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Dan Le Batard
You're listening to Giraffe Kings Network.
Stugotz
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Greg Cody
Shadow Show.
Stugotz
Shadow Show.
Billy Corben
Shadow Show.
Stugotz
Shadow Show.
Greg Cody
Shadow Show.
Stugotz
Shadow Show.
Greg Cody
Shadowing it. Shadowing it.
Stugotz
Greg, I'm delighted by this new development of you being in here more days than one. And I wanted to talk to you because they were complaining about the shadow show the other day, not knowing what it was.
Mike Ryan
Why would anybody complain? Like they don't get to see what that sound is actually being made by right now, right?
Stugotz
No, but it's because I'm coming in and the idea is we don't know we're on the air. So I'm getting lint brushed right now, as I do 10 minutes before we start. Because this is meant to be something that we don't know we're on the air. We're just trickling in. We're just coming into work and we're talking to just our YouTube friends before we've started. We're not presently prepared to do the show. We're just sitting around talking. And so I was delighted when I saw Greg today.
Greg Cody
Is that suede?
Stugotz
I don't know.
Jessica
It's not.
Mike Ryan
It's not cold enough for suede.
Stugotz
I am in the portion of my year where my wife starts buying anniversary and Christmas gifts and birthdays.
Mike Ryan
Happy anniversary, buddy.
Stugotz
So my wardrobe gets improved five years.
Mike Ryan
Wow. Congrats, Steve.
Greg Cody
That's a big one. Not a lot of people wearing suede anymore, especially down in South. Let's bring it back there.
Billy Corben
There are some things in our life that we Just, we figured it out in like the 90s and we haven't needed to improve it. The lint roller, I mean, I'm sure. When did we come up with the lint roller as it is now? There's no improvements, there's no technological advances. It's just a lint roller. And it still crushes like it did in the 90s.
Greg Cody
Plus, there's not a speck of lint on that Nehru jacket.
Stugotz
Well, that's the thing. One of the things that's happening right here. Thank you. One of the things that's happening right here is because the jacket is so freshly out of the case, it doesn't have a dollop of lint on it. Everything in my house has cat hair on it. Everything in my house.
Greg Cody
I can't.
Stugotz
I can't leave my house without cat hair being on something. But this has never been worn before because I just got it for my anniversary. Mike, you're the only one around here that does those things up in the most romantic fashion, right? Like, I haven't heard other people around here get like, really, you know, symbolically, romantically attached to anniversaries.
Mike Ryan
I don't think I'm near your level, pal. No, I think that you take the cake on that one. And I'm not saying that to Shade yet. You just, you make everybody else look bad by comparison. You've got a very public, wonderful love story.
Greg Cody
Wow. Like, what have you done for your fifth anniversary?
Stugotz
What does he know that I've done?
Greg Cody
I know.
Stugotz
I'm confused by what it is that he's reacting to.
Billy Corben
Emotion.
Mike Ryan
Look, you're very emotional publicly, dude. You're emotional on a Monday after a Dolphins game. Like, you'll, you'll find platitudes in those things. I mean, a five year anniversary. I can't even imagine the letter you wrote for Valerie. God.
Stugotz
It wasn't letters. It was a scavenger hunt. Platitudes.
Billy Corben
Yeah.
Mike Ryan
I've never done a scavenger hunt. Ever.
Stugotz
Platitudes.
Greg Cody
Was it naughty?
Stugotz
A naughty. A naughty scavenger hunt? Yeah.
Dan Le Batard
What was at the end of it?
Greg Cody
Yeah.
Stugotz
Baby pool table. Your dick.
Greg Cody
It was a naughty scavenger hunt, wasn't it?
Stugotz
It was not a naughty scavenger hunt. Look. Thinking of you, baby.
Dan Le Batard
The five year anniversary gift is wood.
Greg Cody
Yeah. What's under that?
Billy Corben
It's not Uncle Dick.
Stugotz
Come on, man. Really?
Greg Cody
Wood.
Stugotz
Is it?
Dan Le Batard
Yeah.
Greg Cody
That's hilarious. That's great.
Stugotz
Jessica is beaming again because her Steelers are winning in maximum steeler. Ways to be able to strangle the Ravens. How much press conference did you soak in last night?
Dan Le Batard
I snorted the whole thing in one shot.
Stugotz
How excited were you to see six field goals defeat the Ravens? I. Man, this one's funny. Beating the Ravens eight out of nine times, and all of a sudden Justin Tucker shows you. Oh, the margin for winning is if. When your kicker is the greatest, you have two losses a season, and when he's bottom of the league, you have four. And nobody understands how you have four losses.
Mike Ryan
They had no idea how good they had it.
Stugotz
None.
Mike Ryan
No, no, no Ravens fan that I knew. Yeah, he's the greatest of all time, but he was such a game changer. Late game situations changes the entire dynamic when you realize, oh, I only need 25 yards here on this drive. It was such an unprecedented weapon. And now that he's kind of mid tier, he's no longer the most accurate kicker in NFL.
Stugotz
No, it's not. No, no, no, it's not mid tier. He's now bottom of the league. Like, missing two yesterday makes him one of the worst kickers in the league. And the margin for error there is such that the jets were using their fourth kicker in four weeks. Like, if you're not above 80%, they'll run you out. And he right now is in, like, the low 70s.
Mike Ryan
I'm confused as to what's happening with the kicking game, because there was a time that I would have told you a couple of years ago, the two greatest kickers that I'd ever seen in my entire life were Justin Tucker and Evan McPherson, and they can't buy a meaningful make right now.
Stugotz
I will tell you that watching Tucker and seeing the Ravens have four losses, when I'm like, no, that's one of the best teams in the league. Like, I know that's one of the best teams in the league, I don't think that they should have four losses. And it made me appreciate and retrospect Vinatieri and how different it would have or could have all been for the Patriots if they, too, hadn't had one of those machines that, like, changed. If the games are being decided by three points, five points, and you're surprised. You know that once every two months, what happens to the Jags happens in that sport. Like, usually the games are pretty close. I don't know how we slept for so long on the idea that they had a field goal kicker that sort of tilted everything toward them being 15 and 2 or, you know, 13 and 4 as opposed to they've already got four losses and you're like, well, in all of the victories, all of the games are close and they could have won all and they would have won yesterday's if their field goal kicker makes a couple of kicks.
Mike Ryan
I think the fans of division rivals of the Ravens are keenly aware from watching those games and knowing it's like sending Steph Curry to the free throw line when you have Lamar Jackson who can escape almost all sorts of pressure and you have a guy that routinely would make 58 yard field goals. It was, it was a crazy weapon that they had and the NFL in that conference especially. But it seems really wide open when you're trying to evaluate if the Ravens can come out of that conference. This whole new world of Justin Tucker where now the most accurate kicker in NFL history is Eddie Pinero and not Justin Tucker. It's a whole new world for them.
Stugotz
So Chris, what's happening here is that I want you see on Monday we come in and you gotta get some of the air out of the tires. Everybody's got a lot. We haven't been on for a couple of days. We just saw Mike Tyson's ass like everyone's revving and now Greg Cody's here. Like Stu Gotz and Billy are about to bomb in. They do the God bless football. They're first to market. They get out here and they do it as fast as they can to get God bless football in their takes and they're going to thunder in here in a second. But this show is supposed to be us just trickling into work, not a Raven Steelers conversation suddenly breaking out. Because that's not how we talk when we're just trickling into work.
Dan Le Batard
Well, let's just redo this conversation after the show starts then, because I can, I can definitely do that. I can talk about this all day.
Stugotz
Dan, but I don't want to redo it. I want to do it better. I want to. This is the show started as far as I'm concern like here Billy's coming in, now Mike's got to move seats. Greg Cody is in on a Monday. When did this change? Because Monday, usually we don't need very much help. We're just galloping along because football Mondays, it gets crowded in here, even if it's just three of us.
Greg Cody
Yeah, I got a text from your executive committee, I think it was Sunday, saying, hey, can you do Monday and Tuesday? And normally I'm accustomed to Tuesday. Only this Monday I could do because I'm going straight from the studio to a Marlins press conference at 3pm so the timing of it worked out great. Happy to be here.
Stugotz
So we were on your way to work. You wear a nicer shirt for a Marlins press conference than you do for your appearances here.
Greg Cody
Well, I'm having a bad arm week. You know, I am. I'm having a bad arm week. I don't even want to show you the evidence of it, but just trust me on this.
Stugotz
Bruises.
Greg Cody
Well, bruises implies my wife is beating me again. No, they're not bruises. They're just like old age.
Mike Ryan
Yeah, when does that happen? It's starting to happen to my dad, too, where he's, like, avoiding my dog.
Greg Cody
At all costs because jumping Charlie caused this. Jumping Charlie jumped on me and he touched his giant claw, like a pterodactyl claw on my arm.
Stugotz
Okay, wait a minute. So you bruise easily is what it is. What we're talking about is you are coming in here scarred and marred by your dog.
Greg Cody
Yeah, I bruise. I also hurt easily, Dan. I hurt easily, and I bruise easily. You know, I'm full of emotion. The older I get. I'm full of emotion for the good and the bad, and. And I'm having a bad arm week. So I look more dressed up than I am.
Stugotz
Well, you're just wearing a long sleeve shirt, which isn't normally what you do around here. You look nicer for your Marlins press conference. I'm already sweating than you ever look when you come in here dressed, you know.
Greg Cody
Thank you.
Stugotz
Well, am I wrong?
Greg Cody
No. No. I used to wear T shirts in here, and now I'm getting all dressed up. You're wearing a suede Nehru jacket. I feel the pressure to dress up a little bit. You know, it's not just the press conference. It's the bad arm week. And from now on, you're gonna see me. I'm gonna start wearing suits, tuxedos, top hats. You know, it's gonna be a new me.
Stugotz
This is the Dan Levator show with the Stuttgarts podcast. Today's episode is sponsored by DraftKings. Stay tuned because you'll hear more about DraftKings. All it has to offer throughout the show. DraftKings. The Crown is yours, Stugott. I'm in the awkward position here of I kind of want to mutiny against my own company because of some of the things that are befalling us.
Billy Corben
I'm in.
Stugotz
Okay, so you ride with me no matter what. Mutiny against the company. Because I come in here today and I'm like, can you guys get me that photo of Mike Tyson's ass? And then a conversation breaks out and the Meeting breaks out, and everybody's talking about, well, you know, we got sponsors, and we're in a contract year, and it's not worth it to put an old man's ass on the screen. You're just making the same joke everybody else is making. But that's not the reason that I'm. Mutiny is where I'm headed against the company.
Billy Corben
Okay?
Stugotz
The place that I have to side with Cody is our COO has written me an email in which he says, look at how Cody invoices the company. And Cody invoices the company by just sending an email saying, an email, you owe me.
Billy Corben
This works for me.
Stugotz
And so. And so our COO is like, no, we've got a computerized system. We've got a system of expenses. You've got to invoice somebody technologically, correctly. It's not just sending someone an email.
Billy Corben
What they have is a system that prevents employees from entering an invoice. That's what. It makes it more difficult.
Stugotz
And so I have decide on the laziness and the technological ineptness of my two friends. Friends here. And be like, you know what? I don't want to live in a time where I can't just fire off an email and that passes for an invoice. That's how America should be. Stop with your crypto coin. Stop with your bookkeeping. Stop with your docusigns. Just allow me to send you an email saying, this is what you owe me and then send me my money, because that's written proof that I have in my voice, sent you a note that you owe me money, and I'm with Cody on this.
Greg Cody
I mean, I specifically said on the email, this is an invoice. I wrote those, typed those words, and then I said, that was nice of you. Yeah, you owe me such and such for this date, to this day, the last three quarters, blah, blah, blah. This will. I might have even said this will serve as an official invoice. I might have said that to make it. No doubt about it.
Billy Corben
To make it official.
Stugotz
Yeah.
Greg Cody
And what he can do is he can copy and paste that and put it wherever it needs to be put.
Stugotz
Yeah. On a refrigerator. I'm sure that's how we're doing it these days. Copy and paste it and put it wherever it needs. Needs to be put. I will get to the football of the weekend in a moment. But, Jessica, you invoice the company and it's all computerized. Right. You don't. You are not hurting the way that Cody is when he's sending an email and not getting his money on time.
Dan Le Batard
What do you mean by computerized?
Mike Ryan
Clear that one up for me.
Billy Corben
Yeah.
Stugotz
I'm saying that you get on, you log on. Just works. And you send through expenses how it is that you arrive at getting reimbursed for stuff.
Billy Corben
I think it's ramp.
Mike Ryan
That one's a ramp.
Dan Le Batard
Yeah. Just works is like our HR platform. And I'm a W2 employee here, so I don't have to invoice metal arc. But Greg is not. I think he's probably 1099. So he would have to send an invoice probably to the accounting email address, which I almost just said out loud, but I decided to censor.
Mike Ryan
1099 is age.
Greg Cody
I'm working my way up to 1100. What do I have to do to get a promotion to 1100?
Billy Corben
The year he was born?
Greg Cody
He's old age humor.
Mike Ryan
Bad arm week.
Greg Cody
Well, I mean, that's the truth. You don't want to. You don't want to see these lenses.
Stugotz
Can we see it? Can we see it? Do you mind explaining to us? Hold on. Let's go through this. Hold on. So in the shadow show, we were talking about Greg Cody looking nicer today, more dressed up because he's going to a Marlins game here. I'm sorry. Marlins press conference in a little bit. Bit. What's the name of their new manager?
Mike Ryan
You could ask forever. I would never know that.
Greg Cody
Damn it. Hang on just second.
Mike Ryan
I saw Skip went to the Rangers. Right.
Greg Cody
Is that man Clayton McCullough?
Billy Corben
Ah, Clayton. Yeah.
Greg Cody
I haven't been this embarrassed since I missed up Diana Rossini's name.
Jessica
In fairness, he hasn't been introduced yet. So.
Greg Cody
Thank you. So I've been introduced to him. How would I know his name?
Billy Corben
Yeah.
Greg Cody
Clayton McCullough.
Dan Le Batard
When you Google Marlin's manager, it says Skip Schumacher still.
Jessica
So that's why he hasn't been introduced yet.
Greg Cody
You can't trust the Internet.
Billy Corben
Introduce yourself.
Greg Cody
I mean, I will.
Billy Corben
Talking about him.
Stugotz
I will not do any better on the state of the Marlins than the longtime legendary sports columnist on the way to the press conference for their manager introduction. When asked what's his name, looks through a bunch of papers and finally finds the name. And it. It is correct to say, well, he hasn't been introduced yet. Right.
Greg Cody
I got a lot on my mind.
Stugotz
You have done. This is not about where the manager resides in the culture of baseball. Right. This is specifically about the Marlins. It's not just that. Everyone listening to this now understands that a manager is not Going to come in and do much of anything for a team in the state of the Marlins. But this is a reflection not of the industry and of Greg Cody's ignorance. It's that everyone knows, yeah, whatever. Get a Rays guy to get a Dodger guy and see if he can. Guys can figure it out while they lose for 10 years and see if they can get all the Astros draft picks. But it's not like that person's not Billy. You know, you're the only one here who knows that person's name. Greg just said it and I just forgot it.
Jessica
Yeah, well, he hasn't been introduced yet. He'll be introduced to him today.
Greg Cody
It's true.
Jessica
Time will tell.
Greg Cody
I mean, you know, let's be honest. The Marlins don't matter in their own market. They're the fifth team down here. You know, when Lionel Messi leaves, they might inch up to the fourth if they're lucky. They're a team that can't even guarantee a sellout on opening day. They don't matter right now. And therefore the new manager by extension, doesn't matter until he does. So, you know, that's the state of the moral now. That's on me a little bit. I had forgotten the name. Obviously, I knew his name, but I wanted to give myself a reminder.
Billy Corben
His name should be Dodgers guy, right?
Greg Cody
Yeah, that's right, Billy.
Stugotz
Time will tell as an analysis on this undefeated. It works in general as a universal life truth not particularly helpful in the sports discussion conversation. Time will Tell is not the analysis that anyone gives on any higher. You have to have an opinion of some sort on what that hire is. We all had a lot of Aaron Rodgers opinions. Now he's got a lower winning percentage than Zach Wilson. Sam Darnold had with the Jets. We had but a lot of opinions on Aaron Rodgers and cataclysmic like never mind. Not meeting expectations worse than anyone could have imagined, correct?
Greg Cody
Yes, I would say so. Based on the expectations and the market.
Stugotz
I don't know, Jim.
Mike Ryan
Two of us back here certainly imagined it.
Stugotz
Victory lap. I think you guys should go do that. Go ahead and do that, both of you.
Billy Corben
Victory lap.
Stugotz
Victory lap. Aaron Rodgers. Let's get both of you go to the room and get a victory lap going. Platform shoes and I'm going to platform you. I'm going to platform you.
Jessica
De platforming her at the moment?
Stugotz
No, I'm putting her on different platform where she can go after Aaron Rodgers who she wants. De platform cardio is not really part.
Mike Ryan
Of my routine right now.
Stugotz
Understood. I'd like to go to the both of you in the other room. Taking a victory lap.
Billy Corben
Asking a lot.
Greg Cody
We're not outside.
Stugotz
A lap around the block as we. As we talk about the Dolphins today.
Greg Cody
Back in the mix, I tried to tell you all. In fact, I even had the score correct, I think, in my picks. I think I picked it. Pick 3117. I was right on the mark. I knew they would score points against this defense. Two has been really good. He threw for almost 300 yards and three touchdowns. And he. His performance said to Antonio Pierce, hey, Coach Binsky, this is why I'm still playing. You'll recall in September, it was Antonio Pierce who, unsolicited, broke an unwritten rule by butting into another franchise's business and said if I were to, I'd tell him to retire. It's not worth it. This is why he's playing, to kick your ass. Antonio Pierce.
Stugotz
All right, Greg, you got the score wrong.
Billy Corben
34:19.
Greg Cody
That's not close enough for you.
Stugotz
It is close enough, but nobody would have known that you picked the score if you hadn't bragged that you got it exactly right. And when we looked it up, you didn't get it exactly right. You were wrong. And so. Yes, but you're bringing it up just to point out that you got it exactly right. And, yes, it is close enough, but the idea that you would need to tell us that you got it exactly right, as if that's a skill of yours.
Greg Cody
It is a skill. As if.
Stugotz
As if you think you can do.
Jessica
That, you don't possess it.
Greg Cody
It's a skill of mine because I pay attention to over unders, which are usually pretty accurate.
Stugotz
And I make the over under in that one was 43 and a half.
Greg Cody
Okay, well, then I was even more right than I thought I was by predicting the over. Bingo. Yeah. Double. Thank you, Billy.
Stugotz
What is happening here?
Jessica
I don't know.
Stugotz
With. With Greg Cody. Greg, you think you have the skill to pick games correctly? You've picked every game for the last 20 years in the newspaper. Every time you pick it correctly, you tell me. And it's about four times in the last 20 years.
Greg Cody
You mean the exacto?
Billy Corben
I mean, that's exactos.
Jessica
Yes.
Greg Cody
That's difficult to get an exacto.
Billy Corben
That's tricky.
Greg Cody
Yeah. Like if a game is 2117 and I'll pick 2117, I'm a brag about it. But if I pick 2016, I'm a brag about that, too. You're welcome.
Stugotz
We have some People around here who are doing well with their picks. Although, Stugots, you've been accused of something here, and I'd like Billy to be able to tell me one way or the other. There is an accusation that has been filed against you by a listener, and I believe the accusation, but I don't know if it's true or not saying that. Stu is stating his record on the year, which is really good, but he's adjusting the line on just about every bet so it's more advantageous to him.
Billy Corben
That's not true. First off, I buy half points. I buy hooks all the time. I tell the audience when I'm buying the hook. And that you should buy the hook. Whether you do it or not is up to you. Now, I will say this. I record those picks usually on Thursday and the games don't, you know, they're not played until Sunday. So if the line changes, the line changes. But I have to get them done by Thursday. Those are the rules. And so right now, I'm just telling.
Stugotz
You guys are all doing very well.
Billy Corben
Yeah, I think I had another four and two week in the NFL. I have 49, 29 and two. That is a good year.
Greg Cody
That's really good.
Stugotz
And Greg Cody's record is very good. And Billy's record is very good as well. Correct, Billy, because you care about this. Both of these guys are a little. They're degrees of flippant with these picks. I would say that Stu puts the least into them. I'm saying that Greg puts more into his picks than Stu does into his.
Billy Corben
No doubt, with Billy. Billy, Billy. Billy's not a massive gambler. I like to gamble on all these games. Billy does not want to lose our audience money.
Jessica
Yeah, I feel a lot of pressure to get them right, which I shouldn't. I'm 29 and 14 on the air.
Stugotz
Okay, that's really good. But he takes it very seriously, same way that Juju does, because it hurts him to cost the audience Monday. He doesn't want the responsibility. No, he didn't ask for this. Any of this. He didn't want the responsibility.
Jessica
Well, I created it for myself, so I kind of did. But I don't like the pressure that comes with it. Also, I will say this because this is a thing that I get hit with because people get mad at me because they take my three picks and they turn it into a parlay. So I'll do two and one and they're like, you idiot, you lost. And I'm like, I didn't. Two and One. That's a win, you guys. I didn't tell you to make it a parlay. These are individual bets. Now, if you make it a parlay, obviously it'll increase the odds there. You'll win a lot more money if all three hit. But I've been. I've been doing a good job of doing two and one almost every single. I think I have one losing week the entire season. So like 600 every single week. But, like, if you parlay it, you'd lose almost every single week.
Stugotz
I am laughing at the visual of Jessica and Mike in the other room getting ready to take a victory lap on Aaron Rodgers.
Billy Corben
Hey, they're running backwards.
Mike Ryan
Hey, is this. Is this Central Park? I know what this place is. It's a place that hasn't seen a 300 yard pass or since maybe Covid. It's kind of weird that the only MAGA adjacent personality to catch an L this month has been Aaron Rodgers routinely. Damn shame he didn't make it to that rally at the UFC card on Saturday. But either way, we told you so. And it's going to be great when Rob Salah lives. Lombardi if I fix it. Who would have known bringing in Devonte Adams and Rob Salah didn't work?
Dan Le Batard
You mean that didn't fix the entire jets organization? That's crazy. You mean the quarterback that was already kind of old and falling off a cliff with his production didn't magically get better after tearing his Achilles after four plays last year? I'm running out of breath here.
Mike Ryan
What's so weird is this stuff always typically works out for the Jets.
Greg Cody
Oh, the dog's not even running.
Stugotz
What is Willow doing? Is Willow on skates?
Mike Ryan
We got a wild dog Feral. It's like Jack Nicholson and Wolf.
Billy Corben
Greeny.
Mike Ryan
And Su Gods were after they traded for Devonte Adams? Oh, Bills are good in that division, huh?
Stugotz
See you guys. Okay. Good seeing you, Mike.
Mike Ryan
Hey, podcasters, it's Mike Ryan. And let me tell you something. The NBA's got a lot going for it right now. Bright young stars hitting the court, teams playing exciting brands of basketball and celebrities everywhere you look courtside. It's no wonder why tickets are in demand. Let me tell you about my favorite on the secondary ticket marketplace, and that is Game Time and their amazing new feature called Game Time Picks. It makes getting tickets to see your favorite teams play live even easier. Game Time Picks filters out the fluff to show you only incredible deals on great seats so you don't have to waste time searching through thousands of tickets with gametime Picks. It helps make curation easier to save more on sports, concerts, comedy, theater, whatever else tickles your fancy. Also, they've got all in pricing. This feature is huge. Push up a button, you get no surprises at checkout, you know exactly what to budget for. You get panoramic seat views and of course, game time's lowest price guarantee, where game time will credit you 110% of the difference. If you find a better price out there, take the guesswork out of buying tickets with Game Time picks. Download the Gametime app, create an account and use code DAN for $20 off your first purchase terms. Apply again, create an account and redeem code dan for $20 off download game Time today. What time is it?
Stugotz
It's Game Time.
Unknown
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Billy Corben
This holiday at T Mobile, I'm joined by a special co anchor.
Jessica
What up everybody?
Stugotz
It's your boy.
Jessica
Big Snoop.
Stugotz
D O double G. Snoop.
Billy Corben
If people are looking for great deals this season, where should they go?
Stugotz
Head to T mobile.com and get four iPhone 16s with Apple Intelligence on us.
Billy Corben
Plus four lines for 25 bucks. That's quite a deal, Snoop. Not to mention AT T Mobile you.
Stugotz
Can save on every plan versus the other big guys.
Greg Cody
Respect, not drop that.
Billy Corben
J.
Stugotz
See how you can save on wireless and streaming versus the other big guys. @t mobile.com switch. Apple Intelligence available now. Don LeBatard. All right, we gotta go back out there.
Greg Cody
That was big. Wake him up.
Stugotz
Uh oh. He doesn't want. He doesn't want to be bothered anymore. Now it's getting tense because he didn't need that. As a result, he needs something that happened.
Billy Corben
You can see mother effing on it.
Stugotz
Can we bother?
Billy Corben
Are we bothering you right now?
Stugotz
Turn on your microphone, Greg.
Greg Cody
My microphone's on Stugats.
Billy Corben
Paint the scene.
Greg Cody
The paint the scene is. I gotta go to work. Good night.
Stugotz
This is the Dan Levatar show with the Stugats. Do me the favor, Chris. I meant to tell you guys but we were too busy farting around on the shadow show. Can you just get us Dugac's operatic song about the jets from our musical? Because the jets thing that happened yesterday. Stugac. Yeah. I only do this in the context of what was happening elsewhere in the league. In the place where the best teams are playing in the game that mattered the most yesterday. Where the Bills beat the Chiefs again and the Chiefs unbeaten season. But the way they do it, Stugott. All of these close, close games. All of these games that Patrick Mahomes has been winning one score games and at the end has the reputation now that used to be only Brady's. Oh, don't leave him any time. He's going to take everything from you. On 4th and 2 with the football, the Bills did the thing nobody does. And your jets didn't do it yesterday and it cost them the game.
Billy Corben
Yep.
Stugotz
Fourth and two with the ball. No, our guy has the ball. You should be afraid to stop him. Our guy has the ball. I like our chances of ending your guy's ability to come right back down the field. A lot of coaches kick the field goal there. Sirianni doesn't. And in this case they ran with Josh Allen. He runs 26 yards. He's going through your secondary like a centaur. Crazy like he's. He's making five guys, five hugely athletic guys either miss or fall off him. And your jets lost yesterday because on 4th and 2, they kicked the field goal and then Anthony Richardson went all the way down, down the field. Do you realize that? Fourth and two play, if they don't get it, we would have been saying, here comes Mahomes, he's going to win the entire game.
Billy Corben
If they kick the field goal, we're going to say here comes Mahomes, he's going to score a touchdown. So Josh Allen is going down the field. You could see them processing the time, the clock, the timeouts. One of two things needs to happen. We need to score a touchdown so Mahomes can't go down the field and beat us because the math doesn't work out that way or we have to kill the clock. And so that was a gutsy call. Josh Allen made a great play. He won the MVP on that play and it was a great game. It lived up to the hype. It was a crazy game.
Stugotz
Did he win the mvp? Lamar Jackson yesterday lost exactly the way that people are expecting him to lose in the playoffs. I don't know if you saw this. I've got to look up this because Derrick Henry seeing him fumble was confusing to me yesterday because I'm so used to not only is that guy never hit hard by anybody, he does all the hitting. I think it was like 538 touches, it might have been 580 something touches since he had a fumble. And at the end of that game they just come out and take the football from him. So maybe Lamar Jackson lost the MVP yesterday. But I want to talk about how many coaches in that sport do what the Bills did with Josh Allen. I remember you guys remember years ago, years ago, Bill Belichick on 4th and short, when no one was going for it on 4th and short, had Tom Brady against Peyton Manning and he went for it and he failed. And everyone crushed Bill Belichick for making the call. Yep, now everybody goes for it on fourth down in their own territory. Tomlin did it a couple times again yesterday. Like nobody's afraid of fourth down. Dan Campbell doesn't care about fourth and five. But how many coaches in the spot where you're going to get blamed for the decision in that league, do what they did in that spot. Fourth and two, no Mahomes. I believe in my guy's ability to keep you off the field for the rest of the game. You're not going to do that here to us. I believe in my guy and then my guy doesn't even bother to throw the ball because if you don't trust him there, that's fine. He runs all 26 yards because he's galloping through your secondary like a stallion, like a Clydesdale.
Greg Cody
He's the size of a linebacker and when he's running, he's actually difficult to stop, unlike most quarterbacks. I don't think Stugos is wrong when he says, if you're looking at one play that turns the MVP race, it might well have been that one. And it makes you miss having a running quarterback. If you're a Dolphins fan and the crowd gasps every time it looks like TUA might run, it really makes you miss that. If I'm a defensive coordinator, the first thing I'm wondering about the other team is can that quarterback beat me running on third and eight? And man, the Bills are that.
Billy Corben
That was Derrick Henry's first fumble since 2022.
Jessica
I think it was his first fumble loss because he fumbled the ball a couple of. But he didn't lose the fumble.
Greg Cody
That's crazy.
Billy Corben
But Dan, you ask how many teams go for it in that spot? There are not many teams that have that quarterback. And that's a big difference. Like confidence in that quarterback is easy to have.
Mike Ryan
I think that that spot and people going for it, it's more and more routine. What isn't routine is what Buffalo does with fourth and two, which is everybody on the opposing sideline, everyone watching at the bar, every Bills fan there at Ralph Wilson knows what this play is going to be. It's never leaving Josh Allen's hands. We're not calling a play, we're calling a player.
Stugotz
The Ravens have been doing that for several seasons.
Mike Ryan
Yeah, and they tried it again and they ran to his offside, which was a little weird, but it's the same exact.
Billy Corben
Supposed to be a pass even on.
Mike Ryan
The opposite side of the sideline. They thought about it with Justin Fields. Justin Fields just slid early. But there are just certain guys in a super athletic league that just break the mold there that are just so much more athletic. And Josh Allen's not just athletic, but big and strong. It's just such a huge weapon.
Dan Le Batard
Also in the Steelers game, that two point conversion, Tomlin called a timeout. So the Ravens had to get. They were in formation, saw the Steelers, saw what they were going to run on that play, which was probably going to be Lamar Jackson running power into the end zone. But they called the timeout. The Ravens had to get a backup play in there. And that play, the. It looked like the wide receivers were confused where they were supposed to be running on that play. And the whole thing completely Blew up in the Steelers defense, stopped them.
Stugotz
So.
Dan Le Batard
So that was a really timely timeout from Tomlin, because if the Ravens tie it there, you're like, why are you wasting a timeout, dude? Like, you got the ball back and now you're down a timeout. But it completely worked out for him, and it was a really smart choice.
Stugotz
I want to get to that game in a second because the delight in that game was, oh, they're just going to fight all game. Yes, These two teams are just going to physically fight all game because Jay Glazer says that the only thing that approaches the Steeler culture of violence is the Ravens culture of violence. And so they're going to fight and there's going to be a hatchet in there somewhere.
Billy Corben
That's the AFC North, Dan. That's football.
Stugotz
I know, but you guys been telling me that Cincinnati can just slow start their way every season and they've got an ability to fix all of that.
Mike Ryan
And I'm like, I'm off that. Yeah. Now.
Stugotz
Now you're kicker. They're kicker. Kickers.
Billy Corben
Yeah.
Mike Ryan
I mean, what McPherson has cost them so much this season and they make a Super bowl because of his greatness a couple of years ago.
Stugotz
So I want to analyze this part with Cody and with Billy as Dolphin fans, because I do not want to poo poo yesterday's victory. No, no, no. I just want to ask you, since you got in with Derrick Henry fumbled recently, but they did not lose it. I don't have the numbers in front of me, but Tua, I believe, and this happened again yesterday, has fumbled something like 24 times the last couple of seasons, and they've only lost a third of them. So they don't show up. Josh Allen was reckless. When we were doing quarterback analysis at the top of this division, the thing that made Tua somebody who can knock off Josh Allen wasn't that he's better than Josh Allen. It's. Josh Allen's a turnover machine. He's reckless with the football. He's going to have five turnover games that get Flacco benched all of a sudden.
Billy Corben
To lend to Dan's point, Tua has fumbled the ball 11 times this year.
Stugotz
No, but I want the last two years, because what I want to. I think it's more that. I think it's. It's a lot of fumbles, and he's only lost a third of them. And the reason that I bring it up is, I ask you this, if it's lucky that he's only lost a third of them. If he had lost 22 of 23, would the evaluation of Tua be totally different than it actually is? Because fumbles count as much as interceptions and there's a certain randomness to the fact that fumbles get recovered by your own team. He's got an alarming fumble problem.
Billy Corben
He does. He has eight lost fumbles for his career.
Stugotz
But that's.
Billy Corben
It's an interesting question you're asking here. Would we view two differently if more of those were recovered by the other team? And we probably would.
Jessica
It's also a question of like, snaps, like, if they snap ball over his head, is that a fumble on tua? Like, if they're bad snaps, are they, are they fumbles that they're holding against him? Because we also are one. Like we're five minutes away from celebrating. Derek Henry never technically fumbling the ball, even though he's fumbled it three times, he's only lost one.
Mike Ryan
This is one of those things that I deeply want pro football focus to make easy to digest for the audience because all those fumbles, especially at the quarterback position, need to be contextualized. I literally, because in college this was the book on Cam Ward that he averages like a fumble a game at Washington State, he does have smaller hands. And then you literally watch every single one of those fumbles and you realize he has such bad pass protection, it's often a snap issue because he's trying to get a read and cheat on the defense to the very last second to get a read. So there's a lot of that. And I just wish it was all contextualized for the audience because there's no way you can take inventory of this yourself.
Jessica
I think yesterday's Dolphin game was a weird one and we talked about it a little bit on God bless Football in that like the Dolphins offense that you're used to is like quick strikes and attacks and scoring. And yesterday they were really eating up a lot of clock. They had like eight, nine minute drives. They didn't punt the ball once. Yesterday they scored every single time they had the ball. With the exception, I think, of the end of the first half and the end of the second half. So, like they scored every single time they had the ball. It was just a different way of doing it. They were doing small passes here. John, who had a career day with two touchdowns over 100 yards. Tyreek is finding like a new. It's not what you. You're used to Tyreek doing where he goes and he hits like an 80 yard touchdown. He's. He's running around in the middle and they're using him a lot at on third down, you know, it's either going to go to John or it's going to go to Tyreek. Like third and three, it's going to go to Tyreek. He's going to choose seven yards and he's just going to keep the thing moving. So like yeah, I don't know, I guess why the takeaway that you have from yesterday is that to a fumble is the ball a lot. Because yesterday was a good Dolphin game. I think it was.
Mike Ryan
One of the great moments from yesterday was during that defensive breakdown of the Raiders where Johnny Smith is wide open, Tyreek Hill is on the opposing sideline and he's just as the play is going on, just got his arms crossed at Antonio Pierce asking how does that happen? Just a six second long troll job. As this play is unfolding.
Greg Cody
The I talked about this on my own podcast that dropped this morning and Billy's 100% right in terms of Greg.
Stugotz
Cody show featuring Greg Cody.
Greg Cody
Yeah, with.
Billy Corben
Thank you.
Greg Cody
It was entirely the antithesis of the way they won last year, which was the quick strike, the big play. All last season, the entire year, they had three series of at least 14 plays. Yesterday they had three series of 14 plays in the first three possessions. Raiders, it was just, well, not just Raiders. It was an entirely different mindset for them. Tyreek Hill had seven catches for 61 yards. That's the new pretty good game for Tyree.
Stugotz
All right, so you, you guys have seen what's happened. We've all been watching the same sport. The Kansas City Chiefs, when they had Kelsey and Tyreek Hill and had a cheap quarterback with value at quarterback. They'll get you deep, they'll get you short. We'll watch a couple of seasons of Mahomes. Oh, Mahomes. They're not going to keep letting you do it. 80 yards, one play. You're going to have to move it in, move it in, move it in until it's what it is now, which is totally constipated. Like Chiefs on third and maybe he'll run for six yards or he's going to throw it at Kelsey's knee and it's all move it in, move it in, move it in. Because we can't get behind you. Of course that's going to happen to everybody. It'll happen to the Dolphins too. You're using up the Hill years. You've got an athlete who's more of an athlete in an athletic time in the sport than all of them. And on third and three you can't cover him so you're going to make him get five, five yard catches. Yeah, that's the way that it's going to happen on this time and they're not going to pop. But the reason I brought up the fumble thing though is because we're talking about Justin Tucker and the margins for victory in that sport where we all know the Ravens are good. They've been one of the best for the last five years. We all know that quarterback's good. We question whether that game's going to happen to him in the playoffs. It doesn't even matter what happens the rest of their season. We're just waiting around for is that game going to happen to him in the playoffs?
Jessica
It will, it always does.
Stugotz
But now Justin Tucker, and it may, but now it might be because Justin Tucker screwed it up because they wasted the Justin Tucker year. They didn't win anything in the Justin.
Billy Corben
Tucker rare wasting of a kicker's best.
Mike Ryan
Years when it comes to Lamar Jackson. Unbelievable talent, multiple time MVP winner. But people have those questions and they're fair. He needs to do it in the playoffs. But it's not just the playoffs. Nick Wright points out as long as he's not playing the Chiefs, the dynasty of his era, the Steelers, his team's hated rival, or in the playoffs. Lamar is as good as any quarterback ever. Unfortunately in those spots he's got a 4 and 2, 4 and 12 record, a 75 quarterback rating more turnovers than touchdowns. He's simply bad against those teams.
Stugotz
And the Steelers have won eight of nine against the MVP of the league. So I want to talk about that game in a second but when I'm mentioning the TUA thing, the only reason I'm bringing it up, Billy, is because I'm wondering if we're doing some randomness this the rest of this season with the Dolphins is going to have very little margin for error. They kind of got to win all the games or lose one or two here and if one or two of of those gets lost, like yesterday when it's still close because of a fumble that gets lost. What I'm asking you if the margins are so small in that sport because you just handed me a piece of paper that says that Tua has 33 fumbles in his career. Eight have been lost. I don't know if this is accurate. He's got 24 fumbles in the last 36 games and I'm simply asking you because of the number of times I don't see it talked about at all. And you're right, Billy, it's not the thing to talk about today. It's the negative in a time that would be more positive because they got a two game winning streak and their quarterback looks right and their offense looks.
Billy Corben
Right enough and they have the Patriots coming in this weekend.
Stugotz
But I am simply asking the question because it seems like you would grant me that just if he had lost all 33 of the fumbles, that too would be unlucky. But neither one of them is like we can agree that he's been lucky with fumbles and they've been lucky with fumbles. Correct.
Dan Le Batard
Fumble luck is something that is calculated and for teams that have like a negative percentage of fumble recoveries, it's expected that that will go back toward closer to 50% the following season because like, yeah, the ball's shaped stupid and it bounces weird.
Greg Cody
Random. Totally random. The fumble discussion is different with quarterbacks and it's especially different with tua. I'm not excusing his proneness to fumbling, but I am saying with that concussion problem, when Max Crosby is about to tackle him in the pocket, his priority is protect my head. And maybe protecting the ball comes second. Maybe you can. You should do both at the same time. But if you have to pick, maybe you protect your head first.
Stugotz
Have you guys thought of this? I've thought of two of the scariest places in football to be. One of them is after I fumble. That seems after I fumbled, seemed whatever's coming next seems like a kind of panic that I'm not going to have anywhere else in my life.
Billy Corben
Is the other one Provo after midnight?
Stugotz
Midnight it is not.
Mike Ryan
It wasn't so hard for Kansas.
Billy Corben
No. But strange thing, you got to get him before. After midnight.
Mike Ryan
Strange things happen.
Billy Corben
Strange things happen after midnight. Yes.
Stugotz
That's the distinction you're making.
Dan Le Batard
I thought you were going to say Jacksonville.
Billy Corben
Yeah.
Mike Ryan
That's the scariest place in the NFL.
Stugotz
We will get to college football in a second. The second scariest place to me, I just think. I don't know. Well, there are three of them. Actually catching a punt seems like it would be horrifying if you're not fair catching. But the bottom of a fumble pile seems really awful. Like if I'm TUA and I'm fumbling that much, I don't want him at the bottom of what's ever happening down there. It's like putting. It feels to me like putting a baby from a crib. It just.
Billy Corben
I don't like no need for it.
Stugotz
I don't like the way that I am viewing two games.
Greg Cody
Oh, there was a play yesterday. The play where he threw the 8 yard TD pass to Tyreek Hill where he rolls out to his left.
Billy Corben
I was terrified.
Greg Cody
There was a split second when the crowd thought he might run.
Billy Corben
Yes.
Greg Cody
There was a gasp from the crowd.
Billy Corben
He thought he might run.
Greg Cody
Yeah.
Billy Corben
Yes.
Greg Cody
And it's just amazing how there's an exhale of relief when the ball leaves his hands.
Billy Corben
What?
Mike Ryan
Was the baby in the crib?
Jessica
Yeah. Where's the baby? Trying to follow into the fumble pile.
Stugotz
I view in the middle of a fumble pile. I've got a baby baby, right?
Billy Corben
Two is the baby.
Stugotz
Yes.
Mike Ryan
I thought the baby was a ball. Okay. Dan's baby, walk me through this.
Stugotz
Okay. In the middle of the fumble pile. If. If you guys are in agreement with me that these are the three worst feelings to feel in football for a.
Greg Cody
Baby or hurt them for a baby especially.
Billy Corben
Yes.
Jessica
Babies don't understand. Babies are actually surprisingly not scared of a lot of things, but then scared of the dumbest things.
Greg Cody
Yeah, well, babies are dumb. Let's be honest.
Billy Corben
Yeah. They don't know.
Greg Cody
Yeah, they're stupid. Are you fumbling the baby while wearing the suede jacket? Because I would think that you're less concerned about protecting the baby than wondering about the jacket being ripped or something like that. Is brand new.
Jessica
Or stained.
Greg Cody
Yeah, or stained. Or, you know, grass stains.
Jessica
Grass stains are hard to get out.
Greg Cody
They come out of suede.
Dan Le Batard
Where is the jacket from? I'd like to Google its approximate value.
Jessica
Does turf stain like grass?
Stugotz
It's two of the babies at Lebatard show. Put it on the poll, please. I've lost my train of thought because I'm being attacked for taking a baby.
Billy Corben
Putting a baby into a compromising position.
Mike Ryan
That's why I'm asking.
Billy Corben
For no reason.
Mike Ryan
I made it seem that you're just throwing babies in cribs, and that's historically not how you do it.
Greg Cody
Cruelty to babies.
Stugotz
Put it on the poll at Le Batard show. Are babies stupid at Lebitard show?
Greg Cody
They are. I mean, no fault of their own, right?
Billy Corben
Yeah.
Stugotz
What I was saying, it's always great when all of you rise up on attack. That's always a lot of fun, right?
Billy Corben
The baby, though.
Stugotz
Yeah. I'm getting there, Stugatz. I know I'm getting there. You've already pushed me into this corner. I'm already here. I'm here with you guys.
Mike Ryan
Don't put baby in a corner.
Greg Cody
Does a baby wear A helmet at least.
Stugotz
The fumble pile is a terrible place to be. Returning a punt is a terrible place to be. The moment of panic after you fumbled, especially in a punt return, when all of those torpedoes are coming down the field to spike you. Horrifying. Yes.
Billy Corben
Because your reaction is to get what it is you dropped.
Stugotz
That's correct. Of course, everyone else's reaction too is the problem and dropped it. You don't know where they're coming from. It seems like a place where limbs and things can be fractured. It seems because that you realize the football is at the middle of what feels like a piranha pit. Right. Like everyone is coming at 100 miles an hour, all of them strong and heavy. And your panicked because everyone in the stadium in America and internationally knows this is your fault. So that moment seems like it's truly horrifying. Tua, in the middle of it, if he's got to recover 33 fumbles in his career, would feel to me like a baby in a crib. In the middle of the fumble pile, something bad is going to happen to the baby. The baby cannot defend itself.
Greg Cody
So the baby's in the crib. Crib. In the middle of all this surrounding.
Billy Corben
Mayhem in the crib.
Stugotz
As he would look in the crib.
Greg Cody
Ah, okay.
Mike Ryan
We're an analogy.
Greg Cody
Dick Tracy took a long time to get there.
Stugotz
Well, you guys got stuck on the baby portion.
Mike Ryan
Well, we actually got stuck.
Billy Corben
We don't understand it. Yeah, we found it.
Dan Le Batard
I got stuck on. People are coming at a thousand miles an hour.
Billy Corben
Pricey torpedo.
Jessica
What's the third thing? It's the fumble pile. It's the fair catch. And it's the. What?
Stugotz
It's just the moment that you have fumbled.
Billy Corben
Provo.
Stugotz
The very moment that you have fumbled. It seems like a terrifying place to live, does it not?
Mike Ryan
Yes, it does.
Stugotz
I believe we underestimate this stuff because of the comfort of our living rooms. I believe that you guys don't spend a lot of time thinking about these horrible.
Billy Corben
You're saying living as a person who drops things on the regular that are valuable. Yes. That is an awful place to live. I am totally with you. I never thought about it.
Stugotz
But it's not just that. It's not that you're dropping something that valuable. It's in that moment as you've dropped it. Everyone who's watching. And there are many millions of people watching.
Greg Cody
No.
Stugotz
You suck at your job. This is your fault. Everything that's happening on the field is like. It's rarely that obvious. It's one person and it's their fault. Somebody gets blindsided. Hit from the side. You've just dropped the football, you've dropped the punt. And now what's coming at you is nine people, 10 people. The long snappers in there too. The only one who's not coming is the punter. It seems awful, does it not?
Billy Corben
Yeah, yeah, yeah.
Greg Cody
Who's gonna argue that it's not awful to fumble, right?
Mike Ryan
Is there a promo code on this, Jack?
Stugotz
Get it on sale or something.
Billy Corben
Good God, man.
Stugotz
I don't know how you guys know where this is from.
Mike Ryan
The Internet, dude.
Greg Cody
The Internet knows everything. I do that with bottles of wine. If somebody gives me a bottle of wine, the first thing I do is look up the price.
Billy Corben
Really?
Jessica
Yeah, really.
Greg Cody
And then judge the giver.
Dan Le Batard
What do you judge as? Like, this was a nice bottle, like $40 plus. Or are you more expensive?
Greg Cody
It depends on the occasion.
Jessica
Or who's giving.
Billy Corben
Right.
Greg Cody
If it's a special occasion, you know that wants to be a three figure wine.
Jessica
What?
Billy Corben
Yeah, yeah.
Greg Cody
That wants to be a Camus or, you know, something.
Billy Corben
Yeah, yeah, special occasion.
Mike Ryan
If it's $60, it's fine.
Greg Cody
If it's not a special occasion, it can be 40 or 60.
Billy Corben
It depends who the gift giver is too.
Stugotz
Like, what if someone who doesn't, you know.
Greg Cody
No, you're right.
Mike Ryan
It's not someone that spends this much money on a jacket. Like, if. If Dan's spending this on a jacket, then the bottle wine must resemble that.
Greg Cody
Well, that's what I'm thinking, you know, but he's not buying the jacket either. You know, he married well, that guy.
Stugotz
It's a fifth anniversary gift. Yeah, it's a gift for a fifth anniversary. What are you. What are you supposed to buy someone like me on a gift for a fifth anniversary?
Greg Cody
Gift certificate to Home Depot.
Jessica
Yeah. Oh, I love certificates. I miss certificates.
Greg Cody
I do too.
Billy Corben
Let you choose.
Greg Cody
The paper.
Jessica
The paper certificate.
Billy Corben
Oh, yes.
Jessica
My God.
Billy Corben
Buy what you want.
Jessica
That's really when things took a downturn.
Stugotz
Put it on the pole, please. Juju at Levitar show. Do you miss certificates?
Mike Ryan
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Podcast Summary: The Dan Le Batard Show with Stugotz
Episode: Local Hour: Bad Arm Week
Release Date: November 18, 2024
The episode begins with Dan Le Batard and Stugotz addressing listener feedback about the "Shadow Show," a segment designed to capture candid moments before the main broadcast. Stugotz explains the concept:
"We're just trickling into work, not a Raven Steelers conversation suddenly breaking out because that's not how we talk when we're just trickling into work." [01:41]
Greg Cody joins the conversation, expressing his enthusiasm about becoming a more regular part of the show, which leads to a discussion about initial technical challenges and the informal nature of the Shadow Show.
Greg Cody candidly shares his struggles with a "bad arm week," attributing his poor performance to possible old age and playful speculation about his wardrobe upgrades for the week:
"I got a lot on my mind. I'm having a bad arm week. So I look more dressed up than I am." [09:36]
Stugotz and the team rib Greg about his attire and the implications of his arm issues on his contributions to the show.
A significant portion of the episode delves into a humorous yet pointed debate about company invoicing practices. Stugotz expresses frustration with the company's strict invoicing system, advocating for a more straightforward email-based approach:
"I don't want to live in a time where I can't just fire off an email and that passes for an invoice." [12:10]
Greg defends his method, explaining his emails are clear and serve as official invoices:
"I specifically said on the email, this is an invoice... This will serve as an official invoice." [13:02]
The discussion highlights the clash between traditional and modern administrative processes, all in good humor.
Greg Cody recounts his experience attending a Marlins press conference, where he embarrassingly forgot the new manager's name, Clayton McCullough. This leads to a lighthearted critique of his own preparedness:
"I haven't been this embarrassed since I messed up Diana Rossini's name." [15:24]
Stugotz mocks Greg's lapse, emphasizing the importance of being well-informed, especially when representing the show at official events.
The conversation shifts to betting strategies and the hosts' track records. Billy Corben defends his betting approach against accusations of manipulating lines for personal gain:
"I buy half points. I buy hooks all the time. I tell the audience when I'm buying the hook." [21:24]
Jessica shares her successful betting record but expresses discomfort with the pressure of audience expectations:
"I feel a lot of pressure to get them right, which I shouldn't. I'm 29 and 14 on the air." [22:31]
Stugotz commends both Greg and Billy for their achievements while playfully ribbing them about their betting philosophies.
A substantial segment of the episode is dedicated to analyzing recent NFL games, focusing on the pivotal role of kickers and quarterback performances. Key topics include:
Stugotz laments the decline in Justin Tucker's performance, attributing it to the Ravens' increased number of losses:
"Just, no, it's not. He's now bottom of the league." [05:31]
Greg Cody discusses the broader implications of a kicker's performance on a team's success, referencing iconic kickers like Vinatieri and the fine margins that separate victories from defeats.
The hosts applaud Josh Allen's crucial plays against the Ravens, highlighting his physical prowess and decision-making under pressure:
"Josh Allen's not just athletic, but big and strong. It's just such a huge weapon." [33:31]
They compare Allen's impact to other star players, emphasizing how his abilities can alter game dynamics and influence playoff outcomes.
Stugotz raises concerns about Tua Tagovailoa's tendency to fumble, questioning whether his fumble luck skews the Dolphins' record:
"If he had lost 22 of 23, would the evaluation of Tua be totally different than it actually is?" [42:37]
Jessica and Billy delve into Tua's fumble statistics, discussing the impact of lost fumbles on game outcomes and overall quarterback evaluations.
The episode covers the intense Steelers-Ravens game, focusing on strategic decisions like timeouts and fourth-down plays. Stugotz praises Steelers' coach Mike Tomlin for his timely timeout:
"That was a really timely timeout from Tomlin, because if the Ravens tie it there, you're like, why are you wasting a timeout, dude?" [34:30]
Greg Cody analyzes the Steelers' defensive prowess and the psychological warfare inherent in AFC North rivalries.
Billy Corben and Jessica discuss effective betting strategies, emphasizing the importance of individual bets over parlays to maintain a positive track record. Billy shares his impressive year-to-date stats:
"I think I had another four and two week in the NFL. I have 49, 29 and two. That is a good year." [21:51]
Jessica offers advice on managing betting expectations and handling losses, advocating for responsible gambling practices.
As the episode wraps up, the hosts tease upcoming discussions and maintain their humorous banter about personal and professional challenges. They also address the emotional aspects of being sports analysts, particularly in high-stakes games where individual performances can make or break seasons.
Stugotz on the Shadow Show Concept:
"We're just trickling into work, not a Raven Steelers conversation suddenly breaking out because that's not how we talk when we're just trickling into work." [01:41]
Greg Cody on Bad Arm Week:
"I'm having a bad arm week. So I look more dressed up than I am." [09:36]
Billy Corben Defending Betting Integrity:
"I buy half points. I buy hooks all the time. I tell the audience when I'm buying the hook." [21:24]
Stugotz on Justin Tucker's Performance:
"He's now bottom of the league. He's one of the worst kickers." [05:31]
Stugotz on Tua Tagovailoa's Fumbles:
"If he had lost 22 of 23, would the evaluation of Tua be totally different than it actually is?" [42:37]
Impact of Special Teams: The episode underscores the profound influence that kickers like Justin Tucker can have on a team's success, highlighting how small margins can lead to significant outcomes.
Quarterback Accountability: Discussions about Josh Allen and Tua Tagovailoa emphasize the critical role quarterbacks play, not just in executing plays but in maintaining possession and minimizing turnovers.
Betting Ethics and Responsibility: The hosts navigate the fine line between offering betting advice and maintaining ethical standards, advocating for transparency and responsible gambling among listeners.
Team Dynamics and Strategy: Analysis of team strategies, particularly in high-pressure situations like fourth downs, reveals the nuanced decision-making that coaches must employ to guide their teams to victory.
Personal Challenges in Sports Analysis: Greg Cody's "bad arm week" and the humorous take on company policies reflect the personal hurdles that come with being a sports analyst, blending relatability with professional insight.
This episode of The Dan Le Batard Show with Stugotz offers a blend of humorous banter, in-depth sports analysis, and candid discussions about the challenges of sports broadcasting. Whether you're a dedicated listener or new to the show, the episode provides valuable perspectives on NFL dynamics, betting strategies, and the behind-the-scenes workings of a popular sports podcast.