Stugotz's Personal Record Book: The Real Winners and Losers in Sports

by Jon "Stugotz" Weiner, Dan Stanczyk

No rings for Durant. The 2020 MLB Season never happened. Babe Ruth is not a top five Yankee.This long-awaited book reveals the real winners and losers in sports according to Stugotz, containing all of his best takes that are sure to make some readers smile, and some readers scream.

Genres: Sports

240 pages, Hardcover

Published November 26, 2024

Reviews

[Jake Remus · Rating 5 out of 5]

Great read. Absolutely infuriating takes, most of which are easily rebutted and if seen on social media would elicit a multi-tweet response that would garner 4-5 likes from random people due to its accuracy. In that way, Stugotz and I are one and the same. I could have written this book but with takes that are way more sensible. But good takes are boring to read.

[Dre · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.4 / 5

Silly, entertaining read by the laziest gas bag in sports. Enjoyed the guest rebuttals from the likes of Jay Bilas, Mike Schur, Mina Kimes and Scott Van Pelt. I laughed.

[Kyle Govert · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book was everything I wanted it to be. It will change your life!

[Joe · Rating 2 out of 5]

Just a bunch of idiotic takes from someone that's never played sports. The schtick gets pretty old, pretty fast. The only reason I gave it 2 stars instead of 1 is because it was a quick read.

[SheMac · Rating 4 out of 5]

A fun, quick read written in the "bro" style. Stugotz re-writes sports history and the record books. You'll agree with some of his pronouncements and disagree with others - I objected to the Babe Ruth chapter because he never mentioned his pitching stats. Stugotz also includes some rebuttals by other ESPN personalities. A nice stroll down memory lane for me, someone who perhaps hasn't paid as much attention to the sports world in the last few years as I used to.

[Joe Klang · Rating 2 out of 5]

Stugotz definitely didn’t write this book, but his voice was still captured in an authentically non-authentic manner. By the end, the contradictions will have your head spinning in disgust.

[Maggie Nathan · Rating 5 out of 5]

Stugotz was right!

[Sam Breite · Rating 5 out of 5]

If you don’t like this book, you can go to Hell. And when you get there, say hello to Art Briles

[Jared · Rating 3 out of 5]

Stu Gotz best of compilation.

[Bowen McCasland · Rating 5 out of 5]

BEST SPORTS BOOK! Hilarious, had me laughing out loud at times and there were some great sports takes. Quick read so if you’re looking for a book to reward yourself with or guy you want to surprise 👀 get this book!

[Dillon Jacobs · Rating 5 out of 5]

Actually not bad

[Lance · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book was one of the few times the cover was what got me interested in reading it more than the title, subject or author. The cover has the trophies of the four major team sports, and even though I had never heard of “Stugotz”, I thought that this book by Jon “Stugotz” Weiner would be about championship players and teams in those sports.

That was somewhat correct. Stugotz, whose main occupation is to be the second person on the highly popular sports talk show in South Florida hosted by Dan LeBetard, has some very interesting opinions on the best players and teams in various sports and he’s not afraid to tell you why, even if the reader will strongly disagree, as I did several times. A reader might even think some of his opinions are crazy.

Here is a small sample of those non-conforming takes: Babe Ruth isn’t one of the 10 best baseball players of all time; Chris Paul is not among the best point guards in NBA history (and while he doesn’t mention John Stockton’s name, he’s not included either since Stugotz says a player must win a championship in order to be great - something I strongly disagree with); and that Clayton Kershaw isn’t that great a pitcher because of his struggles in the postseason.

If these sound outlandish to a reader, this is what they will get throughout the book. However, keep in mind the general tone of sports talk radio - statements like these are made by hosts and callers all the time. Having not heard his radio show, this review is not based on his on-air performance but instead by what he writes in the book. Reading it like a script for sports talk radio and even wanting to call in to either praise or bash his idea (most chapters have this at the end by a respected sports journalist) is the best way to enjoy this book. Just like what you hear on the air, it’s best to not take this extremely seriously and just enjoy reading it for the entertainment value.

I wish to thank Random House for providing a review copy of the book. The views expressed are strictly my own.

http://sportsbookguy.blogspot.com/202...

[Doug · Rating 5 out of 5]

I have been listening to the Dan Le Batard show with Stugotz for many years now. I’m very familiar with the Stugotz character and as such, I was concerned. I was worried that the book would contain the same arguments or “takes” that I have heard on the show… and it did. However, I was pleasantly surprised by how good the writing was and how much more in depth the authors (I’m crediting Stanczyk) went into. That’s not to say that you’re going to learn a whole lot from this book… it is Stugotz we’re talking about. The rebuttals from reputable people in the sports industry were excellent and it was refreshing for them to call Stu out on his crap.

If you’re a listener to the show, buy the book. If you’re not a listener… buy it anyway. It’s not that expensive and it’s quite entertaining. Just don’t take Stugotz too seriously. It’s only sports after all.

[Bobby Brown · Rating 4 out of 5]

For those that get the show, this book deserves a treasured place in your home. Not the overpriced coffee table you only sit at when company arrives or the dusty bookshelf, but a much more appropriate place. Put this book where it deserves to be - in the bathroom. With the right (or wrong) diet, you can re-read it a week at a time. It’s how Stugotz would want you to experience his masterpiece.

[Tyler Cherry · Rating 5 out of 5]

Great book from start to finish, but as a daily LeBatard listener while being enlisted in the Stugotz Army, my review has some bias. Stugotz would love it if he ever reads it. Heeeee’s gettin’ to it!

[Josh Sampson · Rating 5 out of 5]

Jon “Stugotz” Weiner and Dan Stanczyk have somehow crafted the ultimate reference book for those of us who believe that championships are cool—but truly elite pettiness is forever. This book takes stats, records, and sports history, flips them upside down, and injects them with a pure, unfiltered dose of Stugotz logic. Ever wondered who actually won a Super Bowl (even if the scoreboard says otherwise)? Curious about which athletes should be in the Hall of Fame based on the groundbreaking “Vibe Test”? Need an official record book that finally acknowledges the real greatest mustaches in sports history? Friends, this is your bible.

The book reads like a late-night sports debate after one too many beers—only here, there’s no rational counterpoint. The takes are scorching, the criteria are absurdly entertaining, and the awards are handed out with the precision of a last-second heave from half-court.

Stugotz, a man who has made a career out of passionately arguing the indefensible, has outdone himself. This isn’t just a book; it’s a movement. A movement for the fans who refuse to let reality interfere with their sports opinions.

Final verdict: A Hall of Fame-worthy masterpiece that belongs on every coffee table, bookshelf, and debate stage. Five stars, plus an honorary sixth star because Stugotz deserves it.

Top 5 Names That Connote “Author” Energy:

1. Jonathan P. Witherspoon – Sounds like a historian who has uncovered scandalous letters from the 1800s.
2. Eleanor T. Hawthorne – The kind of name that belongs on a collection of profound essays about life and regret.
3. Rupert Sinclair III – A definitive name for someone who writes 800-page biographies of people you’ve never heard of.
4. Margaret Delacroix – This person has penned a classic novel that’s been adapted into a brooding, Oscar-winning film.
5. Thaddeus Grimshaw – If this guy hasn’t written a mystery novel about a cursed manor, what are we even doing here?

[Josh Avery · Rating 5 out of 5]

Book 30 of 2025:

As a huge fan and follower of the Dan Le Batard show dating back to their days at ESPN Radio, Jon Weiner, "Stugotz" to those who get the show, has always cracked me up with his character of "so committed to being uncommitted" takes on sports and life in general, he has created his own personal record book and he is sorry, but he's not going to apologize for it. I am reviewing this in show lingo and inside jokes, because I get the show.

The Stugotz is strong in this book, as he goes through his inane takes on people like Kevin Durant, who, in Stugotz' personal record book, doesn't have a ring. Or that starting Patrick Mahomes over Alex Smith would blow up in Andy Reid's face and yet, Stugotz always wins because he got a large number of sports legends to counter his opinions for free. Bob Ryan, Mike Golic, Scott Van Pelt, Hall of Famer Andre Dawson who literally argues for his own case and even Chris Wittyngham, the Fancy Lad chimes in. There is even a patented Stugotz top 5 list in here.

If you are familiar with Stugotz or the Dan Le Batard show as a whole, you will love this book. It's lazily written, there are way too many references to the Jets and the Knicks (he hates them) it's also completely irreverent and also funny as hell.

Speaking of Hell, Art Briles.......

This book is an "A" and those, are my critical, observations.

[Socraticgadfly · Rating 1 out of 5]

Having listened enough to LeBatard, with Stugotz as wingman, on radio on vacation (yeah, other stuff on Sirius was crap indeed), I figured what to expect, and knew it wouldn't be more than 3 stars.

It's probably 1.5-1.75, but I'm generously rounding up, even though I should round down with the average rating above 4.25.

The one genuinely good, true and beautiful hot take is buried at the end — and that's that Joe Namath doesn't belong in Canton. Not even as a "contributor" for his Super Bowl III prediction. Anybody who knows about that game knows that Emerson Boozer, Matt Snell and the Jets defense won it; Namath just didn't lose it.

Otherwise? There's one or two lukewarm takes, like on the decline of boxing, baseball and horse racing in fandom since 1950, and the rest is dreck, and untrue dreck.

The French Open isn't really a Grand Slam? Mickelson is the fourth-best golfer ever? Jokic not on his European All-NBA all-time team? Yeah, it's that level of Teh Stupidz. Probably candy-ass fanbois are 5-starring it, and, just for them?

I bumped this down to 1 star after all. (The laziness factor of half the book's content being rebuttals of him, and his producer Dan Stanczyk as co-author or maybe full author were additional reasons to bump it down.)

[Richard Martin · Rating 4 out of 5]

When I was in college, I would drive all around Upstate SC and NC filming GWU sporting events, working other sporting events, and just trying to “make it” in sports media. And while I did not enter the world of sports broadcasting or talk radio, I did listen to the Dan LeBatard Show with Stugotz during my travels. I remember listening to so many hilarious moments and just insane takes from Stugotz while driving to Spartanburg, Greenwood, High Point, wherever. The show got me through college, I enjoyed seeing them go on their own after leaving ESPN, and I still tune in on my commute back and forth to work. Stugotz’s Personal Record Book is a fantastic collection of all of his best takes, and in Stugotz fashion, half of the pages are written by someone else. Stugotz is delusional, stubborn, waffles on his opinions, and never apologizes for anything he does. The Stugotz is strong in all of us, and this book is a fantastic collection of inane comments and beliefs, and was a fun trip back to my college days and a real treat to read

[Mike Heenan · Rating 3 out of 5]

Thank you to NetGalley, the author, and the publisher for this complementary ARC in exchange for my honest review!

Honestly, as a Canadian who does not have easy access to ESPN, I was unfamiliar with the author and his unique feelings about sports. With that - I think I may not understand his schtick in a way that those more familiar with him might.

The topics were very surface level and at times it felt like the argument were just for the sake of argument - no idea why comparing Babe Ruth with Mike Trout might be a little off. I appreciated the context and details provided in each section - the chapters were quick and to the point. I also enjoyed the rebuttals from the author's friends/

It's a good read if you like controversial sports opinions but you might not agree with most of them!

[Adam Quek · Rating 5 out of 5]

Let’s get one thing straight: this is not a sports book.

This isn’t a stats-driven tome. It’s Stugotz: written for Stugotz, by Stugotz, for fans who worship the gospel of nonsense, migraine-inducing takes, and effort that lasts shorter than a Mike Ryan apology.

It’s billed as a personal record book; and by that, I mean it’s basically the group chat you shouldn’t show your boss.

For non-fans? You don’t want this. You’ll be confused. You’ll be disappointed.

But to the Stugotz faithful, this is scripture. The Stugotz Army's sacred text. It’s five stars not because it's conventionally good, but because it's pure Stu. Unfiltered charm, glorious stumbling, and somehow... it just works.

[Mike · Rating 4 out of 5]

First let me say I received this book via a Goodreads Giveaway. I actually held off reading it thinking it was a list of different records, stuff the author thought was important - kinda reference like. Nope probably should have looked into it because that ain't what it was. It was a good read, frustrating at times. You got a sports radio jock writing as if he is yammering on the radio. As a guy you enjoys some sports talk radio this was a good read. The frustrating part was when Stugotz would say something that anyone with a brain could see was exceptionally stupid there was no number to call in and let him know. Fortunatley he did bring in guest writers to comment on the topic that he presented in that chapter and more often than not they brought forth my thoughts.

[Ryan Chernick · Rating 3 out of 5]

Stugotz Personal Record Book is a silly, fun and dumb book good for any sports fan who loves lazy takes and general sports gasbagory.

I’ve been a fan of the Dan LeBatard Show for a decade so I really enjoyed this book as a written version of the show I love. That being said, this isn’t that good of a book. It’s full of in-jokes and lazy writing. It’s unnecessarily drawn out at times to the point of being boring.

But it being kind of bad is part of the bit, and part of why I liked it. It’s a book version of how Stu does the show and as a fan, I love that.

[Roger Smitter · Rating 5 out of 5]

“The Real Winners and Losers in Sports” is a very different kind of sports book.

An ordinary ‘sports book’ will be about one person on a team.

This book goes beyond the old 'sports life' for men and women.

[Amak · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.25/5 Stars

Fun read if you enjoy arguing sports, particularly hot takes. A lot of his takes are pretty good, most are dumb.

What he said about the Dallas Cowboys no longer being "America's Team" hurt my feelings, deeply. However. I couldn't rebute most of his arguments.

[Ryan Miller · Rating 2 out of 5]

Some of the “hot takes” are actually pretty interesting and thought-provoking, but they devolve, like so many sports commentators’ rants do, into variations on a theme of explaining why people are not great. Rarely do we read compliments. Instead, these takes exist to insult.

[Moussa Ponce · Rating 3 out of 5]

Do not read if you don’t get the show or if you’re expecting new takes.

[Michael · Rating 3 out of 5]

Decent read, funny enough... But 3 stars for Stu's general fraud-ery.

[Solomon Berry · Rating 4 out of 5]

Some good points, but ignoring stats is stupid

[menachem white · Rating 5 out of 5]

Really funny. Weird and funny ideas. However, they made me think why they were dumb and weird.

Laughed alot in this book.