Overview of Pardon My Take — Titans HC Robert Saleh, Spain Wins The World Cup, Ryan Fox Wins The Open, and Bryson Melts Down
This episode mixes rapid-fire sports reaction, some classic PMT nonsense, and a long interview with new Tennessee Titans head coach Robert Saleh. The hosts break down Spain’s World Cup title, Ryan Fox’s surprise win at The Open, Bryson DeChambeau’s rules controversy, the weirdness of Fanatics Fest, and a highly unserious Mount Rushmore draft of animals you’d want to get drunk with. The interview with Saleh focuses on second chances, coaching philosophy, the Titans’ rebuild, and life as a father of eight.
Major Sports Headlines
Spain wins the World Cup
- Spain beat Argentina in a match the hosts described as suffocating, boring, and tactically dominant.
- Their core takeaway: Spain controlled possession, pressed relentlessly, and barely conceded all tournament.
- Argentina’s game plan was essentially to foul constantly and hope to force penalties, but Spain’s control eventually wore them down.
- The hosts agreed Spain was the deserving champion, even if the final itself was not very entertaining.
Ryan Fox wins The Open
- Ryan Fox, a 39-year-old New Zealander, won The Open in a breakout major performance.
- The hosts loved his fast, no-nonsense style of play and joked that he “golfs faster than anyone.”
- Fox’s putting was the difference; Scottie Scheffler was close tee-to-green but couldn’t convert enough putts.
- They also highlighted Fox’s very relatable backstory, including a past withdrawal due to kidney stones and a FaceTime call from his daughter asking when he was coming home.
Bryson DeChambeau’s penalty drama
- Bryson received a two-stroke penalty for trampling down grass, then spent a long time arguing with officials.
- PMT was split on whether it was technically cheating, but they agreed Bryson handled the situation badly.
- Their main point: he had a chance to build goodwill by taking the penalty calmly and moving on, but instead made it a spectacle and didn’t contend anyway.
- Rory McIlroy’s blunt “I’m not particularly fond of Bryson” comment got a big reaction.
Fanatics Fest and Tom Brady Weirdness
- The hosts spent a long stretch discussing Tom Brady’s strange appearances at Fanatics Fest.
- They talked about the Undertaker-style entrance, the chair shot, and the slap video, calling the whole thing cringey and overly staged.
- The takeaway was that Fanatics Fest feels like a giant, cynical content factory designed to sell memorabilia and create viral clips.
- They joked about how much of it is just rich guys pretending to be playful in public.
Who’s Back of the Week
Main picks
- Tom Brady — for the bizarre Fanatics Fest clips.
- Drake Maye — for throwing a pick-six in a kids’ flag football game.
- James Harden — for looking fat again.
- Caitlin Clark — for another huge scoring performance and more record-breaking.
- Shohei Ohtani — for taking a break from pitching.
Other notable shoutouts
- Cubs 2016 reunion nostalgia
- Anthony Rizzo’s home run catch/bleachers moment
- The ongoing LeBron speculation machine
- A tracker war between golf fan accounts
The LeBron Watch
- The guys spent time obsessing over LeBron rumors and odds.
- At various points they debated the Cavaliers, Heat, Warriors, Sixers, and even the Wizards.
- Their main frustration was that LeBron keeps teasing everyone with hints and timing announcements in a way that feels like he’s messing with them.
- Max remained hopeful for the Sixers; Hank was skeptical.
Mount Rushmore: Animals You’d Like to Get Drunk With
The category led to a chaotic but funny draft. Final-ish themes included:
- Gorilla — fun, strong, but maybe dangerous if the vibe turns bad.
- Dog — obvious “best friend” pick.
- Giraffe — because you can drink on a balcony and hang out with it from above.
- Donkey — talkative and funny, especially if you count Shrek.
- Kangaroo — could protect you and maybe has a little pouch of booze or an eight ball.
- Panda — goofy and sleepy.
- Raccoon — mischievous, but rabies concern was raised.
- Bald eagle — controversial, but the patriotic pick.
- Penguin — cold-weather buddy, historically a great hang.
- Manatee — basically a chill aquatic dude.
- Octopus — bartender logic: multiple arms, multiple drinks.
- Sea turtle and fox got honorable mention love.
- They also joked that an “animal to get high with” Rushmore would be a different list entirely.
Interview: Robert Saleh
Core themes
- Saleh talked about taking over the Titans, building a young roster, and creating a culture in Nashville.
- He emphasized patience, development, and the opportunity for a true second chance after his time with the Jets.
- He came across as thoughtful, self-aware, and very team-oriented.
Titans culture and staff
- He praised the Titans’ ownership and front office, especially Amy Adams Strunk and GM Ran Carthon/Borgonzi-style roster building.
- He joked that his coaching staff is full of bald guys, but said “bald is beautiful.”
- He likes defensive football because it demands more precision and every mistake can become a touchdown.
- He said he prefers giving players ownership of the locker room and not micromanaging too much.
Reflections on the Jets
- Saleh reflected on his time with the Jets without bitterness.
- He acknowledged there were things he could have done differently but said he learned a lot from the experience.
- He discussed the pain of Aaron Rodgers’ injury and how a coach experiences every emotion over the course of a Sunday.
- He said he can still root for former players and staff without living in resentment.
Defense, accountability, and coaching philosophy
- Saleh argued that analytics matter, but they can’t replace context, injuries, or game flow.
- He likes accountability, but thinks public criticism of players is counterproductive.
- He made clear that his style is rooted in trust, honesty, and direct feedback behind closed doors.
Fun / offbeat interview moments
- Ping pong tables: He explained why he doesn’t care much about them and why he prefers not to blame those things publicly.
- Eight kids: Saleh said having a big family is basically “zone defense,” and his older kids help take care of the younger ones.
- Week 1 vs. the Jets: He downplayed the drama, saying it’s more for fans/media than the actual players.
- International games: He said he prefers “12 o’clock every Sunday on repeat.”
- Royal Rumble question: He tossed out names like Dan Campbell, Sean McVay, Matt LaFleur, Mike Vrabel, and D’Amico Ryans as potential tough guys.
Memorable quote-style takeaways
- “Bald is beautiful.”
- “I prefer 12 o’clock every Sunday on repeat.”
- “There’s no handbook for the first time you do anything.”
- “If we F it up, it’s a touchdown.”
Other Random Bits
- They discussed a bizarre Ohio lawsuit involving Taco Bell and diarrhea, mocking the idea of blaming Taco Bell for predictable consequences.
- Zach’s height became a running joke; after a tape-measure-style bit, he was officially ruled to be just over 6'0", not 5'11".
- The episode ended with birthday shoutouts, including Ben Simmons, Gisele, and Steven Strasburg.
Main Takeaways
- Spain’s World Cup win was presented as a lesson in possession, pressure, and elite defensive structure.
- Ryan Fox’s Open Championship win was one of the more likable “golf nerd” stories of the year.
- Bryson’s rules controversy was more about poor handling than the penalty itself.
- Tom Brady’s Fanatics Fest appearance was deeply weird and very on-brand for modern sports content.
- Robert Saleh came off as grounded, reflective, and ready for a fresh start in Tennessee.