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“Snakedraft”

The Tony Kornheiser Show

Fri Jan 09 2026

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Transcript

Tony Kornheiser (0:00)

Hey, it's Tony. On today's show, we will talk to Jason Locanfour about all the NFL coaches fired this week. We will also talk to him about what he expects to see in the wild card round this weekend. Plus, James Carville and Jeff Ma will call in with their weekly picks. But first, let's do some commerce, boys and girls. So here's the thing with homemade meals. Eating them is great, but all the chopping and measuring and cleanup, not so much. With new one pan assemble and bake meals from Blue Apron, you, you get all the flavor of homemade meals with a fraction of the work. Just assemble the pre chopped ingredients, bake in the oven and enjoy shop, assemble and bake@blueapron.com, get 50% off your first two orders with code APRON50. Terms and conditions apply. Visit blueapron.com terms for more. Previously on the Tony Kornheiser Show. It's early in the morning. How's Lebatard? Is he sweating yet? Is everything okay down there?

Michael Wilbon (0:56)

Is he, he, he goes to bed and wakes up sweating, you know?

Tony Kornheiser (0:59)

Yeah, yeah. Everything good in those studios?

Michael Wilbon (1:02)

I think so. It's rather palatial, to be honest with you. I'm in a spare studio right now. I'm enclosed. It's, it's glorious down here.

Tony Kornheiser (1:10)

That's nice. That's nice. I mean, the best thing about Dan is that Dan, of course, hates all authority and now he is the authority. So he hates himself. The Tony Kornheiser show is on now. If you're going to have college games, you ought to have a good one. I was, you know, that's a wonderful game. I thought Ole Miss was going to win the game before the game, but if you watch that game, Miami was, I don't want to say dominant. Miami was better. Miami's offensive line pushed Mississippi, pushed Ole Miss around, did. They had a lot of long drives. They sustained these drives. They held the ball for eight, nine minutes at a time.

Jason Locanfour (1:55)

Coming back from third and long often.

Tony Kornheiser (1:57)

Yeah, they, they made their third down plays and at the end, the winning drive and you don't know it's the winning drive because the other team is going to end up with a Hail Mary situation which by the way, there's all sorts of pass interference and you never call it, you can't, you don't call it on that play.

Jason Locanfour (2:12)

No.

Tony Kornheiser (2:12)

Call it on the play before that play, but you don't call it on that play. So in that last drive, the. Carson Beck was really good. And then he, he pranced into the end zone, which he apparently doesn't do. That's only the second time all year he had a rushing touchdown.

Jeff Ma (16:21)

I think Atlanta. I'll put it to you this way. I think Atlanta is a sneaky, good job for him. The bar has been set really low there. They haven't had an established coach come in, I think, since Dan Reeves. I mean, you can look at the lineage of the hires there. And so I think it would command immediate. It would just be a whole different thing than they've ever had under Arthur Blank. As we just saw, the division came down to a three way tie break in which the Atlanta Falcons, in a season in which they fired everybody, were basically tied for first. So, like, there's a void there. You can step in and win immediately. I mean, I believe he's got a sister who works at University of Georgia. He could bring Todd Monkin with him. That would be celebrated there. Todd Monkin ran Georgia's offense when they won a national title. Todd Monkin, but Michael Penix, who are you getting? Who could be like, tell me these other candidates who are bringing an offensive coordinator with them or who are the play caller who maybe are more equipped for that unique challenge than a Todd Monkin would be. So, and I think Arthur Blank, if he, and I shouldn't say if. I mean, it's probably more like when, when he gets in a room with Arthur Blank, I think Arthur Blank's going to be like, oh my God, nobody's outbidden me for this guy. And I think Steve, I think Harbaugh is going to be like, this dude's got a lot of Bishotti in this game, which he's comfortable with. The wild card will be Green Bay. If Matt Lafleur. If that thing gets ugly in Chicago and their board of Governors, or whatever they call it, board of Trustees, because it's a different ownership, you know, paradigm in Green Bay. If they get together and are like, you know what Steve Ross just did, like, who do we think is better to win in this window? Do we want to pay Lafleur? You know, do you want to extend him at 15, 17 a year? Do we want to pay hardball, 20 a year? You know, Brian Harbaugh's agent or John Harbaugh's agent, I'll get these names right, eventually. Is Brian Harlan, Kevin Harlan's brother, son of Bob Harlan, who was a decorated executive of the Green Bay packers for generation. Like, he's a child of the Midwest, credible coaches, Miami of Ohio. I'm sure when him and his brother were in the backyard listening to Browns games, they could pick up the Green Bay feed too. Like, I think Green Bay would be. Would be right up his alley.

Jeff Ma (22:16)

Yes. I like them fairly considerably. This is a real tough matchup for San Francisco. They haven't been able to run the ball all year. It's volume, but it's not explosion. Kittle, I think, is more hurt from that situation in Indianapolis than they're letting on. He didn't look right to me. You know, Trent Williams, they're not the same offense without Trent Williams. And Trent Williams at 70% or whatever, if he does get out there versus that particular D line and Kittle at 70% or whatever against that particular D line and Vic Fangio's defense, where he generates oodles of pressure without ever blitzing, I think that's a big problem for them. I think that's the worst possible matchup for their quarterback. And I also think you look at Barkley, who had a tough season, but the last three, four weeks of the season, they started playing Eagles football again and riding him. And he's getting 130 scrimmage and he's getting the sweat going. He's getting 18 to 20 carries, and they're grinding people out in the second half. San Francisco's run defense is an absolute joke, and they get zero pass rush. I mean, you can rattle Jalen hurts, but they've got a worse pass rush than the one that just got hardball fired. I mean, They've got one of the worst pass rushes to ever make a postseason and I don't think that's improving here. And you know, the Eagles offensive line have had their share of injuries, but again, I think this is a great matchup for where they're most vulnerable. And I just think Jacksonville is a better team than Buffalo. I think they're a more complete team than Buffalo. All the pressure is on Buffalo. I mean, Josh Allen doesn't, I can tell you this much. He don't cover in the playoffs. He's five and eight against the spread in the playoffs. He's owing four against the spread on the road. I don't think they're going to be able to run the ball the way they want to, which means you'd start defaulting to some super superhero ball and that's a defense that gets a ton of turnovers. I think Jacksonville, I think Jacksonville wins that game.

Tony Kornheiser (51:01)

This is from Peter Bergman in Austin, Texas. I'm an economics professor. This past summer, at a David Aldrich moment at arguably the most prestigious conference in economics, the Summer Institute organized by the National Bureau of Economic Research in Cambridge, Massachusetts. Never revere. As I walked into the largest, most overly air conditioned conference room, I ran into Marty West. No, not that Marty West. His son Marty, as I'm sure you know, is a brilliant professor at Harvard. Like everyone else there, he was taking advantage of being in a room with some of the smartest people in the world to chat about various smart things that smart people talk about. But not I, Tony for the Connective tissue is strong I did what any little would do. I awkwardly interrupted Marty's conversation to make consistent references to your podcast. I knew it was going well when I felt compelled to explain who you are to his Ivy League colleagues sitting beside him. Marty was nonetheless extremely gracious. If it's not taken, can I be the official economics professor of the show? I'll put it down on my CV as part of my annual performance review. Hopefully it will make up for being ostracized from all future conventions with these people. Please tell my Brother Aaron and DMV Happy birthday. Oh, January 12th. That's on Monday. And to eat it. Big fan of all you guess. Particularly, enjoy your segments with Jeff Ma. His work is a fascinating blend of analytics and behavioral economics. A waste of talent having him park cars, if you ask me. But what do I know from John Pearson in Milwaukee? And what was an what is an ultimate example of connective tissue? I stopped at a Quick Trip convenience store, one of the top three reasons to live in Wisconsin for a way too large Diet Coke. I'd been listening to your Chuck Todd appearance on the show as I walked through. In the spirit of your old man phone awareness, I did not lock my phone, so it started playing the podcast again and I was oblivious. Just as I got to a quiet part of the store, see the monkey? He's scritch scratching. Blasted on my phone. A guy just down the aisle lit up and said to me, holy cow, Lechees a rig. You and Reginald are bringing the world to the world.

Summary

Podcast Summary: The Tony Kornheiser Show — “Snakedraft” (January 9, 2026)

Episode Overview

This episode of "The Tony Kornheiser Show" delivers its signature blend of sports talk, current events, and quirky banter. The main segments revolve around the recent firing of several NFL coaches and what’s ahead for the league as the wild card weekend nears. The familiar cast—Tony, Michael Wilbon, Jason La Canfora, and friends—also delves into college football, personal anecdotes, listener correspondence, and, naturally, a snake draft for plush hybrid animals.

Key Discussion Points

1. College Football Playoff Analysis

Miami vs. Ole Miss Recap
- Tony thought Ole Miss would win, but Miami’s offensive line impressed by controlling possession and executing sustained drives.
  - “Miami was better. Miami's offensive line pushed Mississippi, pushed Ole Miss around…” [01:18]
- Carson Beck’s pivotal last drive and rare rushing touchdown were highlighted.
- The nostalgia of Miami bringing out Ray Lewis and Edgerrin James, versus Ole Miss with Eli Manning, set the stage for a “legacy” atmosphere.
Notre Dame vs. Miami Playoff Berth
- Tony expressed lingering disagreement about Miami’s selection over Notre Dame, despite Miami's early-season win over them.
  - “Miami was the last team in…they jumped them over Notre Dame. And they did that because Virginia failed to beat Duke in the ACC championship.” [04:08]
- The panel discussed the narrative of Miami’s “resurrection,” yet Tony felt the better underdog story would be Indiana.
Coach Mario Cristobal’s Narrative
- The poetic possibility of Cristobal (Miami alum and ex-Oregon coach) facing his former team for the national title was discussed.

2. NFL Coaching Carousel

Fired Coaches—Surprises and Expectations
- Jason La Canfora outlines the big NFL firings: Giants and Titans let go midseason, but the John Harbaugh firing in Baltimore generated the most reaction.
  - “Were you surprised? I was surprised by John Harbaugh…” — Tony [13:34]
  - Jason explained the Ravens had to make a change, and Harbaugh “is probably the right guy for six or seven other teams.”
    - “He’s not the right guy here anymore…he was done firing coaches.” [15:36]
- Potential Landing Spots for Harbaugh
  - Atlanta called a “sneaky, good job.”
    - “I think Atlanta is a sneaky, good job for him.” — Jason [16:21]
  - Green Bay a wildcard if things go south with Matt LaFleur.
    - “If they get together and are like, you know what Steve Ross just did, like, who do we think is better to win in this window?” [17:28]
Other Fired Coaches
- Stefanski (Cleveland) expected to get another job, notably tied to the NY Giants opening.
  - “I have a hard time thinking Kevin Stefanski doesn't get a job.” [18:46]
Would Harbaugh have survived with a playoff win?
- Likely not; uncomfortable conversations around his staff and internal dynamics would have persisted regardless.
  - “I think these same uncomfortable conversations…they're still having those conversations.” [20:13]

3. Wild Card Playoffs and Key Matchups

Game Picks and Analysis
- Standout games: Buffalo at Jacksonville and 49ers at Eagles.
  - Jason likes home teams in both: “I like them fairly considerably. This is a real tough matchup for San Francisco…And I just think Jacksonville is a better team than Buffalo.” [22:07]
- Noted Buffalo QB Josh Allen’s poor “against the spread” playoff history, and Jacksonville as a more complete team.
Betting Plug
- Want to hear more? Jason plugs his betting content at wantabetwithus.com, tracking bets and breaking down plays and markets. [24:10]

4. Weekly Picks with James Carville and Jeff Ma

James Carville Basks in 6-0 Record
- “One more time, 6 and oh. And is now 51, 47 and 2.” [26:23]
Carville’s Picks
- Over 52 (game unspecified), over 48 (Indiana-Oregon), Packers over Bears, Jaguars (+1.5) over Bills, Eagles (-4.5) over 49ers.
- Believes Trevor Lawrence “is a real quarterback. I thought he was in college...now all of a sudden, he looks like a Pro Bowl player every day.” [28:38]
- Picks Indiana because “until you get beat, you're the best.” [29:49]
Jeff Ma’s Picks
- College: Ole Miss (+3), Indiana (-3.5)
- NFL: Packers (-1 vs. Bears), Jaguars (+1), Steelers (+3)
- Analysis revolves around undervalued teams and the importance of matchups, especially Pittsburgh’s advantage over Houston due to pass rush and quick passing. [43:23]

5. Golf Story: Playing with Jon Rahm

Jeff Ma describes his surprise round of golf with major champion Jon Rahm in Hawaii.
- “He shot a 63 that day, but if you had looked at him, you would have thought he was Kurt Signetti…He’s a very stoic and competitive person…” [33:20]
- Did not ask Rahm about LIV Golf: “I don't know if it was something I felt like I could do…just being happy to be on the same tee box as him…” [34:28]
- A touch of humility: Jeff parred the #1 handicap hole, a net eagle courtesy of his strokes.

6. Listener Mailbag and Anecdotes

Letters range from nostalgic tales of candlepin bowling and TV game shows, to academic “connective tissue” moments, and quirky social observations about old phrases.
Notable Quote: “There’s not a bad bowling alley French fry in the world.” — Tony [48:02]
Odes to local businesses and sponsorship shoutouts pepper the close.

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

On Miami’s legacy:
“At the beginning of that game, when they bring out Edgerton James and Ray Lewis…that’s impressive, this legacy. Mississippi brings out Eli Manning. That’s impressive. But Ray Lewis is a storied figure in college and professional football and when he comes out there, it feels like a big deal.” — Tony [02:55]
On the NFL coaching carousel:
“He’s not the right guy here anymore…he was done firing coaches. He was sick of gutting his staff while the guys who picked the players—nothing changes over there.” — Jason La Canfora [15:36]
On betting:
“We try to keep it to 35 minutes a day, but you know, if it’s a three-lobster night, stuff happens and we will give you all our best plays.” — Jason La Canfora [24:13]
On playing with Jon Rahm:
“He shot a 63 that day, but if you had looked at him, you would have thought he was Kurt Signetti…He’s a very stoic and competitive person.” — Jeff Ma [33:20]
Bowling wisdom:
“There’s not a bad bowling alley French fry in the world.” — Tony Kornheiser [48:02]

Timestamps for Important Segments

[01:18] — Miami vs. Ole Miss Game Recap
[04:08] — Miami’s Path to the Playoffs and Notre Dame Controversy
[13:34] — NFL Coaches Fired: Harbaugh and Others
[16:21] — Best Landing Spots for Harbaugh
[18:46] — Will Other Fired Coaches Land Jobs?
[20:13] — Would Harbaugh Have Been Fired With a Playoff Win?
[22:07] — Wild Card Playoff Game Picks
[26:23] — James Carville’s 6-0 Week & Picks
[33:20] — Jeff Ma Plays Golf with Jon Rahm
[35:15] — Golf Anecdote: Playing from the Same Tee Box
[43:23] — Jeff Ma’s NFL Analysis and Picks
[48:02] — The Bowling Alley French Fry Standard
[49:26+] — Extended Listener Mail and Storytelling

Tone & Style

The episode maintains the show’s relaxed, conversational style with witty asides, personal flourishes, and the warmth of old friends catching up over sports, news, and nostalgia. Tony’s blend of sports insight, self-deprecation, and connective tissue humor is as present as ever.

For listeners and non-listeners alike, this episode is a rich sampler of The Tony Kornheiser Show’s strengths: timely sports analysis, deep bench of regular guests, and the effortless meshing of sports, humor, and gentle curmudgeon wisdom.