Overview of PMS 2.0 1560 - Kendrick Perkins, PK Subban, Pete Thamel, Ian Rapoport, Derwin James, Darius Butler, & AJ Hawk
This episode was a fast-moving, sports-heavy Wednesday edition of The Pat McAfee Show that mixed playoff breakdowns, league news, award-show recaps, and multiple guest interviews. The big themes were the NHL and NBA playoffs, the College Football Playoff debate, and a pair of major NFL updates involving Josh Jacobs and Derwin James. The show also spent a lot of time reflecting on the Sports Emmy Awards and previewing the show’s upcoming “Prime Time State of Sports” special.
Main Sports Topics
NHL Playoffs
- The crew opened with a long discussion about the Vegas Golden Knights’ dominant playoff run and how they’ve surged into contender status.
- They also discussed:
- Montreal Canadiens vs. Carolina Hurricanes
- the idea that Montreal needs to play faster and finish chances at home
- Mitch Marner’s playoff resurgence and how he’s being viewed differently now
- The show framed Vegas as a team with a real “us against the world” identity and praised the impact of coaching, veteran leadership, and physical playoff hockey.
NBA Playoffs
- The other major topic was Oklahoma City vs. San Antonio, with repeated praise for:
- Shai Gilgeous-Alexander
- Isaiah Hartenstein
- Alex Caruso
- Chet Holmgren
- The panel argued that Oklahoma City may be rediscovering its championship-level ceiling, while also debating:
- foul-baiting/flopping
- officiating inconsistencies
- whether the Spurs series is heading to seven games
- The Knicks also came up repeatedly after their sweep of Cleveland, with the crew saying New York is looking increasingly dangerous and fresh entering the next round.
College Football Playoff Expansion
- Pete Thamel joined to break down the Brendan Sorsby eligibility/gambling case and the latest on how that could affect his college future or NFL supplemental draft status.
- The bigger conversation centered on Playoff expansion, with arguments over:
- 12 vs. 16 vs. 24 teams
- SEC and Big Ten power dynamics
- whether expansion helps or hurts the regular season
- The discussion made clear that the SEC and Big Ten are the only leagues that really determine the future structure.
NFL News
- Ian Rapoport updated the show on:
- Josh Jacobs’ legal situation, which appears to be moving in a more favorable direction for him after an arrest and initial charges
- the Chargers’ major extension for Derwin James, which makes him the highest-paid safety in the league
- Derwin James later joined and spoke about:
- his appreciation for the Chargers organization
- Jim Harbaugh’s leadership style
- staying productive as he enters his 30s
- how the safety position is still highly valuable in today’s game
Guest Highlights
Kendrick Perkins
- Perk opened up about a heated youth basketball incident involving his organization, saying he got into it while trying to protect one of his players.
- He then broke down the Thunder-Spurs series from an old-school perspective:
- praised Caruso as the series MVP so far
- said Hartenstein and Chet Holmgren have been huge
- argued that Wemby looked exhausted and is still learning how to survive deep postseason basketball
- Perkins also talked about:
- flopping across the NBA
- how role players decide playoff games
- why the Cavaliers’ exit felt soft and disjointed
- He also mentioned he has started a weight-loss journey and is trying to get back in shape.
P.K. Subban
- Subban previewed Canadiens-Hurricanes and explained that Carolina has been the better team so far.
- He stressed that Montreal needs:
- more speed
- a full 60-minute effort
- better finishing in scoring chances
- He also praised the Golden Knights’ playoff run and credited the coach and organization for the turnaround.
- The discussion drifted into hockey culture, Canadian pride, and the importance of veteran stars still performing at a high level.
Pete Thamel
- Thamel delivered the most detailed reporting of the day on:
- Brendan Sorsby’s NCAA ruling
- the compressed timeline toward a possible court decision
- how the June 22 supplemental-draft deadline could force the issue
- He also laid out the current state of the CFP expansion war:
- the SEC is publicly signaling skepticism and frustration
- the Big Ten wants more opportunity and more teams
- the battle lines are drawn, with little chance of an immediate resolution
Ian Rapoport and Derwin James
- Rapoport confirmed the major details of Derwin James’ new contract and noted how long negotiations had been brewing.
- James then came on and emphasized:
- loyalty from the Chargers organization
- appreciation for Jim Harbaugh and the staff
- his excitement about the new defensive structure
- the message the contract sends to the rest of the locker room
- He also said he still has plenty of gas left and wants to prove the team right.
Sports Emmy Awards Recap
- A big chunk of the episode was devoted to the Sports Emmy Awards in New York.
- The crew described:
- their seats being far worse than expected
- not being able to see the screen well
- AJ Hawk clapping aggressively through the entire show
- the general happiness of winners coming off stage
- The show praised:
- NFL Live for winning
- various friends and colleagues across NFL Films, NBC, and ESPN
- Roy Wood Jr. for hosting well
- There was also joking frustration about award-show logistics, the number of awards, and the length of the program.
Technology, Officiating, and Replay
- Pat spent time discussing how leagues are becoming increasingly focused on getting replay and officiating right.
- He referenced time spent with:
- MLB’s replay operation
- NFL review systems
- The takeaway was that every major league is trying to improve the accuracy and speed of review decisions, even if controversy still happens in real time.
Upcoming Announcement: “Prime Time State of Sports”
- Pat announced a 7:00–8:30 p.m. Eastern special edition:
- The Pat McAfee Show: Prime Time State of Sports
- Planned guests included:
- Adam Silver
- Rob Manfred
- Don Garber
- Dana White
- Cathy Engelbert
- The special was framed as a broad “state of the union” for sports, with surprise guests and live reactions planned.
Key Takeaways
- Oklahoma City, Vegas, and the Knicks were the main playoff storylines.
- Derwin James got a major payday and remains a centerpiece for the Chargers.
- Josh Jacobs’ legal situation appears to be trending in a better direction.
- College football playoff expansion is still a messy power struggle between the SEC and Big Ten.
- The episode leaned heavily into the idea that sports, awards, and media are all interconnected, and the show is positioning itself in the middle of that conversation.
Closing Notes
- The episode ended with a patriotic tribute for Memorial Day and a reminder of the importance of those who served.
- The show also highlighted national champions in lacrosse:
- Princeton in men’s lacrosse
- Northwestern in women’s lacrosse
- Pat closed by thanking the audience for letting the show continue to grow and teased another big sports night ahead.