The Pat McAfee Show Live | Thursday May 7th 2026

Indiana Pacers star Tyrese Haliburton's rehabilitation from an Achilles tear was significantly delayed by a bout of shingles. He had just started playing five-on-five basketball when the shingles diagnosis forced a three-week pause, impacting his physical and mental return to full form.

Haliburton states, 'I was starting to play five on five and then uh got shingles that kind of stopped things, you know, for like three weeks and so that kind of halted things for a little bit, but I'm getting back there now.' He also mentions feeling 'a step behind' defensively due to the recovery process.

Victor Wembanyama's unique defensive presence fundamentally alters offensive strategies in the NBA. His ability to block shots makes driving to the paint extremely risky, forcing opposing teams to rely on high-level jump shooting to succeed against the Spurs.

Haliburton explains, 'the paint is kind of like it's not really a thing when Webby's on the floor. It's kind of like when you go in there, you expect to probably get a shot blocked. So like you got to make jumpers to beat San Antonio at a high level.'

NHL player Matthew Tkachuk is participating in the IIHF World Championship in Zurich, Switzerland, with the goal of achieving the rare 'Triple Gold' status. This prestigious accomplishment involves winning an Olympic gold medal, a Stanley Cup, and a World Championship, a feat only 30 men have achieved, and no American has done so.

Tkachuk confirms he's 'not going over there for a vacation' and is aiming to 'bring another championship back to the United States.' The hosts highlight that winning would make him 'one of 31 men in the history of hockey to win the triple gold... No Americans have ever done it.'

Despite advancements like Pitchcom, sign-stealing remains a significant and sophisticated part of Major League Baseball. Teams utilize runners on base to observe pitcher 'tips' (subtle changes in glove position or body mechanics) and employ markerless motion capture technology to analyze these cues and relay them to batters.

Jeff Passan states, 'sign stealing... it's extremely prevalent.' He describes how runners on second base look for 'his grip on the pitch' and signal it. He adds, 'you thought that uh Pitchcom was going to get rid of sign stealing. No, it's baseball, Pat.' He further details the use of 'markerless motion capture' cameras to detect 'difference is with a guy's glove position.'

Actor Ben Stiller is a deeply committed New York Knicks fan, often arranging his professional life around playoff games. His absence from a crucial Knicks playoff game due to a prior Met Gala commitment sparked significant public criticism, highlighting the intense scrutiny celebrity sports fans face and the perceived need to 'prove' their loyalty.

Stiller recounts, 'I said, "I think I'm going to get some [shit] for this."... I wanted to be at that Knicks game more than anything.' He reflects on the 'competition thing of like who is the... more diehard Knicks fan,' concluding, 'you're a fan because you love the team.'