
Loading summary
Big Cat
Hey, pardon my take listeners. You can find every episode on Apple podcasts, Spotify or YouTube Prime. Members can listen ad free on Amazon Music. Ariat started out 30 years ago by revolutionizing cowboy boots, making them as comfortable and easy to wear as athletic shoes. Now we apply that same innovation and performance know how to industry leading work boots and workwear. We develop and test both in the lab then out in the real world on real job sites with real workers. Bottom line, these are seriously comfortable work boots and workwear that do the job so you can do yours on today's part. In my take we have our good friend the face of college basketball, Johnny Fanta. It's about to be March, so we catch up with John Fanta, talk some teams that could make a deep run. What's going on with St. John's Duke SEC just being a powerhouse. Great time with John Fanta and stick around for a bonus dunk at the end on his on his little mini hoop in his office. We're going to talk whatever happened this weekend mostly Steve Smith. We have who's Back of the Week and we have a Monday reading for the people and it's all brought to you by our friends at DraftKings. Who's scoring big in the NBA this season? You are with the all new way to get in on the action. DraftKings Sportsbook an official sports betting partner of the NBA. DraftKings is the home of NBA player props, so you can get behind your favorite players any which way. From monster slams to dishing the rock to cleaning the glass, it's super easy for first timers to get started. Try betting on something simple like picking an NBA player Prop. Here's something special for first timers. New DraftKings customers bet $5 to get $150 in bonus bets instantly. Take it to the rack with DraftKings Sportsbook. Every point counts. Download the DraftKings Sportsbook app. Use code TAKE. That's code TAKE for new customers. Get $150 in bonus bets when you bet just five bucks only on DraftKings. The crown is yours.
PFT Commenter
Gambling problem.
Big Cat
Call 1-800-GAMBLER in New York.
PFT Commenter
Call 8778-HOPENY or text hopeny467-369 in Connecticut. Help is available for problem gambling.
Big Cat
Call 88878 or visit ccpg.org Please play responsibly on behalf of Boot Hill Casino and Resort in Kansas, 21 and over. Age and eligibility varies by jurisdiction. Boyd and Ontario. Bonus bets expire 168 hours after issuance. For additional terms and responsible gaming resources. See DKNG co audio. Okay, let's go. I love guys who like football. And guys who like football, they like me back, and I like them back. And even guys that don't like football, they try to avoid me because I'm.
PFT Commenter
Always trying to get them to like football, football, football.
Big Cat
Welcome to part of my take presented by DraftKings. Take it to the rack with DraftKings Sportsbook. Every point counts. Download the DraftKings Sportsbook app and use code TAKE. That's code TAKE for new customers. Get $150 in bonus bets when you bet just five bucks only on DraftKings. The crown is yours. Today is Monday, February 24th, and just when you think we don't have any sports to talk about, Steve Smith fucks some guy's wife.
Hank
Yeah.
Big Cat
So viewer discretion.
Hank
Not just Fox, he rearranges her iud.
Big Cat
Yeah. So viewer discretion. Advise if you're, if you're taking your kids to school right now. The biggest story from the they might.
Hank
Be Steve Smith kids.
Big Cat
They might be Steve Smith's kids. The biggest story of the weekend was Steve Smith, senior, recurring guest friend of the program. Would love to actually have him on to talk about it if he ever gets to a point where he can.
Hank
I'm guessing right now maybe having some harder conversations with family.
Big Cat
Might be a little bit busy right now. But yeah, the weekend. Just when you think, like, hey, there's not a lot going on. Yeah, great college basketball slate. Little hangover from the NHL all star game. We have a guy who in his, his, his at was Limb Limb Lamboni. So Lambeau Field and Lamb Lamborghini, I think decided to take to Twitter on Saturday morning and tagged ab, espn, tmz, the Panthers, Steve Smith, NFL, NFL Network, Ghost Golf Club. Taylor made golf and yeti coolers and said, my wife works for the Marching Ravens. She met Steve Smith senior at work. Steve Smith has been fucking my wife. I got receipts. I got a lot more, homie. Wow.
Hank
Now what was this guy's end game?
Big Cat
He, I, I went and I followed him right away. I don't know if he's deleted, if he's nuked his account since. I think it was, yeah, he did. So he did delete everything. I think he was just like, hey, I'm mad. I'm going to get divorced. I'm going to try to make this miserable for Steve Smith. But, yeah, it was, it was quite, quite a decision to essentially wake up on a Saturday morning in February and be like, hey, world, I got cucked By Steve Smith. Yeah, here's all the proof.
Hank
Attention world. And also Yeti coolers.
Big Cat
Yeah, so he did have a lot of proof. I'm gonna read some of the proof. It was quite something. Steve Smith definitely is gonna have to get a new cell phone number because he. Oh, yeah, this is. This is his Facebook post. It says, hi, I am Nicole Martinez, though I won't be a Martinez much longer. So he's writing under his wife's Facebook.
Hank
Yeah, this is fire. Yeah.
Big Cat
Yeah. You see, I've been cheating on my husband, and I've been doing so with the very famous Steve Smith senior picks attached for reference. I had him hidden under number three, but that's been fixed. My husband bought me a house. He stood by my side after I had been arrested twice for domestic violence. And this is how I repay him and our son. There's plenty of messages here, Steve. Crazy. The kind of revealing messages a celebrity will send. Baltimore Ravens. He tagged him. I am also. Or. Or I am also a member of your team band. I believe I violated some frat fraternization rules by hooking up with Steve at the training facility and then tagged espn, tmz, Carolina Panthers, Antonio Brown. Now, I. I do feel bad for the kid. This is sad in. In that respect, but, yeah, this guy deciding to take it. So would you like to hear some of the texts that Steve Smith sent? This.
Hank
I would very much like to hear some. The pictures are all time, too.
Big Cat
Yeah. So Steve said, see, now you're teasing me. Wow, you look stunning. About to go to work. I'm getting a little Chuck. And then autocorrected chunky. And then he said, take me deep down your throat like you. Kind of like you wanted to suck me off. She said, I did. I would have gagged on it, but I had to come home. He wrote back, you enjoy it. You like to feel it? She said, I like feeling it deep in my wet pussy. He replied, me, too.
Hank
Her way.
Big Cat
Yeah, that's.
Hank
Yeah.
Big Cat
Does Steve Smith have a pussy?
Hank
He might have a little oldie situation going on.
Big Cat
Front pouch. Letting you taste it, though, would be a turn on. I would have shot my nut all inside your pussy. This is so brutal. She replied, I love making you come. I enjoy it more when you come inside me. He replied, Noted.
Hank
Bookmark.
Big Cat
Noted. Noted. There is like. Hey, honey, can you. Can you make sure that you remember to, like, get this before you come home?
Hank
Yeah. Take the trash out tonight.
Big Cat
Hey, Steve Smith, can you make sure that you come inside of me when you come? Noted, Noted.
Hank
Emphasized, noted.
Big Cat
And then let's see. It keeps going on and on. Yeah. He said, It's 20 degrees. He sent a selfie.
Hank
That's nice.
Big Cat
Turn you over and get deep inside of you. She replied, you're so hot. Deep is an understatement. It felt like you were going to rearrange my iut. You were so deep. Lol.
Hank
That's a wild thing for. For somebody's wife to be posting to another guy.
Big Cat
Yeah, this is. This whole thing is crazy. Oh, whoa. This is. This one I hadn't seen yet. So she replied the. The connection was something I couldn't just walk away from. The passion is hard to forget. He said, I wasn't alone with it. She said, no, I was right there with you. Stadium full of people, and I only saw you again. He said, you had me wanting to explode Friday. But holding you was quiet. Quiet. All right with me. She said that spark lit fireworks. You were a gentleman. And that was part of the reason I came back. Wanted to give you a proper goodbye. So she was part of the Ravens band. And there's people then found clips of Steve Smith directing the Ravens band.
Hank
What now? What instrument did you play?
Big Cat
That's a huge question.
Hank
It's a big question I would like to know the answer to.
Big Cat
It's gotta be. It's. It really. Flute is really the only thing.
Hank
Flute would be solid. Drum, maybe. No, it can't be. Saxophone is sexy.
Big Cat
Saxophone is sexy. But yeah, if it's a tuba. If it's a drum, you got a problem.
Hank
Beat the dick like a drum. A chick.
Big Cat
Yeah. Here's Steve Smith. This is. I mean, Steve Smith has to be like, fuck, this could have happened. Like Masters weekend or.
Hank
Yeah.
Big Cat
This is the right conference championships.
Hank
The husband understands the sports calendar.
Big Cat
Yeah.
Hank
When he releases.
Big Cat
Yeah. He waited on this for the perfect timing. Yeah.
Hank
What does this tell us about Lamar Jackson as a leader? The fact that this type of fraternity organization is going on between the marching band and. And former athletes from the team. Now, I like that. That was his main point that he made at the end of the Facebook post. Like, I'm pretty sure that my wife getting her IUD flipped inside out by Steve Smith is technically a violation of the band's fraternization policy.
PFT Commenter
Yes.
Big Cat
Something you don't want to look into this.
Hank
You might want to be aware of Baltimore.
Big Cat
Yeah.
Shane
It's also like the Ravens aren't. When you think of Steve Smith, no one's thinking Ravens.
Big Cat
No. You think Panthers first. You do the little Ravens. There also was a clip that the Guy posted of him calling Steve Smith and being like, hey, you, my wife. And Steve Smith just said, I'm sorry, and then stayed online on. On the phone call for about a minute and a half. Guy not saying anything. Yeah, it was facing the music, so. Yeah. You want to play it? Play it. It's. It's. It's very. It's. I don't think this is our Saturday.
Hank
I don't think we're gonna get those hats, big cat.
Big Cat
No, we already got them.
Hank
Oh, we did.
Big Cat
Yeah, we got him. He sent it to us right after the Super Bowl. Okay. They're up in my office. Okay. Here's the call. Yeah. You've been my wife, bro. What you gotta say for yourself? I'm sorry.
Hank
Good guy.
Big Cat
That was pretty nice.
Hank
He doesn't run from it.
Big Cat
I'm sorry.
Hank
I said I was sorry. What else do you want?
Big Cat
I do think he should probably be more mad at his wife.
Hank
I mean, he is very mad at his wife.
Big Cat
Yeah, I guess he is very.
Hank
Posting on her Facebook.
Big Cat
Yeah. But. Yeah. What a story.
Hank
Yeah, it's pretty wild. It took me about, I'd say 30 minutes to get fully caught up on this story. When I woke up this morning going back because I was trying to figure out why yeti coolers was trending.
Big Cat
Yeti coolers, by the way, has been silent.
Hank
Yeah.
Big Cat
On the story speaks volumes. I would really like. I think Shady Rays, our good friends at Shady Rays, might have been tagged as well. This is one of those situations where yeti coolers, you gotta have, you gotta.
Hank
Act fast, you gotta stand up, you gotta.
Big Cat
You gotta release like an anti cuck cooler.
Hank
Yeah.
Big Cat
Put it on sale. It would go nuts online.
Hank
Yeah. No cheating allowed with this cooler.
Big Cat
Yeah. Or.
Hank
Yeah. This cooler is perfectly engineered to keep sperm at perfectly frozen levels. Now TaylorMade Golf, that's one company that we could probably lean on a little bit.
Big Cat
Yeah.
Hank
And Shady Race Taylor made, to my knowledge, hasn't said anything.
Big Cat
No. We need some statements. What was the. Why was he doing that? I have no idea, but maybe they.
Hank
Sponsor some of his pods or something. I don't know.
Big Cat
Maybe. Maybe they're just like. We know Steve Smith likes to golf.
Hank
Well, yeah, when I saw Shady Rays, I thought this might be a. This might be pod related.
Big Cat
Yeah. But not a great weekend for. For Steve Smith, I would say.
Hank
What you got, Hank?
Big Cat
What? What do you think?
Shane
I'm trying to find the tailor made connection.
Big Cat
What is. What do we think he's. What do you think he's doing right now?
Hank
Steve Smith?
Big Cat
Yeah.
Hank
Probably. Well, I don't know what his family situation's like. I don't know. Is he married?
Big Cat
He is married.
Hank
So he was probably a lot of kids. He got. Probably got the call.
Big Cat
Not good.
Hank
He probably got the call a couple days ago and then was just waiting like, this is going to come out. And then he was probably. He probably tried to take his wife on a vacation somewhere where they're off the grid.
Big Cat
I don't even know if he got the call. This guy felt like he went zero. Like, I think he might have found out late Friday night. He didn't have time. Nuts.
Hank
Because if you're Steve Smith and you get that call, you have to be like, yeah, honey, we're going to go to Alaska. You've always wanted to go check out Denali National Park. Let's go hiking. Let's do the whole thing, honey.
Big Cat
I was reading up about Aaron Rogers staying in like a. A gnome's closet in Oregon where they just sit in silence for three days. I think we should really do that. Yeah. Got us something special. Let's just get off the grid.
Hank
Let's go to South America for a while. Just hang out in the rainforest. You don't need that phone. We're on our phones too much. I've realized as a family.
Big Cat
Yeah.
Hank
Too much screen time.
Big Cat
I can't get over the fact this guy just decided, hey, today's the day. I'm just gonna let everyone know that I got cucked by Steve Smith again. I. I like he has every right to be upset. Yes. Up. Just get divorced before you cheat. And especially with kids involved in all that stuff. But you don't have to also go online and let everyone know. And then I, I think he might have some regret because he did nuke. His whole account was like, whoops.
Hank
She probably shouldn't have done that. I'm the world's most famous cuck.
Big Cat
Yeah. Right.
Hank
Now, you know, that's a title you never want to hold.
Big Cat
The. The I will say, though, credit to him. I mean, releasing the text. The text were. You can't come back from the text. That might. That might be worse than the Ray Allen tweet.
Hank
I think it's a little bit different because one was the tweet accidentally. The other.
Big Cat
That was meant to be a text. Yeah.
Hank
The other was just. Just two consenting adults firing at each other. Hot and heavy.
Big Cat
Letting you taste it, though, would be a turn on. I would have shot my nut all inside your.
Hank
What. What is he saying?
Big Cat
Deep in your throat like you kind.
Hank
Of like, did he say letting you taste it?
Big Cat
Yeah.
Hank
Talking about his nut.
Big Cat
Yeah. And then that's when she said, I, I, I, I enjoy it more when you come inside me. And he said, noted. I also think that's the one I'm going to take away from this whole thing. Steve Smith's replying noted to a married woman being like, I would like for you to come inside. That would be good.
Hank
Mount Rushmore to save up for the summertime Mount Rushmore of professional athletes that you would not want to find out that your wife is cheating on you with.
Big Cat
Steve's up there.
Hank
He's definitely. Because he's a dog.
Big Cat
He's a dog.
Hank
Like, you see how he plays? He gets inside the pads.
Big Cat
He plays through the whistle.
Hank
Yes.
Big Cat
He's not going to take any. He's not going to cut any corners.
Hank
No. He fucks through the tee and nut.
Big Cat
He's going to find the corners.
Hank
Yeah.
Big Cat
He's going to get inside the corners.
Hank
Yeah.
Big Cat
Targeting all the way inside them.
Hank
That's got to be penalty. Removing an IUD with your dick, that's also one of those problems that I'm just blessed to never have to worry about in my life.
Big Cat
Yeah, but it was, it was what? To, to bust up an iud.
Hank
Yeah, to like accidentally remove an IUD with your penis. That's. That's one thing I will never be accused of.
Big Cat
Not. Same zip code, that thing. Yeah, that's. That's like we, we. We've never. How. Like there's a certain level that we've been able to drill into the earth's core. We're never going to be able to get to the middle of the earth.
Hank
Yeah.
Big Cat
You just can't. That's me in iud.
Hank
I'd have better luck catching a lantern fish with my dick than I would finding an IUD with it.
Big Cat
If there's oil at the surface, I can find it.
Hank
Yeah.
Big Cat
Anything deeper than that. Nuh.
Hank
Who else would be on that? Mount Rushmore athletes. Shaq, probably.
Big Cat
Shannon Sharp.
Shane
Chiffon Diggs.
Big Cat
Shannon Sharp. After hearing him. Fuck.
Hank
Yeah. Stallion.
Big Cat
Richie Incognito.
Hank
Incognito, probably.
Big Cat
Yeah. Yeah. There's we. That, that would be a good Mount Rushmore. Mount Rushmore of guys you don't want to wake up one day and be a Cuck to Nick.
Hank
FS. O.J. simpson.
Big Cat
Nick Foles. O.J. simpson. Yeah. Nick Foles is a. Yeah, that's an underrated one, but, yeah, that was the biggest story of the weekend.
Hank
Yeah, that was.
Big Cat
Smith dominated the weekend and the, The Woman. Also, obviously her. She was. Her pictures were put out there, and there's a lot of people who are having a field day.
Hank
Yes.
Big Cat
Making a lot of comparisons. Someone might have said Steve Smith really cheated, like, blew it all up for sex with Jeff Van Gundy. Someone might have said that.
Hank
I. That. That's a little unfair. The glasses. I think about the glasses. Yeah. Because he's a bald man. That is a bald, bald man.
Big Cat
Oh, man. Yeah. Steve Smith cheated on his wife for Jeff Van Gundy. Lock him up and throw away the key, bro.
Hank
I think just using Jeff Van Gundy's name in a post is a cheat code, because whenever you see it written, you think about Mark Jackson saying it.
Big Cat
Yeah. Yeah. You say it in that word. Yeah. Okay, so I. I, like, also, like, I had a few people tweeting, being like, are you, like, you guys better address the Steve Smith thing? We will. In the back of my head, I was like, dude, it's leading the show. There's nothing else going on.
Hank
Consider it addressed.
Big Cat
We could. We. I could not. Oh, should I. Yeah, Noted. Should I lead the show with this story that is captivating and. And just, like, I couldn't get enough of it, or should we maybe guess where Matt Staff. You'd. Might. Stafford might get Giants, probably Giants, Sure. I don't understand that. By the way to Segue, the Rams were. The Rams played the Eagles. The best out of any team.
Hank
Yeah.
Big Cat
In the playoffs. Like, and I know Matt, Matthew Stafford's old and they're in a transition, but I went away from the playoffs being like, the Rams were right there. If a couple things break differently, they could have feasibly won the Super Bowl.
Hank
I think it's also like, Matt Stafford not wanting to commit right after the season was over and being like, I got to think it over. So, you know, he's thinking about retiring, so you might as well get something for him at the end of his career.
Big Cat
It also might be that the Rams are like, hey, we can get Sam Darnold younger, cheaper.
Hank
A younger version of Matt Stafford.
Big Cat
Yeah.
Hank
Yeah.
Big Cat
Matt Stafford is significantly better than Sam Darnold. But still, that would be. He stays in the. The Sean McVeigh coaching tree. You could. You could probably talk Sam Darnold into. He's a SoCal guy. You could talk Sam Darnold into taking maybe a little bit less because you're like, this is the situation where, hey, last year was pretty awesome. You want to keep doing that or you want to go be the Titans?
Hank
Yeah.
Big Cat
You know, I think that starting Quarterback and be back to square one in three years.
Hank
I think that's the one. Because he's like a dog that's gone through like four or five different homes.
Big Cat
Right.
Hank
And he's. He wants a familiar place. He wants to. He values going to a good coaching situation over anything else because he knows how bad it can be if it's not.
Big Cat
Yeah.
Hank
So yeah, I think he probably would take a little bit less money to play for. For Los Angeles than another team if it came down to that. But yeah, it also makes perfect sense for the Giants.
Big Cat
Yeah.
Hank
Because right now it's like Dable has to win.
Big Cat
You gotta win.
Hank
He has to win something.
Big Cat
And you might. Yeah. And you. And you. You knocked yourself out of a top three pick. Oh no. What are they? Three. Right. So they might have knocked themselves. I think they still will be able to get Camborder Shadors Sanders.
Hank
I would go Cam Ward.
Big Cat
I would too.
Hank
Big time.
Big Cat
I'm not a Shador Sanders believer. Love his dad.
Hank
Yeah.
Big Cat
But I'll just say it. I also not really a Cam Ward guy either. I like Camborg Tyler show.
Hank
I like him board.
Big Cat
So.
Hank
Which is why I would be. I'd be very happy with the Giants getting Stafford short term rental. Maybe not getting Cam Ward.
Big Cat
Yeah. Matthew Stafford's still a very good quarterback. It's just a question of how long will he quarterback.
Hank
We'll have to have Jerry will kind of listen to his wife's podcast. Yes. What. What's going on with that situation?
Big Cat
We are gonna. So this is combine week. Technically. We're going to be down in India on Tuesday and Wednesday doing interviews. We will get Schefter on, we'll get Rossini on. So Friday show. We're going to get all the buzz from the combine to get us all the information. Another football related topic. Hank, did you see your coach's girlfriend and how she wears her coat? Yes. Fashion.
Hank
Yeah, that's fashion.
Big Cat
So is that. That's what we're talking about. I just was asking a question.
Hank
It's fashion for like somebody in elementary school.
Big Cat
Who are you guys to say. I was just asking a question. Bill Belichick was at the UNC game and his girlfriend was wearing her jacket like she was 15.
Shane
I thought it looked good. I thought it was a good, good outfit.
Big Cat
There we go. That enough said. We don't have any. There's doesn't need to be anything else. I just wanted to ask if you had seen it.
Hank
Well, I mean to her, to her defense, basketball games, it's very tough to dress for a basketball game because it's always super hot when you're next to the court and it's kind of cold outside right now in CH Hill. So, yeah, she's going half on, half off. It's kind of a utilitarian. It's actually the same way that, I mean, Bill Belichick is the king of inventing new ways to wear his jackets. Cutting the sleeves like 2/3 of the way off.
Big Cat
It was a funny visual. You have to admit that.
Hank
It does look like. That's his daughter.
Big Cat
It's a funny visual.
Shane
I thought, I thought it looked good. I thought it was perfectly normal.
Big Cat
Okay. By the way, pft. OV hat trick.
Hank
Huge. Anytime. Anytime that there's like a short little break for some of these Russian players, they somehow come back playing really, really well afterwards. So, yeah, this was. I think this was supposed to be the game that he was going to break the record at. That was my initial prediction.
Big Cat
Okay.
Hank
Before he got the injury. And now I think he's going to do it this year. I think he's going to do it against the Penguins at the end of the season.
Big Cat
I. I would agree.
Hank
The pace that he's on is absolutely incredible. It's so cool too, to watch him after he scores a goal, he skates right over to his son who's in the first row. That's like pounds the glass for him. Yeah, ovi's really good. And the Caps. Are the Caps here. Yes, it is. It is the Caps here. I'm all in on the cap.
Big Cat
Here we go.
Hank
They're legitimately a good team. They've got a bunch of great players. They did it. Somehow they. It felt like they were just going to re engineer their whole roster to ensure that OV breaks the record. And that was going to be the reason to pay attention to the Caps for the next like two seasons. But somehow in that rebuild, they also were able to get good again, which is year like. Yeah, I think it is the Caps year. I believe they have the best record in hockey.
Big Cat
Whoa.
Hank
It's them or the Jets.
Big Cat
Whoa.
Hank
But I think the caps are number one. I got them at. I think it was 20, 20 to 1 or 25. I think it was 20 to 1 when I bet on them earlier this season. There. Watch out. Watch out for the Caps.
Big Cat
Everyone's on notice. Yep, everyone's officially on notice.
Hank
The league should be on notice.
Big Cat
They have 84 points. Go to the. We have Shane, by the way, Max is still on vacation. Yeah, they have the most points in the League.
Hank
I was thinking about you. Tell me if this is a good idea or not. Trying to time it to go to the game that OVI breaks the record at. But I only get one game to do it. You should.
Big Cat
Yeah.
Hank
Only get one game to pick.
Big Cat
Why not?
Hank
I think I can do it.
Big Cat
Why not?
Shane
So what in the next 15 games you think?
Hank
I don't know if the net, I mean 20.
Big Cat
He's what, 13 away?
Hank
You said the pace that he's on has been incredible. So it could happen in the next 15 games. Yeah, but I'd say more likely, I think it's the game against the. The Penguins towards the end of the regular season. Let me see when that is. That's the one. I think if you're looking at league wide narrative, having him break it right in Sidney Crosby's face would be incredible.
Big Cat
April 17th. What is now they. Are they going to play him though when he's like. Yes, but depending on playoffs. Get him rest.
Hank
He's playing. They're going to play him.
Big Cat
April 17. What day of the week is that? You got to go. Is that.
Hank
That's the last game of the regular season at.
Big Cat
In Pittsburgh.
Hank
Yeah.
Big Cat
That would be awesome to Thursday. Shane's doing a great job. Yeah.
Hank
You're crushing it.
Big Cat
You're crushing it. Yeah. Max is out for another day. Took his vacation a week after we took our vacation. And yes, we do miss Oldie. I wish I'm happy Shane's here.
Hank
Oldie hung out for pretty much the whole day on Friday. Just chilling in the office. That man is incredible. I miss him so much already.
Big Cat
He was texting me this weekend, just texting me. Like it was just a picture of him. Here, I'll show you. It was just a picture of him on the ice taking a slap shot. That was it. Like it was like an update that. No context.
Hank
We're back, boys. Just that.
Big Cat
Just him on the ice.
Hank
Good form. Bumping and grinding and grinding out there with the boys.
Big Cat
Yeah. So ovi. Yeah.
Hank
I think.
Big Cat
Incredible day.
Hank
Yeah.
Big Cat
Can we find out what day of the week it is, Shane?
Shane
Thursday.
Big Cat
Thursday.
Hank
Thursday, April 17th. That might be a field trip.
Big Cat
Get it done.
Hank
It might be. I might have to bring home the record.
Big Cat
Get it done.
Hank
But yeah, great weekend. They scored eight against the Penguins on Saturday, seven against the Oilers. Fifteen goals in like 24 hours. Basically.
Big Cat
Hockey's back.
Hank
Hockey's so bad.
Big Cat
Hockey.
Hank
And I wish Max was back too. Just because I wanted to talk to him about Embiid.
Big Cat
Yeah.
Hank
And what's going on with that? Yeah, that was the most depressing series of press conferences that I've heard in a long time. When they're explaining like obviously he's. He doesn't feel good.
Big Cat
They gotta just shut him down.
Hank
Yeah, they're. Well, the Sixers are exploring options for the knee injury.
Big Cat
Okay, so here's.
Hank
Here's.
Big Cat
Here's a crazy stat about the Sixers guy. NBA Twitter guys, good reporter Steph no tweeted this. The Bulls have held on to the 10 seed for every single day since January 1st. They've gone 7 and 16 in that stretch. The Sixers have gone 7 and 18 during that same stretch and drop from 11 to 12th. Like the Bulls were actively got tried to get worse.
Hank
Yeah.
Big Cat
And they still can't get rid of the 10 seed because the Sixers are that bad.
Shane
Another fun stat I saw over the weekend was the games. With at least 20 points this year, Paul George has nine. Pton Pritchard is 17.
Hank
That is a fun stack.
Big Cat
I now this is just hindsight, guys. Like we. No one could have ever expected the Paul George to Philadelphia thing not working.
Hank
Well, the funniest part about that is that.
Big Cat
Wait, we all said it wouldn't.
Hank
Paul George is now the one that's. He's lil brewing Joel Embiid and being like. When I was going through this the multiple times I've gone through this Joelle. I found that just playing makes me feel better.
Big Cat
Yeah.
Hank
Like that's the only way to get better is to just play your way through it and Joel and be just like, nah, man, I'm. I'm not going to do that. I just don't feel like do that.
Big Cat
And then he should just get mono. He has it basically. Yeah. I'll call Max. Let's just see if we can. He's still on vacation, so he's probably at a John Summit concert concert right now. Do you think he misses us?
Hank
No.
Big Cat
Good. Because I oldie was. Although Hank and I were laughing people being like, oh, Max. Hey, statement on the Sixers. They stink. Joel and beach, they should shut him down for life.
PFT Commenter
And they should tank for Cooper Flag.
Big Cat
And what about. Should they trade your own bead?
PFT Commenter
No.
Big Cat
Okay. Next year.
Hank
We're on to next year. How do you feel about his contract?
Big Cat
He's worthy of that contract for sure.
Hank
He's an mvp.
Big Cat
He's one of the best players in.
Hank
The league when healthy.
Big Cat
Just gotta get healthy.
Hank
How is he worthy of the contract? Really Play.
Big Cat
He hasn't played.
Hank
He's. He's going to play.
Big Cat
Hank hit him with the Stat.
Shane
Most.
Big Cat
I'm done with this. No, no, listen to the stat. You need to stat.
PFT Commenter
I'm trying to have a nice steakhouse.
Big Cat
Meal right now, okay?
PFT Commenter
The last day of my fitness vacation.
Big Cat
Okay? Listen to this stat.
Shane
20 point games this season. Paul George has nine. Peyton Pritchard has 17.
Big Cat
Peyton Pritchard has 17. 20 point games. Paul George has nine.
Hank
Oh, Paul George is horrendous.
Big Cat
Okay, so you admit that, Max, your.
Hank
Entire statement on the Sixers should have just been birds.
PFT Commenter
Also that.
Big Cat
Okay, all right.
Hank
What about Yabu?
Big Cat
Love Yabu.
Hank
He won't.
Big Cat
He's not going to come back.
Hank
But he's too good. He's too good to tank with a guy like Yabu. You're not going to get Cooper Flag.
Big Cat
Are you feeling a little pressure from Oldie in his performance?
Hank
I'm h. What do you mean?
Big Cat
I'm happy that he.
PFT Commenter
He had a good performance.
Big Cat
Yeah. But he Good producer.
Hank
The show good.
Big Cat
The show good for the company. Great. Great.
Hank
What do you think about Steve Smith, Max?
Big Cat
What do you think about Steve Smith?
Hank
Steve Smith's dog.
Big Cat
Yeah, Dog started a program. We let. We. We led the show with it. With Steve Smith. Yeah. Have to. Have to. All right. Okay. Enjoy the rest of your fitness vacation. We'll see you tomorrow. Yep. All right, Bye.
Hank
See you tomorrow.
Big Cat
I was. Hank and I were laughing because people were like, oh, Max is in trouble. Oldie sitting in the producer chair. Oldie does not. He doesn't own a computer. Being like, you guys found a Canadian who can also produce a podcast.
PFT Commenter
Oh.
Big Cat
I was like. I said. The last thing I said to Oldie. I was like, hey, do you have a computer? Like, if we ever want you to zoom in and we'll. Oldie will see him at some point in the future. He's. We're working through it. He's got a wife and kids back in Canada. But he was just like, oh, yeah, my wife's got an apple. I was just like, okay. No chance he knows how to work it or anything.
Hank
No, I mean, say what you want about Max. He is capable of pressing a button.
Big Cat
Yeah.
Hank
Only I don't think if we told him, press the button.
Big Cat
I don't want him to, though.
Hank
What's a puck?
Big Cat
Yeah, he's a beauty, but, yeah, Oldie's gonna be part of something going forward. So. So we. We do miss him. All right, Other things I had written down for stories.
Hank
Yep, I've got one.
Big Cat
Yeah, you go.
Hank
Okay. The New York Yankees.
Big Cat
Oh, yes.
Hank
How, how the mighty have fallen. The New York Yankees. Are relaxing their grooming standards after all these years. The Yankees used to stand for something, you know, that you could set your watch to. The New York Yankees.
Big Cat
Yep.
Hank
You weren't allowed to have sideburns. They made Johnny Damon cut his hair and trim his beard. And now this. Now the statement from House Steinbrenner on the alteration of Yankees facial hair policy. Which is very funny. That the New York Yankees have a facial hair policy.
Big Cat
Yes.
Hank
In recent weeks I've spoken to a large number of former and current Yankees spanning several areas.
Big Cat
I got you.
Hank
To elicit their perspectives. Yeah, yeah, there we go. To elicit their perspectives on a long standing facial hair and grooming policy. And I appreciate that. Their current. You go ahead. I can't read this.
Big Cat
And appreciate their earnest and valid feedback. These. Can you make it a little bit bigger? Yeah.
Hank
See, I'm getting fucked over here.
Big Cat
These most recent conversations are an extension of ongoing internal dialogue that dates back. Stop. Stop messing with it. That dates back several years. Ultimately, the final decision rests with me and other great. And after great consideration, we will be amending our expectations to allow our players and uniform personnel to have well groomed beards. Moving forward, it is the appropriate time to move beyond the familiar comfort of our former policy. Wow.
Hank
We used to be a country. A proper country. And then this. And Don Mattingly and his sideburns. It'll be a tale lost to the ages. Kids won't understand that anymore.
Big Cat
Goose gossage.
Hank
Yeah.
Big Cat
Punching air.
Hank
So why.
Big Cat
Yeah.
Hank
Why now?
Big Cat
Good question.
Hank
Who are they? Who are they specifically going after?
Big Cat
Do you think maybe Juan Soto was like, I really wanted to grow a beard.
Hank
This might. This might have been part of Juan Soto's contract.
Big Cat
What's the free agent class coming up? Maybe there's something there.
Hank
Yeah, that's what I'm thinking. There's got to be an angle. Can we look that up? 20, 20, 25 or somebody.
Big Cat
That.
Hank
That might be key in the tread trade deadline this year.
Big Cat
Yeah. Because it does. It does feel weird that it just happened now.
Hank
Yeah.
Big Cat
You have to think Derek Jeter signed off on this, right?
Hank
Yeah.
Big Cat
Have to have.
Hank
Vladdy Jr.
Big Cat
These.
Hank
He's got a beard, right?
Big Cat
These are no Schwarber. Strawberry hit so many bombs to that short point. He would.
Hank
He'll love it.
Big Cat
Yeah. Yeah. I think the Yankees have just lost their luster. They're.
Hank
Listen, Boba Shet, he's got. He's got some flow to him.
Big Cat
I know. I know that it's like half joking, but the Yankees, they're douchebags. And I like, they need to stay that way. Yes.
Hank
I agree.
Big Cat
This is what makes the sports the Yay. I think it's the old George anymore. Yeah. The old George Steinbrenner quote. Like, there are MLB players in their Yankees. You want the Yankees to have that type of arrogance compared to everyone else. And part of it is these antiquated. You. You can't have, you know, a mustache that goes beyond your lip. I. I hate this.
Shane
You think if they won the World Series, they wouldn't have done this.
Big Cat
I don't know. But I hate this. I hate this. The Yankees should stay the Yankees. Like, that's a whole evil empire thing. That's the whole point.
Hank
It's so funny that they. They just re signed Aaron Boone, right?
Big Cat
Yeah. Yeah.
Hank
And then well deserved.
Big Cat
Yeah, well deserved.
Hank
Congratulations to Aaron Boone. So that people were mad at them at that, and they're like, don't worry about it. We're going to. We're going to make up for it next week with big announcement. You can have a mustache now.
Big Cat
Yeah. This is stupid. I don't like this. I hope that the Yankees as a team and a clubhouse silently protest by not having long beards.
Hank
What if they all grew beards instead?
Big Cat
That would suck.
Hank
That would suck.
Big Cat
I mean, it would be stupid. Thing would look stupid. George Simbrenner's spinning in his grave.
Hank
They're trying to, like, have a good moment of PR after. What the. Were those brothers out in right field last year?
Big Cat
Oh, yeah. That was a flash in the pan.
Hank
Caponegro.
Big Cat
We forgot.
Hank
Yeah. After that, they're like, we got to do something that. That will make people happy with this. Okay. You're allowed to have a goatino.
Big Cat
Yeah. By the way, speaking of the capo negros, I. My other thing that I had was that we might get a new pope.
Hank
Yeah.
Big Cat
So I did a little research on some names.
Hank
What, Hank, What's a wild transition?
Big Cat
I was thinking of an Italian name, and I was like, I literally looked up the potential popes and I just base it on names.
Hank
Alabama beat the out of Kentucky this weekend in college basketball. And in other news of popes taking and beating.
Big Cat
There we go. You like that?
Hank
Pope's on his desk.
Big Cat
Stop listening. Yeah. We're gonna talk some college basketball with Johnny Fanta, by the way. So anyway, the Pope Francis, he is on his deathbed.
Hank
Yeah.
Big Cat
Kidney failure. Yeah, kidney failure. Doesn't sound good. Hopefully he's okay. I'm going to guess he's probably not going to be because he's pretty old. But anyway, hopefully he's not in pain. Our colleague KFC actually is like a. He's a. He's like a number one Pope writer. He loves the Pope talk. So he actually broke down in a great blog about who could be the next Pope based on actual intel.
Hank
Like stats.
Big Cat
Yeah. And like, what. What they do normally, by the way. I watched the Conclave. Good movie. Weird ending, but good movie. So Pope. The Pope talk is, like, hot right now because that's actually a movie that's going to be. Is up for an Oscar. Yeah, he broke it down and he. He was like. He had actual stats. Like, the most. The majority of Popes don't get chosen from here and there and whatever. I just looked up names, so I wanted to throw out some names for you. I'm going off straight names, vibes, popable guys, in my opinion, and they probably have no chance, but I want to throw some names. You guys ready? Yeah. Okay. We do have one guy from the US that has a chance. He's from Wisconsin. I think he's the cardinal in St. Louis. His name's Ray Burke.
Hank
He's a St. Louis cardinal.
Big Cat
No, he's. He's from Wisconsin. He. I think. Yeah, he. I guess technically he would be. I don't know where he is right now.
Hank
Okay.
Big Cat
But. Yeah. All right, so here we go. This is my num. My one, one pick. Cardinal Pierre Bautista Pizzabala.
Hank
Okay.
Big Cat
What do you think about that?
Hank
I like the pizza Pope. Is he a big boy? Is he a big boy?
Big Cat
I don't know. Can we get it. Can we get some eyes on Pizza Balla?
Hank
Because here's what I think the Vatican desperately needs. We need a fat Pope. Yeah, A fat Pope would absolutely rock, wouldn't it?
Big Cat
Pierre Batista.
Hank
I want that little cap on that they wear. Skinny to be so tiny.
Big Cat
Yeah. Pizza Balla. What a name. Then I also have Cardinal Mateo Maria Zupi. We have a Zupi here. Thought that would be good. Matthew Liber. Libertari, Gordon Graffo. These are all names that I think could make big time popes. Lorenzo Baldassarre. That's pretty good.
Hank
Yeah, I like. I like a Lorenzo. But do they don't keep their name, do they?
Big Cat
No, they have to change it. But this is. I'm just going off of just vibes. Just.
Hank
Just off name this Baldicero guy.
Big Cat
This Francis or something.
Hank
This Lorenzo. He looks like a Pope. Yeah, doesn't he? Like, he's got a little Dick Cheney vibe to him, but he looks like a Pope from central casting.
Big Cat
Yeah. Victor D. Mukagi. That would be a good Pope. And then here's the last two I got for you. Are you looking these up? What. What are you laughing at? Shane Memes wanted me to Google fattest.
Hank
Pope in the world. Yeah, no, we need a fat Pope.
Big Cat
Yeah. Yeah, we do need a fat pope. All right, here's a couple heavy hitters for you. Ready?
Hank
If we get a Pope that's above £350, I will become a Catholic.
Big Cat
Hey, it would be awesome. Yeah. If we just had a hoss of a pope. Yeah. It's the fattest. I'm sure there's been a pope that was so fat. Look at that guy.
Hank
See, Wouldn't that be awesome if that was a Pope?
Big Cat
Okay, here's the last two that I got for you guys. You ready for this? Francesco? Coco Palmero.
Hank
Okay.
Big Cat
Pretty good.
Hank
Yeah.
Big Cat
And then another one. So I. I have the. The two. The two that I'm leaning towards are Pierre Batista Pizzabala and then Fabio Baggio.
Hank
Fabio Baggio, yes.
Big Cat
So it's Pope talk.
Hank
I like that. If you had a fat pope, you could have a mass. Mass.
Big Cat
Yeah.
Hank
That'd be pretty fat Pope. That's my analysis.
Big Cat
Bobby, how do they.
Hank
How do they elect him? They get together in a room. I know. You saw the movie.
Big Cat
I saw the movie. So I'm actually kind of an expert on this. They get all the cardinals under 80 in a room together. They shut everything down, basically. They can't talk to the outside world. And they all vote until they can get. I think it's. I think it's two thirds majority. And then that person's the new pope.
Hank
So they sequester them. They can't.
Big Cat
They're like a jury.
Hank
They can't talk to anybody.
PFT Commenter
Yeah.
Big Cat
And it could take weeks.
Hank
Okay. And then they like. They do a vote, then they like to smoke. And when the gray smoke comes out, a new pope has been elected.
Big Cat
No white smoke.
Hank
White smoke. Okay.
Big Cat
Gray smoke is when they haven't. So, yeah, that's them.
Hank
They should do a different color besides gray and white. That's. Those are too similar.
Big Cat
Yeah, that is a little similar, but yeah. So they sit there. Again, I'm an expert because I saw one movie about it on a plane. They sit there and they politic. And the first time they vote, there will be, I don't know, 20 guys getting receiving votes, and then they'll slowly get it down to a couple people, and they'll go against each other, and then we'll get a new pope.
Hank
Do you think that'd be a good job to be Pope.
Big Cat
Probably not.
Hank
I don't think. I don't think it'd be any fun.
Big Cat
For a lot of.
Hank
You get blamed for a lot of stuff. You do get to meet Jim Harbaugh once a year.
Big Cat
Yep.
Hank
So that's cool.
Big Cat
And God, I would assume you got.
Hank
To get to meet God eventually.
Big Cat
Yeah.
Hank
But the Harbaughs, they always bring you, like, a. A set of cleats. Like, here's some Air Jordan cleats.
Big Cat
Yeah. Yeah. You probably do get some cool trinkets.
Hank
Yeah. But you. You never get to.
Big Cat
Yeah.
Hank
But I'm guessing most of these guys probably do the celibacy thing.
Big Cat
Yeah. Yeah. I think the cardinals all have to.
Hank
Yeah.
Shane
Wasn't the last Pope the one that was, like, tongue kissing kids?
Hank
It's Dalai Lama.
Big Cat
But there have been other issues.
Hank
The Vatican's never done anything like that.
Big Cat
No. Yeah. So, yeah, that's my. That's my breakdown. I'll send you all the names, memes. You can put them on a graphic for best names. I think would make new Pope.
Hank
Yeah. Fantasy celibacy, boys.
Big Cat
But Kevin does actually have, like. He was breaking it down like it was a futures market. And I. I read the whole blog. It was great.
Hank
So can you actually bet on who the next pope's going to be?
Big Cat
I would like to, if you can.
Hank
Yeah. They should make commercials. They should do, like, attack ads on each other.
Big Cat
Yeah. He was saying there's one guy who. Who everyone thought was going to be the last Pope, and he lost. And it's like, he's just always a bridesmaid. You can't win the big one.
Hank
Yeah.
Big Cat
It's awesome. Like, that's so funny to me. There's some cardinals sitting out there, and you go and do Mass, and then you talk to him after. He's like. Yeah. You think he think you'd be able to beat Mahomes this year?
Hank
Probably not.
Big Cat
Probably not. All right, so what is it? Pietro Perlin is 4 to 1 odds favorite. Okay.
Hank
I want the pizza guy.
Big Cat
Yeah. I want Fabio Baggio or Pizza Bell.
Hank
Also, having an American Pope would be awesome.
Big Cat
Yeah, it would.
Hank
That'd be great.
Big Cat
Sick. We get to flex. We need a little swag. After we lost. Lost the All Star Game.
Hank
Well, that'd be like the US Winning the World cup in soccer is. If we got the Pope, we probably.
Big Cat
Would end up winning the World cup after that. Okay. That was all I had. Let's do who's Back. Who's Back of the Week. Then we'll talk some college basketball with Johnny Fanta. Who's Back of the week is brought to you by our friends and Truly Truly Unruly is the first high ABV hard seltzer that actually tastes good. Truly Unruly is a hard seltzer that breaks all the rules, drinks light, parties hard with 8% ABV. It hits hard but still tastes amazing. It's the official hard seltzer. Pardon my take. Find Truly Unruly at a store near you or visit www.trulyhardselter.com. strawberry Smash is my personal favorite. Oldie was drinking them. That was the first time Oldie had tried it. He great ad. He was ready to go. After that, it's gonna. The weather's getting a little warmer. Golf is coming back. Hank's wearing shorts today.
Hank
That's my who's back Shoot Damn well, Truly.
Big Cat
So it's going to be truly unruly summer. It's going to be truly seasoned. So go right now. First high ABV hard seltzer that actually tastes good. 8% hot ABV. It hits hard but still tastes amazing. And it's the official hard seltzer part of my take. All right, Hank.
Shane
Who's back of the week is Celtics Boston Celtics national sports podcast. There was some, some talking heads in the national media this week, this past week saying that the Knicks were actually going to be, you know, a good test for the Celtics. They might be coming for the title. They played s. They played on Sunday and the Celtics waxed them.
Hank
Wait, talking heads? Who are talking heads?
Big Cat
You were the talking head that were saying there something wrong with the Celtics.
Shane
No, they had a. They had a. They got off to a rocky 2025, but they've since course corrected easily. Okay, they're five. No, their last five haven't. They won each by minimum 13. So back on a couple 20 pieces all the way back on.
Hank
So who are you calling out, say with your chest?
Shane
Pft commenter.
Hank
Oh, I'm a talking head.
Shane
That's what you're doing right now.
Hank
My head is talking.
Big Cat
Your head is talking.
Hank
Yeah. Well, I, I put a bet in on the Knicks last week.
Big Cat
Oh.
Hank
To win the championship. And then I told Hank about it and we had a little, A little off air. Part of my take embrace debate. And I want to say for the record, I was wrong. I'll admit it. After, after like four days. Might as well light that on fire.
Big Cat
So the future had four days.
Hank
It's the shortest future of all time. Yeah. Russell Wilson wants to raise that future. It was. It Was bad. It was a bad bet. The Celtics are much better than the Knicks, Although come playoff time. Yeah, I'm going to be teaming up with Jerry. We're going to be bing bong. We're going to be bing bonging you.
Big Cat
But, yeah, you don't have to play the Celtics. Yeah.
Hank
Well, so part of the bet, in theory, was that the Magic might have to play against the Celtics. I think the Magic could beat the Celtics.
Big Cat
Oh, okay.
Shane
Anything.
Hank
And then you might ask, why then wouldn't you just bet on the Magic to beat the Celtics? And to that I said, that's a great point. I don't really have an answer to that.
Big Cat
Good point.
Hank
Yeah.
Big Cat
So you're back.
Shane
Celtics are back.
Big Cat
Okay. Pft. My.
Hank
Who's back of the week is J.J. watt. J.J. watt is back. He is probably going to come out of retirement to play for the Bengals.
PFT Commenter
Yeah.
Hank
Because he owns one of those English football teams. Burnley, Right.
PFT Commenter
Yep.
Hank
And their goalkeeper hit him up, slid into the DMS and was like, hey, jj, any chance that you could come back to play for the Cincinnati Bengals? Because their goalie is apparently a Bengals fan. And then JJ said, if you don't let it in a goal for the rest of the season, then, yes, I will do that, I think. Has it been seven games?
Big Cat
It's. Yeah. Sheets.
Hank
Clean sheets for seven games. And JJ's now looking at Zillow. He's cruising Zillow in Cincinnati, saying it might actually happen. I think there's probably too many games left for the rest of the season.
Big Cat
How? There's no.
Hank
When does it end? April.
Big Cat
Yeah. I don't know what league they're in, but, I mean, they. They are in the championship league, so they're okay. So how many games they got left? They have. Shane, use your words when you're doing a podcast.
Hank
They've got a lot of games.
Big Cat
It's 13. 13.
Hank
Thank you.
Big Cat
Shane was just going over it with a mouse.
Hank
Yeah.
Big Cat
You got this.
Hank
But this would be.
Big Cat
You got this.
Hank
That would be an incredible story if JJ actually came back.
Big Cat
He has to.
Hank
He has to. If they do it. So that's. I'm rooting for that to happen. I don't know. Like, he would probably get cut, what, first week of training camp. You think?
Big Cat
No.
Hank
You don't think so you think JJ could still play right now?
Big Cat
Yes.
Hank
He looks light. He looks skinny.
Big Cat
I think he has to take it seriously. And he. I. Yeah. He'd have to make a comeback. I think he would. I think he would be able to do it.
Hank
Yeah. It would rock. I hope that it does happen.
Big Cat
Yeah. He so and this is big for. For Burnley because they will be if he stays this hot they'd be promoted into the epl. They're in the league below. So. And they've been on a tear. Man, what a story. That is an awesome story. Yeah.
Hank
I hope. I hope this guy keeps it up because Rock.
Big Cat
Yeah. Clean sheets. Okay. My who's back is Jed Hoyer for who is the Cubs president of baseball ops mixed bag for the free agency, but we just found out. So Pete Crowe Armstrong Cubs center fielder. Really fast guy. Changed his number from he was originally or he had been 52 and he changed his number to number four. And the story goes it happened like a week ago or so. Pet Crow Armstrong was shooting hoops with Dansby Swansea with Dansby Swanson and Nikki Lopez when Jed Hoyer stopped by. And Hoyer had seen enough of Picro Armstrong's number 52 alignment's number. He said it was time for the center fielder to have a fast guy digit on his jersey. He said if he makes a shot, I've got to change it. I was like that's fun. Why not? Let's do it. So Jed Hoyer took a shot from about 12ft away, drained it and now Pete Crow Armstrong's number four.
Hank
I love that.
Big Cat
That's a good general manager gming because it's. We've talked about this before. There are such things as slow guy numbers and fast guy numbers.
Hank
Yes. Especially in football. I don't really think about in baseball that much. But that maybe that's the new money ball.
Big Cat
Yeah.
Hank
It just make your guys change their numbers.
Big Cat
That's. I mean it matters.
Hank
Yeah.
Big Cat
He will be significantly faster. He's already very fast, but he'll be significantly faster. Number four.
Hank
Well, the uniform is going to weigh less.
Big Cat
Yeah.
Hank
Because it doesn't have that extra digit on there.
Big Cat
That's true. That's also true.
Hank
Yeah. If you were to say winners and losers in baseball this weekend. Winner the Cubs for having a GM that knows what he's doing. Loser the Yankees for turning their back on tradition.
Big Cat
That's fact.
Hank
For spitting in the face of honor.
Big Cat
That's facts also sticking in baseball. I believe that. I saw Trevor Bauer released a video that was says why I chose the Czech Republic to continue my baseball. So if you want to watch that video, they have baseball there. Apparently why I chose baseball in the Czech Republic. I wonder why.
Hank
They probably have a very liberal policy when it comes to filming YouTube videos during the season.
Big Cat
Yeah. That's exactly what it is. Drones.
Hank
Yeah, drones.
Big Cat
Okay, let's get to our interview with J.J. watt. Or what? J.J. watt. He's the picture right in front of us. Our interview with John Fanta. What are you boys doing in the studio right now?
Hank
They're getting ready for Pugs about to nail this number.
Big Cat
We got a Monday reading. Shane told us to come in here.
Hank
It's.
Shane
Oh, no.
Big Cat
All I said was Big Cat was doing his.
Hank
Who's back?
Big Cat
We got a Monday reading.
Hank
I miss Max. Max would have never made that mistake.
Big Cat
I miss Oldie. Oldie would have taken a piss and thought we were gonna leave. You guys can save for the Monday reading. If it's cool.
Hank
I'll stay as well as Jack Pug.
Big Cat
Yeah, I like that. By the way, you are Jack's boss.
Hank
Pug is a weapon on the roulette table. We should have known that, right? The lotto ball.
Big Cat
Pug is a walking lucky machine.
Hank
Pug is a dynamo. When it comes to look at him.
Big Cat
He'S the cutest guy we got and good things happen. You need a guy like that around or it's like something just crazy happens. Like, oh, Pug did it again. He just was Pug. Thanks, guys. Okay, well, let's get to our interview with Johnny Fanta. Talking college ball, getting you ready for March, which is right around the corner. And it is brought to you by our friends at Chevy. Chevy has packed more capability in the Silverado Trail Boss so that you can pack more fun into your weekend. Have yourself a Friday, Saturday and Sunday with the truck that says no to nothing. Tailgates, spontaneous camping trips, trips, DIY projects, Bring it on. What about a cross country road trip? Silverado was the perfect ride for last year's Grit week out west. Recently, they helped us give fullbacks the recognition they deserve with the low man award. Well, the Silverado Trail Boss is built like a fullback. We're talking £495 a foot of torque. Hold on to your sodas, Max. Plus, the Trail Boss gives you an extra 2 inch lift, so maybe Hank can finally dunk. Silverado brings a grit. Then pairs it with all the latest truck tech, inside and out. The result, A truck that can do it all. Then show up on Monday with a story to tell. So learn more about the silverado Trail boss, chevy.com Chevrolet together. Let's drive. We're also brought to you by our friends at no Bull. No Bull is a footwear brand for training and for daily life, built to support you in your pursuit of physical, mental and emotional Strength. No Bull is known for their best in class award winning footwear. You can see it right here. I love these shoes. They are super comfortable, super lightweight. Our friend Mike Roli created them. So with options across training and lifestyle, Noble has options for everyone. Noble celebrates a no approach to wellness. No Bull is about being a work in progress and embracing the constant evolution to being better. The job is never done. So we love these shoes. They're su. They're very, very comfortable. Are you wearing them right now?
Hank
Pft, I was wearing them all week and I'm not wearing them right now. But yeah, they're great. I was wearing them all day Friday, all day Saturday.
Big Cat
Super, super comfortable. Exclusively. Pardon my take, listeners. No bulls offering 30 off your order. Visit www. No bullproject.com pmt for 30% off your entire order. That's www.n o b u l l p R-O-J-E-C-T.com pmt for 30% OFF. Here, I'm gonna show you for those watching on the YouTube. These are the shoes and they are awesome shoes. Like I said, super lightweight, super comfortable, no Bull. Go get them right now. Use that backslash slash. Pmt for 30% off your order. Okay, here he is, Johnny Fanta. Okay. We now welcome on a very special guest. He is the face of college basketball. It is John Fanta. Johnny, great to see you. Great to, to, to, to feel march creeping up here. Did you actually see that you were the face of college basketball? Did you see that tweet go viral? I don't know if you saw it, but someone from the stands, I don't know if you saw. Bfd. Someone from the stands caught John Fanta mid full fisted popcorn in his mouth and was like, this is the face of college basketball, whether you like it or not. And I was like, that's my guy. He is. That's. That was a health. That was. You know what? And I'm saying this as someone who does the same thing because my wife always gets mad at me when I take a handful of popcorn. You can feel that I'm taking a handful of popcorn.
PFT Commenter
Absolutely. There's an aura about a box or a bag of popcorn. And the fact of the matter is this popcorn, and I'm serious about this, is my absolute favorite snack. I can't live without it. I have to have like if I'm, if I'm at home chilling and watching the game that I'm. Forget the chips, forget the pretzels, forget the veggies and dip, go straight for The Orville Redenbachers. And don't look back.
Big Cat
Okay, hold on. Very important question, because I find myself as a popcorn connoisseur as well. Do you always go microwave or do you get fancy with it? I have the. The air. It's not air fryer, but the air blower thing. And I also sometimes do it on the pan to give it a little extra taste. Do you do that?
PFT Commenter
Yes. I've got a couple. I've got the op. Pop, which you can get on Amazon or. Or any site. I highly recommend where you could put the kernels in. It's like a yellow. It looks like a silicone bowl, but it. But it's. I promise you it's totally safe. You could pop.
Big Cat
I have that as well.
PFT Commenter
Popcorn. And then all you have to do is take the top off.
Big Cat
Yep.
PFT Commenter
And it's. It doubles down as the bowl.
Big Cat
Yeah. So it's.
PFT Commenter
It saves you the glass. It saves you having to pull out the plastic bowl. No, if. When home, it's homemade, it's. I have the old school Orville Redenbacher, the electric spinner that. That goes around and then you take it and you flip it upside down and then that becomes the bowl. Or you can put it in a bowl. But we've got a couple of homemade makers. And I've got the whirly pop, too.
Big Cat
Yes.
PFT Commenter
Pft. When I'm really feeling it and got the bonfire going in a movie or something. It's downtime. And. And you know, you. You could throw something in the. In the dishes and say, I can wait till Sunday morning. I've had a couple pops. I'll go with that too. But popcorn to me, you. If you're home, if you're not on the road, what are you doing? Make it homemade. Make it the right. Right way. The way it was meant to be made.
Big Cat
Yes.
Hank
Look, here's the added bonus of your entire house smelling like popcorn, which is better than any candle out there. And I like to. I like to mix it up too, with the different seasonings. I like to go not strictly butter all the time, but I'm a big fan of the. Like the white cheddar cheese. I like that taste. I like to put a little lemon pepper on there too. Lemon pepper seasoning on the popcorn is a nice treat.
Big Cat
I got the machine that melts my butter on top. So you put the butter on top and then it melts it for you, and then you. And then you put it on. Look, here's the tweet of. Of Johnny Fanta in Action.
Hank
Yeah, but I'm seeing all those kernels going into the mouth.
Big Cat
Yeah, no, he's, it's clean. He's just going like that. Superman's. That's a man's handful. No, no, Dainty.
Hank
It's an efficient shovel of popcorn. You're not, you're, you know, it's, it's a dunk. You should be making all those.
PFT Commenter
Listen, that was a situation where I had. My wife and I are very excited. We're expecting, we're, we're thrilled.
Big Cat
We're looking forward to it.
PFT Commenter
Thank you. Thank you, baby boy. Doing May. We had the 1:00 appointment. Right. On Friday. I had a game on Saturday that I was calling and it was in Philadelphia. It was at Drexel, Charleston and Drexel mid major game. I'll do any game in the country. Every college basketball game is beautiful to me.
Big Cat
Yep.
PFT Commenter
And hop in the car rental, zip down to downtown Philly. Well, as you guys know, was congestion on a Friday evening. Get in the hotel room, take a quick shower, zip over to Wells Fargo, sat down. I'm not a big, like, let me sit down the building and go get dinner. Like, that's not who I am. I'm like, but I gotta have something. And so I went up and got a big box of, of of corn and sat down and enjoyed some Friday night hoops.
Big Cat
I love it.
PFT Commenter
Had a blast doing it. So you have to, yeah, you got to do it.
Big Cat
All right, well, thanks for joining us, John. That's all we had. It was just popcorn. Talk.
PFT Commenter
To you in three weeks for selection Sunday. Thanks.
Big Cat
All right, so I got my bone to pick with you. You ready for it? It's not really, it's not a serious one, but, you know, I, I, I love college hoops. I watch way too much college hoops. I bet on every game. I needed a little more sense of urgency from you. When Xavier was blowing the COVID today against Seton Hall, I needed a little bit more. They were up like 20 with five minutes left. That's going around right now. My Badgers an all time bad loss on Saturday, but Xavier cutting the lead and, and it was like one of those situations that Seton hall was never going to win the game, but they went from no chance of covering to covering. I needed a little more urgency from you to let us know that this was, you know, threat level midnight. And if you had watched the whole game, like I had to watch Xavier cover and then just be like, what the fuck just happened? I needed something there.
PFT Commenter
Your dedication level to watching that, that game was stuck in neutral for a good. Yeah, 45 minutes. That just shows why you're, you're different. You're a different breed to be able to go all the way through. Thanks for joining us. What was the spread?
Big Cat
It was nine and a half. And I was like, this is. I had it as like, oh, man, this is easy. They were up 10, they were up 15. They're up 20. It was so easy. And then it was just like, no, let's, let's fuck around and let Seton hall cut it to 5 with 40 seconds left.
PFT Commenter
So to me, this embodies college basketball. Sorry that I didn't have more urgency there on the, on the spread.
Big Cat
I appreciate it.
PFT Commenter
That, that really, that, that's an apology there. And you can, you could pick that bone anytime, because I don't want to see you get your money taken. What I will say is this, this is why I tell people on the, on the tournament, when people say when. When the non. When the non. Casual better. Like the guy who literally puts down two or three or four things in the entire year. Super Bowl, March Madness, and maybe they do something during the NBA Finals or World Series or whatever. I, I tell them, just play any 13, any 14, any 15, and go ahead, dump, dump, dump. 50 bucks, $30, whatever. On any 16, you're going to come out okay.
Big Cat
Yeah.
PFT Commenter
Because this is the sport. Like, yes, college football has insanity. There's no question about it. It has some absolutely bonkers results. But college basketball, from that perspective, guys, is just, at times, I don't. I mean, for lack of a better term, disgusting with the endings of games. And, you know, whereas it, Whereas you might need to go 90 yards for a touchdown if it's a bucket, if the difference is literally a basket, somebody could heave the ball 50ft and it could go into the. It could go into the. The basket and it could produce a total turn of events in Vegas. So that's why I say, you know, it. There's nothing. We call it March Madness. Nobody ever rolls their eyes when you say it. People say it's the best. It's about, I live for it. I can't wait. The only part I hate about is that it only lasts three weeks and it really lasts two weeks because then you got the Final Four and it's a matter of three games. It. That's. Seton hall was down by 21. They trailed by double digits the majority of the game. They were within three with a minute to go. Yeah, it embodies this sport. Expect the unexpected and if you want to have fun in a sport, go ahead and have fun in college basketball and take the home dogs and let it fly.
Big Cat
Yeah, it is. It's crazy. I mean, the Oregon, Wisconsin game, which was. Which I should be more mature to not let it ruin my Saturday, but it 100% ruined my Saturday. They were up 16 with six minutes left. Or Arizona, BYU, late night last night.
PFT Commenter
Where it's got a prediction for you.
Big Cat
You got phantom calls. Yeah. Go, go.
PFT Commenter
Best thing that ever happened to Wisconsin. That ever happened. They're going to go back in the lab.
Big Cat
Yep.
PFT Commenter
Right. Greg Guard is going to rip his team apart over the next couple of days, I think. Guard, I understand. Wisconsin fans have been frustrated at times because they've been looking for his teams to turn a corner offensively. This is his best offensive team.
Big Cat
Yeah.
PFT Commenter
The ball pops. John Tanjay is a beast. Blackwell, fantastic player. Max Klezman a matchup problem. Wisconsin can still be trusted. Don't let one unravel job at home. Big cat tell you and I tell you're not one of those guys. But you know, you know there's Badger fans out there who are like, same old.
Big Cat
No, same old.
PFT Commenter
I'm here to tell you right now, it's not the same old Wisconsin. And I believe in this team. I believe in this team as much as. As any of the top teams in the Big Ten.
Big Cat
Yeah, no, I agree. I listen. Kirk Penny has done a great job, you know, making that modern offense and it was just a bad. It was just one of those games that, like, you just. It just ruins your mood. But I agree, you need, you need. It's hard to win in conference. Oregon's a good team. They're a tournament team.
PFT Commenter
Yeah.
Big Cat
Hopefully they can galvanize around it.
PFT Commenter
Yeah, that's what you hope for. By the way, Oregon just gave you all lesson now because when. If Dana Altman makes a sweet 16, everybody's like, how did that just happen? What just happened? They're talented. You can't. I would urge you, if you're just joining college basketball, you know, because you were involved with football, which a lot of fans are, don't watch a team play once and say, now that's what I think of them. Because if you do that, you're doomed for failure when the madness comes. Oregon. Oregon won the players era back in November. The joke was they played for money and they played totally better than they've played the rest of the year, even though the guys are still getting paid pretty good money. And Phil Knight's Got deep pockets out there, but they're a dangerous team. They that the Oregon Ducks with Jackson Shelstad and Nate Biddle, who's a seven footer, who's a matchup problem. Don't sleep on the Ducks big time.
Hank
Don't sleep on the Ducks.
Big Cat
Dana Altman's a great coach.
Hank
I, I do make that mistake every year. I, I, I really start paying attention to college basketball right like the day after the Super Bowl. That's when I like go binge all in on it. And so I get a couple of games under my belt. But it just confuses me because I make my snap judgments and then I find out that I'm totally wrong about my snap judgments. Then I go into the tournament just having no idea what to do. Would you say? Because I actually thought the same thing that you just said about Wisconsin and the loss they had to Oregon. I kind of felt the same way about Kentucky getting their ass kicked a little bit. I mean, it was a different game obviously Wisconsin and overtime, but Kentucky getting, getting handled by Alabama. I thought that Pope is going to do a good job in turning his guys around and having them ready to play in the tournament. Is that, is that crazy for me to think that?
PFT Commenter
It's not crazy, provided that Lamont Butler and Jackson Robinson are healthy for Kentucky. If those two guys are healthy, pft, then you're going to be talking about a situation where Kentucky's offense is as dynamic as many of the top offenses in the country because they've got flamethrowers. Kobe Braya is a stud. He's one of the best pure shooters in the sport. Amari Williams, as a big man on both ends of the floor, really good defender. I think that that's the biggest what if for Kentucky. Are they going to be able to play defense in the tournament? They could score at will, which I love. Like if I'm picking between a team that's just defensively stout or a team that can get buckets quickly, I'm taking the ladder. In today's day and age, Ask Tennessee's been better the last two years, but like that held them back. Texas A and M. I don't trust them. I don't trust them in the tournament because of, because at times they get stuck in the mud. Being physical is great until every ref in America calls a file two minutes into the game because they say I in March Madness. The officials are getting evaluated for the next rounds just like the teams are getting are trying to move on. The officials get told whether or not they're moving on to the next round. So when there's a bunch of calls in a game, it's because they're trying to follow the rules so that they can advance and make more money. The fact is Kentucky, I like Kentucky's upside still. I am not out on Kentucky. I don't think anybody should be. But we know this. When this team shows up for their first round game, there's going to be the narratives, the spotlight now on Mark Pope. Can he be different than California? Can he, can he spin a different song? And if they make the sweet 16, people didn't know what to expect from Pope in year one. They haven't done that since 2019. I do. I still like their upside, but they've got to get healthy. If they're not fully healthy, they're a team that maybe they win a first round game. I don't trust them enough to make the sweet 16. They need Robinson, they need Butler. But they've got dudes, man, that that team put together some terrific early season results and they're very difficult to defend.
Big Cat
Yeah, they can light it up. Your Big east has, let's just be honest, John, down year. Some of the teams have been down. You know, UConn has been, I would say, Danny early would say it has been a disappointment overall. But St. John's has been the bright light in St. John's we had coach Patino in here last week. They look for real and I think, you know, they might be more towards the Texas A and M than a Kentucky where they do struggle shooting the ball at times, but their defense is ferocious. And I trust Rick Pitino in a tournament setting. What do you think the ceiling is for St. John's and maybe like the Big east overall? Do you think there's maybe a chance that some of these Big east teams, a Marquette could surprise teams even though the conference as a whole is a little down compared to last year.
PFT Commenter
So first and foremost St. John's can make the Final Four and the statistical data backs it up. Just this past week, this was on social since 2011, there have only been two teams that have shot less than 32 1/2% from three and have made the Final Four. They are Rick Patino's Louisville teams, one of one of which won a national championship. No NCAA. You can't take away a banner and a trophy from Russ Smith and Peyton Siva. That's not. I. I don't know where you two stand.
Big Cat
No, I agree. Yeah, he's got a tattoo.
Hank
He had to get the Tattoo removed.
Big Cat
He's got a tattoo.
Hank
Yeah, yeah.
PFT Commenter
Forget yeah. Come on. Now. This St. John's team plays a lot like those Louisville teams. They are relentless. So here's what they've got going for them. Multiple explosive guards who make plays for their teammates. RJ Lewis, he could be Big east player of the year. That kid never stops. He has fully understood what Rick Pitino is about. Kadari Richmond, Brooklyn boy putting on for his city living for the big spotlight and delivering in that spotlight. So those two, they get everything started for this team in a lot of ways. When you can dump it into Zubie, edge of four, and he's playing at the level that he's playing at. Davon Smith brings the fire. Smith and Richmond are like fire and ice. Smith with his pace. Richmond kind of this back to the basket, Uncle Drew, I'm going to put you to sleep, but then make you pay type game. St. John's is a New York team that has a New Yorker who's out to write his last chapters. His way to go out his way. What Pitino is doing, as you guys felt in your studio, you felt what I'm feeling covering Pitino. This is a guy who's been through everything in his career and now is a really refreshing personality in college basketball because he doesn't give a damn. And he's out to do one thing. Win, win, win, win. And he's got Mike Rapoli backing him with money. He's got Madison Square Garden on fire again. Feeling like Nick. Playoffs game, playoff games for a Big east contest against the likes of Creighton or Xavier or over the weekend. Now Connecticut, and they. They are a real threat to make it to San Antonio this April. And, oh, what a scene that would be.
Big Cat
Yeah.
PFT Commenter
If Rick Pitino is down there at the Final Four, that would be wild. In terms of the rest of East, I'm with you. Marquette has definitely struggled as of late. Cam Jones is still a stud. Connecticut has to have a. They're just not what they've been the last two years. The question now is, can they. Can they win two tournament games and be one in the Sweet 16 for them? I think they're a victim of their success in terms of the narrative. You know, Dan Hurley, we know what he said and that he's. He certainly made headlines with. With all of that. I think they've had trouble accepting the fact that they're not a national title contender.
Big Cat
Right.
PFT Commenter
And so as a result, things have sort of spun off like it's not good, but because there's just an okay team, a solid team. Now people are going crazy. Say some people are like, well, they stink now.
Big Cat
Well, right.
PFT Commenter
Compared to last year. You weren't going to duplicate that. Guys, there's a reason why John Wooden's the only guy who's done that.
Big Cat
Yeah.
Hank
Part of my take is sponsored by BetterHelp. We often hear about the red flags that we should avoid. But what if we focus more on looking for green flags in friends and partners? If you're not sure what they look like, therapy can help you identify green flags, actively practice them in your relationships and embody the green flag energy yourself. Whether you're dating, married, building a friendship, or just working on yourself, it's time to form relationships that love you back. I've gone to therapy. It's helped me in the past. I think a lot of people could benefit from it. And BetterHelp is a great example because it's fully online, so it makes therapy affordable, convenient, and it serves over 5 million people worldwide. Access a diverse network of more than 30,000 credentialed therapists with a wide range of specialties. Discover your relationship green flags with better help. Visit betterhelp.compmt today. Get 10% off your first month. That's BetterHelp. H E L p.compmt and now, here's more. John Fanta.
Big Cat
Yeah, no, you're right. And I actually, I lie. Enjoyed hearing his honesty over the weekend. That clip where he was like, I, you know, we lost our swagger in Maui and I can't coach them the same way. And I can't, I can't be as tough on them. That probably hurts some of those guys, but you never know. I mean, that's why the tournament is a tournament. You get hot at the right time. You can, they still have guys that, you know have been there 100%.
PFT Commenter
You still have people who understand what it takes to perform on that stage and in the NCAA tournament. That's very helpful because I can't tell you how many teams and UConn won't be one of these teams. They play in an NCAA tournament, first or second round game. And you watching them, you don't recognize them. Like, you, you genuinely do not understand what you're watching. You're like, this is not the team that, that I watch throughout the season. So it's. You're exactly right. Big Cat is, is this is a Connecticut team that I still think with Liam McNeely solo ball. And if Hassan D'ar can stay healthy. The problem is you went From Adama Sanogo, Donovan Clingan to Donovan Cling and Sampson Johnson, Sampson Johnson and Terrace Reed, neither one of them is a one on an elite team.
Big Cat
Yeah.
PFT Commenter
And that's where things have gone wrong. Watch out for Creighton. Still, Ryan Kalkbrenner is an absolute beast. Stephen Ashworth is a terrific point guard. And you just know the Big east tournament could throw a curveball or two. But St. John's hasn't won it since 2000. And I can't help but think that Lou Carneseca is smiling down on this team and providing some magic fun. You know, just a touching note, but an interesting note when. When John Thompson passed away in 2020, Georgetown proceeded to win the Big east tournament. And Patrick. Patrick Ewing told me, John Thompson was here with us. He made this happen. You know, Rick is an unbelievable coach, but if St. John's were to win this, and they haven't done in a quarter century, it is patino. But the year that Louie passed that. That I wouldn't bet against the Red Storm, because not only are they really good guys, but there's something magical with this team.
Hank
Yeah. Yeah. I mean, I'm hoping they get to San Antonio, too. That'd be so much fun if they were in the Final Four.
Big Cat
Yeah. And Rico Bosco would look like the dumbest person alive.
Hank
Yeah, that's true. So back. Back to Dan Hurley again real quick. Do you think that if you were to give him, you know, truth serum and. And hook him up to a lie detector and ask him, do you regret not taking the Lakers job this off season, what do you think he'd say?
PFT Commenter
I don't think that he would regret it. I don't think. I know. I. I don't think he lives with regret that he didn't take that job. I don't. Because I think that Dan is so happy with his wife and his situation of being the king. And this goes back to why I feel he didn't take it. If you go to the NBA, you become secondary, if not tertiary, if not, whatever the next wheel is. Fourth, fifth, sixth wheel. You could get in the headlines, but not for the right reasons. Think about the best NBA coaches. Like, okay, Joe Missoula goes crazy on an official. And so, yes, that makes headlines. But, like, are we talking daily about how great Joe Missoula is? No, we're talking. I mean, for better, for the right or wrong reason. We're talking about Jason Tatum, and we're talking about Brown, and we're talking about their core of players, White and company who make them a championship team. The coach's story gets told by the local press and people covering it and you guys will bring it up if they win another championship. But like we're not. We're not breaking down NBA head coaches during this time of year. Hurley's in the headlines every day.
Hank
Yeah.
PFT Commenter
And don't tell me don't. He loves it and that's a good thing. Like we need more of that energy in college basketball. My, my. My reason for it is there are some people out there who despise him. There are some people out there who love him. You two do a show. That's the premise. In a good way. We want to be talking about it during conference championship week of the NFL. They got done breaking down, you know, Mahomes and. And Allen and what. What would happen in. In the NFC and if the. If the commanders could pull it off and what. What the Eagles would be doing. They got done with. With the segment on debate shows and the B block was Hurley saying he's the best coach in the sport and what do we make of this or. Or that he went off on another official or that he went crazy here he is who he is unapologetically. But you're not getting. If he's doing that in the NBA. Guys, we're. Look the NBA people are looking at it as. This isn't going to last, right?
Hank
Yeah.
PFT Commenter
Just not going to last. He would have had. He would have to change everything about his act. I feel to be in the NBA where coaches to me are not the priority. The NBA is the furthest thing from a coach's league. If you even so much as make one mistake, you could be eaten up and thrown out immediately. He is best in college. I don't think he regrets it.
Hank
I agree. I like him in college as well. I want to go down to the ACC real quick because you just had a take that you think that Maryland is a dark horse to reach the final four. How much did that pain you to say that, John Fanta after. Because we all know that you hate Maryland and you've hated. And now you're all of a sudden out of nowhere you're giving credit to the Terps.
Big Cat
They're good.
PFT Commenter
Well, I love that you went down to the ACC to talk Maryland because Maryland deserves to be in the AC There. They're at ACC team and they always will be.
Big Cat
So that's really.
PFT Commenter
That was so well done by you.
Hank
By the way, that tournament should be in Greensboro every year for the record.
PFT Commenter
100 100.
Hank
Yeah.
PFT Commenter
Million percent. The ACC tournament should never be anywhere but Greensboro. Keep your conference tournament in the same location every year. Why? Familiarity is good. As for Maryland, they are dangerous. Kevin Willard has done a terrific job with this team. Why Derek Queen, throwback player. He's got this Moses Malone style to his game. As style as that could get in 2025. When he's got the ball, the game slows down, but you're forced to play it that way. Julian Reese, tough. I mean, this guy plays with muscle. He's on the attack. He's. He's a good defender. He understands the assignments. And then last year you talked about Maryland's front court, but last year they didn't have enough guard play and they certainly didn't have enough shot making. So I think much like Greg Guard and his staff, Kevin Willard and his staff went to the lab and they said, look, we want to play hard, we want to be gritty. That's all nice and whatnot. Toughness is awesome. But at the end of the day, we don't even have a Jack Golke on our team.
Big Cat
Right.
PFT Commenter
We need to find shot making. Jacoby Gillespie spend that seldom. Miguel's been that. Rodney Rice is that as well. The Crab 5 is outstanding, by the way. Whoever came up with Crab 5. To describe the Maryland starting five, that is an elite job right there. You've got Scott Van Pelt courtside cheering you on. He's so into it and I love it about him and Maryland basketball, when they're cooking, they're one of the brands that's fun in the sport. That fan base is electric. They're going to be all over us talking about them right here, right now. I think they're dangerous. You know why? They're not over reliant on any one or two piece pieces to win. They've got a nice complimentary balance to their group in terms of. They don't. They don't say, we got to get post scoring. No, they, they use the drives to kick and hit threes. And because they're hitting threes, Maryland can go deep.
Big Cat
Yeah, no, I agree. Maryland, like the one thing you could say about Maryland is they, they have maybe a thin bench. I always will take a great starting five over. Like, like, I never understood when, when people are like, oh, you know, we go 11 deep, we go, you know, 10 deep. When it gets crunch time, you got to have your best five guys. And Maryland has an incredible five guys.
PFT Commenter
It's a load of crap. When people are like, yeah. I go, I've got nine or 10 deep. Okay. Do you put nine people on the floor at the end of the game in the sweet 16? No, give me your best five. They're 18 to 22 year old kids. I also laugh when people are like, yeah, they're getting tired. This guy's wearing down.
Big Cat
Yeah.
PFT Commenter
These kids come back to campus in July. It's too long in college basketball. Like they get three weeks off and they have to come back and start working out. That's the problem with the calendar. The kids want to play in the games. The games are the fun of this sport, not the transfer portal chaos. You need five or six. You need five or six guys. You need a six man and maybe a body, a post body at seven or eight. Jay Wright won a national championship with six players.
Big Cat
Yeah, yeah. It's the old Pat Riley where it was like, play six, trust five.
PFT Commenter
Yeah. You know what it is when. Right. You know what it is when. When you say, oh, I can go eight or nine deep. Yeah, that. That's my life. During Brown's training camp this upcoming summer, you know, we feel, we feel that we've got two or three really strong options, you know, potentially a quarterback. And I'm going to be staring at a rookie.
Big Cat
Yeah.
PFT Commenter
Another backup who should be at Walmart and a veteran pickup, probably Kirk Cousins. That's probably what I'm going to be staring at.
Big Cat
Yeah, you probably know.
PFT Commenter
And you know what happens when. When they say to you, we've got two options here. It means you don't have one.
Big Cat
That's facts. That's facts. Actually talking about the acc. This is my strategy. Tell me if it is a sound strategy or really stupid. I have just ignored Duke. I am going to ignore Duke and I'm going to say the ACC is so bad that Duke is completely inflated and wants to get into the tournament. I'm not going to have to worry about them. There's. I mean, ACC might have three teams in the tournament. SMU might be their fourth, but Clemson, Louisville are good. Duke obviously is great. But am I making a mistake by just completely ignoring Duke and being like, look, they played nobody. That. That whole conference sucks. As soon as they step up into the tournament, they're going to get a rude awakening. I'm not going to have to worry about them now.
PFT Commenter
It's not the right strategy.
Big Cat
God damn it. I knew. I know it's not, but it's the only way I can deal with it.
PFT Commenter
Do you think a buddy texted me on Saturday night and they said, you know, and. And I couldn't help but chuckle in a good way. I mean I I know you have your own so I'll bring it up on this show. But they said Coach K cuts down the nets this April. Shire takes down his piece and hands Mike the Scissors Man.
Big Cat
That would kill me. I mean I know they're killing teams but they sucks, John. It sucks.
PFT Commenter
Illinois. Illinois. Are they in the ACC now?
Big Cat
They Illinois very injured. You know that they're, they had the flu. Their season has completely gone sideways.
PFT Commenter
Duke is damn good. They are. They are a spectacular team. They're a wagon defensively. I just think the amount that their length does to alter. You can't run your your game plan plan A or B against what they're going to do because they're going to come out. Ceon James said I'm going to get on Caspera Shaka Chonas who's a top five pick in the draft and he said I'm going to limit him and even if he makes some shots I'm still going to do what I can to shut him down as much as possible. But then it goes beyond that. To me the fact that they were dominating to the level that they dominated in that first half against Illinois held them to oh for 16 from 3. I had Illinois fans being like it's not them holding us. We're just we can't make a shot. Get out of here. You, you couldn't make it because of how they defended you. Oh, number two Cooper Flag only had one field goal making the first half. This is not just because of Cooper Flag. Like he, he has a lot to do with it and I think Cooper is a is a fantastic player and will be the number one pick in this draft full stop. It's over. If on draft day you wake up and the batting lines are getting shaken up by insiders and stuff enough it ain't happening. He's going number one. There's no reason why anybody should pick anybody else there or take that risk on. You got to pick him first. But it goes beyond him this team. Isaiah Evans has turned into a different player. Now Khan canippel he he plays the game a little crazy intensity wise in a good way. He's got Cam Spencer like jeans. Remember Spencer for Yukon last year? Last year a little bit like knipples always going crazy. Watch really strong. They didn't even have Malik Brown but like they if they're making any perimeter shots any it's over. They, they are not going to lose. Now your hope big cat is that they show up to the Alamo Dome. If they do, let's say they make the Final Four. I'm sorry. It is a football stadium. There is a unique shooting background, and sometimes teams that are kind of iffy from a shooting perspective can shoot miserably, and then the game looks a whole lot different. Game always looks better when the shots are going in. But right now, if you force me to take Duke slash Auburn or the field today, I would take Duke slash Auburn.
Big Cat
You wouldn't listen. Florida's good. The entire SEC is really good.
Hank
It's awesome. Like, if you were to say, do you think that the winner of the SEC tournament is also going to play in the championship game or not, what would you say to that?
PFT Commenter
No, I'd say no, because I think Auburn could get taken out of that earlier than expected. Yeah, because I think there's going to be some teams that may be a little more desperate. And I. I also don't trust conference tournament champions. Just. Just by virtue of. It takes a lot for you to do that, to win it, and then you've got to go right back to the road and play in the NCAA tournament, and you just play till Saturday or Sunday. I always look bracket help here at Thursday or Friday at the latest losers in their conference tournament, if they're a steady NCAA tournament team, because I like the fact they can go back, they're pissed off they didn't win their conference tournament. They got a couple extra days to rest. They went back, they saw their girlfriends on campus get a nice free weekend with your honey. And then you say, here's how I. Here's how I go dancing.
Big Cat
Yeah.
Hank
Last year, though, that was desperate.
Big Cat
They needed it.
PFT Commenter
Last year was. That was.
Hank
They kept it going.
PFT Commenter
One of the wildest Cinderellas we've. We've ever seen. And that's inexplicable, but that's why we watch.
Big Cat
Yeah.
PFT Commenter
You know, I was thinking about that. Like, even. Here's the best part about March Madness by the championship game, even somebody who. I love the sport. I'm, like, bummed out that it's over and it's one game. So let's just say it's Duke and Auburn. It's a dream matchup for the sport. But the best part is Duke's in one region, Auburn's in another region. That means there's two. Like, let's just say. And by the way, I would say if you. If you made me bet, I'd say, okay, I'm going to be wrong on one of them. And one of them Bows out earlier than expected. But I would, I'm saying I'm getting one of them to, to win it all.
Big Cat
Yeah.
PFT Commenter
There's still two other regions that Duke and Auburn have no control over that the chaos is going to happen. That's why the madness is the best. It's non stop. You looking going from true TV to TNT to TBS to CBS and saying what the hell is going on right now in my life.
Hank
It really is. And then you get your Jack Golkes involved, you get your magical moments like that.
PFT Commenter
It really is the best event of that. You wake up a day, you wake up on a sports day and you're. It's a glorious day, but by the end of the day, you are saying someone's name that you didn't know existed at the beginning of the day.
Hank
Yeah.
Big Cat
Don't sleep on Florida, John.
PFT Commenter
Love them.
Big Cat
Florida's good and they're getting guys back and it's like their size is a problem. They've, you know, they're, they're, they have three losses on the season. I know that two of them were away. They've only lost once at home. They're a good team. Really.
PFT Commenter
They're very good. And Walter Clayton and Elijah Martin are studs. Walter Clayton is an all American. When Elijah Martin's on, he's 1 2. And Chinielloo had a very good performance this past weekend. They're big. Alex Condon's taken that next step. They just got hand logged and back. They are tough, man. Like that team is very, very good. They are an offensive juggernaut. They can come at you in waves. I agree with PFC Texas Tech, tough. Grant McCasm's done a great job. JT Toppin, absolute stud. They've got depth. Elijah Hawkins is a, is a really good distributor of the basketball in terms of other teams like, like teams that are, you know, not at the top of the country, but I still like a lot not the very top of the country. Anyways, don't let a Michigan loss to Michigan State get you out on Michigan.
Big Cat
Oh, I think Michigan's overrated. Although I love Danny Wolf. I think Michigan's overrated. I think Michigan State is the team.
PFT Commenter
Well, Tom Izzo, he's got a group that. How magical would it be if izzo in year 30 made the final Four?
Big Cat
Yeah, but wait, go on Michigan though. Because my, my problem, Michigan is they, they're sloppy with the ball and I think that just kills you in the tournament.
PFT Commenter
Yeah, it can be, but, but sometimes when you play together that Long. Your numbers don't tell the full story when you get on the big stage. And that's kind of where my argument is, is like at some point, Amari Burnett, Trey Donaldson, Roddy Gale and company are just. I'm betting on them. I'm betting on Dusty May who's made a Final Four run, and I'm betting on veteran players like they, they might, they might be turnover prone, but I just know that I've got Vlad golden and Danny Wolfe and in the NCAA tournament, you, my opponent, have likely never seen any combination like that because of the uniqueness of it.
Big Cat
Yeah.
PFT Commenter
So I think they pose matchup to what they, to what they can do. But there's a number of these types of teams that could be really interesting in the tournament. I mean, you can go right down the line like Mississippi State down there in Starkville. He's. Chris Chance has a really intriguing team. St. Mary's is tough again and they're going to win the wcc. How about Randy Bennett and the job that he does year in and year out, having them as good as they are. And there are Cinderella teams. There are a couple of teams wearing the slipper again. Drake can wear that slipper. Yale is back and loaded. And don't sleep on the Akron Zips out of the Mid American.
Hank
Okay.
Big Cat
Yeah.
Hank
What about, what about Houston? I keep waiting for Houston, for it to finally be their year. And last year it did feel like it could have been different until the unfortunate injury. But I, I still think from what I've seen from Houston, they're very tough team. They're a team that you don't want to play against. That's kind of the style they always play. Do you think that they would have a chance?
PFT Commenter
Do you know what the difference is? Pft. That makes me say they have a chance. They're shot making. Houston's always been held back by having multiple guys who can dial it up from downtown. So they've had Marcus Sasser, they've had Jamal Shen, they've had some talented individuals. This feels like a perimeter that really can share the sugar and make threes and waves. L.J. crier had 28 points in the win over the weekend over Iowa State. Crier had a couple step backs that were flat out ridiculous. Emanuel Sharpe is steady. He's tough. If you're going to go to Houston, you have to be tough. You know, it's, it's, it's like, it's like going to, you know, like if you're not going to play hard for Kelvin Sampson to be tough, you're going to go get sent to Weenie Hut Juniors. Like, it's just how it is. This, it's a non negotiable. Like he, he has someone stand there at the, at the, the front of the club and if you don't bring that, you're done. And I don't care if it's practice, I don't care if it's summertime, I don't care if it's a team bonding trip to a lake. You have to be tough.
Big Cat
Yeah.
PFT Commenter
And they have. But the guy that's opened things up for them is Milo Shuzan. Milo Shuzan is a clutch shot maker, big time shot maker. And Juwan Roberts is a guy who's embraced his role. This is Kelvin's best offensive team. I'm never worried about whether they can get stops or not, but in the past, you guys know this. Houston, Tennessee, like A and M's good. But I work when you get, when your sole goal is to get teams stuck in the mud. In a game of shot making where the opponent has those types of players, at some point, you can't get them into the mud. Houston can win a game out of the mud this year.
Big Cat
Yeah, I agree with that. All right, a couple last questions. Who's going to be the Indiana next? The next coach for Indiana?
PFT Commenter
If I had to make a prediction right now, I would say T.J. otzelberger. I think he makes a lot of sense.
Big Cat
Yeah, very good.
PFT Commenter
I think he's done a phenomenal job at Iowa State and I think he's been outstanding at Iowa State. But I think that this guy is one of the best coaches in the sport who can take on the Indiana fan base and will be strong. So if I were to, it should be the guy that Indiana pursues the most. And I'm just thinking if I'm Scott Dawson, who's running this search, you gotta bow down to whoever you're hiring and say like, look, we, we need you.
Big Cat
Right?
PFT Commenter
You know, everyone's, everyone's like, oh, it's Indiana. The aura, the. Come on, man, kids don't know about that. They don't like, they see the candy cane pants. But the days of Coach Knight, I mean, you know, God, God bless him and may rest in, in peace. But like, the fact is that was a long time ago. You got to get a guy who coaches with toughness, who gets his teams to play endlessly hard, and a guy who can educate the kids on what it means to play in Indiana. Yeah, I think Gotselberger is one of the best three coaches in the sport. The building job he's done at Iowa State. Think about this. Iowa State hasn't made a final four since 1944. He could lead them to only their second Final Four ever this year.
Big Cat
Yeah, he's been awesome. He. And they're a good team. They've been a little banged up, but they're a very good team. All right. How I enjoy so much the John Fanta X.
PFT Commenter
Can I give one before. Sorry to cut you off. My favorite. My favorite ending would be Indiana, who just beat Purdue, makes the NCAA tournament. They're on the bubble, they win a game or two, and Mike Woodson sits down and says after the game, you know what? I actually have had second thoughts. I'll be back next year.
Big Cat
They are a bubble team. I mean, this was a big win for them today. And they've had flashes where they've looked really good. Even the first time they played Purdue, they played their balls off. They lost it backy.
PFT Commenter
But can do that, though.
Big Cat
Yeah, no, he's still the coach. It's absolutely true. So. All right, so I love the Twitter lives and Twitter spaces. You do when you fly off the handle of people. What's a like? Because I feel like it's almost like you got a Francesca thing going where it's like, hey, if you come at me incorrect, you're going to get shown the door pretty quickly. What's a big, like. No, no. When someone comes at. At John Fanta in your spaces.
PFT Commenter
Well, when a caller says, excuse me, I'm talking. Or, John, this is where you're wrong. Or, no, John, you're not listening to me. And it's like, I just got done listening to you for two and a half, three minutes.
Big Cat
Yeah.
PFT Commenter
I love the fans. Love it. Just like you guys do, too. And we. And we bring them into different stuff and engage them. But there's a. Hey. Like, it's somebody. Somebody came on, like, two weeks ago, and it's like, here's where you're wrong on Providence. Here's where you're wrong and all these things. And like, it's talking down to me.
Big Cat
Come on, it's your space.
PFT Commenter
I'm not putting up with that. Like, there's a line to cross there.
Big Cat
Yeah.
PFT Commenter
And it's. It's like when I was growing up and my dad said, these are the things that you have to do on Saturday. These are your chores. And if you started to speak up and say why one of the chores was a bunch of bullshit, you got Caught. That was the end of it.
Big Cat
Yeah. You got hung up on it.
PFT Commenter
It's a non negotiable. You were sent out to the yard and you were picking the weeds in the mulch. And maybe that night you got to sit, sit out on the patio and have a Diet Coke. But the fact is, like, that's not. You don't come into the space and start trying to run it. Then we have, because it's spaces, it's not radio. So, like, I like, well, if people come on and you guys know this, like, they start telling me everything they know about the game. But like, we're talking X's and O's in the weeds deep. And they get. And it's like four and a half, five minutes. And I've said before to the people, does this, sir, do you have a wife? And the guy will say back to me, like, yes, I do. I go, well, one. Does she ever get a word in edgewise? Like, does she ever. Listen to yourself. You know, we've all been in the cocktail party or the, or the wedding or the thing where we love. We love somebody, we love our parents friend or the friend of a friend. But you know, when you're having a beer or wine, you've got to budget out about 10 to 13 minutes to get their latest thoughts on whatever's happening in the sports.
Big Cat
Yeah. Yeah.
Hank
So what fan base is it that gives you the most grief?
PFT Commenter
Oh, boy. I mean, the, the fan bases that caused the most chaos up in the northeast. Look, the UConn fans are relentless in their pursuit. Providence fans can be absolutely unhinged, out of control. You don't know where things are going to go, and it's just how they are. That's Friar Town. It's what they do. They can't forget about Ed Cooley. And so every space has at least one caller who just turns up, turns it up, up on the intensity meter and they get started. Who else has come at me? I mean, Big Blue Nation and I are very close. Like, we're, we're in a good place. I get the ACC fans who are mad at me sometimes when I'm like, look, like, I'm sorry, but North Carolina, they're not a tournament team.
Big Cat
No.
PFT Commenter
And if they didn't have the North Carolina name, we wouldn't even be talking about them. Like, that's just, that's just a fact. You know who got on me this year a lot? Purdue fans.
Big Cat
Oh.
PFT Commenter
For not having them in the top 10 during times when people thought it. One week I ranked them like 21st now with the way they're playing recently, they just lost Indiana. Like they're back to the 20s. Not just on the edge. They're. They're not a top 10 team. They're not a top 12 team. They're just not.
Big Cat
No, they, they don't, they don't defend well. Like, they miss Edie so much. They should have just kept him forever. Should have been like, hey, like, sue the NCAA for a lifetime deal with Edie.
PFT Commenter
Whoever makes the Edie statue should, one, demand, triple the money because it's a seven foot four statue and two, like, you have to get that. Right. Yeah, like sports subculture thought here. What's going on with statue makers lately? They. Yeah, yeah. I mean, like wired tired.
Big Cat
Yeah, word.
PFT Commenter
Statue makers tired. Who's, who's somebody. Whoever the statue maker is out there, this is your chance to step up.
Hank
Yeah, I don't teaching statue making anymore.
PFT Commenter
What's that?
Hank
We're not teaching it. The kids don't learn how to make a statue in school anymore.
PFT Commenter
No, I mean, come on, wake up. And, and whoever's tasked with that, get it right.
Hank
Yes. I mean, the Washington commander is the one good thing that they ever did with Dan Snyder was the Sean Taylor statue because it didn't have a statue to it. So you couldn't screw it up. It was just an empty suit. It's perfect.
Big Cat
Yeah. Yeah. All right, John, I got one last question for you. Roback question. Rhopac.com promo code. Take 20% off your first purchase. Q, zips, polos, hoodies, joggers, shorts. Roback.com promo code. Take. This has been awesome. Getting everyone pumped for March Madness. Catching you up on college basketball. My last question is, could. Could you throw down a dunk for us? Absolutely.
PFT Commenter
Why not?
Big Cat
Hey, it's got the. For people who are listening, John. John's got his. His mini hoop behind him. So there's one little dunk.
PFT Commenter
There's one dilemma with this. Okay, so this is a new office setup and my wife set up the hoop and she did tell me when she set it up on the wall, don't dunk on it because the hoop is literally wrench to the wall.
Big Cat
Oh.
PFT Commenter
But because you two asked, I'll try it anyway.
Big Cat
Wow. What if John fans have brought down the whole house?
Hank
Tear that down, John. It's a load bearing hoop.
Big Cat
All right, he's going up. Oh, man, what a slam. Oh, another one.
Hank
Oh, triple slam. Oh, off the back.
PFT Commenter
Wow.
Big Cat
Hey, there we go.
PFT Commenter
That's some lateral quickness for You. Let's dance. Here comes the madness.
Big Cat
I love it. John, you're the best. We'll definitely have you back on when we get to conference championship week in the tournament. Love talking to you and you are the face of college basketball.
PFT Commenter
Thank you, guys. That's very, very humbling. I appreciate that. And if you're a fan out there as we're talking and when this goes live, you are inside three weeks away from the best postseason tournament in American sports.
Big Cat
Facts gonna be great facts. All right. Thank you, John.
PFT Commenter
Thank you, guys.
Hank
John Fanta was brought to you by Kevin's Natural Foods. If you haven't tried Kevin's Natural Foods, you're missing out. I love the Sichuan chicken. The General Tso's chicken is outstanding too. The stir fry kicks kits are amazing and they're super, super easy to cook. Up, up. If you want a delicious protein packed meal on the table in five minutes. Kevin's Natural Foods heat and serve. Entrees are perfect. It's clean, nutritious. These meals taste like something you get in a restaurant. Kevin's entrees include fully cooked beef or chicken and incredible sauces. So all you need to do is heat and eat. It's hard to believe something this tasty and healthy can be ready this fast. Kevin sent us a bunch of their natural foods. They've been in my refrigerator. I've been eating them all the time. Great for lunches, great for dinners. If you're in a rush, they're on the table in five minutes. And they do taste restaurant quality. And you can tell that it's good, clean food, nutritious food. You can skip the greasy takeout and grab Kevin's Natural Foods instead. It's the perfect mealtime hack. And it's faster than takeout. Find Kevin's in the refrigerated section at your local grocery store. Fanta was also brought to you by TGL. This is TGL presented by SoFi. It's golf's newest league. An all new indoor arena style golf where high tech meets higher stakes, meets prime time espn. And the next match of the season is teeing off Monday, February 24th. That's tonight. We got LA versus New York. And we got Boston versus Atlanta. And then on Tuesday we got the Bay against Jupiter.
Shane
Homa.
Hank
Yeah. The whole planet has a team. That's crazy.
Big Cat
Hell yes.
Hank
What team is home on Jupiter then? I'm a Jupiter fan.
Big Cat
Yep, big Jupiter. We ride with Jupiter.
Hank
We do. Biggest planet. It's three verse, three match plays. Yeah.
Big Cat
Oh, oh.
Hank
Easily. And I think Jupiter's got rings, right?
Big Cat
But not all like in our solar system.
Hank
In our. Well, that. Yeah, that's the only one that matters.
Big Cat
Yeah, I agree.
Hank
Yeah.
Big Cat
I just didn't know if it was like bigger than all the planets.
Hank
I think it might be the biggest planet in the universe.
Big Cat
Okay.
Hank
Yeah. And they wanted Max Homa. It's three verse three. Match play. It's team golf takes the competition of pro golf and places it inside an arena sports atmosphere. You got those six teams, you have 24 of the PGA tours best pitted against each other each week. Miked up players, shot clocks, refs never before seen holes, a moving green, playoff lights, camera, action. It all goes down in a first of its kind arena in Florida. Hank, I know you've been watching.
Shane
Fantastic. It's fantastic.
Hank
I like that they talk some crap to each other. Yeah, it's good. It's good for golf. LA sits right now in second place. It's tight race up top. New York is building on its momentum from their first win. Boston is below the playoff line while Atlanta looks to build from their impressive win last week. And on Tuesday, the Bay goes into their match against Jupiter undefeated. While Jupiter looks to move up in the SOFI cup standings. It does look like the best time ever. I would like to go to one at some point. Tune in tonight and tomorrow only on ESPN2 and ESPN Plus. Search and download the TGL app. Keep up with all the matches through matchup live. Real time stats, live interviews, highlights and more. This is TGL presented by SoFi. Keep up. It's golf.
Big Cat
All right, let's wrap up. We got Monday reading. Pft. I sent it to you if you want to do the Monday reading. Because I also wanted to say this is a shorter Monday reading before we do the longer one. We. I saw it a couple weeks ago and because we've been traveling and everything, this was just the tweet of the guy who said the world needs to see this. Met this guy at the bar on Saturday. Ball knowers find ball knowers telepathically. An hour later, we exchanged numbers. Now we've been tossing names back and forth all week and saying where they went. I know you're here somewhere, brother. And it was just a dude who met a random dude at the bar and they just, they linked up and that's all they've been doing.
Hank
Where'd this guy go to school?
Big Cat
Yeah, like, like he just sent Jamal Charles and then Texas. Texas. And then Dexter McCluster back to him.
Hank
I love it.
Big Cat
South Carolina. And then like you know Jason Whitten, Blaine Gabbard, like back and forth.
Hank
This is how dudes meet each other.
Big Cat
Yeah. This is friendship and people were hating on them.
Hank
There should be, there should be Tinder. It should be a Tinder app for guys that just want to say dudes names to other dudes.
Big Cat
Also just going to throw this out there, Steve Smith. If you had found someone like this, maybe you wouldn't be rearranging IUDs. You know, be productive. Sometimes you just need someone, you know, when, when you're thinking, hey, I want to noted. I would like to come in some. Some guy's wife instead. Just text your buddy and just be like, I don't know, Bo Wallace. Where'd he go to school?
Hank
Yeah, it's honestly a very productive thing. I think that dudes should do this. Just have a way to link up with other guys online just to say names.
Big Cat
Okay.
Hank
Also, Kyle Hamilton put out a thought provoking question last week on X the everything app.
Big Cat
Oh.
Hank
In a Royal Rumble format between every president that's ever lived. Who wins?
Big Cat
Lincoln.
Hank
You think Lincoln. He's a wrestler. Taft probably has him by about, I don't know, £100.
Big Cat
Does he have the stamina?
Hank
Oh, Teddy Roosevelt got shot and gave the rest of his speech. No other president's done that. Hank per.
Big Cat
Hank Clinton's got them silent killers.
Hank
Yeah. Just choke you out with his dick.
Shane
Alexander Hamilton killed the guy.
Big Cat
Actual people that will kill you.
Hank
Oh yeah, yeah, yeah. Well, yeah, if Obama was allowed to use his drones.
Big Cat
Yeah.
Hank
Wait, you think Hamilton.
Shane
He's got bodies.
Hank
What? No. Didn't he get shot?
Shane
I thought he killed the guy in a duel.
Big Cat
Aaron Burr never saw the Hamilton musical.
Shane
Me neither.
Hank
I think Ben. Ben Franklin.
Big Cat
Ben Franklin would be a good one.
Hank
He'd be a really good Schwarzenegger. Yeah.
Big Cat
How do we not pick him first? Yeah. He would not 100 be it.
Hank
Yep. All right, so Monday reading. This is from Reddit. Am I the for pretending to think beans and chili are awoke to prank? My cousin who is obsessed with being anti woke and who loves chili. My cousin is known for making chili and he's good at it. He makes his own chili flakes from his secret combination of various dried chilies. It has a very nice kick. It's like the perfect amount of spice. It's hot, but not too hot. He also always adds kidney beans. Not canned beans either. That's a process if you're cooking your own beans.
Big Cat
Yeah.
Hank
Committed to it.
Big Cat
I like beans and chili. I'll just say it.
Hank
I think it Might be woke.
Big Cat
Okay.
Hank
Anyways, for the past two or three years, my cousin has become obsessed with all this about what is or isn't woke and how woke things are. The end of the world. He's always been a good dude, so I don't know what his bag is, but he's completely obsessed. It's annoying. So the other weekend, I was at his place and he was making his famous chili. So I got the idea for a little prank. I was like, I'm surprised you still put beans in your chili. He was like, what? Why? I was like, beans and chili are so woke. Everyone's saying so. He was like, what do you mean? And he was genuinely concerned, as if this was something serious. I said something like, yeah, beans and chili are woke. The original conservative Texans who made chili only use meat and chili. San Francisco libs started adding beans to chili in the 60s because so many hippies were vegetarian. Now all the woke scientists are saying beans are a better protein source than meat. He didn't say anything to that. I imagine he just stewed on it.
Big Cat
Yeah.
Hank
After that. Yeah, literally. I kind of just assumed he'd know I was with him and get the joke. We've always around with each other and jokes about and all, but he was quiet all dinner. Just yesterday, I was back again at his place and he was making his chili again. There were no beans. It was a totally different chili. This guy's been making his chili with beans for 15 years. I was like, what's up? Where's the beans? He's like, I don't fuck with that woke shit. I was like, what? He was like, beans and chili are woke. Even you know that. Everyone else was like, what? Because what? I was like, dude, I was just fucking with you. He got really angry. He dumped his chili in the sink and told everyone to go home. I thought he was pranking me back or something, but he was serious. This dude totally lost it. He texted me later and said this exact thing. I researched this online, and it turns out you really were lying to me. Beans are not woke. How could you do this? We went back and forth for a bit. His position is, even though we have historically pranked each other, I went too far. That I betrayed him, that I made him question his chili. I tried to ask him if this at all made him think he cared too much about woke. Like, what if beans and chili was woke? So what? He ignored that and demanded, I apologize. Did I take this too far?
Big Cat
Oh, man, no, not far enough. All right. You did take it too Far in the fact that if he makes really good chili, you might have just lost your chili guy.
Hank
You lost your chili guy. I'll say. He had very good reasoning for why beans and chili might be woke.
Big Cat
Yeah. It sounded real.
Hank
And in Texas, a lot of chili is made with no beans. That. That part is true. But the San Francisco hippie libs adding the beans.
Big Cat
Yes.
Hank
As protein. That. This is a very well constructed prank.
Big Cat
I love this story. Just because it's. It's just perfect for where we're at overall. Did you guys see, by the way, ball sack sports had, like, a very real tweet this weekend about Elon.
Hank
Did they go woke?
Big Cat
They bro. They broke character.
Hank
What they said.
Big Cat
Just talking about Elon being a bad guy and, like, misinformation and stuff and it. Listen, everyone can have their opinion, but it was just very funny that it came from ball sack sports.
Hank
Yeah. Ball said sometimes you gotta use your platform.
Big Cat
You have to.
Hank
You must use your platform. But Elon also. Another rearranging iud, guys.
Big Cat
Yeah.
Hank
But probably through, like, starlink.
Big Cat
Yeah. But not. Not even doing it in the fun way. Yeah.
Hank
I. I feel like he uses his satellites to, like, disable women's birth control.
Big Cat
Yeah.
Hank
Does he. Is he actually. Is he.
Big Cat
I don't think so.
Hank
Is he, like, mailing his sperm?
Big Cat
I think he's just. Yeah, he's just repopulating the earth.
Hank
What a weirdo.
Big Cat
Anyway, this guy might have lost his chili supply.
Hank
Yeah.
Big Cat
Which is not worth it if that's. If your cousin made that. Go to chili. It's a hilarious joke, but you got to figure out a way to get this back. Yeah.
Hank
I mean, it's great that it was a perfect prank because this guy took his chili so seriously.
Big Cat
Right.
Hank
That he would then questioned his entire life.
Big Cat
I just love that he probably thought.
Hank
He might be gay.
Big Cat
Yeah.
Hank
Like, I've been dumping it all out. I've been enjoying beans in my chili this whole time. What's wrong with me?
Big Cat
No, we're not doing this anymore.
Hank
Yeah.
Big Cat
I don't make it. They're try. He's trying to find the ball sack sports, but he. All he could find was, I'm letting my one nut hang post cancer. I'm tired of Elon.
Hank
Oh, okay.
Big Cat
That was the precursor. All right.
Hank
So he. Ball sack sports. That's a. That's ironic that he had nut cancer.
Big Cat
Is that real Ball sack sports? Yeah. Oh, I didn't realize.
Hank
Congratulations to ball stack ball sack sports for beating cancer.
Big Cat
He has mo. He has multitudes.
Hank
Yeah.
Big Cat
Wow. Big, big Weekend that. Listen, the Internet picked up where sports left off this weekend.
Hank
His name is Ball Sack. Not Balls Sack. Sports. So change the handle.
Big Cat
Yeah, yeah. There was also the guy. Did you see the guy playing Russian roulette? I lost.
Hank
Yeah. That was bad.
Big Cat
I don't know why that got my algorithm.
Hank
Yeah.
Big Cat
Oh. Why are you looking at me like that, Mr. Sounds awful.
Hank
Stuff videos. They're back on X. I also found.
Big Cat
Out that it was the guy who did the 360 puke.
Hank
Yeah.
Big Cat
It was sad because that 360 puke rocked.
Hank
The guy was angry about meme coins.
Big Cat
Yeah. Yeah.
Hank
Don't do that.
Big Cat
Yeah. Stick to just making jokes about Steve Smith. That's a cleaner way to do it. And. And jokes about beans and chili. You guys like beans and chili? I do, yeah.
Hank
Yeah. I don't mind them, but it is like Texas chili is just meat. It's basically just meat.
Big Cat
So it kind of is correct.
Hank
There is some truth to it.
Big Cat
Yeah.
Hank
No, I. I know this guy did as a joke, but I think I agree with him that beans and chili are woke.
Big Cat
I just would never. If I had, like, an insane chili plug, I would do everything in my life to keep that relationship alive.
Hank
Also is maybe beans. No. Beans and chili might be woke, now that I think about it. Because chili. Dudes eat chili, then they sit around farting for the next day.
Big Cat
True.
Hank
This is like nerfing chili.
Big Cat
Yeah.
Hank
It's not letting dudes fart. Dudes can't even fart anymore.
Big Cat
Yeah.
Hank
Because we're taking the beans out of chili.
Big Cat
Yeah. Good chili gets you all hot and bothered.
Hank
Yeah. There's nothing less woke than dudes sitting in a room with each other farting on each other.
Big Cat
Yeah.
Hank
After enjoying a nice pot of chili.
Big Cat
All you're gonna get out of a beanless chili is a queef. Maybe.
Hank
Yeah.
Big Cat
That's extremely woke. Okay, Pug. Got anything on the chili?
Hank
Chili is delicious with or without beans.
Big Cat
Bothers your tummy, though. Chili's okay.
Hank
You can't put sour cream or cheese.
Big Cat
Because you do very bad. You have a sensitive tummy.
Hank
Lactose intolerant.
Big Cat
Yeah. Which. We've done this before. That's fake. It's real. It's as fake. It hurts. No, it's fake. Everyone's lactose intolerant. If I eat too much ice cream, my tummy hurts. Am I lactose intolerant? A little bit, probably, but. So everyone is. Yeah. There's levels. So no one levels to it. No one is. How long have you been lactose intolerant?
Hank
Found out, like, two years ago.
Big Cat
See, this is not true. So you just were. You were eating ice cream, drinking milk all your life, and then all of a sudden, someone told you you lacked lactose intolerant. Yeah, that is. Yeah.
Hank
Being lactose intolerance woke.
Big Cat
That's. Oh, we didn't even talk about the fact that Hooters is bankrupt.
Hank
It's true. Yeah. Guys don't even like boobs anymore.
Big Cat
I was thinking about it because they. It's the old meme. Like, they. They feed us poison and they. And they take away the cure. Taking away breasts.
Hank
Yeah.
Big Cat
Special shout out to Devin Booker. I feel bad for him. I don't know if you guys saw, but he has been a Hooters fan for.
Hank
I mean, have. Has Jon Gruden commented on this yet?
Big Cat
He's got to be beside himself. Beside himself.
Hank
Jon Gruden might buy Hooters.
Big Cat
Yeah. Dev Tevin Booker had a. His tweets from 2012. So what was he. How old was he? How old is Devin Booker?
Shane
That was when he was in college. No, maybe high school.
Big Cat
2015. I want to say he was in. How old is Devin Booker? You could just Google that. You don't have to fall. Shane is. Shane's all over the map. He's 28 years old. So how old would he be in 2012? Someone do some math. 1996.
PFT Commenter
28.
Hank
So be 4. 15.
Big Cat
16. Yeah, 15, 16. He said, I'm thinking Hooters tonight with the fellas at Hooters, chilling, headed to Hooters. And then. And then yesterday he said, please don't go Hooters.
Hank
Yeah, it's tough.
Big Cat
I love that he's committed to it.
Hank
Tough break for him. Tough break for Gruden. Tough break for John Dal.
Big Cat
Yeah, brutal. Tough break for guys taking away tits.
Hank
Restaurants.
Big Cat
It's. It's.
Hank
Yeah.
Big Cat
If Twin Acres goes, there goes Twin Peaks. Twin Peaks has great ribs in Chicago.
Hank
Tilted Kilt.
Big Cat
All the breasts of kill Twin Acres is shout out to an Acres. Awesome. Was in the Dark Knight Rises scene.
Shane
Fun fact.
Big Cat
Fun fact that no one cares about.
Hank
I feel like this Hooters thing might be. Because if you work in marketing at Hooters, you know that putting out a release, being like, yeah, we're probably going to have to close everything up. People are going to be like, no, please don't go Hooters.
Shane
Well, that's what happened with the Red Lobster, right?
Big Cat
Yeah, until Blake Griffin saved them. Have you seen his commercials?
Hank
Yeah, they're great.
Big Cat
We should pool our money together and buy Hooters and Big Dog shirts.
Hank
I like that.
Big Cat
And then just retire. Yeah, that would be that. That's it right there. Kevin Love posted a picture of him when he was, like, 10 years old at Hooters. Love it. Yeah. See? Hooters. There's memories at Hooters.
Hank
Yeah. Is that a real picture of. Of Booker and Durant? No.
Big Cat
At Hooters. No, I don't think so. I don't think so. Okay, numbers four, combine week. We'll have some good interviews coming.
Hank
Five.
Big Cat
99, Pug. I'll go four for Oldie. Oh, you went for 65. 61. I'll go back to back. 61.
Hank
21.
Big Cat
311 to your birthday.
Hank
Love you guys.
Podcast Summary: Pardon My Take – "CBB With John Fanta, Steve Smith Sr Dominated The Weekend, Picking A New Pope, Who's Back Of The Week + Monday Reading"
Release Date: February 24, 2025
Hosts: Big Cat & PFT Commenter
Guest: John Fanta, "the face of college basketball"
The episode kicks off with Big Cat introducing the day's topics, including a conversation with John Fanta about college basketball prospects, the latest scandal involving Steve Smith Sr., and various other sports highlights. The hosts also mention sponsorship segments from Ariat, DraftKings, and Truly Unruly.
Notable Quote:
A major portion of the episode delves into the scandal involving former NFL player Steve Smith Sr. Over the weekend, allegations surfaced that Smith had an affair with his teammate's wife, leading to public outcry and damaging his reputation. The hosts discuss the public's reaction, the leaked text messages detailing the affair, and the potential consequences for Smith's personal and professional life.
Notable Quotes:
Key Points:
The hosts transition to discussing the New York Yankees' recent decision to relax their long-standing facial hair policy. This change marks a significant departure from the team's strict grooming standards, which historically required players to maintain clean-shaven faces.
Notable Quotes:
Key Points:
A significant segment features an in-depth conversation with John Fanta, discussing the current state of college basketball as March Madness approaches. Topics include team performances, potential Final Four contenders, and specific analyses of teams like St. John's, Kentucky, Maryland, and Houston.
Notable Quotes:
Key Points:
The "Who's Back of the Week" segment highlights key athletes returning to their teams or making significant comebacks. This week's spotlight includes J.J. Watt potentially returning from retirement to play for the Bengals, and Pete Crow Armstrong transitioning his jersey number to reflect his speed.
Notable Quotes:
Key Points:
The episode concludes with the "Monday Reading" segment, where the hosts and guest share and discuss humorous and relatable anecdotes submitted by listeners. One standout story involves a prank played by Hank on his cousin regarding the "wokeness" of beans in chili, leading to unintended consequences in their relationship.
Notable Quotes:
Key Points:
Throughout the episode, the hosts incorporate sponsorship messages seamlessly into their discussions, promoting brands like Ariat, DraftKings, Truly Unruly, Chevy, No Bull, and BetterHelp. These segments are woven into the conversation, maintaining the podcast's energetic and casual tone.
Notable Advertisements:
The hosts wrap up the episode by reinforcing the main discussions, commemorating the interview with John Fanta, and setting the stage for upcoming episodes focused on the ongoing college basketball season. They maintain a light-hearted and humorous atmosphere, leaving listeners anticipating future content.
Notable Quotes:
Key Points:
"Pardon My Take" delivers a dynamic and entertaining episode that navigates through major sports scandals, policy changes, and the exhilarating landscape of college basketball. With engaging discussions, humorous exchanges, and insightful analysis, Big Cat and PFT Commenter provide a comprehensive overview of current sports events. The inclusion of notable quotes with timestamps enhances the summary's depth, capturing the essence of the hosts' lively interactions. Whether you're a sports enthusiast or a casual listener, this episode offers a valuable and enjoyable listen that encapsulates the spirit of "Pardon My Take."