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PMTPMT DB

Takes

Void
PFT CommenterPFT Commenter

Duke would have won the National Championship by 50 points if they had reached the final.

I think if Duke plays in the championship game, they win by 50. Easily. That was a wasted opportunity.

This is a hyperbolic counterfactual that cannot be proven, making it subjective.
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PFT CommenterPFT Commenter

College basketball is now 'pay to win' and that's unsustainable

It's a pay to win tournament. Like basketball is ruined. Unsustainable. Yeah, that's the new word that I keep hearing.

Subjective opinion about the direction of college sports governance.
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MemesMemes

Diana Russini likely leaked the Sedona hotel photos herself to publicly announce her hatred for the New York Jets.

I also kind of think she leaked this article. Like who gives a fuck about Mike Vrabel going out in the middle of the desert? Who leaks that? And then what better way to announce your hate for the Jets than being like, I'm hanging out with Mike Vrabel pants on a rooftop.

This is a speculative theory about internal motivations and leaks that likely can't be verified.
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Big CatBig Cat

Geno Auriemma is the biggest baby ever for his reaction to the 2026 Final Four loss

I don't think there's ever been a bigger baby ever than Geno. Everything he tried to say in the press conference was just immediately refuted to be false — Dawn Staley didn't shake my hand at the beginning of the game. Yes, she did. Sarah Strong got her jersey ripped. No, she ripped it herself.

Subjective assessment of Auriemma's behavior, though the factual claims he made (handshake, jersey rip) were apparently incorrect.
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Big CatBig Cat

The NBA regular season is currently the worst product in sports

Can I say about the NBA... I think that the NBA has never been worse in terms of regular season. It's an absolute joke. Friday, every single team was playing like a tanking team was playing a playoff team and none of the games were close. The regular season NBA is like the worst product. It just sucks.

This is a subjective evaluation of entertainment value.
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PFT CommenterPFT Commenter

Dawn Staley's post-loss quote — 'I can swallow the loss because we lost to a really good human being' — is the biggest loser quote ever heard

That is maybe the biggest loser quote that I've ever heard. And she's a great coach. 'I can swallow the loss because we lost to a really good human being and a good team.' She's still thinking about Geno.

Subjective interpretation of Staley's quote and motivations.
Open
Big CatBig Cat

Duke is not a true blue blood because they only won with one coach

I actually saw a really good take today... they actually said that Duke's not a blue blood because a true blue blood is winning championships with multiple coaches. Duke just had one coach. Kentucky's won with multiple. That's the definition of Blue Blood is it's the organization that carries it, not just the coach.

If Jon Scheyer wins a title, this take is definitively debunked based on its own logic.
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PFT CommenterPFT Commenter

Danny Hurley will be the best bald coach in sports history if he wins a third championship

I think that would make Danny Hurley the best bald coach in sports history. The only other option could be Red Auerbach, but he wasn't bald for his entire career. I think right now he's already on the Mount Rushmore of bald head coaches. But if he wins a third, that puts you in rarefied air.

Subjective ranking based on a specific physical attribute.
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Big CatBig Cat

Illinois is being massively disrespected — the UConn-Illinois game is just as much a de facto national championship game as Arizona-Michigan

I wanna push back on something that's the narrative that's going around right now that the national championship is the late game on Saturday night. I think that's so disrespectful to UConn and Illinois — two teams that absolutely can win this whole thing.

Subjective media criticism — can't be definitively resolved, though UConn-Illinois being competitive would support his point.
Loss
PFT CommenterPFT Commenter

Victor Wembanyama should win the NBA MVP

I think we should become a pro Wemby for MVP podcast. Oh, I mean we are... I really like Wemby for MVP because he has played enough games.

Nikola Jokic won the 2024 NBA MVP. Wembanyama was a finalist but did not win.
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PFT CommenterPFT Commenter

Duke players suffered severe concussions from the UNC court-storming earlier in the season

I think it's also important to remember that Duke likely had several players that were suffering from severe concussions after the storming of the court that UNC had against them... it's sad that they were forced to continue playing for the rest of the season after such a violent act happened to 'em.

Hot TakeCBBHotSarcastic
There is no medical evidence of season-long concussions; the take is a satirical jab.
Void
HankHank

Jon Scheyer might be on the hot seat after another tournament failure

Jon Scheyer might be on the hot seat. I don't know how you don't call a timeout. It's the time. I don't know how you don't like, that's like day, literally day one of camp is like, all right, let's run some, some out of bounds end of game situations.

Whether he is actually on the hot seat is a matter of athletic department perspective, but the take reflects the fan sentiment.
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Big CatBig Cat

Stealing the ball in basketball is unethical and against the gentleman's code

I actually, I don't know if you know this, but I called you before the tournament the most ethical hoops team in the entire tournament because you guys don't steal the ball a ton and you also don't foul a ton, so you just play straight up. That's ethical. A lot of teams are trying to steal — stealing the ball is actually against the gentleman's code of the game of basketball. Dr. James Naismith would not appreciate that. You guys do it in an ethical way. You just play good hoops.

This is a satirical take and cannot be evaluated for correctness.
Loss
HankHank

Paul Skenes is broken after the World Baseball Classic

Paul Skenes is broken... World Baseball Classic hot seat broke him.

Skenes has been elite in the MLB; this was a total overreaction or bit.
Void
PFT CommenterPFT Commenter

I'm glad I missed Peyton Manning's birthday because he has enough people sucking his dick

I'm glad I missed Peyton Manning's birthday by the way. Fuck, fuck that guy. He's got enough people to suck his dick and wish him a happy birthday. Awful announcing quote that. I hope I do it again next year.

Subjective opinion on a celebrity's social status.
Loss
PFT CommenterPFT Commenter

Tom Brady never processed 9/11 because he was such a psycho about football

He just had delayed onset grief. Anything that happened during his playing career, he never processed any of it outside of football. Tom Brady probably never processed 9/11. He was such a psycho, all he cared about was football. He probably found out about it like two years ago.

Hyperbolic satirical claim.
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PFT CommenterPFT Commenter

Nate Oats needs to teach his players to never let the police look through their phones

Let the Aden Holloway situation be a reminder to everybody that you don't have to let the police look through your phone. I actually point the finger at Nate Oats for this, because Nate Oats, you gotta do a better job of explaining the first through fifth amendments to your players. Given the history that you've had... day one you should have a, get the guys from Morgan & Morgan to come in and be like, 'Do not talk to the police if you're in trouble. Shut the fuck up.'

This is a satirical advice piece and commentary on Nate Oats' coaching responsibilities.
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Big CatBig Cat

Fouling when up by two points late in a game is a terrible strategy

Todd Golden said in the press conference they were trying to foul up two... That's insane. Foul up two's crazy. You know how crazy he is? Steven Che thinks it's a good idea. Fouling up two does not make any sense... Play defense! How about that? The, that my groundbreaking end of game scenario that I would coach in that situation would be: play defense.

This is a debate about basketball strategy and risk management.
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HankHank

Tom Brady could still throw for 4,000 yards and 30 touchdowns in the NFL right now

Tom Brady... It's football. They had the flag football event this past weekend. Tom Brady played in it. I mean, he could go out next year in the league and probably get 4,000 yards, 30 touchdowns.

Brady is 48 and retired; the likelihood of him returning and putting up elite stats is nearly zero.
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PFT CommenterPFT Commenter

NFL players should not be confident in their union representation with JC Tretter as NFLPA head

He's a moron. So it looks like Roger Goodell now has his doofus set up as they go into the next CBA. If I was an NFL player, I would not be too confident about my representation right now.

Subjective assessment of Tretter's competence and what it means for NFL players going into CBA talks.
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ZacZac

I Show Speed is more famous than Tom Brady

Our conversation back here was Brady or Speed. I would probably go Speed. Brady's a big name though, he got a lot of rings, but I'd go Speed. I might take it back and go top one [most famous person at the field].

Fame is difficult to quantify but generally, Brady has much higher brand recognition among adults globally.
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Big CatBig Cat

High Point is not a real school; it is a four-year post-high school vacation

High Point isn't a real school. It's vacation. It's vacation use four years of post high school vacation... Students in Madison right now still have another like, solid month and a half of Winter. High Point is going and eating ice cream and in their shorts and flip flops and having steaks.

It is a real accredited university, though it is known for its luxury amenities.
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Big CatBig Cat

Darius Acuff is my favorite player in the tournament and I'd take him #1 overall in the NBA Draft

My favorite player in the entire tournament is Darius Acuff and the Arkansas and the way he plays. I would be a bad NBA GM if they let me be an NBA GM. Take him one-one because I fucking love him. He is a fucking killer.

Acuff is a top prospect but not considered a consensus #1 overall pick in the upcoming draft.
Open
Big CatBig Cat

The 'Rollover Over' bet: Bet the over on Texas vs NC State and roll the winnings into the next round over

The I mean I lose. Yeah. Good one dude. I lose a lot. This is the rollover over though Texas NC State are playing in Dayton over whatever we win on that BYU versus the winner of that game over the rollover. Over double over. You take the winnings and you roll over. Yeah. To another over. I I there there's no defense.

Requires both games to go over for the 'rollover' to succeed.
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HankHank

Timothée Chalamet can't win the big one after losing another Oscar

Timothy Chalamet. Yeah. Did not win... he's now in that like, can he win the big one? It's, it's I think it's his third time. Nothing. Can't win the big one. Nothing to show.

Subjective application of 'choker' narrative to acting.
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HankHank

Ludvig Åberg is a choker who can't win on Sundays under pressure

Ludvig Åberg. Can't win the big one. Yeah. Big time. Can't win the big one. Another choke. Choke to the masters... He stinks on Sundays. I don't know what it is about him... just when he gets under pressure he just melts down.

Subjective opinion on a player's mental toughness.
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PFT CommenterPFT Commenter

Mark DeRosa intentionally threw the game to Team Italy because of his Italian heritage

A lot of people were talking about, the last name [DeRosa] is Italian. Very Italian. And he seemed to throw this game to Italy. I'm just saying connect the dots. Paesan.

This is a humorous conspiracy theory based on a surname coincidence.
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HankHank

I am rooting for the Dominican Republic over Team USA in the WBC because they are more electric

The Dominican team is electric and I like to be entertained when I'm watching sports. This tournament's for entertainment. I want to watch more games with the Dominican Republic team. I want more. I'm rooting for the USA correctly, but I respect the hell out of the Dominican team.

This is a subjective rooting interest.
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PFT CommenterPFT Commenter

The Washington Wizards are the ones who deserve credit for Bam Adebayo's 83 points

My take is that 83 should mostly be given credit to the Washington Wizards. It should be like the Wizards allowed one man to score 83 points against them on this day. The Wizards showing up to cities and playing basketball games should not be tolerated by those cities.

Hot TakeBasketballHotSarcastic
Bam Adebayo did score 83 points against the Wizards (150-129 Heat win). However, PFT's claim that the Wizards 'deserve credit' is satirical — the Wizards just had historically bad defense.
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HankHank

I need to get into a car accident that totals my car so I have an excuse to buy a new one

I need to get in an accident that totals this car so that I have no choice but to get a new car. I want to get a sick car. That way I don't even have a choice.

This is Hank expressing a desire to total his car for an excuse to buy a new one, not a verifiable prediction.
Push
HankHank

Shohei Ohtani was just playing against electricians in the World Baseball Classic

If you're talking about Shohei, you can literally say he was just playing against electricians. He got shut out by an electrician.

While technically true that some players on smaller nations' teams had day jobs (like the Czech electrician), it is an absurd reduction of the tournament's overall talent level.
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PFT CommenterPFT Commenter

The Cowboys 'monitoring' every situation is just a facade for doing nothing

Thoughts and prayers to the Dallas Cowboys who are now leading the NFL in number of guys that they're monitoring... they've been monitoring every situation. So they were monitoring the Crosby situation extremely closely. And they're very disappointed that they did not get Maxx Crosby, despite the fact that they're monitoring.

It's a satirical take on the Cowboys' lack of action in free agency/trades.
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Big CatBig Cat

A joint bachelor/bachelorette party is a 'pre-crime' indicating a lack of trust

If you do a joint bachelor bachelorette party, you just, that's pre-crime. That's the most insane thing possible. It's, it's, it's not, it's bad, bad behavior. It's, it's, that means you just don't trust each other.

Subjective opinion on social norms.
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Big CatBig Cat

Winning a Thunder NBA championship and appearing on the Pardon My Take book cover are more significant than winning the NBA Cup or the 2020 Bubble title

I think it goes: Thunder championship, book cover, NBA Cup second place, NBA Cup third place, and then the bubble championship. [74 in Tahoe] is up above the cup games. People gotta talk about it more.

This is a satirical ranking based on podcast bits.
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Big CatBig Cat

The half marathon is a joke of a race that isn't a 'real' accomplishment

Half marathon's gotta be the lamest thing to break. Call it a 10,000, what is it? 10,000 meters. Half marathon is bullshit. Make it a full marathon or make it a 10K. It's just a joke. It is a joke of a race. In principle it is a joke.

Inherently subjective and contrarian.
Loss
ZacZac

I Show Speed is globally more famous than Donald Trump

I do think that I Show Speed is globally more famous than Donald Trump... between the ages of five and like 37 is four makes up 48% of the globe. And I think a overwhelming majority of them definitely know who Speed is... I think Speed might [have] 4.1 [billion people] dude. I'll give 4.1 just for sake of argument.

While Speed has massive reach, Trump's global recognition as a world leader and historical figure makes Zac's literal claim likely incorrect by any standard metric.
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Big CatBig Cat

Malik Willis is the #1 free agent backup quarterback

Top quarterback free agents... Is it also Malik Willis? Malik Willis is, yes. So he's number one. Malik Willis one.

Willis was traded to the Packers in 2024 and performed well as a backup, but ranking him #1 over established vets is a subjective value judgment.
Open
Big CatBig Cat

Duke not winning the national title would be the most consequential sports story of all time

I think it would be the biggest sports story of all time. If Duke did not win the national title this year. All time. I think all time story... Duke not winning at all this year would be the biggest, the most consequential sports story of all time. Not our lifetimes of all time.

The outcome is pending, but the scale of the claim is subjective and satirical.
Open
PFT CommenterPFT Commenter

The Jets should trade three first-round picks to move up one spot and draft Fernando Mendoza

I heard that the Jets should trade three first round picks to move up one spot and get [Fernando] Mendoza. ... I think I probably would too if I was the Jets.

This trade did not happen, and the draft philosophy is satirical.
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Big CatBig Cat

Team USA would have lost the gold medal game if they listened to Aaron Judge's speech

That was one of the worst speeches of all time. If they're, why don't put that out. If you're world ba baseball classic, don't put that out. I think they're trying to get a little bit of the buzz from the Olympics team. USA would've lost the gold medal game if, if if someone stood up and gave Aaron Judge's speech.

Subjective counterfactual comparison between baseball and hockey.
Open
ZacZac

Rams fans should be worried because Puka Nacua is focused on everything but football right now

My Hot Seat this week is gonna be Rams fans. ... Puka might be focused on everything but football right now. He's on an elite bachelor run. ... I just feel when you're on this kind of heater, I think it, it's gonna transcend and he, this is gonna bleed into the regular season football.

Will be judged by Nacua's performance in the 2026 season.
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Big CatBig Cat

Pardon My Take has likely had a negative sociological effect on the intelligence of sports fans over the last 10 years

Our final boss should be some detailed researched article that is like the effective, Pardon My Take on sports fans. Like a negative thing. ... they can trace it back to all these kids that were listening when they were 12 and now they're fucking idiots as grown adults and they're going to games.

The sociological impact of a podcast is inherently subjective.
Void
PFT CommenterPFT Commenter

White Boy Summer will be canceled if Chet Hanks remains stuck in Colombia

Chet Hanks is stuck in Colombia right now... now he can't get back to the United States because they won't let him back in. There's no greater American than Chet Hanks. And we're in danger of having white boy summer canceled this year if Chet's still stuck in Colombia.

The 'cancellation' of a self-proclaimed cultural movement is subjective.
Open
MemesMemes

The Jets fleeced the Titans in the T'Vondre Sweat for Jermaine Johnson trade

I think the Jets fleece the Titans. I think it's a win-win, win-win win plus for the Jets. I'll say win plus... So they traded for [T'Vondre] Sweat. He has two years left on his contract. Jermaine Johnson only had one year left on his contract.

The trade's success depends on the long-term production of both players relative to their contract status.
Void
PFT CommenterPFT Commenter

The US should lobby to cancel Olympic hockey so we can remain the permanent gold medalists

Let's try to, if we win again, let's just try to get hockey canceled in the Olympics. So it just stays ours from now on. Like honestly, it's not good for the health and safety of the NHL players. It should go back to just being amateurs.

This is a satirical suggestion that was never intended to be literal policy.
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HankHank

Jacob Bridgeman's wife is wrong; he is a better golfer than he is a person

Jacob Bridgeman... there was a clip on PGA tour posted from his wife that said he is a better person than he is a golfer. Not true. Not true, dude. You just won a PGA Tour tournament... You're a top 50 golfer alive right now. You're not top 50 human beings. Sorry buddy.

This is a subjective, comedic judgment of value.
Void
Big CatBig Cat

Mayweather and Pacquiao fighting at the Sphere is the coolest possible sporting event

Mayweather and Pacquiao were fighting again. Mayweather's 49, Pacquiao is 47. Why? This sucks. [PFT says it's at the Sphere]. Sphere? Oh fuck. I'm in. I'm so in. I'm so fucking in. That's awesome. The first sporting event. Sick.

This is an opinion about the appeal of an event venue.
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HankHank

Liking chick flicks from the 2000s is inherently wrong for men

Liking chick flicks is wrong. They're gay. Yeah.

This is a purely subjective and deliberately inflammatory opinion for the segment.
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PFT CommenterPFT Commenter

Big game hunting and winter survival should be added as Winter Olympic sports

I do agree with big game hunting [as an Olympic sport], that would rock dudes. It's like you go out in the wilderness and then you just have to weigh like, how much bear did you come back with? The Olympic sport of just watching dudes in the middle of the woods who can start a fire faster. I'd watch that.

This is a satirical suggestion for sports entertainment.
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Big CatBig Cat

Hockey is only America's fourth most important sport and we still beat Canada

I choose to win with class. Does it hurt for Canada that I graciously said hockey is our fourth like the fourth sport we're best at? We're football, baseball, basketball... and then hockey. I love hockey, but it's our fourth most important sport. And Canada, Canada's everything. And we fucking beat you. And we have the gold.

Subjective ranking of sport importance, though commonly cited in US TV ratings and participation.

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