PMTPMT DB

Takes

Open
#PMT-2025-1015-11498
PFT CommenterPFT Commenter

The World Cup draw will be rigged for the United States

If anyone could pull it off, Trump doesn't care about soccer. Oh he does. He he's, he took the ball from FIFA. He's been bragging to everybody about how he got the World Cup. Make that happen buddy. Iceland is the smallest country to qualify for the World cup.

PredictionSoccerHotSarcastic
The 2026 World Cup draw will reveal if the USA gets an unusually easy path.
Open
#PMT-2025-0818-5225
HankHank

Tottenham will win the Premier League this year

Tottenham? Really? Yeah, it's their year... Man City? That feels like maybe a safer bet. But Tottenham.

The Premier League season is just beginning.
Void
#PMT-2025-0815-4492
MaxMax

Soccer is the most boring popular sport in the world

Soccer? Don't under don't understand. It's the most popular sport in the world. Yep. By far. Yep. And I watch a game and it seems so fucking boring. Like I get the moment that you get the goal is very fun. But every other moment in between it is like, when are they gonna fucking do something?

Void
#PMT-2025-0709-15882
PFT CommenterPFT Commenter

CONCACAF is rigged to ensure the United States doesn't win the Gold Cup

I join the chorus of those who were saying CONCACAF rigged. They don't want to see the United States win the Gold Cup. They'd much rather have it be Mexico.

The claim of institutional rigging for specific match outcomes is a subjective conspiracy theory without proof.
Void
#PMT-2024-0715-18873
Big CatBig Cat

Offsides should be removed from soccer

Offsides should be taken out of soccer. There should be no offsides.

This is a subjective opinion on rule changes.
Void
Take Slip·Jul 12, 2024
#PMT-2024-0712-3062
PFT CommenterPFT Commenter

The USMNT will never be great until the players care enough to fight fans in the stands

The United States will never be great at soccer until our players care enough to go into the stands and fight people from other countries. It just means more. That somehow a Malice at the Palace situation... these guys just fucking care about soccer.

The take is inherently subjective as it links greatness to fan-fighting, which isn't a standard metric.
Win
#PMT-2024-0703-4049
PFT CommenterPFT Commenter

The USMNT must fire Gregg Berhalter now or give up on the 2026 World Cup

Our players didn't play that well, but our coaching stunk. And so now he's gotta be fired. We gotta fire Greg. Now's time. If we're not gonna fire him now, just might as well give up on the World Cup.

Gregg Berhalter was fired on July 10, 2024, just one week after this episode aired.
Void
#PMT-2024-0703-4051
Big CatBig Cat

The USMNT might just suck at soccer regardless of the coaching

Now I agree that Greg Berhalter should be fired... is there a chance we just suck at soccer? I feel like everyone just tells us that this is the best players that we've ever had. And yet if you look at it, it's like 20 years ago or 30 years ago, we accomplished way more.

This is an ongoing debate about the state of American soccer and cannot be definitively proven right or wrong.
Open
#PMT-2024-0614-1983
PFT CommenterPFT Commenter

The USMNT should reach the semi-finals in the 2026 World Cup

I think our ceiling is probably the semi-finals at the very best in the next World Cup... Quarterly finals in the World Cup. And we've got a good enough team. The players are good enough to do it.

The USMNT failed to advance past the group stage in the 2024 Copa America, casting significant doubt on a World Cup semi-final ceiling.
Win
Take Slip·Jun 12, 2024
#PMT-2024-0612-13450
PFT CommenterPFT Commenter

The US Men's National Team should fire Greg Berhalter

I just wanna say that the United States men's national team should fire Greg Berhalter on the record. He was fired in 2022 and then they brought him back... we lost five one to Colombia. Right. And this is... it's not gonna happen. We know it's not gonna happen, but we're still keeping 'em around and it's very frustrating.

Berhalter was eventually fired on July 10, 2024, after a poor showing in Copa America.
Win
#PMT-2023-1122-8523
PFT CommenterPFT Commenter

USMNT coach Gregg Berhalter stinks and should be fired

My Hot Seat is Greg Berhalter. Ooh. The coach of the US men's national team out. He should be out. Yeah. Hot Seat Greg. He lost to Trinidad in Tobago. Can't do that... He stinks. We brought him back. He doesn't get along with any of the best players on the team. Fire Greg. Fire him.

Berhalter was eventually fired in July 2024 after a poor showing in the Copa America.
Void
#PMT-2023-0828-2479
HankHank

Messi's assist against the Red Bulls was the craziest pass I've ever seen

Beat the Red Bulls scored another or no? Yeah. Unbelievable goal. Probably the craziest pass I've ever seen in the, in the sport of football... I think it was [better than his World Cup pass].

Subjective opinion on aesthetics and skill.
Void
Take Slip·Aug 7, 2023
#PMT-2023-0807-17133
PFT CommenterPFT Commenter

Expected goals is the biggest crock of shit stat in sports

I'm a big expected goals guy. You know the expected goals account that tweets out... how many goals you should have scored... that is maybe the biggest crock of shit stat in sports. It's like, well based on how you guys really played, you won two to nothing.

Subjective opinion on sports analytics.
Void
Take Slip·Aug 2, 2023
#PMT-2023-0802-5618
PFT CommenterPFT Commenter

The US Women's National Team are 'entitled babies'

No, you shouldn't be celebrating like that after you tie Portugal. Zero. Zero. You only won one game against Vietnam... So act listen, you haven't won shit yet. They're entitled, they're entitled babies.

The USWNT was eventually knocked out in the Round of 16, their worst ever World Cup finish, lending some creedence to the critique of their play.
Void
#PMT-2022-1207-2295
HankHank

Cristiano Ronaldo is the GOAT

Ronaldo, my goat got benched. People don't like Ronaldo. I don't understand. ... Ronaldo's the goat, Messi's great but Ronaldo greater.

Messi won the 2022 World Cup shortly after this take, largely settling the debate for most fans.
Void
#PMT-2022-0401-10829
HankHank

Soccer is a joke because games are decided by penalty kicks with lasers in players' faces

I said that soccer is a joke. Like the fact that your spot at the World Cup is determined by a fucking penalty kick with laser beams getting shot in your face is a joke.

This is a subjective opinion on the sport's rules.
Loss
#PMT-2022-0330-8449
PFT CommenterPFT Commenter

It would be 'fucking hilarious' if the US Men's National Soccer Team loses by 6 goals and misses the World Cup

If the U.S. team loses by six goals tonight then they don't automatically qualify... I as a giant U.S. men's national team soccer fan, I can admit that if they lose by six goals tonight and don't qualify, that is fucking hilarious. I hope either they win or they lose by six or more goals tonight.

The US lost 2-0 to Costa Rica, which was sufficient to qualify on goal differential. They did not lose by 6.
Win
Take Slip·Aug 16, 2021
#PMT-2021-0816-2380
Big CatBig Cat

I don't want the Waterdogs to win the championship if it is played on an NFL Sunday

If the Waterdogs want to be the best dogs possible, they would lose in the semifinals. So we don't have to watch them in the finals... I don't want to have to be burdened with them on an NFL Sunday.

OpinionSoccerHotSarcastic
The Waterdogs lost in the semifinals in 2021, meaning Big Cat's 'wish' to not have to watch them in the final on an NFL Sunday was granted.
Push
Take Slip·Aug 13, 2021
#PMT-2021-0813-18865
PFT CommenterPFT Commenter

US vs Mexico is no longer a soccer rivalry because the US wins every time

I would actually go as far as to say that it's not even a rivalry. A rivalry implies that both teams win occasionally. And if you look back at the history of our last two League of Nations Golden Cups, it's just basically us showing up out there.

While the US did have a great run (the 'Dos a Cero' era continued), Mexico won matches later, and rivalries are based on more than just a 1-2 year window. In 2021, the US definitely had the upper hand.
Void
Take Slip·Jul 12, 2021
#PMT-2021-0712-14251
TroopzTroopz

Gareth Southgate is to blame for England's Euro loss due to delayed substitutions

I think south gate [Southgate], I think you took too long to meet the changes because when you brought on stack off [Saka] is when they equalized... Sack [Saka] was 19. How'd you make it a 19 year old, 10 [take] the final penny [penalty]? How can you make a 19 year old?

The take is an opinion on coaching tactics that cannot be definitively proven right or wrong, but it reflects the consensus criticism of Southgate's management in that final.
Void
Take Slip·Jul 9, 2021
#PMT-2021-0709-8852
Big CatBig Cat

Soccer should change the rules to prohibit scoring on a penalty kick rebound

I don't think you should be able to rebound a penalty in soccer... I just feel like you should get it if you miss it you miss it... If you miss it, you miss it. It's a fucking free throw.

This is a subjective opinion about how a sport should be governed.
Open
Take Slip·Jun 30, 2021
#PMT-2021-0630-17275
Big CatBig Cat

The United States will win the World Cup in Roger Bennett's children's lifetime

The America will be world champions... in your children's lifetime.

The USMNT has never won a World Cup; the furthest they've gone in the modern era is the Quarterfinals (2002).
Void
#PMT-2021-0628-4276
PFT CommenterPFT Commenter

Cristiano Ronaldo is not a top three Ronaldo

It's time that we have an honest conversation about Ronaldo. I don't even think he's a top three Ronaldo. You've got Ronaldo, you've got Ronaldinho, who is named Ronaldo... Fat Ronaldo. He's number six overall Ronaldo.

The ranking of players by name is subjective, though most soccer experts would place Cristiano Ronaldo in the top three players of all time, regardless of name.
Void
#PMT-2021-0423-6303
Big CatBig Cat

The European Super League would actually have been sweet because of the high-level matchups.

The Super League kind of would have been sweet. ... Imagine if there was just a Wednesday, like every Wednesday afternoon, just the best teams in the world playing each other. ... would you watch because it's going to be sweet. They'd be like, yeah, I'd watch. ... It would have been fucking sweet.

Subjective opinion on sports entertainment value.
Push
#PMT-2021-0423-6301
PFT CommenterPFT Commenter

The European Super League was a trial balloon that will eventually lead to it actually happening.

It's going to happen. The Super League's going to happen. This was a trial balloon that they sent out there.

While the specific breakaway league failed, UEFA changed the Champions League format to a 'Swiss Model' that guarantees more games between top clubs, often called a 'compromise Super League'.
Void
Take Slip·Apr 21, 2021
#PMT-2021-0421-8328
Big CatBig Cat

America deserves all the credit for killing the European Super League

In order to kill something so evil as the Super League, you have to create it. So shouldn't Americans get credit for creating something that the world can get behind and [kill]? We did this. We created and killed it, so we deserve all the credit. Specifically this show and generally America.

While American owners (Glazers, FSG, Kroenke) were central to the Super League creation, the 'credit' for killing it is subjective and satirical here.
Loss
Take Slip·Mar 1, 2021
#PMT-2021-0301-11508
TroopzTroopz

Mikel Arteta should be fired as Arsenal manager

I am Arteta out... He needs to fuck off. If [Kroenke] doesn't spend enough money, then he needs to fuck off... This is the lowest we've ever been [as a club].

Arteta survived this period and eventually led Arsenal to multiple title races in 2023 and 2024, proving Troopz wrong in the long term.
Void
Take Slip·Sep 2, 2020
#PMT-2020-0902-7739
PFT CommenterPFT Commenter

Chris Paul would easily be a top three or four US men's soccer player

Chris Paul's personality makes you forget how good a basketball he is because he's the worst anytime. Yeah. Well in the nuts anytime the guy shit, but he's awesome... I still think he would be Top three top for US men's soccer player. Yes easily.

While CP3 is an elite athlete, the claim that he could play for the national soccer team with zero training is purely satirical.
Loss
Take Slip·Jul 24, 2020
#PMT-2020-0724-8736
PFT CommenterPFT Commenter

The MLS is a Ponzi scheme

I don't understand how they can keep adding teams. It is a Ponzi scheme. Because you just pay the existing owners and the talent isn't there to keep up.

While it operates on expansion fees, it's a legal business structure for a sports league, making 'Ponzi scheme' a satirical exaggeration.
Void
#PMT-2020-0504-9390
HankHank

Soccer is boring because you cannot use your hands

Soccer... simple, just because any sport that you can't use your hands, that's like 50% of your body and the stuff that are much more important and you can't even use it. You're just running around, at most you're scoring one goal. It's boring as fuck.

This is a matter of personal taste and opinion.
Void
#PMT-2019-1016-745
Big CatBig Cat

I am done with U.S. Men's Soccer after the loss to Canada

Just when you think it couldn't get worse, we lose to Canada. ... I'm done with the U.S. soccer until they start fucking just doing anything. ... I'm done being embarrassed. I want them to be good.

This is a statement of personal fandom resignation, which he eventually retracted in subsequent years (as is tradition).
Loss
#PMT-2019-0812-11723
Big CatBig Cat

Christian Pulisic stunk in his Chelsea debut and might not be ready for the bright lights

I watched the whole game. He stunk. Is he not ready for the bright lights?... I'm just going to say, as someone who was ready to declare this the biggest moment in USA soccer history, yeesh, maybe we have to start getting the narrative that he's not from America.

Pulisic's Chelsea career was a mix of brilliant stretches (Champions League win) and inconsistent/injury-prone periods. Declaring him a bust after one game was a classic overreaction.
Push
#PMT-2019-0731-11028
HankHank

US Soccer audited finances prove the women players earn more than the men

My hot seat is people who think U.S. soccer is sexist and doesn't pay the women enough. Because our good friend DR came out with a tweet today where he showed that the women – U.S. soccer responded for the first time ever with what shows that their independently audited finances that show that their women players actually earn more than the men.

The USSF did release an open letter claiming women earned $34M compared to men's $26M from 2010-2018, but the USWNT disputed this by noting the men have more games and the payment structures (guaranteed vs. bonus-heavy) make a direct comparison difficult. The lawsuit eventually settled in 2022 with a massive payment to the women.
Void
Take Slip·Jul 3, 2019
#PMT-2019-0703-6652
PFT CommenterPFT Commenter

Tim Howard is the greatest male U.S. soccer player of all time

I would say the greatest, the greatest male U.S. soccer player. Landon Donovan, Kobe Jones, Alexi Lalas, [Dempsey], [Dempsey], Freddie Adu. That's it. That's the list.

Subjective ranking of soccer legends.
Void
#PMT-2019-0621-1002
PFT CommenterPFT Commenter

VAR is ruining soccer and we should go back to just complaining about refs

My other fire fest... is robots. Especially VAR robots in the World Cup, in the Women's World Cup. It's ruining soccer. It is absolutely ruining it. I'm actually the mindset that I'm out on instant replay across the board. I think we've gone too far. Fuck the robots. We need to complain about refs.

This is an ongoing subjective debate in the soccer world. VAR remains highly controversial years later.
Loss
Take Slip·Feb 11, 2019
#PMT-2019-0211-19616
JJ WattJJ Watt

I honestly thought I could be a Premier League goalie with one year of training

I swore I could be a Premier League goalie. And she's [my girlfriend, Kealia Ohai] a soccer player. So I was like, give me one year to train. I think I can do it. So she goes, okay, come to the field... She smoked a ball past my face so fucking fast. And I was like, no chance. You can give me five years to train. No chance.

He literally tested this theory and immediately realized he was wrong, admitting 'no chance'.
Open
#PMT-2018-0829-17576
Big CatBig Cat

The US will win the World Cup in 25 years thanks to Cristiano Ronaldo's son

Cristiano Ronaldo's son is now playing for Juventus under nine. And he was born in San Diego, so he's an American citizen. We're going to win the World Cup in 25 years.

PredictionSoccerHotSarcastic
Purely speculative and humorous. Cristiano Jr. is not currently tracking to play for the USMNT.
Void
Take Slip·Jul 16, 2018
#PMT-2018-0716-14070
Wayne RooneyWayne Rooney

Lionel Messi is the greatest soccer player of all time, better than Cristiano Ronaldo

Ronaldo versus Messi. Who's better? [Rooney:] Messi. Yeah, I think I've said it before, but they're both probably the best players ever to play the game. And I just think Messi is... In my eyes, the greatest ever.

Subjective debate, but a significant opinion from an elite player.
Void
Take Slip·Jul 13, 2018
#PMT-2018-0713-8928
Big CatBig Cat

The US not making the 2018 World Cup was the best thing for soccer in America

The U.S. not making this World Cup is actually the best thing that has ever happened for soccer in America... with the U.S. removed, you watch this World Cup... and people got to enjoy soccer for soccer and not worry about, are we good enough? Is the U.S. up there with them? They just got to enjoy the game.

Void
Take Slip·Jun 25, 2018
#PMT-2018-0625-13775
PFT CommenterPFT Commenter

Soccer players are frauds and the sport isn't that difficult to play

Soccer players are frauds. I don't think that it's that difficult to play soccer.

The difficulty of professional soccer is subjective, but as a take, it's a high-level provocation.
Loss
Take Slip·Jun 25, 2018
#PMT-2018-0625-13777
Big CatBig Cat

Harry Kane is a bust because he only scores from point-blank range

Harry Kane, still a bust in my mind [because] he just only scores from like two feet out. He basically didn't even have to [try for the hat trick]. He just showed up, and I could have gotten that hat trick.

Harry Kane went on to win the Golden Boot at the 2018 World Cup with 6 goals, though many were penalties or close-range finishes, making the take technically incorrect regarding him being a 'bust'.
Loss
#PMT-2018-0622-12596
Big CatBig Cat

Lionel Messi is dead

Messi's dead. Messi is dead. Dunzo. Listen, it's a team sport. Go back to Argentina, Messi. Okay? It's a team sport. Argentina stinks. Messi's great. Yeah.

Messi went on to win the Copa America in 2021 and the World Cup in 2022, proving he was very much not 'dead'.
Loss
Take Slip·Jun 18, 2018
#PMT-2018-0618-1662
PFT CommenterPFT Commenter

Argentina might be better at the World Cup without Lionel Messi

I think that Argentina might be better without Messi now. The whole team, they're in the win-win-for-Messi mode. And it weighs on their shoulders. Too much pressure.

Argentina struggled in the 2018 World Cup, barely advancing past the group stage and losing in the Round of 16, but Messi remained their most vital player.
Win
Take Slip·Jun 15, 2018
#PMT-2018-0615-7613
Roger BennettRoger Bennett

Don't bet against Russia in the World Cup because FIFA always lets host dictators win for propaganda

I wouldn't bet against Russia. ... FIFA... they've got a history of dropping [the World Cup] into the hornet's nest of dictators looking for an easy propaganda win. ... I wouldn't bet against Russia.

Russia, the lowest-ranked team in the tournament, made a shocking run to the Quarter-finals, including beating Spain, largely validating this take.
Win
#PMT-2018-0509-4057
PFT CommenterPFT Commenter

If you put an 'American stink' on an EPL team, they deserve to be relegated

If you get an American stink on your EPL team, you deserve to be relegated. [referencing Bob Bradley's tenure at Swansea City]

Hot TakeSoccerHotSarcastic
Swansea City was indeed relegated at the end of the 2017-18 season, shortly after this episode aired.
Push
#PMT-2018-0402-4253
PFT CommenterPFT Commenter

Zlatan Ibrahimovic is the future of American soccer at age 34

Zlatan is going to save soccer in America. He is. He's the future of American soccer. He's 34. And he's the future.

Hot TakeSoccerHotSarcastic
Zlatan was a huge success in MLS but clearly not the long-term future given his age; he returned to Europe shortly after.
Void
#PMT-2018-0214-2709
PFT CommenterPFT Commenter

The first game of the World Cup is the only one everyone genuinely gets up for

That's the one soccer game that everybody gets up for is the first one. And then after that, the novelty kind of dies off. I would say that the championship game is a little bit more fatigue. So, like, everyone's had a month of soccer already. If they're not one of your two teams in the finals, you're like, eh, I can take it or leave it.

This is subjective, but most sports metrics (TV ratings, global betting) show the final is exponentially more popular than the opening match.
Loss
#PMT-2018-0122-10684
PFT CommenterPFT Commenter

Freddie Adu is back and American soccer is saved

Freddie Adu is back, and therefore U.S. soccer is back... News soon. Oh. Yeah. So he's back. He's the future. He is the future of American soccer.

Fact ClaimSoccerHotSarcastic
Freddie Adu's comeback did not revitalize US Soccer; he played for the Las Vegas Lights in 2018 and then retired.
Void
#PMT-2017-1011-3726
PFT CommenterPFT Commenter

LeBron James should play for the US Men's Soccer team

LeBron actually should play for us. If you were to take the best NFL athletes... could the Chiefs qualify for the World Cup under the instruction of Andy Reid?

LeBron James never played professional soccer; this is a classic sports hypothetical.
Win
#PMT-2017-0905-19535
Big CatBig Cat

It would be hilarious if the US Men's Soccer team failed to qualify for the World Cup

It would be hilarious if the US didn't make the World Cup. It would be very, very funny. It would be so fucking funny. We could make jokes all summer long and be like, when does the US play?

The US lost to Trinidad and Tobago and failed to qualify, leading to exactly the jokes Big Cat predicted.
2