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PMTPMT DB

Takes

Void
Big CatBig Cat

LaVar Ball should not be held accountable for facts in his takes

I'm not on board for fact checking LaVar Ball's takes on anything. As far as I'm concerned, LaVar Ball does not when he says things, he doesn't give a shit if they're true or not. He's a prey and spray kind of taker. He's just gonna shoot, shoot, shoot. LaVar Ball, he can't be held accountable for his takes.

This is an observation on Ball's public persona and media strategy.
Void
Mr. PortnoyMr. Portnoy

NPR's pledge drives are a form of extortion

One of the big things now is if you'll give a donation, we will stop soliciting money. It's extortion. In other words, they're on there with some kind of meaningless promotion... and their attitude is, you want us to stop, right? Give us some money.

This is a humorous characterization of fundraising, not a legal fact.
Loss
PFT CommenterPFT Commenter

Peyton Manning hosting the ESPYs will not be good

I feel like this is going to suck, but... what do I know? Unless they just have him on stage drilling those Boys and Girls Club in the face with the footballs. He should just do that for like two hours.

Manning's hosting was generally well-received by critics, though it leaned heavily into the 'safe' jokes PFT predicted.
Win
Big CatBig Cat

Stephen A. Smith claiming James Harden was drugged is a transparent attempt to brag about his contacts

After the James Harden game six incident, [Stephen A. Smith] went on the air and he said that he had five Hall of Famers text him saying they thought James Harden was drugged... No one cares about that. It's five Hall of Famers text Stephen A. Smith. That's big stuff.

There was never any evidence Harden was drugged; it was widely accepted he just had a historically bad performance.
Win
HankHank

Instagram Stories will kill Snapchat by the end of the summer

My hot seat is Snapchat. Instagram stories, specifically because of Boomerang, are taking over the streets. I think by the end of the summer, Snapchat's going to be, like, default.

Snapchat's growth stalled significantly in 2017 following Instagram's launch of Stories, with Instagram Stories eventually exceeding Snapchat's total user base.
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Big CatBig Cat

The Volkswagen commercial with the grandmother and the ashes is fake and manipulative

Volkswagen... they're like, well, we'll just put a really sappy story where a bunch of kids cry and an old grandmother, and we'll put some Simon and Garfunkel behind it, and everyone will say, oh my God, Volkswagen, they're so nice. Don't fall for it.

Advertising is inherently manipulative, though 'fake' is subjective.
Void
Paul Lo DucaPaul Lo Duca

MLB locker rooms shouldn't allow bloggers or fanboys inside

They're letting a lot of people in the clubhouses that shouldn't be in the clubhouses... They're letting guys in there that have no fucking clue. Fanboys. I don't respect those guys until they give me the respect back.

This is a matter of personal opinion regarding professional standards.
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PFT CommenterPFT Commenter

If you claim you were hacked on Twitter, you should tweet vile things to make it look real

If you want to say you got hacked... before you do that just start tweeting out the craziest most vile swastikas dick pics own it just get go insane the weird links... It's so easy to actually fake like you got hacked instead of just saying, whoops, I got hacked.

This is a satirical piece of advice.
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PFT CommenterPFT Commenter

The Kentucky Derby is infringing on Chris Berman's 'Fastest Two Minutes' trademark

I just want to say a little cease and desist to the Kentucky Derby. They're infringing a little bit on our good friend Chris Berman's trademark of the fastest two minutes in sports.

Loss
Big CatBig Cat

Jay Cutler would be a good broadcaster if he is self-deprecating

Jay Cutler's thinking about going in the booth. So I'm excited for it. I think if Jay is honest and self-deprecating... I actually think he'd be good.

Jay Cutler was hired by FOX in 2017 but left before the season started to play for the Dolphins. He never truly established a broadcasting career, making this prediction largely incorrect in its longevity.
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Big CatBig Cat

You need 100,000 followers and a blue checkmark to officially be an 'Instagram Model'

I'm going to say you need 100K... I think it used to be back in the day like 10K. These tea companies are wising up... 100K, I think that's when you can officially call yourself an Instagram model.

Win
Big CatBig Cat

The 'Suck My Dick' catchphrase was a mistake and is officially retired from the show.

We're done with the suck my dick. We've decided that it was a really bad choice on our part. This is what's been happening recently is award-winning listeners have been coming up to me and be like, 'I want to say it, but I can't.' So just do that. Just go up to people and be like, 'I want to say it, but I can't.'

The show successfully retired the catchphrase from its merch and regular segments following this episode.
Void
Big CatBig Cat

A sports dynasty requires at least three championships in one era

The rule I said, I threw out there was you have to have at least three championships in your Dynasty era. Two, that's a really good team. Three, you can now claim Dynasty.

The definition of a dynasty is inherently subjective and varies by sport and analyst.
Void
Big CatBig Cat

NFL Network should launch a second channel that just displays a Manning face at all times

NFL Network should do NFL Network 2, which I'm sure they will eventually, and just have it be a Manning face at all times. Just Manning faces.

This is a comedic proposal that was never implemented, though the ManningCast eventually fulfilled the spirit of the take.
Void
PFT CommenterPFT Commenter

United Airlines should fix its PR by making people horny with porn links

If you make us horny, guess what? We're not angry anymore... Just tweet out porn. Be like, hey, it's now being reported that this guy was a porn freak or something. Be like, hey, you know who else was a porn freak? United. And then just start giving us free links.

This is a satirical suggestion for a PR strategy.
Loss
Big CatBig Cat

United Airlines should become the presenting sponsor for the UFC to embrace their 'dragging' reputation

I had one go the self-deprecation route and become a UFC sponsor, like the presenting sponsor for UFC. That'd be pretty funny.

Hot TakeMediaHotSarcastic
United did not become a UFC sponsor; they eventually settled with the passenger and overhauled their policies.
Win
HankHank

Tony Romo will eventually make it to a Super Bowl as a broadcaster for CBS

Tony Romo hasn't thrown an interception in over a year. Tony Romo is going to be in a Super Bowl eventually. [On] CBS.

Tony Romo called Super Bowl LIII for CBS on February 3, 2019, alongside Jim Nantz.
Void
Big CatBig Cat

People who get upset about fans saying 'we' are worse than the fans who say it

I really think people who get this upset about it are worse than the people who say we. It's one of those situations where it's like I'll say we sometimes. I won't even think about it. I'll just say it. And if you get that upset about it, I mean, I'm not saying it like I'm part of it. Everyone knows I'm not part of the team.

This is a matter of sports etiquette and opinion.
Push
PFT CommenterPFT Commenter

There should be an alliance of every NFL punter to feed Pat McAfee scoops and cuck Adam Schefter

I hope that this turns into an alliance between every punter in the league and Pat McAfee. So they're all feeding him all the scoops. And he's constantly using his punter connections to cuck Adam Schefter.

OpinionMediaMediumSarcastic
While McAfee became a massive media figure, a formal 'punter alliance' for scoops didn't literally happen, though he certainly uses his player connections.
Loss
Big CatBig Cat

Tony Romo will not be a good broadcaster

Tony... he's not going to be – I don't think he's going to be very good in the broadcast booth. Hot take, Tony Romo is not – this is the classic media loving the guy who smiled a lot, who had his backwards hat... who answered questions, and was generally likable.

Romo was an immediate sensation at CBS, praised for his ability to predict plays and his enthusiasm, though some criticism emerged in later years.
Void
PFT CommenterPFT Commenter

The NFL should let fans call in penalties from their couches like the LPGA

I love this rule. This is my favorite part about golf by far. Anybody at home has deputized themselves as a rules official... the NFL could deal they could adopt this rule I want to sit at home I want to call face masks from my couch and i want dean blandino to have to review the tape.

This is a satirical suggestion for an officiating change.
Void
PFT CommenterPFT Commenter

JJ Watt did a Twitter Q&A solely to set up his PMT interview appearance

I'm totally woke on the fact that [JJ Watt] was doing this, I think, just so that he could say – he knew that he was going to get HeyJJ'd in his replies. So I think he was just setting up this entire Q&A for the question about Pardon My Take so he would say, I will go on the show.

While JJ Watt did eventually appear on the show, the claim that the entire Q&A was a staged setup is speculative/humorous.
Win
Big CatBig Cat

Mel Kiper Jr. eats a slice of pumpkin pie for breakfast every single day.

Every time you see Mel Kiper, though, remember one thing. He eats a slice of pumpkin pie for breakfast every single day. Just put that in your brain.

Mel Kiper Jr. has confirmed in multiple interviews that he eats pumpkin pie for breakfast, often without the crust.
Void
Big CatBig Cat

The NBA has a credentialed media problem

This puts the credentialed media squarely in the crosshairs of the NFL. In fact, I would go as far to say that the NFL has a credentialed media problem... Epidemic of their credentialed media people violating the law.

Playful spin on a specific crime incident.
Void
Big CatBig Cat

Robert Reed of the Chicago Tribune is the lamest guy in the world for wanting to dump office pools

We found it. We found the lamest guy in the world. He [Robert Reed] wants everyone to stop doing brackets come March because it's gambling and people can get addicted to gambling. This guy basically is like, I'm socially awkward and I don't know how to just be a person in an office.

Subjective character assassination based on a column.
Void
PFT CommenterPFT Commenter

LeVar Ball's plan is just to get a billion dollar contract for himself using his kids

He's reached the point where everything that he says is picked up by every media source possible. So he knows that no matter what comes out of his mouth it's going to be distributed nationwide and that's kind of his plan right? He wants to develop the brand he wants to have a high profile so his kids can get a billion or sorry so that he can get a billion dollar contract. And then his kids will get a little taste of that.

Loss
PFT CommenterPFT Commenter

Rugby is the sport of the future

I was at the rugby tournament. That is the sport of the future. It solidified it. Shout out another semifinals for the U.S. national team.

Rugby remains a niche sport in the United States compared to the 'big four' and soccer.
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Brent MusburgerBrent Musburger

Broadcasters should never bet on games they are announcing

I really gave up betting on games that I'm announcing... I would not recommend that any analyst or play-by-play guy do a game [they bet on] simply because it influences how you view the game and the athletes that are involved.

This is a subjective ethical stance for a professional broadcaster, though widely accepted as standard practice in the industry.
Void
HankHank

Adam Schefter is a beta who isn't 'man enough' to cheat on his wife

I don't think Schefter, I don't think he's, like, enough of a man to be a cuck... Schefter's a beta. Nobody except for his wife wants to have sex with him.

Personal insult that cannot be verified.
Win
HankHank

ESPN on-air personalities are 'snowflakes' on the hot seat due to massive impending cuts

My hot seat is all the snowflake on-air personalities at ESPN. Big time cuts coming soon.

ESPN did indeed lay off about 100 on-air personalities and writers in April 2017, just a month after this episode.
Loss
Big CatBig Cat

ESPN should hire Bill Belichick for one day specifically to fire all the employees they are cutting

I think they should bring in Bill Belichick, hire him one day contract, have him fire everyone, soften the blow. Because when Bill Belichick fires you, it means you could still be at the peak... He's doing it one year too early. And he's actually doing you a favor by letting you get on the market and test the waters.

OpinionMediaHotSarcastic
A joke proposal that obviously did not happen.
Loss
PFT CommenterPFT Commenter

Rugby is already huge in America

I'm going to take you one step further and say rugby is already huge in America. This was the, yeah, we're here. Get used to it.

OpinionMediaMediumSarcastic
Rugby remains a niche sport in America compared to the Big 4 leagues.
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Jay WilliamsJay Williams

I have the best basketball game out of any talent currently working at ESPN (excluding former NBA players)

Who's got the best game out in Bristol? I would have to say me. [Besides people who played in the league.] Well, see, here's the thing. You don't see a lot of talent play in some of the games.

Inherently subjective and difficult to verify without an ESPN-wide tournament, though Jay was a former #2 overall pick.
Win
PFT CommenterPFT Commenter

Adam Schefter is a system newsbreaker who can't report NBA trades

It's a really tough day, though, for Adam Schefter. He got scooped on every NBA trade today. He didn't report a single one of them. So you got to think, is Adam Schefter a system newsbreaker?

Hot TakeMediaHotSarcastic
Schefter focuses exclusively on the NFL, so him not breaking NBA news is expected, making the 'system' label comedically accurate but factually irrelevant.
Win
Big CatBig Cat

Chris Christie is a perfect fit for sports talk radio because he hates Philly and loves the Cowboys

Chris Christie has been reportedly mentioned for Mike Francesa's replacement... If you just say, hey, Philly sucks, it's like, bam, you're already hired. Loves Bruce Springsteen. Loves the Cowboys, too... Older white guy. Loves to eat. So this is – has he been a sports talk radio host his whole life?

Christie did audition for the role and frequently guest-hosted, though he never took the permanent job. His persona fits the genre perfectly.
Win
Big CatBig Cat

Clay Travis will definitely use WNBA sexuality statistics to argue straight people are being persecuted

I'm guaranteeing that Clay Travis—I'm going to call my shot here. Clay Travis is going to use these statistics for a future column talking about how straight people are persecuted. Because, hey, did you hear? 98% of the WNBA is gay.

Clay Travis and OutKick frequently covered the Candice Wiggins story and the broader culture of the WNBA in this vein.
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PFT CommenterPFT Commenter

Autoplay videos are good because they remind you to close old browser tabs

I keep tabs open, about eight tabs at a time, and most of the tabs are open for about six hours. If you have an autoplay video that starts after three hours of me being on that website—it reminds me to close out the tab.

This is a personal lifestyle/productivity take that is subjective to the user.
Void
Chris LongChris Long

Tom Brady has definitely heard the Pardon My Take podcast

Tom's definitely heard you guys. Statistically, I mean, statistically speaking, there's not that many people who haven't. So Hank, if you're listening, [Tom] knows exactly who you are.

While Brady has never explicitly confirmed being a regular listener, he has acknowledged Barstool and the show's existence in various media interactions over the years.
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Big CatBig Cat

Mike Tirico replacing Bob Costas is a win for white media members

NBC announced that Bob Costas is handing over Olympic duty to Mike Tirico. And if you remember, Mike Tirico is a white guy, as he said. ... As a white guy, I'm happy that Bob Costas is passing off the Olympic coverage to another white guy. It's good to see the white guys keep their jobs in the media business.

This is a satirical commentary on Tirico's public statements regarding his race and Bob Costas's retirement.
Void
PFT CommenterPFT Commenter

Roger Goodell is being negligent by not knowing Barstool since they've been 'threatening his life'

[Roger Goodell] said he had never heard of Barstool Sports before. I believe him, yo. Which is bullshit. And as Dave and Hank mentioned, he's being negligent if he doesn't know who Barstool is because they were the ones that have been threatening his life. Allegedly. Through his own ignorance, he's actually putting the entire NFL in harm's way by not making sure that he takes all the precautions to stay alive.

The claim is satirical and refers to the 'alleged' threats as part of a comedy bit; it's not a factual claim of a murder plot.
Loss
PFT CommenterPFT Commenter

Marquette King is quitting the NFL to join Barstool Sports

Marquette King actually did a little bit of flirting with joining Barstool earlier today... he put up the peace sign on Twitter, meaning he was quitting to join Barstool Sports. Heard it here first.

PredictionMediaHotSarcastic
Marquette King did not quit the NFL for Barstool in 2017; he played for the Raiders and Broncos before eventually having a short-lived media partnership much later.
Void
PFT CommenterPFT Commenter

Mike Wilbon is actually a blogger because his job is the same as Barstool's

Has somebody explained to Mike Wilbon that his job is pretty literally our job? So he's a blogger, too. He doesn't even write columns anymore. You know what? Anybody that doesn't like bloggers, guess what? You're a blogger. I'm going to call you a blogger.

This is a satirical take on media definitions.
Win
PFT CommenterPFT Commenter

Vegas will be taken by storm once Brent Musburger moves there

Hot seat, I have Las Vegas. Brent Musburger is opening up a handicapping company in Las Vegas. So if you think that he's going to move out to the desert and not take that place by storm, then you haven't been watching television for the past 50 years.

Brent Musburger moved to Las Vegas and successfully launched VSiN (Vegas Stats & Information Network), which became a staple of sports betting media as the industry legalized.
Win
John ClaytonJohn Clayton

NFL TV ratings are still good but need to be adjusted for cord cutters and mobile viewers

Ratings have to be adjusted. You can't go straightly off the TV ratings, which are still good enough. because now you have to try to incorporate what's on your iPhone and all that, and they don't blend right now. Once they blend, they'll find out there's probably more football fans, but it's different football fans.

The NFL did eventually overhaul how it counts out-of-home and digital viewers to stabilize rating narratives.
Void
PFT CommenterPFT Commenter

Alex Smith should start a business holding penises in photos so his small hands make them look larger

Alex Smith should start a business where he is like a contractor for guys taking dick pics. He's like, 'I'll hold your dick in the picture' [so it looks bigger because of his small hands].

This is a satirical business proposal that was never intended to be literal or enacted.
Win
Michael SmithMichael Smith

The new 6 PM SportsCenter will be 90% conversation and only 10% traditional highlights

We have producers who enjoy and appreciate what we do... In fact, we had to give it a percentage. The six is going to be 85% to 90% of what you've seen on His and Hers and 10% some SportsCenter. And that 10% is going to feel like His and Hers. It's just going to be something that SportsCenter would have done anyway.

The SC6 era was widely characterized by the shift toward conversational, personality-based segments, though the format eventually reverted after their departure.
Open
HankHank

Lacrosse will be a top-tier major sport within 10 to 15 years

Cool throne lacrosse. I might have been in two. I've been a little early. I said there's 30 years. It's looking more like 10 to 15... I mean, it's like the hottest thing. It's like number one thing on SportsCenter.

While lacrosse has grown, it remains a niche professional sport compared to the 'Big 4' in 2024. The 15-year window closes in 2032.
Void
PFT CommenterPFT Commenter

Skip Bayless will eventually have a stroke and the only words he will be able to say are 'Aaron Rodgers is lucky'

Skip is going to wake up. He's going to have a stroke one day. And he's going to wake up and the only words he can say are going to be, 'Aaron Rodgers is lucky' and 'that field goal actually didn't go in.'

A satirical medical prediction about a media personality's future health and speech patterns.
Void
Michael RapaportMichael Rapaport

The Starters on NBA TV are sports hipsters

I don't like to shit on other people's quality of their work. But they have a show, and it's actually good. It's very stat-oriented... but like the Starters on the NBA network. They are hipsters. They're sports hipsters.

This is a subjective label based on Rapaport's definition of 'hipster'.
Push
PFT CommenterPFT Commenter

I'm the reason people like Joe Buck now

two-time Joe Buck, who people like him now because of us, I'm just gonna say it.

While Joe Buck's popularity did see a resurgence around this time, attributing it solely to PMT is a classic host exaggeration.

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