The Tony Kornheiser Show
Episode: “So Far”
Date: January 12, 2026
Episode Overview
This lively episode finds Tony Kornheiser and his familiar roundtable dissecting a dramatic NFL playoff weekend, sharing personal and technical mishaps, and reflecting on staggering developments in the worlds of pro and college football. Regular guests Michael Wilbon and Bob Kravitz join to celebrate the Chicago Bears’ improbable victory and Indiana’s stunning rise to the college football championship game, while also delving into cultural observations and bringing signature dry wit and camaraderie. Moments of nostalgia, frustration with technology, and tribute to the recently deceased sportswriter Bill Livingston round out an episode full of both gravity and lightness.
Major Segments, Discussion Points, and Timestamps
1. Jon Rahm on the Muni and the Joys of Golf
[00:00–01:14]
- Banter about Michael Wilbon playing golf with Jon Rahm (“How did that happen?” – Tony).
- Memorable exchange:
- Tony: “John? You played with that Jon Rahm?”
- Wilbon (deadpan): “Is there another Jon Rahm?”
- Memorable exchange:
- Playful speculation about handicaps and strokes: “I’d ask for 35…36, actually.” (Tony, 01:07)
2. NFL Playoffs Recap & Analysis
[01:16–04:01]
- Tony calls the season wonderfully unpredictable: “You cannot ask for more than that.” (01:52)
- Four out of five games went to the final play, only New England’s game was a letdown.
- No consensus on a Super Bowl favorite—any remaining team could win.
- Tony expresses greatest surprise at San Francisco’s upset of Philadelphia, rather than Chicago’s comeback.
Quote:
“You could put 10 people in a room, and those 10 people…not four of them would pick the same team to win.” (Tony, 02:34)
3. Eagles Meltdown & Team Dynamics
[03:30–04:01]
- Carol notes the Eagles’ season-long tension and sideline arguments: “It’s been an angry season for them all year.” (Carol, 03:39)
- Tony on A.J. Brown’s costly drop and attitude: “Okay. But you were open and he got you the ball…and you dropped the ball.” (Tony, 04:01)
4. Tribute: Remembering Bill Livingston
[04:02–05:41]
- Tony and crew pay respects to Bill Livingston, veteran sports columnist.
- Tony reflects on Livingston’s career, writing, and personality: “He was a wonderful writer. I’m pretty sure he was the Grantland Rice Scholar at Vanderbilt.”
- Anecdotes about life and covering Cleveland sports: “He did all of that stuff and worked with people like Bud Shaw and Mary Kay Cabot.” (Tony, 05:24)
5. Tony vs. Technology: WiFi Woes and Comcast Saviors
[05:41–12:30]
- Tony narrates his catastrophic WiFi outage and unfamiliarity with technology (“I don’t know WiFi from hi-fi,” Tony, 06:04).
- People rally to troubleshoot: Carol, Nigel, and especially Comcast technicians Chip, Joe, Justin, Carlos, and Bill.
- Nigel and Michael act as family IT—Nigel ultimately restores the connection ("You have to wait the full 45 seconds to a minute and then plug it back in," Nigel, 09:31).
- Reflection on how technology leaves you “vulnerable and outdated” unless you keep up (10:54).
- Tony’s comic exasperation about becoming “my own grandparent,” referencing commercial tropes (11:40).
- Shared story about facing the bewildering self-checkout experience at McDonald's and generational shifts (Nigel, 12:03).
Notable Quotes:
- Tony: “I don’t know what WiFi is, but we didn’t have WiFi... I knew something was wrong, because in various spots in the house are these machines... Are they routers?” (06:28)
- Nigel: “Professionals in these services love figuring out a puzzle. So to them, we gave them a puzzle…” (10:35)
6. FIRST GUEST: Michael Wilbon on Bears-Packers & Playoff Glory
[15:11–29:43]
The Emotional State of a Bears Fan
[16:01–16:10]
- Tony reads a Bears fan email about trauma and hope.
- Wilbon, unfazed: “I don’t major in angst, I have left that to you over the decades.” (16:04)
The Stunning Comeback
[17:12–18:30]
- Tony: “The game was over. I stopped watching. It was 21–3… so that game in my mind was over.”
- Wilbon: “I hadn’t given up, but I was… on the edge of despair… The way they’re winning these games is not possible—to every week be down two scores in the fourth quarter and come back and beat good teams.” (17:29)
Soldier Field & Chicago Vibes
[20:06–21:01]
- Soldier Field “was shaking, literally."
- Wilbon: “The Bears, you can make the case, are a year ahead of schedule…This is magical for them.” (17:29; 18:48)
Bears’ Odds & Prospects
[21:01–23:07]
- Tony: “Now you can actually think about winning the Super Bowl. There’s eight teams left. There’s only eight.”
- Wilbon: “The Bears are last of the teams left in the playoffs in terms of Super Bowl odds. People, nobody other than wackos... believe in them.” (21:44)
- Chicago weather as an advantage against the Rams.
Other NFL Playoff Reactions
[23:07–28:31]
- Praise for Buffalo’s Josh Allen ("He did everything right." 23:07), doubts about Buffalo’s road viability.
- Betting lines: “Rams road favorites against the Bears—three and a half. I wouldn’t do that.” (24:20)
- Surprise at San Francisco beating the Eagles—cultural dysfunction in Philly.
- Seattle viewed as a significant favorite against a depleted Niners squad.
- Hopes for a Chicago–San Francisco rematch: “If I’m allowed to look ahead…” (26:10)
Quick Takes on Individual Players
- Christian McCaffrey’s acrobatic catch: “That was Willie Mays.” (Wilbon, 27:49)
- Tony on QB Caleb Williams’ leadership: “He looks like a leader. And it looks like the Bears believe in him…” (28:44)
Notable Quotes:
- Wilbon: “When the Bears were bad, I had Michael Jordan. So all that despair… I’m not related to that.” (16:04)
- Wilbon: "Soldier Field… is 112 years old, and it was shaking, literally." (20:06)
7. SECOND GUEST: Bob Kravitz on Indiana Football’s Rise & Hoosier Culture
[31:17–43:06]
Hoosier Football’s Futility and Sudden Success
[32:37–35:01]
- Indiana’s historic badness: “144 years of dreck.” (Kravitz, 32:41)
- Bob notes only four winning seasons in 30 years prior to coach Signetti.
The Signetti Effect
[33:59–35:54]
- Press conference first impression: “He was a little wacky, a little audacious, a little cocky. But… he’s been great.”
- “This is actually unbelievable, right?” (Tony, 34:52)
- IU wins with two- and three-star players, puncturing the myth of needing “five-star” recruits.
Why It Works
[37:15–37:36]
- Kravitz: “These are a lot of kids who want to be coached, who know they need coaching… They play so beautifully as a team.”
On Skepticism and National Perception
[37:36–41:47]
- Tony: Skepticism is pervasive—“It’s Indiana. It’s 100 years of losing.”
- Kravitz: “They just blew out Alabama and Oregon. Mendoza is now clearly the number one QB choice [for the NFL draft].”
On Quarterback Fernando Mendoza
[39:34–40:12]
- Tony marvels at Mendoza’s academic record and unique persona.
- Kravitz: “He’s going for his Master’s by the end of the semester… saw that in his Heisman speech.”
Championship Game Preview
[40:12–41:47]
- Kravitz picks Indiana to defeat Miami for the title: “They’re the big red machine at this point…They’re the juggernaut.”
Miami’s Home-Field Advantage Questioned
- “I think it’s going to be like a Super Bowl crowd. I think it’s going to be like 50–50.” (Kravitz, 41:10)
Brief Pacers NBA Talk
- Injuries devastate the Pacers, but there’s hope for lottery luck.
- Reference to the 1996 Spurs and Tim Duncan: “That worked out pretty good.” (42:55)
Memorable Quotes & Moments
- On the Bears’ Comeback:
- “That’s probably the most amazing win, singularly, in Bears history.” (Wilbon, 18:25)
- On Technology Troubles:
- “I’m that person who became my parents… so old that I’m my own grandparent.” (Tony, 11:40)
- On Indiana Football:
- "144 years of dreck." (Kravitz, 32:41)
- On Super Bowl Hope:
- “Now you can actually think about winning the Super Bowl. You can. There’s eight teams left. There’s only eight.” (Tony, 21:01)
- On Team Chemistry:
- “They just play so beautifully as a team. The complimentary football is off the charts.” (Kravitz, 37:36)
Listener Mails & Jingles
[43:47–51:39]
- Classic mailbag humor: Bears and Hoosiers fans revel, a listener’s connection to Signetti’s history, astronaut anecdotes, and even scone pricing logic.
- Shout-outs to music by Aubrey Dale and a Zama, Japan middle school guitar class.
- Tony slips in pop culture nostalgia with The Temptations lyrics and a nod to Berry Gordy’s Motown anniversary.
Tone & Language
- The episode maintains Tony’s signature blend of dry humor, nostalgia, and bemused exasperation, especially on technological matters.
- Guests bounce between heartfelt (tributes, Bears joy), analytical (NFL picks), and irreverent (snark about aging and fast food kiosks).
- Language is conversational, permanently perched between sports talk radio and friends’ dinner table banter.
Key Timestamps
- Golf with Jon Rahm banter: 00:29–01:14
- NFL Playoffs summary: 01:16–04:01
- Eagles’ drama & playoff chaos: 03:30–04:01
- Bill Livingston tribute: 04:02–05:41
- Tech troubles and comic relief: 05:41–12:30
- Wilbon on Bears comeback: 15:11–29:43
- Kravitz on Indiana football miracle: 31:17–43:06
- Mailbag/jingles/nostalgia: 43:47–end
For New Listeners
If you missed the episode, you’ll want to replay Wilbon’s incredulity and joy at the Bears’ comeback (16:01–18:30)—a celebration both personal and communal, as well as Tony and Kravitz’s wide-eyed amazement at Indiana’s bittersweet, unprecedented football run (32:37–41:47). Those who love sports, aging gracefully (or not), and watching friends needle each other will find this episode especially rich.