The Dan Le Batard Show with Stugotz

Local Hour: "Out To Lunch" (feat. Rusty Bueno)

Date: November 25, 2025

Overview

Broadcasting from the Elser Hotel in Downtown Miami, Dan Le Batard, Stugotz, and the rest of the crew deliver a classic pre-Thanksgiving Local Hour: equal parts sports debate, self-aware laziness, and Miami-centric basketball optimism. This episode is defined by playful jabs, a parade of Thanksgiving sound bites, debates about the Miami Heat's new era, and relentless clowning over Zaslow’s questionable cold-weather radio attire.

Recurring Themes:

• The universal lack of work motivation during Thanksgiving week
• Miami Heat’s evolving roster and play style
• Sports media “culture wars”
• Celebration (and deconstruction) of Thanksgiving traditions, both culinary and broadcast
• Zaslow’s on-air persona under literal and figurative fire

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. Thanksgiving Week: The Era of Corporate Time-Stealing Weasels

• Chris Cody calls out the collective lack of hustle in America this week, referencing the late Jim Mandich’s label for idle radio listeners (“corporate time stealing weasels”).
  [02:22]
  • “No one in America is trying at work this week.” – Chris Cody
• The crew admits to phoning it in, relying on recycled “Thanksgiving sound” from past broadcasts.

2. The Local Sports Scene: Heat & Panthers

• Panthers notch a dominant win (8-3), yet the Heat’s developments are the bigger story for the panel.
• The show marvels at the Heat’s new “athletic freak” in Khalil Ware, celebrating his unprecedented athleticism and the evolution of the team’s playstyle:
  [06:04]
  • “The Heat have a bona fide big man star... oh shit, that's athletic. That's more athletic than almost anything I'm watching.” – Chris Cody
• The crew agrees the Heat are on the verge of becoming not just competitive but fun and revolutionary in the NBA, with their blistering pace and “spaceship” lineup.

3. Thanksgiving Soundboard Parade

• The show dives deep into the lazy tradition of cycling through old Thanksgiving soundbites:
  • Jon Gruden discussing “hand turkey” ([03:02])
  • Booger McFarland’s food takes – “Boog don’t do turkey, baby” ([07:13])
  • Bill Belichick’s minimal effort on favorite sides ([07:30])
  • Les Miles on crafting the “perfect last bite” ([09:49])
• Regular debate ensues on how outdated and cringeworthy some terminology has become (“call girl,” “ladies of the night”), serving as a time capsule of radio past.

4. Heat Optimism vs. Skepticism: The Khalil Ware Era Begins

• Ware’s impact is hotly debated, with the underlying question: Can the Heat contend with their new pace, pieces, and personalities?
• Theoretical trades for Kevin Durant are bandied about, and the group debates fit, usage rates, and whether basketball knowledge across Biscayne is, in fact, superior to fan speculation. [16:26]
  • “We've doubted you. ...Jeremy, I see what you guys saw. I'm sorry.” – Tony (apologizing for doubting Heat management’s plan)
• Tyler Herro’s fit and the midrange game are dissected, with concern over his defense offset by his late-game scoring return.
• Heavy sports-nerd discourse on who actually deserves to be the No. 1 pick in a hypothetical redraft, with Zaslow taking a victory lap re: Ware over Stefan Castle.
  “You’re out to lunch!” becomes a segment-long refrain lobbed at skeptics. ([24:01])

5. The Ever-Revolving Miami Sports Culture Wars

• Mike Ryan launches into a righteous defense of the current Heat and the University of Miami, arguing Miami football “would beat up Notre Dame” if they played again.
  [39:30]
  • “Miami’s not getting outmatched when it comes to talent. Miami beat themselves in their two losses.”
• The segment quickly devolves into a trademark Le Batard Show crossfire of shouting, derails, and attempted moderation by Chris Cody.

6. Zaslow’s Frozen Fashion Fiasco

• Zaslow gets roasted for broadcasting in freezing Madison, Wisconsin, in a mere radio hoodie and no gloves—or as the crew describes it, a “cold adult toddler” look.
  • “You looked cold. You sounded cold. ...Can we marvel at this adult toddler?” – Chris Cody ([45:06])
  • “Who goes to Madison with no gloves?” – Mike Ryan ([44:15])
• Zaslow, ever-defensive, claims he looked “great” and “represented South Florida,” much to communal disbelief.

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

Thanksgiving & Laziness

• Chris Cody ([03:27]): “There’s no employee in America trying this week.”
• Mike Ryan ([03:12]): “Yesterday was a creative lift, pal.”

Heat Takes & Debate

• Chris Cody ([06:04]): “The Heat have a bona fide big man star… oh shit, that's athletic...”
• Mike Ryan ([16:05]): “Spaceship is a good word [for Khalil Ware].”
• Tony ([16:28]): “It's kind of like Tom Brady and Drew Bledsoe.” (on rust vs. returning stars)
• Jonathan Zaslow ([24:29]): “He hit you with the dead fish of ‘are you high, get a clue, you're out to lunch’ twice.” (summarizing his own debate braggadocio)

Broadcast & Personal Insults

• Mike Ryan ([43:01]): “He looks like Gino Fuentes…” (on Zaslow’s appearance)
• Chris Cody ([45:06]): “Can we marvel at this adult toddler?”
• Jonathan Zaslow ([43:56]): “You were cold. You sounded cold.”
• Mike Ryan ([44:52]): “You know, you could put another jacket on on top of the sweater, right?”

Sports Media Satire & Self-Parody

• Jonathan Zaslow ([24:41]): "Can we just sit back and appreciate that we were headed someplace inform and substantial when it came to Heat discussion? And then Dan invoked Kevin Durant and it all went off the rails."
• Chris Cody ([41:04]): “I also have to keep Tony off of Zaslow because Tony is disgusted by the way that Zaslow represented ESPN in Madison.”

Timestamps for Core Segments

• 02:22 – 04:00: Thanksgiving work ethic and radio laziness exposed.
• 06:04 – 12:00: Panthers’ big win and the Heat’s “athletic freak” era led by Khalil Ware.
• 07:13 – 09:49: Thanksgiving sound montage – Jon Gruden, Booger McFarland, Bill Belichick, Reese Davis, Daniel Snyder, Les Miles.
• 12:22 – 17:04: “Culture war” over Heat management, trades, and the potential for a fast-paced, new-look team.
• 23:00 – 25:00: Heated debate over NBA redraft, rookie rankings, Zaslow’s “out to lunch” mantra.
• 31:09 – 32:05: The Heat’s trade predicament – Rozier, Adam Silver, and team construction debates.
• 39:30 – 40:51: Miami football’s matchups revisited and defended.
• 43:01 – 45:00: Zaslow’s Wisconsin attire scandal.
• 45:06 – 46:15: Final deconstruction of cold-weather broadcasting and radio professionalism.

Final Thoughts & Overall Tone

This episode is a riotous, self-aware homage to both Thanksgiving sloth and Miami sports hope. While the discussion swerves between NBA deep dives, radio industry inside jokes, and parade-of-ego showdowns, it remains light, teasing, and quintessentially Le Batard—right down to the cheerful chaos and the repeated plea (in vain) for someone, somewhere, to just settle down.

If you didn’t hear the episode, just imagine the funniest, most distracted sports Thanksgiving table you could find—full of Miami Heat arguments, mockery about hoodie choices, and annual rituals stretched well past their “best by” date.

One-Sentence Summary:
On Thanksgiving week, nobody’s really working—and for this show, that’s just the way it should be.