The Pat McAfee Show Live | Wednesday May 27th 2026

[laughter]. [music].

[music]. [laughter]. >> For real? Oh, no. Happening. >> [screaming]. [groaning]. >> Let's go.

>> WHAT'S BOSTON. >> [screaming]. >> YOU WERE THE BEST. >> WHAT IS THAT? >> I DON'T KNOW WHAT THE BEST IS. >> OH, WAIT. >> [music].

>> IN CIRCLE in California. >> YOU GOT IT.

>> THIS ONE FOR THREE. A.J. HAWK $5,000. >> [screaming]. [cheering]. [music].

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>> USA. USA. USA.

>> [screaming]. [cheering and music]. [music].

[music]. [cheering].

>> The following program is a collection of. stooges talking about happenings in the. sports world. It is meant to be comedic. and informative. The opinions expressed. on this show do not necessarily reflect. the belief of their peers, their boss, or ESPN. There may be some cuss words. because that's how humans in the real. world talk. If you are young, please. seek permission before watching any. further.

>> Hey. >> What? >> Let's. go. >> This show stinks and the fact that you. listen, we are very, very thankful for. >> Mack could be all. alone with a gorgeous assist. >> The all-time leading tackler for the. Green Bay Packers. >> You pick. >> SCORE. >> DAMN IT. >> BE A FRIEND, TELL A FRIEND something. nice, could change their life.

>> Hello, beautiful people. And welcome to our humble [music] abode, the Thunderdome, on this state of sport. Wednesday, May 27th, [music] 2020. So, this program begins now. Sports. >> are the absolute greatest and don't look. now, uh, Torts might have turned the Vegas. Golden Knights into a great hockey team. Just the reason I'm saying that is. because they just swept the team that. was being called the greatest team that. maybe ever has existed. And now we wait. on the East as the Canes and Canadians.

have game four this evening and they. will go on to face this Vegas Golden. Knights team that obviously started as. an expansion team about 9 years ago or. so and then they got hot immediately. They've already won. They've been in the. playoffs basically every single year. This year though, they fire their coach. just days before the playoffs and. everybody wonders if they were going to. collapse. Instead, the coach that they. hired, Torts, absolute dog, has rallied. this group to become a unified bunch. who's on the ice with dangles and talent. but also a brutal physical style. And.

they got this us against the world. mentality that might lead them. to Lord Stanley Cup. Shai. Gilgeous-Alexander's back on the ice. Jackie Ace is obviously fresh off an. Olympic gold medal. Sorry, Canada. The boys are buzzing in Vegas now. The. kings of the Western Conference await. who will arrive for Lord Stanley Cup's. tournament out of the East tonight. Game. four, Canadians, Hurricanes in Montreal. Oui, oui, bonjour, ça va. We will. certainly be chitchatting about this as.

the day rolls on. We got Kendrick. Perkins joining us in about 15-20. minutes or so. >> Is that Oklahoma City back? >> I'll let you know. We were watching the. game last night on on our phones and. what we saw quickly was loud thunder, heavy rain over the Spurs from Oklahoma. City who seems to be all the way back. You know, SGA goes crazy. 32 points, 16. of them come from a free throw line. We knew that was coming. 16 of 17, he's. not blowing any opportunities. What we. do know is that this Oklahoma City team.

might be who we thought they were. This. might be the dynastic squad. We thought. the alien, that man right there, was. maybe going to divert this dynasty into. a different direction but instead. Oklahoma City says, "Let's not forget. who the hell we're dealing with.". Hartenstein, okay? Hartenstein might be. the biggest X-factor in this entire. series. Nobody could have guessed that. going in, especially with how many names. and how many titles we have around the. entire benches of both these franchises. And Caruso, obviously that paisan has. been greedy all series. But the San.

Antonio Spurs, they're not just going to. walk away from this. No, no. 3-2 series, this one looks like it's headed towards. seven unless Oklahoma City decides they. want to punch their ticket to go take on. the New York Knicks. We were in New York. City yesterday. >> That's right. >> chance to travel over there. Wasn't just. me, the talks table here at Boston. Connor, at Ty Schmidt. Ty, you got a pin. on with. >> Yeah, I do. I got my uh my Mitch Marner. pin uh because, you know, he's never. been past the second round of the. playoffs. So a lot of people are saying. he might be the reason uh him and Torts. that the Golden Knights are a team of. destiny, are over the hump. And I just.

>> No, I thought he was asked though. Everybody in Toronto told me he was. asked. >> I put it on because I'm sick and tired. of all these people Yeah, why don't you. go ahead and get in there [laughter] a. little bit closer if you can actually. >> This is not a Columbia ad, although it. is a fantastic shirt. >> do I do like this crewneck sweatshirt, but no, this is what you need to be. paying attention to. You can't really. tell, but those are pucks and they're on. fire because he is leading the. uh Stanley Cup playoffs in points at 21. Jackie Aces right behind him at 19. So, yeah, you know, I'm just I'm I'm sick. and tired of these scumbags in Toronto. saying this guy sucked his entire.

career. He choked. >> Maybe you sucked. >> Maybe so. Because guess what? He'd never. been past the second round of the. playoffs and now, you know, he's. exonerated. Everyone knows how good he. is. The Golden Knights are going back to. the Stanley Cup finals. I mean, it is. just a great day to be alive, especially. if you're Mitch Marner. >> What a night last night we had. um numerous Jack and Diets, I do. believe, at the um the Sports Emmy. Awards last night. We appreciate the uh. nomination. >> Yep. Hell yeah. >> And the invite, nine-year NFL vet Darius. J. Butler and I might have had the worst.

seats in the entire building. Now, on. that note, honor to be in there. >> Yeah. >> Honor to be honored to be in there. >> Mhm. >> Now, I'm not a hun- This is our secret. right here, okay? This is where we sit, okay? >> First row. >> We are first row, which was great. We're. on Once again, honored to be honored to be there. >> Sure. Honored to be honored. >> Loved how happy a lot of people were. when they won in there. That was cool. >> Legit. >> I loved watching people get so excited, knowing that all their hard work, cuz. there's a lot of editing and audio I.

mean, you're talking about a lot of. isolated times where these people are. just with each other. They no idea. So, for them to be honored by their peers, celebrated by their peers, it was really. cool to be in the room where you saw. some people have some genuine moments of. fulfillment and probably feeling like it. was all worth it. Like everything they. did. That was a really cool thing. We had. I mean, we're sitting We're on the stage like. jammed on the stage, okay? And now, my. knees aren't the best. The best aren't. the best. We're on our own journey down. there. These sign language folks, okay, we got to watch them all night.

>> Mhm. >> We're clapping like a [ __ ]. >> Yeah. >> Crushed it. >> I mean, we are clapping like a We. couldn't see the screen behind them. So, that was where a lot of information was. There were a lot of awards. There were a. lot of awards. We didn't really know. what all the cuz the screen we could we. could not see. But, we would like say, we're honored to be there, had a good. time. >> Mhm. >> Long show. Boy. >> Real long. >> That was a real long show. That was old. school WrestleMania length. >> Yeah. >> Yeah. >> That was That was one day WrestleMania. That That's the type of length. But, we. had a great time. It was fantastic to.

get over there, enjoy, and watch, and. meet people. Congratulations. >> to NFL Live for winning, >> which is what we were nominated for, I. assume. And then, congrats to all. parties that won all this. Game Day won. another one. That was That was good to. see. Congrats to everybody and shout out. to New York for having us. And. yeah, it was. it was difficult when we didn't know who. what what was up. There was 70 awards. >> Yeah, screens to show kind of cuz you. need to know what. >> What's going on on the back Yeah, a lot. of videos on the back, too, kind of.

telling the stories of everything. >> Sounded great. >> heard it. Yeah, we did we did an a. podcast version of the show last night. And we like I said, Roy Wood Jr. crushed. it. Absolutely crushed it. And uh congrats. to all parties. But that was a. fascinating experience last night. Mostly because anytime you go to New. York, we run into people. You know, I. got a chance to go stop by the MLB. offices. That was incredible. You run. into every once in a while you might pop. poke your head around and you see Action. Bronson there. Got my hair cut by a guy. from Tajikistan. His name was Omar. I'd. like to say to him spasiba. I believe.

it's thank you in their language. He. gave me a haircut. He gave me a a flat. area. There's Omar from Tajikistan right. there. >> So my barber's name Omar? >> Omar? >> Yeah. >> Is he from Tajikistan? >> He's from Jamaica. >> Okay. >> Okay. >> So who is he? >> Who. is. >> Tajikistan right there next to. Uzbekistan. Afghanistan. To the left, China to the right. I learned a lot. He. didn't know a lot of English, but I feel. like we got to most of it. Great cut by. this guy. I I mean just absolutely great. cut. He didn't have the touch, I don't. think. You know, that is maybe uh more. common. He was in. >> Yeah, I ain't got time for that, though.

>> He was in there. I appreciate it. But. also, everybody we talked to in New York. they believe this is the year for the. Knicks. >> Oh, yeah. >> All of them. That's got to one half of. the hammer. Cowboys, AP Tone, have they put out. series odds on DraftKings for what the. Knicks would be against the alien or. what the Knicks would be against. Oklahoma City? Because this Knicks team. you you it's hard because we've been so. calibrated all season to talk about the. West. Okay, cuz the West has all the. storylines. The dynasty right now that's. cooking in Oklahoma City could continue.

its journey to be in talked about as one. of the greatest teams ever assembled in. the history. Small market team. And the. way they went about doing it is. fantastic. Good for the story, good for. sports, everything like that. An alien. might come into his own. Holy hell, there's four different species of alien. I didn't see a Wemby in any of those. species allegedly that they're reported. So there might be a little bit more. He's going to win it. These dudes have won every game by 30. >> Yeah, they have. >> point do we not have to I guess just. respect and say, "Hey, maybe the buzzsaw. is in New York." And And what I got from. my trip to New York yesterday. Everybody. there that is Knicks fans is like, "Hey, this is the one." And I think the Knicks.

players potentially feel it as well. >> They should. >> They're more connected than they have. ever been. They're playing great ball. Defensively, they're outrageous. They're. healthier. It feels like they're fresher. because they get a chance to wait. And. they've been smacking everybody right in. the mouth. What are the odds against. Oklahoma City and. in San Antonio if they were to make it. to the finals? And what are your. thoughts on who we should maybe hammer. in the future department? >> Yeah, I mean, it feels like they haven't. lost in forever. Obviously, game one was. the huge comeback. That was the the rest. versus Russ game. They had the Russ. through the through the first three. quarters and then just came back 22.

points down in the fourth quarter and. won and then never looked back. And. obviously, they did dominate the series. before that. When you look at the odds. though, um. bookmakers do not care about that. Spurs. are minus 225 versus the Knicks. The. Thunder are minus 265 versus the Knicks. In game one, Spurs would be minus four. and a half versus the Knicks. In game. one, the Thunder would be minus six and. a half versus the Knicks. They are. hosting uh in both of those situations. And it is series-wise, they're going to. be so rested. And and it it worked out.

for them in the in this past series. Game one, obviously, they had to come. back from, but after that, they. absolutely dominated. And and in the. West, we've seen how they are just. beating the [ __ ] out of each other. Um. I haven't leaned to a side yet, but the. Knicks are hard to bet against right. now. >> They certainly are. It's just cuz of. what these eyes have seen them do to. people. They made the Cleveland. Cavaliers quit. >> Oh, yeah. >> Big time. >> Parishion. >> This Atkinson guy is special. I I really. like what he said. >> positive right after the game. >> Harden. They they ran 21 pick and rolls. to get James Harden on Brunson in the.

fourth quarter that 22-point comeback. that they had in game two or one, whatever it was. And he came out. immediately afterwards and said, "James. is one of our best defenders.". Okay, we love this guy. We give him the. ball more. That's what we need. And. everybody said, "This guy ain't no. ball." But what we said was, "No, this. Atkinson guy is trying to gas up his. team. It's his coaching. Like, hey, he's. just worried about the locker. He's not. worried about everybody's response to. him. He's worried about gassing up team. Then he comes out and says, "Analytically, we've been a better team. for the three days." They were down 3-0. in the series, but analytically, they.

did their thing. James Harden comes out. after they get swept and say. "We're a pretty good team. I think we're. still better.". >> Better team. >> And then they quit clearly on the court. So, if you're the better team and. analytically you're winning, what does. that mean about this Knicks team that. they're just able to smack you right in. the mouth still against all the odds, I. guess, that the teams are saying that. they're actually up against? I I I don't. fully understand what the hell's going. on in Cleveland. And if I'm a Cavaliers. fan, I think I got a lot of questions. about what the [ __ ] is going on in that. locker room and why we're talking the. way we're talking about. >> Especially with the decisions they made. right after. Obviously, keeping on.

keeping Kenny Atkinson on board. Now, look, he's a good coach. Obviously, he. got him to this point, but I feel like. every time he opened his mouth after a. game, he was trying to get himself. fired. Like I I I couldn't believe I had. to ask about his AI, the analytical. [ __ ] And then you saw the report come. out right after the series was over that. they planned on, you know, getting a. multi-year extension done with James. Harden as well. So, you know, where are. they going? And Donovan Mitchell's kind. of sliding under the radar. Now, he. wasn't 100%, but being a superstar, a. lot of that weight is definitely on your.

shoulders. And then on the other side, the Knicks, we all had questions about. them firing Thibodeau after making it to. the East Conference Final. A lot of. people on the other side like, "Hey, they made the right deal getting Mike. Brown in there." And then coming into. the playoffs, it was like, "Hey, finals. or bust." That's how the Knicks fans. treated it. But everybody else like, "Yeah, whatever. We've heard this. before." But the run that they've been. on, I think I saw on Get Up earlier, they played like four games in the last. 23 days. And then we expect this. Spurs-OKC to maybe even go seven, so. they'll have even more rest. Like.

I mean, I never would have thought I. would say this, but I may be leaning. towards these guys, Jaylen Brunson. Brunson burning the boys. >> DraftKings says no, though. >> I know. I know. >> DraftKings says in the series, the West. is still favored over this team that has. four games in 23 days. That's the. lightest schedule that they've had in. what? Eight months? Crazy. Probably. preseason. What is that? Cuz they're. probably running more games at Equinox. in the off season than they are right. now because they're just steamrolling. through the damn playoffs. And then. obviously we think the West is going to. go seven cuz we think Wemby won't go. silently into the night. I forget what.

it was. Back-to-back losses, whatever. The conversation, the stories are what. they are. And allegedly he called a uh. >> [snorts]. >> Oh, yeah. That was all. >> Called a couple of them. >> That was awesome. >> Hey. >> [clears throat]. >> And. >> You're just letting his Frenchman do. whatever the hell he wants, huh? >> The dancer. The dancer. Oh, you don't like old. school ball? >> I. >> What do you mean we're letting We don't. know if he called that. >> I love old school I got a nice quiet. shot there. >> You like unethical hoops? >> You know what I Depending on the day. I'm a huge fan of SGA. I'm a huge fan of. OKC and I think they'll get it done in.

six. >> Okay, so let's go to SGA and Oklahoma. City. Yeah, they could close the series. out. How do we think about their matchup. cuz DraftKings feels like Oklahoma City. favorite. >> Yeah, I think it'd be it'd be kind of. cool to see just because if SGA and. Brunson flop at the same time what. happens? Just joking, but some of the. stuff from last night was ridiculous. Like the entire turnover debacle and the. free throw thing like I do think there's. some there's a conversation to be had, but also at the same time when you do. watch the entire game it's like he is. getting fouled on some of these plays. Like you can't just Point guard with. ball. >> Yeah, point guard with ball who is very.

good at at going left, going right. Like. it's it's hard to guard him. It's the. reason he's the MVP, but it's it's a. conversation of like well, part of this. they're they are just falling down and. someone is telling them like whether. it's the coach being like hey, look they. don't know how to officiate the game. So. if you do go to the hole and you get. bumped and you fall they're going to. call it. But yeah, like that's that's. disgusting. There were a couple. >> He's 7'5" that guy who just did that to. you. >> Yeah, and it's nasty. And there's a. sometimes too when he when he goes to. the hole and then spins right and.

finishes with his left it's like all. right. This guy is unbelievable. But. some of the stuff going on like the. whole entire challenge debacle yesterday. was ridiculous. That that can't happen. Like that is the stuff that makes you. watch and say like okay, well, what are. what are we talking about here? Cuz the. head coach of the Spurs is in your face. challenging the call you just made. The. ball hasn't been inbounded yet, and then. you decide, no, like you didn't get it. off in time, when you did. Like those. are the types of things that make fans. like. at least unbiased fans who I don't care. who wins. I I genuinely do not, but you.

just want to see the best possible. thing. Goes off Holmgren's foot, kind of. obvious from that. Either way, they call. it OKC. Okay, you know what? Hey, we got. it wrong. They they went to do a. substitution here, so they didn't hand. the ball over just yet. Some people were. saying, hey, were they doing that so. they could get more time to look at it? Is that even legal? Is that legal? Not. sure, but either way, that is what. happened. Ref still has ball in hand. Obviously, once the ref gives it to the. player, you can't challenge it anymore. All this review stuff is happening. Ref.

still has ball in hand. Mitch Johnson. looks at the ref right here. He boom, still has it in his hand, still has it. in his hand, but they don't show it. here. >> Yeah, during that entire thing, Mitch. Johnson is in his face challenging the. call and they decide not to do it. That. was ridiculous. >> Okay, absolutely ridiculous. I assume. that there's. >> That was my 13. HOW MANY TEAMS DO YOU HAVE? >> YEAH, WELL, THERE'S. >> I LIKE PLAYERS, ALL RIGHT? I like. greatness. Back-to-back MVP. And look, it's not just about SGA. We talked about.

Big Steinke. Harkinsteinke. Harkinsteinke. >> See, WHAT ARE WE TALKING ABOUT? >> X-FACTOR CARUSO. >> CARUSO'S been. >> I'm believing. >> Okay, like I'll pickpocket paisan there. >> I'm believing. >> active hands. They're doing some good. [ __ ] over there in Oklahoma City, but. obviously, there is some tomfoolery when. you're at the top of the mountain, because everything is going to get. spotlighted, especially if that's. clearly off the Caucasian alien's foot, and we can we can do this. Shout out, by.

the way, to the MLB who took us into the. replay review thing and broke the entire. thing down to us. I guess there's 10. challenges a day that go back. They're. They're reviewing every Yeah, look. That's Ryan. He's an operator right. here. This guy he's a. What it I didn't want to Keith was the. guy giving us the whole spiel back here. I think he's his number two in command. there. I think the number one in command. wasn't there at the time. Keith came in. That's guy standing up there. Good. spiel. Okay, good spiel. And that's. Chuck in the back there. Chuck from MLB. is taking care of us a lot. This guy. very good guy. He laid out about 145. things we could do during All-Star week. if we want to do that.

And we are very very thankful for the. MLB doing that and it's going to be an. honor. But then walking through. everything that they've had to do in. their plan through challenges and. everything, you could tell that every. league understands that the cha- Like we. were just in what the NFL's McNally. review system. The review thing you. could tell that the leagues are very. focused hyper focused on right now. trying to get it right. So the fact that. that happens last night in the playoffs. while the reviews are obviously so. important and a part of every single. game can certainly cause a conspiracy. not theorist. conspiracy uh.

>> Which room is better? Which room you think is getting right. more? Been in both been in boots on the. ground NFL MLB. >> What was old buddy's name? Notter What's. his name? >> Mr. Butter? >> Butter. Butter. >> Butter. >> Notter Butter. He's so good. That's why. you know, I I like Butter. Butter's a. dog. Butter's doing it. >> Okay. >> So in the MLB though, they got the. umpires go on like six seven day shifts. and then they go and work a week in the. So it's all the active umpires. So it's. like a an actual consistency turn and. they're all.

teamed up with a young. So Ryan here's a. young. He's one operating the wheelie. system and the zoom in system and all. the different [ __ ] And then they got. umpire who is actually calling games. throughout the rest of the season and. then they rotate in there with him. And. then local Ryan goes, "Hey, we got one. over here." They come in. They're trying. to beat the challenge. So they don't. There's a 15-second period where coaches. are allowed to challenge something. They're trying to get it right before. that so they can radio down and fix it. So it's like you can tell in what we. learned from the NFL how much they're. doing. I assume the NBA's doing the same. exact thing. Hyper focus on.

technological advancements in. officiating, which I think is good. I. think this is good. Obviously, this does. not count the ABS. This is just ABS is. in the building with its own sensors. This is just them trying to make sure. Christian Yelich the other night, he. gets gunned out from the outfield, called safe originally, quick replay. wheelie system. I think Ryan was. actually on the wheel there. Zoom in, Yelich's foot bounced up, gets tagged at. the real time. They have three different. angles that they have there. It was just. you could tell there's been a lot of. zoom meetings about how we get this.

right and then a lot of great execution. Saw the same thing from the NFL. So, for. that to happen with the NBA, I assume. that there's going to be something. Maybe we'll have a time to chat about. it. Big announcement, ladies and. gentlemen. Tonight, 7:00 p.m. Eastern. We will be debuting for the first time. ever. the Pat McAfee Show Primetime State of. Sports. It'll be a state of the union of. sorts amongst all the leagues that are. currently participating. We'll have Adam. Silver from the NBA. Maybe you ask him. about how the challenges. >> Oh, I plan.

>> [laughter]. >> I plan on it big time. >> Well, let's remember, this isn't like a. debate. This is this is kind of his. thing. He'll he'll be getting out. >> Just a question. Just a question, Adam. I'm joking. >> No, but we might have some questions in. leading fashions about needing to get. things right. But Adam Silver will join. us. Manfred will join us. MLS. Commissioner Garber, who I believe has. been doing it for like 100 years, potentially on his way out, he'll be. joining us to chit-chat about everything. going on. Dana will come on about UFC. and Zoopha and then Engelbert will join. us from the WNBA. We'll get a chance to. catch up with all of them then we'll. follow up with people from that. particular league to kind of get a. reaction and then we'll pinpoint and.

bounce around. There'll be surprise. guests, 7:00 to 8:30 p.m. Eastern time. Obviously, before the hockey game kind. of gets going, we'll be able to do this. Now, this was supposed to be. Knicks-Cavs. >> Mhm. >> Okay? So, everybody talks about how the. big city markets are the teams that the. networks want to be in the tournaments. and to continue to go through the. playoffs. Accurate. I think that is true. that they want that. Now, they're not. biased towards it, but they certainly. would want that. The thing they don't. want. >> Mhm. >> is sweeps, okay? >> Yeah. >> Multiple sweeps in hockey and in.

basketball now. Happening in a lot of. things. So, not only do they got to fill. time, but also there's a lot of. advertising in the game five game game. seven advertising. Gigantic. So, the sweeps are what the. networks do not want. We've learned that. from our conversations representing the. Indiana Pacers in Indianapolis teams to. these big city suits saying, "You guys. don't want us in here." They're like, "No, we would just not like we would. like this to at least go five, six." We. need six games. Okay, that is what the. thing is. So, the sweeps happen. Not. only are obviously the advertising.

dollars from the final three games no. longer existing, but also they got to. fill time. We were asked, "Hey, would. you want to fill some of this?" It's. like, "Yeah, sure." So, we're doing like. a state of the union of sports of such. I think it'll be a good time. Obviously, we'll do it in our own way, but that'll. be tonight 7:00 p.m. to 8:30 and then. we'll all watch the NHL kind of try to. figure out what's happening in the. Eastern Conference. That one should be. fun. That's come together in like 48. hours with newborn Midas. Love you, brother. Badass mama kicking ass. Baby. girl McKenzie and trip to New York. for a few hours to lose the the Emmys,

but show respect to everybody. >> Yes. >> Yes. And so, the other thing about New. York is unfortunately, the best cheesesteak now resides in New. York City cuz Danny and Coop's. cheesesteak was unbelievable. >> Yeah, shoutout to Coop. Sending some. Danny and Coop's cheesesteaks to the. hotel that we couldn't eat in the. restaurant. We had to eat outside there. because Ben Stiller is filming something. in the restaurant, which is very kind of. Ben Stiller cuz he picked a good. restaurant. And from my understanding, what he's filming in there is about to. be. >> Yeah, the cast was. >> unbelievable in there. So, Coop sent us.

as a good luck some cheesesteaks. We. appreciate that. We had a great time in. New York. Baby boy Midas kicking ass. Mom's kicking ass. And tonight should be. a lot of fun. Hopefully, it's the first. of a few. >> Oh, yeah. >> We'll see how it goes. >> It'll be cool. >> I Thank you to all the commissioners for. joining us. Very, very kind of them. Should be fun. Joining us now is a. commissioner of his own right. And I'll tell you what, you You what I mean? You can. >> Find out. You find out. >> You can. >> Yeah. >> There's a There's a FAFO thing that kind. of happens, you know? And people kind of. forget about that cuz they see people on. TV and all these things. They forget.

that humans have a natural instinct to. be humans, especially when you're an. absolute. dog. LADIES AND GENTLEMEN, NBA champ, 15-year. vet, and a guy that almost ragdolled. somebody at a basketball tournament this. weekend. Ladies and gentlemen, Kendrick. Perkins. How you doing, Perk? >> What up, Pat? Hey. First of all, hey, congratulations, man, on the new baby boy, okay? That's the. first thing. Let me say that. >> You're good man. Good man. >> Yeah, yeah, yeah, things Hey, things got. heated this past weekend, man. Things.

got Things got heated. Things got. heated. And and look, go ahead. What you say? >> You were going to kill this guy? So So. what happens here? So I I have a couple. offensive lineman friends, okay? Who they're big. And we used to go. out, and there's always a select group. of dudes that are out there. Not a lot. of dudes, but they see the big guy, and. they think to himself, "Oh, yeah, this. guy thinks just cuz he's big." And they. start [ __ ] with the fatso's, not you. I'm just saying the offensive lineman. Just so they can tell their friends. that, you know, they did. Does this.

happen to you regularly, or was this. just strictly a a disagreement that. happens on the court with a team that. you're coaching, your kids' team? What's. kind of going on there? >> No, so so let me give you the the. details real quick. It's my. organization, right? Young Perkins. Global. And we were in a tournament. It's a. heated game, you know, 17U. They're. going back and forth, whatever. We end. up winning the game. All right, cool. Well, the other team, they have They had. this guy that's like 7-ft.

400 lbs. He. After the game, he comes and he body. slams one of my one of my kids that play. for my team. So I stay seated, then I. get up cuz everybody running around. The. guy The The The The they about to fight. So, as a responsible, you know, owner of the organization, I. get up and I'm like, "Hey man, y'all. need to chill, you know, X, Y, Z." I'm. grabbing my players. I tell the coach of. the other team, I'm like, "Hey bro, get.

your players, I got mine." He pop off. And I ain't getting nothing. I ain't. getting nothing. Who the hell are you? I'm like, "Bro, just get your players so. I can get mine, we get up out of here.". He said it, he got smart with me again. That's when I got pissed off. >> I understand. >> I'm like, I'm like, "Bro, who the hell. are you talking to?" Man, I'm talking to. you. So, then all of a sudden, you know, boo, boo, boo, boo, boo. Now, what. people didn't see was after that, we had. a little exchange. Yeah, they held us. back or whatever, held them back, held.

me back. And then afterwards, we dabbed. up. He said, "My bad." I said, "My bad.". and we kept it moving. >> All right, good. Hey, that's good for That's good for. sports as a whole. Because, you know, um competitive energies are going to, you know, kind of lead to combat every. once in a while. This is going to be. since the, uh, beginning of time and. will be till the end of time in sports. That there's going to be every once in a. while, there's going to be disagreements. that are taken, especially in physical. sports where people are hitting each. other. But, saying what's up after is a. huge deal, I think, for society. >> but but let me say this to you though,

Pat, is is like this. So, for example, the kid that got. slammed to the ground, his parents. wasn't at the game. So, his parents. trust me with their child. So, I got to. protect that child as if he's mine. I'm. going to stand up for him. Even though I. didn't go over there with bad. intentions, I got to make sure that that. kid is okay and he make it back home to. his parents. He's a young man, but. again, he plays in my organization. So, I got to make sure about every means.

necessary that he's safe. >> Job well done through it all. That is. all I got to say. And also, I'm going to. say it for the other guy, him thinking. to himself, "Perk thinks he's somebody. I don't know you. Don't be talking to. me. That's awesome. [laughter]. Guess what was going through his brain? How do I piss off Perk right now? I. don't know who you are. I don't know. I've never Who do you think you are? It's like, oh, okay. You don't know who. [ __ ] Kendrick Perkins is. The team. His name's on the team that you're. playing. That is a classic. Hey, happy. you boys settled that. Happy you boys. settled that.

>> [laughter]. >> That's good for sports. Okay, speaking. of settling things, obviously the Knicks. were able to handle their business very. quickly throughout this entire playoff. They're waiting now for the West. And. all of a sudden Oklahoma City gets a. huge win here. Takes a lead in the. series and it feels like the tides have. kind of turned towards the loud Thunder. heavy rain. as they beat the Spurs. Your thoughts on. the response? Is this going to go seven? I think you said that at the beginning. of the series you thought it was going. to go seven. Is that still your lean or.

do you think maybe Spurs are in a little. bit of trouble with Oklahoma City maybe. finding something? >> No, I I believe it's still going to go. seven. Look, role players play better at. home. We saw that last night. We saw we. saw Henrich, we saw Jaylen Williams. Jaylen Williams, we saw, you know, uh Jerry McCain. All of those guys had. big moments in front of their home. crowd. In game six, I expect the Spurs. to do the same. Now, I will say this.

If we're talking about who has been the. best player. consistently. for the Oklahoma City Thunder through. these Western Conference Finals, it's. been Alex Caruso. If I had to give an. MVP to a guy right now if the Western. Conference Finals end on. what's that Thursday, my MVP vote if I. had one would go over to Alex Caruso. He. has been fantastic all across the board. on both ends of the floor. Isaiah.

Hartenstein straight up punked. Wembanyama last night. He punked him. He. he did. Wembanyama looked tired. The. physicality was at next level. I thought. Jalen Williams came in off the bench and. and picked up where Isaiah Hartenstein. uh you know uh left off. And and and. look, Isaiah Hartenstein had the best. game of his postseason career in my. opinion last night and every bit of it. was needed. And last but not least, I'm. going to give a little credit to Chet. Holmgren cuz I've been on him. I've been.

on him. But he came out early, 12 points. in the first half. He had a quiet. double-double that nobody's really. talking about. He put his fingerprints. on this game as well. >> And also his foot kicked that ball out. of bounds and brothers wouldn't let the. challenge happen. >> Yeah. >> Mhm. >> Uh. co- co- co- what call is that? Cuz I. want to get on his ass like back pockets. right now. >> Go ahead. Go ahead, Perk. Get his ass, Perk. >> Listen, did the ball go off of Chet? Yes, but we also have to know the rules. The rules is and I love Ms. Johnson is.

that you can't just say challenge. You have to call a timeout first to. initiate a challenge call. He never. called a timeout. You can't just go challenge. You have to. call a timeout and then challenge it. That's the rules. >> Yeah, you know what, Perk? That's fine. Um I'm just going to say [laughter]. this. The rules are also Well, let me. just officiate the game fair, okay? The. rules are also how was Caruso had four. points or zero points in game four, how.

the hell is he supposed to be the player. of the entire conference? But again, hey, I appreciate you very much, PERK. >> HE'S PLAYING DEFENSE. THIS GUY DOESN'T. UNDERSTAND. HEY, PERK, HE'S LIKE THIS COACH FROM THE. OTHER TEAM just trying to find something. to say to you right there. That's him. Hey, don't worry about him. He's back. against the wall there. >> Perk, he had he's had his moments all. throughout this this playoffs. Go look. at the OKC three wins. Even look at game. one when they lost, he had 30-plus. points. >> Perk, look. >> So, you. >> You're talking you're talking to a guy. who took Alex Caruso 15 points at plus.

499 last night on DraftKings, okay? I'm. not complaining about that. It's just. about what's going on. Like like. genuinely, Perk, when you see, you know, McCain go down and just fall on his face. or you see, you know, I forget who it. was, I think it was Williams run into. Johnson last night and then just fall. back and get those fouls called. Like. what are your actual thoughts? Cuz at a. certain point and not even the SGA stuff. and what people complain about, but like. stuff like this when when you see that.

as someone who is again just watching. because you want it's the Western. Conference finals. This is the stuff. you're going to be, you know, basically. talking about and you're you're you're. on a trip to the finals. But when you. see that as an old-school guy like how. how does that not grind your gears just. a little bit? >> It does. It does because I want the. games to be decided by the players, not. by the officials. And I do I do think we. have a bit of a flopping problem.

all around the league, to be honest with. you. If you go back and look at the. start of the start since the start of. the playoffs, every single time a guy. if if I'm a coach, I'm telling guys, "Hey, man, run real hard if someone. trying to set a screen for. for you or you and just fall to the. ground. You'll get the call." So yes, it. is an area that we have to clean up, but. it's not just SGA, it's not just the. Oklahoma City Thunder. I didn't see. Embiid try to sell calls. I didn't see.

stuff on Castle try to sell calls. I. didn't see Jaylen Brunson. >> because Oklahoma City's influencing. them. And I And I saw a kid He was. playing. >> Oh, I know what that. >> He was playing in EYPL. He's playing. >> That That energy comes from last year's. finals. I'm playing. >> Oh, okay, yeah. >> Oh, Perk. >> I know what it is. I know what it is. >> Yeah, maybe it is a little Game 7. resentment [laughter] in this entire. thing. But if you watch him live and I. think you're going to say this and last. year was the year that remember Perk was.

in Oklahoma City got a standing ovation. when he intro'd him which had to feel so. good. So we got to remember that. whenever you're talking about Oklahoma. City, too. Okay, let's remember that. Perk in this entire thing. But you go. and watch them live. it's your your big takeaway isn't oh, they're drawing fouls. Your takeaway is. holy sh- this team is unbelievable. And. then when you when you watch SGA play, you think to yourself that this guy is. like actual water. Somehow he is just. able to move and get to wherever he. wants to get to. When you're watching on. TV though, I think cuz you do see the.

replays and you're watching the flares. and see and you're kind of zoomed out a. little bit, it does become more of a. talking point. I I think personally than. whenever you're watching it live. I I. think if people could watch SGA live, I. think they would say less of like he. this guy's a foul merchant as opposed to. like. this guy gets fouled, but also he. embellishes them. He also dominate that. entire game. I mean it was like a no. questions asked. But we do I did. remember just whenever he brought that. up. Perk is beloved in Oklahoma. I.

forgot he's definitely going to go to. bat for him. I like you kind of question. him like hey. this [laughter] kind of. >> I mean it's it's a real conversation. And and to you what you said like yeah, he gets to the who he's unbelievable and. the mid-range is cool cuz that is kind. of a throwback. You're not seeing as. many threes, but like when a guy scores. 32 points and he only makes eight. buckets, it's a little bit of a thing. >> Let's talk about throwback. Did I see a. go ahead Tone? >> Yeah, Perk did uh did I see Wemby exit. the game and then tell Plumlee and. Bismack Biyombo to maybe you know,

uh let Jerry McKinnon like hey, we're. coming next game or how did you feel. about this whole situation? >> And do you think that's what he said? >> I mean look, it is a bit suspicious. because I mean that was intentional. That blow right there that was intent-. like come on now, that was intentional. And I will say this. I don't criticize coach Daigneault lot, but there's no way in hell Jeremy Sochan. should have been in the game. at that point at that point. I kept.

wondering and saying, "Hey man, when are. you going to get your starters out the. game?" Like when the San Antonio Spurs. basically threw in the towel, he should. have did the same because situations. like this but they definitely came in. with a with a mindset of, you know, "Hey. man, we coming in to put you on your. ass." And I didn't been in that position. before. Like I was one of those ones. where especially late in my season when. I wasn't getting playing time at all and. they needed someone to be checked, I was.

coming in the game to to whether it was. a hard screen or a hard foul, like I was. one of them ones. So, I don't know what. was said because it probably was said in. French, but I will say it do it do look. a little suspect. It do look look a. little suspicious now. I ain't going to. lie. >> All right, forget about calling heads. maybe. Okay, forget about that. Let's. just talk about him on the court. Go. ahead, D-Butt. >> Yeah, what's your thoughts on kind of. his I guess up-and-down performances? We. we all remember the first game where. everybody, you know, was comparing him.

to Shaq or Hakeem, Tim Duncan having a. dominant performance. But now what do. you think having some like the game last. night, a couple games ago I think he had. like four or five rebounds. What's your. thoughts on that? And what are the. teammates or coaching staff maybe saying. to him cuz I hear guys like Shump, he. said a story one time where, you know, LeBron was leading everybody every. category and Ty Lue came in the locker. room and was like, "Hey, we need more.". So, we know what kind of pressure these. guys have on their shoulders. So, what's. the thoughts? What are the conversations. right now in that Spurs locker room when. it comes to Wemby? >> Well, with Wemby I would say this, as.

expected. Right? Like we're talking. about like this is the conference. finals. This is a deep run. Do you know. the physicality and the toll on Wemby's. body? I think Wemby in the regular. season averaged about 28, 29 minutes. >> Yep. Last night he played 38. So, he's. playing a lot of minutes. The Oklahoma. City Thunder are sending multiple big. guys at you. The physicality. You got 1. day in between now with the games, the. travel. So, this is a learning process.

Like I I refuse to give the Cavs a a. pass because everybody was talking about. oh they're tired, they're exhausted. No, no, no, no, no. Wemby, I could give him. a pass. Last night he looked exhausted. Half of it had to do with the the. physicality of the Oklahoma City. Thunder. The other half is just youth. and going through these growing pains. And coach diagnose said it himself. He. said a quote along the lines of this is. not basically about X's and O's no more.

when you get this deep into the. postseason into a series. This is about. your will. Right? This is where mental. toughness come into play. I'm not. questioning his mental mental toughness. I'm just saying. >> Yeah. >> Like people who prepare for the long. haul, they know how to do it. They get. the extra treatment. They're going into. the facilities late at night to get in. the cold tub without nobody telling them. to. They're calling their trainers when. they're on the road and saying, "Hey, I. need to get the stem unit or whatever.

the case may be." This is a learning. process for Wemby and he got to go. through it. >> And and just in my head and I don't like. what my brain does this. It's like, "Oh, Wemby has to lose right now." Like this. has to be a loss for Wemby. >> I don't like the Perk giving him a pass. >> What do you mean? >> I don't like it. >> HE'S YOUNG. >> WE CAN'T GIVE HIM A. >> THIS YEAR IS HIS. >> YES, WE SHOULD. >> YEAH, YOU ARE BEING. >> YOU ARE BEING A BOO. >> [screaming]. >> I'M NOT HANDING OUT PASSES. >> [applause]. >> HE'S THE ALIEN, RIGHT? >> HE'S 22. >> OH, is Perk about to boohoo, too? I I we.

don't need a boohoo Perkins situation. right now. >> Is that what we ALL TODAY? >> HEY, LISTEN. >> I DON'T EVEN THINK YOU ARE, OKAY? WHO DO. YOU THINK YOU ARE? I DON'T KNOW. >> OKAY, I'm sorry. I'm sorry. Let me ask. y'all a question. In football, right? When a team is traveling from the east. to the west coast, do they not leave. early? To I mean, like get there a week. early or something like that or a five. or six right? Am I correct? >> Yeah, when they go to the international. games. >> stay five to six days AHEAD OF TIME?

>> NO, THEY DON'T. >> [laughter]. >> SO THEY DON'T? >> IF THEY GO TO LONDON. >> A game every week? >> Depends on the organization. >> No, it doesn't. >> If you have if you have the Philadelphia. Eagles and they're playing against the. Rams. >> And then the Niners the next week, then. they'll stay out there the week or. whatever. Yes, there is a chance that. that does happen. >> did that when they went to Baltimore. this past year. >> Okay, so Perk, you were right. Perk, okay, Perk. >> That's not what his original point, okay? >> They're not getting passes though. We're. not giving Drake Maye a pass for for.

going to the Super Bowl and not getting. it done. No. >> Kind of. >> I I I'm not giving I'm not giving him a. pass. I just said I just said I just. stated the obvious. He looked tired. How. many times did we see him, you know, miss miss lob dunks the way that he did. last night? No impact on the glass, no. block shots. He He was struggling to get. up and down the floor. I And listen, can anyone tell me right now who is his. Robin? Because I know every Batman that.

didn't win a championship had a reliable. Robin. Who is his Robin on his team. right now? >> I think Cason would be the answer there. I think. >> No, you can't You can't ask Cason to be. the Robin when he's his responsibility. is to guard SGA. What I'm saying is This is what I'm. saying. We know that You No, that's not. an easy task. >> UH, IT'S TOUGH. >> PERK, YOU SHOWED THE FLOP ON YOUR TAPE. >> I DON'T KNOW.

>> PERK. >> OH, NO, PERK. YOU'RE SEEING THIS through. the Oklahoma City standing [laughter]. ovation. This is the Oklahoma City standing. ovation that's coming through right now. That's what we're seeing. >> No, what I'm saying is what I'm saying. is is this. What we what we've witnessed is that in. game four, in game five, the deciding. factor in both of those games was the. role players. Role players play better. at home. Both of these teams, SGA is. missing his Robin and Jay Dub, and Wemby.

is if you want to call Fox his Robin, he's out there playing on the on a hurt. ankle, so he's not 100%. All I'm saying. is is this, in order to get where you're. trying to go. and that's to the promised land, we have. never in the history of the game seen. someone get crowned a champion without. having a Robin on their side to have to. pick up the lifting, the heavy part, right? Especially when you're on the. road. That's why OKC got smoked in game.

four because the game plan was. surrounded by SGA, and then all of a. sudden, who was there for him to step. up? Jay Dub was out, AJ Mitchell was. out. We've been asking for Chet to do. it, but he obviously he looked afraid of. the moment at times. >> No, no, you said HE HAD A DOUBLE-DOUBLE. LAST NIGHT QUIETLY. YOU LITERALLY JUST. SAID whole bread. You said it. >> And home, Perk. >> Okay, you're saying on the road he needs. to show up. Okay, I got you. >> Yeah. >> Perk, I enjoy the way you view the game. I do. I really enjoy it. You got.

>> Imagine imagine watching it with me. >> I would love to. What do you What do you. do with that? What How do you Are you at. the house? You're in the basement. obviously. You watch the games in the. >> I'm one deep. I'm in the man cave at the. crib. If not, I'm on the road in the. hotel room. Phone in my hand. About five or six group messages going. in about playoff basketball. Oh yeah, it's the best. People like, "Perk, you. want to come to the game?" No, I need to. be by myself, or I can have a couple. people watching, but I don't need all.

the conversation, all the talking, don't. ask me questions. I need you to lock the. hell in and just watch the damn game. >> Yeah, [laughter] I agree. I I respect. how you view the game and and I What you. said you're one deep? Is that what you. said? Is it Are you Are you. >> dollo, solo. Yeah, dollo, one deep. You. like that? I'm a. >> I thought you were drinking at one. deep's not bad. One deep's not bad. I thought that was a. drink you had like maybe one deep like. you had a whiskey. You see Caucasian. mind you're one deep. I'm like, okay, this guy. >> It's not a party It's not a party It's. not a party. >> He has a a whiskey down in there. You.

said no, one deep we're rolling dollo in. this thing all by myself. Are we 100%. sober? We are drinking water, Gatorade, Coca-Cola? >> What? >> Yeah, I just I just started my diet, you. know what I'm saying? My new. uh. my new side I'm on this machi. You know. what I mean? This machi side. So, this. weight loss thing, I got to get myself. together. You know what I'm saying? I. don't need I don't need my wife's eyes. wandering and looking at nobody else but. me. You feel me? >> Yeah, that's right, Perk. And also, you. don't need any of these little coaches.

thinking that they can just, you know, >> Yeah, they can't do that. They can't do. that. >> [laughter]. >> YOU CAN'T HAVE THAT. CAN'T HAVE THAT, OKAY? I'm happy that you're getting the. science though cuz it's made for this. type of [ __ ] to happen. I can't wait to. see how your knees feel or your hips or. your ankles cuz you big ass guys, I. think your joints take a huge beating. The weight loss I think helps all your. joints too. I think that's going to be a. huge deal for you. >> All I want to do, Pat, is go from power. walking to light jog, okay? Right now, I'm power walking, you know what I'm.

saying? But I just want to be able to. get to a light jog. I ain't trying to go. hoop. I ain't trying to do all that. I. want to see just a two-pack, the one at. the top, I'm straight. You know what I'm. saying? Once I see a two-pack, I'm good. >> Good luck on your journey. Good luck on your journey. All right, last question, Perk, before we let you. go and become a skinny man. There's a. guy in Cleveland that is just awesome. He's delusionally positive, but then. also, he's not the only one. It seems. like the whole locker room's like that.

Go ahead, Ty. >> Yeah, Perk, you mentioned the Cavs kind. of maybe getting a pass from some people. for being tired. Are you surprised that. they retained Kenny Atkinson? It seems. like every single question he was asked. during the conference finals, he had to. put his foot in his mouth almost. immediately afterwards. I don't know how. much of this is his fault, you know, or. the players just not, you know, stepping. up, but. where do the the Cavs go from here? And. are you shocked that they decided to. bring him back and not [ __ ] cannon when. he was saying something stupid basically.

every time he was asked a question? >> No, because every answer was an. organizational answer, if that makes. sense, from Kenny Atkinson. When they. asked him about James Harden and his. defense after game one and Kenny. Atkinson had the audacity to say, "Hey, James Harden has been one of our better. defenders." And he got his ass tore up. in game one by Jaylen Brunson and the. rest of the New York Knicks. Right then, what what what came to mind is that,

"Oh, yeah, I forgot. Y'all got a verbal. agreement with James Harden that y'all. going to give him a con- contract. extension after the season." Great job, Kenny. Way to protect the organization. And then, on top of that, he come with. that asinine statement of uh. we won the analytics. What? What? You won the analytics? Where is y'all. Like, where is the leadership in that. locker room? I And you know, it's not. what you do, it's how you do it. I don't.

Listen, I picked the Knicks to win the. series, but how the Cavs went out as a. whole, like disjointed, disconnected, no. passion, was like a huge embarrassment. to the NBA. Like, it was a huge. embarrassment, man. Like, you can't. >> How about New York? New York didn't even. really celebrate. It didn't feel like an. Eastern Conference final cuz it was just. such a beatdown. >> celebrate? >> Because they got their mind on the. mission, Pat. >> I'm saying their fans. I'm saying their. fans. Players though, too. But the fans, it was like, "Yeah, we won the Eastern.

Conference finals, but it wasn't like. >> I don't know the fans. >> No, you seen them celebrate. >> No, but it was quick. We were in the. building. We were in the city. We were. in the city. It was not long-lasting. It. was not long-lasting. It was a quick and. it was like, "Yeah, we just do this, I. guess." It was the Eastern Conference. finals going to the finals. But because. it seemed so easy, I think on the court, the celebration also Post-Memorial Day, I think everybody's potentially in warm. What's the place everybody has to warm. up. and all the stuff, all the places? But. it was like they were definitely out. there like celebrating, but we tried to. catch it cuz we got in there late. No,

it was nothing. It was like it was. almost like I I want to say. it didn't feel like an Eastern. Conference final win because of how ass. the Cavs were. Bruce, is that an. accurate statement on how it kind of. felt a little bit? >> Um I mean, it it is definitely surreal. to just absolutely blow blow them out. Um the question I'm left wondering is. how much does James Harden like, you. know, want to win an NBA championship? Like, is that is that fair to ask, Bruce? >> Jesus. Oh, great. Now we got the Kool-Aid. coming out the heart. I know it's coming.

right now. >> You No, no, but it's it's a fair. question. It's a real question because. we want to know. Because there's there's. no there's no way. that you know James Harden have have. is has these [clears throat] drop-offs. in the postseason when it matters the. most like he do. Same Again, all. throughout the playoffs, it was the same. story, different series. More turnovers. than made field goals. A a lack of. effort defensively. James Harden, last.

time I checked, you were brought in to. be not only a valuable piece to get them. where they were trying to go, but also. to be a leader. Now, I didn't see. leadership out there. They were searching for leadership. And. when Donovan Mitchell tried and they. showed the view they showed the camera. view on the bench of him yelling at the. team at the team. Like guys were. drowning him out. So, all I'm saying is. they fired they fired J.B. Bickerstaff. for this is what I'm saying.

>> Perk, you're the man. We appreciate the. hell out of you, buddy. You look good, too. When's your journey When did they When. did you start? >> I started last week. So, you know, I'm. down 6 lbs. I got 100 more to go. Keep. me in y'all prayers. >> Prayers up, Perk. [laughter] Stay. hydrated, ladies and gentlemen. Kendrick. [applause] Perkins. Prayers up from Kendrick Perkins, absolute legend, ladies and gentlemen. Two hockey 13-year NHL vet, Montreal. Canadian super fan, ESPN pundit, ladies.

and gentlemen, P.K. Subban. >> [singing]. >> Canadiens host the Canes tonight. We got. magic happening in Montreal. We know the. pregame festivities should be absolutely. outstanding. What should we see from the. game tonight? What are your expectations. as somebody who is certainly biased for. the Montreal Canadiens, P.K. Subban? >> Well, I want to start off by talking.

about the Carolina Hurricanes because I. think that Rod Brind'Amour and what. they've done over the last two games has. to be commended. They've been the more. dominant team. They've dominated in every facet of the. game. You know, obviously Montreal had. chances where they could have. potentially taken leads or or won the. game, but to me, Carolina's been the. best team in this series so far. Montreal tonight, being at home, has to get back to playing their game.

And and what that means is. automatically, when they're playing. their game, they're faster than any team. in the league. Because of their skill, because of their youth, and the way they. play. We haven't seen that team in a. long time. Like it's been a long time in. the playoffs. So, they found ways to. win. They've had guys step up. Newhook. scoring. some big goals down the stretch. Dolbish. playing out of his mind. All of that's. great. But, now when when the Stanley. Cup playoff grind sets in, competition. gets better. Teams understand that their. dream is becoming a reality. You have to.

find the best version of your game. And. to me, Montreal, we have not seen the. best version of their game this playoffs. yet. They've had some great moments, but. a full 60-minute team game where they're. the faster team on the ice and they. dominate, we haven't seen that yet. Are. we going to see it in this series, Pat? I don't know. But, one thing's for sure. tonight, when the Montreal Canadiens get. their chances and there's breakdowns, they have to put the puck in the back of. the net. They cannot afford to not score.

goals when Carolina makes their. mistakes. It's just too hard to generate. offense, and that's where I see them. make up ground. They got to get faster, and they got to bury their chances. And. you got to shoot the puck to do that. >> Shoot! What is that in French? How do you say. shoot in French? How do How do you say. that? Do you know? >> I'm actually not 100% sure. Everybody. just says shoot. I don't think they. really say. >> You're welcome, French people. >> Yeah, let's We got the right We got the. right shoot. >> Let shoot. >> Universal.

>> Let shoot. Let shoot. >> Yeah, let shoot. >> Let shoot. >> That would be the shoot, I think. >> Yeah. >> Yeah. >> Yeah, the shot. >> Yeah. >> The shot. Yeah. >> Okay. >> Say la bou. Say la bou. What is it? Say. la bou? Is that what they say? >> Eh la bou. >> Say la bou. And then what are What's the other one. that comes after that? It says something. about bonsoir. something else. I've been trying to pick. up the French again, because if the. Montreal Canadiens now Carolina. Hurricanes have been the team from the. Eastern Conference from jump of the.

playoffs, so we've been saying on a. collision course with the Avalanche. So, let's pay respect to the Caniacs and the. Hurricanes as we have clear Montreal. Canadiens fan P.K. Subban on the show. who's on the the ESPN pregame show as. well. >> Yes. >> Okay, so the Caniacs need to know that. we certainly appreciate them, but. Montreal was to make it in there, we'd. all be learning a little bit more. French. This is like when Bad Bunny say, you want to sing it, learn English or. learn Spanish. >> Tried. >> This is what it's going to be like I did. try. >> Yeah. >> I saw what.

my likes. She thinks so crazy. And then that what. we try to learn works. >> Yeah, we did. >> You know, actually I thought the words. were extremely sexual. >> I was going to say found that he's a bit. of a potty mouth. >> [laughter]. >> Yeah. And well, hey listen, I they're. big time bops. I mean they're big time. bops out there. Big time bops. >> These are on I guess. >> Now, the French who. Celine Dion, right? She's French. >> She's Canadian. >> Who's who's a Montreal famous. uh person that we would know?

>> Is is Michael Bublé? >> Uh. >> Michael Bublé's Canadian. I don't think. he's from Montreal. >> the same, dude. >> Uh Celine Dion. >> Celine is. >> Celine Dion. >> Is Montreal. >> Spends a lot of time in Montreal. >> Pedro Martinez played in Montreal, so. did Randy Johnson, so you could maybe. Vlad Guerrero was born wasn't Vlad. Guerrero. >> Hey, Martinez is not going to roll out. Randy Johnson. >> Where's Beebz from? >> That's a. >> The director from. >> Toronto. Vlad Vlad Guerrero Jr. was. probably born in Montreal. >> Okay.

>> There's a chance. >> Okay, so that's where I can't wait to. kind of experience that. And then the. Hurricanes get going. >> We know Bill Kair is going to beat that. >> Yeah. >> Cannot wait to see that. Cannot wait to. enjoy that. Okay, let's go to the. Western Conference. There's a little bit. of a wagon taking place. Go ahead, Ty. >> Yeah, P.K., we knew how talented Vegas. was, but it still just kind of looked. disjointed uh pretty much all year. Can. you put in perspective how impressive. this run has been? Tortz is 18-4-1 since. he took over, and they they look like a. completely different team. Like where.

does this rank all time in like the. history of hockey? Like, is it How. shocking is it that the Golden Knights. are doing what they're doing and they. just dominated the Presidents' Trophy. Avalanche the way they did? >> Well, as an ex-player, very rarely do I. start off by giving management their. flowers because um I'm also very. critical of management and some of the. decisions that they made. But, to me, management for Vegas have to get their. flowers. To make that decision to move. on from a coach in Bruce Cassidy, who's.

won a Stanley Cup with you, and bring in. another coach in John Tortorella, you. know, who was was fired not too long. ago. They had a vision in place. And, you. know, give the players credit for. responding, but to me it was the perfect. storm. I said it last night on the. broadcast that with John Tortorella, it. seems like the consensus for me, when I. talk to players that have played for him. or coaches that have coached with them, that if you want to be a hockey player, he's the best coach for you. Because if. if you come to the rink and you're.

willing to play the game the right way, your game we're going to go to go is. going to go to a different level. And, I. think that every player There's not one. player on that Vegas Golden Knights team. that we haven't seen in the playoffs. step their game up or take it to another. level. Like, you can't I think sometimes. we don't give enough credit to the. coaches. Mess had sort of alluded to. that last night that the coach is super. super important. Torts deserves a lot of. credit for where they are right now and. where Vegas is. I think it's the perfect.

storm of Stanley Cup experience in that. locker room and a coach that knows what. to do with it. >> Uh Torts is certainly a motivator. Are. him and Signetti going to go down as. >> Woah. >> you know, coach. >> at this point. >> coach of the century, kind of. It's both. in the same year. I mean, what Signetti. was obviously able to do a perfect. season in football in a world that. everybody thought perfect seasons would. be over. And, he's able to run the. table, win national championship for the. Indiana Hoosiers in football, which is. crazy. And then a man is hired how many. days before the season ended? What was.

it? >> Eight games. >> Yeah. Eight games before the end of the. >> Eight games. >> Eight games before the season's over. going into a playoff run, and then able. to turn them into a wagon. They were. being counted out with the amount of. money that they've spent on that roster, who they are. The team was. lost. >> Yeah. >> But but but Pat. >> And then they were. >> found. by Torts. Go ahead, P. >> Yeah, for a lot of people that are. critical of Torts and his style. sometimes, I go back to when Torts was. hired. And the first thing he literally. said is like, "Hold on. Pump the brake,

guys. This is a team that's won, and I'm just here to guide them." Like, to come in and have that Whether he was. saying that in the locker room or not, he already set the table to give respect. to the players that were in that locker. room, and those guys are playing for. them. They've completely bought in to. everything that Torts has brought to. that organization. So, I got to give. Torts I got to go back to it again. The. way he stepped into that situation. allowed them to kind of come out of it. the way that they did. >> Yeah, and Marner, congrats to him.

Toronto was lying. liars about Mitch Marner. Good for him. enjoying it. Okay, last question, obviously, cuz we have to talk about it. An icon remains. Go ahead, Tone. >> Yeah, we do, PK. Coming into the season, a lot was up in the air with Evgeni. Malkin and where he was going to be at. the end of the season. He turned out to. have a great season, and now he is back. with the Pens. Kyle Dubas, the GM, brings him back. How do we feel about. it? >> Well, listen, I I think it's been a long. time for those guys, right? And you.

know, I'm sure for a lot of people they. want to see that next wave, but you. know, I I I'm different, you know, I I. see Evgeni Malkin and Sidney Crosby as. guys that are still players that can. have an impact as long as they're not. the guys that you have to rely on every. single night to drive the bus. And I. think we saw that kind of towards the. end of the season. With Evgeni and. Crosby kind of out, the Pittsburgh. Penguins were still able to put points. up on the board and find ways to win. So, I think that speaks to the culture.

Are all those guys that are in the room. going to be there by next season? We. don't know. There's still some contracts. pending and all that stuff. But, I think. the number that he comes in at 5 and 1/2. million is something that they can. manage. And you saw his the B-roll of. him signing the contract. It's great to. see him with that big smile and with. that spirit. And that's why he's still. playing the game. He still loves it. You. can tell that he wants to be at the. rink. But, I mean, a premier player, a. Hall of Famer. When those guys still want to play, you. got to kind of find the space to make.

them play. And if Gino can give them. another solid season, who knows what can. happen to Pittsburgh. >> Congrats to Dubas getting that deal done. over there. Him and Muse obviously the. studs that are supposed to carry the. Pens in this next generation while also. having stalwarts and icons on the roster. and Tanger and Sid. The rest of the lads. are going to get back to the cup as we. continue our hockey coverage. We. appreciate the hell out of you, LADIES. AND GENTLEMEN. THAT'S OLE, OLE, OLE, OLE. PK, PK. Say goodbye. All right, we're back. for hour two. See you then. Goodbye.

>> Well, hello. beautiful Pittsburgh. >> The NFL Draft Experience where we're. about to see one of these eight NFL fans. attempt a $250,000. field. goal. >> What we did was we took all of your. names and we put it into a randomizer. Okay? Now, eight is a random number, but. I would like you to see your names all.

across the wheel. Camera can legitimize. it. I will press this. and one of you will be randomly. selected. $125,000. to charity and $125,000 to your pocket. Now, it's not just me doing this. Roger. Goodell that he will split it. So, this. will actually be a $500,000. kick. $250,000 to you, $250,000 to.

charity. Now, we wait. Boswell, Greg. From. Pittsburgh. >> [screaming]. [cheering]. >> WHAT IS THE STRATEGY HERE for you, Greg? >> Nothing. I'm just taking Boswell. It's. just Boswell. I've been watching him for. 22 years. I know what I'm doing. >> Yeah, you do. Disembody Chris Boswell. >> Hold on one second. Hold on one second.

>> All right, just kick the ball. >> Go on, Greg. >> This guy sucks. >> [cheering]. >> Holy [ __ ] You're back in the game. because he was so ass. We're back in it. Please, you can all see it. It's legit. >> SOPHIE! >> NEW ENGLAND PATRIOTS FAN, YOU'RE THE. RUNNER-UP. >> [cheering]. >> Good effort, Sophie. I appreciate the. effort. I hope you have so much fun in. the city. Enzo, you can't hold it. against you. You can't hold it against. you. What if we did one of you.

represents all of you. $100,000 to each. of you if the person makes it, and then. a match to charity from me and Roger. Goodell. NOW, YOU PEOPLE who are. representing all different teams and fan. bases have to decide who will be. representing for you. I'll see you in 30. seconds. They're going to start fighting. each other. They got no chance in it. Now, we got a Rams fan who MIGHT BE THE. SILENT ASSASSIN COMING OUT OF THE GROUP. THE TEAM HAS SPOKEN.

If you could remind the entire world of. your name and if you played soccer. before in your life. >> Sam Bailey. No, I didn't, but I kicked. in high school. >> PORTER THROUGH PAUL. OH, [ __ ]. >> [cheering]. >> CONGRATULATIONS. >> Thank you. >> So happy for you. 600,000 to charity, 600,000, 100,000.

>> The following program is a collection of. stooges talking about happenings in the. sports world. It is meant to be comedic. and informative. The opinions expressed. on this show do not necessarily reflect. the beliefs of their peers, their boss, or ESPN. There may be some cuss words. because that's how humans in the real. world talk. If you are a young, please. seek permission before watching any. further. >> Hey.

>> Why? >> Let's. go. >> [cheering]. >> This show stinks, and the fact that you. listen, we are very, very thankful for. >> Manning could be all alone. >> Playing with a gorgeous assist. >> The all-time leading tackler for the. Green Bay Packers. >> You paid. >> DAMN IT. >> YOU HAVE A FRIEND, TELL YOUR FRIEND. SOMETHING NICE, could change their life. >> Hello, beautiful people. And welcome back to our humble abode.

[music]. >> The Thunder Dome. >> On this state of sport Wednesday, May. 27th, 2026. Our tour of this program. begins now. >> Sports. >> All right, the greatest. I like that. Seemed like there was a little remix. [music] from the boys. It's not just me. that gets a chance to chitchat about. sports every single day because you. people are the greatest people on Earth. for allowing us to do this. It's a great. cast of characters. They're actually. nominated for an award last night. Now, I don't know if you saw the list of. people that were listed alongside of us. for the award thing. There was. uh six names.

in there that we had never heard of. before listed on our show. So, we. thought ESPN maybe did a little, you. know, tomfoolery. Turns out the Emmys. people just tossed them in there. Sure, there's people that don't even work in. the Emmys. There's people that work in. other places. >> I [laughter] thought it was a Lee. Kirkwood situation. >> No, honestly. >> They just put one in and made him made. his name like John Smith. >> That's what I thought was potentially. happening. Here is the list of, you know, names that were put up for. this entire thing. Executive producers. Bob Iger, Burke Magnus, Jimmy Pitaro. Shout out you know that agreed to let us.

get into the industry world which will. be in the television world which is the. award And then got me there and they got. executive editor Kyle Kasky. Did we know. Gumpy was going to be that high on the. list? We love that Gumps. Good work out there, brother. That guy was a [ __ ] painter in. Canada. He's up there. Senior. coordinator and producer studio analyst. Evan Fox. Okay, analyst on their Fox. because we don't want you on the mic. time. >> That's a big time stretch right there. >> Senior producer researcher studio. analyst. This is all that by the way. Senior producer boys, congratulations to. you guys. D. Butkus, Connor, Campbell,

Anthony DiJulio and Todd Schmidt. Senior. producer studio analyst A.J. Hawk. producer Mike Foss. By the way, Foss big. part of this entire thing. We appreciate. the hell out of Foss. So, senior feature. producer Bill. >> Obviously. >> Obviously he's he's coding the internet. and ripping clips. Feature producers, here we go. Never. heard of these people. >> Okay. >> No idea who these people were. John. Scott. John Scott form equipment manager. for the Indianapolis Colts. >> Oh, nice. >> I don't think that's the John Scott. they're referring to here. And Torrance.

Wilson, never heard of him. Segment producer researcher student. Bruce out of A.V. Brucie boy. And. director Morgan Thomas, never heard of. this guy. >> He's a talent. Now I'm really bummed out we didn't win. because I would have loved for these. guys to join us on stage. >> That would have been awesome. >> I don't know if those people are even in. the building. What we're saying is felt. like last night there was a nice little. initiation period for us into the. industry. That's what it kind of felt. like, right? >> Yeah. >> Oh, yeah. >> Yeah. >> Yeah, it felt like. >> of goods we were sold before we went. over there. Hey, you guys are going to. be right in the center of the orchestra.

You're all going to be sitting together. >> That was never going to happen. >> No. That was never in a million years. >> You guys agreed at 9:00 situation. >> They really didn't really. >> You guys had the four worst seats in the. house down here. We were literally in. the last row of the of the auditorium. way up there. I mean, it's just We. should have known. >> We should have known. >> have known. >> Now, I would have Okay, talks to table. at Boss Connor and Tashnick. Congrats, boys. One half of the hammer. Cowboys AP turn 9-year NFL vet Darius. Slay Butler. And also, ladies and. gentlemen, live from Maniac in Ohio, man.

who is an Emmy-nominated. television analyst and well-seasoned. producer. >> researcher. >> Ladies, college football national. champion, Super Bowl champion, Ryder Cup. winner, ladies and gentlemen, AJ Hawk. >> Yeah. >> IT'S AT HOME. >> OKAY, THIS GUY claps You know that. little toy where the monkey has the two. symbols? >> YEAH, SYMBOLS, YEP. >> THAT'S HOW THIS GUY CLAPS IN PUBLIC. >> MUCH LOUDER Much louder than that dumb. monkey, you know. >> [laughter]. >> Agreed. You're a monkey I don't know. though if Mystic Set Ben Sure. was to.

make one of those monkeys and we told. him to make one of those things to be. like 20 ft tall uh with symbols 10 ft. tall or whatever to bang them together. I think they would potentially get. louder than AJ. I didn't know this about. AJ. I don't think any of us knew this. about AJ. And I I I think AJ was kind of. having a moment where he was reliving. the glory days cuz he told us at one. point, "Oh yeah, I forgot. I used to go. to like events like this on regular. basis. I'm the loudest clapper in here.". Okay? He was like proud of it. So, we. didn't really know what that meant, I. think, at the beginning of the night as.

we were on our journey, but. >> Mhm. >> We're all on our journey down there as. we're down the corner, knees eating my. chin. Had honor to be there, okay? Honor. to be there, but certainly not what we. were told it was going to be happening. whenever we're there. What really became. the show early was not with our eyes cuz. we couldn't see anything obviously cuz. of the sign language people and we. couldn't see the board, which was kind. of telling us everything that was. happening in real time and we didn't. really know any of it. The show became. how loud and when AJ was going to clap. And the thing that we didn't know since. we've never been at the show is I guess. at some point in the middle of the 70.

awards. okay, people stopped clapping. >> Not an exaggeration either. >> AJ did not 70 awards. AJ didn't know. that we're over we're bowing off the. claps right now. So, somebody got a. one-person very loud ovation and that. clap was from AJ. It echoed through He. started 10 claps last night. Maybe maybe. 15 claps. >> I'm trying to keep it on time. Trying to. keep it on time. I feel for you know I'm. a senior producer, so I feel for the. people backstage trying to keep it. going. So, when someone if they pause.

towards the end of it, I'm getting a big. clap to get the rest of the auditorium. going so we can keep it moving. >> Yeah, the big clap was like. >> I'm first and last. I want to be the. first clap and the last one. >> And I'll tell you what. he was. I spit on the sign language people. Spit on the sign language people. Yeah, cuz honestly like. this clap was obnoxious sorry. >> I wanted to come on the stream. I wanted. to come I wanted I was hoping like my. dad pissed to watch some of it. I need. to go back and ask him, "Hey, could you. hear me clap like a lot of those times.

when they announced the winner?". >> So, we get through the first half of the. award show. Okay, we get through the. first half. AJ makes an executive. decision for his clapping. He goes, "In. the first half, I was clapping. left-handed. Second half, I'm taking a right hand. So, expect louder on the start of third. quarter was going to be louder than what. we had been hearing in the second. quarter." And I'll say AJ kind of lost. it, didn't he? He lost his little thing. He did. >> You got tired out. I brought it back. I. told you. I I admitted I said, "Hey, I. took You know what guys? I took a little. bit of a break. You know, my hands were.

hurting. I felt like I can't do this. every single award. There's 70 of them. So, I did. I took a little bit of a. breather and I came back strong I feel. like. >> I think the theater felt it whenever you. stopped clapping. I think that's really. when the energy potentially dipped a bit. across the board, I think. And I think. if we ever go back to that. um forever lucky enough to potentially. potentially have a schedule work out, you know, cuz we're in the middle of. playoff stuff. So, if schedule works out. again for us to be able to make it even. though, you know, it was pretty chaotic. 4 or 5 days. And we did want to pay our. respects to the people that you know,

like it all I thought that was a. potential all of brain situation there. Sure. >> Once again, what we were told. >> Yeah. >> What we were told first what you know, and we just want to show our respect. There's like Colleen Wolfe. handed out five Emmys to herself. yesterday. She won five cuz the the five. straight people didn't show up or. whatever. And I was like, see that's why. I didn't I didn't want to. all cuz in that room, H, I think we. could see it a little bit more cuz you. guys are in the back. We're right up. there. And so, what we could see is. people coming down. We couldn't see them. on the stage when they got up there. But, what we could see is when they come.

down, people were so happy. I mean, like so it was really cool to see how. happy those people were. Whatever they. want, it felt like there was a lot of. like uh. it was all worth it type feeling coming. from the people that were walking on. stage. And I I don't know how even. though it was long as [ __ ] that show. was long as [ __ ] And I don't know if. they think of it it is Television. Academy as like a television show that. people are watching, or they just say. like, "Hey, this is kind of how it. goes." But, you couldn't help but be. like very pumped for the people that. were like very pumped. We were.

witnessing like huge moments for people, and I think that's what our show became. Was like super excited for the people. Like, we have friends at NFL Films that. were winning a bunch of awards that. we've known for years that have taken. care of us for a long time at the NFL. Films. We see them win an award and it's. like I was like super happy for them to. be like as pumped as they were because. they know that it's a big deal amongst. their peers and everything. NBC wins. And we saw Molly from the Olympics. It. was great to see her. Cordella and. Hughes was nice. So, it was cool to be. that. But, it was it was a fascinating. thing. >> a great They did a great job you know, like keeping it under wraps too as far.

as who were going to win. Obviously, a. lot of these things get leaked now. Shams or the Schefties of the world. But, like in that. one of the last awards where there was a. big group right next to us down there. I. believe it was the Four Nations. They. were a part producers of that. When they. won, like you can tell it genuine like. surprise. And like you said genuine. happiness. So it was dope um just to. kind of be in there to kind of. experience it. Obviously you wanted to. win an award but NFL Live did a great. job and they won it. Who was it? Nick. Nick Nick Wright I think was up there. He talked about you know being bummed. out for losing it. So whenever you're up.

for something as a competitor like you. want to win it and then you see the guys. who win it you know obviously we're. friends with a lot of those people over. there so. Dan and Dan you know he kind of he kind. of put he kind of kind of rubbed it in. our face too. Pause he he kind of hey. back to back [ __ ]. >> He said. >> Basically. >> He said I didn't hear. >> Basically he said back to back [ __ ]. >> AJ wasn't it getting the the narratives. were getting a little outrageous by the. lads. You know we. >> They're taking some liberties they're. taking some liberties. >> They weren't taking some liberties.

weren't they in that story yeah. It was. it was certainly a fascinating thing. Let alone what they were doing last. week. You know what I mean. Let alone. what they were. >> Check his timeline. >> Um well that's the thing is if they lose. he's potting and sub tweeting. So I'm. glad that they he got to win and and be. jacked and happy because he was he was. very excited. >> And they did have a hell of a year over. there Honestly and we appreciate and we. watch NFL Live every single day. So it's. like we are fans of that show and I. think that's what we realized but it. wasn't until and I got something clogged. my earwax has clogged my right ear so I. I can't hear anything on the right side.

That's why I've been battling over here. You know what I mean. I've been battling. that I apologize for the entire thing. But whenever you see like Dan win that. you do think yourself immediately like. I'm happy for Dan because I remember. there was a sub tweet like last year. about something that happened so. >> Oh okay. >> Yes I'm not good enough for an award. >> But they work their asses off. They work. their asses off over there. So we. respect it. We appreciate everything. that happens and Mina Kimes got a chance. to chat with her. >> Yep. >> I think we're going to have a. potentially conversation with her about. spelling bee. >> Need to yeah. >> Yeah can't wait to celebrity everywhere. I'm pretty good with a speller. So why.

don't we why don't we go ahead and give. that a go. We appreciate obviously all. of her work. Miss Laura Rutledge I. thought she gave an incredible speech. there. Saw her husband afterwards. Saw. Gostkowski's wife afterwards. Saw the. team It was like. it was cool to be around those you don't. get those feelings. Kenny Albert. >> Yeah. >> Two doors down. I mean he was. >> Iron Eagle. >> I asked Dan I was like, "Are you going. to introduce us to your wife?" And he. was like, "No. Winners only. Loser.". >> Really? >> Yeah. >> Maybe that was her that said that. though. He was just a relayer of. information. You know, there's a chance.

that that is the case. Ladies and. gentlemen, a man who's about to join us. to talk about some of the news happening. around Once we would like to say, "Thank. you. for the invite.". >> Thank you. >> Thank you. >> To the academy. >> to the academy. >> To the industry. That Every time I asked. I'm like, "Who Who vote Like who. were nominated by what?". >> The academy. >> Like the academy. What is that? And basically everybody. was like, "The industry.". I'm like, >> Are the voters sports people? >> They're in the industry. The The voters. are the industry.

>> Oh, okay. >> So, I still have yet to get who exactly. they are. And once We're in. Indianapolis, Indiana. I don't think. people fully understand. We are. literally in our own bubble out here. So, I don't know [ __ ] about [ __ ] about. any of this. So, we had to go through. that entire thing and give titles to. people. It's like, "Yeah, right." Like, I don't know what any of this is. What. What does that even mean? He punches the button. Yeah, but he Foxy. does like uh 10 people's actual jobs. though. And I'm like, "What do you. mean?" They're like, "Probably six to. seven people would be doing Foxy's. jobs." I'm like, "Well, give them every. title of every person who. that does all those things then." And.

then it's like, "Well, actually we're. not allowed to do that." So, like the. whole process has certainly been fast. cuz we are an internet show that Jimmy. Pitaro first said I'd like to run on our. air. And then Burke obviously Magnus. gets in a big deal. And then because of. what was happening at other places, Bob. Iger got involved with the entirety. Everybody had to green light an internet. show getting 10 hours of creative. freedom on ESPN. Okay? Every A lot A lot. of And also business side of it, everybody had to be involved for it to. kind of work the way that it is. So,

like I think the industry saying that. our internet show is been good for their. world, which is the television world. which has been around forever, obviously, and is very important to. society. I thought that was a cool. thing. Like I did think it was cool. So, I didn't want to disrespect him. Even. though I don't see TV the same way as a. lot of the people in there. Okay? Like. that is a very I think it what it can. be, what it could be, but I think there. is room for everybody [ __ ] I just think. them saying that like ours is a part of. is cool. Like that was a cool thing and. I think like we will certainly always.

feel that way. Would we have went to that though if we. No, I don't I don't think so. Especially. with baby boy modest for it, you know, we we were kind of told and I don't know. if this is what everybody's told, so. maybe we're just kind of marks for this. entire thing. But we were kind of told. like Hey, you guys. You guys are going to probably win it. You guys are going to win this thing. I. got a new shirt yesterday. >> A new a new shirt, man. >> I went to dress up for the occasion. >> Good shirt. >> Got my haircut cuz I was like, "Fuck, I'm going to If we're going to win this. thing, I'm going to I'm going to at. least not look like an an [ __ ] out. here. I'm going to do this entire.

thing." And then whenever he get the. winner is, I was like thinking to. myself, "Where are the lads?" Cuz I look. up, you guys aren't in your seats. Okay, still at the bar. Bar right here though. Probably watching the same thing. Boys. are going to be on their way. How long's. it going to take for the lads to get to. the stage?" Cuz I wasn't part of the. conversation. And it wasn't until that. moment where I was like, "Are we about to win it?". And then they say NFL live and I go, "Of. course we were going to [ __ ] win. this." Congrats to NFL live. Then we you think to ourselves, "Fuck, now what do we. So, now are we here till the end of this. thing? How many more awards are there? Like 10 more awards? It's like, "Holy.

shit." So, what are we supposed to do? >> out there. You can't leave right away. You can't leave right away. >> So, >> we didn't want to look like we're pat. cuz we certainly weren't patting. It was. like, "Yeah, okay, that actually makes a. lot of sense.". Congrats to them. We had a blast. But. people were leaving. Now, when do we. leave? You know? I forget who comes We were about to get. up and leave and then somebody comes. walking on stage. We go, "Yeah, right.". FOS continues going. We're like, "Bad. guy." I would like people to know this. guy bad guy who walked out on that. person. So, we tried to be as respectful. as possible, I think. We tried to enjoy. it as much as possible. We're very.

thankful for it. But that that. And we certainly love to go and eat our. knees and watch sign language people in. the future and for to pay our respects. But, uh thank you for the entire show. And Roy Wood Jr. once again, great work for how that whole thing. goes. >> And before we move on, Steve Bornstein, like lifetime achievement award winner, like learned a lot about him and how he. changed the industry in NFL and TV and. just sports in general, like. unbelievable [ __ ] with him. >> They ran a 5-minute video saying. everything that you like, this guy.

That's basically what they said. And. And then Mark Shapiro came up there and. said, "I'm going to actually do more. than what the video did. And I'm going. to do the entire So, we got like a. 15-minute period basically telling us. who this guy was. I don't know if it was. enough. This guy dogged dogged in this. entire thing. And uh it was fun to learn. that stuff, you know, in the audio. department, like learning it was cool. It was a long night, but it was fun. We're thankful for the invite. A man who. I assume has been there before and also. winner. from College GameDay, ladies and.

gentlemen, Pete Taylor. Guys won three straight Emmys for. College GameDay. >> No big deal. >> Yeah, Pat, you did, too. >> [laughter]. >> I don't know. >> Grass, Pat. >> Hell yeah, Pat. >> I mean, Pat, you're a you're you're. you're the centerpiece of the team here. Let's let's. >> No, no, no, Pete. Pete. Pete. >> to you. >> That would be you. >> And congratulations to your family, too, by the way. I want to make sure I say. that before we get going. Really happy. for you, man. Really, really happy for. you. So, sincerely. >> Thank you, Pete. I appreciate that, man. Baby Midas will always remember and know. Uncle Pete for being what he is, which. is the authority on all things college.

sports. And my wife's kicking ass, so. I'll make sure she hears your messaging. as well. Let's talk about an update on a. huge story, obviously, that's going to. be precedent setting for what we assume. will be a future that will certainly. have more of these conversations than. less of these conversations. Brendan. Sorsby, the highly sought-after transfer. quarterback out of Cincinnati, that now. formerly of Indiana, then to Cincinnati, now of Texas Tech Red Raider star, the. number one quarterback in the transfer. portal, projected first-round. quarterback, uh got caught up in a. gambling scandal where there was. thousands of bets on his phone that was.

tracked back to him. It didn't get. released publicly until he was at Texas. Tech. How much did Cincinnati know? Did. Texas Tech know? He went to rehab. facility, that he checked himself in to. get over his gambling addiction. He did. not gamble on any games that he. participated in played in, but he did. gamble on a couple games. that he was on a team for, but it was. only to win. It was positive. They have. that documented record. So, what is and. how is this going to be handled? He in. the courts, I guess, is trying to fight. an appeal. He has to make a decision by. June 22nd to make the NFL supplemental.

draft. Now, there's been a new ruling. Pete, anything that I missed and what is. the new ruling and where we at right. now? >> So, the news from yesterday, Pat, was. that Brendan Sorsby's request for. reinstatement from the NCAA was denied. If you look at these NCAA cases in the. past in this type of past precedent, this wasn't altogether surprising. Now, Sorsby's case is a little bit unique. because of the gambling addiction piece. of it, which is just sort of a new way. to look a new prism to look at these. gambling cases through. Remember in the.

lawsuit that he filed, he said his team. proposed to the NCAA, "Hey, how about a. two-game suspension?" They denied that. Now, there's two prongs for him to. potentially play college football next. year. One, the more likely prong will be. the June 1st court date in Lubbock. County where he will go before a judge. There was a 200-page lawsuit filed with. affidavits and memos that basically. is asking for an injunction for his. eligibility for the season next year. Texas Tech also, in a letter from.

President Lawrence Schovanec yesterday, said, "We will appeal this NCAA. decision," which is a part of the normal. reinstatement process. But, you. mentioned it, Pat, the timeline here is. compressed. June 22nd, the NFL wants an. answer to whether or not he'll enter the. supplemental draft. I think what happens. in court on June 1st really portends the. solution here and what happens. He gets. the injunction. I think there's possib-. strong possibility he plays college. football this season. If he does not get. the injunction, it becomes a hard road. to get on the field.

>> Go ahead, AJ. >> Pete, so I guess after this June 1st. hearing, we will know by June 22nd one. way or the other, won't we, whether he. is going to enter the supplemental draft. or is eligible to play in college? >> I think we'd have to, AJ, right? Like he. does have a robust market in the NFL. I'm not saying he's going to be a. first-round pick, but look, the NFL is a. quarterback-needy place. He is one of. the top five quarterback prospects as of. right now. Now, scouts will tell you he. probably needs one more year, right? But.

if he had gone out in the last draft, there was a very good chance he was a. top 50 pick. I think that's I think. that's safe to say. And as we know, quarterbacks tend to rise when people. fall in love. He has a unique skill set. There's probably some consistency. issues, but he is a talented guy. So, I would think that the need for clarity. from college and that some of that is. ex- expressed in the tenor of the. lawsuit comes with the fact that there's. that NFL deadline, and he does have. realistic options realistic options. there. If he does go to the supplemental draft, AJ, he would be the most prominent.

supplemental There really hasn't been a. prominent supplemental draft entry since. Josh Gordon. I believe that was 2012. You can go way back. Dan Marino, Steve. Walsh. There are some historic. supplemental draft entries that are. significant, but this would really be. one of the most significant in decades. Some of this comes with the fact, and. this is going to sound a little cynical, there aren't a lot of eligibility issues. tied to academics anymore, >> Did you say Dan Marino supplemental. draft? >> I believe Dan Marino, in doing some. research a week or two ago, was a. supplemental draft pick. >> No, no, it's Steve Young, I think. I.

don't I don't know. I think. >> Wasn't Steve Young? >> Yeah, I think Marino was a part of it. >> I think Steve comes out of the UFL. >> You're right. You're right. It was Steve. Young. I'm sorry, guys. >> No, no, wait. Dan Marino, Pittsburgh. guy, paisano. I was like, "Holy [ __ ] I. can't believe I that I thought I was. missing something from It went to high. school with my dad It like the I I. thought I was missing something in the. entire story of it all. But, yes, there. are still dogs that have come through. They're Bernie Kosar, obviously a beast. Steve Young I'm on. >> Steve Walsh. Steve Walsh, yeah. >> Yesh. Yesh, of course. Two in Miami that. are actually, which is kind of.

interesting. Little kid. Um but, yes, this is a fascinating case. >> Yeah, my fault on Marino. That was. wrong. I I apologize. >> Listen, Pete, it happens to all of us. Live fire, do you know? These are things. that are happening between the brain and. the mouth. Isn't that right? >> Yeah, I mean, let's let's certainly not. make a habit of this type [laughter] of. stuff, Pete, but we'll we'll let this. one slide. >> Yeah, and when he. >> Thank you, Ty. >> No problem. Hey, cuz Pete, we do that. Okay? >> A lot. >> Not you. Yeah, that that is not.

This is not, okay? We got our lane. You. you you got yours. Let's make sure we. keep those separated. Speaking of lanes. and being separated, is it a contentious. time in college ball? Go ahead, Tone. >> Yeah, Pete, it does feel like it's kind. of a contentious time between the 12 and. 16 and 24-team playoff. The SEC is. having their uh media meetings, whatever, right now. And there's some. talk coming out of there that the SEC is. maybe throwing up some smoke that they. were just like, "You know what? We're. going to separate from everybody else. and do our own thing." Is that just. posturing cuz they're trying to get. something or what what's going on with.

the SEC right now? >> Tone, I I call this meeting season. complaining season, right? Like, people. are adept at pointing out the problems, as we've heard in at the Big Ten last. week, and we're hearing a bunch at the. SEC this week. The solutions to these. very complex problems. are not imminent, I I would say. Now, it's it's interesting because uh the. Georgia president, Jere Morehead, initiated some of these ideas, and Kirby. Smart echoed them yesterday. We'll just. break away and and and kind of play each. other. And again, like the it strains.

credulity to think that that is rooted. in any reality. I I would say this. Part. of which makes me. >> Strange credulity rooted in any reality. >> Holy [ __ ]. >> Hold on. Go ahead. >> Yeah, yeah, yeah. >> And he's back. >> Great to see you back after the whole. Dan Marino kerfuffle. [laughter]. >> Yeah. >> Yeah, you know, they're okay. But you're. right. Go ahead. Through your strange. reality that you were situating about. there earlier. >> So, a lot of the the the issues that the SEC. especially Jerry Bowden head is.

complaining about it has to do with. enforcement. He called anarchy the the. current state right now. And as the. College Sports Commission is about a. year old, it it it certainly has been a. little bit clunky as it has come on. board and but what has sort of made. people chuckle here in the in the in the. bar rooms and hallways of these SEC. meetings is. you know, the SEC if you look at its. history has had a difficult time. following rules much like schools in the. Big 10 have and the Big 12 have and the. ACC have, right? So, it just all of a. sudden if the SEC was governing itself, I don't think everyone would be like,

oh, we'll follow the rules and we'll do. a cap and we won't try to get an. injunction to get half our roster to. play. I mean, it just it the the the CSC. was a byproduct of the impotence of the. NCAA. And now we have. early impotence of the CSC and you know, if the SEC or the Big 10 or one of these. leagues was in charge of themselves, I. don't think it would change behavior. What what has to happen is there has to. be some heft and some discipline that. has to come into play here and we just. simply have never seen that in college. sports and it doesn't feel like that is. just going to come upon us. Um, we'll. see if there's any teeth to the the CSC.

as it as it moves on and and it tries to. decipher these deals and the you know, but roster prices keep going up and. that's why the universities especially. at the presidential level are really. feeling the stress. >> We'll see if they have any teeth. Do you. have any bite to your bark or do we just. have all hearsay and kerfuffle chatter? So, there's certainly a lot to ponder in. the college football real estate, but. Elko's come out and said, give me 50 teams. >> Yeah. >> They're not [ __ ]. >> I mean, they play off every single year. And then you heard Petitti say, I. believe through your reporting, it's. like we would like our teams that are.

investing a lot of money to have a. chance to pay off. So, they want more. teams. And then yeah, uh, ACC came out. They had their take on. it all about 12 team, why they think 12. team should be good, which would be. interesting cuz the ACC probably feels. like they'll get squeezed out and. there'll be a bunch of Big Ten and a. bunch of SEC teams and they'll just be. sneaking in as if they're the MAC all of. a sudden. They There's a chance that. that's how they they view they might get. treated in this whole thing. So, it's an. interesting time where everybody has to. get on the same page, but guess what? Seems like we're in different books. >> Mhm.

>> There's even fighting in the SEC. I know. Sankey wants to stay at 12, but there's. some coaches who are saying they do not. want to stay at 12. >> And then you hear Kirby say, "I don't. have the answers." So, I don't want to. hear it. He was actually on uh that. podcast What was the podcast we watched. him on? >> Down Under Under. >> at the golf course. >> It was incredible. They they did a great. job. I I I forget. They set the table. very well for Kirby to kind of give his. answer. I do think Kirby is open to all. I don't I think Kirby's like, "I would. like to not go on the record to having. the right answer. I don't know what the. right answer is." Cuz he's very. realistic. A lot of these coaches are. realistic. And when it was two teams,

people were pissed. When it was four. teams, people were pissed. It's 12 teams. now, people are pissed. I think a lot of. the coaches are like, "We don't know. We. don't want to be on the record stating. what we think is right cuz inevitably. people are going to be pissed off about. whatever the decision is. If it gets to. more games, there's going to be the. purists that are not happy. If it stays. where it's at, you're always going to. have the people bitching about not being. able to get the right teams in there. There's never going to be a right answer. to this. So, I think a lot of these. coaches don't know what the right answer. is, but we need somebody to be able to. gather people together to make a. decision. Like I think that is a big. part of the entire thing there, Pete,

that we need. >> Yeah, so just to be clear, Sankey wants. 16. He's been on record saying he wants. 16. Uh Petitti's leveraged the. situation. >> That's what we're saying about the game. room. >> I misspoke. I misspoke. >> Yeah, yeah, they got. >> No, no, no, it's it's fine. It's But. it's it's interesting talking because. Petitti is obviously now, after a year. after wanting 16 with automatic. qualifiers and that fizzled, Petitti. wants 24. And the Big Ten coaches were a. unified coming out of their meetings. that they want 24. The the picture here. is is a little bit more muddled. And.

we're There doesn't need to be an answer. until December 1st, and we won't get one. immediately. And and Sankey made that. very clear here. There's an interesting. fundamental tension that that they're. talking about here at at SEC meetings. Coaches are pro-expansion, and you. mentioned it, Pat. If you are now. spending, you know, basically at a minimum $25. million for your roster, they want a. carrot. They want incentive. They want. to legitimize that spending. You're in. the middle or lower class of SEC, you. just have to find all that money to. invest in your roster. So, there are, you know, campus pressures there that.

that have to be respected. But what. Sankey is doing now, and it's it's sort. of a fascinating theoretical thing, Pat, is the regular season of college. football has supreme value, right? The. week-to-week we we see it and feel it. every week in game day where we travel, right? And at what What is the tipping. point? What is the inflection point for. when a playoff gets too big and then it. devalues the regular season? And so, it's a it's an interesting philosophical. quagmire, if you will, because you. really can't quantify that in any in in.

any way. There's not a data point where. you're like, "Well, if you go to 24, this game in week eight doesn't mean as. much." Or, you know, there's the the. fear of like rest resting your starters. Um. that could that could come into play. So, that that is this kind of thing that. they're digging in on here and talking. through, and we won't get an answer. soon. But Petitti was very clear at Big. Ten. He said, "We're staying at 12 or. we're going to 24. We're not meeting in. the middle." So, sort of the battle. lines are drawn, and what what Sankey. did is he wanted to tamp down pressure.

over like the significance of these next. couple days, dig in on the data, and. then, you know, come to some sort of. conclusion down the line. Remember now, only the Big Ten and the SEC's opinion. on this matters. It's really a two. No, it is. No, that's like what the. voting structure says. So, um you know, in in the Big Ten the Big. Ten has made their intentions very in. hopes very clear. We'll see what the SEC. comes up with in the upcoming months. >> I have tried to reach out to both. parties. I've been ice cold. I've been. frozen out. >> [ __ ].

>> I literally I've This is very This is a. rare situation, I think, with the. particular parties in communication. right now cuz normally I feel like and. there's going to be a couple deals that. are going to come up that I think we can. get to both sides, you know, and I think. that's a good place to be so you can. potentially say, "Hey, don't we think. maybe. right? Isn't that a thing that we can. maybe think about, you know?" Try to. just drop things in, you know, as. friends of court in this situation. We have I've been frozen out. Not even. both sides. Hey, what's going on? Can't do do one of.

those? Nothing. >> Wow. >> Just had food with this guy a couple. weeks ago. Was just golfing with this. guy. >> Great dinner. >> Then Pizano Petini. I mean, I go. I go to bat for the Big 10 pretty loud. already basically there cuz the North is. coming. Petini's very thankful. We have. good relationship. Big time down here. He always has cool Jordans. Where they. boy? Hey, anything you need. You got You. guys need anything? You let me know. Hey, what the hell's going on here? >> No response. >> Need some answers. >> We need answers, Pete. That's why we. need you. Don't ever change. We.

appreciate that, pal. >> Thank you, Pat. Congrats again. Appreciate you having me. >> Thank you, Pete. Ladies and gentlemen, be tame. >> Yeah, Pete. >> Completely iced out. >> It is kind of weird. >> to see it. Literally. >> Oh, yeah. >> It's crazy. It's interesting. >> you think so? Why? >> I think they're trying to figure it out, right? I I think they're I think both. sides are legitimately trying to figure. out what they are either trying to. present or who they're trying to get on. their side. I don't know cuz we I know. people don't think this, but we do try. to get information from the actual.

people that are being talked about on. program. Okay? So, that is like. something that happens on every morning. basis, you know, trying to figure out. like, "Hey, what is what is real? What. is not real?" We're trying to learn. We. do try to do all due diligence that we. possibly can. >> It's nice about. >> Exactly. Exactly. We try to figure out. as much as possible before, you know, kind of so we don't So, at least we have. more information than everything else. that's just being reported online which. we are also reading. We all live on our. phones. So it's like trying to get as. much information as possible. Normally. able to get something. Normally able to.

pull something. Kind of a cool thing to. be able to do that actually. Kind of pays off for us on a more often. basis than it not than it does not. This. one's been tough. It's a couple days of. trying to get some info. And I think. it's cuz maybe it's cuz we lost the Emmy. last night. >> Probably. >> [laughter]. >> Yeah, it could be. >> They might have a no leak agreement. They might be like, "Hey, if someone. leaks it from your side, we're going to. 24. If someone leaks it from the other. side, we're staying at 12 forever.". >> But is it that is. a fascinating argument that they're both.

making, you know? Cuz Petitti can if. especially if he has all the Big Ten. coaches on board saying, "Yeah, we'd. like to do this." And then Elco down. south, he says, "Yeah, I want 40 teams. in too so I never get if I make college. football playoff every single year. There has to be something." So it's like. down in the SEC it feels like there's a. lot more open to ideas on what it should. be. And then it feels like in the Big. Ten, Petitti's got the boys all saying, "Yeah, for sure. We would like more. opportunity to go into the playoffs and. not." He's got the Iowa Hawkeyes. thinking that they're going to go into. the playoffs every single year. This is.

how it should be, right? With how much. we're investing and what we do for. football and how much better our. conference is. So they're all probably. pretty rallied pretty good. And then. Sankey's down there trying to figure out. what's right cuz there's probably SEC. coaches that want 24 teams as well. Yeah, cuz that that makes their life a. lot easier if you're in the college. football playoff. Yeah, we would like. that. And then Sankey's like, "What. about like. Like let's make sure we keep this what. we keep this." And then Petitti's saying. the same thing, "Yeah, you know what. this is? This is the north's time, brother. So we would like the. opportunity to have more." It's a. fascinating.

give-and-take between two very talented. businessmen, okay? Petitti and Sankey, two very very good people at kind of. lobbying, pitching, negotiating, idea. execution. Obviously, that's why they. are where they are right now. And I. think they both feel very strongly in. their own camps. December we have to. have an answer. I'll be fascinating to. see how they get to it. I'll be I'll be. very very very fascinating to see how. they get to it. >> Yeah, because if what Pete is saying. were really their two votes are the only. ones that matter, you could see how it'd. be like, well, they can just work.

together and then find something very. advantageous for both, but like the two. conferences are they're kind of. adversarial in nature. So, like neither. one of those guys is going to want to at. when this is all said and done be like, well, you know, like we we we made out. pretty well, but the big 10 did kind of. get, you know, they they got a little. bit of a leg up on us. Like neither one. of them are going to let that happen. So, like you could see this actually. kind of like them locking horns for the. next 6 months or whatever. >> Well, the problem is too like those. matchups that you mentioned where I was. playing I forget which team, but those,

you know, matchups from really 15 to 24, like we knew pretty early on IU Miami. Those two teams are kind of separating. themselves. Like what is the point of. putting in 15 to 24? Do you really. genuinely think any of those teams will. ever. >> I think our biggest argument was like. why are we giving automatic bids to. teams. >> Yes. >> that are clearly going to get killed. >> Correct. >> But then you know quickly who the two. teams are. I I think. I I think I think. Indiana was pretty obvious early. Miami.

had that close one in the wind right. there Texas A&M. So, that was. that. >> It was an interception in the end zone. It was an interception in the end zone. >> So, it is like it they do kind of. separate themselves. It's not maybe it's. three teams. Maybe it's four teams. >> I get [clears throat] it cuz Miami yeah, they came in as the 10 seed. >> Yeah, a lot of people thought Notre Dame. might have been like the second or third. best team in the country. >> So, here comes Petitti saying, wouldn't. we like to see more in have an. opportunity and then, you know, then. we'll find out who should actually get. hot in there. And then Sankey comes out. and goes, we're all tournament sports. So, like what are we playing March.

Madness now? Okay. Hey, if we make. survive and advance. Like what the [ __ ]. are we doing? Are we doing March Madness. one shining moment? >> No chance it stays at 12? >> 0%. >> 16 16 is already kind of happening. >> Damn it. >> Yeah, cuz both sides have agreed to 16. The Big Ten, if I remember correctly, early reports were don't know where. they're at now. This would have to get. updated. Early reports were Big Ten. would only agree to 16 if it was then. inevitably going to go to 24, allegedly. And SEC agreed to keep go to 16 but only. keep it at at 16. So, I think both sides. have agreed to 16.

>> That'd be better, at least just because. then there wouldn't be like a couple. irrelevant ones cuz to. to what you guys were just saying, like, yeah, Notre Dame was a little bit. further out. Even Vandy was a little bit. further out. Texas, you know, some of. those teams being in it would have been. better, but it doesn't really matter in. the end. >> Ladies and gentlemen, let's pivot away. from the college football, the number. two sport in the United States of. America, and go to the number one sport. in the United States of America, the. NFL. Ladies and gentlemen, joining us. now, Junior. NFL Insider, ESPN.

>> Yep. >> Senior NFL Insider for NFL Network. Ladies and gentlemen, [clears throat]. Ian Rapoport. >> Yay, Junior! >> [music]. >> What up, Junior? >> I'm not offended by that, just so you. know. >> No, you shouldn't be. You're young. Look. how young you are. Look how young you are, Junior. >> I'm right in the middle now. I. appreciate that. >> You're glowing. >> Yeah, you are glowing. Uh, what do you. got going on, Junior? >> Don't mind if I tweet something while I. talk to you guys. New statement from. Josh Jacobs, I'm sure you want to get. into that, but. >> Okay, so actually, what is the update,

please, so we can learn about this a. little bit cuz that's very serious. allegations it sound like from. yesterday. I believe there's some. updates. Go ahead. >> Yeah, uh, some very interesting updates. Let's actually start with the one that. came from the Brown County District. Attorney. So, yesterday, obviously, after. three days, this incident started on. Saturday. So, three days, four days, whatever that is, till yesterday, he. gets arrested, five charges, uh, including, uh, strangulation, including a, uh,

accusation of, uh, assault, domestic violence. And so, he. is in jail yesterday. Today, he is. released from jail and a new statement. from the Brown County. District Attorney saying their standard. for charging Josh Jacobs is essentially. different from. that which led to him being arrested. Basically, there's a. higher bar for them if they are going to. fully charge him and prosecute this. case. They're awaiting more information.

and essentially more evidence before. they move forward on charges or not. Right? So, Josh Jacobs has been released. from jail today. A new statement from. his lawyers just now to me, David. Chesnoff and Richard Schoenfeld along. with Clarence Duchek. There you go. That's my statement right there. They. are pleased that Josh has been released. from custody and that no criminal. charges have been filed. They continue. to. encourage everyone to keep an open mind. They remain confident that once all the. evidence is gathered, it will confirm no.

charges going forward. Now, obviously, Josh Jacobs' lawyers have expressed. extreme confidence in him not being. charged and have urged everyone to be. patient before making a decision on what. this is. This would sort of speak to that. So, Josh Jacobs released as of now. >> Okay, so we will certainly follow along. your tweets and Shefty's as very serious. allegations now are seemingly going the. opposite direction for Josh Jacobs and. we assume this is only the beginning of.

all of this. Thank you for keeping us updated in real. time on that particular story. Now, let's go to somebody getting paid a. bag. A man who is one of the greatest in. the game. A dude who is respected by. everybody. Chargers just paid Derwin. James. We knew this was happening. How. long do we know this is coming together? And what do you think this says about. what the Chargers think of Derwin? >> Yeah, I think it's pretty clear Derwin. James is a linchpin of this defense and. you know, someone that they value very.

very highly. I mean, this deal has been. going on for I would say the last. several weeks and I thought when I was. in Orlando around the time of the league. meetings actually about a week or so ago. today that it might come together. Felt. like he was going to be the highest. paid. I mean, this is a really really. big deal. This eclipses Kyle Hamilton at. $25.2 million. average per year. It's almost $60 million in guarantees. and you know, basically for for the. Chargers, a lot of times what happens. when you get a new GM and a new head.

coach is they kind of work together and. they're like, all right, who are our. guys? And a lot of times that means guys. leave. Clearly they identified Derwin. James as someone who has to stay, has to. get paid and they want to lead going. forward. I mean, this is you know, this. is their guy. Um and certainly on. defense, this is the kind of guy you. want to keep around for the foreseeable. future. >> All right, RapSheet, we appreciate you. keeping us updated on everything. You're. the absolute man. Will we see you later. tonight maybe? >> Uh. I hear rumors. >> I have.

>> I'll be frosty. I'll be dressed better. than this. Okay. >> No, no. Yeah, you you go ahead and. represent. That Is that one of your road. team shirts right there? Is that your. rowing shirt? >> This is the generic that I bought at the. Columbia library, but it is a very nice. t-shirt. So, it'll be great. >> know if everybody at ESPN knows, Junior. here was actually a college crew team. member. >> Yeah. Yeah. >> Yeah. >> Look like Big Ben. >> Yeah, he was eating protein, steroids. Everything. He was a coxswain. >> Yeah. Yeah. >> Yeah, it was the coxswain the one. saying, "Yeah, coxswain the one saying, "Who?" "Who?".

>> Yeah, I thought he doubt it. >> No, I was a rower. >> He was the bull. >> Yeah. >> He He was the bull. He was in the front. >> Oh, yeah. >> Yeah, he was the bull. >> Got the pictures to prove it. You've seen it. >> We'll find him somewhere. Ladies and. gentlemen, uh that's Junior who we might. see this evening. And a former. >> Possible. >> All right, you're working your way out. of it right now. >> Yeah. >> Calm down, Junior. >> [laughter]. >> It's good to see Junior back. >> Yeah. >> Oh, yeah.

>> is great. >> He's so happy I think too. >> Yeah. >> I'm okay with you calling me Junior. He. loves Schefter. Like I think he Rap actually like you. know respects the [ __ ] out of Schefter. And I think. maybe Schefter. maybe his heart grew three sizes that. day when he learned that Rap Sheet. didn't. >> Hold your horses. I don't know. I don't. know about that. >> Well, I think it's because he knows that. Junior doesn't want the smoke with. Schefty. If they get into a fist fight, Schefty Schefty will kill him.

He'll try to kill him. >> Don't you think Rap Port though? I mean he he. >> Yeah, but he's he's long removed from. his Big Ben Roethlisberger days. He. doesn't look like that anymore. >> What was Schefty doing when we called. him this morning? Sorry, I just took all. my vitamins today. I got to go back to. the gym. >> Yeah, he works out all the time. We. catch Schefter in the middle of a. workout every time we talk to him. I I. don't know if it's just like his kind of. gimmick like all right, so every call I. make I'll be sitting on this bike with a. towel so that everybody thinks I'm. always working. >> Not a bad.

>> What if that's just how he does it? Like. >> But either way, like at least that's. what he's putting off for for Rap Port. He's either dropping off his kids at. camp or he's curled up by the fire with. hot cocoa. >> Ladies and gentlemen, yeah you're right. Ladies and gentlemen, joining us now the. man that Rap Sheet was just chatting. about fresh off a massive announcement. of his brand new deal with the Chargers. A man who's a five-time. Pro Bowler. He's he was an all. first-team All-American in 2017, okay? He was on the all-rookie team which is a. big deal. >> Yeah. >> Yeah, it's a big deal. Five-time Pro. Bowler, four-time second-team All-Pro, one first-team All-Pro, and also.

>> Everything DB 2. >> All Pro. >> Ladies and gentlemen, Derwin James. >> How are you doing? >> Hey, congratulations, dude. Obviously. well earned. You knew this was probably. coming and the negotiations were. happening. When you finally get it done, what is the first. you know feeling? Obviously relief and. enjoy, but what is kind of your thoughts. as you ink this new historic deal? >> Uh first of all, thank you, man. It's just the whole. organization, the Chargers, you know,

just for believing in me, the Spanos. family, Joe Ortiz. Man, it's first It's. really first class, man. Like love here, man. Ever since the day they drafted me. in 2018, I haven't not felt love the day one. since I've been here, man. So, nothing. but respect to that. Just excited. I feel like just showing. up as one of the leaders, man. Being. able to show up I feel like this just. signifies to the whole locker room. You. feel me? Like you come in, you work. hard, man. They'll They'll take care of.

you. And I feel like the Chargers been. doing that for me. >> Yeah, I think that's a big deal, especially because you come You're on. the team before Harbaugh gets there, before Herb gets there, before Ortiz. gets there. So, I've been a part of the. situation where a new GM comes in. And. once again, I'm not. all-pro safety on team. I'm punter on. team. But that GM tells me like, "Hey, there's no loyalty between us." You. know, like you're not one of my guys. That's normally how it goes. But with. you, obviously such a transcendent. player, they As soon as Harbaugh got. there, I think one of his first. statements were like, "Herbert's golden. goose." But then you look on defensive. side, Khalil. Yeah, right. Derwin James.

That is what a football player is. How. much do you appreciate coach Harbaugh. being your coach, obviously? And also. him coming in and not having any like. ego maybe about like who's his guys, who's not his guys, if that makes sense, Derwin. >> Man, I love it. I love I love that man. so much, man. Just. He's real, man. He's authentic. And I. feel like, man, if if you love ball and. you're about your work, about your. craft, I feel like, man, you're going to. get along with him very well. And I just. feel like he's been treating me nothing.

but with the utmost respect day in and. day out, man. I couldn't ask for a. better coach to have. And just how you. said, man, just being a part of the. Chargers even when coach Harbaugh wasn't. here. That's why I got to say a special. thank you to the Spanos family cuz they. was really here. They've been taking. care of me, man. and um, this man is is. just I I I'm really like lost for words, man. Um, and of course, man, David Mulugheta, man, just being able to get it done. We. know how great he is. Best agent out. there, man. So, just all a collective of.

great individuals coming together, man. Um, I I'm really speechless, man. >> Yeah, you're one of those great. individuals, bro. You earned it all. Hey, congrats. Take it. I'm happy you're. speechless. Hey, you work your ass off. for this moment, man. This is what it's. all about. I'm happy it's happening at a. place that you absolutely love, and. you're in that brand new facility, I. think, too. It's like the nicest. building we have been in across the NFL. So, life's going to be good. Obviously. got to win games, but there is some new. faces over there. Go ahead, D-Butt. >> Yeah, rarely do you see one helmet guy, especially back there in the secondary. It's just second time now becoming the.

highest-paid safety in the league. So, congratulations again on that. But, uh, new defensive coordinator, Jesse Minter, moves on, becomes the head coach in. Baltimore. Now, Chris Olavey takes over. I know you're already familiar with him, but how's it been so far with Chris, uh, calling the shots? >> Uh, first of all, shout-out to Coach. Minter, man. Um, all the love and. respect I have for him, you know, um, I. I feel I I owe owe owe a thank you to. him. But, Coach Coach Olavey been great, man. He came in with Coach Minter the. first year, and he was my safeties coach. that first season when they came in, man. We was the number one scoring.

defense that year. And the energy, man, it's it it it's been contagious, man. He's been showing up confident in his. self, you know, uh, he got a lot of. respect for Coach Minter as well, and. um, all the coaches that's here, uh, as well. But, I feel like, uh, he's. coming in with his swag, and uh, he's. he's he's coming in, and uh, he he going. to have us right. >> I love what you said about Coach Minter. coming from college then to LA, now a. head coach. Go ahead, AJ. >> Yeah, Derwin, I guess what what what can. the people in Baltimore expect with. Jesse Minter coming in as a head coach. from all the time you spent with him,

obviously as your D-coordinator. What. What do you expect from Baltimore, and. like, I guess how excited should they. be? >> Uh, they should be very excited, man. Um, Uh, he's one of a kind, and uh, like I. said, nothing but the utmost respect for. Coach Minter. Uh, and and I feel like uh, he's going. to do great things, man. Uh, but I'm I'm. excited overall for just everybody. Just. not just this, but the whole safety. market, also, man. For the guys that's. out there, you know, that's trying to. get to that third deal. I feel like this. signifies that, you know, the Chargers.

believing in me. I'm going I'm going to. be 30 this year. So, for them to be able. to believe in me, >> Wow. >> you know, they try to they down they. downplay the safety position a lot, man. So, just just showing like, man, if you. work hard, man, and you still got value. for yourself, that you can you can come. out and do something great, man. And uh, I'm just trying to do that, and man, show show them the reason why they why. they made that decision. Prove them. right, man. >> A 30-year-old ass out there. Now, let's. talk about down and trying [laughter] to. downplay the safety position. Do we. think with the new style Do we think.

with the new style Hell yeah, still hey, still highest-paid safety in the league. at 30. Think about you, dude. Think. about telling you that at 18, 19, whenever you're talking about the old. heads that are like 30 about getting. cooked and [ __ ] like that. You are now. at 30 going to be the highest-paid guy. back there. Let's talk about the safety. position, though. Obviously, we pay. attention every single week to the DBs. with Darius. We do an entire thing, and. we know the nickel position and sub. package and all that stuff, but it does. feel like with the game coming back to. becoming a little bit more physical, it. feels like the safety position. potentially going to have a rising tide. Do you agree with that? Do you see the.

game changing uh and and and right now? >> I definitely see the game evolving. Guys. like myself, guys like Kyle Hamilton, Nick Nick More, uh like all those guys. can come out, man, and they can move. around. They chess pieces. You got You. got Jessie Bates, man. So many great. safeties out there. Xavier McKinney, man. Just a lot of great safeties I feel. like can do a lot. And um. like me, guys like Buddha. So, it's a. lot of guys that's up there in age, but. I feel like they're still productive. They're still making making plays, and I. feel like if you're able to make the. play, man, why not?

>> Do you have to hit somebody still? You're 30. I don't know. >> Come on, man. Come on. >> Oh, you still in the Silver Bulls club, or I don't know you too old. >> Yeah, yeah, yeah, I'm trying to get in. the 200 club this year. I'm 180, 190. We're going to get in the. 200 club. We'll be good. >> What do they say your body's prime is? Is it 28 to 30? Like what is Is it What. is your body's Do we know that? It. doesn't matter. We're not talking about. you. We're talking around you right now. Don't even listen to what we're saying. >> I was going to say he's an anomaly cuz. he's definitely younger than 30 without. a doubt. >> Really?

>> I would assume so. >> I don't know. I'll tell you what the. science now I'm 39. Derwin, wait till. when you retire the [ __ ] they got. I I. cannot wait to see. what you become obviously. Let's talk. about a couple other things that are new. in the Los Angeles Chargers building. Go. ahead, Con man. >> Yeah, Derwin, you guys also added. probably the coolest, hippest, best. dressing coach Mike McDaniel this off. season as well. I know you guys are in. OTAs right now. Have Has he kind of you. know talked any [ __ ] to you guys? Have. you been able to interact with him at.

all and what's his effect been on the. offense so far? >> Man, he talks trash every day. I think. he just said something slick to me. walking down the hall. Actually, we love. him, man. He got a lot of confidence, a. lot of swag, a lot of energy and I feel. like those guys on offense going to love. him, do a lot of great things, man. I can't wait to go against him honestly, man, in practice and I'll just see the. different looks, see the different. motions, man. He come with a lot, very. smart, intelligent coach. So I'm excited. to have him on our team. >> All right, we got new grill. What are we. doing?

For the money. Any new house? Any Any. big ridiculous spending? Any cool things. that we're purchasing here with new. deal? Any celebratory things? >> Man, I'm I'm blessed. I'm beyond. blessed, fortunate. I got every car I. could ever imagine, every piece of. jewelry, everything I ever could. imagine, man. I'm blessed, man. Really for my kids, for the future, man, and. I just can't wait to continue to just. you know show them why they did that, you know? >> You're the man. Good luck, old ass. Ladies and gentlemen, it's Derwin James. >> [applause].

>> Going to be 30. So I looked it up Google. looked it up here. >> Yeah. >> He said young. Google AI. >> Or regular Google? >> Regular Google. >> Okay. >> We didn't use Claude or AI. >> Google's got his own AI. >> What's the difference? I don't know. And. is Google me Googling things just what. was AI before now that we got different. marketing terms behind it? I don't know. Uh cuz the the AIs do have a little bit. of pizzazz, a little personality and. >> Of course. >> We think you really like this. Uh your. physical prime typically occurs between. late 20s and mid-30s. >> Okay.

>> Different for everybody. >> Yeah. >> Yeah. >> Yeah, exactly. So he's got. >> He's got like another 5 years. >> Peaking around 35? >> Yeah. >> Yeah, you heard it. >> And with science nowadays, I'm telling. you 39, you can feel pretty good, too. I. did get a cramp in that theater last. night, I will say, right here, cuz my. legs were kind of like. I was doing this one here, you know? And this thing was making a noise, obviously, from the stage anytime it. really wiggled. It hit the stage, you. know, so I couldn't touch it. So this. thing was a little bit like this. Cramp. in groin. So then you got to stretch that out.

here. Well, guess where that's going? Right into. you know? And then D-Butt was over here. in the corner. He didn't have much room. to go over there. So there was a couple. moments where I was trying to figure it. all out, but I do feel like. I do feel like I'm in the in the best. shape that I've ever been in my entire. life right now. >> Oh, yeah. >> And uh. I think Darwin knowing that he's old as. [ __ ] is going to be a motivator for him. Like I think that is like a motivator. for him in this entire thing. >> He's been healthy, too. >> influence he is, though. Like just. listen to watching him speak, and you. know how great of a player he is, but if. you see a the person he is, and the.

leader, like a guy like that gives you. so much confidence, I think. When you. have a safety in the back end that's. seen everything, done everything, and. like seems like a guy that's always. pumping people up, like yeah, that he. deserves the money big time. >> Did not want to compliment the Ravens. too much. >> No. >> Yeah, they got a good team. And I'm just. so happy for everybody. So happy for. everybody. Let's remember, you know, who. >> They play each other on Monday Football, I believe, this year. >> Yeah. And Jesse Minter, I think by all. accounts, everybody likes him. >> Yeah, I guess. >> And I and I kind of I mean, Max Crosby. might have a little. >> Yeah, that's it. >> I don't. >> how he feels about him, but I don't. think Jessie Binders was a part of that.

entire game and I Max probably. understands that. Okay, let's pivot away. from all of that. Travis Kelce owns a. baseball team. >> There you go. >> Wow. >> How about Travis Kelce owns. a portion of the Guardians? Congrats to. him back in Cleveland, obviously this. past weekend for the Cavaliers to quit. in front of him and Taylor Swift which I. we don't know. He's getting married, I. do believe at some point this upcoming. summer. He still has garage beer. He's. back with the Kansas City Chiefs, excited about that. Obviously in goat. discussion, seemingly everything going.

in Travis Kelce's. favor. Congrats to him on all of it. Getting the Cleveland Guardians is sick. I like anytime players get into. ownership. This team good, right? But. also a low spending team that is like. very good. Last year I remember we were. in Cleveland, I think they were putting. on fireworks because of how much success. they were having late in the season. The. Guardians are actually a good team, right? >> Yeah, kind of just play the right way, don't have any like major superstars, don't spend a bunch of money, but they. consistently win and they they make deep. runs into the playoffs and then so you. know, Mahomes owns a piece of the.

Royals. I wonder how much they talked. about like hey, this is a great. investment, you should do that and he. obviously he loves Cleveland. >> Mahomes' announcement of this was not. like a blow. >> Pretty good. >> I forgot Travis. spiked one. Yeah, I didn't you remember that? >> No. >> That's not great. >> Me neither, I don't remember that at. all. So now that he's owner, he's. obviously going to get over there. and work on that. But I would assume at his size with how. much he was trying to rip it right. there. Once he figures that out, there's. a chance he got some real power. Maybe he'll be closer for the Guardians.

as well down the stretch. Maybe he does. play in the NFL and close for a team. that he's Jackie Mooning for cuz he. could potentially sing during a seventh. inning stretch as well. >> Yeah, definitely. >> So now he's team owner, closer, and. seventh inning stretch entertainment. That's Jackie Moon football. That's. Travis Kelce baseball potentially. >> He's also a part owner in Alpine F1 and. they made an announcement today. Him and. Patrick Mahomes actually are are joint. investors in that. They made an. announcement today they Gucci. Gucci. racing.

>> Okay. >> Yeah. >> Good transition though. I mean greatest. greatest race probably ever. The. pinnacle. >> Uh Indy 500. had its closest finish that it's ever. had. .02333. as Felix Rosenqvist gets a huge win. He. had been leading, okay, then a yellow. flag came out. There was a lot of. cautions throughout the entirety of the. 500 mile race at the most historic race. track in history. But the finish was. outrageously entertaining. It was.

electrifying. Little Baby Midas got a. chance to watch this obviously through. and through. He might have been. sleeping, snoring, eating through it, but his body was certainly around the. display of a sold out 350,000. capacity crowd watching the closest. finish in the history of the most. historic race. It was a beautiful. Sunday. And then I did see the F1 people. take off their mini vans. Looking like sprinter vans like Amabu is.

driving and take that entire thing. and. Amabu could not drive in G1. He's a. little bit too aggressive. He was our. sprinter van driver last night. We. thought we were dead 15 20 times and. sick, but he he was making moves just. like Felix Rosenqvist makes these. slingshot engaged. Meyer Shank Racing get the Indy 500 dub. What a special thing. Curt Signetti. nailed it in the opening lap. Alec. Pierce was in the fastest seat in sports. right behind him. Nobody was really.

talking about that. I guess his ankle's. okay. He's a little bit 180 200 miles an. hour. They were going 230 miles an hour. these folks. Okay. Signetti leading the. way and he had a Blackhawk helicopter, two of them, tailing them. And I put a. tweet out that was like, it's not every. day you see a Blackhawk helicopter. chasing your rearview mirror. That would. be like a very Signeti quote, you know, if he would say that. He responded and. said, "Pat, I would never do that. Okay, I would never look back at the rearview. mirror. It was deactivated." He said, "Only keep your eye on the target." is. what he said. I'm like, "That's the most.

Signeti thing of all time." So, congrats. to the Indy 500 for having a successful. day. No real rain problems throughout. the weekend, which is special. We do. have to follow up. Katherine Legge did. the Indy 500 Coca-Cola 600. >> Oh, yeah. >> She got crashed out of the 500 by Ryan. Hunter-Reay, who's an incredible driver. It was not her fault. Got crashed out. She goes down to Coca-Cola 600. She does. finish the race, but is obviously just a. little bit further in the pack. So, I. think she did complete the 600 in. Coca-Cola, but she got crashed out 20.

laps in. So, now we will find out if. anybody else will ever be able to have. success in the 1,100 Challenge on. beautiful Memorial Day Sunday. And on. that note, thank you to those who served. our country, provided this life that we. get to live, and are no longer with us. We appreciate the [ __ ] out of your. service. You are damn fine Americans. that we are grateful for. Not just ours, by the way, everybody's military that. serves our countries. We appreciate the. [ __ ] out of you serving your people. I. think that's a big deal. And we're. grateful. And on that note,

we're wrapping up here on ESPN. And if. we didn't mention it, we'd be [ __ ]. Princeton, national champions men's. lacrosse. And the women's national. champion lacrosse. >> Northwestern. >> Congratulations to the. >> Big Ten gets another one. >> I love that. I love everything about it. Shout out to sports being great. Tonight, we will be hosting a primetime. special 7:00 to 8:30, the state of. sports state of the union with so many. different commissioners and surprise. guests. It should be an absolute blast. We hope you will join us before watching. hockey. We'll be back tomorrow. Goodbye.

That's a pretty good send off for. >> Yeah, it was. >> Had to get the plug in. Got the cross. in. >> Mhm. >> I was watching, you know, the um. nominees is the word for the hosts and. analysts and stuff, the names that are. just in sports right now doing [ __ ]. There's a lot of big time names doing. [ __ ]. >> Oh, yeah. >> Mike Tirico won an award last night. Obviously, he was on the call, so he. couldn't win it there, but it's like you. see Tirico's name pop up. It's like, "Oh, yeah, I forgot Tirico's right in. the middle of his prime right now.". >> Mhm. Yep. >> We are literally right in the middle of. Tirico's entire prime for this entirety.

And I think we're all very pumped up. about the state of sports, which is what. we are going to try to cover tonight. So, we are going to go do that. We got a. lot of conversations with a lot of. people. We got a lot of things to set. up. AJ, tonight should be outrageous. I'm letting you know. Now, we I would. like to let people know. this has been well thought out for years. and years. >> Obviously. >> Of course. >> Yes. >> Dudes and chicks are sweet. >> Yeah. Duh. >> Duh. >> Duh. >> And tonight should be a spectacle. And. we will celebrate the [ __ ] out of sports. like we try to do every single day and.

we're incredibly lucky to do because OF. ALL. OF. WE APPRECIATE THE HELL OUT of. And last night, uh, we didn't know we. were kind of told we were going to win. by people that obviously did not know. And I I don't know how many people are. told that. But every time I thought. about what I would say and what we would. try to do, it all kind of ended up kind. of snaking its way back to uh. So, thank you for letting us do this. from the beginning. We'll continue to go.

for as long as you have us. You're the. greatest people on Earth. Be a friend, tell a friend something nice, it might. change your life. We're in this thing. together. Team on three. Team on three. Great work this week, Dbutt. >> Thank you, too, brother. >> One, two, THREE. TEAM. >> TEAM. GOODNIGHT.

>> MHM.