The Dan Le Batard Show with Stugotz

Hour 1: Megapod with Calvin Johnson

Date: November 6, 2025
Location: The Elser Hotel, Downtown Miami
Hosts: Dan Le Batard, Stugotz, Mike Ryan, Jonathan Zaslow (“Zazz”), Mike Schmitz, Tony, Mad Dog

Episode Overview

This episode kicks off with the crew in lively, classic form, bouncing between nostalgic pop-culture references, hilarious tales from youth, debates over bad (and possibly brilliant) financial gifts, and a dive into TV nostalgia and NBA talk. There is a running theme of unpacking what’s truly valuable—whether that’s in gifts, broadcasting professionalism, or simple pleasures like channel surfing. The hosts’ rapport, comedic timing, and South Florida flavor shine through.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. Bar Mitzvah Gifts: From Worst Ever to Actually Valuable?

[00:38–09:56]

• Mike Ryan launches with a bit about Curb Your Enthusiasm, specifically the “Danny Duberstein” episode, as a segue into a discussion on Jewish cultural rites and bar mitzvahs.
• Jonathan Zaslow tells a personal story about his mom recently finding old “terrible” bar mitzvah gifts—Israeli bonds and Disney stock—potentially now worth thousands after decades untouched.
  • The crew debates the (lack of) excitement for bonds as a gift, uniting around the sentiment that a bond or “a tree planted in Israel” is the “worst possible” present for a 13-year-old—but maybe not in retrospect.
  • Zaslow jokes about now being “rich” and plans to blow his windfall on premium WWE tickets.
  • The group riffs about logistics and etiquette of couples’ joint bank accounts and “shenanigans” money.
• Quote – Jonathan Zaslow [03:31]:
  “And the worst bar mitzvah gift that you could possibly get is a bond. James Bond’s worst.”
• Quote – Jonathan Zaslow [05:03]:
  “They're worth thousands of dollars, so how about that?”
• Tony tempers excitement by researching Israeli bonds, pointing out that most matured long ago and likely aren’t as valuable as Zaslow’s mom suspects—but Disney stock, given the splits, could be a legitimate windfall.

2. Sports Broadcasting Ethics: Joe Davis and the Dodgers Debate

[13:46–17:32]

• Mad Dog passionately critiques Joe Davis (Dodgers and national broadcaster) for MCing the team’s championship celebration, arguing it crosses a line in objectivity. He’s especially fired up about how this would upset opposing fans.
• Quote – Mad Dog [14:18]:
  “If I'm a Blue Jay fan, I got Joe Davis shaking everybody's hand. Give me a break. ... He's the voice of the World Series. He's supposed to be right down the middle.”
• The crew weighs in, mostly disagreeing that it’s a problem since the practice is pretty standard in U.S. sports media (e.g., Mike Breen with the Knicks/ESPN). Zaslow admits not loving Davis’ final call but finds the outrage excessive.
• Quote – Mike Ryan [16:36]:
  “I never watched that and for one moment thought, oh, this guy wants the Dodgers to win.”
• Keen insight: The line between local pride and national neutrality in American sports media is not clear-cut; most fans don’t care about this “conflict” as much as old-school commentators do.

3. Strange, Silly, and Insightful Games

[19:57–23:59]

• Mike Schmitz leads the panel in a “Real or Fake Podcast” guessing game.
  • Notable fake podcasts: “The Keith Bullock Show,” “Megapod with Calvin Johnson,” “Pugilist Specialist with Lennox Lewis,” “Clipboard Jesus with Charlie Whitehurst.”
  • Real podcast revealed: “Free Range with Von Miller.”
• Memorable exchange – Mike Ryan [23:00]:
  “Ah, that's a tough game. 3 for 5.”
• Observation: The game both pokes fun at athlete podcasts’ often-generic titles and highlights just how saturated the sports podcast market is.

4. Longing for Channel Surfing: The Pluto TV Rabbit Hole

[24:05–38:17]

• The hosts wax nostalgic about the heyday of cable TV and the joy of stumbling onto beloved shows.
• Mike Ryan and Mike Schmitz give an enthusiastic pitch for Pluto TV, a free, ad-supported streaming service that replicates channel surfing with themed channels (e.g., 90s movies, Bar Rescue, I Love Lucy, James Bond, etc.).
• They go into detail on the experience:
  • Randomized episode order “restores the mystery” to TV watching.
  • Quote – Mike Ryan [27:43]:
    “It reintroduces that feeling of mystery. ... That's the thing that kids are missing.”
• Mike Ryan: “If they told me you're destitute... can't afford Netflix... you know what will keep me warm at night? Pluto TV.” [35:56]
• Mike Schmitz: “I honestly want to strip away all my other apps … movies flipping through … you need them to speak to you.” [34:46]
• Recurring joke: The group marvels at and mock-obsesses over obscure Pluto TV channels, from Bar Rescue to “Black Movies of the 80s.”
• Memorable moment: Mike lists a spontaneous channel guide rundown with reactions (“Oh, that's great! Hanging with Mr. Cooper!” [32:38]).

5. NBA Deep Dive: Rockets, Grizzlies, and Roster Theories

[40:24–43:49]

• Tony launches an informed discussion on the Houston Rockets’ big lineup, considering whether their strategy—playing oversized guards/forwards—can really work through the full NBA season and playoffs. Amin Thompson is specifically discussed as the rookie point guard question mark.
• The guys debate the classic “do you need a veteran point guard to settle things down in crunch time?” question.
• The conversation moves to the Memphis Grizzlies and their strange roster dynamics with Ja Morant and Jaren Jackson, including Morant’s tense relationship with his coach and media scrutiny.
• Quote – Tony [41:13]:
  “Either they're going to be the biggest team and just maul everybody, or they're going to get to a point where in the half court, it's going to be like, oh, shit, KD, here's the ball. Try and do something.”
• Quote – Mike Ryan [41:25]:
  “That's their small lineup... So there is some jitters there. But I hear what you're saying is like, you need that kind of old head. Fred Van Vliet, Mike Conley, these guys are just like, everyone settle down.”

6. Classic Le Batard Humor and Tangents

• Throughout, the show is colored by offbeat bits and snappy exchanges:
  • Mike Schmitz and Zazzle riffing on not knowing James Bond or Disney stock details, repeated “Adele!” guesses for every Bond theme [33:14, 33:35].
  • Several tangent jokes about freebasing, Pulp Fiction adrenaline shots, and “trainspotting” [39:05–40:14].
  • Quick asides about relationships, money, and life via the shenanigans of Zazzle wanting a John Cena ticket splurge.

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments (with Timestamps)

• “And the worst bar mitzvah gift that you could possibly get is a bond. James Bond’s worst.”
  — Jonathan Zaslow [03:31]
• “They're worth thousands of dollars, so how about that?”
  — Jonathan Zaslow [05:03]
• “If I'm a Blue Jay fan, I got Joe Davis shaking everybody's hand. Give me a break.”
  — Mad Dog [14:18]
• “It reintroduces that feeling of mystery. ... That's the thing that kids are missing.”
  — Mike Ryan [27:43]
• “If they told me you're destitute... can't afford Netflix... you know what will keep me warm at night? Pluto TV.”
  — Mike Ryan [35:56]
• “Either they're going to be the biggest team and just maul everybody, or they're going to get to a point where in the half court, it's going to be like, oh, shit, KD, here's the ball. Try and do something.”
  — Tony [41:13]

Timestamps for Important Segments

• [00:38] – [09:56]: Zaslow’s bar mitzvah story, financial gifts debate, and joint account shenanigans
• [13:46] – [17:32]: Mad Dog’s rant on Joe Davis, sports broadcasting objectivity
• [19:57] – [23:59]: "Real or Fake Podcast" game segment
• [24:05] – [38:17]: Pluto TV, channel surfing nostalgia, detailed channel listing tangent
• [40:24] – [43:49]: Houston Rockets, Memphis Grizzlies, and NBA team-building debate

Episode Tone & Style

True to The Dan Le Batard Show’s trademark irreverence, this episode is fast-paced, goofy, and a blend of both sports and pure entertainment/personal banter. The tone is loose, often self-deprecating, and safely self-aware, always landing back at the core of communal fun and gentle ribbing.

For listeners who missed it, this hour provides a snapshot of everything the show does best: stories rooted in genuine cultural experience, arguments over what really matters (in life, sports, or television), and the kind of freewheeling banter that makes the hosts feel like your own group of hilarious friends.