Takes

Russell Westbrook's personality is the 'curse' that prevents him from adapting his game

I don't know why anybody thinks it's just going to change because I think unfortunately the curse of Russ is that his personality got him here, but his personality is what prevents him ever finding a way to adapt to the things that around him.

Klay Thompson is a more dependable and valuable addition than Kyrie Irving

[Clay] is a better player and Clay's more dependable and Clay's available for all games. And he's not banned for half of them.

Kyrie Irving is one of the most gifted basketball skill players of all time

When you really put all the talent parts of Kyrie together—his handle, his shot making, the difficult shot-making that is an acceptable shot for Kyrie... it's actually not crazy to talk about him being actually one of the most gifted basketball skill people that we've ever seen.

Kevin Durant is the best basketball player in the world

I agree with you on the rant being better than Giannis. Honest, if we're going to best player in the world, even though Giannis, you know, got 'em last year, sort of... if you were to watch [Kevin Durant] just play basketball and go wait, I'm supposed to think this guy's better than [Durant] who can dribble and is just like, has the same height and can shoot like this off the dribble.

The Chicago Bulls are the best story in the NBA right now

I do think the Bulls 35 games in are the best story in the NBA, just because no one thought they were going to be the one seed right now and they're playing great basketball.

Following your shot in the NBA is a strategic mistake

The funniest thing is, is following your shot in the NBA is like the dumbest thing you could do... you get a transition on your face every single time.

NIL and the transfer portal will not ruin college football in the long run

We'll look back in 10 years and be like, remember when we thought NIL was going to ruin college football? No, it didn't. It's fine. Remember when opt outs were going to ruin college football? No, it didn't. It's fine. It's just right now people think the sky is falling.

The transfer rule is good because it forces college coaches to work harder

I love the transfer rule because it's just whoever, whatever coach complains, they're essentially saying 'I have to work harder and it sucks.'

The Bulls' lack of defensive options against stars like Giannis or Durant limits them to an Eastern Conference Finals ceiling

I'll go Golden State and I'm going to say Milwaukee again. And it's kind of a bet against the newness of Chicago, not loving Chicago's options defensively for the size of Middleton and Giannis... I still worry about how they match up with a Giannis or Durant in a playoff game because of the personnel.

Georgia will beat Alabama in the National Championship rematch

I'm doing it. I'm going to do it and make a huge mistake. I'm picking Georgia and the rematch... I'm scared to death that I'm falling forward again. I think [Big Cat is] right, because I think every Georgia fan looks at Kirby and goes, 'Are we going to have that moment where you just can't hang with the guy across the sideline from you?'

I really hope Big Ben shows up to training camp next year and claims he was joking about retiring

I really, really hope deep down. He just shows up to training camp next year. And he's like, what? Wait, what I was, I was just joking. Like I wasn't serious. I'm still [a] Steeler.

Big Ben benefited more from existing pre-social media than any other quarterback

Nobody benefited more from existing pre-social media than Big Ben. Yes. That is absolutely true.

Big Ben's 'retirement' is likely a ploy to see if the Steelers will beg him to come back

I think what Big Ben is doing now that I'm hearing all this is that I think he's essentially retiring. And then on the last day of work, he's going to walk out of the facility and he's going to do the thing, like... keep looking back like, oh, did you want me to do another? And hoping that someone says, 'Hey, Ben, we want you back.'

The Browns screwed up Baker Mayfield's season by not forcing him to get healthy earlier

I actually still think that the Browns like baker deserves a lot of blame for not having a good year, but the Browns deserve a lot of blame for kind of bungling this entire injury. Like they never really were like, Hey baker, let's get you healthy and try to put it all back together. Instead there they were, it was just every week, let's get you out there. And he got progressively injured and was playing progressively worse.

You can't give Baker Mayfield a record-breaking contract right now

He definitely falls in the camp of a guy that you can't be giving a record breaking contract to. That's not like something wild. That's not a hot take. I think we all agree with that. He's not an upper echelon quarterback right now.

Trading the 9th overall pick for Baker Mayfield is way too steep a price

I think it was Albert Breer saying that the Washington football team was considering trading the ninth overall pick for Baker Mayfield. That seems steep. It seems... I'm just in fuck it mode right now.

TJ Watt absolutely has to win Defensive Player of the Year

TJ Watt was going to be Defensive Player of the Year two months ago. And he's going to set the record for sacks. Incredible season. The impact he's had on... he is the Steelers defense. He has to win this award.

If the Patriots beat the Bills in the playoffs, the season is a success regardless of what happens next

I'm just saying this right now. If we beat the Bills in the playoffs, I don't care what happens. I'm just going to put it out there.

The new Washington team name will be the 'Red Hogs'

I'm thinking it's going to be the red hogs, which I, which I love actually, because you're given a throwback to the hogs, the old offensive line. And you can do so much cool shit with pissed off looking pigs.

Johnny Davis is the National Player of the Year in college basketball

Johnny Davis, right? National player of the year, if you had a vote, yeah. Number one, you would build on it.

If your only goal is reaching the NFL, you should skip your entire third season of college football instead of just a bowl game

I wish you all the best from the bottom of my heart. I hope you make generational wealth, but that's one lane. If you're in that lane, why would you not only not play in a bowl game... why would you play in the entire season? See, I think that's where we're going... If the goal is to get there, skip your entire third year, go to Phoenix, go train, stay healthy.

If you are concerned about getting hurt in a bowl game, you should not play

If you play in a bull game and you're worried, oh my gosh, I'm playing in this bowl game. But what if I get hurt? You're going to get hurt... If there's any fear at all about what's at stake... I would say, don't do it. You got to play the game. It is a reckless game.

College football players are on a path toward becoming unionized employees

I say, we make the players, employees. I say, we're going on a path. Now we form a union. I mean, that's where we're going with this thing... because players need to be treated that way. They need to benefit more than they are not just with name, image and likeness.

Cincinnati would have stayed ahead of Oklahoma State in the playoff rankings even if the Cowboys had won the Big 12

My hunch is Cincinnati would have gone ahead of them. I think that's my hunch... Because of where they were all year. I mean, think about it. They weren't coming from 28 working their way, all the way up... they were invited to the party before the season started.

Georgia is a better team than Alabama this year

I still do think Georgia is a better team than Alabama. And I think that they've been better all year.

If I'm Georgia, I am jamming Jameson Williams at the line of scrimmage every single snap

I'm literally taking a guy no matter where number one [Jameson Williams] goes... I'm jamming his ass. It's a line of scrimmage, every single snap with a safety over top. And I'm making either Brian Robinson win the game... Jameson Williams destroyed them. The last game they played, he can't beat me. He cannot beat me.

Planes can basically land themselves now, so clapping for pilots is unnecessary

Even in fog, you'll basically have the plane land itself... I think you should, more or less [clap] back to the plane. I mean, now most of the landings are done by hand, you know, obviously, cause, cause you've got to stay current... you know that if something was really going on, you know, those things are pretty much going to land themselves in fog.

I realized in 2011 that I was simply bigger and faster than everyone in the NFL

I would say about week eight [of 2011], I'm just realizing just I was bigger and faster than basically everybody in the NFL. And so realizing it... I can go out here and embarrass people. And then that's kind of the mindset that I took on.

I am willing to die on certain plays; that is the level of commitment needed

I gave myself no other option... I play with this type of intensity and tenacity that, you know, I was willing to, you know, I mean, I was willing to die on certain plays out there. And that's kinda how I took it most of my career.

My contract battle with the Saints forced the team to pay versatile players like Alvin Kamara more money later on

I think guys in that place, you know, who are young, got paid. And they just figured it out. You know, I think [Alvin] Kamara, I think the receiver [Michael Thomas]... they just kind of give those guys the bag just because they realize, 'Hey, we don't want like a leader franchise guy to have to get out of here.' I think a lot was learned through the whole experience.

This Sunday might be my last game with the Bears as I look for a contender next year

Hopefully this is my last game [with the Bears], you know, that's kind of where my mindset is... I got to figure out what's next for me, you know? And I got to figure out if there's an opportunity for me to go onto a contender next year and kind of see what happens.

It's a law of the universe that long-haired quarterbacks don't win Super Bowls

It's not even really long hair curse. It's just a demonstrable fact that long hair quarterbacks have never won a Superbowl... It's a law of the universe.

The Titans are the one seed that can legitimately play the 'nobody believes in us' card

You are, this is the rarest thing you can have in all sports. You're literally the one seed in the AFC and you're disrespected. That's incredible to be able to play that card of like no one believes in us and truly no one believes in us.

Joe Burrow is an elite NFL quarterback

Joe Burrow, I think last week I said he was a leader. I think he's elite. I think Joe Burrow... I think I'm ready to officially declare right now... he just is.

The Bulls can compete with anyone in the Eastern Conference

I actually think [the Bulls] are very, very good. And they could compete with anyone in the east... the nets do not scare me.

Joe Judge is lying about players wanting to stay with the Giants

Joe Judge is clearly at the point of his career season, whatever you want to say, where he's just making shit up, literally making shit up. He's just saying shit to say shit. He doesn't actually believe any of it. None of it is actually true.

Mike Tomlin should be a retroactive Coach of the Year for managing Brown, Bell, and Roethlisberger

I still believe that Mike Tomlin doesn't get enough credit for keeping that locker room together with Big Ben, Antonio Brown and Le'Veon Bell for nine years. So I just want to shout out Mike Tomlin... he should get coach of the year retroactively for that entire stretch.

Antonio Brown will never play in the NFL again

I don't know where the Antonio... it's he's never gonna play again in the NFL, correct?

The Rams cannot win a Super Bowl if Matthew Stafford continues to turn the ball over

This is like the type of game that if you watched, you're like, oh, that's why I would be nervous about the Rams because Matt Stafford had a terrible first half. He had three turnovers... You can't do that. If you're playing against a real playoff team in the playoffs, you can't be like, oh, let me have a three turnover first half and hope we survive.

I made the biggest future bet of my life on the Cowboys to win the Super Bowl at 10-1

I made the biggest future bet I've ever made in my life at like noon today on the Cowboys to win the Superbowl, at ten to one.

The Eagles or 49ers would beat the Rams in the playoffs due to physicality

There's a chance that they would have to play either the Eagles or the 49ers in the first round. I think the 49ers kicked the shit out of them... I think the Eagles could kick the shit out of the Rams in the playoffs. [The Rams] can get away with being a little candy ass and being a little finesse... but [the Niners and Eagles] style of play [is a problem].

The 2021 Atlanta Falcons are the 'best bad team' in the NFL

Arthur Smith deserves a ton of credit... they were the best bad team where they beat up on all the bad teams and they got killed by any team with a pulse. By far the best bad team.

Matt Nagy will 100% be fired as head coach of the Bears

I feel very confident that Matt Nagy is absolutely 100% fired. Joe judge... when he says Matt Nagy is a very good coach and the Bears are a good coached team, he's lying. He's just saying shit to say shit.

John Madden is the number one football guy of all time

Today is Monday, December 29th, and we start with the passing of, we were saying this beforehand, probably the number one football guy of all time, John Madden.

Madden is the most important sports video game ever created

it's definitely the most important sports video game ever created. Except fuck the passing cone.

Madden: The NFL should name a new award or the Super Bowl after John Madden

I don't think they should slap his name on something. I don't think that that's the proper homage to pay. They should name the Super Bowl after him. John Madden Super Bowl. They should name football after Madden.

COVID protocols in college football are driven by fear of lawsuits, not just the CDC

We're so far behind what even the CDC is saying right now in college football, and I think the reason for that is because of the threat of lawsuits. There are a bunch of people out there, the people that run the bowl games... They're terrified of the fact that one person gets sick, and then they get sued for all that they're worth.

Jim Harbaugh will isolate his players to an extreme degree to ensure they play in the CFP

I guarantee you Jim Harbaugh is going to have his players isolated. And they're going to be in competition coffins where they get fed their meals just coming through straws through the door. Harbaugh is not going to – he's going to lock his players up in rooms and be like, you're not interacting with anybody.

The CFP is on a collision course for a Bama-Georgia rematch

I've wavered. There's been times where I've been like, ooh, maybe Cincinnati will give Bama a game. I think we're just on a collision course for Bama-Georgia again.

The Colts and Niners are the same team: great rosters, scary quarterbacks

I don't know who said it, but it was basically the Colts and the Niners are the same team. Their Spider-Man meme where it's like their roster is really good. They have a ton of really talented players. You just hold your breath that Carson Wentz or Jimmy G won't do something crazy.