What is the BIGGEST story from the World Cup knockouts so far?

Summary

PTI Podcast Summary

Episode: What is the BIGGEST story from the World Cup knockouts so far?
Date: June 29, 2026
Hosts: Tony Kornheiser & Michael Wilbon

Episode Overview

This PTI episode revolves around the most compelling narratives from the World Cup knockout stage, the shifting drama in NBA trades and rumors, a notable PGA playoff, and dramatic MLB developments. Tony and Mike debate which World Cup result has been most meaningful so far—Brazil’s late comeback or Canada’s historic run—then transition into hot takes on NBA trade speculations, Scotty Scheffler’s season, and baseball highlights. The conversation is lively and fast-paced, with plenty of classic PTI banter and memorable lines.

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World Cup Knockouts: The Biggest Story So Far

[00:52 – 04:28]

Key Discussion Points

• Brazil’s Dramatic Win Over Japan:

  • Japan took the lead in the 29th minute; Brazil equalized, then won in stoppage time.
  • Brazil, traditional powerhouse, appears less dominant than in past eras.

• Canada’s Historic Advancement:

  • Canada wins in stoppage time over South Africa after never having previously advanced, tied, or won in group play.

Insights

• Michael Wilbon:

  • Picks Brazil as the more compelling story due to their storied history and aura of greatness.
    "They just don't look great. They don't look like the Brazil that has a guy coming to get you at any minute. ... They look like they struggle." [01:33]
  • Points out Brazilian teams of old (Pelé, Ronaldo, Neymar) felt inevitable, but this squad seems vulnerable.

• Tony Kornheiser:

  • Champions Canada’s achievement, emphasizing the unprecedented nature of their run. "In all of their World Cup appearances, they had never won a game. ... This time they won a game, they tied a game, then they won a game in the knockout round. To me, that means you sign this coach to a lifetime contract." [02:33]
  • Notes Canada’s path may have been helped by host-nation status but still historic.

Notable Exchange

• Wilbon on Brazil’s current form:
  "Could they be vulnerable? What am I rooting for here?" [03:42]

• Kornheiser’s nostalgia and shifting perception:
  "My initial affiliation with the World Cup ever in my life was Brazil. ... And I would hear the chant BRA-ZIL. And so I know they're good. Well, they were good." [04:00]

---

PGA Update: Scottie Scheffler and the Travelers Playoff

[04:28 – 07:51]

Breakdown

• The Travelers Playoff:
  • Rain delays force playoff into Monday morning.
  • Victor Hovland claims victory after Scheffler’s short miss.

Key Takeaways

• Kornheiser:

  • The delay sapped the drama; quick, one-hole playoff was anticlimactic. "It's too bad they couldn't finish this last night after the rain delay. ... The starch comes out of it." [04:52]
  • Frames Scheffler’s year as brilliant but lacking in clutch putting:
    "He plays great and does not putt great." [05:11]
  • Highlights Scheffler’s numbing consistency: top 5s but few wins.

• Wilbon:

  • Critiques media’s obsession with comparing Scheffler to Tiger Woods.
    "So much of it is centered around comparing Scottie Scheffler to Tiger Woods. ... mistake, don't do it." [06:35]
  • Suggests Scheffler still needs longevity, not just a hot run.

• Both see Victor Hovland as an elite, majorless player, expressing hope but measuring the difference in consistency.

Memorable Tony Quote

"You can't just have a three year run. You have to have five, six and seven years." [07:12]

---

NBA Trade Rumors & Free Agency: LeBron, AD, Kawhi and More

[08:03 – 12:20]

Main Rumors

• Golden State Interested in Anthony Davis — To Lure LeBron James
  • Could involve trading away Jimmy Butler.
• Kawhi Leonard Trade Rumors
  • Dallas (to be reunited with old GM Masai Ujiri) or
  • Return to Toronto.

Host Reactions

• Wilbon:

  • Fascinated by LeBron to Golden State:
    "Any trade that involves LeBron going to Golden State. You know, I've been on this for weeks. ... And if Steph Curry, as we have heard in reports, is involved with recruitment, that matters." [08:44]
  • Values Jimmy Butler’s reliability over Anthony Davis:
    "If I'm LeBron, [I'd] rather ... play with Jimmy Butler ... because Jimmy Butler has been way more reliable the last five seasons than Anthony Davis." [09:15]
  • Acknowledges it’s a long shot but wants to see it.

• Kornheiser:

  • Skeptical LeBron/AD/Jimmy scenario is feasible:
    "All of that in motion sounds like pie in the sky. Too many moving parts for me." [09:57]
  • Kawhi to Dallas or Toronto seems more logical but questions each scenario.

• Both Hosts:

  • Echo excitement over seeing LeBron and Steph on the same NBA roster but disagree on logistics.

Standout Moment

Wilbon on LeBron’s freedom:
"LeBron has earned the right to do whatever the hell he wants to do. There'll be no criticism here, no matter what he wants to do." [11:56]

---

Rapid-Fire: Email Segment (Listener Questions)

[13:36 – 16:26]

Noteworthy Segments

• Miles Bridges to Suns / Ja Morant to Blazers:

  • Wilbon: Fascinated by both; regards Ja as "sort of the captain of the knuckleheadedness squad." [14:28]
  • Kornheiser: "Great talent, problematic behavior." [14:39]

• Charlotte Trades Analysis:

  • Kornheiser: Regrets loss of Miles Bridges and Lamelo Ball; believes Charlotte may be taking steps sideways.
  • Wilbon: Appreciates new shooters, sees possible improvement.

---

MLB: Sweeps and Disappointments

[16:26 – 18:07]

• Which is More Newsworthy: Sox Sweep Yankees or Blue Jays Swept by Rangers?
  • Kornheiser: Rangers sweeping Blue Jays is bigger; Toronto is sinking after making the World Series.
    "Toronto was in the World Series. Now ... six under .500 and they're ten and a half behind Tampa Bay. ... And they spent all this money on Vlad Guerrero Jr." [17:05]
  • Wilbon: Baffled by Toronto’s collapse despite a weak league.

---

Notable Quotes & Moments

• Tony (On Canada’s World Cup Progress):
  "To me, that means you sign this coach to a lifetime contract." [02:33]

• Wilbon (On Brazil’s Diminished Magic):
  "They don't look like that team that could just score three goals. Bang, bang, bang." [01:50]

• Tony (Tiger Woods Comparisons):
  "Mistake, don't do it." [06:52]

• Wilbon (LeBron’s Autonomy):
  "LeBron has earned the right to do whatever the hell he wants to do." [11:56]

• Tony (Diagnosing Charlotte’s Offseason):
  "I think they were taking steps up and now I think they're taking steps to the side. Really? That's what I think." [16:19]

---

Bonus: Quick Hits & Quirky PTI Banter

• Jude Bellingham Birthday: Noted for his World Cup exploits and bravado. [19:32]
• Marlins Grounds Crew Memory: Mishap during inaugural season recall of a tarp disaster. [20:18]
• Wimbledon: Jannik Sinner’s bloody but victorious opening match. [21:32]
• Lionel Messi: First player to score in seven straight World Cup games. [23:05]
• Final Banter: Cubs, Nats, and quips about Milwaukee and “The Miz” throwing 105mph.

---

Timestamps For Key Segments

• World Cup Knockouts: 00:52 – 04:28
• PGA Travelers Recap: 04:28 – 07:51
• NBA Trade Rumors: 08:03 – 12:20
• Rapid-Fire Mailbag: 13:36 – 16:26
• MLB Sweeps & Analysis: 16:26 – 18:07
• Final Segments & Notables: 19:32 – 23:28

---

Overall Tone & Takeaway

High-energy, informed debate, classic wit, and deep dives into the day’s biggest topics across soccer, golf, NBA, and MLB. Both hosts display a mix of nostalgia, skepticism, and humor while tackling bold hypotheticals and historical context for ongoing sports stories.

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Recommended For:
Anyone wanting to quickly get up to speed on the latest World Cup storylines, NBA free agency shake-ups, MLB surprises, and get a taste of classic PTI chemistry and banter.

Transcript

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[Mike Wilbon]

but I'm Mike Wilbon. The National Weightlifting Championships finished up yesterday. Tone, do you lift?

[Tony Kornheiser]

I'm Tony Kornheiser. I'm not a pumping iron guy. I'm more of a waffle iron guy.

[Mike Wilbon]

I can't believe you passed on the opportunity to get in Pumping Irony.

[Tony Kornheiser]

That's a book. Yeah, no, that's my first.

[Mike Wilbon]

Aren't you glad that I remember this?

[Tony Kornheiser]

Yeah. You're the only one. You might have bought the one copy that was sold, but it's still available at bookstores. Kids Pumping Irony. Welcome to pti, boys and girl. Today's episode. Scottie Scheffler goes left. The warriors may trade for AD and the Red Sox sweep the Yankees, but we begin today with the World Cup. Japan jumped out ahead of mighty Brazil in the 29th minute, but Brazil tied the game in the second half and then won it in stoppage time. This follows Canada's win over South Africa yesterday, also in stoppage time. Previously, Canada had never advanced to the knockout round nor either won or tied a game in the group competition. Wilbun to you won. What's the more compelling result?

[Mike Wilbon]

Anything with Brazil. Anything with Brazil. I admit I'm a, you know, relative novice to following the World cup, but Brazil, Brazil, Brazil. And Tony. So Brazil's coming off losing in the quarterfinals in 2022 and a 11 tie with Croatia, which they lost. They beat Scotland and Haiti so far in this, but they had a 11 tie against Morocco. And they just don't look great. They don't look like the Brazil that has a guy coming to get you at any minute. From play to Ronaldo, to Kafu, to Rivaldo to Neymar, they don't. They don't look like that team that could just score three goals. Bang, bang, bang. They look like they struggle. And so if you are looking at Brazil again, like a novice World cup watcher, which I am, and they're about to perhaps go into extra time with Japan, as great as Japan's keeper Suzuki has been, this is not the Brazil

[Tony Kornheiser]

we're accustomed to are you proud of me that I tuned into that game? They were already in stoppage time.

[Mike Wilbon]

Yes. Good.

[Tony Kornheiser]

I got to watch the goal. I got to feel like I know what was going on. I knew you would say Brazil. Let me articulate a little bit for Canada and let me restate what was in the lead into this story, that in all of their World cup appearances, they had never won a game. They had never tied a game. So they had never gotten to the knockout. This time they won a game, they tied a game, then they won a game in the knockout round. To me, that means you sign this coach to a lifetime contract. The coach's name, if I'm not, is Jesse Marsh, who, by the way, was on the United States World cup team a couple of times in the early 2000s and wanted to coach this team. Now, it's very possible, Mike, that Canada got an easy draw because they were a host nation. I think we did because we were a host nation. I suspect Mexico did. All three are through to the knockout round, but they had to tie somebody. They had to beat somebody.

[Mike Wilbon]

They beat Qatar.

[Tony Kornheiser]

They tied Bosnia. These are countries that play soccer so good for Canada and let them enjoy it because you know what they have next? They have the winner of Morocco in the Netherlands. These are two teams ranked in the world top 10 and Canada's ranked 30.

[Mike Wilbon]

I don't mean to talking about going back to Brazil just for a second. I don't mean to slight Vinnie Jr who's fabulous to watch, but he seems like a soloist on this Brazil team versus the ensemble of unbelievable tal they normally have. So now you're watching Brazil feeling. I mean, could they be vulnerable? What am I rooting for here? What am I saying?

[Tony Kornheiser]

All I know is that my initial, my initial affiliation with the World cup ever in my life was Brazil.

[Mike Wilbon]

Yes.

[Tony Kornheiser]

And they. And I would hear the chant Brazil. And so I know they're good. Well, they were good.

[Mike Wilbon]

They're so good. The question are they great? They haven't won since 2002. That's like the Knicks in 53 years for Brazil and soccer. 2002, huh?

[Tony Kornheiser]

The Knicks were 1973, but the Knicks have never been. But I see it.

[Mike Wilbon]

No. Let's move to this morning's bonus golf. The Travelers playoff was pushed from Sunday due to darkness. Scottie Scheffler put his approach on the first playoff hole closer than Victor Hovland did. But Hovland's seven foot putt lipped in on the right side, whereas Scheffler's 2 1/2 footer shot past the hole and giving Hovland the win. Tony, your reaction to how this played out?

[Tony Kornheiser]

So my reaction, I think, is the reaction of everybody, which is this. It's too bad they couldn't finish this last night after the rain delay. It's too bad it had to go to this morning because the starch comes out of it. When you have one hole and it's 10 minutes and each guy, it's like

[Mike Wilbon]

the US where there's 18 holes.

[Tony Kornheiser]

No. No, it's not. So that's the bad part. And my second reaction is, is that this is a microcosm of Scottie Scheffler's year, that he plays great and does not putt great.

[Mike Wilbon]

All right?

[Tony Kornheiser]

He's number one for a reason. But this year he's number one because of consistency and not because he's necessarily one. There was a point. I watched hours of this yesterday. There was a point on the back nine yesterday where the leaderboard had these people on it all within one shot. Scotty Scheffler, Victor Hovland, Colin Morikawa, Wyndham Clark and Mattie Fitzpatrick. It's tremendous, Tremendous. But what happened with Scheffler is that on many hold, he had to make par putts. Yeah, he had to make them. He had to make an eight footer to even force the playoff to begin with. And this is. This is his problem. He won only once this year, and in the 13 tournaments since he won, he's got eight top fives, which is astonishing. He's got four seconds, but win, doesn't win.

[Mike Wilbon]

You know, Tony, the thing with me, with Scheffler, and I did not watch this, as fanatical as I am most weekends about golf, I didn't watch any of this. But I looked at the leaderboard yesterday and said, wow, I wish I could see this, but I couldn't. But here's the thing about Scheffler, the consistency is numbing. He's there. Dude is there every week.

[Tony Kornheiser]

But, Tony, it's unrivaled right now.

[Mike Wilbon]

It is unrivaled. But the putting is what was questioned before his run to number one.

[Tony Kornheiser]

That's right.

[Mike Wilbon]

And now we get to question again. Here's what. You know, this drives me crazy. And this is not even Scotty Scheffler's fault. I turn on Golf Channel after because I forgot it was on at 9am But I turn on. I want to see the aftermath and hear the discussion. And so much of it is centered around comparing Scottie Scheffler To Tiger woods

[Tony Kornheiser]

mistake, don't do it.

[Mike Wilbon]

And you know what's cool is that Scottie Schefter, whenever this comes up and he's asked, he's like, stop.

[Tony Kornheiser]

I'm not.

[Mike Wilbon]

But people continue to do it. And you know what? I'm not so sure. This is Scottie Scheffler. That much better now for this three year run than say Jordan Spieth was when he had that three year run when he was really young and won the majors.

[Tony Kornheiser]

The answer to your question is you can't just have a three year run. You have to have five, six and

[Mike Wilbon]

seven years, three year run.

[Tony Kornheiser]

I know, I understand. But he's still young. He just turned 30. He's still young. Rory started out with a two or three year run and then was fallow for how many years, then came back to have another, now won two Masters run. Look, let me talk about Hovland for a second. I'll be brief. Hovland's really good.

[Mike Wilbon]

He is.

[Tony Kornheiser]

Hovland has eight PGA Tour wins. He's 28 years old. His problem is he has not won a major. He may be the best player to not yet win a major. There's Cantley, there's Cam Young, Fleetwood. Fleetwood is one of them. There's, you know, Oberg is one of them.

[Mike Wilbon]

Yes, he is.

[Tony Kornheiser]

But the difference now with Victor Hovland is I believe he has missed the cut in five of the last 11 minutes.

[Mike Wilbon]

He does not have the consistency at all. And Scotty Scheffler has.

[Tony Kornheiser]

Let's move to the NBA Hot Stove League. We have two stories out there with a certain wow factor. One is a report from Yahoo that Golden State is interested in trading for Anthony Davis in an effort to lure LeBron James there as a free agent. Allegedly the warriors would trade away Jimmy Butler to make this happen. And we have dueling reports regarding the Clippers and Kawhi Leonard. The athletic reports that the Mavericks and Clippers have discussed a trade that would send Kawhi to Dallas and reunite him with his old Toronto GM Masai Ujiri. And Shams of ESPN reports that the Clippers are also in discussions to send Kawhi back to the Raptors where he won the NBA title in 2019. Wilbon, which of these potential trades is most interesting to you?

[Mike Wilbon]

Any trade that involves LeBron going to Golden State. You know, I've been on this for weeks. I know others talked about LeBron going to Cleveland.

[Tony Kornheiser]

No, no, no, no.

[Mike Wilbon]

LeBron going to Golden State. And if Steph Curry, as we have heard in reports is involved with recruitment, that matters. If Steph Curry is saying, let's do this, let's do this. And by the way, I don't want to hear about Anthony Davis. I love Anthony Davis. Chicago.

[Tony Kornheiser]

Anthony Davis is important to this.

[Mike Wilbon]

He is.

[Tony Kornheiser]

What do you mean?

[Mike Wilbon]

LeBron can go to Golden State without Anthony Davis.

[Tony Kornheiser]

So you discount that part of it?

[Mike Wilbon]

Not discount. I just don't want to hear it. I'd rather, if I'm LeBron, play with Jimmy Butler, even if Jimmy Butler can't get back to Christmas because of coming off an injury. Because Jimmy Butler has been way more reliable the last five seasons than Anthony Davis.

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So.

[Mike Wilbon]

So if you can play with that and you can play, you're going to Draymond. We don't know. He just opted out. He's going to be a free agent, but he can resign with Golden State. If you're going to put those guys together and there is a bench with Potzimski and. And Moody and some of those guys just. There's not Gary Payton Jr. If he resigned, you got a bench, you got reserves, and you got those stars. I know they're 100 years old. Yeah, I want to see that at Golden State, so.

[Tony Kornheiser]

And I understand why you want to see it. I'm going to discount the fact that Anthony Davis and LeBron James might have a reunion tour that begins in San Francisco, because to me, all of that in motion sounds like pie in the sky. It sounds like too many moving parts to me. And also, if I traded Jimmy Butler, I think that diminishes Golden State. It would make me happy if that happened because it would prove to me what I think, which is that he is a team killer and can't stay in a single spot for any long period of time. I'd love to see him in exile with the Wizards. But the other move, the Kawhi move, sounds more reasonable to me. Either way.

[Mike Wilbon]

Either one.

[Tony Kornheiser]

Either way, if he goes to Dallas. Look, Kawhi Leonard, last year, for a guy who's always out, he played 65 games. He scored 27 points a game.

[Mike Wilbon]

He was great.

[Tony Kornheiser]

Had what, 6.4 rebounds a game?

[Mike Wilbon]

A lot of people had a first

[Tony Kornheiser]

time and shot 50.5%.

[Mike Wilbon]

Yeah.

[Tony Kornheiser]

But if he goes there, I have two questions. One is, why are you bringing him there with Cooper Flagg? I don't.

[Mike Wilbon]

Because people need mentors. Okay.

[Tony Kornheiser]

But I'm not.

[Mike Wilbon]

They need to play with vets. San Antonio. I'd rather see Kawhi, and that's been talked about. Go back to San Antonio when they need him.

[Tony Kornheiser]

To me, Cooper Flagg is that same sort of player. The other thing that interests me is, does this mean that we are closer to a punishment for Kawhi Leonard for taking that no show job because now he's away from the Clippers. And as you always say, you always say that Ballmer has to be. He cannot be involved in anything like this. So I'm, I'm sort of interested in that. I don't understand him going to Toronto at all. I understand him reuniting with Majiri because they won a title in Toronto, but Toronto's had nothing before and nothing since.

[Mike Wilbon]

Masai is in Dallas, of course, running now.

[Tony Kornheiser]

Go to Toronto.

[Mike Wilbon]

Let's just finish up this topic on this. You know, when LeBron and Steph played together in the Olympics, you lost your mind.

[Tony Kornheiser]

Well, they needed Durant too, but yes.

[Mike Wilbon]

Okay. But they're not going to have Duran.

[Tony Kornheiser]

I understand.

[Mike Wilbon]

No.

[Tony Kornheiser]

Yes. I'm not saying you're wrong. I'm saying that's too hard to do.

[Mike Wilbon]

No, it's not. It isn't. It depends on what LeBron wants to do. And LeBron has earned the right to do whatever the hell he wants to do. There'll be no criticism here, no matter what he wants to do. But if you have LeBron and Steph Curry and Draymond Green and Jimmy Butler, I want Jimmy Butler still there.

[Tony Kornheiser]

This is what I'm saying. If Anthony Davis is. Let's take a break. Coming up was a bigger deal that the Yankees or the Blue Jays got swept.

[Mike Wilbon]

And Ja Morant going back to the hot stone league. Sudden has a new team, which we

[Tony Kornheiser]

both agreed upon that he had to go.

[Mike Wilbon]

Had to go, right? Gots to go Situation. But do you know you want to see this in Golden State? You'll need to stay up late once or twice in a season to see those guys.

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[Tony Kornheiser]

It's time to skim the swimming pool for your emails. I'll put on my glasses and I'll get the first meal time.

[Mike Wilbon]

Not the reflecting pool, the swimming pool.

[Tony Kornheiser]

Swimming pool. Which is the more interesting trade? Miles Bridges to the Suns or John Moran to the Blazers?

[Mike Wilbon]

Wow, Tony. I'm fascinated by both of these because Miles Bridges, Charlotte just basically said, you know what, if there's been any knuckleheadedness going on, you got to go. They got rid of the Lamelo ball, which was to me a win for Charlotte. I don't know what the hell Minnesota's doing, but if you can get Nas Reed, I love what they've done there. And Miles Bridges who was involved in serious stuff, has to go and now he's gone to Phoenix and they bring back, you know, among others, Grayson Allen. But Tony, I mean, Ja going to Portland for Jeremy Grant. If you're Mike Annori, you're a new coach with a one year deal.

[Tony Kornheiser]

A one year deal and they give

[Mike Wilbon]

you Ja who, speaking of knuckleheadedness, I mean he's sort of the captain of that, that squad right now. How do you feel about that? If you're, if you coach Mike and

[Tony Kornheiser]

Nora, I would just say this great talent, problematic behavior.

[Mike Wilbon]

Yes, yes.

[Tony Kornheiser]

And you're giving them to a guy who's on a one year deal and the second and third year at the team option. That's a tough thing to walk into.

[Mike Wilbon]

By the way. Where do you make room in that backcourt? I mean, are you. I'm just really saying here, Damian Lillard comes back. I know Damian Lillard comes back and John Moran. So you're going to have John.

[Tony Kornheiser]

Aren't those two guys who need the ball a lot? Don't they need the ball a lot?

[Mike Wilbon]

Yeah, I think so.

[Tony Kornheiser]

Can I go the other way on something? Because I've thought about this. We differ. Charlotte last year, I want to get this statistic right. Of the best five man lineups in the league, in the NBA last year, playing a minimum of 200 minutes together, all five.

[Mike Wilbon]

Right.

[Tony Kornheiser]

Charlotte had the best lineup and that was Miles Bridges. Lamelo ball, Con Knippel, Brandon Miller and Moussa Diabate. And I hope I pronounced that Correctly. They just got rid of two of those guys. I would say the most veteran leaders on that team. Whether you don't think they're leaders, they're great leaders, but they're the most veteran guys. They just got rid of them. And I'm asking myself. Charlotte was in a position to make a move upward. I just think they traded it away.

[Mike Wilbon]

Well, they got. Listen, Tony, they got two shooters who can make 40% of shots. And they were. If they weren't the number one three point shooting team in the league, they were in the top three. Charlotte. So they get back. You know, Mr. Duke, who I personally

[Tony Kornheiser]

am glad to see, you know, you've never liked Grayson. Ali won national champions.

[Mike Wilbon]

And by the way, he can shoot it. Before this season when he had an off season, he had two seasons at 40% plus.

[Tony Kornheiser]

I don't know.

[Mike Wilbon]

But Tony, Tony, what Charlotte's saying, acknowledging is we did as well as we

[Tony Kornheiser]

can with this group maybe.

[Mike Wilbon]

And we're not willing to sit here.

[Tony Kornheiser]

I think they.

[Mike Wilbon]

I like getting.

[Tony Kornheiser]

I think they were taking steps up and now I think they're taking steps to the side. Really? That's what I think.

[Mike Wilbon]

No, no. I just like Reed in a place of mellow ball. That's just me. Baseball sweeps more newsworthy four game sweep. The Sox dusting the Yankees or the Blue Jays getting owned by the Rangers.

[Tony Kornheiser]

I think it's the Rangers and it's because the rangers move into first place. Even though they only have a.500 record and they did it on the road. The Red Sox did this at home. They remain 11 and a half back of the Yankees. They remain in last place in their division. Look, the American League is awful. There's only four teams with winning records in the American League. But Toronto was in the World Series.

[Mike Wilbon]

Tony's that league.

[Tony Kornheiser]

Awful.

[Mike Wilbon]

Given where they were.

[Tony Kornheiser]

They were in the World Series. Now they're what? What are they? Six and a half, ten years out

[Mike Wilbon]

of their division league.

[Tony Kornheiser]

Six under.500 and they're ten and a half behind Tampa Bay. And they spent all this money on Vlad Guerrero Jr. Who we both think is a great player. He has no home runs at home.

[Mike Wilbon]

That's weird.

[Tony Kornheiser]

He has no home runs and 15 RBI in 41 home games. How is that possible?

[Mike Wilbon]

Well, it's possible that the first 20 are played in like sub zero temperatures because baseball's so stupid. They're domed even when it's open on the weekends. I've been in that place. I've been to Toronto. He can still get hot and get to 20. He's only got four total. He can get hot and get to 20. We know it because we've seen him do it. And by the way, he paid off, you know, in terms of proving that he can be a great player after a new contract. He did that last year. But Tony, it's Toronto because in a bad league, you would think, okay, the defending league champion will do well with this and sort of separate itself. It separated itself. You know what?

[Tony Kornheiser]

The American League versus the National League

[Mike Wilbon]

is in record so far, head to head.

[Tony Kornheiser]

The American League is minus 37. They're 37 down.

[Mike Wilbon]

And by the way, the Yankees were doing okay for a while without Judge in there and not so not so great.

[Tony Kornheiser]

That's enough email. Let's take one last break. But still to come, Jannik Sinner suffers in his first round match in Wimbledon

[Mike Wilbon]

and Junior Caminero is on a heater. The Cubs are on something of a heater. We beat Milwaukee 2 out of 3.

[Tony Kornheiser]

I'll take the Nats just beat boy Baltimore twice. Did anybody talk about the Cubs? Huh?

[Mike Wilbon]

The Cubs are in the wild card. The first. The Cubs are the second wild card team.

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[Commercial Announcer]

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[Tony Kornheiser]

Happy time people. Happy 23rd birthday. Jude Bellingham. Who?

[Mike Wilbon]

Jude.

[Commercial Announcer]

Hey Jude.

[Tony Kornheiser]

I've heard that before. One of the stars of the English soccer team, nearly two years younger than our show, Bellingham has two goals in this World cup, including one the other day that broke a 00 tie with Panama. He has the opportunity for more on Wednesday when England faces the Democratic Republic of Congo in a round of 32. Bellingham has a bravado that measures up to his skills. After scoring this game tying goal against Slovakia in the 2024. You lost on a bicycle.

[Mike Wilbon]

Come on.

[Tony Kornheiser]

The then 20 year old celebrated by shouting the Pete Weber like rhetorical question. Who else? Huh? Who else?

[Mike Wilbon]

Great player, Tony. For Real Madrid and for England, the question is in England, do they feel he's passed or is passing. Harry Kane.

[Tony Kornheiser]

Harry Kane. Both of them not so. Happy anniversary Marlins grounds crew on this date 33 years ago, during the Marlins inaugural season, the inexperienced grounds crew at Joe Robbie Stadium lost the unanimous decision to the infield tarp during a rain delay. The 40 plus member crew attempted to roll the tarp over the infield as the South Florida skies opened up. But for some inexplicable reason, they began unrolling the tarp in right field. In all, the effort took over 15 minutes and by then the infield was a giant puddle of unprotected mud. Not everybody learns a lesson on opening day of 2015, in the third year of their new stadium with a retractable roof, there Somehow was a 16 minute rain delay that resulted in a slippery field that affected players on both teams.

[Mike Wilbon]

How long can it take to close a roof? You've got a roof. What are you doing?

[Tony Kornheiser]

I would think it takes less than two minutes to close a roof. I would think, but I don't know. A near. Happy trails to Jannik Sinner. The number one player in the world had an awkward slip in the third set of his Wimbledon opener. Soon after, blood began seeping through his right shoe. Sooner lost that set in a tie break to go down to two sets to one, but rallied to win the fourth and fifth easily to advance. Afterward, he laughed off the injury, saying it stemmed from a toenail, adding quote, it just seems much worse than it is. I'm actually very surprised they let me keep playing because my all white turned into a little red.

[Mike Wilbon]

I'm particularly sensitive to right foot issues.

[Tony Kornheiser]

Yes.

[Mike Wilbon]

Okay, Matt, I can feel for center right foot. He's right handed. Okay. That's tough. Two things thrust.

[Tony Kornheiser]

One, he went out early during the heat in Paris.

[Mike Wilbon]

Yes, he did.

[Tony Kornheiser]

And two, Serena Williams goes tomorrow. You think she'll win? I know you're looking. You're gonna watch, right?

[Mike Wilbon]

If Ken can't wait, I'll wake up at whatever time this is to watch Serena. You'll be up anyway at like 30.

[Tony Kornheiser]

Do you think she's going to win?

[Mike Wilbon]

Yes. First. First match? Yes.

[Tony Kornheiser]

Not the second. That's how I feel. I feel that she wins the first one.

[Mike Wilbon]

Who's rooting for her?

[Tony Kornheiser]

Let's go to the big finish.

[Mike Wilbon]

Let's do it.

[Tony Kornheiser]

James Harden. Your boy is declining a $42 million player option and working with the Cavs on a multi year deal. Does that make surprise you?

[Mike Wilbon]

No. This was, this was whispered all spring when they couldn't take him out of the lineup when he's playing badly. Oh, they can't do anything because James is coming back on a deal.

[Tony Kornheiser]

Why would they want him back?

[Mike Wilbon]

Because you love James Harden.

[Tony Kornheiser]

I do. But I saw what happened in the playoffs again.

[Mike Wilbon]

I saw you with that Isaiah Hartenstein and the Thunder, three years, 75 mil extension. Does that make sense? Okay.

[Tony Kornheiser]

They also drafted a 7 foot 3 kid, right?

[Mike Wilbon]

He borrowed the kid from Michigan.

[Tony Kornheiser]

So what does this mean for Chet Holmgren? It means don't you think you and

[Mike Wilbon]

I are going to move on this

[Tony Kornheiser]

Ray Slugger Jr. Caminera has homeward in four straight games. He has seven in his last six. That's a big deal, right?

[Mike Wilbon]

He's fueling the Rays, who are actually an American League team. That is not a massive disappointment. Lionel Messi scored Saturday as a reserve. This is important. Why?

[Tony Kornheiser]

Because you never liked him and now you finally begrudgingly have to like him. And he's the first guy ever to score in seven straight World cup games. That's all I said.

[Mike Wilbon]

Well, he's getting. He's the goal. Last one.

[Tony Kornheiser]

Your boy, the Miz, to a pitch. 105 and a half miles an hour on Friday night. You've got to be impressed.

[Mike Wilbon]

I'm not gonna say he ruined our weekend, but that's the game Milwaukee beat the Cubs.

[Tony Kornheiser]

Is that the one?

[Mike Wilbon]

The Miz? Yeah. We won two out of three in Milwaukee.

[Commercial Announcer]

He's something. He's something.

[Tony Kornheiser]

We're out of time. We'll try to do better the next time. Lido Beach Golf Course, shout out.

[Mike Wilbon]

I'm Mike Blanc. Same time tomorrow, knuckleheads.