The Yak
The Yak
February 17, 2026

Big Cat and Brandon DOMINATED Their First Morning Workout | The Yak 2-17-26

Quick Read

Hosts Big Cat and Brandon embark on a daily fitness journey, discuss cultural traditions, debate celebrity public images, and play a game of 'guess the list' with their colleagues.
Big Cat and Brandon commit to a daily workout, despite initial struggles, aiming to build a consistent habit.
The hosts discuss Chinese New Year traditions, including unique customs like showering and cleaning for good luck.
A debate emerges on Michael Jordan's 'protected' public image compared to modern, social media-active athletes.

Summary

Big Cat and Brandon initiate a new daily workout regimen, expressing exhaustion but committing to consistency. The episode features a discussion about Chinese New Year customs, including the significance of showering and cleaning for good fortune, and the concept of a different calendar year. The hosts also delve into a debate about Michael Jordan's public image, arguing he is the most 'protected' celebrity due to his distance from social media and the public eye, contrasting him with modern athletes like LeBron James. A segment on a fitness influencer, Malibu Fitmax, leads to a host's apology for misjudging his appearance. The show concludes with a game where hosts create and guess various themed lists, covering topics from favorite things to states with the best beaches, and a discussion on an old ESPN ranking of sports difficulty.
This episode offers a blend of relatable personal challenges (starting a fitness routine), cultural insights (Chinese New Year traditions), and engaging debates on celebrity perception and sports. It highlights the hosts' dynamic and their ability to turn everyday experiences and observations into entertaining content, demonstrating how public figures navigate personal and professional narratives in the digital age.

Takeaways

  • Big Cat and Brandon started a daily workout, finding it grueling but committing to continue together.
  • Chinese New Year traditions include showering, cleaning the house, and receiving 'lucky money' in red pockets.
  • Michael Jordan is framed as the 'most protected celebrity' due to his lack of social media presence and detachment from public scrutiny.
  • A host issued a public apology to fitness influencer Malibu Fitmax after mistakenly commenting on his appearance, learning he is an IED blast survivor.
  • An old ESPN list ranking sports by difficulty sparked debate, with bull riding surprisingly ranked below badminton.
  • The hosts play a game of guessing themed lists, including 'favorite things' and 'states with best beaches'.

Insights

1The Daily Fitness Commitment

Big Cat and Brandon initiated a new daily workout routine, describing it as a 'grueling effort' that left them out of breath for an extended period. Despite the difficulty, they committed to continuing the workout every day, initially together, to build a habit.

Brandon stated it took him '35 to 40 minutes to catch my breath.' Big Cat declared, 'We're going to be doing this workout every single day for the rest of our lives.'

2Chinese New Year Customs and Calendar

Stephen detailed Chinese New Year traditions, including taking a shower and cleaning the house the night before to remove bad energy, enjoying a nice meal, and receiving 'lucky money' in red pockets (lysies). He also clarified that China operates on a different ancient calendar, currently around the year 4723 or 4724, though they still observe January 1st.

Stephen mentioned, 'you're supposed to like take a shower and clean the house that night... get the bad energy out of the house.' He also stated, 'I think it's like uh 4023 or something like that. 40. It's a different year.'

3Michael Jordan's 'Protected' Public Image

Brandon argued that Michael Jordan is the 'most protected celebrity in the history of American celebrity' because he avoids social media and public engagement. This detachment, according to Brandon, prevents him from making gaffes that would attract 'haters' and allows his legacy to remain untarnished, unlike modern athletes who face constant scrutiny.

Brandon stated, 'I think he's the most protected celebrity in the history of American celebrity.' He contrasted this with LeBron, saying, 'LeBron will say taco funny on on Twitter and and people people just ruin him.'

4Public Apology for Misjudgment

A host issued a sincere apology to fitness influencer Malibu Fitmax after previously making comments about his appearance, specifically suggesting he had 'a lot of work done' or 'lip injections.' The host learned that Fitmax is a military veteran and an IED blast survivor, leading to deep regret and a public retraction.

The host said, 'it turns out he is a military veteran who was it's an IED blast survivor who is incredible and I am sorry.'

5Debate on Sports Difficulty Rankings

The hosts discussed an old ESPN list ranking 60 different sports by degree of difficulty, based on various physical attributes. The list sparked disagreement, particularly with bull riding being ranked below badminton, and fishing being dead last. The main point of contention was whether difficulty should be judged by the ease of participation or the challenge of achieving professional success.

The list showed 'bull writing is below bad mitten.' A host questioned, 'is it how how hard it is to just do it or how hard it is to succeed?'

Bottom Line

The NBA's regular season being 'bad' is strategically beneficial for the overall sports calendar, allowing other sports like college basketball to capture attention before the NBA playoffs intensify.

So What?

This suggests that the NBA's perceived lack of regular-season effort might be an unspoken, advantageous market positioning rather than a flaw, preventing direct competition with other major sports during their peak seasons.

Impact

Sports leagues could intentionally manage their season's intensity to align with the broader sports calendar, optimizing viewership and engagement by avoiding direct competition with other popular events.

The evolution of internet vernacular, such as 'mogging' and 'floyds/mods,' originating from niche online communities like 'incels,' is now entering mainstream discourse.

So What?

This indicates a concerning trend where terms from potentially harmful subcultures are becoming normalized, reflecting a broader shift in online communication and its impact on everyday language.

Impact

Content creators and educators have an opportunity to critically analyze and explain the origins and implications of such vernacular as it enters the mainstream, fostering media literacy and critical thinking about online trends.

Opportunities

Electronic Interactive Board Game (Board)

A brand new gadget called 'Board' that functions as an electronic board game, designed to encourage family interaction and reduce screen time. It features a screen that plays like a board game, launching with 12 games, and is marketed as 'great for all ages' and a potential 'savior of family game night.'

Source: Host's recent purchase and advertisement clip.

Themed Nostalgia Restaurants (Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtle Pizza Restaurant)

A restaurant concept based on popular childhood franchises, specifically a Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtle-themed pizza restaurant. This capitalizes on adults' 'childhood dreams' and willingness to spend money on nostalgia.

Source: Discussion about a new TMNT pizza restaurant opening in Santa Monica, Monterey, and Mexico, with hosts questioning why not New York City.

Lessons

  • Commit to a daily fitness routine, even if it starts small, to build a habit and improve overall well-being.
  • Practice stoicism by focusing energy only on what is controllable, reducing stress from external opinions or uncontrollable circumstances.
  • Engage in cultural traditions, like those of Chinese New Year, to foster connection, good fortune, and a sense of community.

Notable Moments

Pete's Curling Choke

A video clip showed Pete 'completely choking' during a curling match in the 2018 Olympics, forgetting to release the stone, which the hosts humorously attribute to his 'villain origin story' and current personality.

Michael Jordan Ice Incident Debate

The hosts revisit a controversial clip of Michael Jordan interacting with a child, with one host insisting Jordan was merely removing ice from the child's shirt, leading to a 'blanket apology' to Jordan.

Malibu Fitmax Apology

A host publicly apologized for insensitive comments about fitness influencer Malibu Fitmax's appearance, revealing Fitmax is an IED blast survivor, highlighting the importance of empathy and verifying information.

Daytona Ashes Incident

A fan at the Daytona 500 attempted to scatter ashes at the finish line during a crash, only for the ashes to blow back into his face, creating a darkly comedic and memorable event.

Quigs' AI City Replicas

Quigs created 'full-on lifelike AI replicas' of cities based on descriptions, which were 'bizarrely accurate,' showcasing impressive skill and intelligence in AI application.

Quotes

"

"I'm probably going to do it at home. Oh, we're not doing it together. We could do it together. Do you want to keep doing it together? Our journey together. Let's do it together. Let's do it together. Tomorrow, 9:00."

Big Cat & Brandon
"

"You guys don't have to be working out because you guys are massive. You're tall. You're respected. You're hulking. You're looming. We're fat."

Kyle
"

"I think he's the most protected celebrity in the history of American celebrity. That's what I think of him. I think he is both the best basketball player we've ever seen and an incredible marketing creation that nobody is"

Brandon
"

"If you can't control it, do not give it any time. If you can control it, give it all your energy."

Big Cat

Q&A

Recent Questions

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