Pardon My Take – Episode Summary
Episode: Clayton Kershaw, Joakim Noah In Studio, CFP Rankings, Eagles Big Win + Listener FAQ’s
Date: November 12, 2025
Hosts: Big Cat & PFT Commenter (Barstool Sports)
Guests: Clayton Kershaw, Joakim Noah
Overview
On this episode, Big Cat & PFT Commenter deliver their signature blend of funny, irreverent, and insightful sports commentary on a packed lineup. The show features two star guests:
- Clayton Kershaw (freshly retired, baseball legend)
- Joakim Noah (former NBA star, new travel show host, in-studio)
The episode covers the latest in the College Football Playoff (CFP) rankings, Monday Night Football (Eagles’ big win over the Packers), a whirlwind of listener FAQs, and takes from around the world of sports. As always, the hosts jump between deep sports knowledge, roast sessions, and off-the-wall tangents.
Table of Contents
- College Football Playoff Rankings & Discussion
- NFL: Eagles’ Win & Reactions
- Hot Seat / Cool Throne (Hosts’ Takes)
- Clayton Kershaw Interview
- Joakim Noah In-Studio Interview
- Listener FAQ’s & Final Segment
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1. College Football Playoff Rankings & Discussion
Timestamps: 03:22–17:52
Main Points
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JMU and Group of Five Debate:
- PFT (a JMU alum) pokes fun at the CFP committee bias, citing "anti-president" discrimination and joking that “maybe the College Football Playoff committee has gone woke and they don’t want any presidents in their bracket.” (03:29)
- Arguments over the Group of 5 playoff spot: If South Florida wins out, they deserve the spot; controversy could erupt if North Texas sneaks in after a title game upset.
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Voter Hot Takes:
- Discussion of “ball knower” AP poll voters and goofy ballots with teams ranked strangely, e.g., Alex Taylor ranking JMU #15 and Louisville unranked—despite Louisville beating JMU. (04:41)
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Wild CFP Scenarios:
- "If South Florida goes to the conference championship game and loses, and they put North Texas in… then we riot." – Big Cat (07:15)
- JMU has to “beat the shit out of everybody… and that still might not be enough” to be selected, leading to frustration and high entertainment for the show.
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Power Programs & Heisman Race:
- Top 5 unchanged: Ohio State, Indiana, Texas A&M, Alabama, Georgia.
- Indiana-Penn State game: hosts praise the wild finish, “This is why we love college football.” – Big Cat (08:46)
- Gus Johnson’s “give him the Heisman” call for Mendoza.
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Key Quotes:
- “The committee’s just a bunch of losers anyway. Unless they want to put us on the committee.” – Big Cat (15:18)
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2. NFL: Eagles’ Win & Reactions
Timestamps: 31:57–47:01
Main Points
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Eagles Defeat Packers at Lambeau:
- Big Cat acknowledges doubting the Eagles; PFT refuses to apologize for his takes.
- Newfound "Bears-Eagles alliance" discussed—both teams helping each other in the NFC by beating common opponents.
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Game Breakdown:
- Eagles should have won by more; Packers offense is broken—“They’re in the Bills category right now… just broken.” – Big Cat (34:49)
- Eagles offense stagnated at times (“Either a 3-and-out, or they score a touchdown. No in-between.” – Memes at 36:26), but their defense was “insane,” with special praise for Jalen Phillips.
- Questionable late-game coaching: Sirianni’s 4th-and-9 aggressive decision, Packers attempting a 64-yard field goal.
- Tush Push banter, with fans calling for it to be outlawed due to the Eagles’ unique success in executing it.
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Stats & Fun Moments:
- Packers’ first consecutive home losses in 12 years (45:49)
- Eagles with Nick Sirianni: 55 wins in 4.5 years—more than the Giants’ entire franchise in the last 10 years.
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Giants Fire Brian Daboll:
- Mocking the Giants’ string of disastrous post-Coughlin coaches.
- “McAdoo by a long shot” holds the best win percentage since Coughlin.
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3. Hot Seat / Cool Throne
Timestamps: 58:45–67:12
Rapid-fire takes on who/what’s “hot” and “cool”:
- Hank’s hot seat: He’s “pretty sick”; possibly a lefty golfer now.
- PFT’s hot seat: Joe Flacco, with Joe Burrow’s return looming.
- Cool Thrones:
- Country Roads (unexpected origin story about the song’s popularity in Germany)
- The Niners as a playoff sleeper pick
Quotes & Moments
- “I might be a lefty golfer now…” – Hank (61:00)
- “The Bengals basically control their own desk.” – PFT (65:40)
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4. Clayton Kershaw Interview
Timestamps: 84:37–115:29
Main Points & Highlights
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Retirement Life:
- "Zero motivation to work out at all." – Kershaw (85:11)
- Jokes about rapidly gaining weight.
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World Series Run & Final Moments:
- Details on the Dodgers' epic World Series—praises Yamamoto pitching on zero rest ("He's got huge balls. That's just what it comes down to." – 87:29)
- Classic Kershaw moment: warming up, unaware Dodgers had clinched (“That’s how I found out we won. It was awesome.” – 89:09)
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Reflection on Pitching Dominance:
- “You don’t realize you’re in the good old days while you’re doing it.” – Kershaw (91:52)
- On aging: "I'm throwing 88… it's just time."
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Pitcher Guy Stories / Clubhouse:
- Stories about facing certain batters: Adam Dunn, Dexter Fowler "owned me." (95:32)
- "If my son ever asks me how to throw a changeup—I’m just gonna… I don't know." (104:59)
- Naked introduction to Jason Bateman in the clubhouse (103:07)
- Details the size/weight of a real pitcher’s rubber—“It’s so heavy, dude. So heavy.” (104:03)
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Funniest/Most Memorable Quote:
- “If you want to fire up your dugout and you want to stare at the ball, I get it… but if you’re looking at me while you do it… I kinda get pissed.” On bat flips (107:03)
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Retrospective Reflections:
- Discusses friendship with Matthew Stafford; growing up at Highland Park High.
- Revisits the infamous viral photo with his "whitest crew of all time" at the Cy Young acceptance.
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5. Joakim Noah In-Studio Interview
Timestamps: 116:24–154:14
Main Points & Highlights
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New Show ‘Nomad’:
- Noah’s travel show launches—first episode with Derrick Rose in Chicago; next episodes in Morocco and Jamaica.
- "We’re traveling the world. Starting with basketball as the root, and then we’re exploring culture." – Noah (117:08)
- Recounts working with his shaman and discusses ayahuasca experiences as therapy and self-discovery.
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On Life After Basketball:
- The relief and new perspective of being the interviewer for a change.
- “Everybody just wants to be heard… especially when you’re traveling.” (123:02)
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Travel Show Spoilers & Jokes:
- Hosts urge Noah to bring ‘Nomad’ to Cleveland for maximum views and self-aware redemption for his past Cleveland roasts.
- Love for underdogs: “If Haiti played USA, I’m for Haiti… I just know what it would do for the people.” (136:32)
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Hoops Talk:
- Extensive praise for Victor Wembanyama (“We’re seeing something we’ve never seen before… appreciate it!” – 127:35)
- How to attempt defending Wemby and NBA’s evolution.
- Bulls chemistry, French basketball explosion, and the importance of team chemistry: “People always underestimate chemistry.” – Noah (151:31)
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Classic Stories:
- The infamous Carlos Boozer hair moment
- All-time Joakim hosting Chicago parties/advice moments
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Funniest, Most Memorable Exchanges:
- Big Cat selling himself as a “problem” for Wemby in the paint
- Noah’s story about being the “ratio fixer” at parties (131:44)
- (On Giannis’ uncalled travels) “Just let it go, man. It’s not that bad.” – Noah (126:11)
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6. Listener FAQs & Final Segment
Timestamps: 155:45–174:00
Highlights
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Bar Exam Bit:
- PFT’s lifelong bit about passing the bar exam, with increasingly convoluted logic and group debate.
- “I just think I can do it. I have irrational confidence.” – PFT (156:48)
- “You just have better things to do with your life.” – Big Cat
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Shoehorning in Old Show Jokes:
- Revisiting “body wash doesn’t work on your armpits” debate (163:53)
- Song parodies (“Drink Paint,” “Bank,” etc.)
- "Let's get these two married" as a hated Instagram caption
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Lottery Ball Machine:
- Banter about who will finally guess the correct number (Memes’ “cursed” losing streak), accusations of bullying, and ritual lottery draws to end the show.
Notable Quotes (with Timestamps & Attribution)
On CFP & CFB Rankings:
- “I think it’s an anti-president thing. Maybe the CFP committee’s gone woke and they don’t want any presidents in.” – PFT Commenter (03:29)
- “Then we riot. Then we go crazy, then we burn this down.” – Big Cat, on playoff snubs (07:15)
On the World Series & Kershaw’s Retirement:
- “He just says, hey, I’m good. I’m gonna do it. And he did it.” – Kershaw, on Yamamoto’s heroics (87:29)
- “Zero motivation to work out at all. Zero.” – Kershaw (85:11)
- “You don’t realize you’re in the good old days while you’re doing it.” – Kershaw (91:52)
On the Eagles, NFL Takes:
- “They’re in the Bills category. Broken right now.” – Big Cat (34:49)
- “Eagles are too good on offense to get shut out for a half.” – PFT (36:12)
- “Tush push… They love to take a shot on fourth down.” – Memes (40:36)
On Joakim Noah’s Show/Life After NBA:
- “We’re traveling the world… we’re not fucking around. Please go check out the show.” – Joakim Noah (117:08)
- “The medicine brought me places that definitely put me at peace with things I had turmoil in my system.” – Joakim Noah, on ayahuasca (120:09)
- “I like it when you talk like that.” – Joakim Noah, as Big Cat boasts about bodying up Wembanyama (129:03)
On Sports Fandom & Coaching:
- “Being great is boring. That’s the part people miss.” – Noah (148:18)
- “You just have to get back in the boat… and root for them.” – Big Cat, on supporting your team in tough stretches (28:03)
Closing Lottery Segment:
- “That’s grit. Maybe we’ll do one this year.” – Big Cat, on PMT music parodies and inside jokes (167:03)
Tone & Style
Consistent with PMT’s signature style:
- irreverent
- deeply knowledgeable on sports
- rapid-fire humor
- welcoming, “locker room” camaraderie
- lovingly roasting guests and each other
If You Only Have Time
- For college football drama and absurd playoff scenarios: 03:22–17:52
- For NFL banter and Eagles/Packers recap: 31:57–47:01
- For an all-time Kershaw interview: 84:37–115:29
- For Joakim Noah (and travel, shaman, NBA, Wemby): 116:24–154:14
- For classic PMT fan Q&A, bits, and roasts: 155:45–174:00
For more, see Pardon My Take
