The Dan Patrick Show (Covino & Rich)

Episode: C&R – Bosses, Bases & Bearded QBs!
Date: October 17, 2025
Host(s): Covino & Rich, with Dan Byer and Danny G.

Main Theme:

This episode celebrates National Boss’s Day by diving into the best (and worst) bosses in sports, pop culture, and personal experience. The hosts blend playful banter, listener stories, and real sports talk—including discussion on MLB postseason performances (especially Shohei Ohtani and “old guy” athletes), with the conversational humor and nostalgia Covino and Rich are known for.

Key Topics & Discussion Points

1. Bosses in Sports and Pop Culture (05:11 – 15:15)

• National Boss’s Day “Old School When 50 Hits” Segment
  • The crew reminisces about iconic sports bosses:
    • George Steinbrenner (Yankees): “He had an expectation. He was very Trump-like in the way he managed his team, in the way he commanded respect.” – Covino (06:17)
    • Dr. Jerry Buss (Lakers)
    • Al Davis (Raiders): “Al Davis. Oh, yeah.” – Covino (07:38)
    • Vince McMahon (WWE)
    • Jerry Jones (Cowboys)
  • The importance and perception of “the boss” extends to TV and movies:
    • “You don’t think of Mr. Slate or Mr. Spacely...from Hanna Barbera?” – Covino (08:08)
    • Laughs about cartoon bosses, Boss Baby, and the tough (and sometimes absurd) early workplace experiences the hosts had.

Memorable Moments/Quotes:

• On Steinbrenner’s guest spot in Seinfeld:
  • “George Steinbrenner was just not a good actor…and had to then break it to Steinbrenner like, 'I’m not gonna use your voice.'” – Rich (06:30)
• On demanding early radio bosses:
  • “I had to clear out his whole attic because he was moving. So I was his personal mover…” – Covino (09:55)

2. Personal Boss Stories (09:55 – 15:14)

• Comics and catharsis as Covino & Rich describe the sometimes ridiculous things they did for radio bosses in their formative years.
• On gifts for bosses: Is this “kiss ass” or just kind?
  • “It’s like the kid that brings the teacher a gift—like the kid that brings her an apple.” – Covino (13:35)
• Listener call-ins: Michael Scott, Mr. Burns, Jennifer Aniston in Horrible Bosses, and more.

Notable Listener Call-in (16:36 – 18:34):

• Willie in Anchorage: “First boss that comes to mind is Michael Scott.”
• Meg in Montana: Seinfeld trivia—reveals the actor who played the physical Steinbrenner.

3. Bosses in Entertainment (18:53 – 21:59)

• Conversation expands to pop culture bosses:
  • The Office's Michael Scott and how his character evolved.
  • “He really did [get better with age].” – Covino (16:43)
  • “Jennifer Aniston in Horrible Bosses—that’s a good one.” – Covino (19:13)
  • “Devil Wears Prada”, “Whiplash”, “Elf” (Peter Dinklage), “Office Space” (Bill Lumberg)
• Reflects on what makes a great (or infamous) boss, and how harsh bosses may push you in different ways.

4. How Bosses Influence Growth (19:40 – 21:59)

• Perspective on “tough love” and adversity as learning experiences.
  • “When I look back at all those bosses…Nothing could be as difficult as…the Devil Wears Prada. But I learned a lot from them.” – Covino (19:40)
  • “Being a boss is kind of like having a superpower—some people just don’t know how to handle that responsibility, and they abuse it.” – Danny G. (20:36)
• Discussion expands to head coaches/”bosses” in pro sports, and the idea that not all great assistants make great bosses.

Baseball Talk: Shohei Ohtani & the Dodgers (34:17 – 39:18, 49:31 – 50:37)

• Shohei Ohtani’s postseason struggles get dissected:
  • “Shohei did something that no one had ever done before. He deferred his payments, what, $2 million a year, which allowed the Dodgers to get the other players to back him up…and they wouldn’t have those players if it wasn’t for that move he made.” – Covino (35:30)
  • Despite batting .147 in the postseason before this episode, minimal criticism compared to Aaron Judge’s postseason scrutiny.
• Discussion on building winning teams—star power vs. role players— and how Dodgers management used Ohtani’s team-first contract.

Notable Quotes:

• “If you win, it gets forgotten.” – Rich (37:08)
• “That’s the thing...not necessarily fair though. What was the biggest criticism for Aaron Judge? That he wasn’t coming through in the postseason. Why not at least a little bit of that narrative for Shohei Ohtani?” – Covino (37:09)

5. MLB Postseason/Old Guys in Sports (04:09 – 04:57, scattered)

• Celebratory shoutout to “old guys” in the game: “Max Scherzer’s 41 for the record and so is Aaron Rodgers, and Flacco is 40…” – Covino (04:28)
• Live reactions to Dodgers-Brewers, mention of Scherzer’s possible last start.

Additional Themes and Calls

• Bosses as TV/Movie Tropes: “Lumberg might be your number one TV or movie answer…that’s a cult classic.” – Rich (11:50)
• Workplace Absurdities: Danny G. shares how a radio boss stole his prize rims (15:00)
• Listener Rapid-fire (24:55 – 26:46):
  • Bosses from Dinosaurs, Lou Grant, Glengarry Glen Ross (“Alec Baldwin!” – Doug call-in), George Jetson/rumored Jim Carrey movie.

6. NFL Thursday Night Teaser & Pick (51:17 – 52:35)

• Picks for Steelers vs. Bengals & betting advice:
  • “Steelers and the under in a teaser. There you go.” – Rich (52:14)
• Reflections on the state of veteran QBs (“battle of the old ages”).

Notable Quotes & Moments by Timestamp

• “I would do all sorts of personal things…and personal errands for my boss. If he needed me to pick up his suits…I did that.” – Covino (09:55)
• “One boss said to me, ‘I don’t pay you to think. We already have a Howard Stern here.’” – Covino (14:49)
• “Cartoons combined. How about the big stories?” – Covino (08:56)
• “Being a boss is kind of like having a superpower in a way, because some people just don’t know how to handle that responsibility, and they abuse it.” – Danny G. (20:36)
• “If you win, this is all forgotten. If the Yankees had won a World Series while Aaron Judge batted, you know, .208…the Dodgers are winning, and there are moments where even though he’s not contributing, his pure presence is felt.” – Rich (37:34)
• “You know, he’s just not an easy target like that. He’s a really likable guy, and you know how great he is. So you really don’t want to—it doesn’t matter when he bats .147, but the stats don’t lie.” – Covino (38:56)

Timestamps for Key Segments

• Bosses in sports and culture: 05:11 – 15:15
• Personal boss stories: 09:55 – 15:14
• Listener Boss Call-ins: 16:33 – 18:34 and 24:55 – 26:46
• Bosses in Entertainment: 18:53 – 21:59
• Shohei Ohtani & Dodgers salary cap strategy: 34:17 – 39:18, 49:31 – 50:37
• Picks for NFL Thursday game: 51:17 – 52:35

Tone & Style

• Conversational, irreverent, and witty—true to Covino & Rich's signature style.
• First-person stories and nostalgia build a relatable foundation.
• Engaging tangents—listeners and hosts riff on pop culture in real time.
• Balance of sports analysis and life advice (workplace, coaching, growth).

Conclusion

This episode stands out for its celebration of iconic, notorious, and outlandish bosses seen through Covino & Rich’s comedic and reflective lens, mixing in real sports analysis (especially about aging athletes and Ohtani’s contract/postseason play). Listeners get entertainment, personal anecdotes, pop culture references, and practical sports talk—all delivered with the show’s trademark energetic banter.