Skip to content
PMTPMT DB

March Madness, Recapping The Last 4 Days Of Basketball, Sweet 16, Cal Wins The Break Up, Who’s Back and More

Monday, March 23, 202621 takes

March Madness mega recap after watching 4 days of basketball and eating shit. We catch up on the tourney, best storylines, game recaps, people complaining about the tournament and Cal winning the breakup (-). Zac has facts on all the Sweet 16 teams (-) and we finish with who’s back of the week (-).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

March Madness Recap: Sweet 16 Set, Cal Wins the Breakup, and Tom Izzo's Dominance

We’ve just survived four straight days of staring at quadruple-box screens and eating our weight in delivery, and the Sweet 16 is officially set. While the "March Madness is dead" crowd was out in full force because of a lack of double-digit seeds advancing, Big Cat and PFT are tuning out the noise. The games were still high-level, and the reality is that the gap between the haves and the have-nots is widening for a reason that has nothing to do with NIL.

Void
Mar 23, 2026
#29987
Big CatBig Cat

The lack of Cinderellas in the tournament isn't due to NIL but because big teams are more efficient and physical

Todd Golden had a very good point... part of the reason why there's less upsets is teams are just getting way more efficient in scoring at the rim and becoming almost like raising their floor and becoming upset proof in the fact that you get really big dudes... and absolutely hammer the boards. And when you do that against smaller schools, you're not gonna like, how do big schools lose the small schools is like three point variance.

This is an analytical opinion on sports trends that can't be definitively proven right or wrong.

One of the biggest stories of the first weekend wasn't an upset, but a coaching vibe check. Kevin Willard made headlines for joking about firing his staff after Villanova's early exit, and the internet did what the internet does by taking it completely literally. Big Cat wasn't having it, pointing out that coaches are just psychos whose humor doesn't always translate to the blue-check mark brigade.

Void
Mar 23, 2026
#29986
Big CatBig Cat

Kevin Willard's joke about firing his staff was funny and shouldn't have been taken seriously

It was such a clear joke and people, I couldn't believe... There were people who actually thought he was being serious. I thought it was a funny joke. And then we had the people trying to cover for themselves being like, well, even if it was a joke, that's not a joke you make. Imagine if you're an assistant and you hear your boss say that.

Whether a joke is funny or appropriate is subjective.

The Big Ten and the Immortality of Tom Izzo

Speaking of coaches, Tom Izzo is back in the Sweet 16 for the 17th time. It’s reached a point where we almost take it for granted, but the guys made sure to give the Spartan legend his flowers. In an era where everyone is obsessed with how many rings a guy has, Izzo’s ability to consistently be a threat in the second weekend is becoming legendary.

Void
Mar 23, 2026
#29989
Big CatBig Cat

Tom Izzo is underrated because modern ring culture ignores how hard it is to consistently reach the Sweet 16

I know we're very ring culture oriented and he's only won one. This tournament is so fucking hard. Every single year they have at least a chance. It's crazy. Like they just go to Sweet Sixteens and then the tournament kind of starts for Izzo... 17 of them is insane. Tom Izzo is somehow underrated I think because the whole entire world has changed.

The greatness of a coach's legacy is inherently subjective.

Michigan State’s dominance is even more impressive when you consider Zac’s deep-dive research into the team's social media habits. Apparently, the Spartans are focusing strictly on the scouting report rather than the "it" girls of the moment.

Void
Mar 23, 2026
#29994
PFT CommenterPFT Commenter

Every major college coaching opening should start by calling Brad Stevens and making him say no

You gotta make him say no. You gotta call Brad Stevens and make him say no. I will personally never stop saying that. He probably wakes up every morning and says no. Voicemail just says, 'Thank you so much for the consideration, but it's gonna be a no.' It would be shocking if he ever took another college job.

This is an opinion on coaching search strategy.

As we look ahead to the Sweet 16 in Houston, the Cougars might be the one seed, but they shouldn't expect a friendly atmosphere. Big Cat is convinced that the red-clad fans of Nebraska and Iowa are going to turn that arena into a Big Ten home game.

Open
Mar 23, 2026
#29988
Big CatBig Cat

The Sweet 16 in Houston won't be a home game for the Cougars because Iowa and Nebraska fans travel too well

Illinois, Nebraska and Iowa have some pretty big fan bases that are all gonna wanna travel, especially Nebraska... I don't think it's gonna be like they're gonna take over the place, but I don't think it's gonna be 80% Houston at this game.

The attendance split of the Sweet 16 regional in Houston will determine this.

Calipari’s Revenge and the Coaching Carousel

If you're a Kentucky fan, this weekend was a nightmare. While Mark Pope and the Wildcats are home early, John Calipari is dancing into the Sweet 16 with Arkansas. The

march-madnesscollege-basketballbig-tenjohn-caliparitom-izzonbanfl

More Takes

Void
Mar 23, 2026
#29991
Big CatBig Cat

John Calipari has officially won the breakup with Kentucky

Do we think that there has ever been a bigger 'won the breakup' more than Cal in Kentucky right now? ... Cal is living the best life. He has gone to back-to-back Sweet Sixteens and Kentucky is in a complete crisis with Mark Pope. It couldn't have gone worse in the first two years for this breakup.

This is a subjective assessment of a rivalry/divorce situation.
Open
Mar 23, 2026
#30002
Big CatBig Cat

Kentucky will win a national championship before Arkansas does

Kentucky will win a national championship before Arkansas. Still, still a lot of time to go.

Pending — both Kentucky and Arkansas have not won a national title since this was recorded. This will resolve when either program wins.
Open
Mar 23, 2026
#29990
Big CatBig Cat

I would take Darius Acuff as a top five pick in the NBA Draft

I would take him top five personally. If you watch him play basketball and you don't think that he can't just own a franchise, be like, 'Hey, here you go, it's your franchise, you're gonna have fun.' He's that good.

Acuff's actual draft position in the 2026 (or subsequent) NBA draft will determine this.
Void
Mar 23, 2026
#29992
PFT CommenterPFT Commenter

Nate Oats needs to teach his players to never let the police look through their phones

Let the Aden Holloway situation be a reminder to everybody that you don't have to let the police look through your phone. I actually point the finger at Nate Oats for this, because Nate Oats, you gotta do a better job of explaining the first through fifth amendments to your players. Given the history that you've had... day one you should have a, get the guys from Morgan & Morgan to come in and be like, 'Do not talk to the police if you're in trouble. Shut the fuck up.'

This is a satirical advice piece and commentary on Nate Oats' coaching responsibilities.
Open
Mar 23, 2026
#29993
Big CatBig Cat

The Big 10 will finally win a national title in basketball this year

I'm proud that Purdue's a Big 10 team... because I just, I'm, I've just switched to, this has gotta be the year that the Big 10 wins the national title. I've gone through all the emotions of coping and now I'm just like, hey, good job, Purdue. Just go, go finish it.

The outcome of the 2026 NCAA tournament will determine if a Big 10 team wins.
Open
Mar 23, 2026
#30003
PFT CommenterPFT Commenter

Mark Pope is on the hot seat at Kentucky after this tournament performance

Mark Pope on the hot seat. I think he is. I mean, I think they're gonna bring him back. I think he's safe for this year, but I think he's going into next year. Seat is warm.

Pending — Mark Pope's job status at Kentucky after the 2025-26 season is not yet resolved.
Open
Mar 23, 2026
#30004
PFT CommenterPFT Commenter

Michigan set records for most efficient offense in tournament history through their first two games

Michigan set records for like the most efficient offense in the history of the tournament through two games.

Pending — unable to fully verify this specific record claim without access to full NCAA tournament historical efficiency data.
Void
Mar 23, 2026
#29995
Big CatBig Cat

Fouling when up by two points late in a game is a terrible strategy

Todd Golden said in the press conference they were trying to foul up two... That's insane. Foul up two's crazy. You know how crazy he is? Steven Che thinks it's a good idea. Fouling up two does not make any sense... Play defense! How about that? The, that my groundbreaking end of game scenario that I would coach in that situation would be: play defense.

This is a debate about basketball strategy and risk management.
Open
Mar 23, 2026
#30001
ZacZac

The Michigan State starting five might be 'out' on big naturals because they don't follow Sydney Sweeney

None of the starting five players from Michigan State follow Sydney Sweeney on Instagram. Michigan State Spartans may be out on heavies. Starting five guys are just maybe out on big naturals.

Verifiable at the time of recording — Zac claims he personally checked. No way to retroactively verify but stated as a specific fact.
Loss
Mar 23, 2026·Who's Back
#29996
HankHank

Tom Brady could still throw for 4,000 yards and 30 touchdowns in the NFL right now

Tom Brady... It's football. They had the flag football event this past weekend. Tom Brady played in it. I mean, he could go out next year in the league and probably get 4,000 yards, 30 touchdowns.

Brady is 48 and retired; the likelihood of him returning and putting up elite stats is nearly zero.
Open
Mar 23, 2026·Who's Back
#29997
PFT CommenterPFT Commenter

If NFL players practiced for two weeks, they would easily beat the best professional flag football team

I think that if you gave the pros like a solid two weeks of practice with coaches that coach flag football, I think the pros could be better. Yeah. But it would take like... there are differences in the game. But yeah, if you gave them two weeks, they'd win.

Unless this specific exhibition match with training occurs, it remains a hypothetical prediction.
Win
Mar 23, 2026·Who's Back
#29998
PFT CommenterPFT Commenter

Nikola Jokic has nearly as many triple-doubles as Joel Embiid has total games played since Embiid won the MVP

Jokic, since Joel Embiid won the MVP, has 87 triple doubles. Joel Embiid has played in 91 games. So Jokic has almost as many triple doubles as games that Embiid has played in since he won the MVP.

While the exact numbers change daily, the spirit of the claim (Jokic triple-doubles vs Embiid games) is a well-documented stat in the 2024-2025 era.
Void
Mar 23, 2026·Who's Back
#30005
PFT CommenterPFT Commenter

NFL players should not be confident in their union representation with JC Tretter as NFLPA head

He's a moron. So it looks like Roger Goodell now has his doofus set up as they go into the next CBA. If I was an NFL player, I would not be too confident about my representation right now.

Subjective assessment of Tretter's competence and what it means for NFL players going into CBA talks.
Void
Mar 23, 2026·Who's Back
#30006
Big CatBig Cat

Wisconsin women's ice hockey winning 5 out of 7 national titles is a dynasty

Women's ice hockey because the Wisconsin Badgers won another national title, five in seven years. Dynasty. Five and seven years is crazy. That's a dynasty.

Subjective label of 'dynasty' but 5 titles in 7 years is objectively a dominant run by any standard.
Open
Mar 23, 2026·Who's Back
#29999
Big CatBig Cat

The Lakers will lose 4-1 in the first round of the playoffs regardless of their current hot streak

What's gonna happen is they're like, they're good, but the other two teams above them are better and have been better all year and younger. Right? But again, what's gonna happen is they're like, 'They're good, but the other two teams above them are better.' ... When everyone tries to tell us the Lakers are gonna win the title, I'll just be like, 'Okay, cool.' They'll lose 4 to 1.

The outcome of the 2026 NBA playoffs for the Lakers will determine this.
Void
Mar 23, 2026·Who's Back
#30000
ZacZac

I Show Speed is more famous than Tom Brady

Our conversation back here was Brady or Speed. I would probably go Speed. Brady's a big name though, he got a lot of rings, but I'd go Speed. I might take it back and go top one [most famous person at the field].

Fame is difficult to quantify but generally, Brady has much higher brand recognition among adults globally.

PMTDB Comments

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

Search

Search takes, episodes, and speakers