CFB With Stanford Steve, Bears QB Case Keenum, Bears Crush The Eagles, Baseball Playoffs And FAQ's

Episode of Pardon My Take · September 30, 2026 · 3 h 6 min

The Pardon My Take crew rehashes their teams' MLB wild card losses and the Bears' Monday night win, then talks college football with Stanford Steve and interviews Case Keenum.

Summary

The episode opened with a late-night Zoom recording in which Dan Katz, Max Delente and Hank Lockwood lamented Game 1 wild card losses by the Cubs, Phillies and Red Sox. Delente described his silence after Jhoan Duran's blown save against the Braves, Katz criticized the Cubs' lack of hitting, and the hosts praised the Chicago White Sox, who beat the Astros and received a letter from the Pope. PFT Commenter relayed news that Manchester City had been found guilty in a Premier League financial investigation, and Katz argued NBC's playoff broadcasts used too many announcers.

In studio, Katz celebrated 38-year-old backup Case Keenum leading the Bears over the Eagles on Monday Night Football and declared Ben Johnson the best coach in the NFL. Delente argued that Jalen Hurts is an inconsistent quarterback and that the Eagles' defense is a major problem. The group discussed J.J. McCarthy's trade to the Giants, Lincoln Riley's job security after USC's loss to Oregon, and the quarterback slide rule, then ran a Hot Seat/Cool Throne segment covering NBA media day, the Carolina Hurricanes' cursing ban, Dan Wilson announcing his own firing, and the Penn State cocaine case.

Stanford Steve joined to discuss the college football season, arguing that offensive line continuity explains Texas's struggles, praising Oregon's quarterback depth and Wisconsin's defense, and saying Michigan should not panic. Case Keenum then described how a two-and-a-half-hour meeting with Ben Johnson persuaded him not to retire, explained the Bears' play-calling and his college days under Cliff Kingsbury, and criticized PFF grades. The show closed with listener FAQs about old bits, interview preparation and defending wrong takes.

Chapters

3:26
The 0-3 baseball playoff boys
Katz, Delente and Lockwood compare their Cubs, Phillies and Red Sox wild card losses.
16:41
Vic Fangio and the Phillies
The hosts discuss a stat linking the Eagles defense to the Phillies' playoff status and Delente's frustration.
22:22
Manchester City found guilty
PFT Commenter relays the Premier League ruling against Manchester City and Zach finally joins.
26:22
White Sox, the Pope and playoff announcers
The group praises the White Sox, reads the Pope's letter, and criticizes NBC's crowded broadcast booths.
36:06
Case Keenum's Monday night game
Katz celebrates the Bears' win over the Eagles behind Keenum and praises Ben Johnson.
47:10
What's wrong with the Eagles
Delente breaks down Jalen Hurts, Nick Sirianni and the Eagles defense.
1:01:45
J.J. McCarthy trade and college football cleanup
The hosts discuss the McCarthy trade, Kevin O'Connell, Lincoln Riley, and the quarterback slide.
1:12:00
Hot Seat/Cool Throne
NBA media day storylines, the Hurricanes' cursing ban, Dan Wilson's firing, and the Penn State cocaine case.
1:39:08
Stanford Steve on college football
Stanford Steve assesses Texas, Oregon, Notre Dame, Michigan, Penn State, Wisconsin and Heisman odds.
2:30:11
Case Keenum interview
Keenum discusses his return, Ben Johnson, his Houston days, PFF grades and his family.
2:54:31
Listener FAQs and numbers
The hosts answer listener questions on old bits, interview prep and defending wrong takes.

Key points

What was said, by whom, with the exact words. Timestamps jump to the moment.

Max Delente
Delente laments that Jhoan Duran gave up the decisive home run to one of the weakest hitters in baseball.
“And he blew it against a guy who is statistically one of the worst hitters in baseball this year”
Listen from 11:02 · 2026 Major League Baseball postseason
PFT Commenter
PFT Commenter says Manchester City's violations are the worst in English soccer history and warrant the harshest punishment.
“it sounds like this probably should be death penalty stuff because it's pretty much the worst thing that's ever happened in English soccer in terms of rule violations”
Listen from 24:19 · Manchester City financial rule violations case
Dan Katz
Katz proposes that NBC let fans choose home or away team local announcers via TV and streaming rather than mixing booths.
“You have all your streaming apps. The TV version on NBC, you can have whoever's the home team”
Listen from 31:59 · 2026 Major League Baseball postseason
Dan Katz Prediction · due Oct 2026
Katz predicts the White Sox will reach the American League Championship Series.
“I think the White Sox are going to go to the ALCS”
Listen from 33:22 · Chicago White Sox
Dan Katz
Katz argues that Ben Johnson is the best coach in the NFL and he would not trade him for any other coach.
“I think he's the best coach in the NFL. I would not trade him for any other coach in the NFL”
Listen from 37:29 · Chicago Bears
Max Delente
Delente argues that Jalen Hurts has become an inconsistent quarterback who alternates good and very bad stretches.
“he is just an inconsistent quarterback like that is what I found about Jalen Hurts is that he has stretches where he looks fantastic”
Listen from 52:54 · Philadelphia Eagles
Max Delente
Delente argues the Eagles' failure to re-sign Nakobe Dean and replacing him with Jihaad Campbell has hurt the defense.
“It turns out not being able to re-sign N'Kobe Dean and having Jihad Campbell take his spot is not working out for any of the parties involved”
Listen from 55:30 · Philadelphia Eagles
Dan Katz
Katz argues the Vikings had to trade McCarthy once Kyler Murray became the starter to avoid locker room tension.
“The minute you make Kyler Murray QB one, you have to trade JJ McCarthy because there's always going to be a weird locker room tension”
Listen from 1:02:48 · J.J. McCarthy trade to the New York Giants
PFT Commenter
PFT Commenter argues that the quarterback slide puts quarterbacks in more danger and banning it might be safer.
“It feels like it might seem counterintuitive, but banning quarterback sliding might ultimately be better for them”
Listen from 1:07:56 · Quarterback slide rule
Linked moment · 1:27:42Skip to 1:27:42 using a listen link in the info box.
Hank Lockwood
Lockwood defends the Celtics' Jaylen Brown trade as necessary for salary cap reasons.
“We wouldn't have been able to sign anyone. We would have been a two-player team in the NBA”
Listen from 1:27:42 · NBA media day
Stanford Steve
Stanford Steve argues that offensive lines need continuity, which the transfer portal era has eroded, explaining struggles like Texas's.
“offensive lines still the great ones. You need continuity. Those guys are going to get ice cream together”
Listen from 1:41:46 · Texas Longhorns football
Stanford Steve
Stanford Steve notes that Arch Manning had not won a true road game in regulation before the Tennessee game.
“I was like, you know, Arch hasn't won a true road game in regulation”
Listen from 1:42:58 · Texas Longhorns football
Dan Katz
Katz says he no longer believes Lincoln Riley will turn USC around.
“I'm just sick of being told that this is the year that Lincoln-Ronley is going to turn the corner”
Listen from 1:55:21 · 2026 NCAA Division I FBS football season
Stanford Steve
Stanford Steve says Oregon's ability to pay a five-star backup quarterback gives it rare depth.
“they got the money to pay a guy to sit on the bench that's a five-star former quarterback”
Listen from 1:56:02 · Oregon Ducks football
PFT Commenter
PFT Commenter believes Kamario Taylor will stay at Mississippi State rather than transfer.
“Because I don't think he's going to play anywhere. I think he's going to stay at Mississippi State. He loves it”
Listen from 2:00:43 · 2026 NCAA Division I FBS football season
Stanford Steve
Stanford Steve believes Wisconsin's defense is among the best in the Big Ten.
“I believe Wisconsin's defense is in the upper tier, maybe the top tier of the Big Ten”
Listen from 2:04:39 · 2026 NCAA Division I FBS football season
Stanford Steve
Stanford Steve says Michigan fans should not panic after the Iowa loss because the defense is elite.
“So I wouldn't be panicking. I still think Michigan's defense is really elite”
Listen from 2:08:57 · 2026 NCAA Division I FBS football season
Case Keenum
Keenum recounts that he was ready to retire before Ben Johnson called him about joining the Bears.
“I told a lot of people, I was basically ready to, ready to call it quits, you know, and be done playing football”
Listen from 2:32:00 · Chicago Bears
Case Keenum
Keenum says Ben Johnson keeps adding plays late in the week, and some of the team's best plays come from that.
“Ben says there is no hay and there is no barn so he's he's putting stuff in at the last minute”
Listen from 2:38:58 · Chicago Bears
Case Keenum
Keenum recalls Cliff Kingsbury telling him at Houston to keep throwing despite three first-half interceptions in a bowl game.
“He's like, I don't care if you throw 10 touchdowns this next half or 10 interceptions. We're going to keep slinging it, dude”
Listen from 2:43:43
Case Keenum
Keenum argues that PFF grades are flawed because outsiders cannot know a play's intent and design.
“the intent of the play and the design is so hard for somebody who has no idea what's going on to grade on”
Listen from 2:46:02 · Pro Football Focus

People

In the conversation

Dan KatzBarstool Sports personality known as Big Cat, co-host of Pardon My Take
PFT CommenterBarstool Sports writer and co-host of Pardon My Take
Max DelentePardon My Take producer and Philadelphia 76ers fan whose bachelor party is referenced
Hank LockwoodPardon My Take contributor and Boston Celtics fan
ZachNewest Pardon My Take staff member, Knicks fan
MemesPardon My Take staffer and New York Knicks fan
Stanford SteveESPN college football analyst and Mets fan, in-studio guest
Case KeenumChicago Bears quarterback and former University of Houston record-setting passer

Discussed

Ben JohnsonChicago Bears head coach
Jalen HurtsPhiladelphia Eagles quarterback
Nick SirianniPhiladelphia Eagles head coach
Vic FangioPhiladelphia Eagles defensive coordinator
J.J. McCarthyMinnesota Vikings quarterback
Lincoln RileyUSC head football coach
Dan LanningOregon head football coach
Arch ManningTexas Longhorns quarterback
LeBron JamesLos Angeles Lakers forward cited as a longevity outlier
Jaylen BrownBoston Celtics guard-forward at the center of the hosts' first-team All-NBA case
Ben SimmonsNBA guard reported to be pursuing boxing
Brad StevensBoston Celtics president of basketball operations
Mark TitusPodcaster and author praised by Brad Stevens
Charles BarkleyNBA on TNT analyst and Hall of Fame player
Cliff KingsburyFormer Houston offensive coordinator who coached Case Keenum
Kamario TaylorMississippi State quarterback
Bryce UnderwoodMichigan quarterback

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From the publisher

The baseball playoffs have begun and the podcast went 0-3. We talk about the 3 losses all in very different ways and Man City is in big trouble. The White Sox got a letter from the pope and looked awesome (00:00:00-00:32:21). We then go back in studio to talk MNF, Case Keenum legacy game and where do the Eagles go from here (00:32:21-01:09:30). Hot Seat/Cool Throne and a recap of the NBA Media days around the league (01:09:30-01:37:16). Stanford Steve joins us in studio to talk college football, is the Texas offense a concern, Oregon owns USC, who's impressed him and more (01:37:16-02:26:31). We then have on Case Keenum after his incredible MNF performance to talk ball, what it was like coming back for another year, Ben Johnson, showering with the boys and more (02:26:31-02:52:39). We then finish with listener FAQ's You can find every episode of this show on Apple Podcasts, Spotify or Netflix. Prime Members can listen ad-free on Amazon Music. For more, visit barstool.link/pardon-my-take

Summary, chapters and key points were generated from the episode transcript on October 1, 2026. Quotes are checked word for word against the transcript.

Categories: Football·Baseball·Sports