Takes

Terry McLaurin will sign his contract extension today

I think [McLaurin] is gonna sign today, I think Friday. I think this is the day it gets done. Terry is fully on board. I really, I think he's gonna sign on Friday and then I think it's full, full steam ahead.

Paige Bueckers will be better than Caitlin Clark in the WNBA

I said when she was a senior or her last year at UConn. She's gonna be better than Caitlin Clark... I think she's a better team player than Caitlin Clark. I think that she's a better winner than Caitlin Clark.

Chase Brown will finish the season as a top 5 fantasy running back

Chase Brown is just such a stud... I think [he] will be a top five RB. He's just, and by the way, when you had Coach Gruden on and he was talking about that offensive line, it just made me so excited.

Ricky Pearsall will become the 49ers' number one wide receiver

Ricky Pearsall is gonna be the wide receiver one and he's going as late as the eighth round. Hey, when are they gonna stop saying he was shot?

Obama calls 'bullshit fouls' in pickup basketball

I heard from someone that's hooped with him [Obama]... I heard that He calls bullshit fouls... In pickup. It is Mark against his person. No, absolutely... Weak ass fouls and pick up basketball.

The New York Jets will break the NFL record for rushing attempts this season

I think the New York jets this year are going to break the record for rushing attempts. They did a drive yesterday where they only ran it... I think we're just gonna watch Army Navy every single week.

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.

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?

Taylor Swift Easter Eggs are stupid and overhyped

We're gonna take Taylor Swift Easter Eggs. Not Taylor Swift. The music, we understand the music... I, for the life of me do not understand when Taylor Swift just like matches a couple numbers... and everyone fucking goes full investigative journalism mode... it's fucking stupid.

The Carolina Panthers are a team on the rise in 2025

A team on the rise I think is Carolina... I we're pounding the drum beat Bryce Young... And I did not know I liked him as much as I did. And when you look at his last three or four games, five games, it was impressive. Yeah. I love the additions they've made to their team on defense.

The Buccaneers will win the NFC South and reach the NFC Championship Game

I like the bucks to easily win the south. And I think they're going to the NFC championship game. Don't for, don't forget they kicked Philadelphia's ass last year... This is a good team. Four straight division titles they've won and I think they're gonna be better this year.

The Green Bay Packers will win the NFC this year

I love the Green Bay Packers man. I think they have a lot of depth... Aaron Rogers was 27 when he won his Super Bowl. Favre was 27 when he won his Super Bowl. Jordan loves 32. And my guy Jordan loves gonna be 27 in a couple weeks. I think they have the defense... I like the Packers man.

The Buccaneers will win the NFC at +1300

I would like to take the Tampa Bay Buccaneers to win the conference at plus 1300. We're feeling the same [as Big Cat], you go a little further.

The Patriots will make the playoffs at +120 odds

I'm gonna go with the New England Patriots... to make the playoffs plus one 20. I believe it even more so.

Shohei Ohtani cannot win MVP because of the constant controversies surrounding him

I mean it, you can't, if you're the MLB, you can't have Shohei Ohtani with all these controversies being the base of your league. The gambling one, yeah, maybe blame it on the interpreter. Fool me once, shame on you, fool me twice. We're about to give this guy his fourth MVP in five years. MLB writers really need to do like justice here because they are the keepers of the game.

My fighting style is educated chaos that the world of MMA is still playing catch-up to

I think you guys are only criticizing my style where you should be taking notes instead. This is not just him going crazy. This is actually an educated scramble or an educated combination. Even though it looks different to what we used to, now they're playing catch up.

Fighter pay has increased with every new deal and will continue to go up with the Paramount Plus deal

Since 2001, the day we bought this company fighter pay has gone up. Every new deal that we've done, fight, pay has gone up and obviously fight or pay will go up for this deal. It's incredible for the fighters.

I'll defend Justin Fields until the Jets are mathematically eliminated

I'll defend Justin Fields until the jets are mathematically eliminated. [He's] gonna be good enough to win you some games.

Tommy Fleetwood is a bonafide choker

Tommy Fleetwood is, I think I love him now 'cause it's rare that we have like just a good old bonafide, old fashioned bonafide choker and that's all he is. He can't win a [tournament].

Tanner McKee could be a starting quarterback in the NFL

Tanner McKee is that dude, I could see him starting in the NFL. I would not be dismayed to see him starting week one.

Joe Milton should be a starting quarterback in the NFL

It sucks that the two biggest Joe Milton guys on this podcast are the two biggest cowboy haters. But Joe Milton that is absolutely slinging it. He should be a starting quarterback in the NFL.

A patella tendon rupture is the worst injury because players never return to 100%

This is the worst thing that can happen. There's been no player that's gone back to a hundred percent off this ever. Like, JC Jackson had the same injury and we know what happened to him.

A quarterback with long hair will never win a Super Bowl

If you have long hair, you can't win a Super Bowl as a quarterback. Never been done.

Pass rush moves are actually overrated

I honestly think pass rush moves are overrated. Out of my 129 sacks, 90-95 sacks have come off some type of speed to power element. The ghost move gets highlighted but it is just a knuckle ball off of my speed.

Roger Goodell is banning smelling salts now just to trade them back for an 18th game in the next CBA

You know what Goodell's probably doing, this is probably one of those things where he is getting ready for the next CBA already... He's taking away smelling salts and then he is gonna say, I'll give you back smelling salts if you play an 18th game.

Kyle Schwarber should be the National League MVP

Kyle Schwarber should be MVP 'cause he hit, but we talk about that a little bit later. He, he, he, he did hit two home runs on Monday night. They were fucking mammoths.

Anyone who truly dedicates themselves to throwing a knuckleball can make it to Major League Baseball

I think anybody that really dedicates themself to throwing a knuckleball, we'll make it to major league baseball. Agreed.

Mike McDaniel is a sleeper candidate for the Hot Seat because ex-players on TV hate him

Mike McDaniel's... The vibes can be high there, but... The one thing that's funny about McDaniel is how much Ex-players on TV hate Mike McDaniel. They really hate him. Like, every time I'm like, oh, I'm gonna go hard on the Dolphins. Some guy next to me is like, this is the worst team. This is the worst coach in the world.

The Saints will be the worst team in the NFL this season

It's the Saints. Saints probably. I just don't see a path to them winning... If they get the first overall pick, it's gonna be accidental. They're not gonna, they're, they're gonna try to win games into December... But they are by far the worst.

The Ravens will beat the Rams in the Super Bowl

I've been saying all off season it's gonna be Ravens-Rams. Ravens beat the Rams. My concern is Matthew Stafford's back... If Stafford's back isn't healthy, I would go with the Eagles.

If the Eagles lose Week 1, Nick Sirianni will immediately be on the hot seat in Philly

If we somehow, somehow lose the first game of the season, it is up for Nick Sirianni. It is up... They're gonna call in to WIP... It's gonna spark like a wildfire. He is a bum. This guy's a fraud.

The Cowboys should trade Micah Parsons for two first-round picks

They should just trade 'em because the Cowboys are not a Super Bowl team right now. And if you don't want to pay him, trade him. He is guaranteed two first rounders. Is there gonna be a guy in the next two drafts that's gonna be better than Micah Parsons? I don't think so.

Cal Raleigh should be the AL MVP

I'm not concerned with the NL race. I'm more concerned Cal Raleigh should be AL MVP. I just feel very strongly.

The Pollad family are jerks who don't care about the Minnesota Twins winning

The Twins just trading their entire team and just being shitty ownership that needs to change. ... The Pollad family. Fuck you guys. Jim Pollad, Jerk. Carl Pollad, Jerk. Jim's son Joe, Jerk. ... Putting out a team where all you're trying to do is get to the playoffs a little bit and never actually go for it, that's bullshit.

The Super Bowl window for the Commanders is officially closed if Terry McLaurin is traded.

Terry is the perfect teammate. He's an awesome guy, great football player. His numbers last year were incredible. You need him. If you want to be inside the Super Bowl, if, if Terry's not on the team, I think I might have to exclude this year from the Super Bowl window. 'cause we're in the window. I'm not thinking soupy, I'm not saying we're going to the win Super Bowl. You're in the, but we're in the window. If he's not on the team, I, this is not a window year.

Olive Garden is absolutely disgusting Italian food.

Olive Garden is absolutely fucking disgusting. If it's a true Italian... It's Italian, but it's a grape. But it's a good pick. It's a good for the graphic. It's a great pick. Unlimited bread, but in real life. Unlimited blows. No, that's ly are awesome. The pasta is good. The so is good. The pasta is probably about 20 minutes overcooked.

Jako Croskey-Merritt is going to be awesome.

I think the Commanders' rookie running back Jako Croskey-Merritt—he goes by the name Bill, which is pretty cool—Bill is gonna be fucking awesome. Six round pick... He is smooth as fuck... That dude is gonna be good. Adam Peters did tell me like he might be the guy.

Bryce Harper is right that players are willing to lose a whole season over a salary cap.

He's right-ish... [Manfred] is pitching the salary cap right to the players circumventing the MLBPA. And it's their job to hear from the owners and then take that to the rank and file players. And then Harper's like, 'If you're gonna say that, get the fuck out.' Bryce Harper is right. Bryce is right about this... He can afford to lose 162 games. The guys at the top can afford to lose 162 games.

Joe Flacco will start the regular season for the Cleveland Browns

Right now I have [Joe] Flacco number one again on my Cleveland Browns' quarterbacks. I think, I think Flacco starts a regular season.

The only way to win at gambling is to bet money lines on favorites

Gambling on sports is the only way to win. But you have to bet the money line... where you only gonna win cents on the dollar. Because teams always win. They just never cover.

Pardon My Take will continue until one of the hosts develops a debilitating drug habit

I forget if it was you who said it or or or me, but we said that this podcast will go until one of us develops a debilitating drug habit.

Kirk Cousins is a better quarterback than Justin Fields

Kirk Cousins is a better quarterback than Justin Fields memes... I'm just telling you like, that is a, your season might end up turning. That's where I'm trying to come from. Like that's a guy who you could maybe go a little bit further in the season.

Dogecoin will eventually overtake Bitcoin

I feel like Doge is gonna take Bitcoin over at some point. I saw... I got the Doge. It's in a wallet somewhere.

Getting hit by a pitch only hurts for about thirty seconds to a minute

My son looks at me, he goes, do you think that hurt? I was like, yeah, probably hurt. But it goes away after, you know, 30 seconds or a minute.

The worst team in the league should always get the #1 overall pick

The team that was the worst last year should get the best player in the draft and there should be nothing that interferes with that correlation. The lottery thing, I'm not sure that it really affects behavior of teams in any meaningful way.

Shedeur Sanders will lead the Cleveland Browns to a wild card spot and a playoff appearance

My preemptive Take of the Year. Shedeur Sanders. It's going to lead the Cleveland Browns to a wild card spot and make the playoffs. Maybe an injury. I think we did it with the NFL schedule release. I think after like week four he's not gonna start. Something's gonna happen. Maybe Flacco gets injured or steps in and leads him to glory.

The Philadelphia 76ers will make it to the Eastern Conference Finals

I have a new preemptive take. This is a hot take. All right. The Philadelphia 76ers will make it to the Eastern Conference finals. Whoa. Now that is that not crazy? That's, I mean we just, here it is. That Joel and the opposite of chalk.

Caleb Williams is entering the best situation for a second-year quarterback in the history of the NFL

I truly believe this by the way. I think that the situation that Caleb Williams is in right now is the best situation in the history of second-year quarterbacks in the entire NFL. Think about it. They shored up the offensive line. They got rid of Matt Eberflus. That's good for six wins right there. They finally have a GM and a coach that are lined up on the same contract. They've got an offensive wizard at head coach who's got a bag that's deeper than the Mariana Trench.

Aaron Judge showed bad leadership by leaving the All-Star Game early

Bad leadership by Aaron Judge at the All Star Game. [Ohtani and Judge] were probably on a plane... it did feel like the National League manager was trying to win harder than the American League manager.

I 125% guarantee Terry McLaurin stays with the Commanders and I will bet my El Camino on it

Terry's coming. Terry's coming. One hundred ten percent. I put my credibility on the line... 125% guarantee it's gonna get done. Max, I'll give you my El Camino if Terry McLaurin goes somewhere else.