Take A 20

The beautiful game meets the beautiful podcast! In the final Take A 20 episode of 2026, we revisit Zinedine Zidane’s shocking meltdown in the 2006 World Cup Final. There’s nothing Mark hates more than a French athlete who plays dirty! As this year’s World Cup prepares to kick off across North America, Josh and Mark reflect on their own status as global icons, and the legions of loyal fans who make that possible. It’s lots of gratitude, and a small dash of humility, as we sign off until 2027.

A horse winning the Triple Crown is almost as rare as the Knicks winning the NBA championship. And a whole lot less annoying. In 2006, Barbaro appeared destined to make history. After dominating the Kentucky Derby, he was lauded as an all-time great thoroughbred. But as soon as Barbaro hit the track for the Preakness, the story took a devastating turn -- and horseracing would never be the same. Ultimately, Barbaro did wind up captivating a nation, in ways that no one could have imagined. 

On September 25, 2006, the New Orleans Saints returned home to the Superdome for the first time since Hurricane Katrina devastated the city a year earlier. Had enough time elapsed for a symbol of despair to become a house of healing? Two minutes after the game kicked off, the answer was a resounding “yes,” thanks to one of the most uplifting plays in NFL history — and a 13-month commitment to make the “Domecoming” a reality. 

Hartford Whalers fan trigger warning! The Carolina Hurricanes, who relocated to Raleigh from Hartford in 1997, won their first and only Stanley Cup in 2006,  legitimizing the NHL’s commitment to building in the Sun Belt. After canceling the entire 2004-2005 season due to a bitter lockout, the league was in a precarious position -- seeking new fans in the South, while honoring its lifeblood in the North. A tension that remains today, as the 2026 Hurricanes have steamrolled their way into yet another Conference Finals.

The 2006 Tour de France began with the biggest doping scandal in the history of sports. And it only got worse from there. The first race without 7-time champion Lance Armstrong was supposed to be a shining moment for a new generation of riders. That included Lance's former teammate, Floyd Landis, who was on the verge of becoming the next American cycling hero. Until he wasn't. In this episode, where lots of bad things happen to lots of bad people, we are incredibly grateful that Mark and Josh remain our beacons of goodness and hope.

Believe it or not, the Celtics are not the only team who consistently underperforms in the post-season. The Oakland A's were similarly snakebit in the 2000's, often failing to capitalize on regular season success. In 2006, the A's finally won a playoff series -- but that long-awaited breakthrough was the beginning of the end of Moneyball's golden age. 

It’s officially clay court season, which is as close as Mark and Josh get to red bottom shoes. Unlike our plebeian podcasters, Roger Federer was always comfortable with luxury brands. In 2006, the man who personified elegance and grace elevated his game to the highest level, compiling one of the greatest seasons ever in men’s tennis. 

The NBA Playoffs are underway, the underdogs are barking, and Mark and Josh are not even thinking about pushing the panic button for the Knicks or Celtics (no, seriously, things are totally fine!). It was panic time for the Miami Heat in the 2006 NBA Finals, until everything changed in an instant. Dwyane Wade emerged as a superstar -- with some assists from a highly criticized officiating crew -- and the legacy of that series continues to cast a big shadow over the NBA, both good and bad. 

“Get your popcorn ready!” Those were the words of Terrell Owens when he joined  the Dallas Cowboys in 2006. Words that Mark and Josh live by every day. When T.O. spoke them into existence, it was both a warning and a promise. The most polarizing personality in sports joined the most polarizing franchise. Everything could go right, or it could fail in spectacular fashion. The only certainty was that it would be impossible to look away.

For the first time in 32 years, the Masters is taking place without Phil Mickelson or Tiger Woods. Phil won the tournament in 2006, claiming his second Green Jacket, and setting the stage for a magical year. Everything was lining up perfectly for Phil, until it wasn't. Epic talent. Reckless risk-taking. That was Lefty in 2006. And in many ways, it remains the same today. The azaleas are in bloom, the birds are chirping, and Mark and Josh celebrate all that Phil achieved at Augusta -- while lamenting all that never was.