Either Relevant or True » Blogging Dan Patrick (and Keith Olbermann Too!)

The Boston Globe talks to Dan:

Since Dan Patrick announced on his radio show Monday he’ll be leaving ESPN Aug. 17, rumors have swirled as to why he’s leaving and where he’ll end up.

One thing is for certain: Patrick will remain on the airwaves after it was announced yesterday he will join The Content Factory, which will distribute Patrick’s new radio show.

Rumors got even swirlier when Dan’s name was absent from the 1pm to 4pm slot yesterday. I wonder whether Ms. Bickelhaupt spoke to Dan before or after that time. Either way, it’s a nice write-up that touches on many subjects, like the incredible fact that the man has no agent.

The LA Daily News talks to Keith:

Olbermann added that ESPN has “been terrific and I’m very torn” about whether to continue on the network radio show - either hosting it by himself, as the network has offered, or do a shorter version. He could also join Patrick somewhere down the road at another syndicated show.

“I don’t think with my other jobs I could give it as much as the company and listeners deserve,” the MSNBC “Countdown” anchor said of taking Patrick’s ESPN Radio spot. “Plus, my motivation has been working with DP. In short, we’ll see.”

Stay with Dan, KO. You’re both great individually, but together you’re something really special.

Keith would really consider continuing on the radio show without Dan? Would he really host it by himself? It never occurred to me that that might be an option, especially at ESPN’s suggestion.

I can’t see how taking over Dan’s show would enrich his life, or ours. Now, his own radio news show would be something I wouldn’t miss! But if he’s still interested in doing sports radio, I agree with Becky — maximum enjoyment for all concerned will be maintained by keeping the act together.

ESPN wants him to stay? (Looking out window for flying pigs!)

Sure they want him to stay on the radio - but he still can’t step foot through the gate of Bristol University!

Sure they want him to stay on the radio - but he still can’t step foot through the gate of Bristol University!
>>>>>>>>>>

Another excellent reason for Keith to decline their “generous” offer. First-rate people shouldn’t be treated like second-class citizens.

Whew, this is interesting. Keith is still banned from the Bristol campus, yet they offered HIM Dan’s show?

That’s something I sure never expected.

I’m also a bit surprised that The Content Factory seems naive enough to think that “The Big Show” is Dan’s brand alone and that he alone could market himself that way (which seems apparent now if the first time Keith heard about it is when we heard about it). That doesn’t bode really well for their marketing savvy.

Is anyone else wondering whether Dan could use some really good guidance about now, and Keith could provide it?

Dan and Keith should definitely stick together. I’d love to hear Keith have his own radio show (although I’m not sure how he’d find the time), but not necessarily on ESPN if they’re going to continue to act like he’s their back-door man. And without Dan, what’s the point?

I think Dan and Keith would be better off marketing something they can do together, provided it doesn’t tack on more to Keith’s heavy schedule than he already had before Dan quit ESPN.

The real question is will ESPN let Dan keep the “Big Show” title. Does anyone know if that is ESPN owned?

Here’s yet another article offering insight into Dan’s decision making: http://www.venturacountystar.com/news/2007/jul/13/no-headline—sc2fccarlislecol13fc/

Needless to say, I disagree with this writer that Keith’s current TV efforts are not “must-see TV.” Otherwise, it’s educational.

Nick, I don’t think ESPN owns that. Especially since it was the name of Keith’s first show on MSNBC immediately after he left there.

BTW, tonight’s segue music was “Scenes From an Italian Restaraunt” by Billy Joel…just in case someone forgets.

Now, if you’ll excuse me, I must get my walker…

There’s no way ESPN owns the “The Big Show” moniker. First of all, it was never their formal name for anything Dan and Keith did together…it was always Dan’s and Keith’s name for what they did together (this is sounding weird, but you get my drift). Even on SportsCenter, they actually got in trouble for not calling it SportsCenter, remember? And began making a big deal out of saying “This is SportsCenter” when they were told to, and that was how the whole famous TV campaign began?

Even on the radio, Dan has only referred to the hour Keith has been on with him as “The Big Show,” and when Keith has been out he’s said things like “No Big Show today.” Or when Keith is only going to be on for 15 minutes, “Not quite as big a Big Show today” or something like that. The whole idea of “The Big Show” at ESPN is premised on Dan and Keith’s presence together. Wherever Dan and Keith are gathered together in Sport’s name…there is The Big Show also.

The only formal entities they have been involved with called “The Big Show” are the book they published together and Keith’s old MSNBC show (which, looking back, he would probably say should have been called “The Big Lewinsky”). But even that wasn’t a precedent…NBC actually used to have an hour-long prime-time variety program in the ’70s called “The Big Show”…if you don’t believe me, look it up.

Suffice it to say, I think Dan and Keith can call whatever they do “The Big Show” if they want to. And that it would be smart to do it, because that’s how they’ve trained us all to think by now. No Dan, no Keith, no “Big Show.” But when you’ve got Dan, and Keith, you’ve got “Big Show”! Wherever you take it!

Readers of this blog know I like both Keith Olbermann and Dan Patrick. I have watched Countdown as often as I could for the last few years, and been a listener of the Dan Patrick Show since the days when Rob Dibble co-hosted with Dan.

That being said — I don’t think putting Keith on ESPN Radio for 3 hours to replace Dan would be a good idea, even if Keith was interested.

Think about it — 3 hours is a long time for anything. And to me at least, the best sports radio shows are those that have co-hosts. Part of the reason the Dan Patrick show was as good as it was is that Dan always had a million big-name guests to interview in the hours where Keith wasn’t on with him.

I think Keith could be great on ESPN Radio for an hour by himself — 3 is pushing it.

At the very least, maybe these reports show that ESPN and Keith are on slightly better terms than before, which is a good thing for us. The next time they have self-promotion for Sportscenter and bring back a lot of the old hosts, maybe they can finally have Keith back. In Bristol. And it won’t burn down.

I made a page at Wikiality.com in honor of Dan. Go see!

“The Big Lewinsky” makes me think:
“KO abides.”
Although he is more the type to say “Say what you will about National Socialism, at leasr it was an ethos.”
Maybe Dan’s more the abiding type.(/Lebowski geek)
Oh, gosh, of course it was “Scenes from an Italian Restaurant!”
Brain fade…

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