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)

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.

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).

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)

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

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.

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.

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.