PTI Podcast Summary – MLB Playoff Predictions (September 24, 2025)

Hosts: Tony Kornheiser & Michael Wilbon
Guest: Steve Young (NFL Hall of Fame QB)
Theme: Insightful, rapid-fire discussion and debate around the MLB playoff races, key baseball storylines, Mike Gundy's firing at Oklahoma State, and NFL quarterback controversies/questions.

Episode Overview

Tony Kornheiser and Michael Wilbon unpack the most pivotal moments in the Major League Baseball playoff hunt—with dramatic collapses, bullpen meltdowns, and MVP performances setting the stage. They scrutinize managerial decisions, preview the chaotic postseason battles, and react to the shocking in-season firing of Oklahoma State's Mike Gundy. NFL Hall of Famer Steve Young joins to break down the challenges facing rookie quarterbacks, whether Lamar Jackson has lost his explosive burst, and how QBs adapt to NFL pressures.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. AL Central Chaos: Guardians vs. Tigers

• Wilbon's Take on Cleveland's Creative Win
  • The Cleveland Guardians beat Tarek Skubal’s Tigers in "preposterous" fashion—two bunt hits, infield singles, and capitalizing on small-ball chaos.
  • “[Jose Ramirez] is the most underrated player in the last 10 years in all of baseball because all he does is whatever his team needs!” – Mike Wilbon [01:57]
  • Wild play: Skubal throws a ball backwards between his legs; leads to a huge inning for Cleveland.
• Kornheiser's Observations
  • Feels like a “meltdown” for both Skubal and Detroit; Tigers’ terrible slide—“Detroit has lost seven in a row and 10 out of 11, 19 of their batters struck out last night.” [04:00]
  • Cleveland maintains playoff momentum, excelling at keeping opponents under three runs.

Memorable moment:
Tony calls himself "the last of the semicolon rangers" in their lighthearted intro [01:13].

2. NL Wild Card Drama and Bullpen Woes

• Kate Horton’s Exit Haunts the Cubs

  • Cubs’ ace leaves with a stiff back; “He has to be whole...getting him out early is wise.” – Mike Wilbon [05:08]
  • Cubs’ rare late-season losing streak: “The Cubs were the only team in baseball not to lose four straight games all season. Now they've lost five straight.” [05:08]

• Mets’ Miraculous Comeback

  • Cubs blow a 5-1 lead, lose to Mets, jeopardizing their playoff seeding.

• Dodgers’ Bullpen Crisis

  • Tony: “No starter goes more than seven...You gotta have a bullpen. If you don't have a bullpen, you can't get to the World Series.” [06:42]
  • Shohei Ohtani dominates as starter, but Dodgers keep losing in relief:
    • “In the Dodgers last seven losses, all seven have been on relievers.” [07:04]
    • “Tanner Scott...now has 10 blown saves. Blake Trinen...is 1 in 7 with a 5.55 ERA.”
  • Wilbon: “Cubs bullpen was no better. They blew a 5-1 lead in Wrigley with the wind blowing in.” [07:54]

3. College Football: Mike Gundy’s Sudden Firing

• Institutional Disrespect?
  • Both hosts strongly disagree with the timing of firing Oklahoma State’s legendary coach Mike Gundy mid-season.
  • Kornheiser: “He’s their John Wooden. He went to school at Oklahoma State...You just—I'm sorry, you can't do this. You owe him the courtesy of letting him finish the year.” [09:37]
  • Wilbon: “It’s a cheesy, low rent move...you wait till the end and you thank him and move him up. You don’t do this.” [10:05]
  • Both compare the situation unfavorably to how blue-blood programs treat legendary coaches.
  • Kornheiser: “I'm beginning to think Oklahoma State disgraced Gundy.” [09:50]

4. NFL QB Talk with Steve Young [13:20–19:26]

Steve Young joins for “Five Good Minutes”:

• Jackson Dart’s First NFL Start (Giants)

  • Steve Young recalls his own rookie nerves: “You could die—there’s no way to get truly ready for this.” [14:19]
  • Emphasis on the need for a strong running game to help a rookie: “If the Giants are going to support a rookie quarterback, you gotta be in the top 10 running team. That’s got to change fast.” [15:03]

• Has Lamar Jackson Lost His Burst?

  • Wilbon worries Lamar is being caught from behind more: “I have this thought...that Lamar is losing or has lost some of his otherworldly burst.” [15:22]
  • Steve Young responds:
    • “Age is undefeated...but it’s okay if it happens because we are developing Lamar Jackson into one of the most sophisticated passers in the NFL.” [15:55]
    • Even with minor decline in athleticism, a better passer can compensate: “He’s never going to lose that ability...if he’s lost a quarter-step, it’s fine.” [16:36]

• Caleb Williams and Level of Competition

  • Steve Young: “With bad defenses, it helps. But it’s not college...the job gets easier for QBs with great coaching relationships.” [17:08]

• How QBs Improve Against the Blitz

  • Young: “You get a lot of help...sometimes guys are smart but on the field, with adrenaline, their mind doesn’t hold up. Simplifying things, running the ball, calms everything down for the QB.” [18:20]

Memorable quotes:

• Steve Young (on Jackson Dart’s rookie nerves): “I remember maybe my second start...I could die. And it was close, it was close.” [14:23]
• Steve Young (on Lamar Jackson’s transition): “We are developing Lamar Jackson into one of the most sophisticated passers in the NFL...it’s getting closer.” [16:10]

5. Rapid Fire – The Big Finish [20:30+]

• Eddie George’s Coaching Trajectory
  • Recognizing George’s transition from star running back to rising college coach at Bowling Green. [20:30]
• Joshua Dobbs’ NFL Journey
  • Celebrating “the Passtronaut,” a nickname earned by Dobbs’ aerospace engineering degree and unique career arc. [21:37]
• WNBA Playoff Recap
  • Lynx blow a huge lead to Mercury; Las Vegas Aces crush Indiana Fever. [22:27]
• Final Short Takes
  • Sister Jean retires at 106 (Loyola legend) [23:20]
  • QB injury notes: Jaden Daniels' limited practice, Michael Penix Jr. keeps starting for the Falcons despite Cousins’ presence [23:43]

Notable Quotes & Timestamps

• Mike Wilbon:
  “Jose Ramirez...is the most underrated player in the last 10 years in all of baseball...” [01:57]
  “The Cubs have just flatlined in the last week of the regular season. It is so cubbish and I am so angry...” [05:08]

• Tony Kornheiser:
  “This guy [Gundy], he’s your John Wooden, he’s your Bob Knight. What are you doing?” [10:05]
  “If you don't have a bullpen, you can't get to the World Series. It’s that simple.” [06:42]

• Steve Young:
  “I could die. And it was close, it was close.” (On facing the ‘85 Bears) [14:23]
  “We are developing Lamar Jackson into one of the most sophisticated passers in the NFL...he doesn't need to be Barry Sanders anymore.” [16:10]
  “When you blitz, I’ve got the threat of running the football at them...it just kind of slows everything down.” [18:20]

Important Segment Timestamps

• MLB Playoff Race Breakdown (Opening–07:54)
• Mike Gundy Firing at Oklahoma State (08:04–11:06)
• Steve Young Interview – NFL QB Deep Dive (13:20–19:26)
• Rapid-Fire Final Takes / “Big Finish” (20:30–end)

Episode Tone

• Playful and Direct: The opening banter sets a lighthearted mood, but pivots fast to informed and often passionate debate on baseball and football.
• Insightful and Analytical: Both hosts dig deep into stats and context, with Steve Young providing candid, thoughtful takes on what separates good from great QBs.
• Opinionated: Kornheiser and Wilbon don’t shy away from calling out shortsighted management moves or calling “meltdowns” as they see them.

Summary Takeaway:
This PTI episode is a meaty, rapid-fire tour through late-season baseball madness and NFL quarterback drama. The Kornheiser-Wilbon dynamic is at its sharpest: part stand-up, part insider roundtable, with Steve Young’s segments offering real NFL wisdom. It’s essential listening for sports fans tracking the playoff race, second-guessing coaching firings, or simply wanting to enjoy the PTI banter.