Overview of Pardon My Take (August 19, 2026)
This episode centers on the release of Pardon My Book, plus two major interviews: Cubs star Pete Crow-Armstrong and longtime friend Joe Buck, who wrote the foreword. The hosts also hit a wide range of sports news, including preseason injuries, the Lakers/Clippers ownership situation, and a chaotic Mount Rushmore segment on “things guys keep for too long.”
Major Segment: Pardon My Book Is Out
The hosts opened by celebrating that their book is officially released and joked about its intentionally rough, “interactive” style:
- It’s organized into quarters and filled with short, guest-written chapters.
- They leaned into the typos and sloppy writing as part of the bit.
- They thanked the many contributors, including:
- J.J. Watt
- Blake Bortles
- Blake Griffin
- Ryan Russillo
- Chris Long
- Kyle Long
- Ryan Whitney
- Scott Van Pelt
- Peter King / Mike Florio-style NFL voices
- Josh Allen
- Adam Schefter
- Jerry O’Connell
- Jim Harbaugh
- Chris Berman
- Stu Feiner
- Mark Titus
- Tim Woods
- Mr. Portnoy
- Coach O
- Rico Bosco
- Jake Marsh
- Billy Football
They also thanked:
- Hank for picture selection
- Matt, the ghostwriter
- Dom, for keeping the process on schedule
Pete Crow-Armstrong Interview: Cubs Star on Breakout Season, Defense, and the Walk-Off
PCA was the main sports interview and gave strong insight into his mindset.
Key takeaways from PCA
- He said his recent walk-off homer against the White Sox happened because he decided two hours before the game that he would swing at the first pitch.
- He described his recent stretch as a “scuffle” despite already having an elite season by most standards.
- He emphasized:
- improved plate discipline
- better on-base skills
- a more mature understanding of how to “play the game”
- He explained that he’s learned to:
- take pitches in hitter’s counts when needed
- be more selective with his aggression
- trust the hitters behind him
Number change and speed
- PCA said Cubs exec Jed Hoyer told him he needed a “fast guy number.”
- That helped explain the switch to No. 4, which the show joked is a better fit than a “lineman number.”
- He said the number change was part of feeling more comfortable and unlocked.
Defense and the “Crow Hop”
- He described how his outfield prep includes a small hop to stay in motion.
- He said being aggressive off the first step is a huge part of why his defense looks so effortless.
- He and the hosts talked through how he can sometimes appear to get to balls that look impossible because his first move is so quick.
Wrigley, the Ivy, and the crowd
- He said the changing ivy at Wrigley affects his routes and reads.
- He admitted the crowd chanting “PCI” can actually make him tighter, though it’s been better this season.
- He also talked about the playoff-like atmosphere in the Cubs-White Sox game and how much he feeds off big home crowds.
Father, Javy Báez, and the Cubs connection
- PCA got emotional talking about being traded to the Cubs, a team his father has loved since childhood.
- He said Javy Báez was his favorite player growing up, making the trade feel surreal and poetic.
Joe Buck Interview: Book Foreword, TV Show Lessons, and Career Reflections
Joe Buck came on to discuss the book and tell stories about his past on HBO and his relationship with the hosts.
On writing the foreword
- He said he only agreed because he had been “publicly shamed” into it on air.
- He joked that it was an easy trade: an hour of his time in exchange for peace.
- He praised the ghostwriter and said the process was fun.
On the old HBO show
- Joe reflected on the short-lived Joe Buck Live / HBO experiment.
- He said he wanted the show to be edgy, funny, and different from standard sports TV.
- He revisited the infamous Artie Lange appearance and said:
- he wanted Artie to go after him
- he knew it would create buzz
- the fallout taught him a lot about TV, image, and risk
Lessons learned
- He and the hosts agreed that:
- sometimes the best move is to stick with what already works
- not every opportunity is worth chasing just because it looks “mainstream”
- their podcast is already the right format for them
NFL, ratings, and retirement
- Joe discussed how the NFL dominates TV ratings and how long he’s been calling games.
- He said he’s not close to retirement because he still has too many financial obligations.
- He joked that he wants to keep working until the very end, ideally so he can place one last losing bet on his deathbed.
Sports News and Reaction
The hosts covered a lot of current sports items:
Preseason injuries
- They complained that training camp injuries need to be “turned off.”
- Notable injury concern topics included:
- Chargers offensive line injuries
- Breece Hall’s scary-looking non-contact issue
- other preseason camp mishaps
Lakers and Clippers ownership drama
- The Lakers’ family/trust situation was framed like a prestige drama:
- Jeanie Buss may have legal authority to block the sale
- the hosts joked that this is a clear “favorite child” moment
- The Clippers investigation was treated as likely to go nowhere, with the usual jokes about billionaire power and NBA self-policing.
Baseball chatter
- They praised PCA’s game and also discussed:
- Kyle Tucker’s slump and “the yips”
- Joshua Baez’s strange stat line
- CJ Abrams moving to second base
- the Cubs’ overall vibe
- They also joked about Shohei Ohtani’s output and how circumstances affect the way fans perceive big performances.
Mount Rushmore: Things Guys Keep Too Long
This was one of the funniest sections of the episode. The category was things guys keep for too long, and the picks included:
- Boxers
- Socks
- Hairstyles
- Shoes
- Wallets
- Pillows
- Leftovers
- Towels
- Girlfriends
- T-shirts
- Dreams
- Cell phones / electronics
- Baseball cards
- Birthday cards
- Cups and mugs
- Trophies
- Grudges
- Friends
- Toothpaste
- Toothbrushes
- Shampoo bottles
- Cars
- Mattresses
- Ticket stubs
- Receipts
- Intramural shirts
- Funny broken items
Best recurring joke themes
- Guys keep “single socks” forever hoping the pair will return.
- Nobody throws out old wallets, even when they’re falling apart.
- Towels become rags, then shower curtains, then somehow still remain in use.
- Phones stay cracked and broken long past their expiration date.
- The hosts joked about “honorable mentions” and argued over what counts as an item versus a thing.
Hot Seat / Cool Throne
Hot Seat
- Zach, Memes, and Max: Billy Football said the current generation on the show is “soft” compared to the old days.
- Fantasy football chaos: PFT worried the league is in trouble because Jerry O’Connell left the fantasy group chat.
- Penn State students involved in cocaine distribution: the hosts joked that the fraternity scandal looked like a Narcos episode.
- The rest of the NFL: Zach’s pick leaned into a weird science/freak-athlete discussion about Ruben Bain and other physical outliers.
Cool Throne
- Music: Pat McAfee’s album and Dan Rappaport’s Scotty Scheffler rap were both discussed.
- The Chargers being the Chargers: another classic preseason injury/chaos moment.
- Giant lefty pitcher Matt Tugboat Wilkinson: the hosts loved the nickname and the old-school “hoss” vibe.
- GTA 6 / Netflix teaser content: Zach was excited about the extended cinematic look at the game.
FAQs and Listener Questions
The episode closed with book-related FAQs and lighter listener questions.
Big themes from the FAQs
- Lots of listeners asked whether the show should slow down or reduce episodes.
- The hosts said they like the current pace and take pride in being consistent year-round.
- They noted that the show is part of many listeners’ routines, so they don’t want to disappear for long stretches.
Other notable answers
- They joked about getting an office dog, but agreed it would be a disaster.
- They discussed favorite recurring guests not in the book:
- Julian Edelman
- Greg Olsen
- Stanford Steve
- Kyle Schwarber
- SVP
- others
- They also revisited the crazy LSU national title night and how they pulled off the Coach O/Burrow interviews while very hungover.
Main Takeaways
- Pardon My Book is out and the hosts are thrilled to be done writing it.
- Pete Crow-Armstrong is becoming one of the most fun and thoughtful young stars in baseball.
- Joe Buck remains one of the best recurring guests in the show’s history.
- The Mount Rushmore topic turned into a great snapshot of how many things men irrationally keep forever.
- The show’s biggest strength remains the same: a mix of sports, absurdity, and real conversations with people they genuinely like.