US Open Champ JJ Spaun, George Kittle, Panthers Win The Stanley Cup, Max vs Hank After Their 3 On 3 Game Plus Listener Submitted Pardon Your Takes

Summary

Podcast Summary: Pardon My Take – June 18, 2025

Hosts: Big Cat & PFT Commenter
Guests: JJ Spaun (U.S. Open Champion), George Kittle (San Francisco 49ers)
Topics Covered: Florida Panthers' Stanley Cup Victory, Oklahoma City Thunder's NBA Finals Run, Intra-Podcast Beef, Listener Submissions

---

1. Introduction and Episode Overview

The episode kicks off with Big Cat introducing the main topics:

• JJ Spaun's U.S. Open Victory
• George Kittle's Preparations for TEU
• Florida Panthers' Back-to-Back Stanley Cup Wins
• Oklahoma City Thunder's Push Towards the NBA Finals
• A Heated 3-on-3 Game Between Max and Hank
• Listener Submissions

Notable Quote:
Big Cat [00:00]: "A great show, a packed show and it's all brought to you by our friends at DraftKings."

---

2. Florida Panthers' Stanley Cup Victory

Big Cat and PFT Commenter celebrate the Florida Panthers' consecutive Stanley Cup wins, contrasting their dominance with the Edmonton Oilers' shortcomings.

Notable Quotes:
Big Cat [05:00]: "The Florida Panthers deserve all the credit for putting together an absolute beast of a team."
PFT Commenter [05:05]: "93. It felt like this might be Canada's year."

They discuss standout players like Sam Reinhardt, who delivered four goals in the final games, solidifying the Panthers' superiority.

Notable Quote:
Big Cat [06:48]: "Reinhardt had seven, Marshawn had six, Sam Bennett had five. They're awesome."

3. Oklahoma City Thunder's NBA Finals Run

The hosts delve into the Thunder's impressive performance, highlighting Jalen Williams' pivotal 40-point game and the critical role of TJ McConnell.

Notable Quotes:
PFT Commenter [20:24]: "Jalen Williams, incredible."
Big Cat [23:36]: "You need TJ McConnell. He can't be guarded with his spin moves."

They analyze the team's depth, coaching strategies, and the potential impact of injuries on their Finals prospects.

Notable Quote:
Big Cat [25:30]: "I think the Thunder defense is incredible and TJ McConnell was ripping them up."

4. Intra-Podcast Beef: Max vs Hank's 3-on-3 Game

Max and Hank recount a contentious 3-on-3 basketball game where Max hit a game-winning three-pointer in Hank's eye. The segment is filled with humor and camaraderie, culminating in Hank being awarded an all-expenses-paid trip to Pebble Beach as compensation.

Notable Quotes:
PFT Commenter [35:35]: "Max hit a game-winning three in your eye."
Big Cat [39:22]: "We do. That's what we do here. Take care of our boys."

5. Listener Submission: Mount Rushmore of Pro Sports Playoffs

Listener Henri submits his pick for the Mount Rushmore of professional sports playoffs. The hosts debate and discuss their choices, emphasizing the prestige and drama of each selected sport's playoff system.

Notable Quotes:
Big Cat [120:15]: "March Madness is the best. March Madness is my one."
PFT Commenter [120:25]: "Violence is coming."

6. Interview with U.S. Open Champion JJ Spaun

Guest: JJ Spaun
Sponsors Mentioned: State Farm, Experian, Truly Unruly Lemonade

Big Cat and PFT Commenter interview JJ Spaun about his recent U.S. Open win at Oakmont. They discuss his performance, the impact of rain delays, and personal anecdotes from his golfing journey.

Key Points:

• Surreal Victory: JJ shares the emotional impact of winning and waking up next to the trophy.
• Rain Delay Effect: The delay provided a reset, allowing him to regroup and perform optimally in the final round.
• Personal Stories: JJ recounts being hit by a car as a child, which steered him away from skateboarding to golf.
• Managing Diabetes: Diagnosed with Type 1 diabetes in 2021, JJ discusses how it transformed his life and golf game.
• Equipment Changes: Transitioned to a Lab putter to improve consistency and speed control.

Notable Quotes:
JJ Spaun [63:06]: "Stay in the moment and try to take what the course gives you is the biggest thing you can do."
PFT Commenter [78:44]: "How much credit do we give the car that hit you when you were 5 years old to get you to stop skateboarding?"

7. Interview with George Kittle (San Francisco 49ers)

Guest: George Kittle
Sponsors Mentioned: GameTime, Roback.com

George Kittle discusses his new contract with TEU, the evolution of the tight end position, and the 49ers' plans for the future. The conversation touches on team dynamics, player development, and George's personal interests outside football, including golf and gaming.

Key Points:

• Contract Details: George reveals a $40 million deal over two and a half years, with significant chunks payable in September.
• Team Performance: Reflects on the challenging 2024 season, emphasizing the team's resilience and preparation for future success.
• Player Development: Highlights the importance of mentoring younger players and fostering a gritty, competitive team culture.
• Personal Interests: George shares his enthusiasm for golf, gaming (mentioning Pokémon), and his barn setup at home.

Notable Quotes:
George Kittle [89:07]: "It's all it is. You just want to work out and do cardio and catch a lot of footballs."
PFT Commenter [93:18]: "Debo's the man. We're also pro fat. We are pro."

---

8. Closing Remarks and Final Banter

The episode wraps up with light-hearted banter among the hosts about future events, the dynamics of their team interactions, and a playful exchange about potential physical antics. They emphasize the camaraderie and support within the podcast community.

Notable Quote:
Big Cat [117:54]: "We do. That's what we do here. Take care of our boys."

---

Conclusion:
This episode of "Pardon My Take" offers a rich blend of sports analysis, personal stories, and humorous interactions. The hosts provide in-depth discussions on major sporting events, engaging interviews with prominent athletes, and entertaining segments that showcase their unique chemistry. Listeners gain insights into the triumphs of the Florida Panthers and Oklahoma City Thunder, the challenges faced by professional athletes, and the supportive environment fostered within the podcast.

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. Golf season is in full swing and getting out there to work on your game is bound to make any day even better. And if you're looking to improve your drive, Chevy Equinox EV is the smartest choice you can make. Bold athletic styling, a commanding presence, award winning tech, an impressive range, all with an affordable msrp. Chevy Equinox EV will put a smile on your face no matter how your scorecard shakes out. On today's part in my take, we have a twofer for the people. We have JJ Spawn fresh off his US Open win and then our good friend George Kittle from the San Francisco 49ers getting ready for TEU. We have a Stanley Cup Champion. We're going to talk about the Panthers winning the cup back to back years. The Thunder are also one win away from the NBA Finals. We have some inner podcast beef to squash after Max and Hank duked it out in the 3 on 3 BBA. We've got listener submitted Pardon your Takes A great show, a packed show and it's all brought to you by our friends at DraftKings. The NBA Finals are finally here. It's about to get wild. High stakes drama, insane buzzer beaters, jaw dropping dunks and the excitement you live for. And guess what? DraftKings Sportsbook, an official sports betting partner of the NBA, is giving you a chance to boost your winnings every single game during the Finals. That's right. Every game, all finals long. DraftKings is rolling out a special NBA profit boost. So what are you waiting for? Download the DraftKings sportsbook app now. Use Code Take to claim your profit boost. That's right. Code Take gets you a boost for every single NBA Finals game. Don't miss your shot at big wins. This is the moment you've been waiting for. Only on DraftKings. The Crown is yours. Gambling problem. Call 1-800-GAMBLER in New York, call 878-HOPE-Y or text hopeny 467-369 in Connecticut. Help is available for problem gambling. Call 888-78-9-7777 or visit ccpg.org Please play responsibly on behalf of Boot Hill Casino and resort in Kansas, 21 and over. Age and eligibility varies by jurisdiction. Boyden, Ontario get one NBA profit boost per game after opt in boost expires at the end of each game. Boosts, bet criteria and maximum bet limits vary. See [e-mail] promos okay. Hey, football guy. Patino awl. Welcome to part of my take presented by DraftKings. What are you waiting for? Download the DraftKings Sportsbook app now and use code TAKE to claim your profit boost. That's right, Code take to to get you a boost for every single NBA Finals game. Don't miss your shot at big wins. This is the moment you've been waiting for. Only on DraftKings. The crown is yours. Today is Wednesday, June 18, and the Florida Panthers are back to back Stanley cup champions and incredible last two games of the series where they absolutely dominated the Oilers. And just an incredible way to fit. They're the best team. There's not much. I mean if you had to pick a second best team. Pft, it's probably the Toronto Maple Leafs because they took them to seven. So it was like an exciting Stanley cup final for the first four games. And then the Panthers were like, oh yeah, we're the best team. We're about to win back to back titles and congrats to them.

[PFT Commenter]

So I was about to start the show by congratulating the Toronto Maple Leafs.

[Big Cat]

Yeah.

[PFT Commenter]

On being better than the Edmonton Oilers. Like congrats to Biz. Biz was actually kind of right in his argument against Witt. It stinks for Oilers fans, but you got to put in your face, it's not like this was a close game. It's not like the end of the series closed out where you thought that you had a chance. This was ass kicking. They just kicked their asses. And then Reinhardt, he had four goals tonight.

[Big Cat]

Four goals tonight. Sam Reinhardt was, yeah, he was, he was awesome. He's Sam Bennett. The other Sam won the con Smythe with 15 goals in the postseason. Led the whole postseason. But yeah, Sam Reinhardt, four goals. But you're right, like this was not. These last two games were so clear that the Florida Panthers were the better team. And Bob, we said it when our previews with, with Yan's with Wit, we're like, Bob's going to get hot and he's going to, he's going to get hot and it's going to be lights out for the Panthers. And that's exactly what he did in these last two games tonight. I think he saw 28, 29 shots, save 28 of them. He's just, he's, he is that dude in closeout games.

[PFT Commenter]

You can't go back to Skinner if you're the Oilers. We told you that a couple nights ago.

[Big Cat]

Yeah.

[PFT Commenter]

Cannot go back to him. I do feel bad for Oilers. I do. I feel bad for the entire country of Canada.

[Big Cat]

Yeah.

[PFT Commenter]

93. It felt like this might be Canada's year.

[Big Cat]

Yeah. The memes I think just tweeted the. An American team has won this, the CFL Gray cup in a more recent time than the Canadian team has won the Stanley Cup. So the Baltimore Stallions, I believe in 1995 won the great Cup. I think they were only in the league for a year or two and it's been a shorter distance in time than the Canadian teams winning a Stanley Cup. It's. It's tough. I do feel bad. I feel bad for the Oilers. I feel bad. Well, Connor McDavid can't win the big one.

[PFT Commenter]

We're going to just jump into it.

[Big Cat]

I don't know what to say. I feel bad for him. He's an incredible player. But as of right now, I'm just going on the facts that I see has not won the big one.

[PFT Commenter]

Okay. So my, my plan was to just butter up Canada as a country real quick.

[Big Cat]

Okay.

[PFT Commenter]

And just be like, we feel bad for you. This was a great team. Ultimately, it was a combination of Ryan Whitney and your goaltending that let you down. It's not your fault, Canada. But also maybe your golden boy is looking like fool's gold.

[Big Cat]

Yeah. I mean, it's not his fault. We're, we're, we're being a little tongue in cheek, but obviously this will be the, the, the prevailing story of can he win the big one because he is the best player in the league and, and he hasn't won the big one. And for back to back years, the Florida Panthers, that's got to be the hardest part to PFD. If you're an Edmonton Oilers fan, Connor McDavid's the best player in the league. You have all this tradition. You have the Stanley cup years with Gretzky and Messier and then you have a team in Florida who is just dominant. Like the Florida Panthers deserve all the credit for putting together an absolute beast of a team. And the way they've won back to back Stanley Cups, they're, they're awesome.

[PFT Commenter]

Not just Florida, like the dirtiest part of Florida. Yeah, like, like the farthest part away from you. Part of Florida where the team is located outside the city. They basically built a town around a barn and they're like, we hope that we can get people to come out here. And then they built a good team. So they do have a fan base now. Yes. But to lose to Miami, that, that stinks yeah, that stinks real bad. But yeah, they were, they were a dominant team. And I think anybody that watched these playoffs, you can't say anything besides the fact that that was the best team.

[Big Cat]

They all deserve it. Yeah, they, they. So they set a Stanley cup final record, surpassing the 1987 Oilers with most minutes in a Stanley cup final leading. So they led for 255 minutes in the Stanley cup final because it was, you know, the Oilers wins. You had that, that crazy game where they score late and then overtime wins. And so it's just the Panthers were the better team that they, they, they were, they're a built wagon. They had three guys score five plus goals in the Stanley cup final, which they're the only second team in the NHL history to do that. Reinhardt had seven, Marshawn had six, Sam Bennett had five. They're awesome. And it's, it's got to hurt the hockey loving Canadians to be like this team. And I know obviously there's a lot of Canadians on Brad March on from Canada, but still it's got to hurt.

[PFT Commenter]

I would blame, I think there's three people you can blame if you're trying to figure out how to cope. Number one is just the entire state of Florida for having no state income tax. So you can go to that one. You can blame the Boston Bruins and then you can blame the city of Philadelphia for letting Bob go down there. So you've got some scapegoats.

[Big Cat]

Yeah, you got some scapegoats for sure. Absolutely. And now McDavid, you can blame Toronto for not taking care of the Panthers.

[PFT Commenter]

Yeah, yeah. That's actually a great one that you can do.

[Big Cat]

Yeah.

[PFT Commenter]

I think that McDavid is. He's got to win one eventually, but we have no choice but to ask if he's incapable of winning the big one now.

[Big Cat]

Right.

[PFT Commenter]

We didn't want to, we didn't want to have this conversation.

[Big Cat]

And I'm not trying to do insult stats, but he's the only captain who's lost in back to back cup finals in the last 50 years.

[Hank]

It's hard to get there twice.

[Big Cat]

It's hard to get there twice. It's hard to get there twice. I don't want to do these. Let's talk about how awesome the Panthers are.

[PFT Commenter]

Okay. Let's talk about Marshawn and how I, I don't think I realized how great he was until these playoffs, which sounds stupid because obviously he's had a great career for Boston, but something about seeing a guy who's been really really good for a long time. Do the exact same stuff that he's always done, just in a different uniform. Makes it mean, like a little bit more. Like he stands out a little bit more to me.

[Big Cat]

Well, yeah, it's. I mean, he's 37 years old and you're like, oh, what are you going to get from him? Is he at the tail end? And then, oh, yeah, you're going to get one players on the ice for the entire Stanley Cup Final. And an absolute beast who just has a knack for the big moment. And you're right. Like, it was he. I think a lot of people were like, he's incredible. But like, this takes him another level to win it with another team and do it in such an impressive fashion where it's like he had his fingerprints all over this series.

[PFT Commenter]

Yeah. On the third line, too.

[Big Cat]

Yeah. Also credit to Paul Maurice. Very good coach, Florida Panthers. I believe this. I think the stat is he coached for 25 years in the NHL without winning anything, and now is one back to back. Pretty. Pretty awesome. Be a little patient. Patience works.

[PFT Commenter]

Should we be upset with Evander Kane for skipping the handshake line?

[Big Cat]

Ooh, I'm going to say yes. That's bullshit. How can you do that?

[PFT Commenter]

I get it. At the end of the Stanley cup.

[Big Cat]

Finals, that's exactly when you need to do the handshake line. Pft.

[PFT Commenter]

But I get it.

[Big Cat]

You know that. You know.

[PFT Commenter]

But imagine it's you.

[Big Cat]

Yeah. No, I would. I'd be so pissed. I would just probably say fuck you under my breath to everyone in the handshake line. Yeah.

[PFT Commenter]

I'd leave. I just walk out of the arena, get in my car immediately.

[Big Cat]

I'd pretend my. I pretend my, like, right hand was broken and have to do like the sad paw, like people having to reach across and make it really awkward for everyone. She's like, well, I did the handshake line. What do you want from me?

[PFT Commenter]

Yeah, he's got no guts. That's an upper body injury from you. That will be. That's why me and you aren't in the Stanley cup finals. Because we wouldn't do the handshake line.

[Big Cat]

That's true. We should also say, and we're not looking for credit, but we would have gone to Game 7 in Edmonton with Ryan. Whitney. Whitney. So we basically. Whitney. I believe if we're doing a score counter, he now owes us something.

[PFT Commenter]

Yeah. So a little peek behind the curtain. I'm. I'm out of studio right now because I'm at a lake house In Michigan that I planned on doing this like five months ago. Got this lake house for the week into the weekend. By the way, Michigan, awesome state, A lot of weed dispensaries, kind of crazy. And I said, I'm not going to be here this weekend. I canceled my lease, the week long lease on the lake house because I was like, I'm going to go to Edmonton this weekend. And then I don't know what I'm going to do tomorrow because I got. I'm out of this house. I'm self evicted. So, I mean, credit to us for saying, hey, Whit, you've done a lot for this program. We're willing to put our nuts on the line for you, but unfortunately just can't happen.

[Big Cat]

I had a phone call with Ryan Whitney this morning, planning it out, being like, hey, if Edmonton wins this game tonight, we got to act quick. We got to get this flight. We got to get like, give me the names right now. We got to be ready to go. It was being planned. And again, I do think he owes us something now. I don't know what. We're going to have to figure it out, Hank. He owes us something. Don't you agree? Because you would have gone. Yeah, absolutely.

[PFT Commenter]

Sure.

[Big Cat]

Yeah, 100%, max. You would have gone, right? Max. Actually, like really pumped to go. Really pumped.

[PFT Commenter]

I think Whitney should have to dye his hair.

[Big Cat]

Yeah, it would. It does feel good to. It would have been cool to go to, like, I'm not complaining about having a chance to go to a game seven. It would have been pretty sick. But in terms of like all time cancellation, of like, hey, you don't have to go to Edmonton. It felt good. It felt really good. I'll be honest. It felt really, really good.

[PFT Commenter]

Not me. I'm. I'm upset. Yeah, I would love to go up there.

[Big Cat]

You're so upset from your lake house in Michigan.

[PFT Commenter]

It's a bummer. Hey, Hank, fun fact about Michigan. I'm learning all sorts of stuff about Michigan. You know, Michigan has the most lighthouses of any state in the United States.

[Big Cat]

Wow.

[PFT Commenter]

Yeah. Pretty cool. There's one right down the street. I'll take a picture of it. You know what? You know what the state bird of Michigan is? The mosquito.

[Big Cat]

Oh. Oh, yeah. Not even a bird.

[PFT Commenter]

No, it's a. It's a joke that every state says about their own state.

[Big Cat]

Oh, I'm watching right now. They're taking a picture with Stanley. God damn it. The Stanley cup. Winning that, it's got to be the best feeling in the world. Just Being like, we're just going to get so fucked up with the boys. They do.

[Hank]

Marcia's holding up the tube, buddy. You weren't there last year.

[Big Cat]

Stanley Cup. I will say this about the Stanley Cup. It does feel like the number one. The team, like, parties for as long as possible together. Like, I think a lot of the other sports, the team kind of fractures pretty quickly. This one, it's like you'll just see all of the Panthers partying for the next four days, all of them together.

[PFT Commenter]

And sometimes longer than that. That's what makes it so impressive that your repeat champion is you win the Stanley cup and you go on a bender for about a month and a half, you're just getting fucked up left and right like you're a freshman in college. And then you go back, and after a summer of utter debauchery, you're able to somehow get back to that elite level that might. I think that might be the hardest sports repeat in.

[Big Cat]

Yeah. Oh, by the way, here we go. Breaking moves. Matthew Kachuk says he tore the abductor off the bone and was dealing with a hernia on the same side of his body. Wasn't sure if he'd be able to play to start these playoffs. Kachuk State says grinding through all that makes the Stanley cup more rewarding. I love. I love the hockey injuries after, because they. They are like, it's. It's kind of the opposite of, you know, LeBron getting bounced and being like, I would have been out three to five weeks. Like, these guys are playing with horrific injuries, and they don't say a word. And then after, they. They get a microphone in their face, like, yeah, actually, my leg's been broken for, like, four months, and. But it's the cup, dude.

[PFT Commenter]

Yeah. Thank God this series is over because I get to go to the hospital.

[Big Cat]

Yeah. Yeah.

[PFT Commenter]

So I'm gonna check myself in. But when you say the way that you phrased his injury, though, it sounds kind of delicious. Loki.

[Big Cat]

Yeah.

[PFT Commenter]

Say it again.

[Big Cat]

He tore the abductor off the bone. That is.

[PFT Commenter]

Oh, that sounds. That sounds tasty.

[Big Cat]

Yeah, there'll be. There'll be a Panther oiler. Be like, yeah, my doctor told me if it goes seven, I'll probably die, but it's the cup, so got to.

[PFT Commenter]

Go out there for the boys.

[Big Cat]

Yeah. All right. I had one other thing before we kick it to ourselves in studio for the rest of the show. I'm starting to think that some of the women in the WNBA don't like Caitlin Clark.

[PFT Commenter]

Yeah. Yeah, I think so.

[Big Cat]

That's all I got.

[PFT Commenter]

Did she get fish hooked tonight or was it just a slap in the. Did she get slapped?

[Big Cat]

She got like rabbit punched and then. And then, like, chest bumped. Yeah. I think they don't like her. I don't know. I'm just getting that vibe. Maybe. Maybe we gotta wait and see, but I'm starting to think they don't like her.

[PFT Commenter]

When all this started to go down last year, I. I thought that this is actually a great opportunity for somebody that's like, into the bench. Player on the fever. Become the Caitlin Clark defender.

[Big Cat]

Yeah.

[PFT Commenter]

Forget about working on your game. Just get in the gym. Just start. Just start learning boxing, Jiu jitsu, Muay Thai, whatever. And then just be an enforcer. Be the Charles Oakley. There's an opening right now for Charles Oakley to Caitlin Clark's Michael Jordan. That just goes out there and beats the. Out of girls that try to go at Kaylin.

[Big Cat]

Yeah, just beats. Be friend for life. Yeah.

[PFT Commenter]

Be your best friend for life and eat a couple technicals every now and again. Get kicked out a few games. Not only will it be good for your just career, like on the roster, but, I mean, there'll be marketing opportunities, too.

[Big Cat]

Yeah.

[PFT Commenter]

You're just like. You'll be known as her bodyguard.

[Big Cat]

Yeah, that's your. It's a great point. Oh, I totally forgot. Congrats, Zach. Are you a Panthers fan? It would be. It would be stolen valor to say Panthers fans specifically, but State of Florida. Love to see them bring the Stanley cup home. Okay. Love that.

[Hank]

It's coming home to the state of Florida.

[Big Cat]

The state of Florida's won four out of the last five cups. Is that not right? I believe so. They could be way up. Yeah. Lightning. What is it? It's two lightning, two Panthers, and then the Avalanche mixed in. Is that right? Memes? Yeah. Yeah.

[PFT Commenter]

All in the South.

[Big Cat]

Yeah, that's right. Yeah. All right, so congrats, State of Hockey.

[PFT Commenter]

Congrats to Brooks.

[Big Cat]

Congrats to Brooks. Yeah, he was there. He was looking like he was having fun. Yeah. Great night. And Marlins man. Congrats to Marlin's man.

[PFT Commenter]

I'm not going to say that.

[Big Cat]

I will. He's. He just kept on texting me throughout the game, being like, wish you were here. What is this? Oh, there's video play is crazy loud. Wish you were here. And it's just a picture of him with a chick and then a picture of him with the Panther mascot, so. Didn't make any inappropriate comments about your mom.

[PFT Commenter]

Is the. What's the picture of the Day, the picture contest winner.

[Big Cat]

I don't know. Do you. Should I play the video he sent? This is. This is. Oh, that's just a live. All right, wait, hold on. Let me. Let me replace. If anyone's wondering if it was loud at the. At the. At the game tonight to win the Stanley cup trophy, here's. Here's live. Our live reporter Marlins. Man, hear that? Pft.

[PFT Commenter]

It sounds pretty loud.

[Big Cat]

It's really loud. Let me me just go and see if he maybe says something at the end. Oh, wow. That is loud. That was loud. Confirm loud.

[PFT Commenter]

Confirm. Confirm.

[Big Cat]

Confirm loud. Okay, let's kick it to ourselves. We got a lot of great show Hank versus Max. We have some NBA finals talk. We have JJ Spawn, George Kittle. Pardon your take back in studio altogether. Okay, we're back in studio and brought to you by our friends at game time. Baseball is back. There's nothing like getting to a baseball game, especially last minute. Lucky for me, I always use GameTime, the official ticketing partner of Barstool Sports. GameTime makes getting tickets faster and easier. Prices on the app actually go down the closer it gets to Showtime. Plus the gametime picks feature makes it even easier to find the great deals on the seats you want. Just pull up your chosen event and turn on the GT pick setting at the top of the screen. Or browse the best local GameTime picks deal near you on your GameTime app homepage. Cubs are home this week.

[Hank]

Yeah, they are.

[Big Cat]

Yeah. Playing brewers and the Mariners. Yep.

[Hank]

You want to go see Kristen Yellich at a bomb at Wrigley? You can watch for as cheap as $46 on the game timeout.

[Big Cat]

Okay, so go right now. You can put those savings back in your pocket and spend them at the ballpark on a hot dog, a new hat, or some good old fashioned cracker jack. What are you waiting for? Go buy those Cubs brewers tickets now with game Time picks. And take the guess. We got to buying tickets to the game time. Download the Game Time app, Create an account. Use code PMT for $20 off your first purchase. If you haven't used Game Time, we just got Those Cubs tickets, $26. So use it right now. Use code PMT $20 off terms apply again. Create an account, redeem code PMT for $20 off. Download the game Time app today. What time is it? Game time. Okay, boys. The Oklahoma City Thunder are one win away from the NBA title. And that was the J Dub game. Yeah. Jalen Williams. Incredible.

[PFT Commenter]

Forty.

[Big Cat]

Yeah. Forty points. Second most in Thunder history in the finals. I think it was. Russell Westbrook had 43 back in the 2010 finals. That was an awesome game from him. And that was exactly like, this is why the Thunder are so scary. SGA is the MVP. He's 26 years old. Chad is 23 years old. J Dub is 24 years old. And he's had moments in these playoffs where it's like one great game, one game where he kind of isn't there. It's. That's the progression of a young player. But on Monday night, he was there and he was phenomenal.

[PFT Commenter]

Is that the most points ever scored by a guy that was drafted third in the same year by his own team? Like he was their third pick when they took him? Good question in the NBA Finals? I think it might be. It was. It was a great game on his part. SGA also wasn't bad.

[Big Cat]

No, SGA was great, but it was. It was like JW show.

[PFT Commenter]

So we. I think we. Maybe we should think about having the conversation. Batman Robin.

[Big Cat]

Yeah.

[PFT Commenter]

Last night he was Batman.

[Big Cat]

Yeah. And it was I. That like, obviously this is the NBA Finals. You have to win these games. The Pacers, there's no moral victories. I was kind of not shocked, but like the way they fought. I thought the game was over at halftime. Tyrese Halliburton's hurt. He had zero field goals made. Stephen A. Smith said he was happy he was hurt. He corrected a little. He's like, I'm happy. He. I know that he's hurt because he's sucking tonight.

[PFT Commenter]

I think Stephen A. Smith was happy he was hurt so that he could play solitaire instead of having. Having to watch the game.

[Big Cat]

Y. But it was. The Pacers were right there. It was that sequence. I think it was like nine minutes left. It was 95, 93. And the Thunder got an offensive rebound. J Dub hit a. Hit a three. And then I believe it was Casey Wallace got a steal and dunk. And it was like, oh, now it's back to a seven point game. And outside of. I mean, Terry Salberton was. Was bad. He's injured. Remember, he had a leg thing that Shams reported two games ago. So it seems like he might have aggravated the leg thing. I. I feel like Rick Carlisle. I don't know. Maybe this is just one of those situations where he obviously knows his players better than anyone else, but T.J. mcConnell was a problem. He could not. The Thunder did not know what to do with him. And he. He should have. He should have kept with him. The question that I have for everyone else is, is T.J. mcConnell, one of those guys that you can't play him that much because all he does is go 100% all the time.

[PFT Commenter]

I think the. A fair question would be like, should we play T.J. mcConnell all the time? Because he is great at surprising you with how good he is.

[Big Cat]

Yeah.

[PFT Commenter]

So if he's playing all the time, can you even be surprised that he's still cooking? The team was. The bases were definitely better when TJ McConnell was in last night. And every time it got close, it was because T.J. mcConnell was out there doing his Indiana deli thing where he kind of does like the. The well placed spin moves, gets away from guys, plays extremely hard. You gotta ask Qu. Should Carlisle be yanking guys? I think he's got to start yanking guys. I think that, like Halliburton. Yes. He is your best player. The offense goes through him. And when it goes through him, it. The offense is incredible to watch. But when he's limited, then it becomes. Now you rely on guys who don't create their own shots. You rely on them having to create their own shots more. It doesn't work out as well.

[Big Cat]

Yeah. You need T.J. mcConnell. I just don't. I don't. I think T.J. mcConnell is one of those guys that he just. You can't play him 35 minutes because then you lose the TJ McConnell. Because every single time TJ McConnell, he'll sprint down the court with the ball, go into the lane, either shoot or make a decision to get someone else a shot. They score and then he's sprinting, trying to steal the ball in the inbound.

[PFT Commenter]

Yeah.

[Big Cat]

And it's like, you can't. Part of why he works is that he never, ever lets up. And I don't know how much gas he has it. I also thought siakam only playing 33 minutes. Siakam was a pro. The Thunder had no answer for Siakam either.

[PFT Commenter]

I think that you should play TJ If Halliburton is going to continue to be hurt. You play TJ at home, you give him heavy minutes at home. You let him. You let him feed off that crown. There was one point, I think it was. It was either Holmgren or maybe Hartenstein, but he got fouled by TJ Got fouled pretty hard. And then he turned around and he was like, it was an honor to be fouled by you, sir. They adapt each other up. It was like that. I appreciate you going balls out, but that was also great crowd game for Oklahoma City. Yeah, Great crowd game. Oh, the stripe out yeah, the stripe out was awesome. They didn't sit down for the entire game. It was loud as. Even at one point, like, when things weren't going well for the Oklahoma City Thunder, the crowd just never stopped chanting okc.

[Big Cat]

Yeah.

[PFT Commenter]

Even when, like, most crowds would be like, oh, that we're about to. The Pacers are about to do their Pacer thing.

[Big Cat]

Yeah. Loud city, right? Is that what they were calling it?

[PFT Commenter]

Loud City?

[Big Cat]

I think they were calling it Loud City. They had. They had Red Panda at halftime. They showed the intros before the game, which, again, bullying works.

[PFT Commenter]

It's.

[Big Cat]

I. At some point, Adam Silver has to stand up to the Internet. Like, he. We. We just bully him left and right.

[PFT Commenter]

Yeah.

[Big Cat]

We just complain about something. He's like, yeah, you know what? We'll. We'll make that fix.

[PFT Commenter]

Roger Goodell would never change everything, ever, ever. He would just make it worse.

[Big Cat]

Probably if he did, we would have the throat slash back. Yeah.

[PFT Commenter]

He's like, okay, well, I'm gonna make the. I'm gonna make the NBA Finals logo on the court slipperier.

[Big Cat]

Yeah. Yeah. So the Thunder. I do. We think they. They close it out in six.

[PFT Commenter]

I think statistically, if you're just going based off history, it's like 80%. But then you add in the fact that Halliburton is not healthy right now.

[Big Cat]

That's the part where I'm like, because if Halliburton was 100%, I would have the Pacers in game six. I would think this is going seven. Either way, this has been a phenomenal series. Like, that was a great game. It was a two point game with nine minutes left, and it was it just fun basketball being played.

[PFT Commenter]

So before the game, did you see the clip of SGA signing autographs?

[Big Cat]

No.

[PFT Commenter]

He signed 429 autographs before the game. He signed autographs for everybody that brought him something to sign.

[Big Cat]

And there was a. Someone was videoing the whole thing.

[PFT Commenter]

And then Darren Revel was like, okay, I'm out of merchandise. I'll let somebody else try. Yeah, somebody videoed the entire thing. If you're the Indiana Pacers, if I were you guys, I would show up. I would bring like 20,000 people wearing Thunder jerseys to the arena and have SGA try to sign 20,000 autographs before the game.

[Big Cat]

Yeah.

[PFT Commenter]

Tire tires. Foul shooting handout.

[Big Cat]

You just need. Yeah. This is actually a crazy video.

[PFT Commenter]

It's nuts, right?

[Big Cat]

What a guy. I mean, at some point your hand has to get tired.

[PFT Commenter]

It's the most Canadian thing ever.

[Big Cat]

You're playing in An NBA Finals game. He. This is, this is incred. What a guy.

[PFT Commenter]

Here you go. Here's your autograph. Okay. Now have a great day. Take care.

[Big Cat]

You want another one? You want another signer? Yeah.

[PFT Commenter]

When we were talking about SJ's great voice.

[Big Cat]

Yeah.

[PFT Commenter]

It's actually just super Canadian.

[Big Cat]

I don't like it. I think his voice is too deep. I've said this. I, I think, I think he's got the, the, the voice of a seven footer.

[PFT Commenter]

I think we should just pretend that he's got like a Canadian hockey voice.

[Big Cat]

Yeah, that would work. I just, every time he talks, I'm like, oh, I. That guy's not seven feet. He's six. Six. So you guys think it's over?

[PFT Commenter]

Yeah, I think.

[Big Cat]

Well, you've said it's over.

[Hank]

Yeah.

[PFT Commenter]

After every game, I think it might be over.

[Hank]

The Pacers have had two golden opportunities last two games that they've kind of squandered, you know?

[Big Cat]

Yeah.

[PFT Commenter]

You know what, though? Every single time, this is the first time that the Pacers have been trailing in a series all playoffs, which is kind of crazy.

[Big Cat]

True.

[PFT Commenter]

I think. I think the Pacers are going to figure out how to win one at home. I don't know how. I think maybe we get a TJ McConnell game. I think we just send him out there and we're like, we're going to empty TJ's personal tank on this one.

[Hank]

That was the game to do it, though. They, they, they had the momentum with them. I agree, you can't do it all the time. But if Halberton's out and he was clearly the spark.

[Big Cat]

He was a.

[Hank]

Like they should have. They should have died with him last night. And they didn't.

[Big Cat]

The Thunders.

[Hank]

It shouldn't have been a question of should we have played him or not.

[Big Cat]

The Thunders defense is incredible and TJ McConnell was ripping them up.

[Hank]

Yeah, they had no answer and they took him out for the last like six or whatever, the crucial six months, six minutes when they lost the game. Yeah, I turned the ball over like seven times in a row.

[Big Cat]

I think that if I'm going, if we're going off the, the series I've mentioned many times because it actually is now we're five games through and it's almost identical to the Nuggets Thunder series. It would be Nuggets. It would be the, the Pacers winning game six and then the, and then the Thunder winning in seven. I. Listen, I'd love for it to go seven.

[PFT Commenter]

It's just that every Time we count the Pacers out, they manage to do something crazy.

[Big Cat]

Yeah. Although I think the Thunder are going to win this series.

[PFT Commenter]

I think so, too.

[Big Cat]

I think that's. I guess that's ultimate. Counting them out, right?

[PFT Commenter]

I think so, too, but. And I have no reason to. To believe that they're going to win game six. But I somehow do, you know, like, I've seen it enough from them where they can figure out a way to do it. Rick Carlisle is a great coach.

[Big Cat]

Yeah.

[PFT Commenter]

He's one of the best coaches in the league, and he has been for a long time. They're going to figure out some weird thing, I think.

[Big Cat]

McConnell, you can't guard me with the spin moves. You have to guard me. What T.J. mcConnell yelled at the Oklahoma City Thunder after he hit a wide open three. That's fair. He also is. I know because of his height and maybe his complexion, people are like, oh, TJ McConnell, how's he doing? He is super athletic.

[PFT Commenter]

Yeah.

[Big Cat]

Like, he's so fast.

[PFT Commenter]

It's tricky because he is. He's literally coach's son.

[Big Cat]

Yeah. He's so shifty.

[PFT Commenter]

So you can start being like, yeah, look at this guy. Sneaky, athletic coach' grit, fundamentally sound student of the game. You can do all those. But he's also insanely. If he was. If TJ McConnell was Australian, I think people would put a little bit more respect on his name.

[Big Cat]

Yeah.

[PFT Commenter]

If he had, like, an exotic accent.

[Big Cat]

I just. I walked away from that game being like, holy. The Thunder are. What we've said all along. The, like, is this going to be their worst dynasty? Is this going to be their worst championship in the dynasty? Because Jalen Williams taking that next step in an NBA Finals game. It's crazy how, like, if they have SGA and Jalen Williams doing this and Chet maybe putting on 15 pounds, I don't know how. And it's just so many guys, they. Crusoe leads the NBA Finals all time and steals off the bench. That's just what they do. They bring it. They're like, oh, you. You know, you think this is a problem? Watch this pit bull come in and just fucking harass the shit out of everyone.

[PFT Commenter]

And last night was when they really looked like a historic defense.

[Big Cat]

Yeah.

[PFT Commenter]

They. They've had moments before and certainly, like, the. And in the playoffs, they've had incredible. This was their, like, signature game in the Finals in terms of putting their defense out there. I don't. I know that in sports.

[Big Cat]

End of game four, too, was incredible.

[PFT Commenter]

We have to talk about everything that it's like, it's historic.

[Big Cat]

Yeah.

[PFT Commenter]

And they did have a historic regular season. Their defense was. Was great. But when you talk about, like the best of all time defense, I don't. I get a little annoyed when I hear that.

[Big Cat]

Yeah.

[PFT Commenter]

Because you think of some great, like as far as I'm. The Pistons.

[Big Cat]

Yeah.

[PFT Commenter]

When they had the gentleman sweep, that to me, is the best defense of all time.

[Big Cat]

Yeah. I mean, there's. I mean, some of the Bulls dynasty years were insane defenses. There's. Yeah, it's a different league now. Yeah, it's a different league. Okay, we want to do Hot Seat Chill Throne, and then we'll get to our interviews. We got J.J. spawn, U.S. open champion, and George Kittle, our good friend. Hey, yeah. Put on these shirts, plt.

[PFT Commenter]

Oh, yeah.

[Big Cat]

Let's go, boys. We got a lot to get to in a Hot Seat Chill Throne. A lot of different sports. All right. Hot Seat Chill Throne. Hot Seat Chill Throne. You're seeing us put on these shirts right now. Brought to you by Body armor. This segment is brought to you by Body Armor sports drink. This summer, cool off with Body Armor Chill, a bold new way to hydrate with no artificial dyes, flavors or sweeteners. Enjoy a new refreshing, cooling sensation in three impossibly cold flavors. Frozen berry, frozen cherry, and frozen orange with Body Armor Chill. Available for a limited time. Grab yours at 711 or store near you. Wow. We look good. We look good, boys. Hot Seat Chill Throne. Hank, he's putting. He's buttoning. He's buttoning.

[Hank]

Yeah. My hot seat is myself.

[Big Cat]

Oh. Why?

[Hank]

We alluded to it last week on the show, but the, the. The video is out. The barstool Basketball league association game. State Farm is my team versus Max's team. I would say Vegas had us at like a minus 300 going into the game.

[Big Cat]

We're probably heavily way more than that.

[Hank]

Way more than that.

[Big Cat]

Who's on your team?

[Hank]

My team was me, Dana Beers, Danny Conrad, High school and Ella Griff.

[Big Cat]

Okay.

[PFT Commenter]

And who was on Max's team?

[Hank]

Max's team was Max the Wonton Dawn, Stephanie and Spider.

[PFT Commenter]

Okay.

[Big Cat]

Okay. And so, yeah, I would say you guys were. You guys were the one seed. They were the eight seed in this tournament, by the way. Just. It. It hurt me. This took place two weeks ago. It hurt me that we had to sit on this because all I wanted to do was get Max hit a game winner in Hank's eye.

[Hank]

Nope, not my eye. False.

[PFT Commenter]

You were on the court.

[Hank]

I was on the court.

[PFT Commenter]

Did you see it?

[Hank]

No. Boxing Out.

[Big Cat]

Max hit a game winner in Hank's eye, and we had to sit there and. And not talk about it for two weeks when all I wanted to do was talk about it, because my boy Max, he is him. He is built different.

[Hank]

He double dribbled, but it was a. It was a good shot. It was clutch.

[PFT Commenter]

I. So I watched the replay of the alleged double dribble. It was identical to when Steph Curry does that thing where he. He pretends to put his hand on the ball and keeps dribbling to make somebody bite on a fake. When he does it, it's like, oh, this is witchcraft. We've never seen a player with handles like this before. When Max does it, you try to become a deputized official at home. And it's disrespectful to Max's game because that was a sick move that he put on it.

[Big Cat]

Yeah, I'm actually honored because that's just.

[PFT Commenter]

Unbelievable loser talk from everyone.

[Big Cat]

From everyone trying to say double drill.

[Hank]

It is loser talk.

[Big Cat]

So just so people who didn't watch, go watch, because we got a bunch of games coming up. PFT and I are on the same team.

[Hank]

Great basketball.

[Big Cat]

Great basketball.

[PFT Commenter]

BBL.

[Big Cat]

The BBL.

[Hank]

Nope.

[Big Cat]

The BBL drew BBA. So it's games to 11, not win by 2. Hanks team was up 10 to 6. All they needed was a bucket. It's not make it take it either. So if they. Max team scores a bucket, Hank's team gets it. They have Dana. They have Hank. Basically a professional basketball team.

[Hank]

I had a free throw to win.

[Big Cat]

Hank went over one from the line. He went over eight from three. No. Yugs Bunny did not date. Right, right, right, right. Yugs bunny. Three for 12 from. From the field. Three turnovers. Costly turnover.

[Hank]

Costly. Really bad turnovers.

[Big Cat]

What happened with 0 for 8 from the 3? Because you. A lot of those, you were not guarded at all.

[Hank]

Yeah, I went over a. From three. I did not make one. I miss.

[Big Cat]

And Max is not Max. What would you say basketball is like your, like, 10th best sport? Yeah, it's not one of my. It's not one of my best sports. I like to say that I can compete out there, but you filled up.

[PFT Commenter]

The stat sheet, though. Yeah. No efficient game. Three for six. And you were what, one for two from three, three for six. 50 boards, 10 boards. One for two from three.

[Zach]

That's.

[Big Cat]

Can I. Can I throw a spin zone for a guy, Hank?

[PFT Commenter]

Yeah, he needs one.

[Big Cat]

All right. Here's the spin zone. All right. So, yeah, the game sucked. Max hit A game winning. Three in your eye. Max barely plays basketball. You play and train basketball all the time. What? You. Were you not trying to dunk? Were you not trying to dunk? You were training basketball. That's literally training basketball. You spent a year training basketball. You trained basketball.

[Hank]

Okay, you're right.

[Big Cat]

You. You. So you train basketball. Max, it's not even. He doesn't even think of it as, like, if you're like, hey, give us your best sports. It's like, yeah, he's got to take off his shoes to count to the basketball and socks, but the spin zone is. Hank, at least during this game, you didn't basically beat up a girl that wasn't. Oh, wait, yeah, you did. Yeah. Yeah, you kind of did.

[PFT Commenter]

You ran her over.

[Big Cat]

You ran her over.

[Hank]

I blocked her.

[Big Cat]

Did she block you?

[Hank]

No.

[PFT Commenter]

Oh, did you step over?

[Hank]

No.

[PFT Commenter]

I thought that there was you. You blocked her, and then you.

[Hank]

And then I tried to hold her up from falling, and then she fell, and then I tried to pick her up, and she was like, don't ever touch me again.

[Big Cat]

Yeah, it was amazing.

[PFT Commenter]

That was great. You shoved her to the ground.

[Hank]

Shout out. I did not shove her to the ground. Dana. Beers, like, almost. Max knocked Ella Griff through earth's core.

[Zach]

That's not true.

[Hank]

She bounced like, there's still a. And there's a dent in the court from how hard she hit the ground. I was going up, stomach hit her head, and she got a concussion.

[Big Cat]

Oh, she. She tried to get in the paint. It was such a great game. I'm so happy for you, Max. The whole. The whole crowd was rooting for you. Oh, it was. I cannot stress the upset this was.

[Zach]

And the people.

[Big Cat]

The people at home, they have no idea the upset that that happened on this court. Like, Dana and Hank were both looked at as two of the best players in the entire.

[PFT Commenter]

Yeah.

[Big Cat]

League. You were the. You were Big Cat. Big Cat was, like, calling protest to the whole thing because somehow they got. They got on the same team. Jerry. Jerry drafted Max one overall.

[Zach]

Second overall.

[Big Cat]

Second overall. Because he's For Vibes. Yeah, for Vibes.

[Zach]

And then there ended up being trades.

[Big Cat]

Yeah. My team was literally tanking. My team was literally tanking against the team that the rest of the entire tournament was upset that they somehow got together. We were like, this team is the. Is the best team because the way the draft went down, it's like, how did Hank. How did Dana fall to 3? Because Jerry took Max second. Wow.

[PFT Commenter]

In your eye, Hank, how did you feel about the entire office rooting against you.

[Big Cat]

You.

[Hank]

I'm used to that. Everyone here hates me.

[Big Cat]

I love you.

[Hank]

I, I. It is. It was bad. It was. There was nothing. It was such a bad choke. I had a free throw to literally win the game. I completely. I completely mentally checked out. I was like, this is a formality. You know we're gonna score. It's not if. It's when this game is over. I counted my chickens before they hatched. Max. You know, double dribbled. Didn't get the call. Smart play.

[Big Cat]

Loser talk.

[Hank]

It was a clutch shot. I'm very happy it wasn't in my eye.

[Big Cat]

Yeah, your eye was open.

[Hank]

So much worse.

[Big Cat]

I do have a real spin zone for you. Ready?

[Hank]

Yeah.

[Big Cat]

Okay. Tough, tough couple days for you, Max. Hitting the game winner in your eye, you falling asleep during the US Open. I never talk about naps again, by the way.

[Hank]

You're banned from talking about naps.

[PFT Commenter]

Are we big nap talking, guys?

[Hank]

Every golf tournament of all time. It's like, I can't wait for Sunday.

[Big Cat]

To take my nap.

[Hank]

Every podcast you guys have ever done.

[PFT Commenter]

I don't think that we.

[Hank]

I just didn't realize there was so many strict rules and regulations.

[Big Cat]

It's not a rule. Regulation.

[PFT Commenter]

You're also the golf guy.

[Big Cat]

Yeah. You're a golf expert.

[Hank]

Yeah.

[Big Cat]

We don't take naps during NFL games.

[Hank]

Okay.

[Big Cat]

All right. Can I get to my spin zone?

[Hank]

Sure.

[PFT Commenter]

They don't rain delayed NFL games.

[Big Cat]

So you've had. You've had a tough couple days. PFC and I have decided to get you a tee time and a flight to Pebble Beach.

[Hank]

Wow.

[Big Cat]

So we're gonna send you pebble beach this weekend.

[Hank]

Wow.

[Big Cat]

Yeah. Yeah.

[Hank]

Wow.

[Big Cat]

Yep. And we talked to your dad. He's gonna come too. We paid for him as well, so, I mean, that's pretty nice of us, right?

[Zach]

Wow.

[Hank]

Thank you, guys.

[Big Cat]

Yeah. We wanted you to have a nice trip. So we paid. All expenses paid. Pebble Beach. Juneteenth does Pebble Beach. Yeah. Thank you, guys.

[Hank]

I'm so excited.

[Big Cat]

Can you do it? Can you drop everything?

[Hank]

Yeah. I'll have to check some things, but I think I can leave at 7am tomorrow morning.

[PFT Commenter]

I hope that's okay. We had to move around a lot of stuff.

[Hank]

Thank you, guys.

[PFT Commenter]

All the favors that we had.

[Hank]

That's amazing. My day has turned around.

[PFT Commenter]

And then next week, you're gonna love this too. Next week, we're gonna have you play into the Ryder Cup.

[Big Cat]

Wow. We got a whole golf tournament just for you.

[PFT Commenter]

Yeah, it was gonna be. Well, there were some Talk about who was going to get to play, who wasn't going to get to play. And we said, sorry, Francis, you're out. Hanks in.

[Big Cat]

Yeah.

[Hank]

That's exciting. I'm excited. I'm excited.

[Big Cat]

Thank you to us.

[Hank]

I thank you so much. I love you guys.

[Big Cat]

Can't be mad at us anymore.

[Hank]

No, I never was.

[Big Cat]

Well, you're mad at us stuff, and you were mad about Max hitting it in your eye. Yeah.

[PFT Commenter]

And then also, I know that you wanted to be in the dozen this week, but we took care of that. You're not going to play.

[Big Cat]

Okay. Yeah.

[PFT Commenter]

Yeah. So no trivia and you get to golf.

[Hank]

Wow.

[Zach]

Pebble Peach.

[Hank]

That's a dream.

[Big Cat]

You're going to pebble beach, buddy.

[Hank]

That's a dream. I will say it is. Being 32 now, it's like, I. I used to be irrationally confident about my athletic abilities, and it bothered me when I, you know, I'm bad. I don't really care as much anymore. Like, I've just accepted being like. It's like I wanted to get more mad at myself, but it's like, yeah, I'm 32. I might just be an absolute joke of an athlete.

[Big Cat]

PFT and I were on the same team. We're the oldest team by far because Stephen Che was on our team as well. So it's two 40 year olds. And I think Stephen Chase, 39. We had the conversation before. We're like, hey, we want to win this thing, but we also need to not get injured.

[Hank]

Yeah. You guys might surprise me with a trip to pebble. And, like, I can't. Like, if I get injured for that, I will literally want to die.

[PFT Commenter]

Never let it down. Yeah, right. It is kind of liberating reaching that. That spot where you're okay with looking like an idiot trying to play sports. Right. Where you're like, okay, yeah, I'm not as good as. At one point I thought I could be.

[Big Cat]

It's also like, we. I just. I just keep going back, like, hey, we're. We're 40 and we're still out there doing it. We're competing. That. That deserves some credit. Like, just going out there and competing.32. I mean, that's. Whatever Pebble. You had to. You had to stay healthy for Pebble.

[PFT Commenter]

Do you think. Do you think that thought crosses Aaron Rodgers's brain at all? Like, I just don't want to get hurt.

[Big Cat]

Yeah.

[PFT Commenter]

Like, who am I trying to impress? 41 years old? I just want to go out there and, you know, show the world that that old Guys can still get out on a field.

[Big Cat]

There should be a rule in like all sports if you like a 40 year old touchdown counts for an extra point weight. Yeah, it's like. Also, he's still doing it.

[PFT Commenter]

300 pound plus touchdown should be more.

[Big Cat]

Yep. Facts. Okay. Your Chiltern.

[Hank]

Oh, wow. That was a long hot seat.

[Big Cat]

Yeah. Well, these pictures are incredible. Spider.

[Hank]

He'd hit Spider. Pft. Laughing, smiling as. As wide as I've ever seen him smile.

[PFT Commenter]

Where?

[Hank]

In the background.

[PFT Commenter]

Oh, is that me?

[Hank]

I tweeted one too. There's one where you. You were closer.

[PFT Commenter]

Yeah, that's fake news. I was, I was real broke.

[Big Cat]

I just kept on running around behind Max being like, he's him, my boy is him. Just an all time result.

[PFT Commenter]

I was about to say it's not personal.

[Big Cat]

Oh, yeah, that. No, that, that smiles. Personal.

[PFT Commenter]

That's not me though.

[Big Cat]

Yeah, that. I think that's.

[Hank]

That's you.

[Big Cat]

That's you, right?

[PFT Commenter]

That's me.

[Big Cat]

Yeah, that's. That's a personal smile.

[PFT Commenter]

Zoom.

[Big Cat]

Personal glee.

[PFT Commenter]

Enhance.

[Big Cat]

You. You have. You're having the time of your life.

[PFT Commenter]

I mean, it was a great joke. I thought that I was on the other side. That could be me.

[Big Cat]

Yeah, that's you. And you're having the time of your life. Oh, yeah. Oh, yeah. Yeah, that's me. Oh, that's as personal as it gets.

[PFT Commenter]

That was personal.

[Big Cat]

Yeah. I just wanted, you know, Hank, my happiness after was 1,000% personal.

[Hank]

Yeah, no, I know, I know, I know. And that's, you know, I'm happy to provide a moment. It's like, you know, the, the haters won this one. They've been winning a lot.

[Big Cat]

Well, it was just Pebble Beach.

[Hank]

I mean, you guys, that's the. I can't. That's unbelievable.

[PFT Commenter]

That's not so much personal. That's just me enjoying a historical moment.

[Big Cat]

It.

[Zach]

The free throw was so bad.

[Big Cat]

So bad. The free throw was so bad.

[Zach]

That's all. That's all it took.

[Big Cat]

And at that point I was like.

[PFT Commenter]

All right, let's just.

[Hank]

We moved on.

[Big Cat]

Honestly, we should have talked about it more because I've been waiting for two weeks to talk about this.

[Hank]

Just the turnovers are really, really.

[Big Cat]

What?

[Hank]

What?

[PFT Commenter]

Just.

[Big Cat]

Yeah. You had some bad ones.

[Hank]

Some bad ones.

[Big Cat]

Bad ones. The free throw just like drop the ball one time. Oh, for eight from three.

[Hank]

It's almost hard to do.

[PFT Commenter]

Yeah.

[Big Cat]

How many?

[Hank]

That's not true. Just keep watching. Keep, keep, keep tuning in and tell me if that's. That's over. Eight's going to Be pretty good when all things are said and done.

[PFT Commenter]

Did you at some point think maybe I should have worn more bracelets?

[Hank]

No, I. I probably should have taken the bracelets off.

[Big Cat]

Why did you have so many bracelets on?

[Hank]

I just had them on. I didn't take them off. I was.

[Big Cat]

You look like you're. You're about to do like the opening set at Bonaru. What the.

[Hank]

Yeah, that. It's bad. It was a bad fit.

[PFT Commenter]

Has Billy Strings been getting in the way of your athletics?

[Hank]

I guess. I don't know. I. I'm just not athletic. It's. It's over.

[Big Cat]

Yeah. It's a good thing you spent a year training for this moment.

[PFT Commenter]

Training basketball.

[Big Cat]

Okay, chill.

[Hank]

Throne my children's Joe Chestnut. Yes, he's back. He's officially as a Monday, competing again in the Nathan's hot dog eating contest.

[Big Cat]

So good.

[Hank]

I feel like it was. I feel like he committed to something else.

[Big Cat]

He was thinking, I think what I.

[Hank]

Thought I saw a report like he was doing something in St. Louis. Well, what I think, I think everyone got mad.

[Big Cat]

Yeah.

[Hank]

And then that must have.

[Big Cat]

We're gonna have. We'll have him on before. Because he is the goat. We've said it before, but everyone should think they're lucky stars they were alive at the same time as Joey Chestnut, the most dominant athlete of all time. I think he was setting up a competing event and Nathan's probably blinked being like, fuck, everyone's going to watch Joey. I'm going to watch Joey. It's July 4th.

[PFT Commenter]

He released a statement yesterday saying that like it was. He never lost his love for the dogs. He just entered into a partnership with a plant based company last year. Yeah. And while he has continued that. That professional relationship, the hot dog competition means more to him. So he's going to find a way to make it work this year. And guess what? He's going to smoke him.

[Big Cat]

Oh, he's gonna put on a show.

[PFT Commenter]

He's gonna smoke.

[Big Cat]

I want to see all time record. It feels good. It feels like fourth of July. We missed the fourth of July. Now we're back.

[PFT Commenter]

It's got to the point where I. I would be disappointed if I don't get to see a record from Joey Chestnut.

[Big Cat]

I'd agree.

[PFT Commenter]

It's like Joey's not just taking on every other eater in the world, he's taking on history. History? Yeah, Himself. And it is rare. It's like him. Usain Bolt. You could say this about both guys when you're watching them compete.

[Hank]

Michael Phelps.

[PFT Commenter]

Michael.

[Big Cat]

Maybe.

[PFT Commenter]

Yeah, maybe Michael Phelps. But when you're watching Joey Chestnut eat, he is the best eater, not just in the world. He is the best eater to ever live on planet Earth. Nobody has ever been able to eat like him. Nobody probably ever will. Like, out of the billions of people that have ever existed, he's top dog.

[Big Cat]

Yeah.

[Hank]

Mondo.

[Big Cat]

We could be so lucky.

[PFT Commenter]

Mondo. But yeah, Mondo and Joey Chestnut, two goats.

[Big Cat]

Yeah. All right. PFD your hot seat. Chill throne.

[PFT Commenter]

My hot seat was gonna be Hank, but we already covered that a little bit. So my hot seat is Jay Monahan.

[Big Cat]

Oh.

[PFT Commenter]

The. The leader of the PGA Tour because he is stepping down. He's. His contract's not being renewed at the end of this year, and instead they're getting Brian Roll up from the NFL. Brian Rollup is going to step into golf. He was on the short list of people that were going to succeed Roger Goodell.

[Big Cat]

Oh.

[PFT Commenter]

After he left. So this is a major coup by golf to get a top name. But I also read that don't count Brian Rollop out bouncing back to the NFL after he's done straightening golf. So I. The wheels started to turn a little bit. What's the biggest challenge facing golf right now? Big Cat.

[Big Cat]

I would say, getting everyone to play in one league.

[PFT Commenter]

Yes. So the blueprint that's in place.

[Big Cat]

Yes.

[PFT Commenter]

The framework that's in place. He's being brought in, I think, in large part to figure out that framework, make a deal so that LIV and pga, they get back together after they announced like, a year and a half ago that they were merging. And then for the NFL, one of the biggest problems they're having is you're running out of guys that can afford to buy NFL teams that don't already have an NFL team.

[Big Cat]

Yep.

[PFT Commenter]

One of the outlets for that could be allowing foreign investment funds in. He's going to go over to the pga, figure out how to play nice with the Saudis, and then he's going to come back to the NFL in a few years and be like, okay, we're opening up the potential investors and NFL teams to foreign investment funds.

[Big Cat]

Like, hey, Saudis, come play ball with us in golf. Let me fix golf. And on the back end, I'll let you buy a franchise.

[PFT Commenter]

Yes.

[Big Cat]

I'll let you, Commissioner.

[PFT Commenter]

I'll let you own an NFL team. I'm going to introduce you to American sports. We're going to figure out how to navigate sports media without killing any of the journalists. Once you can prove that you're good at that, then we're going to Bring you into the NFL.

[Big Cat]

I like it.

[PFT Commenter]

That's, that's where I see this going eventually.

[Big Cat]

I also love that, like commissioners of leagues, there's like a pool of like 10 guys that they pick from. Yeah. Like there's, you know, he's going to go to golf and go back to the NFL. It's like Gary Bettman started in the NBA and then he was like third in command and then went to the NHL. It's like we only have so many guys we could pick. Yeah.

[PFT Commenter]

I went to school to be commissioner.

[Big Cat]

Yeah.

[PFT Commenter]

And that now I've got experience being a commissioner.

[Big Cat]

Right.

[PFT Commenter]

I. I think that being the CEO of the PGA Tour, probably a dream job.

[Big Cat]

I would say so.

[PFT Commenter]

I would say more of a dream job than being Commissioner of the NFL. Commissioner of the NFL. Dream salary.

[Big Cat]

Yeah. You get paid 40 million, 44 million.

[PFT Commenter]

To just be a punching bag. But if you're the, the CEO of the PGA Tour, you're just, you're hanging out on the court.

[Big Cat]

What about dream job?

[Hank]

You actually, you actually also have power.

[PFT Commenter]

Yeah, yeah, yeah.

[Big Cat]

What about dream job being the producer of the number one sports podcast and getting a free trip to pebble beach by far.

[PFT Commenter]

I mean, that's just beyond dream even.

[Hank]

Truly.

[PFT Commenter]

A free trip.

[Big Cat]

A free trip. Free trip to Pell Beach. We booked the tea time. We did this like two months ago thinking, you know what if we play a basketball competition, Max will most likely hit a game winning three in Hankside.

[PFT Commenter]

It was such a good moment. It was such a good moment. Go watch it if you haven't already.

[Big Cat]

Watch it.

[PFT Commenter]

My cool throne is chill throne. Chill throne. My chill throne is ping. Oh, College World Series.

[Big Cat]

Yeah.

[PFT Commenter]

Baseball bats.

[Big Cat]

Yes.

[PFT Commenter]

College World Series has been awesome. Shout out. Gage Wood, an all time name guy pitcher for Arkansas. Struck out 19 people. 19 I. And he threw a no hitter.

[Big Cat]

No hitter.

[PFT Commenter]

Third no hitter in the College World Series. I think he hit one guy. Right. But besides that, it was a perfect game.

[Big Cat]

Yeah.

[PFT Commenter]

I actually think that if you throw 19 strikeouts and you hit one guy and throw a no hitter, that is the perfect game.

[Big Cat]

I think they had an error as well. Oh. That before he hit a guy. But yeah. Unbelievable for 19 strikeouts. Awesome.

[PFT Commenter]

It's pretty incredible. And it was against Murray State.

[Big Cat]

Yep.

[PFT Commenter]

Shout out to the Racers at Murray State. Cinderella runs over. They were an easy team to root for their coach cut the grass at the field.

[Big Cat]

Yep.

[PFT Commenter]

It was kind of cool to see them in it. But yeah, college baseball and with, with, with the MLB and nil, College baseball is way better than it Used to be. Yeah, because you got more guys playing college ball, making money there instead of going to play in the. In the minor league. So, yeah, the World Series has been great so far.

[Big Cat]

Yes, it has. It's been awesome. All right. My hot seat is Kevin Durant. Because it came out that Kevin Durant's preferred trade destination was New York, but the Knicks didn't have the same level of interest. You can't let that get out. You can't let that get out.

[PFT Commenter]

I think. I think James Dolan needed a dub.

[Big Cat]

Yeah, that was.

[PFT Commenter]

He was sick of getting. Sick of getting rejected, so we had to be like, oh, just FYI, Kevin Durant wants to play here, but we said, no, we don't need you.

[Big Cat]

Yeah. And we also have the. The Shams body language experts out being like, did you see what he. The look he gave when they mentioned the spurs is a landing spot for Kevin Durant. So everyone thinks he's going to the Spurs.

[PFT Commenter]

I can't wait.

[Big Cat]

Sean's being a little cheeky with it. He kind of looked at the camera, gave a little smile.

[Hank]

It looked like he, like, said it to Shumpert before.

[Big Cat]

Yeah.

[Hank]

And then he was like, maybe mad. Like, you were not supposed to say that.

[Big Cat]

Yeah. But he's. Yeah, he's like, oh, yeah. Oh, he looks right into the camera.

[Hank]

Like, he told Shumpert, like, off the record, he's on the spurs, and Chopper's like, I think he's gonna go to the Spurs.

[Big Cat]

Yeah.

[PFT Commenter]

And.

[Hank]

And Shams was like, what the.

[Big Cat]

Yeah.

[PFT Commenter]

He's like, it's my scoop.

[Big Cat]

Wind Horse's hair is just. Oh, it's the best.

[PFT Commenter]

You see Wendy watching the game on a laptop.

[Big Cat]

Love that.

[PFT Commenter]

Yeah. Love it.

[Big Cat]

Yeah.

[PFT Commenter]

Just grinding out backstage.

[Big Cat]

Ball is life. All right. Couple other Chill Thrones, quick. I Actually, the. The. The article came out about Devers being an. What do you think, Hank?

[Hank]

I think that's just the. The ownership. I think they're just doing that smear job.

[Big Cat]

Yeah, it was a total smear job.

[Hank]

Smear job.

[PFT Commenter]

He wouldn't take ground balls, Hank.

[Big Cat]

He wouldn't. He. When one of what? Your rookie said he would play first base after Devers said he wouldn't. And then Devers got ma for being like, why would you say that? Why would you play first? It's. It's.

[Hank]

I feel like there's some truth to both sides, but I feel like this is. You know, the ownership has done this before, so it's, like, hard. It's hard to smear job, believe everything they're Saying you got to take it with a grain of salt.

[Big Cat]

Yeah. Devers needs to get his smear job going the other way.

[PFT Commenter]

Let me ask you this, Hank. If the Mookie Betts thing hadn't happened, would you still be taking Dever's side in this?

[Hank]

No, not necessarily.

[PFT Commenter]

Now it's like a pattern.

[Hank]

Yeah, definitely.

[PFT Commenter]

Yeah.

[Hank]

Yeah, it's been a pattern.

[Big Cat]

Also, real quick, Angel Reese getting the copyright for me Bounds. Kind of a cool move.

[PFT Commenter]

Yeah, I like it.

[Big Cat]

That's a, That's a. Like making fun of yourself.

[PFT Commenter]

Own it. Yeah.

[Big Cat]

Me bounds is a great phrase. And then finally, my last Chill throne, mlb, doing it right. They're going back to the regular uniforms for the All Star Game, which I love. Okay. So they're not doing the weird. Everyone wears the same uniform. Everyone's wearing their home or road uniform there, which I think is so much better.

[PFT Commenter]

Wearing the same cap.

[Big Cat]

I don't know if they're wearing the same logos.

[Hank]

Old school logos.

[Big Cat]

So these, these are every uniform. That's the Home Run Derby uniform. And, like, what the guys will be wearing during the Home Run Derby, and then when they're actually playing the MLB All Star Game this year, they'll be playing their own. They'll be wearing their own jerseys, which I think is so much better. Better.

[PFT Commenter]

Yeah.

[Hank]

They should put the old, the, the league logos on the jerseys, too.

[Big Cat]

You think so?

[Hank]

Yeah. Those are great.

[PFT Commenter]

Alnl.

[Hank]

Yeah.

[PFT Commenter]

Playing for league pride.

[Big Cat]

Yeah.

[PFT Commenter]

Yeah.

[Hank]

Or just a patch or something. Like, it's kind of like they're wearing their own.

[Big Cat]

They might be wearing their own hats.

[PFT Commenter]

I like that.

[Hank]

No, the, like the National League. There's a National League logo. An American League logo.

[Big Cat]

Yeah. The old school one.

[Hank]

Yeah.

[Big Cat]

You're talking about. Yeah.

[PFT Commenter]

I don't know if I mentioned this on the show, but when I was in Milwaukee, all the brewers, like, almost every single Brewer, when I walked by, said, Christian Yellow is going to win the Home Run Derby this year.

[Big Cat]

Yeah, you did. But it, I, I, it needs to be repeated because it needs to get me more scared.

[PFT Commenter]

It's disgusting.

[Big Cat]

Yeah. All right, Zach, your hot seat Chill Throne. I do have a hot seat Chill Throne for you today, big cat. My hot seat today would be Arena.

[PFT Commenter]

Football League fat punter getting absolutely leveled.

[Big Cat]

Yes.

[PFT Commenter]

After his punt.

[Big Cat]

Crushed. Destroyed, but not really crushed. He just fell really hard because he's fat. I mean, they popped the top helmet off face down in the turf. But I don't think he got hit that hard. The big guys fall hard. He falls really hard. The gravity just got Pushed and then it destroyed him.

[PFT Commenter]

It was a blind side block. They threw a flag on it.

[Big Cat]

Right. But it wasn't. That wasn't like a. Well, he got pushed by another fat. So he. The guy wasn't moving that fast.

[PFT Commenter]

Crying swivel.

[Big Cat]

I love this. They should just have an arena league. It's just 300 pounders only ever playing skill positions would be awesome. Awesome. Okay, good. Hot seat. Chill drone. I do have a chill throne for you as well. Minicamp week for the Rams coming up. They're going to Maui. I think that's a fantastic place to.

[PFT Commenter]

Be this time of year.

[Big Cat]

I believe the weather this week's gonna be 80 and sunny. Wow.

[PFT Commenter]

I don't like it.

[Big Cat]

It's soft, though.

[PFT Commenter]

I don't like it soft.

[Big Cat]

Don't you think that's soft?

[PFT Commenter]

Soft, Yeah.

[Big Cat]

I mean, that's. You're going to Hawaii for minicamp. That seems like a lot of vacation. Although minicamp's not like, it's not training camp. I mean, there's gonna be a lot of football put in on field at the. That's actually.

[PFT Commenter]

But also, you gotta.

[Big Cat]

Yeah, I think there's ATV tours, you know, there's sea turtle tours. That might be a good move for future freedom if they do this every year.

[PFT Commenter]

This is kind of like our version of the Greenbrier in West Virginia. Just absolutely no distractions.

[Big Cat]

I mean, they look like they're having the time. The best time ever.

[PFT Commenter]

Yeah, I'm gonna call it right now.

[Big Cat]

Soft morale's at all time high here, though.

[PFT Commenter]

Soft team bonding.

[Big Cat]

Get the boys together. That's not grit, that's not football.

[PFT Commenter]

Here's the thing.

[Big Cat]

That's on the field. This is off field.

[PFT Commenter]

I mean, fully acknowledge the fact that OTAs are, like, not that useful. You go out there, you meet your teammates, you do like, a little bit of work. It doesn't need to be held like hell in a cell where you're. Where you're kept in prison while you do OTAs. But also at the same time, I see this and I'm like, that's not old school football.

[Big Cat]

Could you. Zach, let me throw this out there. Like, imagine like this podcast football podcast. First and foremost, we have great week. We. We. That's what we do. Imagine if we did, like, a chill week where we just hung out and, like, golfed and, like, hung out in California somewhere and swam and boated and stuff. I think that's great balance.

[Hank]

Be great for vibes.

[PFT Commenter]

Fantastic balance.

[Big Cat]

Oh, you know, what's that? Good idea this year. Good idea. Let's do it, Chili. Great. Great call, Hank. We got you another gift.

[Hank]

No way.

[Big Cat]

Yeah. Chill week. Oh, God. Yeah. Yeah.

[PFT Commenter]

You like Lake Tahoe last year.

[Hank]

Do it More golf.

[Big Cat]

It's for you. It's for you.

[Hank]

The Ryder Cup.

[PFT Commenter]

Here's another thing.

[Big Cat]

Here's another thing, Hank. You are going to get to compete in a long drive competition.

[Hank]

Wow.

[Big Cat]

Yeah.

[PFT Commenter]

Y.

[Hank]

That's exciting. And that's exciting. Another opportunity.

[PFT Commenter]

You're going to be competing against a guy that has been told by a swing coach to not hit driver at all.

[Big Cat]

Oh.

[PFT Commenter]

In preparation for it.

[Hank]

That's not what we said. Well, what did we say?

[PFT Commenter]

Driver is a reward.

[Hank]

Yeah.

[PFT Commenter]

I get to hit driver if I hit every other club, like, 20 times. Times.

[Big Cat]

It's like my giving my kids gummy worms.

[PFT Commenter]

Yep.

[Big Cat]

For after dinner.

[Hank]

Yeah. Eat your dinner and then you get dessert.

[PFT Commenter]

Yeah. I have to eat all my vegetables first.

[Big Cat]

Yeah. Yeah. Okay. Good. Hot seat. Chill. Throne. Boys, let's do our interviews. We got J.J. spawn, U.S. open champion. And then our good friend George Kittle. Talk a little football. And we'll finish with pardon your take.

[PFT Commenter]

Before we get to JJ Spawn. He's brought to you by Experian. We're going to take a moment to talk about BFFs. Hank, who is your BFF on the pod?

[Hank]

I would have to go with the con man. Memes.

[PFT Commenter]

Why the con man?

[Hank]

That's bfs. What I call them.

[PFT Commenter]

Oh, Memes. Who's your BFF on the pod?

[Big Cat]

I'm going go with Max.

[PFT Commenter]

Max, who's your bff?

[Big Cat]

I'm gonna go with my friend Hank. Oh, Hank. Got one.

[PFT Commenter]

Zach, who's your BFF on the pod?

[Big Cat]

That would be Big cat. Love that. Thank you.

[PFT Commenter]

Who's your BFF on the pod?

[Big Cat]

I got two. It's Zach and also Hank.

[PFT Commenter]

Okay. My BFF on the pod is nobody because nobody picked me on this pod. There's one BFF who always looks out for you. Introducing your big financial friend, Experian. Experian has a bunch of legit ways to help you save. And get this. The Experian app lets you check your FICO score and a bunch more totally BFF things to help you manage your finances. But your other BFFs can't do all that. Huh? Experience here to support you in making smart financial decisions and maximizing your financial potential. Get started by downloading the Experian app at no cost. Let your big financial friend help you take control of your financial future. Get started by downloading the Experian app today. Download that Experian app. Today, it will be your bff, even if nobody else is. And JJ Spawn is also brought to you by State Farm. In basketball, the great players don't just do it alone. They have teammates, coaches, and a solid support system behind them. It's kind of like insurance, because, let's face it, a lot of us probably aren't great at doing that alone either. That's where State Farm comes in. State Farm is a teammate, always ready to assist, help you find the coverage that you need and help you recover from the unexpected. From fender benders to storm damage, or even just a question about your policy. State Farm is there to help provide an assist when you need it through the State Farm mobile app, a network of 19,000 local agents and online@state farm.com. so don't just go at it alone. When you need help protecting what matters most, State Farm is there. State Farm with the assist. Coverage options are selected by the customer. Availability and eligibility vary by state. And now here's JJ Spawn.

[Big Cat]

Okay, we now welcome on a very, very, very special guest. He is the US Open Champion, JJ Spawn. Jj, thank you for joining us. Let's start with how that feels, to be called the U.S. open champion. Has it fully set in yet? It's Tuesday morning. I assume the check hasn't cleared. Clears on Wednesdays. But has it set in that you are now forever a U.S. open champion?

[JJ Spawn]

Yeah, I think so. It's been, you know, a little over 36 hours. I would say to kind of let it all sink in, but kind of doing the whole media runs, you know, seeing. Waking up next to the trophy the last couple mornings, it's. It's starting to sink in, but it's. It's definitely surreal. Still gotta pinch myself sometimes.

[PFT Commenter]

Yeah, it's pretty great. So, waking up next to the trophy. Are you sleeping with the trophy?

[JJ Spawn]

No, my. My wife would not allow that.

[PFT Commenter]

She.

[Big Cat]

She.

[JJ Spawn]

She's. You know, the trophy, the real trophy.

[PFT Commenter]

That's a good answer.

[JJ Spawn]

Yeah, I know. I know how, you know, that goes with wives, so I got to say the right things, but, yeah, no, she.

[Big Cat]

The.

[JJ Spawn]

The trophy's been right there on the nightstand. Wake up next to it every morning, and, you know, it's. It's something that you always dream of doing, having this wonderful trophy to. To kind of carry around and show off.

[PFT Commenter]

Yeah, it is kind of cool. Like, I know that when I got a new car, I would just sometimes walk away from the car and just, like, look at it in the parking lot. Do you just find yourself stopping in your house and just, like, looking at the trophy.

[JJ Spawn]

Oh, yeah. Like, I'm just staring at all the names, looking at all the details. I mean, this trophy's 120 plus years old, so it's incredible to have it in my hands.

[Big Cat]

All right, so I have a question about the trophy. Then we want to talk about your final round at Oakmont. A mutual friend of ours tipped me off to this question. So it's a two part question. The first is, how many monster energy drinks did you drink on Sunday before the final round? And then how many monster energy energy drinks fit into the trophy? I don't know if you can guess who the mutual friend is.

[JJ Spawn]

Jimmy Renner.

[Big Cat]

Yes. Jim. Jim Renner. Yeah. Out of. Out of nowhere, texted me this. He didn't even know we were having you on. He just texted me on Monday morning. He's like, you have to ask jj how many. How many monster energy drinks he drank on Sunday. I was like, dude, we don't even have him scheduled yet. But he knew, so. So how many monster energy drinks?

[JJ Spawn]

Oh, man. Well, it's a funny story. I don't drink white. White can monster energy drinks. Like. Like Renner does, but we were actually chatting about it. I think it could fit, you know, what are they tall boys? I. I think you could fit four in there. We know it fits about eight IPA cans. You know, the. The whatever, 12, 16 ouncers. So. But yeah, it's. It's super funny. Renner. We have this story where I was traveling. We were traveling on the Korn ferry tour together, you know, back in 2016, and we were staying at the same hotel. So we. We shared a car ride to the course. It was like 5am we had early tea time. And he goes, you know, in his Boston accent, he's like, yeah, I gotta stop at the gas station. You know, I was like, all right, let's go get a coffee. I was thinking, he's gonna get coffee, grabs an orange juice. I'm like, okay, good start. And then a white monster. What are you doing? Like, making a monster mimosa or something? Like, nah, this is how I start my day. And so it's just been kind of like a funny inside joke. You know, the white can monsters, that's. That's Renner's choice of drink.

[Big Cat]

So how many did you have on Sunday?

[JJ Spawn]

None. I was drinking beer.

[Big Cat]

Okay, but before the round, do you do it? Do you drink any monsters before?

[JJ Spawn]

Oh, heck no. I couldn't do that. I do coffee in the morning. I don't think the monster energy would really help the nerves and anxiety leading into the final round of a U.S. open.

[Big Cat]

Yeah. All right, so let's talk about nerves and anxiety. I'm sure you've been asked this, but do you think you win this tournament if there is no rain delay? Because it did feel. And you could tell us, like, how you felt to start the day. It was. It felt like it was slipping. You had a little bad luck where it, you know, hits the flagstick. But then the. The rain delay happens. And when you come back from the rain delay, you were locked in and you were like, ready to go. Do you think that that time off got you to a reset point where you're like, all right, I can still win this thing?

[JJ Spawn]

Oh, 100%. When that horn blew, my caddy and I looked at each other, we kind of just said, you know, this is exactly what we need. Kind of a little break to. To go back inside, you know, reset, collect our thoughts and. And kind of get a fresh start. Kind of like a halftime, you know, in any other sport where you kind of regroup and come back out firing. So it actually ironically happened to me. The same. Same thing happened at the Players earlier this year where I had a close call, where I lost in the playoff against Rory, where Sunday I was going into the final round with a one shot lead and was kind of off to a slow start, lost the lead on the front nine. And then this weather came in and we had about a three hour delay and went back out and almost did the same thing. Just started firing on all cylinders, clawed my way back to tie for the tournament after regulation. And, you know, when that happened on Sunday at Oakmont, I kind of just went back to that experience. I'm like, okay, like you've done this before and capitalized on it. If it hadn't been going the other way, where I was starting off hot, maybe leading, and then the delay happened, it could have been a different story.

[Big Cat]

Yeah.

[PFT Commenter]

So what did you do during the rain delay?

[JJ Spawn]

I changed my clothes. I was like, I'm not wearing these clothes. I want to come out, like, feeling like. Like nothing was carrying over from that first start to the restart. I guess you could say so, yeah. Changed everything. Even my cat. I mean, we got drenched, so it made sense to change clothes. We'd be sitting in the locker room freezing if we didn't. And, yeah, we just chilled, had some. Had some lunch. And, you know, it was a pretty quick turnaround, about an hour and a half or so. And, you know, it was game on again?

[Big Cat]

Yeah.

[PFT Commenter]

How did you feel about the course this week? I know that there were some complaints about the course. We respect the course at the US Open. We like to. We like to watch professional golfers struggle the way that we struggle when we play golf. So it's kind of nice for us. But being out there and you having to play it. Did you. Did you enjoy your rounds when you were actually playing, or were you like, I can't wait to get off this thing?

[JJ Spawn]

No, I embraced it. And I think that's the mentality you have to have, you know, going into a U.S. open. I mean, it's the toughest test in golf. And, you know, a lot of guys went to Scout Oakmont early. People were asking me if I was gonna do that, and I said, no, I'm. I'm not gonna go there and start freaking out before I have to be there. You know what I mean? Like, I don't want to go a month prior. Like, okay, I gotta do this. I gotta make sure this is right. I was just telling myself, I'm gonna go into the. Into the tournament week with the game that I had and whether it would be good enough. We'll see. And, you know, I just took the course as it. As it came. You know, that's all you can really do. Everyone's gonna hit bad shots, everyone's gonna get bad breaks, but I think kind of just staying in the moment and trying to take what the course gives you is the biggest thing you can do. And even when things weren't going great for me on front nine, I just tried my best to just stay patient and give what the course gave me, and, you know, it gave me the win.

[Big Cat]

Yeah, of course. Yeah. So. So your final, like, few holes, you hit some incredible shots. Obviously. The drive on 17, was that. Was that a drive of a lifetime? Was that the best drive you ever hit?

[JJ Spawn]

Probably. I mean, that would be a 10 out of 10. You know, given the situation, the scenario, what was on the line. But it was nice to. You know, I actually hit a really good drive in the practice round that was almost identical to that. So I kind of just had that in the memory bank where, you know, okay, like, I've hit a great tee shot on this hole before, but it was huge in the respect that, you know, going into 18, which was a fairway, I only hit once, maybe twice all week, to kind of lean on that swing that I just put six minutes prior.

[Big Cat]

Yeah. Yeah.

[JJ Spawn]

It was a great kind of, like, pathway to being able to. To still cap it off because 18 is no cupcake, you know, especially with a one shot lead at the US Open. And you know, man, I. That the teacher on 18 might have been, you know, even a better tee shot than 17.

[Big Cat]

Oh, all right. So we had one other shot we wanted to discuss. Our golf expert Hank, on our show said that he actually thought your approach shot on 15 was the shot of the tournament where you get on. You know, you hit a great shot. You were in the rough. I don't know what it was like 70 yards would. Do you remember that shot?

[JJ Spawn]

Yeah, yeah. I hit in the left rough off the tee, tried to lay up. The lie was. The lie was okay, but you. It's so long and it's wet, it's been raining, and you have no control over the face. The last thing I wanted to do on that, the angle of that pin and the way the green pitches. Miss this left in the left rough, because then I'm dead. So I was like, okay, I'm just going to try to aim a little right. So it came out a little better than I want Carry carried it too far into the rough, but that lie wasn't great either, and. And I could have easily brought in double or double bogey or worse. And to actually hit a really good shot out of there to about 15ft or so and have a chance for par was. Was great. I mean, you know, I didn't make the putt, but I was able to limit the damage. And I don't think I made a double bogey all week.

[PFT Commenter]

Yeah, no, that's what. That's what U.S. open golf is about. Yeah. Our golf expert, Hank, was glued to the TV watching that one.

[Big Cat]

Yeah.

[PFT Commenter]

And it was very impressive.

[Big Cat]

He came in, we were like, oh, what about that drive on 17? What about that drive on 18? What about the pot on 18? He was like, no, the approach shot on 15, that was the one where it's like the disasters you avoid.

[JJ Spawn]

I could agree with that. Yeah. Because I could have. I could have made double or triple. And then it's. It's over, you know, I mean, who knows what happens? And I kind of really start unraveling, you know, 16 through 18.

[PFT Commenter]

Yeah, I. I want to go back to the weather delay real quick. When you go into the clubhouse, did they have the TVs on? Were you guys able to watch Tiger woods at the 2008 U.S. open?

[JJ Spawn]

Yeah, we were watching. It was me, Scotty, Russell Henley, one of the. Russell Kentage, one of the rules officials. We were just there watching it and just Laughing at all the crap he was pulling off, like, chipping in and, you know, Rocco and looking at the clubs he's using, we're just kind of, like, giggling at that. It was a cool moment to kind of just relax and, you know, no matter how things were going on the course, for me, it was. It was a nice way to kind of let go of it and come out with a better attitude.

[PFT Commenter]

Yeah. You're like, at least this guy is not playing against me. I don't have to go out there and be. And be 2008 tiger. I. I also heard that you got some advice from Tiger via Max Homa, who advised you to just stay there. Was what you said was his advice was, Does Max get 10% of your purse? Was that $400,000?

[JJ Spawn]

Max is rich enough. But, no, it was a cool moment. This was probably a month or so ago. We're both members at West Brock, and we're just eating lunch and talking about, you know, how. How Tiger, you know, relate sort of the perspective on championship golf and what it takes to. To win, that you don't have to do anything crazy, that everyone thinks that, you know, he. He had to pull off these miraculous shots he just did by nature because he's the goat. But, you know, in a sense, like, you just gotta stay there. Stay. Like, don't. Don't feel like you have to do anything crazy. Just stay within attack or within shouting distance. And, you know, anything can happen, especially at hard golf courses. And, you know, that's kind of the perspective I had all week, you know, leading up to the US Open was, you know, no matter where you're at, I mean, look at Jon Rahm. I think he stuck around. He went off early and finished that 4 over. He even thought, like. I'm sure he was thinking the same thing going into Sunday. He's like, if I shoot three under par, I think he was starting the day at seven over. He's like, I can shoot four over and end up, like, maybe being in a playoff. And he did. And he's, you know, that's. That's a perfect example of just kind of staying there, letting the pack come back, especially at the US Open.

[Big Cat]

Yeah, I got a couple questions about your past, which are very interesting story. You know, obviously going, you know, being pro for so long, going back to the Korn Ferry Tour and then coming, you know, climbing back up. But is it true that your mom, when she was pregnant with you, got permission from the doctor to keep golfing until she was eight months? So is this, like, one of those situations where, like, pregnant women, like, listen to, like, classical music to try to get the. So. So you just were born to play golf because your mom was like, I love golf so much, I'm gonna golf seven months pregnant. Which is insane.

[PFT Commenter]

Yeah.

[JJ Spawn]

I mean, so, yeah, that's a true story. There's this little par 3 executive course in South Pasadena, California, called Arroyo Seco. And she would. My. Her. My dad, you know, that would be like, her exercise on the weekend, would go play, walk nine holes. She would play golf, and. And everyone. You know, there she is with a big old pregnant belly, and everyone's like, that kid's gonna be a golfer. You know, like. Because everyone's like, what the hell? Like, this lady's playing golf. How do you even swing? You know, with this giant potbelly. But, yeah, it was. It was pretty crazy how it's all manifested and, you know, thanks to my parents to kind of give me the ability and maybe I got my swing from, you know, those motions in the womb, you know.

[Big Cat]

Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah. And the other one was, how much credit do we give the car that hit you when you were 5 years old to get you to stop skateboarding? Because that feels like a sliding doors moment where your dad was like, no more skateboarding. You just got hit by a car. You might have been the next Tony Hawk instead of the US Open champion.

[JJ Spawn]

Yeah, that freaked me out. That definitely kind of, you know, scared me, as you know, I definitely had scar tissue on what I was trying to accomplish. Skateboarding, you know, that was more of my bigger aspiration was to be a pro skater, Be like Andrew Reynolds and Eric Ellington, Tony Hawk, you know, growing up. But, yeah, it was crazy. I was. I was. I could have. I couldn't be. I could possibly have not been sitting here right. Right now. If it was like, one second, sooner or later, I kind of went right under this car and literally was sitting under it. The lady thought she ran over a cat. You know, we were just, you know, kids. It's like 1995, kids play out in the front yard, and, you know, here I am rolling down the skateboard. I think I was, like, on my knee doing something stupid, and, you know, dad pulls me out. You know, everyone's screaming and dad pulls me out. I have all this grease and oil all over me and crazy moment, crazy, crazy moment. But, yep, I still kept, you know, skateboarding and still loved it, but I'm glad I took. Took golf over instead.

[Big Cat]

You should find this woman and be like, thank you you changed my life. Yeah.

[Zach]

Yeah.

[JJ Spawn]

You show me that I should stop skateboarding.

[Big Cat]

By running over me with your car.

[PFT Commenter]

So you went underneath the car, like, fully underneath.

[JJ Spawn]

I remember. I remember pushing my feet, like, trying to, like, somehow lift it off me. I mean, I do that, but, like, I'm just like. And I'm glad I didn't try to, you know, barrel roll or whatever, GI Joe crawl out of it and. But it was. Yeah, it was intense.

[PFT Commenter]

I think that's the only thing that can prepare you for Oakmont, is getting hit by a car.

[Big Cat]

Yeah.

[Zach]

Yeah.

[JJ Spawn]

How many guys have almost been run over by a car skateboarding and taken on Oakmont?

[Big Cat]

No.

[PFT Commenter]

Yeah. You know, literally, not almost. You were fully run over by a car.

[Big Cat]

Yeah. It's crazy. Yeah. We gotta find this woman. I. I would love to think, like, it'd be so awesome if this woman was. Watching the US Open on Sunday is like, I hit that kid with the car.

[PFT Commenter]

I did that. I did that.

[Big Cat]

Ran over that kid with a car.

[PFT Commenter]

How much credit do you give the read on 18 you get? It was one of those moments, like, at the US Open, you have to play great golf. You need a little bit of luck. You were lucky enough to have a great read on your putt. Did that. Did the read actually change after you saw it was Hovland? Right.

[Big Cat]

Right.

[JJ Spawn]

It was Victor.

[PFT Commenter]

Did you change how you were approaching that putt?

[JJ Spawn]

No. The only thing that I was trying to get feedback from, it was. Was, like, the pace. 65ft, I believe around 64, 65ft. I didn't have a putt that long all day. And it just been raining for, you know, obviously, the delay. And then it started raining again on us our last two holes, and so the greens are slower. And, you know, honestly, it was a great break to have to see how. How hard I had to hit the putt. And you can hear in the sound of the click how hard he hit it. You kind of saw, you know, the pace it took to get up. But also, once it got up on top of that ridge, it's kind of straight, like, gently downhill as well. So for him to also hit a great putt, to hit it, what, six feet by, was huge, too, because if he hit a shitty putt like, that teaches me absolutely, absolutely nothing. And, you know, I was just focusing on putting a good stroke on it, you know, luckily, you know, my lab putter, I can literally hit it anywhere on the face, and the distance control is great. So, you know, it was. It was one of those comfort zones where I'd been putting great. You know, lag putting was great all week long. And it's funny, we have a little practice round game with me and some of the boys I play with in my caddy where we do $100 makes during practice rounds. We just go to a crazy spot in the green on a practice round and just hit, like, 50, 60 photos you make, you get. Everyone owes you 100 bucks. So literally, the last thing I did before I stepped into that routine was, like, $100 make.

[Big Cat]

Yeah, yeah.

[JJ Spawn]

Now Patty owes me a hundred dollars.

[Big Cat]

This is a dumb question, but, like, if Victor Hovland, if he was like, hey, I. I'm still in this tournament. I know he was a few back, could he have theoretically chipped that ball and not given you a read? Like, would that have been a really bad, like, unspoken rule for him to do that? But, like, it would have been incredible gamesmanship. He's like, I'm not giving this guy a read.

[JJ Spawn]

Oh, yeah, that. That would have been a dick move. I mean, this happened to Phil. When Phil won his first major, I don't know that Chris DeMarco was in the front bunker and kind of, you know, hits his bunker shot 2 inches behind Phil's ball. Maybe. I don't know exactly, but it was on the same line. And. And so he putted first. And Phil had that putt to win. Not to. Yeah, like, he didn't need it to, but he had to make it. And even, you know, I think he kind of tapped him on the butt, too, you know, after the bunker shot was kind of like, thanks, because he knew what was coming, you know, and, you know, and that's just the things that need to happen, you know, in major championships and. And just to win tournaments, things got to go your way. And, you know, fortunately, I was on the receiving end of it.

[PFT Commenter]

Okay. I remember Phil stepping in, like, real fast after he hit that putt, like, getting right behind him. Does that go through your head? Like, I need to keep a respectful distance until he hits the putt, and then I'm charging in.

[JJ Spawn]

Yeah, I was probably 15ft kind of to his, you know, his right. You know, it's kind of. He knows. He knows I'm there, but I'm not in his view. You know, you don't want him. You don't want to be behind him because he's like, is this guy literally, like, two feet behind me? So, you know, I stood to the front of him, to the right, so he knew I was here, but I wasn't like, you know, sneaking up on him. But yeah, I rushed in there, but, but like I said, like, I saw, I saw where he rode it up the ridge, but I was mostly looking at the speed because I. We kind of knew where we had to play the putt as far as the line goes. But the speed was the most important part, I think.

[Big Cat]

I think I'm going to start petitioning for golfers to start chipping on the green just to fuck other golfers over. I think I need that to happen. Like, why? It would have been an all time moment if I was just like, no, dude, I'm not giving you this read. Like, if his best friend was second place, if he was best friends with McIntyre or something, it was like, yeah, it's like almost like NASCAR driving. Like, I'm going to box you in here.

[JJ Spawn]

Exactly. Yeah, you could have, I mean, might lose some friends, but I mean, we're not, at the end of the day, we're not all friends. We're here to kick each other's asses.

[PFT Commenter]

Yeah, yeah. You talked about your new putter. Has it ever occurred to you maybe you should try the broomstick putter?

[JJ Spawn]

Did you not see what I did Sunday?

[Big Cat]

Good point.

[PFT Commenter]

Yeah. No point before that. Our golf expert just recently transitioned to a broomstick putter. And it's quite a look for a young man to be using a broomstick putter.

[JJ Spawn]

Yeah, I mean, well, when I started the year I got this lab putter back during the off season. My putting has always been like a very, you know, hot and cold sort of statistic for me. I'd been using a traditional blade style putter where, you know, it's a lot of feel is involved, which I like, I like feel. But I was just thinking, how can I get better? And, you know, I was talking to Adam Scott last year at Colonial and he's, he's a lab golf ambassador and he's, you know, played great since switching to the lab putter and kind of talked me into it. You got to get comfortable with, with the look first and foremost. It's, it's different because it's got zero torque and there's a lot of science behind the design. But, you know, I worked with it all off season and, you know, put it in play at Sony and I was leading Sony going into Sunday, ended up finishing third. But that was kind of, that was kind of the missing link to kind of putting more consistently. I guess the biggest thing I took from it was how the technology in the putter and the DF3 that you can kind of hit it anywhere on the face because of the way it's designed. Like it keeps the same speed up, so. And like speed is king when you're trying to like make putts. If you don't have the right speed, you're not gonna hit, you're not gonna hit the line that you're trying to and it's gonna miss. So how nice is it to have a putter where you feel like every time you stroke it, no matter where you hit on the face, it's gonna have the same speed that you're trying to make the putt with. So I think it's helped me become a more consistent putter as of late and. But yeah, itit was a good putt onon Sunday as well, so.

[PFT Commenter]

Great putt.

[Big Cat]

Yeah.

[JJ Spawn]

Good. Yeah.

[Big Cat]

Uhm, alright, I know you gotta run in a second, so a couple last questions. Thethe story about the diabetes, like youso you got diagnosed with diabetes 2, and then you keep losing weight and then you're like, oh no, whoops, we screwed up. You have diabetes 1. When you finally found that out, did you feel like so much better being like, oh my gosh, I can actually manage this now? And then was itwas it kinda the same timeline as you going back down to the corn ferry and then back up? Because it felt, I would assume there was a moment where you're like, am I, am I just done? Am I cooked here?

[Zach]

Yep.

[JJ Spawn]

Yeah. So this was 2018. I was, that was my second year on tour. It was during the playoffs in August. And you know, I've been a chubbier kid growing up. I was never like, you know, thin. I was never worried about, you know, keeping weight on, it was always keeping weight off. And you know, in August at the end of 2018, I was like noticing I went down to the last, last notch on my belt in, you know, as far as, you know, tightening wise. And I said, that's weird. Like, I've never had that issue. I always have to add a hole or two to fit into it. But my, my wife, who was then my girlfriend, she's like, you need to just go to the doctor. And it was weird because everyone's like, dude, you look good, man. You've been working out and stuff. And I'm like, no, I've been drinking beer and just like eating whatever, but thanks, you know, So I didn't step on a scale until, you know, the end of the year when I got back home and I literally, the last time I weighed myself, I was probably like 215. And I weighed, like 185 without even trying, which, you know, the 215 was probably, you know, at the start of the season, the first, third. So I. I ended up going to a. Just a general physician, and they did my labs, like, oh, yeah, you have diabetes. You know, your. Your sugar's through the roof. And, you know, take some metformin and diet and exercise. I'm like, okay, I can diet better, but, I mean, I exercise quite a bit. And so I did that for, like, three years, and then I just kept losing weight because that's, like, one of the symptoms if you don't produce any insulin. Well, you don't have the. It's like a key to your cells where your food kind of goes into your body and produces energy. And so basically, you're like in ketosis, where you just. Body is just eating the fat and, like, muscle and stuff to kind of stay alive. So I did that for, like, three years. I wait till I went down to, like, 165 pounds.

[Big Cat]

Holy shit.

[JJ Spawn]

Yeah. And this was 2021, like, in February. And my friend's a doctor. He said, go to an endocrinologist. I had no idea. He's like, you need to do more extensive testing. And they did, like, this beta cell, you know, pancreas test where that detects how much insulin you have. And basically, they've determined I make zero insulin. And, you know, I have to be on insulin therapy. And that completely changed my life.

[Big Cat]

Yeah. And then you come back up, and it was just like, you're. You're back to, you know, you're. You're. You got the PGA card back.

[JJ Spawn]

Yeah. And then I. Yeah, it transformed my game back to where it needed to be. And, you know, I think the, you know, physical and mental part, you know, overcoming that, getting comfortable again, you know, led me to where I'm at today.

[PFT Commenter]

That's U.S. open champion.

[Big Cat]

U.S. open champion.

[PFT Commenter]

Pretty cool.

[Big Cat]

Yeah. Yeah. All right, last question. Rollback question. R, H, O, B A C, K.com promo code. Take 20% off your first purchase. Q, Zips, Polos, Hoodies, Joggers, Shorts. Roback.com promo could take. My last question is there's a story of you going to, like, a local muni to. To. To practice because you wanted to kind of like, get back to your roots. I'm going to be cynical. I think you were doing that because you could basically look at everyone, be like, at least I'm not that bad.

[JJ Spawn]

Yeah. I just wanted to feel confident. About myself. Okay. These guys are out here as long as I am, and I can do better than that. So it boosts my confidence a lot.

[Big Cat]

There. Yes. That's smart. Because everyone's like, oh, man, he's a man of the people. I'm like, I feel like he might be doing this because, like, like he could at least give himself some frame of reference of like, hey, I'm not so bad. I'm like one of the best golfers in the world.

[JJ Spawn]

Exactly. Well, I. I appreciate it, boys. That was a blast.

[Big Cat]

Yeah. Thanks so much, man. Thanks a lot. Rest of the season.

[JJ Spawn]

Thanks, dudes.

[PFT Commenter]

JJ Spawn was brought to you by aura Ring. Here's a easy question. How are you feeling today? Now a harder question. Why? If you had an aura ring on your finger, it wouldn't be such a mystery. Aura gives you personalized updates about your sleep, stress, activity, heart, health recovery, and more, all from a sleek, smart ring. You'll get incredible, incredible data about your body, including long term trends and feedback on the stats that matter for living a long, healthy life. It's where everywhere I look, I see more and more people wearing one. And since aura ring looks like a normal ring, you're getting all the benefits of health tracking without looking like you're wearing a gadget. It's accurate, comfortable, and durable. And with up to eight days of battery life, you can forget you're even wearing it. Can we get some aura rings for the boys?

[Big Cat]

Yeah.

[PFT Commenter]

I would rock an order ring.

[Big Cat]

I'm.

[PFT Commenter]

I'm balls deep in training right now. I need a ring. Need to monitor my stats.

[Big Cat]

I really want an aura ring. I've been wanting to get one.

[PFT Commenter]

I need one. And eight days of battery life is a game changer. Or eight days is incredible.

[Big Cat]

Huge.

[PFT Commenter]

It's massive. As somebody who forgets to plug things in sometimes, eight days of battery life is huge. Aura is going to help you track your stats, figure out why you're feeling the way that you are. Getting old has never looked so good. Now give aura the finger. Learn more at ouraring.com pmt that's O-U R-A R-I-N-G.com pmt JJ was also brought to you by Truly Truly hard seltzer and Truly unruly lemonade. Truly unruly lemonade combines the high elk fun of truly unruly with everyone's favorite lemonade. It's lemonade. Let loose 8% ABV 100. Delicious. I'm a bumping Blue Razz guy myself. They've got four supercharged flavors. They got the Blue Razz, the OG original lemonade, the punched up pineapple, and the wild pink. Unruly lemonade is great for the summertime. I drank one while I was mowing the lawn last weekend. Great lawn mowing beverage. You get the lemonade, but you also get 8% ABV. It's 100 delicious. Gonna be working on my golf swing outside a lot. Guess what I'm gonna have as my caddy. That's right. A truly unruly lemonade. It's the official hard seltzer of part of my take. Level up your lemonade with truly unruly. Check it out today. And now, here's our great friend, Greg Kittle.

[Big Cat]

Okay, we welcome on a very, very, very, very special guest, one of our good friends who just signed a new deal, which we have to congratulate him for. It is George Kittle. TEU. Coming up June 23rd, 25th, we're getting tight ends paid. And George, you are the tip of the spear. You got paid big time money. Congratulations. Congratulations. We're very happy for you.

[PFT Commenter]

Are you setting the market?

[Big Cat]

Yeah. Are you. Are you setting the market?

[Zach]

Setting the market? Hopefully it's something that Sam Laporta will cross next year.

[PFT Commenter]

Yeah.

[Zach]

San La Porta and then you got Brock in a couple years. Yeah, there's a. There's a lot of guys that need to get paid. I'm excited about that. So hopefully the next guy's getting over 20 million. That'd be pretty cool.

[Big Cat]

Yeah. What was it like, though, when you. Because it. How much guaranteed money did you have?

[Zach]

40.

[PFT Commenter]

That's pretty sweet.

[Big Cat]

Was that. So did that all go in at one point? At one time?

[Zach]

No, no, no, no. That's over the course of like two and a half years.

[Big Cat]

Oh, well, they don't give you all your guaranteed money right away. What was your signing bonus? It.

[Zach]

Basically I get. Basically I get this year and everything kind of hits. I have a nice chunk that hits in September because the way that, the way that, like, the money has been flowing and how we had. We're still paying people. I get a big chunk of my money in September.

[Big Cat]

Okay, that's great. And that's gonna be awesome.

[PFT Commenter]

And you, you can, you can tell all the titans at teu, like, I had to do this deal for you guys. It wasn't for me. It was that you guys can get paid, right?

[Zach]

It's for the boys. Yes. It's all it is. You know, I just want to also say I'm so excited to be back on the show with you boys. Oh, my God. Just a couple of beauties.

[Big Cat]

Yeah, we. We miss you. We're going to see you in Tahoe as well, which I'm very excited about you. You. I mean, we'll do a cross promo. Like, you're. I can't. You're golfing in the tournament. What do you expect out of yourself to be golfing in tournament? You can't finish last. I don't want you to finish last.

[Zach]

No, I mean a. I shot, you know, I'm a low 90s golfer. I break. I break 90 every once in a while. So I shot back to backgrounds at 90twos the last two days. So, you know, if I can just pull out one, I'll be so happy. And if I don't, my driver doesn't hit somebody in the face.

[Big Cat]

I've. I've started sensing this recently, like, talking to. To different athletes. It's such bullshit. The way they talk about their golf game where if you ask an athlete like, how. How are you at golf? They're like, oh, I suck. You know, I shoot in like, you know, 80s, low 90s, like. And I only play like a few times a year. It's like, that's bullshit, man. I. I always.

[Zach]

Really good.

[Big Cat]

Yeah, that's really good. For only a few times a year, you guys. Turns out athletes are really good at playing sports.

[Zach]

Yeah, it would be. It's crazy that if, you know, you're professional in something, you actually could be, you know, decent at other sports. That is a wild concept, isn't it?

[Big Cat]

Yeah.

[PFT Commenter]

The hand eye coordination. It turns out that that transfers for you guys.

[Big Cat]

It blows my mind every time. Yeah. Yeah.

[PFT Commenter]

I want to thank you, George. I want to thank you for. For making important stance online the other day because some people, including. I'm not going to name names, but there's some people maybe behind the glass that root for the Philadelphia Eagle. No, I think. Yeah, you're right. Hank was kind of a dick about it. But I'm mostly looking at. Yeah, I'm looking at Max, my new wide receiver. Your former teammate.

[Big Cat]

Yeah.

[PFT Commenter]

Debo Samuel went a little bit viral. I was trying to explain to these guys that it's called a group install and you jog through and that's. He's not trying to break any land speed records when he's running. You hopped online and tried to clear things up, but maybe you could educate America on how actually not fat Debo Samuel is.

[Zach]

I'm just going to say this evil Samuel plays football. He doesn't play spring Ball, no pads.

[Big Cat]

Football.

[PFT Commenter]

Yep.

[Zach]

And if you look at his career highlights, when he has shoulder pads on, that is. That's how he plays the game, which is the way it is structured for us to play the game. So, like I will say, like media for the NFL from post draft until the season starts, everyone's just looking for something to talk about because there's nothing to talk about. And so it's pretty brutal. And Debo just catches flack because, hey, he didn't have this season that, you know, his best season of his career last year, and guys gave. People gave him flack for that. Debo still deep. Well, he's. He's going to go out there, he's going to truck sick people. He's going to make some insane plays that no one else can make. He's going to catch a screen pass, break four attacks and go 60 yards of the house. So Debo's going to Debo. That's just what it is. And so these people that are just talking shit about him, they can all, you know, f right off.

[Big Cat]

Okay, so. Good answer. I noticed in that answer, though. Max, did you notice something? Did you notice the. There was one thing that was missing in that answer, Max.

[Zach]

What was it?

[Big Cat]

I didn't.

[Zach]

This is.

[Big Cat]

This is you saying this. Well, okay, I'll say I noticed in that answer. You just did not address the fat Debo part. You didn't say anything about fat Debo.

[PFT Commenter]

It's power.

[Big Cat]

You said everything else, which all was good. And I agree. Debo's the man. We're also pro fat. We are pro fat. We're pro.

[Zach]

Debo has got big bones, okay? He's got big bones. That's all it is. And it's again, it's like, you know, when. Yeah, he might have hibernated, you know, in the off season, but he'll be ready to go for. For training camp. I promise you that much.

[Big Cat]

Okay. We are a pro fat podcast.

[PFT Commenter]

I. I like to imagine that when Max says it, he's. He's spelling a ph fat with a ph fat Debo. And listen, you got to have some junk in the trunk if you're going to play football, right? That's a Belichick Kirby smart. They look at guys asses, they're like, I want a guy that's got a motor.

[Big Cat]

That's facts.

[Zach]

There's your Astro motor. That's kind of nice.

[PFT Commenter]

Yeah, yeah. No, he is one of my favorite players to watch play football when he has the ball in his hand. And I'm. I'M just excited that. That I get to root for him. But, yeah, you were kind of a part of that this off season, too. Just a lot of news people want. Want to read about you. Is that strange, like, having the world know that you're going into contract negotiations and speculate on how much money you're going to get paid?

[Zach]

Oh, dude, when I was at the super bowl in New Orleans, I'm doing, like, the media circuit, and I just get asked about my contract. I'm like, I don't know if we've even had any discussion yet, but sure, we can talk about something that has nothing to do with you guys. Yeah, I'm like, a blast. Yeah, it is weird. It is weird. But it's like, then I get asked about Brock Purdy's contract. I'm like, I don't know about his contract. Don't ask me. Like, I'm just his teammate that watches him play. He should get paid. But I don't know any details. Why are you asking me?

[Big Cat]

Yeah, that's got to be the. The more awkward one in the Brock Purdy where it's like. Because I. I assume there's a unspoken rule in the locker room where it's like, like, hey, no one talk about someone else's money here. Like, you know, George's got to get paid. Brock's got to get paid. To be the guy to stand up and be like. And not. And, like, get involved in any way is just a bad move in a locker room.

[Zach]

It's just weird. Like, I know I learned early on in my career, it's like, don't talk for other people. Let them say what they want to say. Like, you can always give it. You know, hey, Brock works really hard. He's a great teammate. He deserves a contract. But, like, the nickel and diamond, stuff like that. Nah, it's just bad ball. Just don't talk about it because you're going to put your foot in your mouth at some point.

[Big Cat]

Yeah. Last season. Yes, season from hell for the 49ers in terms of. You guys obviously have been really good, really competitive for you basically your entire time there. But last season, it felt like not the end of something, but it was just everything that could have gone wrong went wrong for the 49ers, and you could just feel that. Is that. Is it like, hey, we can just. It's almost better. Like, we can flush the entire season. And was there a moment during the season where you're like. Like, man, we can't catch a single break.

[Zach]

I would Say early on the season we lost back to back divisional games. And I was like, we're gonna have to really figure something out here, like to be able to even go on a run. And then we had that diabolical run of like at Green Bay, at Buffalo and just got our pushed in and it was like, yep, that's going to be a tough one. Like if you give up 150 yards rushing and then you are like 10% on third downs, that's just kind of hard to win a football game. So I will. The one benefit to like not making the playoffs is that was my first January off since 2020 and so I took it and I think the team took it as a big refresher. And I will say that, like when everybody came back to OTAs and like everybody was in attendance for the first time in since 2019, everybody was really fired up to play football. So it kind of like gets that hunger going a little bit earlier. So it was kind of fun for that. But missing the playoffs absolutely sucks. But if you got to find some positive out of it, I did get an extra month just to kind of recover and now my body feels fantastic.

[PFT Commenter]

Yeah, that's got to be great. You guys either make, you guys ever make the NFC championship game or you don't make the playoffs. That's kind of the only thing that you do.

[Zach]

What is that statistic? That makes no sense.

[Big Cat]

It's crazy.

[PFT Commenter]

I don't know. Once you guys get in, you're forced to be reckoned with.

[Big Cat]

Yeah.

[PFT Commenter]

Maybe you can tell us like what, what is it about you guys? You get in the playoffs, you're confident.

[Zach]

It's a confidence thing. And then, I mean, I look back like the 2021 season when we snuck in as a 17, we had to win like our last three games and then we somehow went into Lambo and beat the one seed. I would just say that, like what we've pride ourselves on is being very violent and very gritty. And then we let like, you know, our superstars be flashy. And when you had a guy like McCaffrey, he could be all flashy and be super pretty and stuff, but he's still a gritty ass dude. So it's kind of fun to just kind of be that team that guys, people don't want to face in the playoffs. And yeah, like you said, whenever we get in there, we do a pretty good job of winning the first couple.

[PFT Commenter]

Yeah, you, you were saying earlier that, you were saying earlier that Hank is a dick. Some people.

[Big Cat]

Yeah.

[PFT Commenter]

So Specifically with Hank. I don't know if you listen to. Part of my take during the season. Probably not advisable for you to do that.

[Zach]

I always listen to Mondays.

[PFT Commenter]

Always.

[Zach]

No matter what.

[PFT Commenter]

Did you hear any of the. The news that. Well, I can't say it was Hank that was putting it out.

[Big Cat]

Hank. It was not.

[PFT Commenter]

It was the Walls at Barcelona. They were talking about Christian McCaffrey not coming back to play football.

[Big Cat]

Retiring.

[PFT Commenter]

Retiring last year.

[Big Cat]

Yeah.

[PFT Commenter]

Yeah. Did you hear any of that? Anything from the wal inside your program?

[Zach]

I heard it from my. Hank was actually just sending me DMS about how I should tell McCaffrey to retire.

[PFT Commenter]

He was just.

[Zach]

I don't know. Did you have, like, money on him retiring or something? Hank? Is that what this is? No, I just.

[Big Cat]

He just heard.

[Hank]

I never reported that either.

[Big Cat]

The Walls reported it, and he. Oh, it was one of those ones where Hank just got. It was almost. I'm gonna defend Hank. I'm gonna defend Hank for a second. Here's how I'm gonna defend Hank.

[Hank]

No, thank you.

[Big Cat]

Here's some how I'm going to defend Hank. Hank happened to be in a conversation where he heard it, where if PFT and I were in that conversation, we would have done the same. Walls reporting that Hank did. He just, like, wrong time, wrong place to be in the Christian McCaffrey might think about retiring conversation.

[Hank]

I also said it in a way where I was like, this is actually 100% off the record. We can't talk about it. And then, because I was like, there's no way it's true. This is a complete rumor that I heard. Like, I'm not. It's not valid enough to say and.

[Zach]

Then dig yourself out of the hole. I like it.

[Hank]

And then I just got thrown under the bus, per usual. That's all right.

[Big Cat]

Yeah. Yeah. So, Hank, I'm sorry. I'm sorry. So that never was. Were you ever like, hey, I'm. I'm kind of tuned into the NFL media and. And this one podcast is. Is saying you might retire Christian. Is that true?

[Zach]

I brought it up to him almost daily just for fun, just to piss him off. Oh, yeah, let's light a fire under Christian's ass. You know, he doesn't really need it, but the more motivation he gets, the scarier he is. So I believe he's gonna have. He's gonna have a fun year this year.

[Big Cat]

Did.

[Zach]

You're a fantasy coach. I would draft him.

[Big Cat]

Okay. But that's. There's a lot of people who are. They got. They got really Badly burned last year. Did he feel. Could you sense any remorse from, like, him, where he's like, I really like. Yeah, obviously I missed a lot of. For my teammates and for the team and the franchise. But really what's sad about this injury is everyone who drafted me number one overall.

[Zach]

Yeah. No, he. I think that's all he thought about the whole year. I think he sent individual messages to each person who drafted one overall and apologized. I think that's what he did.

[Big Cat]

Class act. Class act.

[PFT Commenter]

Can you. Can you make a case to Jerry O' Connell that if he does draft Christian McCaffrey for us this year, that you will block extra hard for him?

[Zach]

Yeah. Well, the nice thing about when you have Chris McCaffrey at running back, it makes my job way easier because of how he sets up blocks and stuff like that. So when you have a guy like Christian, he actually makes our entire O line and tight ends better. So, yeah, we're all going to block our asses off for him, and he's going to have another fantastic, fantastic season.

[Big Cat]

Yeah.

[PFT Commenter]

One thing I, I love about you and I love about the. The tight ends is what you've done with tight end University teu, where you get together and it feels like you guys are all kind of picking each other up, helping each other out. I don't know if Trey McBride's going to be there this year. He is. So I, I was wondering, like, across the league in the fraternity of tight ends last year when he just couldn't get a touchdown for whatever reason he was. He was, like, playing really, really well. He's playing great football.

[Zach]

Amazing.

[PFT Commenter]

But he couldn't score for some reason. Were you guys all rooting for Trey to get a touchdown even though he's in the same division as you? Were you like, come on, man. This is bigger than just this. The. The Cardinals against the 49ers. It's about the position of the tight end.

[Zach]

Oh, dude. I. I remember. I think I hit him up like, week 13 or 14. I was like, trey, just tell Kyler to throw you the ball four straight times. First, second, third and fourth down. Like, you just got to get in there because once you get one, then it just kind of rolls. But Larry, getting that. Getting that first or second touchdown just takes forever. It was. I'm happy for him that he ended the year with a couple. So hopefully he'll. He' this year pretty hot is my guess.

[Big Cat]

Yeah, I could see that. So. So, tight end, you coming up next week? We talked to, to. To Greg Olson about it as all as well. Very excited. Next year, hopefully we're going to be able to make it. We have a golf tournament this year. What do we got planned for this year? Anything new? Any new wrinkles? Because it is great. And tight ends. I went through the stats with Olson when he came on. You guys are just getting paid way more and it's, it's. What you're doing is working. Working.

[Zach]

Yeah, I mean, I think since 2019, it's jumped up over $10 million. So that's, that's doing pretty good. Whatever we are doing is working. You know, tight end use been great. Just bringing guys together. You know, you got rookies running routes with Travis Kelsey. You got young guys in the same line as Dallas Clark and Rob Gronkowski. So it's just, it's that. That itself is pretty fun. And you know, if guys just take a couple things from tight and you. Whether it's like something about a route, something about technique, something about their lifestyle that they learn and it helps them out a little bit, you know, that's all we really care about. You know, just it. What I would say is just evolving the position, you know, as we, as we play the game together.

[PFT Commenter]

Yeah, yeah. So is there a class that you guys are doing this year about how to cash in on being a professional wrestler? If things are like towards the end of your career, make that transition.

[Zach]

You know what? I think Triple H said he might stop by for a class. I don't know. Hopefully, if not this year, maybe next year. I get a WWE guy in there and explain. You know, we'll get a wrestling ring up and just have auditions. We'll have the WWE tryout there.

[PFT Commenter]

Yeah, that would be actually.

[Zach]

That would be actually incredible. I think. Yeah, I would watch that. I would be a part of that actually.

[PFT Commenter]

I do think that tight ends are the most ready made for the transition into wwe. Is that, is that going to be your, your career after football?

[Zach]

You know what, whatever door is open. I'm not saying no to much. Whatever happens, happens. You know, I might need a couple managers like the Paul Bearer. You guys could definitely do that for me.

[Big Cat]

I bet. Yeah. Say what? Hey, what point of the off season are you like, all right, let's go. Ready for football? Or is that like. Cause you're getting, you know, older, you're. You're later in your career. Does that still exist where you're like, hey, at this point, let's call it, you know, late June, maybe July 4th, you're like, all right, July 4th's over. Let's go. I want to play some football.

[Zach]

I would say that, like, the itch or the anxiety of, like, trying to, you know, wanting to be in shape and ready, that usually hits me in like, like, I would say end of March, early April, and then it just gets worse and worse as the rest of the summer goes on. You can ask my wife. She just. She's like, you need to take a deep breath. I'm like, I don't want to take a deep breath. I just want to work out and do cardio and catch a lot of footballs. But it just keeps. This keeps escalating, escalating and escalating until rely is like, I feel like you could ask any NFL football player. I would say a majority of them say that, like, not like a crippling anxiety, but, like, thinking about it every single day. That's about all you can do for the entire month of July. That's very real.

[Big Cat]

Real. Yeah. The, the. The people say it's. It's basically like the two weeks before camp feels like the night before first day of school, where you're just sitting there like, oh, like, we got first day of school coming up. Damn it, damn it, damn it. And like, all right, here we go.

[Zach]

Yep, that's. That's really it. It's just like, did I train enough? Did I catch enough footballs? Did I work out enough? Have I studied enough? Am I ready to go? And then when you get back to training camp, you know, training camps, training camp, it's incredibly hard, but once you get, Once you get back into it, then you find your. You find your rhythm again pretty quickly.

[Big Cat]

Do you love the first day when you get the pads on? Because you are a violent guy. You like to be violent. Is that like a relief? Like, hey, we're actually now playing football.

[Zach]

Do I hate OTAs? Because it's not football. I can't stand it because then I'll get coached on the run game, and I'm like, I'm run blocking without shoulder pads on. That is how you play the game. I'm like, I'm not going to change up. I'm not going to. To change my technique to be able to block without pads on. When pads come on, then I'm blocking, and that's how I know how to do it. So, yes, I love the first day of pads. I. And then the only time I ever like practicing without shoulder pads, like in the season when you're kind of just, you know, jog, throwing plays and just kind of learning. But when it comes to competing. Yeah, I. Give me the shoulder pads and let me be at my best because I'm pretty good at that.

[PFT Commenter]

Yeah. Otherwise you're. You're jogging through plays, you're doing group install.

[Zach]

There's lots of group install, baby. No, it's just not the same, man. And, you know, guys like to take film from that and, you know, critique and it's just not the same.

[PFT Commenter]

Yeah.

[Zach]

You know, I wouldn't want. I wouldn't want to be one of those guys, Max.

[PFT Commenter]

That's right. Have you. Have you hit anybody this off season?

[Zach]

Have I hit anybody this off season? I know I did get to do some. I get to do some run blocking stuff with Trent Williams. You know, he was at our mini camp stuff. So we got a pad in front of us. We gotta, you know, run off and hit that. But no, I have not got to hit anybody very hard yet. So that. That'll be coming. I can't wait.

[PFT Commenter]

Yeah, I imagine that you probably missed that. I would miss that.

[Zach]

Violence is coming.

[PFT Commenter]

Yeah, I like that. That's a great Tagline for the 2025 Niner season. Violence is coming.

[Zach]

Yeah, I mean, I'm really excited about it. I just like looking at your guys's faces. They're just so adorable.

[Big Cat]

Hey, what did. Has. Has Brock Purdy bought anything awesome with the money? Because he's like, you. You obviously had gotten paid a little bit. He. He literally went from getting nothing in relative terms to a starting quarterback to getting paid. Made a lot of money. Do you think he. He bought anything special or did anything, like a new tractor or something?

[Zach]

The tractor thing? I don't think he has to buy those. I think he gets those for free.

[Big Cat]

Okay.

[Zach]

I would say. You know, he said he wanted to buy like a big fishing boat, which he definitely. That's what he likes to do in his spare time, is like the fish be out on the water. He did, you know, he did purchase a. Nashville, Tennessee, a house, so he'll be kind of a neighbor to me at some point, which would be pretty fun because I actually have a quarterback that can throw to me all the time that's actually on my team. So I'm excited about that. So I think. I think that counts as a big purchase, right?

[PFT Commenter]

Yeah.

[Big Cat]

That's huge. Yeah.

[PFT Commenter]

Buying house. Have you guys.

[Big Cat]

Yeah.

[PFT Commenter]

You made any upgrades to the barn?

[Zach]

Dude, the barn is continually growing and getting bigger, so. No, like structural, but a lot of new jerseys, equipment. Clean it out. It's. It's a full NFL facility now, boys. It's a Good time.

[Big Cat]

Yeah.

[PFT Commenter]

I mean, the football field that you have behind your barn is everything that I wanted as like an 8 year old growing up house. You live in like an 8 year old paradise, which is.

[Zach]

I really do. Oh, dude, it's so much fun. Just I lay on one side of my barn, I have my. We eat breakfast, then you go to the gym, you work out, you go to the field, you run routes, you do your sprint training, and then you come back in and we have an N64 hooked up. We play Super Smash Bros. And Mario Kart.

[PFT Commenter]

That's the absolute. But you gotta. I think next step is get a tattoo chair in there.

[Zach]

You know what? I have been tattooed in the barn before, so that's how I got got. What is it? My. One of my hand tats was in the barn. So, yeah, we. We got everything in there. I even have a barber that shows up at the barn.

[PFT Commenter]

That's awesome. Do you have any new ink for the season?

[Zach]

I did just get. I got Sauron from Lord of the Rings done a couple weeks. I mean, a couple months ago, which I was pretty excited about.

[PFT Commenter]

That's pretty cool.

[Big Cat]

How long did that one take?

[Zach]

What's. I think we did like a seven hour session one day, and then we did like a three hour session the next day.

[PFT Commenter]

Were you sedated for it or were you awake?

[Zach]

No, I was very awake. My tattoo artist, I have. Have one in Indianapolis and he. He has a very good technique. His name's Cody, and he has a very good technique where, like, honestly, like, it was the least painful tattoo I've ever had in my life. I was just kind of sitting there. And the thing is too, like, I'm sitting there streaming. Not streaming, but like, I'm playing Pokemon on my laptop because I play like a randomizer. It's called Kaizo Iron Mountain Pokemon. I'm not. I'm a nerd. I know. I'm sorry. But I'm playing that for like eight hours as I get tattooed, so it's pretty easy.

[Big Cat]

What. What is the game? Game?

[Zach]

Pokemon. It's so. It's like you're playing like the original Pokemon game.

[Big Cat]

Okay.

[Zach]

Except, like, they made a ROM hack for it, and it has the first three generations of all the Pokemon all in, like, Fire. Fire Red. And then it's all randomized. So, like, if you go to Professor Oak and you'll go to the three Pokeballs, it could be like a Dragonite, a Ratata, and a Charmander, and then the game will tell you which one you have to Pick. And you have to take that Pokemon and you have to beat the entire game with just that one Pokemon. And if you die, you have to restart the entire game.

[PFT Commenter]

Game. Have you ever played Dungeons and Dragons?

[Zach]

You know what? Very mildly, like, four or five years ago, but, like, I have not gotten into it.

[Big Cat]

We got to get you a game with us.

[PFT Commenter]

I feel like you would enjoy it.

[Zach]

Yeah, I would definitely enjoy it. I mean, if. If it's anything like Stranger Things, I'll have a great time without, like, the. Without the underworld place that looks. The upside down that looks scary.

[Big Cat]

Are you still watching Stranger Things? I'm. I'm sorry. They just took too long. It took too long. I.

[Zach]

Whenever the newest season comes out, I will watch it because I think it's very. It's very fun to watch. Yeah, I like it.

[Big Cat]

I loved the first two or three seasons, and then.

[Zach]

First three. First three were incredible. Then it just took a while for the next two to come out.

[Big Cat]

And then the kids got old. I was like, this is kind of different. And. I don't know.

[Zach]

It's a different vibe. It's a very different vibe. Anytime that it goes from, like, just kids being friends to then you have to add in, like, a romantic thing, it just. It's a little. It's a little bit different. But I still like the show, and I'm excited to see what they do with it. I mean, I thought last season was really fun. I mean, the. What's the guys. Bad guys. Vega or whatever that guy was. It was scary.

[Big Cat]

All right, I gotta get back into it. All right. Yeah.

[Zach]

What are we talking about? Tight in you.

[Big Cat]

Yeah. Tighten you before. Before we let you go, though. I want to do.

[Zach]

Let me be here all day, please.

[Big Cat]

Sphere review you at the same show as me. I miss you by, like, two seconds. It was crazy. I looked down, I see you. I think you were with Juicek and. And Christian McCaffrey. You were. You were having the time of your life. And I was like, oh, I'm gonna go say. Say hi to my best bud, George. And then I. I get down there, and you had. You had. Went up to your suite, so I missed you. But it was. Was. It is everything you thought? Like, it's. It's the coolest thing. Right.

[Zach]

I mean, grateful that it's a sphere is one of the coolest things I've ever done because I went back the following weekend as well. To another show.

[Big Cat]

Yes.

[Zach]

And I brought my wife that time, too. It was an incredible experience. Like, they just know how to throw A concert. And the Sphere is just. I went to Kenny Chesney two weeks ago at the Sphere, too. Incredible.

[PFT Commenter]

It's just.

[Zach]

There's nothing like it. Like, you can't compare it to any concert because it's just a completely different vibe.

[Big Cat]

Yeah, it was. It was awesome. Did you end up going to Diplo.

[Zach]

After I did go to Diplo, Yeah.

[Big Cat]

Yeah, that was. That was the test of my friendship with you. And it was just so, you know, like, I actually thought about it for a second, which is crazy because you text me, you're like, hey, we're going to Diplo after the Sphere. Do you want to come? And I was like. I was already in bed, and I was like, ah, I love you so much and I want to hang out with you, but I don't think I. I can do that.

[Zach]

Yeah, it's. It's a beast. I know I'm not really up for. I like. I like day drinking and then going to bed at a good time so the next day I can do it again. I don't really like staying up till 3am that's terrible. But I love EDM music as well. And so any chance I have to see Marshmallow or Diplo, I'm like. And then like, chain smokers. Like, I'll go see that any day of the week. Like, I'll go watch. Listen to those guys. Yeah, you like music, man.

[Big Cat]

You're built different too. I would imagine that would be the one positive of getting that anxiety. You talked about getting into shape. Shape. Once you're into that peak shape, you could probably hang and party longer because you're like, you're just a beast.

[Zach]

I. I can drink a few beers this off season. I've. I have upped that counter on my. On my resume. I've done that. I've deleted. Thank God Bud Light is a good sponsor.

[Big Cat]

There we go.

[Zach]

Yeah, we have Bud Light. You know, I just. And then I need to rehydrate after a long night.

[PFT Commenter]

Love that.

[Zach]

With some Gatorade water. And then, you know what? Two in the morning, I can just use some Old Spice. Smell really good. And maybe even use some dude wipes. Like, why would I not do that?

[PFT Commenter]

Dude wipes is huge for the. For the morning after. Yes, it's.

[Zach]

It's huge. You know, you just. You need that. You know, maybe just, you know, maybe if, you know, it's a little groggy in the morning. My eyes shirt. I'll just throw on a nice new era baseball cap and, you know, I'll Just protect my eyes and my. My face from the sunny rays.

[Big Cat]

That's great.

[PFT Commenter]

And then if it's like sunny outside and you go outdoors, you don't want to wear pants, right?

[Zach]

No. So I might as well get some shorts from Chubby's so I can tan these nice long legs that's my wife loves.

[Big Cat]

But wait, did you just not. Did you not eat anything in this entire, like, recoup?

[Zach]

Oh, you know what good thing is, what's great after a long night is a good sandwich from Jersey Mike's.

[Big Cat]

Okay, fantastic.

[Zach]

Anything you want.

[PFT Commenter]

If you're logging online to order your Jersey Mike's. What? I mean, how can you get the Internet in remote locations like your barn that.

[Zach]

I use Starlink.

[PFT Commenter]

Oh, not Google Fiber. Okay.

[Big Cat]

Is Google Fiber not a sponsor?

[Zach]

I think Google is a sponsor. It's not on the list I have written down in front of me right now. So my marketing team is probably like, no, just sit. Say yes. I'm gonna say yes.

[Big Cat]

Did we hit all of them or is there any left?

[Zach]

Kinder, which is like a barbecue steak thing. And they're providing great food for the boys. Okay, let me see if there's anything else. Off the top of my head. I don't know. The only other thing I really have to do on the show is I was in Wisconsin a couple weeks ago with one of my buddies. He owns a lake house at like, it's in Wapaka. Waupaca. Yeah, Walpaka. And it's a sick lake house. And one of the guy. One of the. We're at a restaurant and it's probably like 18 year old. Is like, dude, Greg, I can't wait to see you on part of my take again. I'm like, hey, well enough. I'm in like eight days. He was like, will you say hi to me? I'm like, sure, Jack from Alpaca. I'll say hi to you on Pardon my take. That's not all else I had for you.

[Big Cat]

Yeah, you nailed that.

[PFT Commenter]

That was a great sponsor. So wait, what are you.

[Big Cat]

Awesome.

[PFT Commenter]

One of your sponsors called Tinder. Oh, okay. I thought you said Tinder Kinder. I said that'd be a different sponsor entire entirely.

[Zach]

It's going down.

[Big Cat]

All right, well, I got one left. So everyone, tight end. You again. Is coming out. They're doing 20. June 23rd, 25th. It's gonna be awesome. Last question for you. Roback. R, H, O b a c k.com promo code. Take 20 off your first purchase. Q, Zips, Polos, Hoodies, Joggers Shorts roback.com 20 off promo code Take give me a prediction for the 49ers in 2025.

[Zach]

Prediction. This is, this is how I see it. We had a ton of guys leave. We have a lot of turnover. We know we lost all pro players. We lost Pro bowl players. Debo Aaron Banks went to the. Our left guard went to the Packers. Charvarius Ward, one of my favorite teammates, Locker buddy, he went to the Colts. Hargrave went to the Vikings. Lafunga and Dre Greenlaw go to the Broncos. So yeah, we're very aware that we lost some players, but from the way that we did free agency, I like the guys that we brought in for that. We just traded for Bryce Huff from the Eagles. He is a very fast, athletic defensive end. And then the way that we drafted, we have a very good chance to be a good team. We need the young guys to mature really fast and step up because if they don't and they get hit with that rookie wall at some point, point, it can be tough at some points, but I feel like we brought most of our offense back and we should be able to score points because we basically went an entire season without Chris McCaffrey, you know, offensive MVP two years ago. And so now that he's back, pair him with myself. Kyle Jus. Check. Juwan Jennings, iu, Cricket Pierce, all. Sherwood is still pretty good too, I heard. You know, I don't know, but he's still pretty good. So I think we're gonna win some football games and it's going to be pretty fun.

[Big Cat]

Okay.

[PFT Commenter]

Violence is coming.

[Big Cat]

I, I'm, I'm buying the 49ers as a bounce back, back team.

[Zach]

I would, I would, I would buy that. Especially too, like when you get that extra month off, it definitely makes you want to not ever experience that again. And you would much rather be late into the playoffs and the Super Bowl.

[Big Cat]

Yeah.

[PFT Commenter]

Okay. Yeah, I'll be looking for it.

[Big Cat]

All right, George, you're the best. We'll see you in a couple weeks in Tahoe.

[Zach]

Oh, my gosh. I'm literally going to tackle you both. I cannot wait.

[Big Cat]

I, I'm, I'm not looking forward to. I would like because.

[Zach]

Oh, no. You asked me like, hey, have you hit me? Anybody? I'm gonna hit you guys.

[PFT Commenter]

I'll be ready.

[Big Cat]

Max, you better stop him. I'll be ready. Better stop him.

[Zach]

Is Hank coming?

[Big Cat]

Hank will be there.

[Zach]

Oh, Hank, you're so.

[Big Cat]

It's basically like, who's gonna get hit first? Because the other two can Run away. So.

[Zach]

No, I think I'm just gonna chest bump Max.

[Big Cat]

Okay.

[Zach]

So I'm gonna chest bump him and then maybe tabletop him later that night.

[Big Cat]

Okay, perfect.

[PFT Commenter]

That sounds fun.

[Big Cat]

Maybe we'll pants out, handsome. Oh, people just.

[Zach]

They grab like the back pocket. Just tear the jeans all the way down.

[PFT Commenter]

Oh, yeah, yeah, we used to do that.

[Zach]

Yeah, I want to do that to Hank after I tackle him.

[PFT Commenter]

Maybe a wedgie.

[Zach]

Yeah, I'll see if. I'll ask Christian what. What he wants me to do to you, Hank.

[Big Cat]

Okay. Yeah, yeah.

[Hank]

The walls.

[PFT Commenter]

Not.

[Big Cat]

Not.

[Hank]

Yeah, you're. You're getting out mad at the wrong guy. But if I.

[Zach]

If I could come. If I could come to the studio at some point and I'm just going to punch a hole in the drywall.

[Big Cat]

This. This one's for Christian.

[PFT Commenter]

We would frame it. Hank. Hank actually did that one time. Yeah, with his foot.

[Big Cat]

He did.

[Zach]

I remember that, actually.

[Big Cat]

That was. All right. Oh, thanks so much, George. Love you.

[PFT Commenter]

Love you, George. Greg. KD was brought to you by Apple. That's right, Apple. They say it's never too late for a comeback, even if it's a long shot shot. From the home of Ted Lasso comes Stick, a new Apple original series starring Owen Wilson, PMT recurring guest. He stars as a has been golf pro and an up and coming prodigy that teams up for one last swing at glory. Stick tells the story of Price Cahill, a former legend with no career, no prospects and nothing left to lose. Until he meets a hot headed 17 year old golf phenom named Santi, who's all talent but no discipline. With nothing left to lose, Price offers his experience. But to Santi wants to it. Joined by Price's old caddy Mitts and Santi's mom Elena, the unlikely crew set their sights on the US amateurs and the only thing in their way is themselves. It's a journey filled with a few blowups, a few breakthroughs and a whole lot of mulligans. Don't miss this comedy about life and other hazards. Starring Owen Wilson, Peter Dager, Mark Marin, Mariana Trevino, Lily K, Judy Greer and Timothy Oliphant. Now streaming on Apple tv. Plus Kiddo was also brought to you by. Part of My Cheesesteak Part of My Cheesesteak in their new combo, the Big One. The Big One is here. That's right, the new combo. It's called the Big One. You get a choice of an original classic cheesesteak, your choice of brownie bites or donut dippers and a drink, all for A discounted price, perfect for your game day meal or late night eats. Part of my cheesesteak offers a wide variety of cheesesteaks, loaded fries, and popular desserts, all delivered right to your door. Check it out. Now, part of my cheesesteak.com order with code PMC20. That's PMC20. And you get 20 off. And now pardon your take.

[Big Cat]

Okay, let's wrap up. Pardon your take. Listener submitted. Henry. Henri, you got us something?

[Hank]

Yeah, I do okay for Zach. Oh, Mount Rushmore of professional sports playoff. Oh, you got four.

[Big Cat]

Well, no, you go mls.

[Hank]

Well, no, you have four choices. It could be any sport.

[Big Cat]

Yeah, yeah. Mount Rushmore. Yeah. Okay, so I'm gonna go. I'm gonna go football 1 1. I'm gonna go basketball 1 2. I'm gonna go. I'll go hockey 1 3. I'll go cup of World cup in there.

[PFT Commenter]

Oh, so no baseball guy.

[Big Cat]

I would like to go World Cup 4 if that's okay.

[Hank]

Yeah, yeah.

[Big Cat]

That's not a bad pick.

[PFT Commenter]

I think I would have played put. I would have put Stanley cup above NBA playoffs.

[Big Cat]

I would put Stanley cup two. Well, this is your Mount Rush. Yeah, that's fair. I would have gone NFL, Stanley Cup. I actually might. Might go playoff baseball three.

[PFT Commenter]

It's pretty good.

[Big Cat]

Playoff baseball is like. Cuz just the drama of like every at bat. Does March Madness count? Oh, March Madness, yeah. All right. March Madness is my two. Actually. March Madness is my one. March Madness is the best. March Madness is my one. Then NFL, then Stanley Cup.

[Zach]

Oh, did it say pro?

[Big Cat]

Say pro.

[PFT Commenter]

It did say pro. Oh, I got it.

[Big Cat]

That would have. Yep. Because that would have been a big mistake because March Madness, if it was pro and college, it would be March Madness number one for sure now that.

[Hank]

Downfield laterals have become a thing. Thank you. Pft. The NFL should award assists for anyone who successfully laterals a ball that and that the play ends in a touchdown. This would promote more laterals and specialists with those skills become valuable throughout the league.

[PFT Commenter]

I like that. It's a good idea. I also think that you should get an additional 5 yards if you catch a pass where you're getting interfered like an end one.

[Big Cat]

I'm going. I'm going to go opposite on this. I'm going to say no, I don't like that.

[PFT Commenter]

Well, it's just a meaningless stat.

[Big Cat]

Well, and it's. I'm just thinking about it from gambling brain. It's a meaningless thing that I'll throw, go into a parlay and lose.

[PFT Commenter]

Yeah, you definitely will.

[Big Cat]

Yeah. So I don't need another thing that I can lose on.

[PFT Commenter]

Yeah. I'm in Ross St. Brown +150 to throw a lateral assist.

[Big Cat]

Yeah, yeah, yeah. It's just I, I can. Every week I could just see us sitting here in like late October being like all right, what do we got for our better off than that?

[Hank]

That'd be. That it'd be too. It'd be like 900 right now.

[PFT Commenter]

But you, you get a couple Dan Campbell games where he throws it. He like empties the bag and then you're like oh he, he's definitely going to have one again.

[Big Cat]

Oh, it goes to 30 to 1 if we throw in Travis Kelce assist.

[PFT Commenter]

Yeah.

[Big Cat]

And then we just lose. Yeah.

[Hank]

So no, I'm pretty sure this person was just incepted from this show because I feel like you said this exact take that Each NBA team should get to adjust where their three point line is to create home court advantage each season. They can move it to on the left if they have a dominant left handed dribbler. Move it in everywhere. If they want to focus on mid range or create a team of bigs or move it way back. They have great shooters. Every game would be played differently based on where the three point line is. Would be exciting to watch.

[Big Cat]

I think we said it with Kirk Goldsberry maybe.

[PFT Commenter]

But yes.

[Big Cat]

This would be awesome.

[PFT Commenter]

Different dimensions like in baseball.

[Big Cat]

Yeah. This would be so sick.

[PFT Commenter]

It would also be like incredibly unfair. But it would be cool.

[Big Cat]

Yeah.

[PFT Commenter]

For the NBA Cup.

[Big Cat]

Yeah. But you also like if you move it the strategy would be so interesting because you could also it, it doesn't have to be just you have good three point shooters. Like what if you have a dominant opponent like big moving the three point line out like two feet. So it just gives you a little more space where guys can't recover. Yeah, I would like to, I would like to watch that maybe for a week. Yeah. Adam Silver. You won't fucking do it.

[PFT Commenter]

Do it in the cup.

[Big Cat]

Do it. Yeah.

[Hank]

They changed the court anyway and they.

[Big Cat]

Reveal it like right before the game. Like up tonight. The words are going with a 34 footer. Steph is the only one shooting.

[Hank]

That'd be sick.

[Big Cat]

Yeah.

[Hank]

Hey little man. Big bellied cat, a cup honkers and Italian pervert. I'm sick of people comparing Scotty to Tiger and saying he's on a tear no one has seen before. The PGA is weakened with the amount of players that live and the only time he plays competition is at majors. Tiger woods with everyone scoring terrible at US Open on Sunday would have posted a score that would have made people sweat to match it. Also, Scotty can't match Tiger's aura, as he doesn't have a island in a caddy that throws cameras to into the pond. Thoughts?

[Big Cat]

Okay. There's a lot there. One is, you can't say Tiger's aura with the stuff because he won a lot more before the stuff than after. He. Tiger did have aura, but it was different aura. It was unbeatable aura. It wasn't like, he's cool. He chicks. It was. He just wins every tournament.

[PFT Commenter]

He was doing the stuff, but we.

[Big Cat]

Didn'T know about it.

[PFT Commenter]

Yeah. In the moment. That's not why Tiger's aura was what it was.

[Big Cat]

Correct. Correct. Two, I don't think we've said Scotty, maybe other people have. Is doing something like we've never seen before, which I don't think we've ever seen.

[Hank]

I think there's stats. There's definitely stats that have been brought up. And people do say that when he wins, it's like, we've brought up. It's always, no one's done this since Tiger.

[PFT Commenter]

We brought up the other stat where it's like, Scotty would have to do this for 10 years.

[Big Cat]

Right.

[PFT Commenter]

To get to Tiger's number.

[Big Cat]

That's also just our dumb sports brains, where if you've seen something incredible, you basically spend the rest of your life being like, man, I want this next thing to be exactly like that incredible thing. Yeah. Like almost wishing it, hoping it.

[PFT Commenter]

Yeah. Because the alternative is we're never gonna like golf again. Because Tiger was so good that he broke golf.

[Big Cat]

Right.

[PFT Commenter]

But, yeah, I understand that you're not like, I will. I will grant you that there's nobody out there that's playing that you watch them compete and you get that same feeling that you got with Tiger. Except for Brooks, obviously.

[Big Cat]

Yeah.

[PFT Commenter]

And Max.

[Big Cat]

Did you guys see Brooks?

[Hank]

But it's like. It's like Michael Jordan, like, basically creating know. Spawned basketball in Europe. Like, now European players are really good. Like, Tiger spawned all these really good golfers. He didn't have to play against them, though. But they are all inspired by him. And. And so the. The fields in general are way better.

[Big Cat]

Yeah.

[PFT Commenter]

Yeah.

[Hank]

But that's because of Tiger just putting kind of same as MJ where it's like, he wasn't. You have to play against that much European competition.

[Big Cat]

True.

[Hank]

Because they all got inspired from the Olympics.

[Big Cat]

But just to put it into perspective, I mean, we talked so much about Rory getting the career grand slam Tiger did that in one year. He literally did that in 2000 when he had. He won the PGA US Open, the Open Championship, and then in 2001 won the first tournament in the Masters. And that's insane. He went four straight. So, yeah, there's never going to be another Tiger.

[PFT Commenter]

Maybe Charlie.

[Big Cat]

Maybe definitely Charlie. Let's say definitely Charlie.

[PFT Commenter]

Double Tiger.

[Hank]

All right, I am going to pardon your guys take this guy's take here because it's just dead wrong.

[Big Cat]

Oh, no.

[Hank]

Biggest theory right now is the mlb. It's in the mlb. I believe the reason traded Des in his contract so they can make a play to trade for Paul Skin and pay him and lock him up early. They have all the young pieces and money now to do so. And the Pirates always trade away, trade away aces.

[PFT Commenter]

So that's copium.

[Hank]

Yeah.

[PFT Commenter]

Yeah. Which I. You have to have copium right now, which is there has to be a reason why we did this stupid thing.

[Big Cat]

But if you were so following this guy's logic, wouldn't have you.

[Hank]

Wouldn't you have been a piece Devers.

[Big Cat]

For more like better prospects?

[PFT Commenter]

Yeah.

[Big Cat]

You would have traded Devers not for current starting pitching and relieving pitching. You would have traded Devers for like guys that could end up being awesome and then saying, hey, Pirates, look at all these guys. That could end up being awesome. Yeah.

[PFT Commenter]

I think a lot of the criticism of the Dev trade is that you traded Devers. You didn't really get that much in return for him from at least what other teams have gotten for great sluggers. And you probably also did it because your owner is cheap. And maybe your owner was just upset that he got blown off when he went to meet him.

[Big Cat]

Wait, that was part of the story?

[Hank]

Yeah.

[PFT Commenter]

Yeah.

[Big Cat]

Oh, what was it?

[Hank]

He didn't answer a text message.

[PFT Commenter]

I think John Henry made a trip to have like a face to face conversation with him. Like, hey, we need to get on the same page. Let's be a good teammate. And Devers was not having it. But that also might be John Henry leaking stuff to the press because he's afraid of getting teabagged.

[Big Cat]

I do love like just a story of a owner just getting his feelings hurt. It happens a lot. And just saying I'm making this rash decision because my feelings got hurt.

[PFT Commenter]

It happens a lot.

[Big Cat]

Yeah.

[PFT Commenter]

Oh, national sports podcast.

[Big Cat]

Yeah.

[PFT Commenter]

Do you see what Dan Quinn said about. About Debo?

[Big Cat]

No.

[PFT Commenter]

Said I saw him running the other day. I was reminded he's one of the fastest players on the team.

[Big Cat]

Wow.

[PFT Commenter]

How fastest with an S is that?

[Hank]

A hot seat Commanders.

[Big Cat]

Yeah.

[PFT Commenter]

What do you mean?

[Big Cat]

Well, if he's the fastest.

[PFT Commenter]

One of the fastest.

[Big Cat]

One of the fastest.

[PFT Commenter]

Yeah. One of the fastest.

[Big Cat]

One of the fastest. And you. And you. He's. There was an S in what he.

[PFT Commenter]

Said S. That had an S. Not fast. It was fastest. It's fast, Debo.

[Big Cat]

Are you saying fattest or fastest?

[PFT Commenter]

I said with the first time I said it. I said fastest with an S. Okay, okay. Fast Deebo.

[Big Cat]

Fast bass. Debo. All right. Good show, boys. What? Oh. Memes is ready to go. Hank, we're gonna miss you, but I'm.

[Hank]

Gonna miss you guys. Part of me wants to just stay, but that's too good for it.

[Big Cat]

Not refundable. Non refundable. Wow, man. We should make a little behind the scenes video of, like, pardon my take, guys, by producer surprise. Round trip to Pebble Beach.

[PFT Commenter]

We take care of our boys, boys.

[Big Cat]

We do. That's what we do here. Take care of our boys. No problem, man. No problem. Don't even thank us. Honestly, we don't even want thanks. I. We actually should cut all the part of us giving it away just because we didn't do it for the accolades. Yeah, but if people want to thank us. Online at parcel. Big cat at PFT. Commenter? Okay, numbers.

[JJ Spawn]

99.

[Big Cat]

Oh, he's back. Being a scumbag pug gave me permission. Okay.

[PFT Commenter]

55.

[Big Cat]

6. 14.

[Hank]

I see 3.

[Zach]

I see 3.

[Big Cat]

16, 21.

[PFT Commenter]

No, I'm look.

[Big Cat]

I'm literally looking at 3. Hank can see it too. I'll go 76.

[Zach]

Hank, you got 3, right?

[Hank]

Yeah.

[Big Cat]

What was your number, Zach?

[PFT Commenter]

4.

[Big Cat]

14. You're gonna feel bad if this hits. 99. Absolutely not. Yes, we're gonna make. Oh, we'll make you feel bad. Oh, 23. MJ.

[PFT Commenter]

Love you guys.

[Big Cat]

Love.