Overview of "Clayton Kershaw, Joakim Noah In Studio, CFP Rankings, Eagles Big Win + Listener FAQ’s"
This Pardon My Take episode (Wed, Nov 12) mixes college-football playoff debate, NFL/NFL-team news and game reaction (Eagles vs. Packers), coaching firings, two in-studio guest interviews (Clayton Kershaw and Joakim Noah), plus the hosts’ regular Hot Seat / Cool Throne and listener FAQ segments. Big themes: CFP selection drama (Group of Five vs. Power conferences), Philadelphia’s defensive performance, Giants coach firing fallout, and long-form conversations about baseball, retirement, travel and culture.
Episode structure / main segments
- Sponsor reads and quick promos (GameTime, DraftKings, Chevy, Twisted Tea, Venmo, BodyArmor, Morgan & Morgan, Rowback).
- College Football Playoff rankings and the Group of Five debate (JMU, USF, North Texas implications).
- NFL recap: Eagles’ win over the Packers (game narrative, key plays, analytics vs. instinct on fourth-down decisions).
- Team news: Giants fire Brian Daboll; LSU/Brian Kelly contractual drama; Nico Harrison reported firing (Mavericks front office).
- Hot Seat / Cool Throne — hosts’ rapid-fire takes on people/teams/events.
- Interviews:
- Clayton Kershaw (retirement, Dodgers’ World Series, Yamamoto, last career pitches, personal reflections).
- Joakim Noah (in-studio; promoting travel show “Nomad” — episodes with Derrick Rose and others, ayahuasca, travel tales).
- FAQs — listener questions (PFT passing the bar, Hank’s lefty golf discovery, merch, lottery gag).
Detailed guest summaries
Clayton Kershaw (Hall of Famer, Dodgers)
- Retirement status: Confirmed he was done before the postseason and is easing into retirement (low exercise motivation, enjoying family/time).
- World Series reflections: Found the bullpen role very stressful (phone ringing adrenaline); grateful to have been part of a classic series and grateful for Yoshinobu Yamamoto’s heroic relief in Game 7.
- Yamamoto in Game 7: Praised Yamamoto’s courage and execution on short rest — called it a “superhuman” performance that helped secure the title.
- Last moments & legacy: Didn’t realize the final out had happened when it did; got the last regular bullpen/out in a long postseason run. He was content to end his career on a World Series win.
- Physical health: Dealt with toe surgery (season prior), some lingering discomfort; acknowledged velocity decline contributed to retirement decision.
- Career highlights/notes: Recalled dominant stretch (MVP / Cy Young-era) as something he didn’t fully appreciate at the time; enjoyed playing with local high-school stars and teammates (mentions Highland Park roots and friends), and shared clubhouse anecdotes (Tommy Lasorda, Shohei Ohtani, etc.).
- Fun bits: Last pitch of his career was a slider he felt good about; ping-pong in clubhouse memories; light-hearted clubhouse stories and wardrobe jokes about the “whitest crew” photo.
Joakim Noah (guest + host on “Nomad”)
- New show: Promoting “Nomad” (NBA T2 YouTube channel). Episode 1: Chicago with Derrick Rose; upcoming episodes include Morocco (Casablanca) and Jamaica (with Rohan Marley).
- Show angle: Travel rooted in basketball culture + exploring local music/food/people. Encourage viewers to watch.
- Ayahuasca and travel notes: Open conversation about ayahuasca experiences — benefits and cautions (surrender, deep processing afterward). Shared it helped process personal trauma.
- Basketball & culture: Discussed Wembanyama’s multi-faceted game and how he’s changing perceptions about big men; praised Derrick Rose and commented on current NBA landscape and international talent (France).
- Personality & approach: Very much a connector — wants to showcase the humanity and culture of places he visits. Suggested Cleveland as a high-engagement episode to draw views.
Key sports-news takeaways
College football / CFP:
- JMU not in committee rankings; debate whether a Group of Five champ would get a CFP berth if they win their conference (JMU vs. South Florida storyline).
- Hosts criticized CFP committee theatrics (the “take your hat off” bit) and discussed metrics — SEC potentially getting multiple spots, Big 12/Big Ten projections, and the rare scenarios that could produce multiple Group of Five entrants (unlikely but possible).
- Top-5 at discussion time: Ohio State, Indiana, Texas A&M, Alabama, Georgia (no big shakeups).
NFL:
- Eagles beat Packers in a close game; Eagles defense was the story (Jalen Hurts uneven, offense had stagnant stretches). Coaches’ risk decisions in the final minute (Sirianni’s fourth-down call and Packers’ long field-goal attempt) spurred debate about analytics vs. real-time judgment.
- Brian Daboll fired by Giants — hosts discussed franchise instability and GM situations (Joe Schoen’s position).
- LSU claimed firing Brian Kelly for cause — hosts saw it as messy/“Louisiana story” and likely legal negotiation drama.
- Bengals noted: Joe Burrow injury return timeline discussed; Bengals defense still big issue.
NBA / Misc:
- Wembanyama (Wemby) and the new-bigs phenomenon — hosts stressed that his combination of size + skill is redefining the position and is a defensive/shot-altering force.
- Nico Harrison (Mavericks exec) reported fired — conversation about roster decisions (Luka/AD trade ramifications) and front-office politics.
Notable quotes & running bits (paraphrased)
- Hosts repeatedly riffed on CFP committee theater: “Take your hat off — but wear our neutral CFP hat” (mocking the optics of impartiality).
- Kershaw on Yamamoto: “He’s got huge balls — he said he’s good and he did it.”
- On retirement: “I don’t have to try to keep up anymore, which is nice.”
Hot Seat / Cool Throne highlights (select)
- Hot Seats called out: Joe Flacco (PFT), rookies inconsistency, various coaches/people on hot seat.
- Cool Thrones: Travel / airports / holiday shopping / Country Roads soccer connection to Germany (Oliver Luck anecdote), Notre Dame & Pitt commentary.
- Humor and banter remain central: Hank’s new lefty golf revelation; Hank dog toy merch bit; ongoing “Beagles” Eagles–Bears alliance jokes.
FAQs & listener bits (notable Qs)
- Will PFT pass the bar? Hosts debated feasibility; PFT joked about committing to legal study vs. comical “prove you can be a lawyer by defending yourself” bit.
- Hank discovered surprising golf improvement playing left-handed (hosts teased him).
- Merch: Hank dog toy (new merch drop) and limited-edition sweatshirts promoted (Black Friday).
- Lottery gag: Hosts played a bit of improv assigning numbers and joking about who will “get the ball.”
- Other listener q’s: Hank’s hygiene/bodywash banter, coaching kids vs. coaching pro sports, travel-show requests (Cleveland push).
Action items / recommendations from episode
- Watch the full interviews:
- Clayton Kershaw for his World Series/retirement perspective (great for baseball fans).
- Joe Kim Noah’s “Nomad” (NBA T2 YouTube) — Ep.1 Chicago out now; Morocco & Jamaica coming.
- Follow CFP developments closely (JMU, USF, ACC/Big 12/SEC scenarios).
- Rewatch Eagles–Packers game if you care about coach decision-making debates (fourth-down choice; Sirianni vs. analytics).
- Check Pardon My Take merch drops if interested (Hank toy, new sweatshirts, promos referenced).
- DraftKings / Pick 6 and GameTime apps: promos were mentioned for listeners who bet/gamble or need tickets.
Quick list of other headlines discussed
- Sixers–Celtics recap (Sixers win — role players stepped up).
- LSU vs. Brian Kelly legal/contract dispute.
- Giants fire Brian Daboll (Mike Kafka interim); Joe Schoen’s future discussed.
- Reported firing of Maverick exec Nico Harrison.
- College football Heisman mentions (Mendoza highlight).
- Sponsor notes: GameTime (tickets), DraftKings Pick 6, Chevy Silverado, Twisted Tea, Venmo college debit, BodyArmor Flash IV, Morgan & Morgan, Rowback.
If you want, I can produce a one‑page printable “cheat sheet” of the episode’s must-watch moments (timestamps to look for — if you supply a timecoded transcript or video).