PMS 2.0 1558 - Wayne Gretzky, PGA Championship Winner Aaron Rai, Kendrick Perkins, PK Subban, & AJ Hawk

20:06Pat McAfee:It's like Jack Hughes becomes an immediate pop culture sensation. It's huge for the sport. He won three. They won the Paralympic goal, too. Oh, yeah. I forgot we did have the clean sweep. First time since I think ever, maybe. I think Rick Middleton was a big backer, great NHL player for the Boston Bruins. He's a big part of that whole culture and coaching that team. somebody asked him on radio the other day i was listening to him how did how did you go from being one of the worst teams to one of the best in the world he said we're playing don cherry hockey i'm thinking how do you play don cherry and sled hockey like i i'm trying to figure that out but he's working he's getting gold medals yeah certainly is don cherry bringing it i guess in paris it was fun to watch we had that uh the superstar yeah farmer oh what was his name Declan Farmer?

20:54Pat McAfee:Yeah, Declan, I think, believe it was. We had a guy who was breaking all the records. He put like six goals in the championship or something. Yeah, I forget what it was. Remarkable athletes. Remarkable athletes. Yeah, and also awesome that it happened. Like, hell yeah. And they're dogs, by the way. I've run into some of the basketball teams, the wheelchair basketball teams. And, you know, sometimes people walk up to them and, like, I think, like, talk to them as if, like, something's bad. I immediately walk up and talk shit to them. they immediately fire back i mean it is an immediate like they're obviously very competitive and it's like getting a chance and have such good sports to be able to do hockey basketball everything it's like hey sports you know we we had this lady worked in the office in edmonton for years and she was in a wheelchair and she came down the locker room one day and she said wayne i'm trying to organize this uh charity wheelchair basketball game against the national team we get three or four of the guys and we'll go play them i said of course so myself coffee kevalon messier and her that was our team we lost 48 to 4 and she got both baskets yeah they're physical too i'm happy yeah you guys remained healthy okay that's incredible in the sport of hockey obviously growing in a big way has been for a long time there was an initial move you know you going from canada to la huge deal i think for the nhl and for the sport of hockey as a whole.

22:18Pat McAfee:I mean, you're a guy who came into the league, won the MVP, and then won seven more, I believe. Won eight straight MVPs just coming into the league. Yeah, kind of phenomenal. Yeah, kind of phenomenal. So to get you more eyes, potentially, I don't know if that was an actual decision that was talked about behind the scenes or not, but you going to LA, big deal for the growth of hockey. Let's now, fast forward to now. Can we talk about, okay, go ahead, Wayno. I was just going to say, let me say this. When I went to LA, I was a part of it but we had guys like luke groban and kelly rudy marty mcsorley they they understood where we fit in too they helped sell the sport and then i got really really lucky the timing couldn't have been better messi was in new york with charisma and star quality and a great player hall of famer stevie eisenberg was in detroit doing his thing and winning championships and brett hall was in st louis and mario was in pittsburgh each corner of the of the country had a guy who not only was a Hall of Fame player, but I understood his position in trying to sell the game and grow the sport.

23:19So I caught a wave at the right time, and we all pulled together, and we all were a part of it.

23:24Pat McAfee:Well, I appreciate the NHL having forethought to do that and make that decision, and the players that you just mentioned, all legends and Hall of Famers, understanding like, hey, we're working this thing. Like, hey, we are a league that we are trying to grow at this point. We now have come at an interesting time here in 2026 with another Canadian superstar who I don't think a lot of the world gets to witness until playoffs and if their playoff run is kind of cut short it's like conor mcdavid being seen by people would be good for hockey and i'm not saying that it's not right now because obviously in the playoffs he is but that's a big conversation right now how do you kind of view it versus like him potentially coming somewhere else or maybe moving or maybe austin matthews coming what is your thoughts on players maybe moving for the good of sport maybe in league and also themselves obviously yeah i don't think the players think about that i honestly think I look at Conor, and I know talking with Conor, he truly loves playing in Edmonton.

24:17Austin Matthews, I'm told, likes playing in Toronto. You know, the world is such a small world today, right? Yes. You can see every game on TV. I don't think where you're playing now is a difference of selling the game or making the game bigger because the world is a smaller place. My first two years in Edmonton, I'll bet 40 of the 80 games weren't even on TV. It was on radio, right? The radio announcers were making more than the TV color commentators.

24:43Pat McAfee:You should see this guy. You can't. You can't. But this guy's unbelievable. Yeah, that's a funny thought. I don't think where the player plays now has a big thing to do with it. Now, when there's voting that goes on, not a lot of the East writers see guys that play in L.A. because of later games and guys in Vancouver and Edmonton. That could hurt a little bit as far as voting for awards go. But as far as selling the game, it doesn't matter what city you're in now. It's going to sell. All right. Well, tell Connor if you talk to him, he needs to be coming to Pittsburgh. Or Boston. Whoa, whoa. Or Boston.

25:18Original city. Yeah. I think that's a conversation you guys have with Connor yourselves. No, no. Don't throw us in. That's what we're utilized. I kind of like my statue in Edmonton. I don't want to see it burnt down.

25:33Pat McAfee:Wait, no. Don't say shit. Don't let us ruin anything in the great one's life. Okay, let's pivot to current series that are happening. Obviously, tonight the Eastern Conference will drop puck for the finals for the first time, and the Caniacs are back playing after a long layoff. But last night felt like a gigantic surprise to a lot of people that the Vegas Golden Knights were able to get one. And not just get one, they looked dominant early. Now, Avalanche were able to come back. They were out with Makar. What is your thoughts on the Western Conference that happened last night? And how do you think these two teams kind of match up?

26:06Well, listen, I really liked Colorado all year. And one of the things I like about Colorado is they faced some adversity during the season and they still finished first overall. I'm not sure if you remember it a few years ago in Boston set that record and were on fire all year long and they had no adversity. And all of a sudden they lost game seven to the Panthers. So I like Colorado, the fact that they faced some adversity. I don't like the fact that McCarr didn't play game one because now is he going to play game two or not? Like taking him out of the lineup and the great Eric Johnson told you guys, that's a big hole to fill.

26:40And Eric does such a great job in analyzing. I'm so happy for him. But you don't replace Kel McCarr. It's just as simple as that. So am I surprised at Vegas? No, they're a veteran team. They play properly. They're on softness. They play hard. And they're getting great goaltending from Carter Hart. Good for him. And so now Vegas, and I said this when they won the Stanley Cup, Jack Idle was a superstar in that playoff run, and he's been good for them and solid for them this year also. And so Vegas is going to be a tough out, but Colorado is good.

27:12Pat McAfee:Yeah, Colorado, very good. Some are talking about maybe, hey, we might talk about this team as being the most talented or the best of all time. Then they lose one to Minnesota, and it's like, oh, Carolina didn't lose, which we will certainly get to in a second. It's seven games. You know, that's the thing about playoffs. Tom Brady and I were talking about this when we were watching the gold medal game in Italy. And Tom said, you know, the Super Bowl and the gold medal game, anything could happen. The best team usually wins in a four to seven series. Eventually, the cream rises to the top, right?

27:43So if Colorado is as good as their record indicates, they'll be fine. But Vegas is going to be a tough battle.

27:49Pat McAfee:Yeah, Vegas is going to be a tough battle, especially with the new skipper. Go ahead, Ty. Yeah, Wayno, I think this happens in hockey, maybe more so than other sports, where a coaching change does happen, you know, maybe right before the playoffs like Vegas did, largely the same team. But what is it about Torts that has kind of gotten Vegas to play at another level? Because they do look like a much different team now that he is at the helm than they did before he was there. First of all, let me say what he's done is miraculous. I mean, it really is. You go in with eight or nine games left in the season and you take over a team like that.

28:24It's an older team, a veteran team. and you got to go in there and in hockey you earn respect from the players you don't buy it or they don't hand it to you and he's earned the respect of his players you can see that on the bench I think he's really settled in and really enjoying coaching this hockey club and I think this is the happiest I've probably ever seen him on the bench since he won the Stanley Cup for Tampa Bay in oh what five or six so you know it was the right call at the right time and he's doing a tremendous job Good for him.

28:54Pat McAfee:So what is he? He's a perfectionist, just super accountable. He can always find something that's miserable and fixable. We have a lot of those coaches. Is that kind of his thing? I think his thing was he was a big teacher to young players. And this is a veteran team. And I think he's taken a step back and said, you know what? I don't have to tell him how to do this or do that. And I'm just saying this and seeing it from the outside, like you guys. I'm not on the inside by any means. But that's what it looks like, is that he's standing behind that bench. and whether they're up 1-0 or down 1-0, his players get the feeling from him that he's still extremely positive and that they're in a good spot.

29:31Pat McAfee:Good for the lads over there in Vegas. They need it, man. I mean, every team needs it. And then let's pivot to tonight. There's a rest versus rest conversation, especially at one particular position. Go ahead, Tone. Yeah, definitely, Wayne. Let's talk about the rookie versus the vet in net tonight. Dobesh, the rookie from Montreal, who's been incredible, especially after a loss. And then Freddie Anderson, who's been in the league for 12-plus years. How do you think the rest versus Russ at that position is going to be tonight? And then as a goal scorer for you, would you rather be facing a rookie or would you rather be facing a vet who maybe you know more and have more tape on?

30:04Well, first of all, I'd probably rather face the rookie because everyone's human, right? And until you get in that position, you're going to be a little bit nervous. But good for him. He's played unbelievable. I can't figure out this eight, nine-day rest thing because it happened a few times in my career where we had the eight days off, and we took a couple days off and then practiced. And then there was a couple times where he skated the crap out of us. I can remember all of us yelling, we're going to go seven games the next series because we don't want to skate this much in practice. So I don't have the answer for that one, right?

30:39I think, though, what Carolina has to do is come out the first 10 minutes, put their toes in the water, just get comfortable again, get back into that game mode because it doesn't matter how much you practice it's not the same feeling as a game they'll be okay they got a veteran coach they got a veteran team they just got to withstand the first 10 12 minutes montreal they're going to be fine they're playing on high octane right now their enthusiasm and their energy their best players are playing well and you can feel it you can feel it in the tv watching them that they're that they don't believe they can lose They got beat 8-3 at home in game six and came back and won game seven in overtime in Buffalo, which I couldn't believe.

31:21So Marty St. Louis has done an incredible job. Roddy Britton Moore, he's done an incredible job. This is what it's all about. It's exciting for hockey, and everybody's excited about it.

31:30Pat McAfee:Yeah, Montreal is jacked up. I mean, that place. We're going there Sunday, and we got the F1 race as a bonus. The F1 races in Montreal and Stanley, our Eastern Conference Finals game there? race Sunday game Monday Wednesday Montreal and I don't know if you know what just happened too I'd like to say Bravo au Vectrois de Montreal pour ce champion they just won the PWHL I believe the Walter Cup I asked my son I said did they name that trophy after my dad he said no no guy who ran the league so you got an answer for us I told all my friends they named it after my dad God Wayne whatever the case it might have Gretzky ties because the Montréal Victoire who won that celebrating in a huge way I don't know if you saw this we're slamming beers out of this cup after winning the PWHL look at this slamming beers up there after beating Ottawa an all Canadian final up there for the PWHL It's a Molson arena.

32:41I hope they're drinking Molson. Triple X is only.

32:43Pat McAfee:I'll tell you what, whenever we used to, look at that. I mean, they are getting out. Oh, yeah. Hey, respect. Congratulations, Montréal Victoire. Okay, now let's move to the Canadians and that environment that we got a chance to witness from home. And hockey environments are awesome all over the place. I think there would be a lot of fans, especially across the Canadian provinces, that would say, our barn's the best barn. Right now, the Montréal barn is going to be showcased after Carolina. I think it's the right one, too. The watch-alongs, Phil Doreen, as people going crazy. What do you think people are about to learn about this Montreal fan base?

33:13Pat McAfee:And how should this be up there? And how should we expect it to kind of go for this run from F1 to Game 1, Game 2 of the finals? Jesus. It's remarkable, isn't it? It just shows you the passion that people have for the sport in our country. I can remember playing in Edmonton and coming out after the warm-up for the first before the anthem. and the people standing in the stadium and cheering and clapping for minutes on minutes before they even started to play their national anthem. And Montreal looks like the exact same thing. It's just chaotic there. These people live, die, breathe, think hockey.

33:52It's a national pastime, obviously. And, you know, they're a storied franchise. They're up there with the Yankees and Montreal Canadiens. And they've waited a long time for this. I think the last time they won the cup was in 1993. So these people are ecstatic and excited about it. I know I'm not going to go too far with Biz. We're just going to kind of sneak into the arena and sneak out. So that's all I know.

34:18Pat McAfee:Yeah, smart. I love what Biz has really built himself into in the hockey world. I see him in commercials. I see him in arenas. I see players. I mean, Biz is the right one for it all. You guys are great over there. Thank you. It's fun. You know, we've got a great group. I was saying to someone today, you know, we've been together four years. I don't think we've ever had an argument. Liam is our quarterback. He directs the traffic. It's a fun group. It's a good group. There's no egos. We love the game. We try to promote the game, and it's just a lot of fun. You know why there's no egos, Wayne? I don't know.

34:52Check them at the door?

34:53Pat McAfee:No, because you're a fucking guy. That probably happens a lot with you, if I had to guess. No egos in the room. That's like when I was with Peyton. When I was with Peyton, it's like everybody kind of drops their egos at the door whenever Peyton Manning walks in all of a sudden it's like oh okay yeah we're all kind of on the same level here and that's doing this one right here so uh I think that's because of their captain pal okay and I think it's because of you I think you've done a great job doing tv and I also appreciate the fact that you give back to the game a lot I really do now you are forced to pay attention to the game I think you would probably do that anyways but for tv you are I assume there are some thoughts in that competitor brain of yours Connor has a question for you.

35:30Yeah, Wayne, Pat mentioned it earlier on. Like, you having 61 records in the NHL when you retired is ridiculous, and just going through them is crazy. But when you watch the game today, I mean, yeah, look at this. All-time later, points, goals, assists, basically every single thing that actually matters.

35:43Pat McAfee:Playoffs included, I think, in these ones. Yeah. So there's just 200-point seasons. Four 200-point seasons. The only guy to have one is Wayne Gretzky. He did it four times. And this is probably very awkward for you to listen to this. Oh, yeah, but take it all, Wano. It is what it is. Sit there and take it all, brother. That's what you're doing. Okay, sorry. Go ahead, Connor. But looking at the game now, when you do watch, do you have like a, yeah, I'd probably score 100 goals in the season if I were playing right now. Is there a team or a player you would want to play with? Like Crosby, you mentioned, McDavid, even Celebrini, now kind of seemingly the next guy for Canada.

36:22What is your thoughts when you're watching? And what do you think? Do you think you'd probably average three points a game, four or five goals? I don't think like that, but I tell you what I do think, how good these guys are and what a pleasure it would be to play with them and against them. When I watch the game, I more look at the rules than I do the individual players. So Mario was a big, big backer. If he got rid of hooking and holding in hockey, he basically said we got to get this out of the game and the commissioner agreed with him we got hooking and holding out of the game they took out the red line i would have loved to been able to play hockey without a red line my goodness how much fun that would have been but the athletes are better today so there's some things that i think i could benefit from and then there's other things well these guys are bigger faster stronger way better than we were in the 80s and 90s so So, no, I just appreciate the game more than anything, and I love watching it.

37:21These kids are such great athletes, but it's like that in every sport, right? Athletes are just getting better each and every year, and it doesn't matter what sport it is.

37:31Pat McAfee:It's not just the athletes. I think the sports, the strategies, the techniques. You mentioned it. The rules are changing. Yeah, the whole sport kind of changes, you know. Yeah. I was going to say, look at Tom Brady. I'm sure he would have loved to play in the era where you couldn't really run over the quarterback. Guys like Terry Bradshaw, Kenny Stabler, they got killed back there. But it's a different era, right? You can hit the quarterback, but there's a certain amount you can't. And I'm sure Tom would love to play in this game today if he was 22 years old. Hold on. Speaking of getting hit and everything like that, when did – okay, were you first goon guy?

38:05Pat McAfee:Were you first goon guy in NHL or was there a goon guy before you? What does that mean? I don't know what that means. You know what that means. No, I don't. A protector? Yes. Sorry, sorry. I was just using strictly movie references. Okay, yeah, yeah. I figured that out halfway through the conversation. But, you know, back in those days, every team had one or two. That was part of the deal. Like, each team had their guy to protect their guy, right? And it was just part of the game. And what was ironic about it was the real tough guys you didn't worry about because they were honest. They didn't want – like, Dave Semenko didn't want to hurt Mario Lemieux.

38:45Tim Hunter and Calgary didn't want to run over me, but it was the middle guy that you worried about that thought, okay, I can get away with this. And that's why you had the tough guys because you eliminated those guys from getting those extra shots in. Right. Yeah. And so that's why every team had one or two protectors. And that's how that kind of all started.

39:04Pat McAfee:Yeah. Hey, Kapo. Yeah. You're talking to him, but okay. They talk to each other. You, you do not, you do not travel up there. They are. Yeah. Okay. That is a, That is a great thing. I think what they did with the game, though, after the lockout, I believe, they changed some of the rules, kind of opened it up a little bit, and then obviously they went a little bit aggressive on fighting to kind of change. I think they tried to change what the pace of the game was. But now we're at a spot. Fighting still exists. Still a lot of physicality. A lot of speed. Feels like we're at a great spot rules-wise for a sport that is on the up and to the right, I think.

39:36I think the rules are fine. It's a physical game. It's a hard-nosed game. The league and the Players Association did one great thing. they didn't eliminate fighting okay and people say well you didn't fight anyway but you know we're the only sport where you got a lethal weapon in your hand and it's so but what the league did was you can't fight in youth hockey anymore you can't fight in college hockey you can't fight in junior hockey so all these guys coming up now they've never been in a fight oh my god whereas when we're pro yeah when we were pro hockey all those guys grew up fighting at 15 17 18 so we've pretty much eliminated fighting it's not in the game as much periodically it appears

40:15Pat McAfee:but all in all it's not in our sport anymore man those young guys just happening to stroll into one of those games just oh you don't even know about this move boom oh that's fun if you can't even that some of the experienced fighters in there it's very obvious i mean the yeah the grab right to here for the left jab just the constant and then the overhand timing and not so to look like this either. Some people might be too much pride. Yeah, and then boom. I was in LA the first year and one of my friends who didn't know much about hockey said, is fighting real? I said, well, if it wasn't, I'd be in more of them.

40:57Pat McAfee:You're the best. Good luck the rest of the way through the playoffs. Thank you guys. Thank you for all your support. Have a great day. Are you always wired headphones? No. Okay, okay, okay. I didn't know if you were always a wired guy. Okay, you're the bad. Ladies and gentlemen, Wayne Gratzky. Yeah, Wayne O. That's like a thing. Yeah. Oh, yeah. It's definitely. Oh, yeah. Some wired guy would probably be wired guy. What a legend. Seriously. He's so humble. He's a goat, like an actual goat. Oh, yeah. And he's just like so damn humble. Canadians. How about him saying, yeah, that whole show, everybody drops their ego at the door.

41:32Pat McAfee:We have a good time in there. It's like, yeah, Wayne. everybody's dropping their ego at the door because uh you're the greatest to ever do this and if you don't have an ego you see nobody else can really be an asshole at all in this entire thing what a legend dude i think he could still do it if he had to no doubt about it no doubt about it i love the amount of respect that he showed to all the young guys too kind of passing the baton as opposed to burying the next generation just kind of acknowledging like hey these guys bigger stronger faster in the game it was crazy yeah i certainly love hockey but uh this is a crazy game this is just a different sport than what basically what he was saying is kind of what happens to every sport and some of the old legends hate it you know some of them yell at the cloud in the front yard he has been very different the entire time through it all i mean he wanted to play with sydney crosby when he was 14 that was a crazy little story there that was so nick did we know that had that been the first time we had heard that story i don't think i've i remembered ever hearing i've seen him talk about that before in other areas but it's still just surreal to hear that a player of that magnitude sees a 14-year-old and goes, hey, I get my gear.

42:31I need to get out there and hit the ice with that guy.

42:33Pat McAfee:Let's see if all my records are going to be okay or not. Let's find this out. I wonder if he was on a constant search for that. Okay, let's see. Got a youth game over here? Yeah, I got a real guy? All right, let me get on here. Bring my gear. That's incredible. All right, let's pivot from hockey to golf. Ladies and gentlemen, something historic happened this past weekend at the PGA Championship in Philadelphia, Euronimink. the course was beating everybody's ass, even though the golfers thought that they were going to potentially bode well. It wasn't just the rough in the hits. It was the greens that were kind of dominating.

43:03Pat McAfee:Nobody could really bury a putt. Par, par, par. Bogey would be an absolutely devastating play. A birdie would be a wet dream for these guys as they were trying to battle for a major. And as we watched Sunday kind of unfold with about a hundred different golfers being available it was clear that one man was seemingly up to the task to battle against a course to become a major champion and that man had two gloves on and that man is the first english man to win the pga championship in 107 years from wolverhampton england ladies and gentlemen pga championship champion aaron rye no gloves no gloves thank you for having me guys okay so it's not just all the time i didn't know if we're getting the hands ready all the time i appreciate seeing your hands good looking hands there a lot of conversation about the gloves those hands are now obviously pga championship champion congratulations aaron yeah legit uh thank you very much guys okay so tell me about it a little bit the course was beating everybody's ass Felt like that was kind of the story of us watching the PGA Championship.

44:12Pat McAfee:Waking up Sunday, and now this was a little piece of information that we would learn later about you. I guess you've been in a phenomenal putter since forever. There's a Lee Westwood World Golf Putter champion, 10-foot, 207 straight 10-foot putts or something as a child. Okay, putting is obviously the thing that everybody hopes they can do. if you make two or three 10-foot putts in a row you are pumped about yourself you made 207 as a child okay so then on sunday whenever you bury that long putt and the story is like nobody can make anything are you always confident in the putter literally since you're a child did you know that it would show up for you it's just only a matter of time and then you bury the 68 and a half footer like what was kind of your thoughts on the greens and how the course was playing throughout yeah the course the course was really difficult i think it played harder than everyone had expected because it wasn't long.

45:07The greens were very slopey, but generally all back to front. So not a huge amount of complexity compared to some modern courses. So it definitely caught everyone by surprise at just how hard that it played. With how thick the rough was, conditions were really cold the first two days. It was windy for most of the week and continued to get firmer over the weekend. But I think it was just really testing in every aspect. And regarding the putting, honestly speaking i was probably a better putter as a child um now i'm a little bit streaky sometimes i have some some good weeks sometimes i have some very average weeks um last week fortunately was a really good one um but i was probably more con more consistent putter um back then than i am even now

45:52Pat McAfee:okay that's hilarious so obviously golf has been a part of your life we learned about the iron covers i believe that you're putting over top of it and the reasoning for it and your entire story you're 31 years old the gloves obviously were a gateway to a lot of people saying well this is different than what we have seen i as a punter in the nfl who every time i went on the field had to catch a ball i wore one glove like golfers usually do to help and assist in the catch but i wanted to be able to feel the ball okay whether i was holding or i was dropping it i wanted to be able to feel it and i maybe was too much of a head case to think that i could feel it through the gloves i guess that's the big conversation right is whether or not you get a good feel you feel as if both gloves is a better feel how long have you been doing this and is this what i need to do to start being a better golfer so i started doing it um probably since the age of eight or nine years old and it was originally just to keep my hands warm in the cold winter months in the uk um and then by the time the following summer had rolled around i went back to wearing one glove um but it just felt really strange and the grip in my uh in my other hand wasn't as good.

46:58So then I just continued with two and stuck with it ever since. But I think when I think about it as well, obviously there's more grip wearing two gloves rather than one. The gloves are rain gloves, so they're a little bit thicker than the traditional leather gloves that most people wear in golf. But I think some of it probably shaped my swing over time. But because I have more grip on the club, there's definitely less rotation. So it feels like it's just a little more kind of stable and less handsy. I think that's the way I swing the club anyway but I feel the gloves have definitely played a role in that it's not something I tried to create but I think it's something that has just happened a little bit over time

47:37Pat McAfee:interesting because I get a little handsy out there sometimes oh yeah I get a little handsy out there on that and then I kind of duff it so maybe if I put two gloves on maybe it will be a natural reaction from the nerves in my hands to my brain and to my golf swing to just go ahead and stay pure in that thing you know golf sales uh glove sales for both hands in the golf community one up i don't know 45 000 because of you you know that maybe 45 000 with you now good call hell yeah lad hell yeah okay let's talk about you still having such a full pga tour career ahead go ahead tone yeah aaron obviously winning the pga championship is huge for that single weekend but how big is it now for you know the next five years you're exempt into all majors you're now exempt into all signature elevated events i know before the pga championship you played in the myrtle beach event when there was an elevated event that same weekend so how big is that for your career now that you get to play in all those events and majors yeah it's great to be able to plan ahead um not even so much for the next five years but certainly for the rest of this season and uh going into next year um that's a position that I wasn't in going into this year.

48:53So that's a massive thing. So yeah, it's definitely career changing in terms of just what it opens up and the opportunities that are now there.

49:04Pat McAfee:Yeah, and I think it just, it indicates you're a made man, brother. Yeah. Okay, because some people obviously in our sport are chasing a Super Bowl forever. In your sport, it's chasing a major. Like some people will have that type of thing on their shoulders. I assume it was on yours for a while as you were trying to do it, but at a larger scale. Once you become certified, this guy's won a major before. Congrats on that. Hey. Let's go, Aaron. That's a big deal. That's a big deal, Aaron. Like, hey, made man. And now you're going to say it. Thank you very much. It's only as good as what you do next time with your – I understand.

49:35Pat McAfee:But you have obviously worked your ass off to get to this point to become a made man. And we just showed the video of you celebrating with your wife afterwards. And I believe that you two are on quite a run here this season. and you win the par three with her on the bag at Augusta, from my understanding of the Masters. She obviously hits an absolutely pure stroke. Is she also a professional golfer, I believe? How much does that help, actually? That has to help immensely that you two are in the same profession. Do you view it that way? How much do you try to keep golf away from, you know, every aspect of conversation almost?

50:12We do a really good job at that. she's been around the game a very long time. But I think she has probably a more balanced perspective on life than I do. I think I'm definitely more tilted towards golf. And I think that balance that she has and consistently reminds me of helps golf not dominate our lives. And it definitely doesn't dominate our conversations. So I think she's great in bringing that balance away from the course. but naturally golf is a really big part of our lives we're travelling nearly every week as a result of it that she again can put that hat on extremely well when it comes to advice, when it comes to decisions we practice a lot together back in Jacksonville which is where we live so there's just a really nice blend of life and golf that goes into our partnership it's beautiful, I'm so lucky sometimes I still can't quite get my head around how lucky I am to found a woman like her.

51:17Man, that was cute, man.

51:19Pat McAfee:Hey, that was awesome. That was awesome. Good for you guys. Actually, that is fantastic to hear. And I would like to see either one of you try to go through a swing change, you know, and like they're being a fool, I assume like, hey, you're doing a little different. Yeah, I've been trying to work on a, oh, not a bad idea. Maybe I give that a go. Hey, I just buried a 68 and a half foot butt. I think maybe we try this one out for a little bit for the good of the family. Massive respect to you guys. That's cool. Congrats to you. I can't wait to see it continue to grow. Go ahead, Con, man. Yeah, Aaron, I read somewhere that for celebration, I believe you kind of balled out, if you will, a Chipotle on Sunday night.

51:56Not sure if that is true. Have you had a chance to maybe fill the Wanamaker with beer? A couple pints down at the pub. Have you been able to kind of pass that around the family by chance? And how has there been a celebration? or is it just kind of, hey, we're on to the next one? The one on the Sunday evening, there were a lot of commitments that followed after finishing on the 18th. And we had a really nice dinner actually at the golf course, which was great and a mini celebration there with some of the PGA guys, my wife, my caddy. We did make it to Chipotle on Monday, on the following day. So I really enjoyed that one.

52:35But outside, there hasn't been a huge amount of celebration. We flew back to Jacksonville a couple of days ago and just kind of got into some normality, really. My dad flew over yesterday, which is great. My sponsor as well, who's been like a second father to me, flew out yesterday. So I think we'll do something together this weekend. But we'll keep it pretty low-key overall.

52:57Pat McAfee:Congrats to the entire team. Maybe your dad brought the news over, but Wolverhampton soccer, not good right now. Oh, boy. Not good right now, Aaron. I don't know if you follow. I don't know if you have a footy team, if they are your team. Are they your team?

53:15They're not my team, but I live very close to the stadium. I've kind of supported them, but they've not been my main team. Who's your team? It's a shame the season has had. Manchester United. Oh, that's not my team. Arsenal just first time in 22 years. I haven't been with a shit in years.

53:32Pat McAfee:Oh, my God. Arsenal just first time, 22 years getting the job done. Jeez, Luis. That's tough stuff. You know, Wolverhampton going down. I think Burnley. Yeah. I think they're going down. Yeah. Football, you like American football? I haven't got into it since I've been over here, but I did promise on the Sunday evening that I'm now an Eagles fan. So I'm going to have to start following the NFL. That's an interesting bunch to go ahead and choose to ride with. I'll tell you, they will accept you in there, and that'll be a good one to kind of introduce you to football culture. I think that'll be – Okay.

54:12Pat McAfee:And they're good too. A lot of drama though. A lot of drama around them. I don't know if you're ready to sign up for that, but there's going to be a lot of drama. The head coach, Paisano fella, awesome character. I mean, just an awesome character. You're going to love it, I think, Aaron. Okay, awesome. I look forward to being part of the journey. I'm going to follow. Boom. Part of the journey. I can't wait to hear how you describe that journey. And also, we can't wait to watch your journey through golf. You're the man. Congratulations. Thank you very much. Cheers, guys. And thank you for having me.

54:43Pat McAfee:Next Ryder Cup. You're sick, right? You're not doing it? Let's not. Okay? We need that. If we lose the President's Cup here, this one against the world, and then we lose another Ryder Cup, yeah, right. Guys need to wear two gloves. All of them. That needs to be a part of the Team USA costume. I need two gloves on all of them. Or change your name to Aaron Ray and come on over. Come on over. Yeah, you live in Jacksonville. Ladies and gentlemen, that is PGA Championship major winner Aaron Rye. Appreciate you, Aaron. Yeah, Aaron. We tried to do that with Sidney too. Yeah. Messi, which I think Lou is still considered.

55:21Lou Messi is still potentially available. Joe Embiid.

55:24Pat McAfee:I'm not 100 % sure who he's playing for this World Cup. Gumpy, has it been decided if Lou Messi or Lionel Messi is playing in this World Cup? Leo Messi, yeah. It's his last run with Argentina. This is it. He did change that. Okay, so we got. So next one, he's playing for U.S. Okay. Did you hear he changed his name? What's that? Go ahead. Leo Messi. If you're calling him Messi on Apple TV when he's playing, it's Leo Messi. It's not Lionel. It has to be Leo Messi. Okay, well, I didn't know that. Am I on note? Yeah, it's not Apple TV. That's more for Twellerman. Taylor Twellerman has to say Leo Messi.

55:55Oh, we like Taylor Twelman.

55:58Pat McAfee:I love Taylor Twelman. Double T, one of the greatest New England Revolution players. He's going to be on a call, I assume, for a lot of these World Cup games. Do we know who's going to be on a call? Yeah, he's involved. They got Jameis doing some cool stuff, you know, to grow the game for sure. If it's not Ian Daka, I won't be watching. Ian's in the mix. There's Latton's actually on Fox. I heard Jerry Jones is building shades and blinds to cover the sun but won't do it for football games. I heard some of these stadiums are putting grass fields in here for soccer they want their football, Thames.

56:26Oh, all the greats are calling it for... Oh, yeah, we're good. We're in a good spot for...

56:29Pat McAfee:Now, on that note, I do think the grass that they're laying would not be good for ball, and I think the sun in the thing, maybe they do try to fix that. Yeah, they should. Especially if they're going to do it for soccer. Ian Dacca's with Landon Donovan. That'll be the 18th. England's taking on Croatia in Jerry World, I believe, to kick off the entire World Cup. There will be no shadows, because we need to see the ball and the pitch. That's right. How about football, Jer? How about Landman, Jer? Yeah, how about Pickens? We'll be back on the other side. Great hour two waiting there. Can't wait.

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58:19Pat McAfee:Sports are the absolute greatest. We're incredibly lucky that we get a chance to chat about them every single day because you watch this stupid-ass show that isn't just me. It's also the Talks at the Table at Boston Corner and at Ty Schmidt. One half of the hammer. Cowboys AP Tony's here and joining us live from Manhattan, Ohio is a man who might be able to give us a little bit more clarity on what was said yesterday in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania from Aaron Rodgers. This guy was a Super Bowl champion alongside Aaron Rodgers for the Green Bay. where he's also the all-time leading tackler for that storied franchise.

58:50Pat McAfee:He'd go on to win a Ryder Cup duel, in which Team USA would lose to Europe, but he is a Ryder Cup winner. And he would go on to father 100 kids. Wow. Ladies and gentlemen, former president of the state of Ohio, A.J. Hawk. A.J. Hawk! Wow, man. Got me jacked up there. So many accomplishments. Yep, what an intro. You're right. I did win my match with Rob Riggle in the Ryder Cup, and our team fell short, unfortunately, to the Europeans. Yeah, so you're a Ryder Cup winner. Yeah. You know, you're not a champion. No. You are what you could have been, but you are a winner. You want to know about a champion, okay?

59:25Pat McAfee:You want to know about a superstar? You want to know about one of your best friends saying something pretty big in the history and the animals of football? Aaron Rodgers said, this is it. Mark Caboli asked the question, who is a Steelers... Goat? analyst for our show? Correspondent. That's the word. Correspondent. We know that. He is GOAT though. All these things that we talk about it. He is correspondent for our show for the Pittsburgh Steelers. Mark Caboli with the question. Aaron Rodgers with the massive answer. Aaron, do you believe this could be your last year? Do you even think of that right now?

1:00:01Yes. This is it.

1:00:05Pat McAfee:Let's go back to the beginning. Let's run Caboli back. Let's see. Just listen to the question and how it is asked, forcing Aaron to answer. This is good journalism. Aaron, do you believe this could be your last year? Do you even think of that right now? Yes. As in your last year? This is it, yeah. Good follow-up. This is going to be your last year, huh? Kaboli kind of in distant thought. Wow, can't believe he gave me an answer there. He did, though. He said this is going to be it. Now, I don't think he is expecting a celebration tour around the NFL for his final season that does take a trip to Bonjour, ça va Paris?

1:00:37Pat McAfee:friends, which obviously Steelers fans are not exactly thrilled about. But if this is the last year, that means he believes there's a chance to go win this damn thing. There's no other reason to do this unless he thinks they have a chance to win. Defense, great, right? We assume defense is going to be great. Could be. On the offensive side of the ball, we got a lot of playmakers. If the offensive line isn't ass and Mike McCarthy's offense does hit, Mike McCarthy wins everywhere he goes. We're watching him coach things up and you see the assistant coaches. These are all people that he's worked with in the past.

1:01:04Pat McAfee:It's like Mike McCarthy has a system for whatever reason. It does win games. Okay, Mike Tomlin also as well, different system than the way Mike McCarthy has done it at Green Bay. Also at Dallas, the guy was winning 12 games a year at Dallas. Okay, now granted, Dallas had a great roster, but then they get to the playoffs, it all shicked a bet. Okay, now will that change with the Pittsburgh Steelers because they have a great defense? Will Mike McCarthy's offensive systems make them great? And Aaron Rodgers, who I think is probably still feeling good throwing the ball. I don't think I saw any drop other than like, you know, he probably can't do the same thing, but he threw a deep 60-yard ball I think last year, 65.

1:01:37Pat McAfee:69 yards, I think it was. I think it was the longest ball in the air. Yeah, longest travel football in the air. So I guess he has found himself, who knows who he was talking with. It could have been Moonstar. It could have been. And they could have hit him in the eyes, and he could have looked in the mirror and gone in a hole. Any way he got to the answer that he got to, I think this bodes very well for how Steelers fans should view how the team is feeling about this. They are trying to run. There's a lot of experience on that team. There's a lot of winning on that team. There's a lot of history on that team.

1:02:07Pat McAfee:And it feels like Aaron's signing up to go on a run. And he was there day one of voluntary OTAs. So everything seems to be great. And the celebration, maybe the send-off year as a Pittsburgh Steeler getting seven. Telling Diggs, I can already see the zipper burn, pal, from here. Yeah, it'd be so awesome. It's very optimistic right now. All the coaches are saying right now all the right things. You know, the people that were super bummed that they hired Mike McCarthy, everything that he's done since then, he's won over. He's won over the city already. Some moves that he's made on the offensive line already, people are very, very pumped about.

1:02:39Bringing in everyone that they brought in during the draft, everyone's pumped about. So the optimism is very high. Bringing Aaron back. Everyone knew that Aaron, as far as whether Aaron came back or not, he was the best option to win football games. Everyone was just upset that he didn't decide earlier, which, you know, very, very understandable. But as of right now, as of today, optimism is through the roof.

1:03:00Pat McAfee:You hear what people are calling you online. What's that? They're calling you Oui, Oui, Monsieur. and it's not O-U-I it's not O-U-I O-U-I it was wee wee like a penis wee wee and monsoor isn't even spelled right Tony Dijon don't photoshop anything weird that loaf of bread either don't let people do that I'm sure there was other options you know who started this and actually I just thought I need to block him was McQuaid it was McQuaid McQuaid was the first person to bring that picture to life I should have known that because it did It involved Europe. So McQuaid... Yeah. Wait, what's that, Lodge?

1:03:38Who said football in Europe?

1:03:39Pat McAfee:He is our ambassador, it feels like, of sport for Europe. That's how we learn everything is from McQuaid. Yeah, I need to block him right now. Whoa, whoa, whoa. McQuaid's getting blocked. I'll do that to McQuaid, man. You will curse your team's season if you do that. McQuaid has done a lot of good for ball. He has. McQuaid has done a lot of good. Not for me, though. He brought football to Ireland. Just kidding. He actually did chaperone us a bit in Ireland. He did. He's just taking a piss, Lodge. Come on. Have a crack on time, Tone. See, we're a pretty international show, even though you... Oh, shit.

1:04:06Pat McAfee:That was McQuade. Wow. That was McQuade. He did kind of introduce me to the beret, which I kind of might start rocking. Yeah, you and John Travolta. Me and Travolta, yeah. I saw him. He's doing some press right now. He looks good. I did actually order one. That is exactly what Travolta looks. Put some glasses on this guy. Travolta had those little roundies on. You want me to line your beard up a little more. Yeah, his beard was a little crispier, yeah. No half measures from McQuade, though. I mean, what a beautiful... You know, if he's going to do it, he's going to do it. Yeah, it looks like you're actually on the Champs-Elysees right now.

1:04:35Coach Diggs is not happy seeing this. No, he's not. No son of mine is wearing a baguette.

1:04:40Pat McAfee:Holding a baguette in front of the Eiffel Tower. In Paris. Hilarious. I don't know if you're going to be welcome back into the Bocce League, pal. I think you need to go ahead and face your fears. Definitely not one team. I've never been in it. How come we can't get in that league? Can we compete in a super-duper Italian Bocce League? You can probably get in if you want. I won't. Thank you. I'll start wearing a pink ring. That's my dad's thing. I don't need to follow in his footsteps. You should think about it. Coach's footsteps are really cool. My brother's in it. Oh, it's a family thing. It'd be an honor to take over.

1:05:10Pat McAfee:Let's skip the generation. Yeah, you do whatever you do. What am I going to drive to six hours every Thursday? Okay, so, AJ, what do you think, though, about Aaron saying something to think about, though, if the bocce's good? That's what it takes. They got good courts over there. Except for they were using that kind of shady, rocky one where we didn't like in the finals. The pepperones, I believe, were doing it from over there in Penn Hills. A lot of crying from the fighting D's. Yeah, well, I don't know if that's their name anymore. Yeah, well, actually, I think it is. They said it's 2026. We're all set.

1:05:34Pat McAfee:You guys are allowed to say it. And then I said, well, can I say it? Everybody, oh, whoa, whoa, whoa. AJ. Uh-uh. Don't you be saying it. AJ. How am I supposed to promote the team if I can't say the name? Don't say the name. That's how you're promoting the team. Grazie. Prego. And we move on. But on that note, speaking of moving on, AJ, this is a big deal for Maren. That means that's what he was trying to decide this entire time. He was trying to figure out whether or not he wanted to play, and then it was like, well, I could definitely do one more run at this thing. Do you think that's a convo, or do you think the convo was introduced like, hey, how about a couple years here so we can plan ahead?

1:06:06Pat McAfee:Maybe so it isn't just like a wasted year of development for somebody in Will Howard or maybe in Drew Aller. Maybe it is like a two-year plan, and then we do the handoff to Drew Aller, who's potentially going to need a lot of development whenever it comes to just becoming a quarterback, even though that could happen quickly, especially with how Mike McCarthy is as a quarterback coach. So we're not saying that isn't the case. but one more year. This is a very, this is the first time he's been this direct about it. I think he's been very kind of gray about it in the past with us, with everybody else, and everybody's kind of just assumed that that meant that he was going to be done after a year.

1:06:39Pat McAfee:Much like whatever he said, he was immunized, you know? Sure. And everybody just assumed that meant that thing. He felt like checkmate, actually. And he has also won Celebrity Jeopardy. He has. There is a, especially with Mina's win. Mina, way to go, Mina, by the way. representing sports over there, Mina. Representing sports over there, Mina. Hell yeah, good win. Aaron has won before and has great stories coming out of that. That feels... Oh, like a matchup? You think? A face-off, if you will? Oh, you mean celebrity Jeopardy contestant. Tournament of champions. But that would come in retirement.

1:07:13Pat McAfee:Okay, that would come in retirement. So in retirement, which is allegedly after this year, that feels like a concentrated decision made by Aaron. Does it not feel like that whenever he says that? just with how quickly he answered to Caboli as well. Feels like that was the big thinking point all offseason while he was trying to decide what the hell he wanted to do, you think? Yeah, I think it's, yeah, for sure. But I would imagine they're taking everything like a one day. Oh, no. Oh, Huckle. Oh, no, what happened? I couldn't even take a drink there for a second. It was over. Who's throttling me?

1:07:44Pat McAfee:Your bees? Yeah, who knows, dude. Yeah, the bees are in the wires. I didn't even think about the feral swarm of bees that could be out there running a rough shot because you didn't get them enough honey last night. You've kind of welcomed an enemy in here. You've kind of welcomed an enemy in here. We will never know what is the bees, what is not the bees whenever it comes to connectivity because they're buzzes and around your entire damn house because they've decided that your beehive right now is the most fruitful, the most delicious, the best looking. Those things are getting ready to leave your ass.

1:08:14Pat McAfee:If we know anything about these bees in our short relationship, is that not an accurate depiction of your relationship with them? It could be over at any time. As soon as you slip up, they're leaving. And they're going to probably take down your internet while they're doing it because these things are smart. Is that not right, AJ? That's not right. But I respect the fact that they will get up and leave if I'm not giving them what they need. So no question. These guys are battle tests. We had 12 hours worth of thunderstorms and everything going on. Checked on them this morning. They are doing well.

1:08:41They seem to be doing great. And I cannot wait to open that thing up five or six days and go check it out. But as far as Aaron goes, don't you think it's a good thing as far as like we always talk about coaches. there needs to be like a sense of urgency every single day, sense of urgency. I think when Aaron is there and when you know, hey, he says this is last year, you have every coach on that staff and every player on the staff thinking like, hey, like we need, this is it. We need to go all in this year because after the season, we don't really know what any of our future holds. So let's do whatever we can while we have a guy like Aaron on the team.

1:09:11So I think it can only be a positive.

1:09:13Pat McAfee:And how about all the reports that every player on their exit meeting said they wanted Aaron back. If they were to have Aaron back with Tomlin, without Tomlin, they would want Aaron back. That was an interesting little piece of information that Adam Schefter shared that was certainly told to Adam Schefter from within the building, hey, we would like you to know that every player that we talk to that has any importance is like, yes, we think Aaron is not a part of the problem. He could definitely help us win whatever it is. That felt like a big deal that Omar Khan was taking into account. The relationship with Mike McCarthy obviously happening the way that it is.

1:09:43Pat McAfee:Not only Mike McCarthy's relationship with Pittsburgh, but obviously his relationship with Aaron. Aaron understanding the offense, what Mike's looking for what a jump start on uh kind of a transfer of mindset in pittsburgh steelers if you're able to get the quarterback on the same exact page as the head coach so it's it feels like a very interesting dynamic that kind of came together with the ingredients of potential magic or a delay in a restart which is what yinzers were kind of pissed off about to begin with oh yeah i mean we'll see i like that whole thing is let's just win let's try to win football games at this point um but yeah as far as the exit meeting someone told us that months ago i can't remember who it was um But, yeah, they were very adamant in the exit meetings, like, hey, we want Aaron back.

1:10:20He gives us the best chance to win.

1:10:22Pat McAfee:All right, let's pivot away from Aaron Rodgers. Congrats, Aaron. That had to be – that's the most clear I've ever seen him about his future. Like for anything. You know? Like actually. A lot of people are saying he said that last year. Because of the massive amount of respect he has for Caboli as well. We know that. Duh. And the massive amount of loads. Did you see that? A lot of people said – Connor asked the same question last year, and he gave the same answer. Really? A lot of people were saying that. I didn't go back to look, but. Well, he's always alluded to things. That's what I'm saying.

1:10:53This is the most definitive shit we've heard from Aaron Rodgers, I think.

1:10:57Pat McAfee:Just as somebody that got a chance to talk to him every week there for a while during seasons. Not that I, I do not claim to know how Aaron feels about anything. Okay. I am just as intrigued as the rest of the world, but I am a huge fan of Aaron Rodgers. Just everything, how he goes about his life, what he has to go about. But I think this is the most clarity I've heard from him projecting a year from now since I've known him, like in everything. No, yeah. I would agree. He was going to the rainforest for a while. Then he went into a hole there for a while. Then he was going to New York. Then are you going to New York?

1:11:35Pat McAfee:Then he went to New York. Then he was kicked out of New York. It's been pretty much chaos. There's been really no what is next, what is next. it feels like for the first time we got like an actual answer go ahead he did he did give himself an out uh he said i'm pretty sure this is my last exactly that's why we did a one-year deal that's what i'm saying he's saying he's gonna listen i'm immunized hold the phone what's that what does that mean you know that that is how aaron you know like that is literally from the beginning and a lot of people got really mad at him for that okay he would say can we revisit the topic and have a conversation now okay that would that would be a very different thing but he has always operated in his own way he's always done his own thing and he's never really locked in them saying him saying like this is it to caboli okay good luck out there aaron happy for you dude he also said yesterday that when tomlin stepped down that that was a very emotional day and that he had thought that he was done big mike big mike comes in and that kind of changed some things and they were able to have those conversations and that kind of reinvigorated big mike's irresistible True.

1:12:44Pat McAfee:He is undeniable. Yeah, he is. Now, him and Coach Carr, because you see what they did down in LSU? Lane Diffin was like, bring back the mascot. Yes. Obviously, we got the Tiger. Bring back the living, breathing gold Tigers. Bring him back in. He can do something. Yeah, defensive recruiting. Great to have you back here. Go ahead. Yeah, we'd love to have you around. Of course, if Mike McCarthy was to offer Bill Carr one of these types of positions, the mass climax from the volcano would just right out from the point right where there's three it would become a lake it would no longer be a point it would be a big lake the Cayman Science Center sorry, I think they'd end up being a part of the explosion there good luck to the Steelers fans they're on quite a ride right now everybody loves us because the draft we broke all the records Aaron Rodgers doesn't want to play for us.

1:13:38They've got to fucking talk to us.

1:13:40Pat McAfee:$800 for a hotel room for fucking NFL? It's been like this. Now they've got a chance to go on a run. I know not all the Ingers are excited about it and being Aaron, but as soon as the season comes around, they start winning some games. That offense looks anywhere near what a Mike McCarthy offense looks like, and a defense can play at all in a brand new AFC North. I mean, the run could be sweet for them. Are they going to be able to beat the Indianapolis Colts with Daniel Jones? We'll see. We'll see. With who? What's that? With who? Daniel Jones. He's A-OK. OK. We'll see. I don't know. Yeah, Achilles don't just heal overnight.

1:14:12Pat McAfee:Okay. Tell Jason Tatum that. Joining us now, ladies and gentlemen, is from the NBA world, friend of the program, one of the funniest dudes we have seen. The other night after watching Wemby go absolutely crazy in game one of the Western Conference Finals, he got on TV immediately and said him and his wife were talking about getting his kids to them monks. Ladies and gentlemen, Kendrick Perkins. Yay, Perkins! I mean, y 'all don't want to take a trip down there to go visit the monks? They said he was dribbling four and a half hours on a seven and a half hour trail over suspension bridges, dribbling a basketball with these monks in the offseason perk.

1:14:53Well, I don't want to do that, but I do want to go and do the other stuff. You know what I mean? I want to get my mentality right. I want to get my mental right.

1:15:02Pat McAfee:You want to do a lot of the temple stuff with the monks? Yeah, yeah, yeah. When it comes to being athletic and doing the activities, I'm cool on all that. You know what I mean? But the internal side of me, I need to go get healed. Well, I think a big part of them is like deep in mountains, up a lot of hills or stairs. You're saying chopper to the top. I need the brain stuff, not the body stuff. Yeah, yeah, for sure. I'm at that point in my life. I think they'll understand that. Yeah, I agree. I think the monks would be pretty cool with that, especially with your kids. But let's talk about Wemby.

1:15:34Pat McAfee:And let's talk about what's going on in the West. Last night, a lot of people calling for unethical hoops happening. Okay. A lot of unethical hoops people were saying. And now you add in Hartenstein kind of coming in there, roughing up Wembley all night. No, not only do you got the flopping on the one side, you got the bullying on the other side. And then you talk about just an entire team that is reigning champs, back-to-back MVP in a national narrative that is happening quickly, at least on the internet. We assume the internet indicates a little bit about society. People hate watching this team.

1:16:05Pat McAfee:What are your thoughts on the Western Conference and how this Oklahoma City team goes about doing what they do? Well, I mean, they're the champs. And in order to beat the champs, you have to beat the champs, right? And so, look, again, Wimby is something that we've never seen before. And he had to expect coming into that game last night that the Thunder was going to junk it up, right? He had to expect that. Again, in some areas that we do have to clean up, we talked about this, I believe it was about 10 days ago, about we do have a flopping problem, right, in the NBA. We have that. But OKC has established themselves over the last two years as a team defensively that is going to play with a different level of physicality.

1:16:55And so as an official, coming into the games, knowing that this team is going to be physical, they're going to play with a lot of activity for his deflections and steals, and Isaiah Hardenstein was a star in this role. That was arguably, in my opinion, his best game of his postseason career.

1:17:16Pat McAfee:He did some stuff to the Pacers last year. That's obviously how we get introduced to him quickly over here. Yeah. But do you think this came about him saying to Dags, hey, I'll do it. I'll be the one that'll go do Wemby or whatever. Because a lot of the ex-NBA guys were saying that Chet needs to say, I'll take that guy. Like a lot of ex-NBA players were saying that was the case because obviously the matchup in game one was not all the time on Chet. It was a lot on Caruso was finding himself guarding Wemby a lot. Do you think Hartenstein came out and said, I'll be the guy? I'll go in there and do it.

1:17:46Pat McAfee:And they thought it was a no-lose situation because if he fouls, we got Chet still? Yeah, well, if he fouls, you still got Jalen Williams coming in off the bench. And I thought Chet, I mean, Isaiah Hardenstein came into the game with the mindset of I got six fouls and I'm willing to use all of them. Like, we got to go out swinging. By the way, I'm to the point now where I've called out Chet plenty of times over the last, since this series started, and he don't want that smoke. He don't want that smoke. With you? No, he don't want that smoke with Wimpy. Oh, yeah. He don't want that action. He don't want that action.

1:18:26And people's like, well, Perk, he can't just go in and just tell the coach he wants to, you know, go away from the game plan. I'm like, the hell if he can't. I played with Paul Pierce when we played LeBron James in the semifinals. And his assignment wasn't LeBron James defensively. defensively, but I watched Paul Pierce come into the huddle in the fourth quarter and say, nah, Doc, I got him. I watched Paul Pierce in the finals tell Doc Rivers that hey, no, Tony Allen, you don't have him no more. I got cold. That's what greats do if you really want the smoke. And at the end of the day, you live with the results, but I'm not seeing that energy from Chet Holmgren.

1:19:12Okay, and if you're not going to give me that energy defensively, I believe that Jalen Williams is out. We haven't heard the reports from Shams yet, but when you think about him hurting his hamstring again, I believe that he's going to be out. Okay, now, we're looking at who's the second best player offensively for the Oklahoma City Thunder. Caruso. Yup. Now, I will say, Caruso been balling. By the way, and I'm going to get to him in a second. Chet was an all-star this year. Okay, okay. Chet has to raise his level of play offensively. Right now, he's somewhat displaying of what Jalen Durham was doing in the playoffs for the Detroit Pistons.

1:19:56Eight, 13 points, that ain't gonna cut the mustard. But now, let me say this real quick. Alex Caruso, the way that he's playing right now, he's entering the conversation of top five greatest role players to ever play the game of basketball. Wow. Real talk.

1:20:14Pat McAfee:All right, so have you done the other four already? Do you have a top five? Well, I know Robert Ory is number one. Big shot five. Robert Ory is number one. I'm going to tell you that. And you got guys like Derek Fisher, who I believe has, what, five championships. Ray Allen? Ray Allen's not a role player, Pat. He's not a role player. With the brawn he was. Luca Garza. Yeah, but he was just three points. I mean, he won. Manu Ginobili. But Ray was the guy. But you're saying he's one of the stars. So role-play, not star of team, even though have specific role. Okay, so can you describe role-player to me from basketball sport?

1:20:51Pat McAfee:Because I see Ray sitting there like this, and I see him falling in. And I'm like, fucker, that role nailed it. Like, role-players never have a chance to, like, make all-star games, right? Role-players are guys that come in and that are pieces to the puzzle for helping you win the championship. But it's like all of a sudden, I wouldn't go that far. I wouldn't go that far. I definitely wouldn't go that far. I would think like along the lines of, for example, you will watch a guy like Derrick Fisher in the regular season and he will look like one of the worst point guards in the league. And then all of a sudden when the playoffs come, he will look like a top five point guard in the league.

1:21:33Like his points per game will go from like eight points to 16 points. And that's what I'm saying. Like, Alex Caruso is a guy that you don't hear from him in the regular season too much. Yeah, he cruising. He's still being a star defensive stopper, a high-motor guy. And then all of a sudden, he hit this switch. And, yes, we've been seeing him average 24 points in these first two games in this Western Conference. But I always go back to last year, semifinals, game seven against Jokic. And it wasn't Wimby. It wasn't Isaiah Hardenstein. It was Alex Caruso that was guarding Jokic, that was forcing him to turn over the ball, that was getting defensive stops.

1:22:18This man, hey, look, he's one championship away of cracking that top five.

1:22:24Pat McAfee:Okay, so we got Robert Horry, Derek Fisher, Battier, Mike Miller, Battier. Yeah, I like Mike Miller. You know what? We might could put Udonis Haslam in there. Yes. UD. UD. Yeah. What about Bruce Bullen? Bill Wennington. I'm not. Bill who? Bill Wennington. What are you talking about? You know Bill Wennington. Kirk Heinrich. We're not going to do that. Luke Longley. No, no. You got to have championships. Bill Wennington's got five of them. Excuse me. No, no, no, no, no, no, no. We might have to like this. I would put Steve Curry in there. Big baby Davis. Before I put Bill. How about Danny Green?

1:23:05I liked it. Yeah, great one. I liked it. I liked it. I definitely thought of that.

1:23:10Pat McAfee:I definitely thought of that. Not Bruce right there just saying, hey, Danny Green would be a winner. Also ESPN guy. Awesome. Hey, Pat. Choms. That was great. That was great right there. Yeah, we're just trying to do hoops out here. I liked it. I liked it. We're just trying to do the hoops. Okay, let's pivot to the hoops. You know, there's a lot of people you've been kind of taking shots at, okay, over this playoff run. And people you've been complimenting. Who, me? Yeah, well, and complimenting. You know, there hasn't been a lot of conversation about your compliments. There's certainly a lot of conversation about the things that you say negatively about somebody that potentially becomes motivation for them to show up in a massive way.

1:23:45Pat McAfee:You said you were wondering if James Harden's heart was pumping blood or coolly. That's what you said. That next game, he came out. I think he had 30-some. He went crazy. He looked like James Harden. It was an entire thing. And then there was a what-chatter type conversation. It is very loud about James Harden. seemingly every single night that the Cleveland Cavaliers play. How do we feel about what's going to take place in game two here? A 22-point kind of collapse is obviously heartbreaking. Do we think that Cleveland has a shot? What are your thoughts about how this kind of works out? Well, as far as James Harden, he's been horrible over the last three games.

1:24:23He was horrible in game six of last series. He was horrible in game seven of last series. and he was horrible in game one. And here we are again, different series, same story. Game one, more turnovers than made field goals. Okay, so he's not giving you nothing offensively. And then outside of that, Big Bridie Brunson was tearing his ass up. Seven for eight in the fourth quarter in overtime when James Harden was defending him. And on top of that, Mike Brown comes out and says, it's no secret. We're searching out James Harden. And then Kenny Atkinson has the audacity and looks into the camera and tells a bold-faced lie and says, oh, yeah, James Harden has been one of our best defenders.

1:25:17And I'm saying, what? Do you understand that this is a national televised game? Do you understand that we can see this with our own two eyes? He's in Madison Square Garden on the biggest stage. And I'm going to tell you this. Kenny Atkinson really needs to be careful on how much he protects James Harden. Because at this point, he's protecting James Harden more so than he is actually coaching. Because you got to do what's best for the team. At this point in the postseason, it's about facts over feelings. You don't have time to cater to one person. You got to find ways to win games. You have Dennis Schroeder over there who is drooling at the mouth to get some of that action at Jalen Bronson defensively, who is known as a defensive pest, who is known as an instigator and not a retaliator.

1:26:10Look at this. Jalen Bronson just in his bag. He knew it. Like, oh, yeah, we got James Harden.

1:26:16Pat McAfee:Let me cook. 21 times, allegedly, they ran a pick and roll to get James Harden isolated there. And then every single time, obviously, it would go on to become one of the most historic comebacks in playoff histories, especially at Madison Square Garden as the place comes completely alive. And the Coach Atkinson thing, I'm happy you brought that up because we had some questions as well. And then we just assumed that he was gassing up James Harden, like he was letting them know. And then now the messaging seemingly coming out from the Cavaliers is, hey, it was three and a half good quarter. Hey, three quarters of great basketball.

1:26:45Pat McAfee:We crush him. That's what they're kind of – is he a super positive guy? Is he like, hey, this will keep James Harden engaged if I continue to publicly kind of get his back because Kendrick Perkins is on air saying this guy's got Kool-Aid pumping through his heart and he can't do it. Do you think he's maybe going to bat for his guy? And is that how James Harden responds best? Like, what are your kind of thoughts of his strategy here seemingly, which it certainly is because we all saw the same thing. Or is he playing the politics game? Which one is it? What do you mean by that? Is it because they verbally agree that they're going to give James Harden a contract extension?

1:27:21Is it coming from the top or is it coming from Kenny Atkinson? If it's about winning basketball, then at some point, do you know how many times, by the way, Kenny Atkinson went home with a whole lot of timeouts in that game that he could have called to stop the bleeding. Kenny Atkinson also could have called a whole lot of timeouts to substitute defense for offense, did Kenny Atkinson do that? Absolutely not. He continued to let the Knicks do whatever they wanted to do, get isolation, made no type of adjustments. Donovan Mitchell, I believe, shot the ball maybe twice, if I'm correct, or didn't take a shot after the eight-minute mark, like eight minutes and 32 seconds left in the game.

1:28:09I don't believe he took a shot. He didn't take a shot. He's got an array of ways to score, too. Oh, there we go. There we go. Yeah, here it is. What is it? Miss, miss, miss. Yeah, but he didn't have the ball in his hands enough. Donovan Mitchell is still the number one option. He passed it. Is he? Is he not?

1:28:31Pat McAfee:Well, in our eyes, is he also from the area? I mean, and now they're showing stats about Donovan Mitchell that not good, Perk. What you mean? This one right here. I don't even want to read it because if people can hear, I don't think they should be able to hear, but if they're at an airport or a cafe, they can certainly see it. That's a terrible stat. That is a terrible stat. Nobody wants that stat, especially in the big-time games, especially a guy who is in a city, obviously, that's all LeBron James who is still playing, being able to do what he was able to do there. That is kind of the weight that Spida has as a Cleveland Cavalier.

1:29:03Pat McAfee:They're talking about this is the first time in his career he's gotten this far, this is the first time in this. Boston, Indiana, heartbreak, heartbreak. Cleveland Cavaliers fans still showing up expecting greatness. Now he's hearing that happens for game one. Oh, Jesus. You know what I didn't see from the Cavs during that run, during that time they was folding like lawn chairs? I didn't see leadership. I didn't see leadership on the floor, and I didn't see leadership on the sideline. Anybody saw any type of communication? Anybody saw somebody trying to rally the troops together and having a quick meeting, doing dead balls or free throws?

1:29:44Did we see any type of energy? We saw it from the Knicks. We saw it from Jalen Bronson. They go right there. Look, that's what togetherness look like. That's what a true leader look like right there. Not just going out there and busting their behinds on the floor, but look at that. Yeah, I'm pointing to my guys. I'm pointing to my guys. Coach, you don't even have to say nothing.

1:30:08Pat McAfee:I got this. Now, speaking of Coach saying something, seems like he's got championship pedigree as well. He was trying to get the timeout, actually, at the very end. He was on top of it through and through. He's been there, done that. AJ has a question about the other side of Coach. Yeah, Perk, what do you think? Coach Mike Brown, obviously, he's jumping up. I believe he popped a calf. He's worried he might have almost tore his Achilles. Is that going to have any kind of impact here moving forward in game two? And also, second part of that, what are you supposed to do if you're the Knicks when you're that far behind?

1:30:41I'm sorry, I'm talking about playing with a lead. I got all kind of discombobulated. In real time, on you, Perk. What just happened? I may just have a stroke. I may just have a stroke. I was going to jump back. You want to know why? I'm so pissed off about this Hartenstein situation going back to the other game. Are you able to send in – I don't want to ask that question about Mike Brown. Are you able to send in clips? You know in the NFL, say a game happens, head coach sends in clips to the referees, to the league, saying, hey, watch this, we feel like you missed this. Can Mitch send these clips in of Hardenstein grabbing Wemby's arm and doing all this?

1:31:17Do you think the officiating changes next game? I like where we're at, AJ. I like that. I'm pretty sure that the Spurs, being the first-class organization that they are, being one of the best organizations in sports, that those clips were sent in right after the game, to be honest, which if not during the game, those clips will be sent in. And guess what? Isaiah Hardenstein, sorry to tell you, brother, but you're not going to be able to get away with that in game three. Yeah, you think there's going to be an adjustment done?

1:31:50Pat McAfee:You think there's going to be an adjustment? I wouldn't say an adjustment, but, I mean, listen, Listen, the officials are going to come into the game and they're going to watch that matchup. They're going to keep a close eye on that matchup. They're going to allow them to be physical, but I guarantee you they're going to set the tone early if any of this happens throughout the course of the game. I mean, at the start of the game. Hey, the officiating is always a convo with Oklahoma City. Is that always how it's going to be with the top teams? Is that always going to be the case? I will say this.

1:32:23Now, Isaiah Hardenstein, you have to be prepared because you are now the villain. Going into San Antonio, you need to be prepared to get booed. But I'm not mad at him. Look, I was a guy that actually did this. You know how much film they probably – you know how many people snitched on me throughout the course of my NBA career? I mean, I played that way. Seriously. I mean, you got to junk the game up. But he won't be able to get away with that in game for you.

1:32:53Pat McAfee:I love that we got Wemby battling through. We're watching him battle through things in real time. Like, all right, now you got a goon on. He's strictly just out here. One thing, though, don't you think one thing is being physical, pushing around, not letting him get towards the hoop, but hooking the arm and almost dislocating the elbow. That's what I feel like. I can't believe that wasn't called more. Yeah, well, there's – go ahead, Perk. Yeah, but, AJ, you know, like, when you're a big man, I look at it like offensive linemen and defensive linemen. Like, you go – you're in the trenches. Let's not act like in the NFL, it's not some things that go on when you're in the trenches.

1:33:28Let's not act like when a running back gets tackled and it's a pile of guys, it's not some stuff that's going on in that pile. You know what I'm saying? You're in the trenches. You know what I mean?

1:33:38Pat McAfee:I think, though, the fact that he's so thin. Okay, so we've seen really tall, thin guys before, and I don't think there's ever been as much banging allowed because they're like shooters, right? So they kind of get treated differently. He gets treated like a big, big man down there with the refs and how he bangs down there. I don't think that is just natural for us as a viewer to see because of how thin he is. But it's like old-school basketball whenever he's down there. Obviously, last night, certainly. But the amount of contact, I mean, that's why his arms all kind of scarred up. That's why he elbowed that guy in the thing because he gets hit a lot.

1:34:10Pat McAfee:And usually, very thin basketball players, just from my perspective, are shooters. So any contact at all is normally a call. It feels like he very rarely is getting any, and there's a lot of contact happening in basketball. feels like. But that's why he went down there with the Monks. To be prepared for stuff like this. He's 7-5. This is just the start of what's about to happen to Wimby and going forward. Guys have no choice but to try to junk up the game. Guys have no choice but to try to get inside his head and play with a different level of physicality. But the Spurs, I guarantee you they sent the film in going into game three the officials will keep a close eye out on that situation.

1:34:55Pat McAfee:You're not going to tell Tony Brothers what to call. No, you won't. Okay, we all know that. Do we know who's reffing tonight? Do we have the crew name for this evening? That matters, right? They all call the game differently or they all try to call it similarly? What is the ref? No, I think when you have guys like Tony Brothers and Scott Foster, as a player you just know is zero tolerance. When I say zero tolerance, it's like, you know, you can't approach them. They're going to take control. You got to stay in the moment. There's no complaining. Like, it's one of them moments, right? When you have a veteran crew, it's zero tolerance.

1:35:33Like, in these moments, though, you want a veteran crew because you want a crew that has experience, that's not going to overreact, you know, to the fan base, the loud environment, right, that's going to stay in the moment. And also, that is not starstruck, right? You want those guys who are going to call the same calls on the superstars that they would do on role players.

1:35:54Pat McAfee:I think Wemby's people are saying, let's do a little bit more of that. Let's do a little bit more of the proper calls. Obviously, Oklahoma City wins the free throw battle last night. A lot of people are saying it's because of flopping. Wemby almost got in foul trouble. Had to review two of them early against him. Clean block on Chet. Just putting a roof on him, basically. Just did one of these on that. And then, obviously, the other play gets clear there. Special time for basketball, it feels like. And are we at the end of an era? So many different thoughts about what's happening with Bron James.

1:36:23Pat McAfee:Go ahead, con man. Yeah, Perk, it's kind of circulating that LeBron could, if he were to leave L.A., take a vet men or some sort of$15 million one-year deal, two-year deal, and go somewhere else. And a lot of people have kind of thought, hey, LeBron, if he does leave, could go to a Cleveland, kind of go back home, help them get over the hump. What do you think about LeBron? I know that you feel pretty bullish about him possibly joining the Clippers. So maybe we see him over there. Or do you think he's just going to end up going back to the Lakers? I actually think, Bron, if it's – look, if it's Bron last year, I would love to see Bron in New York in the Knicks uniform.

1:37:08If it's his last year. Can you imagine the money that's going to be made? Can you imagine how much money the NBA is going to make? Even if he goes to the Knicks on a vet minimum, you know how much money he's going to make outside of basketball? Like, that would be so legendary. But, again, we don't know what's next for Bron. I would love to see him really go back home where it all started at, right? Again, me and LeBron, we go back like four flats on the Cadillac. We go all the way back to middle school days when we were going at it, when he was playing for the Ohio Shooting Stars and I was playing for the Houston Hoops, right, to us teaming up and playing for the Oakland Soldiers together, you know, in AAU basketball, to us playing the McDonald's All-American game in Cleveland, him winning MVP, the dunk contest.

1:38:04So, again, I just would like for him to go back where it all started. it, I think it would be a perfect ending. And on top of that, he would actually have a chance to go out to actually have a legit shot at winning the NBA championship on his way out. I don't think LeBron James retired after next year, to be honest. I think he got two or three more years left in the tank.

1:38:27Pat McAfee:Okay, so two or three more years. It would be nice to see him play in a place where he's already donned the jersey. Your sell for the New York Knicks sounds like that's your dream location. But then you also said, I would like it to be Cleveland. You kind of were saying New York would be sick. Did you think about him and Madison Square Garden, Jalen Brunson? They got the entire team. Obviously, his relationship with a lot of big-time figures in New York is gigantic. Him playing for the Knicks, huge for the history of the game, and also playing for the Lakers. He would be everywhere. Him and Ben Stiller.

1:38:58Pat McAfee:I mean, we're talking old-school Sprite commercials with LeBron coming all the way back, being directed by Ben Stiller. Action, Bronson's obviously putting out an entire new album and movie about it. Yeah, you had a lot of thoughts about that. Then you were like, but if you really want to know where I think it is, Cleveland would be nice. I appreciate what you did there. I appreciate what you did there. I had an A.J. moment.

1:39:24Pat McAfee:You're the best. Burke, you want to pick tonight's game or no? I got the Knicks. I got the Knicks. You ask me if I trust what I saw hardening. By how much? By 10. What about the hockey? Yeah, what about a hockey game? Yeah. Big one. Canadians Canes tonight. In Carolina, obviously, the Canes. What's the series? This is the first game. The Carolina Hurricanes have not lost in the playoffs yet. The Canadians just got out of a seven-game series with the Buffalo Sabres. This is the first game. Go ahead. When did the seven-game series end? Three days ago.

1:40:06I'm going to go with the Canadians. Wow. I like that, Perk.

1:40:12Pat McAfee:Okay, Perk. They're saying Carolina's got a tough barn, but wait until you – have you watched any of these games at all, Perk? You want me to be honest with you? Yes. Pat, I hadn't had a chance, man. Yeah. I've been working – listen, I've been flying. I've been working so much. I gotta get naps in before I watch the whole entire game you know what I mean I gotta make sure I do my homework but I'm trying to expand a little bit more outside my comfort zone hey the Canadians would be a good team for you just to pick up wait until you see their fan base their fan base is absurd you know what's crazy I never been to a hockey game I was supposed to this is them dude you need to see this So this is in Montreal.

1:40:57Pat McAfee:Okay. So the way that Wayne Gretzky, who was on the show earlier, who's the greatest hockey player of all time from Canada, he talks about the Montreal Canadians basically being viewed as like the Yankees in Canada. Oh, this is an away game. This is just a watch along happening in their, uh, their arena, the bell center or whatever up there. They are a, uh, a starving, very, very good franchise and fan base that if you were to pick it, this would be a good time to pick them up as your team perk. This would be a good time and watch their games. It's going to be electric. Well, let me go ahead and jump on the bandwagon.

1:41:26Let me go ahead. Yeah, I'm going to go ahead and do that. Get to a game. Canadians to the top, baby.

1:41:32Pat McAfee:Hey, do the hockey, Perk. You're the best, ladies and gentlemen, Kendrick Perk. Yeah, Perk. Okay, I'm excited for him to happen upon a Canadian's highlight. There they go. I can't wait. My boy. AJ, you all right, man? We're proud of you. I'm doing great. I couldn't. The Hartenstein situation, I had to get to it. So you were just brewing over there that entire time? I mean, I just thought like maybe I thought Mitch should have worked the refs a little bit more. I feel like the second half maybe he started calling it a few times. He wasn't happy at all. You know Tony Brothers, you don't want to hear it.

1:42:08Pat McAfee:Yeah, no nonsense, obviously, in that whole thing. A couple of news stories that we have to hit before we jump into hockey with legendary Montreal Canadian. Jerry Jones on the international wear and tear, he says it's less than a night out. So these kids don't even really drink anymore, so they don't even know what it's like. Me and the boys, we used to two kegger. Next day, yeah, right. We're hungover for 17 hours. Maybe we, you know, hop right back on the wagon. Maybe we do a little hair of the dog the next morning. Maybe we have some magic beers to get back into it. but the wear and tear of aviation in 2026.

1:42:52Pat McAfee:Come on. Absolutely nothing to a bottle of whiskey in 1985. So I don't even want to hear it. So he's done with it. I think Jerry, obviously, big international proponent, obviously, because that is how the big business is. AJ, have you changed your thoughts on these international games? Because I'm going to let you know, I'm in on them. Let's send more over there. Come on, man. Welcome. I'm fine with it. My favorite is the last part of that where Jerry says, stop, stop. Don't act like they'd be back at home in bed resting up. He's got a point there. He really does. I mean, I understand that part of it.

1:43:25But whether you agree or not, it's happening, and it's only going to expand overseas. There's going to be a Super Bowl someday that's not played in America, I would imagine. So whether you like it or not, we've got to figure it out.

1:43:36Pat McAfee:I think a lot of us would be more okay with a Super Bowl being played overseas than like Steelers-Ravens or Packers-Bears. Can you imagine the Super Bowl being on at like 9 a.m. though on Sunday? Like that'd piss me off big time. That's what it would be. Big time. No, they would make them do it late. Just like Australia. The guys are playing at 1 a.m. Yeah, just like they did with the UFC when they were doing it over there. I guess there are some time constraints, but obviously other sports have figured it out. The international growth is only going to be expedited through the Olympics with flag football.

1:44:08Pat McAfee:There's more states getting legalized and more flag football getting approved. I believe it's going to become a college sport, which means obviously, I don't know how they're going to afford it. Okay? Because this is an Olympic sport, technically. Flag football would be an Olympic sport. Obviously, it is football, which is good for everything, so hopefully it'll get marketed well. But it is an Olympic sport. A lot of Olympic sports at a lot of places are kind of getting the squeeze right now. So I'll be eager to see how flag football kind of fits into an NCAA, into a college university's budget, especially as we're in this new NIO world.

1:44:39Pat McAfee:But if this becomes a viable option for both men and women for college, and this becomes a whole other avenue of entertainment for flag football, the international growth is only going to grow from all of this because it's a lot easier to play flag football than to play tackle football. So I think you need to get ready to go watch the Steelers take on the Ravens right over there in maybe Belgique to undigs. I think that's around the corner basically what they said yesterday. I'm cool with sending all the flag games to international. I think that's a good idea. I like what you just did there. Like what the Fanatics Super Flag Fest was?

1:45:11Yeah. And in college, those sports may make money because it's football and people would actually maybe go watch them.

1:45:17Pat McAfee:Got to build good, proper stadiums. I can't be having them in the$65 ,000,$70 ,000. No, you got to play them in the soccer stadium or whatever. You said flag's tough to watch? Really? It's like pickleball? Pickleball, tough to watch. Yeah, I wouldn't watch it. Yeah. I mean, obviously, it's not the same sport as that we're normally watching football. But, yeah, I don't know. Yeah, it's tough to watch for me. The penthouse to outhouse move that they do is cool to watch. It is. Yeah, the elevator. But I just think the way the game is, it's a little bit too free-flowing. It feels like you're watching kind of lacrosse that's kind of taking place out there.

1:45:47Pat McAfee:It is football, but is it football? There's different rules. It feels like it's lived, too. There's always music playing, if you look like, whenever. Pajama pants. Yeah, so it's kind of hard to feel like it is a big time. But I do think the sport of football will reign supreme in entertainment value whenever it comes to that. So I hope that it continues to grow. Okay, speaking of growing, hockey. Obviously, huge night tonight. It's the Eastern Conference. Tips are puck drops. And we saw that Big Perk is obviously riding with the Canadians. He's not the only one. Ladies and gentlemen, joining us now is a man who's a 13-year NHL vet and has been on television basically for the last three weeks, every single day, telling people how great hockey is.

1:46:25Pat McAfee:He's also up in Montreal, seemingly having won. Ladies and gentlemen, P.K. Subban. Yeah, P.K.! How you doing, P.K.? What's up, boys? How are you? What's going on? Did you see Big Perk just signed up to be a Canadiens fan? I think it's a good time to do that. I did. I just actually saw Big Perk the other day when I went over to do Get Up. And, I mean, he's so much bigger in person. My goodness. He's a big man. But we'll take Perk. I can't believe he's never been to a hockey game, though. We've got to change that. We've got to change that. I would definitely love to see him watch a little bit more hockey.

1:47:03His perspective is always intriguing and interesting, and he's a fun guy. So we'll definitely love to have him on the hockey side.

1:47:10Pat McAfee:Can't wait to get Perk into the sport. Let's go, Perk! This series is a good time to get involved because obviously both environments are going to be outrageous. You were early on in the, hey, boys, the home ice, good for the show. It doesn't really matter on the ice. For the Hurricanes, it has, though. They've kind of just been dominating at home. And all Jackie Hughes came out and said Carolina tough. EJ, you know, big Hornel, he said this morning that it feels like you're on a down escalator trying to walk up whenever you try to battle against the Caniacs down there. That's how good their barn is.

1:47:43Pat McAfee:Montreal obviously very used to that with how loud their place is. What do you expect from this game? And how do you think this thing kind of gets started for this whole Eastern Conference Finals? Well, I expect Montreal to come out playing a connected game. They know they're going to have to be the faster team in this series is just because Carolina's been faster than everybody all year long. I mean, on their forecheck, their forecheck is not something that you really want to play with. So for all the word coming out of Montreal is we got to play our game. You know, we're a skilled, you know, quick, fast team, an explosive team.

1:48:16Well, we got to see that because at different times, even through the first and the second round, they did not look that skilled. They did not look that explosive. They looked like they were sort of a fish out of water on their heels. I don't think they can afford to do that to a Carolina team that is so used to rolling four lines and rolling on teams. I think Montreal does have to find their game in this series, and I think it starts tonight.

1:48:39Pat McAfee:Okay, I'm excited to see Montreal do that. We will never get a non-biased take from this man. We are excited to watch the Caniacs. Nope. This guy was shirtless up there with them. That's all. Yeah, he was up there in the middle of Montreal doing his thing. He was speaking French with his speech. Do you know French? Un petit peu. Un petit peu. français. Oui, oui. Oui, oui. Ça va? Tu es vraiment belle. Me? You're talking to me? Non. You just called me beautiful, I think, right? Is that what you just said? I was talking to somebody. Thank you. Somebody. Thank you. Merci beaucoup. Merci beaucoup, yeah.

1:49:16Pat McAfee:Some belle out there, mademoiselle certainly heard that thing loud and clear. You're the best. You're the absolute best, BK. Okay, let's move to the West, shall we? there's tone digs with a question for you yeah pk obviously vgk gets a huge win last night um mitch marner with an absolutely insane assist he is on fire how how is toronto handling this uh great question oh thank you how's for people that don't know toronto basically blamed marner for all their uh playoff drought or inefficiencies and then he comes over and is just on fire with the Knights. So how do you think Mitch feels and how does Toronto feel?

1:49:56Well, I'm glad you asked me the question because I was going to bring it up anyway. I want all the smoke from everybody from Toronto because I said it and I'm going to say it again. He's an all world talent. And you know, I think that at some point it's going to pass because it has to pass. The Toronto Maple Leafs had to change up that culture of that team. And maybe Mitch wasn't the right player. I certainly didn't think he was the guy they should be getting rid of. But I'm going to tell you something, When you take that type of talent and you mix it with championship pedigree in Vegas and then add a championship pedigree coach in John Tortorella, like this is what you get, right?

1:50:35And he's absolutely filthy. He's disgusting. The plays that he makes, I know that these ones are ending up in the back of the net. But, guys, he's making a ton of these plays every shift. And if you know the game, you're going to notice these things. And I certainly have been noticing them. I noticed him before he was playing in the National Hockey League. I noticed him when he was doing them against me. And I'm definitely seeing it now watching – look at this. Like, my goodness, what is that? Filthy.

1:51:02Pat McAfee:How did he see him there? Yeah, you know what they say, real recognized, real. And you and Marner are not strangers at all. If you know ball, you kind of know puck, you kind of know that every shift he's doing these types of things. It's not just the ones with apples and goals attached to him. It's every time he's on the ice, he's making the right decision. Is that what you're saying, PK, about Mitch Marner? Was he doing this in Toronto or is he significantly better now? Well, you know, ask Austin Matthews because, you know, no one benefited more from playing with Mitch Marner than Austin Matthews.

1:51:33It's not that he's not a 70-goal scorer without it. He may not be, though. If you don't have Mitch Marner, you need to have someone like him when you're a goal scorer. And Austin Matthews knows how valuable he is as a player. And it's not because of his size. It's how he sees the ice. It's hockey IQ. It's on the level with guys like McDavid, Crosby, McKinnon. This is one of the smartest players in the league, if not the smartest offensively, because of his size, his spacing, understanding how to get in between defenses. Look at this. Understanding how to use bodies and screens and throw goaltenders off.

1:52:11He's exceptional at it. He's a small dog playing a big dog's game.

1:52:16Pat McAfee:EJ said that these guys now, they're such talented skaters, it doesn't really matter the size because their shoulders, their stick, and their hips are all telling a different story as they're skating so they can create space by making you go a different direction. It's like he said, I think he said, they're doing the mock arena across the entire thing. So you don't know what to read. So even though they're undersized, it's hard to know where the hell they're going, I guess. And that's crazy to think about the minor details of that all and what you have to do. Saw it with Quinn Hughes as well. It feels like if you're an incredible skater, all of a sudden you can play anywhere out there and kind of avoid the big hits.

1:52:48Pat McAfee:Great, great point. Your edges and the use of your edges. You got your inside and your outside edge. Quinn Hughes, Mitch Marner, Honor McDavid, Ale McCarr, Nathan McKinnon are exceptional from going from their inside to outside edges no matter what they're doing. Whether they're skating straight and they got to stop and start, whether they're turning, whether they're pivoting to backwards, nobody in the league. Sidney Crosby, add him to that list, right? All of those guys are exceptional at controlling their edges. Mitch might be one of the best at it because he can literally go heel to heel and go in a straight line.

1:53:29So think about that. If you can go down the ice, heel to heel with your skater. Okay, so essentially, these are the heels. If you're going, wait, let me angle it. So heel to heel like this. You got to have loose hips in order to do that. Mitch Marner's got some special hips. You'll see him when his hips, he goes heel to heel skate and he opens up. It allows him to go in a straight line while still seeing the whole life in front of him. So it's pretty special to be able to do that.

1:53:58Pat McAfee:Yeah, it's kind of how talk runs. Obviously, it's two different outcomes if I had to say. That's P.K. Saban and A.J. Hawk. The boys are all here. Evan Fox just want to dump his pants. But we will continue on digital. SportsCenter takes it from here. We'll see you tomorrow. Goodbye. Okay, so we are still live, PK, as you know. Evan Fox with about 45 seconds left in that first hour, about 1.56.15 or something, drops into my ear. I'm about to shit my pants. Zito sitting in. Zito, way to jump in there. A lot of action quick, Zito. A lot of action quick there towards the end. And we are pulling for Foxy and the toilet.

1:54:36Pat McAfee:Yeah. And the toilet, obviously. So there was a lot of chaos over here, PK, as you were talking about heel to heel there as it was taking place. Foxy might right now be heel. What's that? He did apologize right before the show when he was walking into the back room. He heated up his food and then walked in the back room and said, sorry, boys, I think it was some stinky, stinky food. I don't think it sat right, right? Right on the street. Extra stinky food. I'll tell you what, we got the office issues. You know, somebody goes to the microwave, cooks up salmon, just ruins the whole place. Onions.

1:55:06Pat McAfee:Thanks for doing it. Thank you. There's been things that have been banned from our office a couple different times because their situation is like... Yeah, I'd say fish should be banned. Fish in the microwave should probably be banned. Well, it depends. Well, I eat salmon all the time. I eat every single game at ESPN. I eat it all the time. I warm it up in the microwave. You can eat it cold though. Oh my God. What do you do? Do you blow it on people too? Do you go... So I'm the stinky guy now. So I'm probably known as the stinky guy is what you're saying on ESPN campus. What I'm saying is I think they love you because your energy and everything that you do.

1:55:37Pat McAfee:but every time you do that, they go, this guy, again, with the fucking fish. Jeez, Louise, we all have to kind of, now we're all eating fish. P.U. Subban. But also, yeah, that is what they're saying. P.U. Subban. Unbelievable. But it's a big campus there. That's a big campus. So I assume it's. It is. So a lot of people know. No. Word spreads fast. I cook it, hold on, I cook it the same day, so it's not in the microwave that long. If you're heating something up five minutes and you're really like, come on. It's a 45-second to a minute heat. You're getting a quick blast of fish. You're not getting the whole.

1:56:14What do you think?

1:56:14Pat McAfee:You think somebody's slow-roasting salmon in our office? They're doing a minute and a half, two minutes. I think every office has got about a minute and a half, two-minute reheat of fish if that is taking place. And, yes, everybody knows that you're doing it. Everybody's so happy you're so healthy and you get your fish oils. We're all so happy for you. We got a guy here who's coming off a fractured ankle. Yeah. Okay? And he's going to be trying to get back into, you know. Yeah, he's staring down another one because he started walking on it early. Yeah, well, he's pretty comfortable right now. His hips are certainly going to be fucked.

1:56:44Pat McAfee:But he had crutches, and he was carrying them. I didn't know that was how those go. And then his boot, he had just been walking with it naturally. But he's going to be doing a lot of the salmon and the protein shit here. Yeah. Yep. Have to. And we're going to be a part of his job. Pedaling. Got to do the pedaling thing, too. You know that pedal machine that you got to do when your ankle's banged up? No. What? No. Sitting down? Yeah, so in hockey, I don't know if you guys have ever seen it, but I don't know the name of the machine, but if you ever injured your leg or your ankle and you couldn't skate, for instance, you'd get on this pedal machine.

1:57:16You'd just pedal with your hands. You'd be sitting there, and that's how you would get your cardio in.

1:57:23Pat McAfee:Cardio sucks so bad. I need to do that right now because my knees. AJ, this might be what, because AJ does this one, right? Don't you do the Versamax? Yeah, Versaclimber. Ole.

1:57:41I like that you didn't want to say your name first,

1:57:45Pat McAfee:but you kind of did. You kind of did. I did, but. You went with AJ instead. That was nice of you. Okay, let's pick the game tonight, please, sir. Pick the game this evening. Do you think the Canes come out of this long, long break after sweeping the first two series rusty, or do you think they are a buzzsaw at home as Montreal might be a little bit tired after a tough seven-game grueling battle with Buffalo? No, I think Montreal wins this game one. I do think Montreal wins game one, and I think that they win this game. I'm going to go 4-2. Okay, we're doing exact scores. I like that. And let's go to Hoops.

1:58:26Pat McAfee:You're obviously in the building in Madison Square Garden watching an epic comeback. I assume you're going to be biased towards the Knicks as well, so you can still do all the cool things that you get to do in New York. Is that how we're viewing game two this evening? Well, you know, listen, I've gotten some heat before going to MSG, so sometimes I do go in there and I get a little bit of heat with what I do say. So I still got to call it down the fairway, Pat. You know that. But I am and have become a Knicks fan. I am a Knicks fan. I have to say that. It's hard work that I admire about the Knicks team.

1:59:00They leave it all on the court. So it's worth my time to go and watch them at the Garden. That's why I always show up. But now they got some star talent in Brunson and Towns. But Brunson, my, like... My God, I have to go back tonight. I have to go back and watch it with a chance to be a witness again of watching this guy take over a game and embarrass the team in the playoffs. It was so special to watch that performance. It really was.

1:59:26Pat McAfee:He never misses. That's what I learned whenever he was playing against the Patriots. The Braves are going, Pat, the Braves are going and he's got this going too. He gets a little bit of this going too. But it's how he gets in between the defenses. whether it's the teardrop whether he pulls up his mid-range game he'll shoot the three he doesn't care he'll cross you over and then he'll penetrate he'll dish like he he beats you so many different ways so when i get asked the question of how do you rebound after blowing 22 points with seven minutes left to go in a game and i'm saying well well first you got to figure out how to put this guy on a leash like this is a dog this guy's eating you alive and you guys are talking about like how you bounce back well you guys got to figure out how to stop him yeah uh and that's where the focus should have been because my goodness he was uh he was special down the stretch for sure yeah he's been like this too he is very worthy of a title i would say yes he is very worthy of a title and the way he operates being one of the faces of new york would become king of new york if he won for the knicks obviously but the way he handles that type of pressure spectacular i mean yeah he does and and i want to there's one other guy i want to talk about because i was super impressed with was mikhail bridges just his defensive just how he stepped up in the game when guys got in a foul trouble no i'm being honest he was he was a dog on defense i loved just how he competed on harden he stepped up in those big moments i could see that the team was rallying around it as well which is pretty awesome to see so i got to give him some love for sure.

2:01:00Pat McAfee:Basketball pundit, NHL analyst, ladies and gentlemen, that's P.K. Subban. Yeah, P.K. Hey, are you on TV tonight? Are you on TV tonight? No, no, no TV tonight. I'll be at the Knicks game, and I'm going to have the Habs game on my phone, so I'll be tuning in back and forth. I'm going to be watching it tonight. That's what I'll be doing. Did we get a full workout in and soak in and everything today, or no? I did. I did legs today, really kicked my kicked my butt today. I had frog jumps. I had the hack squat leg extensions today, so really got into the glutes and hammies, Pat. Yeah, I need to keep those for stability.

2:01:41Yep. Yeah, big cans. Massage coming up now, or what? Yeah, when's the massage? I got the Epsom salt bath next, because I walked back from the gym in the rain today, so I'm going to get in the Epsom salt bath, just really chill things out, and then, yeah, see where the day takes me from there. Dinner at Emilio's? Yeah, maybe stop by Emilio's. Oh, yeah. Yeah, that's standard. Yeah, 100%.

2:02:04Pat McAfee:Wow, what an honor it is for you to be able to say that. Just be able to stop by Emilio's, get some of the deal Parmesan. That's awesome. Why not? It's the best place. It's the best vibe, best place. I have to stop by and show love every day. Shout out to Mario. This kid was dressed well. Yeah. He was unbelievable. Service was perfect. You like some Mario? That's Mario. Yeah. Yeah. He was horrific Shout out to Junior Shout out to the whole crew Anthony Carmine Everybody Yeah we gotta say Grazie to them for sure Grazie to them Alright you're the man Good luck out there P.U. Saban Yeah P.U. P.U.

2:02:40Pat McAfee:Saban Of course he's fucking savage Is he bringing his own salmon To the ESPN He said he was Probably in a backpack Yeah he cooks at his house He probably has a super cool bag Still on the fishing line Some fat Yeah Yeah he gets it out of the Hudson It has the paper wrapping around it. He just caught it, maybe, on the way in. He was walking, and somebody throws it. He catches it, puts it in some fucking absurd bag with the head and the tail sticking out of the inside. Yep, bingo. He's fucking listening to this.

2:03:14Pat McAfee:Scales it in front of Levy. You guys are killing me, man. No, no, no. No P.U. No P.U. Moose starts the fire. Yeah, Moose Messier. Moose has a flint. He starts the fire right underneath the table. Steve Levy, somebody in there says, fish again, huh? You know I got to do it. That definitely leaves. Yeah, certainly. All right. Speaking of, Steve Levy sent a text either while we were talking to Wayno or after we were talking to Wayno, and he said, best Wayno stat is if you eliminated all of his goals, he would still have the most points in the history or something like that. It's like Wayne was the guy.

2:03:49Pat McAfee:He was unbelievable. Wayne Gretzky, huh? This guy. Wayne Gretzky. this guy's good at home hey guys when when people try to talk about mcdavid and and like like talk about him being better like no one's ever going to be better than gretzky like i like the conversation there's certain conversations that we shouldn't have to have like you know like the jordan conversation the gretzky conversation like we should kind of be putting those to bed like no one's ever going to be better than wayne gretzky it's just not going to happen And records are meant to be broken. The game changes. Rules change. We get all that.

2:04:24That's going to change. But Wayne Gretzky, the great one, like, come on, man. What are we talking about? I don't even have to go on about this. Just put that to bed. It's Wayne, and then there's everybody else after that somewhere. Yeah. La Magnifique, Mario Lemieux. I mean, come on.

2:04:42Pat McAfee:And then Sidney Crosby, obviously, in there. Ovi has certainly scored his way into the conversation. I mean, there's some original six teams. Bobby Orr, of course. I would love to get there. Medano, Basil McCray. Wayne was 1.92 points per game, and then Mario 1.88, and those are the two. That's it. And Mario Lemieux for sure. Yeah, 100%. But Wayne's like, come on. Yeah, no, I actually told Wayne that today during the conversation with him that because I'm from Pittsburgh, I used to say, Mario Lemieux is the GOAT, thank you so much, and just literally tell everybody shut the fuck up. That's literally what I would do just as an ignorant fan of the Pittsburgh Penguins.

2:05:18Pat McAfee:And then Sidney Crosby comes along. Guess what I got again? Hey, we got the fucking greatest player of all time. Shut the fuck up. And then somebody forced me to look at Wayne Gretzky's stats. Numbers. And it really changed everything. I was like, oh, shit. I've been pretty disrespectful here to Wayne Gretzky. It feels like I need to stop doing that immediately. Hockey's a great sport. We appreciate the hell out of you, PK. Keep cooking those fish, dog. Ladies and gentlemen, PK Chabann. Yeah, PK. definitely scaling the fish there. Maybe even a couple. I think he had the salmon from the lunchroom one day at ESPN and he said it was trash.

2:05:54I can't do this. I'll bring it my own.

2:05:55Pat McAfee:I wonder if they even offer it because they know that everybody in the building and campus is going to have to smell it. Great cafeteria. I was going to say, they got really nice stuff over there. Great food. I do believe that everything that I've ever had there, like top of the line. Delicious. Chefs and food and everything like that. There's been a variety of shit. You can get like sub, obviously pizza, nachos, omelets, eggs, healthy. I think you probably. I would imagine you can get salmon. Yeah. It's really high-end shit. Very much like the LA Chargers little food eatery cafeteria place I have.

2:06:31Pat McAfee:Very, very nice. Here is a shot of the place. You can get sushi there. This is from the draft. No, I'm sorry. All right, schedule release prime time with the NFL Live folks. Dan Orlovsky, Hawkins. I believe Miss Laura Rutledge guided the tour through this entire thing. You really get a chance to see the entire place. You know, ESPN is gigantic.

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2:08:09Pat McAfee:They just won an award, you know, ESPN. Yeah. Congratulations, ESPN from the Sports Business Journal. Best in class. Wow. For the deal with NFL Network. Best in class. Yeah. That's a big deal. Yeah. Best in sports media. Which means best in class. Which means. Who else is in the class? There's other sports media. Everybody's doing sports media. out. CBS, NBC, Amazon, Netflix, Apple, YouTube, HBO, fucking Turner, whatever. Nickelodeon. The other one is. There's some... What's the one they're doing? The Twitch... Kick. There it is. Those ones. There's a lot of people. Oh, Rumble. There it is. There's a lot of things doing sports.

2:08:59Pat McAfee:Wake up! Welcome to the world, AJ. What's wrong with your brain? Just asking questions. Yeah, B's on the brain. Don't call him a B brain. Is that what happened in the middle of that question? You were just like, you know what? I just saw a B. The Queen's loads. And then he had to go back. Wem B, I was pissed off because Wem B obviously has B at the end of that. So now you are. He's actually naming his hive potentially the Wem B hive. So now he's kind of feeling a little bit of an extra closeness to Wem B. So even though we were 15 minutes past that situation, he still had to win beehive on the brain.

2:09:34Pat McAfee:After starting the other one. And I'm happy you got to that. I'm happy you got to that because that's what you wanted to know. Yeah, I could not just continue. I had to stop, pause for 12 to 15 seconds, forget it, and then come right back to it. I thought you did great. Honestly, landing the plane. We've all been there, brother. Don't you worry about that. But the beehive shit is crazy that you're actually doing this. Love it. I would like to let you know that. It is crazy. I've not broken any more NHL news since that first time I did the news thing. I guess people say I didn't break it. I was actually pretty late to that entire.

2:10:01Pat McAfee:but I am potentially excited about some news that Schefter just broke. Okay. Ladies and gentlemen, NFLPA has reached an agreement today with Joms to become the exclusive peanut butter and jelly sandwich of the players. What? Wow. J.J. Watt and Caleb Williams are a part of Joms' ownership group, and the player-led partnership will make the PB &Js available league-wide this season. That's a big deal because we obviously have heard the stats. 80 ,000 uncrustable peanut butter and jellies throughout the NFL season. is what was actually reported and projected. At least. Joms, which I do believe we have experienced the Joms experience here at the office.

2:10:40Pat McAfee:So good. So good. Bigger, more, I think there's more protein in these things. I think they have a healthier option. Them linking or inking a deal, very happy for them. Congratulations to the Joms team. We have met them. Them wanting to become, you know, a part of the NFL and partner with the NFLPA was a big deal. And I'm excited for that. I'm also excited for potentially this means more growth for jobs jobs wait until people have these things jobs are delicious They are fucking good and you don't immediately need to like feel like you need to get it out of you No, it's good. And I'm a PB &J guy have been actually as a child I wanted to open a peanut butter and jelly restaurant where we would serve different styles of peanut butter and jelly Obviously you have it on the bread.

2:11:21Pat McAfee:What type of bread? What type of cut is it toasted? Is it not toasted? You can put these things on bagels You can put them on absolutely anything you put two waffles together and have a peanut butter and jelly on the outside, maybe even French toast. You can do so many things with a peanut butter and jelly, and I think everybody in America at least agrees on that. That's why the number was astounding whenever they reported what the NFL was going through. But me and AJ, I think we would both say, that makes sense. I mean, just being able to just snag those things. We're at the Ohio State Buckeyes building.

2:11:46Pat McAfee:So much things are available. Oh, there's an uncrustable peanut butter and jelly option right here. Boom. Give me that thing every single time. John seems to want to get into the game, AJ, a little bit. They do, and they're one of the – that's like a thing now. If you go anywhere, they claim they add protein to everything. Any drink on a lot of these fast food menus with smoothies, it's a protein thing. And Joms actually are, I think, a much healthier option. Chef, keep breaking the news because this is potentially a gigantic one. Salah just came out and said no seed oils in the building anymore.

2:12:17Pat McAfee:Joms? No seed oils. No seed oils. Wow! PB &J knows. Some big J PB &J knows happening right in front of our eyes right now. Congrats to all parties getting the deal done. And congrats to Shefty breaking a PB &J. That may work, Shefty. There it goes, Shefty. We appreciate that. Anything that we missed that we need to talk about? Oh, yeah, baseball. Shohei Otani. He's dealing and donging. Ladies and gentlemen, Shohei Otani last night was absolutely dealing. And on the first pitch of the evening, remember, he has been called into question over the last couple weeks about his ability to pitch and also still remain a lethal hitter.

2:12:54Pat McAfee:Well, on night that he is on the bump, first pitch of the game in which everybody's tuning in to watch him, he takes that shit yard. Shohei, obviously still dominant. What's the conversation about him, Ty? And what else is happening around baseball? Yeah, I mean, he's still very dominant. His dominance is to the point where, like, last night he wasn't super sharp, really, but he doesn't give up any earned runs. His ERA, I believe, is.73 through his first however many starts of the year. That's, like, the best ever going back to him and one other guy, Jacob DeGrom, have had that low of an ERA through this many starts in the year.

2:13:30And, yeah, I think Shohei has said, hey, if I'm pitching, I also want to be hitting. They kind of tried messing with that a little bit, but it's just to the point where, like, this guy needs at-bats. It's pretty – it's as simple as that. He doesn't need to just lock in on pitching. Now, we'll see if they continue to do it, but they've been pretty successful so far. That was his first home run. And then, you know, I don't want to say we're in the – we're definitely not in the dog days, but we are to the point now where it's like teams are kind of starting to figure out who they are a little bit more, what their identities are.

2:14:00You got the Braves in the National League are kind of far and away the best team right now. I shouldn't say far and away, but they've been the best team wire to wire. They've been incredible, and they're in the same division as the Mets and the Phillies, who obviously spent all the money in the world this offseason. And then in the American League, very surprising, the Tampa Bay Rays are the best team in the American League. and they'll small ball you to death. Bunch of singles. They bunt a lot. They put the ball in play. They kind of force the other team to make mistakes. And that's the thing.

2:14:34You can boo them, but their team is made up with guys you've probably never heard of with the exception of maybe Junior Caminero, who he's a very young player. He hit 45 homers, was in the home run derby last year. But NL, probably six or seven teams that are very good. The AL only has, I believe, two teams over 500. So the AL absolutely stinks. And then, Tony, the NL Central is unbelievable, obviously, which the Pirates are in. But I know you have something else. Yeah, I do have a quick set. If you put those division rankings back up there, the AL West leader, the AL Central leader, and the AL East leader are all the lowest spending teams in those divisions.

2:15:15Pat McAfee:Oh, so will this help or hurt the CBA negotiations that are about to take place about a salary cap? But you want to get back to conversation about teams that normally don't spend and normally don't have success. The NL Central, I think, is one of those that is kind of littered with those types of teams. Ty, I think you're about to dive into that. The Buccos have a chance. Look at us above 500. Why are we only one game above 500? That's fine. Is this new? That's completely fine. I haven't seen this in a while. Is this right? This is updated. It feels like you're upset about. What are you upset about?

2:15:48You should be ecstatic about them being 25 and 24.

2:15:52Pat McAfee:Shut up, Red Sox. You guys haven't sniffed anything other than last place since literally day one. One game out of the playoffs right now. We're not in the last game. One game out of the playoffs. You're 22 and 27. And that's going to get it done in the AL this year, baby. Enough, please. Can you go back to what happened to the Pirates? We need Paul on the bump a little bit more. I wouldn't say anything necessarily happened. They're kind of just – their bullpen has been – the Pirates have been losing a lot of close games. So, like, it's not like – I feel like in years past, and Tony, correct me if I'm wrong, but early in the season like this, they lose a lot of these games and they're getting their ass kicked.

2:16:29Either it's like if Skeens isn't on the bump, they were defensively very bad and then their offense wasn't any good. Connor Griffin has been on a tear, the young phenom. he's really starting to kind of get his feet wet, and it's like, okay, yeah, we are watching the everyday shortstop of the Pirates for the next 15 to 20 years if he stays healthy. Them being 25 and 24, I mean, listen, they're in the best division in baseball right now. You could argue maybe the NL West with the Dodgers and the Padres and the Diamondbacks have been pretty good, but the NL Central is kind of a murderer's row right now.

2:17:02We see what Mizorowski does every single time he pitches. Hey, this guy's doing some record-breaking shit there,

2:17:07Pat McAfee:saying not only being the fastest guy, but also he has some other shit, I guess. Nobody's even touching the ball when he's pitching. No, yeah, his whiff rate and everything. I mean, it's really the only thing that can derail this guy is if he gets hurt. Because at this point, his stuff is so good, he goes out there, and yeah, when you throw that hard, you're going to give up some home runs from time to time. But, I mean, he's, yeah, the NL Cy Young racer. But also, so last year, so I just wanted to, sorry to cut you off here. I'm not a super baseball guy, but last year when we were at the All-Star game, I learned a lot quickly.

2:17:36Pat McAfee:He made the all-star team with only five starts. And the fans were very pissed off about that. But everybody in baseball was like, yep. Yeah, that makes sense. Yeah, this guy's five starts. He makes the all-star game over somebody else. And everybody's like, hey, there's a reason. This fucking guy's got a lot of hype within the baseball world. Obviously, we've gotten a chance to talk to him. And he's electric on the mound. He's a unicorn. There is no one else like him. Obviously, guys like Skeens and Tarek Skubel and some of these other guys who are super dominant, he throws as hard as like Mason Miller is throwing 104 miles an hour almost every time he's throwing a fastball.

2:18:12But typically he's throwing anywhere from 10 to 15 pitches in a game because he's only he's coming in and he's throwing one inning. Mizorowski is throwing 104, like 25 pitches in a game or he's throwing over 100, you know, 40 of however many. Like, he's doing it every single start, and we've never seen a guy like this do that type of stuff before because, like, physically it just doesn't seem like you should be able to do it. A guy shouldn't be able to throw that hard every four days, and the numbers are staggering. The amount of 100-plus mile-an-hour pitches that he's thrown just this season ranks him, you know, in, like, the top 10 of, like, the last 20 years or something like that.

2:18:53Like, it's truly staggering what he does day in, day out.

2:18:57Pat McAfee:So this is the Cy Young race. Shout out to Eric Cross MLB. This is currently the NL Cy Young race, and it's just littered with not only brand names but incredible talent. Baseball has been bringing it. World Baseball Classic help. We talk about this with hockey with the U.S. Olympics, the men, women, and Paralympic teams winning, and hockey becoming like a spotlight for a lot of Americans. World Baseball Classic, I think, brought a lot of hype to baseball, and they've been bringing it. And obviously you were away for paternity, which we obviously appreciate. Came back with a brand-new car, which – sorry.

2:19:26Pat McAfee:Right. Goddamn right. Brand new van. It's not brand new, but yes, I am driving my wife's car right now. Yes. And you're going to double it up because it's that nice. I have two of them. I just want to let you know we haven't talked much rock. Yeah. Stone. Stone. It's hard around this time because we have NBA finals or conference finals games every night, and there's NHL games every night. So if you're not like – I'm watching NHL and NBA, and the Yankees have kind of been relegated to the phone, and that's just kind of the way it goes. But, you know, in three weeks here or four weeks when you just have one NHL game, you just have one NBA game, like we are in the area where there are upwards of, you know, 14 to 15 MLB games every single day.

2:20:12So, like, if there is nothing else to watch, like there is a good chance that you're going to run into seeing a Mizorowski or a Skeens or a Shohei or someone like that every night.

2:20:20Pat McAfee:Or a Tarps off. The lads are taking their shirts off. I believe in St. Louis, Stephen F. Austin made an appearance, and then it became a thing. And then we got walk-off dong shots in front of the Tarps Off Boys in St. Louis against Pittsburgh Pirates, who are now just one game over.500, and the place is going bananas. I love that this is a thing for them. I love that this is becoming a thing, I think, for more teams in baseball. I like that this generation of fan is kind of bringing this type of fanhood back. We saw it in college football. We saw it in college football, start to brew a little bit.

2:20:52Pat McAfee:and then you start to see it now, it's like, I like the excitement. I like the togetherness. I like the unity. I like the moment. I like remembering things. And I like that sports can bring people together to have a good time. And if the lads are taking the tarps off and the shirts off up there and it's bringing wins for the team and good times for the boys, good on you lads. Good on you lads. It's everywhere. It's caught fire. Don't you think, AJ? I think it's awesome. I just think about like the – there's always probably a couple people that didn't know they were sitting in the section that was going to do this and they're like some 70 year old guy and his wife like all right i guess here i guess i'm doing it here we go a little peer pressure to get shirtless not a bad thing but i do think it is a comfort level from everybody in the stadium that maybe i'm not a shirts off guy in public but how could you not want to rally i guess there is a lot of videos of people getting out of there i mean oh yeah yeah we gotta go all right let's go we're going up there yeah and then on the way taking the shirts off we saw that in college football once again now we're seeing it in baseball you know if anything brings people for to happiness and togetherness and to experience something i'm for it and i assume that a lot of these lads had quite a night after the tarps office while together which would have never happened beforehand so congrats to all parties enjoying the shit out of sports in a way that uh you're certainly allowed to do and hasn't seemingly happened in a long time no the bros have kind of come back to sports a little bit a little bit a little bit of fuck yeah boys fuck yeah boys so many of those so many hell yes the amount of hell yes that are happening so many and then there's a walk off at the end and the guy running the bases is looking at you the amount of oh yeah we did that so much of that just talking about that forever maybe I was one of the tarp soft boys whenever you walk off on the Pirates that's awesome Like how many times has that happened in life?

2:22:50The way that it organically started, though, with the Cardinals and Stephen F. Austin, the baseball team, was there for the Division II championship. And I believe they won it, and then they went to the Cardinals game after, and it started it, and then the manager for the Cardinals brought them into the locker room and then gave them all free tickets the next day for that whole section to do it again. And then it kind of coughed. Things like that happen organically like that, much, much better than anything that would have been forced. Agreed.

2:23:13Pat McAfee:what are you why do you what do you immediately talk about marketing employees that end up being a nightmare and actually work against you instead of for you but everybody's super smart because they went through a hard school and they think they're marketing geniuses i have no idea but it feels like you have something to say about it no it's not like that's what you're talking about no i just forced campaigns or forced things that kind of uh are put out there some super genius thinks of it and it's like yeah we'll get everybody to buy in on this and then all of a sudden it's like we look like assholes the natural things have to happen that's why yeah yeah exactly it's Quite a cone.

2:23:42Yep, natural. Hoist the cone. Yeah. The cone is the washroom. That was just genius from one company that saw exactly what would happen

2:23:50Pat McAfee:if they slapped it on his shirt. What's that? The hoist the cone? Fanatics? Yeah. Yeah. They knew it. Exactly. That wasn't a guess. That wasn't organic. That was, you're welcome, Pittsburgh. Watch this. Fanatics gets a lot of heat for a lot of things. They kind of created a pretty sick tradition in a once-viewed fuck-up, but maybe just a foretelling of what was to come. We don't know. Can anybody read the future, actually, and read minds? I'm being told no. CIA can read your phone. That's what we're being told as well. They can also read your mind, too. We know that. Yeah, Patriot Act or whatever.

2:24:25Pat McAfee:I think we all know that this is their words. My words are their words. Their words are your words. And they can put words. Anything changed on the mind-reading situation? I guess not happening. and they say, my credit card thing, huh? Somebody's going to have to get that one for me, figure that one out. D-Butt immediately upon meeting him for the first time, opening phone, scrolling phone, getting to something, knowing exactly what that is. Unless he was able to Bluetooth into D-Butt's phone there, which may, hey, fuck. Sounds like he does have a device that he can do that with. Maybe he's able to do that.

2:25:01Pat McAfee:How do you do the... But then where is he looking at? Is that just popping up on contacts that he's wearing? Like where does he see the answer at as well? Because he was holding something right in front of him. Someone telling him in his ear, does he have an earpiece? But how does he get the draft order? And I would like to know if there is an earpiece for another person there, like what they think about my participation abilities in this entire thing. You've been through a lot together. What do you think about me? Were you a little bit worried about me? Because there was a couple times where I was a little bit worried about me because I had multiple different thoughts.

2:25:27Pat McAfee:And he called them out on both boards. I don't think he's reading minds, though, AJ. He needs to plan a big stunt. That's the only way he can do it. He needs to be in Times Square and then teleport to Hong Kong or something. Oh, now you see me? Kind of. Like one of those actual pictures that they have, the big portal things. Yes. I think porn stars have really kind of taken advantage of. Kind of rude. Yeah, right. Yeah, they turned them off because of that. Yeah, because everybody was just going in there going, you're looking at my OnlyFans. Yeah. This used to be for OnlyFans, but now it's for the OnlyFans.

2:26:00Pat McAfee:That's right. You remember those? Those were kind of becoming a thing. Oh, yeah. Yeah, if Shams could, or not Shams, Oz, if he could do that and, like, end up on, like, the top of the Eiffel Tower, just, like, holding on to him, then I think he could kind of put this all to rest and be like, oh, really? Good luck, Shams. Good luck, Shams. We do get to see, sorry, good luck, Oz. Good luck, Oz. Good luck, Oz. Both of you. There is some magic that happens in sports on a regular basis that nobody can kind of describe. Like an in-the-park grand slimy. Did you see this? There's been a lot of defensive plays That have been popping up on my timeline Specifically from one particular player I don't like that he's going to get back to being a dog But in the park Grand Salami seems like a pipe dream And then it actually happens What happens here Ty?

2:26:46Pat McAfee:Just massive fuckery? Yeah kind of Jimmy Wood, James Wood Right fielder for the Nationals Absolutely pipes one into the gap So kind of a perfect spot to hit it And then you can see how hard the left fielder there Hits into the wall and the center fielder has no fucking idea What's going on And the left fielder looks at him. He's like, the ball's way the fuck over there. You got to go get it. And James Wood, he's young. He's very fast. He's tall, so he's a long strider. So really, once that kind of caromed back into center field, it was like, all right, fuck it. Let's try to get an Inside the Park Grand Slam.

2:27:17I'd be very curious to see how many of these there have been in MLB history. You could probably count them on one hand. But there have been quite a few Inside the Park home runs this year, Little League and otherwise. So, I mean, it's like...

2:27:30Pat McAfee:What does that mean, Little League? Well, Little League would be like if there's a bunch of errors and shit, and so you hit a ground ball into the outfield, and it goes past the guy's glove or whatever, and then you end up scoring. If you're in Little League, you still count that as a home run because it's like, hey, I got all the bases. I'm still good. James Woods, that's a legitimate – that is considered a home run. That's a grand slam because there were no errors on the play. He actually made it to home. It counts the same as a home run does. One of the greatest photos of all time is him pointing where the ball is with him going, what's that?

2:27:59Pat McAfee:Balls behind him inside the park. Grand slam. I also saw some gamesmanship. Oh. Bobby Witt Jr. Bobby Witt, yeah. Love this play. AJ, anytime I see a little sleight of hand take place and it actually work, I love it. So obviously he got a big hit and a throwback from the catcher. Aaron Thoreau, Bobby Witt. What's that? And then the third base coach goes, oh, jeez. He doesn't have it. He doesn't have it. That's what he's saying though right there. fakes that he has it, acts like he has the tag, then it holds the person, obviously, at third base. Everybody is telling him in there that he doesn't have it.

2:28:36Pat McAfee:There's an angle that is, like, truly spectacular from the backside where he literally, in the middle of, oh, no, I'm never going to catch that, you see him make a conscious decision to be like, I am going to gimmick this thing. I love whenever there's some real gamesmanship. Baseball has a lot of that, it feels like we're watching. Bobby Witt Jr., he's up for a gold, platinum, super-duper glove, right? Yeah, he's an absolute wizard with his glove. His bat has really come on this year. I mean, he's always been a good hitter, but he was struggling a little bit at the start. But yeah, I mean, he's good for like, you know, I don't know, 10 plus highlight plays a week, it seems like.

2:29:10He's just unbelievable. Everything he does is very heady. Every play he makes that is incredibly difficult. He makes it look super easy. And it'd be nice if the Royals could pick it up a little bit because they're kind of a younger team that has a lot of guys who are, you know, they got the pass watch. They got Jack Cagliari. They got a bunch of young talent, but they've been struggling a little bit. So it would be – that's the type of team who, if you're not really invested in baseball, you can see yourself kind of pulling for them and kind of riding their story for the rest of the summer.

2:29:39Pat McAfee:And Bobby Witt's got silky hands. Yeah, very silky mitts. He's got silky mitts out there. PCA's in the middle of one right now. PCA's in the middle of one right now. I'll figure it out. He will. He will. Come on, PCA. Come on, Pete. Come on, Pete. Come on, Pete. boom bang couple like just come on yeah happens just a quick mental lapse you know long season a lot happened he's a dog oh yeah we're excited to watch him continue to showcase that jazz chisholm jr he was doing some cool stuff is he back what do we have yeah jazz is he he did not have a good first couple weeks first month of the season uh and this is a contract year for him so very very important he's been slumping big time so he basically said okay i need to start wearing my teammates pants i can't wear my pants anymore john carlos stanton is on the il right now jazz said hey big g let me wear your pants uh but big g's pants on exactly and big g basically said like yeah there's a lot of homers in those pants so i figured if i can't use them right now jazz can uh he has been on an absolute tear i believe that he was wearing trent grisham's pants uh in in this particular game, but he did go yard.

2:30:50He had another three hits last night. So baseball is one of those things where superstitions, it's weird. He's also using Jose Caballero's bat, the Yankee shortstop. So he's basically not using any of his own shit, and all of a sudden he's caught fire, so it's kind of awesome. And I would assume, like, I'm hoping that maybe Jazz is wearing, like, Judge's cleats tonight. It might be a little big, but I'm hoping he'll do something like that. Is he using his own glove? His mitt in the field has never been the issue. We need more production from Jazz at the plate.

2:31:18Pat McAfee:Oh, so he's trying to get Big G's pants on so he can get Big G's back. Exactly. And he's found it. Yeah, he certainly has. He's swinging that bat, too. Yes, he is. Is he using others' bats, or has he still got his? No, so the Yankees' everyday starting shortstop, who is also on the aisle, I believe he's coming back tomorrow, Jose Caballero, he's been unbelievable. And Jazz said, Jose, let me get your bat. Mine's not working right now. Let me use your bat. And boom, he had three hits last night. I've taken other people's putters. Yeah. You know, if they're making it, hey, let me give it a go here.

2:31:47Pat McAfee:I think it's what you're doing, not me doing it. As long as it works, who cares? Jazz is certainly a vibes guy, though, right? Oh, yeah, big time. We might be seeing this for the rest of the year. I hope so. He might have Boone's pants on. Yeah, 100 pants. He might wear Boone's pants. I'd sign off on that. Are you in on Boone? Because I know you guys are really air on Boone and then air off Boone as well. Well, it's way too early. You know, none of this shit really matters until we get to the playoffs. So, like, right now, yeah, Boone's great. You know, and it could be a lot worse. He could be like Tony Vitello.

2:32:13He could be the, you know, giant skipper. So, yeah, you know, I count my lucky stars with Booney because obviously it can get much worse. But, again, when you're the Yankees, like, none of this shit matters. They need to win the World Series this year. And if they don't, yeah, there will be probably a lot of Booney needs to go, Cashman needs to go, what the fuck's going on. That's kind of just the way it works.

2:32:31Pat McAfee:All right, well, go Yanks, go baseball. Lucky to do that. Let's go back to the NFL. Huge signing up there in Detroit. Shefter broke the news while the show was live today. It's not just jobs in the NFLPA. It's also Jack Campbell and the Lions. Baby Jackal. Remember, immediately following draft night, a lot of people said Jack Campbell was a reach, Jack Campbell was a reach, and then Jack Campbell does exactly what he did at Iowa, just be an absolute dog for Dan Campbell in that defense, and now he's rewarded with a deal. Foxy, we knew this was coming for big Jack Campbell. Yeah, absolutely. Jack Campbell's everything you want in a linebacker, okay?

2:33:07Pat McAfee:On that defense, you got Aiden Hutchinson. He steals the show. He's the star. He's a very good player. But Jack Campbell is the heart. He's the soul. He's the grit. He's the jam. And he is everything you want on your defense. And he deserves this. And he kind of gets this whole thing going. So I'm very happy for Jack Campbell here. This is a big decision by Dan Campbell as we move forward on a new defense with Kelvin Shepard in his second year as defensive coordinator. Last year, didn't make the playoffs. What will this year bring for the Motor City Lions? Well, I remember earlier this year, maybe a month ago, a month and a half ago, they didn't pick up his fifth-year option because the fifth-year option for linebackers is absurd for off-ball linebackers because they include the edges and stuff like that, too.

2:33:49So that was big news. But there was never a doubt they were going to get Jack O signed after an all-pro season. Coming off an all-pro season, and Foxy said, like, yes, the leader of that defense. But, yeah, it was big news because when Linderbaum, they didn't pick up Linderbaum's fifth because of the O-line, what that number was, and they didn't do it for Jack, too. There was questions if someone else was going to try to come get him, but no, Lions still have up.

2:34:10Pat McAfee:Yeah, baby Jack and another Iowa Hawkeye just kind of doing it out there, Ty. That's right. That's right. I've always been a Jack Campbell guy. I will continue to be a Jack Campbell guy even though he is a Lion. And, you know, Foxy, he said it very eloquently. You know, grit, sandpaper, jam, Iowa Hawkeye, really nothing else you could ask of this guy. I love Jack Campbell. Glad he got paid. Do the Lions find their way back to the top of the NFC North with another year of experience with both of their coordinators and maybe a new culture having to be settled in after losing Ben Johnson, AJL? I don't know.

2:34:38Was it Schrags who told us last year the Lions were going to have it down here? He told us preseason.

2:34:43Pat McAfee:Around now, he's like, I have a hot take. I have a hot take. Do you want to hear my hot takes? I'm doing a hot take on Friday. Here's a hot take. Hot take. Detroit Lions aren't making the playoffs this year. Everybody was like, fuck this guy. He was right. He was right. I feel like they come out the gates hot this year. I don't know if they're able to be good. Dolphins are going to be sneaky good, too. Yeah, they were not. We'll go there for a couple games. Did get hot. Long win streak. I heard Malik Willis is going to dinner with the boys. Leader, man. I can't say enough about this guy. He's going to offensive line meals and things like that.

2:35:15Pat McAfee:Hell yeah. That's fantastic. I saw Halfway's mic'd up from practice. He seems like I like his demeanor. I really do. Former head coach right in college. Then he goes over to Green Bay. He's obviously been around ball a long time. I like his energy. I like what they're looking for. I think Miami's a very difficult place to win with that many players, especially with that many distractions. But, hey, maybe they'll be able to find it as the Green Bay Packers front office and head coach kind of invade the Miami Dolphins building. And former quarterback. And Malik Willis, who shined in Green Bay in front of Halfley's face, you know, is down there.

2:35:45Pat McAfee:So maybe the Miami Dolphins aren't ass cheeks going into next NFL season, Gumpy. A lot of money, not this year, but next year. I think we go over four and a half wins. That's the total on us this year, I think. I think we might shock some people and win five, you know. Okay, five big wins for the Miami Dolphins. Good luck down there to the Finn family. All right. Clint Kubiak, who obviously is with the Raiders, said that Brock Bowers is a football robot from heaven. This thing created from the gods to be placed in a football uniform, and you saw it whenever he was in high school, whenever he was running the Northern California Napa Hills to train for football with all the potential other things he could be doing.

2:36:28Pat McAfee:Georgia, he was by far the best player on the football field. Now with the Raiders, he's broken all the records. He is a gift from the football gods. Makes me believe that, hey, this Raiders team, with how they dealt with free agency, the amount of players they brought in, who they brought in, and then Fernando Mendoza. Have you heard the reports out of camp? I heard them. What are they? I heard them. Why, did you hear the same thing? I heard they said, yeah, it wouldn't be Fernando Mendoza. It would be Fernando, yes, Mendoza. As advertised. Yeah, everything's coming out positive about Fernando Mendoza.

2:37:03Pat McAfee:And I know Ty Simpson also going to be an incredible football player. But Dan Orlovsky, I think the way he was kind of talking about Fernando maybe not being the outright number one guy, I think was an interesting conversation that kind of started taking place around a lot of football conversations. Because he did go to Cal and because he did go to Indiana. And it was kind of just a flash in the pan there with Indiana. There wasn't as many people that maybe knew Fernando as well. He's big, he's super smart, and he can spin the pill. That is all everything I think most quarterback or offense coordinators are looking for.

2:37:39Pat McAfee:Kirk Cousins there now. The conversation is going to start to be, do you start Nando or do you let Kirk lead the way and let Fernando kind of fill in behind? I think that's only going to continue. And until we get eyes on it all, it's harder for me to believe anything because the coaches are going to have to compliment him. but from what we saw him do we all believed he'd be a great nfl quarterback and i love what the raiders have done over there yeah i mean every time he was on the field and we saw him with our eyes every throw was almost perfect everything that like we saw so we saw like with our eyes and then every time we talked to him he everything was perfect um and then yeah like he's huge he's fast he's athletic he makes all the right reads and he talked about like when he thinks about the game as a puzzle like it was hard for us to envision that it wouldn't be like this you know like there was never a doubt like this early obviously it's not not a lot but like it's hard to see him it's hard to see him not succeed yeah it feels like with everything around him that he's ever been through he's gonna be locked in now granted a lot of attention he was on uh he was on a magazine cover i didn't like what they said what they say the next one or something like that I forget the big – there was a big word right under him.

2:38:50Pat McAfee:I was like, I don't like us doing this right here, but I like us trying to drum up some attention for Fernando Mendoza. But it feels like everything we know about him says he's a guy, and he's tough. People forget he's an absolute dog. He can take shots, wants to take shots, Conman. Yeah, tough son of a bitch. And to everything Tony just said about what he did in college, you've got to also think, like, hey, he also has the number one new head coach, the offensive coordinator who won the Super Bowl last year with Kubiak, who basically completely changed that Seattle Seahawks offense. You know, you talk about Sam Darnold being in his first year going and winning the Super Bowl.

2:39:22Then they get an all-pro center. That's going to help the quarterback a lot. That's going to help Ashton Gentry a lot, who still somehow had a 1 ,000-yard season after getting basically the least amount of yards before contact in NFL history but still ended up with 1 ,000 yards. Colton Miller is a pretty certified left tackle. And then Brock Bowers being the number one option. They're one of those teams that the number one receiver is their tight end. He's all pro.

2:39:45Pat McAfee:You think about that comment of football robot from heaven. It's like, Jenty, I think, could be described like that. Fernando Mendoza could probably be described like that. He's 6 '5", fast, super smart, has an incredible arm. Like, if you're going to build a football robot quarterback from the heavens, I think you would have a lot of pieces of what Fernando has in there. Max Crosby, I think you would certainly say a never-ending engine or battery. I mean, they kind of have it. Linderbaum, Brady. Brady. As the owner, somebody, there is a lot of like, are the Raiders not ass? Huh? We'll see. Is that what we're doing right now?

2:40:20Pat McAfee:I think they're headed towards the Carolina Panthers as a good football team. And Carolina Panthers, are they going to become a great football team? On paper, they are much, much, much, much better than they were at this point last year. The fact that Max Crosby was gone, and then now he's actually back, it's like, oh, somehow they add an all-pro to a team that they didn't have a lot of good players. It's unbelievable what they've been able to do. And that is a real thing. Like the on-paper thing, the Patriots and the Seahawks two years ago, top five in spending and free agency. Like there is an actual kind of correlation.

2:40:51I believe every team that was in the top three or the most spent team in free agency won like three more games the year after. And the Raiders and the Titans would be the two teams that were kind of at the top of the list this year.

2:41:01Pat McAfee:Hey, no risking, no biscuit. That's the NFL. That's the show as a whole. What a time. Hell yeah. Let's get the hell out of here. AJ, who are you picking tonight? Let's go. Cavs, Knicks. Give me the Cavs. I mean, I want to pick the Cavs, but I have a hard time. Give me the Knicks tonight. I'll take the Knicks as well. I will take the Knicks as well. Is this the first time he's ever gone against an Ohio team? I think so. Especially in this particular situation. I like the Cavs. They're not my team, but I like their Ohio roots. Yeah, they do have Ohio roots up there in Ohio. No, I'm not going to say it because I like Cleveland.

2:41:39Pat McAfee:Other people in the past maybe owed me what I said, mistake by the lake. But I was not going to say that because I like Cleveland. I appreciate Cleveland. I like their fans up there. But, boy, some of those stats that are being shown to us are not good. And I think that is a heartbreaker in game one. You had it. Now, granted, do they have the dog mentality to come back? Is James Harden going to get back in the kitchen? Is he going to start cooking? Is Donovan Mitchell going to be the guy that's going to get an opportunity to maybe be who exactly he is, which is 1A for the Cavs? Is Atkinson going to dial up some plays?

2:42:09Definitely. See?

2:42:11Pat McAfee:Or is a guy with a popped calf going to maybe run roughshod on him in strategy with Jalen Big Shaw, Big Buddy Brunson, as Perk says. Timothy Chalamet is going to look so cool. Always does. Ben Stiller is going to be fantastic. Tracy Morgan is going to bring it. I mean, it's going to be atomic in there, maybe. It's going to be rattling. Remember, Shams said he couldn't believe he got out of there. Earthquake. Because the place was moving. Luckily. Earthquake, they measure those in The Richter scale We need to get a Richter on Madison Square Garden Eastern Conference Final New York Knicks win Kind of a casual fourth quarter It feels like Doesn't it?

2:42:51Pat McAfee:I don't like that Because then that would mean that the Cleveland Cavs Would kind of just quit I think there's a chance they do Try to save up for home Either that or I think if they don't win this game tonight They're going to get swept There's a lot of people saying that. Is that just because we saw such a collapse at the end in front of everybody? That's just our recency bias of watching what happened to them, thinking they would never be able to do it. They're in the Eastern Conference Final, though. Right. But every person we talk to about the game with the Knicks, with the layoff, is like, hey, if the Cavs steal game one of this series, then we'll see.

2:43:24There is a chance that they can. But if they don't, they have to win game one. And for them to lose in that demoralizing of a way, It's just like, I don't, I mean, I think they have to win tonight. Otherwise, it's blouses.

2:43:36Pat McAfee:All right, I'll take Knicks minus six and a half, even though I would love to watch Cleveland do their thing. I would like to watch the Cavs battle like they did against the stunts. That would be really cool to kind of watch that take place. And then in the hockey, AJ, you think the Canadians, fresh off that Buffalo Sabres ride, which was electrifying, have a way to beat the Carolina Hurricanes down in the buzzsaw that is in front of the 40 ,000 Caniacs that are going to be going crazy. AJ, who do you like? How do you like it? I'm going to have to pick against Big Perk here. Give me the Carolina Hurricanes at home.

2:44:08Pat McAfee:I got a tweet from Montreal today. Oh, yeah.

2:44:15Pat McAfee:The city tweeted me. How are we feeling about the Ops with glasses on? I don't know if that means they're going to watch or they're trying to see it in 2020 vision. What I'd like to say I do love their team. I like the way they play puck. I like the way their city goes absolutely apeshit for the Montreal Canadiens. I like that they got a young goalie that says, I can go 100 more games you fucking need me to. At least. Seems like they are real. Grit and jobs type team up there. But with that being said, give me the Caniacs 100 times out of 100 times. Messi, Bocoup, all the incredible times that you're about to deliver to sports society.

2:45:04Pat McAfee:But the Caniacs, I think, or maybe are representative of what maybe Montreal's fans are. So we need to think that we, just like the Olympics, and I don't like to bring it up. Wayne O kind of brought it up. Yeah, true. I don't like bringing it up. But like the Olympics, I think we win this one. And by we, I mean the Carolina Hurricanes, who I don't know if they're going to win the entire Stanley Cup, but I do. Sure. I'm currently going with the American crowd being such a problem that the Canadians who have a phenomenal bar. Oh, yeah. Phenomenal bar. Beer skate. But the Jarvy lads from Manitoba are going to be in there.

2:45:45Pat McAfee:The Hurricanes fans have been tailgating since yesterday for this thing.

2:45:52Pat McAfee:Tom Diggs just walked out. Oh, no. He was doing this. Going through the office? He was doing this as I was talking there while he was staring at me. I'm happy he did make the decision just to kind of bail out that door there because I was getting a little anxious on what was going on, to be honest. You think that's poop or pee? That looked like maybe pee. That looked like pee. Yeah, piping hot pies. Pies, yeah. Is that what you're doing? Yeah, piping hot pies. I've been to set up there myself. So all in favor of that probably being a piss, say aye. Aye. Aye. There's a chance it was a dump. We'll see.

2:46:26Pat McAfee:but I like the Caniacs even though I love what Montreal is doing. Of course. And you can pick Montreal when they go back to Montreal. Yeah, because Montreal's environment might be the reasoning. Exactly. But I think the Hurricanes, got it. I'm on the Hurricanes tonight as well. Alright, AJ. You're awesome. We should wait. What if it's a long dump? I don't know if it's a dump. AJ, if this goes in at who? Right over here, over Saki the Elephant. AJ Hawk will give 20 people$500 nice thank you AJ oh wait a minute as we wait for Tony Diggs who will so graciously give 30 people$500 thank you so much for doing that Tony we appreciate you Tony Tony that's very nice of Tony dogs 30 people$500 all you're going to have to do is repost this post say something nice to somebody and maybe you could be randomly selected to be one of the$3 ,500 winners.

2:47:27It was a piss.

2:47:28Pat McAfee:Oh, geez. I don't know if you heard. He almost gave away$15 ,000. Yeah, I heard giggle this when I walked away, so I had to see what was going on. It was a piss, yeah. Pipey not pice. Pipey not pice. When we don't take the break at that one. I don't think we ever have, but then we carry for another hour or so. Yeah, it gets tough for me, too. I'm starting to bop a little bit here. But, Tone, we were waiting for you. Thanks. Appreciate it. Be a friend. Tell a friend something nice. It might change your life. We're in this thing together. We'll see you tomorrow. What a great night of sport. Let's enjoy it all.

2:47:59Pat McAfee:Thank you so much, AJ. Great work today. We're proud of you for what you accomplished today and the adversity you battled. Thank you. I'm going to go ice my head. Good move, Hoggle. Hell yeah. Smart. Hell yeah. Both of them. Every day. Team on me. Team on three. One, two, three. Team. Goodbye. The NFL schedule dropped and it's time to settle up. There's road trips to plan, hotels to book, tickets to split, tailgates to cover, scores to settle. All the things for the season. But now, when you send$10 or more to a friend with PayPal by May 28th, you could win two tickets to every home game of your favorite team.

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