Final Four Weekend As Michigan And UConn Advance, John Fanta Talks CBB + Possibly Taking The UNC Job, Geno Crash Out + National Sports Podcast Topics And Who's Back

Summary

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Pardon My Take – "Final Four Weekend As Michigan And UConn Advance, John Fanta Talks CBB + Possibly Taking The UNC Job, Geno Crash Out + National Sports Podcast Topics And Who's Back"

Date: April 6, 2026
Hosts: Big Cat & PFT Commenter (Barstool Sports)
Special Guest: John Fanta (NBC Sports)

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Episode Overview

This episode dives deep into the aftermath of the Final Four, breaking down Michigan and UConn's advances to the National Championship, the unexpectedly lopsided nature of both games, and what’s ahead for Monday’s title game. The crew is joined by college basketball insider John Fanta for classic banter, insight on coaching rumors (with Fanta jokingly floated as UNC’s next head coach), and reflections on the state of college hoops. Plus: NCAA expansion talk, Geno Auriemma drama, NBA dysfunction, and "Who's Back" segment.

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Key Topics & Timestamps

1. Final Four Weekend Recap – Games & Weird Vibes

(02:46–44:45)

The Chain Smokers Halftime Oddity

• The guys riff on the final four festivities, roasting the Chain Smokers’ performance as awkward and out-of-place in front of a sea of "throwback Q zips."
  • Quote [04:17, PFT]: “Just imagine how many middle-aged dudes can you fit in a football stadium? That's exactly what the final four is. So then you get the smokers out there, and everyone was just looking around like, what the fuck is going on right now?”
• Paid actor hype dancers, overall confusion, and side bit about fake James Naismith.

UConn vs Illinois – Defensive Clinic

• UConn’s defense once again dismantles Illinois, with Illinois suffering brutal shot luck and constant discomfort.
  • Quote [08:31, PFT]: “Their offense will always find mismatches…It might not be pretty all the time. Their defense was very, very good all night...”
  • Quote [09:21, Big Cat]: “A combination of very, very bad luck, bad shot selection, and also just great defense by UConn.”
• Illinois’ only spark: Wagler, but couldn’t overcome UConn’s swarming defense.
• The heartbreak of leaving a Final Four city after a crushing loss, and Underwood’s post-game sadness.

Michigan vs. Arizona – Shock and Awe

• Michigan absolutely demolishes Arizona, despite Arizona being ranked #1 in analytics and favored by many.
  • Quote [17:10, PFT]: “It might just be the best team we’ve ever seen because it was an absolute demolition by Michigan…is this the most thorough beat down in a Final Four game?”
• Key moments: Arizona’s star (Lendaborg) quick foul trouble, followed by injury; “the giant Spaniard” (Mara) dominating.
• Dusty May’s courtside confidence meme and “genius” rebounding gameplan: Cado’s targeted missed shots for Mara put-backs.
  • Quote [21:35, PFT]: “That was all part of the game plan, that Elliot Cadot was essentially missing shots on purpose…because Mara was able to clean it up...And Dusty May is on an absolute heater right now.”
• The experience gap and composure: Michigan’s older roster outclassing Arizona’s talented freshmen.
• Michigan's multiple weapons, offensive depth, and shooting surge.

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2. NCAA Tournament Final Preview & UConn Dynasty Talk

(44:45–1:01:07, and 1:18:31–1:26:42 w/ John Fanta)

• Michigan’s historic tournament offensive run—90+ points in every game.
• UConn’s “not the most talented” Hurley team, but the best in terms of teamwork and execution.
  • Quote [14:48, Big Cat]: “Might be the best overall, all-around team that he’s had.”
• The guys assess keys for a UConn win: three-point shooting needs, key role players like Caravan, and plot lines (Terrace Reed revenge game).
• UConn’s mystique: is it luck, or just excellent system and coaching?
  • Quote [28:02, PFT]: “They run an offense that makes you think at all times…You can’t just take possessions off.”
• Michigan’s "nine starters," roster-building via NIL, and the complaints/litigations about buying talent.

Championship Breakdown with John Fanta (See Section 6 for more detail)

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3. Tournament Expansion Debate

(1:27:56–1:33:13, with John Fanta)

• Strong opposition from all: “Doesn’t need to be messed with.”
• If expanded, there’s a case for providing extra mid-major bids, but the fear is it’ll only bring in more middling power conference teams.
  • Quote [88:36, PFT]: “[If] we are losing some Cinderella…expand it to 76…But they have to be…the Indiana States, the Drakes…If they expand it and we know what's going to happen…I did not need to see 500 Indiana…play 500 Auburn.”
• Reviving "Bracket Busters" as a way to get non-majors on TV and evaluated for bubble spots.

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4. Women’s Basketball: Geno Auriemma’s PR Meltdown & South Carolina

(41:35–44:48)

• Geno Auriemma slammed for postgame press conference blaming South Carolina and spinning false narratives after UConn’s loss.
  • Quote [42:34, PFT]: “He looked like a baby. The biggest baby of all time.”
• Dawn Staley’s cryptic post-loss comments and “loser quote.”
• Larger discussion: top coaches in both sports often act like “crybabies” after big losses.

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5. National Sports Podcast Topics / NBA Talk

(46:48–56:59, & 58:08–59:27)

• Giannis Drama: Outspoken aftermath as he says it's a “slap in my face” to be benched for health, leading to speculation about Bucks/players ready to move on.
  • Quote [47:46, PFT]: “[Giannis] says he's healthy enough to play; the Bucks don’t want to play him...it’s like a slap in my face.”
• Doc Rivers unrest, more speculation that Giannis/Bucks will split.
• Tanking epidemic: historic blowouts, meaningless regular season, and the NBA’s inability to fix tanking.
  • Quote [53:02, PFT]: “The regular season NBA is like the worst product. It just sucks.”
• Jokic, Wemby, and Embiid storylines. Triple-doubles and the “specialized medical treatments in Europe” running joke.
• The segment veers into a discussion of stem-cell therapy and athlete recovery methods, with the PMT brand of pseudo-scientific riffing.

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6. John Fanta Interview & UNC Search

(78:31–1:26:30)

Fanta’s Final Four Takeaways

• Michigan’s win “defied the basketball gods.”
  • Quote [79:07, Fanta]: “Michigan is absolutely insane and that performance against Arizona is not supposed to happen. It defied the laws of the sport.”
• UConn’s poise, experience, and "find ways to win" mentality.
• Twitter Spaces origin story: how Fanta built a cult college hoops call-in show for fans’ confessions and antics.
  • Quote [82:11, Fanta]: “It’s an open forum. But to answer your question, it was not a boss mandate…Honestly, there’s nobody that’s saying to me, hey, you have to do this…”

National Championship Matchup Preview

• Michigan likely wins 8 of 10 times, but UConn is the “Michael Myers” of March: refuse to die, always lurking.
  • Quote [95:34, Fanta]: “It’s the monster of a machine that is the Michigan Wolverines taking on the Michael Myers of March Madness.”
• Difference-makers: Can UConn disrupt Michigan’s rhythm? Can Mara stay out of foul trouble? Can UConn get hot from three? Who slows down Cado or matches up inside?
• UConn’s edge in grit; Michigan’s edge in polish and scoring.

UNC Head Coach Rumor Mill (and Fanta's Name in Jest)

• Billy Donovan is the trendy real candidate, with plenty of speculation around other college names (Buyington, Stackhouse, possible wild cards).
• Fanta, tongue-in-cheek, is floated as a candidate. The group riffs on what would happen if he took the job—creating "Fanta to UNC" memes and imagining PMT as mega-boosters for North Carolina.
• Quote [111:34, Fanta]: “…I do think John Shire will win a national championship the next three years.”
• Fanta's coaching credentials: once coached a city CYO team to the playoffs; memorable trash-talking story vs a rival beer-store dad.

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7. "Who's Back of the Week" & NL Sports Odds & Ends

(60:43–76:35, 126:32–end)

• Buffalo Sabres make NHL playoffs for first time in 14 years—celebration and chicken parm jokes.
• Disbelief at the Angels’ playoff drought (11 years) despite Trout and Ohtani.
• Viral baseball moments: the Milwaukee Brewers’ "rally turtle" mascot, and Joe Adele’s three home run robberies in one game.
• Mini-golf/Masters week banter and Bubba Watson’s “Funfetti cake” champions meal.
• Quick hits: NBA standings, 76ers fandom, potential draft prospects, and a running bit about birthdays.

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Notable Quotes

• [08:31, PFT] “Their offense will always find mismatches. They'll always get guys open looks…It's what UConn does.”
• [17:10, PFT] “It might just be the best team we've ever seen because it was an absolute demolition by Michigan...is this the most thorough beat down in a Final Four game?”
• [21:35, PFT] “That was all part of the game plan, that Elliot Cadot was essentially missing shots on purpose…Dusty May is on an absolute heater right now.”
• [28:02, PFT] “They run an offense that makes you think at all times…You can't just take possessions off.”
• [42:34, PFT] “He [Geno] looked like a baby. The biggest baby of all time.”
• [47:46, PFT] (On Giannis/Bucks split) “He says he’s healthy enough to play, the Bucks don't want to play him...it’s like a slap in my face.”
• [79:07, Fanta] (On Michigan) “That performance against Arizona is not supposed to happen. It defied the laws of the sport.”
• [95:34, Fanta] “It’s the monster of a machine that is the Michigan Wolverines taking on the Michael Myers of March Madness.”

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Memorable Moments

• The Chain Smokers segment—cracking up about the paid “party crowd” and how out-of-place the concert was.
• PFT and Big Cat trying to force John Fanta to take the UNC job, with recurring memes about PMT as donors and a campaign for “Fanta to Chapel Hill”.
• Extended riffing on the NCAA’s inability to fix tanking (in both basketball tourney and NBA) and the futility of complaining about Final Four venues.
• Johnny Fanta’s CYO coaching story and banter about coaching virtues/tampering accusations in 8th-grade hoops.
• Geno and Gino (Hurley and Auriemma) simultaneously being “babies” about high-stakes losses.

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Overall Tone & Style

• Classic PMT: Fast banter, inside jokes, affectionate mocking of guests and one another, and deep-dive sports analysis undercut with humor and accessible language.
• John Fanta brings an earnest and excitable energy, matching PMT’s tone while providing legit CBB analysis.
• Equal parts "barstool guy" absurdity, memes, and insightful commentary you won't get from legacy sports media.

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Takeaways for Non-Listeners

• If you missed the games, you’ll know both were much less competitive than anticipated, with UConn and Michigan solidifying themselves as elite.
• The storylines for Monday’s final are about Michigan’s firepower versus UConn’s deep system and tournament mystique.
• The episode's best bits come from roasting sports world oddities (Chain Smokers at Final Four), college coaching rumors, tanking in pro sports, and the constant churn of the NCAA "expansion" debate.
• The PMT crew keeps it energetic and irreverent, blending sports-talk, absurdism, and a rare ability to tease guests without derailing insightful discussion.

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Transcript

[PFT Commenter]

Hey, pardon my take listeners. You can find every episode on Apple Podcasts and Spotify Prime. Members can listen ad free on Amazon Music. Trust no one and accuse everyone and who's the Bad Guy? The official Barstool sports Social deduction game from the brilliant mind of Nick to Rainey, in what's quickly becoming the most popular new party game around, players are secretly assigned unique roles with the good guys trying to expose the bad guys and the bad guys doing everything they can to stay stay hidden. Each game unfolds under alternating day and night phases with roles like the cool chick, the shy guy, the gambler, El Presidente, the mentalist, the planner, the funny guy, and more. Every round is unpredictable, chaotic and ridiculously fun. Who's the Bad Guy is great for parties, pre games, family gatherings or groups who just love deception based games. Game night will never be the same. Shop now on Walmart.com on today's Part of My Take presented by DraftKings we have the National Championship game set final four weekend recap. We got our good friend Johnny Fanta on the show who he might be in the running for the North Carolina Tar Heels head basketball coach job.

[Big Cat]

There's some whispers, there's a lot college

[PFT Commenter]

circles going on there, so we might have just recorded it after a long weekend and spent half of the interview just trying to pitch him the job

[Big Cat]

and getting the I think he wants the job.

[PFT Commenter]

He kept on saying no and then

[Big Cat]

he's like but in that cute like coquettish way that Johnny does.

[PFT Commenter]

You know who's back of the week. Great show for you. And it's brought to you by Chevy Draft season is here, which means everyone suddenly thinks they're a gm. Which is when you realize some picks just make sense. Like having a Chevy Silverado. Silverado has the power to haul pretty much everything. Gear, grills, tailgate setups. So whether you're driving to a draft party, a road game or towing a boat to the lake, you need a truck with strength, reliability and the drive to go to the distance. The same DNA you'll find in a Chevy Silverado. As capable and dependable as your top tier draft pick, Silverado shows up and gets the job done. It won't flinch when the pressure's on and doesn't take plays off when it comes to trucks. Make Chevy Silverado your number one overall pick. Check out the current offers and build your own Chevy [e-mail] okay, let's go. Hey, football guy.

[Big Cat]

Patino Awmite.

[PFT Commenter]

Yeah, Barn and Mike Tay. Welcome to part of my take presented by DraftKings. The crown is yours. Today is Monday, April 6th. And then there were two. Pft. The road ends here. We've got UConn versus Michigan in the national championship on Monday night. And we got to recap everything that happened this weekend.

[Big Cat]

Okay. But first, the chain smokers.

[PFT Commenter]

The chain smokers. Hey, kick it over, chain smokers.

[Big Cat]

I love the chain smokers. I was. I was so confused when that was happening. And it just kept going and they kept going and the two guys ran out on stage. I was like, is this the chain smokers? Because they. Respectfully, I don't want to detract from the body of work that, that the chain smokers has done. Like, the chain smokers, they've been extremely successful.

[PFT Commenter]

Hank, you're a big chain smoker.

[Hank]

I feel like you're about to disrespect the smokers.

[PFT Commenter]

Smok. I'm an absolute smoker.

[Big Cat]

I'm a chain gang. I'm on the chain gang.

[Johnny Fanta]

I'm all right.

[PFT Commenter]

You can be chain gang.

[Memes]

I'm a smokehead.

[Big Cat]

Okay. And it's not disrespectful. I say that the chain smokers, they look the most like a podcast of any massively successful EDM group. I thought there were podcasters that.

[Hank]

Two white guys.

[Big Cat]

Yeah, yeah. Saying that as a podcaster, I was

[PFT Commenter]

in the building on Saturday night. I feel bad for the chain smokers. That was not exactly the crowd that was set up for the chain smokers. For the smokers.

[Hank]

I don't think the smokers were going for the. For the crowd.

[PFT Commenter]

Oh, I know they weren't. But still, there got to be the check. Of course they were going for the check, and they probably got a fat check. But there's still got to be a little part of them because. So Lucas Oil Stadium, where the Colts play. Massive, massive stadium. I want to actually mention something about that in a second. They had. They were in one of the end zones. They had, I don't know, 40 people who I think were just paid actors to come in looking like they weren't at a basketball game and dancing in front of their. Their DJ set, like Booth and the rest of the crowd. Because if you've never been to a final four game, just imagine how many middle aged dudes can you fit in one football stadium with that? They just wear throwback Q zips all the time. Yeah, that's exactly what the final four is. So then you get the smokers out there, and everyone was just looking around like, what the fuck is going on? Right? Now, no disrespect to smokers. Yeah. That those are the paid actors in front. It was very bizarre.

[Big Cat]

The arena was literally on fire.

[PFT Commenter]

Yeah.

[Big Cat]

Just like burned the place down. I, I forgot that there was a basketball game coming up afterwards. I was like, I wanted to go outside, smoke a cigarette after the smokers got off stage.

[PFT Commenter]

The whole thing was weird too, because, I mean, you guys were watching on TV the, the pregame. They had the fake James Naismith.

[Big Cat]

Oh, yeah, yeah.

[PFT Commenter]

They had like nine people on a desk. I know that, you know, at barstool we, we like to pack people on, on a desk and, and as many people as possible, but I think there was nine people at one point.

[Big Cat]

You didn't enjoy the game of Naismith or no Smith.

[PFT Commenter]

Yeah, Naismith or no Smith.

[Big Cat]

Pretty excellent game. Max is shaking his head like he's upset about something.

[Memes]

I, I don't like your tone when referring to the chain smokers at all. I thought you're saying you're chain gang. You're not.

[Big Cat]

I am on the chat.

[Johnny Fanta]

He's chain gang.

[Memes]

I'm smoking.

[PFT Commenter]

I bank chains.

[Big Cat]

Yeah, dude, the chain smokers. Like, listen.

[PFT Commenter]

You don't like.

[Memes]

No, you don't.

[Big Cat]

I've never, I've never heard an artist go out on stage and be like, let's take it back to 2015. Yeah. Like an 11 year callback. It's usually like, hey, let's go. Anybody out there remember the 70s? But they're like, hey, you remember guys are dead. You remember where you were like 10 years ago? Let's get in that vibe.

[Memes]

Yeah, 10 years ago was sick.

[Big Cat]

Yeah, 10 years ago was sick. I agree. Which is why I like the chain smokers and I like the concert. In fact, I think that they should take closer and that should be the new one Shining moment and just be like, let's get in this. Wait, wait, wait, wait, wait.

[Hank]

No, listen.

[Memes]

Yeah, you're being sarcastic.

[Big Cat]

Let's get in the transfer portal because we're leaving Villanova. Yeah, we leaving Villa Nova.

[PFT Commenter]

Yeah, I'm not being sarcastic. I thought it just made no sense for the final four and it was really we and awkward in the stadium. I'm not being sar. Sounds racist. That racist.

[Big Cat]

Yeah, yeah, good point.

[Hank]

Why you're against the big artist at a, at a big sporting event.

[PFT Commenter]

Go on, Hank. Keep going. Because I know what you're trying to do, but I, I. There's no possible world where you're going to land this plane.

[Hank]

I already did.

[PFT Commenter]

No, you didn't. Plane land. How how is this.

[Johnny Fanta]

Point Hank. Point Hank.

[Big Cat]

And guess what? If the plane doesn't land, Hank will still give you a shout out.

[PFT Commenter]

Yep.

[Johnny Fanta]

Facts.

[Hank]

Well, no, I just think, you know, you're not the intended audience. And he's at those. They're actually fantastic.

[PFT Commenter]

I think I am the intended audience. If they're at the final four, you

[Big Cat]

would think that grow the game, right, Hank?

[PFT Commenter]

Like, yeah, Well, I was 30 when the chainstokers were rocking. I am the intended audience.

[Big Cat]

I don't. Yeah, I thought that they did an excellent job of getting paid. I'm not going to hate on them getting paid.

[PFT Commenter]

No, definitely not. Okay. Let's talk about the games, though. UConn, Illinois. It was going into this final Four. We all were very excited. We had this idea that the number one versus number two team, Arizona, Michigan playing the la. The late game was going to be one of the best games of all time. We had Illinois verse UConn the early game, which I was saying, don't sleep on that game. It's gonna be great. Turns out both games kind of stunk. And the Illinois. UConn game was just. UConn being better at what UConn wants to do in Illinois. A combination of. It felt like they were never comfortable and they just had a horrific, horrific shot luck where I think every single ball just like, rimmed out. UConn was banking threes.

[Big Cat]

Yeah.

[PFT Commenter]

UConn at one point had more bank threes than Illinois had assists.

[Big Cat]

Yeah. Like halfway through the first half.

[PFT Commenter]

Yeah. So, but that. That's what UConn does. Like, their offense will always find mismatches. They'll always get guys open looks. Braylon Mullins off of the. The unbelievable game against, you know, the unbelievable shot against Duke on Sunday. He's back in Indianapolis. Is too big for the freshman. Not at all. Like, he had not only the start of the game where UConn played basically a perfect first five minutes of a game and. But he also hit that huge dagger three with, I think, 55 seconds left. And that's just Yukon. Like they are. They just know what to do. They've been there before. And that's what you expect out of Yukon. It might not be pretty all the time. Their defense was. Was very, very good all night. They were getting Illinois uncomfortable. And UConn will win a game like this.

[Big Cat]

I think it's a combination of. Of bad, bad shot luck and also just really good defense by UConn. Yes. Ring shots.

[PFT Commenter]

So, like, never got comfortable.

[Big Cat]

Yeah, they had. They had a bunch of legs. There's so many times when, if, if Yukon, if they would commit a turnover, miss a shot, quick rebound. Illinois pushes down to the other side of the court and they just put up like the most brick of a layup that you've ever seen. The ball at one point, who had the sitter that like pretty much sat

[PFT Commenter]

on the back of the.

[Big Cat]

Yakovic sat on the back of the rim, rolled off like they had a combination of very, very bad luck, bad shot selection, and also just great defense by Yukon. Wagler was the only one that was able to get what resembled a good offense going. But like, even he had to just like at some point he was taking some bad shots too.

[PFT Commenter]

Yeah.

[Big Cat]

But he was the only spark that they had.

[PFT Commenter]

The. The ball that rolled off the. The cylinder and stayed on there forever.

[Big Cat]

Yeah.

[PFT Commenter]

You guys would like this in the, in the suite that we were in. Dave just said Jake Marsh just came himself.

[Big Cat]

Yeah.

[PFT Commenter]

It was like. It was almost like a real life wedgie.

[Big Cat]

Like, yeah, the ball stopped. It stopped and then it just decided, okay, I can move again now. But it was, it felt like the spread of this game should have been like seven or seven and a half because. That's right. Every time Illinois got it back and made it like a six point game or a seven point game, then Yukon would just hit a big three.

[PFT Commenter]

Yeah.

[Big Cat]

And just like keep that distance in between them. So it never got close enough to really feel like like the lead was in serious jeopardy.

[PFT Commenter]

It was, it was a four points with a minute left and that. But that's the thing with Yukon is that, you know, they've. They have had. And we've talked at length about it, their non conference. You know, what they do in the non conference, outside of Danny Hurley's crash out in Maui last year, they've lost three total games. And one of them was to the national champion last year by two points. One of them was at Kansas on Fog Allen. They. They are so good when they need a bucket to draw something up to get someone open and confuse the defense and run guys through screens and pin downs and all these things. And like even there was a moment, I think Brad Underwood, he didn't have his best game. I thought there was a moment where he. Illinois started to get some momentum and he called the timeout. It was maybe like two minutes left. And then Danny Hurley, they just, they just had a perfect offensive set for Terror street to get a post touch and score and get an easy two. So it's just. That's what UConn does. They just, whenever they need it, they can get it. And that. And that's what it felt like. Like to your point, every moment that felt like Illinois was getting back in it and the crowd, it was 70 Illinois. Yeah. And it got loud every single time. They had a little bit of a charge and then UConn would just answer and answer with a bucket or a stop and it just kept them, kept them away the entire night.

[Big Cat]

Yeah, it was Illinois. They got the lead and I think There were like seven minutes left in the first half when they battled back and it was 22, 21, a one point lead. And then after that timeout then it was just all Yukon. From that point out it never really felt like it was gonn to be in jeopardy for the Huskies.

[PFT Commenter]

And it's also the. We talk about it all the time in football. The. The end of half, start of half situations that was. That was apparent last night as well. Where it was Illinois had fought back and they had made it a somewhat close game. That 22, 21. And then within the last, you know, I don't know, it was like the last five minutes of the game or five minutes the first half. It ended up being an eight point lead going into half. So you were back right at square one where Yukon was playing much better and. And comfortably in the lead.

[Big Cat]

Yeah. In Illinois. So they, they got shut out by. By. By Yukon earlier this year. I want to say I'm looking it up right now.

[PFT Commenter]

The last three times they've scored less than 65 has all been Yukon.

[Big Cat]

There you go. Because I knew it was. Yeah, I think it was 62 or 61 points against Yukon this year.

[PFT Commenter]

And it happened in the tournament two years ago in the elite eight.

[Big Cat]

Yeah. So that defense from Yukon has Illinois's numbers. Yeah, it just does. And yeah, it was, it was bad shot selection. There's also panicking and it was. Shots being effective are affected and it was just Yukon swarming defense.

[PFT Commenter]

The. The saddest place to be in. In a final four is at the team hotel after a loss. I was staying at the Illinois hotel. I went. I drove back last night but I went back to get my bags and it's just. It's so tough because the final four is. You guys have all been to it. It's. It's like a festive, fun atmosphere. Everyone's having the best time. You're with your college friends. There's just a vibe to it. And then to have it ripped out of you on Saturday night and you just kind of look up and you say what the fuck? I just want to go home. Yeah.

[Big Cat]

It's the worst feeling, I imagine. I saw Brad Underwood being interviewed and he just kept saying that he was sad. Yeah, just like I'm just. My emotions are sad right now.

[PFT Commenter]

It was an incredible season for Illinois.

[Big Cat]

Yeah, it was, it was, it was a great season and it stinks. That's ripped away from you. But UConn was just a much better team. Yeah, there was just much. But I. The thing is, I don't know if Yukon is a. I don't know what, what Danny Hurley would say. If you talk to him about like ranking the three teams that he's coached to the, to the championship game. My guess is that he would not say that this.

[PFT Commenter]

No.

[Big Cat]

Is the most talented team that he's had that's reached the championship game. I think that would probably be his second one that you put up there. But he might say this is the best team. Like, like the way that they operate as a team to be able to get here that, you know, since they might not have the talent that they had a couple years ago to be able to reach the championship, it might be the best overall like all around team that he's had.

[PFT Commenter]

Yeah. And they're, I mean they're. Think about who they've, who they've now beaten on this, on this run here. They beat, you know, the Furman game was weird. The ucla, you know, it was a little bit closer. Terrace Reed was unbelievable. UCLA was close, but they, you know, Mick Cronin, ucla, they were, they were playing good basketball down the stretch. Michigan State was a dark horse Final four team. Right. Duke was the number one seed overall and Illinois was, you know, just gone to Houston and bullied Houston in their house. They've had a hell of a path and they've it just every time you're like, hey, Yukon, no way could they keep this up. They just keep answering it.

[Big Cat]

They keep doing it. So they shot 36% from three, which I, I think they were happy with. What do you think they're going to need to shoot from three to win on Monday night? What would that percentage probably be?

[PFT Commenter]

Probably 39, 40.

[Big Cat]

Yeah, above 40.

[PFT Commenter]

They caravan's gonna have to start hitting some threes. He's, he's, he's been in a funk and he's gonna. Because you're gonna need. I think that's the difference. I think when, when you know, solo ball, who's actually in a walking boot, but solo ball going three for seven. I think Braylon Mullins was four for Seven Caribbean was one for seven. You need caravan to also be four for seven. Yeah. Then it feels like you have a chance.

[Big Cat]

And then my other question was, have we reached the. Ryan Fitzpatrick went to Harvard with. Braylon Mullins is from Indiana.

[PFT Commenter]

Yeah, we're pretty close.

[Big Cat]

I think we're pretty close. Did you know that, Hank? Braylon Mullins from Indiana.

[PFT Commenter]

Well, this is. Everyone's doing the thing right now. Dusty May is. It's Ohio State fans and Indiana fans. Or like we could have had Dusty May. Yep. Because there is a tweet going around that Ohio State announced like they did final interviews with Dusty May and Jake Diebler. Yeah, that hurts. So Indiana fans are. Are saying, oh, we could add Braylon Mullins and Dusty May. The whole fan fiction thing.

[Big Cat]

Yeah. Hurts. It does. It does. But they Indiana fans love doing that to themselves.

[PFT Commenter]

Oh yeah, big time. And also Demery, I thought was unbelievable. He. I think he was he the one who had the big rebound because that was it. The, the rebound when it was I think before the Braylon Mullen shot when he got an offensive rebound, but he ended up having 7, 7, 9 and 7, which is in a final four game. He was all over the place. That was, that was the possession. I think it was like a minute left. Yukon missed a shot, was a four point game, gets an offensive rebound, hits a three and that's it. That's lights out.

[Big Cat]

Game over.

[PFT Commenter]

Yeah. All right. The next game was supposed to be the best game we've ever seen, and it might just be the best team we've ever seen because it was an absolute demolition by Michigan to the point where I questioned it on Twitter. Max, I'm sure you saw this, but I was like, given the hype of this game and the one verse two and they have five losses total between them and everything everyone was saying, is this the most like, thorough beat down in a Final Four game? And people were mentioning the Oklahoma Villanova game from 2016. Yeah, but Oklahoma wasn't Arizona. Oklahoma's good. It was a two and a half point spread in that game.

[Big Cat]

Didn't you and C get their ass kicked by Kansas?

[PFT Commenter]

But I think, I think UNC got back in that game a little bit.

[Big Cat]

You. I just remember this was never a dog walk.

[PFT Commenter]

This was, I guess there was a moment. It was that moment where it was like maybe a six or seven point game and Arizona had two free throws, missed both of them, got the offensive rebound, then missed the front end of another foul. And then it was. It was basically from that point on, it Was like, yeah, you guys have no chance.

[Big Cat]

What was crazy is right off the bat, Linda Borg gets in foul trouble. Yeah, he got two fouls like instantly, instantly in the game. And I thought that that's Arizona's chance, like Arizona could win this game. Now, boy, was I wrong because Michigan seemed like they played better and then he came back into the game then got injured.

[PFT Commenter]

Yeah, their best player only played 14 minutes.

[Big Cat]

He played 14 minutes and when he did play, he was affected by it. So I thought he actually, he didn't play bad when he got back. But he looks.

[PFT Commenter]

No, he hit two threes. He came in and just was a spot up jumper.

[Big Cat]

He did look slow and he look affected. He looked affected by it. But Michigan did not need him.

[PFT Commenter]

No.

[Big Cat]

Because they had the giant Spaniard who just put his nuts on everybody's face.

[PFT Commenter]

Mara was unbelievable. He, he definitely made himself a lot of money last night and it was just everything Michigan wanted to do. It felt like the vibes from the two teams, Michigan just wanted to take it to him. The speed they were playing it with Elliot Cado was incredible. He was at one point. And this is, this is a credit to Dusty May who's having an all time run right now. Because I don't know if you guys saw like Dusty May before the game, scouting Yukon, Illinois, courtside. You gotta like retrospect. I should have just put everything I had on Michigan because that is such a memeable moment if you lose against Arizona, to be sitting out there, not with your team watching the first game and taking notes and keeping score. Dusty May knew that they were, they had the game plan to beat Arizona. He knew it was going to be fine because you don't set yourself up for that situation unless you have ultimate confidence in your team.

[Big Cat]

But when I saw that I, I thought that other coaches, they definitely have guys that do that for you.

[PFT Commenter]

Oh yeah.

[Big Cat]

So I thought Dustin May wanted to be seen when he did that.

[PFT Commenter]

Like. Right, that's what I'm saying. Yeah, yeah, that's, that's a meme. That's that if you lose, you get dragged.

[Big Cat]

He did not. Yes, he did that on purpose because he wanted the cameras to see him out there and he was confident. I think 99% of the time a guy, a coach will take one of their assistants and be like, this is your job to scout this game. Yeah, I'm going to be behind the scenes.

[Johnny Fanta]

The.

[PFT Commenter]

So Elliot Cado to start the game. He, he was phenomenal. Like one of the best 5 for 17 shooting performances. I've ever seen. And I say 5 for 17 because at the beginning of the game, yeah, he ended up with 10 assists, five rebounds. He controlled the entire game. He brought like, he had them all screwed up. He got Bradley into. Into foul trouble, which that changed the game as well. But La Couldoe at the beginning of the game to start, I was like. I turned to Dave. I was like, what. What's going on? Like, he's just. Is he, like, getting paid by the shot or something? Because he just kept on chucking it up. Turns out that in reports after the game, that was all part of the game plan, that Elliot Cadot was essentially missing shots on purpose to. To, like, missing high on the backboard because Morrow was able to. To clean it up. And that was part of their game plan against Arizona. Knowing Arizona has all these big guys, has all this rim protection, that the second shot was there a lot, and you watch it back and you're like, oh, yeah, he did do that a few times where it was almost a. A direct pass to Mara off the top of the backboard. And it's a genius game plan. And Dusty May is on an absolute heater right now.

[Big Cat]

Okay, so at halftime, Charles Barkley kept talking about how Kido was taking these shots and missing them. And they were great misses.

[PFT Commenter]

Yeah.

[Big Cat]

On his part. And they're like, he needs to shoot the ball more. These are great misses that he's putting up. They were talking about, like, the Kobe miss.

[PFT Commenter]

Yeah.

[Big Cat]

You know, like a shot that's more easily rebounded by your own team. So, like, when I. When I heard Charles Barkley talking about that, you'll have to forgive me if I didn't think that Charles Barkley had his finger on the pulse of, like, a new wave of basketball analytics. But goddamn if he wasn't right.

[PFT Commenter]

He was right that he.

[Big Cat]

He was able to pick up on that. I guess a guy like Charles, that's what he does. He rebounds. He can see it from that angle. But, yeah, he was. He was breaking the defense down and drawing a lot of guys. So then if he missed his shot, then. Yes. It's almost like a pass.

[PFT Commenter]

Yeah. And it was. It was a genius plan. And it felt like that Michigan had a genius plan. They had. He also had Arizona. Like, the size of Michigan bothered Arizona, where Arizona was having to take threes they don't want to take and get into shots. They don't. Because Arizona. Everyone knew what Arizona was. They wanted to just be as close to the rim as possible, bully you down low, get to the free Throw line. And it just felt like they never got into a rhythm and they never got into a situation where they felt good. And it is. Again, it's. Arizona is the. Is. Was the number one team in the country like they were. They're number one on Ken Palm. And Michigan just obliterated them. This is the second time this year. This is where Michigan is right now. And it's. It's going to be interesting to see what happens Monday night because you have the best team in the country, Michigan versus the best coach slash running dynasty in the country, UConn. It is. As much as people think, what are we going to watch? Michigan's going to kill him.

[Big Cat]

It is.

[PFT Commenter]

There is some really great storylines. We're going to have Johnny Fanta break it down as well. But Michigan has played the number one team twice this year and on neutral courts. And it was Gonzaga and it was Arizona. Gonzaga was the beginning of the season. They beat both of those teams brains in like obliterated them. So both times that they have been against those number one teams, they have just absolutely destroyed.

[Big Cat]

What about Duke? What was Duke ranked second?

[PFT Commenter]

I think it's number one on Ken Palm. Duke was maybe one ap, but like three on Ken. Yeah.

[Big Cat]

Because Duke beat him. Yeah. But if you look at, yeah, Michigan's losses this year, the two. You have to say that they're two. Two juggernauts. Duke, who's the best team in college basketball, still shocked that they lost. And then their other loss was to the Badgers.

[PFT Commenter]

Well, in Purdue by three.

[Big Cat]

By three points. Well, regular season.

[PFT Commenter]

Yeah.

[Big Cat]

And then, yeah, they lost Purdue, where they got beat by eight points. But if you throw it, you can almost throw out that Purdue loss because at some point I feel like in the Big Ten tournament, if you're Michigan, it's not the biggest thing in the world. If you get bounced out, you just want to win at least one game.

[PFT Commenter]

Purdue was playing good basketball down that

[Big Cat]

stretch, but they, they dominated Arizona, like absolutely dominated. And maybe it's because Arizona's young. They didn't have the experience.

[PFT Commenter]

100. I think that plays into it.

[Big Cat]

Michigan was much, much, much more experienced than they were. Like, Arizona's got great players. I love co Pete. I love buries. But it was. It felt like it was mid against boys.

[PFT Commenter]

Yeah. No being there. I mean, this is what. What has happened the last two years with Duke where it's like you have Duke teams that are really, really good, but they are very reliant on freshmen. And the freshmen get in a moment. Yeah. And can they. Can they raise. Is the muscle memory there for these big time moments in the tournament. And yeah, I think that that definitely played a part where they just weren't comfortable and they got in that foul trouble where when Bradley goes out and it come. A lot of it goes on to buries and he's a freshman and so he was chucking. Yeah. It just. It was so impressive by Michigan. They are that what we saw on Saturday night. That Michigan team's not losing to anyone. No.

[Big Cat]

Yeah.

[Hank]

Now how are they underdog?

[PFT Commenter]

What they're not against UConn.

[Big Cat]

You're favored by.

[Hank]

Oh, I mean. Yeah, my bad.

[PFT Commenter]

Yeah, they're. They're not losing anyone. They're not losing to a single team. They're that. Now UConn does have the. The coach and the experience to match it. Also terrorist Reed revenge game because he started his career at Michigan. So that's the interesting part to me. They're going to have to muck it up because you mentioned the two Michigan losses. The Wisconsin one, we just hit a million threes. The Duke one, they slowed it down and they made Michigan uncomfortable. Yukon's going to have to probably go into a combo both where slow it down and they're going to have to hit all their three.

[Big Cat]

Right. The. I guess the final score that you'd be looking at would be somewhere in the like 72 to 68 range if you were to think that Yukon could do it.

[PFT Commenter]

Michigan scored 90 plus in every single tournament game. I think they're going for the record. Yeah. For points in a tournament. And it's just. Yeah. It's insane. You got to see what they're doing.

[Big Cat]

Yes. You got to slow them down. You also have to hit your three. Yeah. Everything has to go perfectly. You have to hope that they have a terrible night shooting as well. And then Yaxel Lindbergh, he says that he's going to play.

[PFT Commenter]

Yep.

[Big Cat]

He's like, yeah, no matter what, I'm going to be out there.

[PFT Commenter]

You can't.

[Big Cat]

You can't keep me off the court for the championship game. But his knees up and his ankles up and I would imagine he's going to get shot up with the best drugs. Oh, yeah. It's going to be vitamin T. Yeah.

[PFT Commenter]

And solo balls in a boot.

[Big Cat]

And solo balls in a boot.

[PFT Commenter]

Solo balls in a boot.

[Big Cat]

So again, like the fact that Yaxel Lindenberg, who's one of the top five players in the country, the fact that when he was out they didn't miss a beat.

[PFT Commenter]

Yeah.

[Big Cat]

Just makes me Think it's Michigan.

[PFT Commenter]

Yeah.

[Big Cat]

And you can pick your number.

[PFT Commenter]

They have so many. I mean, McKinney was so hot from three. Like, Morris Johnson. Like, they just have so many answers. And Mars playing like that. Mars not an offensive. It's not that he's bad at offense. He's not. That was the best offensive game he's played all year. And it. And it was just. He was just made everything.

[Big Cat]

He looks smooth.

[PFT Commenter]

Yeah.

[Big Cat]

He looked like he was in control. He was just dominant. Yeah. I don't know. The only thing that I keep thinking about with UConn is they are.

[PFT Commenter]

It's the mystique.

[Big Cat]

They're. They're the consistently luckiest team, which means that it's not luck.

[PFT Commenter]

Yeah. No, it's not luck. I do not think it's luck. I think.

[Big Cat]

But you know what I'm saying? Like, yeah, they find themselves in the right place at the right time all the time, more so than any other college team. And it's great. It's really good coaching. It's really good players.

[PFT Commenter]

I think it's. It's. It's partial mystique. It's coaching. It's players knowing their roles, and it's the fact that they run an offense that you have to. They. They may. They run an offense that makes you think at all times. Like, you can't. You can't just take possessions off. Whether it's like you're switching everything. You're not switching anything. You're going under screens, over screens. Like, they're running action constantly to get guys open and get good looks that you can't. Guys get lost. Your communication falls apart. That's what they can do. And it's going to be a hard, hard, you know, mountain for them to climb on Monday night. But there's something also about Danny Hurley being an underdog that, you know, he's just licking his chops about that. You know, he loves being an underdog.

[Big Cat]

And he was talking about, like, the difference between his team and other teams, and he's like, well, our guys know that this is a life or death struggle.

[PFT Commenter]

Yeah.

[Big Cat]

Like, it's not a game. Our guys know that they're willing to die when they step on the court.

[PFT Commenter]

He called them the Monstars, the Michigan, Arizona. He's like, whoever we're gonna play, it's the monsters.

[Big Cat]

Yeah. And so, yes, I think. I think Dan Hurley loves this. I think his team actually does believe that they might die if they lose.

[PFT Commenter]

Yeah.

[Big Cat]

Or, like, the universe will get destroyed like the Monstars. But that's the only real. Like everything says Michigan is a better team.

[PFT Commenter]

Yeah.

[Big Cat]

Every. And I think that they are a better team.

[PFT Commenter]

Yeah. I think they play the game. If there's a seven game series, Michigan probably win four to two, four to one. But that doesn't matter.

[Big Cat]

Michigan's got nine starters. Did you know that they always say that, nine starters.

[PFT Commenter]

Well, you know, we were joking about it during the football season, the college football season, you know, when a team is really, really good, when the complaints start piling up. For Indiana, it was there. There's too old and oh yeah, if you can get a team that's 25, everyone's 25. Of course you're gonna win the national title.

[Big Cat]

And also Mark Cuban is helping them cheat via artificial intelligence.

[PFT Commenter]

This one is just everyone saying Michigan bought their whole team and it's not fair. It's like, all right, listen, do I love that that. Yes. Every team changes overnight in college basketball. No, but that's just what it is. Everyone has the same opportunities.

[Big Cat]

Yeah. So that's, that's what, that's what the game is. But yeah, we've got nine starters. That's what they keep saying.

[PFT Commenter]

Nine stars. I have, I have two other or a few other things I wanted to touch on real quick. One, shout out Arizona for a great season.

[Johnny Fanta]

Probably.

[PFT Commenter]

Probably the worst way to go out on a team that had lost twice this season and looked like the best team in the country for big time stretches. But the good news is Tommy Lloyd turned down UNC and in his negotiations, he made it so he doesn't have a boss. So he's good.

[Big Cat]

That's pretty cool.

[PFT Commenter]

That's pretty awesome. Tommy Lloyd does not answer to the ad anymore.

[Big Cat]

That's the dream. So who does he answer to?

[PFT Commenter]

No one.

[Big Cat]

To himself.

[PFT Commenter]

Yeah. How awesome is that?

[Big Cat]

The governor. He probably.

[PFT Commenter]

He. He Part of the reason why there was a lot of smoke Tommy Lloyd to UNC was not only because UNC but that Tommy Lloyd in the ad maybe didn't have the best relationship. So they renegotiated. Tommy Lloyd got a big pay increase and part of the. The new deal is he does not have to answer to the ad anymore.

[Big Cat]

He will now instead report to Arizona president Suresh Garamela.

[PFT Commenter]

How awesome.

[Memes]

Okay, so he still reports to some.

[PFT Commenter]

Yeah, but that doesn't. You think. You think the president is going to be like, hey, Tommy, like, how are we doing with our.

[Memes]

I'm saying, like, what if they need. What. Like what if Arizona does?

[PFT Commenter]

What if he runs out of staples?

[Big Cat]

What if Arizona Doesn't.

[PFT Commenter]

What if he runs out of post?

[Memes]

I'm just saying, like, he can get fired still.

[Big Cat]

Yes. Okay.

[PFT Commenter]

But he doesn't have to sit and talk to an AD and answer to him. He literally. The AD comes by and he's just like, I don't have to talk to you, bro. I feel like most coaches should.

[Memes]

That should be the rule.

[Big Cat]

As part of the deal, he no longer reports to his athletic director, Desiree Reed Francois. That's not a report I would not want to report to somebody named Desiree Reed Francois.

[PFT Commenter]

No.

[Big Cat]

I think this is much stronger setup that they've got. So he's not going to unc. Dusty Major said today he's also not going to unc, although Dusty May said that he's not.

[PFT Commenter]

I think he informed.

[Big Cat]

He informed the president of Michigan that he was no, I think no longer accepting outside bids or outside job offers.

[PFT Commenter]

I want to get the exact.

[Big Cat]

Shafter retweeted it because he was trying to take a victory lap.

[PFT Commenter]

I want to get the exact. The exact wording because I thought it was a little bit interesting. Max is looking up Desiree right now. Dusty May has informed Michigan officials that he's not pursuing. Pursuing any college basketball jobs. That's the part that made this a little interesting to me.

[Big Cat]

Interesting.

[PFT Commenter]

He will not. Why even clarify any college basketball jobs?

[Big Cat]

Yeah, Just so you guys know, I'm not talking to anybody that works at a college.

[Hank]

Are you looking for another job? No, not college basketball ones.

[PFT Commenter]

Yeah. I will not be going anywhere. Any other colleges. Michigan's my favorite college.

[Hank]

If I'm coaching college basketball, it's at Michigan.

[PFT Commenter]

Yep.

[Big Cat]

There's nowhere else I'd rather be.

[PFT Commenter]

Yeah.

[Big Cat]

In college. So now University of Michigan now.

[PFT Commenter]

Now we'll see.

[Johnny Fanta]

And.

[PFT Commenter]

And Dusty May again, he's. He's on an all time heater because you just see that. That Paramount plus they did like a behind the scenes of the Michigan season. And it's just unbelievable.

[Big Cat]

It's. It's some Dusty porn.

[PFT Commenter]

Yeah, it really is. He looks like he. It might. It might actually just be a green screen because it was so perfectly like fire, fire me up type of video. We also had. Did you guys. So they. They do the hall of Fame and we had some new hall of famers. Joey Crawford in the hall of Fame.

[Big Cat]

Very cool.

[PFT Commenter]

Yeah, very cool. But then we also had.

[Big Cat]

That's a guy that loves rules.

[PFT Commenter]

You guys see the. The pairing that they showed on TV that. That just always like. We should call the Uber now pairing. No, it was Jim Beheim and Mark Fews.

[Hank]

Yeah.

[PFT Commenter]

Next to each other.

[Big Cat]

Yeah.

[PFT Commenter]

Get that Uber ready now. Give me the keys. But yeah, there was. It was good. It was a good, good night of a lot of. A lot of basketball. Not the best games. So I had one other smoke, though. Smokes.

[Big Cat]

Smokes. The chain smokers were. The halftime show was. Was incredible. I. I do think that. Let's be honest, there were shitty games.

[PFT Commenter]

Yeah, they were.

[Big Cat]

The games were two shitty Final Four games.

[PFT Commenter]

I thought the Yukon game. Yukon game got close. I mean, Braylon Mullens three with a minute left was like. That was. If they miss, if they don't get that rebound, it's a four point game.

[Hank]

Like, you had to keep watching.

[PFT Commenter]

Yeah.

[Hank]

The Michigan game was over. Like, it was just like, the second half was just like, they'll just end the game.

[PFT Commenter]

Yeah.

[Big Cat]

I'm just saying, like, I hope that we get a good. A good national championship game because people will make this mean something if we don't. If it's a blowout that, that like if. If it's never close. Michigan wins by 20. Get ready to hear takes for the next two weeks.

[PFT Commenter]

Yeah.

[Big Cat]

About how college basketball is broken.

[PFT Commenter]

I. My last thought was, do you guys ever have a moment where you agree with the take, but you're just so sick of hearing.

[Big Cat]

Yes, yes, I know exactly what you're talking about.

[PFT Commenter]

Yep. We.

[Big Cat]

We get it.

[PFT Commenter]

I get it.

[Big Cat]

You won.

[PFT Commenter]

Oh, no. Yeah. Yeah. But I get it, guys. Okay, Everyone online. I get it. We shouldn't play the Final Four in a football stadium.

[Big Cat]

Oh, yeah.

[PFT Commenter]

We're never gonna stop playing the Final Four in a football stadium.

[Big Cat]

Yeah.

[PFT Commenter]

I think I saw that a thousand times. And guess what? I also think that here's a crazy take. I think the iPhone, camera, something about it makes it seem like you're way farther away. I watched the court the entire time I was in a suite. Way up top. It's not the, like, everyone makes jokes. It really isn't that. That bad. Yeah. It's not ideal. And I would rather be in a college, in a. In a regular arena, but it's just like every time we go to a Final Four, it was like, they got to fix this. They're never fixing it. You get 60,000 more people in the stadium.

[Big Cat]

Yeah.

[PFT Commenter]

They are never going to fix that.

[Big Cat]

It's never going back.

[PFT Commenter]

And so we just got to stop complaining about it and just be like. And actually Indy Titus was telling me this Lucas Oil they built.

[Big Cat]

Yeah.

[PFT Commenter]

So that the. The shooting eye is better. Like is. They built it with the shooting eye. In. In their thought process. So it's not like a Houston or some of these other places that the shooting is terrible.

[Big Cat]

It's also not a new thing.

[PFT Commenter]

Right. That's what I'm saying. But. But every year it's just. It's. The complaints are just, how are we doing this again?

[Big Cat]

It's like, when was the last time it was in a college basket or in a basketball arena? The 80s?

[PFT Commenter]

It can't be. Maybe.

[Big Cat]

No, they probably had in. At some point in the, like, 90s.

[PFT Commenter]

No, not in the 2000s. In the. Never.

[Big Cat]

You don't think they ever.

[PFT Commenter]

I don't think so. But the. In. In the 90s, I would say yes. I don't think. National title. No, because I remember, like, Michigan North, Chris Weber game that was in a dome. Right.

[Hank]

I don't.

[PFT Commenter]

Yeah.

[Hank]

I think the Duke championships were in domes.

[PFT Commenter]

All right, I'm looking it up right now. Here we go. I'm going to get to.

[Memes]

I have it right here.

[PFT Commenter]

All right. 91 was Hoosier Dome, Metrodome. 92, Superdome was. What's the Charlotte Coliseum? I guess that would be. 96 is the last time, according to Continental Airlines Arena. Yeah, that's. That's in. In. That's where the. The Devils and the nets played. So 96, that's the last time. So that's the last.

[Big Cat]

It's never going back.

[PFT Commenter]

It's never, ever going back.

[Big Cat]

Absolutely not.

[PFT Commenter]

It also should be. And they'll never do this. So I know this is a stupid thing to say, but I'll just say it. The Final Four should always be in Indianapolis. It should just be forever home.

[Big Cat]

It because of the walking?

[PFT Commenter]

No, because in Indiana, like, I know we joke, like, everyone jokes about it in 49 other states, but they make it such a big event. They care about college basketball. They care about basketball to a level that it's the only thing that's going on. You can feel it. Maybe New Orleans. Maybe New Orleans and Indianapolis are the only two. But it just takes over the city in a way that when it's. When they give it to other cities, it just doesn't feel the same. You don't feel the same, Pop. Like, I remember, it's. I like Minneapolis, but when it was in Minneapolis, it didn't feel like it was taking over the whole city. I'm sure Vegas in a couple years won't feel the same because it's Vegas. You know what I mean? Phoenix, great weather, but it's spread out. It doesn't feel like, oh, this is all that's happening when the Final Fours in Indianapolis. That is the thing. And it's like everyone's there for it and the streets are alive, and it's just the perfect place for it.

[Big Cat]

I think Vegas will probably feel pretty cool. Houston does not feel good when it's there. No, it doesn't feel like. Yeah, I know what you're saying. Like

[PFT Commenter]

Dallas, when it was New Orleans,

[Big Cat]

it did feel like it kind of took over.

[PFT Commenter]

Yeah. No, New Orleans is the other one. So I'll give you New Orleans as well. Dallas. I've been to a Final Four in Dallas. Does not. Because Dallas and then the stadium are far apart from each other. You need. It's just Indianapolis is just. They do a great job with it, and it just feels special when it's happening there.

[Big Cat]

Yeah.

[PFT Commenter]

So that was my last.

[Big Cat]

I. I was going to go along with that.

[PFT Commenter]

There's.

[Big Cat]

There's a word. There's got to be a word that we can use when Jay Billis is factually correct about something, but he's so smug when he's saying it that it. It makes me not want to agree with him, even though I know that he's right. Yeah. And it's. Whatever this. It's not disingenuous, but it's. We get. Jay, you won. We've been on that. The side of paying the players for.

[PFT Commenter]

Yes.

[Big Cat]

A very long time. But he, when he sat down, he had that conversation with Cal and Seth Greenberg and a few other guys. Reese. And it. It does feel like he's your. He walks around like he's a professor.

[PFT Commenter]

Yeah.

[Big Cat]

All the time. And like.

[PFT Commenter]

Yeah.

[Big Cat]

He's smart and the world is his lecture hall.

[PFT Commenter]

Yeah.

[Big Cat]

And is. Is there to, like, take notes on everything that Jay Billis has to say. But he's right. I just need. I. Jay, I need you to be like, 20 less of a douchebag when you're going on these diatribes. And then I can. I'll be able to watch you and be at peace with the fact that you're correct about.

[PFT Commenter]

But he's not right anymore because we already did it.

[Big Cat]

But in this one conversation, it's like it already happened.

[PFT Commenter]

And now he's just keeps hammering the thing that we knew was wrong that became right.

[Big Cat]

Well, so he was. He was having a debate, and Seth Greenberg, probably not the best guy to have this debate with, talking about, like, well, what about players that make a lot of money and they're. They're in college, then they go overseas and then they don't make a lot of money. Then they come back and they don't have any skills to fall back on, and they're not in the NBA. And then Jay Billis was like, what are you saying? That you'd rather that guy not have gotten paid in college? And then Seth just doesn't know what to say.

[PFT Commenter]

Yeah. So it was like, put him up as a tomato.

[Big Cat]

Yeah, it was like, yeah, the Sean Salisbury, John Clayton.

[PFT Commenter]

Yeah, I, I.

[Big Cat]

And they were both kind of cleans, but just be 20 less smug, Jay. That's all I need.

[PFT Commenter]

Yeah. Okay, let's. Let's take a quick break. DraftKings. DraftKings Sportsbook, the number one sportsbook for live betting, is built for March. The tournament is unexpected. Rewards are guaranteed. DraftKings Sportsbook is delivering the most generous rewards in the market, no matter what happens on the court. Because this isn't a tournament you bet and forget. It's one you react to. With DraftKings, the number one sportsbook for live betting, you're not betting what might happen. You're betting what's happening. Possession by possession, play by play, live lines, props. Next play outcomes. As the chaos unfolds, the bracket will break. So don't just watch the unexpected. Bet it. New to DraftKings. Bet just $5. Get 200 in bonus bets instantly. Download the DraftKings sportsbook app now and use code TAKE. That's code TAKE to turn five bucks into 200 in bonus bets instantly. In partnership with DraftKings. The crown is yours. Gambling problem. Call 1-800-GAMBLER or 1-800-MY-STET.

[Hank]

NEW YORK.

[PFT Commenter]

Call 877-8-HOPE and WHY or text HOPE and WHY.

[Hank]

CONNECTICUT.

[PFT Commenter]

Call 888-789-7777 or visit ccpg.org on behalf of Booth Casino in Kansas.

[Hank]

Wager tax, pass through. May apply in Illinois, 21 and over in most states.

[PFT Commenter]

Void. In Ontario, restrictions apply. Bonus bets expire seven days after issuance.

[Hank]

For additional terms or responsible gaming resources,

[PFT Commenter]

see sportsbook.draftkings.com promos, limited time offer. Shout out to UCLA women's team, Big Ten title. I love Hawkes and bets. They dominated South Carolina.

[Big Cat]

Legendary Big Ten team.

[PFT Commenter]

Legendary Big Ten team. And also maybe helped out with the bad PR that Gino Arama had on Friday night. Because I don't think there's ever been a bigger baby ever. Oh, than Gino.

[Big Cat]

You're right. But I. I think that Don Staley actually gave Gino a run for his money after today's game.

[PFT Commenter]

Yeah, because.

[Big Cat]

Because her quote, after they lost today, this is an all time Quote from South Carolina. And Don Steel is a great coach. She says, I can swallow the loss because we lost to a really good human being and a good team and a good team that represents women's basketball. Well, she's still thinking about. Yeah, about Yukon. That's. That is maybe the biggest loser quote that I've ever heard. And she's a great coach.

[PFT Commenter]

Yeah, because she didn't have to do anything.

[Big Cat]

No, she didn't.

[PFT Commenter]

She won. She won versus Gino. Gino looked like a baby.

[Big Cat]

Yeah.

[PFT Commenter]

Like the biggest baby of all time.

[Big Cat]

And then she got her ass kicked. That was. That was maybe the ugliest championship game I've seen in any sport.

[PFT Commenter]

Yeah. Absolute ass kicks. And by the way, the. The. The. The real thing that killed Gino is the fact that everything he tried to say in the press conference was just immediately refuted to be false. When he was like, don Staley didn't shake my hand at the beginning of the game. Yes, she did. Sarah Strong got her jersey ripped. No, she ripped it herself.

[Big Cat]

Don Staley was saying things to the refs that they would get mad at

[Hank]

me if I said through the video from last time.

[PFT Commenter]

What? Oh, yeah. When he's like.

[Hank]

She's, like, waiting. He's like, come here, come here, come here.

[PFT Commenter]

When he knows he's got a better team, he. Yeah, Gino. All time, baby. All time. Just like, loser move. And it was.

[Big Cat]

Yeah.

[PFT Commenter]

I mean, he. He deserved to get dragged for that because he looked like a clown. The way he handled that. It's. It's also like, I don't know. This will never happen. But just once, I want to see a coach have. Because I don't think anything could change. Gino is gonna react that way no matter what, because he was crashing out. Right. But have. Have someone on your team, your PR team, whatever, your media team, before you go to the podium, just be like, dude, just so you know, like, you kind of look like a. You should just say, like, hey, I'm a. And I. I really don't lose. Well, you know, I mean, like, just go up there and be like, yeah, I'm a really bad loser, and I crashed out.

[Big Cat]

Yeah.

[PFT Commenter]

I mean, just say that instead of trying to make up like this. What's the. When you. When you get up there and you say all this stuff about handshakes and jersey ripped, does he think that people are going to say, oh, yeah, actually, you know what? South Carolina was so wrong.

[Big Cat]

No, it's. It's like, great basketball coaches, for the most part, I'd Say more. More often than football coaches for some reason have that, like, little bit of crybaby.

[PFT Commenter]

Oh, yeah.

[Big Cat]

Psychopath. Like, they're psychopaths. They're all psychopaths. And if things don't go well, instead of, like, accountability, it must be everybody else's fault.

[PFT Commenter]

Correct.

[Big Cat]

Because they have Coach K. Yeah. Like Coach K. But it's somebody else's fault. I need to redirect my anger because it can't be mine.

[PFT Commenter]

It is a very Coach Kate move that he pulled last night because it's like the Dylan Brooks when he tries to tell us one thing.

[Big Cat]

Yeah.

[PFT Commenter]

And then we find out it's the exact opposite. That's. That's what Gino was doing. He, he, he, he. That's. I think that's why I reacted instantly. I was like, this is the biggest move. It remind me of Coach K. Yeah.

[Big Cat]

Well adjusted people don't coach college basketball. They just don't.

[PFT Commenter]

What? He's smiling. Yeah.

[Hank]

Coach K. Yeah.

[Big Cat]

What do you think about. What do you think about Don Staley, though, after. After she loses the game afterwards, going back.

[Hank]

I think you're reading too far into it. I don't think she was talking about him at all.

[Big Cat]

Oh, you don't?

[PFT Commenter]

Oh, really?

[Hank]

Yeah.

[Big Cat]

She was just saying in general, it's good. It's good to lose to a good human being.

[Hank]

Wouldn't you rather lose to a good human being than a bad one?

[PFT Commenter]

Yeah, I'd rather not lose.

[Hank]

Well, yeah, but if you have to lose.

[Big Cat]

So if you lose.

[PFT Commenter]

Yeah.

[Big Cat]

Your first thing that you should say is like, you know, at least the guy that won. That guy is all class.

[PFT Commenter]

It would rock, though, don't you. You know what I'm saying? If Gino had just gotten to the podium, he's like, hey, guys, just so you know, I' really bad loser and I'm a baby about it. And that's why that.

[Hank]

Yeah, but that, that ruins the whole image.

[PFT Commenter]

I know, but he ended up saying that, like, after, with his. He released a statement on Saturday. He was like, I. That was really unclassy of me. Just say it in the moment. Just be like, yeah, guys, I'm a baby.

[Big Cat]

I wonder if he has a bet with. With Hurley, like, which team's going to go further. Oh, that might be why he was so upset.

[PFT Commenter]

Yeah, that could have been.

[Big Cat]

He might have lost a shitload of money.

[PFT Commenter]

But UCLA was awesome. They, they, they, like Chino and Don Staley made the whole Final four about them. And then UCLA just silently just throttled everyone Friday night. They throttled the Longhorns.

[Big Cat]

Kind of crazy that they've never won a national championship in women's college basketball. Like, for a team that's been as good as ucla.

[PFT Commenter]

And how many. I mean, what did they give up? How many points did they give up in the Final Four? I think it was like, 95 points or something. Their defense was just insane. They give up? Yeah. They give up 95 points in the entire Final Four.

[Big Cat]

That's nuts.

[PFT Commenter]

Yeah, they were awesome. Okay, let's do some national sports podcasts. Okay. National sports podcast topics. I had a couple.

[Big Cat]

Okay.

[PFT Commenter]

Does anyone have anything on the top of their mind? I have. My big one is Giannis again. Giannis again.

[Big Cat]

All right. Are we gonna do it with Giannis again? All right, so it's. It seems like it's the same story for the last two years.

[PFT Commenter]

Here's where I guess the only difference would be is that for the last five years. Third. Three to five years, it has been a lot of shams reporting. Yeah. And everyone's saying, oh, something's imminent. And I get it. If you're a Bucks fan, it's probably been the most annoying thing to have to deal with. Totally get it. Sean's just been chasing that. And I do think Giannis is tight with shams. I think there's a little bit of, like, you know, they went and he. He wanted Dame, and they got Dame. You know what I mean? Like, trying to put guys around him, all this stuff. The difference this time is Giannis just outright said it in that he says he's healthy enough to play, the Bucks, don't want to play him. That's where they're disagreeing. And he said, like, I'm available to play, and it's a slap in my face. He said, this is exact quote. You know, who you were dealing with. So for somebody to come and tell me to not play or not to compete, it's like a slap in my face. So I don't know where the relationship goes from here. That's. That's his quote. So that's where it's a little different. He's basically saying, I don't know what. What's going to happen with me and the organ. They just need to break up.

[Big Cat]

Well, also, Doc Rivers and let's put some hall of Famer. Yeah.

[PFT Commenter]

He was there on. On Saturday night.

[Big Cat]

Doc Rivers said, it's a grown man's game. It should be handled that way by everybody. I don't like it when it's. He said, she said stuff. It's not Good. The fact I have to sit up here and keep addressing it, it bothers me. And we need to do something about it. I agree. I. It seems like both sides want to move along. Yeah, let's just. Can we just do it? It seems like that's how you do something about it.

[PFT Commenter]

He's the best player, you know, the Bucks franchise. He's made the best. Yeah. I. Obviously you could you say, you know, Kareem. But the. He has made the Bucks relevant. Awesome championship. It's been incredible for. For the organization. I think it's time. You gotta just. You gotta do it. He clearly, it's the like, nice guy thing that he doesn't want to ruin his. His reputation. It's gone on so long that he kind of is. You know what I mean?

[Big Cat]

Yeah.

[PFT Commenter]

Like, he didn't ever want to ask for a trade. He wanted to be loyal to Milwaukee. I thought that was very admirable. There's just so much smoke and then him outright saying it here. Just do it right. Get the. Get draft picks and. And move on.

[Big Cat]

They tried. It didn't work out with Dame. They. They took a swing and it didn't work. And then they fired a couple coaches that may or may not have. You know, probably. Probably a mistake, you would say, to fire at least one of those two. It's just not going to work out. It's. I think it's past the point of repairing anything. I don't think any. Either side wants it to be repaired. And there's a trend around the NBA of big men that are healthy enough to play and want to play, and then their team's just saying you're not allowed to play.

[PFT Commenter]

Yeah.

[Big Cat]

And then that ruins everything. Max, do you have any comment about that? That's true? No.

[PFT Commenter]

No comment. No comment or not true?

[Memes]

No comment. No comment.

[PFT Commenter]

No comment.

[Big Cat]

But yeah, I think it's just. It's time to separate.

[PFT Commenter]

Good. No comment.

[Big Cat]

We've done this.

[PFT Commenter]

He's also 31 years old. Like, I'm not saying that he doesn't have good years left because he probably does, but at some point you just got to just trade him and try to try to move on. If you're a Bucks fan. Right. And if you're the Bucks organization, I know that also Jimmy Haslam has gotten involved in the Bucks that. Because he ruins literally everything. Quite literally just ruins it all. But yeah, you. This was the first time I was like, oh, he's saying it like he doesn't know where the relationship.

[Big Cat]

But he's basically. He's been I. The last two years, especially when Sean's put out that report about, like, the Bucks were interested in other teams for, like, talking to other teams about Giannis.

[PFT Commenter]

Yeah.

[Big Cat]

New York being one of those teams, it's like, okay, at this point, it's not going to end well.

[PFT Commenter]

Right.

[Big Cat]

For the Bucks and for Giannis together. Just. Just move on. I'm sick of hearing this.

[PFT Commenter]

I am, too. I. I do think that part of it is he wants to play with both his brothers this year, because I think they're. They're both. I don't know if they're both. Are they both on the roster?

[Hank]

They had. They had a OOP to each other.

[PFT Commenter]

Yeah.

[Hank]

A non. A non Giannis.

[PFT Commenter]

Yeah.

[Hank]

Anti Kumpo. So I think he wants Kumpo alley oop tonight.

[Big Cat]

Probably. I'd say a box scorigami.

[PFT Commenter]

Yeah. And listen, I. I think we've all been consistent. Like, I. I think that Giannis wanting to do something like this, play with his two brothers on the same court. Nepotism. Like, we're. We're totally cool with it. We would never criticize something like that.

[Big Cat]

No, it's great.

[PFT Commenter]

Yeah. Did you see.

[Big Cat]

You see LeBron getting mad at Bronnia? The bad pass tonight?

[PFT Commenter]

No. The Lakers have no guys left.

[Memes]

Yeah.

[PFT Commenter]

Luke Canard had a triple double.

[Big Cat]

I feel like Fat Perez might be next to get the call up.

[PFT Commenter]

Yeah.

[Hank]

The. The Mavs, the maps, doctors hot seat.

[PFT Commenter]

Why?

[Hank]

Austin Reeves had to get an MRI and they told him where they needed to scan for the mri. They just scanned the wrong area.

[Big Cat]

Oh, they scanned the wrong leg.

[Hank]

The wrong area.

[Big Cat]

The wrong area entirely.

[PFT Commenter]

Yeah.

[Hank]

Gingerbread was like. I don't. You know, I don't want to, like, snitch here, but we told them we needed to get an MRI on this part, and they just. They gave us the wrong mri.

[Big Cat]

That's hipaa. That's a HIPAA violation by jj.

[PFT Commenter]

Can I say about the NBA? I'm. I am equal parts excited for the playoffs and think that the NBA has never been worse in terms of regular season. It's an absolute joke. I know that we had Wemby vs Jokic on. On Saturday, and it was awesome. Like, Friday, every single team was playing, like, a tanking team was playing a playoff team, and none of the games were close.

[Hank]

I think I saw something that was like, on Friday, it was like, tonight. The average margin of victory across the league. Yeah.

[PFT Commenter]

Yes. Tim Reynolds said There have been two days in NBA history spanning 80 years, where at least nine games were played with an Average margin of victory being at least 24 points. Only two such days in NBA history. One was Friday and the other was the Sunday before that.

[Big Cat]

Jeez.

[PFT Commenter]

It's just. But. But then you watch a game like Jokic and Wemby on Saturday, an overtime game like I can't wait for this.

[Big Cat]

That's why the playoffs are getting great. Yeah.

[PFT Commenter]

The. The regular season NBA is like the worst product. It just sucks.

[Big Cat]

And they. Everyone keeps throwing out their idea to address tanking. Tanking is not getting addressed. They're going to figure out a different. A new, more fun way to tank.

[PFT Commenter]

Do you also see like the.

[Johnny Fanta]

The.

[PFT Commenter]

If you take a look at the standings, it's so funny. The, the cliff that falls off between the play in and the. And the 10 seed and the 11 seed. In the east it's a 10 game difference. In the west it's a 12 game difference. So it's essentially just the bottom 10 teams in the league are just all out saying we just do not want to win any game.

[Big Cat]

Actively trying very to put out the worst product. Very hard to lose.

[PFT Commenter]

Yeah.

[Big Cat]

Are the Wizards in last place right now? Worst record.

[PFT Commenter]

Worst record. Yeah.

[Big Cat]

Let's go. All right.

[PFT Commenter]

Duke, do a quick.

[Big Cat]

Yeah, take it on.

[PFT Commenter]

I actually think the Bulls with their loss today and the Bucks win, they're now they have a 20 chance to get a top four pick which is better than it's been a long time. Go ahead. Sim it. Sim lottery.

[Big Cat]

Golden State.

[PFT Commenter]

Okay. Golden State. Wow. That would be crazy.

[Big Cat]

That'd be nuts.

[PFT Commenter]

That'd be nuts. Right? Do do do Five. Five. Okay. Washington. Oh, there we go. I take that I sign up for that second deal. Wizards and Bulls. All right. Wizards.

[Big Cat]

Watch again. I love this.

[PFT Commenter]

Who do you going to. Who are you going to take? I don't know.

[Big Cat]

Boozer. No, I don't if we're picking first overall. No.

[PFT Commenter]

Darren Peterson.

[Big Cat]

I think Darren Peterson. Banta.

[PFT Commenter]

Yeah. Boozer.

[Big Cat]

Not Boozer.

[PFT Commenter]

What about Boozer?

[Big Cat]

What about the other which Boozer Kaden. Yes.

[Johnny Fanta]

Okay.

[Big Cat]

Yeah.

[PFT Commenter]

He's actually crazy. If the wizard said hey, we actually we. We're planning on getting Cam Boozer in five years in free agency.

[Big Cat]

It's a mood conversation because we're not. The Wizards are not being given the first overall pick. I learned that lesson last year. And also shout out Cooper flag. How many points did he have tonight? Like 40.

[PFT Commenter]

He's just keeps. He's broken the record for a teenager.

[Big Cat]

So is he now is he the favorite to get rookie of the year or is it Knipple?

[Hank]

They've been bouncing back and forth and

[Big Cat]

that he must have been awesome.

[PFT Commenter]

Those guys play together last year.

[Big Cat]

Yeah, they're really good.

[PFT Commenter]

Holy.

[Big Cat]

Like, by far and away the two favorites for rookie of the year.

[PFT Commenter]

Con Can Apple and Cooper Flag are both same team. Oh, my God. Yeah, they're 1, 2.

[Big Cat]

And then who's third? Edgecomb.

[PFT Commenter]

John Shire. Oh, no. Edgecombe.

[Big Cat]

Oh, wow.

[PFT Commenter]

Sorry, I can't read.

[Big Cat]

Yeah, Max, what was that about? Because, like, the other day, Embiid was reported as being out against that game, the game against the Wizards, and then he actually tweeted or he went to x.com the everything app, and posted like, this is news to me. I'm playing tonight. And then the team, I guess, in between that and tip off, had a word with him. They said, dude, you're not playing. So what's going on? He was sick, but he thought that he was playing. He wanted to sweat it out.

[Memes]

Yeah, Big cats. Big cat did that to me. Friday, March Madness. Sometimes you go, you're sick, and you try and show up to work, and the work says you actually shouldn't be around the team.

[PFT Commenter]

Fair point.

[Big Cat]

It just seems like he might be a little disgruntled.

[Memes]

Yeah, he wanted to play, but, yeah,

[Big Cat]

he said he was sick.

[Hank]

He had to go home.

[PFT Commenter]

Max wanted to be in the cave

[Memes]

with the boys, and Harold's playing the Wizards.

[PFT Commenter]

So you.

[Big Cat]

You don't think he's disgruntled at all?

[Memes]

He wanted to play.

[Big Cat]

Jokic did get another triple double.

[PFT Commenter]

Yeah.

[Big Cat]

By the way.

[PFT Commenter]

Yeah, same with Luke and Art. I mentioned that. But Lucanard did get a triple, by the way. Breaking moves. Breaking news from Sean. Luca Doncic will seek specialized medical treatment in Europe on his grade two left hamstring. Huh. That's interesting, huh?

[Big Cat]

What kind of specialized medical treatment we talking about here, Luca?

[PFT Commenter]

Remember when LeBron went down to Miami for those two weeks he's on the calves. You could just go to Miami for two weeks.

[Big Cat]

Remember when Christian McCaffrey went over to Europe? Specialized medical treatment.

[PFT Commenter]

Europe. What's happening?

[Memes]

Whatever Paul George is doing right now,

[PFT Commenter]

what's happening in Europe?

[Big Cat]

People are asking, what's that, Zach?

[PFT Commenter]

They're just taking stem cells, right?

[Big Cat]

Yeah, it might be stem cells.

[PFT Commenter]

Yeah.

[Big Cat]

Maybe that's what Kobe did.

[PFT Commenter]

We're just accusing them of, like, I don't think that's what they did, but maybe it's what they did. We're accusing them of way worse, but not having the balls to actually accuse them. We're about it. They're also doing way worse.

[Memes]

Yeah.

[PFT Commenter]

We're being about it. They're like, hey, Europe. Oh, that makes you think, oh, so no matter how this plays out, we could be like, well, he cheated or didn't you know, he sucks.

[Zach]

That's a good place.

[PFT Commenter]

We're huge cowards. Yeah.

[Big Cat]

What is. What is the stem cell treatment that they do? How does that work?

[PFT Commenter]

They take their cells.

[Big Cat]

Yeah.

[PFT Commenter]

And someone else want to pick it up.

[Memes]

Let's see, you know, explaining to us back here.

[Hank]

They stem. They stem. They take some good cells and they stem your bad cells together.

[PFT Commenter]

Yeah.

[Hank]

And then he's right. Your goods. The good cells absorb your bad cells.

[Big Cat]

I thought it was like, replace them. I thought it was like, the cells were really good and that. But, like, stem and seed cells. It's like bad versions of the cells. I thought they make you sick and cough.

[PFT Commenter]

I thought they took your blood out and then they. They put it in, like, a washing machine.

[Big Cat]

Yeah.

[PFT Commenter]

And then it, like, got your blood all dizzy, and then they put it back in your body, and your blood's like, whoa, where are we now?

[Big Cat]

Yeah. Because they get.

[PFT Commenter]

Then they fight harder because they're like, we're not in our regular home.

[Big Cat]

They get it.

[PFT Commenter]

After a while, they realize, oh, yeah, we actually are at home.

[Big Cat]

They get the plasma out.

[PFT Commenter]

Yeah.

[Big Cat]

Of the cell. Yeah.

[PFT Commenter]

Did you see the picture of Joe Rogan?

[Big Cat]

Yeah.

[PFT Commenter]

Just like, two, three huge bags of orange juice. He's like, they took this out of my blood. Yeah.

[Big Cat]

Yeah. He looks sick. It's probably a pretty healthy thing.

[PFT Commenter]

Yeah. Memes, go ahead and explain stem cells to us.

[Big Cat]

It makes two.

[PFT Commenter]

It makes you 200 stronger. What? Yeah, I want that based on something I heard on a podcast one time. Oh, okay, Good. Extra analysis memes.

[Big Cat]

Do they have, like. Do they have, like, women give birth and then, like, the placenta has the stem cells in it? So there. Are they just using, like, placentas? Do they have, like, a placenta bank that they go into? And they're like, oh, Lucas, here, let's put this placenta into his hamstring.

[PFT Commenter]

I believe it's an umbilical cord.

[Big Cat]

Ah, so there's the same thing. So there's like, babies that are being born in Europe right now, and you have the opportunity to donate your umbilical cord to the NBA.

[PFT Commenter]

Yeah. Essentially. That rock. That's also why it's illegal here.

[Big Cat]

What? Babies? They can't. Their body, their choice. They should be allowed to do that if they want.

[PFT Commenter]

Babies can't do stem cell. No.

[Big Cat]

Babies can't donate their umbilical cords to Sims, though.

[PFT Commenter]

Babies can't play in the NBA. We're stopping the right. You know, they can't earn a living, babies. Yeah, they can't willingly offer their umbilical.

[Big Cat]

I need Jay Billis on the case.

[PFT Commenter]

I'm now concerned.

[Big Cat]

Sounds like people are denying babies a right to make money off their own bodies.

[PFT Commenter]

What about the thing that I said about the making your blood dizzy? I think that's correct. Okay, cool, cool, cool.

[Big Cat]

This is a good talk.

[PFT Commenter]

All right, do we have any other. Any other topics before we do who's back? Should we get to who's back? Who's Back of the Week is brought to you by our friends at Twisted Tea. Twisted Tea is a refreshing hard iced tea made with real brewed tea and 5% alcohol. Twisted Tea is the perfect drink to keep the good times going all day and all season long. Whether you're hanging out at a friend's house, catching a game at the stadium or at the bar or day drinking with friends, Twisted Tea is there to turn your day up a notch and make a good time, a great time. Grab a refreshing Twisted Tea today. Love the half and half the peach, the original twisted tea. Go get it today. Twisted T. Hank your. Who's back of the week?

[Hank]

Who's back of the week is the Buffalo Sabers.

[Big Cat]

Yeah.

[PFT Commenter]

Happy for the great.

[Hank]

The great state of New York.

[Big Cat]

First time in the history of this podcast.

[Hank]

Yeah, first time this history of this podcast. 14 years playoff drought.

[PFT Commenter]

Whoa. That's long.

[Hank]

Longest in pro sports. It's over there officially. They clinch the playoffs.

[PFT Commenter]

Good for them. Good for New York. Yeah. You see the guy? I retweeted the other night that he was going to eat Tate Thompson's height in chicken parm.

[Big Cat]

That's pretty good.

[PFT Commenter]

He said that, like before the season. I need to see that guy eat the height and chicken. How tall is Tage Thompson? He's pretty tall. It's a lot of chicken parm. It's a shitload of chicken parm.

[Big Cat]

Their nightmare is over, though. I'm very happy for Sabres fans.

[PFT Commenter]

He's six. Six in chicken parm. Zach, could you eat that much chicken parm?

[Zach]

I think we could all take that down for sure.

[PFT Commenter]

Yeah. Actually, that's something. As a team, that's not that much.

[Big Cat]

Each chicken parm is what, like, what

[PFT Commenter]

are you talking about?

[Memes]

It depends if you're doing it like long ways.

[PFT Commenter]

No, it does. Yeah.

[Memes]

Oh, sub.

[Big Cat]

Oh, Max, you were thinking about, like,

[Memes]

if you do like a lasagna chicken,

[Big Cat]

that would be like a hundred.

[PFT Commenter]

Yeah, that's A lot of chicken.

[Hank]

How long would it take you to a week?

[PFT Commenter]

Easy. Yeah, yeah, yeah. Less.

[Zach]

I think it's only like seven.

[PFT Commenter]

I mean a foot long sub of chicken parm.

[Big Cat]

Yeah.

[PFT Commenter]

Yeah.

[Hank]

I thought you were saying like in one sitting or like one. One. No, one day. One challenge.

[PFT Commenter]

Yeah. That'd be a lot.

[Big Cat]

So who has the longest streak now? That the Sabers.

[PFT Commenter]

I don't think anyone even closest Sabers.

[Big Cat]

Right.

[Hank]

Is that some people's track I gotta look.

[Big Cat]

Yeah.

[PFT Commenter]

I think it's your. Who's back. You can look up.

[Big Cat]

Result.

[Johnny Fanta]

Thanks.

[PFT Commenter]

Never.

[Hank]

It's the New York Jets.

[PFT Commenter]

What?

[Big Cat]

That's crazy. Same state.

[Hank]

Damn. I thought New York's national Night Nair was over Memes.

[PFT Commenter]

When was this on your radar?

[Johnny Fanta]

It's been.

[PFT Commenter]

It's been on my radar for how long? Months. A while. No, the SA Sabres is a good hockey team. Yeah, they are. And so it was. It was like, oh God. This is. This is gonna happen.

[Big Cat]

Yeah.

[PFT Commenter]

But that was a while ago. I'm glad to have it on Saturday though. Yeah. Final four. Yeah. What? Who's close to you guys? The Angels. And how long have they been. 11 seasons. And you are what, 15.

[Big Cat]

Oh. Can I tell you something though? It's way more embarrassing that the Angels haven't made the playoffs. 11 years.

[PFT Commenter]

It's Shohei and Mike Trout and Rendon. Yeah. Anywhere not in that same country.

[Memes]

That was insane that you threw Rendone that one.

[Big Cat]

That was that one postseason he was in that.

[PFT Commenter]

That was literally the Dragon meme.

[Big Cat]

Yeah.

[PFT Commenter]

All up.

[Hank]

Damn. Sorry memes.

[PFT Commenter]

That was mean of you.

[Johnny Fanta]

Yeah.

[PFT Commenter]

How the Red Sox doing?

[Hank]

It could have been meaner. I. It was mean.

[PFT Commenter]

How make it meaner?

[Hank]

Mike, who's back in the week is. Is the great state of New York.

[PFT Commenter]

Oh, why They're.

[Hank]

They're. They're nightmares over the.

[Memes]

You were celebrating this on. On x dot com.

[Big Cat]

Yeah.

[PFT Commenter]

But the way Hank says it. Yeah. Really makes you.

[Big Cat]

Yeah. It's different. Yeah. Memes is right.

[PFT Commenter]

He is right.

[Big Cat]

Yeah.

[PFT Commenter]

Hank could. A regular person could say something. Then Hank says it. It just feels different. It's a 100.

[Hank]

It's different. Yeah. Hit different Hank hits different Hank.

[PFT Commenter]

Hank always Hank makes. Hank gets you aggro. It's like angel dust. You want to run through a wall and punch. Punch a cop in the face.

[Hank]

I should coach.

[PFT Commenter]

Yeah. You want to be on Johnny Fantas staff. We're not there yet. No.

[Hank]

I would tank his staff.

[Johnny Fanta]

Oh.

[PFT Commenter]

What? Why do you hate all of our guests?

[Hank]

If he was at North Carolina.

[Big Cat]

Oh yeah. That's Fair.

[PFT Commenter]

That's fair. I forgot about that.

[Big Cat]

You've been a Giant Duke fan, but

[PFT Commenter]

why do you hate all of our guests?

[Hank]

I love our guests.

[Big Cat]

That's not true. You left Julian Edelman off the Mount Rushmore.

[Hank]

I left a lot of people off to not Rushmore. So did you.

[Big Cat]

Including Jules.

[Hank]

So did you.

[Big Cat]

But you, you know, you're the jewels guy.

[PFT Commenter]

Run the jewels. That's what you always say. What? By the way, speaking of playoffs excited hockey, playoffs are starting in, like, a week. Yeah, I think the last game is.

[Hank]

Did the Cavs come back?

[Big Cat]

No, they lost eight to one. Oh, yeah. No, Hank hits different. When Hank. We were out there watching the game, and. And the Rangers scored, and Hank just goes, goal. And they looked over me. He goes, sorry, pfd.

[PFT Commenter]

No, he didn't. No, he didn't say like that. That would have been fine. He said, oh, sorry, pfd. Hank was chipper about it.

[Big Cat]

Yeah, he was chipper about it. And in his mind, I know that Hank was not trying to be a dick in the. In his mind, but it. It 100% came across that way.

[PFT Commenter]

You knew the score.

[Big Cat]

Yeah, that's really me. You know what this is? This is rip to the to ov. This is going to be Alex Ovechkin's last week playing professional hockey in the NHL, I think. And he's got four more games left. We had to beat the Rangers. We lost the Rangers. It's fine. Historically, we've. We've dismantled the Rangers in these types of games to the point where they have to break their entire franchise and issue apology letters and fire everybody in their front office. So sometimes you're the Bear, and sometimes the Bear gets you.

[PFT Commenter]

By the way, speaking of.

[Big Cat]

Thanks, Hank. I know that you mean.

[PFT Commenter]

Yeah. You really mean it. Speaking of. Of playoff hockey, though, are you. You're still fighting memes. You could get in. Oh, no, you can.

[Big Cat]

Yeah, they can.

[PFT Commenter]

What was that?

[Memes]

They're in right now.

[Big Cat]

No, they're not in right now.

[PFT Commenter]

They're on the outside looking in. They're one point out. Here's the thing about the Islanders. They lost their last four, and they also just fired their coach. Yeah.

[Memes]

Flyers fired up.

[Big Cat]

So fired up.

[PFT Commenter]

I'm so fired. So fired up.

[Memes]

I'm not allowed to tweet about the Flyers. They went. They won like, eight. Eight games in a row. And then I tweeted like, I think I'm about to hop in on the Flyers. And then they lost two straight. And then I said, I'm retired from the Flyers. And then they won two straight.

[PFT Commenter]

Problem is you guys are fighting for the same spot. Could be. Could be. Yeah.

[Memes]

Flyers beat them Islanders on Friday. Flyered up.

[PFT Commenter]

Yeah.

[Memes]

Max Porter Martone. That's my guy.

[Big Cat]

Was that memes? Max found out about that five minutes before the show.

[Johnny Fanta]

That.

[Memes]

That is also correct. I watched overtime today of the Flyers.

[Big Cat]

You got. You got fired up. They beat the Bruins even when they're not playing. You get fly it up because you get to find out about wins that they had two days ago and saying

[Memes]

getting fly it up rocks.

[Big Cat]

Yeah.

[PFT Commenter]

Okay. So that's our hockey talk.

[Memes]

I'm fly a lot more.

[Big Cat]

That's a good season preview.

[Memes]

But I won't be tweeting about them.

[PFT Commenter]

We also all need to. I just want to put out a PSA to all AWLs. We really need to get all of our focus on the 76ers. Getting falling back into the play.

[Big Cat]

Yes. Yeah.

[PFT Commenter]

Because right now they're a six.

[Big Cat]

I know. I know. We need that. We need that. A lot of 76ers.

[PFT Commenter]

Celtic 76ers. Then 76ers or Celtics versus Knicks second round would be incredible.

[Memes]

Watching the Flyers this past makes me hungry. No, because.

[Johnny Fanta]

No, I'm. I'm.

[Memes]

I'm wrapping it back around because it's like.

[PFT Commenter]

Yeah, you're Gret's office.

[Johnny Fanta]

Yeah.

[Big Cat]

Around Max's wraparound.

[Johnny Fanta]

Great segment because I don't really care.

[Memes]

And it's fun to, like, root for. It's fun to root for something that can't hurt, not like absolutely can't destroy me when it loses. And like the Sixers losing to the Celtics. I know is going to happen, and it's gonna suck because I'm gonna have this piece of in my face. Zach, no. Yeah.

[Johnny Fanta]

Zach.

[PFT Commenter]

Yeah.

[Memes]

No, it's gonna suck.

[Big Cat]

It's gonna be six or it's gonna

[Johnny Fanta]

be six or something is going to suck.

[Big Cat]

I can't wait.

[PFT Commenter]

Okay, good. Who's back? Bft.

[Big Cat]

Are they going to let it was. Are they going to let your own bead play?

[Memes]

You're so funny. You think in the playoffs your onliners that you do are so funny.

[PFT Commenter]

It's a question where things being so funny right now.

[Big Cat]

We're asking questions.

[PFT Commenter]

Max, That's a.

[Memes]

That's a joke just for big cat and I.

[PFT Commenter]

It makes no sense. It makes you laugh every time. Wait, wait. Wier who's back?

[Big Cat]

And that was Hanks.

[PFT Commenter]

Oh, yeah. Oh, yeah.

[Memes]

You got your hockey.

[Big Cat]

Yeah. My who's back of the week is turtles. Oh, Milwaukee brewers have a rally. Turtle have you seen this Turtle?

[PFT Commenter]

No.

[Big Cat]

Bobby Jr.

[PFT Commenter]

This bothers me, though.

[Big Cat]

They keep in their pockets. Why would you ever keep a turtle? As a good luck charm.

[PFT Commenter]

No, I'm saying it bothers me because I'm. I'm a big believer in these type of things Working. So Bobby. They do work.

[Big Cat]

Bobby Jr. Is. Is the best. They have him on a leash. They take him for walks.

[PFT Commenter]

Dude, what if that was Mr. Pear?

[Big Cat]

Yeah, it could be Mr. Pear. What is it? Mr. Pear? Memes.

[PFT Commenter]

Could be Mr. Pear.

[Big Cat]

Where'd he go?

[PFT Commenter]

Missouri. Hank called Mr. Pear. Junk.

[Big Cat]

You.

[Hank]

This is turning into the defamation of

[PFT Commenter]

our turtle. Junk. No.

[Hank]

Prove it. I don't even know what you're talking.

[Big Cat]

Yeah, that's what I say when I'm innocent. I say prove it.

[Hank]

He was just lashing out.

[Big Cat]

That doesn't seem like a quote that you'd make up, like, a very specific accusation.

[PFT Commenter]

You know, this bothers me because this.

[Hank]

This memes bothers me. When did I say, I'll call it junk?

[PFT Commenter]

They was giving an office story.

[Big Cat]

They were like, yeah, we used to

[PFT Commenter]

have some junk here.

[Big Cat]

I like this turtle, though.

[PFT Commenter]

Yeah, no, it's a bad sign because

[Big Cat]

I think this is.

[PFT Commenter]

These things work. Yeah, they do always work.

[Hank]

We did have junk in that area. And the turtle. And I said there was junk over there. And you took it as me talking about the turtle, but I was not talking with the turtle.

[Johnny Fanta]

Turtle.

[Big Cat]

Well, now it turns out it was a good thing that we let Mr. Perry go because he's up in Milwaukee.

[PFT Commenter]

Yeah.

[Big Cat]

He's bringing joy to several dozen brewers fans.

[PFT Commenter]

Okay. I'm worried about that.

[Big Cat]

Yeah.

[PFT Commenter]

All right. By who's back of the week is not the Cubs because they are in the last place the NL Central. But more importantly, Craig Counsel can't dip. Did you guys see this clip?

[Big Cat]

I did not.

[PFT Commenter]

Oh, it's a tough one.

[Hank]

It's relatable.

[PFT Commenter]

It's a tough one. It really is. It's. It's just. I said the only way you can get out of this is like, they had a sale for. For Wintergreen grizzly long cut. Look at him go back. This is just. This is when it's hard to be like, I'm not a nerd. I'm not a nerd. He's coughing up along top of the dugout. Not a great start.

[Big Cat]

Did they make him do that?

[PFT Commenter]

I don't know.

[Big Cat]

Is that like, hey, do they win,

[PFT Commenter]

like, the night before?

[Big Cat]

If you guys get a hit in the first thing, I'll dip.

[PFT Commenter]

Oh, man. Yeah, that's something. Like, I. I know that this is probably. I actually think you have to address that in the press conference. Like, you have to talk about that. You'd be like, I saw the clip circulating. Yeah, bro, I get it. But I'm not normally like that. Like, just went down the wrong pipe.

[Big Cat]

Yeah.

[PFT Commenter]

I'm a little hungover.

[Big Cat]

You gotta. You gotta dip in your press conference.

[PFT Commenter]

Yeah, I'm a little hungover. I don't know what.

[Johnny Fanta]

Ha.

[PFT Commenter]

Just so you know, I'm. I'm a dude who can show.

[Big Cat]

Yeah. You gotta.

[PFT Commenter]

Don't worry about me.

[Big Cat]

Bring out a whole wad of just Copenhagen long cut for your next interview.

[PFT Commenter]

I'm not gonna get dizzy when I'm trying to do the lineup card.

[Big Cat]

Don't even bring out the puke button. Like, you. I know.

[PFT Commenter]

Swear to God.

[Big Cat]

I know that you've got, like, a little wastebasket.

[PFT Commenter]

Yeah.

[Big Cat]

In the. In the dugout that you can puke into. Just say that I'm going raw dog.

[PFT Commenter]

Yeah.

[Big Cat]

And actually watch me do the horseshit.

[PFT Commenter]

If you give me a. If you give me a cigarette right now, I will inhale. Yeah. I swear to God, I can fucking hang with you guys. He's got to do something.

[Big Cat]

It's. It's a bad look.

[PFT Commenter]

It's a bad, bad look. All right, Zach, My.

[Zach]

Who's back of the week this week is going to be Angels right fielder Joe Adele.

[PFT Commenter]

Yes.

[Big Cat]

Yeah.

[Zach]

Just going three for three on absolute robbery.

[PFT Commenter]

Although I don't.

[Memes]

Don't do this. Don't do this.

[PFT Commenter]

Okay.

[Memes]

I hate. I hate people that are saying having this take.

[PFT Commenter]

I. I kind of understand. I think you have to. I don't think you can land.

[Big Cat]

Oh. In the stands.

[PFT Commenter]

I think you have to land in the. It's so much for a home run.

[Big Cat]

It's awesome.

[PFT Commenter]

I agree. I agree. But it also would be kind of sick if they're like, home run. You landed in the stand.

[Big Cat]

There is a possibility that he. He caught the ball and then he fell down on the ground and, like, the ball trickled out and then picked it up, put it back in his glove. Right. But that was awesome.

[PFT Commenter]

Can. You know, I mean, they were all so sick. To have three in one game was insane. I just. When did he catch the last one? Was. He still. Was where his feet still.

[Big Cat]

They were in the air.

[PFT Commenter]

Okay. Yeah. That was fine.

[Big Cat]

It was awesome.

[PFT Commenter]

Yeah. You know what? It. That's. You're right, Max. Now that I'm watching it again, I saw the picture. That's when I. I thought about it. When I saw the Picture from behind. I was like, how is this the picture also? I know, but I was like, great picture. This makes no sense. But now that I'm watching it again, I, I, I retract my take. That was awesome. You actually should be encouraged to jump into the stand.

[Big Cat]

And the fact that the, the Angels did this and they, they were winning the game. 1 Nothing like this looks like a

[PFT Commenter]

guy actually is, is just dressed like major baseball.

[Big Cat]

Like without these three plays that he made. They, yeah, they're getting their ass kicked.

[PFT Commenter]

It was incredible. Incredible.

[Big Cat]

And I think the, the lead or the league leader last year. Yeah. Four robbers. He had three in a game.

[PFT Commenter]

Yeah, he's, I mean, Adele just won the Gold Glove. Just get it. Get ready, get excited. You're going to be announced Gold Glove winner right after Super Bowl Sunday.

[Big Cat]

Maybe during Super Bowl Sunday.

[PFT Commenter]

During the super bowl halftime. It was sick. It was sick. Good job, Zach. What else you got? Empty the clip.

[Zach]

I got one more quick pivot. You guys been beasting at all recently?

[PFT Commenter]

No, because Beast games are not Mr.

[Hank]

Beast.

[Zach]

50 streamers, 1v1 through 50 for a million dollars donate to the community. Your rage won million dollars giveaway to

[Hank]

his one and what?

[Zach]

So it was a 50 streamers compete for $1 million to donate to their respective communities and your rage came in competing victorious.

[PFT Commenter]

What are you saying? What's that last part?

[Hank]

Compete in the.

[PFT Commenter]

What's the last part? You're saying your real rage.

[Zach]

It's a gentleman who won.

[PFT Commenter]

Okay. Yeah, I thought. You're saying. I thought you like.

[Big Cat]

It's like never ask a lady.

[PFT Commenter]

I'm 41. I don't know your age.

[Zach]

I can see the mix up there. My bad. I should have prefaced with your. Your rage.

[Big Cat]

Is his name your rage?

[Zach]

Yes.

[PFT Commenter]

Double rage.

[Zach]

All one word. Y O, U, R, R A G E. Okay.

[PFT Commenter]

Your rage. Got it. Your rage.

[Big Cat]

What's his age?

[PFT Commenter]

Which you just spoiled it for us.

[Hank]

Phase your age.

[Zach]

Well, it was, it was more so celebrating the fact that he won.

[PFT Commenter]

But you spoiled it. I now can no longer. I can't.

[Memes]

Beast within beast also just lay off a bunch of people.

[PFT Commenter]

Did he.

[Memes]

You were telling me this.

[Zach]

They did have rounded layoffs.

[Big Cat]

How.

[PFT Commenter]

How many people like for a video?

[Hank]

That'd be electric.

[PFT Commenter]

That would be awesome. Yeah. Yeah.

[Big Cat]

Remember when Spotify.

[PFT Commenter]

I'm gonna make you compete for severance. You get two weeks of health care

[Hank]

or flip a coin and you get four.

[PFT Commenter]

Oh, well, I wanted to watch this. Now I can't. I like to be.

[Hank]

What did they compete in?

[Zach]

They just. You Ever play like it's like almost like Mario party games. They put them in this big glass fear. If you walk out of the sphere or out of the circle, you do get eliminated. And then you do the party games in the circle. Different, different competitions. You know, there was some slingshot. Slingshot elements. There were some penalty kicks they were shooting. It was co hosted by also no other than global superstar. I should speak.

[Big Cat]

Oh, there we go. There we go.

[PFT Commenter]

And therein lies the rub.

[Big Cat]

Wait, so Zach, who do you think would be more famous? The guy that's putting on the event or the guy that they is a guest that they hired to be a guest in the event? Co host.

[Zach]

My thought process was like they're in this board meeting thinking speed is a streamer, but he transcends streaming so he clearly can't compete in this competition. So let's bring him in.

[Big Cat]

Okay.

[Zach]

That's just how some are thinking Google

[PFT Commenter]

alerts on for I show speed.

[Zach]

No, no, I just. This is a fun competition. A lot of notable names in there. They got like the 50 biggest streamers in the world to come together and compete.

[PFT Commenter]

Yeah. Okay. Good job, Zach. All right, let's get ready for Johnny Fanta. Great interview with him getting you ready for the national championship game. And also talking maybe being the head coach of the North Carolina Tar Heels

[Big Cat]

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

[PFT Commenter]

Okay, for the last time of the tournament because we are here at the national championship. It is our very, very, very, very, very good friend and very special guest Johnny Fanta from NBC Sports. You could see him doing NBA, college basketball, everything. He's also going to have spaces on his Twitter pre and post game on Monday night. So tune in, Johnny, we got two teams left before you sell us on the national championship. What was your vibe? What was your takeaway from Saturday night in the Final Four?

[Johnny Fanta]

That Michigan is absolutely insane and that performance against Arizona is not supposed to happen. It defied the basketball gods. It was just, it defied the laws of the sport. Arizona comes into the game number one in all the analytics. Throw them out. Die. Mara and Maurice Johnson just said we are going to punk you tonight. It didn't matter who they were playing and what they did to the wildcats coupled with 12 threes, like, it was just, it was incredible shot making from the Wolverines. And if they make shots like that, we're talking about a team that enters into a very special echelon in the sport. I'll tell you my other takeaway. It's that experience and composure and all those things, those buzzwords, they matter in this thing. And because of that, the one game nature is what makes Monday intriguing because on Saturday night I saw an Illinois team that the Final four stage was new for them and I saw Yukon team that knew what to do to get it done. And you know what guys? As somebody from the west side of Cleveland, Ohio, that can appreciate people who find. Find ways to win. Because for a large majority of my sports life, I've seen teams not find ways to win, find ways to do it the other way. UConn, as the season gets deeper, they thrive in situations. They don't make mistakes. You have to beat them.

[PFT Commenter]

Yeah, yeah.

[Big Cat]

Johnny Big Cat, he mentioned it. You talked about it before. We got got recording with you. You do two Twitter spaces tonight on Monday, pre and post game for the national championship. Can you walk. Walk us back? Like, what is the origin of the John Fanta Twitter space? Because it's become synonymous with college hoops. And I didn't know if that was something that your employer asked you to do or if you just started doing it. How'd that work out?

[Johnny Fanta]

You know what, fellas? It was just. It was a weeknight in 2022, I think I was driving up and down the northeast corridor. We've all been there. I95 or whatever turnpike it might be. And I had started to see. I had done periscopes. Remember periscope back, like pre Covid? Oh, yeah, those are popular. Those could be a lot of fun. It was a way to engage with people. And I started to see these spaces come about, and I was thinking to myself, why not try one and see if there's any interest? Well, there was more than just interest. It was. It was a haven for college hoops fans in that moment to call in. It started out with Big east fans who still control much of the spaces, and people from Tony on the boat to St. John Shirt Guy to the ghost of Luke Arneseca are the OG callers. The ghost of Luke Carneseca literally sounds like. Is it. Is Toy Story? Is it Zerg or.

[PFT Commenter]

Yeah.

[Johnny Fanta]

Yes. Sounds like. Sounds like that guy is calling into the show. Who I had. Who I had not thought about since I was like, 12 years old, but that's what it sounds like when that person calls in. And it's an open forum. It's an open forum. But to answer your question, it was not a boss mandate. It was not a company mandate. Honestly, there's nobody that's saying to me, hey, you have to do this. You have to do a certain amount of spaces per season. It's. It's kind of when I want to do them, but it's for the fans I love them. Spaces are for the fans I love.

[Big Cat]

It's a good mixture of. Of information, good analysis, and then some absolutely crazy people. And then you get. You get your reaction to the crazy people. Which when you ban guys, when you

[PFT Commenter]

kick them out, when guys steal Reese's

[Big Cat]

from their kids, when they take a Reese's from. From a child. Yeah, yeah. Then you got judge Johnny weighing in true on him.

[Johnny Fanta]

When we have to tell the truth about what somebody said about a certain coach.

[PFT Commenter]

Yeah.

[Johnny Fanta]

Over the years.

[PFT Commenter]

Yeah.

[Big Cat]

It's almost like a confessional. It's just like let the takes flow. This is a free space for it.

[Johnny Fanta]

It kind of honestly. Pft. Think about this. The old. In the spirit of the Easter season, the old school confessions, which, I mean, however you've gone to confession is your choice. But for those, you know, old schoolers, the original confession was behind the screen.

[PFT Commenter]

Yeah, yeah.

[Johnny Fanta]

Spaces. Yes. You can call in from your burner account and we have no idea. It's kind of like your chance to sit down in the room and lay it all out there. Now, what you don't control is how my reaction is going to be. It also is the very first area that I ever learned about gesture maxing or frame logging.

[PFT Commenter]

Yeah.

[Johnny Fanta]

Those words first came up on those sequences.

[PFT Commenter]

Yeah.

[Big Cat]

And. And Johnny, I also saw from your time in Indy this weekend, you were. You were hurling. You were hurley maxing. So like when you were.

[Johnny Fanta]

Is that what the term is now?

[Big Cat]

Whatever it is that you were doing, you did to Big Cat to Dave, where you just go and you just snuggle with your forehead. How many people did you Hurley max on this week?

[Johnny Fanta]

Anywhere from 30 to 40.

[Big Cat]

Yeah.

[PFT Commenter]

Yeah.

[Johnny Fanta]

Like it was an active. It was an active thing in downtown Indianapolis. Pump party activities, you know, while. While. While some. Some folks were trying to network and whatnot. Was trying to bring the college basketball world together.

[PFT Commenter]

Yeah.

[Johnny Fanta]

I love it because to me, a nice head hug or a nuzzle. Did you call it another term?

[PFT Commenter]

Yeah, we're calling it nuzzle. With. With. With Hurley. Yeah.

[Big Cat]

Kind of just kind of like a snuggle.

[PFT Commenter]

Yeah.

[Johnny Fanta]

Or like snuggle, if you will.

[Big Cat]

Yeah. Your head snuggling.

[PFT Commenter]

Yeah, yeah.

[Big Cat]

It's not a big deal.

[Johnny Fanta]

Yeah, exactly. It's a very normal activity. And my whole goal with that was because. Did he not make it seem like it's something that is done in. In our. Like he made it seem like it's an everyday type of thing with the reindeer and whatnot.

[PFT Commenter]

Trying to listen. Yeah. You're just getting a little bit closer to listen. That's all it is.

[Johnny Fanta]

That's all you need to do. And that's what. That's what led to that.

[PFT Commenter]

Yeah. Johnny, I had a take before you came on And I want, want you to, to set the record straight. I'm, I'm tired of people complaining about college basketball playing the Final four in football stadiums because it's never changing and it's actually, it's not as bad as people. I think the iPhone fucks it up. I honestly do. I think that when you send a picture from your seats. I was way up in the heavens last night. I was watching the court. I wasn't watching the jumbotron. It was still a great experience to be there. It's not perfect. I would rather be in a 20,000 person arena. But it's never going to happen. So why, why are we complaining about it every year?

[Johnny Fanta]

Also it's like, okay, so the people who complain about this, the moment that this doesn't sell out is the moment that your argument can become even remotely valid. That's never going to not happen.

[PFT Commenter]

Right.

[Johnny Fanta]

Like they get 70,000 plus easily. And one of my favorite moments of the sports year, whether you like college basketball or not, I guarantee you, because Big Cat, you were there, is when they bring up four kids from each school.

[PFT Commenter]

Yeah.

[Johnny Fanta]

They're student athletes from different sports and they join together and sing the national anthem before the two games start. And the place is just bonkers. Good. I mean it is, it is. On another level. I don't want to hear it. We are in a world of complaining and whining way too often. Like the other thing, people on Saturday night who are like, why isn't this on main network television? And it's nothing against cbs. It's more about the fact that TBS has, has had a share of the Final Four for like the last decade plus.

[PFT Commenter]

Right.

[Johnny Fanta]

This is nothing new. Yeah, we need, we need more. Like if you want to complain sometimes about certain things that shouldn't be messed with that, that, that's fine. But on the final forefront, they fill that football stadium to the brink. It is a cool scene when you're inside that building. And I do think the majority of seats are still very good seats. And that stage of the elevated court.

[PFT Commenter]

Yeah.

[Johnny Fanta]

And the aura of that situation, like sports can be unique and can be fun for the right reasons. And the Final four has produced great moments. I am so against the people who just come, come out of the woodwork just to say I don't like it.

[PFT Commenter]

You're, you're right about the aura. It does. Again, it's not perfect for basketball. I get that argument. The actual play of the game. I get it. But you know, I think the players have adjusted just fine. The aura is there in when you're playing on that stage in front of, you know, 70,000 people. Now, along those same lines, why are we expanding the tournament?

[Johnny Fanta]

There's no place for it.

[PFT Commenter]

So you agree?

[Johnny Fanta]

Yeah, we don't need to expand it.

[PFT Commenter]

All right, so here's my. Here's my only. So what's the, what's the proposal? 76.

[Big Cat]

It's going to be 76. It's going to be 24 teams in the opening round.

[PFT Commenter]

Okay.

[Big Cat]

Before the main bracket.

[PFT Commenter]

Okay. So it's just another day that I could lose money I would gain or game.

[Johnny Fanta]

And can I say this? I'm. I was before you continue to explain. I will say this. I also can be reasoned with. Like I am not one of those. I think there's some of some people in my world who are my friends who are like, this is what I believe in and this is what I'm staying to like. I'm also willing to give it a whirl. But like I don't think that college, I don't think that, that the field of 68 needs to be messed with.

[PFT Commenter]

I agree with you there. The only way I would be okay with it and this is never going to happen. So it's a stupid thing, but I'm going to say it. I would be okay with an expansion if it was just for the mid majors. That's it. I don't want to see if they were like, hey, we are losing some somewhat of Cinderella. We want to see these smaller schools get some shine. We're expanding it to 76. You're going to get eight more teams in. But they have to be the team. They have to be. You know, the year that Indiana State didn't get in, you know like a Drake or some of these teams. Right. Get these teams in. I'm all for it if they expand it and we know what's going to happen. I did not need to see 500 Indiana team play a 500 Auburn team. I didn't. I don't need to see that. So that's where I'm, I'm like, this is what's going to happen. They're going to just get more power. 5 conferences Power 4 conferences into this thing and it's going to stink.

[Johnny Fanta]

Yeah, you want to see a Belmont or like a UNC Wilmington, the top tier mid major that didn't win their conference tournament.

[PFT Commenter]

Right.

[Johnny Fanta]

You know, like when the Big west they had. I think they had UC San Diego and UC Irvine, like if both have had a sensational season where they're Both a combined 60 and 5 that they. But I will say this, and I believe this to be true. And if you, and if you, if you don't, you can push back on it. We are in a world where the committee do not tell me that they don't read stuff and read social media and get peer pressure. I believe like I believed it with Miami and they gave in. They did. And then Miami, that was sick when they beat SMU in Dayton. That was so much fun to watch. I do believe that of those eight, my heart says we will see at least two of the eight be from a non high major because of. You have to put this team in if you're going to expand the field. This is why I don't think Miami University's case is going to be a one off when we're selecting the field. So I don't think all hope is lost. I just don't think you're gonna get like I want 4 and 4.

[PFT Commenter]

Yeah, I want 4.

[Johnny Fanta]

4 non high major and 4 high major.

[PFT Commenter]

See what you just said though, I, what they should actually do is they should make like depending on how the season rolls around and maybe you could do it like two weeks before where they, they say, hey, here are the six conferences that get two bids and these six like so, so like the Missouri Valley because you know Northern Iowa wins, is 6 seed. Northern Iowa goes to March Madness but so does Belmont because they won the regular season. So there's six mid majors, their, their regular season winner and their conference winner, conference tournament winner goes to March Madness. And if it's the same team then you let an Auburn in, then the bubble gets bigger.

[Johnny Fanta]

How about this idea? You're, you're a television partner right now and you call up the top five or six non high major leagues. Okay? And I'm excluding like I'm excluding the, the. Well if you want to include the Atlantic 10 in the mountain west like that, that that's fine. The Mountain west is going through some change now with the new PAC 12 which I think will be a feisty league because Gonzaga and San Diego State, Boise State, Colorado State. Remember I said this. The new Pac12 in basketball next year will be a fun late night league for all involved. That being said, you call up your television partner, you call up the six best non high major leagues and you say you are going to hold the third Saturday in February your top five or six, your top four or five teams from the last two or three years, you're holding it and we're renewing bracket busters. And there is incentive in mid February for we are going to set up matchups. We don't know what they'll be.

[PFT Commenter]

Yep.

[Johnny Fanta]

But when there's a. Let's just say there's a Miami and a UC San Diego and both are a combined 52 and five. You're telling me you wouldn't watch that with two weeks to go before Selection Sunday?

[Memes]

Yeah.

[Johnny Fanta]

That's their chance on national TV to say we belong then in the field.

[PFT Commenter]

Yeah.

[Johnny Fanta]

I love Racket Busters. Bring them back.

[PFT Commenter]

I love it.

[Big Cat]

Yeah, it's not a bad idea. I just look at the number and I, I just think I don't want it. Maybe it's because I'm resistant to change, Johnny. Maybe it's just because I like March. I like, I like. Honestly, I like 64 teams, but I, I adjusted to the 68. I've learned to appreciate the playing games, especially since we've had some winners that end up making little Cinderella runs. I like that. But this, to me, seems like pigs get fed, hogs get slaughtered.

[Johnny Fanta]

Yeah, I, I am not in favor of it. Right. This is, you know, I think we're talking in a town hall meeting right now where. Okay, well, if you're going to change the structure of the, I don't know, the structure of the recreational athletic board, can we at least serve steaks at the, at the meet, you know, at the barbecue this summer, and upgrade from Costco hot dogs and hamburgers? Nothing against Costco hot dogs and hamburgers, but can we at least, like, let's go to the next level on the menu? So my. If we're going to change it, I don't want to change it. But if we are going to change it, there are some parameters that America wants to see in there. And the committee, the committee, you need to listen. And also, you need to, you, you've, you've got to be open to the idea that if the little guy still has that type of a season, give them an invitation to the ball. Because to me, the NCAA tournament is the ball. It's. It's the castle. And your carriage pulls up, whether you're the heavyweight, like Michigan or your high point. And you've got this flair. You've got a dance move that nobody knows about. Okay. We all once showed up to that dance in seventh or eighth grade where we said, I'm going to make this move tonight.

[PFT Commenter]

Yeah.

[Johnny Fanta]

That's what I. If you're going to change the structure of the tournament, you're going to invite Some more. You know, you're going to welcome sixth grade in now because you want. You want them to join seventh and eighth because you got to sell more pizza at the dance hall. Please, please don't totally ruin a good thing.

[PFT Commenter]

Come on.

[Big Cat]

I appreciate that, Johnny. Well said. Now for the actual game on Monday night. You said it earlier, like, Michigan, if they play like they played in the semifinal, there's no chance that they lose. I think they beat anybody in the country easily if they play that game. But you could also say, like, maybe they already played their best game. Maybe that's the peak that Michigan will ever. Will ever accomplish with that team. And if there's one team that could stop him, it's just Yukon and whatever weird wizard luck that. That Coach Hurley and that, honestly, the school of Yukon, the University of Connecticut has had crazy luck going back since what, 1999. 99. When they first started.

[Johnny Fanta]

Yeah.

[PFT Commenter]

Yeah.

[Big Cat]

So, like, if there's one team that can interrupt what seems to be the best team in college basketball, it could be UConn. But what. What chances do you give the Huskies on Monday night?

[Johnny Fanta]

You ever see the movie the Shining?

[PFT Commenter]

Yep.

[Johnny Fanta]

Yeah. The opponent for Jack Nicholson, which in that case, it's what Shelley Duvall and her son running around the hotel and he's biking around. That. That's what it's like playing Yukon.

[PFT Commenter]

I like that. Yeah.

[Johnny Fanta]

Okay, here's Danny.

[Big Cat]

Yeah, right.

[Johnny Fanta]

Like that's. That's basically. And he's running around in the snow like Michigan is hoping for a freeze to death. Okay. But. But if things start cooking in the hotel, anything could happen. And. And that ax gets going like Yukon chops wood. This is who they are. They don't. They don't care what the score is. They don't care what the circumstances are. They don't care that they're outmatched. Now, if Michigan and Connecticut play 10 times, I think Michigan wins the game eight out of the 10 times. The question on Monday night is, is tomorrow one of the two?

[Big Cat]

Yeah.

[Johnny Fanta]

And I think Hurley's, like, good for one of those. And the other is Michigan has a horrid shooting night and. But they're coming off a 12 made threes performance on Saturday. So either we're going to see more of the same. If we see more of that. I just can't. The reason why I can't see UConn winning if Michigan's hitting 12 threes is because UConn's ability to win the game is. Is from the three point line. And how does Terrace Reed Nobody's been able to really break terrorist Reed. He's been, he's been the big bear for UConn. They've got a die mar and Morris Johnson waiting for him in the paint.

[PFT Commenter]

Yeah, that's a decent point because it's like I actually thought Illinois's length bothered him a little bit on Saturday night and it was like a little bit of oh, this isn't as smooth as it, as it has been in, in the tournament so far. And then you look up, he's got 17 and 11. Like wait, what the. Oh, he's fine. Like he's, he's having a pretty, pretty, pretty efficient night and doing what he wants to do. So that's how good he has been. I do, I do think if they can get Mara in any type of foul trouble, that, that would be big. And I, I, I don't want that. Like, I don't want fouls to decide the game. I hate when that happens, especially in college basketball, especially in a national championship. Yeah, it's going to be it. It's it. I keep going back to the fact that UConn just non conference is such a different animal and that's, that's kind of what you got to hope on. But I, I also think that Michigan is just, if Michigan plays a B plus game, I think they win like that. That's how good Michigan is, you know.

[Johnny Fanta]

Well, we, we know the officials. Okay. So it's James Breeding. It's going to be Jeff Anderson and Kip Kissinger. Well, the one thing to, to consider there as much as Breeding and Hurley have a bit of a history, I think that Hurley would tell you he likes breeding.

[Big Cat]

Okay.

[Johnny Fanta]

And his record's actually pretty good with him. But Hurley did not have a big east official in the national semifinal. I thought it could hurt. It really didn't. Illinois. Illinois's offense was not good. You guys would, we would all have met. They just didn't have a very strong show and Mirkovich and Stojakovic kind of disappeared in the game. The fact that he's got people he knows is very important because Michigan, they, you guys know how they defend. They don't jump. Yeah, it's, there are trees inside. The other thing is can Demery rattle Cadone? Demery got Wagler. Like Wagler was really good. But Wagner still took a couple of off kilter threes. He wasn't his full rhythm salve. He was searching for it late in the game. Demery Silas Demery is the head of the snake defensively. Can Demery Force Caddo. Because the one thing about Elliot Caddo is he does fall into some bad turnovers at times. At times. But Yaksel Lindeberg is on another level. Like this guy is playing, this guy is playing insane basketball. On paper, Michigan by eight to 12 points. But the game's not decided on paper. And like I said, like, I just keep thinking of this, of this character. The author's name is Jack in the Shining. And he's just sit, and he's just sitting at the bar and he's looking at the bartender who doesn't even exist because he's having a vision. And he's like, pour me another one. And that's Hurley in that hotel. And you have got to, you have to kill them off. Like they, he doesn't stop. They don't stop. And if you think that they're going to be afraid of Michigan because Michigan's bigger than them, they're UConn. Remember about UConn. You want to know about UConn's toughness? They went into Allen Fieldhouse and won. Okay. Arizona didn't do that this year and they lost two games heading into Saturday.

[PFT Commenter]

Yeah, you're right. You're right.

[Big Cat]

We get back to Johnny Fanta. He's brought to you by Simply Safe. Traditional home security brands make home security a headache. With expensive monthly fees, contracts that lock you in for years, and system hardware that requires a technician to set up. Simplisafe is the solution and the brand that I trust for my home and I'm excited to share it all with you. Traditional systems lock you into long contracts with hidden fees. SimpliSafe has no long term contracts. They don't have surprise costs. Flexible security that adapts as your life changes. SimpliSafe doesn't lock you in. It earns your business every single day. A lot of other places do these ironclad three year contracts, they've got hidden fees everywhere. Not simply safe, they've got total flexibility. And they know that if your life changes, you're not going to owe a crazy penalty just in the service. I want you to experience the same peace of mind that we do. That's why we've partnered with SimpliSafe to offer an exclusive discount to our listeners. Right now you can get 50% off your new system by by visiting simplisafe.com pmt that's half [e-mail] pmt. There's no safe like simply safe. And now here is John Fanta.

[PFT Commenter]

Hey, non national championship. Who's Going to coach North Carolina, Billy Donovan.

[Johnny Fanta]

But the longer this goes, the more you have to think about Billy Dean.

[PFT Commenter]

Yeah.

[Johnny Fanta]

The longer this goes. Because it feels like in Chicago. What direction are the Bulls going in?

[PFT Commenter]

Nowhere.

[Big Cat]

Just kind of floating around.

[PFT Commenter]

Nowhere.

[Big Cat]

Yeah.

[PFT Commenter]

Well, actually, we actually are tanking. We just tanked too late this year. But we. We are officially tanking.

[Johnny Fanta]

It's just a random collection of guards and like, even. Even the guys that you're like. Like with Boozelis. Do we really know what he is? The answer is no. You know, we really don't. So the certainties on that roster are. Are none. And if you're Billy, do you want to. Do you want to. You. You've had a Hall of Fame career. You are quite literally in the hall of Fame. What would it do to college basketball if you walk into Chapel Hill and now you're playing John Shire and now you're at Carolina and they're going to fund him. Like, if you're a Carolina donor.

[PFT Commenter]

Yeah.

[Johnny Fanta]

Think about. Think about this. Think about the Carolina donor who in the last two years was like, Belichick Bellow. Check Belichick. I think you watched enough to say, if Billy Donovan gets hired at Carolina, whatever pennies you were giving over to football, you're just going to be like, well, we went. We. We are a basketball school and we just hired a guy who literally, like, he has an NCAA tournament win percentage of like 83, 84, close to 85% of the games. He's coaching, and he's coached a lot of games, and he's got rings, multiple rings to prove it. So I am on the Donovan hype train. If it's not Billy Donovan, the guy that I think is going to crush it wherever he lands, I hope he stays at Vanderbilt forever. But I think Mark Byington is a stud. Like this guy. This guy crushed it. He didn't win. He crushed a James Madison. Now he's crushing it at Vandy. It's not like Vandy had, like, when he took over. It's not like he was taking over a wagon. No, he's gotten it back to being that they're really, really good.

[PFT Commenter]

What's. What's the higher. If you're a North Carolina fan, you're like, oh, please don't do that. That's realistically on the table. Jerry Stackhouse.

[Johnny Fanta]

Come on.

[PFT Commenter]

I'm just saying, like, what is that hire?

[Big Cat]

There's got to be Rasheed Wallace.

[PFT Commenter]

Yeah. Like, there's got to be a guy.

[Big Cat]

Actually, I would love that. Yeah, that'd Be the most entertaining hire.

[PFT Commenter]

Jared Sackhouse was a coach of Vanderbilt, obviously, like that. It's, you know, I'm just saying, like, what's the guy where if you're a UNC fan, you gotta be like, oh, we're gonna freak out here. Kim English Imagine.

[Johnny Fanta]

I don't want to put that he's not in the running there, you know.

[PFT Commenter]

Well, no, I mean, people are talking about him. No, we literally just right now, I literally just said his name. We're talking about him. John Fanta for the North Carolina job. People are talking about it. Yeah. Yeah.

[Johnny Fanta]

Me for the North Carolina.

[PFT Commenter]

Do it because the NBA. Johnny. Yeah.

[Johnny Fanta]

Rico. Penny Hardaway. Penny Hardaway, who will be back in Memphis, as far as we know.

[Memes]

Yeah.

[Big Cat]

That's nuts.

[PFT Commenter]

Yeah.

[Johnny Fanta]

Create some leverage.

[PFT Commenter]

Yeah.

[Johnny Fanta]

Hey, I'm up for care. See, that's the thing in the coaches agents world. You could say whatever you want. Like, there's no agents leverage it all the time. Like the Syracuse search. The Syracuse search. There was so much untrue stuff coming out of that. I mean, I, you know, you call up like, I don't know.

[Big Cat]

I got a name for you. Johnny.

[Johnny Fanta]

Go ahead.

[Big Cat]

At Uncle Will. Wade.

[Johnny Fanta]

Yeah, right.

[Big Cat]

I was going to say will bring him back.

[Johnny Fanta]

I was going to say Will Wade.

[Big Cat]

Yeah.

[Johnny Fanta]

You know, they could do. They won't do it. But like, I know that he's got a past on stuff, but like, Chris Beard would do a heck of a job there.

[PFT Commenter]

Yeah.

[Johnny Fanta]

But he's got, you know, Nate Oates. You do a lot words. But that would be.

[PFT Commenter]

He just signed a new deal. Right?

[Johnny Fanta]

Signed a new deal. So that's not going to happen.

[PFT Commenter]

Do we. Do we. By speaking of new deals and everything that's going around. Do we believe. We were just talking about this as well. Dusty May in his. What he said he's. He's not looking for any other college basketball jobs. Do you think that that was a. Hmm. That's interesting. Why didn't he say all. All coaching jobs?

[Johnny Fanta]

Because he's going. I think he will be an NBA coach someday, and I think that he wants to be an NBA coach someday.

[PFT Commenter]

Yeah, he.

[Johnny Fanta]

He's. He's a mastermind. He's got great demeanor for it. He's got a really, really good way about him, good attitude about, like his, his whole philosophy fits the NBA the way that I like, I've seen their shootarounds. This guy, he. It looks like that type of operation. It's not your typical college operation. That was very strategic from his agency. That was the messaging of that was at some point. And I don't think it'll be now. I don't think it'll be. And maybe it won't, won't happen. But I do think 10 years from now, Dusty May is going to be an NBA head coach.

[Big Cat]

Yep. Yeah, Makes sense. So the short, the short list would be Buyington and Stackhouse.

[PFT Commenter]

Stack House.

[Big Cat]

Fanta Donovan Kim English and you have to make Brad Stevens say no.

[PFT Commenter]

Yeah.

[Big Cat]

Has Brad Stevens.

[PFT Commenter]

We're gonna put this on the sheet. We're gonna put this on a sheet. John Fantas North Carolina Shortlist Has Brad

[Big Cat]

Stevens said no yet?

[Johnny Fanta]

I think he did. He quite literally did.

[Big Cat]

Okay.

[PFT Commenter]

Yeah.

[Johnny Fanta]

Do you like go back and ask him again? Just. Hey, just making sure.

[PFT Commenter]

Yeah. What if. What if? No doesn't mean no. With Brad Stevens all this time, I

[Big Cat]

feel like I made you say no, but I don't feel like you wanted

[PFT Commenter]

to say giving me vibes that it's not actually a no.

[Johnny Fanta]

Could you see like, like, you know, we've all been in the. Brad. Dot. Dot.

[PFT Commenter]

Yeah.

[Johnny Fanta]

One more from Bubba Cunningham.

[PFT Commenter]

Yeah.

[Big Cat]

Yeah.

[PFT Commenter]

Like, hey, listen, I know you said no, but I feel like you wanted me to ask again to really feel that we wanted you.

[Johnny Fanta]

Right. Right. You. It's a complicated search because like they're, they've been, they're getting a lot of heat, a lot of heat for where they are at as a program. And there's questions about money, there's questions about can they compete with the likes of others and whatnot. Like I, they're not going to get T.J. altzelberg. I think he's, he's committed to Iowa State. And by the way, anybody who says right now that Ben McCollum is, is going to move on Ben McCombs, an Iowa City guy, you two will like this. I think he's going to be the Iowa head coach for years to come.

[PFT Commenter]

That'd be great.

[Johnny Fanta]

I've been saying that he's not, he's not going jump seat route.

[PFT Commenter]

Nope, I agree with that.

[Johnny Fanta]

Now he, he's going to be around. We'll see if Scott Drew gets in the picture.

[Big Cat]

What about.

[Johnny Fanta]

He wants it? I think he wants it. I think he, I think Scott Drew would take it if offered.

[Big Cat]

Okay, so. Okay. So do you think that they would offer Scott Drew?

[Johnny Fanta]

They're waiting on Billy Donovan.

[Big Cat]

Yeah. Now what about Donovan? Any vibe going into this off season for the University of Kentucky? Is, is it heating up? Is Pope on the hot seat?

[Johnny Fanta]

Well, from my understanding, can't say that on Easter.

[Big Cat]

I Can rephrase. Are they focusing on Pope's performance next year, determining his job status?

[Johnny Fanta]

When you're coming off the season that you just had and yeah, you beat Santa Clara, but then you got, you really got your doors blown off in the ensuing game by Iowa State. Yeah, it's, it's. This is a very critical year three for Mark Pope, where if it's a one and done or if they're right on the bubble. That's not the standard in Lexington. It's not. It's also a reflection of where we're at in the sport right now. Guys like Michigan, Illinois, Arizona, they can all say that right now. They feel better about where they stand than Kansas, Kentucky and Carolina.

[PFT Commenter]

Yeah.

[Johnny Fanta]

Because of their coaching situations. And the rev sharing has thrown off the blue blood. It's kind of why what UConn does is amazing because they're not in a football, a football conference, but they just keep winning again. They're the shining in college basketball or Michael Myers. But like for Kentucky, if they don't make the second weekend, the NCAA tournament next year. Yeah, things are, Things are hot. They're not going to spend 22 million again. And oh, by the way, I've seen people tweet this and now I am going to. Going to say, get off the lawn. The people who tweet Monday night, if Michigan is to win the national championship, money just bought that championship. Okay. Why don't you ask Kentucky, Kansas State? Hell, even Kansas and Cal, Duke, they got a lot of money. Why don't you ask them how the money that they spent, what it ended up doing for them. Ultimately, you could spend money. Okay. And Kentucky spent over $20 million on their roster and didn't make it out of the first week of the NCAA tournament.

[PFT Commenter]

Yeah.

[Johnny Fanta]

Do not take credit away from a team that came together and won a championship. If, If I see those takes that I, I will be. The siren's gonna go off like, I'm, I'm coming after you.

[PFT Commenter]

I like that. I like that. Yeah. It is funny that it's now becoming like exhausting for anyone to. Even the people who are like, is Yukon of blue blood. It's like, why are we. Why are you even saying this anymore? They're the best program in the last. I actually saw a really good take today that I, I might have to co op. Shout out whoever put this out there. I don't have it right in front of me. They actually said that Duke's not a blue blood because blue. A true blue blood is winning championships with Multiple coaches. Duke just had one coach.

[Big Cat]

They're a system university.

[PFT Commenter]

Correct. Kentucky's one with multiple. Like that's. That's the definition of a blue blood is. It's the. Or. It's the. It's the school. It's the organization that. That carries it, not just the coach. So I like that one and I'm

[Johnny Fanta]

gonna go with it. Well, I know why you like it and I know that you're going with that one. I. I hate to let you down

[PFT Commenter]

and you're kind of true.

[Johnny Fanta]

You're gonna hate me for saying this, but I do think John Shire will win a national championship the next three years.

[PFT Commenter]

Okay. I think John Fanna is in the running for the North Carolina job. If we're just doing hypotheticals, I. I

[Big Cat]

think that John Shire has had two really good teams the last couple years.

[Johnny Fanta]

I'm just picturing like a baby blue tie in Carolina.

[PFT Commenter]

Oh, you look so good. Oh, my God. John Fanta just walking out to in center court in the Dean Dome. Oh.

[Johnny Fanta]

I want to tell you right now, UNC Nation. I think of Dean Smith, I think of Roy Williams, I think of what's been built here. But I'm going to tell you, we're going to take it to a level that it's never seen before.

[PFT Commenter]

Yes.

[Johnny Fanta]

We're going to do something here. Duke. Duke. Down the road. North Carolina State, little brother. Down the road. It's our time.

[PFT Commenter]

Yeah.

[Johnny Fanta]

And we're about to show it. We are North Carolina. We are the Tar Heels Tar. I've had John Henson and Tyler Hands for all my boys. Let's bring up the heavyweights. Yeah, let's bring up the heavyweights. Coach Belichick's in the crowd. Coach, I wish my Browns kept you forever. Jordan will talk.

[PFT Commenter]

Nice, John. Good. Everyone's like, what the fuck that guy just say he's a new coach. He's talking about the Browns. Would you since we're now like it's now out there that John Fannah is in the running for the North Carolina head coaching job?

[Johnny Fanta]

Very much. I'm not. Just want to make that clear.

[PFT Commenter]

Are you. Are you. Have you prepped your wife that she's going to have to be best friends with Jordan like that is. This is gonna. Like that's just the wives hang outs get. Like that's gonna happen.

[Johnny Fanta]

Have not prepped the wife.

[PFT Commenter]

Okay. All right. You might want to do that.

[Big Cat]

Jordan's very friendly.

[PFT Commenter]

Very friendly.

[Big Cat]

Yeah. They'll get along.

[Johnny Fanta]

She's sleeping right now.

[PFT Commenter]

Okay. Maybe wake her up and be like, hey, honey. What are your thoughts on Jordan? She's just part of my take one to know.

[Big Cat]

I don't know if you saw that. Johnny. Jordan won a ring last.

[PFT Commenter]

Go wake her up. Go ask her.

[Memes]

Yeah.

[Johnny Fanta]

And then. And the sheer response of that, which is. Would just be an incredible.

[PFT Commenter]

Yeah.

[Johnny Fanta]

Type of. Type of reaction that I really can't fully sum up.

[PFT Commenter]

Yeah.

[Big Cat]

Look good in the argyle. It'll be a nice pattern on you.

[PFT Commenter]

Oh, my God.

[Big Cat]

Yeah.

[PFT Commenter]

Oh, hand in hand with Roy.

[Big Cat]

You look really good, Johnny.

[Johnny Fanta]

Oh, it's not happening.

[PFT Commenter]

We need the Photoshop because Shane's listening right now. We need the Photoshop of Johnny Fanta

[Big Cat]

in the Carolina blue hanging out with mj.

[PFT Commenter]

Yeah, listen, there's just out of. You mentioned your Browns, which that was weird for if you're a Carolina fan sitting in the stands and the guy just going on a rant about the Browns. BFT's favorite story of all time con Ela Rice. Like, there's out of bo, out of the out of the box hires that happen.

[Big Cat]

She would have been a hell of a coach, Johnny.

[PFT Commenter]

Yeah. Oh, trash can.

[Johnny Fanta]

That's so good.

[PFT Commenter]

How many other. How many other basketball themed things do you have in your office? Oh, I love it.

[Johnny Fanta]

Can't. Like, I. I can't. How does that get out? Also go, please.

[Big Cat]

Okay.

[Johnny Fanta]

It's like there's two things. There's two that. And then the last 10 days. Have you seen.

[PFT Commenter]

Yeah.

[Johnny Fanta]

They think, like, what?

[PFT Commenter]

Deshaun, he might learn desean again.

[Big Cat]

Yeah, he might. He might take what looked like a swinging a miss and turn into a grand slam.

[PFT Commenter]

Yeah. What else you got? Oh, there we go.

[Big Cat]

Okay, that's good.

[Johnny Fanta]

Is this. This looks like third grade.

[PFT Commenter]

Yeah. That's crazy. That's got soccer balls on it too. The trash can is elite.

[Johnny Fanta]

Oh, my God.

[PFT Commenter]

I also didn't notice that you're like,

[Johnny Fanta]

look, I have this.

[Big Cat]

What is that?

[PFT Commenter]

Oh, the big brownie. There's a brownie.

[Johnny Fanta]

Yeah. Like, I don't know. I have all the gear.

[PFT Commenter]

How many little basketballs you got? Oh, there we go.

[Big Cat]

This is it. A CD or a coach

[PFT Commenter]

Basketballs.

[Johnny Fanta]

I just. I don't understand how the discourse on that could be. But it. But again, this is. This is my football team.

[Big Cat]

Yeah.

[Johnny Fanta]

This is what? And I can't. I won't ever leave them guys.

[PFT Commenter]

No, I'm just.

[Big Cat]

Of course.

[Johnny Fanta]

But man, it's. How about the haircut thing? Like.

[PFT Commenter]

Oh, yeah.

[Johnny Fanta]

I said to my buddy, like, look, winner, tie, Coach Monkin, Cleveland's with you wintertime. But like, there are some stories like when the mascot fell off the barge and then we all found out that it was staged. Like, let's. Let's try to be a little professional. You know, like, I'm rooting for them. I want them to win. I'm friends with people over there. I'm. We. We. Cleveland so badly wants it. But the Condi Rice, like, the fact that that was in the ether and. I don't know. Condi. That'd be an amazing interview. I mean, I would love to be. To get a chance to sit down, talk one shit. Like, that's got to be. You guys have to lock up that interview and just say, okay, what questions? Like, how did that interview go?

[Big Cat]

Yeah. John, if you ever get a chance to interview Condoleezza Rice, just. Can I. Can I write some questions for you?

[Johnny Fanta]

Absolutely.

[Big Cat]

I would love to.

[PFT Commenter]

That was a mistake.

[Johnny Fanta]

You could come to the interview. Pfc.

[Memes]

Oh.

[PFT Commenter]

Oh, yes. That was a really big mistake. I am in pfd. Will write some interview questions.

[Johnny Fanta]

Yeah, you will come the interview. And I will be at Max's batch party.

[PFT Commenter]

Okay.

[Big Cat]

Okay, perfect.

[PFT Commenter]

And you're gonna be. And you're in the running for the UNC job.

[Big Cat]

Oh, hey, how about this? UNC hired John Fanta. It's a slam dunk. And then, Johnny, you do the dunk.

[PFT Commenter]

Do the dunk.

[Big Cat]

Yeah.

[PFT Commenter]

Yeah. Say that. Say that. Hey, hey, North Carolina. Make the right decision. I'm John Fanta. I'm your next head coach. And then slam dunk.

[Big Cat]

And this is a. You talk about a slam dunk, Duke.

[PFT Commenter]

More like puke. Watch this slam dunk again.

[Johnny Fanta]

For the record there, I have no interest in this shot. Well,

[PFT Commenter]

you put together a hell of a staff.

[Big Cat]

Just a great day to be a Tar Heel.

[PFT Commenter]

Johnny, I actually think. Listen, you're. You obviously have not coached basketball to that level.

[Johnny Fanta]

No, it's not.

[PFT Commenter]

I think you're. No, no, no. Hold on. I'm going to give you a compliment here. I think you're a smart enough guy. Very smart guy. No basketball. Well enough. I think you put together a staff and a portal hall. I think this is. I think this would work for unc. I think we got a call.

[Johnny Fanta]

I would call Greg Campy at Oakland. I don't even know Greg. We've never even talked. But I just love his personality. I love his swagger. I love his work. And I would hate to do this to Oakland, but I'd be like, Greg, you say the number.

[PFT Commenter]

Yeah.

[Johnny Fanta]

You're going to handle this.

[PFT Commenter]

Yeah. And then you're just. You're the face of the program and I.

[Johnny Fanta]

And then I get back on the phone.

[Big Cat]

Yeah.

[Johnny Fanta]

Like, I may not attend every coach's breakfast.

[Big Cat]

Yeah.

[Johnny Fanta]

Or every coach's convention out the final Four, but I've got my different connects and we would, we would find a way to assemble a coaching. No, this is happening.

[Big Cat]

I also think for nil purposes, like how many people are listening to this interview right now? I'm pretty sure we could get everybody to donate. Everyone that's listening would donate a dollar towards your nil.

[Johnny Fanta]

Okay, Let me tell you something right now. I coached. I've coached one season in my lifetime in basketball, maybe two.

[PFT Commenter]

How'd you do?

[Johnny Fanta]

We, we. We made the city playoffs.

[PFT Commenter]

Great.

[Johnny Fanta]

We made the CYO city playoffs with a team that was not, not very talented.

[PFT Commenter]

Okay, great.

[Johnny Fanta]

My brother's. I coached my brother's team. You know how you at that level, like you have to go through virtues training and whatnot. Totally did not do that. Don't know how I slid through the cracks for the whole two seasons that I was able to do it, but figured out a way, volunteered the, the concession stand up at St. Bernadette in Westlake. There was a holiday tournament one year. Okay. I was on the bench with, with my dad and one of. One of his best friends. Okay. And I would handle a lot of the ins and outs of the team. One, three, one.

[PFT Commenter]

Of course. You're the coach.

[Johnny Fanta]

Yeah, yeah, exactly. You know, a little stack, a little, A little trap, half court trap into a man to man, you know, three quarter core pressure, then dropping, dropping back like different coverages, different things. Okay. And I gotta tell you, one time we were playing St. Mark's in this Christmas tournament and we grinded out a win. And I almost ended up like the Friday night Yukon, South Carolina women's deal. Okay? The coach at St. Mark's was a guy by the name of Pete, who does a hell of a job running a. A liquor store in Cleveland. He runs a bunch of liquor businesses in Cleveland. But Pete was a dad, okay? And he knew that I was not That I should not have been like a virtuous trained coach. I was in 8th grade coaching this team. So this guy is. He's very much older than me, by the way. Runs a great business in Cleveland. I'm not going to give the last name. He runs a great business in Cleveland. I like no ill will. But I will say this. We won the game. And in the handshake line, he said to me, I'm going to get you. You're not Virtus trained. You're practically tampering. This is CYO Cleveland basketball. And it was. And it was December 23rd. It was the Christmas tournament.

[PFT Commenter]

Oh, wow.

[Johnny Fanta]

And I'm in eighth grade. And I turned back and I said, pete, if I were you, I'd get back to the holiday beer sales.

[PFT Commenter]

Oh, let's go, Johnny. I love it.

[Big Cat]

Johnny Guy.

[PFT Commenter]

That's what you're getting in North Carolina.

[Big Cat]

That's the attitude that we need at Chapel Hill.

[Johnny Fanta]

That's what you're getting at in Chapel Hill.

[PFT Commenter]

I'll also throw this in there. If UNC hire John Fanna Most random. PFT and I will become mega boosters. We're not going to put a. I'm not going to put a dollar on it because I don't want to put a cap on it. We will become mega boosters of the North Carolina basketball.

[Big Cat]

I don't want to say a number. I'm afraid of the number I'm about to say to you right now.

[PFT Commenter]

We're talking Saudi money, buddy.

[Big Cat]

Yeah.

[PFT Commenter]

We're talking oil shit.

[Johnny Fanta]

I am wholly. I want to make it very clear. I am. Holy.

[PFT Commenter]

This interview is taking a turn. I love this.

[Johnny Fanta]

I am wholly committed to NBC Sports, and I'm fully, fully dedicated to NBC Sports and everything. All the great things that I'm doing in NBC Sports.

[PFT Commenter]

20 minutes on John Phantom possibly taking the US that's the only.

[Big Cat]

That's the only journalism job you want right now?

[PFT Commenter]

Yeah, Johnny. Yeah. We're gonna say bags.

[Memes]

The campaign that we're gonna put on social media for fans.

[PFT Commenter]

It's gonna be.

[Johnny Fanta]

Oh, it's gonna be crazy.

[Big Cat]

Hey, hey, Chapel Hill, don't you want a Fanta?

[PFT Commenter]

Yeah. Yeah.

[Johnny Fanta]

This is the most. But it does sum up the carousel.

[PFT Commenter]

Hey, I want, I want. I want Zach. I want the vanilla to be Carolina blue tomorrow. Let's get some food dye in it. We can do that for Johnny Fanta, the ice cream machine.

[Johnny Fanta]

I am not interested in the job. Right.

[PFT Commenter]

Wink. He's winking for you. For the. For the audio listeners. He's winking at us right now. He's got his Carolina blue on.

[Big Cat]

You could win at unc.

[PFT Commenter]

Wow.

[Johnny Fanta]

I have an Afghan in my office.

[PFT Commenter]

Oh, man. Just so you know, Johnny, if we don't beat Duke, I'm gonna come for your neck. I will be waiting in your office for you as a mega booster. I got keys to your office. Holy.

[Johnny Fanta]

How soon into this are my sending out jumpsuits?

[Big Cat]

Immediately? Yeah. I say act number one. That's the first question you Ask in the interview. Actually, where do you guys keep the jumpsuit?

[PFT Commenter]

Hey, what size you got in the jumpsuits? I need all of them.

[Johnny Fanta]

Shipment.

[PFT Commenter]

Yeah. All right, Johnny, I got one last question for you. Roback question. Rhobac.com promo code. Take 20% off your first purchase cues this. Polos, hoodies, joggers, shorts. Roback.com promo code take. Can't wait to get this campaign going. It's going to be a bl.

[Johnny Fanta]

It's not happening.

[PFT Commenter]

It is. It is. The campaign is out of your hands.

[Johnny Fanta]

Just so you know, I'm wearing baby blue. This is not.

[PFT Commenter]

Oh, you got to wear baby blue this week. Give us a little wink and a nod. You're calling what game on Wednesday? Tuesday.

[Johnny Fanta]

I've got. I've got Rockets and Sons from.

[PFT Commenter]

Give us just a little touch of baby blue.

[Johnny Fanta]

Wait, hold on, hold on.

[PFT Commenter]

Give us a touch.

[Big Cat]

Oh, I love everything he's got in his office here.

[PFT Commenter]

No, he's got fantas.

[Big Cat]

He's got the. The. Everything looks like a basket.

[PFT Commenter]

Yeah, he had.

[Big Cat]

He just said he's. He has an afghan in his office like Condoleezza Rice.

[PFT Commenter]

He's got. He's got a gamer chair. I don't think he games.

[Johnny Fanta]

No, I don't.

[PFT Commenter]

Okay. Oh, there we go. Yeah, yeah, yeah.

[Big Cat]

It looks beautiful.

[PFT Commenter]

That's. That's it. Maybe a little.

[Johnny Fanta]

All set for the charter plane ride. Does this have stroopwafels on it?

[PFT Commenter]

Yeah, yeah. Go, go. Little Digger Phelps with a. With a highlighter. Maybe a baby blue highlighter on. On Tuesday night.

[Johnny Fanta]

I'm talking about.

[PFT Commenter]

It'd be nice.

[Big Cat]

All right, so you just say just one time. Can you say, go to hell, Duke?

[Johnny Fanta]

No, I won't. I can't. Come on.

[PFT Commenter]

Just say, I'm John Fanta and I endorse myself as North Carolina head basketball.

[Johnny Fanta]

This is the car stops. Ask your rollback question.

[PFT Commenter]

The rollback question. Get us pumped up for Monday night. Get us ready for the national title game. There's a lot of naysayers out there. Say, hey, Michigan. They. They look like the best team in the world. They're going to kill them. It's going to be a snooze of a watch. Get us ready to go for Monday night.

[Johnny Fanta]

It's the monster of a machine that is the Michigan Wolverines taking on the Michael Myers of March Madness. A dynasty of sorts, out of stores. A land of championships. The Yukon Huskies, Big Ten versus Big East. And speaking of the Big Ten, 26 long years. 26 long years since a prime Rival of the Michigan Wolverines. Those Michigan State Spartans last gave the conference a national championship, a drought that has been thought to be unfathomable. But it still exists. And on Monday night, the Wolverines have a chance to end it. Behind Mara Johnson, Cadeau Lendaborg, they have been a wagon. Just three losses on their season. And on the other side, it's UConn Dan Hurling. Is he loved by everyone? The answer to that question is no. And guess what? He doesn't give a damn. His Huskies keep on sledding and they're sledding all the way to college basketball's grandest stage. Who do they have that Michigan does not? Alex Caraban, 181 in the NCAA tournament. That's tied for second for wins in the big dance as a starter. Second with one. Bobby Hurley. Bobby's bro Danny. Leading the Huskies with Silas Demery. Terrace Reed. Solo ball. Who's banged up and all. And he's gonna play through it. Yukon. Just when you think they're done. Just when you think you can't. As the great Jim Nance. Happy Masters week. Everybody once said. Yukon Huskies, Wolverines for all the marbles in college basketball. Monday night in Indy.

[Big Cat]

That's awesome. That's awesome, Johnny.

[PFT Commenter]

I love it, Johnny. Thank you.

[Big Cat]

Thank you for joining us.

[PFT Commenter]

As the next call is the next head coach the of the North Carolina Tar Heels.

[Big Cat]

I'm gonna miss you on the air.

[Johnny Fanta]

Yeah.

[PFT Commenter]

Will you still come on the show again? Promise us you'll still come on the show.

[Johnny Fanta]

I can't wait to be back on your show as an NBC sports broadcaster.

[PFT Commenter]

Okay.

[Big Cat]

I'm sure they let you do both.

[PFT Commenter]

We can get Quigs to change the NBC. The unc.

[Big Cat]

Yeah.

[PFT Commenter]

Easy. That's easy.

[Big Cat]

I mean, it's got two of the three letters.

[PFT Commenter]

Johnny. Yeah, you're right there.

[Big Cat]

You're so close to being unc.

[PFT Commenter]

You're right there.

[Big Cat]

You're really close.

[PFT Commenter]

Our Tar Heels. This is where we turn it around.

[Johnny Fanta]

There are some good biscuits down there.

[Big Cat]

There are some very good biscuits.

[PFT Commenter]

You're selling yourself.

[Big Cat]

Tobacco Road. Johnny. I like it. I like it.

[PFT Commenter]

Johnny, just maybe cut the line about the Browns and Belichick in the press conference.

[Big Cat]

Yeah, we. We'll bring that up later.

[PFT Commenter]

Yeah.

[Big Cat]

Yeah.

[Johnny Fanta]

Hey. Hey, honey. We've got a breakfast with Jordan.

[PFT Commenter]

Yeah. Yeah. Every day standing.

[Johnny Fanta]

Should that be the wake up call tomorrow? Like, should that be my wake to what I. Yeah.

[PFT Commenter]

Yes. Let her know, huh?

[Big Cat]

You got a new best friend.

[PFT Commenter]

Yeah.

[Big Cat]

Her name's Jordan and she is fantastic.

[PFT Commenter]

All right, Johnny, you're the Best. Love you. We'll see you later, boys.

[Johnny Fanta]

Love you back. Thanks for having me, Max. Have a great batch party.

[Big Cat]

Coach John Fanta is brought to you by State Farm. In basketball, the great players don't just go it alone. They have teammates, they've got great coaches and a solid support system behind them. It's kind of like insurance because let's face it, a lot of us probably aren't doing that alone either. That's where State Farm comes in. State Farm is a teammate. Always ready to assist. Always ready to help you find the coverage that you need and help you recover from the unexpected. From fender bidders to storm damage, or even just a question about your policy, State Farm is there to help provide an assist when you need it through the State Farm mobile app, a network of 19, 000 local agents and [e-mail]. so don't just go it alone. When you need help protecting what matters most, State Farm is there. State Farm with the assist. Coverage options are selected by the customer. Availability and eligibility vary by state.

[PFT Commenter]

Okay, good show, boys. Masters week, Hank. Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah. Also, barstool mini golf week. Yeah, so tune in. We got a great mini golf tournament set up. Old verse, young, Ryder cup style.

[Hank]

You guys are stacked.

[PFT Commenter]

Hank's already making excuses.

[Hank]

You guys know. I'm just saying, it's like it would be. You guys are probably more favored than Michigan tonight.

[Big Cat]

That's just not true.

[PFT Commenter]

Such a. Why you say that?

[Big Cat]

That's not true at all, Hank.

[PFT Commenter]

I suck. I suck at mini golf. Every year I collapse.

[Hank]

Your team is good.

[PFT Commenter]

No, your team's good.

[Hank]

Or we don't even know who our teams are.

[PFT Commenter]

Right. So if it's just you, you're. You're the best golfer in the office.

[Hank]

So not the best putter.

[PFT Commenter]

You're the best.

[Big Cat]

You practice the most at putting on mini golf.

[PFT Commenter]

And you can write.

[Big Cat]

Who practices putting more than you?

[PFT Commenter]

I don't really practice putting.

[Hank]

That's the problem. I should practice more putting.

[Big Cat]

You do, though.

[PFT Commenter]

Yeah, you do. I. I really don't. But you're also ambidextrous. That could be a huge.

[Hank]

I'm just so bad with my right that I switched to left.

[Big Cat]

Are you putting left handed?

[Hank]

No.

[Big Cat]

You have to declare this is some.

[Hank]

I might not even be on the team.

[PFT Commenter]

What do you mean?

[Hank]

I have to qualify.

[PFT Commenter]

No, you don't. You're the captain.

[Big Cat]

Hank, your whole thing is becoming left handed and you're not going to putt left handed.

[PFT Commenter]

I'm.

[Hank]

No, I'm never putting Left handed. I'm doing ever lefty? I don't think so.

[PFT Commenter]

What if I. What if I break your right handed putter before around at Augusta that we have?

[Hank]

I'll hit up our friends at Taylor Marine and get.

[PFT Commenter]

No, no. We're literally walking in and I snap your right handed putter over my knee and then I hand you a left handed putter. I'm about to tee off at Augusta. No, they're not gonna let you chip on the green.

[Big Cat]

Yeah, they would.

[PFT Commenter]

No, at Augusta. I got the hands at Augusta. So you wouldn't. You wouldn't putt last left. If I had to.

[Hank]

I. I mean,

[Big Cat]

why are you not putting left handed? Because you had one bad day putting left handed.

[Hank]

It just doesn't feel. Doesn't feel. Doesn't feel natural.

[Big Cat]

I feel like if I'm making my entire thing, my entire brand. Like you're having like cases of twisted tea made and named after you left handed, and you're not gonna putt left handed.

[PFT Commenter]

In.

[Big Cat]

In.

[Hank]

All right, so when you make your.

[Big Cat]

I think people are going to want to figure it out. People are going to want to tune in and see lefty lock with.

[PFT Commenter]

Yeah.

[Big Cat]

And they're gonna be like, why is this lefty?

[PFT Commenter]

Tell my kids you guys are scared. No, you're literally just walking around saying that. We're so stuck.

[Big Cat]

You're so st. Looking after your brand.

[PFT Commenter]

So stacked. You're gonna make your partner.

[Big Cat]

What's it. What is your master's. What's your champions dinner gonna be like, Hank?

[Hank]

I don't know. I haven't thought about that.

[PFT Commenter]

Yeah.

[Hank]

Chicken palm.

[Big Cat]

Yeah.

[PFT Commenter]

I did see Thompson chicken.

[Big Cat]

I did see a very funny rec recap of the worst masters dinner of all time.

[PFT Commenter]

What was it?

[Big Cat]

Bubba Watson.

[PFT Commenter]

Oh, yeah.

[Big Cat]

When he wanted twice.

[PFT Commenter]

Yeah.

[Big Cat]

There's the same. Same menu each time. And it was like confetti cake. Yeah. It was a regular Caesar. Yeah, it does. I. I stand with him on that. It was Funfetti cake.

[PFT Commenter]

Oh, so good.

[Big Cat]

So it was Caesar salad. Just like a regular Caesar salad, and then a grilled chicken breast. And that was his meal.

[PFT Commenter]

Why is this thing so loud? That's awesome. Wait, except for the grilled chicken breast. No, that sucks.

[Big Cat]

The grilled chicken breast.

[PFT Commenter]

I think Funfetti is awesome.

[Big Cat]

But then the Funfetti cake.

[PFT Commenter]

Yeah. I might just do Funfetti. The whole menu.

[Big Cat]

Just do it.

[PFT Commenter]

Honestly, just like another round of funfetti for the sir.

[Big Cat]

Just serve some really spicy and up everybody's stomach.

[PFT Commenter]

Imagine if. If you're just. If you're if you won the Masters and your entire menu is just cupcakes. Yeah. Just, you know, it would be sick because, like, Masters, obviously. Very hoity toity. If it was just like a. A. A Russian nesting doll of cupcakes. You start actually the smallest tiny cupcake, and then you just get larger and larger, and then finally they're like, all right. Oh, whoa. The machine.

[Big Cat]

It's a lottery turned off.

[PFT Commenter]

It doesn't do that noise right now. And then eventually you just get a full, like, super siiz cupcake. That's all we're having for dinner.

[Big Cat]

That sounds just delicious.

[PFT Commenter]

Cupcakes are awesome.

[Big Cat]

Or tasu tiramisu.

[Johnny Fanta]

Thank you.

[PFT Commenter]

Probably a little too hoity toity. My son doesn't like cupcakes, but he likes cake. Tried to explain to him it's the same thing.

[Big Cat]

He likes the frosting problem.

[PFT Commenter]

He just is like, I don't eat cupcakes. I'm like, but you eat cake. Like, just adamant.

[Big Cat]

Maybe he's not the wrapper.

[PFT Commenter]

What?

[Hank]

Maybe he's eating the wrapper he doesn't like.

[PFT Commenter]

It's a good point. And think about that. He's probably eating a lot of rappers. You're right. He's like, I'm no more rappers. I'm all wrappered out. Not again. Another rap. What I gotta do is give him a cake.

[Hank]

Like these things.

[PFT Commenter]

Yeah. Why the. It's always. It's always hard to get down. Okay. Good show, boys. Master Zoe. Shane Bacon, Hopefully Max. Maybe Brooks. Wednesday. Get ready. Masters, baby. And mini golf. All right, numbers. 8, 3, 15, 12, 6, 13, 24, 42. We gotta get it. 66 anyway. 66 anyone? One more. One more. 15. 75. Hard man. We have a 1 in 10 chance. 1 in 9 chance. Nine people guessing. I guessed it right one time. Wait. Go ahead. Pfg, who you got?

[Big Cat]

Happy birthday to Paul Rudd and Merle Haggard. And kind of Jesus, too. Did you like second birthday?

[Hank]

Forget anyone?

[Big Cat]

It was Frank Kaminsky's birthday on Saturday.

[PFT Commenter]

Who do you forget?

[Big Cat]

Michael Rapaport. You sick. You sick.

[PFT Commenter]

Who do you forget?

[Hank]

Probably top three side character subplot of this show in the last.

[PFT Commenter]

No.

[Hank]

Football season.

[PFT Commenter]

Stingray? Steve?

[Memes]

Chuck?

[Hank]

Nope.

[PFT Commenter]

Big Dom.

[Hank]

Nope. Bigger. More of a partner. Real partner.

[PFT Commenter]

No. Big time.

[Big Cat]

I have no idea.

[PFT Commenter]

Wait, wait.

[Hank]

John Fanta. If John Fanta got the job that he. You guys want him to get Belichick Jordan.

[Big Cat]

Oh, no.

[PFT Commenter]

P.S.

[Big Cat]

jordan's birthday.

[PFT Commenter]

You forgot Jordan's birthday?

[Big Cat]

Did I?

[Johnny Fanta]

How.

[Memes]

This is my favorite part of the show.

[PFT Commenter]

He's so bad at it.

[Memes]

Well, we do get to birthdays and we get to the person that you forgot. It's my favorite part of the show.

[PFT Commenter]

I thought you got it. You gotta. Pft. If you ever get good at this, please make sure that you still.

[Hank]

Someone. Someone needs to make a list of

[PFT Commenter]

birthdays that you forgot. Because every day it's like, I was

[Memes]

thinking the same thing.

[PFT Commenter]

Massive portnoy. Blake, Griffin, Jordan.

[Big Cat]

I try. I try every day. I got Frank Kaminsky even early.

[PFT Commenter]

Pft.

[Big Cat]

I nailed Paul Rudd today.

[PFT Commenter]

If you ever.

[Big Cat]

I got Jesus, please.

[Hank]

You're my brother.

[PFT Commenter]

Please intentionally leave like, a big one out every now and then so we can continue this, because it's insane that you're this.

[Big Cat]

You don't need to tell. When was Jordan's birthday?

[Hank]

April 3rd.

[PFT Commenter]

No, because he might, like, drop everything and just be like, I have to get birthdays, right?

[Big Cat]

It was her birthday on Saturday.

[PFT Commenter]

Did you see what there was Friday, the NBA finals game last night.

[Big Cat]

I'm just sad with dates. I think. I think that's what the problem is. I have no idea what dates are.

[PFT Commenter]

You forgot Sebastian Eugene Hansen.

[Big Cat]

I have no idea who that is.

[Zach]

I don't either.

[Big Cat]

When is Mr. When's ISO. ISO speeds. I'm gonna give. Let's see. Oh, don't have to worry about that.

[PFT Commenter]

The Is this kid.

[Big Cat]

Sebastian Eugene Hansen.

[PFT Commenter]

How could you?

[Big Cat]

Happy birthday, little guy.

[PFT Commenter]

Oh, he's old. He's not little anymore.

[Memes]

He's in the Minecraft movie.

[PFT Commenter]

Ah, I actually seen that movie. How could I forget Sebastian Eugene Hansen.

[Big Cat]

I could beat him up. All right, love you guys. And happy birthday to Paul Rudd, Merle Haggard, and kind of Jesus. Sa.

[PFT Commenter]

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