The Dan Le Batard Show with Stugotz

Episode: Hour 1: Mike Elko's Sausage Fingers
Date: December 5, 2025
Special Guest: Matthew Berry

Main Theme

This episode, recorded from the Elser Hotel in Downtown Miami, blends classic Le Batard Show chaos with lively discussions about college football coaching, the spectacle and politics of the upcoming World Cup, the absurdities of airline and ticket pricing, fond sports nostalgia, and fantasy football insights courtesy of Matthew Berry. The hosts and recurring contributors riff on sports, pop culture, and their own lives, keeping the show’s irreverent, smart-alecky tone.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. Airline Pricing Rant / Travel Woes

[04:09–07:04]

• Zaslow recounts his frustration with dynamic airline pricing while booking a Valentine's trip to Vegas—finding a stellar one-way flight ($175), but when booking the second ticket for his wife, the price leaps to $450.
  • Notable banter about time zones, romantic gestures, and how technology seemingly conspires against consumers.
• Quote:
  • "As of right now, I'm the only one flying back from Vegas." – Zaslow [05:43]
  • “Maybe they offer a certain amount at a certain price. Dynamic pricing, guys.” – Tony [06:34]

2. FIFA World Cup Draw Spectacle & Corruption

[07:09–16:02]

• Dan marvels at the absurdity and size of the World Cup audience and the pageantry of the draw, poking fun at the all-star entertainment lineup (Andrea Bocelli, Robbie Williams, Nicole Scherzinger, The Village People).
  • Discussion turns to FIFA’s reputation for corruption and speculation on whether the U.S. will get a “dream” group.
  • Tom Bogert outlines “dream” and “nightmare” scenarios for the USMNT draw and points out the current struggles of Mexico’s national team.
• Quotes:
  • "It's supposed to be 90 minutes. We'll see if they stick to that...The biggest audience in the history of sports was France versus Argentina. Messi finally wins the World Cup. 1.5 billion people were watching that." – Dan [07:44, 08:20]
  • "FIFA is among the most corrupt things that you will find. Put it on the poll: more corrupt—FIFA or boxing?" – Stugatz [12:25]
• Noteworthy segment discussing host-nation advantages and playful jabs at FIFA and America’s current global image.

3. Old School World Cup Memories

[16:02–17:33]

• Stugatz reminisces about staying in a dingy Los Angeles motel with Chris Cote’s father during the 1994 World Cup, highlighting the chaos the tournament brings to host cities.
  • "I've never stayed in a worse hotel than the one I stayed in with your father at the World Cup because we just simply couldn't get rooms..." – Stugatz [16:45]

4. Mike Elko's Post-Game Frustration & Sausage Fingers

[20:28–24:23]

• Stugatz brings up Mike Elko’s annoyed press conference after Texas A&M’s loss, playing the clip and focusing on Elko’s “sausage fingers.”
  • Comedic banter about Elko not being the school’s top choice, fan outrage preventing Mark Stoops’ hiring, and the unusual power of college football fans.
• Quote:
  • "We didn’t play the way we needed to. Can we close the door and run a professional press conference, please? My gosh." – Mike Elko (clip), replayed by Stugatz [21:27]
  • "Second takeaway from that was Mighty Sausage Fingers. I've only seen that once before in my life." – Dan [21:52]

5. Power of Sports Fandom & Coaching Carousel

[22:25–24:23]

• Reflection on how passionate college football fans drove Texas A&M’s hiring decision—echoed by a comparison to European soccer fans who stopped the Super League, and the role of WWE fans in wrestling storylines.

6. Fantasy Football with Matthew Berry

[32:06–38:33]

• Matthew Berry checks in from Orlando (proud “cheer dad”) and gives his NFL fantasy picks:
  • Highlights Matthew Stafford and Joe Burrow as strong QB plays.
  • Bucky Irving and Kyle Manon Guy as RB touchdown bets.
  • Jacoby Meyer and Adnai Mitchell as undervalued receivers.
  • Kyle Pitts as a potential breakout TE.
• They debate Tooth Fairy standards ("What do you give for a first tooth?"), with Berry suggesting $10.
• Quotes:
  • "I just, you know, of all the things you want to save money on, your kid’s teeth aren't really...the Tooth Fairy isn't where you want to cut corners." – Matthew Berry [33:57]
  • "Stafford's gonna throw a few against Arizona...I'm in on Joe Burrow this week...Bucky Irving, anytime touchdown coming this weekend." – Matthew Berry [34:22–35:41]
• Berry brags (tongue-in-cheek) about beating members of the show in their guillotine fantasy league.

7. Memorable Broadcasting Moments / Sports Nostalgia

[27:31–29:20]

• The crew laughs over a legendary on-air sneeze by Lou Holtz during a college football broadcast, replaying the audio multiple times and nostalgically reflecting on their “good old days” in sports media.

8. Recent Sports Happenings & Deep Cut Discussions

[39:44–42:47]

• Doug Gottlieb’s chair-throwing incident after a coaching loss is discussed, used as a segue to recall Tracy McGrady’s historic “13 points in 35 seconds”—serving as an example of the show’s multi-generational sports knowledge and humor.
• Lively talk about Zach Edey's surprising NBA competence, and a debate about Yao Ming's career, with Zaslow defending Yao’s legacy.

9. MLS Final, Beckham's Visibility, and Soccer in Miami

[43:47–50:45]

• Tom Bogert forecasts a Vancouver Whitecaps victory over Inter Miami, to the panel’s mock outrage.
• Zaslow and Dan muse on David Beckham's low profile despite Miami’s MLS Cup run, with Tom noting Beckham's higher visibility since Messi’s arrival and explaining Messi’s press shyness.
  • "Messi doesn't do anything. He did an interview—what he does to be the ambassador of this game is just by being here. And that's enough." – Tom Bogert [50:24]

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• On FIFA’s Spectacle:
  "You’re going to see the dance, and you’re going to see The Village People doing the dance." – Dan [09:16]

• On Corruption in Sports:
  "FIFA is among the most corrupt things that you will find. Put it on the poll at Lebatard: Show more corrupt – FIFA or boxing?" – Stugatz [12:25]

• On Parental Tooth Fairy Duties:
  “Of all the things you want to save money on, your kids’ teeth aren’t really... the Tooth Fairy isn’t where you want to cut corners.” – Matthew Berry [33:57]

• Lou Holtz’s On-Air Sneeze:
  (Sneezing through his analysis—audio centerpiece for laughter throughout the show) [27:42–29:04]

• World Cup Audience Scale:
  “The idea that we will get 1.5 billion people to watch anything is crazy to me.” – Stugatz [13:31]

• Classic College Football Hotel Story:
  “I’ve never stayed in a worse hotel than the one I stayed in with your father at the World Cup because we just simply couldn’t get rooms.” – Stugatz [16:45]

Timestamps for Important Segments

• Airline Pricing Rant – [04:09–07:04]
• World Cup Draw/Ethics & Spectacle – [07:09–16:02]
• DTLA 1994 World Cup Memories – [16:02–17:33]
• Mike Elko Press Conference & ‘Sausage Fingers’ – [20:28–24:23]
• Fantasy Football (Berry) – [32:06–38:33]
• Lou Holtz Sneeze, Broadcasting Nostalgia – [27:31–29:20]
• Doug Gottlieb’s Chair Toss; T-Mac’s 13 in 35 – [39:44–40:34]
• Yao Ming & NBA Big Men – [41:02–42:47]
• MLS Final / Beckham’s Absence – [43:47–50:45]

Tone & Style

• Irreverent, Chaotic: The hosts embrace tangents, openly mock each other, and routinely derail planned conversation for jokes and callback references.
• Nostalgic & Sardonic: Pop-culture nods blend with winks to old-school sports fans, with a knowing cynicism about institutional corruption (FIFA, NCAA, NBA, etc.).
• Fan-Driven: The show spotlights the power and eccentricities of American sports fandom, from college football to wrestling and soccer, often elevating the fanbases as true game-changers.

Final Notes

This episode is a perfect example of Le Batard’s unique blend: heady sports analysis meets relentless sarcasm and playful, communal storytelling. If you enjoy deep cuts from sports history, playful debates about the real price of a tooth, and hearing about the sausage-fingered fate of college football coaches, Hour 1 of this episode is required listening.

Summary by Podcast Summarizer AI – For listeners who want every laugh, zinger, and insightful dig, minus the commercials and filler.