The Dan Le Batard Show with Stugotz - Local Hour: Tyreek Hill, Jimmy Butler, and the New Year In South Florida

Episode Date: January 6, 2025

Today's cast: Dan, Stugotz, Chris, Billy, Jessica, Mike, and Roy. Feliz Ano Nuevo! We're back from a two-week break with a year's worth of news, and that's just here in Miami. Mike is infuriated by the Miami Heat after Jimmy Butler has demanded to be traded, Billy is angry with the Dolphins after they failed to make the playoffs and issued a statement that they'll be keeping both Mike McDaniel and Chris Grier all while Tyreek Hill seems to be on his way out, but at least Roy gets to be happy with his Florida Panthers. Dan, Stu, and the Shipping Container discuss the Heat-Butler divorce, Tyreek Hill's behavior, the Heat-Rockets fight, the end of Cam Ward's tenure at Miami, how the Dolphins can change, and Jim Larrañaga retiring. Plus, Stugotz's Chiefs takes, canceling RedZone, the incentive parlay in Week 18, and Chan Ho Park. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

You're listening to Giraffe King's Network. Stu Gotz just ran in here after God Bless Football with Billy. Billy had a laptop under his arm. They sprinted in here because we've been off for two weeks and there are a lot of people who want to talk, but Stu Gotz just said, I have to go to the bathroom and so he left. Jessica's sneezing because we have a raw sewage leak around here that isn't Stugatz and I cannot begin to tell you how many things happened locally over the last two weeks that we didn't get to talk about. Mike Ryan is a gurgling volcano of rage at the Miami heat.

Billy Gill is mad at the Miami Dolphins. Chris Cody, right on the fence, has no opinion on anything. Jessica walked into Mike Golick's house and Shane Gillis was there. Which isn't really a surprise that someone who looks like Shane Gillis was there. Shane Gillis himself, maybe. Roy is just happy because the Panthers are still the best.

Goddamn right. Billy, how are you doing today? You've done a lot of work over the last few days. You were working harder than anybody on God Bless Football. Football never stops. How are you feeling today? You're still wearing the dolphin hat from yesterday and I would think that your allegiances, Chris Cody is too, I would think that your allegiances are in disrepair today. Disrepair is making it seem like it's irreparable, right?

Disrepair? I think it can be repaired, but at the moment it's in disrepair. It is in need of repair. I would think that your emotional It is in need of repair. I would think that your emotional fandom is in need of repair. I could have done with a day or two of making Chris Greer and Mike McDaniel

feel like there was a little bit of heat on their seat. You know what I mean? As the people say, let's make them sweat a little bit, not just immediately. We thought about it, everything's fine, we're gonna do the exact same thing next year, let's run it back, this was a great season. I couldn't have done without that.

Also, Terry Kill, are you in or are you out? Make a decision. Enough with these cryptic, I guess yesterday was the first time that we actually had the first video. Wait, may I ask, are you in or are you, was it subtle yesterday? Well, no, because this is how it works, this is how it works with him. Wait, may I ask, are you in, was it subtle yesterday? Well, no, because this is how it works.

This is how it works with him. We tweet something and he's like, no, no, no, no, I meant this other thing. And then he'll tweet something else, he's like, no, I meant this other thing. I just really wanted to wish that she's a happy new year. And then next year he seems to just be thinking out loud, like I think I gotta get out of here.

By the way, some people have been saying that he's washed. Not gonna say who, some people have said that, but also, if you wanna go, don't let the door hit ya where the good Lord split ya, you know what I mean? Little bit of a difference between the management and strategy of how Jimmy Butler gets out of town and how Tyreek Hill does it. Just a general management difference.

Well, Tyreek just does everything fast. Jimmy, this was very clearly. Not this year. Well well no, that's the thing I want to ask you guys is he's also not as good this year right? He wasn't and there might be reasons for that and I'm not saying that he can't be as good as he was like two years ago again but I mean it seemed like a pretty clear drop-off. This is a strange time. He didn't have a thousand yard season like that's automatic. He didn't look like the same kind of threat but he's still talking He didn't look like the same kind of threat, but he's still talking about himself

like he's the same kind of threat. And I understand. Like he's probably gonna play for six more seasons and for three more teams because that kind of speed straight line is still such a valuable commodity. I mean, he dealt with various injuries throughout the season.

He had his knee procedure that we learned about and he had his wrist that needed to be repaired. He needs surgery on his wrist. I mean, there's lots of reasons why the Dolphin season went off the rails this year. Two of not playing the majority of it was part of it, but also Tyree Kill was not Tyree Kill. Jalen Waddle dealt with injuries.

You lost a lot of people on the defensive end. That's why I think the news almost immediately after the game that everyone's safe, we're just gonna do the exact same thing next year, was not something that the fan base wanted to hear. I don't think anyone thinks the Dolphins are the Bills or the Chiefs, but I think if two have played the whole season,

are they not the Texans and the Chargers? Well, you don't wanna be the Texans today, the Texans suck. I'm just saying, I think if two is healthy the whole season, we're easily a playoff team. So you could make the argument that they're close But close to what I guess is the question right like what are the Dolphins close to because to being the Texans That's not what you want right like an argument can be made that they wasted this window

Yes, they certainly wasted what I told you yesterday was the third this window yes they certainly wasted what i told you yesterday was the third uh... that the defense that ranked third in the sport going into the game yesterday is the best defense the dolphins have had in twenty two years that's twenty two years they haven't had a defense that plays this well they have no running game you can't have that today we'll get to all of the minutiae there in a second cuz we got plenty talk about chris keep grier being safe most general managers eight years you don't want to play off

game you don't have any pro bowlers this year that's not safe anyways of the best kick in the league yeah we'll get to that in a second as well we've got a picture of the billy gill with jason sanders that we want to show you that the gym let's just get started let's go let's go it you. Let's just get started. Let's go. Let's go. This is the Don LeBattor Show with the Stoogats Podcast. The first week that we were off over the last two weeks.

Some of the following happened locally. This is just some of it. The University of Miami's basketball coach stepped down. Tyreek Hill posted the Chargers as his co-favorite to trade for him. That was at the beginning of this. Tua, out for a couple of games, pretty important games. Everyone got mad at both me and Mike and Cam Ward. Cam McCormick, a legendary run

at UM is over after nine years. Tyler Hero got ragdolled by the Houston Rockets in what wasn't a fight, but you never see an NBA player thrown like that unless he weighs 160 pounds. Jimmy Butler said he preferred a trade, Pat Riley said there will be no trade, Pat Riley got checkmated. We've watched 14 years of how Pat Riley loses power to the player. We've watched, or 10 years of it I guess is what we would say, right? Since LeBron left him in Vegas, it's gone poorly for Pat Riley when it comes to player acquisition. And also the University of Miami fired its defensive coordinator and Barry Jackson of the Miami Herald is going after Jimmy

Butler's camp. Spin the wheel, Chris Cody, because we've got a lot of local issues to get to. I'm celebrating a holiday today. Yes, happy January 6th. I love female Joe Zagacki. We need more. Remember, this is a man's job. In the corner of the screen, you will see Billy Gill with Jason Sanders, a clear kinship partnership. Soulmates have discovered each other.

And now Billy says that Jason Sanders is the best kicker in the league they wasted a great Jason Sanders season I ain't Pro Bowl snow if I've ever seen one let's go ahead and Oh Andrew Van Ginkle made the Pro Bowl yeah yeah but he dropped that interception last night that really kind of ended the Viking season I wish there were a bet a prop bet I can make on DraftKings will Andrew Van Ginkle touch a football during play today I would make that bet because it's weird. It's weird how often he's around the football

I don't understand it would be just as confusing to me if he did it on a Stallion with it with flowing hair two players in the league I imagine playing on a stallion and trevor laurents i want to talk though at some point don't don't let me leave here without talking to my father today calling him up and getting to talk about that mutant frankenstein mcbride who plays tight end

for the cardinals who i saw yesterday jump up in a way that his knee almost touched his here in his knee was above the head of somebody a linebacker at who he's still farmed with his hip because we're just making just these weird mutants at at tied in were brock bowers is the best tight end in ever in receptions according to grok gront is saying that's gonna be the best tight end ever but let's go ahead and spin the wheel here on local issues so all of those issues are on the wheel

you're saying that's including your dad everything i think is on the wheel and also billions to got just finished god bless football it will be out shortly please billy if stood out for cycles any takes i need you to keep her an eye on this because i want his fresh and his best stuff here. I don't want the recycled God bless football stuff. That's great over there. It's an award winning show, at least in part because he does that over there.

It can be, again, by the way, if you go to SportsPodcastGroup.com, you can vote for God Bless Football, Best American Football Podcast. I believe this is the last week of voting, so we'd appreciate your vote. Also, I would ask Stugats, check me if I repeat any takes as well, because as you mentioned, we did a lot of streaming yesterday and then this morning, so I think I've observed everything so far in football. I don't know if there's any more observations to be had. This is the first time I've heard your love

of Jason Sanders, so you're good so far. You are bringing the fresh stuff here, but people have been getting a lot of the Duke the last 24 hours, and I need to spin the wheel here and you guys tell me I can't see so well so you guys tell me what it lands on please do guys. Whoa it landed on the Kansas City Chiefs Dan I am telling you this is the year to get the Kansas City Chiefs. You know what they did yesterday, Dan? They did what champions don't do. They told the entire league.

They told everyone. You know what? We're scared of Joe Burrow. We don't want Joe Burrow in the playoffs. Why? Because Joe Burrow is a guy who will walk in the arrowhead, and he will beat the Kansas City Chiefs. Sue got to major penalty five minutes before talking to the Chiefs.

I'll get there. Trey Wingo has told me this story no fewer than a dozen times that last year Patrick Mahomes woke up on his way to work. He called his wife and he said, you know what? I decided the Kansas City Chiefs are going to win the Super Bowl this year. And you know what I did this morning, Dan? I drove in to work and I called my wife, Abby, and I told her, Abby, I've decided

the Kansas City Chiefs are not gonna win the Super Bowl this year. How about that? This is the year to get them, they're scared. What just happened? Stugatz has had two weeks off. The wheel, man. No, that wasn't on the wheel.

I clearly said what was on the wheel. That was not on the wheel. You can see it. It's covered. Jessica, can you tell the people what it says on the board behind me, please? It says, actually, we just spun a gun back here. You didn't hear it. It says the Pop-Tart Bowl, actually. Wow. Jessica, I don't know what show you're doing I asked you a question got a minor penalty two minutes for ruining comedy I learned during that

broadcast that there's actually no such thing as a pop tart if you get just one pop tarts it's still a pop tarts what that's crazy that's what the broadcaster said Jessica I've need you to leave, please. Thank you. But it was kind of funny. OK, thank you for telling us that. I appreciate you telling us it was kind of funny. It's not what I asked you.

And what's behind me, I believe, to be funnier than that. Because I wanted you, Gringa, to explain to people what it says behind me. Because the graphics and the video people are wishing it looks like they're wishing everyone a happy new year which it's too late to be doing that we've agreed on that but also what they're actually doing is they're wishing people I'm pretty sure a happy new anus I I think I know if you don't put the what is that called the any is called the what is called I always thought it was called an end. I think, Ano, if you don't put the, what is that called? The enye is called the

what? It's called... I always thought it was called an enye, Dave. How do you spell enye? Is it a tilde? Like if you were explaining... In the alphabet, enye is its own letter. I got this. The squiggly thing above the N. Right, well you need it though. We need the squiggly thing above... Well, we just misspelled it. The N and enye are two different letters. It's hard. It's like one of those alt 164 situations.

Which alt is it, I don't know. I don't know either. Put it on the poll at Levitar Show, Juju. Do you know where the tilde or the Ene is on the keyboard? I'm just saying, it's a different letter. It might as well be a Z. So we're saying happy new anus? I think ano is, is ano not anus in Spanish?

I think ano is anus in Spanish, I believe. Roy? Roy, please look that up for us. Thank you for doing so. I'm on it. Can you spin the wheel again, please? Spin the wheel so that I can. So that I can.

Chris, what's on the wheel? Where did it land? This Heat fan's thinking they could change Jimmy Butler. Well, I really didn't say that either, but. That's just my hot take. We can talk Jimmy Butler though. That's what it landed on. It's a big wheel.

It's just, I mean, Jimmy Butler, how many marriages is this? And we thought we were the one that could change him. I mean, this is Heat fans just thinking that the culture and everything, I mean, Jimmy is who we thought he was. Okay, hold on a second. So you mentioned marriage. The number one reason for divorce is money.

It's finances. It's the number one reason people get divorced. The number one reason that people go from loving to hating is divorce. From love to hate. I will get to the macro criticisms that everyone wants of Pat Riley. He has absolutely failed over the last decade in a way that cannot be argued to get Jimmy Butler better help that he needed. He has been cursed by the fact, and Jimmy Butler was too, they're very good at making overachievers. But what do overachievers do they achieve

to the maximum of what their ceiling is and jimmy butler's was never better than it was here it was a spectacular relationship it worked while it lasted jimmy butler bailed pat riley out of white side and waiters of that i mean of the white side and waiters jimmy butler covered a lot of shit over the last five years for the heat sp Jimmy Butler covered a lot of shit over the last five years for the Heat Spolster covered a lot of shit for the Heat But also Jimmy Butler was the best Jimmy Butler here and no one in the history of the Heat

Other than LeBron has done more for themselves by virtue of coming through the land of overachievers when you carry Max Struse and Vincent to the finals you get rewarded for that so we will get to the criticism of the moment because i know he fans are mad and they should be because they've been passed in the conference by a whole bunch of people who are more aggressive and we also have close boston miami work we saw the changes boston made and we've seen kyle lowry we've seen very little since chris bosh

had to leave the team other than getting jimmy butler and so what ends up happening to the miami heat we all know more than ever the last five years they're great at making players better we know it in a way that we don't really know it about any other team while i've seen for five years

how they've got a bunch of overachievers but the blessing is now the curse because the overachievers look at what they are show me all the high draft picks because all those players are at their ceilings i know bams been terrible this year but tyler and jimmy and don't get there all and all of them at what is their drafted ceiling slick there that the best that they can be they can't be any better than that that's what the heat do for you pat riley gets credit for that he gets

credit for the culture for spell and all that stuff but he has failed to get jimmy butler what he needed this is punctuation old disaster at the end because now his value is new any got check painted by player empowerment which is something that happened began to happen in two thousand and fourteen when lebron surprised him and left and

everything that's happened with player power sense ends with jimmy butler being able to say bleep off i've got the players union behind me you didn't give me my extension i've been upset about this for a while i've been upset i've been quiet but now i want my money and i understand why anyone in america who watches basketball would get mad at jimmy butler what do you mean you got no joy for basketball at this fifty million

because you need the next fifty million what what do you mean you've got no joy for basketball on a contract when you're already being paid $50 million? Ano with the regular N, not an-yo with the N-yea does in fact mean anus. One more time? Ano with the regular N, not an-yo with the N-yea does in fact mean anus.

Okay. Good. So we're wishing everybody in America and on Peacock and on Sirius and on Max, we're wishing them a happy new anus. That's what we're doing. Good for us. It's nice. Yeah. New year new anus. I'd like a new anus. I'd take one. Yeah. I'm good with mine. Wanna trade yours in? Hmm. Yeah but it's one of those you'd rather get it you know it's better to get a new one too early than too late. Correct. I liken it to like an old baseball glove

You know, I've worn this one in This one's home Put it on the pole, please at Levitard show. Are you satisfied with your present anus? Would you like a new way that's the secondary question You can and both things can be true, I suppose. You can be satisfied with your present one and want a new one. What shouldn't be true is that the video staff

is putting behind me that America should have a happy new anus when that's not what we're wishing people. Maybe Laronega took that enye with him. Spin the wheel again, please. We'll get back to Jimmy Butler. spin the wheel again please will will get back to jimmy butler jessica what does it say on the wheel that says terry hill let's play the video of a rambling tyree killer actually cut out the rambling for me and just play the end because this was strange and i don't

know can you guys tell me what's true because you know the internet always fools me he missed a day of practice last week and then on Instagram live he was clearly out shopping somewhere those things people noticed it investigators noticed that Tyreek Hill at least one day last week was not was out sick and didn't appear to be sick in public not shopping I believe he was at one of the stores that he owns signing autographs. Okay, and this has been, it seems, ending for a while. Tyreek Hill is very useful when he's getting you 1800 yards. The other stuff becomes more problematic when it's less than a thousand yards in a season. I am just amazed that this dolphin offense, which scored 70 points in a a game was an offense that a lot of offensive players were envious

of and they wanted to play down here and it has turned that quickly on Mike McDaniel and the Dolphins. I'm amazed by that. I have to issue a correction. Now this information about Pop-Tart versus Pop-Tarts came directly from the Pop-Tart Bowl broadcast in which the commentators said there's no such thing as a singular Pop-Tart. However, I have been texted a photo of single packaged Pop-Tart being called Pop-Tart with no S at the end. So either some bad information was given or this is a fake doctored photo. I will continue to work. The Tyreke Hill thing is interesting for a number of reasons, but let's go ahead and play the sound.

This was after him two minutes of the, it was, you couldn't have seen this coming. This was very strange the way this played out. We're not going to play the rambling two minutes before it, but at the end he nails the gymnastics dismount and this is the time incidentally right there is the greatest moment to interview any football player about whether he wants to quit football on the spot the end of a season that ends with you not making the playoffs for the first time in your life the emotions are going to leak out of him so here he is talking about well i'm done in miami i don't even know well

you know this is my first time i i have been in the playoffs i mean for me like i said man i i i i just gotta do what's best for me and my family if that's here or wherever the case may be man i'm finna open that door for myself i'm open opening the door, like, like, I'm out, bro. You know, so, it was great playing here, but, you know,

at the end of the day, bro, I gotta do what's best for, you know, for my career and, you know, what's best. Because I'm too much of a competitor to be, you know, just out there. You're thinking about leaving her? If it is, hey. Yeah, it gets. Can I just start, can I just call Tyreek Hill not Kaleus Campbell? Because you see Kaleus Campbell, he's just like the best leader you could ever be.

The best teammate and it's like, yeah, when everything's good, Tyreek's fine, but as soon as anything bad happens, he's just done with you. And it's just- Well, everything has been good the entirety of his career, except his behavior. I don't know what happened in yesterday's game. Is that where he learned how to check out of a game? Like what happened during that game?

There was some confusion. It wasn't an injury. He was, McDaniel was told he was not available. Once again, just not Kaleus Campbell. That's what he is. That is correct. Much. Just immature. Just, God, I just, sorry, I hated that sound. I just hate everything about that. Yes, this is how bad seasons end. This is how bad marriages end. This is what's happening in this

town at the moment. And look, there's a leadership problem in town around sports. Hey, hey, hey, hey, hey, hey, hey, hey, hey, hey, hey, hey, hey, hey, hey, hey, hey, hey, hey, hey, hey, hey, hey, hey, hey, hey, hey, hey, hey, hey, hey, hey, hey, hey, hey, hey, hey, hey, hey, hey, hey, hey, hey, hey, hey, hey, hey, hey, hey, hey, hey, hey, hey, hey, hey, hey, hey, hey, hey, hey, hey, hey, hey, hey, hey, hey, hey, hey, hey, hey, hey, hey, hey, hey, hey, hey, hey, hey, hey, hey, hey, hey, hey, hey, hey, hey, hey, hey, hey, hey, hey, hey, hey, hey, hey, hey, hey, hey, hey, hey, hey, hey, hey, hey, hey, hey, hey, hey, hey, hey, hey, hey, hey, hey, hey, hey, hey, hey, hey, hey, hey, hey, hey, hey, hey, hey,

hey, hey, hey, hey, hey, hey, hey, hey, hey, hey, hey, hey, hey, hey, hey, hey, hey, hey, hey, hey, hey, hey, hey, hey, hey, hey, hey, hey, hey, hey, hey, hey, hey, hey, hey, hey, hey, hey, hey, hey, hey, hey, hey, hey, hey, hey, hey, hey, hey, hey, hey, hey, hey, hey, hey, hey, hey, hey, hey, hey, hey, hey, hey, hey, hey, hey, hey, hey, Maybe it's us. If we're the common denominator here, maybe it's us. Folks, did you know that sleep is one of the most important parts of recovery? Whether you're a pro athlete or just looking to crush your day, getting that right kind of rest is key, and that's where Sleep Number SmartBeds come in. Since 2018, Sleep Number has partnered with the NFL to help elite athletes get the quality sleep they need to perform at their best.

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That was big. Wake him up. Uh oh, he doesn't want to be bothered anymore. Now it's getting tense because he didn't need that as a result. He needs something that happens. You can see him mother effing. No, he says.

Can we bother, are we bother you right now? Turn on your microphone. My microphone's on. Stugats. Paint the scene. Paint the scene is I gotta go to work. Good night. This is the Don LeBattar Show with the Stugats.

To Chris's point, he's right about Tariq Hill. This is the first adversity he's had to go through as an NFL player. He's been on great teams. He was on the Chiefs. He was on a great offense with the Dolphins for the first couple of years on the field that his numbers have been great. But the second it goes the other way on the team and on Tariq Hill, he wants out. It's a friendly reminder.

Gustav Forsling and Samson Reinhardt took discounts. Yeah, but Lucy, Jimmy Butler and Tariq Hill. he wants out so friendly reminder gustaf for sling in samson reinhardt took discounts also yeah but lucy jimmy butler and i have we have a leadership problem in sports across south florida so laranaga is out he got chewed up at the end all of this momentum it usually doesn't dissipate that fast that was sort of shocking to see how quickly all of that happen to laranaga when they had the hardest thing the hardest thing you get to the final four that's the springboard gold go down

and then it just collapses they were terrible they lost charleston southern at home last year by twenty five truly terrible and he doesn't get the punctuation he wants chris greer there reports last rumors that he's going to have reports slash rumors I don't know what's true here Billy do you know anything here Chris Greer is supposed to go to another position allegedly in the organization with the Dolphins I don't know how real that is it is something that's being talked

about well I mean Stephen Ross put a statement yesterday saying everybody's kind of staying in the same roles so I think that that they've got if that was a thing I think they've got away from that. Okay so that's eight years now without a playoff victory there are no Pro Bowlers on the Dolphins. Andrew Van Kinkle just made the Pro Bowl traded Jamar Chase traded Laramie Tunsel traded the possibility of a change march and not he didn't he didn't trade the hams but specifically but something in the transactions forgive me because this is a tweet i've got a look at the source and i got too many notes after two weeks i'll get

i'll get back to what it is that is in a second uh... but chris greer has been in that job for eight years to god's yet in the organization for twenty working his way up as well yet but it's it's uncommon for a guy to be a gm of the team for eight years, Stu Gotts. Yep. In the organization for 20, working his way up as well. Yeah, but it's uncommon for a guy to be a GM of a team for eight years, not win a playoff game, and still have a job. That's uncommon. This is not really, I understand the disappointment

of this season, but Dolphin fans love this guy entering the season, so results weren't there, and we don't have to overthink this one. The season got undone by the thing we were fearing for years would undo the season, which was an injury to a fragile quarterback. You're overthinking this one. Chris Greer, while that player is actively campaigning to leave town right now, just a season ago was voted the best player in the NFL. Chris Greer acquired him. But I think what the season did was it cast a

spotlight on the fact that there there was no contingency plan. And now you're moving forward and if Tua gets hurt again, which is a very real possibility in any form, not just the concussion thing, we saw the hip thing and did him at the end of the season. What is the plan? And it seems as though they're trusting the same people to be in charge of making that plan next year

when we saw this year, there didn't seem to be a very good one. We better see the best quarterback room ever next year. I don't know why we didn't see it this year. I'm with Greer, I'm fine with Greer staying. Obviously the elephant in the room is that quarterback position. Like you screwed that up.

You thought Skyler Thompson was enough to be your backup and that was just a big fart. Who do you want in that room? Hold on, hold on, hold on. Damn, we're talking quarterback rooms. Hold on, hold on. I don't want to talk dolphin backup quarterback. Did you see that rumor?

Hold on, I know what you guys want to talk about. I'm not interested in that portion of this at the moment. The portion of this I want to talk about, because Chris brought it up, they would have been a playoff team if to his state healthy he played in a career low eleven games okay so he missed six games he's averaged for miss games per season all the teams deep in the playoffs their quarterbacks have stayed healthy right at it's it's a little bit of jail and hurts here might

be heard for a little while Jordan love might miss a game or two but largely but largely the playoff teams, if you look at their quarterbacks, their quarterbacks aren't missing six games. Yes, they have a fragile quarterback, but when you say that's not Chris Greer's fault, and I heard Mina and Dominique talking about this, Dominique will join us here in a little bit, the Dolphin Run game is one of the worst in the league. Their offensive line continues to be a problem mcdaniel was supposed to solve that as somebody who did that as the offensive coordinator in atlanta when matt ryan became

mvp he was supposed to bring run game with him no matter whether it's most are eighteen touchdowns or a chance or anybody that the touchdowns it does not matter yet better to have mcaffrey but from that chain you run the football they could not run the football at all and so then what it's built on is to what can you do it in two seconds every time can you do it in three seconds every time

that's pretty flimsy like when the whole thing is built on that it's it's and and then go win in the cold he's going to get hurt you're're gonna miss games you're not likely to get the bye and go win in the cold with a with a Ferrari if I may like that's a staple of the Shanahan offense and McDaniel's a disciple of that his first year we were all wondering when is this run game going to explode second season it did third season here in Miami it seems as though in the early part of the season defense has adjusted to what Mike McDaniel was doing and then Mike

McDaniel in the middle of the season decided to change his strategy. Did a lot of interesting things with motion. All of a sudden Janue Smith becomes the focal point of the offense. I think Mike McDaniel actually showed you a lot in terms of being able to pivot and understand the adjustments that defenses make also This coaching staff knew it had a defense problem last season and they corrected it. They made a pretty strong hire last Yesterday's game notwithstanding they seem to be more solidified defensively I do think there are good things here. The contingency plan thing is something that we were all confused by Why'd you bring in Mike White just to let him go?

It's not I I know that Tua just had his healthiest season, but this is not a question mark that simply goes away because of one season. They failed there. They took a chance, the bet blew up in their face. I don't think you fire people just because the thing that we all feared happened, might happen, did actually happen.

I trust them to actually make the right corrections like they've proven they can. Imagine Joe Flacco on that quarterback. I was just looking it up right now. He's available. Oh my God. And he's gonna be turning 40. Or Joe Melton.

Give me Dalton and a rookie. That's what I want. Red rifle? Dalton and a rookie. I need options. Forgive me, Chris Greer selected Waddle instead of Chase is what he did, traded Minka Fitzpatrick, traded Laramie Tunsil, a trade that I liked.

The larger point is the bottom line on eight years is zero playoff wins and another season that now has, because of where the expectations were, man we saw this with the Browns, we lived all of this. Because of where the expectations were with this team, you cannot have another year of McDaniel end with this and not have a fan base that has not had a playoff victory this century since Lamar Smith in 2001. You cannot have all of this without the fan base wanting a place to put the blame. It can't go blameless for eight years where you used to be the winningest franchise in all of sports. You built this

town and all the sports around it based on dolphin excellence. And there are two generations of people who have no familiarity with the Dolphins being any good. If someone needs to suffer the consequence, sports fans when you have a season like this that ends in disappointment, a season that you're talking Super Bowl before they want a pound of flesh but I think that you do have their explanation. It was Tua. It was the thing that you always feared and it undid this season and you have to do your best to address it. Tua seems like hell- hell bent on continuing to play. This hip injury thing is actually really concerning to me

because we all know the issues that he has with concussions, but this was the actual question mark that we had about him when he entered the draft. It's why he wasn't the number one consensus pick, like he was being discussed about when he was at Alabama's because it was a devastating injury. In fairness to the Dolphins, it's tough to have a backup plan when you're dealing with two. This is fairly unprecedented, right? Like it's

quarterbacks are going to be hesitant to come here because if two is healthy, Billy is going to play all 17 games. So you're coming here for what? In the event that he gets concussed again and you get a chance to go in? Like you- In the Sam Darnold event. In the event that Sam Darnold can take a job because you're quarterback. Like that's probability stuff.

That's what Kenny Pickett did. Like that. The league is full of people that have backup plans. I know, but you have to be sure that you're right on that plan. Like it's not Skyler Thompson. You have to be sure you're going to get it right if you're gonna have a backup plan for Tua.

They bet big because of their salary cap situation. They didn't wanna tie any more salary cap into a backup plan for Tua. They bet big because of their salary cap situation. They didn't want to tie any more salary cap into that room outside of Tua. And it just, they got it wrong. Guys, it can't be. The season ends and we're talking about the backup quarterback.

Like, just, like, it can't, that can't, Well, that's part of why the season ended yesterday. It's part of the equation. I mean, I'm not, look, there's plenty of places to blame a thousand different things. What I'm saying to you is there's no winners talking about their backup quarterback situation right now. Well no, the winners are talking about the playoff game so we don't have a playoff game

to talk about. It can't be you tell us that it has nothing to do with structure and the most important thing in the structure is it you needed a better planet backup quarterback that's fine like it's fine as an analysis yes they could have one three more games and what got dragged by buffalo again cuz they can't be buffalo and their quarterback doesn't get hurt cuz he's not made of

balsa wood their their quarterback never gets hurt. Right. What was up with the sunglasses yesterday? Yeah. I mean, we're throwing out some fodder for conspiracies when we're wearing sunglasses at night when we have a history of concussion issues, correct? And then we all of a sudden have a hip injury

that just appeared two weeks ago, it didn't seem like a big deal, and then all of a sudden it's maybe a partial tear of a muscle and if he plays it, it's a full tear. But then again, we're wearing sunglasses at night because of the lighting in the stadium, which is, you're setting it up for people to assume that there was a secret concussion, right?

Like I'm just gonna put out there what people were saying. That was the chatter. People were wondering, was there another concussion issue that we're just gonna say Was a hip issue because that's don't want to have that conversation again. This is a good conspiracy right here Like I'm if you want to be just totally irresponsible on this. Let's see what we can do here. Yeah Time to throw away all journalistic credibility and get reckless Here is something we like to call reckless speculation. You're good. You're good Billy. Oh we're good. I'm just I'm just asking. I'm just I'm not saying anything. It's just that there

was chatter out there. Maybe there's something more to this injury than what was let on and I'm not insinuating anyone's fudging any incidents reports or any you know health records. That's Unheard of it Before I play the sounder and then you start well, he was reckless before you hit the reckless sound and then you hit the reckless sound I understand why he's confused. I thought you were gonna add on to this He may have a concussion there we go, maybe Possibly. Yeah tiptoe it around it, he may have a concussion. There we go. Maybe, possibly.

I'm pretty sure that that would break all of the rules of football and whatever it is that they're pretending to do when they pretend to care about the health of the athletes. I mean, he has a hip injury, what is he gonna do? Parsely torn if he plays again, and maybe fully torn, that's what they told us. Even though they didn't tell us that like a week ago, right? Week ago, it was like, eh, maybe he'll be back.

The hip did come out of nowhere, even though it didn't come out of nowhere because Mike's not wrong when he says it was the thing. It seems like so long ago that that's the thing we were worried about. The sunglasses though, didn't cross your mind yesterday when you saw it? Into his defense it was 425 start, not night time. No, but in New York it was night time. It's night time there. It was dark out. Like the sunglasses were not because of the sun.

What were they for? Fashion? You know that that was- Do they look cool? You know that that was the third best Jets quarterback season in franchise history? Yep. Saved his best for last.

I mean, 28 touchdowns, 11 interceptions. I think you could talk yourself into bringing him back next season. I already have. See how good he looked yesterday? He gave you just enough. Don't worry about the fact that Miami saw the score of the Broncos game and was like, ah, whatever.

That doesn't matter. He was pretty good the second half of the season. Really good. Not terrible. He looked out here. He looked out here. I do want to circle back around though to the backup quarterback thing

because I was reminded yesterday, I don't know how many of you needed this reminder, that Jessica's beloved Trubisky was the backup in Buffalo and that they went out there with their backup. That's what week 18 is all about, Dan. You find out where all the big quarterbacks are playing. I mean, but when we're talking about physical sturdiness at the position, you realize that the Dolphins have spent 20 years trying to topple quarterbacks at the top of that division who don't get hurt like Brady was gone for one season and

they said the Patriots still went 11 and 5 with Matt Castle but once you get to the backup quarterback Stu Gatz the Chiefs aren't good without Mahomes like Wintz you could get six games out of Wintz and what do you think that's gonna look like like they're gonna fall apart it's gonna look like what you just saw in Denver because they're backups for a reason and so i'd i'm just dismayed by sitting here talking about the dolphins after another one of these when the expectations you guys dared to hope again we dared to believe again the expectations were in a place they'll win a playoff game with

the genius boy wonder coach who could turn that into a quarterback but then you're reminded that football injures people and that in the league he's got the reputation more than any of them it's not going to be baker mayfield but it's not going to be what he did more more who's second on this list of this guy's going to get hurt like you can't trust that's crazy but it might be my homes i mean it's not my

homes i did a good word, Baker doesn't get hurt. Stafford, Stafford maybe. Anthony Richards. Stafford is indestructible. Stafford is indestructible. He fakes that ankle injury every year. He does lead the league in tweaks that he plays through and looks better after tweaking something. I think Baker Mayfield does.

Wow. Did anyone? Baker Mayfield you're saying? Burrow gets more hurt than Baker. Did anyone feel gross yesterday watching week 18? It was just something about it. It's like the first like week one. You watched week 18.

I'm just like, I feel good watching like Red Zone. It was the Sunday scaries combined with some truly meaningless games. That's probably what it was. Coming back to work after a two week break, I was just yesterday, I was just like, I don't even, I don't want to be watching this, but I'm watching it and then just like playoff contention,

all these seating, the Dolphins are in it, even though they have no God forsaken chance. I watched Cardinals Niners for a little bit and I was like, why am I doing this? And then I watched the end of Jets Dolphins because it was the last game on. And I was like, again, why am I doing this? And then I watched the end of Jets Dolphins because it was the last game on. And I was like, again, why am I doing this? Were you doing it because you needed 178 yards

from Marvin Harrison to cash a future? No, I just needed something to occupy my eyes while I sat on the couch with a heating pad on my tummy. If he was playing the Saints, Harrison would have got that. I mean, geez, just Chan Hill Park over here. I am with Chris Cody on yesterday Felt a Little Football Gross. Put it on the poll at LeBotard Show. Because it's all of it.

It's your gorge college football, the holidays. God knows how much chocolate you've eaten. I've been watching you. The 18th one of these in a row. Just like, ugh, just get me to the playoffs already. I don't need another. I'm just over Scott Hanson at this point. Just for this one, like, I love Scott Hanson.

I don't want like that to get, I love you Scott Hanson. But just yesterday I was just like, get away. By the way, friendly reminder, cancel your red zone today so that you're not paying for it for six months when it's an inactive channel. Dan, did you just say that you just watch people eat chocolate, like you're like an elf on the shelf, that you just show up at people's house

when they're eating chocolate watching them? Yes, I've been watching you with my new anus. He did send me a picture of people eating cookies in the kitchen a few weeks ago, where they didn't know he was taking pictures of them. It was a little sketchy. Put it on the poll at Levitard Show. Have you eaten too many cookies

and too much chocolate over the last two weeks? But this is part of it. And did you feel football gross yesterday? Because I'm with Chris Cody on this. I'm like, ah, I'm admiring McBride. I'm like, that's a 12 yard run. And he just jumped way up in the sky and these guys are all basketball players

and I don't know how any of them do anything. I shouldn't be watching this anymore. This is not healthy for me. This has not been healthy to me. I felt gross. I put in an incentives parlay, everyone, like all the incentives out there. Hardly any of them came in.

It was just a gross day. Just people playing football only to make money. Mike Evans. Just. They're the love of the game. What do you think they're doing the other 17 weeks of the year? They weren't doing it, they're not though.

They're not playing just for money? Incentives though, it felt a little gross yesterday. No, do you know Smith? That was kind of a cool story. The Mike Evans one is one of the coolest things I've ever seen involving money in sports. Yeah, I take it back. Yesterday was awesome.

I mean, Chano, the Saints kind of handed him that last play, but does that take away from it at all? Dan has a great take about what should have happened on that last play, because the game was in hand and there was only one thing to do. And it was a really cool way to end the game because you have the compounded emotions of we've made the playoffs,'ve won this game we've completed the

comeback and we got Mike this record but Dan has the best take. Do me a favor please find me David Sampson so that I can just ask him what he would do in management if instead of victory formation the game was over and they'd won the division in victory formation the Bucs ran a play that everyone in the stadium and everyone watching new was meant to get mike evans a few more yards so that he could be a hall of fame receiver with eleven straight thousand yard season and hit an incentive clause with a throw that was for three million dollars

at the end of the one game they should have just now if you're the saints if you have a rivalry in the division you've got to send all eleven men at mike all eleven of your defenders have to and you say i was trying to get the ball i'd i need to win the game if

you're not gonna victory formation makes my entire defense and work and were passenger fearing and word it's just all eleven of our men are not going to allow you to get him this nice moment. They were doubling him like all game. Like it seemed like their mission was to cost him money the entire game for some reason. And I guarantee you, even if they put all 11 guys on Mike Evans, Baker's still going to try to group after him. He's still going to find the window. The Day on the Batard Show with Stu Gotz is sponsored by Better

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