Podcast Summary: The Dan Le Batard Show with Stugotz
Episode: Local Hour: Sports Broadcaster Handshakes
Date: September 12, 2025
Location: Elser Hotel, Downtown Miami
Hosts: Dan Le Batard, Stugotz & Crew
Overview
In this Local Hour, the Le Batard crew dives deep into an absurd yet highly entertaining debate: which sports broadcaster has the best handshake? The segment meanders through their signature irreverence—combining personal stories, playful mockery, and the inevitable foray into Miami sports, national football intrigue, and inside jokes. The episode also manages to touch on Jeff Conine’s legendary handshake, the Browns' perpetual dysfunction, football updates, and a smattering of college rivalry (with trademark Miami bias).
Key Discussion Points & Insights
1. The Great Broadcaster Handshake Debate
(01:25–04:16, 09:01–12:30, 39:01–41:43)
- Origin of Conversation: Jeremy brings up the split between broadcasting duos, focusing on Ian Eagle and Charles Davis, and how Davis “seems like a standup guy” with what must be a great handshake (01:31).
- Assessing Handshakes by Appearance: The group wonders if you can truly judge a handshake by a broadcaster’s look, debating whether Troy Aikman or Louis Riddick would surprise or disappoint (02:00–02:51).
- Quote: “Charles Davis seems like the kind of guy that'll give you a handshake and say ‘how the hell are you?’” – Billy Gil (01:55)
- Legendary Handshakes: Mike Ryan offers, “I bet Vin Scully had a firm but comforting handshake. Just exactly firm enough to where he was saying, ‘hey, how are you?’ but without overdoing it. Like Troy Aikman.” (03:30)
- Strength Stereotypes: Dan and crew admit to associating firm handshakes with “country thick” guys or ex-athletes, but with plenty of exceptions. Jeff Conine—dubbed “Mr. Marlin”—emerges as a handshake champion, owing to his racquetball background and “inordinately strong” hands (09:44–12:30).
2. The Jeff Conine Saga
(09:01–12:30, 22:03–23:32, 36:01–39:01, 41:43-end)
- Handshake Face-off Stories: There’s a playful recounting of Mike Ryan, Billy Gil, and others preparing to “out-handshake” Conine—mental preparation was key, but Dan recalls his brother lost to Conine, the one-time undefeated hand-shaker (10:13).
- Quote: “My brother only lost one time in his life in a handshake off... until he met Jeff Conine.” – Dan Le Batard (10:13)
- Stoicism & Humor: Dan offers a deeper look into Conine’s love for “deadpan humor” and making media types uneasy (11:54).
- Call to Action: Dan pushes the crew to call Conine to settle the handshake debate, but they collectively drag their feet, amused by how often Dan’s media relationships have been “ruined” by the show’s shenanigans (11:52–12:36, 41:43).
- Nostalgic Grievances: The crew jest about similarly tenuous relationships with figures like Mike Lowell and Landon Donovan, all (mostly) in the spirit of comedy and “dimensional shit stirring” (11:37–12:36, 36:09–39:01).
3. Football Deep Dives: Packers, Browns & College
(13:23–18:12, 23:23–33:05, 42:26–46:26)
a. Packers’ Rising Fortune
(13:23–15:42)
- Defensive Excellence: Dan raves about Green Bay’s defense, now improved by the addition of Micah Parsons, and how Jordan Love represents the team’s almost-unmatched quarterback luck (13:23).
- Quote: “They’re going to have three great quarterbacks in a row, which is insane…” – Dan (14:25)
- Micah Parsons Impact: The crew breaks down Parsons’ versatility, game-changing speed, and elite statistical impact—comparing him to L.T., T.J. Watt, and Myles Garrett (15:09–17:10).
- Quote: “When Micah Parsons is on the field, he creates more pressures than any player in the sport.” – Dan (16:45)
b. Dysfunctional Browns & Shador Sanders Saga
(24:16–31:28)
- Quarterback Carousel: Panel discusses the awkward situation with Shador Sanders riding the bench, speculation about internal politics (Did the owner override Stefanski?), and how dysfunction dooms even promising prospects (24:16–27:51).
- Bleak Outlook: Dan contends that “there is no reason to pay attention to the Cleveland Browns this season” due to their cap situation and historic mismanagement.
- Quote: “Deion’s kid is going to drown in the dysfunction that is Cleveland because everyone does. It’s always happened.” – Dan (28:16)
- Debate About Interest: Billy Gil pushes back, arguing that Browns’ perpetual chaos is its own storyline, especially when hope is pinned to a rookie QB (29:21–30:16).
c. College Football & Miami-USF Preview
(42:26–46:26)
- McGuffin Belt Lore: Mike Ryan introduces the “McGuffin”—an informal college football “title belt” that passes with each defeat (43:45).
- Miami’s Outlook: Miami’s tough schedule and “gumption” in scheduling are praised, along with the rarity of beating two ranked opponents (44:17–45:01).
- Quote: “I love USF’s gumption when it comes to scheduling these games.” – Billy Gil (44:18)
- Fan Engagement: The crew debates the relevance of the McGuffin in 2025 and pokes fun at using terms like “gumption” in modern analysis (45:26–46:26).
4. Recurring Comic Moments & Inside Jokes
- Polls & Bit Running: Multiple polls are suggested—“Does Charles Davis seem like the kind of guy who would say ‘how the hell are you?’ with a handshake?” is a highlight (02:00).
- Producer Antics: Billy Gil and Roy relish their role in “forgetting” to follow through on Dan’s requests, intentionally stalling the Jeff Conine payoff (22:09–23:32, 41:43–end).
- Self-Parody: The crew is self-aware about the chaos of the show, comparing their loose format to Tony Rizzo’s “impeccably produced” Cleveland radio show (33:18).
- Handshakes as Masculinity Excess: Dan mocks the whole genre of men sizing each other up via handshake, calling out how “my brother... tried to have handshake offs with people” (40:30).
Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments
| Timestamp | Quote | Attribution | |-----------|-------|-------------| | 01:55 | "Charles Davis seems like the kind of guy that'll give you a handshake and say 'how the hell are you?'" | Billy Gil | | 03:30 | "I bet Vin Scully had a firm but comforting handshake. Just exactly firm enough..." | Mike Ryan | | 10:13 | "My brother only lost one time in his life in a handshake off... until he met Jeff Conine." | Dan Le Batard | | 14:25 | "They’re going to have three great quarterbacks in a row, which is insane..." | Dan Le Batard | | 16:45 | "When Micah Parsons is on the field, he creates more pressures than any player in the sport." | Dan Le Batard | | 28:16 | "Deion’s kid is going to drown in the dysfunction that is Cleveland because everyone does. It’s always happened." | Dan Le Batard | | 44:18 | "I love USF’s gumption when it comes to scheduling these games." | Billy Gil |
Important Timestamps for Segments
- 01:25–04:16 – Broadcaster handshake debate (origins, stereotypes)
- 09:01–12:30 – Jeff Conine handshake lore and call attempts
- 13:23–17:10 – Packers, Micah Parsons, and future NFL greatness discussion
- 24:16–31:28 – Cleveland Browns, Shador Sanders quarterback drama, “interesting” bad teams
- 36:01–39:01 – Reflection on how show antics have ruined media relationships
- 42:26–46:26 – Miami/USF preview, McGuffin explanation, college football context
Tone & Style
As always, the show is loose, rapid-fire, and self-deprecating—full of in-jokes, digressions and tangents. Audience participation (polls, bits) is encouraged, and the hosts have fun at their own (and guests’) expense.
Summary for Non-Listeners
If you missed it, this episode is a microcosm of The Dan Le Batard Show’s charm: a simple question about broadcaster handshakes turns into a sprawling, playful discussion about sports, masculinity, media egos, and Miami-centric football takes. Along the way, you’ll learn who has the best handshake in sports media lore (Jeff Conine is the living legend, apparently) and get up to speed on the NFL’s most dysfunctional teams and the latest in the world of Miami football—all while the crew continually fails to deliver on the simple task of just calling a former Marlins great. In short: it’s a riotous journey into sports culture where the detours are the destination.