The Dan Patrick Show: C&R – "Sports Face of the City & Brainwave!"
Date: January 31, 2026
Hosts: Steve Covino & Rich Davis
Network: iHeartPodcasts / Dan Patrick Podcast Network
Episode Focus: Who is the true sports (or entertainment) face of various American cities? Plus, light-hearted banter, sports hot takes, and the game "Brainwave".
Main Theme & Episode Overview
This episode dives into a lively, humorous discussion about which athletes, entertainers, or local icons “own” their city as its face – with some cities in momentary flux. The show also teases live Super Bowl week coverage, muses over media career perks, and plays their interactive “Brainwave” game with callers, asking pop culture and sports questions to see if listeners "think like C&R."
Key Discussion Points & Insights
1. Super Bowl Week and Career Day Antics
Timestamp: 02:10 – 04:50
- Covino & Rich joke about the perks of their job, including taking “prize packs” and doing Career Day presentations for kids (“I show the kids all these cool pictures...and I do this whole thing” – Rich Davis, 02:44).
- The upcoming Super Bowl (activities in San Francisco vs. stadium in Santa Clara) spurs debate on city identity and athlete fandom.
"The cool part about Super Bowl is we get to see some of our childhood heroes up close and personal."
— Rich Davis (04:30)
- A lighthearted dilemma: If you could interview only one, would it be Gronk or Bo Jackson? The team debates the legendary appeal of Bo vs. the party-animal fun of Gronk (05:28–07:02).
"Personally, wouldn't you like to say I've interviewed Bo Jackson?"
— Steve Covino (06:04)
2. “Who Owns the City?”: Face of Sports and Cities Debate
Timestamp: 07:32 – 17:44
- Kicked off by Cleveland: is it still LeBron’s city or does Donovan Mitchell own it now? Inspired by recent quotes and player banter post-game (09:03).
- Debate on whether a city’s “face” can shift due to new stars, generational divides, or enduring legends.
- Kevin Durant’s playful tweet (“Be careful what you’re saying, dog, he could trade you while he’s still on the Lakers.” – paraphrased at 09:18) adds fuel to the fire about LeBron's looming legacy.
"I think that's generational...LeBron hasn't played there in years, but he's won there. He's from there..."
— Steve Covino (09:34)
- City-by-city rapid fire:
- Miami: Is it even a sports star, or “Mr. 305” – Pitbull? (10:27)
- Los Angeles: Shohei Ohtani seen as the new top figure, but debate on NFL stars (10:53)
- Vegas: Not likely a hockey player; could be an entertainer ("Criss Angel," "Carrot Top" get joked about).
- Boston/New England: With Tom Brady gone, is it a Celtic, Patriot, or Red Sox player? A city in transition. (13:34)
- Detroit: Is Eminem a bigger figure than any active athlete? (15:04)
- Philadelphia: Jalen Hurts, Bryce Harper, or even the Philly Phanatic as icons? (17:06)
Top Quotes and Memorable Moments
-
On city identity changes:
"Boston right now up for grabs? Is it Tatum, Jalen Brown, or is it Drake May?"
— Rich Davis (14:10) -
On Los Angeles:
"It’s Shohei’s league, so I think it’s his city."
— Steve Covino (10:53) -
On New York after Jeter:
"There was a gap between Derek Jeter and Aaron Judge."
— Rich Davis (14:48) -
On “face” sometimes being an entertainer:
"If I say Miami, do you think Mr. 305? I think Pitbull."
— Steve Covino (10:28)
3. Brainwave: The Game Show Segment
Timestamp: 24:27 – 39:54
Segment Premise:
Callers try to predict what answers the show hosts and crew will give to subjective pop culture and sports questions.
- Fun, fast-paced trivia and debate, with the following highlight questions:
- Which sports trophy would you most want to parade around with (Stanley Cup, Lombardi, Commissioner's)?
- Which TV mom was most influential (Carol Brady, Claire Huxtable, Peg Bundy)?
- Which NFL coach would you least want yelling at you (Dan Campbell, Mike Tomlin, John Harbaugh)?
- At a festival, who would you want singing to you up-close: Beyonce, Rihanna, or Dua Lipa?
Memorable Brainwave Moments:
-
On the Stanley Cup:
"What's the most highly touted...Lord Stanley's cup, but I don't really care much about hockey. I think the baseball trophy looks the coolest. But football, baby – Lombardi."
— Rich Davis (28:05)"Lord Stanley's Cup...you always hear these stories of the players taking it out, doing crazy things with it, drinking out of it..."
— Steve Covino (28:58) -
On coaching intimidation:
"Dan Campbell, Mr. Kneecap Biter himself, would scare the hell out of me."
— Rich Davis (36:46) -
On festival pop star:
"Rihanna. Work work work..."
— Rich Davis (39:04)
"I asked Rihanna out in an interview, she denied me...I've also met Beyonce and she was gorgeous."
— Steve Covino (38:28)
Other Notable Game Comments:
- "You could back your way into Ws on this game." — Spotty (26:36)
- Banter on the game’s theme: “...being on the same brainwave as our show.” (32:10)
4. Weekend Hobnob: What to Watch/Do
Timestamp: 45:44 – 48:41
-
Covino recommends watching Teofimo Lopez vs. Shakur Stevenson in boxing and UFC 325:
"Crazy matchup, styles make fights...This is a master class."
— Steve Covino (46:07) -
Rich plugs:
- "Shrinking" Season 3 (Apple TV)
- "The Traitors" (Peacock/Reality TV)
- "Hey Bert" with Bert Kreischer (Netflix)
- “Secret Mall Apartment” documentary
-
Spotty mentions:
- "Bridgerton" S4 (Netflix)
- "I’m Chevy Chase and You’re Not" documentary (Max/HBO)
-
Rich and Covino mention new theatrical releases (Rachel McAdams stranded-on-an-island movie, etc.) and the Grammy Awards on Sunday.
Timestamps for Major Segments
- 02:10 – Fun with Career Day, Super Bowl week preview
- 05:28 – "Who to interview: Gronk or Bo Jackson?"
- 07:32 – "Whose city is this?" and city icon debates
- 14:48 – City stars in transition: Detroit, Boston, New York
- 24:27 – Start of “Brainwave” call-in trivia segment
- 45:44 – Weekend Hobnob: what to watch, sports and entertainment picks
Tone & Style
- C&R’s signature mix: fast, loose, “locker room” joking, playful rivalries, and sports/pop culture banter
- Irreverent, quick-witted exchanges; show is light, energetic, and self-aware
- Frequent side-chatter, asides, and good-natured ribbing among crew and callers
Key Takeaways
- The "face of the city" is a moving target: cities often in flux as icons retire, stars emerge, or generational tastes shift.
- Sometimes the “face” isn’t an athlete – it might be a musician, a mascot, or a celebrity.
- The show’s interactive style (via "Brainwave") keeps listeners guessing and invites playful disagreement.
- Super Bowl Week coverage is poised to give the show “its own Super Bowl” energy.
Quick Quotes Roundup (with Timestamps)
- "Wouldn't you like to say I've interviewed Bo Jackson?" – Steve Covino (06:04)
- "Is it LeBron's city or Donovan Mitchell's city?" – Rich Davis (08:30)
- "I think that's generational...LeBron hasn't played there in years, but he's won there." – Steve Covino (09:34)
- "It's Shohei's league, so I think it's his city." – Steve Covino (10:53)
- "Eminem still...When I think Detroit, who comes to mind?" – Rich Davis (15:04)
- "When we were kids, it was so definitively Mike Schmidt...now there's a lot of blurred, like which star is the star?" – Rich Davis (17:33)
- "Rihanna. Work, work, work." – Rich Davis (39:04)
- "Dan Campbell, Mr. Kneecap Biter himself, would scare the hell out of me." – Rich Davis (36:46)
In Summary
A high-energy, spirited episode focusing on city identity through their sports and pop-cultural stars—timely as the hosts prepare for Super Bowl Week. C&R’s “Who’s the face of the city?” debate draws out nostalgia, current trends, and the evolving landscape of fandom, while their “Brainwave” game provides the usual laughs and camaraderie. If you missed it, expect plenty of lively, humorous sports banter and creative thought experiments about the ever-changing faces of America’s sports towns.