WWE announcer, former Indianapolis Colts punter and ESPN/YouTube personalty Pat McAfee is seemingly everywhere these days. That included a Game 4 appearance at the NBA Eastern Conference Finals between the Indiana Pacers and New York Knicks. McAfee was in attendance and asked to fire up the crowd during the contest where he grabbed a live mic and cut a promo calling out celebrity Knicks fans including Spike Lee, Ben Stiller and Timothée Chalamet.
While McAfee’s antics were all in good fun, classic rock legend John Mellencamp wasn’t having it. “The Knicks/Pacers games have been very entertaining for anyone who likes basketball or sports,” Mellencamp posted on X. “I attended Game 4 in Indianapolis. ‘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.”
Mellencamp continued: “I’d say that was not Hoosier Hospitality. One could say it’s poor, poor sportsmanship. I was not proud to be a Hoosier, and I lived here my entire life. 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.”
McAfee responded during “The Pat McAfee Show” and didn’t appear to take any offense. “Shoutout, John Mellencamp; he can feel however he wants,” McAfee said before breaking into a rendition of Mellencamp’s “Pink Houses.”
Prior to that he quote-tweeted Mellencamp’s post replying: “I am ‘somebody.’” McAfee’s replies to Mellencamp and the promo he cut at the game can be viewed below.
