|
AUGUST 19 TAKES — PETE CROW-ARMSTRONG & JOE BUCK
(APPROX. TIME)
|
|
11 MIN |
PFT COMMENTER
The NBA will not punish the Clippers over the Kawhi Leonard investigation. PFT expects the league to protect Steve Ballmer and conclude that the organization committed no punishable wrongdoing.
|
CONVICTION
🔥🔥🔥🔥
GRADE
TBD
|
|
17 MIN |
PFT COMMENTER
The Nationals will eventually trade C.J. Abrams. PFT believes his move to second base followed a weaker-than-expected trade market, while Washington's defensive shortstop prospects make him increasingly expendable.
|
CONVICTION
🔥🔥🔥
GRADE
TBD
|
|
58 MIN |
BIG CAT
Jon Rahm appears likely to leave LIV Golf, although Big Cat presents it as a developing feeling rather than a firm report.
|
CONVICTION
🔥🔥
GRADE
TBD
|
|
66 MIN |
BIG CAT
Pete Crow-Armstrong will win National League MVP. Big Cat considers PCA an MVP-caliber star and openly plans to campaign for him against Shohei Ohtani.
|
CONVICTION
🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥
GRADE
TBD
|
|
AUGUST 21 TAKES — MAX STRUS
(APPROX. TIME)
|
|
4 MIN |
MAX
vs
PFT COMMENTER
Max thinks the Eagles are going to be bad if their disastrous training-camp reports are any indication. PFT expects the opposite: Jalen Hurts is “about to go off” because all the preseason disrespect and doubt will fuel him.
⚠️ Max sees a warning sign; PFT sees motivation.
|
CONVICTION
🔥🔥🔥🔥
GRADE
TBD
|
|
8 MIN | BIG CAT
The NFL is eventually headed toward 40 teams, a 20-game regular season and no preseason, with international franchises incorporated into an expanded conference structure.
|
CONVICTION 🔥🔥🔥
GRADE TBD
|
|
13 MIN | BIG CAT
Mark Walter may be forced to sell the Dodgers because of the enormous financial obligations coming due and questions about whether he has the money to cover them.
|
CONVICTION 🔥🔥🔥
GRADE TBD
|
|
31 MIN | BIG CAT vs MAX
The Phillies will win the NL East. Big Cat bet them at +475 because seven remaining games against Atlanta—and the Braves' subsequent trip to Wrigley—give Philadelphia a path to stealing the division.
⚠️ Max counters that the Phillies cannot beat good teams.
|
CONVICTION 🔥🔥🔥
GRADE TBD
|
|
78 MIN | MAX STRUS
DePaul will be more competitive under Chris Holtmann and will no longer routinely lose by 20 points. Strus came away encouraged after recently visiting the program and seeing its improved facilities.
|
CONVICTION 🔥🔥🔥
GRADE TBD
|
|
87 MIN | MAX STRUS
The Raptors will be much better next season: their defense was already phenomenal, the expected addition of Kawhi Leonard should elevate them further, and Scottie Barnes is going to remain a very good player for a long time.
Big Cat agrees that Toronto is moving in the right direction.
|
CONVICTION 🔥🔥🔥🔥
GRADE TBD
|
|
88 MIN | MAX STRUS
The Wizards will improve next season and could reach approximately 20–25 wins, but Strus stops short of predicting that Washington will actually be good.
|
CONVICTION 🔥🔥🔥
GRADE TBD
|
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The Podbudsment
Big Cat: "I fucking love it, I love doing it. I think you guys do too."
It is PARDON MY BOOK week on PMT and that's gonna make for some light work on the podcast predictions front as the boys focus on their book promotion. PCA, Joe Buck and Max Strus were all great guests with breezy chemistry with the fellas but the focus here is on the future of the podcast discussed in the Aug. 19 pod.
AWL: "Will you ever cut back on 3 podcasts a week?"
Big Cat: "I've never felt like this is too much or like we ran out of things to talk about."
PFT: "It's not to the point where it feels like an effort to do three episodes a week."
PFT and Big Cat were adamant that their commitment to doing three pods every single week of the year is what separates them as the No. 1 sports pod. Further, not having a guest interview every episode during football season keeps them somewhat recharged as "talkin' ball with the boys" does not require a lot of prep work. Will that lead to less guests on the pod? Big Cat seems open to that as a lot of the fan feedback is that episodes with just the Pardon My Take crew are their favorites (mine included.)
I've thought about my own Pardon My Take fandom with the launch of this site and I seriously think that "Hank is a Hater" is the organizing pod theme I delight in most. Watching the other guys on the show (and JOC) move to attack or support Hank in his crankiness seems to fill my heart with joy. Hank's love of all things terrible in sports is the most reliable comedy to enjoy in sports pod world. Bari Weiss would do well to hire him as the 21st century Andy Rooney on 60 Minutes.
Great to hear "Ombudsman" mentioned in FAQs and the book, of course. It being positioned as a "big word" by an AWL gives me some concerns about AWLs remembering the spelling of "Podbudsman" but there are just no interesting names.
