The Dan Patrick Show – Hour 1 – Fritzy vs. Vegas, David Croft (November 21, 2025)

Episode Overview

Broadcasting live from Las Vegas, Dan Patrick and the crew kick off a special “Meat Friday” episode from the Fountainbleu Hotel. The team dives deep into the Vegas Grand Prix, their signature irreverent takes on sports headlines, and the comic travails of enjoying (or avoiding) the Las Vegas nightlife. Formula 1 commentator David Croft (“Crofty”) joins to discuss F1’s takeover of the American sports landscape, the allure of Vegas, the behind-the-scenes drama popularized by “Drive to Survive,” and who really deserves credit for F1 team success.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. Vegas Vibes: The Crew’s (Mis)Adventures

(Starts ~04:56–08:59)

• Early Morning at the Fountainbleu: The team contrasts their 4am wake-ups with the crowd just coming home from all-night parties, soaked in the unique Vegas energy.
• Elevator Encounters: Fritzy recounts his awkward elevator trip with a group of partying Australians, highlighting the city’s unpredictability and the clash of “morning crew vs. all-nighters.”
• Marv & Paulie’s Observations: Marv shares a tale of witnessing a “light brawl” between two women in the lobby while everyone else was just waking up.
• “Living It Up” Debate: Comical existential debate erupts over what it truly means to “live it up in Vegas”—with Todd (Fritzy) preferring playing with the hotel drapes and electronics over wild nightlife, to the gentle derision of the rest of the crew.

Notable Quote:

• Paulie (08:22): “Todd missed his 20s. He never had a 20s where you make mistakes, you get roughed up, you go to Vegas, you make horrible decisions... He never had those years.”

2. NFL & Sports Headlines

(09:14–13:12)

• Texans vs. Bills Recap: The crew discusses the Texans’ stifling defense and Davis Mills’ composed play in their upset win over Buffalo. The win was notable as the Texans sacked Josh Allen 8 times.
• AFC Parity: Dan points out the wide-open AFC, stating that “there’s no team you go, ‘they’re the best team.’ This is why Vegas loves the Ravens and Chiefs still, because nobody’s going to run away with anything.” (09:55)
• The Betting Experience: Paulie shares the unique atmosphere of watching sports in a Vegas sportsbook, where every flag or late-game play brings emotional spikes for gamblers.
• Vegas Line Mystique: The uncanny accuracy of betting lines is debated:
  Marv (18:22): “How do they consistently do that and not make us start wondering a little bit about whether it is not slightly manipulated once in a while?”

3. “Technology That Should Exist” Poll Question

(11:03–12:28)

• Elevator Buttons Rant: Fritzy floats the idea that you should be able to “un-press” an elevator button if you hit the wrong floor—quickly morphing into a general conversation about simple innovations missing from modern life.
• Hotel Nightlights: The crew debates best hotel amenities for comfort; Marv is gleefully obsessed with his remote-controlled drapes, comparing himself to “Macaulay Culkin in ‘Home Alone 2’.” (13:16)

4. NFL “Must Win” Poll Question & Upcoming Games

(14:32–16:31)

• The crew prepares for later poll questions on the “most must win” NFL games of the weekend. Top matchups: Chiefs at Colts, Eagles at Cowboys.
• Discussion of under-the-radar Browns vs. Raiders matchup and why, despite both teams’ poor records, it draws unusual attention due to the QB storylines and NFL betting culture.

5. F1 Comes to Vegas: David Croft Interview

(25:27–41:38)

Guest: David "Crofty" Croft, Sky Sports Formula One commentator

How F1 Took Over America:

• Croft recounts F1’s disastrous 2005 US Grand Prix and how Liberty Media’s purchase of F1 led to a US relaunch – more races, new tracks (Austin, Miami, then Las Vegas) designed for “glamour” and appeal.
  Croft (25:36): “Since then, Formula One has been right: how do we give back to the American public and actually make this sport a bit more accessible in such a great country?”

Drive to Survive Effect:

• “We used to say: come for the live sport, stay around for the soap opera. Now here’s the soap opera—hang around for the live sport. And the soap opera is often as good as the live sport.” (27:37)

Celebrity Encounters on the Grid:

• Anecdotes from the F1 grid, including Martin Brundle defying instructions not to approach Daniel Craig (“James Bond”)—and how celebs react to last-minute interviews.
• Croft on Brundle’s status: “Martin Brundle is bigger than James Bond. Way more real.” (30:13)

Team vs. Driver: Who Matters Most?

• Croft explains team technology is essential, but drivers’ skills make the difference—“You can have the best driver on the planet, but if you give him a donkey, he’s not going to go and win.” (30:42)

Crofty’s F1 Experiences:

• Driving a real F1 car: “One of the best experiences of my life: how fast I went, 175 down the straight. But these guys do 221 here in Vegas...” (34:08, 34:21)
• On the physical challenge: “It was kind of, like if you’re on a roller coaster at New York, New York ... you just can’t move. But when you get going, you feel free.” (35:09)

F1 in Pop Culture:

• Croft is in the upcoming Brad Pitt F1 movie, providing 19 hours of voiceovers. Hollywood sought to make the most authentic racing film possible, with Croft and Martin Brundle involved directly.

Meeting Brad Pitt:

• “I went, ‘Hey, Brad, sorry, I’m Crofty, sorry to bother you.’ ‘Hey, Crofty man, how are you doing?’ I’m like, Brad knows who I am! This is great!” (39:29)

On “Who is the Greatest” in F1:

• Croft, a self-proclaimed Chicago Bears fan, says Lewis Hamilton is the best ever, citing both his racetrack records and social conscience:
  “He’s used his platform... That has been brilliant to see—how he’s gone from a young man with an exceptional talent to a more mature man, still with exceptional talent, but with a social conscience…” (37:53, 38:36)
• Verstappen’s greatness also earns praise, but Croft notes the car must be right for the driver to truly shine.

Sequel Pitch:

• Croft proposes the F1 movie sequel should follow Pitt’s character’s daughter breaking into F1—“I’ve already told Joe Kosinski this, so if it comes up, you heard it here first: F2!” (41:02)

6. Listener Calls & Reflections on “Living It Up”

(47:44–53:44)

• Callers weigh in on the AFC playoff race, the culture of Vegas, and poke good-natured fun at Fritz’s aversion to nightlife.
• Mike in Hollywood pitches “Todd Fritz, Las Vegas Passhole”, a character who hilariously blocks everyone else from having Vegas fun (48:39–49:18).
• Paulie recounts the Texans’ transformative trade of DeShaun Watson, which brought in multiple promising starters.

7. Memorable Moments & Quotes

• Poll Question Silliness:
  Seaton (13:12): “If I was to ask a poll question of ‘Living it up in Vegas means…’ going out and seeing the town or pressing the drapes button in your room, how do we think that poll question is going to fare?”
• Crofty on fandom:
  “You have teams, upwards of a thousand people back at base, designing a car, building a car… Just to make two cars go as fast as they can from A to B. And then the drivers get all the credit at the end of the year.” (33:22)
• Crofty on meeting Brad Pitt:
  “He spun right around, ‘Crofty! How’s it going?’ At which point my son now thinks, yeah, dad knows Brad Pitt!” (40:34)

Timestamps for Important Segments

• 04:56–08:59: Crew’s Las Vegas stories (“living it up” debate, hotel/elevator mishaps)
• 09:14–13:12: Texans-Bills recap and AFC landscape
• 11:03–12:28: “Tech that should exist” poll and hotel amenities tangent
• 14:32–16:31: NFL weekend preview, “must win” game poll
• 25:27–41:38: David Croft (Formula 1) interview—F1’s growth in the US, Drive to Survive effect, F1 movie, who’s really the GOAT
• 47:44–53:44: Listener calls, Vegas lifestyle jokes, Texans trade reflection

Tone and Style

True to The Dan Patrick Show, the episode mixes sports reporting with sharp banter, self-deprecating humor, and cultural references. The crew’s interplay and Crofty’s British warmth both bring levity and insight, making the episode equally informative for sports junkies and F1 newbies alike.

For Listeners Who Missed the Show

If you want stories of sports, Vegas madness, and inside scoops on the glitzy new world of Formula 1—with a healthy dose of self-mockery and “guys on a road trip” energy—this is an hour not to miss.

Fritzy on his Vegas style:
“I just don’t live that wild, crazy lifestyle you guys live.” (08:18)

Dan Patrick’s summation of the AFC:
“There’s no team you go, ‘they’re the best team.’ This is why Vegas loves the Ravens and Chiefs: nobody’s going to run away with anything.” (09:55)

Crofty on F1’s US rise:
“The soap opera is often as good as the live sport.” (27:37)

Crofty’s advice:
“If you ever get the chance to drive an F1 car, do say yes.” (35:35)