"A Complicated Handshake"

The Tony Kornheiser Show | October 24, 2025

Episode Overview

In this episode, Tony Kornheiser dives into a jam-packed show featuring:

• A nostalgic World Series preview with MLB insider Tim Kurkjian
• NFL analysis and picks with Jason La Canfora
• College and pro football picks with James Carville and Jeff Ma
• An in-depth discussion with Jeff Ma on the emergent NBA gambling scandal involving players and coaches
  The episode weaves through sports history, humor, and the rapid pace of current events, maintaining the familiar, conversational, and self-deprecating tone Tony is known for.

[00:48-15:18] World Series Preview & Baseball Banter with Tim Kurkjian

Key Topics & Insights

• 1979 World Series Memories

  • Tony and Tim reminisce about the "We Are Family" Pirates, the Orioles’ loss, and legendary characters like Willie Stargell.
  • Tim shares how emotionally significant Stargell was for Pittsburgh:

    "The second I arrived at the ballpark, got out of the cab, the news broke that Willie Stargell had died. And it was just so sad because that's how important a figure he was in Pirates history." (03:05 – Tim Kurkjian)

• Pittsburgh Pirates Legends

  • Clemente, Stargell, Mazeroski, and Hannes Wagner are discussed in their historical context.

• Three Concerts in Tim’s Life

  • Tim hilariously details his only three concert experiences:
    • Dan Fogelberg in college (“a disaster”),
    • Yellowcard with his daughter (“a disaster—concert started at 10:30pm on a school night”),
    • Kenny Chesney at Syracuse before dropping his daughter off at college.
  • On modern music references:

    “I had to drop out of that discussion since I had virtually no idea who he was. It was like the day I met Pitbull at the 2016 All Star Game in Miami...Thank God he didn't ask what my favorite song of his was. I didn't even know who he was. This complicated handshake. It was just awful.” (05:49 – Tim Kurkjian)

• World Series Analysis

  • Discussion on the five-day wait before the World Series ("Rest vs Rust")

    “This is a daily game. It's played best when it's played daily… I think it's too much time off, and I think we lose a little momentum from the playoffs.” (06:57 – Tim Kurkjian)

  • Game 1 Matchup:
    • Blake Snell (Dodgers) vs. Trey Savage (Toronto Blue Jays)
    • Snell’s dominance and experience get the edge, but Tim praises Yu Savage's poise and performance as a rookie.

      “He is absolutely as tremendous poise. He's got the presence of Gaylord Perry on the mound and he's 22 years old.” (08:42 – Tim Kurkjian)

• Series Advantages

  • Blue Jays: Home field, best team defense, superior contact hitting and run production
    • “They put it in play better than anyone. They hit .296 as a team in the postseason; the rest hit .218.” (10:16 – Tim Kurkjian)
  • Dodgers: Historically dominant pitching
    • “The opponents have hit .132 against the Dodgers starters this postseason. It is one of the great runs we've ever seen.” (10:52 – Tim Kurkjian)

• Predictions and Pitcher Appearances

  • Tim picks Dodgers in 7, but sees the Blue Jays as underrated, especially defensively.
  • On Scherzer and Kershaw:

    “Max Scherzer will start in this Series. Clayton Kershaw will not, but he will pitch in this series.” (13:06 – Tim Kurkjian)

[15:18-33:23] NFL Recap & Analysis with Jason La Canfora

Notable Moments

• Fan Reactions to Jason’s Betting Segment

  • Humorous listener emails celebrate Jason's successful picks and the surprise appearance of his hoodie on PTI, immortalized on the Statue of Liberty.
  • “I was so freaking, like elated to see my stupid hoodie on your set. You have no idea.” (18:58 – Jason)

• Thursday Night Football Takeaways

  • The Chargers’ offensive line and recent returns (notably Joe Alt) boost both offense and defense.
  • “Having at least one of their bookend tackles back makes a huge difference.” (23:14 – Jason)

• Team Trends and Coaching Drama

  • Fork in the season for the Vikings; Chargers, Broncos, KC as “viable” AFC West teams.
  • On Broncos’ coaching theatrics:

    “It’s like a WWF promo. Well, you know, Mean Gene, like, it’s a little bit of that.” (24:19 – Jason)

• Dysfunction in Miami

  • Commentary on Tua’s recent press behavior and Mike McDaniel’s coaching status:

    “I think he was daring them to be fired… Stephen Ross is making him own it and wear it.” (25:41 – Jason)

• Falcons & Betting Suggestions

  • Jason favors Atlanta to cover against Miami, expects Bijan Robinson to "go off."

• Baltimore vs. Chicago

  • Jason disagrees with the big spread favoring Baltimore due to Ravens’ injury and question marks; he's on the Chicago +6.5 side.

• 18-game NFL Season News

  • NFL reportedly not expanding to 18 games imminently, but Jason sees expansion as inevitable:

    “I would be stunned if that doesn’t happen...It always felt somewhat inevitable.” (32:14 – Jason)

[33:23-41:36] Football Picks with James Carville

Key Points

• Carville’s Performance

  • James went 3-2-1 last week, maintains humility but aims to hit over 53.5%.

    “Our aspirational goal is to make the list of the Tony Kornheiser Show, some extra dough, lobster dinner money…” (36:17 – James Carville)

• College Picks

  • Indiana -25 vs UCLA (“UCLA is really bad… Indiana's good”)
  • Buffalo -9.5 vs Akron
  • Tulsa +6 vs Temple (“If you get six against Chapel, you got to take it”)

• NFL Picks

  • Saints +4.5 vs Tampa Bay (“A lot of games fall three, four… Saints at home.”)
  • Jets +7 at Cincinnati (“You're getting seven points. What can I say?”)
  • Steelers vs Packers (“Can't beat that for throwback NFL; people will watch for Rodgers vs. old team.”)

• On Jerry Jones:

  “That guy's the greatest marketer in sports. He doesn't win a lot, but he's always selling.” (40:46 – James)

[41:36-57:12] Gambling Scandal Breakdown & Picks with Jeff Ma

NBA Gambling Scandal Deep Dive

• High-Stakes Poker & Cheating

  • Tony and Jeff unpack the NBA gambling scandal involving players (Terry Rozier) and coaches (Chauncey Billups).
  • Jeff explains high-stakes poker in private “celebrity” settings is ripe for cheating:

    “If you're going to play a private poker game with people you don't know, you should be buyer beware… This is not a regulated market.” (43:14 – Jeff Ma)

• Technology and Cheating Methods

  • Private game cheating is not new, but the tech described is “Mission Impossible/James Bond”—marking a new level.

• NBA Player Misconduct

  • On Terry Rozier:

    “It's very easy to catch someone… there's an enormous amount of information that goes out there (with legal sports betting)… This is how we catch people.” (46:43 – Jeff Ma)

• Legality and Ethical Lines

  • Difference between "cheating" and "taking advantage of information":

    “There’s no official laws on inside trading in sports betting... You have to draw your own ethical line on what is inside information.” (56:15 – Jeff Ma)

• On Adam Silver’s Next Steps:
  “I would expect at some point Adam Silver to come out from hiding underneath his desk and actually address this personally, wouldn't you?” (49:24 – Tony Kornheiser)

Jeff Ma’s Weekly Picks

NCAA:

• Oklahoma -5.5 vs Ole Miss
• Wisconsin +32 at Oregon
• Indiana -25 vs UCLA

NFL:

• Atlanta -7.5 vs Miami

• Browns +7.5 vs Patriots

• Jeff and Tony also banter about inside information ethics, the lack of true regulatory framework in sports betting, and the difference between “using your brain” (like card counting) versus actual cheating.

Memorable Quotes & Moments

• “I had to drop out of that discussion since I had virtually no idea who he was…It was like the day I met Pitbull...Thank God he didn't ask what my favorite song of his was.” (05:49 – Tim Kurkjian)
• “It's like a WWF promo...I don't really have a problem with it.” (24:19 – Jason La Canfora on Sean Payton-Russell Wilson)
• “I mean, honestly, myself on the back. This show... we're up 85 units. That's no joke. That's documented.” (32:27 – Jason La Canfora on his betting show’s hot streak)

Notable Timestamps

• 00:48 – Opening World Series memories with Tim Kurkjian
• 03:05 – Kurkjian on Stargell’s legacy & PNC Park story
• 06:57 – Debate over lengthy World Series delays
• 10:16 – Blue Jays’ home advantage and offensive stats
• 18:58 – Jason La Canfora reacts to his merch on PTI
• 23:14 – Chargers analysis: Joe Alt’s impact
• 24:19 – On the Sean Payton drama
• 36:17 – Carville outlines his betting philosophy
• 43:14 – Jeff Ma explains private poker cheating
• 46:43 – Rosier scandal: tracking bets is easier in the legal market
• 56:15 – Jeff Ma on inside information vs. cheating

Tone & Takeaways

The show balances affectionate nostalgia, Tony’s signature curmudgeon humor, and genuinely sharp sports analysis. The episode stands out for its thorough breakdown of a major NBA scandal and for weaving listener emails and jokes seamlessly into the flow.
The energy remains high throughout, no guest overstays, and Tony’s recurring bits—especially his interplay with Carville and Ma—keep things light, even in the face of breaking legal news.

Recommended For:
Listeners interested in a deft mix of sports nostalgia, pointed analysis, and sports-betting insight, as well as those eager for thorough, accessible breakdowns of contemporary sports news and scandals.