Overview of Pardon My Take with Barstool Sports
This episode is a wide-ranging Friday show centered on Lionel Messi’s continuing World Cup greatness, plus two big interviews: Charles Barkley on golf, the NBA, and his long-running beef/reconciliation with Michael Jordan; and Austin Reaves on his breakout Lakers career, massive new contract, playing with LeBron and Luka, and how far he’s come from being an undrafted guard. The crew also runs through Mount Rushmore of Birds, debates some NBA and World Cup topics, and closes with a few classic Fyre Fest complaints about robots, ordering food, golf-cart repairs, and identity theft.
Main Storylines and Takeaways
Messi, Ronaldo, and World Cup GOAT talk
- The hosts react to Messi’s World Cup brilliance and lean increasingly toward the “Messi is the GOAT” argument.
- They emphasize how Messi can dominate even when defenders try to take him out of the game, pointing to his ability to create the decisive assist rather than force shots.
- The discussion turns into a broader “GOAT of GOATs” debate involving Messi, Michael Jordan, and Muhammad Ali.
- Ronaldo is mostly used as the foil, with the crew joking that Messi’s performance is making the comparison look less and less close.
World Cup final betting / match discussion
- The crew talks about the upcoming final and potential prop bets like corners, goals, and yellow cards rather than a straightforward side.
- They note that the matchup should be high quality and that one team’s possession style can make games extremely annoying to watch.
LeBron James “decision” drama
- The crew is annoyed by the endless speculation about LeBron’s next move.
- They joke that a team could gain leverage by trading for Bronny and threatening to bury him in the G League if LeBron doesn’t sign.
- They speculate about possible destinations, including the Warriors and Cavaliers, while acknowledging that the saga changes daily.
Charles Barkley Interview Highlights
Golf, gambling, and being back on the show
- Barkley says he’s been playing better golf thanks to coach Stan Utley, but admits he still bets like he’s better than he is.
- He talks about how golf is one of the few places he can find peace and just talk trash with friends.
- He admits the biggest issue is not swing mechanics but trying too many hero shots out of the trees.
NBA commentary and media life
- Barkley says people still get offended too easily and argues that sports media should be able to joke around.
- He reflects on the viral Draymond Green exchange and says it didn’t bother him at all.
- He believes the Clippers were effectively caught cheating in the Kawhi Leonard situation and says the NBA needs to punish teams in a way that actually matters.
LeBron, the Sixers, and the Cavaliers
- Barkley strongly argues that if LeBron wants the cleanest, best legacy move, he should return to Cleveland to finish his career.
- He says going to the Warriors or Sixers would look like ring-chasing and stacking the deck again.
- He also says the East is wide open and that Philadelphia, New York, and Cleveland all have interesting but incomplete paths forward.
Michael Jordan reconciliation
- One of the best moments of the interview: Barkley reveals he and Michael Jordan have started talking again after years of silence.
- He says they were both selfish and stubborn, but they’ve agreed to reconnect and play golf soon.
- He jokes that he’s excited to get back to giving Jordan crap in person.
Barkley on weddings, funerals, and impressions
- Barkley says he does not go to weddings or funerals unless the person is especially close to him.
- He says weddings are the bride’s day and he doesn’t want to steal shine.
- He also explains that he doesn’t mind impersonations of himself and takes them as flattering, recounting a story involving John Madden and Frank Caliendo.
Austin Reaves Interview Highlights
Big new contract and staying in L.A.
- Reaves discusses signing his new $185 million deal and says he always wanted to stay with the Lakers.
- He notes the money hasn’t technically hit yet because of cap mechanics, but the deal is essentially done.
- He says L.A. is home and that the weather and golf are major perks.
From undrafted to cornerstone Laker
- Reaves reflects on betting on himself and proving he belonged after going undrafted.
- He says the confidence was always there; the biggest issue was simply getting the chance.
- He’s proud of being one of the biggest success stories of an undrafted player in recent NBA history.
Playing with LeBron, Luka, and AD
- Reaves talks about earning LeBron’s respect early through smart play and timely passing.
- He shares stories of LeBron giving him on-court advice in real time, including calling out defensive rotations before they happened.
- He describes Luka as one of his best friends on the team and says the two compete in everything, from bowling to ping pong and darts.
- He also says Anthony Davis and LeBron’s departure changed the team’s dynamic, but he likes what the Lakers are building.
Childhood, farm life, and basketball development
- Reaves grew up in a small Arkansas town and says his family’s farm was cattle-based.
- He explains that his mom steered him toward basketball instead of farm work.
- He says he was a high-level scorer in high school and had some huge games where it felt like no one could really stop him.
- He also laughs about his “Hillbilly Kobe” nickname and says it came from a coach, not from him.
Golf and competitiveness
- Reaves is a strong golfer and says he’s better than LeBron on the course.
- He and LeBron, Luka, Bronny, and others have played a ton of golf together.
- He says JJ Redick is intense but good to play for, and that the Lakers staff does a good job balancing analytics with feel.
Mount Rushmore of Birds
Team picks
- Bald Eagle
- Owl
- Larry Bird
- Falcon
- Flamingo
- Big Bird
- Ostrich
- Penguin
- Nick Foles as a joke “bird” pick
Honorable mentions / birds they forgot
- Hummingbird
- Woodpecker
- Raven
- Vulture
- Albatross
- Magpie
- Pigeon
- Duck
- Swan
- Cardinal
- Oriole
- Blue Jay
- Toucan
- Parrot
- Seagull, though mostly as a “Mount Flushmore” candidate
Best recurring joke
- The group spends a lot of time debating whether various animals count as birds and joking that they should have drafted dinosaurs.
Fyre Fest / Complaints of the Week
Zach: robot hands and AI anxiety
- Zach is freaked out by a new humanoid robotic hand that can perform intricate tasks.
- He worries this is one step closer to full robot bodies and, eventually, a robot takeover.
- The others joke that the first use case will absolutely be sexual and that robots may eventually revolt over being used for handjobs.
PFT: Bluetooth and app overload
- PFT complains that Bluetooth technology hasn’t meaningfully improved in years and is still too clunky.
- He also vents about having too many apps and losing track of the ones he actually uses.
Memes / group dinner chaos
- The team’s usual Mexican-food order went sideways when chips and salsa/queso weren’t included right away.
- There’s also a broader complaint about how hard it is to get everyone to answer in the group order thread on time.
PFT: golf cart disaster
- PFT and a friend attempted to upgrade his golf cart with a new battery, controller, and motor setup.
- The project went off the rails, required soldering, and eventually left the cart basically dismantled and dead.
- He had to call a professional to come clean up the mess.
Max: identity theft nightmare
- Max says someone fraudulently opened phone lines under his identity, racking up a major bill and wrecking his credit.
- He’s now in the middle of claims, police reports, and customer service calls trying to fix it.
- The crew jokes that the thief was somehow incredibly effective and that Max is the easiest mark imaginable.
Notable Themes
- Messi’s greatness is reaching the undeniable stage: the crew keeps circling back to how impossible he’s made it to argue against him.
- Charles Barkley remains one of the best guests in sports media: funny, candid, and willing to say anything.
- Austin Reaves is a legit Lakers success story: undrafted, then indispensable, then paid like a star.
- The show leans on its best format: big sports debate, a couple of sharp interviews, and then total chaos in the back half.