The Dan Patrick Show – "Best Of" Episode – August 21, 2025
Episode Overview
In this “best of” Thursday broadcast, Dan Patrick and the Danettes dive into a range of sports and pop culture topics with their signature blend of sharp insight and humor. Highlights include discussions about Major League Baseball’s playoff outlook, Shohei Ohtani’s MVP chances, the ever-growing challenges for fans trying to watch NFL games, the possible internationalization of the Super Bowl, evolving sports economics, and lively debates about what makes a fulfilling pro sports career. The episode also features an extended interview with NFL insider Albert Breer, tackling everything from league precedents to player controversies, with key segments on viewer fragmentation, college football, and NFL training camp drama.
Key Discussion Points & Insights
1. Yankees’ Power Surge & MLB Postseason Realities
[03:00]
- Dan opens by marveling at the Yankees’ recent home run binge (14 in two games).
- Emphasizes that playoff baseball pivots on pitching, not just offensive explosions.
- Quote: “You can hit home runs during the regular season...this is about postseason success...this is about pitching come September and certainly October.” (Dan, 03:00)
- Yankees’ pitching is “middle of the pack,” raising doubts about October viability, especially missing ace Gerrit Cole.
2. Shohei Ohtani: MVP Odds, Performance, and Future Usage
[04:00–07:00]
- Ohtani struggled in his first career start at Coors Field. Dan notes the Dodgers might consider using him as a reliever in the postseason.
- The crew discusses Ohtani's “aura” seemingly guaranteeing him the MVP, despite some statistical regression.
- Quote: “His aura is going to win him these things...he’s bigger than anyone else, clearly.” (Paulie, 06:26)
- Dan tracks shifting MVP betting odds post–Ohtani’s rough outing, noting how closely the market follows single-game narratives.
3. Sports Rights, Fan Costs, and Media Fragmentation
[15:00–26:00]
- The Danettes lament the skyrocketing costs for fans to watch all NFL games, now often exceeding $800/year due to fragmented streaming rights and exclusive deals (Netflix, Peacock, Amazon, cable, etc.).
- Quote: “If you want to watch all the NFL games this season, it’s probably going to cost you $800 plus in subscriptions. Four years ago, I would say it was about $199.” (Paulie, 15:39)
- They compare this to the rise of exclusive sports on global streaming, making even single-league access a “labor.”
- Dan notes the NFL’s research to “push it to the last possible cent” before consumers push back, suggesting leagues test the limits of fan loyalty.
4. The Inevitable Globalization of American Sports (The London Super Bowl Debate)
[08:00–14:00; 49:53–53:37]
- Dan unpacks the UK ambassador's (Peter Mandelson) push for a Super Bowl in London, viewing it as “inevitable.”
- Argues that sports are chasing global growth and TV dollars, and that fans will ultimately still watch, regardless of location.
- The Danettes debate if anything could drive American fans away—most agree loyalty will trump annoyance.
- Quote: “If you like sports, you’re going to watch.” (Fritzi, 14:16)
- Albert Breer expands: the biggest hurdle is the effect on TV ratings, not tradition. The NFL cares immensely about the all-important viewership stats.
- Quote: “If you really care about that...your kickoff time does matter...the Super Bowl is a unique one because it is so dependent on the drive-by viewer.” (Breer, 50:26)
5. College Sports Expansion & Economics
[09:00–13:00]
- Dan and the crew discuss the perpetual expansion of playoffs (CFB, March Madness), realignment, and how every sport is “looking for growth and more revenue.”
- Notes how baseball may soon abolish traditional league structures and that owners pressure commissioners to keep the money flowing.
- They reflect on fans’ resistance but ultimately admit growth is inevitable.
6. The Backup Quarterback vs. Star Running Back Debate
[31:58–34:28]
- Recurring “old favorite” debate: Would you rather have the career of a well-paid, little-used backup QB (Chase Daniel, $40M, 13 years, little injury risk) or a productive but underpaid, injury-prone RB (Isaiah Pacheco, two Super Bowls, < $3M to date)?
- All but Dan choose Chase Daniel’s lucrative, low-stress path.
- Quote: “More money, less concussions, less wobbling around...I’m going to take Chase.” (Fritzi, 33:57)
- Dan values impact and Super Bowl glory, but he's outvoted.
7. Sports Media Consumption and the Impact on Leagues
[36:55–37:30]
- Listener “Wes in Illinois” calls to lament how following women’s basketball (WNBA and Caitlin Clark) went from "all in one place" last year to fragmented platforms this season—illustrating the growing frustration of modern sports fans.
- Dan responds: “The more popular it gets, the more fragmented it gets because the NFL, they've drained NBC, CBS and ABC and Fox. Now they want to have the big time money. Netflix, Amazon, big time money.”
Notable Guest: Albert Breer Interview
On NFL Precedent: Should the NFL Suspend Jim Harbaugh?
[44:46–49:53]
- Breer and Dan review Urban Meyer's recent comments about Harbaugh’s potential NFL suspension after an NCAA ban, referencing the rare 2011 Jim Tressel precedent.
- Breer says both the Tressel and Pryor cases hinged on the NFL not wanting to appear as a “safe haven” for escaping NCAA punishment—but doesn't see either Tressel or Harbaugh as “escaping” the college game.
- Both agree modern circumstances make an NFL suspension of Harbaugh unlikely.
- Quote: “I don't think in either the Tressel case or the Harbaugh case, it was a guy escaping, trying to escape penalty and finding safe harbor in the NFL.” (Breer, 47:03)
Debunking the Shador Sanders “NFL Blacklist” Rumor
[47:03–49:16]
- Dan plays an Eric Dickerson clip suggesting the NFL conspired to keep Shador Sanders undrafted.
- Breer debunks the notion as “overdone,” citing pure football criteria and the unwritten rule that non-elite QBs don’t go in mid-rounds. Adds that flamboyant backup QBs are less desirable for teams.
- Quote: “I always think these sorts of conspiracies are a little, a little overdone...Chidor's case was complicated going into the draft, but I don't think it was that complicated where there was some sort of weird conspiracy...” (Breer, 47:43)
On a London Super Bowl: Logistics vs. Vision
[49:53–53:37]
- Breer echoes Dan’s forecast that a London Super Bowl will happen—but the biggest question is not cultural, but “the television number, the advertising rates, all of that different stuff.”
- Discusses kickoff timing, impact on ratings, and the NFL’s international ambitions.
NFL Training Camp & Holdout Updates
[56:20–59:54]
- On Trey Hendrickson: A complicated Bengals contract situation makes a trade unlikely, as does his age (31).
- On Terry McLaurin: Both sides likely need a deadline (start of season) to bridge the gap.
- On Micah Parsons: Talks are slow, not all in Dallas are in Parsons’ corner. Offers will have to convey "winner" status to player (up to $45M/year).
Memorable Quotes & Moments
- Dan, on Super Bowl in London: “I don’t think anybody’s gonna tune out the Super Bowl if it’s played in London. But I do think we’re going there. I don’t know when, maybe it’s 10 years, but maybe in our lifetime...” (13:38)
- On streaming frustrations (Paulie): “You need like seven different packages or subscriptions to watch all the NFL games...it’s a labor...it’s probably going to cost you $800 plus...” (15:39)
- Listener Wes: “The more popular it gets, the more fragmented it gets...” (36:55)
- On the Chase Daniel poll (Dan vs. Danettes): “I want to play...Chase Daniel was so close...He didn’t get in. Isaiah Pacheco got to play in Super Bowls.” (Dan, 32:51)
- Fritzi: “More money, less concussions, less wobbling around the rest of my life with knee and shoulder issues. I’m going to take Chase.” (33:57)
- Albert Breer: “That’s the one hurdle is the television number, the advertising rates, all of that different stuff, like the communal aspect of the Super Bowl. But I think they would love to do it [in London].” (51:13)
Segment Timestamps
| Time | Segment Topic | |-----------|---------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | 03:00 | Yankees’ power hitting, post-season risks, Ohtani struggles | | 06:26 | Otani's MVP case and odds; impact of "aura" | | 08:21 | College football Week Zero; undervalued matchups | | 09:00–13:00 | NFL globalization and sports league expansions; the business of fandom | | 14:10 | Will sports’ “chasing revenue” ever drive fans away? | | 15:39 | NFL fan viewing cost fragmentation discussion | | 24:22 | Streaming subscriptions and sports platform logic | | 31:58–34:28 | Backup QB vs. Star RB career poll debate | | 36:55 | Listener calls in on sports media fragmentation | | 44:46 | Albert Breer Interview begins | | 47:03 | NFL Harbaugh/Tressel precedent, Shador Sanders rumors | | 49:53 | Super Bowl London debate; TV vs. tradition | | 56:20 | Training camp/holdout updates (Hendrickson, McLaurin, Parsons) | | 61:45 | Breer wrap up with fantasy football “draft order” story |
Tone and Style
While the episode is peppered with Dan’s dry wit, wry observations, and good-natured bickering among the Danettes, it also dives deep on the business realities of modern sports—the relentless pursuit of revenue, the fragmentation of traditional TV experience, and the eventual globalization of American leagues. Balance comes through lighter moments, listener calls, familiar hypotheticals, and industry rumors.
For Listeners:
This episode encapsulates why Dan Patrick remains a must-listen for sports fans: It’s a fast-moving blend of news, analysis, and the kind of debate you normally only find on a barstool or in a group chat—delivered with years of inside access and comic timing. Whether you missed the show or want to revisit the most vital discussions, this summary covers all the segments that mattered, helping you skip the ads and banter and get straight to the key takeaways and memorable moments.