The Pat McAfee Show Live | Thursday May 28th 2026

The Oklahoma City Thunder's playing style, characterized by 'flopping' or drawing fouls, has become a significant point of contention. NBA Commissioner Adam Silver acknowledges the difficulty in officiating such plays, noting that coaches are teaching players how to 'embellish' calls. To address accuracy in critical moments, the NBA is set to adopt Hawkeye technology for out-of-bounds calls, mirroring advancements seen in tennis and potentially football.

Adam Silver discussed flopping, stating it's tough to officiate and has reached a 'fever pitch' (00:05:46). Tyrese Haliburton confirmed players are taught to draw fouls (01:15:41). Silver also mentioned turning to Hawkeye technology for in-and-out-of-bounds calls (00:10:42).

Shohei Ohtani continues to redefine baseball with his exceptional pitching and hitting. His current ERA of 0.82 is the ninth-lowest in MLB history for pitchers with at least 50 innings pitched since 1913. He recently hit a lead-off home run on a night he pitched six hitless innings, a feat no other modern MLB player has accomplished in their entire career, let alone a single game.

Ohtani's ERA is 0.82, 9th lowest since 1913 (00:19:03). He hit a lead-off home run and pitched six hitless innings, a unique modern MLB achievement (00:21:22).

The Minnesota Vikings' quarterback competition between veteran Kyler Murray and rookie JJ McCarthy reveals stark differences in their public personas. Murray, after leaving Arizona, appears more mature and willing to mentor, offering to help McCarthy. In contrast, McCarthy's responses about their relationship are perceived as awkward and divisive, framing it as two separate individuals in a classroom rather than teammates.

Kyler Murray expressed willingness to help McCarthy (00:26:41). JJ McCarthy described their relationship as 'two guys in a classroom,' sitting on opposite sides (00:27:12). Dan Orlovsky noted McCarthy's answers sounded like an 'uphill battle off the field' and 'trying to divide the locker room' (00:29:20, 00:30:31).

The Chicago Bears are seriously considering moving to Hammond, Indiana, due to a compelling financial package. Indiana has proposed a deal offering approximately $1 billion in investment, funded through local food and beverage taxes, hotel taxes, ticket taxes, and special taxing districts in the Hammond area. This move is seen as a strategy for the franchise to own surrounding entertainment developments, a model difficult to achieve at their current Soldier Field location in downtown Chicago.

The Bears are 'coming over to Indiana' (02:09:19). Indiana's deal includes $1 billion from new tax levies in Lake and Porter counties, including a 1% food/beverage tax surcharge, a doubled hotel tax, and a 12% ticket tax (02:12:41). The goal is to own everything around the stadium, which is impossible at Soldier Field (02:11:47).

Across all major professional sports, commissioners are actively exploring and implementing AI and advanced technology. Discussions with MLB, NBA, and WNBA commissioners reveal a universal push to leverage technology for everything from officiating accuracy (e.g., Hawkeye) and scheduling optimization to marketing and fan engagement. The consensus is that leagues must adapt to modern technology to remain competitive and efficient, despite public concerns about job displacement.

WNBA commissioner Kathy Engelbert stated AI is mentioned in every meeting (00:15:47). All commissioners discussed technology advancement (00:15:43). Leagues are looking at AI for 'every ball in, ball out,' marketing, promo, and game ideas (01:49:05).