Podcast Summary: The Dan Le Batard Show with Stugotz
Episode: Hour 1: The No Yes (feat. Domonique Foxworth)
Date: January 16, 2026
Location: Elser Hotel, Downtown Miami
Guests: Domonique Foxworth, Nick Wright
Episode Overview
In this vibrant and eclectic installment, Dan Le Batard, Stugotz, and the crew, joined by Domonique Foxworth, dive into sports, campus culture, coaching changes, the NFL playoffs, and Miami Hurricanes football. With characteristic banter, sharp analysis, and moments of absurd humor, the episode centers on college/NFL cultural dynamics, coaching philosophies and departures, football analysis, and Miami’s surprise run to the national championship.
1. Breaking Down Football Culture and Campus Contradictions
(03:45–06:16)
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Domonique Foxworth reflecting on Miami and Georgetown:
- Domonique shares how the University of Miami football team – known for its brash Black athletes — doesn’t represent its heavily white campus, likening it to Georgetown during the John Thompson era:
- “It reminds me a little bit of, like, Georgetown... all of us thought Georgetown was HBCU because of John Thompson and all the black players on their team. And then you go on that campus and you're like, they are the only black people here. And they got kente cloth on their shorts. Miami's the same thing.” (04:45)
- Dan prompts Domonique: “Which one is more disparate? Miami’s football team and Miami’s campus, or Georgetown’s basketball team and campus?” (05:10)
- Domonique: “Georgetown is easy... the campus was built by slaves. And then they had all these basketball players show up and not get paid to work really hard to make a lot of money and make that place even more impressive than it actually is.” (05:24)
- Domonique shares how the University of Miami football team – known for its brash Black athletes — doesn’t represent its heavily white campus, likening it to Georgetown during the John Thompson era:
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Fundraising and Reparations Discussion
- How athletic success benefits boosters, but the neighborhoods where most Miami athletes come from see little direct benefit.
- “Just make sure you look out for them too. Which I guess they're getting paid now, so that's cool. Shout out, Malachi.” (06:08)
- How athletic success benefits boosters, but the neighborhoods where most Miami athletes come from see little direct benefit.
2. Fun and Games: Student Film Villains and The Deep Snore Contest
(07:33–10:25)
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Playful banter about appearances:
- Domonique roasts Zas for looking like "a movie villain. Like a cheap movie though... a low level crime boss." (07:41, 08:08)
- Dan: “Does Zaz look like the villain from a student film?” (08:36)
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Snore Guessing Game:
- The gang plays audio of a deep snore to see who can guess which team member it is (ultimately revealed to be Jessica)
- Domonique: “That is an incredible deep snore from an obviously overweight man… I was just gonna name all the people who used to be on the show more often than aren’t anymore. That’s what I was doing. I just got lucky.” (09:06–10:25)
- The gang plays audio of a deep snore to see who can guess which team member it is (ultimately revealed to be Jessica)
3. NFL Playoff Analysis: Bills, Jaguars, and Coaching Fickleness
(10:38–14:14)
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Jaguars vs. Bills postmortem:
- Domonique admits to being wrong predicting the Jags: “The Bills dunked on me and they deserve it… I was dead ass wrong, though, about them not being able to compete with the Jags.” (10:53–11:09)
- Dan commiserates about being right and wrong about teams at different moments: “Somehow… I’ve managed to be totally right about them and wrong twice about them because of how the result went.” (11:39)
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The Role of Chance in Coaching Success:
- Domonique: “There’s like these little single plays that change the trajectory… If Lamar Jackson doesn’t slide to the back of the draft that year… John Harbaugh’s fired… And you can do this for every team.” (12:33–14:14)
- Dan: “But those moments matter — when you have a player like Josh Allen, those moments fall on your side more than they don’t.” (13:56)
4. Mike Tomlin’s Departure and Coaching Carousel Realities
(18:04–19:40)
- Tomlin’s Surprise Exit from the Steelers:
- Domonique is somewhat surprised, sees it as a “last dance” given the team’s aging roster, and speculates mutuality:
- “I just find it hard to believe that days after a 19 year career at that organization and a loss in the playoffs, he’s just like, guess what? Y’all gotta find a new coach today. It just feels odd to me… I do think Mike Tomlin walked away and they didn’t fire him. But I hope the Steelers fans are ready for what’s coming.” (18:05–18:46)
- Domonique is somewhat surprised, sees it as a “last dance” given the team’s aging roster, and speculates mutuality:
5. Ownership Matters: Miami Dolphins, Jim Harbaugh, and Coach Destinations
(20:03–24:31)
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Dan Soder & Mark Normand Clip:
- Soder, childhood friend of Mike McDaniel, torches the Dolphins’ owner, organization, and fans for firing McDaniel.
- Dan and Domonique laugh at the way Mark Normand “pretends” to know about sports, highlighting humor in outsider commentary. (20:03–22:10)
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Harbaugh, Ownership, and Attractiveness of Jobs:
- Domonique on why Harbaugh wouldn’t take the Miami job:
- “It seems like [Ross] is bad in a different way… Coaches want the owners to be someone involved, but not the final decision maker… If you have enough leverage, you’re not going to be the one who signs up for something like that.” (23:00–24:31)
- Domonique on why Harbaugh wouldn’t take the Miami job:
6. Concussion Talk: Tua Tagovailoa and Mental Scarring
(24:31–25:51)
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Darren Waller’s Perspective on Tua:
- Waller, on Manziel’s podcast, draws parallels between trauma and war veterans, wonders if Tua's performance issues are mental blockages from concussion trauma.
- “There could be… trauma still stored in his body from what he’s gone through… in his body and his brain will tell them like that car has an explosive in it…” (24:40–25:51)
- Waller, on Manziel’s podcast, draws parallels between trauma and war veterans, wonders if Tua's performance issues are mental blockages from concussion trauma.
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Domonique Foxworth’s Response:
- “...I'm in no position to evaluate how much trauma he's holding in his body and how that impacts the way he plays. There are tons of players who've had plenty of trauma who go on to play just fine… What you worry about—not just Tua, but all the players—is their future as a result of the hits to the head.” (25:53)
7. Rapid-Fire Football Questions: “No-Yes” and Playoff Picks
(29:14–33:44)
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Oblique Injuries, 12th Man, and Off-the-Cuff Analysis:
- Speed round, crew fires quick questions at Domonique about injuries, coaching candidates, and matchups with playful interruptions.
- Domonique jokes about being cut off ("A guy like me who has real football information... All right, get my music going again.") (29:59–30:31)
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On Coaching Retreads:
- “Retreads are not necessarily a bad thing. It sounds like a bad word, but it does mean that you've had some experience and you've gone away to understand what you've done wrong and how you could come back and maybe do a better job.” (31:57)
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CJ Stroud’s Paradox:
- Domonique lauds Stroud’s play but can’t ignore his mistakes: “...if you take out the five ridiculous fumbles, great—I know how stupid that sounds.”
- Dan: “You can't say if you take out the gunshot, Abraham Lincoln really enjoyed the play.” (32:17–32:37)
8. Miami vs. Indiana & The Broader Narrative
(34:44–41:02)
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Domonique’s Pick Flipped:
- After initially picking Miami, Domonique switches to Indiana at the last second—playing into the episode’s “no-yes” motif. (34:48–35:16)
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Nick Wright on Miami’s Cinderella Story:
- “I like Miami, plus the points. ...I think Miami wins their national championship at home and Mike Ryan becomes the most insufferable person in sports, second most.” (36:54–37:19)
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Mike Ryan’s Perspective as a Miami Fan:
- “This, if this ends with Miami and probably lifting the national title? Yeah, it's the greatest sports victory in my life. I care. Like it's—I care too much, probably.” (39:01)
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Dan on Miami’s Reputational Shift:
- “There's nothing that this Miami team has done… that would make it representative of some of the worst parts of Miami’s program and city stereotypical past. This is a likable football team.” (40:31)
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Mike Ryan: Miami as unlikely Cinderella:
- “10 seeds… teams that have faced the kind of adversity and defeats that Miami has endured this season, they don’t get an opportunity to play for these. This should be talked about as one of the great Cinderellas of all time.” (41:02)
9. Closing Banter and Notable Jokes
(41:22–42:52)
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Final playful exchanges about broadcaster mispronunciations, fandom, and pre-game nerves.
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Dan: “Do not let it obscure that no matter what happens from here, the University of Miami has already had a tremendously successful season that has fixed everything that was wrong.” (39:29)
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Mike: “If this ends with Miami... lifting the national title? Yeah, it’s the greatest sports victory in my life. I care. Like it’s—I care too much, probably...” (39:01)
Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments
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Domonique Foxworth:
- On Miami/Georgetown: “All of us thought Georgetown was HBCU… Then you go on that campus and you’re like, they are the only Black people here. …Miami’s the same thing.” (04:45)
- On coaching luck: “There’s like these little single plays that change the trajectory.” (12:33)
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Dan Le Batard:
- On being right and wrong: “I've managed somehow... to be totally right about them and wrong twice about them.” (11:39)
- On Miami’s rep: “This is a likable football team.” (40:31)
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Nick Wright:
- On Miami: “I think Miami wins their national championship at home and Mike Ryan becomes the most insufferable person in sports, second most.” (37:19)
Key Segments & Timestamps
- Football & Campus Culture: 03:45–06:16
- Snore Guessing Game & Villain Bits: 07:33–10:25
- Jags/Bills/Coaching Moments: 10:38–14:14
- Mike Tomlin Departure: 18:04–19:40
- McDaniel/Ownership/Coach Moves: 20:03–24:31
- Tua, Concussions and Trauma: 24:31–25:51
- Rapid-Fire Football Analysis: 29:14–33:44
- Miami/Indiana Narrative: 34:44–41:02
- Closing Fan Reflections: 41:22–42:52
Overall:
This episode is a rich tapestry of in-depth football talk, reflections on race and representation in sports cultures, quickfire football analysis, and the emotional rollercoaster of Miami fandom. The tone is lively, proud, sometimes self-mocking, and always layered with humor—making for a compelling, quintessential Le Batard Show listen.
