Episode Details

Mike, Rudy and Pelón are back home after spending the night at the San Antonio Zoo’s Spekboom Lodge, and apparently sleeping in the same room teaches you a lot about your coworkers. Pelón turned the room into a freezer, Rudy claimed the king-size bed, Mike battled the cold with multiple blankets, and the guys woke up surrounded by giraffes and zebras before getting the chance to feed the gorillas. The full zoo experience is still rolling, with another show coming from the zoo.

Then the show takes a hard turn into San Antonio news after the guys react to the announcement that NIOSA will not happen in 2027. That sparks a lengthy and heated conversation about the city budget, Fiesta traditions, local businesses, Mayor Gina Ortiz Jones and what the guys believe San Antonio should prioritize. They also get into What You Watching Wednesday before closing with Emmitt Smith saying Derrick Henry has the durability to potentially make a run at his NFL rushing record.

Topics Covered:

• Surviving the overnight stay at the San Antonio Zoo
• Rudy enjoys the king-size bed he won with the football picks
• Pelón turns Spekboom Lodge into a 66-degree freezer
• Late-night beers, conversations and giraffes staring down the guys
• Waking up with giraffes and zebras outside the lodge
• The guys get the rare opportunity to feed the gorillas
• More behind-the-scenes zoo videos are coming
• Thursday’s ITB show from the San Antonio Zoo
• NIOSA will not take place in 2027
• Why losing a major Fiesta tradition fires Mike up
• San Antonio's reported budget shortfall and potential city cuts discussed on the show
• The debate over NIOSA, La Villita businesses and Fiesta funding
• Mike unloads on Mayor Gina Ortiz Jones and San Antonio leadership
• Rudy argues that even traditions you personally don't attend can matter deeply to a city
• What You Watching Wednesday
• Rudy watches Why Did I Get Married Again?
• Pelón catches up on Project Hail Mary, The Martian and The Town
• Pelón prepares to start Ted Lasso
• Mike recommends The Dropout and dives into the Elizabeth Holmes story
• Emmitt Smith says Derrick Henry has the stamina to potentially chase his rushing record
• The guys debate whether Henry can produce long enough to get there
• More Cowboys content coming ahead of Dallas-Washington
• Friday ITB officially moves to Members Only
• Mike Taylor BBQ adds Game Day Men's Health as a sponsor and continues looking for judges

Key Moments:

• Pelón reveals he likes sleeping with the thermostat at 66 degrees, immediately explaining why Mike needed multiple blankets to survive the night.
• The guys describe sitting outside around midnight with giraffes only feet away, including a male giraffe who seemed very interested in reminding everybody whose territory they were visiting.
• Their zoo access includes feeding gorillas, something the guys stress was a special experience and not a normal public activity.
• The NIOSA news completely takes over the show as Mike argues that San Antonio shouldn't lose important traditions because of budget problems. The conversation expands into city leadership, Fiesta, Project Marvel and the direction of San Antonio.
• Rudy makes the case that even if NIOSA isn't personally your thing, that doesn't mean it isn't an important tradition for other San Antonio families.
• What You Watching Wednesday turns into a discussion of Elizabeth Holmes and Theranos after Mike recommends The Dropout.
• Emmitt Smith's comments lead to some quick math: the guys estimate Derrick Henry would need roughly four more huge seas