“3 Hours???”

Summary

The Tony Kornheiser Show Episode: “3 Hours???” Date: June 25, 2026

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Episode Overview

This episode of The Tony Kornheiser Show kicks off with Tony and regular guests reacting to a painful series of blown games by the Washington Nationals, sparking larger commentary about the nature of fandom, managerial decisions, and the current state of baseball. The conversation shifts into the rise of soccer’s popularity in the US, Caitlin Clark’s impact on women’s basketball, and detailed gripes about sports TV blackouts. Guests Chuck Todd and Dan Graziano join to dig into both the Nats’ struggles and a unique NFL supplemental draft controversy involving Brendan Sorsby. The show’s tone is trademark Kornheiser: sardonic, self-deprecating, but also deeply knowledgeable and invested in the sports world.

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Key Discussion Points

1. Nationals’ Heartbreaking Losses and the "Baby Manager"

• Tony, Michael Wilbon, and Chuck Todd commiserate over back-to-back Nationals defeats, focusing on managerial decisions and bullpen meltdown.
• Analysis of key game sequence:
  • Nats lead heading into 9th inning, bullpen collapses.
  • Criticism of manager’s overmanaging—removing effective pitcher for matchup, leading to home run disaster.
  • The phrase “baby manager” is used throughout, reflecting skepticism of youth and inexperience at the helm.
• Tony: "They end up walking him...they bring up Derrick Hill, a righty, in the number nine spot. And for reasons unknown to me, the baby manager over manages..." [03:31]
• The group laments Nats’ inability to find a reliable closer and jokes about the advanced age of potential trade prospects.

Notable Quote:

“This is the difference between a contender and a pretender.” — Chuck Todd, on the tipping point losses [05:38]

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2. Sports TV Blackouts and The Frustrated Superfan

• Chuck Todd recounts his fruitless attempts to watch Nats games while in Pensacola, FL, because of archaic MLB blackout rules.
• Explains overlapping TV territories, remote control tricks, and the flawed logic of regional sports restrictions—even for paying subscribers and season-ticket holders.
• Vivid description of how paying more still results in less access.

Notable Quote:

"I just want all the money I pay to watch baseball, to watch the Gnats. And when I am in Rays territory, which Pensacola apparently is... it's blacked out in Pensacola." —Chuck Todd [17:54]

• This segment humorously highlights absurdities of modern sports consumption.

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3. Soccermania & The “Poets” of Every Sport

• Tony and Wilbon rib each other about American soccer’s appeal and the tendency for self-important “soccer poets” to oversell the game.
• Messi’s U.S. draw and the spectacle are acknowledged, even if Tony insists it isn’t for him.
• Gentle mockery of the stylized “baseball poets” and soccer’s growing cultural gravity.

Notable Quote:

“Just the soccer poets. Just shut up. Stop. Stop trying to get on everybody else's shoulders to elevate yourself into something important.” —Tony Kornheiser [01:03]

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4. Caitlin Clark, the WNBA, and the Growth of Women’s Sports

• Discussion of Caitlin Clark's on-court treatment and massive role in growing women's basketball audience.
• Tony highlights the increased financial windfall now enjoyed by the league, directly tracing it to Clark’s popularity.
• Argues for more honest conversation about “dirty play” and intra-league dynamics, not just scapegoating refs.

Notable Quote:

“Caitlin Clark at Iowa did things to television ratings that had never been done before. Never… It will continue to improve, and I’m happy they’re getting more money. But Caitlin Clark… if not the major factor, a major factor in popularizing women’s basketball.” —Tony Kornheiser [08:21]

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5. The NFL, Brendan Sorsby, and the Supplemental Draft Saga

Segment begins at [29:31]

• Tony brings in Dan Graziano to unravel the NFL’s decision to block Brendan Sorsby from entering the league via the supplemental draft due to his involvement in gambling violations.
• Graziano explains the flexibility the NFL holds in offering the supplemental draft at its sole discretion—which is not, as Tony presumed, required annually.
• Details on Sorsby’s preparation, disappointment, and the NFL’s unwavering position on in-league gambling even as it partners with betting companies.

Timestamps & Dialogues:

• [29:31] Tony asks about Sorsby being “bounced”:

“They told him to pound sand. Do I have this correct?”

• [32:29] Dan Graziano outlines the precedent’s gravity:

"...this is a bright line, this betting on games involving your own team, involving your own teammates... you cannot operate a sports league if the people who are paying to watch it have reason to wonder if the games are on the level."

• [36:51] The juxtaposition of leagues partnering with gaming outfits while barring player gambling is explored:

“Mike will use the word hypocrisy all the time… how do we reconcile that?”
– Tony Kornheiser
“For the people involved in determining the outcomes of the games… the rules are going to be different... I don't think that's wrong." — Dan Graziano [38:39]

• Dan predicts the NFL will eventually set out clear guidelines—potentially allowing Sorsby in after demonstrating readiness and contrition:

“I think they're going to probably end up using this case as a way of establishing some sort of precedent… I do think eventually he gets in.” — Dan Graziano [39:10]

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6. Chuck Todd's Podcast: Dynastic

• [24:16] Chuck Todd introduces his monthly Dynastic podcast with J.A. Adande
• Each episode is a 3-hour deep dive into a single iconic sports franchise.
• Tony quips about the length:

"Do you take a break in the middle and nap? I mean, three hours seems like a lot to me." [25:52]

• Todd frames it as "a mini book," intended for dedicated, serialized listening.

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Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• On Nationals collapse:
  “It’s two in a row. They should have won the series already. …These are small little cuts that are just taking away from the great start to the season.” — Michael Wilbon [05:57]

• On sports TV blackouts:
  “I have yet to see a Tampa Bay Rays fan in Pensacola.” — Chuck Todd [18:41]

• On the relentless push of “soccer poets”:
  “Just the soccer poets. Just shut up.” — Tony Kornheiser [01:03]

• On the hypocrisy of sports leagues and gambling:
  “How do we reconcile that?... We are advertising your ability to gamble with somebody who gambles and now is suspended, in essence, is being barred from the league for that.” — Tony Kornheiser [36:51]

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Additional Highlights

• Extended mailbag with listener emails, golf tales, and quirky sports-life anecdotes, maintaining the show’s community feel.
• Ongoing jokes about “Potato Man” and quirky, endearing show vernacular.
• Musical interludes from Norwegian Soft Kitten, a band known to the listeners and part of the show’s chemistry.
• Lighthearted references to podcasting “in Safeway, the podcast aisle” [26:55] and Tony’s ongoing digital troubles.

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Timestamps for Important Segments

• [00:48] Show opens, Tony admits he “doesn’t get soccer.”
• [01:49] Recap of painful Nats blown game.
• [05:33] Chuck Todd on difference between “contender and pretender.”
• [14:24] Chuck Todd’s MLB blackout rant.
• [24:16] Chuck Todd introduces Dynastic podcast.
• [29:31] Interview with Dan Graziano on NFL/supplemental draft.
• [36:51] Debate over gambling hypocrisy in sports.
• [41:44] Listener mailbag.
• [51:01] Enduring gripes about sports streaming fragmentation.

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Tone & Style

True to the spirit of “This Show Stinks,” the dialogue is quick-witted, curmudgeonly, and smart—inviting both long-time listeners and first-timers to share in the joys and absurdities of being a sports fan in 2026. Personal stories mix with insight, and each discussion is laced with laughter or exasperation, reinforcing the community at the show’s core.

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For anyone who missed the show:
You’ll emerge understanding how sports pain can mirror larger frustrations (from TV blackouts to streaming confusion), why some “poets” just can’t help themselves, and why, even in the modern era, the integrity of the game—be it baseball, basketball, or football—remains the red line nobody in sports wants to cross. If you follow the Nats, like poking fun at soccer, or are just curious how the modern sports sausage is made, this episode delivers.

Transcript

[Tony Kornheiser]

Hey, it's Tony. On today's show, we will commiserate with Chuck Todd about a series of brutal losses for the Nats. And we'll talk to Dan Graziano about the NFL's response to Brendan Sorsby's attempt to enter the league via the supplemental draft. But first, Commerce. Previously on the Tony Kornheiser Show.

[Dan Graziano]

People who know the sport in their

[Chuck Todd]

bones also feel something watching Messi that they don't feel watching anybody else.

[Tony Kornheiser]

He got 88,000 people to Jordan Hare Stadium at Auburn. They put the War Eagle out there for him. You know that stuff that does not happen.

[Show Announcer]

The Tony Kornheiser show is on now.

[Tony Kornheiser]

That's my entire contribution to soccer. Being sort of amazed at how many people love soccer because I'm not one of them.

[Michael Wilbon]

Have you seen the New Yorker cartoon?

[Tony Kornheiser]

No.

[Michael Wilbon]

It shows the pitch and it shows the position. It just. All of them, it's like, kick, kick, kick catch.

[Tony Kornheiser]

I'm not. It's not for me. It's not for me. It's wonderful. If it's for you, just the soccer poets. Just shut up. Stop. Stop trying to get on everybody else's shoulders to elevate yourself into something important. You.

[Dan Graziano]

You're not.

[Tony Kornheiser]

Stop. I've gone through this with baseball poets. I love baseball. I don't want to go through it with soccer poets. I just don't. It happened again last night. I am now staying possible. Yeah. I am not now staying up far longer than I want to. I'm staying up to the ends of these games. It's after 10 o'.

[Producer/Caller]

Clock.

[Tony Kornheiser]

I don't want this.

[Michael Wilbon]

I'm getting an extra mile and a half every night.

[Producer/Caller]

Just.

[Tony Kornheiser]

Just walking.

[Michael Wilbon]

Just walking.

[Tony Kornheiser]

It happened again.

[Michael Wilbon]

The neighborhood watch, the Nats, first of

[Tony Kornheiser]

all, go up to nothing early on. Solo home runs. They head into the top of the 9th, up 54.

[Chuck Todd]

Yep.

[Tony Kornheiser]

Head into the top of the 9th, up 5 4. They've turned the game over to the bullpen. Meatball Nicholas has given up a couple of runs, but then left the game with the win. He left the game with the win again. 5, 4. They bring in first. They bring in Poolin. Or did Poolin start the game? No, they brought in pool, brought in

[Michael Wilbon]

Poolin and he did fine earlier.

[Tony Kornheiser]

He did fine. And then they hand the ball in the ninth because they don't. They don't want Poolin to close. They hand the ball in the ninth to Orlando Ribalta. And Orlando Ribalta, and it's exactly the same thing. Gets two outs, gets the first Two outs. Then they put up Kyle Schwarber, the most dangerous hitter in baseball.

[Chuck Todd]

Yeah.

[Michael Wilbon]

And this is less dangerous as a pinch hitter, historically. And he was scratched the day before with a. With an injury, a minor injury.

[Chuck Todd]

Yeah, back.

[Greg]

Right.

[Michael Wilbon]

But to see him swinging in the on deck circle, like.

[Tony Kornheiser]

Also he hit a couple of loud fouls that were very, very loud.

[Michael Wilbon]

Drops that back. It's.

[Greg]

Yeah, yeah.

[Tony Kornheiser]

Now it's a very long. It gets to 3, 2. It's. It goes beyond the normal amount of pitches. It goes to like 10 pitches or something like that. And he walks them. Okay. Now you don't want to intentionally walk them, I guess, although I don't know why you want to pitch carefully. But again, a couple of loud fouls. Kyle Schwaber swings the bat faster than anyone in baseball. I mean, it just. He's like a coiled snake. Is that fair to say?

[Michael Wilbon]

Yes.

[Tony Kornheiser]

Coiled snake. They end up walking him. He immediately goes out. He's unlike Raphael Devers. He doesn't send the pinch runner away. Doesn't do that. He understands that they're putting in somebody fast because he's the tying run. Then they bring up Derrick Hill, a

[Michael Wilbon]

righty, in the number nine spot.

[Tony Kornheiser]

In the number nine spot. And for reasons unknown to me, the baby manager over manages, and he brings in Lovelady, who's a lefty, by the way.

[Michael Wilbon]

Uncomfortable looking. Lovely.

[Tony Kornheiser]

Yeah. And this is. Look, he's 33 years old, the manager. Maybe he makes mistakes. This seemed to me to be a mistake. Now, you could justify it by saying that Ribalta went, you know, 10 pitches or 11 pitches with Schwaber, but Ribalda had gotten two outs and nobody had hit him fairly. Lovelady comes in, gives up two run, home run. You go, what? Two outs, two strikes.

[Greg]

Yeah. One, two.

[Tony Kornheiser]

Right again. They get to the ninth with two outs and nobody on, nobody on. And then they lose the game. And Michael, you think this is even worse than the night before just because

[Michael Wilbon]

there was a script. You could feel as soon as Schwaber gets up, you can just sort of feel there's a momentum shift even with the lead. And then you're just. Honestly, you're just waiting for the ball to go out of the park.

[Tony Kornheiser]

Yeah, I think that's true. It's two in a row. They should be. They should have won the series already. They should have been up three nothing in the series against the division opponent

[Michael Wilbon]

at home, third or fourth series, where you can. Where you can honestly say, wow, they should have what, at least three.

[Tony Kornheiser]

Yeah. I mean, it's they had these two games. They're going into the bottom. They're going to the top of the ninth with the lead.

[Greg]

Yeah.

[Tony Kornheiser]

And they give up home runs all over the place. But boom, boom, boom, boom. Home runs. Four home runs in those two tops, right? Yeah, four home runs.

[Greg]

Sounds to me like you guys could use a closer. Good news. The Red Sox have one if you'd like one. Aroldus Chapman is very good still, isn't he?

[Tony Kornheiser]

About 50 years old now.

[Greg]

50 or 60, but he's still the

[Tony Kornheiser]

natural buy in at the deadline.

[Greg]

You don't think so?

[Tony Kornheiser]

No, I don't. The Nats. Now look, I got, you know, we're on the text chain with. With Chris and with Chuck and Michael and I, and Chuck made the point. We'll have Chuck on the show in a bit. Chuck made the point. This is the difference between a contender and a pretender.

[Michael Wilbon]

Yes. And this is what the last week has shown you. When you had the Tampa series, you had this series. These are small little cuts that are just taking away from the great start to the season and reminding you of like, oh, you have a little bit of false promise when you have the highest scoring offense.

[Tony Kornheiser]

So the baby manager, this is two games. The last game, not this game. The previous game, the baby manager said that it was the worst loss ever.

[Michael Wilbon]

What is, what's he going to say today?

[Tony Kornheiser]

Yeah, I mean, I don't know. I mean, you know, he says we've got to find somebody who can close it out. Yes. You have to find that ground ball. Yeah.

[Michael Wilbon]

Just you have position fielders behind you. Make a play.

[Greg]

Yeah.

[Producer/Caller]

It's just.

[Michael Wilbon]

Anyway, zero chance they win today.

[Bill Simmons]

Right.

[Tony Kornheiser]

I don't like their chances. Is it a getaway day game?

[Michael Wilbon]

I'll pull up the time.

[Tony Kornheiser]

I mean, sometimes they don't have game day games because Philadelphia is so close.

[Greg]

Who's on the mountain for. Is it Scherzer or Strasbourg tonight?

[Tony Kornheiser]

No, it's neither of those guys. Neither of those guys did a day game or not.

[Michael Wilbon]

No, it's 645.

[Tony Kornheiser]

Okay.

[Michael Wilbon]

But Sanchez is going.

[Tony Kornheiser]

Who's really good.

[Chuck Todd]

Yeah.

[Tony Kornheiser]

Christopher Sanchez just went through like 53 innings in a row without giving up an earned run. So he's really good. So they had the second round of the NBA draft last night. And if I didn't watch the first round, what do you think the odds are I was going to watch a second round? I didn't watch one second of it. No, no, I didn't. I don't care. Well, I'm sure Will Bond today on the show is going to say, it's the most important thing that ever happened. Look who got much better. And I'm going to say the same thing I say all the time. You don't know who got much better because you don't know how this guy plays with this team yet. You don't know like, that.

[Michael Wilbon]

The Wizards got into your SportsCenter segment yesterday.

[Tony Kornheiser]

Oh, yeah. Oh, sure. I was hoping not to do a sports, as I am every day, hoping not to do one, but. But we did one. The lead story on SportsCenter this morning was about Caitlin Clark in the WNBA, in which Caitlin Clark's coach at Indiana, Stephanie White, I believe is her name, was saying, it's unacceptable, unacceptable, unacceptable that the refereeing allowed Caitlin Clark to be pushed around. Why don't you go after the player who did it? Alyssa Thomas took her fist and stuck it in Caitlin Clark's neck while Caitlin Clark was down on the ground. Nobody ever mentions players. They blame everything on the referees. You know, I think you. I think if you're the league, you need to review that and you need to discipline that. And I think people need to realize this. Players in the wnba, a lot of the money that you're making is as a result of Caitlin Clark being a basketball player. You know, it's not the only reason. But Caitlin Clark at Iowa did things to television ratings that had never been done before. Never. People watched, like millions, tens of millions of people turned on Iowa basketball primarily to see Caitlin Clark. There's a lot of great players in the wnba. It's a better product now than it has ever been, and it will continue to improve, and I'm happy they're getting more money. But Caitlin Clark is, to my mind, if not the major factor, a major factor in popularizing women's basketball among the great masses in the country. Doesn't mean she's the best player. She's not the best player. Doesn't mean that everybody else has to bow down to Caitlin Clark. But there ought to be some recognition that we're all in this together. And the rising tide floats all boats. All always has seemed to me that Caitlin Clark was the rising time. She's not as good as Asia Wilson. She's not as good British Stewart. There's like, she's not as good as 10 or 12 players out there, but they weren't getting big money before she came along.

[Michael Wilbon]

So I think this argument is exactly why you use the refs as the scapegoat for what you might see as a Player issue. So you don't disrupt the actual growth

[Tony Kornheiser]

of the sport 100%. It's the easiest way to go. It's the only way to go. It just may not be the most honest way to go. I mean, your. Your complaint should be not just with referee. It should be with players who do this. You know, there are dirty players on every team in women's basketball and men's basketball and football. Every team. And so you. It's that behavior that I get. I guess you're right, Michael. I guess if the referees were stronger about this and the league had, you know, delivered more sanctions against this stuff, it wouldn't happen. But I think it might happen anyway. There's a resentment factor for Caitlin Clark. Am I the only one who thinks that?

[Greg]

No, it certainly seems that way. She gets rough treatment everywhere she goes now.

[Tony Kornheiser]

She whines.

[Greg]

Yes, she does.

[Tony Kornheiser]

She can be a pain. Oh, absolutely. You know, you want to say, hey, hey, enough. Right?

[Dan Graziano]

But.

[Tony Kornheiser]

But the history of what she brought to the sport.

[Greg]

Astonishing.

[Tony Kornheiser]

Yeah, it's right. Yeah, it's remarkable. I mean, you know, 20 million people used to watch her college games.

[Greg]

Yeah.

[Tony Kornheiser]

It got so that when she got to the wnba, they put her in. In the NBA arenas as often as they could, and she sold it. Now she's not. I don't think she can do that anymore. I think that. I think the bloom is off that road. Yeah, it's faded a bit. But I do think that she, you know, she was pioneering in the sense that she created an interest in women's professional basketball, the likes of which had not been there before. Am I safe in saying that? Yes, that's pretty much all I'm saying. All right, so we'll take a break. The aforementioned Chuck Todd will join us when we return. I'm Tony Kornheiser.

[Bill Simmons]

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[Producer/Caller]

And we're live from the living room as Doug, eyes up the match. Say spread. He's reaching for the buffalo wing. Perfect. Hang on. What's this? Oh, he's gone for a can of Pepsi too. Incredible. What a finish. Sensational combination. Look light on his face. There's no doubt about it. It just tastes better. Match days deserve Pepsi. Food deserves Pepsi. Grab a pack of Pepsi. Zero sugar. For today's match, it's poetry in motion.

[Tony Kornheiser]

This is the Tony Korniser Show. These are our friends, Norwegian Soft Kitten. This is called Think I'll Just Get Drunk. Drunken Drink. Very specific. And they write, hey there, hot bagel. We're not the least bit gruntled right now. In fact, you might say we're disgruntled. An AI concocted mailbag jingle. Have you forgotten that night when we played Mizzou and we played an impromptu 11 minute version of a Think I'll Just Get Drunk and Drink? We turned that three minute country punk song into a testosterone typhoon that put that auditorium into a frenzy. And do you not remember, Tony, when we played Wabash College and all Boys School that wanted the bangles or Banarama? Is that Banana Rama? Banana Rama. It's not spelled Banana Rama or any female band to perform that night. And we walked out on the stage. We could tell no one was happy to see the three of us, but we exploded out of the gate, punched that crowd in the face with Saturday Evening segued into an insane version of Mom Went to the Store. And by the time we bashed that crowd over the head with a tsunami of adrenaline in the form of our song Nail Bait, we had every single one of the 1200 people in that gymnasium losing their minds over it. AI doesn't give us tsunamis of adrenaline or typhoons of testosterone or punch crowds in the face. It sits there utterly bereft of life. Come on, man. What are we even doing here? That's why we love Norwegian Soft Kit. They play in Chuck Todd. And you have heard me complain about million things. And particularly on Sundays recently when for some reason unknown to me, the Gnats have been on the featured game on Peacock. And I can't get Peacock now. We did find out we got a great email saying, just say into the set, NBC Sports, and you will get exactly what you want. You will get the Nats game. But Chuck Todd, you were in the same situation in Florida, right?

[Chuck Todd]

Oh, it's a whole nother level of how convoluted. And this, this is the baseball antitrust rules. This is blackout rules. So here's, here's the situation. I subscribe I'm a season ticket holder to the Washington Nationals.

[Tony Kornheiser]

Yes.

[Chuck Todd]

I just wanted to be all of the things that baseball tells me I have to do in order to watch the Nets. So I'm a season ticket holder. I have the Nats TV package. Okay.

[Tony Kornheiser]

Did you pay for that? Like, so you're not watching it on channel 1261 like I am?

[Chuck Todd]

No, I'm not.

[Dan Graziano]

I'm not.

[Chuck Todd]

My. I don't have that Xfinity account anymore. So I did this and I'm be honest at that Xfinity. I'm not going to get into how poor that stream streaming aspect was. But anyway, so I have the Nats package. I also have a bit of a seam head. I have the baseball package.

[Tony Kornheiser]

Oh, okay.

[Chuck Todd]

So that way the MLB package. That's right. I have the whole MLB package. You know, I watch they have this great day of their own version of the Red Zone, by the way, I don't know if you've ever seen it. It's called big inning.

[Tony Kornheiser]

Have not. Have not. You know, the beginning is the top of the ninth. I'm very, very well aware of that.

[Chuck Todd]

Well, yes, it's a big inning, not a great inning if you're a Nats fan these days. Anyway, beginning is their version of Red Zone. And you'll get a league, get a four box and they'll move from game to game. And you know, it's. It's so it's if the gnats aren't on. It's a way I enjoy sort of. It's like surfing the baseball games.

[Tony Kornheiser]

Right.

[Chuck Todd]

You know, that are on at that. Anyway, point is, I subscribed all of this. Now I've decamped to Florida for a couple months. We've placed in Pensacola and I'm going to. I want to point out Pensacola and this has happened before.

[Tony Kornheiser]

Pensacola is so far west of Florida that is. It is below other states.

[Chuck Todd]

Yeah, it's a different time zone. Yes, it is. It is as it's. We are in the central time zone when we're in Pensacola.

[Tony Kornheiser]

Nowhere near Miami, nowhere near.

[Chuck Todd]

Or Tampa.

[Tony Kornheiser]

Right.

[Chuck Todd]

In fact, and this is important because what I was complaining the Gnats were playing the race in Tampa. Okay. I'm in Pensacola. The driving distance from Pensacola to Tampa is about the same 450 miles as the driving distance between Washington D.C. and Boston. Okay. And I just want you to keep track of all this geography here.

[Producer/Caller]

Right.

[Chuck Todd]

Because when you're in Pensacola, apparently that is Tampa Bay, Ray's territory. It is Also Florida Marlin, Miami Marlins territory. But you didn't know that.

[Tony Kornheiser]

How could it be Miami Marlins territory? That's like 650 miles.

[Chuck Todd]

Well, yes. Now, I'll say this. The Pensacola double A minor league team, the Wahoos are. The Marlins, are affiliated with the Marlins.

[Tony Kornheiser]

Okay.

[Chuck Todd]

There's at least I could, you know, I could give you that fig leaf. Right, right. But the point is, it's that territory now. Why does that matter? Well, when the Nats play now, we. I used to have, you know, I'll admit I used to have a local cable subscription down there. And, you know, you might get in. They. You'd get the sports channel that is the Rays and the sports channel that is the Marlins. But of course, those things all went bankrupt.

[Tony Kornheiser]

Yes.

[Chuck Todd]

Right.

[Tony Kornheiser]

Yes.

[Producer/Caller]

So.

[Chuck Todd]

And I no longer have that local. I have this YouTube TV. It comes with you. Anyway, I'm giving a little bit too much information, but I just want all the money I pay to watch baseball, to watch the Gnats. And when I am in raised territory, which Pensacola apparently is, even though I subscribe to the Nats TV package, it's blacked out in Pensacola. When they play the race and when they play the Marlins, I can't watch the game. I go to MLB extra innings. I can't watch the game. What they want me to do is pay another $20 a month for the raised TV package in order to watch the Nats game.

[Tony Kornheiser]

That's three games a year, five games a year. Once you sell the house. Selling the house and moving to a

[Chuck Todd]

better place, that's the draft. That's. That's the right way, but literally 450 miles away, Tampa Bay Rays and Pensacola's Tampa Bay Ray territory. I tell you, I've been going to Pensacola. Now, I've been married 24 years. I have yet to see a Tampa Bay race fan and Pensacola. There is no chance that the Tampa Bay Rays played an exhibition game. They get more than five people that came. It's just absurd.

[Tony Kornheiser]

So if you, if you yell, if you yell into the set, NBC Sports,

[Chuck Todd]

they would say blacked out. Oh, that's the thing. You can't even see it. I listened to. I did it the old fashioned way. I listened to the radio for the race games or the, you know, stream the audio. Those are good guys.

[Tony Kornheiser]

Yes, they're very good. Nats did a lot better against Tampa Bay than they've done the last two nights. What do you think of the last two nights?

[Dan Graziano]

Jesus.

[Chuck Todd]

So you. Is this a learning experience? This a learning Experience. Well, I said Jesus, but of course, it's the Lord that. That didn't come through for us.

[Tony Kornheiser]

Yes, yes, Brad. Lord, the first night and then. Lovelady. Do you think the baby manager should have kept Ribalta in last night? Go righty, righty.

[Chuck Todd]

Yeah, I. Well, they were going to. The minute he changed, they knew they were going to pinch hit. But

[Tony Kornheiser]

I.

[Chuck Todd]

Look, he did throw a lot of pitches to three batters.

[Tony Kornheiser]

Right.

[Chuck Todd]

And he was throwing intense pitches. Right. I mean, that. That at bat to Schwarber was a pretty. Pretty long at bat.

[Tony Kornheiser]

Yes. I think 10 or 11 pitches.

[Chuck Todd]

Yeah. And the first batter he faced, he also. That guy fouled the ball off a lot and was Also, I think 10 pitches or 8 to 10 pitches. So I don't know. But I think Michael brought up the point that he thought the computer made the decision.

[Tony Kornheiser]

Yeah, that's. Well.

[Chuck Todd]

To do the switching.

[Tony Kornheiser]

Yeah, that. That often happens. That often happens when you have an analytically based design to go into these games. Is this three terrible losses. And the context you need the conversation. The Giants loss at The Giants is a 9191 is a terrible loss. The loss two nights ago, terrible loss. Last night. Terrible loss. Rank them in importance.

[Chuck Todd]

I think last night's the worst loss.

[Producer/Caller]

Yes.

[Tony Kornheiser]

Yes. Because it follows the other one.

[Chuck Todd]

Yes, that's right. And it makes last night's loss, amplifies Magnus. Me. Magnifies the previous night.

[Tony Kornheiser]

Yes.

[Chuck Todd]

You can chalk it up, but this is. This is bolt. Now, if. Here's the question I have. Are we. It. Does the front. Does the. Does the ownership believe. Because we can be contenders if we want to be. I believe that if we want to try to make the last wild card. You can, but we have to go get some bullpen.

[Tony Kornheiser]

Yes.

[Chuck Todd]

Do you think they're going to do it? No, I don't either.

[Tony Kornheiser]

I don't. I don't. I think they're going to be happy. This is the first time The NATs are 41 and 40. This is the first. And that's as low over.500 as you can be one game over to say you're over. But it's the first time since the World Series year that the nats have been over.500 halfway through the season. And so I think they're probably very content with that and looking at a lockout situation and not wanting to get involved in long contracts.

[Producer/Caller]

Right.

[Chuck Todd]

No, I. Yeah.

[Michael Wilbon]

Given some of that, do you think they become sellers then?

[Tony Kornheiser]

If there's only two people you can sell, that would be bad. Abrams and Wood. Although what is Wood done lately? Wood's had two terrible games. You know, he drops a ball. He has like seven strikeouts in two games. He's just fan in that stuff. Right.

[Chuck Todd]

He's done this a few times, though, where you have these weird, like, mini slumps. And. Yeah, we're going, oh, and then I'll, you know, then I'll have. Then all of a sudden he'll have, you know, eight extra, you know, eight games in a row with extra base hits. And, you know, he does seem to get out of these little slumps pretty quick.

[Tony Kornheiser]

Would you.

[Chuck Todd]

But I. Abrams is the one I don't want. I know there. Because I guess they don't want to pay him. And I think. We think we have a bunch of shortstops in the system.

[Tony Kornheiser]

Didn't they? Isn't their number one draft pick last year shortstop?

[Chuck Todd]

Right, right. Yeah. And he's been doing well. Hi. But he's been doing well. Eli. Eli Willets.

[Dan Graziano]

So I don't.

[Chuck Todd]

I don't know. I hope they don't do that. Curtis Mead's the one yet that.

[Tony Kornheiser]

You probably love Curtis Mead.

[Chuck Todd]

I do, too.

[Tony Kornheiser]

But, I mean, that should play every day. Should either play third or first every single day.

[Chuck Todd]

He's your Lane Thomas, isn't he?

[Tony Kornheiser]

Yes, I love Lane Thomas, and I loved him when he showed up the other day. And these things happen. Are you not a World cup guy? Are you. Are you World cup guy?

[Chuck Todd]

No, I'm not. I'm not. And I just. I think you and I discussed this on text, and I'm afraid of saying it out loud because Chris is going to make fun of us. Soliza. You know, I just feel like if I say anything negative about soccer, everybody just jumps on you.

[Tony Kornheiser]

Soccer poets. Yeah.

[Chuck Todd]

Yeah. You know, I will say this. I do enjoy. I do enjoy these stories of the fan bases in the country.

[Tony Kornheiser]

I love the Scottish people drank Boston Dry. Something that nobody thought was possible.

[Chuck Todd]

Yeah, I want to see. And now they're going to Miami.

[Tony Kornheiser]

Yeah.

[Chuck Todd]

And, you know, there'll be other things down there besides drinking. I'll be curious how that goes.

[Tony Kornheiser]

Yeah. Scottish fans, I just want. You're doing a podcast. Tell us about the podcast.

[Chuck Todd]

Well, a sports history podcast with somebody you worked with a long time ago. J Adande.

[Tony Kornheiser]

Well, Jay became a professor at Northwestern, didn't he?

[Chuck Todd]

Yeah, he is a professor at Northwestern.

[Tony Kornheiser]

Yeah.

[Chuck Todd]

We do this monthly podcast together where each month we call it Dynastic. And each month we do this deep dive into one. One franchise and sort of tell the story. And it's like three hour podcast. What we don't expect, we don't, we don't expect you to listen to it,

[Michael Wilbon]

what, once a month?

[Chuck Todd]

Yes, yes. It's monthly. You know, why don't you do a

[Tony Kornheiser]

half hour more often?

[Producer/Caller]

Thursday?

[Tony Kornheiser]

That's like taking a course.

[Michael Wilbon]

What?

[Chuck Todd]

It's, it's, you know, it's, it's. The idea is you listen to us over a period of time. You know, you listen a half hour of time. I view it as, Instead of the 20,000 word magazine piece, 15,000 word magazine piece, it's a three hour podcast. So we dive in. We've done three of these so far. We actually tap another one this weekend. First one we did the Dodger, and then we bring on somebody to help us tell the story. We had Jaime Harin, the longtime Spanish language radio announcer for the Dodgers. We did Chris Mullen for the Warriors. We did Rocky Blyer for the Steelers. So it's been, you know, we just tell the story of how did this franchise become a dynasty? What is their story? And sort of over, you know, taking different decades.

[Tony Kornheiser]

Do you take a break in the middle and nap? I mean, three hours seems like a lot to me.

[Chuck Todd]

Oh, it is. But we're not, we're not, you know, we're not expecting everybody to listen to it in one sitting. Tony. So it's a mini book.

[Tony Kornheiser]

Are you together? Are you physically together or are you

[Chuck Todd]

separated or where we were physically together the first time.

[Tony Kornheiser]

Right.

[Chuck Todd]

And to do the first one we did, which was the Dodgers. But no, we do this remotely. Look, I'll be honest with labor of love, you know, I, and, And, you know, the only way, to me, this has credibility if you have a real sports journalist like Ja. So that's. And, you know, we come at it and we try to come at it that way, you know, using my experience from outside and in politics, his experience, you know, but it's. We don't do politics. Just so you know, it's kind of nice to do one podcast that isn't about politics. So, yeah, that's also enjoyable.

[Tony Kornheiser]

All right. And it's called Dynastic.

[Chuck Todd]

It's called Dynastic. You can find it wherever you get your podcast, your Spotify, your Apple, where you get that.

[Tony Kornheiser]

In the Safeway. Safeway. In the podcast aisle.

[Chuck Todd]

Safeway. The hair. Yeah, there. It's all available.

[Tony Kornheiser]

Yeah, it's great. All right, thank you.

[Chuck Todd]

But you do need your. You have to put in your code.

[Tony Kornheiser]

No, I don't know my code. I hate this world. All right. Chuck Todd, boys and girls, we will take a break. We will come back. Dan Graziano will explain to the degree that he can the Brendan Sorsby thing, which is very interesting to me. Very interesting. I'm Tony Kornheiser. I'm not giving up. I am selling the building. The final season of FX is the Bear. The restaurant is.

[Dan Graziano]

Everything's either gonna be okay.

[Show Announcer]

No, stop.

[Chuck Todd]

Or not.

[Tony Kornheiser]

We are outgunned and we are outmanned,

[Dan Graziano]

but we have each other.

[Tony Kornheiser]

FX's the Bear the final season. All episodes now streaming on Disney.

[Sponsor Voice]

This episode is brought to you by Fox 1. Watch all 104 matches of the FIFA World cup live in 4K for just $19.99 a month with 3 days free. Build your own multi view, choose up to three streams and follow players spotlights. Stay on top of every moment with live stats, highlights and instant replays. The FIFA World cup streaming live on Fox One offers a subject to change. See fox.com for complete terms and conditions.

[Tony Kornheiser]

You're listening to the Tony Kornheiser show once again. This is Norwegian Soft Kitten, the song we used to do in garages where we used to work. Of course, as long as they think I was the bassist, I may as well play along. This is called Mom Went to the Store. This is great titles. Mom Went to the Store is such a great title. It's like who made the egg salad sandwich? It's just so wonderful. Michael, if independent artists like Norwegian Soft Kitten want to send us their music and get a plate on the street show, how do they go about it?

[Michael Wilbon]

Send us your music by emailing it to jingles at Tony Koenizer show dot com.

[Tony Kornheiser]

Do we have a Johnny O Co?

[Bill Simmons]

Yeah.

[Michael Wilbon]

TK triple.

[Tony Kornheiser]

Yeah. I'm going to get out on the golf course this weekend. I'm going to have many triple. Georgetown's own Dan Graziano joins us now because I want to talk about Brendan Sorsby, it looks like. And please tell me if I'm wrong. I know they said he could apply in 2000-2027 draft, but it looks like they totally bounce this kid. They told him to pound sand. Do I have this correct?

[Dan Graziano]

Oh, yeah. At least as it pertains to this year. I mean this was the NFL's letter to source be pretty much says, look, I mean, you only came to us after you had no other options because of stuff you did that, you know, you haven't really faced consequences for. So let's, let's, let's put pump the brakes here and let's Talk again next spring if you're still interested. That's pretty much what it. What it said. There's rules about the supplemental draft, Tony. When they have to have it, it can't be held any later than seven days before the first training camps open. So this year, that would mean it would have to be held by about July 15th or 16th. I mean, we're inside three weeks there. And the league just felt like, you know, it was going to be too rushed, considering what the circumstances are that will surround this young man's arrival into their league.

[Tony Kornheiser]

I was completely dumbstruck by this. I knew what the supplemental draft was. I assumed it was institutionalized every single year. I did not know that. It's up completely up to the discretion of the NFL to have it or not have it. I assume you knew that, but I didn't know that.

[Dan Graziano]

Yeah. And frankly, most years, no one applies, so there's no reason to have it. It's only for guys that weren't eligible for the draft in April and now have become eligible through different circumstances. And so Sorsby was the only applicant this year, and the application came in last week, and they just didn't feel like that. But, yeah, it's in the cba. The NFL, in its sole discretion, can determine whether to hold a supplemental draft. So, yeah, there's nothing that compels them to have one at all.

[Tony Kornheiser]

Do you think that Scoresby had reason to believe that the NFL would indeed accommodate him and put him in the supplemental draft?

[Dan Graziano]

Yes. In talking to people around this situation, close to the situation on both sides last week, it sounded like Sourcebee and his camp were confident.

[Producer/Caller]

Yes.

[Dan Graziano]

That they would approve his application. They were ready to go with, you know, his. His counselor that he's seeing for his gambling addiction, ready to send, you know, a letter to NFL teams that were interested, you know, if Roger Goodell had wanted to meet with him the way he has with some other guys that have faced disciplinary situations over the years in the NFL, they were prepared for that meeting like they thought it was going to be a go. They were going to have a pro day at a Texas high school on July 10th where teams would have come and watched him throw and gotten to talk to him a little bit. So, yes, they were making plans as if there was going to be a supplemental draft and he was going to be selected in it.

[Tony Kornheiser]

That's what I think. I think you don't, you know, just give up on the college eligibility thing unless you think that the NFL is going to allow you to do this. Why do you think the NFL said, hold on a second, Sparky, we're not going that.

[Dan Graziano]

That route because it's. It's this gambling thing. And you can't. Like, this is a bright line, this betting on games involving your own team, involving your own teammates. And you know this. Well, this goes back to 1919, and the Chicago Black Sox and every sports league since has drawn this bright line. You can't do it. You cannot operate a sports league if the people who are paying to watch it have reason to wonder if the games are on the level. And that's why they stay away from this third rail. And we've heard the criticisms. Oh, all kinds of terrible people have gotten into the NFL, done terrible things, committed crimes. All true. And the things those people have done may be objectively worse than anything Brendan Sorsby has ever done. But none of those things hit at the heart of, can we sell our league as honest? Can we sell our games as honest and fair? And, you know, and even. And if something is going to threaten that, even in terms of just outside perception, then the league is always going to hit the brakes and want to, you know, think and talk an awful lot more about it before. Before finally, you know, going there, sort of breaching that beachhead, if you will.

[Tony Kornheiser]

And yet they have publicly welcomed him to apply for the 2027 draft.

[Chuck Todd]

Right.

[Dan Graziano]

So I think what that says is, we're willing to talk and think about this, but we need more time than you gave us.

[Chuck Todd]

Right.

[Dan Graziano]

And so I don't know what will happen, whether he'll be eligible for the 27 draft, whether he'll be invited to the combine. By the time the 27 draft rolls around, it appears as if he won't have played this year unless, you know, he finds his way into the CFL or something like that.

[Tony Kornheiser]

One of those UFL kind of leagues.

[Producer/Caller]

Right.

[Tony Kornheiser]

Something like that.

[Dan Graziano]

So, you know, I don't know what the future holds, and I don't think the NFL claims to either. But I think what that line in the letter says is focus on getting ready for the 27 draft. And I think what's important there is, and we'll talk again and then we'll get into it. But right now, they felt like he was trying to ram this through and they weren't prepared for it.

[Tony Kornheiser]

So the NFL has kind of sort of backdoor, suspended this kid for a year, Right.

[Dan Graziano]

I guess. I mean, like, he doesn't. He doesn't work for them. So, like, you can't really suspend a guy, but, you Know what I mean?

[Tony Kornheiser]

They put him in the.

[Dan Graziano]

Not welcome in their league. Like, yeah, they know, they know he's not eligible to play college football anymore or that, you know, college football wasn't going to let him play. So, yes, they've cut off his, his one remaining avenue to play this year. But I mean, you know, that's not, it's hard to, it's hard to characterize it for me as a suspension because like, you know, if he, if he had graduated from, you know, from, from law school and every, every law firm in the country turned him down, they're not suspending him, you know, like, they just, they just don't want him to work for them. So I think it's a unique case, obviously, and it may well be that he ends up in the NFL draft next spring and ends up playing in the NFL. But I think this just sort of speaks to the idea of where professional sports leagues are still drawing the line when it comes especially to gambling. And if you place bets on games involving your own team, even if you're not playing in them, which is the case here, it is going to be a five alarm fire and the league is going to really take its time and lean toward. No.

[Tony Kornheiser]

Yeah. I mean, I think basically what they said is you can't just drive up here and order like we're a takeout joint. Like, this is our league. It's not your league, it's our league.

[Producer/Caller]

Right.

[Dan Graziano]

And we don't. In this thing you did, you may tell us, like I was young, I was stupid. I, you know, I didn't, I didn't play in any of the games. But the fact of the matter is this thing you did and that you've admitted to doing is something we cannot abide. And so right now the answer is no.

[Tony Kornheiser]

So you think primarily, if not exclusively, this is about his recent gambling past? Yes.

[Dan Graziano]

Oh, without question. I mean, that's why he's, I mean, that's why he's not playing in the ncaa. Right. Like that's, that's, that's why. Yeah, that's why the whole thing started in the first place. Right, right.

[Tony Kornheiser]

But so now we get into Wilbon 101 and Mike will use the word hypocrisy all the time. Mike will take any chance he can to take a shot at the NFL, as if this stuff doesn't happen in other sports. But there is, it is in front of us all the time that the NFL, the NBA, the NHL and baseball have partnerships with gambling interests. Espn, where I work where you work has partnerships with gambling interests. And how. This is a question, I'm sure they sit and they wonder themselves, how do we reconcile that? You know, that we are advertising your ability to gamble with somebody who gambles and now is suspended, in essence, is being barred from the league for that. That's a hard one, is it?

[Dan Graziano]

Not for me, no. I mean, the rules are going to be different for the, for the participants. If I bet on the NFL, I would be in trouble. And ESPN has let me know that because I work in, my job entails sort of the gathering of information. ESPN will not let me place bets on the NFL on outcomes of games, on awards, voting, et cetera. That's fair, I think, because, like, I have, you know, I have access, theoretically, if I'm doing my job well, I have access to information that could help me make money that way. And that's basically insider trading. Same is true if you play and, you know, certainly if you're in the locker room and you know the game plans and you know who's going to play it. Like, you know that. So to me, yeah, I understand the point, the hypocrisy point that people are making, but the fact of the matter is, like, it's. The rules are going to be different for the people involved in determining the outcomes of the games that are being bet on. And I don't think that's wrong.

[Tony Kornheiser]

And no, I agree with that.

[Dan Graziano]

The gambling companies that the leagues are in partnership with, it's pretty important to them, too, that the games aren't rigged. So I think it's. I think it's going to be pretty tough for him to convince them.

[Tony Kornheiser]

I don't think anybody would object in a perfect world to this kid taking a year off from his football and working on what appears to be a gambling addiction, which leads me to this. Do you think he will ever actually play in the NFL?

[Dan Graziano]

I think so. And I think because, you know, this isn't going to be the last case like this that they're confronted with. You know, I mean, I have two sons. They're 22 and 20. I got to say, I'll say it as nicely as possible. They don't make every right decision at this age in their lives. Right. Like, so this is going to keep happening with college kids and in different forms and fashions. And I think at some point the NFL is going to have to be okay. I mean, like. Like if it was Arch Manning. Right, Right. Are they going to say, right, so at some point it's going to So I think they're going to probably end up using this case as a way of establishing some sort of precedent. If you do XYZ and you want in, then this is the price you pay. Maybe he has a suspension to start his career, I don't know. So I do think eventually he gets in. I think between now and the spring they'll have time to, to make their case and the NFL will have time to find some ground on which they're at peace with it.

[Tony Kornheiser]

I just think that he's gotta be kicking himself and his advisors have to be kicking themselves cuz they shut out the Texas Tech option. They said, okay, we'll pass on that cuz we're going to the NFL. There was not enough communication from his people to the NFL right? There couldn't have been.

[Dan Graziano]

But it does seem like based on the reporting and the information has come out that he had been either through back channels or something that they had been alerted that he wasn't going to

[Chuck Todd]

be allowed to play.

[Dan Graziano]

Either the Big 12 was going to do something or Texas Tech was going to do. So it sounds to me like that option was already shut off and that's the reason he made this pivot and did the supplemental draft application.

[Tony Kornheiser]

It's a very, it's an interesting story. I mean we've talked about it a couple of times on pti. I would talk about it every day. I just think it's really, it's really interesting. Thanks for being on. Thank you, Dan.

[Dan Graziano]

My pleasure, Tony. Anytime.

[Tony Kornheiser]

Dan Graziano. That's lovely. We'll take a break and we will come back with email and jingle. I'm Tony Kornheiser. This summer, serve up the cookout classics craft mayo and dressing. Toss green salads with delicious ranch dressing or zesty Italian serve smooth, craveably creamy potato salads with mayo. We all know it's not a cookout without Kraft.

[Show Announcer]

You're listening to the Tony Kornheiser show.

[Chuck Todd]

Well, here comes Tony's mail back.

[Show Announcer]

We got your emails, your faxes and your notes.

[Tony Kornheiser]

It's time for Chinese M.

[Chuck Todd]

We're gonna read some. All you folks.

[Tony Kornheiser]

That's lovely. That's John Rawson. That's lovely.

[Greg]

Always love that one.

[Tony Kornheiser]

You want to do the Bethesda bagel ad for us?

[Greg]

Yes, Bethesda Bagels. We love them. You will as well. Just go to Bethesda Bagels for the location of the DC area near you. Then pop on in and you'll be thrilled. And don't forget to go to the Arlington Cinema drafthouse for Greg. Yeah. Friday and Saturday.

[Tony Kornheiser]

Before we get to the mailbag, let me just say let the river run. Let all the dreamers wake the nation come the new Jerusalem silver cities rise the morning lights the streets that lead them and sirens call them on with a song. That's Carly Simon that won the Academy Award. That's from Working Girl. Working Girl, which is a great movie.

[Greg]

Yeah.

[Tony Kornheiser]

Melanie Griffith, just a wonderful, I think. Is that Alec Baldwin's first movie?

[Greg]

It's. If not his first wonderful movie.

[Tony Kornheiser]

Carly Simon, to my surprise, turns 83 years old today. Carly Simon was married to James Taylor at one point. Carly Simon was great.

[Chuck Todd]

Oh, yeah.

[Tony Kornheiser]

Thanks to our guest today, Chuck Todd. Dan Graziano, thanks as well to today's sponsor. Remember, you can listen to us on Apple Podcast, Spotify and Audacy if you get the show through Apple Podcasts. Please leave us a review. Let me thank Rami Kandel from Potomac for a very, very nice note. I appreciate it very much.

[Michael Wilbon]

And we'll start with this movie debut is Forever Lulu.

[Tony Kornheiser]

I don't know that at all.

[Michael Wilbon]

1987 comedy mystery.

[Tony Kornheiser]

When was working girl?

[Michael Wilbon]

88 was working girl and Beetlejuice.

[Greg]

Okay. Yeah.

[Tony Kornheiser]

It's early then.

[Greg]

Yeah.

[Producer/Caller]

Yeah.

[Tony Kornheiser]

This is from Kyle Gebhart. I'll tell you who Kyle Gebhart is later. Tony, I've been a fan of you and Wilbond since I was 12. Thanks for everything you've done for sports. One of my DC buddies listens to your podcast regularly. Told me that you made mention of the AM tournament at Columbia a few weeks back and how tough the pins were. I very much agree. It was a fantastic tournament and so much fun. Glad you shot a billion because it felt like I was going to. Also, given that you're a member there, I want to say thank you in addition to the staff, especially Delmar and Alex and the other members I saw for allowing us to take over the course that week. Having a fantastic club and great course essentially shut down for four days to have us all come out and play is not unappreciated. I tried to pass that along, but please reiterate it for me. He won. He won the tournament. He is the best amateur in Maryland this year.

[Greg]

That's great.

[Tony Kornheiser]

It's a tough track and he did a great job.

[Michael Wilbon]

I'm sure he's had some good matches with Alex over the years.

[Tony Kornheiser]

I would think so. Maybe Del Mar too.

[Dan Graziano]

Yeah.

[Michael Wilbon]

Yeah.

[Tony Kornheiser]

Maybe Del Mar too. From Abraham.

[Michael Wilbon]

He won a five way playoff to get medal of Saunders.

[Tony Kornheiser]

Is that right?

[Michael Wilbon]

Yeah. Before getting into Match play.

[Tony Kornheiser]

So he won both ways. Okay. From Abraham in Silver Spring. You think Wilbon has a separate text chain with just dads? James Wood's dad Caleb Williams dad, the Bounce's dad. Tell him I'd be happy with to introduce him to my dad. I'll hang up and listen.

[Michael Wilbon]

Try some my dad's chips.

[Tony Kornheiser]

Steve Gilmore, San Angelo, Texas Dear Captain Potato Poet, do you think Will Bond and Messi's dad and Richard Dent discuss the NBA draft ratings in China in their text chain? Mike Chaput like in Shaputva we don't have in South Carolina. Lovely little town, you guess. Never cease to amaze. New voices, familiar voices. And then you throw in Marv Albert. Now Michael, as they say, gold, Jerry Gold. There's a scene in Project Hail Mary where the hero is sharing his marital situation with the alien Rocky. Yes, I was married, but she left me for Mark. Rocky thinks for a minute and says, I hate Mark. If the screenwriter was a little, I'm sure the ex would have left for a man named Duke. Then of course I hate Duke. That's my overriding thought watching that scene. Thank you. Steve Sands from Rick Schroeder. Not that Rick Schroeder. I wouldn't think.

[Greg]

Wouldn't think could be though.

[Tony Kornheiser]

I was able to enjoy several three generation golf days with my dad and my son. One memorable Moment was a 1987 outing at Windswept Dunes, purportedly the longest course in Florida outside of Panama City, Florida. When we were there on a family vacation, we teed off early as a threesome in the fog. The second hole was a par three with a pond to carry. We could only see about 30ft of the pond because of the fog. We took the carts up to look at the green as we'd never played the course before. We used the golf cart GPS for the distance and used the tee blocks for a directional aid and tee off my 2nd and 16 year old son from the tips. Middle tees for me and the senior tees for my 76 year old dad. Three shots. No splashes. When we got to the green, we discovered we were all within 15ft of the hole with our blind shots. Alas, no birdies. We made several more trips to Panama City enjoying family and friend vacations. This one four generation trip after my first grandson was born in 2014 and the last trip in 202023 to spread the ashes of my deceased parents and sister. My dad didn't take up golf until his 30s and after one particularly helpful golf tip he went from a lifelong slicer to a senior golfer who probably hit about 90% of the fairways from age 65 to 85. Enjoy your family golf. Drop the right foot back From David Spence Kingston, Ontario, Canada Canada Dear Great Potato Farmer, I am sorry for being slow and sending a great thanks for reading my past email on the wonderful Dan Burn with special guest or at Shimoni show in Kingston, Ontario at the Broom Factory I was able to meet the longtime emailer from Kingston, Don Ames along with many other Littles. Your broadcast was able to reach these Littles who attended Bill who attended Bill Micklis, Don Lewis, Mike Carroll, as well as a few others who didn't hang around too long after the show. I really hope we can get a Littles Palooza this summer in Kingston at the Portsmouth or Toucan Tavern. Superb performance by Dan and Orit who have traveled many a country together performing their songs that have a certain je ne sais quoi. It was the cheeserie night and my David Daldridge moment. Mr. Tony, your golf game sounds similar to my own. Pars few and far between learned long time ago. I stunk but I love the game. Good luck with the new sandwich. I mentioned last time about squirrels eating my planted potatoes. The next week I caught one of our own dogs in there digging and eating them. She loves greens and vegetables. Can't have your own dog eat it, no? Christopher Lindemann in Los Angeles enjoyed listening to the Chuck Culpepper segment this morning, as I always do when he's on. I lived and worked near New Bedford and Chuck is correct in his opinion that the Whaling Museum is great a place from one of your favorite novels, Moby Dick. The Seaman's Bethel is on the same street should you wish to visit on a Melville pilgrimage. Being a sea captain, I'm sure you will enjoy connecting to captains from the distant past from Les Cossack in Galena, Ohio. People need to know this Africa road is currently closed between Lewis Center Road and Plum Road. This is quite inconvenient.

[Greg]

Yes it is.

[Tony Kornheiser]

Dean Mendez in Clifton Park, New York. I don't know where that is. I'm a third generation Cape Verdean American. I was thrilled to hear your interview with Chuck Culpepper about the World cup team and the story behind it. I was so proud to hear this conversation on your podcast. Cabo Verde is shocking the world and getting recognition. I never imagined. We are big time now in this country. You likely never heard of Cabo Verde or Cape Verdeans unless you lived in southeastern New England. Cabo is actually the Portuguese word for cape. They are used interchangeably in referring to the country. Brockton, not Boston, has the largest population of Cape Verdeans in the United States. It's the home of AJ Debanza. I didn't know that we live all over that region, Cape Cod and Rhode Island. Three of my grandparents emigrated from Cabo Verde. My paternal grandmother sailed across the Atlantic just like Columbus in the early 20th century and landed New Bedford. Most of that generation never went back and told stories of drought and famine. They found work fishing in factories and in the cranberry bogs. As I grew up and moved out of the region, I realized no one knew about my heritage and I was constantly having to explain it to people. I had no clue and would reply cape what? I've been texted and emailed by so many people lately who only know Cabo Verde because of me and I am the only one they ever met. This has literally put us on the map. As Chuck mentioned, or some simulations of world maps, Cabo Verde is missing. I've added it a few times when I saw that we have lived in existence well under the radar, but not likely any longer. I didn't realize that a couple of draws could mean so much. On June 1, the person to whom I'm related by marriage and I were celebrating our 20th year of the relationship in Portugal. Randomly, we ran into Cabo Verde team at our hotel in Lisbon. They were delighted to hear about my family connections to the islands. The photo is from that day. Little did any of us have any idea what was going to happen when they played the games. I'd like to be the official Cape Verdean of the podcast. Sure. I'm guessing I might be the only one. I would think so. Listens to the podcast would still be an honor. Go Blue Sharks. On to the next round. And there's a lovely picture here.

[Greg]

Isn't that nice?

[Tony Kornheiser]

This is really nice. Really nice. From Papa Theum in Paris, France I've been thinking of you for comic relief in the past few days, imagining your rants on a fictional vacation in Paris where current temperatures are in the mid-1100s. In a country where most places are not air conditioned, you would have the time of your life. And should you need medical services for any reason during your stay here, I can have my brother tell you about the time he broke his ankle outside my building last month and got treated for free at the local hospital, including X rays and cast by interns unable to figure out the billing for a foreign visitor and just told them to go great service as long as you're not in a hurry and don't have to spend the night in an 85 degree room, all you have to do is enjoy that. Just hop on a short seven hour flight from D.C. so really a trip that would probably feature everything you love. I can recommend a few restaurants if you're interested. From Rafael Figueroa As a Puerto Rican, I'm very familiar with the sweetness of rum. I agree with the suggestion that a reserve or 15 year old rum should be first enjoyed neat. However, don't discard the Coke as it is essential for the best refreshing drink of the summer. The Cuba Libre was created after the Cuban Revolution. The key difference is that the addition of lime which makes it one of those best drinks available. If it's a hot day, especially after harvesting your potatoes, I highly recommend having one. You will certainly appreciate that we could try that.

[Greg]

Yeah, sure.

[Tony Kornheiser]

Kevin Coy Youngstown, Ohio Dear Dr. Orange man, did you know that the Home Run Derby has moved to a streaming service starting this year? It's now on Netflix. That's it. That's the email. I hang up and listen for the explosion. I think we get.

[Michael Wilbon]

You get Netflix, but the issue is you can't go from the Home Run Derby then to anything else.

[Greg]

Yeah, you're sort of stuck on that

[Tony Kornheiser]

platform for how long?

[Greg]

Well then when you switch out, it takes.

[Tony Kornheiser]

Yeah, okay.

[Producer/Caller]

Yeah.

[Tony Kornheiser]

From Lee Gordon in Boynton, Beach, Florida. Ahoy Captain Potato Man. Not only was I unaware if Windom Clark had ever apologized to Oakmont, he also never apologized to me for hitting me in the leg at the Travelers Championship in 2019. Attached to two pictures for the viewers on News Channel 8. In one, you can see Clark taking a swing from where he took his drop after his tee shot on the par three fifth hole ricocheted off my shin and landed on the cart path. But wait, there's more. Later in the same round, as I was watching him at the drivable par four 15th hole, Clark claimed another victim. His tee shot hit the guy in the white shirt in the other picture. What are the odds? Please tell my cousin Jim Shapiro to eat it. So yeah, they're wow.

[Michael Wilbon]

Aim small, Ms. Small.

[Tony Kornheiser]

Mike Roseberry, State College, Pennsylvania after five years of trying, I finally hit the lottery for Wimbledon tickets. So the person to whom I'm related by marriage and I are taking a trip to the uk. The funny thing with the ticket ballot is you can't ask for a day or court, they just assign you one. Fortunately, we lucked into the third round center court, so we should see some quality players. I can only assume that DG will be in attendance somewhere, so I'll be on the lookout for him. The real reason I wrote is that I wanted some London pub recommendations from Nigel. Something properly seedy, where he can drink warm gin and meet proper villains. The kind of place that Bill Sykes would call home.

[Greg]

You can find an Applebee's. Those are always lovely.

[Tony Kornheiser]

From Paul Tatum. I've been trying to catch up with the show, but it seems every time I get close, a few more are added. Not too bad, especially since I will hopefully be on a plane somewhere in July to fly to Texas and then to Louisiana to visit family. Three things you mentioned watching the Nats in Spanish. I can one up you on that. My first year in Qatar, I was in the staff accommodation and looked for something to watch. I found a local broadcast of women's volleyball in Arabic. Not a problem, I thought, until I had to go to the kitchen to get something and I had no idea what was going on. I've been here 14 years. I understand very little Arabic. Don't even ask me to read it or recognize my name. When I graduated with a master's from Qatar University, my classmates had to point out my seat because the name was written in Arabic. You talked about getting calls about your loan being approved. I was going to say move to Qatar. We easily recognize spam calls because they are from a different country calling code. I was able to block the numbers and that was it until two days ago when I got a local number and a lady was asking if I wanted to apply for an American Express card. Number three. Everyone is still talking about their names. I was named Patty Jo, which is not too common, especially with an I. When I was in trouble with my mother, my name suddenly changed to Patricia Josephine. Never a good thing. I was Anthony.

[Chuck Todd]

Not good.

[Tony Kornheiser]

That's it from my end, except for our days, it's heating up to 45 degrees Celsius, 113 Fahrenheit. Thank you, Patty. No, thank you, Joseph O', Hara, your friendly National Mall park ranger. A couple of days ago, while working at the Lincoln Memorial Undercroft during one of our soft openings, a co worker asked if I listened to the pot. I told him yes. He then chuckled and said his grandfather listens to the pot and wanted to know if he knew me. The connective tissue is strong. Also, I saw a can of sliced potatoes at the Southeast DC Safeway and I'm happy that your potato yield is going well and that you decided to name one of your products after your golf game so you know, I hope it works we have high scared now because the. The. The green stalks are very.

[Greg]

It's like Jack and the Beanstalk.

[Tony Kornheiser]

Maybe. Maybe there's we didn't plant potatoes.

[Michael Wilbon]

Maybe we similar to the the monster squash from last summer.

[Greg]

Yeah. Something in the soil.

[Tony Kornheiser]

This is great. From Steve McCollum in Washington D.C. can dance a pitch that's funny if you're out on your bike T everyone is always do wear white how much weight

[Dan Graziano]

do you think I could bench press? Just make a guess Ballpark figure.

[Show Announcer]

It's been eight months since I was laid Feel so broke down and busted Like Jimmy Carter I busted Think I'll just get drunk and drink. Maybe I should just get drunk and screw but if I did that junks would spew can't imagine life getting better I just got a Dear Johnny letter Think I'll just get drunk and drink Think I'll just just get drunk and drink I'll be so polluted I can't think when I wake up oh sweet Jesus knows Think I'll just get drunk and drink. I lost my job just the other day the banker took my truck away Every day I keep getting madder if I don't miss soon I'll burst my bladder Think I'll just get drunk and drink. Can't believe my dog up and died I laid in bed and cried and cried didn't know what else I could do to watch the calming myself until I blew Think I'll just get drunk and drink Think I'll just get drunk and drink I'll be so polluted I can't think when I wake up Only sweet Jesus knows Think I'll just get drunk and drink. Mom went to the store she bought some ice cream I ate all the ice cream Now I got a stomach egg mom went to the store store mom went to the store mom went to the store mom went to the store. Mom went to the store she bought some ice cream I wanted the ice cream But I didn't want to storm again mom went to the store mom went to the store mom went to the store mom went to the store. Mom went to the store she bought some ice cream I didn't have no ice cream Cause now I'm obedient mom went in the store mom went to the store mom went to the store mom went to the store.