Max Homa Talking US Open And Wyndham Clark's Big Win, George Kittle, World Cup And The USMNT Is The Best + Mt Rushmore Of Deli Meats

Max Homa Talking US Open And Wyndham Clark's Big Win, George Kittle, World Cup And The USMNT Is The Best + Mt Rushmore Of Deli Meats

Wyndham Clark won the US Open while being openly booed by the American crowd — and his mental health coach had to go inside to escape the pressure.

Jun 22, 2026 2:50:21 Difficulty: Beginner Played

TL;DR

Wyndham Clark wins the US Open at Shinnecock Hills for his second major title, battling a crowd that openly booed him — and Max Homa breaks it all down live in studio. The crew also cheers the USMNT's 2-0 win over Australia in the World Cup, debates the tournament format, and recaps the Knicks championship parade. George Kittle joins to talk Tight End U (92 tight ends registered, Tony Gonzalez attending), his Achilles rehab (running 16+ mph at 21 weeks), and the Brandon Aiyuk trade situation. The episode closes with the inaugural Mount Rushmore of Deli Meats. Key takeaway: Wyndham turned crowd hostility into fuel — and his mental toughness is the real story of the US Open.

#US Open 2025 #Wyndham Clark villain arc #USMNT World Cup run #George Kittle Achilles rehab #Tight End University 2025 #Shinnecock Hills golf #NBA Draft 2025 #Knicks championship parade #Kevin Durant Warriors origin story #Jamal Musiala Messi parallel #Mount Rushmore deli meats #golf crowd behavior #green speed manipulation #NFL player safety turf #Brandon Aiyuk trade saga #Wyndham Clark #Shinnecock Hills #Max Homa #George Kittle #Tight End University #USMNT #World Cup 2026 #Achilles rehab #Brandon Aiyuk #Knicks parade #golf #deli meats #Jamal Musiala #Kevin Durant Warriors #NBA Draft #Joaquin Niemann #PCA baseball #locker room Oakmont #Mount Rushmore

Wyndham Clark wins the 2025 US Open at Shinnecock Hills, Max Homa breaks it all down in studio, USMNT wins 2-0 in the World Cup, George Kittle discusses TEU and Achilles rehab, and the crew drafts the Mount Rushmore of Deli Meats.

Chapter list
  • The crew dives into Wyndham Clark's dramatic US Open win at Shinnecock, where the crowd openly rooted against an American in a way rarely seen at the national championship. Big Cat and PFT identify the three strikes against Wyndham: smashing two lockers at Oakmont after a bad round, destroying a T-Mobile tee box sign, and making a birth control quip about kids at the Masters Par 3 tournament. The Oakmont locker debate gets hilariously extended as the crew looks up pictures of the damaged lockers and debates the sanctity of historic golf club locker rooms — ultimately concluding they look like dumps. PFT argues Wyndham was actually suited to handle the crowd pressure better than most golfers precisely because his game thrives on frustration. The crew credits Wyndham for owning the criticism, not asking for fan ejections, and being rewarded when his dad surprised him on the 18th green — turning what could have been a PR disaster into a genuine hero moment.

  • Big Cat leads an enthusiastic celebration of the USMNT's 2-0 win over Australia in Seattle, which he believes may mark the first time the US has won two consecutive World Cup games. PFT praises the team's counter-pressing and notes that losing Pulisic — their best player — and still dominating speaks to the squad's depth. Hank throws cold water by pointing out the US didn't qualify for the tournament and got a favorable group as hosts — earning a brief 'fair point' acknowledgment before being shouted down. The debate transitions to America's fan culture: both Big Cat and PFT argue the US should stop copying European chant traditions and instead lean into American sports traditions like Penn State whiteouts, Renegade, and the Cameron Crazies. Max Homa admits he watched the Country Roads moment 20 times and got emotional.

  • Memes describes the Knicks parade as World War Z — people climbing on everything, toilet paper everywhere, a sea of four million people. He got access through a connection to a police officer and ended up at Stone Street with a group of fellow AWLs, where everyone greeted each other as 'champion.' The crew then shifts to the NBA Draft, with speculation about Giannis going to the Heat and Darren Peterson refusing to work out for anyone but the Wizards. AJ D'Avanza's Father's Day social media post in Georgetown Nikes outside the White House is briefly noted. The Aaron Wiggins to Atlanta Hawks trade for two second-round picks is read as breaking news by Max, with the hosts unanimously agreeing the Thunder fleeced Atlanta.

  • Max Homa recounts texting with his mom during the round and being shocked to hear the crowd was actively cheering against Wyndham — having initially assumed she was exaggerating. He says as a self-described people pleaser, the crowd would have destroyed him, but Wyndham turned the hostility into fuel. Max connects Wyndham's comfort with outward frustration to his ability to stay calm when conditions were pushing other players to the edge. The crew then floats the most compelling theory of the episode: Wyndham's name sounds like a timeshare hotel chain — and even people who buy timeshares hate them. They conclude that if his name were Bobby Clark, golf fans would probably love him.

  • Big Cat marvels that 10 years have passed since Kittle was drafted as a relatively unheralded tight end from Iowa, and Kittle remembers only hoping to survive OTAs before finding himself starting Week 1 of his rookie season. He describes how Kyle Shanahan and the 49ers coaching staff discovered his receiving talent through explosive OTA days where he was catching everything thrown his way, then quickly put him on 3rd-down choice routes he'd never run in college. Kittle's career advice: as a rookie, keep your mouth shut and let only your play define you — his offensive coordinator Bobby Turner still tells him he never heard Kittle say a word all his first year. His long-term goal is to retire and coach a Nashville-area high school program built on grit, outside zone, and multi-tight end sets.

  • Three teams draft four deli meats each: Big Cat and the Booth Boys (Memes, Max) take turkey and roast beef; Hank and Zach go salami, prosciutto, mortadella, and Buffalo chicken; solo PFT grabs ham, pastrami, gabagool, and roasted chicken. PFT's most passionate pick is gabagool, tied to the iconic Sopranos scene where Tony somberly packs it from the fridge when leaving his family home. The draft is mostly harmonious until Hank says he can't eat turkey on its own and can eat salami straight — which Big Cat reads as Hank feeling 'invincible' with Zach on his team and calls him out. A brief argument ensues, apologies are issued, and the crew notes that chicken cutlet and Bologna just missed the cut. The episode closes with birthday shoutouts, Zach wishing his dad a happy birthday, and PFT belatedly remembering his nephew before the crew signs off for summer.

AWL
Short for 'Avid Wrestling Listener' or in this context Barstool's loyal fan base; used by the hosts to refer to dedicated Pardon My Take listeners.
TEU / Tight End University
An annual off-season football camp organized by George Kittle, Travis Kelce, and Greg Olsen where NFL tight ends gather to train, take classes, and bond.
Gabagool
New York-Italian slang for capicola (also spelled capocollo), a cured Italian pork cold cut popular in deli sandwiches; made famous culturally by The Sopranos.
Fescue
A type of long, wispy grass used as rough on links-style golf courses like Shinnecock Hills; intended to penalize wayward shots but often criticized for playing more forgiving than expected.
Poa Annua
A species of grass (annual bluegrass) common on older golf course greens in the northeast U.S. that can create bumpy, unpredictable putting surfaces, especially in wind.
Prosciutto
An Italian dry-cured ham, thinly sliced and typically served uncooked; considered an upscale deli meat and a staple of Italian charcuterie.
Mortadella
A large Italian sausage made from finely ground pork, often studded with pistachios or fat; considered the refined ancestor of American bologna.
Soppressata
An Italian dry-cured salami typically made from pork, often spiced with red pepper; a premium Italian deli meat available at specialty counters.
Counter-pressing
A soccer tactical concept where a team aggressively attempts to win the ball back immediately after losing possession, used to describe the USMNT's style of play.
12 personnel
An NFL offensive formation using 1 running back and 2 tight ends; George Kittle referenced it when explaining why fullback coaching is now relevant at TEU.
Spin zone
Informal term for a reframing or post-hoc rationalization of a decision to make it seem more principled or logical; used by the hosts to describe Kevin Durant's reasoning for joining the Warriors.
Heel
Professional wrestling term for a villain character; used by the hosts and Max Homa to describe how golf fans cast Wyndham Clark as someone to root against.
Prodigious
Impressively great in extent or ability; used in context to describe Wyndham Clark's early promise as an elite college golfer who then had a rough stretch as a professional.
Carnage
Used informally in golf broadcasting and fan conversation to describe extremely brutal course conditions that produce high scores and dramatic collapses.
Capicola / Capocollo
An Italian cured meat made from pork neck and shoulder, aged and seasoned; colloquially called 'gabagool' in New York Italian-American slang.

Chapter 1 · 00:00

Wyndham Clark Wins the US Open

The crew dives into Wyndham Clark's dramatic US Open win at Shinnecock, where the crowd openly rooted against an American in a way rarely seen at the national championship. Big Cat and PFT identify the three strikes against Wyndham: smashing two lockers at Oakmont after a bad round, destroying a T-Mobile tee box sign, and making a birth control quip about kids at the Masters Par 3 tournament. The Oakmont locker debate gets hilariously extended as the crew looks up pictures of the damaged lockers and debates the sanctity of historic golf club locker rooms — ultimately concluding they look like dumps. PFT argues Wyndham was actually suited to handle the crowd pressure better than most golfers precisely because his game thrives on frustration. The crew credits Wyndham for owning the criticism, not asking for fan ejections, and being rewarded when his dad surprised him on the 18th green — turning what could have been a PR disaster into a genuine hero moment.

Claims made here

Since 2000, multiple US Open winners include Tiger Woods (3 titles), Bryson DeChambeau (2), Brooks Koepka (2), Retief Goosen (2), and now Wyndham Clark (2).

Big Cat no source cited

Keith Mitchell is the only player in US Open history to shoot 70-70-70-70 across all four rounds.

PFT Commenter no source cited

Joaquin Niemann received a two-stroke penalty for a reckless club throw at the US Open, costing him a potential tie for third place — and no video evidence of the throw exists.

Hank no source cited

Sports
Data point 2

Max Homa Talking US Open And Wyndham Clark's Big Win, Georg… · Jun 22, 2026

Wyndham Clark became a two-time US Open champion by winning at Shinnecock Hills, joining Tiger Woods (3), Bryson DeChambeau, Brooks Koepka, and Retief Goosen as multi-time winners since 2000.

Chapter 2 · 31:44

World Cup & USMNT

Big Cat leads an enthusiastic celebration of the USMNT's 2-0 win over Australia in Seattle, which he believes may mark the first time the US has won two consecutive World Cup games. PFT praises the team's counter-pressing and notes that losing Pulisic — their best player — and still dominating speaks to the squad's depth. Hank throws cold water by pointing out the US didn't qualify for the tournament and got a favorable group as hosts — earning a brief 'fair point' acknowledgment before being shouted down. The debate transitions to America's fan culture: both Big Cat and PFT argue the US should stop copying European chant traditions and instead lean into American sports traditions like Penn State whiteouts, Renegade, and the Cameron Crazies. Max Homa admits he watched the Country Roads moment 20 times and got emotional.

Claims made here

The USMNT's 2-0 win over Australia at the 2026 World Cup may be the first time the US has ever won two consecutive games at the World Cup.

Big Cat no source cited

Jamal Musiala scored his first World Cup goal in 2026 at age 18 years, 11 months, wearing number 19 — exactly mirroring Lionel Messi's first World Cup goal in 2006 at the same age wearing the same number.

Big Cat no source cited

Sports
Data point 18y 11m

Max Homa Talking US Open And Wyndham Clark's Big Win, Georg… · Jun 22, 2026 Sports

In 2006, Lionel Messi scored his first World Cup goal at age 18 years, 11 months, wearing number 19. In 2026, Jamal Musiala scored his first World Cup goal at age 18 years, 11 months, wearing number 19. And Messi once posed with Musiala as a baby in a charity calendar photo shoot.

Chapter 3 · 46:39

Who's Back of the Week

Memes describes the Knicks parade as World War Z — people climbing on everything, toilet paper everywhere, a sea of four million people. He got access through a connection to a police officer and ended up at Stone Street with a group of fellow AWLs, where everyone greeted each other as 'champion.' The crew then shifts to the NBA Draft, with speculation about Giannis going to the Heat and Darren Peterson refusing to work out for anyone but the Wizards. AJ D'Avanza's Father's Day social media post in Georgetown Nikes outside the White House is briefly noted. The Aaron Wiggins to Atlanta Hawks trade for two second-round picks is read as breaking news by Max, with the hosts unanimously agreeing the Thunder fleeced Atlanta.

Claims made here

Kevin Durant said when he joined the Warriors in 2016, he saw them as an underdog franchise because the Warriors had never been a perennial winner in NBA history.

Big Cat Million Dollars Worth of Game podcast (interview clip)

Pete Crow-Armstrong had the most hits, doubles, triples, home runs, and steals in any 18-game span in modern MLB history — a one-in-five-million occurrence.

Big Cat Ryan Spader (cited by Big Cat)

If you expand Pete Crow-Armstrong's 18-game statistical pace to a full season, his OPS would still be lower than Barry Bonds' 2004 OPS.

Big Cat Ryan Spader

The Chicago Hounds rugby team won Major League Rugby with an undefeated season — the first undefeated season in the league's approximately 4-year history.

PFT Commenter no source cited

Morgan and Morgan has recovered over $30 billion for over 500,000 clients and operates with more than 1,000 lawyers across over 100 offices nationwide.

PFT Commenter no source cited

Chapter 4 · 1:15:04

Max Homa Interview

Max Homa recounts texting with his mom during the round and being shocked to hear the crowd was actively cheering against Wyndham — having initially assumed she was exaggerating. He says as a self-described people pleaser, the crowd would have destroyed him, but Wyndham turned the hostility into fuel. Max connects Wyndham's comfort with outward frustration to his ability to stay calm when conditions were pushing other players to the edge. The crew then floats the most compelling theory of the episode: Wyndham's name sounds like a timeshare hotel chain — and even people who buy timeshares hate them. They conclude that if his name were Bobby Clark, golf fans would probably love him.

Claims made here

Wyndham Clark's caddie said 'good process there' before and after every shot at the US Open, which Max Homa attributed to a directive from the caddie, Wyndham, or his sports psychologist.

Max Homa no source cited

Chapter 5 · 1:56:26

George Kittle Interview

Big Cat marvels that 10 years have passed since Kittle was drafted as a relatively unheralded tight end from Iowa, and Kittle remembers only hoping to survive OTAs before finding himself starting Week 1 of his rookie season. He describes how Kyle Shanahan and the 49ers coaching staff discovered his receiving talent through explosive OTA days where he was catching everything thrown his way, then quickly put him on 3rd-down choice routes he'd never run in college. Kittle's career advice: as a rookie, keep your mouth shut and let only your play define you — his offensive coordinator Bobby Turner still tells him he never heard Kittle say a word all his first year. His long-term goal is to retire and coach a Nashville-area high school program built on grit, outside zone, and multi-tight end sets.

Claims made here

Tight End University 2025 has over 92 tight ends registered — the most in the event's history — with Tony Gonzalez attending for the first time.

George Kittle no source cited

George Kittle is running over 16 miles per hour in cleats on the field 21 weeks after Achilles surgery, slightly ahead of his recovery schedule.

George Kittle no source cited

The 49ers and NFL sent scientists to test the substation near the 49ers' practice facility and concluded that electromagnetic levels are at a safe, normal amount that will not affect players.

George Kittle NFL and 49ers-commissioned scientists

George Kittle saw Brandon Aiyuk running over 22 miles per hour and stopping on a dime in early morning practice approximately 8 months before the interview.

George Kittle no source cited

Health & Fitness
Data point 16 mph

Max Homa Talking US Open And Wyndham Clark's Big Win, Georg… · Jun 22, 2026 Health & Fitness

George Kittle is 21 weeks out from Achilles surgery and running over 16 miles per hour in cleats on the field. He's doing single-leg box jumps, cutting again — and his trainers keep telling him to simmer down.

Chapter 6 · 2:36:20

Mount Rushmore of Deli Meats

Three teams draft four deli meats each: Big Cat and the Booth Boys (Memes, Max) take turkey and roast beef; Hank and Zach go salami, prosciutto, mortadella, and Buffalo chicken; solo PFT grabs ham, pastrami, gabagool, and roasted chicken. PFT's most passionate pick is gabagool, tied to the iconic Sopranos scene where Tony somberly packs it from the fridge when leaving his family home. The draft is mostly harmonious until Hank says he can't eat turkey on its own and can eat salami straight — which Big Cat reads as Hank feeling 'invincible' with Zach on his team and calls him out. A brief argument ensues, apologies are issued, and the crew notes that chicken cutlet and Bologna just missed the cut. The episode closes with birthday shoutouts, Zach wishing his dad a happy birthday, and PFT belatedly remembering his nephew before the crew signs off for summer.

No indexed bits in this chapter.

Show stoppers

Sports
Data point 18y 11m

Max Homa Talking US Open And Wyndham Clark's Big Win, Georg… · Jun 22, 2026 Sports

In 2006, Lionel Messi scored his first World Cup goal at age 18 years, 11 months, wearing number 19. In 2026, Jamal Musiala scored his first World Cup goal at age 18 years, 11 months, wearing number 19. And Messi once posed with Musiala as a baby in a charity calendar photo shoot.

Health & Fitness
Data point 16 mph

Max Homa Talking US Open And Wyndham Clark's Big Win, Georg… · Jun 22, 2026 Health & Fitness

George Kittle is 21 weeks out from Achilles surgery and running over 16 miles per hour in cleats on the field. He's doing single-leg box jumps, cutting again — and his trainers keep telling him to simmer down.

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Claims & Sources

4 / 15 cited (27%)

Factual claims made this episode, and whether a source was named.

Since 2000, multiple US Open winners include Tiger Woods (3 titles), Bryson DeChambeau (2), Brooks Koepka (2), Retief Goosen (2), and now Wyndham Clark (2).

Big Cat no source cited

The USMNT's 2-0 win over Australia at the 2026 World Cup may be the first time the US has ever won two consecutive games at the World Cup.

Big Cat no source cited

Jamal Musiala scored his first World Cup goal in 2026 at age 18 years, 11 months, wearing number 19 — exactly mirroring Lionel Messi's first World Cup goal in 2006 at the same age wearing the same number.

Big Cat no source cited

Pete Crow-Armstrong had the most hits, doubles, triples, home runs, and steals in any 18-game span in modern MLB history — a one-in-five-million occurrence.

Big Cat Ryan Spader (cited by Big Cat)

Wyndham Clark's caddie said 'good process there' before and after every shot at the US Open, which Max Homa attributed to a directive from the caddie, Wyndham, or his sports psychologist.

Max Homa no source cited

Joaquin Niemann received a two-stroke penalty for a reckless club throw at the US Open, costing him a potential tie for third place — and no video evidence of the throw exists.

Hank no source cited

Morgan and Morgan has recovered over $30 billion for over 500,000 clients and operates with more than 1,000 lawyers across over 100 offices nationwide.

PFT Commenter no source cited

George Kittle is running over 16 miles per hour in cleats on the field 21 weeks after Achilles surgery, slightly ahead of his recovery schedule.

George Kittle no source cited

Tight End University 2025 has over 92 tight ends registered — the most in the event's history — with Tony Gonzalez attending for the first time.

George Kittle no source cited

George Kittle saw Brandon Aiyuk running over 22 miles per hour and stopping on a dime in early morning practice approximately 8 months before the interview.

George Kittle no source cited

Keith Mitchell is the only player in US Open history to shoot 70-70-70-70 across all four rounds.

PFT Commenter no source cited

Kevin Durant said when he joined the Warriors in 2016, he saw them as an underdog franchise because the Warriors had never been a perennial winner in NBA history.

Big Cat Million Dollars Worth of Game podcast (interview clip)

The Chicago Hounds rugby team won Major League Rugby with an undefeated season — the first undefeated season in the league's approximately 4-year history.

PFT Commenter no source cited

The 49ers and NFL sent scientists to test the substation near the 49ers' practice facility and concluded that electromagnetic levels are at a safe, normal amount that will not affect players.

George Kittle NFL and 49ers-commissioned scientists

If you expand Pete Crow-Armstrong's 18-game statistical pace to a full season, his OPS would still be lower than Barry Bonds' 2004 OPS.

Big Cat Ryan Spader