“The Harvest”

Summary

The Tony Kornheiser Show — “The Harvest”

Date: September 24, 2025
Host: Tony Kornheiser
Guests/Regulars: Chuck Todd, Nigel, Michael Kornheiser, Steve Sands, Reginald the Monkey (via Nigel)

Overview

This episode blends Tony’s signature blend of sports chat and everyday anecdotes, most notably a comically disastrous potato harvest in his front yard. NFL hot topics are discussed with Chuck Todd, including wild recent coaching firings and betting odds, before pivoting to an in-depth Ryder Cup preview with Steve Sands live from Long Island. Regular segments with Reginald the Monkey and a dash of listener interaction round off this rich, unpredictable episode.

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The Great Potato Harvest

[02:00–06:00]

• Tony shares the saga of his much-anticipated home potato crop.
• A note from fellow potato-grower Buster (with photos of abundant crops) inspired Tony and Michael to dig up their own plants.
• The results were meager: “A very meager haul. I doubt we could make three french fries. I doubt it.” (Tony, 03:19)
• Potatoes came in two varieties—purple and Yukon Gold—but most were “the size of a dime” and possibly confused with rocks.
• Possible causes: rocky, infertile soil, lack of watering, and possibly being pulled up by landscapers mistaking the plants for weeds.
• Nigel suggests apprenticing with Buster next year; laughter erupts over Tony’s ineptitude.
• Tony concludes: “You stink at it. You’re lousy at it. Don’t do it. Just buy the potatoes.” (05:00)
• The potato story functions as both comedy and gentle self-deprecation, a classic recurring theme of Tony’s home life on the show.

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“Remember Me Thursday” & Dog Rescue

[06:00–07:00]

• Tony reads a note urging listeners to recognize “Remember Me Thursday,” which honors pets in shelters and encourages adoption.
• Chessy, Tony’s family dog, was adopted from a shelter twelve years ago, reinforcing his advocacy for rescue adoptions.
• Michael observes that changes in work habits post-pandemic have led to more dogs entering shelters, increasing the need for adoptions.

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Sports News & Commentary

Coaching Firings: New York Liberty and Oklahoma State

[07:00–10:00]

• Tony expresses disbelief at the firing of Sandy Brondello (coach of the New York Liberty), who had just won the franchise's first championship.
• Also discusses Oklahoma State’s firing of Mike Gundy after 21 years: “You don’t fire him after three games. I just think that’s terrible. I don’t even like him… but I thought that was terrible on the part of Oklahoma State.” (Tony, 09:11)
• Nigel notes the administration’s generic, tone-deaf statement about Gundy’s dismissal, which further frustrates Tony.

Nats, MLB, and “Gags”

[10:00–14:00]

• The Washington Nationals’ poor season (“no good” is a recurring refrain), and Tony describes the habit of watching bad teams.
• Notable MLB collapses discussed:
  • Detroit lost a 15.5-game lead over Cleveland since July.
  • Mets’ spectacular comeback against the Cubs.
  • Historical reference: Phillies’ 1964 meltdown.
• “If the Tigers miss the playoffs completely and the Mets missed the playoffs completely, the fall that they have taken from the middle of the year on is… Buster Olney thinks it’s unprecedented.” (13:52)

Shohei Ohtani’s Return

• Ohtani pitched six shutout innings for the first time in two years — Tony expects him to play a pivotal playoff role.

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NFL Picks with Chuck Todd & Reginald the Monkey

[16:00–36:00]

Legendary Bad Beat

• Tony and Chuck break down an “all-time worst betting beat”: The Rams, up 26–7, lost the spread (and Chuck's real cash) on a final-play 336-lb defensive touchdown.
  • Quote: “That’s the worst beat of all time, right?” (Tony, 17:16) “Because I had real American dollars on that too.” (Chuck, 17:19)
• Reminiscing about “Alcoa Presents Fantastic Finishes” and other walk-off sports moments.

NFL Betting Rundown

• Chuck Todd’s overall record sits at 9–12 for the season, but he was the only panelist/Simian with a winning week last week.
• Game-by-game picks and analysis, including:
  • Seattle at Arizona (Line shift): Chuck picks Arizona, citing Thursday night home-field advantage.
  • Minnesota vs. Pittsburgh in Dublin: Both Chuck and Tony lean Pittsburgh, referencing the Rooney family’s Irish connection and home-crowd advantage.
  • Washington at Atlanta: Chuck on coaching situations, quarterback controversies, and the “dancing owner.” Picks Washington, as Atlanta’s QB situation (“head-messing” with Michael Penix) scares him off.
  • Philadelphia at Tampa Bay: Recognizing Tampa’s knack for winning close games, Chuck takes the points with underdog Tampa. “They’re not doing this again this week… and then all Baker Mayfield does is take your lunch money.” (Chuck, 26:01)
  • Indianapolis at Rams: “I’m going to fade the Colts… The Rams are a really good football team.” (27:32)
  • Baltimore at Kansas City: Despite Baltimore’s potent offense, their leaky defense worries Chuck. “The Chiefs need it more… and I trust the Chiefs’ defense.” (Chuck, 31:14)
  • Green Bay at Dallas, Sunday Night: Chuck, attending in Dallas to check on his son, picks Green Bay. “I also think Micah Parsons is just going to have a monster day.” (Chuck, 32:17)

Reginald the Monkey’s Picks (via Nigel)

• Despite not being in the National Zoo (he’s golfing at St. Andrews!), Reginald FaceTimes his picks:
  • Minnesota over Pittsburgh
  • Washington over Atlanta (aligns with Chuck)
  • Philadelphia over Tampa Bay
• All three are road favorites—a rare and bold approach.

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Ryder Cup Preview with Steve Sands

[37:52–51:15]

• Steve checks in live from Long Island, where anticipation for the Ryder Cup at Bethpage Black is sky-high.
• Prognostication: Fans will be “raucous,” both supportive and harsh—even booing Americans if things go south.
  • Notable Quote: “Most golfers will tell you if they’ve ever performed in a Ryder Cup, it’s the only time they ever truly feel like a professional athlete because they are getting jeered and booed and also cheered…” (Steve, 39:48)
• Tickets started at $750 (not including alcohol) — “an expensive ticket, man.” (Steve, 42:23)
• Discussion of team captains:
  • Keegan Bradley (USA): More measured as captain; was an emotional, antagonistic player.
  • Europe’s “stir it up” guys: Tyrrell Hatton, Rory McIlroy, Robert MacIntyre, Shane Lowry, Jon Rahm.
• Course adjustments: Set up to favor U.S. power; rough less penal, greens faster.
• Steve’s Analysis: Europe looks better top-to-bottom, is playing better collectively, and established partnerships give them an edge.
• Breakout Player: Steve touts Russell Henley as an underrated money player who could be a key U.S. difference-maker; expects him to pair with Scottie Scheffler.

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Listener Letters, Jingles, and Miscellaneous

[52:34–60:28]

• Bethesda Bagels ad and witty banter about euphoniums.
• Humorous mailbag on topics ranging from Super Bowl MVP trivia corrections (Wilbon called out for defensive MVPs errors) to inside jokes about promo codes (“Dear Ron”).
• Shout-outs to listeners sharing supermarket strategies, health insurance tips, and even encountering “The Pope’s Astronomer” in church—with a “Le Cheeserie!” (55:00).
• Show closes with gratitude and the reminder: “If you’re out on your bike tonight, everyone, as always, do wear white.”

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Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• On Failure:
  “Don’t do it. You stink at it. You’re lousy at it. Don’t do it. Just buy the potatoes.” — Tony, [05:00]

• On Fired Coaches:
  “You don’t fire him after three games. I just think that’s terrible. I don’t even like him… but I thought that was terrible on the part of Oklahoma State.” — Tony, [09:11]

• On Betting Heartbreak:
  “That’s the most bizarre ending I have ever seen to a football game.” — Tony, [17:15]

• On Raucous Golf Crowds:
  “Most golfers will tell you if they’ve ever performed in a Ryder Cup, it’s the only time they ever truly feel like a professional athlete because they are getting jeered and booed and also cheered…” — Steve Sands, [39:48]

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Timestamps for Key Segments

• Potato Harvest Story: [02:00–06:00]
• Dog Rescue/Remember Me Thursday: [06:00–07:00]
• Coaching Firings (Liberty & Oklahoma State): [07:00–10:00]
• MLB Recap & “Gags”: [10:00–14:00]
• NFL Picks with Chuck Todd: [16:00–36:00]
• Ryder Cup Preview with Steve Sands: [37:52–51:15]
• Listener Mailbag & Show Close: [52:34–end]

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Episode Tone & Flavor

Tony’s signature blend of cranky, nostalgic, yet warm humor permeates the episode. The show moves fluidly from personal failures (the potatoes), to sports injustice (fired coaches), classic sports memories, and a deeply informed golf segment. Expert guests and regular comedic bits keep the pace brisk, while listener interaction and Tony’s self-effacing style maintain the familiar, welcoming feel long-time listeners love.

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Summary by: [Your Podcast Summarizer]

Transcript

[Tony Kornheiser]

It's Tony. On today's show, we'll talk about the long awaited harvest of our potato crop. We'll also get NFL picks from Chuck Todd and Reginald and the Monkey. And we'll get a Ryder cup preview from Steve Sands. But first, let's do some commerce. It's Kelly Clarkson, here to talk all things Wayfair. The best place to buy furniture, decor, and anything else you can think of to create a home you absolutely love. I know when I shop with Wayfair, I find options for every style. Whether I'm feeling boho or farmhouse, modern, traditional French country, I can find exactly what I need for my home. No matter your space, style or budget, shop wayfair.com to make your home way more you.

[Chuck Todd]

Wayfair.

[Tony Kornheiser]

Every style, Every home.

[Philip Martin]

Previously on the Tony Kornhauser Show.

[Tony Kornheiser]

I said it would be okay if we turn that to the red zone. I go, no, no, we want to watch Washington. Okay, I understand. I mean, it's in one. I sort of get that. But there was one red zone TV on, so I was able to watch that and devour this. And it's a huge sandwich. Do you ever have days like this?

[Chuck Todd]

This is the secret to life. You lower your expectations. You used to want to be a scratch golfer, and now you're elated that you can digest pork.

[Tony Kornheiser]

This is what you do. It was so cool.

[Nigel]

This is how we cope.

[Tony Kornheiser]

This is General George Washington, and you're listening to the Tony Kornheiser Show. Okay, we have sports news. We will get to sports. A couple of people were fired that I want to talk about. The Nats lost a game that I thought was the second game of a doubleheader. I was wrong about that.

[Michael]

You're watching a Nats classic, apparently.

[Tony Kornheiser]

Yeah, I want to talk about that.

[Nigel]

Strasberg on the mound.

[Tony Kornheiser]

I want to talk about Shohei Ohtani's pitching last night. I want to talk about all of these things, but there are two things that we have to open with. One, I need my phone for if. Michael, go get my phone. That's the note from Lindy De Koven about dogs and animal rescue.

[Michael]

I'll be right back.

[Tony Kornheiser]

All right, so we'll do that. But that's not the first one I want to talk about. The first one I want to talk about is potatoes. Oh, we went to get the potatoes. Okay. Yesterday we went to see what we had. Why did we go yesterday? Because I received a note from Buster only yesterday with pictures. He has so many potatoes. Buster has so many potatoes that he invites Families over with their kids to pick the potatoes.

[Nigel]

Like a county fair.

[Tony Kornheiser]

You know, it's unbelievable how many potatoes he has.

[Nigel]

Bounty.

[Tony Kornheiser]

Yes.

[Michael]

So the fresh pressed cider.

[Tony Kornheiser]

So Michael and I went out. There were two spots where we planted potatoes, both in the front yard.

[Michael]

Could have used a treasure map both times.

[Tony Kornheiser]

I think that tested your memory. I think that the landscaping. People saw these things as weeds, saw the top of the plant as weeds, and maybe pulled them out. But a couple of them remained. A couple of them remained. And we dug and we found some potatoes. Now, we were digging in soil that was not particularly fertile and had a lot of rocks in it. And as we turned things over, I didn't think they were potatoes. I thought they were rocks. But some of them were potatoes. Some of them were purple potatoes. Got about eight purple potatoes. A very meager haul. I mean, I doubt we could make three french fries. I doubt it.

[Michael]

I think we were armed with the wrong tools for the job. We showed up with just a trowel and a little, you know, something that turns the soil over.

[Tony Kornheiser]

What. What else do you do? What do you do? You gotta. What do you. What else is. I don't know. Real shovel. Oh, I don't know. I mean.

[Nigel]

So maybe the front. Maybe the front yard was not the best place.

[Tony Kornheiser]

Maybe. Well, it was our first try.

[Michael]

I think the front ones were left in the oven a little bit too long.

[Tony Kornheiser]

The red potatoes did better than the gold potatoes. We. We planted about two weeks after the red potatoes. Some gold Yukon gold potatoes. We only got three little potatoes. And when I say little, I mean seriously. The size of a dime. Yeah. I mean, really? Nothing. You can't do anything with these. You wouldn't even dare eat them. So they could. Because they could be rocks.

[Michael]

Now, judging how hard it was to dig them out of the soil, I think there was something wrong with the setup. It probably had just been a bit too dry over the last couple months.

[Tony Kornheiser]

I never watered them. I never did anything for them.

[Michael]

We've been in a drought for the last six weeks.

[Tony Kornheiser]

So. Okay, so that. That's what happens.

[Nigel]

It's going to be a lean winter.

[Tony Kornheiser]

I sent for you more than us. I sent Buster a video today. I sent him a video. Michael filmed me. And I saw camera work, by the way. Yeah, I talked about it. And I sent in. And the only message is, here's our haul. And then there's a one minute video, me talking. And Buster says, that's awesome. It's like opening presents. You never know what you'll get. You've got some great potatoes for a beef stew. I'll have some thoughts for you. When you plan your 2026 crop and it's not giving us recipe, his thoughts will be, don't do it. You stink at it. You're lousy at it. Don't do it. Just buy the potatoes. I've got some great potatoes for a beef stew. I don't know that these are edible. Yeah, I don't look edible.

[Nigel]

We've had, we've handled them.

[Tony Kornheiser]

They just don't seem.

[Michael]

There's a softness to them.

[Tony Kornheiser]

It just, I don't know.

[Michael]

Now, I do not see the input that you put into the ground, but this does not look too far from what I would imagine old potatoes to look like.

[Tony Kornheiser]

We put. You think it's. I put at least nine dirt in the, in the purple potatoes. I put at least nine things in there with the eyes facing up. And I put at least six on the Yukon Gold with the eyes facing up. I did all those things. I did that. It just, you know, it didn't work.

[Nigel]

Maybe we need to send someone out to apprentice with Buster for a harvest season.

[Tony Kornheiser]

Just. It didn't want. I mean, I wanted to work. I wanted it figured out. The zucchini got that down. We need to have this. I don't have this thing from Lindy. I kind of. This is no good. I got to find this message from Lindy. Oh, here it is. Okay, so Lindy says, reminding you to mention this on podcast. Just a quick reminder that this Thursday is remember Me Thursday. A day to honor pets in shelters still waiting for homes and to inspire more people to adopt them. Thank you so much.

[Nigel]

Oh, that's lovely.

[Tony Kornheiser]

Chessy the dog is from a shelter. We took her out of a shelter 12 or 13 years ago. She's an old girl now. And. And I am for this. I am for rescuing dogs. I mean, open your house, open your heart to these dogs. Lindy doesn't have to, like, beg me to do this or cajole me to do this. This is what I believe in. So I think.

[Michael]

No. And particularly over the last five years, as people's work habits have changed, there's a lot of dogs that are getting sent to shelters and people aren't just, you know, there's a lot of dogs need love, not just the fancy brand name dogs that are hypoallergenic.

[Tony Kornheiser]

And no, we didn't have any of that. We just picked out a dog. Simply that, look, dog looks good. Let's have that beautiful.

[Nigel]

Best dog ever.

[Tony Kornheiser]

She's a gorgeous dog.

[Nigel]

She is.

[Tony Kornheiser]

Okay, so other things to talk about. Let me get to the coaches. There were two firings yesterday that are unfathomable to me. One, they fired the woman who coaches the New York Liberty. This is actually unfathomable unless players on that team went to management and said, we can't stand her. That's different. But absent that, do you know how many championships the New York Liberty have won in their entire career? Which probably about 20 years. They've won one.

[Nigel]

When do they win that?

[Tony Kornheiser]

Last year with this woman, Sandy Brundello. And they fired her. What? That's unbelievable to me. You know, and that league fires people. Like last year, they fired more than half the coaches in the league. And, you know, and then Oklahoma State fired Mike Gundy. Mike Gundy had coached here for 21 years. He's a graduate of Oklahoma State. He had won 10 games or more like eight times. He had a record like 170 and 90. Okay, he's a loudmouth. He can rub people the wrong way. But he also, last year, I believe when they were going through a tough season, every single week, went to old age homes and talked to the people who were there. Yeah. Tell me if Nick Saban did that, because I don't think so. Tell me if Mike Locksley does that. I don't think so. Maybe they do. God bless if they do. But he did. Now they are lousy lately. They've lost 11 of their last 12 games and the other day, and Oregon crushed them. And that's because Gundy opened his yap and talked about how Oregon has a tremendous advantage through Nike money for nil money. That's the way it is now. You had an advantage for a long time. You had T. Boone Pickens, one of the richest men in America, back in the program. But after 21 years and a graduate, you don't fire a guy three games into the season. You show that guy the courtesy. You say to him, look, this isn't working out. Um, we want you to finish the year out. We don't know what's going to happen, but it's not working out. But you don't fire him after three games. I just think that's terrible. I don't even like him. Right. I'm not a fan of Gundy. Although he's got that great quote, I'm a man. I'm 40. Which is 20 years ago now. Anyway, I thought that was terrible on the part of Oklahoma State.

[Nigel]

Now, basically, did you read any of the statements from the ad?

[Tony Kornheiser]

What did he say?

[Nigel]

I mean, it was so. It was almost like not Van Gundy. That Gunny had been there for like an hour. He's like, they wouldn't let him finish out the season. Apparently was 21 years table and he's a grad and he goes more success.

[Tony Kornheiser]

Than anybody who ever coached.

[Nigel]

This decision in no way should take away from the years of success of OSU football has had under coach Gundy's leadership. Thanks him we had and talks about all the winning that they did. There were maintainable goals, but it's just like you just kicked him out the door and you're like, oh, we really appreciate everything you did, but just leave.

[Tony Kornheiser]

Now as quickly as you can. I don't want to see terrible. Yeah, I thought that was really bad. Okay. The Nats, they lost again. Now they're trying Garcia first. If you look, if you go and look at a box score of the Nats, every single player that they depend on is hitting below what you think they should be hitting. Their batting averages are below their 240s and 230s. 240s, 250s, 220s, 2 60s. They have no. 300 hitters. They have, you know, C.J. abrams and James Wood have been their best hitters and they're in the 250 and 260 range. Dalen Lyle may be the best hitter on the team and they brought him up, you know, 20 minutes ago. They're no good. They're no good. So I don't know why I watch. It's just a habit that I have. But I did watch a lot of the MLB Network.

[Michael]

Did you found it?

[Tony Kornheiser]

Yeah, to see other things and I wanted to see Detroit and Cleveland. MLB Network is very good. Yeah, it's. Wilbourne says this all time. He's right. It's very good. Detroit and Cleveland. At some point, Tarek Scuba was on the mount. So, like, who has momentum in that series? Well, Cleveland has won 15 of 17 games and they're playing at home. And Detroit has lost nine of 10 going into the game and they're playing on the road. So you would say the momentum is with Cleveland. But if you listen to Earl Weaver, that momentum is today's starting pitcher. Detroit has Tarek Scubal. It's the best pitcher in the American League. And he's pitching well until there's this meltdown and I don't know, the third, fourth, fifth inning, whenever it was. And at one point he fields a bun and throws the ball backwards between his legs over the head of the first baseman, you go, what was that exactly? That's something you do in spring training, laughing with your friends. And ultimately Cleveland took advantage of this and they beat Detroit. And now they are tied. They're dead even. And since they hold the Wild, they hold the tiebreaker. They're actually ahead of Detroit. Detroit could miss the playoffs. Detroit was 15 and a half games ahead of Cleveland on July 9, 15 and a half, two months ago, and now they're even. That was fun to watch. Shohei Otani last night pitched six innings for the first time in two years, went all the way up to six, gave up five, five hits. And no runs. No runs. Let me emphasize that. No runs. So if you're wondering one wild card starter, if you're wondering who might start in the playoffs in game one, I would think it would be Shohei Otani. You know, I. Because he's that good. That's why they have an advantage that no other team has. And that was interesting. Seattle won again. Seattle has basically won the AL West. Now Seattle's in the playoffs for the second time in 20 years. They don't get in a lot. No, they. They are a forgotten place. And the Mets, I hate watch that game. The Mets won last night. The Mets were down in, in the Cubs. This is going to make.

[Michael]

Well, down by five runs.

[Tony Kornheiser]

6 1, right? Yeah. Mets were down 61 and they came back and they won the game. So the Mets are now one game ahead of Cincinnati, which lost to Pittsburgh, and one game ahead of Arizona, which won last night. So that, that one's not over by any stretch of the imagination. Mike, do you think they're going to make it? The Mets?

[Michael]

I think just based on where the scheduling go. But yes, I. The Reds had so many chances.

[Tony Kornheiser]

Have nothing to play for. They're. They have nothing to play.

[Nigel]

Yeah. They can't move the position, right?

[Tony Kornheiser]

No.

[Michael]

Even last night it looked like you started doing some pitching changes early because you're trying to set up for, you know, next week.

[Tony Kornheiser]

But the guy who manages the Cubs, Craig Counsel, has to manage his team. Yeah. He's not managing the Mets. He's. He's in. He has to take care of his team. He owes nothing to that game against the Mets.

[Michael]

The Mets pick up one more in Chicago and finish with the Marlins. You think they're going to get him?

[Tony Kornheiser]

Maybe. But they have gagged. I mean, the gags by the Mets and the Tigers, that's extraordinary. Now, the biggest gag of all time was the Phillies. I think in 1964, they were seven and a half up with 10 games to go and they didn't win any games.

[Nigel]

Was that when the manager said, I'm just going to pitch these two guys to try and get them to 30? Mock, I think that's right.

[Tony Kornheiser]

Yeah. And that's the biggest gag of all time. But that's in a concentrated period of time. If the Tigers miss the playoffs completely and the Mets missed the playoffs completely, the fall that they have taken from the middle of the year on is I. Buster only thinks it's unprecedented. By the way, we, we sent these things out. Buster is in the forgotten time zone. You know, he's in the mountain time zone. It's a two hour difference. We sent this at 7:15 in the morning our time. And I said to Michael, Buster's up.

[Nigel]

Of course he is.

[Tony Kornheiser]

He's got cows to milk. He's up. And he immediately responded. He responded in 10 seconds. I will take a break. We'll come back with Chuck Todd. And we got to ask Chuck Todd about the Rams because he had the Rams plus three and a half. And that's the worst beat I've ever seen. Last play of the game. Touchdown. Going the other way. Being hauled by a 336 pound guy. All right, we'll be back with Chuck. I'm Tony Kornheiser. When did making plans get this complicated? It's time to streamline with WhatsApp, the secure messaging app that brings the whole group together. Use polls to settle dinner plans. Send event invites and pinned messages so no one forgets mom 60th and never miss a meme or milestone. All protected with end to end encryption. It's time for WhatsApp message privately with everyone. Learn [e-mail] this episode is brought to you by State Farm. Checking off the boxes on your to do list is a great feeling. And when it comes to checking off coverage, a State Farm agent can help you choose an option that's right for you. Whether you prefer talking in person on the phone or using the award winning app, it's nice knowing you have help.

[Steve Sands]

Finding coverage that best fits your needs.

[Tony Kornheiser]

Like a good neighbor, State Farm is there. You're listening.

[Steve Sands]

You're listening to the Tony Kornheiser Show.

[Tony Kornheiser]

This is our friend Philip Martin. He's written this song called Tony Likes to Rock. He says it started out as a joke, then I blew my voice out trying to sing it. Now I kind of like it. Will likely put it out when I do another album. It's kind of self explanatory. Most of it's true. We did have a flirtation with Tom Ayers, the guy who signed David Bowie to rca. And the whole idea did spring from a recent show where I played my solo acoustic set, then later joined a real rock band for a couple of songs. And I remember the captain Tony Tales from the Road playing bass for the Post Sex Nachos. Was it the Post Sex nachos or was Norwegian.

[Nigel]

Norwegian stuff?

[Tony Kornheiser]

Kidding.

[Nigel]

Yeah.

[Tony Kornheiser]

I love it when a plan comes together. And he included all the lyrics to this and the lyrics are exciting for me. You listen to it at the end of the show. You'll, you know, you'll. Don't let me talk over it now. It plays in Philip Martin plays in Chuck Todd. And this week's picks with Chuck Todd and Reginald the monkey are brought to you by FanDuel Sportsbook. Make every moment more. Before we get to the picks, we got to go backwards. Chuck, you had the Rams in three and a half. You were counting your money the entire game. They were up 26 to 7 at some point. That's the most bizarre ending I have ever seen to a football game. It's not like a Hail Mary where you know what's going to happen. It's just not like that to lose on that kind of a touchdown to lose the bet. Right. It's. It's the worst beat of all time. Right.

[Chuck Todd]

It has to be. Oh, it's a. Because I had real American dollars on that too.

[Tony Kornheiser]

Yeah.

[Chuck Todd]

And you know, you felt good the whole game. Right. They were up 26 to 7. You know, Wilbond mentioned an old packers game and I had the, I felt like I had my own David Aldrich moment. I'm like, I know that highlight. I don't remember the game itself. I didn't see. But do you remember they used to have a thing at the, at the two minute warning called Alcoa presents Fantastic finishes.

[Tony Kornheiser]

Oh yeah. And that was on.

[Chuck Todd]

That was, that was always one of them. And I remember as a young Packer fan, I was like always so excited. They would play it a few times. It was like in a rotation, right. And it was Chester Markle ball bounces in his hands. And it was. I think it was Harry Callis used to be the voice of it.

[Tony Kornheiser]

Sure.

[Chuck Todd]

Right. The old Harry Callis. Fantastic finish. It's. I used to think I could do a Harry Callus, but that only the Auburn kick six. Yeah, right, right. That was, that's in a, you know, there's a few. There's a great walk off in baseball. I Don't know if you remember this one. It was in the playoffs. It was Game 5, Marlins, Giants. The Giants, I think eliminated the Marlins on a. It was a walk off out at the plate, which I thought to end a series. Yeah, that's exciting for baseball. Was sort of one of the weirder and most interesting walk offs. You could have an out at home plate in the ninth inning, ends the series, you know, but.

[Tony Kornheiser]

But you're watching a 336 pound guy going 60 yards the other way.

[Chuck Todd]

That guy. Yeah, it looked like he was. He was never. I mean, I think 18 miles an hour, you're like, I mean he was like, I'm going to score this touchdown. Nobody was chasing if he had money on the game.

[Tony Kornheiser]

Yeah. Even with that, by the way, you, you won on the Lions. So you were 4 and 3 on the day. You're 9 and 12 overall. But you had a winning. Where you're the only person. And counting monkeys too. The only person or Simeon that we have that had a winning week. So that was good. Let's start.

[Chuck Todd]

No, I feel like I at least had. Had. I knew what the week was going to do.

[Tony Kornheiser]

No. Okay. Well. Yeah, well, we are now in the fourth week. So there is a sense of how the teams are shaking out. The first game that is we're going to give you. Is the Thursday night game. Tomorrow night game, which we started out yesterday, it was Seattle plus one and a half at Arizona. And I don't bet. I would have bet $10,000 on that game. You're giving me Seattle and points after what I saw Seattle do. What are you nuts? So I would. Yeah. Now there is if. Now if you bet it at the time, that's the odds you get. Now there is a huge reversal, a three point reversal here because now it's Seattle minus one and a half at Arizona. Who will you take?

[Chuck Todd]

You know, these early lines and all this stuff. The, the thing you learn is the professional betters, they make all their bets the day of or the day after the week. The previous week's games.

[Tony Kornheiser]

Right. They get the first line.

[Chuck Todd]

They do all the first lines. Like that's your life. How do you make money in gambling? I bet next week's games on Sunday night, son. You know, I division game. I'm not a big fan of Arizona. Everything says to take Seattle here. The movement in the line says to take Seattle here. I'm taking the home team on Thursday night.

[Tony Kornheiser]

You're going to take Arizona?

[Chuck Todd]

Yeah, I just think the home. I think it's a big that's just such a big advantage. Travel advantage. I mean, it's a whole extra day.

[Tony Kornheiser]

Yes. That you can practice. Yes.

[Chuck Todd]

That they don't. I just think it's the biggest advantage in the NFL. So give me, give me that.

[Tony Kornheiser]

Okay. Apparently Minnesota is playing Pittsburgh in Dublin. I don't know why that is, but apparently that is the ambassador.

[Chuck Todd]

Ireland was Rooney. So I think this is like a Steelers home game.

[Tony Kornheiser]

Okay.

[Chuck Todd]

I'm like, I'm all over this because of that. Like I'm. That's my big angle. Ambassador Rooney. I think they're going to be a huge. I think that's going to be an old home field advantage for them.

[Tony Kornheiser]

Well, then you're going to get plus two and a half because somebody made a line that makes no sense to me that Minnesota is minus two and a half in this game. Minnesota. Why? Because Carson Wentz, quarterback. Yeah, why? Why? So I even. I would take Pittsburgh isn't nearly as good as I thought they might be, but even I would take Pittsburgh here. You're going to take Pittsburgh, aren't you?

[Chuck Todd]

I love Pittsburgh here. I love the spot. I love the. The Dublin aspect of it. Do you see this? My good stat that I enjoyed this week because it was fun. Trivia question. Seeing if my son could name all the teams. Carson Wentz now is. Six straight years. Started at least one game for six. Straight for six.

[Tony Kornheiser]

Really? So he's. He's got a chance to break Ryan Fitzpatrick's record if he stays in the league.

[Chuck Todd]

I think you're right. Yeah, he's on that. He. He seems to be like Ryan Fitzpatrick. Right. He's physical enough. He's pretty good. He must be good in a quarterback room. Right. Smart guy. And coaches like having him around, I guess. You know, he. He always ends up a backup for good teams. Chiefs, Rams, Vikings.

[Tony Kornheiser]

You know, makes sense. I mean, he went to the Colts. He was no good. He was no good at the Colts.

[Chuck Todd]

No. Well, no good.

[Tony Kornheiser]

All right.

[Chuck Todd]

Talk about a team. I don't. I have no feel for the Colts. I have no idea how we're going.

[Tony Kornheiser]

To get to them. Later in the show here. Washington is at Atlanta. Washington is minus one and a half. I don't know who the starting quarterback is. It did not matter at home against the Raiders as a lot of us thought it would not matter. Atlanta has problems right now because Michael Penix, you know, anointed as the next godlike quarterback, was lousy last game and was benched for the fourth quarter for Kirk Cousins, who's just sitting around Getting a paycheck. Atlanta, it's a home game. Maybe that matters. Washington minus one and a half on the road. Who you got?

[Chuck Todd]

Do you get the sense that, like your friend the dancing owners gonna fire a coach here because he wants a Super bowl before. Before he's watching games somewhere else?

[Tony Kornheiser]

Maybe, maybe he could fire a coach. But he just hired this guy, you know, one year and three games ago, so I don't think he's going to fire this guy right away. Raheem Morris, right? I don't think so.

[Chuck Todd]

I thought it was a weird decision to bench Pennock.

[Tony Kornheiser]

Yeah.

[Chuck Todd]

I don't know why you meant mess with his head like that. I can't. I can't bet on that. I feel like they've messed with his head. And give me. Give me Washington, regardless of the quarterback. Full disclosure, Nigel gave me a chance to opt out of the. Of the Washington game last week.

[Tony Kornheiser]

Yeah. Because it goes to the quarterback. Chance. Yeah.

[Chuck Todd]

Yeah.

[Tony Kornheiser]

Oh, no, we did that. We. Yeah, we definitely did that. But I would have stayed with them. And as it turned out, yeah, comfortably. Philadelphia, probably the best team in the league right now. Philadelphia is at Tampa Bay. These are both undefeated teams. Philadelphia is giving three and a half at Tampa Bay. Tampa Bay has won three games. Wait for it. By a total of six points. Six points. Okay. And they're three. And oh, their quarterback wins games in the last minute. Three straight games. Baker Mayfield is good. Philadelphia is better. If you like Philadelphia. Battle of the unbeatens. Three and a half points.

[Chuck Todd]

It feel like every season there's a team like Tampa, the team that just wins these close games that they shouldn't win. All. All of them. I think last year it was the Chiefs.

[Tony Kornheiser]

I think it's Tampa. I think Tampa with Baker Mayfield has done this for three years, I think.

[Chuck Todd]

Yeah. And a couple years ago, Minnesota.

[Tony Kornheiser]

Yes.

[Chuck Todd]

Where they kept winning those one score games. And you're like, well, this is going to implode. And people like me, you almost are chasing the fade. You're like, you gotta. Oh, well, there's. They're not doing this again this week. You know, and then all Baker Mayfield does is take your lunch money.

[Tony Kornheiser]

Yeah.

[Chuck Todd]

I like the hook there. That three and a half. Right. That, you know, somehow this will be the last. It'll be decided in the last minute. I don't. By the way, it's not like Philly. They seem to play to whatever they need to whoever they're playing.

[Tony Kornheiser]

Yes.

[Chuck Todd]

Right. They're. They're not winning by more than a score.

[Tony Kornheiser]

No.

[Chuck Todd]

So the Hook. The hook is your friend there.

[Tony Kornheiser]

So you'll take the home team. You'll take Tampa Bay.

[Chuck Todd]

Yes, sir.

[Tony Kornheiser]

Yeah. I know you write about Philadelphia, but Philadelphia looks physically more imposing than other teams to me. They do. Let's go to Indianapolis. Amazing.

[Chuck Todd]

I'm so. By the way, it makes me happy because this is my. Miami Hurricanes are this way too. That no matter how much you do a spread offense in football, all the gadget plays. It's the teams with the big offensive line.

[Tony Kornheiser]

That's right. Who push the other team. That's right.

[Chuck Todd]

That's still is how you win football.

[Tony Kornheiser]

Yeah.

[Chuck Todd]

It doesn't matter. Your gadget place. Are you big up front and Philly is just massive.

[Tony Kornheiser]

Yeah, they're big.

[Chuck Todd]

You're right. They're just massive.

[Tony Kornheiser]

Indianapolis A3 and O team with Daniel Jones cast off by the Giants. At some point somebody has to say to Brian Dabel there's the door. But I don't know when that's.

[Chuck Todd]

You like the Indiana Jones nickname?

[Tony Kornheiser]

I do like that. I do.

[Nigel]

Great.

[Tony Kornheiser]

Indianapolis is getting three and a half at the Rams. The Rams played well enough to win. Had a chance to win. Lost in heartbreaking fashion after going 3,000 miles across the country. They are home against a team they probably know nothing about. Indianapolis is getting three and a half. Who you got?

[Chuck Todd]

I'm going to fade the Colts here. They. They really haven't beat. I mean to the Colts credit. They're beaten. Teams you should beat.

[Tony Kornheiser]

Yes.

[Chuck Todd]

Right.

[Tony Kornheiser]

Yes.

[Chuck Todd]

You know, and in the NFL if you just beat the teams that you're going to. You should be. You got seven or eight wins and then you just have to go.500 with the rest. But the Rams are a really good football team. I. This is just one of those where I'm just betting that they're just better than the Colts and that this is where the colt we find out that the Colts are maybe good enough to win that AFC south because it's a lousy division. It's a terrible division. They're not.

[Steve Sands]

The Rams are super poor contender.

[Tony Kornheiser]

Do you know how many times Indianapolis has punted in three games?

[Chuck Todd]

Is it still zero?

[Tony Kornheiser]

It's 113 games. One punt in three games. That's how efficient they've been.

[Chuck Todd]

Wasn't he. Was he the offensive coordinator for the Eagles? At the Eagles. Right.

[Tony Kornheiser]

Strike.

[Chuck Todd]

You know. Yeah, that's. I mean give that guy. He's like the guy in Minnesota. Give many quarterback and he'll make him.

[Tony Kornheiser]

Seems to know what he's doing. Seems to know what he's doing okay. Baltimore coming. Baltimore has played two good teams and lost both times.

[Chuck Todd]

Are you worried about him?

[Tony Kornheiser]

Well, the loser this game, Baltimore at Kansas City is going to be 1 and 3. 1 and 3. These are the two teams that anybody looking at the AFC at the beginning of the year would say, yeah, Buffalo, Kansas City, Baltimore. Sure. Two of them are going to be in the AFC championship game. One of them will be one and three. This is at Kansas City. Baltimore is a favorite, two and a half point favorite, which I. I can't say I understand. I know they score a lot of points, but they give. They've given up 96 points. It's the second most points in the league. The two losses where they played good teams, they've given up 79 points. Something is wrong there. Certainly I'm not trying to influence you because Kansas City doesn't look good. Kansas City doesn't look like they can score 30 points on anybody. They really don't. But Baltimore is a 2 1/2 point favorite at Kansas City.

[Steve Sands]

Who you got, you know who's got.

[Chuck Todd]

The best defense, one of the best defense in the league. It's the team that's got a head coach who used to be the defensive coordinator for the Ravens. It's the Seahawks. Yeah, they miss that guy. I look forward to a good luck. And for a rant about the who's. Who's the biggest. The biggest failure in Baltimore? The GM of the Orioles or the offensive coordinator.

[Tony Kornheiser]

Yeah.

[Chuck Todd]

For the Ravens.

[Tony Kornheiser]

Yeah.

[Chuck Todd]

You know, I feel like the Ravens don't need this game as much as the Chiefs do. The Chiefs feel like one in three and that's a little.

[Tony Kornheiser]

The Chiefs are in a better division.

[Chuck Todd]

Yes. They need the wins. Where the Ravens, they win that division with a 10 and 7 record, don't they?

[Tony Kornheiser]

Cincinnati can't win any more games. Cleveland can only win on defense. And Pittsburgh isn't as good as you think. They're going to know the Ravens can win their division, whereas Kansas City cannot beat the Chargers if they keep losing.

[Chuck Todd]

Well, the bet to make is the loser will be one in three and they'll be. You'll probably be able to get plus money betting on them to make the playoffs.

[Tony Kornheiser]

Yes.

[Chuck Todd]

So that. Because I still think both these teams make the playoffs. I just think the Chiefs need it more. And I trust I'll trust the Chiefs defense to slow the Ravens enough to allow the Chiefs to win this game.

[Tony Kornheiser]

And we have one more. Your favorite team, Green Bay on Sunday night is at Dallas. A little birdie has said that you Might be in the vicinity. You might be.

[Chuck Todd]

I am. I got a. I got a child down there. And. And this is. We. We circled this when we realized that he'd be. You know, he's a Dallas resident now. And I thought, all right, it's a good time to go make sure everything's okay with my son.

[Tony Kornheiser]

Green Bay is. Is a six and a half point road favorite because if you watch Dallas, you know, they're just. They can score.

[Chuck Todd]

Did they quit?

[Tony Kornheiser]

They can't stop anyone. No, it didn't.

[Chuck Todd]

They quit.

[Tony Kornheiser]

It didn't look great. It didn't look great. I don't know. I don't know.

[Chuck Todd]

I mean, Caleb. I mean, they made Caleb look great, but it also felt like they just. Eh, we're out.

[Tony Kornheiser]

Yeah. Yeah. Didn't sack him once. He usually gets sacked 43 times in every game through four touchdown passes. Wilbon now is in love with him again, even though I don't think you can look at a game against Dallas and say, this is definitive. So anyway, who you got?

[Chuck Todd]

I'm taking Green Bay. I also think Micah Parsons is just going to have a monster day that I think he wants to perform in.

[Tony Kornheiser]

Dallas under the watchful eye of Jerry Jones. Sure.

[Chuck Todd]

Yeah.

[Tony Kornheiser]

Yeah. I think he could break both of Dak Prescott's legs accidentally, of course.

[Chuck Todd]

But yeah, well, he said he's at, you know, he's. It's going to feel. He said he'll feel bad sacking it.

[Tony Kornheiser]

Yeah, well, that doesn't mean he won't do it. Yeah, but.

[Chuck Todd]

Right. He didn't say he wasn't going to sack. He just said he'd feel bad doing it.

[Tony Kornheiser]

All right, so you got Green Bay. I'm taking the. Enjoy that game. We'll talk next week. Chuck Todd, boys and girls. And if we gave you just Chuck Todd, it would be great. It'd be enough because he's great. But no, we give you a monkey. See the monkey, he scritch, scritch scratching watching his eyes Smoking and laughing. Hanging with Bud Grant Tap, tap, tapping on his pur. Nigel's going to the zoo.

[Nigel]

Reginald's got the fight.

[Tony Kornheiser]

Sometimes he throws and he's had too.

[Chuck Todd]

Much Johnny Walker Blue.

[Tony Kornheiser]

How is he? He was one and two last week. Yeah, he should have been five.

[Nigel]

Should have been owing three.

[Tony Kornheiser]

Yeah, he's four and five.

[Nigel]

Very grateful at that Philly game.

[Tony Kornheiser]

Yeah.

[Nigel]

Even though that cost. Cost Chuck. Yeah. So I went down to the National Zoo to. To chat with. With Reginald. He was not there, but he was willing to FaceTime me. You he was at St. Andrews.

[Tony Kornheiser]

Oh.

[Nigel]

He likes to play a round of golf with some Europeans on the eve of the Ryder Cup. Just loves that sort of rivalry. So it was. He showed me the camera around. He was playing alongside John Lithgow. Against Lithgow. Yep. Against Sir Ben Kingsley and Elena Stasi. So they were having a lovely, lovely time. Did not say who was winning, but, you know, hopefully America, for your sake, was doing well. Took a break in the action to go through some of these matches. And the first one we gave him was the Vikes on the road. Well, I guess they're both on the road in Dublin against the Steelers, giving two and a half. And this was another photograph he showed me of him golfing this time at Royal Port Rush alongside. This is a while ago, alongside Bud Grant, Bono and Chuck Foreman.

[Tony Kornheiser]

Okay. So he's gonna pick Minnesota. And my feeling in this is that we don't know anything about Minnesota. Cause we don't really know what they're doing at quarterback. We don't really know.

[Nigel]

Just felt like a reflexive action. Foreman.

[Tony Kornheiser]

I know they played great last week. He did, yes. But against a terrible Cincinnati team. So that's a factor. Go ahead.

[Nigel]

So the next match you gave him was the Washington football team on the road giving a point and a half to the Falcons. And this was a lovely photo he showed me of him square dancing with Mike Nelms, the Squire and Marlena. So a lovely time, obviously, from years ago. Tells me he's got ties to the Washington Football Club.

[Tony Kornheiser]

So he's going the same way as Chuck in that one.

[Nigel]

Yes, he is. And the last match we gave him was the Eagles on the road at Tampa, giving three and a half. And again, this was a very old photograph. This is decades old of him scaling Mount Kilimanjaro alongside Richie Ashburn, Chuck Bednarik, and of course, they had their medical advisor, Dr. Julius Irving, alongside with them.

[Tony Kornheiser]

The doctor, yes.

[Nigel]

Tells me he likes Philomono.

[Tony Kornheiser]

So he's going. Three road teams.

[Nigel]

Three road teams. Road warriors.

[Tony Kornheiser]

Now, all three road teams are favorites.

[Nigel]

Yes.

[Tony Kornheiser]

He's going, you know, not taking the home dog. No, not taking the home dog. Chessy is the home dog. Not taking chess. Okay, well, that's fine. That's good to know. This week's picks with Chuck Todd and Reginald the Monkey have been brought to you by FanDuel's sportsbook. Make every moment more and we will come back with Steve Sands, who is on Long island for the Ryder Cup. I'm Tony Kornheiser. It's Pro Savings Days at Lowe's. Get up to 35% off select major appliances and save an additional $1,000 when you buy four select LG major appliances plus get a free Dewalt 20 volt max 5amp hour battery when you buy a select Dewalt 20 volt max tool. Get the job done for less at Lowe's. We help you Save valid through 926. Selection varies by location while supplies last. See associate or lowes.com for more details and qualifying items.

[Steve Sands]

There's a reason Chevy trucks are known for their dependability because they show up no matter the weather, push forward no matter the terrain and deliver. That's why Chevrolet has earned more dependability awards for trucks than any other brand in 2025, according to J.D. power, because in every Chevy truck, like every Chevy driver, dependability comes standard. Visit Chevy.com to learn more. Chevrolet received the high total number of awards among all the trucks in the JD powered 2025 U.S. vehicle Dependability Study Awards based on 2022 models. Newer models may be shown. Visit jdpower.com awards for more details. Chevrolet Together let's drive. This is the Tony Kornheiser show.

[Tony Kornheiser]

Once again. This is Philip Martin. This is a song called the Embezzler, Linda's mama. First song, of course, was about me. This is. I've never been accused of embezzling. He sounds a little like Bruce when he sings, doesn't he?

[Nigel]

A little bit.

[Tony Kornheiser]

Sounds a little bit like Bruce. He's playing in Sans. Sans will be able to tell you if he sounds a little bit like Bruce.

[Nigel]

Belated Happy Birthday to the Boss.

[Tony Kornheiser]

Yeah. Oh, that's right. That's right, Michael. If people like Philip Martin, independent artists want to send in their music for us to play, how do they do it?

[Michael]

Send us your music by emailing it to jinglesonycornizershow.com and the promo code TK Yak Yards after still available at johnnyo.com where they have some NFL gear that you can get made up and some Ryder cup stuff if you can find it in store.

[Tony Kornheiser]

So I, I just, I will ask this. I mean, you're a devotee of Bruce Springsteen. Does this sound a little bit like Bruce Springsteen to you?

[Steve Sands]

Philip Martin, But Liz Clark and I would not categorize that as Bruce Springsteen.

[Tony Kornheiser]

Okay. All right. Just that had that scratchiness that I thought sounded a little bit like it. All right, you're on. You're on Long Island. The Ryder cup starts on Friday. This has been widely anticipated. It's an exhibition match, but it's been widely anticipated. And there's this notion that the crowds will be raucous, and this will be different than most other golf matches and certainly different than Ryder Cups. You're on the ground. What does it feel like so far?

[Steve Sands]

Tony, your home island is jacked up for this event. It is awesome. It's going to be really, really cool. Beth Page is ready, the golf course in great shape. The crowds will be interesting. It'll be, you know, partly corporate because it's in the New York City area and there's so much interest as far as the corporations are concerned. But, you know, you're going to get those 600 level people. You know, those. The fans in New York are passionate. They're great sports fans. They're not. They're not afraid to let you hear what they're thinking. And I think that goes for both sides. By the way, you know, if the knicks are down 11 in the third quarter and at the Garden, they're not afraid to boo them in the home court. And I think the same thing could happen here if the Americans don't perform well. Tony, I think they could hear it a little bit from the New York crowd just as much as I think that the Europeans are absolutely going to hear it from the New York crowd. I think it's going to be a mix of both of those guys who cut off jean shorts, a white T shirt, and nine beer cups stack screaming and yelling at somebody, and also blinking glasses and hospitality tents as well.

[Tony Kornheiser]

The word most associated with the anticipation of this is raucous. The New York crowd will be raucous. What does that mean in golf? Do you really think people are going to boo? Do you think they're going to boo?

[Steve Sands]

Yes, 100%. Okay, they're going to boo. They're going to jeer, they're going to cheer. You know, most golfers will tell you if they've ever performed in a Ryder cup, it's the only time they ever truly feel like a professional athlete because they are getting jeered and booed and also cheered and all kinds of things going on. I think for sure, Tony, the New York fans are not afraid. But to let you know exactly what they're thinking. And I. And that goes for both sides. Like I said, I think it's going to be a very loud Ryder Cup. There's going to be a little bit of contentiousness. I think that, you know, hopefully nothing goes over the line and just stays in kind of a sports sense, if you will. As far as the booing and the jeering. But you never know when. When the emotions are running high at erotica. The other thing is, Tony, you'll see this this week. It's not contrived, it's true emotion, but it's different than you see 51 weeks a year. These guys will make putts and great shots and they will fist pump and go crazy and high five and scream and yell and put their hand behind their ear and hear the crowd roaring. That whole thing, you never see that in professional golf at the highest level, except for this week. And that's what makes the Ryder cup so different than the other weeks.

[Tony Kornheiser]

This is the, you know, this is a sport that, that is pretty much genteel. The only place where it's crazy is at the par 3 at the waste Management. Will this be anything like that?

[Steve Sands]

I don't know if it'll be like that, per se, as far as that particular hole and that particular crowd. But I think the noise level certainly, certainly will be every bit as much as we see out there at the Waste Management Phoenix Open every year over super bowl weekend. And I think that, you know, the fans, you know, will let you know what they're thinking, like we said. But also I think the players understand, you know, what's going to be taking place this week, and they've been told and have talked about it at nauseum and how to handle, you know, it best. It's not something they normally have. You don't normally get booed in golf. You don't normally get jeered in golf. You don't normally hear a lot of smack talk in golf. And I think that there's a lot of gamesmanship that goes on this week that you don't normally see week in, week out in this particular sport. But the guys all know what they're going to be facing here this week.

[Tony Kornheiser]

Do you have a sense of how much these tickets cost?

[Steve Sands]

Yeah, they started at $750.

[Tony Kornheiser]

So much money.

[Michael]

But it includes food and beverage.

[Tony Kornheiser]

It's not beer.

[Chuck Todd]

No, no, no, no.

[Steve Sands]

A beverage that doesn't include soft drinks. Tony's favorites. Yeah, no. Diet sodas. And sodas and stuff, and juices, but not, not alcohol. So, yes, $7.50. So we were kind of wondering if it was going to be pricing out, you know, certain fans and would that noise level, you know, and that energy still be there? Yeah, I think it will be. They'll find their way onto the golf course somehow, some way. But it's an expensive ticket, man. 750, by the way. That's that's not on the secondary market. That's to get in, you know, the secondary market. They're going for well into the four figures.

[Tony Kornheiser]

Yeah, I understand that 750 is just a lot of money. It's just a lot of too much. I mean, yeah, it seems like a lot.

[Steve Sands]

All right, it's too much.

[Tony Kornheiser]

Keegan Bradley, is he a stir it up kind of guy? Do we have a captain who is comfortable with and will want all of this noise?

[Steve Sands]

Yes, I think he's comfortable and want and wants the noise. I don't think he's the kind of guy who purposely stirs it up. He's been very conservative in his comments, has been congenial, as you would expect. But when he was playing Tony, you know, he was one of the most fired up guys you've ever been around at this event and he was a little bit of an antagonistic player out there when he was competing at the Radical. Not in a bad way, in a sports way. And he was always, you know, perfectly fine as far as playing and under the rules and those kinds of things. But he wasn't afraid to get jacked up. He's been much more measured in this role as a captain versus when he.

[Tony Kornheiser]

Played anyone on the Euro squad. A stir it up kind of guy, I assume Rory is, but I don't know if others are not afraid.

[Steve Sands]

Roy's not afraid to start it. I'll give you five guys who have the ability to go over the ropes, if you will. A little bit on the nutty side. I'll give you Tyrrell Hatton. Yeah, I'll give you Rory McElroy, which.

[Chuck Todd]

I don't think will happen.

[Steve Sands]

Robert McIntyre, he's not afraid to give it to you. Shane Lowry for sure is not afraid to give it to you. And John Rom as well. You know, there's a lot of energy at this event, Tony, and if you don't handle your emotions correctly, it can get away from you. And there will be comments made. Remember, the 12 significant others are there inside the ropes walking. Who knows what will be said by the fans as they cross over the ears of the significant others, you know, on the tees or on the greens or on the fairways where the players are. There's going to be a lot said for sure and we'll know very quickly who has decided to engage, if you will, with the fans as opposed to ignoring them.

[Tony Kornheiser]

It's a monster course. It's a huge course. Beth Page, have they done anything to it to, you know, help either? Side, have they? Or is it just the course that we normally see?

[Steve Sands]

I thought it was only Houston where you didn't have the H, but now it's huge. You don't have the H as well. It's fascinating how you pronounce the H's. I love that term. It's huge and it's Houston. It's never Houston and never huge.

[Chuck Todd]

I didn't know that.

[Tony Kornheiser]

Look, unless it's a ballpark.

[Chuck Todd]

What's that?

[Tony Kornheiser]

Unless it's Houston street in Lower Manhattan.

[Steve Sands]

The people here will tell you that means you're a local, if you're calling it correctly, calling it Houston and not Houston Street. Look, it's a huge ballpark, and it's set up. The Ryder cup is different than the President's Cup, The Ryder cup in a lot of ways, but one of the ways is the Americans get to set up the golf course. And on the European side, the Europeans get to set up the golf course when it's played on that side of the Atlantic. So, you know, the rough isn't nearly as penal as it would be, say, during a U.S. open, because the Americans tend to spray it a little bit off the tee compared to the Ryder cup guys. On the European side, the greens will be fast. They will not be slow like they would be over in Europe, because that's an advantage for the Americans. But this golf course has hosted the PGA six years ago. It's hosted a couple of US Opens in 2009 and 2002. It's not a regular PGA Tour event. So it's not as if there's an advantage of knowing the golf course any more than the Europeans. And also, this isn't like 30 years ago, these 12 Europeans, 11 of whom played in Rome, by the way, Rasmus Hoygaard is the only rookie for the European side. The Americans have four rookies. They all play on PGA Tour.

[Tony Kornheiser]

Yeah.

[Steve Sands]

Events. They play on the PGA Tour, they play in the United States. You're used to the guys. So the advantage, course wise, I don't think is nearly as big as it would be, is if it was over on the European side of things.

[Tony Kornheiser]

The Euro squad looks better to me. It does. I mean, they're more experienced. They've all won on the PGA Tour. They play it all the time. They look a little better to me. How about to you?

[Steve Sands]

Yeah, I agree with you. The Americans are pretty big favorite. I mean, last year I looked, it was minus 155. You know, I mean, I don't want to bring Jeff Ma to the conversation That's a pretty big number. It's a pretty big favorite for matches that are seemingly very, very even now. Whistling Straits, Tony. Here's what I think. Friday morning will dictate a lot. And, you know, you never win a football game in the first quarter, but you can lose some reason, but you can lose it. And. But for some reason at the Ryder Cup Friday morning, even those are the Friday afternoon. And then there's Saturday morning and Saturday afternoon, and then all 12 singles matches on Sunday. It dictates a lot on Friday morning. So it was some straights four years ago in Wisconsin, it was 3:1America after the first morning session, and it was like, kind of felt like it was over. Well, two years later, two years ago in Rome, in 23, it was four nothing. Europe after the morning session, and it felt like it was over as well. So let's wait and see how it all plays out on Friday morning. But I think the Europeans, top to bottom, are better. I also think they're playing better from top to bottom, all 12 guys. So if I had to put my house on one side or the other right now, I probably would put it on Europe.

[Tony Kornheiser]

Is there a guy, in your opinion, that you're looking for, that you think could be a breakout guy on either team?

[Steve Sands]

You know, I was thinking, I know he's top five in the world, and I know that, you know, he's a great, great player, but nobody realizes it and nobody knows it. Russell Henley can really, really play. He has a ton of respect from his players. He lets his clubs do the talking. He's a very quiet guy, very unassuming guy, but he is a top five player in the official World Golf Ranking, and he is just a money player. And he won earlier this year, last year at the President's cup, his first ever time playing for Team usa. He teamed with Scotty Scheffler and played very, very well in Montreal and helping the Americans win the President's cup again. I think Russell Henley is going to step up and play well. I also think he's going to be paired with Scottie Sheffield, a lot of.

[Tony Kornheiser]

People, not Sam Burns.

[Steve Sands]

I think Henley proved, first of all, he's a better player right now.

[Tony Kornheiser]

Right.

[Steve Sands]

And I know Burns and Scheffler are great friends.

[Tony Kornheiser]

Yeah.

[Steve Sands]

But, man, I'd be surprised if it wasn't Henley and Scheffler on Friday morning playing together in alternate shot. They were so good together, matched up so well together last year in Montreal. To me, that's what I would do. Kind of like I would put Justin Thomas, who's the best wedge player in the world, with Bryson DeChambeau an alternate shot because he just gets up there and rips it off the tee. And I think that those two would match up well together as well. I don't have any intel on that. I don't know what's going to happen in that regard, but I think Henley plays with Scheffler early before Burns does. That's just my.

[Tony Kornheiser]

It's interesting. I mean, I just sort of assumed, since they're good pals, I would assume that McElroy and Lowry would play as well, that they would like to play.

[Michael]

They often put McElroy with Fleetwood. You have Terrell at playing with Rom. But even in this conversation, realize one of the strengths of the European team is they have these tested partnerships that have worked.

[Tony Kornheiser]

Yeah, I'll get you out of here on this. Supposed to rain tomorrow. Doesn't really matter. They're not going to play tomorrow. But what if it. What if it rains during. If it rains, is that an advantage for either squad?

[Steve Sands]

Yeah, I think if it gets longer, it probably favors the Americans. You know, some of the American players are longer than. Most of the American players are longer than most of the European players. But I don't think weather's going to be much of an issue. If it gets out of here by Thursday night and it's clear out and it's not raining on Friday morning, it might play a touch longer, which might be an advantage to the Americans, Tony. But I. I don't think that's going to be a factor whatsoever. Unless it starts pouring on Friday. But it's not. It's not expected to.

[Tony Kornheiser]

Okay. Have a wonderful time. Thanks for being with us. Thank you, Steve.

[Steve Sands]

Everywhere I go, Tony, they don't just yell at Cheeserie. Here on Long island, they yell, tony, Tony, this is your hometown, man. They love you here. You're a legend.

[Tony Kornheiser]

I don't know.

[Chuck Todd]

Wow.

[Tony Kornheiser]

I only shot 114 at that course.

[Michael]

That'S up by the dairy barn.

[Steve Sands]

That's not so bad at that age.

[Tony Kornheiser]

Black man, have a good time.

[Steve Sands]

Tough.

[Chuck Todd]

All right.

[Tony Kornheiser]

Talk to you. Steve Sands, boys and girls. We will come back with email and jingle. I'm Tony Kornheiser. Imagine fast hydration combined with balanced energy. Perfectly flavored with zero artificial sweeteners. Introducing Liquid Ivy's new energy multiplier. Sugar free, unlike other energy drinks. You know, the ones that make you feel like you're glitching, it's made with natural caffeine and electrolytes so you get the boost without the burnout. Liquid IVs, new energy multiplier. Sugar free hydrating energy.

[Chuck Todd]

Tap the banner to learn more.

[Steve Sands]

You're listening to the Tony Kornheiser show.

[Tony Kornheiser]

That's a euphonium. Yes, that's Phil Coleman on the euphonium. You don't hear that very much. You want to do the Bethesda bagel ad for us?

[Nigel]

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

[Tony Kornheiser]

Before we get to the mailbag, let me just say they say our love won't pay the rent before it's earned Our money's all been spent. I guess that's so we don't have a pot but at least I'm sure of all the things we got Babe, I got you, babe look at the clock. It's six in the morning, kids. Thanks to our guest today, Chuck Todd. Steve Sands, thanks as well to today's sponsors. Remember, you can listen to us on Apple podcasts, Spotify and Odyssey get show through Apple Podcasts. Please leave us a review. I want to thank Patrick James from Orlando, who wrote to me as Dear Orange Bald Man, Ron. This was about Medicare. And he confirmed what I felt, which is that Medicare is not going to pay for an MRI for me until I quit working and don't have other insurance. Right, Medicare. If you have other insurance, you're not Medicare. Now, I could quit today and get an mri, but then, you know, then I wouldn't be making any money tonight, so. And I got to do the show, so I may as well not do that. But thank you very much to Patrick from Orlando.

[Nigel]

By the way, I have done some initial investigation onto how we can do better with our potato croplet next year. Lots of things.

[Michael]

Where's watering on that list?

[Nigel]

It's really, it's. It's a big important thing.

[Tony Kornheiser]

Yes, I didn't water at all.

[Nigel]

Yeah, there's lots of things we can do to make it better.

[Tony Kornheiser]

Okay, good. Here's wishing you and the whole mishpoca a happy and healthy new year. And that's to everybody out there. Regards, dg. Just want to add another one from Rabbi Hillel Skolnick in Columbus, Ohio. The same sort of thing. If I'm being correct, you had a bad experience at a deli counter last year on a day that turned out to be Yom Kippur. Thought I'd give you a heads up this year, Yom Kippur begins on Wednesday evening, October 1st, continues on Tuesday. On Thursday, October 2nd. Maybe the best thing would be to do meat shopping ahead of time. You know what I do on Yom Kippur? I do this all the time. Play golf.

[Nigel]

Oh, that's.

[Tony Kornheiser]

Yeah, I play golf. I commune with spirituality and I play golf, and that's what I do. That doesn't mean you have to do it. Just what I do. From John Molino in Fredericksburg, Virginia I think this qualifies as a divinely inspired David Aldrich moment. This week the lecture at Church announced that there was a special guest, Brother Guy Consolamagno. Wait, I know that brother from another mother. I remember his email to Mr. Tony. He's the Pope's astronomer and fellow Little before the mass, I shook Brother Guy's hand and wished him a hearty lecheserie. The look on his face told me it was the last thing he expected to hear at that time in that place, but a broad smile soon followed. Connective Tissue Brother Guy delivered an inspirational and entertaining presentation on the harmony between science and faith. Considering the venue, I decided against offering him the TK Salute. Isn't that wonderful? John Molino, by the way, is a novelist. His latest novel is called Someday But Not Yet. He's written five other novels. Very, very nice. From Jim Gentil not that Jim Gentile, formerly of Kensington, formerly of Silver Spring and now of Brooklyn. I am not that Jim Gentile, but I am the Jim Gentile who emailed you last week. I would have said not that Jim Gentile in my original email if I thought anybody but Tony would have gotten the reference. I obviously failed to fully appreciate the demographic skew of your listening audience. I remember that Jim Gentile from when I was a child and because of the coincidence of our names, he was my favorite baseball player for a while. I also want to take this opportunity to fact check a former journalist named Michael Wilbon. I realize Wilbon thinks time began with the 1985 Bears and ended with the 1998 Bulls. But the reality is the following defensive players won Super Bowl MVP before Dent, Chuck Howley and the Cowboys in five, Jake Scott and the Dolphins in seven, and Harvey Martin and Randy White in 12. Three more players have won since Ray Lewis, Malcolm Smith, and Von Miller. Not a long list. Incidentally, Chuck Howley in one respect can claim to be the NFL equivalent of Jerry west, as Mr. West is the only person to win NBA Finals MVP while playing on the losing team. Mr. Halley is the only person to win it while playing on the losing team. We got a lot of these things.

[Nigel]

Oh yes.

[Tony Kornheiser]

Sam Schmidt in Richmond, Virginia. All right, let me explain. Over the years we've come accustomed to various promo codes being shared on this show, much to the light of the sales weasels. At some point you were peddling another one of your top tier products. Maybe some underwear or subscription based toothbrush service. I don't know. The point is, the code that we needed to use was Ron. It was very strange and led to the same questions that I got last week. Do they think my name is Ron? Did we get the right code? I think it was eventually discovered that RON was an acronym for run on network. But for a little while, dear Ron was the tongue in cheek way to address you in emails. There must be a few other emails from a few years ago addressing you as Ron. Maybe Nigel can check the archive. See, I was simply trying to prove my loyalty and in group status by referencing an old joke. But I don't consider the fact that you and apparently all the Littles are completely unburdened by memory. Please be assured it won't happen again and all future communication shall be addressed to the one and only Captain Cornhouse. Now I don't.

[Nigel]

I had forgotten that, but I remember it now.

[Tony Kornheiser]

Yes. Okay, you o' Brien in Oakton, Virginia. Mike that Todlin town. Wilbon was close when he said that Richard Dent was the only defensive super bowl mvp. Was only off by nine. Four of them before Dent. And he lists all of them. You know he lists all of them. Chuck Howley, Jake Scott, Harvey Martin, Randy White, Richard Dentist, Larry Brown, that's the cornerback I was thinking of Larry Brown who won the award. I knew that happened. Ray Lewis, Dexter Jackson, Malcolm Smith and Von Miller. Yeah, I mean God bless Wilbond, but he's wrong. Sean Griffin, Leesburg, Virginia and Wilbond's defense. He's not on a checks chain with Chuck Howley, Jake Scott, Randy White or Harvey Martin. That's funny. That's funny. Thomas R. Bogart in Scapoose or Scapusi, Oregon Caboose, Chuck and Roxy number 362 at halftime. I put a $10 bet on the Eagles to win the money line. $141. I don't know about lobster, but I can certainly get a turkey. BLT haiku from Shad. Life according to Mr. Tony. Birth, school, work, golf, turkey club, death. Yeah, it's a. Michael, tell him how good the sandwich.

[Michael]

Every club, it's the best.

[Tony Kornheiser]

It's A good sandwich. Dennis Royer, Independence, Missouri. When Warren Zevon was dying of cancer, David Letterman had him on his show. David asked him if he had any advice for the viewers, and Zevon responded, enjoy every sandwich. So, Tony, you've got that great advice. Ben Carton. Not Carton. The unofficial senator of the Tony Corners Show. I turn happiness into misery. It's no I'm back for more cash, but I think it could sell a million copies more. Can't wait to read it.

[Nigel]

Yeah, that was the phrase you used.

[Tony Kornheiser]

Brandon Borzelli, Lebanon, New Jersey. Greg Garcia hits a four team parlay, huh? Let's see him work in a University of Delaware, Bowling Green, Tulane Air Force triple play parlor. Now we have pictures from. From Lee Gordon. Oh, yes, with a little bit of help from AI. Here's a view of you and Wilbon from the balcony seats normally occupied by grouchy Muppets to share with the viewers on News Channel 8. And it's me and Wilbon as Muppets because we are Muppets. We are Muppets. At this stage of our lives, we are Muppets. From Kelly Campbell in Naples, Florida, a quick trip regarding. Quick tip regarding MRIs and Cigna. When my doctor encounters a denied MRI, they always request the refusal code, the reason for denial, and the contact information of the person responsible. If asked why, the doctor explains that should any cancer be discovered later, the patient will know who to hold accountable and sue. Almost without fail, the MRI approval follows soon after. I'll be holding on to that.

[Nigel]

That's the move right there.

[Tony Kornheiser]

And I will tell whoever your doctor is. Yeah, I'll tell all of the doctors. I'll certainly tell Mark Clayman because he's involved in this. And one more from our friend Jeff Piggott in West Des Moines, the official golf club fitter of the TK Show. Just listen to the Friday Pod. Did I hear correctly that John Madden won 16 Emmys? If so, I hope he has a bunch of bathrooms. It's fun. If you're out on your bike tonight, everyone, as always, do wear white.

[Chuck Todd]

Copper walk.

[Tony Kornheiser]

It's all right. Thank you, thank you, thank you. Big is in take off.

[Philip Martin]

I played my acoustic set the crowd politely clap the girls look at you differently when you pick a must strat Something strange happens with electricity I know it scared Pete Seeger so I don't mark a mystery I remember Ronnie Spectre and the Be My favorite be I remember the young rascals and dancing in the street and Tony knows all the lyrics doesn't matter if It's R or slock Tony feels a rhythm Tony just likes to rock Tony feels the rhythm Tony just likes to rock I had a punk band in the 80s we cut some sides for Major Tom he got em played on W R O Q But the timing was wrong we weren't even one hit wonders I don't know what's worse Now I make my record solo cause I don't like to rehearse.

[Tony Kornheiser]

And.

[Philip Martin]

Tony knows all the lyrics doesn't matter if it's hot or slack Tony feels the rhythm Tony Jones likes to roll Tony plays his beatle face like Elvis in the jungle room There are crosses in the ballpark animal ghost you exhume CGI killed the movies There's a rumor that print is dead but radio persists like a tumor in your head.

[Chuck Todd]

I.

[Philip Martin]

Remember Ronnie Spectre and Be my baby baby be I remember the young rest and dancing in the street and Tony knows all the lyrics doesn't matter if it's not already a SL Tony feels a rhythm Tony just likes to ride Sam Sama had a dress shop north of town on Highway 2 across the road from the rest stop with a scenic overview in Linda's daddy had been a sergeant in the army in the war. He kept a bottle in the glove box and his medals in a drawer. Linda was pretty but not popular. She was smart but not like that Saw the boys as a distraction saw the numbers cool and flat. If she couldn't go to college there was all it tech so she drove off to Rustin with her class ring round her neck and she got her proud diploma and she kept her mama's books Picked up clients on the weekends with competence and real looks. She got married to a lawyer who'd been nice to her and school they got a ranch house and two children in an in ground swimming pool.

[Tony Kornheiser]

And.

[Philip Martin]

While they never be on money that could look them in the eye she knew there was meat in the margins and that number sometimes lie with the Atlantic expectations came a few bills But Linda had an aw and hunger in a specific set of skills. These days a million dollars might not change the way you live. Then a cool hundred thousand slides through fingers like a seal all it buys is peace on paper it just a means of keeping score but when you're running with the Joneses you always need a little more. Now she's locked in the bathroom with daddy's bottle and her beer with boy off at baseball practice and her daughter off to cheer the cell phones buzzing on the counter as the daylight disappears numbers thrumming in the gloaming now the reckoning is near.

[Chuck Todd]

Sam.