PMT DB
PMT DB
Scott Van Pelt Part 1 on ESPN, Bill Simmons, and Rio Reflections
The Rio Olympics have officially come to a close, and while the world reflects on the spirit of competition, Big Cat and PFT Commenter are mostly focused on the inevitable decay of the infrastructure and the sheer grit of the French race walker who pooped his pants. There is a certain level of respect you have to give a man who leaves it all on the track, quite literally.
PFT CommenterPooping your pants from trying too hard makes an activity a sport
If you poop your pants from doing it too hard, it's a sport. I don't care what it is. That's my litmus test for does it qualify.
While PFT Commenter was mesmerized by the pool changing colors like a giant petri dish, Big Cat was already looking ahead to the post-Olympic reality for Brazil.
Big CatRio's Olympic venues will be abandoned ruins with graffiti and skateboarders almost immediately
I'd say it's probably already dry. I'd probably I'd say it's probably already got graffiti on it and there's like skateboarders in it.
Beyond the gastrointestinal hurdles and emerald-colored diving wells, the guys grappled with the legacy of the athletes. They debated whether Usain Bolt could transition to the gridiron, a transition that Tony Dungy apparently thinks is a lock.
Big CatUsain Bolt would be a scary NFL wide receiver
Tony Dungy actually did come out and said that Usain Bolt would be a scary wide receiver. So it's good to see that. Good to see someone else is thinking along our lines. Guys really fast. Put some pads on them.
They also took a hard look at the NBA stars in Rio, specifically Carmelo Anthony’s emotional gold medal finish. While some see a guy who can’t win in the NBA, PFT Commenter sees a man who is simply too authentic for the choreographed fun of his peers.
PFT CommenterCarmelo Anthony is too cool for the Banana Boat crew
I think Carmelo is too cool for the banana boat. I think that LeBron James, Chris Paul, Dwayne Wade, this new kind of athlete, this new super team-creating kind of athlete, they're lame. They're not hard. Carmelo's hard.
The Mothership Lands in Hartford
In a long-awaited crossover, Scott Van Pelt joined the show for the first of a two-part interview. Sitting in a rented office in Hartford because Big Cat isn't yet allowed to roam free in the ESPN cafeteria, SVP got surprisingly real about the state of sports media. He addressed the evolution of SportsCenter, noting that the days of long-form highlights for teams like the Twins are dead because everyone has already seen the box score on their phone ten times.
Scott Van PeltSportsCenter highlights of twins games are obsolete in the mobile era
If you just rolled tape from one of [Dan and Keith's] shows and watched it now, you'd say, man, that Twins highlight was pretty long. You just can't do a minute 30 of a Twins highlight that people have already seen on their phones.
SVP also provided a candid look at why so many people struggle after leaving Bristol. He cited a combination of audience laziness and the sheer power of the "Mothership" as a default destination for sports fans.
Scott Van PeltIt is incredibly difficult for media personalities to leave ESPN and find the same level of success
There's a pretty strong track record that leaving, you know, it's hard to go out there and take on, as Dan Patrick labeled it long ago, the mothership and win. ... People are lazy, man. ... If you make me memorize a new number [on the cable box], I hate you a little bit more.
When the conversation turned to Bill Simmons and his struggles at HBO, SVP defended his former colleague by pointing out the massive gap between being a brilliant writer and a seasoned TV performer.
Scott Van PeltBill Simmons struggled on TV because he is a writer competing against trained performers like John Oliver and Marc Maron
Mars [Marc Maron], the other guy they compare to him... you're a stand-up comic for that many years, you have balls the size of pumpkins because you talk for a living. ... He's a performer. ... Bill is a brilliant guy on a lot of fronts and TV is still a relatively new thing for him.
Mount Rushmore of Power Moves
To wrap up the first half of the Monday show, the guys took a break from the high-level media analysis to draft the Mount Rushmore of Power Moves. This is a category that covers everything from airplane etiquette to social dominance. Hank made a strong showing by advocating for the "transit sleeper," a move he recently mastered on a ferry from Nantucket.
HankFalling asleep on strangers during transit is a power move
Falling asleep on strangers is absolutely a power move. Big transit sleeper, yep.
Big Cat rounded out the list with a move that is equal parts confusing and assertive, proving that sometimes the best way to win a room is to leave everyone wondering what your intentions are.
Big CatWinking at men is a high-level power move
And then finally, winking at men. Yeah, winking's good. It's like winking when you introduce yourself to somebody. That's a sweet move.
Between the deep dive into the business of sports with SVP and the breakdown of UFC 202, it's clear that while the Olympics are over, the season of Grit is just beginning.
Just remember, if you aren't winking at a stranger today, you're probably falling behind.
