Takes

The Ravens are using a physical loophole to back out of the Maxx Crosby trade

I'm calling bullshit on all this. It does feel like something's fishy here. And maybe it's just the Ravens using the loophole of, hey, we can see, we can trade for Maxx Crosby, see how the rest of free agency plays out, knowing that this stupid legal tampering and then official free agency, there's a two day gap and then just figure it out later.

The Ravens are using Maxx Crosby's failed physical as a convenient excuse to back out of the trade

Either one, [the Ravens] really trust the doctor to believe them on that or two, it's bullshit and it's made up and they're secretly planning a different move and they're using the physical as an excuse to get out of it.

The Raiders' short statement indicates Mark Davis is furious about the rescinded trade

The statement that the Raiders put out said a lot, which is just like 'they backed out of the trade. We have no further comment.' That to me sounds like a pissed off Mark Davis.

The NFL needs a 'no-backsies' rule for players who post elaborate social media goodbye videos

If you post a 13 minute goodbye video on social media like Maxx Crosby did, that should just be trade final. You can't come back on that... I actually am rooting for Maxx Crosby to be on the Raiders now because that will be so awkward and funny.

The NFL's two-day 'legal tampering' window is a dangerous gift for GMs with buyer's remorse

This two day period is so weird because something like this can happen and then nothing that has been reported over the last day actually has to happen. Right. Nothing's final yet.

Geno Smith is still a capable starter despite his poor reputation on the Jets

Geno Smith can still play. He beat the Patriots last year. Bad year, I don't know what we're talking about. I think it's a good deal. I just don't know why people say Kevin O'Connell could fix him but because he signs with the Jets, people say he won't be good.

The Panthers were right to overpay for Jaelan Phillips

The Panthers getting Jaelan Phillips, even though it was a lot of money, I feel like you gotta do it. Cap went up and I feel like you have to do those type of moves, especially when you are a playoff team from last year. Your defense was a problem... I'd be like, oh, Howie's interested? I'll give him more money.

Tua Tagovailoa will never be more than a check-down quarterback with no deep ball

I don't think that Tua can throw the ball downfield at all. But he can do swing passes to Bijan [Robinson] and that's pretty much what they're gonna ask him to do there. I think what we saw from Tua is what we're gonna get.

I am against prenups because marriage should be forever

I'm against prenups. Because if you're getting married, you're never—you're getting married to be together forever. If you really love someone, the money shouldn't matter.

If your relationship is built on the Chili's Triple Dipper, you will make it

If the foundation of your relationship is the Chili's Triple Dipper or bottomless chips and salsa, you're gonna make it. They're not thinking prenups or joint bachelorette parties.

A veteran center like Tyler Linderbaum is the perfect move for a rookie quarterback

I actually really like the Linderbaum Raiders signing... when you have a center that's seen those looks, that knows how to go into a game plan, knows how to communicate, not only just calms the quarterback down, it calms the entire offensive line and offense down. It takes so much off the quarterback's plate... Now I don't have to worry about who the Mike is.

The Giants overpaid for Won'Dale Robinson's replaceable skillset

The Won'Dale Robinson deal was a little rich for me because that was just a 'he knows Brian Daboll's system'... I just think he has a very replaceable skillset. A slot-only type of guy... I'd rather them gone for Romeo Doubs who's still out there.

The Eagles are at a crossroads as a franchise and essentially broke in free agency

The Eagles are kind of... they're not broke, but they're cash strapped because of just their contracts right now. And it's just, they're not doing anything. They're really just sitting on their hands. And that's just, they're at a huge crossroads as a franchise.

Kenneth Walker is the explosive weapon the Chiefs offense has been missing

They've needed this for like three years now. Pacheco did a fine job, but Pacheco wasn't this... Patrick Mahomes had more explosive scrambles last year than the running backs had gains of 12 or more yards. Now they get a guy that can hit home runs. Kenneth Walker can create something out of nothing.

The Commanders overpaid for Odafe Oweh based on a Jesse Minter-inflated sack total

He had the sixth highest pressure rate once he joined the Chargers... I will say though, that's with Jesse Minter coaching him. And that's with Jesse Minter dialing up plays that led to some unblocked pressures... It's a pretty penny. That's a lot of money to throw at him.

Laser tag is a children's game and it's terrible for adults

Why were you playing laser tag as an adult? Laser tag sucks. It's a children's game. I guarantee you I've played more laser tag in the last five years than any of you guys... every laser tag, the guns don't work. You hit someone and it doesn't register.

Good laser tag exists and it kicks ass

Laser tag kicks ass. There's good laser tag places, there's bad laser tag places. If we set it up right, it would be good. Laser tag done properly kicks ass.

Maxx Crosby to the Ravens is a great move that makes their defense scary

Congrats to the Ravens. Congrats to Jesse Minter. This is a good, a great move. Their defense is gonna be scary. I love the transition from Maxx Crosby was always meant to be playing in a badass uniform. Raiders to Ravens, it's like, okay.

The Ravens are abandoning their draft-and-develop philosophy because they've drafted poorly lately

The Ravens feel like the team for however long, I mean, pretty much their entire history, it's like what they do is they draft really well. They don't have to do these type of moves. And then they do this move... maybe the Ravens haven't drafted as well recently. So now they do have to join everyone else and be these guys.

The NFL center market is currently the hottest position market in the world

The center market actually feels like it's the hottest market out there. The Packers signed their center who started seven games signed for 11 million a year. The center market just might be the hottest market in the world.

The Bears' stadium threats are just an anchoring tactic for negotiations

It's kinda like the Bears Stadium situation, which I've been saying all along. Like when they first said Arlington Heights, everyone's like, you can't move the Bears outta Chicago. Then they're like, what about Indiana? No, you can't move 'em outta state. Okay, what about Arlington Heights? Oh, that's sick. They're basically saying, Hey Carson Wentz. No, we can't have Carson Wentz. Okay, what about Gino Smith? Oh, actually that's pretty good compared to Carson Wentz. Smart.

The Celtics are completely back with Jayson Tatum returning to form

He looks so good. The Celtics looks so good. They're, they're so back. Missoula is such a good coach. And he's not forcing it and like trying to take over. 'cause when your team's already second on the east, you don't need to come back and be a superstar.

Miami (Ohio) deserves a tournament bid for finishing 31-0, regardless of schedule

Miami, Ohio is so simple to me in that they should a hundred percent be in now that they've run the table and won. They're 31 and oh and they won every conference game. If you win every game in your conference and your 31 and oh on the last weekend of regular season, you should be in, no matter what happens in the conference tournament.

John Rahm's win in Hong Kong wasn't a coincidence after rumors he was unhappy

John Rahm won the individual event. First time winning on Liv. It's huge. Huge for him. Definitely not a coincidence. No, he did not say he chose to stay on Liv, but he won. It sounds like they're keeping him happy.

Dennis Rodman is a role player because anyone who isn't a 30-point-per-game scorer is a role player

I would say [Dennis Rodman] is. But like, it's like, I think anybody who's not a 30 point a game scorer, you know, like the 20 to 30 like takes most of the shots is pretty much a role player.

The NBA Cup would be better if the higher-seeded teams hosted home games throughout the bracket instead of playing at a neutral site in Vegas

I think it would be much better if they just did it like playoff series where they just had whatever the tiebreakers are and just have the better team, whatever team is ranked higher, host the game all the way. Maybe the championship you do neutral site... but like leading up to it, the best games in the cup are the games that lead up to Vegas.

If an NBA player knows they are getting ejected, they should go all in and get their money's worth of shouting at the ref

Lou [Dort] would've, but he thought he wasn't gonna get ejected and then he got ejected so he didn't get his money's worth. That's like, that's like NBA rule number one. Like if you know you're gonna get ejected or you know you're gonna get like a second tech, you just, yeah, you go all in. You make it worth it.

I love the DJ Moore trade for the Bears because it clears cap space for Max Crosby or Tyler Linderbaum

I love this trade because you clear up money. [DJ Moore's] got a big pretty hefty contract so you clear up money to maybe go get a Max Crosby or a Linderbaum. You get a pick and you make the bet that Luther Burden and Rome Odunze are gonna be taking leaps forward.

The Chiefs-Rams Trent McDuffy trade is the first true win-win trade in NFL history

I think the only win-win trade in the history of the NFL might be the McDuffy trade. The one that just happened. Where the the Chiefs traded McDuffy to the Rams. The Rams don't give a fuck about first round picks. They got a great player and they still have their better first round pick from the Falcons. That to me is the first win-win trade in the history of the NFL.

DJ Moore would not have had a 1,000-yard season if he stayed in the Bears' offense

He could have a thousand yards [with the Bills] and be like, wow. How, how could you trade him? He wouldn't have had a thousand yards in this Bear's offense.

The Rams have proven that first-round draft picks outside of the top 10 don't matter

Are the Rams doing it correctly? Not that draft picks don't matter. Draft picks outside of the top 10 don't matter as much... instead of taking risks on a bunch of 21 year olds, let's get the known commodity knowing it's a crapshoot and just keep punting that down the line being like, we don't care.

Mac Jones is the definitive 'Next Sam Darnold'

I think Mac Jones is the next Sam Darnold... I like Mac Jones [as] one.

The US Men's National Team is soft and needs to play with more 'grit' to win the World Cup

We need more grit. Like that was the thing when watching the Gold Cup... we were soft. So if we suck at soccer, that's fine. We can't be soft and suck. And that was what I hated... Little grit. Little little push 'em around a little.

Soccer needs a rule change where the clock stops on all dead balls in the last 20 minutes

I think just if you made a rule last 20 minutes of the game, the clock stops when the ball goes out of bounds. Clock stops on every foul, every penalty. What's wrong with that?

Duke is the best team in the country and it would be an all-time failure if they don't win the title

This is the best team in the country. It would be an all time epic failure if Duke doesn't win the national title. They are the first time I believe that a team has reached plus 40 in Ken Palm since 1999. Duke... This team has it all.

If Duke loses this year, they will be a dynasty of chokers

If they lose this year, that would without question be the best two year... they'd be a dynasty of chokers. Like back to back all time choking losses in the NCAA tournament. I hope that doesn't happen, PFT. We would've never seen anything close to this before.

Max Crosby would instantly make the Bears a really good defense

I would be pumped if it was [Max Crosby] to the Bears, I'd be very, very pumped. Yeah. He's amazing. Really, really good at football and would be instantly make the Bears a really, really good defense.

Drew Dalman's retirement is a massive blow to the Bears' offensive line

The first instant reaction was fuck, fuck, fuck, fuck. Then you have to be a human about it and realize like, hey, the guy's able to walk away while he still feels healthy. That's awesome for Drew Dalman. And then it's right back to fuck, fuck, fuck. Because... the offensive line was a significant strength... and now they go into the draft and it's like, fuck.

Floyd Mayweather is running out of money

My Hot Seat is Floyd Mayweather. 'cause I'm starting to think Floyd Mayweather might not have a lot of money left. ... It feels like Floyd Mayweather shouldn't be fighting this much at his age.

Jack and Quinn Hughes are the two best three-on-three players in the NHL

I think that Jack and Quinn, honest to God are maybe at their positions the best three on three player. I'll throw Mc David in there too, obviously, but like for a forward and for a defenseman, like they have to be the two best in three on three, like in the NHL.

The 2026 US Olympic Hockey team will be remembered for generations

I'm sure in 40, 50 years they'll, they'll, they'll love for us to, to come talk to that, that group of players. But it, it really was a life-changing tournament. ... they'll be talking about our team for, for generations.

Directing animation is much harder than directing live action

I will tell you, having directed live action and having directed animation... it is a lot harder to do the second one. ... animation itself has not gotten any easier. It's, it, it still requires the human brain to make a judgment call every few frames with regard to what's right for the moment.

College basketball has five absolutely dominant teams this year

We have five, you could even maybe go to six, just absolutely dominant teams. Michigan, UConn, Duke, Arizona, and Florida that are playing at such an insane level.

Fettuccine Alfredo is fake Italian food.

Alfredo's not real Italian. There's no heavy cream in Italian cuisine. Alfredo's fake Italian. He [Rick Pitino] would maybe do a lemon chicken, maybe do a lemon chicken Piccata. But Alfredo... Cacho e pepe, that's Italian. But there's no heavy cream in Italian cuisine.

It would be a shock and the biggest disappointment ever if Duke doesn't win the title

If they [Duke] don't win it this year, it would be a shock. I think it'll be the biggest disappointment since last year. Every single year is the biggest disappointment.

It is literal torture that the Steelers locker room only has five bathroom stalls for the whole team.

The Steelers locker room only has five bathroom stalls for the entire team. That's egregious. That's insane. Five bathroom stalls for 53 large men that have to take shits all the time. That's actually torture. Your favorite player is oftentimes awkwardly trying to like silence his shit, which no man should have to do. Sucks.

The Sixers are a bad team that loses every game Joel Embiid doesn't play

The Sixers suck. The Sixers are a bad team. Embiid's not playing. They lose—the Sixers are back to losing every game that Embiid doesn't play.

JJ McCarthy should want to play for Kevin O'Connell in Minnesota

JJ McCarthy should want to play for Kevin O'Connell. He should do like the Chet Powers thing and just disguise himself as somebody else and then be like, 'Hey, can you fix me Kevin O'Connell?'

Great defense will usually beat great offense

I feel like all—there's a lot of like Super Bowls and big games in the past where I feel like the defense... I feel like the defenses have probably won more. [Great defense is gonna beat great offense].

The NFL conditioning test for linemen is a joke now.

I think the lineman test is way easier now. It's like a joke. It's only the skill guys [that are hard], but the lineman ones is a joke. Now's not the time to like lower your standard.