NBA Commissioner Adam Silver, Joe Burrow, Max Parties With The Eagles + Guys On Chicks And Fyre Fest

Summary

Podcast Summary: "Pardon My Take" – Episode: NBA Commissioner Adam Silver, Joe Burrow, Max Parties With The Eagles + Guys On Chicks And Fyre Fest
Release Date: February 12, 2025

---

Introduction

In this episode of "Pardon My Take," hosts Big Cat and PFT Commenter delve into the aftermath of the Super Bowl, share amusing anecdotes from Max's experience with the Philadelphia Eagles, and engage in lively discussions about sports topics. The highlight of the episode is an exclusive interview with NBA Commissioner Adam Silver, offering listeners unique insights into the league's future.

---

Super Bowl Fallout

Timestamp [03:37]

Hank opens the conversation by expressing the collective feeling of emptiness following the Super Bowl, reflecting on the void left by the end of the football season.

Big Cat shares his personal attempt to fill the gap by indulging in Girl Scout cookies and rewatching the Super Bowl, highlighting the struggle to find entertaining content post-game.

Timestamp [04:17]

The hosts transition to discussing Luca's debut performance. Big Cat highlights a notable interaction where LeBron James advised Luca to "fit out" rather than "fit in." This cryptic advice sparks a humorous debate about Luca's physical condition and happiness:

• Hank questions the clarity of LeBron's message, suggesting it implies Luca might be out of shape.

  "Apparently last night he told Luca, don't worry about fitting in. Just go out there. And fit out." [05:06]

• Big Cat humorously interprets this as Luca appearing happier but possibly struggling physically:

  "Look at all... it's like painful for him to stand because he's so out of shape." [05:22]

Discussion on Super Bowl Ratings and Boycott

Timestamp [08:03]

The hosts discuss the unexpected surge in Super Bowl viewership despite previous boycotts. Max mentions that the record 126 million views indicate football's enduring popularity:

"Football's back... ratings have never really made sense." [08:03]

Max's Super Bowl After-Party Experience

Timestamp [09:32]

Max recounts his experience attending the Super Bowl after-party with the Eagles, sharing humorous interactions with players and coaches:

• Encounter with Reed Blankenship, who recognizes PFT Commenter:

  "Reed Blankenship came up to me and was like, wait a minute. You're the guy from Barstool, right?" [11:28]

• Observations of Nick Sirianni's relaxed and festive behavior:

  "He was just enjoying tequila shots and singing." [12:14]

Nick Sirianni and Team Dynamics

Timestamp [07:15]

The conversation shifts to team trade dynamics and Mark Cuban's reaction to a recent trade decision involving a player named Nico. The hosts humorously analyze the implications of such trades on team performance and fan sentiment:

"If he goes to a team like Shaq... he's not going to be asking for anything." [07:16]

---

Exclusive Interview with NBA Commissioner Adam Silver

Timestamp [60:09]

The episode features a groundbreaking interview with NBA Commissioner Adam Silver, marking the first time a sitting commissioner sits down for an interview on "Pardon My Take."

All-Star Weekend Insights

Timestamp [61:39]

Adam Silver shares his excitement for the upcoming NBA All-Star Weekend in San Francisco, discussing new formats aimed at enhancing fan experience and promoting basketball globally:

"It's a three-day celebration of the game, with community events and opportunities to see old friends." [61:39]

Day-to-Day Responsibilities

Timestamp [64:04]

Big Cat asks Silver about his daily responsibilities, to which Silver elaborates on the multifaceted role of managing league operations, relationships with teams, sponsors, and global partners:

"It's more like a standard business job in many ways... continuing to build those relationships with our partners." [64:21]

Rule Changes and Innovations

Timestamp [65:48]

Big Cat inquires about unconventional ideas within the NBA, prompting Silver to discuss past and potential future rule changes aimed at improving the game:

"We've tried to crack down on flopping... technology like Hawkeye is being explored to minimize officiating errors." [84:27]

Trade Policies and Commissioner’s Authority

Timestamp [75:00]

The hosts question whether Silver possesses the authority to veto trades involving superstar players. Silver clarifies that while he ensures trades comply with league rules, he does not interfere based on personal judgment:

"We don't get to weigh in on what we think the merits of the trade are. It's up or down based on the rules." [75:00]

Fan Engagement and Technology

Timestamp [72:10]

Silver discusses the NBA's embrace of technology to enhance fan engagement, including interactive streaming options and customized viewing experiences:

"Streaming creates new opportunities... things will become much more customized over time." [72:24]

Notable Quotes

• Adam Silver on listening and adapting:

  "It's part of my job to be a good listener and get advice from others and then somehow filter that advice and figure out what's in the best interest of the league." [65:56]

• PFT Commenter on flopping:

  "It was like a very quick get in, get out." [17:45]

• Hank on rejuvenating team dynamics:

  "Is this Eagles team the best football team of all time?" [29:00]

---

Hosts' Banter and Humor

Throughout the episode, Big Cat, Hank, and Max engage in playful banter, offering humorous takes on various topics:

• Big Cat expresses his ambition to learn dunking, met with skepticism from Hank:

  "I think I'm gonna dunk." [140:25]

  "There’s no way." [141:02]

• Max shares his chaotic vacation schedule, juggling golf and adjusting sleep patterns:

  "I've been training on already... gotta give Hank my bag." [137:52]

• Lighthearted discussions about personal mishaps, tattoos, and daily struggles add a comedic element to the episode.

---

Conclusion and Upcoming Segments

As the episode wraps up, the hosts tease upcoming content, including a "Dungeons and Dragons" segment and future interviews. They maintain their signature humor while highlighting the camaraderie and dynamic interactions that make "Pardon My Take" a favorite among sports enthusiasts.

---

Takeaways

• Super Bowl Impact: The hosts reflect on the emotional aftermath of the Super Bowl, emphasizing the event's significant influence on their lives and conversations.

• Exclusive Insight: Adam Silver provides valuable perspectives on the NBA's strategic directions, rule innovations, and efforts to enhance global engagement.

• Humorous Interactions: The episode balances in-depth sports discussions with the hosts' humorous exchanges, maintaining an engaging and entertaining atmosphere.

• Player and Coach Dynamics: Anecdotes from Max's experiences at the Super Bowl after-party offer listeners a behind-the-scenes look at player interactions and team culture.

---

This episode of "Pardon My Take" seamlessly blends serious sports analysis with lighthearted humor, offering listeners both informative content and entertaining banter. The exclusive interview with Adam Silver stands out as a highlight, providing rare insights into the NBA's inner workings from one of its top executives.

Transcript

[Big Cat]

Hey, pardon my take listeners. You can find every episode on Apple podcasts, Spotify or YouTube Prime. Members can listen ad free on Amazon Music.

[PFT Commenter]

This episode is brought to you by.

[Big Cat]

Netflix's Love Is Blind.

[PFT Commenter]

It's been five years of unforgettable memories making Love is Blind, a legendary dating show. Couples date through a wall and are.

[Hank]

Engaged before ever seeing each other.

[Big Cat]

And it's back. Now.

[PFT Commenter]

Whether you're a fan of the show, you're looking to get into it, looking.

[Big Cat]

To figure out what all the memes are about.

[PFT Commenter]

You will not want to miss Season eight. Will these Minnesota singles marry the person.

[Hank]

They fell blindly in love with?

[Big Cat]

In the pods, you can find out.

[Hank]

Starting February 14th on Netflix.

[Big Cat]

On today's part in my take Life Without Football we have all the boys back. Max is back in studio. We've got two great interviews for you. NBA commissioner Adam Silver. We've never interviewed a commissioner, a sitting commissioner before. Very cool. And then we have our good friend Joe Burrow, who we interviewed at the end of super bowl week. We are going to talk a little super bowl fallout, Max's night with the Eagles, Hot seat Cool Throne Fyre Fest. And then we're going on vacation. And we'll have Dungeon and Dragons for you on Friday. And we're brought to you by our friends at DraftKings. Hey basketball fans. You ready to win real Money? Check out pick six from DraftKings. When it comes to basketball payouts, DraftKings pick six dunks on its rivals, including prize picks. When you hit all your picks, you'll slam some higher minimum payouts on Pick six than flex plays on prize picks. And best of all, you'll win even more cash if you posterize the competition. Track your picks for a shot at huge cash prizes. That's all there is to it. Pick six is available in most states, including Missouri, California, Texas, Georgia and more. Don't settle for a smaller payout. Switch to pick six and cash in your basketball knowledge. New players get 50 and pick six credits instantly on just a $5 entry. The fun of the basketball season continues with the most fun way to play fantasy sports. Pick Six from DraftKings download the DraftKings Pick Six app now. Use code TAKE. That's code TAKE for new customers to play $5. Get 50 in Pick Six credits. Better payouts, bigger wins only with Pick Six from DraftKings the crown is yours. Gambling problem call 1-800- Gambler, help is available. Problem gambling call 888-789-7777 or visit ccpg.org in Connecticut must be 18 and over. Age and eligibility restrictions vary by jurisdiction. Pick Six not available everywhere, including New York and Ontario. Void were prohibited 1 per new customer bonus awarded as non withdrawable. Pick 6 credits that expire in 14 days. Limited time offer. See [e-mail] promos okay, let's go. Hey, football guy. Welcome to part of my take presented by DraftKings. The fun of basketball season continues with the most fun way to play fantasy sports. Pick six from DraftKings. Download DraftKings Pick Six app now and use code take. That's code take for new customers to play. $5. Get $50 in pick six credits. Better payouts, bigger wins only with pick six from DraftKings. The crown is yours. Today is Wednesday, February 12th, and we're out of football season.

[Hank]

It was a sad realization. Waking up on Monday, I think we all felt a little bit empty.

[Big Cat]

I, I. Monday night, I, I ate a bunch of girl scout cookies and I rewatched the Super Bowl. That's pretty on tv. I was just like, I need something to watch. And I just turned it on. I was like, I guess I'll just watch this again.

[Hank]

I like that a lot. I, I started to get back into shows again on Monday. Yeah, I watched the night agent and that's about. That's. It was very strange not having, like, sports bouncing around in the back of my head, constantly thinking about what's going to happen in football. And then Tuesday comes around and thank God, or excuse me, Monday night comes around and thank God that the sports gods decided to bless us with Luca's debut.

[Big Cat]

Yes, Luca. Everyone's ready for Luca. Shout out LeBron for letting Luca be announced last. You see that story? LeBron had it. He. He texted Luca and said, hey, you know what? I'm gonna let you get introduced last. And then Luke was like, thank you so much, but you'll go last after this. I'm just gonna do tonight. And we now have everyone breaking down Luca's smiles.

[Hank]

I was breaking.

[Big Cat]

There's a lot of tweets being like, look at Lucas smile.

[Hank]

I saw that. I was also very confused by LeBron James. Yeah, we all know that LeBron James in the past has said a lot of things, sometimes confusing. But one thing that he said that was very clear was back in 2015 when he told his teammates kind of in a passive aggressive way online, stop trying to find a way to fit out and just fit in.

[Big Cat]

Yep.

[Hank]

Apparently last night he told Luca, don't worry about fitting in. Just go out there. And fit out.

[Big Cat]

Oh, nice.

[Hank]

So I don't get it.

[Big Cat]

Yeah, well, I mean, it's reversed. He's just got to fit out now.

[Hank]

But that doesn't make any sense. He is. Is he saying that he's out of fit? Like out of shape?

[Big Cat]

He. He is out of shape. Look at all. Yeah, it's just a lot of people being like, Luca looks so happy. He's never been happier. He's never smiled before. Lucas smiling on the bench after the first time out. That's probably because he's sitting and it's. It's like painful for him to stand because he's so out of shape.

[Hank]

He did look kind of big and pale in that Lakers yellow, didn't he?

[Big Cat]

Yeah. I'm telling you, lumbering up, lack of aura. But yeah, Luca and LeBron, they're officially a go. Look at that smile. It's so insane how many people. So many. So many people talking about Lucas smile.

[Hank]

He's been. Yeah, he's been saved from the basketball Siberia. That is Dallas, Texas.

[Big Cat]

Yeah, he never. He. Listen, he finally will get to play in the playoffs this year.

[Hank]

Yeah.

[Big Cat]

Wait a second. Also, the. Did you guys see in Dallas, they finally started. So I think it was their second home game since the trade. They started letting fans actually be on the Jumbotron again. And then a fan got kicked out. They were doing like a sing along portion and they went to this guy, he was fake holding a microphone and he was singing. And then he just looked dead into the camera. He just said, fuck Nico. Yeah, he got kicked out.

[Hank]

They kicked that guy out. Everybody in Dallas, like, if they show you on the Jumbotron there, you should say, fuck Nico.

[Big Cat]

Oh, so funny.

[Hank]

I like that a lot.

[Big Cat]

So petty. Yeah. Luca. The Luca show.

[Hank]

I. I'll tell you what, I think it might be Austin Reeves team.

[Big Cat]

It's not. Dalton connects. If you want to talk about body language, he did not look happy.

[Hank]

Well, he had zero points last night. It was disgusting. No, they didn't. Even J.J. redic probably did the right thing and said like, you don't have to worry about playing well.

[Big Cat]

They.

[Max]

They're like he said, she said.

[Big Cat]

They're contesting the Mark Williams physical. So there's still a chance that don't connect.

[Max]

But they're also saying, oh, the. The Hornets wanted to trade for you. Like we didn't want to trade you, but like, you know, business.

[Big Cat]

They just wanted you so bad.

[Hank]

So Charlotte, they're the ones that are contesting the trade. They're like, no, he didn't Feel the physical.

[Big Cat]

Yeah.

[Hank]

It's actually. He's in the best shape of his life.

[Big Cat]

Yeah. Yeah.

[Hank]

So they also.

[Max]

They also came out with a Mark Cuban report, which was like, he really, you know, tried to convince Nico not to do it, but by the time he found out, the deal was done, which I imagine like a movie. Like, Mark Cuban fell to his knees at Walmart, actually.

[Big Cat]

Yeah.

[Max]

Like, wherever he was when he found that out. Mark Cuban, he actually fell to his knees.

[Big Cat]

Yeah. Mark Cuban was the woman when. When Trump in 2016.

[Hank]

Yeah, well, they told him. They told him late, and Mark said that the biggest mistake of his entire career was trading Steve Nash. And he's like, I don't want to make a mistake like that again. And they told.

[Big Cat]

He traded. He didn't re sign Jalen Brunson, too.

[Hank]

Yeah, that's true. So he's made a couple mistakes. Yeah. They just gave him a heads up, like, hey, Mark, just so you know, we're gonna do this thing that you're gonna hate, and you are powerless to stop it.

[Big Cat]

But. But in defense of us, Mark Luca is. He doesn't. He doesn't want it enough. Like a guy like Shaq, Right? Yeah. So that. That's what's going on here. Did you guys see? Turns out the boycotters of the super bowl were not great because it hit a record 126 million views now. They've changed how they. Yeah, football's back.

[Hank]

Nice job.

[Big Cat]

Football's back. They have changed how they determine it. I think they're just counting everything now. But still, for all the people who are like, I'm not watching this. You kind of got left out.

[Hank]

Yeah.

[Big Cat]

What? What? Hank, Say it. It's a podcast.

[Max]

Ratings have never really made sense. So this isn't a current thing because the Nielsen box. Every time I heard how that system works, it didn't really add up.

[Big Cat]

Didn't make sense.

[Max]

This makes. If they're just adding streaming numbers, like, they could just make up numbers.

[Big Cat]

Correct.

[Max]

Which is what I guess, you know, all platforms and stuff do. But that means nothing to me now.

[Hank]

In other news, our boycott worked phenomenally. The Pro bowl had its lowest ratings ever, I believe.

[Big Cat]

So we boycotted the right thing.

[Hank]

We boycotted the right thing.

[Big Cat]

People followed us, made a difference.

[Hank]

But then that means that we were just so starved for football that everyone just tuned back into the Super Bowl.

[Big Cat]

Yes. Yes. Max. Max is back. Max, our conquering hero, Maxilente world champion. Max, how are you feeling?

[PFT Commenter]

I feel. I feel I'm. I'm here.

[Big Cat]

Okay. Very Hungover. How is the flight back? Were you surrounded by Chiefs fans?

[PFT Commenter]

Yeah, though I was surrounded by Chiefs fans. Surprisingly, there was a decent amount of Eagles fans on that flight to Kansas City, which was.

[Big Cat]

They're probably just going to. To pillage.

[PFT Commenter]

Yeah, I don't know what. There was one guy that I was like, sitting in, like, the seventh row, the first one past first class, and there was this one guy who.

[Big Cat]

No big deal. Yeah. That's comfort plus for all the people listening.

[PFT Commenter]

There was a guy who literally just stopped dead in his tracks, and he just looked at me and was like, what the are you doing on this flight?

[Big Cat]

The last guy you want to see.

[PFT Commenter]

Shout out that guy.

[Hank]

It's like Max and Russell Wilson, the two last guys you want to be sat next to.

[Big Cat]

Well, he.

[PFT Commenter]

He didn't sit next to me. He was just walking down the aisle and saw me, and he was like. He was just so disappointed that my face was what he saw after losing the super bowl like that.

[Hank]

So he probably, like, that's his worst nightmare. Like, he went to bed just having nightmares about Philly fans like, Max bouncing around his head. He's like. He's everywhere. Yeah, that motherfucker's not real.

[Big Cat]

So tell us about Sunday night after we. After we left you, after you did a bunch of shoeys. You went out, you partied. You're with the team.

[PFT Commenter]

I was with the team.

[Big Cat]

That's incredible.

[PFT Commenter]

Big Dom absolutely hooked it up. We got into the section with, like, the players and their friends and family and stuff, so that was cool. We were a little bit late getting to the party, so some people were leaving as we were coming in, but there was still. I mean, there were still some big names in that. In that little section.

[Hank]

Give me some names. What names were in that section?

[Big Cat]

And also give us names of people who maybe come. Came up to you instead of you going up to them.

[PFT Commenter]

That's only one person. And I would like you to guess. I think you'll get it within two tries.

[Hank]

Okay.

[Max]

Brown.

[Big Cat]

Reed Blankenship.

[PFT Commenter]

Reed Blankenship came up to me and was like, wait a minute. You're the guy from barstool, right?

[Big Cat]

Hell, yes. Shout out Reed.

[PFT Commenter]

So shout out Reed. That's my guy. But I mean, all jokes aside, that was so. That was like a surreal moment that, like. I mean, he's been an integral part of this team all year. He was great. And then being at this super bowl after party and then him coming up to me, and I was like, why? This should. This should be the other way around.

[Big Cat]

No, that. That never gets old. That never stops to like. That never ceases to blow my mind. When we were. When we interviewed Lane Johnson, Cam Juergens was like, oh, what's up, big cat? As we were walking in the hallway. I was like, oh, shit. That's fucking cool. You're about to go play in a Super Bowl. So who. Who else did you talk to? You. Did you see Nick Sirianni?

[PFT Commenter]

I saw Nick Sirianni was getting after it.

[Big Cat]

Yeah.

[PFT Commenter]

Like, absolute. Like, he was just walking around with a cigar in his mouth the whole time, ripping. Like, there was, like, a. A server that would come, or he was ripping tequila shots. Like, do it. He was. As he should. He was having the time. He went up on stage, and he did that. That whole thing. So that.

[Big Cat]

What's that whole thing he did?

[PFT Commenter]

He sang.

[Max]

That's talking.

[PFT Commenter]

No, no, no, no, no, no.

[Big Cat]

Yeah, we know that whole thing. You're. You're now expl.

[Max]

Coaching.

[Big Cat]

We didn't go to this party with you. You know that.

[PFT Commenter]

Well, it went like.

[Big Cat]

It.

[PFT Commenter]

Like, you know, online.

[Hank]

It's a famous thing that Nick Sirianni does after he wins the Super Bowl. It's kind of his.

[Big Cat]

That whole thing.

[Hank]

He's saying my way.

[PFT Commenter]

No, he's saying this. I. I can't play this vibing.

[Max]

That's what this tweet says.

[PFT Commenter]

No, but he sang a song that was, like, talking. It was basically, everybody's talking all this stuff about me. That's what.

[Big Cat]

Okay, that's good.

[PFT Commenter]

I don't like. I don't like. I don't think I like that song at all.

[Hank]

Hank, what song would you sing on stage? What would be the Hank thing that he's known for?

[Max]

I played Don't Stop Rick Ross. That's what they played at the first super bowl party I went to. It was electric.

[Big Cat]

Okay.

[PFT Commenter]

Sexy Red was the performer.

[Big Cat]

Oh, nice. All right, and then who else. Who else did you talk to? Did you take pictures with anyone?

[PFT Commenter]

I took no pictures with anyone.

[Max]

Why?

[Big Cat]

That was what.

[Max]

I woke up ready to see the chaos because.

[Big Cat]

Good, because you're in the content game, and it's better if we just don't have any pictures.

[PFT Commenter]

Yeah, I took no pictures.

[Big Cat]

Well, I don't know.

[PFT Commenter]

I felt everyone was a million people are going up to them, asking for pictures. They're. They're trying to enjoy, like, their super bowl night, and I just wanted to, like. Yeah, but I just wanted to enjoy everything that was going on without being annoying.

[Big Cat]

Okay, but. But you were a million and one pictures.

[Joe Burrow]

Not.

[Big Cat]

I Mean, as someone who's been there.

[Max]

Before, you're going to want to look back and regret. You're going to. At least you'll have those. You can just look back on the memories.

[Big Cat]

Yeah. Which you definitely don't. I mean, you're not really doing a good job with your.

[PFT Commenter]

Yeah, no, I. I was. I was. I was living in the moment.

[Big Cat]

Okay.

[PFT Commenter]

It was great.

[Big Cat]

All right. So did you talk to anyone else? Did you. Did you?

[PFT Commenter]

Yeah, I walked. I walked in. The first person I saw, the first people I saw were Chris O'Connor and Shane Gillis.

[Big Cat]

Okay. Love it.

[PFT Commenter]

So they were. They were fired. They were fired up.

[Big Cat]

Funny. Chris O'Connor. Side note, he was texting me throughout the super bowl demanding that I ask Jon Gruden why the Eagles wouldn't do a play action play and throw it over the top. He literally would be like, can you ask Gruden? I think my first reply was, haha. I will. He's like, no, I'm dead serious. Ask him right now. And he just kept on texting me like, it's open, it's open. And then they hit the devonte Smith touched out. He's like, see, it's open. He was just obsessed with it.

[PFT Commenter]

Chris O'Connor over the top. He was the main character of that party. Like, he rocks. He. He was like, forming it like a dance circle and only hit. Only himself was in the middle dancing. It was awesome.

[Hank]

What was Pug doing at this party?

[PFT Commenter]

Pug was. I mean, Pug got. Pug got a picture of Sirianni.

[Big Cat]

Okay, good.

[Hank]

So, yeah, good job. Can we see that picture? I haven't seen that picture.

[PFT Commenter]

Hell yes, we'll pull up that picture.

[Hank]

Where can I find this picture?

[Max]

So Pug took one, Rowan took one. You were just like, nah, nah, I.

[Big Cat]

Want to be there. I want these guys to be friends with me for life. They're gonna. I bet you Nick Sirianni's like, who is that dude in the boot that didn't ask for a picture? I need that guy. I do.

[Hank]

Like how in Max's mind, he's like, you know, me and Siri, we're too close for that. That'd be weird if I went up to him and asked him for a picture. It's like, I can do that whenever I want.

[Big Cat]

Yeah.

[PFT Commenter]

No looking back, I probably should have asked for a picture.

[Hank]

I get it though. Like, you don't want. You don't want to be annoying. They got cameras, everybody, I'm telling you. Like that. At that point, they do not give a.

[Big Cat]

And in 10 years, you're gonna be like, yeah, I kind of wish I had a picture of that.

[PFT Commenter]

Yeah, Jalen Hurts was also there.

[Big Cat]

You know what? And the beauty is. Wait, I want to hear about Jalen Hurts. But the beauty is memes. I would like you for the next day, find every picture that Nick Sirianni took with someone and just put do the Max face. So that way we have a bunch of pictures of Max with Sirianni. Every single one. All right, so Jalen Hurts was there. Did you talk to him?

[PFT Commenter]

No. So Jalen Hurts was there, but he was in, like, a different section within the section that sounds that.

[Max]

That also is. That sounds about right.

[PFT Commenter]

Yeah, like, every. But he was kind of, like, wanting in his. In his own. In that section. Like, other people would come into his section.

[Hank]

Yeah.

[Big Cat]

Super Bowl.

[PFT Commenter]

Everyone else was in, like, the mix of everything. And he had basically had, like, security going in and out of that section. And, like, as soon as he moved everywhere, everyone just had, like a. Had, like a. Had, like, a phone just, like, filming him walking. Walking around.

[Big Cat]

And you were in the player section, though, right? Then there was, like, a party section. That was different.

[PFT Commenter]

Right? There was, like, this Pug.

[Big Cat]

What.

[Max]

What?

[PFT Commenter]

An arrival.

[Big Cat]

No, nothing. No pictures. No, nothing. I. I was gonna.

[Max]

Thought you didn't make it in.

[Big Cat]

Me too.

[Max]

I saw Chris's Instagram post with you in it. I was like, oh, he made it in.

[Big Cat]

I was worried. When I. When I woke up, I took a picture with Chris. Oh, nice.

[Max]

No, no, no. Chris probably asked you to take it.

[PFT Commenter]

No, I.

[Big Cat]

Well, we were.

[PFT Commenter]

Me, Chris, and Big Cat were in a group chat, being like, we got to meet up. We got to meet up. So then once sent Big Cat a picture of us.

[Big Cat]

Wait, so, yeah, I. I woke up the next morning. I was like, oh, they didn't get in. This is bad. I went to sleep. I. I didn't help. And then turns out you. You got all the way in.

[PFT Commenter]

Yeah, no, we were in until. Until it closed.

[Big Cat]

So what time did it close?

[PFT Commenter]

I think four. Is that right?

[Big Cat]

Pug.

[PFT Commenter]

Pug's here. Pug.

[Big Cat]

Pug.

[Max]

Pug.

[PFT Commenter]

I. I believe three. Potentially 4am Pug.

[Big Cat]

How. How. How was it? Tell us.

[Hank]

It's awesome.

[PFT Commenter]

It's just seeing all your favorite players right after the super bowl, celebrating, it's just, like, so surreal.

[Big Cat]

How was. How was asking Nick Sirianni for a picture? It was.

[Joe Burrow]

I.

[PFT Commenter]

It was like a very quick. He was, like, in the middle of doing pictures with other people, and it was just a quick, like, get in, get out.

[Big Cat]

Love it. So he didn't even. You didn't bother him.

[PFT Commenter]

Yeah, no.

[Hank]

Here's the thing, Max. We didn't need a picture of Sirianni, Max, because you. You gave a recap in words that describe it better than a picture ever could. Because it looks like right after you left the party at 3:08am you tweeted, Sirianni was so sick tonight.

[PFT Commenter]

I was drunk tweeting all night. I.

[Big Cat]

Wait, so what?

[Hank]

That tells me all I need to know.

[Big Cat]

Like, that's.

[Hank]

Let's print that out, and then you can look back on that in five years.

[Big Cat]

Yeah, put that behind you. Remember how sick he was? We need that frame behind you. The night you partied with the Eagles after winning a Super Bowl, Sirianni was so sick tonight. Wait, so did you guys. What did you guys. Can we see the picture of Sirianni and Pug, by the way? Every time I see a picture of Pug, I just. I. I audibly am like, he's just the cutest. I think. I don't know why. I'm just like, he's just the cutest guy we got. You remember that.

[Hank]

That chill guy meme that went viral, like, I don't know, two months ago?

[Big Cat]

Yeah.

[Hank]

Pug is the chill guy. He's just a chill guy.

[Big Cat]

Yeah.

[Max]

I also, like, I'm so pro. Going to a Super bowl by yourself. Like, that, like, dude, friendship and bond. Because, like, I have a buddy who went to one of the Patriots games with, like, another guy we work with. That was a random connection, and, like, they still will be like, that's my best friend.

[Hank]

Yeah.

[Big Cat]

I was just explaining it because people were kind of roasting me and pft. Being like, why buy one single ticket? I was like, dude, it's a Super Bowl. They're gonna. Conor made best friends with his seatmate, too.

[Hank]

Yeah.

[Big Cat]

And.

[Max]

And again, it's like, I've. The Eagles winning this super bowl, and. And the way they did it has made me get to relive the Patriots, Super Bowls. Like, that's all I did yesterday was just rewatch the Seahawks, rewatch the Falcons.

[Hank]

That's awesome.

[Big Cat]

And make it by.

[Hank]

I love that, Hank.

[Max]

I don't care.

[Big Cat]

It's true.

[Max]

Like, I, like, you guys are talking about no football. Like, I spent probably two hours watching just, like, Patriots, Seahawks, Patriots, Falcons, Patriots, Rams. And those memories that you have, like, this night, this, like, it's the best.

[Hank]

Wow.

[Max]

The farther away it gets, the better it gets. That's. That's what I've learned in My wisdom of, like, this night will get better with time.

[Big Cat]

Well, not for Max. He has literally no memories. This picture's awesome.

[Max]

This picture is all time.

[Big Cat]

You look sick, Pug.

[Max]

Unreal with the cigar like that, but the farther away you get, you're gonna be like, that was so sick. And it just gets sicker and sicker and sicker.

[Hank]

The funniest part about watching Hank react to Max talking about tonight is Hank, just think back. He's like, yep, that's how the super bowl parties are set up. They got that other special section right there. Then you got players. Yeah, I know all about that.

[Big Cat]

Do they have. Do they have a bathroom for you that was different than everyone else's? Nice. Sick. Same.

[Max]

Until the. Until the. Somehow the Celtics, like, Missoula. Shout out to coach Missoula. But the first super bowl party I went to was the best night of my life. Like, until the parade.

[Hank]

Max, have you been invited to the parade?

[PFT Commenter]

I. No.

[Big Cat]

Okay. Do you want to get invited to the parade?

[Max]

Let's get Pug on the parade.

[PFT Commenter]

I don't know.

[Big Cat]

Yeah.

[Hank]

It's Valentine's Day.

[Big Cat]

I. That's.

[PFT Commenter]

That's. That's big issue.

[Hank]

I was thinking about that. They're gonna be so many dudes in Philly that are like, I'm gonna go out to parade just for a little bit, and then I'll come home, and we'll go out on a date and have her night, and they're just not gonna come home.

[Big Cat]

Yeah.

[PFT Commenter]

A lot of people gone for eight days and being like, I had the most unreal night ever, but I need to have another one. Is going to be a tough.

[Hank]

That's gonna be tough sell.

[Big Cat]

Wait, so I didn't even ask. How would you guys do when the party ended? You go to a bar or did you go home?

[PFT Commenter]

I. We went home. Pug wanted to go to Bourbon street at, like. At like, 3:30.

[Big Cat]

Fuck, yes. What an animal.

[PFT Commenter]

Once the game ended, there's just, like, swarms of Eagles fans. Like, we're all going to Bourbon. So, like, I still was feeling that energy a little bit, but going home was the right move.

[Big Cat]

Yeah. And then, Pug, how was your flight through Kansas City? Did people. Were people like, God damn it.

[PFT Commenter]

My. My flight was through Atlanta.

[Big Cat]

Oh, okay. All right, all right. So you didn't do the Kansas City.

[Hank]

Connection, but there were some issues, weren't there?

[Joe Burrow]

Yeah, we had.

[Big Cat]

We had.

[PFT Commenter]

We got delayed, then delayed again, then deboarded, then delayed, and then we. We were back.

[Big Cat]

So what time did you get home? Like, 2:00am oh, my God.

[PFT Commenter]

Yeah.

[Big Cat]

But we're back.

[Max]

How many times do you look at this picture during the flight?

[PFT Commenter]

Like two to three.

[Big Cat]

Yeah. Pug. Pug. All right, so Max, how scale one to ten, how unhealthy do you feel? Nine days in Bourbon street team.

[PFT Commenter]

Like yesterday. Yesterday was like I was sitting at the airport and I was about to go get food and and then I was like, I just, I shouldn't eat anything right now. I ended up getting lunchables. Oh, no, that was my lunch. Nice for the. Oh, that was my lunch.

[Big Cat]

What?

[PFT Commenter]

Do you not remember that debate? That.

[Hank]

Not Rushmore.

[Big Cat]

Yeah, yeah, yeah.

[PFT Commenter]

So I had that and then I had, you know, a salad for dinner.

[Hank]

Yeah, salad.

[PFT Commenter]

I got a salad for dinner.

[Hank]

You have to eat something green.

[PFT Commenter]

I'm going to die. Heavy, heavy diet starts. Started yesterday.

[Max]

You gotta book a trip to like a sauna or something. Like, you need to sweat.

[Big Cat]

Yeah.

[Max]

Usually for like 50 minutes.

[Big Cat]

Yeah.

[Hank]

Just to.

[Max]

Just to get.

[Big Cat]

Get it out. Kind of started the toxins out. But you're going on an exercise vacation.

[PFT Commenter]

Exercise vacation. Fitness vacation starts next week.

[Max]

You're going to ski like twice.

[Big Cat]

He's going to drink so much more than he skis.

[PFT Commenter]

I'm also going. Going to a John St. Concert again.

[Big Cat]

Okay. All right. So any other super bowl thoughts? I mean, I had a thought while driving in this morning. Is Patrick Mahomes a Kyle Shanahan Merchant? Yes.

[Max]

Yes.

[Big Cat]

Two out of three of his Super Bowls against Kyle Shannon, who can't win the big one, Is he Kyle Shanahan Merchant?

[Hank]

Interesting. Yeah, well, he's had. He's had two very bad losses.

[Big Cat]

Very bad. The. The. So I saw a chart. Someone's like, hey, if you think that this was. This first half was like the Tampa super bowl, it actually was so, so, so much worse.

[Hank]

Yeah.

[Big Cat]

Patrick Mahomes, that was the worst half of football he has ever played. And maybe the worst half.

[Max]

I saw a. Status like maybe any quarterback of all time.

[Big Cat]

Yeah.

[Max]

Top ten worst performance ever.

[Big Cat]

There was a chart I saw that was. It was like worse play stretches in the super bowl. And Mahomes had like the worst four or maybe eight, eight play stretch in a Super bowl all time. He also had one of the. He had the best four play stretch, which was all in garbage time.

[Hank]

Oh, at the end.

[Big Cat]

Yeah. That. The throw to Xavier Worthy. Definitely. Which I agree with everyone. Like, you can't count stats after the Gatorade bath.

[Hank]

Yep.

[Big Cat]

That was after the Gatorade bath that he made that throw. It was an incredible sick throat it.

[PFT Commenter]

Was also all the backups.

[Big Cat]

Yeah. Yeah.

[PFT Commenter]

They taken away the. The whole starting lineup.

[Big Cat]

Yeah. So strike from the record also.

[Hank]

I mean, Mahomes has had to get through the afc too.

[Big Cat]

Yeah, true.

[Hank]

Pretty impressive.

[Big Cat]

True. But this is. It's a bad. It's a bad one. It's. It's. It's a bad one.

[Max]

Jalen Hurts. I actually like. Max and Rowan were on something with the Jalen Hurts thing. What he might be. I think he's just better than Mahomes.

[Hank]

Oh, I like that.

[Max]

Their head to head matchups. I like it Hurts has dominated them.

[Big Cat]

That's true.

[PFT Commenter]

If you'd only watched the two Super Bowls that the. That Jalen Hurts and Patrick Mahomes played against each other. Jalen Hurts clears them by a million.

[Big Cat]

And. And if you had just put the. The last super bowl on regular turf, then it'd be. Homes would be even more of a Kyle Shanahan Merchant.

[Hank]

Yeah. I mean, we'd be having to talk about the Eagles being a dynasty right now.

[Big Cat]

You guys do have like a pretty. Do you have a lot of free agents?

[PFT Commenter]

You have a. Yeah, we're gonna. We're gonna lose a lot of guys.

[Big Cat]

Oh, you are?

[PFT Commenter]

Yeah.

[Big Cat]

Zach Bond.

[PFT Commenter]

Zach Bond. Josh Sweat. Mel Williams.

[Max]

What did you guys think about the.

[PFT Commenter]

Gonna try and bring some of them?

[Max]

You know, the all 22 review, like that came out. I saw with like all the sacks and all their. Like Travis Kelsey and they just. They got.

[Big Cat]

Kelsey was not looking great on the film review.

[Hank]

My all 22 analysis is that Lane Johnson is a man.

[Big Cat]

Yes. Every single time you see Lane Johnson, he's just bodying. That's.

[Hank]

That is a man that you don't. You don't want him to put his hands on you.

[Big Cat]

Yeah, he's. He. There was one that I saw that he. He like throat punched a guy.

[Hank]

Yeah, he was biting. He was biting Chris Jones.

[Big Cat]

Yeah. Yeah, he was. He was an animal. He just put him out on an island too. He never had help. The Eagles were just that much better than the Chiefs.

[Hank]

You see Kenny Pickett?

[Big Cat]

No.

[PFT Commenter]

At the party. Yeah, I did not see him at the party.

[Big Cat]

That would have been cool.

[Hank]

Yeah.

[Max]

What type of jumpsuit was Big Dom wearing?

[PFT Commenter]

Big Dom basically got us into the party and then immediately left.

[Hank]

He had a lot.

[PFT Commenter]

Yeah, he was like. Yeah, he texted me.

[Hank]

Yeah, the super bowl after party is Big Dom. Super bowl. Like, he's got to be on point with that.

[Big Cat]

As.

[PFT Commenter]

Yeah, as. As he was walking us in. C.J. gardner. Johnson was walking out and he was like. He Was like, dom, I'm gonna need a ride for me and all these people, like, immediately. And then he was like, all right, all right, I'll get to you in a second.

[Big Cat]

Also, I want to see the Swifties.

[Max]

Are kind of at war.

[Big Cat]

Oh, I do want to see it. I want to hear about that. But I just want to defend Big Dom for a second, because I've seen this narrative being thrown around that he's, like, hunting for the camera. It's his literal job to be next to Nick Sirianni after a game. Like, if you. If you are upset that Nick Sirianni is getting a picture taken and Big Dom happens to be behind him, he's not looking for the camera. He's doing his job. That is his job. Shout out, Big D. Go ahead, Swifties.

[Max]

Which cj? Gardner Johnson was the person. He posted on a story, a picture of him and Kelsey. And his quote was, should have stayed with that thick.

[Hank]

Oh, yeah.

[Max]

So Swifties are fired up.

[Hank]

They are. Well, there was that picture of Taylor that went viral, like, two weeks ago.

[Max]

I think they're also mad about her getting booed. Like, they're.

[Big Cat]

And I think Travis, Kelsey's ex girlfriend, might have been there.

[Hank]

I think she was. But, yeah, there was that picture. And it. It confirmed the fact that Taylor Swift does, in fact, have a leg. And all the Swift dudes are like, oh, look how thick she is. Look how strong that leg is. And it was just like a leg.

[Big Cat]

And it was all like.

[Hank]

So now CJ's saying, oh, he should have stayed with the thick girl. And then now all the Swifties have responded by leaving bad reviews for cj. Gardner Johnson's mom's restaurant.

[Big Cat]

Is that what it is? That's nasty. Nasty work. You know, they've never lost. Yeah, they've literally never lost.

[Hank]

They weaponize social media.

[Big Cat]

Yeah, they do, but they. They. That was their first big loss.

[Hank]

Yeah.

[Max]

And it was huge.

[Hank]

How do you respond from adversity?

[Big Cat]

I don't know. We'll see.

[Hank]

She's gonna put out a banger album about the Super Bowl.

[Max]

I think he's gonna retire.

[Big Cat]

You do? He looked old. He did.

[Hank]

He did look old.

[Big Cat]

He is old.

[Max]

He wasn't getting off the line.

[Big Cat]

Yeah. Yeah. I mean, the Chiefs just overall just looked bad. There's. There was nothing.

[Max]

Eddie Reid might retire.

[Big Cat]

Chiefs run defense was pretty much all you can say was good.

[Hank]

Is this Eagles team the best football team of all time?

[Big Cat]

Oh, because.

[Hank]

Well, hear me out. You've got Saquon Barkley, one of. I'd Say Maybe a top 10 running back of all time. Right. The way that he's playing right now. Not in terms of longevity this season. Incredible shout out.

[Big Cat]

But by the way, just a side note, shout out. That one guy who posted a video of him pinning Saquon Barkley in like.

[Hank]

6Th grade wrestling never let go of that.

[Big Cat]

That was so good. Saquon won a Super bowl birthday. He's like, hey, check out this time.

[Hank]

Barkley, he was in the MVP consideration. He had a great season.

[Big Cat]

Yep.

[Hank]

Top 10 season of a running back of all time. The offensive line for the Eagles, maybe top 10 offensive line of all time. Defensive line, you could make the same argument. And the pass rush make the same argument. Impact rookies all over the place. Great secondary shut down. Patrick Mahomes, quarterback better than Patrick Mahomes.

[Max]

Yep.

[Hank]

Beat Patrick Mahomes in the Super Bowl. And we're talking about Patrick potentially being the second or going into this game, the best quarterback of all time. Well, a guy that just beat him, you would say that he's probably the second or the best quarterback of all time. Is this the best football team ever?

[PFT Commenter]

Max, I already made this argument on Sunday's show.

[Hank]

Would you. Did you say they're the best team ever?

[Big Cat]

Yeah, he did. He said 16 and 1.

[PFT Commenter]

I. I just started saying that we basically were undefeated.

[Big Cat]

Yeah, he. He found a way to get out of every single one of their losses.

[Hank]

Yeah, best. So the Eagles number one, Patriots number two.

[Joe Burrow]

Yeah.

[Max]

I mean, that's the thing that doesn't matter because it's all. You can make the argument for anything. But all that matters is they're both super bowl champions.

[Hank]

And the Chiefs are not.

[Max]

And the Chiefs are not.

[Big Cat]

And Patrick is probably going to use his revenge and get like, way better and win another one right in everyone's face. Oh, you think he's totally done. Hank. Hank is.

[Hank]

Hank. Hank is not unironically doing the washed trash. Yeah.

[Big Cat]

You actually think Patrick Mahomes is done. Like, we. We went along with the joke long.

[Max]

But we went along a huge mountain decline. If he can win five more Super Bowls to be Tom Brady, good for him.

[Hank]

No, you've become Max Kellerman.

[Big Cat]

Wait, but we were. When we. When you did the wash thing on Sunday night, we were going along with the joke. Like he is. He is going to win another Super Bowl.

[Max]

Maybe.

[Hank]

Okay, all right.

[Big Cat]

So he thinks.

[Hank]

No, this is. You are. You have become Max Kellerman even. Either you die a villain or no. Die hero or live long enough to become a Kellerman.

[Big Cat]

How many Super Bowls is he going to go to for the rest of his career?

[Max]

It's NFL is hard. It's hard to stay healthy. It's hard to get back. We've talked to all these but they quarterbacks and pros where it's like you know, it's a constant narrative on the show. You never know. Probably one or two.

[Big Cat]

Okay. So you would you would you bet that he'll be back to at least two?

[Max]

I would look at the other line. It depends how juicy the plus sign was.

[Hank]

Who wins a super.

[Max]

Probably take the. I probably take. No.

[Big Cat]

Okay. Who wins a super five out of the last seven.

[Max]

Yeah but it's again it's tough.

[Big Cat]

He's.

[Max]

He's just a check down merchant now.

[Big Cat]

Okay.

[Hank]

Who wins the super bowl first? Patrick Mahomes or Drake May?

[Max]

Drake May.

[Big Cat]

Okay.

[Max]

We come.

[Big Cat]

Okay. Okay. Yeah. We know you're on Hank's side but you. You.

[PFT Commenter]

You killed him that first Tom Brady will never have tape like that first half tape no matter what. That's. That that will be on his legacy forever.

[Big Cat]

Did you body that he had a.

[PFT Commenter]

Chance to do something legendary and came out with the worst performance in the history of football.

[Max]

He played worse than Sam Darnold did.

[Big Cat]

Yeah. He was very bad. Do you think Max. Is there anything to be said that Carson Wentz is your good luck charm because the Eagles have two Super Bowls when Carson Wentz is on the sidelines.

[PFT Commenter]

That great point.

[Big Cat]

We just need. You need to find him an AFC team next year that will be in the super bowl and just have him out there. You're undefeated in Super Bowls when Carson Wentz is a backup somewhere.

[PFT Commenter]

That's an excellent point.

[Big Cat]

He also kind of didn't. I reviewed the tape kind of shaded Jalen Hurts after the Super Bowl. I couldn't fully understand if it was. He never saw him but he Jalen hurts was kind of looking to give him a high five and Carson Wentz was walking the opposite direction.

[Hank]

Interesting.

[Big Cat]

So we'll just go with that.

[PFT Commenter]

Do you think Carson Wentz still thinks that he was like if that were me too.

[Big Cat]

Oh, for sure.

[Hank]

I would say good luck charm is more Nick Foles. Nick Foles even posted it's really cool that Tom Brady got to be Or I guess it's Tom Brady that's the good luck.

[Big Cat]

Yeah.

[Hank]

But Nick Foles point out Tom Brady got to be there for the Eagles. Two super bowl wins. He might be the good luck charm.

[Big Cat]

Well, the good. It's. It's. Yeah. Tom Brady. Yeah. And also Tom Brady is. Was there for Both the Patrick Mahomes super bowl losses.

[Hank]

Yeah.

[Max]

So I'm so happy for Tom.

[Big Cat]

What, do you review the tape? All right, so here's Jalen hurts and Mahomes. That Jalen hurts goes towards Carson Wentz, and Carson Wentz is like, nah, nah. I don't know. I just like.

[PFT Commenter]

I like.

[Big Cat]

I don't think. I don't.

[PFT Commenter]

So many people in between them.

[Big Cat]

No.

[Max]

I don't like, you know that you're gonna go see the other starter. I don't know if it's customary or not to go see backup right away.

[Big Cat]

I just like the narrative now.

[Hank]

If it's Carson wins, you have to check in in town.

[Big Cat]

Yeah. You have to just say, you know.

[Hank]

I'm in your city.

[Big Cat]

Yeah. Hey, Jill. And that should have been me.

[Hank]

Yeah.

[Big Cat]

That would be awesome if he went up to and said that. Just so you know, it should have been me.

[Hank]

It's probably way better to not even make the super bowl than it is to make the super bowl and get blown out like the Chiefs, Right?

[Big Cat]

Yes.

[Hank]

Yeah. So good job. All of us.

[Big Cat]

Yeah. Playing all along.

[Max]

That's what Brad. That's what Brady was saying. He's like, no one talks to me about when I've lost an AFC championship. I only get talked about about the losses in the Super Bowl.

[Hank]

Yeah.

[Max]

Super bowl losses. Massive.

[Big Cat]

And shout out Jalen Hurts. Incredible story.

[Max]

Imagine getting Super Bowls in the negative point differential. That's embarrassing.

[Big Cat]

This is more Hank's super bowl than Max. I had. I had.

[Max]

I literally felt like I. I felt like I won the super bowl yesterday. I hadn't really thought about how bad it would have been, but after the way they'd lost, like, it really put in perspective how good it is to win. And I'm happy for Pug. I'm happy for Max.

[Big Cat]

Hank and I have never been more.

[PFT Commenter]

In lockstep than we are right now. Absolute boys.

[Max]

Yeah.

[Hank]

What was your worst loss in the Super Bowl, Hank?

[Max]

It probably would have been that one, but the Eagles was.

[Hank]

Wait, you're talking about this year?

[Max]

Yeah, that would have been this year.

[Big Cat]

Wait, what are you gonna say, Max?

[Max]

I don't know.

[PFT Commenter]

This is a way. This is a way more fun conversation than what I was gonna say.

[Max]

It would have been you guys. It would have been an impossible argument to make, and it would have just been this one. She said, actually, I'll make.

[PFT Commenter]

I'll ask a question.

[Hank]

Yeah.

[PFT Commenter]

Realistically, where do you rank Jalen Hurts as quarterbacks in the NFL right now?

[Max]

Right now? One.

[Big Cat]

Right now.

[Hank]

I.

[Big Cat]

And I'm ranking it. If a team called, would they do like salaries out? Take salaries out. Would the team do a one for one trade? I'd probably rank him.

[Max]

What if you're drafting. What if it's the. The league starts tomorrow, you have the number one pick.

[Hank]

It's tricky with Jalen Hurts because I think that there's a bunch of quarterbacks that would not do a bunch of teams that would not do a one for one trade with their quarterback. But Jalen Hurts is better than them in terms of how he fits in with the Eagles.

[Big Cat]

I'd probably rank him fifth.

[Hank]

So, like, do you think Justin Herbert. You think the charges would trade? I don't think they would, but I have.

[PFT Commenter]

That's bullshit.

[Hank]

No, that's bullshit, Max. I don't think they would, but I'm saying Jalen Hurts is a better quarterback.

[PFT Commenter]

Jalen Hurts. It's not even close. Justin Herbert is just a regular season merchant. And then as soon as the playoff. It's exactly what you don't want in a quarterback. Someone who looks really good in shorts and does during the regular season and that as soon as the playoff comes, shits his pants.

[Hank]

I. I agree. I'm saying Jalen Hurts is better, but I. I don't think the Chargers would make that trade.

[PFT Commenter]

I don't know if winners.

[Big Cat]

Fred, you got a fresh true.

[Max]

You're number one on the clock. Every NFL players available.

[Big Cat]

I would probably. I. No, if you just.

[Max]

Are you quarterback. You're drafting. Yeah. You're drafting Hertz over Herbert.

[Hank]

Do you want to do a draft right now?

[Big Cat]

I would. I would probably make him fourth or fifth. Is that sounds fair?

[PFT Commenter]

That's fair. Yeah. I would say top three, but I'll. I'm willing to go to top.

[Big Cat]

It's a combination of Mahomes, Allen, Burrow, maybe Lamar, because obviously the playoffs, he hasn't been good. And then Jalen hurts like he's somewhere in there. I think Mahomes and Allen are first. First two, you would agree, I think.

[PFT Commenter]

Yeah.

[Big Cat]

Like. Like Josh Allen and Hertz. Hertz is above Lamar.

[PFT Commenter]

Hertz is above Lamar. You can't. There's no. Hertz and Lamar have been in the same situation.

[Big Cat]

Yeah.

[PFT Commenter]

With both loaded rosters.

[Big Cat]

Yeah.

[PFT Commenter]

But Lamar cannot win.

[Big Cat]

So four.

[PFT Commenter]

Yeah. Yes. I'm all right. I'm all right with that.

[Big Cat]

Four is okay for you.

[PFT Commenter]

Four I'm okay with.

[Big Cat]

Okay.

[Hank]

I have him. Six.

[Big Cat]

Who. Who's your. Who's your.

[Hank]

I don't know. I don't know. It's a mystery. It's a Mystery. I'm gonna do a mystery top five and then I've got. Yeah, I gotta hurt six. It's a compliment. Six is high.

[Big Cat]

There's a nice stray there, Hank. Just saying. Allen is number one. He's. You are. It's. He's. Mom should retire. Yeah.

[Hank]

Stop it.

[Big Cat]

DeAndre Hopkins retired. He's already dead. Tough way for DeAndre Hopkins to go out being like complaining about the refs and then be like, I'm retired.

[Hank]

Wait, was, was that not a fake Schefter account?

[Big Cat]

Oh, it was. Oh, I got.

[Hank]

I think you got Adam Scheffler.

[Big Cat]

Oh, okay. I just saw DeAndre Hopkins retired. So yeah, I guess I got Adam Scheffler. He did not retire. Other people. Oh, there it is. Yep, that's fake. I got got. All right, so he hasn't retired.

[Hank]

He might retire.

[Big Cat]

Oh, yeah. Aaron. Yeah. Have you seen Jerry's trying to get Aaron Rodgers to the Steelers?

[Hank]

Yep. Hard rogy, hard Raji.

[Big Cat]

Okay, should we do hot seat culture on? Lets do hot seat cool throne. Hot seat cool throne is brought to you by our friends at Farmer's Dog. Blake and Stella are both farmer's dogs this year. Healthy habits don't only apply to humans. Give your dog a fresh start too. The farmer's dog makes feeding real healthy dog food easy and convenient and your dog will absolutely love it. The pre proportioned meals are personalized for your dog's needs, which makes it simple to help your dog reach and maintain a healthy weight. Have you ever thought about making the switch? Now is the time. It's made from human grade real meat and veggies that are gently cooked with the safety and quality standards of human food. It doesn't matter if your dog is young or old. It's always the right time to begin investing in their health. That means more happy, healthy and full years together. Get 50% off your first box of fresh healthy food at farmersdog.compmt plus you get free shipping. Just go to the farmersdog.compmt to get 50% off. That's farmersdog.compmt we are big fans of the farmer's dog. If you love your dog, you love your dog. Make sure you get them farmer's dog because that is the best food out there for any dog. So go become a farmer's dog as well. We're also brought to you by our friends at Chevy. Chevy has packed more capability into the Silverado Trail boss so that you can pack more fun into your weekend. Have yourself a Friday, Saturday and Sunday with the Truck that says no to nothing. Tailgates, spontaneous camping trips, DIY projects. Bring it on. What about a cross country road trip? Silverado is a perfect, perfect ride for last year's grit week out west. Recently, they helped us give fullbacks the recognition they deserve with a low man award. Well, Silverado Trail Boss is built like a fullback. We're talking 495 pounds of torque. Hold on to your sodas, Max. Plus, the Trail Boss gives you an extra 2 inch lift, so maybe Hank can finally dunk. Silverado brings a grit, then pairs it with all the latest truck tech, inside and out. The result, A truck that can do it all, then show up on Monday with a story to tell. So learn more about the silverado Trail boss, chevy.com Chevrolet together. Let's drive, Hank. Hot seat. Cool drone.

[Max]

My hot seat was going to be C.J. gardner Johnson, but we discussed that. Still tough to kind of come come out of your super bowl hangover with the swifties on your ass. Is that they're not going away.

[Hank]

Is it his mom that that has that restaurant?

[Max]

I believe so.

[PFT Commenter]

Yeah.

[Hank]

That's tough.

[Max]

Or like some, you know, someone in his inner circle. The other thing I was just laughing at thinking how, you know, crazy of a tradition is, is the super bowl, like, seeing Jalen hurts at Disney World. And we should have sent Max or Pug to Disney World instead of home because, like, that's got to be the most miserable experience of all time.

[Big Cat]

Yeah.

[Hank]

What Disney World?

[Max]

They have to go to Disney world.

[Big Cat]

At like 6am yeah, but they fly private. They just go to a couple. I mean, the Tron ride looked sick.

[Hank]

They've got beers at Disney World.

[Big Cat]

Yeah, I guess the Tron ride was awesome.

[Max]

I was more just thinking like, Max's state and if he had to just.

[Big Cat]

Yeah, well, Max, I think Jalen hurts going to Disney World. Like flying private. They're cutting every single line, getting do some roller coasters. And going home is not that bad, Max. Yeah, we had sent Max. Maybe it sent Max. And like, my kids been like, max, you have to go take my three kids to Disney World.

[Hank]

If we sent Pug, Pug wearing the Mickey Mouse ears would be very.

[Big Cat]

Yeah, yeah. Look at the Tron ride. How sick does that look? Yeah, you're like sitting forward. I want to do the Tron ride. Yeah.

[Hank]

Going on that hungover would be the worst.

[Big Cat]

Yeah.

[Max]

And then my cool throne is just Jon Gruden, I don't think. I mean, we didn't really talk about it that much on Friday and we were kind of in the middle of super bowl week last week. But coming out of it, I've spent so much time just thinking about Jon Gruden.

[Big Cat]

I miss John Gruden. I miss him so much.

[Max]

We have a crazy, surreal job, and we have moments all the time where it's kind of like, pinch me, how is this happening? But, yeah, going away from super bowl week and just being like, the amount of time we spent with Jon Gruden and how just unbelievably legendary of a guy he is, off camera, on camera, like, and just the fact that he just hangs with the. Like, it'll be in pmtv, I think. But we were. We had a dumb debate with him for, like, an hour and a half. Like, he was. Max.

[Big Cat]

He's. He's the best. I. I miss him.

[Max]

You spent, like, the week in his house, too.

[Big Cat]

Yeah. Yeah. No, I would wake up and he would just be sitting there taking notes and, like, give me a quiz when I would wake up and I just, like, what's going on?

[Hank]

He's always pumped.

[Big Cat]

Yeah.

[Hank]

John Gruden is the most pumped individual I've ever hung out with in my life.

[Big Cat]

I. I tease this at the end of the gambling stream, but I. I think I successfully talked John Gruden into coming for the first two days of March Madness, which I'm already just so pumped for. I was like, do you watch college ball? He's like, yeah, I like. I like any. Any sports is like, do you want to come gamble with us for two days? He's like, I'd be into that.

[Hank]

Yeah.

[Big Cat]

Yes.

[Hank]

He's always fired up.

[Big Cat]

Yeah. So, yeah, I miss him. I just miss him. Same.

[Hank]

The only thing that really pisses him off is when people in the room are not adequately fired up.

[Big Cat]

Yeah.

[Hank]

He likes to have energy in the room.

[Big Cat]

Yeah.

[Max]

And he much like Coach Missoula, like, and that's, I think, just a trait of a good coach. Like, I. He just makes you want to be a better person.

[Big Cat]

What are you gonna say, Max?

[Adam Silver]

Well, he.

[PFT Commenter]

It's Hank. Hank is the one that he gets mad at.

[Big Cat]

Yeah.

[PFT Commenter]

For not having fired up.

[Hank]

You do need to bring the juice.

[Max]

No, I know. He.

[Big Cat]

He.

[Max]

He makes me want to be a better person. Like, he. He. He makes me want to bring the juice. He makes me want to just, you.

[Big Cat]

Know, go, so are you going to be a better person?

[Max]

I'm going to try for. Now that I know he's, you know, watching. I mean, Missoula is the same way where it's like, I. Now that I'VE been blessed to, to meet him and be in his presence. Like, I want to be better for him.

[Hank]

How can you be better?

[Max]

I can try harder. I can go harder.

[Big Cat]

That's kind of higher. That's kind of hurtful, isn't it?

[Hank]

What?

[Big Cat]

Like Hank has never considered trying to be better for us.

[Hank]

Yeah, it's true.

[Max]

No, you guys, for this show, for us, you guys are like me.

[Big Cat]

No, he just. What do you mean? I want iron sharpens. I want to, I want to stay sharp for pft.

[Hank]

You think we're, you think we're lethargic?

[Max]

No, but like, we go hard coaches, you know.

[Big Cat]

Yeah, but like what? Like I, I, I, I prep for this show and get ready for this, knowing that your motivation is same to me. No, no, but I, I want to bring my A game because I know PFT will bring his excellence. Brings out excellence. You have never once thought.

[Max]

I'm talking about in life.

[Big Cat]

Yeah, but this is, this show is our life.

[Hank]

Right, but John Gruden's not around you for, for your life. He's around you when you're working.

[PFT Commenter]

I get hard for you guys.

[Big Cat]

Thank you, Max.

[PFT Commenter]

Always hard.

[Hank]

It's my hardest boy.

[Big Cat]

It's okay. We just can't, we can't bring out of you what Missoula and Gruden did. It's fine. It just hurts. I just said it was hurtful. I didn't say that. You're wrong. It just said it hurtful.

[Hank]

Some people in this world are self starters.

[Big Cat]

Yeah.

[Hank]

And they don't need somebody to grab them by the face mask and tell them what to do. Other people need to have their hands held. And that's okay.

[Big Cat]

Yeah.

[Max]

I mean, I guess that's, that's fair. That's a fair, fair point.

[Big Cat]

Broke his face.

[Hank]

Do we need to get harder on you?

[Max]

It's not like getting. He's not hard on me. He just, it's just his, his energy.

[Big Cat]

Energy. That was, that was when we were having a tight end debate on barstool radio and crude was like, Gronk broke. Broke someone's face. And I was like, what? He did. I think he did. I think he, he's like, he broke his neck in half. Kyle Vandenbosch.

[Hank]

Yeah.

[Big Cat]

Yeah. He's like, he broke his face.

[Hank]

Yeah. Drew was like, I like that guy. But he broke his neck off.

[Big Cat]

He broke his face. Oh.

[Max]

The only other thing that I was curious about was exactly how the gumbo finished. Like, how'd you finish that?

[Hank]

I finished 15 gumbos on the last night I Was a guy.

[Max]

What'd you do?

[Big Cat]

Hey. Hey. Can I ask you a question about the gumbos? Did you need Gruden or Joe Missoula to tell you to do that?

[Hank]

I did it all on my own.

[Big Cat]

Wow.

[Hank]

I said I was gonna do it, and then I followed through. Because you set a goal, then you hit it. That's how you feel good about yourself.

[Big Cat]

Love that about it.

[Hank]

It's good to check off the list. I. I do regret doing the gumbo bat just because. Oh, not a bet, a challenge. The gumbo challenge. Just because it made me miss out on so many other good foods that I could have eaten in New Orleans that I would have loved to have had. But, yeah, I'd finished it up with two gumbos at dinner on Friday night, and, yeah, then just went to see Ludicrous. Pretty good show. Left before John Summit. Sorry, John Disrespectful embrace debate.

[Big Cat]

Jack McCarthy's going to enough John Summit for all of us in this room.

[Hank]

Embrace that debate.

[Big Cat]

Yeah.

[Hank]

Is. Is it disrespectful to Ludicrous to have him open up for John Summit?

[Big Cat]

John Simmons pretty big now.

[PFT Commenter]

I mean, me and PFT were having this debate all weekend.

[Hank]

Ludicrous might not be as hot right now as John Summit. I think he's got, like, 20 more.

[PFT Commenter]

Might not be.

[Hank]

Well, he's. You act like Ludicrous is. Is chopped liver. Max bring up their monthly streams on Spotify. No, no, no, no. I'm telling you that John Summit is better. Is bigger than him right now, and it's by, like, a good margin. But Luda still does very well. Luda's been doing this for 25 years. He's in fast and furious. He's a megastar. A little disrespectful to Ludacris. Even though John Summit is hotter. Right.

[PFT Commenter]

PFT was getting mad at us for saying we're going to the John. The John Summit concert, not the Ludicrous concert.

[Hank]

Ludicrous show.

[Max]

How many songs in the booth does anyone know by Ludicrous? Total.

[PFT Commenter]

Well, no, we played this.

[Hank]

Max came up to me during the show and was like, I'm sorry for disrespecting Ludicrous. He's got no listen.

[Max]

I mean, I love Luda, but it does. It's shows your age, I think.

[Hank]

Well, no, it also just shows that John Summit is much newer and Ludicrous has been doing for 25 years. Talk to me in. In 15 years and let me know how. How hot John Summit is.

[Max]

I. I agree with that. Lud Ludicrous has more longevity.

[Hank]

Yeah.

[Big Cat]

All right. Your cool drone. That was your cool drone. Your hot seat. Pft.

[Hank]

My hot seat is pitchers and catchers. They're reporting. Yeah, I think the Cubs are there.

[Big Cat]

Yeah, Cubs are the first to report.

[Hank]

The Dodgers are there. First to report. I just remember watching part of the interruption when I was a kid growing up and the first show after the super bowl would always be Tony talking about the beautiful cyclical nature of sports.

[Big Cat]

Yep.

[Hank]

We lose one and we get rebirth.

[Big Cat]

Yep.

[Hank]

And so baseball's back.

[Big Cat]

Baseball.

[Hank]

Baseball is officially back. We'll do our baseball preview in probably.

[Big Cat]

September when we do dingers only.

[Hank]

When dingers only.

[PFT Commenter]

Yeah.

[Hank]

But yeah, they're, they're reporting right now. And then why pitchers and catches go there first and then everybody else just shows up all at once. Yeah, they don't hang out like with the pitchers and catchers.

[Big Cat]

I think pictures, catchers got to get.

[Hank]

A nice jump start just being weirdos.

[Big Cat]

Down there, warming up their, their arms.

[Hank]

They just do long toss for a week and then everyone else shows up.

[Big Cat]

And then I think they just do like plays to first.

[Max]

That's picture.

[Hank]

Yeah, yeah.

[Max]

That's always the first video.

[Big Cat]

Yeah. It's just like them running, covering first base.

[Hank]

Yeah. And then like.

[Big Cat]

And that's what makes the Garrett Cole thing even funnier year.

[Hank]

Yeah. In the World Series in July sometime there will be a ground out. They get a dribbler back to the pitcher and the announcer. Like that's the first thing they work on in spring training. Is that. Which also means that we're going to get some pictures through chain link fences from reporters where they're standing like 300 yards away. The blurriest pictures of all time being like, look, baseball's back.

[Big Cat]

Baseball's back.

[Hank]

There's Shohei. My cool throne is big men. Random big men are back. Because we've entered the stage of the NBA season where the Lakers don't have a big man. And so now people are just going on TV and saying the names of random big men who could fill in to play for the Los Angeles Lakers even though maybe some of them have been out of the league for like four years.

[Big Cat]

Yes.

[Hank]

So Stephen A. Smith was making the case for Dwight Howard today coming back, which would. Okay, I am in support of that just because it'd be very funny.

[Big Cat]

Yes.

[Hank]

But I don't think he's very good at basketball.

[Big Cat]

No.

[Max]

But I feel like he stays in shape.

[Big Cat]

He probably does. But he, he's one of those guys that looks in shape, but he probably doesn't have any of the skills that he once had.

[Hank]

Yeah, like, he.

[Big Cat]

He looks ripped. It's kind of like a. To remember when. To ten years after.

[Hank]

Yeah.

[Big Cat]

Was still ripped. And then he would. Then he'd run a 40 and be like, oh, yeah, that's. That's the difference. The speed's not there anymore.

[Hank]

So I'm gonna say some other big men.

[Big Cat]

Okay.

[Hank]

Blake Griffin.

[Big Cat]

Love it.

[Hank]

Who says no to Blake Griffin?

[Max]

Blake Griffin.

[Big Cat]

Blake Griffin. You don't think Blake Griffin, by the way, Griffin. Awesome.

[Hank]

Five fouls.

[Big Cat]

Awesome commercial. Red Lobster commercial. You see him dunking? Yeah, he's dunking everything.

[Hank]

Spencer Hawes.

[Big Cat]

Yes, done.

[Hank]

Bring him back. But, yeah, the Lakers need a center, so you can just say anybody. Any. Any tall man. Be like, yeah, I could see him get out there, give you some fouls.

[Max]

Big Perk.

[Hank]

Perk. Perk caught a stray.

[Big Cat]

He didn't really stray, like, instantly.

[Hank]

Per caught a shotgun blast from KD over the weekend.

[Big Cat]

Yeah, KD was not so happy about everything.

[Hank]

Well, Perk. Perk is the guy that, like, the further away he gets from playing, the better he was.

[Big Cat]

Oh, yeah.

[Hank]

And I love Perk. I'll listen to him talk about anything, but he was. He was like, yeah, I was a leader of that team. And kid, he's like, this is the most ridiculous thing I've heard said online this whole week.

[Big Cat]

Yes. Yes. Okay. My hot seat is Glenn Taylor because A Rod and Mark Laurie have become official governors, or they at least won the arbitration to be governors. Wait, what does it say? Lay off the burgers, Wendy.

[PFT Commenter]

35 minutes ago, that's.

[Big Cat]

Oh, Dwight Howard said, lay off the burgers, Wendy.

[Hank]

Well, I saw Stephen A. Smith bring it up and say, like, what about Dwight Howard? And Wendy was like, yeah, no, Dwight is not going to play. He's about to go into the hall of Fame. He's not going to come back and play. He's not in blank shape. Lay off the burgers.

[Max]

Wendy's cousins is a great one for that conversation.

[Big Cat]

Oh, yeah. Boogie could definitely get back out there.

[Hank]

Zach Randolph.

[Big Cat]

I saw Zach Randolph. No, the. Lay off the burgers.

[Max]

No, I think this is. This is. Windhorse said, like, basically scoffed at the fact that Dwight Howard would come back. And Dwight Howard might be saying that because he's gonna come back. Back.

[Hank]

What? So you're saying that. That Stephen A. Smith was right.

[Max]

Win.

[Big Cat]

Horse couldn't. Yeah, he's being mean.

[Max]

Horse couldn't believe that Stephen A. Smith suggested the Lakers could sign Dwight Howard. Like, he's saying that Dwight Howard's retired.

[Big Cat]

He's.

[Max]

He's just not capable of coming back.

[Big Cat]

Right. But then we, we follow that.

[Max]

So then Dwight Howard saying, lay off the burgers, Wendy. Meaning like he's offended that Windhorse thinks he couldn't come back.

[Hank]

Yes.

[Big Cat]

Right.

[Hank]

Dwight Harris. But now Hank is taking that one.

[Max]

Step further and saying, I thought when I.

[Hank]

It's because Dwight is coming back that he took it. So.

[Big Cat]

No, he's just being mean to Wendy.

[Max]

Yeah, I thought Windhorse said like Dwight Howard's coming back and he said lay off the burgers. No, I'm not.

[Big Cat]

No, he's just saying Wendy's fat.

[Hank]

But if you're Dwight Howard and you're sitting at home and you hear Stephen A. Smith mention your name, you think about it.

[Big Cat]

Yeah, yeah.

[Hank]

Stephen A. Smith's probably going to be president.

[Big Cat]

That's true. We're just going to do that all the time. I think so either way, A Rod and Mark Lurie, official governors of the Timberwolves also hot seat court storming. Because now the football's over. We're just going to have this debate. At any point. Did you guys see Vandy Vanderbilt actually doing a new rule? Would they do a minute timeout after the game? So lame. Wait, what do you mean they do they, they pause. They, they basically if, if Vandy has a big upset at home, they pause everything for a minute after the game ends and then the kids are allowed to storm the court.

[Hank]

So they're giving him a constructive yes, school approved way.

[Big Cat]

Yes.

[Hank]

Yeah, they set up like points of entrance for them that they Tim woods double consent. Soon.

[Big Cat]

Soon.

[Hank]

You're gonna have to like buy an extra ticket.

[Big Cat]

Yeah.

[Hank]

To storm the court afterwards.

[Big Cat]

Yeah, yeah. So. And then my cool throne is Lane Kiffin because he's just embracing the fact that his daughter's hot. I don't know if you guys saw, but he just tweeted out article. Lane Kiffin's daughter Landry slays tiny shoestring crop top standing next to dad. He tweeted the article. So Charlotte Lane Kiffin. Yeah, I mean, he's just hitting it face on, you know, I guess. So like here it is.

[Hank]

I mean, you might as well just embrace it instead of fight it. Yeah, it's better than being like, if you were to tweet out my daughter's ugly.

[Big Cat]

Yeah.

[Hank]

Which, which one would you rather have?

[Big Cat]

Yeah, you just be like, hey, here it is.

[Joe Burrow]

Oh.

[Big Cat]

Oh, Max, I got a stat for you that I, I'm looking at my bookmarks right now. You ready for this one? You like this one? If Nick Sirianni goes 6 and 11 and misses the playoffs for the next four years in a row, he will have just as many wins, just as many playoff appearances, just as many super bowl appearances, and one more super bowl title in his first eight years than Kyle Shanahan has in his. Look at that.

[PFT Commenter]

That's just facts. Those are facts.

[Big Cat]

I said it to you. I know, right?

[PFT Commenter]

But you're doing good. Oh, I also brought the boot. I was meaning to show that when I first came in. It smells horrendous.

[Big Cat]

Yeah. But you have to save it for next year, right? It might be. Do you think it's. Would you put it on for a Phillies run? No, you can't. It's got to be just birds, right? Yeah.

[PFT Commenter]

You don't want to overuse it, and then it runs out of power.

[Hank]

That might be your must win boot.

[PFT Commenter]

Yeah. No, but then there's.

[Max]

You're gonna.

[PFT Commenter]

I'm gonna be put into situations of.

[Big Cat]

If it loses. Yeah. I think it's just playoffs.

[PFT Commenter]

Just playoffs.

[Hank]

Just playoffs.

[PFT Commenter]

Because then you're going to use that against me.

[Big Cat]

No, no, we would never. What are you talking about?

[PFT Commenter]

Just playoff.

[Big Cat]

It's a playoff.

[Hank]

Max is getting a lot better at sniffing these things out.

[Big Cat]

He's a winner now.

[Hank]

Entire thing we're trying to do there.

[Big Cat]

He's a winner.

[Max]

Sniff out McCarthy, though.

[Big Cat]

No. Doing fake ads.

[PFT Commenter]

What?

[Hank]

No.

[Big Cat]

Oh, still doesn't know.

[Hank]

Yeah.

[PFT Commenter]

Oh, those are. Those are fake. What do you mean?

[Hank]

He was having to do fake ads to make you do more shoes out of the boot.

[PFT Commenter]

Did not know that. That's the first I'm hearing of that. Did you text him to do that?

[Big Cat]

No.

[PFT Commenter]

I think he actually. I don't think those were fake.

[Big Cat]

No, they were fake. He text us being like I'm making him do a bunch of fake ads.

[PFT Commenter]

That's not true.

[Big Cat]

You can listen to Monday's part of my take when we say it on air. And then we played the ads. Dove is real. Truly wasn't needed. He did call me. He goes, oh, is there a cta? And then just hung up.

[Adam Silver]

Oh, yeah, yeah.

[Big Cat]

Meaning, like, he was just.

[Joe Burrow]

He was just proving he was gonna.

[Big Cat]

Call someone to pretend that it was real.

[PFT Commenter]

He did a very good job.

[Big Cat]

Yeah, very funny, Hank.

[Hank]

Do you have any advice for Max about how to. How to establish a dynasty and what this offseason's gonna need to look like to continue this run?

[Max]

No, you gotta soak it in now. Now you just gotta. You know, Max has kind of been a little bit Scared, Always worried. Always, you know, not confident. Now you. Now that you're the champions, you have to just be confident. Like, you have to just be a cocky. Wait. It's playoffs time. Wake me up when the playoffs start. No matter what happens next year on this show, lose a couple regular season games, they start trying to get you trolling about Sirianni or Jalen. Hurts as he washed. Is he the guy? Wake me up when the playoffs start.

[PFT Commenter]

I don't think I got that in my bag. I don't think I have it.

[Big Cat]

No, he's gonna live and die with every game. Okay, let's get to our interviews. We got Adam Silver and then we have Joe Burrow. Okay, before we get to Adam Silver, we're brought to you by our friends at Morgan and Morgan. There's a reason why coffee's the first thing people reach for in the morning. Just like there's a reason why Morgan and Morgan is America's largest injury law firm. For over 35 years, Morgan and Morgan has been fighting for the people just like you and I. And they have over 100 offices and more than 1,000 lawyers nationwide. When hiring Morgan and Morgan, it's like hiring an army that has your back. If you're injured by the negligence of another, you deserve to be paid. When you hire the wrong law firm, you may be beat before you start. All law firms are not the same. That's why you need Morgan and Morgan. If you're ever injured, you can check out Morgan and Morgan. Their fee is free unless they win. For more information, go to forthepeople.com pmt or dial pound law pound 529 from your cell phone. That's f o r the people.com pmt or pound law pound 529 from your cell. Morgan and Morgan is the one you can trust. We're also brought to you by our friends at taxact. It is tax season. Henry, how we feeling about tax season? The IRS is now open and accepting returns. Tax season is officially here. So how you feeling?

[Max]

Tis the season. Football season's over. Tax season has begun and I feel great. I feel as little stress as I've ever felt in a tax season. That's because I found tax act they have easy to use software. Max refund guaranteed. Not Max delente maximum.

[Big Cat]

We would like a refund on our max.

[Max]

No, I love. I love max. Yeah, we're boys. Always have been. And they have live tax experts. When you need help, they got it all. Any question you have, taxact can answer it. They have expert assist. All their tax experts are US based. And all you have to do is go to taxact.com, check it out, see the deals they have, see what fits for you. Taxact.com get involved tax season memes.

[Big Cat]

You're during your taxes on tax act. How you feeling? Feeling great. Feeling locked in. You gotta, you got, you got it locked in, locked in, locked down. You get a locked in, you get.

[Hank]

A virtual tax expert. They hook you up.

[Big Cat]

Love that. Okay, so go check out tax act now. It is tax season. Don't stress when you have tax act.

[PFT Commenter]

That was good.

[Big Cat]

Go get them. That was good. Me. Your, your mic's still on, Max. That's okay. Go check out tax act now. All right, here he is, Commissioner Adam Silver. Okay. We now welcome on a very, very, very special guest. It is NBA commissioner Adam Silver ahead of the NBA All Star Game weekend in San Francisco. Mr. Commissioner. Is that. Should we call you Mr. Commissioner? We've never had a commissioner on before.

[Hank]

Paul Rabel.

[Big Cat]

Yeah, that's true.

[Hank]

Yeah. Second commissioner.

[Joe Burrow]

Yeah, I know. Paul. Adam, please.

[Big Cat]

Okay. So, Adam, thank you so much for joining us. I have to ask because we, we're, we're very excited for this interview. What was the sell process for you to come on this show was. Did someone have to tell you, like, hey, these guys actually aren't the worst? Because I can't believe you're on. We're excited to interview you.

[Joe Burrow]

Well, I went to law school in Chicago.

[Big Cat]

Okay.

[Joe Burrow]

I worked in Washington, D.C. for years. So I know. I got. You guys are D.C. and Chicago guys. That was a big part of the selling point of coming on. And you guys are fun to watch and listen to. You guys do an incredible job.

[Hank]

I appreciate it. Also, one of our producers is a big Duke fan, basically went to Duke.

[Max]

So.

[Hank]

Yeah, you've got connections everywhere on the show.

[Joe Burrow]

Yeah, that helps.

[Big Cat]

Yeah. All right, so All Star weekend. How are we feeling going into All Star Weekend? I know you have tried to tinker with the All Star game to make it, you know, better for fans. How do we feel going into this one?

[Joe Burrow]

I'm feeling good about it. I mean, one, I love the Bay Area, you know, obviously four championships there since, since I've been commissioner, so spent a lot of time in the market and multiple finals appearances beyond that beautiful new arena in San Francisco, a new format that we've talked a lot about, you know, where, you know, in essence working with the players association, we came up with this format where it's in essence around Robin, you know, games to 40 then a championship. So I think that's going to be really exciting for the fans and I also for us, you know, as important as the game itself is, it becomes the epicenter of the basketball world for that weekend. It's essentially Friday, Saturday and Sunday of events, community events in Oakland and San Francisco, opportunity to see old friends. I've been with the league for a long time and when you have a neutral site, finals, you can't plan to gather there. So essentially, people who've been in business for a long time can mark their calendars, be in the Bay Area. International partners can all be there as well. So it's sort of a three day long celebration of the game. And that for me is the best part about the whole. The whole long weekend.

[Hank]

When did you come to the decision that the format of the All Star Game had to be changed? Was there one moment in the game last year, were you like, that's it? That I can't go back?

[Joe Burrow]

I think it was when I was presenting the championship trophy on the floor at the end of last year's All Star Game. I think everybody was incredibly disappointed. At least speaking for the fans of the league office. It wasn't what we had hoped for. And then once I had an opportunity to talk to the players afterwards, I think they acknowledged as well, whatever happened, once they got out there, there wasn't any real competition. This was in Indianapolis. Like Larry Bird had talked to the team in advance, Julius Irving had others. We thought we'd all come together with something that we thought would be effective. It obviously wasn't. I think then post All Star Game, talking to several of the players, the perennial all Stars, who we knew we'd be back. We said, look, we just got to do a better job for the fans. We recognize that you just can't turn the clock back. You know, obviously the NFL and pro ball went to flag football. Baseball's made some things, done some changes to tweak their All Star Game. So I said, what can we do to make this exciting and entertaining for the fans? And this is how we came up with this new format.

[Big Cat]

Yeah, I got a really dumb question for you, but we're not the smartest guys. What exactly does a commissioner do day to day? What does your job look like day to day? Because I just would imagine it's just like watching the games and then waiting for someone to text you, being like, we got a problem.

[Joe Burrow]

That's the evening part of my job. The day part. It's more like a standard business job in many ways. Than people would think. I mean, you've got 30 teams. Of course, we got the WNBA, we're overseeing as well the G League, we have a league in Africa now. We're looking at opportunities in Europe. So part of it is planning for the future. Another aspect of it is just regulating this league. There's constantly things happening with teams, business decisions they're making that if you want to make sure everything's unified as a league, that you have to coordinate among the many teams. We have what I was mentioning before about people coming together in the Bay Area, we have literally hundreds of business partners, licensees who produce our products, broadcast partners, media partners, who distribute our games. You know, more traditional sponsors like Pepsi and Amex and Gatorade and companies like that. And so a lot of it's on the relationship side, continuing to build those relationships with our partners, negotiating deals with them, helping to plan for the future. It's also we're a huge enterprise in terms of our budgets. And so I think more that's the part where it's more like a standard job. Like we have thousands of employees and you know, we have an HR department, a legal department, a marketing department. So also just bringing all those people together and doing my best I can, along with other colleagues, just try to lead this enterprise.

[Hank]

Do you spend any time in your day to day searching your name online? Because I think you are probably one of the people that gets the most unsolicited advice.

[Joe Burrow]

You know, I don't need to search because people seek me out. And so it comes through emails, it comes through people forwarding me things that other people are saying. We have our own communications department here who's sending me things. And in all seriousness, I actually find it very helpful because if you work in an industry where you're so closely covered and you have fans and a section of the newspaper devoted to you that you get a lot of unsolicited ideas. And so one, I think when you look at things we've done over the last several years, the play in tournament, the the in season tournament now known as the NBA cup, all those ideas came from initially outside of the league and then sort of it's a question of processing those ideas. And also there's understandably fans want changes some, you know, you get criticism, you get, you know, people are feel good about certain things we're doing. But I think it's my job to do the best I can to incorporate a lot of that feedback. And incidentally, when you have 30 teams, 450 players on the NBA side. I mean, part of my job is hearing directly from players. You know, I've been at the league for a long time. So when players are coming through New York and playing the Knicks or the Nets, often they'll stop by the office and in those one on one conversations, I can get a better sense from them, you know, how they see the league. Also, our, our players are also the, the age in many cases of our core demographics. So I'm always interested in how a 26 year old player is consuming the NBA. Are you watching games on your phone? What social media sites are you on? What podcasts like yours are they watching? So that's very helpful. And again, and it's not just owners of 30 teams. You have team presidents and GMs and coaches. So lots of different constituent groups that are constantly providing feedback to the league office and sharing information with. And that adage has never been more true, that two heads are better than one. And I just find that like part of my job is to be a good listener and get advice from others and then somehow filter that advice and figure out what's in the best interest of the league.

[Big Cat]

What's the dumbest idea that has gone from, okay, that's a dumb idea to like, all right, we should actually think about this. Maybe it never even happened, but you at least paused and said, hey, just look at this for a second.

[Joe Burrow]

You know, last time I got that question on a show like this, it was a question that came from Dan Patrick. It was, what was, what's the wildest idea you've gotten? And I said 10 minute quarters. And I've been responding to questions about 10 minute quarters ever since. So I'm gonna be really careful how I answer this question. I mean, I'd say, you know, people have raised the issue around the size of the court and the height of the basket. Like that's one. I think there have been various times along the way. I mean, it's interesting now that there's so much discussion about three point shooting. You guys probably remember, you know, was a while ago, but maybe, God, time flies. So more sort of in the mid-90s and later where there was a lot of criticism around the game because they thought, people thought it'd become too physical and the game, there was too much activity under the basket and that the players weren't as skilled as they used to be and that they'd lost the art of shooting. Yeah. And so, you know, and at that time, you know, where there seemed to be a prevalence of dunking, the Thought was it's too easy to dunk.

[Big Cat]

Yeah.

[Joe Burrow]

And so I've always said that it's quite remarkable. Then jump ahead till now where there's a lot of discussion around whether the players are frankly too skilled, that three point shooting has become so dominant and that it's. The level of difficulty, in essence isn't high enough on some of those shots. So, you know, I don't, I can't say we ever seriously considered either, you know, raising the height of the basket or widening the court. But those are issues that have come, that have come up over the years. I also think, you know, I'm trying to think of a particular example. I know that a lot of marketing ideas. I got one, you know that I remember when teams first brought to the league the idea that we would put a brand on the uniform itself, you know, and I remember at the time when we first discussed that, people said, and I wasn't commissioner yet when we first did that, David Sturm was commissioner, but I was running the business side. And people said, I can't believe you're going to make our players look like NASCAR cars, et cetera, whatever. And I think that's become very accepted. I think we did it in a fairly classy way. It's a relatively small logo on the team jerseys, but that not only has added a lot of value to the league, but for those companies that choose to put their logos on team uniforms, they become that much more engaged in the league, they're that much more incentivized to promote the league. And so it sort of becomes, you know, a virtuous circle of sort of promotion around it. So a few of those things I think, you know, even looking at. I remember back in the day, in the 90s, early 90s now, when the continuous score clock was first proposed. I remember Dick Eversole, still a close friend, was the executive producer of the president of NBC Sports. He opposed that idea, you know, both for football and basketball. I mean, it's almost unimaginable to watch a sporting event now and think you gotta wait, you know, however many minutes till the director decides, you know, to show you the score again. But remember in those days, I mean, the initial idea was, no, we don't want to show a continuous score because if people tune in, they see it's a 10 point game or whatever, they'll tune out.

[Big Cat]

Yeah.

[Joe Burrow]

And it took a long time. And again, that's one of those conventions, it's almost unimaginable now to watch a game where you can't see the score at any moment. And my sense is there's, I think a lot's about to change on the production side. I mean, as games are shifting from what I would call traditional television, call that broadcaster cable, to streaming, it creates all these new opportunities, all these new capabilities of the streamers because of interactivity to do new things on the screens. And I think, for example, I understand the criticism now from people who don't like to see sports betting information during games, whether it's because they don't want it personally or they don't want their kids to be able to see it. I think we're not that far away where you're just going to go click and if you don't want any information about sports betting, you won't have to look at it. On the other hand, if you're someone in a state where it's illegal and you can get bet on sports, you'll see a lot more information if that's what you want. So I think things will become much more customized over time.

[Hank]

Yeah, that was a very thoughtful, nuanced answer. And the main takeaway is that Adam Silver has considered raising the basket and extending the three point line. So in the past you've thought about it. You have, the thought has crossed your mind.

[Joe Burrow]

Here I go.

[Big Cat]

Yeah, have you thought about it?

[Joe Burrow]

Second time.

[Big Cat]

Listen, just throwing this out there. Like in baseball, every park is different. You know, the, the Yankee Stadium, they got the short porch. Have you thought about home teams getting to decide their own dimensions? So like you go to Detroit and they've got eight foot rims. You go to, you go to, you go to see play the warriors and they've got their, they've extended their three point line by three feet. So every game is different. It's like, oh, we got to go play here. They're playing on 14 foot rims. That'd be fun.

[Joe Burrow]

I definitely can make some news with my answer to that one. I would say so no, for the record, I haven't thought about that. But it is an interesting comparison. I will say, just because you mentioned baseball, talking about rule changes, I'm a huge baseball fan and I'm a big change, a big fan. I'm sorry. Of the changes that they've made. I think the pitch clock slightly enlarging the bases to make stealing easier and stuff like that. I've looked at those things, you know, and we've talked about that at the league office and with our competition committee. And when I think the most traditional in my mind of all sports you know, the most resistant to change. The fact that they're making changes in that sport to keep up with the times. I'm not sure, you know, different basket heights and different arenas is the answer, but I think it just means we have to stay on our toes and be open minded about potential changes.

[Big Cat]

By the way, just want to correct one thing. Technically, you have thought about changing the rims and the cause. We literally were just discussing it, so we'll put that out there. We. Inceptively, you have technically thought of it just through this conversation. We got you there. Yeah.

[Hank]

So have you ever. Do you ever hang out with other commissioners and just be like, hey, commissioner to commissioner, here's something I'm thinking about a little bit.

[Joe Burrow]

I don't know if they would describe it as hanging out, but I used to when I first got Gary Bettman, still worked here. Yeah, he went to the NHL. He worked for David Stern at the NBA, so. And we've stayed close over the years, Roger Goodell and I, I knew him well even before he became commissioner, when Paul Taglig was commissioner, and he's been great. When I remember the first thing, when it was announced I was commissioner, Roger was actually one of the first people to reach out to me and said, you know, anything I can share with you, anything that would be helpful with you. So we're obviously competitors in certain ways, but I think we're all fellow travelers trying to help each other. This notion that, you know, rising Tide raises all boats, that it's what's good for premium professional sports is good for all of us. Same with Rob Manfred. I think I became commissioner right before he did, and we've compared notes on a lot of issues over the years. Again, as I said, I'm a big baseball fan. He's invited me over the years to a bunch of different events that I've been to with him. I've been to Yankee games here in New York with him. So, yeah, we all talk to each other. I mean, everybody's running around slightly different seasons, so we don't get to spend that much time together. But they're all great guys and there's some.

[Hank]

Some battles and some problems that only a fellow commissioner might understand. I'm sure that you go through.

[Big Cat]

Yeah.

[Hank]

Do you, hypothetically, not talking about anything in specific, but hypothetically, do you have anything that's in place where you could potentially deny a trade if, like a team wanted to send a superstar to another team and maybe the return value on that superstar was not what would generally be expected you talking about Kyle Kuzma? Yeah. So I'm a. I'm a wizard referencing. Well, I'm a Wizards fan. And we just sent, believe it or.

[Joe Burrow]

Not, and there's some confusion. People have yelled out to me for some reason in the last week or so when I've been at games that I should be vetoing that trade the way David Stern vetoed a trade back in the old days. And there's always some confusion there. David never vetoed a trade that. When he was the acting owner of New Orleans and the commissioner at the time, that he turned down a trade that was proposed to him by the general manager of the team. But no, I mean, the way we don't put a thumb on the scale, so to speak, that when a trade comes into the league office, what our sort of basketball and legal folks do is they make sure that that trade works under the confines of the collective bargaining agreement, whatever rules are in place, and then it's up or down, it gets approved or not based on those rules. We don't get to weigh in on what we think the merits of the trade are or should be.

[Big Cat]

Okay, gotcha.

[Hank]

I am going to miss Kuzma. Big cat's right. That broke my heart.

[Big Cat]

Did you. Did you at least text, like, are you sure?

[Joe Burrow]

No.

[Big Cat]

Okay.

[Hank]

You were. Honestly, let's level. You were probably like, oh, Lucas going to la, huge market. That's cool.

[Joe Burrow]

You know, honestly, I. And I promise, you know, look at the league right now, that two clearly smaller market teams, certainly Oklahoma City and. And Cleveland's a little bigger than Oklahoma City, but not one of the bigger markets in the league, have the two best records in the league right now. And I think it's great. You know, we've had six different champions over the last six years. And, you know, this may sound obvious, but I want all our teams to do well and be competitive. And frankly, Dallas is a big market. And so, you know, was I surprised that he was traded from that standpoint? Yeah, I'm a fan. And that the teams don't necessarily give the league inside information on those kinds of things. So that trade was, you know, it wasn't one that I saw coming. And by the way, I love Luka. I've known him since the day he came into the league. He's obviously a great player. He's a great young man. And teams make these trades for reasons that, in some cases only they know they have inside information about a player. They're living with a player they have particular style they want to play. They Have a vision for what that team should become. And truly, only time will tell. I mean, I. The one thing I'll say, haven't been with this league for a long time. Like, truly, nothing is written. People who say they can predict the future generally can't. And we'll see. I'm sort of rooting for Dallas, and I'm rooting for the Lakers. I'm rooting for Anthony Davis to recover quickly and be the All Star we know he can be and stay healthy for a long time. And I'm definitely rooting for Luka to demonstrate to the world what a great player he is in la.

[Big Cat]

Okay, so we shouldn't come to Adam Silver for grading of trades because we like to, in sports media, like to just grade trades instantly and say that we're right and we know the future.

[Joe Burrow]

You have your job and I have my job. Your job is to create trade. My job is to make sure they comply with legal rules.

[Big Cat]

Yeah. You mentioned David Stern. I didn't realize this, but you got into the NBA by writing a letter to a bunch of different people asking for advice. And David Stern was one of those people who actually responded. Is that true? Because that's.

[Joe Burrow]

That's a very true story.

[Big Cat]

It's true.

[Joe Burrow]

So I was practicing law in New York, just had only been a lawyer for a few years, and decided I wanted to do something different. I wasn't. I'm still happy. I went to law school. It's been very helpful to me along the years, over the years. But I wrote David a letter. This is pre Internet, where you wrote letters and mailed them. And I actually was looking for advice. It wasn't so much that I thought I wanted to work at the NBA. And I'm always telling young people this story because it's so different these days, where you can go on the Internet and find out all kinds of information about the NBA and what happens at the legal office. And there's all these sites where they rate people's jobs and they talk about whether they think they're fairly compensated and all that. I've seen. None of that existed in those days. And so David was someone who had worked at a law firm in New York before he had made the transition. He came over to the NBA as the general counsel before he was the commissioner. But I wrote him a letter saying, I'm also a lawyer in New York. I'd be interested in making the transition. I wasn't so sure that it would be to a sports league. And in fact, at the time, I Worked for a law firm that was representing hbo. And I was fascinated with the media business business. And David at that time, had recently done some of the initial cable deals where it was the early days of tbs and he'd done a broadcast deal. Ted Turner was also an owner of the Atlanta Hawks, and he had done a deal with Ted Turner, put NBA games on tbs. And because I was doing a lot of work for hbo, David Stern's name kept coming up in the context of media. So I wrote him a letter saying, you know, I'm interested in making this transition. If you ever had time, I'd love to meet you and talk to you. I'd actually met him once before. He had worked at one point at the same law firm as my father. I didn't really know David, but the sort of letter began, I'm the son of such and such and hoping that that would sort of build a bridge to him. I remember his. He called me. And I think in those days, too, you were used to sending a letter and not hearing back for some cases, weeks. It was just everything moved at a different pace. His assistant called me at some point and said he'd like to schedule time with you. And my office was in New York City. I mean, where I am today in the NBA office is the same place as we were in early 90s when Dave was commissioner and I was just across town and his assistant called me. Scheduled again, like, everything moved slower. It was like, you free two weeks from Tuesday or whatever. And I came and saw him, and he gave me some advice about how I might transition out of law. That's what I was interested in doing, and some media advice. And then I'll condense the story because I've already been long winded. At some point, he reached back out to me and said, there's something I'd like to talk to you about. And it turned out he was looking for an assistant, and he ultimately hired me. And my first job at the NBA was special assistant to the commissioner. Worked for David. I was 30 years old, 32 years ago. I came to work here and then worked as an assistant, then became chief of staff. I mentioned, you know, I then went to the. What was the entertainment side of the business. Ran a division called MBA Entertainment for years. Deputy commissioner. And so this is my sixth job being commissioner. So I worked my way up the ladder.

[Big Cat]

Wow, that's awesome.

[Hank]

Very cool that he took the time to do that. Yeah, Very, very.

[Joe Burrow]

Yeah, no, it was. By the way, I have to say, I mean, you know, David Changed my life in so many ways. And I had five different jobs before I was commissioner, all of them working for David. And I sort of would joke to people, even when I was the deputy commissioner, my job was still the special assistant David stern. And I mean, you guys, everybody is, you know, you may have had a chance to meet him over the years. I mean, he was full of life. He was a genius when it came to sports marketing. I think as much credit as he gets, maybe not enough for transforming the whole industry, not just the NBA, just everybody's approach even. I remember when I came to work at the NBA, I mean, he was the first person who really thought of the NBA as a brand, you know, as a brand marketer, even though his background was as a lawyer. I mean, now it's just a given that NBA is a brand. Mlb, NHL, NFL, obviously, you know, but it's like he had a whole different way, a whole different vocabulary of approaching sports. And also I think about how much of my time now I spend on growing the game globally. I mean, David was so far ahead of his time. And when I got to the NBA in 92, you know, shortly thereafter was the dream team and, you know, which also transformed the NBA. I mean, one interesting statistic at the time that I got to the NBA, roughly 5% of the players in the league were born outside United States. Now it's around 30%. You know, when you mentioned Luka or Giannis, you know, go down Wemby, you know, now, you know, the joker, our very best players, many of them are born outside the United States now. And that pool of players, I mean, just you got a chance to watch some of the Olympics out of Paris at u. S. Serbia game or the u. S. France game, you know, you know, there's so much high level basketball being played around the world. And David really had that vision that this could truly be a global game.

[Hank]

Yeah, that's very cool. Well, while we have you here, I just want to give you a piece of unsolicited advice from me and take it for what you will. But I think a lot of people agree with me. One of the, one of the most frustrating things to watch in the NBA, and I love watching basketball, but this is very frustrating when players are obviously flopping and embellishing fouls. Is it in consideration to make embellishment, flopping reviewable? Technical foul, cut and dry, don't do it because it's tough to watch on tv.

[Joe Burrow]

Well, so, you know, it was only either a year ago or two years ago, we Added the ability to call a technical in game, you know, for flopping. So that was. That was a change in rules, a new rule that we did, you know, modeled a little bit after the FIBA rules, the international basketball rules. And we have a provision where we do review after the fact. Obviously, we want finality in the game, so we're not going to go back and change scores or anything, but guys can be fined after the fact. And at least according to our own, you know, sort of reviews of the games, we've cut back considerably on flopping. It's still, I will say that, you know, for my European colleagues, European friends, you know, there's a tradition in European soccer, global soccer, of flopping. It was sort of, to me, brought to the NBA stylistically by a lot of the international players. A lot of them grew up as soccer players. We've tried to crack down on it. You know, it's. It's. Again, I think we've made progress. My sense is that as various forms of replay get better and get faster, you know, look, the problem is, by definition, you're fooling the ref. And if you get away with it, you know, especially in real time, you get there. All you can do after the fact is potentially find the players. But, you know, and I think you said it, the embellishment is the hardest because now they're teaching in youth basketball is you want to demonstrate to the officials, at least the way they're taught is to embellish so that the official clearly sees. So you're often seeing somebody shoved and they're going flying backwards. And then so the official in real time, and I understand too, player frustration, fan frustration sometimes with the officiating, we're doing everything we can to make it better. But when I watch the officials, it's remarkable to me what they can do in real time. I mean, when you think in a split second and the speed of the game to making those calls and then add flopping on top of that or embellishment that they're supposed to be able to discern the difference and, you know, the amount of force that's going into a push and the reaction from the players. I will say that, you know, technology, the changes in technology will help us there. I mean, just shifting slightly doesn't go directly to flopping. But, you know, guys are constantly trying to fool the officials when who did it touch last? You know, they're pointing and et cetera, that we're not that far away from having technology where, just like you think in tennis, where if you Know where there's an automated call as to whether the ball was inside the line or outside of the line. You know, it's this technology called Hawkeye. It's owned by Sony. We're working with, with Sony also to bring that to basketball so that whoever's, you know, think there's 100 fingers on the floor at any given time, various body parts, you know, to instantaneously show who the ball went out on, you know, if somebody's foot was on the line, anything that can be objectively determined, goaltending, et cetera. And I think that will allow. So one, there'll be a whole category of calls that will be objectively right or wrong and will speed up the game from that standpoint. But just as importantly for those more subjective calls, the officials won't have to both be looking at the feet of somebody's feet to see if they touch the line and their hands at the same time, they can really focus on what is truly subjective. And I think we'll be able to do a better job sort of discerning whether there's some kind of embellishment going on. So it's, you know, if the standard is perfection, we got a long ways to go, but I think we've made improvements there.

[Big Cat]

Have you thought about maybe making the standard not perfection? And I say that in that I think you've. You've talked about this before. The review system, games slow down at the end. It's a really hard watch for people, and we want to watch the action. What about just doing a week where there's no reviews and every team knows it, and it's like, hey, we're not doing any instant replay. We're not doing any reviews. The call on the court stands, and just see how the game flow goes.

[Joe Burrow]

It's interesting you say that like, number one, we did, you know, a couple years ago, we changed the format at the end of the game, we reduced the number of timeouts, and we reduced the ability for officials to go to discretionary reviews. I mean, you'll recall just a few years ago, virtually every play towards the last two minutes, you know, the players going like this, you know, so we added one more coaches challenge, you know, but we reduced those discretionary reviews, and I think that's made a big difference. And to your point, I've had many players and coaches tell me over the years that they would prefer speed to accuracy in certain cases, because especially near the end of the game, you know, when there's those long reviews, guys are literally getting cold Standing there, getting out of rhythm, and they just assume, say, all right, you know, you know, red ball, and move forward and move on, as opposed to waiting for the endless reviews. And as I said, I think back to the technology, that some people also don't like that we might have a different standard in the last two minutes. But look, when you have game like basketball, where there's a lot of scoring, even if there's a bad call in the second quarter, you can make up for it over the course of the game, but you can't necessarily in the last two minutes. So I'm in favor of there potentially being more scrutiny. But as I was saying, if you can use technology and take a whole category of calls off the table and that they're now objective, you know, I think we can reduce the number of replays because also in those calls, just like in tennis, it'll just be. You'll see sort of the quick animation. I think you need transparency. People don't want to just be told, you know, bulls ball. They want to know what happened. And just like in Tennessee, ding, ding, ding, ding. You'll see, like, some animation. You'll see what's going on. But then. And also, if you think back, like some early days in tennis, there was a lot more arguing with the officials. And now once you see that animation and, you know, and there's a ooh and an ah from the fans that just barely touch the line or whatever else, but, you know, it's play on. And. And. And I think everyone would prefer that.

[Big Cat]

Yeah, Just think about no review week. It'd be a whole event. We could just be like, hey, it's no review week.

[Hank]

Yeah, suck it up.

[Big Cat]

This is kind of a fun thing.

[Joe Burrow]

If I say I'm thinking about it, does that mean it's under consideration?

[Hank]

Yeah, you've already thought it's under consideration.

[Big Cat]

Yeah, yeah.

[Hank]

Just have every ref to say, life isn't fair.

[Big Cat]

Yeah, right. Tough shit, you know?

[Joe Burrow]

Well, it's interesting, though, but I have actually made that point, not using those same language, but human error is part of this game. It's certainly part of the game when a player misses a shot, somehow it gets lost sometimes that it's also part of the game when an official makes a mistake. And I get it. And if an official makes too many mistakes, they can't be an official in this league. But you're right. Perfection can't be the standard. There are going to be mistakes. And I think. And often what separates the best teams is their ability to move on from that mistake. And I just lastly say, you know, we have seven game series in the playoffs.

[Big Cat]

Yep.

[Joe Burrow]

And I think that as I think some of the best basketball minds in the league will say it's a highly likely that at least for that week or two weeks, the better team is going to win the seven game series.

[Big Cat]

Yeah.

[Joe Burrow]

Regardless of the officiate.

[Hank]

Also, a bad call gives us something to yell about the day after the show.

[Big Cat]

Yeah. Right.

[Hank]

So we'll be screaming.

[Max]

We.

[Hank]

If, if you just make it perfection. It's like we're the dog that was chasing the car and then we catch those trades.

[Joe Burrow]

We were talking about that. NBA seems ready made for social media.

[Hank]

Yes, yes, it does. It does. Yeah. Has there been any consideration to, to adjusting the league schedule? I know it's been in place for a long time in the general format that it's in. But, but waiting and starting the, the year on maybe Christmas day and extending it at the end.

[Joe Burrow]

There has been, I mean that is one thing that we have thought a fair amount about and we've looked at different proposals and I think for a lot of people you're right that there was always this notion that the league, you know, in the old days we would start on NBC on Christmas day, we would start on network television, Christmas day, sort of, you know, the regular season of the NFL had wound down. People could now move their attention to the NBA. The issue we have there is one of moving into the summer. And by the way, things are changing so rapidly culturally in terms of viewership and everything else that no idea is ever completely dead. But at least historically, the thought was we wanted our season to be over by July 1st in essence and was sort of working backwards. If you're going to get the draft in, in the last week of June, you know, and you're going to therefore start the finals anticipating you potentially could have a seven game finals. It means you got to start roughly June 1st, working backwards, sort of that. That's how you end up with a training camp in October season that starts roughly the beginning of November. I mean, people's television habits have changed dramatically. I think in large part, you know, we all, you know, reaching for my phone. We all carry a TV with us everywhere we go. Now look at the kinds of things. I would put you guys in the category of non traditional media, you know, that the amazing popularity now a podcast like yours, people's enormous amount of time, you know, looking at screens, listening to audio feeds of things that, you know, the other thing about us moving into July is sort of let's just say, okay, you can move the finals into July. Then you got, we have our summer league. When does the, you know, and part of it it's actual consideration, like, when do they get vacation?

[Big Cat]

Yeah.

[Joe Burrow]

And part of it is it's always in our, the tradition, this league. There's sort of the equivalent of a summer vacation that matches up with family vacations. Even once, you know, summer league ends, it's sort of the third week of July, you know, things can settle down a little bit, you know, you know, for, for the last part of July and August. And now I'm not talking about the league office, largely for the players and the arrest on their body and everything else. So, you know, I will say, you know, I think all these things we will continue to look at. I don't think in the short term we'll do it. I just last say, I mean, there used to be this notion, you know, in television they call hut levels, households using television that traditionally, because of summer vacation and things, that once you got till July 1, there were fewer people watching television, which why, again, historically, you know, all the primetime shows, you know, when we were younger, would launch in the fall. You can almost think of the beginning of the NFL season, one of those shows with launching. I think, though now, as I said, like, people's television habits have changed dramatically. Like streaming has changed. A lot of those conventions, like new shows launch on Netflix all the time, you know, in July. Nobody thinks twice about it. So I think these are all things that we'll continue to look at.

[Big Cat]

All right, so I got one last question for you. This has been so much fun. NBA All Star weekend this weekend. My last question. It's a Roback question. R H O b a c k.com promo code, take 20% off your, your first purchase. Q zips, polos, hoodies, joggers, shorts. Roback.com promo code take. I have to pitch you my one idea that I've had for many years, and you got to think about it, and I don't need credit for it when you actually enact it. So there's obviously been issues at times with fans getting a little unruly, maybe talking too much to the players, that whole experience. My rule is very simple. Every single player, when the season starts, gets one chance to call out any fan they want, and they just get to beat the fuck out of them in the middle of the court. And once they use it, they can't. They can't use it again for the rest of the year.

[Joe Burrow]

Thoughts on that rule Not a good idea.

[Big Cat]

Okay, but listen. No, but, no, you're not. You're not seeing the vision you get when you go. When you see Kevin Durant, you decide to, you know, say something really, like, mean to him. You're like, wait, does he have his one fight a fan left?

[Joe Burrow]

You lost me on the beat the shit out of him part. Yeah, well, sort of. I was with you up to, like. All right, you single out one fan, and then we'll review that fan's conduct.

[Big Cat]

Think about the ratings. So, Mr. Commissioner, think about the ratings. They're like, oh, my God, we're going to Sacramento. And, you know, DeMar DeRozan has called out someone from the 10th row, and they're about to fight in the middle of the. They're stopping the game to fight.

[Joe Burrow]

We'll bring a cage.

[Big Cat]

Yeah, sure.

[Joe Burrow]

Of the arena. Is the fan allowed to fight back?

[Big Cat]

Yes. Yes. So that's also part of it.

[Joe Burrow]

Like, you don't want to, you know, I didn't fully consider your idea.

[Big Cat]

Yeah, you could, like, you call out someone with cauliflower ears, and you might be. You. You might have been asking for too much.

[Joe Burrow]

Are you making fun of my ears?

[Big Cat]

No, you don't have cauliflower ears, but I have made fun of your ears in the past. I'm sorry. I apologize.

[Joe Burrow]

Longtime listener.

[Big Cat]

Well, yeah, you can listen to anything. Sorry. You. You. You put you out for me.

[Joe Burrow]

Sorry I walked into that.

[Hank]

Or just maybe at least just allowing fights, like, in hockey.

[Big Cat]

Yeah.

[Hank]

Like, blowed off. Yeah.

[Joe Burrow]

You know, I will say I'm. I'm New Yorker, I'm a Rangers fan and go to games occasionally. And as you guys remember, there was that error again, back to the 90s when there was a fair amount of fighting in the league, and David Stern, you know, he cracked down on it. You know, we had automatic suspensions, walking off the bench and all that. And it still surprising me to this day when I go to a hockey game and they face up and the officials step back.

[Big Cat]

Yeah, yeah.

[Joe Burrow]

You know, and I get. I mean, there's. There's. There's. You know, it's part of the culture of hockey. And I know I've heard the arguments that by having. Allowing players to fight things out in that way, actually cuts down on violence in certain cases by having enforcers and everything else. It's obviously so foreign to the NBA. But, you know, based on the idea you're sharing, think about it. I'll share it with Gary Bettman, too. Maybe just bring fans in as well.

[Hank]

Yeah, yeah. Well, I mean, that's happened before. Tai Domi in the penalty box.

[Big Cat]

We, we. We had a lot more dumb ideas that maybe next time you come on, we can pitch you, because I know that we. We had a ton of them. So maybe we'll just do an entire podcast where we give you the dumbest ideas.

[Joe Burrow]

All right, I'm available.

[Big Cat]

I did have a fix the All Star weekend. It was just in line with the LeBron brawny thing that the winning team gets automatically their firstborn, gets a one year contract in the NBA.

[Hank]

That's a good idea.

[Big Cat]

That's a pretty good idea.

[Hank]

That's a good idea. Or I would, you know, legacy league. What? I was going to pitch him, which I won't pitch him. Yeah, but I was just going to pitch him. Rigging the draft. Oh, yeah.

[Big Cat]

That would be a smart idea.

[Hank]

That would be a good thing for the Wizards. Cooper, flag to the Wizards.

[Big Cat]

Yeah.

[Joe Burrow]

You know, I'm a Duke guy. Cooper's unbelievable.

[Hank]

He's great. He's great. We would take such good care of him in dc. You're also a DC guy.

[Big Cat]

Yes. There you go. All right. Well, commissioner, thank you so much. We really appreciate it. Hopefully you enjoyed this and we can have you on again. And like I said, we'll. We'll do an episode, special episode, where we just give you the hundred dumbest ideas we ever thought of. And when you think about them, everyone's gonna be like, adam Silver's thinking about this because you are thinking about the fight a fan rule.

[Hank]

You have technically thought of it, mulling it over.

[Big Cat]

Yes. All right, thanks so much. Good luck this weekend at All Star Weekend.

[Hank]

Thank you, Chris.

[Joe Burrow]

Thanks, guys, so much.

[Hank]

Adam Silver was brought to you by our great friends over at Aura Frames. I know we all know somebody who loves taking photos, but their hundreds of pictures are just wasting away on their phone. Stop. Start putting them to good use with a unique, stylish digital picture frame from Aura Frames. It was named the number one digital picture frame by Wirecutter and for a good reason. It's so easy to set up, and they have different frame options. I got an aura frame for my mom for Christmas. It's up in her living room right now. I can, with like, three taps of my phone, open up the app, put a picture that I have on my phone on her aura frame in her living room, and boom, she's got another picture ready to go. She loves it. It's a great, great present to give. The best part is that it comes with unlimited storage. All you need is the free Aura app and you need a WI FI connection. You can upload as many photos and videos as you want year round. I've got it right now in my mom's living room. Super easy to set up. It took about five minutes to set up on Christmas. There is a picture of me and Jerry O'Connell in the back of the El Camino that cycles through that she likes. She wanted to make sure that one was up in her aura frame, but you can put whatever you want on there right now. You can save on the perfect gift that keeps on giving by visiting auraframes.com for a limited time. Listeners can get 20 bucks off their best selling Carver matte frame with code PMT. That's a u r a frames.com promo code PMT a u r a frames.com Promo code PMT don't forget to mention that we sent you to show your support for the show. Terms and conditions apply. Is also brought to you by our great friends over at nascar. It's NASCAR Season. It's Daytona season. The adrenaline, the majesty, the excitement of the Daytona 500 is something that you must experience in person. There's nothing like witnessing the stars of NASCAR battle for position going 200 miles per hour on this two and a half mile speedway. 40 drivers will compete against the likes of Chase Elliott, Ryan Blaney, Denny Hamlin, Ross Chastain and Bubba Wallace as they try to make their mark to start a historic NASCAR season. You won't want to miss this once in a lifetime sporting event. Tune in on Sunday, February 16th at 2:30 Eastern on Fox. You get the first checkered flag of the season at the iconic Daytona 500. Daytona 500 tune in on Fox Saturday, Feb. Excuse me. Sunday, Feb. 16 2:30pm The Daytona 500 is back. This interview with Joe Burrow is brought to you by Body Armor and Body Armor Flash iv. It's time to reach for real hydration with Body Armor Flash iv. Packed with electrolytes, zinc for added immune boost, and no artificial sweeteners, flavors or dyes, Flash IV provides the rehydration that your body needs. Whether you're feeling under the weather, if you just had an intense workout, or if you're recovering from a long weekend, Max Body Armor Flash IV helps bring you back. The Flash IV also tastes great. Body Armor Flash IV has brought me back. After the case race. I spent a day on my couch. I was drinking. Body Armor Flash IV felt like a million bucks by the afternoon. Felt really good. It gets dehydration back in. You get Yours today at Walmart or at a local grocery store near you. And now here's Joe Burrow.

[Big Cat]

Okay. We now welcome on a very special guest. It is our good friend Joe Burrow who should be the MVP this year. But he's here promoting the FedEx Aaron Ground NFL Player of the Year. Where you are nominee. Joe, good to see you. This is the first time we've all been together in New Orleans since we. Since you won the national championship. It's good to see you somewhat sober right there.

[Adam Silver]

Yeah, I feel great right now. I couldn't say the same five years ago.

[Big Cat]

Yeah, yeah. But you, you are A nominee for FedEx Aaron Ground NFL Player of the Year. I'll. I'll confidently say I feel like you reminded everyone about Joe Burrow because we had that conversation in June that people forgot about Joe Burrow. I don't think people forget about Joe Burrow anymore.

[Adam Silver]

I agree. I think I had a great year. I think I had my best year as a pro. I'm excited for. I think there's another level that I can hit. So I'm excited to go and hit that next year.

[Big Cat]

Okay.

[Hank]

What's the next level?

[Adam Silver]

Be better.

[Hank]

Better. Better than this, Joe?

[Adam Silver]

Yeah.

[Hank]

So like 7,000 yards.

[Big Cat]

Seven.

[Adam Silver]

I mean, the stats are. Stats are going to fluctuate year to year, really. And it just kind of depends on how the year is going, how each individual game is going, because you could throw for four touchdowns in the first quarter and then the game's over, but you threw for 170 yards and now you're not really throwing it anymore. So it kind of just depends on. On the year, but just playing better.

[Hank]

Really, if you have a great game, let's say you throw for like 400 yards, four touchdowns, hypothetically, something like that. And you end up losing that game. You feel bad afterwards, I'm sure, because you want to win. How long does it take for you through that week to be like, you know what? I'm actually pretty happy with my performance.

[Adam Silver]

It's definitely better than throwing for 150 and losing. I would say it kind of just depends on how you feel like you played. You know, sometimes you could throw for a lot of yards, but then you, you missed a couple early in the game, you missed a couple late in the game, you made a couple bad decisions. You don't really feel like you played great, but some, most of the time when you throw for 400, you. You feel pretty good about it.

[Big Cat]

Yeah.

[Hank]

To keep waiting for old Norm Van Brocklin's record to fall. 550 yards passing in the game.

[Adam Silver]

Oh, yeah.

[Hank]

Kind of crazy that it had. I think it's 545. Maybe it hasn't happened in like 50 years. And with the NFL being so pass heavy right now, you keep hoping like one. One of these days a quarterback will throw for 550. I'd like it to be you.

[Adam Silver]

Yeah. I got to 525 in 2021 against the Ravens, so I'm third. I think I'm third in that list. But it would be. It would be nice to have a five. A 600 yard game would be pretty cool.

[Big Cat]

Yeah.

[Hank]

I dare you, dude.

[Adam Silver]

My homes had like a 700 yard game in college.

[Big Cat]

Yeah.

[Joe Burrow]

Yeah.

[Adam Silver]

Against Baker.

[Big Cat]

Yeah.

[Adam Silver]

At Oklahoma. That was crazy.

[Big Cat]

That box score is a very fun box score to look at where you're just like, oh, were you in the zone at all this year? Because it feels like you were there. Was that. I want to call it like five, six, seven game stretch where it was just like, write it down. 275, three touchdowns every single week.

[Adam Silver]

Yeah. After. After the first Baltimore game, I feel like I was pretty dialed in for the rest of the year.

[Big Cat]

Yeah. Yeah. Because you could kind of tell it was just like. I don't want to say it was on easy mode for you, but you could tell me if you. If you ever felt like that. Maybe it's a better way to say it is. You just. It felt like you saw everything so perfectly for that stretch. It was.

[Adam Silver]

It was moving slow for me. It definitely felt easy at times. Definitely didn't feel easy at times, too. But that's how. That's how life in the NFL goes.

[Big Cat]

Yeah. Yeah.

[Hank]

And tonight you've got the NFL honors. Good luck.

[Adam Silver]

Thanks.

[Hank]

I think statistically, a lot of people would say Joe Burrow could be the mvp. But more importantly, what are you going to wear to this?

[Adam Silver]

I've got a fit plan. I've got a nice aloe suit planned. Yeah.

[Hank]

Anything Shocking.

[Adam Silver]

No shirt underneath.

[Big Cat]

Aloe. Is the. Is that the place in California with like the saunas and stuff?

[Adam Silver]

Correct.

[Max]

Yeah.

[Big Cat]

They don't let guys like us.

[Adam Silver]

I'm sure they would let you in if you absolutely came with me.

[Big Cat]

Oh, no way. There's just be like, can you just wait at the car? I see those videos. It's just all hot people.

[Adam Silver]

I mean, maybe.

[Big Cat]

Yeah, yeah, yeah. You just confirmed that in a nice way. You confirmed that, sir.

[Hank]

Two homeless people just followed you in. Would you like us to arrest them?

[Adam Silver]

Yeah.

[Big Cat]

Is not for us. Do you regret any of your Fits this year. The Ellen degeneres one.

[Adam Silver]

Which one was that?

[Big Cat]

It was the. The pink shirt with the white vest and the white pants.

[Adam Silver]

Okay. That one wasn't my best.

[Big Cat]

Okay. All right. Good. All right. I feel good. Cuz I was about asking you about it, but that one you got roasted.

[Adam Silver]

Probably my least favorite of the year.

[Big Cat]

Okay.

[Adam Silver]

I wore a lot of pink this year, but I feel like I felt pretty good about most of them, I would say.

[Big Cat]

Now, we've always wondered, like, when you wear a fit like that and then you lose, you. You go straight to sweats right after. Right. Or do you go back into the fit?

[Adam Silver]

I think it just depends on the game.

[Big Cat]

Okay.

[Adam Silver]

If it's a. If it's like a playoff game and we lose, I'll probably wear the fit to the press conference. Because one year Cam wore a suit.

[Big Cat]

Yeah.

[Adam Silver]

To the super bowl and then they lost and then didn't wear it to the press conference. And people felt weird about that.

[Big Cat]

Yeah, I actually respected that. I think you should have like a set. You should. Maybe you should have like a clown suit. If you lose, you actually put on a clown.

[Adam Silver]

That's not, that's not a bad idea.

[Big Cat]

Flex it away from you. Yeah.

[Adam Silver]

What if the NFL made that a rule? If you lose your have to wear the clown suit to the press conference.

[Big Cat]

Big red nose.

[Hank]

Yeah, I kind of like that. No, you and I actually have a little bit in common, Joe. We've both been victims of crime. This year I had all my clothes stolen off my front porch.

[Adam Silver]

And why, why was it on your front porch?

[Hank]

Well, I did. I sent away for laundry because it was a long weekend of football, so I wasn't home to, to do the wash, But I had two big ass bags of clothes that just got stolen off my front porch. And I lost basically all my clothes. I've been trying to dress like you. Do you have any advice for me? Like, do you have a stylist that you use? Because I feel like now I'm 40, I gotta level up a little bit. I gotta start, you know, stunting on these hoes a little bit. So.

[Max]

Yeah.

[Hank]

Who's your stylist? And can they also give me some help?

[Adam Silver]

His name's Kyle Smith. He does, he does great. We. He just brings some stuff and I tell him if I like it, if I don't like it, and if I'm gonna wear it or if I'm not gonna wear it.

[Hank]

Okay.

[Big Cat]

That's pretty easy.

[Hank]

You think I could pull off some of those fits 100 when people say like, oh, you look like Ellen DeGeneres. Or in this or whatever. Like, they say that about me, but in like a bad way.

[Max]

Yeah, yeah.

[Hank]

With you it's like, oh, yeah, you can look like a lesbian. Be hot. With me it's like, you look like a fool.

[Big Cat]

Yeah, yeah.

[Adam Silver]

When people, People, people say that, like, it's like a derogatory comment. Like, right. Like, lesbians don't dress well.

[Big Cat]

They.

[Hank]

They dress really well.

[Adam Silver]

Yeah, they did.

[Big Cat]

Minus Ellen DeGeneres. I don't think she dresses great.

[Adam Silver]

Well, maybe she doesn't dress exactly. Like, maybe somebody that's.

[Big Cat]

Stop looking at me. Stop looking at me.

[Hank]

What are you doing right now?

[Big Cat]

Listen, my Dre. My. My stylus is like the same four pop up ads I get on Instagram and then I buy it and I'm like, oh, I already have this shirt.

[Adam Silver]

I think every time I've ordered something on Instagram, it's never come.

[Hank]

Yeah, yeah, just a donation.

[Big Cat]

I just look at like one flannel shirt in early October, and then the rest of the winter, I'm just buying flannel.

[Adam Silver]

You're big flannel guy.

[Big Cat]

No, but it's the pop ups. I just buy the pop ups.

[Adam Silver]

Oh, that's a yellow one. Oh, that's a green one.

[Big Cat]

Oh, I don't have this one. It comes. It looks exactly like the other ones.

[Hank]

I usually buy something in September, and then I spend the next four months just tracking it from China as it's making its way here. It's like on a boat somewhere crossing Taiwan. I'm like, I'm never getting that in two years. Yeah, exactly.

[Big Cat]

What. So this season was obviously disappointing for you guys, but how. How is it like, when you're. When you get into a season and you're playing great, but the team is losing, like, trying to figure out, like, what's that like in the locker room when it's like, you know, the defense went through some struggles, started playing well at the end. Like, is it. Is it awkward? Is it hard? I don't really understand the dynamic and how it works.

[Adam Silver]

Yeah, I would say it's tough to describe because you're obviously. I mean, you're in it as a team. So everybody's down in the dumps right in the locker room. It's not like, oh, we're the offense. We scored 30, but we lost. Like, we're happy. Like, nobody's happy about that. And there were definitely games that the offense could have closed it out in, which we didn't. But when you're playing you know, like I said, I felt like I had my best year as a pro, and so I was happy about that. Week in and week out, it was pretty frustrating. I've never had a year like this. So it was mentally taxing and challenging to continue to stay disciplined and consistent week in and week out, day in and day out. But, you know, at some point, you just realize that this is your job and that's what you do. And if I'm going to continue to play as good as I want to, then I'm going to have to keep doing these things daily to put myself in the best position to succeed.

[Big Cat]

Yeah, it sounds like you guys are a lot more mature than us because we just finger point instantly. Like, literally, if something. I mean, you walked into it a little bit with the QB skills competition we did last night. We just spent the last two hours just sitting in this room, just finger pointing.

[Adam Silver]

Yeah, that's hilarious.

[Big Cat]

You can't do that in the pros.

[Hank]

Well, Hank was really bad. And as a quarterback, like me and Big Cat, our salaries depend on a guy like the quarter.

[Big Cat]

Right, right.

[Hank]

We're not. If he's making us look bad, then it's like, what are we going to do? We're just gonna. We're gonna become divas.

[Adam Silver]

So you guys are receivers?

[Hank]

Well, we could be. We're just divas.

[Adam Silver]

Oh, yeah.

[Hank]

Without. We're like diva wide receivers, except we're not good at playing wide receiver.

[Big Cat]

Like, if you said. If you said to your huddle, you're like, hey, I got us guys. Let's go on a drive. And then you went three for 50. 57.

[Adam Silver]

Yeah.

[Big Cat]

What do you think they would say?

[Adam Silver]

They probably lose a little trust in my abilities.

[Big Cat]

Yeah, that's a good point.

[Adam Silver]

Yeah.

[Big Cat]

Trust. You said something in Pro bowl week. Your. Your wrist is still a little funky.

[Adam Silver]

I mean, I wouldn't say funky, but whenever you have a ligament injury, your joint is going to take around two years to get all the mobility back and everything that you feel like you need.

[Big Cat]

And you still had the best year as a pro. So, yeah, he is going for 7k. This could go for 7k.

[Hank]

This could be like rookie of the year situation.

[Max]

Like, does that mean it healed?

[Hank]

Have you ever seen that movie, the kid that. That breaks his arm, all of a sudden he can throw like 98 miles an hour.

[Adam Silver]

Oh, that would be great.

[Hank]

Like, if you have a ligament injury, maybe it just made you a better quarterback.

[Adam Silver]

I hope so.

[Hank]

Does it. Does it feel good right now?

[Adam Silver]

It feels good right now. There were a Couple times I fell on it during the year. It didn't quite feel as good.

[Big Cat]

Yeah.

[Adam Silver]

I would say. And kind of just depending on the day. But we got into a good routine at the end of the year to feel as good as I could by Sunday.

[Hank]

Having a fully healthy off season, though, that'll probably be nice for you.

[Adam Silver]

Yeah, I haven't had a ton of those. I think that'll just help me level up even more because I'm not going to be focused on rehab and everything. I can just focus on quarterback specific things, working out, getting my body the way that I want to for. For the year. So I'm excited about that.

[Big Cat]

Yeah. Have you thought about maybe telling coach Taylor? Like, I've been thinking about it a lot for the Bengals, specifically. Like, a hypnotist comes in and convinces the whole locker room that week one is actually week four and you've already started zero and three.

[Adam Silver]

That's not a bad idea.

[Big Cat]

Yeah. Right. Because I feel like we haven't got.

[Adam Silver]

Off to the great. The greatest starts in my career, I would say. So hopefully we can figure out a way to change that. A hypnotist might not be a bad idea.

[Big Cat]

Yeah. The urgency, because I. I've. I have power ranking world. Like, I have a computer that does power rings every week. And it never gave up on the Bengals because I was just like, well, Joe Burrow's there and, like, they're going to figure it out. And it was close. It was close. You guys came so close.

[Adam Silver]

Once we hit 4 and 8, that was tough to come back from.

[Big Cat]

Yeah. The 4 and 8, it was just. Every week was just like.

[Adam Silver]

Every week felt like a heartbreaker.

[Big Cat]

Yeah.

[Adam Silver]

You go back. I would get back to my house and be like, how the. Did we lose that game?

[Big Cat]

Yeah. All right, so we need a hypnotist or something.

[Hank]

What you could do is you could just play all your starters throughout the preseason.

[Big Cat]

Yeah.

[Hank]

And just lose those games.

[Adam Silver]

That's not a bad idea.

[Hank]

Week one is literally week four for you.

[Adam Silver]

I'm proud. Playing in the preseason, I would say.

[Big Cat]

Did you play? You didn't play in this last person.

[Adam Silver]

Played like, seven snaps.

[Hank]

Okay.

[Big Cat]

You would have been over seven if you were Hank. Yeah.

[Hank]

What does that feel like in going out for a preseason game? You're like, you're gonna go on the field and you're gonna take two snaps, hand the ball off twice, and then leave the field.

[Adam Silver]

Yeah. It's weird because you're not game planning the opposing team. Like, you'll watch a couple snaps of their defense before the game. But you're going out there and it's like, I wonder what they're gonna play, because you don't really know, Especially if it's a team that you haven't played before or coordinator that you haven't played before. So it's. The offense is at a disadvantage in the preseason. So I always feel bad for these young quarterbacks that go into the preseason and they play like. Because you're not going to play well in the preseason because your coaches aren't game planning their defense and you're just running out and running your training camp plays against a defense that those plays aren't built for.

[Big Cat]

Right.

[Adam Silver]

And so when guys, when people come out of the preseason like, this guy stinks, well, it's not exactly the case.

[Hank]

We do it the other way sometimes where somebody will be really good in the preseason and we'll be like, that guy should start.

[Adam Silver]

Yeah.

[Hank]

Like Kyle Slaughter. He was a preseason legend for a long time as a backup. I don't think he ever played a snap.

[Adam Silver]

Could he run?

[Hank]

Yeah, he could run a little bit.

[Adam Silver]

A lot of running quarterbacks excel in the preseason, I would say.

[Big Cat]

Yeah.

[Hank]

And you always think, like, going to the season, man, this guy should be getting snaps over Patrick Mahomes. Yeah, this guy's way better.

[Big Cat]

You're. You're running. I feel like you had a couple big runs this year. You ever, when. Whenever you get out in the open field, you're like, oh, I made a mistake.

[Adam Silver]

Like, I'm.

[Big Cat]

Yeah, I'm about to get the Bills. Yeah.

[Adam Silver]

I don't think I've ever really felt that way.

[Big Cat]

Okay.

[Adam Silver]

I'm getting better. Sliding and protecting myself.

[Big Cat]

Yep.

[Adam Silver]

And I'm getting more agile, so I'm making some more. People miss getting a little faster. And I'm going to continue to work on that. So I'm just going to feel better and better about it.

[Big Cat]

You are getting faster. That's crazy.

[Hank]

You've got to know you could get faster.

[Big Cat]

Yeah. You've got slower Every day of my life.

[Adam Silver]

You just have to run fast.

[Hank]

Yeah. You get a very long slide now. I've noticed.

[Adam Silver]

Yeah.

[Hank]

You go like 7 yards on a slide.

[Adam Silver]

I know. I. I haven't quite perfected it. Like, Lamar will do some, like, weird stuff and then get down without getting hit.

[Hank]

I'm not.

[Adam Silver]

I don't have that in me. I don't think so. I'm just gonna do the baseball slide. I'd like to not go as far, I would say, but I feel like my slide into knee, into the ground, pop up.

[Hank]

It's good.

[Adam Silver]

It's cool.

[Hank]

It is good. Lamar likes to dive at people's knees when he goes down, which is like a pretty effective way, I think, to.

[Adam Silver]

Well, because when he gets close to people, everybody just breaks down because they're so worried about him making a miss.

[Big Cat]

Right.

[Adam Silver]

So then he starts going like that, and then everybody stops, and then he just goes.

[Big Cat]

He gets everyone on their heels.

[Adam Silver]

Yeah. I don't get anybody to stop like that.

[Hank]

No. Do you ever. Do you ever, like, learn new moves for open field running?

[Adam Silver]

Definitely.

[Hank]

Like, you watch YouTube and you're like, okay, I could do this.

[Adam Silver]

Or, I mean, more so, like, I practice it walking around. Like, I'll be walking through a hall or, like in my house and I'll, like, try something. Like, I'm working on a spin move right now.

[Hank]

Yeah, Just euro stepping random people on the street.

[Adam Silver]

Yeah, exactly.

[Big Cat]

Do you have. It's just guys being dudes where I just cross people.

[Hank]

You have any pets?

[Adam Silver]

I don't have any pets. I had pets when I was little, though. I had a. I had a cat, I had two turtles, I had two frogs, and I had a lizard.

[Big Cat]

Whoa. It's kind of freaky, borderline. Kind of a weirdo kid. If you went snake, if you added one more snake, have been like, oh, this isn't funny anymore. Yeah.

[Adam Silver]

I used to love going to the pet store and getting the crickets and feeding them to my lizard.

[Big Cat]

Yeah.

[Hank]

Yeah.

[Big Cat]

Wait, what was your lizard's name?

[Adam Silver]

Lizzy.

[Max]

Okay.

[Big Cat]

That's a good name.

[Hank]

That's solid.

[Big Cat]

Smart.

[Hank]

I just say if you had a dog, you could just juke out your dog.

[Adam Silver]

Dogs are too much for me.

[Hank]

Yeah.

[Adam Silver]

I like being around dogs, but I couldn't live with a dog.

[Hank]

I don't think you think you just love it too much.

[Adam Silver]

I think they're just too in your face.

[Big Cat]

They do like to be in your face. It's true.

[Adam Silver]

Just do your own thing for a little bit.

[Hank]

Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah. If you were a dog or a cat, I would say Joe Burrow cat.

[Big Cat]

Yeah, for sure. I know you're going to be asked this a lot because obviously T. Higgins is a free agent and they're going to be like, hey, Joe, will you take a restructure of your deal? I'm not going to ask if you're going to restructure your deal. I'm going to actually ask. What does that mean, restructuring a deal? Can you explain to us like, we're five?

[Adam Silver]

Yeah. So you could do a couple different things. You could convert some of the money to a signing bonus, which will lower the cap hit. You can push some of the money to the back end of the contract, and then when you get to the. That lowers the cap hit. And then when you get to the back end of the contract, you can restructure it and convert it to a signing bonus.

[Big Cat]

Okay.

[Adam Silver]

And then you can also just take less money.

[Big Cat]

And which one were you gonna do?

[Adam Silver]

We'll see.

[Big Cat]

Okay.

[Hank]

I don't like what Big Cat's doing, Joe. I think that you deserve every penny that you've signed for. You don't have to restructure anything. Don't feel like, oh, I have to keep T around. It's not your responsibility. That's on the team. I think T is entitled to make his money, but you're entitled to make your money, too, Joe. Don't listen to this guy.

[Big Cat]

Restructuring guys big. You don't take any less money. Right. You just get.

[Adam Silver]

You could.

[Big Cat]

Okay, you could.

[Adam Silver]

But is most of the guys just convert it to.

[Big Cat]

To signing bonus. Yeah. Is that. You would do that?

[Adam Silver]

I would do that.

[Big Cat]

Okay. Okay.

[Max]

I don't like.

[Hank]

I don't like what he's doing. He's putting pressure on you. You should feel entitled to the money that you've earned.

[Big Cat]

It is. It is a weird situation, though, that you're in, because, like, I think that's just part of what happens with quarterbacks where it's, like, there's a little more pressure on them where they have the biggest deal, so they. If they want to get flexibility. A lot of times it comes down to the quarterback to have to be the guy who has to step up and do that.

[Adam Silver]

At the same time, though, the. This was the last year that all the COVID like, cap money restrictions across the league were implemented. So the next, like, three or four years, I think the cap's gonna just.

[Big Cat]

Cap's going up.

[Adam Silver]

The cap's going up.

[Big Cat]

Okay. We just keep saying caps going up. Caps going T. Higgins.

[Adam Silver]

It went up, like, 8% last year. It'll probably be similar.

[Big Cat]

You've lost more. You've definitely crunched. You've definitely, like, been laying in bed late at night just looking at, like, a spreadsheet, being like, okay, all right, Gap's going up.

[Hank]

You understand the cap?

[Adam Silver]

I mean, not really.

[Hank]

Kind of, because we don't think that.

[Big Cat]

It exists way more than we do.

[Adam Silver]

Well, definitely some teams seem to make it feel that way.

[Big Cat]

Yeah. Yeah. I mean, the Saints have just pretended it doesn't exist for a while and.

[Adam Silver]

The Eagles are paying everybody.

[Big Cat]

Yeah. Yeah.

[Adam Silver]

So that seems like the way whatever.

[Hank]

They'Re doing, I feel like adjusting the salary cap is like the final boss of how many different things can we change because of COVID Yeah. It's like Covet happened. Okay, well, we're gonna have to redo the NFL salary cap. Obviously, we need to make some changes there.

[Adam Silver]

Well, it's weird. In baseball, you have no. I don't know what the. But some teams are paying, like, nothing. Some teams are paying, like, $500 million. I don't think that's the way to do it.

[Big Cat]

In the Shohei contract, it's like $700 million. But he just gets $2 million.

[Adam Silver]

Yeah, well, the third will pay you in, like, 50 years, which is insane.

[Big Cat]

I don't understand any of that. Yeah.

[Hank]

What was the deal.

[Adam Silver]

Was the deal with that? He got into some controversy.

[Big Cat]

Yeah. His.

[Hank]

His translator.

[Big Cat]

Ipe might have had a little gambling problem.

[Adam Silver]

I figured you guys would know the ins and outs of that.

[Big Cat]

Maybe.

[Hank]

Perhaps.

[Big Cat]

Yeah. It was a situation.

[Hank]

It's good to have a translator because that person is the ultimate fall guy.

[Big Cat]

Yeah.

[Hank]

I didn't even understand what you guys were saying.

[Adam Silver]

I can't even answer your questions right now. What is this?

[Big Cat]

We were saying we were joking at the time. It'd be so funny if it, like, all happened in Shohei. Was like, Kaiser Soze and just had, like, a New Jersey accent and just, like, started talking in perfect English. It was like, I've been playing all you.

[Hank]

You should get a translator later. That would be awesome.

[Big Cat]

Yeah.

[Adam Silver]

Yeah, that would be cool.

[Big Cat]

Yeah.

[Hank]

That way that. That person does all your interviews. You just sit next to them checking draftkings. I put in a parlay here. Okay, good, good, good. Yeah. So this has been a fun year for you in other ways. Maybe not so much, but this off season, what are you doing to. To, like, improve your game? You're getting faster. I know that. But, like, is there anything that you work on in the off season and you say, I'm going to focus on this?

[Adam Silver]

I think I'm at the point in my career where I'm not really. There's not really anything that I'm like, okay, this needs to get better. This is like, I feel like I'm pretty well rounded and everything is pretty dang good, but when everything's pretty dang good or great, you can always continue to improve those things and get better at them. So I'm kind of just always improving a little bit of everything. Strength, speed, mechanics, movement efficiency, you know, all those things.

[Hank]

I like that. Just do exactly what you've been doing, but do it harder.

[Big Cat]

Yeah.

[Adam Silver]

Or, you know, when I noticed that as you get older, you don't quite, you know, you put the same time in the off season, but when you get to the season, you. You don't have to quite grind as much because you've seen so much football now and you've played most of these defensive coordinators before, and they're all. They're doing the same stuff. You know, there's little game plan things here and there, but, you know, you've. You've seen most of the defenses.

[Hank]

What's your hair plan for next year?

[Adam Silver]

That's a good question.

[Hank]

I have a suggestion.

[Adam Silver]

I don't know what I'm gonna do yet. I don't really know what I'm gonna do until like a couple days before I do it. Yeah, I would say I kind of want to grow it out a little bit, but we'll see.

[Hank]

What about a mullet?

[Adam Silver]

I thought about the mullet.

[Hank]

You should do a mullet.

[Adam Silver]

You know, I thought about the mullet when I was in college because I grew my hair out in the off seasons in the college. In college. So I was gonna go mullet one my. Into my last year at lsu. That would have been a fun year to have a mullet, but you just have to grow it out so much, and then, I don't know. We'll see.

[Big Cat]

Yeah.

[Hank]

I mean, your hair seems to grow fast, though, because when you shave it, it's like four weeks later. It's like, oh, yeah. Remember when Joe shaved his head a month ago? Now he's got normal hair.

[Adam Silver]

Yeah.

[Hank]

Slim Shady look was interesting. I thought that that was intentionally done for preseason and that you would dye it back once I did it because.

[Adam Silver]

I wanted frost tips.

[Hank]

Yeah.

[Adam Silver]

But I've never seen frosted tips look good if you just go to the salon and get them.

[Big Cat]

Yeah.

[Adam Silver]

So I just went brute force. Shaved it, dyed it, and then let it grow out. So then I had the frost.

[Big Cat]

All right, so I know you got a run because you got a bunch of stuff going on today, but I got one last question. Roback question. Rho b a c k.com promo code. Take 20 off your first purchase. Q, zips, polos, hoodies, joggers, shorts. Roback.com promo code take. So I know you're doing a bunch of interviews today. I also know you're not really big on social media, so I just wanted to give you. I'm just giving you something that I saw, because I was. I was literally name searching Joe Burrow before you came on to see if there's anything that was going on in the last, like, two days. This is just from a random person. It's a clip of you at the Pro Bowl. It says, I need him in ways that would set feminism back a hundred years.

[Adam Silver]

What does that mean?

[Big Cat]

I think it's a woman who thinks you're very attractive. So just take that with you. Just take that with you. That's just like a little, you know, pull up the ego, nice little confidence. One said, feminism back 100 years.

[Hank]

I saw another one from a similar account that said God made men and then sent us Joe Burrow as an apology.

[Big Cat]

Yeah. Wait.

[Adam Silver]

Oh, cuz, okay.

[Big Cat]

Oh, okay. Cuz all men suck.

[Hank]

And then you. Not you.

[Adam Silver]

Okay, yeah.

[Big Cat]

So there you go. Take those with you.

[Hank]

Everything that you've done for men, Joe.

[Adam Silver]

Those didn't sound like questions, guys.

[Big Cat]

Yeah, no, they weren't. That wasn't. It was a roback statement. All right, well, great seeing you, Joe. Thanks so much. Thanks, guys.

[Hank]

Appreciate man. Joe Burrow is brought to you by Uber Eats. It's winter and you can now get almost anything you need for the coldest months of the year delivered with Uber Eats. What do we mean by almost? Well, you can't get a snowplow delivered, but you can get snow peas delivered. You can't get sunshine, but a bottle of wine, that's a. Yes. Snow angel. No. Angel hair pasta. Yes. Ubereats can get you that, along with a side of garlic bread and creme brulee. To top it all off, get almost. Almost anything for your winter delivered with Ubereats. Order now. Alcohol in select markets. Product availability may vary by region. See the app for details. And guys on chicks is going to be brought to you by a Roxon. Let's talk about the elephant in the room, fellas. Erectile dysfunction. One in four men 18 years and older experience ED, which means that you or someone close to you might be experiencing it. Right now. We've got five guys that are on part of my take with a microphone. Statistically, one of us is experiencing erectile dysfunction. That's why I want to tell you all about this new ED treatment gel called a Roxon. It's the first ED treatment gel with clinically proven results that you can get over the counter. And while it might not work for everyone, studies showed success in over 60% of men. The best part, no prescriptions or online questionnaires are needed. Why wait? Try Roxanne Today available in stores and online. Visit Iroxon us to learn more.

[Big Cat]

Okay, we're gonna do some guys on chicks real quick, and then we're gonna finish off with Fire Fest because this is the end of the week for us. We have Dungeon and Dragons coming Friday for the people. Hank. Guys on chicks.

[Max]

Guys on chicks. I've meant to bring it up in Hot Seat Cool Throne, but I forgot Montoya.

[Big Cat]

Oh, he's going through hell.

[Hank]

He went through it again, dude.

[Big Cat]

There I. I said last night, it's a show.

[Max]

It's a. It's. I don't even know how Spanish. It's like the crazy show of all time. It's just a show.

[Big Cat]

Well, it's Temptation Island, Spanish version. And Montoya, for anyone who hasn't followed. He has the worst ROI of all time on a lap dance, because he got a lap dance, and then his girlfriend on the other island decided to just spend the next, like, week this random guy getting the bongos played on her ass. And Montoya has to watch all of this happen. And he's just. I mean, credit to Montoya. He is. He's great on camera. He just basically, imagine if you're wrong.

[Max]

Is this relationship going.

[Big Cat]

If you're.

[Max]

He.

[Big Cat]

It's Montoya's. Basically. If you were watching the World cup and a player just lost in a terrible, terrible way. And you know how soccer players are usually, like, very animated. That's Montoya. Every episode, watching his girlfriend get smoked.

[Hank]

This guy. This guy absolutely hates it when his girlfriend cheats on him.

[Big Cat]

Yeah. And just, like, really watching her go to town.

[Hank]

The one that I saw today, they were under the covers, and they include. I think they might have, like, added in sound effects.

[Big Cat]

Yeah.

[Hank]

Because that smack sound, she was getting it in to the wall.

[Max]

Hey, guys, I need your help picking out a Valentine's Day gift for my fiance. In the past, I've made slgotten my fiance sentimental things, but I don't think guys really like that stuff. And I don't expect him to tell me that if he really doesn't. If I were you all. If it were you all, what are some things you would all actually enjoy getting that aren't basic? Thanks and go Dukes.

[Big Cat]

Cash, go. My answer is always cash.

[Max]

I think a good one for girls is just like, whatever is sports, Seymour. Find, like, a retro shirt or hat or something.

[Big Cat]

Okay. Counterpoint.

[Max]

Not basic, but it's a little. It's. It's thoughtful.

[Big Cat]

Counterpoint. Cash.

[Hank]

You can buy whatever you want with.

[Big Cat]

Cash, even if you have a joint bank Account ever. No one has ever gotten the gift of cash and been like, ew, no.

[Max]

Have you ever been like that with a gift card, though?

[Big Cat]

What? Yeah. Gift card boxes you in. Cash is limitless.

[Hank]

The problem with gift card is you never spend the full amount.

[Max]

Yeah.

[Big Cat]

Maybe get them some. Are you.

[Hank]

Or you have to make yourself spend way more money.

[Big Cat]

Yeah.

[Hank]

Because you're using the gift card to get a discount on it.

[Big Cat]

Also could get him some jail stool.

[Hank]

No, don't do that. Bad idea. I would. Let's see. A good gift for your fiance. Cash. I don't know if cash is really the way to go. Like, Hank is always. I think on the. If you share the personal account, it's like, what are you gonna do with cash?

[Big Cat]

It's still awesome to get cash, I guess.

[Max]

Fiance. Maybe they did, but when does that happen?

[Hank]

Yeah, it's. What.

[Max]

When does the joint account, like.

[Big Cat]

Yeah, Fiance. Marriage. Some people don't even have folks cash. It's still awesome to get cash even.

[Hank]

If you have a joint account or, like, an activity. Go on a trip together, Buy concert tickets, sports tickets.

[Big Cat]

Cash is king.

[Max]

Golf balls. Why do females typically not like guys playing video games? Seems there could be much worse activities out there. It's a way guys can also hang out without going anywhere. All in all, not one guy complains. When a girl goes out with her friends, we just hop on the game. What is the game for girls? And how do we get them excited about it like guys do for games and get treated the same when it's flipped.

[Hank]

Wait, so she's saying, why do. Why do girls care so much when.

[Max]

Guys asking why his girlfriend doesn't like video games?

[Hank]

Because you're. You're paying attention to something very close. You're paying attention to it way, way more closely than you pay attention to her.

[Big Cat]

Also, video games, by nature, we've all been trapped in one. You know, been obsessed with one. When you remove yourself from it, you do realize you. You did nothing. So I think they're seeing it from that angle where they're looking at it and being like, you just spent six hours and in your head when you're in it. Yeah, I'm squatting up with the boys. I got it. You know, we're going on missions. This is fun. Or I'm finishing my dynasty. Like, I'm accomplishing something from the outside. They're like, you've done nothing.

[Max]

I also think girls, their kind of video games are shows, but those are more time. Like, they watch for an hour. They watch the Bachelor like, They'll watch something for an hour. Two video games. If you really like playing video games, you could play forever.

[Big Cat]

Ever.

[Hank]

Yeah, forever.

[Max]

And that's where it's like, like, I'm getting off in a minute. But if you're playing like, you know, a battle royale, like what feels like a minute is actually 40.

[Big Cat]

Yeah.

[Max]

I do think you look up, you're.

[Hank]

Like, oh, I think girls, they, they care when you, they see you so engaged in the video game and you like, look forward to it and you, you know everything about the video game. You pay super close attention. And then they're just like, I wish that when I talk to you, you would pay attention to me in that same way that you do your video game.

[Big Cat]

Why don't you talk to your. Why don't you talk to me like you talk to your boys?

[Hank]

Yeah, like, suck my dick, fuck you.

[Big Cat]

Yeah, that kind of stuff.

[Hank]

What they.

[Big Cat]

My pussy.

[Hank]

What they should do is they should make a boyfriend simulator game. That'd be good if they made a good one.

[Big Cat]

Maybe get her into video games. Probably not, though.

[Hank]

Yeah.

[Big Cat]

To try. Yeah, I know there's something about it. We just were wired a certain way that when we start a game, just gotta finish it. Just gotta finish it or.

[Max]

Yeah, you gotta get a win. Like, and that is get a win.

[Big Cat]

And the problem is, I don't know, you guys might be different, but like, my relationship with video games has always been if I have a game, I'm obsessed. Obsessed with it for like a two to three week stretch. And that's all I think about. And I could see how that would be annoying on the outside where it's like you're at dinner having a conversation and all you're thinking about like, is, I gotta, I gotta get a four star linebacker for my team.

[Max]

I was kind of full on addicted to Call of Duty for like a solid two.

[Big Cat]

Oh, yeah, I've been in that. I've been in that for sure.

[Max]

Like Kovid. I think the move, like once I moved and I think it just, it was part of my routine. And it's not really anymore, but looking back, like, it was all I thought about. Yeah, I was trying to play for like, sometimes I just play for 12 hours a day.

[Hank]

That's a lot.

[Big Cat]

Now it's golf.

[Max]

Yeah, Golf. Yeah. Yeah.

[Hank]

You remember when you were addicted to golf video games?

[Max]

I still. PGA2K is coming out. I'm excited for that. Yeah, that game's fun as. Yeah, it's a great combo.

[Hank]

Yeah.

[Max]

Golf. And then when there's dark, just Play golf. Last one. Hey. Part of my take. Great pod, big fan. I'm a nurse and nearly all my co workers. Chicks.

[Big Cat]

What? Nurses are hot.

[Max]

It's a dude, and I had a few over for this.

[Big Cat]

How's it, dude?

[Hank]

I thought, this guy's on chicks and he's a nurse.

[Max]

I got drunk and called Kelsey a. After a second drop in the first.

[Big Cat]

Maybe a dude.

[Max]

A few chicks didn't like that. They are. Kelsey fans were offended by the verbiage. Is this something I have to address with my co workers? I'm just used to watching ball with the boys. So I was rowdy. No, I feel like nurses. Like.

[Hank]

Yeah, listen, one thing I know about nurses is when they're not on the clock, they.

[Max]

Yeah, they're hot. It's not like corporate.

[Big Cat]

This is a swifty thing too. That's why they're upset.

[Hank]

Yeah. And I. I think nurses and doctors have, what, like a five times greater likelihood to smoke cigarettes. Yeah, like, they. They don't give a.

[Big Cat]

Also, if we're being honest, Kelsey was kind of playing like a PAB for sure. Like, that's just a fact. They did. The Chiefs didn't play well. Right, Max?

[PFT Commenter]

Yeah. Little boy ass play.

[Big Cat]

Yeah, exactly. Yeah. Try that out next time. Little boy. Did you say that at all during the Super Bowl?

[PFT Commenter]

No, but the original tweet was about. Was about Travis Kelsey.

[Big Cat]

Little boy.

[Hank]

Ass boy.

[Big Cat]

Okay, let's. Let's do fire Fest.

[Hank]

I can't believe you tweeted that out.

[Big Cat]

Oh, so good. So good. Okay, Fire Fest time. Because we are going on vacation. So Friday we have our Dungeons and Dragons episode. Monday, we will have about 20 minutes of us on Zoom catching up on the weekend, and then an NBA preview with Ryan Rosillo. Then we will all be back together on for Wednesday's show. So, no, we're not missing any shows. We'll just have a little bit of a different schedule for the next few episodes. So. Firefest. Hank.

[Max]

Kind of impossible to have a fire fest right before a vacation.

[Big Cat]

Yeah, you're feeling it right now.

[Max]

Well, my sleep schedule is cooked. Cooked. Has not. I have. Not that I've not come back from New Orleans. Like, I was up yesterday at 5:00am Couldn't fall back asleep. Was up today at 4:00am couldn't fall back asleep.

[Big Cat]

Sounds like you're thinking about Josh Allen being an mvp.

[Max]

Got up. Yeah, got up and then fell asleep at, like seven on my couch. Almost like woke up at. You know, I'm all over the place sleep schedule wise.

[Big Cat]

Okay. I feel bad for you?

[Max]

Yeah.

[Big Cat]

Yeah. It's vacation. How many rounds?

[Max]

Well, I'm going a day early now because there's going to be snow in Chicago, so that I'm adding an extra one to go.

[Big Cat]

Yeah.

[Hank]

That's nice.

[Big Cat]

You got to go a day early.

[Max]

I do.

[Big Cat]

Yeah. I know.

[Hank]

Are you planning golf to, like, when you get into town? Did you add next round?

[Max]

Yeah. Yeah.

[Big Cat]

Okay. All right. Nice.

[Hank]

But it's because of the snow.

[Big Cat]

It's the snow.

[Max]

Well, yeah. I. I was like, well, I should go. Tuesday hit up. Hit up our friend Isner and was like, hey, you around? He's like, yep. Come play golf. I was like, fine. You know what?

[Big Cat]

You got to. Because of the snow.

[Max]

So Wednesday, Thursday, Friday, Friday, Saturday, Sunday.

[Big Cat]

Wait, What? Say it again.

[Max]

36.

[Big Cat]

Friday, Wednesday, Thursday, Friday, Saturday, Sunday. So six rounds.

[Max]

Yeah.

[Joe Burrow]

Wow.

[Big Cat]

Nice.

[PFT Commenter]

That's. That's too much golf. At some point, you got to be like, I. I. I'm. I. This is too much.

[Max]

Well, the one tomorrow is like, I don't have any choice.

[Big Cat]

Right.

[Hank]

He's forced to snow.

[PFT Commenter]

But, like, come Sunday, are you still gonna wake up? Like, no, I'm itching. I am itching to get another round.

[Max]

I would say after, like, the second round, Friday will probably. I'll probably be hungover, and it sounds like torture, and I'll be like, I'm.

[Hank]

I'm cooked.

[Max]

I'll fight through. You know what? For the people I will fight through.

[Hank]

I think what Max is asking is, like, aren't you going to get bored of playing golf at some point this week?

[Max]

No, because I've. We've been. I miss it so much.

[Hank]

Yeah.

[Big Cat]

What if you suck?

[Max]

Oh, I'll definitely suck.

[Big Cat]

That's a shame.

[Max]

I'll report back.

[Big Cat]

Okay, good.

[Max]

People dying to know.

[Big Cat]

All right. Pft.

[Hank]

Hank did ask me the other day. He's like, hey, are you gonna play golf on your vacation? I was like, I don't think so. He's like, can I borrow your bag? Your travel bag? So I have to run home at lunch and get the travel bag for Hank so that he can get his golf in tomorrow.

[Big Cat]

It's bros helping bros. Yeah.

[Hank]

What?

[Max]

It's huge and make me feel bad for asking you for a favor?

[Hank]

No, I'm just stating facts.

[Big Cat]

He's just stating that you love facts. Yeah.

[Max]

Yeah. True.

[Hank]

I'm trying to get you fired up.

[Big Cat]

We help. Well, we can't get him fired up. We can help him, but we can never get him fired up.

[Hank]

Yeah, we never.

[Big Cat]

We can never light that fire in Hank.

[Hank]

He's probably pumped to see, isn't. He's like, finally a guy with energy down here.

[Big Cat]

Fire me up.

[Hank]

Yeah, he'll tase you. Literally fire you up. Will you get tased this weekend?

[Big Cat]

Listen, it's okay. We're not Missoula and Gruden. We never will.

[Max]

You're not, and that's why I kind of feel bad. But also, you guys know you're not that okay. No one is okay.

[Big Cat]

Pft.

[Max]

Different motivation tactics.

[Hank]

My fire fest all somewhat vacation related. Really tough to have a fire fest when you're going on a vacation. It's nice to. Nice to get some more warm, really good things going. I guess the only fire fest I would have would be that I really wanted to play golf this weekend, and I don't have my travel bag. And I mean, what's better than playing golf on an island on vacation? It's like, all I've looked forward to doing for the last three months. But Hank needs my bag, so I'm gonna give Hank my bag.

[Max]

I can get another bag. I have a second option.

[Big Cat]

Like, he's got a bag.

[Hank]

Yeah, yeah. No, you can have my bag. I can tell it meant a lot to you. My real fire fest is going on vacation this week. And I. I did get my chest waxed last week down in New Orleans.

[Big Cat]

Oh, yeah, that did happen.

[Hank]

It did happen. So I'm gonna be hairless in a swimsuit on the beach, and whatever lotion they put on really did not agree with me with my chest. And I got a little. Little rash going on my chest right now. I'm not looking forward to being shirtless this weekend.

[Big Cat]

Yeah, the. The. The. I. I like, completely memory hold the fact, because that happened. That feels like it happened 10 years ago.

[Hank]

Yeah, it's gotten a lot better since the day after. But my chest is not at its best right now.

[Big Cat]

How is time working out in your brain right now, Max? Can't be going well.

[PFT Commenter]

No, I'm cooked.

[Big Cat]

The whole.

[PFT Commenter]

My whole body is just done.

[Big Cat]

All right. My fire fest. I actually the body be done. I knew this was gonna happen, but like clockwork, we turned 40, and now I'm just starting to get random injuries. I just got, like, a tennis elbow, my left arm, which I don't have. I don't play tennis or golf. Animal righty. And then my right arm. I've had a broken pinky for three months, and super bowl week just demolished me because I was shaking hands, and every time I was like, fuck, this hurts. But I'm gonna. I think I'M gonna get in shape, and I have an announcement for you guys. You ready for this? Yeah, I think I'm gonna dunk.

[Hank]

No way. Yeah, there's no way.

[Big Cat]

I think I'm a dunk.

[Hank]

Have you ever dunked before?

[Big Cat]

I've never dunked, but I think I'm gonna train in dunk.

[Hank]

How tall are you?

[Big Cat]

6. 3.

[Hank]

You could do it.

[PFT Commenter]

I think you could do it too.

[Hank]

Yeah, Big cat could do it.

[PFT Commenter]

I have a ton of faith.

[Big Cat]

I think I'm gonna dunk. I think I'm gonna dunk.

[Max]

I hope you. I mean, I hope you could too. You would have to lose a lot of weight.

[Big Cat]

Okay. All right.

[Hank]

But that's fine. It's like you've really. You're walking around. Has really trained your leg muscles.

[Big Cat]

Yeah.

[Hank]

So you got strong legs.

[Big Cat]

I don't know when I'm gonna dunk. I'm not gonna put a time on it or a bet on it, but I think I'm just gonna dunk.

[Hank]

Good.

[Max]

Good luck.

[Big Cat]

Thank you.

[Hank]

You can definitely do it.

[Big Cat]

You sounds like you're supportive, Hank.

[Max]

No, I mean, I know what you're doing. I would be happy if you didn't.

[Big Cat]

I'm trying to dunk.

[Max]

I know. You're not going.

[Big Cat]

You don't.

[Max]

I would. You don't put a time.

[Hank]

You don't believe him.

[Big Cat]

Wow.

[Max]

You know, I've. I've been there. I've been where you are. I understand where you tried to dunk. Yeah. I'm still going to.

[Big Cat]

I don't even remember it because you were so far away.

[Hank]

Think I could do it?

[Big Cat]

No.

[Max]

I was close.

[Big Cat]

You were not close.

[Max]

I was close.

[Big Cat]

You were not close.

[Max]

I was close.

[Big Cat]

You were not close.

[Hank]

You touched the rim.

[Big Cat]

You were not close.

[Max]

I was close.

[Hank]

I think you gave big cat.

[Big Cat]

In what world were you close to dunking?

[Max]

I jumped 10ft, 4 inches. I need to get 10.

[Big Cat]

6.

[Hank]

If you get big at a year, he could do it.

[Big Cat]

We'll see. I'm not gonna put any pressure on myself. I'm just gonna try.

[Max]

You know, I also am gonna be.

[Hank]

You should have John Gruden coach you.

[Big Cat]

Yeah.

[Hank]

And train you, because he'll get you fired up.

[Big Cat]

Yeah, that's true. It's fact. All right, I'm gonna try to talk.

[Hank]

Do we have any other. Any other hobbies that we're deciding to pick up this off season?

[Big Cat]

Dunking.

[Hank]

Dunking. Hank, any changes you're gonna make to your life post football?

[PFT Commenter]

I'm currently the fattest I've ever been, so I'm gonna work on that.

[Big Cat]

Get fatter. Yeah.

[Hank]

But you're a champion when you're fat.

[PFT Commenter]

Yeah, no, I gotta. That's. That's it.

[Max]

You can't really. You can't really think about changing your ways before vacation, but in a week from now.

[PFT Commenter]

Fitness vacation.

[Big Cat]

Yeah. Well, you got. Pft. You do something. You want to dunk with me?

[Hank]

I could try to dunk. I'm focused right now on long drive because I got a bet coming up.

[Big Cat]

Oh, yeah.

[Hank]

That I've been training on already.

[Big Cat]

Yeah.

[Hank]

I don't. I don't know if everyone here has been training on it, so I'm just gonna try to get my drive. I have been training over 300 yards if I can. I'm getting more tattoos.

[Big Cat]

I am too.

[Hank]

I'm low key. Addicted to getting tattoos.

[Big Cat]

I am as well.

[Hank]

Are you also.

[Big Cat]

I'm gonna get at least two or three more. I'll just say it. They're not gonna be crazy big or anything. I'm just. I don't know. We're just gonna do our midlife crisis with tattoos.

[Hank]

Yes.

[Big Cat]

Which is like, kind of badass by us. Where it's like we just became a tattoo podcast out of nowhere. I feel like I just see like, Chris Long and I'm like, that's what a real podcast host looks like.

[Hank]

Yeah. I might get a teardrop tattoo. How sick would that be?

[Big Cat]

Well, yeah, we're. I'm gonna get another one as well. So we'll. We'll maybe we link up, get them together. Maybe we get. We would get matching ones.

[Hank]

I like that.

[Big Cat]

That'd be cool.

[Hank]

Gonna get the flight simulator going in the office. Yeah, a lot of stuff.

[Big Cat]

I'm excited for that. I want to get on that flight simulator.

[Hank]

A lot of stuff going on.

[Big Cat]

Yeah. Okay. Numbers and get ready for Dungeons and Dragons on Friday.

[Hank]

Also, prostate exam.

[Big Cat]

Do we have to do that?

[Hank]

I think so.

[Big Cat]

I thought that was 45.

[Hank]

Might as well get it.

[Big Cat]

Shut up, Memes. Memes wants us to die.

[Hank]

No, but you should be rooting for us not to get a prostate exam.

[Big Cat]

40. You need one. You need it checked. I have to get one early cuz prostate cancer runs in my family.

[Hank]

Yeah.

[Big Cat]

Okay. Three.

[Hank]

Five.

[Big Cat]

We could all go at the same time. Okay, we should do that.

[PFT Commenter]

99 po.

[Hank]

Have an awl as a doctor.

[Big Cat]

21.

[Hank]

Give us. Give us butthole reviews. 5. 94.

[Big Cat]

94.

[Hank]

Love you guys.