Joe Buck on MNF, Brian Harman’s Open Win, and Blue Things Mount Rushmore
The boys are back in town. Big Cat has officially landed in Chicago, and for the first time in months, the show is coming to you from the same room. No more laggy Zoom riffs or staring at Hank's pixelated face while he pretends not to be looking at golf swing tips. It was a massive sports weekend headlined by Brian Harman’s dominant (and surprisingly controversial) performance at the Open Championship.
Brian Harman vs. The British Empire
Brian Harman didn't just win the Claret Jug; he practically staged a one-man revolution on English soil. The fans hated his waggle, the British press was appalled by his hunting hobbies, and the guy just kept draining putts from everywhere. PFT pointed out that Harman’s unique combination of being a righty who plays lefty makes him the unicorn of the links.
Brian Harman is the Ben Simmons of golf
He's right-handed, but he plays left-handed. Love it. He's the Ben Simmons of golf.
Big Cat was initially indifferent toward Harman, but once he saw the entire country of England collectively losing their minds over a 5'7" Georgia boy butchering their favorite golfers, he became an instant fan.
I am a fan of Brian Harman because of how much he pissed off the entire country of England
I had no thoughts about Brian Harman. I ended up the tournament being like, I hate watching this guy because of the waggle. But the fact that he pissed off England so much made me a Brian Harman fan. It felt personal. It felt like a US versus England situation. I want him to be boring and short, all these things right in your fucking face.
While Harman was flourishing, Rory McIlroy was busy giving quotes that left a sour taste in everyone's mouth. After failing to win another major, Rory mentioned he was looking forward to the FedEx Cup, which did not sit well with the guys.
Rory McIlroy's focus on the FedEx Cup is 'loser talk'
[Rory] said, I don't think that way. I think about trying to go and win a fourth FedEx here in a couple weeks. Go try and win a fifth race to Dubai. Go and win a fifth rider cup. I just keep looking forward that my friends is loser talk. FedEx Cup means nothing.
I'm officially off the Rory McIlroy train
I'm off Rory officially. Okay. All right. Well it's, I'm officially off Rory now. It's gonna be 10 years going into the next season, right? Yeah. It's been 10 years. He'll never win a major Championship.
Big Cat also found himself yearning for more punitive golf architecture after watching the field struggle at Royal Liverpool. He wants the pain of the Open to be a weekly requirement on the PGA Tour.
Every golf course should have pot bunkers
I like the open just because the course, like every course should have the bunkers that that England has because when you hit in a bunker, it should be punitive. You should be fucked. You should be totally fucked. Yeah. And that's what happens in these I want pop bunkers in every golf course. Like that's it, it it, everything is harder. And I like that.
The Legend of MegaCorp
One of the biggest stars of the weekend wasn't even a golfer—it was Harman’s sponsor, "MegaCorp." It’s the kind of name that sounds like the antagonist in a Bond movie or a company that sells lasers to supervillains. PFT is convinced their business model involves more than just freighting.
Naming a company 'MegaCorp' guarantees you will eventually try to destroy the Earth
If you name your company MegaCorp, at some point in the history of your company, you will try to destroy the earth.
NFL Running Backs Radicalize
The running back market remains in shambles, and the position group finally held a Zoom call to discuss their plight. While the guys empathize with Saquon and the crew, they noted that getting on a Zoom call on a Sunday is the most depressing way to spend a day off. PFT and Big Cat brainstormed ways to fix the system, ranging from GoFundMes to completely overhaul the CBA.
The NFL franchise tag should be abolished entirely
There really shouldn't be a franchise tag in general. And I started to think about the franchise tag because it's something that's become so just natural to talk about and part of the game... But from a logical standpoint, there's really no reason why the franchise tag should even be a thing at all.
The NFL franchise tag should be a flat $50 million and not count against the cap
It's either there should be no franchise tag or they should make the franchise tag not punitive to the cap, but it ha you have to pay the person 50 million for any position... It's essentially like, we can't figure out a deal. We want you so bad. Here's so much money that you won't be upset about it.
Joe Buck Joins the Program
Our good friend Joe Buck returned to the show, and it’s clear he hasn't lost his fastball. Joe touched on the surreal experience of the DeMar Hamlin game, his first year at ESPN, and why he’s perfectly content leaving the MLB booth behind for good.
I will likely never broadcast national baseball again
The National Baseball stuff, I don't see how that ever comes around again. Like I said, it just, you're gone, you're done. You're, it's, it's beyond, I, I think doing, and I, I got, you know, this got headlines click bait crap in the New York Post... but I don't see it anytime soon.
They discussed the evolution of broadcasting, with Joe explaining that sometimes the best way to call a legendary moment is to simply stop talking and let the crowd noise do the heavy lifting.
Silence is the most powerful tool a broadcaster has
I think so there have been times in my career, and that's 20 plus years ago, there are times in my career where you realize silence is the most powerful tool you have to let the natural sounds come over at television, which, you know, I think I've been pretty respectful of over the years.
Joe also gave us a glimpse into the locker room dynamics of superstars. While some players can be prickly about criticism, Joe has nothing but praise for the face of the NFL.
Patrick Mahomes is the nicest superstar athlete I have ever met
Patrick [Mahomes], who might be the nicest superstar athlete of anybody I've ever met, might handle [criticism] okay. I think some guys might get a little ticked off or perturbed, but not him.
Before letting him go, PFT made sure to give Joe a crucial gambling tip for the upcoming Monday Night Football slate. It’s a trend that has been scientifically proven on this podcast over the last few years.
If a player has a baby during an NFL week, they are guaranteed a touchdown
If a player has a baby during the week, if they become a dad during the week, if they're an offensive skill position player, they always get a touchdown. If it's a backup tight end, if it's like a, a number three wide receiver, just know that going into Monday at football, if they become a father that week, they're getting a fucking touchdown.
Mount Rushmore of Blue Things
Following the success of Red Things, the group tackled the Blue Things Mount Rushmore. The draft got off to a rocky start when Billy and Jake tried to reclaim their controversial Coors Light Blue Mountains pick from years past. Tensions flared over whether the ocean is actually blue or just a giant mirror for the sky, leading to some vintage Billy Football science.
Bluetooth is one of the greatest inventions of the modern era
Everyone in this room uses Bluetooth every single day. Probably one of the greatest inventions in the modern era.
Without the blues, there would be no rock and roll
Without blues, there'd be no rock and roll. That's a fact. That's a stone cold fact.
Big Cat rounded things out with the Chargers' powder blues, while Max stayed true to the candy aisle.
Blue raspberry is the best flavor of everything
[Blue raspberry] is like the best flavor of every cake. It is. Exactly. Everyone wants the blue raspberry. Like Jolly Rancher.
We wrapped things up with a Monday Reading on "Husband Meals"—the specific, often disgusting meals men eat the second their wives leave the house for 24 hours. Whether it’s an entire rotisserie chicken over the sink or a double-delivery order, it’s a sacred tradition.
Ordering delivery from two different places for the same meal makes you a 'fat ass'
I would order from both places for dinner. Yeah. And just do 'em... it would be like three entrees and an appetizer from two different places. Oh. For myself... I am a fat ass and you are a fat ass if you ordered delivery dinner from two different places at the same time.
If the double-delivery lifestyle catches up to Big Cat, he’s already got a plan in place, and he’s not going to pull a Hollywood and pretend it's just from "drinking more water."
If I start taking Ozempic, I am going to be completely open and transparent about it
If I start this Ozempic I'm going to tell everyone what... I feel like I'm the opposite of like all these Hollywood celebs who do it and don't say they do it and they're like, 'oh, I've just been working out.' If I start this Ozempic I'm going to tell everyone.
Watch out for the lightning, and we’ll see you Wednesday for the Coach Tiers.

