“A Hooded Seven”

Summary

The Tony Kornheiser Show: “A Hooded Seven” – Detailed Summary

Release Date: August 13, 2025
Host: Tony Kornheiser
Guests: Michael Wilbon, Booger McFarland, Jeff Pickett
Produced by: This Show Stinks Productions, LLC

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Introduction

In the “A Hooded Seven” episode of The Tony Kornheiser Show, host Tony Kornheiser engages in a lively discussion with sports analysts Michael Wilbon and Booger McFarland, delving into a variety of topics ranging from baseball and football to golf and local weather conditions. The episode blends insightful sports commentary with light-hearted banter, providing listeners with a comprehensive overview of current sports scenarios and personal anecdotes.

Baseball Roundup: The Nationals and Cubs

Nationals’ Struggles
Tony initiates the conversation by addressing the Nationals' recent losses, particularly their defeat against Kansas City. He expresses skepticism about the team's resilience, criticizing both their pitching and defensive performances.

[04:15] Tony Kornheiser: "Your team is not particularly resilient because when you give up the lead, you don't retake it. You don't have a very good team."

Booger adds to the critique by highlighting specific player performances, notably Jesse Hossell’s ambiguous position changes and Jacob Young's lack of power hitting.

Cubs’ Performance and MLB Standings
Michael Wilbon shifts the focus to the Chicago Cubs, lamenting their declining performance despite having one of the better starting pitching staffs in the league.

[19:18] Michael Wilbon: "We haven't had that kind of tailspin though. We could be in one now."

He further discusses the Cubs' potential in the wild card race, expressing concern over their ability to sustain a winning streak throughout the season.

Football Forecast: NFL Preseason and the Chicago Bears

Preseason Insights with Ben Johnson
The discussion transitions to the NFL preseason, where Jeff Pickett shares his expertise on golf equipment—a topic that seamlessly ties into Tony’s personal interest in golf.

Chicago Bears’ Prospects
Michael and Tony delve into the Chicago Bears' prospects under new head coach Ben Johnson. Michael is cautiously optimistic, noting Johnson's demanding coaching style reminiscent of legends like Vince Lombardi.

[27:05] Michael Wilbon: "Ben Johnson comes in every day and is like, whoa, a revelation. His practices have been something out of Vince Lombardi and Jimmie Johnson."

However, concerns remain regarding the Bears' offensive strategies and quarterback Caleb Williams' integration into the team, with Michael expressing doubt about Williams playing in the upcoming preseason games.

Golf Talk: Revisiting Equipment Choices

Club Selection and Strategy
A significant portion of the episode is dedicated to golf, where Jeff Pickett offers advice on optimizing golf club selection. He emphasizes the utility of higher lofted woods over traditional three woods, suggesting that they offer better carry and ease of use on various terrains.

[11:21] Booger McFarland: "The seven wood is this huge helpful. You’re not worried about that. You’re just looking to try and get some carry and an easier club to get through the grass."

Tony discusses his own struggles with golf club choices, portraying a relatable scenario for golf enthusiasts seeking to enhance their game.

Weather Update: East Coast Conditions

Late Summer Weather Patterns
The hosts briefly discuss the unusually pleasant weather across the East Coast, noting lower humidity levels and clear skies, which contrasts with the typically oppressive August conditions previously experienced.

[07:06] Tim Kirchen: "The weather has been so nice that you, you know, I guess that's..."

Booger and Tony engage in a light-hearted conversation about the nuances of humidity versus dew point, reflecting on how weather impacts daily activities.

College Football: Big Ten vs SEC Debate

League Comparisons and Team Dynamics
Michael Wilbon and Tony Kornheiser engage in a spirited debate about college football leagues, particularly the strengths of the Big Ten compared to the SEC. Michael staunchly defends the Big Ten as the superior league, despite the SEC's widespread acclaim.

[22:25] Michael Wilbon: "No, I don't think after 45 years there's any difference. I will tell you this. I'll tell you about one thing that freaked me out..."

Their discussion touches on recent games, team performances, and the evolving landscape of college football, providing listeners with expert analysis on upcoming seasons.

Listener Mailbag: Community Engagement

Audience Interaction and Lighthearted Messages
The episode concludes with Tony Kornheiser opening the mailbag segment, where he reads and responds to listener emails. The correspondence ranges from humorous anecdotes about cooking mishaps to heartfelt requests for local recommendations.

[45:07] Jeff Pickett: "There’s a balance because you want to have the best team that you can have. But I’d be lying if…"

Listeners share personal stories and amusing requests, fostering a sense of community and relatability among the show's audience.

Conclusion

Tony wraps up the episode by thanking the guests, sponsors, and listeners, reminding everyone to tune in for future episodes available on platforms like Apple Podcasts and Spotify. The blend of expert sports commentary, personal stories, and community interaction makes “A Hooded Seven” a compelling listen for both regular followers and newcomers to the show.

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Notable Quotes with Timestamps

• [02:11] Michael Wilbon: "Yes, I have tried to grill vegetables at my House. I am so bad on the grill, it's unbelievable."

• [04:15] Tony Kornheiser: "Your team is not particularly resilient because when you give up the lead, you don't retake it."

• [11:21] Booger McFarland: "The seven wood is this huge helpful. You’re not worried about that. You’re just looking to try and get some carry and an easier club to get through the grass."

• [19:18] Michael Wilbon: "We haven't had that kind of tailspin though. We could be in one now."

• [27:05] Michael Wilbon: "Ben Johnson comes in every day and is like, whoa, a revelation. His practices have been something out of Vince Lombardi and Jimmie Johnson."

• [22:25] Michael Wilbon: "No, I don't think after 45 years there's any difference."

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For those interested in catching up on sports discussions with a blend of humor and expert insights, “A Hooded Seven” episode of The Tony Kornheiser Show is a must-listen.

Transcript

[Tony Kornheiser]

Hey, it's Tony. On today's show, we'll catch up with Michael Wilbon about what he's been up to in the dog days of summer. And we'll talk about the NFL preseason with Booger McFarlane. But first, let's keep the sales weasels happy. T Mobile is more than the best network in the game. They're now the best network in America according to the experts at OOKLA Speed Test. So MLB fans are connected from home to home plate with the most advanced 5G, the most towers, and a signal that goes farther than ever. You can keep up with your team or on the road overseas, even off the grid. For baseball fans, it's better over here. Based on analysis by OOKLA of Speed test intelligence data first half 2025 compatible device and plan required for T Satellite. See details@t mobile.com youm're listening to the Tony Kornheiser Show. Every now and then you score a deal that's almost too good to be true. Like you're getting away with something you shouldn't. Well, now's the time to get in and get away with huge savings during the Hyundai Getaway sales event. Score a great deal on an award winning SUV like the Kona Tucson Santa Fe or Palisade and go for the technology packed Elantra, their most advanced Sonata yet. Or the all electric Ioniq 5 and Ioniq 6. But getting away with massive savings is just the beginning because every new Hyundai is backed by America's best warranty. That's an industry leading 10 year warranty, 100,000 mile powertrain, limited warranty that brings serious peace of mind. Plus you get three years or 36,000 miles of Hyundai complimentary maintenance on all new 2025 models. Just one of the many ways Hyundai has your back long after you drive off the lot. Now's the perfect time to get a deal so right it almost feels wrong. At the Hyundai Getaway sales event going on now. Visit HyundaiUSA.com or call 562-331-4-4603 for more details. The offer ends September 2, 2025. Let me just say that one more time. 562-314-4603 previously on the Tony Kornheiser Show. You like vegetables and we know this through avocados. Do you ever like grill and it's not quite what you're hoping for, Tony.

[Michael Wilbon]

You'Re asking me about cooking? We pray after we eat at my house. When I cook, it's terrible. Yes, I have tried to grill vegetables at my House. I am so bad on the grill, it's unbelievable. I made steaks the other day, completely charred them, and yet they were raw on the inside.

[Tony Kornheiser]

The Tony Kornheiser show is on now. That makes me smile. Just Tim's trouble grilling makes me smile.

[Booger McFarland]

He's never overcooked an avocado.

[Tony Kornheiser]

No, he has not. He is Mr. Avocado. All right, let me just dispense with the Nats fairly quickly. The Nats lose again to Kansas City. It's fine because Matt Cataro is happy with that. Is taking a shot. How far out is he from the wild card, Michael? I mean, he's climbing now.

[Booger McFarland]

Should only be about.

[Tony Kornheiser]

Yeah, well, they're playing the Nets. Yeah. So the game last night, what his name is Mitchell Parker. That's his first name. Parker's first name is Mitchell Parker. Like every other starter for the Nats, like every, anybody who throws the ball for the Nats, he's just not very good and not very good at the moment. Gives up runs early. Got hurt by his defense a little bit. You know, the game was pretty much over by the fifth inning because Kansas City had gotten to a four nothing lead, or four, whatever it was. I mean, it was a hopeless situation. Felt like a hopeless situation. I know. You know, speaking of Tim Kirchen, I know what Tim said yesterday, that he would like to see Miguel Cairo become the permanent manager. I held my tongue. I didn't want to get in a debate about that. I mean, Tim knows a lot more about baseball than I do, but he can't be the permanent manager. He's not, he isn't very good. He either leaves pitchers in too long or he just takes them out in a willy nilly manner. I, I. When you read the stories about the game in the Washington Post, either that night or the next morning, there's always a Miguel Cairo quote that goes something like this. What I love about this team is how resilient they are. They never give up. They keep fighting all the way. No, you keep losing. No, you didn't. You actually, your team is not particularly resilient because when you give up the lead, you don't retake the lead or take the lead for the first time. You don't have a very good team. They don't seem to have any particular collective spirit. You know, you're trying a whole bunch of guys out for positions in the outfield. You know, James Wood, by the way, is not a good outfielder and has no particular army. He does not. He doesn't have a good Arm and the weakest arm in the outfield is always in left field. But it's. He doesn't have a good arm at all. He might down the road if you could teach him to play first base. He's six, seven. That's you know, he's a big target if you teach him to play first. That and he's powerful left handed power position at first.

[Booger McFarland]

Probably the 10.

[Tony Kornheiser]

That would be right. Isn't that something Michael? That we think would be the long term fix there. I think anyway, so they have hassle is out there, made a couple of nice plays and now it's will it would be hassle or Jacob. Jacob Young has no home runs. We're in August 100. He has no home runs, played 120 games. He's a great fielder, Jacob Young, but he has no particular power. He's sort of kind of in the tradition of Victor Robles and Michael A. Taylor. Just a good field no hit center fielder for the Washington Nationals. So who knows if Hassell becomes a center fielder and they get rid of young Dylan Cruz. I'm still awaiting proof of life on Dylan Cruz. I mean I can't believe games away, bleak injury has kept him out for mad tire. June, July and August. It's so hard to believe. But when he comes back he's going into right field. So Dalen Lyle, who is not a good outfielder at all. He's a confined fine hitter. He's not a good alpha. He's coming out and Cruz is going there. Yeah, I mean he's the number two overall draft pick from a couple of years ago. He's going back in the outfield. They got rid of my favorite Alex call but good because he landed with the Dodgers. So that's good. But they, they lose again and I guess that was the last game of the series, right?

[Tim Kirchen]

No, no, they played today.

[Tony Kornheiser]

They play a day game.

[Tim Kirchen]

Yeah, I'll find out exactly when that.

[Tony Kornheiser]

Okay.

[Booger McFarland]

The Royals are still four back in the wild card. And what I love about these late summer, you know, American league matchups is you find yourself watching somebody named, you know, Vinnie Pasquatino.

[Tony Kornheiser]

Pasquatino, yeah.

[Booger McFarland]

Ends up being the player of the game. Two for three with a three you just go. Yeah, just. It's fun to watch and you hope you get to watch them later into the season.

[Tony Kornheiser]

Yeah, I agree, totally agree with that.

[Tim Kirchen]

2210 start.

[Tony Kornheiser]

Okay, so speaking of late summer, the weather across the east coast from the middle Atlantic states to the, you know, eastern all the way up to Maine for the last week to 10 days has been great.

[Tim Kirchen]

It really has.

[Tony Kornheiser]

It's just been great. There's been very little humidity in areas that are traditionally soaked with humidity in August, very little humidity. There's been clear skies. You could see the moon at night, you could see it in the morning as it set in the west. You know, if you were walking your dog, you could see the moon. And it's really nice. And today is not nice. Now it's okay because we have, it's. The weather has been so nice. You don't want to appear particularly greedy, but when you wake up and you try to look out a window and the window is coated with a liquid substance which is humidity, you go, I know that view. Oh, oh. And like I took the dog out about 6, 26, 30, and it really felt different today thick than it has felt in the last week. And you do, right? You do. Because it's, it's just to a certain.

[Booger McFarland]

Point you are do.

[Tony Kornheiser]

Yeah. Yes, yes, you are totally do. DW do not do. Yeah, but it's been, it's been so good that you, you know, I guess that's.

[Booger McFarland]

But still the humidity is not nearly as bad as D.C. in July where that was days on end where it just felt like you were walking out into fog.

[Tony Kornheiser]

Yeah. You walk outside and you're all wet.

[Tim Kirchen]

Yeah. You know, it's, it's not at 1pm we're talking about first thing in the morning.

[Tony Kornheiser]

Yeah. And it gets worse and then, you know, the sun breaks through for an hour, makes it worse, cooks the whole joint. And then there's a storm.

[Tim Kirchen]

Yeah, and then there's a storm like.

[Tony Kornheiser]

Oh, and had storms. We've been very fortunate. We haven't had storms.

[Booger McFarland]

So this is where it's all relative. Where you are in Delaware, you are four, almost four and a half inches above the normal rainfall year to, you know, year to year. And yes, you have not had that. So if you're starting to get that community creeping back in like it is due. But you've had, you know, you've had a good stretch out there.

[Tony Kornheiser]

I have a two o' clock tea time and you know, you always look to see what the weather is going to be and that's, you know, there's a little bit, there's a 15% chance of rain and the optimists would say, well, there's an 85 chance percent chance that there will be no. But I'm not that guy. That guy.

[Booger McFarland]

You never have. I'm really not.

[Tony Kornheiser]

So I don't know. I mean, I'll be out. I'll. I'll certainly go out to play.

[Booger McFarland]

Do you understand the difference between humidity and dew point? I've been trying to look this up to get a simple explanation. I just can't.

[Tony Kornheiser]

I do not other than I think.

[Booger McFarland]

If you look at the dew point number, that's a more accurate depiction of what it actually feels like on your body versus humidity.

[Tony Kornheiser]

By the way, Michael, I got this nice note from Jeff Piggott the other.

[Booger McFarland]

Day who said to get you in.

[Tony Kornheiser]

The, in the studio, say this on the air. Yeah, Michael. He's a club fitter, Jeff and the official club. Yes.

[Tim Kirchen]

Yeah.

[Tony Kornheiser]

And he said, look, you don't ever need a 5 iron even to get out from underneath a bunch of trees. You can get Michael to teach you a hooded seven, which I mentioned to Pat the other day. I'll have Michael teach me the hood at seven. And Pat looked at me with that look that said, Michael can make that shot. That doesn't mean you will ever make that shot. I would be right on the ground ball line and not get out of the woods. I just hope they have a weekly.

[Booger McFarland]

Meeting where they just think, what, what club can we upsell Mr. Kornheiser on this week?

[Tony Kornheiser]

Well, Jeff Pickett also said, start thinking about nine woods and seven woods. They're going to help you a lot. He said, don't get. He agrees with you. Nothing, nothing above a seven, you know, not a six, not a five, not anything like that. But he talked about a nine wood and a seven wood. Are you. What do you think of that? For me?

[Booger McFarland]

Totally. I think it takes for a player of your ability, it's the hardest thing is none getting used to looking at that club face at address. This is why when we first saw hybrids being introduced, you know, you were told to hit down on it like it was that iron. A lot of high speed players that ended up turning into a hook. But for those high lofted woods, which, and you've seen those on tour, all of a sudden the seven wood is this huge helpful. Where someone used to try and hit that, you know, four, three long iron that's going to come down a lot softer in the greens. You're not worried about that. You're just looking to try and get some carry and an easier club to get through the grass.

[Tony Kornheiser]

Jeff said, don't even use a three wood. I can't not use a three wood. I mean, you know, the longest club.

[Booger McFarland]

I have, there's no reason to hit three wood off the deck. And if you're going to use it off the tee, you might as well use the driver. The, the stats would always say you're better off using the driver.

[Tony Kornheiser]

So you don't think I need a three wood in the bay when.

[Booger McFarland]

So what if you look at your 14 clubs and you try and you know, figure out what's the use for them.

[Tony Kornheiser]

One I only want most of us don't need 14. I don't want 14.

[Booger McFarland]

I'm having go down to go down to 10 or 11 clubs. You take out some in a driver.

[Jeff Pickett]

Like you don't need it.

[Tony Kornheiser]

Okay.

[Booger McFarland]

Is there your game would be better served if you, if you approached every mid length par 4 and said this is a par 5. I want to try and lay up into the same spot every hole.

[Tony Kornheiser]

Well, I do that anyway.

[Booger McFarland]

I can't give myself the best chance to have an easy putt for a par or a bogey.

[Tim Kirchen]

Is there a special club that they, they've developed to help one get out of the sand traps?

[Tony Kornheiser]

Yeah, we talked about that yesterday. Were you on the show?

[Tim Kirchen]

Oh, it must have gone past me, but I didn't.

[Tony Kornheiser]

I don't have that club. They don't sell those kinds of clubs in pro shops. I think golf pros look at those. There's this clubs with complete disdain.

[Tim Kirchen]

Sure. Like it's, it's cheating.

[Tony Kornheiser]

Yeah. In a disdain. They don't want that. All right, let's get out of here.

[Booger McFarland]

Let me first club that you'd hit out of the bunker from the old channel infomercials.

[Tony Kornheiser]

Let me thank Todd Derry in Orange Village, Ohio with a very, very nice note. I appreciate it very much. We will get out of here. Who's first? Wilbot Wilbourne is first. Michael Wilbourne. When we return. I'm Tony Kornheiser. You're listening to the Tony Kornheiser show.

[Michael Wilbon]

The Tony Kornheiser show.

[Tony Kornheiser]

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[Tim Kirchen]

I feel like we got to play this for Carville sometime.

[Tony Kornheiser]

Yeah, that was as walk up music. The Tyrone. Tyrone Benoit band. He probably knows them. Yeah. Plays in Michael Wilbourne. Wilbourne is back in D.C. after a long stay in Arizona. And the obvious first question is, you've been away for so long. Is Washington better than you remember or worse than you remember?

[Michael Wilbon]

I don't think it's, I don't think after 45 years there's any difference. I will tell you this. I'll tell you about one thing that freaked me out when I landed at Dulles on Friday afternoon, taking RMA as I always do, the drivers are bringing me home. I'm on the Beltway and I look up and I see Reston from, you know, I see Reston, you know, heading toward Bethesda and River Road exit. And it just freaked me out that Reston now looks like Oz. And I even think I said out loud, oh my God, look at Tysons. And the guy goes, no, that's Reston. And I, I used to go to Reston Town center when I lived in Fairfax. I would go, I don't three times a week for something and it's just unrecognizable. Reston station, Reston. And I think maybe a year or so ago I had Been to Reston to go to a restaurant, a new restaurant there, to meet a friend who was in town. And I was just like, oh, my God, I don't even know where. I don't even know where I'm going. And I lived down the street. I lived near enough that I used it all the time. And it just looked. It was unbelievable. And there are things that can happen like that. You know, I haven't been here that much at all over the last couple of years. And the. The traffic near Tyson and all that because of construction, things can change and you can just be out of the loop in a hurry. And I am that now in the place I have right around the top of the Beltway. So for me, you know Tysons, you know Bethesda, that whole loop, Tony, from after the Connecticut Avenue exit all the way around the Tysons, that slice is. That curve is where I've lived for now for almost 30 years. It was unrecognizable. A chunk of it. I was like, oh.

[Tony Kornheiser]

So I'm going to go with my own experience, my own experience here. Growing up in the suburbs of New York City and New York City, the biggest city in the country. Everybody I knew, someone in their family worked in New York City. You had to go to New York City in Washington. That is no longer true in Washington. And maybe it's not even true anywhere in the country anymore, post pandemic, when people began to work from home. But you can live your whole life within 10 to 12 miles of Washington, D.C. and not have to go in there, right, Mike? And not have to work in Chicago. Everybody worked in Chicago.

[Michael Wilbon]

Yeah. And that's still largely the case. The traffic pattern in Chicago is still one of the, you know, 1950s and 60s and 70s and 80s. Washington has been like that for 25 years, Tom. Really? Look, fair. Washington, D.C. is not the biggest jurisdiction here. It doesn't have the most residents. It hasn't. So you don't. So that's. You can't have the same dynamic. As you said, New York City is the biggest place. So even though other communities may be fairly large, they're not New York City in Washington. Fairfax is larger than Washington, D.C. montgomery county is larger than Washington. Yeah, a lot.

[Tony Kornheiser]

Montgomery county, sure. Montgomery county, sure.

[Michael Wilbon]

So is Fairfax. Fairfax has a million people. Oh, I didn't know Fairfax County. Yeah, it's had a million people when I was living there and I moved there in 1990. Yeah. I mean, it's been a long time. And it doesn't mean that there aren't people coming into the District? Because there are. There's a lot, but the traffic doesn't. It's not, it's not as predictable. You got the whole 270 corridor with all the industry, the tech and, and healthcare. You don't have 70.

[Tony Kornheiser]

You know, you don't have to go into Washington DC. No, you don't. You can live your life without it. You can live your life without what. So you're back and you're watching, you're catching up on sports. What have you been watching last few days?

[Michael Wilbon]

I have to catch up. That's all I've done all summer. And you know, I mean when the Cub fans are in despair because they're falling apart and the brewers just win every game and it's not even about the Brewers, I don't really think we can stay ahead of Philly and New York in the wild card race. And so the Cubs have gone from like best record in the league in a week to like six out without a tailspin. Like the Dodgers and the Yankees have had and the Mets have had and the Phillies have had. We haven't had that kind of tailspin though. We could be in one now. The Cubs are the only team in baseball that have not been swept. I think that's true. The Reds and the Cubs were last week and the Cubs haven't been swept. Has not been swept. Not one series all year.

[Jeff Pickett]

Cubs only team in baseball.

[Michael Wilbon]

They also have the starting pitchers, have the lowest starting staff era, second lowest in baseball to the Brewers. And yet we're fault, we're just, you know, I'm afraid we're falling apart. When Toronto now for a three game series. Wrong place to try and get Emoji.

[Tony Kornheiser]

Kirchen was on this show yesterday. Kirchen was on the show. He said he can see the brewers in the World Series. He said the only team he looks at right now. Yeah, they're the best.

[Michael Wilbon]

I don't know, they can sustain. Look, sustaining something, you know, they started, they got hot for the whole month of July. And so July, August, September, October, that's, that's a long time. And we've seen teams have these great seasons. Seattle's had a couple of them didn't win. The Angels used to have them back in the early days of Mike Trout. Didn't come close to winning. Would get, would lose in the playoffs. We've seen that. God knows I'm hoping for that. But it doesn't look, it doesn't look like it's coming. And so right now so that's. That's. I'm in despair because of that. I'm watching way too much preseason football, and I will. And, you know, just because with these foot surgeries I've had, I'm on lockdown for a bit. And whether it's Arizona or here, so I've watched more sports. I'm watching a lot of tennis, a lot of golf, but I've always watched a lot of golf the last 25 years. But, you know, more. Way too much football. Way too much. So, you know, when I get back, Tony, when PTI is back, like Labor Day, I'm gonna, you know, I'm gonna, like, know more about the NFL than Shefty, which is sad because I don't really like to indulge until we get to, like, the last week of preseason and then go roaring into the regular season. But I'm gonna have seen it all, and I'm gonna know way too much that's coming on in two weeks. I think the 30th. So where are we today, the 15th?

[Tony Kornheiser]

We're the 13th today.

[Michael Wilbon]

Just the 13th.

[Jeff Pickett]

Okay.

[Michael Wilbon]

So, yeah, tomorrow's 14th. So seven, six. 17 days is all we got before college football. So everything, you know, ramps up. We're going to get the US Open, tennis. We're going to get. We're going to get everything. But, you know, the Cubs have taken me down a notch in the last week or in the last 10 days to two weeks. So I gotta live with.

[Tony Kornheiser]

Let me. Let me go to college football for a second, because I know that you're a Big Ten guy, and Big Ten guys have to always point out that the. Something's wrong with the SEC because that's the rival it goes.

[Michael Wilbon]

No, it's the best league.

[Tony Kornheiser]

Well, all right. So that's about you. And you always say that they don't play anybody, did you say.

[Michael Wilbon]

No, I don't say that. I just said they're the best league. No, they have a. They have a. They have a week in the regular season where they all play the Citadel.

[Tony Kornheiser]

Yeah, they play the Citadel in Samford. Right. Did you see the opener? Did you see Texas at Ohio State?

[Michael Wilbon]

Yeah. Yeah.

[Tony Kornheiser]

Wow.

[Michael Wilbon]

Yeah. And Texas is the underdog. It's the first time the number one team has ever started a season as the underdog. No, they're the best league. Even though now the Big Tens went back to back national championships. So we're flexible.

[Tony Kornheiser]

Right. Ohio State and Michigan. Yeah.

[Michael Wilbon]

Yeah. It's hard to. I don't believe I know that. Heather Dennich whose work I love and like me as a fellow Gonzaga high school parent. Heather has Penn State as her number one team in winning. And I just, I can't, I can't go with Franklin and Penn State. I can't do it.

[Tony Kornheiser]

No chance. No chance.

[Michael Wilbon]

No.

[Tony Kornheiser]

They're one slot up ahead of Maryland in terms of losing to good teams. They're just not.

[Michael Wilbon]

Maybe a couple of slots but. But they're just not to me. I can't go at Penn State and Franklin and I'd like to, but I can't do it.

[Tony Kornheiser]

No. So I have a question. I don't know if I'm right about this. I think I'm right about this. I think Caleb Williams did not play in the Bears exhibition game. And I'm wondering, I'm wondering, how are you, let me put it this way. Are you surprised that with a, a totally offensive oriented coach who was the Detroit Lions offensive coordinator for the last few years, are you surprised that Ben Johnson did not play Caleb Williams?

[Michael Wilbon]

Not one spec. No. There was never a chance he was going to play him. And that's because has nothing to do with everything you said. Lines up to in our logic for, you know, 100 years of pro football. Put him in at least for a couple of series. Tony, they don't. Coaches don't care. That's not how they judge it. They do these dual practices and that's what they rely on. Caleb Williams. So look, there's no reason for anybody in your listening listenership to know this, but. So the Bears and Dolphins before they played that preseason game that wound up 24, 24 that Caleb Williams did not play in, nor did any of the other starters except the rookies. They had practices, including one practice in which they were like four fights and 70 snaps. And they had practices the Bears have in which the beat writers now, the beat writers now know jack about a tough practice. They never seen one because this is in the 1960s and 70s when there were six preseason games and people killed each other during practice. Beat writers now under 50 have no idea what they're watching. I don't care if they get angry at me saying this. So they all wrote and talked and reported about how vicious the practice was. And by today's standards, it was. But this is what, this is what coaches do now. They judge off. They can set up the situations they want to see in the dual practices and they don't do it in the preseason games. They just don't. And this has been going on for several years. And I even had Steve Young, explain this to me a couple of years ago, because I called him and I said, what is this? Why are they not playing preseason? It seems like you got to pay attention. They don't use preseason for that. They don't play there. That's not. That's nothing. They're down to three of them. There used to be six, which nobody listening right now under the age of 70 even knows. And they use these practices. That's how they get people ready for the preseason. And so I don't expect Caleb Williams to play this week. The Bears play in Chicago soldier film. Maybe he'll play a series. I don't. But I don't see that happening.

[Tony Kornheiser]

So let me get you out on this question. You have an offensive coach, a very highly regarded offensive coach in Ben Johnson, and you have put people on that squad who are good people. They are good people. Oh, yeah, Are you. How many wins. How many wins do they last? You thought they would contend for the championship of the league?

[Michael Wilbon]

No, no, no.

[Tony Kornheiser]

The division.

[Michael Wilbon]

Did they play in the What? I what now?

[Tony Kornheiser]

The last year you thought they could win the division prior to the.

[Michael Wilbon]

I thought they could win the division. That was stupid, okay? No, they had. They play in the best division. There's two. Look, you can. They're going to be three. It could be three great divisions. The AFC West, I don't trust. The Raiders could have three teams that are really, really, really good. Obviously, the afc, what I call north, was Cincinnati, Pittsburgh, Baltimore, and who did I leave out?

[Tony Kornheiser]

Cleveland.

[Michael Wilbon]

Cleveland. Well, Cleveland's bad, though. So the Bears Division, NFC North Central, I'm always going to call it. They have no bad teams. Three teams. And the Vikings, I know, have a rookie quarterback, but they have everything else and they won with Sam Darnold last year. So I don't trust the rookie quarterback. We have him on Monday Night Football to start in Chicago. I want to. I want to batter him in the old school Bears fashion. I don't want to leave it up to Caleb Williams in the offense. I want to beat this kid down, but a Michigan kid at that. So I'm rooting against him, you know, naturally. But the Bears have this division. The Bears have, by whatever metrics you use, no worse than the third. Toughest schedule in football. Third.

[Tony Kornheiser]

Oh, is that right?

[Michael Wilbon]

In the league. So, no, they're not winning anything. And they have to be deprogrammed from the mess that was Matt Eberfluss. And they have to be built back up entirely by Ben Johnson, who. I love him so far because his practices have been something out of Vince Lombardi and Jimmie Johnson and Bill Walsh. His practices have been demanding. Throwing people out of practice who are starters, throwing the starting unit off the field and full view of media watching. And he basically says, no, I'm tired of illegal false start penalties. Everybody get out. Third team, come on in. And he has been no coach to me. Is. Can be possibly great unless you have a coach that's like Red Auerbach. I want to see Pat Riley. I want to see Vince Lombardi. That's what I want to see. The Bears have had five coaches since they got scared of Lovey Smith, who was that tough and who did get to a Super bowl and did get to another NFC title game. Lovey Smith was that guy. They got rid of him. Then they went down the path of Mr. Rogers for like five straight coaches. None of them were any damn good. And Ben Johnson comes in every day and is like, whoa, a revelation. And so they have to be. They have to be built up in that style. And the offense they have has nothing to do with anything they've done ever. So I think they will get to greatness. I think they're going to start one in five, and then people will say, what's wrong with Caleb Williams? And, oh, the hot seat in Chicago. There's no hot seat in Chicago. We're not Philly, we're not New York, we're not I95. But dopes on television who don't really know any better because they've never been to Chicago to watch a game because the Bears haven't really mattered and they think that Chicago is like every place else because it's a big city. It isn't. It is a big city, but it's not like every place else when it comes to how the demands it has the football team. Is it super bowl or bust in Chicago? No, shut up. It isn't. What are they going to do? Bench Caleb Williams? Take his lunch away? No, he's going to play. He's going to play. He's going to get better. If he's healthy, he's going to be great. But not now. It's not going to happen.

[Tony Kornheiser]

That's good to know. That was good. All right, I'll talk to you later. Thank you. Michael Wilbon, boys and girls. We will take a break. Booker McFarlane will join us as we continue to press the issue that football is more important than everything else, which is pretty obvious. I'm Tony Kornheiser. This is the Tony Kornheiser Show. You ever watch a game and just know who's going to win and then boom, something wild happens? Yeah, that would happen occasionally. When I was writing a column, while it was exciting to watch, it meant that sometimes I had to quickly rewrite my column. Business can be like that too. You think you've got the game plan, but then costs go up, customers pull back, or a big opportunity suddenly appears and you've got to move fast. That's why small business owners need flexible options before they're in a tight spot. Revenued makes that possible. Their Flex line gives you access to up to $250,000 based on your business revenue, not your credit score. And you only draw what you need when you need it. No fees, just for applying, drawing or maintaining it. And as you repay your funds, replenish so you always have breathing room. Over 10,000 business owners are using revenue to stay ahead even in uncertain times. Apply now at use revenue.com that's use revenue with a D dot com. Apply today and be ready for whatever comes next. This is the Tony Kornheiser Show Tony Kornheiser Show On Tuesday, August 26th, it's FanDuel Futures Day, a new holiday for football fans. It's 24 hours of deals on all your football season predictions, so take a flyer on the MVP race, crown your champion in August or parlay your division winner. Dark horses mark your calendar. This is your day for your hunches, your hot takes, your calls and your odds. Visit the FanDuel app today and start planning your futures bets now, because futures day is one day and one day only. FanDuel play your game. You must be 21 and older and present in select states for Kansas and affiliation with the Kansas Star Casino or 18 and older and present in D.C. kentucky or Wyoming. Gambling problem. Call 1-800-Gambler or visit FanDuel.com RG call 1-888-789-7777 or visit ccpg.org chat in Connecticut or visit mdgamblinghelp.org in Maryland. Hope is here. Visit gamblinghelplinema.org or call 800-327-5050 for 24. 7 support in Massachusetts or call 1-877-8-HOPE NY or text HOPE NY in New York you're listening to the Tony Kornheiser Show. This is a band called Drew Picture Drew Drew Pictures. But the Drew is for Andrew yes, who's running the band and he says I was referred to this podcast as a good potential showcase. I'm a Rockville, Maryland based songwriter who writes and releases original pop rock tunes with a band called Drew Pictures. Are you accepting submissions? This is a song called no matter what you do. It is written that he channels people like Billy Joel and Elton John. We should all channel people.

[Tim Kirchen]

We absolutely should.

[Tony Kornheiser]

Sure. Drew Pictures is fronted by a Maryland based singer, songwriter Andrew Glore, who writes and performs with a rotating cast of musicians. Michael, if people, independent musicians like Drew Pictures want to send in their stuff, how do they do it?

[Booger McFarland]

Send us your music by emailing it to jinglesonyquinizershow.com Okie dokie.

[Tony Kornheiser]

And it plays in Booger McFarland and and you got. People have to understand that there is a rhythm to someone's life. There is an expectation season by season as to what's going to happen. There is. When you're in elementary school and junior high and high school, you know that right around Labor Day you are going to go back to school. When you're a football player as Booger McFarlane was for his entire life, there is an alarm that goes off in your head at a certain point. I'm sure in July that you're sort of like the Dalmatian at the firehouse that, you know, even if nobody else senses what's going on, you know you're about to get on that truck and go fight a fire. Right. Isn't that, doesn't it doesn't that involuntarily happen to you in July and August that you know, this is what my life is now?

[Jeff Pickett]

Yeah, it definitely does. Tony. Thanks for having me. Glad to be back on. I'm going to make a request that my next song when I come on be Frank Sinatra my way. I just want to go ahead and throw that out there now. Definitely. There's definitely a rhythm to life. And when you're a football player, you know, you go through the spring and you lift weights and you get ready and then you get that three to four week break where for the first two weeks you're enjoying life. You're in Aruba, you're in Cancun, you're in Italy. But then that last week or so you start to look forward and know what's coming because two a days are coming, training camp is coming, it's going to be 105 degrees and. And I was fortunate or unfortunate however you look at it. I always trained in the south, so it was either Baton Rouge or Tampa and it's going to be 105. Your toes are going to be sweating, you're going to lose seven pounds of practice. And so you're looking forward to it, but you're really not. And your body starts to wake up at odd times, understanding that you got to be up at 6am every day understanding that it's time to go to bed at 9 o' clock at night. Because for the next four to six weeks you're going to go through things that you need to go through to prepare you for the season. But there's definitely a rhythm. I've been retired since 2008 and so that rhythm has kind of slowed down now. I still wake up at six but I'm looking for my golf clubs, not my, not my football cleats.

[Tony Kornheiser]

Are there, are there pitfalls? Are there things that you have to avoid? In other words, you know your body better than a coach knows your body and you know you're out there as a player. You're competing. Even if you're a great player, you're still competing. You got to get a place on the squad. Every once in a while they cut a really great player. Are there things that you, you recall avoiding? Things that you said? No, I got to put that away for eight to ten months. No, I can't do that right now.

[Jeff Pickett]

So for me, I, I, I would put the golf clubs up. I've never played during the season. I would start till 9 what I would call eat a lot cleaner, meaning I was never a big bread pasta guy. I started to eat the things that would, that would help me instead of the things that would hinder me. So you start to clean things up, you start to get a lot of rest. By nature I'm a night owl. Like I enjoy being up midnight watching television. You kind of got to cut that out because your body needs some rest, right? If you don't believe, if you don't believe that your body will dictate that. You know when it's 105 degrees outside and you're sweating and you just can't get the energy? That's because you don't have it stored up. You hadn't gotten your rest. So I've been there where I've tried to stay up late and then go out and practice two days. And these were doing the real two A days. So think about this, Tony. Like this is how times have changed. When I first, when I was playing, we had real tour days. Meaning you went four pads in the morning at 9:00', clock, you got done about 11, you had lunch, you came back at like 3:34 pads again. And now times have changed so much not only can you not go full pads twice, you only can practice once a day. The other practice has to be a walk through. So this is like what these guys are doing right now. I could probably still do at 47 if as long as my Achilles are hanging there, because the, the degree of difficulty is nowhere near as high now. Some would say it's a lot safer now, and I probably would go along with that. But it's such a drastic difference in what we did. And that's why we had to prepare a lot differently than these. Like, there was no acclimation period. Now the CBA says, hey, when you show up to practice, there has to be a, there has to be three days, three to five days where we can't work you too hard. You have to acclimate to the heat, Tony Dungy's issue, or Tony Dungy's deal with us, we will be the last team to report the camp every year. But here's the caveat. The very first day, we're full pass. So if you go back and look at Tampa, we were always the last team to report. But the only caveat is we had to go full pads the very first day and we made that deal every time.

[Tony Kornheiser]

So I want to ask you some like, you know, personal questions in terms of being on a football team. When you are a rookie, where you went, did people accept you? Were they kind to you? Did they help you? People at your position, whose job you might take? And when you were a veteran, were you kind to people who were coming in for your position and your job that they might take, how did that work?

[Jeff Pickett]

You kind of have to earn your acceptance. And here's what I mean by that. Like, if you show up as a rookie realizing that you don't know what you don't know, you go to work, you're on time, you do the right thing, you keep your mouth closed and you just show up and work. You will be accepted so fast because you're dealing with grown men and grown men respect guys that are professionals. But if you come in as a rookie, and even if you're a first round pick, if you come in thinking you know it all, you think you got it all, you're the rookie, you're flamboyant, you're loud, you won't get accepted very fast. And so I, I've seen it both ways. By nature, I'm a quiet guy. I don't really say a whole lot. There was not really enough time to say a whole lot anyway in the same room. As Warren Sapp. So I, I was given an opportunity to sit and sit back and watch and I learned, and I played with him for five years and I learned so much from him. And I also learned that you got to be comfortable in your own skin because he was very comfortable being that brash bowl guy and I was comfortable kind of being quiet. And on the flip side, as I got older, when rookies would come in, I would just kind of make them feel welcome. And by doing this, I would laugh with them and make it easy. Like, hey man, like I like especially on those days where the rookie comes in and he's looking like he's lost his puppy and like the world is over, I'm like, hey man, it's gonna be all right. Like this is training camp. You're supposed to be tired, you're supposed to forget things. The coach is supposed to get on you. It's kind of like what's supposed to happen. Like, if you knew it all, you wouldn't need coaching. If you knew it all, you wouldn't be here. And so I just tried to make them feel at ease, that, hey, like this is what you're supposed to be doing. You're supposed to feel like that you're not good enough and at some point it's going to click and you'll get better and you'll get better and you'll get better. And so I just tried to ease them in mentally. Like the physical part, it is what it is. Like you either can get it done or not, but mentally, when you're a rookie, your head is swimming. I got a 14 year old, Tony, who started his first day of high school. He's a freshman. And the very first day when I picked him up, I asked him, I said, hey, how was it? And he's like, it was fine. I said, how many times you get lost? He said, how'd you know I got lost? I said, you're supposed to get lost at a new school. I said, you don't know where to go. You're supposed to get lost. You're supposed to feel that nervous energy. You're supposed to feel like, man, I have no idea what I'm doing. And then the second day I picked him up and I was like, hey, get lost. No. How'd you feel? Start to feel a little more like you're supposed to feel that anxiety early on. And it's normal. I've been there. Every rookie's been there but you. But you get over it at some point once you start to get comfortable.

[Tony Kornheiser]

Did you ever feel threatened by a specific player and as a result didn't really want to have anything to do with him because he was there to get your job?

[Jeff Pickett]

Yeah, there is a. There's a balance because you want to have the best team that you can have. But I. I'd be lying if, If I didn't say anytime they drafted a defensive tackle you didn't like, okay, they're drafting the guy to take my job.

[Michael Wilbon]

And that's what they're supposed to do.

[Jeff Pickett]

Like, the job of a general manager is to get the best team, right?

[Tony Kornheiser]

That's right. Yeah. That's their job to do. I'll get you out of here on this. I have this one question. I don't know if you were ever involved in a coaching change. We were just talking to Wilbon, Ben Johnson. Obviously, coming as a head coach to Chicago, it changes the dynamic for all the players who've been there for 1, 2, 3, 5, even 10 years. Did you ever have that situation, probably at least in a position level where you had a new coach? And how did that affect your attitude going into the camp?

[Jeff Pickett]

I had it on a head coaching level. Tony. Tony Dungy gets fired. Jon Gruden comes in, and everything is drastically different. You go from Tony Dungy, this mild mannered, cerebral guy who was. Didn't raise his voice, to Jon Gruden comes in and he's loud. He's one of people's 50 most beautiful people. Like, he's bringing a lot of energy into the locker room. And what it does, it creates a level of not knowing where you stand. And it creates a level of urgency where everybody. Everybody's got to kind of re. Earn the keep, right? Like, because if the old coach is there, you have a little bit of bank built up with him because he's known, he's seen what you've done in the games, he's seen that you perform for him. When his new guy comes in, there's no connection to him. So you got to go earn your keep and earn the trust of the new coach again. Fortunately for us, we won the super bowl that year. Jon Gruden was tremendous. He brought a level of energy to our team that we had that we didn't have. And. But it definitely creates something. Something inside the team where there's a level of urgency because there's a new guy coming in. And it's no different than in corporate America. Anytime you get a new boss, everybody shows up to work early, everybody's on their P's and Q's. Like things just go differently when you get a new boss. Until you get comfortable with the new boss.

[Tony Kornheiser]

I agree with all of that. It's a pleasure. We're going to lean on you all season, but it's a pleasure to talk to you. Thank you, Booger.

[Jeff Pickett]

Tony, the pleasure is all mine. And I'm glad that summer is ending so we can get back to football.

[Tony Kornheiser]

Yeah, everybody but Wilbon feels exactly that way. Everybody But Wilbon. Booger McFarland boys and girls. We will take a break. We will come back with email and jingle. I am Tony Kornheiser. You're listening to the Tony Kornheiser show. Here comes Tony's mailbag. Got your email faxes and to know. Here comes Tony. Smell bad. Gonna read some for all you folks. Hey Tony, come on, come on. Hey Tony, read that mail now, baby. I love that. I just love that. I'm so sorry they broke up. Hot pink hangover. I just love that.

[Tim Kirchen]

Gotta get em back together.

[Tony Kornheiser]

Just love that. You wanna do the Bethesda bagel ad for us, please?

[Tim Kirchen]

Yes. Bethesda bagels, we love them. You will as well just go to bethesdabagels.com for the location in the DC area nearest you. Then pop on in and you'll be thrilled.

[Tony Kornheiser]

That will just about do it for us today. Before we get to the mail bed, let me say talk about my baby Little Latin Lupe Lou She's a hot footing baby There ain't no dance she couldn't do she's my groovy little baby Little Latin Lupe Lua Papa bapa Lupe Lou Shake it, shake it, shake it Lupe. Those are the Righteous Brothers.

[Tim Kirchen]

Yes.

[Tony Kornheiser]

On the original show. Shindig.

[Tim Kirchen]

Shindig. That's right.

[Tony Kornheiser]

Yeah. And those, the Righteous Brothers were just the house vocal band. And then they became much larger than that. Yes, much larger than that. Yeah. Thanks to our guests today, Michael Wilbomb, Booger McFarland. Thanks as well to today's sponsors. Remember, you can listen to us on Apple podcasts Spotify and Odyssey. Get the show through Apple. Please leave us a review from Steve Boughton or Booten. Hey guys, Steve from Connecticut. Just want to chime in on your squash and zucchini. Zucchini and squash in general have a high water content and very little food flavor. So marinating it and heavily seasoning it always helps. I'm also a chef and a client. I work at Westchester Country Club. Wow, that's really nice. I've been there. If you're ever in the area. Let me know. I'll get you on the course. Jimmy Roberts is a member there, I believe. Westchester.

[Tim Kirchen]

Have you played it before?

[Tony Kornheiser]

I played it. It's really, really nice. Yeah, I think Dan Travis there as well. Yeah, that's really nice. Brett Hobbs, Linton, Indiana. If you want a bumper crop in your garden next year, I have two words for you. Amish intern. Ooh, maybe that's it. Maybe that's it. From Ted in Richmond, the official lifeguard of chatter who wants me to tell Joey Chestnut to eat it. Joey Chestnut's out of our league and he does eat it.

[Tim Kirchen]

He will eat it. Yes.

[Tony Kornheiser]

Years ago, I took an 8,000 mile motorcycle trip around the United States that lined up with fall harvest. And while the loose cotton blanketing the roads in Mississippi made it look like a snow day, the real danger lay in the potato harvest in Idaho. Massive trucks drove right out of the fields and onto the highway, loaded down with ton after ton of potatoes. Uncovered loads so that every bump in the road let loose a barrage of wonder bread sized landmines threatening life and limb, especially for motorcycle riders. For the safety of all of your Chevy Chase neighbors, please cover your truck during your upcoming potato. You're gonna have maybe three potatoes if we're lucky.

[Tim Kirchen]

Hopefully.

[Tony Kornheiser]

Bill Matfell, Fort Mill, South Carolina I love how you like to say I'm not going to dwell on the gnats and then you dwell on the gnats. I always know when you utter those words to strap in for a ride on the gnat train. Pete Himmel or Hamel Hmel Gaithersburg, Maryland by way of Pittsburgh who says tell Mike Heidek to eat it. Please tell self flagellating chef Tim Kirchen that his steaks charred on the outside and rare on the inside. He didn't say rare, he said raw. Or actually a delicacy in Pittsburgh, where it is called black and blue. Outside of the burger, steak cooked this way is ordered as a Pittsburgh rare. The apocryphal story goes that steel workers during Pittsburgh's heyday would take a steak to work, put it in the blast furnace for a minute, and eat it for lunch. Hence the crispy outside and cool in the center results that foodies look to replicate today. Isn't that interesting?

[Tim Kirchen]

That is, I had no idea.

[Tony Kornheiser]

Isn't that interesting. Mark Maurer I'm trying to impress a girl who is visiting Rehoboth. As Kip says, that's why we lift those weights. And as part of this, I need Rehoboth recommendations. Pizza that butcher you like best. Coffee, ice cream, roadside chicken outlet mall. Must have sales. Best spots to grow a potato. She's from Pittsburgh, where I met her. I'm from Idaho. Wilbourne would call this a Midwest romance. Geography, analytics, and reason be damned. Please don't blow this for me. My life is in your hands. I'm also a bottle of red into the evening while on vacation. The pizza. We like the Cape Henlopen takeout pizza. Although there's a new pizza place called Show Me or something like that. Oh, that has gotten good reviews from George to me. Okay, so that's important to say. The best ice cream is Vanderwyn's. Yes, that. There's a. They got a shop in Dewey Beach.

[Tim Kirchen]

In Dewey. Was it Hicks? Is that the. The. The butcher.

[Tony Kornheiser]

Hickman.

[Tim Kirchen]

Hickman's.

[Tony Kornheiser]

It's the greatest butcher in the world, right?

[Jeff Pickett]

No.

[Tony Kornheiser]

Yeah, if you're gonna buy meats and chickens from there, it's fabulous. Yeah, but you got to be able to cook them, like, wherever you're staying at. Me and roadside. I don't do roadside chicken. And the outlet mall must have all the outlets. Three Tango.

[Tim Kirchen]

Go to Royal Farms. You get some great chicken there.

[Tony Kornheiser]

Is it. You like it? You think it's that good? Yeah. Okay.

[Booger McFarland]

Thompson Island Brewing is a great place for lunch or dinner, but on the highway towards the outlets.

[Tony Kornheiser]

Joe Ippolito in Brooklyn, who writes himself a not entirely proud, twice graduate of NY Bleep in you. While I share in the spirit of congratulations to your beloved Harper College for their recent national debate championship, I was admittedly a touch perplexed by the group's collective surprise that said honor had never before been claimed by a school from New York. Clearly lost in the annals, in history, is the longstanding, some might say unjust, persecution of an educational institution just up the road from me. Brooklyn Polytechnic. Perennially top ranked, perennially disqualified. With some quick research, a greatly truncated list of their supposed infractions includes the following. 1993, when one participant chose not to construct an argument, but instead slowly reached a hand into his trench coat and stared menacingly for the entirety of his allotted seven minutes. 2009, a year from which the official transcript cannot be repeated on this family program. Suffice to say, almost interrupted. It contains an impressive string of language that would not be unwelcome at, say, a dock Workers Union meeting, 2012, or enduring the final round. Polytech's rebuttal consisted of a frighteningly large fifth year senior cracking his neck audibly and beginning. There's a fine argument you've got there. It'd be a shame if something were to happen. And in 2021, in which the proceedings were interrupted, where upon hearing a bit of murmuring from the audience, the team captain turned her attention to the crowd and yelled, hey, pipe down. I'm debating here. It's great. In an effort to shake their reputation. Reputation, They've recently paid a mid tier marketing firm several hundred thousand dollars for a rebrand, including a new mascot. I hear they're leaning towards Bearcats. Love those marketers. Just a great email. Jeff Pickett again. Okay, Jeff Pickett again. We just talked about Jeff Pickett earlier. As the official golf fitter, I'm disappointed not to have worked on your imminent set refresh. But I also hardly endorse your selections in principle. Yeah. And this is. This is the one I saw the other day.

[Tim Kirchen]

Okay.

[Tony Kornheiser]

He works with golfers in their 60s and 70s. Yeah. And he wants a nine wood and a seven wood and something like that. He says, think of your golf bag as a tool bag. Find the tools you need for the jobs or shots you face. No job equals no tool. I suspect there is no need for a 3 wood in your bag at all. The shorter, higher lofted woods would go further and higher. Add a few wedges and work with Michael to make them weapons. If you're stabbing wedges into the turf every single time, you may need to look for wedges with more bounce. Michael can assist. And just because you are allowed 14 clubs, it doesn't mean you have to have 14. 14. Drop the ones you need. Lighten the load for the caddy. So isn't that nice?

[Tim Kirchen]

That is nice.

[Tony Kornheiser]

And Jeff said, P.S. i just saw the moon. So that's. That's also important. Yes. Neil Ayervase. The longest current hitting streak in MLB belongs to Dom DiMaggio Smith at 14 games.

[Tim Kirchen]

I'm not sure if that's still. I'm not sure if that's still current. That was.

[Tony Kornheiser]

He was up to 14 games. That Dom Smith. Yeah.

[Tim Kirchen]

No home runs probably in that street.

[Booger McFarland]

It'll always be current for the bit.

[Tony Kornheiser]

Justin Johnson, Arlington, Virginia. I'm working the practice range as a volunteer at this week's BMW championship. They provide us with a nice Stanley cup to use throughout the week. I'm wondering if you have any advice on where I should keep it between my shifts. You're going. You're going to lose it. I didn't bring one yesterday. Yeah, you're going to lose it. And by the way, that event starts tomorrow and the former president of Caves Valley. Steve Fader, who's had me to play a number of times. Case Valley is beautiful. And the last time they had it there, they had this incredibly great tournament which came down to the wire. Just a series of great putts by Patrick Cantlay and. And Bryson Dechambeau. Correct, Michael. Those were the two corrects involved. Yeah. And it was a great BMW. Just great. The socialites there today. Oh, yeah.

[Booger McFarland]

And of course it looks great on tv.

[Tony Kornheiser]

Absolutely great. And. But it is what Steve Sands said. These are the best 50 golfers in the world. They're going to kill the number. They're the best 50 golfers in the world. Don't worry about it. Don't worry about it. Just enjoy it. Steve Gilmore, San Angelo, Texas. A few weeks ago I emailed to let you know I started growing pumpkins after being inspired by your garden. Today I'm updating to let you know they died. I'm not sure what went wrong. It could have been the Texas heat. Too much water, not enough. Or maybe the soil. If only I had an intern to provide them constant care. Or Buster only on speed dial to walk me through the crop growing process. Not that I'm not involved in my pumpkin farming hobby. Or now that I'm not involved in my pumpkin farming hobby, I'm looking for something to do. Maybe you could let me shadow you during your inspection of your crops. Or take me on as a greenhorn on your next charter boat expedition. I don't believe I get seasick. And I can provide my iodine. Many thanks for considering my request.

[Tim Kirchen]

It's just lovely.

[Tony Kornheiser]

And one more from Mark Feiner. Or Feiner. I think it's finer in Greenwich, Connecticut. The professor visiting in laws Airbnb heated seat. The game has changed. If you're out on your bike tonight, everyone, as always, do wear white.

[Michael Wilbon]

Look, mother, I want to go to work in one hour. We are the pros from Dover and we figured to crack this kid's chest and get out to the golf course before it gets dark.

[F]

Friday night 12 pack me and my partners are kicking back Tide is high and the wind is low Got some box turned on up ahead I see the light Everybody's there tonight. Cause this is what you give me Every time that you hear me playing the same song. It's not just the faces that I see we all grew up under this sun. She gives us spaces to be free. This is the life until it's done we can cat with a guya from ballet to F Where the water gets high so do I. You know we're doing just fine. Take my letter to the federal door. Dance all night they take time to go. You know life is good, you know it should be a Louisiana time. A Louisiana time. So many places that I've been. So many faces to see again. So many memories are telling me I gotta make it back home. So many things that we share. You hear it playing in the air. And the lady I can't. Oh, baby's in the kitchen making something Got her how you boots on. And all my dreams become invincible. Cause when I think of her, she might. My hesitation's indefensible. Louisiana, you're my last. You know life is good, you know it should be a lo A Louisiana town. And if she's more than expected. And if she is my only one. When all this world seems disconnected. Louisiana, your mouth. Day 1428 Everybody's getting high so am I, you know we're doing just fine. Take my lady to the f. Dance a little closer when we do see do you know life is good. You know it should be on loozy and the time. Losey and the time. My losey and the time. Louisiana town.

[G]

Golden, lovely keep me running. Everything, everything's perfect when it's new. You know I'm gonna make mistakes for you. Getting carried away the way I do. Passion feeds upon everyone. Like a Stockholm syndrome. Equilibrium. If you really wanna love someone, it's implied you shouldn't be so cruel. I'm keeping your name in this tattoo. No matter what you do. No matter what you do. It doesn't matter what you put me through. Hallelujah, I'm in love with you. Sittin pretty in the almond sun. Sip of champagne, twirling your gun. Forgive me for the wrong you've done. You can torture me whatever way you choose. I don't question our reality. No reflection looking back at me. Sweet devotion to your vanity. I don't mirror my mirror hanging on the wall Saying you're the fairest of them all. No matter what you do. No matter what you do. It doesn't matter what you put me through. Hallelujah. I'm in love with Sam. No matter what you do. It doesn't matter what you put me through. Hallelujah, I'm in love with you.

[Michael Wilbon]

1, 2, 3, 4.

[Tony Kornheiser]

I'm so.

[Michael Wilbon]

No matter what you do.

[G]

Love me I'm so lucky. I've never felt this way before. I'm so lucky your luxury I cannot go worthy. I'm happy no matter what you do.