Covino and Rich (C&R) – USA!!! & Pat Riley Ties
The Dan Patrick Show (iHeartPodcasts)
Aired: February 24, 2026

Episode Overview

In this lively episode of Covino & Rich (filling in for The Dan Patrick Show), hosts Steve Covino and Rich Davis celebrate Team USA’s huge hockey victory over Canada, riff on why we say “the better team lost,” break down Pat Riley’s new Lakers statue and his views on suits and ties, and touch on the shifting standards of presentation and professionalism in sports and beyond. Mixing sports with pop culture and plenty of humor, the crew also reacts to the big boxing announcement of Mayweather vs. Pacquiao 2, teases weekend reality TV, and turns mundane debates (like going to Mexico or skipping a tie at weddings) into full-on segments. The episode delivers entertaining anecdotes, bro-banter, and keen cultural observations for fans who love both sports talk and everyday life.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. Team USA’s Historic Hockey Gold

• Team USA wins gold over Canada in overtime – Major props to goalie Connor Hellebuyck (41 saves), Jack Hughes with the OT game-winner (and a chipped tooth!), and a spirited American squad.
• Significance of the win:
  • Celebrated as “46 years to the day since the Miracle on Ice in 1980.” (06:05)
  • “Congratulations, USA number one.” – Steve Covino (06:05)
• Jack Hughes’ missing tooth as a badge of honor:
  • “If you lose a tooth in a gold medal game...you take your damn time replacing that. You flaunt it for the next few weeks.” – Rich Davis (06:31)
  • “They gotta give you a solid gold tooth replacement.” – Steve Covino (07:06)
• Debate: Did the better team really lose?
  • Hosts riff on the sports cliché that “the better team lost,” ultimately dismissing it as meaningless.
  • “Scoreboard is all that matters.” – Steve Covino (11:09)
  • “The best team won because you can't…they did.” – Rich Davis (08:53)
  • Comparison to other sports: 18-0 Patriots losing the Super Bowl, Dodgers vs. Blue Jays.

Notable Quotes

• “It was 46 years to the day since they last won Miracle on Ice in 1980. So congratulations USA number one.” – Steve Covino (06:05)
• “Don’t give me this BS...they’re the best team. The best team won.” – Rich Davis (08:53)

Notable Moment

• Honor for Johnny Gaudreau (Johnny Goodreau), with his family taking a team photo – called a “magical moment.” (09:01)

Timestamps

• [03:08]: Show opens with Team USA chants; hockey recap begins
• [06:05]: Miracle on Ice anniversary discussion
• [07:46]: “Not the best team won” cliche deconstructed
• [09:01]: Gaudreau family moment
• [11:09]: Final thoughts – “scoreboard is all that matters”

2. USA-Canada Rivalry & National Pride

• Good-natured ribbing of Canadian sports fans, jokes about poutine, ketchup, and Jim Carrey “now being American.”
• Recognition that for Canadians, “their life sort of revolves around it.” – Steve Covino (12:12)
• Immediate post-victory national jokes, but also commentary on the seriousness of hockey in Canada and their passionate disappointment.

Quote

• “There’s a lot of tears in Tim Horton’s coffee this morning.” – Rich Davis (12:21)
• “Canadians take it really to heart…they don’t take the jabs lightly at all.” – Steve Covino (12:06)

3. Great Weekend in Sports and Pop Culture

• Brief but excited recap of: Strickland’s big fight win; Ryan Garcia’s first boxing belt at 147; fight announcements.
• Mayweather vs. Pacquiao 2 officially announced for September 19th at the Las Vegas Sphere on Netflix.
  • “Fight game gets cloudy, continues to become a circus, but we reap all the benefits, I guess.” – Steve Covino (18:32)

Timestamp

• [14:07-18:32]: Combat sports recap

4. Presidential Congratulatory Call: Unifying or Divisive?

• Discussion of President Trump congratulating Team USA, and whether or not the moment should be appreciated regardless of political affiliation.
• Rich sees it as “a beautifully fun and awesome…moment.” (15:02)
• Covino points out, “You’re never going to convince people that dislike him that it was a solid move.” (15:39)

Quote

• “The unifying moment is the victory, not the president.” – Steve Covino (16:02)

5. Pat Riley’s Statue & the “Suit and Tie” Debate

• Pat Riley becomes the first Lakers coach to receive a statue—hosts discuss the hierarchy of honors in sports (statue vs. street name vs. jersey retirement).
  • “Statue might be number one…statue is the highest of honors, if you ask me.” – Rich Davis (33:27)
• Riley’s statue: hand raised, suit and tie, classic look.
• At the ceremony, Riley mocks/laments decline in formal attire, jokes James Worthy is the only one showing “true respect” by wearing a tie.
  • “[James Worthy] is showing me true respect today…because he has a tie on.” – Pat Riley (34:49)
• Larger debate on air: Is the suit and tie outdated? Does “casual” = “sloppy”? Has “comfort” made us less professional?
  • “We should be embarrassed…everyone walking around in pajama pants…slobs.” – Steve Covino (36:20)
  • “Coaches look like slobs. Doesn't anybody have any pride?” – Steve Covino (36:20)
• COVID’s effect: “Since Covid…the lack of attire by coaches…annoys me most in sports.” – Dan Beyer (35:45)

Notable Moments/Timestamps

• [33:05-39:20]: Pat Riley statue, speech, and the suit/tie (with full quote at 34:49)
• [36:20]: Rant on societal casualness vs. former standards
• [39:20]: Coaches’ attire norms in every major sport; NFL rules forbidding suits on sidelines (per Dan Beyer)

6. Everyday Life Debates & Listeners’ Questions

• Should Rich’s upcoming Mexico vacation be rescheduled due to cartel unrest? The crew debates travel safety in a real-life risk-reward scenario. (28:53-32:53)
• Discussion on reality TV “villains” (Chris from “Love is Blind”), using them as a lens to talk about fame, tequila, and audience engagement.

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• “If you lose a tooth in a gold medal game…flaunt that for the next few weeks. You hit that late night circuit with no tooth.” – Rich Davis (06:31)
• “Don’t give me this BS and not the best team. They're the best team. The best team won.” – Rich Davis (08:53)
• “The scoreboard is all that matters…USA still wins 2-1 in overtime. Jack Hughes is a hero.” – Steve Covino (11:09)
• “There’s a lot of tears in Tim Horton’s coffee this morning.” – Rich Davis (12:21)
• “We all want comfort, but you could wear comfortable clothing and still look presentable like an adult, especially in leadership positions.” – Steve Covino (37:37)
• “[Pat Riley’s] statue, I think, is the…top tier [honor]” – Rich Davis (33:56)
• “Suit and tie, Timberlake style.” – Steve Covino (47:37)
• “You dress for the role you want…if you’re not getting that respect, maybe that’s why.” – Steve Covino (51:13)

Important Timestamps

| Time | Segment/Highlight | |--------|--------------------------------------------------------------| | 03:08 | USA Hockey win intro/recap begins | | 06:05 | Miracle on Ice anniversary | | 06:31 | Jack Hughes/chipped tooth as badge of honor | | 07:46 | Riff on "the better team didn't win" | | 09:01 | Johnny Gaudreau’s family honored | | 14:07 | Strickland fight, Ryan Garcia, Mayweather-Pacquiao 2 promo | | 18:32 | Mayweather-Pacquiao 2 analysis | | 28:53 | Rich’s Mexico vacation safety debate | | 33:05 | Pat Riley statue/statue vs. street honor debate | | 34:49 | Pat Riley’s “James Worthy wore a tie” speech | | 36:20 | Rant on casualness in modern society | | 39:20 | Sports coaches’ attire by sport & evolution | | 51:13 | Dressing for the role you want/appreciating professional att.|

Tone, Style & Flow

The entire episode is filled with high-energy, conversational banter; humorous one-liners; gentle ribbing among hosts and of rival nations; and sports talk seeped in both fandom and cultural critique. Covino and Rich keep the tone light, sarcastic, occasionally poignant but never heavy, making the show feel like a lively chat among friends who happen to know their sports.

Final Notes

This episode is a testament to Covino and Rich’s ability to tie together big sports moments, personal experiences, pop culture, and societal trends—all with a wink, and often a laugh. Listeners looking for insightful sports talk, cultural commentary, and relatable everyday debates (like whether to dress up for big moments or skip Mexico for safety concerns) will find this episode rich in content and character.

If you want to jump right into the best moments:

• Hockey recap and national pride: 03:08–13:01
• Pat Riley’s “suit and tie” segment: 33:05–39:20
• Mayweather vs. Pacquiao 2 talk: 18:32
• Societal “slob” rant: 36:20–39:20