What Dan Katz has said about 2026 NCAA Division I men's basketball tournament

4 quotes · 3 episodes · Mar 27, 2026 – Apr 6, 2026

Dan Katz, Barstool Sports personality known as Big Cat, co-host of Pardon My Take, has been quoted on 2026 NCAA Division I men's basketball tournament 4 times in 3 episodes of Pardon My Take, most recently on April 6, 2026. Each quote below is verbatim and links to the moment it was said.

In their words

Katz argued that both Final Four semifinals were disappointing despite the pre-game hype.
“Turns out both games kind of stunk, and the Illinois-UConn game was just UConn being better at what UConn wants to do”
Pardon My Take: Final Four Weekend As Michigan And UConn Advance, John Fanta Talks CBB + Possibly Taking The UNC Job, Geno Crash Out + National Sports Podcast Topics And Who's Back (Apr 6, 2026) · Listen from 7:43
Can’t be judged
Katz argues the Final Four is wide open and that dismissing UConn and Illinois is wrong.
“I do think that any of these four teams can win it. It does not feel like a consolation game to me whatsoever”
Pardon My Take: UConn Head Coach Dan Hurley, April Fools Has Everyone On Alert, NFL League Meetings, Hot Seat/Cool Throne And Guys On Chicks (Apr 1, 2026) · Listen from 42:45
Katz argues the Big Ten proved itself the strongest conference, with three of the first four Elite Eight teams.
“I think we're finding out the Big Ten was really, really good, because three out of four teams... in the Elite Eight so far are Big Ten teams”
Pardon My Take: Sweet 16 Night 1, Giants HC John Harbaugh, Max Homa Stops By For PMT Spring Break + Fyre Fest Of The Week (Mar 27, 2026) · Listen from 4:01
Katz contends elite teams now win by assembling very tall players who score efficiently at the rim, removing shooting variance.
“If you have guys that are all 6'10 and above and they can just dunk the ball and lobs and just score at the rim like that, it's not like, oh, we might be cold shooting one night”
Pardon My Take: Sweet 16 Night 1, Giants HC John Harbaugh, Max Homa Stops By For PMT Spring Break + Fyre Fest Of The Week (Mar 27, 2026) · Listen from 7:19

Predictions

Can’t be judged
Katz argues the Final Four is wide open and that dismissing UConn and Illinois is wrong.
“I do think that any of these four teams can win it. It does not feel like a consolation game to me whatsoever”
Pardon My Take: UConn Head Coach Dan Hurley, April Fools Has Everyone On Alert, NFL League Meetings, Hot Seat/Cool Throne And Guys On Chicks (Apr 1, 2026) · Listen from 42:45 · 2026 NCAA Division I men's basketball tournament
Katz claimed only that any of the four Final Four teams could win, which no single result can confirm or refute. For context, UConn beat Illinois 71-62 and Michigan beat Arizona 91-73 in the semifinals on April 4, 2026, and Michigan then beat UConn 69-63 for the title on April 6, 2026.
Sources: 2026 NCAA Final Four: UConn defeats Illinois, advances to national championship - On3 · How to Watch UConn vs. Michigan Men's National Championship Game 2026 - NBC Sports · 2026 NCAA Division I men's basketball championship game - Wikipedia · 2026 NCAA Division I men's basketball tournament - Wikipedia
Checked Sep 30, 2026

Episodes

Final Four Weekend As Michigan And UConn Advance, John Fanta Talks CBB + Possibly Taking The UNC Job, Geno Crash Out + National Sports Podcast Topics And Who's Back
Pardon My Take · Apr 6, 2026 · 2 h 18 min
Big Cat and PFT Commenter recap the 2026 Final Four, Geno Auriemma's press conference and NBA topics, then John Fanta previews the title game.
UConn Head Coach Dan Hurley, April Fools Has Everyone On Alert, NFL League Meetings, Hot Seat/Cool Throne And Guys On Chicks
Pardon My Take · Apr 1, 2026 · 2 h 24 min
Big Cat and PFT Commenter reverse-prank Jerry O'Connell for April Fools', discuss NFL owners meetings and the NBA, and interview UConn coach Dan Hurley.
Sweet 16 Night 1, Giants HC John Harbaugh, Max Homa Stops By For PMT Spring Break + Fyre Fest Of The Week
Pardon My Take · Mar 27, 2026 · 1 h 57 min
Pardon My Take's hosts recap Sweet 16 night one, then interview golfer Max Homa and Giants head coach John Harbaugh before Fyre Fest of the Week.

Others on 2026 NCAA Division I men's basketball tournament

John Fanta · 2 quotes
Dan Hurley · 2 quotes
Hank Lockwood · 1 quote
Zach Lowe · 1 quote
Bill Simmons · 1 quote
Kirk Goldsberry · 1 quote
Joe House · 1 quote
PFT Commenter · 1 quote

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