The Pat McAfee Show Live | Wednesday May 27th 2026

The Vegas Golden Knights, an expansion team, fired their coach days before the playoffs. The new coach, 'Tors,' unified the group, leading them to sweep their Western Conference opponent. Their success is attributed to a combination of skill, physical play, and a 'us against the world' mentality, potentially leading them to the Stanley Cup.

They just swept the team that was being called the greatest team that maybe ever has existed. This year though they fire their coach just days before the playoffs... the coach that they hired, Tors, 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.

The New York Knicks have had an exceptionally easy and rested path to the Eastern Conference Finals, sweeping opponents and playing only four games in 23 days. This significant rest, combined with their defensive prowess and team connection, makes them a formidable, though underestimated, contender against Western Conference teams.

These dudes have won every game by 30. I mean, at what point do we not have to, I guess, just respect and say, 'Hey, maybe the buzzsaw is in New York.'... They're more connected than they have ever been. They're playing great ball defensively. 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.

The NBA playoffs are marred by controversial officiating, particularly regarding player flopping to draw fouls. While some fouls are legitimate, there's a perceived trend of players embellishing contact, leading to games being decided by officials rather than pure player skill. This issue is seen across the league, not just with specific players.

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... 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.

Brendan Sorsby, a highly-touted transfer quarterback, had his request for reinstatement from the NCAA denied following a gambling scandal. Despite entering rehab for a gambling addiction and only betting on his own team to win, the NCAA's decision highlights the strict stance on player gambling and the complex legal battles that may ensue.

Brendan Sorsby... got caught up in a gambling scandal where there was thousands of bets on his phone... He went to a rehab facility that he checked himself in to get over his gambling addiction. He did not gamble on any games that he participated and 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.

The SEC and Big Ten are locked in a contentious debate over the future of the college football playoff, specifically regarding expansion beyond 12 teams. The Big Ten, led by Commissioner Tony Petitti, advocates for 24 teams to maximize opportunities and legitimize roster spending, while the SEC, under Commissioner Greg Sankey, expresses concerns about devaluing the regular season and the logistical challenges of a larger playoff.

The SEC is having their uh media meetings... 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... Petiti wants 24 and the Big 10 coaches were very unified coming out of their meetings that they want 24.

Derwin James signed a landmark contract extension with the Los Angeles Chargers, making him the highest-paid safety in the NFL. This deal underscores his value as a 'lynchpin' of the defense and a respected leader, particularly under new coach Jim Harbaugh, who recognized James as a core player despite not being part of the previous regime.

Chargers just paid Derwin James... This eclipses Kyle Hamilton at $25.2 million average per year. Uh it's almost $60 million in guarantees... Clearly they identify Derwin James as someone who has to stay, has to get paid, and they want to lead going forward.