PMT DB
PMT DB
Francisco Lindor, Keith Yandle, and the Stanley Cup Playoff Preview
The NBA Play-In tournament has officially delivered us a Max vs. Hank showdown in the first round, and the energy in the studio is already tense. Big Cat and PFT are relishing the fact that the Sixers are officially locked in to face the Celtics, even if Max is doing everything in his power to play the underdog card. While the Play-In games themselves have been fun, Big Cat is still calling out the teams that just don't have that "it" factor right now, specifically pointing at the squad from Orlando.
Big CatThe Orlando Magic are a total bummer to watch
The [Orlando] Magic are the biggest bummer in the world to watch. Yeah. That team stinks. They are, they just play just basketball. That's not fun to watch. Paolo [Banchero] stinks. Paolo is so bad. He was like seven for 22. It's like my turn your turn offense.
Max is already spiraling about having to deal with a cocky Hank for the next two weeks. Hank is in full weapon mode, practically planning a parade already, while Max is trying to convince himself that even making this a series would be a monumental achievement for Philadelphia.
MaxBeating the Celtics would be the equivalent of winning an NBA Finals for the Sixers
I've also already said if we beat the Celtics, that's, that's an NBA finals. I don't care what happens the rest of it.
Big Cat even floated the idea that Philadelphia might have a secret weapon in the middle who is more reliable than their MVP.
Big CatAndre Drummond might be better than Joel Embiid
Andre Drummond... might be better than [Joel] Embiid. Max, I'm not gonna lie... He still has his appendix. Best ability is availability.
The Quest for the Cup
Keith Yandle joined the show to help break down the Stanley Cup Playoffs, and the conversation immediately turned to the NHL's questionable seeding format. Keith Yandle isn't holding back on his desire to see the league return to a more traditional bracket that doesn't force the best teams to kill each other off in the first round.
Keith YandleThe NHL must return to the 1 through 8 playoff seeding format
I think everybody's on our page that they want it one through eight... they gotta figure a way to get it where it's one through eight. 'Cause when you're losing contenders in the first round... guys are gonna lose jobs over that. Gary [Bettman] seems to kind of shut it down every time it's talked about.
Midway through the preview, Biz and Whit hopped on to turn the segment into a full-blown Chiclets crossover. The board is split on who is actually hoisting the trophy this year, but Ryan Whitney is standing firm with his Oilers, provided they don't run into a certain buzzsaw from Florida again.
My Stanley Cup Final pick is Tampa Bay vs. Edmonton — and Edmonton won't lose without the Panthers to stop them
I'm going Tampa Bay versus Edmonton. But — if they go to the cup final again this year, you guys will have to just say okay, this team is incredible. I know I'm saying just go to the cup final. But of all the years of the past two, including this one, they're so much worse than they were the last two years. So if somehow it happens again, I just don't see them losing, 'cause there's no Panthers to dummy them down.
While Whit is riding with Edmonton, Biz decided to go a bit more off the board with his Finals prediction, banking on a legacy run from Sid the Kid.
Big Cat, never one to pass up a 13-to-1 opportunity, decided to let the boys talk him into a future that might make the next two months very stressful.
Big CatI just bet on the Edmonton Oilers to win the Stanley Cup at 13-to-1 odds
Edmonton 13 to one. Yeah, do it. I literally just did it.
Francisco Lindor in Studio
New York Mets shortstop Francisco Lindor stopped by the studio to talk about his time in the Big Apple and his remarkably consistent career. It’s a huge weekend for Lindor as he officially crosses the threshold of playing more games for the Mets than he did for Cleveland. He opened up about the mental grind of New York and why he refuses to lean into the superstitious nature of most baseball players.
Superstitions are fake; it's all about hard work
I can't be superstitious. This is, I can't do the same thing every single day just because yesterday I played well. It's just... I stopped and you feel so free. We all work way too hard to give the credit to the batting glove, to give the credit to the bat, to give the credit to the ice cream.
Lindor also gave a fascinating look into the new ABS challenge system being tested. Despite being one of the best hitters in the game, he’s surprisingly humble about his ability to actually call balls and strikes better than the umps.
I will likely never use the Automated Ball-Strike challenge system
I love [the ABS] because guys stop complaining... but the reality is umpires are right more times than not. I haven't challenged anything. I don't think I will. I don't know the strike zone that well... I don't think I will [ever challenge].
He also had a very direct message for our coworker Frank the Tank, telling him to keep the weight loss journey going while promising to try and keep the Mets' win column high enough to keep Frank's stress levels in check.
Fyre Fest of the Week
Hank's Fyre Fest involved a laundry mishap that might have claimed his tenth pair of AirPods, which led Big Cat into a passionate manifesto against the tyranny of wireless headphones.
Big CatAirPods are a scam and wired headphones are better
I think AirPods fucking suck. I gave up. They just, they're, you lose them. They're never like the charging everything. It just sucks. I'd rather have wired headphones. They figured out a way to basically say, Hey, we're gonna make this thing that looks cool that you're gonna wanna buy, that you're gonna lose or break or lose again. And then you're gonna have to rebuy it. Out 100% on AirPods.
PFT is also dealing with the "handicap police" on his bumper, while Zach is currently in the seventh circle of hell trying to find a new apartment in Chicago through realtors he found on TikTok.
If the Mets win the World Series this year, we’re all going to have to start eating Francisco Lindor’s non-existent ice cream.
