The Final Four Is Set And Duke Loses In All Time Fashion, Illinois Head Coach Brad Underwood, Tiger Gets Arrested And Who's Back Of The Week

Summary

Pardon My Take – March 30, 2026

"The Final Four Is Set And Duke Loses In All Time Fashion, Illinois Head Coach Brad Underwood, Tiger Gets Arrested And Who's Back Of The Week"

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Episode Overview

In this lively episode of “Pardon My Take,” Big Cat and PFT Commenter (with frequent participation from Hank and Max) recap a dramatic March Madness weekend, with the headline: Duke’s historic collapse against UConn. The show dives deep on the ramifications for the Blue Devils, celebrates the Final Four field, highlights the signature moments of the tournament, and features a spirited interview with Illinois Head Coach Brad Underwood. The crew also touches on Tiger Woods’ latest legal troubles, sports fan schadenfreude, and gives shoutouts in the popular "Who’s Back of the Week" segment.

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Main Segments & Key Discussion Points

1. Duke’s All-Time Collapse vs. UConn

(Starts ~02:54)

• Duke chokes away a 19-point lead against UConn:
  The PMT crew deliver a cathartic, forensic analysis of one of March Madness’ greatest meltdowns, reveling in Duke’s mismanagement and UConn’s resilience.
• Big Cat opens with accountability:

  "I said on this show a month ago, Duke was the best team in the country and they should easily win the NCAA tournament...if it doesn't happen, I will be front of the line saying, guys, I fucked up." (02:54)

• PFT Commenter expresses mock grief (and delight):

  "I came in my pants when that Braylon Mullins three hit, and it was the greatest thing I’ve ever watched…how did Duke lose that game, they're up 19…they choked harder than any team's ever choked." (04:58)

Mount Rushmore of Duke Chokes

Big Cat and PFT run down Duke's stunning string of postseason collapses in recent years:

• 2022: Coach K’s retirement game loss to UNC (04:04)
• 2023: 2nd-round loss to Tennessee (04:13)
• 2024: Elite Eight upset by NC State (04:23)
• 2025: Blew a Final Four lead to Houston (04:35)
• 2026: This year’s disaster vs UConn after leading by 19 (04:36)

Key Details of the Collapse

• UConn started 1-for-18 from three, but caught fire late.
• Duke failed to use a crucial timeout, despite having one (06:54).
• Hank: “This is actually one of the most shocking NCAA tournament games I’ve ever seen.” (09:43)
• Stat of the night (PFT):

  “Duke is now the only one seed to lose after leading by 15 plus at half. That’s never happened before. That is literally history.” (08:49)

• Discussion on whether John Shire is “on the hot seat,” with Big Cat and Hank debating possible replacements (10:07, 23:21).

Memorable Quotes

• Big Cat:

  “Dan Hurley, he loaded up on piss at halftime, there’s no other explanation.” (07:36)

• Hank: (On Shire’s sideline demeanor)

  “Another big problem...he can't help but make the most infuriating faces." (10:59)

• PFT: (On Duke's parade of future NBA talent failing to win a title)

  “Jason Tatum. Zion Williamson. Cooper Flag. …Zero National [titles].” (13:40)

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2. UConn’s Grit and Tournament Mojo

(Peppered throughout Duke recap, ~17:41 & 28:10)

• Praise for UConn’s fortitude and Dan Hurley’s leadership, noting their uncanny ability to deliver in high-stakes moments.
• Big Cat: Recalling how every time UConn makes the Final Four, they win it all:

  "They just go and they take care of business. This will be the toughest one they've had…" (28:51)

• Recognition of Reed, Braylon Mullins, Malachi, and Caravan for powering the comeback.

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3. Sports Schadenfreude: America Loves a Duke Loss!

(16:07)

• The hosts list “highest approval rating” events in sports:
  • Duke losing (“That’s number one.”)
  • Tony Romo interceptions
  • Aaron Judge strikeouts/Yankees losing
  • Jameis Winston playing, Alabama football getting trounced
• Big Cat:

  "There's nothing like living through a moment in March and knowing the second it happens that this is going to be etched into my brain forever." (17:03)

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4. The Rest of the Final Four Field

Rest of tournament recap begins ~37:24

• Michigan: Dismantled Tennessee with athleticism and depth. Dusty May lauded for leading two teams to the Final Four in four years.
• Arizona: Overpowered Purdue, displaying imposing size and relentless “run game” post attack. Karchenkov dominant; Matt Painter praised for program’s consistency but acknowledged as “ready for a new challenge.”
• Illinois: The better team in their Elite Eight win over Iowa. Sojakovic and Waggler highlighted for their versatility.
• Final Four narrative: Proud, frenzied basketball programs all breaking long absence streaks.

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5. Exclusive Interview: Brad Underwood, Illinois Head Coach

(78:18 – 110:56)

• Underwood reflects on breaking through to the Final Four for the first time and his long grind through the coaching ranks.
• On what he noticed about this team’s special qualities early in the season, especially shoutouts to freshman Keaton and the international roster’s unselfishness and mental maturity.
• Behind-the-scenes on the squad’s postgame “Super Soaker” celebrations (“There was about 3 inches of water on that floor…It was like a cold plunge.” 96:52)
• On recruiting and coaching international/Balkan talents, local food, and the value of recruiting high-IQ passers.
• On sideline antics, competitiveness, and his son being part of the staff ("There's nothing better...Pretty special moment." 110:01).
• Notable quote:

  “We're just trying to put the ball in the basket and stop you from doing it.” (86:52)

• Shares “Pizza Hut parking lot” toughness metaphor and mentality (89:43).

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6. Who’s Back of the Week

(60:35 – 75:34)

• ABS/Automated Balls and Strikes (MLB) gets multiple shoutouts for electric new umpire reviews.
• Washington Nationals: Joey Wiemer’s meteoric start.
• 49ers "substation" story with “independent scientist’s nothing burger” finds; Geno Smith named Seahawks starter.
• JMU, Orioles, Wisconsin Badgers (Frozen Four) receive love.

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7. Tiger Woods’ Latest Car Crash & Legal Trouble

(112:40 – 121:29)

• Recap of Tiger’s arrest after flipping his car, failing field sobriety, refusing drug test – another instance in a troubling pattern.
• PFT Commenter:

  “If he was under the influence again, bad guy. You’re putting other people’s lives at risk…It’s okay to say that he, if he has a problem, I hope he gets better. But you could say bad guy.” (114:06)

• Hosts express sympathy for Tiger’s athletic legacy, but strongly criticize his repeated off-course behavior and the risk to others: “It’s just by sheer luck that he hasn’t [hurt someone] yet.” (115:31)

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Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• Big Cat: “Dan Hurley loaded up on piss at halftime. There’s no other explanation.” (07:36)
• PFT Commenter: “Duke choked harder than any team's ever choked.” (04:58)
• Hank: “It felt like Duke was winning that game a hundred percent of the game… There was no way.” (09:24)
• On UConn’s run: “Every time UConn goes to the Final Four, they win it all. They've never been to a final Four they didn't win.” (28:51)
• On the “Pizza Hut parking lot” metaphor: “That's how things got solved then…We were all friends Monday at school.” (91:36)
• Brad Underwood: “We're not trying to cheat anybody or steal anything. We're just trying to put the ball in the basket and stop you from doing it.” (86:52)
• On Tiger Woods: “Big time scumbag…The only difference between some people trying to defend Tiger right now and Tiger being an all-time scumbag is that he got lucky and didn't hurt anybody.” (115:17)

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Rapid-Fire Key Timestamps

• 02:54 – Big Cat concedes his “Duke will win it all” take was wrong
• 08:49 – PFT cites: first ever 1-seed to lose after leading by 15+ at halftime
• 13:40 – Shoutout to Duke’s NBA pipeline with “zero” national titles
• 28:51 – UConn’s undefeated Final Four record
• 78:18 – Brad Underwood interview begins
• 89:43 – Underwood delivers the “Pizza Hut parking lot” toughness speech
• 96:52 – Super Soaker stories from Illinois locker room
• 114:06 – PFT critiques Tiger Woods’ recurring off-field issues

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Episode Tone & Final Thoughts

• Classic PMT blend: irreverent, gleefully anti-Duke, quick with the memes and long riffs on sports heartbreak.
• Self-deprecating, meta-jokes about their own takes and overreactions.
• Candid and warm rapport with Brad Underwood—veteran coach at ease with PMT banter.
• Critical but fair coverage of Tiger Woods’ personal struggles—acknowledging athletic greatness but insisting on accountability.
• A celebration of the unpredictability and enduring magic of March Madness.

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This episode is a must-listen for any college hoops fan—especially those who revel in Duke’s misfortune, delight in tournament chaos, and appreciate insider stories from coaches and the locker room.

Transcript

[PFT Commenter]

Hey, pardon my take, listeners. You can find every episode on Apple Podcasts and Spotify Prime. Members can listen ad free on Amazon Music. Look, some snacks just show up. Blue diamond almonds and more. Shows out almonds, cashews and pistachios in bold flavors like honey roasted smokehouse and roasted sea salt. Freshness guaranteed. And clutch in crunch time every bite.

[Brad Underwood]

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[PFT Commenter]

The flavorful nutmegs on today's part in my take. Presented by DraftKings. March Madness. Oh, boy, was it madness. We're going to talk about the final four being set, including one of the greatest finishes in March madness history, with UConn ripping Duke's guts out. We also have Illinois head coach Brad Underwood on the show. Great interview with him. The Illini back in the Final four for the first time in 20 plus years. We got who's back of the week. Tiger had another oopsie and we have a great Monday show.

[Big Cat]

We'll take that out of the episode.

[PFT Commenter]

Well, yeah, yeah, we'll protect him. Well, no, no one who listens to barstool shows knows that he had no right yet. Yeah, we have. We have everything. Great Monday show. And it's all brought to you by friends at Chevy. Football season might be over, but you know how it goes. The minute the big game ends, we're already talking about what's next. Free agency, the draft, who's getting paid, who's grinding. Because for football guys, there is no off season. And that's exactly why they roll with the Chevy Silverado. Silverado is a truck that shows up every time. Built to haul, tow, and take a beating. But smartware accounts with modern tech that makes life easier. Big screens, available camera views that help with towing, and parking in a cabin that feels right. Whether you're road tripping, heading to practice, or loading up for the weekend. During the season, it's the MVP of the tailgate. After the season, it turns into your training camp truck hauling gear, tackling home projects, and doing the work that stops because the grind doesn't take breaks. And neither does Silverado. Check out the current offers and build your own Chevy [e-mail] okay, let's go. Yeah. Welcome to part of my take, presented by DraftKings. The crown is yours. Today is Monday, March 30, and Duke has choked. And I want to be the first to say I got it wrong. I said on this show a month ago, Duke was the best team in the country and they should easily win the NCAA tournament. They were similar to last year's. Team that was the best team in the country who also didn't win the NCAA tournament, the 99 team that was the best team of all time that didn't win the NCAA Tournament. And I said that if it doesn't happen, I will be front of the line saying, guys, I fucked up.

[Big Cat]

Got it wrong. You got it wrong. Sometimes in this business, you get it wrong. We. We take no pleasure in getting this wrong. I think it's also important to remember that Duke likely had several players that were suffering from severe concussions after the storming of the court that UNC had against them.

[PFT Commenter]

Yeah.

[Big Cat]

And knocked them out. So it's not like we should be celebrating this as a culture. Yeah, it's sad that they were forced to continue playing for the rest of the season after such a violent act happened to him. And I also did get it wrong when I was talking about last year's choke that Duke had and how this year might be worse than last year, I actually got it right because I still agree with that. But I got it wrong by omission, by not including the fact that in the last five years, Duke has had just. Oh, yeah, Incredible, incredible chokes.

[PFT Commenter]

Oh, yeah.

[Big Cat]

So per our darling Jake, I'll take you back to 2022. Final four, they lost in Coach K's retirement game.

[PFT Commenter]

Not to the rival.

[Big Cat]

Right, to the rival UNC. That's heartbreaking. 2023, they lost in the second round by 13 points, double digits in the second round.

[PFT Commenter]

Oh, that one was Tennessee.

[Big Cat]

Tennessee. They're supposed to be Duke. Then 2024, they lost in the Elite Eight to NC State. You'll remember that NC State team, they were not expected to do anything.

[PFT Commenter]

I think there were 11 seed D.J. burns.

[Big Cat]

D.J. burns? Yeah, the vending machine.

[PFT Commenter]

How can you not guard him?

[Big Cat]

And then, of course, last year, they lost in the Final Four to Houston when they led by 14 points. And this year, they lost first one seed, one to lose by in a game where they led by 19 points. Pretty big choke. So I would actually go back and I'd say this. This choke makes the Mount Rushmore of bad Duke losses in the last five years. But barely.

[PFT Commenter]

Yeah, I mean, listen, I. I wish I could take pleasure in this, but I was wrong. I said they were going to win it all, and they didn't. And now I look like an idiot. My reputation is tarnished. Just kidding. I came in my pants when that Braylon Mullins three hit, and it was the greatest thing I've ever watched. And holy fuck, how did Duke lose That game, they're up 19 pft. They choked harder than any team's ever choked. They all Boozer has to do is hold on to the ball at half court instead of being the shortest guy on the court and trying to throw it over guys that are way taller than him. And then Braylon Mullins, a freshman who UConn could not have played worse, for the first 30 minutes of that game, they were like 1 for 18 shooting. Caribbean, at one point, was 1 for 9 with two points. It was basically just the Read show. And they just kept fighting and they kept fighting, and they're the tougher team. And Dan Hurley instilled that toughness in them. And Duke, they, just as Duke always does, thinks it's going to be handed to him, which at one point it felt like it was because the rest were just letting Boozer play football down in the post. But man, and that Braylon Mullen shot was so goddamn wet, I came in my pants again.

[Big Cat]

So they did start 1 for 18 from 3, and then Yukon went 4 for 5. After starting 1 for 18, Caribbean hit a huge. Next one's going to Caravan. Finally woke up a little bit at the end there. There were exactly 10 seconds left on the clock when they bounded the ball.

[PFT Commenter]

Yeah.

[Big Cat]

So you didn't have to advance the ball.

[PFT Commenter]

But here's the thing. Pft. And I'm going to. I'm going to defend Duke in this. In this one spot. Okay. That is a really Helter Skelter moment, and you have no timeouts left. So that's a moment that things can kind of go out, go crazy, and you can't call a timeout. And that. That's the brutal part. Like, wait, did they have a timeout left, Max?

[Big Cat]

They did.

[PFT Commenter]

They had a timeout left.

[Big Cat]

They had a timeout.

[PFT Commenter]

No, they had a timeout. They could have called timeout.

[Big Cat]

Oh, yeah, they could have called timeout. You just inbound the ball. You call timeout. You call a timeout after 4.9 seconds, ticks off the clock, and then you inbound the ball again and. And you win the game.

[PFT Commenter]

People are gonna think that, like, I'm taking a lot of pleasure in this, just so you know. It's just. It's more that I'm so uncomfortable with how wrong my take was that I. You know what I mean? Like, I'm. I'm nervous laughing right now and, and, and talking through the biggest smile I've ever had. It's because I'm just so disappointed in myself because Duke was the best team we struggle up 19.

[Hank]

We strive.

[Big Cat]

We strive to get it right. They're up 19. That was dominant. Felt like the game was over. Felt like UConn had absolutely no answer for UConn on the inside. And then everything changed. Dan Hurley, he. He loaded up on piss at halftime. There's no other explanation. I want to know what kind of piss. Who's pissed? Danny was drinking at halftime because they looked like a different team after they came out. And then, I mean, it was just like a slow whittling away of the lead. It just. It wasn't like last year, I think, with Houston. Didn't Duke not make a field goal in the last 10 minutes of the game? Yeah, and this. It wasn't quite like that. It was just like slowly. They were just edging their way back in.

[PFT Commenter]

Slowly but surely tougher team.

[Big Cat]

And then. Yeah, mentally tough team.

[PFT Commenter]

Duke was up nine with two minutes left. Last year against Houston, they were up. They're up 17 in the second half in this game, and, man, they were up. It felt like they were comfortably. All they had to do. Yukon was missing free throws. All they had to do was just hold on to the ball or call timeout.

[Big Cat]

You also have a timeout or call timeout. You had a big. A big time at.

[PFT Commenter]

I have a stat for you that I just cannot believe, but I'm going to say it anyway.

[Big Cat]

John Shire leads the tournament in timeouts that he didn't use.

[PFT Commenter]

No, but that's a good stat. Duke is now the only one seed to lose after leading by 15 plus at half. That's never happened before. That is literally history.

[Big Cat]

Yeah, that's a good stat.

[PFT Commenter]

That's. That's a crazy, crazy stat. Oh, man. Hank.

[Big Cat]

Yeah.

[PFT Commenter]

What's up?

[Big Cat]

We're talking college basketball.

[PFT Commenter]

We're talking college hoops.

[Big Cat]

I know you got some thoughts about hoops?

[Hank]

Nothing good.

[PFT Commenter]

Hank you. You kept on muttering. I think it was like, this isn't happening. Or would you say, this can't. There's no way.

[Hank]

There's no way.

[PFT Commenter]

Yeah. You kept on saying, there's no way. And then. But then there was a way.

[Big Cat]

It's not like they.

[Hank]

Duke felt like they were winning that game a hundred percent of the game. Like, even though Yukon was chipping away, it still felt like they were. There's too much time. Or there was not enough time left for them to come back. They were missing free throws.

[PFT Commenter]

There's no way.

[Hank]

There's. There was no way. That was actually one of the most shocking NCAA tournament games I've ever seen.

[PFT Commenter]

It Was there was actually.

[Hank]

It wasn't like a back and forth ping pong. It was. Duke was up comfortably. They had the time on their side. They had the fouls. They had timeouts.

[Big Cat]

Yeah.

[PFT Commenter]

The brotherhood is down. Bad. Bad.

[Big Cat]

This is a bad place for the Brotherhood.

[PFT Commenter]

It's a really bad spot for the Brotherhood.

[Big Cat]

Hey, let me ask you this. You're also a. You're a Celtics fan. Do you make Brad Stevens say no? Have to do you get on the phone.

[PFT Commenter]

Have to.

[Big Cat]

I mean we. We just did this with Hubert Davis. Embarrassing loss in the tournament. Also a 19 point loss. Right.

[PFT Commenter]

What?

[Big Cat]

And then they fired him. You're supposed to be Duke. Fact or fiction? Fact.

[Hank]

Fiction about Brad Stevens. They're. They're gonna stick with Shire.

[Big Cat]

Is that a good thing?

[Hank]

I don't know.

[PFT Commenter]

How do you do this?

[Hank]

Starting to get to a point where can't.

[Big Cat]

There can't win anything.

[PFT Commenter]

Can't win any game that you have a huge massive lead.

[Big Cat]

A big one. He can't win a big one.

[PFT Commenter]

Yeah.

[Big Cat]

Yeah.

[Hank]

He's in Seeing Ghost territory with. With you know, five minutes left in

[PFT Commenter]

a big lead and you've had so many good players. That's the crazy part I think is always loaded.

[Big Cat]

Another big problem. I mean it's a minuscule thing, but it kind of adds to Duke alum such as yourself looking sideways at your head coach when he loses. He can't help but make the most infuriating faces.

[Hank]

Yeah, he was like smiling.

[PFT Commenter]

Yeah.

[Big Cat]

Yeah.

[PFT Commenter]

Like I retweeted all of them. Everything. Yeah, it was.

[Hank]

It should have been a technical on. On Yukon. They did run.

[PFT Commenter]

Yeah. So. So the Duke announcers, the radio call said, oh, that should be a technical. It's true. The saddest cope of all time.

[Hank]

It was.

[PFT Commenter]

Yeah.

[Big Cat]

Oh, that's the. It's also the most difficult. Like Duke might sue. Yeah, they might actually.

[PFT Commenter]

Absolutely.

[Big Cat]

They might file a lawsuit.

[PFT Commenter]

And Booze has got a black eye now. The Shire mentioned that afterwards. Like these guys.

[Big Cat]

Yeah.

[PFT Commenter]

Basically. You know, Caleb Foster did play great on Friday night. That was an insane performance on, you know, 20 days after surgery. But man, did it suck today. I can't believe it. Oh, John Shire said he was ready for a timeout, but they didn't call it. He was ready and Boozer just had to hold on to the ball.

[Big Cat]

If he was ready then he would. He would have called the timeout.

[PFT Commenter]

Hank, if you were in that situation, you would have won that game. You could have just held on to the ball. Yeah. And you're wet from free throws.

[Hank]

Just make. Yeah, two free throws. Even one free throw.

[PFT Commenter]

Even one free throw makes it really tough to, to lose that game. It's an improbable. Improbable. I actually saw, I and I, you know, the, the whole like win probability stuff is a little crazy because I don't really understand it. But I, I did see a stat that Duke, even after Boozer had the Turnover, had an 88.6% chance of winning that game.

[Big Cat]

They just had to play like a tiny bit.

[Hank]

Put your fucking hand up.

[Big Cat]

There was defense, zero defense.

[PFT Commenter]

It also was the longest shot, three point buzzer beater shot made to win under a second to win a game in the NCAA tournament. That's pretty crazy.

[Big Cat]

That is. This is a cool stat here from.

[PFT Commenter]

What are you doing? What are you doing?

[Max]

In my head, I did Evan Turner, but that was Big Ten championship. Yeah, Big Ten tournament.

[PFT Commenter]

And it also might have been just in the Elite Eight, but I saw a stat and I'm just gonna go with the best possible version of the stat.

[Big Cat]

This is a cool stat from our good friend Chris Felika the Bear. He said, Since 1985, there have been 41 point games in the Sweet 16 or later. Five have resulted in a Yukon win.

[PFT Commenter]

Wow.

[Big Cat]

That's pretty nuts. Duke and Indiana, I think they're in second place each with three. But if there's, if there's been a one point game, chances are pretty good it was Yukon winning it.

[PFT Commenter]

Wow. Hey, can I say some names for you?

[Hank]

Sure.

[PFT Commenter]

Jason Tatum. Zion Williamson. Cooper Flag.

[Big Cat]

Palo.

[PFT Commenter]

Ben caro. Cam Boozer. RJ Barrett. Cam Reddish.

[Big Cat]

Con Knipple.

[PFT Commenter]

Jared McCain. Derek Lively. Marvin Bagley. Wendell Carter Jr. Gary Trent Jr. Luke Canard. Zero National.

[Big Cat]

Oh, I was going to say they're all national champions.

[PFT Commenter]

No, no. Pfd, they're not. They went to Duke and didn't the Brotherhood Cooper flag, though.

[Big Cat]

You said flag.

[PFT Commenter]

No, no, no, he didn't. They choked. Remember last year? Oh, yeah, yeah, they choked.

[Big Cat]

I mentioned.

[PFT Commenter]

And this one was. I got. You know what? I'm going to be nice. I, I'll say this a lot of times. The sequel is not as good as the original. This sequel was so much. But this was Godfather 2. This was like last year. You're like, how could it get better? It got better. Yeah, it got better. It. They, they. Duke. Thank you. You somehow made a way to, to, to make it even better. And that's almost impossible to do.

[Big Cat]

Yeah. So I, I, I was looking back on that. The list of the five most recent losses, I think it bumps the round of 32 against Tennessee. The 13 point loss. Yeah, I think it bumps that one off.

[PFT Commenter]

That's when they bullied by Tennessee and Duke fans were crying about how it was not fair. They're playing rugby out there.

[Big Cat]

Right, right, right. That gets bumped off because, you know, is. It was SH's first year, so I can overlook that. But then the other four, that's. That's the current Mountain Rushmore.

[PFT Commenter]

We'll.

[Big Cat]

We'll have to update this next year. Hank, I am. I do feel bad for you because this, you know, it's your team. But we did put the Hank dog toy for sale immediately after the loss and it sold out in I think like 90 seconds. So that's cool. Like, you are the economy. It's you and Rico. That's great.

[Hank]

Happy for the show.

[Big Cat]

And then a lot of people were asking about Soggy Sorrows.

[PFT Commenter]

Credit to me, I was not.

[Big Cat]

A lot of people were.

[PFT Commenter]

I actually have not said the word SS Soggy Sorrows.

[Big Cat]

I did, I did. I. I said it because I just saw a lot of people asking about it. So I, I was not asking for myself. Do you have a comment for the people who are asking? They'll do Soggsaurus for them.

[PFT Commenter]

I mean, that was a. That. That game was farted. I hope you guys can smell it. Oh, great. That's fine. There's literally nothing you could in my mouth right now and I'd still be smiling. That's how happy I am.

[Big Cat]

It was pretty incredible. So I was thinking big cat.

[Max]

What?

[Big Cat]

While Hank's gone. Because I don't want to rub it in.

[PFT Commenter]

Oh, I do.

[Big Cat]

No, no, we won't rub it in. We'll let him leave for a second. What do you think are the things in sports that have the highest approval rating? Duke losing is one of them.

[PFT Commenter]

Oh, by far.

[Big Cat]

I. I'd say Duke losing. If you're. If you remember when Tony Romo would throw an interception. That was really high.

[PFT Commenter]

Big time. Aaron Judge strikeouts.

[Big Cat]

Yeah. Aaron Judge strikeouts is good. I think just Jameis Winston playing football. Yeah. Has a very high approval rating.

[PFT Commenter]

Alabama getting smoked in football.

[Big Cat]

Yeah.

[PFT Commenter]

Like that, that Rose Bowl. Yep. Was very, very high approval rating.

[Big Cat]

Do you guys have any other. Any other things, like, across the board?

[PFT Commenter]

Like everyone just says. That's awesome.

[Big Cat]

I think Duke losing is number one. Yeah.

[Max]

Yankees.

[PFT Commenter]

Yeah.

[Big Cat]

Yeah.

[PFT Commenter]

Aaron Judge, like, big.

[Max]

Oh, yeah, yeah, yeah.

[PFT Commenter]

I think. I mean, guys, that was the best ever. It really was like, I can't. I know I'm a prisoner of the moment right now, but I feel like Even in this moment, 10 years from now, I'll be like, yeah, you remember that? That still was the best ever. Oh, there's no way UConn wins that game.

[Big Cat]

There's nothing like living through a moment in March and immediately, the second it happens, knowing that this is going to be etched into my brain forever. Forever. Forever. We were lucky enough to share it together.

[PFT Commenter]

That will be.

[Big Cat]

And it's awesome.

[PFT Commenter]

In every commercial, in everything. It was just. Everything was so perfect. And I. I can't. I. Like I said, guys, I came in my pants, and I'm fine with that. Like, it happens, but it was just that, like, you can see the moment. My. I almost got a charlie horse because my leg, like, spasmed. It just. And let's. You know what? Let's talk about Yukon real quick, because

[Big Cat]

how many times did you come. I said. I said that I came once. Like, I think I said, it got so out of hand in that room. I was just like, I'm coming.

[PFT Commenter]

Yeah.

[Big Cat]

And then. And then I think I heard two other guys come.

[PFT Commenter]

Yeah. No, listen, I just.

[Big Cat]

Sticky, sticky. I was like, stalactites.

[PFT Commenter]

I was like, Sting. In that moment, I was just coming. Or Arnold when he goes to the gym. Yeah. I just calm and calm and calm. I come all day.

[Big Cat]

Yeah.

[PFT Commenter]

That was what I was doing.

[Big Cat]

It really.

[PFT Commenter]

The gym. I calm.

[Big Cat]

It really was like a room full of guys standing behind Hank on that couch.

[PFT Commenter]

Yeah. UConn, though, the toughness and resolve on that team is insane because nothing was going for them except for Reed. Reed was a monster. He had. I feel like he had 12 of their first, maybe 16 points. It felt like he was going to have to do it all. You could just see, like, in the beginning of the game, Duke couldn't miss a shot. The mismatches were very tough, like Cariban on Boozer, and they were just struggling with everything. And to be down 19 when Duke feels like everything's working for them and to just keep chipping away and beating, like, have a game where Caribbean can't hit a shot, Braylon Mullins can't hit a shot. All these guys are just ice cold. And to just keep finding a way to get quality possessions. And their defense, too, like, their defense, they. They got turnovers. They got big rebounds. They were strong at the rim. That was what the difference in the second half, like, they started, you know, not letting Duke kind of just run all over him, being strong at the rim. And to have the freshman step up to that moment and have it be so wet almost as wet as Hank. Hank is so wet right now. Oh, my God.

[Big Cat]

Very wet.

[PFT Commenter]

Boy, you are. You are a Braylon Mullins three.

[Hank]

Good on.

[PFT Commenter]

Yeah.

[Big Cat]

How are you feeling, Hank?

[PFT Commenter]

I'm feeling wet.

[Hank]

I mean, you and Max did like a little water bottle, little splash. I try to. Try to be the spirits of soggy sorrows.

[Big Cat]

I'm appreciate that.

[Hank]

Soaked.

[Big Cat]

Yeah, we were just talking about. About Yukon and how their office didn't look very good at all with the exception of. I guess Reed looked okay also, was, wasn't. It wasn't Solo, but Malachi. Malai, he made some big shots in the second half too, but they didn't really play that well in offense. But they just. They just hung in there.

[Hank]

Yeah. Are you talking to me?

[PFT Commenter]

Yeah, yeah, we're talking to you.

[Big Cat]

We're getting you up to speed on the conversation.

[PFT Commenter]

No, it was, it was. It was a.

[Hank]

It was a shocking, shocking, shocking, shocking, shocking, shocking, loss. Unbelievable.

[PFT Commenter]

Really. Truly unbelievable. Like, we were just saying when you were up there getting wet that it's a moment that in 10, 15, 20 years, you'll just. You'll just be like, yeah, remember, like, March has these moments. It's. It's Valparaiso. It's, you know, your guy Max, Chris Jenkins, like all these moments. Yeah. High point. Good one. Yeah, that was great.

[Big Cat]

That was an unbelievable JMU the other year. Yeah.

[PFT Commenter]

First round upset. Yeah, we're. You know, Wisconsin was good enough. Duke, though, having the best team again and choking again in that way.

[Hank]

What Arizona and Michigan are. Are better than they're.

[Big Cat]

I don't.

[PFT Commenter]

I know those two teams.

[Big Cat]

Well, you know, Michigan, I guess we'll never know. Michigan and Duke played.

[PFT Commenter]

Yeah.

[Big Cat]

And Duke beat him in that same building, actually, where.

[PFT Commenter]

Oh, yeah.

[Big Cat]

That's where Duke lost tonight.

[PFT Commenter]

Yeah. Yeah, yeah. So maybe you could say Arizona if you want to say Arizona. Yeah. Oh, okay. All right. So Duke was the second best team, and last year they're the best team,

[Big Cat]

but they lost at least. Hank, if they are the second best thing, they lost to the other best team.

[PFT Commenter]

You know what, Hank? I actually think, like, you. You kind of had the best point. Like they were winning for a hundred percent of the game. We should just give the win to Duke. Can we do that?

[Big Cat]

It was night. It was 99.5 of the game.

[PFT Commenter]

Yeah. Like, that was. They were. They won the majority of the game, that is on aggregate. They should be the winners. I. If I could. If I could change the result, I would.

[Hank]

They should at least get a technical free throw.

[PFT Commenter]

Yeah, definitely the ball, man.

[Big Cat]

It is a very funny clip. Listen to the announcers say that.

[PFT Commenter]

Oh, they're just so Duke. They're so fucking Duke. I love it so much. Yeah.

[Big Cat]

All right.

[PFT Commenter]

The only.

[Big Cat]

The.

[PFT Commenter]

The only. The only thing that downside was if Duke had gone to the Final Four this year, I was going to print 10,000 wanted posters trying to find the puncher in Chapel Hill, and I was gonna just paper the entire city of Indianapolis.

[Big Cat]

We would have found him.

[PFT Commenter]

Unfortunately, I can't do that. Maybe I'll still do it. Maybe I'll still try to help out the Duke.

[Big Cat]

Should we get in touch with Dog?

[PFT Commenter]

Yeah.

[Big Cat]

Bounty hunter. He thought Dog will track him down.

[PFT Commenter]

Yeah. I'm actually shocked that Shire didn't say that like a. A UNC staffer punch Boozer in the face. Because he actually has a black eye.

[Big Cat]

He does have a black eye. They're shoving coke in his face.

[PFT Commenter]

Yeah.

[Big Cat]

For some reason, when it happens to Alabama, the guy has to sit out a game. But it's fine.

[PFT Commenter]

We're always going through. Where do we go from here?

[Big Cat]

Yeah, I want to know where we go from here.

[Hank]

I mean, the second you gone. Got the ball back, he knew that shot was going in.

[Big Cat]

Yeah, but where do we go from.

[Hank]

The fact that they were missing so many free throws kind of was like, oh, it feels like they're going to come back. And they just kept missing free throws. It's like, all right, they. They don't want to win this game. They're not going to pull it out, Bobby. Hillary was getting so mad at them, and then they just. The game was over and Duke had lost.

[Big Cat]

Something's got to change.

[Hank]

I don't think so. I think.

[PFT Commenter]

I mean, I don't know. Hey, you know what? I don't know. Credit to our guy, Stanford, Steve. He had.

[Hank]

I think he's got one more.

[Big Cat]

I think he's got so hot seat.

[Hank]

He's got one more tournament than the hot seat.

[PFT Commenter]

Is he coaching for his job?

[Max]

He.

[Hank]

Next year he might be coaching for. I mean, you have to start.

[PFT Commenter]

It's a job coach. You have to.

[Big Cat]

And also, if you're saying that next year he's on the hot seat, then that means he's on the hot seat right now.

[Hank]

Yeah, everyone's on the hot seat.

[Big Cat]

No.

[Brad Underwood]

Yep.

[Big Cat]

Not true.

[PFT Commenter]

I would. No, I. You know who's not?

[Big Cat]

Dan Hurley.

[PFT Commenter]

Dan Hurley is definitely not on.

[Big Cat]

Why not not on the hot seat?

[PFT Commenter]

Because he. He just wins.

[Big Cat]

So. So he's got three Final Fours in the last, what, five years?

[Hank]

What if he does something off the court, hot seat.

[Big Cat]

Well, then, yeah. So then he. He would be on. Why are you wishing that on Dan?

[Hank]

I'm not.

[Big Cat]

I'm just saying.

[Hank]

Everyone's on the hot seat. You guys are on the hot seat.

[Big Cat]

Okay.

[PFT Commenter]

Put us on the hot seat.

[Hank]

We're all in the hot seat.

[PFT Commenter]

We're all in the hot seat. Because everyone's gonna die someday.

[Big Cat]

How many? How many?

[PFT Commenter]

But I'll tell you what. The day that I do die, the last thing I'll think about is maybe this game.

[Big Cat]

Hank, I have a question. Honest question. So he's not on the hot seat. I'll give you that. Do you think you make the call just like off the books to J.J. redick?

[PFT Commenter]

I got a guy who could fix it.

[Big Cat]

Off the books. Would you do it? No, because it's off the record. You wouldn't tell me.

[PFT Commenter]

I have a guy who could fix this whole thing. What have we. What have we note? What have we seen? What's this? One of the storylines in this tournament.

[Big Cat]

One of the storylines.

[PFT Commenter]

One of the storylines in this tournament.

[Big Cat]

There's been a lot of storylines. All right.

[PFT Commenter]

One of the story lines has been that age is just a number.

[Hank]

Yeah.

[PFT Commenter]

Rick Patino just got a contract extension.

[Big Cat]

Yeah.

[PFT Commenter]

Kelvin Sampson. Rick Barnes in the elite eight. Coach K could fix this. We could bring him back, and he could fix this. I think 79 years old, enough people. He's got a couple years left. He could fix this.

[Hank]

I don't think he. He wants that.

[PFT Commenter]

Oh. So, yeah, he probably is pretty happy.

[Big Cat]

He abandoned.

[PFT Commenter]

This is. This is all working out so perfectly for him.

[Big Cat]

He abandoned you. Yeah.

[PFT Commenter]

When you retired.

[Hank]

It's 75.

[PFT Commenter]

But, you know, he wants to come back for one more.

[Hank]

I don't think so.

[PFT Commenter]

I think so.

[Hank]

I don't.

[Max]

Oh.

[PFT Commenter]

One seeds when leading by. Oh, yeah. That was a stat. I did 134 and one. Now the one is. Is. Dude. Damn, dude. Toughness.

[Big Cat]

You know what I'm gonna say? Char needs to take the D off of his sweatsuit.

[PFT Commenter]

Yep.

[Big Cat]

Off of his chest.

[PFT Commenter]

Agreed.

[Big Cat]

He should not be allowed to wear that patch.

[PFT Commenter]

Agreed.

[Big Cat]

He's got to earn it back, win a championship. Then you can wear the blue Devil logo on your chest.

[PFT Commenter]

Why are you taking off your headphones? You take off your headphones.

[Big Cat]

What are you just putting a hat on?

[PFT Commenter]

He's putting his hat on. There's just no way. There was just no way. That was so good. What the booth think? I don't want to stop talking about this game. What the boot think.

[Max]

I. I thought there Was no way that UConn was coming back the entire time.

[PFT Commenter]

No way.

[Max]

Early in the game, we were like, that's game. And then we kept being like, oh, maybe not. Maybe not. In the back of my head, I was like, there's just no way Duke blows this game.

[PFT Commenter]

No way.

[Big Cat]

I also think if you ask Danny Hurley for his honest opinion, like, if he thought they ever had a chance to win. I don't think he thought they had a chance to win.

[PFT Commenter]

No. He probably said no way.

[Big Cat]

Yeah.

[Max]

It's insane. I have a question for you, big cat.

[Big Cat]

Yeah.

[Max]

Is there any part of you that's just a little upset that the Hate Watch is over?

[PFT Commenter]

No, I like a whole week of.

[Max]

Of Hate Prep.

[PFT Commenter]

Oh, no. Because when you get to the Final Four, then it becomes very real that they could win it all. You know what I mean? Two games away is like, that's so scary. This is the perfect. The Elite Eight. Not be Duke. Not being able to celebrate the next weekend, like, not having to encounter Duke fans and the way it went down, there's just no way. There's no way they lose that game. That's insane.

[Max]

But you lose a little bit of juice going into the Final Four weekend.

[PFT Commenter]

Nah, we got juice. We'll find juice. We can find it. My Yukon future's still alive.

[Brad Underwood]

Yeah.

[PFT Commenter]

Oh. Oh, you know what? Another hand up, you're gonna hear Brad Underwood. The interview we did with him, we taped it at halftime of the Duke Yukon game, and I said, you gotta beat Duke for America. That I am. So I. I sound like such an idiot now. Can we edit that out? Can we edit that part out?

[Max]

Nah, I think we gotta keep it in.

[PFT Commenter]

Oh, sorry. Please, Max. I don't want to sound so dumb again.

[Max]

I think, unfortunately, we got to keep that one in.

[PFT Commenter]

Oh, people are gonna be, like, dumb. You said Duke was going to win, and then they didn't win.

[Big Cat]

You know what's.

[PFT Commenter]

Here's a. I hate myself.

[Big Cat]

Here's a wild stat. I. I didn't realize this. I just looked it up. Alex Caraban. He won two titles at Yukon, right?

[PFT Commenter]

Yeah.

[Big Cat]

Stuck around. A lot of people thought he should have gone to the league.

[PFT Commenter]

A lot of people.

[Big Cat]

But he came back. If he wins a championship this year, he will be the first player to win three championships since 1973.

[PFT Commenter]

Ooh.

[Big Cat]

Larry Farmer and Larry Hollyfield on UCLA.

[PFT Commenter]

The Larry's.

[Big Cat]

You're talking the Larry's.

[PFT Commenter]

The two Larry Larry's. The.

[Big Cat]

The. The twin Larry's. That's how everyone remembers that UCLA team. But, yeah, that's. That's great. 53 years. It's been 53 years since somebody's done that, and he's got a real shot to do it well.

[PFT Commenter]

And, I mean, Yukon is, I would say, is the. The long shot in this Final Four. It's not. There's no disrespect to UConn, but the way Michigan and Arizona have looked, the way Illinois looked. But this will. And so this will be the biggest test, because UConn. The craziest thing about UConn and everything they've done in the last. I think. I think Today was the 27th anniversary of their first championship against, oh, Duke, in 1990. The best team ever.

[Big Cat]

That's a good team.

[PFT Commenter]

The best team ever in 1999. That's crazy. But every time UConn goes to the Final Four, they win it all. They've never been to a final Four. They didn't win it all, which is an insane stat. They just go and they take care of business. This will be the toughest one they've had, although maybe not because in that Duke game that they lost or in that Duke game that Cleo Amin and UConn won, they were nine and a half point underdogs. So that's pretty shocking. Yeah, that's shocking. PFT.

[Big Cat]

It is.

[PFT Commenter]

Not as shocking as today also, but pretty shocking in the world of Yukon, Duke.

[Big Cat]

Did you know that six out of the last 22 years, UConn has had both men's and women's teams in the Final Four?

[PFT Commenter]

Well, we were going through the Geno.

[Big Cat]

That's insane.

[PFT Commenter]

The Geno stats are insane.

[Big Cat]

I mean, it's almost unfair to do the Yukon women's, but when you do them together. Yeah, six out of the last 22 years, that's pretty impressive.

[PFT Commenter]

I think the stat we saw that was most shocking. Gino, they were in the American Conference for what, I think it was eight years, he did not lose a conference game. He never lost in the American Conference. It's silly. Anything else, Hank, from this game? I mean, you got to at least love the madness. Like, there'll be a small party tonight. Will put your head on the pill and be like, man, I got to watch that with my boys. And that was madness.

[Brad Underwood]

No.

[PFT Commenter]

Okay. No. Yeah. And they had just drawn you. I feel like they just drawn you in in the last couple weeks. Like, they just grabbed you a little bit, and you're like, yeah, this could be special.

[Hank]

I. I made. So I hope Yukon can. Can get it done. I hope they can win it All

[Big Cat]

Hank, we were talking about the things in sports have the highest approval rating when you were out of the room and how Duke is probably, probably the number one thing on that list across the board. Is there anything else that you'd like to add? I think we said Duke, we said Tony Romo throwing interceptions. It's pretty high. Jameis Winston just in general playing football was pretty high. And then Aaron Judge and the Yankees losing. Is there anything else?

[Hank]

LeBron losing in the finals.

[PFT Commenter]

That's a good one. That's a good one. Is there a chance that the, the Duke has a Wisconsin curse?

[Hank]

How so, Dan?

[PFT Commenter]

They haven't won a title since they beat Wisconsin in 2015. And I listed all those guys. I could say them their names again if you want me to. Do you want me to say their names again?

[Hank]

I don't know if that's really a curse.

[PFT Commenter]

I'm just asking. It's just unfortunate. Yeah, I mean, it's tough. Coach K paid off the refs at halftime and what did it cost? Literally everything.

[Hank]

Yeah, maybe. I don't know.

[Big Cat]

It's like, it feels like it's a

[PFT Commenter]

brewing of a curse.

[Big Cat]

It does feel like if you, you know, you think that you won a war, but you get like slag down against an inferior opponent and they do like guerrilla warfare against you. Next thing you know, you kind of, you kind of lost by winning. You win the battle, but you lose the war. Like if you had, if you beat Wisconsin, never do again. Was it worth it?

[PFT Commenter]

Right?

[Hank]

John Shire might be on the hot seat.

[Big Cat]

Thank you.

[Hank]

I don't know how you don't call a timeout.

[PFT Commenter]

It's the timeout.

[Hank]

I don't know how you don't. Like, that's like day, literally day one of camp is like, all right, let's run some, some out of bounds end of game situations. Like as a coach, you should have end of games down to a T.

[PFT Commenter]

The timeout is crazy. It's also crazy that Duke even tried to pass the ball. Like just hold the ball. I guess you could get a five. No, you can't get a five second in the back. You, you just hold the ball. There's 10 seconds left. Like get fouled. That's all you have to do is get fouled.

[Hank]

Get fouled in. The game's over.

[PFT Commenter]

And they were, they were. Oh, man. Unbelievable play to. To not foul there by Braylon Mullins

[Big Cat]

and also like to play before that too. Yeah, let's not forget about that.

[PFT Commenter]

Oh, Yukon's last possession before that was dog shit. Remember when they had.

[Big Cat]

They took all the time off.

[PFT Commenter]

Seconds left and they get a foul called with 10 seconds left. They. They're just passing around three, but like, not a good play. You're like, oh, this is their one shot. They blow their one shot, then go 1 for 2 from the line. Oh, that's. They just gave it to Duke. No. Fuck no. All he had to do is hold on to that ball. What?

[Big Cat]

Hank, you're going to actually like this. Oh, I screwed up. What did you say earlier in this episode? I forgot that you can't get a 5 second violation in the backcourt. Yeah, yeah, but you. Yeah, you can't.

[PFT Commenter]

Yeah, no, you cannot.

[Big Cat]

So I was saying, like, he could have.

[PFT Commenter]

Are you saying you can't or you can?

[Big Cat]

I was saying that you earlier, you hold on to the ball for 4.9 seconds and you call a timeout and then you inbound the ball again. You're going to win the game. I forgot that you can't.

[PFT Commenter]

Right.

[Big Cat]

Get that in the back court. So it's actually even easier than I thought to win that game.

[Brad Underwood]

Yeah, it's.

[PFT Commenter]

It's significantly so.

[Big Cat]

I'm sorry.

[PFT Commenter]

It's actually.

[Big Cat]

I. I apologize. I up.

[PFT Commenter]

If they. If they play that scenario out a thousand times.

[Big Cat]

I think it.

[PFT Commenter]

It again, I think we should just give the win to Duke. I think that's what we can really decide on. As a. As a podcast.

[Big Cat]

I'm gonna wait for the impending lawsuit that they file for the technical file.

[PFT Commenter]

No technical.

[Big Cat]

So it's. It's pending litigation, so I can't comment.

[PFT Commenter]

That's. Can you play that? Can you play that audio? That's technical. Please, I just want to hear. Was so good. I. I tweeted it. Oh. Also, Duke had a. The. I think it was their 44th kill shot of the year.

[Big Cat]

What's that?

[PFT Commenter]

Which is when you go on a 100 run. Ah. And they tweeted that in the middle of the game.

[Big Cat]

So probably rename that.

[PFT Commenter]

Yeah, yeah.

[Big Cat]

Like a piss off your opponent because it makes him too angry shot.

[PFT Commenter]

Yeah. Okay. And they do for Boozer.

[Hank]

Bobbled it back for Star.

[PFT Commenter]

Needs to get rid of it.

[Hank]

Does for Kaden.

[PFT Commenter]

7 seconds. Tried to throw it ahead. Deflected.

[Hank]

Stolen by connect.

[Brad Underwood]

Connecticut, two seconds.

[Hank]

It's Mullins up top for the win.

[PFT Commenter]

Oh, he hit it with 3/10 of a second to go off the bench. That should be a technical.

[Hank]

Connecticut has the lead.

[PFT Commenter]

Here's. Here's the. Here's the really bad part about this. Malachi Smith was in the game. Oh, no, he was. He was doubly wrong when he goes.

[Big Cat]

He made it.

[PFT Commenter]

Oh.

[Big Cat]

Oh, that is. That is.

[PFT Commenter]

Oh, but this is technical.

[Big Cat]

That's porn.

[PFT Commenter]

Imagine the refs calling a technical there.

[Big Cat]

Oh, my God. That is so good.

[PFT Commenter]

Oh, I think there would actually be. I think. I think it be, like, January 6th would be. It would be a dust up. In the words. Jack Del Rio would be a dust.

[Big Cat]

Yeah.

[PFT Commenter]

Compared to what would happen if. If that was. I mean. Oh. Incredible. All right, Hank. Sorry. Good job on Soggy Soros.

[Hank]

Thanks.

[Big Cat]

Yeah. You paid up.

[PFT Commenter]

Yeah, you did. Besides anything else?

[Big Cat]

Besides, I was waiting for you to answer from Big Cat. If there's anything else. But I can continue my thought.

[Hank]

You continue.

[Big Cat]

Okay. Besides Duke losing in historic fashion today, was there anything else that you wanted to get to.

[Hank]

No. Let's continue on.

[PFT Commenter]

We're gonna try.

[Big Cat]

Because I feel like if we just did all Duke stuff, you get upset about that.

[Hank]

What do you mean?

[Big Cat]

If we just, like, went. We could probably go on for another hour.

[PFT Commenter]

I have. I could do my 72 hour fast right now.

[Big Cat]

Yeah, we could. We could keep this going, but go ahead.

[Hank]

I'm not. I don't want to stop you guys.

[PFT Commenter]

No, no, please, please.

[Hank]

Do your thing.

[PFT Commenter]

No, no, please.

[Big Cat]

I mean, the fact that John Shire, when it happened, he had to look like he knew that he up.

[PFT Commenter]

Oh, yeah.

[Big Cat]

Like, that's one of those things. It's like. Yep. I really. That up. I.

[PFT Commenter]

The time.

[Big Cat]

I can't. I can't hide. There's nowhere for me to hide right now.

[PFT Commenter]

Coaching matters.

[Big Cat]

Oh, I feel like Coach K, He's. He has to report to Coach K's office, like, immediately after this. Right.

[PFT Commenter]

And credit, by the way, to Danny Hurley not calling a timeout. I was yelling that in the cave. I was like, call a timeout. The minute they stole the ball because there's about five seconds left. Thought they'd get a good play. Turns out they got a great play because Braylon Mullins can shoot from the moon.

[Big Cat]

Get a really good look at it.

[PFT Commenter]

You got a great look at it.

[Big Cat]

I. I feel like. Yeah. The look on Char's face is like, he. He knows he has to go to coach's office.

[PFT Commenter]

Yep.

[Big Cat]

Sit down in the chair. He'll have some cigarettes put out on his arm.

[PFT Commenter]

Oh, why didn't you.

[Big Cat]

I've been a bad. I've been a bad boy.

[PFT Commenter]

Oh, you made the shot. Oh, he made the shot. Oh, damn.

[Big Cat]

Yeah.

[Hank]

Oh.

[Big Cat]

And then. Oh, the Duke fans, like, blinking really fast right behind Coach Shire, like, trying to see, like, I didn't actually see that, did I?

[PFT Commenter]

I hate it for these guys.

[Big Cat]

I must have miss saw.

[PFT Commenter]

I hate it for these guys. You just hate. You hate seeing Duke fans down this bad.

[Hank]

Oh, no.

[PFT Commenter]

Oh, man. Technical. Gotta call technical. Okay, we'll keep. We'll continue. DraftKings. DraftKings sportsbook, number one sportsbook for live betting, is built for March. The tournament is unexpected rewards. Kind of like what we. That was the most unexpected thing possible.

[Big Cat]

It's brilliant.

[PFT Commenter]

Yeah. Rewards are guaranteed. DraftKings Sports, who's delivering the most generous rewards in the market, no matter what happens on the court? Because this isn't a tournament you bet and forget. It's one you react to. With DraftKings, number one sportsbook for live betting, you're not betting what might happen. You're betting what's happening. Possession by possession, play by play, Live lines, props. Next play outcomes. As the chaos unfolds, the bracket will break. So don't just watch the unexpected. Bet it. New to DraftKings. Bet just $5. Get 200 in bonus bets instantly. Download the DraftKings sportsbook app now. Use code TAKE. That's code TAKE to turn five bucks into 200 in bonus bets instantly. In partnership with DraftKings. The crown is yours. Gambling problem. Call 1-800- GAMBLER or 1-800-MY-STET. New York, call 870 or text HOPE and why Connecticut? Call 888-789-7777 or visit ccpg.org on behalf of Boot Hill Casino in Kansas. Wager tax, pass through. May apply in Illinois, 21 and over in most states. Void in Ontario, restrictions apply. Bonus bets expire seven days after issuance. For additional terms of responsible gaming resources, see sportsbook.draftkings.com promos, limited time offer. Okay, rest of the final four, we'll go backwards in chronological order. Michigan, absolutely trucked. Tennessee. They were just so much better. You, you. The game started in Tennessee. To their credit, they were fighting their balls off. They get a bunch of rebounds. They're not making shots because Tennessee doesn't really make shots. They're get a bunch of rebounds. They're keeping it close. And then it was kind of the theme of what we'll talk about with the Arizona Purdue game, where it's like, oh, we're better. Or even the Illinois Iowa game, oh, the better team can just keep outlasting the inferior opponent. And that's what happened. Michigan, that was. It was not a competitive game. For the last 30 minutes of gameplay,

[Big Cat]

it looked like Tennessee was not even. They didn't have an interest in slowing the ball up. Yeah, it was just getting fast. Break down their dicks the whole time. It was. It felt like the game was going to be close in the first, like seven minutes, eight minutes. And then Michigan, I. They just decided we're like, we're bigger and faster now. It'd be easy to dunk on Rick Barnes in this situation.

[PFT Commenter]

I'm. I'm not going to.

[Big Cat]

It'd be easy to. I'm not going to either because I actually think that Rick Barnes is. He's proven that he's a great, great coach.

[PFT Commenter]

Well, and also this is a situation where Tennessee volunteers over achieve this year. Getting to the Elite Eight. Michigan has been, if not the best, one of the two or three best probably goes Duke, Michigan, Duke, Arizona, Michigan, one of the three best teams all year. So to lose to them is kind of to be expected. And in a perspective way, this was his third straight Elite Eight. I know they haven't been to a Final Four Tennessee as a, as a program in history, but they only made four lead eights in school history before Rick Barnes showed up. And he's gone to three straight. Yeah, so.

[Big Cat]

So I think Rick Barnes. Rick Barnes. I'm not going to dunk on him for the Final Four things.

[PFT Commenter]

And they killed. And they killed Iowa State on Friday night.

[Big Cat]

Yeah. And this Tennessee team, if you were to look at the last three teams that they've had, I think this one's decidedly the worst.

[PFT Commenter]

Yeah.

[Big Cat]

Of the last three teams, they were tough ones. The one that you could say, like, they should have gone to the Final Four. The Dalton Connect year. They probably should have gone to the Final Four that year.

[PFT Commenter]

Yeah.

[Big Cat]

Last year it's not as bad. This year, not as bad. I think Rick Barnes, he's. I think he's actually. He's gotten to the point where he's a very underrated coach in college basketball.

[PFT Commenter]

Yeah, absolutely. And, and listen, we've learned throughout this tournament, like, look at, look at a game like Duke Yukon that we just watched. You know, like, this tournament's hard, like

[Big Cat]

getting to the elite age to be celebrated. Any head coach.

[PFT Commenter]

Right. This tournament is hard to win. Weird shit happens. But yeah, Michigan looks like an absolute wagon. It's. They have been one, like I said, one of the best. I mean, I think the Michigan since Thanksgiving, it was when they beat Gonzaga by 40, that from that moment on it's been. Michigan has been Final Four bust and now they're in the Final Four and Dusty May has gone to the Final Four with two teams in the last four, two different teams in the last four years. Pretty damn impressive. We're they, they threw out that trivia. It was like two old guys and then Roy Williams and Cal. Pretty good company.

[Big Cat]

Yeah. Yeah. Dusty May's a great coach.

[PFT Commenter]

Yeah.

[Big Cat]

I, I wonder if he was close to taking the UNC job or not or if this is like a final destination.

[PFT Commenter]

He had to say no, right?

[Big Cat]

He had to say no. And also like if any other big jobs open up, I feel like he's a guy that you'd call. Yeah.

[PFT Commenter]

And the Axel Lindenberg was incredible today. I, I, I don't understand. He does do this thing where he like did you see that after the Bama game where he was like I can't believe they put a freshman on me. One, yeah, some teams have to play freshmen also.

[Big Cat]

Some freshmen are the best players in college basketball.

[PFT Commenter]

Right. And two, like you actually you're, you're like 24 years old, dude. Like you're going to have someone younger than you are.

[Big Cat]

It's actually not that much of a flex to be like a 23 year old playing college basketball. And he'd be like I can't believe they put this freshman. It's actually the reverse of think that you're saying at that point he's a great player.

[PFT Commenter]

It was just very funny moment where I was like, yeah, every, pretty much everyone you're going to play against is going to be younger than you.

[Big Cat]

Yeah. In fact I would say like I would get more offended if they put like most seniors against him. Yeah. Are probably not the best players on the other team.

[PFT Commenter]

And now we get Michigan, Arizona. So Saturday night Arizona beats Purdue. Kind of similar to a little bit more extended for Purdue than Tennessee. But Purdue played a perfect first half up 7 I think in the first half at halftime. And then Arizona just realized hey we're Arizona. Let's put our fucking head down and go to the rack and we will win this game. And that's what they did. They just, they're too big. They're too big and, and they, they look like an absolutely unstoppable team right now. They've lost two times this entire year. That was one time I think it was Fog Allen on a Monday night which everyone's going to lose there. Literally everyone loses on Monday night. Big Monday. And the other time I want to say maybe co op was there, it was back to back games. It was overtime game against Texas Tech. So they, they have lost a game by four points and a game by three points. That's Their entire season, they played in probably the toughest conference in the Big 12. And they just. Absolutely, they're, they've just been better than everyone, seemingly all year.

[Big Cat]

Yeah. If you look at the teams that have the best losses, I would actually put Michigan ahead of them because they lost to Wisconsin, who's dynamic. And Michigan also lost to the best team in the country, Duke.

[PFT Commenter]

Yeah. Wisconsin was 3 and 1 against Big Ten, final four teams.

[Big Cat]

So I would say, I would say, not that I've been tracking. Michigan might have better loss than Arizona, but they're close. Arizona just, they, they decided that they were just going to dominate the inside co opied here. There's a big difference between watching co opied dominate to me and watching Boozer dominate. Cameron Boozer dominate and Copied seems more dynamic. And that's what I was trying to say the other week is like, Cameron Boozer is a great. He's a very good college basketball player. A great college basketball player. I feel like co opied the way that he plays as a big man, he's way more fun to watch.

[PFT Commenter]

Yeah.

[Big Cat]

And when he turns it on, it does seem exciting.

[PFT Commenter]

And Karchenkov was incredible. Just kind of took it like, they didn't even have like buries and Bradley weren't. They weren't. Those guys are so, so good. And it, they weren't playing a plus games. But again, it was just. They're, they're so much bigger and they just take it to everyone and dominate and that's what they did. They just took Purdue's will away.

[Big Cat]

Burns did have a great, great hustle play, though. Yeah. Like a coach, he did a coach's wet dream where they were up by like 15, right. And he dives across the court to try to steal loose ball.

[PFT Commenter]

Yeah.

[Big Cat]

Every coach in America was like, yes.

[PFT Commenter]

But you know what, you know what? Arizona and not to. I know we're, we're a football show first, so I don't want to only talk about football, but Arizona does remind me of a team that has a run game where they can lean on you. That's what they're, that's what their post game is where it's, it's a, it's just a battle against the clock for the, like, the other team knows that they might get a nice start, they might play well for a little bit, but eventually they're going to lean on you and they're going to get those touches at the rim and they're going to get their own rebounds. I feel like copied did that multiple times. Where he got his own rebound and put it in and rebounds. Yeah. And it's just going to slowly take your will away. And that's what happened to Purdue and Purdue. Incredible career. People will think that I'm going to shit on Purdue. I'm actually not because literally all my attentions to Duke and what a game that was by UConn and Brilliant Mullins hitting that three, which I still cannot believe went in Purdue though. I'm ready for those guys to go because they, it's like I've watched enough basketball for them. But incredible career, Braden Smith, Fletcher Lawyer, tkr. Incredible career, Purdue.

[Big Cat]

The only reason why Purdue was in it early was because Braden Smith, everything that he was shooting was falling.

[PFT Commenter]

Yeah.

[Big Cat]

In the first half. And Fletcher. Laurie didn't have a great first half and you couldn't count on.

[PFT Commenter]

And Oscar Clough was awesome in the

[Big Cat]

first half because Bryn is, is not the kind of guy that's going to make five, six threes a game.

[PFT Commenter]

Right.

[Big Cat]

But he got. I think he made three out of his first four.

[PFT Commenter]

Yes.

[Big Cat]

First five. He was really good in the first half and they kept him in there. And then you're like, okay, well Fletcher's got to step up at some point. Wasn't able to. And then they just got bodied.

[PFT Commenter]

That was kind of this Purdue team in, you know, their entire run, their four year run is they kind of went as Fletcher Lawyer. Like when he's hot, they, they look unstoppable. But yeah, Braden Smith started. I think he was 3 for 4 and then he finished 1 for 11 after that.

[Big Cat]

So.

[PFT Commenter]

But yeah, I mean, Matt Painter's a very good coach. The. I bet you. Do you think there's a small part of Matt Painter that's like, hey, I can actually get some new guys now? Because that's a long time. I mean you, you don't have three guys stay and play that many games in this, in this era of college basketball, like it doesn't happen.

[Big Cat]

Can. Can one of them like stick around, try to get a doctorate maybe? Is that possible? Yeah. Covid year.

[PFT Commenter]

Yeah. I don't know.

[Big Cat]

They're both, they're both gone.

[PFT Commenter]

But yeah, I think they had an incredible career. It's like this is, this is probably the, the glory days of Purdue basketball have been the last five years.

[Big Cat]

I think. I think Matt Painter's probably. Yeah, he's ready for, for a new challenge. Just a new something. Yeah. Yeah. Get a try. A new position every now and again.

[PFT Commenter]

Yeah. BR and Braden Smith. Have you guys seen his tattoo?

[Big Cat]

I don't think I have.

[PFT Commenter]

Have you ever seen his tattoo? It's crazy. He's got, like, a. Like, neon green. It actually looks like he got the tattoo of the Cincinnati Bengals. End zone. Like the end zone wall.

[Big Cat]

Yeah, he.

[PFT Commenter]

So he wears a sleeve on his tattoo.

[Big Cat]

I.

[PFT Commenter]

It's. It's a crazy tattoo.

[Big Cat]

I'm just seeing, like, a front angle of this right now.

[PFT Commenter]

Cool. Yeah, it is. It pops. Pull it up, Max.

[Big Cat]

Do we know what it is?

[PFT Commenter]

Don't use. Don't use X. Just use Google. Braden Smith bamboo. Doesn't it look like the Cincinnati. Like the jungle?

[Big Cat]

It looks a little bit like bamboo. Yeah, yeah, yeah.

[PFT Commenter]

It's. It's. But it's. There's one where it's like.

[Big Cat]

It's.

[PFT Commenter]

It's a vibrant green that he's got there.

[Big Cat]

Yeah.

[PFT Commenter]

Yeah. So now he gets to let it fly. I think he was maybe. I think he was maybe covering up because. Produced kind of like the Yankees, you know? I think he was covering it up.

[Big Cat]

They don't win.

[PFT Commenter]

Yeah. And also they don't like tattoos and mustaches.

[Big Cat]

Oh, yeah.

[PFT Commenter]

So I think maybe he can let it fly in. In wherever he goes next.

[Big Cat]

This tattoo, and I don't know the history behind it, it. It looks like a tattoo that might have been done to cover up another tattoo. Possible. It's so bright and so full and so filled in.

[PFT Commenter]

By the way, shout out Tommy Lloyd getting over the hump. Because that was. It's similar to, like, the Rick Barnes discussion. You have a very good coach in. Tommy Lloyd can't get to. To the Final Four. The. The fact that Arizona hadn't been to a Final Four in his, like, what, it was 25 years or something like that. Insane. With some of the talent they've had, and he finally does get them there. Kind of a weird quote where afterwards he said, the sun may be shining on this team and me coaching it right now. When it's shining on you, you have to fight like hell to protect it and build it. That's what I feel like. My number one responsibility is for those who came before me and for those who are going to follow after me. Arizona is going to have another good coach after me, I promise you. The place special.

[Big Cat]

What? That's very strange.

[PFT Commenter]

I also think Tommy Lloyd should be. Tommy Lloyd's face looks like it should be in Family Guy.

[Big Cat]

He's fighting like hell.

[PFT Commenter]

Cheeks are drawn.

[Big Cat]

He's fighting like hell to protect the fact that the sun is shining on him.

[PFT Commenter]

Yeah. And. But he said for. For those who are going to follow after me. Arizona is going to have another good coach after me. I promise you. H. Okay. Okay.

[Big Cat]

That's a. Yeah. It's a strange way to put it. I. I think in theory it's nice. It's like. It sounds to me like something that he heard another coach say at one point and he's like, this is what good coaches say when they win. So now I'm gonna say that thing that I remember. Yeah. And I don't really know what it means, but.

[Max]

Yeah.

[Big Cat]

But I'm gonna do it.

[PFT Commenter]

Credit to Tommy Lloyd, though, because that's. That's a big accomplishment. The other big accomplishment, the last game, which we're gonna have Brad Underwood on. Another great coach who finally gets over the hump to a final four Illinois. This game actually very similar to. It was basically all three of these games were similar in that the better team ended up winning and it just took different time. Like Michigan, it took 10 minutes for them to be, hey, we're the better team. Purdue, it took a ha. Or sorry. Arizona, took a half. Illinois, it took 30 minutes. And. And then finally they were just the better team. And you could feel it like their length and their matchup problems, they're just so good. I don't know how you guard them because they have. Sojakovic and Waggler can go one on one and then if. If you try to double, they'll just pass it to someone who can shoot the other itch. Yeah. And they just. And they get their rebounds and they're tough. And credit to Iowa for hanging around as long as they did because they were shooting the lights out in the first half. But Illinois was the better team. And Brad Underwood is a really, really, really good, underrated coach. Yeah. We.

[Big Cat]

We should talk also about the horn delay in that game, the 11 minute horn delay, which I'd never seen. Apparently this horn has had an issue at one point before, so it's a problematic horn. I. I read that when they were trying to determine what to do as they were fixing the horn, that it was actually the Iowa coach that said that he wanted to go out there and keep playing. And I was hoping that it was going to be Illinois. So we're talking to Brad Underwood today. I was hoping he wanted to keep playing as well. That would have been the funniest thing ever if they had both agreed to play during the horn delay because at some point it felt like it was never getting turned off.

[PFT Commenter]

Right, Right. Yeah. And we're gonna have a lot more on that game with. With Brad Underwood. The last thing I had about it was, if you're an Iowa fan, Iowa's got to be the. The happiest fan base that lost in Elite Eight, Right. Because that's a. That's a team that did not have a ton of talent, and Ben McCollum got him so far. Bennett Sterz played all 160 minutes of the 160 minutes available to Iowa in the tournament, he never came off the floor. And they pushed it to the absolute limit. And you just have to think that Ben McCollum will. Will have a more talented team. No offense to those guys, but like, a more talented team going forward. And he's proved like, there's nothing. The first year for Ben McCollum could not have been more of a success given, Given the. The roster they had. So you. If you're an Iowa basketball fan, you have to be over the moon with what the future holds.

[Big Cat]

You're pumped. You're pumped about this year. In the moment, you're like, we. We might not bless you. We might not ever get back.

[PFT Commenter]

Yeah.

[Big Cat]

But after the, after that kind of wears off, then you have to take a big picture and you say, yeah, this is awesome. Hopefully we'll. We'll get better and, and we're gonna have fun basketball seasons for the next foreseeable future. But in the moment, they were pissed off. Yeah. Like, because when you're this close and you're that kind of program, like Iowa, you really. You really think that the luck's gonna keep going.

[PFT Commenter]

Yeah. The. I'd say the. The fan bases that are. Are ranking them 1 through 4, dealing with this, the best is probably Iowa 1. Tennessee, because you just never were in it.

[Big Cat]

Yeah.

[PFT Commenter]

Purdue and then Duke 4. Because again, how does that Braylon Mullens shot go in?

[Big Cat]

How?

[PFT Commenter]

There's just no way.

[Big Cat]

And also until defense.

[PFT Commenter]

Yeah.

[Big Cat]

There's just no way until the judge rules, then you haven't actually lost yet.

[PFT Commenter]

Right, Right. That was the typical foul.

[Big Cat]

They're handling it okay.

[PFT Commenter]

Incredible, though. I feel like Sweet 16, Elite 8.

[Big Cat]

Like, who's the happiest of the group? Of the losers? No, no. Of the winners, who's the happiest of the winning fan?

[PFT Commenter]

I would say you come because how does that shot go in?

[Big Cat]

Yeah, impossible. Like, this is not lost. I game, not a year that they had planned on going to the Final Four. Yeah.

[PFT Commenter]

But it is an awesome Final Four because you have UConn, who's won two out of last three, and Danny Hurley. You know, they're going for a Dynasty. If they win this one, you have Michigan, who's looked like the best team all year. Arizona getting over that hump. Finally getting back to a Final Four in Illinois. Same thing. Like basketball, frenzied fan bases. Finally getting back to a Final Four after being not there for 20 plus years. It's an awesome Final Four.

[Big Cat]

It is good.

[PFT Commenter]

And no Duke, which there will be Duke fans there because Duke fans do buy their tickets, like, to the Final Four well in advance.

[Big Cat]

They haven't had a time there, so

[PFT Commenter]

I'm sure there will be some Duke fans, but they.

[Big Cat]

You know what? If you're a Duke fan, wear your jersey loud and proud around Indy.

[PFT Commenter]

There's just no way that shocked.

[Big Cat]

You should be happy. This is. This is a good season. All in all, like we said with. With coach Rick Barnes, you should be proud that you got to another Elite Eight. Yeah. Hang a banner.

[PFT Commenter]

Hang a banner.

[Big Cat]

What's up, Max?

[Max]

I'm just saying he should put his hands up.

[PFT Commenter]

Hands up. Or. Or Boozer should just held on to the ball. Right.

[Max]

Or you just put your hands up.

[Big Cat]

Or Shire could have done this with both of his hands.

[PFT Commenter]

Put his hands together like this and it's a timeout.

[Max]

Shire told him to pass it. He told him if you. If you watch his reaction, he said, pass it forward.

[Big Cat]

Pass it forward. Well, he could have just gone like this.

[PFT Commenter]

They did. If that pass goes, that's a game over. There's no one over there. All five guys on UConn were on that half of the court.

[Max]

Yeah, but

[Big Cat]

got it. Got tipped. Max, as a Nova fan, were you rooting for Duke?

[Max]

No.

[Big Cat]

Okay.

[Max]

Oh, wait. No biggie. I was rooting for the Beast. I misunderstood the question for a second, but we're back.

[Big Cat]

I just didn't know if the rivalry runs that deep.

[Max]

I. Some. Some Nova fans are very anti Yukon. Anti Danny Hurley. I'm a fan of the Big East. I want the Big east to do well. I like to see. I like that the Big east is represented in the Final Four.

[Big Cat]

Well, you just shook your head, Hank.

[PFT Commenter]

Whatever.

[Big Cat]

No, your thoughts say it's a podcast.

[PFT Commenter]

It's coming from a sports fan. What are your thoughts?

[Hank]

You, the Big east fans, and the Big Ten fans that do that are an absolute joke and just lose your human beings being like, oh, I'm happy for my conference.

[PFT Commenter]

All right.

[Max]

I don't care.

[PFT Commenter]

Yeah, I don't care. That's.

[Max]

That's the way I think, dude.

[PFT Commenter]

Can I. Can I give you.

[Max]

Yeah.

[PFT Commenter]

A stat real quick, Hank.

[Hank]

But, like, if you guys

[PFT Commenter]

if you

[Hank]

guys were in a lead a team on the other side and lost, like, would you still be rooting for UConn?

[Max]

What. What is us. Wait, what?

[PFT Commenter]

Huh?

[Big Cat]

I think he's saying, if. If Villanova.

[Max]

Yeah.

[Big Cat]

Was an elite eight team and they lost earlier today, would you still be rooting for UConn to win, or would you want UConn to be.

[Max]

I wouldn't really. If Villanova lost, I'm. You want to know the real answer? Villanova lost in that early game. I would not have been watching that second game.

[Hank]

But would you be like, I'm still happy for Yukon.

[Max]

I wouldn't care because he'd be too mad. The only thing that would have all outcomes would have made me mad.

[Big Cat]

Yeah. Max would have been angry.

[PFT Commenter]

I'm not rooting for the Big Ten. I just cherry pick when the stats go in my favor. Like, for example, the SEC finished 0 and 6 versus the Big Ten in the tournament and the college football football playoffs this year combined.

[Hank]

So you haven't changed your Twitter name to Big Cat with.

[PFT Commenter]

Oh, yeah, I've done that. But again, that's usually when I need to do it early in the bowl season and we're like, we win the ReliaQuest bowl and I got the biggest. My muscles. The Big east is. I'm not rooting for Michigan to win Illinois. Like, I got I. Michigan. I do not want to win Illinois. I'd be fine with. Because we get our futures back.

[Big Cat]

Yeah, that'd be great.

[PFT Commenter]

And I like Brad Underwood. I'm. I've always been a Brad Underwood.

[Big Cat]

I'm rooting for my. My pocketbook is rooting for Illinois. And then after that, I'd be happy with Dan Hurley.

[PFT Commenter]

So basically, my. My conference allegiance is essentially whenever the stats back up that I can dunk on someone, I will. But I'm not actually sitting there being like, go, Michigan. Does that make sense?

[Max]

Yes.

[PFT Commenter]

Me, the biggest thing. The biggie. Different times.

[Brad Underwood]

Right.

[PFT Commenter]

The stats back me up.

[Big Cat]

Also.

[PFT Commenter]

Also, Hank. I'm doing this.

[Big Cat]

Hank doesn't understand jokes. It's okay.

[PFT Commenter]

As a troll, you should know that I. I don't think.

[Hank]

Oh, there's been times when you're dead serious as a.

[PFT Commenter]

When I change. When I change my Twitter account and I talk about being 5. 0 in bowl games when the SEC hasn't even played in a bowl game yet. You think that's serious? Yeah.

[Hank]

Okay.

[PFT Commenter]

You know that it's usually when the SEC hasn't even played yet.

[Hank]

I'm sorry. I guess I. I take it too seriously.

[PFT Commenter]

Okay.

[Hank]

What are you saying, big boy?

[Max]

I don't know why. Why you're coming at me.

[Hank]

Because you went.

[Max]

That's because I get angry sometimes.

[PFT Commenter]

That's Italian. That's the Big East.

[Big Cat]

That's a good impression.

[Max]

Yeah.

[Big Cat]

Hey, can you do your max impression one more time? Yukon.

[Max]

That's not. That wasn't even what I said. I didn't even say Yukon. I said Big East.

[Hank]

Sorry.

[PFT Commenter]

Oh, I'm excited for. I'm excited for the Final four. It's gonna be a great final Four. Should we do who's back? You know what? Let's save. Let's save Tigers. Talk to after Brad Underwood.

[Big Cat]

So. Yeah, so we can protect them.

[PFT Commenter]

Yeah, we'll protect anyone who doesn't want to know what happened to Tiger. You can just skip the end of the show. Shout out our guy Riggs. Thank you for being on the front line and making sure that no one found out about Tiger.

[Big Cat]

It did slip through. I saw a couple. I saw a couple websites report about it.

[PFT Commenter]

Yeah, but if you only get your news from barstool sports, you would not have known what happened to Tiger on Friday. Okay, who's Back of the Week is brought to you by our friends at Twisted Tea. We love twisted tea. Twisty is refreshing, hard iced tea made with real brewed tea and 5% alcohol. Twisty is the perfect drink to keep the good times going all day and all season long. Whether you're hanging out at a friend's house, catching a game at the stadium or at the bar or day drinking with friends, twisted tea is there to turn your day up a notch, make a good time a great time. Grab a refreshing twisted tea. Today. We were drinking twisted tea out in Arizona.

[Big Cat]

Yeah.

[PFT Commenter]

Great time on spring break, Zach. I saw you were in the pool having a twisted tea. I wasn't pool on twisty. It's so good. By the pool side. Yes. Yes. Twisted tea. Get the. The original just hits every time. So grab a refreshing twisted tea today. Henry. Who's back of the week?

[Hank]

Yeah, my. Who's back of the week is abs.

[PFT Commenter]

Yes.

[Big Cat]

Oh, you took mine.

[PFT Commenter]

Hate it. Oh, but that was bad take.

[Big Cat]

Bad. Yeah, Bad take.

[PFT Commenter]

Bad take.

[Big Cat]

CB Buckner had, like, the perfect night for an umpire with ABs. Did you see that?

[PFT Commenter]

Are you talking about the Reds Red Sox game?

[Big Cat]

Yeah.

[PFT Commenter]

That was so electric.

[Big Cat]

Yeah.

[PFT Commenter]

Back to back calls.

[Big Cat]

Getting it. The.

[PFT Commenter]

The. The batter getting it. Right.

[Big Cat]

Yeah. So CB Buckner was the umpire.

[Hank]

Why do they even have umpires?

[Big Cat]

That. That game he had.

[Hank]

Why do they have umpires?

[Big Cat]

He had six of Eight calls overturned. It was incredible. It was a magical moment.

[Hank]

Why would you ever want to be an umpire?

[Big Cat]

Well, this.

[Brad Underwood]

What.

[Hank]

What is it?

[Big Cat]

This is.

[Max]

This is every sport you have challenges

[Big Cat]

and this is the thing. Hank is. But not like we are going to look back on, on behind the plate. Umpires being expected to call balls and strikes. Like it was the stupidest thing ever. Like we ever thought that would be a good idea. You give it five years, 10 years, we're going to look back and say, I can't believe we actually hired human beings and expected them to get this right. And just getting to watch it live back to back pitches like a batter fighting for his own life and getting two calls reversed. It was incredible.

[PFT Commenter]

And we also had. Did you guys see Randy Rosarena? He had a walk off. He had a ABS walk off walk. Not, not to end the game, but he.

[Hank]

Strike three. Just kept going.

[PFT Commenter]

Strike three. Kept going. Took off all his. Tapped his head, didn't stop. Like striding. And then the ump had to just stand there and just get faced. Yeah, just like. Yeah.

[Hank]

I feel bad for the umpire.

[PFT Commenter]

It's also the, the biggest thing that I've taken away from abs. Holy. This is stating. Very obvious. Holy. Do these guys have incredible eyes. Like to be. Watch this, watch this. Randy Rosarena, look at him. He doesn't stop, but it's like, you know, it's like a quarter of an inch and he got it right. It's nuts. I think it's electric.

[Big Cat]

It's also very funny watching batters get it wrong.

[PFT Commenter]

Yeah.

[Big Cat]

And then their teammates being like this guy, look at that.

[PFT Commenter]

So close. And he confidently walked to first base.

[Big Cat]

Yeah.

[PFT Commenter]

So, yeah. I think ABS is awesome. You don't like it? Is it because it happened?

[Hank]

I just don't. I just don't understand why you even have umpires in the first place if you're going to do the ABS thing.

[PFT Commenter]

But that's every review.

[Hank]

But there's going to be so many more in baseball.

[Big Cat]

Yeah, I mean, I mean it's.

[PFT Commenter]

Isn't it Cap.

[Max]

Yeah, it's capped.

[Big Cat]

It's the same thing.

[Max]

It's the same thing as other sports.

[Big Cat]

It's cap. So the only thing I don't like about it, at least at. At Cubs games, the, like, how many challenges do you have left is up in right field. And it also coincides with the sign that's like, how many mound visits do you have? It's a giant billboard for those like two stats that they have up there. So you know exactly how Many you have, and then you. You get it back. If you get it right, you get two per game.

[Max]

If you get them. If you got them both right, you get to keep going.

[Big Cat]

Yeah.

[Max]

Same as many other sports.

[Hank]

Okay. I'm not a fan.

[PFT Commenter]

That's fair. That's part partner take at a game.

[Big Cat]

It'll be good, though.

[PFT Commenter]

You.

[Big Cat]

I think you'd like it at a game because it. It adds another play. Like, everybody in the stadium turns to the board, and they all watch together and then react to it.

[Max]

And it's also way different than other sports because so many other sports, you can look like you can look at the monitor or have someone in. In your ear watching the replay before you challenge it in. Abs, you have to do it. Like, the catcher or the hitter has to do it right on the spot.

[PFT Commenter]

These guys are doing. Yeah. Yeah.

[Max]

Which makes it. Which makes it way better.

[PFT Commenter]

Like, it wouldn't work in, like, basketball. Like, if John shire had hit ABs after brilliant Mullins hit that shot, we'd all watch it again and be like, that went it. Right.

[Big Cat]

Does that make more sense when you think about it that way?

[PFT Commenter]

No. Okay. I thought that would help.

[Hank]

Why would he do that?

[PFT Commenter]

I don't know. Because he's like, hey, no way did that go in.

[Big Cat]

So you'd challenge it to be like. And then you'd watch it again on replay like we did.

[PFT Commenter]

Yeah.

[Big Cat]

And be like, oh, it went in.

[PFT Commenter]

We did watch it on replay four times in the cave.

[Big Cat]

I would re. Watch that entire game.

[PFT Commenter]

I'm going to tonight.

[Big Cat]

Yeah, I think I will, too.

[PFT Commenter]

Absolutely. I'm gonna fall asleep to it.

[Big Cat]

I think I will, too.

[Brad Underwood]

Good.

[PFT Commenter]

Who's back, Hank?

[Hank]

Thanks, Dan.

[Big Cat]

It's a great who's back. So my who's back was also going to be ABs. I. I went to the first five innings of the Cubs Nationals game today, and the ABs was fun. But I'll tell you what the Nationals are. They might be a fun team this year. They're now 2 and 1. I know I said that they would suck. And the odds are still that they're going to have a very long, tough season just based on who they have on the active roster right now. But this guy, Joey Wiemer, he's a kind of a reclamation guy. I think he was an early pick by the Brewers a couple years ago that just didn't hang on for whatever reason. He has now started the season off. His OPS through three games is 3.33. 3 3. His OPS.

[PFT Commenter]

Damn.

[Big Cat]

So he has. Every time he's been to the plate. He's either walked or gotten a hit. I think he's got two or three home runs and a triple. It's the best start to a season in years by any player in Major League Baseball. This guy's electric. I. I had no idea who he was until I went to the ballpark today. And he's. He's a great player. So the Nats might be. I guess my who's back is the Washington Nationals might not be as terrible as I thought that they might be.

[PFT Commenter]

There you go. So, I mean, the first week of Major League Baseball is prime for. You have to overreact to whatever you see.

[Big Cat]

I'm going to overreact a little bit, but I still think they're not going to be very good. But. But it's good having young players that are playing well. Definitely. So that's like in a season like this, that's all you root for. You root for your young guys to do well, and then you root for your young guys that are still. They got designated, like Dylan Cruz to. To play good enough. Where we feel comfortable bringing back up again this year. That's all I got. That's all. It's a sad state of affairs, but still a fun day at the park.

[PFT Commenter]

Okay, my. Who's back of the week is first, the 49ers substation, because John lynch came out and said that they hired an independent scientist to look into it.

[Big Cat]

I would love to know more about the independent scientist. Yeah.

[PFT Commenter]

And John Lynch's quote was, we did hire an independent scientist. He basically said it was a big nothing burger. We're safe. We're in a safe place to work. That sounds like something the substation would say.

[Big Cat]

Yeah.

[PFT Commenter]

Hey, don't worry, guys. It's a nothing burger.

[Big Cat]

Is the independent. The independent scientist could very well be Nick Bosa. Yeah. He's dabbled in that before.

[PFT Commenter]

Although I feel like his findings would be opposite.

[Big Cat]

Yeah, but he wants his brother to come there. Yeah, well, his mom, Mrs. Bosa, wants both her sons playing in San Fran this year.

[PFT Commenter]

Yeah, but that was. I feel like we're not gonna. This isn't the end of the story.

[Big Cat]

I don't think so either.

[PFT Commenter]

Especially the fact that he said that nothing.

[Big Cat]

Nothing burger.

[PFT Commenter]

Like, is that a scientifical.

[Big Cat]

No.

[PFT Commenter]

Is that something that they can actually say, like, hey, we've. We've deduced everything here. We figured it out. We calculated it came back nothing burger.

[Big Cat]

If it was a real scientist, I think it would have said it's.

[PFT Commenter]

Yeah, it's crocky.

[Big Cat]

Nothing burger doesn't sound real to me.

[PFT Commenter]

Nothing burger sounds delicious actually.

[Big Cat]

Yeah.

[PFT Commenter]

Yeah. My other who's back is.

[Big Cat]

It's a burger without bun. That's the kind that you don't get fat eating.

[PFT Commenter]

Is your fast starting? Yeah.

[Big Cat]

The nothing burger.

[PFT Commenter]

Let me see.

[Big Cat]

We should make that a. A menu item.

[PFT Commenter]

Four hours and 26 minutes into it.

[Big Cat]

Part of my cheese.

[Hank]

Have your app, phone, alarm, stopwatch going.

[PFT Commenter]

Oh yeah, the stopwatch is going 4 hours and 26 minutes into it. What are you shaking your head memes? Your phone is gonna die so quickly. Why? You're just leaving it running non stop? Yeah, well, it's the fast dude. I'm tracking my fast.

[Hank]

What? There's so many other ways you could do that.

[PFT Commenter]

I see.

[Hank]

What time did it start?

[PFT Commenter]

Four o'. Clock.

[Hank]

So why can't you just look at the time?

[PFT Commenter]

I don't know. This kind of looks cool. And then I know I'm not going to get even close to 72 hours. So I'll take a screenshot when I'm probably 13 hours in and be like broke my fast somewhere around breakfast tomorrow. It's going to probably be over.

[Max]

I'm upset with pft.

[PFT Commenter]

Why?

[Max]

I thought you like jmu.

[Big Cat]

What?

[Max]

I do like Jamie prime prime time to do who's back on jmu.

[Big Cat]

Oh, you're talking about Chase the louder.

[Max]

Yeah. In his first three games.

[Big Cat]

Yeah. He's a Cleveland guardian. Yeah. Great, great start to the season.

[Max]

You've used JMU for much less than that.

[Big Cat]

I'd also like to fact check one thing that Hank brought up about regarding jmu.

[Hank]

This is a crazy deflection.

[PFT Commenter]

Last when in doubt.

[Hank]

Deflect as well.

[Big Cat]

Last week when. When you brought up the. Jamie, how was the score of that rugby game you brought up?

[PFT Commenter]

Oh, this is the deflection. Yeah, it was like three weeks ago.

[Big Cat]

It was our. Our freshman team against the varsity that was also stocked with a bunch of Pacific Islanders that they just flew over to join the team.

[Hank]

Maybe if you cared about Jamie Ruby, you know that in real time.

[Big Cat]

I did go home and make a sympathy donation after I. I heard that fake news from Henry Lockwood. But yeah, no Max, right? Chase a lot. He's an awesome, awesome player for. For Cleveland. Yes. I bet on him in the playoffs when they called him when he was in the starting lineup in the. The playoff miniseries against Detroit.

[Max]

Second player in MLB history in his first three games.

[Big Cat]

The wild card says a miniseries. Yeah. Wild card is a

[PFT Commenter]

little tiny series.

[Big Cat]

Yeah. Little cute little baby series.

[PFT Commenter]

Yeah. Oh, by the way, Good.

[Big Cat]

Who's back? Max.

[PFT Commenter]

Because I don't want to get criticized by Max. The badgers are in the frozen four, so. Yeah, we're trying to be a hot.

[Big Cat]

I'm surprised you didn't bring that up, Big cat.

[PFT Commenter]

Yeah, I don't know. You.

[Max]

You did.

[PFT Commenter]

You did.

[Max]

Baseball fear. Who's back. I thought you were gonna sneak that one in. I. I mean I've been. I'm not. Ebo's been. Ebo's been tweeting about it more.

[Hank]

Ebo cares much about the Orioles.

[PFT Commenter]

Yeah.

[Big Cat]

Yeah, he does. I'll be honest. Ibo does care more about Jamie than I do. I care about him a lot.

[Hank]

Everyone cares more about Jamie.

[Big Cat]

What does that mean?

[PFT Commenter]

Hey, I think I care more about

[Hank]

Jamie than you do. I brought him up on the show as a who's back more recently than you.

[Big Cat]

That is true. That's a fact. No, but Evo cares about it more than everyone.

[Max]

Damn. So we've had two who JMU who's backs on this show by me and Hank in the past three weeks.

[Big Cat]

I'll show you. I'll show you.

[PFT Commenter]

Oh no. You guys.

[Big Cat]

You know what that's been. That's been a long time criticism. Part of my take is that PFT doesn't bring up JMU enough. So. So I'm listening now. I'm listening to those that say that

[PFT Commenter]

cold blooded by Hank hitting him with that.

[Big Cat]

He's also a liar.

[Hank]

Those Max.

[PFT Commenter]

Well, no, but that saying everyone cares about Jamie more than you. That's just a fact. My other who's back is teams naming their starting QBs randomly right now. So Deshaun Watson is. It wasn't named but reports that he's in the pole position to be the Browns week one starter. And then Geno Smith. Geno Smith because Aaron Glenn said bonafide and competent starter. No doubt about it. He's our guy. Those years in Seattle, man, he was up for MVP early in the the season.

[Big Cat]

We did. Now Gino is right. We did talk about Gino or Aaron Glenn's.

[PFT Commenter]

Right.

[Big Cat]

We did talk about Gino possibly getting more MVP votes than Russell Wilson.

[PFT Commenter]

Yeah. After those starts memes, that's good. Bona fide. Yeah. I think the key word in that is competent. Yeah. After a year Justin Fields, he was like we have a starter. NFL starter. Yeah. And that's fine.

[Big Cat]

Yeah, it's fine.

[PFT Commenter]

It's fine. It's fine. It's fine. It's fine. And then also QB's. What do you guys. Cale Williams, Iceman, the whole back and forth. I got no problem. George Gervin. Respect to him.

[Big Cat]

Yeah.

[PFT Commenter]

Different sport 60 years ago. Maybe not 60.

[Big Cat]

Yeah. I. I don't.

[PFT Commenter]

My.

[Big Cat]

I don't really care.

[PFT Commenter]

Yeah.

[Big Cat]

I'll be honest. I don't. I don't really care. It's a cool enough skip.

[PFT Commenter]

Made it like a big deal.

[Big Cat]

Yeah. Skipped it. I. I don't really care. The Iceman to me is Val Kilmer. Always will be.

[PFT Commenter]

Yeah. Where was George Gervin when Chuck Liddell was doing his thing?

[Big Cat]

That's a good point, too.

[PFT Commenter]

Like what? That. That should have been where.

[Big Cat]

I still think Mr. Ice, I think. Or Mr. Ice, I think the Bosa brothers have a legitimate claim to that nickname, too.

[PFT Commenter]

Yeah. Mr. Ice got yelled at at the grocery store today. Did you see that? Someone went up to him, was like, how could you? I saw his shirt saying Ice.

[Big Cat]

No, I didn't see it.

[PFT Commenter]

He was like, no, I just root for gold.

[Big Cat]

Yeah.

[PFT Commenter]

All right.

[Big Cat]

Zach rebrand to Mr.

[PFT Commenter]

Goals. Zach. My. Who's back at the week. This week is going to be Faze Vegas because they walked away with the second call. Dude. Second major of the year. They got the win.

[Big Cat]

How'd the Bush do in the challengers?

[PFT Commenter]

Major two. They placed top eight.

[Big Cat]

Oh, how many teams?

[PFT Commenter]

It's quite a few. I think it's like more than 64.

[Big Cat]

Oh, that's good.

[PFT Commenter]

In the madness.

[Big Cat]

Oh, so they won. How many games did they win this weekend?

[PFT Commenter]

I think you have to win if you pull the full bracket. I think it's like one, two. First game by. Yeah. So they. They won their first game. If first round. They got a buy. Won the first game, Won another game. Won another game, won one more game, lost. Oh, I thought they lost earlier than that. Double elimination. Ah, so then they lost after that. Faze Vegas.

[Big Cat]

So the quite an upside I think

[PFT Commenter]

was supposed to be a lock.

[Big Cat]

So it sounds like overall, though, pretty good weekend for them.

[PFT Commenter]

Any car crashes? Definitely. Maybe an automobile accident.

[Big Cat]

I believe we're going to do the tiger thing later, though.

[PFT Commenter]

Yeah. Yeah.

[Max]

Whoa.

[PFT Commenter]

Don't. We already said it was a safe space for anyone who didn't want to hear about it. Okay. Anything else? Any other who's good job? Well, actually, no. You know what? I don't care about Faze Vegas.

[Big Cat]

No offense.

[PFT Commenter]

That's fair. No worries. We can pivot. I'm a Bush guy.

[Big Cat]

We can pivot. Who owns Faze Vegas?

[PFT Commenter]

That would be a faze esports. What would be your backup? Who's back? Backup. I mean, yellow 420 bomb. Yeah, he's hot. You know, might be fast tracking the derby. That's a good backup. Oh, we forgot to say Arizona. LeBron is back because Bryce Maximus is on the roster.

[Big Cat]

First Final Four in the James family.

[PFT Commenter]

Yeah. And that was also like they hadn't been to the Final Four in how many years and he broke the curse.

[Big Cat]

Yeah.

[PFT Commenter]

Do you think he. He's got to get in there. Oh, he got up on the. Oh, that's great. Shout out to Bryce James. Man. Co op bradenberries. Bryce James. Thank you for being clutch. Great. That's gotta be. If he wasn't LeBron's son, he would be having the best time ever right now. Well, he's probably still having the best time ever.

[Big Cat]

Yeah.

[PFT Commenter]

But being on a Final four team and not having to do anything is gotta be awesome.

[Big Cat]

Is. Do you think LeBron's going to go to any of the games he's got to.

[Hank]

No, he's red shirting. It's not like he's even.

[Big Cat]

Yeah, like.

[PFT Commenter]

But still. Listen, some.

[Big Cat]

Some teams have Bill Murray rooting for him.

[PFT Commenter]

Yeah.

[Big Cat]

Arizona should have LeBron James.

[PFT Commenter]

He's got. You don't think he's going to be

[Big Cat]

there, but we're in just a big. The biggest button you've ever seen with his son's face on it.

[Hank]

They're probably games.

[PFT Commenter]

Lakers are off both days. Okay. I mean, you gotta go.

[Big Cat]

Yeah.

[PFT Commenter]

I'll say this right now. If my son ever is red shirting on a Final four team, I'll be there. Yeah, probably because I have to do a live show with. With Dave and Rico. But I'll still be.

[Big Cat]

But imagine explaining to your hypothetical son like, if you get to a final Four, I'm not gonna go either. Just like LeBron James. Imagine the example that would set for America. Yeah.

[PFT Commenter]

Oh, he's out there. He's dunking. He was dunking a little bit in the pre game.

[Big Cat]

That's a technical.

[PFT Commenter]

He was hanging on the rim a little bit. Okay, let's get to our interview. Brad Underwood before we do that.

[Big Cat]

Pft.

[PFT Commenter]

You have a couple ads before we

[Big Cat]

get to Brad Underwood. He's brought to you by American home shield. From breathtaking buzzer beaters to jaw dropping upsets, tournament season is full of ups and downs. But don't let unexpected appliance and home system breakdowns add to the emotional roller coaster. Seriously, nothing kills the vibe faster than watching your bracket implode or having your AC unit do the same. Thank goodness American home shield steps in like the ultimate bench player for covered home system. And Appliance issues, things like your ac, plumbing, electrical, refrigerator, they're all bound to break down without a home warranty. You'd have to go one on one with those expensive repairs. Luckily, you can team up with American Home Shield. Get a home warranty that can help protect even your oldest appliances and home home systems. American Home Shield will repair the covered item. If they can't repair it, they'll request it. Homeowners insurance is a good start, but it's not the whole game plan. An AHS home warranty helps cover things that insurance doesn't. Like breakdowns caused by normal wear and tear on the stuff that you count on every day. So while you're stressing about your bracket, don't stress about unexpected breakdowns. American Home Shield has your back. Plus, as a benefit to select plans, you can video chat with live repair experts. Help fix home hassles over the phone. American Home Shield. Don't worry. Be warranty. Get 20% [e-mail] pmt and see promo details. See ahs.com contracts for coverage details, including service fees, limitations and exclusions. Brad Underwood is also brought to you by our great friends at Jose Cuervo. When Cuervo enters, every moment just gets better. You find yourself in the center of the dance floor. You can't help but stand up and high five those around you at the game. The room reacts like it just got the same text at the same time. You stop checking the time. Suddenly small talk escalates to laughing so hard you can barely catch your breath. That's the Cuervo effect, a signal everybody understands a moment that anyone can join and a good time that just grows. All you have to do is keep it Cuervo. And now, here's coach Brad Underwood.

[PFT Commenter]

Okay, we now welcome on a very, very, very, very special guest. It is Illinois head basketball coach Brad Underwood, who just cemented his first trip to the Final Four. Coach, first of all, thank you for joining us. Second, congrats. Incredible night. I'm sure you're still feeling a little of the high of, of punching your ticket. Congrats. How are you feeling today, day after of, of going to your first Final Four?

[Brad Underwood]

No, it's, it's hard to put it in words. You're, you know, you're almost a little punch drunk with, with the excitement and exhilaration and then the fact that you just don't get any sleep. And, you know, I, I tried to go to bed about 1:30 and, and just couldn't shut it down. And then we had an early morning, flying back and, you know, so that part of it's kicking in and, and then you've got a little bit of a lull here as we're watching, you know, trying to figure out who our next opponent is. And gosh darn, it's. It's an incredible feeling and just a tremendous amount of pride and joy and, and excited.

[Big Cat]

Yeah. Yeah. Do you have. Is that the net behind you? The net that you just cut down?

[Brad Underwood]

That is. Yeah, that's. That's. They got. I don't know, we got one of them back there. So. Yeah, I, it slept in my room last night.

[PFT Commenter]

I love it.

[Big Cat]

I love that. Yeah, I, I would, I wouldn't let that thing go when you were cutting it down. It did feel like some of the guys on the team did not understand the concept of, of what happens when you cut a net down. Is that bad coaching? You didn't have him prepared for that?

[Brad Underwood]

No, that's one of the things that, that you, you, you have to let trickle down to the staff and, and the people below you. You know, we can't have all the responsibilities, you know, as a head coach.

[Big Cat]

Yeah.

[Brad Underwood]

And, yeah, the, the, the David Merkavich just tried to yank the whole thing down. He, he was oblivious to the fact that there was scissors and we needed to cut it down. But I'll take all the blame. It's my fault on the head coach.

[Big Cat]

Yeah, you did a bad job of delegating. You trusted the wrong people.

[Brad Underwood]

Yeah, my, my delegation theory. My delegation. That's one of the things that slipped my mind as we were, as we were, as we were all celebrating and hugging was I didn't get to the right people.

[Big Cat]

Yeah.

[PFT Commenter]

Yeah. It's, I mean, it's an awesome moment for you. It's an awesome moment for Illinois. First time back to the Final four in, you know, 20 plus years. For you specifically, though, your story is awesome. You, you coached in the lower levels for so long and grinded it out and, you know, juco and assistant coaching. I think it was 26 years before you got your first head coaching job. Was there ever a moment that you're like, hey, am I ever going to get a shot here? Because these are the stories we love. Not the flash in the pan guy, you know, whiz kid. It's the guys who, who put in the hours and they finally get to see that big moment which you saw last night.

[Brad Underwood]

You know, I, I always loved the job and, and, and, and coaching was. I worked with great people that allowed me to coach Allowed me to keep getting better at my, at my trade. The challenge became more on the financial end. Yeah, you're not making any money and, and, and so to speak. And it's hard and you're raising three kids and my wife was a third grade school teacher for 23 years and, and you know, you're just trying to figure out how to, how to do, you know, how to make life happen in the best possible way. And you know, it was hard to afford daycare. It was, and then I was never home. I was of no help. So that was the, the biggest challenge, the love for the job. It never crossed, really crossed my mind to go do anything else, but you know, it was, I've always been in the, the of the philosophy and my dad raised me this way. Good things happen to those who work hard. Just kind of keep your nose to the grindstone and, and, and everybody runs their race at a different pace and, and you know, I just kind of stuck to that. So I said here today, probably because of that advice.

[PFT Commenter]

Yeah, it's very cool. I love it. I love it.

[Big Cat]

Was there a moment this year where you, you felt that this team was special or is it something that that is just kind of recently occurred to you, like, yeah, this team has what it takes. Or I'm, I always think that maybe with a team that's this good, there's, there's usually a moment earlier in the season where you see something and you think to yourself, like, this team could be different.

[Brad Underwood]

We scrimmaged Florida and, and I, I, I knew right then I said, okay, we can be, we can be pretty good. Because I knew we had something then in Keaton that I didn't know before being a freshman, we were without Andre Stojakovic in that he was out seven weeks. And then Thomas Lava Vicich missed 16 days of practice with his tonsils out. And he was, he was not, he was just back for that. He'd been, he'd only practice like a day or two. We just played him sparingly and I knew we had a good team. I just, then we went through the trials and tribulations of a season with injuries and, and, and sickness and Kyle and Boswell breaking his hand and Andre Stojakovic, you know, with a high ankle sprain. And all of a sudden it's the middle of Big Ten playing. You're without those guys and those guys have been starting and we managed some good wins in the non league, but man, it's just all of a sudden, you know, you have to Deal with that. The hardest part of dealing with injury is their return. And then, you know, we struggled a little bit. You know, Boswell breaks his shooting hand, you know, and Stojakovic has a high ankle sprain. So, you know, the conditioning, you know, goes. Goes. Goes away quickly, you know, and it just took a little bit for us to figure out how to get. How to get right again. And fortunately, we have, so. But I always thought we had a chance to be pretty good.

[PFT Commenter]

I had a question about Keaton, because it's this. This season in college basketball has been a lot of talk about these unbelievable freshmen. And we knew about A.J. we knew about Boozer, you know, about, you know, ACU and Darren Peterson, all these guys. But Keaton was kind of. He was totally under the radar. And what he's been. Has been absolutely out of this world. Good. Was there a moment where you knew that he was going to be special? And you. You're like, okay, this is something that no one else saw, because it is crazy to see him just rocket up the draft boards and rocket up the conversation when he was a guy who was kind of overlooked coming out of high school.

[Brad Underwood]

Yeah. And, you know, I think what's crazy is, is the first time I saw him play, we'd already signed him, and it was a game he had two points in, and they were playing an elite prep school team that was loaded with.

[PFT Commenter]

With.

[Brad Underwood]

With talent. The night before, he'd had 36 or 38 in a game, and. And they trapped him. They just went and got the ball out of his hands, and he had two points in the game, but he never made the right. The wrong play. He always made the right play. He never forced it. He wasn't selfish. And. And I. I called. I called my son who recruited him, and I said, we've got to steal. I said, this. This kid's mature beyond his years. He's. He made all the right plays. He only had two points, and. And he never tried to do anything out of character. And that was. That's pretty special how. How it works when they get on campus. That's different. You know, it's hard to play in front of 16,000. Everything's new. Mom's not making you breakfast anymore. You've got new set of friends, new teammates, and. And he's just takes all that in stride. You know, to me, it's. It's. One of the great things about college sports is these stories, like, keep.

[PFT Commenter]

I agree. I agree. It's been. It's been awesome to watch, and it's like, you're. The way you guys play offense, it's so efficient. And I actually, I don't know if you know this, but I called you before the tournament, the most ethical hoops team in the entire tournament, because you guys. And this is probably a part you don't like, but you don't steal the ball a ton of, and you also don't foul a ton, so you just play straight up. That's ethical. A lot of teams are trying to steal, you know, stealing the ball. That's actually against, you know, the gentleman's code of game of basketball.

[Big Cat]

Dr. James Naismith.

[PFT Commenter]

Yeah.

[Big Cat]

Yeah.

[PFT Commenter]

He got an ethical way. You just play good hoops.

[Brad Underwood]

I've never looked at it that way, but you're right. I mean, you know, we're not trying to cheat anybody or steal anything.

[Big Cat]

Exactly.

[Brad Underwood]

We're just trying to put the ball in the basket and stop you from. From doing it.

[PFT Commenter]

When you have hands up on defense, put the ball in the basket on

[Big Cat]

offense, alter passes, don't take the ball. It's not yours. Yeah, let them have fun, too.

[PFT Commenter]

They got to get a turn. You get a turn. Yeah.

[Brad Underwood]

I've got to reshape the way I think after this conversation.

[Big Cat]

Yeah.

[Brad Underwood]

You guys. You guys have enlightened me to something in a pretty positive way.

[Big Cat]

I think it's pretty great that you guys are able to do it. There was also. There was a very funny moment in the game against Iowa, the. The horn delay. I want to know what your thought was regarding a horn delay.

[Brad Underwood]

You know, you.

[PFT Commenter]

You.

[Brad Underwood]

You learn to take almost anything that happens in stride, but I've never witnessed a horn delay. And. And then just especially to have. In an NBA arena.

[Big Cat]

Yeah.

[Brad Underwood]

You know, where there's so much, you know, there's so many games, there's so. There's so much going on there. And then it was. It was, you know, almost a little chuckle when they, you know, they had to go upstairs to some room that was unmanned. Nobody was. Nobody could get in, and there wasn't anybody. There wasn't anybody working, so they couldn't get the thing stopped. And. But yeah, it was. I don't know if it was good or bad. I. We were starting to play pretty good. I wasn't overly. Overly thrilled with the delay at that

[Big Cat]

time, but 11 minutes is a long time, too. That's. That's enough time to get cold. You got to get warmed up again. I. Did you try to play through the horn delay? I said it's kind of a soft mark against America. That we're not trying to play through a horn delay. Like Gen Z can't handle a little bit of noise in the background. Did you think about just saying, hey, let's just play basketball?

[Brad Underwood]

I, I, I, I would. I, I agree with you that, that there is a softness to, to the fact that we didn't play. I guess you could. We like to think we're pretty tough and.

[Big Cat]

Yeah.

[Brad Underwood]

And yet it was annoying as hell in there.

[Big Cat]

Yeah.

[PFT Commenter]

Yeah.

[Brad Underwood]

Because it was, I don't know how it came across on tv, but it was louder than it was. It was loud.

[Big Cat]

Yeah.

[Brad Underwood]

And yeah, it's like, it's like just having that you're, your seatbelt ding thing go off, you know, all the time, and it just wants to annoy you. So we probably all lost our minds if, if we tried to play through it.

[PFT Commenter]

Yeah, the, you mentioned toughness, and I think that's one piece of watching Illinois this year and what you guys have grown into because you've, you've said it before. I mean, I think it was against the Michigan game maybe a month and a half ago, where you're like, hey, we gotta get, we gotta get tougher on the boards. And then you beat Houston, which is the team known for toughness in Houston. When you were trying to get your team to a tougher spot, did you bring up the Pizza Hut parking lot? Were you, we, did you give him that speech? Is that an Evergreen speech?

[Brad Underwood]

Yeah, I wear that one out a lot. I used it at halftime last night.

[PFT Commenter]

Oh, really? What did you say?

[Brad Underwood]

Well, last night we, we, Iowa Punched us.

[PFT Commenter]

Yeah.

[Brad Underwood]

And I said, you know, I said, they, they, they bloodied us. And, you know, and in a fistfight. I'm not one of those guys that I, I don't want, I don't want my, guided my opponent to hit me first. He might knock me out.

[PFT Commenter]

Right.

[Brad Underwood]

But, but, you know, once you get hit and you, you taste a little blood, you got a choice, you know, you can either, you can either like it and, and get your butt kicked, or you can step up and fight back. And that's the mentality we had to have. We were, we only had three fouls the first half. We were passive. They punched us. We didn't necessarily counter punch. We leveled it off. But I thought the second half, our aggressiveness became, and our physicality picked back up where it, where it should have been to start the game. And that's, you know, that's a big part of these games is, is, is, is the energy and the, and the physicality of it.

[PFT Commenter]

Have you ever, have you ever brought in Pizza Hut? Being like, hey, this is going to be a, like, maybe setting a message also. How many fights did you get in at the Pizza Hut parking lot growing up?

[Brad Underwood]

More. More than I would like to. More than. I mean, I grew up in a small town. That's what we did on Friday night, you know, was you, you, you sit there and you, you drag Main street and, and, you know, you stop the stop lights and somebody's music's too loud. You didn't like the. What they're. What, what song they had on. You went to the Pizza Hut parking lot.

[PFT Commenter]

Maybe it's a hut.

[Brad Underwood]

And you know, you solved your problems and, you know, you woke up the next day with a swollen lip and, you know, mom and dad asked you what happened and said, went to the Pizza Hut, you know.

[Max]

Yeah.

[Brad Underwood]

And. But that's, that's how things got solved then. And it wasn't any big deal, you know, we were all, we were all friends Monday at school.

[PFT Commenter]

Yeah.

[Big Cat]

Mutual combat. They never called the cops. The Pizza Hut, they kind of allowed it. They were like.

[Brad Underwood]

No, it was, it set out, it set out kind of on the edge of town and had a nice big gravel, gravel parking lot behind it. And. Yeah, it was.

[PFT Commenter]

So that, that's actually on Pizza Hut. They were actually created a place that was perfect for fighting so they can't get upset.

[Brad Underwood]

The first time I mentioned it, we played Michigan State, and when we got home, their corporate office had sent about 75 pizzas to us when we got off the plane. So it was, it, were, it worked out great that night. Anyway.

[Big Cat]

Yeah, I, I had a question, actually. You mentioned some of your players earlier. Have you learned how to speak any other languages in recruiting or coaching some of these European guys that you have coming over?

[Brad Underwood]

No, all I try to learn are the curse words.

[Big Cat]

That's good. Yeah. So you've, you've learned some of those.

[Brad Underwood]

I, I, I, I, well, and then what happens is, like, even though they're from the Balkans, they, they all speak, you know, like, like, like the twins are from Croatia, you know, and then you've got, you've got Stojakovic, who grew up in Greece. So he speaks Greek, he speaks some Serbian. You know, you've got, you know, the, the Serbian guys speak Serbian, and, and so it's all a little bit different. So I, I haven't mastered any of them, but I can tell. And like Merkavich, you know, and he's just nuts anyway, but, you know, and he, and he Runs hot most of the time anyway, so. So he's usually the only one that I can tell when he's just being. Being filthy.

[PFT Commenter]

Yeah.

[Brad Underwood]

Yeah. You know, is. He's, he's pretty easy that way, but the rest of them kind of covered up.

[PFT Commenter]

Okay, quick break from Brad Underwood. Talked to you about Lucy. Lucy's the obvious choice for the true nicotine pouch connoisseurs. That's why they're the official nicotine pouch partner. Barstool sports. Every other pouch is the same. Lucy breakers are the only ones doing it differently. To give you the longest lasting flavor in pouches. Lucy pouches go up to 12mg strength and have a unique shape that feels great. Lucy's in stores nationwide now. Or get Lucy delivered to you ASAP. On apps like DoorDash and GoPuff. Lucy is the only pouch that delivers long lasting, on demand flavor. Find a store near you at Lucy Co stores or get it shipped with 20% off your first order at Lucy Co PMT using code PMT. Lucy products are only for adults of legal age and every customer is age verified. Warning, this product contains nicotine and nicotine is an addictive chemical. Okay, back to Brett Underwood. Are. Are you guys ready? Like the block is going to be hot in the Balkans this summer, it feels like, because between you guys in Arizona, you've shown that there's. There's some really good ballplayers there and guys who want to come and play college basketball. Are you, are you ready for that? Or is there maybe even another zag you don't want to tell us of another place that we don't know about?

[Brad Underwood]

No, it's, it's, it's, it's a special place, man. I, and I, I love going over there. I went over last summer and did a clinic and I mean the, I think others, other teams are going to follow what we do and are following it. You start to see a lot of international guys. Nil has helped all of that, but I love coaching them. It fits our university. We've got a diverse school and, and our guys love, be it, love being here. I, you know, they love the, the university and the program.

[PFT Commenter]

Yeah.

[Big Cat]

Yeah. Do you have a, a favorite like regional dish over there? I, I recently got exposed to Balkan cuisine and it's really good. There's some great meat over there.

[Brad Underwood]

It's. It's all meat.

[Big Cat]

Yeah.

[Brad Underwood]

I mean it's. And then it's, it's, it's. The thing that was really unusual was the, the coaches dinners the night of the clinic. So I, I found out what rocky. It was the little.

[Big Cat]

Yeah.

[Brad Underwood]

That's not a shot, by the way. That's something you have to sip or it'll, It'll. It'll take its toll on you.

[Big Cat]

Burns you pretty good.

[Brad Underwood]

Yes, but the, you know, it. I hadn't, I hadn't been around secondhand smoke in quite some time, and the, the, the amount of, the, the amount of, of smoke over our table after about a three and a half, four hour meal was, was, Was pretty mind numbing. The fact that, you know, in between courses, you know, there's, there's, there's. Everybody's firing up a heater.

[Big Cat]

Yeah. It might make the lungs better too. If you grow up in that environment, your, Your lungs have to learn how to fight for the oxygen.

[PFT Commenter]

Yeah.

[Big Cat]

It's clean Illinois air is, Is godsend to them once they get here. It's like training at altitude. Yeah.

[PFT Commenter]

I coach. I had a little. Not a bone to pick with you, but maybe something. I noticed that, that you could tell me if. If it's on your radar. The post game celebrations with the Super Soakers been very fun to watch. I think it's getting too dangerous. I think you got to be careful. Like, it's getting wet. We had. Who was on the, on top of the locker yesterday.

[Brad Underwood]

Yeah, that was Merkavich.

[PFT Commenter]

Yeah. Like, I don't want to be the Debbie Downer, but it's like, hey, you got a couple more games, you gotta, like, no one slipped. No one make a mistake here.

[Brad Underwood]

There was about 3 inches of water on that floor. And after, after the first night, they, they, they loaded those things up with ice cold water. I mean, it was frigid. It was like, it was like a cold plunge. At least this game they weren't so bad. But. Yeah, Merck, Merck's. I told you, he, he's, he's got a crazy side to him, but he was up there on top of the lockers. It took five guys to get him down.

[PFT Commenter]

Okay, so I might have been right that like, I was like, guys, we. Like an injury now in a Super Soaker battle would probably be the worst press you could potentially have going into a Final Four.

[Brad Underwood]

Yeah, good. Good point. Good point.

[PFT Commenter]

We just gotta maybe.

[Brad Underwood]

You know, and then, and then stay on the. At least stay on the ground.

[Big Cat]

Yes. Yeah, exactly. You got two more games here.

[PFT Commenter]

Yeah, you gotta, if you, if you guys win it all, you gotta come in with an actual fire hose. Like, bring a, bring a fire hose, get it, get it up to a Fire hydrant and come in and just blast everyone.

[Brad Underwood]

If I mention that to my strength coach, he will find one, I promise.

[Big Cat]

That's a strength coach. Yes, yes, yes.

[Brad Underwood]

There will be. There will be a fire hose and. And he'll. He'll help man it.

[PFT Commenter]

And.

[Brad Underwood]

And we'll just. We'll just. We'll just lift him off the ground with the pressure.

[Big Cat]

Yeah.

[PFT Commenter]

And I know you got two games to go, but I had to mention, because you were on Wake Up Barstool, I think, on Tuesday, and my guy Eddie mentioned the cocktagon at the Red Lion. Have you. Have you looked it up? Do you know what he was talking about now?

[Brad Underwood]

I have. I have. I have heard stories.

[Big Cat]

Yeah. It's a special place.

[Brad Underwood]

Yes. And the. It was a pretty impressive sight. If you haven't seen any of the pictures last night of Green street in Champagne.

[PFT Commenter]

Yep.

[Brad Underwood]

Yeah. They said six to seven thousand people letting it. Letting it. Letting it all go. Having fun down on Green Street. So I'm sure the lion and cams and every other establishment was. Was. Was pretty. Pretty fun last night.

[PFT Commenter]

Yeah, it looked like an awesome, awesome time.

[Big Cat]

Yeah. Do. Do you know what this week's gonna look like for you? Have you talked to anybody else? Do you even. Do you. Do you reach out for. For, you know, experience from somebody else?

[Brad Underwood]

Yeah.

[Big Cat]

That might give you an idea of what you have to look forward to this week. Are you just going straight into it?

[Brad Underwood]

No, I've. Izzo and I talked. I've talked to a couple other coaches that have been. And, you know, they're all very consistent with one thing. Get your tickets done before you leave town. Make sure your hotels are good, because he said once you get there, it's just. You're pulled in a million different directions.

[PFT Commenter]

So.

[Brad Underwood]

And, you know, I think it's. It's. It's all about managing your. Your team and your roster. We're. Knock on wood. We're pretty healthy, you know, right now physically. So, you know, we'll have a couple good days of practice. We'll manage the rest. We've got to be in there Wednesday night, and good thing for us it's short. Short little bus ride.

[PFT Commenter]

Yeah. Yeah. There should be a lot of Illinois fans going to Indianapolis this weekend.

[Brad Underwood]

We had. We had thousands at the airport today, and it's crazy to think that, you know, we had. We had so many in Houston. I would think orange and. Orange and blue will be a pretty popular color in downtown Indianapolis.

[PFT Commenter]

Yeah.

[Big Cat]

Yep.

[PFT Commenter]

Absolutely. I had a question. Maybe a basketball question that's A little me. You can. You, you obviously know basketball so well, but the one thing I love about your team is, is the passing. And you guys are, you know, you're able to play five out and you also just are constantly making good passes where it becomes so hard to defend because you got guys who can take you one on one. And then the minute you try to help the pass is there, what, what is that process instilling that in everyone or is that something that like, you know, that's how they play ball in the Balkans. And it's actually easier when you bring in guys like that who are. Play a little more unselfish.

[Brad Underwood]

We recruit to it. Yeah, I am, I am absolutely fascinated. It's one of my, the things I love the most about a player and his ability is his ability to pass. To me, there's a mental IQ piece to that. And you know, guards who, and anybody really who can deliver a pass on the right time in the right spot, those are really hard to find. And you know, we're in a world today where everybody wants to ball screen and no one ball screens more than we do. But if you can't pass it and you're a second late, the athletes are so good, the size is so much that you'll negate an opportunity to score because you can't deliver. And that's the one thing we have, is guys who can pass it. Merck can really pass at Keaton. Colin Boswell is a very good passer. You know, Thomas Love is, is elite for a seven footer. So, yeah, I feel like we've got the ability to play through a lot of guys because they can only, not only shoot it, but they can, they can also pass it.

[Big Cat]

Yeah.

[PFT Commenter]

Yeah.

[Big Cat]

Is there such a thing as passing the ball too much?

[Brad Underwood]

Yeah, I think you could overpass. I don't think you want to turn down. The only, the only thing that I don't like is when, when, when it comes to overpassing, I don't want guys to turn down a shot that they make a lot of, to pass it to. You know, we always have good to great saying, you know, turn down a good shot to get a great shot. Yeah. But if you're a good shooter and that's your shot, I want you to shoot the basketball. I don't need you to pass it. And that's, that's, that's my definition of overpassing.

[Big Cat]

Yeah. I mean, a good shooter, taking a good shot is actually a great shot.

[Brad Underwood]

Absolutely right. And they have an opportunity to make it you know, and that's, that's, that's the, you know, I think that's one of the biggest keys to offense is putting guys in position to score where they're comfortable scoring and can and can do it at a fairly high percentage.

[PFT Commenter]

Yeah. By the way, I also have to give you credit because I think your sideline yelling and antics goes underrated. I think when you're in a conference with Mick Cronin and Tom Izzo and, you know, Danny Hurley exists out in the college basketball world, they get a lot of the shine. I think you're great on the sideline. I, I, there's, has there been a time when you thought you've gone too far? Cause I remember, I think it was a, the Jimmy V Classic against Texas a few years ago and you like fake passed out on the sideline. Do you remember that?

[Brad Underwood]

I, I've, I've only been thrown out of one game. I haven't officially passed out during a game.

[PFT Commenter]

Yeah.

[Brad Underwood]

But, you know, I would be lying if I said I didn't get my blood pressure up and get a little lightheaded sometime and have to sit down. But, yeah, I think that, you know, I think I've, I've mellowed a little bit over the years. The thing that probably, you know, officiating when it's inconsistent is, is, is one of the things that'll probably get me on the teetering a little bit, but I've even gotten better with that. But, but yeah, it's, you know, we're in a league that, you know, I'm pretty mild.

[PFT Commenter]

Yeah. Yeah, it is. And I love, I, I just love, I love any coach that's like fighting for their guys, you know, And I, I think it does matter. I think those things do add up where you will get.

[Brad Underwood]

Yes, it does.

[PFT Commenter]

Yeah.

[Brad Underwood]

Like, those guys, those guys know that.

[PFT Commenter]

Yeah. And there's the human element of it where it's not only the, the, the players seeing their coach ride for them, but also the refs are going to think in the back of their head, like, oh, I might owe him one. Like, those things play into a game. So credit to you, you play it well.

[Brad Underwood]

Well, it's the, it's a, you know, when you're going to, going up against Izzo or somebody like that, you can't let them get the upper hand.

[Big Cat]

Yeah, yeah, yeah.

[PFT Commenter]

You know, you're going to be in a fight.

[Big Cat]

I, I feel like if you're, if your strategy is be like, be the second craziest guy on the sidelines. That's a perfect spot to be in.

[Brad Underwood]

Absolutely correct.

[Big Cat]

Yeah. So you've said that this is your dream job. I imagine this would be a dream season at a dream job for you. Has it been everything that you've dreamt it to be?

[Brad Underwood]

Yeah, I've had fun this year and I, you know, I think any coach would tell you it's getting harder and harder to do that. We've got great guys and I mean fun to be around. We're ultra competitive. I think that's one of the things that I've had, I've had great appreciation for the, for the European guys is how competitive they are. That makes it fun. I, we, I can't count on one hand the number of bad practices we've had and this will be 103 tomorrow. And we just don't have them because they're competitive and, and yet they're very worldly. You know, you can sit here and talk to Thomas Lava Vicich about F1 racing and he'll tell you what the carburetors are and how they're changing. I mean it, it's just fun. They're different. You can talk soccer, you can talk to Greek islands with, you know, it's just, it's just different. And so there's never boredom and, and then they're, they're so close knit, you know, playing video games and they just hang out together all the time. So I've really enjoyed that and it's been, it's been a blast. It's kept me young, it's kept me, you know, vibrant, energetic and, and you know, even through the hard times, it's, it's, it's. I've never dreaded going to practice that day.

[Big Cat]

Have you gotten paid out to take a few shots for you?

[Brad Underwood]

I wouldn't want to embarrass our players.

[Big Cat]

Yeah, I'm sure he can still go like 90 from 100 unguarded.

[Brad Underwood]

When he, when he came in on a visit, I think he just walked in and I think he hit 13 straight in the corner. Yeah, not even, not even warming up. And I mean it's, it's, yeah, you're, you know, you're talking about maybe in that part of the world the Michael Jordan of, of, of the game of basketball. I mean he is, he's iconic, he's, he's got legendary status and, and you know, he's an NBA champion and, and you know, unfortunately probably ended his career a few years early because of an injury. But you're talking about one of the all Time. Great, great shooters. And he's been phenomenal. He stays away. He's let. He lets Andre be Andre, and, and he's not, you know, he's. He's very conscientious about not having him be, you know, hey, this is Paige's son.

[Big Cat]

Yeah.

[Brad Underwood]

You know, he's letting him find his own way.

[Big Cat]

Yeah. Yeah.

[PFT Commenter]

Well, Coach, this has been awesome. We're. We're big fans. I actually, I gotta say thank you because I. I am really bad with takes. I get everything wrong all the time, but one of my takes that I had when you were hired at Illinois, I was like, he's gonna be a great. He's gonna turn them around. And I was a big Brad Underwood fan from your year at Oklahoma State, so I want to say thank you for maybe one. It's like, like the score is still probably 570 to 2, but you're one of my two, so I appreciate that a lot.

[Brad Underwood]

I'm. I'm glad I'm on the right side of that. I appreciate that. And, and that that keeps me getting paid and, and, and employed, so. I'm glad it worked out.

[PFT Commenter]

Yeah. Yeah. All right, well, I have one last question for you. It's a robot question. R, H, O, B, A, C, K.com promo code. Take 20 off your first purchase. Q, zips, polos, hoodies, joggers, shorts. Roback.com promo code, take. The one thing we didn't mention, too, is that your son is on the coaching staff. How. How awesome is that to be able to share this with him? Also, has he ever mentioned the name Rico Bosco to you?

[Brad Underwood]

No.

[Big Cat]

Okay, okay, okay, that's fine.

[Brad Underwood]

That. That doesn't. Yeah. There's nothing better.

[Big Cat]

There's nothing. There's not knowing who Rico Bastard is.

[PFT Commenter]

That's. I wish we could. Yes, I agree with that. But. Yeah, about coaching with your son, there's nothing better.

[Brad Underwood]

Yeah. You're an absentee father. When you. When you take the journey I took, when you're an assistant coach, the one thing you have no control of is time. Somebody else manages your time. So I was never. I was never his coach. I never coached any of my kids at anything. And then, you know, you got to remember back in, in, in the olden days, the whole month of July used to be gone recruiting and, you know, so you took one of their summer months when they were out of school and you were just gone. And, you know, it. It was, it was. It was challenging. It's. It's. It's. I have some Regrets about the way that worked out, but, man, he's great. He's smart, he works at it. He's. He's way more intelligent than I am. And he's, you know, he's, he's done a great, great job with a. With, with what we've done on the offensive side, but to sit and give him a hug yesterday, knowing we're going to the Final Four probably means a lot more to me than it does him, but pretty special moment.

[Big Cat]

That's very cool. Does he respond to Coach Underwood? Yes, he does. Yeah.

[Brad Underwood]

And he's. He's really good at getting it. Taking an ass chewing.

[Big Cat]

That's good.

[Brad Underwood]

He's, he's, he's very good at keeping what happens in the office, in the office so that I don't have to deal with his mother because he is a mama's boy. And so we're, We're. We got a pretty good. We got a pretty good thing going right now.

[Big Cat]

That's good. No going outside the chain of command.

[PFT Commenter]

Yeah.

[Big Cat]

Yeah.

[Brad Underwood]

Yes. And. But he does know who truly is the boss. Right? It's not me.

[PFT Commenter]

Right. So he could go. He could go over your head at any moment and probably get you fired.

[Brad Underwood]

There's no doubt. There's. There's absolutely no doubt about that.

[Big Cat]

Oh, well, good luck. We're rooting for you.

[PFT Commenter]

Yeah, you got it. Listen, if it's Duke. I know.

[Brad Underwood]

We're.

[PFT Commenter]

We're taping this in the middle of the second half. If it's Duke, you have to do it for America. We're all gonna be. Everyone has to root for Illinois. You gotta take down Duke for America.

[Brad Underwood]

We're. We're. We're gonna show up and fight. I know that.

[PFT Commenter]

Okay. Thanks so much, coach. Really appreciate it.

[Brad Underwood]

Thanks. Appreciate you guys.

[Big Cat]

Brad Underwood was brought to you by our good friends over at State Farm. In basketball, the great players don't just go it alone. They have teammates, coaches, and a solid support system behind them. It's kind of like insurance, because, let's face it, a lot of us probably aren't great at doing that alone either. And that's where State Farm comes in. State Farm is a teammate that's always ready to assist, always ready to help find you the coverage that you need and help you recover from the unexpected, from fender benders to storm damage, even. Just a question about your policy, State Farm is there to help provide an assist when you need it through the State Farm mobile app, a network of 19,000 local agents, and online@state farm.com. so don't just go it alone. When you need help protecting what matters most state farmers there State Farm with the assist. Coverage options are selected by the customer. Availability and eligibility vary by state. Coach Underwood was also brought to you by Microsoft 365 copilot the world moves fast. Your weekday moves even faster. Pitching products, drafting reports, analyzing data. Microsoft 365 Copilot is your AI assistant for work built into Word, Excel, PowerPoint and other Microsoft 365 apps that you use, helping you quickly write, analyze, create and summarize so you can cut through the clutter and clear path to your best work work. Learn [e-mail] 365Copilot learn more Microsoft M365Copilot

[PFT Commenter]

okay, let's wrap up the show. Tiger Woods.

[Big Cat]

Well, real quick for viewers of the pod, yes, you've got a real treat. You've gotten Hank's tootsies on the show.

[PFT Commenter]

Yeah.

[Big Cat]

Hanks been barefoot since he got for free. So that's going to be an added bonus.

[PFT Commenter]

That's beautiful.

[Big Cat]

Hank Short tootsies.

[PFT Commenter]

You're welcome.

[Big Cat]

Tigers.

[PFT Commenter]

Tiger Woods.

[Big Cat]

Didn't want to interrupt.

[PFT Commenter]

Tiger woods got another car crash. Tiger woods, he's got a problem.

[Hank]

He crashed another car?

[PFT Commenter]

Yeah.

[Hank]

He didn't even get in a car.

[PFT Commenter]

Yeah. No, he just crashed his own car.

[Big Cat]

Well, no, he did, he hit like a landscaping trailer. So he did, I think he hit another car. Didn't really damage that much, but then his car, he flipped his car. Which he has a history of doing. Yes, Tiger. Now he, he blew a 0.0 on the breathalyzer, but then he refused the piss test. The officers arrested him for failing the field sobriety, said he was impaired. We can, we can connect dots and say it was likely that he was arrested for some sort of medication or pills that he was on. And it seems like this is just something that Tiger keeps doing. It's, and it's, it's ridiculous that he even drives himself to begin with.

[PFT Commenter]

Right.

[Big Cat]

Like the fact that he's done it so many times.

[PFT Commenter]

Well, it might be the only place he feels normal, where he gets.

[Big Cat]

Listen, sometimes you can say what you want, but sometimes dudes have to get away from it all and, and drunk driving is their happy place.

[PFT Commenter]

It's the crazy part to me. And it's like I think we all have this similar feelings. Like Tiger, the memories he's given us, the, the, the golf moments. All time athlete. I don't understand some of the Tiger fanboys that can't just like separate it at this point be like, hey, if he was doing this, if he was under the influence again, bad guy, like, bad guy. You're putting other people's lives at risk. It's okay to say that he, if he has a problem, I hope he gets better. But you could say bad guy like, and there's a lot of people out there arguing. Well, zero, zero. That doesn't mean shit if you're, if you can't, Hank, when you went to, when you got your teeth fixed, you had to get picked up because you're on medication. You can't drive. Like that's, that's where you become a bad guy. Like if you're, if you're high on pills or. And again, we don't know what it is. You are putting other people at risk and you're putting other lives at risk at a time when, you know, was it two o' clock in the afternoon on a Friday when schools are getting out. Bad guy.

[Big Cat]

I didn't consider that. But yeah. Worst guy for that. Also, if you're Tiger woods, it's so easy for you to afford a full time driver.

[PFT Commenter]

Yeah.

[Big Cat]

It's so easy to do that. And he doesn't. And the only difference between some people trying to defend Tiger right now and Tiger being an all time scumbag is that he got lucky and didn't hurt anybody.

[PFT Commenter]

He hasn't hurt anyone. Thank God.

[Big Cat]

But, but he will if he keeps doing this.

[PFT Commenter]

Correct.

[Big Cat]

And it's just by sheer luck that he hasn't yet. And if he does hurt somebody, it's going to be the biggest no moment ever.

[PFT Commenter]

Yep.

[Big Cat]

Why didn't somebody step in and take his keys away? And that should have happened a long time ago. Yeah. And I hope Tiger gets better. I, I love watching him play golf. I can't help but root for him when he's competing in these tournaments. Has nothing to do with what he's doing off the course, though. And he's all time. I'll say right now. Yeah. Big, big time scumbag.

[PFT Commenter]

Right. For it's okay to say that.

[Big Cat]

Like he could kill somebody. Forget. Like I wasn't even thinking about the fact that school was getting out.

[PFT Commenter]

Yeah.

[Big Cat]

And who's on the road at that time. But yeah. Big time, big time. Up. So somebody take his keys away.

[PFT Commenter]

Now, as it pertains to his invite to Max's bachelor party, does it stay?

[Big Cat]

Well, we can't, we can't retract.

[PFT Commenter]

You can't retract?

[Big Cat]

Yeah. Once the invite's been, it's already been sent yeah, we're not gonna take that back, right, Max?

[Max]

I. I'm. I am not in charge of this. This guest list.

[Big Cat]

No, no, that's been clear. We're not going to. We're not going to be guardian givers. Once we give something out, it stays out.

[Hank]

But then you become an enabler.

[PFT Commenter]

No drugs on Max's party.

[Big Cat]

No time. Well, for him.

[PFT Commenter]

Right. He can watch, can't he? Can't do.

[Big Cat]

Yeah.

[PFT Commenter]

Looks are free.

[Big Cat]

Yep.

[PFT Commenter]

Oh, man. It is a crazy thing that you just see this, and I don't think it's a lot of people. I think a lot of people have the ability to be like, hey, this is a bad situation. But, man, if it was the first time, I'd be, like, in. We were talking about it like, everyone has made mistakes. I'm a big second chance guy. Like, I think that everyone deserves second chance. You aren't. Your worst moment shouldn't define who you are. But he's 50, and this has seemingly happened multiple times. That's a problem that, like, it's. It's how you bounce back from your worst moment. And if you. You. You fix it, then it's like, hey, that's great.

[Big Cat]

That's. What's. That's. What's so concerning is that this doesn't seem like it's rock bottom for Tiger, because it's happened before.

[PFT Commenter]

Yeah.

[Big Cat]

And nothing's changed afterwards.

[PFT Commenter]

So, like, his girlfriend's pissed.

[Big Cat]

Good.

[PFT Commenter]

His girlfriend said that if she wants

[Big Cat]

somebody to talk it over with, she can come on. Part of my take it was.

[PFT Commenter]

What? What did she say? It's Vanessa Trump. How is she related to.

[Big Cat]

She used to be married to one of the two.

[PFT Commenter]

Got it.

[Big Cat]

Not Baron, but one of the two.

[PFT Commenter]

She called it a definite red flag. How could she have known that this could possibly happen?

[Big Cat]

I don't know.

[PFT Commenter]

Yeah, it's. You think he's gonna play in the Masters?

[Hank]

Hank, I don't.

[PFT Commenter]

Yeah.

[Big Cat]

What do you think about the Masters menu?

[PFT Commenter]

What do you mean?

[Big Cat]

Didn't Rory release his. His champions dinner menu?

[PFT Commenter]

Yeah.

[Big Cat]

Yeah. What'd you think about it?

[Hank]

Looks good.

[PFT Commenter]

I didn't see.

[Max]

Okay.

[Big Cat]

Yeah, I mean, I guess you're not the biggest Masters guy.

[Hank]

I'm confused.

[Big Cat]

I brought it up before you did. Oh, I thought that you would have brought it up before.

[Hank]

I'm a golf guy.

[PFT Commenter]

I don't food.

[Hank]

I'm not like, I care that much.

[Big Cat]

Yeah, a lot of people were talking about the menu. I thought that Scotty's was way better.

[Hank]

Cool.

[PFT Commenter]

What was on Roy's?

[Hank]

Good Question.

[Big Cat]

I feel like that's a normal thing to talk about. He had, like, a bunch of fish. He had a tiny filet. Oh. The desserts were nowhere near as, like, the. The warm skillet cookie that Scotty had. Scotty had the. The cowboy ribeye. Right. Like, Scotty had a great Champions dinner. Rory said that. I think the thing he was most excited about was use of the wine cellar.

[PFT Commenter]

How long do you think it's gonna take for them to look it up while we keep talking about it?

[Big Cat]

Yeah, they won't. I don't know why Hank is angry about me bringing that up. It feels like we talk about every year.

[Hank]

It was a gotcha thing. It was like, well, I. I. Here we go.

[PFT Commenter]

Menu.

[Big Cat]

I brought it up because we had talked about it, and then as I was bringing it up, I. I was doing the JMU thing to you that

[Hank]

I didn't do the JMU thing to you.

[Big Cat]

That's Max. Well, you contributed the jam.

[PFT Commenter]

All right. Peach and ricotta flatbread. Rock shrimp tempura.

[Big Cat]

Yes.

[Hank]

Yeah.

[PFT Commenter]

Bacon wrapped dates. Yes.

[Big Cat]

Yeah.

[PFT Commenter]

Better if they were scallops. Bacon wrap scallops. Grilled elk, sliders.

[Big Cat]

Trying too hard.

[PFT Commenter]

Just make it a burger.

[Big Cat]

Yeah.

[PFT Commenter]

Yellowfin tuna carpaccio. Okay. I take that. Wagyu filet mignon or seared salmon. I'll do the. I'll do the fillet sticky toffee pudding. It's not bad.

[Big Cat]

It's not bad, but it's not Scotty.

[PFT Commenter]

I think if he just did pepperoni pizza instead of the peach and ricotta flatbread, this would be a great menu.

[Big Cat]

Yeah. Also if you just got rid of the grilled elk and just did sliders.

[PFT Commenter]

Yeah, yeah.

[Big Cat]

Maybe some buffalo chicken or maybe some fried pickles.

[Brad Underwood]

Yeah, yeah.

[Big Cat]

Some freckles.

[PFT Commenter]

That would work, too. Oh, man. I'm watching a highlighted of

[Hank]

John Shire's face.

[PFT Commenter]

It's crazy.

[Hank]

Seven.

[Max]

What?

[PFT Commenter]

That's actually legal, what you just did.

[Big Cat]

I don't think that they let Tiger go to the Champions center because.

[PFT Commenter]

Because he's got to lay low for a while. He's got to fix this, and he's got to get. Yeah. I mean, there's a lot of people who probably have. I. I don't know how. Like, Tiger's so famous and he's. His whole life is just out there, so he's probably got a lot of things he's got to clean up. But the main thing is don't drive when you are.

[Big Cat]

Yeah.

[PFT Commenter]

Under the influence of anything. And again, we don't know if he was. But we're guessing maybe that it's hard to. Probably your car at 20 miles an hour.

[Big Cat]

Let's just say that for a third time.

[PFT Commenter]

Correct.

[Big Cat]

Now, I. I have a lot of sympathy for Tiger because. Yeah, his life has not always been the easiest when he was, like, hyper focused on golf from a young age. That doesn't mean that you get to drive when you're either drunk or high on pills, like, for your entire adult life. Yeah. In fact, I. It's taken. I think a lot of former Tiger fans are now turning against him because of this.

[PFT Commenter]

Not Rigs, though. No. On the front line.

[Big Cat]

And also, it is some guy's favorite hobby.

[PFT Commenter]

Yeah.

[Big Cat]

To drive like that. So we. I don't know that we can take that away from them.

[PFT Commenter]

All right, good show, boys. The Madness. Do we want to do anything else on Braylon Mullins?

[Big Cat]

Should we play it one more time? Just the audio. Can we put the audio on the

[PFT Commenter]

show one more time? One more time. Let me just see it.

[Big Cat]

We could. We could reenact it. Yeah. Okay. We should do. Let's do it on the court after we're done.

[PFT Commenter]

Oh, no, he hit it. Oh, that's a technical.

[Big Cat]

There was. Wait, was that.

[PFT Commenter]

Was that Malik Malachi? Yo. Oh, man. Hey, what was it like in the Cave, cuz? That is a tough moment because everyone hates Duke, so it's like everyone comes together.

[Hank]

It was a tough moment.

[PFT Commenter]

It was.

[Hank]

It was shocking. I was in state of shock.

[PFT Commenter]

What would you have said if that didn't go in? Would you have been like, all of you?

[Hank]

No, I just would have rubbed it in your face on the show.

[Big Cat]

Yeah, fair.

[PFT Commenter]

Fair. All right, numbers 3, 7, 7. Nineteen for the. The lead. Duke, blue 56.

[Big Cat]

Good.

[PFT Commenter]

Number 55. 19. I just said 19. Oh. 86. Go, Jacob, quick. 88. 88.

[Big Cat]

That's Jacob.

[PFT Commenter]

72. 72. You want to do one more? Yeah, same numbers.

[Max]

This one fully counts to me.

[PFT Commenter]

Yes, they all count. This one fully. They all count. Well, you haven't got any memes. You said it yourself. I'm gonna get it right now. 32.

[Max]

32, anyone? You. You pulled that. You pulled that out of the thing quick.

[PFT Commenter]

Like, it was good, huh?

[Max]

Well, it was. You made it seem like someone got it.

[Big Cat]

Yeah.

[PFT Commenter]

Oh, sorry.

[Big Cat]

Yeah, yeah. Do one more, maybe.

[PFT Commenter]

Oh, is that what I think this is? No, I'm gonna. I'm gonna pull it that fast now because it's hard to see for the single, so I'll pull it, give a little reveal.

[Max]

Yeah, we can't see it.

[PFT Commenter]

Yeah, but you can't really see it, so I'm gonna hold it up.

[Big Cat]

Can you give us a. A countdown?

[PFT Commenter]

What do you mean? You're just giving pft time to look up birthday? Not at all.

[Big Cat]

What I'm doing.

[PFT Commenter]

That's exactly what he's doing. That's exactly what he. To 73. 73.

[Big Cat]

Did somebody. Did we just guess anything? Anybody get 73?

[PFT Commenter]

Jacob had 72. He had 88.

[Big Cat]

He had 88.

[PFT Commenter]

88. 88.

[Big Cat]

He didn't have 73.

[Max]

So whose birthday is it?

[PFT Commenter]

Stalling. He's stalling.

[Max]

Wait.

[Big Cat]

Happy birthday to Gray Zable. Oh, yeah. There's got to be a better one we respect. Offensive lineman Gray's abel.

[PFT Commenter]

That's it.

[Big Cat]

March 30th.

[PFT Commenter]

Happy birthday, Pete Holmes.

[Big Cat]

Oh, don't do. Don't you do the voice meme. I hate that voice.

[PFT Commenter]

Celine Dion and Celine Dion.

[Big Cat]

Oh, Celine Dion. Shout out this Celine Dion.

[PFT Commenter]

Is she okay? No, the. The Stones disease or. She. She's becoming a rock.

[Big Cat]

She couldn't sing for a while after her husband left her, and then. Then she figured out how to sing. Oh, shout out to Van Gogh. Yeah.

[Max]

And Eric Clapton. You hate Eric Clapton.

[Big Cat]

Eric Clapton, Van Gogh. He would have loved this podcast. He can because he would have cut his ear off.

[PFT Commenter]

Yeah. Yeah. As soon as we did I show speed versus Trump, he would have cut his ear off.

[Big Cat]

Yep.

[PFT Commenter]

This. I'm out.

[Big Cat]

Oh, also, happy birthday to MC Hammer.

[Max]

Yeah, I'm just doing. Doing your job for you now, Tracy Chapman.

[PFT Commenter]

Fast car. Great song. Great song. Oh, Piers Morgan. Yeah, we're just doing.

[Big Cat]

No, not. We don't take. We're send the. Oh, Piers Morgan.

[PFT Commenter]

Oh, Piers Morgan.

[Max]

Pete Holmes.

[Big Cat]

All right, Good birthdays.

[Max]

Pft. Sergio Ramos.

[Big Cat]

Love you guys.

[PFT Commenter]

Oh, Anita. Anita.

[Max]

I was talking soccer.