The Dan Patrick Show (Covino & Rich) – April 29, 2026
Episode Title: C&R - $6 MetLife, Ride for Your Team, Mixtapes
Episode Overview
This lively episode of Covino and Rich, part of the Dan Patrick Podcast Network, delivers their signature mix of irreverent sports talk and pop culture banter. Broadcasting on a Taco Tuesday, the crew digs into the shockingly low Mets ticket prices ($6!), the current state of MLB management firings, fandom loyalty, the viral Savannah Bananas baseball phenomenon, and the lost art of the mixtape—with plenty of jokes, hot takes, and memorable moments along the way.
Key Discussion Points & Insights
1. The $6 Mets Ticket Crisis and MLB Manager Firings
- [09:43, 10:13, 11:33, 12:45, 13:23]
- Mets tickets are so cheap they cost about as much as a Taco Bell Crunchwrap Supreme; it's a viral meme and the butt of many jokes on the show.
- Phillies and Red Sox have both fired their managers after disappointing starts; the crew debates when the Mets will do the same.
- The guys riff on what else you can get for $6 nowadays (see Memorable Moments below).
- Serious discussion of the implications these managerial moves have for baseball's big-market teams and fan expectations.
Quote [13:20, Rich]:
"You can buy 88 tickets to tonight's Nats at Mets game for the same price as one ticket to Hawks and Knicks tonight at the Garden. 88 Mets tickets!"
Quote [16:06, Covino]:
“Professional baseball tickets for six bucks. They're begging people to come because the fans are so frustrated with the team. My daughter's cheerleading competition tickets were 11 bucks. Put that in perspective!”
- Management Firings:
- Both Phillies and Red Sox pulled the trigger early; Mets fans are calling for Mendoza's dismissal.
- The guys discuss whether big payrolls and market expectations make the Mets' season "the biggest disgrace in sports history" if things don't turn around.
Quote [15:31, Rich]:
“Couldn't you argue it's the biggest disgrace of a professional sports season in history, based on payroll, based on expectations?”
2. Fan Loyalty: Ride for Your Team or Bail?
- [19:07, 20:23, 22:32, 23:16]
- Rich considers whether to let his LA-born kids keep suffering as Mets fans, or switch allegiance to the hometown Dodgers.
- Is it “weak” for fans to refuse to support their team when the team is failing? Is it fair-weather to skip games, or just refusing to reward bad behavior?
- The group reflects on how fandom shapes identity and character, while also weighing practical parental choices.
Quote [20:28, Covino]:
“It does mold your personality somewhat. So Rich has a choice to make. Rich forcing upon his weak ass Mets right now is not doing them any good.”
Quote [23:16, Danny G]:
"That's the keyword my mom taught us as little kids—like the Monday after a bad loss for your NFL team, wear your gear. Are you a fan supporting them in their roughest times or are you just there for the good times?"
3. The Savannah Bananas: Sports, Spectacle, and Fads
- [04:29, 04:47, 08:01, 08:28]
- The Savannah Bananas—the touring baseball team known for viral antics, packed stadiums, and guest celebrity performances—get compared to “real baseball.”
- Russell Wilson and Tino Martinez are discussed as recent special guests; the hosts debate the honor of participating in Bananas games versus MLB ceremonies.
- The Bananas’ enormous popularity is credited with “forcing MLB’s hand” to be more entertaining.
Quote [08:28, Covino]:
"MLB is still MLB, and it's still more of an honor... Savannah Bananas, I’m not going to say it’s a fad, but you know, it’s just a thing right now. I hold my ground, I stick with major league baseball, real baseball opportunity.”
Quote [08:14, Isaac Loewencron]:
“Admittedly, right now, the Bananas simply have more peel.”
4. The Art (and Lost Art) of the Mixtape
- [33:16, 34:13, 35:02, 36:43, 37:22, 45:06]
- The crew discusses a headline about a suspicious Spotify playlist linked to NFL figures and pivots into nostalgia.
- Making a mixtape or burning a CD for someone is framed as a lost romantic or friendly gesture; streaming playlists are just not the same.
- Everyone shares stories about the effort that used to go into mixtapes—handwriting the tracks, sequencing, even adding secret lyrical messages.
Quote [37:22, Covino]:
“The amount of heart is not the same. The sequence in which you put those songs and how they would blend and you would fade it in and out—not the same.”
Quote [45:13, Rich]:
“The lost art of the mixtape is right up there with the lost art of, on a date night, going to Blockbuster and starting at A’s and working your way to Z’s of the new releases…”
Memorable Moments & Quotes
-
Mets Ticket Price Comparisons ([13:23-13:44])
- "A Taco Bell venti drink is the same price as a Mets ticket."
- "You get two items at the dollar store because everything in there now is like $2.99."
-
Fatigue with Mets’ Season ([23:42])
- “It’s a test of your character, right? What, you only ride with them when things are high?”
-
Bananas vs. MLB ([09:06, 08:01])
- “Do you want to be at the circus, or do you want to be part of something legitimate?” — Covino
-
Russell Wilson’s Snug Uniform ([04:32])
- “He looked very Kirby Puckett, rest in peace. Very Kirby Puckett esque. And I want to just ask you guys, right out the gate, is a baseball uniform, if snug, the least flattering uniform in sports?” — Rich
-
Jokes on AI and Shopping for $6 ([30:42-31:56])
- “You could get yo yo toys, bath toys, and keychains for under six bucks, according to AI.”
- “Or sit at Citi Field and watch Juan Soto not play.”
Notable Deep Dives with Timestamps
-
The Mets Downfall and Management Firings
- 09:43–16:06: Detailed breakdown of the Mets’ disastrous performance, the firings elsewhere in MLB, and the argument that the Mets’ season could be historically disgraceful.
-
Fandom Loyalty vs. Fair-Weather Support
- 19:07–23:57: The hosts debate whether fandom means sticking through bad times or withholding support for poor product.
-
Savannah Bananas and the State of Baseball Entertainment
- 04:29–08:28: Bananas phenomenon, MLB vs. spectacle, participation honors debated.
-
Mixtape Culture and Modern Playlists
- 33:16–38:59, 45:06–46:07: Discussion on the cultural shift from hand-crafted mixtapes to simple streaming playlists.
Additional Segments
-
Listener Calls and Live Chat ([32:23, 40:49])
- Audience contributes jokes about rat infestations at Angel Stadium vs. the Mets’ arrival.
- Listener remarks on receiving a mixtape from a woman—“it says a little more.”
-
Feel-Good Sports Story ([39:05])
- A man’s seizure from laughing at a botched football play led to a tumor discovery and life-saving surgery.
-
Upcoming Topics Teased ([46:07])
- NFL, NBA Playoffs preview, Ty Simpson, secret Rams meetings, and Big Poppy trivia—all named as “coming up.”
Concluding Notes
True to form, Covino and Rich blend sharp sports insight with self-deprecating humor and a big helping of nostalgia, particularly around how modern fandom and culture have changed. If you missed the show, you can catch the full spectrum of debates, jokes, and cultural references in this episode—the perfect primer for sports fans and pop culture aficionados alike.