Overview of Spittin' Chiclets Episode 666
Episode 666 is a wide-ranging, high-energy mix of hockey news, family-life stories, youth sports anxiety, and two featured interviews: Dan “Big Cat” Katz discussing the new Pardon My Take book and the rise of PMT, and Ernie Clement talking Blue Jays baseball, positional versatility, and the team’s late-season push. The episode also includes the usual Chiclets banter about weird neighbors, bats, feathers, hiccups, and the ever-changing sports landscape.
Main Topics Covered
Hockey news and upcoming season preview
- The show kicks off by acknowledging episode 666 and joking about fitting a “666” player into the episode.
- The hosts preview upcoming division breakdowns, saying next week begins the hockey season previews.
- They discuss the Rangers’ front office change, with Chris Drury stepping back from the president role and the owner’s son taking over.
- There’s speculation about Nepotism in sports ownership, and whether that’s a good or bad thing.
- They also talk briefly about:
- Crosby extension chatter
- Blackhawks expectations
- Edmonton/Oilers coaching changes
- The state of the NHL’s overall competitive landscape
Youth hockey, club sports, and the changing development path
A huge chunk of the episode is devoted to how dramatically youth and junior hockey have changed:
- More movement between teams, academies, and leagues at younger ages
- Parents stressing over the “right” path for their kids
- The growing gap between:
- top-tier players
- middle-tier travel players
- and what used to be normal town/house-league hockey
- The hosts argue that:
- D1 hockey is harder to make than ever
- CHL-to-NCAA changes have made college hockey stronger overall, but tougher for American kids
- the entire development pipeline feels chaotic and unstable
Personal life updates and funny side stories
The episode features several offbeat life stories, including:
- A Red Sox game with a dramatic comeback and a memorable old man snagging a foul ball one-handed while keeping score in the book
- A bizarre new neighbor named Fred, who studies bats, has bat-tracking devices, and keeps a huge collection of feathers
- A long discussion about hiccups, including:
- Wayne Gretzky’s weirdly effective hiccup cure
- a college classmate who reportedly had hiccups for 11 years
- G’s upcoming wedding hair appointment in New Jersey, which becomes a whole debate about wedding prep, haircuts, and adult male behavior
RA’s unusual internet content
The hosts spend time reacting to RA’s recent bizarre posts from Vermont, including:
- bats
- corn
- honey
- other strange rural content This becomes one of the episode’s running jokes and is used to mock how quickly RA gets “sent into the wild” with content.
Big Cat Interview Highlights
Pardon My Take book and the origins of PMT
Dan Katz discusses the new PMT book and how it came together:
- The book was ghostwritten, then heavily rewritten by him and PFT at the end
- He jokes about the editing process and how rough the writing was for non-writers
- He says the book is really about the luck and timing that helped PMT explode
PMT’s early days and growth
Big Cat explains:
- PMT started in an era when there weren’t many sports podcasts
- The show benefited from:
- early Barstool culture
- internet timing
- lucky viral moments
- the chemistry between him, PFT, Hank, and later others
- He credits a lot of the show’s success to:
- being at the right place at the right time
- quick reaction to pop-culture/sports moments
- having a rotating cast of characters
Hank, Max, Billy, and the ensemble model
Big Cat talks about how the PMT cast evolved:
- Hank started as a camera guy and became a key production and on-air part of the show
- Billy Football and Jake Marsh added to the show’s character and growth
- Max became an important production figure and content presence
- Big Cat says the ensemble format is what keeps the show funny and fresh
Balancing success and family life
Big Cat gets reflective about:
- working constantly
- being a dad
- trying to be present without pretending it’s easy
- the tension between career success and home life He says he’s not perfect, but he tries to create memories and be around as much as possible.
Ernie Clement Interview Highlights
Blue Jays’ second-half turnaround
Ernie says Toronto has:
- clawed back into the playoff race
- started playing meaningful baseball again
- made key roster adjustments at the deadline
- become a more complete and confident team
Versatility and everyday value
He emphasizes:
- being available every day
- taking pride in playing through small injuries
- moving around the diamond to help the team
- staying ready at second, third, shortstop, and left field
Slumps, superstitions, and baseball routine
Ernie talks about:
- the mental grind of baseball slumps
- small rituals and changes players make to break out of them
- how long the season is and why keeping things light in the clubhouse matters
Defensive pride and playoff push
He highlights:
- a strong recent defensive play in Chicago
- the importance of making the playoffs
- how meaningful baseball changes the energy around the whole team
Playoff hopes and the Jays’ identity
Ernie says the team:
- controls its own destiny
- is playing solid baseball at the right time
- hopes Vlad Guerrero Jr. heats up
- believes the team can make a real run if the bats continue improving
Notable Takeaways
- PMT’s success was a mix of timing, talent, luck, and chemistry, not just one thing.
- The hockey development path is more fragmented and stressful than ever, especially for parents.
- College hockey has become stronger but more competitive, particularly for American players.
- Big Cat’s interview reinforced how much of sports media is built on recurring personalities, not just the hosts.
- Ernie Clement comes off as one of the best clubhouse guys in baseball: versatile, grounded, and all-in on winning.
Closing Notes
The episode ends with more classic Chiclets chaos: jokes about weird content, neighborhood oddballs, and the constant churn of sports talk, family talk, and internet nonsense. It’s a good snapshot of what Spittin’ Chiclets does best: blending hard sports talk with absurd personal stories and strong guest interviews.