Takes

Mitchell Trubisky will have a breakout year with an open play book

I think [Mitchell Trubisky] is going to do well. You look at last year, they didn't let him do much last year. I think this year will be different. They're going to open it up, use his athletic ability, move him around a little bit. I've not been this excited in a long time about our team.

The Browns are going to win the Super Bowl this year

The Browns are going to win the Super Bowl this year. Did you watch Hard Knocks? They're awesome.

I'll eat a cow dick if the Raiders make the playoffs

We'll eat a cow dick if the Raiders make the playoffs. Spread that mayo all over it. Yeah, we'll eat a cow dick if the Raiders make the playoffs.

The Browns are going to win the Super Bowl

I don't know if I am just still feeling the high of a Liev Schreiber narrated slow-mo. But I think the Browns are going to win the Super Bowl.

Christian Yelich will win the MLB MVP

It's Christian Yelich since appearing on Pardon My Take in July. He's first in batting average, tied for first in home runs, first in runs, first in RBIs, and first in slugging percentage. Many people are saying he's going to be the MVP.

Tom Brady will run for office in Massachusetts as a Democrat after he retires

I think that Tom Brady is going to run for office in Massachusetts after he's done playing football. And to win in Massachusetts when you're running for office, you typically have to be a Democrat. And Tom Brady has gone from having the Make America Great Again hat in his locker to now he's liking Colin Kaepernick's Instagram posts for the new ad campaign.

Rick Pitino is finished but not done with coaching

Rick Pitino says in that book, Rick Pitino believes it's unlikely he will return to coaching. He's finished. He has said it himself. He's finished. I think he's finished but not done. It will only take a little bit of time for him to come back. Give him 20 minutes and he won't be finished anymore. He'll be ready to go again.

The Khalil Mack trade marks the beginning of a Bears dynasty

The Bears are back... The best trade that's ever been traded. I'm thinking like maybe even when the Cowboys did that trade with the Vikings, this is going to be the start of a dynasty.

The 2018 Bears defense will be a top-five unit if they stay healthy

From the Bears' perspective, to get serious for a minute, it actually is a super exciting trade because the defense is now... I would say top five defense, if everyone stays healthy, they have two studs.

The Bears will win 11 games in the 2018 season

How many wins do you think the Bears actually have in them this year? ... I'm going to say they're now in like the eight, nine category. I think they're going to get 11.

Jim Harbaugh is officially on the hot seat if he loses to Notre Dame, Michigan State, and Ohio State in 2018

If he can't beat any of his rivals this year... that is going to be a problem. ... If you lose to Notre Dame, Michigan State, and Ohio State, you are obviously on the hot seat, whether it's fair or not.

The 2018 49ers season is the best I've felt in 12 years

I think we're going to be really good this year. I feel confident with the team, the direction we're going, the coaching staff is amazing. This is the best I've felt in 12 years as far as going into this season.

Tua Tagovailoa will be the best pro quarterback Nick Saban ever produces

Tua is insanely fun to watch, like probably the best pro quarterback that Nick Saban will ever have.

Case Keenum will throw a shitload of touchdown passes to Demaryius Thomas this season

I would take Demarius. Yeah, take Demarius. In case Keenum's going to throw him a shitload of touchdown passes.

I like Kenyon Drake a lot for the 2018 season

I like Kenyon Drake a lot this year. I like Alex Collins. Take Kenyon.

Michigan is going to be very good this year

I think Michigan is going to be very good this year. I've come all the way around. I love Jim Harbaugh, and their defense is going to be so good.

Matthew Stafford stinks as a quarterback, but he is going to be a Hall of Famer

I've stopped my Matthew Stafford slander. He's going to go in the Hall of Fame. You ready for that? Look at his stats. The pendulum has swung the other way. It sucks that I'm admitting it. Matthew Stafford, if you look at his statistics and if he keeps playing for as long as he's going to be, he's going to be a Hall of Famer. He stinks as a quarterback, but he's going to be in the Hall of Fame.

Chris Carson is going to be a top-five running back in the NFL this year

Chris Carson's going to be a top five running back in the NFL this year. You're welcome.

Georgia is becoming the new Alabama

I think Georgia is becoming the new Alabama. And I actually filmed a video where I say, I think Georgia's going to win the SEC this year. Because I think Georgia, by the end of this season, they have to replace so many guys that you know. But the thing is... the guys they have coming in might eventually be better.

Clemson will win the National Championship

National champion, Clemson. I think they wind up going with [Trevor] Lawrence... if the guys are equal again, you're going to go with the higher ceiling guy.

LSU will beat Miami in the season opener

I still, with the pass rush that LSU should be able to generate, I like LSU in that game [against Miami].

The over on West Virginia's 7.5 win total is a lock

West Virginia, their over-under is 7.5. Oh, wow. I want to hammer that... Will Grier is maybe the best quarterback in the country... They're going to put up sick numbers on offense.

Lane Kiffin will eventually return to the Power 5 and the NFL

I would bet a good amount of money that Lane Kiffin will coach not only a Power 5 team at some point in the rest of his career, but also probably in the NFL. He'll probably go around again.

My 2018 College Football Playoff field is Washington, Wisconsin, Clemson, and Georgia

All right, Final Four. Wisconsin, Washington, Clemson, Georgia.

The Jaguars can win a Super Bowl with Blake Bortles

He also said that the Jacksonville Jaguars can win a Super Bowl with Blake Bortles. Facts only. He [Jalen Ramsey] knows what he's talking about.

Devon Cajuste's belief in the power of crystals and the full moon will be what gets him a spot on the Browns roster

I actually do kind of believe in the crystals, like the harnessing of the crystal power is probably what's going to get [Cajuste] on the team. Either that or the full moon. Once a month, he will give you a hell of a game.

The Chiefs' new parking lot policy is the beginning of the end for tailgating

The Chiefs have started a new policy where after the game starts, they're just going to start kicking people out of the parking lot. I feel like it could just be the beginning of the end... They're going to slowly outlaw tailgates.

Ben Roethlisberger will gain 150 pounds as soon as he retires from the NFL

[Ben Roethlisberger] is going to gain like 150 pounds when he retires. He's going to be so fat. He's going to be like Ron Dayne.

The US will win the World Cup in 25 years because Cristiano Ronaldo's son is an American citizen

Cristiano Ronaldo's son is now playing for Juventus under nine. And he was born in San Diego, so he's an American citizen. He's like the Johnny Appleseed for the future of U.S. soccer. We just need Cristiano Ronaldo to impregnate just as many women as possible... in America.

Patrick Mahomes will be a good quarterback

Yes [Mahomes will be a good QB]... because I'm a Chiefs fan... He's got a howitzer hanging off his shoulder. Now, therefore, with the right coaching and the right opportunity... I feel very confident.

I bet Patrick Mahomes will not be a good quarterback

I am going to be on the, I don't think Patrick Mahomes is going to be a good quarterback side of history. So I'm going to stamp my, I'm going to put my flag in.

Jimmy Pitaro will eventually go to Mike Golic with his hat in his hand for a Mike and Mike reunion

There's going to be a Mike and Mike reunion. It's going to happen. Jimmy [Pitaro] is going to go to Mike Golic with his hat in his hand and say, Mike, we screwed up.

The NFL is trending toward eliminating the preseason in favor of a 19 or 20-game regular season

This is now how it chips away that we're going to maybe go no preseason 19-20 games. Regular season. McVay's doing that, too. McVay benched all his good players. So, I mean, I would be, you know, take away a couple preseason, give us a couple more regular season. I'd be okay with that. Why not? More football that way.

NFL ratings will be insane this season despite hater predictions

All you fucking haters out there who say the NFL... Guess what? The NFL's back, and there's a shitload of us watching it. We love it... Ratings are going to be insane.

I have unfinished business with hosting a talk show and would do it again

Yeah, I feel like it's unfinished business. I haven't failed at a lot of stuff in my life... but that was like, man, that really left me disappointed in the result, maybe in myself, in the circumstances. Yeah, I'd like to do it. I had a show and a pilot I did with Rudd and with David Spade and with Molly Shannon for a late-night Fox show that never saw the light of day that I'm really proud of.

The championship window for this Nationals group is closed

I think the window we're talking championship window. It's probably closed on the [Nationals] for this group. ... the Nats are dead. They're done. Put a stake in them. Probably should have traded Bryce Harper.

Bryce Harper will be in pinstripes next year

Yeah, there's nothing you can do. So [Bryce Harper] will be in pinstripes next year. Whichever pinstripes, we don't know. Could be Phillies pinstripes.

Paxton Lynch's days in the NFL are numbered

My hot seat is Paxton Lynch. I think I'm just going to put him on my hot seat until he's out of the NFL ... Paxton Lynch, your days are numbered, bucko.

Joel Embiid and Ben Simmons will be first-team All-NBA players in five years

In five years when I'm done playing, those guys are first team, all NBA players, you know? ... Joe, as good as he is and Ben is as good as he is, are still going to be so much better.

I'm leaning into my own stupidity and picking the Browns to win the AFC North

I'm just going to lean into my own stupidity and say I think the Browns are going to win the division. I'm with Hank now. ... 80% of the bets coming in are on the Browns to win that division.

The NFL will eventually call significantly fewer of these new preseason penalties once the regular season starts

I actually think the NFL is going to figure it out. I'm no longer in the hysteria camp. ... They're setting the tone. And once the season starts, they're going to probably call significantly less of these penalties. And I just can't imagine the NFL being like that one penalty that we're talking about, the Vikings sack. Like that can't be called. They won't do it.

Betting the over early in the NFL season is a smart move due to the high volume of penalties

What do you think about betting a lot of overs early in the season? ... I talked myself into that big time last night.

The current Dodgers have the best team in baseball and should be back in the World Series

I think that our team, our team should be in the World Series again because we have the best team today. And they're going to show now that the time has come where we really have to go.

No baseball player will ever hit .400 again unless they cheat

Do you think anybody's going to hit 400 again? No. No. Only way they'll hit 400 is a cheat. ... Nobody hit 400.

The Eagles will miss the playoffs because Nick Foles and Carson Wentz are both injured

So when I'm doing the math, I think the Eagles just have two hurt quarterbacks for the entire year, and they're going to miss the playoffs. Hot take.

Marcus Mariota or Jameis Winston will officially be labeled a bust this year

One of those two guys [Mariota or Winston] is going to suck again and we go bust, bust, bust.

Jared Goff is a front runner for the 2018 NFL MVP

Jared, a lot of people are saying MVP candidate this year. I'm putting it out there right now. I think I said front runner MVP for 2018, right?

Jalen Ramsey will have a major, high-profile mistake this season due to 'karma'

I'm saying Jalen Ramsey is going to have a big fuck up in a big game this year. And people are going to have a roast show on Twitter.

The Rams will make the Super Bowl this season

[Are you guys going to the Super Bowl this year?] Man, we better. We've got a good team. We've got good pieces in place.

Mitchell Trubisky is going to have a great year for the Bears

As far as Mitchell [Trubisky] goes, I think he's going to have a great year.