The Pat McAfee Show Live | Friday April 17th 2026

The Utah Mammoth (NHL), owned by Ryan Smith, made the playoffs in their second year after relocating from Phoenix. This success is attributed to strong fan support, significant investment in players and facilities, and creating new traditions, contrasting sharply with the Phoenix Coyotes' decade of poor performance and low ticket sales.

Ryan Smith details the team's move from Phoenix, where they had 10 years of worst NHL seasons and low ticket sales, to Utah, where they've been sold out every night and made the playoffs in two years. He mentions bringing in talent and the fanatical support of the Utah community.

Ryan Smith, owner of the Utah Jazz, addresses the controversy around his team being fined for "losing on purpose." He frames it as a systemic issue within the NBA's rebuilding process, where teams have limited avenues (no All-NBA free agents, difficult trades) and rely heavily on the draft, putting immense pressure on lottery odds. He emphasizes that players still play to win, but the league needs to re-evaluate the rebuild experience.

Smith explains that the NBA product is amazing but faces an "equal opposite reaction" to actions like CBA changes. He describes the "rebuild experience" for 8-10 teams annually, noting the absence of All-NBA free agents and the difficulty of trades, which places immense pressure on the draft. He states that Jazz players still play to win, despite the team's strategic positioning.

MLB star Mike Trout attributes his strong start to the season and return to peak form to being healthy, his manager placing him back in center field, and daily use of "amortal" recovery technology. He describes the "amortal" as a device with multiple settings for recovery and energizing, acting as a mental and physical reset.

Trout states that health is a "big thing" and credits his manager for putting him back in center field. He details his daily use of the "amortal" device, which has 10 different settings for recovery, energize, and release, including red light and magna wave, calling it a "good reset" for 30 minutes a day.

Mike Trout observes that MLB pitching has become significantly harder, with more pitchers consistently throwing 100+ mph fastballs and high-velocity off-speed pitches. He suggests this "full speed, full blow" approach every night, driven by a focus on "stuff" over traditional pitching, contributes to the increased number of injuries.

Trout notes that average fastball velocity has increased from 89-91 mph to pitchers throwing 100 mph with 94 mph sliders and 90 mph changeups. He contrasts this with older pitchers like Justin Verlander who could 'pitch' at 93-94 and 'rear back' when needed, suggesting the constant high velocity of younger pitchers leads to more injuries.

Kendrick Perkins predicts Victor Wembanyama will lead the San Antonio Spurs to the Western Conference Finals, highlighting Wembanyama's significant growth throughout the season, his embrace of being a dominant big man in the paint, and his "mean," unafraid demeanor on big stages. Perkins also credits the Spurs' coaching for managing his minutes to ensure health for the playoffs.

Perkins states he's "going with the San Antonio Spurs" due to Wembanyama's growth, his dominance in the paint, and his "mean as hell" attitude. He praises Coach Johnson for keeping Wembanyama's minutes under 30, ensuring he's healthy for the postseason and ready for big moments like the Olympics and Christmas Day games.

Pat McAfee orchestrated a "huge surprise" video appearance at WWE World in Las Vegas, where he aggressively insulted and belittled the assembled wrestling fans ("marks"), declaring his mission with Randy Orton to "save the business" from their "dumbass hands."

McAfee describes setting up a "huge surprise" sign at WWE World, then appearing on screen to yell "Surprise, NERDS!" and insult the crowd, calling them "lowlife, disgusting bodies" and "dumb marks." He explicitly states his intent to save the business with Randy Orton from their hands.