The Dan Le Batard Show with Stugotz
Local Hour: Bigger. Bigger! BIGGER!!! (feat. Mike Ryan)
08 Jan 2026
Chapter 1: What is the significance of the Fiesta Bowl for Miami?
So yesterday, professional critic Mike Ryan explained how it is that I don't do the shadow show well enough for his liking on whatever his visions were once upon a time for a shadow show.
Starting low again.
The thing that I always wanted the Shadow Show to be is like a private meeting we were having amongst ourselves that the audience could overhear how we actually interact as if we didn't know the microphones were on. That was the original intent of what the Shadow Show was supposed to be. Lasted all of about a week.
That's how we talk to each other off air. We whisper.
No, so the way I imagined it is the following. You laugh, Roy. You laugh, Roy. Because it's funny. Roy, but I'm very frustrated, okay, because I'm going to let the audience in on what was the private meeting, which was the private meeting was just me sitting in the middle of the room, squatting, and then rising up my palms and just asking everybody in the room, bigger!
The game needs to be bigger! And then we fart out that intro yesterday. And I'm like, no, bigger, bigger. Like, what do you guys not understand about we've been waiting for this football game for 20 years in this town, pro or amateur? Like, bigger. And everyone's looking at me. We're tired, Dan. The muffins are good. We don't want bigger. We just want to eat and watch the game.
I'm like, let's do a live stream. Let's do 24 hours straight like freedom. Bigger. And everyone's like, Dan, I've got kids. I got, you know, we got practice.
You were muffins yesterday?
I want to do 24 straight hours leading to this game.
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Chapter 2: How does Mike Ryan feel about the Miami Hurricanes' chances?
It's the local story. I care about Miami teams in general. Mike broke that. Within about two hours of the show, I was like, f*** that team.
First segment.
break him show let's go fake break him show fake break him show biggest game in 20 years mass kicks ass how does it rub you we put it rubs me beyond the wrong way fake break him show you think that your family would get a lot of joy from malaki so did we head to head it's
Hello. Just having fun, man. And boom goes the dynamite. Big, big show.
Yeah.
Bigger.
Bigger.
Bigger. Biggest game in 20 years. This means more to Mike Ryan than any sports thing ever. I have to imagine even the Panthers winning multiple championships.
I believe Mike Ryan, who's flown across the country to be closer to the Fiesta, I believe Mike Ryan would be made happier by the Miami Hurricanes winning this football game and the next one than he would by any sports thing that's ever happened in Miami. Miami Heat included, everything included. I believe he cares more about this than anything. I need this to be a bigger fake pregame show.
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Chapter 3: What are the implications of the Edward Cabrera trade?
Miami wins championships in soccer. South Florida wins championships in hockey, plural. This is the biggest thing. Football's the biggest thing, and in 20 years, they have not mattered. Either team, not really, not like this. This is the biggest thing. Is Metal Ark Media gonna rise to the moment? Because I'm in the meeting before the show. Bigger! Rise to the moment!
Michael Irvin Nige saying, Bill, to all of you, and all of you are like, I gotta go take care of the kids. And then Zazz is like, I gotta go to the Peach Bowl. And I'm like, what? I'm like, no, live stream. Let's go. 24 straight hours. Freedom. Isn't this why we do this? We've been waiting 20 years. They win championships in South Florida. Plural. Soccer. Hockey. And here it is.
The biggest thing. Before the next biggest thing.
You got me hyped, Dan.
No, but it's the time. I'm ready to flip the table. Michael Irvin's been asking you. It's the time right now. You don't get these chances. Miami's been waiting 20 years for this chance again. And tonight they're favored. And I want to do right up until the game.
Jeremy, make another open. Bigger. I'll make it bigger.
Bigger. Debacled it. Mike Ryan has already landed at the Fiesta Bowl. I don't know what his festivities planned. I don't want to speak for him here, even though I did. This is bigger by how many miles on any championship that you care about?
this is the biggest you were right i the panthers that for personal reasons was was big kind of full circle because that was my first job in sports but this one i there isn't a passion that matches this the only thing that comes close to this was my former love for the cleveland browns that would have meant a lot but i just took that passion for the cleveland browns and i doubled up on my hurricane's passion uh put my money behind it too so yeah this is the the biggest thing ever for me whose grandma's house are you at
Right. Well, there's that you know better than anybody. This is an Arizona ass house right now. It's an abuela house.
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Chapter 4: How do the hosts address current social issues during the episode?
You just said put my money behind it. Now you're somebody wherever it is that you connect with these teams spiritually, like you bailed on Inter-Miami because they gouged you like financially. They were ripping you off. And so your emotional investment was lost somewhere in there because you cared about everything that was happening there.
You've actually invested your money and your heart in what it is you're doing. There aren't a whole lot of people, Mike, traveling with the team.
Right. Well, I mean, the people that care. I mean, it's hard. It's expensive. That's what I've learned about the college football playoff is if you make it, it's expensive. And I just diverted those inter-Miami funds to Miami Hurricanes Athletics because, you know, I wanted to be here one day and we're here. I got to be honest, Dan, it feels a little surreal. I...
especially after losing to smu i definitely didn't think that it was going to happen this year and to be going down this run i it's very like pinch me the entire time yesterday i didn't really get to soak in the the environment because of everything that was going on was kind of like a crappy day but today i'm going to get fired up for it um and i'm i'm really happy that miami's made it to this moment it's pretty validating acceptance speech right here
It was. And he said crappy day while in the middle of, yeah, okay, we're now doing the shooting white women in the face in Minneapolis thing.
Yeah, if I could, because if I could, if I may for a second, because that's kind of ruined everything for me. And I'm around this country and I know no Miami hurricane fan wants to hear this. If they don't want to play this game today, I'm OK with it. The sports, the world paused during the George Floyd thing.
And in Minnesota, we all saw a video of an American citizen getting shot multiple times in the face for moving their car. And our government is lying to us about it.
and if this isn't a tipping point for all of us to stop what we're doing i don't know what is we we cannot let this be okay we cannot let life go on and and not address what's happening right now that last what happened last night was the sum of a lot of fears when we were talking with all this rhetoric about the the previous election and we're here and things are happening so quickly that i think we're all struggling to
Stop it because there's something crazy and new every day. This we cannot let happen. And I would really prefer if sports took the moment to acknowledge that like it has before. And even if it's just to rip the games away from you and force you to look at this and what's going on, do it. I would I would say I don't know why that conversation has been absent from the sporting conversation.
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Chapter 5: What are the hosts' predictions for the game outcome?
tried to buck against what was happening. And it was a sacrifice for our show. And I think to a degree we paid somewhat of a price. And we've had these conversations before the show, like, how do we want to talk about this? Do we want to be the bright spot in people's day? And I think to a very large degree, Dan, we've done the right thing. We've tried to make people happy and make them laugh.
But you see that video last night and you see the disgusting statements from the people in our government that are supporting the actions of that ICE agent, this fake police that is not doing what- Not qualified, not- fake police.
We did it with fake news, fake police. People who are not qualified to be shooting anybody in the face, they're not qualified to have those jobs.
I've never seen a group of people that are so welcoming and unhumiliated to be lied to directly to their face. None of the stuff that's happening right now is what was on the platform of what they voted for. These are not violent criminals that were chasing down. There wasn't an invasion of Venezuela that was on on the platform. How many times do you have to pivot? Are you not embarrassed?
There is a tipping point. And if it's not a woman trying to move her car away from a fake police, an unqualified fake police and getting shot in the face three times for it and then having everyone in politics on that side of the aisle gaslight you and tell you what you saw is not right and that the victim here is a person doing the shooting.
When are you going to when are you going to face reality? This is a moment in time that that I hope that all people meet. It's not on sports. I know I opened up with that. Sports is just a part of it. If people want to make a statement, I don't think this is a political statement. I think this is an American statement.
I think that people should take the opportunity to take a stand right now and say this is not right. That's all I can do. I can't go to Minneapolis right now and protest, but I have protested in Miami. And I have made my voice heard when I can't. When I was fearful of something like this happening, something like this just happened. I do think that we need to take to the streets.
I do think that we need to make statements. I do think that anybody with a platform should speak on it. And I do agree that there are times for levity and there's time for laughter and there's times for transfer portal and there's times for the verbal festival. Maybe we can do all those things at the same time, but now is absolutely a time to use your microphone and say this is not right.
Hey, Jeremy. Happy holidays. Happy Chinooka. I want to toast you. Actually, I don't. I will toast with you. Okay. We're co-workers. Friends, you could say. No, we cannot say that. But we both enjoy an ice-cold Miller Lite. That's true. Especially around the holidays. You know, it's the 50th anniversary of Miller Lite.
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Chapter 6: How does Miami's history influence the current sports culture?
It's really amazing. Every time we say that, I can't believe it. Well, it's crazy because they've basically been partners with the Dan Levitard Show for half of their existence. Wow. When I put it to you that way, we got an old-ass show. Yeah, we do. That's crazy. Hey, let's look around at our friends, not each other, and our family, even though they're not here. I do miss your brother, though.
Yeah, I know. I'll bring him back.
And take that first sip. Look around and know that we made the right decision. When it comes to a domestic light lager, Miller Lite is the best. And it's the holiday season, as we mentioned. Why don't you enjoy that holiday season by drinking a beer that won't weigh you down?
The original light beer since 1975, still hidden different 50 years later, brewed for flavor with simple ingredients like malted barley, rich, balanced coffee notes, and that iconic golden color that you can see from across the room. The best holiday beers are the ones you don't expect. Miller Lite, great taste, 96 calories. Go to MillerLite.com slash Dan to find delivery options near you.
Or you can pick up some Miller Lite pretty much anywhere they sell beer. Tis Miller time. Celebrate responsibly. Miller Brewing Company, Milwaukee, Wisconsin, 96 calories and 3.2 carbs per 12 ounces.
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Game day is everything. And that's exactly why your fit has to match the occasion. Smirnoff! Starting this December, Smirnoff is giving fans 21 and over the chance to score limited edition Smirnoff commission merchandise from some of today's top creators, including Kayla Jones, Gavin Matthew, and Alaylee May.
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Here's the kicker. One lucky fan will take home the grand prize, a trip to the biggest game of the offseason. Plus, one fan will win Alaylee May's one-of-one game day jacket. Wow. The merch will be dropped on select dates from December to January 21, and it's all courtesy of what brand?
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Chapter 7: What are the challenges facing Miami's sports teams today?
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See official rules at program website.
And you mentioned distractions. That's absolutely right. People want the sugar instead of the medicine, and the media as a whole is just not helping. I mean, especially CBS, who seems like they've bought and paid for it. They're just making excuses for this government.
Okay, well, so this isāokay.
Yes. I'm sorry, this is not the PSable preview that you anticipated.
No, CBS, of course. Look, I've been wanting to talk about this stuff for a while, and I felt a bit cowardly in not talking about some of it becauseā This is a hugely interesting time in media. It's collapsing. Hollywood is collapsing and mainstream media has already collapsed.
It's already done collapsed and now they're picking up the pieces and of course CBS, home to 60 Minutes, one of the great journalistic empires,
is afraid of the Mad King, like run by the Mad King and that's one network gone as he chases Kimmel and bombs Venezuela, because there's a loon in charge, a loon that has a million deficiency, including trying to cover up an alleged pedophilia scandal that is in the middle of everything that we're doing as the world burns and brown people are jailed and now white women are shot in the face by fake police.
Yes, it's enraging. but the Fiesta Bowl tonight.
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Chapter 8: How do the hosts balance sports commentary with social commentary?
They're pathetic. And I think 21 years in, we can finally have a happy ending.
I don't want to put this out there, but if we're just talking funniest thing for the show, it's like a Mario blunder at the end of the championship. Even better than get the hazard. I like that.
Mike, you're not going to do better than that. He doesn't kneel at the end or something. I'll show you. I'll show you guys. I'll keep running up the score through the face mask of the other team.
One will do.
I'll show you what toughness is and cost you the championship.
Rest assured. Rest assured, I'll get the most enjoyment out of Dan hosting a corporate-sponsored live stream for Oregon Ole Miss.
That's what I'll do. No, with my father, Mike's been saying for years my father's going to be the casino greeter right over there near the Freedom Towers because they're building the Trump Library right here. My father at the end is just going to be welcoming people into the Freedom Tower for a token so he can go get some government cheese.
Guys, please don't treat Mike like he did me when the Panthers were up 3-0 on Edmonton. That was not fun.
Don't do that to me. But, Roy, it's a different strain of pain, right? He's right. We've celebrated the sadness and the pain, but this one would be, oh, this is a rarity. They never really get this close, right?
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