Overview of PMS 2.0 — Big Sports Tuesday (March 24, 2026)
Pat McAfee’s Big Sports Tuesday covers a wide sports slate: NFL draft/Pro Day debates, March Madness Sweet 16 betting movement, MLB Opening Night (Netflix special), World Baseball Classic fallout, plus interviews with Dan Orlovsky (QB draft debate), Brewers’ Opening Day starter Jacob Misiorowski, Arkansas coach John Calipari, and new NFLPA Executive Director JC Tretter. The episode mixes deep draft/tape discussion, betting intel, on-field scouting notes, union strategy, and lighter fan/TV culture takes.
Guests & Core Segments
- Opening sports news & culture: Travis Kelce re-signs with Chiefs, MLB Opening Night on Netflix, WBC impact, TGL golf, NBA cap uptick, NHL/Pens.
- Dan Orlovsky: QB1 debate (Ty Simpson vs. Fernando Mendoza) and draft vibes.
- Jacob “Miz” Misiorowski (Brewers): background, pitch stuff, velocity, Opening Day role.
- John Calipari (Arkansas head coach): program turnaround, Acuff, coaching philosophy, NIL/transfer suggestions.
- JC Tretter (NFLPA Executive Director): why he took the job, priorities (player engagement, CBA prep, player surveys), turf vs. grass, refs/tech.
- Other recurring crew & takes: March Madness betting lines, Pro Day recaps (LSU, Miami), Buffalo Bills bison statue reveal, miscellaneous sports culture banter.
Main takeaways (by guest / topic)
Dan Orlovsky — Ty Simpson vs. Fernando Mendoza (QB1 debate)
- Dan strongly believes Ty Simpson is QB1 in this draft based on tape and game context, emphasizing “tape over traits” unless a prospect is a top-5 physical freak.
- He polled 12–15 NFL decision-makers; most agreed with his assessment (mix of emojis/gifs and thumbs-up).
- Pat and crew push back on Mendoza’s resume (big moments, comebacks, national title), arguing both QBs have valid cases — draft-day fit and team needs will decide.
- Draft reality: teams often trade aggressively for a quarterback they covet; if a team wants a QB, they’ll make it happen (explains pick movement possibilities).
Why it matters: close debate — Ty’s tape and leadership vs. Fernando’s big-game outcomes and traits. Expect varied board placement and pre-draft jockeying.
Jacob Misiorowski (Brewers) — Opening Day starter profile
- Backstory: JUCO product (Crowder), drafted in 2022 (pick #63), rapid ascension in 2025 (All-Star after 5 starts).
- Stuff: 6'7", heavy velocity (100+), high-spin slider and curve; Pitching Ninja buzz (slider praise). Introduced a changeup this offseason.
- Approach: “Blacks out” on the mound — full focus; works with catcher Bill/Coaching staff on adjustments between innings.
- Opening day: scheduled to start Brewers vs. White Sox Thursday 2:05 ET. Crew offered $100k charity challenge if he hits 104 mph on Opening Day (fun studio bet).
- Zone & automated ball-strike: Miz said he relies on his catcher for reviews — pitchers rarely see the whole zone in-game.
Why it matters: lockdown top-of-rotation upside for Brewers; a must-watch prospect with an electric arm and high ceiling.
John Calipari — Arkansas resurgence & coaching approach
- Arkansas turnaround: Calipari rebuilt a roster with back-to-back Sweet 16s; emphasizes culture, “gym rat” mentality (Darius Acuff, Malik Thomas).
- Coaching style: leader/cheerleader in big moments — message is confidence and clarity; simple adjustments on game day, rely on player buy-in and toughness.
- Acuff: described as a gym rat with “throwback” attributes; big moments, scoring punch, now with a signature shoe deal and strong pro potential.
- NIL/transfer comments: Calipari argues for guardrails — limit transfers and regulate collectives (e.g., require collectives to only pay players who’ve been on campus one year) to preserve program stability and academics.
Why it matters: Calipari sees long-term roster building through culture and suggests practical tweaks for NIL/transfer reform that balance player benefit and program continuity.
JC Tretter — New NFLPA Executive Director (priorities & approach)
- Background: former NFL player (9 years), studied industrial/labor relations at Cornell; previously NFLPA president and chief strategy officer.
- Why accept job: passion for player advocacy, want to represent players directly in CBA and other fights.
- First priorities:
- Re-engage players and boost direct player involvement — survey data drives priorities (they already survey thousands of players).
- Prepare for the next CBA negotiations with data-driven member priorities (health & safety, compensation, post-career support).
- Rebuild trust: tackle misinformation, increase transparency with players and former players.
- Concrete topics highlighted:
- Player surveys revealed ~92% prefer natural grass to turf — focus on quality playing surfaces (not just “grass for grass’s sake”).
- Technology/first-down chips and refs: needs further study; refs are their own union (separate negotiations).
- Lifelong support goals (health/insurance) and licensing/partner deals (e.g., Madden) are potential revenue paths for players.
- Style: collaborative but willing to escalate when player health/safety is at risk; aims to be pragmatic and data-led.
Why it matters: NFLPA under a former player who’s Cornell-trained — approach blends labor knowledge and player empathy. CBA and player engagement will be big watch items.
Draft, Pro Days & scouting notes
- Pro Days kickoff highlights (Mar 23):
- LSU: QB Nussmeier healthy; Harold Perkins Jr. (6'1", 222) ran ~4.38 — athletic tweener with upside if teams define a role.
- Miami: Reuben Bain Jr. & Akeem Mesidor — powerful pass-rush prototypes (Bain’s bend and explosiveness widely praised); Keontae Scott (slot/safety) popped and may rise.
- Other names: Mansoor Delane (corner) projected as CB1 after a strong pro day (4.3s territory; fluid on tape).
- Pro Day calendar to watch (announced during show):
- Today: Auburn, Notre Dame, Texas
- Wednesday: Alabama, Arizona, Ohio State, Texas A&M
- Draft timeline: 29 days until the Draft — expect continued rumblings (Ty Simpson vs. Mendoza will be central).
Betting/scouting angle: Pro Days can change perception, but tape still rules. Expect teams to draft based on scheme fit and positional needs.
March Madness & betting notes
- Sweet 16 notes:
- All spreads are single digits (no blowout predictions) — seven of eight games saw at least 1-point line movement; five moved toward the dogs.
- Biggest movement: Arkansas vs. Arizona moved from -9.5 to -7.5 (public heavy on Arkansas — >60% bets on Arkansas).
- UConn vs. Michigan State: initial pick’em moved to UConn -1.5 with money on UConn, but reverse line movement suggests sharp money on Michigan State is possible.
- Pat’s take: this round is primed for tight games and those wanting “value” should watch reverse line movement scenarios.
Other notable news & culture
- Travis Kelce re-signed with Chiefs: three-year deal with salary-cap structuring; $12M guaranteed reported.
- MLB Opening Night (Giants vs. Yankees on Netflix): Netflix presentation and celebrity guests (Usos, Burt Kreischer, Jameis Winston) drew mixed fan reaction; Pat urged patience for the broadcast innovations.
- World Baseball Classic: seen as major boost for MLB and fan engagement — energized Pat and staff for Opening Day.
- Buffalo Bills unveiled large bison statues for Highmark Stadium (day/night renderings featured).
- NBA cap increase (~10–11%) noted; playoffs expected to be competitive.
- Women’s basketball: UConn dominance continues; college women’s tournament had upsets (Iowa loss) and notable donors/investments (Alex Ohanian & Virginia).
Notable quotes
- Dan Orlovsky on taking stances: “If you are scared to be wrong, you will never strain to be right.”
- Pat on Travis Kelce: “The fact that he’s coming back to play football again makes me excited.”
- JC Tretter on his role: “Very few times you get to work for the good guys. That’s something we want to fight for.”
Action items / What to watch next
- MLB:
- Giants vs. Yankees (Opening Night on Netflix) — watch for broadcast innovations.
- Brewers vs. White Sox — Jacob Misiorowski Opening Day start (Thu 2:05 ET).
- NFL/Draft:
- Track Pro Day results (this week: Auburn, Notre Dame, Texas; Wed: Alabama, Arizona, Ohio State, Texas A&M).
- Monitor draft boards for Ty Simpson vs. Fernando Mendoza movement; expect trades for QBs if teams are committed.
- NCAA March Madness:
- Sweet 16 games — watch Arkansas vs. Arizona line movement and UConn vs. Michigan State reverse line.
- NFLPA/CBA:
- Follow JC Tretter’s initial public moves and player-engagement efforts; key CBA negotiation prep over next 4–5 years.
- Misc:
- Buffalo’s bison statue rollout and related stadium activations.
- Watch for updated NFLPA/public releases on turf/grass, referee negotiations, and tech adoption (first-down chips).
Bottom line
This episode blended serious, consequential sports business conversations (NFLPA leadership and the CBA horizon; draft/Pro Day evaluations) with fan-forward coverage (MLB opening on Netflix, WBC enthusiasm, March Madness betting). Key themes: tape vs. traits debate for QBs (Ty Simpson emphasis), rising MLB rookie Miz as an electrifying pitcher to watch, Calipari’s program-building approach and practical NIL/transfer ideas, and a new player-led direction at the NFLPA under JC Tretter focused on engagement, health/safety, and data-led bargaining.
If you only take away three things:
- Expect continued debate and pre-draft movement on Ty Simpson vs. Fernando Mendoza — tape vs. traits will drive boards.
- Brewers’ Jacob Misiorowski is a legit, high-ceiling Opening Day starter to follow closely.
- New NFLPA leadership under JC Tretter signals a player-driven, data-focused push into CBA talks, health/safety, and post-career support.
(Highlights: Cody Rhodes appearance teased for next show; lots of episode banter and fan-culture takes worth sampling if you like Pat’s showmanship.)