CBB With John Fanta, Olympic Preview Halfway Through The Olympics, QB Lists And Zac’s Alarm Clock Has Him In Deep Water

Summary of CBB With John Fanta, Olympic Preview Halfway Through The Olympics, QB Lists And Zac’s Alarm Clock Has Him In Deep Water

by Barstool Sports

2h 19m•February 18, 2026
Listen to Episode

Overview of CBB With John Fanta, Olympic Preview Halfway Through The Olympics, QB Lists And Zac’s Alarm Clock Has Him In Deep Water

This Pardon My Take episode (Feb 18) mixes college basketball scouting with a lively Olympics preview, pop‑culture internet drama, and offbeat stories. Highlights: an in‑depth chat with college hoops reporter Johnny Fanta about March Madness contenders, each host’s Olympic sport pick and viewing tips, a bunch of hot takes (QB rankings, MLB/union drama), plus a personal saga where Zac accidentally left an alarm clock running and now faces a neighbor meeting.

Main segments — what the episode covers

  • Quick headlines: golf (Colin Morikawa), World Baseball Classic rosters, Phillies signing an 11‑year‑old international prospect, Dolphins roster shakeup (Tyreek Hill trade rumors), Seahawks/Kenneth Walker tag updates.
  • Olympic preview: each host picked a winter event to highlight, explained how it works, and gave viewing times / recommendations.
  • Hot Seat / Cool Throne: hosts name brands/people in the hot seat and those getting praise (fun pop culture takes and fast food shoutouts).
  • Long interview with Johnny Fanta: deep college basketball conversation — national title favorites, coaches to watch, upset/Cinderella possibilities, betting thoughts.
  • Viral/entertainment moments: Michael Jordan comment apology bit, internet “Goblin Chad” / clavicular meme discussion, Larry Wheels slap clip, and Zac’s alarm‑clock neighbor meeting story.
  • Sponsors read throughout (Bumble, DraftKings, Chevy, GameTime, Venmo, Pizza Hut, etc.).

Olympic preview — host picks, quick primers & viewing tips

Each host chose an event, explained why it’s entertaining, and gave scheduling/viewing notes:

  • Max — Biathlon (cross‑country skiing + rifle shooting)

    • Format highlight: mass start (top 30 start together), five targets, eight bullets; missed targets incur penalty loops.
    • US has never medaled; mass start events discussed for Feb 20–21 (men’s/women’s relay times mentioned).
    • Why watch: the shoot/no‑shoot drama creates dramatic position swings.

  • Zach — Pairs Figure Skating (free skate)

    • Format: 16 teams qualify from short program; free skate ~4 minutes with required elements (lifts, throws, death spin, etc.).
    • Notable: recent drama — German pair lost to Japanese team that set a world record.
    • When: pairs free skate & single women short program were on the day of the episode; check local listings.

  • Hank — Bobsled

    • Types: two‑man, four‑man (driver + pushers + brakeman).
    • Trivia: Jamaica’s program, tug‑of‑war and dog racing historical Olympic sports, luge/bobsled recruitment stories.
    • Viewer tip: team events and head‑to‑head feel make bobsled exciting.

  • PFT — Monobob & Ski Mountaineering

    • Monobob: new women’s event (single‑athlete bob).
    • Ski mountaineering: uphill climb on skins, rip them off and ski downhill — mixed relay on Feb 21 (guy/girl/guy/girl). Brutal endurance sport; unique to this Olympics.
    • Trivia: skis predate wheels (fun fact).

  • Memes segment (Nordic combined summary)

    • Nordic combined = ski jumping + cross‑country skiing; historically Nordic‑developed and Norway/Dutch dominate.

Notable Olympic watch/bet tips:

  • Short track speed skating — men’s 500m quarterfinals/semis/finals on the episode day (they singled out American Andrew Heo, 18‑1).
  • Biathlon mass start: Feb 20–21.
  • Ski mountaineering mixed relay: Feb 21.
  • Pairs figure skating drama to watch (Japanese team posting world‑record skate).

Actionable: If you want a single underdog pick from the episode — Andrew Heo (short track) was suggested at 18‑1.

Johnny Fanta interview — college basketball takeaways (concise)

  • Depth at the top: Johnny says 10–12 legitimate national‑title teams this season; it’s one of the deepest, most-exciting years in recent memory.
  • Top contenders named repeatedly: Michigan, Duke, Arizona, Houston, Florida — with several more (Purdue, Illinois, Texas Tech, Kansas, etc.) in the conversation.
  • Coach drama and hype:
    • Dan Hurley vs. Rick Pitino rematch (high intensity, big media attention).
    • Mick Cronin/UCLA attention-getting behavior (he’s intentional; publicity = eyeballs).
  • Betting / bracket advice:
    • Michigan, Duke, Arizona, Houston, Florida are prime teams to consider.
    • Fanta: he’s all over Houston — “in bed” with the Cougars — and likes Florida at value (he mentioned a 19‑1 price on Florida).
    • Be ready for Cinderella runs; he expects 1–2 true upsets (12–14 seeds winning games).
  • Team notes:
    • Houston — battle tested, tough defense, Kingston (KJ) likely a top NBA prospect; concerns about late game half‑court offense were noted.
    • Arizona — dominant inside game but lower three‑point volume is a vulnerability.
    • Wisconsin — strong wins away from home; potential Sweet 16 type if they keep rolling.
    • Providence — emotional scene vs. practical problems; Fanta calls for leadership/accountability.
    • Miami of Ohio — argued as deserving an at‑large bid by Fanta (appeal to the committee).
  • Final quick prediction: Fanta leaned Big Ten for the national champion (he named the Big Ten).

Key quote: “Your bracket is going to be hard to fill out — the top of the country is absolutely ridiculous.”

Hot Seat / Cool Throne — notable picks & reasons

Hot seats (criticized):

  • Wendy’s (store closures / rebuilding year).
  • Bleacher Report QB list (Dak Prescott placement controversy; Ryan Tannehill at 99 gripes).
  • MLB Players Association ED Tony Clark — resigned amid alleged inappropriate relationship with sister‑in‑law who was hired by the union.
  • Zac — hot seat for the alarm‑clock/noise complaint fiasco (see below).

Cool Thrones (praised):

  • Tiger Woods possibly playing the Masters.
  • Pizza Hut Big New Yorker promo (ad read/hype).
  • Larry Wheels (for protecting his wife; also controversial comments highlighted).

Notable news, scandals & viral moments

  • Michael Jordan bit: hosts joked about a previous comment about MJ (apology teased).
  • Phillies reportedly pre‑agreed to an $1.8M bonus with an 11‑year‑old Venezuelan prospect — heated reactions about the ethics/legality.
  • Dolphins major roster moves: Tyreek Hill trade talk (chiefs or Raiders or other suitors speculated); Tua trade interest problems.
  • World Baseball Classic: stacked Team USA roster; discussion about Bryce Harper’s “elite” status and criteria (2,000 hits, World Series).
  • Tony Clark (MLBPA chief) resigned amid internal investigation of improper relationship with sister‑in‑law who he hired.
  • Viral internet culture: clavicular / Goblin Chad meme saga, social media “maxing/mogging” lexicon — discussed for laughs.
  • Lawrence “Larry Wheels” video: slapped a man (Dean the Great) who was allegedly hitting on his wife — clip went viral.
  • Zac’s alarm‑clock incident: Zac left alarm clock plugged in at his apartment before a 5‑day trip; neighbors filed noise complaints, management called, Zac replied‑all to neighbors; a formal neighbor meeting scheduled — comic anxiety about eviction/meeting.

Zac alarm‑clock story — quick timeline & suggested follow-ups

  • Zac left an obnoxiously loud alarm clock running while away on vacation.
  • Apartment management called; Zac replied‑all to neighbors telling them to unplug the alarm.
  • Management scheduled an in‑person meeting re: noise complaints (Zac worried about possible eviction or escalation).
  • Hosts suggested support for Zac (Hank offering to attend/“legal representation” humor).

Recommended: Follow-up episode will likely cover the neighbor meeting outcome — hosts promised updates.

Other notable one‑liners & trivia

  • Curling stones: all come from one granite island — expensive and unique (high barrier to entry).
  • Ski facts: skis predate the wheel (fun history note).
  • Bobsled trivia: Eddie Eagan won medals in both Summer (boxing) and Winter (bobsled).
  • “Tug of War” and dog racing were once Olympic events (history bits).

Recommended viewing & quick bets (from the episode)

  • Watch:
    • Short track speed skating (men’s 500m events on the episode day; Andrew Heo highlighted).
    • Biathlon mass start (Feb 20–21).
    • Ski mountaineering mixed relay (Feb 21).
    • College hoops marquee slate: Michigan vs Duke, Arizona vs Houston weekend shows (consider these must‑see matchups).
  • Betting tips mentioned:
    • Andrew Heo (short track) was called out at 18‑1 by the hosts.
    • Johnny Fanta: high conviction on Houston (championship contender) and value pick on Florida (19‑1 was his stated bet).
    • General advice: bracket season will be extremely hard to pick; expect deep top tier + Cinderella runs from mid seed range.

Notable quotes / lines

  • Johnny Fanta: “Your bracket is going to be hard to fill out — the top of the country is absolutely ridiculous.”
  • On biathlon: “If you quick with the gun you can make up so much time…if you f*** up the gun, you’re done.”
  • Zach (alarm clock story): “There’s a world where I’m the worst neighbor of all time.”

Action items / takeaways

  • If you want a short, entertaining Olympic event to watch now: short track speed skating (fast, crash‑prone, big drama).
  • If you’re building a March bracket: Marcus to consider top 10–12 heavy contenders (Michigan, Duke, Arizona, Houston, Florida among them) — but leave room for 1–2 Cinderella teams.
  • Keep an eye on the Phillie 11‑year‑old pre‑agreement news and MLBPA Tony Clark investigation for further developments.
  • Expect a follow‑up on Zac’s neighbor meeting and the ongoing “clavicular/Goblin Chad” meme saga.

If you want, I can produce a one‑page quick “what to watch this week” checklist (Olympics + college hoops marquee games + short betting notes) based on the episode.