Overview of Ryan Whitney & Paul Bissonnette, Olympics, Indiana Bears, US Beats Canada + Fyre Fest Of The Week (Barstool Sports — Pardon My Take)
This episode (Part of My Take) is a wide-ranging sports and culture conversation: hosts preview the Olympics hockey finals (men’s and women’s), debate the Bears stadium drama (Indiana vs Arlington Heights), break down college basketball headlines (Mick Cronin incident, UConn/Villanova), react to hockey with guests Paul “Biz” Bissonnette and Wit (women’s hockey gold, men’s tournament), and announce a major upcoming PMT 36‑hour/18‑hour livestream with stunts, punishments and weekly streaming plans. There are recurring segments (sponsors, Firefest-of-the-week) and listener-facing calls to tune in for big upcoming dates.
Guests & format
- Hosts: Pardon My Take crew (Big Cat, PFT, Hank, Max, Zach).
- Guests: Paul “Biz” Bissonnette and “Wit” (Spittin’ Chiclets/hockey personalities).
- Structure: topical monologue → guest hockey deep-dive → college basketball riffing → stream, Firefest, and building/real‑life updates.
Key topics discussed
Indiana Bears / NFL stadium drama
- Indiana (Hammond area) voted to move forward with courting the Chicago Bears — hosts call the saga “local government + billionaire stadium politics” and express skepticism it will be final (Arlington Heights remains likely).
- Frustration centered on team/stadium politics, Kevin Warren’s PR vs. substance, and concerns about losing Soldier Field and outdoor football culture.
- Side ideas floated (tongue-in-cheek): make Indiana the “football state” or build a permanent Olympics site.
Olympics — hockey (women’s + men’s)
- Live reaction and recap of the USA women beating Canada in OT for gold; emotional celebration and national pride noted.
- Men’s tournament discussion:
- Canada vs Czech Republic (Canada prevailed in a tight game; controversy about too-many-men on the ice during a Canadian goal).
- U.S. performance vs Sweden and Slovakia; line-up and coach choices discussed (examples: Filip Forsberg’s shooting decisions, Philip Forsberg usage).
- Sidney Crosby injury: possible MCL sprain discussion; uncertainty about his availability for finals.
- Special teams/OT strategy talk: three-on-three overtime format, faceoff strategy, and goalie matchups (Hellebuyck vs Binnington).
- Acknowledged the pain of early-morning gold-medal start times for much of North America (West Coast viewers).
Hockey with Biz & Wit (guest segment)
- Biz and Wit breakdown: Czech upset vs Canada, McDavid’s dominant play, Finland’s comeback style, Slovakia’s surprising run, and goalie/defense matchups.
- Emphasis on small‑sample variance in single-elim games and how hot goalies can change everything.
- Predictions: close game likely, OT a real possibility; both guests want a classic USA–Canada barnburner.
College basketball & viral coach moment
- Mick Cronin (UCLA) rant: hosts loved the drama of Cronin ejecting his own player and berating a reporter postgame for “raising his voice” — framed as quintessential college-basketball madness.
- UConn lost to Creighton; Villanova vs UConn previewed as a marquee Big East matchup — hosts debate competitiveness, momentum, and scheduling impacts.
- Kansas freshman Drew (Darren) Peterson debate: inconsistency, injury/availability questions, NIL/payments and roster culture implications.
Other sports / pop-culture news
- Fanatics / Red Sox jersey quality issue covered briefly (fan backlash; apology tweet removed).
- NFL/MLS/World Cup references: brief comments on stadium approvals and FIFA logistics.
- Misc: LaMelo Ball car accident mention; Seahawks sale discussion (fan-lottery-for-a-team idea floated).
PMT streaming plans & punishments
- Major reveal: Part of My Take livestream weekend
- Start: Friday, Feb 27 at 8:00 AM Central (anniversary weekend).
- PFT will stream ~18 hours (8 AM → ~2 AM Central).
- Zach will complete the 36‑hour segment (runs through Saturday 8 PM Central).
- Format: games, guest cameos, interactive chat, a “wheel” with four punishments/rewards to be spun periodically.
- Sample stunts/challenges (planned or teased): itchy‑powder golf glove (Itchy Golf), golf-simulator birdie challenge, chained‑together obstacle, tattoos, caviar tasting, basketball challenge, flight simulator, writing a kids’ book idea (“Sleep Tight Saquon”), and more.
- They plan weekly PMT/Zach streams after this event.
Firefest / personal updates
- Viral frat-basement police clip (pledges blindfolded) discussed — hosts found it funny, debated hazing lines and internet reaction.
- Hank’s building internet outage update: building-managed internet down, management communications, sympathetic take for on-site staff.
- Zach’s “alarm clock”/noise complaints: meeting with building, introduced to “10‑day termination” notice (host worries about potential eviction/lease issues); discussion of negotiating, soundproofing, or apartment-hunting.
Main takeaways
- Olympic hockey is delivering marquee drama and national emotion; USA vs Canada is a must-watch even if the start time is awful for many viewers.
- Stadium politics remain messy; moving a franchise involves state politics, ownership posturing, and fan trade-offs.
- College basketball remains must-see TV because of unhinged coaches and emotional stakes — Cronin is the latest viral example.
- PMT is doubling down on interactive content: a major multi-day livestream (Feb 27 start) with stunts/punishments and weekly streaming going forward.
- Personal & production issues (building internet, alarms, 10‑day notices) can become content and recurring storyline fodder.
Notable quotes / soundbite-worthy lines
- “Indiana Bears” / “Wolf Lake Bears” — hosts riffing on potential team rebrand if the Bears moved to Indiana.
- “If you can’t control it, don’t give it energy.” — on practicing stoicism toward the Bears/stadium saga.
- “It’s a gold fucking medal.” — raw reaction to USA women’s hockey gold.
- On Mick Cronin: “I’d like to give you kudos for the worst question I’ve ever been asked” — memorable snark from the postgame rant.
Action items & dates to remember
- PMT livestream weekend: Friday, Feb 27 — start 8:00 AM Central; PFT ~18 hours, Zach continuing to complete 36 hours total into Saturday evening.
- Watch: big college hoops slate (Villanova vs UConn — big game that week) and Olympic hockey knockout rounds (USA v Canada likely to be the headline fixture; expect early‑morning U.S. start times).
- Follow the PMT channel(s) for livestream alerts and participant/guest confirmations.
Quick links (what to follow up on)
- Guests Biz & Wit — their hockey breakdowns and live reactions are central to the podcast’s Olympic coverage.
- Check DraftKings/other sportsbooks for lines referenced (hosts mentioned bets and promo codes).
- PMT social channels for livestream schedule, wheel/rule details, and live chat participation.
If you want a one-line summary: this episode blends Olympic hockey celebration and analysis, stadium/football franchise frustration, viral college-basketball drama, and a big interactive 36‑hour livestream announcement — all delivered with the show’s signature mix of humor, hot takes and chaos.