PMT DB
PMT DB
Preseason Week 2 is officially in the books, and it somehow managed to be more interesting for the press conferences than the actual football. Deshaun Watson is out here begging Cleveland fans to stop booing him, claiming it’s more \"personal\" than performance-based. PFT pointed out that it’s definitely a mix of both, but if you're playing at a level that can only be described as \"very bad,\" the booing is inevitably going to get louder.
PFT CommenterBrowns fans are booing Deshaun Watson because he is playing bad, not just for personal reasons
Deshaun Watson [is] up in front of the media and saying, it has nothing to do with my play. It's personal. I actually think that it's, that's not true at all. I think it's both. I think there's, that's why they have to boo him so much. It's because it's not just personal. And it's not just the play. They gotta cover all their bases.
Big Cat was quick to mention that sports fans have a sliding moral scale that almost always leans toward whoever is helping the team win. If Deshaun were looking like his former Texans self, the conversation in Cleveland would be entirely different.
Big CatEvery fan base would look the other way on Deshaun Watson's issues if he were playing at an elite level
I think the whole world knows it has nothing to do about the performance. It's a little bit more personal than that... Again, Deshaun it definitely is about, if you were Texans, prime Texans, Deshaun, I think a lot of Browns fans and every fan base for that matter, would look the other way. We all have a sliding moral scale. And it essentially is, is the guy good and is he playing for my team?
Beyond the Browns' drama, the guys touched on the absurdity of the current transfer portal and eligibility rules. After a guy like Daquan Wright appeared in an NFL preseason game and then decided to head back to LSU, the consensus is that the system has finally hit a breaking point. Big Cat is calling for a \"one and done\" rule where suiting up for an NFL game officially closes the door on your college career.
Big CatThe college eligibility system is broken and needs a 'one and done' rule for turning pro
When you declare for the draft, when you get drafted, when you suit up in an NFL uniform, that's it. It's over. This is a, you cannot go back to college. Same with college basketball. When you play in the summer league, it's over. You're, you're not playing in college basketball anymore.
LIV Golf and Preseason Kicks
Hank returned from Indianapolis where he attended what he called the \"last LIV 1.0 event.\" Despite the rumors of the league folding or merging, Hank was greeted as a Four Aces ambassador and treated to world-class sushi. While the rest of the world thinks the league is on life support, Hank came back fully convinced that LIV 2.0 is around the corner.
Meanwhile, in the NFL preseason, kickers are apparently trying to break the 70-yard barrier. Harrison Butker drilled a 69-yarder that had social media buzzing, but Big Cat isn't buying the hype.
Big CatI don't care about Harrison Butker's 69-yard preseason field goal because it would never be attempted in a real game
I do not give a fuck about Harrison Butker's 69 yard field goal in preseason. Because Hank, to answer your question, I wanna see a team have the balls to attempt that in a real game like preseason... I just don't respect it. Like it was cool kick, but I'm not like, oh my God, this is so incredible. They're not gonna attempt it. 'cause the like, the chances of him hitting it in a real game and then the flip of the field.
Stanford Steve’s CFB Preview
Stanford Steve joined the show on a liquid diet to break down everything coming up for Week Zero. The big story is Indiana, who Steve has ranked at #2 in the country. He’s tired of people calling last year a fluke and thinks Kurt Cignetti’s roster is legitimately loaded for another run.
Stanford SteveIndiana is the #2 ranked team in the country and is being disrespected again
I think Indiana's already getting disrespected again and it's fucking insane. I have 'em ranked two right now and I'm with you. These are big time players. They already have guys coming back on the offensive line. Nick Marsh is a pro at receiver... I'm totally with you. I think what they've, people are just gonna say, oh, they can't repeat it's Indiana. That was a fluke. Just like, look at the roster, man. It's very doable.
Steve is also all-in on the Fighting Irish this year. With a defense he ranks as the best in the nation and a favorable schedule, he’s calling his shot early for the 2026 season.
Stanford SteveNotre Dame will win the 2026 National Championship
I think Notre Dame's the real deal guys. I really expect, I, I expect them to win the national championship. The only thing, but they're in, in the Miami category, their schedule's not tough at all. I believe it's the best defense in the country coming into the season. And CJ Carr is real. The offensive line is locked and loaded.
Big Cat is taking a different approach to the top of the rankings, looking toward Athens. He thinks Georgia is going to return to that \"cement mixer\" identity where they simply out-physical every team they play for four quarters.
Big CatGeorgia will be a 'cement mixer' team this year that bullies opponents into submission
I'm high on Georgia this year... I think this is gonna be like an old school Saban team where their defensive line last year was really good against the run, couldn't get pressure, they're all coming back, they're gonna get better. I think they're just gonna cement mixer teams and just like bully 'em. And that, and that's a style that... they're just playing clock control and just beating you up and being like, Hey, we have better dudes.
MLB Juicing and the Mount Rushmore of Emojis
Before letting Steve go, the conversation veered into some MLB conspiracy theories. PFT is convinced that the league is juicing the balls again in 2026 to keep fans interested during the looming lockout negotiations.
PFT CommenterMLB is juicing the balls in 2026 to distract from the looming lockout
I think they're juicing the balls... and the only reason I say that is because they do have a potentially, you know, some bad news coming up with the lockout. And as much as they struggle to stay relevant, they do an awesome job of putting their finger on the scale when they know that things are about to go bad. I'd agree. They do a great job of knowing when to juice those balls up.
The show wrapped up with a Mount Rushmore of Emojis, featuring PFT, Hank, and Zach. It was a classic PMT draft where the simple \"thumbs up\" became a point of contention and Zach managed to confuse everyone with the \"upside down smiley face.\"
Good luck to Stanford Steve on his procedure tomorrow, we'll have a plate of wings waiting for you when you wake up.
