Takes

The Vikings are making the right call to give JJ McCarthy long-term meniscus surgery

I think they're doing the right thing... I think he's probably over Josh Dobbs. It's the right call I think to do the long-term meniscus surgery. A rookie quarterback, you don't wanna rush him back from this at all.

The NFC South will be full of 9-8 and 10-7 teams

I think it's just gonna be a lot of teams in the NFC South that are gonna be nine and eight, 10 and seven and then the Panthers. And it's gonna go exactly like last year where it's gonna be the three way between the Falcons, the Saints, and the Bucks.

Jalen Hurts is being too good in training camp to learn anything

The problem is that [Jalen Hurts] is too good because I know they always say you learn more from mistakes than you do from success. So he's not throwing enough interceptions to learn anything.

The Mauricio Pochettino hire is a grand slam for US Soccer

In soccer terms, it's a grand slam... It's a grand slam touchdown of a hire. I think it's safe to say that this will be a big disappointment if we don't get to the quarterfinals [of the World Cup].

The USMNT needs to win at least one knockout game in the World Cup

I think it's safe to say that this will be a big disappointment if we don't, I think disappointment would be losing in the knockout round. I think that we need to win at least one knockout round game. I think we should get to the quarterfinals.

CJ Stroud will lead the NFL in passing touchdowns

I'm gonna go passing touchdowns. I know that some people might say sophomore slump. CJ Stroud plus nine 50. I mean, Stefon Diggs, Nico Collins, Tank Dell... that offense is gonna be explosive.

Breece Hall will lead the NFL in rushing touchdowns

I'm going to go with rushing touchdown leader Breece Hall. Plus 1800, plus 1900... Aaron Rogers should play more than five snaps this year... I feel like Nathaniel Hackett's gonna get him the ball inside the five.

Garrett Wilson will lead the NFL in receiving yards

I'm going Garrett Wilson. Oh, at 14 to one. Garrett Wilson has had a really good, he hasn't been a big touchdown guy, but he is never really had a big a quarterback like Aaron Rogers. I think that that's good value.

Aaron Rodgers will lead the NFL in passing touchdowns and feast against the Patriots

I'll change mine to Aaron Rodgers. 16 to one... He's gonna feast against the Patriots. And he's, they're gonna do the perfect amount of handing the ball off in the goal line and throwing it. Jets might score a billion touchdowns.

Grit is being a badass, tough person willing to do anything to help the team win

Oh, man, it's a, it is a badass, tough motherfucker willing to do anything to, to help the team win.

I will have a same 'fuck you' feeling every time I play the Raiders

It always gonna be that same, that same feeling every time. I see those colors on the other side.

Offensive linemen should be the craziest players on a football team

You want your o-line [to be at the top of the crazy list]. I low key, I prefer the o-line to be at the top of that list. Yeah. But nowadays it don't seem like it's a lot of like crazy o-lineman.

The ShopVac is the most versatile tool out there

The ShopVac is gritty. It is, yeah. Because you don't have to, like, you can, I mean, pretty much anything, you know, you can, you can suck up with ShopVac. I love it. I, you could say I love the, the versatility and I love the grit factor of the shop back.

A stronger neck allows a player to dissipate force and reduce brain impact

When your neck is stronger and you strike something or get struck, in my opinion, you're gonna be able to dissipate that force more effectively, which is gonna decrease the likelihood of the brain coming in contact with the skull.

Hassan Reddick is choosing to lose over a million dollars just to avoid going to work

He's missed 15 days of training camp, which means he's accumulated $850,000 in mandatory fines. And 300,000 in discretionary fines. Now for every week that he misses, he's gonna miss that week's game check as well... he owes the Jets over a million dollars right now for skipping work... this dude hates work so much that he's willing to pay a million dollars.

JJ McCarthy will be back in two months from his meniscus injury but it will linger

[JJ McCarthy] could be back. He'll probably be back in like two months and then it'll linger for a little bit longer... And it'll come back like within the next couple years. Like there'll always be the worry of, you know, the meniscus to, it could tear again. It probably will tear again.

The Washington Huskies are my new official Big 10 team

[My Big 10 team is] the Washington Huskies... because Belichick is a defensive coordinator. Steve Belichick... they combine two of my great loves before games. They've got drinking and then they've sailboats.

Michigan will not be in the top 10 by October 5th

Michigan's nine. But aren't they gonna stink this year? ...They will not be in the top 10 by October 5th. Mark my word.

Rhythm is the essential basis for all success in sports and life

The basis of it all is rhythm, whether they realize it or not... All of these Rhythm Masters that I interviewed are winners. They know how to go there, how to stay there, and they know how to win... without rhythm, there could be no sports.

Boobs are officially back in style and the undisputed 1-1 pick for soft things

I'm going boobs. Correct. Boobs are back now. Sydney Sweeney brought boobs back for a while... And I'm glad that they are. Yes. Very soft.

Russell Wilson will be the Week 1 starter for the Steelers

I think Russell Wilson. ...I just know that when they brought him in it was like they put tunnel vision on. They're like, Russell's our guy... I think the plan is Russell Wilson week one.

It is a soft move to block people on Twitter during an argument

Blocking people on Twitter during an argument. I understand people block people on Twitter, but when someone will get in an argument and then just block the person when like they're about to reply. That's the softest thing in the world.

As you get older, you grow into your instrument, not out of it

One of the things [Mickey] said that really stuck with me is, as you get older, you grow into your instrument, not out of it.

Matt Kuchar's stunt at the Wyndham Championship was a total douchebag move

Matt Kuchar. What a dickhead. What a douchebag. Hits into the group ahead of him on 18. And then just picks up his ball and leaves and says it's too dark. And came back on Monday to finish half a hole... it didn't win. Made people come back and sit there... Douchebag move by him.

Matt Kuchar's stunt at the Wyndham Championship was a total douchebag move

Matt Kuchar. What a dickhead. What a douchebag. Hits into the group ahead of him on 18. And then just picks up his ball and leaves and says it's too dark. And came back on Monday to finish half a hole... it didn't win. Made people come back and sit there... Douchebag move by him.

Matt Kuchar might have been taking a stand against slow play by refusing to finish on Sunday

I did see a golf journalist who had a thread breaking down why he might have been doing it... the group in front of 'em was playing super, super slow all day... maybe he was just trying to set a example of like, the guy should have been playing faster in front of them.

The New York Jets are having one of the crispest training camps in the NFL

Of all the practice I've been to the crispest practice I was at was at this Jets one and it's like they're really good on paper... I'd say the Jets are running a very crisp, nicely, somewhat under the radar training camp.

Jayden Daniels is the 'real deal' and the Commanders staff is absolutely obsessed with him

I talk to Cliff [Kingsbury] all the time... everyone's happy... holy shit bro, like, they're talking like this guy is the real deal in Washington and Jayden Daniels has been everything they were hoping for and more in training camp as far as leadership, as far as on the field.

Steph Curry saved America with his performance in the Olympic gold medal game

Steph Curry is the man he saved America. That was one of the most fun times I've had watching basketball. And Steph Curry comes in and he was lights out for the last two games... 17 for 26 from 3, 60 points in the last two games.

Modern NBA players genuinely cared about winning the Olympic gold medal

The players cared. They cared very deeply about it. Oh dude, they cared... They wanted to be in there. They wanted to be playing. They wanted to do this. I, I guess for the country, which is awesome to see because an Olympics pass, some of the guys were just like, yeah, whatever. It's basically an exhibition.

Skip Bayless would have found a way to criticize LeBron James's legacy regardless of the Olympic MVP outcome

Skip obviously went straight to Twitter and was like, Steph Curry won the MVP. Right? Yeah. He said LeBron did win the MVP and yeah, skip was like, this is an indictment on LeBron's legacy just perfect spin zone... if Steph had gotten the MVP, it would've been the same video being like LeBron didn't get the MVP and this was his team.

Noah Lyles is the Hater of the Year for his comments on the NBA

Noah Lyles... might have to do that as a Takey Hater of the Year. Because he was the one who before the Olympics said, you don't win a world championship if you win the NBA championship. That's not the world... He definitely got cut playing basketball. He's got some very deep seated anger for any ball sport.

Watching Caleb Williams play made me feel like an idiot for ever believing in Mitch Trubisky or Justin Fields

Watching Caleb Williams play quarterback made me feel like the dumbest person in the entire world forever thinking that Mitch Trubisky and Justin Fields were the guys. 'Cause it looks so different. Yeah. And I know it's preseason... but it just looks different. Like he's his, he's confident, poised, like reading the defense, it just looks different.

Jayden Daniels reminds me of rookie RG3

My own experience watching Jayden [Daniels] on Saturday... that one throw he had oh, so sick... He reminds me of RG3 in the RG3 good times. It's been 30 years since I've had a quarterback that for longer than like 10 weeks I could really root for and really think this is the guy.

Joe Milton should have been a top 10 pick and is a sixth-round steal

Number one I had Joe Milton. 'Cause Joe Milton is fucking awesome... History repeats itself. That guy, how did that guy last until the sixth round? That guy should have been top 10. Patriots get a six round steal.

I am not ready to get hurt again by a Bears quarterback

I am not ready to get hurt again. I am not. I've been hurt too many times too recently... I'm not mentally, physically in a space where I could take the hurt again. It will, it will kill me. This will be the last hurt of my life.

I will be a 'monster' if Caleb Williams turns out to be incredible

I don't know what I'm capable of. Like, I, it's scary to think of what I could be capable of. If Caleb Williams was like, incredible. I might be a monster.

LIV Golf should allow all steroids and make the tour totally rule-free

I was shocked to know that Liv had a steroid policy... You have no rules. You play golf with shorts. They should, if you're the Liv Tour, make everything legal. Have it be steroids, but golf. Tackling. Yes. And a football and pylons.

LeBron James could play in the NBA until he is 50 if he wanted to

I think he could play another five years... If he embraced being like, I'm not gonna be LeBron James, but I'm gonna play till I am like not good enough to play in the NBA. I think it'd be 10 years... LeBron, if he wanted to play basketball at 50 years old, could probably make an NBA roster.

Matthew Stafford is a future Hall of Famer

I had to take that you're gonna be a Hall of Famer in 2018. And people laughed at me... my point at the time was look at his longevity. If he has a deep playoff run, you obviously win a Super Bowl. He's gonna be right there and If, you look right now, three to four If, you play three or four more years, you're gonna be top five passing yards, top 10 touchdowns.

The 2023 Houston Texans proved that you have to prove yourself every single year in the NFL

That's the cool and amazing part about NFL football is, you know, you kinda go into the season... you come into the NFL you're like, man, who knows. Yeah. Yeah. Nobody had the Houston Texans doing what they did last year, so gotta go out there and prove it every single year.

LeBron James is on steroids because of his size and longevity

I will go with LeBron James. I mean, how is he not on steroids? That big. I'm not throwing a flag. That's probably an honorable mention. I mean there's, that's probably an honorable mention.

Peyton Manning's wife is a Mount Rushmore steroid user

Peyton Manning's wife. Yep. That was my fourth bet... Alleged, all alleged... we are not saying Peyton did it. No, no. His wife, his wife, his wife is a steroid guy. His wife was coming back from a very bad neck injury.

Secretariat was definitely on steroids

I'm gonna take Secretariat. Some would say the the greatest athlete of all time. But its heart was like three times too big. We've documented that tirelessly on this show. Secretariat definitely on steroids. Randy Moss, white, Randy Moss agreed. Chances are very, very high.

Joel Embiid falls on his head intentionally to minimize impact on his knees

I saw some people saying that maybe [Joel Embiid] was trying to minimize the impact on his knees. So he's just not landing on his feet anymore. He is the opposite of a cat. He just lands on his head.

Carmelo Anthony should be the coach for the next Olympic team

Melo should be the coach in next Olympics. Melo literally called a play for Kevin Durant from the far sideline. He was like clear out, clear out. It was when Kevin Durant had the sauce.

Steve Kerr purposefully played bad lineups to make the Serbia game more dramatic

Credit Steve Kerr for making it an interesting game and one of a highlight Olympic basketball game because that was more fun than the US just killing everyone. If he had just kept with his best players the whole second half, we probably would've won by double digits.

Steve Kerr is an idiot for benching Jayson Tatum during the Olympics

I'm an American first and foremost... I think Steve Kerr is a fucking idiot. Even his own player Draymond Green was chirping him on Twitter saying you gotta mess with the lineups. You have Jayson Tatum, one of the best players in the NBA, didn't play at all.

The Celtics are set for a repeat because Jayson Tatum and Jaylen Brown are motivated by Olympic disrespect

Jayson Tatum, Jaylen Brown, they're gonna have all the motivation the world. I'm rooting for America, but after this is over the Celtics, like they're gonna be set up for a repeat.

Jim Harbaugh will never return to college football

I mean, [Jim Harbaugh] is gonna just stay in [the NFL]. He's never gonna go back to college. That was his dream job.