The Dan Le Batard Show with Stugotz

The Big Suey: Three Nothings & A Vote Of No Confidence

Date: February 17, 2026

Episode Overview

Broadcasting from the Elser Hotel in Downtown Miami, Dan Le Batard, Stugotz, Greg Cody, Mike Ryan, and Zach Zaslow dive into a dynamic, humor-infused discussion at the crossroads of sports, pop culture, and society. This "Big Suey" installment covers the NBA All-Star Game's revival, commissioner Adam Silver's effectiveness, debates on cultural and political expression in sports, and some hilariously heated moments about coaching meltdowns and crowd decorum in college basketball.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. NBA All-Star Game: “All It Took Was Trying”

Timestamps: 01:24–06:55

• Main Idea: After years of criticism, the NBA All-Star Game won fans back with real effort from players, boosted by a new “US vs. World” format and over-the-air TV exposure.
• Player Influence: Victor Wembanyama (“Wemby”) praised for setting the tone and making the game competitive and intense.
• TV Ratings: Notably higher ratings, attributed partly to the Olympics lead-in and network TV, but also to improved game quality.

Notable Quotes:

• “All it took was the players trying. That’s all it took.” – Greg Cody (01:24)
• “Wemby... He set the tone because when he came out playing like that first possession, posting dudes up, slamming it down, like that changed the entire atmosphere.” – Dan Le Batard (04:11)
• “It does feel to me like something out of science fiction... It’s like watching some sort of real futuristic Spider-Man.” – Greg Cody on Wemby’s defense (01:49)

2. Face of the League: Wembanyama, Attitude, and Maturity

Timestamps: 04:58–06:16

• Maturity & Outspokenness: Wembanyama’s recent public comments, especially about social issues in Minneapolis, are highlighted as showing rare maturity—especially for a non-American player.
• Legacy Comparison: The panel compares Wemby to former “faces of the league” (Jordan, Kobe, LeBron) in his ability to influence culture and effort.

Notable Quotes:

• “...He had the maturity to at least believe that his feelings are the right way to feel, and he’s going to speak out and say the things that he thinks are the right things to say.” – Mike Ryan (05:09)
• “I think that stuff matters, you know, like Michael Jordan’s the face of the league.” – Mike Ryan (05:37)

3. Adam Silver Under Fire: “Three Nothings & A Vote of No Confidence”

Timestamps: 07:41–09:49

• Commissioner Critique: Zaslow and Mike Ryan deliver a scathing assessment of Adam Silver’s leadership, especially concerning tanking, expansion, and lack of decisive action.
• Criticisms: “All options are on the table” is ridiculed as empty rhetoric; Silver is called a “nothing” and receives a “vote of no confidence.”

Notable Quotes:

• “All options are on the table, which is such a nothing. It’s a nothing answer.” – Mike Ryan (08:49)
• “How many different issues over the last few years need to be in front of him for everyone to finally realize this guy is clueless?” – Mike Ryan (09:35)
• “This Adam Silver vote of no confidence.” – Mike Ryan (09:25)

4. Patriotism & US vs. World: The Role of Jingoism

Timestamps: 06:16–07:23

• Olympics & NBA Format: The group discusses the increased appeal of All-Star weekend due to patriotism inherent in the US vs. World format, drawing parallels to Olympic viewing habits.
• Skepticism: Zaslow jokes about the limits of modern patriotism, connecting it to broader US political climate.

Notable Quotes:

• “The Winter Olympics are getting high ratings in the US—why? Because all of a sudden we’re chanting USA, USA...” – Zaslow (06:18)
• “Sports patriotism actually tends to be pretty immune from that.” – Greg Cody (07:09)

5. Feuds & Media Criticism: New York Radio and Boomer Esiason

Timestamps: 15:35–22:40

• Background: Mike Ryan’s social media clash with Boomer Esiason and others over athletes’ rights to express conflicted feelings about representing the US.
• Media Response: Clips from NY radio personalities (including Gio) downplay Mike’s criticisms; Dan and crew defend right to public dissent and call out selective outrage about mixing politics and sports.

Notable Quotes:

• “You want to talk about it like a triggered snowflake. The Olympian was asked a question and all he said was, I feel conflicted.” – Mike Ryan (20:09)
• “If you’re just trying to shut up one side because it makes you feel better and it helps you sleep at night, that’s where I take issue with it.” – Dan Le Batard (22:35)

6. Coaching Blow-Ups: College Basketball Soundbites & Firings

Timestamps: 25:43–31:29

• Greg Cody Curates: The group plays and analyzes indignant press conference clips from Doug Gottlieb (Green Bay) and Jerome Tang (Kansas State), noting their emotional pitch, dramatics, and consequences.
• Firing for Cause: Discussion on whether Jerome Tang deserved firing after publicly lambasting his own team and stripping them of the right to wear the uniform.

Notable Quotes:

• “This was embarrassing. These dudes do not deserve to wear this uniform. There will be very few of them in it next year.” – Jerome Tang, cited on show (27:57)
• “What are you doing? You’re making it an institution of higher learning as opposed to what it now is, which is just professional basketball played more amateurly than they play at the NBA and G League level.” – Greg Cody (38:40)

7. Fan Decorum & Language in Sports Arenas

Timestamps: 36:01–42:19

• Discussion: The morality and enforceability of penalties for collegiate crowd chants, specifically the F-word at NC State games.
• Broader Debate: Zaslow, often the voice for decorum, argues for fines and rules against such chants; others on the panel doubt effectiveness and point to the crowd’s irrepressibility.

Notable Quotes:

• “When 20,000 people are chanting the F word... it’s something that’s finaeable.” – Zach Zaslow (37:07)
• “If I’m going to get impolite, I’m going to get it at a sport. Like, it’s... No, it’s not decent. It’s indecent.” – Dan Le Batard (40:23)
• “Throwing words or throwing tortillas... They throw cups full of urine at the guy doing the corner kick in Mexico.” – Greg Cody (40:57)

Memorable Moments & Quotes

| Timestamp | Speaker | Quote/Moment | |-----------|----------------|------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | 01:49 | Greg Cody | "[Wemby’s defense]...something out of science fiction...real futuristic Spider-Man"| | 06:55 | Zaslow | “Credit US vs. World to a certain degree with the weekend.” | | 08:49 | Mike Ryan | “This guy. He has no answers for anything. All options are on the table. He’s a nothing.”| | 22:35 | Dan Le Batard | “If you’re just trying to shut up one side because it makes you feel better...that’s where I take issue.”| | 27:57 | Jerome Tang | “These dudes do not deserve to wear this uniform. There will be very few of them in it next year.”| | 38:40 | Greg Cody | “You’re making it an institution of higher learning as opposed to [just] professional basketball played more amateurly than they play it at the NBA and G League level.”| | 37:07 | Zach Zaslow | “When 20,000 people are chanting the F word... it’s something that’s finaeable.” |

Additional Lighter Segments

• Vegas Trip Fails: Mike Ryan jokes about losing big at Vegas while his wife visits the Sphere, riffing on free drinks and the cost of entertainment (32:10–33:23).
• Regrets About “Love Guru” Segment: Greg Cody humorously laments being “too bawdy” on last week’s Valentine’s show, worrying about young listeners (34:52–36:01).

Flow & Tone

The episode is wide-ranging, fast-paced, and witty, with the show’s trademark blend of irreverence and passionate debate. The hosts openly disagree but balance serious criticism with warmth, personal anecdotes, and running gags—showing equal parts sports expertise and comedic timing.

For Listeners Who Missed the Episode

This installment is packed with energetic sports talk, thoughtful cultural commentary, and memorable soundbites. The hosts dissect major NBA developments, air real frustrations with league leadership, wrestle with the awkward intersection of sports and politics, and hilariously roast each other over everything from college coaching firings to old-school crowd chants. Whether you care about NBA reform, media beefs, or just want to laugh at Vegas gambling woes, there’s something for everyone in this essential “Big Suey.”