot stop Puka Nakua. They will target him 18 times a game. They will get the ball to him 10 to 12 times a game. And I think it's pretty rare to have a player like that that nobody thought would be unstoppable coming out of college. Being totally unstoppable. Do you guys feel like that's just the combination of McVay having the hall of Fame cor quarterback and that he'll figure out a way to do that with whoever his number one wide receiver is?

[D]

Yeah, I think it's equal McVeigh and Stafford. I think you got at the quarterback.

[E]

And he did it with golf. Yeah, he did it with golf. When golf. He rescued golf's career. Made it to a Super Bowl. With golf. There's just incredible alignment between the head coach, the quarterback who's an extension of the head coach, and also the front office that does a really good job of not just scouting but scouting specific to their team, their identity and for what their coach needs. He puts a value on wide receivers that can block downfield speed isn't so much like something that they value. They like it. They have Tutu Atwell who's obviously super fast, but they scout specific to what the coach wants and they go out and find these gems that fit perfectly.

[D]

Like you don't believe that Nakua would do this with another team, right?

[C]

Well, I just find that part fascinating. Right. The the I part I find fascinating. The idea that they can just turn Cooper cup into something that's never been seen in the history of the league, where they're playing in a Super bowl and they're literally winning the super bowl when all of us and the Bengals.

[F]

Know, oh, look, all their receivers are hurt. Clearly, Stafford is going to go to Cooper Cup.

[C]

Here, look at this.

[F]

Stafford is doing no look passes in a Super bowl to Cooper cup. Even though everyone in the stadium knows that the only healthy thing the Rams have left is Cooper Cup.

[C]

And I don't understand how it is that one coach can do that and.

[F]

None of the others can. None of the others can do that.

[E]

I can understand it. In every walk of life, there are people that are better at their jobs than other people. And it makes sense that at football, Sean McVay, for my money, is the best.

[D]

Like cup and Naku are not similarly built, right? Cooper Cups significantly big.

[C]

Well, they're both very physical receivers. And what Mike says is true about they get receivers who can block, like many of the things that they do everywhere on the field are helped by the fact that their receivers can block. Pukinaku has said because of the style of play that he's going to be done before he's 30 years old, because that. That is a very difficult way to play football. The way, I mean, they've got three tight ends and, I don't know, Higby, to me is just somebody who's an assortment of junkyard parts where you just put.

[F]

I'm expecting sort of a carburetor to.

[C]

Be somewhere in the temple of his head because he's just. The way they play is unusually physical. But now they're going and running into a team. This is funny to me, right, that I've got Jared Stidham playing in a championship conference. And the thing that I think is most untrustworthy this weekend is that Sam Darnold's going to screw that up. Right? And I don't think I'm alone in sort of having the doubt that everything that Seattle is is going to get undermined by the fact that the Rams have a quarterback who is better. And in fact, the. The Seahawks are eight. No. In their last eight games, the Rams are five and three and have a lot of weird losses. But that spread is two and a half in favor of the Seahawks. When Norma, if the teams are even, the spread would Just be three. And I believe Sam Darnold is the reason for that half point. Just a general distrust of Sam Darnold.

[D]

I mean, I felt that way last week, too. I thought the 49ers were going to win that game.

[C]

See, I didn't think that just because every year for many years, I was fooled always by the fact that the wild card team looks good during wild card weekend and then goes and plays a team with a buy. And that buy is, to me, the biggest advantage that there is anywhere in the playoffs. Like anywhere in the playoffs, the buy of a better team is good enough to get an extra week of rest, and the 49ers expend themselves that way to get past Philadelphia. I'm generally going to assume that the following week the team with the buy is going to drag the lesser team. But I had to learn that the hard way. It's only because I was wrong for several years and always getting infatuated with, oh, look at what Josh Allen does in Jacksonville. That's going to carry over. And then it does carry over, because I don't think that there's a greater advantage that the Patriots took advantage of in 25 years of Bella or 20 years of Belichick and Brady than get the buy. Make sure you have the home game and make sure that whatever's coming into your stadium for the first playoff game of only two you have to play to get to the super bowl is a broken team that had to play the week before.

[E]

Yeah, it's odd that the Broncos are perceived to be the broken team here, but, yeah, the war of attrition. We know how physical playoff games can be. You're usually picking the bones off an opponent that's pretty soft.

[C]

I think that the only thing keeping me from picking the Seahawks in this game is the distrust of Darnold, because it's usually too much to ask about any football team, no matter how good what you're asking of the Rams, which is go win three road playoff games, like, that's just. It's just a giant ask. And it's a giant ask because Stafford's fingers were hurt in the first of those games.

[F]

Just the amount of damage done to.

[C]

The human body makes it. Makes it hard for me to look at this game and analyze it accurately because I've got such a pervasive mistrust of Sam Darnold.

[F]

The last time I had this mistrust.

[C]

Of Sam Darnold, the Minnesota vikings, who were 14 and 3, went on the.

[F]

Road and lost 27 to 9. Because the announcers were screaming at Sam Darnold because he was seeing goes. He's holding it too long.

[E]

So let me get this right. The only reason that gives you pause to pick the Seahawks straight up is. Throw it, man. Sam Darnold. What about Oz the Mentalist picking the Rams versus the Broncos before the season started?

[G]

Glad you brought that guy.

[E]

No.

[G]

What's up with that guy? We've had him on before every. He goes everywhere. He impresses everyone. He's. He's one of two things. The biggest fraud ever or a warlock.

[E]

I think it's a second one. Yeah.

[G]

Like, this is one of those two.

[E]

All right, I've seen a middle ground here. As someone that is traditionally watched a lot of AFC football on cbs. I've seen the promos for the Mentalist. All right. I know that there's a thing there, really perceptive people that ask you a bunch of questions, but how did you nail the Broncos? It's cool to go inside the Rams training staff, ask questions, and yeah, you took a real reach there. This Rams staff and players, they're good. But how did you get Rams, Broncos? If Stidham does this, guys, the government needs to call this guy in and make him a part of some special force. That's not that hard these days. But he needs to be, like, protecting us.

[C]

Oz the Mentalist would be picking the Broncos, and so too would Greg Cody of the Miami Herald. Greg Cody has put in print that the Broncos will indeed beat the Patriots. And Oz the Mentalist is somebody. And you can find many videos of this. And I'm sorry if the algorithm grabs you after you've done it, but Oz the Mentalist shocking people is something that is all over the Internet. Shocking credible people with things that they don't understand, how he gets right. And I believe most people would point to warlock before they pointed to fraud, because there are so many. There's so much evidence, quote unquote evidence on the Internet of credible people being stunned by what Oz the Mental is doing.

[G]

You would think somebody eventually would come out and be like, all right, before he did ask me, you know, nobody has, like, afterwards been like, oh, he asked me this, though, and that's how he knew. Like, there's none of that.

[E]

He's being too nice. Which actually leads me to believe that he might be a warlock of some sort. Because if you're a warlock, you don't want people to know that you're a warlock. He's costing himself a lot of money by downplaying how powerful he actually is publicly. He's very humble. He's like, no, no, no. I just pay attention. If you actually lean hard into Warlock, you actually might become a cult leader. There is no end to the power you could accrue.

[D]

I could see that.

[E]

I'm saying global domination. We've already ushered in a new world order. Oz, you could be an evil leader if you choose to could run the cults.

[C]

Let's advertise cults are the cults.

[H]

The wizard of Oz.

[C]

Let's tell all very worthy interruptions. Let's tell people about what it is that Tony is doing this weekend with the MMA hangout. He is hustling at all times and I don't know if you guys have noticed, there are a whole lot of people who care about MMA who are complaining vigorously about how Dana White has checked out. That his indifference about going to press conference and selling things is obvious to everyone. I actually don't know the minutiae and the details in what goes on when you're making all of these changes. I don't know how much Paramount needs him. I don't know how self sufficient that thing is or how bored he is by the fact that he's been at this several years. And I could see why he would lose stamina for the press conferences. But a whole lot of people are noticing that Dana White has just almost completely checked out on the governing of that stuff. Patty, the baddie is fighting this weekend and he's one of the few signature draws that they have. So make sure the Dead Flamingo, which is always very good to our show, is something that you check in on this weekend. The MMA Hangout UFC 3 24. You can watch it with us live. That's something that Tony has built out of nothing and it has become very popular.

[G]

New start time 9pm Eastern. They will be getting going and you, Dana might have lost enthusiasm, but Tony and Lewis have not. So check them out live on our YouTube.

[H]

Go watch it, baby.

[C]

That is correct.

[G]

First UFC fight on Paramount.

[A]

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[E]

Batard it sounds to me like everybody.

[H]

Could use a hug because a hog.

[E]

Is always the right size. Stugats All I have put in my body today is three cups of coffee.

[C]

And an entire cup of honey. Go to the pound.

[G]

Don't let him fool you. He said in the break that he's jittery.

[C]

This is the Dan Lebatar show with the stugats. Speaking of watching things, we've been telling you for a while and everyone around here knows that when the University of Miami is relevant, college football is better for it. Monster numbers, just giant numbers for that championship between the University of Miami and Indiana. Not since the Cubs were winning the World Series as a sporting event, non professional football division done the kind of numbers that Miami did. Chris Cody, do you have the sound for me of the Spanish call of Fernando Mendoza's miracle run through the Hurricane secondary on 4th and 5? The signature call by a coach in this game. And Spanish is better as a language in terms of fun and funny than English is. III is exactly what everybody in the Miami fan base was feeling on that fourth and five.

[E]

As the best part about it is.

[H]

That'S just as they're getting the play set up. So that is just his pure panic.

[D]

Before we get going, I wonder what he said.

[E]

There's a stadium full of ay ay. Before that ball snapped.

[C]

And the Hurricanes knew what was coming and they couldn't stop it anyway. Like they knew what was coming.

[E]

Yeah, they just got the call in too late. According according to Corey Heatherman, it's an. It's an all time play in the history of college football. Like when they put out a montage of national championship game moments that's up there.

[G]

I saw him talking Fernando after the game and that he's like, if it was zone, I'm running. If it was, man, I was gonna pass. But the Hurricanes disguised it so he wasn't sure. So he just was like I had to trust myself and go for it.

[C]

Let's do what Mike is saying there though and take the context and the inventory of the moment when Mike Ryan says correctly that what Mendoza did on that play, given the stakes, given the circumstance, 4th and 5 again, I will remind you and this is just unbelievable to say and the hangover still felt in Miami. The win probability of Indiana, given all of the things that you throw into the machine after having seen the game was 14%. Because I think many of us could argue it's a losing argument because of the scoreboard, but we can argue that Miami is the better team. It's a nowhere argument because they lost. Scoreboard decides measurement system is imperfect. It's imperfect forever. Indiana had two touchdown drives in the game. One of them aided by multiple third down penalties. The other made possible by two fourth and five conversions. When Mike Ryan says it's a play for all time, he's got it right. But what Are the others that go in that discussion when you think of plays for all time.

[D]

Vince Young.

[E]

Yeah, Vince Young's running the penalty flag on Miami in the Fiesta Bowl. In terms of like, championship game moments.

[D]

Do you think other people think about that? That I'm not sure.

[E]

It's how can you not pass, throw?

[D]

But, but average college football fan remembers Ohio State.

[C]

The, the only, the only reason that I would say that you have to remember that is because you never have the situation of fireworks in the sky. I think one team is the champion. Oh, there's a flag on the field, never mind the other team now gets to win the championship. It's just not something that has a precedent. But you're right when you say that doesn't have a name attached to it. Locally, it has Terry Porter, referee attached to it, but that doesn't have a name attached to it as a play.

[F]

And usually when you talk about plays.

[C]

For all time, it can never be a penalty flag.

[F]

And it's usually a play that has.

[C]

An accomplishment on it.

[F]

It is a success and ends the game as a play.

[C]

It's not something that you're just weirded out because you don't understand how a referee just decided a game.

[E]

So, Sean Deshaun Watson for Clems. But it's rare that the moment is not happening at the very end because I do think there was a huge pump block and that's going to have its own set of lore. But I think you have a Heisman winner surrounded by a big brand logo and players collapsing on him and him. Scrappy Indiana guy displaying world class balance and strength, literally willing his team over the line.

[C]

Yeah.

[D]

Jameis with the touchdown drive for FSU at the very end of the game.

[C]

Do you guys know what's funny about the Mendoza thing? I actually believe everything about Mendoza is both sincere and sweet. And yet when he jumped into the end zone there and extended the ball, I'm like, wildly unnecessary. He could have just run in.

[F]

He did that because he knew the size of the moment.

[C]

Yes.

[F]

I didn't think it was necessary.

[E]

I'm not sure in the moment he.

[H]

Knew, oh, this is dramatic. I've got it back to.

[C]

That's crazy.

[E]

I don't. I'm not exactly sure he knew where other players were. So he was just like, kind of blind and like, I'm gonna put all of my set you frame into this. That's nuts. I understand why, because it was like extra dramatic. But he got spun around like a couple of times.

[H]

That guy. You think that guy Is like, ah, flair for the dramatic. I've got to extend.

[C]

Not only Jeremy do I believe that.

[F]

Because I believe he knew he was gonna get in.

[C]

But the other way, look theatrical and wonderful.

[F]

I'm not even criticizing him for it. I'm simply saying that that part he was giving you a little extra. It was not necessary because he knew the size of the moment.

[E]

I think it's kind of like the build up to him. Like I've got nothing left. I've just fought through hell and around.

[C]

Just diving theatrical.

[E]

And I'm just gonna javelin myself into this end zone.

[F]

I am telling you that I believe. Look, he got it by more than the length of his body. He didn't need to do that with.

[E]

The football going to be the sad shoe.

[F]

Correct.

[E]

And he put his body in the correct place.

[F]

I'm not criticizing. I'm really not criticizing.

[D]

This is very critical.

[C]

How is it critical? What's critical about it?

[H]

It's not critical. It's just insane. This is the diary of an insane person.

[F]

I don't believe it's the diary of.

[C]

A little bit of both.

[G]

I'm going to watch this play again.

[F]

Because I think you're way off.

[E]

I think it's a little bit of both.

[G]

Crazy.

[E]

I can understand why Dane with. It was like he put a little flare on that. But I also think it's just exhaustion and.

[F]

No, he knew he was going to.

[C]

Get in either way.

[F]

So he did it that way. And it's the better way to do it. But he knew he was going to get in. He was there. He was already there. He was safe and he was.

[G]

You're making it seem like he's breaking down the sideline and had it the whole.

[F]

No, what I'm saying to you.

[E]

Get the telestrator out.

[G]

Like six guys around.

[E]

This is nuts. Can we get that play on the Telestrator?

[C]

I don't believe we're allowed.

[F]

I believe just a still. We can do the still.

[G]

Dan will recreate it.

[F]

We can do the still if you guys want. But I. I believe he put a little extra mustard on it. What's wrong with that? A little extra sauce on it. Little extra theater on it. You guys are all disagreeing with me on this.

[C]

Everyone.

[F]

I am alone in this opinion of thinking that Mendoza put an extra. Little spice on it. Because he could. Because. Because it's wonderful to be him.

[C]

And he had his moment and he.

[F]

Was in the center of everything. And he knew exactly what it is that he was doing.

[C]

And it was theatrical.

[E]

Theatrical.

[C]

I'm Alone. Okay. Yeah.

[H]

Just because you're associating him with me doesn't mean he's doing something theatrical.

[C]

I'm not associating him with you. Although your narcissism is amazing in thinking. Anytime I'm thinking of the theater, I'm thinking of you.

[H]

Yeah, well, every time the theater comes up, you do call me a theater kid. Every single time. Which, by the way, the New York Times says is a derogatory insult. Theater kid. A new political insult.

[C]

The numbers on these ratings.

[E]

You delivered that theatrically.

[G]

Nothing on that way.

[H]

I put a little mustard on it.

[C]

The numbers on these ratings. To have this be the biggest sporting event non football division. I know. This is kind of cheating, right? Because every year, the top 100 things watched in America, 94 of them are football related, professional football related, and then the other six is like some royal family interview or something that Oprah did. But to have this game produce this still doesn't help me.

[F]

Stay.

[D]

For something that doesn't exist, throw up.

[E]

A still image that Dan is looking at, please.

[C]

The still.

[F]

The still image.

[C]

He didn't need a dive. Look at that full extension. Yes, the still has a clubbed hand looking.

[F]

Has a. A looking to punch him.

[G]

It looks like if he didn't jump, he'd be dead.

[F]

Yes, that's what it looks like in the still. The. The still does not help me. I will concede that the still. The still buries me, but in real.

[C]

Time, walk into the end zone as Dan described in.

[F]

I didn't not.

[E]

You said he had it.

[C]

He did have it.

[H]

He clearly had it. And he did it for the flair of the dramatic, for a theatrical decision.

[D]

They probably lose the game if he doesn't do that.

[H]

You're an insane person.

[A]

You've lost your mind.

[F]

He did not. This mud has looking to destroy him. I will grant you that this one does not favor me. This in terms of circumstantial evidence, this.

[C]

Particular photo does not help me. But still not helping.

[F]

He's getting hit from the side.

[C]

He could have just run right in.

[F]

Run right in between all of them. Could have made it standing. Could have made it standing.

[H]

You think this is like the guy who, like, dives into first base for the flare of the dramatic rather than running through the bag? That's. That's what you have this as.

[C]

He knew he was going to get there, and he was going to get there whether he dived or not. The numbers, though, on the game.

[E]

Why do you think that is? Because this number is insane. Miami has A brand that, that we've been told for 20 years is nationally relevant. I guess the Miami U helmet does mean something. A lot of people have suggested the NDA in a story has gone there. I think it's a combination of everything. These were two great stories. And obviously the most important component is the game was good.

[D]

I think you're discounting the bump that it got from Dominion.

[C]

The second half was good. The first half was a little bit hard to watch. The second half, anytime you have drama of that kind, close game. Miami ends up scoring three touchdowns in the second half, and it's not enough. The second half of that game was wonderful.

[E]

I also think that Miami in particular played like four really interesting games in this College Football Playoff. So even people who are like passive sports fans or casual observers, yeah, my dad got into it because of the Cuban thing, but the games that Miami were in were edge of your seat type of games. So people were more familiar with this story. The balance of the entire postseason as a whole set the table so brilliantly for a final that really captured a nation.

[D]

It looks like we got some breaking news. As far as the College Football Playoff goes next year, they are not expanding. It's going to remain at 12, the top four. The four Power Four Conference champions are guaranteed a spot in the top 12. Duke, of course, was not guaranteed a spot this year. They're going to be guaranteed a spot this year. The group of six champions guaranteed a spot and of course Notre Dame with the bullshit.

[C]

If they're top 12, they should keep it at 12 because there were six teams that were worthy of winning a championship among the 12, and we allowed 12 in. But there weren't 12 teams playing extra games at the end of this season that could have won the championship. There were a bunch of teams in there. Half the teams that couldn't win the championship. Alabama, Oklahoma among them. By the way, I'm not just doing this with James Madison and Tulane.

[E]

I think hopefully the lasting legacy from this, outside of what it's done to the sport, because the sport has ins right now, is it did, I think, firmly chip away at this SEC narrative so that the next time you could certainly argue Notre Dame deserve to be in over Oklahoma and Alabama. I mean, the next time this happens, people are going to remember that.

[D]

Don LeBatard, can I tell you something? I don't know, maybe like a month ago and I decided to watch Pitch Clock and I told Jeremy Stugats, this is a good show you're doing.

[A]

This is the Dan lebatar show.

[C]

With the stugats.

[H]

I do think this is, like, really crazy, though, as a. As a backlash, right, that Duke should have been in a team that lost, what, five games and not James Madison, who scored 34 points against Oregon, more than most of the teams that they played. Okay, but still more. More than most of the teams that they played. And by the way, Indiana is basically James Madison. All of their difference makers, all of their coaches, came from James Madison two years earlier. And yet we're just going to say, oh, nope, because we don't like the uniform. Those are the teams that shouldn't be in. It's.

[C]

All of you are calling me crazy. Look at this. Still. Now, if you're going to use biased stills that favor or support arguments only, you tell me. This is where Mendoza and I saw it. This is what I saw. Look, he's looking at the end zone.

[F]

Out of the corner of his eye, and he's like, how do I do this? I run in or do I just dive? Let me get my Heisman moment here.

[E]

His legs, his hips are turned the other way.

[A]

Closing.

[F]

Look at where his head is. No, I'm sorry to exclude the audio audience. This way, but look at his head. He sees it and he's like, right there. He's doing the calculation.

[C]

I could go in normally or I.

[F]

Can do this dive that makes tripped up, that makes everyone remember me for all time.

[G]

Look, I love how Dan has him. Like, he could just, like, look at him.

[F]

Look at him. He's looking out of the corner of.

[C]

His eye as if he could Just.

[G]

Like his feet are tangled.

[H]

Way he could get in is by jumping.

[F]

He could do si doe if he wanted to.

[A]

Oh, not do si do.

[F]

He could do si doe. He could spin around. Yes, he could.

[E]

I thought I saw Dan's side.

[A]

I'm.

[E]

I'm off that. His body's turned the other way.

[C]

I want you to look at.

[F]

What you're seeing as a threat at.

[C]

His feet is a hurricane who has been pancaked.

[F]

What you are seeing at his feet as a threat is a. Is a hurricane who's on his back with no ability to make that tackle.

[H]

He has hands. He could trip him up the other way.

[E]

Full head of steam there is that he has. And his legs are actually pointed towards the end zone where Mendoza.

[F]

He could have. That is. He could have done jazz hands on the way.

[H]

Hello, my baby.

[A]

Hello, my.

[F]

He decided to dive in theatrically.

[E]

Coming back, by the way.

[C]

Good for him.

[E]

Good for us.

[F]

Let's play. No, no, I was saying I Wasn't saying that Moton coming back is good for you. I was saying that Fernando Mendoza. Good for him, that he chose to go theatrical.

[E]

Yeah, because that was certainly not good for me.

[F]

It's a play for all time, at least in part because he chose to go theatrical.

[C]

It's a less impressive play if he doesn't.

[F]

If. If he runs in standing up. Are you remembering it the same way?

[C]

The answer is no to that.

[A]

Yeah.

[H]

He broke like, four tackles.

[C]

Yeah, but you're not remembering the play the same way if it doesn't conclude with the punctuation of a dive.

[E]

It's why I think Mendoza is going to be a good, great pro, because Miami kind of turned him into Cal Mendoza in that game. He's not playing his best football at that time. And the pros is all about overcoming those little moments of adversity and still putting the team on your back when you don't have your best. I came away from this entire season as. As impressed as I could possibly be with Mendoza, and I think even though we didn't have the game that you'd expect, he still delivered for his teams in the crucial moments. I think he's going to be an awesome pro unless the Raiders ruin him like everybody else.

[C]

Let's play some sound here. I don't know how you guys feel about this. Many people have been in my circle texting me saying that Tom Brady has gotten a lot better. And I believe what's happening there, even though he probably has gotten a lot better, at least in part because he couldn't have gotten a lot worse, is that he's now being compared to Romo, who has gotten a lot worse. And here's Tony Romo talking about Josh Allen. Here he is calling a play and.

[F]

Calling a game involving Josh Allen. Go ahead and watch right here. He's going to go ahead and get.

[D]

Back and look what the hell.

[C]

Tony Romo. Have you guys noticed the slippage? Because there were the reports about 18 months ago that CBS had to stage an intervention that Romo was golfing too much and not concentrating on the broadcasting enough and that he was being less than workmanlike when it comes to the things that are required, the discipline that's required from these announcers. You can't just go in there and wing it. You have to work at it.

[E]

Right. We're on these devices that have a hell of a lot of influence. So I can't tell if I'm being swayed by other people noticing that someone's gotten good and bad because it's kind of timed out the same way. Is this confirmation bias? But, yeah, I'm finding myself being annoyed by Tony Romo during these broadcasts and longing for the dude that was there before. Also, while that's happening, I am noticing Tom Brady's not talking as much, and I'm liking the stories that he's given me. And I think that the perspective that he's given me in these games is starting to get better. And now I'm starting to associate his voice with bigger games, which was also kind of foreign to me. But I don't know if I'm just, like, reading awful announcing and being like, they're making good points.

[G]

For me, it's just proving how good baked Buck and Aikman are. Like, they are just the best.

[E]

Well, you want to talk about that? Have you seen the numbers for the Manning cast?

[D]

Down huge.

[E]

Down huge. You could always count on a million and a half more people watching. I was watching the Manning cast even while I was on the air, saying, I don't think this is as good as everybody's making it out. But everybody was heaping praise on it, in part because ESPN's Monday Night Football booth was bad. You get Aikman and Buck in there, it's 600,000 people watching the Manning cast. Like, it's. It's cratered.

[D]

I've never actually watched Manning cast. Like, I've seen clips, you know, but I. I don't. I don't watch games like, I have to watch the actual game. I don't watch games like that. I watch the regular broadcasts. And I would also add, none of this stuff bothers me. Like, people, you know, they don't like Romo, they don't like Brady, they complain about Collinsworth. None of this stuff ever bothers me. I'm never watching the game. Like, oh, my God, this guy again's on the call. I can't stand.

[C]

Okay, but that. That's you. Because I would say that in my history covering, there's very little that is more consensus unpopular than whoever is doing the broadcast on the game. I don't understand the distaste for Collinsworth, but I will not say that there is not a distaste for Collinsworth. The thing, though, that I find interesting about this is that the broadcast is so sacred that people don't want anything that's new. And I do like. I like that Netflix is trying to talk to Emmett Smith or Clinton Port the Game because they're trying to give you something that's different. I like the Manning cast. Attempts. Just like I liked Dennis Miller and Tony Kornheiser in the booth. But I am in the minority, as I am with the theatrical Mendoza diving at the goal line. I'm in the minority because people do believe that the broadcast needs to be sacred. They just want big and epic. They want Joe Buck and Troy Aikman to do it.

[F]

That's not what I want.

[C]

Want. I don't want Joe Buck and just Troy Aikman. I want my sporting broadcast to evolve beyond the way it's always been done. But it is not. I am not with a popular viewpoint there because the sports fan just is like, give me meat and potatoes. I just. I just want the game.

[F]

Just give me that and don't take any chances.

[A]

Well, if you remember in the 80s, I think it was an NBC, it was. I think it was Jets, Dolphins, when they had no commentators, it was just game footage and game sound. Do you want that?

[C]

No, I want you to take risks and to entertain me. I thought this is one of the things that's confusing about it to me, right? We live in an age where we all have a bit of add. We need extra stimuli. We need to be watching this and have our phone and have our computer and have four screens on. We want more, more money, more. But not when it comes to the football broadcast. It's not true when it comes to the football broadcast. Somehow 11 minutes of action, which is all that a football game gives you. 11 minutes of game action, three hours, and all you're getting is 11 minutes. People want less. People do not want anything other than.

[F]

Give it to me the way that.

[C]

I've always gotten it. And to me it's super weird because it doesn't run parallel to anything else in entertainment.

[F]

Everywhere else in entertainment, you want more.

[C]

You want more things. You want. You get enough of more things. The Manning cast is an example. Now, I don't think that's done all that well because Eli and Peyton are only so interesting. Like, I do think that people underestimate the fact that performers on television have a skill set that former athletes might not have. Like, content makers who have made content.

[F]

All their life are going to be better at the making of content than athlete X, who's been doing something else.

[C]

The rest of his life.

[E]

I like sidecasting as a concept. I think they largely exist for social media traction. They live for moments, big reactions to big moments. Because when your team's playing in that game, you search that stuff out. I do like all 22 and Statcast as a second screen experience I'm with Dan and that I want more chances being taken, but I want them being taken by voices that I associate with big time moments. Because watching broadcast are nostalgia and it took a minute for Fowler to get there. I wasn't the biggest fan of Fowler calling the games, but he was doing it from a place in which his voice was still always associated with big time college football. So it wasn't that hard. And he's also improved at that sport. I love knowing that, you know, when Tirico and Collinsworth are on a game it's going to sound big and people are going to have their opinions. But Chris Collinsworth laughing. There's a nostalgia to it. It's something you miss. Just like John Madden. I don't know how it would work today. I mean the guy's making crazy noises. He's an older guy. I'm not even sure how that would land. But people love the character of John Madden.

[C]

The thing is though, what's super unusual about football is that outside of what it is that you're presently saying that people are now rejecting the Manning cast. Usually football is so un enough that it does not matter who is broadcasting it or what's happening around it because Seattle Rams is something that people are going to watch and it really doesn't matter if we do it the way.

[F]

Roy is saying of make the broadcast totally silent.

[C]

People will complain about it, but they'll.

[F]

Stay there and that that game will do monster numbers.

[E]

I don't understand that. Take. I really don't. I hear you. The Manning cast is proof possible, positive as to why the broadcast matters. Yeah, but imagine because they had more than twice the audience for that Manning cast and I was one of those curious people because I hated the ESPN Monday night.

[C]

You're missing my point though. It's because you've got multiple options so people will select the one they're used to. If the Manning cast is all I gave them, that would be doing the monster numbers.

[F]

If the football's always enough, the football doesn't need anything else.

[E]

But Monday Night Football's ratings have gotten gone up since Buck and Aikman have been there. So I do think that there is something to a certain quality, an editorial overlook on how good the game broadcasts are, whether. Whether it's perceptible. I understand. We're going to be there no matter what. I'll do that weird thing where there's no sound at all. I'll be there no matter what. Except for the AFC championship game. I'm not watching that shit.

[G]

ESPN's pregame and post has improved, so I feel like that for sure.

[C]

No, but. No, no.

[F]

And its games have improved.

[C]

Look, this has more to do with Mike McQuade than any anybody at ESPN, because what they produced on Saturday playoff football was so much bigger than the bad Texans games that I've been watching for, for I don't know how many years of Saturday football wild card football.

[E]

How does that franchise always do it? They always play playoff games that I don't want to see. It's crazy. Seventeen different quarterbacks, dumb matter, and you.

[C]

And I are both liars. We're going to end up having to watch Broncos Seahawks. And it's not just because we have.

[F]

To talk about it the next day.

[C]

It' because football's king.