Transcript

Home Depot Announcer (0:00)

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McDonald's Promo Host (0:30)

K Pop Demon Hunters Saja Boys Breakfast Meal and Hunt Tricks Meal have just dropped at McDonald's. They're calling this a battle for the fans. What do you say to that Rumi? It's not a battle. So glad the Saja Boys could take breakfast and give our meal the rest of the day.

Quaker Oats Announcer (0:44)

It is an honor to share.

McDonald's Promo Host (0:46)

No, it's our honor.

Dan LeBatard (0:48)

It is our larger honor.

Guest or Co-host (0:49)

No, really stop.

McDonald's Promo Host (0:51)

You can really feel the respect in this battle. Pick a meal to pick a side.

Sound/Music Producer or Co-host (0:56)

Ba da ba ba ba and participate

Dan LeBatard (0:58)

in McDonald's while supplies last.

Apple Watch Sleep Score Announcer (1:00)

If we knew more about our sleep, what would we do differently? Would we go to bed at a consistent time or take steps to reduce interruptions to our sleep with Sleep Score, Apple Watch measures your bedtime consistency, interruptions and sleep duration. Then every morning it combines these factors into an easy to understand score from 1 to 100 so you'll know how to take the quality of your sleep from okay to very high. Know your sleep score with Apple Watch iPhone 11 or later required.

Dan LeBatard (1:30)

This is the Dan Levator show with

Stu Guts (1:32)

the Stu Guts Podcast.

Zaslow (1:38)

We have an alarm that's telling us to get out of the building immediately. We are ignoring it in the brave fight to bring you content under any and all duress here at Meadowlark Media. If an alarm goes off again telling us to get off the air, we will not do so for another 17 minutes until we've handed over the show to Jeremy Tashay and Pitch Clock where baseball is covered better than it is covered here. Greg Cody was very happy to see Solaire and Lopez get seven games for that bare knuckle brawl in which they they fought and got seven games of suspension. You were happy to see punishment there, Greg.

Summary

The Dan Le Batard Show with Stugotz

Episode: Hour 3 – Looooopez (feat. Mike Schur)
Date: April 9, 2026
Main Theme:
A classic blend of sports banter and humor, today's episode centers around the intersection of baseball brawls, catchphrase comedy, baseball trivia (“The Pitch Clock” with a fantasy draft), and a lively interview with writer/baseball expert Mike Schur. The crew also debates the encroachment of pop culture into the sacred space of sporting events, particularly The Masters. All delivered in the uniquely irreverent, fast-paced style of the Le Batard team.

Episode Overview

The episode delivers classic Le Batard:

Dissecting recent MLB suspensions (notably Solaire and Lopez) and the fairness of league punishments.
Brainstorming new ways to deliver hot takes—literally with a “fire starter” and faux alarms.
Playful ribbing over on-air blunders and self-referential humor, with Greg Cody’s catchphrase legacy at the center.
Spirited discussion about The Masters’ coverage and the clash between tradition and modern entertainment.
A “Pitch Clock” baseball trivia competition, capped with a deep-dive into the fortunes of the Pirates and Red Sox with Mike Schur.
Reflection on baseball brawls and notable baseball names, all tied together with signature banter.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. Baseball Brawls: Solaire and Lopez Suspensions

Discussion opens (02:14) on the MLB handing down seven-game suspensions to Jorge Solaire and Reynaldo Lopez for a bare-knuckle brawl.
Greg Cody argues for clear consequences:

"You either allow fighting like hockey does or you don’t… I don’t think there should be an in between where it’s okay to do what they did and swing a fist with a baseball in it without any repercussion. It’s fair." (02:14)
The crew ponders the proportionality of punishment for pitchers vs. position players, noting that seven games for a pitcher is "one start," while for hitters it's "seven times the punishment." (02:40)
Zaslow:

“Seven is a nothing punishment for a pitcher.” (02:36)
Banter about who’s more penalized; nods to Lopez’s role (starter vs. reliever).

2. Catchphrases, Nicknames, and the Greg Cody Legacy

Greg Cody’s role as "the fire starter" (03:34), and the team brainstorms a new hot-take delivery branded with fire alarms and music cues (03:56).
Greg boasts about his growing list of catchphrases, sparking the idea of fans submitting tombstone inscriptions for him, e.g., “Excuse me for breathing” (07:40).
The group playfully tries out new catchphrases and riffs on who has the best “inner monologue” voices.
Greg:

"I say that a lot." (14:21 — in response to suggestions for new catchphrases)

3. Live Sports Coverage & “Protect the Masters” Rant

Deep discussion about the Masters’ evolving presentation on TV, including celebrity guests like The Miz and Kevin Hart (15:47–19:55).
Tony:

“Get away from my Masters. I’m the biggest hijinks guy there is—not with the Masters.” (16:06)
Group bemoans that, despite multi-platform packages, coverage remains limited and precious.
Chris:

"How about, for the Masters, we show some golf?" (16:12)
They reflect on generational divides:
Zaslow:

“We’re now the show old enough to protect the Masters’ delicate sensibilities…” (17:55)
Ultimately, they accept that pop culture crossovers are the future, but still want more focus on the actual sport.

4. Baseball Trivia: The Pitch Clock Draft

The segment (24:13 onward) has Dan and Tony draft pitchers from 2000–2010, with points based on strikeouts minus hits.
Early picks:
- Randy Johnson (Dan)
- Curt Schilling, Johan Santana (Tony)
There’s slapstick as the panel fumbles with math, rules, and negative scores.
Memorable player choices: Pedro Martinez, Jake Peavy, Roy Oswalt, Billy Wagner, Roger Clemens, Roy Halladay, Brandon Webb, Cliff Lee.
As totals swing wildly, the segment delivers both baseball nostalgia and comedy gold.
Ethan:

“These are gonna be some big numbers, guys. We’re dealing with big, big numbers here.” (25:58)

5. Interview: Mike Schur on Pirates Hype & Red Sox Despair

Mike Schur joins (27:42) to discuss the Pirates’ incredible youth movement—highlighting Connor Griffin’s call-up and deal:

“The arrows are flashing green in Pittsburgh for the first time in as long as I can remember.” (29:43)
The Red Sox’s disappointing start (3–8) is dissected. Schur unloads:

"They basically did that in reverse… started with a car and kept making trades and ended up with a paperclip." (30:11) "[Craig] Breslow did a press conference...sounded like the most annoying guy at the McKinsey Consulting corporate retreat..." (31:23)
The team identifies the perils of offseason baseball optimism and mismanagement.

6. Greatest Baseball Fights & Star of the Week

Prompted by the Solaire/Lopez brawl, Schur credits the all-time greatest brawl moment: Nolan Ryan headlocking Robin Ventura (35:51).
Another gem: Izzy Alcantara’s legendary minor league back-kick to the catcher.

“Maybe the greatest baseball fight move of all.” (36:17)
Golden Era Star of the Week nominees: Drake Baldwin, Sandy Alcantara, Joe Adell (who robbed three home runs in one game).
Schur picks:

“It's gotta be Joe Adell…The third robbery…so iconic!” (38:31)

7. Closing: Fun Baseball Names and Little League Awards

Schur’s favorite names: Izzy Alcantara, Kevin McGonigle, Spencer Torkelson (40:01)

“It's like a cat got loose on a keyboard and…banged out a bunch of letters.” (40:02)
Dan recalls his own "Barry Zito Award" from Little League, awarded by his dad, instead of MVP or Cy Young (43:10).

Notable Quotes & Moments

Greg Cody, on the tombstone suggestion: “Excuse me for breathing. That's not bad. You're right.” (07:40)
Dan Le Batard, on the Masters coverage: “How about, for the Masters, we show some golf?” (16:12)
Mike Schur, on the state of the Red Sox: “Started with a car, and kept making trades and ended up with a paperclip.” (30:11)
Mike Schur, on Breslow: “He just sounded like the most annoying guy at the McKinsey Consulting corporate retreat...” (31:23)
Mike Schur, on baseball fights: “Nothing beats Nolan Ryan and Robin Ventura. That’s the best one ever, by far.” (35:51)
On Joe Adell’s historic feat: “You got to give it to the guy who robbed three homers in a game.” (38:43)

Timestamps for Key Segments

| Timestamp | Segment/Event | |------------------|---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | 02:14–03:39 | Breakdown of Solaire/Lopez brawl suspensions | | 03:34–05:55 | The “fire starter” hot-take brainstorming | | 07:40–08:05 | Greg Cody’s catchphrase / tombstone contest idea | | 14:21–14:44 | New catchphrases and nickname riffs | | 15:47–20:23 | Masters coverage debate; pop culture vs. tradition | | 24:13–27:00 | Pitch Clock draft: rules and early picks | | 27:42–32:54 | Mike Schur on the Pirates’ prospects and Red Sox woes | | 35:33–36:51 | Baseball brawl analysis; greatest fight moments | | 38:31–39:08 | Star of the Week: Joe Adell’s three home run robberies | | 43:10–43:26 | Dan’s Little League “Barry Zito Award” story |

Episode Tone & Style

Fast-paced ensemble comedy: Interjections, jokey accusations, and musical cues keep segments lively.
Self-referential: Runs inside jokes and callbacks to past mistakes and show lore.
Lighthearted but insightful: While the tone is unserious, discussions—especially on baseball analysis—show real depth.

For the Listener

This episode is an energetic ride through the lighter and weirder corners of sports and sports media, blending catchphrase contests, nostalgia, and both mock and actual expertise. If you’re a baseball fan, a lover of sports arguments, or just enjoy hearing professional goofballs invent new games on the fly, this one’s for you.

Memorable for:

The candid, comedic skewering of both recent sports headlines and the crew’s own gaffes.
Mike Schur’s expert blend of statistical analysis and storytelling.
The meta-commentary on how sports TV both resists and embraces pop culture.

No need to worry if you missed it—the best bits were jokes, riffs, and baseball love delivered at their classic rapid-fire clip.

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Hour 3: Looooopez (feat. Mike Schur)