The Dan Patrick Show – Hour 3

Date: February 13, 2026
Guests: Mike Tirico, Noah Eagle
Main Theme: Sports scandals at the Winter Olympics, the NBA All-Star Game, and the challenge of tanking in pro basketball.

Overview

This episode of The Dan Patrick Show embraced the energetic chaos of the sports calendar: covering Olympic scandal, the demands of broadcast life, and the anticipation around NBA All-Star festivities. Dan’s guests Mike Tirico (NBC broadcast legend, live from the Winter Olympics) and Noah Eagle (rising play-by-play star, about to call the NBA All-Star Game at 29) brought humor, perspective, and insider details. The episode’s tone balanced irreverent banter with genuine inquiry into the mechanics and realities of modern sports.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. Olympics Scandal Watch: From 'Crotch Gate' to Judging Drama

(01:56–07:59)

• Dan, Seaton, and Dylan open with a run at the big stories out of the Winter Olympics, focusing humorously on “Crotch Gate” in ski jumping—where athletes allegedly altered their suits around the groin for competitive advantage.

  • Seaton: “Crotch gate…sort of splits in two. Both have to do with the crotchal region.” (02:28)
  • Dylan: “If you enlarge the area enough, it’ll be like a ship rudder…” (03:21)

• Dan asks Mike Tirico how NBC covers such awkward but newsworthy stories.

  • Tirico: “Everything you say about that story is problematic...Only in the Olympics. Funny story. Sorry about that. It’s off the charts good.” (04:45)
  • No expert for Crotch Gate—yet—Tirico jokes: “We’re searching. It’s a very deep research pool…” (05:21)

• The show pivots to the ongoing ice dancing scoring controversy, with Tirico remembering the Cold War era of “the Russian judge.”

  • Tirico: “With ice dancing, everybody says there’s going to be bias from countries. It’s political. We understand that going in. I’m like, what do you mean you understand that going in?” (07:07)

2. Olympic Performance & Progress: The Case of Ilia Malin

(08:03–08:52)

• Dan and Mike discuss Ilia Malin, a skating phenom known as the “quad god.” Dan points out Debbie Thomas’s historical backflip and changes to rules.
• Tirico: “It’s just pushing the physical limits of what people can do, which is the great thing about sports all the time.” (08:14)
• Olympic progress in skillset lauded; comparison to “Wemby” (Victor Wembanyama) in the NBA as sport’s evolution.

3. NBA Tanking: Fines, Drafts, and the Jazz

(09:24–12:43)

• Dan questions the timing of recent harsh fines for the Utah Jazz for perceived tanking.

  • Tirico: “Utah had a brilliant idea...they’re not the key minutes. They’re not the minutes you need your best players to close a game.” (09:52)
  • Comparison to European soccer’s lack of parity, and support for American sports’ cyclical rebuilds via draft picks.

• They puzzle over solutions to the tanking problem.

  • Tirico: “Everybody, when looking for a competitive edge, finds a workaround at some point…Whatever the next system is, somebody will find a way to mess with it.” (11:30)
  • Dismissal of full Premier League-style European pyramids as incompatible with American fandom.

4. Behind the Scenes: Olympic Broadcast & Research

(12:43–16:17)

• Dan asks about Mike’s leap from Super Bowl coverage straight to Italy for the Olympics.

  • Tirico: “Went back to the hotel, got a shower, grabbed our stuff and got on the plane…Day seven and I’m still feeling pretty good.” (12:50)
  • Explains coping strategies for the “Olympic Wall” of exhaustion.

• Shout-outs to the NBC Olympic research crew and their vital role in broadcast accuracy.

  • Tirico: “There are a lot of sports executives…who are alums of the Olympic research group…Jake and Charlotte are my saviors on the show right now.” (14:56–16:17)
  • Dan echoes the importance: “When you’re armed with information, it’s very powerful…” (17:11)

5. All Eyes on Noah Eagle: All-Star Game’s Young Voice

(19:59–23:44)

• At 29, Noah Eagle is the youngest ever to call the NBA All-Star Game. Dan probes his nerves, advice, and the impact of his age.

  • Eagle: “Best piece of advice…just be myself and really do everything we normally do. Have fun.” (20:12)
  • On age: “I’ve always been an old soul…The goal is to bridge the gap between those who are 22 and those who are 72.” (20:53)

• Noah is bullish on the new All-Star Game format (USA vs. World), expecting competitive play due to a quarter-by-quarter reset.

  • Eagle: “The point differential is going to matter…you’re going to start to see some of that competitive joy and spirit come to the forefront.” (23:44)

6. More Tanking Talk: Alternate Fixes?

(24:02–26:14)

• Dan solicits Noah’s thoughts for fixing NBA tanking.
  • Eagle: “I don’t think there is one…every solution I’ve heard, there’s a counter…The answer is to try to sit back and hopefully enjoy what you can.” (24:02)

7. Celebrity All-Star Game Roster Breakdown & Social Media Musings

(28:33–33:40)

• The crew runs down the eclectic celebrity player lists—athletes, actors, influencers—and debates the distinctions among internet labels (TikTok star vs. social media personality, etc.).
• Humorous admissions about unfamiliar celebrity names and widespread TikTok addiction.
  • Dan: “Every meal we have is a TikTok meal.” (33:00)

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• Mike Tirico, on 'Crotch Gate' research:
  “We’re searching. It’s a very deep research pool, if you know.” (05:21)

• Tirico, on Olympic judging bias:
  “With ice dancing, everybody says there’s going to be bias from countries. It’s political. We understand that going in. I’m like, what do you mean you understand that going in?” (07:07)

• Dan, on the power of broadcast research:
  “When you’re armed with information, it’s very powerful because…you want to come across as at least somewhat knowledgeable.” (17:11)

• Noah Eagle, on his generational approach:
  “The goal is to bridge the gap between those who are 22 and those who are 72.” (20:53)

• Noah Eagle, on the All-Star celebrity game and Shams Charania:
  “Apparently you can put a wager on Shams Charania’s over/under of three and a half points, which is disrespectful...he’s got to get at least four.” (27:31)

• Seaton, on flag football dream matchups:
  “It does seem it is a different skill set though.” (38:43)

Timestamps of Important Segments

• 01:56 — Olympic scandal ‘gates’ rundown (Crotch Gate, ice dancing judging)
• 04:45–05:48 — Mike Tirico on covering “Crotch Gate” and Olympics humor
• 07:07 — Olympic judging criticism & system bias explained
• 08:03–08:52 — The evolution of figure skating, Ilia Malin as “quad god”
• 09:24–12:43 — NBA tanking, Utah Jazz fines, and the draft system
• 12:43–16:17 — Mike Tirico on Super Bowl/Olympics transition and importance of research staff
• 17:11 — Dan on the value of Olympic broadcast research
• 19:59–20:53 — Noah Eagle on age and advice for calling the All-Star Game
• 23:44 — Noah explains the competitive potential of new All-Star Game format
• 24:02–26:14 — Noah Eagle’s take on futility of tanking solutions
• 28:33–33:40 — Celebrity All-Star Game roster run-down and influencer distinctions

Conclusion

Hour 3 of The Dan Patrick Show was classic: packed with irreverence, smart sports discussion, and a behind-the-scenes feel. Listeners were brought into the Olympic and NBA All-Star world, heard confessions about broadcaster prep and research, and were treated to a mix of serious expertise and endearing, self-deprecating humor about the quirks of modern sports culture.