PMS 2.0 1555 - PGA Championship Recap, Adam Schefter, Mike Tirico, Erik Johnson, Shams Charania, Darius Butler, & AJ Hawk

Summary

The Pat McAfee Show 2.0 #1555

May 18, 2026

Theme: Sports Overload — PGA Recap, NFL Bombshells, and NBA/NHL Playoffs
Host: Pat McAfee
Guests: Adam Schefter, Mike Tirico, Erik Johnson, Shams Charania, Darius Butler, AJ Hawk
Core Panel: Toxic Table (Connor, Ty, Gump), Tone Diggs

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Episode Overview

This jam-packed “Overreaction Monday” episode is classic PM Show, with Pat McAfee and crew diving into the chaos and excitement of the latest sports headlines. They celebrate the drama of NBA and NHL playoffs, break down the blockbuster Aaron Rodgers/Pittsburgh Steelers deal, revel in historic PGA moments, preview upcoming Western Conference finals, give major props to Shams for NBA scoops, and pepper in trademark humor. The group is joined by insiders and legendary voices—Adam Schefter, Mike Tirico, Erik Johnson, and Shams Charania—for exclusive insight, stories, and real talk.

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Key Segments & Insights

Opening Banter

[00:00-01:25]

• Pat kicks off with the huge sports slate: NHL Game 7 (Canadiens vs Sabres), NBA Game 7 recap (Cavs vs Pistons blowout), and looks ahead to the hotly anticipated Spurs vs OKC Western Finals matchup (Wemby vs SGA).
• Historical note: First Cavs appearance in ECF without LeBron since early 1990s.

Memorable Quote:
“Two best words in series, Game Seven... and smacking them around.” — Pat McAfee [00:24]

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NBA Insiders — Leaks, MVPs, and Journalism

[03:07-06:16]

• Pat and Toxic Table debate the integrity and tradition of MVP leaks before the official NBA announcement, grilling Shams Charania on breaking news etiquette after Shams posted SGA’s back-to-back MVP scoop.
• Ripple effect: Social media firestorm, with Pat poking at Blake Griffin’s criticism of Shams.

Notable Exchange:
Pat (about Shams):
“He should have his moment, when the MVP is announced not through a Twitter account. Is that what you're saying?” [04:41]

Connor (defending Shams):
“Shams is doing what you're paid to do.” [04:42]

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NFL BOMBSHELL — Aaron Rodgers Signs with Pittsburgh Steelers

[08:16-12:55]

• Adam Schefter joins to flesh out the Rodgers-to-Pittsburgh saga, revealing the deal was always likely—but hinged on Aaron’s late decision to return (1 yr, $22M–$25M with incentives).
• Steelers fans’ mixed emotions: From feeling “hostage” to newfound hope; discussion of Rodgers as mentor for young QBs Will Howard and Drew Aller; Mike McCarthy’s system the glue.

Key Insights:

• Steelers had faith in Will Howard if Rodgers didn’t return; organization’s belief in developing their next long-term QB.
• Reliable reporting vs. the “lose my number, Shefty” meme—narratives follow Rodgers, but his teammates consistently defend him.

Notable Quotes:
“Shefter, you felt like the building... every time we chatted with anybody, it felt like this was inevitable.” — Pat [13:41]

“Almost to a man, the players all wanted Aaron Rodgers back for the season, and they've gotten their wish.” — Adam Schefter [18:19]

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NFL Injury Watch — Patrick Mahomes, Malik Nabers

[21:16-26:04]

• Adam Schefter reports Mahomes “ahead of schedule” in ACL recovery (tore both ACL and LCL 5 months ago), playing golf in Vegas—tempered optimism, but team expects a Week 1 return.
• Malik Nabers (Giants rookie WR) faces “second surgery for Cyclops lesion” — concern over knee/extension, clean-up normal but not ideal; organization “hopeful” for Week 1, but Shefty is cautious.

Notable Quotes:
“It’s hard to imagine he could just step in there right away after such a significant knee injury and pick up where he left off and be as great as he's always been.” — Schefter on Mahomes [22:53]

“The fact that the organization is now saying it's hopeful, it's hopeful that he'll be ready for Week 1... that doesn't give me a lot of hope.” — Schefter on Nabers [25:25]

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NFL Scheduling: Nashville Super Bowl, Minneapolis Draft

[28:44-29:53]

• Nashville a lock for 2030 Super Bowl, Minneapolis for 2028 Draft. Rapid reactions: Nashville’s perfect “hosting city” vibe, weather a variable, but “football gods” will bless the event.

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PGA Championship Recap

[33:07-38:18]

• Panel reacts to Aaron Rai’s historic win—first English major winner since 1919, clinched with a 68-foot putt, two gloves stealing the show.
• Tournament described as dramatic but “snooze fest” by golf purists—most excitement in “saving par” and iron covers.

Quote:
“Right time, right place, right guy—major champion. Two gloves is something!” — Pat [34:25]

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NBA Playoffs Preview — Tirico Live in the House!

[39:16-52:50]

• Mike Tirico joins live from Oklahoma City, buzzing for Wemby vs SGA and Chet Holmgren.
• Discusses psychology of playoff atmospheres, the weight of “setting the tone,” and what makes SGA a generational star: "He was motivated to come back better [after first MVP], and he did."
• SGA and Wemby both described as unicorns; OKC's cast gets immense praise for development and depth.
• Fun detour: Golf glove/putter banter, double glove mania, the new “Spider2Y Banana” putting trend.

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NHL Playoffs Breakdown with Erik Johnson

[68:46-85:29]

• Stanley Cup champ Erik Johnson calls in, provides inside perspective on Sabres-Canadiens Game 7 (“Montreal hasn’t lost two in a row in almost 30 games”).
• Analysis on why home ice means less: young teams play looser on the road.
• Fun bits: “Big Horny” hockey nickname origins; importance of golf trips, chili lager sponsorship, and behind-the-scenes stories of stick curves and rules.

Quote
“My golf game is like my abs — they are there, you just cannot see it.” — Erik Johnson [68:59]

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Shams Charania on NBA Breaking News & the Giannis Situation

[96:10-103:10]

• Shams defends his MVP ‘scoop’ philosophy:
  “When I get news, 100%, no matter how big, my job is to report it.” [97:15]
• Update on Giannis: Bucks “open for business,” interested teams include Celtics, Miami, T-Wolves, Lakers, Knicks. No deals imminent, but “both sides know it’s time to move on.”
• Latest on LeBron: “Every contender has called; expectation is he’ll play one more year. Lakers still favored, but nothing decided.”
• Shams: “I’m 32, but I feel like I’m 52 in basketball.” [99:23]

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Around the Horn (Rapid Fire Segments)

Fun & Absurd Sports Tangents

• Live reactions to schedule, golf course debates, Steel Curtain/Kennywood coaster ride stories, country music awards afterparty with Riley Green, and “banana ball” fever (Savannah Bananas tour; family baseball fun at its best).
• Extensive animal banter: elephants at the studio, Gorilla “Little Joe” update, and more.

Social/Pop Culture Crossover

• American Gladiators re-boot with The Miz critiquing Detroit fans, Foxy jibes, and the Motor City Massacre narrative.
• Johnny Manziel vs Bob Menery MMA fight hype.
• Pat and crew riff on current internet/social media phenomena: aliens, memes, and sports crossovers.
• Shams cold-called as The Alien Insider ("Is Shams Nordic?").

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Most Memorable Quotes & Moments

• “I think 'Big Horny' is going to stick.” — Multiple, after Erik Johnson’s nickname tale [81:41]
• On double gloves in golf:
  “Two gloves is something…Now people…give it a go.” — Connor [34:56]
• “How about you and Gruden design a putter, call it Spider2Y Banana?” — Tirico [48:29]
• “Ladies and gentlemen, Stanley cup champion, don't ever forget it…Ask God over Big Horny.” — Pat [87:31]
• The Miz: "You would think the NBA would figure out a way to do a mercy rule to save teams from embarrassment on national TV in their house." [164:52]
• Shams: “My job is to report the news...I feel responsibility.” [97:15]
• Pat (re: Aaron Rodgers): “All the players wanted him back — and they've gotten their wish.”

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Major Timestamps for Important Segments

• 00:00 — Show open, Game 7 talk, NBA/NHL setup
• 13:40 — Adam Schefter on Aaron Rodgers-Steelers & Steelers QB room
• 21:16 — Mahomes (ACL), NFL Injury Reports
• 28:44 — Nashville/Minneapolis event news
• 33:07 — PGA Championship Recap
• 39:16 — Mike Tirico live for NBA West Finals
• 68:46 — Stanley Cup/NHL Playoff Preview w/ Erik Johnson
• 96:10 — Shams on SGA MVP leak & Giannis trade talk
• 110:52 — NBA playoff preview: Spurs vs Thunder, injury updates
• 135:13 — Bull riding, PBR, and McConaughey bull-rider tangent
• 143:55 — Banter on Banana Ball/Savannah Bananas
• 148:02 — Roller coaster stories (Steel Curtain/Kennywood)
• 159:06 — Johnny Manziel/MMA celebrity fight talk
• 163:23 — The Miz Detroit/Cleveland beef video

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Takeaways & Vibe

High-energy, fast-paced, and overstuffed with opinions, drama, and personality, this episode is a must for anyone trying to keep up with all corners of the sports universe. The group covers everything from micro-analyzing league news and insider drama to relishing in the quirks that make sports culture great (big hornies, eagle-watching, glove jokes, and all). Expect inside scoops, real sports analysis, and plenty of “only on PM Show” banter and bits.

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This summary covers the episode’s essential topics, big laughs, and exclusive reporting — providing a clear, timestamped road map for any listener (or non-listener) to catch up on ALL the action!

Transcript

[Pat McAfee]

Beautiful people and welcome to our humble abode, the Thunderdome on this massive overreaction. Monday, May 18, 2026. This sports program begins now. Sports are the absolute greatest. And tonight we got a Game 7 in the NHL between the Canadiens and Sabres. And that has been obviously spectacular. Now Game seven last night for the NBA kind of ass. Kind of ass. Congratulations to Donovan Mitchell and the Cleveland Cavaliers got destroyed in two best words in series sp Game seven and smacking them around for four straight quarters and basically taking all the excitement and exhilaration out of a seven game series in one night where they go into Detroit in D town and go ahead and smack them around. Congratulations. First time in his nine years that he's been with the Cavs. Obviously they make it to the Eastern Conference finals. First time without LeBron James that the Cavs have made it to the Eastern Conference finals since like 1990. Something or something like that. So congratulations to the entire city of Cleveland. We got a lot to celebrate over there. Todd Monken's going to bring the Browns. Fudge. Elfie. Fudge.

[Darius Butler]

Brownie the elf.

[Shams Charania]

Brownie.

[Pat McAfee]

Yep.

[Tyler Herro]

The little Keebler elf.

[Gump]

Yep.

[Pat McAfee]

Yeah, the thing does it for the Brown. He's rolling so good for the Cavs. Sucks for Detroit. But we got a Game 7 tonight in the NHL and we got a Game 1 in the Western Conference finals between an alien and an mvp.

[Gump]

Yeah.

[Pat McAfee]

Wemby, sga. Chad Holmgren.

[Adam Schefter]

About.

[Pat McAfee]

About time now. Okay, this is the time for the American alien to kind of do his thing on the biggest stage against a person that is potentially going to take over all of sport over the next five years because of how tall he is, obviously, how dynamic he is and what he has done to basketball as a whole. Alongside a cast of characters that understand what their deal is. This spurs team obviously incredibly tough. The Oklahoma City team, wildly deep. This is a dynasty run that they're in the middle of. And SGA is now just getting comfortable winning MVPs. He's got gifts for all the boys just on deck. Here's Rollies. Here's a bunch of this. Here's this going on. The Oklahoma City Thunder team is very comfortable with who they are. They know who they are. They're an MVP team. They're a championship team. Can they through this alien? It starts tonight. This is gigantic. Tonight is going to be a battle of the Goliaths. I know the NBA playoffs have obviously been spectacular. Up and to the right. There's been some blowouts like last night, how Detroit let us all down so bad. And that entire thing. But this is kind of what we've all been looking forward to on the west here. Spurs in this young team, upstart team that has a guy that has never been seen before, taking on a team that is basically doing it in their own way. I mean they're, they got a lot of pizzazz in this Oklahoma City team. I'm seeing a lot of dancing from that off the court. They got the most pizzazz an inch. And they, they smack people around.

[Gump]

Yeah.

[Connor McGovern]

Crush them.

[Pat McAfee]

I mean, they beat the out of these people. So congrats to them. Cannot wait to watch that tonight. It'll be on NBC. Joining us today in about 28 minutes or so. Mike Tico, really nice chat with him. Shefter will be joining us here in a matter of moments. Eric Johnson, Stanley cup winner, formerly of the Avalanche, 18 years in the NHL. Will join us in a second hour obviously, because massive night tonight. And then Sham Sharania will join us in a second hour to talk about the integrity of reporting.

[Tyler Herro]

Yeah.

[Pat McAfee]

And what he needs to be doing and he needs not to be doing.

[Connor McGovern]

Sure.

[Pat McAfee]

That's right. Has the MVP been leaked by an NBA insider? Basically every year for the last hundred years?

[Connor McGovern]

No chance.

[Pat McAfee]

No. That's where you'd be wrong.

[Connor McGovern]

No way that's ever freaking happened.

[Pat McAfee]

I think it has happened before.

[Connor McGovern]

Nope.

[Pat McAfee]

I don't know. We'll find out. He is senior NBA insider. I don't know how you get this information. Okay, who won? I think it's from like a accounting fir. The people that do it. Ernst and Young. Yeah, that's right. Aren't they the ones that. He won't give us the sources, but we will ask him directly. How'd you find out? And if he did find out, isn't that his job? I don't know. But some people say it's not your job.

[Connor McGovern]

No, it's disgust.

[Gump]

Not for that one.

[Pat McAfee]

We'll find out. We'll see what Shams has to say. Blake Griffin certainly didn't enjoy what he

[Connor McGovern]

did to Amazon and he dunked on his ass.

[Adam Schefter]

Yes.

[Pat McAfee]

Like he did that fucking Kia way back in the day. I remember those days. Now, if Amazon had an insider, do they have an insider? They got a lot of people on payroll over there doing NBA. Right. I think that's the show.

[Darius Butler]

They wouldn't have broke you though.

[Pat McAfee]

You don't think so?

[Darius Butler]

No. Why would they?

[Pat McAfee]

Nine year NFL vet Darius J. Butler. Because I think that's what insiders do. Like they get news and they got to get it out like that. That's kind of the gimmick.

[Darius Butler]

Last game on prime, but you know Shams, he don't. He doesn't care.

[Connor McGovern]

Yeah. Can't be doing your job, man.

[Pat McAfee]

Yeah, well, one that's a toxic table at boss of Connor, great to see you.

[Connor McGovern]

Good to see you too.

[Pat McAfee]

I like you taking up for the people that are saying, shams, you're despicable for this entire thing. As if Seams created this game. Okay. Of getting information and releasing it. I do understand. He should have his moment. Son, when the MVP is announced not through a Twitter account. Is that what you're saying?

[Connor McGovern]

I'm just saying Shams are doing what

[Pat McAfee]

you're paid to do.

[Connor McGovern]

How dare you, you son of a bitch. Why don't you just slow down, okay? It's Sunday. You know, I kind of liked what Blake Griffin said. Hey, Shams go to brunch. Little does Blake Griffin know, Shams only eats lunch. So that's kind of one of those things that doesn't really.

[Pat McAfee]

He doesn't do it together.

[Connor McGovern]

He doesn't do breakfast. He doesn't do the in between the brunch. He only does lunch. That was one of the dumbest conversations I feel like I've seen on Twitter in a lot or X in a long, long time. And then people came out and basically said, hey, the MVP has been broken all the time. Every single year since. Since 1980.

[Darius Butler]

You didn't know Dirk was going to win it?

[Pat McAfee]

Hey, they're put. Yeah, well, actually, Steve, no. Yeah, we actually did. Do we? I believe there was an article like a week ahead of time, actually, that was written about it. Not even like day of week. And in wo. She's getting active on X again. I see him. Is he coming back in? Because I think his college team sucks. Yeah.

[Tyler Herro]

Bonnie's aren't great.

[Pat McAfee]

They're kind of ass, right?

[Gump]

Yeah.

[Pat McAfee]

Now, I knew he was selling those phones.

[Tyler Herro]

Yep.

[Pat McAfee]

Is he picking those things back up? Because I saw him start to tweet a little bit. He started. He started getting anxious. I need to support somebody. I need. I need to do something here. I need to get back into the game. And maybe you see Sean's doing this and maybe wo. Just like he's doing my game right now. Okay, I break the MVP news. Naj, is there about to be a resurgence back?

[Darius Butler]

What do you have to be junior?

[Pat McAfee]

No.

[Darius Butler]

Yeah, I work his way up.

[Pat McAfee]

Wow. Wow. Yeah. I don't know. We'll certainly find that out. Shams. Shams needs to explain himself, though. I'm Disgusted that he's going to come on here and have to explain himself. 18 million views. Sean, pursue. I think I'm doing okay now. Is that right though? We're just running?

[Gump]

It's not.

[Connor McGovern]

I don't think so.

[Pat McAfee]

Anyways, none of that matters tonight. Western conference finals in the NBA Alien Shay cannot wait for it. Let's never lose the fact that at 8:30 tonight we have a chance to watch something that might be the beginning of something absolutely legendary for like the next 10 years potentially in the west. Who knows what all the other storylines are going to be. Obviously Luca in La LeBron. So we all feel the same way. What's that concert he's playing but he's not going to be at the Lakers.

[Connor McGovern]

Yeah, yeah.

[Pat McAfee]

That's how we all feel.

[Tyler Herro]

Oh, going back to Cleveland, Is that how you feel?

[Pat McAfee]

No, I did not know.

[Gump]

I didn't know that.

[Darius Butler]

I didn't know.

[Pat McAfee]

One half of the Hammer cowboys ap Tone and the other half of the talk stay with tax maker to have you back.

[Tyler Herro]

Thank you. Good to be back. Good to be back.

[Pat McAfee]

Congratulations. Obviously celebrate your family adding and I assume it's just very casual and calm for the last couple weeks. So we appreciate you joining us. It's great to have you back.

[Connor McGovern]

Yeah.

[Tyler Herro]

Hey, no, it's good to be back. And that is the one thing that you kind of miss be not only is it just weird kind of living your life in two to three hour increments. Not used to doing that. We're like kind of nothing really matters until you have to feed the baby next. So I miss, you know, some of this stuff. But it is nice because this morning, you know, when we're talking about the Shams thing, typically you'd be like, you know what, I don't care. I don't care at all. But I was like, you know what, I've kind of.

[Shams Charania]

I've been back in the saddle for a while.

[Tyler Herro]

You go ahead and put me on the list. I'm pissed. I don't like it. I don't like it. I think it's that Choms did that. I just needed something to kind of get my juice, try to get back into the flow of things and just a gift from the gods. Shams being an doing his job. I don't care. Do it somewhere else.

[Pat McAfee]

Welcome back.

[Tyler Herro]

So it's good to be back.

[Pat McAfee]

It's good to have you. I'm excited for you and Choms to have an interaction. Sean certainly saw what you just said right there and he goes, hi, my guy. Come On, Come on, new D. He'll do all that stuff. It is great to have you back. We appreciate the hell out of you tonight. Should be incredible also. Huge news. Ty, I think you'll be intrigued by this. Do you remember what you saw when Big Mike McCarthy and Aaron Rodgers were dawning that beautiful green on helmet out there in Lambeau? Whenever you were growing up watching the good old days.

[Shams Charania]

That's right.

[Tyler Herro]

It was a good old days.

[Pat McAfee]

The west coast offense, offense going crazy. Aaron Slice and Dyson Lambeau alive. The Green Bay packers traveling the world. I mean it was. Yeah, you're right. I completely forget. That was the beginning of these days. Double check. Oh my God.

[Connor McGovern]

Rogers.

[Pat McAfee]

Rogers.

[Connor McGovern]

Yeah, right there.

[Pat McAfee]

Those are good old days. Well, guess what? They picked up those days and now they're in Pittsburgh. Aaron Rodgers officially signed. It's a huge deal. Obviously because we had been waiting. I think the world had been waiting. Yinzers had certainly been waiting. Whenever we went back to Pittsburgh for the draft, Tone Diggs went around town, talked to all his old friends, every different generation and it seemed like there was a unanimous thought around Pittsburgh which was if this guy, I don't want to play for the Steelers, tell them to get the hell out of town. We don't care. Okay, see you later. People were getting a little bit upset, a little bit aggravated. For the second off season in a row, they felt as if they were being held hostage by Aaron Rodgers. We're the Pittsburgh Steelers. We are sick of this entire thing. Now as soon as it was announced that Aaron was back in getting some ice cream and thug. Okay, yes, he was. And as soon as it was announced that he signed, every Yinzer was like, got a chance to win now. Got a chance to win now. He signs for 22 to 23 million incentives. Up to 25 million. I assume win a Super bowl, you'll get all the way up there. There's going to be some interesting stuff that's going to have to happen in quarterback room. Obviously Drew Aller is in there, Mason Rudolph's in there, Will Hard's in there. And then obviously Aaron comes back and is a starting quarterback. Phenomenal leader I think for the younger quarterbacks In a Mike McCarthy led offense for Aaron, for them to kind of watch feels like that would be a perfect situation for whoever is the next quarterback. Mason Rudolph intrigued. See how it goes in. Our source says that are at the practice field right now for the OTAs that just started. Aaron, by the way, has not missed anything.

[Tyler Herro]

Nope.

[Pat McAfee]

First voluntary OTA today. He's at it on the field. We got clips from Mark Caboli, boots on the ground, of Aaron stretching and doing his thing around there. But if you're going to go with Drew Aller in the future, if you're going to go with Will Howard in the future or Mason in the future, this would be a pretty perfect person to watch. Kind of operate in a Mike McCarthy system, not just on the field, but also in the meeting rooms where they're tight everywhere. This. This feels like a good thing for the Pittsburgh Steelers fans. I think the injuries are feeling that way. Or no, Tone Diggs, if the goal

[Gump]

is to win football games, this is a good thing. Okay. We've talked about it a lot over the last few years about how they, you know, they hover around that 10 and 7, get into the playoffs, not do well in the playoffs, and they've hovered around that for the last few years. And a lot of people will say that that's where Aaron gets you back to, because that's where they were last year. And it's hard to argue that. But if, if winning, if winning is the goal, which I believe it is in the NFL, and it definitely is for Coach McCarthy and the entire Steelers organization, I think Aaron does give them the best chance. Now, will it keep them in that, you know, limbo for the next however many years that Aaron's going to do this, maybe potentially with next year's class, but if you want to win games, Aaron is the best option.

[Pat McAfee]

Do what? Do. What are you saying?

[Gump]

What do you mean?

[Pat McAfee]

Is he going to continue to do this? D But your thoughts on Aaron Rodgers 25 touchdowns last year. Yeah. And I think everything we've learned about how the Steelers were operating last year, I think we're all impressed that they win a game. Right? Just with everything that had potentially been, it's like, holy hell. How have the Steelers continued to do so well, they got a great defense. We assume that's going to continue. They'll have a good defense. The AFC north always going to be tough. Obviously, we know that. But Aaron Rodgers operating the Mike McCarthy offense, should I be as excited as I am? I'm blindly thinking you're picking me up and dropping me back in 2011. That. That's what I think is happening time ago.

[Darius Butler]

That's a long time ago. And that's the only thing. It's the only reason you wouldn't be excited. Like most people were saying, like, yeah, this gets you in playoff contention, but if you're the Steelers, obviously you want to win a Super Bowl. So that's kind of where you've been hovering around. Just like Tone said. Does this get you excited? As excited as a new free agent sign, a big time trade with a young guy, a new draft pick, a number one overall pick out there in Vegas. No, because you don't have that long Runway out in front. But for this year, with the defense that they have, who are, you know, kind of up there in years, you know, they are high paid, they are good players, made some additions on the offensive side of the ball as well. So, yeah, you should be better than last year. The AFC north is always going to be competitive. It's a new, new chapter over there in Baltimore, Cincinnati, what are they going to do? So, you know, Cleveland, brand new chapter, Cleveland.

[Pat McAfee]

You're right.

[Darius Butler]

You're right. Pro bowl shadow is back as well. So we shall see. But yeah, if I'm a Steelers fan, I feel, I mean, this is something, I feel like all the Steelers fans kind of expected for it to happen. So him being there, not missing anything, I think it will be good.

[Pat McAfee]

I don't think the Steelers fans expected this to happen, but it felt like everybody around the Steelers expected this to happen. You, the fans organization. Yeah, I felt like every time we would ask, he'd be like, hey, who's playing quarterback? Relax. It was kind of what we were told.

[Gump]

We're talking Aaron.

[Pat McAfee]

And it's like, yeah, we would talk to him. There's constant contact, constant communication. It's like, okay, well then how come, like it seems like the fans don't feel that way. We're telling him every time, Rooney's next Tuesday, we'll have an answer. We're talking to him next month, we'll have an answer. And then those days come and go. They kind of put their foots in their mouth, I think publicly in that entire thing. If that was never expected, I'm excited to see how that kind of came to be. But it felt like the building thought inevitable. Cam Hayward even came out was like, it's we're in May.

[Gump]

Okay.

[Pat McAfee]

This guy is old. He knows what he's doing. We're been there. He's there for the first ota. It's good for them. Joining us now is a man who could probably piece together the entire context of how we got to this point, why we got to this point. Ladies and gentlemen, joining us now, senior NFL Insider for espn, Adam Schefter.

[Adam Schefter]

Hello, gentlemen. What's going on?

[Pat McAfee]

Okay, Shefty, you felt like the building. Every time we chatted with anybody from There felt this was inevitable. I don't know who was giving you your information on it all. Was this inevitable from all parties? And is there anything that is kind of. Or was there anything that was kind of holding it back from happening or was it just waiting for the OTAs to start?

[Adam Schefter]

Well, I want to thank Tone for all those tips and information that he provided during this entire process. That was very generous, Tone. Tom broke the news for that. Tom broke the news, the man

[Pat McAfee]

love

[Mike Tirico]

you said on your tweet.

[Adam Schefter]

And so look, this is a process where I think there was always an understanding that the time to circle on the calendar for Aaron to be back was today, the start of the OTAs. And I think this team told him, look, take the time you want, do whatever you need. We'd like you in here, in there for the start of OTAs. And inevitably those conversations picked up. He was back in Pittsburgh about a week and a half ago getting situated. Like, you're not going back to Pittsburgh if you're Aaron Rodgers and you're not intending to play. And then there was the matter of working out the contract, which they did over the weekend, a one year deal worth up to $25 million. So there were the little formalities, none of which, none of which was bigger or more important than Aaron Rodgers ultimately deciding this was in fact what he wanted to do. And I don't know if the team fully was convinced of that until this weekend when he signed off on that end the deal and agreed to come back for the start of the OTAS today. If you remember last year, he didn't show up till June. So by that standard, he's a little bit ahead of schedule right now, showing up in May. But I don't think the team was absolutely in the know until this weekend that he was coming back.

[Pat McAfee]

Okay. Now last year, a very different situation for Aaron, obviously figuring out whether or not he wanted to continue to play, but also had a very close person in his circle that was going through a very, very serious life thing. So I think he felt obligated to be a part of that, take care of that situation before he made any decision for himself. He was open about that. I think Yinzers didn't. Yinzers were cool with hearing that at one point, but also like, hey, need you to either play or not this year. I think there was seemingly no excuse for that type of reasoning from the Yinzer fans. And the reason why you saying the expectation was for him to be always back on this particular day kind of got lost in translation is Because Matt Rooney came out and said well I haven't answered my draft. What answer by this day? Whether they answer by this day. So it was always like fake deadlines seemingly being put public and now it feels like this is, none of this is going to matter whenever they get started. What are expectations here? Because we got Caboli sending us video from practice. I believe Will hired was taking the number two reps behind Aaron Rodgers. What does this mean about the rest of the quarterback room in your eyes? Shefte and they could just be rotating who's getting two reps legit? This is first ota. This could just be a reps thing. But we're just telling you what we are hearing. What does this mean for Mason Rudolph, Drew Aller, Will Howard in your eyes, what are you hearing Schefter?

[Adam Schefter]

Well, what's interesting is is I think the organization is very high on Will Howard and if Aaron Rodgers had decided for whatever reason he wasn't going to come back this season, I think the organization was fully prepared to move forward with Will Howard as its starting quarterback. Now again we haven't seen anything that Will Howard can do in the NFL but they're a big believer in what he brings to the table. Mike McCarthy has had success working with younger quarterbacks who are sharp and and that's Will Howard right now. And by the way, they right or wrong that Mike McCarthy is just the guy to unlock the talents of Drew Aller. And if we go back to a year ago at this time, there are a lot of people that would have thought that Drew Aller was a potential first round draft pick, potential top 10 pick. The year did not go the way that a lot of people envisioned and now the Steelers get them where they do in the draft mid round pick and I think that they think Mike McCarthy can bring it out of him as well. So I think that there are two young quarterbacks on that roster that they believe in, that they have hopes for, that they think McCarthy can help unlock and grow into the successor to Aaron Rodgers. We all would assume this would be his last year, but then again everybody assumed last year would be his last year. He had said that he thought last year would be his last year and it didn't turn out to be that way. He decided to come back for more and I think that's a credit to the organization, the city for kind of reigniting the fire and how much he liked it last year, how much he liked the people there and the organization really loves having him around. As we talked about in Those exit meetings, almost to a man. The players all wanted Aaron Rodgers back for the season, and they've gotten their wish. Now he's back for one more, at least.

[Pat McAfee]

Yeah. Fascinating. Why don't you remember that whenever you're putting out your little tweets about Aaron Rodgers going forward? Okay? Why don't you remember that, Shefty? Okay. Whenever you're putting anything, remember what. Pat. What you just said. What you just said there at the end. Exit meetings, every person in the building was like, we love Aaron Rodgers.

[Adam Schefter]

I've said that all along.

[Connor McGovern]

No.

[Pat McAfee]

Lose his number, Shefty. You had to have said something. You had to have said something.

[Tyler Herro]

Whoa.

[Pat McAfee]

That's. Whoa.

[Gump]

Oh,

[Pat McAfee]

no. It is crazy, though, like, how some people have a narrative about Aaron Rodgers, and obviously we've gotten a chance to experience it over the years because we've been very lucky that he would join our show and chitchat with us. But it's like, there, obviously, I think, from. Was it the Bachelor? What was the show?

[Tyler Herro]

Yeah. That did quite the toll.

[Pat McAfee]

The Bachelor set him up for failure completely. Him and his. Obviously, everything that went down there. And if you were him, I think if you heard his side of the story, you'd be pretty pissed off from his side of this whole thing. But there has been a lot of narratives about the potion, who he is. Yeah. Everything about him. There's been a lot narratives about who he is as a person. And then everybody but what, one teammate.

[Tyler Herro]

Yeah.

[Pat McAfee]

Basically has come out publicly and been like, nah, we love him, dude. He's an absolute dog. We love everything about him. I'm appreciative of the fact that he's getting a chance to run it back again over there in Pittsburgh with Mike McCarthy, because how that ended with them at the packers now, they have obviously very much tight. Mike sings his praises on a regular basis. I think they did have a moment where they talked to each other and kind of buried the hatchet almost and move forward. A lot of history together, a lot of reminiscing happening. Obviously, they're both very intelligent individuals, so they'll pick up right where they left off, we assume. I'm pulling for you, Tone. I think this is going to be good for the Steelers. I think this is good news. Not just we'll win nine games like, I think you guys. I don't know what other option.

[Gump]

I agree. And Mike McCarthy gives me the most confidence in the world. You know, there's some players who have been coming out, have talked about the game plans over the last few years and that is the opposite of what Mike McCarthy is. Everyone talks about how great his game plans are and then Patrick granby in the D.C. i do think coaching will give this team an advantage this year as well.

[Darius Butler]

Okay, it'll help that too.

[Pat McAfee]

What's up Coach Aaron?

[Darius Butler]

You know like we've seen all the throwback clips of Mike McCarthy with this doing the same drills and the same. We were in his actual office and you see all the different things around the board about his specific offense. So now these young quarterbacks, you know, who knows how good they'll be in the league. We've seen Mason, but now you at least know exactly how Coach McCarthy wants his offense to be ran.

[Pat McAfee]

Yeah. And Aaron is another coach in the room obviously, which is good news. We've had a chance obviously to chit chat with the people over at the Pittsburgh Steelers organization and it's like they're going to allow Mike McCarthy time to build up. Drew too. I mean they're just working on his feet right now. I don't even think they've even. I don't even think they've got to his upper body. I don't even think they're anywhere near looking at the ball. Like I think they are just trying to fix and get his feet perfect, how big he is, how powerful he is. They think like, hey, if you can shape him into being a quarterback, which you're going to give him time to do, this only helps. Good luck to all parties out there. Speaking of the quarterback position, there's a goat potentially not getting a lot of hype this year as he heads into a bounce back season potentially. D but has a question for you, chef.

[Darius Butler]

Yeah, talking about Patrick Mahomes, Kansas City Chiefs quarterback. We've seen some glimpse of him doing some football drop backs. We saw him swing in a golf club at his golf outing recently. Any health updates with Mahomes?

[Adam Schefter]

Yeah, listen, they have said he is way ahead of schedule and it sounds like he is tracking to be ready in time for that Monday night regular season opener. The fact that he's out there playing golf is an indication. But just the one thing that I just think it's important to remember for everybody is we're talking about a quarter quarterback that tore his acl. It was five months ago on Thursday, five months to the date that the schedule came out. He essentially tore his acl. He tore his lcl and the opener is now under four months away. And again it's hard to imagine and think that Patrick Mahomes wouldn't be back for that game that Justin Fields will be stepping in and starting against Bonix. But he's going to be out there. But I think the better question, the more relevant question is we're talking about a legendary hall of Fame quarterback. How much of Patrick Mahomes is he going to be in that opener? Is he going to be 80%, 90%, 100, 100. Like, that's hard to imagine that he could just step in there right away after such a significant knee injury and pick up right where he left off and be as great as he's always been. I just think there's going to be a little bit of an adjustment to what he's come back from, which is significant. To get back to where he is today, whichever. Everybody wants him back on opening night. Everybody wants to be Patrick Mahomes.

[Pat McAfee]

The NFL does. Sure, yeah, yeah, of course.

[Adam Schefter]

But I just, I think expectations need to be tempered a little. Look, and by the way, he may come out that first night and throw for 380 and four touchdowns. They're like, okay, well, I guess he's exactly where he was. But all I'm saying is it's his significant knee injury that he's bouncing back from. That's all.

[Pat McAfee]

On that note, they wouldn't let his ass be golfing at all. They didn't feel good about where he is because obviously that's a lot of twisting on your knee. So, like, there's a lot of people. Because I think this is his fundraiser golf tournament out in Vegas does every year. I think there's millions and millions and millions of dollars. It's an incredible event that they put on. I think it's only getting bigger and bigger. But there would be a lot of people talking on whether or not he should be swinging a golf club at this for coming off of a knee injury. If they weren't very confident, like, very, very, very confident, there's no way in hell he'd be swinging this.

[Adam Schefter]

Think about what you're doing, you know, Pat, Pat. I had a. I had a doctor call me last week from a team. He's like, he's not playing golf at his own. I'm like, he's neither. Like, no, he can't play. Coming up that knee and, and look there he's playing.

[Pat McAfee]

Yeah, exactly, yeah. Piping point. Yeah, yeah. The doctors around him are saying, yes, you can do it. So that for me, that was the biggest indicator. Like, okay, maybe this guy is going to be back. Seems like that's how everybody's talking about the D butts point Patrick Mahomes. Week three. Week. Week three sure would be good.

[Gump]

Sure.

[Pat McAfee]

Week three got Colts prime time. Week two, so. Okay.

[Connor McGovern]

Sure. Okay.

[Pat McAfee]

Week three from Patrick Mountains. Be sweet. Justin Fields in there.

[Connor McGovern]

Yeah.

[Pat McAfee]

Hey, sure. Nasmar, go player wild. We'll do what we got to do. Pat week three because he doesn't want to see us C.J. allen in it. Either way, he might actually flip it.

[Connor McGovern]

Some people are pontificating that they actually made the. The Colts play the Chiefs, you know, in the second week to get my homes back.

[Pat McAfee]

Really?

[Tyler Herro]

Really?

[Pat McAfee]

No, no, no, no, no.

[Mike Tirico]

Nobody said.

[Connor McGovern]

Some people thought, hey, if it doesn't go well against, you know, the Denver Broncos, number one defense in the league, Week one, let's wheel out the Colts. Mahomes will piss on him and then. Okay. A different knee we could talk about.

[Pat McAfee]

Unbelievable.

[Connor McGovern]

That's just what some people were thinking.

[Pat McAfee]

I'm not.

[Connor McGovern]

I mean, we won't even go there. Shefty Malik neighbors. Another knee that's kind of in the news right now. I don't think he's golfing. He had his second surgery. I think there was some sort of. Of procedure, kind of normal, just the scar tissue. Are we worried about his knee, his situation going into training camp, or is this more something like, hey, they had to do a second surgery. He should be fine by week one. Or is this something to keep an eye on?

[Adam Schefter]

I think it's something to keep an eye on. I think that whenever you're talking about a player as talented as Malik Nabors undergoing a second surgery to clean up the scar tissue that had formed to address some of the stiffness that in the knee, that's. That's not a great sign. Now, again, he is so good as a football player that you want him out there 100% at all times. And the fact that the organization is now saying it's hopeful, it's hopeful that he'll be ready for week one, that Sunday night opener against the Dallas Cowboys, that the fact that they're hopeful doesn't give me a lot of hope. Like, it makes me leery. It makes me leery. That's all.

[Pat McAfee]

Like, it's cyclopsion. It's potentially. I'm not doctor, I'm not in her.

[Mike Tirico]

Sure.

[Pat McAfee]

But what I've been told from people that would know is this is potentially a thing called the cyclops lesion, which is a cluster of scar tissue that develops that then leaves you prohibited from being able to reach full extension. Okay. So you don't really know until you're almost back. And then you find out like, oh, can't get full extension. There's some stiffness here. What's going on? Especially with somebody who's that fast and explosive. So you see the scar tissue go back in. Clean. Clean up. Then you gotta. You gotta break down the scar tissue again. Now you gotta do actual human rust. This is this. Yeah, this. Yeah, it is human rust. Exactly. And they. They rub it off with metal.

[Connor McGovern]

Nope.

[Pat McAfee]

Rafter.

[Connor McGovern]

That's tough.

[Pat McAfee]

Oh, Chef, have you ever had to have this happen?

[Adam Schefter]

No, I'm not tough enough to endure that. I have had. I've had a media. An mcl in my knee, and that was an ordeal to get back from. So I can't even imagine what these guys go.

[Pat McAfee]

No. So I would assume they did. They would have to do it if they cracked up here. So what happens is they do the surgery. Okay. Then whenever your body's healing, from my understanding, I've only had four of these things. So from my. So as your body's healing, you know, it's coming back together. Scar tissue develops to remold things. They gotta bust that down, get it out of there. So they gotta bust down the scar tissue because I guess the problems that could cause. To do that, they literally rub a metal bar up and down your wound. It is.

[Mike Tirico]

Yeah.

[Pat McAfee]

It's probably why. To be clear, probably why I retired when I did staring down surgery. I'm not fucking doing it. I'm not doing that again. It was the worst. So my Malik's gonna have to do that again. Not saying he didn't do that before, but scar tissue is a constant battle in recovery that nobody really talks about. And it's by far the worst part of it all. I mean, it is.

[Adam Schefter]

And I don't want my star players being operated on their knees once, no less twice, after a first surgery. And so now that now the tally's running on that, and I just don't love that. I don't like he's going to be back, but I just don't love it. For a player as great as Malik

[Pat McAfee]

Neighbors, I think he's going to be okay, though. I think they probably felt obligated, like, they had to do this, like, hey, for the good of his care career. Let's do. I think he probably could have kept going, like, without the full extension, but I think they're like, we gotta go.

[Gump]

Yeah.

[Darius Butler]

Yeah.

[Pat McAfee]

This is from my source. Not put restrictions any entire thing. Exactly. Yep. Yeah. Let's take the governor off the blue grab.

[Adam Schefter]

Let's. Let's Flip it and make it a positive. He needed some time off his feet to get well from the toe injury that he'd been dealing with. The toe had been bothering him, limited his practice. So maybe. Maybe the toe now can get healthy while his knee is recovered.

[Pat McAfee]

Pulling for you, Lake. Okay, let's talk last thing. That seems like it's pretty large news, even though it came up out of nowhere. Go ahead, Ty.

[Tyler Herro]

Yeah, Chef. It seems like the expectation is that Nashville is going to be awarded the 2030 Super Bowl. I don't know if they still have to vote on it, but everyone's kind of operating like that as a done deal. Is there any more news on that front? And then also, is it, Al, is it a done deal that Minneapolis is going to get the 2028 draft as well?

[Adam Schefter]

I expect both to happen. I expect the super bowl to be awarded to Nashville officially tomorrow. I expect Minneapolis to host the draft in 28. So that would mean the draft lineup is Washington, 27, Minneapolis 28. The Super bowl lineup would be LA, Atlanta, Las Vegas, Nashville. And look, we were at. We were in Nashville for the draft. That was. That was a scene that was incredible. I think that helped take the draft to the next level, frankly, because that was a time where the league was just starting to travel the draft on a year to year basis, and the draft from that point on in Nashville just exploded from year to year. So, yeah, to me, these are just formalities, and that's the way I'm expecting both to go here in the coming days and weeks.

[Pat McAfee]

Congratulations to Nashville and congratulations to everybody that's going to go to the Nashville Super Bowl. That's going to be.

[Gump]

Yeah.

[Pat McAfee]

Awesome. Nuts. I was just in Vegas last night for the Academy of Country Music Awards, and it's like, every time, no big deal.

[Adam Schefter]

What were you doing there?

[Pat McAfee]

Riley Green, football guy, winning awards. Asked me if I wanted to come sit at his table up front. Then I was told, like, who's gonna be at the table? I think there's gonna be some good group out here. I think there's gonna be. I think Blake's going to be there. Shaboozi's going to be there. I think Cody Johnson's going to. I think Buble is going to be there. I'm like, Michael Buble. Wow. Yeah's out there. Hey, Buble. Big fantasy footballer. Really big fantasy footballer. I didn't know that. He was, like, very eager to talk about that. But on that note, all I could think about. Shout out to Riley Green, by the way. Hey, Riley. Football guy. Just absolutely doing it over there. Congratulations. You should see when he walks in, like, it's cool to see his peers in like, his world, right? Because I'm walking by behind. We walk into the room, country music fans all over the place. As soon as they see Riley, everybody's face just goes, holy, look at this thing. You know, like, because he's so. It is a Zach top legend. Okay. Absolute legend. It was nice meeting him. Tyler, Florida, Georgia Line Ray Clay Strays.

[Connor McGovern]

Oh, man. The best.

[Pat McAfee]

Hey, lads. We appreciate you Best band out there. Parker McCollum on album. Okay, let me get back to you.

[Gump]

Said Dan Shay.

[Pat McAfee]

Dan Shay Jenzer shape. Shout out to shout out North Allegheny. He's a tiger, 38 years old. He's our age. It's unbelievable. We probably ran into each other back then. Now he's all super jacked too. What I'm saying, though, every time you go to Vegas, you go like, this is a perfect setup for every. Everything's connected, you know, Everything's connected. There's venues everywhere. It's like Nashville is a perfect hosting city. I'm excited that they're going to get into it, especially because they got that new stadium last stadium ass. Like, not worthy of being a Nashville stadium, I don't think. Like a venue. It's not supposed to be like that. So new stadium comes in in there, that city's going to crush it. Weather in February.

[Gump]

I just looked it up. The. The Average high is 53 and the average low is 33o.

[Connor McGovern]

Not terrible, not great.

[Pat McAfee]

But remember when Indianapolis happened?

[Adam Schefter]

It could be cold. It could be cold there.

[Pat McAfee]

Yeah. The football gods, though, kind of blessed us whenever Indy had the super bowl. If you do recall, it was like 60, 55, 60 degree. It was like perfect. Let's assume that will happen again.

[Gump]

Agree.

[Pat McAfee]

Football gods will bless Nashville and bless all of us. We appreciate you, Chef. Anything we miss, Missed?

[Adam Schefter]

Yeah, a few things you missed. Eight teams open OTAs today, Pat, so that's interesting. We got eight OTAs going on right now. A big congratulations to Aaron Rye for seeking that putt and winning the PGA Championship, becoming the first golfer from England 107 years to win. And the most interesting thing that I heard over the weekend, and it's neither here nor there, it's offbeat, but I thought it was worth sharing, is I had somebody tell me that in two years, in two years, Marcus Spears son is going to be the number one pick in the NBA draft.

[Connor McGovern]

Yeah.

[Pat McAfee]

Yeah. Swagus. Yeah.

[Connor McGovern]

Take that to the bank.

[Pat McAfee]

And mama Spears too. I think, right? Oh, yeah, yeah. Good.

[Adam Schefter]

Number one, mom.

[Pat McAfee]

And they've been all over. I followed it through social media. I've watched them.

[Connor McGovern]

Yeah. I should also be careful though, Chef d. There's a 16 year old who is basically Wemby size already dribbling and doing everything Wemby's doing. So let's just kind of temper expectations here with some of these Europeans.

[Pat McAfee]

We are on team Spears, though. Yeah, absolutely. Yeah, absolutely. You're the man. Ladies and gentlemen, that's Adam Schefter. He talked about it there. Aaron Ra. First man over a hundred years from England to win a major. Congrats to him. Yeah, I mean, just an absolute two gloved assassin, 68 foot putt. Really brought us to our feet because there wasn't a lot of action now. The action was saving par. Saving par. I mean, there was a couple holes. I was watching Tom Smith just all over the place and then making a par putt. It felt like he just felt the weight of his world. The Iran tournament course beat the hell out of these guys. Oh, yeah. The greens were tough, the roughs insane. The Johns spectacular. Except for that one, I guess. Yeah, well, yeah, Roy said, I don't like him. Get them. Get him out of here. I think is what Rory Bullocks. Yeah, there was a lot of that.

[Connor McGovern]

Yeah.

[Pat McAfee]

But nonetheless, I thought it was a cool tournament on Sunday, Thursday, Friday, Saturday. I do need to see some action. That's why I've learned put to about me. I, I heard a lot of the players bitching about everybody kind of being lumped up together and everybody having the same score. What I learned about me, when I'm watching golf, especially big time golf, I do need some action. I need a double bogey, I need a birdie, I need movement on there as opposed to everybody just kind of parking the bus. But Sunday, I loved it.

[Connor McGovern]

Yeah.

[Pat McAfee]

Scotty had four holes left and he was within three shots and he had not done anything really good. But you think to yourself, Scotty Shefford gets three birdies right here, which nobody's been able to do. Maybe Scotty Scheffler's able to do it. He might win this tournament. And then all of a sudden, Aaron Rye kind of puts his foot on the gas pedal late on Sunday. And it kind of gave us something to really cheer for. But on that note, congrats to this guy. Dude. Right time, right place, right guy. Major champion. Two gloves is something. Two gloves is something, you know, because now people. And I saw a couple people try it. Yep, exactly.

[Connor McGovern]

Gotta give it a go.

[Pat McAfee]

Are you gonna be a two gloves?

[Darius Butler]

I will be a two gloves glove. Goofball out there. I'll be one of them. I tried. I tried. And they're not even golf gloves. I looked them up.

[Tyler Herro]

Gloves pretty much okay.

[Gump]

I thought they were horse racing.

[Darius Butler]

Handling horses. Yeah. But very, very interesting. Obviously he's been getting a lot of oh, yeah. For his iron covers and, you know, hearing the story behind that is pretty cool. His wife being a pro golfer as well is awesome. But yeah, this is an awesome story. And the leaderboard on Sunday, like, I kind of like it being jumbled up. I definitely was pulling, you know, I'm always pulling for my live guy. So I was pulling for Ronbo to really make a move and get on top. And he tied it a couple times, but I was looking for a potential 8, 7, 8, 9 player playoff if we had to do it. But he did close the deal. That, that puck was unbelievable, especially with how the greens were performing all weekend long. So shout out to Rodman. Been the first englishman in over 100 years to get it done. That was awesome.

[Pat McAfee]

Go on, lad. Go on, lad. And since this came home, you know that means the World cup staying home here. Sure. That kind of. We kind of give those two of. Yeah, that's a nice trade off for us. You. You really enjoyed it because Foxy was kind of bummed out. Foxy was talking about the lack of explosivity in the tournament and then you had to come in for the good of the game. It felt like in the group text. But that is how you kind of viewed it. For me, Sunday, good. Saturday, I need to see some action.

[Gump]

See, like even Saturday though, like, there was points where I would like. My dad was in town for this weekend. We were watching together and he was like in and out doing stuff. And I'd be like, oh, JT's winning right now. Scotty's winning right now. Rahms are in a night right now. There was some movement, like, because guys would then bogey and drop back or whatever. And then on Sunday, like, and we're going into Sunday, was there 20 golfers within?

[Pat McAfee]

Oh, yeah. So that's. That's.

[Gump]

I like as a fan, you. I love, I hate when it's like we're going into Sunday and it's guys got a four shot lead or whatever. It's like, oh, are we rooting for him? His downfall or are we rooting for him to keep the lead or someone to just charge. I like when everyone's in it like that, but I guess I'm not. I'm not a professional golfer, though, so.

[Pat McAfee]

Yeah, you're not a professional golfer. The golfers were not happy about it. There was a lot of. Yeah, I thought it was a snooze fest, personally. On Sunday, we had all these big names up there. Scotty, Rory, Xander. So many guys. It's like, all right, who's gonna make a move? And no one did. It was just a bunch of pars out there. The only one that did was Rye, So he deserved to win that one. Good for him.

[Connor McGovern]

Yeah. That's why it was sick, though, because, like, he's 3 under on 9, he gets an eagle on 9 or 10, and it's like, hey, this whole entire thing was, who's gonna just reach out and take it? And Ry did.

[Pat McAfee]

With two gloves.

[Connor McGovern]

With two gloves on, and he wasn't dropping a thing. Like, that's why I thought it was so good. And also to what you guys were all saying, too, like, going into the day, even on Saturday, it was, hey, anybody can actually win this thing. Foxy's a front runner and he loves Rory McElroy. So, yeah, he's bummed out because Rory didn't get a whole month to sleep on the course like he did at the Masters. But having a guy like Aaron Ry kind of come out of nowhere was. Was the. Is kind of the point of golf, especially once you hear his story and everything. Like, it is cool.

[Pat McAfee]

Rory was taking his daughter to work or school, which. Then he was going to play golf, and then he was going to pick her back up. He earned that right.

[Connor McGovern]

He wasn't sleeping on the court, and that's great. Him bitching and moaning about the pin placement and then getting a guy kicked out. I love it, especially in Philly. Like, hey, that's kind of the thing that Philly brings, though.

[Pat McAfee]

Yeah. Well, I would like to let everybody know we appreciate good golf. Rod played the best we've seen, and congrats to him. That course was beating everybody's ass, and I didn't like coming into it that everybody thought the golfers were just going to dominate the course.

[Tyler Herro]

Of course.

[Eric Johnson]

Heard that.

[Pat McAfee]

That's legit.

[Connor McGovern]

You got to love it, Rory.

[Pat McAfee]

Oh.

[Connor McGovern]

Oh, okay. You think that's the case? We're just going to put the pin at a 70 degrees angle.

[Pat McAfee]

Who's going to be making this putt? Putt course? Not you, Rory.

[Darius Butler]

How. How to block you to. How did I go?

[Connor McGovern]

He just missed the cut.

[Gump]

Just missed it by a hair. But he did look himself in the mirror and say, I'm a good go.

[Pat McAfee]

All right.

[Gump]

I'll be back here at least five more times.

[Pat McAfee]

Don't you worry.

[Tyler Herro]

Everybody will be back.

[Connor McGovern]

Yeah. At the, the Masters.

[Tyler Herro]

He'll be back.

[Pat McAfee]

Think about how hard that course was now historically, and Blocky's out there and you guys are talking about this like this. Blocky. I would just have.

[Tyler Herro]

I don't want to hear.

[Pat McAfee]

Blocky played number one defense in the country. Hey, showed up. That's what he did.

[Tyler Herro]

And that's what he said. He said I. I had every shot. I had to on Thursday, and then I just, I crumbled on Friday. And that wasn't the blocky I was expecting. I was expecting the block party to go on all weekend. And I was choked up, just like he was when he missed the cut and said, I'm gonna have to qualify for. For five to ten more of these.

[Pat McAfee]

He's going to. And we can't see it. The Aeronomic was tough. All right. Joining us now, ladies and gentlemen, is a Goat, a legend, a man that we've enjoyed following along the NBA season alongside. He's magical on a microphone, no matter where you put him. International events with sports. You never heard of Super Bowls. And now, ladies and gentlemen, the Western Conference game one tonight on NBC, 8:30. An alien takes on the MVP. Ladies and gentlemen, on the call will be Mike Tirico.

[Connor McGovern]

Yeah, my.

[Pat McAfee]

Oh, we're in the arena on.

[Mike Tirico]

Hey, we're in the building. We're in the building. Just watch the first shoot around. So getting ready. Putting the extra mile in. Big game. Down to the Western finals. Let's go.

[Pat McAfee]

I like that you're doing that. Obviously, we saw you courtsided, but in Detroit, you're putting in the extra mile. How's the. How's the shots look? Big hoop for the spurs tonight. We got a bit. Is it fallen? Do we feel like any inside information of what you're seeing right now?

[Mike Tirico]

Every. Every. Everybody looks good in warmups. Don't ever forget that. Right. And the guys look bad in warmups. They have great games. No, they're. They're loose. They're. Look, they're ahead of schedule. Right. They missed the playoffs last year. They're ahead of schedule. And it's not a house money deal, but they beat the Thunder four out of five this year. So they walk into this building with probably more confidence than anybody else will or would. And I love that when you are ahead of schedule, you've gone farther than people think, and you're Playing somebody who you know you can beat, beat multiple times, not a fluke, then you feel pretty good. Now Oklahoma City feels pretty good because they haven't lost a playoff game. They went to the finals and won last year. So I think this series that has been built up as this is the series everybody wants to see, I think it's going to pay off. I think it's going to be a hell of a series.

[Pat McAfee]

I think so, too. Unlike what the Pistons did for us last night in game seven, which is obviously just a massive blowout at home. Great year, though, out of the stones. Great year out here. We'll be that building you're in.

[Mike Tirico]

So let me ask you about this. Since we got Pistons fans there last year. First round knocked out, this year's second round won a series. Two, two game sevens. Maybe you know a little bit more of what you need to do with your roster. Successful season or not a successful season,

[Pat McAfee]

I'll say it's a successful season for sure. They were the 1 seed all season long. And we're young. Cade Cunningham 24 years old, Asura Thompson 23 years old, and Duran only 22 years old. Now they know what they need. Let's add more firepower and we'll be back next year.

[Connor McGovern]

Yeah, loser mentality.

[Mike Tirico]

Good answer. But. But do you pay Duran? Oh, man, that's a question.

[Pat McAfee]

A bag of peanuts came on our show, Mike, and he was just saying how he'll learn from this. He's only 22, he's so young and he was so good in the regular season. You still need that to get to where you are in the playoffs. I think he'll be okay and I think we do pay him, but that's a huge question mark. All right, enough with the st. We talk about tonight and it was great environments, obviously, in that particular series. The Oklahoma City building, we got a chance to live it last year whenever they were taking on the Pacers. Phenomenal environment tonight. Now, with that being said, feels like Wemby thrives off of these situations, especially with SGA getting the MVP over him obviously going into that building. Tonight's going to be a buzzsaw atmosphere. How do you think Wemby responds and what do you think SGA does fresh off of his second MVP in a row?

[Mike Tirico]

Well, also he'll get the MVP trophy before the game tonight. So you got a little bit of that. It's like right in front of you, right under your nose, like, here's the trophy. Congratulations. Now let's go play the west finals. So if you need to salivate even more if you're on the San Antonio side, here's the reality of it, right? So that's number one. My camera work stinks, by the way.

[Pat McAfee]

No, no, it's good. I think you're doing great.

[AJ Hawk]

Will you keep moving?

[Mike Tirico]

You got to keep moving the box on me. I'm just trying to work out here.

[Pat McAfee]

No, what we're trying to do is we're trying to amplify all your thoughts because of how damn good you look and sound. Tiric. That's all fox.

[Mike Tirico]

Yeah, forget that. So I think that that fact that factors, that factors in a little bit. But you know, Chet holmgren and wemby have a really good thing going, right? These seven foot plus unicorn kind of guys who are all over the floor step out and hit shots. There's nobody who looks like wemby. Holmgren might be the closest thing. This is the next generation of big man in the NBA. NBA. These guys were 7174 plus and could do all this stuff. So it's a different kind of matchup. So I just want to see who sets tone first. Right, because the NBA, especially the playoffs, it's like message sent, reply, message sent, reply. How's that going to go back and forth and when messages sent and it's a 10 or 12 or 14 point lead and you can't come back, then it's advantage you. So I want to see how that lays plays out right from the start. Who takes the hammer at the beginning and takes the game one momentum and tone to the other guy.

[Pat McAfee]

Hey, listen, it's good to be the hammer. Hate being a nail, especially for four quarters in game seven. What happened last night, Foxy? Unbelievable. I don't want to keep doing it. Yeah, we're done with the stones. We love cade. We love cade. We love cade. We were hoping for more games coming back to it. Yeah, well, I didn't want to though. Hammer and nail. Hammer and nail. You know, they were the bang, the boom of the pow. You said message and in response. There was none. There was none last night. But we do think, think tonight will be massive. You talk about messaging. How should we be talking about one guy who's seemingly at the top of the world? Go ahead. Debug.

[Darius Butler]

Yeah. We know the expectations for wimy since coming in, but I feel like sga didn't have these same expectations. But how do you feel? What is this run that he's kind of on compared to over the long time that you've covered the major sports leagues Back to back MVPs now four years in a row where he's averaged over 30 points last two years. Over 30 points, over 50% from the feel. Where does this kind of rank amongst the great runs that you've seen?

[Mike Tirico]

So, couple things. I got to interview him yesterday. It'll air on the pregame show. It starts at 8 tonight. 14 guys won back to back MVPs, very few of them guards. And they're all like one name guys. I'd give you the guys in order, but I'll miss one. It's like Russell and Will Chamberlain and Kareem Abdul Jabbar and Moses Malone and Magic and Larry and Jordan and Duncan and Steve Nash, Giannis and Jokic. More recently. I think I got Magic in there, but it's a very small list. He got the trophy last year and said I am motivated to come back better. And he did come back better. He was more efficient, shot 55% from the field this year and scored over 30 points again as an average. So he went to the lab after he got his trophy and he got better. And he's in the prime of his career. So you can say he gets fouled a lot. That's an art. But you watch James Harden and you go, oh my God, Harden going to draw a foul again. And guess what? He's at the line. And the guy who fouled him, sorry to bring up the stones again. The guy who fouled him is complaining right by his coach to the referee. I mean, how many times have we seen that shot? We're going to see it in the Knicks series in the east finals. Shay has really mastered that. Plus the ability to have a great mid range game. So I put nothing past him. I think all the Oklahoma City guys love hearing all the noise about here comes San Antonio. They're the team of the future. Wemby's a unicorn. He's a unique star. They've got such a good cast. Their cast is amazing. Harper, Fox, you name it. So I think they're fueled by this. But wait a minute. We won the champion. Our banners up in this building don't put us out to pasture just yet. We're in the prime too. Getting Jalen Williams back is going to be huge for them. They haven't had much of these players playoffs. So Williams, Shea, Chet, the guys, they've developed. A.J. mitchell's been out of this world in these playoffs. They just keep developing guys and developing guys. So I put nothing past sga, nothing past okc.

[Pat McAfee]

They got a lot of pizzazz over there at okc.

[Connor McGovern]

Yeah.

[Darius Butler]

Love each other, man.

[Pat McAfee]

They got a lot of pizzazz over there. Where are you going?

[Mike Tirico]

Well, so here's the deal. So here's the deal.

[Pat McAfee]

Where are you going?

[Mike Tirico]

When I go in the small box, I got to go this way.

[Pat McAfee]

Way.

[Mike Tirico]

But when I go back to the big box with you, I gotta go this way to even it out. So it took me, like, two questions, but now I'm with it.

[Pat McAfee]

Thank you for figuring that out, by the way, because, you know, there is a lot of people that come on the show on a very regular basis and still half face this thing. You know that. There is a lot of people. Yeah. That's your. Hey. That's why you are. Hey. Had a betty to.

[Mike Tirico]

You know, if you give me golf stop. I'll give you this. I love when a guy makes a par that's like a good putt. It's just short, and it wasn't a great shot. And the dolpher lightly takes thumb and forefinger to the right there.

[Pat McAfee]

Gotta acknowledge it.

[Mike Tirico]

That's class.

[Pat McAfee]

Gotta acknowledge the people that are talking or in clapping for you, like 10ft away. You're also probably very pissed at yourself right now. Okay. Thank you.

[Mike Tirico]

But it made it. Don't want to celebrate. It's not a celebratory shot, but it's a really good. It's professionals. You just kind of.

[Pat McAfee]

A lot of that at the PGA Championship. A lot of that. It's PGA Championship. A lot of that. Par.

[Mike Tirico]

Making pars.

[Pat McAfee]

Par. A lot of making pars, man.

[Mike Tirico]

Making pars.

[Pat McAfee]

A lot of dos.

[Mike Tirico]

That was pretty. Pretty awesome.

[Pat McAfee]

Hey, two gloves. You do that Trico. You're a double glove golfer.

[Mike Tirico]

I don't but glove sales through the roof right now. That and iron covers.

[AJ Hawk]

Yeah.

[Mike Tirico]

If you go to your golf store, iron covers, short supply right now.

[Connor McGovern]

And that putter.

[Pat McAfee]

Yeah. And the Spider 2Y banana.

[Gump]

Yeah.

[Darius Butler]

I never do covers, but you see this thing? Gloves.

[Pat McAfee]

Hey, see this thing?

[Darius Butler]

This is.

[Pat McAfee]

This is part two wise. Super duper wide banana. Makes all the putts.

[Mike Tirico]

How about. How about you and Gruden design a putter, you call it Spider2y banana, and take it out to the market? Working, man.

[Pat McAfee]

I think they've already figured it out, but we would like to drop our names on this. I don't want to speak for John Gruden, but, Coach, I think you and I would love to get in on some spider tube banana sales. I think we would certainly love. All it does is make putts. All this thing does is make pots. I Don't know how it works. 68 and a half foot. So JJ Spawn hit that 44 footer, whatever it was. I got that putter the next day. Yeah, she did. Then these guys. Go ahead.

[Mike Tirico]

Have you made a 44 footer with it?

[Pat McAfee]

No, the lab lab putt. Actually, I got worse. Okay. I bought all of them. I got the tall one, the short one, the hockey one. I got all of them because I

[Mike Tirico]

saw him make Go Spider.

[Pat McAfee]

Now I think they got like 10 of the winners this year are basically all this putter right here. Oh yeah, it just makes the putts.

[Connor McGovern]

Best putting round of your life.

[Pat McAfee]

I made 10 putts. This is in a rental bag.

[Mike Tirico]

You are guaranteeing a whole box coming your way. You know that, don't you?

[Pat McAfee]

Don't need it. I got one. This is the one. Right.

[Gump]

But if they were to send more.

[Pat McAfee]

Okay, yeah. Call it one shorter. Absolutely would like to do that. Okay. Yeah. And we know, Mike, we assume you have plenty of those brother over the years. Let's stay for the game tonight. We know you have to go. We're appreciating you taking time here. Last question. Go ahead, con man.

[Connor McGovern]

Yeah, Mike, you've mentioned it. Wemby vs Chad is going to be awesome. If Wemby threw one of those elbows that he hit Naz Reed with against Chet would probably concave his chest, but at least it wouldn't and hit him in the throat. Being an old school basketball guy, what did you think about Wemby turning the clock back in a little physical? He did end up, you know, leaving the game and they ended up losing, so it hurt his team. But what do you think about this kind of style almost coming back with these throwback spurs?

[Mike Tirico]

I love Vic is real. He's real. He's going to be honest about it. And I love the fact of the whole thing that his coach, Mitch Johnson had his way back is like, hey, our guy had to take his matters into his own hand and we didn't. He told Mitch, told us. We didn't send any video into the league all year. They were being physical with our guy. We needed to respond and he took it in his own hands, hurt them for that game. But they came out in the first quarter, had an unbelievable first quarter and the series was never close after that. So look, do we love guys getting thrown out? No, we want to see the best players play the entire time, but it just shows you the growth. There's nothing I've seen seen in Wembley. We've had them for four of their Playoff games. So far, nothing I've seen that would take me off the track of this guy will be the face of the league. He's special, he's a great teammate, works his tail off, super talented, gets it in every way. I think guys will be physical with him all the way through and he knows it's coming. And he has built himself. Himself. He goes through a routine before the game out in the arena where guys are physical with him. He has built himself to be able to handle physical play. Not a lot of guys are of that mindset in year three. I've got to add this to my game and he has and it hasn't taken away from his ability. What's going to be key for him is playing 35 hard minutes in the playoffs with a terrific Oklahoma City team that likes to be physical with you, likes to get a couple of hands on on you, has enough guys who can give you a solid rotation of different looks. How will he handle that? But like, these are the stages where great players become great players, right? Playoffs, defending champs, good matchups, hostile building. Carry your franchise. You are already ahead of schedule. Like, let's go. This is why sports is great. And to see. That's why I love these series in hockey and in basketball. To see like seven games in the. This is so awesome. So I think he's more than ready to handle the challenge.

[Pat McAfee]

Big time players make big time plays in at big time games.

[Adam Schefter]

Damn right.

[Mike Tirico]

There you have it.

[Pat McAfee]

Yeah. I don't know who said it. I assume it was somebody in the sports world who's awesome and I'd like to let them know I. Blocky. It was not blocky.

[Mike Tirico]

One of the.

[Pat McAfee]

Michael, relax. We can't be encouraged.

[Mike Tirico]

I love Blocky.

[Pat McAfee]

Yeah. How could you not?

[Tyler Herro]

How could you not?

[Pat McAfee]

Exactly. How could you not? Okay. Hey, football's right.

[Mike Tirico]

I've got six or seven left of me.

[Tyler Herro]

All right,

[Gump]

all right.

[Pat McAfee]

We don't need to hear this. Okay, Blocky. We're happy for you, Block.

[Connor McGovern]

Love you, Blocky.

[Pat McAfee]

I don't know who guy is behind you right there with a beard, but shout out to him. Yeah, he's got a ball. Good retriever there, boys.

[Mike Tirico]

How you doing?

[Pat McAfee]

Hey, team, Mike Tirico here. Yeah, I've been around everything. Speaking of that note, congrats, you and your NBC. You guys have been on quite a run. Quite a. You figuring out the big box, small box thing in the middle of that. Also part of the run. But you go all the way back through it. You guys have been absolutely crushing it. Congratulations. The NBA run I think that you had this year has been awesome. It's been so much fun. Kind of watching your ass travel throughout the entire NBA season, then get to watch a game with you. You've done great, man. And football's right around the corner, brother. I mean, schedule release already out there. Let's go. We're in a good time and we appreciate your contributions to all of it.

[Mike Tirico]

Drafting off of your speed, brother. We're just trying to keep up with your comment, man. That's all we're doing.

[Pat McAfee]

Listen, the altitude I'm at, I think is a little bit different than you. Just strictly off the vitamins usage. But know that you are the North Star, brother, ladies and gentlemen, as Mike Tico.

[Connor McGovern]

Yeah, Mike.

[Pat McAfee]

He's a weapon.

[AJ Hawk]

Yeah.

[Mike Tirico]

Yeah.

[Connor McGovern]

The man.

[Pat McAfee]

Yeah.

[Connor McGovern]

Not to mention the Olympics.

[Pat McAfee]

Middle of every spot. All that Super Bowl. Olympics.

[Gump]

He does golf when NBC has it.

[Connor McGovern]

Yep, yep.

[Pat McAfee]

And then he'll just drop into a. A speech, too. That was like, I don't think that was supposed to go there, but, boy, this one feels like it's a pretty important speech. And then he'll h. Somehow have the right words at the right time and somehow doesn't. You know, I think he's the most liked commentator in sports.

[Mike Tirico]

Yeah.

[Pat McAfee]

And everybody that commentates on sports is going to have an opportunity, especially if it's a long time, to piss fans off.

[Gump]

Oh, yeah.

[Pat McAfee]

Okay. We experience this. I mean, the fucking Pistons, what an embarrassing. Right here. So just the entire city of Detroit. Yeah. No, no, Foxy, they're gonna kill you too, for this entire thing. But at some point, you're gonna have to call the worst moment of a team's history. And your voice is the soundtrack to their depression, the fans. So they are naturally gonna hate most commentators. Dream, college, Olympic, all this. Professional league golf, basketball, football, Kentucky Derby. I think there's. Most people would say three goes fair on Nicole. He's very smooth, but he does let others kind of do it. Like, hey, what do you think about this team? You should say it, not me. And I appreciate the way he kind of passes. He's phenomenal, what he does. I genuinely have massive respect for the way he operates on a microphone.

[Connor McGovern]

I mean, even at the super bowl where the Patriots are just getting their shit kicked in for four quarters straight and Tarico is on the call. Like, at walking away from that game, you're hammered, but you're also not thinking like, oh, I hate Mike Tirico because he just called, you know, the entire. And you even feel that Way about Collinsworth in a sense. But for Tirico specifically, it's like, wow, he at least called the game well. Even though that was the worst watching experience of my life.

[Pat McAfee]

Tough to do. Tough to do. Believe me. It's hard not to be on that microphone. Just be like, all right, all right, let's spice this up a little bit. This team sucks. Remember this team. It's hard not to do that. Tirico balances the smoothness that I don't think we have seen before. And he never loses it. No, he never gets lost out there. Every thought seemingly has a takeoff and a planned landing. You know, we are all landing plane in real time. That is kind of what everybody knows from Marshall.

[Connor McGovern]

If we get there.

[Pat McAfee]

Sometimes that plane, guess what? Still going it. A portal. What feels like it's all coming.

[Darius Butler]

Might have to move that thing off the desk.

[Pat McAfee]

What thing?

[Tyler Herro]

Oh, this thing?

[Pat McAfee]

Yeah. Four bands, allegedly. And what I heard, they're all six foot tall, which is what I've been trying to say. Ain't none of them can beat us in an Oklahoma drill.

[AJ Hawk]

Nope.

[Pat McAfee]

They don't know leverage. Okay. The spiky one might be a problem, but we dealt with this before. Sticks and stuff. Well, you know, you just got to. You got to keep it away. We've dealt with spiky creatures with. Before. The one with the. The bunch of the. That might be problematic, but there's holding penalties. Okay. So they're gonna have to understand that's the case in this one right here. Would love to chill with this one, but we're.

[Connor McGovern]

Yeah, yeah.

[Pat McAfee]

No questions asked.

[Connor McGovern]

That's a front office one for sure.

[Pat McAfee]

Yeah.

[Connor McGovern]

Analytics.

[Pat McAfee]

Yeah. So we win in Oklahoma drill, which means we win in general. But I do think it's interesting. We're learning a lot about a lot right now. And I like to shake their hands and get them into ball. We'll see on the other side. Goodbye. Every game, every practice, every moment, we rely on energy more than we realize. From the courts and fields we play on to the gear athletes use to the technology and transportation that bring fans together. Energy powers it all. And energy transfer helps safely deliver the energy that keeps it all moving. Oil and natural gas help make thousands

[Gump]

of everyday products possible.

[Pat McAfee]

Supporting sports and the moment that connect us. So whether you're playing, watching, or cheering it on, it takes energy. Visit ittakesenergy.com to learn more.

[Tyler Herro]

If you've ever wanted real energy without choking down something that tastes like regret, bucked up is the answer. The flavor is the thing. People keep coming back for insanely delicious, which is not a phrase usually associated with energy drinks. And they're built on real science backed ingredients. Clean out energy that actually works without the garbage you don't want.

[Pat McAfee]

Bucked up is so confident you'll love

[Tyler Herro]

their drinks, they're giving away an island vacation just to prove it. That's the kind of brand this is. No purchase necessary.

[Pat McAfee]

Giveaway ends May 30th.

[Tyler Herro]

Enter and find your closest Bucked [e-mail] Grab a Bucked up and feel like a million bucks.

[Pat McAfee]

Sports 2026 it's not 2016, okay? We're not living in past, we're living in the moment. The moment right now is awesome because sports are fantastic. We have a game seven tonight and a game one tonight. Whenever you talk about playoffs having something spectacular, you think about a game seven. Now last night. Shite. Game seven

[Gump]

just thanks a lot.

[Pat McAfee]

Such a letdown. You don't get the game seven. Especially this particular playoff run. There's been a lot of very dominant teams that have kind of made their way through. So to hear the words game number, I guess seven to kind of piece together there. It is a magical time. It is something that we look forward to. Last night did not live up to the hype. Tonight will live up to the hype. Canadians, Sabres. Obviously hockey has been up and to the right. How could it not be? Wait until you see the barn tonight. The Blade boys of Buffalo are obviously going to be looking to do something that has been seemingly not great. Home ice not good. Nope.

[Connor McGovern]

Nope.

[Gump]

But not good.

[Pat McAfee]

NFL vet Darius Staples Butler here. The stats are saying home ice. Actually not that big of a deal. So all the environments that we've been pitching and saying has been spectacular and wow, what a buzz saw that would be. Certainly is a buzzsaw. But in hockey it's not working. I guess people are going into places and snatching souls which could potentially happen tonight in Buffalo, a place that we love.

[Darius Butler]

I can't wait. I think it was it PK who?

[Gump]

He was the one who said not a thing.

[Darius Butler]

Yeah, these players don't really care because we were talking about I think the Bell center at that point. But yeah, that is. That's very, very odd.

[Connor McGovern]

NBA too.

[Pat McAfee]

Yeah. 7:30 tonight on ESPN. And speaking of NBA Western Conference Finals start tonight. Wemby in the spurs take on Oklahoma City. 8:30, 8:00 clock pregame on NBC. The toxic tables here at Boston Connor and at Tai Schmick. Good to have you back, Ty. Good to be back.

[Tyler Herro]

Good to Be back.

[Pat McAfee]

So much has happened.

[Tyler Herro]

Yeah, I know. It's been. I'll tell you what. When it really is weird being gone for like two weeks, that. Like, that it feels like it's six years. Cuz, like, you try to keep up with stuff and it's just. It's happening so fast. Same deal. You try to watch some stuff fall asleep. But it is crazy. Like, we really do do this every single day. And there is stuff that's going on every single day. Like. And if you do get out of the routine even like a little bit, it is kind of a whirlwind trying to get back in like, Jesus, there's something here. There's something here. There's something here.

[Pat McAfee]

Oh, you missed this. We started this.

[Tyler Herro]

Yeah, exactly. But it's though.

[Pat McAfee]

Congratulations on beautiful baby. Thank you. Being added to your family. Ty's gonna end up with 30 kids.

[Tyler Herro]

No, I'm done.

[Pat McAfee]

Really?

[Tyler Herro]

Yeah, I'm done after that one. Yeah.

[Pat McAfee]

Congratulations.

[Tyler Herro]

You now you start the vacation clock because that's the big thing, you know, you want to go on like family vacations and stuff like that. You can't really do that every time you're just resetting and you have a newborn, that kind of just pushes that back a little bit.

[Pat McAfee]

Work really hard. You and mama as well.

[Darius Butler]

Herby at all.

[Pat McAfee]

When he.

[Tyler Herro]

I heard that he made some off color jackass comment, which I would expect nothing less from Herby, you know, so.

[Pat McAfee]

Did you watch it, though? Did you see.

[Tyler Herro]

I saw the clip. Yeah, I did. I'll have something for Herby next time I see his ass. That's for sure.

[Shams Charania]

But.

[Tyler Herro]

But that's fine. You know that's Herby. You know that's Herby. That's why we love Herby.

[Shams Charania]

Right?

[Gump]

Herby didn't change one diaper girl.

[Pat McAfee]

That's one half ever. That's crazy. Crazy. Had twins.

[Connor McGovern]

Yeah.

[Pat McAfee]

You know how many butts. I mean, everything that had to be cleaned there. Unbelievable. Get back to work.

[Connor McGovern]

Yeah.

[Pat McAfee]

I loved it. He was very. He's very steadfast, too, in his belief.

[Connor McGovern]

What's he up to this week?

[Pat McAfee]

What's that.

[Connor McGovern]

What's her be up to this week?

[Pat McAfee]

I. That's. Why wasn't he there last night? That thing was on Amazon. I saw Fitz and Wit. I saw them. They were out there doing.

[Tyler Herro]

Good point.

[Pat McAfee]

I didn't see Owl. I did not see How. I did not see Herbie. I did not see Sherman. I did not see. Did not see Tony Gonzalez. I did see Fitz and Witt. They were representing very well. Big old belt buckles, couple cowboy hats on. One up there, did their thing. Move from one stage to the next looking like athletes, like they really represented well. And then Buble, you know, Buble's out there as well. Blake Shelton, obviously. If you get a chance to be within earshot of Blake Shelton during anything, I would recommend that Buble also. I would like it to be known Buble is worthy of being within earshot. I think. I think he has a good conversation. Riley and Shabooz good times last night.

[Gump]

Is Booba going into country?

[Pat McAfee]

What was. He said he's moving to Nashville to make his next album. He said that on stage, do anything, but he was just talking and talking and talking. And the reason I didn't think I fully. I didn't know he was going to be at her table. Okay. I knew his name was mentioned, but I didn't know he was going to be at our table. He walks up on the stage, he starts talking. He just starts talking and then he like. I'm like, is this guy going to. He's got to sing, right? This guy's got to sing. And Blake's like, He is so nervous talking right now. He would much rather just be singing right now. I'm like, really? He's like, yeah. He's got a little bit of a fear of speaking in public or whatever. I'm like, that's amazing. He starts singing as we're singing that he dropped into, and it was like, that's the guy right there. He's a good time. Blue. BL's good. Zach top good. Anyways, thank you to the Academy country music awards last night. Congratulations. Ella Lang.

[Tyler Herro]

That's right.

[Pat McAfee]

She won them all.

[Connor McGovern]

Our Guy Parker.

[Pat McAfee]

Parker McCollum album the year. Big moment. That was good moment for you. Brooks and Dun still winning stuff.

[Connor McGovern]

Red clay Strays, the goats.

[Pat McAfee]

Unbelievable performance. Congrats. Riley Green music event with alongside Ella. I wrote this song in Fayetteville, Arkansas, so I love it. So thank you so much.

[Gump]

Does he go hogs?

[Pat McAfee]

Who?

[Gump]

Riley.

[Pat McAfee]

He's from Jacksonville State, brother. He's wary.

[Tyler Herro]

Ward Amy.

[Pat McAfee]

Cody Johnson, Eagle Cody Johnson, former bull rider. Now he's singing music. Hey, legend. He had American flag behind him flying pretty good. I said, buble, you see what's going on there? Booblay. And at that moment, Riley Green learned to boo blaze from Canada in that exact moment. Then there was a couple. I mean, we had a good table. I feel like Shaboo's incredible vibes. Shaboos is phenomenal vibes. Where's Shaboozi from Virginia.

[Darius Butler]

Okay.

[Pat McAfee]

Yeah. So I'm trying to set up college game day performances. That's what literally what I was trying to do last night. Hey, hey. What teams would you. Huh? What teams would you. Who do you like? Me. Sweet. Need. James Franklin, Virginia Tech. That'd be great, right? We'd be able to do that. Yes, certainly. Thank you. Let's lock that in you, sir. Who needs to be good? Auburn.

[Tyler Herro]

All right, never mind.

[Pat McAfee]

God, it'd be great to have you on game day.

[Gump]

They've got some hope.

[Pat McAfee]

I hope so. Red clay strays. Big Auburn down on the plane. Multiple. All right. Joining us now, ladies and gentlemen, is a college football national. National champion, super bowl champion, Ryder cup winner. Ladies and gentlemen, AJ Hawk. How you doing, Hawker? How you doing, bud?

[AJ Hawk]

I'm doing great. I mean, I'm doing much better. Hearing that Buble might be getting into the country music scene. Do we have any Canadian country music artists right now?

[Pat McAfee]

No.

[Connor McGovern]

Welcome.

[Pat McAfee]

Shne.

[AJ Hawk]

Yeah, welcome. Really?

[Pat McAfee]

Sh. Twain is a. Is Canadian. I believe she hosted a show last night. Absolutely crushed it. I mean, just absolutely crushed it. And Laney started that thing off. 100 dancers, they came out seemed doing the whole thing.

[Gump]

Laney Hodges.

[Pat McAfee]

Duck. Hodges was there. I don't think that's how that worked. But you're talking to both of them. Both of them, yeah. Certainly. Yeah, I believe that is. There's a chance. There should be, but that was. That was a spectacular show, I would say. There was a blonde girl that sang at a different stage. I forget her name. She was wearing Avery.

[Gump]

She rocked it. She like. Like the country rock song.

[Pat McAfee]

Yeah. She rocked the house. And then there was a lady who was singing about having sex. It seemed.

[Gump]

Oh, Casey Musgrave. Casey Musgraves.

[Pat McAfee]

Yeah. Yeah. She was at grocery store. I noticed this. Every. Every detail matters. They were only selling. It was. It was in, like, a fruit aisle, I guess. And it was like peaches. And then it was like eggplant.

[Gump]

Okay.

[AJ Hawk]

That's the emoji for penises.

[Connor McGovern]

Oh, these are euphemisms.

[Darius Butler]

Thank you.

[Gump]

What's the.

[Pat McAfee]

What's the pizza?

[Connor McGovern]

What are we doing here?

[Pat McAfee]

All of them are $0.69, too.

[Connor McGovern]

Oh, okay.

[Pat McAfee]

So that's a good price. Yeah. Everything. Everything. So literally, I had no idea what was going on. Just got back down, sat down, had a nice Jack and diet. Thank you so much. Jasmine. Lady working. She was unbelievable. Certainly Jasmine was a weapon in this entire thing. Sit back down. All of a sudden, perform. Foreman starts. Okay, here we go. Can't really See, because she's in the back. We're too close. Never been there before. Okay. So comes walking out and I look to my right and I just start seeing all these sexual. And does. I'm like, wow, this is pretty crazy. And I'm listening to the words. I'm like. It's like he's talking about boner right now. And I'll tell you what, Stan. Ovation in there. I'll tell everybody was like, hell, yeah. It's a good performance. Everybody crushed last night. I don't. I don't think there was one, like, fall off for the entire night. It was incredible show. Lucky to be there. Thankful to be there. She shout out to Riley Green football guy winning awards.

[Connor McGovern]

Weapon.

[Pat McAfee]

We love everything about.

[Eric Johnson]

That's a duck man.

[Pat McAfee]

Joining us now. Lazy. He is the duck man.

[Tyler Herro]

He's a duck man.

[Pat McAfee]

He does the walk too, you know, He's. He's six. He's.

[Connor McGovern]

Yeah, he's big son of a.

[Darius Butler]

He a quarterback?

[Tyler Herro]

Yeah, he was.

[Gump]

Didn't he dunk in cowboy boots in here?

[Pat McAfee]

Yeah, in jeans, cowboy boots. Dunk.

[Darius Butler]

He's six.

[Pat McAfee]

Four. I'd say six, five.

[Tyler Herro]

In the cowboy boots.

[Pat McAfee]

In the boots, yeah. So he's gigantic. He's a gigantic. And he's Perfect posture too, you know? And then obviously he looks how he looks.

[Mike Tirico]

Yeah.

[Pat McAfee]

You're. You're watching a peacock literally just walk around, you know, and it's. It's fantastic. It's everywhere. We're in a casino last night. I didn't win a single hand. Blackjack. I lost thousands of Riley Green's dollars.

[Gump]

Which casino?

[Pat McAfee]

Thousands of them. We're at the Resorts World. I believe we're over there at Resorts World. That was good. The show was at mgm. I didn't. Blake Shelton's currently doing a residency at C. Caesars.

[Mike Tirico]

Okay.

[Pat McAfee]

I didn't know that. Yeah.

[Connor McGovern]

Gotta love that.

[Pat McAfee]

We should have went to one of those.

[Connor McGovern]

Yeah.

[Pat McAfee]

To watch that entire thing. And this was, as we directly sat down, kind of a night. Hey, hey. You're doing great. Oh, yeah. You, buddy. You buddy. Yeah. Blake, like, so you're in my shop. Turned around, I said, yeah, certainly was. I think we couldn't see the tv. We didn't know what program was.

[Gump]

Sure.

[Pat McAfee]

So I. From where I was, I did not know program. There's a couple times somebody around me that looked like me was in the middle of maybe hitting a vape very, very strongly. But then there's cameras, you know, everywhere, you know?

[Tyler Herro]

Yeah. What I mean,

[Pat McAfee]

you got Blake and Riley here.

[Tyler Herro]

Okay.

[Pat McAfee]

And obviously what's going on with all the awards. So there was a lot of cameras all the time. Had to, you know, have to do this one. Yeah, you clapping, smiling. We're here. We're on camera. We are so supportive of everything and everybody. We are happy. But that was a lot of pressure. I didn't feel that until. I didn't think about that until I got in there. It's like, hey, this is going to be a pretty. We have to visibly. Yeah, every. Everything, you know, because where we're at. And it turned out it was easy to do because how awesome it was. Joining us now, ladies and gentlemen, Stanley cup champion. A man will be able to break down tonight's game seven in a better fashion than we could fresh out of a Cabo golf trip, where he described his golf game like his abs. We'll let you give him the joke. Ladies and gentlemen, Eric Johnson. I don't bub. How was the golf tournament and how did you describe your golf game in a caption? I forget the exact wordage. I don't want to mess it up.

[Eric Johnson]

I would say my golf game is like my abs. They are there. You just cannot see it.

[Pat McAfee]

I like that.

[Mike Tirico]

Look at that.

[Pat McAfee]

Yeah, they're in there.

[Tyler Herro]

Yes.

[Pat McAfee]

Little sunburn, like. Yeah, that.

[Eric Johnson]

And then. This is bad. Look at this.

[Tyler Herro]

See that?

[Pat McAfee]

All of the man. Yeah. Yeah.

[Eric Johnson]

I got. I need about a two day nap. I'm done.

[Gump]

I'm out.

[Pat McAfee]

I'll tell you what. Little sun cooking. I. I assume you're very sober while you're doing all this down there. Yeah, Yeah, I certainly feel it. Did you win?

[Eric Johnson]

No, no, I. We got completely killed. The vibes were high, though. The weather was great. We played barefoot. We played in a T shirt. It was awesome. But the golf was like the least of my worries, you know, it was. It was awesome, though. Toro Loco. The crazy, crazy bull.

[Pat McAfee]

Yeah, of course. Toro Loco. We. Muchos gracious. All of that. Obviously. We appreciate that. We're happy. That's how golf is supposed to be. Now, let's talk about hockey tonight. Insane atmosphere, we all assume in Buffalo. Some of the stats that have come out, though, have said, you know, the home ice actually hasn't been that much of a advantage for the Barnes. What is your thoughts on that and how do you see this one going? And did you expect the Sabres to be able to do what they did the other night, which was an absolute drumming in game six? I think.

[Eric Johnson]

I think the only reason why it was surprising to me is because that Bell center is. Is Unbelievable like that. That atmosphere is. Is so good. But I'll tell you this. I think when you're a young team, like both of these teams are, there is something to be said about being a little bit more anxious and a little bit more nervous about playing a at home. And Montreal looked it to me. And on the flip side, Buffalo's playing at home tonight. They stayed in a fricking hotel last night. That's how much they're searching for answers on. On home ice. They were trying to keep the exact routine the same as they've been doing on the road. But for me, I do like Montreal tonight. Jakob dovish is 5 and 0 with a ridiculous save percentage in goals against after a loss. And Montreal hasn't lost two in a row in almost 30 games dating back to the regular season. So. So this is a team that's really sharp on the road. Buffalo, I don't know if they can get it done at home. They've been bad at home this entire playoff. But nonetheless, it's going to be. It's going to be an amazing atmosphere. But I like Montreal tonight.

[Pat McAfee]

Boys, what's the first thing we should look like at the beginning? Let's say we're going to live bet this thing. What would be something you would maybe notice early that says like, yeah, Canadians are doing what they've always done, which is not lose back to back in 30 games or whatever the case is. What is something we can maybe look, goalie standing on head, somebody dicing, control the puck. What should we really be looking for early that we can maybe live bet this thing? Because I'll tell you what, I watched a video from Ronda Rousey about two minutes before her fight, and I saw a video of Gina Caruana and I want immediately DraftKings live bet under half a round. I hit for that. Okay. That was the most obvious thing.

[Gump]

You got the crown.

[Pat McAfee]

I got the crown. So what do I need? I'm kind of hot right now. EJ would like that to continue. Continue. What's something early we can look that maybe could tell the story of the entire game in your eyes.

[Eric Johnson]

I don't know if they have this prop, but if you can do like Montreal power play goal in the first period, I would play something like that. Their power play is awesome. They. They can shoot from the flanks. They have bodies in front. They have. They play something called an umbrella. So an umbrella is, you know, the shape and then the top is the guy. The top is the top of the umbrella. Umbrella. That's the Point man who kind of facilitates everything up there. And then they have shooters on the side which can take one timers on their offside. Cole Caufield. I would put a Caulfield power play goal at some point during that game. I love Montreal's power play. They're clicking at an absurd rate, and I think they're going to get another one tonight in game seven.

[Pat McAfee]

Thank you. I'm gonna get the crown polls plus

[Gump]

200 to score a goal in general,

[Pat McAfee]

so let alone niche on power play as well. Let's stay in this. Yeah.

[Darius Butler]

We love what you're doing starting tonight in net.

[Pat McAfee]

Well, that's why I think that is the big conversation. Yeah.

[Eric Johnson]

No, no, but you're 100% ukalukanin. Say that three times fast. Ukalukan.

[Gump]

Better say it right or Sabers fans are gonna be pissed.

[AJ Hawk]

They're always.

[Gump]

They put out a video.

[Pat McAfee]

What happened?

[Gump]

People were saying his name wrong. I think it might. Might have been espn if I remember correctly from the tweet.

[Pat McAfee]

But was it ej? Was it. Was it him?

[Shams Charania]

Oh, I played with him.

[Eric Johnson]

So I have no excuse. I have no excuse.

[Gump]

Is that his hockey nickname, by the way? Because I've been sitting here and I

[Eric Johnson]

was like, is it.

[Gump]

Is it Erical or.

[Pat McAfee]

Yeah. What did I call you?

[Eric Johnson]

Me, ej.

[Pat McAfee]

Okay, so that seems not hockey.

[Connor McGovern]

That one kind of stinks.

[Pat McAfee]

What? Yeah.

[Eric Johnson]

It's not great, is it? Call me whatever you want. I don't give a.

[Pat McAfee]

No, we're not creating hockey lingo. We wanted to learn what hockey you like. We don't want. We don't know. Hockey speak is better than our speak at every. And I think it's just Canadian EJ stuff, though, John.

[Gump]

So maybe Johnny Dickle.

[Connor McGovern]

Yeah, we go here. Dickle, Dickle.

[Pat McAfee]

Dicko is a good one. Dixie, maybe. You know, whatever the case, we appreciate you, man.

[Adam Schefter]

Any.

[Eric Johnson]

Anytime, boys. Anytime. Have a good one.

[Pat McAfee]

No, you're not leaving. We got more questions. We got more questions. We got more questions. Are those game sticks? Those all game sticks right there? Oh, you still need me?

[Connor McGovern]

Yeah, they are.

[Eric Johnson]

You want to see some?

[Pat McAfee]

Yeah, absolutely. We do still need you, Paul. Yeah. What do you got there?

[AJ Hawk]

They all different sizes?

[Pat McAfee]

And look at that.

[Eric Johnson]

Look at that banana hook.

[Pat McAfee]

Yeah. A little cheating. I think Sydney Crosby goes straight. I don't know.

[Tyler Herro]

Twig.

[Pat McAfee]

Yeah.

[Connor McGovern]

Holy shit.

[Pat McAfee]

Think about the snapper with that bend. Whose thick is that?

[Eric Johnson]

That's Crosby the Buck Butter Knife.

[Pat McAfee]

Yep. Yeah.

[Gump]

That's insane. Four apples today for Team Canada.

[Pat McAfee]

You guys don't even know who Your captain is so. I don't want to hear it. Okay? You guys don't even know who should be wearing a C over there in international.

[Connor McGovern]

Did USA get the. Yeah. Beat out of them?

[Pat McAfee]

What? All right, let's not worry about that. We're talking NHL playoffs. Go ahead, con man.

[Connor McGovern]

Yeah, ej. Even though I think Dickel kind of has more play, but ej, DJ Torts. There was a situation last week towards the end of the week where Vegas and, you know, basically Tortorella won the series and said, you know what? I don't want to talk to those muppets out there who are reporting on the game. We win, we're going home. We need to get on the flight now. He gets fined 100k and the team gets their second round pick taken away from him. Is this normal? This feels like something that's kind of ridiculous looking at it, especially the push punishment, you know, fit in the crime. What was your read on this situation?

[Eric Johnson]

I'm. I'm actually glad you asked me this, because I can kind of look at this now from both sides of the coin. Like eight months ago, when I was still playing, I would say, you know, screw the media. We don't care about them. But now I am the media. And so I can see why you would be upset if. If you're spending all this money, your company's taking you there to. To. To write, and you need. You need quotes from the. From the players and the coach. Right. So they. The media has a job to do and they deserve the respect to be able to talk to the coach. But at the other side of the coin, and I played for Torts, I think he is fantastic. Like, this guy needs a reality show. He's that entertaining. But they had an air curfew that they needed to be wheels up by a certain time to get out of Orange county because they have the air curfew with the plane. So they had to turn and burn and get out of there.

[Shams Charania]

There.

[Eric Johnson]

And at this time of the year, I think torch just thought 100 grand. I don't give a. I need to get my team back home and get home. Otherwise we're staying a night in Anaheim. And.

[Darius Butler]

And.

[Eric Johnson]

And as you know, just. Just being at home is so important. So I can see why he said we got to get out of there. You know, maybe they could have sent a guy to the. To the podium a little bit longer or towards. Could have just done a quick scrum on his way out. But I get why he wants to get in and out and get his team out. And I also get why the media was upset because they have a job to do as well as a player.

[Pat McAfee]

Want to get the hell out.

[Eric Johnson]

You want to leave? You want to go?

[Pat McAfee]

Yeah. It's fair and balanced. Take out of you was very fair and bound, John. So talking about players perspective. 18 years in the league. Yeah.

[Connor McGovern]

Fresh out of Cabo.

[Pat McAfee]

Absolutely. Fresh out of Cabo. With a clear perspective.

[Connor McGovern]

Yeah.

[Pat McAfee]

Sunburn DMT activate.

[Eric Johnson]

Lot of cobwebs.

[Adam Schefter]

Little foggy boy.

[Pat McAfee]

Oh, no, no. You're seeing it clear. You're seeing it clear. Yeah. You actually have no cement in your skates.

[Connor McGovern]

No skating real well.

[Pat McAfee]

I might not have flashed you.

[Eric Johnson]

Is that okay? Are we gonna get in trouble for that?

[Gump]

No, you're good.

[Pat McAfee]

No, I didn't see the wiener. Just saw. Just saw. You're in a good spot.

[Connor McGovern]

You should see our buddies back over there.

[AJ Hawk]

Crazy lad.

[Pat McAfee]

Yeah. I'll tell you. You're from Minnesota, is that right?

[Eric Johnson]

Yeah.

[Pat McAfee]

So we're. I'm from Pittsburgh. We're all from cold climates. Okay. D butts from South Florida. We are all acting like assholes right now with the weather.

[Connor McGovern]

Yeah.

[Pat McAfee]

Okay. We're all. We all need to remember that there will be more sun.

[Gump]

It'll get you okay.

[Pat McAfee]

And we're all burnt. Everybody is sunburned right now. I think that is of our complexion, I do believe from the cold weather climates. And I know you're in Cabo, but we got a guy just went to a pool the other day, 65 degrees. He's got 4, 3 Burns Sky. It's not even June. It's May. You're not supposed to have in Indiana sun. No, that's not supposed to happen.

[Connor McGovern]

No.

[Pat McAfee]

He's got to be putting butter on his back to get to where he was.

[Tyler Herro]

He may have been.

[Pat McAfee]

We don't know his life.

[Connor McGovern]

I thought it was sunscreen.

[Pat McAfee]

Live his life. But anyway, sunburn means that life is getting better. Not necessarily that it's a great thing thing. But AJ has a question as we get back to the playoffs, please. Jesus Christ.

[AJ Hawk]

Yeah. Obviously, Eric, you mentioned playing for Torts and Vegas is taking on Colorado.

[Tyler Herro]

I know.

[AJ Hawk]

Wednesday night will be game one. Can you explain like what Torts brings to the team? It's very unique situation. They fire their coach was what, under 10 games in regular season, Bring them in and he breathes some life into him. It seems like what does he do? I guess that sets him apart from other coaches.

[Pat McAfee]

Yeah.

[Eric Johnson]

Aj, I think. And I don't know if you guys have had coaches like this in the NFL. But what torts does that a lot of coaches just don't, is Torts will have his meeting in front of the entire team and he airs out his individual grievances with each guy. In that setting, he's not pulling you aside and, you know, having a one on one conversation with you away from the team saying, hey, you got to pick up your shit. You're playing like, like ass. He's saying that in front of the, the entire team. And he's, he's a complete, complete classic. So he, he doesn't have great eyesight anymore. He's getting a little older, and I could say that to him, but he can't find certain guys in the meeting room when he's looking to call him out. So he's like, he'd call me Johnny, but where the hell is Johnny? And he's looking around, he's like, you awful.

[Pat McAfee]

Pick it up.

[Eric Johnson]

You know, like just stuff like that

[Pat McAfee]

in front of the whole team.

[Eric Johnson]

So he's, he's the only coach I've had that does that in the team setting as opposed to pulling guys aside. And I really appreciate it because he can be absolutely terrifying and he lays into you and you know exactly where you stand. There's no gray area with torts.

[Pat McAfee]

Johnny. That's what we've been looking for. See, hockey did give you a nickname that, super hockey, and we just learned it stinks.

[Eric Johnson]

Johnny stinks.

[Pat McAfee]

You think? What, What? Johnny Pretty good. I guess you have a bad recollection of Johnny potentially, because Johnny, usually, what was coming after was ass to you. Yeah, you were absolutely, absolute ass. Johnny good. The lettuce for Johnny.

[Connor McGovern]

I mean, Eric could play as well.

[Pat McAfee]

Yeah, we could do John. Oh, Jono is a good one. John. Oh, John Soul. Johnson.

[Mike Tirico]

Johnson.

[Eric Johnson]

Those are like the basic ones. You call me whatever you want.

[Pat McAfee]

Do you think it's the Canadians that make the hockey lingo as good as it is, or do you think it's the hockey culture that creates the lingo from the hockey world that makes it great? What do you think it is?

[Eric Johnson]

I actually have a, I have a nickname that actually a coach gave me. So here's, here's the backstory. As a defenseman, I would jump up into the play a lot offensively earlier in my career. And a coach called me out in front of the whole team. He said, johnny, you're being way too goddamn horny out there.

[Pat McAfee]

I'm like, what?

[Eric Johnson]

I'm horny. So horny, meaning I'm jumping up in the play too much. Sacrificing defense for all offense. So then a bunch of the guys just started calling me Big Horny. And that's actually my Instagram alias is Big Horny. So literally, I'd have Nathan McKinnon. I'm out on the ice and I hear him calling for the puck.

[Pat McAfee]

Horny.

[Eric Johnson]

Horny. I knew that was my teammate because no one calls me horny.

[Pat McAfee]

Yeah, of course.

[Shams Charania]

Well, Big Horny.

[Pat McAfee]

Let's say Big Horny.

[Connor McGovern]

Big Horny plays. I think. Yeah, that one will stick.

[Gump]

Horn Dog.

[Mike Tirico]

Yeah, whatever. I love.

[Pat McAfee]

When we asked him earlier, do you have any nicknames? Just ej.

[Gump]

We found out, like, four or five.

[Pat McAfee]

You're the greatest Horny, man. You're the great Big Horny. Big Horny. I didn't know if I could say horny.

[Eric Johnson]

And then I'm like, I'll just say it. I'll tell it.

[Pat McAfee]

We appreciate you having the thought. Yeah. Way to think that through. That's very good that you could do that. Keep doing that with tv. Perfect way to describe what you were doing, too.

[Connor McGovern]

Yeah.

[Pat McAfee]

I mean, obviously you're getting a little bit too quickly down in there. Yeah, you are getting a little bit too.

[AJ Hawk]

It's like a linebacker. Like linebackers biting on the run fake and they throw it behind you. Getting sucked up. You're being way too horny. Use that.

[Pat McAfee]

Yeah, people do they use horny or just always sucked up? Because we've been a big sucked up.

[AJ Hawk]

Sucked up is more of a. This program kind of made it, you know, popularized it. But, yeah, I've heard coaches say, you know, stop being horny. Like, it's just, you know, getting in there when you shouldn't be taking two extra steps. When you should be taking, you know, reading the quarterback.

[Pat McAfee]

Yeah. Shouldn't be getting sucked up. You were kind of getting sucked up, now that I think about it, because you were kind of trying to get in the action or whatever, and they

[Connor McGovern]

go deep on you.

[Pat McAfee]

Boom. Way too hard. Big Horn. That's Big Horny, though. Yeah, exactly. I mean, that's kind of part of this game. Big Horny out there, man. I'm trying to. Yeah, that's what I'm about to say. We gotta change this immediately. This is Big Horny. Eric Johnson, Stanley cup champ. Go ahead, Tone. Yeah. Horner.

[Gump]

Let's talk about the as in VGK series. Obviously, we know all the star power with the abs, but, like, when you look at the Knights, like, with Marner and Eichel, got Noah Hanifin, I believe. Wild Bill Carlson.

[Tyler Herro]

Yeah.

[Gump]

Like, they Stoner if he's. If he's healthy.

[Connor McGovern]

Yeah.

[Gump]

T's and Peace, they have a lot of star power. Are the Knights the only team that you think star, power wise, can. Can match up with the ABs?

[Eric Johnson]

I still think the ABs have their number, but it's going to be a tough series, and it's. To me, it's going to come all. All the way down between the pipes. I'm not worried about Colorado's goaltending. Vegas is a little bit. Carter Hart, he was a stud in Philly. He got drafted there, and he played for John Tortorella in Philly. And now they're reconnected here in Vegas. So he's going to be the X factor for me. But the biggest difference from the second round when the ABs played Minnesota, to the conference finals, now where they're playing Vegas is. Vegas is almost 100% healthy. They got Carlson back. Like you said, all their big guns are healthy. Remember, the Wild are missing Jewel Erickson A and Jonas Brodin, two of their best defensive players. That cost them probably the series, but Vegas is healthy. And the other big thing is they've won. They won in 2023, the year after the ABS won in 22. So these are two teams that know how to win. Savvy veteran teams with veteran coaches. It's going to be a really good series. Great buildings, great, great atmosphere. I think it's gonna go six or seven, but I still think Colorado comes away with it, and they end up playing Carolina in the final.

[Pat McAfee]

All right, thank you, Hornsy. We appreciate the hell out of you. Whatever you need. What are Chili Ones? Up there on the hat?

[Eric Johnson]

Gotta give a shout out. My boy, Tyson Berry, I played with him in Colorado. He just started a beer company. Oh, Night Lager Chili Ones.

[Pat McAfee]

Hold on. What you say? Say it again. I stepped on it. 100. My fault. What'd you say? I. Tyson.

[Eric Johnson]

One of my old teammates, Tyson Berry, he started a beer company called Chili Ones, a crushable lager. So we're. We're repping the Chili Ones out here today in the Wild.

[Pat McAfee]

Okay. What's. What's a lager? Just so I know that's the one. Tastes like a forced crushable.

[Gump]

No, those are ipa.

[Pat McAfee]

Okay.

[Gump]

I hate those loggers like Sam Adams or Yingling.

[Pat McAfee]

Oh, I like a little taste of history.

[Eric Johnson]

Yingling's better than Sam. Not enough alcohol content in these, but you just drink a few more and you're good.

[Pat McAfee]

That's big, horny football. We appreciate the hell out of you, man. We'll Talk to you soon, hopefully.

[Eric Johnson]

Anytime, boys.

[Tyler Herro]

Thank you.

[Pat McAfee]

Hey, are those horse racing stuff up there above you? No, what do you want to see? Yeah, you tell us. What, so you, you, you own horses, you train horses, you are a horse. What, what's it, what is your horse relationship?

[Eric Johnson]

So basically, you know, I, I've had racehorses in the past. Those are two of my horses. They won. Boys here won a great grade one at Keeneland, comical one at Saratoga. So, so I race, I breed. We have a farm out in Lexington. Lexington I'm actually going out to in a couple hours to see some of the moms and babies. But I just, I love the business. I can only describe it as seeing your horse in the lead. Coming down the stretch is no different feeling than, you know, scoring a game winning goal in a game or scoring the game winning touchdown or the game winning three pointer. If I could bottle up that feeling that you get watching your horse win a race, it's very similar to a big game in pro sports. So I think that's why it's a, it's a big adrenaline rush.

[Pat McAfee]

Look at you chasing the dragon. I like that. Are you going to have anybody in the Derby? How's this work? What's the breeders? How old are these horses? When should we look for one of your ponies to bet on one of them and maybe feel a little rush with you alongside the racetrack?

[Eric Johnson]

I typically breed in sell boys, so I had the model father that, that won the Breeders cup last year, so that was a nice score. Owning the mom of one of the, the horses that won last year, that was a, that was a pretty big deal. And then, yeah, we have, we have a couple two year olds that are going to race hopefully at Saratoga this summer. And then you never know down the road they could be in the big races, but it's, it's, it's tough. I, people ask me all the time like, do you have any horses racing in the Derby? And I always respond with, have you ever played in the goddamn Masters

[Gump]

that hard?

[Eric Johnson]

I'm like, it's not just like, oh yeah, you walk your horse on the shank and put it in the gate,

[Pat McAfee]

you're in the Kentucky Burger. You know, it's holy hell. All right, Horno. We appreciate the hell out of here, man. Good luck to all your horses and to you. You are seemingly a horse, a stallion that we are going to call upon in a regular fashion. Ladies and gentlemen, Stanley cup champion. Don't ever forget it. Ask God over Big Horny. That guy's unbelievable. Y. I'm so happy. He just kind of got dropped into our universe. Oh yeah. What a thing to experience here.

[Connor McGovern]

The man.

[Pat McAfee]

18 years in the NHL, that guy. 18. Seven.

[AJ Hawk]

He had seven nicknames. He said he had zero.

[Pat McAfee]

He just kept thinking about hilarious.

[Darius Butler]

That's the conversation with all. Yep, this name, this coach gave me this one, this player gave me this one. But I'm intrigued by like the sticks. How different is every player. But like Sid stick.

[Gump]

Sid is very different.

[Darius Butler]

Is that Sid is.

[Gump]

Sid is unique.

[Darius Butler]

Okay.

[Pat McAfee]

So there's big rules on all that. So like huge rules.

[Darius Butler]

Those look completely different.

[Pat McAfee]

Yeah. So Yarmor Yager I think used to have a pretty good little hook. I think he had a pretty good little hook. So he's obviously wrist shot. Like you can snap that thing off pretty good. The NHL had to make a bunch of rules, I think on how. How curved it could be. Because I think they were potentially getting to the point where was like a lacrosse stick. Two guys are unbelievable. And I think it was something cuz Sid can go backhand or forehand. So like that was the big story whenever it came. Like, wait till you see this guy stick. Because in Pittsburgh obviously we've seen Yogur. Mario obviously had a sweet stick. Let's not even talk about Ron Francis. More he had going on in between his mitts or whatever the case was. But they're like, wait till you see Sid stick. This is just straight. And it's because he was so lethal, I think with the backhand and the forehand. So he's basically righty and lefty on the ice and somehow he can still have it glued to the stick, which is obviously an incredible feat. But yeah, that. That's a different. That's a little different piece of hockey intel. I guess that if you didn't really grow up around hockey, you would have no idea. But that was just like. It was nice to see all those sticks. And as soon as he put Sids up, we immediately were like, that's Sid stick right there. Because it was so abnormal. Like how many people now Nick have the straight blade, if you will.

[Gump]

I'd imagine Sid probably popularized it a little bit, but still it's nothing beats

[Pat McAfee]

getting a big old curve on your stick. A lot of guys do it just because it makes your shot so much more dangerous.

[Gump]

They used to.

[Pat McAfee]

I haven't seen it in forever. You used to be able to challenge a guy's stick.

[Gump]

You could say, hey, that's an illegal stick.

[Pat McAfee]

They'd take it to the penalty box and measure it and if you were wrong your team got a penalty and

[Gump]

if it was legal they got a penalty.

[Pat McAfee]

It was like abuse leads the restrictions. You know how that always works in every sport basically like the footballs, you know in the NFL. And then it just got so bad and then it had the restrict it. I think the stick became like that as well.

[Tyler Herro]

Oh yeah.

[Pat McAfee]

I think how they're making the stick. What material was making the stick and then the cuz I remember deck hockey. Nick Blake, you get up there. Some of these guys sticks. It was. It was literally like a lacrosse took a turn. So you could. I mean but you could throw it out of there, you know and with a puck like the amount of control these guys have. That thing's perfect saucer they just basically hand it to it was. It's crazy. Crazy thing. But the amount of this that they have to do.

[Darius Butler]

Go down a little rabbit hole.

[Pat McAfee]

Get your own.

[Connor McGovern]

It's interesting.

[Darius Butler]

I'm just looking to it Just learn a little more about it.

[Gump]

There you go.

[Pat McAfee]

Yeah. Sharpening their blades always get better. Taking their sticks, taping. It's a big deal too. That's a whole thing.

[Connor McGovern]

Oh yeah.

[Darius Butler]

They take their own sticks, right?

[Pat McAfee]

Yeah. That's pretty cool. Got you. Don't let anybody else spray water in your mouth. No. Well that's happening a lot in football these days.

[AJ Hawk]

That's your league now to becoming like the norm Sometimes.

[Connor McGovern]

Sometimes.

[Pat McAfee]

That's your league for some teams.

[Darius Butler]

Quarterback. It's your quarterback.

[Gump]

His hands.

[Connor McGovern]

Yeah, that is.

[Gump]

His hands get slippy and he still throws them.

[Darius Butler]

Is he going to be a two glove guy in the league?

[Tyler Herro]

Oh, he should be.

[Gump]

No, his hands are big.

[Pat McAfee]

Current athletes, we don't like to grandstand much. I think that's factual about us. I won't high horse about a lot of shit. I don't think we do modern athletes. You need to start spraying water in your own damn mouths. Okay. I don't know where we went wrong. I don't care about the gloves. If gloves don't work because you have to squirt bottle of water in your mouth. Get rid of the fucking gloves. Okay. We need better gloves. I'm done watching like a bunch of baby birds get fed with that. I don't like it aj. I don't like any sport. I don't like it in any sport. We can spray our own balls of water.

[AJ Hawk]

I think starts at the top. The NFL guys got to set the tone. That's where NFL guys are the role model for the young kids. Like H. Have you ever Seen high school kids doing it because that happens in high school where they're having. I've seen my. Put their hands in their hips and I was like. I almost the one doing a sprint and try to stop these guys.

[Pat McAfee]

Like, come on now. Could you imagine swatting that bottle? Oh, don't, don't. I did it back in.

[AJ Hawk]

Yeah, I do. I did that in Green Bay. At times I would swat the bottle out of the. Out of the trainer's hand when he would try to get to a guy who was asking his squirt water in his mouth.

[Pat McAfee]

Now, there might be a moment. You have both arms broken. Sure. Okay. Jam.

[AJ Hawk]

Good.

[Pat McAfee]

Jam.

[AJ Hawk]

Then you just don't need water at that time. You just don't need water.

[Pat McAfee]

Then I think they would say you should hydrate with two broken arms. But if there comes a time where you cannot physically grab the bottle and squirt it into your own mouth, we would like to hear a good excuse. But basically, unless you don't have arms, we would. We don't want to hear it.

[Connor McGovern]

And you can't even though your feet.

[AJ Hawk]

We saw a guy with no arms able to shoot a gun. So I mean, you could do without ar.

[Pat McAfee]

That was kind of becoming a thing there. Well, there's like back to back weeks where. How is that even. He did climb a tree. Eyes out for sure.

[Gump]

He was determined.

[Pat McAfee]

I'm not for sure we'd be safe that. You know, like whatever they say.

[Tyler Herro]

That guy was something else.

[Pat McAfee]

Yeah.

[Connor McGovern]

Now we know.

[Pat McAfee]

Yeah.

[Gump]

I saw him video with three throwing stars.

[Pat McAfee]

All right, let's move along.

[Connor McGovern]

Accurate with them.

[Gump]

Yeah, deadly.

[Pat McAfee]

Ladies and gentlemen, joining us now is a man who is.

[Connor McGovern]

It's real.

[Darius Butler]

I didn't see that video.

[Tyler Herro]

The throwing stars.

[Pat McAfee]

Yeah.

[Gump]

I'll find it.

[Tyler Herro]

I'll find him.

[Connor McGovern]

And he was. He wasn't just nubbing them around.

[Tyler Herro]

Good velocity. Putting them right between the little guy.

[AJ Hawk]

You debut. You wouldn't get away. Debut.

[Pat McAfee]

But all right. The Internet's alive right now.

[Darius Butler]

Aj. I'm getting away.

[Pat McAfee]

I don't you think you could just. Boom. But that's not the case. Joining us now, ladies and gentlemen. He's dead.

[Connor McGovern]

Plan for that.

[Pat McAfee]

Can't do that. There was a Canadian goose that was kind of sizing me up with Mackenzie the other day.

[Darius Butler]

Those got to watch. Yeah.

[Pat McAfee]

The punt to its head that I visualize. Not allowed to. It's protected species. Somehow I don't know how the we get.

[AJ Hawk]

You can defend your. You can defend your family.

[Mike Tirico]

Yes.

[Pat McAfee]

Yes, I definitely can. And I thought I was going to I thought I was going to kick a head off. I thought that was going to really happen. I was very. I was at a moment in my time where I'm like, holy hell, I'm about to.

[AJ Hawk]

You got to tell Mackenzie to turn around. Maybe that might scar her a bit.

[Pat McAfee]

No, no, she needs to see that.

[Connor McGovern]

Need to learn.

[AJ Hawk]

Yeah, you're right. Can you see dad? The protector? You're right, actually, no. Hey, McKenzie, watch. Actually, film this real quick for you.

[Pat McAfee]

Not only to protect.

[Gump]

Let the girl watch the educator.

[Pat McAfee]

Hey, you're allowed to do this if one of these things starts acting up. Yeah, you're allowed to do this, Mackenzie. Not all the time. Let's not do that, cuz I don't need her messing around with animals doing all that. Especially out here in Midwest.

[Connor McGovern]

That's how AJ got. How he is.

[Pat McAfee]

You talking about Midwestern kid that fits the mold you.

[Tyler Herro]

Well, I was actually going to say don't worry about, you know, kicking that thing. What you do is you take an old guy golf club, you take the actual head off, and then you got, guess what, a couple right in that thing's neck.

[Pat McAfee]

Yeah. Ain't gonna carry that around, though.

[Tyler Herro]

No, it's like. It's like a walking stick, kind of. That's what you use it for, and then, you know, you got a go.

[Pat McAfee]

I've been to Canada a few times. I ain't never seen your guys's geese in your.

[Gump]

They made it there.

[Pat McAfee]

Why aren't your geese. Why don't your geese go back to your country, Gump? Why. Why don't you guys do that? Why don't you get your geese, wrangle them up and get them back up north? That's where they should be.

[Gump]

I tell you what, they're a problem back there too, brother. Juan de Fuca soccer field. You never seen anything like you played in key shots every time you played there.

[Pat McAfee]

Of course.

[Gump]

Juan de Fucas, they're a terrible team and a terrible pitch.

[Connor McGovern]

Such a little fuzzies.

[Gump]

No, Spectrum. Warm fuzzies.

[Pat McAfee]

Oh, okay. Joining us now, ladies and gentlemen, is a little fuzzy. A warm and fuzzy ladies and gentlemen guy we love. He is a senior NBA in the Insider. And to get to the top of the mountain in which he is, you're going to have to make decisions and tweets that certainly ruffle some feathers. Ladies and gentlemen, the man who broke the news that SGA would be a back to back MVP on his X account. Hours and hours and hours and hours before it was supposed to be announced on Prime Ladies and gentlemen, journalist Sham Sharanya. This guy, you ruined it for me. All right, Shams, there is a contingency of people who are not Ty's first day back, okay? First day back, he was coming in all kind of uppity and excited. Ordered a triple burger with extra bacon and everything you could possibly.

[Tyler Herro]

Goddamn right, it's true.

[Pat McAfee]

Red Bull's in here. He was flying high in here and then he saw what happened with you and he said, that's all I needed. Fl. Flip switch. He said. I don't like what Shams did. Shums, can you please clarify what happened with this whole MVP announcement and how many discussions were had by you with yourself, with every. Like how. First of all, you get this news. You are an insider. You're supposed to break news. If you get news, that's kind of your job. But then there were some people kind of attacking you, acting as if this has never happened before. Ty, Conor, I think Debut was even yelling right there. Don't like as loud as I could. So Shams, can you just tell us a little bit more about where you stand, how you stand and how you came about this piece of information that it seems like you would feel obligated to put out if you got it as an insider?

[Shams Charania]

First of all, my guy, Ty, three time dad of the year.

[Pat McAfee]

Oh, wow.

[Tyler Herro]

I don't know about that, but thank you, Sean.

[Pat McAfee]

Nailed it.

[Shams Charania]

Morning with the newborn. I just, I just wanted to spice up my guy's morning. I knew, you know, you might have a slow morning morning, you know, start a podcast.

[Pat McAfee]

I get it. D A D. Yeah, of course, yeah.

[Shams Charania]

I'm just trying to stir it up. I mean, listen, I, I'm, I'm. Part of me is like, what are we talking about here? The other part of me is like, you know, for me, when I get news, when I get information, if I vetted it like I did late Saturday night, early Sunday morning, when I have news, 100%, no matter how big, no matter how small, in this case, obviously very, very big accomplishment. Very big news around the NBA. For the NBA. For Shay Gills Alexander being the 14th player in NBA history to be the back to back league mvp. He's only, you know, since Stephen Curry, the only guard to be back to back. He's the only player to go back to back, period. Says Nikola Jokic. There's a list of accomplishments here. I mean, he's a rarefied heir. So this is a massive story. And when I get it, I vet it and then my job is to report the news. And so that's all I. I focus on. That's what I wake up thinking about. That's what I go to sleep thinking about. I feel responsibility. And like you said, Pat, this isn't the first time necessarily, but it's not going to be the last time where I'm just going to try to do my job to the best of my ability.

[Pat McAfee]

All right, well, hey, Sean, we appreciate that. And remember, the road to the top of the mountain is obviously going to be a rocky one. You know, there's been other insiders that have certainly broke this type of news in the past, but they are obviously been around the game a lot longer. You multiple times now, been dropped in the fire. I think a lot of people say, you're going to have to prove. You're going to have to prove to me. And you've sat in there. Shams, we're proud of you. Through. Through lunch, through Forks with oatmeal, through all your shit. We're proud of you. Shams, keep working.

[Connor McGovern]

Shit. Hell yeah.

[Tyler Herro]

Choms.

[Shams Charania]

Yeah.

[Adam Schefter]

I think I might be.

[Shams Charania]

Be a lunch guy more, to be honest.

[Pat McAfee]

Yeah, we know. We've seen your tweets.

[Connor McGovern]

And Blake Griffin, like, that was funny. I mean, he absolutely freaking owned you. That just is what it is.

[Pat McAfee]

Yeah, we like Blake Griffin a lot. That's kind of, I think, why the boys were booing your ass there, just to be on his side. We love you, Shams. We don't know Blake that well, but we are fans of his. But on that note, I appreciate you doing your job, and this is only going to continue to happen. How old are you?

[Shams Charania]

I am 32, but I feel like I'm 52. In basketball.

[Pat McAfee]

You're.

[Shams Charania]

But I'm 32.

[Pat McAfee]

Okay. How old's Woj? Was he 100 years old?

[Connor McGovern]

Yeah. With that math, I think he's like 400 in basketball.

[Pat McAfee]

No, but how old is he?

[Tyler Herro]

60 to 65 years old.

[Pat McAfee]

Okay, so there's another 20 years, okay. Of the Shams train coming right up, and I think people are just going to have to get used to that. This guy's everywhere, okay? And Shams knows everything somehow. And he doesn't sleep. This guy actually doesn't sleep. Might be one of the.

[Gump]

Yeah, yeah, could be.

[Connor McGovern]

And stands on his reporting always Jimmy Butler thing was crazy.

[Pat McAfee]

Pat Riley came out, had the team

[Connor McGovern]

owner, had the team coming out, saying, this guy's full of.

[Pat McAfee]

And then what? And then Sham Shirani says, hey, welcome to the game, folks. Yeah, I know. I'm new around here. And then Obviously, the honest stuff continues to. And we're definitely going to ask you about that, because how could we not? Because that is kind of your thing.

[Shams Charania]

The resolution's coming here on that one, Pat. When it's coming on.

[Mike Tirico]

When?

[AJ Hawk]

Yes.

[Shams Charania]

How long in process?

[Gump]

Okay.

[Pat McAfee]

Like within the hour?

[Tyler Herro]

Not within the hour.

[Shams Charania]

I would say between now and the NBA Draft on June 23. Within the hour would be pretty good.

[Gump]

That's above.

[Shams Charania]

Between now and June 23, those conversations are going to start picking up, going to start escalating. I reported last week, actually on this show about a week ago, that the Bucks were officially open for business on all offers, on all trade called. That has continued into this week, and that's only going to continue. The crux of this is Giannis has believed for a period of months now that it's time for both sides to move on. The Bucks, obviously, last year they felt like they had a team that would compete. And when you have Giannis on your team, you do everything you can, right? And we've seen John Horst, their general manager, Drew Holiday in 2020, Dame Lillard in 2023, Miles Turner last year, summer. They're going to make swings, they're going to go all in. But this is a team that has gone all in over and over and over again. And I think it. It has reached that point to where how much allin can you go? Do you even have the pieces necessary to go all in? And so those conversations will continue to pick up from ownership to management with Giannis. One thing I did pick up last week and into this week, Giannis's stance has not changed as far as what I've reported the last several months. So this is a situation we'll keep an eye on on over the next five to six weeks.

[Pat McAfee]

All right, we can't wait for that last. On that. Quick. Go ahead, con man.

[Connor McGovern]

Yeah, Shams. It's been kind of said in or at least on the Internet, that there's a chance that he might be headed to Boston. I think he is the favorite at some places. What is kind of that status? Would that be trade that could possibly happen, including, you know, Jaylen Brown or just assets of some sort? Or are we looking at the teams that Giannis has already kind of applied, proved that you have pontificated about, like, Miami and spots like that, where he'll

[Shams Charania]

go, Minnesota, the Lakers, the Celtics, the Heat. Those are all the Knicks. Those are all the teams that had interest in Giannis. At the deadline, there was conversations, some teams more than other teams. You think about teams like Miami and Minnesota. Those were more extensive conversations. Those were more back and forth engagement conversations. Then you have teams like Cleveland and the Lakers and the sports Celtics that checked and the Knicks that checked in that had interest. There was some conversations on concepts, but the Celtics did check and they did make a call. They did have a level of interest. And I think that is going to continue into this offseason. But they've never gotten into the particulars because it takes two to tango. You're not just going to offer up a player that it might take to get a deal done without there being interest from the other side. So those are all things to be determined. And it's to be determined. Does Milwaukee feel like their best offer is going to come from a Minnesota or a Miami or some other team? And that's what we're going to find out over the next few weeks.

[Pat McAfee]

Shams, you're always so focused on work. Have you ever tangoed?

[Shams Charania]

Not recently, but, you know, I don't know about tango, but I've gone to a few dance classes, but I don't know about tango.

[Pat McAfee]

Okay, so it takes two to tango. You've only. I said you solo salsa. What does the dance. It done take two to do with. What are you doing, Max? Raina? Probably a little electric slide. Yep, probably a little bit.

[Shams Charania]

Yeah, I've done some. I mean, back in high. Back in, like, middle school, we did.

[Pat McAfee]

Oh, you haven't been,

[Connor McGovern]

soldier boy.

[Pat McAfee]

That was a banger, bro. Bang and a boom boom and a pow Poop whacked hang bang boom boom. Banging a boom powder pow head bahi. Banging a boom boom boom. Wow, good memory. First time, long time right there. That felt good. That took me back in time there. That was a nice little trip back in time.

[Mike Tirico]

Great day.

[Pat McAfee]

We were all doing that. I mean, everybody was really universal. What a heater. Actually kind of, now that we think about it, still holds up. Hey, macaroni.

[Shams Charania]

The electric slide was. Was real too, though.

[Pat McAfee]

Sure. Yeah. Oh, still is.

[AJ Hawk]

Still.

[Darius Butler]

Bring it.

[Pat McAfee]

Yeah.

[Shams Charania]

Keep shuffle.

[Gump]

People still wobble.

[Connor McGovern]

Yeah, people are wobbling.

[Pat McAfee]

Nick Saban wobble. He'll wobble right over there.

[Connor McGovern]

Stanky leg.

[Gump]

Sure.

[Pat McAfee]

I think those still happen, right?

[Connor McGovern]

Oh, yeah.

[Gump]

Yeah, definitely.

[Pat McAfee]

We're a dancing society, aren't we? I'm kind of proud of our species for that. These aliens can't dance. I could tell just by looking at their ass. They got no rhythm.

[Tyler Herro]

Agreed.

[Pat McAfee]

They're gonna be so confused by us. Just bang, boom. They're gonna. Whoa, what is this? And then we're Gonna low leverage them.

[Connor McGovern]

The Nordics look like they might have.

[Shams Charania]

So aliens are real? These are real.

[Pat McAfee]

You tell us. Shams. You. You got any news on this you want to break before real pictures?

[Shams Charania]

This might have to be my next mission.

[Pat McAfee]

Well, what if you are that? That's the thing, though. You could potentially be one of these. I don't know which one you would necessarily line up with in these photos.

[Connor McGovern]

I think we know.

[Gump]

Yeah, we do.

[Pat McAfee]

You're not Nordic. We know that. Unless you are. Maybe. I'm not 100% sure. The Nordic, I guess is. Now, they said it's seven feet, but then I heard it got say none of them more than six feet, and then that. How do we know?

[Gump]

Is this from Lord of the Rings?

[Pat McAfee]

No, it's Nordic. Dude, these are all potential.

[Shams Charania]

No, let's get away from this.

[Pat McAfee]

I don't want these Nordics playing any sports, though. We got to ban these Nordics from our sports.

[Gump]

This is my first time, okay.

[Darius Butler]

Oh, the r. Yeah, I've seen a

[Pat McAfee]

few.8ft, but this isn't right because are

[Shams Charania]

these real or are these AI generated? Why am I only seeing this for the first time?

[Pat McAfee]

These are not real. Take them off your. Please. Jeez. We got Sean's confused. I just saw earlier.

[Mike Tirico]

These are all.

[Pat McAfee]

Those are not. Jeez. But is that what they're supposed to real, though? Definitely these. I don't know.

[Darius Butler]

As you're walking through the airport.

[Pat McAfee]

Yeah. Oh, my God. I didn't even think about.

[Connor McGovern]

Posted those on social media, actually.

[Pat McAfee]

They're all real. Yeah.

[Adam Schefter]

Okay.

[Pat McAfee]

Yeah. No. All right, stop. Stop, please. We do not. Just kidding. Just kidding.

[Connor McGovern]

That's a joke.

[Pat McAfee]

Don't kill us, please. Whatever.

[Gump]

Whoever was this War of the Worlds.

[Pat McAfee]

I am fascinated by how much we're learning in a very quick manner, it sounds like.

[Gump]

Are we learning anything, though?

[AJ Hawk]

We're not learning.

[Pat McAfee]

No. I think everything's kind of being like. Yeah, right. That's a big deal. It feels like.

[Gump]

Who reported that?

[Pat McAfee]

What you're talking about that specific information or the four species thing?

[Gump]

What we just saw?

[Pat McAfee]

So we didn't say that.

[Connor McGovern]

What are you trying to say about the New York Post?

[Pat McAfee]

I'm asking legitimate questions.

[Gump]

They do great reporting. I've seen the reporting, seen all the photos. They do great reporting.

[Pat McAfee]

Okay, thank you. Easy.

[Connor McGovern]

You know exactly what you're talking about.

[Pat McAfee]

And we've talked about that a lot, by the way. And we're getting attacked for not. But it's like, I feel like we've.

[Gump]

No, but those things that we just put up the New York Post put those out.

[Pat McAfee]

No, that's just from the Internet. That's a no. Not doing that one. So the everybody hears one interview.

[Darius Butler]

Okay.

[Pat McAfee]

And then they all the way. The Internet at work says, now how far can we take all these things? It's a great place to be.

[Gump]

I missed the alien dump this weekend. That's why I've got questions.

[Connor McGovern]

And some of those interviews aren't recent, which is interesting because it's almost like bringing back an old article to. It's weird.

[Pat McAfee]

Now, I will say the New York Post, yes, we are learning. Did put that photo out, though. Yes, they did.

[Gump]

Okay.

[Tyler Herro]

This is good.

[Pat McAfee]

Yes. Okay.

[Connor McGovern]

Okay.

[Shams Charania]

Yeah, yeah.

[Pat McAfee]

Does.

[Shams Charania]

Does the Pat McAfee show need a correspondent for this?

[Pat McAfee]

Yes, we've been trying. We've been trying our best.

[AJ Hawk]

You have to do it, Sean.

[Gump]

I might have to say praying man is going to eat our inside the man is thing.

[Pat McAfee]

That's straight pump, kick to chest maybe. Okay. We can't let that mouth get anywhere near us. The little one not even worried about this thing. Come on.

[Gump]

Unless they have telekinesis, the reptilian could be a problem.

[Tyler Herro]

Worried about the reptilian one.

[Adam Schefter]

He's got.

[Tyler Herro]

He's got armor on. He's got like an actual exoskeleton in Nordic.

[Pat McAfee]

We've seen these before. Okay, we've seen Nordic before. You go to some neighborhood, they post. So the reptilian one is really who we gotta maybe rally the others to join us to fight against, it appears. But everybody else. Let's say 8ft tall.

[Gump]

Yeah, you said 6ft.

[Pat McAfee]

That says 8. The guy that did the interview who said the sizes of these things, I like, listened to the hearing myself. Okay. This weekend I say I had a lot of time on a plane. I was at the American Academy of Country Music shirts. He said six feet. All of them about same size as us.

[Gump]

Oh, that Nordic one. Play striker for Man City. I've seen him so good.

[Pat McAfee]

He won a thing the other day.

[Gump]

Yeah, always does.

[Connor McGovern]

He won the balloon.

[Pat McAfee]

No. Oh, no. The door is not out yet. But what we're saying is, if these aliens are real and they're out here, Shams might be one of them. To be clear.

[Darius Butler]

No more if, brother. They're here.

[Pat McAfee]

They are, aren't they?

[AJ Hawk]

Are they fighting each other, though? Are they. Are they on the same team? How does that work?

[Pat McAfee]

And who's talking to them from our side?

[AJ Hawk]

Yeah, let's turn them against each other.

[Tyler Herro]

Well, that is a good point. You said we do need to go right to the Reptilians and be like, hey, the Nordics, they hate you guys. They despise you.

[Pat McAfee]

We gotta do some real human stuff.

[Tyler Herro]

Yeah, exactly.

[Pat McAfee]

That's like super homo sapien stuff.

[Tyler Herro]

Correct.

[Pat McAfee]

He's like, hey, we gotta drop some drama.

[Tyler Herro]

Exactly.

[Pat McAfee]

Cuz I think we're probably the best at that. If I had to guess, probably why we've been held back so much tech wise is cuz how much we are like hey, how much drama? Let us work this a little.

[Gump]

They need to sit down with Andy Cohen and do like a season recap.

[Pat McAfee]

And then that's what we're talking about. That's a good idea. Yeah.

[Gump]

They're going to start some real.

[Pat McAfee]

That's where we can get them. Because they've never felt those feelings before. Reptilian looks over at the Nordic and goes, you said that really right?

[Tyler Herro]

Yeah.

[Pat McAfee]

And we're like wow. I could have believe it either.

[Tyler Herro]

I can't believe.

[Pat McAfee]

Oh my God. Then his tail turns. We jump over his tail.

[Gump]

Yeah.

[Pat McAfee]

You know, as he's turning around and talking to the Nordic guy. And then we go to the little one like hey little one, they said that you're just basically a little universe turns out his power. All of a sudden we're humanizing this thing. Exactly what are we best at? Causing chaos. Turning people against each other.

[Tyler Herro]

Yep.

[Pat McAfee]

That's what we got, trick.

[Connor McGovern]

That's what we got, little man.

[Pat McAfee]

Misdirection. Yeah. We're taking the thing.

[Connor McGovern]

Double pass to them.

[Shams Charania]

Exactly.

[Pat McAfee]

And then maybe we even send them on one of Elon's ships. Send them out of there. Not a bad idea.

[Connor McGovern]

You guys can have Mars.

[Pat McAfee]

That's what I'm saying. We're winning this whole thing.

[AJ Hawk]

They already have.

[Gump]

I wouldn't trust now that we kind of broke it.

[Pat McAfee]

Shut up.

[Tyler Herro]

Feel good.

[Pat McAfee]

I just hope they don't get in sports cuz you know, if they take over a league, I ain't watching it.

[Connor McGovern]

I ain't.

[Pat McAfee]

We got to have rules.

[Connor McGovern]

The game is right.

[Pat McAfee]

If Goodell and these owners get a heads up that one of these Reptilian can really catch a bull. Oh, they're going to be trying.

[Gump]

Good luck.

[Tyler Herro]

Yeah.

[Connor McGovern]

One of those Nordics on skates at the blue line. No thanks.

[Pat McAfee]

No thanks. I think it's Eric Johnson.

[Connor McGovern]

Just exactly.

[Gump]

It might be now bigger.

[Pat McAfee]

All right, Choms. Thanks for everything, bud. Anything we need to know about tonight?

[Shams Charania]

Tonight? Spurs, Spurs, Thunder.

[Pat McAfee]

I mean J does to me.

[Shams Charania]

Two of the titans of the NBA right now going. Going against each other. We'll see how much will the aspect of experience play into this. We know that Thunder have won it all already. This is the spurs first foray together as this unit. But I mean I, I think about this group right now. Wemby, Castle, Harper, Fox. Then on the other side you have, hey, you have J Dub, who's back in the lineup tonight. JW Jalen Williams, he's missed the last four weeks. He is good to go, cleared to play tonight and I'm told he's gonna be a full throttle. So you have him back, you have Chet Holmgren on that team. Then they have waves upon waves of guys too, right? Alex Caruso, A.J. mitchell, who just broke out as a star in the, in the first couple rounds of these playoffs. So two very deep teams. I feel like this has been a absolute kind of heightened battle all year. We've been waiting for this moment. I think the last time, you know, I've, I've thought about and there's been hype around a conference finals like this is, is one that didn't happen. Lakers, Clippers in the bubble. Like we all like everyone wanted the Lakers and Clippers to face off in the bubble. Everyone's kind of wanted the spurs and Thunder to face off. Now they are. And then the East, Cleveland, New York, I mean, New York's had how long, 10 days, 11, nine days of rest. So I think the one positive for them, you're going to have a little bit of rust maybe to start. But OG Andobi, he's going to be playing in game one. That's the most important thing to come out of the second round for them. He suffered a grade, you know, early, a very low grade, hamstring strain against the Sixers, I believe it was in game two. Missed the last two games of that series, but thankfully for them it was a sweep. Allowed him to rest. And now because they were able to get even more additional days, he's going to be good to go for game one on, on, on tomorrow night.

[Pat McAfee]

Okay, that's great news. Thank you for the update. Charms quickly. We have about 30 seconds or so. We talked about Giannis being on the move. LeBron James going to play basketball again and it's not going to be for the Lakers. Is that kind of, is that how we're all feeling right now or how do you feel, how do you lay right now?

[Shams Charania]

I, I, I wouldn't say that that's something that's been determined.

[Pat McAfee]

Honestly.

[Shams Charania]

I, I think LeBron more than past years, probably needs even more time with his family. Family, with his inner circle. You know, I do know a lot of teams are calling him and his camp. I spoke to Rich Paul the other day at the Chicago draft combine last week and he told me, like every contender in the NBA is essentially since the season ended, placed a call. So that line is going to continue to be open. But listen, LeBron, all indications throughout the season have been that he's going to play another, another, another year. We'll see if that remains to be true. He's got to take that time. We've never seen this. 41 years old. You're 23. I think if he decided to step away, I don't think anyone would hold it against him. But I think the expectation has been that probably you're going to get one more and we'll see if it's going to be with the Lakers or somewhere else. But listen, being in la, having that comfortability and the Lakers want him, I think all those factors do play a part.

[Pat McAfee]

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[Tyler Herro]

ask you to choose between results and taste. Bucked up decided that's a ridiculous trade off. Bucked up makes lightly carbonated protein drinks. 25 grams of protein per can. Clear protein, not milky or thick. And they taste so good that 25 grams of protein almost feels like a bonus.

[Pat McAfee]

Bucked up is so confident you'll love

[Tyler Herro]

their drinks, they're giving away an island vacation just to prove it. That's the kind of brand this is. No purchase necessary.

[Pat McAfee]

Giveaway ends May 30th. Enter and find your closest Bucked [e-mail]

[Tyler Herro]

Grab a Bucked up and feel like a million bucks.

[Pat McAfee]

All right, as we wrap up and we continue digitally, Sports center will take you from here on espn. We'll be back tomorrow after a game seven in a game one tonight. Be a friend. Tell a friend something nice might change your life. Give Goodbye.

[Darius Butler]

Good up.

[Pat McAfee]

Thank you. Yeah, a lot was really coming together there because he was still powering at like 22 seconds.

[Connor McGovern]

Yeah, he was going.

[AJ Hawk]

Told him LeBron's gone. Right. He's out of there.

[Pat McAfee]

That's getting closer. Yeah. I am kind of maybe coming back to Cleveland.

[AJ Hawk]

Yeah, that's what I'm thinking. I mean, what. What other. I don't know. It just makes sense to me. They're good.

[Pat McAfee]

All the contenders are calling. Pacers are calling.

[Connor McGovern]

Boston Pacers are calling.

[Pat McAfee]

Contenders.

[Mike Tirico]

What?

[Connor McGovern]

Yeah. And you guys have the fifth pick. Add that to the. To the repertoire with bronze.

[Pat McAfee]

And LeBron, from my understanding, he'd love Indiana.

[Tyler Herro]

He said that when he came out here.

[Pat McAfee]

Yeah.

[Tyler Herro]

I love this place.

[Connor McGovern]

Who's got the most golf courses out of any state, huh?

[Gump]

Michigan.

[Pat McAfee]

So Arizona, Florida.

[Connor McGovern]

And he's right there, though.

[Pat McAfee]

Yeah. Andy's in there for sure. Sure. Especially when the weather's warm. There's certainly opportunity. Flattest golf courses.

[Gump]

I saw a map come out the other day. It was shocking how many golf courses Michigan has.

[Pat McAfee]

Yeah. I was wondering if that was true, Tony. I know we have a lot of golf courses, but it just seems like it'd be impossible to beat Florida.

[Connor McGovern]

Doesn't make sense.

[Pat McAfee]

Michigan. I hear Tim Allen just speaking right now about pure Michigan.

[Darius Butler]

I saw the Speedway golf course near Speedway.

[Connor McGovern]

Oh, yeah.

[Darius Butler]

I'm just looking at a plane like Speedway.

[Connor McGovern]

Pretty big inside the track.

[Darius Butler]

Yeah.

[Pat McAfee]

There's four holes in there. Three holes. There's a full par three in there.

[Darius Butler]

Wait, it's one right next to the track, too.

[Connor McGovern]

Yeah.

[Pat McAfee]

And then three of the holes are inside the track.

[Darius Butler]

Oh, yeah. You got.

[Pat McAfee]

You got to walk underneath the track. Get in there,

[Darius Butler]

check your flags everywhere.

[Connor McGovern]

So cool.

[Pat McAfee]

It's beautiful.

[Darius Butler]

Cars in the airport now.

[Gump]

Oh, that's this week?

[Pat McAfee]

Yeah. Yeah. It's the month of May in Indy.

[Connor McGovern]

Here we go.

[Pat McAfee]

Yeah. Catherine Lake gonna try to do the Indy 500 in the Coca Cola 600. That's a lot. That's a lot. Saw Cor Lajoy last night. Okay. It's good to see him. Good mustache. Who's the other one?

[Adam Schefter]

Carl.

[Tyler Herro]

Carl Edwards.

[Pat McAfee]

I saw him.

[Tyler Herro]

No, see, he do.

[Pat McAfee]

Did he do a backflip?

[Tyler Herro]

Yeah. Off the table, probably.

[Pat McAfee]

No, he did not.

[AJ Hawk]

He hadn't raced in a while.

[Pat McAfee]

I didn't see a backflip. He was just standing up there. He's kind of standing, hanging out.

[Gump]

It's kind of disappointing cuz he's kind of known for the backflip.

[Pat McAfee]

I didn't see a backflip. I mean, Might have missed it, though. To be clear. I might have missed it. Did you guys see the choir that came out last night during Red Clay Strays.

[Gump]

Yeah.

[Pat McAfee]

I. I thought we were doing. I didn't know. Is this a baptism? Right. I didn't know what was happening. I was. I was in it, though. I'm waiting. I was doing this one right here.

[Gump]

If you want to get anybody the clays.

[Pat McAfee]

This one right here. It's a great one. He's unbelievable. Yeah. This one. The way he sings. Do you know who we're talking about?

[Darius Butler]

Oh, yeah.

[Pat McAfee]

He wails. Is that what that would be called?

[Tyler Herro]

Yeah.

[Gump]

Yeah.

[Pat McAfee]

I told him that.

[AJ Hawk]

I don't know. DBut.

[Pat McAfee]

I don't know. I don't know what.

[Darius Butler]

You're a team player.

[AJ Hawk]

You answered so quick.

[Connor McGovern]

Oh, yeah.

[AJ Hawk]

Like so quickly.

[Darius Butler]

Bangers.

[Pat McAfee]

You have to know this guy. Guys. It's a whole team. Bunch of rednecks from Mobile. They said last night after they won an award. I like that. That's how he started his answer. And I like that.

[Tyler Herro]

Beasts.

[Mike Tirico]

And they're war.

[Darius Butler]

Dam eagle.

[Pat McAfee]

War damage. Seems like most of them. I don't know if all of them are, but most. This guy right here. Go back to that one shot there. Just. You don't have to play video. I think we'd be a lot to probably get sued for it. But you'll know. You'll know the face. Yep. There. That guy. You know this guy?

[AJ Hawk]

Oh, yeah.

[Pat McAfee]

Yeah. Damn.

[Darius Butler]

He looks like. Like a couple people.

[Pat McAfee]

Barry Pepper.

[Darius Butler]

Bad guy. Yeah, Bad guy. Terminator.

[Connor McGovern]

You know who else looks like terminated food mask?

[Pat McAfee]

Yes. Hey. Tom Brady. Hell yeah, bud. Thank you for doing that out there for all of us, Tom. And I appreciate that the NFL felt obligated to market it as well. Our greatest player of all. All time is now a Gucci model.

[Mike Tirico]

No.

[Pat McAfee]

Yeah. Does he look uncomfortable? Possibly. But this is the greatest of all time. Wrapped in all black Gucci, looking cooler than everybody else in the room. I'm happy that this is kind of what he's doing. He's surely living his life.

[Gump]

Yes.

[Connor McGovern]

Yeah.

[Pat McAfee]

Isn't he his best life. He certainly is.

[Connor McGovern]

Come on.

[Pat McAfee]

Think about everybody. What everybody sees. Him walking goes, holy hell, that's. Is that model. Jeez. There you go. That's graceful. Football player of all time.

[AJ Hawk]

That'd be so sweaty in those leather pants.

[Darius Butler]

I expect him to look a little more comfortable in this show.

[Connor McGovern]

Yeah.

[Pat McAfee]

I think it was really tight leather. If I had to get down to the bottom. Looks like he wasn't able to really move as much as he wanted to. But maybe this is his walk, you know, Maybe this is what he's Trying to message to the world with his art is how he walks. And maybe he thought that this outfit called for this style of walk like the Terminator. Maybe he thought to himself Schwarzenegger, how would he do that? We don't know what his artistry is saying.

[Darius Butler]

Yeah, this of probably the. Oh I mean getting in the booth. Maybe he was a little uncomfortable at first. So maybe this is what this is modeling journey. Because you know, we've seen Tom strut for a long time and he always, you know, kind of got that peacock about him. This, this didn't give a little over. It's early. It's early in his career.

[Pat McAfee]

Maybe we get a little better. Maybe we feel a little bit.

[Connor McGovern]

You own a team. Tom in your QB1 and you drafted first overall looks like a goofball. So maybe get back to camp and fix the guys helmet and help out the team that you own. Okay. What the hell are we doing, man? Aaron Rodgers is there. Why isn't Tom there helping Fernando? Why.

[Pat McAfee]

Why do you New England people always want to control Tom? I don't.

[Connor McGovern]

I don't want to control him. I want the league, the NFL to be as great. This guy looks so foolish. Okay, it's not okay.

[Pat McAfee]

Who looks foolish? Foolish Fernando Nando Mendoza.

[Connor McGovern]

And I have a theory.

[Pat McAfee]

No, he is not foolish.

[Connor McGovern]

I have a theory on Mendoza and so I believe that he's going to be first ballot for many, many reasons. Especially just seeing a photo like this. Because if you can put a helmet on, awesome. Look at yourself and say yep, let's go take photos. With that being how you look.

[Darius Butler]

This guy's gonna see why this guy wall.

[Connor McGovern]

This guy's gonna soar.

[Darius Butler]

What are the racing with these helmets?

[AJ Hawk]

Yeah, it does look very uncomfortable. What chin strap is God awful.

[Connor McGovern]

You see how halfway up his forehead?

[Pat McAfee]

Yeah. The face mask to the chin strap.

[AJ Hawk]

Oh my goodness.

[Pat McAfee]

Yeah. The. The space for the nose to get punched kind of worries me as a guy who had the punter. I did ask for the single when I got drafted. I was not allowed to have. You had to be grandfathered in. I did ask for that to Frog. Think about. That's my first interaction with Frog. Now that we know Frog. That was early. I want the. The single bar. You can't have it, pal. You can't. How come the guy from Cleveland. Yeah, how come I can't have it? You got grandfathered in guy. Geez. What you want to kick her mask so we got you. Geez. Get out of here. What a convo. What an interaction. I called for it. So I know. The shitty face mask, please. I've been around there saying, okay, there's always a worry, though. There's always a worry. Fist knows, like, that's the whole purpose of that thing. So there was a couple that have been put on my helmets over the years that were like, hey, we've developed a better vision face mask for you so you can see. And there's no. That's the big deal, because when you're looking down the. Drop a ball for me for punting. I don't want anything in my line of sight. Right. So that's why they open that thing up. Quarterbacks trying to get as much sight as possible. You see a lot of the other positions have a lot more in it because it's not as much of a vision or a. What's that called?

[Darius Butler]

Peripheral.

[Pat McAfee]

Peripheral vision type thing. So Fernando wants to be able to see everything, wants to be able to feel everything. I am worried, though, about somebody just punching him. Right. There's a lot of space there.

[Gump]

Good luck reaching up there, I think.

[Pat McAfee]

Get in it. And you would have to throw one of those up overhands, I guess. But guess what? DNS. They're also tall. I. I just. I don't like what's going on, but I do.

[Darius Butler]

We've seen this obviously looks terrible. He looks like a goofball here. But we've seen the throws run him. So that's the bad. You got to at least show the good.

[Pat McAfee]

There's Kirk on the bottom. Hey, veteran quarterback, obviously. Let's go. Ball. Brock Myers. Look at on top, though. Oh, what a ball. Oh, cut glass. Nando. He can spin it. All these photos. Everybody's calling him goofball. Yeah. Okay. He's the only one smiling everything like that in the NFL. PA High rookies, we're gonna steal you showcase. We're gonna steal you for another round of marketing before you become an actual business. We're gonna do this entire thing. So when Fernando's the only one smiling, just know he's smiling because he knows how he throws a football.

[Tyler Herro]

That's right.

[Pat McAfee]

And we do, too. And we know when the season starts, it's going to be an inc. Interesting little situation that they're going to have to figure out. We like Kirk Cousins, obviously. We think Kirk will be able to have success over there. But number one overall for a reason. When do you get him reps? How long does he sit? How long does he. Does he start day one. And you just kind of roll with him? Who knows? We shall see. But knows he can play ball no matter how he looks in any of these photo shoots that are being forced upon him because he's number one overall.

[Gump]

I agree. I'm. Obviously, we're a Nando show and we believe in Nando. Did you notice anything in that picture?

[Pat McAfee]

Which one? That one right there. No. Yeah.

[Darius Butler]

Yeah.

[Pat McAfee]

A lot of thin bodies.

[Gump]

An offensive lineman.

[Pat McAfee]

Oh, there isn't one offensive lineman, is there? A D lineman.

[Gump]

Do they hate the trenches?

[Connor McGovern]

Wait a minute.

[Gump]

Does the NFL hate the trenches?

[Pat McAfee]

What? What if the offensive lineman were given the opportunity to say, no, no, I.

[Gump]

When it came. When this came out, like a couple weeks ago or whatever, who was invited to the rookie symposium? No.

[Pat McAfee]

Offensive lineman.

[Gump]

Whatever this bullshit's called. Rookie premiere. Sorry.

[Darius Butler]

52 Arvel.

[Mike Tirico]

Yeah, that's Reese.

[Pat McAfee]

Yep. Sorry. Dn. I guess.

[Connor McGovern]

What the hell?

[Pat McAfee]

What's going on here?

[Gump]

They hate offensive linemen, these jersey movers.

[Connor McGovern]

I know Caleb Lomu said he just had too much. Too much work. You need to work out or stuff.

[Gump]

Chris Bell's absolutely locked in. Guy's gonna be unbelievable.

[Pat McAfee]

Good luck to all these rookies. Hey, they could all be hall of famers.

[Gump]

Yeah.

[Pat McAfee]

Ladies and gentlemen, I feel like we are a sports program. We try to be. At least, I think we try to be of service to the sports universe. Don't you think that age. I think that is an actual thing we try to do.

[AJ Hawk]

Yes. We. We love sports. Absolutely.

[Pat McAfee]

We don't have morning meetings or like quarterly zooms to talk about it, but I think we all understand we're trying to promote the out of sports because sports are the greatest thing on earth. I will say live music, also awesome. Had a great time last night. Certainly anything that brings people together. Sports do that, though. So we would like to celebrate all sports that are happening. Ladies and gentlemen, it's time for magic happening around the sports universe. A.J. you see that in sports universe, if it's happening and it's magical, we would like to celebrate the out of it. Let's go to France, shall we? Let's go to France with R, Willie. Ryan Williams. He won the fives World Series Spine. Best trick contest live in France. First time anybody's ever done this. We. We.

[Tyler Herro]

180.

[Pat McAfee]

Merci beaucoup. Or Willie going crazy. Almost hits his head. Obviously off the top of the spine. Over. First of all, easy backflip, flip ski. Send it in. France. Congratulations on Willie. That's crazy. Is yet to be named. Yet to be named.

[Darius Butler]

So is that one going backwards? That was the.

[Gump]

Yes, the backwards one.

[Connor McGovern]

Yeah.

[Tyler Herro]

Maybe the mat clip is kind of just whatever. But we're gonna hear sound Massakela going crazy over that at the X Games in a matter of months.

[Pat McAfee]

Yeah. And he's got a Nitro Circus shirt on, so obviously he's been there, done that with risking his life on a regular basis. That's kind of the Nitro Circus game. But the back backflip was a setup, I believe should name it. I don't think we should be the ones naming it, but it is in France. His name's R. Willie should just be the. You know, there's a lot of loop de loo. It is a super dupeder, only it's

[Gump]

just named after the guy that first did it.

[AJ Hawk]

Right.

[Pat McAfee]

Maybe it's called a mercy. There's so many potential opportunities with the French language, But, yeah, he had beaucoup with bofu or Willie doing something crazy. All right, now let's head to the Indianapolis Motor Speedway. And we've all seen monster trucks. Obviously, they're supposed to run over things. How about running by things? This is a monster truck world speed record that happened. 103 miles an hour for Power Rush. Had to be scared to death. Had to be scared to death in there driving. Obviously. We've seen them jump, We've seen them flip. Going 100 miles an hour plus this high. Whenever it's not normal to move, you think one wind gust potentially rolls you over. Instead, Power Rush breaks a world record in a monster truck. And we're pumped that this kicks off the Indy 500.

[Gump]

This is all fun and good. Where's Pastrana at?

[Darius Butler]

We need him.

[Gump]

Get in this thing and then jump this thing at 100 miles.

[AJ Hawk]

Yep.

[Pat McAfee]

Yeah. It feels like Ma just learned this was possible.

[Gump]

Bingo.

[Pat McAfee]

Yeah, you're right into the track. I think you're right, A.J.

[Gump]

yeah.

[AJ Hawk]

Yeah. That's how we start off the race.

[Pat McAfee]

Oh, that's Power Rush football right there. All right, let's go to soccer, huh? We like this soccer. This guy's a dog. Former player of Indiana University, Sam Sarver. Scores a goal in stoppage time in an away barn. Does his dance. Sweet hair on Sarver. This guy has lived a lot of lives. Boys, boys, boys, boys. Oh, scuba diving going in there. Sarver. I wanted to do that celebration in college. His coach, Todd Yeagley, said, no, no, you guys are gonna hurt yourself. So he got a chance to pull it off in the MLS in stock stoppage time. They start hurling beers at him. He goes, oh, is that right? Well, actually, thanks. I'd like to have one of these.

[Adam Schefter]

Wow.

[Pat McAfee]

What? What? This guy scuba dives, chugs a beer, scores a goal and stoppage time. That's Sarver soccer. Hell yeah, bro. I hope you're in the World cup before Team America.

[Connor McGovern]

Go server.

[Gump]

That baby starves.

[Pat McAfee]

We need more Sarves, don't we? Yeah, this is him, by the way. He's got J's on. Padded up three cases of medicine. Next day, beauty and a beat with Justin Biebs. This is what we're talking about. Hey, Paunch.

[Connor McGovern]

Yeah, Find him a junkyard, make him a captain.

[Pat McAfee]

But is he from. We know he's from America.

[Gump]

Yeah, he is 23 years old. We need that three goals in nine matches this season.

[Pat McAfee]

Is that, Is that good or no?

[Gump]

Not bad.

[Connor McGovern]

Why isn't Sarvo on the team then?

[Pat McAfee]

Yeah, I didn't see Luna out there either. He's scoring all the goals for us before and I didn't see him out there. And what about, about that 16 year old? Can we get some cap minutes for that guy on the national team? Can we not try to win this

[Gump]

problem with all these guys you're talking about, they play in the mls.

[Pat McAfee]

So what's that?

[Darius Butler]

What's wrong with that?

[Connor McGovern]

Oh, you mean the league where freaking Le Messi plays.

[Pat McAfee]

Well, speaking of that, ladies and gentlemen, having around sports, did you see what Messi did? Obviously he's a goal scoring machine, but him being a wizard in the box with so much pressure on him with the ball on a string. Ah, hey, yeah, yeah. That's messy soccer because he's Messi in with everybody. And I'll tell you what, this Miami team might be on back to back title runs here. Gumpy, what do we need to know about this Inter Miami team?

[Gump]

That was their first win at their new stadium. They're on a hot streak right now. Messi's cooking. There is some beef happening between the fans and Messi and DePaul and some of the lads. The loyal fans aren't happy that they're not going in, addressing them after the matches. But.

[Pat McAfee]

What? Yeah, we.

[Gump]

This, it's an interesting situation.

[Pat McAfee]

What do you mean they're not addressing them?

[Gump]

So basically a lot of people will go and like clap to the fans, I guess. Apparently they haven't been doing it. So at the start of the game, instead of playing their drums and everything, they usually do la familia, the inner Miami faithful, they didn't play any of it. Kind of, you know, and Messi kind of gave him one of these during the match. So it's Kind of heated right now in Miami.

[Pat McAfee]

We would love him to come play for the Pittsburgh River. If the Miami team and the fans do not want Messi, don't worry about it. But Messi might not want to go over and clap to the fans because he got robbed. Did you see the save?

[Connor McGovern]

No.

[Pat McAfee]

Look at the free kick. Lo Messi.

[Connor McGovern]

Go.

[Pat McAfee]

No. Go. No.

[Gump]

Oh, crazy work.

[Connor McGovern]

Is that goalie on Team usa?

[Pat McAfee]

I mean, what a perfect shot. First of all, I mean that is exactly what Messi wanted that thing to do. He was dancing. We need that goalie. Who's a goalie? Who's goalie? This is Vert Gump. James Pantemis. Where's he from?

[Gump]

I'll check.

[Pat McAfee]

Because USA Goal. He's what? Just scoring goals on ourselves.

[Mike Tirico]

Yeah. Freeze.

[Connor McGovern]

That was tough.

[Pat McAfee]

He's Canadian.

[Mike Tirico]

5.

[Pat McAfee]

No Buble celebrating right now. I fucking hate that. All right, let's move along.

[Connor McGovern]

Matt Turner will figure it out.

[Pat McAfee]

Ladies and gentlemen. Let's go. Softball world. You're talking about an explosion of runs. How about two outs in the seventh? Down, seven runs. Texas Tech softball. Hi Dong. See ya. Home run. Bye bye. Now it's eight to two, right? Seventh inning, two outs. Grand Salamis. Seventh inning, two outs. Not able to buy an out. All of a sudden. Texas Tech back in it in a big way. Let's go to the bottom of the eighth. Nine. Eight. Takes a knee, takes a shot, takes the lead. Texas Tech all the way back. Nine. Nine. What are we going to do with it? Well, let's go to the bottom of the eighth still. Give me that. Texas Tech completes the comeback with a tagged runner. Congratulations. What a comeback. And I'll tell you what Ro. Is this. Are they heading into the. This is LIC Regional.

[Tyler Herro]

Yes, this is the regionals. They advance so now they go to the super regionals. And then the winner of those different games in the super regionals will go to the Women's College World Series.

[Pat McAfee]

Kennedy still the pitcher for Texas Tech? Yeah, she's about to go on a run.

[Tyler Herro]

Yeah, she got roughed up a little bit. She only gave up like five earned runs. But I think that was a little bit of an anomaly cuz her er for this year is like 1.4. So she's still dominating. She just. She got got by these guys by.

[Pat McAfee]

Congratulations to Texas Tech as they move on and. And women's softball starts lighting up the afternoons on tv.

[Shams Charania]

Yes.

[Pat McAfee]

There's a lot of ping pong. They're fast. Yeah, Pat Gaso's got a team. I think this year she said to give a couple hey, we need to go harder speeches publicly for that Oklahoma team.

[Gump]

Gaso football look out.

[Tyler Herro]

I could be wrong, but I looked at the bracket this morning. If memory serves me right, I think there is a chance that Oklahoma and to Texas Tech are in the same super regional. Oh, there is a chance.

[Pat McAfee]

I don't think that should be legal. Oh, I don't think I agree. We're talking about fireworks though, early.

[Gump]

Yeah, sure.

[Pat McAfee]

Can't wait for it. Speaking of fireworks, ladies and gentlemen, can you ride that 8 second ride, 7 second ride? You can be a world champ. You can get on the back of any bull and ride that thing in front of millions of PBR fans. You can be deemed a world world champion. Just like that stud John Krember rode the back of this bull in beautiful fashion and that bucker couldn't buck him off. So he's world champ. And I'll tell you, going into the PBR season, they've been saying, hey, John Kimber, he's a, he's an artist on the back of these bulls. This man's not scared of nothing. John Kimber, he's future pbr. Turns out he's also the president. Yeah, John Kimber, absolute star world champion. He knew what he just did right there. John Kramer knew exactly what, what happened. He heard that bull snorting, he saw that bull bucking and he said, I'm a conquer this thing and I'm becoming world champ. Congratulations to Mr. Kimber, who exits gracefully to actually use the bulls as a thank you on his way out of there. Unbelievable work and congrats to him. Good moxie after the win too, A.J. which we love.

[AJ Hawk]

It's beautiful. I've never been to a PBR event. I know. Tone has been. I think I'm going to have to go in the near future when, when

[Gump]

we went to the one in India, like they obviously, they introduce all the riders before they get on and they introduce the bull and they hype him up. Kimbers was the longest. He's the. I believe he's 20 years old. He's the. He broke the record for most money won for youngest.

[Pat McAfee]

Whatever.

[Gump]

He's got 1.4 million on the year because he's been so goddamn good at riding bulls. But yeah, he was the one when they, when I was there.

[Pat McAfee]

Look at all his belt buckles. He's won.

[Darius Butler]

Yeah.

[Pat McAfee]

You know, that's where the belt buckle game comes for you. When a title, you get a belt buckle in Cremer, he's gonna have a lot of them. If you feels like, oh, yeah, he's just getting started. And remember, the bulls are the show. Those are the best bulls in the world. That bull gave him a good ride.

[Tyler Herro]

It did.

[Pat McAfee]

Gave him a good ride, has to give him a good ride. That's a part of the judgment. Got a lazy bull. You can get a bad score just strictly because the bull's not good. Crimper and that bull created magic. World championship magic happening in the sports universe.

[Connor McGovern]

Yeah. Kind of sweet too. Like you would think. Youngest guy, people pissed upset about it because he's coming in and taking over. Like that celebration. They clearly love Kimber too. Like, everyone just kind of embraced him. Like he starts crying here like that is that. That's a special moment for the bull riders.

[Pat McAfee]

Was that movie where McConaughey was a bull rider.

[Connor McGovern]

Dallas buyers.

[Tyler Herro]

Yeah, Dallas Buyers Club.

[Pat McAfee]

If I know what's going on in that locker room after this.

[Gump]

He was a bull rider in it.

[Pat McAfee]

Was he?

[Tyler Herro]

Well, he hung out at the rodeo. He wasn't exactly a bull rider, but

[Pat McAfee]

he hung out around there.

[Gump]

I was like, I remember that.

[Tyler Herro]

I remember that. He'd go and get drugs from the rodeo and whatnot.

[Pat McAfee]

But it's a good move. I appreciate anything. Con is in. I will watch.

[Tyler Herro]

I agree. He was having sex in the stables a lot. When they ramp.

[AJ Hawk]

He won academy award for that one.

[Connor McGovern]

Yeah.

[Pat McAfee]

He's in. He's around.

[AJ Hawk]

I don't remember r bulls when he was £96 at the end of that movie.

[Pat McAfee]

He was.

[Connor McGovern]

He was at the rodeo.

[Tyler Herro]

Rodeo a lot.

[Pat McAfee]

Matthew McCon played Ron Woodruff, a real life Texas electrician in rodeo Bull rider soccer. Boom. That's what I thought. Hey.

[Gump]

Hey.

[Pat McAfee]

Thank you.

[Connor McGovern]

Thank you.

[Adam Schefter]

Favorite movie.

[Pat McAfee]

Thank you. Thank you. Great movie.

[Connor McGovern]

Great movie.

[Darius Butler]

Yeah.

[Connor McGovern]

Best actor.

[Pat McAfee]

But I think they get after it in there. I think they are beer drinkers.

[Tyler Herro]

Oh, yeah.

[Pat McAfee]

Cody Johnson won some music awards. He's ex bull rider. I do believe that has gone into country music. So, you know, I. I appreciate it. He said he want to come on the podcast, maybe talk a little sports ball.

[Tyler Herro]

Okay.

[Pat McAfee]

I like that.

[Darius Butler]

Sports ball.

[Pat McAfee]

Yeah.

[Connor McGovern]

He was maybe talk a little crimber.

[Pat McAfee]

Yeah. I want to know his thoughts. Thoughts are on crimper.

[Gump]

Sure.

[Pat McAfee]

Because is the bull riding evolving like every other sport? Are these getting better?

[Gump]

Probably.

[Pat McAfee]

Are they learning new techniques? Are they getting stronger? Are they more explosive? Are the bulls getting better? Are we training the bulls in a fashion that may be getting better rides, better bucking? These are questions that Cody Johnson will have answers to that we do Not. And that's a good point. Maybe we do have Kojo on makes bangers. Why not Kojo? Oh yeah, he does. He had a good one. I mean like last night. His performance was very. I mean I. I put my head down for one point because we were

[Tyler Herro]

red, white and blue behind it.

[Connor McGovern]

Amen.

[Pat McAfee]

Best color baby Boo Bl Sitting there. His voice unbelievable. Could you imagine? We're trying to think, is he male Adele? Is it male Cody or Bubble? Okay. Buble.

[Darius Butler]

Got to put him in that same Mariah carry.

[Pat McAfee]

Yeah.

[Darius Butler]

Cuz they both do the Christmas once that time comes. Boom.

[Pat McAfee]

Cuz I feel like it's just there too. I feel like he just. Anytime. Any words. Anytime.

[AJ Hawk]

Does big boy have any like upbeat stuff?

[Mike Tirico]

Everything.

[AJ Hawk]

I know he's an unbelievable thing. I'm just wondering especially if he's getting into country. I got to get some more BPMs in this.

[Pat McAfee]

Well, yeah, he does. Santa Claus is coming.

[Gump]

Yeah.

[Tyler Herro]

Just haven't met you. Sh. Walk up song. What is the feeling good? I mean, I bet Booble is massive.

[Gump]

Feeling good. Kind of upbeat.

[Mike Tirico]

If you.

[Pat McAfee]

It is. Booble is massive everywhere. You know what else is massive everywhere? Banana ball. I got a chance to go see it. These eyes. Downtown Indianapolis at Victory Field. What a production. What an incredible thing that Jesse Cole and the entire team has put together. Got a chance to meet his wife as well. After learning the entire story of how much they've invested and put into this and the amount of belief that they had. Great catch behind the back. I was actually on the call during this happening. It was a great. All of Indianapolis is here. Drive out to left field. Oh, behind the keister.

[Tyler Herro]

Brian Dancero is behind the back to

[Pat McAfee]

put on a show for you. Drake. Perfect One, two in there. I appreciate him. Just every single seeming second is a cat. Okay. The DJ JC bangers. Only two hours straight. Only heaters. 30 minutes before the game started. Full Broadway show. Telling you the history of the Indianapolis Clowns organization and everything like that. It was. It was unbelievable vibes. The teams running through the stands, giving away things away during the game. I mean, it's just like the gimmicks for every. It was. It was spectacular. I think. I think obviously baseball people were like, this ain't base. This is a fucking circus. Okay? And baseball there playing baseball in it. And the amount of talent that is on the field. There was a. I mean, this is outrageous. This guy turned 2, I think earlier. Boom.

[AJ Hawk]

Edwards.

[Pat McAfee]

Sh. Yeah. I mean, and then wait till you see the catch from behind the case around la. This like good baseball happening. Obviously some one of these players has gone on to the mlb. I guess I learned a lot. A lot of minor leaguers in here.

[Tyler Herro]

Yeah.

[Gump]

Yeah.

[Pat McAfee]

Because the. I believe the money that is available.

[AJ Hawk]

He do that every. He didn't do that every pitch, did he?

[Pat McAfee]

No, this just one play. And there was a white suit guy that came out. He was a little submarine pitcher. He had a full entrance. He looked super cool. Clearly like either college or minor league pitchers. Cuz they're throwing like actual kind of heat. You have to throw strikes.

[Connor McGovern]

Yeah.

[Pat McAfee]

Or none of this works. Yeah. Okay.

[AJ Hawk]

True.

[Pat McAfee]

This sideline or sidewinder guy was throwing for the clowns. Everybody was excited for him. He's wearing a white suit, dude. I was pumped for him.

[Gump]

Okay.

[Pat McAfee]

He's sidearm and this thing in there looks sweet. He gets shelled. Gave him five runs. Get him off. Get this. And then peanuts, the mascot, 92. They're saying he's throwing. He's throwing 91. 92 miles an hour. He's 6 foot 5, this guy. He had a 1, 2, 3 in it.

[Gump]

Elephant.

[Pat McAfee]

Yeah. Peanuts is his name.

[Connor McGovern]

He is big.

[Tyler Herro]

Okay.

[Gump]

He throwing with a glove.

[Tyler Herro]

Oh, yeah, yeah. I was gonna say if he's got the mascot glove on, he's still throwing 92. Like some big league team needs to get this guy right now.

[Pat McAfee]

Well. But I will say he. He lot up his ass.

[Tyler Herro]

I don't doubt it.

[Pat McAfee]

I mean, I was walking with McKenzie and Sam in the back area and he's trying to get past us, you know. Cause it's tight hallways and he's just like kind of casually walking there, trying to be nice. We turn around. Holy. It's an elephant here. You know. And I go, wow, Peanut's very big. He goes, yeah. You know, that whole thing. And then he had say hello to Mackenzie. Keep him. Everybody's so kind to families there. It's such an incredible. And then he comes in later to pitch. I didn't know he was a pitcher. I think. No idea. Drake, the guy that I'm on call with, I go, peanuts is huge. 65. He goes 92 miles per hour. Fastball coming from Peanuts batting glove. Yeah, it was.

[Gump]

That's how booze at this thing.

[Pat McAfee]

Yeah.

[Gump]

Okay, good.

[Pat McAfee]

There was people boozing. Talk. Actually is boozing pretty good. Well, that's.

[Gump]

I didn't know if talk just snuck.

[Mike Tirico]

Cool.

[Pat McAfee]

This was the guy.

[Mike Tirico]

Wow.

[Pat McAfee]

This was the guy.

[Gump]

Talk about pizzazz.

[Pat McAfee]

Yeah. There's Monet Davis. Remember her? Y. Yeah, sure. She pitched. She had a 1, 2, 3 inning I do believe. Phenomenal work. Yeah. A lot of pizzazz. I mean, the whole show stopped for this guy. Coming in here. I was super excited for super suit guy. And then five runs. Yeah, he gave a five. Boom. And I thought it was over for the Indianapolis Cons, obviously.

[Gump]

Oh.

[Pat McAfee]

I mean, how could you not be enthralled?

[Gump]

Tough to pitch in a suit.

[Pat McAfee]

Yes, it is. Yeah. But look at. It's tough to dance, too. Look what he's doing. Hip gyration going on. Ryan Howard was in town.

[Darius Butler]

Don't make excuses for him.

[Pat McAfee]

Pitches.

[Darius Butler]

So we just saw a guy in a. Elephant.

[Adam Schefter]

Yeah.

[Connor McGovern]

Throw it.92 on the bump.

[Pat McAfee]

Peanuts. Does make it kind of difficult for anybody else to have any excuse, but I think they're all very good. Like, you have to be a good player certainly, to be out there. And there's a lot of trick plays happening. I. You know, they know their audience. They completely understand it. But this Jesse Cole guy. Okay. Yellow tux. Oh, yeah. I like the way this guy's Mr. Banana. I like the way his brain thinks. Saw ex. WWE guy over there. Saw other people directly from the circus coming out. Like, he. I like the way this guy's mind works. I appreciate the live show, and I appreciate him bringing it to Indianapolis. Two nights, they had 15,000 some on Saturday night. That was the second night. Friday night, same thing. It was like everybody was there. The whole city was a buzz. And it's super positive. You walk out of there, like, fun time. Everybody seemingly has a fun time. That's. I'd recommend banana ball. I would recommend going to banana ball game.

[Tyler Herro]

Well, that's what I was going to say is. I think it's actually kind of gotten past the, like, baseball purists or whatever. People being like, hey, this is ridiculous. I think people at the start were maybe a little pissed because there are more bananas games on ESPN than MLB games. But that's, you know, that's not out of their control. I mean, that's. That is out of their control. But, like, if you watch this enough, like, it is neat, it's cool. And I've never been to it live, but I can imagine, like, if I brought my daughters or my kids there, like, I. I'm. It probably. It looks like it's very tough to have a bad time at one of these.

[Pat McAfee]

Yeah. And DJ J.C. i can't stress this enough. Two and a half hours straight. Yeah.

[Gump]

Every 30 seconds, new song. Did not miss.

[Pat McAfee]

He did not M. This guy. I don't know if he has missed. I. I genuinely do not know if he has missed every song. And then a song comes on. You're like, wow, a lot of kids here. How are they going to do this? Oh, remix.

[Tyler Herro]

It

[Pat McAfee]

gets back that ass couple comes on begins. And I'm like, how the is this? Well, this is interesting. I'm excited to see how the DJ handles this. And immediately right into another beat. It's like just one after another. Every song you've ever known played with great. It was.

[Gump]

They did a cool thing with the flashlight and phones where everybody's saying, oh,

[Pat McAfee]

what a wonderful world.

[Gump]

Yeah, it was awesome.

[Pat McAfee]

It was very cool. Yeah. Speaking of cool, we got an elephant here. Aj see the elephant room?

[AJ Hawk]

I did.

[Connor McGovern]

You.

[AJ Hawk]

You. You mentioned it, but you didn't say anything about it. What's going on here?

[Pat McAfee]

You tell me.

[AJ Hawk]

I mean, it's a unique pattern on his head and face and ears.

[Pat McAfee]

Well, this isn't a baby elephant. It's obviously got wrinkles. It's lamp.

[AJ Hawk]

Anyone getting on top of that thing? Can anyone. Anyone wrote it yet?

[Darius Butler]

Ball set.

[Pat McAfee]

What's that?

[Tyler Herro]

What?

[Mike Tirico]

What is that?

[Darius Butler]

A unique pattern. You were referenced surfacing.

[AJ Hawk]

No, I can't see it.

[Pat McAfee]

Do not talk about this elephant's head as if it is a nut sack. I. I do not think it's the elephant's first day here. That's unbelievable that you did that.

[AJ Hawk]

How did he get here for real? How do you ship that thing?

[Tyler Herro]

It walked. What do you mean?

[Connor McGovern]

Yeah. Wake up.

[Darius Butler]

Wake up.

[AJ Hawk]

Did it cause a ruckus walking the streets over there? The suburbs?

[Pat McAfee]

It actually did. Yes. It actually did cause quite a bit of a rock ball sack. Yeah, I would. That's not the name of this tusk sack. Okay, listen, Zacky, Zacky.

[Connor McGovern]

Our favorite elephant sequo big sack.

[Pat McAfee]

It's got Heelys too. So it has hees.

[AJ Hawk]

Oh, so he can move around better.

[Pat McAfee]

Yeah. So it was going through town just kind of.

[AJ Hawk]

What is the story behind this guy?

[Pat McAfee]

We never know.

[AJ Hawk]

He just walked in one day and said, I want to hang out.

[Pat McAfee]

Yeah. You see, the Pittsburgh Zoo sent Frankie a cake saying thank you up there to Boston. What you guys send Little Joe?

[Connor McGovern]

Well, we send Little Joe. We just didn't put him in prison for mall two year old. That was our gift to Little Joe. Now he's your problem. And clearly the Pittsburgh Zoo already has a little bit of. Oh, a little buyer's remorse. Maybe we get this thing a cake.

[Gump]

I have news to break.

[Pat McAfee]

Please. Thank you.

[Gump]

Both females at the Pittsburgh Zoo. Since the Little Joe's, they're already. They're already both pregnant. We're expecting two new little gorillas.

[Pat McAfee]

We don't know. We don't know how that science works, woodwork. But from our understanding, that is what Little Joe did up in Boston, and they called him down to Pittsburgh to do the same. And Little Joe knows that he is the alpha. Immediately upon arriving there, the old bull.

[Connor McGovern]

We're getting the young calf, baby.

[Pat McAfee]

I assume the young calf is going to have to learn some things and Little Joe won't be there to guide him. So good luck to Frankie and the other as they join their bachelor trope up there. The silverback gorilla that is in Pittsburgh, I would assume has massive respect for its handlers in Pittsburgh. And he's going to do everything he needs to do. Go ahead and grow that entire thing.

[Connor McGovern]

We'll see. We'll see what it's like.

[AJ Hawk]

Wait, did he. Did he mow a toddler?

[Pat McAfee]

Connor, is that real news?

[Mike Tirico]

Yeah.

[Pat McAfee]

Yesterday's headlines did not involve today.

[Connor McGovern]

Oh, it's real.

[Pat McAfee]

We're talking about a brand new start here for Little Joe. Okay. He's down here in Pittsburgh. Good news for both Tone and Connor. We have scheduled them trips to go see.

[Mike Tirico]

Oh, nice.

[Pat McAfee]

Little Joey and Frank.

[Connor McGovern]

Thank you, boys.

[Gump]

Thank you, guys.

[Pat McAfee]

Yes.

[Connor McGovern]

Let's freaking go.

[Pat McAfee]

Happy zoo trip, boys. You'll both be going individually to your own separate zoos. Yeah. You have to document it yourself. And we'll be excited to see your guys's big takeaway on how Little Joe is kind of dominating Pittsburgh and how Frankie and gang are having a good time up there in Boston at little baby zoo. Compared to what's going on, I'm gonna make a day of it.

[Gump]

I'm gonna go to zoo in the morning and then cattywood at night.

[Pat McAfee]

Did you see who was that? Kennywood?

[Gump]

Yeah, I did, actually. Jeremy Renner.

[Pat McAfee]

Bam. Front row. Because he's been through it.

[Gump]

He.

[Tyler Herro]

Big time.

[Gump]

I watched an interview of his that doesn't sound that bad.

[Connor McGovern]

What?

[AJ Hawk]

What happened to him? Getting run over by the whole snow machine.

[Connor McGovern]

Dragged by a freaking snowmobile.

[Gump]

Obviously you guys haven't heard the interview. He said it was very, very peaceful.

[Pat McAfee]

I watched that one too.

[Gump]

It was very comforting.

[Pat McAfee]

Yeah, it was nice to know what's awaiting on the other side.

[Gump]

Yeah.

[Pat McAfee]

Okay. All right. Because you were saying it was so bad that it was.

[Gump]

No, he was leaving legally dead for, like, minutes or whatever. And he said it was very peaceful.

[Pat McAfee]

All right, well, I'm happy to hear that Jeremy's back. What happened? Thank you to him for the inspiration that Tone clearly got from him sharing his story there. Yeah, Steel Curtain's about to bring it right there. Oh, yeah, yeah. That's about to be one for him. Oh, mama. Bring back good memories.

[Darius Butler]

No horrible movies. That song Kenny wool is awesome. But some bad memories in Hinesville.

[Pat McAfee]

Yeah, yeah, yeah. What's. What's new memories? Talking about the wood. We're talking about Steel Curtain.

[Darius Butler]

Oh, that's unbelievable. And I saw a deal. They have a good deal going on right now. Kennywood.

[AJ Hawk]

They do.

[Pat McAfee]

Exactly. They do a steal. Yeah, exactly that. Everybody's been trying to smear Kennywood for a long time on microphones on this.

[Darius Butler]

Never again.

[Pat McAfee]

And I've been disgusted by it since the very beginning. They are maybe the most reasonably priced amusement park theme park in the country. You can take your family there and everybody will be entertained. You go to the potato patch. Have the greatest potatoes you ever had in your life.

[Eric Johnson]

The patch?

[Darius Butler]

Yeah, the patch.

[Pat McAfee]

The patch is what you put on your arm when you're addicted to smoking and you're trying to get off. The potato patch is the world famous potatoes right there in Kennywood.

[Connor McGovern]

It wasn't there when we went. Nope, just the patch.

[Tyler Herro]

Ricky Spacuzza said he was putting the sign back up.

[Connor McGovern]

Spicuzzi never said anything like that.

[Pat McAfee]

That's not his name. Okay. Is that his name?

[Tyler Herro]

It's Ricky Spacuzzi. Yeah, I wouldn't forget that one.

[Pat McAfee]

There's a lot of names. Yeah, it was a draft there 200 names, right? There was a lot of names.

[Gump]

But I miss the draft.

[Pat McAfee]

If you can go to Kennywood, go to Kennywood. Jeremy Renner makes a point of it every time he's in Pittsburgh. As you should. It's unbelievable. And also support the cause.

[Gump]

Yeah, I'm sure Big Mike will have the boys there this week.

[Connor McGovern]

They might.

[Pat McAfee]

Here's the. Oh, mama. Don't look down, boys. Connor, put your hands up. Let's enjoy this. Let's have some room fun out here. You got it. Highest whoopty woo in the United States of America. Common, right? Oh, D butt. What a time. What a time. When's Connor pass out?

[AJ Hawk]

He's coming up here pretty soon. Here.

[Pat McAfee]

And how many is there? Nine Whoopty woos, right? I think nine.

[Connor McGovern]

Yeah.

[Pat McAfee]

Connor made it through four of them. There's two. Get the hair out of your face. Smart. Here's the third one. And this is it. Yeah, a little twisty hoop. Yeah, that'll get you that Tom Cruz pulling 11 GS here. Coming up and around the band. AJ. You weren't there, right? You missed Kennywood experience.

[AJ Hawk]

Yeah, I missed it. But I've had multiple random people come up to me and ask about Connor passing out at Kennywood.

[Pat McAfee]

Yeah, I Kennywood kind of fought back after everything Connor had been saying.

[Gump]

Beautiful day.

[Connor McGovern]

I respect it.

[Pat McAfee]

Now Geno's two Gino got, you know, know that's taking care of all the coasters. He said, remember what this from Boston said? You know which one he was? He has the big B on his chest right now. Yeah, that's who he is. Runs are still on it. Let's go ahead and put his ass to sleep. And that ghoster said, coming right up, we'll hit him with a he, he, he and then dead body. Good news that that all works.

[Connor McGovern]

Yeah, yeah, it all works well because tried to screw me too. I was like, hey, man, can I keep my glasses on for this? He's like, yeah, don't worry. Like, you'll be good on the first go around. Because that was the second one. First go around my glasses. Dinner fell off my face. I. I caught him right here.

[Pat McAfee]

You said a lot of things about Kennywood, bro. You were saying a lot of things in the microphones.

[Connor McGovern]

I continue well too, because guess you know what, it's funny because the New England Patriots actually they. For their schedule release, they went to Six Flags and I was reminded how many whoops empty woos that place has Six Flags. Yeah.

[Pat McAfee]

Where's it ranked? I don't know.

[Gump]

I didn't see those.

[Pat McAfee]

I know there was a coaster theme park ranking that was done by the official theme park authority.

[Connor McGovern]

That. That's depending on who you ask. I know a lot of people who used to like USA Today and then they, you know, they've made some mistakes in the past, we'll say. And we don't go by them anymore.

[Pat McAfee]

I think they are the coaster, though. They might be picking and choosing.

[Connor McGovern]

Yeah, maybe.

[Pat McAfee]

Speaking of authority, there was a win in a cage. A hexagon this past weekend in the Intuit Dome has a lot of lights. Okay. So many lights that you don't know if there's humans sitting in the seats right behind the lights because of how distracting the lights are. People saying, nobody's sitting in those lights behind those lights. I will say I watched the mvp Netflix Super Duper Fight Night and I enjoyed it. A lot of knockouts. I obviously. Incredible knockouts. Rhonda ended this thing literally in 17 seconds. I don't. I don't know if that was necessarily what everybody had in mind. Certainly what Rhonda had In mind, I did find a crown, which was very nice. Gina Carano got in great shape for this. We appreciate her first fight in like 16 years. For her, it's been a long time. She talked about the emotional journey it was to get back in shape, to get into fighting once again. Rhonda, obviously, same situation, same story. And Gina. So I'm not breaking my arm for this. Yeah, right. And Rhonda was asked the night before or two nights before, if you have the arm bar, will you break her arm, Ron? I was like, yeah, I absolutely felt like she would have right there. Felt like that was a quick tap for a good reason for me. It felt pretty obvious after we talked to her and then they were showing Netflix ran like build up stories and videos to introduce Rhonda her life and Gina her life and everything like that. Learned a lot about her in Vegas and the time that she had and how she got into training and everything like that. It was cool to take that trip down memory, but like it was clear that the one of them was sharpened to be a weapon. And the other legend, not saying not a legend, seemingly different story. Ronda was training to kill somebody. Gina was training to, I think better every like to see if she could still. And I think she did. It was an incredible thing. That was the easiest under half around bet that I've ever placed in my entire, like, I mean, I watched a video, I was half asleep. Eyes like, kind of as soon as I watch the video, I go, yeah, okay. And I go right to my phone, place the thousand dollar bet on her. And then she walked out like this. It's like, yeah, okay, this is gonna happen. And she did. Dos Santos got a big knockout. Diaz, is it?

[Tyler Herro]

Yeah.

[Gump]

Was that story true?

[Pat McAfee]

I don't think so. But I do know there was a lot of blood, bro. I mean, he had a lot of blood on his right eye early. Mike Perry's awesome. Okay. I, I wish I knew more about this guy. I wish we could have been around him a little bit more. Any Nate Diaz fight that happens, you will see me watching it. Strictly because Diaz will get his ass beat and then he will outlast you. He's tougher than you, he has better cardio than you. And it was five minute rounds, so it's going to be a long ass time. They're going to be in there. So we're all kind of waiting for Diaz to do the Diaz shit. It never happened.

[Tyler Herro]

No.

[Pat McAfee]

And Mike Perry just kept coming. I mean, he was gassed up. I mean, eye, skull Back of skull, blood everywhere. He was doing a lot of this in the middle of the fight, which I'm like, classic Diaz here, just kind of doing his thing. But Mike Perry, I mean, Platinum Perry here, he beat the out of Nate Diaz. I didn't like it. Neither did I. I like that Mike got the win. Congratulations to him. He obviously trains very hard, but I was hoping to see the Diaz come back. Just standing, literally flat footed, just throwing punches.

[Connor McGovern]

Yeah, Bad.

[Pat McAfee]

It actually knocks somebody out. He said he's gonna fight again. I like that. I can't wait to see it. I. I saw Francis and Ganu back in there fighting.

[Connor McGovern]

Jesus, heavy hands.

[Pat McAfee]

Yeah, heavy everything.

[AJ Hawk]

This looked unfair.

[Gump]

He had a big weight advantage.

[Pat McAfee]

Oh, geez. Yeah, and talent. I'd say weight advantage, talent advantage.

[AJ Hawk]

Right behind the ear, huh?

[Adam Schefter]

Yeah.

[Pat McAfee]

There's nowhere near a button. I don't think they train for you to punch behind the ear back and. But that knocked him out. Ngannou, obviously. Absolute beast.

[AJ Hawk]

Look at him. Just look at him. Are you serious?

[Pat McAfee]

Yeah, I don't think that's somebody I'm signing up to fight. But hey, good to see him back in the MMA world. Obviously. He went over to boxing there for a bit. Tripp Hale, a member of his training team out of West Virginia University. He was posting photos. Great to see him back in there. He's jacked. There was a lot of chatter about who's fighting who next. You know, Jake Paul putting on the event. Is he fighting Mike, Pennsylvania area? Is he fighting France?

[AJ Hawk]

We're trying to get something going.

[Tyler Herro]

Hopefully not in an mma.

[Gump]

Does he want to break his jaw again?

[Pat McAfee]

He's back, by the way.

[AJ Hawk]

I do like Jake's little booth. He built right off, like the corner of the hexagon.

[Pat McAfee]

Yeah, great idea. Literally great idea for yourself there. MVP area. Certainly it's going to be us. Great seats, great stuff. Great night. I think. Congratulations to them. The payouts to the fighters. I was surprised to see those. I thought those are going to be. Because the biggest, big conversation about is mixed martial arts fighters, UFC fighters more specifically, and how much they get paid for all these fights and everything like that. It's like I. I didn't know. Oh, those are real.

[AJ Hawk]

Yeah.

[Connor McGovern]

I didn't know until this morning.

[Pat McAfee]

I don't know, man. I don't know what's real, what isn't. In fact, four species, aliens. What if they get in the mma?

[Connor McGovern]

They won't after watching Ngannou.

[AJ Hawk]

But let them fight each other.

[Pat McAfee]

Well, yeah. I mean, guess who's back, though? Pretty Big announcement as Ngannou is walking to the Hexagon. Dana White on a live fee. Conor McGregor's back. Take it on. Holloway. Congratulations.

[Connor McGovern]

Yeah.

[Pat McAfee]

International Fight Week headliner. Come on. Conor McGregor, Max Holloway. Obviously, we've all followed along with Conor McGregor's journey in fighting here. We saw the notorious documentary that kind of where he came from to where he is now. Outrageous story of commitment to sport and whole family buy in. I mean, he was living tiny little apartment, dedicated decade of this, becomes global sensation. Obviously hits on a couple businesses as long as well as fighting and boxing. That Floyd Mayweather payday, I couldn't even imagine what that is, let alone all his proper property. Bar, too. Yeah, his bar, his beers, whiskey. I mean, he's in everything. And we always wondered, like, life too good for Conor. Is he ever going to come back and fight? There was rumors he's going to fight. Then he hosted UFC Ultimate Fighter. It's like, well, he's gonna have to fight there and. Well, no, he's not gonna be able to fight now. He's back in the testing pool, officially back on the card, and I can't wait to watch him. Aj, what should we expect, you think? Age out of Connor?

[AJ Hawk]

I don't think we know what to expect after this much of a layoff. But what I'm looking forward to is the buildup to a fight. Anyone that remembers being around back when Conor was like, really doing it, like the whole two, three, three months leading up to a fight, there's always. There's something like every other with this guy. Like, he. He knows how to sell a fight. He is very entertaining in front of a crowd, and I think his fans are going to be pumped to be back in the game.

[Pat McAfee]

Who's wanting this fight?

[Gump]

Yeah, definitely.

[Pat McAfee]

I don't know.

[Connor McGovern]

I'm taking him just because that's.

[Pat McAfee]

You have to.

[Gump]

Holloway's -700.

[Pat McAfee]

That's insane.

[Connor McGovern]

And it opened at like, -156. So everybody who knows anything about UFC seemingly immediately put thousands and thousands of dollars. Arizona Holloway. But you have to. I mean, this is. This is when the UFC is the best.

[Pat McAfee]

Yeah, I cannot wait to watch. Cannot wait to check it out. UFC had a big weekend, right? Yeah.

[Tyler Herro]

Was that this weekend or last weekend? Strickland. And when's Bob?

[AJ Hawk]

This. This weekend.

[Connor McGovern]

Oh, that is this weekend.

[Pat McAfee]

That's.

[AJ Hawk]

Johnny was training. Johnny's training hard.

[Gump]

Took five steps on the beach yesterday while he was smoking a cigarette. He's ready.

[Pat McAfee]

Johnny. Johnny Manziel.

[Gump]

Yeah.

[Pat McAfee]

Yeah.

[AJ Hawk]

Yeah.

[Pat McAfee]

Come on, John.

[Gump]

That was this weekend?

[Connor McGovern]

No, I think it's this Saturday. Okay.

[Pat McAfee]

At the UFC apex.

[Connor McGovern]

At the apex.

[Pat McAfee]

Yep. Come on, Johnny.

[Darius Butler]

Johnny Menzel.

[Gump]

Yeah.

[Connor McGovern]

He's fighting a tiger, AKA Bob Mennery.

[AJ Hawk]

What are their weight? How much is real?

[Pat McAfee]

Johnny Manzel is fighting this weekend at the UFC apex, which means it's not MVP against a guy named Bob Mary. I think a lot of people will probably like to see both these guys get punched, so that's good. I would like to see Johnny just absolutely handle Bob Menary. Just absolutely pound him into a. Just representing football out there. Yeah, I. I would like to see that. I would certainly like to see that. But I didn't see it.

[Darius Butler]

I didn't see it. I gotta get eyes on this.

[Pat McAfee]

Yeah. They're saying Johnny's not taking it serious.

[Connor McGovern]

Yeah.

[AJ Hawk]

Wait.

[Pat McAfee]

No fighting.

[Mike Tirico]

I didn't know.

[AJ Hawk]

Rage.

[Shams Charania]

Yeah. Super hot fire.

[Connor McGovern]

Ray J. Yeah, yeah.

[Darius Butler]

Co main scar together.

[AJ Hawk]

Man, these guys better get. I hope their cardio is in check. Like, fighting is a. It's no joke.

[Darius Butler]

I didn't know Ray J was that jacked.

[Pat McAfee]

Yeah. I think it's Aiden, right? This is all Aiden's. Is this Aiden Ross?

[Connor McGovern]

Yeah, in the middle. See, the one that organized it all.

[Pat McAfee]

I'm trying to look at the names down here, so see if. Oh, there's an island boy fighting, I guess.

[Adam Schefter]

All right.

[Connor McGovern]

Oh, Fly soldier. He's been training for quite some time for this.

[Pat McAfee]

So what. What are you all writing?

[Darius Butler]

An island boy?

[Connor McGovern]

Yeah, dude.

[Pat McAfee]

They're going to call him the fighting island boy this weekend.

[Connor McGovern]

Fly Soldier's been in the live.

[Pat McAfee]

Don't just remember him as an island boy.

[Connor McGovern]

He's doing, man.

[Pat McAfee]

What we're staging fights between people.

[Tyler Herro]

Who.

[Pat McAfee]

So you get beat up. That's kind of what's happening. It seems like we are at that stage of society. It's only a matter of time before the movie the pest becomes real.

[Gump]

Yeah, yeah, that's true.

[Pat McAfee]

I'm looking at Johnny Manziel smoking a cigarette now watching on Johnny. Come on, bud.

[Connor McGovern]

He's confident.

[Pat McAfee]

Can we at least get into a hyperbaric chamber somewhere? You know, at least one time? What's he saying? Been a long day training. Gonna go get five steps on the beach. I would fight this motherfucker for free. The. The fact that I get paid is even better. All right, so.

[Tyler Herro]

So we got some real beef here.

[Pat McAfee]

Oh, yeah, Feels like it.

[AJ Hawk]

He might be throwing him off. Maybe he's really training hard. He's just throwing Bob off. He wants Bob to relax.

[Pat McAfee]

Oh, yeah, sure.

[Darius Butler]

I saw him golfing I didn't know

[Pat McAfee]

it was a fight.

[Darius Butler]

Golf, man.

[Pat McAfee]

No, no, He's.

[Connor McGovern]

No, maybe next. It's ain't golf, is it?

[Pat McAfee]

Is it mixed martial arts and boxing?

[Mike Tirico]

I think it's boxing.

[Pat McAfee]

It's only boxing, Johnny. What we need is just boom, boom. And then if I know anything from my Oculus boxing, the right hand over, Johnny. This one's the one you're going to want. Boom. That's where you. Because Mary's going to do this number here. Okay? Classic out of a movie, not an athlete. Okay? So he's just going, what do I do? Here? Here. Boom. Johnny. We got to get around. Bang. Right around the side there. Bruce, Completely wrong. It's mma. Okay, so the undercard's all boxing in that it says next to man's El and Menary on the poster there. It says MMA there. Oh, yeah. He don't have to train. He's tackling his.

[Tyler Herro]

Well, I wouldn't go into Bob kickboxing for years.

[Gump]

You can't forget.

[Shams Charania]

Last thing we need.

[Gump]

That's why it's mma, not boxing. You wouldn't sign up if it was just boxing.

[Tyler Herro]

Bob Mary to, you know, submit. Johnny, man. Zelvia Oma Plata or something like the shoulder lock, you know, that's the last thing we need.

[Darius Butler]

So they just need to make it 4 Roy Rumble. Just the entire car, I think. Yeah, that'd be better.

[Tyler Herro]

That actually is.

[Connor McGovern]

Oh, 10 on 10.

[Darius Butler]

Ray J

[Tyler Herro]

wins.

[Pat McAfee]

Yeah.

[Connor McGovern]

So that no neck guy would definitely win. I've never seen that guy before. But he isn't Ox. I think he's R3.

[Pat McAfee]

No neck J. Yeah. Taking on Shane Chance.

[Connor McGovern]

Yeah, no neck Jade looks like a Tommy Tough knuckles. Tommy Tough Knuckles.

[Pat McAfee]

That.

[AJ Hawk]

That's awesome.

[Pat McAfee]

All right. Okay. What is this on ABC YouTube, kick

[Connor McGovern]

Twitch X and TikTok.

[Gump]

It's on ABC at 8pm all right.

[Pat McAfee]

Good luck to all. Rico's doing it, by the way. He would be able to. Yeah, he would be able to, which is why we love him. Speaking of people that we love, you know, the Cavs and Pistons quickly became a serious series of Evan Fox representing all of Detroit. All of Detroit. Sure. And Mike the Miz representing all Cleveland.

[Connor McGovern]

Sure.

[Pat McAfee]

And I think both cities really appreciated that that was even a thing, I think. Right? They loved it. Absolutely loved it.

[Connor McGovern]

They approved it.

[Pat McAfee]

They represent Detroit really well, is what people say. Yeah. They're really pumped that you were kind of interjecting yourself maybe. Yeah. And the Miz certainly found an opportunity to do the. The same. Yes. And I'll tell you In Detroit last night, game seven. Miz got the final laugh and I asked him to maybe make a video just kind of describing how he feels right now. And this is what we got back in. Hey, Miz, how do you feel? Send us a video. This one we got back in return. Hey, everybody at the Pat McAfee Show. I just want to see how Evan's doing after that Motor City Massacre. You would think that the evil the NBA would figure out a way to do a mercy rule to save teams from embarrassment on national television in their house. Speaking of their house, that loyal Motor City Detroit fan base fan. Fourth quarter, seven minutes left. Looked like someone pulled the fire alarm because it was empty. People vanished. That number one defense in Detroit got depressed. Now the they can go on D vacation to D. Cancun. I heard it's nice this time of year. Meanwhile, the Cavs are going to go to New York. They're going to take on the Knicks. They're going to beat the Knicks. They're going to go on to the championship, win the championship, and then we can dedicate it to you, Evan and your little Motor City sport group. Meanwhile, to help you feel better, you can watch American Gladiators on Prime Video. I'm the host.

[Tyler Herro]

Just.

[Pat McAfee]

It's pretty amazing. And so everyone in Detroit, at least you can watch a contender survive. That's what it's all about, right? So thank you all, Hope you're doing great. And as always, I as well as the Cavs are awesome. See ya.

[Gump]

Well done.

[AJ Hawk]

Wow.

[Pat McAfee]

True professional. I didn't know there was an American Glass Gladiators pitch coming in the middle of that. Obviously. I mean, that is the Miz football kind of dancing your face a little bit of Motor City Massacre. I didn't know that. Who pulled the fire alarm up there? Foxy, was that you? That wasn't me. And that's why that guy's a scumbag. Okay, you guys just got to remember the Miz has been in the WWE for like 40 years now. And for about half that 20 years, this guy hasn't won a single match. So he's done a lot of losing in his life. So for the first time in his life, he's finally won something. He didn't have anything to do with it. In fact, he didn't go to any of the games. So this guy's kind of a fake fan if you ask me. But we'll give Miz win. Okay, what do you mean fake fans? Let's see how glad does Miz. Let's see how you do in Gladiators, okay, pal? Because guess what? From what I heard, the whole Gladiators is pretty damn good. So you guys got a lot of work to do to be at that good. Jeez, Foxy. Putting a heat on American Gladiators. Also, look at. Look at this guy's hat. Is that Mike the Miz on Mike the Miz's hat right there? Who does that? That's a jackass move. Miss. And you suck at golf. Hold on. He's got it on his hat from the conversation we had with him earlier. He's got himself right there on his chest, too. Miz, golf picture. There's three misses looking at you if you're the first time right now. So that's how it's supposed to be.

[Gump]

Yeah.

[Connor McGovern]

Need one of those hats.

[Pat McAfee]

And I'll tell you what.

[AJ Hawk]

Sell that.

[Pat McAfee]

Yeah. He said, well, somebody's gonna come watch the YouTube too.

[Gump]

You know, it's on WWE Shop dot com.

[Pat McAfee]

He's gonna some golf tournament today, and I'm sure the people that are at that golf tournament certainly are gonna buy Miz golf stuff.

[Connor McGovern]

Oh, great. The Miz is here.

[AJ Hawk]

More of a name.

[Connor McGovern]

He's wearing his freaking hat again. I will.

[Pat McAfee]

He's the best. We're trying to buy it. Yeah, we're trying to buy it out. Absolutely. How about the Miz, though? In the middle of the game, you say he's not a real fan. He was chirping middle of the game. It was. He goes, hey, Evan Foxy, do you have a towel JB can throw? Okay. Come on. It's just embarrassing at this point. Whoa. The Miz is riding alongside Boogs, too. I don't like what you're saying about American Gladiators. The original American gladiators certainly had 220 pounds of twisted steel and sex appeal. And Malibu. They ain't got Boogs doing what Boogs do, though. I got nothing bad to say about Boogs. I love that guy.

[Tyler Herro]

I hope he AKA the bull.

[Connor McGovern]

Boogs. The.

[Pat McAfee]

Is that Boogs the bull?

[Connor McGovern]

Yeah.

[Tyler Herro]

It's not Boogs. It's just the bull.

[Pat McAfee]

They don't call them boobs.

[Tyler Herro]

They do not mention Boogs at all, which I don't love, but everyone knows who the bull is.

[Pat McAfee]

Did you watch American Gladiators?

[Tyler Herro]

Not recently. Here. I w. When it first came out. I watched, like, the first two episodes. The bull wasn't in them, so I got pretty pissed off, and I said, okay, I'm gonna have to take a break.

[Pat McAfee]

Was the Miz in him?

[Tyler Herro]

Yeah, he is.

[Pat McAfee]

The stopped watching.

[Tyler Herro]

Yeah. I was all the promo material. Look out for the bull. And it was Boogs going crazy. Crazy. And he's not in the first two episodes. I said, okay.

[Gump]

I filmed him. And he just didn't deliver.

[Connor McGovern]

They're saving him.

[Pat McAfee]

No, he did deliver. He did delivered. Look at him. Look at him.

[Tyler Herro]

Yeah, exactly. Why is that guy not. That guy should be playing Powerball in every episode. Every episode. But he's not.

[Gump]

Did they have the tennis ball can?

[Eric Johnson]

Yeah, I need to.

[Tyler Herro]

I did not see that. It. From what I saw, it was. It was solid. It was solid. It was a good watch.

[Pat McAfee]

Shout out to American Gladiators. Shout out to Riley Green for the invite last night. I appreciate you, man.

[Gump]

Hell yeah.

[Pat McAfee]

We had a good time out there. Shout out to Blake Shelton being hilarious. Buble sneaky, hilarious Canadian. I did not expect that. Genuinely. Teddy Johnson, his crew, unbelievable group. Shaboos legend Zach top hero Parker McCollum. Congratulations, man. That was awesome. Perfectly pleated jeans over his boots.

[Connor McGovern]

Of course.

[Gump]

Glad he's wearing boots.

[Pat McAfee]

What do you mean?

[Gump]

Sometimes he wears Jace.

[Pat McAfee]

Oh yeah.

[Mike Tirico]

You think?

[Pat McAfee]

Hey, cowboy. Cowboy. I'm trying to sing your songs like I'm a cowboy.

[Connor McGovern]

Red clay strays.

[Pat McAfee]

Oh, sorry. Red clay strays.

[Gump]

Danish.

[Pat McAfee]

That was so cool.

[Connor McGovern]

The goat.

[Pat McAfee]

That was a cool moment. I'm gonna be honest. That was a cool moment. They came over. Hey, we all watch the show. We love it, man. Holy. It's an army. Honored to meet you guys.

[Connor McGovern]

Love you guys.

[Pat McAfee]

Are you guys performing tonight? Yes. Thank God. I can't wait to watch it. You're gonna whale. Yeah. Okay.

[Darius Butler]

All right.

[Pat McAfee]

I'm sit back down here and drink another Jack and diet. You guys probably got some to do. Yeah, we do. And at that exact moment, there was a fleet of people. Like this way, this way. Everybody's moving. Everybody's like cattle. Need to move. Was cool. Thank you for the invite. Riley Green is the one though. I think he knows it. He certainly knows it. Fucking costume designer. Former baseball player. Really? Now he's putting together his suits and doing the entire thing. That's at losers in Vegas. MGM. It's been around for 11 years. I believe this was after Zach Topp forced me to drink second tequila shot. There would be three total within a three minute period. Zach top football is what I was told. On that note, he didn't. He just. No sell.

[Connor McGovern]

I'm putting him down.

[Pat McAfee]

I'm doing. Doing one of these full on. Got Shaboos judging me in the background. Don't like that. You okay? No. Shaboos this guy's a maniac. What a life. Thank you all for allowing us to live this great concert last night. If you could go to one of those. I think you should go. I think you should go. I would recommend that to everybody. And to a Banana bowl game and Kennywood.

[Gump]

Bingo.

[Darius Butler]

Hell Yeah. I agree 1000%.

[Pat McAfee]

Who else had some to say about you were talking about Kennywood there.

[Tyler Herro]

Not that much because they're owned by the same parent company as Adventureland, which is, you know, near me. And I did say on camera right after we got done with Steel Phantom, I said, I'll never say a bad

[Pat McAfee]

thing about Kenny Wood ever again. Be a friend. Tell friend something nice might change your life. We're understand together. We'll be back tomorrow. Huge night. Let's pick these games real quick. Canadian Sabers. Who do you like? A.J.

[AJ Hawk]

give me the old Sabers.

[Pat McAfee]

I'll take America too. And then let's go. Game one, Western Conference Finals. Wemby in the spurs versus Oklahoma City. Oklahoma City, favored by six and a half, will be MVP trophy night for Shay before the game tips off. Obviously, Wemby does find a way to be motivated by a lot of things. DBut who do you like? How do you like it?

[Darius Butler]

Big moment of going to SGA and the Thunders to win and cover all of them.

[Adam Schefter]

Wow.

[Darius Butler]

The Thunders. All of them.

[AJ Hawk]

AJ I want the spurs plus six and a half.

[Pat McAfee]

Me as well. Toxic table.

[Tyler Herro]

I like Thunder as well.

[Connor McGovern]

I'll take the Spurs.

[Pat McAfee]

I just think Wemby is going to be pretty pissed off.

[Connor McGovern]

Six and a half is a ton.

[Pat McAfee]

Yeah, but Oklahoma City has Jay Will back. They got some guys. Yeah, Chet.

[Connor McGovern]

It's always been these two teams though.

[Mike Tirico]

Yep.

[Connor McGovern]

Like all year it's been.

[Pat McAfee]

Six and a half's a lot of fun.

[Connor McGovern]

Six and a half is a lot.

[Pat McAfee]

They got real heat. Can definitely see real heat.

[Connor McGovern]

Thunder by five, could easily see that.

[Pat McAfee]

But let's get a crown. And also Cole. Power play. Gold Knight. Cold call. There it is. Be a friend. Tell a friend something nice. It might change your life. We're in this thing together. We're back tomorrow. Team on me. Team on three. Shout out. Sacky. One, two, three. Goodbye. Every game, every practice, every moment, we rely on energy more than we realize. From the courts and fields we play

[Eric Johnson]

on to the gear athletes use to

[Pat McAfee]

the technology and transportation that bring fans together. Energy powers it all. And energy transfer helps safely deliver the energy that keeps it all moving. Oil and natural gas help make thousands

[Gump]

of everyday products possible.

[Pat McAfee]

Supporting sports and the moments that connect us. So whether you're playing, watching, or cheering it on, it takes energy. Visit ittakesenergy.com to learn more. Hey sports fans. The ESPN app has all of ESPN all in one place. The ESPN app is your home to thousands of lives, events, ESPN shows and originals across every ESPN network and service. And now you can check if you already have ESPN Unlimited as part of your TV package for no additional cost. Visit activate.espn.com to learn how to access your account or sign up, then start streaming in the ESPN app. It's all of ESPN all in one place. Sign up or activate now.