NFL Preview With Mike Florio, Mt Rushmore Of Hall Of Very Good, Tommy Fleetwood Wins The Big One And Who's Back Of The Week

Summary

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Pardon My Take – Episode Summary

Episode: NFL Preview With Mike Florio, Mt Rushmore Of Hall Of Very Good, Tommy Fleetwood Wins The Big One And Who's Back Of The Week
Date: August 25, 2025
Hosts: Big Cat & PFT Commenter (Barstool Sports)
Guest: Mike Florio

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Episode Overview

This episode of "Pardon My Take" is a jam-packed sports banter session focusing on the start of football season, with their trademark blend of humor, wild tangents, and questionable wisdom. The crew welcomes Mike Florio for an in-depth NFL preview, celebrates Tommy Fleetwood’s thrilling golf victory, and drafts the “Mt Rushmore Of Hall Of Very Good.” Who's Back of the Week, listener stories, and in-depth debates about pool quality and titty rounds out another chaotic, laughter-filled show.

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Detailed Breakdown & Highlights

1. Football (& College Football) Is Back!

Timestamps: 03:40 – 29:00

• Season Preview Announcement: Big Cat and PFT Commenter kick off the episode by hyping up football's arrival and announcing an upcoming detailed college football preview (0:40–1:08).
• NFL Betting & Promotions: Sportsbook promos and their favorite bets for opening weekend are discussed (1:09–2:52).

Notable quotes:

• "It's football week. For real. For real." – Big Cat (0:40)
• "There should be a Hall of Very Good." – PFT Commenter (1:04)

2. Tommy Fleetwood Wins The Big One

Timestamps: 03:40 – 18:00

• Celebrating Fleetwood: Fireworks over Tommy Fleetwood’s emotional (and lucrative) win at the Tour Championship. The hosts recount betting on him, spurred by an email from a listener named Rob, who had a premonition of Fleetwood's win (3:40–6:16).
• Nerves & Relatability: The PMT gang reflects on Fleetwood’s long struggle to “win the big one” and how the whole golf world seemed genuinely happy for him (6:17-9:39).
• Betting Vibes: They go deep into the stress and psychology of betting on a notorious Sunday loser—and finally hitting big.
• UK vs. USA Ryder Cup banter: The group jokes about shifting allegiances now that Fleetwood’s a “Ryder Cup enemy” (10:51–12:12).

Notable quotes:

• "He did it via the USA Rugby method—finishing almost first so many times and then finally closing it out at the end." – PFT Commenter (3:52)
• "Listen, Tommy Fleetwood, incredible story. Proven record that he has no clutch gene. He has a little bit of one now." – Big Cat (5:49)
• "I'm excited for Tommy, though. He's...an all-time guy. It feels like he's one of the best guys on tour." – Big Cat (8:38)

Memorable moment:
The back-and-forth about being “nervous LeBron was going to jinx us” (7:45), and the entire team feeling like they won big alongside the long-cursed Fleetwood. The show thanks email tipster Rob for making everyone richer.

3. College Football & Miscellaneous Sports Catch-up

Timestamps: 19:01 – 29:00

• Farmageddon Recap: Rapid-fire riffing on Week 0 college football, including the hardships of overseas games and Iowa State v. Kansas State’s wild finish (21:00–22:40).
• Jalen Daniels Heisman Hype: PFT gets bullish on Kansas QB Jalen Daniels as a dark horse Heisman bet (23:37–25:42).

Notable quote:

• "Why shouldn't I put a future on Jalen Daniels to win Heisman Trophy?" – PFT Commenter (23:48)

4. NFL Preseason Madness

Timestamps: 26:33 – 29:00

• Preseason Notes: Discussion of preseason performances, Shador Sanders controversies, and wild internet takes about NFL racism and coaching decisions (26:33–29:41).
• Donut Bet with Booger: Big Cat details a challenge with Booger McFarland—if Fleetwood wins, Booger has to eat 12 donuts on PMT (29:04–30:23).

5. Who’s Back of the Week

Timestamps: 40:25 – 58:10

• Green Dildos: Hank shouts out the ongoing sports tradition of “green dildo” appearances at games (40:25).
• China/Taiwan in Little League: PFT launches a classic rant about “Chinese Taipei” actually being Taiwan and recognizing the team’s sovereignty (43:27–47:59).
• Tooth Fairy Inflation: Big Cat bemoans accidentally setting a $20 per tooth standard for his kids, launching a crew-wide nostalgia session on Tooth Fairy economics (49:27–53:35).
• End-zone Celebrations: Rookie WR Tez Johnson’s gymnastics touchdown dance gets a nod.
• Esports Awards & Life Updates: Zach shouts out Shotzi as Controller Player of the Decade, plus the crew gets on him about not taking advantage of summer in Chicago.

Memorable moment:
PFT’s wild explanation of the forces behind Little League World Series naming conventions and Big Cat’s “tooth fairy only had twenties” dad moment (49:27).

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6. Mt Rushmore of Hall of Very Good

Timestamps: 61:18 – 92:12

A celebratory, raucous drafting of the best-ever “very good but not great” players, teams, and things—including sharp debates over eligibility.

Top picks and debates:

• Donovan McNabb, Philip Rivers, Minnesota Vikings franchise, and above-ground pools all make the cut.
• Curveballs: Canada (“very good country, not Hall of Fame”), titty (not Hall of Fame, but very good), and Toyota Camry.
• Spirited arguments over if Eli Manning, Tony Romo, Ricky Fowler, or chicken/chocolate cake are truly “very good” as opposed to elite or mid.

Memorable moments:

• "If you’re titty fucking in an above-ground pool in Canada, you’re having a very good time." – Big Cat (76:03)
• "Chicken is in the hall of very good." – Big Cat (79:08)
• "Titty is not Hall of Fame. Hall of Fame is sex." – Big Cat (75:00)

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7. NFL Preview with Mike Florio

Timestamps: 94:11 – 153:35

• Florio on the Browns & Shador Sanders: Detailed discussion about draft process, team incentives, and the bizarre internet racism takes (97:19–99:48).
• Minnesota Vikings QB Room & McCarthy Era: Florio breaks down preseason cuts and why the Vikings signed Carson Wentz (101:08–102:12).
• Surprise Cuts & Trades: Why “big names” likely safe till Tuesday; trades trending up as teams jostle to upgrade depth (102:18–103:44).
• Key NFL Storylines:
  • Dak Prescott, Josh Allen, Lamar Jackson under major pressure (113:53)
  • Bad-vibe teams: Lions (continuity issues), Dolphins ("most likely to disappoint"), Browns, Saints, and the Jets (glowingly pessimistic Florio report, 133:18–134:48)
  • Chiefs Remain Favorites: No reason to think anyone unseats them yet (120:21)
• Bold NFL Forecast: Florio foresees a future with overseas Super Bowls, 40 teams, and 20-game regular seasons (125:35)
• Other Topics: Tom Brady as owner/broadcaster, NFLPA labor drama, Seahawks/Blazers future sales, and the danger of “conflicts of interest” becoming normal.

Notable quotes:

• "I'm opposed to [a London Super Bowl], but I think it's going to happen." – Mike Florio (125:44)
• "They [owners] are the ones who would take football away from you for a full season. They're the ones who would do it without blinking." – Mike Florio (145:40)

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8. Closing, Lottery Ball, & Postmortem

Timestamps: 155:35–end

• Lottery Ball Antics:
  • Shane gets the win (third time!) with #85, while Memes faces heartbreaking losses and ridicule for his years-long futility.
• Group Banter:
  • Rapid-fire jokes, roasting over personal favorites, and shout-outs to classic sports memories.
• Important Announcement:
  • The crew teases the next episode as a landmark college football preview, including a showdown between Brandon Walker and Tom Fornelli.

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Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments (by Timestamp)

• LeBron “jinxing” Fleetwood (07:45, Big Cat): “LeBron was so pumped. I was nervous LeBron was going to jinx us.”
• Big Cat on Above Ground Pools (68:09): “They're very fun...a Hall of Fame pool is in-ground, but an above-ground pool is very good.”
• Titty Debate (74:51): “We would like to take titty. It’s very good…not Hall of Fame. Hall of Fame is sex.” – Zach & Big Cat
• Taiwan vs. Chinese Taipei (43:29): PFT shouts out Taiwan’s Little League win: “I recognize the sovereignty of Taiwan. Let’s go as a nation.”
• Florio Labor Rant (145:40): “The owners are the ones. I'll stop pointing. The owners are the one that would take football away from you for a full season.”
• Donut bet with Booger (29:04): “He now has to eat 12 donuts on PMT.”
• Florio on NFL future (128:58): “There will be a Super Bowl overseas…20 regular season games…and 40 teams.”

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Conclusion

Another classic PMT, blending sharp (and silly) sports insight, wild detours, and memorable guest banter. The crew celebrates their bets hitting big, roasts one another over pools and food, and dives deep into NFL storylines and future predictions. Whether you love football, golf, or just want a laugh, this episode delivers.

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Next Episode Teaser:
Don’t miss Wednesday’s massive college football preview with Brandon Walker v. Tom Fornelli!

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For More:

• Full episode + others: PMT archive
• All timestamps above are MM:SS as per transcript.

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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.

[Mike Florio]

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[Hank]

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[Big Cat]

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[Mike Florio]

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[Big Cat]

On today's pardon my take we have our good good friend Mike Florio on the show to get us ready for the NFL season. It's football week. For real. For real. This week we're going to do our college football preview on Wednesday with Brandon and Tom Fornelli. Today we have the Mount Rushmore of Hall of Very Good. So the hall of Very Good, which should be fun.

[PFT Commenter]

There should be a Hall of Very Good.

[Big Cat]

Yeah, there should be a Hall of Very Good. We're going to make one today.

[PFT Commenter]

I like it.

[Big Cat]

We have Tommy Fleetwood winning the Tour Championship. We have some NFL news. We're getting ready for the start of football. Couldn't be more excited. We have who's Back and it's all brought to you by our friends at DraftKings. Touchdowns are coming. Are you ready? The NFL season is almost here in the DraftKings sportsbook is your ultimate destination to bet on every big play. As an official sports betting partner of the NFL, DraftKings is where touchdowns can turn into payouts all season long. DraftKings sportsbook delivers nonstop NFL thrills. Whether you're chasing a first touchdown score, hitting anytime TD props or riding the wave with live in game betting, every play becomes a shot to win big. No new customers bet just $5 and instantly get $300 in bonus bets. Plus score over $200 of NFL Sunday Ticket from YouTube and YouTube TV so you can catch even more touchdowns every Sunday. Download the DraftKings sportsbook app. Use code TAKE that's code TATE to get $300 in bonus bets instantly when you place your first $5 bet plus over $200 off NFL Sunday ticket from YouTube and YouTube TV in partnership with DraftKings. The crown is yours. Gambling problem.

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[Hank]

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[Big Cat]

Let's go. Hey, football guy.

[Mike Florio]

Yeah.

[Big Cat]

Bar not Mike. Welcome to part of my take presented by DraftKings. Download the DraftKings sportsbook app and use code TAKE, that's code TATE to get $300 in bonus bets instantly when you place your first $5 bet, plus over $200 off NFL Sunday Ticket from YouTube and YouTube TV in partnership with DraftKings. The crown is yours. Today is Monday, August 25th, and Tommy Fleetwood has won the big one.

[PFT Commenter]

Tommy did it, guys. He won the biggest one.

[Big Cat]

The.

[Mike Florio]

The.

[Big Cat]

Basically the field may want. I would say it's all the majors combined. It's the tour champion.

[PFT Commenter]

That's why it's the fifth.

[Big Cat]

Yeah, yeah, yeah. It's. It's aggregate of all the majors.

[PFT Commenter]

Yeah. So he is the biggest golf winner of the year. He did it via the USA Rugby method.

[Big Cat]

Yes.

[PFT Commenter]

Finishing almost first so many times and then finally closing it out at the end.

[Big Cat]

It was an incredible Sunday. Obviously, this podcast, if you listen to it, shout out all the awls who wrote along. Rob with two B's. San Jose State's number one fan sent us an email, not AI On Sunday night. We read it out loud on this show. We all bet Tommy Fleetwood 16 to 1. Rob. All time email by Rob. And also he explained it after, which didn't really make sense to me. I was corresponding with him. I gave him a little. I wet the beak a little. Gave him a little something for. For the tip and winning the bet. But he. He said he was at the gym and he thought he saw an AI Najee Harris. And then he was on the StairMaster trying me hardest. You do it better than me trying me hardest. Yeah, he was. He was doing that.

[PFT Commenter]

Doesn't every Najee Harris have a I?

[Big Cat]

Yes, that's when you think about it. Yeah, that's true. Is that Jerry o' Connell just put.

[PFT Commenter]

The last track in there.

[Big Cat]

Yeah, yeah. The he. So. So he then was. Was on this. On this stairmaster trying me hardest. And he was like, you know what? I think Tommy Fleetwood's going to win. And also had AI on his brain. So that's why he emailed us, specified.

[PFT Commenter]

That it was not.

[Big Cat]

Yeah. He said Tommy will win this week and win the FedEx Cup. Take it. This is not AI Hank.

[PFT Commenter]

Yeah. I just. I just thought it would be funny if Tommy, having been the guy that could never win, was finally able to win and ended up winning the entire season. The guy emails Max out.

[Big Cat]

Me too. He emailed me. I missed it.

[PFT Commenter]

I. I saw it too. I went back and I saw I had. I think he emailed everybody on this podcast. Yeah, but shout out Rob and shout.

[Big Cat]

Out Max for bringing it to our attention.

[PFT Commenter]

Shout out Max. It pushed us over the edge betting on Tommy Fleetwood. I don't know about you guys. I didn't feel safe until. I think it was after Cantlay missed his chip on 18 for eagle. That's when I finally was able to breathe out a little bit.

[Big Cat]

Yeah. I was just watching, being like this. Has he had. Listen, Tommy Fleetwood, incredible story. It's proven record that he has no clutch gene. He has a little bit of one now, even though he was up three strokes, but like, coming up to 15, where Scotty Scheffler, who is red hot, a big problem, went in the water. I was like, this is going to be a disaster. Keegan Bradley went in the water there. I was like, this is going to be disaster. He's going to go in the water. This is going to all fall apart. But Tommy Fleetwood did it.

[PFT Commenter]

He did it. I don't know about you guys, but. But Scotty, watching Scotty today, I was very afraid of Scotty.

[Big Cat]

Oh, yeah.

[PFT Commenter]

And you could tell he was feeling himself. He was doing even more weird things with his feet.

[Big Cat]

Yeah.

[PFT Commenter]

All time foot day from Scotty Scheffler today. He, like, somehow committed a traveling violation when he was swinging a golf club on every shot. And then when he went in the water, I was like, okay, I think we're probably all right. But he looked like he was putting something together to put some pressure on Tommy going down to the end. And yeah, Tommy, I. He played good in the final round.

[Big Cat]

Yeah, he did.

[PFT Commenter]

He didn't really fuck anything up too bad.

[Big Cat]

No, he had a couple. He had that one bad drive on. What was it? 10. And listen, people are going to say, hey, it's a 30. 30 player mat. You know, field, field. Sorry. Thank you, Hank, our golf expert. This doesn't really mean anything because Scotty Scheffler was the best golfer this year. He had already won the, like, big prize. Right. And also, if they had done the. Did you guys see if they had Done the. The previous scoring, which. How they used to do this tournament. If you were the best golfer, you're the number one golfer. You were started like minus 10 and corresponding. If they had done what they had done in the past, Tommy Fleetwood would have. Tommy Fleetwood would have lost by one stroke.

[PFT Commenter]

Oh, my God.

[Big Cat]

Which would have been devastating.

[PFT Commenter]

That would have been terrible. I. It was also nice to see every other golfer be like, thank God Tommy won.

[Big Cat]

Yeah.

[PFT Commenter]

Justin Rose, they're all rooting for him. Scotty. He seemed to be happy too. Everyone seemed to be genuinely happy for Tommy Fleetwood. LeBron was very pumped for him.

[Big Cat]

LeBron was so pumped. I was nervous LeBron was going to jinx us.

[PFT Commenter]

Also locked in on golf.

[Big Cat]

Henry Lockwood and Skip Bayless, two minds that think very much alike. I don't know if you saw, but skip it. Skip basically stole Hank's take. That's how you know Hank is. He's in rare form when he. When he has it. Let me. Let me pull up the exact.

[PFT Commenter]

Oh, I did see this.

[Big Cat]

Yeah, yeah, yeah. LeBron, shouldn't you be in the lab working on your free throws instead of wasting your time watching your new obsession golf?

[PFT Commenter]

It's a good point.

[Big Cat]

That literally was just a bar for bar stolen take from Hank from last week.

[PFT Commenter]

He makes a great point.

[Big Cat]

Great.

[PFT Commenter]

I find myself agreeing with Skip Bayless more and more the older I get.

[Big Cat]

Not Hank, though.

[PFT Commenter]

Not Hank. Skip says it. It's got some cachet that Hank doesn't really bring. But. But when Skip says something, I'm like, you know what? Hank was right.

[Big Cat]

Yeah, he was. You were right, Hank.

[PFT Commenter]

Thank you.

[Big Cat]

LeBron was a little too obsessed with it. I'm excited for Tommy, though. He's. I mean, he's an all time guy. It feels like he's one of the best guys on tour. He always faces the music. He always gets in front of the media. What are you going to say?

[Hank]

Keep. I'll let you finish.

[Big Cat]

I. He's just. He got his brains beat in year after year. Really good golfer who could never win a tournament. And then he finally did it on the biggest stage and most importantly for us.

[Hank]

Counter, counter argument.

[Big Cat]

Now he's Ryder Cup.

[Hank]

He's the enemy.

[Big Cat]

Yeah, of course. And he's always been good in the Ryder cup because he's got his teammates.

[PFT Commenter]

He can't win the big one.

[Big Cat]

Can't win the big one.

[PFT Commenter]

Yeah. Now, I think he is a better golfer than human being before today.

[Big Cat]

Yes.

[PFT Commenter]

Tommy Fleetwood was as good a golfer as he is even better human being.

[Big Cat]

Yeah.

[PFT Commenter]

Not Anymore.

[Big Cat]

And it was cool because it was also, like. It felt like everyone was rooting for him in this moment. Moment. It was. It's always fun to have these sports moments where maybe the cynicism dies for a second and we're all like, hey, you know what? This would be cool if Tommy Fleetwood actually did this.

[PFT Commenter]

I also think a big part of everybody rooting for Tommy was the fact that the PGA paired him up with Patrick Cantlay, the worst in the final round, and everybody was just like this. You sent your cooler out there.

[Hank]

Oh, that was just the scores.

[Big Cat]

What? Yeah.

[PFT Commenter]

They probably said, let's get Cantley out there.

[Big Cat]

Like, the pg. No, they did. No, no, no. That's not how they do it.

[PFT Commenter]

You don't understand how they make.

[Big Cat]

No, they don't do. They don't do it that way. You don't know golf. They wanted Caitlin to. To keep this storyline going.

[PFT Commenter]

Wasn't getting, like, tied with somebody.

[Hank]

Yeah, but that's. It's where you come in the clubhouse. That was the correct.

[PFT Commenter]

We all knew that if Canlay was tied with anybody, he was going to be the guy that got matched up with him.

[Big Cat]

Yeah. And he's His. His fat ass and his slow shots. God damn that.

[Hank]

But counterpoint. Actually, no, he's not gonna be on the team.

[Big Cat]

Never mind what? He's on the team.

[Hank]

No, he's not gonna be good.

[Big Cat]

Is Keegan gonna pick himself? That's the. That's the big bugaboo.

[Hank]

I hope he does. I feel like he's not going to.

[Big Cat]

Okay.

[Hank]

Because it would just be awesome. And Keegan's awesome.

[Big Cat]

Okay.

[Hank]

Like, yeah, call your own number. He is Captain America. Like, he will get the people fired up. He's playing good golf. Like, if he's not, you know, he's not qualified, but he's, what, three or four people off? Like, that's not a huge difference.

[PFT Commenter]

Yeah.

[Big Cat]

Yeah.

[Hank]

And he's. That'd just be the great. It'd be a great story.

[PFT Commenter]

Hank, are you. Are you gonna be rooting for America or for Europe?

[Hank]

America.

[Big Cat]

Are you sure?

[PFT Commenter]

Yes, because it was an off. It was an off the pod conversation. So if you want us to delete this, Hank, we can.

[Big Cat]

This is just.

[Hank]

This is me rooting for America. I'm concerned for America.

[PFT Commenter]

You were looking at the potential lineup and just be like, oh, we're gonna get killed.

[Big Cat]

Oh, no.

[Hank]

So I'm gonna bet.

[Big Cat]

Are you gonna bet on America?

[Hank]

I will bet America.

[Big Cat]

Are you gonna also bet more money on Europe? No. Do you want to. Would you if you were. If we're in international waters, Europe is.

[Hank]

Underdog right now in the drafting sports book.

[Big Cat]

Oh, I don't know.

[Hank]

I'm not going to.

[PFT Commenter]

I'm not going to plus sign.

[Big Cat]

Yes, you are.

[Hank]

I'm America going through red, white, blue runs through these veins.

[PFT Commenter]

So does England.

[Big Cat]

I kind of want you to bet the uk.

[Hank]

I can't.

[Big Cat]

It would be good content.

[Hank]

I can't.

[Big Cat]

But if you won, you would get to dunk on us.

[Hank]

I can't.

[PFT Commenter]

Benedict Arnold.

[Hank]

I can't. I can't.

[PFT Commenter]

You won't.

[Hank]

I won't.

[Big Cat]

So we're. So we're closing the book on Tommy. Unless he comes on the pod this week. But he's now the enemy.

[PFT Commenter]

I look.

[Big Cat]

Yeah.

[Hank]

Until Wednesday.

[PFT Commenter]

I look at him now as being like, I don't really trust you, but I respect you. As of Wednesday, I'm going to be in full on Tommy Fleetwood.

[Max]

I'm seeing a couple predictions saying that Cantlay may be on the team.

[Big Cat]

Oh, fuck that.

[Max]

They had like three likes on Twitter.

[Hank]

Is not Keegan.

[Big Cat]

Should we want.

[Hank]

Keegan's not.

[Big Cat]

Should we want him on the team? To cool Europe down, to go slow? As slow as slow could be.

[PFT Commenter]

That's. That's why I kind of liked it when Patrick Reed was on the Ryder cup team. It's like, let's send our biggest dickhead out there.

[Big Cat]

Yeah. Just piss them off.

[PFT Commenter]

Yeah, piss them off. Get in their heads.

[Big Cat]

But it was fun. It was fun. Tommy Fleetwood, what a bet, Rob. With two Bs, shout out. And all the awls who followed and listened to the show. Pays to listen to the show because we lose a lot. But that one was fun.

[PFT Commenter]

It did feel like one of those bets that we were. I. I was dreading having to watch Tommy Fleetwood play weekend golf all week.

[Big Cat]

Yeah.

[PFT Commenter]

I was like, I. I can't believe that this is happening to me. Also, shout out to Tom Fornelli, who, for, like, the first time ever, did not bet on Tommy Fleetwood because he learned his lesson last week.

[Big Cat]

That's the crazy part is we, like. I don't know about you guys. I don't think I've ever bet Tommy Fleetwood. No. This was her first experience and it was a great one.

[PFT Commenter]

We timed the Tommy Fleetwood market.

[Big Cat]

Yeah.

[PFT Commenter]

The only people in the world, I think, that that were able to do that.

[Big Cat]

Yeah, I. It would. I agree with you. The experience. So the. The Tron Carter from no Laying up. I started DMing with him because he's like, the biggest Tommy Fleetwood fan. Yeah. He flew for Today, just to be there. That's ride or die. And I was like, what are. What are we expecting here? Like, talk me through this. And he's like, if he can have a lead on Sunday, I think this is the one he can actually win. Because the whole time in my. In the back of my head, I was like, Saturday's gonna be fine. Sunday is where that's gonna suck.

[PFT Commenter]

And it looked like things are going bad on Saturday. And I forget which announcer. I don't think it was Smiley that was saying this, but when Tommy Kisner.

[Big Cat]

Maybe.

[PFT Commenter]

Maybe Kisner when. When Smiley or when Colt Noast. When Tommy went into the water on 15 on Saturday, and then he high fived all the fans that were lined up going up to the drop zone. And the announcers just creamed themselves on that. To me, I was thinking like, this is. This is loser behavior.

[Big Cat]

Yeah.

[PFT Commenter]

By Tommy. They're like, look. Look how nice he's being to all the fans that are out there. If you think that, like, Scotty or Tiger would ever, like, take a moment.

[Big Cat]

Yeah.

[PFT Commenter]

To high five fans after going into water on a massive tournament that they were winning, you're insane. But it worked for Tommy.

[Big Cat]

Yeah.

[PFT Commenter]

Good guy. Great guy.

[Big Cat]

Great guy. And I, I, I. You said you weren't. Didn't feel safe till 18. I actually felt safe, I think, going after 16 because he was up three with two to play. And at that point, I think I texted everyone. I was like, at least we got our money's worth, because it's either we win the money or it's an all time, all time choke. That would be so funny to be mad about. And. Yeah, like, we earned it at that point. Yeah. Like, it was tied going into 18 and he lost. We couldn't complain that much.

[PFT Commenter]

Right.

[Big Cat]

If he lost up three with two strokes. There was a part of me, I wanted to win the bet, but a part of me was like, this would be so fucking funny.

[PFT Commenter]

Yeah. We. We tailed an email, a random email that we got, and it led us to betting on the guy who's known for losing tournaments on Sunday. Then we got to experience the. The most, like, concentrated version of that Tommy Fleetwood. That would have been kind of interesting.

[Big Cat]

Yeah. Through.

[PFT Commenter]

We learned a lesson for sure with that one. Also shout out Tommy Fleetwood's adult stepson.

[Big Cat]

Yes.

[PFT Commenter]

See that? They came out and congratulated him. I think the first person.

[Big Cat]

Yes.

[PFT Commenter]

They said, like, hey, just so you know, that's the stepson that's out there. I think they're the same age, dude.

[Big Cat]

Having an Adult stepson would be so much fun. It would be cool just having a. Like, he has to be your friend.

[PFT Commenter]

Yeah.

[Big Cat]

If you've been a good stepfather, you just have an automatic friend.

[PFT Commenter]

I also think Tommy Fleetwood might be the best stepdad ever.

[Big Cat]

Yeah.

[PFT Commenter]

Like, my stepdad kicks ass.

[Big Cat]

He's really stepped up. He's.

[PFT Commenter]

Yeah, he's great at golf.

[Big Cat]

Yeah. We should all get adult stepsons because you. I guess Zach kind of is our adult stepson. Yeah. When you think about it, I. Actually, now that I'm thinking about it, I have multiple. I have Stephen Shay of Zach.

[PFT Commenter]

I've Jerry kind of collect them.

[Big Cat]

I have a lot. Yeah. Yeah. That's why I'm so drawn to adult stepsons. I've been in the adult stepson business for a while now. Rico. Yeah. I like having adult stepson also shout out that the. The got. What do you call.

[Hank]

Spotter.

[Big Cat]

Spotter. There it is. All time hustle clip. Just an incredible. Just sprinting. This dude was sprinting, and I'm pretty sure the ball was very much in sight the whole time.

[PFT Commenter]

Yeah.

[Big Cat]

Wasn't like a deep woods shot.

[PFT Commenter]

He was also weaving in at a FedEx cup.

[Big Cat]

Yeah. It's the biggest. It's the biggest one. It's the biggest. It's the biggest tournament you could possibly.

[PFT Commenter]

Win, except for the Ryder Cup.

[Hank]

I have. I have a Mike Greenberg's dumb trade for the Ryder Cup.

[Big Cat]

Oh.

[Hank]

Just based off name and look.

[Big Cat]

Okay.

[Hank]

Harris English.

[Big Cat]

Yep.

[Hank]

Matt Fitzpatrick.

[Big Cat]

Matt Fitzpatrick's too English. Yeah, he's very British, but Harris English. I agree. We should get rid of.

[PFT Commenter]

We'll take John Rom.

[Big Cat]

John Rom is asu.

[PFT Commenter]

He went to asu. That's as Americans as it gets.

[Big Cat]

Yeah. I think John Rom would be the one we want to get. And also, like, Spain. Come on. It's not England.

[PFT Commenter]

Yeah, it's not.

[Big Cat]

Yeah.

[Hank]

Harris English. Seeing that name every 100.

[Big Cat]

We got that fact, right. Spain is not England. Yeah. Harris English. Yo, he's got to go. Yeah.

[Hank]

But he's automatically on the spotter within.

[PFT Commenter]

Just so fast. Like, he got under that rope. He weaved in between two cars.

[Big Cat]

He looked ridiculous.

[PFT Commenter]

Started, like, pushing people out of the way. I got it. I got it. I got it.

[Max]

This was Memes at the Camp Barstool.

[Big Cat]

Yeah. Well, did we ever get the explanation for that? For people who watch Camp Barstool, there was a relay race. Mincy had to run in one of the earnos. Kb who's running in the leg of the relay race. And Memes wasn't even filming. He Just decided to sprint his ass off next to kb. I don't know if you saw this clip. Pft. But it was. It made no sense.

[Memes]

I had to get to the other side.

[Big Cat]

What? For what?

[Memes]

I was filming Social.

[Big Cat]

Why? But you weren't filming when you were running. You were just like, I'm so fast.

[Memes]

It was. I couldn't do it.

[Big Cat]

So you were gonna. You were going to film Maybe.

[Hank]

Did you think you were gonna beat him?

[Big Cat]

So the.

[Hank]

The original plan, try and beat him off the jump?

[Big Cat]

Yeah. You did?

[PFT Commenter]

Yeah.

[Memes]

The original plan was because Minty was so slow, we were like, all right, we should have somebody down there, like, get to the other side as fast as possible. Like, maybe could outrun him.

[Big Cat]

So you could film Demon. Yeah, watch. Watch this. Watch this. PFT. KB's running. So KB's taking the baton. Yeah, he's running. You're like, oh, oh. And there's Memes.

[PFT Commenter]

He looks like that ref.

[Big Cat]

Look at Memes. He's just going so fast through the woods.

[Hank]

DK Metcalf.

[Big Cat]

Yeah. What were you doing?

[Memes]

I had to get to the other side.

[Big Cat]

You were chasing him. You were chasing Kyle.

[PFT Commenter]

It's also always shocking when Memes does something athletic because when he's just like in non athlete mode, when he's just, you know, walking around the office hanging out, he doesn't move like an athlete. Yeah, but the second he has to do something sporty, it's like, oh, where'd that come from?

[Big Cat]

Me? Yeah, he's D1 athlete. Yeah.

[PFT Commenter]

All American.

[Memes]

No, not D1 athlete.

[Big Cat]

D2.

[Memes]

D3.

[Big Cat]

D3 athlete.

[Memes]

He's played D2 for a little.

[Big Cat]

Can I tell you something that I was.

[Hank]

I could have played D1.

[Big Cat]

Yeah. Could have played D1. I was with my friends this afternoon. We got like, my. My college friends and all of our families. Nine kids. It was too much. Too many kids, just in a backyard. And one of my friends was just like. We were just shooting the. He's just like, that Memes guy is crazy. It was out of nowhere, too. And I was like, yeah, he is. He's like, like, you gotta watch out for him. I was like, yeah, we do.

[PFT Commenter]

He's a little bit dangerous.

[Big Cat]

It was so funny. It was just out of nowhere, like, not. We weren't really talking about. He's just like, yeah, that Memes guy, man. Watch out for him. He's like, almost warning me for, like, being a good friend that I've known for 20 years. Being like, hey, I want you to be safe. Like, when you go to work like, steer clear of that memes guy.

[Memes]

Well, that's crazy.

[Big Cat]

But, I mean, you've tried to fight, like, everyone in this room.

[PFT Commenter]

You said that you were gonna blow yourself up.

[Memes]

Yeah, no, no.

[Big Cat]

I watched you ball your fist against myself against Hank Max. I've watched that happen.

[Hank]

What was my name in your contact for a while?

[Memes]

Enemy.

[Big Cat]

What is. Yeah, I remember the time when you kind of stepped to me. I was like, man, is he gonna punch me?

[Memes]

No.

[Big Cat]

I like it, though. It's a good. It's what we need on this show. We need one person who's just mad at the world, and we'll sprint after Kyle.

[Hank]

Enemy is insane.

[Big Cat]

Enemy's so funny.

[PFT Commenter]

What'd you do, Hank?

[Hank]

Nothing existed.

[Big Cat]

Can't exist.

[Memes]

If the jets ever get good, I'll be happy.

[Big Cat]

Okay?

[PFT Commenter]

Yeah, but then you'll be like, I remember everybody that talks about the jets on the way up.

[Big Cat]

Yeah, you guys pull a Billy, say.

[Memes]

I feel bad for you guys.

[PFT Commenter]

Yeah.

[Big Cat]

Yeah, man. Write a whole chapter on that. All right, other sports news. Hank, question for you. Yeah. I'm assuming you watched all of Iowa State versus Kansas State and Dublin.

[Hank]

No.

[PFT Commenter]

Why?

[Big Cat]

It's football in a foreign country.

[Hank]

That's a good point, but I was not watching it. It was the last week in the summer, last Saturday.

[PFT Commenter]

Did you watch on the broadcast when the team went around asking people in Ireland like, what is a touchdown? And nobody knew anything about, well, that's Ireland.

[Hank]

They haven't been conditioned to football since, you know, seven.

[Big Cat]

Did you watch on the broadcast when you could not see any of the. The numbers on the field or anything on the field?

[Hank]

Again, this is Ireland. England. Big difference. We all know that.

[Big Cat]

Do we?

[PFT Commenter]

Doesn't really rain in England.

[Hank]

England's been conditioned to football for a long time. Ireland is new.

[PFT Commenter]

Did you watch the opening drive where there was no off punt? And then there was an immediate fumble on a toss on the goal line because it was too wet and the rain was too bad.

[Hank]

I did not. It's week zero for everyone.

[Big Cat]

Yeah, it was fun. At the end of the game when there was a fourth down, I think Kansas State was trying to convert it to. I think they were down three and just had no idea where the ball was because we couldn't see any of the markers.

[Max]

That was definitely a first down.

[Big Cat]

Definitely first down. But I also don't know because I couldn't see anything. Did you watch that, Hank?

[Hank]

Missed that.

[Big Cat]

Okay.

[PFT Commenter]

Did you watch the starting quarterback of Kansas State's dad fight his son after the game?

[Hank]

I did catch that. One.

[PFT Commenter]

Okay.

[Big Cat]

Which, by the way, I have zero problem with that.

[PFT Commenter]

The dad whooped his ass.

[Big Cat]

Yeah. But it's also like if the dad was fighting another Kansas State fan or Iowa State fan. That's a problem. This is just some. They're just having it out as a family.

[PFT Commenter]

Yeah.

[Big Cat]

Like let them have it.

[PFT Commenter]

Ties are like kissing your sister. And losing farmaged is like fighting your dad.

[Big Cat]

Yeah. Two grown men related should. Should be able to fight like this.

[PFT Commenter]

By the way, didn't Ireland already have a Farmageddon in the 1800s?

[Big Cat]

Yeah.

[PFT Commenter]

Nobody could eat potatoes for like a decade.

[Big Cat]

Yeah. Everyone came here. That was England's fault.

[PFT Commenter]

That's true. Everything.

[Big Cat]

Bad guys, bad guys. Nank wants a Super bowl there.

[PFT Commenter]

I did like watch. I really enjoyed having football on.

[Big Cat]

Oh, yeah.

[PFT Commenter]

It was the best.

[Big Cat]

It was the best. And we're going to. Like I said at the beginning of the show, but Wednesday is going to be our big college football preview. We're going to have Brandon Walker versus Tom Fornelli, round two. Brandon Walker is our standing college football expert on this show. Yep. He won last year.

[PFT Commenter]

One year. One year recurring title.

[Big Cat]

We're going to have them both in studio. We're going to break down the whole thing. We're going to get everyone ready for week one. Coming up.

[PFT Commenter]

I got a dumb thought. Big cat. Yeah. This is my prisoner of the mom moment of the week moment.

[Big Cat]

I like this. Jalen Dan, give us a sound prisoner of the week. Okay. Prisoner of the week of the week.

[PFT Commenter]

Prisoner of the moment of the week.

[Big Cat]

Yep.

[PFT Commenter]

Why shouldn't I put a future on Jalen Daniels to win Heisman Trophy?

[Big Cat]

I don't think Kansas is going to win enough games.

[PFT Commenter]

Okay.

[Big Cat]

That would be my. Okay.

[PFT Commenter]

Can I give you a counterpoint?

[Big Cat]

Yeah.

[PFT Commenter]

His name sounds a lot like Jaden Daniel.

[Big Cat]

Yes, of course. Has for his whole life.

[PFT Commenter]

I know. What if it. What if it was a combo year MVP Heisman.

[Big Cat]

You can try it.

[PFT Commenter]

Jay and Daniels, great odds.

[Big Cat]

They have to win the Heisman. You got to win. At least. I'm going to say nine, eight games.

[PFT Commenter]

Yeah.

[Big Cat]

So eight games was last year. I think was Travis Hunter.

[PFT Commenter]

Let's take a look at Kansas schedule.

[Big Cat]

They play. So they beat up on Fresno State. Yep. They play Wagner. Okay.

[PFT Commenter]

Win.

[Big Cat]

That's a win. They got to go to Missouri. That's probably a loss. They're at home against West Virginia.

[PFT Commenter]

They could win that.

[Big Cat]

Cincinnati at home. Cincinnati is going through some rebuilding stadium.

[PFT Commenter]

They like that stadium.

[Big Cat]

UCF at UCF. UCF's probably gonna be wearing some, like, cool Astronaut jerseys or something.

[PFT Commenter]

Wagner's really giving me pause, though.

[Big Cat]

At Texas Tech is a loss.

[PFT Commenter]

Okay.

[Big Cat]

Kansas State, they. They're at home, but they. That's a tough game for them every year.

[PFT Commenter]

Yep.

[Big Cat]

Oklahoma State at home at Arizona. Then they play at Iowa State and Utah to finish. I don't know.

[PFT Commenter]

There's a few losses in there.

[Max]

It's 60 to 1 on the DraftKings sportsbook.

[Mike Florio]

Right.

[Max]

Right now.

[Big Cat]

It's not crazy.

[Max]

I'll say it.

[Big Cat]

Yeah.

[PFT Commenter]

I mean, listen, that's just him for Heisman.

[Max]

That's for Jalen Daniels for Heisman.

[Big Cat]

Yeah.

[PFT Commenter]

Kansas.

[Big Cat]

Kansas is one of those teams, if they could get to nine or 10 wins, like that would be. And he plays. He's had flashes of it.

[PFT Commenter]

Again, this is entirely based on me. Watch. And I did see him play a couple times last year, too.

[Big Cat]

He was just nodding his head.

[Memes]

Big 12.

[PFT Commenter]

Big 12.

[Big Cat]

I forgot. Kansas plays open wide open.

[Memes]

Travis Hunter played in the Big 12.

[Big Cat]

That's facts.

[PFT Commenter]

Good point.

[Big Cat]

It's facts.

[PFT Commenter]

Conference of Heismans.

[Big Cat]

Do you want to do it?

[PFT Commenter]

I think I have to. I got a couple nickels in my pocket. Jingling around after Tommy.

[Big Cat]

Yeah. I mean, he's. He. Listen, he's a good. He's. He's an electric player. He's been at Kansas forever, and when he's healthy, he's awesome.

[PFT Commenter]

I just want to make one thing. This is not our official PMT Heisman pick.

[Big Cat]

No. I think we'll maybe decide that on Wednesday, but I have some thoughts that I wanted to throw out to Tom and. And. And Brandon.

[PFT Commenter]

But I will be talking about all the good things that Jalen Daniels does this year.

[Big Cat]

Yeah. Do it.

[PFT Commenter]

Okay.

[Big Cat]

Do it.

[PFT Commenter]

He's so good.

[Big Cat]

The Kansas open their new stadium. I think they did. Yeah. So that. That has to be a little bit of a bump.

[PFT Commenter]

Lot of. Lot of buzz in Lawrence.

[Big Cat]

A lot of buzz. Okay. Other things we got going on. We got the final week's preseason done. Any notes from it?

[PFT Commenter]

No, I didn't really have any notes from it. Should we. Sanders looked bad. And the Internet is a stranger place than I even thought that it was.

[Big Cat]

They are.

[PFT Commenter]

The takes are wild. The Shador takes are crazy out there.

[Big Cat]

They think that the offensive line is racist. They think Kevin Stefanski's racist.

[Mike Florio]

They.

[Big Cat]

Let's see. I bookmarked a few of these. Yeah. Kevin Stefanski is the clearest example of what systemic racism actually looks like. That's quite a take.

[PFT Commenter]

It's probably a couple better examples you could use.

[Big Cat]

Yeah. And also Shador. I Mean, it appears to me this is from our guy, Robert Little. It appears to me coach didn't want Shador to go win the game because he didn't want to hear all the combo about Shador leading a great two minute drill. Now, who knows if he would have or not be or have or not, but coach didn't want to take that chance. One of the last memory of him was looking bad. So when they bury him, it would look justified. That's shady, untrustworthy behavior. So they should let it. Just let him go. I don't, I don't know if that's what happened.

[PFT Commenter]

Listen, the Cleveland Browns, they are willing to overlook a lot of stuff at the quarterback position. I think having to do like or two extra seconds of an interview after a preseason game is not going to impact what the Browns choose to do with their quarterback rotation.

[Big Cat]

Yeah. So Kevin Savants gives Dylan Gabriel easy short routes with max protection, then give Shador Sanders bullshit plays in o line that looks like they just ate a gang of Little Debbies. Fuck you, Brown stray Shador.

[Hank]

That's what an old line should look like.

[Big Cat]

Yeah.

[PFT Commenter]

I actually think that Kevin Stefanski starting DTR in actual NFL football games is concrete evidence of him not being racist.

[Big Cat]

Correct.

[PFT Commenter]

And it's like case closed.

[Big Cat]

Also, he's a very good coach. One coach of the year. And it's also, again, it's. We're going to get to this with, with Florio. It's not the difference of Shador starting or not. It's just where he is in the depth chart. Right. Yeah. Joe Flacco is a starter. Right.

[PFT Commenter]

Joe Flacco is a starter. Shador, when he plays, he's going to not be playing with the starting offensive lineman.

[Big Cat]

Correct.

[PFT Commenter]

And also, Shador was not really doing his line any favors. No, he was like running backwards.

[Big Cat]

He drifts.

[PFT Commenter]

Yeah, yeah. I. I hope, listen, I hope that Shador's in the league. I hope that he plays good for the takes. It's great for the take ecosystem. We need that.

[Hank]

The little Debbie singer minded me. What is the booger? What was the. Oh, yeah, you came to.

[Big Cat]

Yeah. So this. I should have mentioned it. We'll have Booger on maybe next week. So I tweeted, today's the day for Tommy Fleetwood. I don't think Booger knew that we had made the bet. Thanks for listening, Booger. And he said, I'll make you a bet that if Tommy Fleetwood wins, I'll buy your donuts for a month. And if he loses, you can't eat. Donuts for a month. And I said, hey, look, Booger, appreciate it, but why don't we do a different bet? I don't need you to buy my donuts. Tommy Fleet was going to win this, and when he does, you have to eat 12 donuts on PMT.

[PFT Commenter]

I like that.

[Big Cat]

So he now has to eat 12 donuts on PMt. And I will have the footage of him being a fat that every single time he tweets mean things to me. I'm just gonna be like, hey, Booger, here's you stuffing your face with donuts.

[PFT Commenter]

Isn't booger eating 12 donuts during an interview gonna make you insanely jealous?

[Big Cat]

Oh, I'll probably have my own donuts.

[PFT Commenter]

Okay. Yeah. Victory.

[Big Cat]

No, I mean, I'll just. I'll accompany him.

[Hank]

You think you could eat 12 donuts?

[Big Cat]

No. No, I'm not gonna eat 12. No.

[Hank]

I know that's hard.

[Big Cat]

Yeah, no, it's gonna be difficult. I think we'll. I don't know what we're gonna do. Maybe we'll do. I was thinking about it. Maybe we'll have mon next week and we'll have him picture in a picture because it won't be good podcasting for him to eat into the mic. So picture in a picture. And he can't talk till he eats the 12 donuts.

[PFT Commenter]

I like that.

[Big Cat]

Yeah.

[PFT Commenter]

So he has to listen to us tape part of.

[Big Cat]

He has to listen to us tape part of. Pardon my take. Yeah, he's just sitting there. The awls get to watch him eat 12 donuts.

[PFT Commenter]

How about guys on chicks? Boogers eating don chicks.

[Big Cat]

And then when he's done, we're just like, hey, Booger, first question. He's just 12 donuts deep.

[PFT Commenter]

Yeah, it's good.

[Big Cat]

Yeah, it's gonna be fun. Also, I should have mentioned there was a very funny tweet that I bookmarked because I was going through my bookmarks just now about Tommy Fleetwood, and I was. I was looking because at first I was like, no, I'm not going to get got. But then I was looking at the follow ups, and this girl seems real. She said, dad's glad Fleetwood finally closed out a moment. This is from Francis, and it's a text from her father. Cousin Dicky passed away Wednesday. He just turned 74 on August 10, a barrel of fertilizer fell on him and broke a lot of bones and punctured a lung. Had much internal bleeding. Happy to see Fleetwood finally win one all in one text. Such a dead text.

[PFT Commenter]

I love that.

[Big Cat]

And then her follow ups I was like, I don't want to get gotten. She was like, yeah, we're. My family was in farming. This is a real thing.

[PFT Commenter]

This is how we break the news to each other.

[Big Cat]

That's how dads do it. Okay, what else we got before we get to who's back? And then we have some Mount Rushmore. Oh, don't call Michael Penix Michael Penis.

[PFT Commenter]

Don't do that.

[Big Cat]

Do not.

[PFT Commenter]

He will fight you.

[Big Cat]

Do not call him Michael Penis.

[PFT Commenter]

And Otani also got into it with a spectator.

[Big Cat]

He did.

[PFT Commenter]

And by get into it, he hit home run and then found the guy and then gave him a high five.

[Big Cat]

Oh, okay.

[PFT Commenter]

So, yeah, that's. That's. That's Otani getting into it.

[Big Cat]

Yeah, he got into it. Cubs also might be back. Five games back. Kyle Tucker just need to sit for a little bit. He's got three home runs in the last three days. QBs bend.

[Hank]

Inucci. Very funny tweet from the bar.

[Big Cat]

Yep.

[Hank]

Yeah, it's like, no, no, no. Beer hits like getting your cut from your 12th team. Beer.

[Big Cat]

Yeah. Yeah.

[Hank]

Who can relate?

[PFT Commenter]

I think Ben Denucci will be on another roster at some point this season.

[Big Cat]

I hope so.

[PFT Commenter]

I don't think we've heard the last of Gucci Denucci.

[Big Cat]

Yeah. Yeah, that was. It sucks for him. Yeah. Also, Cal Raleigh hit his 49th home run.

[PFT Commenter]

Yep. He hit two.

[Big Cat]

He hit two. He had 48 and 49. And most home runs in the season by a catcher. Salvador Perez was. I think. Yeah, I think he had 48. So he beat that. And he's going to be the second Mariner ever with 50 home run season. Pretty crazy, insane season. Hank, where. Where are you at? Are you. If they had.

[Hank]

The Red Sox won three out of four against the Yankees they had swept, I was ready to push the button. I'm still. I'm still not on the bandwagon.

[PFT Commenter]

You guys are. You guys have the wild card, right?

[Big Cat]

Yeah.

[PFT Commenter]

You got to push the button.

[Hank]

Do I?

[PFT Commenter]

Yeah, it's basically September baseball. You got to push the button. Get hot.

[Hank]

It's not September baseball yet, though, but get hot.

[Big Cat]

It's basically September baseball is what he said.

[Hank]

I said if they swept them, I was all in. I'm basically all in.

[PFT Commenter]

Okay, I'll take that.

[Big Cat]

Can I. Can I put my hand up for maybe lack of ball knowledge? But I feel like baseball, you. You. You follow your team. You don't really know what's going on in the rest of the teams, because I was at Saratoga with Dave this week, and he bet on the Red Sox. I didn't know Araldes Chapman was just, like, unhittable again. Yeah, he said it. And I was. He was like, yeah, Chapman. I was like, araldes, he's been around forever. Won the World Series at the Cubs nine years ago, and he's like, I guess, like, truly unhittable again. Still.

[Max]

Still throwing triple digits.

[Big Cat]

But he had control issues because, like, he was on the Pirates. He was all over the place.

[Max]

108 ERA. Nuts.

[Big Cat]

Jeez. Bad guy. Better baseball player than guy.

[PFT Commenter]

Way better.

[Big Cat]

That one is easy. That one's really easy.

[PFT Commenter]

Max, how the Phil's doing?

[Max]

Good. Up seven games on the Mets right now. Just took two or three from the Nats.

[Big Cat]

You guys would agree that if the brewers blew the NL Central, that would be a choke job. It would be.

[PFT Commenter]

Oh, yeah, yeah, yeah.

[Big Cat]

Oh, yeah, sure. I mean that. It's funny how it's turned, because it was. Yeah, it will be. It will be.

[PFT Commenter]

I hope they don't be a shame.

[Max]

Chapman has a 0.33 ERA over his last 30 appearances.

[Big Cat]

That's insane.

[Max]

That's insane.

[Big Cat]

I mean, when he's good, he's so great. And I just assumed that because he did the thing where he was kind of going on different teams, and it was like, puttering out. You know, he went Pirates, Rangers, Royals. Like, that's a lot of teams that he wasn't in. High leverage, big games. What was his ERA on those? He just had control issues at the. He would, like, go in and out of control issues. Yeah, yeah. Cause he was. Remember. Yeah. His last stint with the Yankees, I feel like he couldn't. He. He was. He was bad. And I was like, well, that's all she wrote. But I guess Ralph, is Chapman unhittable. So you're back on the train.

[Hank]

Pretty much all the way back.

[Big Cat]

Oh, there you go. There you go.

[PFT Commenter]

Almost in.

[Big Cat]

You're following along with it. Yeah, yeah. So then. Then. Then if you're following along and watching the games you're on, I guess. Yeah, that would be.

[PFT Commenter]

Are you excited about postseason baseball?

[Hank]

I love postseason baseball. Love postseason baseball. Love postseason hockey. Both sports that I don't really watch a lot of the regular season. I will watch every postseason baseball game. There's. There's nothing. It's. You know, hockey is same. Similar. When it's, like, tied in the third period, a tie. Tie postseason baseball game. Like, going into the seventh inning, like there's nothing better.

[Big Cat]

Yeah.

[Hank]

Every pitch matters. Everything is just, like, waiting for that one moment.

[PFT Commenter]

Also, regular season, the Awls need Phillies Red Sox in the World Series.

[Max]

There's going to be a lot of. Of Phillies representation.

[Big Cat]

Cubs are all on a collision course.

[Max]

There's going to be. There's going to be a lot. On this podcast for postseason baseball would be.

[Big Cat]

The Rockies, by the way, were eliminated.

[PFT Commenter]

Oh, really Good for them.

[Big Cat]

Yeah. So shout out them. Oh, Max, we should have. This is a bad job by me. Farmageddon. Would you like to take the floor and talk about the over? Because that was bullshit.

[Max]

I. You kept talking about it the whole time. That's all I was thinking about.

[PFT Commenter]

Yes.

[Max]

It was such bullshit.

[Big Cat]

They would. They.

[Max]

It was fucked. When they fumbled on the zero yard.

[PFT Commenter]

Yeah.

[Max]

And like the first minute of the game, I was like, you can't come back from that.

[Big Cat]

And then we did come back.

[Max]

I know. And then we did come back. I was watching it at a bar and I was like, kind of running a little late to the wedding. So we had the Uber out front waiting and we were like, all right, let's just watch this play. And then they scored. We were like, fuck, yeah. That's the over. We get into the car and then we put it on YouTube TV to like watch the end of it. And we were like, what's going on? Why are they kneeling this out? They should have. This should have hit the over.

[Big Cat]

There's nothing worse. That's a good first game start. Yeah. First game of the year.

[Max]

And then Memes and I also had Kansas team total over 31 and a half. They had 24 in the first half. Scored a touchdown to make it 31 early in the third quarter. Never scored again.

[Big Cat]

We're back.

[Max]

We're back. But it felt good. It felt good to be. To be mad.

[Big Cat]

I would have.

[Max]

Thank God I had Hawaii late because that would have been. That would have also been tough.

[Big Cat]

Shout out Andrew Luck. He was everywhere.

[PFT Commenter]

Yep.

[Big Cat]

Literally. Did you see that pregame clip? He was like walking in with the team, then he was in the box, then he was on the sideline, then he was in the stands. Changing the culture.

[PFT Commenter]

Also, shout out Hawaii's kicker.

[Big Cat]

Yeah.

[PFT Commenter]

That's a cool story.

[Big Cat]

Great story. Okay. Yeah. He was born in Japan, or Japan.

[PFT Commenter]

I think he learned how to kick on YouTube.

[Big Cat]

Learned how to kick on YouTube. Then lived in Ohio for a year, which I think that was just to like, boost up his football resume. Yeah.

[Memes]

Played juco.

[Big Cat]

Yeah. Yeah. Just be like, I lived in Ohio, I could play football. Yeah.

[PFT Commenter]

College coaches are like, check.

[Big Cat]

Yeah. Prove the point. Yep. Yeah. Very cool. And then hit the game winning kick against Stanford to start off the the football season. Okay, let's get to who's back the week. Hey, can you pull up?

[Hank]

Let's pull Oasis tickets.

[Big Cat]

College football game. Pull up a college football game for game time.

[PFT Commenter]

You love college football.

[Big Cat]

College football. Why don't you get Texas Ohio State tickets?

[PFT Commenter]

I can't.

[Big Cat]

Wait.

[Hank]

Did you say Oasis?

[Big Cat]

Nope. College football season is back, which means tailgates, cheering crowds, and the excitement of being in the stands before kickoff are all back. To ever find yourself at a tailgate and decide to grab tickets last minute. That's where game time comes in. The GameTime app gives the advantage back to fans. It's the hack for unlocking amazing tickets and experiences in a few taps. It's incredibly easy to use, and the game time guarantee means you can Trust you'll get 100% authentic tickets on time and at the best price. Plus, fees are always included. So what you see is what you pay. We're looking at tickets for Ohio State. Texas.

[Hank]

Texas at Ohio State. The shoe you can get in for $378. Right now I'm looking at a ticket on game time.

[Big Cat]

All right, so use that Game Time app, find those seats and take the guesswork out of buying college football tickets with GameTime. Download the GameTime app, create an account, use code PMT for $20 off your first purchase terms apply. Again, create an account redeem code PMT for $20 off. Swipe, tap Ticket. Go download the GameTime app today, use that code PMT for $20 off and who's back of the Week is brought to you by our friends, Truly Hard Seltzer. Truly Hard Seltzer is all about fun, light, refreshing variety in a bubbly, effervescent style to get you and your people in a lively party mood. Truly unruly is an 8% hard seltzer. Full of flavor but still light and refreshing. Gets in four flavors. Tropical Twist, Berry Blast, Citrus Crush, and Strawberry Smash. You can even grab a big 24 ounce tropical twist single at convenience stores. Truly is a perfect day. Drink tailgating on the weekend, bouncing around for game day. You can't beat something as light and easy, but big on flavor is truly, truly Unruly. Drinks light, parties hard get unruly with truly unruly 8% hard seltzer. You can find it anywhere, like your favorite grocery, liquor or convenience store. Or visit trulyhardseltzer.com and use the Truly Finder to grab it near you. Okay, Hank who's Back of the Week?

[Hank]

My who's Back of the Week are Green Dildos oh, good.

[Big Cat]

Yeah.

[Hank]

Big weekend. They're. They're going multi sport. Not multinational. Multi sport.

[PFT Commenter]

Other than Shohei Otani of Sex Toys.

[Hank]

There's one in the bunker at Eastlake.

[Big Cat]

Okay.

[Hank]

And there's one at Vikings. Titans.

[Big Cat]

Oh, okay. So we're. We're confusing the masses. I like this.

[PFT Commenter]

The sports. Do you say them asses?

[Big Cat]

No, the masses.

[PFT Commenter]

The masses. So what are they doing for the crypto thing?

[Big Cat]

Might be.

[PFT Commenter]

Because that's when I'm out on it.

[Big Cat]

Yeah, agreed. If it's just for the love of throwing a green dildo, I'm in.

[PFT Commenter]

If I. I think that we need to change up the color, I'm not going to support green dildos anymore. But if it's like a flesh color, I'm fine with that.

[Hank]

You want it more real color flesh.

[PFT Commenter]

I. I just doesn't matter across the spectrum.

[Big Cat]

Okay.

[PFT Commenter]

But the green dildo, to me, now, that's. That's been sullied by the. The crypto plug that they're doing for it.

[Big Cat]

Yeah. Hank, how. What were your scores this weekend?

[Hank]

Played Good Friday, shot 89. Played really bad Saturday, club championship, 103. Didn't even make it to day two. Shot 94 today.

[PFT Commenter]

Oh, congrats.

[Big Cat]

Not great. 103.

[Hank]

103.

[Big Cat]

It was.

[Hank]

It was a disaster.

[Big Cat]

That's ugly.

[Hank]

Really, really bad.

[Max]

So were you not watching Tommy today?

[Hank]

I was watching Tommy today. I played early.

[Big Cat]

You weren't watching Kansas State? Iowa State?

[Hank]

No, I saw it in the. When I went in the clubhouse to make the turn. It was on the screen. I was like, oh, football.

[Max]

I did take a nap for a little bit of time. It was nice.

[Big Cat]

Oh, you got it. Yeah. Yes. But did you real. If you had realized it was in Dublin, would you have stopped playing the round?

[Hank]

I actually knew it was in Dublin, but, yeah. No, still no.

[Big Cat]

No. Okay.

[Hank]

Guy I was playing with, actually his son. Or he just dropped his. His son off at Iowa State. He's telling me. He's like, oh, yeah, they gotta give me his kids. Like, is that today? He's like, yeah, football back.

[Big Cat]

College football sneaks up on Hank every year.

[PFT Commenter]

Week zero does that.

[Big Cat]

Yeah, well, no week like five, six, seven. All of it.

[PFT Commenter]

Yeah.

[Big Cat]

Like they're doing this again.

[PFT Commenter]

Are you locked in for this weekend?

[Hank]

Call it. I'm never locked in.

[Big Cat]

Do you have a new team?

[Hank]

No, Unc.

[Big Cat]

Oh, okay. Yeah, that's right. Okay. Pft.

[Hank]

Or who's college football has passed me. I'm 32. Never stuck.

[Big Cat]

Never stuck.

[PFT Commenter]

You never know.

[Big Cat]

The. The Washington last year was Fun.

[PFT Commenter]

I don't even think Hank really likes football.

[Hank]

I do. I watch five. Listen, I'm here. I'm watching more football than anyone.

[PFT Commenter]

Those are two words that don't appeal to Hank. College.

[Hank]

I love football. I've had most championships on this team.

[PFT Commenter]

Well, yeah, that's my point. You like. You like winning football.

[Big Cat]

Yes.

[Hank]

As anyone should.

[PFT Commenter]

But you don't like football.

[Big Cat]

Correct.

[Hank]

It's called having. I have a standard. I have a standard of excellence, and other people should, too. If I was memes, I wouldn't even follow the.

[Big Cat]

Oh, all right. Pft. My.

[PFT Commenter]

Who's back of the week is China.

[Big Cat]

Oh.

[PFT Commenter]

Chinese Taipei won the Little League World Series. Congrats to them, to the kids. Great group of kids. They call it Chinese Taipei, but I want to say, for all intents and purposes on this show, that is Taiwan. Taiwan won the Little League World Series.

[Big Cat]

Are we about to go there?

[PFT Commenter]

I'm gonna go there. I don't know why the. The crew in Williamsport is just getting bent over by President Xi in China, and they're just ceding control of Taiwan to the Chinese government.

[Big Cat]

So that's. That's Taiwan.

[PFT Commenter]

It's Taiwan. I call it Taiwan. You call it Taiwan. On a map, it says Taiwan.

[Big Cat]

I didn't know that was Taiwan, but.

[PFT Commenter]

When it's in the Little League World Series, they just say, oh, yeah, that's actually property of China.

[Hank]

And the Olympics.

[PFT Commenter]

And the Oly.

[Big Cat]

Yeah, the Olympics does it too.

[PFT Commenter]

That's Chinese Taipei. No, that's Taiwan. It's a. I'm gonna reckon I'm gonna go there. I. I recognize the sovereignty of Taiwan. Let's go as a nation. And that's the country that's cheering for those kids. I didn't really watch any of the Little League World Series, but I saw that they beat America in the finals. Hank was probably very happy about that. Yeah. I don't know if it was our.

[Big Cat]

Schedule this year, but I. I usually watch a little.

[PFT Commenter]

Just missed, I think, the travel. Yeah, travel days. Yeah.

[Hank]

I was watching Braintree, then they got eliminated. I kind of tuned out.

[PFT Commenter]

Yeah.

[Big Cat]

Yeah.

[Max]

I think they had a picture. They had a pitcher that was. That threw over 80. Chinese type.

[Big Cat]

Chinese type aided. Whoa.

[PFT Commenter]

Taiwan.

[Hank]

Taiwan.

[Max]

Taiwan.

[Big Cat]

Taiwan. Taiwan. Taiwan.

[Hank]

They won't hear this, though.

[PFT Commenter]

Taiwan.

[Big Cat]

Yeah. Will they?

[PFT Commenter]

I think so.

[Big Cat]

Yeah. They can get pmt.

[PFT Commenter]

Yeah.

[Big Cat]

They're shout out. Taiwan.

[PFT Commenter]

They are not. They are not part of China.

[Big Cat]

No, thank you.

[PFT Commenter]

You're mixing it up. Taiwan. They can listen to part of my take. China cannot listen to part of my Take.

[Big Cat]

Got it. But they own Taiwan.

[PFT Commenter]

No, Taiwan's its own country.

[Hank]

They own America.

[PFT Commenter]

They can tell us.

[Hank]

Your brain have to call a Chinese Taipei. Is that what's happening?

[PFT Commenter]

Big cat's brain has been poisoned by the powers that be to think that Taiwan is owned by China.

[Big Cat]

So then what are they beefing about?

[PFT Commenter]

China wants to take Taiwan over again, and they're just.

[Big Cat]

They don't own any part of it right now.

[PFT Commenter]

They don't own Taiwan, but they tell.

[Hank]

America you have to call a Chinese Taipei.

[PFT Commenter]

They tell. They tell the Little League World Series. Hey, you have to call it Chinese Taipei and Olympics. And the Olympics.

[Big Cat]

Were people complaining online about it?

[PFT Commenter]

No, I just. I just saw it, and I got. I got mad about it because, frankly, I. If you don't stand for something, you'll fall for anything.

[Big Cat]

Listen, I'll be a good team player. I'm gonna follow whatever you. I'm gonna follow you right now.

[PFT Commenter]

Yeah, you can follow me. I'm looking at Hank now. Hank seems like he wants to call a Chinese tape.

[Big Cat]

No, don't.

[Hank]

I'm in. I'm in. Taiwan.

[Big Cat]

Zach. Zach, who won. Who won the Little League World Series today?

[Zach]

Taiwan.

[PFT Commenter]

Yep.

[Big Cat]

Max.

[Max]

I think it might be Chinese type.

[Big Cat]

No, Max memes.

[PFT Commenter]

Max is just saying that because it sounds like an awesome dish. I'll take some of that Chinese Taipei.

[Big Cat]

What do you. Matt memes.

[PFT Commenter]

Two orders.

[Memes]

I thought Chinese Taipei want it.

[Max]

Okay, I think it's more complicated than you're saying.

[PFT Commenter]

No, I don't think.

[Hank]

What is Taipei?

[Max]

According to Microsoft Copilot, it's saying the. The name Chinese Taipei is used in international organizations and sporting events as a workaround to a complex political issue involving Tywin and. Tywin, Taiwan and China.

[PFT Commenter]

Because China says.

[Max]

And then there's a whole lot of more reading that I don't think I can do, but I don't think it's as simple as you're saying.

[PFT Commenter]

I think it is. I think it's China being like, you have to call it Chinese Taipei or else China won't be participating.

[Max]

So Chinese Taipei is essentially a diplomatic placeholder, one that lets Taiwan engage globally whilst while sidestepping.

[Hank]

What do you know about the Nagoya Resolution? Pft.

[Big Cat]

Yeah.

[PFT Commenter]

What don't I know about the Nagoya resolution?

[Big Cat]

So.

[Zach]

So does China just want the chips? They want. They want the chips from Taiwan.

[PFT Commenter]

They want all the chips.

[Zach]

All the chips.

[Big Cat]

Was regular China in it?

[PFT Commenter]

I don't know.

[Max]

I don't know if they're allowed to be.

[Big Cat]

I don't know any of this. You. You're getting us into murky waters here. Get us out. I told you I'd follow you.

[PFT Commenter]

We're out. We're out of the murky waters. They can't hear us say this.

[Big Cat]

Taiwan. Okay.

[PFT Commenter]

Taiwan.

[Max]

Taiwan.

[Big Cat]

All right, my. Who's back of the week? I have two. The first is ESPN deleting graphics. Yeah, I think this happened on Friday. But ESPN SportsCenter tweeted a. I think so an artist did this, said all the icons, all the moments, all VSPN all in one place. And they ended up deleting it because all the icons, all the moments, all VSPN all in One place had 11 WNBA players, 10 NFL players, and five college football players. And they were missing like a ton of very important. I would say hockey. Scotty. Yeah. And also I think they had Bryce Underwood who just got named starter. Windhorse was on there. Scotty was missing.

[PFT Commenter]

Good for Windhorse.

[Big Cat]

Yeah. Who else was missing? There was only three MLB players, three NHL players.

[Hank]

Like Portals.

[Big Cat]

And look, we, we, we're. We like, we like WNBA here. But that is, that does seem like maybe a little bit off of what people tune in for.

[PFT Commenter]

They made Luca really fat too.

[Big Cat]

Probably fat again.

[PFT Commenter]

Old picture.

[Big Cat]

Luca. Yeah. This is very. They did this before, didn't they?

[Hank]

Yeah.

[PFT Commenter]

Are you thinking of the Bleacher Report? One that had all the celebrities rooting for the U.S. women's National Team? That was a great graphic.

[Big Cat]

Yeah.

[PFT Commenter]

All time graph.

[Big Cat]

So funny because like it's not gonna deleting is not gonna do anything.

[PFT Commenter]

No.

[Max]

Wendy got great real estate.

[Big Cat]

Oh yeah. I love Wendy. Yeah. He is an icon.

[Max]

I love. No, that's. That's great.

[PFT Commenter]

It should have like 11 Wendy's on there.

[Big Cat]

That would work. Disclaimer. I'm about to talk about the tooth fairy. If you have a little kid in the car, skip ahead of this next section. The tooth fairy is real. All the little kids in the car. Very real. And then my other who's back of the week is the tooth fairy. Because my oldest losses first tooth successfully tooth fairy was a thrill.

[PFT Commenter]

How much money.

[Big Cat]

The tooth Fairy only had 20s in his wallet that night. So the bar has been set a little too high. I think though I've.

[PFT Commenter]

I've got how many teeth?

[Big Cat]

It was one tooth. I. I've talked to some people. I think the tooth fairy has changed as the days as we've, you know, gotten in a little bit of different culture. Some of the other parents I've talked to Tooth fairy can give like sticker books and shit like that. So we'll mix it up. It won't be 20 every time.

[PFT Commenter]

I mean, if you get now to go.

[Big Cat]

Even know what 20 is.

[Hank]

He was just like a lot of candy.

[Big Cat]

Actually, it might be a hundred now that Tommy Fleetwood one. But yeah, it was a problem because I got home late from. What was it? Where were we? Oh, camp Barstool. And he had lost a tooth. He was so pumped. And it was like I only had twenties in my pocket.

[PFT Commenter]

But I'm saying, how many teeth does he have to lose?

[Big Cat]

A lot. But I think once they get to like 8 or 9, they realize this is ball.

[PFT Commenter]

I think you just. I think you paint yourself into a little corner here.

[Big Cat]

Yeah, I mean, it's. It was a. It was a bad bar to set. I'll admit it. I would have rather give him $5. Yeah, I did not have a 5. I wasn't going to go to an ATM at like 9pm I think I.

[PFT Commenter]

Got a dollar a tooth.

[Hank]

I think I literally got a quarter.

[Big Cat]

I think I got a dollar. Actually, no, I got a JFK, the 50 cent piece. That was solid. Did you guys. I was. I was totally fooled for a very long time, but my parents are really good at it.

[PFT Commenter]

No. So I had an older brother. So the older brother always ruins all those surprises.

[Big Cat]

Yeah, I'm worried about that.

[PFT Commenter]

Yeah.

[Big Cat]

Yep.

[Max]

My older brother ruined Santa Claus for me one year. It was the worst Christmas.

[Big Cat]

Oh, no. What do you mean?

[Max]

Or Christmas Eve.

[PFT Commenter]

What do you mean?

[Big Cat]

Don't. You're ruining it right now. Ruin it.

[PFT Commenter]

There's a kid listening right now.

[Big Cat]

Yeah.

[Hank]

Oh, we. I went.

[Max]

We're just doing a segment now.

[PFT Commenter]

You're swearing too?

[Big Cat]

Well, tooth fairy. Listen, I didn't say I was. Tooth fairy said I had 20s in my pocket. The tooth fairy only had 20s.

[Hank]

I remember. I remember my dad, like, we went to basketball practice. I told him. I was like, oh, tooth fairy didn't come. And then we came home and I, like, watched him run upstairs, and I was like, okay. So, yeah, gigs up.

[PFT Commenter]

I remember one time I lost a tooth in secret. Didn't tell anybody. And then that under. And then that was my first clue.

[Big Cat]

Oh, yeah, the. They've, like, nerfed it too. Now there's. There's tooth fairy pillows and, like, dolls that you put on the door, which is bullshit. I don't think any parent should ever buy this. It's supposed to be like, you put the tooth in the little belly of, like, the teddy bear and then you hang it on the door so the parent doesn't have to go all the way in. That's. Yeah, that should not be a thing.

[PFT Commenter]

Does the kid put their tooth in the.

[Big Cat]

Yeah, they put it in there and they're like, oh, what do you do with the teeth? My wife wanted to save it. That's kind of. That was a red flag.

[PFT Commenter]

Yeah.

[Hank]

Put it next to your kidney stone.

[Big Cat]

I think you're supposed. It's about the same size, I think. Yeah. Save it because you're like, oh, it's baby teeth. But it also is gonna be weird when we just have way too many baby teeth.

[PFT Commenter]

Yeah.

[Max]

Bag. I think it's good to save the first one of the.

[Big Cat]

Yeah, first one. Yeah. Yeah. But also the. A genius move. The plaque had him put in a plastic bag because I didn't want to lose it. Plastic bag under the pillow. Then I put a note in the money in a different plastic bag. Same plastic bag, like a sandwich bag. Swapped it out so he thought the tooth fairy came and took the thing. I gotta now tell my wife not to listen to the podcast in the car. I just realized that that was. That be a big mistake.

[PFT Commenter]

So he's going to be like, it's the same plastic bag that was here.

[Big Cat]

Yeah.

[PFT Commenter]

Cuz he didn't see you get that bag.

[Big Cat]

Correct. Okay. Yeah.

[PFT Commenter]

He doesn't know that you have multiples of the same bag.

[Big Cat]

Correct. Either way, it was a thrill. It was.

[PFT Commenter]

$20 is a steep price, though.

[Big Cat]

I. What do you want me to. What would you do in that situation? I don't. I don't have change in my house. I didn't have. I wish I had ones.

[PFT Commenter]

Yeah.

[Max]

Do you have any, like, candy or something? Candy could have.

[Big Cat]

Donut.

[Max]

A donut I don't think's going under underneath.

[Hank]

Hershey bar.

[Big Cat]

Listen, it was first tooth and we're gonna go down. Price is gonna change. He doesn't even know what it is. He doesn't know what $20 is. I think he said he was like, oh, I'll buy some new shoes. Like, no, you won't.

[PFT Commenter]

20 can't do that.

[Big Cat]

Yeah, you won't.

[PFT Commenter]

Step it up.

[Big Cat]

You don't know what that is. All right, Zach. Oh, my.

[Zach]

Who's back of the week is in zone celebrations. So rookie Tez Johnson on the Tambay Buccaneers hit the end zone and then proceeded to do a full gymnastics routine. I don't. I don't. I don't have the definitions of which flips these were, but I know it was like a back handspring situation and definitely a back flip going into the end zone.

[Big Cat]

Okay.

[Zach]

And it felt good.

[Big Cat]

And no flag all the way back felt great.

[Zach]

I felt like we were back. And then I. I do have a quick one, if that's okay.

[Big Cat]

Yeah.

[Zach]

So esports awards, they had their decade.

[Big Cat]

Tess Johnson's end zone celebration was the Trojan horse. Yeah, I thought that was.

[PFT Commenter]

I thought he was gonna do, like, some video game related dance.

[Big Cat]

Yeah. Why did the bucks cut the fat guy?

[Zach]

Look, I. I think he can still lose the weight if nobody picks him up. Like, it takes time. The dieting's hard, and if he just takes a little bit more time, dials in, he could be good.

[PFT Commenter]

I agree. They should have let him practice.

[Big Cat]

Yeah.

[Zach]

I don't understand that move. Just putting him on the sideline with this, like, just.

[PFT Commenter]

He became a spectacle because everyone was like, hey, he's. He's too big to play football. There's gonna be cameras on him the entire time. Just like, shame. Let him put on a helmet and some pads, do some individual drills, maybe lose some of that weight.

[Zach]

I agree. So his story is not done.

[Big Cat]

I want to see him on the field. He's too fat. He's too fat. Too fat for football. All right, esports award.

[Zach]

So 10 years of esports awards. So controller player of the decade went to Shotzi. He's got three chips in cod, one chip in Halo, A lot of rings. Good for Shotzi.

[Big Cat]

Wait, was this the first esports award?

[Zach]

No, it's the 10th annual esports award. Player of the decade.

[Big Cat]

Wow. So he's the first ever player of.

[Zach]

The decade of the esports awards when it comes to controller.

[Big Cat]

Yes. Because it was the first decade.

[Zach]

Yes, sir.

[Big Cat]

Did you watch this live?

[Zach]

I did not watch these live.

[Big Cat]

Did you go outside this weekend?

[Zach]

I did go outside this weekend. I went to.

[Big Cat]

Don't say to Target.

[Zach]

No, I did. I know that's tomorrow. I'm gonna do it tomorrow.

[Big Cat]

Okay.

[Zach]

I went. I went. Got some shoes today. Went on nice little walk. Got some shoes.

[Big Cat]

Okay. Okay, we gotta get you outside. It's gonna get cold soon.

[Zach]

I know. I feel like I took summer for granted because in Florida, the seasons don't change. And now I'm thinking, like, oh, walking here Today, it was 69 or 70 degrees, and I was like, this is. We're still in August.

[Big Cat]

What's going on?

[Zach]

What's happening?

[PFT Commenter]

Do you have a jacket?

[Zach]

I've got. Yeah, I've got some hoodies I gotta look at.

[PFT Commenter]

Do you have a jacket?

[Big Cat]

What do you.

[Zach]

What do you mean?

[PFT Commenter]

Like a jacket?

[Max]

Yeah, I've got winter jacket.

[Zach]

I don't okay, so I don't have one of the big ones. I do have, like, a great golf centric winter jacket that I don't know if it's thick enough, but I will be repping that pretty heavily.

[PFT Commenter]

No, my windbreaker.

[Big Cat]

My one advice, Chicago winner for you, Zach, because this will be your first one, is spend. Don't spare any expense on a very warm winter jacket. It's just one of those things. If you get a really nice warm one, it changes everything.

[Zach]

I do think the one that Hank graciously gifted me might be enough.

[Big Cat]

No, but. No.

[PFT Commenter]

What was that jacket?

[Big Cat]

It's like a golf jacket.

[Hank]

No, no, it was a pebble. It was. It was like. It was the most expensive jacket in the. In the pro shop. It's not quite. It's good for, like, 40 degrees and up. It's. Once you get below that, though, you need. You do need, like, a real nice.

[Big Cat]

You know what? I'll get you.

[Zach]

Are we doing thermals too? Like, are we doing.

[Big Cat]

No, you don't have to. No. Well, you do.

[Hank]

You need a puffer.

[Big Cat]

Yeah. You can wear, like, a big one.

[PFT Commenter]

A sweatshirt and then a big ass jacket.

[Big Cat]

Big jacket.

[Zach]

And you like big.

[Big Cat]

The.

[Zach]

The big ass jacket we checked. Like, that just goes off for the. Once you're in the inside, you don't need that anymore. You're good.

[Big Cat]

That's for to and from. Yeah, we gotta be outside. Okay. Yeah, we should have. We should have lied to him there.

[PFT Commenter]

Yeah.

[Big Cat]

Zach never takes off.

[PFT Commenter]

You always have to rock it all.

[Big Cat]

All winter long.

[Zach]

So big jacket and pants is. We're going for next.

[Big Cat]

We got to get you outside more, though.

[Zach]

Yes, sir.

[Big Cat]

Weather's still nice.

[Zach]

I. I agree.

[Big Cat]

What?

[Zach]

I did quite a bit of walking today, though.

[Big Cat]

Saturday, you did not go outside.

[Max]

Zach lives very close to, like, one of the most popular streets in Chicago. The reason he probably pays for his rent is that his proximity to this street. I dropped him off one time, two months after living here, and he was like, oh, this is a nice street.

[Big Cat]

I've never seen this before.

[Max]

Like I'm saying, like, point two miles away from his apartment.

[PFT Commenter]

It's got, like, great bars and restaurants. Zach.

[Zach]

My defense, it is the other direction from work, though. So I keep going left, and then the street Mac showed me was to the right, so. But it is a great street.

[Big Cat]

We got to get you outside a little bit while the weather's still nice. Go.

[Zach]

I'll do Friday, Saturday, outside both days.

[Big Cat]

What?

[Zach]

Yeah, we'll rip that.

[PFT Commenter]

Love that, man.

[Big Cat]

I'll report back well, it's a three day, so that would be inside Sunday and Monday.

[Zach]

Baby steps.

[Big Cat]

Baby steps. Football. All right, let's do our Mount Rushmore and then we have Florio talking football getting us ready for the season before we get to Mount Rushmore. We are brought to you by YouTube. Football is back. The only place fans can watch every game every Sunday is NFL Sunday Ticket and YouTube TV. NFL Sunday Ticket provides NFL fans with the ultimate NFL viewing experience with features like Multi View where you can watch up to four games the exact same time including red zone key plays to catch up or replay the biggest moments in each game and Jerry o' Connell's favorite feature Fantasy View to track your players scores right alongside each game. Right now new users can score NFL Sunday Ticket for eight payments of 34.50amonth. Sign up today at YouTube.com pardonmytake to get started. Tell them the football guys a pardonmytake sent you. That is YouTube.com pardonmytake to Get Started. New users pay $276 or eight non cancelable payments of 34.50amonth, first charged at purchase. Availability varies with NFL Sunday Ticket for out of market games and YouTube TV base plan for local and national games. Base plan required. Device and content restrictions apply. Terms, restrictions and embargoes apply. Excludes digital only games. Commercial use excluded. No refunds. We were also brought to you by our good friends at Mountain Dew. We just got back from camp. It was incredible. Grab a blast. Refreshing tropical lime flavor with Mountain Dew Baja Blast. Blast now comes in zero sugar. We were drinking it all week at camp. Same great taste. A Baja Blast with zero sugar. I don't know about you guys, but that was my favorite week of the year. It's my favorite work week of the year. Camp Barstool. So much fun Mountain Dew sends us out there. Look, we're on the golf course. Still some fall golf, Hank. Elite with Mountain Dew.

[Hank]

Can't beat it.

[Big Cat]

Yup. If you're still Labor Day weekend, heading out to your boat, going fishing. Mountain Dew the best. We got some baseball heating up. September races, Mountain Dew. And then we have NFL season. We're going to be in tailgate season. Mountain Dew. It is so delicious and it's great to enjoy with your friends outdoors having some fun. So go try Mountain Dew Baja Blast right now. Blast now comes in zero sugar. The same great taste of Baja Blast with zero sugar. Go try Mountain Dew Baja Blast right now and do the Dew. I'm gonna have a sip. You know what? Ah yeah. That's Delicious. Mountain Dew. All right, Mount Rushmore time. Mount Rushmore of the hall of. Very good. The updated standings are. Zach and I are at 48, I believe. Is that right?

[Memes]

That's correct.

[Big Cat]

Maxims 42 PFT. And Hank 42. So Zach and I officially cannot lose Mount Rushmore anymore. We still would like to win. So we're still going to be competing, but we cannot lose. It is a two horse race in terms of losing. And reminder, if we are tied at the end of this week, next week, we would have a duel, which would be electric. Would you guys agree?

[PFT Commenter]

I would agree.

[Big Cat]

I think the duel would. A duel would be maybe a best of three.

[PFT Commenter]

Off the top of.

[Mike Florio]

Off the top.

[Hank]

Maybe you go 1v1. 1v1. 2v2.

[Big Cat]

Oh, like Ryder Cup.

[Max]

I like that. I like that.

[Big Cat]

Wow. Zach and I will come up with the Mount Rushmores. And we just. We just hit him. Hit you guys with it. And you have to go off the top of your head.

[PFT Commenter]

Gonna be a scramble. Like, I'll say my pick, Hank says his, and then we take the better one.

[Big Cat]

That would also be electric.

[PFT Commenter]

All right.

[Big Cat]

Either way, I'm hoping for a duel, but I.

[PFT Commenter]

We had a close Mount Rushmore on Friday.

[Big Cat]

It was like 1%. Yeah. Zelda got smoked.

[PFT Commenter]

Zelda.

[Big Cat]

Rightfully so.

[PFT Commenter]

Big time. Now, I did hear from a lot.

[Max]

Wrong.

[PFT Commenter]

I heard from a lot of Zelda freaks online on Friday.

[Big Cat]

Every.

[Max]

Everyone.

[Big Cat]

Everyone. So you must have won the poll.

[Max]

No, you guys. No, you guys just played it. Played in the graphic.

[Big Cat]

That's. What do you mean?

[Max]

The whole time. What do you mean playing to the graphic? Mario Kart.

[Big Cat]

Yeah.

[PFT Commenter]

You did it.

[Max]

Yeah.

[Mike Florio]

Diddy.

[Max]

Congregation was a better game than Mario. I know, but that's why I didn't draft it. Because it. I. It wouldn't be playing to myself if I. If I took Mario Kart when I did it.

[Hank]

Just you on the team.

[Max]

It's that. That was a genuine Mario Kart memes.

[Memes]

I did. Mario Kart's a trash. Single player game.

[Big Cat]

I love.

[Mike Florio]

You could be.

[Big Cat]

Say it again.

[Memes]

Mario. You could beat Mario Karten in 20 minutes.

[Big Cat]

So, Max, you like Diddy.

[Max]

You guys just met.

[Big Cat]

You guys.

[Max]

You guys just never played. I do. You never had an end. You never had an N64. You only played.

[Big Cat]

Yeah.

[Max]

At other people's houses.

[PFT Commenter]

What are you talking about?

[Big Cat]

That's not true.

[Hank]

Yeah, that's correct for me.

[PFT Commenter]

Not for me.

[Hank]

And I said that on the things.

[PFT Commenter]

Diddy guy.

[Big Cat]

You.

[Max]

You took Donkey Kong.

[Big Cat]

Yeah. Yeah, that's.

[Hank]

That's Donkey Yeah.

[PFT Commenter]

Awesome game.

[Hank]

Diddy. Not so much.

[Max]

I get it.

[Big Cat]

Oh, okay.

[Max]

You guys, stupid little jokes. You think you're so funny.

[PFT Commenter]

No, I just think. I think Zelda.

[Big Cat]

We started this track.

[PFT Commenter]

It felt good to get that Zelda take off my chest too.

[Mike Florio]

Yeah.

[Max]

And so people were trashing you for the Zelda.

[Big Cat]

Why didn't you win the graphic then?

[Max]

Because everyone's a bunch of losers who just play little Mario Kart in college.

[Mike Florio]

Like, that's the thing.

[Big Cat]

It's all.

[Max]

No, it's no one back who was really playing N64 at the time.

[PFT Commenter]

If this.

[Max]

If this draft happened while the N64 was still in play, our draft would have absolutely smoked. But it's all going back, and it's all kids in college who just play bureau cards and do fucking bullshit. And they're like, oh, Mario Kart, your best fucking game ever on the N64. Mario Kart fucking sucked on the N64.

[Big Cat]

Wouldn't you. Wouldn't you say we. We didn't pander? Because we would. If we had pandered, we would have picked Zelda. I said to Zach before, I was like, I never played Zelda. I don't like Zelda.

[Hank]

I will say I love Zelda, but I. As a good team.

[Big Cat]

No way.

[Hank]

As a good teammate.

[Max]

No way.

[Big Cat]

Hank. What?

[PFT Commenter]

I had the ball.

[Hank]

As a good teammate. I had to support. Yeah, that was just being a good teammate.

[Big Cat]

I had the ball.

[Mike Florio]

Are you serious?

[Big Cat]

Crazy.

[Mike Florio]

Are you?

[Big Cat]

Yes.

[Max]

You're not fucking with me?

[Hank]

No.

[Max]

You actually like Zelda?

[Big Cat]

Yes.

[Max]

That's awesome. Okay. I don't even. I don't even care.

[Mike Florio]

That's.

[Max]

That's fucking awesome.

[Big Cat]

I was.

[Hank]

I. I don't know if there was a. My cat. My face was on the camera when PFD did the. I was like.

[PFT Commenter]

I was shocked.

[Max]

That's all.

[Mike Florio]

Okay. That's great.

[Max]

That's great.

[Big Cat]

He did the. I was like, finally. I feel seen.

[PFT Commenter]

Yeah. It's important to say it because for a long time, I've been bullied. I had no visibility out there.

[Big Cat]

Right. I've been bullied for a long time for not liking Zelda.

[PFT Commenter]

And Max re. Traumatized me on Friday by directing his followers by weaponizing social media to go after me. Bullied me.

[Max]

Oh, you would never do such a thing.

[Big Cat]

No.

[PFT Commenter]

Also, Max, thank you. Max let me out of our bet.

[Max]

Yeah, I got got. Sometimes we get got. A lesser man would have deleted, not me.

[PFT Commenter]

Max let me out of her punishment on Friday because also, by the way.

[Max]

Did he sign on Friday?

[PFT Commenter]

I. I believe he signed. And there's a secret. There's a secret contract. I also saw Max's. Max's take, which he tweeted out and said punishment canceled, so I don't.

[Max]

Punishments canceled.

[PFT Commenter]

Yeah, he got caught by, like, Adarn. She.

[Max]

Yeah, I saw it, like, immediately. I can't.

[PFT Commenter]

The worst part is you misleading our fans and our listeners, Max.

[Max]

Well, I got three people that mentioned me in that being, like, oh, look, it happened.

[Big Cat]

Yeah.

[Max]

And then I didn't actually follow through.

[PFT Commenter]

Shout out to those guys.

[Big Cat]

All right, Mount Rushmore, I'm.

[Max]

Memes is talking for. I'm.

[Big Cat]

I'm.

[Max]

I'm. I'm muting my mic for this.

[Big Cat]

Why?

[Max]

Because I. I can't. I can't do. I can't do.

[Big Cat]

We like having you. Mount Rush.

[Max]

No, I can't do it.

[PFT Commenter]

Self mute's going to last 30 seconds.

[Big Cat]

Yeah. All right. Mount Rushmore of Hall of. Very good.

[PFT Commenter]

Okay, who goes for.

[Big Cat]

What's the order?

[Memes]

We go first. Pfd.

[PFT Commenter]

Yeah, Us, y'.

[Big Cat]

All. Okay. All right, let's do it.

[PFT Commenter]

So one one. We are going to take Donovan McNabb. Philadelphia Eagle.

[Big Cat]

Good pick.

[PFT Commenter]

All very good. Four consecutive NFC championship games. Never won the big one. Puked in the last drive of the super bowl. But yeah, yeah, very good quarterback. Yeah, objectively, very good.

[Big Cat]

Very good quarterback. Had him on our list.

[Memes]

Which one?

[PFT Commenter]

Max?

[Hank]

50.

[Big Cat]

Yeah. Yep.

[Max]

That was our. That was our one one as well.

[Hank]

Did you have the ball on Friday?

[Big Cat]

Wait, wait, hold on. What's going on here?

[Memes]

It's Hank's turn to draft.

[PFT Commenter]

We had that as well.

[Hank]

Yeah, we did. We did, we did, we did.

[Big Cat]

Are you getting ball hogged? I. I wasn't.

[Hank]

I wasn't sure. I'm trying to remember. That's why I didn't say it up.

[Big Cat]

I. Loud.

[PFT Commenter]

I think I had the ball.

[Max]

You did say it out loud.

[Hank]

I whispered it, though, so I was out quiet.

[Big Cat]

All right. How quiet? Okay.

[PFT Commenter]

I said it out quiet. I like that.

[Big Cat]

You guys are up.

[Memes]

We're gonna go. Philip Rivers. 1 1.

[Big Cat]

Okay.

[Memes]

1 2.

[PFT Commenter]

I thought about him, but I think he's going to get into the hall.

[Big Cat]

Of Fame, be a Hall of Famer.

[Memes]

But in terms of good, he only led the league in passing one time. All his passing yards. It's just from a long career. He was just a very good quarterback. He was never the best out of the entire group of quarterbacks that he was in.

[Hank]

But if he's in the hall of Fame.

[PFT Commenter]

Yeah, he might be in the hall of Fame.

[Memes]

He's not in the hall of Fame right now.

[Big Cat]

Okay. All right, Zach, let's do it. Yeah. And then what are we gonna go with our next pick?

[Zach]

What do you think about maybe three and.

[Big Cat]

Yeah. Yeah, I like that. All right. Our first pick is going to be the Minnesota Vikings franchise hall. Very good. 65 seasons. 32 playoff appearances in 65 seasons. They've literally been in the playoffs almost exactly half the time. Ten conference championship games. Their longest drought of not making the playoffs since 1968 is four seasons. So they're basically in the playoffs every year. They've never won a Super Bowl. They're the hall of very good franchises.

[PFT Commenter]

Okay.

[Big Cat]

And then our second pick is going to be above ground pools. Okay. All very good. All right. They're very good. Yeah, they're. Dude, above ground pool is very good. They're very fun.

[PFT Commenter]

I've had a fun time.

[Hank]

They're fine.

[Big Cat]

Okay. I. I think they're very good. They might be better than no pool.

[PFT Commenter]

I think they're in the hall of Mid.

[Big Cat]

Okay.

[Zach]

So much better than no pool.

[Big Cat]

So much better than no pool. No pool. Above ground pool pools. I. I went. I had a above ground pool at an Airbnb I stayed at like three weeks ago. It was so much fun. We were quaking the pool. You don't like it?

[Hank]

I just don't think it's very. I think very good as a stretch.

[Big Cat]

You had a bad time in an above ground pool?

[Hank]

I've had a fine time.

[Big Cat]

I've had a very good time in above ground pool.

[Hank]

But, like, you don't have a. You don't. When you get houses, you're not looking for an above ground pool.

[Big Cat]

No, I know the hall of fam. House of hall of Fame would be a pool.

[PFT Commenter]

I think a Hall of fame would be a pool with a deep end.

[Big Cat]

A pool. And in ground pool is a Hall of Fame pool. Okay. You guys can disagree. Yeah.

[Hank]

I mean, you. It doesn't matter.

[Big Cat]

Okay.

[PFT Commenter]

Max memes.

[Max]

Yeah, it's fine.

[Big Cat]

Okay. No, no, it's your pick. Oh.

[Mike Florio]

Oh, yeah.

[Max]

Memes. I'm mute.

[Memes]

Which one you want to do it? All right. Eli Manning.

[Big Cat]

Wow.

[PFT Commenter]

All right.

[Big Cat]

Wow.

[Memes]

No Pro Bowl.

[Big Cat]

He's gonna be a Hall of Famer.

[Memes]

No, he's. He's been to the Pro bowl four times.

[Big Cat]

Yeah.

[Memes]

If you never. Never been an all pro. Never led the league in passing. Led the league in interceptions. A bunch. He was just very good. He was as good as he got.

[Big Cat]

Okay. Okay.

[PFT Commenter]

But he was great when he won two Super Bowls.

[Memes]

Yeah, that. That's very good.

[Big Cat]

Okay.

[Max]

I've been told a lot over the past three months that winning a Super bowl isn't a quarterback stat.

[Big Cat]

Who told you that on this show.

[PFT Commenter]

Starting or just over.

[Max]

Not three months. I don't know how many months it's been since February. But.

[Hank]

But close.

[Big Cat]

Okay, you guys are up.

[PFT Commenter]

Hank, you have two.

[Big Cat]

Wait, who has the ball?

[PFT Commenter]

Hank does.

[Hank]

We are going to go. Hall of Fame guy. Rest in peace. Legend one. One time Allstar, two times World Series champion. Tim Wakefield.

[Big Cat]

Oh.

[Hank]

200 wins.

[Max]

Thought you're gonna go different direction there.

[Big Cat]

When you said.

[Hank]

But you said good pick before.

[Big Cat]

Yeah. You already gave the good pick. Yeah.

[PFT Commenter]

This is a good pick.

[Max]

It is a good pick.

[PFT Commenter]

Thank you.

[Hank]

1992 to 2011, 200 wins.

[Big Cat]

Yeah, it's very good.

[Hank]

Consistent.

[Big Cat]

That's very good.

[Hank]

One time allstar though, but very good.

[PFT Commenter]

And he had a thing. Knuckle ball.

[Big Cat]

Yeah. Yeah.

[Hank]

And then for our next pick, we are going to go with.

[Big Cat]

What do you think?

[PFT Commenter]

You got the ball?

[Hank]

Ricky Fowler.

[Big Cat]

Oh, okay.

[PFT Commenter]

Good pick, Hank.

[Big Cat]

Golf. Nice.

[PFT Commenter]

Good pick, Hank. I agree. Good picking.

[Big Cat]

I don't know Ricky Fowler's stats enough to.

[Max]

I don't know any stats. I don't know any stats on anything. Memes, I guess.

[Big Cat]

And I'd also say that Zach and I took a very different approach to this trash. Well, yeah.

[Hank]

You guys aren't competing.

[Big Cat]

No. I think we would have done it this way anyway.

[PFT Commenter]

We had some that were along the same line.

[Big Cat]

Yeah.

[PFT Commenter]

I mean memes stats are just like. He never led the league in passing.

[Memes]

He never led. The only thing he led the league in was interceptions.

[Big Cat]

I mean, Eli Manning was a very good quarterback, but I don't. He was never. Was he ever a top three quarterback in the league?

[PFT Commenter]

No.

[Big Cat]

No.

[Memes]

Yeah, he was just the best big time game quarterback for those two games.

[Big Cat]

Okay. You guys have your pick.

[Hank]

He's taught. He's coming. Second Masters, third PGA Championship. Second US Open, second Open Championship. Prolific amateur. Very good Ryder Cup.

[PFT Commenter]

Just not hall of Fame guy.

[Hank]

Hall of Fame guy.

[Memes]

We're gonna go with Mike vick.

[Hank]

It's all QBs.

[Big Cat]

Yeah.

[PFT Commenter]

All the very good boys.

[Big Cat]

A lot of QBs. A lot of QBs. Okay. Do you want to make a state a case for him?

[Memes]

Just a good quarterback.

[Big Cat]

Okay. Okay. Very good.

[Memes]

Very good.

[Big Cat]

Yeah. All right, Zach. I think we go four, five.

[Zach]

I like four or five.

[Big Cat]

Okay. All right. Our next pick is going to be Canada as a country, which is very good. Not hall of Fame country.

[PFT Commenter]

Thought about that.

[Big Cat]

They're just very good.

[PFT Commenter]

Seems pretty good.

[Big Cat]

Yeah. Really good. Ally, Tim Hortons. There's not going to be on the list of, like, countries that, like, really, really put their mark on things.

[PFT Commenter]

All of very nice.

[Big Cat]

Yeah, they're just. They're very good. Like, that's a strong country. That's a top 20 country. Is it a top.

[PFT Commenter]

I think. I think they're top 10.

[Big Cat]

You think they're top 10, but are they. Are they. Have they ever been in history a top three country?

[PFT Commenter]

No.

[Big Cat]

No. And that's okay.

[PFT Commenter]

They're like the Scottie Pippen of countries.

[Big Cat]

They're a really good country. Yeah. Yeah. Very good country.

[Max]

I think it's bullshit that whenever you look at best countries, it always says Switzerland, number one.

[Big Cat]

I know it is.

[Max]

There's something. It's. People just say Switzerland.

[Big Cat]

Yeah.

[Max]

What is it about Switzerland?

[PFT Commenter]

Oh, we don't want to take a side.

[Big Cat]

Yeah.

[Hank]

The banks.

[Max]

Oh, this is Canada. Number four, the Alps.

[Big Cat]

Yeah.

[PFT Commenter]

I think Canada's a strong top 10 country country. I don't think they've ever been top cheese.

[Big Cat]

Yeah, but they're not hall of fame countries.

[Max]

Swiss cheese sucks.

[Big Cat]

And they're also. I mean, they, you know, a lot of their chocolate army knives.

[Max]

Like, you don't mean that.

[Big Cat]

Really stand on Swiss cheese. Great.

[Zach]

Melt cheese for sandwiches.

[Big Cat]

Yeah. All right, Zach, give us our last pick.

[Zach]

Do you want to rip four or eight?

[Big Cat]

We'll rip four. No, I mean, eight's the funny one. Do you want us to do the funny one or you want us to do the.

[Zach]

Where do you think is a better. A better pick? Four is good.

[Big Cat]

You guys decide. Four or eight, which one would you rather pick? All right, we're going with eight. Yeah.

[Zach]

We would like to take our fourth pick. We want to take titty.

[Big Cat]

Yeah, it's very good. Yeah.

[Mike Florio]

Yeah, it is very good.

[PFT Commenter]

That's a good pick.

[Big Cat]

It's not. It's not hall of fame. Hall of fame is sex.

[Max]

I would say it's less than very good.

[Big Cat]

No, you're wrong. No, no. There's.

[PFT Commenter]

There's.

[Max]

Personally. That's. That's my.

[Big Cat]

Yeah, it is. It's very good. But it's. You would rather be having sex? Yeah.

[PFT Commenter]

It's never been tough.

[Max]

That's how I think this is.

[Mike Florio]

That.

[Max]

This is kind of.

[Big Cat]

No, you said it was bad. Said. You said it sucked.

[Max]

No, I think I said.

[PFT Commenter]

No, it was things that are fun to try once.

[Max]

Things that are fun to try once.

[Mike Florio]

Which is the perfect way to describe.

[Big Cat]

No, that's wrong.

[Max]

It's the perfect way to describe more.

[Big Cat]

It's fun to do more.

[Max]

It's something that you get so excited when you're. When you're like. Like a teen. You're like, oh, I can't wait to put my dick in some titties. Then you do it and it's like, this doesn't feel as good as it should.

[PFT Commenter]

It sounds bad.

[Big Cat]

Sounded really bad.

[PFT Commenter]

You may actually made it seem worse. Yeah.

[Big Cat]

Yeah.

[PFT Commenter]

I don't think I ever wanted titty again after hearing Max describe it. Just to be thinking about. I'm gonna. Every time the thwack. It's just gonna be Max's hand sitting together. You put your dick in there once.

[Big Cat]

I think titty's very good. Not hall of fame. I agree.

[PFT Commenter]

It's top three.

[Max]

Back to mute. Back to mute. Back to mute.

[Big Cat]

You guys like that pick take?

[PFT Commenter]

It's a good pick.

[Big Cat]

Yeah. Okay. You got nothing for me. It's like I said, Ricky Fowler.

[Hank]

Ricky Fowler isn't.

[Big Cat]

Yeah. I don't know Ricky Fowler.

[Hank]

There's more measles.

[Big Cat]

I think if you.

[Hank]

Which it's fine. You deserve it. You guys have been mathematically non eliminated. So I think you can have fun with it.

[PFT Commenter]

I think titty is way better than above ground pools.

[Big Cat]

Okay. Yeah.

[Hank]

Way better.

[Max]

Disagree. You can basically do the same thing. It's just the optics don't look as.

[PFT Commenter]

Good with titty fucking in an above ground pool. That's actually a great time.

[Memes]

No, it's probably better.

[Big Cat]

Yeah. That. I mean, we do have like. We have the Vik. The Vikings. Above ground pools. Titty Vikings. If you're titty fucking in an above ground pool in Canada, you're having a very good time. Yeah. You're not having the best. You would rather be having sex in a hot tub in America. That would be hall of fame.

[Max]

Oh, yeah.

[Big Cat]

So we just described. Yeah, watch the Viking. You just described a very good time. That's not. You could. You know, there's something more.

[PFT Commenter]

I'd rather be doing all that in America while watching the Bills.

[Big Cat]

Yeah. So, yeah, we. I feel like. I feel strong about our very good. I feel good about our very all fun things. All very good.

[Max]

Feel very good about your very good.

[Big Cat]

Yeah. Who's up? We are up.

[Memes]

We're gonna stick on the quarterback, Julian Edaman.

[PFT Commenter]

Okay.

[Big Cat]

Okay.

[Hank]

See also a future hall of famer.

[Big Cat]

No. Yeah. No.

[Hank]

You got my vote, Jules.

[PFT Commenter]

Good guy.

[Big Cat]

Hank. Very good. Very, very good.

[Max]

Very good. Very good. Wide receiver.

[Big Cat]

Yeah.

[Hank]

Super one.

[Big Cat]

Very, very good.

[Memes]

If they voted playoffs only, he'd definitely get in.

[PFT Commenter]

Also. Punt returner.

[Memes]

Punt returner.

[Big Cat]

Podcaster. Podcast friend.

[Max]

Podcaster is probably hall of Famer, defensive back, podcast guest. Definitely hall of Fame.

[Big Cat]

Definitely hall of Fame.

[Max]

Friend, Friend for Famer, actor, model, hall of Famer.

[PFT Commenter]

Thirst trapper, hall of Famer, steroid user.

[Big Cat]

No, no, not in. Yep.

[Max]

Not steroid.

[PFT Commenter]

Definitely not the Steroid hall of Fame.

[Big Cat]

Nope.

[Max]

Nope.

[Big Cat]

All right.

[PFT Commenter]

It's actually a great hall of Fame. The All Steroids hall of Fame.

[Max]

That would be.

[PFT Commenter]

Julian would do that.

[Hank]

I think we did.

[Big Cat]

We might have done that.

[PFT Commenter]

I think we might have.

[Big Cat]

Okay.

[Max]

Steroid hall of Fame would rip.

[Big Cat]

Maybe we'll do that.

[Hank]

Last pick, we're going to go with Hines Ward.

[Big Cat]

Oh, okay. So Tony Romo didn't get picked. I'm shocked.

[PFT Commenter]

That's.

[Max]

We had it on the list.

[PFT Commenter]

Good point.

[Max]

We had it on the list.

[Big Cat]

Yeah, yeah. Because that was our player we were thinking about taking was Tony Romo.

[Max]

Yeah, but, but, but Tony Romo is.

[Big Cat]

He is like, But Tony Romo. Yeah, but he's like.

[Max]

Yeah, I, I, I don't point man. I don't want Tony Romo on my, on my list.

[PFT Commenter]

No.

[Big Cat]

Okay, here, here was the rest of our list. You guys tell us if any of these. So I wanted to make the case. I think chicken is in the hall of. Very good.

[PFT Commenter]

Disagree. I think it's hall of Fame. Chicken wings.

[Big Cat]

Yeah.

[PFT Commenter]

Fried chicken. The numbers.

[Hank]

The numbers. It's tough to argue the numbers for chicken.

[Big Cat]

I understand, but like, you, like when you go, like, we're gonna have a really nice dinner, it's gonna be a steak dinner.

[Hank]

Numbers are numbers in the hall again, the hall of Fame.

[Big Cat]

Very good. Is very good. That means it's very, very Chicken wings.

[PFT Commenter]

Alone should put that.

[Big Cat]

Okay.

[Max]

Also, all of your arguments against Julian Edelman, Hines Ward is the, the exact same.

[Big Cat]

Oh, go for it. Go.

[Max]

You just said Super Bowl. Super bowl champion, super bowl mvp. Also Heinzworth. Yeah, I had to, I had to double. I had to fact check my thoughts before I, before I let him.

[Big Cat]

4 yards. Look it up. Look up their stats. What?

[PFT Commenter]

Well, also, Heinz Ward not in the hall of Fame. Julian Edelman might still get in the hall of Fame. We don't know.

[Big Cat]

But look at their, look at their stats. Let's figure this out.

[Hank]

Let's, let's move on.

[Big Cat]

All right, we had Toyota, Toyota Camry. That's just a very good car.

[PFT Commenter]

It is a very good car.

[Big Cat]

It's very dependable, very good car. But it's not a hall of fame. 5, 11 as a height, I would.

[PFT Commenter]

Say probably hall of Fame numbers.

[Big Cat]

It's all very good.

[PFT Commenter]

Because if you're five' eleven. You can say you're six feet, but.

[Big Cat]

You know you're not. Yeah. We had bacon on pizza. Very.

[Max]

I like that call because it's not.

[Big Cat]

You kind of want it to be pepperoni or sausage, but it's still good. It's still very good.

[Max]

You're not upset about that as a topping, but it's. But like.

[Big Cat]

Like it.

[Max]

It also feels. For some reason, it feels much fatter if you're. If you're going up and ordering a bacon pizza rather than a pepperoni. Even though it's probably not any different.

[PFT Commenter]

I think that the bacon messes up the consistency of the pizza. Yeah, it, like, makes it too crunchy.

[Max]

But like a chicken bacon ranch is like a great.

[Big Cat]

Like, that's excellent. Yeah. Yeah. Six beers.

[PFT Commenter]

Six beers.

[Big Cat]

Very good.

[Max]

Six beers is a good number.

[Big Cat]

Yeah. But it's also like, you're never gonna have a Hall of Fame night with six beers.

[Max]

Great point.

[PFT Commenter]

I also don't think I've ever Dr. Drank six beers.

[Big Cat]

Right. But it's like a good drunk, but it's not. It's not like, hey, we're having the best time.

[PFT Commenter]

I think I've had four or five.

[Big Cat]

Where's the worst number of beers?

[PFT Commenter]

And I have definitely had like, seven or eight beers. But once you hit six, it's like, you gotta. You got a choice to make.

[Big Cat]

Yeah. 20 minute naps. Very good. But you're also like, I. I wish, you know, hall of Fame. Hall of Fame.

[Max]

That's another thing I hate when people are like, oh, 20 minutes is the most optimal number. Number of times two hours. Yeah.

[Big Cat]

The optimal time.

[Max]

That's a real nat.

[Big Cat]

Yeah. Yeah. Granola bars dipped in chocolate.

[PFT Commenter]

Yeah. Depends.

[Big Cat]

It is good. Very good.

[Max]

By the way, for the record, Hines, Word has double the amount of yards as Julian Edelman.

[Hank]

Not double the amount of heart or.

[Big Cat]

Podcast appearances on this. The last one you had. Zach, why don't you make your case 12 and then I'm going to trigger you guys with something. Zach said to me. He's dreading this. Flip flops. No, no.

[Zach]

So flip flops, you know, I wouldn't say the best lounge footwear, but also. Also something you can't go wrong with.

[Hank]

That's crazy.

[Big Cat]

You like them? Yes. I'm not a big flip flop.

[PFT Commenter]

Yeah. I own one pair that I bought under duress because I forgot my other beach shoes at home. So I was like, these will do in a pinch.

[Big Cat]

Yeah.

[PFT Commenter]

Don't really love them.

[Big Cat]

Make your case for the other two. That non. Our other Players were Jay Cutler and Sean Marion, both Hall.

[Max]

Sean Marion is great pick, but NBA is so hard. It's like everyone is a Hall of Famer. Steve Francis, franchise, the franchise.

[Hank]

Mari Stoudemire.

[Max]

Kyle Korver's a good one.

[Big Cat]

Kirk Heinrich, John Wall. John Wall.

[Max]

But John.

[Big Cat]

Yeah. Make your case for the other two.

[PFT Commenter]

He's in the hall of. Could have been great.

[Big Cat]

And then I'm gonna trigger you guys. Then I want to hear your guys. Honorable mentions.

[Zach]

You talking about apple pie?

[Big Cat]

Oh, no, I was saying pulled pork and acai bowls.

[Zach]

Oh, acai bowls. Good, but definitely not great when it comes to like frozen kind of dessert. Healthier options you can get. And then they're also not healthy.

[Big Cat]

Yeah, they're not.

[Zach]

Tons of sugar.

[PFT Commenter]

Yeah.

[Big Cat]

Yeah.

[Zach]

And then pulled pork. I was hesitant on that. I felt at first that pulled pork is just good. But then I started thinking about pulled pork as a sandwich element. And we start melting cheese. You start dipping in au jus.

[Big Cat]

Then I don't know. I'm not as strong on that.

[Zach]

Once I started thinking about the versatility of pulled pork.

[Max]

You're thinking of roast. You're thinking of like a roast pork sandwich.

[Big Cat]

You might be here.

[Max]

Pulled pork is like the barbecue. The barbecue pulled pork.

[Big Cat]

But it kind of works for barbecue because you would say, you don't say.

[Max]

Brisket is the whole thing on a pulled.

[Zach]

You ever done like pulled pork sliders where you do like the cheese and the Hawaiian roll?

[Big Cat]

Delicious.

[Max]

I've done that with like roast pork, like Philly style sandwiches with like broccoli rabe or spinach.

[PFT Commenter]

Carolina style pork dipping in the au.

[Max]

Jus with the, with the, like the melted provolone.

[Big Cat]

That's.

[Max]

That's top tier sandwich.

[PFT Commenter]

I would put Carolina style pulled pork. Let's get back to this in the hall of Fame. It's a great, it's a great, great barbecue meat.

[Big Cat]

Yeah, it is good meat.

[Max]

Last year we did so much food and that's why I was so good at it.

[Big Cat]

Yeah, that is true.

[PFT Commenter]

Your food merchant.

[Big Cat]

Do you guys want to get triggered by something Zach said to me?

[PFT Commenter]

Yeah.

[Big Cat]

Yeah. Okay. So we were talking players because we were like, let's throw out a couple players just for honorable mentions. We're going to, we're going to take this draft a different way. But we just wanted to brainstorm some players. He had one good running back pick and one that, that made me want to punch him in this, his face. The good pick was Tiki Barber. That's a whole very good guy. Do you guys want to guess who I wanted to punch. I want. He said this name, and I wanted to punch him in the face.

[Hank]

Derek Sanders.

[Big Cat]

No, O.J.

[PFT Commenter]

Smith.

[Big Cat]

Ladanian Tomlinson was his home. Very good. And I got furious at him.

[PFT Commenter]

Where's Shane?

[Memes]

Is he in the hall of Fame?

[Big Cat]

Yes. He's not only in the hall of Fame, but if you watch the Danian Tomlinson, he was so electric for that stretch.

[Zach]

You make a run as a child, and then you. You almost think about yourself being ltd.

[Memes]

He was good on the Jets, Hank.

[Big Cat]

He was. He was so, so fast, so good. I actually think that we're. Was he good on the Jets?

[Max]

I don't know. The way you said that, though, you put some stank on that hang. He was good on the Jets.

[Memes]

We didn't always say, suck a couple good years.

[Big Cat]

Ladan Thomas is one of those guys. I actually think that we need to, like, put a date on the calendar to remember how good he was because he was so good.

[PFT Commenter]

Watch the highlight reels of lt. Insane, dude.

[Big Cat]

He had a. He had a year where I just won my entire fantasy season just because I had him.

[PFT Commenter]

Because if that was it, if he wasn't scoring the touchdown on his feet, he was throwing passes.

[Big Cat]

Yeah, he was catching and throwing him. What is the. Give me the year. I think it was like, oh, six.

[Hank]

I want to say 1800 yards, 28 touchdowns.

[Max]

That's insane.

[Big Cat]

Yeah, that's the year. 1800 yards, 28 touchdowns. And the years before he had 17, 18.

[Max]

I mean, he was 31 total touchdowns that year.

[Big Cat]

31 total.

[Max]

31. I do remember.

[Big Cat]

Like, fucking insane.

[Max]

Like fantasy football. If you had Ladanian Tomlinson, you just.

[Big Cat]

Yeah, no, that was the year I had him in. And I was like, it might have been one of the first years I played it. I was just like, this is the easiest thing ever, because you just draft LT and then you're good. What did you say?

[Zach]

I'm pretty sure. Ladan Thomas, an NFL street, too. He's so fast and official, they got him in a bulletproof vest.

[Big Cat]

Hold on. 2006, he had 33 touchdowns. He ran for 28. He caught three. He passed for two. That's insane.

[Max]

That's insane. I. That's on me. I looked past the passing.

[Big Cat]

One of the best years, like, ever. So. Yeah, Zach, that made me upset. No, it's okay. It's okay. All right. What do you guys have, honorable mentions?

[PFT Commenter]

We have.

[Big Cat]

I'm shocked Tony Romo didn't get picked.

[PFT Commenter]

We had.

[Max]

It's probably because PFT and I were on the other two teams and.

[Big Cat]

Yeah, but he is the definite.

[PFT Commenter]

I just don't want.

[Max]

I don't think Tony sucks, but he's.

[Big Cat]

The poster boy of Hollow. Very good.

[PFT Commenter]

We had Matt Ryan.

[Big Cat]

Yeah, we had. Although he won an mvp, but.

[PFT Commenter]

Yeah, he did. We had clam chowder.

[Big Cat]

Ooh, it might be a Hall of fame suit. I don't know.

[PFT Commenter]

I got.

[Max]

I got a Manhattan clam chowder trash. No, I think Manhattan.

[Big Cat]

Oh, you like that?

[Max]

I think Manhattan is very good.

[PFT Commenter]

No, I don't. I don't think it's that good. I think the cream base. It's always good.

[Max]

Yeah, well, you were fat, so what? Fat of your soup. Manhattan soup.

[Big Cat]

Are you talking to yourself?

[Max]

Manhattan. Manhattan soup is you inner dialogue that you have.

[Big Cat]

You call.

[Mike Florio]

I don't know.

[Max]

I always feel fat.

[PFT Commenter]

That was great because it. It like, completely befuddled me. I didn't know what to say.

[Big Cat]

You just crossed. There you go.

[Max]

I just put.

[Mike Florio]

I just.

[Big Cat]

Yeah, that was a trick play. You just.

[PFT Commenter]

Max, shut the. Up, you short piece of.

[Max]

This is good.

[Big Cat]

Okay, what else?

[PFT Commenter]

We had Keith Yandel.

[Big Cat]

Oh, yeah. All very good.

[Hank]

1100 games, 600 points.

[Big Cat]

But he's a Hall of Fame guy.

[PFT Commenter]

Hall of Fame guy. We had Connor McDavid.

[Big Cat]

Yeah.

[PFT Commenter]

All very good.

[Big Cat]

Yeah.

[PFT Commenter]

We had Matt Stafford. All a very good.

[Big Cat]

I think he's a Hall of Famer. I've been standing on that for a while.

[PFT Commenter]

Yeah. That's really the only reason we put it on the list.

[Big Cat]

Yeah.

[Hank]

Pirates of the Caribbean movies.

[Big Cat]

I'm not familiar. I'm.

[Max]

I didn't even know. I didn't even. We didn't even think that that was an option to go outside of sports players.

[Big Cat]

That's immediately what I thought of.

[PFT Commenter]

You thought the porn.

[Big Cat]

Yes. Stagnant revenge.

[PFT Commenter]

Oh, gotcha.

[Big Cat]

Yeah. Pirate Simon.

[PFT Commenter]

We had JFK. Was he his career cut short?

[Big Cat]

Yeah.

[Hank]

CTE VH1.

[Big Cat]

VH1. That's a good pick. I like that.

[PFT Commenter]

Kyle Korver.

[Big Cat]

What do you guys think about Kate?

[PFT Commenter]

I thought about doing chocolate cake because.

[Hank]

This thing is tough when it's like. These are subjective. Like, the hall of Fame, it's based on numbers. Like, cake just racks up. I know, but it's hard to like when it comes, like, hall of Fame desserts.

[Big Cat]

Is cake in there?

[Hank]

It's.

[Big Cat]

It's. Yeah.

[PFT Commenter]

I think it has to be because you got wedding cake, you got birthday cake.

[Big Cat]

Yeah.

[PFT Commenter]

It is a workhorse.

[Big Cat]

Yeah.

[Max]

You can also put so many things into, like cookie cake. Cookie cake is delicious. Ice cream cake.

[Mike Florio]

Cake.

[Big Cat]

Yeah. Well, ice cream Cake is ice cream.

[Max]

I know, but it's technically cake.

[Big Cat]

Yeah, but it's ice cream.

[Hank]

Is it cake?

[Big Cat]

Is it cake? Is it cake? Shane, did you hear what just happened?

[PFT Commenter]

Yeah, I heard it. What are your thoughts?

[Big Cat]

What are your thoughts?

[PFT Commenter]

It's crazy.

[Big Cat]

Crazy. Yeah. He's like, I had your back, Shane. I had your back. I got. I got. Zach can attest. I got, like, visibly upset at him.

[Hank]

What's yours? What jersey you think he's gonna wear into the hall of Fame?

[Big Cat]

Well, he already is in the Hall. Oh, yeah.

[PFT Commenter]

Great question.

[Big Cat]

He's legitimately like top five running back of all time.

[Max]

What did you think about Philip Rivers pick?

[Hank]

I mean.

[Big Cat]

Yeah, that's like the. The call. A very good guy.

[Memes]

Got carried by lt. Yeah.

[PFT Commenter]

Summer saying.

[Max]

Yeah, our. We had a couple baseball players. Prince Fielder was. Was a good one. Like, just. He had a stress there where he was just fun. He was just fun to watch.

[Memes]

Madison Bumgarner, Garner. Oh, Tim Lincegum.

[Hank]

Madison Bumgarner was all.

[Big Cat]

Is all his career. Not a Hall of Fame numbers. Like, he was awesome in the playoffs, but he was not. I don't think he had nearly enough wins.

[Max]

No. And it. That's Madison Bum Garner.

[Hank]

Still guys you want to go to battle with?

[Big Cat]

Oh, yeah, definitely. He's up there for sure.

[Max]

He's just like the best guy that you would think of.

[Big Cat]

134 wins is way short, but wins.

[PFT Commenter]

Don'T really matter that much.

[Big Cat]

Well, they do in the hall of Fame for baseball. Hall of Fame. I agree. But they do. You know, they do.

[Max]

Like, he's 36. Like, there are plenty of pitchers that are 36 still pitching.

[Big Cat]

Yeah.

[Max]

And like, you haven't thought about him for. He just had such a great stretch of playoff appearances where he was so dominant, but he just doesn't have the career to be a Hall of Famer.

[Memes]

We had Steve McNair.

[Max]

That's what I thought when you were like, RIP. I thought you were going, Steve McNair.

[Big Cat]

That's a good pick. That's a really good pick. Yeah.

[Memes]

Andrew Luck.

[Big Cat]

Yeah.

[Max]

Oh, we forgot about him.

[Big Cat]

Yeah.

[PFT Commenter]

I think he was great, though.

[Memes]

Career cut short.

[Big Cat]

Yeah. Yeah.

[Max]

He's another one. That is just what could have been. He could have been hall of Famer.

[Big Cat]

He said it himself when he's on the show. He's in the Hall. Very good.

[PFT Commenter]

Who. I mean, Kurt Schilling.

[Hank]

If we're just talking better baseball player than guy should be in the hall of Fame.

[Big Cat]

Yeah. But he did remember he. When we had him on, he said that he was like, he went through a list of people and then he said his name. We're like, ah. He's like, yeah, I'm in the hall. Very good.

[PFT Commenter]

It's a great place to be.

[Big Cat]

Very good place.

[PFT Commenter]

No disrespect. Which is why.

[Big Cat]

Oh, how very good.

[PFT Commenter]

Is why me and master didn't put Tony Romo.

[Big Cat]

Yeah, yeah. That.

[Max]

It's too much respect.

[PFT Commenter]

Because. Yes, Disrespect.

[Max]

Yes.

[Big Cat]

Yeah. All the disrespect.

[Memes]

We have Marshawn Lynch, Brandon Marshall. Oh, Cam Newton is the.

[Big Cat]

To top it off, Jay Cutler, personal pick.

[Max]

Yeah, Yeah, I think that's personal.

[Big Cat]

Yeah. Chad Pennington, personal stud.

[Max]

Chad Pennington actually is like noodle arm.

[Big Cat]

All right.

[PFT Commenter]

I would put Clinton Portis in there, too.

[Memes]

Vinny Testament.

[Big Cat]

Oh, yeah, we're just doing jets now. Yeah, yeah. Okay.

[Max]

Clinton Porter's champion trade. I remember that was like the first blockbuster trade. I remember as a kid.

[Big Cat]

Yeah, yeah.

[Max]

Champ was so, so good. Think about that trade now.

[Big Cat]

Like, it's crazy. That would. That would never.

[Max]

That would never happen. Like, the best running back for the best corner in the league.

[Big Cat]

Like, never happens. Never. What? What meme?

[Memes]

I got winker Bet.

[Big Cat]

Okay, another jet. Here we go.

[PFT Commenter]

Better football player than human.

[Big Cat]

Yeah. All right, good. Mount Rushmore. So we'll see. We have two more after this, and we'll see if we get to a duel what happens. All right, let's get to our interview with Mike Florio. We're going to talk some football with.

[PFT Commenter]

Florio before we get to Mike Florio, who's brought to you by raising canes. Week one is here. It's time to do game day the cane's way. Whether you're tailgating or cheering from the couch, you can fuel your game day cravings with raising canes. Cook to order chicken fingers. I can't wait to get back in the cave eating some raising canes. That to me, that's fulfilling. There's no better way to watch the games this football season than with raising canes. We're talking hand battered, cooked to order. Chicken fingers, crispy crinkle cut fries, buttery Texas toast, and the MVP of every bite, cane sauce. Don't forget those jugs of freshly brewed tea and freshly squeezed lemonade. Keep the squad refreshed. Big plays, big flavor. It's how canes does game day. So rally your team. Make your kickoff weekend a touchdown. Go to raisingcanes.com to game plan your game day meal. Follow along on raising cane social media and all the channels for all the football Fun raising canes, chicken fingers. One love. And now here's Mike Florio.

[Big Cat]

Okay. We now welcome on our very, very, very, very good friend. It is Mike Florio, pro football talk author. And we're getting ready for the NFL season. We are. We have the clock right in front of us. We're 10 days away as we're recording this. Please everyone go buy his new book. It's called Big Shield. You can buy it on Amazon right now. It's out. It's incredible. There's no such thing as easy money. Carson Jeffrey thought otherwise. It allowed him to supplement his pay as a third string pro quarterback with cash from the mob for providing inside information before and during game. This actually, this book actually does sound right up my alley. You said that and I was like, yeah, whatever, dude. Whatever. You, you wrote this book for us.

[Mike Florio]

If you ever read a book, this will be the one you read.

[Big Cat]

That's. This sounds awesome.

[Mike Florio]

Yeah, it is. And you know what? It's doing really well, to my amazement. And it's only 99 cents for the ebook, so you can't, I mean, really find something that's cheaper than 99 cents. I, I'm, I'm a idiot for selling it for 99 cents and for various other reasons. But, but you can steal it from me for 99 cents and it really is good despite the fact that I wrote it. You will enjoy it.

[Big Cat]

He's, he's giving it away for free. Please, awls. Help him out. We love Mike.

[PFT Commenter]

I did really enjoy the other book that he wrote, Quarterback of the Future. That I still own that book, Mike, and it, it's a page turner. Have you ever gone back and read it?

[Mike Florio]

Can I tell you something? That there is, and I don't, I don't want to speak out of school here, but. But there is some Hollywood interest in the concept of Quarterback of the Future. And I have actually, I have actually written a script that is completely different from the book because I went back and looked at the book and it was even worse than going back and looking at an old yearbook. And I just like, you know what? I remember enough of the story. I'll rewrite the whole thing. So I wrote the script and we made a pitch and you never know. You never know.

[PFT Commenter]

No, if it gets made into a movie, can me and Big Ed have a cameo on that because we got squeezed out of Happy Gilmore.

[Big Cat]

Please, please.

[Mike Florio]

Oh, you guys are supposed to be in Happy Gilmore too.

[PFT Commenter]

No, it felt like every other podcast was in it, so. But no, I think that more had to do with Rob Schneider aspect. You're not friends with Rob Schneider, are you?

[Mike Florio]

No.

[PFT Commenter]

Okay, good.

[Big Cat]

We're good. We're good. Put us in the movie Schneider.

[Mike Florio]

Wait, what'd you guys do to Rob Schneider?

[Big Cat]

We might have said that every time he releases a movie, an oil spill happens and he didn't understand the joke. Our friend Nick Turani wrote the blog. He didn't understand the joke that there's an oil spill basically every day in, like, the world, and you could find it. So he just wrote a blog being like, did you know every time Rob Schneider has a new movie, there's an oil spill? Didn't find it funny. Didn't find it funny.

[Mike Florio]

Wow.

[Big Cat]

Yeah. Yeah.

[Mike Florio]

I find it unfunny. Not because I'm offended. I just don't think it's very funny.

[Big Cat]

Well, you should read the blog.

[PFT Commenter]

Yeah, you should do it.

[Big Cat]

He's a guy from Wheeling who wrote the blog.

[Mike Florio]

Then it's automatically funny. Anything anyone from Wheeling does is automatically awesome.

[Big Cat]

That's facts. All right, Mike, let's talk some football. Let's start. Let's. Let's ease into it. Let's start with an easy question. Are the Cleveland Browns racist?

[Mike Florio]

Oh, that's good. Yeah, that's. That's a softball to get things started.

[Big Cat]

People are mad about Shador, which I don't really understand. He was.

[PFT Commenter]

Well, they told their offensive line, don't block as hard if there's a black quarterback in, don't block as hard for him as when Dylan Gabriel's in.

[Big Cat]

Yeah, this whole thing is crazy to me. He was a fifth round draft pick. Like, like he. He dropped. He's. It's not like a. He's not. He was supposed to start. Now he's not starting. It's just a organizational chart of where you are in the, you know, in the depth chart.

[Mike Florio]

Here's what happened back in the pre draft run up and the combine and the interviews and all of that stuff. And I tried to stay away from that because different people will try to manipulate the news to get certain agendas out there. I wait until the dust settles on where guys get drafted and then I try to figure out what happens. And I was told by a very reliable source, not to be confused with my usual non reliable sources, that the attitude from Shador Sanders that was detected by the teams was that he was being recruited, not interviewed. And I think that may rub people the wrong way because the teams have this mindset of, you are coming to us and trying to get us to draft you as High as possible. It shouldn't be. We're trying to win you over. And that coupled with the fact that he's not Deon, that's the problem. Problem. You can't show up for the pre draft process with the attitude of hey, take me or don't take me, I don't care. Unless you are a transcendent talent like his father is. And he didn't have an agent, he didn't have anyone advising him on how to properly handle it. So he fell to pick number 144 and the Browns gave him limited reps in training camp. He had that one preseason game where he looked really good. They're probably going to carry four guys into the, into the regular season or at least, least beyond Tuesday when they have to cut the rosters down because they viewed it as a commodity. Hey, we can get this guy at 144 that is much better than pick number 144. So we add him to our quarterback room. We have an asset at the quarterback position and we can do something with these assets. At some point I think they're going to try to trade maybe Kenny Pickett before Tuesday and if they can't, they'll carry four guys until maybe they can trade one of these guys. I wouldn't rule out trading Shador Sanders. I don't know what they're going to do at this point. But they view their four quarterbacks backs as assets that can be flipped. It's buy low, sell high. They bought Shooter Sanders low and now at some point they may try to sell him high. I don't see him playing anytime soon, but maybe they can flip him into something more than the fifth round pick they use to get it.

[PFT Commenter]

Yeah. So what do you think the market would be for Shador Sanders right now? Do you think it'd be higher than a fifth?

[Mike Florio]

Well, I think if there's a team out there that was thinking about taking him round three and they saw him play in the preseason and they saw enough from him and look, look, he doesn't have high end physical ability, but he's got great instincts. He knows how to step away from pressure. He knows when to throw the ball, he knows where to place the ball, he's got something you can work with. So if there's a team out there that, that thinks, you know, we really were close to using a third round pick, we could use a guy we want to develop and we're willing to part ways with a 4th round pick or a 3rd round pick next year to try to get him. I couldn't rule it out. If the Browns are looking for a way to trim their quarterback room from four down to three, and, you know, technically they have five, because one of these days, DeSean Watson is going to show up with a clean bill of health and say, play me. Yeah, to come back and play. And that just creates an even bigger mess for the Browns because they'll either have to put him on the roster at that point or they'll have to cut him.

[PFT Commenter]

Yeah, I mean, it doesn't sound like it's got a clean ending at all. So I have another question about the team that's right behind you. You are a Vikings homer. You're a Vikings fan at the quarterback position. What are the Vikings do? Are they trying to send a message right now that J.J. he's our guy? Like, we're. We're just going to roll into the season. We don't want a quarterback that might be behind him that maybe somebody would ever claim, like, hey, let's start this guy instead of JJ if he has a bad couple weeks.

[Mike Florio]

I don't think that's a problem. I think the problem recently was they don't have a guy behind him that they trust to be the number two quarterback. So they scrapped Sam Howe, Howell, they cut Brett Rippon, they sign Carson Wentz, and it's going to be JJ McCarthy, Carson Wentz, and Max Brosmer. Now, they may cut Brosmer and hope he passes through waivers and put him on the practice squad, but if they're afraid somebody will claim him on waivers and they really like him, then they'll carry him on the roster. But this was just a vote of no confidence for Sam Howell. Too many turnovers, and he had, you know, months to learn the offense and months to impress Kevin o', Connell, and he clearly didn't. I think in hindsight, they'd admit they should have just signed Carson Wentz back in April and let him learn the offense and be there for the offseason program, be there for training camp, be there for the preseason. Now he's going to have to take a crash course, and, hell, I won't be surprised if they make other moves because we've seen what they can do when they have to put other quarterbacks out there. But I think this is all an indication that McCarthy is the guy and he looked great in one preseason game. He's got to stay healthy. But that's the question mark. If he's not healthy, you got to have somebody ready to go. They weren't happy with Their options behind them.

[PFT Commenter]

So have there been any cuts across the league that have surprised you that Mike Florio did not see coming so far?

[Mike Florio]

No, not yet. Tuesday's the day that we'll see some surprises. And before Tuesday, what we'll see, and we've seen it for the last week, guys getting traded for low round picks next year. Those are guys that were going to get cut.

[Big Cat]

Yep.

[Mike Florio]

You're seeing a trade happen now for a seventh round pick or the. The flip of a six and a seven. I'll trade you this guy with. With a seven and you give me a six back. That's a guy that was getting cut. And the teams that are low in the waiver priority, like the Eagles, who are at the very bottom, they're not going to get those guys if they're eligible for waiver claims. If you're four years or less, you go through waivers. Otherwise you're a free agent. But this is a way to go out and get that guy. Give up a low round pick and get a guy who's going to be cut anyway. And you've got some teams that have a surplus at certain positions and other teams that have needs. So I expect we'll see more trades between now and Tuesday and then it'll be all hell breaking loose when the rosters go like that. There used to be two steps. Now it goes 90 to 53. There's gonna be a lot of names that hit the market in the next two days.

[PFT Commenter]

Is there a name that we should be on the lookout for?

[Mike Florio]

Well, that's a good question. Which means I'm trying to buy time. It doesn't. I've learned that's what people say when they don't have any.

[Big Cat]

Good question.

[PFT Commenter]

Great question. Is what you say to buy time.

[Big Cat]

Hey, don't. Hey. Hey. Are you coming at PFT right now? That was a good question. It's.

[Mike Florio]

I mean, it's family. There's no.

[Big Cat]

Are you stepping to us?

[PFT Commenter]

You know how this is done, Mike. I get you to say a famous player's name and then we make clicks because we put out a clip of the interview and it's like, oh, Mike Florio predicts this guy's gonna get cut.

[Big Cat]

No, no offense, Mike. We. We'll you up, bro.

[Mike Florio]

Yeah. Listen, listen. I thought we were at a point where we could have fun like this.

[Big Cat]

No, that was a good question.

[Mike Florio]

Okay. I know, but I was. Thank you.

[PFT Commenter]

Thank you.

[Mike Florio]

Family. Does we play a little bit?

[Big Cat]

I don't think I. We don't play like that. That. Not with good questions.

[PFT Commenter]

A clown to you.

[Mike Florio]

Yeah. Do I muse you?

[Big Cat]

Okay, so as for PFT's good.

[PFT Commenter]

Please address my question.

[Mike Florio]

I'm not giving you the social media, you know, blurb where I guarantee that Aaron Rodgers is going to get cut on Tuesday. I'm not going to do that.

[PFT Commenter]

You would love.

[Big Cat]

We could just. We just. You just did.

[PFT Commenter]

Yeah. You would.

[Big Cat]

Aaron Rodgers, you said I. Aaron Rodgers is going to get cut on Tuesday. Mike Florio clip right there.

[PFT Commenter]

Mike Florio's take. That's too hot for part of my take. He doesn't even want to say it.

[Mike Florio]

You know, I wonder what the Giants are going to do though, at quarterback now. I wouldn't be surprised if either Jameis Winston or Russell Wilson get traded. How do you take both of those guys and your first round pick who looks like he's ready to go? How do you take all three of those guys into the regular season? That's a sitcom waiting to happen. Russell Wilson, Jameis Winston and Jackson Dart. I won't be surprised. Not that they're going to get cut, but I won't be stunned if one of those two guys gets traded between now and Tuesday. There's something for you you can put on social media.

[PFT Commenter]

I like to.

[Big Cat]

That.

[PFT Commenter]

I like that. No one else. No other big names?

[Mike Florio]

Yeah. No, no, no.

[Big Cat]

Okay, Mike, question for you. Michael Parsons, he's going to sign right before Thursday Night Football, correct?

[Mike Florio]

I don't know. I really don't. And it's possible that the ship has sailed, that he means what he said. It's been 23 days ago now that he posted that lengthy message on social media saying that he wants to be traded. He's done nothing, nothing to rescind that. Jerry Jones has gone from saying something to saying nothing to really stepping in, I believe the other night with Michael Irvin. And it's possible, it's possible if they make him the offer that he otherwise would have taken between now and the first game of the season, it's possible he'll say, what part of I want to be traded didn't you understand? And he'll just get through this season. He'll play maybe as little as he can, citing the back injury that's kept him out of training camp in the preseason season. He'll put in his time and he'll wait to be traded. And from the Cowboys perspective, you know, if you trade him for a couple of first round picks, well, you're not getting them now. So I think the Cowboys want to try to kick the can on all of this through the season and then figure it all out in March. And they'd love to get him to play for 24 million this year. 17 million below the market. They're daring him to not play. They're daring him to say, my back is keeping me from playing. I'm going to deny myself the thing I love. Just to send a message to the Cowboys. But remember this. I mean, he's represented by David Mulaguetta. And when Jalen Ramsey decided several years ago he wanted out of Jacksonville, he just stopped playing. He just stopped playing and they eventually traded him. So it all depends on how badly Michael wants out of Dallas. I wouldn't assume that they're going to get a deal done by next Thursday. I don't think the Cowboys want to do it. I think the Cowboys, every once in a while, you'll hear Jerry Jones say he's under contract. He's under contract. I think the Cowboys want to ride out this last year of his rookie contract.

[PFT Commenter]

Now, there have been, there have been teams that have obviously called the Cowboys to inquire about a trade. Right. Has Dallas, have they taken those calls?

[Mike Florio]

Well, there's been no chatter whatsoever about any trade talks. So my guess is. And the Cowboys, I think, don't want to turn this into a thing by acknowledging it. So they're not going to tell the world that this team called. That team called. That team called. But, you know, if I'm the Bills or the Ravens and I'm serious about catching the Chiefs, Chiefs, why wouldn't I make that call? If I give up two first round picks, they're going to be late. First round picks. Why wouldn't I make that call and see what it takes to get Michael Parsons? I just don't think the Cowboys are entertaining it. Jerry Jones brushed it off as a negotiating ploy the day after Micah asked to be traded. They want to keep him. They just want to keep him on their terms. They want to keep him for 24 million this year. They want to have the right to franchise tag him next year at far less than market value, and then maybe they'll do it another time. Jerry basically said that the other night to Michael Irvin.

[PFT Commenter]

All right, so staying in the division, my, my commanders, I reported that Terry was probably going to sign a contract last Wednesday. And then I, I changed my report to last Friday. My report now is that he did in fact sign on Friday. It's a secret contract and we don't know about it yet, but they're going to release the details of the secret contract soon. What are you hearing out of Terry's camp and from the Commanders?

[Mike Florio]

Well, you know, the market has gone up north of 40 million with Jamar Chase and Terry McLaurin is due to make about 16 million this year. Now you'll hear people say from time to time, no, he's making 25 million. Well, his cap number is 25 million. When you look at the actual cash he's going to receive this year, I know he's got bonus allocations that apply this year and drive the cap number up. But from his perspective, he's making 16 million and the market's at 41 or just over 40. What am I going to get? Where do I fit in? And I've heard numbers north of 30, I've heard numbers north of 35. The commanders, what you know, what are you going to pay a receiver who is going to be 30 in September? And I think this is the key. How many years do you want to commit? We always hear five year deal worth X million a year. What we don't hear right out of the gates because it's usually not as favorable as the, the biggest number that they can put out there, which is the total value of the deal. How much of it is guaranteed at signing. How many years have the Commanders committed to? Because we know how these contracts are. They're not two way. The players stuck. The team can tear it up anytime they want. The only thing that keeps the team from doing it is guarantees that go beyond the first year. Is it two years that he wants? Is it three years that he wants? Where's the middle ground on what kind of commitment they're going to make to a guy who's going to turn 30? Because you have to brace for the decline. And that's what I think the root of this is. It's not what he's already done, it's what he's going to do going forward. And at what point is Father Time going to start to erode his skill? That's why they don't have a deal.

[PFT Commenter]

Do you think that they're going to get a deal done soon though? Do you think that this is going to be. Because like I heard the report too that he was asking for DK Metcalf money. I don't think that the team is going to, I don't think any team in the NFL right now would give him the DK Metcalf contract or that's to say nothing about like the Jamar Chase deal or anything like that. Do you think that it gets done this week.

[Mike Florio]

Well, I think something's got to happen this week. Here's why. Every hold in has to end at some point. Point if you hold out, that puts maximum pressure on the team to get it done. If you're there, if you're at work at some point, it's time to go to work. Now he's citing an injury. And one of these days a team is going to challenge a player as to whether or not he's actually got that injury. But that's the safest way to avoid the, the potential blow up between player and team where the team just says, like the Steelers very well may have said to Cam Hayward last week, look, we're not. It's time to get ready for week one. And that's the issue with Terry McClure and with Michael Parsons. You got to get back in time to get ready for the first game. You can't just sign on Saturday and play on Sunday or you're potentially going to get injured. So they need to make something happen this week or he's not going to be ready to go week one. And, you know, the other question is what. What does the team really think about the injury that had him on the physically unable to perform list and has him still not practicing? And, and look at how the commanders have handled their business here. They haven't said anything.

[Big Cat]

Yeah, little word.

[Mike Florio]

Contrast that with Jerry Jones, who can't shut up about it. So I, I'd like to think at some point between now and say, next Sunday, the commanders make an offer and he realizes I can't say no to this. It's going to be more than what he was due to make. And if he, if he says no to it, then it goes away. So I, I'd like to think they'll get something done, but it all depends on how committed he Is to get 35 or north of 35 million per year in a new money average.

[Big Cat]

See, PFT was, I mean, joking a little bit about the secret contract. I actually think Jerry Jones might do the secret contract because wouldn't you say Jerry Jones loves the splash. Is there a chance that Micah Parsons might be in the closed parts of practices and in, you know, whenever, Whenever, when the media is not around, he is showing that he's up to speed and that this contract's going to happen on the first day of the NFL season so that he can get his big splash?

[Mike Florio]

I'm not sure very much, if anything right now. One thing I'm sure of is there's no way that the Cowboys and Micah Parsons are secretly in cahoots on anything.

[Big Cat]

Okay.

[Mike Florio]

Just. They are, and I'll tell you why. A couple of weeks ago, they had the Hollywood premiere of the new Netflix series about the Cowboys. And. And I had heard that the Cowboys were planning to make him some massive new offer in the hopes of getting the deal done as part the PR push. This is. This is Cowboys playbook.

[Big Cat]

Right? They don't operate right like a real team. Yeah, right.

[Mike Florio]

And I ran that by some folks in the know, and that's where I got this impression. You know, the ship may have sailed, it may be over, it may be done. Now, I think it's very different when they put the money in front of Michael Parsons. If they ever offer him 45 million per year and a new money average, he might decide that goes a long way toward smoothing things over and moving forward. But. But right now his mindset is. I mean, look at his demeanor the other night. Every guy on the sideline who wasn't playing had on his jersey. Parsons didn't. And there was that. That period of time, and it wasn't very long, but it was long enough for a thousand pictures of it to be taken of him laying on the table looking like he doesn't want to be there. You know, whatever Jerry's doing to try to break this log jam, it's getting worse, not better. And I think those comments from Thursday, I don't think they've gotten enough attention. I think that they did far more harm than good. And it's going to make it even harder to repair the relationship with Michael Parsons.

[Big Cat]

Okay. All right, so let's do off of current events. Let's do a little NFL preview here. Give me the five players. I assume most will be quarterbacks, but it could be someone else. Five players with the most pressure on them this season.

[Mike Florio]

You know, I. I felt like you were setting me up for a fantasy.

[Big Cat]

No, I wasn't. I wasn't.

[Mike Florio]

Listen, I'm always on guard this time of year.

[PFT Commenter]

We haven't done that in years, Mike.

[Big Cat]

And also, Mike, I don't know.

[Mike Florio]

I know. I know about it every year.

[Big Cat]

I don't know if you listen. We did a 10 hour fantasy preview on Friday. Friday. We're still jet lagged from that. Okay.

[PFT Commenter]

We've. We've just conveniently transitioned all the shit we used to give you for fantasy football and directed it 100% at Jerry O'.

[Big Cat]

Connell.

[Mike Florio]

Wow. Well, that's good. That's good. I appreciate Jerry for that. Now, you know, pressure is a matter of perspective. Are you worried about getting cut? Are you worried about your legacy? Are you worried about justifying your contract? I mean, I think there's a ton of pressure on Dak Prescott. He's making 6 million a year. He missed nine games last year with a hamstring injury and now he's back, back and he's the guy in the center of the storm and they go out and get George Pickens for him. He's got CD Lamb. There's pressure on him from the outside to live up to this 60 million dollar a year contract. So he's at the top of my list. But then how can you not say there's pressure on Josh Allen and Lamar Jackson to finally close the gap with the Chiefs and finally deliver? It's a shame that all those teams are clustered into the same conference and they have to deal with the Chiefs every year. Have they closed the gap on the Chiefs? I don't know, but I feel like Allen and Jackson, they both have a ton of pressure on them to finally get to the top of the mountain. So those are three guys that aren't in danger of losing their jobs.

[Big Cat]

But pressure.

[Mike Florio]

But there's pressure. There's pressure at the end of the season. How can they not be?

[Big Cat]

Yeah, that's. No, that's a good answer. All right, give me your. And go afc, NFC here. And it's not like a bold prediction, but last year, obviously the Niners, they were, were a team that was very, very good, had super bowl aspirations. The vibes were off. Do you have a team that's vibes are off going into the season where you're like, look, this is a good team on paper, they've been to the playoffs, but something's a little off and we don't know if they're going to be able to get back there.

[Mike Florio]

Well, look, I, I don't want to doubt the Lions because I think they feed on that. But when you look at last season, you look at the schedule last year for all the teams in the NFC north, they played the four teams of the AFC south and the four teams of the NFC West. In a down year for the NFC west, that's eight of your games. Eight out of 17 games as part of this rotation where every year you pick up four teams out of the NFC from the same division, four teams out of the AFC from the same division. This year, this year, the NFC north teams play all the teams of the AFC north, all the teams of the NFC East. It's going to be tough The Lions have lost both coordinators, and I know they're doing their best to downplay that. They're trying to turn that into motivation. But how is it not going to be a factor? It's just change. Even if the new coaches end up doing as well as the guys who they're replacing, it's change for the players. Continuity is so important in football, and I think it may have reached a critical mass for the Lions. And they're going to have their hands full. They still have a target on their backs. They've never done anything in the grand scheme of things, haven't gotten to a Super Bowl. And last year, year you have that special season that culminates in the one seed and then you lose to the Commanders in the divisional round, and then you get thrown back into what Dennis Green used to call the valley of 0 and 0. Good luck. Good luck climbing out of that and, and fulfilling this promise that everybody assumes you're going to fulfill. I think the Lions, I'm not saying they won't get it done, but I feel like the vibe is off and it's up to them to get the vibe back on quickly.

[Big Cat]

That's a good answer. What about afc? Is there a team team?

[Mike Florio]

Well, you know, the Texans underwent a lot of change. It's pouring down Rainier, too. You're going to hear it hitting the metal roof. The, the Texans. Well, it's metal. I mean, it's, it's metal.

[Big Cat]

It's not like, dude, you own them.

[PFT Commenter]

No, that's way more expensive than wood.

[Big Cat]

Yeah.

[Mike Florio]

Okay. So anyway, the, the Texans fired their offensive coordinator. They were sluggish last year. Offensively, they've got, I think, 60 new offensive line, so they're just one of those teams you want to watch. Because I think the other teams in the division could be better. I think the Titans, I, I think has to be pretty good. And, and they're kind of like the Texans two years ago, where no one's paying attention to them. All their games are at 1 o' clock Eastern on Sunday. They'll win. The games are supposed to win, lose the games are supposed to lose. Next thing you know, they're going to be in playoff position with four games left. So between the Colts, if this Daniel Jones things thing works, the Jaguars, if the, the new coach can get more out of Trevor Lawrence and, and Brian Thomas Jr. Continues his ascent to superstardom and Travis Hunter helps out, and then you throw in the Titans. It could be harder for the Texans this year, although I think the Texans will be Fine. I look at them and I say, you know, they're gonna have to prove it a little bit before people are gonna believe it.

[Big Cat]

Okay, I like that. And also, you know, their, their, you know, wide receiver room is not what it was last year to start the season because you got Tankdale's injury. Stefan Diggs is gone. Like it's, it might be a little bit harder for them to get it going.

[Mike Florio]

Going. And look at how important Nico Collins is to that. Yeah, he gets last year and they were completely different without him. And Joe Mixon is still on the non football injury list for something he did away from, from the field that has kept him from being involved in anything. A lot of eggs in the Nick Chubb basket who had that horrible knee injury a couple of years ago. I thought maybe they would be the team that, that traded for Brian Robinson with Washington before the 49ers did the deal. I feel like they need help, help in the running game because I don't know when we're going to see Joe Mix. And that's been one of those weird stories that hasn't really been discussed much because he's not around and we talk about the people who are around. But this Joe Mixon thing is weird and that could really hurt the offense. Look at the kick he gave them last year. That may be gone for at least the first six weeks or more of this season.

[Big Cat]

That's good. That's good answer.

[PFT Commenter]

Let's look at the the AFC West. Is this the year that somebody unseats the Chiefs?

[Mike Florio]

I know Sims thinks the Broncos are going to knock them off and win the division. I think they're gonna have a hands full, the Broncos. Look at how good that defense is. And we know what Sean Payton does with his offenses. Bo Nicks in year two, they added the running back Harvey that they really like. They get J.K. dobbins, who when he's healthy is one of the best running backs in the league. They've got great receivers. Vance Joseph's still there. He had some head coaching buzz. He's there running that defense for another year. Continuity, that's the key. You have a good season. You don't lose your coaches. You have continuity. Broncos would be a lot better. Chargers, you know, last year felt flat because they lost in the playoffs to the Texans. But they were surprisingly good in the regular season. And I'm never going to count out Pete Carroll. I know that they're in a tough spot and they could be much better than they were last year and still finish fourth in the division, but I'm not counting the Raiders out. They're going to give the Chiefs fits. I mean, the Chiefs are going to have their hands full this year. It may be one of the reasons why we saw Patrick Mahomes playing three drives in the final preseason game. They're doing everything they can to get ready because they know this season is going to be a meat grinder.

[PFT Commenter]

Is this the year that somebody unseats the Chiefs in the AFC West?

[Mike Florio]

I'm gonna say no. Come on, go ahead, make your fancy social media graphic. Florio guarantees lightning, too. Not good to be under a metal roof when it's lightning. You guys may have a moment like the Drew Brees moment. That was fake. Mine might be real.

[Big Cat]

That would be awesome.

[PFT Commenter]

I thought that's how you get power in West Virginia.

[Big Cat]

I would be be awesome if you got struck by lightning right now. Yeah. No, I mean, the Chiefs are interesting. I'm not going to bet against the Chiefs, who in the AFC West. But that is also a team. I always like to look at teams that won a lot of close games. And a lot of the NFL season is like, are you having one of those seasons where the ball bounces your way and all these one score games, you find a way to win? Obviously good teams do find that way to win, but a couple, you know, weird bounces, you know that game, was it last year, the game where they blocked the kick against the Broncos at the end of the game? Right. Like some of these games that feel like they're 50, 50 and they make that one play, that's a lot of credit to them. But it's also like, hey, you could have a season like the 49ers last year where shit just goes wrong and everything kind of falls apart. And you're like, how'd this happen?

[Mike Florio]

And here's the reality. And look, it's bad form to name names of guys who, if they get injured, it's going to change everything. But we know guys are going to get injured and it's going to change everything. How? Christian McCaffrey last year.

[Big Cat]

Yeah.

[Mike Florio]

We found out 90 minutes before kickoff of their week one Monday night game that he wasn't playing because of this Achilles issue that we were led to believe was no big deal. And we hardly see him last year when he comes back and plays, he gets a knee injury. So we don't know where that that bug is going to bite fight. But it could change things. And you know, the Chiefs need to stay healthy. They need to get this Rashi Rice Thing figured out he's going to be around for the first four or five, probably six games. And then how long is he going to miss after that? Will he get back in time for the playoffs? That's hanging over them, but they've created a vibe the last few years where they thrive on that stuff. Like they love playing every day of the week. They love playing in prime time. They love all these weird shit that goes on because it prepares them maybe for those moments where it comes down to one play. Boy, they've learned how to bend victory their way in the regular season and in the postseason. I mean, look, the Eagles knew if we're going to beat them in the super bowl, we can't just try to win on a walk off field goal. We got to stop them. We got to be up by 20. We can't let them come back because if they're within two scores, they are going to come back.

[PFT Commenter]

Yeah, more teams should do that. That go up 20 against the Chiefs. That's the formula.

[Mike Florio]

It's easy.

[PFT Commenter]

Yeah.

[Mike Florio]

If you can build the 20 point lead, that's. That's the hard part.

[PFT Commenter]

All right, I got a softball for you here.

[Mike Florio]

Mike is easier than building it.

[Big Cat]

Yes.

[PFT Commenter]

We'll get back to Florida in a second. He's brought to you by Chevy. For over a century, Chevy has been building trucks that don't flinch and never quit. Whether you're hauling lumber on the job, are you trying to get the smoker, the cooler, the cornhole boards and the whole crew to the tailgate on of top time, Chevy gets you there. When Chevy says most dependable truck, they're not just speculating. Chevy trucks have earned more dependability awards for trucks than any other leading brand. According to J.D. power 2025. Sounds like they've got the stats to prove it. The Chevy Silverado is a great truck. It's our favorite truck to drive around. It's also the sponsor the low man trophy awarded to the nation's top collegiate fullback. And the Chevy Silverado is the fullback. Back of trucks in every Chevy truck depend. Dependability comes standard. For more on Chevy trucks, visit chevy.com visit jd power.com awards for more award details. And now here's more. Mike Florio, Softball. Softball question for you. What does the P in PFT stand for? The P. Yeah, the first letter pro.

[Mike Florio]

What are you doing?

[PFT Commenter]

What? Why, why are you writing all these articles about Jordan and Bill Belichick? He's not a professional coach.

[Big Cat]

Coach.

[PFT Commenter]

He's a college coach. And you seem, you seem to have a Hard on, excuse the language for Jordan, but not in the good way. You, you seem to be convinced that, that she did everything that she could to submarine the behind the scenes documentary and it turns out that it turns out that that document, it's happening. So would you like to apologize to Jordan?

[Mike Florio]

Look, I'm a businessman at the end of the day and I can see my real time traffic and I know that the stories that people read and I have held my powder far more often than not with Jordan stories. Every once in a while I got to do it because I know what the people want. They want to read about Belichick and Jordan and they want to read about Shador Sanders and you know, sometimes you just got to give people a cookie. I mean, bakery sell cookies and sometimes we're a bakery.

[Big Cat]

I like that.

[PFT Commenter]

So. So you don't want to apologize to Jordan?

[Mike Florio]

I, I don't feel the need to cook, to apologize to any. When I feel the need to apologize to someone, I almost always do.

[Big Cat]

Almost always.

[PFT Commenter]

But it seems like she was right. She got the deal done well, but.

[Mike Florio]

She blew up the deal with HBO and NFL Films. Will you agree that that would have been a far bigger deal?

[Big Cat]

Probably.

[PFT Commenter]

Probably got more money. Probably got that Disney money from Hulu.

[Mike Florio]

Yeah. So.

[Big Cat]

All right, Mike, let's take the gloves off real quick. Two part question, Hank, sit up, please.

[Mike Florio]

Hi, Hank.

[Big Cat]

Will there be a Super bowl in London in our lifetime and are you opposed to it or are you for it?

[Mike Florio]

I'm opposed to it, but I think it's going to happen.

[Big Cat]

Okay, so. All right, so we can work with that. Because Hank is a trader and he wants there to be a Super bowl in London. We think it's absolutely anti American and bullshit. But you're telling us, because I think PFT and I both see the writing on the wall. They're going to make us do this. They're going to do it. Right, Right.

[Mike Florio]

I remember when they played a regular season game at Wembley the first time, dolphins, giants, 2007, I believe. People were like, what the are they doing? Well, you turn it on and it looks the same now. The grass was horrible that day. I mean, other than the guys slipping and sliding around it, which, which basically was Super bowl, what, 58. So, you know, maybe it does look like it. It does when they play here, but it looks the same on TV and for the Super Bowl. Like how many people actually go to the Super Bowl? Oh, no, watch it. They're going to justify it. They're going to justify it because they want to globalize the sport. They, they want to do it and they understand that it takes a commitment and that regular season games are just part of it. They want to get to 16 regular season games each year. They're toying with the idea of putting teams, four teams in Europe, a four team division. Logistically, it will be a challenge, but it fulfills the goal of the money. Look at how they're, they're all in with flag football. They didn't just suddenly discover flag football is cool school. They see that as a way to advance the agenda of globalizing the sport. So yeah, I, I can't rule out at some point in our lifetimes, maybe yours more than mine since, you know, big cat. I'm 10 years older than you, but, but 70, Mike. I'm 60. But the, the, the idea that the big man move money changes everything. Money drives everything. It's all about the money. And I think at some point they'll be do it. So I just think.

[Big Cat]

But you, you think it's right? Like you, like it's.

[Mike Florio]

Yeah, I mean I, I don't, don't.

[Hank]

You want the sport to be globalized, Mike? Like that's good for you and your website?

[Mike Florio]

Oh, absolutely, it's good for me. But at what cost? Like, yeah, we can localize the sport. At what cost?

[PFT Commenter]

It looks the same on TV about.

[Big Cat]

Without giving up the Super Bowl.

[PFT Commenter]

And also Mike doesn't necessarily want all that foreign traffic. Not all traffic is good traffic.

[Mike Florio]

Yeah. Then I'd have to get like translator apps.

[Big Cat]

Yeah.

[Mike Florio]

I don't know how even work. We do have it.

[Big Cat]

We do have the famous English to American translator.

[Mike Florio]

I should be pandering more to the UK on this. I should be saying I want to have a Super bowl there because our morning show is televised by sky because it's all tied in under Comcast and Sky and common ownership and whatever. And we have a, we have like a ton of passionate people that love our show, that love the way we approach it, that watch the show.

[PFT Commenter]

So.

[Mike Florio]

And we've been wanting to go over there. I just don't have a passport. That's another story. But I mean, what are you, Elvis?

[Big Cat]

Why don't you passport.

[Mike Florio]

I've had no, I've had no need to leave the country.

[Big Cat]

Okay. I've had 60 years. No need.

[Mike Florio]

I've had no need to leave.

[PFT Commenter]

There's a lot of great stuff in the United States.

[Big Cat]

Yeah, we're just, we just don't like, we don't like the idea of giving up the Super Bowl. I Don't think it was America.

[Mike Florio]

I don't like it. Prediction. My long term prediction is this. There will be a Super bowl played overseas at some point and there will be 20 regular season games.

[Big Cat]

Okay.

[Mike Florio]

No preseason games.

[Big Cat]

Okay.

[Mike Florio]

And 40 teams. Wow. That will happen.

[PFT Commenter]

That, that sounds like we're getting into the territory of so much football hogs. It's a lot of football.

[Big Cat]

It's a lot of football. I like the more football, but you give me those, I might be okay.

[PFT Commenter]

They don't have preseason games. Week one is going to suck. Week two is probably going to suck.

[Big Cat]

It already sucks.

[Mike Florio]

We're still going to watch it.

[Big Cat]

Yeah, it already is bad football.

[PFT Commenter]

I'm gonna. I, I am going to watch it. But I don't like the idea of the super bowl being overseas. The super bowl is a uniquely American tradition that should stay in America. It put it first things first. Have the super bowl on President's Day weekend first, and then let's worry about going overseas.

[Mike Florio]

You know, under the current scheduling formula, it will be a couple of times.

[Big Cat]

Yep. Yeah.

[Mike Florio]

Wayne Falls. And so if they go to 18 games, there will be years that it overshoots President's Day weekend unless they start Labor Day weekend. And if they go to 18 games and two buys, it's always going to overshoot President's Day weekend unless they start Labor Day weekend. What do you guys think of that? They haven't started labor day weekend since 2001 because everybody's out for one last summer weekend and not watching watch football. Well, that was before we all started carrying around our TV sets with us. Like, I think they could play on Labor Day weekend again.

[Big Cat]

Absolutely.

[PFT Commenter]

Yeah. I definitely think that they could. I think that it's important to have Labor Day weekend where you might not be attached to your phone as much because people are flying. And if you're on a plane that doesn't have live tv, that's going to suck that weekend.

[Big Cat]

Yeah, but it's Sunday. You're not flying on Sunday. Labor.

[PFT Commenter]

Some, Some people could fly on Sunday.

[Mike Florio]

Monday, fly on Monday, get home for Monday Night Football. But I, I don't. Look, I understand why they got away from it. I don't know why they resist going back to it. And maybe at some level they're not. They. They. It's. It's so big now.

[Big Cat]

Yeah.

[Mike Florio]

And numbers keep getting larger and larger. And hey, you know, despite the flaws, some of which are laid out in big shield, even though it's not about the NFL for legal reasons, they are the king. And then they Keep getting larger and larger. And to Hank's point, they want to infect the rest of the world with the virus that we've had for years now. I remember when I was a kid, baseball was clear, number one, and football was distant number two, and football took over. And every time that I mentioned the possibility of one of these days, football being as popular as soccer, people lose their. But I'm sure the NFL at some level wants to try. Yeah, they may not get there, but they want to try.

[PFT Commenter]

They just want to get bigger. So, Mike, I want to ask you about owners. So what is the next team that's going to be up for sale?

[Big Cat]

Sale.

[Mike Florio]

The Seahawks, at some point are going to be for sale. Jody Allen is handling the estate of her brother, one of the Microsoft founders, Paul Allen, and there's no deadline in his will for her to sell the assets off. She can basically do it whenever she wants, and all the money goes to his charities. She's selling the Portland Trailblazers. They like. The Seahawks, had not been for sale for years. And I heard, and I don't know whether this is true, and I hate dabbling in things that I just hear from people who call me up and say, I heard this, but I did hear that at one point she was looking to package the two and decided not to do it. So deal for the Blazers. Seahawks, I think, will be the next team that that is available. And I also can't rule out the fact that as the values keep going up and up and up, one of these owners is going to say, you know what? I've had enough. Yeah, I'll take, I'll take 10 billion and I'll move on.

[Big Cat]

Fun.

[Mike Florio]

I've had my fun. I've, I don't know, you know, one had good seasons. I've had, I've gotten what I want out of this. I'll sell to somebody. I'll take the money off the table and, and, you know, and just liquidate this thing and, and sell high. I bought low, and now I'm gonna sell high.

[Big Cat]

Yeah.

[PFT Commenter]

Go for the sunset, Mike.

[Big Cat]

Let's look ahead again. Another, like, kind of preview question. Three worst teams the NFL this year, when we're looking at the draft now.

[Mike Florio]

Next year, I, I, I want to be careful here because in 2021, I said, the Bengals have no chance to make the playoffs, and they almost won the Super Bowl. In 2023, the Texans have no chance to make the playoffs, and they made it to the final eight. Any team can make the playoffs with 17 games and seven teams per conference. Any team can have the dominoes fall just right for them. But. But I would be very concerned if I was a fan of the Dolphins.

[Big Cat]

Yep.

[Mike Florio]

I be extremely concerned if I'm a fan of the Browns. I would find something else to do on Sunday if I was a fan of the Saints. So those are the three to come to mind. And I don't want to say the Dolphins are going to be among the worst. I just think they're. They're one of the teams most likely to really disappoint their fan base who seem to think everything's fine. I think if you look closely at that team right now, it's like things seem off. And I think if they start slow and Tyree Kill has like two catches in Week four, he's going to blow a gasket again. And I think he's a guy who could be traded. He could be the Devonte Adams this year. He could get traded to a contender. If the Dolphins start not well and he's not happy with his. His overall workload and his catches and his numbers. I could see them deciding to trade him before the deadline.

[Big Cat]

I agree about the Dolphins. That's a bad vibe. Team that feels like a team that could go. It could go south quickly, especially, hey.

[Mike Florio]

The jets are another one. I feel like. I feel like the jets are going to be better eventually with Aaron Glenn. I just feel like there's so much work to do to get the personnel in place to run the team the way he wants it. I look it took the Lions a while with Dan Campbell. They weren't good his first year. I think the jets are going to be fine long term, as long as they can keep Woody Johnson from meddling. And so far they've done it. But I don't think it's a quick fix potentially because I just don't think they have the players necessary to do what Aaron Glenn's looking for. Look at all the guys they've trained. They traded for like a couple of defensive tackles last week. Like they're looking for guys that better fit what Aaron Glenn's trying to do.

[PFT Commenter]

I think memes agrees with you. I don't think memes is upset at all by that. Yeah, Memes.

[Memes]

Good take, Mike.

[Big Cat]

Good take. Yeah, me. Me. You don't hate Florio anymore as much, right?

[Memes]

No, he's fine for now.

[Big Cat]

He's gone down in the Florio ranking.

[PFT Commenter]

Who's the number one? Florio.

[Memes]

Rossini's always up there.

[PFT Commenter]

He's still number one.

[Memes]

Yeah.

[Big Cat]

Yeah. Warren Sharp.

[Memes]

Also.

[Big Cat]

Warren Sharp's high. He's just.

[Memes]

He's just engagement farming with Justin Fields.

[Big Cat]

Yeah. All right, so he's like third Florio right now.

[Memes]

Yeah.

[Big Cat]

Okay.

[PFT Commenter]

You got to stuff those numbers up, Mike. You got to say worst things about the Jets.

[Mike Florio]

That really cool mustache.

[PFT Commenter]

Yeah, yeah, yeah. You look good.

[Mike Florio]

Who was the guy that played Auto in A Fish Called Wanda? Kevin Klein. I should get that. Really cool.

[Big Cat]

You're 70 years old.

[PFT Commenter]

Yeah. Yeah. Hey, Mike, Me and him.

[Mike Florio]

You know what? My hair is not colored. And it's like, mainly like, for the most part. If you look at it the right way, it's dark. I would be like full blown Santa Claus if I didn't shave.

[Big Cat]

That'd be good.

[PFT Commenter]

I would love to see Mike with, can we make a beard bet this year?

[Mike Florio]

No. My wife would kill me.

[Big Cat]

If the Saints make the playoffs, you have to grow a beard.

[Mike Florio]

All right. Okay.

[Big Cat]

That was easy.

[PFT Commenter]

Mike, me and Hank have a bet that the. The Patriots will not make it to the super bowl in the next two years.

[Big Cat]

Years.

[PFT Commenter]

And Hank owes me $50,000. If they don't, how safe is my money?

[Mike Florio]

What kind of odds did he.

[Big Cat]

I mean, it was a straight bet, like two years ago.

[PFT Commenter]

Years.

[Mike Florio]

Yeah, I think they're going to be a lot better. I think they got the right coach. I just think that there's just like, with the jets, you got a lot to do to undo the damage to the roster. And it was done later years of Belichick and even last year. There's a chance Drake May is going to be the only 2024 draft pick on the roster week one. So it wasn't just Belichick. It was the Gerard, Mayo, Elliott, Wolf thing. So I just think that they. They have a. A way to go to get to the team that Variable wants to be. But I think they're going to be in good hands with Variable. I think this is the job he's always wanted. I think they are on the rise. I don't know that I'm ready to say they're going to win the super bowl the next two years.

[PFT Commenter]

Okay, let me get you on the record for who are Mike's MVPs. Who should the MVP should have been for the 2025 season?

[Mike Florio]

Mike the MVP for this year?

[PFT Commenter]

For this year?

[Big Cat]

Yeah.

[Mike Florio]

Yeah. I mean, it's. I feel like it's. If Lamar Jackson and Josh Allen are healthy and Joe Burrow, it's going to be one of those three. It all depends upon their teams, too. I mean, wouldn't Burrow have been the MVP last year. Yeah.

[Big Cat]

Close. Yeah. Yeah.

[Mike Florio]

So, yeah, I think it's going to be one of those quarterbacks. I mean, we're living in a time where there are some great quarterbacks, like the best of the best quarterback are as good as we've ever seen. And we got some young guys that maybe can match them. We'll see. But Mahomes, Burrow, Allen and Jackson, Good Lord. I mean, that. That's as good of a. Of a foursome of quarterbacks we've. We've ever seen. And they're all in the same conference. Yeah.

[Big Cat]

Since we're talking about quarterbacks, this one popped in my head because I'm looking at the week one lines, which always gets me excited. Kyler Murray, remember him? Does he kind of stink?

[Mike Florio]

No, I. Look, he had that torn acl and I think it took him a while to recover from it. I think it takes anybody that, you know, when your game is premised on speed and agility and you tear your acl, it's going to take some time to get back to the guy you used to be. The Cardinals are one of those teams this year where people are like, hey, you know, maybe they can. They can, you know, thread the needle and get to the playoffs. I'll believe it when I see it. But this is year three for Jonathan Gannon and Monty Austin for it. And fun fact about the Cardinals, they've been around for like 200 years. Years. No one has ever coached that team more than six years. The record is held by Jim Hannifin and Ken Wisenhunt.

[Big Cat]

Wow.

[Mike Florio]

Aliens came one year short of matching them, but nobody's done more than six years. This is year three for Jonathan Gannon, and I don't know that it's up or out, but, you know, let's see. And for Kyler Murray, it's a big year because after this year, they're closer to the point where they can move on from his contract. Maybe trade him. Him. I. I think that this is a big year. We're talking about guys under pressure. Murray may be under the kind of pressure where if he doesn't deliver this year, the Cardinals go in a different direction at quarterback.

[Big Cat]

Yeah. I just feel like Kyler Murray's kind of forgotten in that. Like, we'll see him make some incredible plays, but then there'll be some big moments like, what the hell is he doing there? And it just doesn't feel. It doesn't feel like he's taken an injuries. Fair point. It doesn't feel like he's taking that next step where it's like, oh shit, he is a true franchise quarterback that you can trust. You know, week in and week out.

[Mike Florio]

And it's your seven. Like at some point you are who you are and you're not going to be anything better. You know, when, when Brock Purdy did his long term contract and I said he's a middle of the pack quarterback, you know, 49ers fans get pissed off about it. There's no shame in being better than everyone in the world at quarterback than like 12 people. That's pretty good. And Kyler Murray is in that clusters somewhere between between 10 and 20 and that's probably where he's always going to be.

[Big Cat]

Yeah. Speaking of. And not a shot because this is no shame in his career either. But where's Kirk? Is Kirk Cousins going to play for anyone else this year? Is there a chance that Kirk Cousins starts for another team that gets desperate, that loses their quarterback in the first month or a half of the season?

[Mike Florio]

That's the key. There's got to be, there's got to be an injury.

[Big Cat]

He's a good option.

[Mike Florio]

Yeah. And you gotta, you gotta have a team game that doesn't say next man up. Because a lot of times when the injury happens, they gotta back up ready to go. I've been watching the Rams lately because this whole Matthew Stafford thing, like what's up with his back? And they, they were trying to let the whole thing like go away and be done and resolved and he'd be good to go for the season and it would never be a discussion point. That's not the issue now. The issue now is just survival. Let's get him to the season. Let's get him through the season. It feels like at some point Jimmy Garoppolo is going to be playing, but if they would ever get to the point where he shut down, down, I don't know. Are you better off trading for KIRK Cousins? Sean McVeigh and Cousins go back to their time together in Washington when McVeigh was the offensive coordinator. Are you better off with Cousins? Are you better off with Garoppolo? But it's going to be a situation like that where somebody loses their quarterback for the year, they do a deal with the Falcons, they're gonna have to work out the money because the Falcons are going to unload some, but they're gonna have to pay some. But yeah, I feel like that thing is just a matter of time if there's the right opportunity and we're just gonna wait and they're gonna wait for the right opportunity to pop up between now and the Tuesday after week nine.

[PFT Commenter]

I think he might play this year. I think. I think the scenario that Big Cat laid out there, I think that's probably going to happen. Because if I'm Sean McVeigh and my options are Jimmy Garoppolo or Kirk Cousins, I'm picking up a phone, I'm calling Kirk Cousins.

[Big Cat]

Yeah. Or if this Niners have a situation like, again, we don't talk about injuries, but that's another. Kirk Cousins obviously has ties to. To. To Kyle Shanahan.

[Mike Florio]

Yeah, yeah, they got. They have. They have Michael McCorkle Jones, who they. They really like. But.

[Big Cat]

But. Oh, that's where Mac Jones is.

[Mike Florio]

Okay, sign him as the backup. It's the other thing to say. All right, go ahead and play. I think Shanahan would make the call for Cousins if he. And I see this is. I'm violating my own rule of not naming names of guys who may be out for the season.

[PFT Commenter]

You're wishing injuries on people.

[Mike Florio]

The 49ers would need a quarterback for the rest of the year for whatever reason. Maybe Brock Purdy just decides I've had enough football and I'm retiring. Whatever the reason may be, there's another social media graphic you can use. Whatever the reason would be then. Then I think the 49ers would want Kirk Cousins. How I think Vikings would want him if the Vikings starter for the whole year.

[Big Cat]

Yeah.

[PFT Commenter]

You sound like you're threatening them. Almost like be real shame if anything happened.

[Big Cat]

Your Italian's coming out.

[Mike Florio]

Got you got a pretty good quarterback there. It'd be a shame if something happened to him.

[PFT Commenter]

Let me ask you about a story that you're very passionate about that I think the entire Internet really, really cares about a lot. Mike. Tom Brady's rules for broadcasting now that he's an owner. Have we got an update on any of that? Is any of that still pissing you off? Off?

[Mike Florio]

Well, look, there was a time where things like conflicts of interest mattered. There was a time where things like, you know, truth mattered. I. I don't know. It was a quaint time back when I was a kid and I was learning lessons from my parents. It's just amazing how you can have this obvious conflict of interest and nobody cares, and that's fine. If those are the rules and nobody cares, then let's all go have a bunch of conflicts of interest and, you know, know it's not an issue anymore. So. Okay, maybe that's the message. Maybe we shouldn't care. Maybe we should just say we should have a bunch of conflicts of interest.

[Big Cat]

Yeah, okay.

[PFT Commenter]

Yeah, I'm fine with that.

[Big Cat]

Yeah, we. We a part of my take. We are never biased. We're unbiased about everything. I. I think when you hear us, we talk in a truthful manner. We don't let our bias show. Like, Kyle Schwerber should be the MVP this year.

[PFT Commenter]

Ashton Genty, great running back. Glad that he got a good home in Vegas, but. But probably not the Heisman from last, right?

[Big Cat]

These are just facts that we're stating. We have no ulterior motives.

[Mike Florio]

Okay.

[PFT Commenter]

What's.

[Big Cat]

Nothing.

[Mike Florio]

I. Yeah, okay.

[Big Cat]

Yeah. No, you believe us.

[PFT Commenter]

Yeah, yeah. It doesn't matter because the truth doesn't matter.

[Big Cat]

The truth doesn't matter.

[PFT Commenter]

What about. What about the NFLPA stuff that you've been working on? Because you and Pablo have done some actual capital J journalism, but I'm so confused as to what's happening right now.

[Big Cat]

What.

[PFT Commenter]

Where are we at?

[Big Cat]

Tell us the paperwork you've been reading. Mike.

[Mike Florio]

As. As I've told Pablo on his own podcast, journalism sucks. It's hard, it's difficult. Like, he had some proposition that he had eight sources for. It's like, dude, that's too many sources.

[Big Cat]

Yeah. Thank you for your service, by the way.

[Mike Florio]

But. But I. I believe that the NFL is best served if there's balance between management and labor, and if it gets too far out of balance, it's sets the stage for a potential work stoppage. So, you know, you. You want there to be a strong union, and it can't be everybody getting along. There has to be some tension. It's not a partnership. It was never a partnership. And you can't have NFLPA executive directors who think they're going to forge a partnership with the owners. It's just not going to happen. They're going to shake your hand, and with the free hand, they're going to stab you in the back if they can get away with it. That's just the way it is. They're ruthless, successful business people. You need to have somebody who's willing to fight them when the opportunity to fight arises. And this whole thing flowed from the fact that the NFL had a partial win against the league in a collusion case, and they shoved it in a desk drawer and left it there for five months, and they were going to bury it indefinitely. That's what Pablo found. That's what I was banging the drum to find, and that kind of started. That was the first domino that swept the executive director out of the union. Now, there was a lot of great reporting from don Van Natta Jr. And Kaylin Kaler of ESPN. It fueled it. But the first domino that was flicked was, let's find this collusion ruling, because we know it's out there, and for whatever reason, no one's talking about it. So there's just some stuff that needs to happen. And football fans don't care because they want their football. But you also don't want a strike or a lockout to take away all or part of a football season. That means the two sides need to have a healthy. They need to have a healthy tension. And if they have a healthy tension, there's never going to be that mutually assured destruction of a season. Season of football being lost. And I always tell fans this because fans line up behind the owners.

[Big Cat]

Well, he's pointing at us, guys.

[Mike Florio]

The owners are the ones. I'll stop pointing. The owners are the one that would take football away from you for a full season. They're the ones who would do it without blinking. The players won't take it away from you for a weekend. So think about that when you just kind of blindly line up behind the owners and get mad at the players because the players are making too much money.

[Big Cat]

No, we. We're. We're a player first podcast. And I also want to say this is going to be a compliment. We're going to. It's going to. We're going to navigate our way there. So just follow me. Uh, the. Your reporting, Pablo's reporting, been great. I am too stupid to read all the things that you guys write about this. It's a bunch of names. I don't know. It's a bunch of dealings. I don't understand.

[PFT Commenter]

It's like a lot of associate executive directors of things.

[Big Cat]

Yeah.

[PFT Commenter]

And then I can't. I don't know really what their jobs are, but they sound like assholes.

[Big Cat]

The premise of the entire thing is the guy expenses strip club experience. And I'm like, dude, dudes rock. That's fine by me. But I do think that you're doing something important. I'm just. When you say, hey, we're a bakery, I'm coming for the cookie. I want to hear about your door. Sanders and Jordan, you called me up.

[Mike Florio]

That night before one of the shows explain it to you like you were five. And I did. And then you called me out for explaining it to you like you were.

[Big Cat]

Five, because I still didn't understand it. I was just like this when you were explaining Me like I was five, I was like this is the worst bedtime story of all time. So boring. But yeah, I do appreciate you doing that because like it is, I mean this is a heartfelt way guys like you guys like, you know, Pablo, Don Van Nata, Seth Wickersham, a lot of reporters, like they actually are very important for our people who are listening right now because if they don't do these things, the NFL will get away with a lot of things that they don't want people to know about and we will have a stoppage and that would fucking suck.

[Mike Florio]

Jay Glazer told me years ago that 95 of the journalism in sports media, specifically NFL isn't really journalism. It's just getting a five minute heads up on something that's going to be announced anyway. The only true journalism is finding out the, that they don't want us to know.

[Big Cat]

Right?

[Mike Florio]

When I flip over something like that, that's just great because that's what they don't want people to know. If they don't want people to know, there's got to be a reason for it. So let's find it out and let's share it with the world. Let's get put it, let's put a spotlight on it.

[PFT Commenter]

So what was the reason that the nflpa, the, the leadership was like just bearing all this stuff? What were they trying to get? Was it just like they were, they had a deal on the side with them?

[Mike Florio]

No, I think it was a combination of Lloyd Howell, the former executive director, thinking that, you know, we'll buddy up to and be partners with the league. That was part of it. And also the last executive director, Demor Smith, his agenda was to fight, to litigate, to sue. He's the one who brought the collusion case. And Lloyd's attitude was no, he fights too much, he sues too much. So, so something that that DeMora Smith started ends up proving that they were trying to collude when it comes to fully guaranteed contracts after Deshaun Watson did his deal. Kind of like, yeah, let's not talk about that very much because that makes the other guy look good. It makes it look like the other guy had the right idea and we've got the wrong idea. I think that was a big part of it.

[PFT Commenter]

That makes a lot of sense.

[Big Cat]

Also I'm now remember remembering some of the reading of this. Lloyd Howell is just an unbelievably boring name. Like if you tell me, hey, here's the story about Lloyd Howell I like. No thank you, dude. I don't want to hear it. We got to change his name to something better, something more salacious. Lloyd Howell has never done anything worth reading in his entire life.

[PFT Commenter]

What's his middle name?

[Big Cat]

You agree, right, Mike? That's a boring name. If I told you here's the main character's name is Lloyd Howells. I want to put a boat in my head.

[Mike Florio]

The best fact as it relates to the Lloyd Howell experience, other than the idea that he thought that he could get away with charging strip club expenditures to official union business. He had his parking spot at the union. He had it turned into a double spot because he didn't want to get door dings on his Porsche Cayenne.

[Big Cat]

That's awesome.

[Mike Florio]

The number of the parking spot changed to 32 in honor of Orenthal J. Simpson.

[Big Cat]

Oh, wow. Okay. Lloyd Howell is a bad boy, but yeah, he's still got a boring name.

[PFT Commenter]

Yeah, I, I wish. He doesn't even have a middle name. So he's got nothing else. This, this guy's kind of suspicious right now, Mike.

[Mike Florio]

He should just adopt Orenthal.

[Big Cat]

He should. Yeah, he should just become the new O.J. all right, Mike, I got one last question for you. This Always good to talk to you Do a little preview the NFL season. We're so excited for NFL to be back. Roback? Rho B A C K.com promo code take 20% off your first purchase. Q zips, polos, hoodies, joggers, shorts, everything. Roback.com they make the best stuff ever. And James is also a spokesman for roback now. So roback.com promo code take. Give us your championship Sunday and Super bowl. And super bowl winner. I assume you've done it. You're you, you're ready for this season to start. Ready to start talking real football. So I assume you have it, but give us those picks.

[Mike Florio]

I haven't done it yet. I wait as late as possible because you never know when somebody's going to blow out an acl. The last week before week one. I usually wait until next Tuesday. I'll say and God, I don't want it to be Chiefs and Eagles again. I really don't. Let's. Let's say, and I. Who, who, who knows? And if you get it right, nobody gives a. If you get it wrong, you get called names. It's. It's a no win proposition. I'll say.

[Big Cat]

Can I, can I give you a tip? Can I give you a tip before you give us your pick? Well, if you get it wrong, it's, it was Just a joke.

[Mike Florio]

Okay, so it's all just a joke.

[Big Cat]

That's what we do. Yeah.

[Mike Florio]

There was a time where I thought, you know, every year in the super bowl, like, one team makes it that we expected and another team makes that we didn't expect. The team that I picked to make it that no one expected was Washington. And, and like, I, I, like, for three years, people were giving me about that. It's like, who. I mean, you know, who knows? That's the point. Who the knows?

[Big Cat]

Right.

[Mike Florio]

Who's gonna make it? That's part of the fun.

[PFT Commenter]

When was this? Because, yeah, that was a bad pick.

[Mike Florio]

It was a while ago. It was a bad pick.

[PFT Commenter]

Like 2007.

[Mike Florio]

I. Yeah, it might have been that long.

[PFT Commenter]

Okay.

[Mike Florio]

But the NFL is very top heavy now. You've had some teams that have cracked the code on free agency, salary cap. They have very good teams. And I really don't want it to be the, the Chiefs and the Eagles again. I really don't. But these other teams are going to have to prove it. I'll say, say, I'll say Chiefs, Ravens in the AFC Championship and Eagles 49ers in the NFC Championship. Eagles, Chiefs in the Super Bowl. Wow.

[Big Cat]

Round three.

[Mike Florio]

Than we expect.

[Big Cat]

You think who's going to be better?

[Mike Florio]

49Ers. I think they're going to be better than people expect.

[Big Cat]

Yeah, I do, too. I think last season was just kind of an anomaly of everything that could go wrong went wrong, and we kind.

[PFT Commenter]

Of forgot about them at that point. If the Chiefs beat the Ravens again, if they beat him in the AFC Championship game, what will we be saying about Lamar Jackson?

[Mike Florio]

Well, I mean, what, what, what the haters will be saying is he can't win the big one and, you know, you've got, you've got a contract issue between him and the Ravens looming. I, I don't know if he ever decides he wants to go somewhere else, but if he would play out this contract, his cap number would make his franchise tag ridiculously high. He really could put in three more years with the Ravens and then go get a fresh start wherever he wanted to. So after this year, if it doesn't work, he's two seasons away from going wherever he wants. Now. He'd be early 30s, but we see these quarterbacks playing until 40. He could. If he, if he decides I'm just going to finish this deal, he could do it. And by all appearances, and based on his current contract and the cap numbers, he'd become a free agent in three seasons and wouldn't that be something.

[Big Cat]

Yeah.

[Mike Florio]

Available to any team that wants him. Yeah, well, we already saw that movie once.

[Big Cat]

Yeah.

[Mike Florio]

At least then it would have come with two first round picks. This would be free and clear.

[Big Cat]

All right, Mike, you're the best. Everyone, please go buy Mike's new book. We love Mike. He's one of our favorite guests. Go buy it on Amazon right now. The big shield.

[Mike Florio]

He is always send you guys copies, too.

[Big Cat]

Yes, please do.

[Mike Florio]

But I'm going to send you copies so you. So you will have something to not read.

[PFT Commenter]

Yeah, I like to look at something to put on my coffee table.

[Big Cat]

Yeah, I'll walk by it every day.

[Mike Florio]

Just be like, wow, son. I'll send you the quarterback of the future script. I'll take your notes.

[PFT Commenter]

Yeah, I mean, if. If you haven't read the book, it's. I hope you kept in the part about the quarterback being a time traveler.

[Mike Florio]

Yeah, yeah. That was kind of the whole point.

[PFT Commenter]

So he goes back in time to, like the 19, like the 1970s, right?

[Mike Florio]

Yeah, it's 1960. But that part remained because that was kind of the gist of the whole story. But we have some interest. But one thing I've learned about, like, trying to adapt books into films or series, I don't know how anything gets made. I have no idea. There are so many hoops that you have to fucking jump through to get something made. I don't know how anything makes it.

[PFT Commenter]

If you want notes on the script, I'm happy to provide them. You also have to write a part of our book, too.

[Mike Florio]

Yeah, I'm happy to do it. I was offended you hadn't asked me. You asked Dan Patrick. You didn't ask me?

[Big Cat]

No, we just wait.

[PFT Commenter]

We want to ask you face to face.

[Big Cat]

So you're going to do it? Maybe multiple chapters.

[Mike Florio]

I'll do it. I'll write the whole thing.

[Big Cat]

Okay, great.

[PFT Commenter]

Yeah. Deal.

[Big Cat]

Awesome. All right, Mike, you're the best. Thank you.

[PFT Commenter]

Thank you, Mike. Mike Florio is brought to you by Proper 12. It's PFT here, making my Irish entrance with Proper Number 12 Irish Whiskey. How do you make an Irish entrance, you might ask? It starts with a shot of proper number 12 Irish whiskey. Because real friends don't let friends Irish exit a party without a story to tell. Original proper number 12 is a rich and smooth blend of golden grain and single malt, aged four years in bourbon barrels. You can mix it up with some ginger ale, get a classic and refreshing proper ginger, or if you're in the mood for something smooth but a little sweeter, Try proper Irish apple. It's a delicious blend of proper's award winning Irish whiskey with crisp, fresh notes of apple. So get out there. Make your Irish entrance. Anything else just. Just wouldn't be proper. Make your Irish entrance with proper number 12 Irish whiskey.

[Big Cat]

Okay, let's wrap up. Good show, boys. Colton, how you doing? Get Colton on. Colton, how you doing? Wait, Colton, are you wearing the 4X Alvin Camara? I am.

[Mike Florio]

4X Alvin Kamar. Is it Camara or Camara?

[Big Cat]

It's twice.

[PFT Commenter]

It's Camara.

[Mike Florio]

Both. Eric, I've been saying it wrong.

[Big Cat]

What numbers is 3? You. Colton doesn't even know. He's just a pawn in the game. I. I am interested in the shirt, Colton, but that was just.

[Memes]

No, he's not.

[Big Cat]

You were a pawn in that game right there. Fair. That was just a little dance we were playing.

[Mike Florio]

Anything for the lottery?

[Big Cat]

Yeah.

[Hank]

22.

[Big Cat]

Wait, wait, wait. Keep talking. So it's 4x 4x. How does it fit? Little.

[Max]

It's pretty perfect, honestly.

[PFT Commenter]

It's a little tight.

[Mike Florio]

Does.

[Big Cat]

It does look a little small. I'm not gonna lie.

[Mike Florio]

I. Yeah, I haven't washed it yet, so I'm worried to see how it.

[PFT Commenter]

Does in the dryer. Like a 2X.

[Big Cat]

Yeah. And you. You tried on the 14X? I did. Oh, is it here?

[Mike Florio]

No, it's at my house.

[Big Cat]

Okay.

[Mike Florio]

It's in the. It took up half the washing machine I washed.

[PFT Commenter]

You washed a king. A king size sheet?

[Mike Florio]

Yeah, I did.

[PFT Commenter]

I really did.

[Big Cat]

Oh.

[Mike Florio]

I'll bring it next time.

[Big Cat]

All right, so PFD. You have three.

[PFT Commenter]

I have three. Yeah.

[Big Cat]

Hank, you have what, 22.

[Max]

Okay, I'll take six.

[PFT Commenter]

Good pick.

[Big Cat]

I'll take 77.

[Mike Florio]

10.

[Big Cat]

17. That was 17 for 23. 85. What?

[Hank]

That's me slashing out.

[PFT Commenter]

Did you see all the people that were tweeting at us saying that Tommy Fleetwood won a golf tournament before memes got the lottery ball?

[Hank]

I did see that.

[Big Cat]

Wait, what. What was memes lashing out with?

[PFT Commenter]

17.

[Memes]

Oh, I didn't.

[Big Cat]

I didn't.

[Memes]

Didn't take that.

[Big Cat]

He didn't take 17. Who did?

[PFT Commenter]

You're just hearing things Zach did.

[Big Cat]

I think Zach took 17.

[Memes]

Yeah, Zach took 17.

[Big Cat]

All right.

[Memes]

I just see three sitting at the.

[Big Cat]

Top is so I need it. Come on.

[Max]

Are you just not gonna pick a number?

[Memes]

I don't know. I'm.

[Big Cat]

You're never gonna.

[Memes]

I'm evaluating.

[Big Cat]

You're never gonna get it, so it doesn't matter.

[Memes]

Great question. That's what Florio said when he needed time. I think I'M gonna take number seven.

[Big Cat]

As a cool number reference.

[Memes]

Sick.

[PFT Commenter]

You are a Florio now.

[Memes]

Yeah, that's true.

[Mike Florio]

What?

[Big Cat]

Six.

[PFT Commenter]

Come on.

[Hank]

Three.

[Big Cat]

Okay.

[Max]

C. Seven.

[Big Cat]

Yeah. Everyone else, gone? Yep. All right, say them again.

[Mike Florio]

I'll.

[Big Cat]

I'll start. 77.

[PFT Commenter]

I had 3, 6, 22, 17, 10, 23.

[Big Cat]

85. Beams has 7.

[Max]

Oh, Shane.

[Mike Florio]

Did you get it?

[Big Cat]

85.

[PFT Commenter]

Let's go, Shane.

[Big Cat]

Shane, is this. This isn't your first time, is it?

[Max]

No, this is Shane's, like, 10th time.

[PFT Commenter]

This is my third time. Let's go, Shane. Wow, that's awesome.

[Big Cat]

Damn.

[Mike Florio]

Congrats, Shane.

[Max]

How do you do it?

[PFT Commenter]

I'm running out of charge.

[Big Cat]

Charger. Shane, post game. Post game, real quick. How. How do you do it?

[Memes]

You pick the three.

[Big Cat]

Chargers.

[Memes]

He knows.

[PFT Commenter]

Chargers, hall of Fame.

[Big Cat]

This is. Wait, this is a post game.

[PFT Commenter]

This is.

[Big Cat]

How do you do it, Shane? I just.

[PFT Commenter]

Chargers.

[Big Cat]

That's incredible. Hall of Famers. I'm running out. That's incredible.

[PFT Commenter]

Shane, how cool was it when LT was your running back?

[Big Cat]

It was awesome.

[PFT Commenter]

Yeah, he was really good on the Chargers.

[Big Cat]

The best. Shane, how long have you been picking numbers? Like, two years. Years since we moved in here? Yeah, about two years. And you've got it not even three times?

[PFT Commenter]

Third time.

[Big Cat]

Yes. And Memes, how long have you been pitching, picking numbers? I don't know. You do know.

[Memes]

I don't know.

[Big Cat]

You definitely know.

[Memes]

I don't know. I've been picking numbers the moment Hank got his number.

[Big Cat]

Okay. And three. So Shane has it three times.

[Hank]

One of the best days of my life.

[Big Cat]

Is that your number? Memes? 3. Yeah, but you've also picked other numbers. You never.

[Memes]

Well, three's not in there.

[Mike Florio]

Shane.

[PFT Commenter]

What's up?

[Big Cat]

Can you just give Memes a tip? I don't want to do this because. I don't want to do this. Why? Because you're afraid someone we got to look out for? Yeah, you'll get pretty mean to me. Memes. I would like to give you a chance for a solo lottery ball. And this will count.

[Memes]

Three.

[Big Cat]

Okay. Memes.

[Max]

Wait, this should be crazy.

[Big Cat]

Memes. Memes. Memes. Memes. Memes. Memes. Memes. Oh, not even close.

[PFT Commenter]

28.

[Big Cat]

28. Oh, wait, three.

[PFT Commenter]

Three was up there.

[Big Cat]

Oh, no.

[PFT Commenter]

Three was in the tube. I swear to God. Give him one more division.

[Big Cat]

You want one more, Memes? Not really, no.

[Max]

Give him one more.

[Big Cat]

Come on, Memes.

[Max]

Last one.

[Big Cat]

Last one. Oh, 72. Damn, dude.

[PFT Commenter]

You'll get it. Memes.

[Big Cat]

Willy.

[Memes]

One day.

[Hank]

Try your hardest.

[Big Cat]

Memes. Any memes. You realize, too, when you get it. We're gonna. We're gonna get a new machine.

[Max]

Have to.

[Big Cat]

Have to. Because we got to restart the whole thing where someone's got to not have it. But that might be, like, when. If I. If I had to tell them, hey, we're gonna need a new lottery ball machine. When are you expecting to get it?

[PFT Commenter]

Friday.

[Big Cat]

Okay. This is like a Terry McLaren situation.

[PFT Commenter]

Maybe. Yeah. You've secretly gotten it already.

[Big Cat]

Oh, no. What is this? What are you pulling up? This is the tracker.

[Max]

Oh, my goodness.

[PFT Commenter]

600.

[Max]

I didn't know that they had a day tracker. We should honestly put this on the.

[Big Cat]

Yeah. Memes has never won. 668 day draft out. Damn.

[Max]

319 days until he.

[Hank]

I mean, you're climbing up nine. 988 was mine.

[Big Cat]

What is this picture of me?

[Memes]

Oh, that's just what you look like, man.

[Max]

That is what Shane says whenever we complain.

[Big Cat]

Jack has never won it too. Jack from the back. Okay, Memes. Good luck on Wednesday day. But you're not going to get it.

[Memes]

Maybe.

[Big Cat]

No, probably not. You want to do one more?

[Memes]

Yeah.

[Big Cat]

Memes, Memes, Memes, Memes.

[Max]

You got memes, Memes, memes, memes, memes, memes, Memes, memes.

[PFT Commenter]

We should let Zach guess one, too.

[Big Cat]

Zach, you guess one, too.

[Zach]

26.

[PFT Commenter]

Okay, good guess.

[Big Cat]

74. Not even close.

[Max]

Well, seven minus four is three.

[PFT Commenter]

That's a great point.

[Big Cat]

Good math, Max. Did you take off your shoes to do that math?

[Mike Florio]

Love you guys.

[Big Cat]

Sa.