PMT DB
PMT DB
Patrick Beverley on NBA Grinding, LeBron's Blueprint, and the Bucks' Title Run
March has officially arrived, and Big Cat is already feeling the pain of day basketball after the Murray State Racers ruined his life. While conference tournaments get underway, the energy in the office is shifting toward bubble watch and the realization that some seniors have been playing college basketball for what feels like a decade.
Big CatThe Murray State Racers are the worst team in the country
I wish someone had told me that Murray State Racers were the worst team in the country. Oh, did they? Fuck you. Oh man, they fucked me bad.
PFT is looking at the top of the bracket with a specific eye on the SEC, though he admits there might be a physical ceiling for some of the more high-profile stars in the tournament.
PFT CommenterTennessee and Houston are my two picks to win the NCAA Tournament
I'm heavily leveraged in the Volunteers this year. I think Tennessee and Houston are my two picks.
PFT CommenterDalton Knecht might get shoved around by physical teams in March
Watching him play last night, I was thinking to myself like, I could see [Dalton Knecht] getting shoved around in March. I could see like a physical team just like, whoa, Houston putting the, yes, exactly. I could see a tough team like Houston, Kelvin Sampson being like, go out there and beat the fuck outta the skinny guy.
NFL Cuts and the Mike Tyson Circus
Beyond the hardwood, the NFL is in a state of chaos with massive roster purges. The Bills are doing a hard reset, which PFT argues might be the only way to excise the demons of previous playoff heartbreaks.
PFT CommenterThe Buffalo Bills need new players who haven't been scarred by losses to Patrick Mahomes
I almost feel like the, the bills could deal with just getting new blood in there that haven't been around for the heartbreaks. Because you carry that baggage with you. If you're a player on that team, if you're a coach on that team, every time you have a heartbreaking loss to Joe Burrow or to Patrick Mahomes. Especially Patrick Mahomes, you kind of, that's a scar that you keep with you for a long time.
Meanwhile, the news of Mike Tyson fighting Jake Paul on Netflix has the guys split between the absurdity of the matchup and the genuine fear that Iron Mike still has the power to end a man's life. Big Cat is fully leaning into the spectacle, regardless of the potential exhibition rules.
Big CatI'm fully in on Mike Tyson vs Jake Paul because Tyson can knock anyone out at any moment
I'm in on this fight. Mike Tyson, one of the most ferocious boxers of all time, could knock anyone out at any moment. And that's how you sell fights. I'm in no matter what and it's free.
PFT CommenterMike Tyson is the main attraction in the fight against Jake Paul, which is rare for a Jake Paul fight
It's the rare fight where I think most times when Jake Paul fights somebody, people buy the fight because it's Jake Paul... He's the main attraction. In this one, I think Mike Tyson might be the main attraction.
QB Tiers and Draft Anxiety
With the draft approaching, the guys looked at Chris Sims' latest quarterback rankings. Big Cat found himself in the uncomfortable position of actually respecting Sims' track record, even if it means some project players like Drake Maye are ranked lower than the consensus.
Big CatI respect Chris Sims' quarterback rankings because he's actually been more right than wrong when evaluating talent
For everything Chris Sims is wrong about with Tua-non, he actually has been pretty good with his tiers when it comes to the quarterback stuff... He's been more right than wrong. That kind of scares me.
Big CatCaleb Williams is the correct pick at number one for any NFL team
Caleb Williams is the right pick to make at number one right now. Right? If the chiefs had had number two in that 2017 draft, they would've probably taken Patrick Mahomes. I don't know if there's another team that if they had number one would taken anyone but Caleb Williams.
This led to the inevitable debate between PFT and Hank regarding the Commanders and Patriots picking at two and three. PFT is already manifesting the worst-case scenario where Washington picks the wrong guy and lets the real star fall right into the Patriots' lap.
PFT CommenterI'd rather be picking third than second in the NFL Draft so that the decision is made for us
I've never been more sure of the fact that whichever quarterback that we don't take is gonna be really good. And then Hank [Pats] gets the one that we [Commanders] don't take. I would rather be picking third. Our decision was made for us.
Patrick Beverley: First Team Dawg
Patrick Beverley joined the show in studio for over an hour, and it was an all-timer. He broke down his insane journey from getting kicked out of Arkansas to playing in second-division Ukraine and eventually buying himself out of a Russian contract just to get a non-guaranteed shot with the Rockets. Pat Bev explained that his longevity comes from a specific business plan he hatched early in his career.
Patrick BeverleyThe key to a long NBA career is playing elite defense for the first six years to establish yourself, which buys you another decade to show your offense
In order for me to sustain a career in the NBA, the key or the code to the bank or to the key to get in the door was defense. Now, once I set the stone in six years, I should be cool if I ride that wave, I should be good for like another eight or nine years. During that eight or nine years I can show offense.
He also gave a fascinating look into the mentalities of NBA players, claiming that for many of the league's giants, basketball is a job they were forced into by their height rather than a passion.
Patrick Beverley70% of big men in the NBA do not actually love basketball
50% of the NBA are guys that don't love basketball... Let's raise that number to 70 then for the big guys. 70% of the big guys... it's forced upon you because you're seven feet. Something wrong happened in your life [if you didn't play basketball at that height].
Despite his reputation as a pest, Pat Bev spoke with incredible reverence about LeBron James. He credited LeBron with showing him the blueprint for being a professional during their short time together in Miami, a take Big Cat had to push back on with his own brand of logic.
Patrick BeverleyLeBron James provided the blueprint for NBA sustainability and professionalism
Every single day of every minute of the day, I was with LeBron James. He showed me how to do everything the right way... Be different. That foundation he gave me with the Miami Heat is probably why I'm sustainable now.
Big CatLeBron James isn't that special because he merely lived up to the expectations we set
LeBron's actually not that special because we kind of called it... he just kind of lived up to his expectations. He was the chosen one. He didn't do anything that we didn't predict. We were right, man.
Now in Milwaukee, Pat Bev is reunited with Doc Rivers and isn't shying away from expectations. He knows exactly what he brings to a locker room and why he's worth every bit of the investment the Bucks made.
Patrick BeverleyI guarantee the Bucks have a chance to compete for a championship this year
I guarantee a chance to compete for a championship [with the Bucks]. Yes. It's the only answer.
Fyre Fest and The Bears Are Back
Hank’s Fyre Fest involved the fact that he still has a Christmas tree up in March because he's been too busy with comedy shows and golf boondoggles. PFT revealed a massive gambling plan involving the Oakland Athletics, while Big Cat ended the week on a high note thanks to some news out of Chicago.
Big CatThe Bears are back now that they've extended Jaylon Johnson
Jaylon Johnson extended... Four-year deal. He was franchise tagged and they were saying they were gonna keep working on it. Fucking love it. It's a good move. Oh, bears are back.
PFT CommenterI'm betting $100,000 total against the Oakland Athletics this season
I think I'm gonna bet a hundred thousand dollars total against either the Athletics or the Chicago White Sox every single game this season... officially decided I'm betting a hundred thousand dollars against the Athletics.
Just remember, if you see a white Christmas tree in a dumpster in South Boston, it probably belonged to a guy who thinks Mike Vrabel is the ninth-best Patriot ever.
