The Dan Patrick Show – Hour 3 (October 20, 2025)

Main Theme:
A lively hour focusing on historical and current baseball phenomena, headlined by an extended interview with World Series champ and broadcaster Ron Darling, plus spirited debate about NFL quarterback Tua Tagovailoa and the Miami Dolphins' future. The crew rounds out the hour with banter on the economics of NBA superstars, legendary party teams, and callers’ best/worst sports moments.

Key Segments & Insights

1. NBA Jersey Banter & MLB Set-Up (03:43–04:56)

• Dan and the crew have some fun discussing the NBA’s new era, each wearing the jersey of their chosen star for the day. Lighthearted grumbling over missed choices (e.g., Pete Maravich, Kareem).
• Teasing tonight’s playoff showdown: Mariners vs. Blue Jays.
• Shot of advice: “Don’t pitch to Vlad Guerrero. He is on a, on a heater right now... Last time this happened, it was Babe Ruth.” —Dan Patrick (05:16)

2. Ron Darling on Otani & Baseball Evolution (05:47–19:12)

A. Shohei Ohtani’s Historic Game

• [05:47] Dan brings on Ron Darling (former Mets pitcher, TBS analyst) to discuss Ohtani’s epic playoff double-duty performance.

  “I’ve never seen anything like it... It was stuff that you see in Williamsport. You don’t see at Dodger Stadium on a Friday night.”
  —Ron Darling (05:47)

• The uniqueness: Ohtani pitches and bats leadoff, something even Ruth didn’t do:

  “No other player has this opportunity to pitch and then bat leadoff... Even Babe Ruth didn’t do this.”
  —Ron Darling (06:15)

B. The Japanese Impact

• Darling reflects on how the best player he’s seen is from Japan—contrasting the old scorn of Japanese “inferior baseball” when he played (06:32–07:26).

C. Why Aren’t There More Two-Way MLB Stars?

• Darling: Most college pitcher/hitters can’t compete in both at the major-league level—what makes Ohtani’s feat “even more remarkable” (07:49).

D. What Was More Impressive: Hitting or Pitching?

• Darling: The sound of Ohtani’s second home run was like nothing he’d ever heard—“sounded like someone had shot off a cannon” (08:40).

  “The thunder which comes off the bat of Ohtani is just special.”
  —Ron Darling (10:24)

E. Dodgers’ Pitching Strategy

• Dodgers let starters pitch deeper: “They have the most well-rested staff with some of the most talented pitchers in baseball... They’ve made their money, Dan.” —Ron Darling (11:20)
• On contracts and playoff stamina: Players with big contracts feel freer to go deep into games (12:09).

F. On Vlad Guerrero Jr. & Playoff Performance

• Darling marvels at Guerrero’s postseason: “When the talent and maturity clash all at the same time, that’s one of the most beautiful things to watch in athletes.” (13:09)

G. Comparing Historic Games

• Which is more improbable: the ’86 Buckner Game or Otani’s Friday? Darling picks Buckner for singularity: “Ohtani could do it again... But the strangeness of that game—no one recovers from that.” (14:04)
• Anecdotes about postgame Mets wildness and crumbling Shea Stadium (15:49).

H. Dodgers’ World Series Matchups & Hall of Fame

• Dodgers don’t care who they face; they’re riding high, loaded with future Hall of Famers. (16:33)

  “They’ve got five future Hall of Famers, if you include the manager on the ball club.”
  —Ron Darling (16:37)

• Discussion of changing criteria for starting pitching wins and Hall of Fame standards (17:43–19:09).

3. Legendary “Party” Teams in Sports (19:13–21:35)

• Lighthearted debate comparing the ’86 Mets, ’70s Oakland A’s, and late-’70s Raiders as sports’ wildest/craziest teams.
• Dan: “To still win it all... There was kind of function with their dysfunction.”
• Marvin: The Raiders “gave you the impression that they might have been outlaws off the field... but you had great players.”

4. The Dolphins’ Dilemma: Tua & the Franchise’s Future (27:05–31:24)

• Dan scrutinizes the decision to extend Tua Tagovailoa and casts doubt on his “success ceiling:”

  “For the life of me, I’ve said this... He’s not good... I never would have extended him. Never... But I needed to find out more from him.”
  —Dan Patrick (27:05–30:00)

• Dan speculates about the future of the Dolphins’ leadership, potential changes, and the AFC East pecking order.

5. Callers: Best & Worst of the Weekend (31:24–38:47, 50:11–54:34)

• Sports Joy & Pain: Callers share recent triumphs (Notre Dame win, Mariners’ playoff fever) and frustrations (Vols loss, Mariner missed chances).
• Debates on Coaching Futures: Lane Kiffin speculation, Penn State’s high standards, Lincoln Riley’s legacy after tough losses.
• Dan and crew riff on the fleeting nature of sports success and coaching job security (36:31–38:47).

6. NBA Money Game: Kevin Durant’s Career Earnings (38:47–43:21)

• Paulie quizzes the crew: How much will Kevin Durant make by the end of his new contract?
  Final tally: $591 million, second all-time to LeBron James ($581 million so far).
  • “A decade ago, Kevin Garnett...334 million... He’s now 15th.”
• Discussion on the future of NBA salaries, with Wembanyama “on pace to be the first 100-million-dollar-a-year guy.” (43:09, 43:13)

7. Manager’s Take: Dave Roberts on Ohtani (49:23)

“That was, you know, the greatest, probably the greatest postseason performance of all time... There’s a reason why he’s the greatest player on the planet.”
—Dave Roberts, Dodgers manager (49:23)

8. Quick Hits & Closing Banter

• Recap of wild college football weekend: nine Top 25 teams lose, major playoff ripples (48:45).
• College coaches on the hot seat: pressure at Penn State, Ohio State, USC.
• Trivia and This Day in Sports History: The original AP football poll, Houston’s 95–21 football romp, and “The Fosbury Flop” revolutionizing high jump (52:51–54:24).
• Light tease for next episode: Reggie Miller joins tomorrow.

Memorable Quotes & Moments

• On Otani:

  “It was stuff that you see in Williamsport. You don’t see at Dodger Stadium on a Friday night.”
  —Ron Darling (05:47)

• On Tua & the Dolphins:

  “He’s not good. And I thought, why would you extend him? Why?”
  —Dan Patrick (27:05)

• On Vlad Guerrero Jr.:

  “When the talent and maturity clash all at the same time, it’s one of the most beautiful things to watch in athletes.”
  —Ron Darling (13:09)

• On wild teams:

  “There was kind of function with their dysfunction.”
  —Dan Patrick (20:09)

Timestamps for Key Segments

• Jersey Banter & MLB Lead-in: 03:43–04:56
• Ron Darling Interview: 05:47–19:12
• Party Teams Debate: 19:13–21:35
• Tua & Dolphins Rant: 27:05–31:24
• Callers' Best/Worst: 31:24–38:47, 50:11–54:34
• NBA Salary Game: 38:47–43:21
• Dave Roberts on Ohtani: 49:23
• College Football Recap/Historical Tidbits: 48:45, 52:51–54:24

Tone & Style

Conversational, sharp, and humorous as always. Dan blends pop culture, nostalgia, and sharp questioning, with the Danettes chiming in for banter, trivia, and expert analogies. The guests—especially Ron Darling—bring insight, storytelling, and a few baseball-flavored mic drops.

For listeners seeking the day’s sharpest sports stories, biggest games, and a slice of sports history—and for fans of great soundbites from some true “characters” in the world of sports.