The Dan Patrick Show – Hour 3

Episode Title: Arms Are Changing in Baseball, Al Michaels
Date: October 2, 2025
Host: Dan Patrick, iHeartPodcasts/Dan Patrick Podcast Network
Guest: Al Michaels

Episode Overview

In this hour, Dan Patrick and his crew dig into the evolution of pitcher velocity and athleticism in sports, the limits of human potential, advances in sports medicine, and the shifting strategies in baseball. The hour is highlighted by an in-depth, insightful interview with legendary broadcaster Al Michaels, who reflects on his vast career—from calling the Big Red Machine games to Super Bowls and Olympic hockey—and weighs in on broadcast chemistry, challenging stadiums, the modern NFL, and more, all with candid stories and classic wit.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. Velocity Revolution: How Hard Can We Throw and Hit?

[02:50 – 21:15]

• Modern Fastballs: Dan discusses Athletics pitcher Mason Miller throwing 11 out of 15 pitches over 100 MPH (topping at 104.5 MPH), reflecting on just how far pitcher velocity has come compared to 25 years ago.
• Discussion with Yale Professor:
  • Paulie shares insights from a Yale PhD in physics and mechanical engineering who studied pitching.
  • Key points: Further gains in velocity will be incremental, if at all. Throwing hard is contingent on whole-body mechanics—especially lower-body strength and leveraging “elastic whip” principles, not just arm strength.
  • Notable quote from Paulie (attributing professor’s sentiment):

    “Generating speed in a throw is a whole body thing... it’s how you use your lower body and how efficiently your mechanics ‘whip’ the force through the arm.” (09:25)

  • Improvements in medicine (e.g., Tommy John surgery) and training are the main drivers of modern advances, not simple “evolution."
  • Possibilities of new medical interventions that could proactively strengthen ligaments for pitchers are discussed.
• Athletic “Limits": The gang riffs on what the sporting “ceilings” really are (speed, distance, etc.), and how much of modern gains are technique, not just muscle.

2. Personal Anecdotes on Power & Mechanics

[13:45 – 20:00]

• Dan tells classic stories about playing golf with Eddie George—emphasizing that size/minimal strength does not automatically equal maximum power (“It’s how you put yourself in a position”).
• Seton and Paulie riff on elastic athletes (like Tiger Woods, Justin Thomas, and Pedro Martinez), showing how leverage and technique trump pure brawn.

3. Baseball Arm Care and Medical Evolution

[16:20 – 20:50]

• Discussion on Tommy John surgery, prevention vs. recovery, and advancements in rest & pitching management.
• Notable quote (Paulie on medical tech):

  “He could see a generation from now, preventative measures and medicine going into your ligaments… so you never have to have Tommy John surgery… so you won’t have to worry about throwing 100 often.” (17:30)

4. Wounded Animal Parlay – Betting Segment

[21:15 – 25:10]

• Dylan and Paulie unveil the “Wounded Animal Parlay,” a quirky underdog NFL bet.
  • Features: Skyy Moore anytime TD; Niners +8.5; Mac Jones over 211.5 passing yards.
  • Memorable moment:

    Dan: “I suggest you zig. You’d probably do better, but you like to zag.” (22:50)

  • Payout: PLUS 3,232—to-1!

5. Light Segment: Basketball Wives, Reality TV Guilty Pleasures

[25:11 – 32:20]

• Crew banter about Dan’s accidental deep dive into “Basketball Wives,” wondering aloud about the evolution from sports-adjacent reality TV to pure drama.
• Lively jokes about “wives” who aren’t wives, and why Dan got caught watching by his own wife.
  • Quote (Dan to Marvin):

    “She goes, ‘What is this?’ I said, ‘Basketball Wives.’ ‘Whose wives?’ ‘I don’t know.’” (28:27)

Feature Interview: Al Michaels

Introduction & NFL Broadcast Preview

[34:01 – 36:20]

• Al previews Thursday Night Football (Niners vs. Rams)—his “home game” at SoFi, jokes about loving mileage and per diem.
• On his favorite stadiums to call games from:
  • Best: Arrowhead (Kansas City); “I could call the whole game with the naked eye.”
  • Worst: Candlestick Park, San Francisco—“So high up... the only place you look down on the blimp!” (35:22)
  • Shares a hilarious moment about reading single fan attendance “Mr. and Mrs. Jim McAlpine have come in from Mill Valley...” (36:10)

Reflections on the Big Red Machine & Greatest Teams

[36:24 – 38:40]

• Dan and Al reminisce about the 1970s Big Red Machine:
  • Al: “I can’t think of any [National League team] that would compare to them. You had Pete Rose, Johnny Bench... all in their prime.”
  • Shares nostalgia on calling Ken Griffey Sr.’s first games.
• On sportscasting preferences: loves baseball but “hasn’t called a game since the ‘95 World Series.” Now fully football-focused.

The Craft of Broadcasting: Chemistry and Partnership

[38:41 – 42:00]

• Al discusses chemistry with long-term broadcast partners—from John Madden to Dennis Miller.
  • On learning timing, especially in fast sports like hockey, and his admiration for Mike “Doc” Emrick.
  • Shoutout to late Ken Dryden, Olympic hockey partner:

    “He had to pick his spots, get in and out in eight seconds. Tough thing to do. And he did it.” (40:20)

• Antics of working with Howard Cosell:
  • “You’d always come away with a story... but toward the end... life just became bitter. It became very, very difficult.” (41:12)

Do You Miss Baseball? And Postseason Magic

[43:37 – 44:26]

• Would Al like to call another baseball game? “No, not really. I’ve been out of it for 30 years... Now I watch an All-Star Game and maybe know six or seven guys.”
• Praises the “romance” of postseason baseball:

  “I do love postseason baseball... just the way the sun is, the shadows, it’s really, very, very cool.” (44:12)

NFL Overtime & Tonight’s Matchup

[44:33 – 47:34]

• Al on NFL overtime:

  • Wishes OT was still 15 minutes, not 10:

    “I think it’s okay for a game to end in a tie... What’s the difference if a game is 70 or 75 minutes?” (45:00)

• Tonight’s Niners-Rams preview:

  • Niners are “star-crossed, a mass unit... Brock Purdy out, both top receivers out, rookie left guard.”
  • Rams are “a full-fledged Super Bowl contender... built the defensive line like the Niners did a few years ago.” (47:18)

Broadcast Meetings & “Off the Record”

[47:40 – 50:10]

• On inside info from team meetings:
  • Favorite anecdote: Mike Martz, Rams coach, told broadcast team something “off the record”—but it was already in the St. Louis Post-Dispatch! (48:12)
  • Younger coaches are savvier with media now.
• Classic Doc Rivers story (from the NBA):

  “‘You do know Doc is a nickname, right?’” (49:40) after repeated injury questions.

Steak, Candy, and Traditions on Game Days

• Al’s pregame meal habits: bites of steak, burger beforehand, candy corn and Junior Mints during the game.
• Dan: “Maybe you can leave some scraps for Herbie’s dog.”
• Al: “Herbie’s dog is already almost 100 pounds. He’s just a baby. What the hell’s going on here?”

Farewell

[50:37]

• Al: “Always great, Dan. Take care, man.” (classic signoff)
• Dan to audience: “Al Michaels. Al on the call with Herbie tonight, Thursday Night Football...” (51:00)

Listener Calls & Final Thoughts

[54:16 – end]

• Callers discuss all-time MLB lineups and fastball evolution.
• Conversation about whether we’ll ever see field/court dimensions change due to athlete advances.
• Dan speculates:

  “I could see where they widen the field or the court in basketball... I don’t know if they’ll do that with football or baseball. Baseball is about the dimensions. You create your ballpark.” (1:01:48)

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• Dan (on body mechanics):

  “It’s all about elasticity... Tiger [Woods] was turning sometimes 10-15% more than the other golfers. That’s the magic of sport.” (12:15)

• Al Michaels (on Candlestick Park):

  “It was so high up one night, I said... It’s the only place where you look down on the blimp!” (35:22)

• Al Michaels (on Howard Cosell):

  “He was fun to work with... but by the end, life just became bitter.” (41:12)

• Al (on NFL OT):

  “At a certain point, what’s the difference whether the game is 70 minutes or 75 minutes? That’s the only thing I would change. I’d go back to 15.” (45:00)

Timestamps for Key Segments

• 02:50–21:15 – “How Fast Can Humans Throw?" and Yale professor insights
• 13:45–20:00 – Leverage, torque, and mechanics in golf and baseball
• 21:15–25:10 – “Wounded Animal Parlay” betting segment
• 25:11–32:20 – “Basketball Wives” conversation
• 34:01–51:00 – Al Michaels in-depth interview
• 54:16–1:06:15 – Listener calls: Best MLB lineups, sports evolution, changing field/court size

Episode Takeaways

• Modern advances in sports are driven as much by training, medicine, and body mechanics as by sheer physical evolution.
• The “next frontier” in sports longevity and performance may be in preventive medicine and optimizing small details, not massive jumps in strength or velocity.
• Al Michaels’ longevity and versatility are built on deep preparation, adaptability, and a knack for chemistry—with plenty of stories along the way.
• The joy of sports, for broadcasters and fans alike, is as much about tradition and small moments (postseason baseball at sunset, candy corn in the booth) as about records and innovation.

For listeners looking for a deep dive into the changing science of baseball, the realities of sports broadcasting, and Al Michaels’ legendary storytelling, this episode is a can’t-miss.