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A
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B
Hard an interruption, but I'm Pablo Torre. Tony, thank you for having me as your co host today.
C
I'm Tony Kornheiser. It's my way of keeping you out of my financial records. Yeah, that's an inside joke, kids. That's inside.
B
It's increasingly outside. Yeah, it's ever more outside. But I'm on it. I'm looking into things. I'm finding out about you.
C
Welcome to dti. Most of it is lies. Welcome to dti, boys and girls. Wil Von Koon. Break the tape on the week. So here to do his job for him is our great friend and burgeoning Internet folk hero, Mr. Pablo Torre. Pablo Torre. Big cheers for Pablo. And we begin today with last night's Buffalo win over Miami, 31 21. The spread was 11 and a half, so Miami covered the game, stayed reasonably close all night. They were tied 21, 21 in the fourth quarter. Embattled Dolphins coach Mike McDaniels said afterwards, quote, I refuse to take moral victories, unquote. Pablo, what does this result say about both teams?
B
Well, I want to start with the Dolphins. This isn't the reason why Mike McDaniel should be on a seat that is increasing in temperature with every passing second. This game was one in which Dolphins, of course, were not favored. It is actually a closer game than the score indicates, which is true. The reason the seat is hot is because he is 3 and 14 against teams with winning records. So it's the larger picture, Tony, that fits into a larger criticism. And for me, when it comes to the Bills. Yeah, look, it's the Bills in the first three weeks of the season, they do this. They drop 30 points on your head. This is exactly what you expect out of Josh Allen and the Buffalo bills. But McDaniel, to me, that's where the story is.
C
Yeah, I totally agree with that. I mean, the interest in the game for me before the game started was would Buffalo win by such a margin that the Dolphins were going to fire McDaniel? All right, so that was the intrigue. They did not fire him. I mean, the day is still going on, but the game was close. Nominally, the game was close. Here's where you and I will disagree. I never really thought that the Dolphins could win that game. And I go back to the first quarter when they took the opening kickoff and they went all the way down the field and they scored a touchdown. You went, wow. But then the next two times Buffalo got the ball, they went all the way down the field and they scored two touchdowns. So for me, I could check out at that point, you're 100% right, that his record is 3 and 14 against teams with winning records. And that's not good. But if I'm going to fire anybody today, I'm going to fire the defensive coordinator at Miami. They've now given up 97 points in three games. Buffalo was okay, just okay. They didn't have to be good because Miami isn't very good. The 314 record we've referenced already, the coach at Buffalo is now 162 against Miami. Buffalo is now 11 0. In their last 11 division games in Buffalo, I think Miami is cooked. And here's a statistic that is relevant to me. Since the year 2000, 107 teams in the NFL, 117 rather in the NFL have started out 031 has made the playoffs. So I don't think the Dolphins can make the playoffs. Buffalo. My feeling about Buffalo is that they are being hurt a little bit by the lack of quality of opposition early in the season. They don't have to extend themselves cause they're not playing anybody really good at the moment. They had that Baltimore game that was terrific. But after that, Pablo, Jets, Dolphins, Saints, Patriots, Atlanta, Carolina, that feels like seven and oh to me without being tested.
B
No, no, no. I take that at face value. I do want to sort of walk back that criticism to the extent that they don't choose the schedule. It's not college football, Tony. So they're only doing what's in front of them. The thing though, and all due respect to your cousin Marilyn, of course, in South Florida, when it comes to Mike McDaniel and all the news and information therein, the thing about it is what if Tua didn't throw that pick? What if he didn't? You know, like I want to criticize the micro as much as we acknowledge the macro. There are some things with McDaniel where it's like, hey, Tua does something and of course it fits into the larger trend. But. But in this case, the process of how they lost. I mean, look, he doesn't want the moral victory.
C
Yes.
B
Here's my advice for Mike McDaniel. Take the moral victory. I don't know if you'll get a real one. I would say that that's probably the one you want to take because it's available to you. But, Tony, we have 14 more NFL games on Sunday. Among them the 20 Rams at the 20 Eagles and the unbeaten Cardinals at the similarly unblemished Niners. So of those games on Sunday, which intrigues you the most?
C
Okay. I'm not sure that I would use the word intrigued by anything on Sunday. I am intrigued by Monday night. I am intrigued by Detroit or Baltimore. I'm intrigued by that. The furthest I'm going to go on Sunday is I'm curious and I do have a list of team of the games that I'm curious about. I am curious, for example, about Indianapolis at Tennessee. If Indianapolis wins this game, they're 3, 0, and we may have to give Indianapolis and their new quarterback, Daniel Jones, semi respect at that point. I am curious about Cincinnati at Minnesota because the starting quarterbacks, Joe Burrow and J.J. mcCarthy, are both out. And now you're down to Jake Browning and Carson Wentz. Can either of them keep their teams alive in a playoff chase? I am curious about Pittsburgh at New England. Is Pittsburgh's defense so awful that New England would actually be able to beat them? Because if that happens, Pittsburgh is out as a contender that we ever have to talk about. And I'm kind of sort of curious about Dallas at Chicago only because it would gall wilbon so much if the Cowboys would have beat the Bears. The one that I'm serious about, though, and you might laugh at this is Kansas City at the Giants. What if the Giants won that game? I don't think that's possible. I think the Giants will devolve into a quarterback mess. I think Russell Wilson won't be as good as he was last week. I think we'll see Jackson Darth. But if they were to win, Kansas city would be 0 and 3 and we would be writing their obituary. We would.
B
I'm trying to keep score at home as you go through your curiosities. I'm a man of curiosities. I got to tri curious. Quad curious. You are penta curious by the end. You have many, many interests. I was hoping for try. I was hoping for tri curious. Personally, I would say that I am. We're gonna play what's the word here? I am perversely tickled Perversely tickled by the Bengals and the Vikings. And you got to some of it. But that's my lead story. On a weekend that is, as you describe, short of Monday, you know, it's some stuff. But in the poo poo platter, there can be one of those just like pieces of chicken where you're like, is this edible? And then you're like, this kind of tastes good. And I think Jake Browning is that piece of chicken. Jake Browning, by the advanced numbers, he's not Joe Burrow. Everybody knows that. But the advanced numbers like him, and I know that.
C
But he had three picks last week. He had three picks last week.
B
I know.
C
Does that not matter?
B
I know. Well, it matters. But I said perversely tickled. I didn't say naming my son after Jake Browning. I said I'm perversely tickled by the setting of Jake Browning filling the shoes of Joe Burrow against, of course, you know, Carson Wentz.
C
How about Denver and the Chargers? How about Denver and the Chargers? Would you be curious about that? Cuz we might be able to see if the Chargers are as good as we think they are.
B
That is the question. I'm not sure that's the question. So, speaking of the advanced metrics, no one has been more beloved by the metrics among the nerds than Justin Herbert. Are we seeing it?
C
Yeah.
B
Are we seeing the hype become real? That's a nice entree. A nicer entree, I'll admit.
C
Before I go to the next story, I just want to acknowledge that that is the first time in all the years the show has been on television that the words poo poo platter have been in it. So congratulations on that. Let's move to the continuing drama of Kawhi Leonard, Steve Ballmer and the Clippers on some podcast called Pablo Torre Finds Out I've never heard of it. There has been reporting that indicates Steve Ballmer may have circumvented the salary cap with Kawhi Leonard and a company called Aspiration with ties to the Clippers. NBA commissioner Adam Silver at first said he'd never heard of Aspiration. Then he backtracked. He has said the NBA will investigate Pablo. In what sort of a spot does this Ballmer investigation put Silver?
B
I believe this is the biggest test of Adam Silver's tenure as commissioner. And I say that knowing that there are other candidates. But he came in with Donald Sterling. That was, in retrospect, an easy call. Documentary evidence, a tape in three days, they said, banned for life. This poetically, almost Bookending that ballmer coming in because of that Ballmer now being at the heart of a story, Tony, in which he poured in $118 million over 18 months, tracking alongside secret payments no one knew about to Kawhi leonard that totally $28 million in a no show endorsement contract and $20 million more in a stock deal that he was signed to. We're talking about $48 million outside of the cap, paid by the richest owner in all of sports. And so the question for Adam Silver to be blunt about this is, do the rules matter? You're a steward of integrity. The inconsistency of commentary around what you knew. And in honor of Robert Redford this week, what did you know and when did you know it? That question applies to the commissioner in terms of how he himself has been presented as well as the investigation which has taken, for me, you know, many sources and 3,000 pages of documents.
C
So this is your story. I applaud that. I know very little about it. I know there are no show jobs all over the world, but if this is provable, you have to throw the book at the Clippers. I will say this. I thought of something that Adam Silver said last week. He said the burden of proof is not on the Clippers to establish their innocence. It's on the league to establish their guilt, if there is guilt. And I get that.
B
You did say that.
C
Innocent until proven guilty. That is the American judicial system. And that's fine. But. And here's my but, the NBA is not the FBI. Okay. I wonder about how aggressive they're going to be in conducting this investigation because they have interest in this. And it just seems to me that Adam Silver would like to see all of this go away. I wonder how you feel about that.
B
Shrinking the PR problem is my default assumption for what the goal is. The problem with the shrinkage that he desires is that this story has been shocking to me in terms of its resonance, not just among the board of governors. I've spoke to four owners now who say this should be proportionately punished. But with the fans, Tony, there's a credibility question around do you actually care about the integrity of your game? And by the way, you're totally right. If this is in fact a violation, as I've been reporting it, the rules in the CBA say direct or circumstantial evidence. And you must explain it, quote unquote, rationally. Rationally is an adverb. What's the word? It's rationally. How do you spin this? No one has explained the most simple thing I reported there was a secret endorsement deal that seven sources told me was because there was a circumvention of the salary cap between the founder of Aspiration and Steve Ballmer. And no one has explained why that deal was never announced and why he didn't have to do a single thing for it. And I await the results of the NBA's own investigation on that.
C
On the other hand, who wouldn't want a deal like that? A no show job for millions of dollars. Let's take a break. Coming up, the Mariners and Astros start a huge series tonight. Which team will we be rooting for.
B
And who is more likely to snag the final AL Wild card slot? The Red Sox or Guardians?
C
Pablo, the NBA All Star Game next year is at Steve Ballmer's arena. Is that in play for this? I mean, is there any doubt about that?
B
I've heard that that is an important consideration in the investigation, which is again, not a judicial investigation.
A
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C
Time for toss up. Two men enter, one man leaves because Pablo is a substitute co host and can't hang with the king. What's first? Toss up.
B
They're tied atop the AL west and meet tonight.
C
Which team are you rooting for, the.
B
Mariners or the Astros?
C
I respect the Astros. They've been to the playoffs eight straight years. They lose players, they replace players. They're always competitive. But I find Cal Rawley and the Seattle Mariners right now completely irresistible. I mean, when has a catcher ever led the league in home runs and RBIs. He's got 56 and 118. He's eight clear in home runs. He's 10 clear in RBI. And you know what? I like when he hits a home run. I like when he carries the trident around in the dugout. I like that. We haven't talked about the Seattle Mariners much, as a nation. We really haven't. The last time was in 2001 when they won 116 games. 2001 was the first year we started this show. It's an eternity ago. And you were in the third grade.
B
I was trying to do the math here. 2001, I was a sophomore in high school. I remember. No, you didn't have hair then either. My memory is sharp in some regards. Look, the Mariners, what they did in 01, to your larger point, I just wonder if it matters if they don't win it. I do. Like that was the story of that team. You have the most wins in the regular season. And guess what? The Yankees come along. And I know what happened in my childhood from there. So to me, the morality play here is the Astros. And maybe it's because I have fair play and alleged cheating on the brain, but to me, what's so impressive about this team is that it's so clear that they didn't need to cheat. This franchise is actually really incredible. They are so well run, even in the absence of the Architect. They are so well stocked via the farm system. And you ticked off a bunch of the ways that they impress me every year. Torturing the Yankees in the present tense. So them, weirdly, I want them to win to prove that it's an indictment in an even grander way that. That they tried to cheat in order to be as good as they actually are.
C
All right, what's next? Toss up.
B
Which team do you favor for the third AL wild card spot? The Red Sox or the Guardians?
C
And I'm going back to what Buster only said on this show a couple of days ago. That the Red Sox would be severely wounded by the fact that Roman Anthony wasn't playing. And in fact, they're five and eight since he's gone. And they are scoring one full less a run. One less run per game. I will admit I don't know anything about Cleveland. I mean, I don't think anybody does. I know they can't hit. They're 21st in the majors in home runs. They're 29th in OPS. Their run differential is minus 23. So they probably shouldn't even have a winning record. But they can pitch. They can pitch when it matters.
B
Yes, they can.
C
In the last two weeks, their collective era is 130-which-is the best in the majors. I believe they've won 12 out of 13 games. And I think in only two of those games have they allowed more than two runs. So I'm going to. I'm going to ride with Cleveland on this one.
B
I will admit that my word cloud for the Guardians is Jose Ramirez in giant font and then a lot of smaller words. That is mostly my understanding as well. The pitching has been impressive to the point of apparent unsustainability. So I will go Red Sox because of that. Actually, I've been citing advanced numbers for a while. They suggest that the Guardians must regress to the mean at some point. The Red Sox, the number I'll point out, is that they'd be fifth.
C
It's September 19th. It's September 19th. When?
B
It's a good point. It's a good point. The Red Sox, though, have the fifth easiest schedule remaining. And for that reason, I like their chances. I like that. I like those numbers mattering. Speaking of a schedule advantage, earlier in the show you were talking about schedules.
C
Your slavishness to numbers has become insane. That's it. A certain urologist just called asking me to take it easy on his son. So we'll take this final break, and when we return, we will update you on Jaden Daniels status for this week's game against the Raiders.
B
And the NFL sends a message to its officials about the tush push. And Tony, I haven't even cited exit velocity once, and you're already going Will bow.
C
So you're saying. You're saying that they'll regress to the meme. It's September 19th. There's only like eight games left. I mean, what are you holding out hope for?
B
Those eight games might be meaningful to me. Now, as a matter of being right about this argument.
A
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C
Happy time people. Happy 27th birthday. Trae Young Everybody knows that on draft night in 2018, the Atlanta Hawks drafted Luka Doncic with a third pick and traded him to Dallas for the fifth pick. Trae Young that seeming blunder will be the second sentence on every story written about Young until he wins an NBA championship. Young had a sterling season last year, playing 76 games, scoring 24.2 points a game, leading the league in assists 11.6 a game. But the Hawks missed the playoffs for a second straight year. Pablo Young seems to have a theatrical streak when he plays the Knicks in Madison Square Garden, taunting Knicks fans. You're a Knicks fan. You were one. How are you with Trae Young?
B
He is not the player Luka is, but he is, I would even argue, a better TV show. As much as I hate the torment that he's inflicted upon the city in which I reside, it's hard to argue that that guy makes the game more interesting.
C
Happy Anniversary, Shohei Ohtani on this day just last year, Ohtani became the first baseball player ever to hit 50 home runs and steal 50 bases in one season. Ohtani did it in spectacular style, going 6 for 6 against the Marlins. Five of those six hits were for extra bases, including three home runs. Ohtani also stole two bases, ending the game with 51 home runs and 51 steals. By the end of the season, Ohtani had set the bar at 54 homers, 59 stolen bases. Ohtani has backed that up with 51 home runs so far this season, but curiously he has only 19 steals. And I'm wondering out loud if that's because he's pitching again and he doesn't want to risk injuries sliding around.
B
Yeah, Tony, I'm surprised on some level that he's been pitching as much as he has been. I thought they might even save him to be like a reliever in the postseason, but they've gone so hard on the pitching that I must assume they're just being conservative with the legs, which makes total sense to me. I'd like him to do the unprecedented again.
C
Happy trails to the Dream and the Storm. Both are out of the WNBA playoffs. The Dream fell to the Fever, who advance for the first time in 10 years despite the long standing absence of star guard Caitlin Clark. And the Aces bounced back from their first loss in 18 games to eliminate the Storm. The Fever and Aces now face each other in one semi with the Lynx awaiting the winner of tonight's game between the Liberty and Mercury in the other.
B
Yeah, Asia Wilson tying her career high with 38 points. And by the way, we're now getting like this era in which the marquee franchises are emerging without Caitlin Clark. We're still getting the Fever. That's the surprise. The other ones, not surprising at all to me.
C
One error. Of course it's Pablo's. The Red Sox have the fifth hardest schedule remaining. Not the fifth easiest. Harvard.
B
Meh.
C
Let's go to the big finish. The NFL has reportedly instructed refs to call false starts on tush pushes. Is that significant?
B
I guess. I don't really think they have a philosophy about this. They're just trying to not be embarrassed by it. Commander's quarterback Jaden Daniels is out and quarterback Marcus Mariota will start Sunday versus the Raiders. How big a deal is that?
C
Games in Washington. It's against the Raiders. It's a beatable team. I think Tyler Herro is undergoing surgery on his left foot. Will miss the start of the season. Is that significant?
B
Yes, he is snake bitten. Tony, I believe is the animal that I should mention there. Noah lyles won his fourth consecutive world title in the 200 meters. Are you impressed?
C
Yeah, he ran a 19.52. Look this thing was 12 hours away, right? Nobody got to see it. It was like at the wrong time for us. He's a great runner. Last one Clayton Kershaw's final regular season home start is tonight against the Giants. Your thoughts?
B
He is one of the great left handers you've ever seen. When not in the post season, you're in the regular season. I salute him.
C
Yeah, yeah, he's a great Dodger pitcher. The only left dude better than him is Andy Koufax. We're out of time. We'll try and do better the next time. I'm Tony Kornheiser.
B
And I'm Pablo Torre. Thank you for watching. Pablo Torre finds Out is the show that's trying to investigate Tony Kornheiser.
A
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Host: Tony Kornheiser and Pablo Torre (guest co-host)
Main Theme: Pablo Torre joins Tony Kornheiser to break down “Kawhi-Gate” and discuss the day’s biggest sports stories, including NFL Week 3 fallout, MLB wild card races, and the implications of the Steve Ballmer/Kawhi Leonard controversy for the NBA and Adam Silver.
This episode features Pablo Torre stepping in as co-host with Tony Kornheiser for a lively, sometimes tongue-in-cheek take on current sports headlines. The primary focus is the evolving controversy dubbed “Kawhi-Gate” — allegations of the LA Clippers’ owner Steve Ballmer circumventing the NBA salary cap to pay Kawhi Leonard through a no-show endorsement deal. Pablo breaks down his reporting on the topic, and the duo dive into the implications for NBA Commissioner Adam Silver.
Alongside “Kawhi-Gate,” the show weaves through NFL reactions (Bills-Dolphins), intriguing matchups for the upcoming football weekend, key MLB wild card battles, and quick-hitting takes on notable performances and personalities across sports.
Takeaway:
The Bills win over the Dolphins (31–21) is scrutinized for what it reveals about Miami’s coaching situation, especially head coach Mike McDaniel’s increasing job insecurity.
Pablo Torre [01:38]:
“It is actually a closer game than the score indicates...the reason the seat is hot is because he is 3 and 14 against teams with winning records.”
“This is exactly what you expect out of Josh Allen and the Buffalo Bills. But McDaniel, to me, that’s where the story is.”
Tony Kornheiser [02:19]:
Expresses doubt about Miami’s playoff prospects:
“I never really thought that the Dolphins could win that game...Miami isn’t very good. The 3-14 record we’ve referenced already, the coach at Buffalo is now 16-2 against Miami...”
“I think Miami is cooked...107 teams since 2000 have started 0-3, one has made the playoffs.”
Points out Buffalo’s easy early schedule:
“They don’t have to extend themselves...Jets, Dolphins, Saints, Patriots, Atlanta, Carolina – that feels like 7–0 to me without being tested.”
Pablo, on moral victories [05:05]:
“Here’s my advice for Mike McDaniel. Take the moral victory. I don’t know if you’ll get a real one.”
Tony [05:29–06:58]:
Pablo [06:58]:
Plays with Tony’s “levels of curiosity,” settles on being “perversely tickled” by Bengals-Vikings because of Jake Browning vs. Carson Wentz as replacement QBs:
“In the poo poo platter, there can be one of those pieces of chicken where you’re like, is this edible? And then you’re like, this kind of tastes good. I think Jake Browning is that piece of chicken.”
Discussion pivots to Justin Herbert and the Chargers’ legitimacy; a recurring question:
“Are we seeing the hype become real?”
Context [08:36]:
Tony introduces the story, referencing Pablo’s investigation (on “Pablo Torre Finds Out”) that suggests Ballmer may have used Aspiration, a company tied to the Clippers, to pay Kawhi Leonard “off the books,” circumventing the NBA’s salary cap with $48 million in additional payments.
Pablo Torre [09:13]:
“He came in with Donald Sterling... Ballmer now being at the heart of a story... in which he poured in $118 million... tracking alongside secret payments no one knew about to Kawhi Leonard totaling $28 million in a no-show endorsement contract and $20 million more in a stock deal... The question for Adam Silver to be blunt about this is, do the rules matter? You’re a steward of integrity.”
Tony [10:28]:
“If this is provable, you have to throw the book at the Clippers.”
“Burden of proof is not on the Clippers... It’s on the league to establish their guilt.”
Pablo [11:17]:
“Shrinking the PR problem is my default assumption for what the goal is... this story has been shocking to me in terms of its resonance, not just among the board of governors... with the fans, there’s a credibility question around do you actually care about the integrity of your game?”
“No one has explained why that deal was never announced and why [Kawhi] didn’t have to do a single thing for it.”
Tony [12:26]: jokingly:
“On the other hand, who wouldn’t want a deal like that? A no-show job for millions of dollars.”
Quick Note [12:44]:
Tony:
“I respect the Astros... But I find Cal Rawley and the Seattle Mariners right now completely irresistible... I like when he carries the trident around in the dugout.”
Pablo:
“Maybe it’s because I have fair play and alleged cheating on the brain, but what’s so impressive is that it’s clear they didn’t need to cheat... They are so well stocked via the farm system... I want them to win to prove... that they tried to cheat in order to be as good as they actually are.”
“Their run differential is minus 23. They probably shouldn’t even have a winning record. But they can pitch. In the last two weeks, their collective ERA is 1.30... 12 out of 13 games won.”
“I will go Red Sox because... advanced numbers suggest that the Guardians must regress to the mean at some point... The Red Sox… have the fifth easiest schedule remaining.”
“Red Sox have the fifth hardest schedule remaining. Not the fifth easiest. Harvard.”
(Timestamps approximate, 21:00–24:46)
Trae Young’s 27th birthday
“He is not the player Luka is, but he is... a better TV show.”
Shohei Ohtani Anniversary
“I'd like him to do the unprecedented again.”
WNBA Playoff Update
“We're now getting this era in which the marquee franchises are emerging without Caitlin Clark. We're still getting the Fever. That's the surprise.”
Big Finish/Lightning Round:
Pablo (on Ballmer/Silver) [09:13]:
“Do the rules matter? You’re a steward of integrity... What did you know and when did you know it? That question applies to the commissioner.”
Tony (on the Dolphin’s playoff hopes) [02:19]:
“I think Miami is cooked... Since 2000, 107 teams have started 0-3. One has made the playoffs.”
Tony (on the Clippers investigation) [10:51]:
“Innocent until proven guilty. That is the American judicial system. And that’s fine. But the NBA is not the FBI.”
Pablo (on Guardians vs. Red Sox) [17:23]:
“My word cloud for the Guardians is Jose Ramirez in giant font and then a lot of smaller words.”
Tony (correcting Pablo) [23:34]:
“The Red Sox have the fifth hardest schedule remaining. Not the fifth easiest. Harvard.”
“What did you know and when did you know it?” [09:13]