Ideal Tailgating Setups | May 26, 2026

Summary

Macrodosing: Ideal Tailgating Setups | May 26, 2026

Main Theme

This episode of Macrodosing dives into ideal college football tailgates, but also explores personal dilemmas, career stories, and life advice through listener voicemails. The core hosts—Big T, Eric, Maddie, and Mac—answer questions with energetic, open conversations on everything from relationships and relocating after college, to memorable SEC stadiums, all while maintaining their signature mix of humor and sincerity.

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Episode Breakdown & Highlights

1. Opening Banter and Holiday Catch-up

• [01:18 – 06:00]
  • The crew checks in after Memorial Day. Maddie mentions heading to a wedding in Louisville and a visit to New York, revealing she's from Albany, and is (to Big T's surprise) a Bills fan.
  • Lighthearted debate erupts over state capitals trivia, with fun facts like Montpelier, VT being the only state capital without a McDonald's.
  • Memorable quote:
    “If you want to go to jail? We can go to jail, dog. I'll go there with you.” – Big T [03:09]

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2. Voicemail #1: Relationship & Engagement Advice

[09:34 – 18:02]

• Caller Andrew from Chicago asks for guidance: his girlfriend wants to get engaged after five years of dating, but he feels unsure.
• The Crew’s Take:
  • Eric: If you don’t know after five years, maybe not the right move. But, he notes, sometimes the issue is timing—not the person. “For hundreds of years people got married when they were, you know, not even close to ready... and everything worked out fine.” [13:57]
  • Big T: Shares his own marriages: separating loving from being in love. Emphasizes the need for certainty—if you’re still questioning it, it’s probably not right.
  • Maddie: “If you’re only getting married to like satiate someone else's need for it, that's a tough way to start a lifelong partnership.” [16:46]

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3. Voicemail #2: Where to Move After College?

[18:31 – 23:49]

• Caller Sam (Pennsylvania, cybersecurity grad) asks for affordable locations with good golf, fishing, legal weed, and advice on what to do if his girlfriend is still in school.
• Advice Rundown:
  • Eric: “If you can live anywhere, like from 22 to 25, I would go live in the cheapest place I possibly could and just stockpile as much cash as I could.” [20:13]
  • Big T: Suggests possibly moving abroad (Costa Rica?), challenging the notion that you have to live in the U.S. for the best value and lifestyle.
  • Everyone agrees: Proximity to girlfriend is important—if you care, stay, but “is she worth putting up with a place you don't want to be at?”

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4. Voicemail #3: Player Memories & Career Surprises

[24:26 – 32:52]

• Michael from Cincinnati asks for an Arian Foster story about Whitney Mercilus, Big T’s journey at Barstool, and why Maddie chose Miami (Ohio).
• Arian Foster: Recalls telling rookie Mercilus to toughen up, seeing him eventually thrive—“Just know, sometimes the little homies need an OG to bring him along.” [28:25]
• Big T: Never expected to be in content/the podcast world, and credits serendipity (Tennessee/Braves sports misfortunes) for his break.
• Maddie: Miami felt like her vibe, not a big city or huge school person—“Cincinnati is a great school for different people. Different strokes for different folks.” [32:14]

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5. Voicemail #4: Beliefs You’ve Outgrown

[32:52 – 36:18]

• Caller asks: “What did you believe at 18 that embarrasses you now?”
  • Arian Foster: Thought George Bush was behind 9/11—“That was like zeitgeist era, where the Internet was just getting its tentacles into [society]” [33:43]
  • Eric: Ponders how views and memories of time have shifted; both reflect on how perspective changes with age.

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6. SEC Football Nostalgia & Stadium Rankings

[36:18 – 58:03]

• Discussion over SEC stadium atmospheres, recruitment stories, and nostalgia for college football.
  • Arian Foster: Shares tales of under-the-radar recruitment, emotional games, and why Kentucky’s stadium is his favorite: “For some reason, like Kentucky, it was always special…” [53:12]
  • Crowd discusses differences in sound and structure among Florida, Tennessee, Georgia, and others.
  • Big T: “The loudest I’ve seen Tennessee was 2004 against Florida. That was crazy. Couldn’t even hear myself.”

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7. Voicemail #5: The Ideal Tailgate Setup

[42:11 – 49:29]

• “What’s your most ideal tailgate setup? Proximity, food, number of TVs, the crew, etc.?”
  • Arian: “We got a pitmaster that knows what he’s doing… working on this brisket for 24 hours… open bar, TV, misting fans, good water, whiskey… right across the street from the stadium… everyone I f*** with.” [43:38]
  • Eric: Real-life favorite is friend’s place near Neyland Stadium for Tennessee games (TVs, AC, food runs, walk to stadium). For pure tailgate: “gotta have a TV,” catering and grilling, proximity within 50 paces of the stadium—if not, get on a boat for Tennessee’s famous “Vol Navy.” [45:50 – 48:23]

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8. Voicemail #6: The Tickle Intruder Hypothetical

[49:56 – 53:48]

• From Kentucky Sports Radio: If someone breaks into your house and only tickles you for five minutes, do you report the crime? What do you tell police?
  • Arian: “A civilian is not coming to my house to tackle me. You’re getting knocked out if I don’t got the burner on.” [51:48]
  • Eric: “If someone came into your house unannounced, unexpected and uninvited… I think neither you nor I would get tickled…” [51:14]
  • All agree: it’s a ridiculous scenario but interesting for laughs.

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Memorable Quotes & Moments

• “If you want to go to jail? We can go to jail, dog. I'll go there with you.” – Big T [03:09]
• “If it’s a no brainer, this is absolutely the person I want to be with ... it was immediate, and that feeling has never gone away.” – Big T on love/engagement [12:35]
• “Sometimes the little homies need an OG to bring him along.” – Arian [28:25]
• “If you are calling into a podcast to ask for advice… that’s a tough way to start a lifelong partnership.” – Maddie [16:47]
• “Congrats on just being you, man.” – Will from Dallas, to PFT [42:58]
• On tailgates:
  “We got a pitmaster... brisket for 24 hours... open bar... the stadium is right there.” – Arian [43:38]

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Timestamps for Key Segments

• State Capitals & Personal Chit Chat: 01:18 – 06:45
• Relationship Engagement Advice: 09:34 – 18:02
• Post-College Relocation Advice: 18:31 – 23:49
• NFL Rookie Stories, Content Career Paths: 24:26 – 32:52
• Beliefs Outgrown Since 18: 32:52 – 36:18
• SEC Stadium & Football Nostalgia: 36:18 – 42:11, 53:12 – 58:03
• Ideal Tailgate Setups: 42:11 – 49:29
• Tickling Intruder Hypothetical: 49:56 – 53:48

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Tone & Style

The episode flows with classic Macrodosing rapport: honest, conversational, peppered with personal stories, playful roasting, and mutual encouragement. The hosts balance humor (as in the tickling scenario), honest vulnerability (relationship questions), practical advice (career/moving tips), and deep affection for college football culture.

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For Listeners Who Missed the Episode:

This installment is a lively sampler platter of the Macrodosing universe, blending personal growth, sports, and barroom philosophy, all shot through with authentic banter. Whether you’re seeking advice on love, itching for SEC football nostalgia, or dreaming up the perfect tailgate, this episode delivers with humor, sincerity, and grounded takes—plus a few wild hypotheticals for good measure.

Transcript

[PFT Commenter]

Hey macrodosing listeners. You can find us every Tuesday and Thursday on Apple podcasts, Spotify or YouTube Prime. Members can listen ad free on Amazon Music.

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[Big T]

You should be.

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[Big T]

I'll give you, I'll give, I'll give Andrew my advice from somebody who's been married and then my advice from somebody who has been in love. Those were two separate occasions, by the way. Welcome back, welcome back to the nano dosing version of macro dosing. I am excited. It is the day after Memorial Day, correct? Yes, yes. And we are here, me and Big T, Mac and Matty in the studio. Eric's the out and about, lollygagging, frolicking with his real friends. That's all right though.

[Eric]

You and I are wearing the same shirts we wore last week, but we're wearing different hats because it's a different day.

[Big T]

Totally different day, Totally different me, totally different you. That's how you grow. And yeah, we back. It's Monday though. Tuesday. What day is it?

[Eric]

It is Tuesday, May 26th.

[Caller]

There you go.

[Big T]

Tuesday, May 26th. All these days run into each other. We're gonna have a voicemails episode today because it's holiday. So this was pre recorded on Wednesday of last week. So yeah, still wanted to give y' all something while we was out because we love you guys, most of you anyway. Pretty sure there's some amongst you. But hey, any group Love. Yeah. Any group love and appreciate your support. Still.

[Eric]

Sometimes we're.

[Big T]

Sometimes what?

[Eric]

Sometimes we're.

[Big T]

I can agree with that. I typically just give people the energy they give me. I don't really go out of my way to. Matter of fact, I don't ever go out of my way to be an Pretty. I'm pretty kind. I'll give you what you give me, though.

[Eric]

Yeah, yeah, Yeah.

[Big T]

I can match you there. Yeah. I can match you wherever you want to go. Thousand percent. You want to go to jail? We can go to jail, dog. I'll go there with you.

[Eric]

For how long?

[Big T]

Well, typically, if that. If that's the energy, it's in self defense, so however long you want to go.

[Eric]

All right.

[Big T]

If somebody willing to try to. Yeah, I'll take you there. If somebody wants to talk shit, that's what I love. I kind of like doing that. Like we're playing basketball. I typically won't say nothing, but if you start to chirp, that's what I do. That's.

[Eric]

I'm just way better at it. I've seen you say stuff first. Not anything crazy, but you like to talk.

[Big T]

Are you talking about in basketball court? Yeah. With people I know that's different. People I know that's different. So I don't talk shit to people I don't know. I won't. I won't do it. Because you don't know. Somebody got a bad day.

[Eric]

Yeah.

[Big T]

You know what I'm saying? They'd be typical to fight. But like, if you know me, you know, if. If I. It's how. It's how I typically explain it. I'll talk shit to you if I love you. That's how you know I love you. I'll talk shit to you because I know this is a safe space. I can get my jokes off without judgment or somebody taking it the wrong way. But if I don't know you, I typically gonna talk shit. Unless you talk it, then I'm willing to. Then we can go to jail, Big T. But anywho, facts, this is a voicemail episode. Mac and Maddie. How y' all doing? Y' all chilling?

[Maddie]

Yes. As you're listening to this, I've just had a great long weekend. I'm sure.

[Big T]

Absolutely. I'm sure. I'm almost positive.

[Maddie]

I'm almost positive. I had a great weekend.

[Big T]

Where are y' all going? Or where. Where did y' all go?

[Maddie]

I'm going. I'm doing a two stop. I have a wedding in Louisville, Kentucky,

[Eric]

not my favorite town.

[Maddie]

And then my. I'M flying home to my parents house and then back to Chicago doing a little boop bop bop for the weekend.

[Big T]

Okay, Mac, what you doing?

[Maddie]

I'm just going home to upstate New York to see my parents hang out.

[Big T]

Why is this the first? That's why. You're a Bills fan?

[Maddie]

Yes.

[Eric]

Hang on.

[Big T]

I don't. I don't think I knew that.

[Maddie]

What?

[Big T]

Because she loves Notre Dame? I thought she was. That's where she was from.

[Eric]

We've said it dozens of times.

[Maddie]

It always comes back to upstate New York. Garan, you'll learn that.

[Big T]

I don't. I don't remember. I'm sure you have. And it's just been me being aloof. But I don't. I don't remember ever saying, yeah, I'm from upstate New York. I don't remember that. I could. I could be.

[Eric]

I mean, maybe it was just implied, Al, but yeah.

[Big T]

No, I don't recall that.

[Maddie]

Yeah, I'm from the capital of New York.

[Eric]

We gotta fix that, by the way.

[Big T]

What?

[Maddie]

Albany?

[Big T]

Yeah.

[Eric]

Yeah, a lot of states. Bad capitals.

[Big T]

You know, I think it was popping in. It's an inception. That's why it was a capital.

[Maddie]

Yeah, I think so, too. It's not.

[Big T]

How many capitals can you name, Doc?

[Eric]

Me? I used to know all 50.

[Big T]

The. The guy behind you. Yeah, you.

[Eric]

I did? Well, I didn't know if you were talking to them. I used to know all 50 in school. Now I bet it's 30, 35.

[Big T]

All right, all right, all right, all right, let's play.

[Eric]

Okay.

[Big T]

I'll give you one, you give me one.

[Eric]

All right,

[Big T]

let's start easy. Let's go with New Hampshire.

[Eric]

New Hampshire?

[Big T]

Yeah.

[Eric]

I. I don't know. Is it Nashua? I. I don't know.

[Maddie]

Concord?

[Big T]

Concord. Yeah. I once, when I was a child, knew all these shits. This is. I used to ace this test. Was it social studies? Yeah. All right, throw it at me.

[Eric]

Vermont.

[Big T]

Oh, you went right there. Vermont is. Yeah, pull that up. Perfect. Vermont not coming to me.

[Eric]

It's Montpelier.

[Big T]

Give me 30 years, I'm not getting that one.

[Maddie]

Also, fun fact. Only US state capital that does not have a McDonald's in it.

[Eric]

Really?

[Maddie]

That's what it says on here.

[Big T]

Sucks. All right. What about Iowa?

[Eric]

Des Moines?

[Big T]

Yeah. All right, give me one more and then we'll be done with this.

[Eric]

Montana,

[Big T]

this Cheyenne.

[Eric]

That's not even in Montana. Is that the capital of Wyoming?

[Big T]

Yeah.

[Eric]

Okay. Well, that's something. Got a cap?

[Big T]

Close enough. Right? It's those studies. Ain't my bag Though, keep it a beam. Anywho, we got a voicemail episode today. First we got to check in with Big T. Connor. How are you feeling today?

[Eric]

I feel good. I'm ready to answer some voicemails. I enjoy doing that.

[Big T]

Man's is whelmed. All right. Yeah. Let's keep the show rolling. Yeah.

[Eric]

I mean, you know, you and I talked 10 minutes ago, so in. In real time.

[Big T]

Yeah, but they don't know I'm trying.

[Eric]

Yeah, yeah.

[Big T]

Keep synergy.

[Eric]

No, I'm doing good. I had a good weekend. How about you, brother?

[Big T]

It was the best weekend I've ever had in my life. Manifesting. Best weekend I've ever had in my life.

[Eric]

Yeah. Visualize. Visualize success.

[Big T]

I'll let you know the details as they come in.

[Eric]

Appreciate that.

[Big T]

Yeah, let's do. Let's do some voicemails.

[Big Cat]

Okay, guys, it's grit week. This is the part of the football calendar where nobody's watching, but everything gets built. Early mornings, pads back on conditioning, film reps. Spring training in football is all about putting in the work when nobody's cheering yet. And honestly, that's the same mindset behind the Chevy Silverado. This is a truck that is the definition of grit. Long days, dirty work, and showing up day after day, no matter the conditions. Strong, dependable, and built for the grind. Because grit isn't about being flashy. It's about being ready when it's time to go. Check out the current offers and build your [e-mail]. that's Silverado. All grit, no quit. And you can build your [e-mail] today.

[Caller]

Hey, macroducing crew, this is Andrew from Chicago. First things first. Just want to say love the pot. A big T believer. Arian, love your highlights. Eric. The first thing I wanted to bring up is my girlfriend and I have been living together, and I've been dating for five months or five years. I'm sorry. And she is really pushing this engagement on me. Feeling a lot of pressure recently. Not really sure if I'm ready to take that step. I'm not sure if she's ready to take that step. What exactly is the procedure on how to handle that? And how do you know when you're ready to take that step? Stay handsome, Stay beautiful. I love you guys.

[Eric]

Wow. What a question. First of all, Andrew, we appreciate all believers. Thank you. I. I don't like giving advice on this kind of thing because, like, everyone's life is different and it's their own deal. All I can say is, personally, I. I think if you don't know, after five years, if you are ready to get engaged, then like, maybe I agree.

[Big T]

And that's message. You just.

[Eric]

And that's the thing. Like, yeah, like I. I would never tell somebody that.

[Maddie]

But she shouldn't have to be.

[Eric]

But he asked.

[Maddie]

So yeah, five years in, if you're like, I don't know, brother.

[Eric]

And that's fine.

[Maddie]

And that's fine. People break up.

[Big T]

I'll give you. I'll give. I'll give Andrew my advice from somebody who's been married and then my advice from somebody who has been in love. Those were two separate occasions, by the way. One would.

[Ad Voice]

Yeah, we know.

[Maddie]

You didn't even remember the wedding, right?

[Big T]

Yeah, yeah. One would like to be to them to be the same thing, but they're not. When I got married, it was strictly for outside things we were trying to create. I did love her, was not in love with her. Maybe I convinced myself I was at the time because later on I actually fell in love with somebody. And this is not a, you know, a knock on the ex wife. It was just, you know, that's. That's what the circumstances was. And I think I. I did it for the wrong reasons. I did it because it looked a certain way. This kid has it all together. Let's give him a bunch of money. I did it because I had a child with her. I wanted to do the right thing. I wanted to raise my daughter in my household. Ended up not happening anyway because I just wasn't in an unhappy place. Didn't. Didn't part on the. On the best ways and the best terms, probably because of my immaturity. But I think doing it for the wrong reasons is a breeding ground for that. It ends in. In bad circumstances right now. On the opposite hand of that, I didn't get married to the girl that I was really in love with. That didn't pan out for other reasons. But I knew within the first five minutes of meeting her, this is who I want to be with for the rest of my life. I didn't question it. There was this unspoken, unexplainable chemistry to where. And I'm not saying this is everybody's experience, it's just mine. To where if. If I was to get married again, that would have been who I did it with. Glad I didn't. But it was just. It was immediate. And that feeling has never gone away. I don't think it ever will. I think I'm gonna be 80 years old knowing and feeling that I'll probably never Feel that again, maybe in a different form. Who knows what's down the road. But that was as real as it gets to me when it comes to love. So that would be my advice is like, if it's a no brainer, we're like, this is absolutely the person I want to be. It's not even, yeah, of course I don't care. Like she moved in fast, everything happened fast and it was all real. Everybody's experience is different, but that's been mine. I've been with people who I probably shouldn't have been with and I've been with people who I absolutely knew or a person who, yeah, that was it. So I would probably say if you question it, like my co host said, if you are questioning at this point,

[Eric]

five years now, I would also say, though probably not. I do think there's a difference between like, I don't know if I want to get married to her. And he said, I don't know if I'm ready. I do think, I do think there is an over emphasis in our society now on like being ready and like the, the right time and all that stuff. Like for, for hundreds of years people got married when they were, you know, not even close to ready to do it and everything worked out fine. If, you know, you want to get married to her and it's only an issue of, well, like maybe I need to have more money or maybe, you know, we need to have better jobs or something like at that that I think is a different conversation than.

[Big T]

Yeah. And maybe I just, Well, I, I don't.

[Eric]

He didn't, he didn't specify. So I don't know which it is. I think it could be. If it's like, I don't know that I want to get married to her, well then, you know, there's a way to fix that. If it's. I don't, I do want to marry her, but I don't know that I want to get married right now. I, my advice would flip and I'd say you should go get married tomorrow. Like you should just do it.

[Big T]

Yeah, yeah, yeah. I would say like it's like, it's like having a baby. Like if you want to have a baby with somebody, I don't know if I'm ready. You're never going to be ready.

[Eric]

Right.

[Big T]

I'm five kids deep and I'm not ready. You know what I mean? You just have to make it, you make you adapt to the circumstances. Like I said, you're right. I might have jumped the gun on that if you absolutely noticed the woman you want to be with, I don't see a reason why it's to. Not unless you. Like I said, if you're waiting on financials and, and stuff like that, if you feel like she get enough people to tackle that together, that could be a bonding experience. It could be a traumatic experience. I don't know. That's, that's, that's contingent. But if, if it is the woman that you want to be with and you want, and you're a person that wants to be married, then do it.

[Eric]

If I was purely guessing just on the tone of his voice, I think it was more he's been in a relationship for a long time and she wants to get married. And I don't know that he does. That's, that's me projecting.

[Maddie]

But yeah. And I will say like going off of like you'll never be ready. The kind of thing I feel like. And Big T, we can cut this. But like when Big T was telling us about him getting engaged, she was like, I'd go to the courthouse tomorrow and do it. Like, we don't need this whole hoopla. Like, I just want to be married to this person. And I feel like that's the way you want to feel going into such a life changing decision like that. Like, I don't need the bells and whistles. I just want this person with me. And I feel like if you're only getting married to like satiate someone else's need for it, that's a tough way to start a lifelong partnership.

[Eric]

Agreed.

[Maddie]

And if you're calling into a podcast to ask for advice, well, hey, hey.

[Eric]

We love, we love the believers calling in and I love those calls more. You know, we've answered, these are, we've answered our favorite sandwich and what animal we would want to be more times than I can count. I love those calls.

[Maddie]

But I feel like if you are calling about something as serious as this, you almost it make you want some development.

[Eric]

It makes me feel like I have like another job. Like I'm Dr. John Deloney or something.

[Maddie]

I was going to say you're going to like the Ramsey.

[Eric]

Yeah. Shout out Dr. John. Now we. I'm in no way qualified to answer questions like that, but I enjoy doing it.

[Big T]

Nobody is even the experts. Nobody knows.

[Maddie]

But we're not in your shoes. Do what's right for you.

[Caller]

All right.

[Big T]

Do. Do what you feel is best, brother. She talking to a divorced man and about to be married man. And some ladies who are not single or not.

[Caller]

Okay.

[Big T]

One, one thing. One not single.

[Maddie]

I am letting y' all know I am spoken for.

[Big T]

She is spoken for.

[Maddie]

Yeah.

[Caller]

All right.

[Big T]

Well, I hope that answers your question.

[Eric]

That was a good start. Shout out, Andrew, we love you.

[Maddie]

Shout out. I hope you figure it out because that's tough. That's tough spots. Be in.

[Big T]

There are tougher spots. There are tougher spots.

[Maddie]

Tougher spots, but a tough one.

[Big T]

Yeah.

[Caller]

Yeah.

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[Caller]

My name's Sam, calling from central Pennsylvania. Calling because I'm wrapping up college soon and don't really have much of a plan where to go next. To preface this, finishing my degree in cybersecurity, I'm not really tied down to my area now or have much of, you know, don't really know where I want to go next. But with that being said, I've considered areas like San Diego or St. Augustine or like Charleston, but, you know, those are, you know, cost of living kind of sucks and I'm, you know, kind of broke. College students, so looking for recommendations, preferably something more affordable. Preferably, you know, good golf, good fishing, maybe like recreational marijuana would be ideal. Also, I do have a bit of a personal dilemma. My girlfriend is, I've been seeing for a while, is still in college. Now, she does know my family, knows I want to leave, but she's not going to be graduating until like a year to 18 months after me. Would it be unreasonable if I just, you know, leave or should I wait for her to graduate and move together? But looking forward, what you have to say. Love the pod. Love you all. Stay handsome, stay gorgeous, stay beautiful. Thank you.

[Eric]

All I would say is as someone who is approaching 30 and has a little bit of money but wishes I had saved more money, you know, as soon as I came out of college. If you can live anywhere, like from 22 to 25, I would go live in the cheapest place I possibly could and just stockpile as much cash as I could. Especially if I don't know if he's working, like remote or if he has to be in an office. Or whatever as a cybersecurity guy. That sounds like maybe you'd be, you know, you can kind of live wherever. I would go live in, I don't know. Name it. Name a town in Ohio. Toledo. I'd go live in Toledo for a few years and I would just stockpile as much money as I possibly could. And then once you're 25, 26, and you have a little bit of money under your belt, go live in somewhere cool. But that's just me.

[Big T]

Yeah. The girlfriend thing to me is the biggest part. Like, if you. I would assume you want to be around her,

[Eric]

but if not, it sounded that way.

[Big T]

I mean, if you want to be a remote boyfriend, that's. That can work. I think. I think that's the first thing to tackle, in my opinion. If you want to be around somebody, be around them. But then that would be you having to stay at a place that you won't want to stay for a year. That could change your dynamic. I don't know. That's a question you'd have to answer is, is she worth putting up with a place that you don't want to be at? Depends how you feel. The other part is, I do agree with you, Big T, but I would probably like move out the country. Like go like Costa Rica or somewhere like where it's like maybe a little

[Eric]

bit more Costa Rica.

[Big T]

Like, I don't know. I'm spitballing here.

[Eric]

Wait, why? Why does he have to leave the

[Big T]

US Because I think there's prettier places for cheaper. Like if you go move to LA or if you move to San Diego or if you move to New York or if you move tomorrow.

[Eric]

Yeah, don't do that.

[Big T]

That it's. It's way more expensive. But the people, the reason why people live there is, except for New York is the, the weather, the location. It's beautiful there. There's good food and good people. I think there's other places that are cheaper that if you want to do what you're talking about, which I agree with. If you're coming out and you got a good spot, I mean, you've got a good job. Stack just save your money. Like, don't go do all the crazy. Like young kids do save. But go somewhere that's comfortable. We live life to, you know, like, don't get stuck in a box of America is the only place that you can live. You can live other places that is cheaper and still beautiful, have nice golf courses, have. But just aren't here. I think that's That's a viable option.

[Eric]

He's way out. He said he was in central Pennsylvania. Does that mean Penn State? Like, yeah, it could be. Why not? What's wrong with living around there if your girlfriend still lives there and you can. I assume there are jobs to be had there. I don't know. But, you know, if you can kind of. Or how far is Pittsburgh from there? Like, Pittsburgh is a city that I would imagine is not terribly expensive. You know, you just. I moved straight to New York City after college, which I got an awesome job, so I'm glad I had that opportunity, but it was remarkably expensive, and I wouldn't recommend doing that if you can live anywhere you want.

[Big T]

Yeah, we'll be. We'll be comfortable and happy wherever that. Wherever that may be. Yeah.

[Eric]

Thank. Good questions to start out.

[Big T]

Yeah, I like it.

[Maddie]

I like the life of nice ones.

[PFT Commenter]

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[Caller]

Hey, it's Michael from Cincinnati. I got three quick questions. One. Arian, I went to the University of Illinois. I was wondering if any stories about Whitney Merciless while you play with him for the Texans? 2. Big T. When you got started at barstool, did you think that you'd be a big part of a podcast and also on a morning show? 3. Mad Dog. How could you go to Miami, Ohio, and not go to the University of Cincinnati? Love the show. Love, pft. Love, Mac. Longtime listener, first time caller.

[Eric]

Bye.

[Big T]

I don't know that I have any, like, stories. I remember when Whitney first came in, I was pretty, like, well known by then, and he was a first round pick. And I remember, I don't know exactly how the conversation went, if he asked me for advice or it was just unsolicited, but I remember telling him, like, hey, dog, like, you have talent, but you kind of soft right now. And like, I. I don't. I don't think I said it so disrespectfully, but, like, that was. The sentiment was like, in order to play in this league at a high level, like, you got to bring your hat to the party. And, like, right now, like, I don't fear you. Like, as a linebacker, you gotta. You gotta come on, dog. Like, you got talent, but, like, come on, fam. And I remember him saying, you know, I appreciate the advice. And he went on to have a really good career. And I remember. I remember watching him one game after I left, and I was like, yeah, that's what I saw. I saw him being a force. I saw him being physical, and that's what. That's what I saw in him. But when he first got there, it's like. I mean, it's a lot of rookies. It wasn't just him. I gave a lot of advice to the younger cats that I could, because I didn't really get a lot of advice coming out. And granted, I was undrafted, but that's what I remember. Is he. Like I said, I don't remember. He asked her if I was just. I pulled him to the side, but I remember saying, hey, you gotta be. You gotta be more of a physical threat on the edge. And he ended up doing that.

[Eric]

So you take credit for his success.

[Big T]

100.

[Eric]

Is he the. Is he the player you take most credit for, or is there another.

[Big T]

I don't take credit for anybody. That's a man doing his job. I. I just. I just know. I know ball. So, like, I know what I see. There was plenty of cats that I gave. Like, another one was Brandon Brooks. He ended up being an all pro guard for. For. For Philly, and he was a rookie. And he came up to me, asked me for advice, and we were really good friends to this day because of this, is that he came up to me and asked me for advice, and I was like, dog, you are probably one of the most talented linemen I've ever came across. You are extremely talented. I was like, but you are kind of lazy. You don't. Like. Like, some. Some plays you look like an all Pro, and some plays you look like you don't belong in. In this league. And I was like, in order to stay in this league for a long time, like that latter part more often, and you have to do it at a high level. And I was like, it's a mindset, Dog. Like, you have to. You have to work, you have to. You have to come in, you have to do things you don't want to Do. And we had a long conversation about it, but he ended up being all pro. And I don't take credit for it, but, I mean, there was. There was. There was this one dude who, when I was. When I first got cut and I got put on practice squad, I was devastated. And I think I've. I've mentioned this before on this podcast, but I was, like, devastated. And he said. He said what they said. They said they're gonna put me on practice squad. He was like, man, listen, that's the best thing. That's the best thing that can happen to you. I was like, why? He's like, dog, trust me. He's like, you are talented. He's like, you just have to treat it like, can't nobody stop you and treat it as an opportunity to work and just work your ass off. And then after that conversation, I was like, you know what? Yeah, you're right. And that kind of changed the little flip in me. I was like, yeah, let me just turn this negative into a positive. And I did that. Don't know that he deserves the credit, but he sparked the fuse that lit the fire of. Of. Of my. My career. So. Not taking credit, dog. I'm just saying, like, sometimes. Sometimes the little homies need an OG to bring him along and say, hey, you got it in you, but if you don't, they're going to get you up out of here.

[Eric]

So is there any player you saw that you didn't think was any good and turned out to be good?

[Caller]

Good

[Big T]

that didn't. That I didn't think was good and turned out to be good? Not really, no.

[Eric]

I did the opposite happen

[Big T]

that. That.

[Eric]

That you thought was going to be really good, and then they never.

[Big T]

Well, no, I. I never looked at it like that. Like, I could tell pretty quick. I could watch a couple reps and see if a guy has talent, right? Like, just how you move, the way you move, how you react. It's pretty easy to tell. For me, anyway, there is a. There. There's certain things you can't measure. Can't measure a man's work ethic. Can't measure. Measure man's heart, how bad he wants it, his desire. So there was never anybody. I was like, totally surprised. Like, damn. I didn't think he was going to be anything in the league if he. If this. If that ever happened. There was like, hey, if he works, he can do it. You know what I mean? It was always like that, but it's always up to them. And I wasn't finna Like, I never brought anybody along, my workouts and stuff like that. But you, you can pretty much tell who's gonna be good, who's gonna be not. I mean, there's cats who. I was like, hey, if this works, if this does what he needs to do, he gonna be nice. And he didn't do what he needed to do, and he didn't. And he kind of filtered out a league. There's a bunch of those. But you, you can tell. You can kind of tell. You, you could tell they got it or not. You know, I could tell. Like if you, if you're in the gym and you see a dude shoot a jump shot, you're like, okay, he probably gonna be nice. You, you can kind of see it, you know.

[Eric]

So second question was, did I think I would be on a show like this or wake up or whatever? No. Because when I started working here, I wasn't even supposed to be in content. And then it just so happened that as I was an intern, the Braves had a historic collapse in the 2019 playoffs.

[Maddie]

And.

[Eric]

And Tennessee lost to Georgia State and BYU in humiliating fashion to open the 2019 football season. And Dave thought it was funny. So, no, I didn't even think I would be doing anything like this at all really, even when I started working here. So, no, it's cool. I love it. I'm glad that in retrospect, I am thankful to Jeremy Pruitt for losing to Georgia State and somehow losing to BYU in a game that I'm still not convinced we lost because nobody talks about it. Their field goal at the end of the game went over the goalpost. It's not supposed to count. I don't know how nobody talks about that, but whatever. And for Mike Fulton, which giving up 10 runs in the first inning of Game 5 of the 2019 NLDS. So in some weird convoluted way, those things work to my benefit. So thank you to those people.

[Maddie]

Everything does happen for a reason.

[Big T]

Look at God.

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[Maddie]

And my question is, why didn't you

[Eric]

go to the University of Cincinnati?

[Maddie]

I didn't want to. I didn't want to go to a school in the city or school that big or anything.

[Eric]

Is that a public school?

[Maddie]

Uc? Yeah. Huge. Huge. Huge school in Ohio for people to go to. Great school. Know a lot of people that loved it there was not my school. I loved Miami. Miami's going through a bit of a rough patch at the moment. Still love it. Still have a.

[Eric]

What's your degree from there.

[Maddie]

There's been a couple drug busts there in the past couple of weeks. From the deep.

[Eric]

Oh, really?

[Maddie]

Yeah. Tough. Those things happen. Unfortunately not. Not. Not my journey at Miami, but unfortunately some people's journey at Miami.

[Eric]

I killed in the tournament too, and that.

[Maddie]

But I loved Miami. It was a great school. Cincinnati is a great school for different people. Different strokes for different folks. Go Bearcats though, if you care for show for show for show for show. Do you want to acknowledge the fact he said, love you, mackenzie. Oh, thank you. Love you too. Just. Just wanted to get everyone. I forgot he said that. Love you.

[Caller]

Yeah. So my question is, what's the belief that y' all had that you felt very strongly about at 18 that you're now embarrassed by Also, I love you, Big T.

[Eric]

Sorry too, brother.

[Caller]

You know, my phone died.

[Big T]

Did you say sorry?

[Eric]

Yeah, we didn't get his name. I guess he may have left a voicemail prior to that or something before his phone died.

[Maddie]

But yeah, I think so too.

[Big T]

I believe I had an 18 that I'm embarrassed of. I don't know that I was embarrassed of it. I think that's just where I was at the time. I was fully convinced that George Bush was responsible for 9 11.

[Eric]

I think there are a lot of people that are still very convinced of that.

[Big T]

But I mean, that. That was like zeitgeist era and where the Internet was just getting its tentacles into the societal. Was that guys. But it was. It was. It was pre. Pre college or like at the beginning of college. And I think college was like the. At the forefront of my, like, learning how to think. Like, that was what I really appreciate about philosophy is like, it gives you a guide rail on how to think, on how to like, formulate your philosophies and your ideals and how to fact check things and stuff like that. And so I was right before I started really understanding that kind of like deeper digging. And it was like, so whatever was coming to me at the time, I was probably. Probably susceptible to without like being like, hypercritical of it. So if it made sense in the moment, I was like, yeah, it's probably true.

[Eric]

I'm I'm trying to think of something I felt strongly about in 2015. We may have to. If I think of one by the end of the show, we'll come back to it. When you were talking about college a second ago, this is a completely off topic, but yesterday I was thinking, just at the inextricable march of time, I was thinking about how you and I are. You know, you're older than I am, but we're not separated by a ton in age. And we went to the same college, and UT won the national championship in 1998, which is almost 30 years ago now. And it was six years between the time that they won that title and when you went there, then it. Then it was about six years, I guess seven, from the time you left to when I got there. And now it has been seven years since I left college. So you went to UT closer to the 98 title than since I've left.

[Big T]

I had never even thought about that before.

[Eric]

I had neither until yesterday. And I was just. I was some. Something made me think about it, and I was like, that's kind of crazy.

[Big T]

Yeah. Six. Six years from the national title I went to, I never even thought about that. Yeah, I never even considered a national title while picking a college. That just was never a variable.

[Eric]

But, I mean, you were aware of who was good. Like. Like, you knew they had won one recently.

[Big T]

Yeah, of course. But I don't know that I was like, this is. This is pretty recent where they had one that just never. Because I looked at it more like, where was I going to get the best opportunity?

[Eric]

Right?

[Big T]

And not only that, it was. I was looking a little bit ahead. I was like, okay, what is the toughest conference for a running back and sec Was that back then? And so I was like, okay, what is my best. I think I had one more offer from Mississippi State, and those were the only two SEC schools that offered me, I think. And so I was like, I'm gonna go to Tennessee and prove myself. That was my whole.

[Eric]

That's interesting that Tennessee, like, at. Not necessarily the height, I guess, because the height was 90s, but when Tennessee was still rolling and winning the SEC east all the time. And then Mississippi State. Who is Mississippi State? Like. Like, you would think if you got offers from two SEC schools, it would either be Tennessee and Florida or Mississippi State and Arkansas or whatever.

[Big T]

I think. I think if I had made more buzz in my high school career, that would be the case. But I didn't get there until my junior year, and so I had minimal Offers after my junior year, like, really small schools, like Iowa State, shit like that. And then my senior year is when I really popped off. And the only reason why Tennessee saw me is because they were scouting a quarterback from a high school named St. Augustine. And Randy Sanders, who was offensive coordinator, was there, and he saw me get off, and they called me, I think it was, like, the next day, and offered me. And it was like, yo, I don't know how he was under the radar. I even had a conversation with Pete Carroll when. When I was in the league. And I went. We played Seattle, and he came up to me before the game. I was just warming up, and he tapped my shoulder. I was like, what's going on, Coach? And he goes, man, how the. Did we miss you? I said, what you mean? He said, man, you was in our backyard in San Diego and we didn't offer you. I was like, nah, man. I probably wouldn't have went, though. Y' all was stacked with it. Yeah.

[Eric]

You wouldn't have gone to usa.

[Big T]

They had. They had Reggie Lindell. They had, I think, a dude named Charles Washington. It was.

[Eric]

Did you, like, stacked over there? Did you like USC as a kid, though?

[Big T]

Nah, that was never really. My dad loved him. My dad wanted me to go to ucla, but UCLA didn't offer me either. Stanford, I think, offered me, which is, looking back, I probably would have went there, but I. I just wasn't highly put it, because I believe so. And interestingly enough, there was a guy by the name of Garrison. What was his name? Garrison. Hurst. Garrett. No, Garrison.

[Eric]

Garrison Hearst played at Georgia?

[Big T]

No. Then not Garrison.

[Eric]

Are you talking about Toby Gerhardt?

[Big T]

Toby Gerhardt? Yeah, Toby Gerhardt. Toby Gerhardt was like. I think he came. Where did he come from? He ended up going to Stanford and, like, breaking all kinds of.

[Eric]

Yeah, he was a beast.

[Big T]

He broke all kind of. It broke all kind of records in high school and stuff like that. But.

[Eric]

Yeah, he's not. He wasn't that early, was he?

[Big T]

No, I think it was a little bit after me, maybe. What year did he graduate?

[Eric]

Hang on. But I remember 609. Yeah. Wow.

[Big T]

Yeah. Yeah. So he was, like, right after me. Yeah.

[Eric]

If you asked me when Toby Gerhardt played, I've been like, 2011.

[Big T]

Yeah. No, I remember him making waves, man. Yeah. It just wasn't that highly recruited at high school. Like, I say that relative. Like, relative to my talent level. I wasn't highly recruited. Like, I should have gotten offered by the whole D1, but it worked out. Dogs.

[Eric]

Yeah. I was just thinking about the fact that I've been out of college for a while now, and that was what came to my mind. Because you're here 98, that's a long time ago. But you, you were there closer to 98 than I was there from now.

[Big T]

And that's. That's another thing. How time changes. Your perception of time changes. Six years when I was 18 years old, was a lifetime away. Like, so when T. Martin and them came back for them, I'm like, dude's oldest. Shit. They just graduated six years ago.

[Eric]

27.

[Big T]

Yeah. And now that I'm 39, I'm like, nah, six years, just. It's a snapshot of life.

[Caller]

Yeah.

[Big T]

That's crazy how that happens.

[Eric]

PFT was with T. Martin the other day doing hot yoga.

[Big T]

Yeah, he popped that into the group chat. I was like, it definitely had that on my bingo card.

[Eric]

It was an interesting text to wake up to.

[Big T]

Yeah, it's like six in the morning. He's like, I just did hot yoga with T. Martin.

[Eric]

I was like, all right, man, that's great.

[Maddie]

I understand that he sent that because of like the Tennessee thing, but I thought it was funny that he just left out that Lane Kiffin was also there.

[Eric]

Yeah, well, I figured I understand why

[Maddie]

he just sent the Tennessee one. But then I saw Elaine Kiffin. I was like, oh, that makes a lot.

[Eric]

Yeah, I figured Lane is who took him.

[Maddie]

Yeah.

[Big T]

So T. Martin coaches with LSU now, I assume.

[Maddie]

Yeah.

[Caller]

Got you.

[Eric]

He'd been in the NFL for the last few years.

[Big T]

Man, it's a. It's a coaching carousel.

[Eric]

All right, we got more good voicemails today.

[Big Cat]

Hey, guys, it's Big Cat. When you're on a long road trip traveling between cities, anything can happen. Flat tires, endless traffic, stopping to see a 50 foot wooden alligator. But I suspect everything actually happens for a recess. Like, is Grit Week really a time to visit different training camps, or is it just an excuse to check out different places to get a Reese's? And when we stop to fuel up, or are we really stopping to refuel on a Reese's? After countless miles thinking about chocolate and peanut butter, it all starts to make sense that everything happens for a recess.

[Big T]

Yeah.

[Caller]

Hey, this is Will from Dallas, and I've just been having college football in my mind, so I wanted to get Yalls opinion on what your most ideal tailgate setup is. So, like, proximity to the stadium, what you're cooking on, how many TVs, who you're inviting, who you're setting it up with, all that good stuff. Yeah, I just like yalls opinion on that. Big P. Congrats on the upcoming wedding. Thank you, brother Arian. Congrats on getting good at golf. Now I know it's a big confidence getting a single digit handicap and pft. Congrats on just being you, man. You're awesome. Love you. Stay handsome. Stay beautiful.

[Big T]

Bye. Congrats on being you.

[Eric]

That's actually such a. And we, we love you, Will. That's actually such an interesting. To us, it was congrats on like these things that are happening to you. And then to PFT was like, congrats on just how sick you are, man. Like, congrats on being awesome.

[Big T]

Congrats on just being.

[Eric]

That's a. That's high praise. I love this question because it is something I love and something that you like. How many times have you ever tailgated at a football game?

[Big T]

How I tell you at a football game? Yes. Yes.

[Eric]

I mean, it can't be very many.

[Big T]

Yeah, maybe like a handful of times. But yes, I have. And he said, what's your ideal? Yeah, okay. This is my deal. That deal is we got a pit master there. He knows what the he's doing and he's, he's been working on this brisket for 24 hours. Right? Plus. And we. It's, it's. And, and the area is set up within walking distance. I emphasize within walking distance. Not long walking distance, but we're in the parking lot of what's right across the street. Less than 50 paces away is the stadium. You know, like, that's, that's my vibe. This is my ideal setup. It's right there. We, we got, we got front, front row stage, front row tickets. We got a pitmaster that knows what he's doing. We got, we have an open bar. We have a TV set up inside the tent. Okay. We got fans going with the mist. Feel me? Right? And we got, like I said, we got the brick.

[Eric]

You got the big fogs that you have on the sideline. The misting fans.

[Big T]

Yeah, absolutely, absolutely. Because I assume we're in the summertime, right? This is, I'm assuming, summertime tailgate.

[Eric]

Well, it's football. I mean, you know, it's hot in the south in the fall, but yeah, that's.

[Big T]

That, that's, that's, that's where my mind immediately went. Right there. A hydration station, if you will. We got water, good water. Crown Royal Hibiki, whiskey. All, all you need. That's my, that's my deal setup. And who do I want there? Just everybody I fuck with. And People that I don't know that I'll eventually fuck with you.

[Eric]

Like you like a few people to bring some other people, have a nice little introductory crew at your tailgate.

[Big T]

For the most part, people that I fuck with, fuck with.

[Eric]

You trust their judgment.

[Big T]

I trust their judgment. And there's been a few times where that wasn't the case. And then that made me think differently of them. Like how you like this dude? Like how you. Who's this? Your man's? How is he your man's? Explain that to me. Yeah, it can get a little weird, but that's my ideal setup.

[Eric]

Would you trust me to bring people?

[Big T]

Yes, I would trust that you would know which people.

[Eric]

I like that.

[Caller]

Yeah.

[Eric]

So I have two answers to this question. Because my ideal setup is what I currently do for Tennessee games. And I'm very fortunate to have some awesome friends. So my buddy, I don't know if he wants me to say his name, he's a. He's a macro dosian. Great guy. So he has an apartment, walking distance to Neyland Stadium. So when I go to games, I stay at his house and he sets up. We get food to his house. We'll go out Saturday morning, go get out all the stuff. We have multiple TVs in there, have people over, just great food. You can watch all the other games in a climate controlled environment. And then I'll have other friends who are like, hey, my dad's tailgate is over here. We're here. And, and I'll go throughout the day and I'll go hang out with them at some outdoor tailgates. And then you go back to the, to the air conditioning apartment and you, you hang out there, watch more games, and then it's time to go to the stadium. If I was just. And that is an awesome setup and I love all those people. If I was just setting up a tailgate like for myself, I would do. I think you have some catering there from the jump. So you, you get chicken burgers, whatever, from a, from a spot. Chick Fil A, you bring that in. You have that there starting whenever the tailgate starts. Then you're grilling as the, the thing goes on. So you have your pitmaster there, but you've got Chick Fil A over there to the side for whenever people want it. And obviously snacks and drinks and whatever. Got to have a tv. I don't care how you get it in there. You have to have a tv, whether it's in the back of somebody's trunk, whether it's A lot of schools now, if you buy their official tailgating package, like, your tent will come with a tv. Gotta have a TV there. I know even with phones and iPads and everything, you can see some stuff, but I need a television. Um, and then. Yeah. Distance is important. Proximity to the stadium. You can't be. There is a place for tailgating on the side of the road, two miles from the stadium. It's just not the place for me personally, because, you know, I mean, people in Knoxville, they'll tailgate, like, you know, those railroad tracks, like, along the river? Like, people are tailgating back there, and I'm like, that's wonderful now. And the answer to all this is if you have a boat, if you're in.

[Big T]

I was just about to ask.

[Eric]

I haven't. I'm not. I'm not rich enough for that. But if. If I could ever. Man, like, we.

[Big T]

I mean, we can make that pump shirt.

[Eric]

We probably could be happy to have

[Big T]

you on a boat.

[Maddie]

Yeah.

[Eric]

You know, we're playing Washington in a few years. Home and home. And those are the Only two Division 1 stadiums directly accessible by water.

[Big T]

I've never. I've never done the. The boat tailgate experience, but I'm pretty sure that would be fire. That. That's actually what makes Tennessee one. That's, like a unique Tennessee tradition, is how they. That little river by. What is that river called?

[Eric]

Tennessee River.

[Big T]

Tennessee River. The whole boat parade.

[Eric]

They have all Navy.

[Big T]

That's fire. Yeah. Ball, Navy. There you go.

[Eric]

Yeah. It's sick. And I really want to go to that game in Seattle when we play there. That'll be a cool one. But. But, yeah, tailgating is awesome. It's one of my favorite things to do. I love college football. It's hot outside, which means we're close.

[Big T]

Yeah. Getting warm, guys.

[Eric]

Getting close.

[Big T]

And we're gonna. We're gonna. We're gonna be getting up at Georgia Tech. Ut, Georgia Tech. We will both.

[Eric]

We're hitting a game this year, which will be really fun. Shout out Atlanta. Next voicemail.

[Big T]

We have any more? Huh?

[Maddie]

Yeah. You just asked the same question. Oh, this is our last one. Take it in. Soak it in.

[Caller]

Shout out to Matt Jones of ksr. Heard this hypothetical on his show and wanted to get your all's opinion. You have someone break into your house. All they do is they hold you down on the floor, tickle you for five minutes.

[Big T]

That's it.

[Caller]

Nothing else. A, do you report the crime? And B, what do you tell the police? Thanks.

[Eric]

Something would need to be reported to the police. But it would not be that I was tickled. I will leave it at that. If someone broke into my.

[Big T]

Nah, probably. I don't. I don't know that he wakes.

[Maddie]

He.

[Big T]

He doesn't make it to tickling.

[Eric]

That's what I'm saying.

[Big T]

Yeah. You know. You know, hey, I'm that you. I'm not a paranoid man, but I do have visions of people breaking in and it don't end well. Like, I'm not. I'm not a gun guy, but I do. I do stay strapped.

[Eric]

You're not a gun guy, but you, yeah, you. You dabble.

[Big T]

I don't even. I haven't touched my gun since I bought them. I take that back. I took my kids shooting once.

[Eric]

But if someone came into your house unannounced, unexpected and uninvited. Yeah. I think neither you nor I would get tickled. I don't think they would make it that far.

[Big T]

Yeah, it's not. It's not. Yeah. Like, what the.

[Eric]

I guess going with the hypothetical, yes, I would report if someone came into my home uninvited and tickled me, even

[Big T]

if I don't light his ass up full of hollow points. You getting punched in the face several times.

[Eric]

Hollow points are. You're a gun guy, by the way.

[Big T]

Nah, I mean, I mean, I grew up in an environment where guns were prevalent, but I was just never, like, I was never told. I wasn't packing. Like, not a street guy, but no street guys. A lot of them. And this is part of the. Whatever, but, like, you know, you want. You're not going to tackle me. First of all, I got paid for grownups, grown men that worked out all day to not tackle me. A civilian is not coming to a house to tackle me. You're getting knocked out if I don't got the burner on, so I don't know. This fun hypothetical is kind of wild.

[Eric]

Yeah, I don't. I, I, I hope no one ever breaks into my home, but, you know.

[Big T]

Yeah. No, I don't know. Weird. Not gonna lie. Okay.

[Caller]

Weird.

[Big T]

I love, love that you called in, though.

[Eric]

No. Yeah. Thank you for leaving a voicemail.

[Caller]

He.

[Eric]

He said he got it from.

[Big T]

He said it was somebody else's question, though.

[Eric]

It was on Kentucky Sports Radio.

[Big T]

Well, that could be your first problem.

[Eric]

Listen, they've got their, Their Friends of Barstool. They have some good people over there. Some.

[Big T]

They do have my favorite SEC Stadium.

[Eric]

You've said that before. And I just. I don't get it.

[Big T]

Just love it, dog. I just. Yeah. I think maybe it was the circumstances in which we played at Kentucky. The overcast, the way it's set up, like the aesthetics of it. Blue, deep blue. I love blue. And so just in the sea of blue with our white that popped.

[Eric]

It is a good color.

[Big T]

We always had good games. Yeah. And we always had good games. That was our four overtime game to make it to the SEC championship as well. So like just the environment was crazy. I never had a four overtime game before. That was insane. I don't think I've ever had anything close to that actually.

[Eric]

But in terms of like environment, fans, like, I mean, it's not even like you played at Florida. Did you play at lsu?

[Big T]

Lsu, that was, that was probably the loudest stadium.

[Eric]

Yeah. People generally say LSU in Tennessee, Georgia.

[Big T]

Well, the loudest I've seen Tennessee was 2004 against Florida. That was crazy. Like, couldn't even like I was to the left of me talking, I was like, I couldn't even hear myself. It was wild. Georgia's a dope. They're all dope places. But for some reason, like Kentucky, it was always special because like, okay, my freshman year when we played there, it was, it was my last game to start as a freshman and I had like four straight hundred plus yard games and that was my fifth and it was like the cherry on top of a season. That was my introduction of like, okay, I'm here in college football. And I balled out. That was fun. And we didn't really have a backup. Our only backup was a walk on. He was kind of nice too. But our only backup was walk on. So it was like it was just me, everybody else was hurt. And so it was like that was like one of the first games where it was just me. And then again next time we were there, if we beat them, we're in the SEC championship and we hadn't been since the Leonard Little days. Right. And so if we beat them in the SEC championship, they're trying to stop us. At the time, that was like our. One of our big rival games. The last game of the season. So that stadium don't generally get that hype. And we ended up playing against somebody who. I played against the league who was nice. Wesley Woodyard, cold ass linebacker. Like, so when you. Yeah, when you go against. Yeah, Titans too. When you go against somebody who's like a worthy opponent and stakes are on the line for overtime game like it

[Eric]

was a. Yeah, all those things are great. But when you say stadium, like you're. Listen, you played in them. I Don't. It's your. It's your deal. But South Carolina, I think, is underrated.

[Big T]

I love that. I love that one, too. That was a dope one, but didn't have as good experiences there.

[Eric]

I would say, generally, when people are ranking in the sec, it's some combination of lsu, Tennessee, Florida. I would put South Carolina in that tier. And then Georgia has. Has upped their game a lot in the last five or 10 years,

[Big T]

I would say, aesthetically, unbiasedly, Florida is probably the dopest place to play. It's really dope. And it's like, you go down. That's really unique. Like, you go down into the stadium, like in Tennessee. Like, you go and. Yeah, like this. Yeah. The swamp is kind of built down, and I think that kind of traps the sound. I don't. I'm not a physics major, but I would assume that that kind of traps the sound and it has to travel down maybe. I don't know, but it is extra loud in there. And then growing up seeing, like, the Florida. Florida State battles, the Florida, Miami battles, and it's like the little this is the swamp writing that's, you know, it gives you a little, like, all right, we ain't here.

[Eric]

Yeah, we didn't have. We didn't have a ton to cheer about last season, but thank God we finally won there. I. I couldn't have taken another loss there.

[Big T]

Yeah, yeah, yeah. I mean, Tennessee has been the better team the last, what, five, six years? Yeah, easy. And they somehow find a way to beat, beat, beat, beat us.

[Eric]

Not anymore, though. Now we're not playing them every year, which is I hate, but really, it's only going to be every other year.

[Big T]

We were golfing the other day, and there was a gator right by the tee box. And so we took turns watching while the other teed off. And I just happened to come up. I was like, have y' all ever had gator? And most of them haven't. But I said, like, every. Every year we played Florida in the. In the cafeteria that. That week they served gator every.

[Caller]

Every day.

[Big T]

And it's actually delicious.

[Eric]

It's like a spicy chicken kind of.

[Big T]

Yeah, spicy little rubbery chicken. Yeah, it's. It's really. It's really delicious. But I had never even. I didn't know people ate gators until I went to Tennessee.

[Eric]

Oh, yeah. Like Louisiana instead. Like Deep South. That's a big thing.

[Big T]

Yeah. Yeah. Not from the Deep South.

[Eric]

Well, we love you anyway.

[Big T]

Yeah. Facts. Appreciate the voicemails. Appreciate the support appreciate the love, man. We will be back next week or next or tomorrow, right?

[Eric]

Thursday, I think.

[Big T]

Fully next week. Yeah, Thursday, but fully next week. I mean, everybody's gonna be back together.

[Eric]

Yes.

[Big T]

Don't hold me to that. Things happen, but we appreciate you good episode. Hope everybody had a good holiday. Yeah. Find something to love on your neighbor about, man. Peace.

[Eric]

Goodbye.