Big Cat Teaches Claire & George Kittle How To Podcast | The Kittle Things Ep. 2

Summary

Podcast Summary: The Kittle Things Ep. 2

Episode Title: Big Cat Teaches Claire & George Kittle How To Podcast
Date: September 23, 2025
Hosts: George Kittle & Claire Kittle
Guest: Dan "Big Cat" Katz (Barstool Sports, Pardon My Take)

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Episode Overview

This lively episode dives into the journey of George and Claire Kittle as they step further into the world of podcasting, with one of their inspirations—Dan "Big Cat" Katz from Barstool's Pardon My Take—acting as their mentor. The trio discuss rookie podcasting blunders, sports fandom, music (especially the Grateful Dead), and share practical, heartfelt advice for content creators and couples who create together. The Kittles’ trademark humor and dynamic chemistry with Big Cat make this a vibrant, insightful listen.

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Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. Podcast Beginnings & Why the Kittles Podcast (01:28–02:07)

• Big Cat’s Endorsement: Big Cat says the Kittles are a natural fit for podcasting due to their chemistry and energy (01:48).
• The Challenges of Podcasting:
  • Big Cat jokes about how podcasting is sometimes tougher than playing football, as it lacks an off season and requires constant content (02:18). -“I have to watch all the games. I have to make picks on everything. I have to talk about those picks—like on Wednesday, before we even know if guys are injured, or the weather, or all that stuff.” – Big Cat (02:26)
• Commentary on the intensity of the daily grind and mental toll of constant content creation:
  • “There will be a moment…where there's a Bob Ley…a really serious E:60, that’d be like, ‘podcasting and what it did to these guys’ brains.’” – Big Cat (02:42)

2. Meeting Story & The Early Days (03:34–08:11)

• How George & Big Cat Met:
  • Meeting during Barstool’s "Grit Week" in San Francisco, George was a second-year player, excited to meet his podcasting idols but missed them due to practice (04:40–05:38).
  • “All I wanted to do was meet you guys. And then by the time practice had ended, you had already left…Then finally…they're like, 'Hey, we're ready for you.' I sprinted out of my room so fast to meet you guys in the lobby.” – George (05:22)
• The Dive Bar Super Bowl Night:
  • Recalling a night out in Atlanta and Claire’s skepticism about being dragged around with "a couple of podcasters" (06:58–07:57).
  • "Your husband…is dragging his wife around Atlanta to go hang out with a couple podcasters. I remember being like, dude, what are you doing?" – Big Cat (07:18)
• Friendship with Kittle:
  • Big Cat reflects on the authenticity of these friendships: “When you actually become friends with some of the guys that come on…it's not just a guy on TV” (06:07).

3. Rookie Mistakes & Podcasting Lessons (08:48–09:30, 25:05–30:34)

• Rookie Mistakes Segment:
  • Big Cat shares an early Barstool mishap when Dave Portnoy forgot to record a show, resulting in a lost episode and an impossible-to-recreate retake (08:57–09:22).
• Advice for Podcasters:
  • “You have to realize that your job is to entertain people and to never take it too seriously…If you make a mistake, just say, ‘Hey, we [messed] this up.’ If you make a mistake, just own it.” – Big Cat (25:46)
  • Failures and blunders are celebrated as authentic and relatable, making a podcast feel like “hanging out with your idiot friend” (26:47).
  • On blocking out negativity: “If I read 100 comments and 99 were positive and one was negative, the one negative one is the only one I would think about. But you have to remember the negative comments are such a small part of the listeners.” (26:52)
  • Advice about not needing to have an opinion on everything: “People think that you need to have an opinion about everything, and you don’t. You can have some topics where you can just say, ‘I don’t know, and I don’t really care.’” (29:07)

4. The Grateful Dead, Music Obsessions, and Community (09:36–19:00)

• Why the Grateful Dead?
  • Big Cat and George nerd out over Dead & Company, concert experiences, and the communal aspect of the band's fandom.
  • “There’s just so many different iterations of the band itself…so many iterations of songs and how they played them…It’s just like the ocean. It’s just as deep as possible.” – Big Cat (10:54–11:23)
• Missed Connection at the Sphere:
  • Story about missing each other at a Dead show at the Sphere in Las Vegas and the enduring draw of these concerts (11:30–12:29).
• Inclusivity of the Deadhead Community:
  • “…It is a community, and like I said, people will gatekeep, but there’s so many people that won’t.” – Big Cat (13:42)
• Concert Stories and Football Crossovers:
  • George shares a story about seeing the Dead with teammates—including Bosa and McCaffrey—and connecting with older fans at the casino afterward (13:01).
  • Music as energy and connection: “As soon as the music and the first visuals come up, the entire arena just stands up and everyone’s just grooving." – George (15:15)

5. Fantasy Draft: Who Would You See With the Grateful Dead? (20:45–24:39)

• Draft Game: The group holds a light-hearted “fantasy draft” picking artists (alive, deceased, and fictional) to hypothetically play with the Grateful Dead at the Sphere.
• Picks include: Benson Boone, Carlos Santana, Billy Strings, Eddie Vedder, Jimi Hendrix, Jerry Garcia, Bob Marley, Prince, and novelty picks like Lizzie McGuire, SpongeBob, and the Cheetah Girls.
• “Whoever does the worst [in the vote] gets to tackle Hank.” – George (24:50)

6. Relationship & Collaboration Advice (30:34–32:34)

• Podcasting as a Couple:
  • Big Cat shares lessons from co-hosting with PFT: “You have to, like, genuinely love your co-host. So you guys have that.” (30:41)
  • On creative partnerships: "No bad ideas…PFT and I, our job between us is to say yes. Hank’s job as a producer is to say no." (31:04–31:55)
  • Letting each personality flourish without silencing the other's strengths—supporting both the dreamer and the pragmatist.
• On Decision-Making:
  • “As long as you say yes to each other, you can both…” (32:29)
  • The importance of an external “no” in a duo’s workflow, so the partners can keep creativity flowing together (31:57).

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Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• “Not once. Not neva in a million bajillion years. And I didn’t think I’d be hosting a podcast.” – George Kittle on meeting Big Cat (01:05)
• “It’s podcasting and what it did to these guys’ brains. We’re going to have, like, a CTE.” – Big Cat, joking about the long-term effects of obsessive digital content (02:42)
• "Your husband, dragging his wife around Atlanta to go hang out with a couple podcasters. I remember being like, dude, what are you doing?" – Big Cat (07:18)
• "You have to realize your job is to entertain people and to never take it too seriously ... a podcast is really just hanging out with you." – Big Cat (25:46, 26:47)
• “People think that you need to have an opinion about everything, and you don’t. You can just say, 'I don’t know, and I don’t really care.'” – Big Cat (29:07)

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Highlighted Timestamps

• 00:54: Introduction of Dan "Big Cat" Katz as guest
• 03:34: Story of how George and Big Cat first met
• 08:48: Rookie mistakes segment & advice
• 09:36: Introduction to Grateful Dead fandom and the role of music
• 11:30: Las Vegas Sphere Dead & Company story
• 15:15: George on the energy at Dead shows
• 20:45: Fantasy draft for musicians to perform with Grateful Dead
• 25:05: Big Cat’s biggest podcasting lessons and “rules”
• 30:34: Relationship advice for podcaster pairs

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Final Takeaways

• Podcasting is harder than it looks, filled with both tough breaks and fun surprises.
• Authenticity—mistakes, quirks, and all—is a key to engaging content.
• Fandoms (from football to the Grateful Dead) are about community, shared experience, and welcoming new faces.
• Don't let the critics (especially online) define your self-worth or creative direction.
• When collaborating, especially as a couple, prioritize support, open-mindedness, and laughter.

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Tone & Chemistry:
The episode is playful, candid, and packed with affectionate ribbing, music and pop culture enthusiasm, and honest exchange about both content creation and marriage. Big Cat’s mentoring is both practical and light-hearted, and the episode balances personal stories with actionable advice in a way that feels like a hangout with friends.

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Recommended For:
Sports fans, aspiring podcasters, Grateful Dead aficionados, and anyone curious to see the “little things” that make up the big moments—both behind the mic and in life.

Transcript

[A]

Hank, remember when I said I was.

[B]

Gonna tackle the out of you? Yeah.

[A]

It's gonna happen.

[B]

This feels like. Yeah, he's gonna end like Katie Kurich.

[A]

Hi.

[B]

Hey, what's up?

[C]

You're in the hot seat.

[A]

Are we recording, guys?

[B]

Josh, are you back? Facetime him real quick.

[A]

I call him once too many times. We'll leave him a video, though.

[B]

Hey, you win one MVP and your phone doesn't work.

[A]

It's crazy.

[B]

You can't text me back either. You owe me money.

[A]

That is true. I heard about that. Have a good night. Welcome to another episode of the Kiddle.

[C]

Things, presented by T Mobile. What's up, guys? It's Claire and George with a brand new episode of the Kiddle Things. And this time we're sharing the mic with a true podcasting legend.

[A]

That's right. None other than Dan Big Cat Katz of. Pardon my My.

[C]

Take literally one of young George's idols. Did 18 year old. You ever think you'd be on a podcast with Big Cat?

[A]

Nope. Not once. Not neva in a million bajillion years. And I didn't think I'd be hosting the podcast.

[C]

But before we get started, a quick shout out to our presenting sponsor.

[A]

T Mobile is the best network in the game, and now the best network in America. It's coverage that keeps up wherever your route takes you.

[C]

With T Mobile, you stay connected when it matters most.

[A]

When it matters. Right now.

[B]

Go.

[A]

What's up, guys? I'm George Kittle, here with my wife, Claire Kittle and Dan big cats.

[B]

Cats. Yeah. Oh, yeah. Clap it up. You guys can clap it up too.

[C]

Yeah.

[B]

Everybody thought I was going to get a best friend there. Didn't get a best friend.

[C]

Snaps for Dan.

[A]

Best friend of George and Claire. You didn't let me finish you, so I applied in too fast.

[B]

You're right.

[A]

But welcome to the Kittle Things.

[B]

Okay. You guys doing a podcast? I could see it coming just because of who you are, George. And obviously, like, I've spent some time with you, Claire. Like, you always are, like, around and not like you're. You're having fun with. With George. So I definitely could see this coming. You guys are a good couple to do it and you match each other's energy. So I absolutely like you guys are going to be good at this. There's. Podcasting isn't easy, though. No, it's harder than playing football. Well, you know, it is. You laugh. He has off season. I didn't laugh. I don't have off season.

[C]

This is true.

[B]

He gets. He plays One game a week? Yeah. I have to watch all the games. Yeah. Okay. There's a little bit of a difference.

[A]

You watch all of them.

[B]

All of the games. They're all on the TVs in the gambling cave. I have to watch all the games.

[A]

You also have to make picks every day.

[B]

I have to make picks on everything.

[A]

You have to talk about those picks.

[B]

I have to talk about those picks. I have to make the picks. Like on Wednesday, before we even know if guys are injured or the weather or all that stuff.

[A]

Do you ice your thumbs from all the tweets that you send out there?

[B]

I should. I do think there will be a moment like maybe 10, 15 years from now where there's like a Bob Lay. I don't even know if he's still around doing stuff. But like a really serious like E60. That would be like podcasting and what it did to like these guys brains. We're going to have like a cte.

[C]

We're going to scan your brain.

[B]

Yeah, yeah. Like these guys spent way too much time on the Internet and now they can barely function.

[A]

Well, Big Cat's here for a couple of reasons. One, he's going to teach us how to podcast.

[B]

I love that.

[A]

He is our Gandalf. He is going to guide us through our journey of podcasting.

[B]

How lame is that, by the way? That like, if you had to say, there's one thing that I know how to do, it's podcasting. Like, that doesn't feel good to tell anyone.

[A]

He's also really good at sports betting.

[B]

No, I'm not good at sports betting. You're a loser.

[A]

You are a loser.

[B]

I was in March. I was 16 and 0. No big deal. Okay, look it up.

[A]

We'll talk about that.

[B]

Yeah, yeah.

[A]

But let's just start with, you know, how did we meet?

[B]

I. I have a great story. Do you remember the story?

[A]

Potentially.

[B]

So I tell this story to people because. And it's a little bit of a subtle flex, but it's also like my favorite story about someone I met and then became good friends with. So we were in San Francisco for Grit Week. We were doing our interviews, which part of my take we do. We've been doing it for almost 10 years now. Every year around training camp, we take a bus and we go out. We do a couple camps, interview guys. So we're in San Francisco, we're interviewing Kyle, John lynch, and then we interviewed some of the offensive linemen. So we had Joe Staley and McGlinchey.

[A]

Yep.

[B]

And we're interviewing McGlinchey and Joe Staley. And at the end of the interview, they were like, hey, we got this rookie on the team that's a big fan of you guys. Can you take a picture with him? And we're like, yeah, we'll take a picture. For a fan, of course. Turns out he's one of the best tight ends, if not best tight end in the NFL. It's George Knittle. So it's like. It's like such a hilarious, ridiculous thing that we're like, yeah, we'll. We'll make time for a little fan. And we didn't obviously know at the time because, you know, we could. We could talk about Iowa, but they don't really let you catch balls at Iowa.

[A]

Not a lot. A lot of blocking.

[C]

Play's changing.

[B]

Yeah. Yeah, it is changing a little bit. Getting a little better quarterback play. But, yeah, it's crazy that, like, you know, seven, eight years later, we're watching you every Sunday, being an absolute beast, and we're like, that guy was a fan of ours before he.

[A]

Huge fan.

[B]

Yeah.

[C]

Is this in the hotel lobby?

[B]

Yes. Didn't he.

[C]

Didn't he kind of blow you off a little bit? No, this is his version.

[A]

No, no, no, no. The only time they blew me off is I was trying to find them. I was probably the worst practice I had of training camp, too. It was year two. It was worse. Cuz I just kept looking for you guys. You're just walking around the field. I'm like, oh, my God, there they are. This is so sick.

[C]

He wasn't paying attention to. I was not pay attention to you.

[A]

I was so excited. All I wanted to do was meet you guys. And then by the time practice had ended, you had already left. And then Staley didn't text me back for a while. I was like, hey, I just want to meet these guys. And then finally, he's like, fine, I'll ask. And they're like, hey, we're ready for you. I sprinted out of my room so fast to meet you guys in the lobby.

[B]

All right, so, yeah, so the story stands.

[A]

No, that was 100% accurate.

[B]

And you also, like, to your credit, like, the. You know, you came on a bunch, and it's probably the. We've been doing it for so long. But one of my favorite things about doing it is when you actually become friends with some of the guys that come on, and it's not just a guy on tv. And then, like, I've tried to stop myself from becoming, like, actual friends with a lot of the guys. Because then you become very biased. But there's. I mean, how are you not to your friend?

[A]

Yeah, that's.

[B]

It's impossible not to.

[C]

Yeah, yeah.

[A]

Gosh.

[C]

Golden retriever energy.

[B]

Yeah, exactly.

[A]

Oh, my goodness. I'm sitting next to a guy and my wife that I've listened to countless podcasts.

[B]

Yeah. Do you ever get. Claire, do you get annoyed when the podcast is on?

[C]

No.

[B]

Okay.

[C]

He's loved barstool since he was in college.

[A]

Yeah. Really? Like the first. When the first app came out, I might have been first 10 people to download it, literally.

[B]

That's awesome.

[C]

This was a dream for George.

[A]

This was a dream for a little George George. Yeah.

[C]

This was a little 200 pound George.

[B]

Wait, so how old were you when you first started looking at barstool?

[A]

I mean, 2013, 2012.

[B]

Will Levis. Before he got drafted, he went out dinner with me and Dave, and he was like, yeah, I was playing Guess that when I was 13 years old, I was like, oh, yeah, sounds about right.

[A]

I was definitely on that train. The first time I think we hung out really was the super bowl in Atlanta.

[B]

Yes.

[A]

And we hung out was. It was like Friday or Saturday night. Went to a dive bar.

[B]

Is that Northside Tavern? Yeah. One of my favorite dive bars. Yeah. Incredible place. Yes. And Claire, you were there and you hated us maybe a little bit, because here. And you have every right to hate us because your husband, who is in the NFL, who's a very good NFL player, pro bowler, future hall of famer, is dragging his wife around Atlanta to go hang out with a couple podcasters. And I like, remember being like, dude, what are you doing?

[C]

Why is making your wife come to this bar?

[B]

I was so.

[A]

I was so excited.

[B]

Oh, my God, that's great. Yeah. That was a fun night.

[A]

Yeah, it was. Because, I mean, like, I had a great time that night. But I just remember vividly, like, I just kept walking up to you guys and just stacking your beers, trying to make them overflow, and I'm pretty sure I sacked at you and pft like three times.

[B]

Yeah. And I was so happy. And Claire probably is like, like, can we go to, like, the Sports Illustrated party? Can we go to the Maxim party? Like, there's, you know, Drake's playing or something.

[C]

No, I just want him to annoy you. That's like the little brother.

[B]

Like, he keeps coming over here.

[C]

Babe, we get it. We know you like them.

[B]

And. And also, George is. It's the two guys I would say this for are you and. And Kyle Long. Who I've become good friends with Kyle Long for. Known him forever. There's hanging out with you. There's always a threat of, like, getting tackled or wrestled. And, like, you always have to be like, am I gonna get hurt tonight? But it's kind of fun.

[A]

You're gonna.

[B]

Kind of exciting.

[A]

Yeah, It's a little anxiety. A little anxiety is good for you, man.

[B]

Right.

[A]

Keeps you on your toes.

[C]

You said that to Hank when they walked in, you know.

[A]

Well, I told Hank I was going to tackle him. He's hiding somewhere.

[B]

No, he's ready for it.

[A]

Is he?

[B]

No. No, he's not.

[A]

He's a little. You're not fragile, are you, Hank?

[B]

No, he just doesn't want to be tackled. Yeah, he doesn't want to be tackled just a little bit.

[C]

We have a segment called Rookie Mistakes. Do you have any advice for us or moments from when you guys were rookies that you can remember that you're like, yeah, I wish I didn't do that.

[B]

Hank once forgot to record it. He was the producer of the rundown.

[A]

The whole episode because you had, like, the things on the side, too, so it looked like Sports Center.

[B]

Yeah.

[A]

That was so good.

[B]

Yeah.

[A]

Classic sports was so good. It was better.

[B]

Yes. I think it was. Actually, Dave forgot to hit record. He was, like, told to hit record. And we did the whole episode, and then we're like, oh, we have to redo this. And we tried to redo it, and it was so bad. We just, like, started to do the topics again. We're like, well, I said this already.

[C]

Yeah. Now I'm pissed.

[A]

Oh, that'd be horrible. Are we recording, guys?

[B]

Yeah. Make sure they're recording. You got enough guys here?

[C]

One of them.

[A]

One of the. One of the seven guys is recording.

[B]

Yeah.

[A]

Good job.

[C]

So when we have guests on, we like to talk about our favorite interests and the Grateful Dead.

[B]

Yes. Which.

[C]

Did you notice his shirt? He wants you to compliment his shirt.

[B]

Shirt. The hat. I got the hat.

[A]

Yeah, that's a Grateful Dead, Wisconsin hat.

[B]

Have you gotten a Grateful Dead tattoo yet?

[A]

Not yet.

[B]

Okay, you got.

[A]

I think I'm going to. Let me get to five shows, and I think that's fair.

[B]

That's fair. I felt really bad, though, because when I listed my interests, it was gambling my kids and the Grateful Dead. And I was like, I have no hobbies. That's it. I don't have any hobbies. I don't have anything that makes me interesting. So that kind of sucked. When I was like, well, I didn't want to Make.

[A]

I didn't want to make sports or Commonality.

[B]

Yeah. Or like, gambling. Yeah. Or like, you know, talking about my kids, which. I don't want to hear about that. So the. Yeah. The Grateful Dead, like, there are. They're. The music of the Grateful Dead has been, like, the constant in my life in the fact that there's times when you go away from it or don't listen and you find other bands. But I always find myself going back. And I think the. The reason I do that is the history of what they've, like, put out there and the way that they did it, where they actively embraced people, taking, like, bringing microphones and taping their concerts. So all their live music lives forever.

[A]

Yeah.

[B]

And then being able to find new shows and new songs constantly. It's like forever living. You know what I mean? It's not a band where it's like, all right here, there are four studio albums. Like, either you like it or you don't. There's just so many different iterations of the band itself because band members died or moved on. There's so many iterations of songs and how they played them and what their instruments sounded like decade to decade. So it's like. It's just like the ocean. It's just as deep as possible. Ooh, yeah.

[C]

That was hitting us with all this knowledge.

[B]

So I. Oh, my God, I was so mad that I missed you at the Sphere.

[A]

Yeah, no, let's tell that story.

[B]

Yeah. So I. I went to the Sphere last year for two shows. Went to the Sphere this year for two shows. Was at the Sphere. Was with my wife and a couple friends and Mark Titus, who works with us. So I got us all tickets. It was like 4 and 2, because I'm an idiot, and I didn't fill out the form fast enough. So, anyway, Titus was on the floor, and he texts me in the beginning of the second set. He's like, I think Kittle's here. And I was on the second level, and I look down and I see this big, goofy idiot that's bigger than everyone, just dancing, having the time of his life. And I was like, well, I got to go down there. So I waited till Drums in space. And I go down and I get down there, and he's just gone. He's vanished. And I text him. I was like, where are you right now? He's like, I'm at the Sphere. I was like, yeah, I am, too.

[A]

When you text me.

[B]

I was like, I don't know. Yeah, yeah. And then you were. You had Gone up to the suite. I was so mad at myself that I missed you. Cuz I would have given you the biggest hug.

[C]

Was that. That was the first week you.

[A]

That was the first week you went.

[B]

You went back.

[A]

Yeah, I know.

[C]

I went back with him. So I've only seen one show, but that was on. Yeah, it was so sick.

[B]

Yeah.

[A]

I'm only at 2, so doesn't matter. I'm just diving into it.

[C]

You got like, you have to come back with me. We are going to go.

[B]

But it doesn't matter how many shows cuz the music, it lives forever.

[A]

Because you told me you're like, dude, it's a different show every time. And it, it was. When I went back the second time, it was like they had the same opener, like one of the same songs in the middle. And then it was completely different besides that.

[B]

Yeah, no, that's what don't understand. We're like, oh, you're going to go to the same concert two nights in a row. It's like it's not the same concert at all.

[A]

Not the concert.

[B]

I should have stayed for the third night.

[A]

And it was, you know, one of my favorite things about the Grateful Dead has been. Was the first time I went, we. It was like me, Bosa McCaffrey, Juice and Jake Tunjus, one of our tight ends and we go, go to the concert, have a great time and then we go to the casino afterwards and they're all gambling. Craps attack crushed me. So I'm sitting at one of the casino bars and two deadheads sit next to me. Two, two guys in like their late 50s, early 60s tie, dye T shirts. And I talked to him for like an hour, just sitting there having a conversation. It was so much. One friend had, he had. Knew I was the other guy, had no idea who I was. And we were just having a conversation. Was fantastic.

[B]

Yeah. And it is a community and like I said, there are people who like every niche community, people will gatekeep, but there's so many people that won't. And it's like someone like. So my cousins got me into it and like if they didn't get me into it. And like Mark Titus, who I brought, like, I remember he got into it a few years ago and he texted me and I was like, dude, that's awesome. Here's some of my favorite shows.

[A]

So you did.

[B]

You sent me your favorite. Yeah, send your favorite shows. Like go for it. You know what I mean? It's the best.

[C]

Yeah.

[B]

And like. And I don't. I'M not an expert. Like, there. I never saw the actual Grateful Dead. Cause I'm too young. But, like, it doesn't matter, you know? And it's. It's. And I hope that the. When Bob Weir decides that maybe he's done, like, I hope they find a way to have someone else and continue and, like, the music lives forever. So you loved it, Claire.

[C]

Yeah. That was the first time I'd ever been in the sphere, because.

[B]

So my wife. It was so funny because she. So they've been not teasing retirement, but kind of teasing retirement for a long time. And my wife was, like, at the end, was, like, getting kind of mad at me, like, because every year I'd be like, hey, I have to go to the show. It's the last show ever. She's like, you've literally been saying this for, like, six years.

[C]

Well, that's how we felt. That's how you're like, we have to go.

[A]

I was like, this is the last op to get out of the sphere.

[B]

I've been to so many last shows. And then finally, when they went to the Sphere, she's like, I'm coming with you. I was like, great. And she had the time. The first year we went, she went one night and did something with her friends the second night. And then the second year, she's like, I'm going both nights. Like, I should have gone both nights.

[A]

Yeah, it's so good. Honestly, I think my favorite thing was when, like, when we first walked in and, like, we're waiting for the music to start. Like, as soon as, like, the music and the first visuals come up, the entire arena just stands up and everyone's just grooving.

[B]

Yeah.

[A]

Everyone's just vibing to the music.

[B]

And here's what's so cool. And I'm so excited because here's what's going to happen for you. Like, if you ask me what my favorite Grateful Dead song is, it changes, like, month to month. It literally changes month to month. Because it'd be like, I'll just listen to a new version of this and like, oh, this is my song right now. And that's the coolest part. Like, because it just constantly changes, and you'll just find new things and find new eras and it just. Yeah. It just never ends.

[C]

Yeah, you have the playlist.

[B]

Never ends. Music never stops. That's what they say.

[C]

Going for a month.

[B]

Yeah. Yeah. Have you. Did you listen to any of the.

[C]

Shows I sent you?

[A]

No, I had all your stuff on.

[B]

That's all I know.

[A]

I Drive. Keep sending them.

[B]

Yeah, I tried. There's some good songs about San Francisco, obviously.

[A]

I tried to put one on in the weight room and the guys are.

[B]

Like, what are we doing?

[A]

Yeah, maybe not if you guys want to win.

[B]

Yeah. If you want to win football games.

[A]

You probably should put that on me and Boast will. Me and Boss will listen to it on our Tuesday list.

[B]

That's all music.

[A]

Yeah. Me and Boss are the only two that left. Like, Monday was that, like. Monday afternoon's pretty late.

[B]

You know what? If you're trying to listen to it during lifting, you should probably listen to J Rad because he does so. He's like a Dead cover and he's got crazy tempo and so I'll send it to you. I'll send it to you.

[A]

Bosa will love it.

[B]

Yeah. Yeah.

[A]

Would you say that Bosa being a Deadhead is, like, against everything that you think?

[B]

Do you. You wouldn't believe how many people out of, like, I think Tucker Carlson's Deadhead. And like, I'm not saying, like, I have no real opinion. You would assume that, though, like, right. Like, it comes in every. Like, they're like politicians. I think Al Gore was like, like, all.

[A]

Once you see alive, it's just completely different.

[B]

Right. All walks of life.

[A]

Because, like, I had heard the music before and I was like, I like, I like. It's cool. But then I saw Live was like, oh, this is, right, Sick.

[B]

Right. Right.

[A]

Totally different experience.

[B]

I am a little worried. I, like, concerts are not. I don't know if I could do concerts. Not in the sphere anymore. So that kind of is ruined.

[C]

Yeah. That was another element. That's crazy.

[B]

That means an insane.

[C]

You're just like.

[B]

Yeah.

[A]

I mean, I don't know.

[C]

Backwards.

[A]

You can't really beat that.

[B]

No, you can't. I don't. I think, like, the only concerts I can go to now are, like, concerts with 10 people or the Sphere.

[A]

I don't think Kittle Fest is only hard.

[C]

I feel that.

[B]

Okay. Kittle Fest works. Dude. What. What music do you have at Kittle Fest?

[A]

Last year. So let's see. Last year was John Party was our headliner. The two years before that, both years was Jelly Roll.

[B]

We got to get a Dead cover band.

[A]

That'd be sick. I'll do that.

[B]

I got these guys, Wax Monkey. I'll shout them out. They have like 10,000 followers on Instagram. I'll bring them Sick. I think they're making original music as well. But they, like, cover like Allman Brothers, Dead Fish. Like, they're we got to bring them.

[A]

I would love.

[B]

We got to bring them.

[A]

She says, yes.

[C]

Like, yeah, I'm so in.

[B]

Because there's a lot of. There's a lot of good cover bands. And I know, like, cover bands are kind of looked down on, but I play music. Something about the. The Grateful Dead, like, the COVID bands never bother me because they. That is how they embrace their music is like, it's for everyone.

[C]

Yeah.

[B]

So other people playing it, having fun playing it.

[C]

Yeah.

[B]

Is cool as well.

[C]

Yeah, yeah, yeah. We had Kid Quill.

[A]

Yeah. Kid Quill is a good friend like that. He's. I mean, yeah. He's like, his. All of his music is good vibes. It's like one of his favorite, like, kids in the Summer is on his song. Just talks about growing up as a kid in the 90s.

[B]

That's pretty good.

[A]

And he's a Midwest boy, and he's from Indianapolis.

[B]

Okay. Indianapolis.

[A]

Yeah.

[B]

So Indianapolis. Underrated city.

[A]

It is an underrated city.

[B]

You can walk everywhere.

[A]

It's a. It's a solid city.

[B]

You can. You can. I, like, walk anywhere. We spent cold. The final Fours there.

[C]

Yeah.

[B]

The Wisconsin almost winning the national championship that year. Oh, that was there. Yeah, that was there.

[A]

Is that when you were in the Wisconsin gray hoodie?

[B]

Yeah.

[A]

And then you collapsed to the floor?

[B]

Yep. Hank was with me every step of the way.

[A]

I. Hank, favorite, favorite memory from that moment.

[B]

I think he had. I think.

[A]

I know you have a favorite memory from.

[B]

Need a mic from which one?

[A]

There's a microphone right there.

[B]

Well, Hank is a Duke fan, so he was happy, but the Wisconsin final four in 2015, probably the walk back. You watching me walk back. We did a live periscope. We walked back to the hotel lobby. Just went face first on the couch. Oh, yeah, that was. I don't know. I don't know how. How PC this podcast is, but that was.

[A]

I don't know.

[B]

Okay. Yeah.

[A]

That was one of the lowest moments of your life.

[B]

Well, all right.

[A]

I heard.

[B]

I'll say the story, and then you can decide if you want to cut it. The. We beat Kentucky on Saturday night. I literally didn't like. It was a. Yeah, that was when they said that. Yeah, it was a. Listen, I. You gotta. You gotta enjoy the journey. Yeah. Enjoy the journey.

[C]

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[A]

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[B]

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[B]

Go ahead.

[A]

We're now going to have a fancy draft of artists that we would like to see perform with Grateful Dead on.

[B]

Stage at the Sphere.

[A]

At the Sphere.

[B]

At the Sphere.

[A]

At the Sphere.

[B]

Okay.

[A]

Sponsorship incoming for all three of us. Thank you, Sphere. So we're gonna do two artists who are alive, two who aren't, and then two fictional bands or artists.

[B]

Okay.

[A]

Real quick, are we doing. How do you do your drafts? Is it Snake?

[B]

Snake Draft?

[A]

Snake Draft.

[B]

Yeah. Yeah.

[A]

Okay, go. You can go first.

[C]

Okay. I said. Am I saying two?

[A]

No, you're one.

[B]

You get one.

[C]

I said Benson Boone.

[B]

Okay.

[C]

It's a good one because we just saw him at Bottle Rock, and he's.

[B]

Got pilots, and he'll dresses up and does the flips.

[C]

Flip all over the Sphere.

[B]

Okay.

[A]

My first pick would be Carlos Santana because he shreds.

[B]

Okay.

[A]

And I think him and John Mayer would pair really well.

[B]

Yes. All right, I'll go. Billy Strings first round. Oh, yeah. Billy Strings. And hopefully he's part of whatever comes after some of the guys retire. I'll go Eddie Vedder. Eddie Vedder would be fun.

[A]

My number two would be Tosh Sultana.

[B]

Okay.

[A]

You should check out her music if you like. It's pretty psychedelic stuff. She plays 24 instruments by herself and then loops them all together to create beats.

[B]

Oh, that's sick.

[A]

She's.

[B]

That would be fun if she had.

[A]

The Tiny Desk concert.

[B]

It was the first time I ever.

[A]

Experienced it, and I was blown away. It's. If you want house, like music on the bed in your house as you just do stuff all day.

[B]

Yeah.

[A]

Such electric.

[B]

Okay.

[A]

And she.

[C]

I saw her in California with Kristen.

[B]

Yep.

[A]

I was in training camp.

[B]

Good pick.

[C]

Noah Khan.

[B]

That's a great pick. And he's friends with John.

[C]

Yep. And he has good vibes.

[B]

He's also someone who could maybe be part of the future of Dead and Company.

[A]

That'd be sick.

[B]

Yeah, he's Got no inside knowledge.

[A]

We don't know anything. We're just podcasters.

[B]

Yeah. Yeah.

[A]

All right, Claire, your first deceased.

[C]

Elvis.

[B]

Oh, Elvis.

[C]

Little moving.

[B]

He knows Vegas.

[A]

He does. He runs Vegas. I'm gonna go Jimi Hendrix.

[B]

Okay, Jimi Hendrix. So can I take Jerry Garcia? Yeah, I'm just gonna take Jerry Garcia. And Brent Midland, who's. Brent Midland, was the keyboarders for the dead in the 80s. My favorite iteration, because they've had multiple keyboardists. So that would be. I would just like to see the Grave, the original grave, at the Sphere.

[A]

Like, you imagine them in, what, the 80s? And they're at the Sphere.

[B]

Yeah, that would be the best. No, I can't. It would be incredible.

[A]

That'd be nuts.

[B]

Yeah, but Brent is my favorite, so. Yeah, that would be it.

[A]

My second was Bob Marley.

[B]

Oh, good one.

[C]

My last one was Prince. Ooh, classic.

[B]

That would be awesome. Yeah, that would be awesome.

[A]

Could be fun.

[C]

Okay, then the last one is fictional. Or fictional. Or not. You guys are not gonna. The Lizzie McGuire movie. Oh, that was my Lizzie McGuire.

[B]

That's my pick.

[A]

No, no, imagine the Lizzie McGuire chick on the screen.

[B]

I don't know Lizzie McGuire.

[C]

That'd be a little trippy.

[A]

No, you don't remember Lizzie McGuire?

[C]

What, the blonde Disney?

[B]

I'm a little older. I don't know.

[C]

That's okay.

[B]

Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles. We'll show those.

[A]

I said my first one was the band. Who sings Scotty Doesn't Know from Euro. Oh, that's a good pick, Damon.

[B]

Yeah, that's a good pick.

[A]

What's he doing up there?

[B]

Damn it. That's a good pick. I need to think of a second one. My first one is spongebob.

[C]

Perfect.

[B]

Spongebob would be very.

[A]

From the Super Bowl.

[B]

Yeah.

[A]

Oh, the band.

[B]

Yeah.

[A]

Oh, that'd be so good.

[B]

Yeah. Yeah.

[A]

That's one of the best cartoon songs of all time, actually.

[B]

Then I'll just go, doug, funny. What was the band? The Beats. I'll go do the Beats.

[A]

Phenomenal.

[B]

Yeah. Yeah. You guys probably don't know, Doug.

[C]

No, I don't.

[B]

I don't know that this is. This is now aging me.

[C]

See? You don't know.

[A]

That's okay.

[B]

Yeah.

[A]

My second one was Rick and Morty Get Shifty.

[B]

Okay.

[A]

Cuz, like, they're kind of the tr. Like, the universe travelers. And I feel like they could go. They could do some pretty fun.

[B]

I like that stuff. I like that. I like that.

[C]

The Cheetah Girls.

[A]

And the Cheetah Girls.

[C]

That's, like, my childhood of. I loved them.

[A]

I Don't know what songs they would sing together, but it'd be a vibe.

[B]

I like the Noah Con pick. I should have done that.

[C]

Yeah.

[B]

That's a good pick.

[C]

In our house. I think you had the best overall.

[A]

We'll see. That's nice.

[B]

We're going to put up to a vote. We'll put up the vote. What's the punishment?

[A]

Whoever does the worst gets to tackle Hank.

[B]

I like that.

[A]

It's a good one.

[B]

I like that.

[A]

I'm glad.

[C]

Perfect. I can do that.

[A]

Are there any interviews, looking back on that you're, like, early on in your career that you're like, ah, could have done that one better?

[B]

Oh, tons, tons. Especially the beginning. It was, you know, a lot of interviews where we didn't really know what we were doing.

[A]

Oh, in your defense, I love those.

[B]

Yeah, I know they do.

[A]

I didn't miss an episode to, like, my third year in the league.

[B]

Well, yeah. I mean, disgusting. Well, so you missed an episode now. All right, so now. So I would say the number one thing, and it depends on where you guys want to go with this, but, like, you have to. You have to realize that your job is to entertain people and to never take it too seriously, because there's a lot of podcasts out there. There's a lot of people that think that they're a big deal. They think they're going to, you know, change the world with their podcast. It's like, listen, I know what I am. I am a guy who can sometimes be funny, and people want to listen to me on their morning commute.

[C]

Yeah.

[B]

You know, I mean, we're not changing the world.

[A]

The morning commutes the best.

[B]

Right. Like, we're not changing the world. We're not doing anything special here. And, like, having that mindset, I think, grounds you to a point where you're like, all right, my job is to entertain people and not take things too seriously and laugh at yourself and just kind of admit, like, if, you know, you guys are just starting out, if you make a mistake, just say, hey, we this up? Or, like, you know, that was a bad question. I still say that when I ask a bad question, I'll be like, you know what? That was a bad question. That's on me. You do say, you know what I mean? Because at the end of the day, like, a podcast is really just hanging out with you. You know what I mean? They want to feel like they're hanging out with you. So if you make it super professional and super clean and, like, there's no Mistakes in it. It doesn't feel like you're hanging out with someone. Whereas if you're just around, you make mistakes, you screw things up. People are like, oh, yeah, that's like my idiot friend. And that's what they are. It's really, really hard when you put yourself out there to be able to block out, like, the negative feedback. Because, like, football. Yeah, yeah. Right. But if you, if you. If I read 100 comments and 1 in 99 were positive and 1 was negative, the one negative one is the only one I would think about.

[C]

Yeah.

[B]

And so. But then you have to remember that the negative comments are such a small part of, like, the listeners.

[A]

Yeah.

[B]

And whether it be, like the YouTube comments or Reddit or anywhere else, or Twitter, Reddit's horrible. Right, right. Like, well, it's just negativity. And so you, once you realize it's a negative cycle, and then you also realize that, like, pardon my take has 800,000 people listen every episode. There's so sick 300 comments on YouTube. There's 300 comments on Reddit. That's 600 people. It's probably a couple people that have multiple accounts. So 600 people we're talking about, of 800,000. Why do I give those people more time in my day and more energy than the rest who are listening and they don't. They're not even on social media. They're just enjoying it.

[A]

Yeah.

[B]

And then when you meet people in person, it kind of reminds you of that because people are positive and they.

[A]

Yeah.

[B]

You know, that's great talking to you.

[A]

I mean, your show too is also, like, pretty positive.

[B]

It is.

[A]

It's all good vibes.

[B]

But. Yeah, but there's definitely. I mean, I'm sure you could find people who are like, this show sucks now. Or they, you know, and. But you just can't. You can't read it. You can't let it get in your brain. Because if you do, then you start. The thing that I think P.S. and I have done very well, and Hank as well, is that you just gotta be kinda true to yourself and you can't let any type of, like, outside noise change what you're gonna do. No. Because if you listen to someone else, then you're gonna change for them. And then someone else will pop up and be like, why'd they change that? And then you're just constantly in your head, chasing, trying to appease a few people. It's like, just trust yourself and let the rest kind of figure it out. There's been times when I have not gotten into politics. Politics, but stated an opinion that could be considered politics. Really stupid. Because people just don't want to hear that. The world is so politicized and so, like, at the extremes. Trying to comment on something that is serious, beyond your depth is never going to go well. Yeah, that's never going to go well. And I've done. I've made that mistake a couple times, but I don't think I've made it in a long time. So, yeah, that. That would be the big. The big one. If you don't know something about a topic, you don't have to talk about it. People don't need that. That's actually really. I'm gonna. I'm rambling now.

[A]

Perfect.

[B]

People think that you need to have an opinion about everything, and you don't. You can have some topics where you can just say, I don't know, and I don't really care.

[A]

One of my favorites is just because you have an opinion doesn't mean you need to share it.

[B]

Also true.

[A]

So my favorite one.

[B]

Also true. But there's. There's this feeling of like, oh, you have to have a take on this. No, I don't. I don't. I didn't read about it. I don't really understand it.

[A]

I have no idea.

[B]

It seems way more. And I'm willing to sit down and give it time.

[A]

I'm gonna get. I'm gonna get everything wrong.

[B]

Right, right. And then you'll be mad at me about that. So I'm just gonna. I don't have to say anything because there is that feeling of like, oh, I have to say something about this moment right now also. And I know I'm rambling. This is something that I've learned recently, and it's like a superpower. Whenever something big happens in the world, it feels very monumental. If you don't say anything for, like, a week, it usually, like, kind of passes. And so the. Like the.

[A]

If you.

[B]

If you panic and have a take and have an opinion within the first 24 hours, there's a pretty good chance in a week you're gonna be like, wait, why'd I say that?

[C]

Right.

[B]

So if you just sit it out and kind of let it all happen, and then you can be like, oh, maybe I feel this way. It's a lot better of a strategy.

[A]

Take a breath in this. Listen.

[B]

Yeah, right. Because that. It just. It. It will get you into to deep where you try to. You try to be an expert on everything, and it's like, it's okay to just be like, hand up. I don't know.

[A]

That's fair.

[B]

Yeah.

[A]

Well, thank you for teaching us in our rookie. Yeah.

[C]

That was amazing.

[B]

It's been awesome. I really appreciate you guys. I love both of you. Can I say that?

[A]

Yeah.

[B]

All right. I love both of you.

[A]

We're married. It's okay.

[B]

Yeah. I was gonna say the other tip of podcasting is like, you have to. You have to, like, genuinely love your co host. So you guys have that.

[A]

That is nice.

[C]

Yeah.

[A]

Oh, that's what I did. Want to ask you this because we're married, and then you and PFT are kind of married.

[B]

Yeah.

[A]

Like, what are some relationship tips that you have for us while podcasting?

[B]

Oh, you gotta listen. No bad ideas.

[C]

Love that.

[B]

Because there are bad ideas, but you can't be. It's actually funny. We just had this conversation. Hank's job as a producer, and he's been with. Yeah, I've been working with Hank for 13 years, but he's.

[A]

That's crazy.

[B]

From the beginning of PMT, it's been me, PFT and Hank, and I do. He. He doesn't like when I say this, but I feel this way that it is really like, it's the three of us, you know, and we have, obviously Max and Memes and all these guys that are. Have joined us in the last few years are very, very important and part of it. But it's like if the three of us think something like, we can do it. You know what I mean? Because that's just what it's been from the beginning.

[C]

Totally.

[B]

But his job is to say no. PFT and I, our job between us is to say yes.

[C]

Yes.

[B]

He can say no. He can be the bad guy. We have to say yes.

[C]

So is that my job?

[B]

So you got to say yes.

[A]

I'll say no.

[B]

You got to get a producer that is outside of your marriage. They can say no.

[A]

You guys get a say no.

[B]

You guys say yes to each other.

[C]

Usually I have to say no. He's like, talk to my wife or let me talk to my wife.

[B]

But you don't want it. You don't want it because, like, this is a real thing, like pft. And I think part of why we work so well is he's like, we're different personalities, but we have a lot of similarities. Sure. He sometimes is more of a dreamer. I'm more of like, you know, a pragmatic. But, like, you can't stop the. The other from doing what they want to do, you know, I mean, like, you can't stop the dreamer from having crazy ideas. Just like he can't stop me from being like, hey, we have to do this, this and this. So as long as you say yes to each other, you can both.

[A]

That's a great.

[B]

Yeah. Yeah.

[C]

That was great.

[B]

That's it right there.

[C]

All facets of life.

[A]

That was really good.

[B]

Yeah.

[A]

Wow. Just want to say thank you, Dan.

[C]

First episode, subscribe.

[A]

He's a big subscribe guy. You should listen to him. He's a professional.

[C]

Clap for us, guys.

[A]

Why are you not clapping?

[C]

Good job, guys. You did great.

[B]

Thank you.

[A]

Are we clapping out there? Good job.

[B]

Hang some clapping going.

[C]

All right. We want to take a selfie.

[A]

I'm happy.

[B]

Got it. That was great.

[C]

Thanks for tuning in to another episode.

[A]

Of the kiddle thing presented by T Mobile.