Chris Cote, Juju Gotti and a Baseball Disaster | Mystery Crate | The Dan Le Batard Show

1. Chris Cote Recaps Batting Duel With Jeremy Tache

Timestamp: 00:00:49 to 00:04:06

Chris Cote says he got the better of Jeremy Tache in their pitching-versus-hitting duel, making contact without striking out despite taking 10 years off. He notes Jeremy pitched outside out of fear of hitting him and pulled a muscle during warm-ups. The crew reviews video of Chris's blooper single and foul balls.

Significance (Low): Frames the studio baseball stunt as a rusty but entertaining victory for Chris Cote over an erratic Jeremy Tache.

Sources in support: Chris Cote (Co-host, Mystery Crate), YouTube: LeBatardShow

2. Batted Ball Strikes Camerawoman Rose at Shortstop

Timestamp: 00:04:23 to 00:07:29

While filming the final pitch of the baseball duel, Chris Cote hit a chopping ground ball toward shortstop that struck video producer Rose directly in the shin. Chris notes that Rose and fellow videographer Alex were placed at shortstop without protection while Rose was looking toward the pitcher. He concludes the mishap gave the segment its needed ending.

Significance (Medium): Highlights the reckless camera staging behind the show's viral clip and how an accidental hit salvaged the bit.

Sources in support: Chris Cote (Co-host, Mystery Crate), YouTube: LeBatardShow

3. Ray Romano Hit Chris Cote With a Golf Shot

Timestamp: 00:07:38 to 00:09:51

Chris Cote recounts that his father-in-law and actor Ray Romano are first cousins because their mothers were sisters. During a Tahoe Pro-Am golf tournament where the show planned for Chris to introduce himself as family, Romano shanked a tee shot on the 17th hole and hit Chris in the upper leg. Chris admits he was too nervous to mention their family connection when Romano apologized.

Significance (Low): Resurfaces one of the show's most improbable real-life coincidences, illustrating Chris Cote's awkwardness around celebrities.

Sources in support: Chris Cote (Co-host, Mystery Crate), YouTube: LeBatardShow

4. Juju Gotti and Tony Play in Inter Miami's Cup

Timestamp: 00:11:38 to 00:15:51

Tony and Juju Gotti recap playing in Inter Miami's Copa de Medios media tournament, where Juju was assigned a locker near Lionel Messi's stall. Juju jokes that he struggled with conditioning after 11 minutes at center back and could not understand his Spanish-speaking teammates, while Tony gave up a rebound goal playing goalkeeper. Both of their teams lost to the eventual tournament champion.

Significance (Medium): Offers a comedic inside look at how local sports media members fared on an MLS pitch.

Sources in support: YouTube: LeBatardShow, Juju Gotti (Special Guest, The Dan Le Batard Show)

5. Tony Urges Miami Teams to Copy Inter Miami

Timestamp: 00:15:51 to 00:17:45

Tony praises Inter Miami for treating media members and their families like VIPs during Copa de Medios with stadium tours, local food vendors, customized kits, and free cleats. He challenges the Miami Dolphins, Miami Heat, Florida Panthers, and Miami Marlins to study and replicate that hospitality, suggesting the Dolphins host a media flag football tournament at Hard Rock Stadium. He concludes that replicating the event across South Florida sports would be a home run.

Significance (Medium): Shows how aggressive hospitality builds goodwill with local sports media and sets a benchmark for competing franchises.

Sources in support: YouTube: LeBatardShow, Juju Gotti (Special Guest, The Dan Le Batard Show)

Neutral sources: Chris Cote (Co-host, Mystery Crate), Roy (Co-host, Mystery Crate)

6. Jessica Spots Jason Williams and Mike Piazza

Timestamp: 00:17:57 to 00:22:23

In her celebrity sighting segment, Jessica challenges the crew to guess two retired athletes she saw during her trip to Notre Dame and New York. After several clues, the hosts guess retired Miami Heat point guard Jason Williams, whom Jessica and Leman walked past at LaGuardia Airport, and Baseball Hall of Famer Mike Piazza, whom she spotted at a Notre Dame tailgate. The crew jokes about Piazza's brief stint with the Florida Marlins.

Significance (Low): Delivers light travel trivia connecting New York and Miami sports nostalgia.

Sources in support: Jessica (Co-host, Mystery Crate)

Neutral sources: Chris Cote (Co-host, Mystery Crate), YouTube: LeBatardShow, Roy (Co-host, Mystery Crate)

7. Chris Cote Calls Out Ethan's Jimmie Johnson Photo

Timestamp: 00:22:23 to 00:24:44

Chris Cote tells the crew that producer Ethan embarrassed the show after seven-time NASCAR champion Jimmie Johnson visited the studio. Looking through the studio window, Chris saw Ethan taking a photo of Johnson holding Ethan's dog, Percy, which Ethan then posted to his Instagram story. While awaiting Ethan's explanation, Chris inspects Johnson's hands in the photo and guesses Johnson's age at 49, two years off from 51.

Significance (Medium): Sets up the episode's central comedic debate over studio etiquette with celebrity guests and previews Chris's hand-guessing skill.

Sources in support: Chris Cote (Co-host, Mystery Crate), YouTube: LeBatardShow

Sources against: Ethan (Producer, The Dan Le Batard Show)

8. Ethan Defends Asking Jimmie Johnson for Dog Photo

Timestamp: 00:24:55 to 00:31:18

Ethan explains that Jimmie Johnson walked into the studio and spent a full minute petting his dog Percy on the couch, then returned to say goodbye to the dog before leaving. Ethan admits he told Johnson his brother was a big NASCAR fan to ask for a photo of Johnson holding Percy, then sent it to his family before posting it on Instagram. Chris Cote and Tony accuse Ethan of using his brother as an excuse to post a photo for female attention on Instagram, rating the embarrassment an 8.2 out of 10.

Significance (High): Exposes the humorous tension between maintaining professional composure around guests and chasing social media clout.

Sources in support: Ethan (Producer, The Dan Le Batard Show)

Sources against: Chris Cote (Co-host, Mystery Crate), YouTube: LeBatardShow

Neutral sources: Jessica (Co-host, Mystery Crate)

9. Chris Cote Struggles in Celebrity Hand Age Game

Timestamp: 00:31:19 to 00:36:41

Testing his claim that he can tell a person's age by their hands, Chris Cote attempts to guess the ages of four celebrities within a three-year buffer. He guesses 41 for 64-year-old Tom Cruise, 64 for 68-year-old Steve Buscemi, 43 for 30-year-old Noah Centineo, and 45 for 37-year-old Matthew Lewis. After missing all four official rounds, the crew brings in Jessica to compete against him.

Significance (Medium): Debunks Chris Cote's self-proclaimed talent in real time, turning a confident boast into a comedic failure.

Sources in support: YouTube: LeBatardShow, Jessica (Co-host, Mystery Crate), Roy (Co-host, Mystery Crate)

Sources against: Chris Cote (Co-host, Mystery Crate)

10. Jessica Beats Chris Cote in Hand Guessing Showdown

Timestamp: 00:36:41 to 00:41:28

Competing head-to-head against Chris Cote on the remaining celebrity hands, Jessica guesses 25 for 24-year-old Jenna Ortega and nails 39-year-old Cynthia Erivo on the dot. Both miss 71-year-old Denzel Washington, while Chris correctly guesses 34 for Bad Bunny and recognizes a photo of Jessica's own hand from when she was 29. Tony declares Jessica the two-to-one winner before Chris delivers his 'You Betcha' NFL parlay picks.

Significance (Low): Completes the comedic arc of the game as Jessica effortlessly outperforms Chris at his own signature bit.

Sources in support: YouTube: LeBatardShow, Jessica (Co-host, Mystery Crate)

Neutral sources: Chris Cote (Co-host, Mystery Crate)

11. Crew Debates Constant Sneeze Urge Versus Hiccups

Timestamp: 00:42:42 to 00:45:05

Opening the Mystery Crate for listener questions, Chris Cote asks whether the group would rather endure 48 straight hours of feeling about to sneeze without sneezing or 48 hours of non-stop hiccups. Chris prefers hiccups, arguing the unfulfilled sneeze urge is horrific torture. Jessica, Roy, Tony, and Zaslow all vote for the sneeze feeling because hiccups are unpredictable, prevent sleep, and would get them fired on air.

Significance (Low): Delivers classic Mystery Crate hypothetical banter, pitting Chris Cote against the rest of the shipping container.

Sources in support: YouTube: LeBatardShow, Jessica (Co-host, Mystery Crate), Roy (Co-host, Mystery Crate)

Sources against: Chris Cote (Co-host, Mystery Crate)

12. Late Night Hosts and Rex Ryan's Nashville Arrest

Timestamp: 00:45:06 to 00:48:41

Answering a listener question on the greatest late-night TV host, Chris Cote and Zaslow pick Conan O'Brien, Roy chooses David Letterman, Juju Gotti praises James Corden's carpool segments, and Tony selects Scott Van Pelt. Jessica interrupts to read a police report stating that 63-year-old Rex Ryan was arrested in Nashville on six charges with a $6,000 bond after allegedly running over a pedestrian's feet with his pickup truck and driving away. The crew jokes about the New York Post headline before wrapping up the show.

Significance (Medium): Blends pop-culture nostalgia with a bizarre breaking sports-media arrest story Involving Rex Ryan.

Sources in support: Chris Cote (Co-host, Mystery Crate), YouTube: LeBatardShow, Juju Gotti (Special Guest, The Dan Le Batard Show), Jessica (Co-host, Mystery Crate), Roy (Co-host, Mystery Crate)

DraftKings Sponsorship of NFL Betting Segment (Medium severity)

Type: Commercial

DraftKings Sportsbook sponsors the episode and directly presents Chris Cote's 'You Betcha' NFL parlay betting segment.

Significance: The commercial partnership incentivizes the hosts to promote multi-leg parlay wagering and specific point spreads to listeners.

Inter Miami VIP Hospitality for Show Hosts (Low severity)

Type: Professional

Inter Miami provided Tony and Juju Gotti with free cleats, customized kits, local vendor food, and VIP locker room access at Copa de Medios.

Significance: Receiving complimentary luxury perks directly motivates the hosts' on-air praise of Inter Miami and their call for rival teams to copy the event.