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Charissa Thompson And Erin Andrews Plus Post Vacation Recap Of Everything We Missed

Wednesday, February 23, 202223 takes

We're back from vacation and tanned as fuck. We talk Juwan Howard, Lebron, All Star Weekend, Aaron Rodgers and tons more ( - ). Hot Seat/Cool Throne including Hank the Tank the Bear, Drunk Ideas, and Stefon Diggs Valentines Day ( - ). We welcome on Erin Andrews and Charissa Thompson to talk about their careers, podcasting, hardest parts of their job and more ( - ). We finish with a special edition of Vacation FAQ's.

Charissa Thompson and Erin Andrews on NFL Secrets and the Art of Sideline Spying

The tan lines are strong and the takes are even stronger. Big Cat and PFT Commenter returned from their post-Super Bowl hiatus with the energy of two guys who spent a week drinking Coors Light on a beach and are now ready to react to everything they missed, starting with the Juwan Howard "smush" heard 'round the world. Big Cat, ever the Wisconsin loyalist, was thrilled that Greg Gard managed to live rent-free in Howard's head, though he thinks the Michigan coach might need a little professional help for his fuse.

Win
Feb 23, 2022
#14010
Big CatBig Cat

Juwan Howard has a legitimate anger problem

This is he's a repeat offender. He is. So he had that. He also claimed last year that Mark Turgeon... was coming at him and he had to defend himself... He's gotten some weird technical fouls where he's like yelled at people.

Juwan Howard was suspended for the remainder of the regular season following this incident and eventually fired in 2024 after several more altercations and poor performance.

PFT was a bit more appreciative of the chaos, viewing the handshake line brawl as exactly what the sport needed during the doldrums of February. While others called it a black eye for the game, he was ready to lean into the violence.

Void
Feb 23, 2022
#14011
PFT CommenterPFT Commenter

The Juwan Howard incident was great for college basketball

I'm smashing the good for college basketball button. Of course it is awesome for college basketball... Rivalries in college sports where it's always on the cusp of turning violent. That's just good for the sport and nothing bad happened.

The clip dominated sports media for weeks, confirming it was a major engagement driver, though its 'goodness' for the sport's integrity is subjective.

LeBron's GM Masterclass and the Rodgers Cleanse

All-Star Weekend in Cleveland turned into the LeBron James Invitational, specifically a weekend-long subtle dig at the Lakers' front office. Between praising other GMs and hinting at a return to the Cavs, LeBron dominated the headlines while the Dunk Contest absolutely cratered. Big Cat and PFT agreed that the lack of star power in the dunk contest can be traced back to one man never setting the stage.

Void
Feb 23, 2022
#23311
Big CatBig Cat

LeBron James ruined the dunk contest by never participating in it

LeBron ruined the dunk contest by never doing it. Correct though. Setting the precedent. [He's the] best players to never do it. He ruined it by saying he was going to do it too. You remember that? Yeah. And then just never did it.

The dunk contest has notoriously lacked star power for years, with stars often citing injury risk or lack of interest, following LeBron's lead.

PFT suggested that instead of just begging stars to participate, the NBA should just back up the Brink's truck and offer a massive cash prize to make it worth their while.

Void
Feb 23, 2022
#23312
PFT CommenterPFT Commenter

The NBA should put a $2 million prize on the dunk contest to attract star players

I think what they should do, they should just put a shit load of money in the pot for the winner of the dunk contest. It's very simple. Just get a big sponsor. Get everybody to pitch in. You should be like $2 million for the winner.

While the NBA hasn't implemented a $2M prize specifically for the dunk contest, they did implement prize money for the In-Season Tournament (NBA Cup) to increase competitive intensity.

Then there was Aaron Rodgers. After a 12-day "Panchakarma" cleanse involving butter and various unmentionable procedures, Rodgers emerged with nothing but gratitude for his ex-fiancée and his teammates. Big Cat is convinced Rodgers looked at the NFC North and realized he simply has it too good to leave for the gauntlet of the AFC West.

Win
Feb 23, 2022
#14016
Big CatBig Cat

Aaron Rodgers will never leave the Packers because the NFC North is too easy

He probably did the Panchakarma cleanse and was like, wait, I played the Vikings, the lions and the bears. Why would I leave that? Like you get kick our ass... I think he, he, he clearly wants back with his ex.

Rodgers did sign an extension with the Packers shortly after this episode in March 2022, staying for one more season before being traded to the Jets in 2023.

Erin Andrews and Charissa Thompson

The guys sat down with Erin Andrews and Charissa Thompson at Erin’s office for a wide-ranging talk that went far beyond the usual sideline clichés. They talked about the reality of being a woman in a male-dominated industry, the grueling prep work that goes into three minutes of airtime, and the personalities they deal with on a weekly basis. Erin gave a fascinating look into how she actually influences what we see on TV by acting as a scout for the production truck.

Void
Feb 23, 2022
#14022
Erin AndrewsErin Andrews

The best sideline reporting happens when I act as a 'spy' for the broadcast

I like to think I'm a spy on the field... get a camera to Aaron Donald, he's just going off on the sideline... or Antonio Brown kind of, you know, doing something with his leg... The important thing is... the shit you don't hear from me, but I can get the camera and tell our producer and director. I love it. I got off on it.

This is a subjective professional philosophy.

Charissa, who also balances her work at Fox with her interior design business, shared the frustrations of trying to manage massive egos during live events. Whether it's the Madden Pro Bowl or a pregame set, she compared the job to a specific type of animal husbandry.

Void
Feb 23, 2022
#14023
Charissa ThompsonCharissa Thompson

Producing live events with athletes is like 'corralling cats'

I have a producer in my ear yelling at me... I have a little bit of a like corralling cats and kindergarten teacher. Like, you need to sit down, you need to be quiet... I'm trying to keep this live event moving and mind you there's like alcohol involved.

Subjective professional experience.

Both women were incredibly candid about the "diva" behavior sometimes found in sports media. Charissa made it clear that while they are the faces on the screen, they are fully aware of how lucky they are to have their jobs and how easily they could be replaced if they started acting like assholes to the crew.

Void
Feb 23, 2022
#23316
Charissa ThompsonCharissa Thompson

People in the media who are mean to the production crew are replaceable and not special

If you're mean to hair or makeup or audio, or if someone's running the prompter... I just don't understand why it's like... in this industry, like, you're not that special. You're replaceable. Just like every athlete has been replaced by the next great athlete.

A professional opinion on industry culture.

Hot Seat/Cool Throne and Vacation FAQ

Hot Seat/Cool Throne featured a debate on DK Metcalf’s speed compared to Tyreek Hill, and PFT’s visionary idea for soundproof "fart pants" to solve his airplane bloating issues. Big Cat also pitched a brilliant restaurant innovation for the high-end glutton: the dining sweatshirt.

Void
Big CatBig Cat

Restaurants should offer oversized sweatshirts for customers who want to keep eating

A restaurant should offer an oversized sweatshirt or even a blanket so that you can keep eating through that... somewhere between like appetizers maybe right after appetite is like, sir, are you, are you planning on eating past full well, yeah, always. Can we offer you this three XL sweatshirt?

A few novelty restaurants actually do this, but it is not a standard industry practice.

To wrap things up, the guys answered listeners' vacation questions. Big Cat, now a seasoned father of two, delivered the definitive take on why bringing your toddlers to the beach isn't exactly the relaxing getaway your wife thinks it is.

Void
Feb 23, 2022·FAQ
#14025
Big CatBig Cat

Traveling with kids is a 'trip', not a 'vacation'

It's vacation when you don't have children with you. And it's a trip when you do, because you're not, it's not a vacation when you bring your kids... Away game parenting is so much harder than a home game.

This is a popular subjective sentiment among parents.

It’s good to have the guys back in the studio, even if PFT's brain is still technically on island time.

nfllebron-jamesaaron-rodgerscollege-basketballsideline-reporting

More Takes

Win
Feb 23, 2022
#14012
PFT CommenterPFT Commenter

LeBron James is a shitty general manager

I don't think that people give enough credit to LeBron for being such a shitty general manager. He's actually not good at it. And, but in another way, he's very good at it. And that Russell Westbrook was the perfect guy for LeBron to get on the team to be like, 'this is why we're bad because of him.'

The 2021-22 Lakers finished 33-49 and missed the playoffs entirely, a disastrous outcome for a roster LeBron heavily influenced.
Loss
Feb 23, 2022
#14013
PFT CommenterPFT Commenter

LeBron James is intentionally sabotaging the Lakers so they can draft Bronny

He's trying to fuck up the Lakers roster so badly that they will be in a position to draft Bronny. So then he goes back to Cleveland and then he comes back to LA to play with Bronny.

While LeBron did eventually play with Bronny on the Lakers (2024), there is no evidence he intentionally sabotaged the 2022 roster to achieve this.
Push
Feb 23, 2022
#14014
Big CatBig Cat

LeBron forcing his way onto Bronny's team will stunt Bronny's growth

Bronny Jr. is probably going to not even want that dude... if you see any of the draft projections or watch him play, it's like, he's good. He's not lottery pick good. But someone's going to spend a first round pick on him cause they can then get LeBron... there's a chance it could really suck for Bronny.

Bronny was drafted 55th overall in 2024 and faced immense scrutiny as the son of LeBron, with early performance struggling in Summer League and G-League assignments.
Push
Feb 23, 2022
#14015
PFT CommenterPFT Commenter

Aaron Rodgers macro-doses mushrooms and LSD in the offseason

If you don't believe my take that Aaron Rodgers is straight up macro doses mushrooms and LSD in the off season, go listen to his most recent interview... he's doing some really freaky shit.

Rodgers later admitted to using Ayahuasca, a psychedelic, in several offseasons, though the exact 'mushrooms and LSD' claim is technically unverified.
Win
Feb 23, 2022
#14017
PFT CommenterPFT Commenter

Phil Mickelson basically 'yada yada-ed' Saudi Arabia's human rights violations for money

Phil Mickelson, oopsie... he just kind of, you know what he did, he yada yada yada'd Saudi Arabia beheading homosexuals. He was like, 'listen, say what you want about their human rights violations... but they're going to pay me a shit load of money to go play golf over there.' ... He said Saudi Arabia has a lot of things that give me pause, but it could also make me a lot of money. I think that's all the context that you need.

OpinionGolfHotSarcastic
Mickelson was widely criticized for these specific comments (leaked to Alan Shipnuck), which led to his temporary exile from professional golf.
Push
HankHank

The Winter Olympics ratings decline is due to a lack of NHL pros in hockey

The average total audience was 11.4 million viewers for the 2022. And that's a sharp decline... I'm convinced it's the hockey like it's, it's it's hockey, not having the pros and not having it as like a tentpole.

While viewership was at an all-time low, several factors contributed (timezone, Peacock streaming, COVID), making the NHL absence only one of many factors.
Void
PFT CommenterPFT Commenter

I want to invent soundproof 'fart pants' for airplanes

My idea was to get fart pants, to invent fart pants. And it would just consist of pants that were soundproof. So you could wear them... when I fart on an airplane, it's never smelly. It doesn't stink. It's just air. And it's just super loud.

The idea is physically impractical due to the need for airflow and pressure regulation, though sound-dampening fabrics exist.
Win
Big CatBig Cat

Tyreek Hill would smoke DK Metcalf in a race

I think Tyreek [Hill] smokes [DK Metcalf]. Tyreek was so fucking fast in college and high school track. He ran actual track... Tyreek's [9.98] is ridiculous. I think DK was like 10.4. So nice try. Slow. Never happened bro.

Hill's personal best in the 100m (9.98) is significantly faster than Metcalf's (10.36), supporting the claim that Hill is the faster sprinter.
Push
Billy FootballBilly Football

Hank the Tank the bear cannot be relocated and will die if forced into the wilderness

Hank the tank is a 500 pound black bear... He doesn't know how to hunt because he's so dependent on humans. He cannot be relocated to the wilderness or he would die of starvation because he's completely has zero motivation... Plus he's fat as fuck.

Wildlife officials initially considered euthanasia because relocation often fails with habituated bears, but 'Hank the Tank' was later found to be three different bears, and 'Hank' was eventually moved to a sanctuary in Colorado in 2023.
Void
Feb 23, 2022
#23314
Erin AndrewsErin Andrews

You should always appreciate your current position while planning for your next promotion

I'm very happy where I currently am. You know, it's just always, what's the, what's the line. Oh, Jalen rose said this one time. Appreciate your position, but plan your promotion. Whoa. Interesting.

This is a subjective career philosophy.
Void
Feb 23, 2022
#23315
Charissa ThompsonCharissa Thompson

Kitchen appliances should be hidden with wood paneling rather than showing stainless steel

I'm moving away from the stainless steel. I like to cover it with a wood paneling. So it's disguised. I don't like my appliances to show with the exception of the oven.

Interior design trends are subjective.
Void
Feb 23, 2022
#14024
Erin AndrewsErin Andrews

Tom Brady's conference calls are unbelievable

Brady's conference calls with us were un-fucking-believable. I will miss those so much. He did a lot on them, which I thought was great.

This is a subjective opinion from a media professional.
Void
Feb 23, 2022
#23317
Erin AndrewsErin Andrews

Hard work and talent will eventually win out if you are also a nice person

In the end it comes out. We know that there's been a lot of people. My dad has always said, 'sit back and watch.' Talent wins out. I'm saying not talent, like people telling me saying, if you were talented and you keep working hard, eventually you will win out. I believe that.

Subjective career philosophy.

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