The Dan Patrick Show – Hour 1: USA Wins Gold, Delayed NBA All-Star Reaction

Date: February 23, 2026
Host: Dan Patrick (and "The Danettes")
Podcast Network: iHeartPodcasts, Dan Patrick Podcast Network
Episode Theme:
Celebrating Team USA’s dramatic Olympic Hockey gold medal, debating its historical significance and personal value for players, and reflecting on the NBA All-Star Weekend’s new format and nostalgia for basketball history—with plenty of signature humor and offbeat tangents.

Episode Overview

Dan Patrick and the Danettes triumphantly return from vacation, energized by Team USA's thrilling overtime gold medal win in men's hockey. They relive the game, debate the magnitude of the achievement, compare the meaning of Olympic gold vs. the Stanley Cup, and touch on the NBA’s refreshed All-Star Game. The episode is rich in sports nostalgia, listener interaction, and classic banter.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. Team USA's Gold Medal Hockey Win

• Setup & Reaction (02:29–06:34):

  • Todd shares mock headlines about Jack Hughes’ heroics (“Do Hughes believe in miracles?”)
  • Dan relives the final moments and the unique format: “Three-on-three overtime for Olympic gold—it just doesn’t feel right to me” (04:41–06:00).
  • Canadian coach John Cooper’s quote: “You take four players off the ice. Now, hockey is not hockey anymore... It’s all TV driven” (06:00–06:14).
  • Dan admits the debate: “Were they the better team? Yeah... but the United States performed better when they needed to. And that was at the very end” (06:36).

• Heroics & Legacy:

  • Jack Hughes’s iconic moment and appearance: “Yeah, with teeth missing and a flag around his neck and a gold medal as well” (07:54).
  • Play-by-play of the goal by Kenny Albert (04:18, 44:56):

    “Jack Hughes wins it! The golden goal for the United States! For the first time since the 1980 Miracle, the United States takes the gold.”

  • Dan on the emotional resonance:

    “You couldn’t script it. In fact, if you tried to script it, somebody would say, alright, let’s ease off. The guy loses his teeth…” (08:39).

  • Jack Hughes postgame (08:21):

    “Unbelievable game by Hellbuyk. He was our best player tonight by a mile… That’s American hockey right there... Tonight was all for the country.”

• Comparisons to 1980 ‘Miracle on Ice’:

  • Dan: “It doesn’t seem like it was 46 years ago... but those were a bunch of college kids going against professionals. It’s different now… but it still feels pretty good” (07:02).

2. Gold Medal vs. Stanley Cup – Which Means More?

• Poll Question Debate (12:41–14:49):

  • Dan poses the poll: Would you rather win an Olympic gold or the Stanley Cup?
  • Todd, Seaton, Marvin: Stanley Cup
  • Paul: Gold medal
  • Dan: Leans Stanley Cup, especially “if I’m from Canada… I would say Stanley Cup. Knowing just how deep that runs…” (14:14).

• Discussion on how the Olympics and Stanley Cup differ culturally for athletes (“In soccer, there’s nothing more important than the World Cup… but in hockey, it might depend on the team, city, country…” (09:44–10:04)).

3. Olympic Coverage, Atmosphere, and Casual Fan Appeal

• Olympics’ Magic & Tension:
  • Dan lauds NBC’s coverage; praises goalie Hellbuyk (“If you don’t have a save… you don’t have that moment”).
  • Reflects on the timelessness of Olympic drama for even casual fans.

    “The Olympics will bring in the casual fan or the non-fan... The one thing all these sports try to chase.” (11:55–12:21)

4. NBA All-Star Game – New Format & Ratings

• Impressions of the New Format (21:56–25:02):

  • Dan thought the changes brought more competition: “A little bit of competition, seemed to matter a little bit more... once I saw Victor Wembanyama playing hard, then I think we decided to play hard” (21:56).
  • Anthony Edwards and Wemby set the tone.
  • Todd noticed: “Anthony Edwards had his earrings in before the game... but once Wemby started blocking everybody’s shot—OK, wait, I don’t want to be embarrassed… then they came to play” (22:37).

• Slam Dunk Contest Dissatisfaction:

  • Dan:

    “I think we’ve exhausted the dunk contest… I see better dunks on playgrounds or pickup games” (22:52–23:18).

  • Discussion about Mac McClung’s viral dunks and lack of star power.

• All-Star Ratings Up:

  • Paul:

    “Last season’s All-Star game: 4.7 million viewers. This year: 8.8. The best ratings since 2011” (24:07).

• All-Star Night Format:

  • Marvin insists:

    “You have to finish the night with the three-point shootout… can’t start with it!” (24:41)

  • Dan reminisces about red, white and blue ABA basketballs and ABA/NBA history.
  • Dan recommends the new ABA documentary for basketball nerds (25:14–29:43).

5. Pat Riley Gets His Statue

• Laker legend honored.
  • Paul: “Sometimes statues don’t work, but this one is really sharp” (29:51)
  • Dan: “I look forward to seeing what that looks like with the suit, the tie, the hair…” (30:02)
  • Also, Michael Douglas based Gordon Gekko’s look on Riley (30:05).

6. Olympic Fun Facts — Denmark’s Surprising Winter Medal Shortage

• Dan jokingly laments Denmark’s “Scandinavian underperformance”:

  “How is it possible a Scandinavian country has two medals in its history?” (31:19–33:01)

• The Danettes research Denmark’s geography and climate in real-time, with classic clueless humor.
• Paul:

  “I love when we do topics like this where we know less than nothing…” (34:14)

• Extended riff: “If you’re going [to Denmark], you’d pack a jacket.” (35:03)

7. Jack Hughes Endorsement Brainstorm

• Dan: “Got to come up with a marketing plan for Jack Hughes and his teeth…” (36:10)
• The Danettes riff on toothpaste and mouthguard sponsors and “Gold Bond” puns (36:36–37:02).

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• Dan Patrick, on Olympic overtime:

  “This is for the gold medal. This isn’t, ‘Hey, you got another game tomorrow night in Toronto…’” (04:41)

• John Cooper (Canadian Coach):

  “It’s all TV-driven and, you know, to end the game. That’s why it’s not in the Stanley Cup finals or playoffs…” (06:08)

• Jack Hughes, postgame:

  “That’s a ballsy, gutsy win. That’s American hockey right there… Tonight was all for the country.” (08:21)

• Dan, summing up:

  “You couldn’t script it… That photo is going to live on for the rest of our lives, him smiling with his teeth cracked…” (08:39)

• On winning gold vs. the Stanley Cup:

  “I don’t want to say [the Cup] publicly… that’s a team and a city as opposed to a country.” (09:08)

• Paul, on Denmark:

  “Are they Denmarkians?” (34:51)

• Todd, on Red Panda halftime show:

  “Maybe there’s some kind of flames… or she’s doing it on a pond with piranhas.” (46:42)

• Marvin, on feeling old:

  “You just feel so old. I went to a high school game and they’re like, oh, what year did you graduate? ‘02. Damn.” (39:10)

Important Timestamps

| Timestamp | Segment/Highlight | |-----------|------------------| | 04:18 | NBC call of Team USA’s golden goal | | 06:00 | John Cooper (Canada’s coach) on 3v3 overtime | | 08:21 | Jack Hughes post-game quote | | 12:50–14:49 | Gold medal vs. Stanley Cup poll discussion | | 21:56–24:07 | NBA All-Star Game new format/rating debate | | 24:41 | All-Star Night event order rant | | 25:14–29:43 | ABA documentary, basketball nostalgia | | 29:51 | Pat Riley statue, Michael Douglas anecdote | | 31:19–35:03 | Denmark’s Winter Olympics discussion & banter | | 36:10 | Jack Hughes endorsement brainstorming | | 44:56 | Play of the Day replay—Team USA gold goal |

Segment Flow & Tone

• Insightful and irreverent: Blends serious analysis with wisecracks and self-deprecation, especially on topics outside their expertise.
• Collaborative energy: Frequent “around the room” polls, each Danette weighing in with personal stories.
• Listener engagement: Multiple caller “Best & Worst of the Weekend” segments (e.g., 37:13, 48:43), keeping the show's communal spirit.
• Pop culture references: ABA memories, “Red Panda” halftime performer, and the influence of Pat Riley beyond sports.

Summary for New Listeners

If you missed this episode, you’d know that Team USA’s Olympic gold in men’s hockey was a huge, emotional story, stirring memories of the 1980 Miracle—albeit with modern caveats. The show dives into what the win means to players, fans, and the nation, and how it measures up against the dream of a lifelong Stanley Cup quest. You’ll get candid—and often hilarious—takes on All-Star Game reforms, why Denmark apparently never wins in winter, and why Red Panda’s unicycle act divides the Danettes. All of it is classic Dan Patrick: a blend of sports insight, nostalgia, and the playful warmth of a Monday morning locker room.