Podcast Summary: “Pass the Hat”

The Tony Kornheiser Show – October 27, 2025

Episode Overview

In this episode, Tony Kornheiser and his regular panel (including Chris, Jim, Nigel) unpack the rapid firing and high-stakes world of college football coaching, focusing on Brian Kelly's sudden exit from LSU. The show balances humor, sharp commentary, and the sadness of losing former NFL center Nick Mangold. The discussion moves fluidly into the latest NFL narratives, the evolving culture of booster involvement in college sports, and a detailed look at the World Series with baseball insider Buster Olney. Michael Wilbon joins the show to dissect college football’s volatile coaching landscape and the trends emerging in the NFL’s eighth week.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. Remembering Nick Mangold (00:55–03:31)

• Tony remarks on the passing of former Jets center Nick Mangold at 41 from a rare genetic kidney disorder diagnosed in his rookie year, marveling at medical advancements but reminding listeners of medicine’s limits.
• Chris adds: “There is a sense now, I think a broad sense among people, that we can fix anything … so when something like this happens, you’re like, wait, what?” (03:06, Chris)
• Tony pivots to the evolving role of AI in medicine, noting both its promise and ethical concerns.

2. The Firing of Brian Kelly & College Coaching Carousel (04:16–14:13)

Tony reveals the main story: Brian Kelly fired from LSU, in the shadow of other notable high-dollar firings across college football.

• On buyout culture: Texas A&M paid Jimbo Fisher $79 million to walk; LSU owes Kelly a similarly massive sum.
  “Okay. So they're going to end up paying Brian Kelly ... 51 or 52 [million]. What? It doesn't matter. It's a lot of money.” (04:40, Tony)
• On Kelly’s motivations:
  Tony is critical—“He left [Notre Dame] for the most selfish reasons in the world … to enrich his own reputation by winning a national championship, which he didn’t win at Notre Dame.” (06:18, Tony).
• Panel humor:
  “Well, I won’t attack him, but I do not. I do not like him. He’s a hugely chest guy.” (07:17, Chris)
• Fan pressure & NIL era:
  The guys note booster impatience—fans chant “Fire Kelly” in the stadium; big donors are called on to contribute to buyouts. “I have a friend who knows about this and said... [they're asking] Can you put up a million? Because we want to get rid of this guy.” (10:28, Tony)

Notable Quotes

• “Would this have happened this year if all these other guys had not been fired? ...I think that created a circumstance that allowed you to think, let’s just fire him right now.” (08:03, Tony)
• “Because of NIL and the portal. Because everybody gets paid and you demand you win now.” (10:09, Tony)

Timestamps:

• 00:55–03:31 — Nick Mangold tribute and medical science advances
• 04:16–14:13 — Coaching firings, LSU & Brian Kelly, changing culture

3. Booster Culture & Unsustainable Buyouts (10:09–11:30)

• Rapid escalation in booster-driven coach buyouts, with donors acting more like investors seeking returns. “The directness of—you said we needed two million for this kid or this coach so that we could compete for the national championship. Where’s my return on investment? Like, I think it’s so direct now.” (11:05, Chris)

4. The NFL Week 8 & Shifting Trends (23:55–28:26)

With Michael Wilbon joining, focus swings to the NFL:

• Wilbon and Tony review teams sliding under the radar (e.g., Indianapolis), discuss coaching impact, and lament overly reactive sports discourse.
• Wilbon: “The discussion around all these teams in this sport ... too often reaches the level of stupid. Even though really smart people are sitting around the table, the discussion itself, it gets off the rails.” (25:35, Wilbon)

Quick Hits:

• Philadelphia Eagles: They beat the teams they’re supposed to beat, no extra credit.
• Indianapolis Colts: Emerging as a surprise with a 7-1 record—“If I was doing a power ranking, I would have Indianapolis one in mine.” (27:11, Tony)
• Cincinnati & the Jets: Wild, high-scoring games with defense losing out.

5. World Series Deep-Dive with Buster Olney (30:33–44:56)

Baseball brains collide as Buster Olney joins Tony for a comprehensive preview of World Series Game 3:

• Series deadlocked (1–1): Both Toronto and LA Dodgers “got what they wanted” from the first two games. (31:06–32:14, Buster)
• Pitching strategies & bullpen trust: Dodgers’ “circle of trust” for relievers is alarmingly small; they need length from starters.
• Toronto tactic: Work deep counts, get Dodgers starters out early to reach the weak bullpen.
• Yamamoto’s dominance: Not seen back-to-back postseason complete games since 2001.

  “24 years. Curt Schilling, 2001—Shohei Ohtani was 7 years old the last time we saw a starting pitcher throw back-to-back complete games in the postseason.” (35:56, Buster)

• Max Scherzer’s role: Can he still dominate the Dodgers' loaded lineup?
• Game 3 pivotal? Buster: “It might not be. ...Their vulnerabilities will still be there ... this could be a seven-game series and Game 3 is not pivotal.” (39:05, Buster)
• Clayton Kershaw question: Will sentiment put the struggling vet into a low-leverage spot?

  “He’s hoping that there’s a good moment, which, let’s face it, that means maybe they’re down 10-2 … or up 8-1.” (40:29, Buster)

• San Francisco Giants hire a college coach (Tony on risk): “There are no shortage of people you can call in baseball who will say to you, man, college coaches don’t work in pro ball. It is a separation of church and state.” (41:52, Buster)

Memorable Exchange

• Tony, on the Dodgers' cold-blooded approach:
  “It all comes down to can you help us win? And Clayton Kershaw understands that because he’s been part of that evolution.” (41:32, Buster)

6. Lighter Moments & Listener Mailbag (47:01–55:41)

• The show wraps with listener emails, ranging from trivia, parenting anecdotes, culinary adventures (fine dining in a grocery store), to tales from abroad.
• Musical interludes by the 502s, with humorous and warm commentary from Tony.
• Panel riffs on pop culture, Mick Jagger (father of eight!), and the show’s own long-running in-jokes.

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• On Brian Kelly’s LSU Tenure:
  “Brian Kelly’s out there for Brian Kelly. Right? Is that fair?” (06:18, Tony)
• On Modern Coaching Turnover:
  “I don’t think they’d have fired him without this atmosphere, this churning atmosphere of firing coaches. … Because of NIL and the portal. Because everybody gets paid and you demand you win now.” (09:53–10:09, Tony)
• On the World Series:
  “You are just sitting there and looking the other way when the starting pitcher comes to the dugout because you need him to go another inning.” (33:48, Buster)
• On Baseball’s New Managerial Frontier:
  “There are no shortage of people you can call in baseball who will say to you, man, college coaches don’t work in pro ball. It is a separation of church and state.” (41:52, Buster)
• On Coaching Stakes at LSU:
  “LSU just to me is sort of comical. All of college football is sort of comical in the way that people act as if it’s their … birthright to win a national championship every couple of years.” (20:36, Wilbon)

Timestamps for Key Segments

• 00:55–03:31 – Nick Mangold tribute, advances in medicine and AI
• 04:16–14:13 – Brian Kelly firing, college football’s firing frenzy, NIL, and boosters
• 23:55–28:26 – NFL Week 8 reactions with Michael Wilbon
• 30:33–44:56 – World Series breakdown with Buster Olney: pitching, bullpens, Game 3 expectations, Clayton Kershaw’s status, and Giants' coaching gamble
• 47:01–55:41 – Listener Mailbag and closing anecdotes

Tone & Style

Tony Kornheiser’s signature blend of wit, skepticism, and nostalgia pervades the show. The panel maintains a conversational, sometimes irreverent tone, freely admitting what they don’t like (or don’t know) and dropping in pop culture asides. The discussion is frank—with critiques of the business of sports and its disproportionate booster involvement—and compassionate when addressing mortality and legacies.

For those who missed the episode:
You’ll walk away with a sharp, comprehensive sense of why college football feels off-kilter, how big money is distorting the game, insider context on the World Series' chess match, and plenty of entertaining sidetracks—the classic Tony Kornheiser experience.