The Dan Le Batard Show with Stugotz

The Big Suey: Kevin’s Crazy Christmas (feat. Dianna Russini)

Date: December 2, 2025
Live from: Elser Hotel, Downtown Miami

Episode Overview

This episode is a rollicking, fast-moving blend of NFL insights, sports banter, and the holiday chaos of balancing work and family during the season, centered on guest Dianna Russini (senior NFL insider for The Athletic, host of Scoop City). The crew dives into Russini’s upcoming assignment covering an NFL game on Christmas Day, contemplates the quirks and dysfunctions of various NFL teams (especially the Giants and Eagles), explores head coaching rumors, and riffs on both sports and family life with their signature irreverence.

Key Discussion Points & Notable Segments

1. Dianna Russini’s Christmas Day Dilemma

[03:24 – 07:09]

• Dianna faces family guilt over working on Christmas Day for the Vikings-Lions Netflix game.
• Her family, especially her mother, isn’t thrilled:

  “Wait, wait, wait. On Christmas? You’re not gonna be there on Christmas... You got kids now. You’re turning very selfish... You’re going to lose Kevin. Those boys are going to hate you.”
  — Diana Russini impersonating her mother (07:26)

• Her husband is supportive, but the extended family is not, leading to a guilt-fueled balancing act.
• Russini plans to shift the family celebration:

  “I can go do the game... and then I can just come home and Christmas can be on Friday... they won’t even know the difference because they don’t understand calendars.”
  — Diana Russini (06:00)

• Russini hosts the family Christmas, but will have 25–30 people at her house with her husband running the show solo.

2. NFL Coaching Carousel & Hot Candidates

[10:38 – 13:13]

• Discussion turns to this season’s “weird” crop of head coaching candidates.
• Several recycled names: Matt Nagy gets mentioned for the Titans; Robert Saleh is seen as making a comeback due to strong work with the 49ers defense despite the Jets debacle.
• Russini reflects on the Adam Thielen trade day and her own personal growth as a reporter (12:27).
• The panel notes there’s no “bell of the ball” candidate this year; the class lacks both sexy coaching and quarterback prospects.
• Quote:

  “If you need a coach or a quarterback, you’re stuck.”
  — Mike Ryan (13:02)

• Anthony Weaver and Chris Shula emerge as interesting names for future jobs.

3. The State of the Giants and Accountability Issues

[19:19 – 21:12]

• Discussion of Giants rookie Abdul Carter missing meetings (“second time in three weeks” – 19:19).
• Carter’s dismissive response:

  “Shit happens.”
  — Abdul Carter, via Mike Ryan (19:29)

• Russini notes longstanding lack of accountability and locker room leadership with the Giants:

  “There was not a lot of accountability with the best players. And the good teams hold their best players accountable... Abdul Carter is just very immature right now and he hasn’t had anyone else on defense... to show him how to do it.”
  — Diana Russini (20:08)

4. AFC South, Injuries, and Quarterback Play

[21:12 – 22:28]

• The AFC South’s wild-card picture: Texans’ turnaround, Daniel Jones' broken fibula with the Colts, and the Jags' run.
• Russini is still incredulous over how athletes play through certain injuries.
• She credits the Texans’ steady improvement to patience with roster changes and finally getting the run game going.
• Quote:

  “All the teams that are doing well have the most consistent thing going for them, and that’s the run game.”
  — Diana Russini (22:16)

5. When Kickers Flub: Younghoe Koo’s Bizarre Miss

[23:22 – 24:43]

• Dan brings up kicker Younghoe Koo’s strange missed kick—a flubbed attempt after a bad hold.
• Russini explains the mechanics and psychological factors:

  “...don’t understate how much that hurts. Just think about your foot getting caught like that. Like the ligaments in there.”
  — Diana Russini (24:05)

• The panel draws analogies to a golfer’s duffed chip and jokes about the pain and awkwardness.

6. The Patriots’ Surprising Success & Drake May’s Emergence

[25:10 – 26:30]

• Drake May is cited as the league’s best deep-ball passer by Mike Ryan.
• Russini admits she underestimated this Patriots squad:

  “He was good. He wasn’t great... I never left practice going, wow, this team is going to win 11 games and be top of the AFC. Like, no way.”
  — Diana Russini (25:10)

• The Patriots’ “all-in” team culture and leadership from unexpected sources are praised.

7. State of the Eagles: Dysfunction & Fan Meltdown

[27:15 – 30:52]

• Russini gets “double booed” while in Philadelphia, but says she can see the pain in fans’ eyes:

  “They were just really sad. It wasn’t me. It’s the fact that their Eagles team on paper should be so good.”
  — Diana Russini (30:52)

• The group discusses Philadelphia fans’ intense reactions and sense of entitlement post-Super Bowl.
• Eagles’ offense woes: myriad problems, including lack of focus and cohesion, not just injuries.

8. Parenting Chaos: Elf on the Shelf & Disciplinary Measures

[35:49 – 37:54]

• Russini uses the classic “Elf on the Shelf” ploy to keep her kids in line during the holidays.
• The crew riffs on the elaborate tales parents tell to make it work, and the challenges of keeping up the ruse.
• Quote:

  “Once you’re in it, you can't quit, Diana.”
  — Diana Russini (36:50)

• Greg Cote and Chris Cody discuss their own family rituals, and Mike Ryan suggests taking it up a notch by Facetiming Santa for better results.

9. Andy Reid’s Wild Press Conference Quote

[39:55 – 40:51]

• The panel reviews Andy Reid’s unique metaphor:

  “We’re gonna try to tickle your tonsils on every play, every game.”
  — Andy Reid (39:55)

• Laughter ensues as the show interprets (and escalates) the sexual undertones of the remark, connecting it to NFL machismo and Reid’s accidental “blue humor.”
• Dan’s hypothetical:

  "How great would that have been? 'We're gonna try to ram our cock down your throat every time we’re playing.'"
  — Dan Le Batard (41:14)

10. League Miscellany: Threats, Egged Houses, and Outrageous Behaviour

[43:13 – 44:33]

• Philly offensive coordinator Kevin Patullo gets his house egged by angry fans—panel decries such acts as crossing the line, even in “crazy football cities.”
• Jacksonville punter Logan Cook is alleged to have issued a “death threat” on the field; the crew finds it darkly funny but tells stories about such trash talk being common in the NFL.
• Quote:

  “I’ve probably heard that said like, I mean, a hundred times... from players in games, so whatever. Indifferent death threats.”
  — Liam Cohen (Jags coach, via show) (44:19)

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• Holiday Family Tensions:

  “You’re going to lose Kevin. Those boys are going to hate you.”
  — Diana Russini, channeling her mother (07:26)

• NFL Sideline Life:

  "As hard as it is, I haven’t done a lot of big games on the sideline... I get to do something I’ve never done before."
  — Diana Russini (10:07)

• Sports Parenting Paranoia:

  “Who’s responsible for hiding the stupid elf before you go to bed? And you always forget... The kids notice Elfie didn’t move.”
  — Diana Russini (36:50)

• Andy Reid’s accidental double entendre:

  “We’re gonna try to tickle your tonsils on every play, every game.”
  — Andy Reid (39:55)

Tonal Highlights

The episode is loaded with banter, gentle mockery, and signature self-deprecation, blending personal anecdotes (especially Dianna’s holiday/work chaos) with pointed sports talk and irreverent humor. The crew’s rapport with Russini is playful and supportive yet unfiltered, especially when exploring her “work-life balance” saga.

Important Timestamps

• 03:24 – 07:09: Dianna Russini’s Christmas Day work-family saga
• 10:38 – 13:13: Head coaching candidate discussion for 2025 NFL season
• 19:19 – 21:12: Giants/Abdul Carter accountability debate
• 23:22 – 24:43: Younghoe Koo’s missed kick and kicker psychology
• 25:10 – 26:30: The Patriots’ resurgence and Drake May praise
• 27:15 – 30:52: Eagles’ dysfunction, Philly fan dynamics, double-‘boo’ stories
• 35:49 – 37:54: Elf on the Shelf and parenting struggles
• 39:55 – 40:51: Andy Reid’s “tickle your tonsils” press conference quote

Final Notes

• Dianna Russini’s guest segment is both insightful on the NFL and relatable in its depiction of professional and family demands.
• The show’s lighthearted approach manages to blend serious football analysis with offbeat comedy and family life, making this episode with its holiday twist especially memorable.

Listeners who missed the episode will come away understanding both the current NFL coaching storylines and the chaos of trying to celebrate Christmas as a working sports insider—with a strong dose of Le Batard-style hijinks throughout.