- Ted wants to rub his new building in the face of an old professor, Barney is the victim of a lengthy jinx, Marshall and Lily run into an annoying old acquaintance, and Robin gets an opportunity to fire Patrice.
- Each of the friends somewhat admit that they have who they consider a "pit guy": someone who, if they had the power, would throw into a pit in their basement to banish forever, much like in The Silence of the Lambs (1991). For Ted, that person is his ex-architecture professor, Professor Vinick, who told Ted at the time that he had no talent and would never become an architect. Now that the GNB headquarters is about to open, Ted decides to invite Professor Vinick to the opening ceremonies to show him wrong. Professor Vinick's response makes Ted hold onto that grudge even harder. For Robin, that person is her co-worker, Patrice, who is now dating Barney. Robin will not however admit that Patrice is her pit guy because she still loves Barney herself. Robin has a chance to throw Patrice into her make believe pit when Robin has to fire a co-worker of her choice. For Lily and Marshall, that person is Daryl LaCorte, a colleague from Wesleyan who saw himself as their best friend after one game of hacky sack during their freshman year, although they tried at every turn to avoid him ever since. He still connects with them through social media. Lily and Marshall unwittingly learn of Daryl's whereabouts and his current plans for them. The one person who can't admit to having a pit guy is Barney, who, through a jinx that can only be removed by Ted, Robin, Marshall or Lily, but each who refuses to remove that jinx, is not allowed to speak or else face a dire consequence.—Huggo
- Marshall calls "Jinx" on Barney when they utter the same phrase simultaneously. Future Ted explains the group takes the game very seriously; Barney had previously broken the jinx out of mockery, but later had been hit by a bus (Barney broke 3 limbs and 2 vertebrae, but he never broke another jinx), causing everyone to follow the rules whenever they are jinxed, including Barney jinxing Marshall just as he was about to talk with one of his boyhood heroes. The group relishes Barney's silence. Barney cannot utter a word before someone who was present for the jinx says his name. Ted uses the occasions to give a long and boring lecture on antiquated currency. Barney struggles in a cab for an hour, trying to tell him where to go and then got reamed out at work for being late.
Ted's new building is set to open and he invites his favorite architecture professor, Vinick (Peter Gallagher), from his college days to the grand opening. The group says that Ted has put the professor in his "pit", in that he has obsessed over him since college. Vinick never believed in Ted and had said that he would never be an architect. A pit guy is someone that you have obsessed over for so long, that you would put them in a pit in your basement, like in the Silence of the Lambs. Robin admits that Patrice would be her pit person. This is further confirmed when the professor declines Ted's invitation. Vinick also adds to the reply that he has no idea who Ted Mosby is.
Ted takes the group to Wesleyan, intending to unleash his wrath on Vinick. Marshall warns Ted that revenge fantasies never work out the way you imagine them. After hearing one of his inspiring lectures, Ted craves Vinick's approval and shows him a sketch of the GNB building. Vinick is unimpressed and Ted brings a 3-D model, but Vinick views the attempt as pathetic. Ted realizes he has to move on as he is the only person in his own pit.
Marshall and Lily explain they are in someone else's pit. Daryl (Seth Green), a friend from college, became obsessed with the two, causing them to feel uncomfortable. Marshall reminds Daryl that they played hack sacks only once in college. Yet, Daryl still sends them emails and has commented on every photo of Marvin posted by them on Facebook.
Marshall & Lily run into Daryl at Wesleyan, having formed a company called Hackmigos selling Hacky sacks named after the three of them. Daryl invites them to his house; Marshall and Lily fear they will be killed, but find that Daryl's company has become successful, and they unknowingly reject his offer to give them $100,000, since he believes that the Hackmigos was their joint idea. But before that Marshalled and Lily were scared to be in Daryl's basement and blurted that they are not amigos and want no part of Daryl's life. Daryl seems to accept that they do not want any part of his life.
Robin has Patrice in her pit and when Sandy Rivers (Alexis Denisof) tasks her with laying off employees, she plans to fire Patrice for getting together with the man she loves. Midway through the firing, Patrice realizes that Robin is hurt by her dating Barney, and gives her a consoling hug; which Robin reciprocates and apologizes. She resolves to move on and lets Patrice stay.
At the end of the day, Barney secretly tricks Ted into saying his name by showing him a wedding ring, breaking the jinx and jinxes Ted in return. Barney explains that he is serious and makes Ted promise not to tell anyone he plans to propose to Patrice and removes the jinx from Ted when he agrees. Barney says that he is going to the propose to Patrice on the roof of the World Wide News Building. He then gets revenge on Marshall and Lily by putting them into a jinx themselves.
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