The Tony Kornheiser Show – Episode: “The Wine Story”

Date: October 15, 2025
Host: Tony Kornheiser
Regulars/Guests: Michael Kornheiser, Chuck Todd, Pat Forde (Pat40), Reginald the Monkey

Episode Overview

In this engaging, wide-ranging episode, Tony Kornheiser brings his signature wit and storytelling to the table, moving deftly from sharp sports commentary to an unexpectedly hilarious family saga involving wine logistics at the beach—“The Wine Story.” Main topics include the future of elite college football after the firing of prominent coach James Franklin, in-depth analysis of the MLB playoffs and the Dodgers’ success, NFL game picks with Chuck Todd (and Reginald the Monkey), and a comic detour into the perils of home ownership. Expect classic Tony: candid, playful, expert, and always a bit unpredictable.

Key Segments and Insights

MLB Playoffs & the Dodgers’ Model

[00:57–06:05]

• Dodgers: Money Well Spent, Not Flaunted

  • Tony heaps praise on the Dodgers for their shrewd team-building: signing Shohei Ohtani, Yamamoto, and Sasaki, plus trades for Mookie Betts and Freddie Freeman.
  • Quote (Tony, 01:58):
    “No one thinks the Dodgers are obnoxious… People think the Dodgers are a really good organization and a really good team.”
  • Discussion on Blake Snell’s dominant playoff outing (eight shutout innings), comparing him to Don Larsen.
  • Emphasis on Dodgers’ pitching prowess (17 innings from two starters, just five hits allowed) and unsung postseason heroes like Kiki Hernandez and Max Muncy.

• Game Recaps & Playoff Observations

  • After initial hiccups, Yamamoto settles, Dodgers never threatened; Tony highlights how playoff baseball diverges from regular season results.
  • Quote (Tony, 04:41):
    “The Brewers beat the Dodgers all six times they faced ‘em in the regular season. This ain’t the regular season.”

The Wine Story: A Family Comedy of Errors

[06:11–14:35]

Tony passes the mic to his son Michael for a blow-by-blow account of an innocent errand gone awry:

• The Setup: Tony requests Michael retrieve several bottles of his favorite Beaujolais (Chateau Cambon) from the family’s beach house.
• Escalation:
  • Packing confusion and distractions (bike returns, kids) cause Michael and Liz to forget the wine.
  • Frantic online and phone search commences mid-drive for a replacement source, amid doubts about sketchy bottle resellers.
  • Salvation: Six bottles located at a D.C. shop, “Hop, Cask and Barrel.”
  • Quote (Michael, 09:15):
    “Found six bottles on the lower shelf, took five, left one for the next person.”
• The Reveal:
  • Tony notes the label is a different color (“manila folder” vs. new “silver label”), triggering mild suspicion but upon tasting, “It’s fine… I couldn’t tell the difference.”
  • Discussion of rising wine prices, possible impacts from tariffs and growing conditions.
  • Memorable Moment:
    Tony mocks the idea of “wine expertise” after all the drama:
    “If you stacked up seven different glasses of wine and said one was for $3 and one was for $6,000—I wouldn’t know” (10:41).
  • Family repartee: Tony teases Michael for handing over only “a bottle at a time,” and both laugh about the absurdity and the lengths Michael and Liz went to correct their oversight.
  • Quote (Tony, 12:34):
    “I am grateful that Michael and Liz went to such lengths… And I’m laughing at the self-inflicted problem.”
• Wine Story Epilogue:
  • Tactical retreat: If it’s too far to turn back on Route 16, you just push forward and think up a “fanciful story for Tony.”
  • Tony teases a “water story” (plumbing disaster, upcoming thousands in losses—teaser for Friday's episode).

NFL Picks: Chuck Todd & Reginald the Monkey

[17:16–29:19], [31:45–34:24]

With Chuck Todd

• Each game is discussed with a blend of analysis, gambling banter, and team backstories.

  • Example:
    Quote (Chuck Todd, 18:26):
    “That’s a lot of points for a mediocre team” (on Steelers-Bengals spread).
  • Banter around old quarterbacks in the league (“the AARP matchup”).
  • Frequent references to trends (road favorites, home underdogs), rookie impacts, and weather/travel angles.
  • Notable Quote (Tony, 29:30): "We're not sure who's good right now in the NFL... It looks the same way—the difference between the best NFL team and the 25th best."

• Follows with a short philosophical exchange on how college football now parallels NFL in parity and how rapid coach firings are changing the landscape.

Reginald the Monkey's Picks

• Recap of the simian's poor season so far, comic riffing on zoo animals’ gambling success.
• Reginald’s picks are revealed via “photo evidence” (e.g., him eating at Primanti Bros. with famed sports figures).
• Quote (Nigel, 33:30):
  “He just whipped out his wallet, showed me a photo of him eating a sandwich at Primanti Brothers…alongside Omar Moreno, Jack Ham and Rennie Stennett.”

College Football Mayhem: Pat Forde Interview

[36:32–50:32]

• Focus: The Firing of James Franklin at Penn State

  • Tony and Pat agree: a genuine “bombshell” (“I did not expect a flat up, straight up firing…in the middle [of the season]”, Pat, 41:06).
  • Pat outlines the trend of rapid, costly midseason firings across the sport (UCLA, Virginia Tech, Oregon State, Oklahoma State):
    “When you start losing and you were paid to come in for one year, you might be like, eh, you know what, I’m out—at least mentally…” (Pat, 39:17).
  • Analysis of how instant-transfer rules, NIL, and “transactional era” attitudes have upended program stability.

• What’s Next: Penn State’s Coaching Search

  • Matt Rhule (alum) discussed as a natural contender but with same “can’t win big games” issue as Franklin.
  • Kurt Signetti’s remarkable run at Indiana (17-2):
    “Indiana, the worst program in FBS history… He’s red hot. Absolutely red hot.” (Pat, 43:01)
  • “Is Signetti a cowboy?” Question of whether he’s popular, especially after alleged running up the score on Illinois. Assessment: “Competent, cocky… Not the most popular” (Pat, 44:31).

• Other College Sports Nuggets

  • Lane Kiffin’s tough schedule ahead at Ole Miss.
  • Alabama’s “reset” post-rough start is highly impressive: “They have just…reset. And they’ve gotten good.” (Pat, 47:10)
  • Schedule quirks: Lamenting how the mega-conferences upend traditional matchups.

• College Basketball Aside

  • Purdue’s surprise #1 ranking dissected.
  • “Braden Smith…has a horrible Amish beard, is the guy now” (Pat, 49:31).
  • Both agree: Painter is a great coach, but Purdue is often “dull” on TV.

Notable Quotes & Moments

• Tony, on the “wine story” (06:28):
  “Bin 66. The greatest liquor store in the world. Not the biggest. The greatest.”
• Michael, on frantic bottle searches (08:31): “Liz spends the next 45 minutes of the drive… researching where to find this Beaujolais. …We find some sketchy places… bottle hunters. Doesn’t seem trustworthy.”
• On NFL parity (Tony & Chuck, 29:30): “We’re not sure who’s good right now in the NFL… the difference between the best and 25th best is much smaller."
• On Penn State shock firing (Pat Forde, 41:06): “I did not expect a flat up, straight up firing in the middle that was going to cost Penn State this much money. It’s wild.”
• On Signetti at Indiana (Pat Forde, 43:01): “He’s 17 and 2 at Indiana—and Indiana has been the worst power conference program in history… It’s mind blowing.”
• On family priorities (Tony, 12:45): “How’s the weather? I don’t really care—where’s the wine?”
• On home disaster teasers (Tony, 13:35): “The water story… is gonna cost me thousands of dollars.”
• On label “expertise” (Tony, 10:41): “If you stacked up seven different glasses of wine and said one was $3 and one was $6,000—I wouldn’t know.”

Episode Highlights by Timestamp

| Timestamp | Segment/Topic | Notable Moment | |-----------|-------------------------------------------------|-------------------------------------------------------| | 00:57 | Dodgers: Smart Spending & Postseason Analysis | Building wisely; LA not “obnoxious” | | 06:11 | The Wine Story Begins | Wine request at the beach; the first missed errand | | 08:31 | The Search Heats Up | Frantic search for Chateau Cambon; local wine shop | | 10:40 | Mislabeled Wine Anxiety | Label color anxiety resolved by “not knowing the diff” | | 12:34 | Comic Resolution | Family laughs at self-inflicted problems | | 13:35 | Teaser: The Water Story | Teasing major home plumbing disaster | | 17:16 | Chuck Todd NFL Picks, Reginald’s Monkey Picks | Deep dive, comic banter, “AARP matchup” | | 36:32 | Pat Forde on College Football Coach Firings | Franklin, quickening cycle, cultural shifts | | 41:06 | Franklin Firing Fallout | “Bombshell” impact and future prospects | | 43:01 | Kurt Signetti, Indiana’s Hot Streak | “Red hot," "worst program" now thriving | | 49:31 | Purdue Hoops, Braden Smith’s “Amish beard” | College hoops tangent, formula for sustained success |

Final Thoughts

This episode is a quintessential Tony Kornheiser experience: sharp-eyed sports analysis, personal stories with comic flourishes, and the comfort of a familiar cast—each with their own brand of expertise. The “wine story” is both a hilarious family tale and a relatable reminder that even the smallest errands can turn epic (and expensive). The episode is punctuated by expert commentary on the shifting landscape of college sports, old man banter about football, and a dose of podcast community—right down to the musical interludes and closing emails.

For listeners and newcomers alike, “The Wine Story” is as much about family mishaps and the joy of running commentary as it is about sports—making for a vibrant, satisfying listen.