The Dan Patrick Show – C&R: Lovable Dr. Seuss & Shia LaBeouf's Hatred

Date: March 3, 2026
Hosts: Steve Covino & Rich Davis (C&R)
Notable Participants: Kelvin Washington, Jonas Knox, Danny G, Iowa Sam

Episode Overview

This lively, humor-filled episode of The Dan Patrick Show (Covino & Rich edition) honors Dr. Seuss on his birthday, dives into inspirational near-quitting stories, and explores “irrational hate” in sports, all with their signature blend of sports, pop culture, and candid fan talk. Among the standout themes: the unlikely beef between Shia LaBeouf and Mike Piazza, the legacy of Dr. Seuss, and a game of fans airing out their own irrational sports vendettas.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. Dr. Seuss’s Birthday & Legacy

Segment Start: [03:30]

• The show kicks off with Dr. Seuss appreciation, asking about favorite Seuss books and highlighting stories from the author’s remarkable career.
• Origin of "Green Eggs and Ham":
  • Dr. Seuss wrote the book on a $50 bet he could use only 50 words ([04:24]).
  • “He was dared to write a book with 50 words or less. And he said, all right, bet. I'll take the physical challenge... And he wrote a book with 50 words or less. And it was one of his most popular.” — Steve Covino [03:55]
• Almost Gave Up:
  • Dr. Seuss was on the verge of quitting writing after multiple publisher rejections, but a chance encounter led to his first publication and near-billion sales ([05:10]–[06:02]).
  • "He ran into an old pal who had just got hired by a publishing company... had he called it quits, we wouldn’t have all these legendary stories." — Steve Covino [05:10]
• Moral:
  • The team draws parallels to perseverance in entertainment and sports (e.g. John Krasinski, Michael J. Fox, Pat McAfee).
  • "You never know when to give up." — Rich Davis [06:02]

2. Sports, Trash TV, and Patriotism: World Baseball Classic (WBC)

Segment Start: [10:00]

• Covino’s passion for the WBC and discussing sports fandom.
• "Nerd" Origin:
  • “Dr. Seuss coined... or at least popularized the term nerd.” — Steve Covino [10:48]
• Hypothetical Debate: Trading MLB Wins for USA Pride ([11:43]):
  • Would you sacrifice wins for your MLB team to secure a Team USA WBC victory?
  • "What if. Here's the hypothetical. In order for Team USA to win, you have to give up five Yankee wins this year. You're taking the deal?" — Rich Davis [11:43]
  • Covino is willing to trade three, but not five, Yankee wins for a Team USA WBC win ([12:09]–[13:49]).
• USA Pride & Cost of Jerseys:
  • Discussion of national pride, unity, and the overpriced, hard-to-get USA jerseys ([12:27]–[13:05]).

3. Shia LaBeouf’s Viral Interview & Mike Piazza Beef

Segment Start: [15:15]

• Viral interview with Andrew Callahan (Channel 5): LaBeouf, notorious for honesty and unpredictability, unleashes a volley of confessions.
• Key Story: Mike Piazza Snub ([18:32]):
  • "Remember trying to get Mike Piazza's autograph... for my whole life... I did it for... 90 times, probably rejected me 90 times. So what it did was, I'm gonna sign them all. So when I got on, it was like, yo, Mike Piazza..." — Shia LaBeouf [18:32], [34:36]
  • This repeated childhood snub inspired LaBeouf to always sign for kids (unless he’s eating, with his kid, or “chasing ass” [20:16]).
• The Broader Theme:
  • Several stories echo this “one more chance” motif, be it Seuss, McAfee, or LaBeouf.
  • "The kid they snub is gonna make it this far in life where they'll get called down." — Steve Covino [35:14]
• Callbacks to similar celebrity snub-vengeance stories (see: George Lopez & Eric Estrada, Eddie Murphy & Rodney Dangerfield [19:10], [35:36]).

4. Irrational Sports Hate: Listeners & Hosts Unleash (Interactive Segment)

Segment Start: [20:19]

• C&R ask audience and crew to share their “irrational hate” for sports figures due to failed fan interactions.
  • "Is there a pro athlete you have an irrational hate for?… Sometimes you just catch someone on a bad day." — Rich Davis [20:19]
• Hosts' Examples:
  • Colin Kaepernick — Snubbed Rich at an ESPN party (refused a selfie, acted distant: “Yo, Cap… can we take a quick pic? ‘Nah, I’m not doing that. Bye.’” — Rich Davis [23:49])
  • CJ Stroud — Off-putting encounter at Super Bowl media row ([24:43])
  • Molly Ringwald — Refused to discuss her iconic past roles ([22:06])
  • Personal Wins:
    • Covino & Rich use lingering slights from a former agent as motivation ([36:24]–[37:11]).
• Fan Calls:
  • Stories from listeners about rude encounters with pros (Bobby Higginson, Mean Joe Green, Sterling Sharpe) [39:33], [40:50], [50:16].

5. Final Notes & Memorable Quotes

Quote Highlight Reel:

• “I call that the Bob Ross theory. You never know when he’s really done, because every time I thought he was done, he carried on…” — Steve Covino [06:19]
• "90 times, as the kiddos say. That wasn't on my bingo card. Shia LaBeouf having a vendetta against Mike Piazza was not predicted by me." — Rich Davis [20:34]
• “Honestly, if you mess with someone on this show, clearly I'm seeing a pattern.” — Steve Covino [25:36]
• "We had a former agent… said straight to our faces… ‘there’s just no market for Covino & Rich in the world of sports.’” — Steve Covino [36:24]

Notable and Memorable Moments

• Shia LaBeouf’s wild vulnerability:
  "He said lots of crazy stuff… he thinks he has a small man complex, like a Napoleon problem." — Rich Davis [16:20]
• The recurring ‘one more shot’ motif: Seuss nearly quitting, athletes on the verge, actors almost giving up, all pivoting into breakout moments.
• Fans “airing grievances” in the most entertaining, sports-radio fashion, often with hosts joking about the length of caller stories (“30 seconds, Don!” [49:47])

Timestamps for Important Segments

• [03:30] — Dr. Seuss appreciation and “Green Eggs and Ham” $50 bet story
• [05:10] — Seuss meets publisher “last shot” story
• [06:02] — "Never know when to give up" discussion (Bob Ross, John Krasinski, Pat McAfee)
• [10:48] — Dr. Seuss and the origin of “nerd”
• [11:43] — MLB wins for WBC hypothetical
• [15:15] — Shia LaBeouf, Mike Piazza, and Andrew Callahan interview introduction
• [18:32] — Shia LaBeouf’s autograph snub story and its effect
• [20:19] — Launch of irrational sports hate discussion
• [24:43] — CJ Stroud fan encounter story
• [36:24] — C&R’s agent/motivation story
• [39:33] — Listener Bobby Higginson story
• [50:16] — Mean Joe Green mistaken identity
• [51:07] — Sterling Sharpe lawn-mowing anecdote
• [35:36/34:36] — Eddie Murphy/Rodney Dangerfield; Shia’s full Piazza story replay

Tone & Style

The episode blends quick-witted banter, over-the-top sincerity, self-deprecating humor, and genuine moments of reflection—making the sports talk relatable and engaging, even for non-sports fans. Both Covino & Rich alternate spontaneous bits with sports analysis, always encouraging fan participation and emotional candor.

Conclusion

This episode is a celebration of not only Dr. Seuss and his take on resilience, but also the challenges, quirks, and unexpected personalities that color the sports and pop culture landscape. Whether discussing awkward celebrity snubs, national pride over the WBC, or simply calling out the pain of lemon-scented Clorox wipes, Covino and Rich keep it energetic, personal, and fun.