Ryan Whitney on NBA Egos, NHL Dad Trips, and Fire Nick Saban?
Football is slowly slipping away from us, but thankfully we had a National Championship game that doubled as a total coaching clinic—specifically a clinic on how to make Nick Saban look like he was auditioning for a role as a very angry, red tomato. Clemson didn't just win; they dismantled the Crimson Tide in a way that had the guys questioning everything they knew about the Alabama machine.
Nick Saban got significantly outcoached by Dabo Swinney in the National Championship
Not only was it an ass-kicking, Nick Saban got outcoached. He got outcoached. He was outcoached by far.
Big Cat and PFT were stunned by how small Saban seemed to get as the lead grew. It wasn't just the final score, but the bizarre decisions along the way, like Tua Tagovailoa and the offense basically taking a nap before halftime despite having plenty of time and timeouts to work with.
Something is wrong with Alabama's coaching staff for packing it in before halftime with three timeouts
The end of the first half when Nick Saban, Tua [Tagovailoa] has about 50 seconds, 45 seconds, three timeouts... you have a prolific offense and I think they maybe ran two plays and said, you know what, let's pack it in. We'll take all three timeouts and go into the locker room. I was like, what is going on right now? Something is wrong with Alabama's coaching staff or their game plan, whatever it may be.
While the world was ready to crown Trevor Lawrence the next great thing, Big Cat wasn't entirely sold on the performance being a masterpiece of quarterbacking. He saw a lot of high-pointing by elite receivers rather than a surgical carving of the defense. PFT, meanwhile, was more focused on Lawrence's physical stature and incredibly straight hair.
Trevor Lawrence is Teddy Bridgewater 2.0
He's like a six-month-old dog... His paws are big. He's got skinny shoulders. He's got skinny hips. Skinny knees. He's like Teddy Bridgewater 2.0.
Hockey Talk and NBA Hate with Ryan Whitney
With the college football season in the books, it was the perfect time to bring in our good friend Ryan Whitney to talk some puck. Whitney gave us the rundown on the NHL landscape, specifically the dominance of the Tampa Bay Lightning and why the World Juniors actually matter—even if they are unfortunately scheduled directly against bowl season.
Whitney also gave us some incredible insight into the "Dad Trip" phenomenon in the NHL. It turns out it's not about playing for the love of your father; it's about the pure, unadulterated fear of being roasted on the team bus by the man who used to check you into the boards at age eleven.
Teams play better on 'Dad Trips' because they are afraid of being tortured by their fathers for playing poorly
It's not even about like, I want to play good in front of my dad. It's like, if I play bad, I'm going to get tortured by my dad like I did when I was 11. If I didn't play good in the NHL, he'd still give me the same shit. I'd get on the bus, sit next to me, wouldn't talk to me.
Things really got heated when the conversation shifted to the NBA. Whitney has zero time for the egos in basketball, specifically calling out LeBron James for his choice of sideline accessories while injured. The contrast between the modesty of hockey culture and the "look at me" nature of the NBA remains one of Whitney's favorite hills to die on.
NBA players are egotistical 'assholes' compared to modest NHL players
It's the ego on these assholes [in the NBA] to think that they're bigger than the team. They're bigger than the league... LeBron carries wine into the fucking game. Looking like a clown. And by the way, no hockey player would ever do that. They're going to say my teammates are the best teammates of all time because they don't need everything to be about them.
Hot Seat/Cool Throne and Rick Spielman's Brain
Hot Seat/Cool Throne took a turn for the bizarre when Big Cat brought up Minnesota Vikings GM Rick Spielman’s game-day routine. We’re talking about a man who eats peanut butter on his egg sandwiches and has a very specific, borderline terrifying relationship with gas station pumps.
Vikings GM Rick Spielman's game day routine is absolute insanity
Rick Spielman... eats the same breakfast sandwich: fried egg, bacon, and peanut butter on a wheat round. He shaves the left side of his face, then the right. He puts his shoes and socks on before his pants. Leaves his house at the same time so he can arrive at the stadium at 8... uses the same pump, and makes sure always to end his purchase on a zero. Zeros are just good.
Speaking of insanity, the guys touched on the news of a chicken tender spill in Alabama where the local authorities actually had to tell people to stop eating highway-floor poultry. PFT, ever the man of the people, wasn't buying the health warnings.
It is never against the law to eat food that you found on the road
They're just trying to scare you. Don't listen to them. It's never against the law to eat food that you found on the road. Actually, as a taxpayer in Alabama, that's your food.
The Coaching Carousel and Guys on Chicks
The NFL coaching cycle is spinning at full speed. We’ve got Bruce Arians heading to Tampa, Cliff Kingsbury (or "Kiss Sexbury" according to some New York writers) taking over in Arizona, and Matt LaFleur heading to Green Bay to try and keep Aaron Rodgers intellectually stimulated.
To wrap things up, Guys on Chicks featured a listener whose boyfriend destroyed a TV over the Bears-Eagles double-doink. Big Cat offered some perspective on sports-induced property damage.
You only get to break one TV in your life due to sports anger
I have a take. I think everyone gets one TV in their life to break. If you show that much passion about a team, then you probably have a lively personality... You got one TV to break in your life. Use it wisely.
We also addressed the ultimate red flag: a man who voluntarily goes out and purchases a cat. PFT made it very clear that this is not the behavior of an alpha male, and perhaps that boyfriend should look into relocating to a more cat-friendly culture.
Men who buy cats are betas who want to be dominated by an animal
You're dealing with a cat guy here. Cat guys are not alphas. Not an expert negotiator. He basically got a cat because he's such a beta that he wants an animal that will dominate him... If you get a cat as a male in the United States past the age of 10 years old because you want it, you should not be allowed to date one of our American women. Go to France.
Make sure to use the Barstool Gold link so we know you’re there for the PMT content and not just the weird therapist sessions.

