NBA Playoffs With Brian Windhorst, Actor Josh Duhamel, The Bulls Lost Twice In The Play In, Lee Corso Retires Plus Fyre Fest

Summary

Pardon My Take Episode Summary
Episode Title: NBA Playoffs With Brian Windhorst, Actor Josh Duhamel, The Bulls Lost Twice In The Play In, Lee Corso Retires Plus Fyre Fest
Release Date: April 18, 2025

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NBA Playoffs Spotlight with Brian Windhorst

Timestamp: [38:34] - [86:57]

In this segment, hosts Big Cat and PFT Commenter delve deep into the ongoing NBA Playoffs with their special guest, Brian Windhorst, a renowned NBA insider and ESPN contributor. The conversation kicks off with an enthusiastic discussion about the thrilling matchups in the West, particularly highlighting the impending series between the Clippers and the Nuggets.

Key Points:

• Bulls' Performance and Front Office Critique:
  Big Cat passionately critiques the Chicago Bulls for their lackluster performance, especially noting their losses in the play-in games. He states, “[08:35] ... they went 16 and 7. Holy shit.” The hosts express frustration over the Bulls' inability to build a competitive team, citing poor management and questionable player contracts as primary issues.

• Draft Lottery Odds and Cooper Kupp:
  The hosts and Windhorst discuss the Bulls' minimal lottery odds, emphasizing the need for a significant draft pick to revitalize the team. Big Cat mentions, “[82:10] ... they didn't get their lottery odds up,” underscoring the urgency for the Bulls to secure a top draft position, potentially landing a star like Cooper Kupp to change their fortunes.

• Houston Rockets' Young Talent:
  Attention shifts to the Houston Rockets, with Windhorst praising their young phenoms like Amen Thompson and Cade Cunningham. “[63:26] ... Amen Thompson is going to be attacking Steph,” highlights Thompson’s defensive prowess and potential impact in the playoffs.

• Brian Windhorst’s Unique Approach to Playoff Coverage:
  Windhorst shares his unconventional method of predicting playoff outcomes by booking hotel reservations in cities he believes will host Finals games. “[52:04] ... finals schedule is out, like, in the fall,” he explains his strategy to stay ahead of the curve in forecasting team success.

• Pressure on Eastern Teams:
  The discussion also touches on the pressure faced by Eastern Conference teams, particularly the Milwaukee Bucks and Donovan Mitchell’s Cleveland Cavaliers. Windhorst notes, “[65:25] ... Jason Tatum to have a great Finals,” highlighting the immense expectations on star players to deliver championship victories.

Notable Quotes:

• Big Cat: “[08:35] ... they went 16 and 7. Holy shit.”
• Brian Windhorst: “[52:04] ... finals schedule is out, like, in the fall.”

Lee Corso's Retirement and Legacy

Timestamp: [23:25] - [27:58]

The hosts take a heartfelt turn as they pay tribute to college football legend Lee Corso, announcing his retirement. This segment reflects on Corso’s iconic role on ESPN’s "College GameDay," his infectious enthusiasm, and the indelible mark he leaves on the sports broadcasting world.

Key Points:

• Impact of Lee Corso:
  Big Cat reminisces about Corso’s unwavering passion, stating, “[24:15] ... what I love, is this guy was not just. He doesn't have it all together.”

• Future of "Legend of the Game":
  The discussion speculates on how "Legend of the Game" will evolve post-Corso, with humorous suggestions like featuring mascots or Corso’s dogs, emphasizing Corso's irreplaceable charm.

• Legacy and Fan Sentiment:
  The hosts express universal admiration for Corso, with unanimous agreement that his retirement is a significant loss. “[25:22] ... we all love Lee Corso.”

Notable Quotes:

• Big Cat: “[24:15] ... this guy was not just. He doesn't have it all together.”
• Josh Duhamel: “[25:20] ... it's not gonna be the same if, like, Nick Saban is putting on mascot headgear.”

Fyre Fest of the Week

Timestamp: [121:46] - [124:06]

In a lighter and humorous segment, the hosts recap a botched attempt at a dunk contest involving Shane. The "Fyre Fest of the Week" highlights the chaotic and comedic nature of their in-house events, blending sports with entertainment.

Key Points:

• Dunk Contest Mishaps:
  Shane recounts his near misses during a dunk challenge, exclaiming, “[121:50] ... I just had to hold the ball above my head.”

• Respect for Athletes:
  Despite the humorous failures, Shane acknowledges the athleticism required for dunking, “[122:51] ... That was how dedicated he was.”

• Upcoming Events:
  The hosts tease future events and playful competitions, hinting at continued antics and camaraderie among the team members.

Notable Quotes:

• Shane: “[121:50] ... I just had to hold the ball above my head.”
• Big Cat: “[123:48] ... They locked down first base.”

Guest Appearance: Josh Duhamel

Timestamp: [89:42] - [124:06]

The episode features multiple appearances by actor Josh Duhamel, who discusses his new Netflix series "Ransom Canyon." The conversation navigates through his experiences in directing, the challenges of memorizing lines, and the dynamics of balancing family life with a demanding career.

Key Points:

• "Ransom Canyon" Insights:
  Josh provides behind-the-scenes anecdotes about shooting the series, including dealing with unpredictable weather and the complexities of directing while acting. “[90:33] ... we had to push all that stuff to the end of the year.”

• Directing Challenges:
  He elaborates on the difficulties of directing scenes out of order, maintaining character arcs, and ensuring consistency across episodes. “[93:12] ... it's about figuring out when you know where you are in the progression of the character's arc.”

• Personal Projects and Hobbies:
  Duhamel shares his passion for doomsday prepping and maintaining a cabin getaway, blending personal interests with lighthearted banter. “[97:00] ... how do you. How would I get there? ... it's a whole. I. I thought.”

Notable Quotes:

• Josh Duhamel: “[93:25] ... this is really the hard part, is to kind of track how you. How you're going to perform things.”
• Big Cat: “[89:42] ... Ransom Canyon, Netflix. It looks like you're ready to do just like a full day of press junkets.”

Final Thoughts and Farewells

As the episode winds down, the hosts engage in playful banter, reflecting on their discussions and teasing future episodes. They express gratitude towards their guests and listeners, maintaining the show's signature humor and camaraderie.

Notable Quotes:

• Big Cat: “[131:38] ... My fire fest is your tweet about the Firefest 2.0.”
• Shane: “[143:59] ... I'll tell you what, the car community has, has kind of forced my hand.”

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Overall Summary:

This episode of "Pardon My Take" offers a comprehensive and entertaining exploration of the NBA Playoffs, with insightful commentary from Brian Windhorst on team performances, draft strategies, and playoff dynamics. The hosts critically examine the Chicago Bulls' management failures while celebrating emerging talents in the league. Additionally, they honor the retiring Lee Corso, highlighting his significant contributions to college football broadcasting. The lighthearted "Fyre Fest of the Week" segment adds a humorous touch, showcasing the hosts' camaraderie and penchant for entertaining challenges. Guest star Josh Duhamel enriches the conversation with his experiences in directing and personal anecdotes, providing a balanced mix of sports analysis and celebrity insights. Throughout the episode, notable quotes and lively discussions ensure an engaging listen for both regular fans and newcomers alike.

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]

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[Big Cat]

On today's part of my take we have a twofer for the people. We have Brian Windhorse getting ready for all the game ones this weekend in the NBA playoffs. And then we have our good friend Josh Duo, the most attractive guest we have on. He joins us again. I think it's his third time on. Great chat with him. We're going to talk NBA Playoffs. We're going to talk the play in games. We have Aaron Rodgers update. That's not really in an update. Lee Corso is retiring and we're going to finish off with Fyre Fest of the Week sending you into the weekend and we are brought to you by our friends at DraftKings. The NBA 82 game grind is done and now the real fun begins. The NBA Playoffs are here and it's time for all the high stakes drama, clutch moments and jaw dropping plays. If you're looking to make the playoffs Even more exciting, DraftKings sportsbook has you covered as an official sports betting partner of the NBA. From the playing games all the way through to the Finals. Now's the time to back your favorite players and teams as they chase glory. All season long, DraftKings has been the go to spot for NBA player props. And that doesn't stop now. Want to make your playoff experience even more intense? Try placing a bet on your favorite player's performance. Will they drop 30 points? 40 or more? It's your call. Ready to place your first bet? Download the DraftKings sportsbook app. Now lock in your bets and let's make this playoff run unforgettable. Here's something special for first timers. New DraftKings customers bet $5. Get $200 in bonus bets instantly. Make it a playoff run to remember with DraftKings. Download the DraftKings Sportster cap. Use code TAKE. That's code TAKE for new customers to get $200 in bonus bets. When you bet just five bucks only on DraftKings, the crown is yours.

[Hank]

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[Big Cat]

Okay, let's go. Welcome to part of my take presented by DraftKings. Make it a playoff run to remember with DraftKings. Download the DraftKings sportsbook app and use code TAKE. That's code TAKE for new customers to get 200 in bonus bets when you bet just 5 bucks only on DraftKings, the crown is yours. Today is Friday, April 18th, and both Bulls teams lost in the playing games on Wednesday night. The Bulls, the regular Bulls, and the West Coast Bulls.

[Eddie]

West Coast Bulls.

[Big Cat]

Yes. To further cement how stupid the Bulls are as an organization. Yeah, it was. Basically, let's watch the real Bulls play lose by a lot at home. And then let's watch the core that was built around Zach Lavine and DeMar DeRozan play out west, lose by a shitload at home. Yeah.

[Eddie]

So now Dallas Dallas advances to play against Memphis.

[Big Cat]

Yep.

[Eddie]

And I want Dallas in the playoffs.

[Big Cat]

I do, too.

[Eddie]

I really do. I think that'd be fun. Klay Thompson avenged last year's. What? He went 0 for 10. Yeah, I believe last year.

[Big Cat]

I remember. I bet it I was like, klay Thompson is a big, big game player. He's not going to go out like this over 10.

[Eddie]

He went out like that.

[Big Cat]

Yeah, he went out like.

[Eddie]

But he's back like that now.

[Big Cat]

Also, the Kings, they're kind of lost in space. No idea what's going to happen with them. Like, it felt. I feel like a couple years ago we had to light the beam. Everyone was pumped about the Kings. They did something on Wednesday night that you can't do if you're going to lose at home by. I think they ended up losing by like 16, but they were down by 23 at half. Did you see the player introductions? They played the My Little Pony theme song for the Mavs, which is very funny, but you can't do it then lose.

[Eddie]

You can't. Yeah, you cannot do that. At least they brought back the, the gun emoji. So if you do beat the Mavs, you can shoot the horse.

[Big Cat]

That's true.

[Eddie]

That's good.

[Big Cat]

Yeah. Anthony Davis was awesome in the, in the, in the regular Bulls game. Tyler Hero was awesome. Can I see red for a minute?

[Eddie]

Yeah. I was going to say welcome to the lottery.

[Big Cat]

Yeah. I'm excited to be in the lottery. Let's sim one.

[Eddie]

All right.

[Big Cat]

Because I, I you guys. Like, this was a situation where you guys have been playing the lottery game. Now someone has jumped into the game.

[Eddie]

Welcome to the party with.

[Big Cat]

With a 1.2% chance, which I think will go up if Dallas makes the playoffs or Miami makes the playoffs. So I'm rooting for that. Might. We might get all the way up to like 2%.

[Eddie]

That's huge.

[Big Cat]

And that would be quite something if I somehow pulled off the lottery win in your guy's face.

[Eddie]

Yeah. So Max has already disavowed and denied taking Cooper Flag if they get the first overall pick. Big Cat, I don't think that you did not. So you're still in.

[Big Cat]

I said I wanted him.

[Eddie]

He's still in on Cooper Flag.

[Big Cat]

Yeah. Even though he is a choker.

[Eddie]

That's fine.

[Big Cat]

By the way, did you guys see Texas Twitter has found our list of not win the big one guys.

[Eddie]

Oh, I didn't see that.

[Big Cat]

No.

[Eddie]

Are they happy about it?

[Big Cat]

They were not happy about the Arch Manning. They kept on saying he's only played two games and he won both games.

[Eddie]

I'm just saying that was a future call.

[Big Cat]

And I also was like, so you're saying he's not good enough to start? Sounds like. How are you going to win? How are you going to win the Big one from the bench.

[Eddie]

Let me ask you this, big cat. In the playoffs, when, when you had a must score situation against the Ohio State University, was he on the field?

[Big Cat]

No, on the bench. All right, Simmit. Okay.

[Eddie]

Washington. Washington.

[Big Cat]

There you go. All right, do one more. We're just going to keep saying Utah boo.

[Eddie]

Boo.

[Big Cat]

Okay, one more. New Orleans boo.

[Eddie]

That's no.

[Big Cat]

Next one wins. Next one wins.

[Eddie]

Well, I already won.

[Big Cat]

Okay, do it again. New Orleans again. Boo. Portland, boo. San Antonio, boo.

[Eddie]

Double boo.

[Big Cat]

Boo. Charlotte boo.

[Eddie]

Who cares? Utah, stop.

[Big Cat]

This sucks.

[Eddie]

Washington, let's go. Double win.

[Big Cat]

You won. Yeah. Let me see red for a second though. Uh, because I actually, for the first time in a while, I did not fall for Jerry Reinsdorf and Michael Reinsdorf's tricks and ak the front office, a bunch of fucking morons. Uh, I didn't fall for it this year and I'm happy I didn't fall for it because I didn't let myself fall for the tricks that they pull every single year. Pft. I got some stats I went through. The Bulls winning percentage this year was 47%. They were a 47% winning percentage team. They finished 39 and 43. Not great.

[Eddie]

Below 500 at home.

[Big Cat]

Below. 500 at home. So that's not a good team. That's not a team that is building anything. But guess what the trick is. Like every year, from the last day in February to the end of the season, the Bulls went 16 and 7. Holy shit.

[Eddie]

That's a great mark.

[Big Cat]

They're doing it. 70% winning percentage, marching. If you take out the wins against all the teams that were actively tanking, your Washington's, your Phillies, your Brooklyn's, and then you take out the two wins against teams where they were sitting, their start, their star player, the Denver Nuggets, Jokic and the Pacers. With Halberton, the Bulls winning percentage from February 28th to the end of the year, what was it?

[Shane]

43%?

[Big Cat]

46%.

[Eddie]

Okay.

[Big Cat]

They were the same team the whole time. And to pretend that it's anything different is ridiculous. March and April, NBA basketball does not matter. And the argument would be, well, they got some young guys and it's different than the last couple of years, which I would agree. Boozeless looks awesome and I'm excited about that draft pick. They also have a guy named Josh Giddey who they're going to probably pay $35 million to, which would be a very big mistake.

[Eddie]

What do you think about the trade? The trade, like in retrospect, so giddy.

[Big Cat]

They should have gotten picks. Yeah, they should have gotten picks.

[Eddie]

Giddy over 17 and a half last night. That cash.

[Big Cat]

Yeah, yeah. He was not. He was not the problem. Kobe White, I think was like five for 20. He was. He should also be traded because you have one more year of him. But what the Bulls are going to do is they're going to say, well, we went 70% down the stretch and we have Josh Giddy who's about to get paid. We have Boozalis, we have Kobe White. Let's build around this young nucleus. Nucleus. And what they're going to do is they're going to sign Josh Giddey to 30, $35 million a year, and Josh Giddey is just good enough to get you in the playing game and not the playoffs. And Josh Giddy. So I already pointed out that the last month and a half should not really be counted, but the Bulls obviously count it and they look at it and like we're building something. Josh Giddey, the first four months of the year, average 12 and a half. Six and a half and seven and a half. That's obviously points, rebounds in a sit or. Sorry, points assist rebounds. I should have done the other way.

[Eddie]

Question. Is he getting more minutes in Chicago?

[Big Cat]

He's getting more minutes. Lot more usage. Turns out when you are on a good team and you don't play, that's probably because you're not as good as the good team player.

[Eddie]

He was also like a redundant player on that good team.

[Big Cat]

Yeah. So again, first four months, 12 and a half, seven and a half, six and a half points, rebounds, assists. The last two months, which I've already established shouldn't count and is you're playing against teams that don't matter. He almost averaged a triple double. 2010 and nine and a half. And they're going to fucking pay him for that.

[Eddie]

Would you rather he not have almost average triple double?

[Big Cat]

I would have rather them take.

[Eddie]

When I think about it, I think. I think Jokic Westbrook. Was it Moses Malone or Oscar Robertson?

[Big Cat]

Yeah.

[Eddie]

And it's.

[Big Cat]

They're doing the same thing yet again. Josh Giddy will be just a younger Zach Levine, where you just pay a guy a ton of money because you're like, what are the other options? And Zach Levine, who is a good basketball player on paper, but a losing basketball paper or basketball player in reality is exactly what the Bulls love to have because it keeps you competitive enough to get into the playing game, not in the playoffs or compete for anything. This is the third year in a row they've been in the playing game. They have not made it to the playoffs. They do not know how to tank. They do not know how to win. We are now a decade since the Bulls last won a playoff series. We're 11 years since the Bulls last won a home playoff game, which I was at. It was a Derrick Rose buzzer beater. This franchise is a joke and it should be called out as a joke. And stop pretending that March and April basketball means something and actually pick a lane and go for it and be like, hey, we're going to be bad for a little bit. Because if they came in front of the fan base and said we're going to suck for the next three or four years, but we're going to have a shot at a couple one or two or three picks, people will be like, okay, let's do it.

[Eddie]

Yeah, it's way better to do that.

[Big Cat]

Yeah.

[Eddie]

Like having a plan. Having a plan to do that is what every bad team should do.

[Big Cat]

And they're not.

[Eddie]

You're not going to get good in the NBA unless one, you're a destination city where you feel confident that you can attract an already cemented superstar.

[Big Cat]

Correct.

[Eddie]

To want to go to your city. Or two, you're just really shitty and you get the first pick in the. Over in the draft.

[Big Cat]

Correct.

[Eddie]

Or I guess you could also hit on somebody in the draft later on, but that's so hard to do in the NBA.

[Shane]

And the just make trades and get picks that, yeah, you know, eventually end up as lottery picks.

[Big Cat]

They finally do own all their picks again, which they had to trade to get one of their picks back. But the, the, what you guys said is exactly correct. The opposite plan that you should do is paying guys that are decently average basketball players 30 plus million dollars to win 39 games a year.

[Eddie]

Right. That's the worst.

[Big Cat]

Which is what they've done. Which, which I loved last night because it was like the front office. It was an indictment on the front office in two separate play in games. It was the Bulls. And then it was, oh yeah, the last iteration of the Bulls with Zachine and demar derozan. You up twice.

[Eddie]

Let me just say this. Bat. If, if I don't win the draft lottery and I, I very much hope that I do. I hope you win it.

[Big Cat]

Thank you.

[Eddie]

I hope Chicago gets it.

[Big Cat]

If I don't win it. I hope you win it.

[Eddie]

Thank you. I appreciate that. That'd be great.

[Big Cat]

And I'm probably not going to win it.

[Eddie]

That'd be great to have Cooper flag in Chicago.

[Big Cat]

Yeah.

[Eddie]

If I can't have him in D.C.

[Big Cat]

It would be a lot of fun.

[Eddie]

Yeah.

[Big Cat]

But yeah, I. I was frustrated again. I was happy that I didn't fall for it because it usually like when a team finishes season 16, you're like, oh, my God. And they're younger than they have been in the past, but it's all the same. And Jerry Reinsdorf and Michael Reinsdorf are scumbags and all they care about is selling out the United center, which sells out. It's lead the league in attendance every single year. And it's just. It's bullshit. They have no plan and they have no. No path forward. And they're just going to stay in this middle ground forever and try to sell everyone on a really good March and April where they finished strong and lost in the plane. Being in the playing game three years in a row and not making to the playoffs, that should, like, there should be a punishment. I don't know what it should be, but there should be a punishment.

[Eddie]

Banned from future playing tournaments.

[Big Cat]

I like the Hawks being in their fourth straight playing game. Like there should be some type of punishment for fucking up so bad that you just end up in the same spot every year.

[Eddie]

But I think it's worse for the Hawks and here's why. With the Hawks, you have a guy that you in theory could build around and make a good team around.

[Big Cat]

Right.

[Eddie]

I think, I think that Trae Young is good enough where you can. You can get to that next level, which is maybe being like a 4 seed or a 5 seed if you put the right pieces around him. The Bulls, you don't have that. Like, you got to. You got to go scorched earth at this point.

[Big Cat]

No, they're going to pay Josh Giddey. And again, it's not really like, Josh Giddy's fine. He could be your third or fourth best player, but they're going to pay him way too much money and they're gonna be like, well, he's 22 years old. He's gonna get way better. Okay. And you're gonna be in the same spot. He's like, the ceiling is gonna be the eighth seed play in game.

[Eddie]

Yeah.

[Big Cat]

So you get two home playing games. So. Yeah, that was my C. Red Hank was. Hank was trying to say that we could beat the Cavs a week ago. Yeah. What did I say?

[Shane]

Well, you guys finished so hot. I was. You guys are trending.

[Big Cat]

So yeah, you fell for it. You fell for it.

[Shane]

Also speaking into existence, we've done this.

[Big Cat]

Before, but the halftime Lead for the heat was 71, 47. And that is pretty much the largest 24 point deficit you can have.

[Eddie]

Yeah. Because you, you rarely see it with those numbers that high.

[Big Cat]

It feels like 30.

[Eddie]

Yeah. That's a big one.

[Big Cat]

Yeah. And I, I. People were asking me what the smallest was, and I said, in basketball, I feel like it's like 59, 35, because you can get on a little quick run and like, if you go a 70 run, 59, 42, that's. You're in that game.

[Eddie]

Yeah. So it was a 24 point lead.

[Big Cat]

24 point lead.

[Shane]

I feel like 3612, too, because it's so early.

[Eddie]

Yeah. 3612 is a good one. I would even say 30, 36, 12.

[Shane]

In the NBA means nothing.

[Big Cat]

Nothing. Yeah, nothing. But 7147 is like, what the hell's happening right now? You're not even at 50 and they're in the 70s.

[Eddie]

If you can jump over multiple digits of 10, that's when it appears so much larger.

[Big Cat]

Yeah. Yeah. So. Yeah. And it was very funny because The MAVs were up 7,148.

[Eddie]

Yeah.

[Big Cat]

Which just idiots.

[Eddie]

I, I hate the playing tournament.

[Big Cat]

It's.

[Eddie]

I hate it. It's, it's, it's stupid. Because the very best thing you can hope for is that you get a great game. And then the fans are like, we wish that we had more of this matchup.

[Big Cat]

Correct.

[Eddie]

Teams match up so well. At worst is what we saw last night, which is just uninteresting, boring, depressing basketball. And we. Nobody wants to watch that.

[Big Cat]

No.

[Eddie]

Although the one good thing. I'll say this, watching the play in tournament right after. Right after March Madness is kind of cool because for a while you forget what good basketball looks like. And you, you just get amazed at the shots that are going.

[Big Cat]

Shots go in. Yeah. No, the playing tournament. I, I can't. I hate it so much. And I hate it, obviously, personally, just because it was made specifically for owners like Jerry Reinsdorf to be like, hey, we made the playing tournament. But I just. How could you. If you told someone there's a. There's a, a league with 30 teams, 15 in each conference, and 10 out of 15 make the. The postseason.

[Eddie]

Yeah.

[Big Cat]

It's so stupid. You play 82 games.

[Eddie]

Yeah. Wasn't the play in tournament designed because they wanted to make sure that Zion Williamson could get in it?

[Big Cat]

Yeah. For ratings, I think so.

[Eddie]

I think that's what, that's when they did it. Yeah.

[Big Cat]

And like, I guess you could obviously The Heat fucked it up for everyone. The Heat going to the finals from a, from a playing tournament fucked it up.

[Eddie]

But that was also. Was that Mickey Mouse?

[Big Cat]

No, that was the. That was a year, what, two years ago. Were they playing team then? They must have been because they were the eight seed, right?

[Shane]

Yeah.

[Big Cat]

You guys were the one seed?

[Shane]

Yeah.

[Big Cat]

Was that first round? No, but I'm just saying a team that goes from the play into the finals, people are like, look, see that team could get hot. But yeah, no, you're right.

[Eddie]

It should be if a 9 or a 10, right. Team that would be left out. If they actually advance.

[Big Cat]

The seven and the eight are in the playoffs. They should be in the playoffs. So, so stupid. Okay, so speaking of that, we have two more playing games.

[Eddie]

Yeah, can't wait.

[Big Cat]

Awesome.

[Eddie]

I'm actually, I'm looking forward to the Grizzlies Mavericks game a little bit.

[Big Cat]

I am. That's the thing is the actual games, I'm not going to argue, can be fun. The Grizzlies warriors game was fun. So it's like once we get to. If they're going to force it, I'm going to watch it, I'm going to enjoy it. But if you asked me would I like it, I'd say no.

[Eddie]

Yeah. Miami, Atlanta. I think this is where heat culture takes over. I feel like heat culture gets the nod. Kevin Love, one last rodeo.

[Big Cat]

He's not playing.

[Eddie]

Damn it.

[Big Cat]

Yeah.

[Eddie]

He's still on the team.

[Big Cat]

Tyler hero. Yeah. All right, let's do. Let's do a first back. What are we doing, Max? First basket. We all got to pick a first basket.

[Shane]

This is for Friday's games.

[Big Cat]

These are Friday's games. And it's brought to you by DraftKings. The NBA playoffs are finally here. It's about to get wild. High stakes drama, insane buzzer beaters, jaw dropping dunks. And the excitement you live for. And guess what? DraftKings Sportsbook, an official sports betting part of the NBA is giving you a chance to boost your winnings every single game during playoffs. That's right. Every game, all playoffs long. DraftKings is rolling out a special NBA profit boost. So what are you waiting for? Download the DraftKings sportsbook app now. Use Code take to claim your profit. Boost. That's right. Code Take gets you a boost every single NBA playoff game. Don't miss your shot at big wins. This is the moment you've been waiting for. Only on DraftKings. The Crown is yours.

[Hank]

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[Big Cat]

Okay, so we're doing a contest between all four of us. Max, you in this?

[Max]

Yes.

[Big Cat]

Okay. Every single week we're going to do. Everyone's going to pick a first basket score and then the winner gets a bonus bet. So we're going to give them out. I'm going to do Anthony Davis first.

[Max]

Basket score plus 500.

[Big Cat]

Okay. Love it.

[Shane]

I'm taking Desmond Bain plus 750.

[Eddie]

Okay. Juicy. I'm going John Morant plus 550.

[Shane]

All eyes on this game.

[Max]

And I'm gonna go Zach Edie plus 7,50.

[Big Cat]

Wait, we're all doing that game. Okay.

[Eddie]

Somebody's got to win.

[Max]

Love it.

[Big Cat]

Get nuts. I think the Mavs might win. I agree with you. Pft. I want the Mavs in the playoffs.

[Eddie]

Yeah. They just for the fans.

[Big Cat]

Yeah. Yeah. Did you guys see the story of the pastor in South Africa? Yes.

[Eddie]

So good.

[Big Cat]

He was kidnapped gunpoint, and he was saved. And they, like, talked to him on the phone and I think they told him like, hey, try to talk about lighthearted stuff. And one of his friends brought up the Nico Nil stuff, and he was like, bullshit about it.

[Eddie]

Yeah.

[Big Cat]

After being kidnapped in South Africa, he.

[Eddie]

Was very upset about it. And then at the end of the interview, the pastor that was on the phone with him held up his copy of the Bible that he keeps in his office.

[Big Cat]

Yeah.

[Eddie]

And it's an orange Bible with the power T on it.

[Josh Duhamel]

It's so awesome.

[Eddie]

Yeah.

[Big Cat]

Yeah. He. After being safely rescued, Sullivan was taken to see his family. He then began touching base with some back in East Tennessee. Pastor Tom Hatley said one of the first things he heard from those in South Africa was he was upset over Nico.

[Eddie]

Yeah. He's like, send me back.

[Big Cat]

That's a football guy.

[Eddie]

Let those guys take me. I don't want to come back.

[Big Cat]

Yeah.

[Eddie]

Also, Nico got, I think, 1.5 mil.

[Big Cat]

Oh, good. Good deal to go to.

[Eddie]

Well, the nice thing is that the cost of living in California is much less than in Tennessee. Yeah. So He. He actually ended up losing, I'm going to guess, like, 80% of his earning power when you take into account the cost of living in LA and the state income tax in California, as opposed to Tennessee, which doesn't have any. So the art of the deal.

[Big Cat]

Yeah.

[Eddie]

By Nico's dad.

[Big Cat]

I also heard that his dad was saying that the Tennessee offense, like, put handcuffs on him. And it's like we're. It's the hot dog. We're all trying to find the guy who did it. Maybe it was the inaccurate quarterback.

[Eddie]

Yeah, that's the best place. Yeah, that's the best place he could possibly be.

[Big Cat]

Yeah. But I'm saying, like, he, he had to have handcuffs because he couldn't throw.

[Eddie]

Yes.

[Big Cat]

Like, that was why.

[Eddie]

Also true.

[Big Cat]

Like, it wasn't the offense. It was that they were like, hey, this guy can't throw to open receivers. We're gonna have to change the offense.

[Eddie]

Yeah. So I know that Tennessee fans are. Are pumped about it because they're like, ha, you got less money and you're going to a school that's not going to be nearly as good for you as we were.

[Big Cat]

Yeah. And they're going to get killed in the Big Ten.

[Eddie]

Probably.

[Shane]

Yeah.

[Eddie]

I. I keep forgetting that UCLA is in the Big Ten.

[Big Cat]

They are.

[Eddie]

Still. Makes no sense.

[Big Cat]

Lee Corso retiring. So first week of game day. Legend of the game. Sad.

[Eddie]

He's all in for week one.

[Big Cat]

All in.

[Eddie]

He's got a big summer to prep for Ohio State. Texas.

[Big Cat]

Yeah.

[Shane]

So I guess Waterwork City on that. That first week.

[Big Cat]

Yeah. They wanted to do it where he did. The first ever mascot that he put on was Brutus. And so they wanted to maybe bookend it. I still think he. They should have given him like a late October, early November game.

[Eddie]

Ideally.

[Big Cat]

That would be nice because like that August 1st or. Or the first week and last week of August. But week one, it's football. But it's also like that weird. Everyone's still on summer vacation. Like, football's on. I'm watching. But like, it just doesn't feel like game day. It doesn't feel like Corso.

[Eddie]

You know what? It should have been week two. That's when usually some of the power school schedule. The cupcakes.

[Big Cat]

Oh, yeah, week one is going to be.

[Eddie]

Yeah, week one. It's like a celebration that college football is back. So we're all super pumped about that. Week two, we look at the slate and we're like, oh, shit, this isn't nearly as good as week one. Week two could have just Been a big celebration of Lee Corso.

[Big Cat]

Yeah. He probably maybe should have retired a couple of years ago, but it doesn't matter. I love whenever he wants. Yeah. Like, that's one of those guys that he's. He's in that Dicky V Camp. The fanta Dicky V. Lee Corso. The guys that are basically holding up a sport with just genuine enthusiasm for that sport. That's what I think a lot of people got drawn to first, and then they. They. Then they get cynical as the years go on.

[Eddie]

And I always loved when. When Kirk. Herb street would. Would just, like, support him.

[Big Cat]

Yeah.

[Eddie]

Stage. It actually made Kirk way more likable to the average viewer, too.

[Josh Duhamel]

Yeah.

[Eddie]

So, yeah, it's gonna be different. I don't know if they're gonna fill the chair with somebody else or just move on because they've got a pretty good team. So I. I don't know. But you can't really fill Lee Corso's shoes.

[Big Cat]

No.

[Eddie]

It's not gonna be the same if, like, Nick Saban is putting on mascot headgear.

[Big Cat]

No, definitely not.

[Eddie]

I don't think he would. That's like.

[Big Cat]

They should do the headgear on Kirk's dogs.

[Eddie]

That would be awesome.

[Big Cat]

That would be sick.

[Eddie]

I would love to see that.

[Big Cat]

But, yeah. Legend of the game. And. Yeah. I mean, I don't think anyone's ever said anything bad about Lee Corso.

[Eddie]

No, he's.

[Big Cat]

What is the. The. The only criticism would be maybe he should have retired a few years ago. But guess what? Everyone should be as lucky to be able to do it as long as he. He has done it.

[Eddie]

Yeah.

[Big Cat]

And. And be able to just keep having fun. So I. I love Lee Corsa.

[Eddie]

Yeah. He's the best. The. You can't say anything bad about him memes.

[Big Cat]

Did you have something bad to say about him?

[Tom]

No, I love Lee Corsa.

[Big Cat]

Okay. Something bad to say about him?

[Josh Duhamel]

No.

[Big Cat]

Okay, Max, you want to say something bad about him, now's the time.

[Max]

Do you want me to say something bad about.

[Big Cat]

If you have something bad in your.

[Eddie]

Head, what the Internet needs is for somebody to get mad about and take out all of our. Because right now we feel sad.

[Big Cat]

Right.

[Eddie]

And as men, that makes us feel vulnerable. So we have anger that we would like to release. So if you say something bad, then we can just hate you.

[Max]

He called that little kid a midget.

[Eddie]

Yeah. That was messed up.

[Big Cat]

Play that clip. That was a great clip. That wasn't messed up. That was awesome.

[Eddie]

Was that when I was on college game day?

[Big Cat]

That was that was. That was Corso at his finest.

[Eddie]

Was that about me? I'm five eight. Lee.

[Big Cat]

I love it. If you're listening and not watching. It's a little kid. It's like a five year old kid on the desk with him.

[Eddie]

Bugs, yo, not so fast.

[Big Cat]

That's a five year old.

[Eddie]

Yeah.

[Big Cat]

Oh, that's great. Hank, you have something bad. I don't.

[Shane]

I mean, if you want a quote card to, you know, get. Get the Internet stirring, good riddance. Oh, good riddance.

[Big Cat]

You want to do that?

[Max]

Says meme says no, meme says, you.

[Big Cat]

Don'T want that smoke. You don't want that smoke. All right, college. College football fans would be. Oh, yeah, I think we got to do it. Yeah, now we got to do it. Memes.

[Max]

But then it's going to look like our. Our entire show is saying this.

[Big Cat]

Yeah.

[Shane]

How about if you asked for it?

[Big Cat]

How about bigger than the quote?

[Eddie]

How about you include this, Hank? That's messed up.

[Big Cat]

Yeah.

[Eddie]

Pft, Hank.

[Big Cat]

And then include mine. Hank. You're wrong. We all love Lee Corso.

[Max]

Sounds good to me.

[Eddie]

That's. That quote card is going to bang.

[Big Cat]

That's going to do numb. Maybe also just put out another one saying archbannon can't win the big one.

[Eddie]

Yeah, just lock it up.

[Big Cat]

Just throw it out.

[Eddie]

Arch Manning, the world's biggest choke artist.

[Max]

Yeah, these are all good.

[Big Cat]

Yeah. Okay. Aaron Rodgers, he showed up again.

[Eddie]

It was an illuminating interview. Did you watch it?

[Big Cat]

He went on McAfee. I did not. So can you give me the rundown?

[Eddie]

Yeah, I thought he was.

[Shane]

I thought he was banned from McAfee.

[Big Cat]

If he was still on the Jets.

[Eddie]

Yeah, but he's not on the jets anymore. I thought it was illuminating. I thought that I've never heard one person say as many words without saying anything at all as I heard Aaron Rogers say on Pat McAfee today. I think it was probably 20 minutes of Aaron just kind of saying, I'm up for anything, down for whatever. So there's absolutely no news that came out of it. He. He. It does sound like he's dealing with a personal issue. They kept going back to that. So if it is something serious that he's dealing with, like family or friends, then obviously he's, you know, doing the right thing by taking that time before moving on with his professional career. But it just sounded like he was. He's just waiting. He's just. He's waiting for the universe to speak to him.

[Big Cat]

Okay.

[Eddie]

I think he's waiting for like a dog to walk down the street and talk to him, and then that will be his sign that it's time to join the Steelers.

[Big Cat]

So it's. He's waiting for the universe to talk to him. Is he also maybe waiting for the draft to happen?

[Eddie]

I don't know. Why would you wait for the draft to happen?

[Big Cat]

Because if the Steelers maybe extend overextend themselves and get Shadow or Sanders, he's like, why would I go to the Steelers?

[Shane]

Yeah, but if they got Rogers before the draft, wouldn't they then not.

[Eddie]

Well, Kirk Cousins.

[Big Cat]

Well, I think that's why. Yeah, I think that's why Rogers is waiting, because he doesn't want to have a Kirk Cousins situation where he signs somewhere, they draft someone, and then they're like, oh, yeah, it's your job. Maybe.

[Eddie]

Is he going to.

[Shane]

Also, you can talk about in negotiations, Kirk Cousins.

[Eddie]

Is he fucking over Kirk Cousins?

[Shane]

Did they specifically state that, though?

[Big Cat]

I mean, it's happened. I mean, Mike Glennon, he was promised the starting job by the Bears.

[Eddie]

Also, Aaron Rodgers is 41. Right. So even if he went to the Steelers, it would be reasonable, I think, for them to draft a quarterback.

[Big Cat]

Right. But I mean, I understand. I just think he's probably waiting for the draft because he just doesn't want to be in a situation where.

[Eddie]

But do you actually think that the longer he waits out, the worse the situation becomes for Kirk Cousins? Because obviously there are teams that would be interested in Aaron Rodgers that might also be interested in trading for Kirk.

[Big Cat]

I think they're also waiting for the draft.

[Eddie]

Okay.

[Big Cat]

Because Kirk Cousins doesn't want to have it happen again to him.

[Eddie]

Because it'd be very funny. That's a good point. But it'd be very funny if Aaron Rodgers was doing this just to stick it to Kirk.

[Big Cat]

That would be funny. But, yeah, like Kirk Cousins, if he went to the Giants right now and then the Giants drafted Doris Sanders, he's just Sideshow Bob stepping into a rake.

[Eddie]

That would also be funny.

[Big Cat]

Yeah. So I feel like all this is going to get settled right after the draft.

[Eddie]

Yeah. But he didn't say anything. Oh, actually, I take that back. He did say something very interesting. He just spent, like, five minutes dumping on the Jets. Oh, just like going scorched earth on the. On the Jets. He said that he flew out on his own dime to meet with the jets new front office.

[Big Cat]

Okay.

[Eddie]

And Aaron Glenn met with him for, like, 20 seconds. Ran out of the room, got the GM, brought the GM back in there and told him, we're moving in a different direction without you. So that's what he says happens. Memes, do you believe that?

[Tom]

I believe that it was over exaggerated.

[Big Cat]

Okay, what part?

[Tom]

I believe that Aaron Rodgers has a sense of time.

[Big Cat]

You think Aaron Glenn was only in there for 10 seconds?

[Tom]

No, he was in there for probably an hour. And the way Aaron Rodgers talks, he just Talked for like 30 minutes. And Aaron Glenn was just like, all right, we're firing you, so let's go get the gm, let's get the show on the road. And then they had you don't know me off.

[Eddie]

Memes thinks that Aaron Rodgers, he perceives time at a different pace from everybody else. Memes thinks that he. When he's speaking, then time moves very quickly. Got somebody else is speaking. Time moves very slowly.

[Big Cat]

Got it.

[Eddie]

So what was the source off?

[Tom]

No, there was a you don't know me off between him and the gm.

[Eddie]

Oh, okay. How did that go?

[Tom]

So Darren Moogie said, do you like football? Do you still want to play football? Aaron Rodgers said, yes. And then there was just a back and forth of, you don't know me. I. No, you don't know me. That was it.

[Big Cat]

Wow. Yeah. Like, they just kept on saying that back and forth to each other, you don't know me.

[Tom]

And then Aaron Rodgers like, let's get. Let's get to know each other. And they were like, no, we're just. We're moving in a different direction.

[Big Cat]

So you don't know me and you don't even want to know me.

[Tom]

Yeah, it was just, you don't know me. You don't know me.

[Eddie]

So Aaron was pissed off that he had to fly across the country for a 22nd meeting. That could have been an email.

[Big Cat]

Got it.

[Tom]

But the jets also would have gotten dragged if they just called him.

[Eddie]

Yeah, it would have been like they didn't. The jets didn't respect Aaron Rodgers enough to do this face to face.

[Big Cat]

Are you saying you don't owe me or you don't know me?

[Tom]

You don't know me.

[Big Cat]

You don't know me.

[Tom]

You don't know me.

[Big Cat]

I don't know what he's saying.

[Eddie]

You don't know me.

[Tom]

You don't know me.

[Big Cat]

Got it.

[Eddie]

Does anybody really know Aaron, though?

[Big Cat]

No.

[Eddie]

Yeah. How could one man really know another man?

[Big Cat]

It's a really good question.

[Tom]

That's a good point.

[Big Cat]

It's a really good question.

[Eddie]

Yeah. Think about it.

[Big Cat]

I want to see him play.

[Eddie]

Yeah, of course. I would love to see her.

[Big Cat]

I'd like to see him still play football.

[Eddie]

He is.

[Big Cat]

As long as it's not in the NFC North.

[Eddie]

The other thing I took away from this interview was he. He loves Ashton Genti. If you. If you find the clip of him talking about seeing Ashton Genti in person, he. He really loves that guy, like, a lot. Loves his build. Oh, like is obsessed with looking at the guy.

[Big Cat]

He does have a nice build.

[Eddie]

Can we find that clip? Can you see if that. That exists out there? Because, man, Aaron really, really likes.

[Big Cat]

He's got a nice build a lot. I mean, he does have a nice build. Yeah.

[Eddie]

Yeah. He is apparently just really well put together.

[Big Cat]

Yeah. While you find that, Hank, did you see Brown's GM Andrew Berry?

[Shane]

I did.

[Big Cat]

Said that he compared Travis Hunter to Shohei Otani. So do you feel good being in the same conversation as the Browns front office?

[Shane]

Yeah, definitely.

[Big Cat]

Oh, okay.

[Shane]

I'm gonna be vindicated. I. I welcome the hate when it came, but, you know, two years time, I want to be sitting pretty.

[Big Cat]

You think Travis Hunter will be more impressive than Shohei Ohtani?

[Shane]

Definitely.

[Big Cat]

Wow. Okay. Showtime. He's gonna pitch soon again.

[Eddie]

How many touchdowns and picks would he have to have to have a show? Hey. Type season?

[Big Cat]

10. 10 receiving, 10 receiving touchdowns, five picks.

[Eddie]

And maybe two touchdowns, two pick sixes.

[Shane]

Yeah, that's doable. That doesn't even seem that crazy.

[Eddie]

It is pretty crazy, in fact.

[Shane]

Right? Yeah, but it's doable.

[Max]

I don't think this clip exists.

[Big Cat]

Okay.

[Eddie]

All right.

[Big Cat]

By the way, draft week next week, we're going to have Daniel Jeremiah on Monday, and then we'll have our good friend Todd McShay on Wednesday.

[Eddie]

Do you have a big board?

[Big Cat]

I have a big board.

[Eddie]

I have a big board.

[Big Cat]

Yeah.

[Josh Duhamel]

Who's.

[Eddie]

Can you tell me who's number one on your big board?

[Big Cat]

Well, it's Mason Graham, but he's not going to be there. Yep.

[Eddie]

Guys who will be there?

[Big Cat]

Probably Kelvin Banks.

[Eddie]

Okay.

[Big Cat]

Even though we made fun of the name Kelvin, that's fine.

[Eddie]

Just two weeks ago, it might be a boy named Sue.

[Big Cat]

Yeah, probably him.

[Eddie]

My number one, I think it's Malachi Starks at safety.

[Big Cat]

Okay.

[Eddie]

And, you know, it goes back from watching his very first game that he played in college. I think that was against Oregon.

[Big Cat]

Yep.

[Eddie]

We had just an incredible pick. And I made a mental note. I was like, put a pin in this guy. Would love to see this guy play on my team in the NFL. Then I've kind of like, casually watched him over the last couple years. But I. I just go back to that one play.

[Big Cat]

I like that.

[Eddie]

I want that guy.

[Big Cat]

What? Yeah. What does it have right now is the. If we did Tyler Warren to the Bears. Okay, Hank, what are you looking at it for?

[Shane]

I won the best athlete. Like, I feel like, you know, obviously we have. They're going to probably take a lineman or defensive lineman, but I would like, obviously Abdul Carter, Travis Hunter.

[Big Cat]

Mason Graham's really good.

[Shane]

Yeah, I guess I want.

[Max]

I need you to.

[Shane]

I want Abdul Carter.

[Max]

Dual Carter.

[Big Cat]

Why? You don't want the Giants?

[Max]

Yeah, I don't like the. All the Penn State guys just go to.

[Big Cat]

Yeah. And then they go to the Eagles.

[Max]

Yeah. Michael would probably end up in Eagle memes.

[Big Cat]

What are you thinking about.

[Tom]

Membao, the right tackle from Mizzou.

[Big Cat]

Okay.

[Tom]

He had numbers like Trent Williams, so that'd be cool to have a right tackle for the next 10, 15 years.

[Big Cat]

That would be cool.

[Eddie]

I just. I know I have to take Malachi Starks because if I don't, then Max is going to get him.

[Big Cat]

Yeah.

[Eddie]

System guy.

[Big Cat]

Yeah. Okay.

[Josh Duhamel]

Yeah.

[Big Cat]

So we're gonna do draft stuff all next week.

[Max]

You'll probably trade him to us.

[Eddie]

Shut the up.

[Shane]

Max probably will.

[Max]

All of a sudden. Villanova just took JMB as best player.

[Big Cat]

Oh, no. Oh, no. You're.

[Eddie]

You're a real piece of Max, you know that?

[Big Cat]

Oh, no, you are.

[Max]

It was breaking news. It was.

[Big Cat]

Oh, that was a mean breaking move.

[Eddie]

That's not even the right breaking news sound. You did like lasers.

[Max]

Well, it wasn't like a full on breaking news because it's pretty, pretty low news. So it was like a lasers.

[Eddie]

Who'd they get?

[Big Cat]

I mean, it's really high news. He's got money show.

[Max]

Yeah.

[Eddie]

So you got Maryland's coach. Why don't you. Why don't you grow your own program?

[Max]

We're also about to take one of Maryland's best players.

[Eddie]

Grow your own program. You're a homie Hopper.

[Big Cat]

Yeah, you are.

[Eddie]

Big time.

[Max]

That's college sports.

[Eddie]

Personally, if he doesn't want to be a Duke, I don't want him.

[Big Cat]

There you go. Hank is one of your favorite weekends coming up. This one. You always love to start an NBA and NHL playoffs.

[Shane]

Yeah. Still a little next once. I think next weekend is the start of the best, like three week stretch.

[Big Cat]

When you have like, you know, not game ones.

[Shane]

Yeah.

[Big Cat]

I do love this weekend though, where it's just, oh, we're portaling boys. He's. He's writing a tweet right now.

[Eddie]

You're portaling, boys.

[Max]

We're portaling boys.

[Eddie]

You said we're portaling, boys.

[Big Cat]

That guy's insane.

[Max]

What you wrote.

[Big Cat]

We're portaling, boys.

[Eddie]

This sounds like an admission of sex trafficking.

[Max]

Wrong. We're portaling, boys.

[Big Cat]

No, that's not what you wrote.

[Eddie]

This is like something that Diddy would say.

[Max]

Wrong.

[Big Cat]

What? We're portaling, boys.

[Max]

I'm keeping it. I stand by it.

[Big Cat]

Yeah, boys. Okay, so Max Epstein over here.

[Eddie]

Yeah, we're portaling memes. Can you do a quick photoshop for me?

[Max]

I don't even know where that. Where would that is? Would there be a common there somewhere?

[Big Cat]

Yes, yes, exactly what it would be.

[Max]

That's exactly who uses commas.

[Shane]

I. I agree.

[Eddie]

Memes do it. Memes do a, a photoshop real quick for me of Diddy and then the like speech bubble underneath so then I can quote tweet Max's tweet and it looks like it's Diddy saying that. Yeah, the one.

[Big Cat]

Yeah. Okay, let's talk some NBA with Brian Windhorse and then we have Josh Duhamel and then we'll do Fire Fest. We also have a special guest for the end of the show, our boy Shane who's going to be going to Italy. We're going to send him off. He's going to Italy by himself. So I told me had to, he had to come on at the end of the show.

[Max]

What, what is, what is this plan?

[Big Cat]

Nothing, I just wanted. We want to send him off. I mean he's going, he's going on a European vacation by himself. That's crazy.

[Max]

It's true.

[Big Cat]

I'm still shocked.

[Shane]

That crazy.

[Big Cat]

I think it's, I think it's does.

[Max]

It all the time.

[Big Cat]

No, no, when I say crazy, I'm not saying like you're crazy. I'm like crazy. I would never have the balls to do that. Like I'm impressed. I told him that it's very cool confidence to go on vacation by yourself. And yes, Priscilla does do it all the time. And he is actually the model of how everyone should operate.

[Eddie]

Yeah. Confident move.

[Big Cat]

Okay, let's talk some NBA playoffs with Brian Winhorse. Okay, before we get to Brian Windhorse, the future of dunking is here. The Dunk It Bucket is no ordinary release. It's a first of its kind, customizable flavor experience. KFC is introducing the first ever bucket built for dunking. It's an interactive, crave worthy food experience designed for ultimate dipping, dunking, sharing and devouring. Now with the new Dunk It Bucket, KFC is inviting everyone to get in on all the delicious possibilities and dunk it their way. Because dunking isn't just for basketball legends anymore. It's for everyone. We love kfc. We love the Dunk It Bucket. Hank, you had the dunk contest. It went great.

[Shane]

Went great. I've been dunking in the Dunk it bucket for the last month. It's one of my favorite menu items ever created.

[Big Cat]

It's, it's revolutionized the game. It's the Dunk It Bucket from kfc. KFC Dunk it challenge may be over, but you can still dunk, dip and devour with the KFC Dunk It Bucket. Like I said, it's an interactive, crave worthy food experience designed for ultimate dipping, dunking, sharing and devouring. KFC Dunk It Challenge is over, but you can still do it. You can still dunk, dip and devour with the KFC Dunk It Bucket. Go check it out now. We're also brought to you by our friends at Game Time. NBA playoffs are here and the only place to buy hard to get playoff tickets is Game Time. The official ticketing partner, Barstool sports. With killer last minute deals all in prices, views from your seat and their lowest price guaranteed, Game Time takes the guesswork out of buying NBA playoff tickets. Prices on the app actually go down the closer it gets. A tip off, you can save up to 60% when buying last minute tickets. Plus on April 22 for Earth Day when you select and purchase a super deal, Game Time will plant a tree with the proceeds. We're looking at tickets to what game, Hank?

[Shane]

I'm looking at that time of year. I'm looking to get back to Boston, get in the Garden playoffs. Going to be rocking all playoffs long. You can get into game one against the Magic for $134.

[Big Cat]

$134. So what are you waiting for? Hank's gonna maybe go to that game one with the gametime app. Take the guesswork out of buying NBA playoff tickets with Game time. Download the GameTime app, create an account, use code PMT for $20 off. Your first purchase terms apply. Again, create an account and redeem code PMT for $20 off. Download the game Time app today. What time is it? Game time. Okay, here he is, Brian Windhorse. Okay, we now welcome on a very special guest recurring guest, one of our favorite guys to talk NBA with. It is Brian Windhorse. You can hear him on the Hoop Collective. Great podcast. You can see him on ESPN all throughout the playoffs. You can go buy his book. He's got two of them. Return of the King and LeBron Inc. In which one of those books, Wendy, do you talk about the Your averages in high school, when you're playing with LeBron, it's on.

[Brian Windhorst]

It's on a special edition where you have to crack open the back cover and it's. There's like a little slip of paper back there, and if you're really lucky, you can find it. But, you know, it's like. It's rare. It's like a Pokemon.

[Big Cat]

Yeah.

[Eddie]

Putting at the back of the book is a good way for LeBron to never having read it. Yeah, that's.

[Big Cat]

There you go.

[Brian Windhorst]

Yes.

[Big Cat]

You got it. Yes.

[Brian Windhorst]

Oh, my God. Beautiful.

[Big Cat]

Yeah. Wait, so we haven't talked to you since then. Was that just the weirdest experience for.

[Brian Windhorst]

You to be called out using the word weird?

[Big Cat]

Yeah.

[Brian Windhorst]

Big cat. Yeah, I did not see that one coming. You know, like, LeBron could probably be angry at me for, like, 15 or 20 things and, like. Like legitimate be like, that take was wrong. What you did here was. Was bs. I remember the first time he got really mad at me was when he was a rookie with the Cavs. The newspaper that I. That I was working for at the time, the Akron Beacon Journal, he bought a house in Akron, and we in the newspaper published his address and a little map of how to get to his house. And he was like. I remember he pulled me aside and he was like, this is some super. And I had to agree with him.

[Big Cat]

Yeah.

[Brian Windhorst]

Even though I had nothing to do with it, like, sometimes I was the conduit for that. But listen, he could have been mad at me about a bunch of things. What he actually was got mad at me about, I didn't think was right. But, you know, he doesn't know me anything. If he wants to be mad at me, fine. Over the course of 25 years, he's going to get mad at me. I'm going to annoy him. Whatever. We'll get through it. It's fine.

[Big Cat]

He also. I mean, we didn't throw this out there, but, like. And I'm sure you've talked about it enough, but, like, there might be a chance that LeBron is just jealous of your hair, because your hair is fantastic. I feel like it gets better.

[Brian Windhorst]

I've got nothing physically on him except for that. He's got me. He's got me on everything else, so I guess I'll take it.

[Big Cat]

That's a big thing, though. Like, LeBron wakes up every day. He's, you know, one of the best players of all time. He's got all these accolades, but he doesn't have Wendy's hair.

[Brian Windhorst]

Do you guys probably don't remember this, but there was, like, a moment. I think it was in the off season. Maybe somebody can find it. I don't know. Maybe he deleted the tweet. But there was, like, this. There's like, this moment, like, one day where he just, like, announced, I'm giving up on the hair.

[Big Cat]

Yeah.

[Brian Windhorst]

It stuck with me. We did great. Thank you very much. He had some sort of witty, and I was kind of like a quasi announcement. And then we saw him next season. It was very clear he had not given up.

[Big Cat]

Yeah.

[Brian Windhorst]

He had just begun to fight. So I don't know what that was all about. Maybe we'll wait for his book where he can explain what that was about.

[Eddie]

Yeah, he probably hit a couple glasses of wine and decided to hop online. It happens to everybody.

[Big Cat]

Yeah.

[Eddie]

So when you were at his house for Taco Tuesday this week, how did he tell you he was feeling going to the playoffs?

[Brian Windhorst]

Don't be ridiculous. I'm going on Sunday for Easter.

[Eddie]

Okay.

[Big Cat]

Yes. All right, so let's talk some playoffs. We're very excited. Let's start here. Tell us the series you're most excited for in the east and the West.

[Brian Windhorst]

Am I excited for any series in the East? Let me think about that.

[Big Cat]

It's a little tougher in the East.

[Brian Windhorst]

I got assigned to. To go do the Cleveland series, and, boy, am I excited.

[Big Cat]

Listen, the Cavs are good. I mean, that. That's.

[Brian Windhorst]

I know, I know. I typically try to stay home in the first round. Stay home. It's not like, you know, you know, come to LA or whatever, because the first round, first off, I don't know if you guys heard the NFL drafts is next week, like. Like on Monday, like, ESPN will forget my name for, like, six days, and then they'll crawl out from the. The sixth or seventh round, and, you know, Greenberg will hang them up and they'll be like, wait a minute. Is there an. Is the NBA still playing? Yeah, but, you know, the first round, it's really spread out. There's, like, a lot of days off. I'm not really. It's. It's. It's not the most exciting. You know, everybody gets excited for the start of the playoffs, and then the first round kind of drags.

[Big Cat]

Yeah.

[Brian Windhorst]

But I am very excited about the west series, but specifically Clippers Nuggets. Yeah, the Clippers finished the. The season 18 and three. And I went to a couple of their games, and Kawhi looks awesome. Yeah, I remember the 2019. The 2019 finals when he was playing for the Raptors. That one year play for the Raptors, I watched Kawhi go through some pre game shooting routines where he was as impressive. Like the staff routines are legendary because he does all these dribbling tricks and sometimes he hits like 27 threes in a row and he throws up half court shots and he throws up shots from the tunnel. Well, as you can imagine, the Kawaii ones are boring, but all Kawhi does is look like a machine. And I remember watching him make like, I don't know, like 96 out of a hundred, like 17 footers. They was. He would, he would need two assistant coaches. This is pregame. This is not on a practice day. This is like two hours before game time where he would go through so many shots that the, the assistant coaches would, would have to tap out because, like, they were kind of guarding him or whatever.

[Big Cat]

Yeah.

[Brian Windhorst]

And like he never missed. He never missed. And like that's what Kawhi looks like right now.

[Big Cat]

Yeah.

[Brian Windhorst]

And so I'm excited about what he can do. And then obviously Jokic is like a incredible force. So that series to me is really interesting and I'm going to try to see if I can watch all those games.

[Big Cat]

Yeah.

[Eddie]

What do we make of. Of the two teams in the west that fired their coaches right before the playoffs started? So are they crazy? Did they do it for the same reasons? Like, I, I think that the Nuggets explanation was that they were planning on moving on from Michael Malone anyways, so they, they wanted to fire him before he had a chance to save his job. Which seems exactly.

[Brian Windhorst]

That's pretty much exactly the sentiment.

[Eddie]

It seems really strange to do that, especially if he, if he can win two championships for the Denver Nuggets. You know, hypothetically, if they go in and run this postseason, they're gonna be like, oh, damn, we really wanted to fire this guy, but now we can't because he won again. So is that kind of the same thing that happened with Memphis or is that a different story?

[Brian Windhorst]

I don't think so. And I mean, to be honest with you, I don't have a hundred percent. There's like some stories out there about what happened with Memphis, but I don't feel comfortable enough to say them on a worldwide famous podcast. But I will say that part of the reason I think they did it was because the general manager, Zach Kleiman, like, really, really likes this guy, Tuomo Sizalo, who's the Finnish guy who they, who they hired as an assistant. And I like, it was like, it's kind of A crazy story. Like he, he, he did in Europe, kind of. What, what's the football coach from Indiana?

[Eddie]

Signetti.

[Brian Windhorst]

Yeah, Signetti. He kind of. Signetti kind of stole it from him. So he, so he had his team in Germany, in Bonn, Germany, and they were like really good. I don't, don't ask what division they were in, but they won some championship. And then this team in Paris, Paris Basket, who's kind of like a big team, but they're kind of like an underdog. Even though they're in a big city, they don't have a ton of money and they've, they've just done. Okay, so they hired him and he brought six players from that German team to his Paris team because in Europe it's kind of like college right now. It's like most guys have one year contracts. Yeah, there's some players who get multi year deals, but most guys have one year contract. So he's like, I'm bringing my whole team with me. We're going into the transfer portal and we're bringing this team to Paris. And like he brought in those six guys and they won a championship there. He got noticed by the Grizzlies. They were obsessed with hiring him. The Wizards wanted to hire him and there was like a bidding war. Plus he was under contract for Paris Basket and they had to pay buy out his contract. It is, the more I talk about, the more it feels like college basketball. And they get him to come over to be this lead assistant and I think they just thought that. They just think this guy's a genius and maybe he will be proven to that, maybe he won't. But like, I think part of what was going on there is they were like, look, I think it was kind of the same thing. I think they were worried that somebody else thought he was a genius too. And if they got to the end of the season, somebody else was going to hire him.

[Big Cat]

Right.

[Brian Windhorst]

And so they were like, let's hire him now. Even though the guy they had in there had had a pretty good record. Taylor Jenkins, so. But I got to agree with you. I gotta agree with you. I, I don't. Pft. I don't. I. I've never seen the two guys get fired that late, especially with teams that had winning records or going to the playoffs.

[Eddie]

Yeah, it's bizarre.

[Brian Windhorst]

Yeah, it is.

[Big Cat]

It's very bizarre. All right, so I agree with you. The, the west playoffs especially early on look like the matchups are going to be a lot more fun because the east is a little top Heavy. Let's do this exercise. How many teams. Would it not shock you for them to win the title this year? Because I feel like it's two in the east and a lot in the West.

[Brian Windhorst]

So this is. This is how I. I vote. This is how I vote with my mouse. I decide that a team has a chance to win the title when I book hotel reservations in that city. Because here's the thing. As you know, most hotel reservations, you can cancel, so there's no penalty for making hotel reservation. And number one, I want to get into a certain hotel. And what happens in the playoffs is, you know, you never know. Like, when, you know, people. All of a sudden, like, 5,000 people want to come into town for a game. All of a sudden, the hotel. Sometimes hotels get sold out. Sometimes they quadruple their prices, but they don't. They don't pay attention. They don't seem to know that their basketball teams are good. And the finals. And the finals schedule is out, like, in the fall. So, like, I booked a certain hotel that I want in Boston. I booked it in October.

[Big Cat]

Wow.

[Brian Windhorst]

Finals.

[Big Cat]

I like this list, the Wendy's hotels, like, where we can. This could be bulletin board for all the other team.

[Eddie]

Wendy's list.

[Big Cat]

Yeah.

[Brian Windhorst]

And I booked the. The. For the. For the Boston hotel for the whole final. So whether they're the home or the. You know, wherever they're at, because I was like, they're gonna. They're gonna probably be there. I booked it out, okay? Like, probably January, December, January. Oklahoma City booked. Book that out. Book that sucker.

[Eddie]

Do they call you? Were they like, I think you made a mistake. Sir, you booked a hotel in Oklahoma City.

[Brian Windhorst]

Sir, you booked a hotel in Oklahoma City for two and a half weeks. Are you sure you meant to do this? We think that you may have made an error. So I had Boston and I had Oklahoma City. Then the Cavs, you know, they started 15, and. Oh, but, okay, some teams start hot. The Cavs went on this winning streak in January, and they went through this, like, stretch, and every time they played a team, the other team would come into the post game and be like, holy shit. Like, there. Like, Giannis did it. Michael Malone did it. JJ Redick was like, do you know what you got to do to, like, beat these guys? Like. Like, there was, like, this stretch of, like, they went on, like, this one of their winning streaks, and, like, it was, like, uncanny. Every game, a team, a coach would come in or a player would come in and be like, this team is good. I was like, all right, Cleveland on the list? Booked, you know, but. But by then I could figure out, like, if the. If the. If the Cavs won the east, they were probably going to have a really good record. So I think I only booked home games. But you know what? No, I probably did book it all out. So I booked out Cleveland. So how many more have I booked? That's.

[Big Cat]

That's.

[Brian Windhorst]

Now we're at the Nitty Gritty. How many more have I booked? All right, I have Los Angeles booked, but did I book for Inglewood, where the Clippers play, or did I book for downtown? That's the question.

[Big Cat]

That's a big.

[Brian Windhorst]

Wouldn't you like to know?

[Big Cat]

Fingers up.

[Eddie]

Did you.

[Big Cat]

Where. Where did Wendy book in la?

[Eddie]

Did you book both?

[Big Cat]

Did you book in the middle of both?

[Brian Windhorst]

I booked downtown because our studio's here. I mean, I just wanted to mess around. So I booked LA because there's a. Where There's a world where I could see the Clippers or the Lakers doing it. I would. I favor the Clippers to do it more than the Lakers. But the Lakers draw, of all the draws you could have. The Lakers draw is probably kind of favorable because not that I'm looking down on the Wolves. In fact, the Wolves are staying at the same hotel I'm at now. I just saw them all on my way over here. And so I'm not saying anything bad about them, because if, you know, I'm sure they're listeners and I'm gonna see them, you know, at the Starbucks and there may be words. I'm not looking for that. I'm not looking for that Heat.

[Big Cat]

Yeah.

[Brian Windhorst]

So, no, I booked in downtown la, and. And I booked Denver before Michael Malone got fired. I should have. Should have reevaluated that because I just have so much respect. So much respect for. For Jokic. So that's my list. Is it. Is it a. Is it an exhaustive list? I didn't. I did not book out San Francisco. I'm not there yet because they're just so small. The Warriors.

[Big Cat]

Yep.

[Brian Windhorst]

And, you know, that's my list. It's probably actually bigger. Usually it's only about. It's more than normal.

[Big Cat]

Yeah.

[Brian Windhorst]

Because I know that LA probably would book up like crazy. So LA is probably borderline. I probably really didn't need to do that. I don't feel that strongly about that. But. Yeah, that's my. That's my list.

[Eddie]

So what happens in the Finals? You've got the two cities ideally booked out well ahead of time. Do you cancel the days in between where you're not going to be there, or do you just have an empty hotel room?

[Brian Windhorst]

No, obviously, I cancel. Yeah, I cancel. But, yeah, it's like. It's like. Because you look at my, like, account and there's, like, 39 reservations.

[Eddie]

Yeah.

[Brian Windhorst]

And you're like, what the heck is going on here? And as we get closer and closer, I start canceling. It's like. It's, like, refreshing. All right. I'm getting. Because you're also getting towards the end of the season, you know, you're finalizing it down. But. Yeah, that's like my. You know, my. I couldn't give you a higher compliment than booking a hotel three months out in your city.

[Big Cat]

I love this. I think we need, like, this. I would hope that you would be in for this, but, like, I want to make this a recurring thing on PMT next year where you book a hotel, you let us know, and we'll do a breaking news.

[Brian Windhorst]

So I have all these rules about things that I want when I. During the first off, I want to take flights that I don't think people are going to be on.

[Big Cat]

Okay.

[Brian Windhorst]

Because I. I mean, look, if. If it's Oklahoma City and Boston, you're not going to have 75 options, right? So. Yep, maybe that. But I like to take a flight that I. That I don't think other people are going to be on because I don't want to sit there and talk about the series for three hours. You know, we're in the gate area or whatever. I just. I'd rather break from it when I'm not doing it right. And I try. You can't always do this because sometimes you're in a city. We don't have a choice. I try to stay in a hotel that I don't think people are going to stay in.

[Big Cat]

Yeah.

[Eddie]

Okay.

[Brian Windhorst]

I. I don't. When I'm not at the arena or whatever, I don't want. And I also have this rule during the finals, and I stole it from Greg Popovich. Rule of five. No dinners. More than five people. Oh, I will maybe sometimes allow a sixth if it's somebody's spouse, because the last thing. Because, you know, sometimes the spouses come to the playoffs, and I don't want, like, somebody to be, like, making a choice between, like, a work dinner and, like, going with their wife or husband or boyfriend or girlfriend. So I will sometimes bend, but generally it's five, because this is what happens. Because, you know, there's a whole bunch of people traveling. There's all these different Groups of people. A lot of people who don't travel during the year. And they'll be like, oh, we're going so and so. Hey, can we bring along so and so? Can we bring along so and so? The next thing, you got 12 people. You can't get in. The tables are all messed up. You know, the bill comes and somebody's had six bottles of wine. And now I'm paying, you know, $745. I can't talk to those seven people down there. I want everybody at the table to hear the other people. Rule of five. And if I am go. If I go to a dinner and there's like five, and I say, how many people are there? And they go, oh, there's four of us. You'll be the fifth. I go, okay. And then if they call back later and they go, hey, we're adding so and so and so and so. I don't care who it is. I'm like, okay, you guys have fun. I'll go someplace else.

[Big Cat]

I love it.

[Eddie]

It's a good rule. What if you show up and. And the party has expanded from when you were invited?

[Big Cat]

Yeah.

[Brian Windhorst]

It's happened. And you go. On my list, there's, you know, these two individuals don't know, but these two individuals invited me to a dinner at the last finals. It was in Cleveland in 2018. I got there, there were people on the roster that I hadn't known about. The table was bigger. Done. We haven't gone since. Maybe they know. Maybe they figured it out. Maybe they haven't done. I don't do that. I have limited time. I can't be bothered with this. And here's the other thing. I am not. If it's a big party, I am not afraid to do the Irish. Goodbye.

[Eddie]

Yeah.

[Big Cat]

Oh, yeah.

[Brian Windhorst]

Not afraid. Like. Like I will specifically not orders. Like, I have done this where I've sat down and all of a sudden it's 12 people. You know, water. We have to drink water. All right, I'm gonna go to the bathroom. Goodbye. I didn't sign up for 12 people. And I didn't order, like, an appetizer. I didn't pay.

[Big Cat]

Yeah, These are my rules.

[Brian Windhorst]

Yeah, these are my rules. Look, guys, I've been covering Lake for 23 years.

[Big Cat]

Yeah.

[Brian Windhorst]

Do you have any road trips I've gone on? Do you know how many. Do you know how many dinners I've gone on on the road? I don't need it in my life. Thank you.

[Big Cat]

Yeah.

[Eddie]

Man's gotta have a code.

[Big Cat]

You're smart. All right, One team you didn't put on there, the Houston Rockets. What's the. Is it too young? Because I do think the NBA is the one league where you can confidently be like, this team's very talented. Incredible season from the Rockets. They have some really, really awesome young players, but they're just too young, because that's how the NBA works. You get battle tested. You got to climb the mountain. The Thunder were that team last year, and now this year, they could be in the Finals. So is that it? Is it. They're just too young?

[Brian Windhorst]

Typically, yeah. You know, they're. They're. I don't want to disrespect them. Like, they could, like, look, man, if they, like, beat the. They beat the warriors, like, four, one or something, I might sign on and see what. See what reservations are available in June in Houston. I. I reserve the right to. To add to that list or delete from that list. But yeah, but I will say this. They are built for the playoffs. Like, if you look at the guys that they've drafted, like, like, you. You guys are actually a good. You. You guys are actually good people to. To ask about this, because you guys follow the NBA, but you don't, like, get into the NBA. Super, super. Like, well, you guys. You guys, bet. So you guys know. All right, what do you guys know about Ahmed Thompson?

[Big Cat]

He's a freak.

[Brian Windhorst]

Okay? So, you guys, that's a bad example. You guys, that's a bad.

[Big Cat]

And I'm excited to watch him guard Steph Curry because that's going to be awesome.

[Brian Windhorst]

So I feel like the world. I mean, obviously, if you're a Rocket fan, you love him. If you're an NBA fan, you may be a little bit aware of him, but I feel like the basketball public is going to figure out who Amen Thompson is over the next two, three weeks. Yeah, this guy is absolutely freak amongst freaks. Like, all the great athletes that you see in the NBA, he's like the. The great athlete's great athlete, and he is going to be attacking Steph. Steph has seen every defender in the world. I think KD had that great line in that documentary about the Olympics where he was sort of mocking the other teams. You know, having camaraderie and, you know, growing up, playing together, he's like, how's that going to help you when you guard Steph? I agree. Like, you can be the most physically imposing defender in the history of the sport. If you lose Steph Curry, he gets the corner turned on you. You're giving up a Three, I don't care what you say, but they are built with defensive minded players, which you need in the postseason. The other thing is like the warriors real weapon is Jimmy Butler. And the one thing that you can do on Jimmy Butler that can maybe kind of bother him a little bit is put like really big size on him. This happened in the Finals two years ago. You know, Jimmy had that great run where he led the Heat all the way to the finals. And look, Jokic was untouchable. But they had Aaron Gordon, who just has enormous size. Like, I think he's like 6, 10. They put him on Butler and like Butler isn't he very, very rarely can you find a guy who can physically impose. Jimmy Butler and Gordon could kind of do that. And so like they have players like that. They have, you know, Dylan Brooks, they have Amen Thompson, you know, they have Jabari Smith. They have, you know, these guys who got good size. So while they don't have star power and they don't have like experience, although Fred Van Vliet is their, like their leader and he's got a ring, they do have some things going for them. So I wouldn't count them out. I actually think that other than whoever Oklahoma City plays in the 1 8, I think you can take the little numbers next to the teams, the seeds, and you can throw them out because I don't think there's a discernible difference between the two, the three, the four, the five, the six. Obviously you get home court if you're the higher seed, but Golden State is favored in this series, I think, in the sports books. Yep. On one hand I respect it because I don't think there's that much of a difference between the teams. On the other hand, that is not acknowledging what Houston's got going for him.

[Big Cat]

Yeah. Also my favorite thing about the Rockets is Jeff Green still playing basketball and he's on the Rockets. It's crazy. He's, he's, he's had, I don't even know how long was like 20 years now to 19.

[Brian Windhorst]

Like, I think he's played with double digit teams. If it's not double digit teams, it's got to be like nine.

[Big Cat]

Yeah.

[Eddie]

I want to know the percentage of players all time that have ever played in the NBA that have played on a team. With Jeff Green.

[Big Cat]

It's a lot.

[Eddie]

It's got to be higher.

[Brian Windhorst]

Yeah. Like, like the Kevin Bacon.

[Big Cat]

Yeah, yeah, yeah.

[Brian Windhorst]

I think there's two Seattle SuperSonics left in the league. Play with the Sonics.

[Big Cat]

Yeah.

[Brian Windhorst]

I think it's KD and Jeff Green because. Because Westbrook's first year was with the. He was in Oklahoma City, I'm pretty sure.

[Big Cat]

Yeah.

[Brian Windhorst]

So I think. I think Jeff, Uncle Jeff and KD are. Are the last two Sonics who had Sonic jerseys.

[Eddie]

I'm looking forward to seeing Dylan Brooks and Draymond Green on the. On the court at the same time in this series. Like, somebody's getting thrown out. Right?

[Brian Windhorst]

Here's something else. Houston plays, like, super physical. Like, that's how their coach, Ime Udoka, like, teaches them to play. He wants him to play physical. And so, you know, officiating is going to be a this series. You know that how Houston gets officiated is going to be something. So you know that from the opening tip off, Draymond Green is going to be working it. And, like, obviously, sometimes Draymond goes over the edge, but if you look on balance, the warriors might tell you that on balance, he's way ahead because he does sometimes intimidate officials. Now, the officials that you see in the postseason are more veteran. It's maybe not going to happen. But Draymond. I could see Draymond going to work here because he knows from the beginning of the series that the way games are officiated are going to matter. And he has a. He has a whole game within the game. What he's doing with the referees.

[Big Cat]

I got a question for you, Wendy. Maybe we do east, west. So we'll start with the East. Kind of a broader question, and I have an answer in mind, But I'm curious. Yours. What team or player has most pressure on them in the East?

[Brian Windhorst]

You sound like you're a first take producer.

[Big Cat]

Yeah, that is exactly. It popped in my head.

[Brian Windhorst]

Exactly.

[Big Cat]

Do you want me to go. You want me to go with mine first and then you can. You can answer. Tell me if it's stupid. Yeah, I think there's a lot of pressure on the current iteration of the Bucks because it does feel like they're at the end of something, and if they don't maybe win a couple series here, it's like, where are we as a franchise?

[Brian Windhorst]

Good. Very good. Agree.

[Big Cat]

Okay. What is yours?

[Brian Windhorst]

So I think there's. I'm. Let me just say who. I don't think there's pressure on that. You may. Maybe not you, but the fans. I don't think there's a lot of pressure on the Lakers.

[Big Cat]

Okay.

[Brian Windhorst]

That's not what people are going to think. They're going to think, oh, my God, like the lake, you know, if Lebron doesn't win. Like, you know, there goes the Jordan comparison. I think the Lakers are better, are going to be better next year, and I think this year is all about them getting the reps in together and learning to play with each other under pressure and figuring out how LeBron and Luca and Austin Reeves are going to share the load. They're not equipped really to handle it. I say handle it. That's the wrong word. They're not equipped, they're not built. The roster isn't built out to win 12 playoff games to win the west. In my opinion. They could prove me wrong and then laugh at me. I could get called weird again. But I, I, I don't think there's a lot of pressure on them. I don't think there's a lot of pressure really on the warriors because I think they're kind of in a free roll. Jimmy has his contract. The warriors have their titles. Like if they can make a run. They, they did it, man. They, they, you know, Seth has four rings. What was it if he gets a fifth, like that's supposed to like take him to upper echelon. They want to win. They did great. You know, Jimmy doesn't have a ring, but no one's going to say that Jimmy Butler isn't, isn't a great pressure player like his. He obviously would want to win, but his, his reputation is kind of secure. I think there could be a little bit of pressure on Donovan Mitchell because Donovan Mitchell, when he was in Utah several times, I'm not sure he had two 60 win teams. He definitely had 160 win team in Utah and they've never, he never made to the conference finals and it wasn't always his fault. But he is not always delivered at the highest. He's sort of been up and down. He's had some playoff games where he's been amazing, but his team is never like over, even achieved, much less overachieved. And he is, by the way, he has spent this whole year as the Cavs racked up 64 or 65 wins, whatever they had, saying none of this matters. This 15 game winning streak to start the season doesn't matter. The 16 game win streak they had in the, in the, after the All Star break doesn't matter. The three All Stars doesn't matter. Him making all NBA doesn't matter. He's like, because I've been on great teams before and it doesn't matter if you don't win. And I think that's true. And look, I, I don't favor them to win the east, but if they stub their toe and like don't get to the, to the conference finals or if they get to the conference finals and they've built out this team, this team is like set up. They, you know, they went and made a mid season trade for DeAndre Hunter, which you know is costing, going to cost them a lot of money in the future. And they like get blasted by Boston 4 1. Like they got beat 41 by Boston a year ago. Then I think people are going to look at him and go, well, can you, Are you really a difference making player? Like, are you really a type of guy who can carry a team? So while I, I don't look at them as favorites in the East, I think there's pressure on Donovan to have a great playoff run and to carry the Cavs with them. I don't think there's pressure on the, but the, the, the Celtics per se. However, if they get to the finals, there will be pressure on Jason Tatum to have a great Finals. Yeah, because, because he wasn't great in the 2022 finals and then last year he was good. He was. He led the Celtics in points, rebounds and assists in the Finals. He did not play poorly. He just didn't shoot the ball well and he wasn't amazing. Like, this is the one thing people always make, the mistake. They, they're like, oh, Jaylen Brown won the MVP. Jason Tatum must have sucked. No. There was 11 votes for finals MVP. There's 11 voters. It was seven to four. You know, there were people who thought Jason Tatum was the finals mvp. He just didn't play amazing and awesome. But he has played in two finals. He hasn't been amazing and awesome in those two finals, even though he's got a ring. So I do think if he gets there, especially if the Celtics crush the east like last year, I think they went through the east 12, 2. If they do something like that again this year, it's gonna be like, okay, Jason, now you gotta show up in the finals to, to, to solidify where you need to be as a player.

[Big Cat]

Yeah.

[Eddie]

You haven't mentioned the Knicks on your pressure teams. No pressure on New York.

[Brian Windhorst]

What do you think? I mean, there's pressure if they're in trouble in the first round.

[Eddie]

Yeah, I, I feel like, yeah, the expectation, given what they've done against the good teams in the East. I think most Knicks fans are not, they're not going in this playoffs being like, yeah, this is our year, we can do it. We can right you know, we're gritty, scrappy underdogs. We can do it. I think they're kind of guarded going into it, but I do think that they need to at least win a, A series, and they better win that series.

[Brian Windhorst]

Detroit won 13 games last year or something. 14 games. You know, they've got, no, they've got a couple of guys on their team who have playoff experience, like Tobias Harris, you know, Tim Hardaway Jr. But, like, they, you know, the guys that they're relying on, you know, Kate Cunningham, you know, Jalen Duran, the guys that they're relying on have never done this before. So if the, if the, if the, if the Knicks screw around in that first series, that would potentially create some pressure, I'll give you that.

[Eddie]

Yeah, they're pressured. Not flame out.

[Big Cat]

Yeah. Because there's, they're playing, there's certain teams, the Magic, the Pistons, the T. Wolves, a little different because obviously they went deep last year. But like, or the Rockets, where it's, if they lose, the future is bright and they're building something and they're getting to somewhere, you know, Free roll.

[Brian Windhorst]

It's a free roll.

[Big Cat]

Right. The Knicks are in that weird spot where it's like they made the moves to try to get better, and they aren't. They aren't really seriously contending in the East. So it's kind of a weird spot.

[Brian Windhorst]

Oklahoma City is kind of going that route because, like, Oklahoma City is this youngest team in the league. How often do you ever see the youngest team in the league be the best team in the league? We almost never see. It's actually the reason why Lomas lead. Not maybe the reason, but it's a reason why. Like, the thing I've noticed about Oklahoma City is that the players don't respect them. Like, they're not afraid of them, even though they won 57 games last year and they won 68 games this year. Like, nobody who wins those that many games over two years is not a championship team, but they're the youngest team. So you just don't respect young guys who haven't done it before, no matter how many regular season wins they get. So they're going in. They are actually favored. I, I, the reason I think that they're favorite. You guys know the gambling way better than I do. I can't honestly say that they should be favored to beat Boston four out of seven, but I must. They. The sports books must be getting so much money on the Celtics that they're trying to get money on the Thunder. Is that maybe what's happened? I. I don't understand it, but I would say that the Thunder being favored, I don't think that's the way the. The players in the league, based on my conversations, if the Thunder don't win it this year, specifically, if they don't get to the finals, you will see it flip on them. You will not. You will then see people like me saying, the Thunder better get this done. Do the Thunder need to make a trade or whatever? Right now, they kind of live in a zone where they're not, like, having expectations, like, well, you better back this 68 win season up by getting to the finals and almost winning it. Otherwise, it doesn't matter. They don't really live in that world right now. They live in a bit of a. Not that stressful of a world, but that will change if they. If they stub their toe and go out early like they did last year.

[Big Cat]

Yeah.

[Eddie]

Yeah. That is kind of weird that they're the favorites to win at all because usually you would see that. You would expect that team to be coming out of the east where it might be a little bit easier to get to the finals.

[Big Cat]

It could be. Also, Jalen Brown's knee, which I. I mean, you think he's. He's going to be fine, but that always, you know, any injury news could always change it a little, too.

[Brian Windhorst]

Yeah, he did have a treatment, but, like, they were playing him. It's not like they shut him down. So he definitely has been talking about it. And when the player talks about it, like, that's a sign. Like, it's one thing if the team says, oh, yeah, he's dealing with something, and the player doesn't say anything. When the player says something about, like, I'm dealing with something, I pay more attention. But they were playing him.

[Big Cat]

Yeah.

[Brian Windhorst]

Like, up until their seed. You know, he played straight through until they're. Until they knew they had the second seed. So I know it's not my knee. I don't know how it feels. You know, he had, like, an injection in it, but, you know, in all honesty, Boston might not need him for a month anyway.

[Big Cat]

Yeah.

[Eddie]

What are we hearing on the health front from Dame? So there. He apparently responded to the treatments for the blood clots a lot faster than anybody thought that he would. Is there a chance that he plays in. In the first series?

[Brian Windhorst]

Yeah, I think so. I think he's. I mean, you know, you never want to assume anything, but I think the intent is for him to play sometime next week. He's not going to Play in the first game. So look, I had a blood clot 15 years ago. I am not an athlete, quite clearly. When I had the blood clot, like, they wanted you to be on the medication for at least three months. The medication sucks, has a bunch of side effects, like drags you down. Nobody likes it, but you got to be careful. But it's life saving. The thing about a blood clot I know from just having one, is that the big thing is to diagnose it. That's because the problem is people die when blood clots, when they don't know they're feeling sick. They don't know why. People die when blood clots are not diagnosed. So the big challenge is diagnose a blood clot, then you deal with it. So they. So what Charania said, like, is that Dame started blood thinning medication two weeks before they actually found the blood clot.

[Big Cat]

Oh, wow.

[Brian Windhorst]

Now this obviously creates some follow up questions that we would all like to have. And Dame hasn't done a interview yet. And by the way, like, aspirin, I think can theoretically be.

[Eddie]

Yep.

[Brian Windhorst]

Called blood thinning medication. So I don't want to sound like. But something that he did when he started feeling this issue helped mitigate this and even that, like, I mean, he was, he was going to the Mayo Clinic. Like, they know what they're doing. So it is kind of amazing. Like, when I heard he had a blood clot and like the Bucks were saying, like, no, we think he can come back, I thought they were just like trying to put up a front, like trying to keep, you know, trying not to let anybody have information because you don't do that in the playoffs. But sure enough, he's been cleared by, by the Mayo Clinic, so that the Bucks have had nothing but bad news on the injury front for the last three years. Two, three years ago, when they were the defending champs, Middleton got hurt in the first round. He, he went down like the first game and put his hand on the ground and sprained his wrist or something like that. And he. Then they had blues in six games or seven games to the Celtics the year they went to the finals. Next year, Giannis gets hurt in the first round. They go out to Miami, Miami ends up going to the finals. If Giannis doesn't get hurt, maybe the Bucks are back in finals. I don't know. You know, I don't know. Then last year, you remember Giannis, like, It's like the 10 days before the end of the season, he takes it inbound, turns to run up the court and falls down, hurts his calf. Giannis has played in two playoff games last two years, so he's had nothing but rotten injury luck for three straight years. It's really short circuited this team's opportunity to win another title.

[Big Cat]

Yeah, yeah.

[Brian Windhorst]

And so for them to get unexpectedly positive injury news, I would say karma was on their side for that to happen. So I'm, I hope he's fine and I'm glad to hear it.

[Big Cat]

All right, I got a couple last questions we talked about. Amen Thompson. Give me another name that you think the national like world is going to be like. Oh, man. Because, you know, this, this is why we love the playoffs, guys. Everyone knew Anthony Edwards was, but last year was, you know, holy shit, this guy is unreal. Jalen Brunson, a couple years ago, like, this is the stage that, that names start to become bigger and guys get talked about in a different light. So do you have one or two guys where you're like, hey, this, this could be a big, big moment for them.

[Brian Windhorst]

So if it's a Zubots from the Clippers, I don't know, is he a big enough, is he, is he a big name? I mean, like he played. So this guy is having an absolutely incredible season and he's just big, strong, brute player who, I mean, he's been in the league like seven, eight years. It's like he's unheard of. But he took a leap forward this year. And I think part of it is because, like James Harden does a great job like bringing a lot out of centers. Like he did this with Clint Capella years ago in Houston. Part of it, I think is that Harden was like the full time point guard for the full season. But Zubots is just a beast. And, and I wouldn't say he's had success against Jokic, but out of all the guys who have played Jokic a bunch of times, like Zubots has actually been able to check the box and say, I did a good job in this game the most. So he is going to be front and center in that series. He is been one of the best defensive players in the league. He's a beast on the interior. He doesn't mess around. You know, like we're in this era where everybody and their brother shoots threes. Zoo doesn't do that. Zoo's like, forget about that. I, I am playing that game. I will come in and I will shoot my 65 on the interior. So it's a great opportunity for the, the world to kind of be introduced to Zoo. And I don't know, like, again, I don't. Kate Cunningham has been an All Star.

[Big Cat]

Yeah.

[Brian Windhorst]

But he hasn't been on the sort of the front page. Okay. Cunningham was like a borderline MVP candidate this year. He was so good for the Pistons. And the Pistons haven't made the playoffs in, like, seven years, so, like. And they weren't on national TV a lot, so, like, it was a chance. Again, if you're a casual NBA fan, you haven't really seen Cade Cunningham. So I. I hate to give this to a guy who's an All Star and he's going to be on the all NBA team, but I feel like Cade Cunningham, especially playing in New York, playing at the Garden, I think he has a chance to sort of have his. His profile really elevated.

[Big Cat]

Yeah. No, that's a good answer. Because if they beat. If the Pistons win a series, Kate Cunningham will be talked about in a different light going forward. I agree.

[Brian Windhorst]

You remember that happened with, With Trey Young. Yeah, Trey Young. I mean, Trey Young was a major college star. I mean, I guess Cade was, too. He's the number one overall pick. But Trey Young went into another level because of that playoff series with the Knicks a few years ago.

[Big Cat]

Yeah.

[Eddie]

If you had a gun to your head right now, or I guess if your credit card company called you up and they said you have to cancel, you can't have all these hotel rooms. There's a housing crisis in America. We need some of these hotel rooms back. And they only gave you two options. You could only pick one from the.

[Brian Windhorst]

West city in Boston.

[Eddie]

That's where you're keeping it. Okay.

[Brian Windhorst]

Yeah.

[Eddie]

That's your Finals pick.

[Brian Windhorst]

And I say that as someone who's from Cleveland, who spends a lot of time in Cleveland and, you know, makes a lot of appearances in Cleveland, they're not going to be happy that I say that. But, like, you got to knock the champ out. And they did. They went 2 and 2 against him this year. And Donovan Mitchell averaged, like, 32 points against the Celtics this year. Like, there's a world where this happens for Donovan, but he's got approved to do it.

[Big Cat]

He.

[Brian Windhorst]

You know, and so those were the two that I made the. For the. You know, with the first two that I made.

[Eddie]

So. But you also have a lot of friends in Cleveland. You could just say that, like, you'll crash at their place. So you can cancel the hotel.

[Brian Windhorst]

Yeah, I am staying with my mother in Akron on Saturday night.

[Josh Duhamel]

There you go.

[Brian Windhorst]

And will not. ESPN will not have to pay for my hotel rooms in in Cleveland this upcoming week.

[Big Cat]

I love it. I love it. All right, Wendy, this has been so much fun. We. We love having you on. I got one last question. It's a rollback question. R, H, O, b a c, k.com promo code.

[Brian Windhorst]

Take love Roback.

[Big Cat]

Yes. The best. 20% off your first purchase. Use promo code take Q, zips, polos, hoodies, joggers, shorts. The best roback.com promo code. Take. I know this isn't playoffs, but I just want to be. I want to feel seen for a minute because we. We've already taped the rest of the show, and I did a rant at the beginning of the show about the Bulls.

[Brian Windhorst]

Rightfully so.

[Big Cat]

It's just ridiculous that people actually look at March and April NBA basketball and say, oh, that team's building something. Does that. Is that fair? Cause that was my whole thing. Like, they were a 47% win percentage team for the season. They won 70% of their games down the stretch. And if you take out all the teams that were tanking or were sitting loaded, management guys, they won 46% of those games. They never changed as a team. They just started playing teams that were actively trying to lose.

[Brian Windhorst]

Cat, what is the most. What would you say is the most important thing that the Bulls need?

[Big Cat]

A guy.

[Brian Windhorst]

Absolutely. How do you get him?

[Big Cat]

Yes. The lottery. Ah, yes. Thank you.

[Brian Windhorst]

Check mark, check mark. I'm ready to hire you as gm.

[Big Cat]

Oh.

[Brian Windhorst]

What did the Bulls absolutely not do this year?

[Big Cat]

They didn't get their lottery odds up.

[Brian Windhorst]

What? I. The way I said it, I declared this, like, 18 months ago. The Bulls are in a rebuild and they don't know they're in a rebuild.

[Big Cat]

Yep.

[Brian Windhorst]

And that's almost the worst position to be in. I will say this. You could be the Sacramento Kings.

[Big Cat]

Yeah.

[Brian Windhorst]

Who have a bunch of Bulls players making tons of money that didn't work with Chicago.

[Big Cat]

Yes.

[Brian Windhorst]

And are now convinced they're going to work in Sacramento. So convinced that they're firing coaches and GMs saying, why isn't this working? Why are we not in the. And by the way, like, I'm not. Nothing against Zach Levine and DeMar DeRozan. I know. Bit. I think they're good guys. They just didn't work together in Chicago. Why would they. Anyway, that's another story.

[Big Cat]

I said that. I said it was. The Bulls front office lost two playing games on Wednesday night. They did.

[Brian Windhorst]

I know. Like, here's the thing. Like, the Bulls got booed off the floor, and so did Sacramento. They got the Bulls. Ex Bulls players got Bull and AK.

[Big Cat]

Is sitting there like, oh, this is crazy. I can't believe this happened.

[Brian Windhorst]

I can't explain. One of my podcast partners, Tim McMahon, he says, Boy, he, he has a line. He goes, boy, you came in third like the Bulls in a three team trade.

[Big Cat]

Yeah.

[Brian Windhorst]

Love saying that. Yeah. And I didn't see Arturis Kanisha. This is press conference today. I'm gonna follow it up. I was, I was working. Somebody told me he said something to the effect of this may not be an exact quote. Hey, just give us some time.

[Big Cat]

We're building timeline. Yeah, yeah.

[Brian Windhorst]

Tough.

[Big Cat]

It's okay. All right. I feel seen. Thank you. Because I, I, you, you fight against it. And I know, like, people inherently don't want to see their team tank, but the NBA, if you are three. I was saying actually the start of the show, if you get in the, if you're in the play in three or four years in a row, like the Bulls and Hawks, there should be like a punishment on your team because that's. You're basically admitting to everyone that you don't know what you're doing and you're doing this all wrong.

[Brian Windhorst]

So a couple of like, I don't know, maybe a month ago we ranked like, at espn, we use like these seven different ways to rank the rebuilding teams. Like, there was like, I don't know, we called them 10 rebuilding teams. Like, we all rolled up our sleeves and we did all this analysis, looked at all these stats and everything like that, and we ranked them. And really the only difference between the teams who are doing successful rebuilds, like the spurs, and teams that are doing unsuccessful rebuilds. Well, the Bulls technically aren't rebuilding, but whatever. Are the fact that they got lucky in the lottery.

[Big Cat]

Right.

[Brian Windhorst]

Like, if you, if you looked at this, you could be like, the only way to do this is to get lucky in the lottery. So maybe they will get lucky in the lottery and Cooper flag will be showing up in the summer. And if that happens, it would be amazing because Kobe White is good. Josh Giddey does have promise. Bezeallist. Their rookie, like, would potentially be like a pretty good fourth guy. But if you don't have the dude, you're not going anywhere. So you gotta, you gotta kill yourself to get the dude. And the Bulls aren't doing things to get the dude. Yeah, that's what would drive me crazy if I was a Bulls fan.

[Big Cat]

Yeah.

[Eddie]

So who do you have winning the lottery?

[Brian Windhorst]

You know, what's, what would be the best option? I mean, if, if the Bulls won the Lottery. And I mean, now they're like, what are they? They'd have, like, the 12th best odds.

[Eddie]

I think they're 1% right now. Could jump up to 2%.

[Big Cat]

Yeah.

[Brian Windhorst]

It would be amazing if Cooper Flag went to Chicago.

[Big Cat]

Yeah.

[Brian Windhorst]

Like, for the league.

[Eddie]

Why'd you say that? For the league.

[Brian Windhorst]

Because. For the league. Because I don't know if you heard. It would be better if the Bulls are good for the league. You know, it would be better for the league, but they've done their best not to get. What I kind of don't want is the 76ers to win it.

[Big Cat]

Yeah.

[Brian Windhorst]

Because they were. What. The way that. The way they got to that seat. They finished the season five and 31.

[Eddie]

Yeah. Is there any chance that Silver steps in and he's like, hey, we told you not to do this. You kept doing it. I'm taking away a couple of your percentage points, giving it to the Bulls.

[Brian Windhorst]

You know, like, one of the most amazing parts of the NFL season for me, I don't follow it that closely. Was that one game where. Who are the Eagles playing? Where they kept doing the tush push and, like, there was. Kept being penalties, and the referee was.

[Eddie]

Like, look, there's a commander if you jump.

[Brian Windhorst]

Okay, I'm sorry. Pft. I didn't mean to interrupt. I seriously didn't want to inflict damage on you. Like when that referee said, look, if you do it again, we're giving them. Just give him the touchdown.

[Eddie]

Yeah.

[Brian Windhorst]

Like, what you're saying is Adam Silver should have that.

[Big Cat]

Yes.

[Brian Windhorst]

You know, like, they're all celebrating. He just steps in. I'm sorry. I'm just going to use my. My powers here.

[Eddie]

Yeah, we're taking away. You're going down to, like, 5% in the lottery. The bulls jump up to, like, 6%, and maybe the Wizards get the rest. I don't know.

[Big Cat]

Yeah, that seems fair.

[Brian Windhorst]

It would. It wouldn't be the worst idea in the world for the Wizards to get Cooper Flag. That would kind of be cool. The nation's capital hasn't had a good team in, like, decades.

[Big Cat]

Yeah.

[Eddie]

It's been a long time, so.

[Brian Windhorst]

But it'll probably be Charlotte.

[Big Cat]

Yeah. Okay. Well. All right. Well, Wendy, you're the best. We love having you on, guys. We'll do it again later on in the playoffs. And I love the idea of the windy hotel. So we'll make a graphic for you, and we'll start doing five people at dinner. Five people at dinner. I love that.

[Brian Windhorst]

I don't care. Like. Like, if there's four of us at the table and you two show up and you're offering to pay. I say thank you. Keep on walking.

[Big Cat]

I love it.

[Eddie]

I can tell you're very passionate about this, but it comes from a place of experience where you've had some bad situations. I can tell that there's trauma in your past.

[Big Cat]

And you're so right about, like, the conversation. If you're at a dinner with 10 people, you don't talk to half of the table people. It just doesn't happen.

[Brian Windhorst]

Right? And like, look, that's fine for other people. For me, five, five, six. If it's somebody's boyfriend or girlfriend, I don't want to leave them out. That's the only time I'll go there.

[Big Cat]

All right, thanks so much, Wendy. We'll talk soon.

[Brian Windhorst]

Take care, guys.

[Eddie]

Wendy was brought to you by our great friends over at Truly Hard Seltzer and their new Truly Unruly lemonade. It combines the high alk fun of Truly Unruly with everyone's favorite lemonade. Level up your lemonade. It's 8% ABV, 100 delicious 8% ABV. That's supercharged. Great for a pre game. But guess what? It tastes great too. It's got four supercharged lemonade flavors. Bumping blue razz. That's my favorite og. That's the original lemonade, punched up pineapple and wild pink. It's the official hard seltzer of part of my take. Find Truly unruly lemonade at a store near you or visit www.trulyhardsaltzer. when he was also brought to you by our good friends over at the 47 brand. One thing I love about 47 brand, the fit, the quality, you know 47 brand hat from across the room. It's across the room hat. You see it, you can spot it. It looks great. Super comfortable. All I wear is 47 brand. That's it. Love my 47 brand hats and all the part of my take merch. Guess what? That's 47 brand too. We love them. We wear them. They're known for their headwear. But also check out the apparel. Nice vintage looks. Also modern flair to them. Great quality. 47 has new new drops launching constantly for your favorite leagues, your favorite teams, licensed headwear and apparel. More than just game day headwear. Shop 47brand.com now and you can use promo code PMT. Get 20 off your purchase with promo code [e-mail]. Save 20 off 47brand.com and promo code PMT. And now here's recurring guest and handsome man, Josh Duhamel.

[Big Cat]

Okay. We now welcome on a very special guest. Recurring guest, the most attractive guest that we have in, pardon my take, history, Skip Bayless. Skip Bayless or Josh Duhamel? Josh, always great to see you. Always great to have you on. You have a new show out April 17, Ransom Canyon on Netflix. It looks like you're ready to do just like a full day of press junkets. How many interviews do you have today?

[Josh Duhamel]

Oh, gosh, I don't know. I'm here till 1. They got me. They got me fully loaded. I know that much.

[Big Cat]

Okay, so we're number.

[Josh Duhamel]

By the way, we're at this new. This new Netflix building that they built just for junkets like this.

[Big Cat]

Okay.

[Josh Duhamel]

We used to be at a hotel and now they have like, they built actual hotel rooms with room service in a room like this. And it. They. They just. They just run us through like a car wash. That's unreal.

[Eddie]

Can you get a room in the Netflix hotel junket?

[Big Cat]

Yeah.

[Josh Duhamel]

It's a beautiful room. It's like, it's like, you know, five star.

[Big Cat]

Yeah. All right.

[Josh Duhamel]

So bad because you can't sleep.

[Big Cat]

Yeah. So we're interview one. You're gonna do a bunch of interviews today. I. I would hope that we ask the dumbest questions that you get today, and I'll start with a really dumb one. So Ransom Canyon. I watched the trailer. Looks awesome. Texas Romance, Western. Got everything. How many horses did you ride and did you have, like, a specific horse you loved?

[Josh Duhamel]

I did. I wrote a horse called jc. We all had our own horse. Actually went to a cowboy camp for a couple weeks before we started shooting. I hadn't been. You know, I'm from North Dakota. We talked about this last time. So I was around farms and ranches pretty much my whole life, but I hadn't been on a horse for 20 years probably. So, yeah, I was. I was a little rusty. But it was, you know, it was. And I'm. I'm not gonna lie, I wasn't a huge horse guy. But for whatever reason, I don't know if it was. It was Clay and the guys over there that sort of run this cowboy camp. I really started to love it again for the first time in maybe forever.

[Big Cat]

I like it. So JC was your horse? So that was your horse every single time? Yep.

[Eddie]

Okay, now this is a dumb question, but do horses have to act? Do they have like a. A coach?

[Josh Duhamel]

Well, while they're really well trained, I can tell you that much. Some more than others. JC Was A really. He was an older veteran horse, so he was very well behaved, which I liked. I didn't. I didn't feel like I was gonna get bucked off at any minute.

[Big Cat]

Yeah, that's good.

[Eddie]

I feel like Kevin Costner, his. His roles recently have just been like, get me to a place where I can ride horses around while I'm on the set, because that's what I want to be doing anyways. It's actually a really cool strategy, if that's what you love.

[Big Cat]

Yeah.

[Josh Duhamel]

Right. It is fun, you know, and this whole. You know, there's something about the. The vibe of this show that I just loved because I was actually at my place, at my cabin when April Blair, the showrunner, called. So I was kind of in this mode anyway. I was. I think I was on my tractor, my side by side or something, and. And we just started talking about this character. And, you know, this guy is. You know, he's been through it the last couple of years. Lost his wife a couple years ago and then lost his son about a year to the day we start the show. So he's been through it. And. And I think that, you know, that's really what I love, is this guy was not just. He doesn't have it all together. He's pretty broken. He's pretty surly. And, you know, that. That fits my character. I fit right into that.

[Big Cat]

Yeah. The other thing I noticed, another dumb question from the trailer, which. It looks awesome. I'm definitely gonna watch this show. The. There was a line in it, and you've been in a lot of movies, a lot of shows, where I think a police officer said to a woman, you stay away from that boy. Has that ever worked? Has anyone ever stayed away from the boy?

[Josh Duhamel]

That's a pretty good indicator that she's not gonna stay away.

[Big Cat]

I feel like I picked up. I'm not the smartest guy, but I feel like I picked up there might be something going on with the boy.

[Josh Duhamel]

You're like. You're like. You're like the Pink Panther.

[Brian Windhorst]

Yeah.

[Big Cat]

I'm like. I'm like, those. Yeah. The Reddit threads for, like, White Lotus or Severance, where everyone's piecing, you know, every single thing in the background. I'm like. Like, I should just start a thread. Being like, I think there's something gonna happen with this boy and this girl. I don't know.

[Eddie]

Speaking of your. Your. Your place that you have up in Minnesota, I watched the tour that you gave of your. Your cab and your property that you have up there. That looks awesome.

[Big Cat]

Yeah.

[Eddie]

I'm actually envious of, of what you did to that place because maybe you can tell the story, but you bought a spot for what, like 75 grand? And then you spent the last couple years fixing it up. It looks incredible, by the way.

[Josh Duhamel]

You guys are always welcome. It is a lot of fun.

[Eddie]

I don't want to, like, overplay the relationship, but my follow up question was going to be, if there is an apocalypse, I'm going to go to your cabin. Is that.

[Josh Duhamel]

I'm ready. Okay, ready. It truly is my happy place. We bought that place. I bought the place like 15, 16 years ago with nothing on it. It was, it literally had. The first thing I bought was a floating dock. And then the property next to that went up for sale and had a little hunting shack with no electricity or water. And. And then a couple of years after that, another one went up for sale right next door with a little cabin.

[Big Cat]

Right on the water.

[Josh Duhamel]

So then I suddenly had two little cabins. No water, no wells, but one of them had electricity. So for the first 10 years we would be, you know, it was outhouses and it was washing dishes in the lake.

[Eddie]

Yeah.

[Josh Duhamel]

And finally we built something that's actually, you know, a little bit more suited for modern times. And we have running water now, and we have wells and we have showers and we even have a dishwasher. So, you know, we're, we're living a really posh life out there.

[Eddie]

Yeah, it looks amazing. Were people calling you insane when you said, hey, I'm going to buy this place, fix it up, and spend a lot of time out there because it's so far away from everything. I get it. But I imagine that a lot of people that you work around, that might not have been like their ideal situation to live.

[Big Cat]

Yeah. Have we lost Josh? Is he gone?

[Josh Duhamel]

At times, yeah. I think people do wonder that it is, you know, it was just something that I felt like I wanted to do. I'd never, you know, I didn't grow up with a lake cabin. I didn't have anything like that, but I had friends who did. And I always loved it. I love that lake life. So it just became the play. And especially during COVID we spent a lot of time just because nothing was going on. We just lived out there and we're, we're building and, you know, cutting trails and, and just sort of shaping it. And then over the last few years especially, it's really come along. So, yeah, it's, it's, it's, it's a lot of Fun.

[Big Cat]

Is it. Is it fully doomsday prepped? Are you ready to go if there's an apocalypse?

[Josh Duhamel]

Well, I'm getting there. You know, the whole thing runs on propane if I need it to the generator. And I got solar, I got wells, so I have enough water. I'm working. I'm not. I'm not much of a hunter yet. I'm working on that. But there's plenty that you could, you know, hunt and eat and fish, you know, if you had to, I could probably survive two weeks.

[Eddie]

Okay, we're getting there.

[Big Cat]

That's. Two weeks is pretty good.

[Eddie]

Yeah.

[Big Cat]

Because I know that there's an apocalypse. I would just. I just walk outside and be like, just take me now. I don't. I'm not. I'm not down for the fight. Like, I'd give up very quickly.

[Josh Duhamel]

It's always been a fear of mine. Like the. The idea that, you know, something happens and everything goes sideways. The problem is, how do you. How would I get there? You know, because, you know, the. The freeways in LA can lock up pretty quickly. So I've gone through all these scenarios. Where do I get a. Do I get a dirt bike and take the canyons over to a boat that I have rented in a slip over in the marina? And do I drive the boat up the coast where I have a car parked that I can drive from there? You know, it's a whole. I. I thought. I've thought this thing through. I haven't done any of that yet, but it is. It is part of the plan.

[Eddie]

I've been watching the Last of Us. You could just walk. That's kind of what they do. They just walked across the entire country.

[Josh Duhamel]

It doesn't walk from LA to Fargo.

[Big Cat]

Yeah. Or get.

[Eddie]

Get a pilot's license. Just fly there.

[Josh Duhamel]

Oh, yeah. Not a bad idea.

[Brian Windhorst]

Do.

[Big Cat]

Do you think people look at you a little sideways when you say that? You're prepped like this. Like, they're like, all right, dude. Because there is a little that comes with being a doomsday prepper, where people are like, okay, man, sounds good.

[Josh Duhamel]

Crazy.

[Big Cat]

Yeah. Like, all the people who bought stuff, like, in 1999, they've been like, this 2000 thing is gonna fuck everything up. And then they Y2K. Yeah. And they woke up and they're like, whoops, I probably shouldn't be living in the woods.

[Josh Duhamel]

Well, yeah, I'm guessing they do probably look at me a little sideways because. But it's not like I'm out there, you know, I don't I don't have like an underground bunker and things like that. It's just mostly honestly, what it is is a place that my kids love to go.

[Big Cat]

Right.

[Josh Duhamel]

My sister's kids. My. Both my sister's kids. And you know, hopefully their kids someday will all find it, you know, a place that they can all go to. So I built it not only for me and a place to get away to, but also something I can pass on to them.

[Big Cat]

Yeah, and it's nice.

[Eddie]

It's a short commute from your real house in North Dakota, so you can just drive over there every day and come right back.

[Big Cat]

Hop on over.

[Eddie]

Yeah.

[Big Cat]

Yeah, exactly. Wait, so last time we had you on, you told us about your guys trip every year. Are you still doing it where you guys go and basically play a bunch of sports and. And hopefully don't get injured? Are you still keeping the tradition? Oh, yeah. We do it every year.

[Josh Duhamel]

Every third weekend of August.

[Big Cat]

I love it.

[Josh Duhamel]

Buddy games. This year, I think we're doing it in Montana.

[Big Cat]

Okay.

[Josh Duhamel]

Get out of my cabin. Last year, Bob. The Bob father likes to make sure that we take a year off from my place. I don't know if it's because he wants to make sure that he still runs it and I don't. Yeah, he's very possessive about his buddy game. So. So last year we did at my cabin. This year, I think we're going to Montana. But, you know, every year is like Christmas. The guys put it on the calendar and they all show up.

[Big Cat]

Yeah, so. So any injuries last year? Because, like, you guys, when you described it to us, it was every sport you could think of. And, you know, we're all getting up in age. Was there. Were there any. Any issues with someone? Like, has there been a retirement? That would be sad. Someone had to do like a real retirement, like, you know, raise their banner to the rafters.

[Josh Duhamel]

No, we did. We did. We did introduce the hall of fame last year. Chad Hornbacher got the maroon jacket. As far as injuries, Chris Watson woke up to go take a piss in the middle of the middle of the night, stood up, passed out, and like, literally broke the left side of his face.

[Big Cat]

Oh, my God.

[Josh Duhamel]

Like, oh, my God. What is. You know, so I don't know if that's an indicator that we're. We are getting old or what, but he was. But he. He still competed.

[Eddie]

Oh, I love that.

[Big Cat]

That's.

[Josh Duhamel]

That's how dedicated he was.

[Eddie]

That's hockey. Tough.

[Josh Duhamel]

Still going.

[Big Cat]

I love that.

[Josh Duhamel]

That's.

[Eddie]

That's amazing. What events did we do?

[Josh Duhamel]

Last year we did, we did the, the usuals. Golf, wiffle ball. We built a wiffle ball field down on the. It was sort of half in the lake, half in the, half in land. We had a chipping contest where we chipped from this upper ridge down onto the beach. And you had to, you had to lay there, spread eagle and you. And you got to wear a, a motorcycle helmet, but that was it.

[Big Cat]

That.

[Josh Duhamel]

In your underwear.

[Big Cat]

Oh, did we get a nutshot that.

[Josh Duhamel]

See, this is like there was a shin shot. We didn't, we didn't quite get the nut shot. But yeah, you know, you, you send one up about 80 yards and it comes down. That ball's moving by the time it hits. So yeah, it was, it wasn't our most. It wasn't our most ridiculous event, but. But, oh, we also did, we also did like this, this amazing croquet where I mowed fairways all through the yard and all the undulations. We literally met a golf course and did it like a croquet field. And that surprisingly was the favorite event last year.

[Big Cat]

Well, yeah, that's another indicator that we.

[Josh Duhamel]

May be getting old.

[Big Cat]

Yeah, that's the old like being like. Yeah. The event where we stand around and have to like lightly swing something. I would say that's, that's maybe getting old.

[Eddie]

That's actually a genius idea though, doing croquet golf. Just a giant sized croquet field. I'm surprised. I don't know if anyone's done that before, if you invented it, but that sounds like the best time ever.

[Josh Duhamel]

We mowed fairways, the whole thing. So if you got off track, you're in the rough. It was actually really fun. Yeah, I know it doesn't sound like it, but it was one of the best events.

[Eddie]

How did you do. And if you, if you have a lackluster buddy games, do you find yourself beating, beating yourself up for the next year? Like, God, I really, really left a lot of opportunities out there.

[Josh Duhamel]

We did win last year. It was, it's still under protest.

[Eddie]

I imagine that most, most wins are under protest, right. For the buddy games.

[Josh Duhamel]

Me and my team did win it last year. But of course, you know, these guys, you know, it's just, they're just a bunch of babies.

[Big Cat]

Well, it, it sounds we, we do something similar here at Barca. Like we just completed. We did a 18 hole mini golf tournament in our office. We built 18 mini golf holes.

[Josh Duhamel]

Okay.

[Big Cat]

And it was 12 on 12, like Ryder cup style. And the way I describe it is like you could create a Mini golf rulebook that is a thousand page long. Once you get all of us in the same setting, it will take maybe 30 minutes before we find a loophole and start arguing non stop with each other. And that's what I had imagined the Bunny Games is.

[Josh Duhamel]

Yeah, it really is. And Chad Kelly. Yeah, I'm calling you out. Chad Kelly was the biggest culprit last year, man. He was. He was tripping the whole time. Yeah, they. They seem to find loopholes. Everybody desperately wants to win this thing. It's hilarious.

[Big Cat]

That's the fun, though, when you take it. So, like, we were. We. We did this mini golf competition. I. I found myself. Our team lost, and I was actually kind of depressed. Like, I was. I woke up in a bad mood. I was like, you got to be kidding me, man. Like, what? You got three kids, you got a great life, and you're getting upset about mini golf? But that's how I felt. Like, I can't. I can't deny how I felt.

[Josh Duhamel]

Your competitor.

[Big Cat]

Yeah. Yeah. It's just how. How you're wired.

[Eddie]

We got to talk about some. Some NFL stuff here because your Vikings. Let me just ask you this. Would you want Aaron Rodgers on your Vikings?

[Josh Duhamel]

Yes and no. I mean, I've. I've. I've run into Aaron a bunch over the years, and he's. He's actually a really fun dude. He loves to give me. He loves to give it to me about the Vikings, especially when he was with the Packers. So it just didn't. It's kind of. It kind of feel like it did when Favre came. Yeah, Farve maybe had his best year of all, his whole career, but it didn't feel like he was fully one of the Vikings, you know, So I don't think I could. I don't think. You know, even if we did win, it feels like it would almost need a asterisk next to it or something. Something.

[Big Cat]

Yeah. Yeah.

[Josh Duhamel]

I don't know what JJ's gonna do. He looked. I saw him on the sidelines when I was at the. I went to the. What I do. I went to the Lions game, last game of the season. And then I went to the. No, I went to the packers, then the lions. And JJ's a hell of a quarterback, but, man, he doesn't look very big down there. Yeah, it's like he's about 16 years old.

[Big Cat]

Yeah, he does look young.

[Josh Duhamel]

Yeah.

[Big Cat]

Did you.

[Josh Duhamel]

He's a hell of a quarterback. We'll see.

[Big Cat]

Did you find yourself falling for the Sam Darnold situation? Did you did you fully buy in that? That was like, hey, this is who he is now. He's just the best.

[Josh Duhamel]

I was really impressed. I did not see that. I don't think any Vikings fans saw last year coming. We thought it was going to be a 500 year and it turned out to be one of the most exciting years we've had. And Sam Darnold was a big reason for that. Now, you know, I don't want to blame him entirely for that. Those last couple of games, he did not play well, but, you know, he was also. He also got pressured like crazy. Yeah, I think that, I think that, you know, the pressure of the game, the situation and then, you know, the amount of pressure he was getting from the, from the defense, I think was, was a little bit too much. But I. Apparently we did reload on the offensive line, which is good. Did you guys see that?

[Big Cat]

Yes. Yeah, big time. Yeah. You guys definitely added a lot of pieces on the offense.

[Josh Duhamel]

The old line looks good and I think that, you know, we definitely have the, the weapons on offense with JJ and Addison and who else we got. Yeah, it's, it's, it's a really high powered offense. Defense is going to be good. But then again, you've got Caleb coming up with the Bears. You got, you've got what's his name, Jordan Love with the packers, you know, and the, and the, and the Lions are going to be good. They're going to be really good. So I don't know, we could be first, we could be last.

[Big Cat]

Iron sharpens iron, though.

[Eddie]

Yeah. It must be nice though, having a head coach where you can convince yourself no matter who plays quarterback, you'll be like, yeah, that guy's going to be a Pro Bowler just because the coach is that good.

[Josh Duhamel]

Yeah, I think that's a perfect tire for the Bears too.

[Big Cat]

Yeah. Bowen Johnson.

[Josh Duhamel]

Yeah, we've said that many years, haven't we?

[Big Cat]

Yeah, a lot of times. But this time's different. This time it's totally different. You'll see.

[Josh Duhamel]

What do you guys think of Caleb?

[Big Cat]

I love him. Tough, tough first year. Very, very tough. Did not have the setup that I thought he was going to have going into it, the coach. Everything just basically was a disaster. So I'm hoping. Fresh start. Ben Johnson, Smart guy. Fresh start. He feels good.

[Josh Duhamel]

Is that your team?

[Big Cat]

Yeah, that's my team. And I.

[Josh Duhamel]

You're a best fan. I didn't know that.

[Big Cat]

Yeah. And it's. Listen, last year was. I said a lot of things in the summer that I regret deeply about. How they were set up to win right now and then they basically fell off a cliff halfway through the season. So. But the new year and I'm staying cautiously optimistic now. I'm not, I'm not going to start writing checks that I can't cash later on in the year.

[Josh Duhamel]

Yeah, but Caleb looked good at times too.

[Big Cat]

He did, but he also looked bad. Yeah, he's. He's got talent. We need the coaching and, and some of the other things to, to finally go in the right direction. They're dysfunctional organization through and through. So just trying to get out of our own way for once.

[Josh Duhamel]

What do they. What do they have on his receivers?

[Big Cat]

D.J. moore, Roma, Dunes A. Probably maybe draft someone. So we'll see. It will be good. Yeah.

[Josh Duhamel]

Yeah.

[Big Cat]

Maybe get a running back. I don't know.

[Eddie]

Who would you want in the draft?

[Josh Duhamel]

You know, I haven't been. I've been. I was in London for the last several months. I'm normally follow the draft like months in advance, but I don't know much about it this year.

[Big Cat]

It stinks. So you're not, you're not, you're not off, like it's not a good draft.

[Josh Duhamel]

Well, I mean, what are the bikes need? I think it's maybe a safety after Harrison leaves.

[Big Cat]

Yeah.

[Eddie]

Yeah. Malachi Starks.

[Josh Duhamel]

Malachi Starks. Georgia would be good.

[Eddie]

Yeah.

[Josh Duhamel]

I don't know.

[Big Cat]

What were you doing in London?

[Josh Duhamel]

I was directing a movie called Preschool.

[Eddie]

Oh, okay.

[Big Cat]

That's cool.

[Josh Duhamel]

About these two dads who are fighting to get their kid into this last spot in this preschool.

[Eddie]

Do you like directing? Is that a nice change of pace?

[Josh Duhamel]

I do. It is all encompassing. It is. It's very time consuming and it's a lot of work, but it is a lot, it's. It's a lot of fun because you get to kind of tell the story the way you see it.

[Big Cat]

Yeah.

[Josh Duhamel]

You know, I think that that is something I've always wanted to do. You know, I couldn't just do that because I really like spending time with my family too. And when you're doing that, you're pretty much, you know, belong to the whatever production it is, but it is, it is a lot of fun. The movie's turning out great. It's funny.

[Big Cat]

I, I love that premise for a movie because I don't, you know, I. We are back in Chicago now, but when we were living in New York and my youngest was two in Brooklyn, we. We like went to a. He had to do like an actual interview for preschool. Oh yeah. And they, and they Denied him. And I was like, what did he do wrong? Like, did he. He's two. How is this possible? But that's how it is.

[Josh Duhamel]

Rejected.

[Big Cat]

Yeah, he got rejected it too. Did he bring a copy of his resume? So he did. When we went to the interview, it was kind of right around, like right after Covid. So we did it outside and he did trip when we were like walking up. And I actually think that might have been what did it.

[Eddie]

You can't have a clumsy kid.

[Big Cat]

Like, because I don't know what else you judge a two year old old.

[Eddie]

Yeah. The principal's like, that smells like a lawsuit.

[Big Cat]

Yeah. It's like, this is crazy.

[Josh Duhamel]

How did it get somebody. Didn't he. He bit somebody.

[Big Cat]

He did. He was never a biter. But I was just like, I was, I, I didn't ultimately care because it was like, this is a preposterous thing to have to do an interview for a two year old. But there was a part of me walking away being like, what the fuck? How do you deny a 2 year old? I was like a little pissed off, but that's how competitive those schools are.

[Josh Duhamel]

My boy is your boy, right?

[Big Cat]

Yeah, it's my boy. Yeah. It's.

[Josh Duhamel]

You know, when I had, when I had kids, I never thought that I'd get caught up in all of it. But you can't help but to, you know, because, you know, where I grew up, there was no private school. We just, everybody went to public school. And when I had my first son, you know, getting into, I figured he's gonna be fine. He'll go to the public school down the street. And sure enough, when it came time where we were getting caught up in the whole thing of, you know, will he get into this school, get into that school? And sure enough, there we are. So I think that it's, it's a, it's a premise that a lot of people who have kids or know people who have kids will, will find funny and relate to in some way.

[Big Cat]

Yeah.

[Eddie]

Is it tough to not micromanage the actors while you're directing? As an actor, I feel like I would, I would always want to give like, advice or here's, here's how I would do that scene.

[Josh Duhamel]

It is a tricky situation, right, because on the one hand you're an actor with them. You're, you're, you're, you're, you're working together. This is one of your, your, one of your mates. And then you have to turn around and say like, hey, could you do that a little bit Differently. You could never do that if you're just acting.

[Big Cat]

Right?

[Josh Duhamel]

You know, I could never give him a note if it's just he and I in the scene together. But I. So the key is just to find really, really good actors. And I got great ones. I mean, when you shoot in London, it's just full of them. Like, everybody's West End trained and Shakespearean, and they just have all this education. So we. I was blessed with really, really good actors. And so I didn't necessarily have to give many notes other than just like, sort of general stuff. Yeah, I was the one who needed the notes, to be honest.

[Big Cat]

Yeah. A dumb question about acting. How. How much of your. Like, how. How many lines do you memorize at once? I'm always impressed by that because, like, we'll do stupid, like, social commercials or something. And I can't keep more than, like, two lines in my head at once, like, at max. So what do you do? Do you read? Do you have, like, pages and pages memorized?

[Josh Duhamel]

You know? Well, I couldn't do what you do. I couldn't read off a paper. I have to. I have to memorize them.

[Big Cat]

Yeah.

[Josh Duhamel]

I can't. You know, I'm not a. I could never be a news anchor. But it's just a muscle that you get. You just start to learn how to do it. And it's just. It's about. Honestly, it's about remembering the verbs and the adverbs, and that connects the thoughts.

[Big Cat]

Right.

[Josh Duhamel]

That's how I do it.

[Big Cat]

Right.

[Josh Duhamel]

And then if it's a big speech, I will learn that thing well in advance of the time. You know, when the time comes to shoot it, it's second nature. Some people can just look at it and know it and just go. But I've never been able to do that.

[Big Cat]

So are you, like. When you go shoot on Ransom Canyon for, like, a day, do you have multiple pages already memorized in your head and you're just running around with those? Because I. Yeah, like, I. I don't think I could walk with that in my head.

[Josh Duhamel]

Well, it's not really the words as much as it is knowing, because we shot. We literally shot 10 episodes all out of order because we had ridiculous weather for the first four months we were shooting this thing. We were supposed to. The scene called for a sunny meadow with wildflowers, and we had two feet of snow.

[Big Cat]

Right.

[Josh Duhamel]

So we had to wait and push all that stuff to the end of the year. So we ended up shooting all these different episodes simultaneously. You know, we're shooting It. We're shooting, you know, episode 10 today, and. And we're shooting episode three because we got to pick up a scene from three, and we gotta start whatever in the same location. So. So it's more about figuring out when you know where you are in the. In the. In the progression of the character's arc. You know, like, what happened before this, what happened in episode four that made me say this in episode 10.

[Big Cat]

Right.

[Josh Duhamel]

And so that's really the hard part. It's not really memorizing the lines. It's just keeping everything straight and making sure that everything is going to track. Because you're shooting things four episodes ahead, and you have to imagine what happened three episodes before that, when you haven't even shot them yet at.

[Big Cat]

Right. That.

[Josh Duhamel]

That becomes the most difficult part, is to kind of track how you. How you're going to perform things, you know, well in advance or something. That happened three months ago.

[Big Cat]

Another dumb question I guarantee you won't get today. What's. What's the. What's the catering situation like on set? Do they vary it a lot so you don't get, like, bored with it?

[Josh Duhamel]

It's usually a fish and a chicken and a steak.

[Big Cat]

Okay. But they're not like, one day, are they? One day, like, hey, Chinese.

[Josh Duhamel]

Actually, on. On Ransom Camp, we had an amazing chef.

[Big Cat]

Okay.

[Josh Duhamel]

Wish I could remember his name now, but it was one of the best. It was one of the best catering companies I've ever had. They were just unbelievable. So.

[Big Cat]

Yeah.

[Josh Duhamel]

I mean, every day is different. It's like a whole spread I love. No wonder you put on ten pounds every time you go shoot. Yeah.

[Big Cat]

Any. Any ice cream?

[Josh Duhamel]

Yeah, there's all kinds of. There's, like, several dessert options.

[Big Cat]

Love that.

[Eddie]

That's.

[Big Cat]

Love that. Yeah. That should be an act.

[Josh Duhamel]

How do you say no to it? These fresh cookies they make every day.

[Big Cat]

Yeah.

[Eddie]

If I was shooting a Western, though, I feel like I would only eat the steak.

[Big Cat]

Yeah, it feels like.

[Josh Duhamel]

Yeah, you're a method actor.

[Big Cat]

Exactly.

[Eddie]

I go full method.

[Big Cat]

I like that. The idea of being like a Daniel Day Lewis, but only for food.

[Eddie]

Yeah.

[Josh Duhamel]

You eat the steak that you grew on your. Out on the range.

[Eddie]

Yeah, I'm gonna eat my steak. And then, you know, to drink, I'll just have whiskey.

[Big Cat]

Yeah.

[Shane]

Just neat.

[Eddie]

I'll just sip some water.

[Big Cat]

Drunk the whole time.

[Eddie]

The nice thing about doing a Western, too, is you get to wear the hat, the cowboy hat. I feel like that helps a lot with acting. You can be very emotional, like, you know, taking the hat off Tugging on the bill of the hat.

[Josh Duhamel]

It is a valuable crutch.

[Eddie]

Yeah. Did they were there, like, notes in. In the script? Like, at this point, you're gonna, like, adjust your hat, or was that all feel?

[Josh Duhamel]

No, that's all. That's all me, man.

[Eddie]

Yeah.

[Big Cat]

Oh, hell yeah.

[Eddie]

That's where you're the best.

[Big Cat]

Hell yeah.

[Eddie]

Best actor in the world.

[Big Cat]

Oh, yes.

[Josh Duhamel]

The show does really look amazing. I mean, they did a beautiful job. The show is. It's. It's. It's beautifully shot. You know, Minka in the cast are fantastic in it. I think that people are really going to dig it. I really do.

[Big Cat]

I'm excited. So I have one last question for you. It's always fun to have you on. Josh Roback question. R, H, O, B, A, C, K.com promo code. Take 20% off your first purchase. Q, zips, polos, hoodies, joggers, shorts. Roback.com promo code. Take. Go see Ransom Canyon, Netflix. Not go see, just turn it on at home. Netflix, April 17th. Tell us one to ten how hot you looked in the show.

[Josh Duhamel]

Pretty hot.

[Big Cat]

Okay.

[Josh Duhamel]

All right.

[Big Cat]

I mean, I saw the trailer. You looked pretty hot.

[Josh Duhamel]

Do you put a tight pair of, like, wranglers on this ass? Yeah, and it's pretty hot.

[Big Cat]

You had, like, the. There was one look that you had, maybe the. The jacket, like, the jean jacket with, like, the. Like the. The fur. The fake fur underneath. And I was like, damn. Josh is putting. He's putting some looks out there for this show.

[Josh Duhamel]

Some looks out there.

[Big Cat]

Yeah, you are. You were serving some.

[Eddie]

You knew that you were. Yeah. You knew you were on one. You're like, I'm getting on this horse.

[Big Cat]

Yeah. Take my time. I'm going to rock.

[Eddie]

Howdy, ma'am.

[Big Cat]

Yeah. All right, well, Josh, anytime you want to come back on, man, we love having you on. And we're going to. We're going to watch this. And anytime you're in Chicago, stop by. We'll. We'll come up with some random game we can compete against you with.

[Josh Duhamel]

All right, boys, go check out. Go get. Go check out Gatlin.com.

[Big Cat]

Okay.

[Eddie]

Okay. What's that?

[Big Cat]

What's that?

[Eddie]

Like, the gun?

[Josh Duhamel]

Just a little thing that I got going.

[Big Cat]

Oh.

[Eddie]

Oh.

[Josh Duhamel]

Next time.

[Eddie]

Okay.

[Big Cat]

I love it. Give us a little homework. Hottest teacher I ever had.

[Eddie]

But if the apocalypse happens, like, I'm going to your cabin. Just. Just know that.

[Big Cat]

All right?

[Josh Duhamel]

You're welcome. You got to be able to contribute, though.

[Eddie]

I. I almost feel like you're recognition.

[Josh Duhamel]

Or medical or building or farming podcasting.

[Eddie]

Yeah, the world will need takes.

[Big Cat]

Yeah, we're, we're a podcast economy here. So we'll, we'll bring the podcast and then you'll have that cover.

[Eddie]

I feel like Josh is invited us out there so he can eat us. He just said like he doesn't know how to hunt. He's like, yeah, you guys can come out. The more just show up.

[Big Cat]

And he's like, who are you guys? Yeah, we'll have, we'll show up to your front door with a microphone being like, see remember us podcast living off.

[Eddie]

The fat of the land.

[Josh Duhamel]

That's right.

[Big Cat]

All right. Thanks so much, Josh. Appreciate it, man.

[Eddie]

See you later, boys. Josh Duo is brought to you by our special friends over at Chevy. Chevy's packed more capability into the Silverado Trail Boss so that you can pack more fun into your weekend. Have yourself a Friday, a Saturday, a Sunday. Sunday fun.

[Big Cat]

Yay.

[Eddie]

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[Big Cat]

Henry. Yeah. You're up. Yeah, let's do it.

[Shane]

Fire fest of the week. I. I mean, it's not really a firefight because I survived, but we did the. The KFC Dunk It Challenge dunk contest here on Wednesday, and one of the contestants asked. He's like, hey, can I jump over you for one of the dunks? He was a big awl. And I felt bad saying no. And I. You know, he was jumping pretty high, so I trusted him. And so I had to, you know, stand with. I didn't even see him coming up. My back was like. He was running towards my back, so I couldn't see anything. I just had to hold the ball above my head. First time he tried it, he, like, landed on my neck, and I was like, all right. Did he dunk it? Did not dunk it. So then he asked me to move back. I had to do it again. Second time was even worse. I felt like I basically was holding on my shoulder for a second. Missed again. And then I. He was like, we gotta do it a third time, and he missed again. I survived, but it was. It was not great. It wasn't. Yeah, it wasn't. Could have gone a lot worse.

[Big Cat]

Did it give you any respect for dunkers?

[Shane]

So much respect for dunkers. These guys could. Were jumping out of the gym. Very inspirational. I got a lot of work to do to get on their level, but, yeah, it was. It was. It was cool to see some real athletes in this office.

[Big Cat]

What.

[Eddie]

What does that mean?

[Shane]

It was cool to see some real athletes, like, able to do some cool athletic feats in this office.

[Big Cat]

The. We're not real athletes.

[Shane]

No. God, no.

[Eddie]

I. I thought you did a terrible job judging.

[Shane]

Yeah, you were chirping me from the cheap seats. Man in the arena, as a wise man once said.

[Eddie]

Well, no, you were judging men in the arena, and you were doing a bad job judging the men in the arena.

[Shane]

Right, but man in the arena. You weren't in the arena judging. You were chirping the man in the arena who's judging the men in the arena.

[Eddie]

And I was in the arena because I was. I was judging you.

[Shane]

He's chirping the man who was actually in the arena who was judging the men in the arena.

[Eddie]

I thought you did poor job on awarding scores. I thought that your scoring system was.

[Shane]

When next time you're a dunk contest judge for. I don't know.

[Eddie]

I mean. Well, for Hank Pool dunking for you, you should be amazed that anybody's able to Dunk. Given your performance last year, everything should be a 10.

[Big Cat]

Yeah.

[Shane]

It was impressive.

[Eddie]

Yeah.

[Shane]

I want to give my guys room to grow.

[Big Cat]

That's huge of you. Yeah, yeah, yeah. All right. Pft.

[Eddie]

My Fire fest. Well, number one, Fire Fest 2.0 has been postponed, so that's kind of a firefight.

[Shane]

My firefest is your tweet about the Firefest 2.0.

[Eddie]

Yeah. So I. I also.

[Big Cat]

Mr. Beast, by the way, is, like, doing his own Fire Fest right now.

[Eddie]

I saw that there's a BeastCon.

[Big Cat]

Yeah.

[Eddie]

Out in Las Vegas that Mr. Beast didn't show up to. So now everybody's in the lobby of the hotel being like, yo, where's Mr. Beast? Waiting in the beastcon.

[Big Cat]

Yeah.

[Eddie]

Which I don't know what you say or. Or do. If you go to beastcon in general, do you just, like, meet people in the lobby and you're like. So do you. Do you like Mr. Beast too?

[Big Cat]

Yeah.

[Eddie]

I don't. I don't get Beastcon anyways.

[Big Cat]

You remember that? Yeah. How long could you have stayed in the supermarket?

[Eddie]

Yeah. Probably a little bit longer.

[Big Cat]

Yeah. Do you think you could have been locked underground for 30 days for $1 million?

[Eddie]

If I was locked in that room, I would have found ways to make the canned chicken taste different. So. Yeah. What Hank's alluding to is I offered up the barstool Chicago offer office for Fire Fest if they need a new location because it sounds like the government of Mexico wasn't playing ball.

[Big Cat]

Oh, we're getting double booked right now. Okay, so why we on the act? We offered up the Chicago office for John Arbuckle con. Arbuckle Fest.

[Eddie]

Oh, from Garfield.

[Big Cat]

Yeah.

[Eddie]

Okay.

[Big Cat]

Because Garfield gets all the shine.

[Eddie]

Yeah.

[Big Cat]

But Arbuckle, nothing. Why not have a festival for him?

[Eddie]

He was a great dude.

[Big Cat]

Yeah. But.

[Eddie]

Yeah. Fire Fest. If.

[Big Cat]

If we could do it together.

[Eddie]

Listen, Billy McFarland, he's. I consider him to be a. An acquaintance. We're friendly with each other. I've offered it to him if he would like to accept. I think we could do a good job Hosting Fire Fest 2.0 here.

[Big Cat]

Okay.

[Eddie]

What do you think, Hank?

[Shane]

I hate it. I hate that idea.

[Eddie]

Why?

[Big Cat]

Are you in for Arbuckle Fest?

[Shane]

I guess not. Really.

[Big Cat]

Not really one of the two?

[Shane]

For being honest, if I had to pick one of the two Arbuckle Fest.

[Eddie]

Why are you so. Why are you so out on one of the premier concert destinations in the history of the world? Have you not seen the Phoenix package? Is it 1.5 million for a ticket.

[Shane]

For one ticket for a ticket.

[Eddie]

Yeah, it's a great ticket.

[Shane]

All right, maybe once Billy, you know, gives us. Gives us the rev share, we can look into it, but.

[Eddie]

Yeah, let's talk, Billy.

[Shane]

My other is an office space for people to, you know, work.

[Big Cat]

Our buckle fest is gonna be, like, four dudes.

[Shane]

That's kind of.

[Big Cat]

Yeah.

[Brian Windhorst]

Like.

[Big Cat]

Yeah, yeah, yeah.

[Eddie]

My other fire fest of the week is that apparently all the boys are on a softball team. All the boys are on a softball team.

[Shane]

We have been. Yeah.

[Eddie]

Yeah. I found out today. Max came into the studio, and he was like, we won our softball game last night. I was, like, sick. And then he started to give me the. The box score, and he's like, yeah. Big Cat did this. Hank did this. Memes did this. Pug was a manager. Shane's on the team. So everyone. Part of my take is on the softball team, and I didn't even know about it.

[Big Cat]

It's not. It's not my softball team, by the way.

[Max]

It's not mine either.

[Big Cat]

I forced myself on it.

[Josh Duhamel]

It.

[Shane]

We talked. We.

[Josh Duhamel]

This.

[Big Cat]

We.

[Shane]

When you say we didn't know about it. We talked about it a lot last year.

[Big Cat]

We did talk about it a lot.

[Eddie]

I knew that they played on the softball.

[Max]

The reason Big Cat is you're just.

[Shane]

Mad that Big Cat's on the softball. Before Big Cat was on the team, you didn't care.

[Big Cat]

I just got.

[Josh Duhamel]

How.

[Big Cat]

How did I even get at it? We had a.

[Max]

We had a game that we didn't want to go to.

[Big Cat]

That's right.

[Max]

And you were like, put me in the group chat. I'll say, you can't go.

[Big Cat]

Right.

[Max]

And then you stayed in the group chat. And then when we started the talk about it for next year, you're like, I'm in. I'm in if we play 16 inch.

[Big Cat]

So I forced my way in.

[Eddie]

So 16 inch softball is awesome.

[Big Cat]

But it was. It was.

[Eddie]

Oh, yeah, I'm sure it is.

[Big Cat]

For the record. It was. They were all on the team last year.

[Shane]

Yeah, we talked about it on this show a lot.

[Eddie]

Oh, yeah. Yeah. I knew that you guys had a team. I knew that for sure.

[Big Cat]

And then you'd be off the team.

[Eddie]

No, I don't want you off the team.

[Big Cat]

Okay.

[Eddie]

I think I have no choice but to just put together my own team and beat the. Out of.

[Shane]

You guys should join.

[Max]

Cadex got a. Cadex got just.

[Eddie]

Of ringers Cadex and just dominate May 7th.

[Max]

But big happy both won't be at.

[Eddie]

That game, by the way. I. I was upset. The real Reason I was upset is I'm definitely so much better than Hank at softball.

[Big Cat]

I don't think so.

[Eddie]

I. I am definitely so much better than Hank at 16 in softball.

[Big Cat]

I don't think so.

[Eddie]

I. I guarantee you.

[Max]

This sounds like I. We're gonna have to. This sounds like we're gonna have to film something.

[Big Cat]

I know you both. I know you both very well. Hank's better than you itself.

[Eddie]

I can hit a golf ball, like, 50 yards.

[Max]

That's a fair point.

[Big Cat]

That's a true point. But Hank's better at softball.

[Eddie]

I can slap singles.

[Big Cat]

Hank's.

[Eddie]

I'm faster than Hank.

[Big Cat]

Good at softball.

[Eddie]

How good are you?

[Big Cat]

He's pretty good. I mean, he was. He played in first base last night.

[Eddie]

What order did you hit?

[Shane]

That's pug. Pug sets the order. I hit seventh. I did hit a dinger. Two singles.

[Big Cat]

Yeah.

[Shane]

I mean, I had. I had a bomb.

[Big Cat]

Yeah. And he. He locked down first base.

[Tom]

He did really good yesterday.

[Big Cat]

Yeah.

[Shane]

I mean, we played softball in New York.

[Big Cat]

Yeah, we did.

[Shane]

And I was better than you there, too.

[Big Cat]

That's true.

[Eddie]

Yeah, I was awesome.

[Big Cat]

I was hurt.

[Eddie]

I had a broken foot.

[Big Cat]

It. That's true.

[Max]

Pretty much.

[Big Cat]

What did he say about what I did on the mound?

[Eddie]

He said. Well, that's. He came in. Max gave me. Max gave me, like, a full postgame report.

[Max]

Yeah.

[Eddie]

Vibes were high, and I was, like, listening to it at first. I was like, okay. Big cat was a good pitcher. Hank did good. I was like, cool. And then he. He proceeded to name everybody on part of my.

[Big Cat]

Be on the team. Why not? I'll put you on the text. No.

[Eddie]

Well, then Max was like, do you want to play in a game? I was like, no.

[Max]

That's what I said.

[Eddie]

Not anymore.

[Big Cat]

But I just forced myself on the team. You should just force yourself on the team.

[Eddie]

I'm. I'm out for blood now.

[Big Cat]

I want you on the team.

[Eddie]

I'm taking this personal week. This is gonna be the biggest mistake.

[Big Cat]

I'll tell you what. You're. You're definitely better than some people on the team.

[Max]

That's fat.

[Eddie]

All right, I want names. Who am I better than?

[Big Cat]

Tom Lee.

[Brian Windhorst]

That's up.

[Max]

He's gonna be so mad.

[Big Cat]

All right. I only played one game with Tom Lee. Had three errors in the first inning. I only gave up. I gave up one earned run, two unearned. The two unearned was because he dropped three consecutive balls for a force out at second base. Okay, but I. I love Tom, but he made your stat line.

[Eddie]

He made Your stat line look worse?

[Big Cat]

Well, no, I only did one earned run.

[Eddie]

Okay.

[Big Cat]

I. I gave up one earned run. We. We won 17 to 6. And you'd be like, how the hell do we give up six with only one earned run? Hank did pitch the last inning. He gave up three runs.

[Eddie]

Okay, so Hank made your stat line.

[Big Cat]

Yeah.

[Eddie]

Appear worse.

[Big Cat]

Yeah.

[Eddie]

Yeah, yeah. I mean, camp Barstool last summer was sucking up fly balls in the outfield like a vacuum.

[Big Cat]

So you should just.

[Shane]

Awkward.

[Hank]

I'll say it.

[Big Cat]

Just go. Go for.

[Shane]

This is awkward.

[Big Cat]

Why?

[Max]

I don't feel.

[Eddie]

I don't feel awkward.

[Big Cat]

Go for other guy. I'll give you a list of the guys you're better than.

[Eddie]

Why is he. Why does Hank feel awkward?

[Big Cat]

I don't know.

[Max]

I want to see your game.

[Eddie]

No. I'll smash some taters.

[Big Cat]

Also, I only saw Tom play one game. He could be way worse than that. He hit well. He did hit well.

[Eddie]

He hit well.

[Big Cat]

He hit well. But it's also 16. We like, we can have. We. We need more guys. Yeah.

[Max]

There's going to be. There's going to be lots of games that people play.

[Eddie]

I'm out on this team.

[Big Cat]

I did feel like young again. It was playing, playing softball. It's like it took me back to my 20s. I'm. I'm pumped. I got the green light to play in more games because I was going to initially not play in any games that were 6:30 or 7:30. I now get 7:30.

[Max]

There's only one 6:30 game.

[Big Cat]

Love it. I'll be out. Not.

[Max]

We played. The whole team was stoolies yesterday.

[Big Cat]

Oh, yeah.

[Max]

They're going to be so fired up listening to this right now.

[Big Cat]

Yeah. They suck. They sucked.

[Max]

If you who are listening right now.

[Big Cat]

Yeah, you guys, thank you for giving.

[Max]

Us our confidence because you guys were really bad.

[Big Cat]

Yeah.

[Eddie]

How many games did you guys win last year in the summer?

[Max]

We won zero.

[Shane]

Summer.

[Big Cat]

Yeah.

[Shane]

Summer was tough because summer was a disaster. Summer was a joke.

[Big Cat]

I will say. For the season.

[Shane]

I honestly thought I was never playing with this team again.

[Big Cat]

16 inches.

[Shane]

12 inch. I almost died in the last game I pitched.

[Big Cat]

So this is how it really. How I really got on the team. PFT was when they were like, were playing again and I was still on this group chat, which is kind of awkward that I'm on this group chat because they'll be like, anyone want to meet up at a bar on a Saturday night? And I'll just be sitting there being with my kids, being like, yeah, I do, but. No, but anyway, they they started the group chat and they're like, we're going to sign up to play softball again. And I just like, basically heavy handed. I was like, if you play 16 inch, I'm in. And then I started paying off people on the team to say they'd play 16 inches. 16 inch. And so then that's how I got in. Because I would not have played for 12 inch. I would have absolutely not played. So you should just. I'll add you the group chat. No, I'm like, I'm in again.

[Eddie]

I don't. I don't want a pity spot on this roster.

[Big Cat]

I'm.

[Eddie]

I'm doing my pity spot. I'm doing my own team. And we're gonna beat the out of you guys.

[Big Cat]

It's not a pity spot.

[Eddie]

Texting cadence right now.

[Big Cat]

Well, that wouldn't be your own team. That would be Kadish's team.

[Eddie]

I don't care.

[Max]

We also. Me and Big Cat both won't be at that game.

[Big Cat]

Yeah.

[Eddie]

But Hank will, so actually ducking me.

[Big Cat]

Hank will be pitching. Yeah.

[Max]

Okay, so Hank will be pitching.

[Big Cat]

Hank will be pitching in that game.

[Eddie]

You get shelled, Hank, Bring it.

[Big Cat]

Yeah. Let's go.

[Eddie]

It's gonna be. What's really gonna be awkward is the day after that, after I take you deep three times.

[Shane]

I'm looking forward to it.

[Big Cat]

The. The stoolie that was pitching against us, I did talk to him after I gave him some tips. I think he's gonna be. I think he has the. The makings of a good pitcher. He just needs to. I was doing the hop step and they were getting so. They're like, why does he keep doing that?

[Eddie]

The backspin you up and I was.

[Big Cat]

Standing like behind the left handed hitters. But yeah, I feel young again. I feel like I missed playing softball, especially 60. 60 inches. The best game created.

[Max]

It was a lot of fun.

[Big Cat]

It's so much fun. It was 40 degrees.

[Shane]

So much fun.

[Max]

The stoolies that we played, very bad.

[Big Cat]

We had a blast.

[Max]

So that's why they were.

[Big Cat]

They were worse than Tom. To put it in perspective. How mad is Tom gonna be? Really?

[Max]

So upset.

[Brian Windhorst]

Oh, it's gonna be great.

[Shane]

He might leave the group test.

[J]

Yeah.

[Big Cat]

Should we bleep his name out?

[Max]

No, you can't.

[Eddie]

Oh, he's gonna be like, I know it's me. I know they're talking about me.

[Big Cat]

Yeah. Yeah. Because it really couldn't be. No. Maybe T.J. but no, he's fine. He was. He played well. He was a catcher. I want you on the team, PFT. I'll. I'll leave this team. Go on your team.

[Eddie]

This is not my.

[Josh Duhamel]

I.

[Big Cat]

It's.

[Eddie]

It's good to have a quest.

[Big Cat]

It is true though, that we talked about a lot last summer. Like, they went non stop.

[Eddie]

Well. Yeah, but that was. That was like you guys, all the producers.

[Shane]

It still is.

[Big Cat]

Yeah, it still is. Just. It was just the addition of me by forcing my way in because I was like, I want to play 16 inch again. Yeah, the team hasn't changed.

[Tom]

I asked you to play last. Last summer too.

[Big Cat]

Oh, no.

[Tom]

We needed guys.

[Big Cat]

Oh, no.

[Tom]

We had to settle for Jake.

[Big Cat]

Oh, no. Now it is awkward. Hank. I don't. I don't remember that. Wow.

[Tom]

We had to get Jacob and he was just smoking cigarettes in the al.

[Big Cat]

Oh, no. Pft.

[Eddie]

I don't remember. I must have had something going on because you know me, I love 16 inch softball.

[Big Cat]

Oh, no, no.

[Tom]

It was 12 inch last.

[Big Cat]

No.

[Max]

Yeah, you probably would have come to post post game beers.

[Eddie]

Yeah, I definitely would have.

[Max]

Post game beers.

[Eddie]

I mean, the group chat sounds like a lot of fun too. It's not.

[Max]

The group chat's so fun.

[Big Cat]

They just do like birthday parties, male birthday parties. Weird.

[Eddie]

You got another spot?

[Big Cat]

No, there's at least two. There's at least two birthday party male birthday parties in that group chat. And I. Every time I was like, what? They're like, I'm having a birthday party. It was Quigs and. And Pug. They both had birthday parties.

[Max]

Pug did not have a birthday.

[Big Cat]

Both times. I was like, this is weird.

[Max]

Pigs had a birthday party, but he was turning 30.

[Eddie]

Yeah. 37 birthday parties a year. Yeah, 30.

[Shane]

You get a birthday party.

[Big Cat]

Okay. All right. My fire festival was gonna be that. I'm sore from softball, so that's awkward.

[Eddie]

That sucks.

[Brian Windhorst]

Yeah.

[Big Cat]

But my real fire fest is. Well, it's a. It's a good thing. But then a part of the Internet I didn't really know existed. So I. I got into card collecting for two days this week and I pulled the 86 rookie, not as rookie season, but the rookie card, Michael Jordan, which is like an elusive card that's worth. Could be worth like 20 grand. And then I had the entire card community come after me and they do not like me and they are losers.

[Eddie]

That's not a good part of the Internet.

[Big Cat]

No.

[Eddie]

Card collecting is something that I, I respect. If guys, you have to have hobbies, if you really love it, that's cool. I hope you enjoy it. It's something that has. Has never appealed to me.

[Big Cat]

It's it's every, it's every niche hobby. It's not like the majority of people who are card collecting for the fun and love of it. It's the gatekeeper. Yeah. The guys who were like actually this, I mean you can guess who, who chimed in. Our esports correspondent Darren Ravel. Darryl in his clit network. He. But they were all coming after me upset, angry, mad, saying I, it was an ad deal that I planted. I don't know.

[Eddie]

Yeah.

[Big Cat]

I'm going to. I'll tell you what, the car community has, has kind of forced my hand. I'm like, like 75 chance I'm just gonna end up eating this card. And when I say eating, literally eating this card.

[Eddie]

You should also.

[Big Cat]

You guys can all have a bite.

[Eddie]

You should do like very, very obviously planted great cards that you pull out and keep trying to say that they're real.

[Big Cat]

Yeah.

[Eddie]

And just to troll them, just to be like you.

[Big Cat]

They, they already think that. So it's like they already think that I planted this card.

[Eddie]

I did pull a, a sick gremlin card the other day though.

[Big Cat]

Oh, hell yes. George.

[Eddie]

The mogwai.

[Big Cat]

Yeah.

[Eddie]

Pretty good from the Gremlins 2 movie. I think it's worth like three bucks.

[Big Cat]

Hell yes.

[Eddie]

The best part about old packs of cards is the 30 year old chewing gum that comes with it.

[Big Cat]

Yeah. Yeah. I guess there's like a very elusive Michael Jordan rookie card that has the chewing gum attached that's like rated a zero, but it sold for a lot because.

[Eddie]

What does that mean, rating? Because I keep hearing people say you can rate anything.

[Big Cat]

It's PSA rating. I don't know what they do, how they do it. I just know that if it comes back an 8, it's probably worth 10 grand. If it comes back a 9 or a 10, which it won't, it's could be worth like 40, 50 grand.

[Shane]

It's like the guys in Pawn Stars. It's, it's when they just take it like.

[Big Cat]

Ah.

[Eddie]

Yeah.

[Big Cat]

It's like the corners. It's the cut. Which I didn't realize because back in 1986 it was literally a guy at Fleer smoking a cigarette, just cutting the cards.

[Eddie]

Love that.

[Big Cat]

So like the, the, the. I think my card is a little off center. People were saying, I don't know.

[Eddie]

But I thought error cards are worth more like the Billy Ripken face card.

[Big Cat]

Yeah. But this is like it's, it's the correct card. It's just like a little bit not perfect.

[Eddie]

Okay.

[Big Cat]

So I don't know. I'm, I'M I was in the card collecting game for two days and I pulled that. And I guess I pulled the Charles Barkley rookie card too. Which Decent and a Hakeem rookie.

[Eddie]

It's pretty good.

[Big Cat]

Yeah.

[Shane]

Sounds fake.

[Eddie]

It does sound rigged.

[Big Cat]

Yeah, sounds very rigged. Okay. Shane. Our boy Shane, he's got a piss. Hank's got a piss.

[Eddie]

You've been peeing a lot recently, Hank.

[Big Cat]

Yeah. What's up?

[Shane]

I've just been hydrated, but yeah, I. I shouldn't have to pee this often.

[Eddie]

Do you have a kidney stone? You are next.

[Big Cat]

Shane can pft. Play in your spot next week when you're in Italy, of course.

[Eddie]

Love that. Don't want it. I refuse.

[Big Cat]

Shane, you're going to Italy by yourself?

[J]

Yes, sir.

[Big Cat]

For how many days?

[J]

Nine. But that counts tonight.

[Max]

Which?

[J]

My flight's a red eye.

[Big Cat]

And you and. And Shane. For everyone who doesn't know Shane, he's one of our very talented graphics guys. He. He created the famous A two years ago. Yep. Shane, you've never been on an airplane and you're going to Italy?

[J]

Yeah.

[Eddie]

Have you ever eaten Alfredo sauce?

[J]

I have had it, yeah.

[Eddie]

Oh, I heard that you hadn't.

[Big Cat]

So what's the plan? Solo traveling? I'm. I'm. I'm very intrigued and impressed.

[J]

There isn't much of a plan. I like booked the flight like two months ago, and I just got my Airbnb like two days ago.

[Big Cat]

Oh, you're doing an Airbnb solo? Yeah, not doing the hostel.

[Eddie]

Do you speak Italian?

[J]

I did duolingo for a little bit.

[Eddie]

But like, talk to me.

[J]

I can order like a coffee.

[Eddie]

All right, try.

[J]

Vore un cafe cone zucchero, per favore.

[Eddie]

Oh, yes.

[Big Cat]

Okay, sir, here's your cup of cum. Dude, don't make that mistake because they will give you. Come. They're island full of. Or not an island. What peninsula are you going to?

[Eddie]

Sicily.

[Big Cat]

Peninsula full of perverts.

[Eddie]

Yeah, start. You got to talk with your hands more too. They like to constant sign language. Language.

[Big Cat]

Are you worried about the mob?

[J]

I'm getting more worried about it, yeah.

[Big Cat]

I feel like there's some mob at Awls, so maybe we could just be like, hey, let's. He's our friend.

[Eddie]

Are you gonna come back with like really stylish clothes?

[J]

Do I have to check in with somebody?

[Big Cat]

I don't know. I mean, we'll. We'll find out. But if. If you're mobby, if you're a mafia awl, specifically in northern Italy, let us know so our boy can tap In. We'll give you some cash that you can give as, like, a little.

[J]

Yeah.

[Big Cat]

You know, Safe travels.

[Eddie]

Yeah. Who's the guy in Italy right now? Who's the Max Homo? Do you have to tap in with Maximo?

[J]

I don't know.

[Big Cat]

Okay.

[J]

Latin, maybe.

[Big Cat]

So what's the plan? You're going. You're gonna go to a few different cities?

[J]

Yeah, I'm gonna check out some different cities. I'm gonna go to an AC Milan game.

[Big Cat]

Hell, yes.

[J]

I actually. I just booked a tour for the Coliseum, but I. I based. I booked it based off weather. And after I booked it, I looked at the weather I was looking at, and it was Rome, Georgia, so.

[Big Cat]

Oh, no.

[J]

I thought it was gonna be 80 degrees in Italy, and it's gonna be, like, thundering 55 degrees.

[Big Cat]

Oh, no. All right, well, be safe.

[Eddie]

Don't get kidnapped.

[Big Cat]

Don't get kidnapped. We've already talked about that.

[Eddie]

If you do, it'll be good for numbers, though.

[J]

It would be.

[Big Cat]

It would be good for.

[Eddie]

Can you. Before you go, can you make a graphic of your face, like, behind bars that just says kidnapped, just in case? Yeah, just in case.

[Shane]

Okay.

[Big Cat]

It will load it up as a draft, just in case. And also maybe make one being, like, Shane fucked. Just in case. And then a third said Shane accidentally ordered come.

[Eddie]

Don't get into an Amanda Knox situation, though. They're very serious about that.

[Big Cat]

God, that would be so good for downloads.

[Eddie]

It would be. Did we do true crime? Yeah, you become the new Brittney Griner.

[Big Cat]

Yeah. Pug. Pug. Why didn't you invite PFT on your softball team? I am not the.

[Tom]

The owner.

[Big Cat]

What? I am the manager. What's the team name?

[Tom]

The owner.

[Big Cat]

The owner puts together.

[Eddie]

The owner puts together.

[Big Cat]

What's the team name?

[Eddie]

The Pugs.

[Big Cat]

Oh.

[Eddie]

Who's the onager? Jost?

[Tom]

He sends invites, puts the roster together. I'm just the pug.

[Max]

Will not look at. Will not look in the direction of pft. Right now, it's blocked off by the.

[Eddie]

That's exactly what my dog does when he, like, chews something up in the house.

[Big Cat]

Bad boy. Yeah. Newspaper hit you on the nose.

[Max]

Complete opposite direction.

[Eddie]

We said, whose job is it? Everybody stared at the dog that did do it. The dog that did do it looks away. It's not my fault.

[Big Cat]

Okay.

[Eddie]

That's okay. That's all right. I'll see you in the playoffs.

[Big Cat]

Yeah, we'll see you. All right. Good show, boys. Let's do numbers. Shane, get this right.

[Eddie]

77, 17, 3, 65, 1, 99.

[J]

Poke 1521.

[Big Cat]

Jack's not on the team.

[Shane]

Nope.

[Big Cat]

Pft.

[Eddie]

Jack's not?

[Big Cat]

No.

[Eddie]

All right.

[Big Cat]

And neither is Pug.

[Eddie]

This is manager.

[Big Cat]

Manager?

[Eddie]

Yeah, it's called the Pug.

[Big Cat]

I wasn't there last night.

[Brian Windhorst]

I'll be there.

[Big Cat]

Like, 86. Oh, Jordan, MJ gonna eat that card.

[Eddie]

Love you guys. Sa.