PMT DB
PMT DB
Nate Silver and Sam Dekker on NBA Playoffs, PLAGIARISM, and the Matrix
The vibes are high because Big Cat and PFT are officially entering their conversion van era. After Hank worked tirelessly to secure the tax refund, the guys are heading to Queens to drop $800 on a vessel that will eventually be covered in under-the-table advertisements and metal truck nuts. It is the ultimate investment for the bad boys of podcasting, even if PFT’s parents previously banned him from owning one because they knew he’d be a "party hound."
Panic Button Season
While the van is a dream, the sports world is a nightmare. PFT is so distraught over the Capitals that he woke up with a vague memory of urinating on his "clutch" overtime JNCOs in the toilet. The Stanley Cup playoffs have become a game of who can disappoint their fans more: the Capitals or the Blackhawks. Big Cat is ready to bury his own team, but he's got a strategy for the Caps to stay out of the headlines.
Big CatThe Capitals need the Blackhawks to win some games so they aren't the only story of disappointment in the first round
The Capitals need the Blackhawks to win at least a couple games because the Blackhawks, as it stands right now, getting swept, will be the story of the first round in terms of disappointment and people laughing at something.
Big CatThe Blackhawks will not come back against the Predators
The Blackhawks are the worst team by far in that series. The Predators have taken it to them every single period. Nine out of ten periods, they've just dominated them. So that's one of those ones like, Blackhawks aren't going to come back. They're not.
On the hardwood, the Celtics look absolutely shell-shocked. Hank is firmly pressing the panic button as the Bulls continue to defy all logic, mostly because the Celtics' engine isn't firing on all cylinders.
HankThe Celtics look lost without a 100% focused Isaiah Thomas
But for Isaiah Thomas, who's clearly the Celtics' number one option in the heart and soul of the entire team, for him to not be 100% focused and 100% there for obvious reasons... it just makes the team look lost. You can just tell they're not fully in sync.
Hot Seat/Cool Throne
Hot Seat belongs to Oakland fans, mostly because Derek Carr is out here calling them out for not wanting to move their entire lives to the desert. PFT isn't buying the entitlement.
PFT CommenterOakland is a bad sports town
Oakland's a bad sports town. Derek Carr said that fans that don't follow the Oakland Raiders to Las Vegas aren't good fans. ... You have to admit that he's right. ... Oakland has... a big enough sense entitlement as it is. ... Oakland come on get your shit together.
Big Cat has rivalries on the Hot Seat, specifically the one Paul George thinks he has with the King. It’s a bold move to declare a rivalry with a guy who might not even know you're in the building.
Big CatPaul George's rivalry with LeBron James is completely manufactured
All rivalries pale in comparison to the Paul George-LeBron James rivalry. ... Paul George said that his rivalry with LeBron James is for the culture. ... a crazy rivalry that I don't think anyone including LeBron James knew existed. ... it's kind of like what we're doing with that snowflake cuck Mark Cuban just creating a rivalry out of nowhere.
Nate Silver Part 2
Nate Silver returned to finish his interview and things got much weirder than just polling data. We finally got an answer on whether the Matrix is real (it’s pending a 16-seed winning the NCAA tournament) and why LeBron James might be following the 2014 Heat blueprint.
Nate SilverThe 2017 Cavaliers stunk in the regular season and look like the Heat team that lost the Finals in five games
This is not a very good team the way they've played down the stretch run. They are no longer the number one seed in their conference... it kind of feels like [LeBron's last year in Miami] is a scenario we could wind up this year, too.
Nate also waded into the GOAT debate, giving LeBron fans a rare win from the analytics community.
Nate SilverLeBron James should be in the GOAT conversation with Michael Jordan
I'm one of these guys who says that LeBron should be in the conversation with Jordan. ... Michael Jordan, probably the best NBA player of all time... but [LeBron] should be in the conversation.
Beyond the NBA, Nate is trying to fix baseball by introducing the "Goose Egg" stat because he believes modern managers are completely botching how they use their best arms.
Nate SilverClosers in baseball are used incorrectly by only pitching the ninth inning
Closers are not used well today. It's stupid to only come in the ninth inning. It's because you have the statistic 'the save' that actually measures things badly. ... You should be using them in the most high-leverage situation of the game.
Big Cat, however, countered with the only sabermetric that actually matters: the "Richie Incognito" toughness scale.
Big CatOffensive linemen who don't wear sleeves in the cold are tougher than the ones who do
My favorite sabermetric stat is offensive linemen that don't wear sleeves are tougher than the ones that do. Especially in the cold weather. If you wear sleeves, you're a pussy.
Sam Dekker on the Rockets and Rodgers
Houston Rockets forward Sam Dekker joined the show while recovering from a broken left hand. He gave us the inside scoop on Patrick Beverley's "crazy person" energy in practice and what it's really like trying to keep your hands off James Harden.
Sam DekkerJames Harden has perfected the ability to get fouled whenever he wants
James has this unique ability to actually get fouled whenever he wants. It's unbelievable. He's asking for it. I don't know how he does it, but he has perfected it. ... If we're playing situational games in practice... I'll stick my arm out and he'll run through it and he can stop and start so quick... he does look for his little angles in practice to perfect it in a game.
Being a Wisconsin guy, Sam is also the primary source for all things Aaron Rodgers. While the rest of the world is focused on the Olivia Munn breakup, Sam is just happy his guy is focused on the gridiron.
Sam DekkerI'm a Packer through and through and Aaron Rodgers is excited about the team's new weapons
He's back in Green Bay getting ready for the season. He's been enjoying himself... He's excited. He likes the weapons we're getting. I'm a Packer through and through.
Before letting him go, we gave Sam the floor to absolutely incinerate the city of San Antonio. Turns out, the River Walk isn't all it's cracked up to be.
Sam DekkerThe San Antonio River Walk is overrated and trashy
They are very proud of Alamo and a river that has trash in it. ... The river walk's overrated. ... Every building is gray and it's never sunny.
Segments
Mike Greenberg is back at it with the dumb rules, this time advocating for more ties in baseball. Big Cat has a much better solution involving the radar gun and the entire starting lineup.
Big CatThe MLB should use a radar gun to decide tied games after 13 innings
Just have a radar gun and just each team gets 10 throws. Fastest throw wins. Fastest combined average score. ... all nine players on the field have to throw. So whoever in the game... you get to see fun shit like first baseman throw and stuff.
In a very suspicious "Hmm" moment, LeBron James claimed Coachella looked fun despite supposedly being on a social media blackout. The math isn't mathing, and Big Cat thinks he knows why.
Big CatLeBron James has a fake Instagram account for creeping on people
LeBron said that Coachella looked fun, but LeBron isn't on any social media. ... ZeroDark3023. So no Twitter, no Instagram, but Coachella looked fun. ... LeBron James has a Finstagram out there that he uses to creep on people. He has a fake Instagram. ... Shocker. LeBron James, not on social media, but says that Coachella looked fun. Hmm.
Finally, the Witch Hunt is out for Aaron Rodgers. It’s one thing to be a quirky guy; it’s another to steal Jack Handey’s Deep Thoughts without so much as a hat tip.
PFT CommenterAaron Rodgers is plagiarizing Jack Handey SNL quotes on Twitter
I'm going to read you a tweet that Aaron put out yesterday. 'If trees could scream, would we be so cavalier about cutting them down? We might if they screamed all the time for no good reason.' ... Guess what? It's actually plagiarism, bro. That's Jack Handey. That was from SNL Deep Thoughts. No attribution given whatsoever.
Remember to buy PFT's new e-book and keep an eye out for our conversion van on the streets of New York.
