The Dan Patrick Show (C&R) – "Horned Up Olympics, Excitement Down NBA"

Date: February 13, 2026
Hosts: Covino & Rich (with Danny G, Iowa Sam, Dan Byers)
Podcast Network: iHeartPodcasts & Dan Patrick Podcast Network

Overview

This lively episode kicks off “Valentine’s Week” with sports and pop culture banter, diving into two main themes: the infamous Olympic Village “condom stories” and the struggle to get excited about the current NBA season. Covino & Rich mix signature humor with honest takes on why Olympic athletes might be “horned up,” why NBA viewership feels tepid, and what could fix it. The episode features listener calls, crew banter, and thoughtful analysis, keeping a conversational, irreverent tone throughout.

Key Discussion Points and Insights

1. Valentine’s Week & Olympic “Love” Stories

• The episode opens with jokes about the “weekend of love,” tying in Valentine’s Day and the "Lovey-dovey" mood.
• Olympic Condom Stories: News breaks that this year’s Winter Olympics had to order an “extra 10,000 condoms” due to high demand among athletes.
  • Covino: “Why is there always like some sort of condom story around the Olympics?” (04:23)
  • Rich: “Sex mad Winter Olympic stars… They had to order an extra 10,000 condoms.” (04:16)
• Speculation about whether all the “Olympic loving” ever results in “super-athlete Olympic babies” – but no famous examples come to mind.
• Personal anecdotes emerge, like Rich’s father almost making the Olympic ping pong team and dominating a listener event (05:45).
• Humor throughout: Olympic athletes “hot, young, in shape, horned up, all in one place.” (11:01)
• Covino: “Anytime you put good looking people or horned up people in one place, working intimately for too long a time, anything could happen and shenanigans take place.” (14:08)

Memorable Quotes

• ”Have we ever learned of like an Olympic baby that’s just a super athlete?” – Rich (05:03)
• “They’re all practicing safe sex. We established why.” – Covino, on why no Olympic super-athlete babies have appeared (08:41)

2. NBA Viewership & Fan Engagement Problem

• The show shifts from Playful Olympic talk to a frank conversation on the NBA.
• The hosts and listeners voice that the NBA currently feels like "a homework assignment"—something you want to get excited about, but keep putting off.
  • Covino: “The NBA feels like something that you keep pushing off, like a homework assignment.” (17:30)
  • Rich compares following the NBA to fixing neglected gutters—necessary, but uninspiring. (17:52)
• The NBA's “cool factor” and competitiveness:
  • Lack of player passion and fire; teams win with just “gentle high-fives.”
  • Covino: “How could we be excited about something when they don’t even seem excited about it?” (22:51)
  • Legendary players negatively comparing today’s game to their era doesn’t help.
• Listener and Crew Analysis of NBA Problems:
  • Load Management: Frequent absences by stars, lineups full of unfamiliar bench players.
  • Too Many Threes: “Everybody thinks they’re Steph Curry,” leading to a less diverse game (27:57).
  • Lack of Rivalries and Passion: No strong player feuds, rivalries, or clear “must-watch” games.
  • Disconnect with Young Stars: Players turn pro younger, lack college career rapport with fans.
  • Shift in Importance: Overemphasis on championships/rings devalues regular season—NFL is the opposite.
  • Too Many Non-American Stars: A caller argues that the dominance of European stars makes the league less relatable to American fans (41:27).
• Covino: “It’s a young man’s game. They’re marketing more to a younger mindset.” (31:40)
• Dan Byers: “[In the LeBron era]...we didn’t care…the regular season didn’t matter…the Cavs weren’t going to be losing...they were bound to meet the Warriors in the Finals.” (32:03)
• Rich: “If you’re not going to win the Finals, then what’s the point?...it also feels like nothing matters till the playoffs.” (33:52)

Memorable Quotes & Timestamps

• “It’s not the game we grew up with. We want to love it again and we’re sort of confused as to why we’re not jumping on it.” – Covino (39:39)
• “They’re not relatable. It’s hard to know them.” – Rich, on today's NBA stars (42:22)
• “Much like a failed relationship, it’s not just one thing. It’s a collection of things.” – Covino (42:07)

3. How to Fix the NBA?

• The hosts and callers throw out ideas:
  • Fewer three-pointers, more physicality.
  • Monster trades at the deadline to create buzz (i.e., Giannis staying was “anticlimactic”).
  • Restore rivalries, passion, and team identities.
  • Increase connection between players and fans, possibly via longer college careers.
  • Rich: “If you were Fix It Felix…how we fixin’ the NBA?” (23:59)
• General consensus: There’s no single fix; it’s “a bunch of little things” that add up.

4. Listener Calls & Crew Banter

• Various callers chime in with their perspectives and possible solutions.
  • James (Massachusetts): “I think it’s the physicality…You took away the physicality out of the game.” (30:22)
  • Larry (Las Vegas): “Too many European stars." (41:22)
• Danny G and Dan Byers elaborate on the disconnect between older fans and the new generation of NBA players due to rapid transitions from college.

Timestamps for Notable Segments

• Olympic Condom Story Emerges: 04:13–06:02
• Super-Athlete ‘Olympic Babies’ Discussion: 05:03–06:32
• Lack of NBA Excitement & Load Management: 17:30–23:01
• Lack of NBA Passion/Celebration: 22:46–23:01, 28:49–29:06
• NBA Overemphasis on Rings: 32:03–33:52
• Disconnect with Young NBA Players: 34:31–35:41
• European vs. US NBA Stars Debate: 41:22–42:07

Notable Quotes & Moments

• “I don’t watch [Dancing with the Stars]. I just always read that…someone ends up breaking up [with] their long-term spouse or partner…” – Rich, drawing parallels between Olympic Village and reality TV (11:39)
• “How could we be excited about something when they don’t even seem excited about it?” – Covino, on NBA player celebrations (22:51)
• “If it was a problem, yo, I’ll solve it…” – Covino, referencing Vanilla Ice when prompting callers to “fix” the NBA (27:23)
• “It feels like nothing matters till the playoffs. It also feels like nothing matters until the last two minutes of the game.” – Covino (33:52)
• “Much like a failed relationship, it’s not just one thing. It’s a collection of things.” – Covino (42:07)

Summary Table: NBA Issues Raised

| Problem | Speaker(s) | Timestamps | |---------------------------|---------------------------|--------------------| | Load Management | Rich, Covino, Danny G | 20:59–22:02 | | Too Many Three-Pointers | Covino | 27:57–28:32 | | Lack of Passion | Covino, Rich, Danny G | 22:46–23:06, 28:49 | | Overemphasis on Rings | Dan Byers, Rich | 32:03–33:52 | | Disconnection w/Rookies | Danny G, Dan Byers | 34:31–35:41 | | Too Many Non-U.S. Stars | Larry (caller), Rich | 41:22–42:07 | | Not Relatable/Quiet Stars | Rich | 42:22–42:46 |

Conclusion

The episode is a masterclass in blending humor, sports insight, and pop culture, using Olympic “sex stories” to examine human nature and then pivoting into a raw, multi-faceted critique of the NBA’s engagement problem. The hosts invite listener participation and grapple with the nuances of fandom, nostalgia, and shifting audience tastes, all while keeping things quick-witted and unfiltered.

For in-depth NBA fixes and more wild anecdotes, catch the episode on Fox Sports Radio or YouTube @covinoenrich FSR.