“The 2 cent check”

Summary

The Tony Kornheiser Show - Episode: "The 2 Cent Check" (Released June 4, 2025)

Hosted by This Show Stinks Productions, LLC

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1. Introduction and Indiana Sports Discussion

The episode kicks off at [01:13] with Tony Kornheiser delving into the significance of the Indy 500 for Indiana's sporting culture. Highlighting that while teams like the Indiana Pacers, Indianapolis Colts, and Indiana University basketball contribute to the state's sports landscape, the Indy 500 stands paramount.

Tony Kornheiser ([01:13]):

"But if you take away the Indy 500, that would be the biggest loss in the sporting culture of Indiana."

Richard Justice ([01:37]):

"Oh, excuse my dog. My dog had an answer."

Though briefly interrupted by a dog, the conversation underscores the deep-rooted passion Indiana holds for the Indy 500, emphasizing its irreplaceable role in the state's identity.

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2. Starbucks Name Change Debate

At [01:51], Tony raises a marketing concern about Starbucks transitioning from its iconic name to "Starbucks Coffee Company." This change mirrors Dunkin' Donuts' shift to "Dunkin'," sparking a debate on brand recognition and consumer perception.

Tony Kornheiser ([01:51]):

"When did Starbucks become the Starbucks Coffee Company with like a name change?"

Ron Flatter ([02:24]):

"They're trying to play on the nostalgia of old Starbucks and what it means to go into the store and unwind."

The discussion navigates the balance between brand evolution and maintaining recognizable identity, with Tony expressing his discomfort over the change.

Tony Kornheiser ([04:28]):

"It's a social revolution. Amazing."

The segment explores how Starbucks has transformed from a simple coffee shop to a multifaceted "bank" holding customer funds through its app, altering traditional customer interactions.

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3. Firing of Tom Thibodeau and NBA Team Dynamics

Transitioning to sports management, Tony discusses the surprising firing of NBA coach Tom Thibodeau despite the team's recent successes under his leadership.

Tony Kornheiser ([05:18]):

"Feel everybody thought this would happen. Had they lost to Boston?"

Ron Flatter ([05:55]):

"They became the cultural phenomenon of the spring."

The conversation reveals the complexities behind managerial decisions in sports, questioning the rationale when a team's performance appears robust. They speculate on potential replacements and express skepticism about the team's direction post-Thibodeau.

Ron Flatter ([06:13]):

"Or Spike. Just give the job to Spike."

The segment concludes with Tony sharing his personal struggle with golf scores, providing a light-hearted contrast to the intense sports management discussion.

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4. Golf Anecdotes and Personal Stories

Tony shares his golfing experiences, recounting a recent round where he improved his score but still faces challenges with fairway bunkers.

Tony Kornheiser ([06:51]):

"I have gotten to the point where I can 50% of the time get out of a green side bunker."

Ron Flatter ([07:52]):

"You were trying to pick this ball clean, but you really can feel like it's a fairway shot if it's a normally packed fairway bunker."

The exchange offers insights into golfing techniques and personal improvements, infused with humor and camaraderie among the hosts.

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5. Intern Responsibilities and Planting Shenanigans

At [08:58], the conversation shifts to managing interns, specifically Chris Cullen, who has been sidelined with minimal tasks. The hosts humorously debate assigning him to heavier duties like lifting dog food bags or handling printer ink replacements.

Tony Kornheiser ([10:10]):

"We need to find something for Chris to do."

Ron Flatter ([11:02]):

"Very good at putting in printers."

The segment underscores the challenges of delegating effectively while maintaining a light-hearted tone about workplace dynamics.

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6. Car Registration and Financial Transactions

The hosts discuss a mishap involving car registration and the complexities of modern financial transactions compared to traditional check-writing.

Tonny Kornheiser ([12:04]):

"She said the registrate. Well, she didn't say the registration."

Michael Kornheiser ([13:02]):

"Be a bit of a problem."

Tony contrasts his discomfort with digital payments against Ron's adeptness at handling modern banking solutions.

Tony Kornheiser ([15:18]):

"I mean, I'm paying. Pay as you go. I'm that guy."

The dialogue highlights generational differences in managing finances and the evolving nature of transactions.

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7. Women's College Softball World Series Highlights

Shifting to collegiate sports, the episode covers the excitement surrounding the Women's College Softball World Series, featuring Texas Tech and Oklahoma. The hosts praise ESPN's role in elevating women's sports coverage.

Chris Cullen ([30:17]):

"It's one of the coolest things going on to watch what ESPN has done for women's sports."

The conversation delves into the narratives of standout players like Najee Kennedy and the strategic moves by coaches, emphasizing the athletic prowess and dedication of the participants.

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8. Baseball Analysis: Tigers, Yankees, Dodgers, and Mets

A significant portion of the episode, starting around [21:52], is dedicated to analyzing Major League Baseball teams' performances and strategies.

Chris Cullen ([22:38]):

"The Tigers had seven straight losing seasons before winning 86 last year. They will make the most of their first-round draft picks."

Tony Kornheiser ([25:37]):

"What did we learn, if anything, from Yankees, Dodgers? What are we learning, if anything, from Mets, Dodgers?"

The discussion covers:

• Detroit Tigers: Their remarkable turnaround with strategic player development and management changes, positioning them as a formidable force in baseball.

• New York Yankees: Highlighting stars like Aaron Judge and Paul Goldschmidt, underscoring their consistent performance and investment in player development.

• Los Angeles Dodgers: Concerns over pitching injuries affecting their season despite their historical strength, leading to strategic challenges.

• New York Mets: Comparisons with other teams and insights into their current standing and future prospects.

Chris Cullen ([26:43]):

"Three of their four top relievers are on the injured list and, you know, it's unclear when they'll all come back."

The segment provides in-depth analysis of team dynamics, player performances, and managerial decisions, offering listeners a comprehensive understanding of the current baseball landscape.

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9. Belmont Stakes Preview and Analysis

In the latter part of the episode, at [36:10], the focus shifts to the Belmont Stakes, discussing its relocation to Saratoga and its implications on the race's dynamics.

Richard Justice ([37:02]):

"The dirt at Saratoga is a little different than the sandy dirt at Belmont Park, and it can be a little bit more helpful for speed horses."

Tony Kornheiser ([42:53]):

"Do these Belmonts that are not run at a mile and a half, the great test of thoroughbred racing, and they're not run at Belmont, do they count the same?"

The debate centers on whether the change in venue and track characteristics affects the race's integrity and the horses' performance. Richard elaborates on the challenges faced due to the altered distance and track layout, questioning the comparability to traditional Belmont Stakes races.

Richard Justice ([44:43]):

"There has been some, and I am hard pressed now to remember who, because a lot of people might say so on background as opposed to on the record."

The discussion also touches upon strategic betting insights and the potential impact of external factors like weather on the race outcome, providing listeners with nuanced perspectives on horse racing events.

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10. Musical Interlude and Listener Engagement

The episode features original music by Kyle Dillingham, interspersed with playful banter and ad segments. Listeners' contributions and shout-outs add a personal touch, enhancing the show's community feel.

Kyle Dillingham performs an original song titled "Old Souls," reflecting themes of love, perseverance, and building a life together. The musical segment, combined with listener emails, showcases the show's blend of sports commentary, personal stories, and artistic expression.

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Conclusion and Final Thoughts

Tony wraps up the episode by reiterating upcoming segments, thanking guests Richard Justice and Ron Flatter, and encouraging listener participation through music submissions and reviews.

Tony Kornheiser ([48:17]):

"Remember, you can listen to us on Apple Podcast, Spotify and Odyssey. Get the show through Apple. Please leave us a review."

The episode concludes on a high note, blending humor, insightful sports analysis, and community engagement, making it a comprehensive and engaging listen for both regular followers and new audiences.

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Notable Quotes:

• Tony Kornheiser ([01:51]):

  "When did Starbucks become the Starbucks Coffee Company with like a name change?"

• Ron Flatter ([02:24]):

  "They're trying to play on the nostalgia of old Starbucks and what it means to go into the store and unwind."

• Richard Justice ([37:02]):

  "The dirt at Saratoga is a little different than the sandy dirt at Belmont Park, and it can be a little bit more helpful for speed horses."

• Chris Cullen ([22:38]):

  "The Tigers had seven straight losing seasons before winning 86 last year. They will make the most of their first-round draft picks."

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This episode of "The Tony Kornheiser Show" provides a rich tapestry of sports analysis, personal anecdotes, and engaging discussions, all anchored by Tony's distinctive commentary and interactions with his guests and co-hosts. Whether you're a sports enthusiast, a fan of insightful debates, or simply seeking entertaining conversation, this episode offers a compelling listen.

Transcript

[Tony Kornheiser]

Hey, it's Tony. On today's show, we'll talk some baseball with Richard Justice. We'll preview the Belmont Stakes with Ron Flatter. But first, let's do some commerce.

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[Tony Kornheiser]

You can take the Indiana Pacers and the Indianapolis Colts and even University of Indiana basketball, which is no longer what it used to be. All of that stuff, you can take that away from Indiana. But if you take away the Indy 500, that would be the biggest loss in the sporting culture of Indiana. You've lived there a long time now. Do you agree with that?

[Richard Justice]

Oh, excuse my dog. My dog had an answer.

[Tony Kornheiser]

Yeah.

[Lowe's Ad]

This is General George Washington and you're listening to the Tony Kornheiser show.

[Tony Kornheiser]

I have a marketing question. When did Starbucks become the Starbucks coffee company with like a name change? Yeah, when did that, when did that happen? Why? Why did they go from Starbucks, which was so incredibly wreck recognizable and so easy to deal with? Once you said Starbucks, everyone knew what you were talking about and visualized the logo in their heads. And in the last few months, they have become the Starbucks coffee company. This is like when Dunkin Donuts went to Dunkin, right? They never say Dunkin Donuts anymore.

[Ron Flatter]

Some of that you look at and realize most of their orders were moving away from donuts and they are a drink factory. And Kevin Sheen would always talk about how, you know, coffee shops have the best margins because all you're paying for is water and some beans. I think Starbucks is politically a more complicated question because a lot of people left the store for various reasons and some of it was just as simple as wait. Time was too long and they weren't giving you enough stuff. They didn't even have the station for your. Your milk and your sugars out. You had to sort of ask for this. So I think they are trying to play on the nostalgia of old Starbucks and what it means to go into the store and unwind, even if that meant sitting down at a table and posting up with your work computer for a couple hours.

[Tony Kornheiser]

Is that jolting to you as it is to me? That change, that name change. It's jolting to me.

[Ron Flatter]

Not really, because I just. I just think of Starbucks as an idea because I was too young to remember a world without Starbucks. It was, you know, I was not drinking coffee before I was 10 years old. And this was the first foray into Starbucks would be going with, you know, someone doing errands for me was mom. And you get a. You'd get a frozen coffee drink. And you think about what is the influence of that from, you know, your middle school years on. And now you look at high school kids to college kids and the freedom that kids have to spend money via the app. Because Starbucks isn't even a coffee company anymore. It's a bank where they're just holding a lot of your money in the app that just gets re upped automatic.

[Tony Kornheiser]

Yes. Well, that's all beyond me. I mean, I don't, I don't understand any of that. But I will say that Howard Schultz is the guy who invented Starbucks.

[Ron Flatter]

The original. Yeah.

[Tony Kornheiser]

He did something that you thought was not possible. He changed hangaround places from bars to coffee joints.

[Michael Kornheiser]

Changed habits. Yeah.

[Tony Kornheiser]

And coffee joints, as Michael said, that costs nothing. Coffee costs nothing.

[Michael Kornheiser]

Water.

[Tony Kornheiser]

Nothing. Water, beans. And they're charging 8, 10, $12 for these things.

[Ron Flatter]

And now you look at what our kids get. You get freeze dried fruit and some, you know, lemonade mixed with a lot of water. And all of a sudden that's the $8 beverage. It's not even the craft that goes into making a latte.

[Tony Kornheiser]

It amazes me. It's. It's a social revolution.

[Michael Kornheiser]

Yeah.

[Tony Kornheiser]

Amazing. I just wanted to bring that.

[Michael Kornheiser]

Was there a cat? Am I remembering this correctly? Was there a character in Moby Dick named Starbuck? Do I have that right? Like the first mate or something like that?

[Tony Kornheiser]

I think you're right.

[Michael Kornheiser]

Okay.

[Tony Kornheiser]

I think you're right. But there was also Jojo Starbuck.

[Michael Kornheiser]

Okay, okay.

[Tony Kornheiser]

Who wasn't she. She was a. An Olympic skater.

[Michael Kornheiser]

Oh, yes.

[Tony Kornheiser]

Didn't she marry Terry Bradshaw for a while?

[Michael Kornheiser]

Oh, I don't know her.

[Ron Flatter]

Starbuck is the first mate.

[Tony Kornheiser]

Yeah.

[Michael Kornheiser]

Oh, there you go.

[Ron Flatter]

Of the Pequod.

[Michael Kornheiser]

We hope that it's sort of English literature, you know, inspired.

[Ron Flatter]

No one can make it all the through Moby Day. It's like every other chapter. If you're batting.300.

[Tony Kornheiser]

Yeah, three out of ten.

[Michael Kornheiser]

Yeah. You've done well.

[Tony Kornheiser]

Yeah. From sports.

[Ron Flatter]

There's a lot of technical chapters.

[Tony Kornheiser]

Making fired Tom Thibodeau yesterday. I thought the guy maxed out with that roster. I'm looking at the guy's record. The guy's got a great record.

[Ron Flatter]

The back to back 50 win seasons.

[Tony Kornheiser]

For the first time in like 30 years. Go to the NBA conference finals for the first time in 30 years. And they fired him. And I, you know, I wondered why they fired him. I have no, I have no idea. Stephen A. Smith was on television this morning. And I say this because I love him. He's my friend. He said everybody. He said he was not stunned because he believed everybody thought this would happen. Had they lost to Boston?

[Michael Kornheiser]

Oh, wow.

[Tony Kornheiser]

I had no idea. I just assumed they were happy with this guy because they were winning games.

[Ron Flatter]

Except they didn't lose.

[Tony Kornheiser]

Yeah, they didn't lose. And Madison Square Garden was a rocking hall at that point, which it hadn't been in a very long time.

[Ron Flatter]

It became the cultural phenomenon of the spring.

[Tony Kornheiser]

So I. Yeah, and they fired this guy.

[Michael Kornheiser]

So like they made up their mind before the playoffs even started.

[Tony Kornheiser]

I don't know that.

[Michael Kornheiser]

Yeah, we don't know. But that's what it feels like. And then they're like, we'll just get him after Boston.

[Ron Flatter]

Oh, one. All right. We'll see what happens with Indiana. Early thoughts. They can get Timothee Chalamet on the bench.

[Tony Kornheiser]

Yeah. Or Spike. Just give the job to Spike. He's there all the time.

[Ron Flatter]

It's just doing scouting.

[Tony Kornheiser]

I think it's. Unless if they have their eye on somebody special. I hope that person is somebody special. But if they have their eye on just getting rid of Thibodeau, a guy, I mean, I wouldn't have done that. I wouldn't have done that. On a personal level. I like to do this. And you remember, Michael, you remember that last. The last time we were on, I complained. I just, I was distraught. I had shot 101. I shot 5150 at Columbia on Sunday. And I went. And I. When I. To put in the score, I don't know how to put in the score myself. So I asked one of the pro.

[Ron Flatter]

Got to protect that gin.

[Tony Kornheiser]

Yeah, just one of the pros. And. And I said, Look, I shot 101. Please don't put in 101. Please put in 99. Vanity Handicap. Yeah. Please put in 99. I can't bear 101 in there. I went out yesterday. I went out without, you know, early.

[Ron Flatter]

On, little bounce back round.

[Tony Kornheiser]

Yeah. Al Serafino and who else? I forgot who I was playing with. Robin Buffalo. Right. Doug Parsons, maybe. I thought the three of us, four of us went out there. I shot 42 on the front. I shot nine shots better. One stroke a hole better than the other day. So, I mean, I finished like 42. Pard Road. Yeah. Part, you know, I had some pars and then I had pars because I had a few good chips. Now I, I left the ball in the sand time and time again, Michael. I, I have gotten to the point where I can 50% of the time get out of a green side bunker.

[Richard Justice]

Good.

[Tony Kornheiser]

A fairway bunker I cannot get out of. I hit it right into the lip time and time. Is there a theory?

[Ron Flatter]

Should I, in general, in a. If you're in a flat bottomed fairway bunker, stand a little bit taller, feel like your chin is a bit more level rather than looking down, choke down on the club about inch and a half, and you're just going to feel like you're making a very level swing without a lot of drive. Number one question, when you're a greenside bunker, get it out on the green. Number one question, when you're in a fairway bunker, just get it out. Even if that means playing out with the sand wedge or pitching wedge.

[Tony Kornheiser]

Oh, okay. I hit, I hit it right into the face of the bunker. Time and time again. It's really. I don't know what I'm doing. When I get in a greenside bunker, I take the club up very high, as you taught me, and try and get underneath it. This thing, you're just getting quick.

[Ron Flatter]

It sounds a little bit nervous trying to get it out and you're just standing straight.

[Tony Kornheiser]

Should I hit the ball or should I hit the sand?

[Ron Flatter]

You were trying to pick this ball clean, but you really can feel like it's a fairway shot if it's a normally packed fairway bunker.

[Tony Kornheiser]

Okay. All right. Thank you. I mean, we've moved on from me. And now we get. We have our regular intern back. We have Chris Cullen back. Yes. We didn't have Chris for a couple of weeks because we had Harrison Todd for a couple of weeks.

[Michael Kornheiser]

That's right.

[Tony Kornheiser]

And Harrison. Harrison, by the end, got his grade up. And why did he get his grade up? Because he got flowers, planted them the second time he got zucchini A second plant and planted it, like, as we know, the first time around. I said, get a couple of flowers and get a couple of. And he got one. Yeah, and he got one. But we sent him back out again, and then he planted them himself. We did a good job.

[Ron Flatter]

And you and I planted the seeds.

[Tony Kornheiser]

We planted the seeds, you know, which are not the actual plants. And we're waiting to see if they come up. Yes.

[Michael Kornheiser]

And help moved a bunch of the planters around.

[Tony Kornheiser]

We've not asked Chris to. We need to find Chris. We have not asked you to do anything.

[Ron Flatter]

Chris was working the dining room last week at Columbia.

[Tony Kornheiser]

Really? What were you doing?

[Ron Flatter]

Oh, you just was having dinner. We saw.

[Tony Kornheiser]

Oh, okay.

[Chris Cullen]

Having dinner.

[Tony Kornheiser]

Okay. So we need to find.

[Michael Kornheiser]

Well, those back fields need to be plowed.

[Tony Kornheiser]

We need. We need to find something for Chris to do. You know why? Because we don't have anything for him to do. I tell this to people all the time. Say, do you have interns? We go, we have them, but we don't do anything. We're not going to allow them to get the bagels. No, because they could ruin that, and that would be bothersome. You know, I'd say, wait, what happened to the bagel?

[Michael Kornheiser]

In fairness, we have tried that in.

[Tony Kornheiser]

The past, and it doesn't work.

[Michael Kornheiser]

Didn't work out.

[Tony Kornheiser]

You know, so we don't. Is there something you're good at that I need? I don't know. I mean, are you good at planting? Are you good at acquiring plants and planting?

[Ron Flatter]

I'm very good at it.

[Tony Kornheiser]

And preventing rabbits from eating the plant.

[Michael Kornheiser]

Oh, well, we've got this.

[Tony Kornheiser]

We still have it, but we haven't put it in the ground. We've had it for two weeks. Yes.

[Michael Kornheiser]

Well, it's been raining for most of the time.

[Ron Flatter]

I've been watching the UV index.

[Tony Kornheiser]

It's.

[Ron Flatter]

Today's the day.

[Michael Kornheiser]

Yeah, I think we. Yeah.

[Tony Kornheiser]

So let's have Chris after the show, you tell him what to do and see if he does it. Because I don't want. I don't. If. If I tell him what to do and he doesn't do it, I have to get rid of him. So I don't want to do that.

[Intern]

Right.

[Tony Kornheiser]

I don't want to have to get rid of him. Yeah. You know, because I like him. I don't really know him. I like his family. I don't want to have to get rid of him. But is there something, something you do that you're good at other than performing?

[Intern]

I. I can lift things a lot.

[Tony Kornheiser]

Lift Things. Yeah, I'm very tremendous, very strong. Oh, we should have them lift things because we had time to get a.

[Ron Flatter]

New bag of dog food.

[Tony Kornheiser]

Oh, yeah, we. I just opened the new bag of dog food. It's not as heavy as it was before I opened it. That's a 35 pound bag of dog food.

[Michael Kornheiser]

Yeah.

[Tony Kornheiser]

And it's not, it's not solid. You know, when you pick it up, it moves the dog, the food itself. Got to adjust the grip very hard. Yeah. To know what you're doing with that.

[Michael Kornheiser]

Big bag of dog food.

[Tony Kornheiser]

Yeah. So, okay, so then that's, I guess what we should do.

[Michael Kornheiser]

Big bag, maybe. Are you good at like changing oil, things like that? Working with.

[Tony Kornheiser]

How are you at putting ink in printers?

[Ron Flatter]

Very good at putting in printers.

[Tony Kornheiser]

Okay. Nobody who lives in this house full time can do that. Michael can do that.

[Ron Flatter]

I updated the print drink yesterday.

[Tony Kornheiser]

Oh, you did it.

[Ron Flatter]

Yeah, for the show studio printer.

[Tony Kornheiser]

So let's just talk about Michael for a second. So I owe Michael money. Michael did something. Michael went out. Now, Michael went out and, and got Carol's registration on her car apparently lapsed.

[Ron Flatter]

I don't think it's lapsed yet. It's approaching.

[Tony Kornheiser]

Well, she got some notice and she said the registrate. Well, she didn't say the registration. She said the insurance, which sent me off in an entirely different direction. But anyway, it turned out to be the registration. You did what?

[Ron Flatter]

I, I renewed mom's car registration.

[Tony Kornheiser]

Two years. Never done two years portal never.

[Ron Flatter]

If you plan, if you plan to hold on to your car for the next two years, this is just.

[Tony Kornheiser]

She'll put a few thousand miles on in two years at least.

[Ron Flatter]

So I was trying to explain to her because she thought she had to write a check for this. No, they actually give you all the information. If your car is currently registered in the city, it's very easy to put in license plate the last four, the vin. And they're going to make it as easy as possible. Particularly if you don't have residential parking, which we've never had growing up.

[Tony Kornheiser]

What was said to me was our insurance has lapsed. Our car insurance has lapsed and they won't let me write a check. So I said, well, what it's not possible.

[Michael Kornheiser]

Be a bit of a problem.

[Tony Kornheiser]

It's not possible. You get insurance costs thousands of dollars. You can't just put it on a credit card. So it turned out not to actually be that. But Michael did this and got two years. I never get two years because, you know, I have a leased Car. And maybe it's up, but I get one year. It doesn't matter. Tell the people how much it was this.

[Ron Flatter]

So it's 175 for the year, 350 for the two.

[Tony Kornheiser]

So you don't get a break.

[Ron Flatter]

There is no break. Again, I am leaving the house because I have to go to pickup. And we have. We have stalled because mom thinks that you were forcing her to write a check for said registration. Not the case. But luckily the info was already populated into the app, so I was able to continue this on my own. Okay. And just to get this problem off of the table, I paid for it with my card, so it's $350.

[Tony Kornheiser]

So today I say, okay, I'll write your check. I do what you're supposed to do. I owe you the money. I'll write you a check for the money. And Michael says to me, do you have cash? I said, well, no, I don't.

[Michael Kornheiser]

You do typically like to work in cash.

[Ron Flatter]

This is rich coming from you. Cash is king.

[Tony Kornheiser]

I know, but 350? I usually carry a hundred.

[Ron Flatter]

You know, you have a secret stash of cash.

[Tony Kornheiser]

I know how you operate. I didn't want to do that. And I said, well, I can't write you a check. And he said, well, it's just an extra step for me. Just an extra step. What's the step? Go to the bank, cash a check. Oh, I thought he was going to the bank. Go to the bank to cash the check. He takes a picture of the check.

[Michael Kornheiser]

Yep. Yeah, that's how it wasn't.

[Tony Kornheiser]

There's no. It's not like me. I get in the car, I drive to the bank, I wait for a human. I do all of this. And he made it seem like I was stopping him from something. Really? Really took 10 seconds.

[Ron Flatter]

I just was playing the long game. This was going to keep me from having to go to the ATM for an extra month. Come on.

[Tony Kornheiser]

Unbelievable. So I don't. I don't know how it works.

[Ron Flatter]

It's not like I asked you to break that break out. Exact change for me.

[Tony Kornheiser]

I could have done that.

[Ron Flatter]

Yeah. I would have gone for probably, you know, maybe 100, 250s, a bunch of.

[Tony Kornheiser]

20S, you know, so anyway, so I did.

[Michael Kornheiser]

I mean, so the big's not running on that debt anymore, you know, Got to clear that debt fast.

[Tony Kornheiser]

I mean, I'm paying. Pay as you go. I'm that guy. I mean, I don't say, well, wait a week. Right. I have to see if things clear. No, I have. I Can write the check. That's the world that I lived in.

[Michael Kornheiser]

Didn'T want to do.

[Tony Kornheiser]

It's not the world anymore.

[Michael Kornheiser]

No, no. The world is.

[Tony Kornheiser]

I mean, to me, someone writes you a check, I get checks in the mail. I get, you know, like, literally checks for 2 cents, you know, for appearances on Garcia shows.

[Michael Kornheiser]

Right.

[Ron Flatter]

It looks like Mr. 3000 get some.

[Tony Kornheiser]

Right? And I go to the bank, I hand and I sign the check. I get cash.

[Ron Flatter]

Are you embarrassed handing over that check?

[Tony Kornheiser]

Yes, to a degree. Because it's two ways.

[Ron Flatter]

Do you wait for them to pile up?

[Tony Kornheiser]

No, I just say, look, there's a couple of small ones in here. I mean, I wait till I get a few because I will not go to the bank just with a 2 cent check. I mean, the gas costs more. I'm not going to do that. That's. You know, that was crazy.

[Michael Kornheiser]

Yeah.

[Tony Kornheiser]

Counterproductive, because my father did that to buy nutmeg. My father would drive 25 miles and waste more money in gas than the 11 cents he saved on nutmeg, which he never used because nobody uses nutmeg.

[Michael Kornheiser]

But it's a great deal.

[Ron Flatter]

At least he still had the Styrofoam plates.

[Tony Kornheiser]

Enough Styrofoam plates? Yeah, from the Meteor. Styrofoam plates to build an arc. That's how many he had. All right, let's get out of here. Richard Justice. When we return, I'm Tony Kornheiser.

[Podcast Intro/Outro]

This is the Tony Kornheiser Show.

[Tony Kornheiser]

The best players and coaches are adaptable. They don't stick to one player, one approach. They adjust based on what the game demands. It reminds me of when I was playing Jimmy Connors in the final at Wimbledon, and my strategy of staying back on the baseline wasn't working at all. I was down two sets to love, so I started playing serve in volley. Came all the way back to win my third title there. Okay, maybe that never happened, but you get the idea. Flexibility is important, and not just in sports, but in business as well, which is why Revenued offers flexible funding on demand, giving you more control than traditional options. Unlike traditional lenders, where you're forced into borrowing a lump sum and then paying fees tied to the entire amount. The Revenued flex line lets you draw only the amount you need when you need it, and you only pay for what you use. Revenut is built for small business owners. Unlike banks, Revenud approves businesses based on revenue, not your personal credit score. You can get access to up to $250,000 in as fast as one business day and there are no application fees, no draw fees, no maintenance fees, just a clear upfront cost. More than 10,000 business owners use Revenood to power through uncertainty and Revenood is Rated Excellent on Trustpilot with over 9005 star reviews. Apply now at userevenued.com that's useUSSC revenued with a D dot com. Apply today and be ready for whatever comes next.

[Intern]

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[Tony Kornheiser]

You're listening to the Tony Kornheiser show. This is somebody we have not played before. I believe. Kyle Dillingham.

[Michael Kornheiser]

That is correct.

[Tony Kornheiser]

This is sent to us by his assistant, Stephanie Brudzinski. This. Oh.

[Michael Kornheiser]

It'S pretty good.

[Tony Kornheiser]

This sort of country.

[Michael Kornheiser]

Yeah.

[Tony Kornheiser]

Michael's music you like a lot. Yeah, it's called Old Souls.

[Michael Kornheiser]

Very talented.

[Tony Kornheiser]

This is good, by the way. Have I. I don't want to detract from Richie, but Richie can listen to this. Somebody sent me a song the other day of a woman named Lori Morgan, country singer who I was unfamiliar with, singing backed by the Beach Boys singing Don't Worry Baby. It's the greatest song I've ever heard. We bring in Richard justice, who lives in Texas, grew up in Texas, knows country music. Do you know Lori Morgan? Is that a familiar name to you?

[Chris Cullen]

Absolutely. And I believe at one time she had a courtship with our friend Troy Aikman. I believe that's right.

[Tony Kornheiser]

Really?

[Chris Cullen]

She's been on the. He's been on the circuit for, for quite a while.

[Tony Kornheiser]

This was a song. This was Don't Worry Baby. And in the background you can see Brian Wilson and Carl Wilson and Mike Love. This was recorded in 1996. It's the greatest thing I've ever seen. It's that great. It really is.

[Chris Cullen]

Well, you know, she's. She's a long running star. She's. She's played the rhyme and she's played the opera. She, she knows she's done. She knows the road. You know. Michael Granbury sends you a lot of music.

[Tony Kornheiser]

Yes.

[Chris Cullen]

Side note, Michael Granbury's kind of a legend in Dallas as a Feature writer, as a reporter. He was at the LA Times for years. I mean, Michael Granberry, to those of us in the business, he's not a musician, publicist for musicians. He is a great journalist.

[Tony Kornheiser]

So, yeah, we get. Every single person he sends us is better than the last person.

[Chris Cullen]

They're just the, the Dallas and Houston club scenes were very vibrant, like when, when I lived there. It's same in Houston now. I was, I, I was at a live music venue Saturday night seeing a guy, a local kid named Kid, he's 47, named Hayes, Carl. And it's just, it's, it's vibrant. And this is, this is the grassroots of music Now. You know, those guys, it's hard to make money on albums, on CDs, downloads, but you, and you have to tour. And a lot of these guys, some of the guys I go to see, are well into their 70s, and some of them are 80 that are on the road all the time. Willie Nelson's life. Willie Nelson is 92, and I've got tickets to see him in a month or so. He, he and Bob Dylan are playing the game together now. You know, the ticket thing said, do you want to insure your tickets? And I thought about Bob Dylan and Willie Nelson. I thought, well, I don't know. I'm going to take a leap of faith here.

[Tony Kornheiser]

They've, they've toured together for a long time. They've been pals for a long time. They, you know, I always thought, I know I'm getting.

[Chris Cullen]

You ever. Have you ever seen Bob Dylan?

[Tony Kornheiser]

No. No.

[Chris Cullen]

I was at Joni Mitchell concert 30 years ago in Austin, and it's a Joni Mitchell concert. He just walked out and played for an hour. Bob. But Bill Walton used to tell stories about, he just couldn't stand still when he was at a Dylan concert. He would have to be up dancing and people would go, sir, you're eight feet tall. Would you mind going to the back of the room?

[Tony Kornheiser]

That's funny. All right, let me get to what we were going to talk about a little bit, and that's baseball. Yeah, The Tigers have the best record in baseball now. Tigers made the playoffs last year. That was a surprise. This can't be a surprise because they made the playoffs last year, but they also lost 96 games three years ago and 84 games two years ago. I'm going to take a shot here since I can't name anybody other than Tarek Scubal. When you look at the Tigers, they are in a, in a what was, for many, many years, a Very mediocre division. It's now the best division in baseball. It's far better than the LA East. The LA Central has four teams above.500. No other team, no other division in baseball has that. I know how much you like A.J. hinch. I'm going to take a shot here that you think A.J. hinch is the spine of this rise for the Tigers?

[Chris Cullen]

Well, I think it's an. I think it's. You do it right. Ken Rosenthal, I think wrote this about the Rockies a couple of weeks ago. Some team good teams develop players and sign free agents. And the point he was making that the Rockies don't do either in their own historic place. The Tigers had seven straight losing seasons before winning 86 last year. They will made the most of their first round draft picks. Riley Greene and Spencer Tarkilson, both first round picks. Kerry Carpert, they've got 13 and 14 homers respectively. Kerry Carpenter was the 19th round pick. He's got 13 homers. This kid, this young pitcher, Jackson Job, he's 22 years old. He was a draft pick. They traded Jack Flaherty to the Dodgers to get Trey Swinney, a 25 year old shortstop. But then they signed too. In the offseason they said we're ready to take the next step forward. Galbertores, Jack Flaherty have joined the team. They've just done it the right way. But what they also did and I do, I think A.J. hench, I've talked with other people about him. He is the best I have ever been with dealing with players, dealing with front office, dealing with umpires. But they hired a young GM a couple of years ago named Scott Harris. His, his DNA is the Theo Epstein family tree. He'd worked with Farhan Zaidy and when he was with the Giants he. If you know who's the best GM in the game, Andrew Friedman and the Dodgers, who's the second best? Probably David Stearns with the Mets. But Scott Harris is in that conversation. He's brilliant. And so you just looked at the way things were happening. Not just Google but others and they made they. They have used every smart avenue you can use to, to get better and their brain power is off the charts.

[Tony Kornheiser]

So you don't think this is a mirage? You don't think this is something that happened in April and May?

[Chris Cullen]

Yes, it could be. But look what we've seen with the Orioles. We just assumed that all those guys, Adley Rushman, Gunnar Henderson, that Jackson Holliday would be an Insta star and he looked, he's pretty close to getting there. But you don't. The, the arc is different for every player. And when you're counting on young players, the league adjusts. After 500 or 700 plate appearances, you have to adjust. And not everybody's going to adjust, make that adjustment. But I do think they are resilient. They have the talent in their farm system to make trades. I mean, I think they're, they're on a pace to win 100 games. If you're going to win 100. I doubt that. But they are, they appear to be here to stay and it is fun to watch because that, as you know, that is one city that loves its baseball team.

[Tony Kornheiser]

Absolutely. And they get to play. Like right now, they don't have to put the lights on on a night game. It stays light till 10 o' clock. I've covered those games. You don't have to put the lights on. So let's move from a team that nobody knows to teams that everybody knows. The Yankees, the Dodgers and the Mets. What did we learn, if anything, from Yankees, Dodgers? What are we learning, if anything from Mets, Dodgers?

[Chris Cullen]

Well, I think we didn't learn anything. These, both teams are in the top five at hitting and pitching. You sort of knew it was going to be that. These are teams that could be headed for another October. I think with the Yankees, they're just, they're just good. They, you know, they spend money as, you know, maybe they've sort of taken a back seat to the Mets somewhat. Their player development system is really good. They had the, I mean, Tony, when you look at Aaron Judge, the season Aaron Judge is having, you might not be able to find a better season in the history of Major League Baseball. It's ridiculous. This number called OPS plus that is 100 is league average. Aaron Judge is something like 200. Paul Goldschmidt has, has had a career renaissance there. They're just, they're just good. In terms of the Dodgers, it's just a matter of survival. It doesn't look like it when you see the way they won last night with Freddie Freeman bouncing a ball off the wall. But they're, they're top three pitchers. Blake Snell, Tyler Glassner, Rory Sasaki, they're all on the injured list.

[Tony Kornheiser]

Yeah, they're not pitching.

[Chris Cullen]

Three of their four top relievers are on, on the injured list and, you know, it's unclear when they'll all come back, but they're all, they're, they're both on a. The Yankees are on 100 win pace. The Dodgers are going to get there. But with the Dodgers, it's just there's so many pitching injuries like you don't. Like, you can't figure out, like you guys are the smartest team. You identify this as a problem and you're just unable to fix it right now. And I think it comes back, I know you've talked a lot about this. It comes back to your asking pitchers to throw with max velocity, max effort from first, first pitch on. And that probably contributes to some guys getting hurt.

[Tony Kornheiser]

Yeah, it's a plague. They're killing the pitchers. We had to do a story yesterday about Cal Raleigh and catchers hitting home runs. You know, you don't want to get crazy on Cal Raleigh. And it's. His nickname is so ridiculous. The Big Dumper. Just so ridiculous. But have you seen. Go ahead.

[Chris Cullen]

You watched him.

[Tony Kornheiser]

Yes.

[Chris Cullen]

The nickname is legit.

[Tony Kornheiser]

Yes. No, I know that. I, I know. I'm just curious about this. It's very hard for catchers to have these kinds of seasons. The, the record, I believe for a catcher is Salvador Perez with 48 home runs. And I don't know how it's assigned Richie because a cat. You can't catch 162. You got, you can catch 120, and that's about it. And you have to either DH or play another position, which in catchers, in the lore of catchers, was often first base or the outfield. Right, right. It's. It's just too hard to be a catcher and a, a power hitter like, you know, like Ohtani or Judge.

[Chris Cullen]

It wears you out. He, he did catch 135 games last.

[Tony Kornheiser]

Year and he's platinum glove. He's the best. Oh, best.

[Chris Cullen]

My goodness. He, you know, and they signed him to a long term contract. But when you see him, you see he's got a, he's a big guy, he's got a big body, but he's got great plate coverage and it's going to wear him down at some point. I look at Adley Rushman with the Orioles and he just doesn't look the same physically. I mean that. It is a brutal, brutal position that they play. And they have all sorts of. The training staff now have all sorts of ways to help them. They take ice baths and they have these elastic bandages. They wrap them in after games to help them. But at the end of the day, there is such a physical toll it takes on you. Brad Osmos is a guy I've known for a long time and he would be considered a handsome man, but when you look at his hands. You think, that's a young guy, but you look at his hands, his hands look 200 years old. So many foul tips, so many bats off of it. All of that. It's just a. It's a demanding position. And you've seen it with, you know, guys like Johnny Bench. Eventually you got to move position. Every. Every. Yeah, got a move, but the under. The other part is guys love playing there because they control the game. It's their game. You know, that's why you see so many managers. So many. That's right. So many like Bruce Bochy, they saw. They see the whole field. They see the whole game.

[Tony Kornheiser]

No, I know, I know. I just told Frank Isola yesterday. It's. It's. It's June. Like, let. Talk to me in September, let me know. All right. Let's move to something else. The whole state of Texas must be just euphoric about the Women's College Softball World Series, right, Tony?

[Chris Cullen]

Yeah, it's Texas Tech versus Texas in the best of three. Best of three series. But, you know, you're a guy, you don't watch sporting events. I think this is still true the way the rest of us do, the way most people do. And people have trouble understanding this. You watch it with the idea of what's the column?

[Tony Kornheiser]

That's right.

[Chris Cullen]

What's the column?

[Tony Kornheiser]

That's right.

[Chris Cullen]

One year I was at the Masters with Tim Sullivan, and I think he was in San Diego at the time. And we're walking around and he goes, calm down. The column hasn't declared itself. And remember that golfer, Rocco Media?

[Tony Kornheiser]

Rocco Media. Rocco Media, yeah. He dueled with Tiger for one year.

[Richard Justice]

Right.

[Chris Cullen]

He comes into the press room and unloads. And halfway through his deal, Tim pokes me and goes. I think the column just declared itself, but. So that's the point of this. Call this Women's College World Series. And look, I must hang with the wrong crowd, but everyone I know is so into it. Forget Texas and Texas Tech. They're watching all the games. Tennessee, the seal of home plate, all of this stuff. And hats off to ESPN for the exposure they give the These sports and the quality of the broadcast. It is. It is compelling television. So what you had Sunday night was. Or was it Monday night? I don't. Monday, I don't remember. It was Texas Tech versus Oklahoma.

[Tony Kornheiser]

Yeah, they kicked out Oklahoma for the.

[Chris Cullen]

First time in an elimination game for Oklahoma, four winners of four straight national championships. And that in itself was big. But the picture for Texas Tech is this woman, the first million dollar Nil player in softball history, Najee Kennedy. She has thrown every pitch for Texas Tech. They made a decision. They hired a coach, Jerry Glasgow from the University of Louisiana. He comes to Texas Tech. He convinces him Texas Tech does things right in terms of nil. They have a booster named Cody Campbell who's done their nil program, much like he does his energy corporations. And they gave this woman a million dollars. And you think, well, oh, okay, no athlete should get a million dollars in college. What does Texas Tech get back out of it in terms of exposure, ticket sales, the value of their entire program? Donations. And they're two wins away from winning it. But here's the other part. So they play an elimination game against ou. Jerry Glasgow's best pitcher at Louisiana last year was a kid named a girl named Sam Lander. She's going to follow him. Five of his players followed him to Texas Tech. She's going to go, too. He tells her, look, we're recruiting Najee. That's not the best thing for you. The best thing for you is to go to Oklahoma and play for the best pitching coach in the United States. She pitches that game against her former coach with the name of his deceased daughter on her glove. Now Jerry Glasgow is in. He's a basket case after the game. And you just watch this and you go, there's no column here. There's too many columns.

[Tony Kornheiser]

Yeah.

[Chris Cullen]

I mean, the storylines of ou, of how Tech has done it, and the fact that this was his former player and he loves both of them. I'm telling you, it's one of the coolest things going on to watch what. What ESPN has done for women's sports, and particularly this one women's sport.

[Tony Kornheiser]

I think. I think the good pitchers here are completely unhittable. I mean, for somebody like me, I'm trying to remember when I was 20, I couldn't hit it. Couldn't hit it. Right.

[Chris Cullen]

A 70 mile an hour fastball is the equivalent, I think, of 100, 110.

[Tony Kornheiser]

Because it's 110 miles per hour. It's 45ft. It's not 60ft. It's 45ft. It'S like on you. It's like, what are you. That's all right. All right, Richie, Good to talk. Thank you.

[Chris Cullen]

Thank you, Tony.

[Tony Kornheiser]

Richard justice, boys and girls. We'll take a break. We'll come back. Ron Flatter. We'll talk about the Belmont. We'll have Ron Flatter today. We'll have Andy Beyer on Friday. I am Tony Kornheiser.

[Podcast Intro/Outro]

Hey there, Travelers. Kaley Cuoco here. Sorry to interrupt your music, great artist BT Dubs, but wouldn't you rather be there to hear it live? With Priceline, you can get out of your dreams and into your dream concert. They've got millions of travel deals to get you to that festival gig, rave, sound bath or sonic experience you've been dreaming of. Download the Priceline app today and you can save up to 60% off hotels and up to 50% off flights. So don't just dream about that trip. Book it with Priceline.

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Go to your happy price.

[Tony Kornheiser]

Priceline pro baller Lonzo Ball for buzzballs Ready to go. Cocktails take 12.

[Lowe's Ad]

Buzzballs just dropped their biggest blue balls.

[Tony Kornheiser]

Script says Biggie's blue balls. Lonzo take 13.

[Lowe's Ad]

Blue balls just dropped their biggest buzz balls.

[Tony Kornheiser]

Ugh. Let's try a vocal exercise. Bu Biggies. Blue balls. Buzz balls.

[Lowe's Ad]

Biggies. Blue balls.

[Tony Kornheiser]

Big balls.

[Richard Justice]

Just drop. Get blue balls.

[Tony Kornheiser]

This season with buzz balls, please, you're responsibly.

[Richard Justice]

Buzz balls.

[Ron Flatter]

Available in spirit, wine and malt.

[Tony Kornheiser]

15% Alcoa by volume Buzz Balls LLC.

[Richard Justice]

Carrollton, Texas.

[Podcast Intro/Outro]

This is the Tony Korniser Show.

[Tony Kornheiser]

The Tony Korne.

[Kyle Dillingham]

100 miles from Louisville, 700 miles away.

[Tony Kornheiser]

This guy's good.

[Michael Kornheiser]

Yeah. We'll be playing him again.

[Tony Kornheiser]

Kyle Dillingham. This is called to hold you. Wow. Wow.

[Michael Kornheiser]

He's right.

[Tony Kornheiser]

Wow. Kyle Dillingham. Michael, if people like Kyle Dillingham want to send in their original music to be played on this high quality podcast, how do they do it?

[Ron Flatter]

Send us your music by emailing it to jinglesonycornizershow.com and we have a big birthday coming up in a couple of weeks. Couple weeks.

[Tony Kornheiser]

We have the captain's birthday.

[Ron Flatter]

Captain 3. Go check out johnnyo.com, father's Day as well. And we are officially in the summer season, so check out some of their swim trunks and T shirts.

[Tony Kornheiser]

Best dressed grandchildren in America. All three of them. The best. Kyle Dillingham plays in Ron Flatter. And we are going to talk about the Belmont Stakes. For people who who aren't familiar with the Belmont Stakes, it is the third leg of the Triple Crown. There is no possibility of a Triple Crown this year. We will get back into that with sovereignty. The Belmont Stakes is always run at Belmont park in Queens, New York, but it's not being run at Belmont park in Queens, New York this year or last year. It's being run in Saratoga. And what makes the Belmont special? It's a mile and a half. It's not a mile and a half at Saratoga. It's a mile and a quarter at Saratoga, the same length as the Kentucky Derby. With that as a background, we also have Sovereignty, which one? The Kentucky Derby, and Journalism, which won the Preakness. Your thoughts on getting them both together?

[Richard Justice]

They're mixed because I feel like. Well, they should have been three weeks ago. Yeah, that. So that's part of the mix. The other part of it is this feels like a boxing rematch, and boxing rematches don't always turn out as good as the originals because, I mean, everybody's saying this will be the race of the year. And I feel like, well, didn't we just have that here in Louisville in May?

[Tony Kornheiser]

Yeah.

[Richard Justice]

So I've mixed minds on this. I am looking forward to the race. The dynamic of this race with eight horses instead of 20, it casts a whole different look on it than we have. Just the way the pace makeup of the race is going to unfold will be different. So from that standpoint, just treating it as an individual race with these two horses. Yeah, it's. It's. It's kind of fun to see it happen. I'll tell you what, though, if Sovereignty wins, I wouldn't. I wouldn't be completely surprised if there was a little booing for the fact that, yeah, you won the Derby in the Belmont and you skipped the hell, weren't you, at the Preakness? Right. Yeah.

[Tony Kornheiser]

All right, so let me get to a couple of nuts and bolts questions, which is, this is Saratoga. It is not Belmont Park. Does the makeup, the physical makeup of Saratoga and the distance here give an advantage to one or the other of these two horses?

[Richard Justice]

The problem we have is there's not a really big sample size right now for Saratoga. They're going to have the first day of racing there since last summer today.

[Tony Kornheiser]

Oh, okay.

[Richard Justice]

So we don't. So we don't have really any idea of how the track going to play right off the bat. We're going to learn very quickly over these first few days. Generally, the. The dirt at Saratoga is a little different than the sandy dirt at Belmont park, and it can be a little bit more helpful for speed horses, but that's not always the case. And I don't want that to sound like, well, it's a speed bias. Well, no, it's not. It's just trying to find characteristics that are different. The other thing is that the turns of Saratoga are tighter than they are at Belmont Park. That's part of the reason they have to go a mile and a quarter. It's a smaller track, so the Tighter turns come into play a little bit as well. But I don't know that all of this, when you try and boil it all down on its own merit, gives any advantage to any particular horse.

[Tony Kornheiser]

Okay, is there a weather forecast? We know Sovereignty can win on a sloppy track. We know that. We saw it. Is there a weather forecast that we should be concerned with?

[Richard Justice]

There always is, but it's always wrong. I mean, if there's anything that they can't handicap at all, anywhere, it seems to be the damn weather. It's been. I mean, it was supposed to be an antediluvian flood at the Preakness and wound up being a beautiful day.

[Tony Kornheiser]

Right.

[Richard Justice]

The forecast is supposed to be for some showers during the course of the day, Friday into Saturday, if they end by race time. If they end by the middle of the afternoon, it could really end up tightening the track depending on how light they are. So we are. But we are keeping an eye on that. And certainly if the forecast changes, then we're back to the drawing board in terms of handicapping for the very reason you mentioned, with Sovereignty doing as well as he did in the slot.

[Tony Kornheiser]

There's a tendency, of course, to consider this a match race, but there's six other horses in the field. Are there other horses? Is Baffert running a horse? Are there other horses where you say, you know what these guys could win?

[Richard Justice]

Not only is that the case, I actually think one of them is a horse that can win. And I would bet you aside, the. Andy Meyer would say the same about about Baeza, finished third in the in the Derby, third in the Derby, and was a hard charging third at the end. What could help him in this particular race is that there are two speed horses who are going to be out front and they could set the target for him to chase. So here's a horse that's really just a maiden winner. He's raced only five times, but he finished second in the Santa Anita Derby to Journalism and lost by less than a length. And then he lost by a shortening one and three quarter lengths in the Kentucky Derby. I think the pace is going to be kinder to him here, and certainly he's going in the right direction with his form cycle. The reason that we're going to get the pace really kind to him is because Bob Baffert does have a horse named Rodriguez in the race. He was supposed to have been in the Derby and then he was supposed to have been in the Preakness, but he developed foot trouble. He certainly appears on all merit to be over that, just based on the workouts he has had since what would have been his Preakness Run. And he comes into this race having won his last time out, which was two months ago in the Wood Memorial at Aqueduct. So we know he can shift from California. He's a gate to wire type of horse. And the other horse, who is actually a late entrant into the race, or at least into consideration, is named Crudo for Todd Pletcher. And this will be his first time against graded stakes company, which is as good as you can get. He won a minor stakes race at Pimlico on Preakness Day by seven and a half lengths. And he did it from gate to wire. So the two of them could be out there, Crudeau and Rodriguez, and they could listen, they could set a decent pace, and one of them could win it. But I think actually what could happen is the two of them draw each other into a suicidal speed duel, and then that opens up for closers or off the pace forces, and Baeza could be making that first run. That's what I'm counting on, at least.

[Tony Kornheiser]

This is a philosophical question. Do these Belmonts that are not run at a mile and a half, the great test of thoroughbred racing, and they're not run at Belmont, do they count the same? Do they count the same in your mind?

[Richard Justice]

In my mind, no. It's a completely different race. I mean, if you go, if you tell the horses, you know, if you ask the horses after they ran at Belmont park and they ran at Saratoga, did this seem the same to you? I'm going to guess if they could speak, they would say no. So lacking the ability to find that out, it just makes sense that the only thing the same is the name of the race. It's almost like Canadian dollars and US Dollars. They may be called dollars, but they're very different. So, no, I don't see a corollary between them at all.

[Tony Kornheiser]

Yeah. So if Sovereignty wins, does Bill Mott feel like a fool for not running in the Preakness? And does. And a different question. Does he look like a fool for not running in the Preakness?

[Richard Justice]

Well, he's doubled down on the decision not to, and he said he didn't care what other people thought and everybody cares. Exact. Well, yeah. So he's asked and answered, Mr. Mott. Right. So I think so. That's why I think there could be some grumbling from folks who are staring at this and saying, gee, why in the hell didn't you show up for The Preakness. And the backlash on this is heightening. It's getting greater and greater to the point now where there is the thought that the money could come in on journalism, because sovereignty and journalism are going to be neck and neck to see who the favorite is going to be somewhere maybe around 2 to 1, 8 to 5, somewhere in that neighborhood. And if you see money come in on journalism, it could be money from mainstream betters who are saying, well, I don't want to back that sovereignty because he didn't bother to show up for the Preakness. I'm hearing that. I'm sensing that Even though I'm 800 miles away, I'm certainly reading that. So I think we're not alone, Tony. We are not alone. And Bill Mott might be on an island, and he's going to die on that hill, God bless him.

[Tony Kornheiser]

So this is what I want to ask, and I suspect the answer is no. But the question is a fair question. Has there been any professional criticism, you know, from other trainers, from owners, from horse people, professional criticism of Mott, or is there. Has that been silenced?

[Richard Justice]

There has been some, and I am hard pressed now to remember who, because a lot of people might say so on background as opposed to on the record. But there have been. But there have been trainers. The question comes up, if you could remap the Triple Crown series on a calendar, how would you do so? And trainers will say, well, no, I think it should be exactly the same. Bob Baffert is one who feels it should be exactly what it is. Two weeks to the Preakness, three weeks to the Belmont, and that. That there is a duty to the sport to put a horse in there who's a Kentucky Derby winner, who put him in the Preakness, put him in the Belmont. Now, it's easier for Baffert to say because he's won two of these, and so. And no other trainer who's alive now and still training has won any. So. But there has been. It has been mentioned. And Mott's line is it was for the good of the horse. But if you look at Mott's record, he's had 14 Kentucky Derby horses. He's only taken one to the Preakness. That was his first one, 41 years ago. Now, granted, he hasn't had a horse as good as Sovereignty in the Derby. But then you also go to Godolphin, the owner, and they've had only one Preakness horse ever. Ever. And this is like. I mean, we're talking about The. The Exxon and. And IBM of horse owners, Godolphin and the fact that they just. They don't care about the Preakness. And frankly, Mats all but said he doesn't care about the Preakness. And that's too bad.

[Tony Kornheiser]

Yeah. All right, here's the moment of truth. Who you got? Are you gonna go off the board? Are you gonna go with Baeza? You're gonna pick one of the two big horses?

[Richard Justice]

Well, I'm going to put Baeza on top or I will certainly key him. I will include journalism and sovereignty on tickets for exotics. And then if there's one closer who could really crash the party to split the exact. It's Hill Road, who is a new shooter to this whole thing. He has not run in the Derby or the Preakness. He won the Peter Pan, which is the traditional local prep for the Belmont Stakes that was running over a mile and an eighth at Aqueduct last month. So he comes in for Chad Brown and I think he could take advantage of that same pace picture where the early pace breaks down and he comes in and picks up some of the pieces. Don't think he can win it, but I certainly do advise is kind of a wise guy horse, so we'll see how that goes.

[Tony Kornheiser]

Right, so you. So you've picked four different horses at the moment, if I'm counting correctly. Who is going to win the race?

[Richard Justice]

Ron Baeza.

[Tony Kornheiser]

Okay.

[Richard Justice]

I'm putting Baeza on top. The others I'm sprinkling in underneath for Exactus Trifecta Super Effectus.

[Tony Kornheiser]

Wonderful. Okay, thank you. Talk soon.

[Richard Justice]

Thanks, Tony.

[Tony Kornheiser]

Run flatter, boys and girls. We will come back and do some email and some jingles. I'm Tony Kornheiser.

[Intern]

This episode is brought to you by State Farm. Sports are all about teamwork and so is insurance. Whether you need an in person or digital assistant, State Farm is there to help you choose the right coverage for your home car and more. Get a game plan that helps fit your life and talk to State Farm today. State Farm with the assist. Coverage options are selected by the customer. Availability and eligibility vary by state.

[Podcast Intro/Outro]

You're listening to the Tony Kornheiser show.

[Tony Kornheiser]

That's all guitars.

[Michael Kornheiser]

Yes.

[Tony Kornheiser]

I'm gonna read this note from Jamie Hillen, who's a guitar and piano teacher at Zama Middle High School. My name is Jamie Hillen. I'm the guitar and piano teacher at Zama Middle High School in Camden, Zama, Japan, where I teach the children of the American military and military connected people stationed here. I was the chorus teacher at a high school near Savannah, Georgia, where my chorus went up against Cane Bay High School's chorus at a festival at Georgia Southern University. Needless to say, Cane Bay won the competition. I was really tempted to shout out Lecheserie at the end of their performance, but I chickened out. Six years later, I'm teaching here in Japan. Was looking for something to do in those last few days of school, so I wrote up a quick arrangement of a mailbag theme for them to learn and record. I was hoping my guitar program could be named the official guitar program of the Tony Kornheiser show in Japan. Thank you, students. Yeah, all the students who are playing guitars. That's wonderful.

[Michael Kornheiser]

Yes, it's lovely.

[Tony Kornheiser]

That's just wonderful.

[Michael Kornheiser]

That'll be in the rotation now for sure.

[Tony Kornheiser]

Good. All right. Bethesda Bagel.

[Michael Kornheiser]

Oh yes, Bethesda Bagels. We love them. You will as well. Just go to Bethesda Bagels.com for the location in the DC area nearest you. Then pop on in and you'll be thrilled.

[Tony Kornheiser]

We'll send Chris home with a bagel. But not the sandwich. No, not so much to wait another week for the sandwich. All right, before we get to the mailbag, Let me just say now you've got some diamonds and you will add some others but you better, better watch your step, girl or start living with your mother so don't you play with me because you're playing with fire that would be Michael Phillip, Jagger and the rest of the Rolling Stones. Thanks to our guests today, Richard justice and Ron Flatter. Thanks as well to today's sponsors. Remember, you can listen to us on Apple Podcast, Spotify and Odyssey. Get the show through Apple. Please leave us a review from Steve the Sicko Fan. A humble request for a mention of the 6th Annual Community Band Festival at George Mason University center for the Arts. This Saturday and Sunday, June 7th and 8th, eight community bands will provide a cornucopia of Brilliant Music starting 3pm June 7 and 1pm June 8. Tickets are available online or at the center for the Arts box office. Sunday's attendees may also partake in of a sumptuous buffet available after the ending performance by the Fairfax Wind Symphony. Please come. So plan it for your weekend. Yes, Glenn winters, Chuck and Roxy237, I have evidence to suggest you visited my town of Newport News to grab lunch at a local Italian restaurant called Azzurri, just two miles from my house. Hell is to explain a turkey and bacon sandwich on the menu called the TK Club. Wow. The enclosed photo will Document. I'm not making this up. I hope you took the cannoli. Yeah. The TK Club. Small 760 large 10.99 bacon. That can't be for me. Who knows?

[Ron Flatter]

That is the sandwich you order.

[Tony Kornheiser]

That is a sandwich I order. But it can't be for me. I've been to Newport in my life, but not in 15 years. Yeah, I'd like just a half. A half would be better. From Dave Juvonen. It's a Finnish name. Put the emphasis on the first syllable. All good Finnish names end in. In case you didn't know that, Juvenin. I guess it would be from the Grand Maurice in Morais and Manitoba in Canada. Now that you have chosen to die on the five guys Bacon Cheeseburger Hill, let me be the first of many to encourage you to cast a wider net. From the early 90s, as a young man just out of university until the mid 2010s, I had the pleasure of spending one to two weeks every summer coaching track and field at the Legion Athletic Camp located in the International Peace Gardens, which straddles the Canada U.S. border in the southwest corner of Manitoba or North central North Dakota. In those simpler times, once the campers were safely tucked in for the night, it was a near nightly ritual to pack four to five coaches in a car, drive five minutes to the US border, nod at the customs agent as we told him we were heading down to the clinic for a visit and continue another 15 minutes down Highway 281, not Highway 61. 281 to arrive at Kevin Clinic. Not Kevin's Clinic. Oh, Kelvin. I'm sorry, Kelvin. Not Kelvin's clinic, but Kelvin. No one had any idea why. There was no apostrophe or even who Kelvin was, and there was definitely no sign of a doctor. There was, however, quite simply the greatest bacon double cheeseburger I've ever encountered. Your mere mention of bacon double cheeseburger instantly transported me back in time to my personal Poncho's Happy Bottom Riding Club, a place now shrouded in the pleasant mists of memory. I have not been there for over a decade, but I am convinced it is the reason why my bad cholesterol numbers are still not where my doctor would like them to be. If you happen to be wandering aimlessly in North Dakota this summer, and let's face it, who isn't? Make your way up for a burger you won't regret.

[Michael Kornheiser]

It's a good recommendation.

[Tony Kornheiser]

Kelvin Clinic.

[Michael Kornheiser]

Kelvin Clinic with a K. With yes, yes, yes.

[Tony Kornheiser]

Jonathan Chambersburg Pennsylvania. While I've been a fan of PTR for years, the woman by whom I'm related to by marriage recently shared your podcast with me as I need things to listen to when I'm feeding cows in the middle of the night. I work on a dairy farm. This is a good time to feed. Anyway. Yesterday we had time to make a trip to Ikea in College Park, Maryland. While it was important to find a new couch to replace our worn and broken old one, I think her real purpose was to make a stop at Bethesda Bagel. After both of us hearing the ads read on every episode, we arrived to find a store completely full of people happily waiting for their orders. And while we don't quite know where the line was, we quickly found ourselves moving towards the register. We both eventually ordered bagel sandwiches, ate them on the back of my truck since there wasn't any seats inside, and then hit the road for the last 15 minutes of our drive. Thanks for the information on a wonderful restaurant with great food and fair prices. We will certainly visit again the next time we're in the area. Love the show. Thanks for helping me stay awake during the night. Isn't that nice? It's very nice. Okay. Vince. Cole Blugo, Jr. Associate software engineer, Columbia, South Carolina. Just wanted to let you know that McConnell's ice cream is now available at the Whole Foods in Columbia, South Carolina. My wife and I tried the sweet cream caramel brownie. Absolutely delicious. If you read this on the air, please tell my identical twin brother Joe to eat it. Also, can I be the official former public radio host and producer turned software agent? Sure. On the mention of McConnell's ice cream. McConnell's ice cream has great. It's great coffee ice cream. Yes. It's absolutely great.

[Michael Kornheiser]

Yes.

[Tony Kornheiser]

The ice cream that I just had from Savannah, Georgia.

[Ron Flatter]

The Leopold's.

[Tony Kornheiser]

Leopold's is right there. Really? It is right there. Wow. Yeah, it's right there. It just doesn't have the schmutz, the tiny schmutz that I like in the McConnells, but it's right there. Wow. From Dennis Bounds, Tony. Yes, I am that Dennis Bounds. Dennis Bounds, Redmond, Washington. And then he sends an ad with his picture on it. Says it's an old bus ad, my hair is no longer dark, sent from my iPad. Yeah. Fantastic. Yeah, it says Tom Brokaw, Gene Anderson, Dennis Bounds. So Tom Brokaw must have been doing the NBC Nightly News then. Yeah. And. And Dennis Bounds. This was in. What city was this in? I guess in Washington state.

[Michael Kornheiser]

Yeah, in Washington state.

[Tony Kornheiser]

Wow. So because we we got a mention the other day from a palace. Exactly.

[Ron Flatter]

Got the hair you'd expect now.

[Tony Kornheiser]

Tom Doer, Chicago, Illinois My dad and I were riding together the other day in the car and I suggested we listen to your show. After about six minutes, he said, who is this guy who keeps interrupting him? I answered, his son Michael. You played golf with him, his father in law and EJ Two summers ago at the Dunes Club. Oh yeah. Nice guy.

[Ron Flatter]

That was memorable.

[Tony Kornheiser]

Patrick Smith, Annandale, Virginia Chuck and Roxy number 62 on Friday's podcast, you read an email from Jeff Rickson in Fairfax, Virginia recounting his experience with Tony Reali when he was a student at Fordham. Wait, that Jeff Rickson, the social studies department chair and girls ice hockey coach at Bishop o' Connell High School. My daughter's ice hockey coach for the past several summers I've dragged her all over the United States and Canada with me to meet Littles. Now I find out her coach is a Little. How great is that? Coach Rickson, if you want to get your Chuck and Roxy number, just let me know. I know a guy. How great is this? Eric Spa Pronounced Spay. Eric Spay Godfrey, Illinois I was thrilled to hear you quote the Right stuff on the podcast. It is truly one of the best pieces of American cinema and my personal favorite. As you know, Dennis Quaid portrays the casual and delightfully cocky Gordo Cooper in the film. In 2020, Mr. Quaid married for the fourth time, this time to a young lady whose parents live across the street from my friends in Edwardsville, Illinois. My friends immediately took it upon themselves to be on DQ watch around all major holidays in case Mr. Quaid would visit with his new wife. I should note that despite my friend having graduated from a private university, his taste in movies is as lowbrow as it comes. Casablanca? No. Sharknado 3, definitely. So when DQ did finally make an appearance, my found my friend found any reason to be outside and have a chance encounter. When my friend said hello that he loved Mr. Quaid's work, Quaid was gracious and said, thank you. Which is your favorite movie? To which my friend replied, with jaws 3D, Mr. Quaid at that point just nodded his head, gave a small wave, and headed back into the house. Yeah, as my friend excitedly told me the story, I hung my head in disappointment. I said, you know, he was in the right stuff. Oh yeah, I haven't seen it. David George Maple Valley, Washington I'm sitting here in a waiting area of a hospital watching a show called View your Deal. It's like the Home Shopping Network. If that's still a thing. Anyway, most of the stuff is hocus pocus junk until they arrive at the Revolution toaster for 1/2 off. Wow. I felt obliged to share this vital information with all of the littles. A haiku for the dark side from Shad. We clearly care more about pets, Earth and children. We have been Subaru'd. There's a TK sticker on the back of a suit.

[Michael Kornheiser]

Oh, Shad just sent what happened?

[Tony Kornheiser]

And Tom Targonsky in Sioux City, Iowa. I found a solution for the Tesla. Dude who blocks a sidewalk called 1877-cars-kids, and donate his car today. By the way, I have a follow. I have a follow up. He's taken the Tesla off the driveway, replaced it with a Rivian. With a Rivian. Which is bigger than the Tesla.

[Michael Kornheiser]

Yeah, it's more.

[Tony Kornheiser]

Takes up more space. Forces you further out into the shot.

[Michael Kornheiser]

Across the bow, isn't it?

[Tony Kornheiser]

If you're out on your bike tonight, everyone, as always, to wear white.

[Kyle Dillingham]

Who made the egg salad sandwiches? We're a couple lone souls Working on a new life Working on a family Building our home we take what's given and we keep living all of God's promises every day We've been here before not gonna be the last time Somebody's gonna try and put you down.

[Michael Kornheiser]

But.

[Kyle Dillingham]

We both know this mountain like our own two hands There's a blessing on the other side we're gonna couple old souls Working on a new life Working on a family Building our home Take what's given we keep believing all of God's promises every day.

[Ron Flatter]

Some folks take.

[Kyle Dillingham]

The highway Others take the low road but don't let your anger steal the wind We've been saved by grace and we're all called to love Father, let your kingdom come For a couple of songs Working on a new life Working on a family Building our home we take one schedule we keep believing all of God's promises every day the sun's gonna keep shining through that old screen door and tomorrow I will love you even more than before A couple old souls Working on a new life Working on a family we're building our home we take what's given and we keep believing all of God's promises every day we take what's given we keep believing all of God's promises every day 100 miles from Louisville 700 miles away from.

[Chris Cullen]

Home.

[Kyle Dillingham]

I pull in through the driveway Closing out my prayers See you left the porch light on for me what's to come I can't show Lately I'm not sure I. Cause I've read about some crazy times? And I've seen those picture shows? Claim that things have gotten really strange? You've got to hold the one you love? Well, that is the only thing that matters anyway? And if you have to give up, give up on yourself. So someone could be headed your way to hold you. State of emergency that's the state we're living in? I'm told so far I've been doing fine. This Oklahoma state of mind? God has given us our daily bread? Skies are gray, all the skies are blue? Don't matter much yet. My working days are through. I'll just sit here in this house with you and strum on my guitar? It's essential that I have you close to me. Cause you got to hold the one you love? That is the only thing that matters anyway? And if you have to give up, give up on yourself? Someone could be headed your way to hold you. And choice choices will have to be made. But you must never be afraid. You just got to hold the one you love? That is the only thing that matters anyway. And if you have to give up, give up on yourself? Someone could be headed your way to hold you.

[Ron Flatter]

To hold you.

[Kyle Dillingham]

What you going to do when someone comes to hold you?

[Chris Cullen]

Sa.