The Dan Patrick Show: The Best Of Covino & Rich

Date: September 3, 2025
Podcast Network: iHeartPodcasts & Dan Patrick Podcast Network

Overview

This episode of The Dan Patrick Show spotlights the best moments from Covino & Rich as they unpack the fallout of Bill Belichick's disastrous UNC debut, meme culture in sports, anticipated NFL narratives, and the evolving nature of both college and pro athletics. Laced with humor and pop culture analogies, the hosts dissect major sporting moments, listener calls, social media trends, and share personal stories that resonate with both sports diehards and casual fans.

Main Themes

• Bill Belichick’s Nightmarish UNC Debut & Media Clowning
• Social Media and Meme Culture’s Impact on Sports Reputations
• NFL Season Storylines & Overreaction Culture
• Personal Anecdotes on Missed Opportunities and Communication Fails
• Sports Trivia, Competition, and Lighter Moments
• Evolving Statistics & Traditions in MLB
• Fan Experience and Stadium Accessibility

Detailed Breakdown & Key Segments

1. Bill Belichick’s UNC Nightmare: Expectations vs. Reality

[03:04 – 14:20]

• The crew dives into Bill Belichick’s much-hyped debut as UNC’s coach, which began with promise but ended in a devastating 48–14 loss to TCU.

• Covino sets the tone:

  “Look at Belichick bringing the magic.”
  (03:09 – Covino)

• Rich reflects the mood when realizing the magnitude of the beatdown:

  “This is a straight up nightmare. Like, he was living a nightmare right before our very eyes. And it turned out to be the greatest loss in his coaching career.”
  (03:54 – Rich)

Key Discussion Points

• The group did not tune in expecting Belichick to fail — “You’re hoping to enjoy it. So I don't think people were there to, like, watch Bill Belichick fail. I don't think he's that type of guy.” (03:54 – Rich)

• The shocking defeat triggers an avalanche of online jokes and memes, turning Belichick into a punchline rather than the respected GOAT.

• Covino’s analogy:

  “Do you look at it like an album? Hey, track one might stink, but we still have the rest of the album to listen to.”
  (07:52 – Covino)

• Dan Byer chimes in:

  “Sometimes it’s just an intro, right? So, you know, the bangers are on track two, three and four.”
  (08:09 – Dan Byer)

Notable Quote

• “Bella, check yourself before you wreck yourself.” (05:34 – Rich)

2. Meme Culture and Legends as Punchlines

[14:20 – 24:10]

• The hosts marvel at how quickly Belichick became meme fodder, especially with his personal life now in the spotlight.
• Jordan Hudson’s presence and age-gap jokes (“When Bill Belichick was 41, Jordan Hudson was 7.” (23:25 – Covino)) dominate Twitter alongside AI-created memes imagining Belichick in ordinary jobs.
• The hosts express some empathy:

  "No one is safe when it comes to getting clowned online...that all came clear when Jordan became the cry face...when we saw the goat Michael Jordan being clowned...Bill Belichick was that guy last night."
  (20:06 – Rich)

Listener Call Highlights

• Mike, South Dakota:
  “I think Belichick, like, I think he deserves what he's getting...I think there's so many people that just watch games, like, probably to be on social media and try to get that meme out as fast as anyone.” (24:27 – Mike)

3. Reactions to Week One Disasters: NFL Forecasts

[27:32 – 36:20]

• Drawing parallels to college football, the team predicts which NFL franchises could find themselves as week-one memes, picking the loser of Chiefs–Chargers, the 49ers if they stumble in Seattle, or the Broncos faltering in a winnable opener.
• “There's going to be someone in the NFL that gets the Belichick, Alabama, Arch Manning treatment.” (34:10 – Covino)
• Discussed the weight of expectations in high-profile programs (Alabama, Arch Manning, and big-name coaches).

4. Communication Fails: Missed Calls, Renfro’s Bluey Debacle & Personal Stories

[38:01 – 47:22]

• Story: Hunter Renfro misses Panthers' calls for a comeback contract because his kid kept swiping away the calls to watch “Bluey.”

  “His kid ignored the call 10 times—Bluey. Sorry.” (39:27 – Covino & Rich)

• The hosts invite listeners to share their own stories of missed opportunities due to technical or communication mishaps.
• Dan Byer tells a regretful story about missing a crucial job offer that ended up in his spam folder. (40:46 – Dan Byer)
• Rich reminisces about missing messages as a kid and even missed romantic opportunities due to bad cell phone reception in the early 2000s. (44:15 – Rich & Covino)

5. “Showtime Mahomes” Trivia & Levity

[57:30 – 62:23]

• The crew plays their weekly “Showtime Mahomes” trivia game with a listener, celebrating NFL’s imminent return.
• Running joke: Belichick is now “Bella Cheeks”—a name everyone riffs on throughout the segment.

• “You said he might be ass. Bella Cheeks. That’s the new name.” (57:59 – Rich)

• Lively banter about family roles, best man choices, and Taylor Swift gambling odds.

6. MLB Talk: Batting Titles, Shifting Statistical Standards, and Player Appreciation

[62:23 – 69:31]

• Covino observes the historical rarity that the future NL batting champ might have a sub-.300 average—signaling a seismic statistical shift in baseball.

  “Imagine...we could be like. And your NL batting champion, Freddie Freeman at .298. The batting champion. That means no. 1 in the National League...no one is batting .300.”
  (65:02 – Covino)

• Rich and Covino bemoan the lost appreciation for batting average among newer fans and muse about Pete Alonso’s underappreciation and MLB’s evolving metrics.

7. Stadium Experience: The Ravens’ Fan-Friendly Concessions

[69:51 – 70:52]

• Quick shout-out to the Baltimore Ravens for introducing an 11-item, under-$5 “Flock Friendly” menu—highlighting how rare, and welcome, affordable fan experiences are in pro sports today.

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• On Overreaction:

  “We live in a world of overreaction...So we're just feeding into the eye rolling overreaction.”
  (19:16 – Covino)

• On Football Legends Aging Out:

  “When you look at guys that stick around a little too long...it can't feel good when you're watching things change around you.”
  (17:23 – Covino)

• On Social Media Clowning:

  “No one is safe when it comes to getting clowned online...no one's immune.”
  (20:06 – Rich)

• On Missed Opportunities:

  “Missed opportunity for sure...no signal. And then by the time we called them back, they were like, yeah, no thanks.”
  (46:33 – Rich & Covino)

Timestamps Guide to Key Segments

• [03:04] – Belichick’s game breakdown begins
• [07:52] – "First track of the album" analogy
• [14:20] – Social media clowning segment escalates
• [20:06] – “No one is safe” online
• [24:27] – Listener call: Why people meme so fast
• [34:10] – Which NFL teams are ripe for overreaction
• [39:13] – Hunter Renfro misses big news for “Bluey”
• [40:46] – Dan’s missed job offer story
• [57:30] – Fun NFL trivia/“Bella Cheeks” jokes
• [65:02] – MLB’s batting champion conversation
• [69:51] – Ravens unveil affordable menu for fans

Final Notes & Tone

Covino & Rich blend sharp sports analysis, empathetic discussion, and irreverent humor—offering a unique take on not just the spectacle of the games, but the personalities, narratives, and cultural shifts swirling around the sports world. The episode invites fans to reflect, laugh, reminisce about their own experiences, and brace for the inevitable week-one NFL overreactions. If you missed the live show, this episode captures all the key themes, best jokes, and buzziest moments.