PMT DB
PMT DB
Opening Day with Jeff Passan, LeBron’s McAfee Interview, and the Severance Finale
We finally got some actual madness in the tournament as Texas Tech clawed back from 16 down to ruin John Calipari’s night. Big Cat was thrilled to see Arkansas choke in such spectacular fashion, especially after the Razorbacks seemingly forgot they had timeouts left in the closing seconds. Texas Tech was a monster on the glass, grabbing over 20 offensive rebounds, and while it wasn't always pretty, it was exactly what March is about.
Big CatTexas Tech deserves all the credit for their win over Arkansas
Texas Tech, incredible fight by them. They deserve all the credit. They willed it... Texas Tech, we deserve that game.
Alabama also put on an offensive clinic that left everyone wondering if they can even be stopped. They shot 50 threes and hit half of them, which is just video game numbers. PFT noted that even if you removed every two-point basket Alabama made, they still would have beaten BYU. It was a terrifying display of Missoula-style ball.
PFT CommenterNo team in the country beats Alabama when they shoot like they did against BYU
I don't think any team in the country beats Alabama if they're shooting like that. It was absolutely nuts.
Elsewhere in the bracket, Florida looked dominant against Maryland, ending a weird three-week saga for Kevin Willard. The guys discussed how awkwardly Willard handled the Villanova rumors, essentially acting like he already had the job while still coaching the Terps. Big Cat thinks the Gators are built for a deep run now that the path is clearing.
Big CatFlorida will make the Final Four
Florida killed Maryland and Florida's really, really good. I expect Florida to go to the Final Four.
Max, the resident Villanova fan, isn't exactly doing backflips over the hire either. Between the booing from Maryland fans and the strange press conferences, the vibes surrounding the transition are at an all-time low.
MaxI am worried about Kevin Willard's future tenure at Villanova
I'm worried about [Kevin Willard's] tenure at Villanova. That's a past, we're worried about the future. And Kevin Willard to Villanova... that's what I care about.
LeBron ation and the Skip Bayless Erasure
LeBron James went on Pat McAfee’s show and decided to set the sports media world on fire. He went after Stephen A. Smith, Brian Windhorst, and even threw some shade at the 1970s era of the NBA. Big Cat noticed the biggest loser wasn't even mentioned: Skip Bayless. Skip has spent a career begging for LeBron's attention, only to be completely ignored during the King's biggest media tour in years.
Big CatSkip Bayless is the biggest loser of the LeBron interview on Pat McAfee
All this to say Skip Bayless was not mentioned once and all Skip Bayless wants to do is get mentioned by LeBron. He's the big loser in all of this.
Hank, ever the conspiracy theorist, is convinced this entire interview was a calculated move to pave the way for LeBron's eventual exit from the league entirely. He pointed to LeBron's comments about the league being rigged as a clear sign of things to come.
HankLeBron James is planning to start a separate basketball league that would rival the NBA
I have not given up on my conspiracy theory that LeBron is starting this separate league. Him basically admitting that he believes the NBA was rigged is further evidence of it.
The guys also debated the relatability of LeBron after he spent the interview dropping F-bombs. While some pearl-clutching radio hosts were "disturbed" by the language, Big Cat found it refreshing to hear a guy who usually speaks in corporate platitudes finally act like a normal human.
Big CatLeBron's swearing in the McAfee interview made him more relatable
The part that I liked the most was the swearing. It makes him relatable. It was the best swear.
Jeff Passan’s MLB Preview
Jeff Passan joined the show to break down everything we need to know for Opening Day. The conversation immediately turned to the Dodgers, who have built a roster that looks like a literal All-Star team. Passan defended the spending, noting that the rest of the owners agreed to the system, but he admitted this Dodgers team has a chance to do something historic in the regular season.
Jeff PassanThe Dodgers have a chance to win more games than any team in MLB history this season
They have an incredible team. They have a chance to win more games than any team in Major League Baseball history this season if they can manage to stay healthy.
Despite the Dodgers' dominance, Passan reminded everyone that the MLB postseason remains the ultimate equalizer. He pointed out that even a 116-win team can get bounced in a short series because baseball is essentially a coin flip once October hits.
Jeff PassanThe MLB postseason is more of a crapshoot than fans realize
The great equalizer in baseball is that its postseason is just kind of a crapshoot. Like even the best team is gonna go into a series with a 60% chance of winning. Not a whole lot higher than that.
For fans looking for a dark horse, Passan highlighted the Reds as a team that could make a major leap this year. He loves the youth in Cincinnati and thinks they are the perfect candidate to steal a wide-open NL Central. He also offered a scouting report on Bubba Chandler, a guy who apparently has enough confidence to tell Paul Skenes to watch his back.
Jeff PassanBubba Chandler will win NL Rookie of the Year and eventually be better than Paul Skenes
Bubba Chandler with the Pirates... Fastball up to a hundred now. Great breaking stuff, good control and commit. I picked him to win Rookie of the year this year. [He texted Paul Skenes] enjoy it while it lasts because next year I'm going to be starting opening day.
Severance Finale and Fyre Fest
We wrapped things up with a deep dive into the *Severance* season finale. Max admitted to crying during the reunion scene, while the rest of the guys tried to piece together the goat sacrifices and the mystery of the testing floor. Max has a theory that the Helly we saw at the very end wasn't the Innie we've come to love.
MaxThe character we saw at the end of the Severance finale was actually Outie Helly
I feel like the real theory is that it's Outie Helly at the end of the episode. Because she brings him in back and smiled at Gemma. And Irv said Innie Helly was never cruel. And it was kind of a cruel looking smile when she looked at Gemma and was like, 'I won.'
Fyre Fest of the week featured Hank breaking his bed slats again—leading to a PFT-led discussion on the benefits of sleeping in a hammock—and PFT realizing he accidentally bought eight tickets to an AC/DC concert while drunk.
At least we know Mincy is a definite yes for the rock show.
