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Tony Kornheiser
Hey, it's Tony. We have a packed show for you today. We'll open by talking to Mark Feinstein about the battle for the last playoff spots in baseball. We'll go around the NFL with Jason Lochinfour. And we'll get football picks from Jeff Ma and allegedly James Carville. But first, let's keep the sales weasels happy.
Kristen Bell / Kelly Clarkson (advertisement voices)
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Jason Lockinfora
Wayfair.
Kristen Bell / Kelly Clarkson (advertisement voices)
Every style, every home. Hi, I'm Kristen Bell and if you know my husband Dax, then you also know he loves shopping for a car. Selling a car, not so much.
Tony Kornheiser
We're really doing this, huh?
Kristen Bell / Kelly Clarkson (advertisement voices)
Thankfully, Carvana makes it easy. Answer a few questions, put in your van or license and done. We sold ours in minutes this morning and they'll come pick it up and pay us this afternoon.
Tony Kornheiser
Bye bye, Truckee.
Kristen Bell / Kelly Clarkson (advertisement voices)
Of course, we kept the favorite.
Tony Kornheiser
Hello, other Truckee.
Kristen Bell / Kelly Clarkson (advertisement voices)
Sell your car with Carvana today. Terms and conditions apply.
Mark Feinstein
Previously on the Tony Korniser Show.
Tony Kornheiser
And Buster says that's awesome. It's like opening presents. You never know what you'll get. You've got some great potatoes for a beef stew. I'll have some thoughts for you when you plant your 2026 crop and it's giving us recipe. His thoughts will be, don't do it. You stink at it. You're lousy at it. Don't do it. Just buy the potatoes. I've got some great potatoes for a beef stew. I don't know that these are edible. I don't look edible. We've handled them. They just don't seem. There's a softness to them. It just. I don't know.
Kristen Bell / Kelly Clarkson (advertisement voices)
The Tony Kornheiser show is on now.
Tony Kornheiser
Everybody knows the problems with the potatoes. It's a meager yield. It was terrible. We'll do better next year, I promise. We're guest loaded today. We're not even going to do an open. Have you ventured to try one of the potatoes? No, I don't even want to touch them. I'm afraid if I touch them, they're so soft they'll just fall apart. I don't even Know that all of them are potatoes. I've told you that some of them could be rocks. I'm not quite sure. And there are not that many of them. There's like eight or something like that. Guest loaded Mark Feinstein right away because baseball is in its final weekend and there are still some things to be decided and not. And I don't just mean like who's going to win a division. I know there are some people that could get left out of the whole thing. There's stuff to talk about. The Tigers collapse, the Mets collapse. The Reds couldn't beat the Padres when they had to. Toronto, not a collapse, but they're not moving it out. Raleigh with 60. All of these things are on the table. But I think what we have to get to first is your thoughts on the wild card race. It appears that, that Arizona is not really in it anymore. It's the Mets and the Reds. And if the Mets and the Reds tie, the Reds win because they own the season series. The Mets are at the Marlins. The Reds are at the Brewers. What are your thoughts on that? I mean, I could see the brewers, you know, not caring at all. They're, they're, you know, what do they care who's in? Maybe they like the Reds or maybe. I don't know how it works. What are your thoughts on those two matchups?
Mark Feinstein
You know, I think that you're right on the Brewers. Is that their, their biggest concern, and they're not going to play in the, in the wild card round, so they're going to be able to set up their pitching however they want to set it up. But their focus right now is on making sure that they are healthy going into the postseason. And they don't owe it to anybody to go out there and put their, A team out there against the Reds for three days because the Mets blew a lead and now all of a sudden are in peril of missing the playoffs. You know, if the Mets didn't want to be in this position, they should have won a few more games, but they didn't. So, you know, I don't, I won't have any ill will towards Pat Mur if he goes out there and puts a bunch of backups in for two of the three games or even all three games. You know, my guess is that they'll probably try to win a game or two just because they have a competitive spirit. But, you know, they're, they're, they're, they've earned the right, you know, sort of like NFL teams that rest their guys in Week 18, that they've earned the.
Jeff Ma
Right to do that.
Mark Feinstein
And so I don't, I don't have a problem with that. And that could be a problem for the Mets because even though they're facing the Marlins, who on paper are not a very good team, the Marlins played the Mets really tough all year. And it would not surprise me at all if the Marlins go into this series saying, hey, wouldn't this be fun to keep the Mets out of the playoffs? So I think the Mets have, have had their hands full this weekend.
Tony Kornheiser
I think you have to think, if you're the Mets, we have to win the remaining three. You have to think that way.
Mark Feinstein
You have destiny in your own hands. So when your three games, and it doesn't matter what the brewers do and what the Reds do, you're in the playoffs. But we know that it's hard to sweep a series, especially when there's a lot of pressure on. And you know, they know that they're in a situation where if they don't make the playoffs, it's going to be a long off season for that franchise.
Tony Kornheiser
I guarantee you that if there is a crowd and there won't be a crowd, there won't be more than 5,6000 people at these games. But all of them will be Mets fans, don't you think? All of them?
Mark Feinstein
Well, I was going to say there are a lot of transplanted New Yorkers in Florida, so I would imagine that any Mets fans who live in the South Florida area might be making their way over to the Marlins games this weekend.
Tony Kornheiser
So I want to get a judgment on collapses here because there's a Detroit collapse and there's a Mets collapse. I think the Tigers collapse is actually worse because they were 15 and a half games ahead of this particular team that has caught them at this point. Others will say that the Mets collapse is the worst because they have so much money in the team. But I think it's the Tigers. What do you think?
Mark Feinstein
Oh, I think it's the Tigers. I mean, just mathematically speaking, you blow a 15 and a half game lead. You're talking about historical collapses along the lines of the Red Sox in 78 and the Phillies and the Phillies in 64. So yeah, I mean, I think just, you know, blowing a 15 and a half game lead. I wasn't even paying attention to the AL Central literally until about six days ago. Yeah, because even, even 10 days ago the Tigers had like a seven game lead and then, you know, they went one and nine, Cleveland went nine and one and all of a sudden they were tied, and you're like, wait, what? Cleveland's tied for first place? It wasn't even in my, in my consciousness that that was a possibility because Detroit was ahead by so much all season long. And even though we knew the Tigers were not playing well in the second half, like I said on September 15th, they were still up by 7, 8, 9 games. So this has been an astounding collapse on their part. It's a little surprising to me, not because I think the Tigers are that good, but I do think AJ Hinge is that good in terms of being one of the best managers in the game. And to see his team suffer this kind of collapse was. Was really surprising for me. You know, I think for all the talk about, you know, the expanded playoffs has taken away all the drama. We're going into a final weekend where.
Jeff Ma
Two wild card spots are up for.
Mark Feinstein
Grabs and two divisions are up for grabs, and the number one seed in the American League is still up for grabs. So it's a pretty exciting weekend in baseball.
Tony Kornheiser
I'm just going to say this. We're going to do a television show on Monday. We're going to do the PTI show on Monday. And football, college football has great games. The NFL is the NFL, which drives the bus in sports. In America, you're going to have the finish of the baseball season. Ryder Cup's not going to get a mention. It's not going to get a. It's just there's not enough time. This is one of the few days where we actually need more time. Most days we don't even need the time we have. But anyway, let me get to the American League. Cleveland is at Texas. Texas is still mathematically alive. Detroit hosts the Red Sox. The Red Sox are a wild card team. Are they guaranteed, though? If they were to lose them all, are they guaranteed the wild card? So I think both the teams that Detroit and Cleveland are playing have skin in the game. Or am I wrong? Mark?
Mark Feinstein
Oh, no, the Red Sox has skin in the game. I think right now they're in the number two spot, one game ahead of Detroit, who is one game ahead of Houston. So, you know, Houston is only two behind the Red Sox. Look, they've got a, you know, big, big mountain to climb this weekend to make up two games in. In three days. I actually must confess, I don't know where the Houston, Boston tiebreaker ends up. But yeah, I mean, you've got three teams within two games of each other for the two final spots in the American League Wildcard race the Red Sox need to win. And you know, the Red Sox are potentially looking at a showdown in the wild card series with the Yankees. I think they're still mathematically maybe alive too. No, maybe not. But they definitely have something at stake this weekend. And for a team that is going to be playing in the wild card, you also don't want to go in there, you know, losers of two or three in a row and having, you know, that momentum working against you, especially if you have to go on the road to Yankee Stadium for a three game series. So I do not expect the Red Sox to be laying down at all, you know, if things are clinched and locked up for them by Sunday.
Tony Kornheiser
Well, they have. Nigel just showed me that the Red Sox do own the tiebreaker over Houston. If it comes to that. They own that.
Mark Feinstein
So that. So chances are they are in. But again, now you're also looking at are you going to be the 2 seed or the 3 seed? 2 seed potentially goes to Yankee Stadium or Toronto and the three seed would be looking at going to Seattle, going to Cleveland or Detroit. You know that always careful who you wish for. Yeah, you know, oh, well, maybe we'd rather go play Detroit than the Yankees. Well, that's fine, except then all of a sudden you get Tarek Scubal in game one of a best of three and you're, you know, potentially backs against the wall for two straight days. So I think the Red Sox are going to try to go out there and win this series.
Tony Kornheiser
So who do you like, who do you like between Cleveland and Detroit to ultimately be the division leader?
Mark Feinstein
I mean, I probably would say Cleveland, I think Boston has more to play for than Texas against Detroit this weekend than Texas does. And I just think, you know, the momentum right now of, of what's going on with those two teams. You'd have to think that Cleveland is going in as the more confident team this weekend. But baseball's weird and weird things happen. And you know, if we're sitting here on Monday talking about, you know, Detroit saving their season with a miraculous weekend, wouldn't surprise me. These two teams, you know, I'm not going to pick either of these teams to come out of the American League playoffs. So I think this is, you know, a fascinating weekend for them and we'll see what happens.
Tony Kornheiser
All right, so let me get to one other thing. Most baseball people, I think you're a baseball person. Most baseball people would resist the temptation of voting Cal Rawley MVP in the American League because they would look at Aaron Judge and they would say, come on, I mean this, come on, this guy's an all timer. This is a tremendous season. I'm assuming you're of that group.
Mark Feinstein
I am. And that is not to take anything at all away from Cal Raleigh season because it has been spectacular in every possible manner. 60 home runs for any player is an unbelievable feat for a catcher. You know, a guy who plays 115 games behind the plate and then DH is another 50. Pretty miraculous as well.
Jason Lockinfora
But.
Mark Feinstein
And I understand how important defense behind the plate is. I understand how important he is to the Mariners pitching staff and the fact that they're, they've won their first division in 25 years, etc. Judges numbers outside of the home runs and RBIs in which Raleigh has an edge. Judges numbers in every other statistical category are so far above and beyond Raleigh's that I just can't, I can't get myself there to put Raleigh ahead of him. Now, luckily for Raleigh, I'm voting for the National League MVP this year, not the American League MVP. So my opinion on Judge vs. Raleigh doesn't really matter for them. If I had that vote though, I would be voting for Judge because I just think what he's been able to do and the fact that he a whole bunch in the last couple of months because of the elbow thing doesn't bother me. Raleigh's DH50 games as well. Judge was an above average right fielder defensively, so he brought defensive value to his team. This is not a Kyle Schwaber situation or a Shohei Ohtani last year situation. Judge was a defensive plus for his team for the first three and a half four months of the season. So I would vote Judge, but I'm.
Jeff Ma
Not going to be mad.
Mark Feinstein
No matter who wins this, they are both, in most other years they would both be unanimous winners. This year I think we're going to have a really tight race that could be one of the closest we've ever seen.
Tony Kornheiser
Let me go to the other league where you're voting. Kyle Schwaber has 56 home runs so far and the Phillies have I believe more wins than the Dodgers. Shohei Ohtani hit number 54 last night and Kyle Schwaber doesn't pitch. He doesn't have any strike counts and this guy does. And from the All Star game on he's been getting better and better and better and better. Is that a difficult vote for you?
Mark Feinstein
You just said the magical four words. Kyle Schwaber doesn't pitch. We're not, we're not allowed or supposed to reveal our votes in advance, so I won't tell you exactly what my ballot's going to look like. But Kyle Schwaber doesn't pitch.
Tony Kornheiser
Yeah. So. And it's, it's interesting to me. I mean, I think the Phillies are a really good team, obviously think the Dodgers are a really good team as well. Neither guy plays the field, but I guess I'm more amazed that Schwaber hitting 56 than I am. I think Ohtani is going to be around 50 for the rest of time. And, and I'm more amazed at Schwaber. And I, I, me, if it was me, I'd have to vote for Ohtani. I mean, you know, Wilbon is the holdout on this. Wilbon doesn't seem to think Ohtani is that good. I just don't really get it because.
Mark Feinstein
It'S really hard to impress Wilbon.
Tony Kornheiser
You know, I, I don't. I don't get it. And he loves Schwaber because they lived in the same building in Chicago. And Schwaber, had he not gotten hurt and stayed with the Nats, the Nats may still be a really good team. But that, that was the piece that led to the, the puzzle just completely unraveling. But it is a great, great year. Now we got four guys over 50 home runs. That's highly unusual. Is it not?
Mark Feinstein
Well, certainly in this era, if you told me in, you know, 2001, we had 50 guys, four guys with 50 home runs.
Jason Lockinfora
Yeah, that makes sense.
Mark Feinstein
Yeah, I think, you know, there's, there's the talent in Major League Baseball right now is really good. You've had more 30, 30 players this year than I think ever before. Four guys hitting 50.
Jason Lockinfora
I hit 60.
Mark Feinstein
You go out and see some of the defense, some of the pitching, and the fact I think hitting 60 home runs now is more impressive, or 50 home runs is more impressive than ever before, because you don't see starting pitchers a third time or a fourth time that you would have 10, 15, 20, 30 years ago. So you don't ever have that at bat against a starting pitcher. Your third or fourth at bat, where his stuff's diminished a little bit, maybe the velocity is down a little bit because he's up at his 100, 110, 120th pitch. You're seeing a starting pitcher usually twice in a game, and then all of a sudden, the rest of your bats are against these freakish relievers coming out of the bullpen throwing 102 miles an hour. And look, big league hitters can hit a fastball, but most of these pitchers who are coming out of the bullpen throwing one or two are doing it with a nasty second pitch, some crazy slider or some ridiculous curveball and for, for hitters to be able to go out there and do what they do and this is why I think in large part you're seeing the league wide batting average is down is because so many of these at bats are against these levers coming out triple digits, it's just harder to hit. But for the elite hitters, the Cal Rawleighs, the Aaron judges, the Kyle Schwabis, the Shohei Otanis, you know, it just, it gives really good idea of just how good these guys are.
Tony Kornheiser
Yeah, they really are tremendous players. All right, we will talk during the playoffs. Thank you, Mark.
Mark Feinstein
Thanks, Tony.
Tony Kornheiser
Mark Feinstein, boys and girls. We will take a break. Jason Locke and Fora will join us. I'm Tony Kornheiser.
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Jason Lockinfora
You're listening to the Tony Kornheiser Show.
Tony Kornheiser
This is Drew Pictures. This is called Jenny and in parentheses little things. We played Drew Pictures earlier in the week. Michael. If people like Drew Pictures want to send in their original music for us to play, how do they do it? Send us your music by emailing it to jinglesneyquinizershow.com and he plays in Jason Lock and Fora and I read this before we get to Jason from Seraphin Campos, who writes, I'm a roofing contractor out of Torrance, California, and I had to write this email to let you know Jason Lochinfour is the truth, the whole truth and nothing but the truth. The only real question is what that? What is that worth? A steak dinner? Lobster? How about an all expenses paid weekend courtesy of JLC himself? The lineup Osteria Moza with wine on Friday night, Nick and Steph Steakhouse on Saturday and wrapping it up at 71 above on Sunday. Which brings me to the inevitable conclusion. There are only three certainties in life. Death, taxes, and Geno Smith picks in prime time. Bottom line we're eating. Good, homie. P.S. send my greetings and my best to the OG himself and the entire family. So you must have made somebody an awful lot of money.
Jason Lockinfora
The cockles of my heart. Be careful with Geno Smith, though, okay? At home. It's at home.
Tony Kornheiser
Okay.
Jason Lockinfora
He's a guaranteed pick at home. On the road, not so much.
Tony Kornheiser
Okay, so here we go. And I ask you this every week on Friday, did we learn anything from last night's game?
Jason Lockinfora
Yeah, look. Seattle still playing without a chess piece. They took a safety in the second round. Who. I think they think if they squint hard enough and dream, you know, hard enough, could be some element of what Kyle Hamilton gave the Ravens defense when Mike McDonald was running that, so. And, you know, Witherspoon is back, but I don't know that he's completely, completely in football shape. And so for them to hold serve like they did, and they really, you know, they had San Francisco at times, like, it was a weird game. They could have won it. They could be, you know, 3 0. But regardless, I think Sam Darnold maybe exhaled somewhere in the second half of that game against the Steelers, and they got a little help along the way, but they took advantage of it. And he looks pretty comfortable. Now, I'm not the biggest Clint Kubiak guy, but, like, they're going to have a top 10 defense. The run game, still a little too scattershot than you'd like, but, like, they're a good team. And look, you never bet Kyler Murray as a home favorite. Never.
Jeff Ma
Never. Never.
Tony Kornheiser
Really?
Jason Lockinfora
He's now 4 and 10 against the spread. And he. He wasn't by kickoff a favorite, but they were a favorite most of the week. And, you know, our friends that wanted that, we jumped on the money line. Seattle, you know, at plus 116, very early in the week, we thought the wrong team was favored. By the end of the week, the right team was favored, and they. And they delivered. Look, Seattle should have put them away more than they did. Kubiak's play calling was too conservative in the second half. And again, I think that's going to probably bite them in the backside a time or two. But Arizona is not a very good football team. And I think, you know, Seattle went 10 and seven with a rookie head coach last year, and I think Seattle's a playoff team.
Tony Kornheiser
Yeah, my just immediate sense of this game is I've watched Kyler Murray for years. He's very exciting to watch. He's really good theater, but he doesn't actually Win games. And Sam Darnold now is in his second stomp after leaving the jets and seems to be successful. Which leads me to the inevitable conclusion all the time. And as we get to talk about Jackson Dart, that if you are a quarterback for the jets or the Giants, regardless of who the coach is, your career is going to be ruined. It's going to be ruined. It is inevitable. Am I wrong on this? I think it's inevitable.
Jason Lockinfora
You're coming in with one hand tied behind your back.
Tony Kornheiser
Yeah.
Jason Lockinfora
Yes, I would agree with that.
Tony Kornheiser
Yeah. I mean, when, when does somebody say to Brian Dabel, we cannot have you in this job anymore. You have ruined. You know, Daniel Jones just went away and looks good and now you don't know what you're doing, right?
Jason Lockinfora
I don't. I think it runs deeper than Brian Gable. I mean, I'm old enough to remember the owner there being done with Eli. I believe when they finally snapped Eli's streak, I believe they gave that, that start to Gino we were just talking about. And then the owner didn't like the public backlash. So then he tells the football people, yeah, yeah, go back to Eli. Like, I think it's. I think the owner is the problem. The owner fancies himself a football man. He's not a. He's not a football man. The owner has been sort of recalcitrant to embrace who that franchise is at various times over the last 15 years, which is an afterthought that should be planning for the future, that should be loading up on draft picks that should be willing to pedal, you know, certain contracts in season or in the off season for picks. And he acts like they're this institution, the New York Football Giants, but I mean they've been pretty pathetic for, I mean 15 years now for the most part. I mean outside of like the one year where they caught lightning in the bottom of what Macadoo and the one year they caught lightning in a bottle with. With Dable. Yeah. I think he's the problem.
Tony Kornheiser
Okay, well, let's go to that team and Jackson Dart, he is going to start over Russell Wilson. Wilbourne is not sitting with me now so I don't have to yell and scream because he loves Russell Wilson. Russell Wilson was bad Denver, he was bad in Pittsburgh and he's bad now with the Giants. He's not a good quarterback anymore. What are your thoughts on Jackson D?
Jason Lockinfora
I think this is a tough assignment. Since the start of last season, the San Diego Chargers are the number one first half road defense in the NFL. They've allowed six offensive touchdowns total. Tony. And 10 road games since the start of last year. Jesse Minter, their young defensive coordinator, much like the guys that want to bet. He's the truth. It's pretty. It's pretty astonishing. You want to hazard a guess who since the start of last year is a bottom three offense in the first half in touch per drive, points per drive and offensive total.
Tony Kornheiser
I'll guess Giants.
Jason Lockinfora
You got it.
Tony Kornheiser
Yeah.
Jason Lockinfora
You know how to play?
Tony Kornheiser
I'll guess Giants. I would have guessed jets too.
Jason Lockinfora
Yeah. Now, it's an early start and maybe the Chargers are a little off, but I think Harbaugh relishes these opportunities to get his teams up. And, and they generally have been up in the 1 o' clock for them. 10am Kickoffs haven't been a real problem. If you dig down on the numbers, there's not a whole lot of difference. So I think Jackson Dart's walking into a little bit of a buzzsaw. I think Jackson Darth, he's a young kid. I mean, all this stuff goes to your head. You're now the toast of New York. You had this great preseason. It doesn't matter a damn thing playing against guys who aren't in the league. And you've got a head coach and he's okay with this guy being out there and you know, being a bit of a bro. So like, I mean, minus 160 to throw a pick. I don't. I'm surprised it's not minus 185. I'm surprised it's not minus 200. I think he will try to do too much. He will think he sees things that he does not see. I think his legs will be activated and I think he may sustain drives that way a little bit. Look. Well, he will the offense look more alive, I guess maybe than with the carcass of Russ, I guess probably like, can they unlock Malik Neighbors a little bit more. Okay.
Tony Kornheiser
Okay.
Jason Lockinfora
But I don't think this is a great matchup for him. And I think his learning curve is going to be more to the norm, if not maybe a little more than the norm for young quarterbacks. I don't believe this is, you know, one of these situations we've seen in recent years where even a boat next year came in. I, I think this is a tough spot. This isn't coming in with Sean Payton, who's going to be there for a decade. You know, this is coming in. You're already on the quarterback number two. And everybody knows the GM and the coach, they're Flying banners over the stadium, fire Coach like, that's a tough way to be bled into the NFL.
Tony Kornheiser
Yeah, all right, I got that. I would have talked about Raheem Morris and Michael Penix, but I'm not. I'm going right to Baltimore at Kansas City. Baltimore's given up. Baltimore's played two good teams, Buffalo and Detroit. They've given up, hello, 79 points. Their defense has given up 96 points overall. It's the second worst in the NFL. You can tell me that their defense isn't any good, but I can come back and tell you, as you well know, the spine of the Baltimore Ravens for 20 years as defense, most famous, best accomplished guy they've ever had is Ray Lewis. It's not Lamar Jackson, it's Ray Lewis. The people who imitate Ray Lewis, imitate him all around. Football with that dance. It's. It's Ray Lewis and defense. Why does the defensive coordinator continue to work? Is that a fair question?
Jason Lockinfora
Oh, look, he played for them. You know, he was a player. He was a coaching intern. I mean, Zach Horser is a great story. I mean, you know, his dad was tight end with the Our Skins back when they were in their heydays. It's football. He's a great person. He's a sponge. He's a willing learner. Like, he played the game at a high level. They found he had, like, a spinal neck issue. He was about to get a big contract from the Ravens. He had to retire. Instead, he turned to coaching. They have done a great job on that side of the ball of developing coaches. We just talked about one.
Tony Kornheiser
That's right, McDonald.
Jason Lockinfora
But so. So there's lineage there. They didn't prop him up with enough experienced coaches around him last year, and it was a toxic staff. And they've changed some of that. And they've got Chuck Pagano there now. The problem, though, right now, even more than. Or who. Who I don't think was the right hire in real time. And I said as much. That's fine. Okay. This isn't Holodina, Ray Lewis and Ed Reid. Like, that was the spine. It wasn't just Ray. It was often the guys playing in front of him. And then who's. Who's behind him playing center field. Ed Reed. No, that. That's now a rookie. Malachi Starks, who looks like a rookie. It's Roquan Smith, who they drastically overpaid at $20 million a year. And without Namdi Madabique, it's probably Taven Bryant, who was a draft bust For Jacksonville, who they just signed off the street, is going to play in this game and I think Andy Reid's aware of that and I think Andy Reid, who people talk about Chiefs run game, Chiefs can't run the ball. Well, let's see, let's see if they still can't run the ball by, I'm not going to say 7 o' clock Sunday night when that game's over, I'm going to say by, by 4:35 was it for 420 kickoff or whatever? Yeah. They've got personnel issues and they also have some coaching issues and, and I think they've got leadership issues on that side of the ball. I mean Roquan Smith, when, when you know he plays poorly, which is quite often, you don't find him in the locker room. You don't find him saying anything. Marlon Humphries had to become the voice of that team. They've got all their eggs in the secondary. Not many of those guys actually make plays on the ball. Like they make very few plays on the ball for a team that spends more on secondary and less than on pass rush since 2013 than basically any team in the league. And now they might have some issues offensively too because if the, if the 31 and a half year old running back fumbles win for them on first down, if he can't win for them on first down, then he needs to get off the football field and they need to go to Justice Hill, who can win in the screen game and who you have to defend in the screen game and you have to worry about catching a pass. It's a passing league and they don't have the 300 pound fullback and the right side of their offensive line doesn't look too good. So if they want to keep ramming this Derrick Henry peg and it's costing them the possession of the ball and it's putting them in third and nine and second and eight all the time. Then they might have to recalibrate personnel on the offensive side of the ball too.
Tony Kornheiser
Okay, I'll get, I'll just briefly touch on Michael Penix. Raheem Morris benched him in the fourth quarter and then said he's my starter. Of course he's your starter. I mean you don't like Kirk Cousins, you don't want him out there. But is this, do you see anything more to that than just he was bad in one game and he sat one.
Jason Lockinfora
Oh, they've got problems. I mean I jumped on that Sunday in the Washington Post and by the middle of the week it was obviously a national story. Zach Robinson, the offensive coordinator there, is woefully over his head. He put Cousins in an offense that didn't fit him last year. And now you have this element of Penix's legs, which, if you want to be in the Pistol, then you need to get the mesh point involved. You need to use him as a threat in the run game, and he refuses to do that. And you talk to people around the league, and it's pretty. It's pretty predictable. When they go under center, they're running to Bijan, with Bijan, and they're probably running left. And when. And when they're in the Pistol, they're not even really fronting on play action like they should. It's going to be a pass. The quarterbacks waiting for plays to come in from the sideline. You can see that people are visibly frustrated. They. They have all these top eight picks on offense, and none of them ever see as much of the ball as they should. And I think they hired the wrong offensive coordinator. They're already making wide receiver coaches walk the plank. Now Zacky's going to call plays, you know, from the sidelines instead of the press box, whatever. That's not going to make a difference right now. Cousins might give them the best chance. He's not the better quarterback, but he's the more experienced quarterback. And if the job of the quarterback is now going to be overcome, the incompetent offensive coordinator, you know, I'm going to take the guy with 40,000 passing yards and whatever many touchdowns he's thrown versus a kid who's been put in an untenable situation. So, yeah, I think they've. I think they've got some serious issues there. And I think Raheem has finally fixed his defense. The problem is his offensive staff isn't any good.
Tony Kornheiser
All right, let's get off this and give you a chance to plug. Wanna bet? The betting show that's making people millions of dollars.
Jason Lockinfora
I don't know about millions. It's definitely not making us millions, but we're just here for the people. Tone. Look, we can watch it on my Twitter at Jason Lockin for every day around noon by a. We're now over a thousand subscribers on YouTube, thanks in large part to the Littles. So you can go to YouTube.com backslash@1event with us and subscribe, even if you don't watch. I mean, we'd like you to watch. We're on Spotify now. We're on Apple Podcasts. You can get us everywhere there. Yeah. Every day we're giving you our best bets in a unique format. It's kind of like a game show. We let you know what we're doing well in, what we're doing bad in. We give you our record since we launched the show, how we did last night. And yeah, we destroyed Thursday Night Football. Again, I don't use that term lightly, but it's. It's just the truth. When you've got three plus money parlays, when you tell people at the beginning of the week, jump Seattle Moneyline now for plus money. When you tell them it's a dead under game and it's dead under game and you build correlated parlays off of that two and three legs. Not crazy. Not the crap the shills are showing you. Stuff that could actually hit Beltway. Ben had a barter anytime touchdown, five to one. I mean, look, there's other people doing this. I'm just going to tell you. Not many know what the hell they're doing and not many do it like us. So check out wannabe and we will do everything we can to put money in your pockets.
Tony Kornheiser
Thank you, Jason. Talk to you next week.
Jason Lockinfora
Thank you, guys. Have a good one.
Tony Kornheiser
Jason Lockenfora, whose knowledge of football is so far superior than most sports writers. It really is. Yeah. I mean, it's like he studies this 20 hours a day and sleeps maybe three, maybe three and then one hour. I don't know what he does. It's really amazing. James Carville and Jeff Ma when we return. Maybe, hopefully, maybe. It doesn't matter. We have Carville's picks. We got Ma. Trust me. I'm Tony Kornheiser. This episode is brought to you by Lifelock. When you visit the doctor, you probably hand over your insurance, your ID and contact details. It's just one of the many places that has your personal info. And if any of them accidentally expose it, you could be at risk for identity theft. Lifelock monitors millions of data points a second. If you become a victim, they'll fix it, guaranteed. Or your money back.
Jason Lockinfora
Save up to 40% your first year@lifelock.com podcast terms apply. You're listening to the Tony Kornheiser show.
James Carville
The new.
Tony Kornheiser
The great Hank Williams. This is playing music for James Carbon.
Jason Lockinfora
I know that I.
James Carville
Should leave, but.
Jason Lockinfora
Then.
Tony Kornheiser
I just can't go.
Jason Lockinfora
Oh.
James Carville
You win again.
Tony Kornheiser
You win again is the title of the song. It's not the context of gambling, but James Carville last week was 3 and 4, but overall is 10 and 9. He is the only person or Simeon with a winning record at the moment in this game. And this week's picks with James Carville and Jeff Ma are brought to you by FanDuel Sportsbook. Make every moment more. You were in Europe last week. You continue to be in Europe. You were in the Danube River.
Jason Lockinfora
I'm on the Danube.
Tony Kornheiser
How's it. How does it look both sides? It looks good.
Jason Lockinfora
You know, it's all these vineyards in Austria, mountains. And yes. It's actually. It's beautiful. I've never been. Yeah, Obviously I've been here before, but it's. Yes.
Tony Kornheiser
Good.
Jason Lockinfora
Legitimately beautiful.
Tony Kornheiser
Good.
Jason Lockinfora
The big event of the trip is I saw the vehicle that Franz Ferdinand was assassinated in, probably most significant event of the 20th century. So, yeah, that was fun. That was good.
Tony Kornheiser
So. But thousands of miles away from college and pro football. So I hope you. You keep the contacts up. Tell us what you want this week. Give us your lines.
Jason Lockinfora
I got a gang tonight. Florida State goes to Virginia.
Tony Kornheiser
Yeah.
Jason Lockinfora
The Cavaliers. Virginia is getting seven. Take the gift of seven points.
Tony Kornheiser
Do you. Do you want a little pushback on that? Florida State has been great this year. Although to be fair, Florida State plays Miami next week. And maybe looking past Virginia. Right.
Jason Lockinfora
Could be. You're hoping. And you get them. And you get them at home.
Tony Kornheiser
Yeah.
Jason Lockinfora
Friday. So they've had a start week.
Tony Kornheiser
Yeah.
Jason Lockinfora
Affect the road team a little bit more and you get seven points.
Tony Kornheiser
Okay.
Jason Lockinfora
You know, I mean, you're not. And we got the Air Force, Hawaii. The over is. The Air Force is. Total is 29 and a half. The rainbows got a rainbow for a defense. Air force will score 30 points.
Tony Kornheiser
So we're going to take just the over on Air force.
Jason Lockinfora
Yes. On 29 total points, they score.
Tony Kornheiser
Okay. Okay. What else?
Jason Lockinfora
And we got the Falcons, Washington, Atlanta.
Tony Kornheiser
Yeah.
Jason Lockinfora
Atlanta is getting one and a half against Jaden Daniels and the commodities in Atlanta. I would take the one and a half.
Tony Kornheiser
You would take the one and a half. Is Jaden Daniels definitely going to play or is it going to be Mariota again? I don't. I don't know. I don't know. So Atlanta had a rough time last week, but you would take Atlanta on a bounce back.
Jason Lockinfora
I take. I'm taking Atlanta bounce back.
Tony Kornheiser
Okay.
Jason Lockinfora
Indianapolis, they travel out to Los Angeles. The Rams, where the Rams are minus three. I would lay the points. I would lay the points.
Tony Kornheiser
I agree with that one. I mean, the Rams had a tough loss last week and now they're at home. I think that's a bounce back game. What else?
Jason Lockinfora
Eagles and plan. Tampa Bay playing the Bucks.
Tony Kornheiser
Yeah.
Jason Lockinfora
Tampa bay take over. 43.5.
Tony Kornheiser
All right, that's the over on that. And is there's a big college game, Penn State, Oregon. Are you involved in that one?
Jason Lockinfora
There is a big college game. One of the best college cards I've seen in the history of September, Nittany lines at home in the White House.
Tony Kornheiser
You're not afraid that they lose every big game they play? You're not afraid?
Jason Lockinfora
I am afraid to take State in a game and not be afraid. Yes. The quintessential, you know, 10 and 2, 9 and 3 team.
Tony Kornheiser
Yes. And the teams that. Teams that beat them are good and beat them badly. All right, so. But you're. But you're going to go. You're going to go Penn State.
Jason Lockinfora
I'm going to go Penn State. It's a trip from Oregon to Penn State.
Tony Kornheiser
Yeah.
Jason Lockinfora
And James Franklin knows us at State Farm here.
Tony Kornheiser
Yes.
Jason Lockinfora
Yeah.
Tony Kornheiser
Okay. All right, you enjoy. Enjoy the cruising, enjoy Europe, and we'll talk to you next week.
Jason Lockinfora
And everybody enjoy the college football card.
Tony Kornheiser
It's great. Oh, yeah, it is great. LSU's in a big game. George is in a big game. Yeah, it's a good week. All right. Thank you, James.
Jason Lockinfora
Which is dated in Kilkenz.
Tony Kornheiser
So what was that? You faded on that?
Jason Lockinfora
LSU's best defensive player is dating the daughter of the oldest coach.
Tony Kornheiser
Really? That sounds incestuous for that game. That's not good.
Jason Lockinfora
I don't comment on other people's marriages, Tony.
Tony Kornheiser
All right, thank you, James. We'll talk to you next week. Best of Mary. All right, James Carville. It's always a great pleasure to have James Carville. And when we have James Carville, we go to Jeff Ma and we bring you Jeff Ma. Through the magic of taping, we have Jeff Ma to talk to. Now, in full disclosure, we are doing this Thursday evening, East coast time around 5:30. But it's better for Jeff because he's in California, and this gives him more room to stretch his legs about any podcast he's been involved in, you know, this week or anything like that. Let me start with this, because I know that you're involved in golf now, and I really like golf, and I'm gonna try and watch the Ryder cup, but I. I'm definitely gonna watch it the first day, maybe the second day, but it's going to be tough on Sunday because, you know, in order to prepare for PTI and everything else, the NFL is very dominant. So we'll just talk about the Ryder Cup. In terms of betting, how does one go about betting the Ryder Cup? Do you bet on teams? You bet individually? Do you bet on, like, when a match will be closed out? What are some of the bets in Ryder Cup?
Jeff Ma
I mean, there's a lot of bets, actually. There's. There's bets, obviously, about who's going to win. There's bets about what the exact final score will be. There's bets about who will get, you know, to five points first or who will get the first point. There's bets about whether, you know, who will get shut out in any of the four balls. There's all sorts of things. We actually put a bet out on the process on one of those prediction markets called no Big, where we have the top two Americans. So Scheffler and DeChambeau versus Rahm and McElroy, who will end up with more points. And each of them, you know, obviously get assigned points as they win them individually and as a team. So who do you think would be favored there, Tony?
Tony Kornheiser
Well, I think. I think McElroy would be favored. I mean, that's.
Jeff Ma
You think McElroy and Rom over Scheffler and DeChambeau? That's. That's the. That's the.
Tony Kornheiser
Yeah, I. You know, I pro. I probably would go that way. The interesting thing about the bet that just occurred to me is it is very possible that among that group, one or two people will play in fewer matches than the others and have less chance to get points. Right. Cause you don't. You're not guaranteed 5. A lot of times you could only get 3. That your captain doesn't put you out there, although you would think he'd put all those guys out there. Right?
Jason Lockinfora
Right.
Jeff Ma
Yeah. I mean, I think Scheffler's got to be there all the time. I mean, there's Talk that maybe DeChambeau wouldn't be the best person in the foursomes, but it sounds like they're. They're trotting them out there, so that's good. Yeah, but definitely, I mean, and that's kind of like one of the interesting unlocks on this, because if this. There. They do this a little bit like Little League where everyone's got to play. But if you really wanted to win this, you know, especially on the European side, they have. They have some golfers that aren't particularly good by some of the golf rankings. And that's, I think, one of the reasons that their overall chances against the US are kind of getting weighted down.
Tony Kornheiser
Well, who do you like? Who do you like to win the whole thing.
Jeff Ma
Well, the US Is favored pretty significantly. And part of that, I think, is the market believing that there's some sort of home advantage, which I'm not sure if there really is. I mean, I think there has been in the past in Europe where they've been able to set the course up in a certain way, but in this case, I don't think they can because the, the US and the Europe teams are somewhat similar in their ability to hit the ball long and whatnot. So, I mean, I like the US Just because of the very reason that the bottom of the, you know, one Scheffler is by far the best, you know, the best golfer out there. And then the bottom of the European team, you know, with guys like Hogart. And even though Roses performed pretty well, Straka, those guys are not up to par with the bottom of the US Team. So I think that's going to show up a little bit in singles.
Jason Lockinfora
Singles.
Jeff Ma
So I would like the US if the odds are even at the odds where they are, I'd still probably take the US but that's mostly because I want to root for the U.S. i.
Tony Kornheiser
Think that the United States will do very well in singles, and they always do. They are deeper. But I think if you line this up on paper, that I think the Europeans may have a slightly better team. And I base that on the fact that the United States has four rookies and the European team only has one. And these guys on the European team, a lot of them, they've won as many majors probably than the amount, not the amount of majors, but the amount of people have won them is probably right there with the United States. And they've won on the road. You know, it's. I'm not saying it happened four years ago, but it happened in 2012 and it happened in 2004, which means there is a history of that. And I think the European team as a team studies history much more closely than the United States team does. Does. So that's, that's why I would go the opposite way on that.
Jeff Ma
What's interesting too, I mean, the U.S. the European team is much more analytically driven to. Eduardo Molinari runs the analytics for them and they've done things along the way to sort of gain small edges. You know, back in the last Ryder cup, they, they made it such that they felt like they were better long iron players and set the course up so there'd be more long iron shots. And that did play out where they did have like a small Analytical edge there. So he, he's a very sharp. Eduardo Moliner is very sharp. And that's the guy that they use. And the US Doesn really have anyone like that that's helping them like optimize matchups and optimize.
Tony Kornheiser
That's interesting.
Jeff Ma
Does what. So, yeah, I mean, one of the things that'll be interesting tomorrow in these, in these foursomes is to see whether the US is smart enough to set up their, their bombers to play, to tee off, you know, first on the odd holes, because that's where the advantage is. We talked about this on, about the process this week with the guy that started a company called Data Golf, and he basically talks about how if we'll see how smarter politically driven, you know, the US is by setting up like Bryson should be teeing off on 1, 3, 5, 7 on all the odd holes because that's where biggest advantage for the big hitters is.
Tony Kornheiser
Well, I hope they're smart enough to know that. Let me get off that and get to something else. Last week, and I give Scott Van Pelt credit because I'd never heard the term bad beats before until he started doing it on his show. There's the worst beat I've ever seen last week was the Eagles and the Rams. I mean, you were counting your money all game long on the Rams. They were up 26 to seven and even at the end when they're down one, okay, they missed the field goal. So what you're getting three and a half and then it's this freak touchdown with a 366 pound guy running 60 yards. So how bad was that?
Jeff Ma
I mean, I think the anatomy of a bad beat, like anyone that gambles thinks they have bad beats that happen to them. But I agree with you that one one's a really bad beat. And the reason is because the score made no difference to the outcome. And if you had the Rams, you felt very, very safe and very, very safe the entire game. And the only time that you felt like you might have a chance to lose is when this last play happened. And it's so undescribable that this one, like, what's the odds of that happening and what's the odds of that person actually running this in versus just jumping on it and ending the game and it's a completely meaningless consequence.
Tony Kornheiser
Yes.
Jeff Ma
You know, so, so I think, I think that I would agree with you is one of the worst beats that you will ever see in your life.
Tony Kornheiser
Yeah. All right, so give us some picks. You didn't do great you're two and three last week and seven and nine overall. We need you to recoup. What do you got for us?
Jeff Ma
I'm going to focus a little bit more on college because I've been doing. Doing better in the NFL. Yeah, obviously very hard. It's one of the most efficient markets out there. And I think Chuck Todd mentioned this, though, but betting later in the week in the NFL is even harder because the prices are kind of like discovered. The market's more efficient. So I'm going to take Ole miss minus the 2 1/2 over LSU. There's some incredible college games this week. This is a overcorrection of sort of what's happened this year. I think Ole Miss should be favored by closer to a touchdown. And LSU obviously has played incredibly well this year and has had some big marquee wins. But I'm going to take Ole Miss.
Tony Kornheiser
I've got Ole Miss giving one and a half. Would you prefer that?
Jeff Ma
I would prefer that.
Tony Kornheiser
So that's what you get mentioned when.
Jeff Ma
One and a half is less than two and a half. That's what I would like.
Tony Kornheiser
Yes. So we're gonna take the favorite? Yeah, sure.
Jason Lockinfora
Okay.
Jeff Ma
I'm gonna take Stanford minus the three over San Jose State. Both teams aren't very good and both teams have not shown very good. But San Jose State has shown poorly against worst competition. And I think Stanford just has more talent and. And we'll win this game.
Tony Kornheiser
Is anything in that bed have to do with the fact that you went to MIT and you respect Stanford as an academic institution?
Jeff Ma
Who said I respect Stanford as an educational institution?
Tony Kornheiser
I assumed you did. Oh, you don't. Oh, I thought you would.
Jeff Ma
Okay. No, I mean, I would never let that influence what I. What, you know, how. But like Stanford, I don't even. Like they don't get grades there.
Tony Kornheiser
Is that right?
Jeff Ma
I know, let's. I mean, it's, it's, it's not the hardest school. It's obviously a great occupation. I don't want all my friends from Stanford, but like, you know, they let people get in there with like athletic scholarships. No one get it in MIT with athletics.
Tony Kornheiser
Of course they don't. All right, what else? What else?
Jeff Ma
We're going to take Oregon plus the three and a half over Penn State. A little bit of bet against Franklin. There's some talk that maybe Penn State hasn't shown everything, but Oregon's kind of been a juggernaut this year and getting three and a half even with the whiteout situation. And I'll Take Penn State. I'll take Oregon.
Tony Kornheiser
All right.
Jeff Ma
And then I'm going to take Bama plus the three and a half over Georgia. Obviously this is a coin toss game. Alabama, everyone was kind of down on them after the early loss, but Georgia has not played particularly well and probably should have lost to Tennessee. So I think getting three and a half and what's going to be a very close game is probably valued.
Tony Kornheiser
This is interesting because Booger McFarlane was on the PTI show and he said the same thing. He said, don't be surprised if Alabama wins this game. He liked Alabama in this one.
Jason Lockinfora
Yeah, yeah.
Jeff Ma
And then I'll take two NFL games. I'm take the Rams to bounce back minus three over Indy. Obviously, Indy is much better than anyone thought they were. They're much better than I was giving them credit for. But this is a pretty tough spot for them against the Rams defense that we'll be able to get after Daniel Jones and maybe make him punt a couple times. Maybe make them pun a couple times.
Tony Kornheiser
Well, they've only punted once. I'm aware of that. But I mean, do you think like that. Is that not a crushing decision? Do you think there's no linger on that defeat for the Rams?
Jeff Ma
I mean, these are NFL players and this is important. They're at home and they got to salvage the season. So I think they can bounce back here. I mean, who knows? Like, the narrative could go one way or the other, but who knows? I'm gonna. I'm gonna take the Rams to bounce back.
Tony Kornheiser
Okay.
Jeff Ma
And then I'll take one more, which is the Jaguars plus the three over San Francisco. San Francisco just is so beat up and they're still so beat up. And even if they get Purdy back here, I like Jacksonville as an underdog here.
Tony Kornheiser
We can. We'd actually give you an extra half point three and a half there.
Jeff Ma
Perfect. Love it.
Tony Kornheiser
That's important on a field goal. Oh, absolutely. Threes and sevens. Those are the numbers that you pay attention to. Okay, Jeff, who's on Bet the process.
Jeff Ma
We have a guy named Matthew for Shane who started a company called Data Golf. And I don't know if you talked to Michael about it, but Data Golf has really changed the way that people follow golf because it's sort of like like the analytics data site for Gol. So we have him on and we talk a lot of Ryder talk.
Tony Kornheiser
Good. Okie dokie. All right, talk to you next week. Thank you, Jeff. Good luck.
Jeff Ma
Thanks, guys. All right, bye.
Jason Lockinfora
Bye.
Tony Kornheiser
This week's picks with James Carville and Jeff Mobbing. Brought to you by FanDuel Sportsbook. Make every moment more and we will come back with email and jingle Correct. I'm Tony Kornheiser. Tron. Ares has arrived.
Jeff Ma
I would like you to meet Ares, the ultimate AI. He is biblically strong and supremely intelligent.
Tony Kornheiser
You think you're in control of this?
Jason Lockinfora
You're not.
Tony Kornheiser
On October 10th. What are you? My world is coming to destroy yours.
James Carville
But I can help you.
Tony Kornheiser
The war for our world begins in IMAX. Tron Ares treated PG13 may be inappropriate for children under 13 only in theaters October 10th. Get tickets now.
Kristen Bell / Kelly Clarkson (advertisement voices)
You're listening to the Tony Kornheiser Show. The Tony Kornheiser Show.
Tony Kornheiser
Here comes Tony's mail bag. Get your emails, faxes and your notes. Here comes Mr. Tony's mail back on a reason for all of your folks. The great Darius Rucker. Did you know he has a new band? I I. Tom Jones. Not that Tom Jones said that. He's got a new band. Told me he was doing a concert concert with him. Yeah, it's got a. Tom Jones's last job before he retires as Darius. Some guy with a co founder of REM and one of the drummer for the Black Crows. So good. They're gonna be called Howl Owl Howl. Howl. Owl Howl. Yes. Not Thirst and Howl. First Howl. The third.
Jason Lockinfora
No.
Tony Kornheiser
And the first song called Cologne comes out on Halloween. Okay, so there you go. Wonderful. Well, good luck to them. You want to do the Bethesda Ben? Oh yes. Bethesda Bagels. We love them. You will as well. Just go to Bethesda Bagels.com for the location in the DC area nearest you. Then pop on in and you'll be thrilled. And before we get to the mailbag, let me just say you doing that thing you do. Breaking my heart into a million pieces like you always do and you don't mean to be cruel. You never even knew about the heartache I've been going through. And I try and try to forget you, girl but it's just so hard to do Every time you do that thing you do. That's a great movie. It really is. It's written and directed by Tom Hanks, right? Yep, that's right. It's a great soundtrack. It's just really is great. It's just great. Mr.
Mark Feinstein
Downtown.
Tony Kornheiser
The O neaters. The O neaters. It's just so great. Same at Villapiano's. Yeah. Thanks to our guests today. Mark Feinsand, Jason Lock and Ford. James Carville. Jeff Ma. Thanks as well, to today's sponsors room. You can listen to us on Apple Podcasts Spotify and Audacy. If you listen on Apple, please leave us a review. So we have some public service announcements from John Coval in Skokie, Illinois. Since you're unburdened by memory, allow me to remind you that a year ago you were fetching about having blood drawn, which gave me the perfect window to inform you about our national blood shortage. Well, if you'll do me that honor again this year, Abbott and the Big Ten Conference are back at it with year two of We Give Blood drive to inspire the most blood donations from students, alumni and fans, with a winning school earning a million dollars from Abbott for student or community health. Last year, Nebraska crushed the competition, took home first place, but this year's the Badgers of Wisconsin currently in the lead with more than 4,500 donors. Even better, we're only a third of the way through the drive, and donors have already surpassed last year's total with more than 67,000 lives saved. A quick rundown of some notable progress. Wisconsin, Nebraska, Ohio State, Michigan and Iowa round out the top five. Heather Dinnich's Hoosiers are at a respectable 10. Wilbond's Wildcats are at 14 and Kirkjin's Terps are at 17. Who's surprised by that? Unfortunately, Soliza's beloved Orange Men aren't technically eligible, but anyone across the country can still make a difference regardless of which school you rep. Just find a blood center or blood drive, give blood and text donate to Abbott to log a donation for whichever Big Ten school you want. That's very, very nice. You can also submit your donation@big10.org Abbott as a kicker, show listeners who give can all but guarantee that their donation will go a long way towards keeping Mr. Tony alive next year after he severs his foot while digging up potatoes. Now it's that trail from Mark in Galena, Ohio, referring to Greg playing with Jason Day at Golden Eagle. Double Eagle rather. And he writes Mark writes Greg golf the Double Eagle Golf Club. I said I know that golf course. It's less than a mile from my house in Galena, Ohio. Please tell Greg that 3B's and K Road, which runs along the west side of that golf course, is closed and under construction. And you need to use Africa Road. Yes, that Africa Road from previous Galena construction updates as a detour. Okay, Jeremy. Near Toronto in Canada, I too have flies. There was a spell this summer. I must have killed 10 a day for a month straight. Worst of all, with the death of print newspaper, I don't usually have anything handy to to swat them with when they suddenly appear. To relieve. To relive the old days, I open the news app on my iPad and swat away, shattering it on impact. These things are costing me a fortune. Only joking, but it's a funny image. P.S. this year for Thanksgiving, I'm truly thankful my family doesn't have to survive the cold Canadian winter on Tony's harvest. Which reminds me, can we. Do we have a website?
Mark Feinstein
What do you need?
Tony Kornheiser
Can we take a picture of the potatoes, the yield, and put it on the website? Absolutely not. Oh, we can. No. Oh, okay. Well, that was the end of that. I thought it was a good idea. From Kevin KB in Chicago. After nearly five months, two dozen podcast mentions, and physical labor from at least three TK show employees, Tony Michael, the intern. We find out the potatoes were planted alone in the front yard in a hard to remember location after being treated like weeds by our pals of pineapple landscape. I can't decide if the yield of eight potatoes deserves an Iraqpo. Come on, man. Or a Spurrier. Not very good. But there were some worse than us. Honestly, you know, I don't know if there's anybody worse than us. Yeah. From Steve Carmody in Saginaw, Michigan. It took me four days to hitchhike. From Saginaw, the official Michigan Public radio reporter, the Tony Kornheiser show, and amateur Potato grower, Mr. Tony. Don't be disappointed by your meager potato harvest. My first attempt at a serious garden. After rototilling a 20 by 30 foot section in my backyard, my harvest was equivalent to a small side salad. You know what to do next year. One, plant six weeks earlier. Two, dig down deeper. Three, mix in some compost. Four, water a couple of times a week. And five, tell your lawn care team not to mow your growing potato plants. We should save that. Seems like save that from Mark. Where's watering on that list? It's fourth, third or fourth. Mark Youth from Ashton, Maryland. Dear farmer Ron, let me see if I have my facts straight regarding this year's crop of potatoes. You had an intern with no experience at all planting or farming plant the potatoes in a manner recommended by various friends. This appears to be the equivalent of asking your bartender for a stock tip. The soil where the potatoes are to thrive appears to be hard and rocky. The landscapers have no idea where these future potatoes are planted, so they repeatedly mow over the future plants. The area is in a drought. You don't even think about watering the crops. When the meager crop is harvested, there appears to be some disappointment at the yield. What could have gone wrong? From Scott Beckett in Charlotte, North Carolina Dear Yukon Ron, so let me get this straight. Your intern haphazardly planted potatoes in insufficiently prepared soil and then didn't water attend to or manage for sun exposure over the last several months? How many did you get? 5 from your 11 seeds. That's not very good, but there were some farmers worse, so I guess that's one positive way to look at it. Trace Hendrick in Saginaw, Michigan second from Saginaw I'm a little behind on the pond, so I don't know if you've had a successful potato harvest, but I was at the National Zoo yesterday and saw Reginald. We were talking about you and your potatoes and then he gave me the attached picture of you harvesting steel and he says you're pretty good. It's a picture of me and Bud Grant, an AI picture and we're trying to take steel out of the ground with a pitchfork. These AI things are very freakish. Doug Edwards While vacationing in Southern California a few weeks ago, my family and I were sitting by the pool when we saw a message being written in the sky by a group of planes. I can only assume that there was a NASA convention in town. My masculine children started to laugh and took this photo. The message reads, uranus looks good. Unfortunately, the picture doesn't do it justice since the letters started to smear before it was complete. Nevertheless, it's always funny. I wanted to thank you for mentioning the dog adoption and rescue from the episode of 924. We have two dogs, dogs that are rescues and they really are members of the family. We do enjoy watching PTI together, as you can see from the attached photos. And yes, the dogs are watching PTI outdoors on an outdoor television set. How do they manage the pollen? From Bill in Nicholasville, Kentucky Loving the show just started listening a week ago. We've been doing it for, I don't know, 30 years. Well, it only goes down from here. Tony's love of rescue dogs really struck a chord with me. We've had many dogs over the past 40 years. All rescues as strays that wandered into our life. Adopt, don't shop people. Largest pack Latest pack Carly on the left, a long time shelter dog. She loves everyone. Missy on the right, AKA the Brat, was a stray who followed Carly and my wife home. Isn't that nice? They're two beautiful dogs. That is great. Jesse almost got in a fight this morning. There's a dog up the street, Pat's dog. He had the dog on a leash. Pat's a little older than I am and that dog went crazy seeing Chess. And Jesse doesn't back down. Barely contain the dog. I thought he was going over in a heap, but I got Jesse out of the way and gave her a cookie. Billy Flores in Houston, Texas in light of the mention of Remember Me Thursday, a lot of people are responding to that. Yes, Lindy de Koven must be very happy. My dog Scout was adopted from a shelter. I renamed her Scout because she was supposed to help me find her a mom. But late years later, we're still striking out. Kenny Ray, Fort Walton Beach, Florida. Let me add to the hopefully dozens of email with pictures of Little's rescue dogs, my daughter Sam's rescue dog Lucy, along with a picture of Lucy painted by Tom Mosser. How can you not love that face? Best thing that's happened to our family in a long time. Thanks for encouraging your listeners to open up their hearts and their homes to these incredible creatures. And it's a lovely painting. You know, I didn't know I. I didn't know that it would be so resonant. Yeah. And I think that's wonderful. It is from Ethan, the official high elevation police officer. The Tony Kornheiser show. He's an Aspen. I can't believe I'm the first little to inform you of the 2025 Toy hall of Fame finalists. You might need Michael to explain some of these toys to you. Battleship. Oh, Catan. C A T A N. Ask Michael Catan. Catan. Connect four Cornhole Furby. Ask Liz. Scooter Slime. Every parent's nightmare. Spirograph. A favorite in Lake George. Spider Graph. That's not that. Is he serious? Apparently. Skin art. Yeah. Lightsaber. Tickle me Elmo. Tickle Me Elmo. I remember that Christmas. I am amazed that it was not already in the hall. And I saved the best for last. Snow. Yes, that is right. Snow has a chance to join sand in the Toy hall of Fame. As someone who lives in the mountains of Colorado, I can tell you the only way to have fun with snow is to ski on it. Snow is not a toy. Does not feel like it's something state of being. Yes. And sand is not a toy. No. Nor is dust. No.
Jason Lockinfora
No.
Tony Kornheiser
Hillsborough, North Carolina. The woman to whom I'm related by marriage and I have a Wednesday tradition. We stopped by the drive through at Chick Fil a on our way to church. While listening to your fine podcast tonight. I pulled around the corner only to see an employee holding an ice cream cone and our food. I didn't order ice cream, but the employee offered it to me so she wouldn't have to throw it away. I happily started my dinner with dessert, but my wife, in response to the free ice cream quipped, I wonder who died in there. That's funny. That's funny. George Mellet, you may have already touched on this. I'm a bit behind on the pod. Brian Hernandez was badly injured last week in a fall at Churchill Downs. Brian is our boy Kenny McPeak's number one rider and rides both Kentucky Derby winner Mystic Dan and horse of the year Torpedo Anna. Both of those McPeak steeds have upcoming stakes races. He's pictured here after surgery to stabilize his ribs. His other serious injuries. I'm hoping he makes full and rapid recovery like McPeak. Here's a guy who does things the right way, so. Yes. So we are hoping for that as well. Wish him a speedy recovery for Brian Hernandez. Yes. Tom Doerr, Chicago, Illinois Our golf friend this past weekend, Michael and Chan's one time golf partner and my dad, Tom Doerr III shot his age at Indian Hill Country Club at Winnetka, Illinois. He was in a tight match and didn't realize what he shot at the time. Then over what I can only guess was a turkey bacon club sandwich, added up his score, 74. He received congratulations and asked whether or not that was his age. At that point, he had to check his license to see if he was 73 or 74. After more calculations, he discovered he had indeed shot his age. Congratulations. How about that? And one more mark from Asheville. I like plain cottage cheese too. Good. I have eaten. I ate the first one of the three from Cabots. Yeah, it's very sort of tangy. It gets a little. What's the shelf life on this? It gets a little too wet for me. So I scoop into the side, you know, and I sort of drain it as I scoop it, you know. I have two to go. I don't mean to say that this is a task that I have to do. But you've identified it as a task. I think I did casually. If you're out on your bike tonight, everyone, as always, do wear white.
Jason Lockinfora
Can I raise a practical question at this point?
Mark Feinstein
We're gonna do Stonehenge tomorrow?
Jason Lockinfora
No, we're not gonna do stone.
James Carville
The lights go on in the new apartment. Jenny's on the moon for a dinner date. Suddenly she's so far from home she left town A four leaf clover and 10th the world will know her name. A lucky girl from the East Virginia shore. Oh, she never wanted money but she always loved a view in this world. When it's hard to make it honest. But sometimes you do. She can dance with the flowers on the corner. Reminds her of the summers of her youth. It's the little things in life that tell the truth. Well, the years go by sooner or later Jenny's unpacked her roller bag. Her dreams don't look the same as they did before. Can't say when she found the rhythm. She feels it when the dark bugs run by on the sidewalk. As the strangers come and go. Oh, she used to chase the sunshine. Now she walks the morning dew. She remembers everything that she once wanted on her ordinary Sunday after afternoon. And she knows that she used to make assumptions. Now she's walked a mile and broken in her shoes. You end up where you need not wear your shoes in this world. Well, it's hard to make it honest. But sometimes you do. She can dance with the flowers on the corner. Reminds her of the summers of her youth. It's the little things in life that tell the truth.
Episode Date: September 26, 2025
Host: Tony Kornheiser
Guests: Mark Feinsand, Jason La Canfora, James Carville, Jeff Ma
In this jam-packed episode, Tony Kornheiser brings his signature blend of sports analysis, humor, and conversational banter. The show dives deep into the final weekend of baseball’s regular season with Mark Feinsand, transitions to NFL insights with Jason La Canfora, and closes with betting picks and playful life commentary from James Carville and Jeff Ma. True to form, Kornheiser and his guests weave together analysis, storytelling, and irreverent asides for both sports die-hards and casual listeners.
Guests: Mark Feinsand
Timestamps: 01:17 - 15:59
Potato Fiasco Banter:
Kornheiser provides a humorous recap of his potato harvesting woes, serving as a quirky prelude to the sports discussion.
National League Wild Card Race:
Kornheiser and Feinsand dissect the final wild card spots:
The Art of the Collapse:
Predictions and MVP Debates:
Home Run Surge & Era Context:
Guest: Jason La Canfora
Timestamps: 16:42 - 32:01
Quick Listener Banter:
Thursday Night Football & Seahawks:
Quarterback “Ruined in NY” Hypothesis:
Jackson Dart Starting over Russell Wilson (Giants):
Baltimore at Kansas City & Ravens’ Defensive Decline:
Atlanta Falcons’ Offensive Troubles:
PLUG: Want to Bet?
Guests: James Carville (from the Danube!), Jeff Ma
Timestamps: 33:14 – 49:55
College:
NFL:
Bet the Process Guest:
| Segment | Guest(s) | Start Time | |---------------------------------------|---------------------|------------| | Potato Yield & Baseball Intro | Feinsand | 01:17 | | NL/AL Playoffs & MVP Debates | Feinsand | 03:25 | | NFL Thursday Recap & NY QB Talk | La Canfora | 16:42 | | Reviewing Young QB Pitfalls in NY | La Canfora | 20:02 | | Baltimore’s Defensive Demise | La Canfora | 24:56 | | Atlanta/QB & Offense Issues | La Canfora | 29:06 | | Want to Bet? Plug | La Canfora | 30:48 | | James Carville’s Picks/Life Abroad | Carville | 33:14 | | Jeff Ma on Ryder Cup/DataGolf/etc. | Jeff Ma | 39:36 | | Jeff Ma’s Picks & NFL Analysis | Jeff Ma | 46:00 |
This summary captures The Tony Kornheiser Show’s signature style: smart sports talk with wit, candor, and an appreciation for both big headlines and the charm of life’s little asides.