A former Cougar has a bone to pick with a former Colts punter.
John Mellencamp was so bothered by what Pat McAfee did during Game 4 of the Eastern Conference finals between the Indiana Pacers and New York Knicks that the Grammy Award-winning singer-songwriter took to social media to voice his displeasure and apologize ‘on behalf of most Hoosiers.’
Mellencamp was at Gainbridge Fieldhouse when the Pacers took a 3-1 series lead on Tuesday, May 27, when the ESPN and WWE host riled up Pacers fans inside the arena during a timeout in the fourth quarter. McAfee used a few expletives while encouraging the crowd’s boos of Hollywood stars Timothee Chalamet, Ben Stiller and Spike Lee, all who were in attendance and rooting for the Knicks.
Mellencamp, 73, didn’t mention McAfee by name but chastised him for a lack of ‘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,’ Mellencamp wrote. ‘The audience booed these people. I’d say that was not Hoosier Hospitality. One could only say it’s poor, poor sportsmanship. I was not proud to be a Hoosier, and I’ve 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 acknowledged Thursday he is the ‘somebody’ to whom Mellencamp is referring. The former Indianapolis Colts punter, who based his daily sports talk show in Indianapolis, did not attend Game 5 on Thursday night at Madison Square Garden despite a social media invitation from Stiller in the aftermath of his antics. The Knicks beat the Pacers, 111-94, with Chalamet and Kylie Jenner, Stiller, Lee, Tracy Morgan and Shaboozey among the celebrities in the New York crowd.
The Knicks and Pacers meet again for Game 6 back in Indianapolis on Saturday, May 31. Indiana leads the Eastern Conference finals, 3-2.
