PMT DB
PMT DB
Ryen Russillo on NBA Contenders, the Drive to the 405, and Week 18 Picks
The Drive to the 405 (or maybe Dallas) is coming down to the wire. With New York to LA on the line, the tension in the studio is through the roof. PFT and Hank are sitting pretty at the top, while Billy is desperately clinging to life in the basement. Before the picks, Big Cat and PFT addressed the Antonio Brown saga in Tampa, where AB basically decided he was done with the Buccaneers mid-game.
Big CatAntonio Brown and Bruce Arians are likely both at fault for the Buccaneers drama
I think the truth is probably Antonio Brown and Bruce Arians are both assholes. Like that might be the truth because it seems like a lot of people are taking the side of Antonio Brown because you have to take the side of player safety... Bruce Arians never wanted Antonio Brown on the Bucs. That was Tom Brady's idea. So it's not totally unbelievable that Bruce Arians would be like, 'You're outta here because you won't go back in the game.'
Big Cat isn't exactly optimistic about Brown’s future in the league, either.
Big CatAntonio Brown will not be back on an NFL team
I don't think Antonio Brown will be back on an NFL team. I guess you can never say never... but I don't think he's going anywhere.
The Final Picks of the Season
With everyone still mathematically alive to avoid the cross-country drive, the picks for the first-ever Week 18 are pure chaos. Hank is second-guessing himself into oblivion, while PFT has fully embraced a "gremlin mode" strategy where he’s actively trying to lose games just to ensure he gets to go on the road trip.
PFT CommenterIntentional losing is a valid strategy for the PMT road trip competition
I want to miss all these picks. So feel free to fade me. I'm taking the over though. Colts Jags 44 points... I don't know why you're upset that I want to go on a road trip.
Big Cat is looking for a massive performance from the GOAT to cover his spread. He's banking on Tom Brady being as petty as ever when it comes to the history books.
Big CatTom Brady will aggressively target the NFL passing record against the Panthers
[Tom Brady] can get the passing record with 488 yards. I want to think. I want to say so he's definitely going to try to get that. So box minus eight, I feels like he'll just keep trying to throw late.
Ryen Russillo on the NBA and Beyond
Ryen Russillo joined the show for a marathon session covering everything from the Lakers' dysfunction to the National Championship. The conversation started with the mess in LA, specifically why Anthony Davis hasn't looked like himself.
Ryen RussilloAnthony Davis has bulked up too much and it has negatively affected his mobility and shooting
I feel like everybody called [Anthony Davis] a pussy last year... and I just feel like, all right, well now I'm definitely lifting more. And I think he came back and I think the bulk has actually slowed him down and it just didn't work. Anthony Davis, when he played, was arguably the worst jump shooter in the league based on how many shots he was taking.
But the real heat was reserved for Russell Westbrook. Russillo hasn't moved an inch on his stance that the Westbrook experience is a circular argument that always ends in the same place.
Ryen RussilloRussell Westbrook's style of play does not lead to winning and he will never change
How many fucking years do you have to watch [Russell Westbrook] do the exact same thing that never leads to winning and think that it's just magic and it's going to work out at some point? Like most of us don't change and a basketball player that's as stubborn as he is isn't going to change... in the playoffs, it doesn't make any sense. He doesn't offer up any spacing for AD and LeBron, he's never set a screen in his fucking life.
Ryen RussilloRussell Westbrook's personality is the 'curse' that prevents him from adapting his game
I don't know why anybody thinks it's just going to change because I think unfortunately the curse of Russ is that his personality got him here, but his personality is what prevents him ever finding a way to adapt to the things that around him.
When the conversation shifted to the returns of Klay Thompson and Kyrie Irving, Russillo made it clear who he'd rather have in his foxhole.
Ryen RussilloKlay Thompson is a more dependable and valuable addition than Kyrie Irving
[Clay] is a better player and Clay's more dependable and Clay's available for all games. And he's not banned for half of them.
That’s not to say he doesn’t recognize the raw talent Kyrie possesses.
Ryen RussilloKyrie Irving is one of the most gifted basketball skill players of all time
When you really put all the talent parts of Kyrie together—his handle, his shot making, the difficult shot-making that is an acceptable shot for Kyrie... it's actually not crazy to talk about him being actually one of the most gifted basketball skill people that we've ever seen.
Despite the flash, Russillo and Big Cat agreed that when it comes to the pure hierarchy of the league, one man still stands alone at the top of the mountain.
Ryen RussilloKevin Durant is the best basketball player in the world
I agree with you on the rant being better than Giannis. Honest, if we're going to best player in the world, even though Giannis, you know, got 'em last year, sort of... if you were to watch [Kevin Durant] just play basketball and go wait, I'm supposed to think this guy's better than [Durant] who can dribble and is just like, has the same height and can shoot like this off the dribble.
Big Cat also took a victory lap on the Chicago Bulls, who have defied every projection to sit atop the Eastern Conference.
Big CatThe Chicago Bulls are the best story in the NBA right now
I do think the Bulls 35 games in are the best story in the NBA, just because no one thought they were going to be the one seed right now and they're playing great basketball.
However, Russillo provided a sobering reality check for Bulls fans looking for a ring this season.
Ryen RussilloThe Bulls' lack of defensive options against stars like Giannis or Durant limits them to an Eastern Conference Finals ceiling
I'll go Golden State and I'm going to say Milwaukee again. And it's kind of a bet against the newness of Chicago, not loving Chicago's options defensively for the size of Middleton and Giannis... I still worry about how they match up with a Giannis or Durant in a playoff game because of the personnel.
College Football and Transitions
With the National Championship on the horizon, the guys touched on the changing landscape of the sport. While many are pearl-clutching about the transfer portal and NIL, Big Cat sees it as a net positive for the product.
Big CatNIL and the transfer portal will not ruin college football in the long run
We'll look back in 10 years and be like, remember when we thought NIL was going to ruin college football? No, it didn't. It's fine. Remember when opt outs were going to ruin college football? No, it didn't. It's fine. It's just right now people think the sky is falling.
Big CatThe transfer rule is good because it forces college coaches to work harder
I love the transfer rule because it's just whoever, whatever coach complains, they're essentially saying 'I have to work harder and it sucks.'
As for the actual game on Monday, both Russillo and Big Cat are ready to get hurt again by picking the Bulldogs to finally get over the hump against Nick Saban.
Ryen RussilloGeorgia will beat Alabama in the National Championship rematch
I'm doing it. I'm going to do it and make a huge mistake. I'm picking Georgia and the rematch... I'm scared to death that I'm falling forward again. I think [Big Cat is] right, because I think every Georgia fan looks at Kirby and goes, 'Are we going to have that moment where you just can't hang with the guy across the sideline from you?'
Fyre Fest of the week featured Hank losing his entire new wardrobe on a train and Billy taking a massive spill on an icy staircase that reminded him he is, in fact, getting old.
Hopefully Billy's tailbone heals before he has to spend 40 hours in a car with whoever finishes second.
