Bill Belichick, Grit Week 2026, Cavs Win Game 7, Aaron Rai Takes The PGA + Who’s Back Of The Week

Summary of Bill Belichick, Grit Week 2026, Cavs Win Game 7, Aaron Rai Takes The PGA + Who’s Back Of The Week

by Barstool Sports

2h 57m•May 18, 2026
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Overview of Pardon My Take — Bill Belichick, Grit Week 2026, Cavs Win Game 7, Aaron Rai Takes The PGA + Who’s Back of the Week

This Grit Week kickoff episode blends the show’s signature road-trip chaos with serious sports talk, anchored by a major interview with Bill Belichick from UNC. The crew recaps the Cavaliers’ Game 7 win, reacts to Aaron Rai’s PGA Championship victory, and hits a packed “Who’s Back” segment that includes Conor McGregor, Shams Charania, and even El Niño. The episode also features plenty of running jokes, including Zach’s Pub Sub questionnaire, Max’s fantasy draft, and the ongoing Vanny Woodhead/Grit Week travel saga.

Bill Belichick Interview: Grit, Coaching, and the UNC Rebuild

The centerpiece of the episode is an extended interview with Bill Belichick at North Carolina, where he talks through his coaching philosophy and the state of the program.

Main themes from Belichick

  • “Grit” = toughness, competitiveness, and consistency, not just attitude.
  • He emphasizes player development and how younger college players can improve rapidly compared with NFL veterans.
  • He explains why he still loves coaching:
    • More hands-on teaching at the college level
    • More opportunities to coach every position
    • Faster visible improvement from players

Key football insights

  • He broke down the value of fullbacks and how they create schematic advantages in the run game.
  • He discussed the importance of advanced scouting, both from his father’s old-school methods and from modern coaching.
  • He explained how Randy Moss changed the way he thought about speed and spacing.
  • He described Tom Brady’s progression from “not good” to great as a slow, repeatable process built on discipline and consistency.

Funny / notable Belichick moments

  • He said he doesn’t drink coffee and gets energy from football instead.
  • He told stories about:
    • The Doug Flutie dropkick
    • Sean Taylor absolutely leveling a fake punt in the Pro Bowl
    • Practical jokes from Matt Light and Dante
  • He gave a memorable answer to Zach’s sleep issue: set multiple alarms and get backup support.

Belichick’s coaching mindset

  • He repeatedly returned to the same core ideas:
    • Work hard
    • Pay attention to details
    • Put the team first
    • Build habits through practice so games feel familiar

Cavs Win Game 7: Cleveland Advances

The hosts react to the Cavaliers’ blowout Game 7 win over the Pistons.

Takeaways

  • Cleveland was simply the better team in the decisive game.
  • The Cavaliers got big performances from:
    • Donovan Mitchell
    • Evan Mobley
    • Jared Allen
    • Sam Merrill
  • The Pistons’ lack of consistent offense was the difference, with Cade Cunningham needing a superhuman effort that never quite materialized.

Bigger playoff conversation

  • The crew views the NBA as a league where many teams are just “okay,” making a lot of series feel volatile.
  • They also note the Knicks’ looming matchup and joke about how short the series could be.

PGA Championship: Aaron Rai Wins and Wins Over the Room

Aaron Rai’s PGA Championship victory becomes one of the most discussed feel-good stories of the episode.

Why the crew liked the story

  • Rai won with a huge closing putt and had a calm, professional finish.
  • His backstory landed hard:
    • Grew up in England
    • Wore two gloves
    • Dad took great care of his clubs
    • He once made 207 straight putts from 10 feet as a kid

Reactions

  • Hank called the finish a bit of a blue-ball Sunday because the leaderboard never really tightened.
  • PFT and the others appreciated how Rai’s story made him feel like a genuinely cool champion.
  • They joked that his win might spark a two-glove trend in golf.

Other Sports Topics

NHL and hockey

  • The crew discusses the long wait between games in the NHL playoffs and jokes about how rested some teams have been.
  • They also talk about Canadian fan behavior and the intensity of Game 7 energy.
  • PFT says he’d renounce U.S. citizenship and become French if Canada wins the Stanley Cup.

NFL news

  • Aaron Rodgers to the Steelers becomes a point of debate.
  • The consensus is that it gives Pittsburgh a higher short-term ceiling but also a pretty clear window on the future.
  • The hosts also joke about the team’s likely win range and the idea of the Steelers ending up stuck in the middle.

Baseball rivalry week

  • The show touches on MLB rivalry matchups, including:
    • Yankees-Mets
    • Cubs-White Sox
    • Phillies-Pirates
    • Nats-Orioles
  • They compliment the White Sox for not being a joke anymore and note that the Cubs still need pitching.
  • The Nationals’ 500-adjacent struggles get a mention, along with a new puppy-related superstition.

Who’s Back of the Week

Conor McGregor

  • McGregor is officially back, with the upcoming Holloway fight drawing attention.
  • The hosts joke about whether he still has it and suggest that wealth has probably made the comeback harder.

Shams Charania

  • Shams gets roasted for spoiling the SGA MVP announcement early.
  • The crew says he basically ruined what was supposed to be a big ceremony tied to the NBA playoffs.

El Niño

  • PFT highlights the return of a potentially massive El Niño cycle and its climate implications.
  • He jokes about droughts, floods, and the old “Chilean fishermen” narratives from past El Niño warnings.

Call of Duty

  • Zach gives a gaming update:
    • Bush wins the Challengers major
    • LA Thieves take the CDL title
  • The crew gives him credit for staying plugged into the scene.

Zach’s Pub Sub, Club Night, and Personal Growth

Zach becomes an unexpected recurring star of the episode.

The Pub Sub quiz

  • He created a questionnaire to determine each host’s ideal Publix sub.
  • The crew loved the results and particularly the chicken tender sub.

The club story

  • Zach went to a club alone, danced for hours, and met a woman at the bar.
  • He describes it as uncomfortable but good for him.
  • The others praise him for getting out of his comfort zone.

Notable Quotes and Running Jokes

  • Belichick on grit: “Toughness, competitiveness.”
  • Belichick on coffee: “I can’t stand coffee.”
  • The crew on Aaron Rai: “He might be the coolest guy ever.”
  • On the PGA finish: “Blue-ball Sunday.”
  • On McGregor: “He’s back.”
  • On Zach’s sleep habits: “Get two more alarms.”

Bottom Line

This episode is classic Pardon My Take: a major football interview wrapped in road-trip absurdity, with real sports analysis mixed with nonstop jokes. The Belichick interview is the standout, offering a detailed look at coaching, development, and football philosophy, while the Cavs, PGA, NFL, NHL, and MLB talk keep the episode moving at a fast, chaotic Grit Week pace.