Max Homa and Shane Bacon on the Masters, Florida Gators, and White Lotus Finale
The Florida Gators are back on the mountain top after a wild Final Four, and Big Cat couldn't be happier about his futures account. While the tournament as a whole might have been a bit of a slog, the final three games delivered. Houston looked like the best team in the country for 39 minutes, but they simply could not handle playing with a lead in the biggest game of their lives.
Houston was uncomfortable not playing from behind in the title game
I think that Houston was uncomfortable not playing from behind. I feel like Houston had had to lead the whole game and they were like, wait, we're, we're usually the ones that are, that are coming back at the last minute.
Big Cat was quick to point out that while Walter Clayton got the official hardware, the Gators' unsung hero was Will Richard, especially during that final, chaotic possession where Houston couldn't even get a shot off. Todd Golden also earned some major coaching points for a strategic technical foul that seemed to flip the entire whistle for the rest of the second half.
Will Richard was the real player of the game for Florida in the National Championship
Walter Clayton got player of the tournament player of the Final Four, which he deserved... But Will Richard was the player of the game for this game. And it was him keeping them afloat in the first half with his threes. And then if you look at the final possession, his on-ball defense in the final possession is where like all the timing for Houston got screwed up.
Todd Golden's technical foul was the most strategic in history
Todd Golden probably deserves credit... his technical was maybe the most strategic technical of all time. Because after his technical foul, which was of I think like three or four minutes into the second half, the fouls went 13 to three on Houston.
Naturally, the officiating became a massive talking point after the refs called 26 fouls in the second half compared to just four in the first. Seth Davis tried to get poetic on Twitter about the "art" of officiating, which Big Cat immediately dismantled.
Seth Davis's 'refereeing is art' take is the dumbest argument ever
Seth Davis though tweeted this about the refs... 'Reffing is more art than science.' I'm gonna disagree with that. I think that's, that makes me want robot s. That's the dumbest argument I've ever heard. If the refs don't call physical play or something that happens in the first half and then all of a sudden they decide that they're gonna call that a foul, that's very confusing for the players.
Despite the Gators' win, the guys are still obsessing over the Cooper Flagg and Duke collapse from the weekend prior. PFT is convinced that in the history books, the Blue Devils' failure will outshine Florida's trophy, while Hank thinks the entire weekend was just a masterclass in choking.
Duke losing is still a bigger story than Florida winning the National Championship
I think the story from this final four though, if we're gonna think back, put yourself in a time machine 10 years from now, Duke, Duke losing it is still the, it still the story of the final four. Yes. That I I will die on that hill.
The 2025 Final Four will be remembered as the Final Four of Chokes
I think it'll be remembered as the, the final four of chokes. [Cooper Flagg] choked. [Kelvin Sampson]... this would've been 800. Brutal.
Weird Vibes in Denver and Master's Hype
The sports world stopped for a second when the Denver Nuggets decided to fire Michael Malone and their GM right before the playoffs. Big Cat and PFT tried to make sense of why a title-winning coach would get the boot while sitting in the 4-seed, eventually concluding that Nikola Jokic must have given the green light so he can focus more on his horses and less on playoff adjustments.
The Nuggets firing Michael Malone right before the playoffs makes no sense
I would keep the coach that you're winning right before the Playoffs... your NBA title coach, the only one you have in your history of your franchise Right before the Playoffs. Makes no sense.
Nikola Jokic definitely signed off on the Nuggets firing Michael Malone because he doesn't want to be annoyed by a coach
Jokic had to sign off on this, right?... with Jokic, I feel like you, he's always teetering on the edge of being like, 'You know, I don't really like playing basketball. I'd rather just hang out with my horses.' You don't wanna piss 'em off. So I feel like you have to have that conversation with 'em.
Our good friend Max Homa joined the show as is tradition for Masters week. Max has had a lot of changes recently—new caddy, new swing coach, and he even quit Twitter. While his recent tournament scores haven't been elite, he's feeling fresh and confident after shooting a casual 29 on the front nine during a practice round at Augusta. He also took some time to give Hank some much-needed putting advice for the road to becoming a "good" golfer.
I'm the freshest person in the Masters field
I am the freshest person here. I have not played a weekend in over like a month and a half and I, I have been getting more rest, more time on my couch. Like all these guys are gonna be exhausted by the time the tournament comes and I'm just cruising on it.
The road to being a good golfer is to eliminate big mistakes by not overswinging
I respect that you've come to that, that that is how I would say the, that's the road to good is to eliminate the, the big mistakes by not over swinging.
To round out the golf talk, Shane Bacon hopped on to give us some actual betting insight. Big Cat admitted that Tiger Woods doesn't feel like the same "force of nature" this year, which Shane agreed with as the focus shifts to the young stars. Shane is looking at Russell Henley as his pick to win it all, though he warned that the American dominance in majors might be coming to an end this weekend.
Tiger Woods is no longer a 'force of nature' in golf
Tiger Woods such a force of nature in golf for the last 20 years... this does feel like the first year where it's, I don't wanna say it's over 'cause I hope he plays again, but it does feel kind of over where it's like, you know, the Achilles injury and he already was already banged up and the leg problems. Is it do, can you feel that vibe where it's like that force of nature is no longer here?
Russell Henley is my pick to win the 2025 Masters
Russell Henley's been great in that department [touch shots]. I think he's gonna be my pick this year for the masters. I think Russell Henley's kind of, not just a sleeper, but he is having a great year.
A European or International player will win the 2025 Masters
I think it stops here [American dominance]. I think it ends here. Oh, I think Rory or Rom or Sep or somebody like that does it. So Leman, I I, that's kind of where I'm at is I think, I think the, I think the, the internationals are gonna win this. I think probably a European's gonna win it.
White Lotus Season 3 Finale Recap
We wrapped up the show with a deep dive into the White Lotus finale. Hank admitted he fell asleep halfway through the hour-and-a-half episode, which is a classic Hank move. Big Cat and PFT were a bit more critical, feeling like this season was the weakest of the three. Between the repetitive fake-out deaths with the Ratliff family and a "cheap" twist involving Walton Goggins' father, the guys are ready to move on to Season 4 in a non-ocean location.
White Lotus Season 3 is the worst season of the series
I'd put it clearly number three. I think clearly number three, I think season, I'm gonna go season two. Yeah. Then season one. Barely. And then clearly season three.
The Ratliff fake-out suicide arc in White Lotus Season 3 was annoying and repetitive
The Ratliff story was, was one of my biggest issues... that was like the sixth time we had a dream sequence slash something happened where they tried to fake us out that he was committing suicide or killing his family. Enough of it.
The twist of Walton Goggins killing his father in the White Lotus finale was 'cheap'
Walton Goggins in like the last 10 minutes kills the guy. And then the other woman's like, 'why would you do that? He's your father.' It's like, come on... That felt a little ham-fisted. It was just a little cheap.
If you're going to use a suicide pear, it better actually work the first time.
