The Dan Patrick Show: C&R – Excited Like a WBC Player, Mahomes Trivia

Date: March 10, 2026
Podcast Network: iHeartPodcasts and Dan Patrick Podcast Network
Hosts: Rich Davis, Covino (Steve Covino), Dan Byer, Danny G, guest appearance by "Showboy Mahomes" (Mahomes Trivia)

Episode Overview

This high-energy episode blends sharp sports insights with playful banter as Covino and Rich (C&R) discuss the escalating excitement of the World Baseball Classic (WBC), MLB's “fun problem,” and cultural contrasts in baseball. They also tackle NFL free agency headlines with Dan Byer, engage in "Showboy Mahomes" football trivia, and riff on music, pop culture, and quirky personal anecdotes. For fans of both baseball and football, the episode offers engaging dialogue on how culture shapes pro sports—plus plenty of humor and inside jokes.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. World Baseball Classic: Next-Level Excitement

• WBC Hype and Cultural Energy

  • Covino and Rich dive into the differences between WBC and MLB, marveling at the "next level" energy and crowd enthusiasm in games featuring Latin American teams.
  • Covino: “When you're playing for your country...the pride is next level. And I feel like everybody's noticing that.” [08:28]
  • The hosts question why MLB games can't replicate the vibe—suggesting that cultural freedom and unbridled joy are key in the WBC.

• Contrast with MLB Culture

  • Rich discusses how MLB's entrenched “unwritten rules” about not “showing up” pitchers or celebrating stifle player enthusiasm. [09:09]
  • Covino recalls Ricky Henderson and Ken Griffey Jr. as early examples of showmanship who were told to tone it down: “When Ken Griffey Jr. wore a backwards hat, we made it seem like he was a wild and crazy guy. It's not that serious.” [10:15]
  • Rich: “Every sport embraces this type of behavior except for baseball. That’s their one flaw.” [12:21]

2. Juan Soto, Francisco Lindor, and Team Chemistry

• Juan Soto's Dual Identity: MLB vs. WBC

  • Rich floats a theory that Juan Soto is a different, livelier player with the Dominican Republic than with the Mets—happier, engaged, and more expressive. [14:04]
  • Covino agrees: “Juan Soto, playing for the Dominican Republic, resembles a human I've never seen...he's bat flipping, he's doing everything.”

• Soto-Lindor Relationship Drama

  • Rich details speculation that Francisco Lindor didn’t properly welcome Juan Soto to the Mets, possibly souring their relationship and overall team chemistry.
  • Lindor's businesslike response to questions about team camaraderie is contrasted directly with Soto's effusive "we're a family" attitude on the DR squad.
  • Notable Quotes:
    • Lindor: “We're not best friends. We're professionals and we want to win.” [18:35]
    • Juan Soto (after a walk-off HR for DR): “We play like a family...And it's fun to play like that.” [19:02]

• Clubhouse Culture Parable

  • Covino and Rich liken MLB’s restrictive atmosphere to being in a relationship where “you can't be yourself” vs. the freeing vibe of the WBC.
  • Rich: “Major League Baseball, the girlfriend that's not letting you be who you are.” [14:34]

3. Wider Sports Culture: Fun vs. Tradition

• Other Leagues as Models

  • The hosts observe that the NFL and NBA encourage expressive celebrations—dances after touchdowns, gestures after three-pointers, etc.—contrasting with baseball's stoicism.
  • Covino: “You gotta let these dudes have fun and do what they do, embrace what they do.” [11:43]

• Will WBC Energy Influence MLB?

  • The conversation circles back to whether WBC-style energy could carry forward to regular MLB play, especially among Latino players.
  • Covino: “The reminder here is Latino players are showing us or reminding us that baseball is fun. And we hope that carries into the regular season.” [23:15]

4. NFL Mania & Mahomes Trivia (Segmented with Timestamps)

• Breaking NFL News (w/ Dan Byer) [05:44, 32:00]

  • The show is interrupted for real-time NFL free agency updates; big-name signings for the Raiders, moves by the Chiefs, and more.
  • Dan Byer delivers rapid-fire headlines and contract details.

• Mahomes Trivia Game [35:01–40:11]

  • "Showboy Mahomes" leads multiple-choice NFL trivia, with laughs about Kansas City’s new arrivals, mascot names, and quotes about competition.
  • Sample Question & Banter:
    • Showboy Mahomes: "Which NFL team's mascot is named Staley?"
    • Contestant: "The Bears?"
    • Showboy: "You would be right, sir." [38:10]
  • Dan Byer wins the round, securing his 24th trivia victory.

5. Pop Culture & Personal Anecdotes

• Music Taste Debates [29:12–31:38]
  • The hosts joke about “Hey Leonardo” vs. “Stairway to Heaven”—prompting playful generational digs and self-parody.
• Fun Facts: Name Origins [48:36]
  • Rich shares the tidbit that the name “Madison” became a popular girl's name solely because of Daryl Hannah’s character in the 1984 movie "Splash."
  • Covino relates this to the rise of “Jalen” after Jalen Rose.
• Daylight Saving, Clocks, and Coach Schedules
  • The crew riffs on losing an hour for daylight savings and how it impacts kid sports practices, with more light for extra activities.

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• On WBC Joy vs. MLB Restraint:

  • Covino: “When you see Juan Soto hit a bomb, you see these Dominican dudes go nuts... They’re busting out sombreros, going crazy. Why is this only limited to the World Baseball Classic?” [08:28]
  • Rich: “Somewhere along the way, we stuck with these unspoken rules. In an old guy sport, baseball, you don’t show up a pitcher, you don’t celebrate.” [09:09]

• On Baseball's “Fun Problem”:

  • Covino: “It proves that within the confines of MLB, these guys tone it down.” [11:33]
  • Rich: “Every sport embraces this type of behavior except for baseball. That’s their one flaw.” [12:21]

• On Soto-Lindor Dynamic:

  • Lindor: “We’re not best friends. We’re professionals and we want to win.” [18:35]
  • Juan Soto: “We play like a family...And it’s fun to play like that. We’re a family.” [19:02]

Important Timestamps

• [03:33] – Rich’s conspiracy theory: Lindor and Soto “hate each other.”
• [05:44] – Dan Byer delivers NFL breaking news; Raiders signings.
• [08:28–09:46] – C&R analyze the cultural excitement in WBC vs. MLB.
• [14:04–14:34] – Juan Soto’s exuberance with DR vs. MLB “toned down” behavior.
• [18:35–19:10] – Side-by-side comparison of Lindor & Soto's team comments.
• [23:15] – “Latino players are showing us...that baseball is fun.”
• [35:01–40:11] – Mahomes Trivia game: NFL mascot question, Dan Byer wins.
• [48:36] – Madison name origin “Splash” fun fact.
• [51:24] – Preview of Team USA vs. Mexico in the WBC: “USA can’t get over the Mexico hump.”

Recap and Tone

Covino and Rich keep things lively with quick wit, friendly roasting, and balanced sports takes. Serious cultural critiques—like the “fun problem” in MLB—are offset by personal stories, music debates, and exaggerated analogies (“MLB as the girlfriend who won’t let you be yourself”). The collaborative, interactive approach (including trivia and chat feedback) ensures listeners feel part of the action, elevating the conversation beyond routine sports radio commentary.

Summary Takeaway

This episode spotlights how cultural diversity and shifting norms fuel the passion and unpredictability in today’s sports—especially as seen in the WBC. The C&R crew challenge traditional mindsets, question why MLB resists change, and call for a more expressive, joyful brand of baseball, all while keeping laughs and trivia front and center. If you missed it, you’ll walk away energized and more attuned to the culture wars driving fun (or restraining it) in America’s game.