Skip to content
PMTPMT DB

NHL Playoffs With Paul Bissonnette, Chris Berman, Thunder Take Game 1, Jordon Is Engaged To Be Married, RG3 vs Ryan Clark + FAQ's

Wednesday, May 21, 202521 takes

The Thunder take Game 1 and it was a tough watch with SGA fouls (-). Panthers are a wagon and Hank got duped bad by AI (-). Jordon claims to be engaged to be married to Bill Belichick and Hank is going to the wedding (-). Ryan Clark vs RG3 got very personal in a feud over a basketball foul (-). Hot Seat/Cool Throne including the Suns being the Suns again, NFL rule changes and more (--). Paul Bissonnette joins the show to talk Stanley Cup playoffs, the Leafs losing and where do they go from here, who's going to win the Cup, glass banger is back and his time with Oldie (-). Chris Berman joins the show to talk about his new contract with ESPN which will get him to 50 years at the company, golf, Scottie Scheffler, and some NFL talk to get us fired up for the fall (-). We finish with listener submitted FAQ's (-).

Paul Bissonnette on NHL Playoffs, Chris Berman’s Extension, and the Belichick Engagement

The NBA Playoffs are shifting into high gear as the Thunder took Game 1 from the Timberwolves, and Big Cat is already planting his flag on the eventual champion. Oklahoma City’s defense looks absolutely suffocating, and while Shai Gilgeous-Alexander’s style of play isn't exactly a beautiful watch for everyone, it’s undeniably effective.

Loss
May 21, 2025
#12774
Big CatBig Cat

The Oklahoma City Thunder will win the NBA title

Today is Wednesday, May 21st and the Oklahoma City Thunder are going to win the NBA title. ... Oklahoma City's defense is very fucking good. They're elite. Yes. They pack the paint so well. They make you take threes. ... I think they're the best team.

The Thunder did not win the NBA title in 2024 (Mavs beat them) or 2025.

PFT was a bit more frustrated with the aesthetics of the game, specifically the constant whistles that seem to follow SGA whenever he gets near the paint. While the Thunder looked dominant, PFT isn't ready to bury Minnesota just yet, even if the national broadcast booth didn't exactly help the vibe.

Void
May 21, 2025
#12776
PFT CommenterPFT Commenter

Shai Gilgeous-Alexander is the number one foul-baiter in the NBA

It pisses me off watching [SGA] play. ... I have to watch the foul baiting like three times in a row where I have to see the same non foul three times. ... [SGA] is the number one fator and he's so good. ... he has taken the mantle from James Harden.

This is a subjective opinion on playing style and foul-drawing frequency.
Void
May 21, 2025
#21150
Big CatBig Cat

The ESPN announcing booth of Richard Jefferson and Doris Burke lacks aura and does not suit big playoff games

The booth, the Richard Jefferson, Doris Burke that there's not a lot of Aura. I'm sorry. ... I'm smashing the Aura button on everything now but I'm smashing it there. It don't, we like RJ, I like Doris Burke as a team. It just doesn't feel big game ish. It just, I don't know. It's like, but let Mike Breen just do it himself. It just didn't feel something was off.

The 'feel' or 'aura' of an announcing booth is a subjective viewer experience.
Push
May 21, 2025
#21151
PFT CommenterPFT Commenter

The Timberwolves will win two or three games in the series against the Thunder

I actually do think that the wolves are gonna win two, maybe three games [against the Thunder]. I know it doesn't feel like it after what we just watched tonight, but I mean, crazy shit happens in the playoffs. ... it'll even out a little bit, I think.

The Timberwolves won 1 game against the Thunder in the Western Conference Finals (Game 3, 143-101), falling short of the predicted 2-3 wins. The Thunder won the series 4-1.

Beyond the hardwood, the biggest news of the week involves a certain hoodie-wearing legend. Reports are circulating that Bill Belichick is engaged to Jordon Hudson, a development that has Hank in complete denial. Big Cat and PFT are already planning the bachelor party and speculating on the New York Times wedding announcement, while Hank is convinced the whole thing is a media fabrication.

Void
May 21, 2025·Null
#21152
HankHank

The reports of Bill Belichick's engagement to Jordon Hudson are fake news

I will wait until you know, Ms. Hudson and, and Mr. Belichick report this themselves. I do not believe, you know, the New York Times, fake news media. This is just a report as far as I'm concerned. ... I don't think Bill knows.

Whether a report is 'fake news' based on the speaker's lack of a personal text is subjective and satirical.

In the world of media beefs, Ryan Clark and Robert Griffin III turned a conversation about a WNBA foul into a full-blown personal war. Big Cat and PFT broke down the absurdity of the feud, which touched on everything from podcast aesthetics to Ryan Clark’s nuclear social media strategy. The guys also waded into the ongoing discourse surrounding Caitlin Clark and Angel Reese, noting that the toxicity has reached a level usually reserved for the NBA Finals.

Void
May 21, 2025
#12778
Big CatBig Cat

Angel Reese definitely hates Caitlin Clark

I'm just gonna go outright and say it. [Angel Reese] hates Caitlin Clark. I think she does. And that's fine. 'cause rivalries are good. ... The issue with this rivalry is Caitlin Clark is just a lot better and more entertaining of a basketball player.

This is an interpretation of personal feelings and cannot be definitively proven.
Void
May 21, 2025
#12780
Big CatBig Cat

Ryan Clark is a psycho for his social media attack on Robert Griffin III

Ryan Clark is kind of a psycho and just went like nuclear on a take about a foul in the WNBA. ... It basically comes down to RG3 had a misdemeanor of being corny online and, and Ryan Clark put him in front of a firing squad.

Subjective characterization of a media personality's behavior.
Void
May 21, 2025
#12782
PFT CommenterPFT Commenter

WNBA players should stay off social media to avoid the toxic discourse

I would imagine that most of the really, really bad shit that you deal with is from people that are DMing you from anonymous accounts... I would just log off, have somebody else run your social media, do your ad deals, do all that shit for you. But don't, I, I would stay off.

This is advice and a subjective recommendation for mental health.

Hot Seat/Cool Throne featured a look at Juan Soto’s hustle, the potential banning of the Tush Push, and Tom Cruise using blockbusters as a shield. Big Cat also highlighted the return of chaos to the Phoenix Suns organization.

Win
Big CatBig Cat

The NFL should not change playoff seeding to be strictly based on record

They are proposing to do playoff seating one through seven strictly based on record... I hate this. ... the division winner should get a home playoff game, that should be it. ... I'm just scared that once... the NFL will do is change everything so that more people watch.

The proposal was not adopted for the 2024 season.
Void
Big CatBig Cat

The Phoenix Suns are returning to a state of institutional chaos under new ownership

Matt Ishbia bought the team. And guess what, they're back in it [chaos] because there's a lawsuit now out that sun, CEO Josh Bartelstein might have had an inappropriate relationship with Sophie Cunningham who played on the Phoenix Mercury. ... The suns are just back in it.

Institutional 'chaos' is a subjective descriptor for a franchise's reputation.
Void
Big CatBig Cat

Tom Cruise used Top Gun: Maverick to make people forget about his Scientology controversies

Tom Cruise... Scientology thing is very weird... He just was like, yeah, I'm gonna put out a new Top Gun and everyone's gonna forget about that. ... It felt like the block was getting a little hot with the documentaries and everything. He's like, I know. Top Gun two. People won't care anymore.

Subjective opinion on public perception and PR strategy.

Paul Bissonnette joined the show to mourn the Maple Leafs' latest early exit and preview the NHL Conference Finals. Biz offered some harsh truths about the future of the "Core Four" in Toronto and shared his thoughts on the return of the Stars' most infamous fan from behind bars.

Loss
May 21, 2025
#12790
Paul BissonnettePaul Bissonnette

Mitch Marner will not be back with the Toronto Maple Leafs next season

[Mitch Marner] ain't coming back. ... he just hasn't lived up to what, not only he's being paid, but what the hype is in, in crunch time. ... my theory would be that you bring back [Nylander], you bring back Matthews and you can build around those guys. ... he won't be back. It sucks.

Mitch Marner remained on the Toronto Maple Leafs roster for the 2024-2025 season.
Open
May 21, 2025
#21157
Paul BissonnettePaul Bissonnette

The Dallas Stars will likely ban the 'Glass Banger' fan from the arena for the conference finals

I don't think they're gonna let him [Glass Banger] in the building. ... he just got out [of jail] in the last couple days. ... I think in his own mind [he's the best fan], but he's more of a distraction than a fan. Including rattling all the other people who have had peace and quiet for this last six months.

Whether the fan is allowed entry for the next series is a verifiable fact claim.
Loss
May 21, 2025
#21156
Paul BissonnettePaul Bissonnette

The Dallas Stars will defeat the Edmonton Oilers in seven games

I picked the Oilers and then Whit said, no, you can't, you're a mush. Stay away from my team. So then I switched my pick to Dallas in seven. ... I'll be heartbroken for either of these teams because Pete DeBoer... has never won a Stanley Cup. ... he's nine and oh in Game sevens in playoff history.

The Dallas Stars did not defeat the Edmonton Oilers. The Oilers won the Western Conference Final 4-1 (not 7 games), then advanced to lose the Stanley Cup Final to the Florida Panthers 4-2.
Win
May 21, 2025
#12792
Paul BissonnettePaul Bissonnette

The Florida Panthers will beat the Carolina Hurricanes in five or six games

I think that Florida should win this series in six, if not maybe five games. ... high-end superstar talent also advantage Florida. ... Florida can play any way you want. That's what makes them dogs.

The Florida Panthers defeated the Carolina Hurricanes in the playoffs (though the series count varies by year, they were the superior team in this stretch).

To wrap things up, the legendary Chris Berman stopped by to celebrate his massive contract extension that will see him reach 50 years at ESPN. The Schwam discussed the closest he ever came to leaving Bristol, his thoughts on Scottie Scheffler’s dominance, and why he’s holding out hope for the Buffalo Bills to finally catch a break in the postseason.

Loss
May 21, 2025
#12797
Chris BermanChris Berman

The Buffalo Bills will somehow avoid the Kansas City Chiefs in the playoffs this year

Is this the year Buffalo somehow avoids Kansas City in the playoffs? ... means someone would've to lose or somebody... but somehow they don't meet. ... somehow the Chiefs and the Bills will miss each other in the playoffs.

The Bills and Chiefs met in the AFC Championship on January 26, 2025. The Chiefs won 32-29. Berman's prediction that they would somehow avoid each other in the playoffs was wrong.
Loss
May 21, 2025
#12798
Big CatBig Cat

The New York Giants will win 7-9 games and be better than people think

I think the Giants are gonna be better than people think. ... I think that defense is gonna be elite. Their, their defensive line has just monsters on it. So I think they might be one of those teams where... they go jump up to 7, 8, 9 wins.

The Giants went 3-14 in 2024, one of the worst records in the NFL. They were not 'better than people think' and did not win 7-9 games.

If Bill Belichick really is looking for a ring bearer for the wedding, he knows exactly where to find a guy who’s already got his golf schedule cleared for the summer.

nba-playoffsnhl-playoffsbill-belichickwnbaespnnfl-schedule

More Takes

Void
Big CatBig Cat

It is understandable for a player with a $700 million contract to occasionally lack hustle to first base

If someone paid me $700 million to play baseball, I would sometimes not run to first base. 'cause I would probably just be distracted and be like, shit, why am I running to first base? I have $700 million. That was an out. ... It's human nature.

This is a philosophical hot take on motivation and human nature.
Win
PFT CommenterPFT Commenter

The NFL should not ban the Tush Push

I'm opposed to banning the tush push. Just figure out a way to stop it. ... It's very unfair to to ban it. You can't ban it a play because one team is way better at it than every other team.

The NFL did not ban the tush push for the 2024 season, aligning with PFT's desired outcome.
Void
PFT CommenterPFT Commenter

NFL players are arrogant to think they can easily dominate international flag football competition

It's so arrogant for NFL players to think that they can just go in and dominate [flag] football. ... I'm just imagining like a, a Croatian dude trying to grab the flag of Lamar Jackson. ... he would never be down.

The relative difficulty of NFL players transitioning to flag football is a matter of comedic debate.
Open
May 21, 2025
#12795
Paul BissonnettePaul Bissonnette

Alex Ovechkin will play one more year in the NHL before finishing his career in the KHL

I think that next year... it's the last year of his contract. ... I wouldn't be shocked if he scores another 30 goals, but if he continues to slow down, it's just hard in today's day and age to keep up... I could see him after next year going back to the KHL and, and playing one more year and, and really having his final Swan song.

Ovechkin is still playing in the NHL as of the 2024-25 season. His return to the KHL remains a prediction.

PMTDB Comments

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

Search

Search takes, episodes, and speakers