The Dan Le Batard Show with Stugotz – Hour 1: Pablo Torre Finds Meow

Date: February 5, 2026
Featured Guest: Pablo Torre
Location: Elser Hotel, Downtown Miami

Episode Overview

This episode dives into the intersection of sports, justice, and pop culture, blending the show’s signature irreverent banter with an in-depth discussion of wrongful conviction and the American criminal justice system. The hour centers around Pablo Torre’s reporting on Charles Don Flores, a man on Texas death row, as featured in Pablo’s podcast Pablo Torre Finds Out. Along the way, the crew riffs on Super Bowl storylines, sports fandom, NBA rumors, and the peculiarities of “whack-a-mole journalism”—all while keeping the tone lively and the jokes coming.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. “Whack-a-Mole” Metaphor and Producer Pranks

[02:31 – 05:55]

• Dan riffs on feeling like he’s always playing “whack-a-mole” with the show staff—trying to keep up with their bits and curveballs during the live recording. He’s bemused by the younger staff’s fixation on writing “meow” hundreds of times on an index card.
  • “You guys are the moles. I’m the one with the mallet.” (Dan Le Batard, 03:34)
  • The “meow” card is used as an absurd prop to highlight their meta, self-aware show style.

2. Pablo Torre's Investigation: The Story of Charles Don Flores

[05:58 – 21:28]

Background:

• Pablo details the wrongful conviction and death row ordeal of Charles Don Flores:
  • Convicted due to an eyewitness who was hypnotized by police—later outlawed “junk science.”
  • No physical evidence links Flores; the actual confessed killer is already out of prison.

Pablo’s Reportage:

• “I rented a Jeep. I drove to death row. This guy was wrongfully convicted in ways that are crazy.” (Pablo Torre, 07:36)
• Flores, a Cowboys superfan, maintains his innocence and copes by focusing on football and emotional regulation.
  • “He watches the games through little cracks in his solitary confinement cell.” (Pablo Torre, 09:48)
  • “[Flores] has takes that are future oriented, even though he’s the last person you'd imagine would care about the future.” (Pablo Torre, 10:58)

Systemic Failures:

• Discussion on the role of hypnosis in his conviction and the cruelty of a non-retroactive law ban:
  • “...the police hypnotizing the eyewitness who is the only person to tie him to this crime. It’s as if from one of these on-the-nose movies. That’s how they did this shit.” (Pablo Torre, 12:47)
• Flores was five days from execution at one point.
  • “...the way he finds out he’s gotten a stay of execution was over this radio that he has in prison…” (Pablo Torre, 20:11)

Call to Action:

• Pablo encourages listeners to sign a petition for Flores’ freedom.
  • “The petition is actionnetwork.org/petitions/charles. All we can really do ... is just register to the state of Texas that we hear his story.” (Pablo Torre, 13:34)

3. The Power of Sports in Solitude

[09:27 – 11:59]

• Flores is described as finding community and hope through his Cowboys fandom—following games for future gains (draft picks) even as his own future is in jeopardy:
  • “Sports is a way of expressing that he still belongs to society.” (Pablo Torre, 18:17)

4. Prison “Daps” and Show Levity

[21:28 – 24:12]

• The crew jokes about Pablo’s heartfelt fist-bump (“dap”) through prison glass with Flores.
  • “That’s the greatest dap I’ve ever given through prison glass ... you can hear it echo down a hallway.” (Pablo Torre, 21:56)
  • “Is Prison Glass dap the best of all the daps?” – the team debates superior dapping moments with healthy teasing.

5. NBA Trade Deadline & Rumor Mill

[24:12 – 28:36]

• Dan and Mike interrupt with breaking NBA “news” (Gabe Vincent trade, Giannis rumors) and banter about sources and mismanagement.

• Pablo shares inside reporting on Clippers' alleged cap circumvention, potential post-Kawhi era, and ongoing NBA investigations:

  • “NBA coaches actively ... find the idea that the Clippers may escape punishment by the NBA to be so egregious that it informed what they believe was the real story of why Kawhi Leonard didn't make the All-Star Game…” (Pablo Torre, 26:21)

6. Justice, Journalism, and Power in Sports

[30:40 – 34:48]

• Dan and Pablo discuss whether the NBA or sports world will hold powerful actors to account, both for league tampering and criminal injustices:
  • “The incentive structure of the NBA is so deeply public relations driven ... it’s not about the truth, it’s about how much people care and make a stink about it.” (Pablo Torre, 31:52)

7. NASCAR’s Denny Hamlin: Grief and Resilience

[38:03 – 41:34]

• Discussion shifts to Denny Hamlin’s tragic loss of his father in a house fire, lingering grief, shoulder injury, and his struggle to return to racing.
  • Includes a moving interview clip of Hamlin sharing his grief and difficulties in getting back to work.
  • “You’ve got to think that house is haunted ... you have to get out of that house. You gotta burn down everything that’s in there and get the hell out of that house.” (Dan Le Batard, 41:41)

8. Patriotism in Sports & Tom Brady Critique

[41:34 – End]

• The hosts debate Vince Wilfork’s anger at Tom Brady’s reluctance to officially back the Patriots in the Super Bowl:
  • “That's bull crap, Tom ... If you’re a patriot for life, you know what it is. Don’t give me that political bull crap.” (Dan Le Batard quoting Vince Wilfork, 43:13)

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• On the absurdity of wrongful convictions:
  • “In fact, the actual killer ... pled guilty and is now out. Out of prison ... despite the fact that junk science, which has since been outlawed, was the reason he was put there in the first place.” (Pablo Torre, 07:36)
• On sports as survival:
  • “Sports is a way of expressing that he still belongs to society … the Super Bowl is a clinic in that.” (Pablo Torre, 18:17)
• On prison glass dap:
  • “That’s the greatest dap I’ve ever given through prison glass with Charles Flores.” (Pablo Torre, 21:56)
• On the challenge of effecting systemic change:
  • "All I can do is tell people what’s up … that’s the whack-a-mole I’ve been playing.” (Pablo Torre, 07:36)
• On NBA power structures:
  • “The boss here is not Adam Silver. The boss here are the richest people in the sport. And so Steve Ballmer ... has more money than everybody else combined in the ownership group.” (Pablo Torre, 33:15)
• On resilience amidst loss (Denny Hamlin):
  • “You’ve got to think that house is haunted…when I mentioned Vince Wilfork, because it is rare … where something has happened to somebody and I’m like, oh my god, how do you cope?” (Dan Le Batard, 41:41)

Timestamps for Major Segments

• 02:31 – Whack-a-Mole, the “meow” index card, and producer showmanship
• 05:58 – Introduction to Pablo Torre’s investigation of Charles Don Flores
• 09:27 – Flores’ life, Cowboys fandom, and emotional regulation in solitary
• 12:47 – The hypnosis detail and invalidated “junk science” conviction
• 20:11 – Flores' near-execution and call to action for petition
• 21:56 – The prison glass dap and show humor
• 24:12 – Breaking NBA trade news, show banter, and conspiracy theories
• 26:21 – Clippers’ cap circumvention and Adam Silver’s intervention
• 30:40 – Justice, accountability, and PR in sports leagues
• 38:03 – Denny Hamlin’s personal tragedy and NASCAR industry
• 41:34 – Vince Wilfork/ Tom Brady patriotism debate

Final Thoughts & Closing Remarks

The hour balances deeply reported, emotional journalism with the usual Le Batard Show wit and chaos. The plight of Charles Don Flores is given primacy, underscoring the podcasting possibilities for advocacy and awareness. Pablo Torre’s contribution is celebrated—both for his reporting and his ability to merge sports, justice, and humanity. The crew continues to elevate the story by urging listeners to sign the petition and spread the word, while never losing sight of humor, camaraderie, and the enduring power of sports to make even the most isolated among us feel connected.

Action link emphasized by Pablo Torre:
actionnetwork.org/petitions/charles (21:28, 34:53)

For more: Listen to Pablo Torre’s reporting on “Pablo Torre Finds Out.”