The Dan Le Batard Show with Stugotz

Local Hour: The Mark Of A Raptor

Date: August 27, 2025
Hosts: Dan Le Batard, Stugotz, Billy Gill, Greg Cody, and the Shipping Container
Setting: The Elser Hotel, Downtown Miami

Episode Overview

The "Local Hour: The Mark Of A Raptor" episode is a classic slice of Dan Le Batard Show absurdism and familial dysfunction, centering on the eruptive fallout from a prank gone wrong involving Greg Cody’s embargoed Miami Dolphins rankings for the Miami Herald. Through laughter, faux trials, and befuddled therapy, the crew dissects one of the angriest moments in sports radio, pivots into the annual Suey Awards’ best story nominees, and peppers in riffs on the quirks of journalism, South Florida culture, and college football. Underlying it all: the enduring chaos and love at the heart of the show’s ever-growing family.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. The Greg Cody Meltdown: A Masterclass in Show Rage

• High Drama Recap: The disaster began when Greg Cody was goaded into a performance intro and then got pranked over his confidential Dolphins rankings. This led to an unprecedented public eruption—one the crew describes as possibly "the angriest moment in the history of sports broadcasting" (07:25).

• Quote – Greg Cody’s Fury:

  • "I'm serious. I want my laptop back. I'm not the least bit amused by this. I'm not kidding in how angry I am." (09:08, Greg Cody)
  • "On my granddaughter's life, I am not hosting this [draft] party unless I have that computer." (10:03, Greg Cody)

• Prank Fallout:

  • Chris Cody correctly guessed his father's ranking of the Dolphins ("14th") off the top of his head, leading Greg to believe his intellectual property had been compromised.
  • Greg threatens to boycott the show’s draft party, and even invokes the sacredness of embargoes and journalistic property.
  • The incident generated genuine discomfort for the crew and laughter upon reflection:
    • "I shrank to the kitchen because yesterday was genuinely uncomfortable for him. It was not nice. I was not having fun. That was very uncomfortable for many in our audience." (15:51, Dan Le Batard)

2. Family Dynamics on Display

• Father-Son Volcano: The tension (and eventual laughter) between Chris and Greg Cody shows the surreal overlap of entertainment and lived family drama:

  • "It's how I've heard him yell at you since you were five. When he's angriest, he did not care that you're the executive producer." (10:49, Billy Gill)
  • Post-show, Greg calls his son to continue the dispute, oscillating between apology and new threats ("Maybe I overreacted. But do not reveal that pick before 10." – recounted by Chris Cody, 15:51).

• Cycles of Chaos:

  • The show notes that these heated fights are part of the family ecosystem, typically ending in forgiveness or sheepish non-apologies.
  • Billy sums up the core appeal:
    • "Everyone in our audience knows it’s unlike any other television fight you’re ever going to have. And it also doesn’t actually mean anything because those people love each other. Like, they’ll figure out whatever the end of that is if he doesn’t die on air." (20:03, Billy Gill)

3. Meta-Commentary on Journalism & Show Dynamics

• Hypocrisy Highlighted: The crew calls out the double-standard in Greg Cody’s handling of embargoed information versus past “scoops” he’s been unbothered about—especially when he revealed Chris’s engagement before Chris’s wife had the chance:

  • "Greg Cody thought it was okay to reveal to the world before my wife did that I was engaged? That is okay as a scoop... but us reporting what his ranking of the Dolphins is...that is unacceptable and results in a rage not seen since Jim Everett went after Jim Rome." (12:58, Billy Gill)

• Journalism Satire:

  • Dan and Billy riff on newsroom ethics, embargoes, and scoop culture, poking fun at the Miami Herald and show "friendships" versus newsworthiness.
  • "The news waits for no man." (46:16, Billy Gill)
  • "You're positioning it as if we don't have a choice. We are making the decision." (46:12, Dan Le Batard)

4. The Suey Awards: Best Stories Nominee Recap

[27:12–44:00]

A beloved annual segment, the crew relives the year’s “best story” Suey nominees, including:

• Jamal Crawford’s insane dice game loss—putting his car on the line as a rookie (28:41)
• Patrick Surtan Jr. and Sr. on enduring a humiliating NFL game:
  • "Just for the record, by the end of the… About two minutes left in the third quarter, I was drunk, so I knew the score, but the thing about it… we was being whooped in the sun." (30:35)
• Greg and Chris Cody’s near-golf course brawl and Greg puffing his chest to defend his son (29:42)
• Various other anecdotes: Eduardo Perez hiding a shin guard from his dad, Andrew Zimmern’s nut sack collection, Billy being big-timed by Heat security, Papi losing his pants during a Heat game, Amin Elhassan’s terrifying Mike Tyson run-in, and more.

5. Reflections on the Show, Stress, and Scars

• On Chaos and the "Mark of a Raptor":
  • Dan likens the destructive, permanent marks of workplace drama to those left by a raptor in Jurassic Park, a metaphor for the lasting impact these moments have on his psyche.
    • "Like the mark of a raptor. They can never be taken off of my soul." (44:57, Dan Le Batard)
• Work-Life Imbalance: Billy and Dan recount the stress of show crises intersecting with personal milestones (bachelor parties, weddings, etc.):
  • "Every meaningful moment in my life, I can connect to disaster at work that I could not enjoy in my personal life because someone was acting amok here professionally." (44:39, Billy Gill)

6. College Football Anticipation

• Major excitement for Labor Day weekend’s CFB slate, especially Miami-Notre Dame and the potential rise of Arch Manning (08:03).
• Mike Ryan’s upcoming five-hour “Cane’s Insight” marathon is promoted as the definitive Hurricanes coverage hub (47:02).

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

| Timestamp | Quote | Speaker | |-----------|-------|---------| | 09:08 | "I'm serious. I want my laptop back. I'm not the least bit amused by this. I'm not kidding in how angry I am." | Greg Cody | | 10:03 | "On my granddaughter's life, I am not hosting this draft party unless I have that computer." | Greg Cody | | 10:49 | "The next to last time that he was yelling at you. It's how I've heard him yell at you since you were five." | Billy Gill | | 12:08 | "Put it on the poll, please. Juju: is the Eastern time zone the Lord's time zone?" | Billy Gill | | 12:58 | "Greg Cody thought it was okay to reveal to the world before my wife did that I was engaged? ...but us reporting what his ranking of the Dolphins is... that is unacceptable and results in a rage not seen..." | Billy Gill | | 15:51 | "I shrank to the kitchen because yesterday was genuinely uncomfortable for him. It was not night. I was not having fun." | Dan Le Batard | | 20:03 | "Everyone in our audience knows it’s unlike any other television fight you’re ever going to have. ...because those people love each other." | Billy Gill | | 44:57 | "Like the mark of a raptor. They can never be taken off of my soul." | Dan Le Batard | | 46:16 | "The news waits for no man." | Billy Gill |

Timestamps: Key Segments

• 00:00–01:08 — Ads and banter; show kickoff
• 01:08–05:31 — Setting up the Greg Cody introduction, show performance anxiety, and the evolving "singing sportswriter" persona
• 07:25–12:00 — Recap and replay of Greg Cody's on-air meltdown and context
• 12:00–17:35 — Discussion of embargoes, journalism, and Greg Cody's career pride; calling out hypocrisy
• 17:35–21:00 — Chris Cody’s correct guess, post-show fallout, family catharsis
• 21:48–27:12 — Introduction to Suey Awards' best story category
• 27:12–44:00 — Suey Awards best stories montage (Jamal Crawford, Surtan family, etc.)
• 44:39–44:57 — Dan reflects on lasting scars—the “mark of a raptor”
• 45:21–48:46 — Awaiting Dolphins rankings, prank updates, CFB hype, show plugs

Conclusion: The Soul of the Show

This episode is a microcosm of what makes the Le Batard Show soar: genuine, messy affection; the raucous intersection of sports, family, and performance; and a willingness to live both the pain and hilarity out loud. The “Mark of a Raptor” is not just a goofball title, but a metaphor for the emotional residue these moments leave—and ultimately, for the loyalty and laughter that keep this show ticking.