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.