The Dan Le Batard Show with Stugotz

Local Hour: The Burning Building (feat. Paul)

Date: October 21, 2025
Location: Elser Hotel, Downtown Miami

Overview:

This chaotic, rapid-fire "Local Hour" episode dives into the unraveling of the Miami Dolphins franchise, dissecting leadership failures, management disasters, and existential crises surrounding the team. Dan Le Batard, Stugotz, John Zaslow (Zaslow), Mike Ryan, Chris Cody, Tony, Greg, and Hollywood blend their signature sarcasm and South Florida flair to unpack sports, culture, and drama—while taking wild detours through thrift store fashion, leadership metaphors, and the value of human organs on the black market. Longtime radio rivalries, intergenerational bickering, and deep Miami sports fan pain provide the backdrop.

Major Discussion Points

1. Punishments, Cowboy Hats, and Thrift Store Fashion

[01:37-04:10]

• The episode opens in classic Le Batard fashion: a comedic dispute over an on-air “punishment”—Mike Ryan wearing a cowboy hat and “vintage” (not thrift) jeans after he lost a bet.
• Dan jokes about suffering to pull off the “Dentec punishment,” highlighting how impractical cowboy hats are for headphones.
• Chris Cody, Tony, and the others rib him over the dubious authenticity of his cowboy attire, with Dan defending:

  "It seems like you guys are just jealous because I’m handsome." – Dan [03:36]

• The segment is equal parts performative and meta, poking fun at how their show invents and softens even its own punishments.

2. Miami Dolphins: “Burning Building” Leadership Crisis

[04:33-12:14]

• Zaslow introduces the “burning building” metaphor for the Dolphins, triggered by Tua Tagovailoa’s botched leadership and a disastrous press conference:

  "I’ve got TUA out in front…giving press conferences in front of a burning building and this is as high as the flames can climb on a franchise." – Zaslow [04:33]

• He argues Tua’s overcorrection in the press—accepting total blame after previously finger-pointing—has lost him the locker room’s trust.
• Dan and Mike Ryan agree: the franchise is leaderless, rudderless, with “everyone about to be swept out to sea…getting demotions on what were their careers.”

  "It’s tethered to nothing. They’re all being swept out to sea." – Dan [10:33]

• The panel points out the absence of a true leader after Tyreek Hill’s departure and Tua’s self-preservation.

3. Ownership and the Decaying Franchise

[12:14-16:19]

• Sharp, direct criticism of Dolphins owner Stephen Ross:

  "Makes a lot of money, but is a loser. Loser makes a good Stadium. Brings F1 down here. But is a professional sports loser." – Zaslow [11:46]

• They compare the Dolphins’ chronic dysfunction to other perennial NFL failures, arguing that Ross’ legacy is marred by 25 years of futility—despite outspending other owners.
• Ownership foibles—failed leadership, retention of unsuccessful front office staff—are dissected, with Mike Ryan noting Ross is “not a deadbeat owner,” but one who just can’t seem to build a winning team.

4. The Fate of Jalen Waddle and the Dolphins’ Core

[20:02-23:56]

• Mike Ryan is “surprised they’re not taking calls on Jaylen Waddle,” arguing his contract now looks bad for a non-#1 receiver.
• Hilarious confusion ensues regarding “Paul,” with Chris Cody passionately defending the (largely anonymous) left tackle as a core piece of the team’s future.
• Zaslow points out the absurdity that, after all is said and done, the Dolphins’ key keepers are “Paul, H.N., and Waddle”—the franchise is left with scraps.

  "Paul, H.N. and Waddle…one of the three they have on a roster of 50 more." – Zaslow [21:54]

5. Chris Greer, Lawsuits, and Reckless Speculation

[25:47-28:23]

• The looming presence of Brian Flores' discrimination lawsuit over coach firings and its potential impact on current GM Chris Greer’s job security.
• Dan and Zaslow caution against reckless speculation:

  "You can’t just throw…time to throw away the journalistic credibility and get reckless. Here is something we like to call reckless speculation." – Zaslow [26:08]

• The discussion suggests Ross might hesitate to fire Greer for fear of legal and reputational backlash, particularly after the Flores situation.

6. The Owner’s Existential Crisis

[28:23-40:42]

• Spiraling into the existential, the panel wonders whether Ross is haunted by his failure—even with “all the money in the world,” he can’t buy public respect or a winning franchise.

• "At the end…all the money in the world...he would pay any amount of money, any amount of money to not have it be this at the end of his life." – Zaslow [36:28]

• A playful but dark tangent about how many human hearts Ross could buy with his net worth (“34,000,” calculates Tony) [38:10].
• Dan argues Ross is not a villain but an owner who genuinely cares, just cursed by persistent bad results (“He just hasn’t made the right hires. That’s the business.” – Dan [39:25]).

7. Miami Sports: Comparative Misery and Ownership Debates

[40:42-43:56]

• The crew ranks Dolphins owner Ross against Marlins owner Bruce Sherman, with some arguing Sherman’s underfunded but surprisingly successful Marlins have bested the better-funded Dolphins.
• Zaslow sums up the pain:

  “Marlins have won two championships…with no payroll, and a pandemic season. They’ve made the playoffs twice…that’s harder to do than it is for the Dolphins to win a playoff game.” [43:03]

8. College Football Coaching Carousel: Florida Fires Billy Napier

[43:49-46:59]

• Mike Ryan reports Florida’s firing of head coach Billy Napier sets off a seismic shift in the state’s football power structure. The school seeks a “standard setter.”
• Dan notes Florida’s “war chest” and the targeting of Marcus Freeman (Notre Dame) and Lane Kiffin, revealing back-channel interest in both.
• Zaslow insists:

  "Florida getting rid of its head coach as a standard setter in the middle of a season…Gainesville, they’ve just told you what the standard is. It’s higher than it is at most places." [44:47]

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• On Dolphins Dysfunction:

  "It can’t be led. What I’m telling you is it can’t be led." – Zaslow [12:36]

• On Franchise Failure:

  "This has been an epic run of failure. That makes the Dolphins in these 25 years undisputedly...a quarter century of failure." – Zaslow [34:45]

• On Owner’s Reputation:

  "You can win the game of money the way Jerry Jones has…but have really 25 years of epic failure." – Zaslow [34:45]

• On Marlins vs Dolphins:

  "Marlins have won two championships and with no payroll. It’s ridiculous, but it’s harder to do than…it is for the Dolphins to win a playoff game." – Zaslow [43:03]

• On Human Hearts:

  "You know how many human hearts Stephen Ross could buy? 34,000 because he has $17 billion." – Tony [38:10]

Key Timestamps

• 01:37-04:10 – Cowboy hat punishment, thrift shop jeans debate
• 04:33-12:14 – “Burning building” leadership metaphor; Tua’s press conference and lost locker room
• 12:14-16:19 – Stephen Ross and decades of Dolphins futility
• 20:02-23:56 – Jalen Waddle’s trade value, “Paul” the left tackle confusion
• 25:47-28:23 – Chris Greer, Flores lawsuit, and reckless speculation
• 28:23-40:42 – Owner existential crisis, value of human hearts, what money can and can’t buy
• 40:42-43:56 – Marlins/Dolphins ownership comparison
• 43:49-46:59 – Florida Gators coaching search, Marcus Freeman and Lane Kiffin rumors

Tone and Originality

• Fast-paced, irreverent, argumentative, and deeply local—just what listeners expect from Le Batard & crew.
• Mixture of legitimate sports reporting, wild speculation, inside jokes, and cathartic misery for Miami sports fans.
• Frequent callbacks to local personalities (“Big Dog” Joe Rose), Miami-centric references, and playful jabs at each other’s competence and fandom.

This episode is a cathartic, often comedic therapy session for long-suffering Dolphins fans—full of schadenfreude, speculation, and a sense that only Le Batard and his oddball ensemble can channel Miami’s unique sports pain and ridiculousness.