PTI Podcast Summary – September 3, 2025

Hosts: Tony Kornheiser & Michael Wilbon
Key Topics: U.S. Open, New York Mets, College Football Coaching Drama, MLB Tensions, Oklahoma State & Oregon Budgets

Episode Overview

Tony Kornheiser and Michael Wilbon tackle the biggest sports stories of the day, with a lighthearted and opinionated back-and-forth. From deep dives into the U.S. Open (highlighting Novak Djokovic’s dominance) to the ascendance of the Mets’ new rookie pitcher, plus college football’s coaching wars and a bizarre baseball spat, this episode blends insight, humor, and signature PTI banter.

Main Discussion Points & Insights

1. U.S. Open: Djokovic Tops Fritz, GOAT Debate

(Segment Start: 01:05)

• Novak Djokovic defeated American Taylor Fritz in four sets, securing his 53rd major semifinal—an Open Era record—and his 14th U.S. Open semi appearance.
• Wilbon’s Take:
  • Djokovic is "likely the GOAT," citing his ongoing dominance at age 38, comparing him to legends like Tom Brady and LeBron James.

    “Djokovic is still out there at 38 years old... being his sports version of Tom Brady and LeBron. He's great and he's better than Fritz.” – Mike Wilbon (02:05)

  • Fritz is a "really, really, really damn good" player, but the gap is like "running up against Michael Jordan."
• Kornheiser’s Counter:
  • Refuses to call Djokovic the GOAT:

    “He’s not the goat to me. He's not the goat.” – Tony Kornheiser (02:41)

  • Notes Djokovic has always beaten Fritz (10–0 lifetime) and that Fritz’s set win didn’t signal a real threat.
  • Gives historical context, mentioning Rod Laver ("his domination was the best") as his own GOAT pick, acknowledging different eras.
• Future Outlook:
  • Both debate whether Djokovic can surpass Carlos Alcaraz (3–0 lifetime on hard court for Djokovic), with Kornheiser expressing doubt Djokovic can win back-to-back at age 38.

2. College Football Beef: Dabo Swinney vs. Brian Kelly

(Segment Start: 04:58)

• Coaching Grades:
  • Dabo Swinney graded Clemson a 58/100 after their loss to LSU; Brian Kelly gave LSU 65, adding, “I thought we dominated them in the second half.”
  • Wilbon and Kornheiser dissect the coach-speak and competitive jabs:

    “Brian Kelly is killing Dabo Sweeney here. That's what he's doing. He just beat him by seven points and he is killing him.” – Tony Kornheiser (06:04)

• Wilbon’s Perspective:
  • Warns not to “put any real stock in anything a college football coach says,” suggesting coach quotes are full of “agenda.”
  • Calls the spectacle mildly entertaining but essentially irrelevant.
• Kornheiser’s Take:
  • Finds the grading system “ridiculous,” especially giving LSU a D (65) after a solid win.
  • Emphasizes the ongoing drama and ego battles in college football coaching circles.

3. MLB Drama: Framber Valdez Hits His Own Catcher

(Segment Start: 07:51)

• Incident Recap:
  • Astros pitcher Framber Valdez, after ignoring catcher Cesar Salazar’s signals (leading to a grand slam), appeared to intentionally hit Salazar with the next pitch. Both later denied any intent.
• Wilbon’s Reaction:
  • Disbelieves the explanation, noting this wasn’t a typical “cross-up”:

    “What did he do? Here we see these miscommunications. I don't understand what happened is what I'm saying. And I don't believe that there's just one party here who's a bad guy.” – Mike Wilbon (08:49)

  • Still would trust Valdez as his playoff starter despite uncertainty.
• Kornheiser’s Take:
  • Strongly suggests intent, calling Valdez’s actions "wrong, it's bad. You could have hurt the catcher."

    “When I look at it, it looks 100% intentional.” – Tony Kornheiser (11:04)

  • Notes Valdez’s previous incidents with catchers, hinting at a pattern.

4. MLB: Nolan McLean, Rookie Sensation for the Mets

(Segment Start: 13:44)

• Kornheiser’s Hype:
  • Calls McLean’s start “Seaver-like or Gooden-like,” referencing Mets pitching legends. Stresses Mets’ tradition of elite young arms.

    “McClain at the moment, Mike is 4–0. He just beat the Tigers... ERA is 1.37 and he has 28 strikeouts in 26 innings.” – Tony Kornheiser (13:44)

• Wilbon’s Pushback:
  • Scolds Tony for overhyping so early:

    “You should be put on some sort of probation for doing this, for comparing him to either one of them.” – Mike Wilbon (14:50)

  • Says it’s a disservice to the rookie; asks Ron Darling to "review Kornheiser's performance."

5. Oklahoma State’s Mike Gundy Complains About Oregon’s Budget

(Segment Start: 16:05)

• Gundy’s Complaint:
  • Oklahoma State coach Mike Gundy bemoans the financial advantage of Oregon’s “Nike money.”
• Kornheiser’s Take:
  • Calls it “self serving,” mocking Gundy’s “food stamps” mentality despite Oklahoma State’s tradition of competitive programs and their own wealthy boosters.
• Wilbon’s Assessment:
  • Calls Gundy “jealous and hypocritical,” referencing former mega-booster T. Boone Pickens:

    “You're pointing at Oregon when you had one of the richest men in the world lavish your program...” – Mike Wilbon (17:11)

  • Points out that money doesn’t guarantee championships (see Oregon, Texas A&M).

6. Happy Time & Lightning Round

(Start: 21:14)

• Dick Motta’s 94th Birthday: Celebrates the legendary NBA coach and his quote, “the opera ain't over till the fat lady sings.”

  “Everything I believe in in basketball came from my time as a kid watching Dick Motta's teams..." – Mike Wilbon (21:58)

• Panthers & Jaguars 30th Anniversary: Notes the lack of Super Bowl wins or “sizzle” for either franchise. Wilbon highlights Tony Boselli as the most famous Jaguar.
• Rockies-Giants Brawl: Kornheiser is entertained by the tension, Wilbon calls it irrelevant for non-contending teams.

7. Quick Hits (Big Finish)

(Start: 24:08)

• Dan Hurley reportedly considered retiring for a broadcast job: Wilbon is only "a little" surprised; coaches sometimes walk away at their peaks.
• Red Sox rookie Roman Anthony out 4–6 weeks (oblique strain).
• Cubs rest Kyle Tucker (calf tightness): Wilbon: “Hate to see Tucker out of the lineup even for a game or two.” (25:03)
• Ohio State tops new AP college football poll.
• Shohei Ohtani fastest Dodger to 100 home runs: Kornheiser and Wilbon marvel at his pace; recall Duke Snider as a rare Dodgers power great.

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• On Djokovic and the GOAT debate:

  “Djokovic is likely the goat... He's still out there at 38 years old.” – Mike Wilbon (02:05)
  “He’s not the goat to me. He’s not the goat.” – Tony Kornheiser (02:41)

• On college football coach self-promotion:

  “Brian Kelly is killing Dabo Sweeney here... and he's killing this guy.” – Tony Kornheiser (06:04)

• On Mets rookie hype:

  “You should be put on some sort of probation... for comparing him to either one of them." – Mike Wilbon (14:50)

• On Gundy’s Oregon rant:

  “It’s also jealous and hypocritical... one of the richest men in the world lavished your program.” – Mike Wilbon (17:11)

Episode Structure & Key Timestamps

• 00:30 – 01:05: Light banter; episode introduction.
• 01:05 – 04:58: U.S. Open, Djokovic vs. Fritz, GOAT debate.
• 04:58 – 07:51: Dabo Swinney vs. Brian Kelly, college football jabs.
• 07:51 – 11:41: Framber Valdez and Salazar incident (Astros).
• 13:44 – 15:59: Mets rookie Nolan McLean, historical comparisons.
• 16:05 – 18:23: Mike Gundy vs. Oregon’s budget.
• 21:14 – 25:37: Happy Time, Lightning Round (anniversaries, injuries, quick news).
• 25:48 – End: Tease next topics / outro.

Final Thoughts

As always, PTI delivers fast-paced, sharp-edged dialogue that swings from reverence for sports legends to satirical takedowns of today’s headlines. Wilbon and Kornheiser’s dynamic contrast—one prone to big statements, the other quick to cut them down—keeps the show both informative and entertaining for anyone who missed the day’s sports debates.