Takes

Bill Belichick is the greatest coach of all time because he can relate to his players

It's a reason that he's one of the great – he is the greatest coach of all time because he can relate to his players.

Ed Reed was the most talented player on the 2001 Miami Hurricanes

[Big Cat]: 2001 Miami Hurricanes... Can you tell us who the best player on that team was being up close and personal with them? [Wilfork]: Probably Ed Reed.

If one nuclear bomb is launched, the whole world will blow up in a chain reaction

North Korea is developing nukes, and my theory is once one of those... So I've always thought once one nuclear bomb goes in the air, then... All the other countries and worlds are going to let them off, and then the whole world's going to blow up.

Grit is the ability to keep your confidence when your results aren't being met

I think grit is the ability to keep your confidence when your potential is not being met or when the result is not being met in a particular time in life or in a particular moment... When things aren't going well, can you continue to play without being distracted, without letting doubts, without letting the doubters get in and knock you off your game?

I want to coach at a championship level again

Well, I want to coach. But I want to coach. I want to go to a championship capacity type program... having the job taken from us like that [at Indiana], I mean, I've never let it get in and take my nerve or create doubt that I can't do this at the highest level.

I will likely work in television this upcoming year

I would think this year... It's very likely going to be television. And I feel like I can go in there and learn a lot. I never looked at television or media or radio or anything other than it being a very hard task to be very good at.

Dwyane Wade and Victor Oladipo are the best and most versatile players I've coached

The best guys – were the most versatile guys because they made everybody else better. And I think the thing about a guy like Dwyane Wade, the thing about a kid like Victor [Oladipo], Jerel McNeal and Wes Matthews were like this for us at Marquette. Those guys didn't have to score and they didn't have to be making shots to have their presence felt in a big way.

LeBron James is in a unique ballpark of basketball intelligence

Dwyane said this about LeBron. Dwyane is very smart, incredibly smart player... Dwyane said, I'm smart. He said, I know I'm smart. I'm not even in the same ballpark as this guy. And he's pointing at LeBron in the sense of how smart he is on the court... LeBron's in a very, very unique place for his mindset.

Lonzo Ball is one of the most prolific passers and has incredible vision

I reserve judgment on any of that other than that he is one of the most prolific passers and has incredible vision. I don't think there's very many guys that have come across in a period of time like that.

The 2017 Stanley Cup Final will go seven games

Nashville was outplaying the Penguins. I think this is going to go seven. I think it's going to be a classic Stanley Cup final that only a million and a half people watch.

Tiger Woods' hair plugs are working

His hair did not look as bad as it has in the past... No, but it looks like the hair plugs might be working. Because Tiger Woods is a notorious guy who went balding pretty early.

The Warriors will beat the Cavaliers in five games in the 2017 NBA Finals

My pick is Warriors in five.

The Cavs-Warriors rubber match is the NBA Finals we need

It is the Cavs, Warriors, the finals everyone wants to see, the finals we need. It's the rubber match.

Grit is an inherent trait you are born with

Grit, I mean, I feel like it's something that you just have to have in you. I wouldn't say it's something that you learn. I think you can adapt to it over time. But I think it's something that you're going to go regardless of the circumstance.

The NBA is paying the refs

The NBA is paying the refs. The NBA actually always pays the refs. That's how they get paid. They're paying the refs.

I still play football in my dreams

I play in dreams... I don't ever have any coaching dreams, but I have football dreams still, and I play. I play... Sometimes I'll be D1, but more and more, for some reason, I'm in the D3 now. I've got another year of eligibility.

I predict love will be found on this season of the Bachelorette

I'm sure this is going to be a great season. They're going to find love. I'm going to predict it right now. I'm calling my shot. Love.

This is the year of the Nashville Predators in the Stanley Cup

The Predators, I feel like this is the Predators' year. People have been saying it for a long time. This is the Predators' year. Take out your fang claws. Nashville's number one hockey city in Tennessee.

A truly gritty person doesn't want to explain what grit is

I think in all fairness, if you are gritty, you don't want to be the person explaining what it is. You just go out and you do your job every day. And then everyone else can decide if you're gritty or not.

Deflections are the most important stat when playing a press defense

Since we started pressing, it's deflections. Deflections is a sign of activity and energy. It's disruptive.

Fans will get sick of the Cavaliers-Warriors NBA Finals preview within a week

We are all going to get so fucking sick of the Cavs-Warriors preview, because it's already starting. They're already previewing Cavs-Warriors, and then if both sides sweep... I think it's like seven days before the NBA Finals start. That's a shitload of previews.

Don't bet on Ben's Cat in the Jim McKay Turf Sprint because he is too old

Don't bet Ben's Cat. He's a real popular horse that's going to run in the Jim McKay turf sprint. He's 11 years old, which is like playing in the NFL at age 70... Ben's cat being 11 would probably be the equivalent of a 45, 46-year-old player in the NFL.

Lonzo Ball is going to the Los Angeles Lakers

Lonzo Ball is going to the Los Angeles Lakers.

The Celtics have to draft Markelle Fultz with the number one pick

You gotta go with Fultz, you know, we, Celtics need another guard.

The Celtics are obviously going to lose the series to the Cavaliers

We're obviously going to lose the series. That's a fact. I mean, Isaiah [Thomas], he got worked by the Washington guards. He's going to get worked by Kyrie [Irving].

Banning the dunk ruined the game for basketball fans

I thought [the dunk being banned] was just made to deal with me... But no, it ruined the game for the fans. So that wasn't smart.

James Harden will definitely need PR 101 assistance again in the future

First up, we have a little PR 101 for James Harden, who I'm going to call my shot here. I think this isn't the last time we're going to have to do PR 101 for James Harden.

The Spurs always successfully find the right veterans to fit their system

Actually, [the Spurs] are a team that just it's like a revolving door of talent. They always bring in the right pieces and the right guys to fit the system. And no matter how old or you might think they are, they might be getting guys that are on the tail end of their careers are still able to do and play at a high level.

Kevin Durant joining the Warriors didn't change the mindset because they were already the team to beat

When [Durant] went there, I think it surprised everybody... but it's the same mindset. You already knew Golden State was the team to beat, and now they're still the team to beat with Kevin Durant. So the mindset didn't change. It was how are we going to beat them.

I know every NBA referee by name to build rapport and avoid technicals

I talk to all of them. Know them all by name... Go up to them before the game, say what's up.

I am not confident about the Celtics playing the Cavaliers in the Eastern Conference Finals

I'm not really going to act like I'm super confident about playing the Cavs.

MJ is the greatest of all time

As much as I obviously don't want to get in the debate because I obviously everyone knows where I stand. MJ, greatest of all time.

The Cavaliers and Warriors will meet in the 2017 NBA Finals

I think the Cavs and Warriors are going to play each other in the NBA Finals.

The Rockets-Spurs series will go seven games

The Rockets-Spurs, it will go 6 or 7. It will go 7. I'm going to say it right now. It's going to go 7 because Hank's whole theory of teams only winning at home.

Sidney Crosby is going to destroy the Capitals

And Sidney Crosby, make no mistake about it, is going to be heavily involved in the destruction of the Capitals.

95% of sports teams end their season in heartbreak

Caring about sports is overrated... People forget that 95% of teams lose at the end of the season. Their season ends in heartbreak. I don't know if I did the math right. It's about 95%.

Cinco de Mayo is just an excuse for Americans to drink beer

I don't even think they [Mexicans] know that Cinco de Mayo is a thing. It's kind of, I think, just a excuse for the rest of the world to drink. And that beer, it says beer companies were actually, once they started diving in... it kind of took off.

The Cavaliers are going to sweep the Raptors

The Cavs are going to sweep the Raptors. Get us to the conference final. Get us to the finals.

Mint Juleps are overrated drinks that you only want half of

Mint julep is the ultimate drink where you get really excited about having them on Derby Day... then by the time you get halfway done, you're like, I'll just take a beer.

Greg Popovich will complain about James Harden flopping during their series

Pop is going to complain about James Harden flopping at some point in the series in his very Pop way... about how James Harden kind of jumps into defenders when shooting threes.

Lane Kiffin is thinking too hard

Lane's thinking too hard. Let's just say that. He's thinking a little too hard.

Kansas City has the best barbecue in the country

Kansas City, best barbecue in the country? I think so.

Clubhouse character and camaraderie are essential for winning in MLB

All of a sudden, [Dayton Moore] brought this culture in, and he wanted guys that came up through the minor leagues together... all of a sudden, character became very, very important. And I really believe that's one of the reasons that a team... all of a sudden, we go to the playoffs... next year, win the World Series. And so that's when I became a firm believer that character does play a role, the camaraderie in the locker room.

The Browns will draft Myles Garrett with the number one overall pick

They're going to screw it up. I don't know. They can't. I mean, it's going to be Myles Garrett.

Mitchell Trubisky will be the first quarterback taken in the 2017 NFL Draft

I would be very surprised if it's not Trubisky [going first among QBs]. That's what it seems like.

The Capitals have a great chance to win the Eastern Conference this year

Logan, is it the Caps year? You know what? They've got a great team. We don't really get to see the East as often, obviously. But if there's any team that can do it, I'd say I think so.

2017 is officially the Penguins' year

It is officially the Penguins' year.

Alexander Ovechkin drinks Coca-Cola on the bench instead of Gatorade

So instead of drinking Gatorade on the sidelines, he just drinks Coca-Cola. ... So he's in the training room and they're like, hey, do you want painkillers? Do you want a shot? He's like, give me Coke. Give me Coca-Cola.

One hour of Facebook use per day leads to worse mental health

Harvard Business Review published a study, and they said that everyone who uses one hour or more of Facebook per day has markedly worse mental health in their life, which is why I don't use Facebook anymore.

I'm disappointed there is no Jaguars vs. Titans Thursday night color rush game this year

I'm not mad, I'm just disappointed in [the NFL]. Because for the first time in what feels like 10 years, there's no... Jaguars, Titans, Thursday night color rush. That's so fucked up. It's really massive. That was probably my favorite game of mid-October every year.