ESPN’s Pat McAfee and others amplified a false rumor. A teenager’s life was ‘destroyed’

[u/TBP42069]

https://www.nytimes.com/athletic/6245376/2025/04/01/pat-mcafee-espn-ole-miss-student/

[u/Jeff_Banks_Monkey]

When I think of responsible journalism I think of Pat McAfee

[u/sad_bear_noises → u/Jeff_Banks_Monkey]

Can what Pat McAfee does even be considered journalism?

[u/fhota1 → u/sad_bear_noises]

No. This is something I think a lot of people miss about a lot of these morons. Sports commentary and sports journalism are not the same thing. Pat McAfee is not a journalist, hes a commentator.

[u/UltravioletAfterglow → u/fhota1]

And ESPN has decided to move away from journalism and throw stupid amounts of money at a juvenile, obnoxious, overage frat boy and give him a platform for garbage like this. It’s sad for those of us who remember when ESPN prioritized news reporting over bloviating.

[u/MWJohns373 → u/UltravioletAfterglow]

Rip Stuart Scott

[u/Dirty-Ears-Bill → u/MWJohns373]

Stuart Scott was one of the first blow, but I feel like Bob Ley retiring from ESPN was the final nail in the coffin of them even pretending they’re journalists. His show was really interesting and actually dig deep and did some research on their topics

[u/mvs2417 → u/Dirty-Ears-Bill]

Miss folks like Bob Ley, Roy Firestone, John Saunders, and many others.

[u/Happy-North-9969 → u/MWJohns373]

I remember when folks hated Stuart Scott, too.

[u/ftc_73 → u/UltravioletAfterglow]

It's not like that's anything new, they've been platforming Stephen A Smith for decades.

[u/JoeSicko → u/fhota1]

Especially when he's being sued. Then it's 'just jokes' and 'no one should listen to me'... Stop giving these bozos airtime.

[u/0-4superbowl → u/JoeSicko]

God I hate that fucking fallback. Him and Rogan thrive off of that line.

[u/goddamnitwhalen → u/0-4superbowl]

He basically is the sports version of Rogan, lol.

[u/Squawkings → u/sad_bear_noises]

No, it's frat-bro pseudo journalism.

[u/DeathBySuplex → u/Squawkings]

It's not even pseudo journalism, it's just dudes bantering about sports and whatever comes to mind.

[u/StevvieV → u/DeathBySuplex]

That's the biggest problem with journalism today. Way too many people think all media falls under journalism and anyone that writes or has a platform is a reporter.

They don't know there is a difference between a columnist and a reporter. Don't know the difference between sports discussion and journalism

[u/No_Acadia_8873 → u/StevvieV]

Most of what's on "news" channels isn't news, it's Op-Ed (Opinions and Editorials.) Even during their supposedly straight news shows.

[u/GiraffesAndGin → u/DeathBySuplex]

If what they do on his show is journalism, my buddies and I should have Pulitzers by now.

[u/DeathBySuplex → u/GiraffesAndGin]

Do you have a horrible catchphrase and mispronounce words as your schtick?

You should have horrible catchphrases and mispronounce words.

[u/bobby_hills_fruitpie → u/DeathBySuplex]

Pat saw anchorman and made “LOUD NOISES” his whole personality.

[u/GiraffesAndGin → u/DeathBySuplex]

Damn, we only misprounounce words. We're gonna need bad catchphrases.

"Yahtzee!"

[u/MojitoTimeBro → u/GiraffesAndGin]

Yeppers!

[u/CornJuiceLover → u/DeathBySuplex]

He has a podcast on TV, let’s call it what it is

[u/chastity_BLT → u/Squawkings]

It’s not even pseudo journalism. It’s entertainment.

[u/RBJ_09 → u/Squawkings]

No journalism at all. Pat and his show is commentary. There is breaking news occasionally via guests but they are up there to talk about stuff and bring funnies to it for the most part.

[u/Tippacanoe → u/Jeff_Banks_Monkey]

Yeah but he has that disclaimer at the bottom of his “progrum” that he’s an idiot so that gives him the ability to do whatever he wants!

[u/jboogieman81 → u/Tippacanoe]

He and ESPN are gonna find out that disclaimer is meaningless when you talk about someone else's life in a false manner. Gonna be a nice settlement they have to pay the young girl.

[u/onbiver9871 → u/Jeff_Banks_Monkey]

Funny, because when I think of Pat McAfee, my brain still defaults to virus protection lol

[u/0lvar → u/onbiver9871]

Interestingly enough, that McAfee is further off the rails than this McAfee. His adult playtime involved hammocks and him laying on the ground underneath them receiving special deliveries from above.

[u/taleofbenji → u/Jeff_Banks_Monkey]

How did he beat Joe Rogan to the punch?

[u/psuram3 → u/taleofbenji]

People in this thread need to google rush limbaugh if you think Joe Rogan started this current trend

[u/RadonAjah → u/psuram3]

Then ppl need to google Father Coughlin if they think rush started this whole thing

[u/Hot_Improvement9221 → u/RadonAjah]

But Rush actually did start it, in terms of political news.  Rush exploded from being a local Sacramento radio host to national syndication immediately after the FCC dropped the Fairness Doctrine after a federal court ruling.  That was 1987.  

There was nothing like Rush prior to ‘87.  By the early 90s, his stupidity was everywhere.

[u/ohverychill → u/Hot_Improvement9221]

after the FCC dropped the Fairness Doctrine

this seems like it may have been an oopsie

[u/ClaudeLemieux → u/ohverychill]

1980s politics in a nutshell is “we made an oopsie”

[u/Kelmorgan → u/ClaudeLemieux]

More like "we are intentionally ruining society so we can profit and seize control."

[u/Hugo_Hackenbush → u/ohverychill]

It was done during the Reagan administration. There was no oopsie about it.

[u/Hot_Improvement9221 → u/ohverychill]

Yes.  Whoopsie daisy. Same with the Citizens United ruling.  A pair of “my bad”s that probably should get fixed sooner rather than later.

[u/Gardnersnake9 → u/taleofbenji]

Honestly similar to when Joe Rogan watched the Creator Clash clip of Dad eviscerating Matt Watson and fell for the troll that it was an actual father bearing up their own son, just way more harmful to the people involved.

[u/Shewshake → u/Jeff_Banks_Monkey]

I bet he has honorary degrees from Northwestern amd Mizzou because of his work

[u/cmz324 → u/Jeff_Banks_Monkey]

Pat "ALLEGEDLY!" McAfee

[u/KyloSolo723]

ESPN will probably give her $5 in bonus bets as an apology

[u/Scott72901]

McAfee opened his Feb. 26 show talking about his young daughter, how he took her to Disney World (Disney is ESPN’s parent company) and how witnessing his daughter’s “pure joy” brought tears to his eyes.

“Am I a big, sappy softy now that I have a daughter?” he asked his stooges. “I think so.”

Also McAfee: Let's take a stupid Twitter rumor and slander this freshman college student.

[u/IveMadeAnAttempt → u/Scott72901]

Well, you see his daughter is important.

Other people’s daughters are objects.

[u/ElfYamadaFairyQueen → u/IveMadeAnAttempt]

Like Jimmy Haslam he asked his daughter and she said it was OK

[u/johnjaymjr]

So strange that he'd even bring it up on air....like WTF does any of that have even remotely to do with sports.

[u/asmallercat → u/johnjaymjr]

He thought it was funny and he has the critical thinking skills of a 19-year-old meathead fratboy. End of thought process.

[u/AirPurifierQs → u/asmallercat]

I know this is sort of beside the point, but how does McAfee have such a large contingent of young fans? Maybe things have changed, but when I was younger(which wasn't THAT long ago) - the prospect of 40-60 year old guys being our cultural touchstones would have been laughable.

It was always seen that the lamest thing you could do as an adult isn't being off trend or unhip, but to actively try to adopt teenage trends in fashion, language, media, humor, etc.

Not to say we had it all figured out by any means. We had the same sort of morons, they were just closer to us in age.

So it's kind of beside the point, but I am genuinely curious if there's a recent phenomenon at play here because seeing teenagers worship 60 year old Joe Rogan, 50 year old Dave Portnoy, 40 year old McAfee is as if the "hello fellow kids" meme is now considered something to aspire to.

[u/asmallercat → u/AirPurifierQs]

Young people, and young men in particular, have been absolutely fucked up by social media and the 24/7 always online society we have now.

[u/AirPurifierQs → u/asmallercat]

Totally get that. Less interested in why they follow this sort of content as every generation has their idiots they worship. I'm not a "kids these days" guy. And any criticism of the current teenage generation deserves to be leveled at the generations before that failed them.

But what is the driver behind the sudden shift in the youth heroes being 40-60 year old guys?

It wouldn't change anything, I'm just surprised their Rogan/Portnoy/McAfee/etc. aren't 25 years old. For my whole life, the prospect of teenager beings like "you know who I worship? This 50 year old" would have been laughable.

[u/OneX32 → u/AirPurifierQs]

Because those 40-60 year olds have not mentally matured passed their early 20s while maintaining the empirical fact they physically 40+. Physical age does not always track with mental age.

It's much easier to choose as a role model an older male that has the same mental maturity as a 20 year old at 20 years old than it is to change ones mentality at the same age.

[u/Mikhail512 → u/AirPurifierQs]

I mean, he's in his thirties, recently (ish) retired athlete, frat guy energy, and while he can be exhausting, he's also got some legitimately good storytelling ability and jokes from time to time.

His Georgia-Alabama prediction still makes me laugh. Dude's a real shithead a lot, but if you aren't put off by his shithead energy (see: teenage-college age guys), he's not completely untalented in the field, especially when you realize who he's competing against in the space.

[u/ThePhantom1994 → u/asmallercat]

He’s trying to court the Joe Rogan podcast audience to listen to his stuff too

[u/Madpup70 → u/johnjaymjr]

He literally learned how to do Internet Sports talk from Barstool where his show originally started. And Barstool does as much college gossip/slut shaming as they do sports talk. Low and behold, the two other major people being talked about in this article work for Barstool.

[u/soonerfreak → u/johnjaymjr]

I remember it going viral and even if true was like, why the fuck are adult journalist even discussing this.

[u/jeremycb29]

I'm going to be so excited to see his next raise, and gameday schedule because nothing ever happens to people that do this

[u/Ugaalive1991 → u/jeremycb29]

I legit don’t know why people were excited for him coming to Game Day. I didn’t need a frat boy on the set, I need actual analysis.

[u/jeremycb29 → u/Ugaalive1991]

because if you (us) are posting on an online board we are more tuned in to the game, and other stuff. So we want better analysis with the product we watch. However the average fan does not, even twitter is not a majority of fans. Most tune in, want loud sounds and yucks and move out. Thats why people were/are excited, he makes them laugh, and makes it seem bigger somehow.

[u/tc100292 → u/jeremycb29]

what a lot of people do not want to admit is that the target audience for Pat McAfee is the same as the people who get mad when SMU is playing Boise State in the playoff.

[u/jeremycb29 → u/tc100292]

i said that a bit further down, but will say it again. I understand i'm not the target demo, or who advertisers want watching. I'm just a 40sih year old guy that aged out of that bracket. I understand who he appeals to, but fuck do i not like it.

The best way i watched the playoff this year was sky cam with bluesky/reddit live thread. Just the sounds of the stadium it was fantastic.

[u/tc100292 → u/jeremycb29]

I do not know if that demo has actually gotten worse or if ESPN just said “fuck it, give the kids what they want” in a way they did not 20 years ago.

For instance, when I was in college NFL Primetime was appointment viewing every Sunday evening.  Now it’s a thing they stuff on ESPN+ for the olds and the diehards while ESPN main is broadcasting this garbage.

[u/jeremycb29 → u/tc100292]

Its just how we view things. Back when NFL Primetime, or even baseball tonight, there was a finite number of games you could watch. So you would go to the original aggregators to get information about the games, other than from the halftime or early scroll updates. It was a way to watch everything.

Then fantasy and the internet happened and you were able to watch red zone. There was no need for a highlight show. Baseball i think could still use one due to the amount of games, but i digress.

Basically the way games are consumed changed and now the only program that gets views are before the event and not after

[u/LouisRitter → u/Ugaalive1991]

I'm middle-aged, not the prime GameDay audience and was at one of them this season. It was fun. Basically a tailgate environment but more people and energy. Definitely a fun hype before the game.

[u/SucculentCrablegMeal]

Paywall, whats the summary?

Edit: Thanks everyone, I used the read mode. So she has zero connection to sports, her bf only played football in HS. This is really fucked up and I'm confused on how it isn't just straight slander.

[u/rkhurley03 → u/SucculentCrablegMeal]

Chick was accused of hooking up with her boyfriend’s dad. Went viral

[u/SucculentCrablegMeal → u/rkhurley03]

Thanks. Why was McAfee talking about it? How is she related to sports?

[u/LURKER_GALORE → u/SucculentCrablegMeal]

That is exactly the correct question.

[u/gcms16 → u/LURKER_GALORE]

Because 2025

[u/MinimumArmadillo2394 → u/gcms16]

Espn social accounts have turned into barstool. Stealing peoples content and reposting them

Its been this way for about a year.

[u/chickensandmentals → u/MinimumArmadillo2394]

It’s been so weird watching the rise and drain-circling of a sports-journalism empire in my lifetime.

[u/SirShrekThaDank → u/SucculentCrablegMeal]

McAfee's show co-host's/producers, idk their exact titles, were likely scrolling Twitter/X and saw a bunch of "burners" talking about this crazy story. #daddygate was trending, the girl's name was trending, and other accounts picked it up. However, most stayed online on Twitter/X, TikTok, or their podcasts.

She wasn't. Apparently, the connection for her to get mentioned on Pats show that day was that before Pat McAfee had Adam Schefter on his show that day, they also just had Jaxson Dart on. The Ole Miss QB who's going to the draft.

[u/SucculentCrablegMeal → u/SirShrekThaDank]

Thanks, so no obvious reason to bring it up.

I get that this kind of shit trends in smaller local circles, especially with yikyak, where people might know one of the individuals involved. But if you're not local, who cares?

There should be some level of responsibility with having that kind of exposure, from some adult in the room- either mcafee or his producers. They didn't cause it to start going viral, but the choice to mention it on air undoubtedly contributed to increasing it to new levels.

[u/chickensandmentals → u/SucculentCrablegMeal]

Even if you’re local…. Who cares?

[u/Vives_solo_una_vez → u/SucculentCrablegMeal]

Because he's a 37 year old bro who's target audience is half his age.

[u/Tippacanoe → u/Vives_solo_una_vez]

The fact he’s only 37 truly boggles the mind.

[u/md2224 → u/Tippacanoe]

Aging like a banana.

[u/Vives_solo_una_vez → u/Tippacanoe]

You mean the chains and tanks didn't make you think he was in his 20s?

[u/ontha-comeup → u/Tippacanoe]

Neon red whiskey face will do that to you.

[u/P44_Haynes → u/ontha-comeup]

Bert Kreischer speed run

[u/WhoaABlueCar → u/ontha-comeup]

TRT will do that to you. That’s why his face and head are fucked up

[u/9Virtues → u/Tippacanoe]

I can’t be the only one who thought he was 45

[u/Havins → u/Tippacanoe]

We were in college at WVU at the same time. Definitely makes me feel old that people are considering Pat old now.

Hung out with him a few times and he was exactly the same then as he is on TV today. Guy never had/has an off button.

[u/NotHannibalBurress → u/Havins]

I’m around his age, but he looks closer to mid 40s than mid 30s. Also I don’t act in a way that is meant to cater to 17-22 year olds.

[u/tosss → u/Vives_solo_una_vez]

I thought he was pushing 50. lol

[u/Lavaswimmer → u/SucculentCrablegMeal]

Good question lol. The girl was part of an Ole Miss sorority and it was a part of the “SEC burner” trend going around on Twitter where frat boys would make stupid twitter accounts with other SEC dudes and crack jokes (the jokes are often racist). It went viral on “SEC Burner Twitter” which shares a lot of overlap with sports twitter in general. That’s about it, it really isn’t related to sports other than how it "happened" at an SEC school and lots of sports people were talking about it

[u/Jack12404 → u/Lavaswimmer]

SEC burner twitter is one of the worst online communities I’ve ever seen. They’ll take pictures of random people and post it to make fun of them, and they’ll blow up the most ridiculous rumors just for the fun of it.

[u/mistergrime → u/Jack12404]

Are these the weirdos who are always posting pictures of their golf shirts and the knit belts?

[u/Jack12404 → u/mistergrime]

That’s exactly what that group is. That’s honestly the most tame thing they do surprisingly.

[u/mistergrime → u/Jack12404]

I’m sure a collection of semi-anonymous SEC frat kids are capable of much worse than a strange fixation on a particular brand of golf apparel. I don’t know if that makes me old or just #blessed that that’s all that my algorithm has given me from that crowd.

[u/Lavaswimmer → u/Jack12404]

Agreed. Always disgusted me when one of their posts would show up on my feed

[u/obunga999 → u/Jack12404]

All of the cfb burner accounts are cesspools. Oklahoma state has a guy that’s gone on a crusade to “save” white people in Africa and bring back Rhodesia

[u/Belongs-InTheTrash → u/Lavaswimmer]

God some people desperately need to get a life outside the internet

[u/Hot_Most5332 → u/SucculentCrablegMeal]

Pat Mcafee recently went on a rant praising Saudi Arabia for their contribution to women’s rights and women’s sports. You can’t ask logical questions when you’re talking about him… you’ll just make your head explode.

[u/mcnuggets83 → u/Hot_Most5332]

Yeah that was weird. Surprised more people aren’t talking about that.

[u/Hugo_Hackenbush → u/mcnuggets83]

Not that weird when you remember he works for WWE, which takes a ton of money from the Saudis and has made a habit of hosting major events there.

[u/Luka_Dunks_on_Bums → u/SucculentCrablegMeal]

This conversation was brought up during the combine, they shoehorned it in as a lead into Jaxon Dart.

[u/The_Magic → u/SucculentCrablegMeal]

According to the article that particular episode was filmed at The Combine and Ole Miss came up in a conversation about Jaxson Dart. From there Pat spent two minutes talking about this story he saw on Twitter.

[u/tydye29 → u/SucculentCrablegMeal]

To get clicks. That's it.

[u/EastonMetsGuy → u/SucculentCrablegMeal]

She isn’t and that part of the major issue

[u/GeddyVedder → u/SucculentCrablegMeal]

His show is more about pop culture than it is about sports.

[u/FreelancingAstronaut → u/SucculentCrablegMeal]

man they could not wait to talk about it that day, it was really weird. kept waiting for the connection to sports

[u/jayjude → u/rkhurley03]

Started as a rumor on YikYak (didn't know that had a revival, it crashed hard in 2015 when I was in college) it migrated to Twitter, for some unknown reason Macfee decided to bring it up on his combine show with Schefter, other sports reporters also pick it up

[u/_Floriduh_ → u/jayjude]

No way, is Yik Yak back?! That was a wild time in social media history.

[u/PrinceOfWales_ → u/_Floriduh_]

It’s not as fun as it used to be. Don’t ruin the good memories by trying this version

[u/_Floriduh_ → u/PrinceOfWales_]

Oh I have zero desire to go back lol. It was a great app that started to get very toxic very quickly

[u/HokiesforTSwift → u/PrinceOfWales_]

I used it for silly reasons back in its original run, but it was always used for nasty rumor mongering.

[u/StylisticArchaism → u/SucculentCrablegMeal]

He teases the subject, asking Schefter: “Have you heard about Ole Miss?” One of his cohorts says, “There is a ménage à trois …” that, McAfee adds, “has really captivated the internet.” After some more buildup, McAfee dives in.

"Some Ole Miss frat bro, k? Had a K-D (Kappa Delta) girlfriend,” McAfee says, and then he stresses the word “allegedly.”

"At this exact moment, this is what is being reported by … everybody on the internet: Dad had sex with son’s girlfriend.” Another person on set chimes in – “Not great” – and then McAfee adds: “And then it was made public … that’s the absolute worst-case situation.”

[u/SucculentCrablegMeal → u/StylisticArchaism]

Thanks! I was able to read it with the read mode.

This is what I was confused about, is the bf a football member? It seems he played football in HS but not in college, so I have no idea why this would ever be brought up at all. Also don't really see why this would trend at all if they're just 2 random people.

Really bizarre.

[u/alabamdiego → u/StylisticArchaism]

“Being reported by everyone on the internet”

What a fucking clown statement

[u/WMINWMO → u/alabamdiego]

You think that people would just go on the internet and lie?

[u/Photodan24 → u/alabamdiego]

Code for: I didn't bother to check my sources.

[u/forwardathletics → u/StylisticArchaism]

Nearly 40 years old talking about college gossip. Sign o' the times.

Also, of course it *originated at an Ole Miss frat, the second layer of Hell.

[u/MaxPower91575 → u/forwardathletics]

the guy has the mentality of a high schooler. I have no idea how people stand him yet childish bullshit seems to do well these days.

[u/TheAndrewBrown → u/forwardathletics]

It’s also just really not that interesting. He’s acting like this is the first time that’s ever happened. Spend 5 minutes on TIFU or AITA and you’ll read 1000 stories like that (although most of those are likely fake as well, but obviously that’s not getting in the way of his enjoyment).

[u/lidore12 → u/TheAndrewBrown]

Did Pat never stay home sick from school and watch Jerry Springer? You can’t throw a rock in this country without hitting someone involved in an incestuous love triangle. Or are you going to tell me none of those stories were real either?

[u/Fools_Requiem → u/StylisticArchaism]

McAfee adds: “And then it was made public … that’s the absolute worst-case situation.”

🤔🤔🤔

maybe don't make it worse, you fucking nob

[u/cooterdick → u/SucculentCrablegMeal]

Open it in reader mode once it opens and you’ll be able to access

[u/Mr_Anthropic_ → u/SucculentCrablegMeal]

McAfee’s a chode.

[u/EnigmaForce]

The following day, McAfee became the most influential sports personality to address the rumor when he shared it with his ESPN viewers. (His show also has 2.8 million subscribers on YouTube.) But he was not alone. Former NFL receiver Antonio Brown posted a meme about Cornett on X. Two Barstool personalities — KFC Barstool and Jack Mac — referenced the rumor on their personal social media accounts (the former posted a video that was later deleted, and Mac promoted a memecoin with Cornett’s name on X).

Just an all-star class of dip shits

[u/HeySadBoy1]

And the closest thing we’d get to an apology from McAfee is a “we are a very dumb progrum. We do not always get it right. chuckles from the peanut gallery. We say every day that we are dumb stooges. Sorry baht it.”

[u/ZeldaFanBoi1920 → u/HeySadBoy1]

That's EXACTLY what he'll do, unless ESPN and the lawyers tell him to stfu because of the lawsuits

[u/Thickwhisker94 → u/HeySadBoy1]

It’s the Rogan effect. Say dumb outlandish shit to millions, but when consequences come from what they say, we are the ones “hindering free speech and trying to cancel them”. The classic “I’m an idiot monkey, why would you ever listen to me”. Then they all blanket their content as “comedy”. But they aren’t telling jokes, they are stating stuff as fact. And our pathetic world keeps eating it up. McAfee got to ESPN because he does numbers, not because of any journalistic integrity.

[u/stringfellow-hawke]

Was he wearing a sleeveless blouse at the time?

[u/UnderwhelmingAF → u/stringfellow-hawke]

And probably standing up and pushing down on his desk to make his triceps look bigger.

[u/Initial-Deal9045 → u/UnderwhelmingAF]

And a beer on the table so that we don’t forget that he’s just regular blue collar guy.

[u/Brumski07 → u/Initial-Deal9045]

With a PIP of a sentient thumb smoking a cigar in front of a fake bookcase

[u/tausk2020]

Remember, this could have beenn your daughter, sister, niece...who will live this this trauma for now, and will forever feel haunter. The internet never forgets and always resurfaces.

[u/missmoonriver517 → u/tausk2020]

The metaphor her dad gives about watching your child getting dragged by a car… a car that never stops, that you can never catch- is truly heart shattering.

[u/HighYieldBlond]

McAfee is catching flak but he is not the only one. Even Josh Pate spread the rumor.

[u/LoverOfCurves72]

Just awful. And all the people calling her, her parents, even her grandparents and saying horrible things about her. Just despicable. I hope McAfee and these other tools pay for their role in this.

[u/piemaniowa → u/LoverOfCurves72]

Best ESPN can do is continue to put him front and center of their programming

[u/smitherenesar → u/piemaniowa]

Disney hasn't been known for being a very ethical company ever

[u/CornHooker → u/LoverOfCurves72]

No one ever pays for their roles in these kinds of things. Think about how often rumors get spread about coaches having affairs or staffers having affairs that just get accepted as truth with zero regard for the people and their families. This situation is different because she's a teenager but, like all the others, this will eventually fade away from most peoples' memories and just be one of those "remember when there was that Ole Miss rumor" type of things

[u/Aggravating-Cup899 → u/CornHooker]

Think about how often rumors get spread about coaches having affairs or staffers having affairs that just get accepted as truth with zero regard for the people and their families.

💯 You see those kinds of posts show up here all the time.

[u/EffOffReddit → u/Aggravating-Cup899]

It's not right either but she has literally no connection to sports. She just got her life upended so pat could talk about sex.

[u/KingVladimir → u/LoverOfCurves72]

I despise the proliferation of McAfee/barstool/etc types in mainstream media. I would feel so alienated as a female sports fan, that it would probably drive me away. Awful for sports in general.

[u/WHOA_27_23 → u/KingVladimir]

Oh you wanted to just watch sports? Sorry pal. If you don't have a mouth full of zyn and 16 open parlays, you might as well hit the trail

[u/tc100292 → u/WHOA_27_23]

It’s really truly sad that sports is just gambling now.  They’re creating shit like TGL and the College Basketball Crown out of thin air that exists for literally no reason other than gambling.

[u/GoldStandardWhey → u/tc100292]

TGL isn't just for gambling, wrong on that one, but do follow your point.

[u/Dukester10071 → u/KingVladimir]

It's for sure not just sports. Literally all of mainstream media nowadays is at best biased and dishonest and at worst downright manipulative. They ruin peoples lives with no reprecussions. This is just one example.

[u/AtBat3 → u/LoverOfCurves72]

They won’t. McAfee and Barstool will go on and act like nothing happened, people will be outraged and forget about it in a few weeks and they’ll never face consequences. The government is using the same playbook right now.

[u/SSPeteCarroll → u/LoverOfCurves72]

I hope McAfee and these other tools pay for their role in this

And you can pay too! Sign up today with ESPNBET and use promo code “FrattyPat” for $100 in bonus credits!

They’ll continue to put him front and center, have his show in prime slots, and throw gambling ads with him at you.

[u/funksoldier83]

He’s such a toolbag. We live in an era of deeply unserious people wielding tremendous influence.

[u/asmallercat]

Jesus Christ this situation is so absolutely fucked up in a way that only the modern internet era allows.

Word spreads so fast that people figure out where her dorm room is and slip messages under her door - as a woman this is likely fucking terrifying because now a bunch of weirdos know exactly where you live, so she has to move to emergency housing.

Someone posts her phone number online so she gets spammed with disgusting voice and text messages.

Her mom's house gets fucking swatted.

What kind of fucking psychopath sees a dumb rumor on YikYak and decides to look up the girl's name and fucking call or text her or figure out where she lives to slip notes under her door? Even if it was true, what the fuck are you doing? Get a life and some empathy.

I hope ESPN uses this as an excuse to fire McAfee, he's clearly an absolutely shitty human for doing this and he also sucks as a content creator and if I never had to hear about him again it would be a boon. I also hope she fucking takes him to the cleaner - I'm getting real tired of rich people in this country never facing consequences for any of the shitty things they do. As she's not a public figure she'd got a pretty damn strong defamation/libel case.

[u/killafofun → u/asmallercat]

I don't understand what compels people to contact complete strangers via phone or text or going to their house to harass them.

[u/FriendToPredators → u/killafofun]

Because if they stopped projecting outward the light would shine instead on their own dark selves they never bother to address and fix

[u/that_hansell → u/killafofun]

because their own lives are pathetic and garbage by their own standards. so they project and do shit like this to feel anything about life. plus the internet lets you do this without being caught if you know what you're doing.

McAfee is fucking clown shoes.

[u/Zeyz → u/killafofun]

Genuinely someone could be the worst person on earth and I wouldn’t do that. But now you see a new witch hunt on tiktok every other day that has half the people in the comments doxxing them. I think we as a collective have lost all empathy and common sense, and there’s way too many people with nothing better to do.

[u/TXDragon0398 → u/asmallercat]

ESPN can’t afford to fire him and even if they could they wouldn’t. ESPN is just 24 hours of Stephen A and Pat saying the dumbest thing imaginable and then spending a week doubling down on it. It’s legit barely sports at this point

[u/kingtanti13 → u/TXDragon0398]

It's wild to watch the MTV cycle play out again in the sports world. Channel dedicated to music videos (sports) but then feels the need to fill time and keep viewers (not enough US pop music or US sports) so starts showing shitty clickbait reality TV shows (Real World, Road Rules, SAS/Skip, PM) that drive engagement but are complete garbage. Eventually ends up with an MTV4 or whatever (the Ocho lol) that is back to showing music videos (sports).

[u/nesper → u/kingtanti13]

espn used to run a fair amount of lower spectator sports and competitions (poker) which was great filler content. Much better than talking heads all day

[u/cheerl231 → u/nesper]

eSports should have sold themselves to ESPN to be that filler content. Now it's too late and all eSports are dead (at least in North America)

[u/asmallercat → u/TXDragon0398]

Well it's that and shitty gambling content that pushes the espn gambling app.

[u/blainetheinsanetrain → u/asmallercat]

McAfee has a daughter, right? Like, WTF, dude...put your daughter in that girl's shoes someday.

[u/Capital-Doughnut362 → u/blainetheinsanetrain]

Read the article in full. He started that same episode talking about their recent trip to Disney.

[u/Unhelpful_Idiot]

If even a quarter of what I did as a freshman was out there for everyone to judge... I'd either be dead or a podcaster using griftpolitics to cope with my soul being dead.

Both routes are equally as bad.

[u/CrookedWarden19]

Pat LookAtMe doing something douchey? Never!

[u/doey77 → u/CrookedWarden19]

Pat “Look At Me But If I Upset You It’s Just a Joke Haha” McAfee

[u/HippityHopMath]

Pat McAfee did a shitty thing? Why, I never!

[u/Overhillflash]

Pat McAfee is an entertainer. He is not a journalist but he has a forum. Like others, people choose to obtain information from his show. When one has a following there is an obligation, whether they want it or nor, to express the truth or reasoned opinions. Of course you can have fun but her statement was spot on. “When you begin to have a following like (they do), you have a responsibility to society and to the people you speak about. You have to know the impact of what you might be saying and how it might affect them. And to not consider that is ignorant and naive at best, and malicious and deceitful and hurtful at worst."

It was a lack of respect for someone he did not know. These hosts do not care about some of the consequences. They say there are too many attorneys but in our society, but losing money is sometimes the only cure.

[u/DamNamesTaken11]

Why ESPN/Disney think Pat McAfee is worth what they pay him when he is the Alex Jones and Joe Rogan of the sports world, and adds frat boy level “humor”, I don’t know.

After Aaron Rodgers insinuated that Jimmy Kimmel is a pedophile, ESPN should have tightened McAfee’s leash and warned him. Obviously not however.

[u/mightyducks2wasokay]

I'll never understand how people can be so cruel to strangers... whoever is harassing her, calling her grandfather, and swatting her mom are despicable

Shame on everyone who publicized this story, but with absolutely no love in my heart, FUCK the people harassing this person for absolutely NO reason

God damn people suck. Hope she gets justice... the very least ESPN could do is compensate her for unwillingly being content for them

[u/ArchEast → u/mightyducks2wasokay]

I'll never understand how people can be so cruel to strangers

Because

people suck

[u/LyonsKing12_]

I cant believe this many people like Pat McAfee.

I can't get him off my screen fast enough.

His voice makes me want to rip my ears off.

[u/Offi95]

Soulless people amplified falsehoods to make a ton of money on it

[u/thabe331 → u/Offi95]

One of them even tried turning this into a shitcoin? These people are absolutely scumbags

[u/Gidnik]

Imagine being that poor girl and her family.

[u/Gigantor2929]

I’ve said it a bunch before but this gives me another reason to say it…Fuck Pat McAfee

[u/BadGuppy1166]

He and his show should get punted.

[u/OpportunityDue90]

Why aren’t Barstool and Old Row catching shit for this too? They, along with McAfee, spread this. I hope she sues the ever living hell out of ESPN, McAfee, Portnoy and whoever the fuck runs Old Row.

[u/_SheWhoShallBeNamed_ → u/OpportunityDue90]

Barstool gets called out in the article, along with an ESPN radio host

[u/JScrib325]

Tbh McAfee was much better before he had the ESPN machine behind him.

Now it's just a growing trend that ESPN is moving away from sports journalism and moving into characters and hot takes.

[u/G00dSh0tJans0n]

McAfee has been trying to out Barstool Barstool and he’s finally done it. Congrats Pat you’re finally a bigger asshole than that Portnoy sack of shit.

[u/Eschatonbreakfast]

Like even if it was true I was never really sure why I was supposed to care about some random college students love life?

[u/thesagaconts]

Free article: https://brobible.com/culture/article/mary-kate-cornett-plans-to-sue-pat-mcafee/

[u/turbols3]

It’s almost as if Pat McAfee is a giant douche.

[u/thenowherepark]

Paywalled. Can't read.

Anyways, Pat McAfee and ESPN thriving on this low life bullcrap. Gets clicks, gets revenue. Until they're held responsible for continuously spewing garbage from their mouth, they'll continue.

[u/Few-Peanut8169]

That closing about McAfee mentioning his daughter…I hope he reads that and feels some tiny modicum of shame. I ain’t holding my breath tho

[u/TLEH-IV]

I honestly couldn’t believe people were believing the story when it was being talked about. Felt like some bullshit you read on r/RelationshipAdvice. Then the “proof” is some screenshot of a Snapchat message? This whole thing was insane. I feel terrible for that girl.

[u/itsagoodtime]

McAfee is a joke. Is his time over yet? When does he go away.

[u/cowboys_r_us]

He's a shock jock and for some reason, over the years, media has accepted this type of behavior. Don Imus, Pat McAfee, Steven A Smith, Jason Whitlock, etc

[u/Conscious-Sir-1596]

I watched about 10 minutes of the first Gameday when McAfee first joined. Turned the channel and haven't been back since. SEC and even Big 10 shows are far superior, IMO. Dude is a douche and ass clown.

[u/theTIDEisRISING → u/Conscious-Sir-1596]

When Paul Finebaum is the more bearable person to spend your Saturday mornings listening to, you know Gameday fucked up

[u/wisertime07]

I'm all for canceling this shitbag. I've been getting downvoted for years for not buying his bs, I'm all for more Saban, less gold chains and wife beaters.

Edit and wtf is up with my flair?

[u/caduceuz]

It doesn’t matter if you don’t take Pat McAfee seriously as a journalist. He has a platform that reaches millions of people. He and ESPN have a responsibility to not spread lies and gossip. They know better and should do better.

[u/evilcheesypoof]

Pat/ESPN and anybody else with a big enough following that spread this should definitely be sued for slander/libel.

I’ve had a false rumor spread about me when I was younger in a way smaller scale and it deeply affected me, this is currently legitimately ruining her life and affecting her family. Her mom got swatted over it, people can die from that. She has a real fear that it could affect her future employment.

[u/Sonsofthesuns]

lol I remember hearing this, this was already a huge story when it was mentioned, for like 5 seconds, and then never brought up again

[u/LAFan4]

This is what happens when podcasters with low journalistic standards become the mainstream.

[u/josephcj753]

Hope she sues them to hell for defamation

[u/BeefOneOut]

McAfee is an insufferable douchebag. However there are so many of his kind at this point, so he is successful. Can’t stand listening to that utter meathead…

[u/GlobalSouthPaws]

Disgusting.

I hope he has to work fast food night shift the rest of his life.

[u/withomps44]

What sort of awful person actually reaches out to this girl and does this shit? World is crazy.

[u/m1kesolo]

I have always found Pat entertaining, to a point.

However, this is one of those situations where I hope the girl extracts every possible penny from all these clowns she can get.

[u/AZFUNGUY85]

Man. Wtf McAfee. Last I heard McAfee like to blow men in Love’s bathrooms. Just a rumor tho. But let’s share it for all to take as gospel.

[u/TheSavageDonut]

I hope she sues and wins something.

[u/goofyhalo]

We got rid of David Pollack on College GameDay for this???

[u/gunsupkliff]

Fuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuk McAfee and ESPN

[u/idkman_93]

People crow about how "independent media" covers the things people REALLY want to know and tells the REAL truth... which is all well and good until lawyers get involved and you have a possible slander/libel case on your hands.

Anyone who's taken even a 100-level mass media course understands this. McAfee, somehow, even with all this money on the line, does not.