Pardon My Take: Seahawks HC Mike Macdonald, March Has Arrived, CBB, Combine Cleanup + 10 Years Of Pardon My Take Memories

Date: March 2, 2026
Hosts: Big Cat & PFT Commenter (Barstool Sports)
Special Guest: Seattle Seahawks HC Mike Macdonald

Episode Overview

The episode celebrates the 10-year anniversary of "Pardon My Take" while diving deep into the start of March sports madness: college basketball, NFL Combine stories, and an in-depth interview with Super Bowl-winning Seattle Seahawks head coach Mike Macdonald. The crew reminisces about the show's history, discusses notable recent sports happenings, and delivers their trademark banter on everything from conference tournaments to pizza mix-ups—plus, a look into their own personal growth over a decade of podcasting.

Key Segments & Timestamps

1. Welcome to March & Spring Sports Outlook

[02:49–12:15]

• The hosts officially declare winter over, embrace March Madness, and talk about conference championships, the MLB starting, and the excitement surrounding bracket season.
• Baseball fever: pitchers and catchers have reported, spring training games are in full swing, and the team is pumped for return of warm weather and golf.
• Banter about the peculiarities of winter’s length and clock confusion (Daylight Savings update).
  • Notable Quote:
    “Something about March. You got March Madness, conference championship week, baseball will be played this month.” — PFT Commenter [03:05]
• Light-hearted team banter about sleep schedules, stream recaps, pizza delivery mix-ups, and internal office jokes.

2. 36-Hour Stream & PMT Challenges Debrief

[06:06–12:15]

• Zach and Max recap their grueling 36-hour live-stream challenge: Oregon Trail, late-night gaming, “sassy Lego” builds, "Itchy Golf," and tattoo bets.
• Technical issues derailed some plans (“Sleep Tight Saquon” still to be written).
  • “The sassy Lego segment, A plus rules, F minus for execution.” — PFT Commenter [08:37]
• Viewer engagement: Netflix session tattoos (Vanny Woodhead, tire), peer-pressure banter, and the origins of hypothetical spinoff pods.

3. College Basketball: March Has Truly Arrived

[14:32–26:41]

• Hosts break down this year’s NCAA men's basketball season, highlighting the dominance of Michigan, UConn, Duke, Arizona, and Florida.
• Inside look at conference results: top teams flexing muscle in head-to-head, and several unexpected blowouts.
  • “This is one of my favorite college hoop seasons we’ve had in a long time... five, maybe six, absolutely dominant teams.” — PFT Commenter [14:32]
• Second-tier contenders discussed, and analysis on conference structures (bye formats, tournament advantages).
• Notable debates: Miami of Ohio’s at-large case, Bruce Pearl’s media advocacy for his son/Auburn, and old-school gripes about conference unfairness.
• Fun detail: Rick Pitino’s “white suit” game superstition, Alfredo sauce (is it Italian?), and Villanova’s injury woes.

4. NFL Combine & Offseason Chatter

[29:46–41:02]

• Recap of Combine trending stories:
  • “Aaron Glenn fell asleep” controversy—debunked as legacy media hype.
    • “He was looking down at his tablet—guys can’t look at their tablets anymore!” — Big Cat [29:57]
  • Blazing 40 times, the influence of high school training, and growing numbness to elite athleticism.
  • Tight end Kenyon Siddiq’s historic 4.39s 40-yard dash.
  • Mocking the over-analysis of “weird” interviews (Makai Lemon) and hands/arm-measurement drama.
  • Not-so-glamorous side: NFLPA report cards—Bengals get an F- in food, Steelers have just five bathroom stalls.
    • “The Bengals punish you for opening your mouth.” — Big Cat [35:33]
• Quarterback movement speculative analysis: J.J. McCarthy and the Vikings, Geno Smith’s future, combine hand sizes, and pro day number inflation.

5. Golf & MLB Talk; All-You-Can-Eat Ballpark Deal

[41:02–47:18]

• Shane Lowry’s epic meltdown (“biggest choke,” double water balls—“up three with three to go, double bogeys two holes in a row”).
• Analysis of “life hacks” for winning golf tournaments—have kids, get married, or, as with Echeveria, buy a house.
• Cardinals’ $29 all-you-can-eat tickets spark debate on food value and child-proofing ballpark trips.

6. Who's Back of the Week

[47:37–60:13]

• Hank: Awls (PMT listeners) and their dogs—PMT dog toy with Hank’s face is an internet sensation.
• Celtics’ offensive explosion (“best rating in NBA history” vs the Nets).
  • “You beat the Nets… name three players on the Nets.” [50:09]
• PFT: PMT inserting itself into global politics—#FreeChet (Chet Hanks stuck in Colombia).
• Media mishaps—Mark Sanchez’s “four substance combo night” in Indy.
• Memes: Social media beefs, banter about NBA games and gambling.
• Zach: NASCAR’s Tyler Reddick’s historic 3-0 start to the season.

7. Feature Interview: Seahawks HC Mike Macdonald

[61:49–111:18]

Major Topics & Timestamps:

• Super Bowl Champion Reactions (62:02–64:00)
  • How surreal the win feels, parenthood moments, odd headlines about "spending 30 minutes/week with son."
• Football Philosophy & Approach (64:00–65:57)
  • "Football genius?" Reluctant to take credit; credits players and staff.
  • On his role: “My job is to put the players in the best spot as many times as possible in a game.” [64:44]
• Game Memory/Film Study (65:01–66:57)
  • Macdonald easily recalls Super Bowl play sequences and play-calling philosophy, down to specific yardage.
• Super Bowl Defensive Gameplan (66:23–68:09)
  • Insight on Devin Witherspoon’s blitz role, disguising pressure, and dialing up aggression.
• Relationship with Seahawks GM John Schneider (68:41–69:50)
• Sam Darnold’s Arrival & Success (69:50–71:24)
  • “He beat us; we couldn’t get to him. That stuck with us.” [72:02]
• Football Journey & Harbaugh Connections (72:46–74:38)
  • Michigan & Baltimore roots, Harbaugh family anecdotes, racing/friendly sibling feuds.
• Special Teams Emphasis & Defensive Identity (79:00–80:05)
  • Why special teams matter, Harbaugh legacy, the “Dark Side” nickname.
• Playcalling & Coaching Style (80:05–81:47)
  • Head coaching vs. DC duties—collaborative headset chaos.
• Super Bowl Approach, Managing the Moment (81:47–83:53)
  • “I’m not celebrating until it’s zeros… learned to keep the pedal down.”
• Personality Break: Barking Tradition, Locker Room Culture (108:45–110:22)
  • “Give me two barks!”—how a pregame ritual started, building camaraderie.
• Practical Jokes & Player Relations (misc.)
  • Exchanges about LinkedIn, awkward pauses, the “best job in the world” vibes.

8. PMT 10-Year Anniversary Reflections

[112:53–140:55]

• Emotional, honest discussion about the show's journey—personal/professional growth, audience appreciation, and the changing landscape of podcasting.
  • Notable Quotes:
    “Ten years of PMT to the day. Dumbest thing I’ve ever listened to. Complete garbage. Bunch of idiots who have no idea what they’re talking about. I haven’t missed an episode. 5 stars. Would recommend.” — Big Cat, reading a fan description [113:54]
  • PFT’s "drunk gratitude tweet" read aloud by Zach: heartfelt thanks to Big Cat, Hank, the crew, and listeners.
• Behind-the-scenes: origin stories for memes, Max, and the supporting cast; appreciation for everyone, including past contributors.
• Acknowledgment of past listeners, shifting lives, and gratitude for the show's role in their routines.
• Nostalgia overload: early episode promises (joining a cult "every week," airport reviews), episode one’s clunky audio, and jokes about maturing (or not) over a decade.
• Hints about the future—book release, vow renewal, wild promises for episode 20.
  • “We are going to ride it until we are the biggest old losers that everyone makes fun of and parodies, because we started parodying everyone else.” — Big Cat [125:05]

Notable Quotes & Moments

• “I tried to order a skinny pizza. Got the heaviest pizza of all time—might have switched pies.” — Big Cat [06:36]
• “I watched a spring training game…I watched like actual baseball on TV.” — Big Cat [03:35]
• “It’s one of those seasons: five, maybe six, absolutely dominant [CBB] teams.” — PFT Commenter [14:32]
• “He just doesn’t look—he just looks at his phone when the Sixers are going on a run...” — Max (NBA arguments amidst podcasting) [38:18]
• “Rams were the only team that we just could not crack the code on.” — Mike Macdonald [78:04]
• “Ten years of what we’ve done all day, every day…I want this to be the only job I have for the rest of my life.” — Big Cat [119:00]

Episode Tone & Takeaways

• Tone: Classic PMT: irreverent, introspective, celebratory, sentimental at times but always ready for a bit.
• Vibe: A crowded, lively roundtable mixing sports insight with roast-style friendship and vulnerability. Sincere gratitude for the audience and each other, without losing the comedic, off-topic flair fans love.

Summary for New Listeners

This episode is a time capsule of what makes "Pardon My Take" tick:

• You’ll find in-the-weeds sports discussion (from CBB bracketology to NFL combine minutiae);
• A unique, lengthy sit-down with a championship NFL coach who explains Xs-and-Os, locker room culture, and the life of a play-calling head coach;
• Hilarious asides and inside jokes about everything from bad pizza to fake Italian food and Super Bowl Gatorade ear infections;
• A generous serving of group nostalgia, gratitude, and the show's foundational idiocy.

Even if you haven’t listened for 10 years, this episode offers a comprehensive, fun, and heartfelt "state of the pod" alongside all the best takes you’d expect from PMT.

End-of-Show Ritual: Lottery Ball/Numbers Game

[140:55–143:00]

• The classic PMT numbers pick closes out the show, with upgraded stakes: what will break up the show first—the Jets winning a Super Bowl, or the passage of time?

For More:
Catch the full episode on all major podcast platforms, and find bonus content at barstool.link/pardon-my-take