PMS 2.0 1348 - Game 4 Tuesday LIVE from Gainbridge Fieldhouse with Shams Charania, Peter Schrager, Hans Perez, Darius Butler

Summary

Podcast Summary: The Pat McAfee Show - PMS 2.0 1348

Release Date: May 27, 2025
Location: Gainbridge Fieldhouse, Indianapolis, Indiana
Guests: Shams Charania, Peter Schrager, Hans Perez, Darius Butler

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Introduction

In this electrifying episode of The Pat McAfee Show, host Pat McAfee welcomes listeners live from Gainbridge Fieldhouse in Indianapolis, Indiana. The atmosphere is charged as the Indiana Pacers prepare for Game 4 of their Eastern Conference Finals series against the New York Knicks. Pat introduces his co-hosts and esteemed guests, setting the stage for a deep dive into the latest sports action and surrounding narratives.

NBA Playoff Showdown: Pacers vs. Knicks

The primary focus of the episode revolves around the intense Pacers-Knicks series. Pat reflects on the Pacers' recent struggles, particularly their tendency to lose Game 3s after securing substantial leads. He states, "The Pacers have never won on Indianapolis 500 Sunday in the history of the Pacers" (00:00).

Key Points:

• Pacers' Historical Struggles: The Pacers have a pattern of faltering in Game 3s during playoff runs, often relinquishing large leads.
• Current Series Dynamics: After losing Game 3 despite a 20-point advantage, the Pacers are looking to bounce back in Game 4 with strong support from their home crowd.
• Betting Insights: AJ Hawk mentions, "Vegas made Pacers the favorites again for Game 4" (01:54), suggesting optimism from betting markets despite recent setbacks.

Notable Quote:

• Pat McAfee emphasizes the Pacers' resilience, "This Pacers team's going to get back on track with a great group of Hoosiers behind them ready to lose their mind" (02:15).

Guest Perspectives and Fan Interactions

Pat is joined by various guests, including Shams Charania and Peter Schrager, who provide insider insights into the teams' strategies and player performances. The conversation highlights:

• Tyrese Halliburton's Impact: Discussions around Halliburton's return and his significant influence on the Pacers' gameplay.
• Knicks' Resilience: Karl-Anthony Towns' outstanding performance in Game 3, scoring 20 points in the fourth quarter, showcased the Knicks' tenacity.

Notable Interaction:

• Darius Butler shares his unwavering support for the Pacers, stating, "You have Jalen Brunson as the best player on your team to win a championship" (25:37).

Broader Sports Updates

Beyond basketball, the episode touches on a variety of sports topics:

• Indy 500 Highlights: Pat and his guests congratulate Alex Paulo, the first Spaniard to win the Indy 500, amidst a crowded and drama-filled race.
• WNBA Concerns: The Indiana Fever face a setback with star player Caitlin Clark suffering a quad strain, raising questions about the team's performance without her.
• Western Conference Insights: Analysis of the Oklahoma City Thunder's comeback in their series against the Minnesota Timberwolves, paralleling the Pacers' situation.
• Football and Baseball: Brief updates on NFL quarterback competitions and MLB superstar performances, including Aaron Judge's exceptional batting streak.

Notable Quote:

• Shams Charania expresses excitement for the Pacers' potential, "This is a must-watch battle Tornado Alley. Must, must, must watch OKC" (08:59).

Special Segments and Highlights

• Hans Perez's Experience: Firefighter Hans Perez, a dedicated Pacers fan, shares his experience attending the live game, offering a unique perspective from the front lines of fandom.

  Notable Quote:

  • Hans Perez confidently predicts the Pacers' victory, "We're going back to New York to cut it out, close this thing out, and resound in victory tonight" (81:31).

• Emmy Awards and Media Insights: The show delves into recent Emmy wins and the impact of media personalities on sports broadcasting, highlighting the intersection of entertainment and athletics.

Conclusion

As Game 4 approaches, The Pat McAfee Show encapsulates the fervor surrounding the Pacers' playoff journey. With expert analysis, passionate fan stories, and comprehensive sports coverage, the episode delivers a holistic view of the current sports landscape. Pat wraps up by expressing gratitude to the guests and the Indianapolis community, setting the tone for what promises to be a pivotal game night.

Final Thoughts:

• The Pacers are poised to overcome their Game 3 hurdles with strategic player performances and unwavering fan support.
• Broader sports narratives continue to evolve, with significant developments across multiple leagues keeping fans engaged and optimistic.

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Note: All timestamps correspond to the podcast transcript provided and serve as references for notable quotes and discussions.

Transcript

[Pat McAfee]

Hello beautiful people and welcome to Indianapolis Indiana. Outside of Cambridge field house, this is game four. Tuesday, May 27, 2025. This broken starts and now Pacers are obviously alive and well here in Indianapolis, Indiana. What we have with this Pacers team is a collection of men that represent this city, this state and this town so damn well. And although they lost game three at home, they to the dumb New York Knicks after having a 20 point lead, they really gave it up. That has been the story of this particular Pacers team. Now the Pacers have never won on Indianapolis 500 Sunday in the history of the Pacers. The Pacers have also lost game threes consecutively in multiple series in this particular run of the playoffs. But tonight, in this building that we are right outside of, there's about to be an electricity, a vibe, a feeling that is going to be felt through the television as the entire state of Indiana rall behind Tyrese Halliburton and the boys, Jalen Brunson and this New York Knicks team are a bunch of dogs. They are certainly worthy of being Eastern Conference finalists. But tonight what you're going to see is the same thing you saw in games one and games two. This Pacers team's going to get back on track with a great group of Hoosiers behind them ready to lose their mind. Now, it's not just me up on this stage, no, no. I'm lucky to be joined by a great group of men. Ladies and gentlemen, one half of the Hammer Cowboys. AP Tone is your tone. A lot of people lost money on Sunday betting on the Indiana Pacers. Especially whenever they were up 20. That was a foregone conclusion that they were going to go up 3, 0 and maybe a sweep this evening was in the works. Instead, the Knicks get a win. They steal one in game three. What's the money looking like this evening for the gamblers of the season? Conference finals? Yeah.

[AJ Hawk]

Game three did not deter Vegas. They made Pacers the favorites again for game four. They are minus two and a half tonight against New York Knicks. I think if people are smart, they're going to go ride with the Pacers again tonight. First three or the first? Yeah, three series that they, they played. They. They lost game three. So it was, it was nothing out of the normal for the Pacers. They are undefeated in Games 4 and 5. So maybe they're the same tonight.

[Pat McAfee]

Okay? I hope so. And you know, the Pacers have this trend of being able to run everybody off the court. They run, they run, they run, they run. The fact that the Knicks were able to get back in the fourth quarter the way they did behind Carl Anthony Towns. Cat goes for 20. He goes absurd. Had some passes that people were talking about on the Internet. The way he went about doing his thing was certainly remarkable. 20 points in the fourth quarter for Cat. 20 points in total for the Indiana Pacers in the fourth quarter. Going to have to change that. The fourth quarter is where the Pacers have been able to eat because they wear other teams down. How will the Knicks feel in this game 4? How will the Knicks feel? Have to feel it after spending a few days in the beautiful city of Indianapolis, Indiana. And how about some Knicks fans? We see out here, they're wearing their orange and blue.

[Ty Schmidt]

Oh, yeah.

[Pat McAfee]

We got a couple Knicks fans that are going to join us on this stage. Obviously, coastal elitists have made their way out here to the United States of America and they're enjoying some great weather. It is spectacular out here today. Let's go to the toxic table at Boston. Connor at Ty Schmidt. Ty, I see you with a Pacers jersey on, pal. Have you fully committed to being a Pacers fan?

[Darius Butler]

Yeah, without a doubt.

[Boston Connor]

I don't have an NBA team, you know, Midwest guy. You could go with the Bulls. I love Tyrese Halberton. Other than the fact that, you know, he went to Iowa State, which I can live with that. I can get over that. Pacers also got James Johnson, you know, former stalwart on the 2011 Iowa Energy. One of the best players in G League. You know, I mean, hell of a season. But yeah, it just, you, you mentioned it. Pace of play, like the way the Pacers play. If you are an NBA fan or just a basketball fan in this area of the country and you, you don't really have an allegiance to someone. Pacers are pretty damn good team to kind of, you know, jump on the boat. Now granted, you know, people might call me a bandwagon. Okay. Yeah, you wait until this, this team's got, you know, their eyes on an NBA championship. I'm fine with that.

[Pat McAfee]

So be it. So be it.

[Boston Connor]

Yes, sirs. Go, sirs. I love the Pacers. I'm a Pacer guy for life now. And that's. That's how. That's how it should be.

[Pat McAfee]

Yeah. I don't know if you're going to be a Pacers guy for life. We know how that works.

[Shams Charania]

Congratulations.

[Pat McAfee]

Yeah. But next 50, 60 years of your life. Yeah. Without 10 paces. We like that. Let's go to AustinConnor, a man who lives in downtown Indianapolis wearing his Boston Celtics jacket. Obviously have to. I don't think you have to. You could have came out here and said, you know what? I'm a citizen. I'm a member of this community. I could have came out and supported the Indiana Pacers, who have been so good to us. The Pacers obviously allow us this court, the Morris bicentennial plaza. Easy for you all to say. It is a wonderful setup outside of Gamebridge. They put a nice skating rink out here. Obviously, there's people that play pickup out here. It's a nice draw. There's concessions out there. Yeah. Tyrese Halliburton's been incredible for our show. You could have easily picked up the Pacers as your team, especially since you live two blocks from here. Instead, you're holding strong with the Celtics. What do you see of this Pacers team that maybe make you think they can do what the Celtics have been able to do in the past, and that's hoist trophy at the end of the season. Yeah.

[Ty Schmidt]

I don't know if anybody can do what the Celtics have done, you know, throughout the history of the NBA, but with the Pacers, there's a lot of things they run and gun. You know, it was real cool when they were up 20. Obie Toppin doing the alley.

[Pat McAfee]

Oops.

[Ty Schmidt]

Tyrese stealing the basketball. I mean, personally, if both these teams could lose, it'd be the perfect situation for me, just because then everyone can kind of realize, wow, what the Boston Celtics done was unbelievable. But my biggest thing, especially going into tonight, you know, Timmy Chalamet, he's cool. He ain't no John Halliburton. Okay, John. Papa Halliburton's back, baby. I think that is the biggest storyline tonight. That's a lot of moxie in one building. We'll see. You know, if I'm. If I'm Rick Brunson, I got my eyes peeled. I'm sitting on the bench, sure. But I don't bring to a team what Papa Halliburton does. So I could see this being a runaway 40, 50, 60 point game for the Pacers today.

[Pat McAfee]

We would all enjoy that on a work night Tuesday night if this thing was over earlier than expected. Yeah, Papa Halliburton is back. Only allowed to sit in a suite, though. Only allowed to sit in a suite. Not allowed to have his feet on the wood because they don't know if he's going to start dancing again. You know, they don't want him to do that, but it's great that he's back. A chance to experience this type of run, especially with what his kid has been accomplishing. We'll talk to Sean Sharanya here in a matter of moments. He'll probably have more on the Papa Halliburton story and a lot of other stories around the NBA. Let's go to nine year NFL vet, Indianapolis Colt. Great. Ladies and gentlemen, Darius J. Butler, who is debutch. I call this city home. Obviously you're here like four days a week for a large portion of your life. You have a house here, an apartment here. You had a lot of great things happening. The Indiana people deserve this run that the Pacers are having. And with the way the Colts have been pretty good.

[Boston Connor]

Yeah.

[Ty Schmidt]

I mean, this weekend they might be.

[Pat McAfee]

Back just real quick. Danny Dimes I heard was out and about. He was enjoying his Indy 500 Sunday. Don't look now. Daniel Jones might have found his home out here in Indianapolis, but with the Pacers having their run right now, feels great for the city, especially one that we have such close ties.

[Shams Charania]

It feels great for the city. We know Peyton Manning kind of made this a football city, but this is a basketball state, you know, state full of Hoosiers. They love their ball and they're on a hell of a run now. South Florida kids. So I grew up a Miami Heat fan, still a Miami Heat fan. So we had a lot of tough battles in the conference finals with the Pacers. I respect the Pacers family, respect the Pacers program. Hate the Knicks, though. Hate the Knicks, especially being a Floridian with all these New Yorkers that come down. So just to hear their mouth, I know we lost game three and I'm saying we very loosely because I am here. It will be so sweet for them to win the conference finals in New York. So I can't wait for that to happen. And it starts with a big win tonight.

[Pat McAfee]

It certainly does. And you know, the other series happening in the Western Conference was a little bit of an indicator of what could potentially take place for game three. You know, the Minnesota Timberwolves at home, smack okc. They get back. Wait a minute. Does that mean the Knicks are alive? Yes, the Knicks get a big time win in game three as well. Well, if last night's an indicator of what is about to happen on this particular evening, it looks like the Pacers are going to get back on track. Oklahoma City gets a close, spectacular dub over. You know, the. This Minnesota Timberwolves team is interesting. They're very fascinating the way they go about playing. They were able to answer okc, answer okc, answer okc. But in the end, you make your free throws, you do battle. Oklahoma City's up three one. Is that an indicator on what happens tonight? I think so. Congrats. Oklahoma City being what they've been all season, which is some closers, some winners, some absolute dogs. Jalen, unbelievable. Caruso had a couple sick reverse layups down the stretch. Obviously, SGA is going to do his thing, and I believe Oklahoma City feels comfortable in being able to lock this up. 3 1. But they were in a dog fight last night. D, Bud.

[Shams Charania]

Yeah, they were in a dog fight. They figured out. You talking about this Timberwolves team being interested. It's too much. Too much up and down, especially from their stars. We know how important the stars are on the biggest stage. For a guy like Julius Randle to have a good game, then to show up and have five, six points. The same thing with Ant. Obviously, they're going to double. They're going to send blitzes at him, but he's got to be more impactful on this game. And I think you got to hold down, obviously, home court. So this is a battle. And okc, you mentioned it. This is who they've been wired to, wired. And you got the MVP dropping the 4040 ball. You're going to win those type of games. He shows up. I know it's a lot being said about him being a free. Free throw merchant being this, being that.

[Pat McAfee]

But he is Doris Burke dropping that one in the middle of the game again. Yeah, yeah. I'll tell you what, I've never met Doris. I've watched her do a lot of work. Whenever I do anything, I can't be, like, checking my Twitter mentions, you know, because normally there's some positive. A lot of, hey, this guy needs to never have a microphone in front of him again. That's the nature of the beast. Whenever you're in this. I was. I was calling Monday night Raw last night down in Tampa Bay. Beautiful city, hot as hell. I checked my phone, see the trending Topics, you know, AMAs was right there at the top. No Taylor Swift.

[Boston Connor]

Yeah.

[Ty Schmidt]

Interesting.

[Pat McAfee]

What's that all about?

[Boston Connor]

Good question.

[Shams Charania]

Sierra looked great.

[Pat McAfee]

I heard. I heard there was a lot of great things. AMA is number one, obviously. WWE Raw was number two. Shout out to Raw. And then number three was Doris Burke. I was like, doris must have a good call. I clicked on it. Holy shit. There isn't a single positive. No, I don't. Doris cannot check her ex. Hey, Doris, Keep doing your thing, Doris. Yeah, keep doing your thing. And also, if you know, Doris, I think we should send her some positive messaging. Yeah, I think if you know Doris and have her phone number, which we do not should text her. Positive stuff because it gets a lot out there for Doris. But yes, the free throw merchant line is one of the ones that kind of sparks the fire whenever. Also, I think there was a World War II reference out there. Sure. But the free throw merchant one's the big conversation that everybody rallies around. And Jamal Crawford came on and he said, if you were to eliminate free throws, SGA would still be the leading scorer in the NBA. And he wasn't just talking about SGA's free throws. He was talking about the entire league's free throws. If he got rid of all free throws for everybody, SGA would still be the highest scoring player in the NBA. He's such a talent. He's so damn good. Which is why I think everybody hates the way it kind of goes about getting his. The fouls and the free throws. I think that is part of the problem.

[Ty Schmidt]

No doubt. I mean, the guy scores 40 points though, you understand if he's getting, you know, 28 points a game and he has 14 free throws. Yeah, guy dropped 40. He was unbelievable last night. He almost had a triple double, the other guy. And by the way, with Doris T's and P's, but also for everybody watching tonight, TNT game. So, you know, you can put your phones down, swords down. Reggie Miller is going to be in the building. I think a lot of people on the Internet are going to be happy about that. I'm not saying I'm one of those, but once again, I think it's a much more enjoyable night. But another guy for OKC. And a lot of people kind of talk about OKC with this caveat of, you know, they have this 72 freak no one likes to look at. But Chet Holmgren was fantastic tonight.

[Pat McAfee]

Who says that? Who says he's a 72 freak?

[Ty Schmidt]

A lot of people are saying, hey, Wemby kind of looks cool because he's that tall. Other people are saying, like, hey, check. Holmgren kind of looks like a freak.

[Pat McAfee]

I mean, he's seven foot two. He's going to look different. Obviously humans aren't supposed to be that tall. That athletic. Chat's a dog, though. He was like 8 of 9 last night. I forget what it was almost a perfect game for Chad Holmgren.

[Ty Schmidt]

Yeah, he had a massive block down the stretch when they were trading baskets, when Crusoe and Jalen Williams had their massive threes to answer. You know, Jada McDaniels. And.

[Pat McAfee]

Yeah, we lost you completely.

[Ty Schmidt]

I have been static since I sat up here. But Jalen Williams. Oh yeah, exactly. But Ant had his first three later in the game and then Chet Holmgren had a massive block down the stretch. So if him, Jalen Williams and SGA are going, you know, we can have fun in a game four in Indiana. But there's a titan staring down the barrel on the other side.

[Pat McAfee]

The conference finals have certainly been electrifying. Got a lot of people saying, wow, ESPN is going to be pissed if this is OKC Indiana. Certainly I don't think that's true. This Pacers team is must watch battle Tornado Alley. Must, must, must watch okc. Must. It's electrifying through and through. If the Knicks get a big time win, obviously a lot of people in suits are going to be excited, which we will talk to a few of them. But it looks like we're staring down a potential OKC Pacer final and that's going to be a lot of running, a lot of gunning, a lot of bopping wood, a lot of good defense. That's what basketball is all about. Before we bring up shams, we got to hit some other things that happen in the sports world. Alex Paulo won the 109th running of the Indy 500. First ever Spaniard to win the Indy 500. Congrats to him. He has won the IndyCar SP series multiple times. Three out of the last four years back to back. He's won the entire IndyCar season. Had never won the Indy 500. He picks up a massive win on Sunday after a great race. Great race. Got a chance to be there. They're saying now this is just people that I've talked to, source have said 400,000 plus people at that Indy 500. This city is equipped to host that type of thing. This city hosts the largest sporting event on earth every single year. This one was sold out and packed to the gills. 400,000 plus people came to watch these cars go 230 miles plus for 500 miles. Lot of action, lot of action. The pits were alive and well. Not always good. There were some crashes before the race even started. It was electrifying and we appreciate the Indianapolis Motor Speedway and we appreciate everybody that went out there. And congrats to Palo. There was also a lot of drama. So Joseph Newgarden, back to back Indy 500 winner, was disqualified from even qualifying for the Indy 500. He was placed 32 or something because they welded a piece, the back piece of his car to get a little bit better aerodynamics, he would have known nothing about it because what they were doing through that particular car would actually break his back. So something that he would not be on board with. So Joseph Newgarden had no clue that this was happening. So he gets disqualified to qualify. So they put him at 32 now after the race is finished. Ericsson, who ran number two in two other cars, did not pass post race inspections, so they got sent to the back as well. Penske, who owns IndyCar, Indianapolis Motor Speedway and the Indy 500, a man who's been around racing for his entire adult life, I do believe, loves cars. He has Joseph Newgarden's car, so I think there was a chance that they said, oh, my car is illegal. Let's make sure in this post game, post race inspections, we're doing some looking around. Andretti cars got fined, other cars got dinged. They're in the middle of a massive transition right now for the Indy 500. And I think everybody's lucky that Paolo won because if number two, Ericsson wins that and his car doesn't pass post race inspections, drama, chaos happens in the IndyCar world. So congrats to Palo winning clean. And congrats to IndyCar being in the middle of like a transition period right now where I think they're about to lock down and be bigger than ever. Anytime you hold an event where 400,000 plus people come, you're doing something right. Congrats to IndyCar. Congrats to the Indy 500. And congrats to Paolo, the first ever Spaniard of Chip Ganassi Racing winning a 500 mile race.

[AJ Hawk]

He took the lead with 14 laps left and then just never looked back. He dominated.

[Pat McAfee]

Yeah.

[AJ Hawk]

And if Erickson would have would have won, it would have been two years in a row where they would have had a, you know, a little bit of a mud asterisks on the winner. So that would have been bad. But 400,000 people there. The race was electric. Our guy, Connor Daly was making moves up to the front before he had an issue. Joseph Newgaard had an issue in the pits. There was a lot of issue in the pits. A crew member almost lost his leg in the pits. There was a lot going on, like the early part when it was delayed and then there was what, three cautions early.

[Pat McAfee]

It was like McLaughlin didn't even make it to the race.

[AJ Hawk]

They even know how to drive.

[Ty Schmidt]

But no, stop dicking around.

[Pat McAfee]

He's warming up the tires.

[Ty Schmidt]

The Indy 500, man. Lock in. What are we doing around like that?

[Pat McAfee]

Well, he's warming up the tires because it was chilly out there, Bob.

[Ty Schmidt]

I mean, I get it, we're having fun. But this is what happens when you have fun. You spin out like a buffoon and then you're in the middle of the infield holding your head in your hands. Hey, buddy, come on. Some people bet money on this thing. On you, Scotty.

[Pat McAfee]

You son of a.

[Ty Schmidt]

Thanks a lot for nothing.

[Pat McAfee]

You think Scotty's happy about how that went down? You think Scotty's happy about what happened there? I don't know.

[Ty Schmidt]

I don't know.

[Pat McAfee]

You said you lost money. You know how much money Scotty lost? I don't know.

[Ty Schmidt]

Was he out of there early? Was he eating dinner by the time the race ended? Because he was like, you know what, maybe I did lose, but it's nice to be in my loafers hanging out.

[Pat McAfee]

Nah, Scotty's a racer. He want to be there. He's heading to Detroit next week. He gave a statement about next year's Indy 500. He's going to be on it. He's going to be ready. Learn lesson. The rookie who came from F2 was sitting on a pole. We thought there was a chance that Indy 500 was going to swallow him, especially if all the Indycars got around him. He certainly dropped back into the pack quickly. And then in pit he almost. I mean that was a dangerous situation. There was a lot of dangerous situations in the pit. Certainly a much better race than any other race that happened the entire Sunday. F1 started with Monaco in the morning. That was electrifying.

[Shams Charania]

Listen, listen, I'll be honest. So qualifying Saturday, always electric. And Monaco, that was single handedly the worst sporting event I've ever spent an hour and a half actually watching. It was absolutely terrible. It was everything you guys have said it has been. But that's Monaco, baby. It is a spectacle. It's for the, you know, the snobs to kind of get, get up, link up. The race was terrible. The top four drivers, they stay in the top four the entire time. Shout out to Lando. Lando won in my Lando.

[Pat McAfee]

Him and Van der Sta up there battling.

[Shams Charania]

So McLaren still at the the top of the leaderboard. He got a win which is still a huge deal in F1 if you win in Monaco. But the cards are too big. You can't pass. You, you literally can't pass. So obviously that's racing. I don't know what the hell happened in NASCAR. Nicole Cola 600 did Kyle crashed. So he crashed here in there.

[Pat McAfee]

Yeah. It's a tough day for Kyle Larson. Tough day.

[Shams Charania]

You think. You think it's a wrap for the whole.

[Boston Connor]

Yeah, he's done with the double.

[Pat McAfee]

Yeah. I don't think Kyle's. I don't think Kyle's going to be doing 500 again.

[Shams Charania]

Okay.

[Pat McAfee]

Which we will miss him. We appreciate him. Kyle. He's got a lot of racing left. Maybe in the future. You didn't get a chance to chat with him because you got sick from that popcorn.

[Shams Charania]

Boy, I forgot about that slight corn.

[Pat McAfee]

He was small. He was small guy. He's a small guy. He's a good racer.

[Shams Charania]

Yeah. A lot of those drivers are small, though.

[Pat McAfee]

I don't think his Indy car was fast enough. He knew it going.

[Shams Charania]

Yeah.

[Pat McAfee]

You can tell if your car is fast. That's like new Garden was starting a 32. He was the fastest car ever to start a 32. So I see he's making his move through the pack. It was very obvious, like, oh, this guy's car is better than everybody else. Then he has a pit problem. Everything goes to shit, and he has sucked. Yeah, it does. It's a lot of. You got to get lucky at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway. Paolo did that. What other news happened around the sports world? Caitlin Clark will be out for at least two weeks. She has a quad strain that has been bugging her since training camp. That stinks for the fever, obviously. That stinks for our city. That also stinks for the WNBA as a whole. Feels like this year a lot more common sense is kind of settling in. Caitlin Clark is the needle mover. The Indiana Fever are the draw. They're going to be without Cece for at least a couple weeks as she rests and tries to heal up a quad strain. That sucks for everybody in the wnba. It definitely sucks for the fever here, Ty.

[Boston Connor]

Yeah, without a doubt. And you know, you hate to say it, but, like, this will be the litmus test for the wnba. We can.

[Peter Schrager]

We'll.

[Boston Connor]

We'll end the conversation once and for all. Like, if the. The fever go out and we're not. And the ratings aren't the same because she's not playing, then it's a. It's a pretty clear indication. Like you said, like, she is the needle mover. She is the main draw. You just hope that the. The fever can withstand it as well, because two weeks, I mean, that's. That's a decent chunk of games in their season, and they've been off to a good start here. You Hope they don't 42 games or.

[Pat McAfee]

44 games, I think.

[Boston Connor]

Yeah, something like that. So, I mean, what. She'll probably miss, what, like eight games? Maybe give or take six to eight games.

[Pat McAfee]

It's a lot of games.

[Shams Charania]

And if that's. If she stays on track with recovery. Because we know these soft tissue injuries, the calves, the quads, the hammies, those are kind of touch and go. Each individual injury. So you said it's been bothering her since training camp?

[Pat McAfee]

That's what they said. Yeah.

[Shams Charania]

Been kind gutting it out. That's tough. Especially all the running and changing direction that basketball players does do. So hope hopefully CC gets back there sooner than later. And like you said, the fever can hold surf. Because they are. They. They put a good roster around Caitlin, so I'm hopeful.

[Pat McAfee]

Great roster. Great roster. A lot of dogs on that team. Yeah.

[Ty Schmidt]

And she was the mvp. I don't know if my mic is working. It is. Okay, great. And not to mention some of these arenas, the arenas have been moved on away games to the massive stadium. So you wonder if, you know those screenshots you talk about, the litmus test. The screenshots from those arenas without Caitlin Clark now might be very, very bad. But it is a bummer. She was, you know, gonna win the mvp. Still might. You know, that's not. Not out of the question at all. But she was the bet in favor.

[Pat McAfee]

I'm gonna say this after watching WNBA clips on the Internet. Sure.

[AJ Hawk]

A lot of them.

[Pat McAfee]

A lot of them. A lot of highlights are low lights getting spruced together.

[Boston Connor]

Yeah.

[Pat McAfee]

If Angel Reese gets good around the hoop. Cool. Problematic. She looks like a varsity player going against JV. She had five rebounds in 19 seconds. Five rebounds in 19 seconds. I know everybody's saying, like, you shouldn't be able to do that. You're. Whatever the case. But imagine she starts putting those in. I mean, that's going to be. She's potentially getting 40. 40 mike and drill.

[Shams Charania]

That's all she needs. Anybody not familiar with the mike and drill is you go to a hoop.

[Boston Connor]

Yep.

[Shams Charania]

Left hand layup, right hand lip. Left hand lip, right hand lip. If I'm her coach, if I'm in there, if I'm in our camp, two hours of that every day cardio workout.

[Pat McAfee]

I mean, you're talking about maybe most dominant player of all time. She's hucking that thing off the backboard, grabbing it. There's nobody else even on the court. No. Just five rebounds in 19 seconds. That has to be the most in the quickest amount of time in the history of professional Basketball. Imagine those start falling. That's a problem. Yeah, I mean, as a fever phantom sitting here. You know, they talk about the fever sky rivalry, and everybody says star rivalry because sky aren't good and everything like that. It's like she starts making those game changer. Oh, my God.

[Boston Connor]

It's not an exaggeration. She starts doing the mic and drill, we might be looking at 40, 40.

[Pat McAfee]

40 points, 40 rebounds every single night. Yeah, we need to prepare for that. We got two weeks without Caitlin. Exactly. We need to get ready for everything about that. All right, let's get some more NBA news, shall we? Joining us now, ladies and gentlemen, front of the program, a man who's incredibly handsome. A man who actually said, I'm gonna get out of Minnesota, and I'm gonna come over here to Indianapolis to celebrate the day with the great people of Indiana. Ladies and gentlemen, Shawm. Sharon. Yeah.

[Hans Perez]

Get the clown.

[Pat McAfee]

He said make more noise.

[Shams Charania]

He's got juice.

[Ty Schmidt]

You want a little louder, baby? Sean.

[Shams Charania]

Yup, baby.

[Boston Connor]

Let's get it.

[Peter Schrager]

Let's get it.

[Pat McAfee]

How about that little pop?

[Peter Schrager]

Hey, you got to bring the excitement.

[Pat McAfee]

This little pot for Shams.

[Peter Schrager]

This is. This is a historic show. This is a. To me, this is a historic moment. You know, from where this was six years ago. You're on site for an NBA playoff game.

[Pat McAfee]

Yeah, you're right.

[Peter Schrager]

Can we.

[Ty Schmidt]

Playoff game.

[Pat McAfee]

Yeah, that's right.

[Peter Schrager]

Big deal.

[AJ Hawk]

Big deal.

[Pat McAfee]

That's right. We were talking earlier about how the Pacers threatened to sue me, like, eight years ago, so I decided I was never going to talk to them again.

[Peter Schrager]

I thought they were suing you today.

[Pat McAfee]

No, they might. I mean, who knows with their style. I think it is a new group of people. Yeah, we'll see. We'll see. Tyrese Halliburton comes into this city, gets traded, obviously, from Sacramento over here. He takes our city over. I mean, he embodies everything that this city is about. He's kind of a nerd, got a lot of moxie, works his ass off, loves living here. That is a team represented by a guy who loves the city, and the city loves him. So as soon as I got a chance to meet Tyrese, soon as I got a chance to chat with him, a lot of new people in positions here at the Pacers as well. It has been an honor to be a Pacers fan again. I told you the story about my first couple years in the league here. Whenever the Heels were taking on the Pacers, I was a. I was a pillar at these games. I was at basically every Single pace. I was pulling boards. I was making a whole thing.

[Peter Schrager]

Five tickets to sell out.

[Pat McAfee]

Yeah. I mean, I bought 5,000 tickets one game so we could get a sellout here. Yeah. I mean, the whole thing. Yeah. I thought I was. I thought I was tight with the Pacers and then they threatened to sue me. And it's like, okay, I hate you forever. And I don't. I'm all the way back. And they're a great team to represent this great city. Now let's talk about it. Game three, they give up a 20 point lead at home. What are you hearing from the Pacers camp? What are you hearing from the Knicks camp? I feel like the Knicks probably have to feel great about how Game 3 went for the rest of the series. Oh, shut up.

[Peter Schrager]

The Pacers haven't won a game three all playoffs. They've won every other game. So to me, it's. It's the attention to detail, the discipline. Clearly, when you go up 20 points, they let go of the gas a little bit. But you have to give the Knicks a lot of credit. They went into that fourth quarter, they were down and you saw what Karl Anthony Towns did. He played like a flat out superstar in that game. And that to me is a positive sign. Right. Because in a lot of ways there's that question, right? Can Jalen Brunson be the best player on your team to win a championship? But that's why you bring in a guy like Karl Anthony Townsend. He's supposed to be that guy and he played like that guy. So if they get that superstar effort from him again, I think this, in this Knicks team should feel really good about themselves.

[Pat McAfee]

There's a lot of stuff coming out about Jalen Brunson and Kat not being on the court at the same time. Not good for the Knicks or something like that.

[Peter Schrager]

There was foul trouble. The Jalen Brunson was in file trouble. So I'm not going to buy into that.

[Pat McAfee]

I would like to say as somebody that has not done the research or the stats. Sure, yeah. Keep Jalen Brunson on the bench. I think that's a good point.

[Peter Schrager]

They're not sitting Jalen Brunson unless he's in foul trouble or if he gets hurt. That's those only ways he doesn't play 40.

[Pat McAfee]

No, I thought stats were saying that he needs to not be on the bench. Keep him on the bench. Whatever. Stats are saying that they need to be louder.

[Peter Schrager]

And I will say, spotlighted Tom Thibodeau when went nine players deep in his rotation. What's the knock on Tom Thibodeau, right. He only goes seven deep or eight deep in a playoff game. Doesn't really trust his bench. Well, he trusted his bench. He didn't play campaign had to. Wright played a lot in game three. So you're going with a more defensive minded player at that position. You move Mitchell Robinson in the starting lineup so you give Karl Anthony Towns some defensive support. But then you have Josh Hart coming off the bench. I think that gives you another look as well, another shot creator coming off that bench. But at the end of the day, this is going to come down to this. Can Karl Anthony Towns and Jalen Brunson play like superstars? If they can, this Nick team can make it to the finals. If not, the Pacers are too good. The Pacers are too good and they're too deep. And the way Pascal Siakam is playing right now, he's playing like a superstar.

[Pat McAfee]

Yeah, Siakam obviously the only all star for the Indiana Pacers. We're lucky to get him in a trade from Toronto. Love everything he's about. Just loves ball. Just loves ball. That's what this Indiana Pacers team is. They just love ball. And I think that's why the city loves them so much because their maximum effort. Now, now let's talk about a guy that I love, I assume most of the city loves. He's back in the building tonight. The aura of Papa Halliburton is back. Okay.

[Peter Schrager]

Three pops.

[Pat McAfee]

Yeah. So who had to make this decision? Was it the NBA? Was it the Pacers? And what are the stipulations? I know he's not allowed to touch the wood.

[Peter Schrager]

Yeah. He's not going to be sitting courtside. He's going to be sitting up.

[Pat McAfee]

He is barred from courtside.

[Peter Schrager]

He's not going to be sitting on the court. I think, you know, for any games moving forward, home games, definitely he's going to be in a suite. I do think the conversation is going to continue if this Pacers team makes it to the Finals. I think you're going to have to have conversations. What does that look like? Do you bring him on the road and let him sit in a suite on the road? That's probably where he might be.

[Pat McAfee]

Take this guy on the road.

[Boston Connor]

Yeah.

[Peter Schrager]

So. But he will be in the building tonight. And listen, this is a decision the Pacers for an office made. And think about it. Tyrese Halberton is a guy you want to spend your their entire career. They not only want Tyrese Halbert and they want John Halbert. Committed to the city, committed to this franchise for the next how many ever years? Tyrus Howell. Burton plays 10 years. So when they made the decision to essentially ban him from home and road games moving forward, he's missed eight games in a row. I will say this, that's not an easy decision to make, but it is a decision. Something had to happen. Because anytime a fan, if it's a normal fan and they step out on the court, Pat, that's a year ban at least. But this is a father and a son relationship. This is a father of a star player on this team. So I think the NBA allowed the Pacers to really handle it in the best way. And I think all these sides are communicating and they feel this is the best route. Eight games. He's back in the house tonight. He is going to be there tonight.

[Pat McAfee]

Pops. Pops having a good time watching those games.

[Peter Schrager]

Was that a bar in Indy? Is that where he was?

[AJ Hawk]

It looked like it.

[Boston Connor]

I believe so.

[Ty Schmidt]

He probably bought it.

[Pat McAfee]

Yeah, it might have been Halliburton's bar. Yeah, I call it John's right down the street.

[Peter Schrager]

I thought maybe he'd show up in New York and do that. That would have been a sight.

[Pat McAfee]

We don't need. We need to keep John safe and sound. You saw what happened in the New York firefight.

[Peter Schrager]

I forgot about that. I forgot about that.

[AJ Hawk]

They kept throwing trash at him.

[Pat McAfee]

Sean Halberton getting thrown in a dumpster. That's your problem. You become a coastal elitist.

[Peter Schrager]

They got to have security around him, send him to a bar in New York, make him turn up.

[Pat McAfee]

John's not going to do security. I don't know what you. You have a misread on Pops. He's not walking around security. But. But you talk about a regular fan getting on the court. There's a reason John was just let on the court, because everybody here, he's.

[Peter Schrager]

Celebrating his dad, Halberton's dad, and he's John Halliburton. He's a great personality. He's been to all these games.

[Pat McAfee]

He's a very, very committed father. Very, very committed father to Tyrell, I think.

[Peter Schrager]

Miles Turner. When Miles Turner did his media yesterday, he was just like, they asked him about it, about essentially the band being lifted. And he didn't even respond to that. He just said, I love a father and son relationship. I love the fact that a father can go see his son play as he's trying to make it to the NBA Finals and win the conference. So I think that's what this is about. The paces are moving on. Tyrus Halberton's moving on. I know about that.

[Pat McAfee]

Yeah. John ain't gonna forget, though. Never. Yeah, let's make sure. Let's make sure that is done. We can't wait to see him back in the building in a suite tonight. All right, let's talk about some other stuff around the NBA. We were chit chatting with you earlier, and I don't want to out what you said privately, publicly, but you said, hey, this might be a pretty active summer here for the NBA. Let's start with some of the big names. Giannis, obviously the big name that everybody thinks gonna be on the move. What do you think about him? What do you think the expectation is and am I accurate in saying this is going to be an active summer for the NBA?

[Peter Schrager]

Pat, this. This is the most, I think, anticipation team executives have had over an offseason. I think this is going to be the craziest offseason of all of. I don't want to say all time. We just came off a trade deadline. We just came off a trade deadline. I think what might have. It was the craziest of all time. I think this off season might be the most craziest ever because I think there's so many.

[Pat McAfee]

Most craziest ever. Craziest ever, dude.

[Peter Schrager]

Most craziest ever. Probably Grammar Police is like, it's craziest.

[Pat McAfee]

No, no, you got your point across. It's the most craziest ever.

[Peter Schrager]

Because I think what you have right now is you have the parody in the league sucks. It's so thin right now. Like, as far as the thin line of what you can win a championship or you might be falling into the lottery. And I think. I think the ability to go out there and improve your team and get there to championship level, I think that's on the minds of everyone around the league. So how can you elevate your team and now you have players like a Giannis and itokounmpo. I reported a few weeks ago, he is open minded. He is right now in the process of figuring out, is my home, my, I guess, forever home going to be in Milwaukee or is it time to go pursue a championship somewhere else? I'm told that process is ongoing. There still has not yet been a big moment of truth meeting, I'm told between the Bucs and Giannis Antetokounmpo. That will happen at some point in the off season. But the Bucs are operating as if, listen, loyalty's gonna win out. We're gonna have Giannis there, he's been there for 12 years. You know, a player like that, loyalty means a lot. Equity means a lot. And so the Bucs are banking on that. They're banking on a gap year essentially where they're gonna be able to retool around Giannis.

[Pat McAfee]

Oh, they're gonna guilt trip.

[Peter Schrager]

Sounds like it's a gap year because they only have one first round pick they can trade. They lack the high level, tradable contract. So if you want to go make your team better. John Horst, their general manager, what he's done, he's gone out and gotten. Jrue holiday in 2020, when Giannis's future was up in the air, he went on, got Damian Lillard in 2023, when Giannis's future was in the air. This year, he doesn't really have that same bandwidth to go make moves. And so it's going to come down to loyalty. Will Giannis look at this team and say, we got Brook Lopez back, we got Bobby Portis back. I'm going to run it back with these guys. Or is he going to look elsewhere? And if he looks elsewhere, Pat brother, that will be a big market that we're going to see for Giannis De Campo.

[Pat McAfee]

Giannis come to Indiana or no.

[Peter Schrager]

I mean, I, I do think the Pacers are becoming a team where they've got the, I think 8th or 9th lowest payroll, but eventually here, they're turning into a destination.

[Pat McAfee]

You're damn right they are turning into it. Shut up. Sean's. We're already back to back Eastern Conference finals.

[Peter Schrager]

They're turning into people.

[Pat McAfee]

Look at the mural.

[Peter Schrager]

That's a broad, that's a big statement. They're turning into a destiny, like a real destination. I think players, look at Tyrese Halberton, look at Pascal Siakam and what this front office has done such a good job of. I said it a few weeks ago, they've done so great identifying dogs. They've done everything they can. Players that they know want to win and want to compete, and that's becoming a big trend line in the NBA. But Jansen de Kumpo is still in the process of figuring out what his future looks like. I think between now in the start of free agency, we're going to get some more answers.

[Pat McAfee]

DBOT has a question for you real quick.

[Shams Charania]

Before I get my question, how does he feel about Doc Rivers being the head coach and still being there? Is that how much does that play according to what you know, how much does that play into his decision to stay or Leave.

[Peter Schrager]

I don't expect that to play a big decision in the Giannis Anton mindset. It's going to come down to what gives me the best opportunity to win a championship. So he's going to look at the roster, he's going to look at what moves they can make, what moves they can't make. And listen, Yaseen Decounmpo, a player like that is always going to have respect for the coach. And Doc Rivers has been there the last year and a half, but I don't think he's making that decision just solely off of that.

[Shams Charania]

Okay, got it. And going into next year, we had some major injuries in the NBA this year. Obviously Kyrie Irving, after that trade, he tore his knee up and then Wimby, he had the blood clot situations. Obviously Tatum in the playoffs. What are the outlooks for those big time players going into next year as far as what you know right now?

[Peter Schrager]

So Tatum as well, Achilles tear, I mean, he's expected to miss most of next season, if not the entire next season. I think that's what Boston is prepared for. And the surgery that he got Dr. O' Malley at HSS in New York City, same doctor that did Kevin Durant.

[Shams Charania]

Gotcha.

[Peter Schrager]

And Kevin Durant did his surgery about 36 hours post Achilles tear. Jason Tatum did it in like just over 12 hours after the Achilles tear. So that time difference, I think the doctor there believes that the time helps and will allow him to heal better. But Kevin Durant also got 18 months off before he came back. So you're going to have to be very cautious with Jason Tatum and when he gets back. And what you're going to see from the Celtics as well is they're going to start to reshift their team. So I think they're going to be patient with him. Kyrie Irving, there's optimism around him and around the Mavericks. He could be back at some point in January or February. But again, it's an ACL tear he suffered in March. We'll see exactly when he'll be able to be back. Wemby and Wemby, he's been doing some on court stuff. We've been seeing it on social media, so that should be a positive sign. And the spurs, everything I hear they fully expect him to be ready to go for the start of next season, for the start of training camp. That is amazing news. And the NBA for Wemby to be ready.

[Pat McAfee]

Yeah, Wemby doesn't want anything to do with the Pacers, but I understand what you're talking about, it's good for the NBA.

[Peter Schrager]

They also have a ton of assets. They have tradable contracts. They have the number two pick. They have the number 14 pick in this year's draft. They have a bunch of tradable picks as well. Moving forward. They have all their picks. So El Jefe, whether there's a player like a Janssen de Campo, I think Kevin Durant's another guy that the spurs there was mutual interest in at the deadline. I think they're going to be looking very actively to see is there a wing player we can bring in that could take us over the top.

[Pat McAfee]

Spurs have a number two overall pick. Mavericks have the number one overall pick. Last time we talked to you, they're picking Cooper Flag. Yeah, they don't want to look a gift horse in a mouth.

[Peter Schrager]

Yeah, no, they can't.

[Pat McAfee]

You don't want to look a gift horse in the mouth.

[Shams Charania]

What the hell does that mean?

[Pat McAfee]

That means you've been handed something. Don't disrespect.

[Peter Schrager]

There might be a real riot in Dallas if they move the number one pick. Right?

[Pat McAfee]

Yeah. But what if they trade with. Connor has a question for you.

[Ty Schmidt]

Yeah, exactly. You just mentioned they're looking for a real wing player. And I mean, weeks ago you reported about the Celtics, this kind of being the last run of this.

[Pat McAfee]

Yeah, thank you for that. On this particular program, where did that.

[Peter Schrager]

Where did that happen?

[Pat McAfee]

Journalism. We did something.

[Peter Schrager]

Was that here, right?

[Pat McAfee]

Not here, but. But in the city on pms.

[Peter Schrager]

Pm. All right, got it.

[Ty Schmidt]

And then there's another thing, I believe with Hal Burton that was on this program.

[Peter Schrager]

Yeah, yeah. He said free pop still is backwards on pms.

[Pat McAfee]

Thank you. Thank you.

[Peter Schrager]

I think, like weeks ago.

[Pat McAfee]

Yes, we do. We're ahead of time. Yes. It's weird.

[Ty Schmidt]

Most people only see that on from tnt, but when you're thinking of the Celtics, you mentioned, you know, Drew Holiday, Porzingis, Horford, Brown. Like a lot of these guys, they cost a lot of money. Who knows where they're going to be? What do you see with them? And then do you see those players for the Celtics being moved for players? You see them being moved for picks. What's kind of the situation in Boston now? Is anybody untouchable? And are those top three picks? I guess I'll say two of the three. The number two pick and number three pick. Are those on the table for those teams to trade with the Celtics? What are we looking at here for boss?

[Peter Schrager]

So let's go for the Celtics. They're going to make trades The Boston Celtics will have a much different roster next season. Potentially. They'll definitely have a different roster. The question is just how severe, as far as the movement is going to be for them. I think Jayson Tatum, you have to. What's going on here? Keep going. You look at Jayson Tatum, of course he's injured. Can't really trade him. That's really the face of your franchise. I think after that, it's really going to depend on what value can you get. I think teams are going to express a lot of interest in Jrue Holiday. Teams are going to inquire about Christoph. Teams are going to inquire about Jaylen Brown. And I think the Celtics are going to have to identify what value can we get for each of these players. Which player does it make sense to trade? Is there anywhere where we can get some players back that can help right now, potentially help us moving forward? We can get some assets for this team. Probably isn't going to be in the same place as far as contention, but. But listen, you have Joe Mazzulla as your coach. You still have a chance potentially to get Jayson Tatum back at the end of the season. If you keep Jaylen Brown, he's a guy that you. You have a lot of faith in to lead this team. So I think they're going to do a lot of things to retool this roster. But again, there's a lot of. There's a lot of question marks around Al Horford's future. Jrue Holiday, Crustas Porzingis. We said it on this show. The Celtics will explore trades. They're going to make moves this summer.

[Pat McAfee]

Send them all down to the Mavs, get the number one overall pick. All of a sudden you got the main event. Cooper flag. With the Boston Celtics waiting for Jayson Tatum for a year, all of a sudden now the New England area is allowed.

[Peter Schrager]

I'm going to be a professional again. And I remember you said the picks two and three, I think pick two. The plan is to pick at number two. But I think, listen, if you have a chance to get Giannis Antetokounmpo, you have to look at something like that. Pick number three is Philadelphia. I think their goal is to draft at that pick. I think there's about three players they like at number three, but they're gonna get a ton of calls on number three. That's a team with Joel Embiid, Tyrese Maxey, Paul George, and they suck.

[Pat McAfee]

Right? I don't know enough about the NBA. The Sixers are terrible. Not Supposed to be.

[Peter Schrager]

They need Joel Embiid to be healthy on the floor.

[Pat McAfee]

American gold medalist Joel Embiid.

[Peter Schrager]

People, they need gold medalists.

[Shams Charania]

Shouldn't have been there.

[Pat McAfee]

What are you talking about? He shouldn't have been there.

[Ty Schmidt]

Shouldn't have been there. It's Joe Embiid, baby.

[Pat McAfee]

You.

[Ty Schmidt]

You better watch your mouth. When he.

[Shams Charania]

Great player.

[Peter Schrager]

He wanted to win gold, though.

[Pat McAfee]

Mvp.

[Shams Charania]

I understand.

[AJ Hawk]

Born and raised in Omar.

[Pat McAfee]

Yeah, he did. For our country.

[Shams Charania]

No, I'm not saying he.

[Pat McAfee]

He picked our country.

[Shams Charania]

Qualified to be on the team. But we're talking about trust in the process. How many years and how many times have he been healthy in the second or in the finals in for his whole team. He can pay max money at this point.

[Pat McAfee]

He has never. Every penny.

[Peter Schrager]

He has never had a fully healthy playoff run. And just think about that. To me, it's like he's so great when he's healthy. And that's what if you're the Sixers. If you can get Joel Embiid to be fully healthy, you have a chance to compete for a championship. That's really all your season rides on. And so we'll know. We'll know very soon. How does his offseason go? Does he have any setbacks? And if he doesn't, how does he look going into the season?

[Pat McAfee]

Let's talk about another Olympic gold medalist multiple times. Go ahead, Ty.

[Boston Connor]

Yeah, Shams. What's the level US update on LeBron? I mean, obviously we know this guy. You know, he could play for 10, 15 more years if you wanted to. What are the Lakers going to do specifically with him? We know all year they needed a center. Maybe look at a guy like Luca Garza, see if they can bring him in.

[Peter Schrager]

See what the real Luca.

[Boston Connor]

Yes, a lot of people are saying that. I'm not going to say it, but a lot of people are saying that.

[Ty Schmidt]

Highest points per minute in the history of the NBA playoffs.

[AJ Hawk]

He's also the first one off the bench.

[Pat McAfee]

Cloud every.

[Peter Schrager]

He can play. He can play.

[Pat McAfee]

We broke that news, too. Scott Blue.

[Boston Connor]

But what is kind of the Latest update on LeBron and what are the Lakers going to do this offseason?

[Peter Schrager]

I'm told he's likely to opt in. He's got a player option, about 54 million, 57 million. He's got a massive player option for Garcia. That's likely. That's the plan. But again, his option date, Pat is June 29th. So he still has about a month to figure out. There's going to be some hard conversations that are going to have that are going to happen between him, the Lakers, seeing what this team looks like, because listen, LeBron James, whether he plays one more season or a few more season, he wants to be in a competitive environment. And I said it on our. When I came on when their season ended, he's probably going to opt in because the option is so big. And then that gives you flexibility to figure out do you extend off that number or if this is the final year, if this is the last hurrah, essentially, you know, year 23 for number 23, they have all Star weekend in Los Angeles, so. So to me, it's very storybook if that's the way it goes, but that's a decision that he's got to make. The big question for the Lakers, though, are they going to find a center, a true center? And I think Rob Pelinka, the president, general manager, that's his biggest focus of the offseason. They didn't go and get the Mark Williams trade. There was obviously a lot of controversy about that this summer. Their number one objective is going and getting a center, replenishing their depth on the wings and then seeing how does LeBron James. How do Luka Doncic feel about that roster moving forward?

[Pat McAfee]

Okay, let's stick with the Lakers and obviously whatever LeBron does, we'll be pumped about. He blessed us with the LeBron versation and we'll always back him, you know, 23 years good, 26 years better, whatever the hell he wants to do. Good luck over there in la. If he wants to come to Indiana, he said Tyrese Halliburton's a guy you'd love to play with. I saw it.

[Peter Schrager]

I will say this. The Lakers, there's a decision, not a decision, but they've got some conversations internally because. Because LeBron James has been there since 20 2019. 20 20.

[Pat McAfee]

Oh, don't get it wrong, Sean.

[Peter Schrager]

Six, seven seasons. So. And he's won a championship there. He's been in the Western Conference finals another time there. He's brought you some success there at a point where they were. They were really at their lowest when they got him. They weren't really competing for championships. But you have him. Do you do right and try to restructure the team, try to involve him in your decision making. But then you also have this player, Luka Doncic. On that note, Tone has a question for your franchise. How do you handle. That's going to be a big challenge for them.

[Pat McAfee]

Yeah, talking about on the court, but off the court, too. Massive conversation.

[Boston Connor]

I don't know.

[AJ Hawk]

I don't know if you saw Luka this week and he was looking fit. Yeah. And I'm not saying he doesn't normally, but your, Your wegovies, your manjaros, your Ozempic, your semi blue tides. Is that on the NBA band substance list or is this just. This is just hard work from Lucan? Why is it just talked about so, so much?

[Peter Schrager]

You know what? I actually looked into those epic thing about a couple of years ago. I was told it's. I don't think it is. So if that's wrong, I'm gonna have to go back and look at. Look this up. But it wasn't then. You know, Zion looks in amazing shape. We see Luka Doncic, but, you know, this is off season, right? So like these guys, clearly they're putting the work in. I. I saw the pictures of Luka Doncic. I have not seen him, so I can't.

[AJ Hawk]

Oh, you're thinking it was age.

[Pat McAfee]

The fact he's wearing a white T shirt in public would tell me he doesn't think he has a gut.

[Peter Schrager]

I did see Zion Williamson at the draft lottery, and he looks slender. He looks amazing as well.

[Darius Butler]

Zion, whatever.

[Pat McAfee]

Maybe he should come to Indiana. Whatever.

[Peter Schrager]

Whatever they're doing in abroad, in Slovenia. Wherever Luka Doncic is right now, clearly he's putting in the work. But I think that was part of the big conversation with JJ Redick. And you have Luka Doncic, their relationship. JJ Reddick's the type of coach that can tell Luka Doncic, listen, we need you to be in the best position.

[Pat McAfee]

To not be fat.

[Peter Schrager]

We need everyone on this roster to be in the best possible shape. JJ Redick said after the season, we were not the best conditioned we could be. Now, whether that's something toward Luka, whether that's something toward four or five other players on the team, but clearly it was something he wanted to get across. I'm sure he's gotten that across the board.

[Pat McAfee]

Nico said, yeah, me and nutritionist said, this guy's never going to learn. So it'd be nice if Luka came back. Absolutely ripped in jocks.

[Peter Schrager]

A guy like Luka Doncic, five all NBA teams, every single year, All Star every single year. He's one of the best players in the world. You don't get to that stage without putting in a ton of work. You don't get to that stage without working on your body. You don't get to that stage. Besides all that, I will say, like Zion Williamson, when there's those calf Injuries, anything lower body. It does impact how you condition. So hopefully, Luka Doncic, the big thing for him is staying healthy on the floor.

[Pat McAfee]

Yeah. Good luck, Luka. We're pulling for you, Luka.

[AJ Hawk]

Food is healthier over there, too.

[Pat McAfee]

Yeah. Because they don't have all the dyes and stuff. Yeah. They're not trying to kill everyone. A while a video will pop up on my algo, and I'll say, what have I been eating? That's like whenever you learn about a company that you use through another company's commercial. Yeah. Like, hey, we're not, like, insert name of other banks and do all this stuff to you. We don't do. I'm like, is my bank doing that? I need to have a conversation. That's kind of what happens here in this situation.

[Boston Connor]

Yeah. Without. Not to mention all the artificial sweeteners we got over here. You know, they're not dealing with that over there. They're just smoking cigarettes from the time they're.

[Pat McAfee]

Yeah, he's smoking hookah straight up. Exactly.

[Ty Schmidt]

Which helps.

[Peter Schrager]

No filter.

[Pat McAfee]

Yeah. And I love that. Good for them. And Luke has earned the right to enjoy his life. Yeah. And if he feels like he's in the best shape he could possibly be, good for him. We're here in Indianapolis, Indiana, for game four tonight of the Eastern Conference finals.

[Shams Charania]

Hell, yeah.

[Pat McAfee]

This is a really cool part of town. We're kind of nestled downtown here. People fill in the steps. We got people up here. We got a beautiful mural. It's gorgeous. I've never really hung out here, to be clear. Never really seen this area. Whenever they offered this space up, up for the show, I said, I don't know what you're talking about. Then they send photos. Look at the arts here. I don't know. That's art of some sort. Oh, yeah. That's some sort of St. Louis. I. I think it's just been a couple years, bro.

[Boston Connor]

Gateway to the West.

[Ty Schmidt]

They made this whole entire thing two summers ago, I think.

[Pat McAfee]

Yeah. It's beautiful.

[Peter Schrager]

It was a soft place in my heart. This is why I first started covering games here in Milwaukee. The Bulls. I was not able to cover games with the Bulls. I was a college kid, high school kid. They didn't want to credential me, find people here. They didn't sue me. They gave me credentials. Milwaukee gave me credentials. So I'm very fortunate to. You know, you always need that opportunity to get through the door.

[Pat McAfee]

Yeah. We love having you here in Indianapolis. How do you think tonight goes? I make a pick.

[Boston Connor]

Yeah.

[AJ Hawk]

Take A pick.

[Peter Schrager]

Shams, I think. I think whoever wins this game wins the series.

[Ty Schmidt]

That's not a pick.

[Peter Schrager]

That's the pick.

[Pat McAfee]

That's what they said. They said you're a coward.

[Peter Schrager]

But this guy will say he's got.

[Pat McAfee]

His shit kickers on. I will say this guy came all the way down here to listen to you talk. The Pacers.

[Peter Schrager]

The Pacers. The Pacers have not lost a game outside of game threes, so they are in good pole position tonight going into this.

[Pat McAfee]

Oh, oh, 8, 500 reference. Wow. All right, we appreciate you. We'll talk to you in the next hour, too. You hang out for a bit.

[Peter Schrager]

I'm here. I'm here.

[Pat McAfee]

Ladies and gentlemen, senior NBA insider for espn, friend of the program. We remember when he was just young lads starting out, I was in the spaceship. Stillers, ladies and gentlemen. Sham Sharan here.

[Shams Charania]

Hell, yeah.

[Pat McAfee]

Shams literally got on a plane and left Milwaukee to do this with us.

[Ty Schmidt]

The best.

[Boston Connor]

So cool.

[Pat McAfee]

Yeah, he saw it on the Internet. All right. Asking for an applause gets it. Shams, let's not be asking for applauses, okay? That's not a part of Sham's brand. The boys here and ladies here love you, though. How could you not love Shams? He's always maintained being the same person, which is what we appreciate. He works his ass off, which is what I appreciate. And now he's at espn. He gets more, hopefully, tips and insights than he's ever had, and he's the future of covering it. And, yeah, he saw my tweet go out about us being here, and he's like, yo, pm which nobody else in the history of my life calls me. No, there's one.

[Ty Schmidt]

There's one that I can think of. You got a lot of nicknames sometimes.

[Pat McAfee]

Oh, yeah, calls me kafi.

[Ty Schmidt]

Yeah, PM, J, Will.

[Pat McAfee]

Shout out.

[Shams Charania]

Jay Will.

[Pat McAfee]

Okay. PM, P, Mac P. A lot of PMax throughout my life, not a lot of PMs.

[Ty Schmidt]

KF is the goat.

[Pat McAfee]

I've never heard that before either. I think that is creative. Incredibly creative here by swagu, Emmy award winner. Congrats to him. But he said, hey, pm, you doing a show at a Pacer game? I have to be there, right? And I'm like, if you come, for sure. He flew in, got here. We appreciate the hell out of Shams. Thank you, Shams. Speaking of flying in, being a part of the show, we didn't want to be a completely biased operation here. We understand we're on espn, so we needed the other side to be represented. What's the Other side. Oh, the coastal elitist, Ladies and gentlemen, joining us now is a man who is certainly that, but somehow maintains a personality and a humility that makes us all fall in love with him. Massive New York Knicks fan, ladies and gentlemen, Peter Stranger. Hell yeah.

[Ty Schmidt]

Strix.

[Pat McAfee]

Shregs, Brother. Good eat. Good eat.

[Ty Schmidt]

Good eat.

[Pat McAfee]

Notice how we're not throwing trash bags at you, Shregs? I don't know if you saw that in the past, Shregs, they're coming to get your ass out of here. I don't know if his mic is on, but we do know that we try to make you feel at home with sirens and such as if it was New York City. Thank you for coming out here. What are your thoughts on the city? Shrags?

[Darius Butler]

I love Indianapolis. I've got a long history with Indianapolis. The combine is one favorites of my. My favorite weeks. This week, though, New York City's taking over.

[Pat McAfee]

I see you next time.

[AJ Hawk]

Yes, Shregs, yes.

[Darius Butler]

I mean, Pat, you guys are up two games to nothing, okay? You're up 20 points and we got our best players with 5,000. You let us back in the building, okay?

[Pat McAfee]

All right, Shregs, you much like most of the Knicks fans, some people here in Indianapolis might have fallen asleep during that Pacers game. Sure. Some people, long day. That Indy 500 racing and Pacer trying to do both. Trying to knock them both out. You know, some people, even at the arena, there were some people maybe snoozing because 20 point game, it's a blowout. Some people maybe didn't make it to the arena, had tickets and fell asleep, didn't make it to the arena. So they woke up, you know, with maybe 130 text messages from a lot of people from New York. And boy, at the beginning of those text messages from all of you, Michael Cole sent one that said, I'm on to football season. Sorry. To the kids that are here, there's a two year old Rocco Earmuffs. Fuck. Basketball is what a lot of New York fans were saying, okay, at the beginning of that game. Then you guys come back, everybody had the same reaction at the end. Holy hell, we're back in this thing. And now all of a sudden there's a thought that game four is maybe like the most important game that has happened for New York in a long time. You all understand, you lose this one, it's probably over. But if you steal another one and it goes two, two, hold the door, that is literally how all Knicks fans feel, right?

[Darius Butler]

100%.

[Pat McAfee]

Look at the Knicks fans Clapping here. They got coastal leaders, I would say.

[Darius Butler]

I mean, I texted you in the second quarter after the OB top and dunk. We used to have OB on the Knicks. We love him, a good player. He has to dunk. I text you. Quite a hole we've dug ourselves here.

[Pat McAfee]

Yes, yes, sir.

[Darius Butler]

And then about two hours later, I'm like, let's go. I'll see you on Tuesday.

[Pat McAfee]

Let's go. That is right.

[Darius Butler]

The truth of the matter is this, though. You let the door open. It was done. It was done. And for Knicks fans of this generation, I. I didn't grow up with Walt Clyde Frazier. I didn't grow up with Willis Reed or Bernard King. It was always the Pacers. And it was John Starks headbutting Reggie Miller. It was Reggie Miller doing the choke sign. It was Reggie killing us in big spots on Mother's Day. So for it to be the Pacers.

[Pat McAfee]

And the Knicks, yeah, it was great moments.

[Darius Butler]

First be the Pacers in the Knicks. Knicks is how it should be. And the fact that we were on the ropes, the fact that we were done, and the fact that it's Delon Wright and Landry Shamet and Deuce McBride finding guys off the bench who have not done much all playoff series, they find a way to use it. Rick Carl has rich. Rick Carl Carlisle, don't matter.

[Pat McAfee]

Some respect.

[Darius Butler]

Jim Carrey has run circles around Tibbs the first two games and a half. And then all of a sudden in the second half, it was like Tibbs was like, wait, we got the bench, we can use the bench. And there's life. And I gotta tell you, as much as I love Indianapolis, there does. I mean, I flew in, I've been around. I went to, I went to the coffee shop this morning. There's a little bit of nervous energy.

[Pat McAfee]

Oh, shut up.

[Peter Schrager]

A little bit.

[Pat McAfee]

There's a two year old named Rocco here smiling ear to ear, knows what the Pacers are about to do tonight. But you're right, it is a huge game four. I mean, we all know that. Especially because the way 1, 2 go, we kind of steal one. Obviously not kinda definitely steal one. And especially with Jim Ursay guiding that thing down with Tyrese, we thought it was over. Choke sign. Here we go. That goes to overtime. We're supposed to lose that game, especially with the choke sign happening. Instead, we win it. Okay, game two, dominate. We win again. It's like we've got out of New York with two. Should not be like that. So for us to give up game three, I think it's become. Become the calling card of this Pacers team almost for this particular series, but game four shrinks. You know why? There's no nerves around this city. Rick Carlichel. You just called him. He shoot out the boys. The boys have had a rough two days from Rick Carlisle. He.

[Darius Butler]

He's not their friend.

[Pat McAfee]

He's not a friend of the boys on the team. He's a coach. Coach. And I'm excited to see what happens tonight. Jalen Brunson, with the stats that I've seen, you guys should have on the bench. Bench for most of the game. That's better for you is what. So we need to do that, and we're thankful you're here. To all the Knicks fans, thank you for coming out for our city. Use some of that coastal elitist money at our restaurants. Yeah, okay. We'd appreciate it. Make sure you tip the servers. Yeah, okay. Yeah. Scumbags.

[Darius Butler]

And also, like, you know, I. I saw the guy in the full racing costume courtside. It was cool.

[AJ Hawk]

That was Joseph Newgarden.

[Pat McAfee]

Yeah.

[Ty Schmidt]

It's a uniform.

[Darius Butler]

Wore the whole thing. Thing for my man Timothy Chalamet on a Memorial Day weekend. To not be in the Hamptons, to not be in mono, to fly in to Indianapolis to support his team. That is what a Knicks fan is all about.

[Pat McAfee]

Yeah, he's the new Spike Lee, right?

[Peter Schrager]

He's the real deal.

[Pat McAfee]

He's the new face of Knicks fans.

[Darius Butler]

New face of Knicks fans. He is there. He is present. And I would imagine that is what we all look at and say, okay, he didn't give up on us. The Knicks didn't give up on us. You got to understand Knicks fans, We haven't seen an NBA final since. Look at that kid.

[Pat McAfee]

That's a bowling guy, right?

[Darius Butler]

That looks like.

[Pat McAfee]

Yeah, yeah.

[Darius Butler]

Chrome hearts and Oakley sunglasses.

[Ty Schmidt]

That's the look.

[Pat McAfee]

White boy Summer.

[Darius Butler]

That's the look right there.

[Shams Charania]

MGK dropped the banger.

[Pat McAfee]

Yeah, he did.

[Ty Schmidt]

Also praying for all of us.

[Pat McAfee]

Well, mgk, hey, you don't. Mgk, you don't need to be worried about the people that are saying negative things.

[AJ Hawk]

Song that somebody.

[Pat McAfee]

And he was doing cliche dance moves because the song was called cliche.

[Ty Schmidt]

People don't get it.

[Pat McAfee]

I didn't like that he responded because now people are responding to his response. Yeah, mgk, you just keep doing your little dancing, bub. Just keep doing your thing. Right to the top.

[Ty Schmidt]

Hair looks sweet.

[Pat McAfee]

Chalamet is a dog.

[Darius Butler]

Pretty cool.

[Pat McAfee]

He knows college ball.

[Darius Butler]

I loved him when he was on with you guys.

[Pat McAfee]

His appearance on college Game day was huge for all of us. Whatever the story is told, the eyes that were watching that particular college game day that maybe don't watch each and every week might offer up opportunities for other people to do other things for the rest of their lives. But the way he knew the game, the way he knew the show, the way he treated people, he's good. He's the right one, I think, to be the next superstar. And the fact that he is the Knicks face at this point, almost, it's great to have him in the city. I assume he's coming tonight, right? What if he doesn't come tonight? Oh no.

[Ty Schmidt]

Team down.

[Pat McAfee]

Oh no. Chalamet can't handle Indiana. He went one time too much heat. Stay out of the kitchen. You think that's what's happening?

[Darius Butler]

I think he's going to be there, I would imagine.

[Pat McAfee]

Look, I assume he would be too great to have you here, Tim. Good luck on all your stuff.

[AJ Hawk]

He go to the race too? Was he racing and pacing?

[Pat McAfee]

I think a lot of people were saying they were trying. I saw a lot of Knicks fans at the race actually saying they were going to go and I was like, good luck if you can survive. I think he probably just stuck. Snuck by the pace.

[AJ Hawk]

Sure, yeah.

[Ty Schmidt]

Easily sent out guy. He doesn't have time for that.

[Pat McAfee]

Get in the Zone AutoZone welcome to bundle deal days at AutoZone.

[Darius Butler]

Well, I do need a bundle of things.

[Pat McAfee]

When you bundle, you save.

[Darius Butler]

Do I save if I bundle oil with an oil filter?

[Pat McAfee]

Save up to $12 on that bundle.

[Ty Schmidt]

What about brake pads and rotors?

[Darius Butler]

Bundle those and the brake pads are free.

[Ty Schmidt]

Can't save more than free.

[Darius Butler]

You can save on hundreds of deals during bundle deal days. Ends June 2nd at AutoZone.

[Pat McAfee]

Get in the zone.

[Darius Butler]

AutoZone restrictions apply.

[Pat McAfee]

Duralast Brake pads only this episode is brought to you by Stay Farm. Knowing you could be saving money for the things you really want is a feeling. Talk to a State Farm agent today to learn how you can choose to bundle and save with the personal price plan. Like a good neighbor, State Farm is there. Prices are based on rating plans that vary by state. Coverage options are selected by the customer. Availability, amount of discounts and savings and eligibility vary by state. Pacers are happening tonight against the New York Knicks. We've had an incredible opportunity to get a chance to chit chat with the people that have gathered here in this bicentennial plaza. The city is alive. The city is excited because the Indiana Pacers are for real. They lost game three to the New York Knicks after having a 20 point lead, a 13 point lead, a 16 point lead, a 20 point lead. And then inevitably they end up losing and giving it away at home. And tonight the Pacers are going to put on a show. If you are going to watch what you going to see is a passionate crowd, a passionate state in a team that's trying to get their get back against the New York Knicks led by Jalen Brunson and Karl Anthony Towns. Jalen Brunson obviously an absolute beast. He's Mr. Clutch for good reason. What he does at the end of games is insane. But Karl Anthony Towns had his New York Knicks moment seemingly in game three where he took over in the fourth quarter 20 points alone. He had the entire Indiana pace 20 points as well. Cat took the game over in the fourth. They have a massive comeback. And now everybody from that big damn city, every coastal elitist who wears blue and orange thinks to themselves that the Knicks are back in this thing. The Knicks weren't supposed to beat the Celtics now. The Knicks were supposed to get swept by the Pacers. And after a win in game three, they got the entire city alive. Joining us live here at Bicentennial Plaza is a man who's an Emmy award winning television host, an NFL insider, NFL pundit, and now an ESPN man. Ladies and gentlemen, Peter Schrager's here.

[Boston Connor]

Shout out.

[Pat McAfee]

Isn'T the only. Yeah. Couple more coastal leaders arrived here during the break. Very New York looking guy screaming over to me, he goes, come on one time Pat. Next thing six you say for the bread. For the bread. For the bread. Never need the Pacers to win for the brand. Hell yeah. Good for the program for the Pacers to do and play the way they are playing. And we've been enjoying all of it. We're lucky to be here. Shout out to the Pacers allowing us to do this outside of gamebridge today. Nine year NFL vet, a man who calls Indianapolis home, Darius J. Brother.

[Shams Charania]

Yes sir.

[Pat McAfee]

The toxic table is here at Boston Connor and at Ty Schmidt. I see the dog shirt under underneath that Boston Celtics jacket. Is that because the Pacers are a bunch of absolute dogs?

[Ty Schmidt]

Yeah, most of them definitely TJ McConnell on there. Shout out more. So you're talking about get back games. I think, you know, the people of Indianapolis in particular need to kind of step up because it was embarrassing. Game three, Game three was embarrassing. I think anybody who was in there can agree. I think everybody knows race day racing and pace and sure. And the Indy 500's awesome. And everybody kind of blew their load at the Race. And then they showed up, they showed.

[Pat McAfee]

Up at 500 mile load.

[Ty Schmidt]

Exactly. And you gotta understand that that's gonna be a big load. But when you go to the, the playoffs, okay, the Indy 500 is cool. It's awesome. The, the city's team is the Indianapolis Pacers. So when that happens, the Indiana Pacers, who cares? But when that happens, you know, that is something where you need to kind of to show the world the people who are watching. You know, you want the NBA ratings to be better, you want all that stuff you need to show, hey, in Indiana, we care about basketball. Darius Butler said in the first hour, you know, it's the state of basketball. Well then show us. Because the fans were snoozing in the second half and everybody's blaming Carl.

[Pat McAfee]

Oh, shut up.

[Darius Butler]

Can I just, Can I just add. I was there. Game two.

[AJ Hawk]

No, you can't add.

[Darius Butler]

And it's a, it's a four point game. There's three seconds left. The Garden's still packed. I'm watching as Josh Hart and Brunson are making these free throws. There was a slow trickle of Pacers fans leaving before.

[Pat McAfee]

Weird, man. What is that?

[Darius Butler]

I understand the cars were vrooming and we had the vroom shirts.

[Pat McAfee]

They're not vrooming, they're. I get it. This is. That's what they're doing.

[AJ Hawk]

You probably don't even have a car in New York.

[Pat McAfee]

Yeah, you don't have to drive. Yeah, exactly. You walk your ass home.

[Peter Schrager]

Yeah.

[Pat McAfee]

Hey, let me step over the human feces. Human feces and the rat poop.

[Darius Butler]

Yes.

[Pat McAfee]

Yeah, okay, we get it. And maybe the reason why you're sticking around is cuz everybody knows they don't want to go get on train with everybody else. Yeah. So maybe it's a part of lifestyle choices around here. We got traffic, brother.

[Ty Schmidt]

Uhhuh.

[Pat McAfee]

Okay. We got traffic. And if this one's over, we got Memorial Day the next day too, so I don't want to. And these New York Knicks fans traveling out here, I got massive respect for. Welcome to our city. Thank you for coming.

[Shams Charania]

So many.

[Pat McAfee]

We're not throwing trash bags at these people. Love to have him here. Let's go to one half of the Hammer, Don. Cowboys, AP Tone, what are we betting on tonight? Who do we like? How do we like it?

[AJ Hawk]

It's a big one. You talk about game four and how big it is. So Thunder were also up 2:1 going into into game four. They win game four, they're now minus 6,000 to win that series. So that's kind of how this goes. If the Pacers win tonight, it's also going to be a similar situation where they're going to be huge favorites to then win the series. But if the Knicks win, it's going to be very, very tough.

[Hans Perez]

Tight.

[AJ Hawk]

Pacers are minus 210 to win the series. Now, if the Knicks win tonight, I assume it'll flip to them being favorites to win the series. Pacers are our favorites tonight. Minus two and a half in this game. So they.

[Pat McAfee]

Which means absolutely nothing.

[AJ Hawk]

No, it really does.

[Pat McAfee]

Two and a half points means nothing. 20 points has just been an appetizer in this particular series.

[AJ Hawk]

The favorite has lost every game. I mean, Knicks were favorites at home. Pacers have been favored at home. Favorites lost every game in the series so far. So they're looking to reverse that tonight.

[Pat McAfee]

I don't love that. Yeah.

[Ty Schmidt]

Carl Anthony Towns is minus 175 to say, oh my God. On some. That's a real. That's a real thing. That's real.

[Pat McAfee]

Might be minus 250 at this point. Okay, so we talked about the Western Conference last night. Congrats. Oklahoma City getting back in a tight win. They're up 31 over the Minnesota Timberwolves. I love Ant didn't have his best game, but I love that he's potentially one of the faces of the league final 14 teams. Everybody's going to be great. It's going to be tough. Tonight's going to be insane. Eight o' clock on tnt. Tip off. Here we have you here. What the hell? Eight o' clock. Tip off. You like that?

[Ty Schmidt]

Yeah, that's right on the money, baby. Tnt. It's just everything you can really ask.

[Pat McAfee]

I did try to facetime Sir Charles. I have his number. I try not to abuse it. I FaceTime them here before the show. No answer. Okay, Chuck, we're going to try to get him, obviously. Come out here. He might. Might be golf.

[Shams Charania]

Probably golfing. Beautiful day.

[Pat McAfee]

Yeah, he's probably golfing up there at.

[AJ Hawk]

Chad N. Crooked Stick.

[Pat McAfee]

Crooked Stick. Purgatory. Adam Hills. Purgatory. That other place we went to that didn't have a line ever. That was great. Popperhead Road or something. Red Copper. Yeah.

[Darius Butler]

Arrowhead.

[Pat McAfee]

Old Oakland.

[Darius Butler]

Yeah.

[Pat McAfee]

River Glenn.

[Ty Schmidt]

River Glenn, but that's all those places.

[Pat McAfee]

And then doing a thing. All right. Anyways, Shreks, we gotta talk NFL. What is. What are we talking about?

[Darius Butler]

OTAs today we got 20 different teams opening up practice. It's mostly voluntary. Who wants to go and who doesn't. But I see Mahomes he's ready to go. You've got all these teams coming in. The question of the day, of course, is when does Aaron Rodgers decide he's going to join the Pittsburgh Steelers? It's been lingering, lingering, lingering. As of right now. There's no deadline from them. There's no deadline from him. Mason Rudolph is the starting quarterback for the Pittsburgh Steelers.

[AJ Hawk]

Oh, yeah.

[Pat McAfee]

Okay. So Mason Rudolph, currently the starting quarterback for the Pittsburgh Steelers. Here in Indianapolis, we have a quarterback competition happening between four overall picks. Anthony Richardson, who's been here for a couple years, has been injured. Obviously, he's had some great moments, had some moments about trying to learn to become an NFL quarterback. And then Danny Dimes, who obviously had his entire situation in New York. I think that's a nice tie for New York and Indianapolis. We currently have Danny Dimes potentially as our quarterback. We have boots on the ground here in Indianapolis. We have sources that have told us that Danny Dimes enjoyed his first Indy 500 race day.

[Darius Butler]

Is that right?

[Pat McAfee]

Yeah. We have been told that Daniel Jones has tried to become one with the city of Indianapolis on Sunday, and we assume it's just the beginning. We have heard that he was potentially out in the establishment having a great time with the people, enjoying the celebration of the greatest spectacle in racing happening in the Indy 500. Danny Dimes is a weapon from what I've been told off the field. And obviously we've seen some good times on the field with you guys. New York, New Jersey. What is the take on Daniel Jones?

[Darius Butler]

They were done with them, and that's fine. He got them to a playoff game. He won a playoff game in Minnesota. It is a forgettable era of Giants history. I'm wearing my Saquon still here. These are the Saquon shoes. Saquon and Daniel Jones were supposed to be the guys. The Giants have moved on. They've already ripped that up and changed. But make no mistake about it. Make no mistake about it, Daniel Jones can still play good football. Daniel Jones, one of the toughest quarterbacks that the New York Giants.

[Pat McAfee]

Yeah.

[Darius Butler]

And Daniel Jones is.

[Pat McAfee]

We're hearing maybe 10, 20, 30 beer day.

[Darius Butler]

Yeah, okay.

[Pat McAfee]

We're hearing it. We're hearing maybe. Maybe he put some numbers up. And I want to let you know that that is. That is solidified me. Yeah. I love that Daniel Jones is here. I like that.

[Darius Butler]

I'll tell you this.

[Pat McAfee]

This.

[Darius Butler]

He was never a big, like, going out in the clubs in Manhattan guy.

[Pat McAfee]

However.

[Darius Butler]

Well, there was a Zach Bryan show at MetLife probably a year ago. And all of a sudden, you're looking on stage and there's Daniel Jones knowing every word, getting the crowd. And a lot of Giants fans are like, good. There's some life better in Indiana.

[Pat McAfee]

Supposed to be in Indiana.

[Darius Butler]

That sounds.

[Pat McAfee]

Yeah, we did it. And then I seen them do flip cup, right with Eli. Oh, yeah. Flip cup with Eli. So Anthony Richardson, obviously, immense talent. Talent. I mean, it is. The upside is through the roof. Hopefully he's able to reach it this training camp. Hopefully, he's able to accomplish what we drafted him, number four overall to accomplish. But if not, D butt. We got good news coming out of the lookout.

[Shams Charania]

I love.

[Pat McAfee]

We got the guy.

[Shams Charania]

I love the positive. Positive.

[Pat McAfee]

We're talking about. I heard Sharon.

[Ty Schmidt]

Oh, you're gonna be doing positive.

[Shams Charania]

Yeah, he's here. Rumor is a Colt.

[Pat McAfee]

These are rumors.

[Shams Charania]

I remember watching. I remember watching Daniel Jones play a lot of football in New York.

[AJ Hawk]

Great football.

[Shams Charania]

Stop. You know, watching on TV. Watched all 22. I'm hopeful as well. We drafted guy number four overall a couple years ago.

[AJ Hawk]

Okay?

[Shams Charania]

That's the guy. I want to figure it out and be the face of our franchise.

[Pat McAfee]

Forget about it.

[Shams Charania]

10 to 15 years, okay? It is a battle.

[Pat McAfee]

He's got a lot of opportunity.

[Ty Schmidt]

He's got plenty. Plenty.

[AJ Hawk]

Six overall.

[Ty Schmidt]

Danny Dimes. Look, Danny Dimes was out at the Tin Whistle, baby. And when I say the Tin Whistle, everyone knows I'm talking about the Tin Roof, one of the nicest bars in the country. And he wasn't just there, okay? He was bringing it down.

[Pat McAfee]

He was mixing it up, brother.

[Ty Schmidt]

Mixing it up. He was buying shots for people. He was buying cocktails.

[Pat McAfee]

He's in the middle of this live music, singing. He was in there.

[Ty Schmidt]

Rumor has it he almost grabbed the mic.

[Shams Charania]

Okay, okay.

[Ty Schmidt]

Sing a couple songs deep.

[Pat McAfee]

But.

[Ty Schmidt]

So, hey, look, I love ar, but there's been a couple guys that have frequented some of these places. Is the RAS Killer Tin Whistle. And you know what happens to those guys?

[Pat McAfee]

Superstardom.

[Darius Butler]

All Pro.

[Ty Schmidt]

Okay, you. You want to list a couple All Pros for the Colts that we've seen kind of roaming the streets. They're great players. Quentin Nelson, I've seen him sitting on a bench, you know, hanging out with the people, drinking booze, cocktails. Danny Dimes looks like he's going to be the old pro of the. Of the AFC this year. So if. If I'm the.

[Pat McAfee]

There's a chance. Listen, I was surprised. I was so surprised. Walk in. Hey, did you hear the news?

[AJ Hawk]

Oh, that was the news.

[Pat McAfee]

What was the news? Danny Dimes was doing it on Sunday.

[Ty Schmidt]

Yeah.

[Pat McAfee]

Yeah, he was.

[Boston Connor]

Jones Dimes has a presence like Tom Cruise.

[Pat McAfee]

Yeah.

[Boston Connor]

Which does not come like there was two winners Sunday.

[Shams Charania]

I can't believe I just heard that come out.

[Boston Connor]

I can't believe I said it. But I saw the proof. The proofs in the pudding. I saw what I saw. And listen, everyone wants to say ar, Danny, Dan Dimes. Can you imagine AR line up tight end and Danny Dimes just ripping one.

[Pat McAfee]

We're not changing positions.

[AJ Hawk]

You remember the Heisman package. Basically the same thing.

[Ty Schmidt]

And let's just say too Danny Dimes wasn't taking no.

[Pat McAfee]

I'll tell you that much.

[Ty Schmidt]

Daniel, you want to step to Danny Dimes.

[Pat McAfee]

He's ready to die. Daniel Jones being out and about in Indianapolis on race weekend is very much like a welcome to the city. I'm excited to watch our quarterback competition. I like hearing that he's super tough because maybe that'll radiate through the rest of the locker room. Made a lot of moves on the defensive side of the ball this offseason.

[Shams Charania]

Oh, yeah.

[Pat McAfee]

Feels like the Colts are on the up and up. They got to follow the feet. They got to follow the pace of the Pacers in the city. And the Fever, who we've obviously discussed. Caitlin Clark will be out two weeks. Let's talk about some other news that happened just yesterday. The reason why we are off is because there's a national championship happening on espn. And congratulations to Cornell. Went to Cornell.

[Boston Connor]

Oh, yeah.

[Ty Schmidt]

Big Red.

[Pat McAfee]

I know where Cornell is. Quick. What state?

[Boston Connor]

New York, I believe. Yeah.

[Pat McAfee]

Is that right?

[Darius Butler]

Ithaca, New York. There you go.

[Pat McAfee]

Of course, we're really. We know everything about the Ivy League. Massive respect for the Ivy League big brains. I've heard some of the classes are pass fail. So just got to be kind of.

[Ty Schmidt]

A. I've heard Cornell very bad things about Cornell academically. Not in the sense where it's pass, Phil. In the sense where like, hey, you gotta. You gotta basically stay up all night and day to study for Cornell.

[Pat McAfee]

So you said heard bad things, but it's actually like. Gotta actually.

[Ty Schmidt]

Good things. Yeah, good things. But bad for people who want to have fun.

[Pat McAfee]

Old buddy for Cornell's the guy. And I didn't know there was another royal family of lacrosse.

[Ty Schmidt]

Yeah, the curse family. C.J. curse. He. I believe he had six goals. He tied the single season record 82 goals this season in, you know, 17, 18 games. It's pretty ridiculous. Yesterday was incredible. The Merrill, Maryland team and the Cornell team battle it out. It was close for a Little bit. And then CJ Kurst, I think he had four straight unassisted goals. The kid just went bananas. I think he had six or seven goals on the day and they win their first title since 1977. Really cool story with the Curse family. Most of his brothers. One of his brothers actually is a Boston Cannon legend. He is one of the players that's going to carry the torch this year. C.J. curtis, always the first pick in the PLL draft this year. They're saying he already is going to be one of the best players in the PLL when he gets to his training camp probably next week.

[Pat McAfee]

Look at that. Packed out stadium.

[Darius Butler]

That's Gillette.

[Ty Schmidt]

That's Gillette, yeah. Did it in Foxborough. It was incredible. They haven't really done it in Foxborough in a little bit. I believe they used to all the time. But yeah, it was a fantastic scene there.

[Pat McAfee]

And riddle me this, the Ivy League winning again is a big deal in the lacrosse conversation.

[Ty Schmidt]

Yeah, big deal. Kind of stinks, you know, for all those people that were kind of team Kavanaugh. Pat Kavanaugh came on last year, a couple years ago said, hey look, the. The Ivy Leagues are a bunch of frauds, which they have been. That's why Cornell winning was a massive deal. They, they are a great story.

[Pat McAfee]

Who they beat in the finals?

[Ty Schmidt]

They beat Maryland.

[Pat McAfee]

Where's Maryland at?

[Boston Connor]

It's in the Big Ten.

[Pat McAfee]

Oh, so it's a Big Ten Ivy League sport now. ACC's dead.

[Ty Schmidt]

No, cuz Notre Dame's ACC. So if anything the Big Ten is dead. I mean because they haven't won it in a few years here now with the ACC and Ivy League now doing the last three years.

[Shams Charania]

No. Does this go against. I know you've been talking, especially when AJ was on about kind of one of these Big Ten teams potentially growing the game and that'd be big, good for the game as a whole. How do you feel about that now with Cornell? First one since 77.

[Ty Schmidt]

Yeah, I don't know if it's as big of a deal because it's with C.J. kirst and C.J. kirst is the guy in college across this year.

[Pat McAfee]

He's winning the.

[Ty Schmidt]

He. He's going to win the tour. He's the balloon. Dale across.

[Boston Connor]

It is also known by that.

[Ty Schmidt]

Yeah, yeah, it makes sense.

[Darius Butler]

What's it really called? The toilet.

[Ty Schmidt]

What's the time, brother?

[Pat McAfee]

So Kavanaugh won it last year.

[Ty Schmidt]

Yeah. The bigger, the bigger stars like this makes CJ Kirsten even bigger stars when you're Talking about locations and areas like Ohio State wanted to make an Ohio bigger in lacrosse. That's a big deal. But also just having like a true face, which Maryland, to be honest, didn't really have. Like Maryland would have have been the worst case winning as far as growing the game.

[Pat McAfee]

Because Maryland's very big in lacrosse already.

[Ty Schmidt]

Very established already their coach. That would have been his third title. They don't have an 80, you know, goal scorer like C.J. kirst is him winning was a massive deal. Cornell being back on the map was a massive deal. And it turns out we might be NLL guys.

[Pat McAfee]

Yeah, that exactly my point. The Buffalo Bandits have won another NLL title. And Chase Frazier has put up another highlight reel. And we actually got a shout out, shout out to the NFL nll. Run this thing. Fox Foxy couldn't handle the interior feed.

[Darius Butler]

Now he'll catch it.

[Pat McAfee]

Crazy. Wow.

[Darius Butler]

He just doesn't care.

[Pat McAfee]

One handed behind the back call Pat McAfee.

[Darius Butler]

Get this guy on the show.

[Ty Schmidt]

Absolutely speechless.

[Pat McAfee]

I would love to have Chase Frazier on the program. This guy's an absolute monster. I love how Canadian the commentator sounded right there. And thanks for the shout out. We are massive fans of this guy. Just like I say in our sport, if you have enough comfort to do the pizzazz alongside of it, especially in the championship, I believe this was so for him to have this sauce in the moxie to do that consecutively seemingly every single game. We're big Chase Fraziers guys. And whenever you think about the nll, which I definitely knew existed.

[Boston Connor]

Oh, yeah, sure.

[Pat McAfee]

That's what I've been saying this whole time.

[Boston Connor]

Yeah, for sure. You knew that it was founded in 1986. It's been around for a long time.

[Pat McAfee]

Yeah. And I knew it was box lacrosse, which is certainly a more Canadian style of lacrosse than what the PLL was running.

[Ty Schmidt]

You were shocked when, you know, remember the Avalanche in all Cronky's teams, his NLL team, they all won those titles like back to back to back to back.

[Pat McAfee]

I was so pumped up about that. Whenever it happened, I'm like, the NLL is the real deal. And then once I started looking into it a little bit more, the NLL is much more exciting than any of the other stuff that I've been watching in the lacrosse world. Is a Kavanaugh brother in the NLL now. Yes.

[Ty Schmidt]

Patty Kavanaugh is playing for the San Diego Seals. Very for boom.

[Pat McAfee]

Makes it even easier. That's my league. The NLL is the league. They are exciting. They'll fight. Oh, yeah, they will just. They will drop them and fight each other. Highlight goals every single game. Yeah. And this is going to be more the style of what the Olympics are going to be, right?

[Ty Schmidt]

Yeah. It's going to be a smaller field. I believe it's still outside. I don't think it's going to be an indoor arena like this, but it will be like a. A six on six with a actual lacrosse goalie, but not the hockey pack goalie, but still very similar style.

[Pat McAfee]

We did learn that Chase Frazier is Canadian, unfortunately.

[Boston Connor]

But that's okay. It's not his fault.

[Pat McAfee]

He should play for America, though. He's a Buffalo bandit.

[Ty Schmidt]

He is.

[Pat McAfee]

He should play for the United States through and through. Just like Lou Messi needs to be a United States of America player.

[Boston Connor]

Exactly.

[Pat McAfee]

Sidney Crosby needs to be playing for the United States of America. Let's go back to the truck. Actually, let's go to the other half of the hammer, Don. Cowboys, Bubba Gumpino know. Hey, I heard a hockey tournament ended this weekend. Who won that one?

[Peter Schrager]

USA won it for the first time since 1933.

[Pat McAfee]

Yeah.

[Shams Charania]

33.

[Pat McAfee]

We're back. USA. USA. USA. USA. This is the one Sid was playing in? Yes, and McKinnon was playing in.

[Ty Schmidt]

Sid lost.

[AJ Hawk]

Was Canada in the final?

[Pat McAfee]

No, they got knocked out earlier. Sweden beat him or something like that.

[Ty Schmidt]

Denmark even worse.

[Pat McAfee]

Oh, his demo. He was plus 3,000 or something.

[Shams Charania]

Who's this right here?

[AJ Hawk]

Taste. He's a Buffalo saber. He's a dominant player.

[Pat McAfee]

Yeah. USA wins this thing. Obviously Borghetta there had no idea.

[Boston Connor]

He played tough.

[Pat McAfee]

Yeah, no, I mean, they all play tough. It's hockey. You're going to play tough. But the United States takes home the International Super Duper cup for the first time in a long time. And Gumpy, does that mean we're in the driver's seat to win the next Olympics? And maybe Sid and the boys should try to be playing for the United States of America.

[Peter Schrager]

If you win 25 more of these.

[AJ Hawk]

You'Ll be tied with Canada.

[Darius Butler]

Oh, yeah.

[Pat McAfee]

But who has the time? When's the next one?

[Ty Schmidt]

Who won the last one? That's all that matters.

[AJ Hawk]

Who's us's goalie gonna be?

[Pat McAfee]

Hey, we're gonna have Otter, I assume. Can you get a shot up there of that? Hey, Scott, we need you to shoot that metal sphere over there. Oh, look on the ins. Can you zoom in on that thing? Look at the inside. I think they got our logo on the inside of that thing.

[Darius Butler]

Oh, I do see it.

[Boston Connor]

Oh, yeah.

[Shams Charania]

It's fire.

[Pat McAfee]

Dude, that Is sick. Sick. Shout out to the Pacers. Hey, thank you, Pacers, for doing this. It's details so little things. I heard Algae went and did that turn that thing on.

[Ty Schmidt]

Yeah, yeah, Algae. And groups for who were up all night kind of getting that done.

[Pat McAfee]

Algae's got a new hairdo. I see. He's kind of rocking it. Algae, One of the security guys for a Gainbridge field house. He really locks it down. He came back from that direction that popped up on there. I assume he went there, flex, turned it on, did the whole thing.

[Ty Schmidt]

Yeah, he gets it done. I mean, we saw him tracking down that guy who was trying to steal cars. Tackled that son of a bitch, got an award. I mean, his real security around here.

[Pat McAfee]

Yeah, now he's growing his hair, trying to go undercover. The guy might be a Navy seal. Coming up, who knows? Let's continue to talk about other sports that we don't get to talk about enough. Let's stay in hockey. What's going on with the Panthers? Brother Hurricanes win three zip. They're down three one. You think the Cats are going to be able to handle this? And what has the series been? Just Panthers beating the shit out of the Canes until last night.

[Shams Charania]

Beating the absolute shit out of. I got a chance to go Saturday on my pop's birthday to see six two ass whooping. But yeah, we kind of let off the gas. I don't know exactly what happened. Was on a flight last night, had some spotty service, landed, saw your message first, then saw the 3.0loss. So that's definitely unfortunate. Finally the Canes get a win. I think what are 1:15? Their last conference Finals game. So the streak is finally over for the Canes. But I think we'll get it done in Carolina. We'll close it out, gentlemen. Sweep. And then we'll have some nice time off before the Stanley cup champions.

[Ty Schmidt]

Maybe.

[Pat McAfee]

Shregs, you follow hockey at all?

[Darius Butler]

I do. I'm a New York Rangers fan. It didn't go well for us this year.

[Shams Charania]

Beat their ass last year.

[Darius Butler]

You guys beat our ass in the conference finals last year. And I went to a couple of those games. So, yeah, like the hockey. But you know, right now, every time you guys are talking, I'm just thinking Knicks in NBA.

[Pat McAfee]

Okay, well, speaking of Knicks in the NBA. Shregs, we're ask you to get up for a moment. And we're going to welcome in a New York firefighter. Hell, yeah. A man who protects and serves his community. And in doing so, he loves the team from the state Of Indiana, ladies and gentlemen. Joining us now is a man who received a nice flight. I heard it was first class. Okay, first class. A man who's staying in a suite, I do believe, in one of the hotels around town. A man who's being treated the way he should be treated in the city in which he serves, but instead in the city in which he comes from. He had bags of trash thrown at his back. Trash. He was attacked on the streets. He was caught a bum. He was ridiculed and mocked and maybe even mobbed by a group of New Yorkers that represent the entire city. Everybody in it. That group right there.

[Boston Connor]

That's right.

[Pat McAfee]

Ladies and gentlemen, a man who's going to bring great aura into the arena tonight. A man who knows the sweet science, Ladies and gentlemen, alongside Boomer of the Pacers, Hans Perez, ladies and gentlemen. Hans, great to see you. Hell yeah.

[Ty Schmidt]

Hell yeah. Hans.

[AJ Hawk]

See Bruce pushing him.

[Pat McAfee]

Yeah.

[Shams Charania]

Scumbag.

[Pat McAfee]

Sir, it's an honor. I appreciate you, man. Thank you. Welcome to the city, man. Yes, sir. Thank you.

[Hans Perez]

Thank you. Thanks for having.

[Pat McAfee]

No problem. We got to get your mic on. When we do, it is in. Hey, thank you for coming out to the city. How's it been, brother? Speaking of, you got to speak of the mic.

[Hans Perez]

Sorry. Sorry.

[Pat McAfee]

It's okay.

[Hans Perez]

Yeah, it's been awesome. As soon as I got out the gate at the airport, I got fire service guys waiting for me. You know, whole airport was there taking pictures of me. I pull up to the hotel, I got the pacemates. I got Boomer there with me waiting for me.

[Pat McAfee]

Oh, you're having a time, huh?

[Hans Perez]

Oh, man, this is nothing.

[Pat McAfee]

I got.

[Hans Perez]

Got ready, getting. Getting his. Get souvenirs. Got nap town fire. So this is awesome. This is great.

[Pat McAfee]

Okay, well, we're lucky you're in our city. We're thankful that you came. Has it all been smooth? Did he fly you first class? Did you get a good hotel room? Are your tickets tonight good enough? Is there anything we need to hammer Tyrese Halliburton about?

[Hans Perez]

Tyres. Tyrese did great. Tyrese did awesome. Yeah, he laid out the red card before me. This is great.

[Pat McAfee]

Well, I think because you're here. That's why they're letting Tyrese's dad back in the building as well. What are you expecting from tonight's game, Hans?

[Hans Perez]

Oh, tonight we're going up 3:1. Pacers are getting the job done tonight. Knicks are in trouble. Knicks are going down. Today was supposed to be the sweep. You know, I felt Tyrese brought me here because he knew it was Going to be a sweep, but greater power had something involved with that. Who knows? But tonight is three one. We're going back to New York to cut it out, close this thing out, and resound in victory tonight.

[Pat McAfee]

What has life been like for you back in New York now that everybody knows you're a Pacers fan in New York? I think, like, probably your friends, obviously that mob knew because you're wearing the jersey, but now it feels like everybody knows that you're a Pacers fan that lives in New York. What has life been like for the last week or so?

[Hans Perez]

Oh, man, I've been getting. I've been getting my, like, getting my chops bust off my life for being a Pacers fan, for my friends and growing up and family. But now, like, the whole fire department knows I'm a Pacers fan, people. My daughter's baseball softball game. I'm going to the softball game. I got all the parents coming up to me, like, oh, my God.

[Pat McAfee]

Celebrity. Celebrity. You get your balls busted for being a celebrity, too. I assume your fire department is obviously mocking you for the amount of attention you're getting for all this. Or no.

[Hans Perez]

Slightly. Slightly. A little bit. A little bit.

[Pat McAfee]

Well, I think you've been handling it very well. I think it's been a great story this entire series, and I think. I think I've seen a lot of New York people back you, too, and say, like, hey, that's not how we would act. I assume you've gotten a lot of that from them as well.

[Hans Perez]

Yeah, no, a lot. I've been getting a lot of that, even from Knicks fans telling me, like, that's not right. That's not cool. That's not how you treat people, like, regardless who you support, you know? But, yeah, they just. They're showing support, though. They're loving me. They're giving me a lot of credit for holding it down, taking it easy, and they're telling me that that wasn't right.

[Pat McAfee]

Yeah, being a fan is a good thing. Being a sports fan is a good thing. Being in New York City, Being a Pacer fan during this era is a wild decision, we will say, as we saw the video, we all thought it was wild. Now we're thankful that you're getting a chance to experience it. Keep staying on business for the Faces. Connor has a question for you, Hans.

[Ty Schmidt]

Yeah, so, Hans, when you're watching these games, are you worried at all about, you know, the next round? Are you thinking about the NBA championship? Have you. Have you kind of parlayed this into, like, hey, Tyrese, if we win game four, I'm gonna have to. I'm have to be here for game six. I'm probably gonna have to be here for game one of the NBA five finals. To be honest.

[Hans Perez]

You know, I. I wouldn't want to ask him talk about Game 6, because I don't think it's going that far. You know, we're not gonna see a Game 6 this year. It's not gonna happen. So maybe we could talk about the finals, but nah, I've been. Paces are going all the way. If this OKC on Minnesota, this team is destined.

[Ty Schmidt]

This is a.

[Hans Perez]

This is a hell of a team right here. To come back against Milwaukee, to come back against Cleveland, the first Game 1 comeback against the Knicks, like this team is.

[Pat McAfee]

Yeah, but what about being up 20 and losing season?

[Hans Perez]

Hey, hey, hey.

[Pat McAfee]

The.

[Hans Perez]

The Knicks. The Knicks.

[Pat McAfee]

I don't like it either.

[Hans Perez]

I don't like it. I don't like it neither, you know, but I don't. Stuff happens. Stuff happens. What were you.

[Shams Charania]

When you're watching that game, what was the roller coaster of emotion up 20 when they come back and it win game 3?

[Hans Perez]

I watched it in the firehouse. I was in the firehouse with the guys watching this.

[Shams Charania]

Oh, that's dope.

[Hans Perez]

Yeah.

[Pat McAfee]

You're the only Pacers fan in there, I assume.

[Hans Perez]

The only Pacers fan.

[Pat McAfee]

Yeah.

[Hans Perez]

Yeah.

[Pat McAfee]

So, yeah, they got you.

[Hans Perez]

They got. They were getting on me to get game, but they. Oh, they were sad the first half. First half, they was. I was. I was trying to keep my, like, not cheer too much, not be too happy in front of their faces. But, yeah, it was. It was rough dealing with that. I had to go downstairs and watch on the TV by myself. Doing it come back because it was too much here.

[Pat McAfee]

Yeah, that's going to continue. I couldn't even fathom if the Knicks come back and win this series. They won't. Not a chance.

[Hans Perez]

Not a chance.

[Pat McAfee]

Got a lot of Knicks and six texts happening from every New York Knicks person, and obviously.

[Hans Perez]

Oh, here they go.

[Pat McAfee]

Figure on the New York Knicks guy. Okay. Yeah, I appreciate everything about it, Hans. Have you had any of the local establishments? Have you had any of our local meat? How. How has the day been here? And have you seen the city at all?

[Hans Perez]

I'm so far from the airport to here. I've got.

[Pat McAfee]

Oh, you just got here.

[Hans Perez]

I just got here.

[Pat McAfee]

Go explore. Local.

[Peter Schrager]

Local meeting.

[Hans Perez]

I can't wait to top tier.

[Pat McAfee]

Yeah, the local steaks here are the best. That's what we're like, known for you need to go to a couple steakhouses.

[Hans Perez]

I'm down. I'm down to try some of the local meat. The look.

[Pat McAfee]

Hey, yeah. Try some of the local meat. Eat all the local meat that you can tip afterwards.

[AJ Hawk]

Street meat. Loving street meat.

[Pat McAfee]

I don't know if the street meat here is the best, but you kind of like Saint Elmo's Harry and Izzy's Prime 47.

[Hans Perez]

A little classy. A little class here. Not street meat.

[Pat McAfee]

Yeah, they would love to have you guys.

[Hans Perez]

So we're in Indiana. We're going to do a classic.

[Pat McAfee]

Yeah. Well, we're very appreciative of you being here. Enjoy the night. Thank you for stopping by. And let's win one tonight, huh?

[Hans Perez]

Yes, sir. Big one, big game.

[Pat McAfee]

Hans Perez.

[Boston Connor]

Yeah, baby.

[Pat McAfee]

Hans.

[Hans Perez]

Take care, guys.

[Pat McAfee]

Thank you for everything.

[Boston Connor]

Enjoy yourself, man.

[Pat McAfee]

Thank you. Yep.

[Ty Schmidt]

Good luck, dude. Go get him.

[AJ Hawk]

What's that?

[Pat McAfee]

Is this your. This is your.

[Hans Perez]

Oh, yes. That's gifts that I brought for you guys.

[Pat McAfee]

Okay. Jeez, I did not know that.

[Hans Perez]

I know you love. I know you love a tank top, so.

[Pat McAfee]

Hell yeah. The Gas House Gang.

[Boston Connor]

Oh, that's what I'm talking about.

[Shams Charania]

Boom, boom.

[Hans Perez]

That's what it takes for the guy.

[Pat McAfee]

Engine 206. What up, crew?

[Hans Perez]

Gas house guys up for the do.

[Pat McAfee]

Hey, there we go. Hey, I love that Hans and I appreciate the Gas House Gang.

[Ty Schmidt]

Yeah, that's awesome.

[Pat McAfee]

Yeah, jg, represent.

[Peter Schrager]

Hey, take care, guys.

[Pat McAfee]

Appreciate you.

[Shams Charania]

Appreciate you on, Hans.

[Pat McAfee]

Thank you for being the epitome of a fan. Dude, that was a real deal.

[AJ Hawk]

If you ever want to transfer to a different firehouse to a city that respects you.

[Pat McAfee]

Yeah, I wonder how that works. Can you just kind of say, I'm going to be Indianapolis firefighter?

[AJ Hawk]

I think if you're a New York firefighter, could pretty much transfer every you want.

[Ty Schmidt]

Sean said it is going to be a crazy offseason, man.

[Pat McAfee]

He said it's going to be the wildest off or the most craziest.

[Boston Connor]

Yeah, most craziest.

[Pat McAfee]

Most craziest.

[Ty Schmidt]

Off season, Hans is getting traded for four first round picks.

[Pat McAfee]

I mean, there is a chance that that happens. There's a chance that Hans just becomes an Indianapolis native. It happened with Gio.

[Boston Connor]

Yeah.

[Ty Schmidt]

Yeah.

[AJ Hawk]

Podcaster Gio lives in Indy.

[Pat McAfee]

Geo lives in India. I think he's going to temple.

[Boston Connor]

Going to temple.

[AJ Hawk]

You followed Carson Wentz?

[Pat McAfee]

No, his dad got a job out here. Carson happened to come out here at the same time. They obviously had their connection. Now G is going back to Philadelphia, but this city will captivate you. Oh, yeah. A lot of guys that play here stay here. Obviously. Great place to raise your family. Obviously a great place to live. A lot of things to do. Small town, feel the weather. I will say comes and goes.

[AJ Hawk]

It's a hit or miss.

[Shams Charania]

We're now not terrible. Not.

[Ty Schmidt]

It's nice now.

[Boston Connor]

Yeah, we got the. We got the great. The great part of it here for a little bit and then it'll get shitty, you know, in about two months and.

[Pat McAfee]

No, no, no. Three, Three, three and a half months if we're lucky. Four. It's about to be amazing here in Indianapolis. This weather is perfect. Perfect right now to be clear. Sun's not too crazy. The weather's not too hot, not too cold. There is a little breeze. Just in case you start sweating, go ahead and Mother nature just says, go ahead and cool down a little bit. God bless you. To d butt.

[Darius Butler]

This episode is brought to you by Chevy Silverado. When it's time for you to ditch.

[Peter Schrager]

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[Darius Butler]

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[Darius Butler]

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[Ty Schmidt]

Automotive tools and welding equipment.

[Darius Butler]

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[Pat McAfee]

Joining us back again, ladies and gentlemen, New York Knicks fan Peter Schrager.

[Ty Schmidt]

Him and Bruce have been bopping each other all day.

[Shams Charania]

Both rock and kiff, too.

[Pat McAfee]

There's a Nick's contingency kind of gathering over here. I like their accents. I can hear it through their yells. I also appreciate that one of the guys is literally using his middle finger to use the 1:1. You know, he's going, this is.

[Shams Charania]

Oh, okay.

[Pat McAfee]

Yeah. That's the most New York thing of all time.

[Darius Butler]

Staten Island. I could see Staten island from a mile away. Oh, that Staten Island.

[Pat McAfee]

That is so Staten island forearm tat right there. Staten Island. What is Staten Island? That's the, that's the poopy island.

[Ty Schmidt]

Long Island. Isn't that where Lady Liberty.

[AJ Hawk]

Is it Lady Liberty on Staten Island.

[Ty Schmidt]

Ellis.

[Pat McAfee]

Staten Island's where Pete Davidson is.

[Darius Butler]

Colin Joseph, the Staten island guy.

[Boston Connor]

Oh, yeah, he bought the ferry, right?

[Pat McAfee]

He did.

[Darius Butler]

Bought the Staten island ferry, yeah.

[Pat McAfee]

So hold on. That's the boroughs, all the boroughs.

[Darius Butler]

There's five boroughs and you've got Queens, Bronx, Manhattan, Brooklyn, and then you've got Staten island, which is connected by the Verrazano connects Brooklyn and Staten Island. So Staten Island's represented here, I believe.

[Pat McAfee]

Wu Tang, also from Staten Island.

[Darius Butler]

Shaolin.

[Ty Schmidt]

What part of Pittsburgh is Nick from? He's not the, the poopy side of Plum.

[AJ Hawk]

Right, right, yeah, he is from the poopy side.

[Ty Schmidt]

That's Staten island in New York.

[Pat McAfee]

Okay.

[AJ Hawk]

Regency.

[Pat McAfee]

Regency.

[Ty Schmidt]

Regency for Indianapolis, the West side.

[Pat McAfee]

Beautiful, Beautiful. If you're actually going to do this.

[Darius Butler]

Staten island takes a lot of crap. People, people. But they are proud people right there and I like that and I respect that.

[Pat McAfee]

No, they actually take a lot of crap though, right? Isn't that kind of the thing? Cuz it's where the. Hey, we appreciate you Staten Islanders coming out here.

[Ty Schmidt]

You need him. Gritty, gritty bunch.

[Pat McAfee]

Let's talk about some baseball that's happening around the mlb. The biggest superstars are playing their best ball. Aaron Judge still hitting baseballs?

[Boston Connor]

Yeah, big time.

[Pat McAfee]

Aaron Judge might end up with an over.400 batting average, which would be the first time since Ted Williams in like 19.

[Boston Connor]

Yeah, 1930.

[Ty Schmidt]

Something before he went to the war.

[Pat McAfee]

He's one of the biggest stars in baseball. He's playing fantastic. Paul Skeens is still kind of stuck in Pittsburgh. We'll continue to monitor that situation. Yeah, they don't give up a lot of runs. They just can't score. So they lose all the time, seemingly in Pittsburgh, but out in la they have a global phenomenon. His name's Shohei Ohtani. Shohei Ohtani, not only great with the stick, but he's back pitching. Ty, we're gonna see this guy pitching this year. This will be first time, long time.

[Boston Connor]

Yeah, maybe. I mean, it's kind of the same thing. Jet passing. Because I asked him last time he was on the show. Hey, I mean, are we going to see Shohei throw anytime soon? And he basically shut it down immediately and said no. But he's, he's throwing live bp, so that's another big step. That means he's off the mound, throwing as hard as he can, probably touching triple digits. Shohei wants to pitch. And I think Shohei has kind of earned the right, especially within the Dodgers organization. He can do whatever the hell he wants to do. So as long as he lets them know that he feels good and the Dodgers pitching staff is a little banged up up, I think there's a chance we see him. My guess would be it probably wouldn't be until after the All Star break though.

[Pat McAfee]

Shregs Shohei Ohtani, global superstar. Maybe the best player playing too, outside of Aaron Judge, who's hitting you phenomenally. But if he is to pitch well and hit well, you're talking about stuff that's never been done. Andy's the most famous guy in the world. That'd be great for the MLB that has been looking for something, maybe the Stratus, you know, kind of put itself back in the stratosphere of other sports.

[Darius Butler]

Yeah, look, the Mets and Dodgers played this past weekend in New York and it was a big deal.

[Pat McAfee]

Are you a Mets guy or Yankees guy?

[Darius Butler]

I'm a Yankees guy myself.

[Shams Charania]

Sorry.

[Darius Butler]

Sorry to the Mets fans, but when they're in town and I went to the World Series in the playoffs last year, this guy is the biggest star in the game. How do you market it even more? He's got a huge personality when he's doing all that stuff. I just, you know, it's. It's international. And I think if I'm going to bring it back to football. Travis Hunter has the ability to do maybe this wide receiver, cornerback thing, which would be breaking ground. Maybe he has a chance to maybe be the Ohtani of football and that, hey, we can go and do it in a different way than it's been done traditionally for all these.

[Pat McAfee]

Okay, let's talk about that. I've seen videos of Travis Hunter. I believe he got married. Congratulations. A long time, obviously, big decision. I am a happily married man, as are a lot of people on this stage. So congrats to Travis Hunter. I saw him going into a kid's front yard, I think to work down there. He's everybody. Everything that everybody says about him is all good things, guys. Football IQ is through the roof. He's a joy to be around. He loves ball. He doesn't like doing anything else. Travis Hunter, obviously a lot of expectations being drafted that high. He has talked about being a complete football player. He wouldn't feel as if he's doing the game justice if he didn't play on offense and on defense. Then in one of the rookie OTAs, he didn't take any snaps at DB he only took routes. What is the conversation happening down there in Duvall with Travis Hunter? Because this is the AFC south, brother. And Travis Hunter, I don't know if he wants to come into this Lucas Oil Lighthouse and deal with both sides of the ball, but it sounds like this is actually going to happen. And how does Jacksonville feel about it?

[Darius Butler]

I think the intention is he's going to get an opportunity this summer to do both and we'll see how it goes. The truth of the matter is they took such a big swing in trading up and giving up next year's first round pick and giving all these other future picks together. Them, they're going to maximize this. I, I like Jacksonville's approach to this whole entire new regime in that 39 year old head coach, 34 year old GM Grant Udinsky, the offensive coordinator. 29 years old, sheesh. And their defensive coordinator, Campinelli, who might be Staten island based. Anthony Campanile might be from Staten Island. I'm not sure. He's a, he's a New York Jersey guy, 42 years old. So they're like, we're going young, we're taking a big swing. We're tired of the retread stuff. And I appreciate the fact they went for it in the draft. And then you saw Gladstone's press afterwards. Talks like he's at it from out of space. And it's a different kind of generation how he talks.

[Pat McAfee]

You've known Stoner for a while, I assume, because he comes through the McVeigh camp out there in Los Angeles. Sean McVeigh came on the program after he was hired and we looked at a picture of Stoner and we're like, they hired a 12 year old. They hired an actual 12 year old down there in Jacksonville. And then McVeigh comes on and goes, take it easy on my man Stoner. He loves the game, sees the game the same way I do. So if you have that young of people in so many pillar positions, I assume it's all long term thinking down there because they still got to build a stadium. I mean this is not an easy couple years for Jacksonville going forward.

[Darius Butler]

They've got the quarterback signed, but we're waiting for him to take that leap. And as we talk Jaguars football, everyone already is like, they want to be interesting. They don't want to be the 32nd team in the league. They don't want to be the team that all the networks are like, you gave us a Jaguars game. What are we doing? They want to be a team that's relevant but also a team that can play in an interesting brand of football. Last year's draft, this kid right here, Brian Thomas was as good as any other rookie wide receiver. That includes Neighbors, that includes Harrison, includes A Dunesay. They've got a feeling they've got some stuff there. And then Stoner and Liam Cohen come from that youthful Rams organization.

[Pat McAfee]

So has Liam figured out the whole.

[Darius Butler]

I don't know about the Duval thing, man, I don't get it.

[Pat McAfee]

What if they just change it for.

[Shams Charania]

For him if they start winning and like you mentioned, they figure out Trevor Lawrence and they get him playing top level. You talked about Travis Hunter. Him having Brian Thomas Jr. On the other side is, is a huge for him and his potential to grow and be.

[Pat McAfee]

Travis feels like a home run human, like everything we've heard out of him.

[Darius Butler]

So raw at wide receiver though, and the fact that like he hasn't been coached as a wide receiver in that way where, where a lot of the stuff he did at Colorado was all natural big hands. I'll go after the catch. I'll do it. Now he's going to be treated as a wide receiver. And given that NFL coaching and the ability to elevate the game even more.

[Pat McAfee]

Because you got to be in a spot. So the difference between NFL and college, college is an area. NFL is like a spot. And if you're not at said spot, guys like Darius J. Butler will beat you to that spot. And it's a pick going the other way. And Trevor Lawrence needs to have a great year, so he needs to have a lot of trust in you. So like I see a lot of people on the Internet judging Travis Hunter's routes. His hands are down, he's giving away. All those things are accurate, all those things are real takes. But also it's something he can learn, I think with how athletic he is, I think these are techniques and fundamentals that he can learn and work on and sell. And I think that means his upside is still very, very, very, very much ahead of where he is now. So good luck to him. But he's got a problem in the AFC south with the Indianapolis Colts. We joked about it earlier with Dave, Danny Dimes introducing himself to the city and the city introducing itself to Danny Dimes this weekend. I love that quarterback competition at the top. What have you heard from the quarterback competition and what does that mean, quarterback competition? They're splitting ones reps. They're splitting like time in meeting rooms. How does that work? I don't know how that works.

[Darius Butler]

It's going to Be pure. It's going to be a wide open competition between the two. And Chris Ballard could have just passed on this and said, you know what? We drafted Anthony Richardson fourth overall. My name's on that. No, no. They went and they brought them real competition. And I could tell you Minnesota was very interested in bringing Daniel Jones back, and he chose to be an Indianapolis Colt. He looked at this situation and said, I can win that job and I can revitalize that franchise. So he's not coming here to be the backup, and Richardson isn't willing to just give it to him. So very rarely in the NFL these days do you get two young quarterbacks fighting for their careers. You have that in Indianapolis, and I think that's good for both of them.

[Pat McAfee]

I think so, too. Cannot wait to see them battle. I think that's tough for a team, though. I think the locker room is going to know who's winning that battle a lot for sure, earlier than everybody else. And I don't know how you don't have biases. Not that our show has any biases. Obviously. We are right down the middle every time, just like this Eastern Conference finals. That's why we brought in the coach right here. Okay. We checked the box here that's right for that entire thing. But the locker room's not going to be like that. I'll be intrigued to see how it all gets managed. That's a lot of effort out of Shane Steichen. Now let's go to Green Bay. Ty, go ahead.

[Boston Connor]

Yeah, sure. Triggs, what's the latest with Jair Alexander? Saw it. Came out that, you know, they offered him kind of a different contract or they're trying to work on it, but the sides are still a ways away. Obviously, the last couple times you've been on, I asked because you had dinner with Matt LaFleur the night before the NFL draft or two nights before. What can you tell us about this situation is this close to getting done? Because the packers still need Jair Alexander.

[Darius Butler]

I think this comes a lot differently than what you were reading leading into the draft, that he was supposed to be traded draft week. I came on this show and I said, I'm a lot higher on them getting this thing settled because I knew Matt and Jeff Halfley, in addition to Matt, both wanted to keep Jair in the fold and consider him a team leader and a chance to get it done. This contract situation, as Schneiderman is reporting, seems like it's at least being con. There's a conversation, but he said he's going to be at a mandatory camp either way. So to me, we are light years ahead in this relationship as opposed to where we were. The perception was going into the draft. So I'm confident that they both sides want to get it done. It's just got to be sensible how to make it happen.

[Pat McAfee]

Packers fans want it done, right?

[Boston Connor]

Yeah, they. They need him when he's healthy. He's one of the best cornerbacks in the NFL. He just has. He hasn't been healthy the last several years and they kind of did.

[Ty Schmidt]

They.

[Boston Connor]

I don't want to say cleaned house, but like they're. You look at their depth chart, they don't have a lot of guys who have started a lot of games in the NFL. Cornerback, they obviously went out and got Hobbs from. From Vegas this offseason. But. But like when he is elite. I mean me and dbunt have talked about this. Like he's an all pro cornerback. They need him.

[Shams Charania]

Absolute game changer when he's out there and healthy. And you mentioned, you mentioned Jeff Hathley like his defense, the leap that they took even with him not being out there full time, being healthy. Bringing in over former giant safety Xavier McKinney who was dynamic all pro as well. He is a big cornerstone piece who could potentially. He has another big time year next year. He's one of those guys get another big deal if he could stay on that field. Yeah. Dynamic playmaker. And from everything that I've heard, the guys in the locker room like him.

[Pat McAfee]

Yeah. One of the greatest things stories we've ever heard still. Yeah. Himself captain. That's the greatest. Carolina, that is the absolute.

[Ty Schmidt]

He forgot.

[Pat McAfee]

I couldn't even imagine LaFleur had to be so pissed.

[Darius Butler]

But how did the floor not know he's from Charlotte?

[Pat McAfee]

Yeah, it's on the floor. It's certainly on the floor for not naming him captain. I mean but from that moment until what you said, it's like the relationship is Obviously, I assume LaFleur learned a lot about who Jair is there in that entire moment. And you know, sometimes there's frustrations that have to come to a head for people to develop their relationship the most. Feels like they like him, he likes them. He'd be great for him. Hopefully they're able to get a deal done. He is a great personality.

[Boston Connor]

Yes.

[Pat McAfee]

He is great for the league. I would like him to do more interviews. That's my only hope.

[Shams Charania]

How do we. How do we. How do we feel about the quarterback though? Cuz Jo, don't do this. Don't do this coming in last.

[Pat McAfee]

They look great.

[Shams Charania]

Everyone was, hey, this could be the mvp. Hey, this could be the guy that. Hey, they got it right again.

[Pat McAfee]

Vikings and Bears fans back here saying he sucks.

[Shams Charania]

I mean, I saw.

[Pat McAfee]

Bears fans said that was not me. Hold on. We do not have our figured out either.

[Shams Charania]

I saw him on the mound at that brewers game throwing out their first pitch.

[Darius Butler]

Anytime a pitch goes out of the frame. Not a great.

[Pat McAfee]

What happened? I did not see this.

[Shams Charania]

Threw a first pitch.

[Ty Schmidt]

What? It was too.

[Boston Connor]

He was too cool for school out there. He kind of lollied on Jordan Love.

[Pat McAfee]

Threw an opening pitch. A first pitch.

[Boston Connor]

He did.

[Pat McAfee]

Do we have it quarterback back?

[Boston Connor]

I think in his mind he's thinking, hey, the brewers suck. They. They don't deserve my A game. I'm not going to go out here.

[Pat McAfee]

Why is he playing to the level of his competition? Bingo.

[Boston Connor]

Well, I mean, hey, listen, he's. You know Russell Wilson, he owe the Brewers. He doesn't know the brewers anything. Can't be lollipopping it in.

[Pat McAfee]

Hold on, hold on. He didn't want to hurt his arm.

[Darius Butler]

I was a little surprised we didn't start the show with this.

[Shams Charania]

What are we doing here?

[Pat McAfee]

That's strictly cuz. I did not see that until right now. Can we go back to the beginning?

[AJ Hawk]

You gotta burn it down the middle.

[Shams Charania]

It's a quarterback.

[Pat McAfee]

I mean, it was a completion, though. Yeah, it was a completion. Yeah.

[Ty Schmidt]

It might be picked off.

[Pat McAfee]

I've thrown one first pitch and it was for the Indianapolis Indians here, the AAA affiliate for the Pittsburgh Pirates. That's the name of the team. That's the name of the team. I agree. Hey, that's the name of the team. That's the name. I didn't name the team.

[Ty Schmidt]

That guy gets it.

[Pat McAfee]

I don't own the team. It is the name of the team. It's an honor in Indianapolis, Indiana. It is the Indianapolis Indians. They're the AAA affiliate of the Pittsburgh Pirates. Paul Skeens was here. Oh, my God. That's the name of the team. Yeah. Geez. Jesus, guy, come on. He's a bad guy. It's right here. He went to a game. This guy actually bought a bunch of tickets? Yep. How could you not? Beautiful park. Oh, nice, right? Downtown Indianapolis. I mean, it is gorgeous. It is a great park. A lot of booze, to be clear. I think in that area they could get a couple more. Some more spots and build that up.

[Boston Connor]

Oh, yeah.

[Pat McAfee]

And I think Indianapolis would be a great baseball team.

[AJ Hawk]

Well, the owner would have to spend.

[Pat McAfee]

Some money, but I'm saying if it was a MLB team.

[Boston Connor]

Affiliates.

[Pat McAfee]

Yeah, yeah. If it was an actual team, I think it would do very well here. People love it. You go to a game when Paul Skeens was here, places sold out, people standing in the stadium, in downtown buildings. It was a beautiful thing. They asked me to throw one.

[Darius Butler]

How to go.

[Pat McAfee]

So I never threw off a bump. I didn't grow up playing baseball. Used to go down at Burrowfield Zone and enjoy entertainment. It was a good time. Everybody was down there. Never played baseball, though. Tim McAfee hated baseball. Wouldn't sign me up for it. Always had a good arm, pretty explosive, good hand eye. Could have been a great baseball player. I think there's a chance I could have been good. Tim McAfee was not about it. Said, we're not committing to this too long.

[Boston Connor]

No, no.

[Darius Butler]

Clock.

[Pat McAfee]

Boom. So I've never done it. So then I get asked to do the first pitch, like day of or whatever. Call my friends that play baseball, and they go, you need to throw through the catcher whenever you're up there, because your natural thought is going to be to throw it down because you're elevated. You need to throw it through. Because to. I want. Want to throw heat. I want to throw absolute gas.

[Ty Schmidt]

Of course.

[Boston Connor]

Right.

[Pat McAfee]

So I went in there. Lo and behold, they were right. I tried to throw that down, skip it through the legs of the catcher. Oh, hit the back thing. Put a hole. I put a hole in one of the promotional banners in the back. Maybe worst opening pitch of all time. But the conversation at point is I said, I'm bringing it. Yeah.

[Hans Perez]

Yeah.

[AJ Hawk]

Bingo.

[Pat McAfee]

And I think if you're an athlete and you go up there, I think that is your. You. You got a chance here to actually attempt an actual pitch. Jordan Love said, I play Green Bay every other week. I don't need to be proving myself to anybody. And just lobbed it in there and didn't get hurt. Is that what we're assuming and do? Starting quarterbacks normally throw it hard because there's a lot of potential opportunity for elbow, shoulder, you name it. Injuries with the difference in weight.

[Boston Connor]

I don't know if he played baseball growing up. Like, I've seen Bake Mayfield throw a first pitch, and like Russell Wilson, he burned one. Russell's second baseman, you know, so that's a little.

[AJ Hawk]

He was in full uniform, full glove.

[Boston Connor]

Which is obviously what Russ is gonna do no matter what.

[Peter Schrager]

Sunglasses.

[Pat McAfee]

Are you worried about Jordan Love? Like, dbutz brings up a good point. I'd not seen that. That Was his decision.

[AJ Hawk]

Is he a competitor?

[Pat McAfee]

That's it.

[Boston Connor]

That's what worries me, is I don't. I don't love the too cool for school approach. Because I know if Jordan Love wants to, he's burning that thing 97 right down the surprise.

[AJ Hawk]

He didn't throw off.

[Pat McAfee]

Nick just said, why didn't he just go under him? Floater from ro. When he pulls the glove back and he goes floater or whatever, he says, go for it. It's his mom's. That'd be cool. Why didn't he just do that?

[Boston Connor]

Well, because that's Mickey Mouse. You don't do that. You know, what was that? He's just. He's just getting it done with. He's checking a box. He. You know what? He's thinking? I need a nice gold Miller Light and I need a hot dog, stat. He's not. Because, again, the Brewer guys eating hot.

[Pat McAfee]

Dogs and drinking beers.

[Boston Connor]

I hope so. If he's at a ball game like a real American would do.

[Ty Schmidt]

If he's Danny Dimes on Memorial Day weekend.

[Boston Connor]

Yeah, exactly. I think. You know what?

[Pat McAfee]

You.

[Boston Connor]

You raise a good point. He might have had to scurry out there, and he might have been doing the flyover, maybe.

[AJ Hawk]

Maybe on Memorial Day weekend. He didn't want to show up the troops. He said, hey, let me get out.

[Pat McAfee]

All right.

[Boston Connor]

Jordan love a great guy.

[Ty Schmidt]

Pretty bold of the Vikings. Oh, great of anybody to be.

[Pat McAfee]

They got J.J. mcCarthy. He's okay. He's got. He's got nothing to worry about.

[Ty Schmidt]

Is he a okay?

[Pat McAfee]

We don't know. We have no idea. We just hope for the best in a season. How many playoff wins does he have in college? A lot.

[Boston Connor]

Okay.

[Pat McAfee]

Yeah, sounds good.

[Ty Schmidt]

Had a lot of playoffs.

[Boston Connor]

Kate McNamara had a couple of college playoff wins, too. Where's he playing? Playing Western Carolina or something.

[Pat McAfee]

He's a Vikings fan. He traveled to the show. You don't need to be attacking him. He's a good man. He attacked me first.

[Ty Schmidt]

He's got an Indian. He lives here.

[Darius Butler]

Did you see? All the coaches were at Kenny Chesney at the Sphere. You had who? You had Kevin o' Connell.

[Pat McAfee]

Okay.

[Darius Butler]

Sean Payton.

[Pat McAfee]

What?

[Darius Butler]

And Andy Reid all together backstage in Vegas.

[Pat McAfee]

I couldn't even fathom Kenny Chesney at that. From the pictures that I've seen, he's taking advantage of it way better than you, too. Well, we're not going to get into that, obviously. We've had our entire take on the YouTube program that we watched at the Sphere for $60,000 for the sweet. Okay, we talked about it. They weren't playing for us.

[Boston Connor]

No.

[Pat McAfee]

No, they weren't playing for us.

[Ty Schmidt]

Anybody?

[Pat McAfee]

No, they weren't for their die hard, loyal fans.

[Boston Connor]

Mike Foss is their biggest fan. He said it sucked too.

[Pat McAfee]

It was great off the record. I just didn't know any of the songs. I didn't know any of the songs. So it's tough for me. So I just got like 250 milligrams in me and just rode the ride of the night.

[Ty Schmidt]

Which turned out not to be good because they threw up.

[Pat McAfee]

The words that they threw up there were certainly very, very aggressive. So I was kind of getting tripped out a little bit. I mean, it was. Whatever the case, the Sphere had a lot of opportunity. It did. A lot of potential. Feels like Kenny Chesney's taking care of it. These guys, whenever they're traveling like this, do we assume. Here they are. Kevin o' Connell is seven feet tall. He is so tall. Used to be an NFL quarterback. People forget. Incredibly handsome, so smart. He was a great quarterback. Obviously made to the league. Was a backup for a while until Tannenbaum said, hey, sit down before you touch your seat. You're fired. Get out of here. Great head coach. Are they talking ball this entire time, you think? How often are they sharing secrets? How often are they texting each other? You know these people much better than we do. Do they share game with each other?

[Darius Butler]

I 100 think that football does come up in that situation. They probably just do a little small talk. But knowing Sean, knowing Andy, knowing Kevin, I could imagine them getting very deep in the weeds about their quarterbacks, about the offense.

[Pat McAfee]

Maybe 50 milligrams in there.

[Darius Butler]

Payton definitely enjoyed himself. He was sending me pictures, videos. He was having a blast at this thing.

[Pat McAfee]

Kevin o' Connor's like, this kind of makes me think we're gonna hurry up.

[Ty Schmidt]

I mean, John Payton. John Payton's in the Boys of Fall music video. Him and Kenny go.

[AJ Hawk]

Yes.

[Ty Schmidt]

Way back. Oh, yeah. He's in the music video giving a.

[Darius Butler]

Speech to him's wedding. Like, they are that tight, those guys.

[Peter Schrager]

Yes.

[Pat McAfee]

Oh, so they're having a good time. Those guys Andy Reid, Kevin o' Connell try are probably trying to piece together how it all works, if I had to guess, trying to deconstruct the entire show. They're probably asking Kenny Chesney what all they had to do. I think about the graphics that you got. Yeah.

[Ty Schmidt]

Dana White shot. He just won awards last week at the award thing. The Sphere won the Emmy for, like, performance and In a. I don't know what the hell it was called, but Dana White won a couple legitimately.

[Pat McAfee]

He's not doing a gimmick there. He legitimately forgot the name there. Yeah.

[Ty Schmidt]

Completely forgot.

[Pat McAfee]

He was looking for an assist earlier.

[Ty Schmidt]

Nobody gave him Dana because Dana talked about it on the show when he announced.

[Pat McAfee]

Yeah, he wanted to.

[Ty Schmidt]

He wanted to actually win, you know, Emmys for it. And they.

[Darius Butler]

Visual experience.

[Pat McAfee]

Yeah.

[Ty Schmidt]

Bingo.

[Pat McAfee]

Yeah. Hey, Shrek, you won an Emmy. Congrats.

[AJ Hawk]

Congrats.

[Pat McAfee]

We talked about you. You joined our show the next day. That was back when even though I assume a lot of people are telling you you should not come on our show, you would come on our show. So we're very thankful for you doing that. Always happened the day after the Emmys, though. I mean, you were pretty hungover. You got pretty banged up after winning the Emmy. In celebrating. That's a massive ordeal in the TV world. We're trying to understand this legitimately every year because we watch people that we have a lot of respect for get bummed out for not winning them. And I'm always just like, hey, you have an audience. You've had a job for 30 years. Like, that's the award. Like, I think that is in our eyes. But we don't come from the TV world at all. None of us probably thought we were going to be doing this. So it's like we're trying to understand it. It's a big deal. And does this, like, how legacies are made through these things? Is that why you got so excited?

[Darius Butler]

I think it definitely. It feels like to be recognized. It's pretty cool. Now, the ratings are one thing and the celebrities, all this stuff. But when the people who vote on the Emmys actually deem you as one of those guys, it's pretty cool. Now I haven't been since I won that Emmy. The night is eternally long.

[Pat McAfee]

It is a lot of awards.

[Darius Butler]

Four hours. I think 59 awards are given.

[Shams Charania]

Damn.

[Darius Butler]

And I wouldn't say winning an Emmy has done anything that's going to change the way I look at things. But that night, it's a really cool experience.

[Pat McAfee]

It feels like European nation. You've done good.

[Darius Butler]

Yeah. And to see, like, all right. Because we at Good Morning Football had kind of a show that.

[Pat McAfee]

A hell of a run.

[Darius Butler]

Hell of a run on that show. Love that show. Indianapolis has been great to our show, Good Morning Football. And it was. We were always like, here's how football shows are done. And we were like, let's flip it on its head. And do it a little differently and let's kind of zig when everyone else is zagging. So to be recognized was really cool. But I think it's a travesty that this show hasn't won anything.

[Ty Schmidt]

Well, that's what. That's what I was gonna say. Like, with it being four hours long, if I put any kind of mental capacity into it, halfway through the show, if we didn't win, I'd leave. I'd be so pissed. I wouldn't be able to.

[Darius Butler]

Dan Patrick show. And I don't know the relationship between, like, those guys get nominated every year and they lose.

[Pat McAfee]

I love. We love. Dan Patrick's been good.

[Darius Butler]

Those guys have been great, and they lose every year. Best Daily Show. And I'm like. In my head, I'm like, at some point, like, I saw.

[Boston Connor]

Se was pissed.

[Pat McAfee]

No, I don't think that.

[Darius Butler]

I think they joke about.

[Pat McAfee]

They said they were honored to be nominated. Nominated. Which. That made me think, like, you guys have been, like, the standard in this world for so long and have had an audience for so long and a job for so long and have set narratives in sports for so long, it's like. It feels like that's an award, you know, that's why whenever I see people get, like, so pumped up for it, I'm like, all right, I gotta understand what this is. I think it, like, legitimizes legacies. It's like, you know, it's how people view it.

[Shams Charania]

Who votes?

[Darius Butler]

That's the thing. It's a mysterious blob of people that vote. I think it's producers around different networks, and I'm sure someone at ESPN can tell us who does it, but it's more of the traditional, I think, guys who've been in the truck, guys who put on events. It definitely is the biggest night in sports media because everyone's there. So when you see a Scott Van Pelt or you see, you know, a Bob Costas, or you see even, like.

[Pat McAfee]

Oh, and Charles, right? Charles won the big.

[Darius Butler]

But I'll tell you what.

[Pat McAfee]

Congrats, Jen.

[Darius Butler]

Our guy Orlovsky was nominated. And I'm telling Dan. I'm like, that's a huge. He did for on air.

[Pat McAfee]

That's his thing.

[Darius Butler]

That's what he's known for.

[Ty Schmidt]

Easy with art.

[Pat McAfee]

That's not what he's known for. He. He's known for a lot of other stuff, but he certainly has your guy. Maybe he's certainly foreign oil, but, you.

[Darius Butler]

Know, Dan got nominated numerous times. He lost to Charles Barkley, and Dan Was bummed. He's texting me. He's like, I want to win. I'm like, I get it, bro. But like, Charles Barkley, like that there is no shit, but you're a competitor and you want to win. And so Orlovsky was genuinely bummed out that he didn't be Barkley. I'm like, that's why you're good, Dan, because you want to get to that.

[Pat McAfee]

Dan's gonna win. That Dan.

[Darius Butler]

Let's go.

[Ty Schmidt]

Barkley's dominated.

[Pat McAfee]

Yeah. As long as Charles Barkley's on a microphone, I think everybody else should probably just understand what's going on here. Have a little self awareness. You're talking about a guy that could say anything about anything and it'd be good somehow. Charles Barkley get back to you yet? Charles Barkley has a gift of not answering phone calls in here. Huh?

[Darius Butler]

Has he returned?

[Pat McAfee]

No, he hasn't, I don't think.

[Shams Charania]

Had a good serve.

[Pat McAfee]

Nothing. Not a single thing.

[Boston Connor]

He's making the turn at Gray Eagle right now, so maybe.

[Pat McAfee]

Good course. It's a good course.

[Boston Connor]

It is a nice course.

[Pat McAfee]

All right. As we wrap up here from Indianapolis, Indiana in excitement for game four of the Eastern Conference finals tonight here at game, we can't help but say thank you so much to the Pacers for letting us be out here, be a part of this, Feel like we're a part of this. To all the people that set this up, I mean, there is a community, a village of people that set all these things up out everywhere we go. Thank you so much for your efforts out here in the middle of a parking basketball court in the middle of the city. Shout out. Barcode. New haircut. Shout out.

[AJ Hawk]

Looks good.

[Pat McAfee]

Barcode. New haircut. Shout out. Scott with the gym's back. Scott with the gym is back. We missed him at WrestleMania.

[Boston Connor]

Yep.

[Pat McAfee]

It's great to see you back, Scott. You've had some great shots, good aerial views, good sweeping views of the buildings down here in beautiful Indianapolis, Indiana. If you've never been here, you should come.

[Darius Butler]

Gotta come.

[Pat McAfee]

We love hosting people. 400,000 plus came for the Indy 500 tonight. A bunch of big city slickers, coastal elitists, will be here for game four. We love sports and we're incredibly lucky that we, as a group of stooges, get to talk about it every single day. Be a friend. Tell a friend something nice. It might change their life. We continue on digital. Nailed it. I think so. I could see it was a little different. Okay, so we just hit it. Yeah, just hit that thank you, thank you. Real host stuff. Real host. Put that up for an Emmy right there. Boom. Hitting the clock. I miss it. 2 out of 3 times. 2 out of 3 times. I miss it. The police support me. All right. Hey, shout out to you guys.

[Shams Charania]

Hell, yeah.

[Pat McAfee]

Yeah, I can't get down there. My wire. I can't undo my. No, I actually throw that thing.

[Shams Charania]

Hell, yeah.

[Pat McAfee]

Hold on, hold on.

[Boston Connor]

Great mustache.

[Ty Schmidt]

Oh, yeah. Great stash.

[Pat McAfee]

We should do this. We should do this with people.

[Ty Schmidt]

I'm Knicks fan.

[AJ Hawk]

You're kind of properly jocked.

[Pat McAfee]

All right, buddy. Great mustache. Properly jocked. You were over there with the Staten island boys. Are you from Staten Island? New Jersey. Okay, you're from New Jersey. You're a big time Knicks fan. Big time Knicks fan. What's your name?

[Darius Butler]

Chris Boyle.

[Pat McAfee]

Chris Boyle. I don't want to out you too much if you don't want to. Obviously, Jersey does what Jersey does. What is your profession? I'm a police officer. Okay. Thank you for your service, sir. I appreciate that. How long have you been a cop?

[Darius Butler]

Eight years.

[Pat McAfee]

Eight years. Thank you. Thank you for that. How old are you? 31. Okay, nice. Well, keep doing what you're doing. We appreciate the hell out of you. This is the crew here. D.C. yes, sir. DC. You're from DC Jersey. But I'm a DC cop. Oh, she worked in downtown. The Capitol. Yes, sir. Oh, we've seen some things. I've. I've been in some things.

[AJ Hawk]

Were you at AJ's birthday party?

[Pat McAfee]

AJ? Hawk had a birthday party there, January 6th.

[Hans Perez]

I might have seen him in there.

[Pat McAfee]

Yeah, I was there all day. It wasn't fun. Thank you for your service.

[Ty Schmidt]

Working.

[Pat McAfee]

Yeah.

[Darius Butler]

Relax, guys.

[Pat McAfee]

Hold on.

[AJ Hawk]

He was wearing a moose head.

[Pat McAfee]

Yeah. You were a Viking. Were you a Viking? Okay. Yeah. All right. Okay. We're. Appreciate you for your service. Good luck to your Knicks. How do you genuinely feel about it? You're a cop. Don't lie. I love it. I love serving every day. Now, let's talk about the New York Knicks today. Oh, I mean, Jalen Brunson's the savior, you know, Francisco Lindor. Shout out the Mets. You. We're good.

[Darius Butler]

Knicks in six.

[Pat McAfee]

Nixon, six. All right, well, good luck. Okay. Jesus. All right. That's a good thing. Nice to meet you, man. Thank you for your service, buddy. Yeah. Hell, yeah. Very smooth there with the. Thank you.

[Shams Charania]

You with that.

[Pat McAfee]

Very smooth with the DAP there. All right. He's a D.C. cop. Metropolitan Police.

[Ty Schmidt]

He was there January 6th.

[AJ Hawk]

You guys can never take anything seriously, huh? Everything's a Joke to you guys.

[Pat McAfee]

He's working all day.

[Ty Schmidt]

He was there all day. He kind of. It was iffy on.

[Pat McAfee]

It's a wild conversation I'm trying to deal with that convo is 20 years from now.

[Peter Schrager]

Yeah.

[Pat McAfee]

There's a lot of stuff about that stuff. Happy. Everybody's okay. Well, except for that was Lost Alive, obviously. Recipe piece. But like, wild day in the history.

[Boston Connor]

Yes.

[Pat McAfee]

And he was right in the middle of that. Let alone that. Think about all the other things.

[Boston Connor]

Oh, yeah.

[Pat McAfee]

3Am, 4am I watch House of Cards. Bingo.

[Ty Schmidt]

Yeah.

[Pat McAfee]

Yeah, I know what that guy knows.

[Boston Connor]

Yeah, exactly.

[Shams Charania]

It's a TV show.

[Pat McAfee]

Yeah.

[AJ Hawk]

Based on a true story.

[Shams Charania]

It's fake.

[Pat McAfee]

House of Cards.

[Hans Perez]

Yeah.

[Shams Charania]

It's fake.

[AJ Hawk]

Based on eyes.

[Boston Connor]

Art imitates life.

[Ty Schmidt]

Yeah. You ever seen Shogun?

[Pat McAfee]

All right, let's talk about art imitating life. Mission Impossible. Final Reckoning. Huge weekend, right? Con man.

[Ty Schmidt]

Yeah. Massive. Over 100 million. I believe it's the biggest weekend in the history of Memorial Day. Great start for the summer of movies here. And of course, TC's leading the way. He released a thank you this morning because he knows, just like everybody, the movies will never die. And he is the one who saved the movies. But massive for Mission Impossible. Everyone tweeting as well. I saw one of the best movies they've ever seen. I mean, basically, what we thought was going to happen happened this week and expect this movie to get over a billion shregs.

[Pat McAfee]

Are you a Mission guy? I am.

[Darius Butler]

I'm a huge Ethan Hunt Mission Impossible fan. I have to tell you, the Pat McAfee fan in me was geeking out last Wednesday for you guys to have Tom Cruise on the show. And then we're doing a good interview. It's like, this could be anywhere. This could be on any network. It's great.

[Pat McAfee]

Then he.

[Darius Butler]

Then he's like, my guy, Ty. He's like, oh, I know Ty. And I, like, fell off my chair.

[Pat McAfee]

I'm so excited for Ty. He's like, I know. Ty.

[Darius Butler]

Hey, Ty. What's up, Ty? I'm like, what is going on? But, yeah. Unbelievable.

[Pat McAfee]

Okay. We asked you.

[Darius Butler]

Yeah.

[Pat McAfee]

Do you think actual or do you think he was prepped right before he got on? And he's so smart, right? He has to memorize 100,000 lines a year, seemingly doing five different movies. He's got a great brain. Do you think Tom Cruise knew program? Do you think Tom Cruise was prepped right before he went on?

[Darius Butler]

I'm going to like. I like to believe, so I'm going to say he's a fan. He's a viewer of the show. He watches. He thinks a lot about the guys and he knew who Ty was.

[Pat McAfee]

Okay. We were thinking that too. We're going to keep that in our minds.

[Ty Schmidt]

That's the world I want.

[Pat McAfee]

Okay. And was he eating popcorn in that video?

[Darius Butler]

That was a very odd way to eat popcorn. But I would never question.

[Pat McAfee]

Sounds like you weren't.

[Darius Butler]

It was a strange.

[AJ Hawk]

I only ate popcorn this weekend that way.

[Pat McAfee]

It was awesome.

[AJ Hawk]

He's so much better than normal.

[Pat McAfee]

I mean.

[Ty Schmidt]

Sorry. Tom Cruise isn't a normal guy. Yeah, he eats popcorn like he's a good guy. Cuz he is this.

[Darius Butler]

I. I have never eaten popcorn this way.

[AJ Hawk]

You should try. It's awesome.

[Pat McAfee]

You're not Tom Cruise.

[Ty Schmidt]

Straight bingo.

[Shams Charania]

Greatest act of his generation. I think he's takes as a challenge to sit, you know, 36 inches from a guy and just fool him. Like yeah, his popcorn. I mean he's watching, taking a picture. Like it's full of.

[Pat McAfee]

Superstar of all time.

[Darius Butler]

How cool is it for you though, honestly, like to break the fourth wall. I'm watching it just on my tv freaking out. Are you. Are you guys losing your.

[Pat McAfee]

I thought it was a rib. Thought it was a rib. Thought it wasn't happening.

[Darius Butler]

Yeah.

[Pat McAfee]

So like had had like Fosso found email, starts banging. It starts pounding it around a little bit. Banging a banging a boom with about a boat. You know, emails. Pow, pow, pow. This is potentially happening. Is there a thought? Then his team and then movie team respond and it's like, wait a second. I think we're cooking with gas here. These are potentially dumb people. But also could be fake. It's 2025. Could be talking to anybody. I think I potentially have been talking to Latrell Spiro, but I have no idea.

[Peter Schrager]

You.

[Darius Butler]

I got. I got texted by Latrell.

[Pat McAfee]

Is it actually. Is it him? Okay. Is it him? I don't know.

[Ty Schmidt]

I don't know.

[Shams Charania]

I'm on Twitter.

[Darius Butler]

Follow me. With respect. Did you get the same thing?

[Pat McAfee]

Yeah. And he's posting all these photos of himself on Twitter. That is him.

[Shams Charania]

I don't know.

[Darius Butler]

I got a text on my actual phone number.

[Pat McAfee]

Is that Lat Sprell? I do not know. Oh, all of us are having conversations with the TR Spell. That might not be Latron Sp.

[Boston Connor]

Okay, good to know.

[Pat McAfee]

So this. Which leads it back to the Tom Cruiser. Random conversations.

[Darius Butler]

I told my friends. I'm like, yo, so free. Just free. Just texting me.

[Pat McAfee]

I ride spinners. I ride spinners. They don't stop. Yeah. For Latrell Spreeroll created those. Yes, I. I'm the same way. So maybe we are, maybe we're not, who knows? But same type of situation happening with the Tom Cruise situation. So that whenever he finally pops up on the screen, that was like the first time we really thought it was going to happen. And then he talks for us, talks to us for 35 minutes. It was supposed to be 10 to 15 minutes. Clear. All parties agreed to that, myself included.

[Boston Connor]

Yeah.

[Pat McAfee]

Yep, absolutely. Then he gives his first answer. It's two minute answer.

[Ty Schmidt]

Yeah.

[Pat McAfee]

And it was like, wait a minute. So if we're only doing 10 minutes, this is like three questions. That's not gonna happen. So we, to be clear, 100% unprofessional. Wow. Never win one of those awards you're talking about. It's 14 minutes into that thing and Zito, myself, Foxy and everybody in the back are having a conversation while he's giving an answer. And we're getting texts and it's like, I think this is supposed to be over. And Zito's like, yup, just got a text or whatever from Foss, who got a text from their people or whatever. And then I get a text from Foss and we're trying to figure out what to do. And literally he was like, well, this might be the last time ever. Probably last time ever. That was a good fucking question. And we got to get this in. And if he would have hated it, I think he would have gave us clues. Yep.

[Darius Butler]

He would have given you a three word answer. Said, all right, fellas, thanks.

[Pat McAfee]

Boom. I think he would have given us. Yeah. But 35 minutes he was in. And then what nobody will talk about enough is afterwards. He gave me a seven, six and a half minute max master class of acting.

[Shams Charania]

Crazy.

[Pat McAfee]

Like crazy crazy.

[Darius Butler]

Is that the one you posted when.

[Pat McAfee]

You did not post this? Different. I don't know if this will ever see the light of day. Because we told him it was off air.

[Shams Charania]

Yeah.

[Pat McAfee]

So we would have to get him to definitely approve of it. And I don't know. I don't know how that would all go.

[Ty Schmidt]

Too much game, dude.

[Pat McAfee]

It's the entire acting game. Just gave it to me. This is how he views it.

[Darius Butler]

Did it inspire you?

[Pat McAfee]

Yes. Yes. One million percent. Yeah. Yeah, it is. I thought to myself, I don't have enough time, I don't think, to do all the stuff that I'm supposed to be doing. Holy shit. Or the brain capacity. But it feels like this is how you do it. And if somebody gives you A blueprint on how to do something, and they've been the best in the world. It's like, oh, we should do that. And that's like, he just broke it down. And then immediately afterwards, he's like, all right, see you guys later. So, like, what he did for us with how long he stayed, how many answers he gave, what he talked about, what he's willing to talk about, and then afterwards, breaking down something I know nothing about in a way that only he could. It was like, my respect for Tom Cruise is this guy's an anomaly. Yeah.

[Darius Butler]

I love when he's referencing his movies and he's like, Samurai. Like, he just names him by, like, one word. He's like, well, when we did Samurai, I love Last Samurai Jacked up.

[Pat McAfee]

Peter. When he called it Mission, I think a lot of people. Okay, that's what we're calling. Okay. It's the entire Mission series is how he views it. And then him thinking whenever we. I think Connor asked him about the nostalgia of it wrapping up after 30 years. All the mission. Yeah, I got, like, four movies going on right now.

[Darius Butler]

I got no time to be nostalgic. Like, we. We finished this, and then we did the subtitles in Japanese in three and three days.

[Ty Schmidt]

I'm like, a day before the premiere.

[AJ Hawk]

Unbelievable crazy talk on three scripts.

[Darius Butler]

I don't mean to. I gotta ask you, though. Like, Tom Cruise is the top. Top. Like, is there anyone else in the Pat MC that you would want to have on that?

[Pat McAfee]

I know they would have to say that. I don't know.

[Peter Schrager]

Cruz.

[Shams Charania]

Just gotta manifest.

[Ty Schmidt]

Manifest.

[Pat McAfee]

I'll get. I'll get tweets from people that watch the show. Show, and they're like, you should think about, blah, blah, blah. And it's somebody massive that I would never think about. I assume it would be Lou Messi would be a big deal.

[Shams Charania]

Michael Jordan.

[Pat McAfee]

Yeah, Michael Jordan would be. He's getting the media.

[Shams Charania]

Yeah.

[Pat McAfee]

I like that Michael Jordan's getting into media. I like that we're going to hear his thoughts as opposed to.

[Ty Schmidt]

Oh, Bradley Cooper a second time.

[Darius Butler]

Bradley Cooper. The day after the super bowl is an amazing booking.

[Pat McAfee]

Thank you. He gave a good speech, motivated the boys to go win the Super Bowl. Yeah, we're very lucky.

[AJ Hawk]

Brad Pitt for F1, maybe.

[Darius Butler]

Brad. F1 movie.

[Pat McAfee]

All these conversations we have with people we view as very stupid because we started in a basement in this city. We're very lucky to kind of have the road that we have. We've been in the back of a box truck with no service. We've been in middle of nowhere trying to figure out a show. Azito production has taken us around the country and got us on air so many different times. And the people that have shown up here are like some, I assume some of the people that have supported us since the very beginning. And it's like to have LeBron travel early to Indianapolis to stop by and swing by and talk to us. Crazy. Like absolutely crazy that it's happened. Tom Cruise coming on, crazy. Even Bubba Watson being like, yeah, would love to swing by before doing. It's like crazy. It's Ryan Smith, the owner of the Utah Jazz, comes in for a Pacer game.

[AJ Hawk]

Vince Vaughn, when he came on.

[Pat McAfee]

Vince Vaughn. Yeah. Like, all this shit's insane. And every time I want everybody to know this, as soon as it's over, like, you're getting city. We just talked about how stupid that was. Yeah, like, that is so stupid.

[Darius Butler]

You get it? That's what I mean. This is your self aware. And I'll also add this, the stuff for like Hans the firefighter.

[Pat McAfee]

Hans Perez, our dog.

[Darius Butler]

I'll tell you what, though, there's a lot of crap on sports TV and a lot of different networks and it's just. It's just like. That's a cool moment. That's cool. You guys are creating moments.

[Pat McAfee]

Oh, come on. Hey, here's to the great city of Indianapolis, Indiana, which you love. People home. Thank you all for tuning in today. Eight o' clock tonight, Knicks Pacers. Pacers favored by two and a half as a legend named Jim Kelly stumbles in here to the Morris Bicentennial Plaza. Over there in the black hat, white shirt, absolute dog, massive New York Knick fan. Not allowed to act like that tonight because he will be working. Better keep his mouth shut. Beat his ass. Better keep his mouth shut. There's some special people coming into this game tonight. There's a lot of special things that happen in. In this city. We're lucky to call it home. Thank you for hanging out with us in the middle of the day. Thank you for watching. Good luck to all parties tonight. We'll be back tomorrow. Shregs, you're the man for hanging out. I love it. Shams. Thank you. Pacers. Thank you. Everybody back in the truck. Great work and let's enjoy the hell out of this city. Be a friend. Tell a friend something nice. It might change their life. We're in this thing together. Team on me. Team on three. One, two, three, two. Goodbye.