“Please press zero for the operator”

Summary

The Tony Kornheiser Show: “Please Press Zero for the Operator”
Release Date: January 17, 2025
Host: This Show Stinks Productions, LLC

---

Introduction

In the episode titled “Please Press Zero for the Operator,” Tony Kornheiser delves into a range of topics that span from sports coaching rumors to personal grievances with service providers. The show features insightful discussions with NFL insider Jason Lock and Fora, as well as commentary from political strategist James Carville and Jeff Ma, who provide their weekly game picks.

---

Personal Frustrations: AT&T and PEPCO

Timestamp: [02:25] – [15:02]

Tony opens the conversation by addressing two personal issues: his dissatisfaction with AT&T's billing practices and alarming increases in his electricity bills from PEPCO (Potomac Electric Power Company).

AT&T Billing Woes: Tony expresses his frustration with AT&T's push towards automatic deductions for bill payments, preferring traditional check payments instead.

• Tony Kornheiser ([03:05]): "Once you start making everything available, it can just be deducted. That simply. That's not good."

He recounts a recent incident where a delayed mail delivery due to a snow event resulted in an unexpected $8 late fee. Attempts to resolve the issue through AT&T's automated systems proved futile.

• Tony Kornheiser ([06:08]): "It's entrapment."

PEPCO's Rising Bills: Shifting focus to PEPCO, Tony highlights a dramatic increase in his electricity bills, nearly doubling from the previous month. Despite maintaining consistent energy usage, PEPCO insists the charges are accurate, leaving Tony skeptical of their claims.

• Tony Kornheiser ([10:31]): "It's an unbelievable. What's some of money?"

The discussion also touches on potential solutions like switching providers or installing solar panels, although Tony remains skeptical about the feasibility given the high costs involved.

• Jason Lock and Fora ([15:21]): "That's a lot. That's more than a $780 bill. A little bit."

---

NFL Insights: Deion Sanders and the Dallas Cowboys

Timestamp: [18:07] – [30:22]

Guest Segment: Jason Lock and Fora

Tony welcomes NFL insider Jason Lock and Fora to discuss the tantalizing possibility of Deion Sanders becoming the next head coach of the Dallas Cowboys. The conversation explores Deion's coaching capabilities, his fit with Jerry Jones’ vision, and the broader implications for the Cowboys' future.

Deion Sanders’ Viability as Coach: Jason assesses Deion's past coaching experience in Colorado, acknowledging his ability to assemble a competent staff but questioning his potential as a masterclass NFL head coach.

• Jason Lock and Fora ([18:50]): "Do I think Deion Sanders would be a masterclass NFL head coach? Probably not."

Jerry Jones’ Strategy: The discussion highlights Jerry Jones’ focus on entertainment and maintaining the Cowboys' vibrant presence in public discourse rather than solely building the best roster. Deion’s personality and history with Dallas could align well with Jones' objectives.

• Jason Lock and Fora ([22:01]): "He wants all those shots of him in primetime in his suite... Like him and Deion Sanders can sell some cars."

Tony concurs, emphasizing the potential for increased visibility and the dynamic that Deion and Jerry Jones could bring to the team.

• Tony Kornheiser ([21:19]): "This would be bigger than they already are, and they're already so big."

Other Coaching Candidates: Jason explores alternative coaching candidates like Mike McCarthy, Aaron Glenn, and Todd Monken, weighing their fit within the league and potential success with various teams. The conversation underscores the complexities of coaching hires in the NFL.

• Jason Lock and Fora ([24:10]): "I do think Tom Brady's going to have a lot to do with it."

---

Playoff Predictions and Game Analysis

Timestamp: [27:13] – [43:26]

Guest Segment: Jason Lock and Fora

Jason and Fora provide in-depth analysis and predictions for the upcoming playoff games, focusing on key matchups and player performances.

Key Game: Ravens vs. Bills Jason predicts a dominant performance by the Baltimore Ravens against the Buffalo Bills, attributing it to the Ravens' robust ground game and the Bills' lighter defensive build.

• Jason Lock and Fora ([27:44]): "If the Buffalo Bills cannot withstand that amount of just pure human poundage and power... they're going to win this football game."

Other Notable Predictions:

• Tony Dorn Predictions:
  • Ohio State vs. Notre Dame:
    • James Carville ([34:15]): "Notre Dame plus the eight and a half."
  • Washington vs. Detroit:
    • James Carville ([39:44]): "Washington plus the nine and a half and over 23 and a half points."
  • Chiefs vs. Houston:
    • James Carville ([41:25]): "Chiefs minus eight."

The segment includes strategic betting advice and highlights the significance of team dynamics and game states on the outcomes.

• James Carville ([43:15]): "I think the Baltimore Ravens have a couple of road-based, ground-based game plans that could let them road grade the Bills."

---

Weekly Picks with James Carville and Jeff Ma

Timestamp: [33:38] – [46:22]

Guest Segment: James Carville and Jeff Ma

James Carville shares his own game picks alongside Jeff Ma, offering viewers diversified perspectives on the upcoming matches.

James Carville's Picks:

• Notre Dame (+8.5)
• Washington (+9.5)
• Chiefs (-8)
• Rams (+6.5)

Carville connects his personal experiences, such as a recent eulogy for his father, to his enthusiasm for supporting Notre Dame.

• James Carville ([36:58]): "I'm glad I did it. I feel really good about it."

Jeff Ma's Commentary: Jeff reflects on the emotional aspects of sharing personal stories and appreciates the platform Tony provides to honor his father’s memory.

• Jeff Ma ([38:48]): "We can't be emotional."

The duo discusses their strategies, emphasizing statistical analysis and team form as key factors in their predictions.

• James Carville ([41:25]): "This is a game that's going to have a lot of variance packed into it."

---

Listener Mailbag: Traffic Troubles and Miscellaneous Topics

Timestamp: [44:00] – [55:27]

Tony engages with listener emails, addressing a variety of topics from traffic congestion in Virginia to curiosity about the Moon landing and solar system alignments.

Traffic Congestion in Virginia: Listeners share grievances about severe traffic jams in areas like Fredericksburg and Golden Glades interchange. Tony analyzes the causes, attributing them to limited river crossings and high traffic volumes.

• Listener Bill Matfield ([51:03]): "Why don't you build a bridge?"

Astronomical Alignments: A listener named David in Chapel Hill, North Carolina, discusses upcoming planetary alignments observable from Earth. Tony humorously interjects with NASA trivia about Mercury 7 astronauts.

• Tony Kornheiser ([47:31]): "We know. These are heroes. Yes, these are heroes."

Miscellaneous Comments: Other listener emails touch on topics like the Moon landing’s portrayal in media and personal anecdotes, adding a lighthearted and relatable touch to the episode.

---

Closing Remarks and Musical Segments

Timestamp: [55:27] – [46:22]

Tony wraps up the show with acknowledgments to guests, sponsors, and listeners. He shares humorous observations about lunar golf shots from the Apollo missions and encourages listeners to engage with the show on various platforms. The episode concludes with renditions of Lauren Daigle's songs, providing a mellower end to the lively discussions.

---

Notable Quotes

• Tony Kornheiser ([03:05]): "Once you start making everything available, it can just be deducted. That simply. That's not good."
• Jason Lock and Fora ([18:50]): "Do I think Deion Sanders would be a masterclass NFL head coach? Probably not."
• James Carville ([36:58]): "I'm glad I did it. I feel really good about it."
• Tony Kornheiser ([27:44]): "If the Buffalo Bills cannot withstand that amount of just pure human poundage and power... they're going to win this football game."

---

Conclusion

This episode of "The Tony Kornheiser Show" offers a blend of personal anecdotes, in-depth sports analysis, and interactive listener engagement. From critiquing service providers to evaluating high-stakes NFL coaching possibilities and game predictions, Tony Kornheiser ensures a comprehensive and engaging listening experience for both devoted fans and newcomers alike.

---

Listen to the full episode on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or the Odyssey App. Don't forget to leave a review and follow the show for more insightful discussions and expert analyses.

Transcript

[Tony Kornheiser]

Hey, it's Tony. On today's show, we'll talk to Jason Locanfora about whether Deion Sanders will become the next head coach of the Cowboys, as well as what to expect in the playoff games this weekend. Plus, James Carville and Jeff Ma will call in with our weekly picks. But first, let's do some commerce.

[Commercial Announcer]

Attention sports enthusiasts. Keep the adrenaline pumping and elevate your game day with Chumba Casino. It's completely free to play, no purchase necessary. Whether you're cheering from the stands, on the move or relaxing at home, Chumba Casino brings the thrill of social casino directly to your fingertips. Experience the ultimate intimate social casino adventure with reels of casino style games offering hundreds of exciting options to choose from and fresh new releases every week. There's always something new and thrilling to explore. From action packed social slots and classic blackjack to engaging bingo and solitaire, the fun never stops. Plus, enjoy generous daily login bonuses and a fantastic free welcome bonus to kickstart your social gaming journey. Dive into the excitement. Discover a world where you can play for your chance to redeem some serious prizes and have a blast along the way. Don't miss out. What are you waiting for? Join now and immerse yourself in nonstop up fun and adventure with Chumba Casino. Get in on the action [e-mail] and make every day a Chamba Day. No purchase necessary. VGW Group void war prohibited by law 18/ DNC supply this cold and flu season Instacart is here to help deliver all your sick day essentials. Whether you're in prevention mode and need vitamins, hand sanitizer and that lemon tea your nana swears by, or you're in healing mode and need medicine, soup and a lot more tissues. Simply download the Instacart app to get sick day supplies that reinvigorate or relieve. Delivered in as fast as 30 minutes. Plus enjoy. Zero delivery. Delivery fees on your first three orders. Excludes restaurant orders. Service fees and terms apply.

[Tony Kornheiser]

Previously on the Tony Kornheiser Show. It's price fixed and it is menu fixed. There's you don't order. You either want this or you don't want this. And it was really good and I was very happy to have gone because.

[Michael]

What was your favorite bite?

[Tony Kornheiser]

My favorite bite actually was of the lobster ravioli. Not ravioli, the lobster pasta. That was really, really good. The whole thing was really good.

[Michael]

Pick out all lobster.

[Tony Kornheiser]

I tried to. I tried to get into the dish before they did, before anybody else did and cut the lobster The Tony Kornheiser show is on now. As we often say, sad but true. True.

[Michael]

Hey, look over there.

[Tony Kornheiser]

I have two things I want to talk about today, and they are very personal. Not personal in terms of I'm going to reveal anything about my personal self, but they're very personal because they happen to me. The premise of the show is always the same. Yes, I have done well, and yes, I have a certain amount of limited.

[Michael]

Fame, but I feel like that's directed at me.

[Tony Kornheiser]

The world. No, the world treats me the same often as it treats everybody else. And my complaints are complaints that anybody else would have. This is about two things. One is about attention, and one is about pepco. PEPCO is the Potomac Electric Power Company. They provide the electricity to my home and the homes of millions of other people. AT&T. You know what? AT&T is my. My phone service. And if I didn't love my son so much at his age, I would say I'm not paying for your phone anymore. But I've never said that to him.

[Michael]

Cue the email.

[Tony Kornheiser]

Thanks.

[Michael]

Yeah, it's a family plan.

[Tony Kornheiser]

Yeah. AT&T has a family plan. Mm. And I. What AT&T does is. Let's just say. Let's just say that the bills are due on the 25th of the month. Okay. From about the 1st or 2nd of the month on, AT&T sends you emails, and they say, this is your bill. You can pay it now. They just want you to pay it. They don't want you to pay it by check. They want you to pay it to be deducted by some vast reservoir of money that you put out in the street that anybody can get their hands on, in my opinion. Very revealing. Yeah. Anybody can get their hands on your money. Once you start doing this.

[Nigel]

Yes.

[Tony Kornheiser]

Once you start making everything available, it can just be deducted. That simply. That's not good. Now, Michael, you do this all the time and you don't think it's not good?

[Michael]

I think if you have trusted sources, it's safer than using a paper check, which has been known for fraud. In terms of people using certain scrubbers to erase.

[Tony Kornheiser]

Yes.

[Michael]

Whatever you write down and put in what they want.

[Tony Kornheiser]

That's why I have special pens.

[Nigel]

Catch me if you can. Wasn't that the movie?

[Tony Kornheiser]

Yes. Yeah. Yes. With Leonardo DiCaprio. But I'm old and old school, and I believe you send me a bill, I send you the payment. That's how I want to do it. I don't want to deduct any. I don't like that sometimes when people come over here and they ask you to pay them right there, and then just take a picture of the check that you write. I don't understand how that works. They don't want the mobile deposit. I don't understand it. But okay. I live with that.

[Michael]

Now, will you drop the check off at the post office or do you trust your local box?

[Tony Kornheiser]

Post office. Good. Always Post office right there, Right inside. But not even the thing outside the inside. Inside the post office. And if it's closed, I wait till it's open. Pretty simple. They just want my money. AT&T. The average bill, I think is something like $180. And that three phones are on that bill. I don't. It's okay, right? Okay. It's not the problem. The problem is when they finally send me a paper bill that is due on the 25th, it gets to me, say, on the 20th or the 21st. And this last one got to me on the 20th of the 21st because it had. There was a snow event and not all the mail was delivered.

[Nigel]

That's right.

[Tony Kornheiser]

Okay. And it said I owed them $8 late fee. I said, no, no, no, I don't owe them $8 late fee. I went back in my checks and found out that I sent it out dated the 12th, and it was due, let's say, the 22nd or so. Plenty of time. Sure, plenty of time. So I tried to talk to a person. You can't talk to a person you call up. You don't get a real person. Get a robot. And my point was, we all put our trust in the United States mail.

[Nigel]

Yes.

[Tony Kornheiser]

And I sent it out. And you cashed it. And they did cash it. And you can see on it where the check. When the check got to you. But when the check was dated. And if it dated by you, Dated by me, you can assume I'm a liar if you want dated by me. But you would have to then go back in time and look at all the times I've paid this. Paid it legitimately because I have no history of being a scofflaw. And I said, no, I'm not gonna pay this late charge. I mean, if something went awry in the postal system, that's not my fault. My son's position is you ain't getting no coke. It is my fault. Like you think it is my fault. You say it's not their fault.

[Michael]

This is a comedy of errors. Did you pay to get the mail certified by the United States Post Office to certify that it was Sent on a day.

[Tony Kornheiser]

Did not.

[Michael]

I mean, this is just a trust. Yes, they should trust you in this instance. And look at your long relationship going back to Singular Wireless. You're trying to use some rollover minutes over.

[Tony Kornheiser]

This is exactly what I'm talking about. Even though at first Michael doesn't want to say this on the air, he said, well, it's not, it's not their fault if the post office is delayed.

[Michael]

It's no one's fault.

[Tony Kornheiser]

It's not my fault either. Okay, so I call and I call and I call and I get robots, right?

[Nigel]

I'm sorry, say that again.

[Tony Kornheiser]

You know, and they say, no, you can chat with us.

[Michael]

Are you calling on your AT&T wireless?

[Tony Kornheiser]

I don't want to chat with you.

[Nigel]

Do they offer the idea of, the idea of like, would you like to go online and text with us?

[Tony Kornheiser]

We'll call you back.

[Michael]

Just leave your number.

[Tony Kornheiser]

That's what it's says with a chat. That's what it says. That's a chat. You're typing. You're not talking to a person.

[Nigel]

Oh, man.

[Tony Kornheiser]

And I, I finally, I explain all of this to a robot. It's a woman's voice. It's not a real woman. It's a, it's, it's nonsense.

[Nigel]

AI.

[Tony Kornheiser]

And then she says, and I use the word shame because it's a woman's voice. Oh, you don't want to pay. This is after, like screaming and yelling. You don't want to pay the late fee. Okay, you don't have to. And I'll send you an email to that effect, thereby shutting me up.

[Nigel]

Sure.

[Tony Kornheiser]

No email was ever sent. It's never been sent. What is my proof that this happened? What is my, my proof is that. What? That you're going to get a robot to say it happened. You have this on a call. I don't know that you have it on a call. You, that you say you have it on.

[Michael]

If you typed it out, there'd be a transcript.

[Tony Kornheiser]

Not typing. I'm not doing that. It drives me crazy.

[Michael]

Is there any way I can get the recording of you on the phone with a robot?

[Tony Kornheiser]

I don't know.

[Nigel]

Could be a rogue robot just saying things willy nilly.

[Tony Kornheiser]

So I paid the next bill and they just, they delayed the bills because they don't want to employ people to go through the checks. It's pretty simple.

[Michael]

They're trying to trap you.

[Tony Kornheiser]

Pretty. That's how I feel. It's entrapment.

[Nigel]

Well, there's two solutions to this.

[Tony Kornheiser]

I paid the bill. I deducted the $8 charge as I'm not. I wrote in. I'm not paying this. Not paying this. And you know what my alternative is? Get out of AT&T.

[Nigel]

Well, yeah.

[Tony Kornheiser]

Right. What. Go to what. What else is there is out there?

[Nigel]

Verizon.

[Tony Kornheiser]

Verizon. Yeah, I'll do that. Get out AT and T. Ryan Reynolds one.

[Nigel]

Oh, yeah. I don't know what that. That. That is called, but yeah, there's all sorts of different.

[Tony Kornheiser]

You, a new phone.

[Nigel]

Yes.

[Michael]

Anymore.

[Nigel]

But what you do in that situation, there's two things you can do.

[Tony Kornheiser]

The other thing I got is better.

[Nigel]

The thing you say. You say Mint Mobile. I'm gonna switch. I'm gonna switch my services. Unless you wa.

[Michael]

The old Comcast trick.

[Tony Kornheiser]

Okay.

[Nigel]

Yeah.

[Tony Kornheiser]

Who am I going to say that to? They're not people.

[Nigel]

Eventually, if you can get to a person, you say that.

[Michael]

Have you tried pressing 0,000?

[Nigel]

Yeah. You just type in 0 repeatedly. Sometimes that works. Or just buy at&t.

[Tony Kornheiser]

Yeah, yeah. Buy the whole company. Let me give you Pepco. Pepco's better.

[Michael]

Can't be better than this.

[James Carville]

Better.

[Tony Kornheiser]

The Potomac Electric Power Company.

[Michael]

We have trust in Pepco.

[Nigel]

Yes. Have to.

[Tony Kornheiser]

Yeah.

[Michael]

Oh, he's going to the paper.

[Tony Kornheiser]

Here's my bill for this month. $787.72 for electricity. Last month was 412. This is almost double that. 412 is one of the largest bills I've ever had.

[Nigel]

Yeah.

[Tony Kornheiser]

Electricity. I have gas, heat. It's not heat, it's electricity.

[Michael]

So the number you're reading is for the month of. It's for January or some portion of it.

[Tony Kornheiser]

Yeah, December, January, some small portion of it. And then they have all of these charts as to what I use and what I don't. This is. Look, the same lights are on in my house every single day. Every single day. Nothing changes. We don't go through some period of time where all the lights in the house are on for three years. We don't do that. It's double. It's. It's an unbelievable. What's some of money?

[Michael]

The comparison to the same time range from last year.

[Tony Kornheiser]

Yeah.

[Nigel]

They give you a year to year.

[Michael]

And if you take. They have increased their delivery charge, which makes no sense because it's going to your wall.

[Tony Kornheiser]

My Delivery charges are $210. What? It's $210. My delivery charges. I don't. So I have this person.

[Michael]

It goes up based on usage, I think.

[Tony Kornheiser]

Yeah. But I don't. I don't use any more this month than last month. So I call the person who I've called before, whose name I'm not going to reveal now.

[Michael]

Not yet.

[Tony Kornheiser]

Not yet. But she says to me, I said, could you check this? This is crazy. This is crazy high. It's crazy high. And she said, yeah, we checked it. It looks right. Because they always tell you that their equipment is perfect.

[Nigel]

Yeah. Nothing wrong.

[Tony Kornheiser]

They never can see that anything can go wrong with their equipment. Nothing. Nothing. It has to be my fault. It has to be me. It has to be legitimate. And she says to me in a note, you. You need to check your H Vac. You need to get somebody over there to check this because this is some problem on your end. But I didn't have a problem for the last 12 months where my bills, when they went up, went up a little bit.

[Michael]

Right. You think in June and July when it was at its hottest, you'd have the same effect.

[Tony Kornheiser]

I've never had anything anywhere near this. So if somebody works for Pepco and is listening, just contact me. This is. And again, I can pay it. That's not the point. Yeah, that's not the point. The point to me is, wow, it's almost double. And if it's that high this month, it's going to be higher next month because it's colder now.

[Commercial Announcer]

Right.

[Michael]

And we understand that you're running two studios out of your home, so it makes sense that it's going to be higher than what you think should be.

[Tony Kornheiser]

Tell me. Yes, tell me, where's the electricity going? Just tell me where it's going. If you're. If you're. If your equipment is so sophisticated that you can tell me hour by hour what I'm using, Tell me where I'm using it. Like, maybe you're 100% right. Again, I'm not. I know I'm going to have to pay it. And in fact, if I don't pay it, like, in an hour, it's going up. 30 bucks for late fees.

[Nigel]

Feels like a Rehoboth water situation.

[Tony Kornheiser]

Just. So just tell me.

[Michael]

A neighbor plugging in a generator.

[Nigel]

Maybe it was the guy that came over to watch the game. Maybe.

[Tony Kornheiser]

What did he do? Did he steal my electricity? Did he carry it off in his pocket? Brought a portable charger, extension cord, and also, you know, I haven't talked to a real person about that. I mean, there was. There's a note back and forth.

[Michael]

Did you try the AT&T robot?

[Tony Kornheiser]

No, I haven't.

[Nigel]

If they can help you out.

[Tony Kornheiser]

No. She seemed like she was that was.

[Nigel]

And you can't. Unlike AT T, you can't be like, oh, I'm gonna go to a different electricity company.

[Tony Kornheiser]

The notes said to me, this is nothing. It's perfectly right. We are perfectly right. But a lot of people are complaining about their bills this month. Okay. Because my bill is almost double what it's ever been before.

[Michael]

And these are actual bills. Because they tried to give us the estimate for about six to nine months, and we realized they were overcharging us by like 15 every month.

[Nigel]

Yeah. No, and it just comes out. I mean, when it doubles in a month, it's. It's just alum.

[Tony Kornheiser]

They never say this. We. Maybe we made a mistake. No, our equipment is perfect.

[Nigel]

It's not usual.

[Tony Kornheiser]

Yeah, but it's. It says readings. They say readings here, not estimates. Readings. End date, January 7th. Start date, January 6th. Your meter records electric energy use in hourly intervals. Your bill is a total of all hourly intervals recorded during your billing period. You know, and it says winter rates in effect. What does that mean?

[Nigel]

Winter rates?

[Tony Kornheiser]

What does that mean? And why is the delivery chart. Was there somebody, Nobody. I've never seen anybody get out of a truck.

[Nigel]

Is your electricity.

[Tony Kornheiser]

Yeah.

[Nigel]

Good morning, sir.

[Tony Kornheiser]

Do you know this month, I mean, would I be better off getting solar panels?

[Michael]

I think it could alleviate some of that. You have to check to make sure.

[Tony Kornheiser]

You have the right angle solar panels cost. You know what? At this point, I don't care what they cost. I would get them just because I don't want to pay this.

[Michael]

This is how solidify is. What would be the incentives they give you if you install it? Because I think the. The upfront cost is steep.

[Tony Kornheiser]

Yeah.

[Michael]

But if it can help you lessen that, that would be worth it.

[Tony Kornheiser]

It's an outrageous bill. To me. It's almost double what it's ever been before. Right.

[Michael]

That's the jump. That doesn't make sense. That's where you think there's something with the reading.

[Tony Kornheiser]

Come on.

[Nigel]

This says the average cost to install solar panels on a roof in the United states is between 16,000, 525,000.

[Tony Kornheiser]

That's a lot. That's more than a $780 bill. A little bit.

[Nigel]

We may need to rethink that.

[Tony Kornheiser]

Oh, maybe I could get him and be a celebrity spokesperson.

[Nigel]

Is there a solar company that will work with us?

[Tony Kornheiser]

Yeah, yeah. As well as somebody from pepco. Maybe a solar person is listening to this. Wow, that's a lot.

[Nigel]

That's a bit.

[Tony Kornheiser]

Anyway, that's the opening. Jason Lochira, when we return. I'm Tony Kornheiser. This is the Tony Korneiser Show. This is the Ethos Reid. Your family depends on you, so get serious about something every family needs Life insurance. Ethos has made securing life insurance as smooth as possible. Normal coverage from work may not be enough, and rates go up as you age. With Ethos, you can apply for affordable life insurance quickly and easily online, all without a medical exam. Just answer a few health questions for a free quote in less than 10 minutes. Ethos.com Tony they have term life policies from 10 to 30 years of coverage that start as low as $10 a month. Ethos lets you save time with customizable coverage to fit your needs and budget. Plus, you can start your policy instantly. You'll be in good company. Two million families of trusted Ethos to help find the right coverage. So give your family peace of mind today for whatever the new year brings. Term life policies start as low as $10 a month. Get your free [e-mail] Tony that's E T H O S.com Tony this episode is brought to you by Amazon. Sometimes the most painful part of getting sick is the getting better part. Waiting on hold for an appointment, sitting in crowded waiting rooms, standing in line at the pharmacy. That's painful. Amazon One Medical and Amazon Pharmacy remove those painful parts of getting better with things like 247 virtual visits and prescriptions delivered to your door. Thanks to Amazon Pharmacy and AmazonOne Medical Healthcare just got less painful. You're listening to the Tony Kornheiser Show. This is our friend Marty O'Neill from Annapolis, Maryland. Today this is being released. It's called Fearless Man. He's appreciative of the airtime that we give him. We're happy to do it, he says. I work in Baltimore most days and the song's genesis was the troubled times surrounding Freddie Gray's death in 2016 and everything that followed in the months after. I was inspired by a number of rational voices. One I called the Fearless Man. We recorded the tune at 38 North Studios in Falls Church under the production guidance of Buddy Speer. Track was mastered at Sterling Sound in Nashville. Thanks for all your support of indie artists. Yeah, we do that. We're happy to do that. Marty O'Neill, Annapolis Marilyn the song is called Fearless Man. It plays in Jason Lock and Fora and I read this. We're joined by Odyssey NFL insider Jason Lock and Fora, host of the podcast in the Huddle covering the entire NFL. Let's start with this because you wrote about it Let. I mean, because you can't. You can't talk about football and not talk about Jerry Jones and Deion Sanders. Hell, yeah. You just. You just can't do it. I mean, is there. And just as a backdrop before you go and talk about this, a, is there any proof Deion can coach? And B, is there any proof that Jerry will back off and now go tell us about the pot, the possibility that that's how it's going to end up in Dallas?

[Jason Lock and Fora]

Well, I think there's as much possibility as Deon can coach or at least put together, you know, a staff and have a team win more games than it loses, because that's really all the Cowboys.

[Tony Kornheiser]

He's done that. He's done that in Colorado.

[Jason Lock and Fora]

He's done that. And there's been a lot of guys hired in this league who haven't done that. So do I think Deion Sanders would be a masterclass NFL head coach? Probably not. Most people aren't. Do I think it would be everybody's cup of tea? No. No, it wouldn't. But there are certain places where it fits and it plays. And it actually would be very much of their football culture, or what they, I guess, would say their football culture is. It would be a personality fit. It would. It would. It would meet a lot of their needs. And this is the one more than any other, because he played there, because he knows Jerry. Because I think Jerry knows what he's selling at this point in time. He's not. He can't sell the best roster in football. He can't sell the best, you know, quarterback. He can't sell. We're better and smarter than you. So what he can sell, though, is entertainment, is us talking about it, is keeping them viable and vibrant in the public discourse, which keeps his coffers stuffed, which keeps 80,000 people coming there in December when the season's already pretty much over. So I don't know, man. I don't think he's going to have people falling all over themselves for this job. There's a lot of people who would have trepidation. I don't think prime would. There's a lot of people who don't understand Jerry Jones and how to talk to him and what makes him work and he's trying to play you, but can I. Am I enough of a salesman that I'm playing him while he thinks he's playing me? Medion's already done it. Like, he's already lived that life. And I know when I worked with prime and NFL Network, if He wasn't with us in Culver City, California. He was in Dallas doing something football related in Dallas. So his ties to that area run very deep. So I don't know. There's people out there trying to discount it. Oh, well, you know, this is just happening because Jerry doesn't have a plan. Well, yeah, that may be the case, but that doesn't mean it's not viable to happen.

[Tony Kornheiser]

That's right.

[Jason Lock and Fora]

Like, look who you're dealing with here. Like, he wants to be the best used car salesman out there. Like him and Deion Sanders can sell some cars.

[Tony Kornheiser]

This is what I said on the PTI show, that Jerry Jones can actually convince himself to work with Dion and share the spotlight with Dion, because it's going to be the biggest spotlight ever. Ever. If you think that the story. Bill Belichick going to North Carolina is a big deal story, and it is. This would be bigger. Deion Sanders and Jerry Jones would make the Cowboys even bigger than they are, and they're already so big. And it would be even bigger. Right.

[Jason Lock and Fora]

He wants all those shots of him in primetime in his suite, whether they're good or bad. Be in my place, be at my party, be filling my pockets.

[Tony Kornheiser]

Yeah.

[Jason Lock and Fora]

And give me my. I want my face on prime time. That's the most expensive television real estate in America. The numbers were what, down this year, Tony? Only 72 of the top 100 programs in the country were NFL football games. And obviously we know which ones are the highest, most watched and highest revenue grossers. He wants to be in prime time. It would kill him not to be in prime time. Jerry Jones and literally prime time, like, that's a guarantee that Howard Katz and everybody over in the league office is going to wink back at them.

[Tony Kornheiser]

I agree.

[Jason Lock and Fora]

We understand all the flaws of your football operation, but if you want us to sell them the way you want us to sell them, you got to give us something to sell. Here you go. TV networks. You got it.

[Tony Kornheiser]

I agree with that. I'm not. Again, I'm just like you. I'm not saying it's going to happen, but I can see why it would happen, and I could see how it would happen. That I could see Jerry Jones looking back on the people he's hired recently and saying, this really didn't work. Let's take a shot. I'm 82 years old. Yeah, let's take a shot. Is there anyone else where you say, this is probably the next coach of the Cowboys?

[Jason Lock and Fora]

No, that's another part. It's a. It's a Downfield.

[Tony Kornheiser]

Yeah.

[Jason Lock and Fora]

There's not as many people out there who are established. So he could come in and say, well, this guy's like McCarthy with a similar resume, just with a more dynamic personality or a more vibrant offensive scheme or whatever. Like, I don't think Ben Johnson has said no this long to cast his lot with a beat up Dak Prescott and Jerry Jones, the first time, you know, he decides to do this. Like, I don't think the idea of Jerry Jones hiring a defensive minded head coach like Aaron Glenn, I don't think that gets him very excited. I don't think that, you know, that's, that's where his head is. Like, you just start looking at the field. Like, I think Todd Monken would be a great coach for him. I don't think he'd hire Todd Monken in a million years. Yeah, so I, I just, yeah, I. You got to kind of connect the dots and I don't see a lot of natural sort of fits for him, are there.

[Tony Kornheiser]

There are other vacancies around. Are you hearing anything about who's filling the other vacancies?

[Jason Lock and Fora]

Yeah, I mean, I think, you know, Mike McCarthy is obviously going to get real strong consideration in, in New Orleans, in, in Chicago. Aaron Glenn's another guy who I think is going to get one of these jobs. And it might be the jets or it might be New England. I'm sorry, it might be New Orleans. I do think Tom Monkey would be a great fit in Jacksonville. And he's talking to Shot Khan today. And just knowing those two and sort of how they communicate and looking at some of the people that Shot Khan is hired and where they've been in their careers and sort of how old they are, how established they are, and with Todd Monk and having done what he did not just in Baltimore with Lamar Jackson, but right, you know, right in SEC country. Right, right, right around Jacksonville, Georgia. I just think when I look at their list of candidates, I'm like, boy, I could see them hiring Todd Monkin to try to get this thing right with Trevor Lawrence. Big ego. So, yeah, I think he could handle the whole Trent Balky of it all, where not everybody is going to be up for that. I do think Ben Johnson and the Raiders have some legs and I think if Tom Brady weren't there, it's a different story. But if that does go down, I think Tom Brady's going to have a lot to do with it.

[Tony Kornheiser]

Let me go back to Jacksonville to ask this question about Doug Peterson, who won a Super Bowl. He won a Super Bowl?

[Jason Lock and Fora]

Yeah.

[Tony Kornheiser]

Is he ever going to get another head coaching job or is this going to be like Brian Billick, what's done?

[Jason Lock and Fora]

I think it could end up being like Billick. I think, I think it could. I don't know that he's going to go back and reinvent himself as an offensive coordinator and be a part of somebody else's staff and help take somebody else to another level. And short of that, I think eventually, you know, you get a few interviews and then you get less and less. And then unless you're doing something where you've got such an outsized personality or you're so sort of omnipresent, you kind of start to be sloughed off a little bit. Now, it doesn't mean you don't pop back up and get an interview or two. But yeah, I mean, but like if Andy Reid staff got rated and he went back with Andy and he was there for a couple of years and Mahomes is back to throwing 50 touchdowns like he was when he was, you know, 25 or whatever. I'm not going to say it's impossible, but I don't know that that's where the trajectory is going.

[Tony Kornheiser]

Okay, all right, let me get to the games, man. Just there's one game that everybody wants to see and I've written down like Washington, Detroit, Houston, Kansas City, Rams, Philly, and then I wrote down Lamar and Josh because that's how it feels. It's not about the teams, it's about these two guys. What are your thoughts on that?

[Jason Lock and Fora]

I think it is about them at a macro level, understandably, because they've both done a lot of things this year. Not just a thing or you know, kind of half a thing or quasi thing. Like they, they have done a multitude of things that have never happened before in this league. You know, no offense has had at least 30 passing touchdowns, at least 30 rushing touchdowns. That's Josh Allen. Josh Allen had the fewest percentage of snaps since the merger of any quarterback that resulted in a sack, a fumble or an interception.

[Tony Kornheiser]

Wow.

[Jason Lock and Fora]

Lamar Jackson's offense is the first to ever have, you know, 40 plus passing touchdowns and 20 plus rushing touchdowns. The first in NFL history with 4,000 passing yards and 3,000 rushing yards. Saying all that, I think it's going to be about a bunch of 300 pounders that most people have never heard of. And I think it's going to be about Patrick card, the Ravens 300 pound fullback and James Jones, they're, they're extra tackle eligible, their third offensive tackle and I think it's going to be about Charlie Kohler, their 265 pound blocking tight end and obviously the first ballot hall of Famer, 250 pound running back Derek Henry. If the Buffalo Bills cannot withstand that amount of just pure human poundage and power, Lamar Jackson is not going to have to do a whole lot and they're going to win this football game. And if you go back to when these teams met in September and you could tell me that the Bills didn't have a couple of 220 pound linebackers and they didn't have their slot guy, you're correct about all that. If you think that is the antidote to what I'm talking about, we're talking about two different sports. I don't think Matt Milano, unless he's able to penetrate so quickly and shoot the gap and blow up Derrick Henry's ankles before he gets the ball from Lamar, as he gets the ball from Lamar and he may be able to do that a time or two, but over the course of in 5 degree weather, 3 hours of football, the Buffalo Bills are a light team. They're built to beat the Miami Dolphins in the regular season to win the division and they're built to try to beat the Kansas City Chiefs outside the division. They are not built to withstand the rugby team that the Baltimore Ravens put together. Like, I just think that styles make fights and that's a bad matchup. And I don't know what Sean McDermott can do because he doesn't have a couple of 380 pound gap and you know, D tackles sitting on his practice squad who he can elevate for this game. So I think that's going to be a problem. When the Ravens blew them out earlier this year, they attempted four total passes to Mark Andrews, Zay Flowers and Rashad Bateman. That's not reception, that's times thrown at those three combined for 33 passing yards and this game was still over at halftime. I'm not saying it's going to be that emphatic of a victory, but I think the Baltimore Ravens have a couple of road based, ground based game plans that could let them road grade the Bills.

[Tony Kornheiser]

This is a very, very good analysis of this. Can I possibly argue with it? Thank you, Jason, as always. Thank you.

[Jason Lock and Fora]

Enjoy the games, guys.

[Tony Kornheiser]

Oh, wait, wait, wait, wait, wait. Plug your plug your radio show. Plug your radio.

[Jason Lock and Fora]

Yep, you can check us out two to six daily weekdays on 1057 the Fan in Baltimore. If you're outside the market, you can listen on the Odyssey app You can check me out handicapping games on CBS Sports HQ and CBS SportsLine. I like the Fresno State Bulldogs tonight laying the two and a half. I wish I was lying to you, but I'm not. Read me in the Washington Post writing.

[Tony Kornheiser]

About the NFL Jason Lock and Fora. That was Odyssey NFL Insider. Excuse me, Jason Locke and Fora. Make sure to follow in the huddle on the Odyssey app or subscribe wherever you get your podcast. James Carville and Jeff Ma when we return. I'm Tony Kornheiser. You're listening to the Tony Kornheiser Show. This is a simply safe read. Nothing is more important than protecting your loved ones from harm. That's why you, along with millions of Americans should trust Simplisafe with your home security. Enjoy the peace of mind of a secure home every day. They have an exclusive New Year's discount, I guess just for these listeners on this show. Wow. 50% of your new Simplisafe system when you order. Now Nigel's been using SimpliSafe for a while now and he's been really happy with them, haven't you?

[Nigel]

I have.

[Tony Kornheiser]

No.

[Nigel]

It's a great system. It gives you peace of mind. It's very inexpensive, very easy to deal with. And the getting them on the phone is great. And you just feel, you feel safe, which is an important thing.

[Tony Kornheiser]

You feel simply safe. Traditional security systems only take action after someone has already broken in. It's too late. Simplisafe's active guard outdoor protection can help prevent break ins before they happen. AI powered cameras backed by live professional monitoring agents monitor your property and detect suspicious activity. So if someone's lurking around or acting suspiciously, you know what we're talking about here.

[Nigel]

She's usually me.

[Tony Kornheiser]

Yeah. Those agents see and talk to them in real time. Hey. Hey. And they'll activate spotlights and even contact the police. Spotlights. I'm gonna dance. All before the intruders have a chance to get inside your home. Simplisafe also does not have long term contracts or cancellation fees. And their monitoring plans start affordably at about a dollar a day. They also have 60 day satisfaction guarantee or you get your money back. And Simplisafe has been named best home security system by U.S. news & World Report five years in a row. So start the year with greater peace of mind. Visit SimpliSafe.com Tony to claim 50 off a new system with a professional monitoring plan and your first month free. That's simplisafe.com Tony there's no safe like simplisafe this is the Tony Kornheiser show.

[Lauren Daigle]

And when I think of God his son not sparing sent him to die I scarce can take it in that on the cross my burden gladly buried he bled and died to take away my sin Then sings my soul My savior God to thee how great thou art how great thou art.

[Tony Kornheiser]

This is Lauren Daigle with a beautiful, beautiful version of how great their art playing in as walk up music. James Carville who continues his winning ways. This week's picks by James Carville and Jeff Maher brought to you by FanDuel Sportsbook make every moment more Carville. Three and two last week. Not great, but 26 over the last four weeks. Come on. 58 and 53 with only the possibility of seven games remaining. Win one and finish over 500 mathematically. Got to do it. What do you got for us this week?

[Jason Lock and Fora]

Oh, man, I got chalk all over my face, Tony. I bet I look like one of these milk mustache billboards. Ohio State. Surprise. I hate doing this. I'm gonna. Detroit.

[Tony Kornheiser]

Ohio State is eight at this point. Minus eight over Notre Dame, Right.

[Jason Lock and Fora]

Detroit.

[Tony Kornheiser]

Detroit is nine, right? Or nine and a half? Nine. Nine.

[Jason Lock and Fora]

I saw eight and a half.

[Tony Kornheiser]

Eight and a half. Go.

[Jason Lock and Fora]

Okay by the hook. Whatever. The Eagles or what?

[Nigel]

I see Eagles giving six and a half.

[Jason Lock and Fora]

All right, take Eagles.

[Tony Kornheiser]

Okay.

[Jason Lock and Fora]

And the chiefs. Given what? Eight and a half.

[Nigel]

I see 8, 8, 8, 8.

[Jason Lock and Fora]

Don't give any more date. Take. Take the Chiefs.

[Tony Kornheiser]

Okay.

[Jason Lock and Fora]

Four, Charles.

[Tony Kornheiser]

All chalk, white bar.

[Jason Lock and Fora]

White boy.

[Tony Kornheiser]

Are you. Are you. You're staying away from Baltimore? Buffalo.

[Jason Lock and Fora]

Yeah. That's the only one I'm not playing. Okay. Good. A game. I could watch Derrick Henry all day.

[Tony Kornheiser]

Oh, he's great.

[Jason Lock and Fora]

I have nightmares about being in high school and having to tackle him.

[Tony Kornheiser]

Just. I mean, he's a 250 pound ton and he's fast and he likes contact. It's difficult to bring him down. He runs right into contact. Knocks you down.

[Jason Lock and Fora]

He likes hurting people.

[Tony Kornheiser]

Yeah, well, he's in a good profession then. What?

[Nigel]

Do you see the video of Adrian Peterson's kid who was like, running over.

[Tony Kornheiser]

People in like, high school?

[Nigel]

Yeah. It's like, oh, yeah, that's his kid. He's really good.

[Tony Kornheiser]

All right, and so I'm just gonna mention this. You're running away from your boy, Jaden Daniels. You're taking the other team.

[Jason Lock and Fora]

I know, I know. I. I said I feel terrible, but, you know, business is business.

[Tony Kornheiser]

Okay?

[Jason Lock and Fora]

We can't be emotional.

[Tony Kornheiser]

Thank you, James. Good luck.

[Jason Lock and Fora]

You bet.

[Tony Kornheiser]

Bye.

[Jason Lock and Fora]

Bye.

[Tony Kornheiser]

We have Jeff Ma with us. Now, and before we get to the picks, we got a lot of mail. I don't know if you listen. Maybe you listen. We got a lot of mail, all of which was so supportive and sympathetic and empathetic to the stories you told about your dad. I just sort of wondered, in hindsight, now it's a week later how you feel about saying all those things, because, I mean, everybody basically says this is the American dream. This is what immigration is in the United States of America. Because everybody, except if you are a Native American, everybody came here from somewhere, and they've come over a period of 300 and 400 years. And I wondered how you felt about it now.

[James Carville]

I mean, we had our. The service for my father yesterday, and so it's. You know, I. Everyone grieves in a different way. And I think my way of grieving or my way of, like, was. Was being able to talk about my dad, because I think if you kind of juxtapose my life with my dad's life, I've had this, like, strange life where people care about me and what I've done and place this really strange amount of importance on me being a professional blackjack player and winning all this money and going into mit, and my dad was arguably more of a success than I am. Like, he. You know, but. But no one knows his story. They're not making books or movies about him. And so to be able to just tell that story and, you know, to be able to just, you know, have people reach out to me and almost, like, have. Make my dad star for a day, that was. That was fun. So, no, I'm glad I did it. I feel really good about it, obviously. I'm really thankful that you and Nigel let me tell that story. And, you know, I've been having people reach out to me on LinkedIn and Twitter, and it's nice to actually have nice people reach out to me on Twitter for once in a while.

[Tony Kornheiser]

Okay. All right, that. That's good. I had people come over to me, come over to me and say, that was great. Tell Jeff, Ma. That was just so great. His love and respect for his dad was so obvious. It was very, very nice. All right, what do you got? Let's do the business here. You. You were three and three last week. There's a limited amount of games left. Unless we're going to transition to basketball. You got to win some games. What do you got?

[James Carville]

Well, we're going to start with the college football playoffs. We got to have a pick in there, and we're Taking Notre Dame plus the eight and a half. I think, you know, I did a eulogy at my dad's service, which was the Catholic service. And you know, it was a very lightweight thing saying what are the things he loved? What are the things you should pray for? And he went to Notre Dame, was a Notre Dame football fan. So that's what I ended in my eulogy with, which is go Irish. Yeah, ordain. Plus the eight and a half. In all seriousness, the Ohio State momentum is, is. It's amazing, right? They've. They're playing incredibly. But that Texas game, they were, what a bad second down play call away from being tied.

[Tony Kornheiser]

That's right.

[James Carville]

And you know, I do think that this line is inflated because they don't want, you know, odds makers don't want you to bet on Ohio State. So, you know, I think you're getting about. Rufus talked about this this week on Bet the Process. He thinks about 4 or 5 points of value by betting on Notre Dame. This line should be much closer to like four.

[Tony Kornheiser]

Okay, that's one game. Go ahead.

[James Carville]

What do you guys have on the Commanders game? I got reprimanded for calling the commies because I sound snarky. I won't say what else they said. I sound like when I say that.

[Tony Kornheiser]

I think commies is good. When they took that name, I said they're going to be called the commies and they are called the Commies.

[Nigel]

Better than that, I think we got.

[Tony Kornheiser]

Eight and a half or eight.

[Nigel]

Well, it's actually nine and a half, but I think James said it was.

[Tony Kornheiser]

Eight and a half and then said.

[James Carville]

By the hook it's nine and. Oh, because he. Did he take the Lions? I assume that.

[Tony Kornheiser]

Yes, he took the Lions. Yeah.

[James Carville]

Yeah. Well, I'm going to take Washington. I think it's nine and a half. I think it might actually go to ten, but I'll take nine and a half. This, you know, again, I bet against Washington last week and what they did in that game and what they've done all season is they went for it a lot in fourth down. They had a, you know, pretty high success rate all year. Whether that's sustainable is a question. Detroit is also going to go forward a lot. So this is going to be a game that's going to have a lot of variance packed into it. So if you really like Washington, I would say look at the money line also, which is almost five to one, because I do think they have a chance to win this game. I think if we, we go back and see what happened last week with the Vikings against the Rams. It actually gives you a little bit of glimpse into the fact that maybe that Vikings offense was just struggling and maybe that Detroit defense wasn't quite as good as it looked on Sunday night. And I believe fundamentally that that Detroit defense is still pretty flawed. Not only will I take Washington plus the nine and a half, but I'm going to take the Washington. You can bet the team total over so that Washington as a team will. Will score more than 23 and a half points. I'll take that as two bets. Washington plus nine and a half and Washington over 23 and a half.

[Tony Kornheiser]

Got it. Go ahead.

[James Carville]

What do you have on the Chiefs? That game has unfortunately been like going up. But I do like the Chiefs there.

[Nigel]

I see Chiefs giving eight.

[James Carville]

Giving a chief. Chief giving eight. Minus eight.

[Tony Kornheiser]

Yeah. Minus eight.

[James Carville]

The Chiefs minus the eight. Okay. You know, this team benefits more from ref than anyone else. You know, they have a bunch of older players and Kelsey and Hopkins and Mahomes wasn't healthy at the end of the year. In addition, they're going to get their looks like they're probably their great cornerback. That was, you know, early in the year they had an elite defense and then when he went out, they sort of fell apart defensively and then kind of pulled it together again. But if he's back, they will. They have an elite offense, elite defense. I think they'll shut down Houston. I don't think they'll have that much trouble.

[Tony Kornheiser]

Okay.

[James Carville]

Scoring on Houston. I think they win this game in a blowout. In a situation where everyone always goes, oh, they never blow anyone else out, but they'll blow the this out. We'll see the playoff Chiefs show up.

[Tony Kornheiser]

Anything else?

[James Carville]

I'm gonna take the Rams plus the six again. This is a game where game state is going to matter a lot. If the Rams get up early, you're going to have a situation where, you know, you have the Eagles having a pass and Jalen having a, you know, being a negative game state and having to just drop back and this is not good in that game state. If the Eagles are able to get up early, you know, they could run away with this game. But I think we've seen that, you know, the Rams have certainly have weapons on offense. Their defense can play well when they're ahead because they can rush the passer. It really depends on game state. So if you're watching this game and you see the Eagles get up early, maybe look for a chance to get out of the bet by in gaming The Eagles. But I do like the Rams plus the six because I think that.

[Nigel]

Okay, I actually see the six and a half.

[Tony Kornheiser]

Six and a half.

[Nigel]

We'll give you the extra half point.

[James Carville]

All right, we'll take that. We'll take that.

[Tony Kornheiser]

Okay. Anything else or is that it?

[James Carville]

That's it.

[Tony Kornheiser]

Okay.

[Nigel]

No one wants the Ravens Bills game?

[Tony Kornheiser]

No, people just want to watch it. Yeah, people just want to do anything there.

[James Carville]

You just that be over and have some fun while praying for points. But, I mean, I think that game is definitely a coin flip. And there's angles on both sides where you see both sides. You know, the. The Ravens defense is what they call a path funnel, meaning that, you know, Josh Allen is going to do what he does against them. And there's, you know, this, this, this. This offense that the Ravens are running. We've never seen a rushing offense like this. And so fabulous. Put up points.

[Tony Kornheiser]

All right, thank you, Jeff. We'll talk to you next week.

[James Carville]

All right, thanks, Tony.

[Tony Kornheiser]

Jeff Mob. Boys and girls, this week's picks with James Carville and Jeff Mobb and brought to you by FanDuel Sportsbook. Make every moment more and we will come back with email and jingle. I am Tony Kornheiser. This is the Tony Kornheiser show. That's Ian Warrington. And that would be great if he was a musician, which he obviously is. He's also an emergency room doctor. Went to med school. He's a doctor. Pretty impressive. You want to do the Bethesda bagel?

[Nigel]

Air Force Bethesda bagels. We love them. You will as well. Just go to BethesdaBaggles.com for the location in the DC area nearest you. Then pop on in, my friend, and you'll be thrilled.

[Tony Kornheiser]

And before we get to the mailbag, let me just say, you don't own me. I'm not just one of your many toys you don't own me don't say I can't go out with other boys and don't tell me what to do don't tell me what to say please when I go out with you don't put me on display because you don't own me. It's a great song. It's Leslie Gore. Yeah. She was 18 years old at the time.

[Nigel]

Really.

[Tony Kornheiser]

She was about to go to Sarah Lawrence or something like that. And her brother Michael has won a thousand Oscars.

[Nigel]

Yeah.

[Tony Kornheiser]

Doing the same thing, doing music.

[Nigel]

Pretty talented family.

[Tony Kornheiser]

Pretty talented family. Thanks to our guests today, Jason Lochinfor, James Carville and Jeff Ma. Thanks as well to today's sponsors. Remember, you can listen to us on Apple podcasts Spotify and Odyssey. Get the show through Apple. Please leave us a review from Kenny Ray, of course, in Fort Walton Beach, Florida. One small correction from Wednesday's pod. It wasn't Neil Armstrong who hit golf balls on the moon. That's me.

[Nigel]

I said it.

[Tony Kornheiser]

That's on you. Yep, that's my Alan Shepard on the Apollo 14 lunar mission.

[Nigel]

If you believe in the moon landing.

[Tony Kornheiser]

Yes, if you believe in it. He used the Wilson 6 iron head attached to a lunar sample scoop to drive golf balls, which is maybe what Kevin Kisner should have used during that goofy but arguably entertaining DGL golf show Tuesday night. Shepard said his shot, second shot, went miles and miles and miles. I can see for miles and miles and miles. Analysis of high resolution film scans determined the distance was about 40 yards or the distance a bald orange man can hit it.

[Michael]

Big hit.

[Tony Kornheiser]

Shepard was the llama. Shepard was the first American in space. Second person behind Yuri Gagarin of Russia. Shepard was also the oldest man to walk on the Moon, age 47, and the only one of the original Mercury 7 astronauts to do so. A trivia game that I like to play with my Air Force student pilots is to ask them how many of the Mercury 7 astronauts they can name. I'm always met with blank stars, stairs. Then I'll say, you know the right stuff. More blank stares. And then I ask, what the hell are they teaching you at Air Force Academy these days? So, Tony, I'll ask you how many of the original Mercury 7 astronauts can you name? Okay, so I can name Gordon Cooper. Yep. Gordon. I can name Alan Shepard and I can name John Glenn. And I can name Wally Schirra.

[Nigel]

Yep.

[Michael]

And Felix Cavalieri.

[Jason Lock and Fora]

Scott.

[Tony Kornheiser]

No, not Felix Cavalieri. No, not Eddie Brigatti. Scott. Come on, Scott. What's Scott's last name?

[Nigel]

I know. Gus Grissom is. That's all I'm out after that, I think.

[Tony Kornheiser]

Molly Schrode. Slayton.

[Nigel]

Oh, Deke. That's right.

[Tony Kornheiser]

Scott Carpenter is his name.

[Nigel]

Yeah.

[Tony Kornheiser]

So I could get five. I get four or five. And I've seen the movie.

[Nigel]

Those of you have not watched the movie do that tonight.

[Tony Kornheiser]

These are heroes. Yes, these are heroes.

[Nigel]

Yeah.

[Tony Kornheiser]

Who's this from? Just says David. First time, long time, blah, blah, blah. I loved your reaction to the full moon and its effect on you as a human. I teach junior high science up here in Canada where it's really cold right now. Minus 28 Celsius, but great clear skies for looking at what's out there. As I encourage my students to do, here's what you can also do. Although it was nicer two days ago with a full Moon, currently six of the eight planets in our solar system can be viewed shortly after sunset. We don't include Earth because, well, you're on it, nor Mercury because you'd have to stare at the setting sun to see that. Not recommended. However, from the western horizon in the arc overhead to the eastern, you can see, in order, Venus, the really bright one, and close to its Saturn. Then, although you'd need a telescope, a really good pair of binoculars, Neptune and Uranus. Insert joke here. Then Jupiter, pretty bright in the east, and Mars, the red dot just above the horizon. The arrangement doesn't occur very often and will be really spectacular on the evening of January 21st, which is Tuesday, Tuesday next Tuesday. Cross your fingers for clear skies. A little bit chilly out sunset. It's going to be cold. Yeah. From David Harris. Where's David? From Chapel Hill, North Carolina. I know it typically takes the planets to align for an email to be read on the podcast, but this time it's actually happening. According to my limited research in this linked article from NASA, beginning on January 17 and for most of the month, four planets, Venus, Mars, Jupiter and Saturn will be visible in the night sky without the use of a telescope. Along with the four planets aligning, Venus and Uranus will be joining what is being known as a planet parade. I will let you guess which planet will be taking the rear of this parade as I know the show has an actual correspondent working for NASA. Yes, Noah, yes, our man who will likely email in to tell me my research is wrong. I would love to be considered as the unofficial and certainly not credible astronomer of the show. Hope you and Michael and the boys have a clear night to check out the planet parade. Just don't stare too long at Uranus. From Jason in Burke, Virginia.

[Jason Lock and Fora]

Never.

[Michael]

Not funny.

[Tony Kornheiser]

I'm seeing Virginia Coalition at a sold out show in D.C. tonight. He's seeing them. Can you ask them where in their set I should expect to hear the Reginald theme song?

[Nigel]

Hopefully they close with it.

[Tony Kornheiser]

From Ren Boyd in Woodbridge. When I heard the latest version of Pooh Poo Poo, I thought what in the name of Robert Goulet that's funny is going on? You gotta be old. Needless to say, Kyle Kedlesen is my new fave lounge singer. Tell Goulet and the Velvet Fog they can go eat it.

[Nigel]

But he's not a lounge singer. He's an opera singer. He's a very talented, supremely talented singer.

[Tony Kornheiser]

From Rob ventura in Richmond, Virginia. About 12 years ago, I was an election night party making small talk with the hostess husband. What do you do for a living? I ask. I'm a traffic engineer. My mind sparked. I'd already figured out the Occoquan mess, but Fredericksburg was a mystery to me and the bane of the woman to whom I'm now married's existence. Explain the Traffic jam at i95 in Fredericksburg, please. According to my memory of this conversation, the traffic snarls there occur because in Fredericksburg there are limited river crossings over the Rappahannock west of Route 1. There is only one I95. As such, the locals use the only other major river crossing available to them, the 1 at I95. Highways are not meant to absorb this type of local traffic, so at that point there's a concentration of expected traffic and this unexpected use. The result is the congestion encountered on almost every trip, regardless of time or day or year. I don't know if this uncorroborated cocktail party recollection by a person also unencumbered with memory counts as journalism in your book, but in today's interweb context, you can take this to the Bitcoin bank. If this is true, and I see no reason to doubt it, why should why wouldn't Virginia build a bridge? Yeah, why don't you build a bridge?

[Nigel]

Yeah, relieve all that traffic nonsense.

[Tony Kornheiser]

From Bill Matfield in Fort Mill, South Carolina, formerly of Dear Deerfield Beach, Florida and Woodbridge, Virginia, Steve from West Palm sent an update of the Golden Glades interchange, and I said, I know that interchange. Oh my God. When I left Northern Virginia in 1999, I distinctly remember being thankful for not having to deal with the old mixing bowl in Springfield where i95 and i395 intersect and some traffic would have to cut from the far right lane across many lanes of traffic to the far left lane in a very short distance. Then I got to south Florida in 2001, was introduced to the Golden Glades interchangeably. Imagine all of the traffic between Broward and Miami Dade Counties funneling through one spot. I couldn't believe there could be something worse. It's awful.

[Nigel]

It truly is.

[Tony Kornheiser]

It's awful. Daniel Kansas City this afternoon I was sitting in the lobby of a hospital, waiting to meet with someone, catching up on emails on my phone, listening only absentmindedly to what was on television. It slowly became apparent that the part of my brain that was listening to the show against my will, this was some sort of legal program. Even more slowly, I became aware that there seemed to be three different judges talking. Three judges, in fact, with three different opinions. Three judges, three opinions, one verdict. Wait. I thought, I know this show. I've never seen it before, even heard of it outside of this podcast, but it was definitely hot bench. It's hard to believe these sickly people in the hospital lobby weren't as excited as I was to realize what was happening. My excitement was short lived. However, upon really turning my full attention to the show, it became quite apparent that this show truly these things. Maybe that's why the viewership demographic is apparently comprised primarily of captive and largely immobile hospital audiences. From Jerry Kelly in Jefferson City, Missouri, which I believe is the capital of Missouri, you are. You all probably are familiar with the term earworm, which is usually a catchy tune and lyric that are seemingly impossible to get out of your head. Last week I was subjected to about 90 minutes of here Comes Tony's Mailbag while shoveling snow and ice off my driveway. Now every time I hear the song, my back hurts. Thanks a lot. From Naphthali Rivera in Aledo, Texas. A L E D O Aledo. Aledo. While scrolling through Twitter this morning, I came across a particularly a particular post that made me wish two things. One, you were on Twitter and two, we had a constant camera on you. The post in question comes from none other than Ted Leoncis announcing renovations, both Capital One arena and the monumental sports offices downtown, saying, quote, I am thrilled to deepen our investment growth in downtown D.C. unquote. So, Tony, any thoughts? I'll hang up. You got video on that? Is his nose getting larger? Is it a Pinocchio situation? If you're out on your bike tonight, everyone, as always, do wear white.

[Jason Lock and Fora]

These fans know I drink light because it's less filling and it tastes great.

[Tony Kornheiser]

Good seats, huh?

[Jason Lock and Fora]

You're in the wrong shape, buddy. Come on.

[Tony Kornheiser]

Oh, I must be in the front row. Bob Uther.

[Lauren Daigle]

The world was pushing down on us did action make us treasure? Pushing fear out to the very edge? Slice the pie, you'll end up with the wish Search for light night just a favor Looking hard to find a sa speaking truth to power that's what you do Stay the coast, young man we need you. You fear this man Step out of shadow burning star lead us even though.

[Tony Kornheiser]

We know.

[Lauren Daigle]

Fearless man Step out of each other Shadow burning star lead us even though we know the cityscape Bed night is beautiful Charm has gone and the charm has come say the changes irrefutable I put my faith in the fearless man? Holding on to the power? They're looking through the ivory tower? You wasted some. Oh, odd and very strange? Cut to the chase, man let's make a change? Fearless man? Step out of your shadow? Burning star lead us even though we know? Fearless man? Step out of your shadow Burning star Even though we know? Step out of your shadow.