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Dan Le Batard says no one would care if Jaguars made the Super Bowl. He's dead wrong
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- Dan Le Batard says no one would care if Jaguars made the Super Bowl. He's dead wrong
Dan Le Batard poked the wrong sleeping cat.
We in Jacksonville heard what you said to lead off the show Wednesday. For those not in the know, the host and namesake of "The Dan Le Batard Show with Stugotz" chose to say if the Jacksonville Jaguars make the Super Bowl, no one will care .
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"I can name one" team that wouldn't bring the Super Bowl monster ratings, Le Batard said. "Jacksonville. No one ever cares about Jacksonville."
Producer Jessica Smetana offered a defense for the passion of the Jaguars fan base: "That's not true, Dan. Their fans are super loud these days, they're very into it. ... I would have said it 10 years ago, I wouldn't say it now."
"OK, and I'm gonna remain totally stubborn in that take and when Jacksonville does something that matters, you guys inform me and I might change it," Le Batard replied.
That's horse hockey !
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We all know Dan, his Miami Herald cohort Greg Cote , and many members of his shipping container are Dolphins homers.
But this take is stone cold.
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I'm like a dog with a bone on this one . The Jaguars would not cause a monumental decrease in Super Bowl ratings. In fact, I'd think a first-time team would draw more interest.
Plus, there's the fact that two teams play in the Super Bowl. And something tells me Green Bay or San Francisco playing Jacksonville would garner plenty of interest. And ratings.
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What else would people watch on Super Bowl night? Matlock? Brockmire? Or some Mike Schur creation?
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Besides, anyone with any sense would prefer see Trevor Lawrence in the Super Bowl over Tua Tagovailoa .
In fact, I'll go a step further.
Dan, I guarantee the Jaguars will make it to a Super Bowl before the Dolphins will.
Miami Dolphins have a worse recent history than Jacksonville Jaguars
All I need is this one fact: Over the past 23 years and 8 months, the Jaguars have had four playoff wins. The Miami Dolphins have had none.
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Quit clinging to faded memories of a team that hasn't meant anything since the Nixon administration.
I'll also posit this: The Dolphins may be the one franchise with a much worse QB roster than the Jaguars during this millennium.
Since Dan Marino retired after the 1999 season, the Dolphins have started 25 quarterbacks: Jay Fiedler, Damon Huard, Lamar Smith, Ray Lucas, Brian Griese, A.J. Feeley, Sage Rosenfels, Gus Frerotte, Joey Harrington, Daunte Culpepper, Cleo Lemon, Trent Green, John Beck, Chad Pennington, Chad Henne , Tyler Thigpen , Matt Moore, Ryan Tannehill , Jay Cutler , Brock Osweiler , Ryan Fitzpatrick , Josh Rosen , Skylar Thompson , Tua Tagovailoa and Jacoby Brissett .
Now, check out this Jaguars slate over the same period: Mark Brunell, Blake Bortles , David Garrard, Trevor Lawrence , Byron Leftwich, Chad Henne, Gardner Minshew II , Blaine Gabbert , Quinn Gray, Mike Glennon , Nick Foles , Cody Kessler , Jake Luton , Luke McCown , C.J. Beathard , Trent Edwards and Todd Bouman.
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That didn't really bolster my argument. OK, it's a push. We won't put any wager on that with Draft Kings.
But if Dan thinks Tua is better than Trevor, let's compare: From 2021-23, Tua has had 10,825 passing yards, 70 TDs and 32 INTS. Again, no playoff wins.
Trevor in the same period has 11,770 passing yards, 58 TDs and 39 INT. He has one electric playoff win, which included the third-largest comeback in playoff history.
Actually, I guess they're pretty close. But Trevor makes more per year !
'DUUUVAL!' Jacksonville definitely cares about the Jaguars
As for that Jags' playoff win in January 2023 , people cared that night, Dan. I felt the stadium shaking under my feet from the press box as your beloved Justin Herbert and Stu's beloved Austin Ekeler were embarrassed in Duuuval!
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OK, so that game set the record for least watched primetime NFL playoff game and the fourth-lowest of any Wild Card game in at least 20 seasons. But that's not the Super Bowl!
As the Sports Editor for the Times-Union in Jacksonville, an olde tymie newspaper in what you regularly refer to as a "dying industry," it's my duty to stand up to you, you strident, obnoxious South Florida bully.
And if you think I don't get the show, oh, I do. So don't send me to the ocean. I'm not putting money in the Fine Bucket. I'm not going to the therapy couch. There's nothing wrong with my tone. Aqua. I didn't ask for any of this. I'm not a show killer. I'm not going to the penalty box. And No. 2 is Christmas.
So, Dan, next time you want to say something negative about Florida's First Coast, send that negativity to hell. And while you're down there, say hello to Art Briles.
This article originally appeared on Florida Today: Dan Le Batard insults Jaguars, city of Jacksonville with hot take
