Latest news with #PatMcAfee
Fox News
6 hours ago
- Entertainment
- Fox News
Pat McAfee tells John Mellencamp to 'shut the f--- up' after taking offense to Pacers hype-up speech
John Mellencamp and Pat McAfee are officially at war. It all started when Mellencamp took offense to McAfee calling out celebrity Knicks fans during Game 4 of the Eastern Conference Finals between New York and the Indiana Pacers. After calling out Ben Stiller, Spike Lee, and Timothee Chalamet, which prompted boos in Indianapolis, McAfee implored fans to "turn this s--- up" and "send these sons of b------ back to New York with their ears ringing." Mellencamp, though, said in a statement that he was "embarrassed" that "somebody" used "poor sportsmanship" - without mentioning McAfee by name. McAfee replied on X that "I am somebody." But on his own show Friday, McAfee fired back at the singer. "When the Knicks are playing in Gainbridge, I believe there is going to be some boos. There might be some negative things said toward the other team. That's kind of how sports work, I think," McAfee began. "We are going to be an agent of only good things at sports stuff happening. Only positive cheers going forward, because that will make John Cougar Mellencamp happy." The former Indianapolis Colt added, "I don't know what he thought he was doing." "He puts out this horrendous quote tweet, horrendous graphic. John, can't tell you how bad everything you did here was. The graphic, the quote, the timing, your two days late, John… John, shut the f--k up… "You thought you were gonna bury me? I don't think so, John! Hey Coug'. Suck it buddy. Hope I get the chance to see you real soon. I think we're probably gonna be at the same place pretty soon. I don't want any of your bulls--t, I don't like you." The Pacers won Game 4 after McAfee took the mic to take a commanding 3-1 series lead, but the series is headed back to Indiana after the Knicks wiped the floor with the Pacers in Game 5. Stiller challenged McAfee to attend Game 5 at New York's Madison Square Garden Thursday, but McAfee said he was "not paying $70,000 for a ticket." Neither team has made the NBA Finals in the 21st century. The Knicks beat the Pacers in the 1999 conference finals, but the Pacers returned the favor the following year. Game 6 will be played Saturday night in Indiana, where it appears likely that the two new foes will both be. The winner of the series will take on the Oklahoma City Thunder, who will be playing for a championship for the first time since 2012. Follow Fox News Digital's sports coverage on X, and subscribe to the Fox News Sports Huddle newsletter.
Yahoo
17 hours ago
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
Ben Stiller was taken aback by Pat McAfee's brutal Knicks trolling: ‘Seems a little cartoonish'
Actor and Knicks superfan Ben Stiller said he didn't know much about Pat McAfee before Game 4 on Tuesday night. He's since become a bit more acquainted with what he's all about after the ESPN personality dropped a WWE-style promo on Stiller, Timothée Chalamet and Spike Lee late in the Pacers' win over the Knicks from inside Gainbridge Fieldhouse. Advertisement In the viral moment, McAfee called the trio 'bigwigs from the big city' before naming each one of them to elicit boos. He then told the Pacers fans to 'send these sons of bitches back to New York with their ears ringing.' Stiller, who has starred in hit movies like 'Meet the Parents' and 'Dodgeball' and served as the executive producer of 'Severance,' discussed the whole thing during an appearance on SNY's 'The Putback with Ian Begley' on Wednesday morning. The actor admitted to being 'not familiar with his game' before asking if he had been a field goal kicker or a place kicker. Begley informed Stiller that McAfee was a punter with the Colts and later added that he is also a color commentator for WWE's 'Monday Night Raw' in addition to hosting his popular sports talk show on the Worldwide Leader. Pat McAfee speaking to the fans during a timeout during Game 4 on May 27, 2025. Charles Wenzelberg / New York Post 'I wasn't aware of that,' Stiller said. 'I did know that Timothée had been on his show. And I was like, 'Oh, that's your boy. That's your guy.' So when that happened, I was a little bit like, 'Whoa.' But the WWE aspect of it, I get it. It's just not the way it happens in New York. He should come to the Garden for Game 5.' Advertisement The celeb then suggested that McAfee wouldn't be booed if he had shown up in New York and would receive a cheer from the Madison Square Garden crowd. Ben Stiller is seen during the first quarter of Game 4 of the Eastern Conference Finals between the New York Knicks and the Indiana Pacers. Getty Images Though it does seem unlikely after McAfee's Game 4 attempt to hype up the crowd. 'They'll put him up on the screen and they'll show him punting the ball and everybody will give him a nice cheer,' Stiller said. 'That's how we do it in New York. But I get it, it was fun. He was just trying to get the crowd riled up. It was a little bit out of the blue. It's also like, are we really doing the narrative of 'Hicks versus Knicks'? Like the bigwigs from New York? It just seems a little cartoonish. But then again, it goes with the WWE.' Advertisement The 'Hicks versus Knicks' narrative that Stiller was referring to was popularized during the battles between the Knicks and Pacers in the 1990s. Pat McAfee after speaking to the crowd in the fourth quarter. Charles Wenzelberg / New York Post While the renewed rivalry between the Pacers has been plenty of fun on the court and inside the building, it has led to some darker moments outside the arenas. Knicks fans were seen throwing trash at a Pacers fan following the Game 6 win in the second round over the Celtics, and a different Pacers supporter was charged with stabbing two Knicks fans at a brewery in Indiana during Game 2.
Yahoo
17 hours ago
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
John Mellencamp calls out Pat McAfee for trashing Knicks' celebrity fans: ‘I was embarrassed'
This one hurts so bad. John Mellencamp has taken Pat McAfee to task for his foul-mouthed rant on the Knicks' celebrity fans that attended Game 4 of the Eastern Conference finals Tuesday night in Indianapolis. Advertisement 'The Knicks/Pacers games have been very entertaining for anyone who likes basketball or sports. I attended Game 4 in Indianapolis,' Mellencamp, the Hall of Fame singer-songwriter and Indiana native, wrote on social media. John Mellencamp (l.) and girlfriend Kristin Kehrberg (r.) attend Game 4 of the Pacers-Knicks series on May 27, 2025. Getty Images Pat McAfee (r.) with Paul 'Triple H' Levesque (l.) before Game 4 of the Pacers-Knicks series on May 27, 2025. Trevor Ruszkowski-Imagn Images ' 'Hoosier Hospitality' … I was embarrassed when somebody, under whose direction I don't know, called out some of the people who had made the trip from New York to support their team — and in turn, support our team. The audience booed these people. I'd say that was not Hoosier Hospitality. One could only say it's poor, poor sportsmanship. I was not proud to be a Hoosier, and I've lived here my entire life. Advertisement 'On behalf of most Hoosiers, I would like to apologize for our poor behavior. I'm sure the Pacers had nothing to do with this smackdown.' Follow The Post's coverage of the Knicks in the 2025 NBA Playoffs Sports+ subscribers: Sign up for Inside the Knicks to get daily newsletter coverage and join Expert Take for insider texts about the series. McAfee, the former Colts punter and current WWE commentator whose eponymous ESPN show is filmed in Indianapolis, was given a microphone to speak to the crowd during the fourth quarter of the Pacers' win Tuesday and let the Knicks' celebrity fans have it. 'Indianapolis, Indiana, we've got some bigwigs from the big city in the building,' McAfee began. Advertisement 'Spike Lee is here. Ben Stiller is here. Timothée Chalamet is here,' he continued, with fans booing after each name. 'Let's send these sons of b—-es back to New York with their ears ringing. Let's turn this s–t up!' Timothée Chalamet (l.) and Ben Stiller (r.) pose for a photo before Game 4 of the Knicks-Pacers series on May 27, 2025. Trevor Ruszkowski-Imagn Images McAfee addressed Mellencamp's comments Thursday on X, stating, 'I am 'somebody.' ' Stiller seemed surprised by McAfee's comments during an appearance on SNY's 'The Putback.' 'I did know that Timothée had been on his show. And I was like, 'Oh, that's your boy. That's your guy.' So when that happened, I was a little bit like, 'Whoa.' But the WWE aspect of it, I get it. It's just not the way it happens in New York. He should come to the Garden for Game 5,' Stiller said Wednesday. Advertisement 'They'll put him up on the screen, and they'll show him punting the ball and everybody will give him a nice cheer,' Stiller added. 'That's how we do it in New York. But I get it; it was fun. He was just trying to get the crowd riled up. It was a little bit out of the blue. It's also like, are we really doing the narrative of 'Hicks versus Knicks'? Like the bigwigs from New York? It just seems a little cartoonish. But then again, it goes with the WWE.' The Pacers won the game 130-121 to take a 3-1 series lead heading into Thursday night's Game 5 at MSG. The Thunder await the winner of this series in the 2025 NBA Finals, which starts next Thursday.
Yahoo
17 hours ago
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
Pat McAfee tells John Mellencamp to ‘shut the f–k up' as fiery Pacers fan feud escalates
If you thought Pat McAfee's in-game words for the Knicks' celebrity fans were harsh, his response to John Mellencamp's criticism is a whole new level. 'John: shut the f–k up,' McAfee said during a rant on Friday's episode of the 'Pat McAfee Show.' Advertisement McAfee was given the microphone during the Pacers' Game 4 win over the Knicks and let Spike Lee, Ben Stiller and Timothée Chalamet feel the wrath of Indiana fans, encouraging the Pacers faithful to 'send these sons of bitches back to New York with their ears ringing.' 'Johnny Cougar,' a native of the 'Hoosier State,' then posted a long-winded statement about his disappointment in McAfee and Pacers fans for supporting him. ''Hoosier Hospitality' … I was embarrassed when somebody, under whose direction I don't know, called out some of the people who had made the trip from New York to support their team — and in turn, support our team,' Mellencamp wrote. 'The audience booed these people. I'd say that was not Hoosier Hospitality. One could only say it's poor, poor sportsmanship. I was not proud to be a Hoosier, and I've lived here my entire life. John Mellencamp looks on at Game 4 of the Eastern Conference finals. NBAE via Getty Images 'On behalf of most Hoosiers, I would like to apologize for our poor behavior. I'm sure the Pacers had nothing to do with this smackdown.' Advertisement McAfee, the former Colts punter and current WWE announcer whose self-titled ESPN show is filmed in Indianapolis, defended his actions as typical home-fan behavior. Pat McAfee firing up Pacers fans during a timeout. Charles Wenzelberg / New York Post 'When the Knicks are playing in Gainbridge, I believe there's gonna be some boos, there might be some negative things said towards the other team,' McAfee sarcastically said. 'That is kind of how sports work.' McAfee's words escalated quickly from there. 'What a moment for John Coug' yesterday,' he said in the midst of his rant. 'John: I can't tell you how bad everything you did here was. Everything. The graphic, the quote, the timing — you're two days late, John … [The post] doesn't even say my name.' Pat McAfee did not mince his words when discussing John Mellencamp's call-out of the former Colts punter. The Pat McAfee Show With Game 6 back at Gainbridge Fieldhouse Saturday night, the two's paths could cross in what would surely be a tense interaction. 'You thought you were gonna bury me? I don't think so, John!' McAfee said to conclude the segment. 'Hey Coug'. Suck it buddy. Hope I get the chance to see you real soon, I think we're probably gonna be at the same place pretty soon. I don't want any of your bulls–t, I don't like you.'
Fox News
21 hours ago
- Entertainment
- Fox News
Pacers legend Reggie Miller appears to take sides in John Mellencamp-Pat McAfee beef
After John Mellencamp bashed Pat McAfee for his explicit hype-up speech for Indiana Pacers fans, a franchise legend appeared to take a side. McAfee pumped up Pacers fans in the final minutes of Game 4 of the Eastern Conference finals Tuesday, but it left Mellencamp "embarrassed." The former Indianapolis Colts punter called out celebrity Knicks fans Timothée Chalamet, Spike Lee and Ben Stiller and told Pacers fans to "turn this s--- up" and "send these sons of b------ back to New York with their ears ringing." Mellencamp mentioned that "somebody" used "poor sportsmanship." He did not specifically mention McAfee by name, but it wasn't exactly a secret, and McAfee replied on X that "I am somebody." Before calling Game 5 Thursday, Pacers legend Reggie Miller posted a video montage of him greeting Mellencamp that included Mellencamp's hit song, "Jack & Diane." "Only real Hoosiers know what this man means to Indiana. Honored to call [Mellencamp] a true friend," Miller wrote on Instagram. "From dinners, video shoots, tour bus jumping, to singing on stage, I've done it all with him. Nothing but unconditional [love] for him and his family, thank you for always being there for some of those late night calls to vent about basketball back in the day.. #JackAndDiane." The Pacers won Game 4 after McAfee took the mic to take a commanding 3-1 series lead, but the series is headed back to Indiana after the Knicks wiped the floor with the Pacers in Game 5. Stiller challenged McAfee to attend Game 5 at New York's Madison Square Garden Thursday, but McAfee said he was "not paying $70,000 for a ticket." Game 6 will be played Saturday night. With a win, it will be the Pacers' first trip to the NBA Finals since 2000, when they also beat the Knicks in the Eastern Conference finals. If the Knicks manage to win the next two, it'll be their first Finals appearance since 1999, when they beat the Pacers to get there. The winner of the series will take on the Oklahoma City Thunder, who will be playing for a championship for the first time since 2012. Follow Fox News Digital's sports coverage on X, and subscribe to the Fox News Sports Huddle newsletter.
