The Dan Patrick Show

Episode: Hour 3 – Caitlin Clark’s New Shoes, Trevor Sikkema
Date: August 26, 2025
Podcast: iHeartPodcasts and Dan Patrick Podcast Network

Overview

This episode of The Dan Patrick Show dives into sneaker culture—anchored by the news of Caitlin Clark’s new shoe release—before veering into nostalgic debates about the coolest sneakers and cars of past decades. The hour also features a detailed conversation with Trevor Sikkema of Pro Football Focus about football analytics: most valuable positions, the case for Aaron Donald’s greatness, and how wins above replacement applies to NFL defenders. Listener calls add memories and sports trivia, and the hosts share personal stories with frequent joking and warmth.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

The Impact of "Old" College QBs (01:30)

• Dan discusses transfer-heavy college quarterbacks like Kentucky’s Zach Calzada, who will be 25 this season, musing on whether there should be a limit to how many schools a player can represent.
  • "Shouldn’t they limit how many schools you can go to? Maybe three?" — Dan (03:20)
• Observes the advantage a 25-year-old has over younger collegiate athletes.

Caitlin Clark’s New Nike Shoe & WNBA Signature Sneaker Culture (05:40)

• Caitlin Clark’s new signature Nike shoe line draws positive response, including from rival Angel Reese (who also has a signature line).
• The Clark logo (“two C’s combined”) reminds the crew of the Chanel logo, prompting speculation about possible legal tussles.
  • "Chanel lawyers will be calling Nike sooner than later." — Marvin (07:50)
• Dan and the crew tally up all WNBA players with signature shoes—Sabrina Ionescu, Breanna Stewart, Angel Reese, A’ja Wilson.

Sneaker Nostalgia & Memories (10:30)

• Hosts reminisce about sneakers that defined their youth—Adidas Superstars, Puma Clydes, and the impact of Michael Jordan’s signature shoes.
  • "Adidas Superstars...That’s the best-looking shoe ever made. You could wear them with jeans, to a wedding..." — Dan (10:50)
  • "Nostalgia is undefeated, especially in the sneaker game...Now everyone’s got a job...I'm buying three pairs." — Marvin (15:05)
• Discussion about struggling to afford popular shoes in childhood and returning to buy them as adults with disposable income.
• The practice of “collecting” and “protecting” shoes versus wearing them is debated, paralleling classic car collectors who never drive their prized vehicles.

Sports Callbacks: Collecting Cars & Sentimental Attachments (17:40)

• Dan references stories of people storing and preserving classic cars instead of driving them—a metaphor for collecting versus actual use.
  • "It's like a painting...but to never, ever take it out just seems weird." — Todd (20:25)

Listener Calls: Sports, Nostalgia & Trivia (24:50)

• Several callers share memories of famous shoes, uniforms, and athletes (from Walter Payton’s "Bruise Brothers" shoes to the Oakland A’s white cleats).
  • "Coolest thing in footwear was the A’s all-white shoes in the ‘70s..." — Mike in LA (27:55)
• Debate over dominant NFL defenders and the value of disruptive defensive tackles.

Interview: Trevor Sikkema, Pro Football Focus (31:00)

Grading Defensive Value: Aaron Donald vs. T.J. Watt (32:10)

• Trevor explains PFF’s “Wins Above Average” model and how it tries to individualize value in the ultimate team sport.
  • "Aaron Donald was breaking our wins above average model sometimes with how much he was able to impact the game." — Trevor Sikkema (35:20)
• Edge rushers like T.J. Watt get attention, but interior disruptors bring unique value.

Most & Least Valuable Positions (36:00)

• Least valuable: Off-ball linebacker, due to high replaceability—except rare talents like Fred Warner.
  • "The more replaceable you are, the closer to average you are, the less value you hold." — Trevor (36:35)
• Cornerback and wide receiver both highly valuable, but truly elite corners are rarer.

Trey Hendrickson: Multi-year Deal? (37:35)

• Hendrickson is almost as productive as Miles Garrett (except in run defense).
• Retaining him is crucial for the Bengals’ defense and Super Bowl chances.

Travis Hunter: 2-Way Phenomenon (39:30)

• At the NFL level, a true top-5 corner (like Hunter could be) is more valuable than even elite receivers, due to scarcity and the “island” nature of the position.
  • "You can play him full time at corner, get maximum value, then moonlight him as a wide receiver." — Trevor (41:00)

"Hall of Fame Grades" & Active Greats (43:10)

• PFF data only goes back to 2006. Players like Russell Wilson likely already have Hall of Fame credentials by their metrics.

Listener Stories, Humor & Personal Anecdotes

Texting the Dead (21:15)

• Dan shares receiving a text from a deceased friend's phone, sent by family—leading to jokes about paying for unused phone lines and the unusual comfort people find looking back on messages.
  • "It's perfectly, perfectly okay to text dead people's phones... The survivors enjoy looking back at all the text." — Text from late friend's family (21:40)

Anniversary Story: Crashing a Listener’s Wedding (52:45)

• Listener recalls Dan crashing his rehearsal dinner in 1995 (with Jay Bilas). The story is legendary in the family.
  • "My mom commented at the end of the night she had no idea who you were, but everybody seemed excited...she thought you were very tall and handsome." — Jim, caller (53:25)
• Dan and the crew tell stories of shared (and sometimes crashed) dinners on the road.

Sports History & Movie Nostalgia (01:01:10)

• The crew discusses “Dirty Dancing” (1987), asking who loved or disliked it, leading to jokes about the era’s run of dance films (Footloose, Fame, Flashdance).
• Listeners reminisce about back-to-school sneakers and shoe-related humiliations.
  • "Picked out a pair of Chuck Taylors...glaze orange. Coach never let me live it down..." — Sean, caller (01:06:30)

Notable Quotes

• Dan (about old college QBs): "This is the last of the COVID QBs...Big difference if you're 18 and someone's 23 or 24. Night and day development." (02:10)
• Marvin (on nostalgia): "Nostalgia is undefeated, especially in the sneaker game for somebody like me... now I’m buying three pairs."
• Trevor Sikkema (PFF): "Aaron Donald was breaking our wins above average model with how much he impacted the game." (35:20)
• Trevor (on positional value): "The more replaceable you are, the less value you're going to hold." (36:35)
• Dan (about rare shoes): "I wore mine. I'm wearing my shoes. I never went, 'oh, I'm gonna put these away.' Should have." (14:45)
• Dan (on classic cars): "Why'd you wrap up your Corvette? ...I'm never gonna drive it." (17:55)
• Listener Mike (on A’s white shoes): "Coolest thing in footwear was in baseball in the early '70s when the A's donned their all-white shoes..." (27:55)
• Jim, caller (on Dan at his wedding): "Still don’t know the whole story...My mom had no idea who you were but thought you were very tall and handsome." (53:25)
• Dan (summarizing the sneaker nostalgia): "A lot of times what you buy is what you couldn't buy when you were of a certain age." (16:50)

Timestamps for Important Segments

• Old QBs and Transfer Limits: 01:30–05:00
• Caitlin Clark’s New Shoes & WNBA Sneaker Scene: 05:40–10:00
• Nostalgia for Shoes, Collecting vs. Wearing: 10:30–17:00
• Car Collecting & Nostalgia: 17:40–21:00
• Texting Deceased Loved Ones: 21:15–24:00
• Listener Calls (Retro Shoes & Uniforms): 24:50–30:00
• Interview: Trevor Sikkema, PFF: 31:00–45:00
  • Aaron Donald v. T.J. Watt: 32:10
  • Most/Least Valuable Positions: 36:00
  • Hendrickson Contract Value: 37:35
  • Travis Hunter/Positional Value: 39:30
  • PFF, Hall of Fame Grades: 43:10
• Listener Stories & Anniversary Anecdotes: 52:45–55:00
• Dirty Dancing/Movie History Segment: 01:01:10–01:03:50
• Final Listener Calls & Nostalgia: 01:06:30–end

Episode's Original Tone & Style

The show maintains its trademark laid-back, humorous banter, passionate riffing about sports and nostalgia, and warm camaraderie between Dan and the Danettes. Listener engagement is high, and personal stories are mixed with pop culture and sports analysis. Interviews are friendly yet insightful, with attention to leveraging analytics for deeper football understanding.

For Listeners Who Missed the Episode…

This hour offers a fun, winding road through sneaker culture, the economics of childhood dreams achieved in adulthood, and some deep football analytics courtesy of Trevor Sikkema. The banter yields as much value as the sporting insight, and the listener calls bring authenticity and humor to the table. Whether you're a WNBA merch fan, an NFL stathead, or just nostalgic for 1980s shoes and music, it's worth a listen—or a close read.