The Dan Le Batard Show with Stugotz

Episode: The Big Suey: The Great Myles Garrett Debate

Date: January 5, 2026
Location: Elser Hotel, Downtown Miami

Episode Overview

This episode of "The Big Suey" features Dan Le Batard, Stugotz, and the regular crew in a spirited, hilarious, and sometimes raucous debate about recent sports headlines, centering on the Cleveland Browns’ Myles Garrett breaking the NFL single-season sack record. The group dives deeper into the context and legitimacy of the record, debating the impact of the 17-game season, snap counts, and the dynamics of modern football greatness. Woven throughout are Miami Hurricanes football talk, notable college football moments, and trademark sidebars on pop culture and the absurdities of modern sports discourse.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. Miami Hurricanes: Program Resurgence and National Championship Hype

• [02:05] - [10:55]
  • Miami’s football return to glory is examined with both celebration and skepticism.
  • The Hurricanes’ transition from a 20-year “mediocre” run to potential National Champions is attributed to coach Mario Cristobal’s intense, old-school philosophy (“punch you in the face again and again”), high NIL investment, and strategic recruitment.
  • The emotional baggage from past Miami-Ohio State clashes (“Terry Porter, the cheating, the flag”) resurfaces, with the crew reflecting on whether a championship would heal old wounds.
    • Quote - Chris Cody [04:27]:
      “Does the Ohio State stuff, Terry Porter, the cheating, the flag, does all that go away if the Canes win the national championship this year? Because…I can let that go now.”
  • Miami’s underdog status is juxtaposed with their blueblood history, pointing out the program’s role in making football matter to South Florida when the Dolphins floundered.

2. College Football Playoff Structure and Venue Gripes

• [05:44] - [06:38]
  • Frustration abounds with the current bowl game setup, particularly the geographical mismatch, and the crew jokes about swapping venues for more logical matchups.
    • Quote - Jonathan Zaslau [05:48]:
      “The two teams representing each semifinal should be able to trade venues. You got two east coast teams going out west…We should just make a deal with the Big Ten…”

3. National Champions and Underdog Narratives

• [07:09] - [10:55]
  • Miami’s current team is compared favorably to previous contenders in program history.
  • The discussion highlights the unusual parity in this year’s playoff: Miami stands as the only program with a true championship pedigree among a field of would-be first-timers (Indiana, Oregon, Mississippi).

4. Mario Cristobal: Genius Builder or Just a Caveman?

• [08:39] - [09:59]
  • While Cristobal won’t be considered a “genius” coach in the Lincoln Riley mold, his ability to build winning programs and dominate the line of scrimmage is lauded.
    • Quote - Jonathan Zaslau [09:38]:
      "He's a genius about program building. He's a genius about offensive line play. He's a genius about developing guys along the trenches."

5. Trinidad Chambliss and the Quarterback Hype Cycle

• [09:04] - [09:59]; [17:56] - [18:26]
  • The panel debates the hype around Trinidad Chambliss, Miami’s quarterback, expressing fatigue over media fixation and questioning whether he is truly “unbeatable.”
    • Quote - Chris Cody [09:04]:
      “Enough with this Trinidad Chamberlain. Like, he's unbeatable quarterback, please.”
  • ESPN and fans are criticized for giving undue attention to QBs over other aspects like defense and trenches.

6. The Great Myles Garrett Sack Record Debate

• [18:29] - [33:14] (centerpiece segment)

A. Legitimacy of Garrett's Record

• Chris Cody labels it a “fake sack record” because Garrett broke it in the newly expanded 17-game season, compared to previous record-holders who played 16.

  • Quote - Chris Cody [19:28]:
    "Miles Garrett gets the fake sack record yesterday. He surpasses T.J. Watt and Strahan in a 17th game…How do we not acknowledge that he had more games?"

• Others counter with the snap count argument, noting Garrett played far fewer defensive snaps than Strahan or Watt to reach his mark (437 vs. 567 for Strahan and 618 for Watt).

  • Quote - Jonathan Zaslau [21:20]:
    “22 sacks for Miles Garrett. 437 snaps. You're a fool.”

• Mike Ryan jokes about why Garrett played so few snaps (“He’s lazy. You’re a sucker. Why is he playing so little?” [21:35]), with further debate about whether per-snap or per-game stats matter more.

B. Did Joe Burrow "Take a Dive"?

• Chris Cody and Jonathan Zaslau discuss whether Joe Burrow intentionally went down (“pulled a [Brett] Favre") to help Garrett break the record.
  • Quote - Chris Cody [20:24]:
    “Joe Burrow took a dive…his sack was so obvious, a dive by Joe Burrow.”

C. The Challenge of Greatness in Modern Football

• Dan Le Batard points out the ever-increasing athleticism of O-linemen and that quarterbacks now focus on quick releases, making sack records harder to achieve and thus Garrett’s feat even more impressive.
  • Quote - Dan Le Batard [24:55]:
    “Just look at, look at that left tackle paid higher than anyone in the sport to keep him out of the backfield, who, as soon as he leans on him, the left Tackle cannot do anything about it.”
  • Quote - Dan Le Batard [32:14]:
    “If we're living in an age of mastery…and the quarterback's getting it out faster than he ever has. This is the best you've ever seen at getting back there.”

7. Baseball, Weirdness, & Mastery in Modern Sports

• [28:21] - [31:07]
  • The Marlins’ signing of Pete Fairbanks prompts talk of sports “characters,” including relievers with oddball rituals.
  • Dan highlights how we’re witnessing cross-sport “ages of mastery,” likening Myles Garrett to LeBron and Shohei Ohtani as modern marvels.

8. NFL Playoff Landscape & AFC Distrust

• [39:49] - [42:06]
  • The panel discusses New England’s sudden rise, led by Drake May, against a backdrop of broad skepticism for all AFC contenders. Who do you mistrust least?
    • Quote - Dan Le Batard [42:06]:
      “...we can do that with every single one in the afc. You don't trust any of them. I guess the question I'm asking you is who do you mistrust the least?”

9. Funniest Moments and Absurdities of Sports

• [39:40] - [46:19]
  • Kickers deciding NFL games is hilariously absurd (“no other sport does it this way”).
    • Quote - Dan Le Batard [42:56]:
      “It's stupid, right? Right? That we decide games…with a guy who doesn't play the sport that all the other guys play. Like it's a dumb way to do it.”
  • A viral Detroit Lions fan press conference, following an altercation with DK Metcalf, is savaged for its bizarre sincerity (face gets "warm" at “animal abuse, racism”).

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments (with Timestamps)

• Dan Le Batard [05:24]: “Biggest game in 20 years.”
• Chris Cody [19:28]: “I want to hear about that. That's a fake sack record.”
• Jonathan Zaslau [21:20]: “22 sacks for Miles Garrett. 437 snaps…”
• Mike Ryan [21:35]: “He's lazy. You're a sucker. Why is he playing so little?”
• Dan Le Batard [24:55]:
  “Just look at, look at that left tackle paid higher than anyone in the sport…He's sacked him 11 times the last couple of times they've played because he's an unblockable human being.”
• Dan Le Batard [32:14]:
  "If we're living in an age of mastery...and the quarterback's getting it out faster than he ever has. This is the best you've ever seen at getting back there."
• Chris Cody [32:52]:
  "That is by far a superior point than your less snaps in 17 games. Nonsense. But it's still. He needed the extra game to get the sack."
• Jonathan Zaslau [39:44]:
  “It is the segment we call what. Make you laugh this weekend. Ha ha ha.”

Important Segment Timestamps

• [02:05] – [10:55]: Miami Hurricanes’ rise, Cristobal’s impact, playoff anticipation.
• [17:56] – [18:26]: Trina Chambliss/quarterback hype fatigue.
• [18:29] – [33:14]: The Great Myles Garrett Sack Debate.
• [28:21] – [31:07]: Pete Fairbanks, Marlins, and "age of mastery" in sports.
• [39:40] – [42:06]: AFC playoff distrust and the New England Patriots discussion.
• [42:56]: The kicker absurdity in the NFL.

Tone & Style

The tone is uproariously irreverent—authentically Miami, at times combative, shoot-from-the-hip and always laced with inside jokes and playful disrespect among colleagues. The hosts lean into nostalgia, urban legend, and hard sports truths, elevating every debate—from the importance of snaps versus games in sack records to the legacy of Michael Irvin's sideline antics—with the same blend of passion and outright farce that defines the Le Batard universe.

Final Takeaway

This episode is a quintessential Dan Le Batard Show experience—part fevered sports debate, part Miami football revival, and part meta-comedy on modern fandom. While the Myles Garrett sack record segment anchors the episode, it’s the relentless clash of strong opinions, metrics vs. “eye test,” and the continuing saga of Miami's return to glory that give it real juice. Listeners come away with a deeper, messier (and much funnier) appreciation of how records get made—and endlessly debated—in today’s sports landscape.