You Betcha Radio — "Best Of You Betcha Radio: Games Edition" (Dec 23, 2025)

Episode Overview

This episode of You Betcha Radio is a rollicking, nostalgia-packed trip through the “Games Edition” best-of moments. Myles “the You Betcha Guy” and the gang—Ryan, Tyler, and Jerrod—celebrate their annual traditions by diving into a series of competitive, goofy, and quintessentially Midwestern games. Spelling bees, sound-guessing, state nicknames, trivia, and all sorts of man-culture banter abound in a high-energy showcase of comedic chemistry and Midwest pride.

Key Segments and Highlights

1. Annual You Betcha Spelling Bee ([00:00]–[39:00]; [142:26]–[168:12])

Setup and Introduction

• The crew sets the scene for their beloved annual spelling bee, reflecting on past competitions and the (lack of) preparation:
  "Welcome to the second annual You Betcha Spelling Bee." — Myles [26:07]
• Running gags about the legendary "yellow jacket" awarded to the champion, inspired by the Masters golf tournament:
  "I want you to measure me with my other jacket on, so every year it gets slightly bigger..." — Myles [60:26]

The Competition

• Contestants are self-deprecating about their spelling prowess: "I want to do this segment mostly because I want to see how it goes." — Myles [00:08] "We didn't do a spelling bee.” — Tyler [00:30]
• The bee features hilariously challenging words (“charcuterie”, “paraphernalia”, “Worcestershire”), common traps (“misspell”, “liaison”), and classic rule confusion (the infamous "i before e except after c").
• Contestants request word origins, sentences, and debate the rules constantly for comedic effect:
  "Is it hanker, chief, or handkerchief?” — Myles [02:20]
• Showboating and playful trash talk erupt after every round: "I'd like to thank my parents... all my spelling teachers... the road wasn't always easy." — Myles [07:37]

Memorable Moments & Quotes

• Instant replay debates and “challenge the ruling” shenanigans, including pronunciation disputes.
• Ongoing complaints about word difficulty and fairness.
• Iconic, very-You Betcha celebration speeches and sore loser declarations: "If you're a good speller, that's more, you have to help your kids... spelling words correctly is a detriment to success." — Myles [155:24]; [155:28]
• Boasting about spelling “charcuterie” twice in different years as a personal legacy.

Timestamps for Key Rounds

• [26:07] – Formal kickoff of the second annual spelling bee; rules get (somewhat) established.
• [33:05] – Infamous “Worcestershire” round.
• [116:45] – "Championship" round and victory speeches.
• [123:28; 142:26+] – Reflections, rule changes for next year, yellow jacket discourse.

2. Guess the Sound Game ([11:00]–[25:50])

• Jared finally gets this long-anticipated segment greenlit; contestants compete to identify classic audio clips (e.g. Windows XP shutdown, Family Feud buzzers, YouTube/Internet memes, retro commercials).
• They improv new rules mid-game, with “steals for double” and “lose a point for wrong steal.”
• Quotable banter about nostalgia and ‘90s/2000s sounds: "If you click into these, will it show us what it is?" — Myles [12:38] "That is Microsoft shutting down." — Ryan [13:37]
• Memorable “oh wow” sound stumps the entire gang—it turns out to be from Chris Rock after the Will Smith slap.
• Myles’ “comeback kid” monologue after winning a round demonstrates classic Midwest sports bravado.

3. Are You Smarter Than a Fifth Grader? Trivia ([39:36]–[57:00])

• The crew rotates through classic grade-school trivia—math, geography, grammar, U.S. history—with Midwest takes and self-deprecating honesty about forgotten facts: "Do you need to be smarter than the fifth grader? I think is the question." — Myles [41:38]
• Playful trash talk, “I’m shaking off the brain fog!” excuses, and ongoing arguments over which facts “actually matter” as an adult.
• Runaway favorites:
  "Billy made a rude noise in class. How many adjectives?"
  “What continent was ancient Egypt on?”
  "What do you call a scientist who studies rocks?"
• Myles claims hydrogen is “everywhere—everyone knows that!” after nailing an answer, despite showing doubt seconds before.

4. State Nickname Showdown ([84:38]–[96:46])

• Game: Identify states by official nicknames (e.g., “Wolverine State,” “Beehive State,” “Show Me State”).
• Predictably: Myles sweeps the board, crediting his knowledge to rap lyrics, while Tyler gets tripped up by “Nutmeg State” and “Treasure State.”
• Notable moment: “You just got absolutely waxed in that,” says Myles after back-to-back wrong answers from the crew.
• Ongoing gripes about question fairness, luck, and home-state advantages.

5. Miscellaneous Games, Reflections, and Traditions ([97:01]–[168:12])

• The group revisits their ever-shifting spelling bee format, arguing for triple elimination, hat draws for word lists, and “who wants to be a millionaire” lifelines.
• Nostalgia and planning for next year abound: "Next year I want you to say: this is the year of the bee." — Myles [163:13] "We’ll have a home run derby of spelling words!" — Myles [164:10]
• The “Commissioner’s Address” and plans for future yellow jackets, embroidered names, and champion’s dinners.
• Open call for more balancing between entertainment value (“easy words first—like ‘car’!”) and actual competition.

Memorable Quotes & Moments (with Timestamps)

• "I mean, you got misspell wrong. Are you serious?" — Myles, after spelling disasters [72:32]
• "This podcast has never... Do we have any more words written down?" — Deadpan after a run of failed spellings [35:13]
• "Do you remember the Iridocitus kid?" — On viral spelling bee meltdowns [01:30]
• "You're defending champ." "Not anymore." — Ceremony for the passing of the yellow jacket [33:59]
• "It's just the draw. It's all about the draw." — Lamenting luck in the spelling bee [162:10]
• "We should have more traditions... talk about the godfather of the spelling bee." — Planning for future legacy [120:16]
• "No, we don't want hard to spell words, Ryan." — The crowd rebels against difficult words [98:08]
• "I think spelling words correctly is actually a detriment to success. You're wasting time on menial things." — Myles, justifying poor performance [155:38]

Episode Structure and Flow

• The show is structured around competitive “man games,” but each segment is fluid, with rules debated (and changed) in real time.
• Laughter, quick sarcasm, and Midwest in-jokes are ever-present; the language and energy are irreverent, cozy, and deeply relatable for anyone from the region.
• The episode jumps between segments with seamless trash talk and good-natured ribbing, often stopping to reflect on their “best-of” bits and to plan even bigger, better games for the future.

Final Thoughts

"Best Of You Betcha Radio: Games Edition" distills everything fans love about the pod: Midwestern camaraderie, low-stakes high-emotion competition, and relentless nostalgia. Whether you’re measuring your “fifth grade” IQ against the hosts or just want to hear a group of friends butcher basic spelling after five years of podcasting, this episode is a masterclass in regional, homespun comedy. The annual spelling bee remains the highlight, but every game is a testament to why You Betcha Radio is “the most Midwest podcast on the planet.”

Suggested Segment Timestamps

• Spelling Bee Begins — [00:00], [26:07], [142:26]
• Best-Of Sound Game — [11:00]
• State Nickname Showdown — [84:38]
• Are You Smarter Than a Fifth Grader? — [39:36]
• Spelling Bee Grand Finale / Reflections — [142:26]–end

If you need a deeper breakdown of any individual game or want full lists of spelling words / trivia questions discussed, let me know!