The Dan Patrick Show: C&R – Thursday NFL Fix, Shaq, Mr. Freeze
Date: November 12, 2025
Podcast Network: iHeartPodcasts and Dan Patrick Podcast Network
Hosts: Steve Covino, Rich Davis, Dan Byer
Episode Focus: A raucous roundtable on the state of Thursday Night Football, failed sports experiments, and a visit from "Shaq Diesel" for basketball trivia, capped with an amusing look at the job of Atlanta Braves’ “Mr. Freeze.”
Episode Overview
This episode blends sharp sports critique, comedic digressions, and lively audience participation, anchored around three major themes:
- A passionate debate on the NFL’s Thursday Night Football schedule and its broader implications.
- A playful examination of “failed experiments” in sports, both on and off the field.
- Special guest bit: Shaquille O’Neal (“Shaq Diesel”) joins for sports trivia, leading to laughs and friendly competition.
- Odd job of the week: The Atlanta Braves’ search for a new “Mr. Freeze,” sparking a discussion about the quirks and compensation in unusual sports gigs.
Key Discussion Points & Insights
1. Thursday Night Football: Is It Broken?
[05:26–13:22, 17:03–20:09]
- Jon Gruden’s Critique: Gruden’s call to “dump” Thursday night games over a lack of preparation and player welfare was played and roundly discussed.
- Steve Covino: “We’re getting a...watered down product on Thursday night. And it’s been showing lately. All the primetime games lately have been weak.” [05:49]
- Rich Davis: “Is more always better? No, like if I said, hey, you’re gonna get more pizza, but it’s like trash pizza...”
- ’Peeps Theory’ & Over-saturation: Covino and Rich compare the glut of NFL games to holiday treats losing their luster when available all year.
- Rich Davis: “When they started putting them out for every holiday...Peeps suck!” [06:37]
- Listener Solutions: Callers propose fixes, like only scheduling Thursday games after teams’ bye weeks or restricting them to playoff teams—solutions the hosts argue are stymied by the realities (and algorithms) of NFL scheduling.
- Dan Byer: “Now, there are a lot of computers that will print out...different schedules.” [10:22]
- Rich Davis: “Damn AI taking our jobs.” [11:02]
- Wear-and-Tear Reality: Hosts note that as the NFL season progresses, short rest exacerbates injuries and weak competition, especially visible by midseason.
- Steve Covino: “There’s mileage by week 11...your Thursday night product is going to suffer a little bit.” [17:18]
2. Failed Sports Experiments: What Didn’t Work?
[13:09–16:39, 26:48–29:04, 43:57–44:59]
- NBA In-Season Tournament: The group is unconvinced by the NBA’s new format, debating if it’s become a fixture or will be quietly dropped.
- Rich Davis: “It has a soccer vibe to it...are we gonna look back and be like hey, remember those like four years...?” [13:22]
- Steve Covino: “For me, personally, it gives me no excitement. Not really.” [13:09]
- All-Star Game Troubles: The perpetual tweaking of All-Star formats across leagues is seen as a symptom of sports organizations searching for relevance and engagement.
- Rich Davis: “They’re trying to figure out what will stick because it just seems like it hasn’t.” [16:39]
- Baseball Broadcast Gimmicks: Faint strike zones during playoffs, the pitch clock display, and their disappearance in postseason coverage are cited as learning experiments for networks and MLB.
- Rich Davis: “I liked the faint little strike zone...you could sort of see but it wasn’t a distinct...square.” [08:39]
- Other Misses:
- The “Jack FM” radio shuffle format: “You don’t want to listen to someone else’s iPod on shuffle.” [15:22]
- Alternative football leagues (XFL, USFL, etc.): “It just doesn’t ever work. And I don’t think it ever will.” [16:10]
- Notable in-sport oddities: White Sox shorts uniforms, Carl Malone joining the Lakers, and the Baller Brand sneaker.
- Dennis Miller on Monday Night Football: Postmodern snark didn’t land.
- Steve Covino: “It was just a personality clash. His snarky attitude didn’t vibe with the casual...NFL fan.” [44:46]
3. Whack Diesel: Shaq Stops By for Basketball Trivia
[28:16–34:59]
- Shaq Diesel Introduction: The hosts and listeners compete in a Shaquille O’Neal-themed trivia game, with “Shaq” (the hosts’ exaggerated impression, in full Shaq persona) reading the questions.
- Memorable Quotes:
- Shaq (Covino): “How many different teams did I play for in my stellar career?” [31:16]
- Shaq: “Actually, I look good in everything.” [31:44]
- Rich Davis (to Shaq): “Do you feel the same way about the women [in San Antonio] as Charles Barkley does?” – “He’s right. He’s right about that.” [33:34–33:40]
- Winners: Dan Byer clinches the trivia game, crowning himself “unstoppable.” [34:26]
- Highlight: Banter throughout is quick, irreverent, much in the style of Shaq’s TV persona—complete with running jokes about “Wemby,” Michael Jordan’s baseball career, and even Mr. Freeze.
- Memorable Quotes:
4. Odd Jobs in Sports: The Search for Mr. Freeze
[44:59–51:33]
- Background: Atlanta Braves are seeking a new “Mr. Freeze,” the body-suited speedster who races fans during games.
- Steve Covino: “It’s very rare that someone beats Mr. Freeze. But that’s exactly what it is...some goofy fan gets a head start...Mr. Freeze goes flying by him.” [45:50]
- The Pay Debate: The hosts speculate, half-seriously, that Mr. Freeze could earn $250–$625 per game for minimal work but maximum commitment.
- Rich Davis: “If they pay him $250 a game, that’s $20,000 for the baseball season. Is that way too little...?” [49:18]
- Notable Moment:
- Nicknames abound: “Is that why you’re at the sausage fest and everybody make some noise for Mr. Cheese?” [51:01]
- Rich Davis: “You have to warm up...We can never go out for dinner because I guess I’m at 81 Braves games.” [50:17]
Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments
- “We’re witnessing a failed experiment that’s going to continue.” – Steve Covino [07:46]
- “You like your iPod on shuffle. You don’t like anyone else’s.” – Steve Covino on Jack FM [15:22]
- “We are seasonally conditioned to be like, I like football from...August, September until February. Then I like basketball and baseball and hockey.” – Rich Davis [16:10]
- “The only person who really motivate you is you.” – Shaq (in character) [32:44]
- “Bad product, but we’re still watching—because it’s football and there’s nothing better on Thursday nights.” – Steve Covino [16:52]
Major Segments & Timestamps
- Thursday Night Football Debate & Jon Gruden’s Comments:
[05:26–13:22] - “Failed Experiments” in Sports Analysis:
[13:09–16:39; 26:48–29:04; 43:57–44:59] - Listener Calls: Fixing TNF, AI Scheduling:
[09:16–12:53] - Shaq Diesel Trivia Segment:
[28:16–34:59] - Atlanta Braves’ Mr. Freeze Discussion:
[44:59–51:33]
Tone & Atmosphere
Fast-paced, irreverent, and energetic, with friendly ribbing and pop-culture analogies. The dialogue is packed with references to classic sports blunders, unexpected pivots to absurd analogies, and moments of “locker room” humor. Listener calls and inside jokes provide a clubhouse feel, accessible even to new listeners.
For New Listeners: What To Expect
- Football and basketball fans: Expect honest, unfiltered takes.
- Lovers of sports nostalgia: The hosts dredge up past misfires with a mix of affection and ridicule.
- Fans of sports radio games: The Shaq segment delivers both trivia and comedic impersonation.
- Those curious about the intersection of sports and odd entertainment jobs: The Mr. Freeze discussion blends sports fandom with the reality of offbeat gig work.
End of Summary.