The Dan Le Batard Show with Stugotz

Hour 2: 99 Nuggets?!?!?!?! (feat. Stan Van Gundy)

Date: November 5, 2025

Overview

In this lively and eclectic episode, Dan Le Batard, Stugotz, and the crew broadcast from the Elser Hotel in Miami and are joined by NBA coach and commentator Stan Van Gundy. The hour blends sharp NBA analysis, playful show traditions (including a running chicken nugget eating challenge), baseball talk, and the group’s signature wit. Stan offers insight into current NBA trends, coaching dilemmas, and the early state of the season, while also diving into the lighter side of sports and some behind-the-scenes stories. The episode is capped by comedic asides and a “useless sound montage.”

Key Segments & Insights

1. Stan Van Gundy on Broadcasting and Amazon Prime

[00:08–01:39]

• Stan discusses making the move to Amazon Prime Video and the similarities across networks in broadcasting NBA games.
• Praises Amazon’s commitment to quality, noting their unique emphasis on technology and integration for the broadcast and studio teams.
  • "When you work with people who are committed to putting out a good product, it's tremendously motivating, and that's what I've experienced at the NBA on Prime so far." – Stan Van Gundy [00:29]

2. The 99 Nugget Challenge – Chris Cody’s Ordeal

[01:39–03:00] | Revisited throughout

• The running joke and competitive bit: Producer Chris Cody is tasked with eating 99 chicken nuggets during the show.
• The crew solicits Stan Van Gundy's coaching wisdom for Chris; Stan is confident he'll pull it off, advising “no sauce” for caloric efficiency.
  • "Oh, no sauce. You don't need the extra... you're looking for every bit of space you can get." – Stan [02:17]
• Cody struggles but pushes through, with intermittent check-ins, updates, and classic encouragement.
  • "I feel like I did it, though. 66, pick up sticks. We're done here." – Chris Cody [02:33]

3. Ja Morant, Coaching Challenges, and the Memphis Situation

[02:53–05:46]

• Van Gundy weighs in on Ja Morant’s ongoing saga and coach Tomas Isholo’s position, highlighting the challenges in relating to star players and team dynamics.
• Recalls that conflict between coaches and star players is inevitable given egos and high achievement.
  • "You have highly successful people with big egos who think they know best... working together, there's going to be conflict, and you've got to learn to get through that conflict." – Stan [04:38]

4. NBA Offensive Trends: Decentralization & Pace

[05:46–07:47]

• Discussion about the league’s move away from set plays to faster, concept-driven motion offenses.
• Van Gundy notes the advantage is broad involvement but warns it can expose teams without depth.
  • "We're just letting guys play... The downside is if you don't have a great depth of quality players, you can get yourself into trouble." – Stan [06:23]

5. Miami Heat’s Fast Start and Style Changes

[07:32–09:16]

• Quick success with a new up-tempo, high-scoring Heat approach.
• Stan credits coach Erik Spoelstra’s adaptability and points to the style being sustainable, especially when Tyler Herro returns.
  • "He's always going to find a way to maximize the talent he has on hand. We've seen teams across his head coaching career play very, very different styles based on who he had." – Stan [07:52]

6. Early Season Surprises and Coaching Assessment Windows

[09:16–10:58]

• Stan lists slow-start teams (NY, Cleveland, Orlando, Minnesota) but urges patience—real identity forms after 20 games.
• Le Batard and Van Gundy agree: early overreactions are common in fandom and media.
  • "Eight games in, this is like a game and a half into the NFL season... 20 games is the same thing I've always gone with." – Dan [10:38]
  • "There's always tinkering... as a coach you need time to figure out who your team is." – Stan [10:58]

7. Philadelphia Sixers: Dual Windows and Rotational Questions

[12:04–14:22]

• Examination of Philly’s two-core challenge: managing Joel Embiid, Paul George, and promising young players.
• Stan questions whether Paul George's minutes help or hurt long-term, and reiterates the Sixers’ “wild card” status.
  • "Does Paul George getting 30, 32 minutes a night help you or hurt you, in both the short term and the long term?" – Stan [12:44]
  • "If they're healthy, they're as good as anyone in the East." – Stan [14:21]

8. Offensive Rebounding Renaissance & Houston’s Big Lineup

[18:28–20:52]

• Houston Rockets lead a league trend back toward offensive rebounding, thanks to jumbo lineups with Thompson, Durant, and multiple bigs.
• Stan doubts their efficiency can endure but sees them as a top rebounding team.
  • "They're going to be right at the top of [offensive rebounding]... The thing I question is whether they can have the most efficient offense in the league playing essentially without a point guard." – Stan [18:50]

9. Victor Wembanyama: Unique Talent & Defensive Impact

[20:52–23:36]

• Van Gundy marvels at Wembanyama’s size, skill, and development, calling him unprecedented.
• Breaks down how the Spurs use him effectively on offense (fewer threes, more elbow touches) and notes the team leans too much on him for defense.
  • "We've never seen anyone like Victor Wembanyama... When he's around the rim at either end of the floor, there's nothing you can do with him." – Stan [20:56]
  • "Their players... lean on him a little too much and I don't think they take enough responsibility individually on the perimeter." – Stan [22:46]

10. San Antonio vs Phoenix: Defensive Approaches to Wembanyama

[23:15–25:12]

• Dissects Phoenix’s rotating-help defensive strategy against Wembanyama and why it worked.
• Stan credits Phoenix's effort above all and notes San Antonio’s injury woes contributed to the outcome.
  • "If you have the same strategy but not that level of intensity and effort, you're not going to get the job done. Your rotations are going to be too late." – Stan [23:36]

11. Baseball Passion: 2025 Playoffs & World Series Recap

[26:37–30:54]

• Stan enthusiastically discusses this year’s MLB playoffs and World Series, praising the drama, surprises, and unpredictability.
• Shares appreciation for unsung heroes and the nature of baseball where “everybody plays."
  • "The drama of the baseball playoffs was beyond anything I had ever seen... It was just unbelievable. I loved every minute of it." – Stan [26:41]
  • "Baseball... you get more probably unexpected, unlikely heroes than you do in any other game." – Stan [30:38]

12. Would Stan Van Gundy Make a Good MLB Manager?

[30:54–33:16]

• The crew jokes about Stan managing in MLB; Stan admits he’s just a fan, not an expert, and recalls pitching himself for a bullpen coach gig.
  • "I would absolutely love that. But no, I don't know enough at all. I'm a fan, period." – Stan [31:12]
  • "I even offered to make... the dinner reservations at night, but inexplicably, Freddie [Gonzalez] decided to go with someone who actually knew baseball and pitching." – Stan [31:25]

13. Comedic Bits: Bullpen Brawls, Fighting in Sports, and Show Traditions

[33:16–35:13]

• Stan mocks the tradition of relievers running in during MLB brawls: “I don’t run. I might walk with them. I don’t run.”
• Light banter about “tough guys” and posturing in both MLB and NBA conflicts.

14. Chris Cody’s Final Nugget Tally and Recap

[35:13–36:28]

• Chris finally reaches 70 nuggets, looking “sweaty, but relieved.” The team speculates on when he’ll be able to eat nuggets again.
  • "I hated about 80% of this. First 20 we were cooking. Hated the last 80%." – Chris Cody [35:20]
  • "The Widowmaker would be proud." – Dan [36:26]

Notable Quotes

• “You have highly successful people with big egos who think they know best... there's going to be conflict, and you've got to learn to get through that conflict.” — Stan Van Gundy [04:38]
• “We're just letting guys play... The downside is if you don't have a great depth of quality players, you can get yourself into trouble.” — Stan [06:23]
• "I thought he was out. A lot of people thought he was safe...there was no way they were going to have enough conclusive evidence to overturn whichever way the call was made." — Stan (On MLB replay) [29:33]
• “First 24 [nuggets], popped them like Skittles in the first hour.” — Chris Cody [35:20]

Memorable Moments & Humor

• Chicken Nugget Saga: Chris Cody’s epic—if unsuccessful—effort to eat 99 nuggets is a running comedy thread, with the crew riffing on “cap space” (bathroom breaks) and Stan genuinely rooting him on.
• Bullpens & Brawls: Real talk about the futility of MLB bullpen fights and parallels to NBA faux-toughness.
• Baseball Manager Daydreaming: Stan’s deadpan about trying to become a bullpen coach despite knowing nothing about baseball.
• Sound Montage: Parody of coach press conference clichés in football, with the line, "It's a fine line between drinking wine and squashing grapes in this business." [42:06]
• Witty closer: "Here we go, number 70. Down the hatch." (Chris Cody on his 70th nugget) [36:13]

Additional Segments (timestamps approximate)

• Strike Three Call Skit: [17:45] – Chris and Stan describe their dramatic baseball umpire strikeout call routines.
• Grilled vs. Fried Nuggets: [28:31] – A brief debate on whether Chris can switch to grilled nuggets for spatial efficiency.

Tone & Style

The episode is fast-paced, irreverent, and self-aware, maintaining the show’s signature mix of sharp sports insight and playful, often absurd, group dynamics. Stan Van Gundy's blend of expertise and sense of humor fits perfectly within the Le Batard universe, oscillating between serious hoops talk and well-timed comedic exchanges.

For full experience: Listen for Van Gundy’s perspective on the NBA’s shifting tactical landscape and soak up the crew’s spirited encouragement (and relentless teasing) of Chris Cody as he tackles one of the show’s silliest challenges.