“Double cork switchback one-eighty”

Summary

The Tony Kornheiser Show

Episode: "Double cork switchback one-eighty"
Date: February 13, 2026

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Episode Overview

This episode of The Tony Kornheiser Show encapsulates Tony’s signature style: a mix of witty banter, personal anecdotes, and thoughtful discussion with industry experts. The episode touches on Tony's ongoing ear problem and humorous misadventures with winter boots, before diving into coverage of the Olympics, evolving sports journalism in the D.C./Baltimore area, and in-depth interviews on golf (with AP’s Doug Ferguson) and baseball (with ESPN’s Jeff Passan). There’s also listener mail, the quirky “Bethesda Bagel” segment, and original music features.

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Key Discussion Points

1. Tony’s Ear Troubles & Winter Boots Saga (00:42–05:17)

• Tony recounts lingering hearing loss in his right ear after a recent flight, with friends and colleagues offering folk remedies.
  • Michael Wilbon suggests the classic: “You squeeze your nose and you try and breathe through.” (00:47)
  • Golf tee, hairdryer, and hot shower methods are humorously debated and dismissed.
  • Tony admits, “I can’t hear and I can’t see. I’m old and I can’t even think.” (02:05)
• Discussion shifts to winter hazards: Tony’s new Pajar boots (with ice spikes), local DC ice woes, and slips with his dog on treacherous sidewalks.
  • Michael: “These are rated to minus 22 degrees… your 30 degrees in D.C.… you’re going to be fine.” (02:47–02:52)
  • Both remark on the need for improved city snow/ice removal. “You have 48 hours to clear the snow… which nobody does.” (04:30)

2. Olympics Musings: Curling, Halfpipe, and ‘Double Corks’ (05:51–10:25)

• Tony talks about watching the Olympics, intrigued/confused by sports like curling and halfpipe snowboarding:
  • On curling: “It just seems that if you have the last ball, you win… I don’t really understand it.” (06:02)
  • Dissects baffling new-school sports jargon: “She’s doing a double cork 1080. I have no idea what that is.” (06:39)
  • Memorable moment: American Jessie Diggins’ inspirational bronze in cross-country skiing after racing with bruised ribs. “You could not take your eyes off her because you thought, wow, is she gonna live?” (08:22)
  • Michael jokes about athletes’ “broccoli juice” shots. (09:35)

3. Sports Media News: Baltimore Banner Expanding Into D.C. (10:31–14:48)

• Tony reads a note about the Baltimore Banner expanding sports coverage to include DC-area teams, potentially filling the local media void left by the Washington Post.
  • “That’s stepping into the void created by the demolition of the Washington Post sports section.” (12:54)
  • Michael compares subscription prices, sparking debate about the paper’s sustainability and reporting quality.
  • Tony quips about the importance of “All-Met” high school teams and laments the loss of such local sports coverage.

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Interview: Doug Ferguson (Golf, Pebble Beach, PGA Tour) (17:19–30:17)

Pebble Beach as Golf’s True Season Opener

• Tony raves about Pebble Beach, calling it “the most beautiful Pebble Beach I'd ever seen. It was a totally cloudless sky… It was gorgeous.” (17:19)
• Doug Ferguson agrees: “It was perfect… You just did not want to leave the golf course.” (17:47)
• Both reminisce about its historical significance and connection to Bing Crosby.

Spotlight on Chris Goderup

• Tony: “[He] won about 60 tournaments before the beginning... What do you make of Goddard?” (19:00)
• Doug: Goderup is raw and powerful, built like Mike Trout from lacrosse, but has matured. “He’s figured that out… he’s got a great, great attitude and a good kid... It’ll be interesting.” (19:30–20:25)

Brooks Koepka’s Return

• Tony: “I thought that was going to be a bigger deal than it seems to have been… How is he fitting in?” (21:14)
• Doug: “He’s walking on eggshells a little bit… The old Cap just didn’t care… I think we’ll get back to that before long.” (21:32)
• On a new PGA Tour ad: “Very deliberate… He ends the commercial… The Tour is trying to milk this.” (22:23)

Slumps and Comebacks: Morikawa & Spieth

• Tony asks about low expectations after their slumps.
• Doug: “Spieth remains, I think, golf’s greatest mystery… He lost probably two or three years of peak Spieth.” (23:56–25:24)

Emergence of Rio Hisatsuni

• Tony: “He’s always at the top… He doesn’t close. He doesn’t win. Who is this guy?” (25:24)
• Doug provides background: strong iron play, but needs to improve putting. “He’s on a heater… but we’ll see.” (25:45)

Rory McIlroy, The Players, and Major Identities

• Tony raises Rory’s comments on tournament status and moving the PGA Championship.
• Doug: “The major thing is laughable… but the August thing really got my attention… the identity of the PGA Championship is that it has no identity.” (27:06–28:57)
• Both agree, “You don’t want to compete on a weekend with football, you stone. It’s crazy.” (28:15)

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Interview: Jeff Passan (Baseball Economics & Storylines) (31:19–44:43)

Pitchers & Catchers Report, Spring Training Tidbits

• Tony: "Do we have pitchers and catchers on every team or have they not all reported yet?" (31:19)
• Jeff: “Pitchers and catchers have all reported… most of the position players have reported at this point too. Nobody takes any time off anymore, Tony.” (31:27)

The Dodgers, Baseball’s Broken Economic System, and the CBA

• Jeff: “The system that exists right now is irretrievably broken… If you have a system in which the only meaningful penalty is cash-based... that’s not going to work because there are teams that have way more cash—like the Dodgers.” (32:22)
• On new media rights: “Rob Manfred has a vision he’s going to take over every right of every televised baseball game... There’s a lot of money out there in television, Tony. A ton… If you can triple or more your television rights and then distribute that money reasonably, all of these small market teams… are going to have a windfall then you don’t need a cap.” (36:01)
• Tony: “Do people understand this the way you understand this?”
  Jeff: “Owners don’t understand players… that’s going to be a big issue over the next year as this plays out.” (38:07–39:23)

Injury Bug: The “Hamate Bone” Epidemic

• Tony: “The Hamate bone issue… a bone I had never heard of. Jackson Holliday is out. Lindor is out. Corbin Carroll is out. What is this thing?” (39:43)
• Jeff provides a detailed explanation: “It is a bone that has a small little hook on it that holds some of the flexor muscles in place. It is very susceptible to breakage… But they tend to think that it was just super bad luck.” (39:43–41:06)
• Tony jokes: “I’d try to go to med school to be a Hamate bone surgeon. Because I think that’s big money.” (41:06)

Trade Rumors: Tigers’ Tarek Skubal, Tigers’ Strategy

• Tony: “Do you expect them to trade Tarek Skubal or pay the money this year?” (41:27)
• Jeff: “I do not think they’re going to trade Tarek Skubal this year. I think they want to go and win the American League Central right now.” (41:27)

Max Scherzer’s Future

• Tony: “The warrior god, Max Scherzer—does somebody want him?” (44:03)
• Jeff: “Yeah, I think he’s going to sign eventually… It could be one of mid-season signings.” (44:03)

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Listener Mailbag & Banter (45:31–55:44)

Highlights:

• Expert audiologist writes in to diagnose Tony’s ear as likely Eustachian tube dysfunction, offering practical medical advice. (46:30)
  • “You describe sounds a lot like Eustachian tube dysfunction… the usual move is seven to 10 days of an over the counter nasal spray like Flonase or Nasal Cort.” (46:30)
• Much chatter about best coffee ice cream flavors, recognition of Jenny’s as the crowd favorite. (48:35)
• Humorous commentary on company holidays and workplace culture. (50:53)
• Listener invites Tony and crew to his wedding and golf outing at The Club at Glenmore, quoting a review: “Not the best in the area, but in good condition.” (51:49)
• Astronomical tips for dog-walking stargazers; offers to be “the official dog walking old guy who walks around with his phone pointed at the sky.” (52:17)
• Listeners chime in on winter survival, plant-potato reminders, and running beehives for pollinators.

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Notable Quotes & Moments

Tony Kornheiser:

• “I can’t hear and I can’t see. I’m old and I can’t even think. And I don’t know why I’m doing these shows, because I… lose myself right in the middle of them all the time.” (02:05)
• On double corks, 1080s, Olympic jargon: “He will say something like, oh, she’s doing a two cork 1080. I don’t know what that means. A double cork 1080. I have no idea what that is. It’s a switchback 900. I don’t know what that is.” (06:39)
• On cross country skiing’s brutality: “This… is a killer thing, this cross country skiing. This is not…” (09:11)
• On regional sports journalism coverage: “That’s stepping into the void created by the demolition of the Washington Post sports section.” (12:54)
• On Pebble Beach’s mystique: “Everybody knows what Pebble looks like. Everybody knows… it always feels like the beginning.” (19:00)

Michael Wilbon:

• On new boots for Tony: “These are rated to minus 22 degrees… your 30 degrees in D.C.… you’re going to be fine.” (02:47)
• “1080 was a great video game on N64.” (07:21)
• On lost local sports coverage: “Subscribe for a dollar.” (13:27)

Doug Ferguson:

• On Chris Goderup: “He’s got a lot of shots. He’s got a great, great attitude and a good kid. And, it’ll be interesting…” (20:19)
• On Koepka’s return: “The old Cap just didn’t care… I think we’ll get back to that before long.” (21:32)

Jeff Passan:

• On MLB's economic system: “The system that exists right now is irretrievably broken… There needs to be something else in place.” (32:22)
• On media rights as baseball’s future: “If you can triple or more your television rights and then distribute that money reasonably, all of these small market teams… are going to have a windfall then you don’t need a cap.” (36:01)
• On hamate bone injuries: “It can break in any number of ways… [but] they tend to think that it was just super bad luck.” (41:06)

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Notable Segments & Timestamps

• Winter boots, ice, and ear woes:
  00:42–05:17
• Olympics, new sports, and Jessie Diggins:
  05:51–10:25
• Baltimore Banner/D.C. sports journalism:
  10:31–14:48
• Golf w/ Doug Ferguson (Pebble Beach, Goderup, Koepka, etc.):
  17:19–30:17
• Baseball w/ Jeff Passan (CBA, Dodgers, hamate bone, trades):
  31:19–44:43
• Listener mailbag, ice cream wars, odd holidays:
  45:31–55:44

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Episode Tone

• Playful, irreverent, and conversational—Tony’s self-deprecating humor frames the show, while Michael Wilbon’s banter and the guests’ expert insights keep things lively and informative. The episode is seasoned with nostalgia, skepticism about sports culture, and affectionate ribbing among friends.

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Memorable Moments

• Tony’s total befuddlement at snowboarding lingo and current Olympic events: “A double cork 1080. I have no idea what that is.”
• Jessie Diggins’ cross-country bronze earns reverent awe from Tony: “Is she gonna live? Literally, is she going to live after this effort?" (08:22)
• Jeff Passan’s mini-economics lecture about televised baseball as the future jackpot for the league: “There’s a lot of money out there in television, Tony. A ton.” (36:01)
• Listener audiologist earns a show title: “Official audiologist of the Tony Kornheiser Show.” (46:30)

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Music & Regular Segments

• Greta Percha’s original songs are featured throughout, including “If You Don’t Know What You Want” and “Going Through the Motions.” (16:12, 30:40)
• Bethesda Bagel plug (45:31)
• Listener mailbag brings a blend of practical advice, genuine listener clubbiness, and side-splitting stories.

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For Listeners Who Missed the Episode

This is quintessential Tony Kornheiser: part sports salon, part morning coffee klatch, shot through with idiosyncratic humor. You’ll get reflections on life, media, and sports, with golf and baseball covered in depth by premier national writers, some harmless tech complaints, and a heaping helping of personal warmth that keeps the show’s loyal audience coming back.

Transcript

[Tony Kornheiser]

Hey, it's Tony. On today's show, we will talk to Doug Ferguson of the AP who's at pebble beach covering the pro Am. We'll talk to Jeff Passon about what's on his radar as the baseball season rapidly approaches. Thank God. But first, commerce.

[Commercial Announcer]

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[Show Producer/Promos]

Previously on the Tony Korniser Show.

[Tony Kornheiser]

I have not had any hearing in my right ear since I took the plane ride from Florida.

[Michael Wilbon]

You have to pop the ears to wash it.

[Tony Kornheiser]

How do you do that?

[Michael Wilbon]

You squeeze your nose and you try and breathe through.

[Tony Kornheiser]

Right. I tried that. It didn't work.

[Audience Member/Caller]

Do you have a golf tee?

[Tony Kornheiser]

I. I'm not sticking a golf tea in my ear. Somebody at the show the other day said, take a hairdryer and blast a hairdryer into your ear and it'll melt whatever wax is in there. And then when we were done and he had left the room, another person came up to me and said, don't do that. What are you nuts?

[Show Producer/Promos]

The Tony Kornizer show is on now.

[Tony Kornheiser]

So I got a note from my neighbor at the beach, David, who said, take a shower, let the hot water run into your ear, your bad ear, make it swimmer's ear, shake it around a little bit, do that twice and then go after it with a Q tip. And I did that and didn't help. Now I have to say I'm about.

[Michael Wilbon]

Did you try the blow dryer?

[Tony Kornheiser]

No, I'm not doing that. I'm about 30 to 40% better, so maybe in time it's going to get better, but it's not. I was hoping for an instantaneous are.

[Michael Wilbon]

You better or are you just getting used to it?

[Tony Kornheiser]

Well, that I don't know. That's a very good question. And the subtlety of that, I just don't know. Maybe I'm just getting used to it. I don't know. So anyway, that's not like you were.

[Michael Wilbon]

Hearing particularly well before.

[Tony Kornheiser]

No, I can't hear and I can't see. I'm old and I can't even think. And I don't know why I'm doing these shows because I don't even. I lose myself right in the middle of them all the time. We got a lovely new pair of boots. Right. Do you want to explain the story?

[Michael Wilbon]

So, yes, we have a friend of the show, Ross Weber, who has worked in various men's shoes companies over the years, and he's always tried to send you a pair of boots when appropriate. He listened to the story about your return from Florida, and he's at a company called Pejar. We had to look up the pronunciation. We spent about five good minutes on who's on. First of all, Pajar.

[Tony Kornheiser]

Pager, Pager.

[Michael Wilbon]

Pager.

[Tony Kornheiser]

No, Pajar. So they're lovely boots.

[Michael Wilbon]

These are rated to minus 22 degrees, which I think are.

[Tony Kornheiser]

What does that mean?

[Michael Wilbon]

Basically, I think your 30 degrees in D.C. is going to. You're going to be fine.

[Doug Ferguson]

You're going to be.

[Tony Kornheiser]

No, no, no. Let me explain what's going on with these boots. They're lovely boots. They have a zipper on one side. They have a complicated shoelace circumstance that I've managed to master. They feel very good.

[Michael Wilbon]

Oh, you can tie your shoes. You can tie your shoes.

[Tony Kornheiser]

I can tie my shoes without a golf glove. Not with a golf glove. I have.

[Michael Wilbon]

Maybe you could come help our boys with that.

[Tony Kornheiser]

You know, so I could do. To teach them how to tie their shoes. I could go around the tree. So I loop and swoop, right? I'm walking the dog. And, you know, we are in a situation where. And these boots are great and they have spikes that come out to help you in the ice. But the ice is so voluminous. The ice is difficult. And I was slipping. The dog slips all the time. When you're holding a dog on the leash and the dog slips, right?

[Michael Wilbon]

So this slip, you need. You need the extra row. So what happens is, I did not realize this. I pull the boots out, I look at the sole. It's a nice thick sole, but there are ice grippers. It's like you're walking around with golf spikes. But there's the foot pad and then there's the heel. I had you just activate the front, thinking that would be enough, because we're at a place where most of the streets and sidewalks are down to pavement. So I didn't want you cladding around like you're going through a locker room, right? But now with the pressure of the dog, we need both racks.

[Tony Kornheiser]

There are places where we walk where the dog goes on the ice. And I'm telling you, I don't care what you have, what sort of adhesive you have when the dog starts slipping, you start slipping.

[Doug Ferguson]

Yeah.

[Tony Kornheiser]

You know, you just. There's.

[Michael Wilbon]

Well, and everyone knows this. So in D.C. you can get rid.

[Tony Kornheiser]

Of this in the next two weeks.

[Michael Wilbon]

You have 48 hours to clear the snow and ice in front of your.

[Tony Kornheiser]

Business or your home, which nobody does.

[Michael Wilbon]

Many have not. And it's just, it is compacted over weeks with just enough solid ice.

[Audience Member/Caller]

Yeah.

[Tony Kornheiser]

And it's not. And, and the bad part about it is there has been enough of a melt so that your body weight crashes through the ice on a regular basis and that you can't, you can't maintain balance on that.

[Michael Wilbon]

The elementary school age kids are now trying to skate on that top layer.

[Tony Kornheiser]

And you can see who's.

[Michael Wilbon]

Who's picking up some extra weight.

[Tony Kornheiser]

Right. I understand that. Good for them. But it's difficult. Difficult for me. So the salvation is that within the next 10 days we will be in the 40s and 50s for much of the daylight hours.

[Michael Wilbon]

Even this weekend you're going to get.

[Tony Kornheiser]

An average rain that's going to clear most of this. Not. Not today.

[Audience Member/Caller]

Today was a line. Did you see the, the folks skating on the reflecting pool?

[Tony Kornheiser]

I did not. But good for them. Yeah.

[Michael Wilbon]

Somebody weeks ago. Do you see the people were crossing the river?

[Tony Kornheiser]

No.

[Michael Wilbon]

Going out to like Roosevelt Island.

[Audience Member/Caller]

I did see somebody.

[Michael Wilbon]

Great long shots, but very illegal.

[Audience Member/Caller]

I did see somebody jogging on the, on the C and O Canal, like in the middle of it, which is basically a big lake at this point. And I was like, you're in shorts and I'm the only other one here in the park.

[Tony Kornheiser]

If you go under, I'm not helping you. Help you. You're dead. Not helping you.

[Doug Ferguson]

Yeah.

[Greta Percha]

All right.

[Tony Kornheiser]

I watch the Olympics every day. I watch the live Olympics in the morning on USA tv. I speak into my, my clicker. USA all in on curling.

[Doug Ferguson]

Now.

[Tony Kornheiser]

Curling. I don't. It's not that I don't like it. It just seems that if you have the last ball, you win.

[Greta Percha]

So.

[Tony Kornheiser]

So you want to get to the last ball. They're also good. They know how to hit the other ones. Knock them out. But. So I don't really understand it. I don't think it's awful. I think it's okay. I watched something yesterday at great length because we were going to talk about it on the show. Had Chloe Kim won would have been three Olympics in a row with gold medals which nobody had ever done in half pipe because there was no half pipe until about an hour and a half ago.

[Audience Member/Caller]

Jean Claude Kelly.

[Tony Kornheiser]

Now he didn't do it. No. Franz Klammer, one and a half pipe. I don't know what the full pipe is, but the guy doing the color is very knowledgeable. He's done this. He knows exactly what they're doing. But there is a vocabulary that I don't understand. In other words, he will say something like, oh, she's degrees. She's doing a two cork 1080. I don't know what that means. A double cork 1080. I have no idea what that is. It's a switchback 900. I don't know what that is. He knows what that is. And then there's constant showing pictures of Shaun White. Oh, sure. You know, started this sport.

[Michael Wilbon]

1080 was a great video game on N64.

[Tony Kornheiser]

So I watch it, but I cannot tell the difference among any of them. Unless they fall. If they fall, I know they're done. But if they don't fall and it's. This guy will say it's huge, it's okay. So I have a lot of difficulty in these recently added and invented sports. I don't know what they are, but.

[Michael Wilbon]

I love that after a day or two of watching, all of a sudden you're an armchair expert.

[Tony Kornheiser]

I'm not, I'm not. I don't know.

[Michael Wilbon]

Can't open with that.

[Tony Kornheiser]

I don't, I don't know what that is. And then they have the skeleton where I guess you lie on your, on your front.

[Audience Member/Caller]

Oh, yeah.

[Tony Kornheiser]

They have the other thing where you lie on your back and there's two guys there and you go, oh, I didn't see that second guy. And I, you know, I don't.

[Michael Wilbon]

The angles of the luge course, you.

[Tony Kornheiser]

Ring a bell when you go through so the people can start. You're going 3,000 miles an hour. You have to be crazy. So I have enormous respect for all of these people. I'll tell you this. From yesterday, I was watching the women's cross country skiing. It's really a long event. 20, 30 minutes. I don't know how much, how many miles they're covering. But it's a long event. And an American woman named Jessie Diggins gave the most amazing effort I'd ever seen. And she. When she crossed the line, they said she had crossed the line. She was going to win the bronze medal. She was racing with bruised ribs. As soon as she crossed the line, she laid down in a heap in the snow, appeared to be screaming in pain, rubbing her ribs. I didn't even think she could breathe. She was attended to by a couple of Teammates or one teammate, anyway. And you could not take your eyes off her because you thought, wow, is she gonna live? Literally, is she going to live after this effort? They were showing her parents, who were in the stands. And she's a champion. She's had gold, silver, and bronze. She's the best women's cross country skier we've ever had in the United States. But you are so drawn into the effort it takes to be an elite athlete on any level. And this is a killer thing, this cross country skiing. This is not. You know, have you seen what a.

[Michael Wilbon]

Lot of these athletes are drinking to help their performance?

[Tony Kornheiser]

What are they drinking?

[Michael Wilbon]

Like, it's a. It's a shot of broccoli juice.

[Tony Kornheiser]

Broccoli juice. It's a reason not to do that.

[Audience Member/Caller]

Did you see the skier who goes uphill, runs uphill in cross country skis?

[Tony Kornheiser]

They all do.

[Audience Member/Caller]

It's like this guy does it apparently faster than anyone.

[Tony Kornheiser]

Okay, so you watch this. And then one of the Austrian women crosses the line and immediately throws up. Just throws up. Whoa. You know, so I watch. I don't. I can't say that I understand, you know, but I'm trying. I did want to make this comment. They keep showing the pictures on ESPN of, you know, the we're going to Disneyland moment after the super bowl. And it's Kenneth Walker III and it's Sam Darnold. They're the ones who say, we're going to Disneyland. And you think to yourself, wait, wait, wait, wait, wait. The defense won those games. You had very little to do with it.

[Michael Wilbon]

I put the kicker on a float defense when the.

[Tony Kornheiser]

Why don't they send the whole defense?

[Greta Percha]

There.

[Tony Kornheiser]

One other thing to mention. There is a. There's apparently a publication. I do not know if it's print or if it's. Because I don't. I no longer have Safari on my phone. I need Michael to fix this. Nigel tried to fix this. This. I don't have Safari on my phone, so I cannot get into the Internet at all. I have YouTube because I access something that Matt Kelleher sent me, and now I cannot get out of you.

[Michael Wilbon]

But you're able to message again, right?

[Tony Kornheiser]

I am able. I was always able to message.

[Michael Wilbon]

Okay, but you do the reverse. You go to contacts, then click on a person, then.

[Tony Kornheiser]

Yes. Okay, what do you mean, the reverse?

[Michael Wilbon]

Some people go straight to the message app and then construct it from there.

[Tony Kornheiser]

I don't do that. But now I can't get into Safari, so I cannot look anything up. I wanted to look up yesterday Something called the Baltimore Banner.

[Audience Member/Caller]

I believe it's only digital.

[Tony Kornheiser]

Okay, so the Baltimore Banner is a sports outlet serving Baltimore and nearby Maryland.

[Michael Wilbon]

In towards Baltimore, just out of the Montgomery county section.

[Tony Kornheiser]

Okay. Okay. So now what they're going to do. And we got this from. Terry Gans sent this to us. And this is. My friend, just got this by email from the Banner. We are thrilled to share an update about an upcoming expansion to our sports coverage. We're launching dedicated coverage of the teams you follow most with reporters on the ground covering the Commanders, Nationals, Capitals and other regional teams like the Maryland Terrapin. Starting soon, you'll see reporting and analysis on the most important stories in D.C. area sports. Breaking news on trades, injuries and roster decisions. Updates on Terrapins athletes in the ever changing landscape of college sports. Deep reporting on the athletes, coaches and owners who shape your experience as fans. Because you're already a subscriber. I'm not, but this was sent to a subscriber. The expanded coverage is included in your subscription at no additional cost. We want to also reassure you that that this expansion does nothing to change our dedication to covering the Orioles and Ravens. They're a Baltimore outlet. The Baltimore Banner, our Baltimore sports coverage remains a major priority in this additional reporting allows us to expand our scope across the region. We look forward to bringing you more of the sports news that matter to fans in Maryland. Sincerely, Chris Corman, Sports Editor. Now, I'm unfamiliar with Chris Corman, but this is good. Yes. I mean, if you have real reporters, trained reporters who've worked in the business before or young kids starting out, and they're good, and you can service the Montgomery County D.C. area with teams that are affected here. Good. That's stepping into the void created by the demolition of the Washington Post sports section. Now, I don't know what they're paying these people at the Baltimore Banner. I don't know their credentials. I don't know anything about them. Don't know how good they are. Hope they're real good. When you say that we're going to have deep reporting on the athletes, coaches and owners who shape your experience as fans. You make that kind of promise. I want to see it. Yeah, I'm perfectly happy to see it. I don't know what. I don't think a subscription cost much to the Baltimore Banner. I sort of thought it cost a dollar for six months.

[Michael Wilbon]

Subscribe for a dollar.

[Tony Kornheiser]

You know, am I making that up? I don't know. But you got to pay. That doesn't sound like a lot of money to pay your people. Your reporters. But maybe they'll hire some people from the.

[Michael Wilbon]

So I can get you. I can get you your first year for 60. The list price is 260.

[Tony Kornheiser]

Sixty dollars. Well, what's that dollar for six months? Well, that's.

[Michael Wilbon]

I think that's your. Your starting for six months. And then maybe it's gonna upgrade from there.

[Audience Member/Caller]

And one would hope that, you know, that some of the Post reporters might get a job.

[Greta Percha]

Yeah.

[Tony Kornheiser]

You know, but they make money. Like, I don't know what the people on the ball to. I don't know if there's a scale on the Baltimore. But I don't know anything like.

[Michael Wilbon]

So after your first six months, it will renew at 1999 every four weeks.

[Tony Kornheiser]

That's $20 a month after that.

[Michael Wilbon]

Well, depending on.

[Audience Member/Caller]

There'll be a huge demand for that information.

[Tony Kornheiser]

I would think so. You know. And you know what there's going to be a huge demand for? Because everybody talks about this. The All Met teams. People care about that in high schools.

[Greta Percha]

Yeah.

[Tony Kornheiser]

You have high school students, you know, or grade school students. Means a lot. Yeah. The All Met thing. And that's gone, too. Bezos got rid of everything. Bezos and Will Smith.

[Audience Member/Caller]

Will Lewis.

[Tony Kornheiser]

Will Lewis, yeah. Who used to work there and then got. Did he get canned or just quit? With a huge buyout.

[Audience Member/Caller]

He stepped out.

[Tony Kornheiser]

He's got like a Jimbo Fisher buyout.

[Audience Member/Caller]

I'm sure it was reported. I think Gene Wygart wrote about it. He'd get $3 million.

[Tony Kornheiser]

I would have thought more than that.

[Audience Member/Caller]

Well, it could be.

[Tony Kornheiser]

To be the Hatchet Man. I would have thought more than that.

[Audience Member/Caller]

At least he got a nice trip to the super bowl out of it.

[Tony Kornheiser]

Yeah. Anyway. Anyway, we. We wish Chris Corman, the sports editor of the Baltimore Banner. Lots of luck. And we, you know, we will. I'll read it. I'll see what's. If I can get safari. I'll read it. So I can get onto the Internet, but I cannot get safari. We will take a break. Who's first?

[Audience Member/Caller]

Doug Ferguson.

[Tony Kornheiser]

Yes, Doug. Doug Ferguson of the ap. He's out in Pebble Beach.

[Michael Wilbon]

Did you hear the story about Spieth?

[Tony Kornheiser]

No. I saw him hit a shot in Super Bowl Sunday. No. What happened?

[Michael Wilbon]

Hole in 1 on 15 at Cyprus.

[Tony Kornheiser]

Really? Just practicing.

[Doug Ferguson]

Yep.

[Tony Kornheiser]

Oh, wow. That's the hardest hole in the world.

[Michael Wilbon]

Well, this is before 16, but yes, leading into 16. Coming off of a one's a good feeling.

[Tony Kornheiser]

Yeah. All right. So. Yeah. Doug Ferguson when we return. I'm Tony Kornheiser at Planet Fitness.

[Show Producer/Promos]

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[Tony Kornheiser]

Here's the email. Happy day. My name is Greta Smit. I'm writing because my friend Audnus Gust, very cool Lithuanian, who's been a fan of your show for years, has been telling me for all those years that I absolutely have to submit one of my songs for your show. After my album released last week, he called me again and said, that's it. You're doing it. So here I am doing it. Why do we think I'm a good fit for this? For one, I'm a dentist. More specifically, a prosthodontist. My husband likes to joke that it sounds like a dentist for prostitutes, but in reality, I'm a full mouth rehabilitation specialist. I work on pretty gnarly cases, head and neck cancer survivors, cleft lip and palate patients, people who need complex reconstruction to get their function and confidence back. It's meaningful work and I love it. For two, in my free time, I make really cool music. I know it's cool because AI often rejects me from Spotify playlist placements for not for lack of quality or vocal delivery, but due to lack of genre conformity, which means I'm creating my own genre. You can listen and decide for yourself. And she writes under the name of Greta Percha. That's right. And this is called if you don't know what you want. She's quite good.

[Audience Member/Caller]

And I believe I know she referenced her husband. She might have meant my soon to be husband because she apparently is getting married this weekend.

[Tony Kornheiser]

Oh, okay. Soon to be husband.

[Doug Ferguson]

Okay.

[Tony Kornheiser]

And she plays in Doug Ferguson, who joins us from from pebble beach, which yesterday, as I finally couldn't take any more of the switchback 1080 double cork that I didn't understand, I went over to the golf channel and I will tell you, Doug and I think Michael feels the same way. It was the most beautiful Pebble Beach I'd ever seen. It was a totally cloudless sky. It was gorgeous. Yesterday Right.

[Doug Ferguson]

It was perfect. Yeah. Which was just. It was just miserable for, like, Tuesday and Wednesday. We were all kind of strapping in for might see some sun on Thursday. And then it was. Man, it was unbelievable. You know, you just did not want to leave the golf course.

[Tony Kornheiser]

It looks so.

[Doug Ferguson]

Lunch.

[Tony Kornheiser]

Yeah.

[Doug Ferguson]

You know, that's a big day.

[Tony Kornheiser]

It looks so beautiful. And it felt like. And maybe you don't agree with this, because I know other tournaments have been played. It felt like the kickoff tournament of the year. Right. That's what it felt like when I.

[Doug Ferguson]

Watched it a little bit. Yeah. I tended to agree. And I kind of paused, actually writing that, because, you know, when Brooks came back, that was kind of. That piqued some interest a little bit. But Jim Nance actually made an excellent point when he was kicking off the CBS season. Everyone's talking about starting the season and the big kickoff, you know, once the super bowl is out of the way. Jim said the television real estate is as good as it gets in that week between the conference championship and the Super Bowl. And we're at Torrey Pines, which isn't quite pebble, but it's beautiful. It's still got a pretty beautiful ocean. And that was the best weather I've seen in San Diego in 20 years.

[Tony Kornheiser]

Right.

[Doug Ferguson]

But I tend to agree with you, and it always been that way, too. I mean, there was Kapalua, and then it felt like the start of the golf season was pebble, because you turn on the TV and there's pebble and. Enough said.

[Tony Kornheiser]

Everybody knows. Everybody knows what pebble looks like. Everybody knows. It's been on forever and ever and ever. You know, if you're my age, it goes back to Bing Crosby and the clambake and all of that stuff. And it always feels like the beginning. On the other hand, this kid, Chris Goderup, has won about 60 tournaments before the beginning and was like, I don't know, minus eight. Like, hit six. I think his first six holes he birdied. What. What do you make of Goddard? What does everybody make of Goddard?

[Doug Ferguson]

I think they're still getting to know him. I've always been intrigued by him. First of all, when. When he was playing, you know, I think. I think it was Palm Springs a couple of years ago. Our Angels B. Rider was covering the tournament, and I told him, go check out Goddard and tell me he's not the Mike Trout of golf. He's built just like him, a lacrosse kid, but if he played baseball, it would have been ideal. He's always struck me as a guy who had a ton of rawness and power to him and just hadn't figured out how to play golf yet. Hadn't figured out how to score, how to manage. And he's figured that out because he is. I've talked to players who are watching him hit these low cut bullets and then turn around and hit these high sweeping draws off the tee in consecutive holes. He's got a lot of shots. He's got a great, great attitude and a good kid. And it'll be interesting. People get on heaters all the time, Tony. For years.

[Tony Kornheiser]

Yes.

[Doug Ferguson]

So we'll see how he sustains this through his kind of awakening.

[Tony Kornheiser]

You don't expect a golfer from Rutgers. You know what I mean? You just, you don't. He's a northeast kid. He went to Christian Brother Academy. Tony Reali went there and then he went to Rutgers for four years and then I think went to Oklahoma for one year and was the best golfer in college. Right? In that one year.

[Doug Ferguson]

Yes. Yeah, that. I mean, you're right about Rutgers and.

[Greta Percha]

Yeah.

[Doug Ferguson]

The one year final year at Oklahoma and all of a sudden he's in Columbus, Ohio, sitting with Jack Nicklaus, winning, you know, all the awards.

[Tony Kornheiser]

Yeah.

[Doug Ferguson]

And then really didn't do much, too. I mean, this is not like. Remember when Ludwig old Bear came through out of Tech and boom, he's playing in the Ryder Cup. I mean, Crystal Till took some, some marinating to do. Really impressive. Good thing. Apparently he couldn't play defense in lacrosse or he might have stuck with it, switched to golf.

[Tony Kornheiser]

Well, golf world is better for us. Yeah. Yeah. You mentioned Bruce Koepka before, and that was. I thought that was going to be a bigger deal than it seems to have been. He's not doing very much. How is, how is he fitting in? What are the other players think? What does he think?

[Jeff Passon]

I think.

[Doug Ferguson]

I think the players are fine with it. And if they're not, they're not saying anything. I love actually what Brian Harmon's caddy said right. When the news broke on January, whatever day that was, day the Sony Open, he leaned over and said, in three weeks, nobody's going to care. That's true with a lot of things about golf. I think he'll just fit right back in. But we'll see when he gets to Florida. I thought Brooks was kind of walking on eggshells a little bit, wanting to make sure he, you know, took all the right steps and all the right things and the old cap just didn't care. Right. And I think we'll get back to that before long, I just. I think there was some genuine nervousness when he came back in terms of the reception he was going to get from. From players, from fans, from press, every aspect of it. And having spent two weeks, especially Phoenix and getting that out of the way, I think his. His starting point is going to be. What is it called? Honda Cognizant. Sorry, Palm Beach.

[Tony Kornheiser]

Okay. So. But I think it's very deliberate, what the PGA Tour did with the commercial. With the commercial. Yeah. Where the best belong. And he ends up. He ends the commercial, a picture of him. So they are trying to milk this. The Tour is trying to milk this. And. Yeah, that's what I wondered about. I wondered if all of that. Because Koepka is sort of a roguish guy. But all of that seems to have quieted him down and put him in a position where I guess he doesn't want to ruffle any feathers. Is that accurate?

[Doug Ferguson]

I agree. That's not like him across this.

[Tony Kornheiser]

Yeah, that's not who he is.

[Doug Ferguson]

No. He's got swagger. He just doesn't care. He's Brooks. He's still. I mean, he's still hitting it. Nice. Didn't score on that. Great. I wouldn't expect anything less. He never played Tori and he doesn't putt poa. So, yeah, as I said, I'll be curious what kind of run up he has to the. To the Masters. And it's not the same as everyone else because he. He can't play it at Bay Hill. He is in the Players, though. He's not in the big events, so you'll see him at the ones that aren't signature events. But, you know, Augusta is going to be a big one for him.

[Tony Kornheiser]

Along that same line, in the last couple of weeks, we have on pti, had happy birthday or happy anniversary to two golfers, Khan Morikawa and Jordan Spieth. And Jordan Spieth had a great shot yesterday and he backed that ball in for an eagle. But they've had bad years. Morikawa had a terrible year last year. Speech had about three bad. Hasn't won in three or four years. What are the expectations of them?

[Doug Ferguson]

I look more at Jordan. You're right about Colin, by the way. And he, you know, should have won Bay Hills. Nothing really he did wrong. Just Russell Henley did everything right. And then his comments about, you know, I don't know anybody, anything came out the wrong way. And frankly, from that moment on, yeah, he was. He was not good. And this is a guy who every time he swung the Club, you could look up in the air and know exactly where it was going to be. That's the bread and butter for Moral Cow. Seen that in forever. So, yeah, he's not used to. He's not used to sucking, basically. And I think this is. He needs to figure that pretty quick. Spies remains, I think golf's greatest mystery. Played a nice one yesterday. Pebble's always been a good tournament for him. I think his biggest mistake was not dealing with a wrist injury when it first. When he first felt it and trying to play through it. And he talked a little bit last year about how much wasted time he had by the time he tried to play through it. Got a swing screwed up, went and got surgery, came back. You know, he lost probably two or three years of peak speeds. But when you're 20 and 19, what he was doing back then, and he had some magic about him, just something about the way he played and hold shots, that magic tends to tend to wane a little bit, I think, the older you get. So he's. I mean, he can still get it back. He can still play. He can still be still one of the best putters out there. He's still entertaining, but I don't know that he could. He could win as much as he did. We'll find out this year. I think it's a bigger year for Spieth than it is for Colin.

[Tony Kornheiser]

Okay. All right. I've watched parts of every tournament that's been on, and it seems the guy who's leading the tournament in the first, second, and off in the third round is the same guy. Rio Hisatsuni. I may mispronounce that. He's always at the top. He's at the top today. He doesn't close. He doesn't win. But who is this guy?

[Doug Ferguson]

He's from Japan. I can't believe you're going there with this. But anyway, no, he came. He came through the. I think he came through the corn ferry, if not Q school.

[Tony Kornheiser]

Okay.

[Doug Ferguson]

Japan's had a number of good little players, but he is. I can only tell you he struggled when he first came over. And I think a lot of them do. Just. Just learning new courses, where to stay, how to deal with traffic, you name it. But he's been on it on a. On a heater probably since, you know, getting to the mainland. Finished runner up at Tory, even though Justin Rose pretty much had that in the bag the whole way. And then, you know, a top 10 last week in Phoenix. Good ball, striker. I think he just needs to improve his putting, but he didn't need to yesterday because every time I looked up, he was making everything. So, yeah, I think people. People see his iron play and say it's going to be a matter of time with this guy. But. But, you know, they say that about everybody usually is putting. If he can probably fix his putting, he'll be. We'll hear more from him. I will get much as Matsuyama. I still think he's on a heater, but we'll see.

[Tony Kornheiser]

Matsuyama is a great player. He's a worldwide great player. He's won. So anyway, I'll get you out of here on this notion. Rory, the other day talked about at pebble beach, talked about the players not being a major and not to worry about it and moving the PGA back to August. What are your thoughts on both of those things?

[Doug Ferguson]

The major thing is laughable. Tour just was trying to get everyone to take the bait. Most of them did, but it's just not going to happen. The August thing really got my attention though, and I, you know, it's always lacked a bit of an identity. And frankly, Tony, you could almost say that the identity of the PGA Championship is that it has no identity because it moves around so many different style courses. But that glory's last shot, I mean, that's the way everybody looked at it. And it frankly produced usually the most, not every year, but the most exciting major in terms of competition. Guys were in total peak form. You know, moving to the end of the year was. It was. It was better off there. And now, you know, they wanted to go to Florida, but there's really no places to go to Florida except one in Miami and nobody's going there. It's kind of lost its way. It's kind of fallen into line instead of being at being the anchor. I don't think it's not going to happen, though. It's not just because. No, just because of the way that the tour has geared its season and is about to completely reshape its season, you know, by pushing for the end of the regular season in the FedEx cup before we get deep into football.

[Tony Kornheiser]

You don't. You don't want to compete on a weekend with football. You stone. It's crazy.

[Doug Ferguson]

No, you want to finish. I mean, they'll try and finish probably the last preseason week if they can help it.

[Tony Kornheiser]

Well, you can. You can finish Labor Day. You can finish Labor Day because they don't start till the Thursday after Labor Day. You can get out on Labor Day. So maybe they can fit it in. I seem to recall, maybe I'm wrong, that that was Nance's phrase, that Nance came up with, that glory's last shot.

[Doug Ferguson]

I don't recall that, but it's. That may predate me a little bit, but it's. It's brilliant. Yeah, it really is. And that's exactly what it was. These guys, when you. When you did not win the pga, you're waiting seven months before you get another crack at a major. And everyone knew that.

[Tony Kornheiser]

Yeah.

[Doug Ferguson]

I liked it, by the way they changed it then to the next. They got rid of glorious last shot. And the slogan was. And Jim Nance did not come up with this one. This is major slogan.

[Tony Kornheiser]

Yeah.

[Doug Ferguson]

No, because I had no idea when I pulled in.

[Tony Kornheiser]

Yeah. I thought they were saying that about players now, which sends a conflicting statement.

[Michael Wilbon]

I mean, March is major.

[Tony Kornheiser]

Oh, March. Okay. So, I mean, we talked about this on PTI the other day, and I said to Wilbourne, do you remember the Beatles? Because there were four Beatles. And there was this disc jockey in New York named Murray the K who claimed he was the fifth Beatle, but there was no fifth Beatle. There's four Beatles. There's four majors. That's how it works, kids. We don't need another one. I. If they move it to August, if they move it back, I mean, that would be fine. The only downside. Well, the downside now is when they play it now in May, you have taken the north, the east, and the Midwest out of play to host it. It's too cold, right?

[Doug Ferguson]

Oh, you're rolling the dice. Yeah.

[Tony Kornheiser]

Yeah. So that way they could move it back to those types of courses certainly in August. All right.

[Doug Ferguson]

That's true.

[Tony Kornheiser]

Enjoy. Pebble. Yeah. Yes. They could go to Oak Hill. They could go there. That's in Rochester. They could go to Minnesota. Right then. They used to play it in Minnesota every once in a while. Yeah, they would do that. All right. Enjoy yourself. Thanks for being on. Thanks, Doug.

[Doug Ferguson]

Thanks, Tony. Sun's coming up. Beauty today.

[Tony Kornheiser]

Yeah.

[Greta Percha]

Good.

[Tony Kornheiser]

It's early out there. Oh, boy. Doug Ferguson of the Associated Press joins us from Pebble Beach. We will take a break. Jeff Passon. We'll talk about baseball. You know, the season is changing when we talk about baseball. I'm Tony Kornheiser.

[Commercial Announcer]

You're listening to the Tony Kornheiser show.

[Tony Kornheiser]

Once again. This is Greta Percha, who writes. At the end of the day, I'm just having fun with it. I really believe humans are meant to create, not just work. All the time. My music is my way of living that out. If you happen to personally enjoy something amazing, if you think it fits the show even better. Either way, it felt like the time to be brave and send this or Dennis wouldn't let me off the hook. So this is really very, very nice. This is. What is the name of this one? This is Going through the Motions.

[Michael Wilbon]

Go through the Motions.

[Audience Member/Caller]

By the way, do you see how she labeled the email Happy Thursday Songs from a Tooth Fairy?

[Tony Kornheiser]

Yeah, well, she's a dentist. Come on now, Michael, if people like Greta want to send in their original music, how do they do it?

[Michael Wilbon]

Send us your music by email it to jinglesonyquinizershow.com and she plays in Jeff Passon.

[Tony Kornheiser]

And we got pitchers and catchers, right? Do we have pitchers and catchers on every team or have they not all reported yet?

[Jeff Passon]

Pitchers and catchers have all reported and the reality is that most of the position players have reported at this point to. Nobody takes any time off anymore, Tony. Like it's. It's pretty much year round training sport at this point. So they all just want to show up in shape, get there, get to work.

[Tony Kornheiser]

Okay, so it's. It's basically full spring training now, basically, more or less.

[Jeff Passon]

And it will be full spring training by the weekend.

[Tony Kornheiser]

Okay. I want to get to the new players on the new teams and stuff like that, but I also want to get to the Dodgers and the Dodgers and their unbelievable amount of money to spend, which I think we need to say they spend wisely. They spend wisely because they keep winning. But you are of a mind that, that there is, there's something that this will lead to that's not great, right?

[Jeff Passon]

No, actually. Oh, I think this is going to be an interesting argument. I'm curious what you think. I think the Dodgers represent an opportunity for baseball and here's how I think that they have shown that the system that exists right now is irretrievably broken. That back in the mid-90s when baseball lost the World Series because MLB was going for a salary cap and the players were never going to oblige and they struck and missed the 19944 World Series, which the Cleveland Indians probably should.

[Doug Ferguson]

Have and could have won.

[Jeff Passon]

But I think that as we see the same thing repeat itself right now, back then the Yankees were the team that was spending more than everyone and people were pissed off. And the competitive balance tax, the luxury tax was put in place and it, you know, it stabilized the sport for a long time. But over time, Tony, things change and the system doesn't work right now the way that it is currently constituted in Major League Baseball. And the Dodgers, to me, are telling everyone in the sport that if you have a system in which the only penalty, the only meaningful penalty is cash based is a tax of 110% once you're over the CBT threshold, that's not going to work because there are teams that have way more cash out there, like the Dodgers, who are owned by a $350 billion hedge fund, or like Steve Cohen, who is one of the great hedge fund managers of all time and has no problem paying that cash penalty. There needs to be something else in place. Now Major League Baseball is arguing that that's a salary cap. The players are again, still saying that, and it's no salary cap. We're not ever going to accept and agree to that. And that there are other levers to pull still within a new economic framework that make baseball more competitively balanced, that bring more parity to the game without strictly limiting what players can make. And that's really what the next year, as we approach December 1st and the expiration of the collective bargaining agreement is going to be about. It's going to be about figuring out whether there is a happy medium or whether the owners are going to go to the mattresses on a salary cap.

[Tony Kornheiser]

What do you think right now? Do you think this is the last season for a while?

[Jeff Passon]

I do not. And I might be naive and I might be Pollyannish about this, but here's the argument, Tony. In baseball back in the 1990s, starting with Camden Yards, MLB teams recognized that the easiest way to get free money is by having local municipalities buy you new stadiums. And it worked and it was great. But there are only so many new stadiums that can be bought with public money. So that dried up. Then suddenly television money came around and it was bountiful. And the Dodgers are the team that have, you know, had the pleasure of enjoying TV money or more TV money than anybody. But then the cord cutting happened and cable's dying, and the RSNs that paid so much to each of these teams for their local television rights went bankrupt.

[Tony Kornheiser]

It went out. Yeah.

[Jeff Passon]

Now the savior monetarily of Major League Baseball is both national and local television. And Rob Manfred has a vision that he is going to take over every right of every televised baseball game that is both national and local to market in 2028, when the national deals expire and when all of or when most of the local deals are either going to be up or the, you know, the bankrupted deals are going to have expired. And there's a lot of money out there in television, Tony, A ton. Right now, Major league baseball makes $1.8 billion in national TV money. That's going to at least double. Then you take 162 games from every team. Certainly a streamer, certainly ESPN, certainly someone would love to have those rights. If you can triple or more your television rights and then distribute that money reasonably, all of these small market teams that complain that they don't have enough money suddenly are going to have a windfall there. And you don't need a cap. You need some kind of restrictions in place to keep things fair. But TV can be the savior. Are you telling me that Major League Baseball, leading up to this expiration of the television contract in 2028 is going to miss demonstrable time, miss a full season potentially, and think that the streamers or the television networks are going to pay anywhere close to the same amount of money that they do for a game that hasn't been around and that has alienated its fans, is one that, you know, works its way through, continues the momentum that it has, and is taking that into the expiration of those contracts. I just feel like it would be cutting off your nose despite your face to try and get a salary cap right now when your windfall is sitting right there waiting to be had.

[Tony Kornheiser]

Do people understand this the way you understand this?

[Jeff Passon]

Are we talking about people in baseball?

[Tony Kornheiser]

People, People in baseball. Owners and players, do they understand it that way?

[Jeff Passon]

I think players understand it. I think. I think players sort of understand it. I think players, though, it's a much more simplistic thing with owners and players. I think they're so focused on the cap because Major League Baseball, I give them credit, they've done a very good job of making this the issue. Players, players just know we don't want to cap. And owners. Owners don't understand players. That's going to be a big issue over the next year as this plays out. Owners think that players are going to crack and are going to break and that because there's, you know, because the system right now so much of the money goes to like the top 5% of players, they think they're going to be able to create fissures among the players. What they don't understand is those players who do make a ton of money hold a disproportionate voice in the clubhouse. And that if, if the younger players who are making less money or if the middle class players who feel a little disaffected by the system, try and rage against it. They are going to be put line very quickly because that is how clubhouse dynamics work.

[Tony Kornheiser]

Okay. All right, let me get to one issue that has bubbled up in the last, I don't know, 48 hours, the Hammett bone issue. Everybody seems to be out with a Hammett bone injury, a bone I had never heard of. Jackson Holliday is out. Lyndor is out. Corbin Carroll is out. What is this thing?

[Jeff Passon]

The Hammet bone is a funny little evolution in the hand. It's on your palm. It's technically part of the wrist complex. And it is a bone that has a small little hook on it that holds some of the flexor muscles in place. It is very susceptible to breakage, and it can break in any number of ways. It can be an acute injury, as it was with Corbin Carroll, where you take a swing and maybe the knob of the bat is sort of resting on your palm and it jams in there. It can be something where if you slide into a base and you hit it the wrong way, that happens. But I talked to Steve Shin, who's a doctor at the Kurland Job Clinic and a hand surgeon and one of the foremost experts on this. And while there are questions among people in baseball, does this have to do with new training methodologies or anything along those lines? I think this might just be really random and really bad. Nobody knows for sure yet if there's some sort of like a hamate issue coming with more players. But. But they tend to think that it was just super bad luck.

[Tony Kornheiser]

Yeah. So not like Tommy John, where you can say, oh, they're all going to need this because of the way they throw. Because I would go back to school, I'd try to go to med school to be a hammock bone surgeon. Because I think that's big money. I think that's big money. In the last couple of days, do you expect the Tigers, do you expect them to trade Tarek Skubal or pay the money this year?

[Jeff Passon]

I do not think they're going to trade Tarek Scuba this year. I think they want to go and win the American League Central right now. And it's an interesting short term versus long term decision to make because Derek Skubel and Paul Skeens are the two best pitchers in the world to take either of them. But when you have one of the best pitchers in the world and you do not anticipate you're going to be willing to pay the money to sign him in free agency after the season. You know, unless you're one of those top economic teams, you tend to say, okay, well, let's move him and get an absolute bounty right now and reload going forward. That's not where the Tigers are at this point. Let's see what their record is in June.

[Tony Kornheiser]

That's right. I mean, let's see if Framber Valdez, if he makes them better and Justin Verlander makes them better, and suddenly they're cruising. They're not going to get rid of this guy. But I will say this. When you go into arbitration and you have offered $19 million and the other offer is $32 million, that's just too wide. A guy won two sides in a row. They had no chance of winning that. Right, Jeff? No chance.

[Jeff Passon]

They had a chance of winning it, if only because the arbitration room is a wacky place. And you just never know what the compelling argument's gonna be. There have been cases where lawyers have walked out of there thinking they had a slam dunk and lost. And there have been cases where they said they have absolutely no chance and won. So, you know, this was. This, to me was a very interesting thing that you can extrapolate out to the labor argument, frankly. These two sides that are so far apart on what they think value actually is, and Tarek Skubal's on the MLBPA executive subcommittee, which is the group of eight players who are by far the most powerful when it comes to bargaining. They're going to be the ones in the room. So he felt like, hey, I, you know, if it means I make 13 million less, so be it. But for the rest of the players and for the public perception of this, I'm going to take the chance. I'm going to take the risk. And you're exactly right, Tony. They walked into the room and Scott Boris was talking about how they, how Tarek Skubal has won back to back Cy Youngs and nobody ever in arbitration history has walked into a room with that on their resume. So please go and tell me that he's not worth what the best pitchers in baseball are.

[Tony Kornheiser]

And the arbitrators agreed 100%. All right, one quick question. The Warrior guard, Max Scherzer, is he going to sign? Does somebody want him?

[Jeff Passon]

Yeah, I think he's going to sign eventually. It could be one of those mid season signings. So it could be, you know, Roger Clemens, like shows up in the owner's box in the middle of the season and is a guy who pitches down the stretch. I mean, he wants to I talked with him after, after the World Series, and he said, I have every intention of playing next year where that is. I think we'll see it. Either it's going to be in the middle of the season or someone's going to get injured in spring training and he's going to be the guy who comes in and fills in that someone's.

[Tony Kornheiser]

Going to break a hammock bone and they're going to need him. Thank you, Jeff. Talk soon. Thanks, Jeff.

[Doug Ferguson]

Thanks, Tom.

[Tony Kornheiser]

Jeff Passon, Boys and girls, we will take a break, email and jingle to follow. I'm Tony Kornheiser. My day kicks off with a refreshing Celsius energy drink. Then straight to the gym, pre K pickup back home to meal prep. Time for my fire station shift. One more Celsius.

[Jeff Passon]

Gotta keep the lights on when the three alarm hits.

[Tony Kornheiser]

I'm ready. Celsius live fit. Go grab a cold refreshing Celsius at your local retailer or locate [e-mail].

[Commercial Announcer]

You're listening to the Tony Kornheiser Show.

[Tony Kornheiser]

Eric Olong and the Slappy Boys. You want to do the Bethesda bag layout for us?

[Greta Percha]

Yes.

[Audience Member/Caller]

Just love those guys. Bethesda Bagels, we love them. You would as well. Just go to BethesdaBaggles.com for the location in the DC area nearest you. Then pop on in and you'll be thrilled.

[Tony Kornheiser]

Before we get to the mailbag, let me just say when I became of age my mother called me to her side she said, son, you're growing up now Pretty soon you'll take a bride and then she said just because you become a young man now there's still some things that you don't understand now before you ask a girl for a hand now keep your freedom for as long as you can now my mama told me you better shop around Smokey Rob. Great tune. Thanks to our guests today, Jeff Passon and Doug Ferguson. Thanks as well to today's sponsors. Remember, you can listen to us on Apple podcasts Spotify and Odyssey. If you get show through Apple, please leave us a review.

[Michael Wilbon]

Wish us luck. We may be taking the Kornheiser boys to a indoor trampoline park called shall we Bounce out in Delaware.

[Tony Kornheiser]

Shall we bounce? Shall we bounce? Shall we dance? That's wonderful. That was Yul Brenner, wasn't it? Shall we dance?

[Audience Member/Caller]

I think it was, yes.

[Tony Kornheiser]

Cloud of evening, shall we fly?

[Audience Member/Caller]

Oh, you're gonna have fun.

[Tony Kornheiser]

Longtime listener, first time emailer. Feels great to say that. I grew up with PTI on every night you and Wilbon arguing the background. Why my dad made dinner was basically the soundtrack of my childhood. Fast forward 20 years and only a handful of missed PTI shows later. I'm now listening to the podcast while washing what appears to be the same baby bottle over and over again. I almost drove in during the Vertigo saga, but I hesitated after hearing about your ear that won't pop, I decided this was my moment. I'm a licensed audiologist in Indianapolis, Indiana. Real job, real degree, I promise, and I have worked in both EMT and private practice settings before transitioning into the hearing aid industry. What you describe sounds a lot like Eustachian tube dysfunction, which is just a fancy way of saying the tiny tube in your ear isn't doing its job regulating pressure. Very common with colds, weather changes, or after flying, the usual move is seven to 10 days of an over the counter nasal spray like Flonase or Nasal Cort. If sprays aren't your thing, a daily allergy pill can help. Both approaches work to reduce inflammation and improve Eustachian tube function. Sometimes it just resolves on its own, but I couldn't in good conscience keep listening without chiming in. I recently got my dad, John Slavich, hooked on the podcast. You two share a similar golf game and an enthusiasm for technology that slightly outpaces your understanding of it. If this gets read, he'll pretend not to care and then replay it three times if the RIT's cute. If the role's available, I'd like to formally apply to be the official audiologist Tony Corners Show. Sure, sure, Jason told me the other day. Not Jason, Lynn. Jason showed me something that's happened to him. You order this from Amazon? Amazon delivers everything except the sports in the Washington Post. Okay, they don't deliver.

[Michael Wilbon]

That is the ear popper?

[Tony Kornheiser]

Yeah, it's. It's a liquid that you put in and you try that. I haven't gotten it yet. From Tom doer in Chicago, Illinois. Mr. Tony When I was in second grade at Rye County Day School in Rye, New York, the yearbook committee was made up of high school students asked us what's the greatest invention ever and why? Our answers were printed next to our class pictures among the answers of the car, television, and spaceships. Carl Reichstetter answered, coffee ice cream. Because coffee is hot, ice cream is cold, and whoever figured out they could be combined had to be a genius.

[Audience Member/Caller]

That's not wrong.

[Tony Kornheiser]

Eric Robbins Silver Spring, Maryland Jenny's Brown Butter Almond Brittle that's it. That's the list. I gave that to Amy last night. She took that home for herself and for Hudson. And please, Jenny's people love Jennies. Yeah, Bonnie got her hands on a bunch of Jennies too. And please thank Brian Windhorse for name dropping my new band, Privileged Stoner Ski Bums. We'll send you our Single Switch backside double rodeo 1260 as soon as it's in the can. Bill Matfeld, Fort Mill, South Carolina I was in grade school during the 80s, and like you, I received Lincoln and Washington birthdays off separately. Separately, I graduated high school in 1992, and I don't ever remember there being a combined holiday. That being said, I can't remember the last time I had a President's Day off, if ever. Most private sector businesses don't give you a day off between New Year's Day and Memorial Day. We don't get MLK Presidents, Columbus or Veterans Day off. And if you want to take a day off around Easter, that's on you. You may not be aware of it because you've lived in D.C. most of your working life. D.C. is a company town. It's the entire reason the city exists at all. Only those businesses that are federal contractors routinely get those days off. And even then, it's not universal. For my entire working life, which includes four companies in two different industries, it's New Year's, Memorial Day, the fourth, Labor Day. Two days for Thanksgiving, two days for Christmas. That's it. That's a list. Right now, I'm in the middle of winter, Spring, Death March. Just 103 days to go until Memorial Day 101. If this gets read on Friday. Thank God for the podcast on your ears. One summer around 20 years ago, I had the exact same thing happen to me flying home from Montreal to Florida. Forget the home remedies. They won't work. After a month of trying different things and waiting for two, go away. I went to an ear, nose and throat specialist who prescribed a strong decongestant. That was my problem. There was congestion in the tubes that connect the ears to the throat. Go to an ENT and your problem will be solved. That's probably the wisest thing, to be fair. Dave Kroll. Not Dave Grohl. No, not the Dave Crow. Hello, Tony. Whatever ear it is, tilt your head to that side and bounce up and down on one leg. If that doesn't work, have a couple of shots of old Bardstown bourbon and watch Curling from Lee All Walford in Madison, Mississippi. An exaggerated chewing motion may alleviate your ear troubles. Can I interest you in some Swedish fish? Yeah, I'VE been trying to do that too. I've been trying to do all sorts of things. I think it's about 30% back, but I suspect, as Michael said, I've just learned to live with it. From Patrick Sitter in Sioux Falls, South Dakota. Regarding your hearing loss, it's your brain subliminally signaling to you to tune out. Wilbound incessantly droning on about the NBA.

[Michael Wilbon]

I'll get you an Azicourt.

[Tony Kornheiser]

Okay. Jeff Hyson, Chuck and Roxy, number six. My oldest child, a masculine child, is now father of a masculine child. I hope that he will become a third generation little who brings us as much joy as your grandchildren bring. To you. From Tim Cree in Fort Collins, Colorado. You know it must be baseball season because Chris Bryant of the Rockies is already on the 60 day deal. At this point, I can only assume that Brian, who has played in 1/4 of the games in the last four years combined, has legally changed his middle name to 60 Day DLC. That is seven years and 180 million well spent. He used to be great. Yeah, it was great with the Cubs.

[Audience Member/Caller]

Great with the World Series, right?

[Tony Kornheiser]

Yeah. From Kevin in D.C. tony, Michael, Nigel, you're all cordially invited to the wedding of Nora Davis and Kevin McNerney on April 11th at the Club at Glenmore outside of Charlottesville, Virginia. If you're able to make the trip a day early, we'd love to treat you to a round of Lynx golf at the club, which one review on Golf Digest calls, not the best in the area, but in good condition.

[Greta Percha]

Wow.

[Tony Kornheiser]

Tell Indy Rareburger to eat it, and it'd be swell if he could prepare a few words for the rehearsal dinner. Patrick Graham, Catonsville, Maryland Like Tony, I often glance to the stars during my early dog walking, often using a free app on my phone which will tell me what I'm looking at as I GO. On February 27th and 28th, there will be six planets aligned in an arc in the eastern sky just after sunset. Jupiter, Venus, Saturn, and Mercury will be visible with the naked eye. You'll need binoculars to see Uranus and Neptune, hoping for clear skies.

[Greta Percha]

Wow.

[Tony Kornheiser]

If the title is not taken, can I be the official dog walking old guy who walks around with his phone pointed at the sky, hoping he doesn't trip at the Toby Korean?

[Michael Wilbon]

Sure, bring a flashlight from our friend.

[Tony Kornheiser]

Tony Beeson, who sends me pictures of myself as the captain on a Valentine's cruise. Dear Dr. Kornheiser, is it Valentine's Day? Valentine's Day, or maybe just Saturday at Any rate, whatever you choose to call it, have a good one. It's got me doing the Tony Kornheiser Valentine's Day cruise. It's got Kinder Bueno and Jenny's on it. And the love. It's remarkable. It's remarkable. It's just remarkable. From Glenn Chiropovich, GMC Mr. Grove 23. Glenn Chiropovich Chiropovich from Herriman, Utah. I boiled chicken last night for my dog who has diarrhea. Just thought you and all the Littles would like to know. Sure, we do that all the time.

[Michael Wilbon]

Get the rice.

[Tony Kornheiser]

As always. Tell Kevin Brownie, Little Pumpkin, here's a wow, this is huge type. Yes. Goes after 11 pages. It's huge type. Yes.

[Audience Member/Caller]

It's chastising us about our planting habits.

[Tony Kornheiser]

Good morning. Two issues that I'm not hearing discussed recently on the show. First, March 17th is just about a month away from potato planting. Potato planting time, the traditional Irish planting day. I have found a way of growing potatoes that I believe even foolproof either in old tires, which I don't think works in Chevy Chase, or in wired towers. Here are links of it. More important, need to purchase potatoes now. Second, I've made mention in the past that I'm a beekeeper and think that Tony, Michael and you this is to you need beehives at your home as Tony has advocated for pollinators. Yes. If you are not open to beehives not native to the United States. I can also provide a Mason bee home which is a low maintenance and a solitary bee that pollinates but does not gather nectar for honey. Let me know. Spring is almost here. This is from Patrick Murphy.

[Audience Member/Caller]

By the way, can I we got. I got a text from Tony Beeson who was at the Cincinnati Art Museum for a Mad magazine exhibit with Sue Hydell, Claire Natola and Dina.

[Tony Kornheiser]

From Dina from near to Nora and.

[Audience Member/Caller]

They took a photo for us which I will show you.

[Tony Kornheiser]

Oh, it's lovely.

[Audience Member/Caller]

You're giving us the TK salute.

[Tony Kornheiser]

That's wonderful.

[Audience Member/Caller]

Yes, very lovely.

[Tony Kornheiser]

From Tony in Portland, Oregon. You know, I keep hearing you talk about the quad God. Quad God this, quad God that. And all I can think of is this guy must have really nice legs. Thanks for everything from hp. I am a close friend of dg. Listen to your podcast for the first time today. Longtime PTI fan. I'm a bit older than you. CCNY grad Post scandal, currently on Long Island. Coffee is my favorite ice cream. The reason for eliminating Lincoln's and Washington's birthdays was the gas crisis of 1973, they were into saving oil heating energy. So northeastern schools decided to close the week and combine the birthdays. Probably added school days in June. That's fascinating. That's fascinating. From Bill Pitcher, our organist friend. Horrible Pennsylvania Bill. I found myself last month on a work trip with an empty tube of toothpaste. I decided to slummet and visit the nearest dollar tree where I found dozens of Crests and Colgates at the inflation adjusted price of $1.25. I grabbed the one that looked least like it came from a dollar store. That night I was horrified at what squirted out. Hot pink and sparkly like an 80s starlet shoes, smelled of red hots and tasted like secondhand big red gum dipped in kerosene. Kids, it pays to read the box. And from Kenny Ray in Fort Walton Beach, Florida, save that freshly opened tube of Crest gel toothpaste. Sounds like second prize in the upcoming brackets. And we all know what third prize is. Yes, you fire got on your bike tight. Everyone, as always, do wear white. I still need a bit of milk full fat which I've warmed in the micro.

[Greta Percha]

Wa. Sam. If you don't know what you want don't you worry babe I've got it if you don't know what you need chill out cause I can provide it if you're trying to forget Come on, take another step if you don't know what you want maybe I can help you find it if you don't know what you want don't you worry if you don't know me to chill out cause I can write it if you're trying. I can I can help you find it. I can have to find it. Yeah baby I can't help you find it.

[Doug Ferguson]

All right, it's time, let's do it again.

[Greta Percha]

If you don't know what you want don't you worry bab I've got it got it don't know what you need to chill out cuz I can revive it I trying to forget take another step maybe I can I can help you find it maybe I can. Oh man.

[Doug Ferguson]

People sometimes ask me because I know that I wanted to see this for my life. And you know, sometimes I just say if I know I became a dentist.

[Greta Percha]

Going through the motions, that's my biggest nightmare. Ending up some place and not knowing how I got there. Everyone keeps saying just go with the blue. But what if it takes you somewhere you don't want to go? Running through emotion sending up a life there Dreaming of a place Wishing I knew how to get there so I tell myself that I'll keep going maybe next time it'll take me where I want to go through the motions. Going through the. Going through the sa. Sam.