Takes

The Lions and Dan Campbell have successfully built a culture of grit and trenches-first football

I definitely think that there's a culture that you create that starts to represent how you play on the field. And that's what Dan [Campbell] has done. And the reason I like Dan Campbell is... Dan sees it the same way I do from the inside out. You know, you gotta be able to run the football. Well, you gotta focus on the offensive line, you gotta control everything there.

The MLB pitch clock is more of a hitter's clock than a pitcher's clock

I kind of think it's more of a hitter's clock personally. It speeds them up. You know, it seemed like we were always waiting on the hitter. You know, they had their walkup song and they were stepping out and calling timeout all the time. So I think as a pitcher, for me personally, it'd be great because I think it speeds the hitter up and kind of keeps the game moving.

The NBA should adopt tackle rules and change point scoring to mimic the NFL

The NBA needs to learn a lot about sports from the NFL namely like allow tackling and that sort of thing... make your goals worth three points. Make penalty kicks worth two. Boom. It's very easy to do. And you get the illusion of higher scoring.

College football message boards are where you find the actual truth about sports and life in America

Going to college football message boards is where you get the actual truth about sports and really life in America. I love SEC message boards. They're the best. Tiger Droppings, Hagville. Just feed it, inject it directly into my veins.

Jameson Williams might be cursed

Jameson Williams might be cursed because if you remember, he's already out for six games for gambling and now he's out [for the preseason]... he missed most of last year. They were using the preseason to try to get him reps... Now he's out again. He might be cursed.

I am anti the 'P-word' [Potential] and I don't condone fans yelling it at me on the golf course

I'm anti-P-word. I will not laugh. I don't condone it. I'm not cool with that one... I also am trying to win things. I'll take anything that's just not the P-word.

Cal should join the Big 10

Pitch me on Cal coming to the Big 10... would you like a couple easy wins? You like to expand your fan base to the West coast... we could help you guys change your name to Big 10 to big however many actual teams there are.

The new Commanders ownership will make a difference and win a championship

I'm extremely excited for this team, this new ownership group because Josh Harris is a guy. He's all about the community... anytime you integrate those core pieces... for them they're trying to win a championship, I really think that they're going to make a difference within that organization.

Mike Singletary's 'Can't win with him' speech was the humbling moment I needed

I needed it at that time because coming into the National Football League, being able to have some success... you develop this chip on your shoulder where you need a humbling moment. I think that was a humbling experience for me that I needed. So I'm not gonna sit there and say that [Singletary] was wrong because... it actually helped me.

Fans are usually wrong when they criticize NFL play calling

A lot of times you get fans talk about play calling. Why didn't coach call this play? But they don't understand like it's all situational... It depends on what they're lining up in... certain plays that we plan for, we can't really run and practice. And then the fans... might be looking at a play totally different than the offensive coordinator.

Johnny Bananas is the GOAT of The Challenge

The answer's Johnny Bananas, that is the goat... as much as I love CT, he doesn't have the longevity that Johnny Bananas does. and he didn't have the mental game.

Michael Jordan is the GOAT of basketball

My favorite player of all time: Michael Jordan.

The Nick Castellanos home run apology call is one of the greatest moments in broadcasting history

It is such a hilarious funny call. Iconic call became a meme. It's like one of those things that I can't wait till my kids are older and be like, let me show you this video... and let me set the stage for you. Apologize for the what? Call of my life.

Aaron Rodgers is functionally the head coach of the Jets, not Robert Saleh

I walked away from this Hard Knocks episode two, asking myself a simple question. Who's the coach of the Jets? Is it Robert Saleh... or is it Aaron Rodgers? ... Robert Saleh turned to Aaron Rodgers and he said, 'we gotta get them [the O-line] right for you, buddy.' And I said, huh, that's weird. Tail wagging the dog. That feels like Aaron Rodgers is coaching this team.

A dominant defensive line can emasculate and ruin the confidence of their own offensive line in practice

I think the fact that their defensive line is so good that they [the Jets offensive line] get their ass kicked every day by a really good defensive line. That's a little bit emasculating. You lose your confidence. ... The Jets should make their defensive line worse so that their offensive line could get better.

James Harden is the worst player to have on your team because he ruins chemistry

He's the worst player to have on your team. Yeah. He's literally breaking up the team one by one because [he spread bad vibes].

Madden releases have shifted from celebrations to complaining days because of the internet

It's also just a perfect example of life with the internet where Madden release used to be a celebration day. You stick around long enough and it just becomes a complaining day.

Philip Rivers would have won the Super Bowl if he started for the 49ers last season

Kyle Shanahan's plan that he had in place. If the 49ers had made the Super Bowl and Brock Purdy was injured, Philip Rivers was going to start the Super Bowl. ... He probably would've won. ... It would've been the very best thing to ever happen to the NFL. ... We would've had to go to the Super Bowl and root for the Niners and wear Phil Rivers Niners jerseys.

Michael Lewis embellished 'The Blind Side' facts for marketing purposes

I'm saying Michael Lewis may have embellished some of the facts, or woven it into a better story than it or a story that he thought was more marketable than the real story. ... Next thing you're gonna do is tell me that Billy Beane never won a World Series.

The Tuohys only brought Michael Oher into their family because of his football talent

This has always kind of been the logical explanation of what happened. Like they didn't bring this kid into their home because he was homeless and they wanted to be great people. They brought 'em into their home because they're like, 'oh shit, this guy's awesome at football. And we're the biggest Ole Miss fans in the world. So we might as well adopt him. And then just funnel 'em down to Oxford.'

Doubling the first hole of a major is the best time to do it

If you're going to make a double bogey right. Might as well be that the first hole of the tournament when you have 71 holes to make it up or like Scottie [Scheffler] did the year before, do it on the last hole when you already know you've won and you can afford to do it.

I can fit in most cars because I am only 6'3"

I'm 6'3, I can, I can fit in most cars. I think once you go past, once you get to the 6'5s is when you start getting, maybe I can't fit in those. ... Germans [who make Porsches/Mercedes] on average are tall.

If you are going to pump up the crowd on the 16th at Phoenix, you have to hit a good shot

If you're going to boost the crowd up, you need to hit a good shot. ... That was a bad moment [getting booed after pumping up the crowd].

Home support is a major factor in winning the Ryder Cup

Whistling Straits was a shame because we didn't have, because of COVID, European fans couldn't travel. ... I mean, fully deserved to win. There's no doubt about that. I just think home support goes a long way. And I think that that will play a, play a big role in Rome.

Having kids is a massive money pit

I want to say that I don't see this as a waste, but it is a waste. Having kids is just... it's a money pit. ... If you buy a kid a toy, they play with it for about five minutes. Then they're like, I'm gonna play with your fucking shoes or something that could kill me. ... You should actually just adopt your kids when they're 17 years old. You spend way less money on them.

If you are a bad gambler, gambling is a massive waste of money

Yes, you lose money gambling. And I'm very open about the fact that I'm a loser. ... If you bet within your means, it doesn't hurt.

Justin Fields is officially 'the guy' and I am hate-bookmarking all slander against him

I am at the point now where there's a line in the sand. Is he the guy? Justin Fields is the guy. I've started hate bookmarking Justin Fields slander to come back to it later. He could play a perfect game and people would still nitpick him. Three for three, 129 yards, two touchdowns. The Bears look fucking awesome.

Russell Wilson still sucks despite following Sean Payton's new rules

Russell Wilson sucks... He might be following protocol, but he sucks.

James Harden is still the better option for the Sixers compared to the alternative

I think [Harden] is better than the alternative, but I think Daryl Morey's just gonna do this thing... I'm just going in. We're gonna do the whole Ben Simmons thing again.

Josh Allen is a wild card who makes the offensive line have heart attacks throughout every game

Josh is a wild card, man. He makes us all have heart attacks throughout the game over and over and over. Like, when the world is watching and he's running and we're like, alright, here we go. Like literally the O-line, we look at each other and we're like, it's gonna happen. And then he jumps over somebody or he runs through somebody and then he hits the ground and we're like, oh.

I would literally die for Josh Allen

Would I die for Josh Allen? Absolutely I would, I would die for him, man. He's done nothing but great things for me and my family. And I take it personal, like I really take it personal.

NFL coaches only let players show their personality once they have proven they can perform on the field

You can show yourself. Let that be known that you got personality. Then put the work in on the field. And then slowly, slowly, you know, just jab your snow [stuff] around the world. I was myself from the jump, but I really came out with who I truly was once I started to put my part in to this team. You have to stack your chips and handle your business and then let yourself show.

NFL games should allow more positions to be eligible for passes to make the game more entertaining

Football is entertainment, right? And we are at work. But I think that at a point, multiple people should be able to be eligible. Imagine if the center could block and then come out and catch a pass. Or like if a left tackle could be in the middle of a pass pro and then turn [and catch it]. That should be dope.

Mark May and Lou Holtz were the 'wrongest' people to ever appear on television

Mark May and Lou Holtz... it was like watching two dogs with a debilitative brain injury just barking in different languages and spitting on each other. It was the best. And they never made a lick of sense with anything that they said. Probably set the record for being the wrongest that anybody will ever be on TV.

Phil Mickelson is actually a pretty good gambler for only losing 10% of $1 billion

If we dive into Phil's gambling career, he's lost I think a hundred million dollars. Right? ... I'm gonna say that Phil Mickelson is a pretty good gambler. He's only lost 10%.

Phil Mickelson trying to bet on the Ryder Cup while playing in it is the craziest part of his gambling story

The craziest part wasn't the 1 billion... The craziest part was that Phil tried to call in a bet on the 2012 Ryder Cup... from the golf course trying to put in... $400,000 for the US team to win.

Phil Mickelson is not one of the most famous people in the world

Joe Rogan, Pardon My Take, Tiger Woods, like is whatever it is. A million X Phil in terms of, you know, celebrity and recognizability. ... I wouldn't say that if Phil Mickelson was walking down the street, do you think he would get stopped endlessly? I don't think endlessly.

The USWNT coach is more to blame for the World Cup exit than Megan Rapinoe

I've reached a point now where I don't necessarily blame Megan Rapinoe. I blame the coach for even putting her on the roster. That's how bad she was.

Harry Kane is just a tap merchant

[Harry Kane] is a tap merchant is what he is. Wow.

Celebrating a regular-season no-hitter is lame

Celebrating a no hitter in the regular season. Like who would do that? ... [Lorenzen] is basically did the Josh Hamilton to himself. He's not gonna be the same pitcher after this match.

I should have been the first wide receiver taken in the 2021 NFL Draft

I'm going first. Yeah. I'd be a fool not to say yourself. I mean, all the receivers will tell you that. ... You'd be a fool not to say yourself.

Game speed is much more important than 40-yard dash speed

I think game speed is a completely different than 40 speed. ... There's guys that can run 4.3 but they go out there and they don't look 4.3. And there's guys that run 4.5 that when they go out there, they're playing fast.

Quarterbacks aren't really 'dogs' because they don't hit people

For quarterbacks it's, it's different. I mean, you can't, he can't really hit anyone ever enough to be a dog. I feel like you gotta have some type of physicality for a quarterback. ... are you really a dog? I mean, you're just throwing balls around.

Gambling regulators simply do not like Barstool Sports

Turns out regulators maybe don't love Barstool, don't love us. And I get that. It's totally makes sense. I think Penn had the same thought, like, Hey, we thought this was gonna work out maybe a little better with regulators. It didn't. So we are back to being ourselves independent.

I am officially an Aaron Rodgers fan for the 2023 season

I've never seen Aaron Rogers happier. He looks so happy. He looks so relaxed. I'm so happy for him. ... Aaron Rogers, the shackles are off. He looks like he can be himself. ... He's a great fucking guy. Great football player. I've always loved Aaron Rogers this year. That's a fact. You can't dispute that fact.

Shohei Ohtani's recent hitting slump is caused by the Drake curse

My Hot Seat is Shohei Ohtani. ... Drake a week ago was spotted out wearing a Shohei Ohtani jersey. And since then he is gone two for 12. So the Drake curse is back.

Carson Wentz is a bad backup quarterback

I still think Carson Wentz, even though he is better than a lot of backup quarterbacks, probably doesn't fill the backup quarterback role very well. ... You want your backup quarterback to be able to fill in for like one game. ... Chase Daniel is way better than Carson Wentz at the role of backup.

The new-look Big 12 is going to be awesome for college sports

The Big 12 rocks, the new Big 12 rocks. The fact that we're gonna get like Kansas and Arizona playing basketball every single year, that rocks. Texas Tech and UCF is going to be my game of the year over every single year. Like there are new wrinkles that are awesome.

Larry Scott is the primary villain responsible for the death of the Pac-12

Larry Scott is the big villain in all this. Larry Scott, when they brought him in, they were like, 'this guy is a visionary. He understands the future of sports better than anybody.' Basically, his vision was just fucking everything up and making everybody hate 'em.

Conference realignment is the least appealing part of college football

The conference realignment discussion that we have—and it seems like it's every offseason—it's like the least appealing part of college football to me. I love it, and at it's a bummer, at the end of the day we're gonna watch the games, but it is gonna leave some people out.