The Dan Patrick Show (Best Of) — September 1, 2025

Guest Hosts: Steve Covino, Rich Davis, Danny G
Podcast Network: iHeartPodcasts & Dan Patrick Podcast Network

Overview

This special Labor Day episode of The Dan Patrick Show sees Covino & Rich sitting in for Dan, broadcasting with their signature comedic banter and pop-culture-infused sports takes. The crew dives into September baseball, early-season college football overreactions (especially concerning Arch Manning and Alabama), the excitement and downsides of live versus TV sports viewing, and the cultural phenomenon of "Linsanity." A new game segment — “Covino or Belichick” — keeps things light, and extensive listener feedback rounds out the episode.

Main Themes

• Sports Fan Overreactions: Debating the tendency to leap to conclusions after a single week of games, with a focus on college football narratives.
• Live vs. At-Home Viewing: Is it worth paying soaring ticket prices to watch the NFL live?
• Community & Fan Identity: Why do fans feel compelled to attend games in person — ego, community, or both?
• Pop Culture & Sports: Remembering Jeremy Lin’s brief NBA superstardom.
• Comedy & Real Life: Hosts riff on everything from pumpkin spice season to gym etiquette.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. Labor Day, September Sports, and Personal Rituals

[04:01]–[08:14]

• The show kicks off with classic Monday morning gripes and Labor Day banter, setting a relaxed holiday tone.
• Transitioning into sports talk:
  “This is the time of year football consumes your life. ... every kid’s officially back in school, starting this week. So it is a big transition week.” — Rich Davis [07:58]
• Major leagues in play: September baseball, NFL season about to launch, college football recaps, and even boxing on the horizon.

2. College Football Week One: Overreactions & Meme Culture

[08:14]–[23:51]

• Rich admits the human urge to jump to conclusions — are this week’s storylines actually overreactions?
• A major topic: Arch Manning’s “disappointing” debut, and the meteoric rise and ridicule via social media memes.
• “The headline was ... I think he’s ass.” — Steve Covino [12:15] referencing a Barstool meme.
• Are these takes hasty or fair, considering the limited evidence? Danny G brings perspective: “You can only react to what’s in front of you at the moment.” [13:12]
• Also discussed: Alabama’s perceived softness, and the viral catch by C.J. Daniels — “Was that the catch of the year ... or are we overreacting?” — Covino [21:08]
• Hosts dissect why fans (and media) cling to early narratives.

3. The Challenge of Balancing Family & Sports Fandom

[24:03]–[27:04]

• Modern dad dilemmas: missing big games for your kids’ activities.
• “That’s got to be, like, tough when you only live so strong for that one team ... you wait all year just to watch that game and you can’t even watch it.” — Covino [25:13]
• Shared struggle of recording games (“DVR culture”) and the impossibility of avoiding spoilers on social media.

4. College vs. NFL Fandom: Live Sports or Stay Home?

[27:04]–[38:06]

• NFL is king — “We have been conditioned ... Sunday is mentally reserved for NFL football.” — Rich Davis [26:26]
• Regional differences: Hosts admit college football matters less where they grew up (New York, Jersey, LA) compared to the South or Midwest.

5. Is Attending an NFL Game Worth It?

[35:43]–[46:38]

• Analysis of average NFL ticket prices — e.g., Raiders averaging $578 [39:16], and others over $500 per ticket.
• Rich’s big assertion: “The actual viewing experience of an NFL game is the worst of all four major sports.” [41:44]
• Detailed breakdown of why TV’s technology (pylon cams, replays, first down lines) makes watching from home superior.
• “You can’t beat the view you have at home.” — Covino [42:46]
• Counterpoint: Danny G argues that the atmosphere — “the electricity in the air” — when it’s your team makes being there live incomparable [46:22].

6. Ego, Community, and Sports Attendance

[48:49]–[51:15]

• Rich hypothesizes that a lot of “being there” is about ego and showing off on social media, comparing it to “choosing vacation spots for Instagram opportunities.” [49:06]
• Danny G pushes back: “Hardcore NFL fans don’t really give a ... We just want to be close to what we love.” [50:00]
• Is sharing game attendance bragging or just sharing? The group navigates the psychology of fandom and representation.
• Listener “JP from Upstate NY” calls in to describe his lifelong quest to visit every NFL stadium, emphasizing the deeply personal significance and sense of community gained from being at the game [52:24–54:25].

7. Game Segment — "Covino or Belichick?"

[68:02]–[74:05]

• A playful segment where a caller must guess whether various fun facts apply to Steve Covino or Bill Belichick.
• Sample question: “His Jordan simultaneously enrolled in cosmetology school and commuted daily while balancing her academics.” [71:01]
  • Answer: Belichick. (Covino’s partner is a Pilates instructor.)
• More lighthearted revelations: Covino’s dog is a national ad star, and both he and Belichick have partners named Jordan.
• Winner receives a CNR Nerf football and some show swag.

8. Remembering "Linsanity" and Outlier Superstars

[75:30]–[82:58]

• On Jeremy Lin’s official NBA retirement, the hosts reminisce about the cultural lightning bolt of his brief Knicks stardom.
• “It was a guy playing at the true height of his potential ... he was just in such a zone that it was, it took the world by storm.” — Covino [82:13]
• Broader discussion on “who wasn’t supposed to be a star?” with examples like Jacob deGrom, Brock Purdy, David Ortiz, Nick Foles, and Darren Waller.
• Takeaway: Sometimes sports magic comes where you least expect it.

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• “Are we really moving too soon? Can you really make an assessment [in week one]?” — Covino [12:36]
• “That’s just the culture that we live in. ... we build the story to tear it down.” — Covino, on Arch Manning’s rapid-fire critiques [19:23]
• “The actual viewing experience of an NFL game is the worst of all four major sports.” — Rich [41:44]
• “You want to feel like you’re closer to the action. Vegas itself is bringing a next level of showmanship.” — Covino [43:37]
• “Are you sharing or are you bragging?” — Covino on game selfies and fan ego [55:52]
• “It’s a subconscious ‘I need to be there’ thing.” — Rich, admitting the urge to attend big games [60:14]
• Danny G's perspective on super-fandom: “You care a lot more when it’s your team.”
• Covino on “Linsanity”: “Those two weeks defined everything for that dude and props to him.” [82:58]

Timestamps for Important Segments

• Labor Day opening, sports landscape & holiday banter — [04:01]–[08:14]
• College football week one & overreactions — [08:14]–[23:51]
• Family life vs. sports commitments — [24:03]–[27:04]
• NFL ticket prices & live vs. TV experience — [35:43]–[46:38]
• Psychology of fans at live games — [48:49]–[51:15]
• Caller JP on NFL stadium quest — [52:24]–[54:25]
• “Covino or Belichick?” game show — [68:02]–[74:05]
• Jeremy Lin and "outlier hero" discussion — [75:30]–[82:58]

Final Reflections

This episode blends the silly with the sincere, challenging sports fan culture while reveling in its quirks. The filling-in hosts manage to poke fun at themselves (“They pay me in meatball at Fox Sports Radio” – Covino) and their audience, while ultimately celebrating the communal, once-in-a-lifetime moments that make sports fandom so powerful — whether or not you’re watching from the couch or the third row, fifty-yard line.

To sum up:
Overreactions are everywhere, but so is the hope and fun that comes with a new sports season. And whether you’re at the game or enjoying the pylon cam at home, sports are all about connection, community, and, sometimes, the desire to be “in the room where it happened.”