The Tony Kornheiser Show

Episode: "The U of Conn"

Date: March 18, 2026

Overview

This episode of The Tony Kornheiser Show is all about NCAA tournament "Bracket Week." Tony is joined by the beloved annual guest, Phil's Mom (making her bracket picks), as well as contributor Spike Braun and college sports writer Pat Forde (here referred to as Pat40). The show is a deep-dive into bracket selections, featuring expert analysis, personal stories, playful banter, and a sprinkle of listener mail. The episode highlights the show's signature mix of irreverent sports talk, warmth, and humor.

Main Segments & Key Discussion Points

1. Phil’s Mom’s Bracket Picks

(From 04:02)

• Bracket Ritual: Phil's Mom, a listener favorite and annual tradition on the show, talks with Tony about her process for picking NCAA tournament teams, her son Phil’s new career as a professional poker player (“He enjoys it a lot. And he’s so good with math – I think that’s why he’s a good player.” – [04:55]), and picks her bracket one matchup at a time.
• Geography Gags: Tony quizzes her on the locations and backgrounds of some lesser-known schools, leading to playful exchanges.
  • High Point? “I looked it up. I guess it’s in North Carolina." – Phil’s Mom, [05:57]
  • BYU? “That one... I forgot. But it’s out west someplace.” – Phil’s Mom, [06:17]
  • Queens? “Is that new this year?” – Phil’s Mom, [06:36]
• Bracket Logic: She tends to pick high seeds, but mixes in heartfelt or whimsical choices: “I always put in the ones and twos... I always assume they’re going to win... I don’t do that with Phil’s Mom.” – Tony, [03:55]
• Her Final Four & Champion:
  • Final Four: Gonzaga, Iowa State, St. John’s, Illinois ([12:39])
  • Final: Illinois over Gonzaga ([12:53])
  • “I saw Illinois and I thought, oh, that looks like a pretty good team... I don’t even think about it.” – Phil’s Mom, [13:14]
• Endearing Moments: Tony and the crew express genuine admiration for her unique picks and good humor.
  • “This is not a last place bracket. No, this is a good bracket. You should feel good about it.” – Tony, [12:54]
  • “May we all find someone who loves us as much as Steve Sands hates Duke.” – Email from Sam Fritz, read by Tony ([03:14])

Notable Quotes:

• “My children have all been banned from applying to college there [Duke].” – Listener email, [03:20]
• “May we all find someone who loves us as much as Steve Sands hates Duke.” – Listener email, [04:01]

2. Spike Braun – The Prodigy Bracketologist

(From 17:24)

• Bracket History & College Update: Spike Braun banters about still being in college and soaking his parents for tuition for a few more years ([17:40]). Tony calls him out for his depth and accuracy in previous bracket competitions.
• First-Round Upsets:
  • Texas over BYU, [18:06]
  • Akron over Texas Tech, Santa Clara over Kentucky, [18:59]
  • South Florida over Louisville, [19:29]
  • VCU over UNC (“I just think North Carolina... lost their best player... they've been reeling.” – Spike, [19:54])
• Bracket Insights:
  • Arizona Bracket: Picks Arkansas over Arizona ([21:26])
  • Final Four: Arkansas, Michigan, Duke, Houston (eventually has Michigan vs. Duke in the championship, Michigan wins)
  • “Dusty May has changed the culture over there at Michigan. They’re back... I think they’ll go into that game with a little bad taste in their mouth.” – Spike, on Michigan beating Duke ([28:46])
• Fun Exchanges:
  • “Pressure? I eat pressure for breakfast, Tony.” – Spike, [17:29]
  • “Tony, I’m in bed right now. That’s on me. Ill prepared.” – Spike, admitting not being fully ready for the bracket run-down ([26:34])
• Journalism Career: Mentions reporting for USA Today during the Women’s Tournament ("I'm covering the first couple of rounds of Women's March Madness for USA Today in that region," [25:34]).

Notable Quotes:

• “See, Duke and I have a great relationship. Better than Steve Sands.” – Spike, [28:19]

3. Pat Forde ("Pat40") – The Veteran Analyst

(From 31:53)

• Introduction: Pat joins after a musical break and promotional segment. Segment brought to you by FanDuel.
• Katie Ledecky Chat: Tony marvels at the longevity of swimmer Katie Ledecky ("She’s a marvel, an outlier, an ageless wonder and completely defies the precedent of the sport." – Pat, [31:53]). Pat recounts the friendship between his daughter and Ledecky.
• Bracket Picks – Opening Rounds:
  • “Utah State over Villanova. And Missouri over Miami.” – Pat, [33:32]
  • “Hofstra over Alabama... and Akron over Texas Tech. And then Santa Clara over Kentucky as well.” – Pat, [35:09]
  • “South Florida over Louisville” – Pat, [36:08]
• Challenging Regions:
  • Tony: “If you're gonna give somebody the overall number one seed...and then put them in a bracket that is by far the hardest bracket, you are not helping them.” ([35:46])
  • “The level of coaches is extremely good... this region is totally loaded.” – Pat, [36:24]
• Deep Run Analysis:
  • He rides Arizona to the championship, but stresses the danger lurking from Wisconsin: “I agree completely. I’m picking Arizona to win, but I also am terrified of the game against Wisconsin.” – Pat, [39:49]
  • Picks Florida and Houston to meet in Houston, predicts Houston advances: “That’s unbelievable... and then to have it at home... I think Houston gets them.” ([41:48])
  • Final Four: Arizona, Duke, Michigan, Houston ([42:41])
  • National Champion: Arizona over Duke ([43:06])
  • “They have NBA talent, huge size, veterans, good guards, and I think Tommy Lloyd’s ready to move on and grab the ring.” – Pat, [43:30]
• Coach-speak & Bulletin Board Fodder: Tony and Pat poke fun at coaches inventing criticism for motivational purposes ("They're making up stuff. That's what I thought." [44:13])

4. Listener Mailbag: Stories, Quips & Nostalgia

(From 47:35)

• Bracket Pool Info: Listeners are reminded how to join the show's ESPN Tournament Challenge group ("Search Tony Kornheiser Show 2026"; password: TK I).
• Fan Stories:
  • Candy stores in Maine, regional NCAA nostalgia, obscure facts about actors' names (Michael B. Jordan gets the “B” because “Michael Jordan” was already a SAG name), and tales of accidental driving technology fear are read with Tony’s typical warmth and winking commentary.
• Phil’s Mom Fandom: “You can ask Al, you can listen to experts, I roll with Phil’s Mom.” – Listener haiku ([51:01])
• Inside Show Jokes: Bagels, wine recommendations, and "Jenny’s Ice Cream" bracket proposals.

Notable Quotes:

• “May we all find someone who loves us as much as Steve Sands hates Duke.” – Listener email, [03:14]
• “I still get residuals” – Tony on his cameo in Creed and Creed II, [53:16]

Notable Moments & Quotes (with Timestamps)

• [03:20] Listener email: “My children have all been banned from applying to college there [Duke].”
• [04:01] Listener email: “May we all find someone who loves us as much as Steve Sands hates Duke.”
• [05:57] Tony to Phil’s Mom: “Do you know where High Point is?” | Phil's Mom: “I looked it up. I guess it's in North Carolina.”
• [06:17] Tony: “Do you know what BYU stands for?” | Phil’s Mom: “That one... I forgot. But it's out west someplace.”
• [17:29] Spike Braun: “Pressure? I eat pressure for breakfast, Tony.”
• [12:54] Tony on Phil’s Mom’s bracket: “This is not a last place bracket. No, this is a good bracket. You should feel good about it.”
• [31:53] Pat40 on Katie Ledecky: “She’s a marvel, an outlier, an ageless wonder and completely defies the precedent of the sport.”
• [41:48] Tony (“Florida, Houston, in Houston.”) and Pat (“Yeah, that’s unbelievable... I think Houston gets them.”)
• [43:06] Tony: “Arizona, Duke, final. And I like the Wildcats to win their first championship since 1997.”
• [44:13] Pat40 ("They're making up stuff.") and Tony ("That's what I thought.") on coach-speak.

Structural Highlights

Bracket Methodology & Idiosyncrasies:

• Phil’s Mom picks with a combination of naiveté and instinct—often choosing Catholic schools (“I knew you would do that. A good Catholic school. I knew you would do that.” – Tony, [05:47]) or teams she finds appealing.
• Spike Braun leans on statistical upsets, SEC bias as a Georgia fan, and careful research (“I root for those SEC teams,” [18:19]).
• Pat Forde offers the “expert” chalk bracket, but peppers in calculated first-round upsets and deep analytic rationale for picks.

Banter & Running Gags:

• Steve Sands' legendary Duke hatred is celebrated by listeners and hosts.
• Ongoing jokes about Tony’s aversion to driverless cars, detours about jelly beans, and bagels.
• Warmth displayed in family stories (Phil's Mom checking Phil’s poker playing), and inside jokes from long-time listeners.

Final Thoughts

This episode is an exemplar of the Tony Kornheiser show style: personable, witty, sports-centered but effortlessly moving into anecdotes, nostalgia, and gentle ribbing among friends.

If you're looking to catch up:

• [04:02–14:27] – Phil's Mom's Bracket (heart of the first act)
• [17:24–29:23] – Spike Braun's picks and analysis
• [31:53–44:44] – Pat Forde/Pat40's expertise & broader tournament breakdown
• [47:35–62:00+] – Listener mailbag, show culture, and closing music

For NCAA Bracketology fans:
This episode showcases three unique approaches—from the "feel" of Phil’s Mom, to the math/stat upsets of Spike Braun, to the considered expert analysis of Pat40.

Signature Quote:
"May we all find someone who loves us as much as Steve Sands hates Duke." ([04:01])

End of Summary