The Dan Le Batard Show with Stugotz

Hour 1: Tony's Shocking Report
Date: January 19, 2026
Setting: Elser Hotel, Downtown Miami
Hosts: Dan Le Batard, Stugotz, Chris Cody, Dan Damashek, Tony (remote at La Casa de los Trucos)

Episode Overview

This lively episode blends South Florida sports, NFL playoff drama, college football history, and the chaos of Tony's "shocking" on-location report. The crew debates tough in-game coaching decisions, unpacks what might be a forever night for Miami sports, explores the effect of NIL (name, image, likeness) money on college football, and delivers classic show antics—with Tony at La Casa de los Trucos enduring prank gadgets and reflecting on epic football moments.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. NFL Playoff Coaching Decisions: Should the Bears Have Gone for Two?

• The crew debates head coach Ben Johnson’s choice to kick for the tie rather than go for a two-point conversion in a pivotal playoff game after a miraculous Caleb Williams touchdown pass.
• Dan Damashek: Argues that you trust your elite quarterback for 2.5 yards, rather than risk losing a coin flip and playing defense in overtime.
  • "I generally want to be in the situation where I have the ball and I need to get 3 yards. I don't want to be in defense in that situation." (03:22)
• Chris Cody: Points out strategic thinking—do what your opponent wants least.
  • "If you can summon: What do they not want us to do more? That's what we should do first of all." (03:50)
• Tony: Cautiously defends the coach; notes previous short-yardage struggles and "playing the result."
  • "It's just...yeah. Playing the result, man, he should have gone for two after an incredible play... but they weren't good in short yardage." (05:16)

2. Quarterback Archetypes and Caleb Williams’ Highs & Lows

• Damashek classifies quarterbacks as "assassins" (Brady, Brees) vs. "gunslingers" (Favre, Allen, emo Elway a.k.a. Caleb Williams).
  • "He is going to cause trouble that he is then going to dig your team out of. He is like Josh Allen. He is like Stafford in that spot." (06:56)
• The crew marvels at Caleb Williams’ up-and-down overtime: a miraculous, off-balance throw followed by a crushing interception.

3. Tony’s “Shocking” On-Location Report from La Casa de los Trucos

• Tony wanders the legendary Miami prank shop, pulling random gadgets and sharing “Olis”—his top storylines from the NFL Divisional Round.
• Hilarious moments as he gets shocked by a prank box (10:46) and triggers a fart machine (11:34), all while keeping the sports takes coming.

Tony's Top 5 “Olis” (NFL Divisional Round Storylines):

1. Caleb Williams' Outrageous Play and Painful Finish:
   • "One of the most incredible plays we've ever seen…then a terrible interception. But you need those bumps and bruises to get to the next level." (13:02)
2. The Chubby Kicker Moment:
   • "Nothing like a chubby kicker wearing 92 deciding an incredible game with love handles and a beer gut." (12:21)
3. Davis Mills Discourse:
   • "Ball knowers knew. I tried to tell you guys." (11:55)
4. Seahawks Could Win Super Bowl Without a QB:
   • "Seahawks may win a Super Bowl without a QB, which is crazy." (10:03)
5. Josh Allen’s Overtime Struggles:
   • "It was never Josh Allen’s time. He’ll never get to the mountaintop." (09:24)

[Notable Segment]

Tony Gets Shocked:

• "It’s gonna shock the out of me." —Dan Le Batard
• "He knew what it was, and he was scared, and it did what he thought it was gonna do." —(10:46–11:04)

4. College Football’s New Era: Indiana’s Miracle Run and NIL Money

• The show recognizes the unprecedented run of Indiana’s football team and what it means for the changing landscape of college football.
• Dan Le Batard:
  • "We're on the precipice of Indiana producing the single best and most surprising season in the history of college football, but also being forever the spot on, where we can all say how NIL and money changed everything and changed it like that." (38:08)

NIL (Name, Image, Likeness) Impact

• Tony: Outlines how Indiana’s astonishing turnaround is fueled by transfer portal success and alumni money.
  • "Indiana has the, like, largest alumni base in the country. ... Indiana’s entire run is two factors: they have money, they’ve spent money...and it's all Kurt Signetti, what he’s been able to do, which will be studied forever." (39:11–40:17)
• The panel discusses how better academic institutions are now winning at football, in part, due to deep alumni resources.

On the Field: Deeper Preview

• Dan Damashek:
  • Discusses Miami’s physicality and how Indiana’s QB Mendoza has delivered in clutch moments.
  • "Every single time you've had to rely on Mendoza, he has delivered. ... If you’re looking at this game and you’re just going, what quarterback do I believe in more? It's gotta be Mendoza in this situation." (36:39)

5. Miami Sports Energy and Nostalgia

• Dan reflects on iconic Miami sports moments and the city’s sense of anticipation for a title night, including Jason Taylor’s career arc.
• Dan Le Batard:
  • "One of the lasting memories of Hall of Famer Jason Taylor's career here: he was a rose growing in a sewer during the years that he was here. His excellence largely wasted because they never had a quarterback...he would just be what Josh Allen was yesterday, crushed in front of his locker." (24:22)

Jason Taylor’s Emotional Investment

• Taylor (now a college D-line coach) reflects on living through his players:
  • "My time in the sun is over, so I get to sit back and live through the 17 guys in my room and 120 guys on this team. And I'm blessed to do it." (26:52)

Miami/Indiana Home Field, Weather & Tradition

• Dan and Chris debate the fading of Miami’s home-field advantage with unseasonably cold weather—50s at kickoff (37:21).
• Discussion of Miami’s deep alumni pride compared to Indiana’s.

6. Rapid-fire: Houston Texans and C.J. Stroud’s Future

• Brief but sharp analysis of C.J. Stroud’s struggles and Houston’s offseason conundrum:
  • "If you consider [benching him], you’re announcing to everyone, including Stroud, that you’re done with him as your quarterback going forward...He’s got bumps and bruises. You’ve got to learn from how sloppy he was." —Dan Le Batard (20:50)
  • "He was so good, maybe the best we've ever seen a rookie quarterback two years ago. And he...hasn't even been that again." —Dan Le Batard (23:45)

Memorable Quotes & Moments (with Timestamps)

• "I want to finish them after breaking their heart by throwing to Cole Kmet from 50 yards." —Dan Damashek (03:22)
• "If I told the Bears before the season, two and a half yards for your season...do you want the ball or do you want to start playing with all sorts of numbers and randomness?" —Dan Damashek (05:37)
• "Caleb Williams has the worst completion percentage among starters. He is inaccurate." —Dan Damashek (07:53)
• "It’s gonna shock the out of me." —Dan Le Batard (10:46, about a prank gadget Tony tries)
• "Nothing like a chubby kicker wearing 92 deciding an incredible game with love handles and a beer gut." —Dan Le Batard (12:21)
• "You need these bumps and bruises along the road to make sure you're ready to get to the level of winning a Super Bowl." —Tony (13:02)
• "I can't emphasize enough how truly dog shit Indiana was...they were so unbelievably bad." —Tony (40:52)
• "We are on the precipice...Indiana producing the single best and most surprising season in the history of college football, but also being forever the spot on, where we can all say how NIL and money changed everything." —Dan Le Batard (38:08)
• Jason Taylor on coaching:
  "My time in the sun is over, so I get to sit back and live through the 17 guys in my room and 120 guys on this team. And I'm blessed to do it." (26:52)
• Ruben Bane on tears, pre-championship game:
  "I told him I'm gonna cry no matter the outcome of the game...it's been a long but quick three years at Miami...I get to start it off at Hard Rock, end it at Hard Rock, so I'm gonna cry..." (41:59–42:18)

Segment Timestamps for Quick Reference

• 02:11 – Damashek on Mike Ryan leaving early; transition to Bears 2-point conversion debate
• 05:16 – Tony weighs in on Ben Johnson's decision
• 06:56 – QB archetypes: Assassins vs. Gunslingers
• 08:02 – Tony’s “Olis” remote prank shop segment begins
• 10:46-11:10 – Tony gets shocked by prank box
• 11:34-12:41 – Fart machine & "chubby kicker" bit
• 13:02 – Tony summarizes Caleb Williams’ moment and meaning of "bumps and bruises"
• 24:22 – Dan on Jason Taylor’s Miami legacy
• 26:35 – Jason Taylor’s (clip) on coaching and living through players now
• 36:39 – Indiana’s run, Mendoza’s clutch gene, and Tony’s view
• 38:08 – NIL, Indiana’s rise, and the forever-changing landscape of college football
• 41:59 – Reuben Bane on preparing for a championship and being emotional

Tone and Chemistry

The crew is loose, sharply funny, and infectiously passionate—blending local Miami flavor, inside jokes, and serious sports analysis with on-the-fly chaos (pranks, impersonations, Tony as remote showman). The tone is irreverent, fast-paced, self-aware, often veering into playful teasing and improv.

Key Takeaways

• Sports Change on a Dime: One coach’s two-point decision or one wild offseason can reshape a franchise or a football legacy.
• Miami and Indiana as Metaphors: Tradition, money, and improbable sporting runs are redefining what college football and local pride mean.
• Tony’s On-Location Prank Bit: The show thrives on mixing high-level analysis with absurdity—sports talk as performance art.

Perfect for listeners who want sharp takes on football strategy, an inside look at the seismic shifts in college athletics, and a front-row seat to the signature weird, wonderful chaos of Dan Le Batard and crew.