The Dan Patrick Show

Episode: HOUR 3 – Casting the Gambling Scandal Movie, John Tesh
Date: October 24, 2025

Episode Overview

In this vibrant hour of The Dan Patrick Show, Dan and the crew embrace both their signature blend of sports analysis and pop culture banter. The main themes include a humorous deep dive into the NBA gambling scandal—complete with a spirited movie casting session for a hypothetical film based on the events—and an engaging interview with John Tesh, composer of the iconic “Roundball Rock” NBA theme. The episode is colored by quick-witted exchanges, playful camaraderie, and thoughtful takes on sports integrity.

Key Segments & Discussion Points

1. Friday Food & Sports TV Roundup

• [04:48–05:35]
  • Dan announces “Meat Friday,” featuring tri-tip French dip sandwiches and poutine ("Who has it better than we do?" - Dan Patrick [05:02]).
  • The crew jokes about Canadian poutine (“Charles M. Poutine IV Jr. III” - Paulie [05:14]).
• [05:35–09:14]
  • Dan and the crew share what they watched the night before:
    • Georgia State vs. South Alabama football ("35 points in the first quarter... fun back and forth" - Dan [05:46]).
    • NBA highlights.
    • Confessions about enjoying “Basketball Wives,” with crew ribbing Dan for getting sucked into the drama (“Start watching, then I get involved in the drama...” - Dan [06:41]).
    • Discussion of the HBO Max series “Task” starring Mark Ruffalo and Tom Pelphrey.

2. Casting the NBA Gambling Scandal Movie

• [09:14–13:15]
  • The crew brainstorms a hypothetical movie based on the ongoing NBA/FBI gambling investigation.
  • Working titles bounce between “Nothing But Bet,” “Nothing But Net,” and “Royal Flush.”
  • Each character is cast by Seaton (most roles), with additions by the rest:
    • Adam Silver: Stanley Tucci as "the Tooch" ([09:33]).
    • FBI Director Cash Patel: Riz Ahmed ([10:06]).
    • Chauncey Billups: Mahershala Ali ([10:25]).
    • Gilbert Arenas: Mekhi Phifer ([10:53]).
    • Terry Rozier: Joey Bada$$ / Jovan Scott (“Perfect casting by a guy most people don’t know” - Seaton [11:19]).
    • Damon Jones: Larenz Tate ("Dead Presidents", "Menace II Society" - Marvin [15:50]).
    • Crew muses on who could play LeBron James, given the need for height and star power (Dan: “Does LeBron play LeBron? No, he does not! No, no.” [13:01]).
    • Todd suggests Jesse L. Martin for Arenas and J.B. Smoove for Chauncey Billups if it's a comedy ([12:13], [20:45]).
  • Paulie humorously reveals Joey Bada$$’s real name, “Jovan Scott” ([12:32]).
  • The crew jokes about green-lighting the movie with Ben Affleck, Matt Damon, or Adam Sandler ([13:24]).
  • Todd riffs on sports names with money references (Cameron Dollar, Don Money, Penny Hardaway, etc. [29:54]).

3. Calls & Reactions: NBA Gambling Scandal Analysis

• [13:38–19:50]
  • Caller Tygo from Connecticut voices concern that the potential “insider info” from Chauncey Billups about tanking games is more serious than media personality Brian Windhorst lets on ([13:38]).
  • Dan agrees, stressing the gravity of a coach allegedly providing info that leads to betting profits:
    • “You got a head coach in the NBA giving information. Now, it doesn’t matter that he didn’t make money... he gave information to somebody. This is an NBA coach. That’s big.” ([14:42])
    • Dan draws parallels with the Tim Donaghy referee scandal, highlighting why the perception of integrity matters.
  • Crew debates possible consequences for Billups:
    • “If... true, will he get the Pete Rose-type of punishment? ...completely excommunicated from the NBA?” – Marvin ([18:22])
    • Dan: “You can move on from Chauncey Billups. Nobody’s going to miss him on the national picture. But… when you have a coach involved ... dialogue with somebody that this is what we’re going to do and I’m going to bench my starters… Did he know what was going to be done with that information?” ([18:32])
  • Paulie and Dan discuss how even small amounts of inside info can move betting lines ("All I want is a little bit of information before everybody else..." - Dan [19:50]).

4. Weekend Preview: “Most Must-Win Game”

• [28:24–29:32]
  • Each host picks their “most must-win” football game of the coming weekend:
    • Todd: Ravens vs. Bears ([28:35])
    • Seaton: Purdue vs. Rutgers ([28:43])
    • Marvin: Bills against the Panthers ([28:56])
    • Paulie: Ole Miss Football vs. Oklahoma ([29:16])
    • Dan: LSU vs. Texas A&M ([29:32])

5. Interview: John Tesh (Composer, “Round Ball Rock”)

• [30:24–41:15]
  • John Tesh joins to reminisce about creating "Round Ball Rock," the legendary NBA on NBC theme.
    • Tesh describes waking up in France and calling his home answering machine to record the melody ("I called my answering machine in the middle of the night at 2am and recorded that..." - John Tesh [31:22]).
    • Dan plays the original answering machine recording ([32:05]).
    • Tesh shares the surreal bar experience of watching his music debut on TV and trying (unsuccessfully) to impress the bartender ("I'm sitting there for a while. And after the third time it came on the air ... I said to the bartender, do you hear that song? ... I wrote that, you know.'" [32:58]).
    • Details on how “Round Ball Rock” was crafted for perfect TV segmentation and its use in live events and theme concerts.
    • Discussion of Tesh’s new album, “Sports,” and his writing inspiration from athletic events.
    • Tesh plays a snippet of “Round Ball Rock” live ([40:12]).
    • Playful banter between Tesh and his wife about identifying which sport each new theme he writes is supposed to evoke ("She would 'walk by and she'd go, football.' ... then she'd hear something else ... 'hockey.' ... She’s definitely a producer on this." - Tesh [41:02]).

6. Theme Song Debate: Greatest Sports Music

• [41:20–42:55]
  • Dan and Paulie debate whether "Round Ball Rock" or ESPN’s "SportsCenter" theme is more iconic.
    • Paulie: “I think I probably did da-da-da, da-da-da [SportsCenter] more.” ([42:05])
    • Dan: “SportsCenter theme ... the greatest sports theme ever.” ([42:12])

7. Listener Calls & Sports Trivia

• [49:24–55:32]
  • Loyal listeners express gratitude for the show and ask about the New York Giants’ struggles ([49:24]), reminisce about theme music from classic NFL Today broadcasts ([51:31]), and share sports stats and trivia.

Notable Quotes & Moments

• On getting caught watching “Basketball Wives”:
  “I always get busted by either one of my daughters or my wife and they go, what are you watching? Or my wife will be more direct: ‘What are you doing?’” – Dan Patrick [06:41]

• On casting the gambling investigation movie:
  “Stanley Tucci. I’m putting the Tooch in there [as Adam Silver].” – Seaton [09:33]
  “It’s not crazy to think that there won’t be a movie based off of this. Look at ‘The Social Network’ … and then all of a sudden, it was brilliant.” – Dan Patrick [11:36]

• On the seriousness of the Chauncey Billups allegations:
  “You got a head coach in the NBA giving information … That’s big. Terry Rozier in a prop bet. ... Now, the fact that you allowed him back in is … the tricky part here.” – Dan Patrick [14:42]

• On Tesh composing “Round Ball Rock”:
  “I knew that if I didn’t … If I went back to sleep, and I’m sure you’ve had this feeling, you have a great idea and you go back to sleep and it’s gone ... So I called my answering machine in the middle of the night at 2am and recorded that.” – John Tesh [31:22] “This was just another theme. It was sort of bouncy and not as epic as most of the stuff…” – John Tesh [32:28] “When I go to one of your concerts, how long do I wait before you bring out ‘Round Ball Rock’?” – Dan Patrick [34:05] “It’s strategic … My concerts are women who have dragged their boyfriends or their husbands … we save it until the second-to-last song … we turn it into like a 15-minute segment.” – John Tesh [34:05]

• On the power of iconic sports themes:
  “Somebody in a review called ‘Round Ball Rock’ the Hallelujah chorus for the NBA.” – John Tesh [37:17]
  “When they hear those seven or eight notes that always told them back in the day, 'Run to the living room, basketball’s about to start.’” – John Tesh [37:33]

Timestamps for Major Segments

• Meat Friday jokes & TV roundup: [04:48–09:14]
• Movie casting brainstorm: [09:14–13:24]
• Caller on NBA scandal seriousness: [13:38–15:50]
• Gambling/integrity debate: [15:50–20:10]
• Most Must-Win Game of Weekend: [28:24–29:32]
• John Tesh Interview: [30:24–41:15]
• Sports Theme Debate: [41:20–42:55]
• Listener Calls & Trivia: [49:24–55:32]

Tone & Style

• Humorous and irreverent, filled with crew banter and playful ribbing.
• Analytical and concerned when discussing the seriousness of gambling and integrity in sports.
• Nostalgic and celebratory as John Tesh relives the creation and legacy of "Round Ball Rock."
• Inclusive and interactive—the crew encourages and riff on listener calls, classic trivia, and sports culture in equal measure.

Summary prepared for listeners who missed the episode, capturing the best of Dan Patrick’s mix of fun, insight, and sports nostalgia.