The Dan Patrick Show: Covino & Rich – "Team Out, Tune Out?"

Date: October 10, 2025
Hosts: Steve Covino & Rich Davis
Contributors: Danny G, Edmund, Dan Byer, Spotty
Network: iHeartPodcasts – Dan Patrick Podcast Network

Episode Overview

In this lively edition of Covino & Rich, the central theme is:
When your team gets knocked out—do you still care about the postseason, or do you immediately "tune out"?
The hosts and crew, still stinging from eliminations of their own favorite teams, dig into fandom, sports heartache, and whether "pulling for" someone else is legitimate. They discuss possible pivot points—do you start following a new team's story, root for other players, or jump sports entirely? Plus, the group hits on memorable moments from MLB playoffs and pivots into NBA news, delivering classic banter along the way.

Key Discussion Points & Segments

1. Fandom After Your Team Loses

[00:57–04:42]

• Steve Covino, a Yankees fan, commiserates after another disappointing season:

  "All the Yankees stink. They didn't deserve to win... The Yankees abandoned all of [the fundamentals] just to swing in the air and whiff and miss and go for home runs. And that's not baseball, that's failure."
  — Covino, 00:57

• The panel discusses the emotional stages following team elimination—bitterness, denial, and ultimate resignation.

• They question:

  • Do "true fans" keep watching the postseason, or is it OK to tap out?
  • Is it acceptable to root for another team, or is that bandwagon behavior?
  • Can you pull for a friend's favorite team, or are you obligated to pick a rival?

2. How to Watch When You Have 'No Dog in the Fight'

[05:31–11:15]

• Covino & Rich consider two main reactions from fans:

  • Some immediately stop watching when their team is eliminated.
  • Others still watch, maybe finding another team or player to root for based on storylines or underdog narratives.

• Organic Fandom:

  • Guest Dan Byer sums it up:

    "I think one of the great things about being a sports fan is watching an event and having a natural reaction to a game that you didn't know that you were cheering for a certain team. You may have no dog in the fight...you come out of it and you're like, why was I rooting for that team the whole time?"
    — Byer, 08:43

3. Bandwagoning & Maturity in Sports Fandom

[11:20–13:55]

• Rich Davis defends the idea of "stepping on a bandwagon, not jumping on one":

  "You don't ever claim to be a fan of that team. But...as a Mets fan...if I said, you know what, Cal Raleigh's having a magical year. I do like everyone on that team. Maybe I'll pull for the Mariners."
  — Davis, 05:42

• The hosts jokingly debate:

  • Rooting for a friend's team vs. choosing a team you respect.
  • Emotional maturity—can you enjoy good baseball even when it's not your team?
  • Hating on rivals ("There's no way I'm rooting for the Blue Jays. So again, guys, what do you do in these situations?" — Covino, 10:54)

4. Player vs. Team Allegiance

[17:13–18:07]

• Discussion broadens to rooting for favorite players (e.g., Yelich, Bryce Harper) instead of teams.

• Edmund points out new generations often follow favorite players, even if they’re not on their local or originally supported teams, especially in the NBA.

• Quote:

  "My teenagers do this a lot in the NBA. They have favorite players like Steph [Curry]...But they're Laker fans. So this generation right now, they follow different NBA players."
  — Edmund, 18:07

5. LeBron James Injury Update

[18:23–19:58]

• Breaking news segment:

  • LeBron James to miss 3–4 weeks with sciatica.
  • The guys riff on age, athlete injuries, and old-man problems in professional sports.

• Quote:

  "That's 40-something year old guy problems. That's not young guy problems from hoisting Hennessy."
  — Rich Davis, 18:47

6. Transitioning to Other Sports

[14:04–14:33]

• Rich reflects on how fans might pivot to other sports as soon as their primary rooting interest is gone.
  • "I have New York friends that are like, all right, Mets, let us down onto...the Rangers and the Knicks. Basketball and hockey are on the horizon."
• Covino admits, "I feel like I'm all alone now, in the mist." (14:33).

7. Listener Calls: The Post-Elimination Playbook

[30:36–34:34]

• Listeners share their own approaches:

  • Rooting for the team that has never won (Brewers, Mariners).
  • Some tune out completely; others watch for great storylines, underdogs, or their kids' favorite teams.
  • The "family feud" of fandom in multi-team households.

• Quote:

  "If we were playing Family Feud...I think the number one answer on the board would be people root for the team that perhaps the franchise has never won. That's always the answer."
  — Rich Davis, 31:42

8. Humor, Grief, and the Stages of Sports Loss

[35:55–36:50]

• Covino jokes about the stages of grief:

  "Only one team wins. So shut your pie hole. If it's not your team, then shut up."
  — Covino, 36:19

• "I think it's a failure. I'm embarrassed by the Yankees. I'm disgusted...I love the game that the Blue Jays play. I just don't like them."
  — Covino, 36:33

9. Old School TV—Fox’s Edgy Origins

[38:04–43:38]

• Celebrating the anniversary ("On this day in 1986") of Fox launching as America's fourth TV network.

• Reflection on Fox's early edginess:

  • Simpsons, Married with Children, In Living Color, and risqué cartoons/shows.
  • Hosts reminisce: Bart Simpson T-shirts, parents objecting to "bad influences," and sneaking a watch when adults weren’t around.

• Quote:

  "Al Bundy went to what strip club did he go to? The Jiggly Room."
  — Covino, 42:39 "It was borderline inappropriate, especially for back then."
  — Rich Davis, 42:22

Notable Quotes & Moments (with Timestamps)

• "All the Yankees stink. They didn't deserve to win...I'm sick of it. I'm done with it."
  — Steve Covino [00:57]

• "One of the great things about being a sports fan is...having a natural reaction to a game that you didn't know that you were cheering for a certain team..."
  — Dan Byer [08:43]

• "You have friends that are like, dude, it's a postseason. What do you mean you're not watching?"
  — Rich Davis [05:42]

• "I'm a little spiteful...I like the style of play...I just don't like them. No way I'm rooting for the Blue Jays."
  — Steve Covino [10:54]

• "If your team's out, do you tune out? Is that the only way to do this? Or as a sports fan, do you say...let me root for my buddy's team?"
  — Steve Covino [06:26]

• "My teenagers do this a lot in the NBA. They have favorite players like Steph and so they'll be sharing during a Warriors game. But they're Laker fans."
  — Edmund [18:07]

• "That's 40-something year old guy problems. That's not young guy problems from hoisting Hennessy."
  — Rich Davis [18:47]

• "But only one team wins. Relax, slow your roll. And I can't wait to see who it is."
  — Steve Covino [36:50]

Timestamps for Key Segments

• Rant on Yankees, Post-elimination Fandom: [00:57–04:42]
• When Your Team’s Out: Now What? [04:42–13:55]
• Dan Byer: The Joy of Unplanned Fandom [08:43]
• Transitioning to Other Teams/Sports [14:04–14:33]
• Player Allegiance over Team Allegiance [17:13–18:07]
• LeBron James Injury Discussion [18:23–19:58]
• Caller Segment (Post-Elimination Mindset) [30:36–34:34]
• Yankees Grief & Humor [35:55–36:50]
• Old School TV, Fox Network’s Edgy Start [38:04–43:38]

Recap & Takeaways

• Passionate Fandom: Sports pain is real, and Covino’s Yankees heartbreak is palpable.
• "Tune Out vs. Tune In": There’s no “right way” to navigate fandom after elimination. Some find joy in other storylines; some just can’t bear to watch.
• Bandwagon vs. "Stepping On": The hosts make a subtle but important distinction: you can enjoy another team's run without claiming allegiance.
• Player-First Fandom: The next generation roots for players as much, or more, than teams.
• Humor & Community: The hosts use light ribbing and sports pain as bonding—whether busting on each other or relating to callers.
• Pop Culture Tie-ins: Celebrating Fox’s anniversary, the team reflects on how the rough edges of 1980s–90s programming shaped expectations.

For Listeners Who Missed the Episode:

This episode blends commiseration over lost dreams with truthful reminders about the nature of sports fandom. Expect irreverence, sharp takes, and plenty of laughs as the Covino & Rich crew debates the “right” way to watch sports when yours isn’t the team left standing.

To get in on the discussion, follow @CovinoAndRich and call in at 877-99-ON-FOX.