PMT DB
PMT DB
Greg McElroy on Saban’s Smile, the Jets’ QB Room, and 2017 SEC Predictions
September is finally here, which means real football has arrived and Big Cat is officially back to licking his lips in anticipation of 70-degree weather. While the end of summer is always a tragedy, it marks the return of the only thing that matters: the gridiron. PFT is already leading the charge on the seasonal shift, even if the calendar hasn't officially flipped yet.
PFT CommenterFall starts when August ends
This is what I consider to be the start of fall. I'm a big September 21st truther. I think that fall starts when August ends.
The guys are looking ahead to the massive opening weekend, including Ohio State's trip to Bloomington. Big Cat isn't even entertaining the idea of an upset, putting his full confidence behind the Buckeyes in a way that will almost certainly end up on a freezing cold takes account later tonight.
Big CatOhio State has a 0% chance of losing to Indiana
I said, nope, I'm just going to say it on the show. There's a 0% chance Ohio State loses this game [to Indiana]. So now if it happens, it'll be funny.
The National Champion Greg McElroy
Former Alabama quarterback and national champion Greg McElroy joined the show to give us a peek behind the curtain of the Nick Saban machine. Having played for both Saban and Rex Ryan, McElroy has seen the polar opposites of the coaching spectrum. He confirmed our suspicions about Saban's legendary inability to enjoy anything, even a championship win.
Greg McElroyNick Saban smiles for less than two minutes after winning a national championship
Oh, fellas, you said two minutes. I'd take the under. I really would. That's a lock of the decade. Because even after we won the national championship, in the locker room, not kidding, we have the crystal ball in hand... He went into the locker room and said, 'hey, guys, great job... you know that's not how we play in the second half.'
McElroy was refreshingly honest about his own career, acknowledging that his Bama tenure was defined more by the elite talent around him than his own arm talent. He even went so far as to admit that the 2010 Crimson Tide would have been in serious trouble against Texas if a certain star quarterback hadn't gone down early in the Rose Bowl.
Greg McElroyAlabama would have lost by 40 points to Texas in 2010 if Colt McCoy didn't get hurt
I think we would have lost by at least 40. It's in large part, too, because if you guys have been to the Rose Bowl in January, it's that humidity. It's the humidity in the air that gets you, and I'm just not sure we were conditioned well enough to hang if Colt didn't get hurt.
Greg McElroyI was carried by my defense while playing quarterback at Alabama
The national championship ring still meant something because I knew that I was carried by my defense, so just being a good teammate was a big part of what I wanted to do that year.
After his time in Tuscaloosa, McElroy found himself in the middle of the most chaotic quarterback room in NFL history: the 2012 New York Jets. He broke down the dynamic between himself, Mark Sanchez, and Tim Tebow, noting that while they were thick as thieves, the body fat percentages in that room were vastly different. Despite the butt fumbles and the circus atmosphere, McElroy still sees hope for the future of the position, pointing toward a specific rookie class that he thinks will buck the recent trend of poor quarterback play.
Greg McElroyPatrick Mahomes and Deshaun Watson will be part of a 'sneaky good' QB class
I have a feeling this year's class... Pat Mahomes, Mitch Trubisky, Deshaun Watson, and even DeShone Kizer, all four have a chance to be sneaky good, I think, in the NFL. So maybe that trend's reversing back a little bit.
SEC Stakes and Season Previews
Looking ahead to the college season, McElroy isn't just a Bama homer. He’s keeping a close eye on the rest of the SEC and some dark horses out west. While everyone is penciling in the usual suspects for the Playoff, Greg thinks there is a team in the Pac-12 that is being criminally overlooked.
Greg McElroyStanford is a surprise playoff contender for 2017
Watch out for Stanford... Bryce Love is a kid who is really, really talented... Stanford is a team that nobody's really talking about right now... they could be sitting there at 10 wins, 11 wins near season's end and on the cusp of a potential playoff berth.
As for the SEC, he’s not convinced the conference is as deep as the media would have you believe. He's fading the depth of the conference at the top, though he does have a clear favorite if Saban's squad somehow slips up.
Greg McElroyAuburn is the team to beat in the SEC if Alabama falters
If Alabama does not win the SEC title, what team does? Auburn. This guy, Jared Stidham, is the real deal by all accounts... Auburn offensively is going to be significantly improved.
Greg McElroyUnder 4.5 SEC teams will finish in the AP Top 10
Over, under, four and a half [SEC] teams in the top 10 at the end of the season? I'm going to lean towards the under... I'm going to jump wholeheartedly on the under four and a half teams in the top ten.
Mount Rushmore of Things We’ll Miss About Summer
It was a somber moment in the studio as the guys completed the final Mount Rushmore of the season. The snake draft covered everything from outdoor showers to the smell of sunscreen. Hank tried to pander to the audience by drafting Billy Football, while Bubba decided to use his platform to voice a truly insane opinion regarding men’s fashion.
Liam (Bubba)Men should cover up their legs and never wear shorts
Hot take. The once and future king of Mount Rushmore season, shorts. Cool take. I kind of hate shorts. I think men should cover up their legs.
We also checked in on the Kyrie Irving trade finalization, which led to a discussion on Dan Gilbert’s business acumen and LeBron James’ reputation as a teammate. Big Cat and PFT are convinced that the Cavaliers essentially won twice: once in the trade and once by getting Dan Gilbert’s son back on national television with his bow tie.
Liam (Bubba)LeBron James is the biggest dickhead to play with of all time
Basically saying LeBron James is the biggest dickhead to play with of all time. So [Kyrie] can't maximize himself in Cleveland, right?
To wrap things up, we hit Jimbos of the week, featuring a graduate who learned the hard way that you cannot trip acid and expect to keep up with current college students. Bubba summed it up perfectly: youth is the ultimate unfair advantage in the partying world.
Liam (Bubba)Being young is a performance-enhancing drug for partying
Being younger is like a PED for partying. If you meet someone who's under 25 years old, cross the street. Yes, go far away.
Football is officially back, so go buy a new phone and spend the weekend alone with it on the couch.
