PTI Podcast Summary — November 20, 2025
Episode: Should Injured Cam Skattebo Really Be On WWE?
Hosts: Tony Kornheiser & Michael Wilbon (ESPN)
Guest: Steve Young
Overview
In this lively episode, Tony Kornheiser and Michael Wilbon dive into hot topics of the sports world, ranging from contentious college football playoff rankings and the injury crisis in the NBA, to the debate about Giants RB Cam Skattebo’s appearance at WWE while injured. Highlight of the episode: Hall of Fame QB Steve Young joins for an insightful five-minute segment on everything from Patrick Mahomes’ regrets to the nuanced life of a backup quarterback.
Key Discussion Points & Insights
1. College Football Playoff Rankings Controversy
Time: 01:02–04:12
- Main topic: The latest CFP rankings stir frustration, with Miami (13) left behind Notre Dame (9) despite a head-to-head win.
- Tony Kornheiser: Voices strong empathy for Miami and questions CFP criteria, pointing out hypocrisy with other head-to-head matchups.
- Quote (02:29): “If I were Miami, I would be steamed. I have two losses, Notre Dame has two losses and I beat Notre Dame head to head. Yet Notre Dame is nine and I am what, 13 or 14. They're in, I'm out.”
- Mike Wilbon: Shrugs off Miami’s complaints, chalks it up to a “stinky conference,” and says Alabama shouldn’t be too upset given two losses.
- Quote (02:44): “But you're also being penalized ‘cause you're part of a stinky conference…”
Notable moment: Both hosts criticize the playoff system and rankings inconsistencies, setting an animated and frustrated tone for the show.
2. Steve Kerr’s NBA Injury Theory & League Solutions
Time: 04:12–07:20
- Main topic: Steve Kerr blames the NBA’s fast pace and dense schedule for surging injuries among stars.
- Mike Wilbon: Defers to Kerr’s wisdom and Warriors’ medical staff, but pushes for solutions, favoring a shorter season over rule changes.
- Quote (04:43): “Steve Kerr I’m going to nominate on the short list of smartest people in the NBA…What’s the solution? Let’s jump ahead.”
- Tony Kornheiser: Proposes a radical fix: eliminate the three-pointer to slow pacing, leading to more traditional play and fewer injuries.
- Quote (05:22): “If you take out the three, the pace slows because you have to work for a mid-range.”
- Wilbon’s Practical Solution: Cut 12 games from the season for better health and product quality, but acknowledges financial reality will prevent it.
- Quote (05:41): “Cut 12 games out… It would improve the product, it would improve the health of the players. But nobody gives a damn…”
Memorable banter: The hosts riff on modern NBA star salaries (“They never play!”) and fan expectations, conceding that business trumps safety.
3. Cam Skattebo’s WWE Appearance: Risky or Overblown?
Time: 07:20–09:29
- Background: Giants RB Cam Skattebo, out for the season, made a (scripted and safe) cameo at WWE’s Monday Night Raw while in a walking boot, sparking talk radio outrage.
- Tony Kornheiser: Dismisses the controversy, calling the WWE encounter “pro wrestling ballet” and insisting Skattebo took no real risk.
- Quote (08:01): “This is pro wrestling. This is entirely scripted…If the question is, did Skattebo put himself in danger? Not really. It’s a small shove…ballet.”
- Mike Wilbon: Agrees, framing it as a harmless, choreographed show; notes the outrage is all about optics, not reality.
- Quote (08:50): “It’s the optics. That’s all it is…It’s all choreographed.”
Notable moment: Both hosts say Giants fans should be more concerned about who the next head coach is, not Skattebo’s sideline fun.
4. Five Good Minutes with Steve Young
Time: 11:48–18:33
a. Mahomes’ Regret and the Mindset of Quarterbacks
- Question: Mahomes confessed regret over reading a coverage late in a loss.
- Steve Young: Relates deeply, explaining that every quarterback faces second-guessing and the agony of film review on Mondays.
- Quote (12:14): “That’s the job of quarterback…managing happening all the time…Every Monday is that time when the team comes together in the offensive team room…You hear the offensive lineman like groan like oh…”
- Lighthearted moment: Steve jokes he’d rather have mistakes fall on someone else occasionally, so everyone doesn’t always groan at the QB.
b. Leadership and “Must-Win” Mindset
- Question: What do Chiefs’ leaders do in a must-win situation?
- Steve Young: Emphasizes that true prime teams like the Chiefs are built for pressure and respond best when tested—“Super Bowl or bust” breeds resilience.
- Quote (14:00): “Every game is a must win…Every game is being covered…You get used to having that be the norm.”
c. Benefitting from Bad Calls
- Question: Do QBs feel guilty when a bad call favors them?
- Steve Young: Before reviews, luck was accepted as “rub of the green.” Context matters, and great refs understood moments; robotic officiating misses nuance.
- Quote (15:24): “The art of the great head referees were that they got the sense of it…But I love what I hated with the robots, the head referees that were robots…they weren’t going to be contextual to the moment.”
d. Life as a Backup: Shador Sanders’ Situation
- Question: What does a backup (like Sanders) face with no practice snaps?
- Steve Young: “Super hard”—relates story of backing up Montana and learning to be “the best backup in the world” to prepare for any opportunity.
- Quote (17:00): “The problem with you is that you don’t understand that the job that you want…you can’t have until you’re the best in the world at the job you have today.”
Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments
- Tony, on the self-absorbed nature of CFP selection:
- (01:43) “I just tossed the notebook and I said, you know what? I’m going to let Tony deal with the just absurdly self absorbed particulars of this.”
- NBA Health vs. Money:
- (06:07) Kornheiser: "Exactly the same thing. No concern for player safety. I say you take out the three. But...networks like this one throw money at them to have their product."
- On Skattebo's WWE cameo:
- (09:13) Wilbon: “Anybody who knows anything about wrestling…It’s all choreographed.”
- Steve Young, on backup mindset:
- (17:00) "You can't have [the job you want] until you’re the best in the world at the job you have today… I'm going to be the greatest backup."
Timestamps for Important Segments
- College Football Playoff Rant: 01:02–04:12
- NBA Injury Plague Solutions: 04:12–07:20
- Cam Skattebo WWE Drama: 07:20–09:29
- Steve Young Guest Segment: 11:48–18:33
Tone & Style
Authentic to PTI: fast-paced, witty, occasionally exasperated, and rich with sports knowledge and playful banter.
Summary Takeaway
This episode of PTI epitomizes why Kornheiser and Wilbon remain must-listens for sports fans: sharp analysis, willingness to challenge narratives, and the ability to distill complex issues—like sports injuries or coaching decisions—into entertaining and insightful commentary. Steve Young’s guest segment stands out for his candor and quarterback philosophy, while the hosts delight in skewering sports’ sacred cows and media overreactions.