PMT DB
PMT DB
Jim Harbaugh on NFL Return, Grit, and the Mt. Rushmore of Things We’re Too Old For
Grit Week 2024 has officially arrived, and Big Cat, PFT, and the crew are back on the bus and ready to smell football. The energy is high as the guys have committed to a "buy new clothes every day" strategy that has already resulted in some truly questionable fashion choices. While Hank looks like he rolled out of bed in his Snoopy boxers, PFT is leaning into the look, though he's slightly disappointed his new crop top just looks like a normal shirt on his frame. To kick off the festivities, Big Cat found some value on the board before the grit even started.
Big CatThe Bengals at 13 to 1 are the best value on the Super Bowl odds board
Super Bowl odds. Bengals 13 to one. That's what jumps out. Ooh, I like it. That's what jumps out.
Olympic Gold and National Disgraces
The Olympics dominated the early conversation, starting with Noah Lyles’ photo-finish victory in the 100m dash. Despite the announcer nearly ruining the moment by calling it for Jamaica, Lyles backed up his trash talk in legendary fashion. Big Cat and PFT marveled at the margin of victory, which was apparently smaller than the time it takes for a French pole vaulter to realize his own anatomy just cost him a medal.
Big CatNoah Lyles' 100m gold medal win officially puts him on the Mount Rushmore of track and field
Noah Lyles... won the 100 meters... I'm envisioning myself returning home as a gold medalist and that puts me on Mount Rushmore.
While the individual wins were great, the team sports left a bit of a sour taste. PFT was particularly annoyed by the 4x100 relay loss, but nothing compared to the 3x3 basketball squad's performance.
HankTeam USA failing to medal in 3x3 basketball is a national disgrace
Our three on three basketball team got eliminated. Didn't medal... Disgraceful so bad... I don't even know. How the fuck is this possible? Also, why don't we just send our, why isn't Jalen Brown in three and three?
Hank was ready to call for Coach K to return and save the country's basketball dignity. On the bright side, Scottie Scheffler proved he’s the ultimate Captain America by shooting a 62 to take gold, while Djokovic finally secured the one thing missing from his trophy case.
Big CatDjokovic is the undisputed GOAT of tennis after winning Olympic gold
Djokovic is the goat. One gold big deal. On Clay beating Nadal. Beat, beat the whole country of Spain.
The Historically Bad White Sox and NFL Snubs
Who’s Back featured the Chicago White Sox, who are currently spiraling through a 20-game losing streak that has reached mythical proportions. Big Cat noted that even if you deleted their two longest losing streaks of the season, they would still have the worst record in baseball. They are reaching levels of futility not seen since the days of dentist-managed rosters.
Big CatThe 2024 White Sox are a historically bad anomaly, matching a dentist-managed team from WWII
The Chicago White Sox who are on a 20 game losing streak... If you just erased their 14 game losing streak and their 20 game losing streak, they would still have the worst winning percentage in baseball... Only two managers in baseball history have... a winning percentage under .333: Pedro Grifol and a guy named Dr. James Prothro, who was a licensed dentist, who managed the Phillies during World War II.
Switching to the gridiron, the NFL Top 100 list dropped, and it provided plenty of ammunition for the show. Tyreek Hill taking the top spot over Patrick Mahomes sent Big Cat into a tailspin, as he argued that any list not featuring Mahomes at number one is essentially just a hater's ballot. They also looked ahead to the new season and the inevitable fan reaction to the revamped special teams rules.
PFT CommenterNFL fans will hate the new kickoff rule at first simply because it is new
My prediction for this NFL season, I think people are gonna really hate the kickoff. 'cause we hate new things until like, we just get used to it and then we're like, oh, it's fine. It's basically the same.
Jim Harbaugh Live from Chargers Camp
The highlight of the episode was a sit-down with Coach Jim Harbaugh at the brand-new Chargers training facility. Harbaugh is back in his element, radiating enthusiasm and clearly loving the "strenuous life" of an NFL training camp. PFT noted that the facility itself is so impressive it might be worth a few extra ticks in the win column.
PFT CommenterThe Chargers' new training facility is worth at least five wins per season
Chargers training camp was awesome today... I think that building is worth five wins at least just on building alone for the Chargers.
Harbaugh discussed his decision to leave Michigan, admitting that while he loved his players in Ann Arbor, the pull of the NFL and the chance to chase a Super Bowl like his brother John was undeniable. He’s already found a soulmate in his new GM, Joe Hortiz.
Jim HarbaughJoe Hortiz is the best talent evaluator in football
Joe Hortiz, my brother said, I would love Joe... He undersold it, he undersold it. I, I, I, he's the one of the best evaluators in the game. I don't think there's anybody better after going through this off season in draft with Joe Hortiz.
In true Harbaugh fashion, the conversation veered into some wonderfully weird territory. He addressed the legendary stories about him getting a haircut in a recruit's living room and getting into the cold tub with his khakis on. He also offered a formal apology for his previous stance on poultry.
Jim HarbaughI admit I was dead wrong about chickens being a nervous bird that shouldn't be eaten
Getting chickens? Raising chickens from chicks... I was eating a chicken something... and he [Brian Jennings] goes, yeah, he really shouldn't eat chicken. And then he, he, he was the one who explained to me that chicken chickens were a nervous bird... I maintained that... I went back. I was wrong. We're good. I was wrong. I, I think I, I was dead wrong.
He remains the ultimate football guy, obsessed with the grind and the specific feeling of winning on the road in the elements.
Jim HarbaughNothing makes you feel more like a man than winning an away game in terrible weather
To overcome an opponent, overcome them in their stadium and to overcome them in their stadium with the elements, then I would say Yeah. There's nothing that would make you feel more like a man than that.
Whether he's comparing his coaching energy to a cartoon sponge or discussing his simple four-month stint living in an RV, Harbaugh proved why he is a Grit Week staple. His philosophy on life hasn't changed a bit since he first joined the show.
Jim HarbaughMy plan is still to coach football and then die
All you cared about was, I wanna play football for as long as I can play football, then coach football, then die. Has there been any change in that? [Harbaugh:] No. Still on track. Still on track. God willing and the, and the creek don't rises. You know, we're, we're on track. That's it.
Mt. Rushmore of Things We're Too Old For
The guys finished off with a nostalgic and slightly depressing Mt. Rushmore. From the agony of three-day music festivals to the lost art of building pillow forts, the picks hit home for anyone over the age of 25. While Max continued his dominant run in the season standings, Big Cat went off the rails with a very specific regret about the loss of biological "virtual reality."
Big CatI wish I were still young enough to have wet dreams because they were like awesome virtual reality
Having a wet dream... I wish those rocked. It was basically virtual reality and it was awesome. But you can't do it anymore... I haven't had a wet dream since I was 12 years old.
It turns out that as you get older, the magic of the Happy Meal toy fades, but the fear of accidentally being a "creepy guy on a swing set" becomes very real.
Grit Week is just getting started, so stay away from the nervous birds and keep your khakis dry.
