Overview of Pardon My Take
This episode mixed playoff chaos, a great long-form interview with Kyle Schwarber, and the usual PMT blend of sports talk, jokes, and side quests. The crew broke down a wild NBA playoff night, reacted to hockey drama and Ryan Whitney’s infamous beer-chug clip, and then closed with Hot Seat/Cool Throne and listener FAQs. A big theme throughout was “legacy” — Schwarber’s career arc, the Celtics vs. Sixers pressure cooker, and the ever-growing pile of PMT lore.
Kyle Schwarber Interview: Career, Clutch Hitting, and the Road to Philly
Schwarber was the centerpiece of the episode and delivered a candid, funny, and thoughtful interview about his career path.
Why he’s so beloved on PMT
- He’s been passed around the show’s fanbase through the Cubs, Nationals, Red Sox, and Phillies, making him a rare universally liked athlete on the pod.
- The hosts called him the most beloved athlete on the show.
What Schwarber said about his career
- He emphasized that he’s always tried to stay himself and focus on winning championships, not just stats.
- He reflected on how special the Cubs’ 2016 title was and how that shaped his approach to the game.
- He talked about his career arc being full of ups and downs, including:
- Getting sent down to Triple-A after struggling in Chicago
- Being non-tendered by the Cubs
- Finding a fresh start in Washington
- Ultimately landing in Philadelphia, where he feels he found a forever home
Postseason Schwarber lore
- The hosts highlighted several absurd Schwarber playoff stats, including:
- Most NLCS home runs all time
- Most postseason home runs by a left-handed hitter
- Most postseason leadoff home runs
- Schwarber explained that postseason baseball is the purest form of the sport because it’s all about winning the game, not batting average or individual numbers.
Big Schwarber stories and funniest moments
- Swing-off All-Star Game: he explained how the new All-Star Game swing-off felt tailor-made for him.
- Home run recognition: he said he usually knows when he’s squared a ball up the second it leaves the bat.
- The Astros no-hitter debate: when asked, Schwarber agreed it was a no-hitter, settling one of PMT’s long-running arguments.
- Bunting attempt vs. Brian Abreu in the World Series: he admitted it was a bad idea in hindsight, but explained the thought process.
- The infamous five-homer hypothetical: they joked about whether he could’ve hit five in a game if he had gotten another chance off a position player.
Phillies / expectations / 2022 run
- Schwarber said the Phillies always believed they had a good team, even when the outside expectations weren’t there.
- He described the 2022 Phillies run as a special mix of health, confidence, and momentum.
- He also talked about how hard it is not to get caught up in statistical milestones like:
- 50 home runs
- 100 RBIs
- historic season totals
He said the key is to stop trying to “force” those moments and just keep being himself.
Other great baseball talk
- He had strong opinions on:
- Javier Báez as a wildly instinctive player
- Trey Turner and Javy as elite base-stealers/sliders
- The mental side of hitting and not overthinking
- He also told funny stories about:
- Outfield errors
- Rain-delay chaos
- Playing first base for the first time
- Getting traded at the perfect time to a contender
Random but awesome side note
- Schwarber talked about Indiana football and how surreal it was to see the Hoosiers become legitimate contenders. He even served as a sideline captain and had a full “wow, this is real” moment watching the program’s rise.
NBA Playoffs: Celtics-Sixers Chaos, Thunder Dominance, and More
The show opened with a big reaction to the Sixers blowing out the Celtics in Boston and the possibility of a dramatic Game 7.
Celtics vs. Sixers
- The crew kept joking that Hank forgot about Joel Embiid, who looked dominant.
- They argued over whether the Celtics’ uniforms were cursed.
- Game 6 was framed as a huge pressure game, especially with the series swinging back toward chaos.
- They spent a lot of time imagining the nightmare scenario for Hank if the Celtics lose in Game 7 during Max’s bachelor party in Vegas.
Knicks/Hawks, Cavs, Magic, and more
- They discussed the Knicks looking much better and the Hawks getting handled.
- The Magic vs. Pistons series got a long breakdown:
- The Pistons’ lack of shooting was a huge issue.
- Cade Cunningham has been battling injuries and carrying too much of the offense.
- The Magic were praised as a difficult matchup because of size, defense, and toughness.
- They also talked about:
- The Thunder being overwhelmingly good
- SGA’s absurd clutch numbers
- The Nuggets surviving and the Timberwolves needing a response
- Whether LeBron could still go on another run if healthy
NHL / Whitney Beer-Chug Chaos
Ryan Whitney called in to explain the beer-chug clip that went viral.
What happened
- Whitney tried to chug from a Sabres sword/cup and basically failed in hilarious fashion.
- He said he got caught between:
- trying to chug
- trying not to spill
- and accidentally doing a weird slow-motion flop with his offhand
Whitney’s explanation
- He admitted he didn’t realize how impossible the vessel was to chug from.
- He said the cup/sword was throwing off his balance and that the whole thing got away from him.
- He thought he was being helpful by making the appearance, but the internet treated it like a disaster.
The aftermath
- The crew joked about whether Whitney had a stroke or was entering a fugue state.
- They also talked about the parallax effect in hockey, using it to argue over a controversial goal.
- Whitney was still funny, self-aware, and very much the center of the show’s hockey drama for the day.
Hot Seat / Cool Throne
Hot Seat
- World Cup: Hank put the World Cup in the hot seat because every story about it sounds like a logistical nightmare.
- Tiramisu world record: they called BS on a “longest tiramisu” record that was really just a bunch of desserts lined up together.
- Farts: PFT brought a study showing women’s farts are more concentrated and smell worse, while men fart more volume.
- Spotify playlists being public: the Titans/Vrabel lore continued via leaked playlist drama.
- LIV Golf / New Orleans: they discussed LIV postponing its New Orleans event and the whole thing being messy.
Cool Throne
- Younghoe Koo: because a missed field goal at Georgia reportedly triggered a seizure in a man who then had a brain tumor discovered, possibly saving his life.
- Aaron Rodgers: for the Steelers’ right-of-first-refusal/tag situation and the ongoing “please just decide” energy.
- Dave Portnoy: because he had a horse in the Kentucky Oaks.
- Michael Rubin: for moving his July 4 party so it wouldn’t conflict with Taylor Swift’s wedding.
- Duke: because Cooper Flagg and Kon Knueppel were joked about as if they had “won the title last year.”
FAQs and Housekeeping
PMT live show and book
- They reminded listeners about the 10-year anniversary live show in LA on Tuesday, May 5.
- They also mentioned the upcoming book and the chance for AWLs to submit a paragraph if they pre-ordered it.
Soggy Sorrows origin
- They revisited how Soggy Sorrows started as a bit from early segment brainstorming.
- The idea was simple: when your team loses heartbreakingly, you pour water on yourself.
Other random housekeeping bits
- The fake science mat gift got a quick update: one is in use, one is in a garage.
- They clarified the “opening the roof” comment — it referred to a roof deck, not literally opening a house roof.
- The show ended with the usual mix of chaos, birthdays, and nonsense, including a lot of golf, football, and hockey side chatter.
Biggest Takeaways
- Kyle Schwarber remains one of the best interview guests in the PMT universe: smart, honest, funny, and full of great baseball stories.
- The episode leaned hard into playoff stress — especially Celtics/Sixers and the looming possibility of Game 7 chaos.
- Ryan Whitney’s beer-chug clip became an instant classic in PMT lore.
- The show keeps building toward the LA live show and the new book, while still finding time for ridiculous debates about no-hitters, farts, and tiramisu.