Podcast Summary: The Dan Le Batard Show with Stugotz

Episode: Hour 2: Bas Rutten's Oscar Campaign

Date: September 23, 2025
Location: Elser Hotel, Downtown Miami

Overview

This hour of The Dan Le Batard Show delivers the crew’s signature mix of irreverent sports talk, pop culture riffs, and Miami-flavored asides. The main themes cover the perplexing state of the Baltimore Ravens, a spirited discussion of NFL "culture," influencer status squabbles over the new MMA movie The Smashing Machine, the cult hero status of Bas Rutten, and a debate about sports gratitude culture—especially tributes and statues for players. There’s plenty of trademark bickering, offbeat facts (chainsaws, anyone?), and dense banter fans have come to expect.

Key Discussion Points and Insights

1. The Curious Stats of the Baltimore Ravens (00:57–04:22)

• Tony (00:57): Introduces multiple surprising Ravens stats—Ravens have scored 104 points but their 1-2 record is historically rare.
• Greg Cody (02:34): Finds it wild Lamar Jackson could have such a great individual season and still be frustrated:

  "How frustrated must Lamar Jackson be right now? The most frustrated superstar in the league." (02:34)

• Mike Ryan (02:46): Provides context, noting Jackson’s mistakes are part of the problem.
• The group compares Lamar's plight to Patrick Mahomes's and notes how odd it is to see the Ravens—a team built on physical dominance—being outmuscled.
• Tony (04:22):

  "It's stunning to me to watch the Ravens physically handled by another team... The Baltimore Ravens are going to be a physical football team, to see not only the Lions go in there and physically do that, but their coach to be like... I'm going for it on fourth down and I'm throwing it."

2. Leadership, Culture Changes, and Dan Campbell’s Genius (04:22–08:40)

• Praise for Detroit's Dan Campbell, not for X's and O's but his fearless leadership.
• Jeremy (05:22):

  "Is there not genius in being a remarkable leader that can instill that confidence in your team?"

• Discussion contrasting Detroit’s successful culture change under Campbell versus ongoing "culture" issues in Miami (Dolphins).
• Tony (07:20): On Campbell’s approach:

  "It's not going to be about math. It's not going to be about percentages. It's simply going to be, I'm going to convey my team all the time that I believe in these players even if I fail believing in them."

• The group muses on rooting interests for long-suffering franchises like the Lions, Bills, Browns, Jags.
  • Tony (09:27):

    "There's nothing that compares to the Lions. ... Two of their best players quit early... That is a national laughing stock. For 50 years."

3. The MMA Influencer Squabble & Bas Rutten’s Oscar Buzz (14:22–21:44)

• Billy Gill attends an advance screening of The Smashing Machine (new MMA movie starring The Rock) and brags about “influencer” status.
  • Billy (15:33):

    "I'm now an MMA influencer. I dabble in influencers."

  • Zaslow, jealous, presses Billy on what he actually influences.
• Banter escalates as Billy claims he would give Bas Rutten the Oscar for Best Supporting Actor:
  • Billy (19:17):

    "Because I'm telling you right now, Bas Rutten kills it in that movie. I would give Bas Rutten the best supporting actor Oscar. Like that. Lickety split."

• Billy hints the movie itself isn't great, but Rutten is—classic influencer hedging:
  • Billy (21:44):

    "If I come out here and I say, man, that movie was dreadful. The Rock was horrible... then my influencing game is done. So I just come out here and I say, you know what? Bas Rutten was great in that movie."

• Inside jokes about obscure references (“Speedy Rudin”), the politics of influencing, and who gets plus-ones at events.
• Later, the show gushes about Bas Rutten’s real-life leg kicks and MMA legacy.
  • Mike Ryan (22:19):

    "People didn't do leg kicks. ... And then all of a sudden, you can't walk."

4. Random Observations on Wealth & Miami Life (23:26–26:19)

• Tony, Mike, and Billy muse in rapid-fire riffs about how so many people in Miami have expensive houses and cars, wondering aloud "how do they make money?"
  • Billy (23:38):

    "Because I see what things cost, I see what people have, and I'm not a pocket watcher, but I'm watching, I'm curious."

• Jokes about Miami being filled with non-working Maserati drivers at 1 pm.

5. Chainsaws, Fun Facts, and Greg Cody’s Three Facts Jack (29:44–34:14)

• Greg Cody delivers an odd factual tidbit:
  • Greg Cody (30:20):

    "The chainsaw was invented not for [cutting trees], but for widening the pubic cartilage to aid in child delivery back in the 18th or 19th centuries."

• Tony and others react with the proper mix of disgust and disbelief.
• Greg’s “Three Facts Jack” segment offers more oddities, with the show poking fun at his sources.

6. Bizarre Stories, Old School Coaching, and Penalty Box Hijinks (33:07–34:36)

• Greg Cody inexplicably spins a story about a high school coach checking body fat of athletes while naked—everyone reacts with befuddled horror.
• The show shuffles Greg to a “penalty box” for verbal oversharing.
  • Zas (34:08):

    "Minor penalty, two minutes for verbal diarrhea."

7. Do All Ex-Players Now Deserve Statues or Tributes? (36:05–40:20)

• Zaslow and Greg go on a rant against the trend of teams giving video tributes or even statues to every decent former player.
  • Zas (36:17):

    "I'm so over this. This culture where we have to do tributes to every player who's returning to the venue they played in before. ... Guess what the tribute was? The paycheck he got every other week."

  • Critique of the Miami Heat’s habit of “thanking” players with graphics after trades.
  • Specific jab at the idea of Michael Parsons (Micah Parsons) getting a tribute from the Cowboys.
• Tony (39:48):

  "You guys have decided to take the position of being anti-gratitude. That's what you two are doing right now."

• Billy (39:58): reframes:

  "They're pro-appropriate gratitude. They are saying this is inappropriate gratitude. He got his gratitude already."

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

| Time | Speaker | Quote | |--------|---------------|-------| | 02:34 | Greg Cody | "How frustrated must Lamar Jackson be right now? The most frustrated superstar in the league." | | 04:22 | Tony | "It's stunning to me to watch the Ravens physically handled by another team... The Baltimore Ravens are going to be a physical football team..." | | 05:22 | Jeremy | "Is there not genius in being a remarkable leader that can instill that confidence in your team?" | | 07:20 | Tony | "It's not going to be about math. ...I'm going to convey my team all the time that I believe in these players even if I fail believing in them." | | 09:27 | Tony | "There's nothing that compares to the Lions. ...Two of their best players quit early... That is a national LAUGHING stock. For 50 years." | | 15:33 | Billy Gill | "I'm now an MMA influencer. I dabble in influencers." | | 19:17 | Billy Gill | "Bas Rutten kills it in that movie. I would give Bas Rutten the best supporting actor Oscar. Like that. Lickety split." | | 21:44 | Billy Gill | "If I come out here and I say, man, that movie was dreadful. The rock was horrible... then my influencing game is done. So I just come out here and I say, you know what? Baz Rutten was great in that movie." | | 22:19 | Mike Ryan | "People didn't do leg kicks. ...And then all of a sudden, you can't walk." | | 30:20 | Greg Cody | "The chainsaw was invented not for [cutting trees], but for widening the pubic cartilage to aid in child delivery back in the 18th or 19th centuries." | | 34:08 | Zas | "Minor penalty, two minutes for verbal diarrhea." | | 36:17 | Zas | "I'm so over this. This culture where we have to do tributes to every player who's returning to the venue they played in before. ... Guess what the tribute was? The paycheck he got every other week." | | 39:48 | Tony | "You guys have decided to take the position of being anti-gratitude. That's what you two are doing right now." | | 39:58 | Billy Gill | "They're pro-appropriate gratitude. They are saying this is inappropriate gratitude. He got his gratitude already." |

Important Timestamps

• 00:57–04:22: Ravens stats, Lamar Jackson's plight
• 04:22–08:40: Dan Campbell, leadership, culture talk
• 14:22–21:44: MMA movie premiere spat, Bas Rutten Oscar talk
• 23:26–26:19: Miami wealth musings
• 29:44–34:14: Chainsaw invention fact & Three Facts Jack
• 33:07–34:36: Naked body fat story, Greg Cody “penalty box”
• 36:05–40:20: Debate over player tributes, statues, and gratitude boundaries

Tone and Style

• Conversational, quick-witted, heavy on friendly mockery and inside jokes.
• The group routinely turns mundane or obscure observations (chainsaws, bumper stickers, influencer etiquette) into running gags.
• Signature Miami-centric mix of skepticism and celebration.

For Listeners Wanting the Highlights

• The show’s “Ravens Stat of the Day” discussion contains genuine NFL insight wrapped in levity.
• The “Smashing Machine”/Bas Rutten influencer segment is classic Le Batard Show absurdity, blending pop culture with in-crowd antics.
• Arguments about “gratitude culture” in sports—do we really need tributes for everyone?—are both funny and thought-provoking.
• Greg Cody’s offbeat trivia and penalty box moment are required listening for fans of the show’s weirder edges.

In sum: This hour is a showcase of the Dan Le Batard Show at its chaotic, insightful, and hilariously self-referential best. From NFL oddities to MMA Oscars, you’ll get sports talk as only this crew delivers.