Episode Summary: Local Hour: Has Dan Ever Had Pizza?

The Dan Le Batard Show with Stugotz
Date: February 10, 2026
Location: Elser Hotel, Downtown Miami

Overview

In this episode, Dan Le Batard, Stugotz, and the crew dive into their signature blend of South Florida sports talk, irreverent banter, and pop-culture riffing. The show features a playful "Phony Baloney" controversy, spirited arguments about crust etiquette and pizza semantics, reactions to the Miami Heat's baffling loss, debates about college basketball, and a nostalgic Marlins detour. Along the way, they confront issues of memory, authenticity in fandom, and the peculiar rituals—sporting and otherwise—that bind them.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. The "Phony Baloney" Boy Band Controversy

[01:05-10:20]

• Zaslow is accused of hypocrisy ("phony baloney") after mocking Tony for seeing the Backstreet Boys in Vegas, even as he plans to attend a New Kids on the Block show himself.
• Tony ribs Zaslow:
  • “Phony baloney!” [01:56]
  • Zaslow responds, defending his trip as legitimate: “I’m going to the original. I’m going to the OG New Kids on the Block, all right? … And more importantly, one of the guys in the group is my friend. I’m going to see my friend perform.” [09:20]
• The crew debates where the line of “friend” is drawn—do you need to be invited to a 50th birthday party to count?
  • “If you’re not invited to that guy’s 50-year-old birthday party, are you his friend?” (Mike Ryan) [10:20]
• The Vegas economy’s downturn is mentioned, with the Mirage and Rio both reportedly closing, highlighting a shift in the city’s fortunes.
  • “Vegas is really hurting… a bunch of places are about to close…” (Dan) [06:24]

2. The Miami Heat’s Loss & Tanking Accusations

[04:48–16:00, 19:00–16:53]

• Dan launches into a frustrated analysis of the Miami Heat’s upsetting loss to a Utah Jazz team openly “trying to lose.”
  • “That is as bad a loss as I’ve ever seen them have last night.” (Dan) [04:48]
  • Bam Adebayo’s unusually candid quote surfaces: “We’ve got to find a way to win against the teams that are, I guess you can say, trying to lose.” [05:08]
• The crew discusses “tanking” and the rare public acknowledgement by players of teams not trying to win.
  • “That’s usually unspoken among players… That’s an Adam Silver problem…” (Jeremy) [13:55]
• Utah’s strategy of sitting players and the broader issue of teams “tanking” for draft positioning are dissected, with reactions ranging from outrage to resignation.

3. College Basketball: Miami Hurricanes’ Crucial Game

[10:29–12:29, 26:16–27:31]

• Conversation pivots to the University of Miami’s big home game against North Carolina, billed as their toughest and most important so far.
  • “This is the biggest of the year tonight at home against North Carolina… The student section is going to be full tonight.” (Dan) [10:29]
• The struggles and stakes for both programs are discussed, taking into account recent court-stormings and upcoming March Madness implications.

4. Marlins Nostalgia & Uniforms

[20:01–24:24]

• The debut of the Marlins’ teal uniforms triggers a nostalgic dive into memories of Pro Player Stadium, smuggling beers in cargo pants [21:23], and “connections” to franchises through aesthetics.
  • “That just brings me back to my high school years.” (Tony) [21:04]
  • “Make them teal. Make them the Florida Marlins. Let me get some nostalgia connection…” (Greg) [23:44]
• Debates emerge about whether nostalgia (jerseys, legends) is a crutch for a franchise lacking recent, substantive connection with fans.
  • “The Marlins are using the past as a crutch. The Dolphins do the same thing…” (Jeremy) [24:26]

5. Pizza, Crusts, and the Nature of Friendship

[29:05–33:40]

• A lengthy and humorous debate unfolds about the existence of pizza crusts, the legitimacy of removing crust from pizza, and Dan’s dubious claim of knowing people who do so.
  • “You’ve never seen a pizza box filled with crust?” (Dan) [30:13]
  • “You have serial killer friends. I’ve never seen that in my life.” (Joe) [30:42]
• The conversation spirals into parsing pizza anatomy (“undercarriage”) and whether Dan has ever actually had pizza.
  • “Have you ever had pizza in your life?” (Mike Ryan) [31:53]
• Dave Portnoy’s catchphrases around pizza are referenced, debating whether he’s popularized the term “undercarriage.”
  • “Dave Portnoy’s popularized pizza undercarriage.” (Tony & Greg) [32:19]

6. Memory, Hall of Fame Voting & The “Dog and Pony” Show

[36:13–41:43]

• Greg Cody’s memory is (again) called into question regarding who he voted for in recent Hall of Fame ballots.
  • “Do you remember who you voted for? Because you voted for four people. And that laughter suggests that…” (Dan) [36:57]
• The “dog and pony show” of sports honors and Hall of Fame voting is criticized for its lack of transparency and increasingly arbitrary nature.
  • “What’s going on behind the scenes with this stuff? This is so dumb… There’s so many puppet strings being pulled…” (Greg) [39:38]
• Zaslow is fined $50 for prematurely announcing the death of Hall of Fame presenter David Baker.
  • “And you owe $50 because you killed him. You said he was dead, and he’s not dead.” (Dan) [42:36]

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• On Fan Hypocrisy:

  • “You made fun of Chris doing something right. Now you’re going to do the same thing, but older and worse, making you a phony baloney.” (Greg Cody to Zaslow, [09:13])

• On Pizza Crust Etiquette:

  • “You have serial killer friends. Yeah, I’ve never seen that in my life.” (Joe, [30:42])
  • “Have you ever had pizza in your life?” (Mike Ryan to Dan, [31:53])

• On the Heat Loss and Tanking:

  • “That is as bad a loss as I’ve ever seen them have last night. I’m not even kidding…” (Dan, [04:48])
  • “They tried to do it and the Heat wouldn’t allow them to murder themselves.” (Mike Ryan, [05:48])

• On Friendship and Boy Bands:

  • “If you’re not invited to that guy’s 50-year-old birthday party, are you his friend?” (Mike Ryan, [10:20])
  • “We’ve been friends for over, like, 10 plus years.” (Zaslow, [09:51])

• On Marlins Nostalgia:

  • “Make them teal. Make them the Florida Marlins…” (Greg Cody, [23:44])
  • “The Marlins are using the past as a crutch…” (Jeremy, [24:26])

Important Timestamps

• [01:05] – Start of Phony Baloney controversy (Zaslow & Tony)
• [04:48] – Dan launches Heat rant and Bam Adebayo quote
• [09:13] – Greg Cody summarizes the "Phony Baloney" argument
• [10:29] – Preview and stakes of the Miami–North Carolina basketball game
• [20:01] – Old Marlins memories, Pro Player Stadium stories
• [29:05] – Pizza crust debate: “Have you ever had pizza?”
• [36:13] – Greg Cody quizzed about Hall of Fame votes, memory lapses
• [42:36] – Zaslow fined $50 for “killing” David Baker

Overall Tone & Flavor

The episode is classic Le Batard Show—quick-witted, meandering, full of inside jokes and self-mocking humor. There’s an affectionate ribbing of friends; sports are foregrounded but not sacred; and a serious, local Heat loss is treated with both genuine frustration and zany digressions. The pizza debate and “Phony Baloney” bit are especially emblematic of the show's surreal, communal fun, while segments on the Heat, Hurricanes, and Marlins tether everything to the South Florida fan experience.

Summary prepared for listeners who missed the episode; ads and non-content sections omitted.