PMT DB
PMT DB
Rachel Nichols on NBA Season, Locker Room Talk, and PFT’s Surgery
The vibes are high but the medical anxiety is higher as Big Cat and PFT prepare for the latter to go under the knife for his legendary pinky toe surgery. Before the anesthesia kicks in, the guys are grappling with a Game 1 World Series loss for the Cubs and the start of the NBA season. PFT is already acting like he might not wake up, while Big Cat is just trying to figure out how to navigate the office in a Rascal scooter to save his own feet in solidarity.
NBA Win Totals with Coley Mick
With the NBA tipping off, the guys brought in Coley Mick from the newly minted Mickstape podcast to help give out some locks. Hank is already on his contrarian grind, backing a Brooklyn team that most people can't name a single player on, while Coley is all-in on the offensive explosion coming to Houston.
Coley MickThe Houston Rockets will win over 44 games because Mike D'Antoni is moving James Harden to point guard
Hank, give me Houston's number. I'm going to take the over regardless of what it is. 44. Mike D'Antoni's first year, and they got rid of Dwight Howard, and they're moving James Harden to the point. That team's going to score like 120 points a game.
HankThe Brooklyn Nets will win over 20.5 games because they are the type of team that will surprise people
Oh, like the Nets, 20 and a half... Over... They're the exact type of team that's going to surprise people.
Big Cat is looking for some insider information from Friday's guest, Blake Griffin, taking the over on the Clippers. Meanwhile, the guys aren't exactly buying the hype surrounding the Celtics' projected win total, despite Coley and Hank being Boston guys through and through.
Big CatThe Clippers will win over 53.5 games because it is a contract year for Blake Griffin
I'm going to go with the Clippers over. Really? 53 and a half. Blake Griffin... he said that he's healthy and chomping at the bit. A little insider information for you. It's a contract year, too. I think they're going to be ready to go.
Big CatThe Celtics will win under 52.5 games because expectations are too high
I'm taking the under on the Celtics. 52.5 feels like too much. It feels like they're going to be a fine team, but it feels more like a 48-49 win team.
Hot Seat Cool Throne
Hot Seat/Cool Throne hits on the usual suspects like Charlie Strong and Urban Meyer, but PFT took a hard pivot into the theological implications of Arian Foster’s retirement. It turns out, quitting football on a Monday is the ultimate atheist move.
PFT CommenterArian Foster retired because he is an atheist and quit football on a Monday
My hot seat is atheism... Arian Foster quit last night. He's an atheist. Straight up quit. People don't talk about him being an atheist, but he quit football. Nice of an atheist to give up on a Monday instead of giving up on Sundays for the change.
Big Cat also used the segment to defend the shield, or at least the entertainment value of the shield. While everyone else is complaining about the quality of play, he's leaning back into the chaos and the 6-6 ties.
Big CatThe take that the NFL 'sucks' right now is becoming too mainstream and annoying
My hot seat: People who say the NFL sucks. I'm done with it. We were kind of early to it... Now it's become a little too mainstream. People saying the Seahawks-Cardinals game sucked. That game was amazing... I still love the NFL. I'm sick of it. I'm back on Roger Goodell's side.
Rachel Nichols Joins The Jump
Friend of the program Rachel Nichols returned to talk about the second season of *The Jump* and helped the guys navigate the murky waters of NBA predictions. The conversation touched on everything from the Warriors' "one ball" problem to why the NBA has become the "fun league" compared to the NFL's constant PR nightmares.
PFT CommenterThe Golden State Warriors will stumble in December before turning it on after the All-Star break
I'm on the record. I think they're going to stumble out of the gate. They're going to have a hard December. And then they're going to turn it on after the All-Star break.
Rachel NicholsThere will be no more national anthem protests in the NBA this season
I don't think we're going to see any. We've seen some like link to arms... but their sort of take is, great, Colin Kaepernick, they're pretty supportive of what he did as a group... but they need to do our own thing. And they've been trying to find sort of actual, you know, whether it's town halls... doing things like that that they think can make a real world impact.
Rachel also offered a surprisingly optimistic outlook for Dwight Howard’s return to Atlanta, suggesting he might find that old Orlando magic again. On the flip side, PFT is convinced that LeBron’s continued dominance is less about "invincibility" and more about what might be in his medicine cabinet.
Rachel NicholsDwight Howard will become lovable again during his time in Atlanta
I think Dwight Howard's going to get lovable again. I think he's going to be like the guy he was in Orlando. I think he's going to be chill. I think the Atlanta fans don't expect him to lead them to a title. So I think everyone's kind of on the same lily pad right now.
PFT CommenterLeBron James is indestructible because he is using steroids
Well, if they somehow outlaw steroids in the next few months, LeBron... I mean, that's exactly what steroids would do, I think. When everyone's kind of out of gas and you have that extra gear... The hoop looks three times bigger when you're juicing.
When it came time for MVP talk, Big Cat is putting his money on the guy who is officially excused from ever running back on defense.
Big CatJames Harden will win the NBA MVP because he doesn't have to play defense
I'm taking James Harden because of the Mikey D thing. He's just like, James, don't worry about defense. Which, like, James Harden doesn't worry about defense anyway... I think if you eliminate that 5% of his brain that worries about defense, his offensive numbers are going to be so crazy.
PR 101 and the Witch Hunt
In a special PR 101 for Brock Osweiler, PFT suggested a brilliant strategy to make the $72 million man un-benchable: tying his interceptions to charitable donations. It’s hard to boo a guy for a pick-six when it’s literally saving lives.
PFT CommenterBrock Osweiler should donate $25,000 to charity for every interception he throws
My other piece of advice would be... He's got a lot of money. Start a charity where every time he throws an interception, he donates like $25,000 to a charity. And then people can't get mad at him for interceptions. Or else you're basically killing children.
Finally, the show wrapped up with Hank launching a full-blown Witch Hunt against Kyle Schwarber. After doing some "literature research" (reading CBS Sports), Hank is convinced that Schwarber’s miraculous return from an ACL tear is a bit too superhuman to be natural.
HankKyle Schwarber used steroids to recover from his ACL injury in six months
Kyle Schwarber... Been doing a little literature research... I was reading an interview with a doctor from April. He said there's very, very, very, very little chance he comes back. He would need a superhuman recovery to make it back for the World Series... Literature research says Kyle Schwarber's on steroids.
Hopefully, PFT wakes up from surgery on Friday with all ten toes and a fresh prescription.
