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Dan Dakich reacts to MS NOW host Joe Scarborough’s Pat McAfee take: ‘They look like idiots’
Dan Dakich criticised MS NOW host Joe Scarborough after Scarborough said Pat McAfee had “ruined” ESPN’s College GameDay and linked the show’s reception to a backlash against the manosphere. Dakich said Scarborough and his co-hosts lacked knowledge of football and “look like idiots”, arguing they were commenting on a subject they did not understand.
Dakich also compared Scarborough’s remarks to Tim Walz presenting himself as a football fan during the 2024 presidential campaign. He disputed Scarborough’s account that McAfee was offended by signs held by children, saying the University of Utah had posted footage of them on its official X account. The article gives no audience figures or other data to support claims about the show’s reception.
In short
- Scarborough said McAfee had ruined College GameDay.
- Dakich criticised Scarborough and his co-hosts’ football commentary.
- Dakich disputed Scarborough’s account of signs at Utah.
Steelman: both sides, in good faith
The strongest fair case each way — we don't pick a winner.
The case for
Scarborough’s criticism can be seen as a legitimate judgement about the tone and cultural influence of a prominent sports programme. If McAfee’s style or the show’s response to the manosphere backlash alienates viewers or reinforces behaviour critics find harmful, a political host can reasonably raise those concerns, even without being a football expert.
The case against
Dakich’s strongest point is that criticism of a sports programme should be grounded in an accurate understanding of football and the disputed incident. If Scarborough mischaracterised McAfee’s reaction to the children’s signs, and offered no evidence that the show’s reception had suffered, his claims risk sounding more confident than the facts support.
Explained simply
College GameDay is ESPN’s weekly programme covering American college football, shown before major matches. Pat McAfee, a former professional American football player and broadcaster, joined the programme as a contributor in 2023.
Joe Scarborough is a presenter on MS NOW, a US television news network. Dan Dakich is a sports broadcaster and former college basketball coach; the two men have different backgrounds from McAfee’s in football.
The dispute centres on how commentators judge McAfee’s role and the programme’s reception. College football is a prominent part of US sport and campus culture, so debate about its coverage can draw attention beyond sports broadcasting.