Overview of Part of My Take — John Fanta, Tom Izzo & PMT Spring Break
This PMT (Part of My Take) spring-break episode (Wed, Mar 25) from Barstool Sports mixes March Madness analysis, two marquee interviews (John Fanta and Michigan State coach Tom Izzo), a baseball season preview, betting talk (DraftKings parlay), recurring segments (Hot Seat / Cool Throne), producer-host chaos (time-zone meltdown), and listener-submitted “Mad Online” riffs. The hosts (Big Cat, PFT, Hank, Max, Zach, Memes) alternate sports takes and comedy, with multiple sponsor reads woven throughout.
Guests & Interviews
John Fanta (college basketball reporter)
- Recap of first two rounds of March Madness: Big Ten dominance highlighted (6 Sweet 16 teams); appreciation for storylines (Iowa’s Cinderella run under Ben McCollum).
- Key matchups to watch: Illinois vs. Houston, Purdue, Arizona/Arkansas, Michigan/UConn and East-region intrigue (St. John’s, Duke, Pitino).
- Names to monitor in coaching carousel if jobs open: Ben McCollum, Mark Byington, Dan Hurley, Brad Stevens (make him say no), Nate Oates, Tom Crean, TJ Otzelberger, Todd Golden.
- Pick/feel: Loves tough teams (Houston favorite for title), praises Darius Acuff Jr. as best player remaining.
Tom Izzo (Michigan State head coach)
- Reaction to reaching Sweet 16 (17th time): gratitude, emphasis on stewardship of the game and “right school” (play for the name on the front).
- Views on modern college hoops: candid about NIL/transfer-portal challenges, responsibility of coaches to develop players beyond pro odds.
- Personnel & Xs/O’s: praised Jeremy Fears, Cohen Carr, Jordan Scott; stressed importance of guard play and toughness; believes his team is well-prepared for quick turnarounds (strong tournament record on 2-day formats).
- Personality notes: defends tough coaching as accountability rooted in care; joked about “my mother can guard better than you” bit; open to celebrating championships creatively.
March Madness — Key Takeaways & Storylines
- Big Ten resurgence: Many hosts impressed by conference depth and Sweet 16 representation.
- Cinderella watch: Iowa (Ben McCollum) is the feel-good Cinderella — veteran coach with D2 pedigree and converted players.
- High-profile matchups to expect (Sweet 16 / Elite Eight potential): Illinois vs Houston; Arizona vs Arkansas (Darius Acuff Jr. spotlight); UConn vs Michigan State; Duke vs St. John’s; Michigan vs Alabama.
- Coaching carousel: UNC firing hubert davis sparks speculation; big names (Brad Stevens, Nate Oates, Kelvin Sampson, Tom Crean) floated; Carolina and Kansas will be major hiring stories.
- Betting context: DraftKings promo and “mystery reward” features tied into tournament betting. Hosts debated parlays for Thursday night (Iowa/Purdue/Arizona debated, then “flip all” parody).
MLB / Baseball Preview (season-opening vibes)
- General mood: optimistic about baseball momentum despite cynicism about big-market dominance (Dodgers) and lockout fears.
- Team takes:
- Nationals: extended rebuild, low expectations (~70–75 wins), excitement centered on James Wood power.
- Cubs: optimism (PCA extension, young core), NL Central and NLCS ceiling mentioned.
- Mets: many hosts bullish — big offseason additions spark optimism.
- Phillies, Red Sox, Orioles, Yankees discussed with mixed expectations.
- Notable player/roster notes: PCA (Pendejas? "PCA" referenced — big Cubs centerpiece), Boba Shettard (Boba Shep), Garrett Whitlock revenge narrative.
- Office/tech note: pitching-machine tech costs and subscriptions flagged as a sunk-cost surprise (annual fees; implications for office purchases).
Hot Seat / Cool Throne — Highlights & Host Picks
- Recurring segment sponsored by State Farm. Selected hot seats and cool thrones included:
- Hot Seats:
- Philadelphia 76ers org (for tribute video to traded Jared McCain)
- MLB ballpark “$9.99 challenge” commercialization (host Zach)
- Sixers organizational decision-making (Max)
- Tom Brady (apology/news cycle)
- Puka Nacua (biting allegation + PR misstep)
- Cool Thrones:
- Cannoli / tiramisu vibes (hosts joked about “tiramisu crawl” video idea)
- Tiger Woods (TGL appearance; hosts liked his return but team results mixed)
- Luis Suárez (as a legendary “badass” reference? also used for bite joke)
- Brian Hurley / coach recruiting quip (cool throne for recruiting resume)
- Hot Seats:
- Tone: mix of sports critique and comedy; many hot-seat items come from PR/decision-making miscues.
Funny / Viral Bits, Producer Chaos & Recurring Bits
- Spring Break hijinks: “tit week” banter, attempts at irreverent radio humor.
- Time-zone meltdown: extended, comedic argument among hosts about Arizona / Pacific / Mountain daylight-saving rules — became a running gag.
- Twitter/Twitch culture mentions: Jared McCain Twitch diss track; discussion of viral coach moments and press-conference flirtations.
- Misc ideas: tiramisu crawl, “one new friend” challenge (hosts promise to each make a brand-new IRL friend and revisit in July), dream bar remote switcher job (best job ever debate).
- “Mad Online” listener content: armchair takes, snarky reactions to coaching hires, and bracket fallout.
Sponsorships, Promotions & Calls to Action
- Sponsors featured and promo notes:
- DraftKings Sportsbook — tournament “mystery reward” promotion (use code TAKE).
- BetterHelp — 10% off first month (BetterHelp.com/PMT).
- Chevy Silverado — vehicle ad tie-ins.
- Everyman Jack — men’s grooming.
- Morgan & Morgan — injury law (pound law, forthepeople.com/pmt).
- American Home Shield — home warranties (20% off at ahs.com/pmt).
- Reese’s — busted-bracket sweepstakes (#4RESESSWEEPS).
- Roback / Rowback — apparel promo code TAKE (20% off).
- Barnes & Noble — PMT book pre-order special (PREORDER25, discounts Mar 24–26; pitch to make NYT bestseller).
- Action items the show asked listeners:
- Pre-order the PMT book on Barnes & Noble (discount window / NYT push).
- Use DraftKings code TAKE for sportsbook promo.
- Visit BetterHelp.com/PMT for therapy discount.
Notable Quotes & Lines
- John Fanta: “If Kansas contacts you, you have to take the call — it’s one of the best jobs in the sport.”
- Izzo on coaching ethos: “If that’s old school, you guys are on Dial-A-Clue. That’s real school. It’s the right school.”
- On Ben McCollum / Iowa: “This is your Cinderella. This is not a roster of five-star recruits.”
- Ben McCollum hype and Darius Acuff Jr. named among the most impactful players left.
Betting & Prediction Summary (from hosts)
- Parlay/arguing picks: hosts debated Iowa, Purdue, Arizona — then jokily “flipped” all picks (Nebraska, Texas, Arkansas).
- Host predictions (varied): Max and others favored Houston as a national title contender; several hosts picked Illinois/Arkansas/Arizona in different lines — no consensus.
- DraftKings plug: Mystery token and round-by-round opt-in offers emphasized.
Final Takeaways
- March Madness is delivering strong storylines, big upsets, and compelling coaching matchups; Big Ten has strong representation into the Sweet 16.
- Coaching carousel chatter is heating up (UNC, Kansas, etc.); multiple names to monitor.
- MLB season creates offseason energy and optimism; several teams could over/under-perform relative to expectations.
- Episode blends serious sports reporting (Fanta, Izzo) with PMT’s usual comedy and chaos (time-zone arg, Spring Break antics).
- Calls to action: pre-order PMT book (Barnes & Noble deal), check sponsor offers (DraftKings, BetterHelp, AHS), follow show for ticket/Final Four live coverage.
If you want the short highlights: listen for John Fanta’s March Madness scouting & coaching names to watch, Tom Izzo’s take on stewardship/accountability, and the hosts’ wild mix of betting debate, baseball optimism, and classic PMT hijinks (time-zone meltdown + tiramisu crawl idea).