AJ Brown on Mississippi State, Kevin Clark's NFL Preview, and Hard Knocks
Football is officially back. Hard Knocks kicked off with the Buffalo Bills, and while the guys were excited for camp footage, the reality of the show's structure started to set in. PFT Commenter pointed out that we shouldn't expect a gritty documentary when the league and the teams have final edit on everything.
Hard Knocks is just a 45-minute commercial for whatever team they are profiling
Hard Knocks is just gonna be like a 45 minute commercial for whatever team they happen to be profiling because otherwise no teams would ever do it and the NFL wouldn't allow it.
Big Cat was mostly transfixed by the ice cream situation in the Bills' facility and the relatable moment of Dawson Knox’s wife perfectly packing his bag after he just jammed everything in. Despite the positive vibes coming out of Orchard Park, PFT isn't ready to crown them just yet, feeling a sense of impending doom for the Mafia.
I am 'pre-sad' for Bills fans because they won't win the Super Bowl despite their hope
I'm pre-sad because it, it is just, it's kind of, it's great to watch Bills fans. I love Bills fans... But the belief and the hope that they have, like, this is our year. We're finally gonna get done... I'm pretty sad for them. Yeah. And I hope that I'm wrong. I I hope that I'm wrong, but I am pre-sad.
Smelling Salts and Coaching Polls
Hot Seat/Cool Throne featured the devastating news that the NFL is moving to ban smelling salts. PFT sees a hidden motive behind the league's concern for player health in this specific instance, suggesting Roger Goodell is just looking for a bargaining chip.
Roger Goodell is banning smelling salts now just to trade them back for an 18th game in the next CBA
You know what Goodell's probably doing, this is probably one of those things where he is getting ready for the next CBA already... He's taking away smelling salts and then he is gonna say, I'll give you back smelling salts if you play an 18th game.
In sports media news, the NFL taking an equity stake in ESPN had Big Cat and PFT on high alert. Between the league's tightening grip on access and the rumors of commercials coming to Red Zone, the landscape is shifting. PFT thinks the direct ownership will change how fans see their favorite players interviewed elsewhere.
The NFL owning a 10% stake in ESPN will make it much harder for other media companies to interview players
I'm glad that florio's all over this, but I, I don't know what differences we're gonna see, but I do think that the NFL is going to make it way less likely for other media companies to conduct interviews with NFL players.
Mount Rushmore of Skills We Wish We Learned Younger
With Hank back from his weekend of following Rufus Du Sol around Chicago, the crew got into a deep draft of life skills. Max and Memes went with things like money management and carpentry, while Big Cat went straight for the utility of a proper golf game over a childhood staple.
Riding a bike as an adult is overrated compared to being good at golf
Guess what? Riding a bike. Overrated When you become adult. Golf is way more useful. Like I would trade being able to ride a bike for being able to golf well instantly.
As the draft got weirder, PFT leaned into his dream of being a late-career specialist. He truly believes that the knuckleball is the ultimate equalizer for any man willing to put in the hours.
Anyone who truly dedicates themselves to throwing a knuckleball can make it to Major League Baseball
I think anybody that really dedicates themself to throwing a knuckleball, we'll make it to major league baseball. Agreed.
Kevin Clark’s NFL Preview
Kevin Clark joined the show to break down every corner of the league, starting with the Micah Parsons situation in Dallas. Big Cat thinks the entire league should be burning Jerry Jones’s phone down to get the star edge rusher.
Every NFL team should be calling the Cowboys to trade for Micah Parsons because it's a no-brainer
What is the cost and is there even one team that like shouldn't be in the running for this [Micah Parsons trade]? Because it, to me, it's such a no-brainer. Yeah. That every team should be calling the Cowboys. Like it's, it's not even two people are like, oh, two first round picks. Who the fuck cares if you have Micah Parsons? You're not gonna get a guy in the next two drafts. It's better than Micah Parsons.
Kevin provided a reality check on the price tag for a talent like Parsons, noting that the Cowboys’ leverage with the franchise tag makes a move unlikely unless the haul is historic.
The Cowboys would need three first-round picks to trade Micah Parsons
It probably would be three first round picks. Yeah. Yes. Because the Cowboys wanna keep the franchise tag existing... I don't, my, my feeling on it... I don't think an NFL team has ever traded the guy they wanted to keep.
When looking at potential surprise teams, the guys found some disagreement on the Jets and the Dolphins. While Big Cat is buying the Aaron Rodgers comeback tour, Kevin Clark warned that the vibes in Miami might be turning sour.
Aaron Rodgers will be better than people think this year because he has a chip on his shoulder
I think Rogers is gonna be better than people think... I think he's got the sufficient chip on his shoulder again, where it's like everyone was, was like, this guy should retire. He stinks.
Mike McDaniel is a sleeper candidate for the Hot Seat because ex-players on TV hate him
Mike McDaniel's... The vibes can be high there, but... The one thing that's funny about McDaniel is how much Ex-players on TV hate Mike McDaniel. They really hate him. Like, every time I'm like, oh, I'm gonna go hard on the Dolphins. Some guy next to me is like, this is the worst team. This is the worst coach in the world.
AJ Brown Joins the Program
Eagles star AJ Brown sat down to talk about his journey from Starkville to Philadelphia. He shared some wild stories about getting death threats for choosing Ole Miss over Mississippi State and how his father had to handle his white Challenger being followed around town. He also explained that his college choice came down to aesthetics—specifically his hatred for Georgia's uniform combinations.
White cleats make you feel faster and smoother on the field than black cleats
When I put on white I feel so fast, so fast, so smooth. Like it's just something about it... I didn't choose Georgia because I don't like wearing black socks... Putting on black socks with black cleats is just so hideous. It's slow.
Brown also discussed the intense pressure of playing in Philly. Even after a Super Bowl appearance and massive production, he knows the honeymoon period for Nick Sirianni and the rest of the team is exactly one loss long.
If the Eagles lose Week 1, Nick Sirianni will immediately be on the hot seat in Philly
If we somehow, somehow lose the first game of the season, it is up for Nick Sirianni. It is up... They're gonna call in to WIP... It's gonna spark like a wildfire. He is a bum. This guy's a fraud.
It’s a long season, but at least we have the science of 13 lunar months to guide us through it.
