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Learn more at Wells Fargo.com forward/activecash Terms apply. You are listening to the Dan Patrick show on Fox Sports Radio. I have the point spreads for the Next two games, the final Four with March Madness. We'll start there, then work our way back. Illinois is favored by 1 1/2 against Connecticut. Michigan is favored by 1 1/2 against Arizona. Who needs Cinderellas? These were great games. The Michigan, Arizona game, you're going to hear people say, well, that should be for the national title. Well, it's not. You know, it's like Seattle against San Francisco or, you know, hell, that should be for the super bowl, but it's not now. Usa, Russia for the Olympic gold medal. But it wasn't. It was the previous game. Illinois is, you know, you got to watch them. And this is what happens with some of these schools. You're kind of forced to watch them because they're the ones playing in these big games. Illinois is not a fluke. They are a big team. Good team, got a really good coach. And, you know, watching that game against Iowa, they were. They're relentless. And, you know, I look at UConn, I don't think this is a great UConn team. Not even a really good team. It's just a team. And, and sometimes that's all you need. When you get to this point in the season and Danny Hurley's done a great job, you know, I don't think they have a go to guy and they hung in there. You're down 15 against Duke. You don't lose. Duke doesn't lose those games, right? Yes, they do. It was 19 points at one point in the game. And then you start to Look. Duke's last four losses, led by 14 against Houston in the Final Four, lost. Led by 17 against Texas Tech, lost. Led by 13 against North Carolina, lost. Led by 19 against Connecticut yesterday and lost.
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This is the stat of the day,
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Stat of the day brought to you by Panini America. 10 seconds left in the game and Duke had a timeout. Possession arrow to Connecticut. And you know, these are things you take for granted. You want the ball in your ball handler's hands and they had that, you know, do you panic in a moment like that? Yes. Do. Things are, you know, they speed up. You know, same thing with Chris Weber. If, you know, you can't call a timeout, but you get in that moment, you call a timeout, you start to look at, okay, did you try to go over the top? Could you go over the top? You're trying to. If you get it over the top, you get a dunk, the game is over. Or worst case scenario, let them foul you or, you know, you don't want to get the Possession arrow. Then all of a sudden, Connecticut is going to have more time on the clock, but you can't call timeout. And, you know, I'm sure John Shire said all of those things to his team in that last timeout, but here is the head coach at Duke, starting with the question, what was going through your mind on that last possession?
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Well, yeah, you just.
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We just have to secure it, right?
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I mean, we got it. They had a foul. I was ready for a timeout, and we just got to hold on. And, you know, it's easy to look at that play. You know, I look at every play that happened, especially in the second half.
C
This is not about one play.
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It's about every play to put us in that position. And that's what you don't want to do, where one play, something can happen.
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And so for me, look, it's. It's going to be
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tough, but it's not going to be on one play.
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And he's right about that. Give Connecticut credit for staying in that moment. You're down 15, you're down 19, but you're chipping away little things. Rebounds, turnovers, points off turnovers. That was the difference. Duke played a perfect first half. Perfect. And when Charles Barkley said, I don't see Connecticut coming back, I go, connecticut's going to win this game because Charles is never right on his bets. But they hung in there, and this is how it sounded. Here is the Duke call on the game winner. Boozer bobbled it back for Star. Needs to get rid of it. Does for Kaden. 7 seconds. Try to throw it ahead. Deflected, stolen by Connecticut. 2 seconds. Mullins up top for the win. Oh, he hit it with 3.10of a second to go. Malachi Smith ran off the bench. That should be a technical, but with 3.10of a second to go, Connecticut has the lead, 73 to 72. That's courtesy of the Blue Devil Sports Network.
C
Yes, Paul, People on social media, when they heard the Duke announcer try to grab a technical for a player on the bench running two steps onto the court to celebrate, they said, that's the most Duke thing of all time.
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Yeah, you know, there was another game yesterday that was one of the. Oh, by the way. Oh, yeah, Michigan ended up winning here. You're like, who's the other team that played yesterday? Oh, that's right. Yeah, I got the title odds. According to DraftKings, Michigan and Arizona have the best odds. They play each other, then it's Illinois and Connecticut. So it's Arizona and Michigan +1.975. Illinois is +400. Yukon +550. Here is the Yukon call of the game winner.
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They double them back to sar. Now I head to Kaden Boozer And a steal.
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Mullins gets it. It's caravan to Mullins, Long range three. Oh, it went in. Mullins delivers.
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Bedlam. Bedlam here.
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That's courtesy of the Yukon sports network from Learfield. And you know, that's, that's not a heave. That was just a long jumper for a kid who in high school made about 47% of his three pointers. He was one of the Mr. Indiana basketball players. And you know, 20 years ago he doesn't end up at Connecticut, he's at Indiana. But boy, times have changed. And you start to look at the list of great players that Connecticut has had and has nothing really to show for it. Duke, I should say Jason Tatum, Zion Williamson, Cooper Flag, Paolo Bancaro, Cam Boozer, Khan, Canipple, RJ Barrett, Cam Reddish, Marvin Bagley. You know, I think it was probably 10 years ago when we had coach K on and I said, you know, would you rather have the one and done or have the guy who's staying there three or four years? He said, you can't pass up the one and done. And this isn't necessarily an indictment on the one and done because you can't pass up Zion or Cooper Flag or the Boozers, but you do need those seasoned guys. You do. And I think, you know, Yukon's approach is let's get one of those guys and then we're going to have guys who are going to stay two or three years or maybe four years with Reed and, and you do need that. But it was fun to watch, you know, because it was halftime and I thought I got to find something else to do and let me watch the golf. Then all of a sudden flip back and I go, all right, they get it to like seven and then they got it to seven and you get it to five and then all of a sudden it's three. Now all of a sudden that's where you wonder when we talk about comebacks, how much energy do you have once you get back and you're tied or getting really close? It takes a lot of energy to get to that point. You're down 15, you're down 19. Nothing's going your way. You're not shooting well at all. Yukon was 5 of 23 from three point range out rebounded by six and they still won. But what three of those five came in the last couple of minutes. Those were the big ones. And Braylon Mullins, Darren Revelle, who keeps track of these things, said that the basketball from that shot may be worth up to $350,000. Well, I wonder where that ball is. I don't know how you get it. See, it's weird. Is it yours? No, it's. It just Basketball hall of Fame. And it's one of those shots that's going to be worth a whole lot more if Duke wins or Connecticut wins the national championship. By the way, there's so many people who had no interest in either team, probably except for please don't let Duke win. That's it. It's not necessarily, hey, I'm rooting for Connecticut. You're rooting for Connecticut because you're not rooting for Duke. And I started to wonder, is there any other school? And it's a tribute to Duke that, you know, Notre Dame football, Yankees, who else do you throw in? The Cowboys, The Lakers, maybe. Where you just don't want them to win. And it feels like Duke is above all of them. You know, that we, we can't agree on anything as a country. But I think for the most part people agree. They don't want to see Duke succeed. But this isn't a team you dislike. I mean, the boozers mean shires. You know, there's nothing antagonistic or not wild or crazy like Dan Hurt. He's not polarizing. It's just the history. And it's a testament to that brand that it still resonates. People don't dislike Notre Dame like this. I mean, you like their head coach, the Lakers, okay, the Yankees, they haven't won. You know, Cowboys, they haven't won.
C
Yeah, Paulie, I think it's 100% right. Duke is at a different echelon of people enjoy watching them lose. No matter who it's to. You just take the other side because they really haven't had a long term dip. The past 10 years haven't been great, but it's not a dip dip.
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We will talk to Seth Greenberg from the mothership. He'll stop by watching Michigan. Michigan and Arizona, man, they don't mess around. Even though Arizona wasn't making their threes, but Michigan with Dusty May. So in his last four years, he brought Florida Atlantic to a Final Four, brought Michigan to the Sweet 16 in his first year in Ann Arbor. Now he has the Wolverines in the Final Four. I did reach out to a college source. I said, hey, what are the chances that these two coaches coaching in the Michigan and Arizona game are one of the two is going to go to North Carolina. And I was told that as of late last night North Carolina doesn't believe that either one will be leaving their schools. North Carolina still not sure about the Kansas situation. They don't want to lose a great candidate. Billy Donovan is still in focus on their radar at North Carolina and as my source said, he has not said no and people he listens to want him out of Chicago. Sure, there's probably some others he's not listening to that want him out of there. But yeah, so that's as of late last night my source you start to look at the largest blown leads in tournament history. Iona blew a 25 point lead in 2012. Maryland a 22 point lead in 2001. Cincinnati in 2018 a 22 point lead. West Virginia in 0520 point. Tennessee and oh seven 20 points. North Carolina this year's tournament 19. Duke this year's tournament 19. Stat of the day. Stat of the day. Of the day, Stat of the day.
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Here comes that.
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What Stat of the day. But you know, with the advent of the three pointer and you know, the proliferation of three pointers taken in the game, you get that opportunity to come back because if you make them, you can make the comeback and if you're missing them, you allow for the comeback. All right, see what's poll question for the first hour of the program. There's a classic right here. Duke blew that game or UConn won. Oh, Duke blew that game. I mean you can't be up by 19 and then forget how you got up by 19 because they played defense, they were so great on the perimeter playing defense. And then all of a sudden they forgot. I was told yesterday during the game North Carolina is playing not to lose in the second half. And it felt like UConn and maybe Danny Hurley just said, hey, just keep going. Chip away, chip away, chip away, chip away. Hang in there. And you know, then they ended up getting those rebounds and points off. Turnovers were huge for them. And then all of a sudden doubt starts to creep in when you have a 19 point lead and all of a sudden it's single digits. Now all of a sudden you're going, wait, what's happening? How did we get here? How do we hold on and survive? And it was too late. It felt like now, granted, it took a miracle turnover and three pointer, but you allowed Connecticut to have that moment where they, they could win the game and they took advantage of it.
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Be sure to catch the live edition
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Today's podcast is brought to you by Ferguson Home. Whether you're a homeowner creating your dream space or or a pro managing multiple projects, Ferguson Home is where it all comes together. Ferguson Home is designed for the way you want to shop. Experience today's top products by brands like Thermador first hand by visiting a Ferguson Home showroom where you'll explore stunning displays featuring today's latest products and innovations, or browse their extended collections of products online. Ferguson Home understands that every project is made up of countless decisions, and that's why their expert consultants are committed to helping homeowners, builders, contractors and designers bringing all the details together. You can count on support from start to finish by choosing the right products. To coordinate deliveries with your project schedule. Book a one on one consultation at your local Ferguson Home showroom or shop online@fergusonhome.com whether you're working on a new kitchen, a new bathroom or a whole home remodel, you'll find the latest designs and technologies from the brands that you trust at Ferguson home.
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A
Coach well, I'll tell you what, Dan, it's good to talk to you. I First of all, I wonder if I get a grill for talking to you. I like the grill. That was good. And. And now you got Grant Hill coming up. He's one of my favorites. So I'm just sandwiched between a grill and.
B
And Graham. Yeah? You want a grill?
A
Oh, that sounded like it was awesome.
B
Okay, I'll take care of that. Okay, I'll send you a grill. Rectech will send you a grill, and you could have recruits in there. And, you know, I don't know if that's a violation.
A
No, it's not anymore. There are no rules. Whatever you want, I. I could bring you in as a chef. In fact, it's no good.
B
All right. Best team you face this year. Wow.
A
I mean, I guess Michigan would have to be the most talented. Best team I faced. I thought Duke was awfully good. In fact, you know, you talk about a tough situation, Dan. I kept telling my. My assistants I thought John Shire did the best job he's ever done. You know, I thought that was a very good Duke team, but maybe not quite as talented as we're normally used to seeing. And they just kept winning, and that shows you how brutal this tournament is. But, you know, Michigan is one of the best that we played. Michigan, I do like UConn a lot. I think Illinois came on the best. So those are three teams in the final four. What the hell am I playing all those people?
B
I don't know.
A
Many losses, Coach?
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I got you. Iowa, Duke, Michigan, Illinois, Purdue, Michigan again, and Connecticut.
A
Yeah, they were all in the. The. The what? Elite.
B
Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah.
A
So you can never rip me about scheduling. Dad, show. Don't do that.
B
Hey, I. I'll never say that you're afraid to schedule somebody, but I remember when you played Yukon in the. Like, an exhibition game. How does that happen between you and Dan Hurley?
A
Well, Danny called me. We're friends, you know, but we've gotten to be better friends as the year went on, even. But, you know, I like Dan. I think he's certifiably crazy. Yes. But I think he's. I think his passion, his love for his players, what he's done with that program has been phenomenal. And I just thought, one of my players, I'm always worried, are we tough enough? I knew his team was tough. And when we went there, just so you know, they kicked our butt. You know, it ended up like 10 point game, but it was. We got down 12 early. Kind of like the game we played and never could catch up.
B
Yeah, I remember watching that game. And if you would have said, which one of these teams is going to go further? I would have said Connecticut is going to go further in the tournament because,
A
well, you have, you know, what Jenny would say about you then. You have a wonderful sense for the obvious.
B
So Hurley's good. Crazy.
A
Yeah. Yeah, I love him.
B
But that moment that he has with Roger Ayers, can you explain that as a coach of. In that moment, out of body experience.
A
Yeah, you know, we have out of body experiences, you know, and Roger Ayres, one of the better officials in the whole damn country. But, you know, sometimes officials lose it, sometimes coaches lose it. You know, we're supposed to be human. I think that's the cool part about it. We are human. And that means, you know, we let our emotions get the best of us. It's an emotional game and. But I think, all in all, you'd say that most people have great respect for Dan.
B
Explain to me that last 10 seconds with Duke. Like, let's say you're in the huddle and you know, they're going to press, they may foul. So what do you tell your team to do in that moment?
A
Yeah, I'd want him to get it to my best free throw shooter, to be honest with you. And I thought that Duke did everything right. It's, you know, you got a freshman that just dribbled and, you know, I listened to Jay Bilis talk about what Duke does at their practices, turning face. And you know what? Easy to say that when you get in the moment. And by the way, that freshman was unbelievable. Boozer was unbelievable early in the game, you know, and when he did the game before. So I listen, I've been a 15, got beaten by a 2. I think John did an incredible job all year. And I always tell my team, you got to be good enough to get somewhere, which is the sweet 16. After that, you got to be lucky enough and healthy enough. They weren't real healthy, and that night, they weren't real lucky. Now, give UConn credit. I told Danny the next day, I said, I deserve some credit for your comeback because I showed you that a team could be 19 down and come back and go ahead like we did. And that damn guy gave me no credit, you know, So I don't know if I like Dan as much as I used to.
B
He did talk about having a conversation with you when he was thinking about going to the Lakers because you were thinking about going to the Cavaliers. What was the advice that you gave him at that time?
A
Well, I didn't want to lose him in college basketball because I think he's so good for it. But I did say we got to keep an eye on what's happening in our profession, too. And I don't know what I'd do if it was today, you know, like, he had the chance about a year or two ago. And I think things are so crazy in college athletics right now. I don't know if I'd feel different if I was, to be very honest with you, because I think something has to be done with the insanity we're going through, But I don't think anybody else cares. So I'll just keep plucking along and see if I can get to a Final Four again.
B
Well, let's say that opportunity came up, given these circumstances with the Cavaliers. And, you know, I don't know how old you were at the time, but.
A
Well, I was a lot younger, but I bet I've had, you know, more than a couple job offers in the. In the NBA, and. And looked at one last year with Phoenix, you know, and my former player, Matt Ispia, and that was hard. That was a hard thing to turn down because, number one, I. I kind of wanted to go with him.
B
So they offered you the head coaching job?
A
We talked seriously about it. Let's say that. And then number two is, you know, I've been pretty vocal about it. I don't like what's going on in college athletics, but by the way, neither do 99.8% of the football and basketball coaches in America. And I think the kids are going to still find out before it's done. It's not best for them either. But in the meantime, you got to do what you got to do. And I'll let guys like you call me old school, but that means you're old school, too, and I think we're both right school.
B
So we'll see what happens when the transfer portal opens. I've been told 1100 men's basketball players will be in the portal. 1100, 1101.
A
My wife's thinking of putting me in the portal, too, and I guess I'm part of college basketball, but. But yeah, it's. I mean, you tell me there's any sanity to that, and you tell me that's right. And you know what people like you, media people don't do. Sorry, but since you guys can critique us, we can critique you guys once in a while. We never talk about the kids that lose and fail and all the problems that it creates and what it creates later in their life. We just talk about the successful quarterback who did it and led a team to here and there. But there's a lot of guys that fail, a lot more that fail than succeed. And I don't know where they're going to go when they've been to three, four different schools. But I guess it's not my problem. I stayed put, so I'm still here.
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Tom Izzo Michigan State HEAD BASKETBALL COACH do kids have to go to class anymore? Because I. I bring up that used to be when I was going to school, you could be academically ineligible. Athletes were academically ineligible. I haven't heard anybody be academically ineligible in a few years here, coach.
A
Boy, I love that statement. First of all, they do here. I think they do it a lot of places. But second of all, you stole my line from earlier. You know, are there any rules? Are there. Is there any accountability? I mean, it seems like if you don't like something, get a lawyer and go sue. And so I don't know. I don't know what most schools do. I know this. I'm a couple weeks away from going to my 35th straight graduation. I've seen every player here graduate that has graduated, which has been a high percentage. And yeah, we still go to class here, Dan. We really do.
B
Anybody in the tournament? Did you recruit Mullins?
A
Yes, I did. I did. I told him in the line, too, that he made a bad decision. He said, why? I said, you just cost me a championship.
B
You think if you had him here, you'd be still playing?
A
Well, put it this way, he's a pretty good player, and he is, ironically, this is a true story. He's from Indiana and my trainer is from his high school and real good friends with his dad. So when we didn't get him, I fired my trainer,
B
and rightfully so. You're thinking you're in, right? I mean, you got him, don't you?
A
Oh, no. He was recruited by a lot of people, and I never felt that comfortable about getting them, but I just said we recruited him, but he was. He's a hell of a player, you know, and he even had some injuries this year, you know, on that early on when we played him the first time. But that kid's going to be. He's just going to get better and better as his body fills out. He's six. Six. He's. He can shoot the ball pretty good from long, long, long. Yeah, that was shot. I swear to God, he can shoot it from there.
B
The McDonald's All American game. It feels like everybody's between six five and six, eight, and they all do the same thing. If you go back to the old McDonald's All American game, you might have had Kenny Anderson in there. Then you would have a Shaq. Like we don't have that, you know, separation of a six footer and a seven footer. Feels like everybody's around the same height doing the same thing.
A
Well, we had a kid in there, you know, Josiah Jervis, who's six four, six five.
B
Yeah.
A
And I think you're right. There was a lot of that in those games. And I think that's because we've got a lot of positionless basketball. The big guys have kind of gone by the wayside, sorta. But I do think, I think Charles Barkley and Shaq, those guys think the big guy's coming back. I do think when Ed in our league, you know, the 74 kid, and I think the big guys are going to come back. I think everything's cyclical. You know, everybody gets into this three point shooting because it's the new sexy thing. And, you know, at the end of the day, I still think you got to be balanced in what you do.
B
Ryan Day at Ohio State was talking about if you don't adapt, you die in college. Well, he was talking about college football or you retire. I mean, the guys who are, you know, right there with you or were, they've all retired or they retired earlier. Yeah, I mean, Caliper and Pacino are still doing it, and you. But you guys are dinosaurs.
A
What a compliment.
B
Yes.
A
I think, yeah, I think I'll retire before I die, hopefully. But, you know, I do, I do talk to Ryan Day. You know, Nick Saban's a guy that, you know, when he went out, I said, wow, you know, because Nick and I started here together. And I just thought Nick would go till forever and. But, you know, I don't think it's any secret that I'm not saying what everybody's doing, but the process is, is making this more difficult of a job. I mean, you don't just coach anymore. You talk to agents, you talk to people, you raise money.
B
But Tony Bennett retires and Jay Wright retire.
A
I mean, they retire good guys too, and good coaches and good friends of mine. And I think I'm just too stubborn to retire. You know, like, I feel good, to be honest with you, Dan. I still have the energy, I still love my players. I don't love my profession, but that's three out of four on my side. So I got to deal with the profession. Like Ryan said, adapt Somewhat. But adapt doesn't mean all of a sudden there's no rules, there's no accountability. I mean, what we. What we're going through now, I mean, anytime there's a problem, just get a lawyer and fix it, you know, And I guess lawyers must be that good, or judges. But do these kids.
B
Do these kids ask you for money? Do they say, this is what I want.
A
I asked them for money now, but,
B
but, but do they. Do they have an intermediary?
A
Oh, yeah, yeah.
B
Okay.
A
Okay.
B
So they don't say, I'll come to Michigan State. I want two and a half million dollars?
A
No, his parents and his agents say that.
B
Okay, but you're not involved in that.
A
Oh, yeah, I am here. You know, I hear all These guys got GMs and all that. I just. I think it's great. But I think at the end of the day, the head coach is making the decisions. You know, like in the NBA and NFL, it's different because there's salary caps. Everybody knows there's transparency. If I looked at everything we're doing, Dan, the, the nil, the tampering, the, as you say, it's going to open next week, the transfer portal. If I had one thing I'd like to change, it would be just transparency so we all know what everybody's making and doing, and then we're not getting lied to by everybody. Transparency would really help the profession right now.
B
But, okay, what if Magic Johnson said, here, I got $10 million that I'm going to give that you can use? Okay, could you use his $10 million? Do you have to report that you're using his $10 million? How does that work?
A
Yeah, you sort of do. I mean, they, they said that was a new big rule. They were going through this clearinghouse. I don't think any of them worked. You heard about Rev Share, you know, where each school is going to get five, six million dollars in football. Programs are going to get 16, 17 million dollars. People are way beyond those at a lot of places, so that would help, but I don't think that would solve everything.
B
But.
A
But coaching, yeah, the best players. There's a lot of programs out there have spent a lot of money and didn't even get past the first weekend. So it's not always about the money either.
B
No, but it feels like there's still back in the day when, you know, things were illegal and under the table. It still feels like you can do that in college athletics. You can. There's no reason why you can't do something Illegal. And it's that it's going on right now just because we have this nil and every, you know, transfer portal, somebody can give somebody money if they want our car or a house or a job.
A
100% in my own now, they wouldn't say that, but to me, the nil means pay for play. And you can just pay them to play them. And the only difference is it's. It's still sort of illegal, but it's not illegal. That's. That's what's so hard. That's what's so confusing. And who. Who says what's legal and not legal anymore? You know, I don't know. Did.
B
Did we solve anything with this conversation?
A
Yeah. I still enjoy being on your show because you're crazy. And I probably got a new grill and I get to watch Grand Hill after I'm done and Magic just gave me 10 million and we figured that. I still figured John Shire did a hell of a job. And it's going to be a hell of a final four. There's a lot of good teams in it. But I feel good about our run this year and I feel like I fell short again. So one of these days you're gonna have me on from Indianapolis or wherever the final four is and not from my office. So it looks so boring.
B
Yeah. Yeah. Stop disappointing me in it in Detroit next year.
A
Yes.
B
There you go.
A
So I say that if we can get there next year, you should do your show from there.
B
How about. How about if you win next year, would you retire a walk off in Michigan now?
A
You know what I mean? People asked me that last year because we were one step from the final four. If you do it, you're gonna. You know, I don't have any interest in retiring right now. I don't think it would be. It would be because I'm sick of the circumstances. It's not going to be because I'm sick of coaching, sick of the players love my university. The circumstances get to us and. But winning or not wouldn't change that.
B
You could walk off and walk right to the NBA, coach.
A
I could walk off and rock right to my beach house.
B
Yeah. And right to your rec tech grill.
A
There you go. And I'd be grilling like a sop.
B
Thank you, coach.
A
Thanks, Dan.
B
That's Tom Izzo, Michigan State head coach. Fox Sports Radio has the best sports talk lineup in the nation. Catch all of our shows@foxsportsradio.com and within the iHeartRadio app. Search FSR to listen live guys, if your hair isn't playing like it did in your 20s, it's time for a real comeback. Not another workaround because throwing on a hat is not strategy neutral. Supports healthier hair from within. It's physician formulated, clinically tested and recommended by dermatologists, giving you a clear, legitimate plan so you can stop covering up and start showing up with confidence. Nutrafol now offers hair growth supplements tailored for men at every age because the root causes of hair thinning change over time and your routine should change as well. Nutrafol for ages 18 to 49 to help improve hair growth and achieve thicker, fuller hair in three to six months and new Nutrafol Men 50 plus the first and only hair growth production specifically formulated for those over 50 neutrophil the number one dermatologist recommended hair growth supplement brand trusted by over one and a half million people nutrafol.com Enter promo code Dan Patrick for $10 off your first month subscription and free shipping. N u t r-a f o l.com Use the promo code danpatrick neutrophil.com Promo code DanPatrick Are you one of the 7% of adults in the United States who are searching for an alternative to sleeping in a bed? Then let me introduce you to Z Kliner, the revolutionary recliner designed by Flexsteel. The Z Kliner meticulously engineered with restful sleep in mind, making it an ideal bed alternative. A healthy life starts with a healthy night's sleep. Z Kliner is more than just a recliner. It's a personalized comfort experience. It features multiple power adjustments like recline, headrest, lumbar, zero gravity reducing pressure on your body, tech integrations like charging ports for easy modern living. We know life can be messy, stressful. That's why Z Kleiner is upholstered in a moisture and stain resistant fabric perfect for all day enjoyment, even homes with pets and kids. Z Kleiner A complete sleep solution get started unmatched comfort z kleiner.com DanPatrick today to find a Z Kliner at a store near you.
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B
Fergusonhome.com you know, I take my grilling pretty seriously. Whether it's game day, backyard cookout, or just dinner with the family, you want a grill that performs every single time. That's why I'm excited that Rec Tech is now the official grilling sponsor of the Dan Patrick show. With Rec Tech Rec teq the wood fired grills, you get more heat, more consistent temperature control, and man, is that a durable grill. Rec Tech features advanced consistent temperature controls that continuously adjust the heat to deliver exceptionally even cooking results. Perfect for smoking ribs low and slow, roasting chicken, or cranking up the heat to sear those perfect steaks. Top rated Rec Tech grilling app. You're ready to go. Monitor and control your grill temperature right from your phone. Visit rectech.com that's r e c t e q rec tech.com if you love great barbecue like I do, it's time to upgrade. Nothing compares to grilling on a Rec Tech wood fired grill. Breaking NFL news. Paulie,
C
it's so saucy that we're playing the guess the NFL news game.
B
Okay. Wow. Aaron Rodgers is coming back.
C
Okay. Kirk Cousins has signed a contract for next season.
B
Okay.
C
Whom has he signed a contract with?
A
Todd?
B
The Browns.
A
And get another quarterback.
B
Okay. All right. Satan. This. This was described as lightly saucy.
C
It's a bit confusing as a strategy for this team.
B
Okay, how about the Steelers? He signed with the Steelers then. Okay, Marvin. The Vikings? Good guess. No, that's saucy though.
C
Yeah.
B
How about the Rams?
C
According to his agent, Kirk Cousins has signed with the Raiders.
A
What?
B
Okay, the Las Vegas Raiders.
C
I checked. They're still in Vegas.
A
Okay.
B
What? I'm good with it. Why? Because I don't want Mendoza if he's not ready to start right away. And even if he does start right away, you got Kirk Cousins there. He knows that he's not going to be going to be starting, you know, the future is right there. Fernando Mendoza, he knows that Kirk Cousins be a great soldier there. I'm okay with that. Yeah, I have a problem with it. What? Why? Why do you have a problem with that? Why? But why? Why are you going to take the quarterback number one overall and then have him immediately step into the king of quarterback controversies? There's no controversy here. No, there is. No, there's no, none with Kirk D. Cousins. Yes. Paul.
C
I got a couple things on this. You bring in Kirk Cousins, that means you're spending money you didn't need to spend. You could let aid.
B
No.
C
Connell get thrown to the Wolves for seven games and then bring him Mendoza. Secondly, what if Kirk Cousins plays really well? What's the plan?
B
Like Fernando Mendoza is the plan.
C
Okay.
B
And why did you just sign Kirk Cousins? How much am I paying Kirk Cousins?
C
They haven't released.
B
I'm probably not paying him anything. Somewhere in the ballpark of 75 a year, apparently. Because that's about what his agent is able to do.
C
Let's say it was 8 million a year for two years. Each year is 8. That's really light, right? You could spend that on a guard.
B
How many quarterbacks go through the entire year playing every game?
C
Third point, is there any chance they're not drafting Mendoza with the number one pick after, after this signing?
B
There's. There's no chance.
A
No.
B
Zero. Okay.
C
If you, you bring in Kirk Cousins, it now gives you the flexibility to trade down with that pick.
B
Okay. I've said that for a while, that that's what if I was running the Raiders, if I don't feel like I have a great offensive line and I got a rookie head coach and I'm going to bring in a rookie quarterback, do I want to trade down and maybe get four first round draft picks? Or I could trade him to the Jet, trade the pick to the jets and get four first round draft picks. Does that make more sense? I don't think Fernando Mendoza is a Andrew Luck, John Elway generational, but I do think he is a great person to represent your franchise. He played big and big games. I like everything I hear. I like everything I see. I don't know if he's Lamar Jackson or Josh Allen or Joe Burrow. I don't think he's in that category. And you know, not many quarterbacks are in fairness to him. I just, I gotta make sure that I have a good team, not necessarily just a good quarterback. Clint Kubiak is the new head coach. He was a former coordinator with Kirk D. Cousins. They spent three years together. Clint Kubiak would not bring In Kirk Cousins to disrupt what they're trying to do. He would bring Kirk Cousin in and say, you're going to be kind of my quarterback's coach. You're a backup quarterback here because I can't imagine you go boy open for competition. Because that I don't think helps anybody here. Yes, Todd, whatever happened to those feared nasty silver and black Raiders? You're talking about Kirk Cousins and Mendoza,
A
a couple of choir boys. Those your quarterbacks? That is so bizarre for those to be Raiders.
B
Yes, Paul, you have to agree it's
C
a, it's a shocking strategy for a team that seems to be on the build and not ready to win.
B
Now I like it, but I like it because I know Kirk Cousins personality here. This isn't Michael Penix. This to me is different than that because Atlanta brought in Kirk Cousins and paid him all of that money. Now all of a sudden you go, wait a minute, what did you do with that draft pick? Now that to me was a crazy strategy. This is Kirk, you're not going to get paid, you know, anywhere near what you've been paid before. You want to come in, you can be a backup, you know the head coach, you've worked with him. We want you to come in. We want you to help Fernando Mendoza be a better quarterback. A ready quarterback. Yes. Seaton. So if you're the jets right now, I mean I'm on the phone to the Raiders and so what do you want for number one? Wait a minute. You got Geno Smith. I know going to lead you to the promised land. That's a perfect guy to not have a quarterback controversy with. I would. If you really want Fernando Mendoza, if I'm the jets and maybe you got a chance to get it right, then I would be all in on Fernando Mendoza. And if I'm the Raiders, I have to at least listen to this. And if you. As long as I have confidence in my, you know, scouting department and those making the draft picks when I get these first round picks. But I don't know if I would be totally confident with that.
C
Yes, Paul, you do this 20 hours after Fernando Mendoza's pro day. I wonder if they're thinking the Raiders. Our plan is to have a sit year for Mendoza and this is a great option to have a full planned sit year like Mahomes.
B
I don't have a problem with it.
C
Right. You like that.
B
I don't want him to get beat up. You're going to get beat up even when you have a good team. I don't want you to get beat up when you don't have a good team or a good offensive line. That's the only thing that I worry about with Mendoza. If he has a good offensive line, I think he's got the arm strength, the quality, the intangibles. I think he can be a really good quarterback. Here is Fernando Mendoza on being the number one pick.
A
This whole process is essentially for you
C
auditioning to be the top pick.
B
Yes.
A
What's the mentoring, physical approach to all the components? Yeah, I wouldn't really say that.
C
The mentality of trying to be the top pick. I'm just trying to be the best me possible.
A
And in that aspect, whatever team picks me.
C
You only need one team to believe
B
in you, whether you're the first pick,
C
whether the last pick, whatever, and that I'm just trying to be the best quarterback I can be in September rather than right now here in April.
A
So I'm putting all my effort towards,
C
you know, just trying to be the best thing, best quarterback possible for the season.
B
He just seems like he was spit out of a computer where or AI or something. There you go. Here you. Here you go. He. He gives you the answers that you want to hear. And also his approach to a pro day wasn't a. Let me show you throws that I probably will never have in my career. Hey, let me roll left, throw right for 60 yards. And he even said, how often do you throw the ball? 40 yards. All you're doing is trying to replicate what throws you're going to have in a game. And if you watch an NFL game now, for the most part, how often do you see a pass that's 40 yards down the field? Not very often. And I think that's what Mendoza's approach is. Hey, if it's there, I'm going to take it. And now you have Tom Brady to reinforce that, because Brady, if it was there, you take it. I don't need to do anything crazy. I don't need to try to force anything. If it's there, I'll take it. I'll take advantage of that until you try to stop me with this. So Mendoza is going to have Kirk Cousins and Tom Brady. I like that insulation there. Now you just got to make sure that offensive line is going to stand up. And if it does, this can be a success story. I. I'm fine with Kirk Cousins coming in. Wait, how often do we talk about, man, it really valuable to have a backup quarterback who can play. Used to be a backup quarterback, had a visor on and he had a Clipboard. He wasn't in a headset. Now you really have to make sure that you're ready when. When somebody gets hurt. Yes. Marvin, what if The Raiders start out 03 with Kirk Cousins as their starter? Isn't there going to be pressure to throw Mendoza in there? Yes. So throw him in there anyway. No, no. I want him ready when he's ready. I don't want him to be ready because he's the number one pick in the draft. I think teams have made that mistake before. Is he ready? You'll know he's ready. He'll know he's ready. I don't want to go, hey, fans are coming out to see you. That's not. That shouldn't be the approach. And Tom Brady knows that. He knows that better than anybody. His words to me, if I was drafted in the first round, I wouldn't have lasted in the NFL because he wasn't ready. Mendoza, we assume, is ready, but he's the. He's. He's the best quarterback in the draft. Well, that doesn't mean that he is ready to start, take over the NFL. There should be an easing in process. That's the. That's the approach I would have. And if Kirk Cousins plays well, I'd say awesome. But I wouldn't go, oh, we can't put Mendoza in there. You'll put him in when he's ready. Yes. Pauling.
C
I also wonder how many options Kirk Cousins had at this point. He's a good starter who's a little old, but not a thousand years old. But he's not. You're not going to hand over your franchise to him at this juncture. But he's not bad enough or average enough to be just a gap guy.
B
Well, I thought he was going to go back to Minnesota. I thought that. That, you know, because of the J.J. mcCarthy situation. Yes. Yeah. You know, he's. So. I'm trying to sit with it a little bit more, but yeah, Mendoza is sort of a more athletic Kirk Cousins. Yeah. Yeah. So you're sort of bringing a guy in to show him the ropes who plays almost exactly the same way you do. Yeah. So, like efficiency and, you know. But I see Mendoza as Joe Flacco, maybe a more athletic Joe Flacco size arm. And. And I've said before, if Mendoza has a Joe Flacco career, I'd sign up for that. If I'm a Raider fan. Nothing to be ashamed of with what Joe Flacco did. I just think we're looking at Mendoza maybe unfairly in Saying, oh, there's your. There's your guy. He's a generational talent. I don't know if he's that, but I did. I love what I hear from him. And I loved, you know, his approach to a pro day. He acted like a pro at a pro day, Not a college kid who's trying to impress you with these throws that he probably won't even have in his career. I don't want Zach Wilson, remember Zach Wilson rolled left, he threw back right 60 yards. Oh, my God. I want to know what you do. Five yards there, seven yards there, 10 yards there. That's what I want to know. Because those are NFL throws you can stand. What was it last year? I had to prove to John Caliper I could throw the ball 50 yards. I don't know where it's going. But that's not the end. That's not the NFL, man, I can throw it 60 yards. Jeff George had the best arm, maybe one of the best arms I ever saw. They'd go, man, he can throw it 60 yards. Kyle Bowler, he was on his knees at the 50 yard line and he could throw the ball 50 yards from his knees. And I go, that doesn't happen in the NFL. Like, he's down. He's. He. The play is over. But they're like, man, did you see him throw from his knees? Joe Montana did not have a great arm. Steve Young did not have a great arm. They had great aim, they had great touch. That's what the NFL is, man. He can throw the ball right through a building. Why would you do that? Yes, I have very good news for Kirk Cousins. There are at least eight Kohl's in the greater Los Angeles Las Vegas area, which we know he's very. He's a huge Kohl's shop. Oh, that's right. Yeah. Yeah, that's good news for him.
A
All the Eddie Bauer you can have.
B
Yeah, Cole's cash coming in handy. He's gonna have the plaid dress shirts that he would wear.
C
Breathable in the hot weather.
B
Oh, yeah. David in Ohio. Hi, David. What's on your mind today? Hey, Dan. With the Kirk Cousins news going to the Las Vegas Raiders, who is also affiliated with Great Clips. Him and Mark Davis can go and get the same bullseye they get their haircut. So I think Kirk has a little better haircut than Mark does. Let's see Jeremy in New York. Hi, Jeremy. What's on your mind today? Morning, Dan. Hope you guys are doing really well. 64195. So, Dan, you've had this incredible list of guests and interviews over the years, but one missing name keeps popping up to me, and I don't want to kick up any dust, but would you ever consider having Jim Rome on before you hang it up in a couple years? I asked him years ago, and we were at super bowl in Tampa and he said, oh, you're not allowed to have me on because I was at espn. I go, yeah, I'll have you on. How about I have you on and you'll have me on at the same time on our radio shows? Kind of a simulcast. He didn't want to do it, so I was open to it. But would I have Jim Rome on now? I don't know. Haven't really thought about it. That's two years down the road. Jim might not want to come on. I don't know. I have no relationship with him.
A
Todd.
B
Todd knows him. You worked with Jim Rome? I did, yeah. Yeah, a few years. Okay. Is that what the show was? Talk to the show on ESPN2 called Talk to in Los Angeles. And then I worked for a week
A
or two on his radio show many years ago.
B
A week or two? Yeah, because we were doing the TV
A
show, but then he took the radio
B
show on the road to New York
A
City for a week. So I produced the radio show for like that week. I don't know if it was super
B
bowl week or something. What? He know you if he saw you?
A
Yes.
B
Okay. Hey, there was a time, you know, Jim. Jim changed the sports radio industry. I mean, very influential. But I have no idea who. Who's on the guest list here for the next two years. You know what? Put it down. Todd, write down Jim Rome question. Why not? Yeah. Who else are we having on? Colin Cowherd. We're going to have Colin on. Let's bring them all out. Sure, why not?
C
Yes, Paulie, about four years ago, I alerted Michael Jordan's people that you're retiring. Oh, in five years. Five and a half years. And so groundwork was laid. They did say get back to me closer to the end.
B
Okay.
C
It's in the email.
B
Okay. All right. I like that. Planning.
A
Yeah.
B
Yeah. All right. So we gave Jordan five year heads up.
C
Yeah, he's busy.
B
Yeah.
C
But five years.
B
And not only that, but Paul just preemptively took credit for it. She called in, so now Todd just got blocked out. That is Todd. You just. The white whale just already got hooked by somebody else.
C
You were book blocked.
B
Sorry.
A
All those tries over the years, it didn't work.
B
Engine going into retirement and you missed out on booking Jordan. That would be like Larry. You know what Paulie be Larry Bird walking off with his finger five years ago. Yeah, yeah, see I get that. Taking full credit Paulie at the three point shooting contest. Yep, that's a walk off. Yeah. Who booked the last guest? Michael Jordan? Paul did.
A
That'd be a good Trivial Pursuit question or something.
B
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Date: April 4, 2026
Host: Dan Patrick
Podcast Network: iHeartPodcasts and Dan Patrick Podcast Network
This week’s "Best of the Dan Patrick Show" highlights the host’s trademark blend of incisive sports insight, humor, and pop culture commentary. The episode is packed with discussions on the NCAA March Madness Final Four, NBA and NFL news, and shifting landscapes in college athletics. Key moments include analysis of the dramatic Duke-UConn game, a lively interview with Michigan State coach Tom Izzo, and debate over NFL quarterback moves. The conversation stays fast-paced and conversational, mixing serious breakdowns with laughter and inside stories from the world of sports.
Duke’s Blown Leads:
“Duke played a perfect first half. Perfect. And when Charles Barkley said, 'I don't see Connecticut coming back,' I go, Connecticut's going to win this game because Charles is never right on his bets.” (06:22)
Iconic Game-Winning Moments:
Play-by-play calls are included with buzzer-beater drama:
On Why People Root Against Duke:
“It’s not necessarily, ‘Hey, I’m rooting for Connecticut,’ you’re rooting for Connecticut because you’re not rooting for Duke… It's a testament to that brand that it still resonates.” (11:33)
Stat of the Day:
Dan recites stats on historic leads blown in NCAA history to underline the magnitude of Duke's collapse:
“Largest blown leads in tournament history: Iona blew a 25 point lead in 2012... North Carolina this year’s tournament, 19. Duke this year’s tournament, 19.” (13:22)
Best Teams Faced This Season:
Izzo says Michigan was the most talented, credits UConn, Illinois, and Duke as among the best.
Relationship with Coaches:
On Dan Hurley: “I think he’s certifiably crazy. But I think his passion, his love for his players, what he’s done with that program has been phenomenal.” (23:35)
Coaching Under Modern Pressures:
Izzo is open about the chaos of the current NCAA environment, especially with NIL (Name, Image, Likeness) and transfer portal dynamics:
NIL and Transfer Portal:
Izzo is candid about the impact of NIL: “The NIL means pay for play. And you can just pay them to play.” (37:08)
On Coaching Change Considerations:
“I've had more than a couple job offers in the NBA, and looked at one last year with Phoenix… That was a hard thing to turn down.” (27:36)
On Modern College Recruiting:
“Do they have an intermediary?… Oh, yeah. His parents and his agents say that.” (34:48)
Balancing Adaptation and Tradition:
“Adapt doesn't mean all of a sudden there's no rules, there's no accountability… What we’re going through now, anytime there's a problem, just get a lawyer and fix it.” (33:48)
Izzo’s Longevity in Coaching:
“I think I’ll retire before I die, hopefully… I still have the energy, I still love my players. I don’t love my profession, but that’s three out of four on my side.” (33:16)
“You bring in Kirk Cousins, that means you’re spending money you didn’t need to spend. You could let Aidan O’Connell get thrown to the Wolves for seven games and then bring in Mendoza.” (45:35, Paulie)
“I don’t think Fernando Mendoza is an Andrew Luck, John Elway generational [talent], but I do think he is a great person to represent your franchise… If Kirk Cousins plays well, I'd say awesome. But I wouldn’t go, oh, we can't put Mendoza in there. You'll put him in when he's ready.” (53:55, Dan)
On QB Pro Days:
“His approach to a pro day wasn’t a ‘Let me show you throws that I probably will never have in my career.’ All you’re doing is trying to replicate what throws you’re going to have in a game.” (51:07)
College Basketball Evolution: Discussion of positionless basketball and the cyclical nature of the sport:
“I think everything’s cyclical. You know, everybody gets into this three point shooting because it’s the new sexy thing. And, you know, at the end of the day, I still think you got to be balanced in what you do.” (32:13, Izzo)
The Life of a Modern Coach Well Beyond the Court:
“You don’t just coach anymore. You talk to agents, you talk to people, you raise money.” (33:48, Dan)
“1100 men's basketball players will be in the portal. My wife's thinking of putting me in the portal, too.”
– Tom Izzo (28:43)
“Duke is at a different echelon of people enjoy watching them lose. No matter who it’s to.”
– Paulie (12:41)
“Do kids have to go to class anymore? I haven't heard anybody be academically ineligible in a few years here, coach.”
– Dan Patrick (29:30)
“The nil means pay for play. And you can just pay them to play. The only difference is it's still sort of illegal, but it's not illegal.”
– Tom Izzo (37:08)
This “Best of the Week” episode is vintage Dan Patrick: passionate basketball talk, deep access to major guests, quick humor, and sharp sideways glances at the evolving sports world. From buzzer-beaters and coaching legacies to quarterback controversies and the business behind the sports, the episode is a must-listen for any sports fan wanting insider knowledge and lively entertainment.
For listeners looking to dive right in: start with the Final Four recap (03:00), stay for the Tom Izzo interview (21:38), and don’t miss the NFL quarterback debate (43:43).