Joe Rogan interviews Pat McNamara

[Ed L]

Just listened to the podcast.

For a year or so back in the mid-80’s, Mac and I were assigned to different companies in 3rd Battalion, 1 SFG(A) at Ft. Lewis, WA. I bumped into him on a couple of battalion-level overseas deployments and occasionally at social events—he and my best friend were on the same ODA—before he left for more interesting places.

The Mac that you heard on the podcast was the professional version—the one he presents to strangers. The Mac that you see on YouTube and Instagram is the Mac that you’d see in the chow hall, on the range, around the team house, or over beers in somebody’s back yard. That’s also the Mac who ran the two-day carbine and pistol class that I took with him in 2012.

He has been like that at least since he was a Staff Sergeant, and he may have been born that way.

Very interesting. How was his persona perceived by other soldiers in his unit?

Also, if I remember correctly, he retired a SGM. So I imagine he must have done somethings right.

[Mike C]

On this note. I just listened to one of his podcasts for the first time yesterday. There was an interview he did with another team member who suffers from severe TBI and PTSD. It was pretty interesting and truly inspiring. PM’s former team mate basically said PM is the same dude and it’s not a show. If I remember correctly he said you get wasabi or no wasabi when it came to PM.

[Duke]

I’ve trained with Mac since 2016

He is pragmatic. Requires high accuracy in each drill and avoids silliness of many kinds.

Hard to find fault with this material.

Also I’m one of those dudes that brought KBs, sledge hammers and resistance bands for range workouts

[okie john]

Very interesting. How was his persona perceived by other soldiers in his unit?

Also, if I remember correctly, he retired a SGM. So I imagine he must have done somethings right.

There is no persona. That's who he is. He understands in his bones how warriors are meant behave and he lives that life.

When I was around him, he absolutely led by example and plenty of people with far more rank could have taken a leaf from his book. He was as close to being 100% squared away as anyone I've ever seen. He did not suffer fools gladly and diplomacy played no part if he felt that an on-the-spot correction was in order. On the other hand, he also worked hard to ensure that everyone around him was as close to being 100% squared away as possible. Those of us who were squared away (or were trying to be) had no problem with him. Others might have found him tedious.

I am not claiming that Mac followed the rules. He did not. He and a couple of other guys on his ODA carried out some of the most epic military misbehavior that I have ever encountered, but those are not my stories to tell.

And yes, he did retire as a SGM. He found a place where they understand people like him and he damned near ended up running the show.


Okie John

[Ed L]

There is no persona. That's who he is. He understands in his bones how warriors are meant behave and he lives that life.

Thanks, okie john. When I meant persona, I meant the way high octane personality he puts forward in his videos and the training field.

That is what I perceived from when you wrote:

The Mac that you heard on the podcast was the professional version—the one he presents to strangers. The Mac that you see on YouTube and Instagram is the Mac that you’d see in the chow hall, on the range, around the team house, or over beers in somebody’s back yard.

I always thought that his personality in the videos was put on and high octane, but it never really bothered me for a number of reasons. First, his background earns tremendous respect. Second, he seems very enthusiastic and is not putting anyone down or belittling people.

I think he is an exercise and conditioning fanatic and brings that into play in his videos, showcasing his unique persona and getting him exposure and viewers whom he hopes to draw students from. Listening to his interview with Joe Rogan confirms what I thought--that he is seeking to lead by example. Even if someone cannot do the workouts that he does (which would be most people) seeing him and his enthusiasm will hopefully encourage people who are not exercising to exercise, and encourage those who exercise to push it up a not or two. His high octane delivery would not bother me since I am accustomed to it from seeing his videos and he seems like a genuine guy.

[TSH]

I’ve trained with Mac since 2016

He is pragmatic. Requires high accuracy in each drill and avoids silliness of many kinds.

Hard to find fault with this material.

Also I’m one of those dudes that brought Kbs, sledge hammers and resistance bands for range workouts

You know whats cool about those photos? Nobody is dressed like they maxed out their credit cards on the 5.11 website. Granted, I can only see a few people, but a bunch of overweight guys wearing OPs-Core helmets is noticeably missing. We need to get to a spot where the trend setters and shot callers in the training game start telling people to show up for the classes dressed like they could get down to business and immediately afterwards blend in with the community, if for no other reason than they won't appear like they were looking for a fight.

For those that know him, why does he wear that towel/rag tucked into the front of his waistband. Off the cuff, I imagine it is sweat related, but I'm not high-speed so it may have a use that never occurred to me.

I have never met him, and my personality is definitely not like his, but I never got the impression he is anything but genuine. I know other people like him (the field I work in is filled with them), and that has always been the way they are wired. I don't have the energy to be that way, but I'm glad somebody does...

[Warped Mindless]

I always thought Pat to be genuine.

Anyone who thinks his persona is a puton to get views has never hung around a bunch of "metal heads" or been ro many metal concerts.

* I may or may not go to waaaay to many metal concerts
..

[Larry Sellers]

Took a course with him up here in CT, he grew up about 20 minutes from where I live now. Sure he can be intense, but I enjoyed the course with him. Because of some of our silly laws here he had to "borrow" some glock magazines to run in the class and they were less than good. He was doing a demo and he had the ever dreaded "click" instead of the boom. I was to his right and after he got the gun running he looked at me and said "holy shit was that click as loud as I thought it was?!?"

Humility, I dig it.

[Blades]

For those that know him, why does he wear that towel/rag tucked into the front of his waistband. Off the cuff, I imagine it is sweat related, but I'm not high-speed so it may have a use that never occurred to me.

I was wondering the same thing. During the summer I tuck my towel on my left side because I sweat like a pastor who sees he's favorite hooker in church. I can wipe my face, let it hang to dry, wipe again.

[Duke]

You know whats cool about those photos? Nobody is dressed like they maxed out their credit cards on the 5.11 website. Granted, I can only see a few people, but a bunch of overweight guys wearing OPs-Core helmets is noticeably missing. We need to get to a spot where the trend setters and shot callers in the training game start telling people to show up for the classes dressed like they could get down to business and immediately afterwards blend in with the community, if for no other reason than they won't appear like they were looking for a fight.

For those that know him, why does he wear that towel/rag tucked into the front of his waistband. Off the cuff, I imagine it is sweat related, but I'm not high-speed so it may have a use that never occurred to me.

I have never met him, and my personality is definitely not like his, but I never got the impression he is anything but genuine. I know other people like him (the field I work in is filled with them), and that has always been the way they are wired. I don't have the energy to be that way, but I'm glad somebody does...

Rag in the front cleans glasses, sweat and chin spit from dip.


To the point about regular dudes -

No one is going to rock up to a Mac class (or Haley, costa, many others) and get anywhere trying to be pretend operators. So that said - Joe regular is the norm.