The Dan Patrick Show: Covino & Rich - Sports Pandering is Played Out

Date: August 23, 2025
Host: Covino & Rich with Dan Beyer, Ryan Seacrest guesting
Network: iHeartPodcasts and Dan Patrick Podcast Network

Episode Overview

In this lively Friday installment, Covino & Rich—broadcasting from Fox Sports Radio Studios—tackle the theme of sports pandering and whether the era of performative gestures and forced “inclusion” in sports media is past its sell-by date. The discussion is prompted by a controversial ESPN mural depicting “icons" of sport, which many felt was an example of virtue signaling and missed the mark on real representation. The show then pivots to football talk, a quirky debate about fast-food etiquette, and the ever-present woes of New York baseball.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. Covino & Rich's High-Energy Friday Vibe

• The hosts highlight how Fridays are dedicated solely to this show, coming in with extra energy and excitement.
• “We come in here shout out of a freakin’ cannon. More excited than ever.” —Covino (05:09)

2. The ESPN Wall of Icons Controversy

Timestamps: 05:17 – 26:06

The Story:

• ESPN posted (and quickly deleted) a mural celebrating "icons" across sports. The selection excluded legends such as Tiger Woods, Mike Tyson, and omitted entire sports like UFC and most of MLB.
• The mural included 10 WNBA players—some of whom are not widely recognized, and even college athletes yet to play pro.
• The perceived “agenda” stirred backlash and accusations of performative diversity.

Core Debate:

• Are we “over” sports pandering—companies trying so hard to be inclusive or progressive that they lose credibility with fans who "see through the BS"?
• Is this brand mismanagement, or a genuine but clueless attempt at goodwill?

Host Opinions and Memorable Quotes:

• “Is sports pandering over or not? Let’s get a little controversial.”—Covino (05:17)
• “Brands are making boneheaded mistakes that don’t need to be made.”—Rich (07:39)
• “You got to have your head so far up your ass to think this mural isn’t some type of weird agenda.”—Rich (08:50)
• “Sports is defined by numbers and stats. You can’t fake pandering here. Icon on what planet?”—Covino (16:05)
• “We live in a world now where no one likes when people are full of baloney.”—Rich (24:29)

Notable Observations:

• Host frustration isn’t with inclusion or diversity, but with the appearance of checking boxes versus truly representing public and sporting greatness.
• The backlash “proves the point”—performative selections breed contempt or eye-rolls, rather than positive change.

Humor:

• Rich proposes a facetious segment, “Chipotle worker or WNBA player,” highlighting a lack of name recognition for so many present on the mural (10:36).

Debate over Real Icons:

• Discussion about who should be on such a mural: Joey Chestnut, Mike Tyson, actual MLB stars (19:39).
• “If they’re icons, we should all know their names, right?”—Dan Beyer (12:59)

Big Picture:

• “Are we at a point where sports pandering is dead—because the audience is too smart for it?”—Covino (15:51)
• Acknowledgement that ESPN is promoting its own properties, not necessarily global or historical sporting greats. “They’re ESPN icons.”—Ryan Seacrest (19:33)

3. Jim Harbaugh and Consequences for Past Actions

Timestamps: 32:18 – 48:33

Debate:

• Should Jim Harbaugh be suspended by the NFL for rule violations during his college coaching career?
• Discussion draws on precedent—Jim Tressel was suspended in the NFL for college misdeeds.
• Rich argues it’s illogical to punish someone in a new, unrelated league; Danny G and Dan Beyer argue college and pro football are connected and precedent matters.

Quotes & Color:

• "That's like if Walgreens fired me for something and Chipotle tried to suspend me for it." —Rich (32:26)
• “Shouldn’t be an escape plan—you can’t do illegal things in college, then just bolt for the NFL to dodge consequences.” —Covino (34:54)
• “It is, in essence, the minor leagues to the NFL.”—Dan Beyer (35:46)

4. Lighter Segments: Mets/Yankees Woes & Bat Flips

Timestamps: 21:28 – 32:18; 29:52 – 32:08

• Rich laments the Mets’ season: “They’re stinking like the Great Stink of 1858.”—Rich (22:17)
• Lighthearted banter about the Red Sox, Yankees, and the accepted showmanship of modern baseball bat flips.
• “Bat flips aren’t personal, 90% of the time…it’s just part of the game now.”—Covino (23:30)

5. Fast Food Etiquette Debate: The Case of Chipotle Napkins

Timestamps: 48:33 – 50:10

• Rich admits he grabs “a big pile of forks and a huge stack of napkins” as an “F you” to Chipotle prices.
• Covino calls him out: “That’s why there’s a $35 burrito—because of him.”
• A frivolous, relatable debate about petty ways consumers “fight back” at rising prices.

Notable Quotes and Moments

• “You can’t really fake the funk when it comes to sports pandering. You have stats to back that up.”—Covino (20:34)
• “If you can’t recognize who they are right away, that defeats the point of being an icon.”—Dan Beyer (24:50)
• “All aboard the Panda Express!”—Ryan Seacrest, joking about the pandering theme (25:31)
• “Is Judge Judy on the mural?!”—Rich, poking fun at the ESPN selection logic (22:17)
• “I go to Chipotle, and I grab a big pile of forks and a huge stack of napkins.” —Rich (49:39)
• “There’s a $35 burrito because of him.” —Covino (49:56)

Timestamps for Key Segments

• ESPN Wall of Icons Controversy: 05:17 – 26:06
• Harbaugh Suspension Debate: 32:18 – 48:33
• Mets/Yankees Banter & Bat Flip Talk: 21:28 – 32:18; 29:52 – 32:08
• Chipotle Napkin Debate: 48:33 – 50:10

Conclusion

This episode of The Dan Patrick Show's Covino & Rich hour oscillates between biting sports commentary and laid-back levity. The main focus, sports pandering, is dissected with humor and skepticism, questioning whether sports brands risk alienating fans with inauthentic gestures. Lively banter, cultural references, and audience engagement keep the conversation upbeat even when tackling “controversial” topics—making it a full, fun, and opinionated listen.