Skip to content
PMTPMT DB

March Madness Mega Preview, Mark Titus Breaking Down The Bracket, USA Loses To Venezuela + Hot Seat/Cool Throne

Wednesday, March 18, 202618 takes

Team USA finishes second again as Venezuela wins the WBC and Aaron Judge has just struck out again. Jaylen Waddle to the Broncos and we talk play in games (-). We then do our Mega March Madness preview of fun facts where we go through the entire field with facts you didn't know and definitely didn't need to know (-). Hot Seat/Cool Throne where we finally won an award after 10 years of podcasting (-). Mark Titus joins the show to break down the March Madness bracket, who can win it all, cinderellas, and does he regret not sleeping with the Ohio State president (-). We finish the show with lottery balls (-).You can find every episode of this show on Apple Podcasts, Spotify or Netflix. Prime Members can listen ad-free on Amazon Music. For more, visit barstool.link/pardon-my-take

Mark Titus, March Madness Mega Preview, and Team USA's WBC Heartbreak

The World Baseball Classic ended in heartbreak for Team USA, and the blame is falling squarely on one giant set of pinstriped shoulders. Big Cat and Hank didn't hold back on Aaron Judge after a dismal performance that saw the captain of the Yankees failing to show up when it mattered most against Venezuela.

Void
Mar 18, 2026
#29951
Big CatBig Cat

Aaron Judge is an absolute choke artist after his WBC performance

Aaron Judge just sucking yet again. And he's gonna get, he's gonna lose some pinstripes over this. I think that's only fair... absolute choke artist. Expected nothing else from him. And he delivered nothing.

Subjective opinion on Judge's 'clutch' gene, though Judge did strike out in a key moment in this fictional 2026 WBC scenario.

While the baseball diamond was a source of pain, the gridiron provided some shockwaves with Jaylen Waddle being traded to the Broncos. Big Cat is surprisingly high on the move, thinking Denver is making the right play to capitalize on a specific window.

Void
Mar 18, 2026
#29963
Big CatBig Cat

The Broncos should go all in and try to win now with Bo Nix on a rookie deal

I kinda like this for the Broncos just being like, hey, we have, we have Bo Nix right now under a rookie deal. Bo Nix is a good quarterback. ... take the window and try to win. Right now.

This is a subjective strategy opinion that cannot be strictly proven right or wrong.

On the other side of the league, Justin Fields landing with the Chiefs as a backup to Patrick Mahomes raised some eyebrows. While it sounds like a dream to play for Andy Reid, Big Cat sees it as a high-stakes gamble for a young quarterback's career longevity.

Open
Mar 18, 2026
#29952
Big CatBig Cat

Justin Fields going to the Chiefs is a career-ending mistake if he fails to perform in Andy Reid's offense

Is this a mistake by Justin Fields? Because if he, if Patrick Mahomes doesn't come back and he has to start and it doesn't go well, like if, if you can't do it in Andy Reid's offense, it's over. Right?

Logical football analysis; failure in a gold-standard system usually ends the 'high potential' narrative for QBs.

March Madness Mega Preview

To get everyone ready for Thursday, the crew went through the entire bracket to provide a

march-madnesscollege-basketballwbcnfl-tradeshot-seat-cool-throne

More Takes

Void
Mar 18, 2026
#29962
HankHank

Aaron Judge is an absolute choke artist who delivered nothing for Team USA

Aaron Judge, like you knew he was striking out. And he did. He's an absolute joke, absolute choke artist. Expected nothing else from him and he delivered nothing.

This reflects the consensus opinion of the hosts following the game's outcome as described in the show.
Open
Mar 18, 2026
#29953
PFT CommenterPFT Commenter

The St. John's vs. Northern Iowa first-round matchup will be ugly as shit

You and I, they will suck the life of out of you. They've got the second best defense in the entire tournament. They, they are just kind of a pain in the ass to watch snails pace. This game feels like it's gonna be ugly as shit.

Pending the outcome of the game and whether it is high or low scoring.
Open
Mar 18, 2026
#29954
Big CatBig Cat

Houston will easily cover against Idaho and kill them in the first round

Houston, Idaho. I had nothing other than Houston's gonna kill him. I'm gonna take Houston first half and full game.

Pending the actual score of the Houston/Idaho game.
Open
Mar 18, 2026·Picks
#29966
Big CatBig Cat

Betting Houston -13.5 in the first half against Idaho

I'm gonna go Houston first half minus 13 and a half.

The outcome of the 2026 tournament game is pending.
Open
Mar 18, 2026·Picks
#29967
HankHank

Betting Arkansas team total under 87.5

I'm gonna go Arkansas team total under 87 and a half.

The outcome of the 2026 tournament game is pending.
Open
Mar 18, 2026·Picks
#29968
PFT CommenterPFT Commenter

Betting Michigan State -16.5

I'm gonna go Michigan State minus 16 and a half.

The outcome of the 2026 tournament game is pending.
Void
ZacZac

NVIDIA's DLSS 5 is an AI takeover that is hurting graphics and animation jobs

Nvidia did a, our, oh, I don't know the stock hand off the top of my head... they announced a product DLSS five. So they're, they're bringing AI into like video games, animations and like graphics. So like kind of boxing out guys. Like people who, like jobs that would've been done by humans are now more getting outsourced. AI not cool.

The impact of AI on jobs is a matter of ongoing debate and factual record, but his 'not cool' stance is subjective.
Open
ZacZac

The NBA will expand to Seattle and Las Vegas by the 2028-2029 season

NBA expansion teams. Yes. Seattle and Vegas. I think it's 28, 20 29... Little bit, little bit of a shuffle [moving Minnesota and Memphis to the East].

While heavily rumored, expansion hasn't been officially finalized for those exact years.
Open
Mar 18, 2026
#29957
Mark TitusMark Titus

The 2026 NCAA tournament will be chalky for the second consecutive year

Last year I came and I, and I, I made the argument that we're probably gonna get chalk. That's exactly what happened... for the second year in a row, I don't see [Cinderellas] at all... Arizona, Michigan and Duke are, in my estimation, they've been head and shoulders better than everybody else all season. So I I, with that, I feel like it's gonna be kind of chalky.

Pending the completion of the 2026 tournament.
Open
Mar 18, 2026
#29958
Mark TitusMark Titus

South Florida will beat Louisville in the first round

I like South Florida to beat Louisville. I think Louisville has been a big disappointment this year. I think injuries have, it's a lot of injuries... I like South Florida. I don't know, maybe it's the Bosco effect, but like, he got me watching a lot of South Florida the last few days and, and they play hard.

Pending the USF vs Louisville game outcome.
Open
Mar 18, 2026
#29964
Big CatBig Cat

Illinois has a great draw and will cause problems for teams with their five-out offense

I do think Illinois's got a really good draw to the sweet 16. ... I think Illinois is one of those teams that they ... getting outta conference is gonna be great for them because they do play like a true five out and they can pass every, like their offense is, is electric when it's humming. And I think it's gonna cause a lot of problems for teams that haven't seen it.

The outcome of the 2026 NCAA tournament is pending.
Open
Mar 18, 2026
#29960
Mark TitusMark Titus

Arizona will win the 2026 National Championship

I'll just spoiler, I, I picked Arizona to win the national championship. I think what excites me about Arizona is they could beat you in so many different ways... They have shooters, they have multiple shooters... I can't say enough great things about Arizona.

Pending the outcome of the National Championship game.
Open
Mar 18, 2026
#29965
Mark TitusMark Titus

Michigan is head and shoulders better than the rest of the Midwest region

I still believe in Michigan. I have Michigan winning the Midwest. ... I still think they're head and shoulders better than everybody in the Midwest. Even though there are some exciting teams.

The outcome of the 2026 Midwest region is pending.
Open
Mar 18, 2026
#29959
Mark TitusMark Titus

Vanderbilt will upset Florida in the Sweet 16

I have Vanderbilt upsetting Florida in the Sweet 16. Okay. Alright. That would be the, and it's not even just 'cause the SEC tournament... I've seen enough to know that like Vanderbilt one is not scared of Florida. Two, it's like not fluky what happened in the SEC tournament. I think their guards are so good.

Requires both teams to reach the Sweet 16 and then for Vandy to win.
Open
Mar 18, 2026
#29961
Big CatBig Cat

I'm swapping Virginia for Iowa State as my 2026 National Champion

My national champion. I'm gonna, I'm gonna change one. I'm gonna go Iowa State instead of Virginia. Otherwise I'll keep it. Duke, Arizona, Houston, Iowa State.

The outcome of the 2026 NCAA tournament is pending.

PMTDB Comments

This generates your username. Same passphrase = same name. Make it unique and memorable!

Search

Search takes, episodes, and speakers