PMTPMT DB

Takes

Void
Take Slip·Aug 3, 2020·PR 101
#PMT-2020-0803-3024
Big CatBig Cat

Mets GM Brodie Van Wagenen intentionally leaked that Yoenis Cespedes was missing to spite him

He knew that Cespedes packed up his shit and left because he was opting out but he used to be Cespedes's Agent and so he's pissed that Yoenis ended up signing with Roc Nation. And so now he's like feeding all this shit into the media... first thought if somebody just ditches the Mets you don't immediately suspect that they're dead.

While never explicitly proven as a malicious leak, the timeline of Van Wagenen's statement vs. Cespedes' representative notifying the team was highly contested and widely viewed as a PR disaster.
Void
Take Slip·Mar 4, 2020·PR 101
#PMT-2020-0304-14467
PFT CommenterPFT Commenter

James Dolan staged the handshake with Spike Lee to create propaganda for the Knicks

I wouldn't put it past James Dolan. I would not at all this happens at all the time in spy movies and TV shows where you send somebody up to get long-distance snapshot of right looking like something inappropriate is happening and boom. You've got the propaganda right there.

While never proven as a 'staged spy operation', Spike Lee himself claimed the photo was a misleading attempt by Dolan to save face, making PFT's analysis of the PR tactic quite accurate to the situation's optics.
Void
Take Slip·Jan 20, 2020·PR 101
#PMT-2020-0120-11177
Big CatBig Cat

If you are a man with a fat face, you must have high-volume hair to distract people from your cheeks

If you're a bigger guy, you need to have your hair have as much volume as possible to hide the fact that you have a fat face. When you put on a hat, it always makes your face look fatter. All the focus goes to your fat fucking cheeks. So you need to have hair, just crazy hair, to take away. Hair and beard are a fat guy's best friend.

This is subjective grooming and fashion advice.
Void
Take Slip·Nov 6, 2019·PR 101
#PMT-2019-1106-14128
Big CatBig Cat

If you are threatening to fight someone on Twitter, you must give your home address, not the team facility

My problem with what [Jermaine Whitehead] did. Not that he threatened people... My problem is he said meet me at this address and then gave the facility address. If you tell someone to meet you somewhere. It has to be your house, right? Man up.

This is a social critique of online confrontation etiquette.
Loss
Take Slip·Aug 16, 2019·PR 101
#PMT-2019-0816-12892
PFT CommenterPFT Commenter

Texas should trademark 'Horns Down' to sue people instead of complaining

Texas should just trademark the phrase 'horns down' and the motion 'horns down'. That way when everybody does it, they can actually sue them instead of just crying about it.

OpinionCFBMediumSarcastic
The university never trademarked the 'down' version for litigation purposes.
Void
Take Slip·Jan 28, 2019·PR 101
#PMT-2019-0128-250
Big CatBig Cat

Jon Gruden uses helmet stickers at the Senior Bowl because he can't remember players' names

Jon Gruden clearly is doing this because he can't remember anyone so he's like... just marking everyone with a Raider tag because he was not going to remember who he liked or not.

Purely a subjective/comedic interpretation of a coach's behavior.
Win
Take Slip·Jan 9, 2019·PR 101
#PMT-2019-0109-4369
Big CatBig Cat

Derrick Rose's 'kill yourself' comment was not a slip of the tongue

Derrick Rose said, 'everyone that thinks that it's going to stop, kill yourself.' ... He then doubled down on it. He said, 'like I said before, kill yourself.' ... When you say it twice, you don't get the slip of the tongue tag. When you double down, the slip of the tongue doesn't work anymore.

The transcript of the press conference confirms Rose said it twice, making the argument that it was intentional at the time a logical one.
Void
Take Slip·Dec 14, 2018·PR 101
#PMT-2018-1214-18976
PFT CommenterPFT Commenter

If I am ever on fire, do not piss on me to put it out

I want to say for the record, if I'm ever on fire, don't piss on me. No, just remind me to stop, drop, and roll. It's not going to help unless you're Peter North and have a stream like a fire hose. It's not going to put out the fire. You're just going to be pissing on me as I burn to death.

Scientifically, unless the volume of liquid is sufficient, it wouldn't be effective, but this is a comedic preference.
Void
Take Slip·Dec 14, 2018·PR 101
#PMT-2018-1214-18973
Big CatBig Cat

It is great for golf that Patrick Reed is a villain everyone hates

Patrick Reed, though, he is the bad boy of golf. And I love this because this just keeps his street cred just keeps going up, up, and up. Everyone hates him. Guess what? It's fucking golf. ... It's actually great to have a bad guy in golf.

This is a subjective opinion on the entertainment value of a player, though Reed remained a controversial figure for years.
Void
Take Slip·Jul 20, 2018·PR 101
#PMT-2018-0720-10796
PFT CommenterPFT Commenter

Jimmy Garoppolo dating a porn star is like a pro-am for sex

Jimmy Garoppolo is so confident in his sex abilities, he's doing a pro-am right now. He's playing with a pro... Jordan reached the mountaintop in his chosen profession and then he chose to go try to compete against the best in another profession.

Void
Take Slip·May 23, 2018·PR 101
#PMT-2018-0523-1999
PFT CommenterPFT Commenter

I am way better looking than Ed Sheeran

I'm way better looking than Ed Sheeran. A million percent... The dude can't even pee next to me.

This is entirely subjective and a comedy bit.
Void
Take Slip·Apr 4, 2018·PR 101
#PMT-2018-0404-3737
Big CatBig Cat

Donte DiVincenzo's old tweets aren't problematic because he was only 13

Dante DiVincenzo... some of the tweets are deemed problematic. Now, I want to make it very clear. I don't think any of these are problematic. ... It's also a 13-year-old that, like, is stupid. And if you remember when you were 13, you were a dumb fuck, too.

A matter of opinion regarding social standards and maturity.
Void
Take Slip·Mar 7, 2018·PR 101
#PMT-2018-0307-5700
Big CatBig Cat

Eating steroid-contaminated meat is a smart off-season move for athletes

Canelo Alvarez, who tested positive for steroids. And he said it was actually because he was eating too many Mexican cows. ... I actually think this played. ... that's actually a smart thing to do is you just go in the off season, eat Mexican cows, and then when you get busted, be like, well, sorry. All I did was eat Mexican cows.

Win
Take Slip·Feb 28, 2018·PR 101
#PMT-2018-0228-891
Big CatBig Cat

Lonzo Ball needs to fix his shot after losing to Bow Wow

If you lose to Lil' Bow Wow with no shoes on, you have to then go fix your shot. ... I know everyone says, oh, don't mess with Lonzo's game. [But] you have to then go fix your shot.

Lonzo Ball significantly reworked his shooting form later in his career, particularly with the Pelicans and Bulls, becoming a much better shooter.
Void
Take Slip·Sep 13, 2017·PR 101
#PMT-2017-0913-14813
Big CatBig Cat

Ted Cruz only watches porn on Twitter to avoid his wife seeing his browser history

I just love the fact that Ted Cruz doesn't know that private browsing is a thing, so he watches his porn on Twitter to not get caught by his wife. That is the most quintessential Ted Cruz thing. He only watches porn that he can find on Twitter so that no one knows he's watching porn, and now everyone knows he watches porn.

This is speculative satire and cannot be proven as Cruz's official explanation was that an 'aide' made a mistake.
Void
Take Slip·Sep 6, 2017·PR 101
#PMT-2017-0906-10663
Big CatBig Cat

Willson Contreras sliding into Mia Khalifa's DMs was just a man looking for a friend

He doesn't even need PR 101 because if you read the DMs, he's just looking for a friend. ... He said, 'I just want me friend.' ... So guess what? Willson Contreras, you're fine in my book.

Loss
Take Slip·Jul 17, 2017·PR 101
#PMT-2017-0717-4534
PFT CommenterPFT Commenter

Deontay Foreman should become a Second Amendment activist to resolve his PR issues in Texas

This is a very on-brand thing in Texas, to have a gun. Everyone's got a gun in Texas. Just become a huge Second Amendment guy. Deontay Foreman should go into the Houston Chipotle with an AR-15 strapped over your shoulder. ... Then I'm sure you'll get all the NRA people just absolutely 100% having their back.

OpinionFootballFireSarcastic
Foreman did not do this. He eventually had the charges dropped and played for the Texans.
Void
Take Slip·Jul 7, 2017·PR 101
#PMT-2017-0707-2054
Big CatBig Cat

Jamie Horowitz should have worn a hat to hide his large forehead

Jamie Horowitz... Definitely should have been a hat guy. Should have went with a big hat. He's got a large forehead, and I'm not saying that's why he got fired, but it's the Tom Crean, right? It's like you can't give them an extra reason to fire you... if you have a big forehead that just looks stupid.

Subjective fashion advice.
Void
Take Slip·Jun 9, 2017·PR 101
#PMT-2017-0609-14609
Big CatBig Cat

Kurt Eichenwald should embrace being the tentacle porn guy on Twitter

I think he just needs to own that block. He needs to be the tentacle porn guy. Just change your avatar to like an octopus... and just put your head right on top.

Eichenwald did not follow this advice; he continued to get roasted and eventually left Newsweek.
Void
Take Slip·Feb 20, 2017·PR 101
#PMT-2017-0220-13514
PFT CommenterPFT Commenter

The Dunk Contest is boring because there are a finite amount of body positions possible

It's not like the dunks aren't super impressive. It's just that we've seen every dunk. It's like watching porn. There's a finite amount of body positions that the human form can get into. Eventually, you just get bored with it.

This is a subjective opinion on entertainment fatigue.
Win
Take Slip·Feb 8, 2017·PR 101
#PMT-2017-0208-19546
Big CatBig Cat

The Bruins firing Claude Julien during the Patriots parade is the greatest PR 101 move ever

The Boston Bruins who fired Claude Julien... The morning of the New England Patriots parade and held a press conference during the parade. That is the greatest PR 101 story of all time.

Firing a beloved, championship-winning coach during the height of a Super Bowl parade is a textbook way to minimize negative coverage.
Void
Take Slip·Feb 8, 2017·PR 101
#PMT-2017-0208-19547
PFT CommenterPFT Commenter

Mark Wahlberg used his sick kid as an excuse to leave the Super Bowl early

That is an unbelievable story, the fact that he got exposed for leaving early and then threw his kid out there. ... The blame aspect is really strong in that.

While never proven to be a lie, the timing was incredibly suspicious and is a lasting piece of Wahlberg/Patriots fan lore.
Loss
Take Slip·Jan 30, 2017·PR 101
#PMT-2017-0130-1705
PFT CommenterPFT Commenter

A real American stays inside on Sunday and watches the Pro Bowl

Hey, you know what it means to be a real American? You stay inside on Sunday and you watch the Pro Bowl. Yeah, you watch the Pro Bowl. You bet on the Pro Bowl. That's what an American does.

OpinionFootballMediumSarcastic
Watching the Pro Bowl is not a requirement or defining trait of American citizenship.
Loss
Take Slip·Jan 11, 2017·PR 101
#PMT-2017-0111-7886
Big CatBig Cat

Derrick Rose should use being hacked as an excuse for going missing

He didn't tweet anything. He didn't do anything wrong on the internet. So then just say you got hacked. My life got hacked.

Rose did not use this excuse; he later cited a family matter.
Push
Take Slip·Dec 16, 2016·PR 101
#PMT-2016-1216-8440
Big CatBig Cat

Mark Dantonio's approach to fixing Michigan State's problems by 'firing himself' is a great PR move

Mark Dantonio... he fired himself, kind of. He said, to be honest with you, I've taken the approach of, hey, I'm a new coach coming in here. I'm going to fix the things that the other guy did last year... and that's how I'm going to take the approach.

The PR move was real; Dantonio did use this rhetoric. However, Michigan State only bounced back slightly in 2017 (10-3) before declining again.
Void
Take Slip·Nov 30, 2016·PR 101
#PMT-2016-1130-3529
Big CatBig Cat

Johnny Manziel needs to get sued or arrested every few months just to let us know he's alive

Johnny Manziel is being sued because apparently he broke some bartender's nose. Good to know Johnny Manziel is still alive. We need him to get sued or arrested every few months to let us know that he's alive.

This is a humorous commentary on celebrity news cycles.
Loss
Take Slip·Oct 14, 2016·PR 101
#PMT-2016-1014-6735
PFT CommenterPFT Commenter

Ken Bone should immediately cash in and do a 'Prego porn' video

Ken is definitely going to get some propositions from a porn company to be like, hey... do you want to do some Prego porn? And you got to do it. Cash in. Just got to cash in.

Ken Bone did not do porn; he largely faded into obscurity after his 15 minutes of fame.
Void
Take Slip·Aug 1, 2016·PR 101
#PMT-2016-0801-14619
Big CatBig Cat

If you claim you were hacked after a scandal, you must lean into it with more fake hacks

If you are going to go the hacked route, you have to go farther down the rabbit hole of hacked. So you accidentally snap a picture of your penis, then you accidentally snap a picture of a swastika, then you accidentally snap a picture of like you throwing a rock at a pigeon and then you're like shit I got hacked.

Satirical PR strategy.
Void
Take Slip·Aug 1, 2016·PR 101
#PMT-2016-0801-14620
PFT CommenterPFT Commenter

Draymond Green should sue Snapchat for entrapment

If I'm Draymond, I would consider suing Snapchat. They made an app that makes it really easy to send dick pics that disappear afterwards. So it's like entrapment.

Legal satire.
Loss
Take Slip·Jul 18, 2016·PR 101
#PMT-2016-0718-17271
PFT CommenterPFT Commenter

NFL teams will view Johnny Manziel as a nerd for playing Pokemon Go

Manziel was at a club. ... But he was playing Pokemon inside a club. And this is a pretty bad look for Johnny. ... well now NFL teams are going to be like, we don't want to hire him. He's a nerd.

OpinionFootballHotSarcastic
While Manziel never returned to the NFL, it was due to a myriad of personal and legal issues, not specifically a reputation for being a 'nerd' because of Pokemon Go.
Void
Take Slip·Jul 1, 2016·PR 101
#PMT-2016-0701-4578
Big CatBig Cat

Johnny Manziel's NFL suspension is a PR victory because it keeps him relevant

He got suspended by the NFL for four games. And you know what? That's a great thing for him to have happen because Johnny Manziel, for the first time in a few months, is being talked about in the same sentence as the NFL... It's all good news when the NFL is suspending you because that means you still have a little bit of relevancy.

This is a subjective interpretation of PR value, though Manziel never actually played in the NFL again.
Void
Take Slip·May 23, 2016·PR 101
#PMT-2016-0523-7037
Big CatBig Cat

Johnny Manziel should get fat to regain public sympathy

Fat Johnny Manziel is actually a good way to get some sympathy back... You can't... It's just different when you're fat. People won't call him a scumbag as much... You're lovable when you're fat.

Manziel did not follow this advice; he eventually opened up about his struggles with substance abuse and mental health in a more traditional manner years later.
Void
Take Slip·May 18, 2016·PR 101
#PMT-2016-0518-15377
PFT CommenterPFT Commenter

Steven Adams should use an interpreter to avoid future controversial comments

If I'm Steven Adams, I'm bringing out an interpreter with me for the next interview that I have. Like, I know you speak English in New Zealand. But most people in America don't know that... having that interpreter that you speak through, that explains away a lot of the bad stuff that you're getting caught up in right now.

This is a satirical PR suggestion, not a serious prediction.
Loss
Take Slip·May 18, 2016·PR 101
#PMT-2016-0518-15379
Big CatBig Cat

Tiger Woods should ditch Nike and get sponsored by Champion or Costco

I think it's time for Tiger Woods to ditch Nike because you see Tiger Woods in the Nike and you think of early 2000s... height of his powers. And you're like, why is this guy not the same? I think he needs to be sponsored by, like, Champion... wear the like $9.99 stiff cotton shirts... because then everyone in their brain starts saying, well, we don't expect anything from this Tiger.

Tiger stayed with Nike for another 8 years after this before leaving the brand in early 2024. He never wore 'stiff cotton' Champion shirts professionally.
Void
Take Slip·May 16, 2016·PR 101
#PMT-2016-0516-4437
Big CatBig Cat

Olympic cancellation rumors are just a PR stunt to remind people the Olympics are happening

I swear to God, they pretend it's canceled the Olympics every Olympics just to remind us the Olympics are coming... how else do you pump everyone up for the Olympics in the beginning of May?... Their whole PR 101 is they just remind you it's happening by scaring the fuck out of everyone.

While it's a theory on media cycles, the Rio Olympics did proceed despite massive pre-game scares about Zika and construction.
Void
Take Slip·May 16, 2016·PR 101
#PMT-2016-0516-4439
PFT CommenterPFT Commenter

I would trade four months of being sick with Zika to win a gold medal for my country

Why is it that big of a deal to get the Zika virus if you're going to get a gold medal? I would trade four months of being sick as a dog to win, not win it for myself, but win it for my country. I would shit through a screen door for four months if it meant that my country got a gold medal.

A personal trade-off preference is entirely subjective.
Loss
Take Slip·May 6, 2016·PR 101
#PMT-2016-0506-10289
PFT CommenterPFT Commenter

Never plead guilty to a crime even if you were caught on video

What lawyer tells his client to ever plead guilty? I've never understood that. ... My legal advice for everybody out there: Just don't plead guilty even if you absolutely did it and you're caught on video. Don't do it.

Plea bargains are a fundamental part of the legal system that often benefit the defendant; never pleading guilty is generally poor legal advice.
Loss
Take Slip·May 2, 2016·PR 101
#PMT-2016-0502-14574
PFT CommenterPFT Commenter

Johnny Manziel should become a sports blogger

He needs to become a blogger. He needs to write for the Players' Tribune. I'm sure they'll hire him over there. ... because pretty much all bloggers do all day is they talk about sports and then they get drunk at night. And that seems like it would be like a square peg, square hole situation.

OpinionMediaHotSarcastic
Manziel never became a regular sports blogger, though he did start a podcast later.
Void
Take Slip·Apr 18, 2016·PR 101
#PMT-2016-0418-11438
PFT CommenterPFT Commenter

Johnny Manziel should buy a house instead of renting to avoid party damage headlines

My PR 101 advice to Johnny would be—this is basic stuff—buy a house, don't rent. Interest rates being what they are these days, you're getting some bad financial advice so just look to buy, don't look to rent.

Subjective PR advice.
Void
Take Slip·Apr 18, 2016·PR 101
#PMT-2016-0418-11440
Big CatBig Cat

Johnny Manziel is actively trying to be a dickhead to stay in the news

He's actively trying to be a dickhead now. That's the thing that's shocking with Johnny Manziel... Now I think he's going out of his way to be like, I'm going to stay in the news. I'm moving in with Josh Gordon. I'm getting in a weird car accident. He's trying to do this.

Subjective interpretation of a person's motives.
Win
Take Slip·Apr 6, 2016·PR 101
#PMT-2016-0406-18248
PFT CommenterPFT Commenter

Greg Hardy's best possible legacy move is to be completely forgotten

The best thing that Greg Hardy could do is be forgotten. That's as good as it's going to get for his legacy. Why don't you get a horse and go live in the mountains someplace and don't bother anybody for a while?

Hardy never successfully rehabilitated his image and eventually left the NFL for MMA, remaining a pariah.
Void
Take Slip·Apr 4, 2016·PR 101
#PMT-2016-0404-18618
Big CatBig Cat

J.J. Watt is rattled because he tweeted at me out of nowhere

Here's why I think and I know that J.J. Watt is rattled. This was a totally unsolicited tweet from him... He just tweets me out of nowhere and he says, I thought we were friends now, man... You don't tell someone to have a great day unless you're, like, rattled.

Subjective interpretation of social media interaction, though Watt famously didn't get the joke for years.
Win
Take Slip·Apr 4, 2016·PR 101
#PMT-2016-0404-18620
Big CatBig Cat

J.J. Watt could fix his image by doing 'dizzy bat' and falling on his face

He needs to play a round of drunken dizzy bat because you always fall on your face... Not only is he like, okay, he's a regular guy... He also will fall on his face and will laugh about that. And if he can laugh at himself after that, I mean, he's right back in everyone's good graces.

Watt eventually did lean into more self-deprecating humor and his popularity with the general public remained high.
Loss
Take Slip·Mar 4, 2016·PR 101
#PMT-2016-0304-855
PFT CommenterPFT Commenter

Chris Jones should embrace his NFL Combine wardrobe malfunction and market himself as the 'big dick guy'

I think he needs to just run with us and totally embrace it and always be the guy with a big dick... show up to press conferences wearing like extremely tight [jeans]... capitalize on it and market himself as the big dick guy. Like he's, there's money to be made out there.

Chris Jones did not follow this PR advice, opting instead for a standard, elite defensive tackle career path.