Overview of Part of My Take with Barstool Sports
This episode is a broad sports-heavy edition of Pardon My Take featuring live reactions to playoff baseball, a recap of Monday Night Football, and two strong in-studio interviews: Eli Manning and Ryan Russillo. The hosts also cover Lane Johnson’s retirement, the NFL’s weekly “hot seat/cool throne,” and close with listener-submitted takes, including a chaotic debate about the shape of the Earth and several other internet-fueled tangents.
Playoff Baseball Reactions
Brewers-Padres instant reaction
- The hosts watched the end of Padres-Brewers live and broke down a tense, high-leverage October game.
- They praised the series as classic playoff baseball: tight margins, clutch moments, and relentless pressure from Milwaukee.
- They joked that Mason Miller’s paternity leave timing was unfortunate for playoff baseball, while also acknowledging the real-life importance of missing the birth of a child.
Braves-Dodgers
- The conversation shifted to Braves-Dodgers and whether Atlanta used Chris Sale too aggressively.
- The hosts questioned whether it was smart to burn Sale in a game where the Dodgers’ pitching depth and overall roster strength made the matchup so difficult.
- They praised Yoshinobu Yamamoto as a dominant postseason arm and emphasized how absurdly loaded the Dodgers are, especially with clutch hitters like Kiké Hernández.
White Sox / Guardians / Yankees / Rays
- They discussed what they described as the “funnest team in playoff baseball” and also touched on Cleveland’s postseason struggles.
- White Sox Dave was credited with noticing tip pitches and warning others, which the crew treated as an all-time fan contribution.
- They also mocked the Yankees’ ugly playoff offense against the Rays, calling the Trop a bizarre environment and laughing at the Yankees’ inability to hit.
Monday Night Football: Falcons Dominate the Saints
- The Falcons’ 45-24 win over the Saints was framed as a huge offensive statement.
- The biggest takeaway: Michael Penix Jr. changes everything. The offense looked dramatically better compared to when Cooper Rush was starting.
- Bijan Robinson was singled out as a star, and Drake London’s chemistry with Penix was highlighted as one of the best QB-WR pairings in the league right now.
- The Saints were criticized for poor line play, predictable play-calling, and a lack of answers on defense.
- The hosts also wondered if Hank’s “Saints fart curse” extended to the Pelicans.
Eli Manning Interview Highlights
Sliding, sacks, and quarterback health
- Eli and the hosts spent a lot of time on quarterback sliding technique.
- Eli argued that sliding is an underappreciated skill and should be tracked as an official stat.
- He made the case that a good slide should include turning the body so defenders don’t deliver direct hits.
Peyton, Arch, and quarterback family dynamics
- Eli talked about supporting his nephew Arch Manning while still rooting for Ole Miss in general.
- He said family comes first, even if Texas and Ole Miss end up meeting in the playoff.
- He joked that Peyton wants to control everything but can no longer throw like he used to.
Leadership, accountability, and the QB role
- Eli reflected on taking blame for things that weren’t his fault as a quarterback.
- He explained how leadership often means protecting teammates publicly, even when a receiver runs the wrong route or a play breaks down.
- He also praised coaches who build trust without making everything about themselves.
Hall of Fame and legacy
- Eli said he believes his Hall of Fame induction will happen eventually.
- The hosts argued that the delay has actually helped his reputation, because people are now more willing to acknowledge how great he was.
- They emphasized his two Super Bowls and how much respect he has earned.
Ryan Russillo Interview Highlights
College football chaos and parity
- Russillo and the hosts agreed that college football is more wide open and more chaotic than ever.
- The transfer portal, NIL, and roster churn have made year-to-year swings much more extreme.
- They discussed how fanbases, boosters, and athletic directors are all reacting impatiently to rapid changes.
SEC, Big Ten, and the national picture
- They debated which teams feel trustworthy right now, with Georgia, Ohio State, Notre Dame, Miami, Alabama, Indiana, LSU, and others entering the conversation.
- Russillo stressed that no team feels unbeatable.
- They also discussed how college football’s brokenness is part of its appeal: it’s impossible to fix completely, and that chaos is part of the fun.
Coaches, hot seats, and weird program dynamics
- Russillo and the hosts touched on coaches like PJ Fleck, Dave Aranda, and others whose reputations change based on results.
- They noted how quickly public opinion shifts in college football, especially when teams suddenly win or lose in ways that confirm or challenge narratives.
- The conversation also included a long discussion of how coaches and administrators handle boosters, NIL spending, and changing expectations.
Hot Seat / Cool Throne
Hot seat
- NBA teams breaking rules / tanking: The Wizards and a clip involving Bub Carrington admitting they were tanking became a running joke.
- Humans in general: The crew reacted to research showing human skin being attached to robots, which they found both creepy and inevitable.
- Colorado State / Jim Mora Jr.: The defensive coordinator quitting midgame was singled out as a wild college football story.
- The NHL / Capitals: They joked about the league and Ovechkin’s retirement announcement, but more in a lighthearted way.
Cool throne
- Dylan Brooks: He got into a fight in preseason and was praised for being in midseason form already.
- Joey Chestnut: He crushed a baked-beans eating contest and was treated like an untouchable eating legend.
- Amazon Day / Stella Blue Coffee / Eagles sleep-in approach: Minor shoutouts and running jokes.
Listener Takes and Closing Chaos
- The episode ended with listener-submitted takes, including:
- A lengthy debate about whether the Earth is flat, triggered by a video of pilots.
- More conspiracy talk, including the moon landing, Babe Ruth, and other absurd internet theories.
- A prediction that the Chargers could still make the playoffs if their 0-4 start was “part of the plan.”
- A discussion of how many NFL head coaches might not survive the season.
Main Takeaways
- Playoff baseball is fully in the spotlight, and the crew loves the pressure-cooker atmosphere.
- Michael Penix Jr. appears to be the key to unlocking the Falcons offense.
- Eli Manning remains a natural storyteller who is still shaping the way people remember his career.
- College football feels more unpredictable than ever because of NIL, the transfer portal, and massive roster turnover.
- The show’s chemistry was on full display: sports analysis, absurd jokes, and internet-style chaos all mixed together in a very PMT way.