The Tony Kornheiser Show – “Hoos Lose”

Date: December 8, 2025
Host: Tony Kornheiser
Main Guest: Michael Wilbon
Produced by: This Show Stinks Productions, LLC

Episode Overview

This episode of The Tony Kornheiser Show focuses on the fallout from the college football playoff selection process, with a particular emphasis on Notre Dame’s exclusion and debates over the merits of Miami’s inclusion. The conversation touches on broader college football issues such as conference favoritism, the value (or lack thereof) of bowl games, and the struggle of traditional powerhouses in the NFL. Tony and regular guest Michael Wilbon engage in lively disagreement about the playoff system, the impacts on Notre Dame, and some NFL and golf news.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. Supermarket Frustrations, Grapefruit Prices, and Modern Life

• Tony opens with light banter about receiving “My Dad’s Chips” from Gary Edel, admiring the success of the snack venture, and shares a humorous frustration with using digital coupons at Safeway.
  • Notable quote (Tony, 02:20):

    "I hand them my phone and they say, 'Go to your wallet.' I said, 'I don't know what my wallet is.' I waited 10 minutes at customer service. There's nobody there."

• There’s playful conversation about the skyrocketing price of grapefruits and the nostalgia of making fresh juice versus buying packaged.
• Discussion includes gripes about self-checkout culture and the decline of customer service, especially affecting the older clientele.

2. NFL and Local Teams: Doom and Gloom

• Tony and crew summarize the disappointing state of NFL teams:
  • Kansas City Chiefs: Declared “done” for the year by Tony. (05:48)
  • Washington Football Team: Blown out by the Vikings, with coach Dan Quinn taking heat.
  • Wizards: Poor performance, giving D.C. fans little to cheer for.

3. College Football Playoff Controversy

• Tony’s Rant: Notre Dame “got hosed” by the selection committee, arguing Virginia's loss to Duke indirectly allowed Miami in over Notre Dame, due to the committee’s favoritism for ACC schools and personal affiliations among athletic directors.
• Tony emphasizes Notre Dame's 10-game winning streak after early-season losses, criticizing reliance on a months-old Miami head-to-head result.
  • Quote (Tony, 09:34):

    "Notre Dame got hosed. If Virginia had won, they're in. Get angry at Virginia—get angry at the Hoos!"

• Suggests the selection committee seeks to punish independent schools (Notre Dame) while favoring conferences, partly due to financial motivations.

-- Notable Timestamps:

• [05:48] Tony writes off the Kansas City Chiefs’ season.
• [09:34] Tony brands Virginia as the "villain" for Notre Dame’s playoff snub.
• [12:18] Tony on the committee’s “dirty little secret” about not liking Notre Dame's independence.

4. Wilbon Enters: The Playoff Debate Heats Up

• Wilbon is unapologetically direct: “I beat you, I’m in, you’re out,” defending Miami’s place based solely on their head-to-head win over Notre Dame, regardless of when it occurred in the season.
  • Wilbon (16:48):

    "It's as basic as it gets in sports. I beat you, I'm in, you're out. Miami won a head to head matchup. I don't want to hear anything else."

• Tony counters that context matters—including recency, margin of victory, and the quality of subsequent wins/losses.
• Both agree that Virginia’s loss was the ultimate pivot, not the selection committee’s supposed bias.
• Wilbon rebukes any notion of Notre Dame getting special TV or money-driven dispensation.
  • Wilbon (18:14):

    "It's 12 games. It's not August. It's 12 games. People want to make excuses for Notre Dame."

• Both lament the changing—and to some, "poisonous"—landscape of college football, the rise of committee politicking, and the exclusion of certain regions or teams.

-- Notable Timestamps:

• [16:48] Wilbon’s no-nonsense take on head-to-head over narratives.
• [18:55] Discussion on Virginia’s losses and their broader financial consequences.

5. Who Belongs in the Playoff? Best Teams vs. Inclusive Field

• Tony favors letting in the 12 best teams, even if it means leaving out “Cinderella” or non-power schools.
• Wilbon prefers inclusivity and representation from various conferences/regions, highlighting how exclusivity has “ruined” the game for fans outside the south and Midwest.

6. Bowl Games and Notre Dame’s Future

• Agreement that most bowl games are now “useless,” with little to gain for a snubbed Notre Dame.

7. If Notre Dame Joined the ACC…

• Both agree joining a conference, while “financially stupid” for Notre Dame, would likely guarantee postseason access, avoiding the fate suffered this year.

8. NFL Cleanup: Bears, Chiefs, and NFL Parity

• Bears lose to Green Bay but Wilbon is “encouraged” by their competitiveness, sees them as a playoff team.
• Tony and Wilbon agree Kansas City’s dynasty is over, needing to retool in a salary-capped era.
  • Wilbon (29:02):

    "Andy Reid is my age, he's 67. He may be interested in [coaching more], but he may not be. The Chiefs, they're done because they're not good enough. It's okay. You don't get to stay good enough forever."

9. Hero World Classic Brief (Golf)

• Tony and panel discuss the Hero World Classic, the purpose of the event, the field strength, and quirks, including Tiger Woods’ role as host and Hideki Matsuyama's win.
• Commentary on how golf schedules events opposite the NFL and the decline of off-season audience.
• Mention of Jordan Spieth’s struggles and comparison to Rickie Fowler’s career arc.

Notable Quotes

• Tony Kornheiser (09:34):

  "Notre Dame got hosed. If Virginia had won, they're in. Get angry at Virginia—get angry at the Hoos!"

• Michael Wilbon (16:48):

  "It's as basic as it gets in sports. I beat you, I'm in, you're out... Miami won a head-to-head matchup. I don't want to hear anything else."

• Tony Kornheiser (12:18):

  "This is the dirty little secret. They don't like Notre Dame because they're not in a conference."

• Wilbon (22:00):

  "College football has already ruined itself... College football, Tony, is poison."

• Wilbon (29:02):

  "Andy Reid is my age, he's 67... The Chiefs, they're done because they're not good enough. It's okay. You don't get to stay good enough forever."

Major Segments & Timestamps

• 00:51-04:41: Supermarkets, digital coupons, and grapefruit cost nostalgia
• 05:48-07:11: Chiefs and Washington football woes, NFL commentary
• 09:34-13:28: Notre Dame’s playoff snub analysis, committee bias, Wilbon setup
• 16:41-22:55: Wilbon v. Tony: The playoff selection debate, Virginia’s role, inclusion/exclusion philosophies
• 23:03-31:30: Bears-Packers analysis, NFL parity and Chiefs forecast
• 35:14-39:59: Hero World Classic, golf event timing, field strength, player slumps discussion

Memorable Moments

• Tony’s supermarket self-checkout rant (02:20):

  "None of these stores want you to check out with a real person. They want you to check out on the—yeah, the self-checkout. Yeah. No. So I hand them the phone, I say, I don't know how to use this..."

• Playoff debate intensity between Tony and Wilbon, showing a classic, friendly, sharp disagreement.

• Wilbon’s bluntness on Notre Dame:

  "To hell with Notre Dame." (21:11)

• NFL acceptance of change:

  "You don't get to stay good enough forever." (Wilbon, 29:02)

Tone & Style

Conversational, witty, sometimes self-deprecating, and always direct—true to the spirit of Tony Kornheiser’s long-running show. Tony intersperses rants and old-school media grumpiness with deeply informed sports takes, while Wilbon provides punchy, often contrarian views. The episode features breezy interludes about daily life and family, grounded by serious — at times passionate — commentary on the state of sports.

In Summary

"Hoos Lose" offers classic Tony Kornheiser: part stand-up, part sports salon, part old friends’ bickering. Sports fans will find deep dives on college football playoff controversies and NFL narratives, while regular listeners will appreciate the show’s blend of warmth, gripes, and the always-entertaining Tony–Wilbon repartee.