PMT DB
PMT DB
Jon Rothstein on Brackets, Early Final Four Picks, and the WBC
The brackets have officially dropped, and the air just smells different. Big Cat and PFT opened the show by giving the selection committee some rare flowers for actually getting the field right, even if the bubble was a certified disaster zone this year.
Big CatThe selection committee did a great job and correctly left out Oklahoma and Auburn
The selection committee has done their job, by the way, credits to selection committee. There was really no issues whatsoever... the first two out were Oklahoma and Auburn and they deserve to be out. Yeah, the bubble, the bubble sucked this year. Maybe an all time bad bubble.
While the committee did their job on the bubble, the seeding at the top of the East region raised some eyebrows. Big Cat thinks one blue blood program got the short end of the stick despite their pedigree.
Big CatDuke got screwed with their seeding as the number one overall seed
Duke kind of got fucked a little bit. As the number one overall, none of the best kill everyone. That's what I'm saying. Like if the, if the one knock that you have against the committee is that they kind of fucked over Duke. Like you did a great job committee credit to me.
The East Region: A Blue Blood Bloodbath
Big Cat and PFT are salivating over the East. It is absolutely loaded with coaches who have been to the mountaintop. You’ve got Hurley, Izzo, Pitino, and Self all potentially clashing in the same bracket. PFT is already looking at the seeding and thinking Rick Pitino’s St. John’s squad got a raw deal compared to the Jayhawks.
PFT CommenterSt. John's deserves a better seed than Kansas
St. John's, the argument could be made that they should have gotten a, a, a better seed than Kansas.
There is also the potential for a "Civil Conflict" in the second round if the seeds hold, which would bring a tear of joy to any fan of manufactured rivalry trophies.
Big CatA 'Civil Conflict' second-round matchup between UCF and UConn is a real possibility
If [UCLA] doesn't come back and UCF wins and UConn wins, we got a civil conflict. We got a civil conflict in the second round. That's what I'm looking at.
Jon Rothstein: The Region of Blue Bloods
Jon Rothstein joined the show to do what he does best: assign labels to everything and drop cryptic tweets. He has dubbed the East the "Region of Blue Bloods" and the South the "Region of Pressure." He isn't just picking the favorites, though. He’s looking at Jamie Dixon and TCU to make some serious noise early on.
Jon RothsteinTCU will beat Ohio State and push Duke in the round of 32
I am taking Jamie Dixon and company [TCU] to beat [Ohio State]. I think they could push Duke. I don't think they'll beat Duke obviously in the round of 32. But... I like TCU to beat Ohio State and pull a little game pressure on Duke.
Rothstein also discussed the West, which he calls the "Region of Floor Generals." While Arizona looks like a juggernaut, he’s looking at Purdue as a team that finally has to finish the job after years of March heartbreak.
Jon RothsteinPurdue is facing a 'Final Four or bust' season
It's Purdue's best chance to win a national title. Yeah, it's a final four bust season. I believe in Purdue.
When it came down to the big game, Rothstein is predicting a rematch that would satisfy the basketball gods, with the Boilermakers finally getting over the hump against the defending champs.
Jon RothsteinPurdue will defeat UConn in the national championship to 'complete the circle'
I'm taking Purdue. So for the second time in three years, it's Purdue and Yukon for a national championship. Dan Hurley against Matt Painter. And this time we complete the circle for the boilers. The team that started the year number one in the country wins a national championship.
Early Final Four Picks and Bold Predictions
Before the guys even had time to print their brackets, they went around the room for their gut-reaction Final Four picks. Big Cat is staying loyal to his Badgers and the Blue Devils, while PFT is riding with Kelvin Sampson and Arkansas.
Big CatMy Early Final Four: Duke, Arizona, Houston, and Virginia
I'm gonna go with Duke, Arizona, Houston, Virginia. Duke obviously winning the whole thing.
PFT CommenterMy Early Final Four: Michigan State, Houston, Arkansas, and Michigan
I'm gonna go with Michigan State. I'm gonna go with Houston. Arkansas and I think I'm just gonna go Michigan... I got Houston win it all.
Hank is predictably leaning into his Big 10 roots, though he’s still found a way to work Duke into his championship scenario.
HankMy Early Final Four: Duke, Illinois, Michigan, and Wisconsin
Duke, Illinois, Michigan, Wisconsin... with Duke beating Wisconsin in Indie.
Outside of the Final Four talk, Big Cat is fully enamored with Arkansas freshman Darius Acuff. He loves the way he plays so much he’d risk his hypothetical job as an NBA executive on him.
Big CatDarius Acuff is my favorite player in the tournament and I'd take him #1 overall in the NBA Draft
My favorite player in the entire tournament is Darius Acuff and the Arkansas and the way he plays. I would be a bad NBA GM if they let me be an NBA GM. Take him one-one because I fucking love him. He is a fucking killer.
Who's Back and The "Big One"
Hank’s "Who’s Back" centered on people who just can't win the big one. First up was Timothée Chalamet, who came up empty at the Oscars again. Shane, the resident movie guy, had to answer for his failed guarantee that Chalamet would walk away with the hardware.
HankTimothée Chalamet can't win the big one after losing another Oscar
Timothy Chalamet. Yeah. Did not win... he's now in that like, can he win the big one? It's, it's I think it's his third time. Nothing. Can't win the big one. Nothing to show.
Hank also took aim at Ludvig Åberg, who seems to have a recurring Sunday problem that is starting to cost PFT a significant amount of money. PFT is officially done with the Swede.
PFT CommenterI'm never betting on Ludvig Åberg again after his Masters choke
I put him on my list of guys I will never bet again after he choked in the Masters and then I forgot about putting him on the list. Bet him again this week. And yeah, it was, it was a nightmare choke job.
Max closed out the segment by defending Joel Embiid, arguing that the big man is the only athlete who gets treated like a punchline for having his body break down on him.
MaxJoel Embiid is the only athlete who gets clowned for being injured
Is Joel Embiid the only athlete in the history of sports that like gets clowned for being [injured]... For some reason Joelle em Bead always gets hurt and it's like, ha ha ha ha. What a great athlete that's can't stay healthy. Let's laugh in his face. I don't, he's the only athlete ever that, that anyone does that.
Good luck to everyone's brackets except the ones that play against the Badgers. Be sure to get those "Rollover Over" bets ready for the Dayton games.
