The Dan Patrick Show: Guest Hosts Covino & Rich
Episode Title: C&R – Sports & Music From Our Parents
Date: February 13, 2026
Hosts: Steve Covino and Rich Davis
Notable Contributors: Danny G, Dan Byers, Byron
Theme:
Exploring how the sports teams, music, and even life habits we love and follow as adults are so often directly influenced by our parents—plus, a warm tribute to James Van Der Beek and smooth musical shoutouts for Michael McDonald’s birthday.
Episode Overview
Covino and Rich, sitting in for Dan Patrick, blend playful banter with a thoughtful look at generational influence. The team salutes Michael McDonald on his 74th birthday and remembers actor James Van Der Beek, honoring parenthood and the ways our tastes and traditions are shaped by family. Listeners call in to share their own stories of inherited fandoms and quirky household customs.
Key Discussion Points & Insights
1. Kicking Off: Traditions, Music, and Michael McDonald
- Old School Throwback Thursday: Each Thursday, C&R “throw it back,” reminiscing about sports, music, and family influences.
- Michael McDonald’s 74th birthday: The team highlights how many from their generation love his yacht rock sound “because our parents did.” (03:05)
- “He’s got the sweetest, most buttery falsetto voice. He was the sound of our parents’ music.” — Covino ([03:05])
- Funny Parental Perceptions: Danny G shares, “My mom still thinks Michael McDonald is black, by the way.” ([04:20])
- Music Memories: Watching the "Sweet Freedom" video was the first time many realized what McDonald looked like.
- “Never seen a guy hit falsettos like that, so effortlessly. Even as a kid, it stood out.” — Covino ([04:59])
2. Things We Love (or Do) Because Our Parents Did
- Comedy Styles & Sports Teams:
- Rich became a 49ers fan as a child because his dad convinced him, “There was no one cooler than Joe Montana.” ([06:15])
- Falling in love with physical comedy (John Ritter, Jim Carrey) because his dad loved Three’s Company.
- Inherited Sports Loyalties:
- “Most of our sports alliances come from something our parents did or said or sat us down to watch.” — Covino ([06:49])
- Danny G describes being pulled out of school by his mom to attend the LA Raiders parade ([21:13]).
- Product & Brand Choices:
- “When you shop for yourself the first time, you realize all the brands you buy are just because your parents did.” — Covino ([08:10])
- Examples include specific laundry detergents, Pepsodent toothpaste, Right Guard deodorant, spray-on deodorant, and even skim milk.
3. Parental Habits We Keep or ‘Counter-Program’
- Sometimes we repeat, sometimes we rebel:
- Overcorrecting: If parents forbade appetizers, Rich orders “a million appetizers” as an adult ([11:39])
- Letting kids get the “ice cream helmet” at ballgames, correcting where parents said “we have ice cream at home” ([10:53])
- Holiday traditions: Opening gifts on Christmas Eve, or which condiments/milk to buy ([12:33])
4. Listener Call-Ins: Sharing Their Generational Stories
- Gambling Lessons: Trevor from Reno learned to “always take the points” because his dad drilled it in ([14:49]).
- Talk Radio Traditions: Callers recall learning to love sports radio through their parents’ love of Don Imus, Mike & the Mad Dog, Howard Stern, and Vin Scully ([16:13], [16:30]).
- Household Rules: Tripp from Vegas: No dishes in the sink, bed always made—“If I invite, I pay”—all inherited values ([16:54]).
- Fandom Roots: Chris from Montana roots for the Cubs and prefers the Vikings over the Bears “because my father said so,” as well as loving John Candy ([19:44]).
5. Family Entertainment ‘Programming’
- Each family becomes “a [favorite actor/band] family.” Covino claims his is a “Travolta, Nick Cage” family. For music, “straight up a Beatles family” because his mom played them non-stop ([20:04]).
- Rich’s family worshipped Chevy Chase; Covino’s was pushed to watch classic James Cagney films.
6. Sports Allegiances Traced to Parents
- Origin Stories: Danny G recalls, “My mom said, ‘We cheer for Dusty Baker and Magic Johnson in this house.’ She took me out of school for the Raiders parade” ([21:12]).
- Switching Fandoms: Rich recounts almost being a Yankees fan until his dad—burnt out after car thefts in the Bronx and swayed by his new Mets-fan wife—shifted the whole family toward the Mets ([22:22]).
7. Yacht Rock, Pop Culture, and Musical Memories
- Dan Byers and Byron join in on the Yacht Rock nostalgia and Christopher Cross tales ([28:19]).
- The team jokes about Steely Dan hating the term "yacht rock" and celebrates McDonald’s enduring cool.
- “Would you rather be known for butt rock or yacht rock? I think I’d rather be known for yacht rock.” — Dan Byers ([27:16])
- Byron shares an anecdote about Christopher Cross performing at a Houston Oilers game in an Earl Campbell jersey ([37:49]).
Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments
- On generational tastes in music:
“Why do we love him? Because our parents did. They played it. It was the soundtrack of our lives.” — Covino ([05:16]) - On sports alliances:
“Most of our sports alliances come from something our parents did or said or sat us down to watch.” — Covino ([06:49]) - On habits and brands:
“I got a giant, cold can of Right Guard. Then realized there was another way — a stick or something!” — Covino ([09:17]) - Comedy moment, on Michael McDonald’s voice:
“He wasn’t even trying.” — Danny G ([05:10]) - Fun with family influence and counter-programming:
“There are things you do because your parents did, and then things you counteract — like, when I go to a restaurant, I order all the apps because I never could as a kid.” — Rich ([11:40])
Timestamps for Key Segments
- 03:05 — Michael McDonald’s birthday, why parents’ music shaped the hosts’ tastes
- 06:15 — On becoming a lifelong 49ers fan (and comedy favorites) thanks to dad
- 08:10 — How parents shape shopping and brand preferences
- 10:53 — Baseball stadium traditions and treat rationing
- 14:49 — Caller Trevor: Gambling lessons inherited from dad
- 16:13 — Callers recall family talk radio, Don Imus, and Mike & the Mad Dog
- 19:44 — Chris from Montana: Dad’s sports fandom dictates
- 21:12 — Danny G: “My mom took me out of school for the LA Raiders parade.”
- 22:22 — Rich’s family Mets vs. Yankees allegiance drama
- 27:16 — “Would you rather be known for butt rock or yacht rock?”
- 28:19 — Byron on Christopher Cross’s Houston Oilers connection
- 37:49 — Christopher Cross performs in Earl Campbell jersey; fun trivia
Conclusion
In this light-hearted, nostalgia-soaked episode, Covino and Rich, joined by Danny G and others, explore how deeply we’re shaped by our parents—whether it’s our favorite teams, old sitcoms, the music we love, or even the way we load the dishwasher. Callers add rich, relatable stories, and the hosts' banter keeps the mood upbeat, especially with repeated shoutouts to Michael McDonald’s legendary voice and birthday.
Final Thought:
Covino sums it up:
“Our whole life is basically a reflection of what our parents liked or did—on purpose or not.” ([23:22])
For more throwbacks and lively sports/pop culture banter, catch Covino & Rich across podcast apps and YouTube, or tune in for their next stint on The Dan Patrick Show.