The Dan Patrick Show

Episode: Hour 3 – Sean Casey, SeptHeisman and SepteMVP

Date: October 1, 2025

Episode Overview

This hour of The Dan Patrick Show features a deep dive into MLB postseason baseball with guest Sean Casey (MLB Network analyst), engaging banter on pop culture and sports, humorous listener calls, and the crew's picks for “SeptHeisman” and “SepteMVP”—highlighting standout performers in college football and the NFL for September. There’s also a comical exploration of cultural phrases like "Karen" and "Todd," and reflections on memorable moments in sports history.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. MLB Postseason Analysis with Sean Casey

(05:55 - 18:45)

Gut Feel vs. Analytics in Baseball Management

• Dan Patrick raises the challenge managers face: balancing data-driven analytics with intuitive, in-the-moment decisions.

  • Aaron Boone’s decision to pull Max Fried despite him pitching well prompts discussion.
    • "He felt like there was some traffic on the bases with Fried in 4, 5 and 6, and he felt like, you know, that that was the right time he was going to go to the pen there anyhow. So I feel like that was kind of a gut feel from Boonie as opposed to the analytics." — Sean Casey (06:28)

• Sean Casey’s Perspective: In postseason, some managers still make decisions based on gut even with analytics on the table. Experience in team clubhouses reflects this tension.

Managing in the Postseason:

• Stakes are higher; often “no tomorrow” in wild card series.
• Moves get compressed—managers may pull pitchers more quickly.
  • “You do have to manage a little differently in the postseason because the stakes are a lot higher.” — Sean Casey (07:35)

Teams with Best Shot at Comeback:

• Among day’s losers, Sean likes the New York Yankees’ chances due to their talent and determination.
  • “I really feel like the Yankees have a really good team. I think they still have a chance to win that series.” (08:10)

Pressure of First Playoff Game

• Sean’s story of his playoff debut: felt “adrenaline and energy I’d never felt,” led to trying too hard and poor performance.
  • "Failures feedback, failures information…You gotta be able to let the game come to you." — Sean Casey (09:00)
• Emphasizes the importance of experience and learning to “slow down” in high-stakes moments.

How to Pitch to Shohei Ohtani:

• “You got to really mix and match with him...get him in, move his feet, and then you try and just try and hit him with the kitchen sink.” (10:10)

Facing a Young Clayton Kershaw:

• Casey narrates facing Kershaw in spring training as an unknown rookie:
  • After being “used and abused” by the then-unknown lefty, Casey realized “This kid from the backfield is something special...turns out that was Clayton Kershaw.” (12:59)

Importance of Ace Pitchers (“Hammers”)

• Dodgers now boast a fearsome rotation (Snell, Yamamoto, Ohtani), giving them a real three-headed monster for playoffs, but bullpen is the big question.
  • “You really got to be on your A game...if they're on, it's a tough go.” (14:10)

Catchers in MVP Race: Cal Raleigh vs. Aaron Judge

• Raleigh’s historic year as a catcher puts him in contention ("the fact that he beat Mantle’s 54 HR as a switch hitter—really historic stuff"), but...
• Sean Casey leans Judge: "Aaron Judge exists in 2025. And he's a generational player that we've never seen...and for me, he's the MVP." (16:30)

Personal Memorabilia & Inside Jokes

• Casey’s "coolest thing in his office": Signed checks from Marilyn Monroe and Joe DiMaggio. (16:54)
• Playful ribbing about displaying Sports Emmys to taunt Dan.

The Elegance of Left-Handed Swings

• Why so few righties are praised for pretty swings? "The righties look like they're always grinding...the lefties, it just looks a lot sweeter left-handed." (17:58)

Baseball Oddity: Getting Thrown Out at First from Left Field

• There's now a three-man club (Sean Casey, Tommy Pham, Dylan Moore): "I'm keeping tabs. I'm keeping receipts on who's getting thrown out from blue left." (18:29)

2. Listener Calls, SeptHeisman & SepteMVP Picks

(25:00 - 34:44)

College Football & the "SeptHeisman"

• Callers discuss standout September performances — e.g., Ty Simpson’s stats and James Franklin as "the college football John Calipari."
  • “Just win the one [championship]. You can keep the job for another 10 years.” — Dan Patrick (25:38)

Cultural Lingo and the “Todd” Meme

• Listeners and the crew riff on how "Todd" could become the new "Karen," joking about left-lane drivers and proposing highway DOT signs: "Don’t be a Todd."
  • "We need some state in the union to be the first to put up on that thing, Don't be a Todd. No camping in the left lane." (27:00)

Advice for Newlyweds

• Callers congratulate Dan and ask for marriage advice and for sportscasting inspirations.
  • "She [my wife] said, is this about me? I go, no, it's about Todd. She goes, what's the context? I said, no, it's simple. I love him, but I don't always like him." — Dan Patrick (51:13)

“SepteMVP” Picks

• Panel gives their September MVP picks:
  • Josh Allen, Jimmy Kimmel (jokingly), Puka Nacua, James Cook, Baker Mayfield, Matthew Stafford.
    • “I’m gonna say Puka Nacua’s having the best month.” — Seaton (32:30)
    • "I'm gonna give it to Matthew Stafford Jr. III. He's still doing it. He's still spinning it." — Dan Patrick (33:59)

3. NFL Quarterback Talk and Halftime Entertainment

(34:44 - 42:20)

• QB injury speculation: Discussion of Bengals options (Derek Carr, Kirk Cousins, Russell Wilson, Joe Flacco) in event of injury.
  • “I got two rookies. But what I was told by my source is that Flacco still gives the Browns a better—the best—chance of winning.” (36:05)
• Bad Bunny as Super Bowl halftime show performer — debates surrounding his cultural impact and embracing audiences.
  • "If Taylor Swift could play and I'd be like, all right, good for her...Prince was the one that I— I got to see that one, and it was...the best halftime performance I’ve ever seen." — Dan Patrick (39:08)
• Seaton notes: “People from Puerto Rico are U.S. citizens. He actually very much is from here. He actually is very much from the United States.” (40:42)

4. Sports History Tidbits

(51:21 - 53:12)

• Black Sox scandal (1919), Babe Ruth as pitcher/hitter, Muhammad Ali vs. Joe Frazier, Steffi Graf’s Golden Slam.
• Nostalgic asides: "That’s where I lean on my 40 years of experience...Gabby Sabatini and Fuego." — Dan Patrick (52:32)

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• “Failures, feedback, failures, information. How do I take the failure I got here, get me back to the postseason to experience it? ... You gotta be able to let the game come to you.” — Sean Casey, on learning from playoff nerves (09:00)
• “We need some state in the union to be the first to put up...Don’t be a Todd. No camping in the left lane.” — Dan Patrick (27:00)
• “Aaron Judge exists in 2025. And he’s a generational player that we’ve never seen...For me, he's the MVP.” — Sean Casey (16:30)
• “I looked over, everyone's laughing—I come back to the dugout...turns out that was Clayton Kershaw... he made me look like a four-year-old kid.” — Sean Casey on facing young Kershaw (12:59)
• "I love him, but I don't always like him." — Dan Patrick on co-worker Todd (51:13)
• “If Bad Bunny is going to bring eyeballs...it’s the Apple halftime show, correct?...Is Apple going to sell earbuds that translate from Spanish to English?” — Dan Patrick (41:06)

Timestamps for Important Segments

• 05:55 – MLB Postseason talk begins, Sean Casey joins
• 08:27 – Casey recounts first playoff game and learning to slow down
• 10:03 – How to pitch to Ohtani, Kershaw spring training story
• 14:46 – Catchers in MVP race, Cal Raleigh vs Aaron Judge
• 17:58 – Why left-handed swings look prettier
• 18:29 – Getting thrown out at first from left field, exclusive “club”
• 25:00 – Listener calls and start of SeptHeisman/SepteMVP discussion
• 31:55 – Panel gives their SepteMVP picks
• 39:08 – Super Bowl halftime show performer talk, Bad Bunny debate
• 51:21 – This Day in Sports History

Summary Tone & Style

Maintains the show’s classic conversational, quick-witted style; humorous and sharp, balancing sports expertise with pop culture and radio banter. The chemistry between Dan and his crew shines, as does Sean Casey’s storytelling and high energy.

For Listeners Who Missed the Show

This episode offers a blend of insider baseball perspectives from Sean Casey, fun banter on cultural trends ("Don't be a Todd"), and thoughtful takes on sports MVP races. Standout moments include Casey's tales of playoff pressure and Kershaw's dominance, savvy MLB postseason insight, and playful debates about highway etiquette, marriage, and iconic musical performances.

If you want a snapshot of the current sports landscape with energy, laughs, and expert insight, this is a standout hour.