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Hour 2 – Callers Have Questions, Mike Greenberg - The Dan Patrick Show | Wave AI Podcast Notes

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Hour 2 – Callers Have Questions, Mike Greenberg

The Dan Patrick Show

Wed Oct 08 2025

Summary

The Dan Patrick Show – Hour 2: Callers Have Questions, Mike Greenberg

Date: October 8, 2025
Host: Dan Patrick, with “the Danettes”
Guest: Mike Greenberg

Episode Theme

Hour two of The Dan Patrick Show delivers a lively mix of sports talk, listener calls, and interview banter—highlighted by ESPN's Mike Greenberg discussing his new book Got Your Legends. Key topics include MLB playoffs, the Bengals trade for Joe Flacco, coaching controversies, and Greenberg’s deep dive into sports “Mount Rushmores.” The segment blends statistics, personal stories, and trademark humor.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. MLB Playoff Rundown, Weather, and Polls

[02:45] Dan covers scheduled MLB playoff games and weather updates.
Yankees & Aaron Judge: Yankees stave off elimination thanks to Judge’s heroics; Mariners lead their series.
Trade News: Bengals acquire Joe Flacco from the Browns, prompting discussion about Cincinnati's playoff prospects.
Jimmy Rollins Hall of Fame Debate: The crew debates Rollins’ Hall credentials, noting 2,455 hits, MVP, and playoff performance.
Poll Question Results:
- Most “Bathroom Can Wait” (BCW) players: Ohtani leads with 46%.
- Bengals playoff odds post-Flacco: 73% think no playoffs.

"Joe Flacco is an upgrade. Not, not a big upgrade at this stage of his career. But still... Cincinnati certainly becomes more threatening." – Dan Patrick [03:40]

2. Listener Calls: Football Safety, Fines, and Emotional Coaching

QB Tackling Injuries: Listeners discuss quarterbacks risking injury while attempting tackles (Cam Newton, Dak Prescott, Andrew Luck, Patrick Mahomes).
Coaching Fines:
- Jerry Jones fined $250,000; Jonathan Gannon fined $100,000 for sideline altercations.
- Emotional stress and "teaching moments" for NFL head coaches explored (Woody Hayes, Bob Knight, Lou Holtz).
Generational Differences in Coaching:
- Dan reflects on a personal high school coach story—being benched for questioning the coach’s decision, illustrating evolving expectations about communication and respect.
- The Danettes discuss how today’s athletes and coaches navigate authority.

"I never ever would speak to my coaches. That was the only time. But it was like in the moment, I'm going, why?" – Dan Patrick [14:17]

3. Uplifting Callers and Award Picks

[14:59] A caller shares that the show brings happiness to his wife battling cancer.
ROTY & DPOY Picks: Dan names Abdul Carter the frontrunner for Defensive Rookie of the Year, notes a shallow field.

4. Food Tips & Teasers

Callers from South Bend share local snack recommendations ahead of Dan’s trip.

5. Interview: Mike Greenberg on Got Your Legends

A. Opening Banter: Nate Bargatze Show

Greenberg opens by confirming he saw Dan Patrick at a Nate Bargatze comedy show in NY, discussing comedic etiquette and laughing loudly at shows.
Memorable Moment: Greenberg’s wife chides him for “laughing too loudly” at a comedy show.

"I really think the comedian probably likes it when you laugh loudly." – Mike Greenberg [25:00]

B. Genesis and Structure of the Book

Greenberg explains the evolution of his book ideas with research partner Hembo, from "Got Your Number" (athletes and jersey numbers) to the new book, which ranks every major pro sports franchise and assembles a “Mount Rushmore” for each.
The book ranks all 124 franchises across NFL, MLB, NBA, NHL.

"With his research, there's a ton. You will learn a ton about athletes you may not know... some played decades and in some cases, even a century ago." – Mike Greenberg [29:52]

C. Debates, Data, and Frustrations

Classic sports debates discussed (Pete Rose Hall of Fame, Michael Jordan vs. LeBron):

"If there was one game of basketball being played and my life depended upon the outcome, I would pick Michael Jordan first." – Mike Greenberg [32:23]
How research and data underpin every choice in the book, but room for subjectivity remains.

D. Toughest Mount Rushmores

Yankees are the toughest (and easiest); notable omissions (e.g., Rivera, Jeter) could constitute a Rushmore elsewhere.
Broadcasters like Vin Scully and Bob Uecker included on some teams’ monuments, but others (e.g., Jack Buck) were “painful” omissions.

E. Greenberg’s Jets Fandom & Broadcasting Philosophy

Dan and Greenberg compare how they handle fandom:
- On straight shows (e.g., SportsCenter/Sunday Countdown), objectivity rules.
- On personality-based shows (Mike and Mike, Get Up), Greenberg embraces his Jets suffering.
The origin of Greenberg being “outed” as a Jets fan by Robin Roberts.

"When you're hosting a show like SportsCenter... No one but my mother is watching because they want to hear what I have to say." – Mike Greenberg [38:09]

F. Fun Segment: Fritzy’s “Get Up” Tease

Todd Fritz reads an extended, pun-laden tease as if opening Greenberg’s show.

"It's time to get up... It's not wacko for the Bengals to buy into Flacco." – Todd Fritz [41:41]
Greeny applauds, jokes he’ll borrow Fritzy’s puns, and highlights the importance of always including the Cowboys in sports teases.

6. Favorites & Callbacks

Mention of notoriously awkward interviews (Debo Samuel, Willie Mays).
Dan reiterates he no longer roots for the Bengals or Reds as a professional broadcaster—he roots for great stories.

"America doesn't need to hear how much I love a team or don't love a team. I just didn't want to put that bias in." – Dan Patrick [52:19]

Notable Quotes & Moments (with Timestamps)

On Flacco-to-Bengals:
"Maybe Russell Wilson, maybe a big swing for Kirk Cousins. Joe Flacco is an upgrade... Cincinnati certainly becomes more threatening." – Dan Patrick [03:40]
On the weight of coaching errors:
“He might not be coaching for the Cardinals next year... They found a way to lose that game. And he knows he’s coaching for his job.” – Dan Patrick [11:41]
Greenberg on data for sports debate:
"Every single one of them is based, for the most part, on the research that Hembo does, which, on some level, is almost indisputable." – Mike Greenberg [33:44]
Mount Rushmore logic:
"The people you’re leaving off [the Yankees] would probably be better than the Mount Rushmore of almost any other team in sports." – Mike Greenberg [34:15]
On letting go of fandom:
"No, I would root for the fan base in Cincinnati, but I don’t have any loyalty to the Bengals or the Reds." – Dan Patrick [52:19]
Classic sports arguments:
"The Michael vs. LeBron thing now is sort of this generation's debate." – Mike Greenberg [31:45]
Humorous Get Up Tease:
"It's not wacko for the Bengals to buy into Flacco. It's time to get up." – Todd Fritz [41:41]

Timestamps for Segments

[02:45-04:59] MLB round-up, Jimmy Rollins debate, Bengals/Flacco trade reaction
[05:34-11:41] Listener calls: QBs making tackles, NFL coaching fines, generational coaching shifts
[14:59-16:45] Inspirational caller; Defensive Rookie of the Year picks; more listener calls
[24:15-42:24]
- [24:15-27:07] Comedy show etiquette & personal stories
- [27:07-34:15] Book genesis, structuring debates, rankings
- [34:15-37:22] Painful omissions, franchise Mount Rushmores
- [37:22-40:51] On Jets fandom and sports objectivity
- [41:03-41:48] Fritzy’s “Get Up” tease/pun showcase

Tone and Style

The episode maintains the show’s signature loose, bantering tone—equal parts analytical, personal, and irreverent.
The rapport between Dan, the Danettes, Greenberg, and the callers keeps the discussion engaging and accessible, whether critiquing all-time great athletes or recounting youthful coaching transgressions.

For First-Time Listeners

This hour offers a great snapshot of the show’s style: topical but timeless debates, friendly arguments, lots of personality, and honest engagement with callers and guests alike.
Greenberg’s book segment, with its blend of stats and nostalgia, will appeal to fans of sports history and argument alike.
Listener calls are treated with both thoughtful insight and light-hearted warmth.

Next Up: Jimmy Rollins joins in hour three to analyze the MLB playoffs and reflect on his own legacy in the game.

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Transcript

Lauren LaRosa (0:00)

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Ebon (0:55)

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Lauren LaRosa (1:07)

I'm the homegirl that knows a little bit about everything and everybody let me know.

Mike Greenberg (1:13)

Lauren LaRosa, you hear that exclusive.

Dan Patrick (1:16)

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Lauren LaRosa (1:17)

I came in telling the truth. Every day I'm bringing you the latest in entertainment, breaking down the headlines you can't stop talking about and giving you my very unfiltered take on the biggest stories in the industry. From exclusive news and y' all know I got it to us break breaking down the interviews. Cause y' all are my co hosts. Now I'm giving you the deep dives on some of the biggest moments in pop culture.

Todd Fritz (1:37)

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Lauren LaRosa (1:38)

Listen to the Latest with Lauren LaRosa, weekdays on the iHeartRadio app, Apple Podcasts or wherever you get your podcasts. Culture eats strategy for breakfast, right?

Mike Greenberg (27:20)

So I had this idea. It's the third book that we've done, Hambo and I, so if you know Himbo, his research is ridiculous. Like he is whatever the geniuses are at NASA that like put are eventually going to put a man on Jupiter. That's what Himbo is to sports research. And during COVID I had this idea. It just came up from an idle conversation we were having with someone you'll remember, Pete McConville from ESPN, who's one of the few people who has been around as long as you and I and about which players own Each individual numbers, like the uniform numbers, like 23, clearly belongs to Michael Jordan and 99 belongs to Wayne Gretzky. But how about all these other numbers? Who owns them? And I thought that might make an interesting book. So we did a book called Got yout Number, in which we assigned that who owns every number from 1 to 100. And candidly, it sold better than the publisher expected it to. So they said, come up with another idea. So then I figured, I've been doing sports talk for 30 years. So we came up with a book. The second one was called Got yout Answers, in which we picked the 100 best sports debate topics and sort of using his research, answered them. And that also did well. So we had another idea. Hembo said, let's do the Mount Rushmores. You and I have both done. And so has every sports fan. And frankly, it goes beyond sports. Watch the Mount Rushmore of this. What's the Mount Rushmore of rock guitarists? What's the Mount Rushmore of stand up comedians? The Mount Rushmore of this or that or the other. So we decided, using his research, to come up with the Mount Rushmore of every team in the four sports, as you just said, the NFL, the NBA, the NHL and Major League Baseball. And so we chose those. And then it was my job to write it. The way we do the books is he does the research and then I do the writing. I sat down to write it and I realized we don't really have a construct for how we're going to lay them out. So do we just do them by sport? Do we do them alphabetically? Neither of those. None of the ideas I had seemed interesting. So we said, well, hell with it. Let's just rank all of the teams from, you know, the best one to the bottom one. So the best one is the Yankees. And some of the teams that have just come into existence are down at the bottom and using winning percentage and championships and all sorts of other things. So the book sort of has two separate areas for debate, which is, did you agree with the people that we chose to be the Mount Rushmores of literally every team? And then do you agree with the way that we ranked them? And whether you agree or disagree, hopefully it'll be fun to read. And what I like the most about it, because I, Dan, grew up reading a ton of sports history books. I read a lot about sports history and I feel like that's sort of a lost art, if indeed that is an art. Not enough of that going on. So there's a ton of sports history in it. There's a ton. With his research, there's a ton. You will learn a ton about athletes you may not know a whole lot about because some of them are contemporary, but some of them are played decades and in some cases, even a century ago. So hopefully, whether you agree or disagree, you'll learn some stuff about some of the great athletes of all time.

Mike Greenberg (30:25)

Well, I mean, the contemporary ones, like the. The what. What my mind goes to when you ask me that question are what are the go tos that. Those of us who did sports talk that depended on phone calls, which is what I used to do before I came to espn. I started out and Ray, you were working your way up, like, as a TV guy and CNN and ESPN and SportsCenter and everything. I came a different route. I came from sort of the traditional, you know, call this number right now and let's have this argument. So I go back to the ones that were just a. Like, on a slow day, you just throw this question out and they would do your show for you. So the big One in the 90s was, does Pete Rose belong in the hall of Fame or not? So I don't know if it frustrates me, but it's. It's a question that people are so divided on. The people on either side of it feel so strongly and passionately about their respective sides. And this, of course, was long before Pete died. So it was. It was a really good, fun, easy debate to throw out there. The Michael versus LeBron thing now, I guess, is sort of this generation's debate. And I can tell you that, like, my son is a crazy basketball fan. Grew up playing nothing but basketball. He's 22, and he never stops telling me that LeBron is the greatest player of all time. And, you know, it makes me crazy, but you just had to have seen it. I'm. I'm. I will forever be a Michael guy. I remember sitting with you in the bowels of the old Chicago Stadium when I was covering those Bulls teams because I worked locally in Chicago. And you would be in town to cover the finals and you would. You'll remember hanging out with, like, Terry Boers and Jesse Rogers, all those guys you used to hang out with, and those were my friends. And so you were there, and I was like, wow, Dan Patrick is here. And, you know, I would just sit at the table and listen. Anyway, the point is, I always tell younger people, if you didn't watch Michael Jordan play, then I can Understand why you don't know the answer to this question, but maybe the best way I can explain it is if there was one game of basketball being played and my life depended upon the outcome, I would pick Michael Jordan first, and then I would make whatever plans you want to make for the extended future because he was going to find a way to win better than anyone else would. So, anyway, those are the two that jump to my mind when you ask the question. I don't know if it's exactly what you meant, but that's sort of where my head went.

Mike Greenberg (38:04)

At this point, I think my sports soul is calloused enough to sort of absorb that, the depression that is being a Jet fan. It's interesting because I host two different shows, and this has always been my philosophy, Dan. And I'm not sure how you see it, but when you're hosting a show like SportsCenter, as you did for all those years, as well as anyone ever did, or in my case, when I host the Sunday Morning Countdown show or when I host the NFL draft, those are shows people are not watching because I'm on them. They're watching them because they're fans of the sport. When I was hosting the NBA, they're watching because they're fans of the sport. No one but my mother is watching because they want to hear what I have to say. And so in those cases, I don't bring my fandom to that conversation at all. I don't treat the jets or any other team that I pay attention to any differently than I do any other team on talk shows that are my own shows. So when we were doing Mike and Mike, or now when I do get up, up, I figure the reason people are watching is because of your personality. It is because of who you are. They're tuning in to hear what you have to say about things. And in those, like, that's how I got to this. I didn't play. You know, I didn't. I was. I'm not a former athlete. I'm just a fan. I'm just a kid who grew up loving sports in the 1970s, and those are my teams. So I've never made any secret. I don't know if I've ever told you this, but the way that started was your friend and mine, Robin Roberts on the old On a Saturday morning Sports Center. Right before Robin left to do gma, I was hosting a Saturday morning sports center with her. And the jets were playing a playoff game that night. And this was before there was Mike. And Mike. This is before any of that. And I had never acknowledged what team I rooted for. I would have thought that that would be totally verboten, that I would, you know, Norby would call me in and fire me if that came up on the air. And in my own little private way, I wore a green tie that day. That's it. Said nothing of it. Just as wearing a green tie. And then in one of those little moments that you have for chit chat on SportsCenter, you know, where there would be like that little interaction, Robin says, greeny, I see that green tie. Obviously you got that on for the big jets game tonight. And I thought, oh my God, this is the worst thing that's ever happened to me. Here I am, I'm anchoring ESPN News five days a week. They put me on SportsCenter like once a month. I'm getting this chance and now I'm getting, you know, outed as a fan of a team. This is going to be the worst thing that ever happened to me. And obviously nothing terrible happened. And then it wasn't until we started doing Mike and Mike that I thought, well, what am I going to sit here talking about? You know, like, what. What is the. We can't just sit here and analyze in a, in a dry way all the X's and O's of all these games. People want to hear what your passion is. So we talked about that. And there's no question I talk about the jets differently than I do other bad teams in the sport. It just, it's just the way it's going to be.