The Dan Le Batard Show with Stugotz – The Big Suey: EGAD! (feat. Dave Dameshek)
Date: September 26, 2025
Location: Elser Hotel, Downtown Miami
Episode Overview
In this episode of “The Big Suey,” Dan Le Batard, Stugotz, and the team are joined by analyst Dave Dameshek. Broadcasting from the Elser Hotel, the crew dives deep into sports (especially the NFL), media controversies, and pop culture—themes delivered with their trademark blend of humor and insight. The episode ranges from NFL quarterback debates and coaching critiques to musings on language, broadcast drama, and broader cultural shifts.
Key Discussion Points & Insights
1. Controlling the Uncontrollable
- [02:01] Dan discusses the challenge of wrangling his father, Papi, behind the scenes. This leads to a humorous sidetrack about an odd, breakfast-breath mention of "Belichick with an 18-year-old girl," showcasing the show’s loose, offbeat style.
2. “Why Isn’t There Tickling in MMA?”
- [02:36] Banter about Pablo Torre’s investigative talents segues into the quirky question of why tickling isn’t a fighting technique in MMA.
- “You would disarm your opponent… It could happen.” – [03:05], Dan
- The crew jokes about the potential openings for unorthodox fighting moves.
3. NFL Quarterbacks: Injury-Prone Narratives
- [04:06] Dameshek introduces the concept of "paradox of injury prone"—noting how certain players (e.g., Frank Gore, Fred Taylor) overcame early labels to have long, successful careers. He offers hope for Tua and compares to other athletes like Eric Lindros and Mario Lemieux.
- “Tua is the face, sadly, of injury prone.” – Dave Dameshek [05:41]
4. Changing Opinions: Sam Darnold and QB Development
- [06:26–13:32] The team debates Sam Darnold’s recent performance and whether some quarterbacks blossom late. Dameshek weighs if the 2018 QB draft class (Darnold, Mayfield, Jackson, Allen) might now stack up with legendary classes like 1983 and 2004.
- “Every QB is different, and they do not hit the ground running necessarily.” – Dave Dameshek [09:17]
- “It’s hard sometimes to change opinions once you’ve established them.” – Dan [10:22]
- They discuss how analytics may skew perceptions and how playoff moments—or their absence—define legacies.
5. The Ceiling of Kyler Murray
- [17:12] Tony and Dameshek analyze Kyler Murray’s limitations (“he is what he is”) and his tendency to rely on athleticism over pocket play. Questions arise over his growth, film study habits, and whether his exciting flashes can ever translate into true top-tier status.
- “He’s a running quarterback that’s going to try to get his stuff, but I don’t think there’s any ceiling.” – Tony [17:32]
- “It’s a bad look when he’s announcing 'I don’t really like to study film.'” – Dameshek [18:25]
- They debate if Murray just lacks weapons and highlight his struggles against the NFC West [19:06–21:21].
6. NFL Rule Changes and Kicking Drama
- [21:39–25:26] Dameshek rails against the drama-deflating effects of modern NFL kicking and overtime rules, calling them a “plague” that robs the game of suspense.
- “Every kicker makes a 55-yard field goal… and now the game’s over and it all stinks.” – Dave Dameshek [22:46]
- Criticism of recent kickoff rule changes: “No one is enjoying this. Just do away with it… Start them at the 25.” – Dameshek [24:59]
7. Media Power Struggles: Jimmy Kimmel and Tom Brady
- [25:26–29:01] Dameshek, as a former Kimmel writer, analyzes the recent controversy around Jimmy Kimmel’s show being preempted and draws a parallel to Tom Brady’s elite status in the NFL.
- “It is the elites against all the rest of us. …the powerful speaking up… is what will change society.” – Dave Dameshek [26:58]
- Dameshek likens Brady’s ability to skirt controversy to being “above the law,” connecting it to broader issues of power and privilege in society.
8. The “Plague of Scandals” & Tom Brady’s NFL Legacy
- [32:44–34:44] Dameshek lists all the controversies attached to Tom Brady’s career—tuck rule, Deflategate, Jimmy Garoppolo, tampering, and more—before calling his Super Bowl with Tampa Bay “the weirdest, worst, most unsatisfying victory for a city.”
- “A plague of scandals, Dan. A plague of scandals.” – Dameshek [33:06]
9. Pop Culture, Language, and EGAD!
- [25:26, 41:16] Lingering on words like “Fe” and “Egad” for comic effect, the crew investigates their definitions and cultural uses.
- “Egad. Of course. Also an exclamation expressing surprise, anger, or affirmation.” – Dave Dameshek [41:16]
- Jokes fly about who actually uses "egad" outside of comic strips and octogenarians.
10. Miami History & Freedom Tower
- [37:24–40:52] The meeting closes on a personal note: Tony is taking Dan’s father to the Freedom Tower, retracing his arrival in America decades earlier. It's a rare, reflective moment in the midst of the hijinks.
11. College Football Gambling
- [42:37–44:08] Mike Ryan expresses nerves over FSU’s line against Virginia, raising concerns about FSU’s real strength and the unpredictability of games in Charlottesville. Dan, with customary humility, offers his (often “epically terrible”) betting tips, suggesting parlaying Ole Miss and Virginia money lines.
Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments
-
On Keeping Opinions About QBs:
“It’s hard sometimes to change opinions once you’ve established them. …I’m making it very hard for Sam Darnold to change my mind and I don’t know why I’m doing that. It feels unfair.”
— Dan [10:22] -
On the NFL’s “Injury Prone” Narrative:
“Tua is the face, sadly, of injury prone.”
— Dave Dameshek [05:41] -
QB Legacies in the Modern Era:
“Those few moments that a guy gets in January are the defining aspects of the guy’s career.”
— Dave Dameshek [12:49] -
NFL Kicking & Rules:
“Every kicker makes a 55-yard field goal… and now the game’s over and it all stinks.”
— Dameshek [22:46] -
On Kyler Murray’s Development:
“He has spots which look incredible, but the issue is that he doesn’t sustain that for the entire season.”
— Tony [21:16] -
Tom Brady’s Career & Reputation:
“A plague of scandals, Dan. A plague of scandals.”
— Dave Dameshek [33:06] -
On Elites and Societal Change:
“It is the elites against all the rest of us. …the powerful speaking up… is what will change society.”
— Dameshek [26:58] -
Fun with Words:
“Egad… Is that what Kathy would say in the comics?”
— Dameshek [41:50]
Timestamps for Major Segments
- [02:01] – Papi & Belichick joke
- [03:05] – “Why isn’t there tickling in MMA?” discussion
- [04:06] – Paradox of injury-prone athletes
- [06:26] – Seattle, Sam Darnold, and big-play offense
- [09:17] – Evaluation of the 2018 NFL quarterback class
- [10:22] – Changing opinions on QBs
- [17:12] – Kyler Murray’s limitations and prospects
- [21:39] – Critique of NFL overtime and kicking rules
- [25:26] – Jimmy Kimmel and Tom Brady as symbols of elite privilege
- [32:44] – Recap of Tom Brady’s controversies
- [37:24] – Dan’s personal story: visiting the Freedom Tower
- [42:37] – FSU vs. Virginia preview and college football betting advice
Final Thoughts
This episode highlights the show’s ability to balance offbeat sports talk with broader pop culture and society commentary. Both Le Batard and Dameshek challenge the status quo—whether it’s how we judge quarterbacks, critique league rules, or react to media power—and temper it with tongue-in-cheek tales and authentic reflection.
Listeners who missed the show will come away with a strong sense of its lively debates, running jokes, nostalgic references, and the ability to pivot from the ridiculous to the meaningful—often within a single minute.