The Dan Le Batard Show with Stugotz

Local Hour: Celebrating Miami Making The CFP!

Date: December 3, 2025
Location: Elser Hotel, Downtown Miami
Main Cast: Dan Le Batard, Stugotz, Chris Cody, Mike Ryan, Roy, Zas

Episode Overview

In this Local Hour, Dan, Stugotz, and the crew take a characteristically irreverent and passionate look at two major sports developments with a Miami focus: Inter Miami and Lionel Messi quietly reaching a soccer championship amidst poor promotion, and the University of Miami’s controversy in the College Football Playoff (CFP) selection—debating the meritocracy of the process, head-to-head records, and the system’s inherent flaws. This episode is packed with sharp local insights, familiar show banter, and witty takes on national sports issues.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. Chronic Tardiness: Studio Antics

• The crew jokes about Greg Cody’s habitual lateness, drawing analogies to on-air talents at major networks.
  • Quote (Stugotz): "I think normally I beat you in here. You know, you live a minute and a half away. I live a mile hour and a half away. Based on Miami traffic. If you think I'm going to leave my house at 5:30 to get here, you had another thing coming." (05:34)
• Discussion of Miami traffic as the constant scapegoat.
• Banter about deserved punishments for lateness, referencing Cam Newton's fashion and public arrivals.

2. Messi, Inter Miami, and MLS: Promotion Problems (06:05 – 17:00)

• Dan poses a provocative opening: How could Messi, the greatest soccer player alive, lead Miami to a championship game—quietly?
• Lack of Local Media & Community Connection:
  • The local press is sidelined (“press seats have gone from courtside...nowhere near the action”) (07:25)
  • Inter Miami, despite Messi, reportedly never approached the show or local media for coverage.
• Paywall & Broadcast Issues:
  • The show argues putting the season behind the Apple TV paywall “failed miserably” (07:56), reducing exposure and casual fan engagement.
  • Quote (Mike Ryan): "No one's going to Apple TV for sports. Really? No one knows that as a destination." (14:58)
  • Comparison with the NHL’s decline in the Versus era, amplified by lack of ESPN coverage.
• Promotion vs Actual Engagement:
  • Messi’s image is everywhere, but "this is not a sales problem. I don't believe it's a promotion problem. I believe it's more scheduling and timing and it's more paywall." (14:49) – Chris
• Scheduling & American Sports Hierarchy:
  • The show laments MLS Cup being drowned out by NFL and college football, making even Messi’s dominance a footnote.

3. Polls & Local Trivia: Show Gamesmanship (17:13 – 18:43)

• Quick, local quiz: Can the regular cast name the Inter Miami or Vancouver team nicknames?
• Banter over mascot confusion (cranes, herons, ibises, flamingos).
• Running Joke: “Put it on the poll at Le Batard show: Are herons, ibises and cranes and flamingos the same thing?” (18:28)

4. College Football Playoff Controversy: The Meritocracy Mirage (25:05 – 33:25)

• Angst Over NCAA/CFP Leadership:
  • The committee and its chair get roasted for making up rules as they go, managing “content” rather than competitive fairness.
• Miami's Chances and Head-to-Head Arguments:
  • Miami vs. Notre Dame: Miami won head-to-head; same record; should get in.
  • Quote (Mike Ryan): "If you're tied in record and you played head to head, the chief tiebreaker is head to head." (30:02)
• BYU and Buffer Teams:
  • Accusations that BYU is being used as a buffer to avoid directly comparing Miami and Notre Dame in rankings.
  • The “tiers” used by the committee are called “bullshit” and inconsistent. (31:43)
  • Echoes of past snubs/controversies: “This is about Miami and Notre Dame. Stop it. Miami beat Notre Dame they have the same record. Miami's playing the best football they have all season.” (37:32)
• Systemic Issues in College Sports:
  • The show decries the arbitrary systems that penalize teams for strong out-of-conference scheduling—"don't play any difficult games out of conference."

5. Cultural & Political Cross-Talk (41:15 – 44:00)

• Marco Rubio's son playing football at Florida surfaces as a quirky, Miami-centric tidbit.
• Jokes about political influence, size, and whether he gets playing time as a walk-on.

6. Florida Panthers & Local Sports Updates (46:04 – 47:56)

• The state of the Panthers: injuries, goaltending woes, disappearing home-ice advantage.
• Quote (Stugotz): "This is the year you need good Bob, not bad Bob. Right." (47:15)

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• On Messi & Miami Soccer:
  “History doesn't happen quietly.” (12:15) – Chris
• On Promotion and the Paywall:
  “No one's going to Apple TV for sports. Really? No one knows that as a destination.” (14:58) – Mike Ryan
• On CFP System:
  "You say you call it bullshit. And I do believe most people listening to this would agree that they're making it all up as they go along." (32:17) – Chris
• On BYU’s Perpetual Underdog Status:
  “If I were Brigham Young, I'd be so consistently mad... Like, it's in Provo, even.” (38:03) – Chris
• On NCAA Irony:
  “The whole process is weird... Nothing makes sense here unless Miami gets in.” (39:37) – Stugotz
• On Lateness & Show Culture:
  "Normally is doing a lot of heavy lifting there." (05:36) – Dan Le Batard
• On Herons, Mascots, and Miami-ness:
  "Put it on the poll at Levitate show. Are herons, ibises and cranes and flamingos the same thing?” (18:28) – Chris

Important Segment Timestamps

• Chronic Tardiness & Show Banter: 02:28 – 05:57
• Messi, Miami, and MLS Promotion: 06:05 – 17:13
• Sports Trivia & Mascots: 17:13 – 18:43
• CFP Chaos, Merit, Miami vs. Notre Dame: 25:05 – 33:25
• CFP Injustice, BYU Rants, & System Critique: 36:13 – 41:15
• Marco Rubio’s Son at Florida: 41:15 – 44:43
• Panthers Injuries & Local Hockey: 46:04 – 47:56

Summary & Tone

This episode is high-energy, blending Miami pride with sharp skepticism and plenty of inside jokes. The tone is playful yet passionate, mixing genuine sports analysis with satire. Local loyalty, frustration at systemic sports injustices (and weirdness), and spirited banter define the discussion.

The show captures the spirit of Miami sports fandom and the crew’s trademark conversational chaos—whether they’re debating the sanctity of head-to-head wins, lamenting paywalls obscuring Messi’s impact, or riffing on Marco Rubio’s son. For fans of the show or South Florida sports, it’s a quintessential Local Hour.