The Dan Le Batard Show with Stugotz

Episode: Hour 2: D-R-A-M-A (feat. Jessica Smetana)

Date: October 1, 2025

Episode Overview

This hour is jam-packed with the Dan Le Batard crew’s signature blend of sports commentary, irreverent pop culture humor, and boldly honest conversations. The focal point is the recent WNBA player revolt led by Nafisa Collier, as well as deep dives into college football drama, the state of sports fandom, and the inside baseball of sports media. Jessica Smetana joins to provide insight on WNBA labor tensions, Notre Dame football, and various oddities in the sports world, keeping tone lively and sharp.

Key Discussion Points and Insights

1. Boldest Takes & Quad Boxes: TV Viewing Frustrations

• The hosts fielded Boost Mobile Boldest Takes—a segment with hot takes from listeners, covering topics from football nicknames to a strong anti-quad box stance:
  • "The quad box is the most overrated thing in sports television. I bought a 60 inch TV. I don't want four 15 inch TVs. Screw you, Scott Hansen." (04:27)
• Studio banter includes complaints about resolution ("It's 2025 and we're doing this thing in 480p...Soccer games in Europe have been in 4K for years..." (05:58)) and the chaos of watching RedZone with someone who insists on multitasking every game.

2. A WNBA Uprising: Nafisa Collier Calls Out Leadership

• The centerpiece of the hour is a dramatic, unprecedented statement from Lynx star Nafisa Collier openly criticizing WNBA commissioner Kathy Engelbert and league management (08:07 – 11:50). Collier’s speech, played in full, has a nervous but direct tone.
  • "[Leadership] believes it succeeds despite its players, not because of them." (09:44)
  • "I'm not concerned about a fine. I'm concerned about the future of our sport...right now we have the worst leadership in the world." (11:34)
• The show compares this moment to if an NFL MVP led a mutiny against Roger Goodell and breaks down Engelbert’s controversial comments, like, "Caitlin [Clark] should be grateful...without the platform the WNBA gives her, she wouldn't make anything." (09:13)
• Discussion acknowledges the context—ongoing labor negotiations, league's growth spurt, and increasingly public player-management clashes.
  • Dan Le Batard: "This cannot be understated, how important it is." (11:50)
  • Greg C.: "NBA...needs to do appreciably more [financially] than it is doing." (14:07)

3. Jessica Smetana: WNBA Labor, Officiating, and Commissioner Drama

• Jessica Smetana unpacks Collier’s statement and the broader discontent:
  • "The WNBA needs a leader who's actually able to work with the players...instead, Kathy Engelbert has done a lot of things that the players feel like have been wrong by them." (18:56)
  • Smetana calls the timing “paradigm-shifting,” given rumors that Engelbert was planning to step down post-negotiations anyway (22:03). She argues the drama is good for league engagement.
• She delves into unique league ownership structures and the scapegoating of Engelbert, emphasizing, "I think this is a problem that's been bigger than she is." (21:36)
• There's also criticism of management's previous "silly faux pas," like Engelbert's finals wardrobe and mispronounced names (19:13).

4. WNBA Playoff Recap and Officiating Woes

• Jessica reviews Game 5 of the Aces-Fever series:
  • Another game marred by officiating—Aaliyah Boston’s questionable foul-out.
  • “It would have been really cool to see [the Fever] make it to a final given the...insanity of the season that they’ve had.” (23:29)
  • The Aces’ finals return is labeled “crazy” given their midseason struggles. "I counted them out. I didn’t think they were going to be back in the finals." (23:57)

5. Crassness in Sports Crowds: Colorado, Ryder Cup & Pitt vs. Louisville

• Greg and Dan discuss rowdy, crude sports crowds:
  • Colorado fined $50,000 after students chant "F the Mormons" at BYU game.
    • Coach Deion Sanders' apology: “That’s not indicative of who we are...don’t indict us just based on a group of young kids probably was intoxicated and high simultaneously.” (25:04)
    • Jess: "The best apologies are honest ones. Maybe he was slightly too honest, but it sounded sincere." (26:40)
  • Ryder Cup fans chant at Rory McIlroy.
• The “degradation of civility and sportsmanship at sports events” (24:54) is lamented.

6. More Sports Oddities:

• Pitt players vs. Louisville ball boy scuffle—Jess explains the behind-the-scenes logistics of ball management and commends Louisville’s ball person for his commitment. (30:01)
• Discuss crowdedness (or lack thereof) at college games: "That crowd for Pitt versus Louisville was as bad as I’ve ever seen for an ACC conference game." (31:08)

7. College Football Rapid-Fire with Jess

• Bobby Petrino’s return to Arkansas as interim head coach and the coinciding scandals raise eyebrows.
  • “It was so nasty. And the fact that they even brought him back...was pretty shocking to me. But...no one has shame anymore.” (34:17)
• Alabama’s identity crisis: Jess jokes, “I think we’ll find out against Vanderbilt, Dan.” (34:57)
• Poll banter: Penn State’s deficit, conservative play-calling, and the “unhinged” energy of Dan Lanning (Oregon coach) all get airtime.
• Heisman Watch:
  • Jess: “There’s been a lot of talk about how the first round hopeful quarterbacks...have been disappointing, but there have been so many surprises.” (37:29)
  • Mentions of surprises: Ty Simpson, C.J. Carr, Dante Moore, Trinidad Chambliss, and others.
• Comedy: Dan asks, “Who is better, Ole Miss or Texas Tech?” Jess: “Give the edge to Ole Miss right now.” (39:42)

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• Nafisa Collier’s Statement:

  • "Our leadership’s answer to being held accountable is to suppress everyone’s voices by handing out fines. I’m not concerned about a fine. I’m concerned about the future of our sport." (11:18, Collier)
  • “Right now we have the worst leadership in the world.” (11:34, Collier)

• Jessica Smetana’s WNBA Take:

  • "Kathy Engelbert has done a lot of things that the players feel like have been wrong by them." (18:56)
  • "...a paradigm shifting moment in the WNBA." (22:05)
  • "I do believe that this is a problem that's been bigger than she is." (21:36)

• Deion Sanders’ Apology for Colorado Crowd:

  • “Don’t indict us just based on a group of young kids that probably was intoxicated and high simultaneously.” (25:10)

Timestamps for Important Segments

• Collier Statement & WNBA Leadership Revolt: 08:07 – 11:50
• Jessica Smetana on League Tension & Structure: 18:49 – 23:01
• Aces-Fever Game 5 Analysis: 23:01 – 24:39
• Discussion of Crassness in Sports Fandom: 24:39 – 26:51
• Pitt-Louisville Ball Boy Drama: 30:01 – 31:08
• Arkansas & Petrino Scandal Recap: 32:48 – 34:45
• Heisman Watch & QB Disappointments: 36:56 – 39:25

Episode’s Tone & Takeaways

The conversation is fast, energetic, and packed with sharp wit, but also earnest about player empowerment and league responsibility. The Le Batard crew blend news-breaking seriousness (Collier’s mutiny) with the absurdities of sports culture (quad boxes, college football fashion contests). Jessica Smetana is a fun, authoritative guest, clearly embedded in both women’s sports and college football culture.

If you missed this episode:
You’ll come away understanding the seismic moment happening within the WNBA—where player voices and labor disputes are at a crossroads—not just as a sports story but as a labor, power, and visibility story. You’ll also get a snappy survey of college football’s quirks, sports crowd misbehavior, and the distinct flavor of a “drama-loving” league.

Hosts:

• Dan Le Batard
• Stugotz
• Jessica Smetana (guest, Echoes podcast host)

[Note: Ads, intros, and outros have been omitted.]