Best of the Week on The Dan Patrick Show

Summary

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The Dan Patrick Show: Best of the Week – June 27, 2026

Episode Overview

This "Best of the Week" episode of The Dan Patrick Show features rich, engaging conversations across the worlds of sports and media, with Dan Patrick blending humor, insider perspective, and heartfelt moments. The episode’s focal points are in-depth interviews with 2026 U.S. Open champion Wyndham Clark, NBA Commissioner Adam Silver, and ESPN SportsCenter mainstay Linda Cohn – each bringing candid stories and sharp insights on golf, basketball, and the evolving landscape of sports media.

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Key Segments & Insights

1. Wyndham Clark: Mental Fortitude at the U.S. Open (03:17–15:12)

New PGA Tour Structure & “Relegation” (03:17–04:54)

• Dan opens by breaking down PGA Tour’s introduction of a new competitive structure, featuring "promotion and relegation," with Tiger Woods’ support.
• Wyndham Clark, the 2026 U.S. Open champion, shares that he—and most players—learned about the system the same day, expressing optimism:

  “I think it’s great. I love what the PGA Tour and Brian Rolap are doing...I think it'll be easier for people to understand what guys are playing for, etc." – Wyndham Clark (04:40)

Mental vs. Physical Challenge at Shinnecock (05:00–06:10)

• Clark emphasizes the mental grind at Shinnecock, describing the course as 80% mental:

  “You can hit a great shot and your job’s still not done...The greens are so challenging...It just requires so much mental fortitude.” – Wyndham Clark (05:00)

The Role of Luck & Scrambling (06:10–07:51)

• Clark acknowledges that luck plays “for sure” a part in winning, crediting fortuitous bounces and good lies as sometimes decisive.
• Dan notes Clark’s exceptional scrambling:

  “I didn’t think you played great. I think you scrambled so well...it was survival, and you’re just like, whatever it takes to get that ball in the hole.” – Dan Patrick (06:53)
  Clark laughs and agrees:
  “I kind of played like crap Saturday, Sunday...I was hitting it all over the place...But I was mentally really tough and my short game kept me in it.” (07:22)

Trophy Traditions and Travel (07:51–08:36)

• Clark shares the traveled replica trophy stays with him for a year, going on a “fun journey” home to Colorado, Arizona, etc.

Handling the Crowd: Hostile Galleries & Motivation (08:36–11:48)

• Clark reveals being fueled by negative crowd reactions, using them as motivation:

  “Anytime I heard something negative, I replaced it with something positive. I just loved when I made a putt...and I could see people kind of like, ah, damn it. He keeps hitting good shots...” (08:43)

• He details the hostility he experienced, especially with fans cheering for his mistakes because they wanted Scottie Scheffler to win:

  “People cheered when I missed. People were saying ‘don’t choke,’ etc...I was surprised that it was that hostile.” (09:30)

• Despite it, Clark says:

  “I was hoping that if I did it with class and poise and kindness and love, I would win them over. I don’t know if I have, but at least I tried my hardest to do that.” (10:28)

The Importance of Caddy Support (12:05–13:48)

• Clark underscores his caddy’s impact on his mindset:

  “Caddy in those moments is more about managing the emotions...He kept saying...‘We’re right where we want to be.’” (12:17)

• Dan highlights the “Trust the Process” mantra as Clark’s steady on-course cue.

Special Moment: Father’s Day Victory (13:48–15:09)

• Clark describes being surprised by his father’s presence, making the win all the more emotional:

  “He hasn’t been able to see me win in person. To win a major on Father’s Day was...amazing for him, but it was also amazing for me.” (13:54)

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2. Adam Silver: NBA Trades, Expansion, and Integrity (19:38–37:43)

The Giannis Trade & League Role (19:38–21:43)

• Silver reacts to Giannis Antetokounmpo’s trade to Miami:

  “Certain amount of player movement is good...creates renewed energy and hope in markets...” (19:47)

• Clarifies the NBA’s technical, not evaluative, role in trade approval and recounts Commissioner Stern’s veto of the Chris Paul trade due to unique league ownership circumstances.

Clippers Investigation & Draft Implications (21:43–22:19)

• Updates on the ongoing investigation regarding Kawhi Leonard and the Clippers’ owner:

  “Law firm ... is overseeing the investigation...hoping to wrap it up this summer...” (21:50)

The Significance of a Knicks Championship in NY (22:19–23:48)

• Silver, as a native New Yorker, reflects on the Knicks' recent championship:

  “...over 2 million people took to the streets for the parade...it felt like it brought people together like nothing else...” (22:37)

NBA Draft: Preparation & Pronunciation (24:09–26:36)

• Details league preparation for NBA Draft, including a player’s self-pronunciation of his name at the Combine, easing Silver’s and broadcasters’ worries:

  “At the Chicago Combine, we ask every player to look into a camera and say his name the way he wants it said.” (24:25)

• Shares having to practice harder names:

  “I think Giannis is in the news. Antetokounmpo. I remember practicing that one a few times.” (26:18)

Expansion Plans: Las Vegas & Seattle (27:25–28:20)

• Silver confirms Las Vegas and Seattle as current primary expansion targets with a likely timeline of 2028–29 if expansion is approved. If so, conference realignment may happen.

  “We’re in the process of talking to groups that are interested...And then we'll...even out the conferences.” (27:38)

International MVPs & League Parity (28:20–31:34)

• NBA trends: 8 years, 8 champions; 8 straight international MVPs.
• Silver’s take:

  “My goal isn’t to ensure we have yet a ninth different champion...I think if there’s roughly parity of opportunity, and through strong management and great players, teams can repeat. That’s great too.” (30:40)

Sports Betting, Tanking, & Flopping (31:34–36:42)

• Biggest concern: sports betting monitoring and its global, legal/illegal reach.

  “Always this sports betting stuff...when it was illegal, it kept us up. When it’s legal, it keeps us up.” (31:39)

• New “draft relegation” system to diminish incentives for tanking.
• Flopping: more attention this summer; fans want fewer stoppages for flops.

WNBA vs. NBA Officiating & Physical Play (35:05–36:42)

• Discusses the differences in officiating and physicality between the WNBA and NBA, striving for a balance that maintains game flow.

Lighter Moments: Voting Rights & Dan’s Legacy (36:42–37:43)

• Playful banter about loss of Dan’s NBA voting privileges:

  “If David Stern was still around, I'd have my vote, maybe.” – Dan Patrick (37:21)
  “All right, I’m going to look into that one.” – Adam Silver (37:19)

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3. Linda Cohn: SportsCenter, Perseverance & Legacy (41:40–54:05)

Reflections on Leaving ESPN (41:40–43:18)

• Linda Cohn, after 34 years at ESPN, is set for her final SportsCenter.

  “I’m putting a nice bow on it and then moving on...I gotta follow in your footsteps.” (41:56)

First Show Memories & Early Support (43:18–44:18)

• Recalls the nerves of her first show and Chris Myers' support; credits Dan for being a “straight shooter.”

  “I just didn’t want to screw up, you know, I just wanted to stay in my lane, not upset the apple cart...” (43:21)

Challenges for Women in Sports Media (44:18–45:15)

• Dan reflects on having to be more prepared as a woman:

  “You gotta know the Brewers’ bullpen...the Vezina Trophy...They’re going to be watching, and it will be tougher for you than it would be for a guy.” (44:18)

• Cohn describes establishing her voice and passion as a fan:

  “I wanted to make sure that I could connect to those viewers and let them know not only that I knew my stuff, but I was one of them.” (45:15)

Shifting Media Landscapes (46:14–47:43)

• Discusses the evolution from the pre-social media era, when fans relied on SportsCenter for breaking news and highlights, to today’s fragmented, crowded media field.

Behind the Scenes at ESPN: Competition & Camaraderie (47:43–50:25)

• Dan recounts the competitive, sometimes political atmosphere following Keith Olbermann’s departure; Cohn recalls not campaigning for anchor spots, preferring instead to focus on her work.
• Cohn reflects fondly on working with Kenny Mayne:

  “Some of my favorite SportsCenters are with Kenny Mayne. I just couldn’t keep it together. He always made me laugh.” (49:15)

Legacy & Mentoring the Next Generation (50:23–51:54)

• Cohn highlights what means the most: inspiring young women to pursue sports broadcasting:

  “...all these incredibly talented young women...wouldn’t be doing what they’re doing...if they weren’t watching me before getting on the school bus...” (51:28)

First Meeting with Dan Patrick (52:02–53:22)

• Dan and Linda share memories of their first encounter in New York City, underscoring the long arc of broadcast camaraderie.

Closing Thoughts: Gratitude & Looking Forward (53:22–54:05)

• Cohn reflects on her career as a journey of perseverance and gratitude:

  “...it’s about survival, perseverance, but it’s about talent...I’m going to pause and I am going to smile and I’m going to be grateful.” (53:39)

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Notable Quotes

• Wyndham Clark on crowd adversity:
  “I just loved when I made a putt...And I could see people kind of like, ah, damn it. He keeps hitting good shots...It kind of gave me a little internal smile…” (08:43)

• Adam Silver on the Knicks’ title:
  “It felt like it brought people together like nothing else in recent history. It just, there were viewing parties everywhere, walking to work...Nick merchandise virtually on everyone…” (22:37)

• Linda Cohn on her legacy:
  “All these incredibly talented young women...realized that anything was possible...If that’s my only legacy, I don’t mind.” (51:28)

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Timestamps for Major Segments

• Wyndham Clark interview: 03:17–15:12
• Adam Silver interview: 19:38–37:43
• Linda Cohn interview: 41:40–54:05

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Tone & Takeaways

The episode showcases Dan’s knack for unpacking both the inner grind of competition and the evolving dynamics behind the scenes. Across every conversation, the vibe is authentic, reflective, and laced with humor—an easy rapport with each guest.

• Wyndham Clark reveals the volatile cocktail of luck, grit, and mental strength required to win in hostile environments.
• Adam Silver provides clarity, transparency, and optimism about the NBA’s adaptation—whether it’s trade procedures, expansion, or preserving integrity in a betting-saturated landscape.
• Linda Cohn offers a moving, first-person view of trailblazing in sports media, balancing candor about industry challenges with gratitude and encouragement for the next generation.

Whether you care about golf, basketball, or sports broadcasting, this week’s best-of episode delivers inspiring moments, plenty of laughs, and a steady stream of expert insight in Dan Patrick’s classic style.

Transcript

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[Dan Patrick]

You are listening to the Dan Patrick show on Fox Sports Radio. PGA Tour has just dropped a story about competitive structure here. Before we get to Windham Clark, Polly, I didn't have time to read over everything, but I did see the word relegation in there and Tiger woods co signed this. So yeah, what do we have?

[WeatherTech Ad Voice]

This was announced by the PGA Tour just an hour ago. There will be a new model including two separate series of tournaments starting in 2028, the PGA Tour Championship Series and the PGA Tour Challenger Series that will run concurrently during the season. And most of the star players, Wyndham Clark and all the other star players will of course beyond the Championship Series and the Challenger Series is like the way you work your way up to that series. So almost like European promotion and relegation.

[Dan Patrick]

Hmm. Well, let's bring in Wyndham Clark, the 2026 U.S. open champ. First of all, congratulations. Are you aware of this new competitive structure there on the tour and if so, what do you think?

[Wyndham Clark]

Yeah, I found out this morning. I've been, you know, we have a few player advisory guys and I've been, you know, picking their brains and I kind of knew something like this was coming through the pipeline. But yeah, I mean, a lot of us kind of found out today just like you guys.

[Dan Patrick]

And are you okay with the word relegation in there?

[Wyndham Clark]

Yeah, I think it's great. I love what the PGA Tour and Brian Rolap are doing and I think it's going to be the best thing for golf, I think it'll be easier for people to understand, you know, what's going on, what guys are playing for, etc.

[Dan Patrick]

All right. How much is mental? How much is physical at Shinnecock?

[Wyndham Clark]

I mean, gosh, I want to say it's like 80% mental, to be honest. Like, you know, it's so hard to play at that golf course, and it requires. It just requires so much mental fortitude. You can hit a great shot and your job's still not done. The greens are so challenging. You can hit a poor shot and get bad breaks and the wind gust, your ball, etc, so, yeah, it's. It's definitely mental.

[Dan Patrick]

Yeah. And is that the kind of course, if somebody said, hey, do you want to go play Shinnecock, let's say, like, next year, would you go? Yeah,

[Wyndham Clark]

I think I would say it just like that.

[Geico Ad Voice]

Yeah.

[Wyndham Clark]

I mean, it's.

[Dan Patrick]

It's.

[Wyndham Clark]

You want to play because it's a top course in the country, in the world. Uh, but, you know, you're gonna get your brains beat in. So it's a. It's a lot. I think everyone. It's a love hate. You love the course, you love the tradition. It's amazing, but it just is tough, man. I. I would definitely, you know, I'm not going to say no, that's for sure. But it might not be the most enjoyable round. I'm probably gonna. You know, you might shoot over par and you say, okay, that was a good round.

[Dan Patrick]

How much is luck and how much is skill? Like, you have to have bounces that go your way, but they're. They're. Obviously, you have the skill, so I don't want to demean anything, but how much luck went into winning the US Open?

[Wyndham Clark]

I think anytime someone wins, you have luck on your side. It's amazing when I've played with guys that have won, you know, it just seems like things go their way that a bounce is, you know, kicks right instead of left, and it's the correct bounce. They might hit it in the rough and they have a good lie versus someone else that has a bad lie. The ball lips in rather than lips out. So there's definitely some luck that is involved. And, you know, I. I had some things definitely go my way. So, yeah, there's luck for sure.

[Dan Patrick]

And it sound. I know it sounded weird when I said this yesterday on my show. I didn't think you played great. I think you were scrambled so well that, you know, that kind of cleans up the mess. Like, it was meant as a compliment. That. That wasn't the best. Like, lacc. Different than this. This was survival. And you're just like, whatever it takes to get that ball in the hole. And it just felt like, you know, your scrambling was unbelievable.

[Adam Silver]

Yeah.

[Wyndham Clark]

I mean, honestly, I kind of played like crap Saturday, Sunday, I was hitting it all over the place. I didn't have much control. I didn't hit many greens. I was spraying the driver. But, yeah, I mean, the one great thing is I was mentally really tough, and my short game kept me in it. So, yeah, I mean, it's. It's amazing to be able to not have my A game, if you will, and still be able to pull through and win such a big championship.

[Dan Patrick]

You got the US Open trophy behind you. Where's the other US Open trophy?

[Wyndham Clark]

Well, there's only one. There's only one. It's the same one.

[Dan Patrick]

Oh, they don't give you, like, your. Your own. The smaller one.

[Wyndham Clark]

Yeah, yeah. Replica. It's like 90. Okay.

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That's it.

[Wyndham Clark]

That's at home.

[Dan Patrick]

Yeah. Okay. But that one you get to carry around. For a year.

[Wyndham Clark]

Yeah, for a year. So it'll be on a nice, fun journey of going back home to Colorado, Arizona, wherever we decide to go.

[Dan Patrick]

Now, do you just get a seat for it on the plane? Strap it in? You're not going to put an overhead bin?

[Wyndham Clark]

Yeah, you just put it overhead. You stuff some stuff in there. It'll be in a nice case that protects the thing, maybe plane or something. I don't know.

[Dan Patrick]

You keep it safe. How do you. How did you use the crowd to your advantage over the weekend?

[Wyndham Clark]

Well, a lot of times, you know, they're rooting for you, and you. You build off the momentum. This time, there wasn't much momentum, but it definitely. It. It made me kind of gear down and. And. And use the negative things that people are saying to fuel the fire. That's, you know, with inside me. And. And that's kind of exactly what happened. Anytime I heard something negative, I replaced it with something positive. And I just loved when I made a putt or hit a good shot. And I could see, you know, I look around and see people kind of like, ah, damn it. He keeps it hitting good shots or keeps pulling it off, and I love that. It kind of gave me a little internal smile and. And kind of the confidence, cockiness that. That helped me get. Get the. Get the W. But when did you

[Dan Patrick]

realize maybe they weren't rooting for you? They're actually rooting against you?

[Wyndham Clark]

I mean, I knew on Saturday. I mean, People. I'd miss a putt, and people start cheering. And then Sunday was. Was honestly wild. You know, I missed the putt on the first hole for birdie, and people cheered. I hit it over the green on two, People cheered. On the fourth hole, I hit a horrendous shot, right? And people were cheering and saying, don't choke, etc. And so I was like, whoa, this is. This is a hostile environment. So the nice things that happened early, so I was able. And I kind of prepared myself for it. So I. It wasn't like a complete shock, but I was surprised that it was. That it was that hostile.

[Dan Patrick]

Yeah. But I got to commend you, man, because when I'm listening, I'm watching, but I'm hearing. I go. And they're booing him. Like, they're cheering when it went in the bunker. And I'm like, they must really want Scheffler to complete the career grand slam and win it on his birthday. Like, that's the only thing I thought of. I don't know what you thought.

[Wyndham Clark]

Yeah. I mean, hey, I understand it. I have done some things that maybe turn the fans against me. Scotty has a chance to do something only a few guys have done. It's his birthday. He's number one player in the world. You know, I somewhat understand. But, you know, one of the things is I was hoping that if I did it with class and poise and kindness and love, that I would win them over. And I don't know if I have, but at least I. I tried my hardest to do that.

[Empower Ad Voice]

And.

[Wyndham Clark]

But, yeah, I mean, it's fun. I've played other sports. You know, I played basketball and hockey and so many things growing up, and I love those environments. I loved going into an away gym and, you know, going in there and making shots or free throws and everyone kind of getting quiet, and there's nothing like that, winning on the road.

[Dan Patrick]

Well, a free throw is kind of like a putt.

[Wyndham Clark]

Yeah, 100%. When they're yelling and saying all kinds of things, and you make both of them, you just. It's a. It's amazing what it does to your confidence inside.

[Dan Patrick]

I think it backfired, Windem. I really do, because I. And I think. I think you gained the respect of everybody in that gallery because it's like, damn, we gave him everything we're all about in New York. And you kept your head down. You didn't gesture anything, Anything make you laugh, like, truly make you laugh that they yelled at you.

[Wyndham Clark]

I wouldn't Necessarily say that. It was more when someone was cheering for me, we'd laugh and I go, oh, I got one fan over there. You know, that was more what we laugh about. But no, the other things, I, yeah, they didn't really make me laugh. But so what?

[Dan Patrick]

How much do you lean? It felt like you're leaning on your caddy quite a bit, but I don't know how that. Yeah, what happens where you go, I got this, or come on in, I need some help?

[Wyndham Clark]

Yeah, I mean, it's. Caddy in those moments is more about not as much about the club selection and, you know, the numbers and all that stuff. It's more about managing the emotions, kind of having the objective look at things going, hey, we're in a good spot. It's okay. Let's, let's chip out to here or let's do this or hey, we still have the lead. You know, he kept saying if we knew coming in the week that we'd have a lead going into Sunday or the back nine, we would have taken it regardless. If I had a six shot lead and it dwindled to one, hey, we still have a lead. And so he kept reminding me of those things and he says, we're right where we want to be. We're right where we want to be. So I definitely applaud him for all the great stuff he did and helped me pull through.

[Dan Patrick]

Yeah. Because I heard him trust the process. Trust the process. Seemed like that was the re. The final words before you would swing.

[Wyndham Clark]

Yeah, I mean, it was. We really focus on making sure I go through my routine and not,

[Adam Silver]

you

[Wyndham Clark]

know, not have any kind of second thoughts and just be really clear, no clutter, and go in there and once we pick the club that's the right club, regardless if it's a good shot or not. But you want to be assertive and confident and then pick my target, get addressed to that target and kind of do the same thing every time so that your body kind of, it's amazing what kind of routine and, and rhythm you can get when you do that.

[Dan Patrick]

When you first caught a glimpse of your father, what'd you think?

[Wyndham Clark]

Well, I was shocked. I literally had no idea until I finish. We're kind of on there celebrating with friends and family. And then they pointed to me and turned, you know, I turned around and see my dad. It was, it was a really special moment. He hasn't been able to see me win in person. And to win a major on Father's Day was, you know, I'm sure was amazing for him, but it was also amazing for me. So it was a very, very special moment.

[Dan Patrick]

And sometimes it's better to see them after, after you've done something instead of sometimes, you know, parents in the crowd can make you nervous as they're watching you.

[Wyndham Clark]

Yeah, 100%. 100%. You know, it's. It's nice that he was able to be there, but it was also good for me that I didn't know he was there, if that makes sense. Just because, you know, I wanted to be focused on what I was doing. And, you know, you never want to let your dad or mom or anyone down. So not knowing that they're there kind of helps you mentally.

[Dan Patrick]

Congratulations again. I mean, that, that's a challenge. That course is. It's like Pinehurst number two. I don't enjoy them, but they are two of the greatest golf courses in the world. But it just feels like you've been in battle the whole time. So you survived and you have the hardware to show it.

[Adam Silver]

Yeah.

[Wyndham Clark]

Thank you very much. I appreciate it.

[Dan Patrick]

Good luck, Wyndham. Thank you. Wyndham Clark, U.S. open champ. Be sure to catch the live edition of the Dan Patrick show, weekdays at 9am Eastern, 6am Pacific on Fox Sports Radio in the iHeartRadio app.

[Wyndham Clark]

Hey is Cabino and Rich from Fox Sports Radio.

[Dan Patrick]

Now, in addition to hearing us live weekdays from 5 to 7pm Eastern, 2 to 4 Pacific on Fox Sports Radio, we're excited to announce a brand new YouTube channel for the show. Yup, that's right. You can now watch Covino and rich live on YouTube every day. All you got to do search COVINO and RICH FSR on YouTube again. Go to YouTube. Search COVINOENRICH FSR. Check us out on YouTube. Subscribe. Hit that thumbs up icon and comment away lot to celebrate this summer and you can do so in style with Miller Lite. If you're going to celebrate the birth of our nation. That's 250 years. Well, Miller Light's been around 50 of those 250. What did we do the other 200 years without it? If our soccer team is scoring a big goal or just a warm evening on the deck, it's Miller time in America. That's why I reach for a Miller Lite and you should too. Miller Lite is perfect to kick off this summer or a sporting event. 96 calories, 3.2 carbs per 12 ounces. It's a great choice without weighing you down. Simple ingredients, malted barley for that rich balanced toffee note. Flavors and you know that iconic golden color. An all American summer starts with an all American beer Miller lite. Go to millerlight.com Patrick and find delivery options near you. Or you can pick up some Miller Lite pretty much anywhere they sell beer. It's Miller time. Celebrate responsibly. Miller Brewing Co. Milwaukee, WI 96 calories, 3.2 carbs per 12 ounces.

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[Dan Patrick]

Adam Silver. Always good to see you again. Thank you for showing up, being punctual as always. What did you think of the trade with Giannis last night?

[Adam Silver]

It was interesting. There'd been discussions around Giannis getting moved for a while now. He obviously had a great run in Milwaukee. And, you know, people had predicted under this new system with the second apron that we wouldn't have player movement. Certain amount of player movement is good, you know, creates renewed energy and hope in markets. I think even in Milwaukee, there was a sense there that it was time to rebuild. You know, a lot of excitement around Giannis going to Miami. So at least early reports are it's positive.

[Dan Patrick]

How involved are you in the final process with that trade?

[Adam Silver]

Not at all. The only thing that happens from a league office standpoint is there's an official trade call where you have to match up rosters and caps for CBA purposes. There are physicals that get administered. But I think people get confused sometimes as to whether we approve trades, meaning we think it's a good trade. That's not our role. It's only to make sure that mechanics fit under the cba.

[Dan Patrick]

Yeah, but I always go back to Commissioner Stern with the Chris Paul trade that he vetoed.

[Adam Silver]

Well, that issue always comes up. But you may remember at the time, David was, in essence, the acting owner of New Orleans. And so I know there was enormous confusion around that, but he vetoed that trade. That was brought to him by the then GM as wearing the hat of the owner of the team. And it was, why? When we ran the Clippers, when I ran early on as commissioner, having learned my lesson, there was a guy named Dick Parsons who was the interim governor, and I said, dick, you're in charge of that team. Other than the league playing its role as it would with any trade. I have no say over what basketball decisions will be made for the organization. So lesson learned there. But again, David was in essence acting as owner of the team, not as commissioner.

[Dan Patrick]

Where do we stand with the Clippers since you mentioned them, with, you know, sort of off the court stuff with

[Adam Silver]

the owner and Kawhi Leonard investigation is still ongoing. Law firm down the street from our office in New York, Wachtel, is overseeing the investigation. And I know they're, they're hoping to wrap it up this summer, but this,

[Dan Patrick]

I don't know if it affects. Oh, so it has to be later this summer. I didn't know if it would affect draft picks or anything going into this draft tonight.

[Adam Silver]

Certainly nothing affecting tonight, but. But beyond that, you know, no decisions have been made.

[Dan Patrick]

Help me understand the importance. If I was going to look at a New York team winning a title in baseball, football, basketball, where would you put the importance of New York winning that title in basketball over say, the Giants or the Yankees?

[Adam Silver]

Yeah, I'll say, really answering as a New Yorker, that I think this championship was unique because of the 53 year gap before they last won a championship. You know, I grew up a Yankee fan. The Yankees have had so much success in New York. It's a huge deal when they win a World Series. But I think again, because so much pent up, you know, just fandom around this Knick team and desire to see a championship again. Also Madison Square Garden, as you know, you know, located in, you know, the heart of Manhattan. I always think of basketball as a city sport. So it seemed to take on just unique attention here. I will say again, being in this market, I mean, over 2 million people took to the streets for the parade and it just, it felt like it brought people together like nothing else in recent history. It just, there were viewing parties everywhere, walking to work, just being out on the streets. In my neighborhood, you saw Nick merchandise virtually on everyone, all the store windows, etc. So I, you know, it's, it was just amazing. I think this, to see what this championship meant to New York right now.

[Dan Patrick]

Your first NBA game was a Knicks game?

[Adam Silver]

Definitely. Yeah. As a kid. No, no question. Probably my, my first, you know, 30 games. I mean, I, you know, when I was a kid, we didn't travel to NBA games. So I think I grew up to the extent I was able to go to games. It was exclusively going to Knicks games.

[Dan Patrick]

You, of course, have to host the draft tonight. Can you look back now? Do you. Does everybody get together? Help me understand when you're preparing pronouncing these names. How does that work where you need to learn how to pronounce those who might be drafted?

[Adam Silver]

Well, first of all, in terms of everyone getting together, actually, right after this interview, across the street from our office is Rockefeller center, and there's a luncheon for all the lottery picks and their families and friends. Some of them bring their coaches, high school coaches. It's a really cool event. And Andre Iguodala, head of the Players association, will speak to them. I will as well. But it's really an opportunity to welcome them to the NBA family and opportunity for the Players Association. Talk to them a little bit about joining this unique fraternity. I'm always amazed. I think we're up to about 5,000 players in the history of this league have been in the NBA. I mean, it's quite an amazing, at least small number considering the history of this league. And it's sort of a welcome. So that happens today, just, you know, an hour from now. In terms of the pronunciations, we've sort of learned our lesson. So what we do now is, for example, at the Chicago Combine, we ask every player to look into a camera and say his name the way he wants it said. Because in some cases, what has become the pronunciation of the name in college or from wherever else isn't necessarily the way they want it said. You know, AJ Divanza, for example, I was with him and his dad, and his father's name is Anise, and he, AJ is Anise Junior. And they both said to me, we want you to say whatever number he's picked to say Anise, Devon, Seth instead of AJ I think he's still gonna go by AJ but, you know, like, that's. That's an example. But, you know, we. We also. Then they folks in the league office write it out for me phonetically. I'm sure when you pronounce the names on air, it was the same. And do the best I can.

[Dan Patrick]

Was there ever a name where you got tripped up or were nervous about getting tripped up?

[Adam Silver]

I think Giannis is in the news. A tetokounmpo. I remember practicing that one a few times. I think, like, when you look at the spelling, you only get that much more confused. You just have to say, you know, put it aside.

[Dan Patrick]

So, yes, or Wembanyama as well, you know.

[Adam Silver]

Yeah, yeah, Then. Then we just go by Wemby going forward. But yeah, that one too.

[Dan Patrick]

Busier in the off season or during the season?

[Adam Silver]

Definitely during the season. Just because there's things that come up Every day, you know, with games every day, every night, there's always something that needs the league office's attention. But pretty busy off season. I mean, different addition. We also collectively oversee the WNBA with my WNBA colleagues, so that keeps us pretty busy. But we have our summer league coming up right around the corner after the draft. We're looking at potential expansion to Las Vegas and Seattle. We're looking at potentially creating a league in Europe. So I'll do a fair amount of traveling in the off season as well, but you know, I'll get some time in there as well, so it's a little bit more relaxed.

[Dan Patrick]

We're looking at 20, 28, Seattle and Vegas still the leading candidates for expansion. And if so, Memphis or Minnesota going to the Eastern Conference. Is that sound fair?

[Adam Silver]

So, so if we expand, at least we're thinking 28, 29 season. The only two cities at the moment we're looking at are Las Vegas and Seattle. We haven't had a vote on it. It's not a foregone conclusion, but we're in the process of talking to groups that are interested in getting an expansion team in those two cities. And then, yes, and then we'll, we'll, we'll. If we do add two teams, we'll want to likely even out the conferences. So there will be some movement then.

[Dan Patrick]

But you're looking at two teams, not either Seattle or Vegas.

[Adam Silver]

Yeah, we're currently looking at two teams, but what we've said is it's possible we won't expand at all and we could expand to just one market, but we're officially looking at both those markets right now.

[Dan Patrick]

Talking to the commissioner, Adam Silver, NBA draft coming up tonight. I think we've gone, what, eight years with a different champion? I think we've gone eight years with a non US born player winning mvp. Which trend would you like to continue as commissioner if you could pick between those two?

[Adam Silver]

You know, honestly, neither one. I mean, I think it's interesting that you've had so many international players as MVPs. I mean, we just talked about Giannis. Also, it's interesting on draft night, as a reminder, 15th pick in the draft, not the first pick, not a top five pick, but the 15th. So it shows how deep the town is in this league. And the majority of our players are still American. Roughly 70% of the league are Americans. So, you know, I think if anything, that rash of international MVPs has gotten the attention of youth development in the US and the programs, or whether that's just happenstance or there's a better job we all need to do collectively. No question there's enormous talent coming out of the US this current draft is an example. And I think on the eight different champions in eight years, that wasn't our goal per se. The goal over time has been, you know, I've said it to be more NFL like where you believe your team has a shot. You know, it may be not every single season, but your view is regardless of the market size, if your team is well managed, if you have a little bit of luck in there, that you have a good chance to be in the playoffs and potentially be the champion. And so I think what we've seen is societal changes. I think that nobody's going to say that Victor Wembanyama in San Antonio can't get global attention because it's a smaller market. I think I love the fact this year, even San Antonio versus New York, I don't think the storyline was small market versus big market. It was, you know, Wemby versus, you know, Jalen or whatever else. And so I think the players recognize they can have success regardless of where they are. And I also think that the changes we've made in the cba, you know, that, that we've. It's still a soft cap system, but there's so called second apron. You know, we want a better distribution of the players and we're seeing that. But having said that, my goal sitting here isn't to ensure we have yet a ninth different champion next year. I think if there's roughly parity of opportunity and through strong management and great players, teams can repeat. That's great too. I just think that fans want a sense that it's not top heavy as it was historically in the NBA. Remember, three teams won 60% of the championships over the first 65 years of this league. And you know, David Stern used to joke, you know, when he first became commissioner, you were just going back and forth from Boston to la. That was the job. And I think, you know, as much as, and I get that question all the time, like, oh, aren't dynasties great? They're great. I think depending on how they're formed. I don't think fans are as enthusiastic about them if one team is spending drastically more than another team. So I like where we are and I'm not rooting for either one of those trends to continue. But. But again, I think going into this coming season, new talent coming into league, a lot of deep talent around the league. You know, I think there will be teams that are favored, but I think more fans will believe in their teams and their teams have a legitimate shot to win.

[Dan Patrick]

What has kept you up at night before? An NBA topic?

[Adam Silver]

Always this sports betting stuff. I mean, no question about it. I mean both, you know, when it was illegal, it kept us up and when it's legal, it keeps us up. I mean, in some ways, you know, you can better monitor it when it's legal, but a lot of the bad stuff is happening illegally. But I think given the prevalence of enormous amount of sports betting in our society. And by the way, it's now it's the prediction markets too. Those are really sports betting platforms. I mean, everybody has a lot of chatter around predictions, around wars and elections and things, but the majority of the money on those platforms is around sports. So. And that's not regulated state by state, that's federal. And then I'm always reminding people, in a global sport like ours, last I counted there was something like 85 other countries that had legal sports betting, legalized sports betting on the NBA. So there's no way we're going to turn the clock back on that. You know, we're constantly looking at new ways to monitor activity. You know, even lines around the world, you can still pay attention to them and if there's sort of strange line movements, try to figure out what's going on. Continue educating our players and everyone involved in the game on the dire consequences of betting. But that's definitely something that keeps me up.

[Dan Patrick]

Tanking or flopping, what do you spend more time on?

[Adam Silver]

Well, this season we spent more time on tanking and we came up with a new system going into next season which just in short, largely flattens the odds for the non playoff teams and presumably will disincentivize teams from that sort of behavior. I mean, there's no question it got out of hand, you know, and we want the focus to be on winning games. And I think that's what's going to change. It'll be really interesting next season because we'll be going into a world we've never been in before where there's essentially no incentive to, to be at the bottom. In fact, you know, we, we have a concept we're calling draft relegation. Sort of. You're actually odds of getting a top pick go down if you're one of the bottom three picks. So, you know, was very focused on that. This year flopping started to get more attention. Early rounds of the playoffs this year that's something we have a competition committee meeting in Las Vegas for two days. We'll we'll, we'll certainly be spending a lot of time on that. I mean, I think that the concept in terms of flopping, I mean, historically in the league for us it was when a player snapped his head back and then you saw on video replay maybe often after the game that the other player didn't even touch him, et cetera, looked like the player was shot out of a rocket, et cetera, and wasn't even touched. You know, as I've said, you know, recently, I think what modern flopping is often more about players trying to sell calls to officials. They're taught that in certain circumstances, so in many cases it actually is a foul, but you could argue they're overreacting to it. And I think we got to spend time looking at where that line is, where it's just, in some cases just a non call, you know, and historically, if a player chose to fall to the ground but nothing was called and the ball still in play, it's just a disadvantage to his team. And the thought was players just going to get up and it's going to stop doing that if the officials aren't rewarding them for that behavior. But I also, you know, I'm listening to fans and I think to a certain, maybe to a large extent, fans don't necessarily want to see guys falling down on every play. So that's something we'll pay more attention to this summer.

[Dan Patrick]

Yeah, I brought this up. It feels like the WNBA allows play on more than the NBA does. It feels like these guys are really skilled at. I'm going to draw contact and I'm going to let you know that I'm drawing contact where the WNBA might be a little more lenient. And I don't know if that's fair, fair as a blanket to put over it, but I, I see a lot of WNBA games as well.

[Adam Silver]

Yeah, it's, it's, it's an interesting comment. I mean, one thing I've learned, I mean, the, the, the women's game is just different than the men's game. I mean, ultimately, Monty McCutcheon is overseeing the entire officiating program. So there are different WNBA officials and in certain cases, different managers of those officials. But overall, the, the, the, the total, in totality, the programs are overseen by the same people. So again, I think lessons learned for us over the years too, just in different approaches to the women's game and the men's game, it's just, it's just played differently to a certain extent. But, but you may be right. I mean, Again, I think that, you know, you know, the direction to the officiating crew over the last few years has been sort of to recalibrate a bit, to allow a more physical defense. We don't necessarily want to go back where, you know, it was sort of brute force defense. You and I remember those years, and in some cases, less from a skill standpoint, it was just more physicality. And I don't necessarily think people want that, but I think the fans and the players like to be able to play physical defense. And so to the extent then that, you know, a player is just falling down or whatever else is a result of that, I think in most cases, you know, fans just want to see the flow of the game. They don't want the constant stoppage in play. So it's always just looking to find that right balance.

[Dan Patrick]

Is there anything you need from me before we. Before we say goodbye?

[Adam Silver]

Maybe just to promote the draft tonight. ABC and es.

[Dan Patrick]

I've been doing that. Yeah. Who took away my voting privileges?

[Adam Silver]

Commissioner, you know, there's a guy named Mike Bass, head of communications. He's off camera right over there. Have your folks talk to him.

[Dan Patrick]

I mean, there aren't many guys like me still hanging around.

[Adam Silver]

Commissioner, I didn't know your voting privileges were taken away.

[Dan Patrick]

Yes, they were. I think when I left him over there. I think we left. When I left espn, apparently NBA left me as well.

[Adam Silver]

All right, I'm going to look into that one.

[Dan Patrick]

If David Stern was still around, I'd have my. I'd have my vote, maybe.

[Adam Silver]

True.

[Dan Patrick]

Can you yell at somebody right now? Can you yell at Mike Bass right there? Mike?

[Adam Silver]

My. My media training is such that it's saying, like, don't.

[Dan Patrick]

Thank you. Good to talk to you again.

[Adam Silver]

Good to see you again.

[Dan Patrick]

All right, that's Adam Silver. He'll restore my voting privileges. Fox Sports Radio has the best sports talk lineup in the nation. Catch all of our [e-mail] and within the iHeartRadio app. Search FSR to listen live.

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[Dan Patrick]

Linda Cone, ESPN Sports center anchor longest tenured sports center anchor, 34 years at the mothership. Hall of Famer. Tonight is the last night. This is it. Can you keep it together?

[Adam Silver]

Dan?

[Linda Cohn]

What's up? First of all, it was a great imitation. I. I love Chris Farley forever. That doc is a great doc and great imitation. Yeah, I'll keep it together. You know, it's not like nothing is ending and you know, ESPN is ending. As you know, Dan, I'm putting a nice bow on it and then moving on. You know, I gotta follow in your footsteps.

[Dan Patrick]

Yeah, I left after 18 years. You're there 34. How many times did you think about leaving?

[Linda Cohn]

You know, last year was kind of sad because, you know, for the last eight years I've been in Los Angeles, left beautiful Bristol and I'm back here now staying at the, you know, what kind of hotel, how close it is back in the day, I mean, it's just so crazy. That's the kind of memories that come up to me. But last year, two mays ago, they closed down the LA studio for SportsCenter. It was sad because that crew was so great. Love working there. Neil Everett, Stan Verrett and everybody in production. And then that's when I started thinking about, okay, maybe the writing's on the wall here. Maybe I should listen to the universe and carve a new path. So that's when I started thinking about it. But it took me by surprise. So I didn't want to do anything sudden. I wanted to do it on my timetable as well.

[Dan Patrick]

What do you remember about your first Sports Center?

[Linda Cohn]

Chris Myers? Trying to keep it together. I mean, you've done a million shows with Chris. I mean, the great, you know, you, you're no good one of his catch races, but that's who I remember most. He just made me feel so at ease. And full disclosure, so did you, Dan. I mean, when I was still in Seattle, the great Gary Miller got you on the phone with me. We had a great talk. You really were a straight shooter. You really let me know, hey, a lot of the women before you didn't really do great. Probably just Robin, you know, type of thing, but it really helped me. So the first Sports center with Chris, he welcomed me, and I just didn't want to screw up, you know, I just wanted to stay in my lane, not upset the apple cart, do as I'm told, and just, you know, try not to stumble. But I was a little nervous and

[Dan Patrick]

I, I, and I was honest with you because I wanted you to know what you were walking into. And, like, you really, really, really have to know your stuff. And you prove that. But it's not like a local sports caster, right? This is. You got to know the Brewer's bullpen, and you gotta know what the Vezina Trophy is like, all of these things. And I just wanted you to know you're coming in here and they're going to be watching, and they're going to be listening, and it will be tougher for you than it would be for a guy. But, you know, once you got in and we realized, once we realized that you were more proficient with hockey names, we're like, okay, you're, you're going to survive. You were you. And, and you, you carried that torch. You, you planted that flag a long, long time ago. You truly, you and Butcher Grass fought for the NHL as much as anybody has. And, you know, you know, good for you for doing that.

[Linda Cohn]

Yeah, and, and thanks for those nice words, Dan. And yeah, that did mean a lot because you're honest and that's how you are. You're genuine. And, you know, I've always adored you. I always tried to, like, look up to you, because the way you did SportsCenter, of course now, you know, doing this amazing, successful Dan Patrick show that you've done for a few decades already. But when you did SportsCenter, you just talked to people. You weren't shouting. You really weren't. You were connected. And to me, that's what it was all about. As you Know, like, I always use this term, but it's not overused for me because it's the truth. I'm a fan first, and I wanted to make sure that I could connect to those viewers and let them know not only that I knew my stuff, but I was one of them. I had passion for my teams, that I love doing sports, that if I wasn't on SportsCenter, I'd be watching SportsCenter, I'd be watching anchors like you, Dan,

[Dan Patrick]

the changes in the media, where. Where are we headed, do you think, with this?

[Linda Cohn]

Yeah. I mean, isn't it great we're not breaking in now?

[Dan Patrick]

Oh, yeah. I mean, we were so fortunate that you didn't have social media. You might know the result, but you had to tune in to see the result. So that was, you know, a natural feeding process for us on SportsCenter. Certainly the 11 o', clock, because you're tuning in because you don't know exactly how your team won or lost.

[Linda Cohn]

Was there anything more exciting than following a live game or something amazing that happened in sports? And you're coming on SportsCenter and you know, those viewers can't look anywhere else, find it anywhere else for the most part. Back in the day, in the golden era, and they were watching you and I, you and I equate this all the time. You know, we're not athletes. But if ever I came professional, by the way, if ever I came close to that feeling at a big stage, big game, that adrenaline rush. I don't know about you, Dan, but, man, I did my best highlight reads when I knew everyone was watching, especially back then and following a live event. And. Yeah, I mean, where is it going now? It's just different. And, you know, kudos to espn. They adjusted along the way. You know, some great moves, some not so great, but it's a crowded playing field now. We were the only game in town and we were very fortunate and I'm grateful every day to play a part in that.

[Dan Patrick]

Talking to Linda Cohn tonight is her last night at the mothership after 34 years. I want to expound upon something that I said to Rich Eisen during The that was SportsCenter interview that he did with me a couple of weeks ago when Keith Olbermann left. And I know there were a lot of people in the building who wanted that job. And I didn't make any request. I didn't do anything. I said to Steve Bornstein, you pick who you want to see every night, because I didn't want that on me. Yeah, and, you know, the more I thought about it, I had suggested you because I thought that first, you could do it. Second of all, it was different than, you know, with Keith and I. And it didn't go over immediately like I. They said, well, who are you thinking? And I thought, Rich. I knew Stuart didn't want to do it, and I knew you. And I just remember I didn't know they were going to pick Kenny Maine. I had no impact because I didn't know if Kenny wanted to do something like that. Kenny's more of a send him out on the road and let him do features where, you know, the 11 o', clock, it's live and it is. I mean, it's tense and you got to be, you know, know all the sports and all that. I didn't know if that was what Kenny wanted to do, and that's why I had suggested you. So I brought it up to Rich. I didn't want it to be one of those throwaways. I wanted to at least explain that to you, that I thought you. You were probably going to be the ideal deal person for a variety of reasons.

[Linda Cohn]

Well, I appreciate that. I did not know that until you made that comment to Rich on that. This was SportsCenter, and I was on that. And Rich did such a great job with those episodes so far. I love that. Dan, you know me. I wasn't the type to go knocking on doors. I wasn't going in anyone's office. I didn't even know where they were located. I don't even know if they'd let me in at this point to campaign for myself like many of our colleagues did and have done. So I had no idea. I would have loved it. I know I could have handled it, as you had mentioned, but Kenny is Kenny. Some of my favorite sports centers are with Kenny Maine. I just couldn't keep it together. He always made me laugh. I couldn't even look at him. I looked at him. He didn't have to say anything. I'd be cracking up at his face.

[Dan Patrick]

And I tell people how competitive it was back then. You know, politics, competitive. I mean, it was like there was a lot of talent in that room in that newsroom. There was a lot of talent and there was backstabbing. There was, you know, playing favorites. Go to management. I mean, I'm glad I survived.

[Linda Cohn]

Yeah.

[Dan Patrick]

I don't know how you felt.

[Linda Cohn]

Yeah, no, absolutely. You know, why I tried to not get involved in it. I didn't want to get into the weeds, into the minutiae. Of what you just said, a lot was toxic. But I tried to side with the laughter and the people that were grateful and just happy to be there. And we were having fun. And you know that Dan, you and Keith and the whole gang, Torico, Myers, you know, all the old people that I keep leaving out of so many people because I've worked with about a, you know, you think I've done 6,000 sports centers? I think I've worked with 6,000 different anchors on Sports Center. I can't even keep track. They're coming out of the woodwork, which is wonderful. But yeah, I mean, I just try to stay away from it because let's face it, Dan, we had more laughs than we didn't. And I felt, as I look back, that's what matters. And you know, I've been saying this a lot and it really touches my heart when you say, how am I going to feel tonight? I think what has resonated with me the most so far is all these incredibly talented young women who have reached out to me to say that they never would be doing what they're doing or would have the self esteem or the courage to do it if they weren't watching me before getting on the school bus in the morning when they're in kindergarten, first grade, second grade and realize that anything was possible. And Dan, for obvious reasons, professionally, I don't mind if that's my only legacy.

[Dan Patrick]

Oh, it's a hell of a legacy. I think we met in New York City when I was at CNN.

[Linda Cohn]

Yeah.

[Dan Patrick]

And you came in. Bill McPhail, my boss, said, there's a woman coming in from Seattle. Yeah, her name is Linda. And I was there with Artie Burko, my producer. And he said, she's going to shadow you. And I remember you came in and Artie and I were like, there's not a whole lot to watch here. All we do is, you know, think about the next story we're going to do. But I, I think that's the first time I met you was probably 1985, somewhere around there.

[Linda Cohn]

Yeah. Actually later. Because if I was coming from Seattle and I was still in Seattle, then it would have been somewhere around 89.

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90.

[Dan Patrick]

No, because I went to the mothership at 89.

[Linda Cohn]

Okay. So it must have been early 89 because I, I or around. I went to Seattle late 89. I went to Seattle late 89, October of 89 and left in early 92 to go to ESPN in July. So anyway, the point of the story is. Yeah, are you kidding? I was close to royalty. Dan, you're at cnn. I mean, I was like, I gotta, you know, I gotta, you know, have it soak into me. Maybe that was the difference. Maybe it started then. But no, seriously, Dan, that was funny, arty piece of work. I do remember that whole scene, though.

[Dan Patrick]

Yeah, congratulations. I mean, this is about survival, perseverance, but it's about talent. It's about stepping up in the moment. And you certainly did all of those things. And I'm proud to know you and have fun tonight.

[Linda Cohn]

Yeah, I appreciate that. You know, like I said, I'm not sad. I'm excited for what's next. And I'm going to try to stay present and be in the moment. You know, people in our business always have hard time doing that. We're always looking to the next. But in this case, I'm going to pause and I am going to smile and I'm going to be grateful. So I'm grateful to you, Dan, for everything you did to welcome me and having me on today. Thank you so much.

[Dan Patrick]

Thank you. All right, Linda Cohn.

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