The Dan Patrick Show (Covino & Rich)
Episode: “Polar Bear Pete, Jumpin' Ship”
Date: December 11, 2025
Hosts: Covino & Rich (with super producer Danny G, Dan Beyer on updates, and callers)
Main Theme:
A comedic, passionate deep-dive into the enormous changes shaking up MLB, particularly the exodus of Mets stars Pete Alonso and Edwin Diaz. The broader, soul-searching question: What could ever make a fan “jump ship” and abandon their team? The episode is rich with hot takes, personal confessions, caller stories, and signature humor, all colored by the pain of a down-on-their-luck Mets fan.
Episode Overview
The show opens amid breaking MLB news: the Mets’ franchise player Pete Alonso signs with the Orioles, hot on the heels of Edwin Diaz joining the Dodgers. Rich, a lifelong Mets faithful, is in full despair, contemplating the rare but real-world question: What would it actually take to make a devoted sports fan leave their team behind? Listeners call in with their own tales of loyalty and betrayal, while Covino, Rich, and the crew debate the changing landscape of fan allegiance in pro sports.
Key Discussion Points & Insights
1. “Vomiting” Over Mets Woes
[03:11-04:59]
- Rich opens with his disillusionment regarding the Mets' offseason: “Vomit. What are you vomiting about? Peter Alonzo?” (03:11, Covino)
- Rich rails against new management, expressing confusion over letting stars leave for modest differences in pay:
- “I don't know how you let Diaz go for a couple million more to the one team you need to beat. And then... Polar Bear Pete. My kids have his shirt... It's the worst. Pete Alonso going to the Orioles, like...” (05:24)
- Covino views Alonso’s departure largely as a refusal to be underappreciated:
- “He was disrespected last year. He bet on himself, put up big numbers again. I don't feel the fans embraced him the way they should have... Ownership should have gave him what he wanted.” (06:25)
- The duo discusses how the departures signal a cultural or management issue rather than just bad luck or contracts.
2. Legacy, Loyalty & When to Jump Ship as a Fan
[09:43-14:00, 15:26-17:29, 19:02-21:33]
- Covino poses the central question:
- “Based on this and Rich living in LA, is there ever a season, is there ever a reason for you, Rich, as a fan to jump ship?” (09:55)
- Rich recounts his family’s fandom origins and the significance of loyalty:
- “My dad went from Yankees to the Mets... My kids are like, dad, we like the Dodgers.” (10:29)
- The crew debates scenarios where leaving a team feels justified:
- Franchise moves (e.g., “I used to be a Rams fan, then they left St. Louis… Not a Rams fan anymore.” 11:15)
- Covino ties in parental influence: “If your kid is really showing a lot of fandom to a team... that could be a catalyst.” (12:49)
- Rich admits: “I have a soft spot for the Dodgers, which might be breaking, like, a man sports rule or something, but I'm still a Mets fan. I can't abandon this miserable franchise.” (12:49)
3. Edwin Diaz and Mets’ Clubhouse Drama
[13:08-16:39]
- Listeners and Rich riff on Diaz’s abrupt exit, including humorous “wiggle room” banter:
- “Diaz gets an offer from the Mets... He goes to the Dodgers, doesn't even come back to see what the Mets counter is... the guy has his own wiggle room.” (13:08)
- Danny G and Covino marvel at the Dodgers’ penchant for razzle-dazzle, especially with Diaz’s hyped musical entrance:
- “What makes the Dodgers disgusting is that... their superstars are likable and this makes them even more likable... the theatrics of Edwin Diaz coming in from the bullpen. It's insane.” (15:02)
4. The New York Mystique Fading
[16:14-16:39]
- Covino laments New York’s waning draw for star athletes:
- “It also goes to show you that New York doesn't have this mystique that it once had and that's slowly dwindling... it's sort of a down time to be there and to play there. The expectations are high. And for what?” (16:14)
5. What ARE Grounds to Abandon a Team? (Caller Stories & Hot Takes)
[17:50-27:43, 35:00-39:36]
- Covino and Rich collect listener stories:
- Longevity of futility: “If your team had a 20-year streak of suck, I think you’re allowed to jump ship.” (17:50, Listener)
- Super personal reasons—like relationships: “If your girl starts sleeping with a dude on the team you root for, can you root for that guy?” (20:06, Rich)
- Star-driven fandom: “I was a Packers fan and when Favre left, I did too. I realized I was more of a Favre fan than the actual Packers.” (18:23, Listener)
- The crew agrees (with much ribbing) that some rare situations—locations moves, repeated heartbreak, or deep personal issues—might justify switching teams, but most agree it's “fraud,” “Fugazi,” to do so for convenience.
6. Changing Times: Does Loyalty Still Matter?
[47:04-48:40]
- Covino predicts younger generations will be even less loyal to teams:
- “Our generation was a little more loyal. But today these pros ain't loyal. These pros are not loyal... people care about loyalty? I think based on this, based on the way sports is moving, we're going to see this happening more and more often.” (47:04)
- Cites Gen Z attitudes: “They'll wear other teams’ apparel because it looks cool.” (47:57, Covino)
- Lisa in chat: “Loyalty is a dying trait in general.” (48:16)
Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments
“Vomit. What are you vomiting about? Peter Alonzo?”
— Covino, [03:12]
“I don't know how you let Diaz go for a couple million more to the one team you need to beat. And then... the face of your franchise, the home run leader, Polar Bear Pete... It's the worst.”
— Rich, [05:24]
“He was disrespected last year. He bet on himself, put up big numbers again. I don't feel the fans embraced him the way they should have... Ownership should have gave him what he wanted.”
— Covino, [06:25]
“Is there ever a season, is there ever a reason for you, Rich, as a fan to jump ship?”
— Covino, [09:55]
“My dog’s on her deathbed and the Mets are getting rid of all their players. What am I gonna do with my Shea Stadium snow globe?”
— Rich, [28:26]
“If your girl starts sleeping with a dude on the team you root for, can you root for that guy? Can you root for the team?”
— Rich, [20:06]
“Fans always say loyalty, but as these younger people come up, that means nothing to them. They're like, yeah, I like the Yankees, but I also like this team.”
— Covino, [48:16]
“I would be a fraud, as Rob Parker would say. Fraud. Fugazi. I would be the worst if I left the Mets.”
— Rich, [23:15]
[Caller] “I feel like if you got a side team or a secondary team, you don’t even have a team. And this is coming from... an Atlanta Falcons, Atlanta Hawks fan. I would have traded them 40 years ago if I could. I just couldn’t do it.”
— Matt in Georgia, [36:11]
“If your team moves, yeah, they left you. And maybe a new team comes into town and maybe you embrace them. Look, I get that.”
— Covino, [22:31]
Key Timestamps for Important Segments
- [03:11] – Rich’s visceral reaction to Mets front office incompetence
- [06:25] – Covino’s take on Alonso’s motivations
- [09:55] – The show’s central existential question: When is it okay to abandon your team?
- [13:08] – Diaz “wiggle room” segment; humor on departures
- [15:02] – Discussing Dodgers’ showmanship and likeability
- [16:14] – The fading mystique of New York baseball
- [18:23] – Call-in: Switching fandom for favorite player
- [20:06] – “Can you root for your ex’s new team?” (Personal stories)
- [23:15] – Rich’s anxiety over being “Fugazi” if he abandons Mets
- [36:11] – Matt in Georgia, the loyalty (even when your team sucks)
- [47:04] – Generational loyalty breakdown and future predictions
Show’s Tone, Language, and Style
Unfiltered, conversational, bordering on irreverent—a blend of “guys at the bar” chatter and diehard fandom that keeps the stakes simultaneously high and hilarious. The emotional peaks—from despair over losing stars, to the absurd reasoning behind fandom—are played both for genuine pathos and comedic payoff. The hosts aren’t afraid to poke fun at each other, cross lines, or admit embarrassment over their own fan neuroses.
Summary Takeaways
- The Mets’ sudden unraveling provides both the sentimental loss of familiar faces and the platform for a meta-discussion on sports fandom.
- Even lifelong fans like Rich hesitate, but find it almost impossible to truly “jump ship”—with only rare, deeply personal exceptions.
- Changes in sports business, player loyalty, and social culture suggest the next generation of fans may be less attached and more transactional.
- Ultimately, sports loyalty is depicted here as a kind of self-imposed curse—sometimes joyful, often painful, but rarely broken without great cause.
For Listeners Who Missed the Episode
If you’re a diehard fan contemplating fandom fatigue, or simply fascinated by the psychology of sports allegiance, this episode is a must-listen. It has sharp baseball analysis, cathartic humor, catharsis, and heartfelt commiseration on what it means to love a team that keeps breaking your heart. If you’ve ever stayed loyal to a loser (or wondered if you should finally switch sides), Covino & Rich’s “Polar Bear Pete, Jumpin' Ship” will resonate—and make you laugh through the pain.