There are a few inalienable rights that America's Founders clearly enumerated in the Declaration of Independence when American colonies said that we don't want anything to do with the British or their 'football.'
Among those rights are life, liberty, and the freedom to resoundingly boo fans of visiting teams in the NBA playoffs.
(It's true. You can look it up in the text.)
And this goes double if those visiting fans are Hollywood celebrities.
In Game 4 of the NBA Eastern Conference Finals earlier this week, the New York Knicks were visiting the Indiana Pacers, who were leading the series 2-1. In the fourth quarter of the game, sports talk host and former Indianapolis Colts punter Pat McAfee was asked to rev up the crowd ... and rev up the crowd he did!
Here is a video of McAfee getting the fans fired up by pointing out a few distinguished guests in the building (along with a little NSFW language):
We don't know about you, but that's pretty darn cool. The crowd responded with an explosion of noise, and the Pacers went on to win Game 4 to take a 3-1 series lead.
Even Ben Stiller took it in stride as all part of the fun by responding to McAfee after the game, 'Come to Game 5, Pat.'
No big deal, right? There were no incidents, no violence, just fans bringing their energy to the game. All just part of playoff sports.
Well, don't tell that to insufferable scold John Mellencamp -- who is known for lecturing his fans at concerts and then storming off the stage if a few people don't agree with his leftist preaching.
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Mellencamp was deeply offended by McAfee's call to boo the New York celebrities, and shook his finger at all of the fans in attendance in a statement he posted on X.
— John Mellencamp (@johnmellencamp) May 29, 2025
Oh, please. Give us a break, will you? You were 'not proud to be a Hoosier'? Wonderful. No one cares.
We hate (love) to be the ones to tell you this, Mr. Little Pink Houses, but saying fans aren't allowed to boo other fans, particularly celebrity fans of the visiting team, is NOT America.
That's not even Canada.
Imagine thinking you have to apologize to New Yorkers for being mean https://t.co/Xs4at754mk
— Michael Duncan (@MichaelDuncan) May 29, 2025
As a 'lifelong Hoosier,' Mellencamp should know that Pacers-Knicks is a long-smoldering rivalry, re-ignited this year.
Any real fan would remember the taunting that Reggie Miller and Spike Lee used to deliver to each other during playoff games in the 1990s.
And all of the fans of both teams got into it and loved it.
🎶I was born in a small town, and I live in a small town. Cried about rich celebrities from New York getting booed in a small town.🎶 https://t.co/grBF6V19vI
— Jake Hudson (@JakeMHudson) May 29, 2025
HA.
Mellencamp is a little like Bruce Springsteen in that he likes to pretend to be a 'working man,' but is immensely rich.
And his self-righteousness is undermined by many people knowing what he is really like in person.
You made me get off the elevator with a woman in a wheelchair at an IU basketball game so that you and your crew could use it please miss me with this holier than thou nonsense https://t.co/p6XmCJOZQi
— Hoosier Beav (@itsTheBeaves) May 29, 2025
That doesn't sound like 'Hoosier Hospitality' to us.
This dude blows off fans, acts better than everyone, and bails out his sons when they violently assault people. F**k John Mellencamp and anything he has to say https://t.co/bkEy1xGG3Z
— Fuck John Mellencamp (@IndianaHooter) May 29, 2025
And that definitely doesn't.
This is rich coming from someone who is well known around Indiana for being one of the biggest jerks to people. Consistently blows off fans and yells at people on stage. Hypocrisy is real with this one. Remember where you came from, John. https://t.co/xhwtmobgzd
— Brandon May (@BrandonDMay) May 29, 2025
Tough crowd, but it sounds like Mellencamp deserves every bit of the ratio he got served with on X.
How embarrassing that you felt the need to do this. @PatMcAfeeShow was amazing and maybe you should understand sports a little more. Musicians have become so soft and whiny
— Brandon S (@BSaarX) May 29, 2025
Neither Ben Stiller, nor Timothee Chalamet, took offense to @PatMcAfeeShow pumping up the crowd by poking fun at the New York celebrities at Game 4 in Indiana.
— Jon Root (@JonnyRoot_) May 29, 2025
I wasn’t a fan of the profanity, but still, this is sports. This is the Playoffs. Stop trying to feminize it…
Even the profanity was pretty mild, all things considered.
So the guy who can't be bothered to stand for the national anthem. Talks about good natured fun of @PatMcAfeeShow dropping a good natured promo on some celebs one of which is a friend of his. Is going to lecture us on decorum.. gtfo with your virtue signal ya twat.
— Christopher Walrath (@The_Walrathsted) May 29, 2025
Just stop... you come to @Colts games and don't stand for the anthemn .. you're in no position to lecture of anything much less "Hoosier Hospitality" https://t.co/j7JLRgAlGm
— Dan Dakich (@dandakich) May 29, 2025
We remember when Mellencamp took a knee in protest on the Stephen Colbert show.
So, he can save his lectures to the rest of us about what is and isn't 'poor behavior.'
But it's ok for you to lecture people at your concerts, right?
— cdub (@willic01) May 29, 2025
You are a clown https://t.co/zxRho3el1L
— CaseyinMo (@caseyinmissouri) May 30, 2025
As usual with the left, it is the height of narcissism for Mellencamp to insert himself into a situation that wasn't even remotely controversial.
Way to make it about yourself when literally no one cares
— Doc Remy LeBeau (@raccoonrocket_) May 29, 2025
He has to keep pretending that he is better than everyone else, or his entire worldview crashes.
https://t.co/fKFfv968UY pic.twitter.com/OEIvFoUadg
— DK (@SupermanDK) May 29, 2025
Mr. Mellencamp, you will NEVER speak for this Hoosier.
— Jennifer ☮️💟 (@jennifer40iu) May 29, 2025
Grow a pair, it's sports, booing and rivalry is fun. https://t.co/tjKnTCI31b
Exactly.
Lighten up, Francis ... err ... we mean, John.
By the way, the Knicks won Game 5 at home last night to close the Pacers' series lead to 3-2. Game 6 will be held back in Indianapolis on Saturday night.
We can only hope that McAfee takes the microphone again and, this time, all the Pacers' fans boo John Mellencamp.
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