The Best of The Dan Patrick Show

Summary

Podcast Summary: The Best of The Dan Patrick Show Release Date: June 2, 2025

Overview In this special compilation episode of The Dan Patrick Show, hosts Dan Patrick, Marvin, and Tom Brokaw delve into a range of hot topics in the sports world. From in-depth analyses of NBA team dynamics to critical discussions on the evolving landscape of college athletics, the trio offers insightful commentary interspersed with their characteristic humor. This summary captures the essence of their conversations, highlighting key points, notable quotes, and the overarching themes discussed throughout the episode.

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1. NBA Focus: The Knicks and Carl Anthony Towns

The episode kicks off with a passionate debate surrounding the New York Knicks and their star player, Carl Anthony Towns. The hosts dissect the criticism Towns faces regarding his defensive performance, especially during the playoffs.

• Defensive Concerns:

  • Dan Patrick (03:08): “Carl Anthony Towns can't play defense. No one should be surprised because he has never been able to.”
  • Tom Brokaw (03:13): “He's not a power forward. He's just a forward. He's really good at scoring and letting the other team score as well.”

• Trade Speculations: The conversation shifts to potential trade scenarios involving Towns, with discussions about pairing him with superstar Giannis Antetokounmpo.

  • Dan Patrick (04:25): “Now, are you going to have him on the move? But you got to have somebody to blame.”
  • Tom Brokaw (03:57): “He's a seven-foot shooting guard. The Pacers were targeting Carl Anthony Towns in the fourth quarter.”

• Coaching and Team Strategy: Critique of the Knicks' coaching decisions under Tom Thibodeau highlights frustrations over defensive strategies and player utilization.

  • Marvin (07:30): “Feel like nobody takes more criticism than Tom, and this team obviously has turned around during his tenure.”
  • Dan Patrick (08:32): “Is Tom Thibodeau the right coach for the Knicks? I do not.”

Key Takeaway: The Knicks' dependence on Towns has sparked debates about team strategy and the need for potential trades to bolster their defensive lineup.

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2. College Athletics: Insights from SEC Commissioner Greg Sankey

A significant portion of the episode features an enlightening conversation with Greg Sankey, the SEC Commissioner, who provides a deep dive into the current challenges and future directions of college sports.

• College Football Playoff Expansion: Discussing the ongoing debates about expanding the playoff system, Sankey emphasizes the importance of selection criteria and the impact on regular-season games.

  • Sankey (50:16): “I think we should be exploring tournament expansion. Whether or not it happens is another point of evaluation.”
  • Dan Patrick (49:19): “When are decisions made or voted on for expansion for the college football playoffs?”

• Student-Athletes' Compensation and NIL Policies: Sankey addresses the complexities surrounding Name, Image, and Likeness (NIL) rights, emphasizing the need for standardized compensation models to support student-athletes financially.

  • Sankey (53:45): “A revenue sharing model where athletic programs are providing that payment directly to student athletes can be a better system.”
  • Dan Patrick (61:50): “Can you have some kind of curriculum that helps them with investing, balancing a checkbook, real estate, taxes?”

• Financial Literacy and Education: Highlighting the importance of preparing student-athletes for life beyond sports, Sankey advocates for comprehensive financial literacy programs within athletic departments.

  • Sankey (55:31): “Our athletics departments provide pretty deep financial literacy programs.”
  • Dan Patrick (61:04): “If you're taking something that does prepare you, and college is supposed to prepare you.”

Key Takeaway: The conversation underscores the evolving nature of college athletics, stressing the necessity for fair compensation, robust financial education, and thoughtful playoff expansion to enhance the overall collegiate sports ecosystem.

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3. Personal Dynamics: Hosts' Interactions and Career Moves

Beyond the main topics, the episode offers glimpses into the personal dynamics between the hosts, particularly focusing on Tom Brokaw's recent career developments.

• Tom Brokaw's Move to ESPN: Brokaw shares his excitement and apprehensions about transitioning to ESPN, highlighting the challenges of balancing commitments between TNT and ESPN.

  • Tom Brokaw (21:08): “I signed a deal last week. I'm going to work with ESPN next year when the season starts.”
  • Dan Patrick (24:03): “Does the show look like the show? It's just inside the NBA, but it's on ESPN. Is that how you're positioning this?”

• Behind-the-Scenes Anecdotes: The hosts engage in a light-hearted exchange about their golfing experiences and schedule management, showcasing their camaraderie.

  • Tom Brokaw (32:02): “I wore number 32 one year as a tribute to Magic Johnson.”
  • Dan Patrick (40:03): “Well, I'm bringing the show out to Tahoe.”

Key Takeaway: The episode reveals the strong rapport between the hosts, blending professional discussions with personal anecdotes that add depth to their on-air chemistry.

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4. Additional Topics and Discussions

Throughout the episode, various other subjects are touched upon, including:

• Impact of Michael Jordan on Basketball: A nostalgic reflection on Jordan's influence on the sport and its economic aspects.

  • Tom Brokaw (35:30): “Michael Jordan is the greatest player I've seen. He revolutionized the shoe industry.”
  • Dan Patrick (38:23): “Do you think he could have had them design a special pair for you that maybe were a little heavy?”

• Upcoming NBA Series Analysis: Predictions and analysis of the Indiana Pacers versus Oklahoma City Thunder series.

  • Dan Patrick (38:50): “What kind of chance do you give the Pacers against OKC?”
  • Tom Brokaw (38:50): “Nobody can beat that team four times in a week. The Thunder are one of the best teams I've seen in a long time.”

Key Takeaway: The hosts provide thoughtful analyses on both historical and current NBA topics, enriching listeners' understanding of the game's dynamics.

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Conclusion

The Dan Patrick Show delivers a comprehensive exploration of pressing sports issues, enriched by expert insights and the hosts' engaging conversations. From scrutinizing NBA team strategies to addressing the complexities of college athletics, the episode serves as a valuable resource for sports enthusiasts seeking depth and clarity on contemporary topics.

Notable Quotes:

• Dan Patrick at [03:08]: “Carl Anthony Towns can't play defense. No one should be surprised because he has never been able to.”
• Greg Sankey at [53:45]: “A revenue sharing model where athletic programs are providing that payment directly to student athletes can be a better system.”
• Tom Brokaw at [35:30]: “Michael Jordan is the greatest player I've seen. He revolutionized the shoe industry.”

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Note: This summary excludes advertisement segments and focuses solely on the substantive content discussed by the hosts.

Transcript

[Dan Patrick]

This is an iHeart podcast. T Mobile's stats are as impressive as your favorite athlete's highlight reel because T Mobile helps keep you connected from the heart of Portland to right where you are on America's largest 5G network. Switch now keep your phone and T Mobile will pay it off up to $800 per line via prepaid card. Visit your local T Mobile location or learn more@t mobile.com KeepAndSwitch up to 4 lines via virtual prepaid card. Allow 15 days qualify and unlock device, credit service port in 90 plus days device and eligible carrier and timely redemption required Card has no cash access and.

[Marvin]

Expires in six months.

[Dan Patrick]

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[Marvin]

NBC Nightly News legacy isn't handed down or NBC News.

[Tom Brokaw]

I'm Tom Brokaw.

[Dan Patrick]

We hope to see you back here. I'm Lester Holt.

[Tom Brokaw]

It's carried forward.

[Dan Patrick]

Tom Yamaz is there for us. Firefighters are still working around the clock. As the world changes, we look for what endures. We are coming on the air with breaking news. Right now we look for a constant and from one era to the next, Trust is the anchor for NBC Nightly News. I'm Tom Yamas. A new chapter begins NBC Nightly News with Tom Yamas.

[Tom Brokaw]

Evenings on NBC.

[Marvin]

I know a lot of cops.

[Dan Patrick]

They get asked all the time, have you ever had to shoot your gun? Sometimes the answer is yes. But there's a company dedicated to a future where the answer will always be no. This is Absolute Season one, Taser Incorporated.

[Marvin]

I get right back there and it's bad.

[Dan Patrick]

Listen to Absolute Season 1 Taser Incorporated on the iHeartRadio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts.

[Tom Brokaw]

Why is a soap opera western like Yellowstone so wildly successful? The American west with Dan Flores is the latest show from the Meat Eater Podcast Network. So join me starting Tuesday, May 6th where we'll delve into stories of the west and come to understand how it helps inform the ways in which we experience the region. Today.

[Dan Patrick]

Listen to the American west with Dan Flores on the IHEARTRADIO app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts. You are listening to the Dan Patrick.

[Marvin]

Show on Fox Sports Radio.

[Dan Patrick]

It didn't take long after the Knicks were limited on Saturday that the finger pointing has started in New York. And most of the fingers are pointed at Carl Anthony Towns. So there were reports out of New York suggesting the team grew increasingly frustrated with Carl Anthony Town's defensive habits throughout the playoffs. This isn't a new revelation. He's never been a good defender and he's a, he's a. What do you say, Marvin? He is not a big man. He's a tall man.

[Tom Brokaw]

Correct.

[Dan Patrick]

Okay.

[Tom Brokaw]

Right. He's not a power forward. He's just a forward.

[Dan Patrick]

He's really good at scoring. Really good at scoring. And he's good at letting the other team score as well. But he's not a rim protector. Like, I don't. This, this. Of all the things coming out of New York, I mean, you got to blame somebody. We didn't go to the Finals. So it's Carl Anthony Towns. You traded for him. You knew exactly what you were getting. There's no secret. It's not like he stopped playing defense once he got to New York. He, he didn't play it in Minnesota. That's why they, they had the stifled tower in there, Rudy and the Go Bears. Because Carl Anthony Towns is, he's a seven foot shooting guard. Yes, Marvin, the Pacers were targeting Carl.

[Tom Brokaw]

Anthony Towns in the fourth quarter. That pick and roll barbecue chicken.

[Dan Patrick]

Okay, so you have Carl Anthony Towns who doesn't play defense. Jalen Brunson is undersized. He's not a good defender either. And you're playing for a coach who is a defensive minded coach. So you can blame Carl Anthony Towns defensively, offensively, played really well. His numbers were really good. But if the Knicks want to start pointing fingers, I think I'd look in the mirror right now. Because now what do you do? Carl Anthony Town is going to be one and done. Now all of a sudden you're going to try to package him. Now I'm hearing, hey, would you trade Carl Anthony Town straight up for Giannis? I go, wait, if I'm Milwaukee? No, if I'm the Knicks, of course, would you trade Carl Anthony Town straight up for Kevin Durant? Sure. I don't, I mean, it's a lot younger guy. I mean, these are the things that you're hearing already in New York this morning. And I'm thinking, would I try to package something for Giannis? Sure. But you got to Give me something more than Carl Anthony Towns. I always wonder, you know, when we have these trade proposals, why are you getting rid of that guy? Now, Giannis may want out, and he's still one of the top five players, but he wants out because he wants to win a championship. Carl Anthony Towns doesn't want out of New York. They might want him out of New York. He had one more block shot than I did in the entire series against Indiana. You're seven feet tall. Jalen Brunson had more blocks than Carl Anthony Towns. Stat of the Day, brought to you by Panini America. The official trading cards of the Dan Patrick show. We should not be surprised at any of this. Usually what happens is, remember, Joker can't play defense. Remember, that was the knock that he wasn't going to win the mvp. Hey, he can't play defense. Well, they're called defensive rebounds. And he's one of the best defensive rebounders in the game looking. I mean, it looks like Bill Russell compared to Carl Anthony Towns, but, you know, Jaylen Brunson. It's never been brought up that Jalen Brunson can't play defense. Never. But he can't. He's undersized. You know, he's a great offensive player. You know, has some bad passes, stupid fouls sometimes, but, you know, I love watching him play. But we'll single out, like, Steph Curry can't guard anybody. Steve Nash can't guard anybody. Joker not a good defender. That, you know, somehow that tips the scales to some. I. Nobody's ever said if Shea Gilgis can play defense. I've never heard it, but sometimes when you're pointing out somebody, hey, he's really good on offense, but he's terrible on defense. Like Luca. Oh, he's a bad defender. Okay. He's a really good offensive player. I do know that. So at the end of the day, how does it even out? He's probably going to have more points than you and more assists than you. But when it comes to defense, Carl Anthony Towns can't play defense. No one should be surprised because he has never been able to. And now are you going to have him on the move? But you got to have somebody to blame. They're even asking the question to Jalen Brunson about, is Tom Thibodeau the right coach for the Knicks? Jalen, when you. You talk about the confidence, obviously, I.

[Marvin]

Feel like nobody takes more criticism than Tom, and this team obviously has turned around during his tenure.

[Dan Patrick]

Do you kind of feel that going forward, he's the Same guy to lift you guys the rest of the way. The next level. This is.

[Tom Brokaw]

Is that a real question right now? You just asked me if I believe that. If he's the right guy. Yes.

[Dan Patrick]

Thanks, guys.

[Marvin]

Come on.

[Dan Patrick]

Come on. Awkward. Is that. Is that a real question? What do you think he's gonna say, first of all, and okay, maybe you're trying to lead the witness a little bit. Maybe. Maybe he gives you something, but he's gonna back his guy. Do you think he's the right guy? No. No, I do not. All right, guys, that's it. Thank you. Have a good off season. Yes. Todd, even in a moment of terrible disappointment, that if you don't love the question, are you looking to embarrass the reporter there? Is there another way Brunson could have made his point without. Oh, no, no, no, no. You're backing your guy. No, no, no. You can't back him by saying, of.

[Tom Brokaw]

Course he's our guy.

[Dan Patrick]

You have to say, come on. You're really asking me that, dude? Well, I think in that situation, you want to back your guy, maybe over. Back your guy. But, yeah, I probably would have said the same thing. Is he the right guy? He's the right guy. We haven't lost any confidence in him. He's taken us this far, and we'll.

[Tom Brokaw]

Go that much further next year.

[Dan Patrick]

Really, dude? That's what you got for me? Okay, but do you. You don't blame the reporter for asking that question? Not the greatest question, but the question was asked, and you have an opportunity to embarrass him in front of his peers or answer it. Short of, make him feel foolish. I'm gonna side with Jalen Brunson with that. You just lost. Hey, do you think Tom's still the guy to lead you? Is that a. Is that a real question?

[Marvin]

What would you say to those who.

[Dan Patrick]

Think Tom Thibodeau should be with another team next year?

[Marvin]

And you should have.

[Dan Patrick]

I would say, who are those people? There are people who.

[Tom Brokaw]

Some say, who.

[Dan Patrick]

Who. They're out there. No, no, I would turn it back on you because that. That is our fallback. You know, where we go. You know, people are saying. And I would say, who. Who's saying, let me know who those people are. They're kind of nameless right now, but they are saying that maybe Tom's not Ben Stiller. Ben Stiller saying that. Timothy Chalamet is saying that? Yes. You kind of sound like in 40 year old virgin, where they're like, not just always ask questions to women. You Just ask whatever they say back. She's like, how you doing? How do you doing? Can I help you find something? I don't know, can you help me find something? Poll question. First hour is going to be what do you like to do it yourself? Let's see, we got some options here. How about this off season? The Knicks need to make a dot, dot, dot big move or minor tweaks. Well, I think when they lost Isaiah Hartenstein, I really liked him. I mean he very underrated. Now he's playing for okc, but I mean, Carl Anthony Towns, that's, he says that he is kind of revolutionizing the big man or whatever his compliment was of his game. He is a, a, a skilled scorer. But okay, if you have a defensive minded coach, you got an undersized point guard and you got a big man who's not really a big man. Okay, now Anunoby and Mikhail Bridges and Mitchell Robbins. Okay, Josh Hart, you guys better play some really, really good defense because those guys can't. Okay. Would I still inquire about Giannis? Absolutely. I mean every team should, Toronto is another team that's emerging now. There should be. Boston should be in, in the mix with this. But what are you giving? What are you giving Milwaukee, obviously the Knicks would go, hey, we want him. What are you giving up? Well, you're not giving up Brunson, you know, Anunoby, you, you got draft picks and you know, you got to make all this work here. But we, we live in a fantasy world sometimes with these trades we're like, man, the Knicks are going to get this guy. It's like, you know, sports radio call in, people talking about the Yankees. You know, we, we, we want to get this guy and we're going to give up, you know, Luis Soto or whoever, you know, yes, time, assuming you're.

[Marvin]

Not giving up heart either, is that.

[Dan Patrick]

You'Re giving up Bridges and Cat. That's enough to get Giannis. I don't even want to go down that road because it's silly. It's, it's, you know, you're trying to put pieces together and you got four first round picks and then you're going to throw in this and this and this and this. It's really hard to make these kind of moves unless sometimes you need a third team involved in this. But do the Knicks need to make a move? I do, I think so. I mean they made a move last season and then all of a sudden they missed Julius Randle because Randall, you know, he's good passer and he, he'll play defense. And now all of a sudden they never should have gotten rid of Julius Randall. Yes. Seaton.

[Marvin]

Right.

[Dan Patrick]

You're going to have to do like to get Giannis, Carl Anthony Towns in like three first round picks or something. So now you're starting to look at the 2030 draft, the first round, the conditional first round, some of these things. Yeah, it's tough because if you're going to trade him there, where are those draft picks going to be? I mean you're going to get the 26th pick in the draft because that's what it would be with the Knicks with how they finished. So. But all right, so we kind of have a poll question here. The Knicks should do something small, medium, large.

[Marvin]

Yeah.

[Dan Patrick]

Should they make a big move or just some minor tweaks in the off season. I also am going to put up their b better finals right now. Pacers, Thunder or Oilers Panthers. Oh, which are you most looking forward to? Well, I'm obviously a basketball fan. I want to see what Indiana's offense can do against OKC's defense. Now granted that's not tune in factor, just letting you know in my world that's what I want to see because there's, you know, we always talk about sex appeal or kind of the drive by with the remote. Are you going to stop if you're watching, you know that game is on and maybe you don't. But if you're asking me OKC's defense against Indiana Pacers, I want to see Connor McDavid be great. Like you know, you got the stage, you had the stage last year and Florida, with what Florida has done and Tampa Bay prior to that, I mean it's pretty amazing. But watching a team not panic the way Florida does is, is pretty remarkable. And Edmonton might have the two best players in the finals with, you know, Connor McDavid and Dry Seidel of course, who never gets mentioned until the postseason on this show. Leon Dry. Yes, Marvin.

[Tom Brokaw]

We never hear about him until play of the day.

[Dan Patrick]

That's true. That is true that but that's on us. You know we, we haven't been tuning into Edmonton games. Yes, Marvin.

[Tom Brokaw]

Next October. Leon Draisait Opening night.

[Dan Patrick]

Hell yeah. Fox Sports Radio has the best sports talk lineup in the nation. Catch all of our [e-mail] and within the iHeartRadio app. Search FSR to listen live. Hey, Steve Covino. And I'm Rich Davis and together we're Covino and Rich. On Fox Sports Radio you can catch us weekdays from 5 to 7pm Eastern, 2 to 4 Pacific on Fox Sports Radio and of course the Eastern iHeartradio app. Why should you listen to Covino and Rich? We talk about everything. Life, sports, relationships, what's going on in the world. We have a lot of fun talking about the stories behind the stories in.

[Tom Brokaw]

The world of sports and pop culture.

[Dan Patrick]

Stories that, well, other shows don't seem to have the time to discuss. And the fact that we've been friends for the last 20 years and still work together, I mean, that says something, right? So check us out. We like to get you involved too. Take your phone calls, chop it up as they say. I'd say the most interactive show on Fox Sports Radio, maybe the most interactive show on planet Earth. Be sure to check out Covino and Rich Live on Fox Sports radio and the iHeartradio app from 5 to 7pm Eastern, 2 to 4 Pacific. And if you miss any of the live show, just search Ko Vino and Rich wherever you get your podcast. And of course on social media, that's Covino and Rich. T Mobile's stats are as impressive as your favorite athlete's highlight reel because T Mobile helps keep you connected from the heart of Portland to right where you are on America's largest 5G network. Switch now keep your phone and T Mobile will pay it off up to $800 per line via prepaid card. Visit your local T Mobile location or learn more@t mobile.com keepandswitch up to 4 lines of a virtual prepaid card. Last 15 days qualifying unlock device, credit service port in 90 plus days device and eligible carrier and timely redemption required Card is no cash access and expires in six months.

[Tom Brokaw]

The American west with Dan Flores is the latest show from the Meat Eater Podcast Network. Hosted by me writer and historian Dan Flores and brought to you by Velvet Buck, this podcast looks at a West available nowhere else. Each episode I'll be diving into some of the lesser known histories of the West. I'll then be joined in conversation by guests such as Western historian Dr. Randall Williams and best selling author and meat eater founder Stephen Rinella.

[Marvin]

I'll correct my kids now and then, where they'll say when cave people.

[Dan Patrick]

And I'll say it seems like the Ice Age people that were here didn't.

[Tom Brokaw]

Have a real affinity for caves. So join me starting Tuesday, May 6th where we'll delve into stories of the west and come to understand how it helps inform the ways in which we experience the region today.

[Dan Patrick]

Listen to the American west with Dan Flores on the iHeartRadio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts.

[Marvin]

I know a lot of cops and.

[Dan Patrick]

They get asked all the time, have you ever had to shoot your gun? Sometimes the answer is yes. But there's a company dedicated to a future where the answer will always be no. Across the country, cops called this Taser the revolution. But not everyone was convinced it was that simple.

[Tom Brokaw]

Cops believed everything that Taser told them.

[Dan Patrick]

From Lava For Good and the team that brought you Bone Valley comes a story about what happened when a multi billion dollar company dedicated itself to one visionary mission. This is Absolute season one, Taser Incorporated.

[Marvin]

I get right back there and it's bad.

[Dan Patrick]

It's really, really, really bad. Listen to new episodes of Absolute Season 1, Taser Incorporated on the iHeartRadio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts.

[Marvin]

Binge episodes 1, 2, and 3 on May 21 and episodes 4, 5, and.

[Dan Patrick]

6 on June 4 ad free at Lava for Good. Plus on Apple Podcasts.

[Marvin]

This Pride Month.

[Dan Patrick]

We are not just celebrating, we're fighting back. I'm George M. Johnson, and my book All Boys Aren't Blue was just named the most banned book in America. If the culture wars have taught me anything, it's that pride is protest. And on my podcast, Fighting Words, we talk to people who use their voices to resist, disrupt, and make our community stronger. This year, we are showing up and showing out.

[Tom Brokaw]

You need people being like, no, you're not going to tell us what to do.

[Dan Patrick]

This regime is coming down on us, and I don't want to just survive. I want to thrive. You'll hear from trailblazers like Bob the Drag Queen to freedom Angelica Ross.

[Marvin]

We ready to fight?

[Dan Patrick]

I'm ready to fight. And Gabrielle Union.

[Marvin]

Hi, George.

[Tom Brokaw]

And storytellers with wisdom to spare.

[Dan Patrick]

Listen on the iHeartRadio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcast.

[Tom Brokaw]

I'm Clayton English. I'm Greg Lodd, and this is season two of the War on Drugs podcast. Sir, we are back in a big.

[Marvin]

Way, in a very big way. Real people, real perspectives.

[Tom Brokaw]

This is kind of star studded a little bit, man. We got Ricky Williams, NFL player, Heisman Trophy winner. It's just the compassionate choice to allow.

[Dan Patrick]

Players all reasonable means to care for themselves.

[Marvin]

Music stars Marcus King, John Osborne. For Brothers Osborne, we have this misunderstanding of what this quote unquote drug fans.

[Tom Brokaw]

Benny the Butcher, Brent Smith from Shinedown. Be real.

[Dan Patrick]

From Cypress Hill, NHL enforcer Riley Cote.

[Tom Brokaw]

Marine Corvette, MMA fighter Liz Caramouche.

[Dan Patrick]

What we're doing now isn't working, and we need to change things. Stories matter, and it brings a face to them.

[Tom Brokaw]

It makes it real.

[Dan Patrick]

It really does. It makes it real.

[Tom Brokaw]

Listen to new episodes of the War on Drugs Podcast Season 2 on the iHeartRadio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts. And to hear episodes one week early and ad free with exclusive, exclusive content. Subscribe to Lava for Good. Plus on Apple Podcast.

[Dan Patrick]

Hall of Famer Charles Barkley back on the program. Are you unemployed right now?

[Tom Brokaw]

No, I signed a deal last week, Dan.

[Dan Patrick]

Okay, when do you. When do you start working with espn?

[Tom Brokaw]

Next year when the season starts.

[Dan Patrick]

Oh, okay, so there's nothing going on from now until the start of next season?

[Tom Brokaw]

No, you know, I took my time trying to figure out my. My big thing was the work schedule, and I got together. I spent working on it for, like, two months, and I got together with TNT last week, and I signed a deal.

[Dan Patrick]

So how many days a week are you going to work at the Mothership?

[Tom Brokaw]

Well, you know, I don't even think they know the exact schedule, to be honest with you.

[Dan Patrick]

You better know the exact schedule because.

[Tom Brokaw]

Well, I'm gonna trust. Trust them, you know, but that's been my biggest concern.

[Dan Patrick]

Yeah.

[Tom Brokaw]

So, like I said, I didn't officially assign it to last week. I said I'd work for two more years, and that's. That's what I agreed to, and I'm gonna have to trust them. But I listen, you know, if I. If they start trying to work me too much between espn, tnt, I'm just gonna walk on home, you know, because, listen, I actually have seven years left on my contract. I'm like, yeah, there's no way I'm working seven years. I says, you know, I'm gonna be a good soldier for Kenny, Ernie, and Shaq and the people I work with, because I love the people I work with, especially behind the scenes. I said, but the best I can do is two years, and the mother, five years. They got no chance of happening. So I said, you know what? I gave y' all two years. They're like, can we get three? I said, I just told you I won't get you. Hey, you know, dad, it was so fun. I said, I'll get. I'll give you two years. Get three. I said, I just told you I was going to.

[Dan Patrick]

Welcome to the ESPN way of life, though.

[Tom Brokaw]

This is the TNT people.

[Dan Patrick]

Because.

[Tom Brokaw]

Because my. I think my. My contract technically is still with tnt.

[Dan Patrick]

Oh, okay. Okay.

[Tom Brokaw]

Yeah.

[Dan Patrick]

Okay.

[Tom Brokaw]

Yeah. I'm gonna be a good soldier.

[Dan Patrick]

What was that feeling like last show?

[Tom Brokaw]

Well, I was fine until Ernie started getting emotional, and then I started tearing up, and I'm glad that they only had the camera on him. So Kenny and Shaq, you know, they were just talking. I was like, okay, but Ernie was emotional. The crowd was great. But like I say, man, you've been. I've been with these people for 25 years. It's a great thing. You know, the NBA family has been tremendous to us. The fans have been tremendous for us. But, you know, I will admit, you know, I'm looking forward. You know, ESPN is the most famous sports brand ever, and it's going to be. It's going to be awesome working for them. And nobody knows what's going to happen. I mean, I think that's the only thing that, like, what are we actually going to do? So I think that's. That's the only thing. But, like I say, I did not want to leave people out in the cold, so I said, hey, you know what? Let me do it for a couple years, and then y' all can have it.

[Dan Patrick]

Okay, but does the show look like the show? It's just. It's inside the NBA, but it's on espn. Is that how you're, like, positioning this?

[Tom Brokaw]

We don't even know.

[Dan Patrick]

Okay, all right.

[Tom Brokaw]

That. You see that.

[Dan Patrick]

That.

[Tom Brokaw]

That's one of the reasons I was waiting. Like, yeah, I don't know what we're doing, and then TNT is trying to do something stupid behind the scenes. We taped a pilot about a month ago, and it was the stupidest shit I've ever seen in my life, you know, because. Because. Because we're not going to be on ESPN as much as people think.

[Dan Patrick]

Wait, what do you mean you taped a pilot?

[Tom Brokaw]

Well, because espn. Because we're only probably going to be working for ESPN like, half the time to one third of the time. So I think TNT wants to do something, and we taped a pilot about a month ago, and it was the stupidest shit ever.

[Dan Patrick]

Okay, so you're still going to do a show, An NBA show on TNT and you're going to do a show on espn?

[Tom Brokaw]

Yes.

[Dan Patrick]

Okay, good.

[Tom Brokaw]

But. But like I say, if they're being honest, we got to probably work on ESPN one third or half the time. But they're trying to do something stupid at tnt, which. Which. Which is. Which is. Number one, it's a stupid idea for a couple reasons. Number one, we. We won't. We won't. We won't have basketball highlights, but also, we're probably going to be going up against the NBA game. And I don't. Anybody who likes basketball ain't gonna say, hey, you know what? Let me turn off an NBA game that's on Amazon, ESPN or NBC to go watch these 4D and talk about nothing. So it's complicated. And like I say, we taped a pilot doing stupid stuff, and it was just stupid stuff. And it. I wouldn't want to go out like that.

[Dan Patrick]

Okay, is this like a second screen or a Manning? Like, what are we doing here?

[Tom Brokaw]

Hey, they don't know. They listen.

[Dan Patrick]

Oh, my God.

[Tom Brokaw]

I'm telling you, Dan, it was interesting. We were sitting there taping it. Well, I will admit one thing. I get TNT credit. They did say it was awful pilot.

[Dan Patrick]

They were honest with you.

[Tom Brokaw]

Like, we just. So they want to do something. But like I say, the problem we got, we're going to be going up because they're going to be probably much. Well, no, that's going to be an NBA. NBA game on every night. So whenever we do it, it's going to be up against the NBA game. So that's the first problem. So. But I guess they want to feel like they're doing something to make us earn our money from tnt.

[Dan Patrick]

Charles Barkley joining us. Inside the NBA on tnt. Is it going to. Okay, what's the show called on TNT and is it. What's the show called on espn?

[Tom Brokaw]

First of all, I guess inside the NBA, I think. And. And I guess it's got to be just inside the NBA, on espn, abc. I think that's easy.

[Dan Patrick]

Okay.

[Tom Brokaw]

But I think so. I forget. I think the pilot's called inside the NBA.

[Dan Patrick]

That's not confusing.

[Tom Brokaw]

Well, you know, you know, the thing that was hilarious about it then, we didn't have any NBA.

[Dan Patrick]

You have no rights to the NBA, but you're inside the NBA.

[Tom Brokaw]

That's right. We can't show highlights. We can't show highlights. So.

[Dan Patrick]

Oh, no.

[Tom Brokaw]

We were sitting there for like an hour and a half taping this pilot, and we were looking at each other. What the hell are we doing? But like I say, I give TNT credit. The first thing they said after the pilot. Yeah, that was really stupid. We got to figure something out.

[Dan Patrick]

What role do you think Michael Jordan is going to play with NBC's coverage?

[Tom Brokaw]

That's a great question. I don't know. I don't see Michael being on television a lot. I mean, I don't see Michael being on television a lot, to be honest with you.

[Dan Patrick]

Why do you think he's doing this?

[Tom Brokaw]

I have zero idea. I think it's great that he's going to be part of the NBA. I mean, he's, in my opinion, no disrespect to Kobe or LeBron, he's the greatest player I've seen. I have no idea why he's doing it, but it's a welcome addition. I mean, yo man, I, you know, this is going to be interesting going forward because there's so much money out there right now, Dan. Like I, I, they got to do everything in their power to engage fans. I mean the money NBC, Amazon and ESPN are paying, you know, you know, I tell people we were paying about $1.2 billion a year and it goes up to 2.5 billion. Those numbers don't compute. So you're gonna have to do everything in your power to draw fans. I think it's going to be fascinating going forward how this thing is going to work.

[Dan Patrick]

What do you think Jordan would get paid today if he was playing well.

[Tom Brokaw]

He'D be the first hundred million dollar player. Well, first of all, we gonna have guys making 78 and $90 million three to four years. Yeah, you know, but no, man, bless these guys. As long as they appreciate how lucky they are and don't think they're making all that money because they're great players. They were just born at the right time. We got a bunch of great players, but man, these guys, I just hope they appreciate how lucky they are and stop this BS with load management. You know, we can't keep crapping on the fans where we're like, yeah, wait, yeah, you're making $70 million. You can't play basketball four days a week. You can't work two days in a row. And you want doctors and nurses and firemen and cops and people in the military and people who got like work in the cement factory. Like, wait a minute, I make $20 an hour, this dude makes $70 million and he can't play back to back. Come on man, I, I think that's an insult to the fans and it might be a problem. It was already a problem. But when this money like double and triple the fans gonna like, yeah, I'm not watching this crap anymore. These dudes can't play two games in a row. Can you imagine you're a fan and you get like a great player who comes west to east or east to west. He's only coming one time a year and the tickets are ridiculous that you're like, yeah, he played last night. So I think there's some things we got to answer as basketball players going forward.

[Dan Patrick]

Yeah, but you're making whatever, $20 million a year and you only want to work two days a week.

[Tom Brokaw]

I show up every day, though. Listen, I show up. I show up every day, Dan.

[Dan Patrick]

Okay, Back. Back to back.

[Tom Brokaw]

So back to back. Wait, like doing the playoffs, you know, we work like six days a week, and I show up every day for those six days. Hey, Dan, you know what?

[Dan Patrick]

These guys, you know, I apologize. I apologize. I didn't realize the work schedule, the workload you have. My bad. Oh, he just. Oh, there you go. Are you back? You just.

[Tom Brokaw]

Yeah. You can't hear me?

[Dan Patrick]

Not. No, you froze up right after I said that with the apology. And I thought you were. You know, it was a dramatic pause there, so.

[Tom Brokaw]

Well, because it was a dramatic pause, you sure changed me, Dan. Don't do that.

[Dan Patrick]

I didn't shaw shank you.

[Tom Brokaw]

Yeah, you short changed.

[Dan Patrick]

Oh, I thought it was Shawshanked. Oh, yeah, I shortchanged you, but I didn't shawshank you.

[Tom Brokaw]

Yeah, okay, but. But you know, these guys out there, you know, I'm so old, we flew commercial and played back to back. And these guys got the best private planes. They got the best medical staff. They got these cold water plunges. They got these hyperbaric chambers. I mean, they got the best shoes. And they can't play basketball two days in a row for 50, 60 million dollars. That's the craziest stuff ever, man.

[Dan Patrick]

Well, this will be crazy, I'm sure, to you, but I brought this up to Stephen Jackson last week. I said, you know, can you see a time or get ready for Larry Bird dropping out as one of the top 10 players of all time? Like, could you see a scenario where Larry is not ranked in the top 10 all time?

[Tom Brokaw]

Well, let me say this. The three most important figures in NBA history are Magic Johnson, Larry Bird, and Michael Jordan. You know, there are a lot of great players, but there's only few guys who transcend the sport. I'll throw Kobe in there. I'll throw LeBron in there. I'll throw Steph in there. And there are a lot of really, really good players. But nobody can take away the historic significant member. Dave Carwins, one of the greatest ever gets mad when I say this. Before Maddie Johnson and Larry Bird, the league was too black, too thuggery. The average salary was $200,000. Now the average salary is like $12 million. And Magic and Bird started the transformation. Michael Jordan took it to a whole nother level. He got guys making $100 million from Nike now and other shoe brands. That's all Michael Jordan. Because you look at the same thing in golf. Garrett, Player, Arnold, and Jack, they're the three foundational pieces. And Tiger woods, that once in a generation player who was Michael Jordan in golf. There are a lot of great players. Phil Mickels is probably the only other person in that conversation in golf. But. But there's very few athletes in every sport that people can say, oh, you know, yeah, he's playing. I'm going to watch. That does not mean we don't have a lot of great players. Like, right now, we got Shay, we got the Joker, we got giannis, we got LeBron, Luke, all these guys. But there are very few players that transcend their sport. So no matter what happens with Bird as far as that, him and Matty Johnson are the two most important figures in NBA history, in my opinion. Then I say, then we all owe Michael. Because when Michael, you know, when he started doing commercials, that changed everything for everybody. Now, because of Michael, I was making millions of dollars and wearing Nike. Nobody was doing that. Nobody had a signature shoe where they were making a hundred million dollars a year. That's all because of Michael. That's why, regardless of all this other stuff, this LeBron stuff, this Kobe stuff, people buy shoes because of Michael freaking Jordan. That's it. I mean, and that's no disrespect to anybody. Yeah, some of these other guys out here selling shoes, they. Michael tried to make people wear shoes to wedding. Nobody ever thought about wearing shoes to weddings until Michael Jordan. Think about that. Dan.

[Dan Patrick]

Did you ever wear Air Jordans when you played?

[Tom Brokaw]

I. I'll tell you what's interesting about that. When Michael had pulled me aside and told me we went out smoking cigars the last time, he said, the mod that flew down. He said, I got something to tell you guys. He flew down to Houston and he takes us out. We go out to dinner. We go out, smoke some cigars. He says, guys, I'm just giving y' all a heads up. I'm gonna retire at the end of the season. I'm like, what? And me and Ahmad was like, I think he's serious. He said, yeah, I'm gonna retire at the end of the season. So I called him like a week later and I said, yo, man, that was a tribute. Because, you know, remember when Mattie Johnson announced he had aids, I wanted to pay homage to him. I called Billy Cunningham and said, hey, can I wear your jersey to celebrate Magic Johnson? He says, sure, no problem. I said, because I. And I called Urban. I said, hey, man, for everything you did for me and my family, I'm gonna wear number 32 all year. So I wore 32 one year. But I called Michael and I said, hey, send me a pair of shoes. I just want to tell you how much I appreciate everything you did for me. Give me that. Give me that advice on that Nike stock. That made me understand $30 million.

[Dan Patrick]

And that wasn't insider trading, was it?

[Tom Brokaw]

No, because, you know, at the time, I was making about $3 million a year, and we were playing golf. And he said, chuck, I was talking to somebody, so I want you to quit taking 3 million. Take a million and take the other 2 million in stock options. So I called my people and they say, hey, Michael told me to do that because Mike has always been a brilliant businessman. And they're like, this is risky. You think he going to be that great? I says, man, I ain't never seen nobody like that dude. Because I had met him at the Olympic trials. I said, he going to be amazing. He says, and we did it. And like I said, I ended up probably making seriously another $50 million, to be honest with you. But he made me trade that in. But the point I was making, man, I put his shoes on one game. I. He definitely did. Greatest damn basketball player ever, Dan. Those were the heaviest damn things ever played in. In my. I'm not even joking, because when I designed my shoes, I wanted them really, really light. I played in those heavy ass air joints one game. It was like I had bricks on my damn feet, Dan. And I'm being 100% serious. I called him, man. I actually called him after the game. I said, yo, man, what the hell you be putting in these damn shoes? I mean, they were so damn heavy, Dan. I said, hey, I played in them one game as a tribute to him. How these shoes too damn heavy for me, man. That's a true story, Dan.

[Dan Patrick]

It makes it even more amazing what Mike did in those Air Jordans.

[Tom Brokaw]

You really are the damn goat. You play these big ass bricks.

[Dan Patrick]

Do you. Do you think he could have had them design a special pair for you that maybe were a little heavy? You know, Mike's very competitive.

[Tom Brokaw]

No. Because I. He got him to me, like, in two days.

[Dan Patrick]

Okay, okay.

[Tom Brokaw]

Yeah, yeah, yeah. No, he had time to put no bricks in them, but, man, them shoes were heavy as hell, man.

[Dan Patrick]

Before I let you go, what kind of chance do you give the Pacers against okc?

[Tom Brokaw]

I think they can make it competitive, but I've been saying for months. Nobody can beat that team four times in a week. The Pacers got a good team, but the okc, they're one of the best teams I've seen in a long time. They're the deepest. They might be the deepest NBA team I've ever seen. They be playing guys who don't even play like the last series, and they put them in the game. They're like, damn, where he been? So. And that's going to really negate the Patriots. The Pacers bench, which beat them to help them beat the Knicks, because the Thunder, they're bringing better players off the bench than the Pacers. The Pacers got a terrific bench, but Oklahoma City got better bench players. So I hope it's a good series, but I don't think anybody can be OKC four times in a week.

[Dan Patrick]

Great to talk to you. Perhaps I'll see you in Tahoe.

[Tom Brokaw]

You a coward, Dan?

[Dan Patrick]

No, no, I'm going to go out there.

[Tom Brokaw]

Oh, you're not going to play?

[Dan Patrick]

Well, they didn't invite me. I might be working.

[Tom Brokaw]

You won't be working. We play on a Friday afternoon and Saturday and Sunday.

[Dan Patrick]

Well, I'm bringing. I think I might bring the show out to Tahoe.

[Tom Brokaw]

You bring it out and I do. I should do it. How long you on the. How long you on?

[Dan Patrick]

Three hours.

[Tom Brokaw]

I'll give you an hour. One day, me and you. Okay, so last time you came to Tahoe, you missed about six little three inch putts because you normally. They give you those.

[Dan Patrick]

I know, I know.

[Tom Brokaw]

Yeah, yeah. I said, then we have to put out.

[Dan Patrick]

I know, I know. I did pick up my ball one time. Like, that's good, right? And then I was like, oh, no. People looked at me like, what are you doing? I'm going, wasn't that good? And like, no, you got to play them. Got to play them all the way to the cup. I know.

[Tom Brokaw]

Yes, you do, brother.

[Dan Patrick]

All right. Yeah. I'll see you maybe in July.

[Tom Brokaw]

All right, brother. Be safe.

[Dan Patrick]

Thank you, man.

[Tom Brokaw]

Be safe out there.

[Dan Patrick]

All right. Be sure to catch the live edition of the Dan Patrick show, weekdays at 9am Eastern, 6am Pacific, on Fox Sports Sports Radio and the iHeartRadio app. T Mobile stats are as impressive as your favorite athlete's highlight reel because T Mobile helps keep you connected from the heart of Portland to right where you are on America's largest 5G network switch. Now, keep your phone and T Mobile will pay it off up to 800 per line via prepaid card. Visit your local T Mobile location or learn more@t mobile.com keepandswitch up to 4 lines of your virtual prepaid card. Allow 15 days qualified unlock device, credit service port in 90 plus days device in eligible carrier and timely redemption required Card has no cash access and expires.

[Marvin]

In six months.

[Tom Brokaw]

The American west with Dan Flores is the latest show from the Meat Eater Podcast Network. Hosted by me, writer and historian Dan Flores and brought to you by Velvet Buck, this podcast looks at a West available nowhere else. Each episode I'll be diving into some of the lesser known histories of the West. I'll then be joined in conversation by guests such as Western historian Dr. Randall Williams and best selling author and Meat Eater founder Stephen Rinella.

[Marvin]

I'll correct my kids now and then where they'll say when cave people were here.

[Dan Patrick]

And I'll say it seems like the Ice Age people that were here didn't.

[Tom Brokaw]

Have a real affinity for caves. So join me starting Tuesday, May 6th where we'll delve into stories of the west and come to understand how it helps inform the ways in which we experience the region today.

[Dan Patrick]

Listen to the American west with Dan Flores on the iHeartRadio app, Apple Podcasts or wherever you get your podcasts.

[Marvin]

I know a lot of cops and they get asked all the time, have.

[Dan Patrick]

You ever had to shoot your gun? Sometimes the answer is yes, but there's a company dedicated to a future where the answer will always be no. Across the country, cops called this Taser the Revolution. But not everyone was convinced it was that simple.

[Marvin]

Cops believed everything that Taser told them.

[Dan Patrick]

From Lava for good and the team that brought you Bone Valley comes a story about what happened when a multi billion dollar company dedicated itself to one visionary mission. This is Absolute Season one, Taser Incorporated.

[Marvin]

I get right back there and it's bad.

[Dan Patrick]

It's really, really really bad. Listen to new episodes of Absolute Season 1, Taser Incorporated on the iHeartRadio app, Apple Podcasts or wherever you get your podcasts.

[Marvin]

Binge episodes 1, 2 and 3 on May 21 and episodes 4, 5 and.

[Dan Patrick]

6 on June 4 ad free at Lava for Good. Plus on Apple podcasts.

[Marvin]

This Pride Month.

[Dan Patrick]

We are not just celebrating, we're fighting back. I'm George M. Johnson and my book All Boys Aren't Blue was just named the most banned book in America. If the culture wars have taught me anything, it's that pride is protest. And on my podcast Fighting Words, we talk to people who use their voices to resist, disrupt and make our community stronger.

[Tom Brokaw]

This year we are showing up and showing out. You need people being like, no, you're not going to tell us what to do.

[Dan Patrick]

This regime is coming down on us and I don't want to just survive. I want to thrive. You'll hear from trailblazers like Bob the Drag Queen to freedom Angelica Ross.

[Marvin]

We ready to fight?

[Dan Patrick]

I'm ready to fight. And Gabrielle Union. Hi Chores and storytellers with wisdom to spare. Listen on the iHeartRadio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts.

[Tom Brokaw]

I'm Clayton English. I'm Greg Lodd and this is season two of the War on Drugs podcast. Sir, we are back in a big way.

[Dan Patrick]

In a very big way.

[Marvin]

Real people, real perspectives.

[Tom Brokaw]

This is kind of star studded a little bit, man. We got Ricky Williams, NFL player, Heisman Trophy winner. It's just the compassionate choice to allow players to.

[Dan Patrick]

There's all reasonable means to care for themselves.

[Marvin]

Music stars Marcus King, John Osborne for Brothers Osborne, we have this misunderstanding of what this quote unquote drug thing is.

[Tom Brokaw]

Benny the Butcher, Brent Smith from Shinedown got be real from Cypress Hill, NHL enforcer Riley Cote, Marine Corvette, MMA fighter Liz Caramouche.

[Dan Patrick]

What we're doing now isn't working and.

[Tom Brokaw]

We need to change things.

[Dan Patrick]

Stories matter and it brings a face to them.

[Tom Brokaw]

It makes it real.

[Dan Patrick]

It really does. It makes it real.

[Tom Brokaw]

Listen to new episodes of the War on Drugs Podcast Season 2 on the iHeartRadio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts. And to hear episodes one week early and ad free with exclusive content. Subscribe to Lava for Good plus on Apple Podcast.

[Dan Patrick]

Greg Sankey, SEC Commissioner Kind enough to join us. Been kind of busy here in the off season. Never stops for you. Recap what happened last week? Give me the Cliff Notes version.

[Marvin]

Spent a lot of time in overly air conditioned meeting rooms in Destin, Florida with athletics directors, head coaches, football, men's, women's basketball, and our presidents and chancellors talked about our football schedule, the College Football Playoff, potential settlement of a set of lawsuits that would introduce a revenue sharing model to college sports. And we talked about any other number of issues like our softball tournament location that are probably more mundane than you want to jump into on a Monday morning. But happy to talk about softball and gymnastics championship locations for the conference if you'd like.

[Dan Patrick]

Well, that's why I wanted to have you on. But let's get some of these ancillary things out of the way.

[Marvin]

Like that's fair.

[Dan Patrick]

Okay, let me start with basketball and then we'll get to football. The discussions of 72, 76 teams. Any, discussion from the SEC portion of this?

[Marvin]

I introduced the issue to our men's basketball coaches, which I think we've talked about with that group before. I would guess, Dan, given the other issues we have on our plate, that, that, that conversation maybe lasted five minutes. My points to them were this is still a work in progress. I didn't know that there was going to be kind of a press gathering. And this is not a criticism. Charlie Baker spoke about tournament expansion. I think the day after our basketball coaches gathered. I mentioned it to our women's basketball coaches as well, briefly. Didn't, didn't really go anywhere. And so my, my, my introduction was, I just want you to be aware, probably towards the end of the month this will come up. I said my view is I think we should be exploring tournament expansion. Whether or not it happens is actually another point of evaluation. So have the conversation deep dive, figure out if it works practically competitively, economically. I think the one issue for us is if it is expanded. Let's pick the number of 76 and I'll do quick math for you. So 52 of the 76 teams would be like in that traditional first round. The other 24 would play in 12 games. The 12 winners meet up with the 52. There's your 6014 bracket. Right? That's, that's like from my intramural director days at Utica. That's all I know how brackets work. I'm really interested and we're interested is in a league is who fills those 12 games, those other 24 teams. The, the kind of Dayton model, if you will, which is a men's basketball side, is it's a combination of the lowest AQs, the lowest rated AQs, kind of by placement of the committee and then the last at large teams in. And I kind of pivot to look north. Looked at North Carolina State last year, 11C. They were an AQ, but they went to the Final Four. And it's just kind of an indication that competitively those top 50 or so teams, you know, things fall right, injuries heal, can make really good runs. So I'm not one who thinks we should just follow the Dayton model automatically have expanded if expansion takes place. So that, that was my reference to our coaches.

[Dan Patrick]

When are decisions made or voted on for expansion for the college football playoffs?

[Marvin]

That's a good question. You buy agreement. The outer boundary is November 30th, December 1st of this year for the 26 playoff. Now, keep in mind, when we went to 12 teams, the board said that'll be the format for 2026, let's start early if we can, which we obviously did, I think did overall in a successful way. But what was introduced immediately is let's go through these two years and conduct an evaluation. So we're in that evaluation standpoint. A lot of talk about really 14 or 16. I think 12 is known as kind of a foundation point, but the conversation is about 14 or 16. And then how are teams selected or place into whatever size bracket exists is the more the headline question.

[Dan Patrick]

Okay, but what model do you like?

[Marvin]

Well, I've been one who said over time I'd give no allocation. So this whole 5, 7 thing that exists now, I just make it the 12 best teams. And I was clear on that. Now when we get into rooms, we make political compromises, if you will. Small P. Not like Congress political compromises, but to, to achieve an outcome.

[Dan Patrick]

But who decides on the top 12 teams?

[Marvin]

Selection committee. Yeah, but I, I here's what I think. I think we've not, we spent so much time expanding and working through our own little side arguments about teams and oh, we can't do this. We need this. You got to protect this bowl game or that ball game. We, we never went back to the essence of decision making, which is how our team selected as everyone relocated over the last four or five years. Do the analyses that existed and worked for the 14 playoff in 2014 still have the same relevance? And we're behind that curve, in my opinion. That's why other ideas are introduced and considered. And we've looked at ideas. You know, this allocation of, it's called automatic bids. That's, that's such a harsh term. I think allocations is one where I like that word because we've already, we already allocated. Look at last year. We had two teams not in the top four that get to move up because of the political compromise. We have a team outside the 12 that moves in, and then the teams that are displaced look around and say, hey, wait a second, that doesn't make any sense any longer. That introduces the questions around should that model continue or should that allocation model expand where other teams are brought in?

[Dan Patrick]

Talking to Greg Sankey, SEC commissioner, we've talked about this before. You know, given the scheduling and hotel rooms and travel of receding after the first round of games, can. Is that on the table at all anymore?

[Marvin]

Well, not really receding because almost, what, a week and a half ago for the 25 season, this college Football Playoff management committee, which is the commissioners and the Notre Dame athletic director, agreed to just go to straight seeding by ranking. So the movement of teams outside the top four into the top four, that won't happen in 2025. You're gonna, you're gonna get what you earn. Same for home games. We've not gone back into the receding question. And Dan, if you go back to June of 21, which was like ancient history in college Sports when the 12 team model was introduced and we went back through this about a month ago with everybody involved on that management committee, one of the questions was should we be in receding? We never really got back to that because you remember the SEC had this little expansion to 16. Great disruption in the force. Then we had 22 and expansion of the Big Ten. So we waited around for a year. Now we've been in hurry up mode since. So we haven't talked so much about receding as we did just about honoring the rankings in the bracket.

[Dan Patrick]

Help me understand, you know, the report on Cooper Flag is he made close to $30 million his one year at Duke. That's. That's nil. Help me understand as the athlete moves forward of the salaries and nil and any restrictions, any compromises that will be there for these that's marquee athletes, let's call them.

[Marvin]

Without commenting on the Cooper Flag story. I haven't seen that and you know, nobody's sending me financial documents to verif as you can imagine in this environment. A couple points. One is this settlement that's positioned in a set of lawsuits has great impact on the answer to your question. If the settlement is approved for the first time at the college level and really quite innovative in the sports realm would be the process for overseeing third party name, image and likeness to establish there's an appropriate range of compensation and fair market, excuse me, and real business purposes fulfill around name, image and likeness deals. That's not like novel. It just hasn't existed. As we've gone on this state by state exploration of kind of reducing any regulatory system for college sports. And I. So I think that that's a first step and that's one component, third party name, image and likeness. The second is what I think will be kind of a name, image and likeness activity within a revenue sharing model where athletic programs are providing that payment directly to student athletes, that can be a better system. There has to be a commitment to make it work. And I still am one who thinks the notion of having 50 different state laws governing is highly problematic. You're not going to have college World Series. You can't run Final Fours and national championships. That way you run something more like high school championships where every state kind of walls off it's and establishes its own rules. And I think that has to be understood as a significant point of concern. That's why the return of national standards and the congressional conversation still has meaning.

[Dan Patrick]

What would stop me as a businessman if I wanted the top quarterback in college football to come to Alabama and I want to give him $25 million.

[Marvin]

A year right now, there hasn't been a lot is this as the states migrate away from any oversight of their own laws or any regulation, if the settlement is approved, I go back to that third party oversight. It would depend on your classification. Assuming you have some affiliation, you've provided money donations to the university involved, you then kick into this third party nil oversight and the ability for somebody to be deemed at an appropriate real business purpose and range of compensation level would be involved. And if it doesn't, there'll be an opportunity to adjust your offer.

[Dan Patrick]

I would love for conferences or maybe there's somebody who can be like the NFL has somebody who does the scheduling. Like I would love, you know, we might lose Notre Dame and usc. Like I'm. I don't know, maybe I'm the get off my lawn the old guy. But you know, can you come up with scheduling that we don't lose? Texas versus Oklahoma or whatever? Oklahoma State, Oklahoma, I should say. I gotta want to lose these. We don't have many left and I don't know if college football could ever have a schedule overseer. So we do have marquee matchups. This is, this is entertainment. It's TV non conference, you know, what do you think of that?

[Marvin]

I think a couple things. Let's go back to the College Football Playoff. So I've been the recipient of plenty kind of side comments about good at the game, whatever that means. And when programs like when Wake Forest notifies Ole Miss the day before their first game of a home and home series that we're not playing the one back in Oxford. That's a problem when. When Nebraska cancels an agreement to play Tennessee home and home and sites and I'm not criticizing their athletic director. This is a real. Cites the College Football Playoff selection process as a fundamental reason why we have to understand the College Football Playoff selection process is threatening the regular season, not supporting it. Remember all those conversations people had about hey if you expand the playoff you're going to diminish the regular season. I think there is something to that. I just think everybody missed that the regular season was being changed by the college football playoffs. So point one is whether people agree or not. I think the first issue that has to be addressed is the selection criteria incentivizing playing these highly competitive, highly desired games, whether that's non conference or conference. That's one. The second is I think conferences coming together to facilitate this scheduling is important and I'll just take ourselves, we facilitate four end of year non conference games last week of the season. We've had schools actually leave our league and come back and we facilitated those games when, when they've wanted to play. So I think from my perspective, I'm happy for a coordinated conversation to try to get scheduling right. But I do think you have to go back to at the forefront of everyone's mind is how decisions about the postseason are going to be made. And, and Dan, that's a point I've made more subtly than of late and more directly in the most recent comments because I do think that leads the agenda of what must be addressed in college football. Scheduling is how this postseason selection guides people's thinking.

[Dan Patrick]

Give me the one thing that keeps you up at night that has to do with where we're, where we are or where we're headed.

[Marvin]

If I could, if I like, if I could have one thing to keep me up at night, I'd sleep like a baby again. So let's just stick with that. I would, I would be out like a light. I wake up every day on issues around the relationship with our student athletes. And that's both the economic relationship. I'm concerned about the lifelong impact about the, the amount of money that flows into somebody's life when the emotional maturity may not be there. You know, how do you go take a $50,000 entry level job and we run these ads that 98% of the people on the athletic fields or courts or tracks are going pro in something else. And you've had your own personal economics or value inflated. How do you learn those lifelong lessons? I think the transfer environment is linked to that. Perhaps the inability to walk through some of the difficult moments in life. Hey, it's not every transfer is a problematic transfer. And I speak as somebody who transferred a couple times. You're trying to figure it out. Especially if you're a first generation college student. Like you don't have somebody pulling you aside and helping you understand, hey, maybe if you stick it out, build your legacy in one place, receive some economic benefit, have educational and relational continuity, you come out as a more prepared adult for what's next in life. The combination of those factors, the economic relationship, the transfer decisions, and then the lifelong impacts that come from that, that we're not going to know for a while, those are at the top of what keeps me up at night.

[Dan Patrick]

I propose this, well to myself, but on, on my show probably 10 years ago, that if you have players who are coming to school because they think they're going to be a professional athlete, can you have some kind of curriculum that helps them with investing, balancing a checkbook, real estate, things, taxes, things that have to do that are, you know, the history of Mesopotamia, while I took the course hasn't helped me today. But if you're taking something that does prepare you, and college is supposed to prepare you, if I go to college and we have, you know, some kind of symbiotic relationship of I'm coming to use you, you're using me, I don't have any interest in staying in school, but can you help them with things that will help them in what they want to do?

[Marvin]

A few points, like, I studied the Mesopotamian thing and had the same reaction. Then I went to the British Museum and there's a section on Mesopotamia and I'm like, hey, I, I read about this when I was 14 or something like that. That's one second. I think if it's, if it's only in life, do what you want and not challenge you to broaden your horizons. I think we lose an opportunity to help young people grow. So I would never suggest we just walk away from a broad educational experience. Third, sure. Could we pivot? And there are plenty of electives or plenty of ways to learn, but our athletics departments provide pretty deep financial literacy programs. In fact, I've debated with current student athletes like, should I not pay taxes right now on my earnings and wait and pay it at the end of the year and then go into quarterly tax payments for kind of 1099 work so that I can invest that money? I'm talking about 19 and 20 year olds in business classes and taking financial literacy classes through their athletics department. It's not the lack of provision of education information in context. The people involved have to receive that, whether it's Mesopotamia real estate deals or how to balance your checkbook. It's not just that the educational opportunity and information is provided. They have a responsibility to understand. They have to consume that information, internalize it and use it. And I would say too, for the people around the student athlete, for the young person involved in college athletics, you know, the notion that what's happening around nil payments just continues all the way through life, I think can be kind of a perceived pot of gold at the end of a rainbow that is just going to continue. And I think we all know that hard work, dedication, perseverance, taking a risk here and there, betting on yourself. Those are the things through the next 40 years of life that set you up for success, not that defined area between 18 and 22. In fact, there's a John Grisham novel called Bleachers about a high school football player. And I'll paraphrase one of the lines in this novel, and hey, it's a novel, but it's pretty wise. Which is the worst thing that can happen to somebody is they become the biggest deal ever when they're 18 or 19 years old. Because there's a whole lifetime ahead of.

[Dan Patrick]

You Big 12 ACC commissioners on your Christmas card list. You guys. So don't open. Yeah, okay.

[Marvin]

Hey, disagreements. Finally, one of my great conversations. A month ago, Roy Kramer, who was SEC commissioner number six, was telling me stories about going to me with Jim Delaney and Tom Hanson, who's a Pac 12 commissioner. And like he said, we walk out of that room, we hated each other, and then we went home, we got to work and figured it out. I think disagreements, absolutely fine. It makes us better. And I think for the fact that we comment about each other, we have a conversation as the four of us tomorrow. And yeah, we rub each other off from time to time, but we do have a responsibility to work together. And I think each. Each of us understands that responsibility.

[Dan Patrick]

All right, play nice. Thanks for joining us.

[Marvin]

Okay, we'll go to the sandbox and see what we can do.

[Dan Patrick]

That's Greg Sankey, SEC Commissioner.

[Marvin]

I know a lot of cops. They get asked all the time, have.

[Dan Patrick]

You ever had to shoot your gun? Sometimes the answer is yes. But there's a company dedicated to a future where the answer will always be no. This is Absolute Season one, Taser Incorporated.

[Marvin]

I get right back there, and it's bad.

[Dan Patrick]

Listen to Absolute Season 1, Taser Incorporated on the iHeartRadio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts.

[Tom Brokaw]

Why is a soap opera western like Yellowstone so wildly successful? The American west with Dan Flores is the latest show from the Meat Eater Podcast Network. So join me starting Tuesday, May 6, where we'll delve into into stories of the west and come to understand how it helps inform the ways in which we experience the region today.

[Dan Patrick]

Listen to the American west with Dan Flores on the iHeartRadio app, Apple Podcasts or wherever you get your podcasts your gut microbiome and those healthy bacteria can actually have positive effects. Your mental health, your immunity, your risk of cancer, almost any disease under the sun.

[Tom Brokaw]

This week on Dope Labs, Titi and I dive into the world of probiotics. The hype, the science, and what your gut bacteria are really doing behind the scenes. From drinks and gummies to probiotic pillows. Yes, really, probiotic pillows.

[Dan Patrick]

We're breaking down what's legit and what's.

[Tom Brokaw]

Just brilliant marketing with expert Insight from gastroenterologist Dr. Roshi Raj.

[Dan Patrick]

Listen to Dope Labs on the iHeartRadio.

[Tom Brokaw]

App, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts. This Pride Month, we are not just.

[Dan Patrick]

Celebrating, we're fighting back.

[Tom Brokaw]

I'm George M. Johnson, author of the.

[Dan Patrick]

Most banned book in America. On my podcast, Fighting Words, I sit down with voices that spark resistance and inspire change. This year, we are showing up and showing out.

[Tom Brokaw]

You need people being like, no, you're not going to tell us what to do. This regime is coming down on us.

[Dan Patrick]

And I don't want to just survive, survive. I want to thrive. Fighting Words is where courage meets conversation. Listen on the iHeartRadio app, Apple Podcast or wherever you get your podcast.

[Tom Brokaw]

I'm Clayton English.

[Dan Patrick]

I'm Greg Lott.

[Tom Brokaw]

And this is season two of the War on Drugs podcast.

[Dan Patrick]

Last year, a lot of the problems of the drug war. This year, a lot of the biggest names in music and sports.

[Tom Brokaw]

This kind of star studded a little bit, man.

[Dan Patrick]

We met them at their homes. We met them at their recording studios. Stories matter, and it brings a face to it.

[Tom Brokaw]

It makes it real.

[Dan Patrick]

It really does. It makes it real.

[Tom Brokaw]

Listen to new episodes of the War on Drugs Podcast, Season 2 on the iHeartRadio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcast.

[Dan Patrick]

This is an iHeart podcast.