Goodnight, Sweet Prince

Dan Patrick said goodbye to the ESPN airwaves today.  In what he called his, “Farewell for Now Tour,” he said goodbye to the WWL today at 4pm.  Say what you will about ESPN, its employees, etc; but Dan Patrick was a class act, and a great journalist, whom I will miss very dearly.

If you happen to be around our age here at APIAS.NET, you probably grew up with the Dan Patrick SportsCenter.  It was this “Big Show” with Keith Olbermann that changed “SportsCenter” for the better… up until about two years ago.  Anyway, who can’t remember those summer days during the mid-90’s going to bed during the 1AM show, and waking up and watching it from 9AM until it stopped.  There were times I actually thought that DP was so good, they shot every show live, he just knew when to laugh at a joke the exact same way, every single time. 

Obviously, we all grew up, and became more jaded.  But, I will never forget the summer of ’03 when I was forced to work for a furniture store to help pay rent when I was a poor college student.  I asked them if I could listen to music while I opened boxes and moved shit around for hours upon end.  They gave me a wireless-radio-headset.  I had never been a big sports-radio guy, I was always a “music guy.”  I found the local ESPN station, and my whole sports world changed.  From 1-4PM every day, I listened as Dan (and Dibbs, back then) gave great insights and interviews in sports.  Regardless of how you feel about ESPN, or Dan Patrick for that matter, I have little doubt he has impacted your sports-viewing, even if just a little bit.

And, we can’t talk about the greatness of Dan, without his long-time partner, Keith Olbermann.  When these two were together, it was as if you were watching two great friends sit there and tell you about the day’s sports stories.  And, I think, deep down, that’s really all I ever want(ed).  The chemistry between those two, especially now on the radio for that hour every day, when they hadn’t done anything together for so long was extremely refreshing.  It was the best hour of radio anyone could find. 

So, for the moment, we salute you, Dan Patrick.  We hope whatever it is you do finds you prosperous (as if you need it), and happy.  But, most of all, we hope you are… en fuego.

Also, www.danpatrick.com has a suspicious, “What’s Next” link and has a countdown when clicked…