Takes

This Dungeons and Dragons episode is the best one the show has ever done

It is Dungeons and Dragons Day, the best one we've ever done... I honestly think it's the best one we've ever done.

Dungeons and Dragons is the universal game of imagination that everyone has already played

I like to say D&D is the game that everyone has played. Even if you only did it when you were a kid and didn't know it was D&D, it is just the game of imagination that we all play. And it's the, it is the universal game in many ways.

The Patriots are built for a long-term fight for the future

I'm excited going forward. Like I, I have never been, you know, I'm bought into this Patriots team. I'm excited for the future... knowing that there is the community of Patriots fans where it's like... going forward, we're, we're ready to fight. We're ready to keep fighting.

Seahawks coach Mike Macdonald is an absolute psycho in the best way possible

I'm obsessed with Mike Macdonald now... He is an absolute psycho. I saw two things that were like, holy fuck, this guy's a psycho... after he won the Super Bowl, he was lamenting that the season was over... And then two... [when a player sprained an ankle] he was like, 'good, good. Like adversity good.'

Midweek college basketball is better than the NBA

That's why I love college basketball so much, especially this time of year where every game feels so important... there's nothing like these college basketball games, a midweek game where the crowd and you get true home court advantage. And it feels like there's big, big time stakes.

LeBron James is the face of the NBA until the day he retires

As long as LeBron's in the league, LeBron is not only the face of the league, but definitely has a weighted opinion on basketball... LeBron is the face of the league until he is no longer in the league.

Stop comparing your boat to others and just appreciate your own boat

There's a lot of guys looking at your boat... that'd be enough boat for me. I think not to make this about life, but it's, it's just something to remember. There's probably somebody looking at your boat going that's that's good enough for me. I should stop looking at the other boats.

The current college basketball season is the best in a long time because the top of the rankings is loaded with juggernauts.

This might be the best college basketball season we're having right now in a long, long time. It is so loaded at the top. There are, you go eight deep of teams that feel like they are like juggernauts.

Jaxon Smith-Njigba has the best body language of any receiver I've ever seen

You'll find that fascinating. It's, Sam never heard a quarterback say it. He's got the best body language of any receiver that I've ever seen. Body language. Well, that's usually something said in a singles bar.

Jalen Ramsey is the hardest cornerback to play against

Jalen Ramsey... he was one of the first defenders that could go out there and run with you and jump with you, tackle you. The guy basically could be a receiver if he wanted to... we groomed and I would say changed each other's game.

Special teams is the most magnified and important factor in NFL playoff margins

I think in the playoffs, more than anything, it comes true: special teams. Because we make the joke, oh it's a third of the game because it's a cliché and obviously it's not as important as offense/defense, but when you get into the playoffs and the margins are so thin, special teams becomes so, so important and so magnified.

Sam Darnold is playing with incredible maturity and focusing on wins over stats

I watched him throw the ball away. Here is a guy that has grown in maturity, that has used all that kind of pain and frustration... to his advantage. He's not worried about putting up stats, he's worried about wins. And he is looking at it from a standpoint, the only way my team that's playing so well right now loses is if I screw it up.

The Buffalo Bills head coaching vacancy is the number one open job in the NFL

Sean McDermott was fired... credit to us, we essentially said that had to happen... this now becomes, in my mind, the number one job. It's the number one job open.

Anthony Edwards is the future face of the NBA

Anthony Edwards is awesome. How, at what point is Anthony Edwards? Can we just say he's the face of the league... I mean, it was, it was, it was two future faces of this league. It was Victor, Victor Wembanyama and, and Ant going back to back.

Hiring John Harbaugh is a smart move for the Giants because they desperately need stability.

This was, I mean, this is a smart move. I I, I like this move for the Giants. It feels like they needed stability... you hiring him. You're not gonna fire him in three years, even if it takes a little bit of time to get things going.

Justin Herbert's throwing ability is the 'Mona Lisa' of football

If throwing a football was supposed to be artistic or beautiful, that is the Mona Lisa, this guy. He's the guy that as a fellow thrower... when I watch him throw, I'm like, oh, it gives your heart beats value. Like, oh that is beautiful.

Fasting is the worst thing ever

I realized I was such a bitch. ... Anyone who tries to tell you the fasting is the way to go. It ain't, it ain't the way to go.

Ben Johnson must be more aggressive in the playoffs for the Bears to succeed

Ben Johnson fucked up at points in this game, especially not going for it on fourth and five in the fourth quarter. Hopefully he realizes the defense that the Bears have right now, you gotta be very aggressive in these playoffs to string together some wins.

The Bears' defense is a major liability for a deep playoff run

It's gonna be very hard if you don't turn the ball over to get a deep playoff run with this defense that's just stating facts. I've watched 'em every single game. It's, if you don't get turned the ball over, they just get shredded.

The Harbaugh vs. Vrabel playoff matchup will feel like Michigan vs. Ohio State

Do you think that this, that Harbaugh looks at this matchup against Vrabel as Michigan, Ohio State? I feel—I didn't even think about that. I think that's—I think Vrabel is the same way though.

Justin Herbert needs to finally win a playoff game to shut up the doubters

I just need Herbert to win a playoff game because every year it's the same fucking shit where it's everyone's hating on Herbert. We need the Chargers to win this shit. I just get my hopes up every year. Fucking 27-nothing lead we fucking blow it.

LeBron James is officially obsessed with golf

He is checked out. He's got the bug. He's officially obsessed with golf. I would like to see his YouTube stats... I think he's deep into the Pop Does Sports Universe. He probably watched the Internet Invitational.

The Bills defense is their Achilles heel but steps up in major moments

The Bills defense is their Achilles heel. But if you look at what the bills have done in some of these big time games... they have also stepped up in big time moments to make big time plays and win games. Because their offense is not the problem.

The Chargers are currently the top 'ball team' in the NFL

I loved what Harbaugh said after the game. He goes, it's a ball team.... I think the Chargers gotta be the number one ball team. There's a difference between a great team and a ball team. There's just a pure—

Caleb Williams has proven he is a successful cold-weather quarterback

What I liked about it proved that Caleb can play in the cold. ... No, he looked so comfortable and, and it was awesome to see. He's cold weather quarterback.

The Rams are the class of the NFC

The Rams are a scary, scary team. ... What Stafford and Puka have going on right now, it, it just, there's nothing you can do. ... They look like the most complete team in the NFL.

Liam Cohen should be in the Coach of the Year conversation

Liam Cohen is, he should be in the conversation for Coach of the Year. He's completely turned around this team and this offense in a way that feels real and meaningful and sustainable.

Jameson Williams is the X-factor for the Lions' offense

Jameson is, he's like the difference maker. 'Cause he's gonna stretch the field and if you hit him deep, then you just, you start hitting Amon-Ra on the underneath... They need to get him going.

MLB is currently in the best place it's been in a decade

This is the best baseball it's been in 10 years. I think Rob Manfred has done an incredible job with the with the time clock, with the basis, I mean the pace of the game.

The Eagles defense is nasty and Jalen Phillips was the missing piece to make them elite again

I think the Eagles defense is nasty... Jalen Phillips was a monster and they feel like they're rounding into that type of form again.

Chemistry is the most underrated aspect of sports

Something very underrated about sports in general. People always underestimate chemistry. You know, we could talk about stats and the star player and this and that, but when you enjoy playing with somebody, I think those guys look, there's eight guys scoring 10 points on the bulls.

Al Michaels' broadcasting mood is determined by the length of his flight to the stadium

My theory too on Al is that it just depends on how long of a flight he had to take. So when he's like at a Charger's vi the Charger's playing the Vikings, which was a blowout, he was pretty happy tonight... If he has to call next week Jets, patriots, we're gonna get a surly surly al Michaels 'cause he is gotta go cross country. He's gonna be pissed off.

Solo dates are the superior way to experience the movies

I went on, I guess what someone called solo date the other day. I thought it was okay. I thought it was like a rec, a super normal thing to do... You ever, you ever go to the movies solo? Yes sir. All the time. That's great. I think that's the best way to go to the movies.

The Dodgers/Blue Jays 2025 World Series was one of the greatest ever

That was one of the greatest World series, like start to finish. ... every game had its own like little unique personality to it and was crazy. It, it was nuts.

The 18-inning game took more out of the Dodgers than the Blue Jays due to their age

They were saying that the 18 inning game took more out of the Dodgers than the Blue Jays because the Dodgers are considerably older of a team.

The Blue Jays are playing free with nothing to lose compared to the pressured Dodgers

The Jays are in a great sweet spot right now. Very talented team. And they're playing free with nothing to lose.

Dodger Stadium has a very cool vintage 1970s aura

I don't know, I was seeing some people say that there's a lack of aura in Los Angeles... at least just from personal experience, we went to that stadium. That stadium has Aura. Yeah. That stadium is cool as fuck. It's the worst place to get in and out of. But when you're in there, it has like a very cool vintage seventies type vibe.

TV networks should force in-house umpires to wear full gear during broadcasts

I have a dumb sports rule for you guys... our friends of Fox were going to the in-house umpire Mark Carlson. He was wearing a suit and tie. I think the in-house umpire should have to wear a full chest protector and mask because baseball's the one sport where managers wear full uniforms. Why aren't we doing that?

Ohio State is currently a super team that is so good it's almost boring

Ohio State... they're so good. They're boring. Yeah. And their schedule's not helping. 'cause the teams that were supposed to be good on their schedule have kind of stunk... they're just loaded top to bottom.

Trix Yogurt is an elite-tier snack

TRX Yogurt is elite. The best. No free ads, but that's a good free ads. Do they exist? ... TRX Yogurt was discontinued in 2016... but it's since returned to the market.

Dak Prescott is the ultimate leader and everyone in the Cowboys building plays for him

He is the best. Like he is the absolute best. He would, you would love him if you, if he got to sit down here and just, just shoot the shit... guys in that building play for that guy. I'm telling you.

Ohio State's current team is better than last year's team

[Big Cat: Are you ready to say this team is better than last year's team?] Yeah. I think [Will] Howard's even better. [Big Cat: You mean Will Howard?] Yeah... Sayin's even better. He just—you know, they don't even need him.

The Bears are unequivocally no longer a bad football team

I would say the Bears are not a good football team, but they're unequivocally no longer a bad football team. And that is a very important distinction to make in the progression of a team.

The NFL should have a commissioner for every division to run PR and attack ads

Wouldn't it be cool if there was a commissioner for each division? I mean, just had like commercials and stuff and you're like, yeah, hey, here at the AFC South, we actually played winning football now. ... I just wanna watch a football game and see just an attack ad on a certain division. Like, 'The NFC South sucks... they have the Bucs, but what else?'

Awarding the Heisman Trophy before postseason games are played is bizarre

The only thing I would wish for the Heisman Trophy that it was awarded when all the games were done. That whole award before these postseason games are played is absolutely bizarre to me. Like, I don't, I can't comprehend it. Never will.

The Eagles' loss was due to an absolute gauntlet of a schedule catching up with them

I will say that the Eagles also have played just an absolute gauntlet of a schedule so far... at some point that caught up with them a little bit. And the Broncos are good enough to take advantage of that.

The Buccaneers are the most fun team in the NFL

The Bucks are the funnest team in the NFL bar none. So much fun to watch. Not even close.

The Cubs should always play afternoon playoff games and the Phillies should always play night games

I have a take about the Cubs games. I think the playoffs, whenever possible the Cubs should play afternoon games. And the Phillies should play night games... Because Wrigley Field looks awesome. Especially like in the sunset... the stadium is perfect for Twilight. And then Philly, the SEC environment... it works at the bank.

Being a backup quarterback is the hardest role to prepare for in football

It's probably the hardest position on the football team that still has to prepare like a starter, but is not playing... you're sitting there watching... and I never did this in Green Bay... but if that starter goes out with injury, I've gotta put the helmet on and go play. I don't want you to play like the starter. I want you to play like you.

Hank is the 'glue guy' of the show and it would fall apart without him

Hank's the glue guy of this show. So I always has been. It means you're the glue. If you weren't here, this show would fall apart.