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- [00:00]
Toyota Ad Speaker
I don't just stand on business. I live it 24 7. Because you don't become a young entrepreneur by staying stagnant. Whether I'm chasing deals, networking, or taking calls from behind the wheel of my Toyota Crown, I'm always in motion. You may think launching a successful startup is enough to be satisfied, but me, I'm just getting started. It's a new day at Toyota led by a new generation of drivers. And we want you to know one thing. You can't stop my drive. Toyota. Let's go places.
- [00:31]
Mike Wilbon
Pardon the interruption, but I'm Mike Wilbon, and after this show, I'm flying down to New Orleans for the Super Bowl. Tony.
- [00:39]
Tony Kornheiser
Tony Kornheiser. Oh, please. You're heading down there for Friday. By Saturday, you'll be teeing it up in Arizona. Stop. Everybody knows.
- [00:48]
Mike Wilbon
Oh, little Scottsdale National, a little Waste Management. You know, you could stand Arizona Waste Management.
- [00:54]
Tony Kornheiser
That's right, Waste Management. Yeah, where the part three where everybody.
- [00:58]
Mike Wilbon
Goes 16, they go a little bit less nuts. You're born less nut.
- [01:03]
Tony Kornheiser
Welcome to pti, boys and girls. In today's episode, the Lakers land A big the NFL players union reacts to an 18 game season. And Alex Smith joins us for five good minutes. But we begin today with the second shoe finally dropping in the Jimmy Butler trade. He's off to Golden State with a contract extension he supposedly did not want from them. Golden State gave up three players, most notably a former number one overall pick, Andrew Wiggins. Wbon how do you see this playing out for Butler and the Warriors?
- [01:32]
Mike Wilbon
Well, Tony, this is confusing because I think the warriors made themselves better, but I don't know that they, they're going to pay. Who are they going to pass? Like part of this is, you know, people say, well, you can't put them on the team. Well, who are you going to take off? So are the Clippers going to sink? Maybe. I don't think the Clippers made themselves better. The Suns certainly didn't make themselves better. And so they're in that glut of teams from 5 through 12. But I think Jimmy Butler out there and he's got to go into playoff Jimmy mode almost right away. Tony, there's only like 30 and change games left in the season and we're going to get to the playoffs. So him out there with Draymond Green and Steph Curry and Kaminga stays. This is a big deal. I think they're really talented. I think they could get on a run. Do I see them like catching Oklahoma City and Memphis and Houston? No I'm not sure about Denver. The Lakers now have made. We're going to get to them and make themselves better now. But I think if you get in a series with Butler and Draymond and Stephen Curry in a series, you don't necessarily want to get into it with them if those guys are healthy.
- [02:45]
Tony Kornheiser
We're on the same track here, though. I am a little bit more negative than you. A couple of days ago, sat here, we were talking about Kevin Durant going to the warriors. And I said, even with Kevin Durant, I can't see them winning a title. And Kevin Durant's better than Jimmy Butler. You know, I'm. Jimmy Butler is a really good player. But how good are the Warriors? We want them to be good because we like Steve Kerr, we like Steph Curry, we like Draymond Green, but they're not good. They're tied for 11th now. So if Jimmy Butler takes Klay Thompson's place in effect, I still don't think that they can win. I mean, I don't. And what you get with Jimmy Butler, because I think that team is the Titanic.
- [03:25]
Mike Wilbon
Now.
- [03:25]
Tony Kornheiser
What you get with Jimmy Butler is a guy who time and again has proven he will disrupt the team if he's not happy. He will sink a team if he's not happy. What if he starts sidling up to the combustible Draymond Green? You know exactly what's gonna happen. Cause I don't. He's 35. He's gonna be there until he's 37. You're gonna be surprised if he doesn't like it. I'm not going to be surprised. And I think he's a very good. Tony.
- [03:52]
Mike Wilbon
Tony, this is for now and next year, and he's going to be happy. He just got $110 million. I hear what you're saying. And that has come later in each tenure. Later. It doesn't start that way. That's when he's playoff Jimmy. So I'm looking for the best of Jimmy Butler and I'm looking for if those guys could be healthy. They got to get in the mix. They got to get, you know, become a 6. They can't get to 6, 7, 8, 9. But you can't be 11. There's no payoff for 11 or 12. Not happening. The Lakers added another piece to their puzzle last night. LA landed center Mark Williams from the Hornets for Dalton connect Cam Reddish and an unprotected first round pick. Williams is a seven footer, average 16 and 10 for Charlotte this season. The Luca Wanted a player like him, long and bouncy, can catch lob passes. Tone, does this trade make you believe in the Lakers now? Right now, this season?
- [04:54]
Tony Kornheiser
Oh, yes, emphatically yes. They just replaced Anthony Davis, as you say, is a two way player. He's a 16 and 10 guy. He's even got the same fallibility as Anthony Davis because he can't stay healthy either. No, he has played. Let me get the numbers. 84 out of a total of 212 games. That's 40%. That's like getting an advanced degree in Joel embiidism. But if I was Mark Williams, Mike, I would feel like I died and went to heaven. Hit the lottery because I just left an outpost in Charlotte. I go to Los Angeles with Luca and LeBron and I'm a dookie. And I get coached by a dookie. And let's go to the backstory here. They traded for Luca late Saturday night. By Monday, reportedly Luca was in the offices talking to management about what he wanted. A certain type of center, a center like Mark Williams. And by Wednesday they had delivered. So if you have any doubt as to the direction of the Lakers, whether it's going to be towards Luka or towards LeBron, this should alleviate your doubt. It's Lucas team already and he hasn't even played. And LeBron for the first time in his career is Robin and not Batman.
- [06:07]
Mike Wilbon
Yeah, I don't know. You can have two Batmans. I ain't putting LeBron. I'm not putting LeBron also starring. No, LeBron's been playing too well. He's been great. He's been too great this season for me to go there yet. But Tony, I agree with you. The addition, by the way, Rob Pelinka, I mean Rob Pelinka, now you can say Luka fell into his lap, fine, but he had to go out and make these other deals. And giving up connect could not have been easy. But Mark Williams is what. When Luka said what he wanted, he. He's talking about a guy like he used Gafford and Lively last year. Gafford had been on the Bulls and the Wizards and nobody even knew. And all of a sudden in May and even into June, he's throwing them down, you know, like a young Dwight Howard, because that's what happened with Luka. Now Luka gets a guy who puts you in that mindset. Tony, he is not a defender. He not Anthony Davis when it comes to rim protection. But okay, offensively and those guys can, can do that. The lineup they have, which still Includes Austin Reaves. Still includes who? Did I mention Hunter Moore didn't get traded? Dorian Finney Smith, one of Lucas boys from Dallas. They played together three years there. Yes, I believe in the Lakers now. I do, because I don't know the Houston or Memphis are ready to win in the playoffs yet. I think Oklahoma City is. But yes, the Lakers look like a top four, if not better team to both of us. Apparently.
- [07:24]
Tony Kornheiser
On the eve of the Super Bowl, Lloyd Howell, the head of the NFLPA, announced, quote, no one wants to play an 18th game. No one. 17 games for many of the guys is too long. Unquote. Well, Von. Lloyd Howell is your boy.
- [07:36]
Mike Wilbon
Yep.
- [07:37]
Tony Kornheiser
Do you think the players will end up agreeing to an 18th game?
- [07:40]
Mike Wilbon
Yes, they're going to. They'll get lots of concessions. They'll look at the things that matter most to them, like health, to the degree to which they can influence it. The only, you know, league always says, yeah, we. Our number one priority is health and safety. That's a lie. It isn't. The number one priority is Cha Ching. And they are gonna make more money off. They would like the NFL owners, the league, they would like the season to go to Easter. They want to dominate your thoughts from Labor Day to Easter. They'll settle for President's Day. You and I don't acknowledge that we actually remember. We don't remember Abraham Lincoln, you know, and George Washington. We know what President's Day actually is, the holiday that is now trumped up for both their birthdays. The NFL will go that long with the Super Bowl. They'll go to mid February. They'll play these games. They'll get an extra buy. They'll give the players some of what they want. It's going to happen. I love Lloyd Howe for saying, we don't want to do this, but they're going to get caught up in a tidal wave.
- [08:38]
Tony Kornheiser
Yes, I'll answer the question. Do I believe that the players will go for an 18th game? I'll answer it by saying, is the sky blue and are there minerals in Greenland, our next state? Yes, 100%. They're going to go for this because as Lloyd Howell said, there's a wish list. And maybe the wish list is all grass fields, if possible, second by no exhibitions, larger rosters and more money. And they're going to get that because the owners want an 18th game because it goes 12 to 14, 14 to 16, 16 to 18, because 17 is stupid. And you're right, it ends up on President's Day when Monday is a national holiday. In America. So everybody watches the Super Bowl Sunday night. That, as I say, is how we make the peace. That's what's going to happen, you know, and there's money involved. I mean, you're going to player safety is on the margins. Like with kickoffs. It's a violent game. You're going to play the game, get rewarded for playing the game. Let's take a break. Coming up, Andy Reid praised Alex Smith this week for his time when he started ahead of Patrick Mahomes, and we will ask Alex Smith about that.
- [09:45]
Mike Wilbon
We'll also ask him what challenges and maybe opportunities the Eagles defense presents to a Mr. Mahomes. Tony Suppose Vince Lombardi was allowed to come back for a week and he came back in mid February to visit his family. Then you'll say, right, what are you still doing playing football?
- [10:04]
Toyota Ad Speaker
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- [10:34]
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- [11:49]
Tony Kornheiser
It's been brought to our attention that it's also super bowl week, so it's a perfect time to bring in ESPN NFL analyst Alex Smith. Alex, let's start with this. Patrick Mahomes was essentially your understudy during his rookie year at Kansas City. We all know what happened. We all know they chose Patrick Mahomes at that point after that year. Andy Reid said this week that you were the ultimate professional on and off the field. What did you see in Mahomes then and what do you see in Mahomes now?
- [12:22]
Alex Smith
Yeah, that's a great question. I mean, first off, I don't know what Andy was thinking picking Patrick over me, but we'll save that for another time. You know, I think the thing that I try to tell people about Patrick is we get caught up in the, you know, the sidearm passes, the no look passes, all the improvisation. And it looks like it's a little bit of organized chaos, that it's recess. And there is that element to Patrick's game, but more so he wins between his ears. And I don't think that gets talked about enough. And especially these last two years, right, they lost Tyreek. You know, Kelsey's getting a little older, he doesn't have the weapons and he's not throwing for 55 touchdowns like he did early on in his career. And he's really had to morph and adapt his game. And so much of what he's doing, especially last year's playoff run and this playoff run is getting the ball out fast, winning at the line of scrimmage. He's so good at protections. He makes all the calls at the line. They do so many check with me's getting them into the best play. And he's really figured out a different way to win. Listen, he hasn't had a thousand yard rusher or receiver this year. He is that. They are the only team that made the playoffs that can say that. And yet they went 15 and one and here they are going for a three peat. So for me, those, those traits, the grinder Patrick, the guy that's in the film room, the junkie film room, that part of him was evident his rookie year. And I think it's shining out, especially these last two years.
- [13:45]
Mike Wilbon
We're going to ask you to put on a bit of a forecaster hat here because of course the Chiefs traded you to Washington and we're not going to dwell on it. You came back from a gruesome injury. When you watch one of your successors, Jaden Daniels, named today rookie of the year in Washington. Alex, what do you see?
- [14:06]
Alex Smith
It's unprecedented, Mike. It's the greatest rookie season ever. Right. It's the hardest position in sports and he did it like nobody's ever done it. And I think context is important.
- [14:18]
Tony Kornheiser
Right.
- [14:19]
Alex Smith
This is an organization, you said it. That I played for. They've gone through some dysfunction the last couple decades. A lot of people have tried to right that ship and the people that they have in place now. But specifically, Jaden, for a young man to come in, in his first year in the NFL and to go do what he did has just been remarkable. And I'm not going to do it justice with any of my pros here, but I've been so amazed. There's a lot of really athletic players in college and you wonder how they're going to translate to the NFL. And I think it was very clear early on that Jaden, man, the speed and the athleticism did translate. But I think the thing that I was most impressed with was the poise, right? The passing from the pocket under pressure. And we saw that as the season went on. I mean, how many times in clutch situations, late, late in a game, fourth quarter, when this guy was playing at his best. And you just can't, you can't teach that. You can't teach that kind of poise. And this kid has it. And for the rest of that locker room to know that they have a guy, like for that defensive unit to know that they got a guy, listen, if we just give him one more chance, we get the ball one more time, he's going to go win it for us. And you know, the future obviously is bright. That's. That's saying the least for him in Washington and that entire organization. And I couldn't be happier for that fan base. It's a sleeping giant and I, I look forward to what's to come.
- [15:39]
Mike Wilbon
We'll go from long term future to short term is in Sunday. You have familiarity with the club, the football club that is the Philadelphia Eagles. When you see them as a former quarterback, what do you see that that would make you most nervous? Alex? And what do you see that you might be able to exploit that you'll be trying to exploit if you were out there?
- [16:01]
Alex Smith
Yeah, listen, there are not a lot of weaknesses on this roster and specifically on this defense. Right. This defensive line is absolutely elite at the second level. I mean, Bond is an MVP caliber player on the defensive side of the ball. Burks has stepped in for Nakoby. Demon played so well. And then on the back end, the two rookies that have stepped in and played are really, really mature players. And Listen, I was with Vic Pangio for two years. The job he has done this year has been unbelievable. He is so talented and so good from an X's and O standpoint. So the one thing that I think I would target, if there's some place, if I were to pick out a weakness, these two safeties for the Eagles, they're really good players. And the Eagles love to play a shell defense. They play four across on the back end. They try to keep everything in front of them. And these guys are really good tacklers. I would love to try to get a matchup, get these guys in a one on one situation down the field in coverage. I think those are places you can try to exploit. Certainly that Washington took advantage of in their victory over Philadelphia. But the thing that makes me most nervous is, listen, Vic Fangio doesn't have to pressure. He's got four guys up front that can really get after the presser. Jalen Carter is an absolute game wrecker. Requires a double team almost all the time. And then the guys on the edge are really, really good. Nolan Smith Jr. Josh Sweat, Brandon Graham might be coming back. I mean, listen, they got a Rolodex of defensive linemen that can come in and play. And if you can rush four and get pressure, it's a long day for a quarterback.
- [17:28]
Tony Kornheiser
Well, coming off that, we'll ask you to be short and we'll get you out of here on this. Who are you leaning to? Who are you leaning to?
- [17:36]
Alex Smith
I'm totally unbiased, Tony. Listen, again, this Philadelphia team, this roster, what Howie Roseman has built is it's just a juggernaut. They're so good everywhere. There's not a weak position group on that team. That being said, listen, everything against Kansas City, they still always found a way, right? And that coaching staff, Matt Nagy, Spags, Dave Tobe, the coordinators, they have, obviously Andy Reid and then they got 15. The guy that has always found an edge and found a way to win. And if this game's close in the second half, there's no way I'm counting out Kansas City Chiefs.
- [18:12]
Tony Kornheiser
It's great.
- [18:13]
Alex Smith
Be true to your school.
- [18:14]
Tony Kornheiser
That's where you came up.
- [18:15]
Mike Wilbon
Absolutely.
- [18:16]
Tony Kornheiser
Thank you.
- [18:16]
Mike Wilbon
Alex, thanks so much.
- [18:17]
Tony Kornheiser
Thank you.
- [18:17]
Mike Wilbon
Good to have you.
- [18:19]
Alex Smith
Appreciate you guys join us again.
- [18:22]
Tony Kornheiser
We'd love it. Let's take one last break. Still to come, Shay Gilgeous Alexander goes for 50 for the third time in seven games.
- [18:29]
Mike Wilbon
Yeah.
- [18:30]
Tony Kornheiser
Fitty, fitty Shay.
- [18:31]
Mike Wilbon
Yeah. And a few thoughts on Hubie Brown as he prepares to call his last game. And we love Hubie Brown. We do.
- [18:41]
Tony Kornheiser
We love Hubie Brown. It'll probably say that in the script. Let's have Alex back.
- [18:46]
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- [19:17]
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- [20:30]
Tony Kornheiser
Happy time people. Happy 27th birthday. Adley Ruthman, the Orioles switch hitting catcher, was the number one overall pick in the 2019 baseball draft and we came up to the majors. It looked like the Orioles were set behind the plate for a decade or more and Rutchman has been quite good. But there was some adversity last year. Overall, he batted.250 with 19 homers and 79 RBI, which is fine for a catcher. But in his final 58 games, Rutchman hit.207 with three homers and 20 RBI, followed by 1 for 8 in the playoffs.
- [21:03]
Mike Wilbon
Tony I know the Orioles have a cast an ensemble, but winning without Santander, that's going to be hard given his production last year. I know he walked. I don't think I could have let him walk. Bryce Harper left the Nationals, your Nationals, and they won anyway. But it's a tough Act.
- [21:20]
Tony Kornheiser
Happy anniversary, Tony Gwynn. This is posthumous. But around this day, 45 years ago, the future first ballot Baseball hall of Famer recorded 18 assists as the point guard on the San Diego State basketball team. Gwyn remains the Aztecs career leader in assists with 590 and in a single season with 221. In fact, Gwin came to SDSU primarily as a basketball player. Ironically, two SDSU baseball players were struck by a vehicle, opening up an opportunity for Gwin. If not for that accident, Gwin doubted he would have ever played baseball in college. On the Same day in 1981, Gwin was drafted by the San Diego Padres and the San Diego Clippers.
- [22:01]
Mike Wilbon
How about the fact that Gwen had more assists in four years at San Diego State than he had strikeouts in 20 years of major League Baseball after Ted Williams. I mean, isn't Tony Gwynn in a conversation for greatest hitters ever, one of.
- [22:18]
Tony Kornheiser
The greatest hitters ever? Certainly a melancholy trail is to Virginia Hallis. McCaskey, the owner of the Chicago Bears has passed away at the age of 102. McCaskey inherited the team from her father, Bears founder and NFL co founder George Hallis, in 1983. In the ensuing years, different family members have run the team, but McCaskey has always overseen it. Wilbon, this is your team. What are your thoughts?
- [22:42]
Mike Wilbon
A couple, Tony. Growing up knowing that Virginia McCaskey. Talk about direct link to a founder, a pillar of the National Football League. I guess the last direct link as such. And you know what? There's some cities where owners are reviled and annoying. Not the case in Chicago with Virginia McCaskey. Whatever the Bears have been or have not been in terms of performance, nothing but Praise for Virginia McCaskey and sincerest condolences to the Halas McCaskey family.
- [23:12]
Tony Kornheiser
We would like to celebrate the broadcasting finale of the great Eubie Brown. Eubie was 91 years young and has forgotten more about basketball than we will ever know is going to call his final game on Sunday. Over the years we have poked fun at Eubie for his age, calling him a dinosaur and a fossil. We did that because we love him. And we are fossils too. We go back a long way with ub. I first knew him when he coached the Kentucky colonels to the ABA title in 1975. He coached Atlanta, the Knicks and Memphis in the NBA twice was coach of the Year. He's in the hall of Fame. Most of you know him from television where he took the most complicated of basketball concepts and simplified them for all of us. To understand. And we are all better off for having watched UB Brown all these years.
- [23:56]
Mike Wilbon
The cherry on top of any basketball experience, even in the playoffs was going to the game and then going to the hotel lobby and being able to sit and listen to the great Hubie Brown talk about like a graduate school course. He and Dr. Jack Ramsey sitting around talking about basketball for the entire history of the professional sport in America. No treat greater than that. Thank you Hubie for everything.
- [24:19]
Tony Kornheiser
Big finish quickly. Shai Gilgeous Alexander went for 50 for the third time in his last seven games. Your thoughts?
- [24:25]
Mike Wilbon
Best practice player on the best team and he appears to be increasingly unstoppable. The Mets signed Pete Alonso to a two year extension. Is that significant?
- [24:35]
Tony Kornheiser
It's less money than I thought he was going to get, honestly. But I'm glad he stayed with the Mets. De'Aaron Fox, 24 points and 13 assists in his spurs debut. That's significant.
- [24:44]
Mike Wilbon
I see every week they're coming to get you, the Spurs. They could be coming to get you now. Now with Fox in the lineup with wimby, Ohio State added three more years to Ryan days deep. That makes sense to you?
- [24:55]
Tony Kornheiser
Hey can go 03 against Michigan. Last one. Deion said on his podcast he couldn't coach Pro Bowl. Do you take his word for it?
- [25:01]
Mike Wilbon
Yeah. Cause Deion played for enough pro teams great and a couple not so great. He won Super Bowls. Deion knows what the pro game is like and the differences between that and the college game. Yes, I believe Deion. We're out of time.
- [25:15]
Tony Kornheiser
We're trying to do better the next time. Son in law Ron. Happy birthday.
- [25:19]
Mike Wilbon
I'm Mike Wilbach. Same time tomorrow knuckleheads. You can get the podcast on the app or Apple podcasts. And now your Sports center. We'd like to see crack though. We'd like to see that super bowl.
- [25:33]
Tony Kornheiser
Second to the NBA.
- [25:36]
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- [25:39]
Alex Smith
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- [25:45]
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