Overview of PMS 2.0 1615 – Tom Cruise Tuesday with AQ Shipley, Tom Cruise, Greg McElroy, Ryan Garcia & Conor Benn
Pat McAfee and the crew packed the show with a mix of NFL talk, college football previews, boxing promotion, tennis highlights, and a marquee interview with Tom Cruise from Daytona Beach. The episode centered on the Rams’ absurd defensive front, the arrival of the NFL season, the return of Days of Thunder/Cole Trickle energy, and a high-energy boxing press conference ahead of Ryan Garcia vs. Conor Benn.
Biggest Takeaways
- Tom Cruise was the headline guest and spent a long segment talking about:
- his lifelong obsession with studying craft, process, and performance
- the making of Digger and the return of Days of Thunder
- how he approaches movie-making like game day: prepare, rehearse, execute
- the importance of theaters, audiences, and keeping the movie business alive
- AQ Shipley broke down the Rams’ defensive chaos, especially pairing Aaron Donald and Myles Garrett together.
- His point: offenses simply won’t have enough bodies to block everyone.
- The key to surviving such a defense is winning on first and second down and avoiding third-and-long.
- Greg McElroy previewed major college football storylines, especially:
- LSU vs. Clemson
- Louisville vs. Ole Miss
- Oklahoma as a potentially underrated playoff candidate
- the impact of NIL, roster turnover, and transfer-portal dynamics
- Ryan Garcia and Conor Benn delivered a heated but controlled presser before their welterweight title fight.
- Garcia leaned into speed/power and trash talk.
- Benn leaned into toughness, confidence, and “I’ve heard it all before” energy.
- The crew ran through “Things Happening Around the Sports World”, including:
- the U.S. Open
- soccer/La Liga and MLS
- wild college and high school football endings
- arena football chaos
- a huge preseason punt
- and a hilarious Gary Vee basketball clip
Tom Cruise Interview: The Craft, the Movies, and Days of Thunder
What Cruise talked about
Cruise framed his career around constant study and improvement. He described himself as a student of:
- acting
- lenses and filmmaking
- movement and physical performance
- aviation, aerobatics, and stunt work
- the business side of movies
He explained that when he starts a project, he studies the entire system, identifies what can be improved, and then works until the process becomes efficient and repeatable.
Key themes from the conversation
- Preparation leads to confidence
- Performance is built through repetition
- Great movie-making is team-based
- Theaters matter
- Audiences still want communal movie experiences
About Days of Thunder / Cole Trickle
Cruise said he has been thinking about Cole Trickle for a long time and loves NASCAR, racing culture, motorcycles, and airplanes. He framed the project as:
- a cultural story, not just a racing movie
- immersive and character-driven
- something that requires real study of the sport and its world
On aging, legacy, and emotional storytelling
He also reflected on working with people like Val Kilmer and Robert Duvall, describing the experience as deeply emotional and meaningful. He emphasized admiration for fellow artists and the joy of creating great scenes together.
On the future of movies
Cruise strongly defended the theatrical experience:
- movies are a community, not just an industry
- more studio output helps everyone
- more production creates more opportunities for artists and crews
- audiences want variety, scale, and event films
AQ Shipley on Aaron Donald + Myles Garrett
Shipley’s segment was a deep dive into impossible offensive line math.
Main points
- You cannot block both Donald and Garrett one-on-one
- Sliding protection to one side still leaves a superstar on the other
- Stunts, twists, and third-and-long become nightmares
- The only real answer is:
- win early downs
- run the ball efficiently
- get the ball out fast
- avoid obvious pass situations
What makes Aaron Donald so hard
Shipley explained that Donald’s ability to:
- swim through blocks
- convert speed to power
- take reps off strategically
- and explode on third down
makes him one of the most difficult defensive players to prepare for. He also said Donald may take time to ramp back up physically after time away from the game, even though he looks elite in shape.
Rams roster note
The Rams were described as an “Avengers” type roster:
- loaded with talent
- heavily captained
- built to win now with Matthew Stafford
Shipley also noted the Rams’ offense is easier to operate because it’s structured to protect the quarterback and keep the line in manageable situations.
Greg McElroy on the College Football Landscape
McElroy helped frame the major early-season storylines.
LSU vs. Clemson
- LSU has the higher ceiling, but also the widest range of outcomes.
- Clemson enters with less pressure and could absolutely win if LSU isn’t ready.
- The game is a huge test of LSU’s new-look roster and locker-room cohesion.
Ole Miss vs. Louisville
- Louisville is dangerous under Jeff Brohm.
- Ole Miss may actually be better and deeper than last year.
- Trinidad/Winn-Dad was praised as a potential elite college quarterback.
Oklahoma as a sleeper
McElroy’s underrated playoff pick was Oklahoma:
- strong defense
- good overall roster
- quarterback play is the key
- avoid forcing the issue and just distribute the ball
Bigger college football themes
- NIL and transfer chaos are changing team chemistry
- leadership and mental toughness matter more than ever
- the best teams are often the ones that can stay united through adversity
Ryan Garcia vs. Conor Benn Press Conference
The segment turned into a classic boxing promo.
Ryan Garcia’s approach
Garcia talked about:
- speed
- precision
- power
- being ready for anything
- making the fight ugly if needed
He also mocked Benn’s looks and stature, saying Benn looked like “handsome Squidward” and calling him a “fancy trash can.”
Conor Benn’s response
Benn answered with:
- confidence
- toughness
- experience
- the belief that he’s been overlooked before and keeps proving people wrong
He repeatedly said he expects to win the title and is prepared for a hard fight.
Tone of the presser
- energetic
- personal
- entertaining
- clearly building interest in the fight
“Things Happening Around the Sports World”
U.S. Open
- Ben Shelton won in four sets after losing the first 6–1
- His emotional on-court self-talk became a talking point
- The crew loved the raw intensity and crowd atmosphere
- Carlos Alcaraz and Jannik Sinner were mentioned as top-tier stars
Soccer
- Lamine Yamal and Raphinha were highlighted for their dominance at Barcelona
- Lionel Messi scored four goals in MLS action
- Indiana soccer, college soccer, and broader soccer culture also got love
FCS / High school football chaos
Several wild finishes were broken down:
- William & Mary vs. Villanova: absurd comeback and late-game swing
- Cal Poly vs. Idaho: a late bomb and a heartbreak finish
- Pahokee: a trick-play walk-off
- Arena football: a huge catch and violent collision
NFL preseason / special teams
- A massive 81-yard punt in preseason was praised as a field-flipping weapon
- The crew joked about punters and hidden value in special teams
Gary Vee basketball clip
- Gary Vaynerchuk was shown making a slick outlet pass in a pickup game
- The slow-fast-break humor landed well with the panel
NFL Notes and Injury Updates
George Kittle
- Seen back at practice and reportedly crushing rehab benchmarks
- Strong sign that he may be ready soon
Malik Nabers
- Nabers said he looks better on video than he feels in his body
- He explained that mental confidence and real-game contact are still the final hurdles
- The segment emphasized how hard it is to fully return from injury
Detroit Lions defense
- The Lions are dealing with major secondary injuries
- Darius Butler stressed how badly they need healthy safety play
- The team still has offense and upside, but the back end is a concern
Notable Comedy / Side Bits
- The crew spent a lot of time joking about:
- captains on NFL teams
- toxic table energy
- fantasy football league size and punishments
- Apple Maps vs. Google Maps
- generator problems
- the absurdity of war and international travel jokes
- A recurring gag was that the show was “all over the place” in classic PMS fashion.
Final Takeaway
This was a wide-ranging, high-energy episode that mixed:
- elite sports analysis
- blockbuster entertainment
- combat sports promotion
- and pure chaos/comedy
The biggest throughline was preparation and culture:
- Cruise talked about mastering craft
- Shipley explained how systems and technique beat chaos
- McElroy emphasized team cohesion in college football
- Garcia and Benn brought fight-week intensity
- and the crew tied it all together with the usual PMS humor and sports obsession.