The Tony Kornheiser Show: “Have you no shame?”

Date: September 2, 2025

Episode Overview

This lively episode of The Tony Kornheiser Show blends the familiar warmth of Tony’s longtime friendships with discussions ranging from local golf woes and club camaraderie, to sharp observations about a busy weekend in sports—highlighting college football, the US Open, and baseball. Tony is joined by regulars Michael Wilbon and Arch Campbell, plus Pat Forde, all contributing their trademark wit and insight. The conversation ranges from self-deprecating humor about Tony’s golf game to serious reflection on coaching turmoil in college football.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. Golf Tournament Recap: Tony’s “Glorious” Struggle

• Tony and Arch regale listeners with their Labor Day tournament exploits at Columbia.
  • Tony acknowledges his game is “progressively worse” (01:35), noting this was his worst round yet: “I had no pars. I usually get four or five. I had no pars.” (01:56)
  • Arch offers the gentle suggestion: “Well, you have to adjust for the tournament expectations. You had pressure.” (02:08)
  • Detailed explanation of net vs. gross scoring for confused listeners (02:56).
  • Michael Kornheiser and Thomas Strand were the standout performers, carrying the team.
  • Comic relief: Tony’s desperation for shop-credit and Arch’s anticipation of a prize sweater.
  • Subject line for the ages: “Have you no shame?” – an email Tony receives ribbing his undeserved team win (09:03).
  • Tony’s self-effacing summary: “I stink. I’m a gagging dog. And that’s what happened. And you and Tom saved me.” (09:57)

2. Nationals Baseball: Signs of Life & Ongoing Frustrations

• Tony and Arch discuss a rare Nats win after a tough streak.
  • The rebuilding Nationals finally beat Miami thanks to rookie pitcher Andrew Alvarez: “He went out. He pitched five innings, lefty. He gave up one hit and no runs.” (11:13)
  • Wilbon and Arch dive into rookie achievements and the barren farm system.
  • Tony on James Wood’s struggles: “He strikes out three times a game. Stop, stop with him. Fix him.” (12:10)
  • A little perspective: “As bad as things are, you can look down at the Colorado Rockies... already eliminated from the playoffs.” (13:08)

3. Listener Community & Show Connections

• Heartfelt and joyful listener mail, notably a moving letter from artist Tom Masser:
  • Masser thanks Tony and the show for laughter during grief and unveils a new painting inspired by Tony’s dog, Chessie.
  • Tony credits the podcast as a connection for listeners “through laughter…the whiplash from grief to laughter was unforgettable and deeply comforting.” (14:16)

4. Back to Sports Business: Labor Day, a New Sports “Year”

• Wilbon: “Labor Day to me is always New Year’s Day... for those of us who live the calendar by sports.” (17:04)
• Recap of a jam-packed long sports weekend: college football, US Open tennis, MLB stretch run, and a surprising NFL trade.

5. NFL: Packers Moves and Wilbon’s Bearish Perspective

• Listener Ben Carton draws historical parallels between key Packers acquisitions and Super Bowl wins, worrying about the Bears’ fate.
  • Wilbon reflects: “You have to have a Hall of Fame defensive player to win a Super Bowl... and we don’t have one. That worries me.” (19:32)

6. Ryder Cup & Golf Picks

• Tony & Wilbon compare the apparent European advantage in the Ryder Cup captain’s picks.
  • Europe’s continuity and experience seems daunting: “They have 11 of 12 Ryder Cup veterans. The United States has five or six.” (21:05)

7. College Football: Stunners & Overreactions

• Consequential wins and losses:
  • Arch Manning’s rocky big debut at Ohio State: “Does not look great... they did not win.” (21:47)
  • LSU finally wins its opener under Kelly, Notre Dame loses to Miami, Alabama gets crushed by Florida State.
  • Biggest story: “Alabama losing, that matters. Okay, right away.” (25:10)
  • Wilbon’s skepticism of TV hype: “Everything about college football is overstated... they just exaggerate all wildly.” (23:36)

8. US Open Tennis: Why the Women’s Draw Rules

• Wilbon is emphatic: “It’s much more entertaining to me. The personalities are much more entertaining.” (25:53)
• Wilbon is all-in on Osaka: “At her best, she’s better than Sabalenka, she’s better than Iga.” (27:17)
• Tony and Michael analyze Coco Gauff’s limitations and discuss the unpredictable women’s field versus the predictability of the men’s.
• Heartbreak for Taylor Townsend: “Eight match points... what are you gonna do?” (30:10)

9. College Football, In-Depth: Pat Forde Joins

• Pat Forde and Tony dissect the weekend’s upsets, focusing on North Carolina’s collapse (37:01) and coaching turmoil at Alabama (43:25) and North Carolina.
  • On Bill Belichick’s new college gig: “It looks like a train wreck right now.” (39:33)
  • Forde on scheduling ‘real’ opponents: “With the playoff, can’t hurt some non-conference bump. You need to play somebody good.” (40:05)
  • Arch Manning’s struggles attributed to a tough Ohio State defense and questionable playcalling: “Steve Sarkeesian, who I think is a good play caller, I thought he called a really bad game.” (42:15)
  • Projecting coaching firings and the high-stakes pressure at Alabama.

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• On Tony’s Golf Game
  • Tony: “I didn’t help. I would have gone to the cooler and picked up water. I’d have done... I’ve never had this bad a round with no par.” (09:25)
• On the Podcast’s Community
  • Tom Masser (via Toni): “The whiplash from grief to laughter was unforgettable and deeply comforting.” (14:21)
• Wilbon on Sports “New Year’s”
  • “For those of us who live the calendar by sports, New Year’s Day is yesterday.” (17:04)
• Arch’s Iconic Rib
  • Arch Campbell: “May I read the subject line from one Al Serifino? ‘Have you no shame?’” (09:03)
• On College Football Fandom & Overreaction
  • Michael Wilbon: “Everything about college football is overstated... they just exaggerate all wildly.” (23:36)
  • Pat Forde: “If it’s a juggernaut or a train wreck, it’ll be really interesting and it looks like a train wreck right now.” (39:33)
• Wilbon on Women’s Tennis
  • “Women’s tennis is in an absolutely fascinating place... I hope the second week remains on this path to just fireworks.” (31:42)
• Tony on Perspective
  • “Let us not lose sight of the fact that they gave up 14 points... to the defending national champions at their place. That’s pretty good, right?” (48:38)

Timestamps for Key Segments

| Time | Segment | |-------------|-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | 00:00–09:41 | Golf Tournament Recap, Net vs. Gross, Tony’s Worst Round, Arch’s Sweater | | 10:42–14:56 | Nationals Baseball, James Wood’s struggles, Listener Letter from Tom Masser | | 16:56–21:42 | Wilbon’s “New Year,” NFL Packers/Bears moves, Ryder Cup captain’s picks | | 21:42–25:22 | College Football Weekend Rundown: Texas/Ohio State, LSU, Notre Dame, Alabama, Belichick | | 25:22–32:05 | US Open Tennis: Women’s Draw, Osaka & Gauff, Taylor Townsend heartbreak | | 34:39–49:10 | Pat Forde on College Football: North Carolina, Alabama, Scheduling, Transfer QBs | | 49:41–65:00 | Listener Mailbag, Bethesda Bagels, Musical Endings |

Episode Flow and Tone

• The show is breezy, conversational, and self-aware—a blend of playful ribbing (especially Tony roasting himself), insiderish but accessible sports deconstruction, and a strong sense of friendship and community.
• Email segments and stories from listeners provide heart and a sense of belonging, reinforcing that The Tony Kornheiser Show is as much about life as about the box score.

For New Listeners

This episode exemplifies the show’s signature mix: neighborhood-level camaraderie, sports-pundit gravitas, and the odd tangent—from sweater victories to poignant stories of loss and laughter. Tony’s willingness to mock his own failures, combined with Wilbon’s sharp sports mind and Pat Forde’s expert breakdowns, makes the episode as warm as it is insightful—a fitting kickoff to the “sports new year.”

Skip: Advertisements, show intro music, formal outro
Listen for: “Have you no shame?” (09:03), Wilbon on sports New Year (17:04), Pat Forde on Belichick’s coaching drama (39:33), and Tom Masser’s heartfelt tribute (14:16).