Podcast Summary

The Dan Le Batard Show with Stugotz

Episode: The Big Suey: Billy's Tactical Error (feat. Dianna Russini)
Date: September 30, 2025
Guest: Dianna Russini (The Athletic, Scoop City Podcast)
Main Theme:
The episode blends sports talk (heavily NFL-focused), irreverent humor, and some genuine life moments, with Dianna Russini joining for wide-ranging conversation—covering behind-the-scenes of her career, NFL news and drama, family life, and the week's football storylines.

I. Dianna Russini’s Wedding Story & Family Life

[02:19 - 07:25]

• Influence of a Priest, Wedding During NFL Season

  • Dianna shares a humorous, self-deprecating story about being "bullied" into getting married during COVID by a Polish priest at her nephew's baptism.

  • Quote:

    "We were planning a big wedding...and the priest's like, 'Why are you waiting? If you love each other, just do it now.' ... So we canceled our wedding and got married a month later. I went back to work the next day."
    — Dianna Russini [02:19]

  • Dan jokes about the economics and family dynamics of this unorthodox wedding decision.

• Proposal Rating and Working Through Milestones

  • Dianna describes a low-key engagement on a beach, wearing an "ugly shirt" because her family didn't tip her off; rates the proposal a "four and a half out of ten."
  • Talks about having a phone interview with Jimmy Garoppolo the night before her wedding.
  • Quote:

    "Of all the people in my life that I’m gonna talk to the night before my wedding, the one guy my mom wanted me to marry was Jimmy Garoppolo."
    — Dianna Russini [05:20]

• Motherhood, Church, and the "Homily Dump"

  • Discusses challenges of getting kids to church on Sundays, especially with football season workload; her son’s recurring bathroom escape during the priest’s homily.
  • Quote:

    "We call it the homily dump now because it’s just every single time. So I gotta get up and walk out with him."
    — Dianna Russini [09:43]

• Marital Annoyances

  • Dianna humorously vents about her husband’s habit of meal-prepping “full dinner” at 5am (broccoli and chicken), which disgusts her every Monday morning.
  • Leads to a debate about acceptable early-morning kitchen odors.

II. NFL Deep-Dive and Hot Takes with Dianna Russini

[17:05 - 36:03]

• Eagles Analysis

  • Despite the Eagles’ dominating record, media/fans focus on team drama—AJ Brown’s social media, Saquon’s performance.
  • Dianna theorizes the Eagles "like chaos," comparing them to a couple that fights for excitement.
  • Quote:

    "They are the couple you hang out with that purposely argue to give their relationship a little bit of excitement."
    — Dianna Russini [19:16]

• Jets’ Troubles & Coaching Drama

  • Discusses poor performance and the role of Aaron Glenn on the coaching staff, questioning whether he should call plays.
  • Recaps viral sideline incident between coaches Salah and Liam Cohen.
  • Notable moment: Dan and Dianna debate who would win a physical altercation, analyzing each coach's temperament.

• NFL Injury & Recovery

  • Discusses Tyreek Hill’s "gruesome" injury and the precedent of Alex Smith’s return, underscoring advances in medical recovery but also skepticism.

• Tennessee Titans, Cam Ward & Coaching Critique

  • Plays candid Cam Ward locker room sound ("We ass") about the Titans’ failures.
  • Dianna and the crew analyze rookie Cam Ward's predicament and organizational dysfunction, raising the issue of firing head coach Brian Callahan and his father, the offensive line coach.
  • Quote:

    "If what he’s around right now is going to ruin him, then shame on Tennessee. They’ve got this gift...now they need to find ways to put the right people around him."
    — Dianna Russini [25:45]

• NFL Quick Hits – Dianna’s Takes

  • Giants: “Defense is alive, going to keep the Giants alive.” [32:43]
  • Cowboys/Ties: "It's a tie. There's no winning." [33:21]
  • Bengals: “Yes, the Bengals are done. I don't see it getting any better.” [33:28]
  • Falcons: Zach Robinson "figured it out"—Atlanta finally looked fun.
  • Ravens’ Playoff Hopes: “No. If Lamar [Jackson] is not healthy, this team cannot go.” [34:00]
  • Bills: Confident in their legitimacy as AFC’s best, but bullish on Pats causing trouble.
  • Chiefs: The return of Rashi Rice signals they're “all the way back.”
  • Puka Nacua: Disagrees with Mina Kimes’ take that he’s football’s best player: “No.” [35:18]

III. Show Banter, Behind-the-Scenes, and Gasbag of the Week

[36:03 - End]

• Puka Nacua Touchdown Tally Shtick

  • On-air banter about the meaning of Nacua’s stats, leading to joking in-studio squabbling about "positivity" off-mic (faux drama about Billy's on-air vs off-air comments).

• Gasbag of the Week: Don La Greca Rant

  • The show features a fiery rant from Don La Greca directed at Mets fans and management for blaming others (Marlins, rules) after their late-season collapse.

  • Quote:

    "You get smacked in the face and you take it. You don’t defend yourself. This team is not worth defending."
    — Don La Greca [38:00]

  • Show breaks it down with trademark snark, riffing on Don's appearance and rage, and the recurring misfortunes of New York fans visiting Miami.

IV. Notable Quotes and Memorable Moments

• Dianna on the COVID-era Wedding:

  "I was not able to talk [on my anniversary] ... my husband was thrilled. He was happy all day." [02:19]

• On Church with Young Kids:

  "My boys are only 14 months apart... Every Sunday it is clockwork. The second the priest stands up to begin the homily—mom, I got a poop." [09:43]

• On Why Eagles' Team Drama:

  "I think they like chaos... they’re so good and ... have figured out ways to win every single week, yet they're like, let's just shake it up." [18:31]

• Don La Greca, on Mets Meltdown:

  "Stop thinking you're better than you actually are. ... Own the town, my ass. How about owning a above .500 record and making the playoffs with the second highest payroll in baseball?" [38:00]

V. Important Segment Timestamps

• [02:19] – Dianna Russini's wedding/personal story
• [09:43] – Parenting/church anecdotes (“homily dump”)
• [11:52] – Marital annoyances: Meal prep at 5am
• [17:50] – Eagles analysis and NFL drama (with social media posts)
• [19:34] – Jets struggles, coaching questions, Salah/Cohen sideline encounter
• [23:16] – Tyreek Hill injury discussion
• [24:08] – Titans’ woes, Cam Ward's blunt honesty, Callahan coaching dynamics
• [32:43] – NFL rapid fire: Giants, Cowboys, Bengals, Falcons, Ravens, Bills, Chiefs, Nacua
• [36:03] – Puka Nacua touchdown debate, in-studio banter
• [38:00] – Don La Greca’s Mets rant, “Gasbag of the Week” feature

VI. Conclusion

This episode is a quintessential Dan Le Batard Show production: a mix of incisive football talk, playful studio drama, personal stories, and sharp comedic takes—elevated by Dianna Russini’s candid, relatable storytelling and NFL insight. The humor is irreverent, the takes are fast and hot, and life outside sports is always just a joke or heartfelt moment away. Whether roasting New York sports or debating the importance of meal-prep aromas, this episode is engaging for football diehards and casual fans alike.