“3 Good Holes”

Summary

Podcast Summary: The Tony Kornheiser Show

Episode: “3 Good Holes”

Date: June 10, 2026
Host: Tony Kornheiser
Notable Guests: Michael Wilbon, Eddie Olczyk, Taylor Twellman, Ryan McGee

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Main Theme

This episode of The Tony Kornheiser Show dives into a lively mix of sports topics and personal anecdotes. Major discussions include the excitement of the Stanley Cup Finals, the surprising resilience of the Washington Nationals, Taylor Twellman’s insights on the U.S. Men's National Soccer Team ahead of the World Cup, and a spirited debate with Ryan McGee about the controversial eligibility of Texas Tech QB Brandon Sorsby following a gambling scandal. Throughout, Tony’s wit and rapport with regulars set the show’s unique, conversational tone.

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Episode Highlights & Key Discussion Points

1. Stanley Cup Finals: High-Scoring Hockey and TV Ratings

• [01:08–04:13]
  • Tony marvels at the unusually high scoring in the Finals between Carolina and Vegas: “It's a high-scoring hockey series that goes back and forth and there's no reason to believe it won't go seven at this point.” (Tony, 02:47)
  • They reference the large number of goals compared to historical series, only comparable to the 1981 Minnesota North Stars vs. Islanders matchup.
  • Tony, Eddie, and others emphasize the advantages of having games on ABC rather than cable:
    “That's why the ratings are so high—because they're not on cable. You could send your dog up on the roof holding a bone, and that would act as an antenna!” (Tony, 03:40)
• Memorable Moment: The group joking about who’s too big to be a jockey—“Eddie knows all about horse racing, but he's way too big to be a jockey.” (Tony, 00:24)

2. Washington Nationals: A Road-Warrior Story

• [05:02–09:54]
  • Tony admits he hadn’t watched the Nats’ recent wins but is amazed by their new statistics:
    “The Washington Nationals…now tied with Atlanta, a really good team, for the most road victories so far this season.” (Tony, 06:23)
  • Chris Cillizza reports they’re tied for the third wild card spot, and the panel delves into the team dynamic, “They obviously do better on the road than they do at home.” (Tony, 07:05)
  • Discussion of manager strategies, the team’s offensive firepower, and unpredictable lineups (“Everybody else is moving and they're moving up and down.” (Tony, 08:24)).
  • Humorous lament on Tony’s obsession with keeping statistics:
    “No, I don't love numbers. Numbers have a hold on me. I don't like that.” (Tony, 09:52)

3. Golf Tales and Generational Play

• [10:13–13:20]
  • Tony shares stories from a recent golf round, reflecting on the benefits of playing with people his age and skill level.
  • He anticipates the Father-Son tournament, humorously lowering expectations:
    “We're not going to win. It's okay. I just want to survive.” (Tony, 11:40)
  • Conversation touches on the common anxieties of beginner golfers and enjoying the game despite limitations.

4. NBA Finals Tidbits

• [13:41–14:41]
  • Brief discussion about game trends:
    “The three first games have been road victories. Why wouldn't the fourth be a road victory?” (Tony, 13:54)
  • Talk about officiating sensitivities, star player (Wembanyama) handling, and the NBA’s interest in keeping stars on the court for ratings.

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In-Depth Interviews

5. Taylor Twellman on the World Cup and U.S. Team Prospects

• [17:21–29:28]
  • Media Car Wash: Tony asks how Twellman keeps his insights fresh across multiple appearances:
    “I can be on 10 shows and give you 10 different things to think about. I love it that much.” (Taylor, 18:46)
  • U.S. Team News:
    • All 26 players have finally completed a full training together, just 5 days before the first World Cup match. Chris Richards’ fitness is key.
    • The USA’s opening match against Paraguay in LA is crucial; win equals “a 75% chance of getting out your group.” (Taylor, 21:31)
    • Twellman is optimistic for the opener, citing stronger form and crowd support:
      “I'd be shocked if the United States loses that game.” (Taylor, 22:09)
  • Coaching & Tactical Uncertainties:
    • Discussion about Maurizio Pochettino (new USMNT manager), defensive priorities, and whether the short time under a new coach can really change a national team’s fortunes.
    • Notable quote on US soccer's hiring cycle:
      “Unless you get to the quarterfinal, my first question is going to be, do you think you did enough? And…more than likely is going to be no.” (Taylor, 27:22)
  • Panic Moves and Strategy Watch:
    • If Pochettino abandons the three-center-back system for four, Twellman says, “Then you just wasted the previous 13 games that you played three center backs and got used to a system.”
  • Tone & Banter:
    • Tony and Taylor riff on the mechanics of TV sports, audience adaptation, and being “entertaining first.”
    • Closing humor as Twellman jokes about “fitting Tony in his media schedule.” (29:28)

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6. Ryan McGee on Texas Tech QB Brandon Sorsby’s Gambling Case

• [31:29–45:58]
  • The Scandal:
    • Texas Tech’s quarterback, Brandon Sorsby, broke NCAA anti-gambling rules—betting over $90,000 (including on football)—but is eligible to play this season after a successful legal injunction delays suspension.
    • McGee’s direct take:
      “He should not be eligible. He should never play college football again.” (Ryan, 32:46)
    • NCAA’s enforcement limitations, “The system is rigged.”
  • Addiction & Accountability:
    • McGee notes the cultural reality: big programs and conferences would all pursue injunctions for their stars.
      “The only rule you can't break. And he broke it. And he broke it over and over and over.” (Ryan, 34:25)
    • McGee’s skepticism toward Sorsby’s apologists: To say “he’s just a college kid” is to ignore his high-profile, paid-athlete status:
      “The tax for fame is that you have to live to a different set of rules.” (Ryan, 37:59)
  • Fallout & Broader Impact:
    • Big 12 ADs are “embarrassed,” but threats to drop games are empty—money always wins.
    • Tony on the integrity risk:
      “Every play he runs, someone is going to question whether he did that because he's betting on that play.” (Tony, 40:53)
    • McGee, on his lasting infamy:
      “It'll be like that for the rest of his life…wherever he goes on the road in the Big 12.” (Ryan, 41:13)
    • Both agree the network TV world will convert the scandal into a ratings bonanza.
  • Cynical Realities:
    • Every stakeholder, from networks to schools, ultimately benefits from the drama.
    • “Nobody's hands are clean. No network's hands are clean. No sports league's hands are clean…They all endorse betting, they're all partners with betting.” (Tony, 44:56)

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Memorable Quotes & Moments

• On High-Scoring Hockey (03:40):
  “You could send your dog up on the roof holding a bone, and that would act as an antenna and you could get it in your house because on ABC.” (Tony Kornheiser)

• Nationals on the Road (06:23):
  “The Washington Nationals…now is tied with Atlanta, a really good team, for the most road victories so far this season.” (Tony Kornheiser)

• The “Privilege” of Casual Golf (11:42):
  “Nobody is keeping your score.…You're not qualifying for the Masters here.” (Tony Kornheiser)

• Soccer Media Juggling (18:46):
  “I can be on 10 shows and give you 10 different things to think about. I love it that much.” (Taylor Twellman)

• On Sorsby’s Eligibility (32:46):
  “He should not be eligible. He should never play college football again.” (Ryan McGee)

• On Accountability in College Sports (37:59):
  “The tax for fame is that you have to live to a different set of rules.” (Ryan McGee)

• Integrity in Sports Gambling (44:56):
  “Nobody's hands are clean. No network's hands are clean. No sports league's hands are clean.…They all endorse betting, they're all partners with betting, they're all part of it.” (Tony Kornheiser)

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Timestamps for Key Segments

• Hockey Finals & Ratings: [01:08–04:13]
• Nationals and MLB Standings: [05:02–09:54]
• Golf with Tony (Father-Son Tourney): [10:13–13:20]
• NBA Playoff Nuggets: [13:41–14:41]
• Taylor Twellman Interview (Soccer/World Cup): [17:21–29:28]
• Ryan McGee on Sorsby Gambling Case: [31:29–45:58]

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Tone & Style

• Conversational, witty, and irreverent—true to the Tony Kornheiser brand.
• Jokes and banter are woven through the analysis, making even complex or controversial issues approachable.
• The regular cast brings a sense of familiarity, while guests inject expert opinion and fresh perspective.

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For New Listeners

This episode typifies The Tony Kornheiser Show: a smart, snappy blend of sports, humor, and authentic conversation. It jumps nimbly across topics and generations, always coming back to what makes sports—and talking about sports—fun, unpredictable, and a little absurd.

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End of summary.

Transcript

[Tony Kornheiser]

Hey, it's Tony. On today's show, I'll get a chance to show off my soccer knowledge when we talk to Taylor Twelman about the World Cup. And we'll talk to Ryan McGee about what's going on with Texas Tech and their quarterback, Brandon Sorsby. But first, Commerce. Previously on the Tony Kornheiser Show.

[Taylor Twellman]

And we want to get the momentum for the game because people really, you know, get jacked up.

[Tony Kornheiser]

It's the most. It's for the casual fan. It's the only thing that matters. And if you don't 100%, if they're not eligible because a trainer pulls them, it's not good. And I should say Eddie knows all about horse racing, but he's way too big to be a jockey. And that's why he was a hockey player. That's why he was a hockey player.

[Taylor Twellman]

Hey, Tony, I get, I get near a horse and I could feel the

[Ryan McGee]

vibe of being a former.

[Taylor Twellman]

Former. Former athlete in the national hockey.

[Ryan McGee]

The horses look at me and go,

[Taylor Twellman]

hey, buddy, you're not getting on the company.

[Tony Kornheiser]

So this is General George Washington and you're listening to the Tony Kornheiser Show. So let's start with hockey. Former former athlete. Yeah.

[Michael Wilbon]

What does that make us?

[Tony Kornheiser]

We just talked, Ed.

[Michael Wilbon]

So you're not even a Hazel.

[Ryan McGee]

No, never.

[Michael Wilbon]

You're. Never was.

[Taylor Twellman]

Yeah.

[Tony Kornheiser]

So let's start with the hockey. I was particularly impressed when he said a couple of days ago that he would have made the same challenge.

[Eddie Olczyk]

Yeah.

[Tony Kornheiser]

You know, that Torts did. Absolutely. He thought it was a goal. So there were more Torts. John Tortorella, everybody calls him Torts. Torts. So they played last night. I didn't watch all of it, but I watched a bunch of it. Once again, high scoring. There's an empty netter at the end. But the four games between Carolina and Vegas have been 5, 4, 4, 3, 5, 4, 5 3. It's a tremendous amount of goals in hockey, particularly in the Stanley Cup Final series. It's, it's probably. It is no worse than the second most amount of goals in the Stanley Cup Final series between, you know, in the first four games. Because going into this game, it was second only to the Minnesota North Stars and the islanders in like 1981. And they just got eight more. They just got eight more.

[Eddie Olczyk]

And it was another, like, I think Carolina got out to like three one or something like that. Two zero. Yeah. And then the 202131, three, two, three.

[Ryan McGee]

Yeah.

[Eddie Olczyk]

Just great.

[Tony Kornheiser]

Yeah. So again, as we've said, many Times. Our friend Bernie Wolfe, who was the Washington Capitals goalie, said a 20 lead is the shakiest lead in hockey. And it was again because ultimately it was tied. The winner was Jordan Stahl falling down. A backhander as he's falling down made the score 4 to 3. And ultimately that was, that was the margin because it was an empty net goal at the end. This is a real serious look. I'm not going to pretend I know anything about hockey. I'm not. I mean, I've watched it my whole life, but I've never understood it and I've never loved it the way I've loved baseball or football or basketball. But it's a great series. I mean the, it's a high scoring hockey series that goes back and forth and there's no reason to believe it won't go seven at this point.

[Eddie Olczyk]

Oh, sure.

[Tony Kornheiser]

Yesterday on pti, PK Suban said that this was an absolutely critical game for Carolina. They had to win this game or the series was over. So you're asking a road team to win that game in Las Vegas and they did. Yeah. You know, so I think it'll probably go seven, even if it's got to go at least six to two. So you get your money's worth. You know, if you're, if you're ESPN and you bought the series and you're putting it on tv, the ratings are going to go up every single time. Yes, it's on abc. So that means you don't have to worry about cable. You don't have to worry about the $327 you pay every single month to see something you want to see because it's on, it's over the air, it's on network television. Everybody can get it. You could send your dog up on the roof holding a bone and, and that would act as an antenna and you could get it in your house because on abc, as is the basketball, that's why the ratings are so high, because they're not on cable. They're not.

[Eddie Olczyk]

Yeah.

[Tony Kornheiser]

They're not on a subscription service.

[Eddie Olczyk]

Not on prime.

[Tony Kornheiser]

They're over the air. They're over the air. Don't. Yeah, get me.

[Michael Wilbon]

When this whole world starts getting you down.

[Tony Kornheiser]

Yeah. Gets go up on the roof. Let's go up on the roof. All.

[Eddie Olczyk]

Can I just say one thing in referring to Eddie Olczek from, from the Open talking about horse racing.

[Ryan McGee]

Yeah.

[Eddie Olczyk]

I think yesterday was the anniversary of Secretariat at the Belmont.

[Tony Kornheiser]

That's because certainly could have been on

[Eddie Olczyk]

my Twitter feed all of A sudden, the video popped up. I just want to say, if people

[Tony Kornheiser]

haven't watched, that horse wins by a thousand feet.

[Eddie Olczyk]

It's the most impressive.

[Tony Kornheiser]

Breaks the heart of the rival. Sham. Oh, Sham's just done it. Breaks the heart.

[Eddie Olczyk]

It's the most spectacular performance you'll ever see.

[Tony Kornheiser]

This is why in the. In the 1900s, one of us in this show voted Secretariat the eighth best athlete. Yes. Because of that Triple Crown.

[Eddie Olczyk]

Amazing.

[Tony Kornheiser]

Secretariat. Yeah. Big Red, right? That's what that's name was.

[Ryan McGee]

Big Red.

[Eddie Olczyk]

Big Red.

[Tony Kornheiser]

All right, so let me get to the Gnats. And I'm not gonna lie about this. I didn't watch any.

[Michael Wilbon]

Stay up for the start.

[Tony Kornheiser]

No, I didn't. And I was up.

[Michael Wilbon]

I love watching San Francisco games.

[Tony Kornheiser]

Yeah. So I was a beautiful part. It's a great ballpark. So I didn't watch.

[Michael Wilbon]

Delivered again, like three triples, I think, in the game.

[Tony Kornheiser]

Okay, so did you watch because you watched other night. The Nats have won twice in San Francisco in front of an audience of nobody in my house.

[Michael Wilbon]

I mean, it helps a lot last night when the second batter hits it out of the park for the Nats.

[Tony Kornheiser]

Garcia.

[Michael Wilbon]

Right after woods had a great at bat.

[Tony Kornheiser]

So he got hosed on strike. Woods got a bunch of hits last night, did he not?

[Michael Wilbon]

Three hits.

[Tony Kornheiser]

So they won again six times the season they won four to three today. Today is Wednesday, so they won four to three on Monday. And then last night, Tuesday night, they won six to three. What I'm going to tell you now is remarkable. I got a note already this morning from Cillizza. Soliza believes they are now tied for the third wild card spot with two other teams with the Padres and one other team that I cannot recall at the moment. The Washington Nationals have now won five straight road series. They win this series even. There's a third game. They've won the first two more impressively. And something that you can understand more readily. The nats now have 23 road victories, which is tied with the Atlanta Braves for the most road victories in all of baseball. Not. Not the NL east, in all of baseball. The Washington Nationals, a team that over the last six years has the second worst1 loss percentage to the Colorado Rockies in all of baseball. A team that averages 67 wins and 95 losses over the last five years. 67 and 95 now has the. Now is tied with Atlanta, a really good team, for the most road victories so far this season. Now, one thing, I guess. I guess they played much more road games than most teams. That's my guess, because they're a.500 team, but they obviously do better on the road than they do at home because they don't face the marlins at home.

[Eddie Olczyk]

12 and 20 at home.

[Tony Kornheiser]

That stinks.

[Eddie Olczyk]

That's terrible.

[Tony Kornheiser]

That's. That's their average. That's who they are. Yeah, that's 6 and 10. That's. That's who they are.

[Eddie Olczyk]

And here's your wild card standing. St. Louis up by three. Philadelphia, next up, a game and a half. And then Arizona, San Diego, Washington, all tied.

[Tony Kornheiser]

How about that?

[Taylor Twellman]

Yeah, how about that, Mikey?

[Tony Kornheiser]

How about that?

[Michael Wilbon]

You have a summer to watch.

[Eddie Olczyk]

Exactly.

[Michael Wilbon]

So get off the west coast the first couple innings. They were talking about this on the broadcast last night, and I think one of the. The message is that they're a team that scores a lot of runs and they're scoring early. So you look at last night, James Wood works that really good at bat and then they get two runs across in the first and you're. And you have. The home team is always playing from behind in those.

[Tony Kornheiser]

Yeah, it's just, you know. And San Francisco's not very good. No, but they may have. With that manager. They may have. We don't know. Yeah.

[Michael Wilbon]

Those are the series. You have to go out and win.

[Tony Kornheiser]

Yes.

[Ryan McGee]

3.

[Eddie Olczyk]

They lead the league the whole all of baseball with runs scored with 362.

[Tony Kornheiser]

It's unbelievable.

[Eddie Olczyk]

The problem is runs against 354. Well, they'll work on that. But. Yeah, but offensively, very fun team.

[Tony Kornheiser]

Now, what drives me crazy. What drives me crazy. Righty, the baby manager. Go lefty. Righty all the time. Keeping 10 in the major leagues and changing the lineup every single day. Like Luis Garcia. He probably won't play today. The only set two people are James Wood and C.J. abrams. Everybody else is moving and they're moving up and down.

[Michael Wilbon]

Dylan Cruz to have a hard loud out, you know.

[Tony Kornheiser]

So anyway, you know, where do they go from here? What's their next. Where they go to San Francisco. They go like the Padres or the Dodgers. I'll pull it up for you. Mariners. I mean, because if you do have

[Michael Wilbon]

the Mariners in town soon, they have Kansas City in a week or two.

[Tony Kornheiser]

Okay, can we see Matt Cattrero?

[Michael Wilbon]

I was hoping to.

[Tony Kornheiser]

Yeah, yeah.

[Michael Wilbon]

We have the Mariners in D.C. next, and then we have the Royals in D.C. okay.

[Tony Kornheiser]

So they come back and they're on

[Michael Wilbon]

the road against Tampa Bay. And then you have a big series at the end of June against Phillies.

[Ryan McGee]

Four at home.

[Tony Kornheiser]

Okay.

[Eddie Olczyk]

And then up in Baltimore.

[Tony Kornheiser]

So. Okay. Okay. Do you have any sense of how many road games? If they're 12 and 20, that's 32. How many games have they played all together? Hold on. If that's 32 home games.

[Michael Wilbon]

So overall, they are 35 and 32 or 33. So let's do some math. That's 88. And we have 32 of those games were at home.

[Tony Kornheiser]

That's not 88. They haven't played 88 games yet.

[Michael Wilbon]

Okay, I'm not that good at math. It was like 68.

[Tony Kornheiser]

68, yes. So they played. So they played 36 on the road and 32 at home.

[Michael Wilbon]

But just testing you.

[Tony Kornheiser]

You are not that good at math. No, I'm not that good at math, but I'm better at symbolism, you know, I mean, I was an English major, too, but I. I wouldn't go.

[Michael Wilbon]

But you love numbers.

[Tony Kornheiser]

Well, I know I don't love numbers.

[Michael Wilbon]

I think it was the.

[Tony Kornheiser]

I am possessed by numbers in a terrible, terrible, you know, way. What is that to be ocd? Yes. Yeah. Obsessive compulsive behavior. I do it. I count everything all the time. No, no, I don't love numbers. No. Numbers have a hold on me. I don't like that. One other.

[Eddie Olczyk]

I don't like you.

[Tony Kornheiser]

But I played golf yesterday. I don't like you. I played golf yesterday, and I played with Charlie Scuba and Al Serafino and Robin Buffalo. I played very well. I shot like 44 on the front, and I played 16 holes and pard 16, hit a good seven into 16,

[Michael Wilbon]

10ft to actually putt out on 16. You're going away from the clubhouse, so you don't have any desire just to finish the last two.

[Tony Kornheiser]

At that point, I was too close. It's too close a call to get to work and all of that. And 16 was fine. I played well and I've. I'm. I've figured this out. It's not a genius to do this. I play better and have more fun when I play with people my own age and my own ability. I play better when I play with people better than I am. I might. You might think I play a little bit better, but then I have terrible shots that take me out of holes. I had two triples yesterday, so it wasn't like I was really good. I had two triples. You know, I tripled 11 and 14 on the back, but I play better. So now Michael and I are playing this Saturday in the Father Son.

[Michael Wilbon]

Oh, yeah.

[Tony Kornheiser]

Tournament. Usually by the third hole.

[Michael Wilbon]

Number three.

[Tony Kornheiser]

We're not talking Tony. Three.

[Michael Wilbon]

Putts yeah, he's down for five, Three good holes.

[Taylor Twellman]

We're not talking.

[Michael Wilbon]

This year is going to be different.

[Eddie Olczyk]

It is.

[Michael Wilbon]

Oh, yes. We have the next generation with us.

[Tony Kornheiser]

Oh, yeah. We have the baby boy boots.

[Michael Wilbon]

Yeah, he's going out to practice yesterday,

[Tony Kornheiser]

so he'll come back.

[Eddie Olczyk]

That's thrilling.

[Tony Kornheiser]

Yeah, we're not going to win. It's okay. I just want to survive.

[Michael Wilbon]

You bring up a good point about the, the privilege of being a competent or experienced golfer where, you know, for beginner golfers or, you know, you're new to the game, juniors, you go out there and you're so nervous on the first tee. You're so nervous. What is the rest of the group going to think of you? And you just sit there going. Everyone's in their own head. We're just trying to get out and have a good time.

[Tony Kornheiser]

Nobody is keeping your score. Well, one guy I know doesn't. I don't play with him anymore. But most people are not, you know, you're keeping your own score. You can pick up if you want. If you take three in the trap, stick it in your pocket. I mean, you're not, you're not qualifying for the Masters here. But I am always so. I mean, I can't hit the ball more than 150 yards anymore. So I am always so conscious that the other people in the group are hitting it so much further that I'm holding them up. Now I'm not holding them up because I'm quick. I'm not holding them up, but I'm, I'm not good enough. So I like to play at least with one other person if it's for some. At least for one other person who play, you know, with me on the set of tees that I play from. And that's hard to do because most people aren't old enough, you know, or don't want to play on those sets of tees. But I do love, I do love playing. I do. Even when I stink. I really love playing.

[Eddie Olczyk]

That was a gorgeous day to be out yesterday.

[Tony Kornheiser]

Yeah, it's very, very nice. Very, very nice.

[Michael Wilbon]

You'll play from your tees.

[Tony Kornheiser]

Oh, he has to.

[Michael Wilbon]

I bet he plays for money, so.

[Tony Kornheiser]

Oh. So, yeah. The only thing I'm worried about is that it's going to rain on Friday, Friday night, and then there'll be no carts on Saturday. And that's hard for me. I'll do it. I mean, I'll walk as long as I can. Take a couple of holes off.

[Michael Wilbon]

It's got to Protect that inner nine.

[Tony Kornheiser]

Yeah, well, I don't know if they'll let us do that.

[Eddie Olczyk]

Aiming for shop credit, right?

[Tony Kornheiser]

Oh, I'm just aiming to finish and still have my son. Like, that's all I'm aiming for, really. All right, so here's on who's on the show today. Taylor Twelveman is on the show today. Ryan McGee is on the show today. And. And we will. That's why I talked. I guess I should mention the. The basketball is tonight.

[Eddie Olczyk]

That's right.

[Tony Kornheiser]

It is not going to surprise me even a little if San Antonio wins that game.

[Michael Wilbon]

And you know the Trend about games. Four last 10 series.

[Eddie Olczyk]

No winner of game four wins the series.

[Michael Wilbon]

No. No. Seven. Seven home teams have lost in the last 10.

[Tony Kornheiser]

Oh, well, so the three first games have been road victories. Why wouldn't the fourth be a road victory? I mean, I'm just going to say it's not going to surprise.

[Michael Wilbon]

Do you think the officiating is going to be noticeably different in the first quarter?

[Tony Kornheiser]

Yes. I think a memo went out. Not an actual memo, but a voice memo went out to the referees saying, hey, you know, be careful with, you know, make sure you call some stuff. I do find it interesting that women Yama could have gotten a flagrant one on review when he tried to shove Jalen Brunson's head into the floor. And he didn't because that would give him three points. And if he got a fourth point, he'd be suspended. A fourth negative point. And the league does not want that guy. No, not on the court.

[Ryan McGee]

No.

[Tony Kornheiser]

They're over the air and they've got high ratings. And the Knicks are bringing the ratings and Wembanyama is bringing the ratings. You don't want Wembanyama not playing, so we'll take a break. Come back with Taylor Tuelman. I'm Tony Kornheiser.

[Jim Basnight]

This is the Tony Kornheiser Show.

[Tony Kornheiser]

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[Tony Kornheiser]

I wrote a little song to remind you. Choice hotels get you more of the experiences you you value. Mm. The Cambria Hotel's got it all. A rooftop bar. Have a ball. Cocktails up here. Feel just right, Ms. Cambria. Amazing. All right. Bring a date, your teen or even your mom. Book [e-mail] See you on the roof.

[Taylor Twellman]

This is the Tony Kornheiser Show.

[Tony Kornheiser]

That's Beth Peabody. She's a longtime member the Jim Baznite Band. That's called Get it out, that song and out and about, which you will hear later. Both of them will be released on the public airwaves on Friday, and it welcomes in Taylor Twelman. And this segment of Taylor Twelman is brought to you by FanDuel. Play your game. How many people are you working for at the moment? Like, what are your obligations? It seems to me that you could do, I don't know, 20 standups a day. You probably could, right?

[Taylor Twellman]

Yeah, I'm going on 17 until the final Tony. So I think through the group stage, I'll average 22 a day. And then the knockout stage, it cuts down to like 14, so.

[Tony Kornheiser]

So we can have fun with this. But I do sort of Wonder about this. And I wonder about it because of Wilbond lately. Wilbond during the NBA Finals is on, I don't know, eight to 10 shows a day.

[Taylor Twellman]

Yeah.

[Tony Kornheiser]

And there's he. You can only ask him about the basketball. You're not going to ask him about his impressions of modern art. So I guess you sort of repeat yourself after a while. You find a couple of phrases you like and you say them over and over. Do you have, you know, does that happen with you as well, that the questions are very, very similar and you find sort of a stock answer?

[Taylor Twellman]

No, but I honestly would pay to hear Woban talk about modern art. But that's a different conversation, huh?

[Tony Kornheiser]

Yeah.

[Taylor Twellman]

Tony, honestly, it's interesting. First off, and this is not because I'm on your show, but I learn a lot from watching people like you and Michael argue about the same stuff consistently and find new angles and talk about different things. I still have to be mindful of what show I'm on. So if I'm on the Today show, there's absolutely no reason for me to dive into tactics and dive into the nitty gritty about what would happen or what's going to happen because I'm going to lose the viewer. I still am trying to grow my sport, even though the sport has grown exponentially over the last 10 years. But I could be on your show and get into the nitty gritty. And whether people aren't fully coherent about what I'm talking about, they'll enjoy it more because they know it's coming from a genuine place. I don't know what it is. Maybe it is the car wash at ESPN, but I can be on 10 shows and give you 10 different things to think about. I love it that much. I think there's so much of nuance to our game that I can pick different angles. But I still have learned a lot in this world that depending on your audience, you got to determine what's going to be captivating enough for them to either one, listen to you, two, want to turn you off because you're polarizing, or three, more importantly, be interested in what the game's going to show you coming up.

[Tony Kornheiser]

Yeah, you have to be. I mean, number one is be entertaining. Be entertaining and that you keep your audience when you're entertaining. So let me just. I want to make sure I'm right about this. There are no more tune ups now. Now, the next game we play, the United States men's national team. The next game we play is World Cup. Yes.

[Taylor Twellman]

Yes.

[Ryan McGee]

Yep.

[Taylor Twellman]

And it's crazy. Today was the first day that the United States, all 26 players on that roster, completed a full training. And that is, what is that? Five, five, you know, five days before the game. So everyone's rocking and rolling and Chris Richards is the most important name to that list.

[Tony Kornheiser]

Yes.

[Taylor Twellman]

He hasn't played a game, which if he starts against Paraguay, that will be 26 days. Yeah, sure. Match day, you know, match fitness, game fitness, that's going to be a little bit of a concern. But what I've seen in Senegal, what I've seen in the Germany tune up games, Tony, they need him. They desperately need him. Because right now under Pochettino, they're averaging about two goals given up a game. And you're not going to get to the quarterfinals doing that.

[Tony Kornheiser]

You mentioned Paraguay. Do we get them first? That's our first match.

[Taylor Twellman]

Yep. We beat them a little more than 10 months ago.

[Tony Kornheiser]

And we get them in California and Los Angeles. Yes.

[Taylor Twellman]

Yep, we get them in LA. And if you win that game, you've got a 75% chance of getting out your group. And now with a 48 team tournament, the odds go even greater that you will win the group with a win in the first game.

[Tony Kornheiser]

Really?

[Ryan McGee]

Yes.

[Taylor Twellman]

And that's the most important thing that people that are listening to this need to realize that opening game against Paraguay, you get three points, you then get Australia in Seattle, that will be as pro of an American crowd you ever get. That will be a team that we will be more athletic, we'll be more dynamic then. And if you get six points now, you're cooking with gas. And so that's why I think the Paraguay game is imperative that you get three points if you want to get to the goal of winning the group and ultimately getting to the quarterfinal.

[Tony Kornheiser]

So then I have to ask you, logic dictates I ask you, how do you see that game right now?

[Taylor Twellman]

Right now I see the United States having the upper hand against Paraguay. Paraguay has a couple injuries. I think the United States and what we've seen in these two tune up games, the crowds, Tony, it's shockingly better than I thought. And what I mean by that is no matter ticket prices and all that, it's red, white and blue and there is a real energy in the building. Every single player has made a mention of that. And I think LA being a little tricky because Paraguay being a South American country, they travel well. We saw what they did for their team, sending off. I don't know what that crowd looks like, but I'd be shocked if it's not pro American. And more importantly, I just think the United States beat their full team 10 months ago. And I think if Chris Richards play, I'd be shocked if the United States loses that game.

[Tony Kornheiser]

Okay. I remember what you said the last time we spoke. You said you were, you know, intrigued. Not necessarily in favor of it, but intrigued by the notion that the new coach had an emphasis on defense.

[Taylor Twellman]

Yeah.

[Tony Kornheiser]

You intrigued. And you were maybe a little bit skeptical about that. So I would ask you, are you still concerned about the emphasis on defense?

[Taylor Twellman]

No, because. Well, let me rephrase that. I still have the same apprehension that he announces a team, a home World cup in your backyard, he puts 10 defenders in there. You could have mixed it up to send a different message. Publicly, even he knows that. Yeah, I'm bringing 10 defenders, seven center backs. Tony, the issue is this last 13 games under Pochettino, one clean sheet, one shutout. And if you go back in this century, not a single team that has gotten to the semifinal of the World cup has averaged more than 1.2 goals given up a game. They're at 2.2.

[Tony Kornheiser]

Oh, okay.

[Taylor Twellman]

So now I understand. Okay. Maybe he's looking at it, saying, but when I watch the tune up games, he's played, every goalkeeper, that makes no sense to me. So right now, still you're talking to me. I don't know who our starting goalkeeper is. And two, three of the four goals given up against Senegal in Germany, Tony, they were our fault. They were mistakes given up by us. The ball given up, bad markings. So, yeah, okay. If defense is the problem, sure. Absolutely. You're going to bring more players. I'd argue, though, the proof has been in the pudding a little bit. You may have to win a game. Three, two. So do you need seven center backs, 10 defenders?

[Tony Kornheiser]

Yeah. Can I ask sort of an obvious question which will show how little I know, but I don't know anything about Pochettino. Nothing. I mean, I assume that he has not been coaching in the United States, that he has been coaching elsewhere in the world. What is his reputation? And I guess more importantly to me, can you just walk in in a year and get to know players well enough to really know how to use them? Can you max out with players when you only just got there?

[Taylor Twellman]

See, it's a brilliant question. And you say that you don't know it, but the reality is you're asking the question that I asked right after the World cup in Qatar. And here's why I say that. That's three and a half Years ago, Tony. And, you know, for three and a half years, you have no World cup qualifiers, you have no meaningful games to prepare you for the World cup, except for the 2024 Copa America in your backyard. And they absolutely blew it. Yeah, they hired the same coach. They don't even get out of their group. First host nation to never get out of their group. And then I sit there and say, wait a minute. Now you want Pochettino to come in here and work a miracle? I'm going to answer your second question first. No, you can't. Now, the team that can would be a France, a Spain or a Brazil, because the talent supersedes pretty much whatever the manager is going to do anyways. But there's only about three countries that can do that, Tony. Now, your first question, I think is more. More impactful for your listener. Mauricio Pochettino is the most high. It's the highest profile coach the United States men have ever had. He was a brilliant coach at Tottenham. He then took that success and went to PSG where he had Neymar, Messi and Mbappe. And he didn't win Champions League. Now, for many a multitude of reasons, yes, it could have been the synergy between the three. We've now seen Mbappe for whatever team he doesn't play for and he leaves, that team wins. So maybe, maybe there's a little bit of an issue there. But Pochettino is the highest profile manager they've ever had. Now, in 22, he wasn't available. So I'm not sitting here with revisionist history saying, well, they should have hired him. Well, he wasn't available, but that kind of profile manager was. So if the United States men fail and they struggle, the first question out of my mouth is going to be, what do you think you should have done over the last three and a half years that was so apparent to anyone in the business? Now, if they don't, Tony. Absolutely. It's great. They got to the Round of 16 quarterfinals, and the U.S. soccer Federation can sit there and Pochettina, good. And say, listen, this is the best we had. I'll still argue you wasted three and a half years. So unless you get to the quarterfinal, my first question is going to be, do you think you did enough? And the answer to that more than likely is going to be no.

[Tony Kornheiser]

Is there something that you would see as a panic move where you would say, oh, this is bad?

[Taylor Twellman]

That's a great question.

[Tony Kornheiser]

That's what they pay me to do. Actually, I don't get paid to do this. I sort of do this.

[Taylor Twellman]

Exactly.

[Tony Kornheiser]

I like doing this.

[Taylor Twellman]

Honestly, it's a really good question. I will say this, and it's really in the nitty gritty, but I think your listeners will appreciate if he plays four in the back. So what I mean by that is he's not. He's brought 10 defenders, seven center backs. The United States men under Pochettino have been at their best. When he plays three center backs, if he only plays two, then I will be the first person to say then you just wasted the previous 13 games that you played three center backs and got used to a system. I don't think he does. But Tony, if. If he does do it and there's a 6 to 7% chance, then I'll raise my hand before the game even starts and says, oh, okay.

[Tony Kornheiser]

This is all good to know. We're gonna lean on you as much as possible and I'm, you know, I'm not gonna know what I'm talking about. That's why I want you to be here.

[Taylor Twellman]

I honestly argue, Tony, I don't know if I do, but I got everybody fooled.

[Tony Kornheiser]

Yeah, well, it's great. I mean, we think you do, so we're great. All right. And, and, and you will be. You will be in the Paraguay US Game in California. You're going to that.

[Ryan McGee]

I'll be all over.

[Taylor Twellman]

So as you said rightfully at the beginning of the show, I'll have 22 episodes of something.

[Tony Kornheiser]

Yeah. No, well, I mean, I assume that you're going to be on PTI at the end of this week or the beginning of next week, right? You're on. Yeah.

[Ryan McGee]

Okay.

[Tony Kornheiser]

Okay.

[Taylor Twellman]

I'll just fit you in my schedule, Tony.

[Tony Kornheiser]

Whatever works for you. All right, Taylor, we'll talk soon. Thank you. Taylor Twelman, boys and girls. Just wonderful. Wonderful. Okay, before I forget, this segment with Taylor Twelman, which was great, has been brought to you by FanDuel. Play your game. We will have Ryan McGee in the next segment to talk about Brandon Sorsby and all the stuff with Texas Tech when we return. I am Tony Kornheiser. This is the Tony Kornheiser show. My friend Jim Basnight sent us this. This is from Beth Peabody. This is her second song. This is called out and about and Jim writes. I'm so pumped to introduce get it out and out and about, the second two sided single from Beth Peabody. I produced these two in collaboration with Grammy award winning engineer Gary Shelton as well as the striking first single last year, Other Woman and Don't Play. This marks Beth's first steps as a solo artist. All four songs were also written by me, co written with Mike Checkage I think I pronounced that and recorded over the course last couple of years as we recorded 25 new tracks, 13 of which were just released on a brand new album called under the Rock. Death was backed on this latest pair by Shelton on bass, drummer Glenn Hummel, harmony vocalist Kathy Sorbo and me and Bruce Hazen on guitars. So this is really nice. She's been a key member of the band since 2019. After seven years of incredible, incredible harmonies, time for her to shine on her own. She grew up in Cooperstown.

[Eddie Olczyk]

How about that?

[Taylor Twellman]

Wow.

[Tony Kornheiser]

And lived in various cities including Billings, Montana, Huntsville, Alabama and Tacoma, Washington. This is lovely. This is lovely.

[Eddie Olczyk]

And she, she emailed us last night, was so excited, said I've let my parents know and they're going to be listening. And so mom and dad from Cooperstown.

[Tony Kornheiser]

That's great. I love Terrifictown. I always wanted to buy a home in Cooperstown which I knew I could but I'd only lived there two weeks a year so it was crazy.

[Michael Wilbon]

Tea at the Odessaga, you know.

[Tony Kornheiser]

Yeah. So if people like Beth Peabody want to send in their original music, how they do it?

[Michael Wilbon]

Send us your music by email you it to jingles@tony cornershow.com and a friendly reminder, we have TK Triple in the back.

[Tony Kornheiser]

I didn't play you to jump off that. I only played seven holes and, and you know, had two triples stick. All right. And it plays in Ryan McGee and, and normally you would say if we have Ryan McGee, we're going to talk about auto. We're not, we're not talking about auto racing. Ryan McGee knows college football as well as anybody knows college football. And there is a story in college football that is troubling because I don't really know where I stand on the story. And this is about Brendan Scoresby who is now the quarterback at Texas Tech. Texas tech paid like $6 million to get him. And it has come to light over the years that Brian Sorsby has a obvious gambling problem and has not just bet on all sports, he's bet on football, bet more than $90,000 on Pro and college football. And he is, according to a new injunction obtained by Texas Tech and Brian and Brandon Sorsby, he's going to be eligible to play in this season after a silly two game suspension in which he will not play against Abilene Christian and Oregon State teams that he would get 53 touchdown passes against. So Ryan, in your opinion, should he be eligible and indeed, is he completely eligible now?

[Ryan McGee]

He should not be eligible. He should never play college football again. He should go on to the NFL, where everyone agrees he has a really good chance to be employed for a while, and he just needs to go on and do that. But that's not the case. But, yes, he's eligible. There is an appeals process. That's the good news. And the NCAA has already filed the appeal. The bad news is that appeal won't be heard until after the College Football Playoff is over.

[Tony Kornheiser]

So. So it has no effect on him.

[Ryan McGee]

Zero.

[Tony Kornheiser]

And they can't. They can't expedite that and hear it tomorrow?

[Ryan McGee]

No, no, no. It's. The system is rigged. In Mr. Swordsby. Failure. And in. This is. I'm with you. I'm with you. I'm divided only because I like him. I spent the day with him at Cincinnati last year. We did the college game day feature, and I really enjoyed it. And. But. But it also is a testimony to. When you have an addiction, it is very easy for the people who are addicted to hide that addiction, no matter what that addiction is. And he clearly was hiding it from. From. I mean, the coaching staff didn't know. Coach Satterfield didn't know.

[Taylor Twellman]

I didn't know.

[Ryan McGee]

I mean, you just didn't know. But. But I. There are not many rules. In fact, I would argue there's really only one set of rules that have never been fuzzy and have never been gray. And it doesn't matter what era of the NCAA you're talking about. When you walk into any locker room, whether it's the softball team or the football team or the volleyball team or whatever, the wall, the bulletin board is covered with do not gamble. And it's always been that way. And, you know, I've been in locker rooms since I was a kid, and I would see those in locker rooms. I mean, I'm talking about the 80s. It's the only rule you can't break. And he broke it. And he broke it over and over and over and over and over again. And I just. The fact that. And everyone has seen. Everyone outside of Lubbock agrees. This is egregious. And everyone outside of Lubbock. And then that judges Chambers. That's it. But the good news is that we finally found something that everyone can agree on, and that this is really a terrible move for everyone involved.

[Tony Kornheiser]

Just to be clear, the NCAA had banned Scoresby from playing, and then Scoresby went to. To court, which is exactly What I would do if I were Texas Tech, which is exactly what I would do if Sorsby played for Ohio State. Ohio State would do it. Alabama would do it. They went to court. And I take it that the ruling of the court supersedes the NCAA ban, correct? It does, yes.

[Ryan McGee]

And the ncaa, who is the team that used to travel with the Globetrotters?

[Tony Kornheiser]

The Washington Generals.

[Ryan McGee]

Right. The only organization in the world that has a worse record than Washington Generals is the NCAA Corps.

[Tony Kornheiser]

So. But again, both you and I, if we were Sorsby, we'd have done it the same way. We'd have gone to court, we'd have seen if we could get an order that allows us to play. How does the Big 12, Texas Tech, as people know now because Steve Sarkeesian has ripped them up and down from Texas. The big. They're a member of the Big 12. How does the Big 12 feel about Sorsby's eligibility by a member school?

[Ryan McGee]

They are embarrassed. They had a group zoom call, telephone call, some sort of conference call on Monday and on Tuesday, rather, in the. And apparently it got very heated very quickly. And there was only one person on the call that was like, well, no, I don't know, guys. And that was the athletic director from Texas Tech. Now, there's a lot of talk about teams are going to drop Texas Tech from their football schedule and all that stuff. You remember Mike Buddy, who pitched for the Yankees, and Ben Affleck, director, Army. He's now the AD at tcu. And I love Buddy because all he does is just tell the truth. And Mike Buddy, after the call, and everybody's like, we're never going to play Texas Tech. My Buddy's like, that's probably not how that's going to go down. No one's dropping football games. You know, we're not. We're not. We're not going to Fox and espn and our television partners are going, ah, you know what? We're not going to play these games this year. But the bluster is genuine. People are genuinely angry about it. But the reality is they'll play the games, and more than likely, Brendan's gonna play, and. And that's just how it's gonna go. I think the part of all this that drives me a little crazy is, and I'm not a gambler. People know that. That's just, you know, on Marty McGee, we don't talk about point spreads. It's just not the world we live in. But the crowd that continues to tell me, well, he's just a college Kid. And this is what college kids do. He's not just a college kid. He's not. You know, when I was in college 100 years ago and I went to school with Alan Houston and Heath Shuler, they weren't just college kids. Right. They just. They weren't. Their experience wasn't the same as mine, and they weren't treated the same as I was, and they shouldn't have been because they were superstars, and those guys weren't making $5 million a year. And so it's just. The rules are different for these guys. It's just how. But he's not just a college kid hanging out in a frat house, you know, in his phone, placing bets that you cannot be held to the same standard as the president of Sigma Nu. When you are making $5 million a year as a quarterback or 900 grand, which is what he was making in Cincinnati, you just. The same rules don't apply. The tax for fame is that you have to live to a different set of rules. It's just how it is. And that's how it is for Sorsby, unless we're talking to a judge in Texas.

[Tony Kornheiser]

Yeah, judge. I should point out the. The judge, original judge from Lubbock, where Texas Tech is located, was a Texas Tech grad, and he recused himself. So the judge who made that ruling is not a Texas Tech grad. And I said this on PTI yesterday. I was asked, do you think that they'll, you know, they won't play Texas Tech? And I said, well, maybe in golf or softball, but. Are you kidding?

[Ryan McGee]

Football?

[Eddie Olczyk]

Are you kidding me?

[Ryan McGee]

No.

[Tony Kornheiser]

There's millions and millions of dollars at stake. And I would say. And I'm curious about this, SEC teams and Big Ten teams. I don't. I mean, I think they would have handled this exactly the same way as Texas Tech did. Right. They would have tried to go to court and get an injunction to get this kid to play. Because if he's worth five or six million dollars to Texas Tech, he's worth an equal amount to, you know, Ohio State.

[Ryan McGee]

Yeah. I mean, listen, Alabama basketball last winter, I think you and I talked about it. You know, they're. They're trying to get. They were trying to bring a player back that had played professional basketball, pro ball.

[Tony Kornheiser]

Yes.

[Taylor Twellman]

And.

[Ryan McGee]

Right. And they were willing to fight over that. And so it's just. You're exactly right. And, you know, right now, it's this. This. This patchwork quilt work of, you know, everything goes to courts. And if you get the right Judge, and he happens to go on the school there, or his wife did or whatever. It's just. Just no different than. And governors trying to get nil legislation passed and state houses saying, well, yeah, you can pay high school kids because we want to keep our kids in the state of.

[Taylor Twellman]

It's just.

[Ryan McGee]

Everyone's going to take care of their own deal because there's not an overarching governing body, which is what the NCAA is supposed to do. And the infant Silva gets banged on, and that's fair. But in this case, they're right. And everyone seems to agree that they're right again, except for, you know, the people that think they would benefit from having Brendan Swordsby behind center.

[Tony Kornheiser]

Here is the problem that I have. And look, I think he needs to get help for a gambling addiction. I am not certain that playing college football is the right kind of help, but I could be convinced. I could be convinced that it is. But every play he runs, someone is going to question whether he did that because he's betting on that play. Right, Ryan? Every play.

[Ryan McGee]

No. And it'll be like that for the rest of his life. I mean, this is gonna. This is gonna chase him for the rest of his life. And I can tell you, too, again, if you're going to Fox or you're going to ESPN and you're a Big 12 team, you're like, well, we're not gonna play this game with Texas Tech. Let me tell you. Who wants to have this kid on the field on national television and primetime on Saturday night? It's the network.

[Tony Kornheiser]

Sure. Because.

[Taylor Twellman]

Sure.

[Tony Kornheiser]

He's. Or yourself.

[Taylor Twellman]

Yeah, yeah.

[Ryan McGee]

All this that we're talking about, when Lane Kiffin has to go back to Ole Miss, you know, early in the season, it's going to be like that for Swordsby every weekend. And so wherever he goes on the road in the Big 12 in particular. So it's just. It is. But you're exactly right. It's just. And then the lack of accountability, like their entire arguments in court. This. This is, you know, Jeffrey Kessler, an attorney. We all know. I just dealt with him, you know, with this nascar, you know, antitrust suit. But Jeffrey Kessler and his group were arguing the irreparable damage that was being done to Thoresby's life and career if he was not allowed to play. Well, how about the irreparable damage that

[Tony Kornheiser]

he did, he did to himself?

[Ryan McGee]

Right. So the lack of accountability is your entire argument for. We don't need accountability. I just. It's just. We're through the looking glass. And it feels like final straw, though, Tony. And maybe this will be, you know, we got all these commissioners and ads and chancellors meeting with, you know, senators in Washington, and we just had Greg sanke on Marty McGee and he was talking about he just spent the week in Washington. But we're at this point where it's such a spaghetti pile of mess that maybe everyone needs a common enemy, right? To get on the same page. Maybe, maybe the common enemy at this point is everyone agrees this was the most ridiculous thing ever, but we know better than that. I'm just, I'm trying to be polyamorous.

[Tony Kornheiser]

Tell you this. If I ran ESPN or I ran Fox or NBC or CBS or whatever was out there, and I could get Texas against Texas Tech right now, with the background of Sarkeesian and this guy, I would get the highest rating other than the national championship game. Right. I'd be able to sell that like crazy.

[Ryan McGee]

It's a crossover story. I mean, this is, this is a story that people in New York are going to watch this game, right?

[Tony Kornheiser]

Yes.

[Ryan McGee]

Anyone who's ever, you know, placed a bet on their phone, you know, they're going to watch this game. And it's just, it's the soap opera. And you're right, but I would just assume, Skip this soap opera. We, we have plenty of soap operas. I don't, I don't need. I can live without this one. But that being said, you know, somewhere there's a Mr. Burns TV executive, probably one of my bosses, going, this is excellent.

[Tony Kornheiser]

Let me just, let me just tell you this. Yes. If I ran ESPN college football, I'd call you up and said, Ryan, this kid, the first game this kid plays, you're there, you're there. Of course.

[Ryan McGee]

Yeah, it's just. And again, it's this cross. Well, you know, my ultimate gauge on these things is how does my house react? You know, I got a college aged daughter who loves going to games but has no idea what's going on in games. And my wife could care less about any of this. They're asking me questions about it. Yeah, well, because it's a crossover.

[Tony Kornheiser]

It's a crossover. He didn't bet 50 cents, he bet $90,000.

[Ryan McGee]

Yeah, just over and over and over and over again. And I, and I, you know, I'm of the age where we all live through the Pete Rose thing. And I just, I heard you mention in Cooperstown a second ago, I don't think he should have ever been allowed there. I don't think he should. His Plaque shouldn't be hanging there. None of that. Because the only rule, the only rule that everyone agrees on across all of sports is you can't bet on the sport that you're participating in. And you sure as hell can't bet anything to win or to lose on the team of which you are a part. And Swordsby did it over and over and over and over again. And now we're all just supposed to go, he's just a college kid.

[Tony Kornheiser]

But I'll also say this like, nobody's hands are clean. No network's hands are clean. No sports league's hands are clean. They all endorse betting, they're all partners with betting. They're all part of it.

[Ryan McGee]

And that's where if this thing had gotten to a real courtroom, in a real trial, that's the argument that you would have heard and it's what we've heard from Kessler and his guys. So. And I understand that to a point. But I would also always argue that any college athlete who is the face of the money making sport, basketball, football, pick one, you are held to a different set of rules than all the other students on campus. And that is no different here. And. But yeah, I just. Everybody always whines about accountability and they whine about participation, trophies, and now we're trying to expand every bracket to include every team and we're patting kids on the back and going, it's okay that you, you ruined everything for everyone. You get to play some more.

[Tony Kornheiser]

Great pleasure to have you on. Thank you, Ryan.

[Ryan McGee]

Anytime, Tony.

[Tony Kornheiser]

Ryan McGee. Boys and girls, we will take a break. We will come back with email and jingle. I'm Tony Kornheiser.

[Taylor Twellman]

You're listening to the Tony Kornheiser show.

[Jim Basnight]

Let's go zombie die. Here comes Tony's mailbag. Got your emails, faxes and your notes. Here comes Tony's mailbag. He's gonna read some for all you folks.

[Tony Kornheiser]

It's the John B. Dyke School Chorus. We got a note from Greg Furlough. Love it, Principal.

[Eddie Olczyk]

So good.

[Tony Kornheiser]

Dear Captain Potato, in a few short weeks I'll be retiring after 34 years. Years in education, 22 as a principal. A couple of years ago you debuted the mailbag theme as interpreted by my fifth grade chorus. Would do my heart good if you consider playing it on the pod one more time before I hang it up. I've attached the original here on the off chance that Nigel's filing system makes it hard to find. See you way clear to tell the heart and boys to eat it. I know they'd appreciate it. Looking forward to being up to date on the pod instead of saving it for my commute. Isn't that nice?

[Eddie Olczyk]

Wonderful.

[Tony Kornheiser]

Happy to do it. Happy to do it.

[Michael Wilbon]

Thank you for your time. Most teachers leave after five to 10 years.

[Tony Kornheiser]

Yes, yes, yes.

[Michael Wilbon]

Don't look at me.

[Tony Kornheiser]

So, do you want to do the Bethesda bagel?

[Eddie Olczyk]

Oh, Bethesda bagels, we love. Got hot bagels today. Excited about that?

[Tony Kornheiser]

I am not.

[Eddie Olczyk]

Everybody in the room is Bethesda bagels twice for the location of the DC Area. Then pop on in and you'll be thrilled.

[Tony Kornheiser]

All right, before we get to the mail, Greg, let me just say this device isn't a spaceship. It's a time machine. It goes backwards, forwards. It takes us to a place we ache to go again. It's not called the Wheel. It's called the carousel. It lets us travel the way a child travels, around and around and back home again to a place where we know we are loved. That's the best piece of writing I ever heard on television. That is from Mad Men, delivered by Jon Hamm. It's about the carousel, the Wheel. It's just the best piece of writing ever. All right. What a great show.

[Eddie Olczyk]

That was terrific.

[Tony Kornheiser]

It's not my favorite show. My favorite show is the Americans. But it's my second original air date for that episode.

[Michael Wilbon]

Yes.

[Tony Kornheiser]

No air date. I assume it's today, some years ago.

[Taylor Twellman]

No, no, no.

[Eddie Olczyk]

I just randomly picked that.

[Tony Kornheiser]

No, go ahead.

[Michael Wilbon]

Give me a year. 2012, 2007.

[Tony Kornheiser]

Okay, so that's 19 years.

[Michael Wilbon]

Originally aired October 18, 2007.

[Tony Kornheiser]

It's 19 years ago. I can do that math.

[Eddie Olczyk]

It's a brilliant monologue.

[Tony Kornheiser]

It really is. It might be 21, but thanks to our guests today, Taylor Twillman and Ryan McGee. Thanks as well to today's sponsors. Remember, you can listen to us on Apple podcasts, Spotify and Audacy. Get the show through Apple Podcast. Please leave us a review. Okay, so we have a haiku for baseball from Chad. Appendisti algo di espanol. Mientras viejas Baseball. Esmitad mitad. Did you learn any Smackdown Spanish while watching baseball is 50 50. Totally brilliant. From Bill in Denver, Grandpa, as you continue to devolve into the lead character in the childhood classic Alexander and the Terrible, horrible, no good, Very bad day. All MLB games scheduled for Peacock are also broadcast by Xfinity on the NBC Sports Network. I didn't know that. Simply say into your remote NBC Sports, and you should identify the channel. Here is where you will see the gnats one on Peacock that goes. That goes on the special box pile. Yes. From Steve Kurilegia. I hope I pronounce that right. Caroleggio, who is a retired major in the United States Air Force. I simply wanted to take a moment to thank you. This is to me in Wilbourne, actually. PTI has been one of the few shows I always made a point to watch and while I deployed, I looked forward to catching the re airing on afn. I guess that's Armed Forces Network. Your knowledge, humor, perspective and friendship made the show a daily staple for me for many years. What I appreciate most is that PTI has never just been about scores and highlights. You bring context, honesty and genuine conversation to sports and life. Even when you disagree, the respect and camaraderie between you comes through. As a longtime viewer, I wanted you both to know that the work is appreciated. Thank you for the years of entertainment insight and laughter. Wishing you continued success and good health and that's really. That's really nice. I don't know if he'll know that we said this here because I don't know if he knows that we do a podcast, but I hope somebody tells him. Yes. From Chris Vancell's in Forest Hill, Maryland. Dear Uncle Tony, your story about fighting with your TV and landing on the gnats in Spanish sounded like an episode of a sitcom. Have you ever thought about turning your life into a TV show? It could feature you, Michael, the kids, even Wilbourne could get involved. Just spitballing here, but I think it could be a hit. P.S. in college, a friend of mine decided to change my name to Max for reasons known only to him. I assume he was drunk. At any rate, I spent my last two and a half years at Maryland answering to that name. You should have seen my parents when I waved to a friend at graduation who yelled, congrats, Max isn't in one of the Woody Allen movies. Isn't everybody called Max? Isn't Annie Hall?

[Eddie Olczyk]

Yes.

[Tony Kornheiser]

Isn't Annie hall everybody called Max?

[Eddie Olczyk]

Yeah, I think so.

[Tony Kornheiser]

Jeff Barger in North Hillsborough, North Carolina. I am thrilled that you use the code and learn Spanish. Does this mean more soccer conversations and the occasional mention of a telenovela? Please know that you have a standing invitation to come speak in inspire the students in our Spanish classes. I'll talk about your papas. Potatoes would be great. The potatoes seem to be growing.

[Michael Wilbon]

Do we have an answer to the text?

[Tony Kornheiser]

Did you. Has Buster gotten back to us?

[Michael Wilbon]

Buster said he read the text.

[Eddie Olczyk]

He. Well, he responded to my text. I sent him a picture of the the sprouting.

[Tony Kornheiser]

We're getting green stuff.

[Eddie Olczyk]

He said the bounty is imminent.

[Tony Kornheiser]

Okay.

[Eddie Olczyk]

Yeah, he's very excited.

[Tony Kornheiser]

All right. From Thanksgiving 2026, here's Estimato Senor Tony. See por favor Yamami Tango and Pastamo.

[Michael Wilbon]

I love this new thread.

[Tony Kornheiser]

Despondable para Ustadpur. $32,000. Salute US cordials El Ted Smith Vivo in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. Yeah, yeah, I can get my loan. That's my loan. They're always. I get these calls ten times a day. Your loan is ready. It's insane. Yeah, wouldn't. I didn't even apply Rob Lowe. Not that Rob Lowe in Orange County, California. Hola, Senor Tony May Goose to el baseball. That's it. Because I like baseball. That's it. That's the email from Liam Newly, assistant coach for Columbia's swim team. Bummer about red zone. Tone Rojo zone will have to do me, amigo. Yeah, everybody's doing this. I'm gonna have to find Spanish broadcasting from Court Ennis in Nixon, Missouri or somewhere in Utah. My family is on vacation in southern Utah, visiting the various national parks. On Monday, we had a Tour scheduled for 4pm at the Grand Canyon. Turns out we needed to go to the south rim, not the north rim. A four hour drive. We left at 11am From Utah Mountain time zone. Entering Arizona, the clock jumped back to 10am Because Arizona does not observe daylight savings. As we approach Cameron, Arizona, the clock jumped forward from 1pm to 2pm since parts of Arizona in fact do observe daylight savings, we panicked briefly thinking we might be late to our tour. As we approached the park entrance, time jumped back again. We made our 4pm tour. A four hour tour? What is that? The television?

[Eddie Olczyk]

Oh, three hour tour. Gilligan's Island.

[Tony Kornheiser]

Gilligan's Island.

[Ryan McGee]

Yeah.

[Tony Kornheiser]

I then plan to get to a local burger joint, Burger King for dinner. Since it closes at 10pm we had an hour and a half. We quickly lost an hour crossing into the daylight savings time observing Arizona town. But the burger joint luckily took our order at 1003pm now for the drive back to Utah where the clock jump back and forth making it our vacation stay at 1. Making it back to our vacation stay at 1am Rules for life. Know your time zones and daylight savings times. Observing areas while on vacation from Steve Gilmore dear In San Angelo, Texas. Dear Farmer Grandpa picked up a few things at the store this morning and ran across this. Let me know if you want a box of this. All the best too. Either. Saliza. Oh, it's fried Chicken ice cream.

[Taylor Twellman]

Oh, my God.

[Ryan McGee]

Sounds horrifying.

[Tony Kornheiser]

Fried chicken ice cream. Vanilla ice cream. Chocolate bone crunchy crumble. No, but we need to thank the people at Jenny's.

[Eddie Olczyk]

Oh, yeah. Sean Bock. Yes.

[Tony Kornheiser]

Send us a bunch of ice cream.

[Taylor Twellman]

That.

[Tony Kornheiser]

That was. It almost melted, but almost frozen.

[Eddie Olczyk]

Now it's frozen.

[Tony Kornheiser]

Some of the darkest chocolate last night.

[Eddie Olczyk]

Two house coffees in there.

[Tony Kornheiser]

I only got one.

[Eddie Olczyk]

Oh, well, there's two in the. There's two in the freezer.

[Tony Kornheiser]

Okay. Well, no, there was one that was already in the freezer. Okay. From Ed Butt. Eddie Olczyk is great. Many people can talk about two sports, but hockey and horse racing. Quite a double threat. Yeah. Pucks and ponies. Back in the days where there weren't that many Americans playing the NHL, Blackhawk fans was super excited that a Chicago and one of the top prospects was going to play for Chicago. He does the Windy City proud. Ed but writes Dick Butkus is my. Chuck. Chuck and Roxy. Number 51, right? Is 51.

[Eddie Olczyk]

Not sure what his number, but look him up.

[Tony Kornheiser]

I think it might be.

[Eddie Olczyk]

Trust you on that.

[Tony Kornheiser]

I don't know. Brian from Rochester Hills, Michigan. Although my son decided not 51. I got that one. So that's. I'm good with numbers, even though I hate numbers. Although my son decided not to play in the AJGA tournament at Rehoboth this spring, we did gain acceptance to one near Chicago next week. Would you mind sending Wilbur's address as we need a place to crash? I'm sure his current TV schedule will keep him from using it that way. For Bobby Godfrey. Today, 77 golfers competed for four spots, plus two alternates is the longest day in golf. Which is Sunday or Monday?

[Michael Wilbon]

Monday.

[Tony Kornheiser]

Monday. Plus two alternates at Woodmont. As a walking scorer, my bad luck streak is over. For the first time, a golfer in the group I scored as qualified for the eight US Open. Jake Solon shot 68 in the morning, 69 in the afternoon to tie for fourth at five on. He then won a two man playoff to claim the final qualifying spot. Needless to say, I'll be pulling for him next week. I hope he spends some time before then practicing with his driver. Accuracy. Because while he scrambled spectacularly today, I suspect trying to scramble from the rough at Shinnecock will be comparatively. Well, we all know how the USGA likes the rough at the US Open.

[Michael Wilbon]

Widest fairways I think they've had ever at Shinnecock.

[Tony Kornheiser]

Is that right?

[Ryan McGee]

Yeah.

[Tony Kornheiser]

No shop credit for volunteers, but I did get a free hat. And he shows Me the hat. Very, very nice. Good for bucks, Bobby.

[Michael Wilbon]

It's nice they went to the playoff. I think it was number six, the par three. Yeah, he hit it inside two feet.

[Tony Kornheiser]

Oh, that's great. Good for him. From Steve the Sicko fan. Dear Dr. Grandpa Satchmo, goat potato leader. On Monday's pod, talking with Mr. Mike. You mentioned George Mike. And then a little later, you ordered the immortal words, who do they want? Roy Rogers and Dale Evans. All of us geezers. Bless you for mentioning people who most of your audience has never heard of. Happy trails to you. Until we meet again. Happy trails to you. Keep smiling unto them. Roy Rogers singing. That's how they.

[Eddie Olczyk]

Oh, that's right.

[Tony Kornheiser]

Yeah. Because he started out as the singing cowboy. Cowboy Gene Autry. Weren't they the singing cowboys? Happy Trails is written by Dale Evans. Right. Trigger. Trigger was the horse. Trigger's first movie appearance was as Olivia de Havilland's horse in the Adventures of Robin Hood.

[Eddie Olczyk]

How about that?

[Tony Kornheiser]

Wow. Heard you mention Studio 54 on PTI was there in 1976. Don't remember much. DG from John Conroy, Esquire, attorney at law in Haddonfield, New Jersey. Are the loan companies aware that Captain Tony is overhauling the charter boat? Are they seeking to finance an expansion of the product line for Tony's shoe business? Inquiring minds want to know. And from Stephen McCarthy. I'm going to be in Crete, 6-12-15. Can you ask Mitch Albom if he remembers the name of the taverna in Agios Nikolaios where he met Peter Papadopoulos and did a rendition of Blue Suede Shoes? I'd like to check it out if it's still around. Thanks. Washington, D.C. but riding from Athens. If you're out on your bike tonight, as always, do wear white.

[Jim Basnight]

Sunday, Saturday. Get it out, take it out Break it out of your mind Take it out, shake it out, break it out Shake it out of your mind. When I'm feeling all made up and my face feel like I've been lying in the street and I really bitch about your. Anything that comes to mind I should shake it to that rock and roll beat In a couple seconds I'm feeling kind of sweet Got the rock and roll, it makes me feel real fine. I just shake it, shake it down I just shake it, shake it up, shake it down I just shake it, shake it up, shake it down. Cause you see when I'm down I just shake it up get up and get it out of my mind get out, shake it out Break it out of your Mind get it out, take it out, get it out. Whip it out of your mind. In the middle of the day, in the middle of the night. Really don't care as long as it's stuck with your face. Playing gold and stomping well, I grit up the guitar. Riding in the car all the way to town. Where everybody's down with the music way too loud and the band is clear. Break it out, check it out, get out of your mind. Shake it out, shake it out, break it out. Shake it out of your mind. I just shake, shake it down. I just shake and shake it up. Shake it down. I just shake it, shake it up, shake it down. Cause you see when I'm down I just shake it up and get it out of my mind. Cause you see when I'm down I just shake it up and get it out of my mind. You see when I'm down I just shake it up and get it out of my mind. Out and about, baby. Out on the town. Hitting every place and shutting them all down. Not having a career Whether to hang around and everywhere I show my face that's where I'm found. Got no ties, true reality in the lies of immorality. Giving up on trying things. Everyone who don't do nothing for me. Seeing the big shot come and go Through a timeless revolving door. I picked my number and sat in line. But I'm not waiting, wasting time. See the people and their problems. All the best that money can buy. See the loser do their damage. Just knock and always laugh outside. Always kept me out. Always get denied, Always get.