Barstool Pick Em – "The Final Ryde" | Semi Final Preview (Jan 7, 2026)

Overview

In the grand finale of the Barstool Pick Em 2025 season, hosts Big Cat (Dan Katz), Dave Portnoy ("Pres"), and Rico Bosco gather to break down the College Football Playoff semifinals, dissect wild college and NFL storylines, and riff on life at Barstool. True to form, the episode is a mix of sports sharpness, inside jokes, and relentless mockery, all delivered with the unfiltered Barstool confidence and energy.

Hosts & Participants

• Big Cat (Dan Katz) - Host, Barstool Sports fixture
• Dave Portnoy ("Pres") - Barstool Founder & CEO
• Rico Bosco - Core Pick Em personality, notorious for his betting passion and quirks
• Hank - Producer and frequent on-air participant
• Occasional Cameos: Other staffers like Jack and Evo

Episode Highlights & Key Segments

1. Opening Vibes & Barstool Housekeeping ([00:01]–[10:48])

• Holiday Recaps & Scheduling Woes

  • The guys catch up after the holidays, mock Rico's wardrobe confusion, and discuss the logistical challenges of work/family balance during bowl season.
  • Jokes about missing each other’s events: birthdays, engagement parties, and "destroying" parties in fits of fake rage.
  • Classic Barstool banter over contract negotiations, lifers vs. stars, and why nobody leaves Barstool.

• Notable Quote

  • Dave on birthday parties:
    "Who throws themselves birthday parties? Like sweet 16s for yourselves. Never heard of it." (05:01)

2. Barstool Inside Baseball & Negotiation Hijinks ([08:00]–[12:00])

• Rico’s Contract Saga
  • Dave and Rico air out their recurring contract dance. Rico wants 4% but never says it, Dave refuses to babysit contract negotiations.
  • Big Cat pokes fun at Rico’s need to “be recruited” and his “victim of my sins” self-pity.
• Memorable Exchange
  • Dave: "I've said this a million times. I have absolutely no fear of you going somewhere else. You're never going to be fired. So I don't understand." (05:33)
  • Big Cat, after Rico’s indecision: "You wanted Dave to reach out, to wine and dine you." (09:07)

3. The Mincy Chronicles ([10:49]–[15:09])

• Barstool’s Southern Whirlwind
  • Ben Mintz ("Mincy")’s circuitous, ambitious, and hilariously frugal lifestyle gets the full group’s attention.
  • Staying at colleagues’ houses, badgering for freebies, and finding ways to tap Barstool’s budget.
  • Blocked on Twitter from his own event to avoid shenanigans.
• Memorable Story
  • Hank: "Last year he talked about Widespread Panic coming in June, probably for eight months." (14:01)
  • Big Cat: "He immediately, the minute he got Biz in the mix, started texting people for tickets and throwing Biz's name around." (15:19)

4. Barstool Streams, NFL Playoffs, and Coaching Carousel ([15:10]–[21:18])

• Upcoming Shows & Streams
  • Bosco will call into playoff streams, House Call guests are lined up.
  • NFL Playoff talk – uncertainty and possibility abound.
    • Dave: "I think we can win the Super Bowl. I think we can be done on Sunday. It's wide open." (16:31)
  • Monday Night Game Hate: All agree it sucks for the playoffs (16:52).
• College Football Negativity
  • Dave gives a scathing (but accurate) assessment of loyalty in the NIL and transfer portal era:
    • "Nobody's loyal to anybody. There's no loyalty in this sport right now at all. The NCAA created this mess." (19:52)
    • On the Williams transfer drama: "The difference between four and six million is a ton of money... Never gonna begrudge a kid for doing that." (20:08)
  • Lively debate about whether the calendar/schedule ruins college sports; agreeing it’s a “dirty” sport now.

5. Rapid-Fire: NCAA Storylines, Scams, and Guest 'Riders' ([21:18]–[27:03])

• Transfer Portal Mayhem
  • Dave pushes the logic: If a player can leave for more money, why not mid-season? Others push back on practicality.
  • Story: Minnesota daycare scam kid also trolled Barstool’s Nadu by faking an audition for a mafia movie (24:46).

6. Detailed Playoff Breakdown: The Picks ([31:04]–[41:18])

a) Miami vs. Ole Miss

• Line: Ole Miss +3.5, O/U 52.5
• Analysis:
  • Dave: "I'm taking Miami. They're hot... I'm not sold on the SEC at all, but my confidence is not high." (31:26)
  • Big Cat: "I'm taking the over because Ole Miss is going to run tempo on Miami..." (31:45)
  • Rico: "I really like the under. Miami's defense... held A&M to 89 yards rushing." (32:36)
• Side Notes:
  • Admiring Joe Judge's quote: "I used to live next to Aaron Hernandez. So, yeah, this is nothing." (32:26)

b) Oregon vs. Indiana

• Line: Oregon +3.5, O/U 47.5
• Analysis:
  • Big Cat: "Indiana’s so good, man. They’re just so well-coached... I don’t want to go against them, but it’s hard with the rematch angle." (33:43)
  • Dave: "I like Oregon. When you lose to a team, it helps you in the rematch. This is a coin flip." (34:35)
  • Rico: "Oregon's running back room is a disaster. Moore’s turning it over too much. I like Lanning in the rematch, but I'm worried." (35:07)

"Mortals" - The Confidence Picks ([41:02])

• Big Cat: Over 52.5 on Ole Miss–Miami
• Hank: Ole Miss +3.5
• D: Under Ole Miss–Miami; Evo: Miami -3.5
• Dave: Oregon
• Rico: Oregon +points, but loves the Miami–Ole Miss under

7. Classic Barstool Banter to Close Out the Season ([41:32]–end)

• Reflections on the Season:

  • "Great season, boys. Great season. Lot of fun, highs, lows." (41:32)
  • Nostalgia for past bits, funny ads, viral moments.

• Rico’s Negotiation Theater Continues:

  • Ongoing debate about Rico’s contract moves, whether he wants to be recruited, or is simply "playing dumb" (in jest).
  • Dave is repeatedly cited as someone who is "really fair" and not a pushover when it comes to contracts.

• "Off the Juice" and Mental Health

  • Bosco discusses whether going off gambling picks ("the Juice") is worth it for his well-being. Group agrees mental wellness comes first, but the need for antics in March Madness is too enticing.

Notable Quotes & Moments with Timestamps

• Dave on Barstool contracts:
  "If you're not a lifer, we pay attention to contracts. If you are, I'm not laying up at night New Year's Eve waiting for the ball to drop being like, got to redo Bosco's contract." (07:02)
• Big Cat on fan bitterness:
  "You lose to the Packers, it's like, 'oh, motherfucker.' It changes the whole [outlook]." (18:41)
• Dave on NCAA hypocrisy:
  "The NCAA created this mess. Nobody’s dirty. In a weird way, the dirt is up front, it’s clear." (23:51)
• Big Cat’s judgment on pick strategy:
  "You've been great, but you still throw around, like, 'oh, you want to be recruited?' You did date. The recruiting comment comes from the fact Dave could not have been more clear on what you should..." (48:00)
• Season’s end sentiment:
  • Big Cat: "Great year. Love doing the show with you, Rico." (53:59)
  • Rico (reluctantly): "Okay. I love you too. It's been a great year." (54:06)

Analysis, Tone & Takeaways

• Inside Jokes, Relentless Mockery, and Sincerity

  • The episode is as much therapy session as sports betting preview; the trust and antagonism between the trio is the lifeblood of Pick Em.
  • Contract negotiations become a metaphor for workplace dynamics – both hilarious and relatable.
  • The tone is classic Barstool: irreverent, snarky, yet, at moments, unflinchingly open-hearted (especially toward season’s close).

• Key Football Takeaways

  • Both playoff games are seen as "coin flips" with rematch edges, personnel uncertainties, and coaching considered crucial.
  • Consensus: No certainty, only conviction—bet "the over," but more for the vibes than an edge.

Timestamps for Important Segments

| Segment | Timestamp | |------------------------------|---------------| | Holiday/Contract Banter | 00:01–10:48 | | Barstool Inside Baseball | 08:00–12:00 | | The Mincy Chronicles | 10:49–15:09 | | Streams/NFL/Coaching Change | 15:10–21:18 | | NCAA/Transfer Portal | 21:18–27:03 | | CFB Playoff Breakdowns | 31:04–41:18 | | Closing "Mortals" & Recap | 41:32–end |

Conclusion

This episode is quintessential Barstool: off-topic, on-topic, frequently profane, and totally revealing about the friendships and friction that make Pick Em unique. Between laughs, loyal listeners will find good info, sharp playoff insights, and classic Barstool needling to end the season right. If you want both gambling picks and the chaotic soul of sports radio by way of Barstool Sports, this is your show.