Dan Patrick on 570 AM and Colin Cowherd on ESPN: Two Very Different Radio Sport Shows

 

I don’t know who enjoys higher ratings between the two morning radio shows. My guess is that Dan Patrick, who’s been in the business for over 20 years, has a larger fan base. His show, from 6-9 A.M. on weekdays overlaps with Colin Cowherd’s, which now runs between 7-11 A.M. 

Patrick seems weary of talking about straight sports. And a bit jaded. He prefers to riff with his co-hosts and prefers general comedy over literal sports analysis. Patrick likes to be silly and irreverent.He prefers the improvisational over the script. Often his banter works, but sometimes it’s indulgent and tedious. 

Cowherd looks for laughs also but does a lot more sports analysis and will often lecture about a “life lesson.” Some that I remember: Camping is stupid. Who’d want to sleep on the ground with leaves and worms after achieving success in life? Only a small percentage of people are really successful in life. That’s the way it’s always been and that’s the way it will always be. 

Patrick likes to perform by bouncing back and forth with his younger co-hosts. Cowherd likes the solo act. I find myself liking both Patrick and Cowherd but I listen more to Patrick because in part he’s done a good job of portraying himself as the embattled individual who left the Disney-owned ESPN. Whenever Patrick refers to his old place of work, he pronounces it disparagingly as “EE-ES-PEE-ON” or call it, in utter contempt and mockery, as the “Mothership.” Also it’s easier to take 3 hours of Patrick with him bouncing off his co-hosts than 4 straight hours of Cowherd’s solo act. 

They’ve got tough jobs: How do you inject drama into sports year-round but show that you’re intelligent enough to see that a lot of sports talk is making mountains out of molehills? The dumbest of the sports jock shows take sports too seriously, becoming rabid, as if their topic has the gravitas of life and death. Patrick and Cowherd are too smart for that, so they wisely go for jokes, with Patrick devoting far more improvisational laugh material on his program than Cowherd. 

Comments

[Angelo]

I like both of these shows.
What do you think of Mike and
Mike for sports radio?

[Gruffydd]

I used to listen to Colin. But, once he left his wife, he started to get to slimy, talking about the "babes" and "honeys". And his entire schtick has aleways been I'm right, you're wrong, and you know it, that's why you are calling in, for me to prove it to you". Basically, he's rude.

Dan is just funny. And smart. And it's not all about sports. The Dannettes are great. Reggie Miller and Charles Barkley are fun. (and yes, I'm a girl)

[Jeffrey McMahon]

Angelo, Mike and Mike accompany my insomnia many nights.

Gruffydd, I agree that Colin was more likable when he was married. I remember telling my wife that. I said something like, "Now that Colin is on the make he's less appealing." Talking about the babes and his new Land Rover. He became a cliche of a man with mid-life crisis.

So, yeah, I find myself listening to Dan P.

[Angelo]

Interesting theme. When Howard Stern and his wife divorced, listeners were glued to the radio to hear about Stern's dating, hooking up with multiple women, etc. It never really happened, or if it did, he didn't make it part of the show. Within a relatively short period of time, he was monogomous to one woman again and talked about their dates, people they met, etc., but not a lot of sex gossip.

[scodag77]

Two great shows. When both talking I find it hard to choose but usually bounce back and forth between commercials. Mike and Mike has become boring in the early mornings and Golick seems ignorant at times and there is no mistaking Greenberg's arrogance. Out here on the West coast Cowherd and Patrick are a breath a fresh air when they come on after Mike and Mike. Still hard to choose when both on, it's like trying to make a decision between bacon and eggs or flapjacks. Sometimes you feel like one, sometimes the other. Dan tries to stay in tune with the younger crowd with his "passion bucket" and other references, while Paulie and the gang are great sidekicks while Colin goes more solo with his business accumen and sport comparisons to situational life. I can't say that I like one more than the other but at a commercial break it makes me very happy knowing that the other is just a couple buttons away. I will be a very sad individual if I lost either one.

[Jeffrey McMahon]

I like them both. I should podcast one so I don't miss the show.

[skinstowin350]

I think Herd wishes he could be half of what DP brings to the table. Cowherd is often smug and a huge bandwagon jumper. Man must have some sore ankles. Patrick and his Danettes offer thee best 3 hours of radio every weekday while it is no problem for me to tune out Herd for some oldies. I can only hope Patrick keeps the show going for as long as possible. By the way, you stole the bell Coward.

[chaudock]

I actually like both shows. Cowherd strives to be the man. Dan IS the MAN!

[richard poppe]

I played and enjoyed sports all my life, however, I don't know if sports shows or sports itself has become more ridiculous. I think if you are a 14 year-old junior high school athlete,compulsive gambler,frustrated jock or sycophant Dan Patrick is your speed. As for the rest of these greedy,ungrateful,thugs and ego maniacs,who make millions playing a child's game, the powers that be should take them all in a room, make a few calls and show them how easily they can be replaced. That way they can put all that academic achievement to use.