“TJ”

Summary

Podcast Summary: "TJ" Episode of The Tony Kornheiser Show

Podcast Information:

• Title: The Tony Kornheiser Show
• Host/Author: This Show Stinks Productions, LLC
• Episode: “TJ”
• Release Date: January 29, 2025

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Introduction

In the episode titled “TJ,” host Tony Kornheiser engages in a vibrant discussion primarily centered around the ongoing trade saga of NBA star Jimmy Butler. Joined by sports analyst Brian Windhorst and long-time commentator Booger McFarland, the conversation delves deep into the complexities surrounding Butler's potential move from the Miami Heat to the Phoenix Suns. The episode also features Tony's personal anecdotes, insights into the NBA's trade dynamics, and reflections on recent social gatherings.

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Jimmy Butler’s Trade Situation: A Heated Debate

Key Discussion Points: Tony Kornheiser and Brian Windhorst dissect the intricate trade scenario involving Jimmy Butler, exploring the motivations of both the Miami Heat and Phoenix Suns. The dialogue touches upon Butler's contractual obligations, his performance metrics, and the broader implications for team dynamics and the NBA's trade landscape.

Notable Quotes:

• Tony Kornheiser [22:08]:

  “He don’t like that. He doesn't like to hear that.”

• Brian Windhorst [22:22]:

  “What if I told you you're both right? What if I told you you're exactly right, Tony. And that he's also an incredibly valuable player? That can be the rarest of things in the NBA, which is a difference maker in a playoff series.”

• Tony Kornheiser [24:12]:

  “Because he isn't any good. Because I watched him here for a lot of years. He scores points on teams that lose. He's also got this impossible contract.”

• Brian Windhorst [27:17]:

  “You cannot reason with Jimmy Butler. You just cannot.”

• Tony Kornheiser [28:20]:

  “Yeah. So this could be a huge trade just to get Jimmy Butler to Phoenix.”

• Brian Windhorst [31:07]:

  “...because if you have one player, one player, you could argue that a generational quarterback can do this as well.”

Insights and Analysis:

• Contractual Constraints: Butler's substantial $100 million guaranteed contract over the next two years poses significant challenges for any potential trade, especially for the Miami Heat, who are reluctant to absorb such financial commitments for a player they question in value.

• Heat’s Stance: The Miami Heat, under ownership by Raphael Stone and management by Pat Riley and Erik Spoelstra, are portrayed as unwilling to meet Butler's contract demands, leading to a strained relationship and Butler's increasing desire to leave.

• Suns' Pursuit: The Phoenix Suns have shown keen interest in acquiring Butler, recognizing his playoff prowess despite Miami's hesitations. However, the trade appears futile due to Butler's no-trade clause and the Heat's reluctance to part with Bradley Beal, the only viable asset for such a significant trade.

• NBA Trade Dynamics: The episode highlights the NBA's unique trade environment where star players can exert substantial influence over their destinies, unlike other major sports where team rosters are more static and less influenced by individual player demands.

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Alfalfa Club Dinner: Networking with Influential Leaders

Tony Kornheiser shares his experience attending a dinner hosted by the Alfalfa Club, an exclusive assemblage of political and business elites. The event featured notable figures such as Virginia Governor Glenn Youngkin, Senator Susan Collins of Maine, and influential business magnates like Jeff Bezos and Elon Musk.

Notable Quotes:

• Tony Kornheiser [10:00]:

  “The Alfalfa Club is...essentially populated by political people and business people.”

• Tony Kornheiser [12:00]:

  “I met Senator Susan Collins of Maine... Muriel Bowser, the mayor of Washington, who was tremendously excited about the possibility of putting a football stadium back where it belongs.”

• Tony Kornheiser [14:25]:

  “There were just a lot of... very powerful, very rich people were there, allegedly Jose Andres, who goes out and probably will win a Nobel Prize.”

Insights and Reflections:

• Exclusive Networking: The Alfalfa Club serves as a nexus for high-profile individuals, fostering connections that span politics, business, and entertainment. Tony emphasizes the open and approachable nature of the club, contrasting it with more insular circles.

• Political Commentary: Connie Rice's remarks at the dinner underscored themes of immigration and national identity, subtly critiquing broad and indiscriminate policies. Tony notes the underlying tensions and the implications for current political movements.

• Diverse Interactions: The event provided Tony with opportunities to interact with a diverse array of leaders, including governors, senators, and business tycoons, enhancing his understanding of the intersecting worlds of politics and business.

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Weather Update and Personal Anecdotes

Tony provides a detailed account of dealing with persistent snow and ice in his household, illustrating the challenges of maintaining his home amidst fluctuating temperatures. The conversation intertwines personal stories with humorous exchanges about fashion choices and home maintenance.

Notable Quotes:

• Tony Kornheiser [05:22]:

  “I have things to talk about. Very excited about today. Somebody from PEPCO is coming over to the house today to look at all of our systems...”

• Tony Kornheiser [06:34]:

  “Thomas Jefferson, T.J. as they called him in the day.”

• Brian Windhorst [26:37]:

  “You cannot reason with Jimmy Butler. You just cannot.”

Insights and Humor:

• Home Maintenance: Tony humorously recounts the struggles of melting ice in his yard and the futility of certain approaches, such as using boiling water, which only leads to refreezing.

• Fashion Fiascos: The conversation about his tuxedo and bow tie brings levity to the technicalities of formal attire, highlighting Tony's relatable mishaps and self-deprecating humor.

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NBA Trade Policies and Comparisons

A significant portion of the discussion revolves around the NBA's trade policies, particularly in comparison to other major sports leagues like NFL, MLB, and NHL. Tony and Brian explore how the NBA's unique structure allows star players like Jimmy Butler to wield unprecedented influence over their careers.

Notable Quotes:

• Brian Windhorst [35:21]:

  “The single basketball player is the worth the most in American team sport.”

• Tony Kornheiser [35:54]:

  “It's a huge win. And so they're trying to pull it off. I don't think they're going to get there.”

Insights:

• Player Power: Unlike other sports, the NBA's lack of a salary cap and the prevalence of player-friendly contracts empower stars to significantly shape team rosters, often at the expense of overall team cohesion and salary fairness.

• Comparative Dynamics: The conversation underscores how the NBA's reliance on individual talent diverges from team-oriented strategies seen in football or baseball, where collective performance often overshadows individual influence.

• Trade Impediments: The no-trade clauses held by players like LeBron James and Jimmy Butler create bottlenecks in the trade process, making it exceedingly difficult for teams like the Heat to reconfigure their rosters without sacrificing key assets like Bradley Beal.

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Closing Remarks and Listener Engagement

In the latter part of the episode, Tony engages with listener emails, shares personal stories, and showcases musical performances by guests like Jim Baznight. The segment fosters a sense of community and interactivity, allowing listeners to connect with Tony and his guests on a personal level.

Notable Quotes:

• Tony Kornheiser [53:15]:

  “Annie Crass can sing better than you.”

• Jim Baznight [65:40]:

  “Gotta get straight with you.”

Highlights:

• Listener Stories: Tony reads and responds to various listener emails, ranging from humorous anecdotes about accents to heartfelt stories of personal setbacks and community connections.

• Musical Interludes: Guest Jim Baznight performs original songs, enriching the episode with creative and entertaining musical content.

• Community Building: The interactions emphasize the show's commitment to fostering a tight-knit community, where listeners feel valued and engaged.

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Conclusion

The “TJ” episode of The Tony Kornheiser Show offers a comprehensive and engaging exploration of Jimmy Butler's trade situation, enriched by personal anecdotes, in-depth analysis of NBA trade dynamics, and meaningful interactions with listeners. Through lively debates and relatable storytelling, Tony Kornheiser delivers a multifaceted episode that not only informs but also entertains, making it a valuable resource for both sports enthusiasts and casual listeners alike.

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Notable Quotes Recap:

1. Tony Kornheiser [22:08]:

   “He don’t like that. He doesn't like to hear that.”

2. Brian Windhorst [22:22]:

   “What if I told you you're both right? What if I told you you're exactly right, Tony. And that he's also an incredibly valuable player?”

3. Tony Kornheiser [24:12]:

   “Because he isn't any good. Because I watched him here for a lot of years.”

4. Brian Windhorst [27:17]:

   “You cannot reason with Jimmy Butler. You just cannot.”

5. Brian Windhorst [35:21]:

   “The single basketball player is the worth the most in American team sport.”

6. Tony Kornheiser [53:15]:

   “Annie Crass can sing better than you.”

These quotes encapsulate the passionate debate and Tony's signature humor that define the episode’s dynamic.

Transcript

[Tony Kornheiser]

Hey, it's Tony. On today's show, we'll talk to Brian Windhorst about what's going on with Jimmy Butler in the Miami Heat. And we'll catch up with Booger McFarlane to get his thoughts on the Super Bowl. But first, let's do some commerce. This is the Tony Kornheiser show. This is the Spot Pet Insurance read. Let's talk about something important. Our pets. Now, if you have a pet, I don't have to tell you that being a pet parent is a full time job. It's Chessy. My whole life is Chessy. You. You finally get it, Nigel. You think everything's fine and then boom. You're rushing to the vet because they ate something they shouldn't have, like an entire loaf of bread or who knows what. Well, with Maggie, it was straight cash or a full roast from the fridge. Don't get me started on that London Fog raincoat. And Chessy, you know about her taste for filet of Frisbee. Just the plastic. Just awful. Spot Pet Insurance acts like a safety net for all the unpredictable health mishaps that come with having a pet. Sudden illnesses, weird accidents, surprise vet visits. Where's Spot? Helping to make sure that you're covered. With Spot Pet Insurance, you can get up to 90% cash back on eligible vet bills. That's real money back for real peace of mind. Plus, it lets you focus on what really matters, spoiling your furry buddy rotten. So do yourself and your pet a favor. Go to spotpet.com get a quick quote today. It's easy, it's smart, and frankly, it's the least stressful thing you'll do all week. That's spotpet.com and now I get to read the disclaimer. Yes, you do.

[Booger McFarland]

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[Nigel]

Where'd you get those shoes?

[Tony Kornheiser]

Easy.

[Nigel]

They're from DSW. Because DSW has the exact right shoes for whatever you're into right now. You know, like the sneakers that make office hours feel like happy hour, the boots that turn grocery aisles into runways, and all the styles that show off the many sides of you, from daydreamer to multitasker and everything in between. Because you do it all in really great shoes. Find a shoe for every you at your DSW store or dsw.com.

[Tony Kornheiser]

Previously on the Tony Kornhauser Show. I watched it and I couldn't believe it. That's a real eagle. That's not a crow dressed up as an eagle. That's a real eagle. I mean, I've never seen that, and I was just mesmerized by it. I imagine everyone in the stadium was, too. And that. Would you. What you fear is, is that there'll be some crazy amount of shrieking by fans and the bird will go nuts and attack someone. Right?

[Michael Wilbon]

Well, I mean, Philly fans are subdued.

[Tony Kornheiser]

So I didn't think there was any danger of that. This is General George Washington, and you're listening to the Tony Kornheiser show on this subject from Chris Karstens in Davenport, Iowa. April 15, 2018. Opening day at Target Field. Mariners at Twins. As if long suffering Mariner fans didn't need any further dent to their fragile optimism at the start of a new season. The opening day Mariners pitcher, James Paxton. He's the Canadian pitcher, the big something or other. Oh, I'm not sure what his name's not the Big Unit because that was Randy Big Train, right? It's not Big Train. It's not Big Train. Anyway, Big Maple. Big Maple, right? Big Maple. James Paxton, the game starter, standing alone in the outfield, notice the eagle, take notice of him as it buzzes past him like Tom Cruise in Top Gun, circles back and attempts to land on Paxton.

[Michael Wilbon]

Known for their sharp eyes, Paxton, to.

[Tony Kornheiser]

His credit, keeps his cool, remains standing out of respect for the anthem. With hat over heart, ducks and weaves. The confused eagle lands on the field next to him, looks up at him and tries again to land on his head. Wow. Eventually, the trainer comes running and the Eagle realizes he has the wrong person. Of course, the Mariners finished 89, 73. Paxton went 11 and 6 through a no hitter that season. Still, Dave Sims would have broadcast this game, right?

[Booger McFarland]

Absolutely would have.

[Tony Kornheiser]

Yes. We should ask Sims about it.

[Booger McFarland]

He should.

[Tony Kornheiser]

There's a picture of Paxton bobbing and weaving as an Eagle, Talons out, Talons out. Is trying to kill him. Wow. Wow. All right. I have things to talk about. Very excited about today. Somebody from PEPCO is coming over to the house today to look at all of our systems and undoubtedly will say to us afterwards, no, everything's okay. Watch your bill. This is your build. You know, Stop. Oh, yeah, we can do that. Like on the Golf Channel.

[Michael Wilbon]

I was gonna think more like Aaron Sorkin.

[Tony Kornheiser]

Oh, okay. Yeah, we could do that, I guess. You know, we should film it. You know, when the Pepco people get here. So I was out this morning. I should say that for people who are concerned, I don't think there's anyone really. I don't think there's anyone really concerned about the snow and ice in my house except me. I don't, I mean, I think they'll say, oh, how's it going? But I don't think they really.

[Michael Wilbon]

You've had productive melting those last two days.

[Tony Kornheiser]

I want to get to this. So we were over 40 yesterday for a period of time. It might reach as high as 50 today for an hour or so, but comfortably between 35 and 40. Right.

[Michael Wilbon]

And we got to 50 yesterday briefly.

[Tony Kornheiser]

Okay. In my house where the sun shines on the snow for more than 20 minutes. There's areas. In my house we had an 8 inch snowstorm a couple of weeks ago and then a one to two after that. So a maximum, very cold weather. A maximum of about 10 inches on lawn furniture. It's all gone. On the lawn. It's not all gone. If you, if you walk up and I did this this morning with a dog. If you walk up Michael's street, on one side of the street there is some snow, but a lot of ground. You can see the grass, you can see all of that. But on Michael's side of the street, his yard is covered in snow. Parts of my yard are covered in snow. It's not even snow anymore. Now it's ice. Now it's solid ice. Now it's Thomas Jefferson inventing refrigeration. Because that's not melting. 50 ain't melting. That, that's, that's ice.

[Booger McFarland]

Do you mean Thomas Edison?

[Tony Kornheiser]

Thomas Jefferson.

[Booger McFarland]

Jefferson invented.

[Tony Kornheiser]

Well, that's what they say.

[Michael Wilbon]

I don't know the ice vent or the sawdust.

[Tony Kornheiser]

Thomas Jefferson, T.J. as they called him in the day. So. So depending on where you are, because the sun angle is not high enough, depending on where you are. In my yard, I don't have 8 to 10, but I've got 4 to 6 still of solid ice. Solid ice. So this is what happens, you know, it doesn't, it doesn't melt uniformly and it sometimes doesn't melt and it's going to be around for a while, you know. Right, right.

[Michael Wilbon]

You look at one side that has. The southern exposure has gone quickly. What's interesting in the yard that you're talking about again, my yard. So thanks for checking in the side yard where you get that eastern sun coming through throughout the morning into the early afternoon.

[Tony Kornheiser]

Lesser.

[Michael Wilbon]

That. Yeah, that is acted pretty Quickly. But I have one stubborn chunk of ice in the street right in front of my driveway where we had the wrong side of the plow. The plow came up and. And it blocks the end. You get the angle.

[Tony Kornheiser]

Yeah.

[Michael Wilbon]

And I'm sitting there going, they have sun. They have the sun. Put it on their side. The next week and a half, I've been out there every day with a shovel heaving snow into the middle of the road to try and get the natural melting of it. Because you go around, there's just still blocks of salt at the top of some of these streets.

[Tony Kornheiser]

Yeah. And ice. And ice all around.

[Michael Wilbon]

For the science experiment, Liz has been going out with a jug of boiling water to see it, to see if she can break up the stubborn piece of. Go get stronger.

[Tony Kornheiser]

Yes. And then it'll refreeze. Yes. Yeah.

[Booger McFarland]

Although I'm looking at this right now. It says it's going to be 55 on Friday with a lot of rain.

[Tony Kornheiser]

Maybe the rain will help.

[Booger McFarland]

And it's maybe get with the 57 today. So I think over the next few days, this is all going to be gone.

[Tony Kornheiser]

Oh, I'll take the under on that.

[Booger McFarland]

Okay.

[Tony Kornheiser]

They won't all be gone. No, it's not all going to be gone.

[Booger McFarland]

If it rains.

[Tony Kornheiser]

I mean, if you get a half.

[Michael Wilbon]

Inch of rain, it'll all be gone.

[Tony Kornheiser]

I went to Columbia, which has great exposure to the light. Oh, yeah. And there are parts of Colombia where you can see the fairway, but there are a lot of parts where you can't. And they've had the same temperatures. And you can't see the fairway because it's full of snow, which is so.

[Booger McFarland]

Cold for, like, 10 days straight.

[Michael Wilbon]

And wherever you had the footprints that turned into straight.

[Tony Kornheiser]

Yes.

[Booger McFarland]

Just ice.

[Tony Kornheiser]

That's why I wear the crampons. Even though you would say, why are you wearing them now? Yeah, but it hurts your knee, you know, that's okay. So I said I would talk about the alfalfa dinner that my friend Vince Burke took me to. The second time he took me, and I didn't think he got a second time. I was very grateful to go. The Alfalfa Club is, you know, I don't know how many members it's got. 200, 300. Whatever it's got. It's essentially populated by political people and business people. So, like, Don Graham is a member. And you'd say, well, Don Graham owned the Washington Post. But it's not about publishing people. It's about the fact that Don Graham owned the Washington Post. That it was a business. So the people in this. It's not like theatrical people. It's not sports people. It's not publishing people. It's, you know, it's accomplished money people. But it's not just money. I mean, you know, it's. It's more than that. You know, it's the accomplishment. It's not just a guy opening up a money store. Right. It's something that has accrued over a period of time. And the dinner and all dinners, by the way. All dinners. The social protocol rule is if you're on the same level, if you're in the same floor space, whoever else is at that dinner, you can walk up to and talk to. You don't have to be introduced. You can't stay away. This is not like Adrian Grenier who says, don't. Don't come near me. I used to be an actor. Now I'm nobody. Don't come near me at the White House correspondence. No, it's not like that. You're allowed to. To talk to anybody. And there were a lot of. There were politicians there. For example, I met the governor of Virginia, Glenn Youngkin. And I resisted the urge to say, how about you and Leon? How'd that work out? I resisted. And then Raul Fernandez got all over me. Got all over me. You owe Ted an apology. What you said was wrong. I don't know that it was wrong, but he was all over me and he was squiring around. The head guy at TikTok introduced to me. The head guy at TikTok said, well, you got 90 days. Lots of luck. See how that works out. So I met him. I met Senator Susan Collins of Maine. That's right. Who said that her husband watches PTI every single day. She wanted to meet me because her hubby watches it every single day, which was nice. I talked to Muriel Bowser, the mayor of Washington, who was tremendously excited about the possibility of putting a football stadium back where it belongs.

[Michael Wilbon]

You mentioned your street.

[Tony Kornheiser]

I did not mention my street lights. I didn't want to get that granular. No, I'm sorry.

[Booger McFarland]

Your honor, you got a second?

[Tony Kornheiser]

She, you know, she recognized me and said hi. So I was really thrilled about that. Cal Ripken was there. I remember. Cal is everywhere. I met his wife, who's a judge in. In the state of Maryland, and she just looked at me. Yeah, Cal's over there. I met George Will. George Will was there. I ran into Marvin Bush, who I'd played golf with in my life. And it was, you know, Senator Don Nichols, Senator Chuck Hagel. It was really nice to see these people. I told you the story of Hakeem Jeffries and Trisha Griffith, but just behind me is the progressive CEO. So it was, you know, it was really nice. There were. There was just a lovely speech by Condoleezza Rice, who was the outgoing president of the club, a lovely speech involving her and Elena Kagan. They did a skit together, Elena Kagan on the Supreme Court. Very funny. And Condoleezza's remarks were essentially, this. Here is my background. Here's how my people got to this country. Here is Elena's background. Here's how her people got to the country. Here's who we are now. I mean, the subtext of this is obvious. This is a country of immigrants. That's why the Statue of Liberty has written on it what the Statue of Liberty has written on it. There is a political movement now that I think could charitably be called difficult for certain people. And by the way, the people who are drug cartel people and criminal people, totally understandable. But it's a wide net. It's a wide net that's being cast. And I couldn't help but think that Condoleezza Rice's remarks were aimed at some of that. Two women senators got up and spoke. One Republican, Joni Ernst of Iowa, and one Democrat, the incoming president of the club, Kristin Gillibrand. Do I have that pronounced correct?

[Booger McFarland]

Gillibrand? Yeah.

[Tony Kornheiser]

Gilbrand, who's from New York, you know, and they were funny. And I don't know if they wrote their speeches themselves. They were cutting. They were dangerous. Like, I'm not going to repeat what was said. I'm sure other people will. You don't. You're not supposed to tape it. You're not supposed to put it on, you know, TikTok phone or, you know, you're not supposed to do that. And I trust people don't, because they say very specifically, this is off the record, but I will tell you, they were some cutting remarks. And I thought to myself, whoa, how's this going to work out? You know, and they were in. The cutting remarks were often about Cabinet appointees. And they were, you know, they're easy targets. Sure, they're easy targets, but it was a lovely dinner. As I said yesterday, people who were there that I didn't meet. You know, some I know, like Wolf Blitzer and Andrea Mitchell, Amy Klobuchar was. Was there the senator from Minnesota again, Bill Gates, Jeff Bezos, Elon Musk, very powerful, very rich people were there, allegedly Jose Andres, who goes out and probably will win a Nobel Prize.

[Michael Wilbon]

Great humanitarian.

[Tony Kornheiser]

Probably will win a Nobel Prize, it would seem to me. Yeah. He was allegedly there. The governor. Not just the governor of Virginia was there. The governor of Maryland. West Moore was there. And I watched them talk at one point and have one of those embraces afterwards. Like, it seemed it. I know they're from different parties in different states. It's. It seemed like they had a pal moment, and I thought that was pretty interesting.

[Michael Wilbon]

Well, they both had a lot of national attention the last couple years, but.

[Tony Kornheiser]

Well, somebody sitting near.

[Michael Wilbon]

Very charismatic.

[Tony Kornheiser]

Yeah. Somebody sitting near me said, four years from now. Oh, yeah, don't be surprised if that's it. Yeah, don't be surprised. So that was. It was. I was just. I'm very grateful to have had the opportunity to go to these things. You know, they're just. It was. It was great fun. I mean, it doesn't happen. I mean, I've had opportunity to do a lot of things through my work that other people don't have.

[Michael Wilbon]

Would you share with us what was your outfit for the evening?

[Booger McFarland]

Oh, top hat, monocle.

[Tony Kornheiser]

Oh, I had on a tuxedo. I bought a tuxedo probably within the last 40 years. And probably it's one of the rules.

[Michael Wilbon]

Of being an adult man buy one tuxedo.

[Tony Kornheiser]

Probably 20 to 25 years ago. Yes, I bought a tuxedo, which fit me very well then. And I've shrunk.

[Michael Wilbon]

I'm program height.

[Tony Kornheiser]

Yeah. My program height at that time was six. Oh, and now it's 510. I'm. Maybe I'm generous. Okay, maybe. Maybe I'm giving myself on 5.

[Michael Wilbon]

Well, the crampons at least 5, 10.

[Tony Kornheiser]

So I said to Michael, at some point, if. If I should die at this dinner, make sure to tell people cause of death was the fancy pants you were wearing were too long and he tripped and killed himself. You know, and no amount of suspenders could get them high enough because the suspenders lay on your shoulder. They can't. You can't just raise them up, so. But I managed to get through.

[Michael Wilbon]

You didn't just fold the. The cuff under?

[Tony Kornheiser]

No. You said Carol could just hem them. Like. What are you talking about? Carol could hem that. I mean, like, if I had scissors years. Yeah. You know, so I didn't staple. You know, staple would be funny. So. But I looked okay. You know, I had it. I had the shirt. I had the studs. I had everything. You're supposed to have had a vest.

[Michael Wilbon]

Any issue with bow Tie H. Any issue with the bow tie?

[Tony Kornheiser]

No, it was fine. It's one of those clip on bow ties, black clip on bow tie. I don't know how to tie them. Do you know how to.

[Michael Wilbon]

Of course I do.

[Tony Kornheiser]

Well, I don't. I don't know how to tie.

[Booger McFarland]

Struggled with it for years.

[Michael Wilbon]

It's actually easier to tie a bow tie because you could adjust it in post unlike a regular tie.

[Tony Kornheiser]

I. Okay, I didn't come.

[Michael Wilbon]

Close one and done.

[Tony Kornheiser]

Yeah, I didn't come. I can tie a regular tie.

[Michael Wilbon]

You tie the most beautiful knots.

[Tony Kornheiser]

My father taught me how to tie a Windsor knot. So I've done so anyway, so I had a really good time and. And it was nice. I'm grateful for that opportunity and I didn't. I. So far two and a half to three days out and I don't have Covid. That's a good. I mean you're jammed in there like. Sorry.

[Michael Wilbon]

Be much more worried about flu at the flu.

[Booger McFarland]

There's a bad flu thing that's been going around.

[Tony Kornheiser]

Would I have had that already? Would that have gone through me already?

[Michael Wilbon]

The flu symptoms? You would have noticed that.

[Tony Kornheiser]

Yeah.

[Booger McFarland]

I think you're in the clear.

[Tony Kornheiser]

So I. Well, I hope I don't know lots of celebrities.

[Booger McFarland]

There was this fellow there.

[Tony Kornheiser]

No, he was not there. He's not there. I am wearing. This is for another day. I'm wearing my Aunt Shirley sweater. And I will talk about this maybe on Friday. What it is to wear an Aunt Shirley sweater. We will take a break. Brian Windhorst will join us when we return. I'm Tony Kornheiser. You're listening to the Tony Kornheiser Show.

[Brian Windhorst]

The Tony Kornheiser Show.

[Tony Kornheiser]

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[Michael Wilbon]

I Wait for that line every year. Which grow on the side of a volcano.

[Tony Kornheiser]

Yeah.

[Booger McFarland]

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[Tony Kornheiser]

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[Michael Wilbon]

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[Tony Kornheiser]

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[Booger McFarland]

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[Michael Wilbon]

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[Tony Kornheiser]

Yeah, they'll go on and on. Valentine's Day is February 14, right after the big game. So don't fumble the flowers. Get your order in now. Go to boucs.com use the promo code Tony for 25% off. That's B O U Q S boox.com promo code Tony Bux promo code Tony.

[Brian Windhorst]

You're listening to the Tony Kornheiser show.

[Tony Kornheiser]

This is the Ethos read. Your family depends on you, so get serious about something every family needs life insurance. Ethos has made securing life insurance as smooth as possible. Normal coverage from work may not be enough and rates go up as you age. I know that with Ethos you can apply for affordable life insurance quickly and easily online, all without a medical exam. Just answer a few health questions for a free quote in less than 10 [e-mail] Tony. Ethos gets you coverage quickly and easily. And it's all online. They got term life policies. 10 to 30 years start as low as $10 a month. Come on. Ethos lets you save time with customizable love that word coverage to fit your needs and budgets. Plus you can start your policy instantly. You'll be in good company. Two million families have trusted Ethos to help find the right coverage. Give your family peace of mind today for whatever the new year brings. Term life policies start as low as $10 a month. Get your free [e-mail] Tony. That's ethos.com Tony. You're listening to the Tony Kornheiser show. This is our friend Jim Baznite. There's a song called Gotta get straight. He writes, happy new Year. I hope you and yours had a nice holiday season. I sincerely appreciate your continued support and encouragement. Here's Gotta Get Straight, the first single from my upcoming, yet to be titled album of all new songs, all of which are original compositions or co writes of which I control all rights. It's been summer 2024 since my last digital single release alone with her and lattes. The last of three singles from my last digital album release, summertime peculiar. Since then I've been working hard, writing, recording Mixing this brand new album for a spring 2025 release. All the recording has been completed. We're in the process of the final mix of 18 tunes. Wow. We're recording another six or seven original numbers before deciding on the track listing and title. I've also finished my biography of Sonny Boy Williams, which has been a long term project of mine since 2012. I'm currently looking at publishing options. The new band features Jim Basnight band backup singer Beth Peabody, who sang harmonies on all the tracks, and her husband Sean Peabody, who played all the drums and sang backing vocals as well. So Jim Basnight is our friend. This is a lovely tune. He's good singer. Yes. He is called Gotta get straight. It plays in Brian Windhorst who is back from Paris where he watched the two games with Victor Wembanyama against the Indiana Pacers. He's back home and I would talk about that, except that's. That that's not the big deal. The big deal. Especially if you do a show with Michael Wilbon, who loves Jimmy Butler. Loves Jimmy Butler. The big deal is Jimmy Butler. And when I look at Michael Wilbon and I say he's a ticking time bomb. He has sabotaged his own team. And when you want a player like Jimmy Butler, you got to consider you're getting a person like Jimmy Butler. He don't like that. He doesn't like to hear that. So let's start with the Jimmy Butler thing. Where is it now, by the way?

[Brian Windhorst]

What if I told you you're both right? What if I told you you're exactly right, Tony. And that he's also an incredibly valuable player? That can be the rarest of things in the NBA, which is a difference maker in a playoff series.

[Tony Kornheiser]

Oh, no, I don't dispute that. I mean, this guy's numbers in the playoffs are great. He's taken teams that should not have been there higher than they should have gone. I don't dispute that. But I just think he's. I. I think what he's done is close to reprehensible. That's just me.

[Brian Windhorst]

I don't really dispute that either. Yeah. So this is really basic. There's one team in the NBA who wants him very badly and one team he really wants to go to. They happen to be the same team. That should be simple. Why should. Why is this lasting?

[Tony Kornheiser]

Yes. Yeah.

[Brian Windhorst]

It's also the single hardest team to get him to be traded there.

[Tony Kornheiser]

Why? And so I'm assuming this is Phoenix. Phoenix. Yes, yes.

[Brian Windhorst]

Phoenix Suns. And the reason they want him so bad is because they have very few ways to improve their roster with way they are now. And Tony, there's all these brand new rules and aprons and things like that. I'm going to just cut to the bottom of the. To the. Of the page. They can only trade Bradley Beal for him. That's it. I mean, they could trade by Kevin Durant or Devin Booker.

[Tony Kornheiser]

We're not going to do that, you.

[Brian Windhorst]

Know, so the only way that they can get Jimmy Butler is to trade Bradley Beal. And I'm not. I'm not, you know, cutting corners. That's literally the only way. And the Heat don't want him.

[Tony Kornheiser]

Oh, they don't want him. They don't want. You know why? Because he isn't any good. Because I watched him here for a lot of years. He scores points on teams that lose. He's also got this impossible contract. This is the. You know, this is Ted Leonces as an owner, gives him this absurd contract. He's the only guy in the lead. Well, he and LeBron James the only guy in league with full no trade. And he. He stood up about a week and a half ago, right? And he said, I'm holding all the cards here. Right.

[Brian Windhorst]

And he was right. He is holding all the cards. He's also got $110 million on the contract the next two years. The Heat just don't want it. They don't want that contract. So what's happened for the last four weeks now is the Suns have gone to every doorstep in the NBA and tried everything they can get a three way out. Yeah, yeah, Tony. Three, four, five.

[Tony Kornheiser]

Okay. So this could be a huge trade just to get Jimmy Butler to Phoenix.

[Brian Windhorst]

And, you know, I've been around too long to ever say anything is impossible, but I really just. I don't see the avenue for it, you know, the getting the yes from a team that would take Beal and getting a yes from Beal to approve the trade, it's just. It's a mountain too high to climb, I think.

[Tony Kornheiser]

Can I ask an obvious question here? Everybody knows how much money Jimmy Butler makes. How can Miami even take the position? We don't want to take that salary back with someone else when they've given him that money.

[Brian Windhorst]

Well, first off, if they were going to pay somebody $50 million, they'd rather be Jimmy Butler. I think that's been their position from the start.

[Tony Kornheiser]

Right.

[Brian Windhorst]

Jimmy has decided he's done there and he's shown it in 100 different ways.

[Tony Kornheiser]

Yeah.

[Brian Windhorst]

The second thing is the Heat don't want to acquire a player that has $110 million. Million dollars on their contract that they don't think is worth it and they can't retrade. You know, it's one thing if you, you know, we see in the NBA, you sometimes you'll take a player that you're not in love with, but you say, okay, I can retrain him later. If Beal gets to Miami, they'd have. They'd inherit the problem of Phoenix does and potentially in two years, when they really want rid of them, when his production is down and they can't trade him because they'll have. He'll still have the no trade clause. When. When you waive the no trade clause, you only do it for one. One trade it carries with you. Oh, and so.

[Tony Kornheiser]

Oh, I didn't know that. Okay.

[Brian Windhorst]

Yes.

[Tony Kornheiser]

So he has that for. In perpetuity in the NBA.

[Brian Windhorst]

Well, as long as this contract lasts. Which is essentially the same.

[Tony Kornheiser]

Yeah. Because. Yeah.

[Brian Windhorst]

Yeah.

[Tony Kornheiser]

Oh, okay. So I have another question. And then this one. I did say to Wilbourne on the air yesterday, I thought people liked to play in Miami. I hate the word culture, but I concede that Pat Riley and Eric Spoelster have built something that seems like a culture because they exceed their abilities almost every year. I thought people liked Spoelstra and Riley. Why doesn't Jimmy Butler?

[Brian Windhorst]

I think if the Heat had given him the contract extension he wanted, he'd be fine. I mean, he'd. He'd be his normal self where he skips games and, you know, you know, gets into, you know, stare downs with Fohstra and the huddle or whatever. But he'd very happily be playing there. This is. This is the money. This is all over money. And, you know, if you really want to get into it, the.

[Tony Kornheiser]

He's making $48 million this year and $52 million next. It's $100 million guaranteed. What more do you want?

[Brian Windhorst]

I will just put it into one sentence. You cannot reason with Jimmy Butler.

[Tony Kornheiser]

Oh, okay.

[Brian Windhorst]

You just cannot. So here's the thing. He is 35 years old.

[Tony Kornheiser]

Yeah.

[Brian Windhorst]

He was eligible for a contract extension last summer, and he wanted it. He wanted the Heat to add multiple years to the contract, which, by the way, they've done before. He has signed two contracts with the Heat. His first five years there, they made the finals twice in conference finals. Once in the conference finals, they lost in Game 7, where he had a shot in the air in the final seconds that would have sent them to the finals. I mean, the. It really has been a very productive partnership. I wouldn't say it was a beautiful partnership, but it was a productive one. He said, I would like a longer contract, please. The Heat said, I don't think we want to give it to you. We'd like you to have a season this year. We'd show us you'd play a lot of games that you still had it. And basically that was that. Jimmy decided then he was not going to be with the Heat. And he's basically been throwing a temper tantrum to their, to them until they trade him. And on one hand you would say, my gosh, the player is ridiculous for operating this way. And I would agree.

[Tony Kornheiser]

Yeah.

[Brian Windhorst]

On the other hand, the Heat know exactly who this man is. They knew exactly what would happen if, if he didn't get that contract and they went ahead and didn't give it to him and didn't trade him. And so I think pox on both their houses. I think they both have earned the situation that they're in.

[Tony Kornheiser]

So, I mean, if I own the Heat, this is just me and I don't own the Heat, I would be so angry at this that I would suspend him for the entire year. I would give him no money. And I would say this is because of conduct unbecoming and I can prove conduct. I mean, it's just, it's evident that there's conduct unbecoming and he has a history of this and I would not, I wouldn't pay him a dime. And I know the NBA Players association would come to his defense. But. But I think the court of public opinion would say, you don't have to pay him. And then the court of public opinion would say, you have to trade him. But is there no. Like, he doesn't have a no trade clause. Is there no place else? Just because he wants to go to Phoenix doesn't mean I would want to send him to Phoenix.

[Brian Windhorst]

Yeah. So your analysis. This is exactly correct. And by the way, they suspended him three times. The owner is furious. The owner, Mickey Ariston, is one of the most charitable and best tempered guys in the NBA. He's a great guy to play for, but he is pissed. He's pissed. He's writing him a check for 500,000 a game and he's not showing up or he's not playing hard.

[Tony Kornheiser]

Yeah.

[Brian Windhorst]

And you know, here's the thing, and this is what I keep explaining to people. Jimmy Butler is winning now.

[Unnamed Speaker]

He's.

[Brian Windhorst]

He's getting money taken out of his check, which he will have to go fight for. Later. And this will cost him some money, but he will win, you know, arbitration. If this goes to arbitration, you know, it's. It's not reasonable to suspend the player for seven games because you don't think he's playing hard. Prove he's not playing hard. I mean, you can put it up there, but, you know, in a court, you know, in an arbiter is not going to agree, and it's going to take years to get it, but he'll get most of the money back. It feels good to suspend him now and, you know, you get to hold the money back and, you know, whatever, but he'll. The Heat will lose, though. They'll lose. And. And the thing about it is, is that Jimmy behaving this way has. Has scared teams away. If you.

[Tony Kornheiser]

Yes. He's poisoning.

[Brian Windhorst]

Right. Well, if you have a team and you want him, and even if you have a trade that you can work out with it, with the Heat and the. He was saying, okay, we'll do that deal. If Jimmy Butler doesn't want to be there, he's gonna. You're gonna inherit this problem. But if you are a desperate team and you're willing to pay him money, which the Suns clearly are. The Suns would not be trying to get him if they weren't willing to give him the contract. And they're desperate.

[Tony Kornheiser]

Well, they're owned by dope. That guy just spends money on everything. He, you know.

[Brian Windhorst]

Well, you know. But I'm just like, if he is. Jimmy has repeatedly delivered.

[Tony Kornheiser]

Yeah.

[Brian Windhorst]

Carrying his team to higher rates in the postseason.

[Tony Kornheiser]

Yes.

[Brian Windhorst]

And, you know, it's, you know, in a vacuum, which. This is the absolute opposite of a vacuum. Replacing Jimmy. Replacing Bradley Beal with Jimmy Butler.

[Unnamed Speaker]

Big win.

[Brian Windhorst]

It's a huge win. And so they're trying to pull it off. I don't think they're going to get there. I suspect Butler will get traded somewhere else. And he will. When he gets to the bottom line and he's faced with either sitting on the bench and fighting for money for years into advance or accepting a trade to somewhere else where he'll just play. I suspect that's what's going to happen. We will see Jimmy on another team in a week. But this is a closed system. It's not like in corporate America where you can just go get a bunch of players. There's only. There's only one guy the Suns can trade. There's only one guy they can get. And so they're laser focused on trying to make it happen.

[Tony Kornheiser]

This is like, this doesn't happen in baseball. It doesn't happen in football, it doesn't happen in hockey. Who's the commissioner of the NBA? This is, does this, does he only exist to do television contracts to enrich everybody? Does he care about how his league looks with this?

[Brian Windhorst]

I would just say that if this was under the previous commissioner, it would be. Have been handled a lot differently.

[Tony Kornheiser]

Yes, yes, it would have been. Sure it would have been. Can I get to one other thing? Wilbourne loves to talk about Oklahoma City like he's the first person who ever discovered Oklahoma City. Now he's talking about Houston. Houston is building in Detroit. Detroit, blah blah, blah, blah, blah, blah blah blah. And I point out you can't do that in a big market. You can't do that in New York or Los Angeles or you know, Philadelphia or Chicago. You can't do it because fans won't wait. Nobody will wait for that build. You can do it with the Houston Astros, can't do it with the New York Yankees. Am I correct on this?

[Brian Windhorst]

How's it going with the Washington Wizards?

[Tony Kornheiser]

Stinko. They stink. They're the worst. And I don't see, I mean Wilbourne says, oh yeah, in a couple of years. I don't know. I don't know that. Yeah.

[Brian Windhorst]

I will say that the Thunders rebuild, basically they were on the bottom for two years. It was two long years. There was some, if I went back and showed you some box scores of some of those games, you would say this is, this isn't an NBA game.

[Tony Kornheiser]

Well, the Wizards do that every night. They lose by 30 every night.

[Brian Windhorst]

That's right. And the thing about it is, is that what happened for the Thunder and they didn't know it when they started it, the Thunder, when they, when they did their rebuild and they traded Paul George and they traded Russell Westbrook, they got this guy, Shay Gildas Alexander and the reason that the rebuild worked is because of him.

[Tony Kornheiser]

Right.

[Brian Windhorst]

And it wasn't like that. They searched the league and looked at 70 prospects and went on a 10 year background research and said give me Alexander. They had to make a deal with the Clippers. He was their best young player and they took him. They would admit to you they did not know he was going to potentially be a future mvp. So their rebuild, now they've done a lot of shrewd moves and they've done good drafting and they've been very careful and they. But none of it works if Shay Gillis Alexander doesn't fall into their lap.

[Tony Kornheiser]

Yeah.

[Brian Windhorst]

So that's the thing about this, the Wizards could have the greatest constructed rebuild ever. If they have the number one or number two pick in the wrong year. If the trades that they make yield, you know, average role players.

[Tony Kornheiser]

Those guys are. There's no reason to believe that Sars Wembanyama just because he's French.

[Brian Windhorst]

There's no reason to believe SAR is absolutely not Wembanyama. You know, if. If they had had the pick that yielded Wembanyama, their rebuild would look amazing. Yeah, so that's the thing about the NBA is that if you don't have top end talent, and that's why you see people crawling over glass to try to get their hands on people like Jimmy Butler. Because the difference between baseball and the end and football is that one player, one player.

[Tony Kornheiser]

You're right.

[Brian Windhorst]

You could argue that a generational quarterback can do this as well. But even a generational quarterback, you know, we've seen plenty of great quarterbacks who don't get anywhere because their teams struggle.

[Tony Kornheiser]

Yeah, they're on half, they're on the floor field half the time. It's not like basketball.

[Brian Windhorst]

The reason the basketball player can. Can demand this is because the. The single basketball player is the worth the most in American team sport.

[Tony Kornheiser]

Amazing. It's amazing.

[Brian Windhorst]

You know, so. And that's, that's where we are. And if, if you got one, life is good and if you ain't got one, life is miserable. That's the NBA in a sentence.

[Tony Kornheiser]

Yes. Thank you, Brian. We'll talk soon. Put you on the TV show too. Thank you, Brian.

[Brian Windhorst]

All right, take care. Bye bye.

[Tony Kornheiser]

Brian Windhorse, boys and girls. He's wonderful, just wonderful. Newspaper guy. I'm prejudiced Booger McFarland.

[Booger McFarland]

Return Wizards on a nice 14 game losing streak.

[Tony Kornheiser]

They're terrible. Their players are not matched well together. No, but the GM wants eight to 10 years.

[Booger McFarland]

Sure, we gotta have that.

[Tony Kornheiser]

Reboundios, as we say. I'm Tony Kornheiser. You're listening to the Tony Kornheiser Show. This is the Cars for Kids. Read. Selling a car privately can be a real headache. Endless negotiations, tire kickers, paperwork hassles. There's a better way to get your unused car off your hands for 30 years. Cars for Kids. I keep thinking the song is going to start playing. Has perfected the car donation process to make it truly effortless. They'll take your car in any condition.

[Michael Wilbon]

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[Tony Kornheiser]

Funds for kids in need, plus a tax deduction for you. It takes just two minutes on the phone or at cars4kids.org.org Tony to donate. And they will take over from there, getting your car picked up as soon as the next day. No haggling, no schedule conflicts, no paperwork nightmares. You receive a vacation voucher and maximum tax deduction while supporting proven programs that help children reach their full potential. With over a million successful donations over three decades, Cars4Kids continues to be a trusted partner for car donors across the country. Again, it's free, convenient and easy. Freeing up your driveway while making a difference for the next generation. Call now 1-877-kars4kids. That's K A R S cars for kids. The number four kids are donate online at cars4kids. That's with the number four. Carsforkids.org Tony donate your car today. You are listening to the Tony kornheiser show.

[Brian Windhorst]

The Tony Kornheiser show.

[Tony Kornheiser]

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[Booger McFarland]

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[Tony Kornheiser]

I do? Yeah. It's been a while since I've gotten it. Yeah, I concede it's been a while, but I really liked it. Yeah, you don't want to settle for stale grocery store coffee. And with trade coffee, every morning cup will feel like a treat. Plus, you'll be supporting small roasters. And that makes every cup even better. Their quiz makes everything so easy. In less than a minute, you'll be matched with your ideal coffee. And if it isn't, then trade will replace your first bag for free until they get it just right. You can even adjust your delivery schedule. Perfect for when life gets busy or you're drinking more or less coffee. Don't settle for okay coffee. Head to drinktrade.comtony to receive up to three bags free. Yes, sir. Yes, sir. Three bags. Whoa. That's drinktrade coffee. Oh, no. No, it's not. I'm sorry. It's drinktrade.com Tony. What am I nuts? To get up to three bags free with any new subscription? Drinktrade.com Tony I've used my own money for this. This is good. This is the Tony Kornheiser show. This is Jim Baznite. Once again, this is a song called ones that got away. He's really good. His band is good. Everything about him is good. Michael, if people like Jim Baznite want to send in their original, original music to be played on this show, how do they do it?

[Michael Wilbon]

Send us your music by emailing it to jingles Tony koenisershow.com and he plays in Booger McFarland.

[Tony Kornheiser]

And I have to read these things. This segment with Booger McFarland is brought to you by FanDuel Sportsbook. Make every moment more. I want to sort of talk about the teams in the super bowl, but I want to give you credit. And then I want to ask you a question about this. It's the same question that we sort of asked Jeff Saturday, yesterday on tv. But you had said when you were on with us that there are predictable moments when Spagnolo will blitz. And if you've been around the league long enough, you know when these predictable moments were. There was that fourth and five in the fourth quarter when he blitzed and Josh Allen had to get rid of the ball. Now the ball is dropped. It's an amazing pass. The ball is dropped by Kincaid. But you, you said this is what Spagnolo does. Did you think that Buffalo was unprepared for it?

[Unnamed Speaker]

You know, Tony, that's, that's a very good question. I think they were prepared, but they just didn't execute. And there's really no excuse because it's right after a two minute warning.

[Tony Kornheiser]

That's what Jeff said.

[Unnamed Speaker]

Here's what that meant. That meant that you were on the sideline, you were talking to your coaches. Everybody had a minute. I think the timeout is like 3 minutes and 20 seconds long. So everybody had ample time to survey the situation. Think about it. Every coach had an opportunity to weigh in. The players had an opportunity to weigh in. And as I told you guys on pti, like every leopard has spots and you just got to know which ones they are. And Steve Spagnolo is really simple. In a crucial moment and when the game is on the line, whether that's at the end of the half, in a two minute, in a crucial moment, or at the end of the game when the game's on the line, he's going to live and die by the blitz. If you can pick it up, then you can, you can make some plays. I told you guys that before the game. And so I think everyone who kind of understood that and knew Steve Spagnolo knew that there was a blitz coming. There was no way you're going to just let Josh Allen sit back there on the biggest play of your season and have ample time. And so it's just a matter of understanding where the blitz is coming from and then going out and executing it. And I think the Bills probably knew it, but they just didn't execute it. And I think that's the. That's the saddest part, because here's a team that, it's no secret they have been building and preparing to beat Kansas City for the last three or four years. And in the biggest moment of this season, they didn't execute once again. And I think that's got to be very disappointing for everybody in that organization.

[Tony Kornheiser]

This is exactly what Jeff Saturday and I were talking about yesterday. He said, he's sitting there, excuse me, in his house, and he says out loud, they're coming from the right, you know, as just looking at the lineup. And Jeff said, and I think you are echoing this, that Buffalo should have won that game. That game was. Was on their racket. They could have. And he said, should have. Do you feel the same way that they should have won that game?

[Unnamed Speaker]

Well, winning the game, I think, is going a bit far.

[Tony Kornheiser]

Okay.

[Unnamed Speaker]

I think they definitely should. Should have had more opportunities to at least send the game in overtime, because even if they convert that, they still haven't kicked the field goal and they still haven't obviously scored a touchdown. So I think the game should have continued to be played. But it just goes to show you, man, that, you know, we all have tendencies in any profession that we do, we have tendencies. And I think Buffalo is going to sit back and rule that. They didn't understand what was going to happen in that moment because Jeff is right. They made a Liz call, meaning the line is going to the left. I know that's really. It's really deep. You know that NFL players have these complex calls. It's Liz left, l left. They should have made a rip call to send the center to the right. They could have picked them up and you saw the play. If they pick up the blitz, there are holes in that defense.

[Tony Kornheiser]

Yeah.

[Unnamed Speaker]

And they just didn't execute it, Tony.

[Tony Kornheiser]

Yeah. So I watched that game is a really fine game. And Josh Allen seemed to me, did everything you can do. And now I feel he may never get there. He may never get to the Super Bowl. He's in a conference where Lamar Jackson is always going to be a contender. If Cincinnati gets a defense, Joe Burrow is always going to be a contender. Patrick Mahomes, 28 years old, 29 years old. He's. He's not going anywhere. It looks, you know, it looks like he may not get there. What are your thoughts on that?

[Unnamed Speaker]

I'll take it a step further and you can include everybody that you included. You will love this. Think about this, Tony. In the Michael Jordan era, there were several great, great players. Ewing, Barkley, Stockton, Malone. They were hall of Fame players. They didn't win a title. They were just born at the wrong time.

[Tony Kornheiser]

That's right. Right.

[Unnamed Speaker]

I'm afraid, I'm afraid that Mahomes is the NFL version of Michael Jordan. And I get it. He doesn't have six rings yet, all that. But I think you get my point.

[Tony Kornheiser]

Yeah.

[Unnamed Speaker]

And everybody that, everybody that you listed, Burrow, Allen, Jackson, great players, some may go to the hall of Fame, but they're just born at the wrong time. Your thoughts on that?

[Tony Kornheiser]

I know, I know that that can happen. The thing about Mahomes is, and I said this the other day, if I had one pass, I'd want Burrow. If I had one run, I would want Lamar Jackson. But if I had one game, if I had one drive, there's no question I would want Mahomes. I mean, we've watched him do it. And I'll ask you this because it speaks to Andy Reid or maybe anybody could have seen this. And I just don't realize that Andy Reid had Patrick Mahomes on his bench for a year while Alex Smith a very good quarterback. Pro bowl, couple of times, three times, something like that. Alex Smith would his starter. And at the end of that year, just by seeing Patrick Mahomes in practice, booger, he said, he's my guy. And he got rid of Alex Smith. Was it that obvious from the start with Patrick Mahomes?

[Unnamed Speaker]

I think it was that obvious. And I think Andy knew that he could have started Patrick at the beginning of the season, but there was really no need. I'll suffer a little bit early on to reap the benefits long term.

[Tony Kornheiser]

Yeah.

[Unnamed Speaker]

And they really didn't suffer a lot. I think The Chiefs won 11 games that year, 10 or 11 games, if I remember correctly. Patrick Mahomes started the last game of that season. And you're right, they got rid of Alex Smith.

[Tony Kornheiser]

Yeah.

[Unnamed Speaker]

And I think that that year, that season of allowing Patrick to sit back and learn and game plan and see what the live bullets were like are playing dividends in any full season that Patrick Mahomes has started. I think he's made it to the AFC championship game. That's what, seven? He's gone. This will be his fifth Super Bowl. He's got an opportunity to win his fourth. These are unchartered territories, Tony, for any player, specifically a quarterback that's not even 30 years old.

[Tony Kornheiser]

Yeah.

[Unnamed Speaker]

So Andy Reid has known. And, and it's been with Eric B. Enemy, it's been with Matt Nagy there. There have been some different offensive coordinators, but I think we all know that Andy Reid, AKA Big Red, is the one that's kind of pulling the strings on this offense.

[Tony Kornheiser]

Yeah, he's, he's. Mahomes is just a great player. Everybody makes the mistake. Well, it's. In hindsight, you know, it's a mistake of saying, well, they win games so close. They only win these one score games, but they win them all. They win them all. Right? So it's, it's hard for me to look ahead at the super bowl, when they played each other two years ago, that was another close game. 38, 35 and Kansas City won it. It's hard for me to think that Mahomes is going to lose. Do you feel the same way?

[Unnamed Speaker]

Yeah, I completely agree. It's almost like when Mariano Rivera was so dominant. Nobody ever said, man, Mariano made it, made it interesting. No, all they said was Mariana closed the game out.

[Tony Kornheiser]

Yeah.

[Unnamed Speaker]

Like it really doesn't matter how the game was closed out. You know, when Inner Sandman came on and that song played and he came in and that color was working, it was 1, 2, 3, lights out. And I think when you look at the Chiefs, Bill Belichick said years ago, more games in this league are lost than won. And the thing that the Chiefs never do, they never beat themselves, they never lose the game. Go back, go back a few years, Tony. I'll tell you the last big game. I remember the Chiefs losing. Remember when Dee Ford jumped offsides and it cost the Chiefs?

[Tony Kornheiser]

Yes, I do. I do remember that.

[Unnamed Speaker]

That's, that's the last big game where they beat themselves in the, in the postseason. Since then, they pretty much played the game the right way and allowed other teams to, quote, unquote, beat themselves.

[Tony Kornheiser]

Are you pleased, Satisfied with the two teams in the Super Bowl? Are they okay with you?

[Unnamed Speaker]

I think we have the best roster in the NFL in the Philadelphia Eagles versus the best team in the NFL in the Kansas City Chiefs. And we're going to see which one wins out. Does the team with the most talent win? Or does the team that's been in the situations and understands how to play together the best win? Because I think Kansas City has been in the fire. They understand how. Who, what when they Understand all that. They're big players. Chris Jones, Kelsey Mahomes, that offensive line, they always show up. But when you look at the 1 through 53 Philadelphia, it's no doubt, it's no doubt in my mind Philadelphia is a more talented team. So this is going to be a really good chess match between team versus talent.

[Tony Kornheiser]

So they've got Phillies got Saquon Barkley who hasn't been basically stopped all year. He ran through Washington. He's hit two home run balls the week before and hit it on the absolute first play of the game. Just devastating play. Can he do that to Kansas City? I'm. Nobody stopped him. Kansas City's defense isn't extraordinary. Right. Do you expect that to happen again?

[Unnamed Speaker]

Kansas City's defense will be the best defense I think that the Eagles have played.

[Tony Kornheiser]

Oh, okay. Right.

[Unnamed Speaker]

Kansas City's defense is, is really, really good. I think Barkley's going to have his moments. You know Barkley to me and, and, and this is not an apples to apples comparison, but he, he's kind of the modern day version of Barry Sanders. You can bottle him up and bottle him up, but at some point, you know he's going to break loose and get a long one. Okay. The key will be, can you limit the long ones? I can give him one. What I can't give him is two or three. Like he's going to get a 30 to 40 yard run because he's just too good. But what you can't give him is you can't give him three or four of those a game. And I, I think if you look at the stat sheet at the end of the game, Tony. And saquon Barkley has 20 carries for 115 yards. I think Kansas City wins that game. I think if saquon Barkley has 20 carries for 1, 185. I think Philadelphia wins the game because 24, 185 means he's getting a lot of chunk runs.

[Tony Kornheiser]

Yeah.

[Unnamed Speaker]

And Steve Spagnolo is going to have to commit an extra guy to the run. And now you're going to leave A.J. brown and DeVonta Smith one on one on the outside. And I think Jalen hurts proved the last game against Washington, he can make those one on one throws.

[Tony Kornheiser]

This is crazy to think that Jalen hurts can't do this. Look, he's got a great tight end and two great wideouts. He's good enough. He's definitely good enough. Right. He's a good quarterback.

[Unnamed Speaker]

He isn't. He is an above average quarterback. I don't think anybody will put him in the top five.

[Tony Kornheiser]

Right.

[Unnamed Speaker]

But he's somewhere between, he's somewhere between, you know, 10 to 15, especially if he's playing, playing at this level. And yeah, he can absolutely get it. Tony, go back to the last Super Bowl. He outplayed Mahomes in the last matchup.

[Tony Kornheiser]

Yeah.

[Unnamed Speaker]

If he does that this time, I'm going to make a prediction. If he outplays Patrick Mahomes, Philly beats Kansas City by two scores. That's, that's how big the talent gap is, I think, between Philadelphia and Kansas City. The reason the Chiefs can make this game, the reason the Chiefs can win the game is because of Patrick Mahomes being the best player in the league.

[Tony Kornheiser]

Thank you, Booger. It's such a pleasure. I can't tell you how many times people who I know come up to me and you've been on the PTI show and they say, I really like him. He's really good. You should hear that because it's true. I mean, of course they're just people who just hang around the simulator room at a golf club, but still, still, you know, it's good to know. Thanks.

[Unnamed Speaker]

Book anytime and tell those people that Boog. Definitely appreciate that, Tony. Thank you for having me.

[Tony Kornheiser]

Booger McFarlane boys and girls. We'll take a break. We will come back with email and jingle. I'm Tony Kornheiser. Oh, let me just say this one thing. This segment with Booger McFarlane has been brought to you by Fanduel Sportsbook. Make every moment more ready to level up.

[Nigel]

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[Jim Baznight]

Here comes Tony. Here comes Tony.

[Tony Kornheiser]

Here comes Tony Smith. Got your emails. Fax. Sent your notes. Here comes Tony.

[Jim Baznight]

Here comes Tony. Here comes Mr. Tony S.M.

[Tony Kornheiser]

Back.

[Nigel]

Going to read some for all of you.

[Tony Kornheiser]

Annie Crass can sing better than you.

[Michael Wilbon]

She can.

[Tony Kornheiser]

No. She can sing better than you. Wow. She can sing better than you. That's fabulous. Want to do the Bethesda Bagel there?

[Booger McFarland]

Bethesda Bagels. We Love them. You will as well. Just go to Bethesda Bagels.com for the location in the DC area nearest you. Then pop one in, my friend, and you will be thrilled.

[Tony Kornheiser]

That's about it for us today. Before we get to the mailbag, let me just say. When you're weary feeling small when tears are in your eyes I will dry them all I'm on your side when times get rough and friends just can't be found Like a bridge over troubled water I will lay me down. That's about the best song ever written. It's just gorgeous. And it is performed in part by Arthur Garfunkel and it's just about the best voice ever created. Yeah, it's just a fabulous song to.

[Michael Wilbon]

Hear that live with you is pretty special.

[Tony Kornheiser]

Yeah, it's really something. It's really something. Thanks to our guests today. Brian Windhorst, Booger McFarland. Thanks as well to today's sponsors. Remember, you can listen to us on Apple podcasts Spotify and Odyssey. Get show through Apple. Please leave us a review. Okay, so I got this from Dan Byrne, who was here on Monday. Dan Byrne had said to me that there was a basketball player he knew from Binghamton who was a singer now and a very good singer, but he couldn't come up with a name. So he sends me, dear Tony, Michael and Nigel, thanks again for letting me stop by the show. It was just wonderful to be there. You guys are the best. I can't adequately express what it means to be sitting there in person with the voices I listen to three times a week. The Binghamton player I was thinking of is Bess Greenberg. Here's a little info about her in a painting I did of her some years back and a link to her singing. That's Mickey Greenberg's daughter. I went to school. Mickey Greenberg's the greatest basketball player who ever played at Binghamton University. University ever. And it was Harper College at that time. And that's his daughter. And I. I don't know her, but I've always known that was his daughter. She was a great player. That's great. She was a great basketball player. She was a Division 2 All American twice. She averaged 18.2 points a game over her years there. Wow. She led the D3 Harper Colonials to a 223 record at one point and a spot in the NCAA second round. I mean, she was a great player. Now she's a singer. I had absolutely no idea. No. None whatsoever. Okay, other notes here from Alex Thompson. I'm sure you will probably hear from other Littles, Dal Kennedy and Benji Thompson, who are Georgia Southern grads, to let you know that Georgia Southern has a bald eagle fly from the top of the press box down to the field at almost every game. Weather permitting, with the Eagles as our mascot. We have a Raptor center on campus where birds are rescued. One of the rescues is the current flyer, Freedom. He has a trainer keeper team that takes care of him and he's around the tailgate parking lots before the game and then flies down as part of the pre game festivities while the marching band is on the field. Then during and after the games, they walk with Freedom all around the stadium for photos and selfies. I seem to recall Freedom being at graduations when they are held at the stadium, but don't hold me to that. There have been some mishaps through the years. It may not have been Freedom, but I recall an eagle getting distracted and flying out of the stadium. The crowd was kind of concerned so the trainer started walking toward the parking lot. The PA announcer said later during the game that the eagle had been found and was enjoying someone's leftover tailgate meal in the blue parking lot. There was a loud cheer like we had scored a touchdown. My wife was a majorette for the Georgia Southern Band back in the late 90s. An eagle flew down to the field but landed by the Twin Twirl Girls. It made a great photo opportunity before the trainer came over to pick him or her up. We at Georgia Southern take it for granted when we see it every game, so I was very proud to hear how the Philly Eagle meant so much to you. You need to come to Statesboro for a game in the prettiest little stadium in America. Isn't that nice? Bill Matfield Fort Mills, South Carolina Tony, no Accents Boy did you flush the mouse on that one. I live just outside of Charlotte and the Southern accent is strong around here. Mixed in are the accents from various kinds of halfback that live here. Halfbacks are people from New York and New England who moved to Florida and then moved to the Carolinas. In other words, halfway back. You can hang out at a bar around here and hear a motley collection of accents and make a reasonable guess where each person is from. You can easily tell who's the lifelong Charlotte Ians, as when they are talking to someone who sounds like they are from Boston. Then there's the guy you were conversing with and you can tell without asking they're from Long Island. When you ask and they tell you someplace like Oyster Bay, you're thinking your head, of course. And that's just the East Coast. There's the Texan drawl and the Minnesota accent that's exaggerated a little bit in Fargo, but it's mostly close to the sound of the accent. Talk to Wilbon about accents. Who can tell you who's from Chicago and who's from Wisconsin just by their accent? This country's rainbow of accents is alive and well. That's nice. From Tony lutz in Redmond, Oregon 4 hours and 45 minutes for band and dunes on my 2025 bucket list of places to play on the Monday podcast, you stated there used to be discernible accents. Discernible accents from a guy who says donkey and calls that city in Texas Houston. Seems there are still regional accents. Thanks for years of entertainment. I hope for more Michael Sandler Warrenton, VA I just got my gas bill from Columbia Gas 24527 for the gas itself and 28901 for the delivery. Deliveries more than the actual gas. Again, where's the delivery truck?

[Booger McFarland]

Here's your electricity.

[Tony Kornheiser]

I know you've given me this wow, Mary Faye Randolph this long I told this story on episode 10, the Loyals Little podcast, but it deserves another telling near the anniversary of its occurrence 11 years ago, I was at home on a snowy day listening to the radio live on the ESPN app. During my school year, I would usually have listened to it as podcast in my car on the way home from my job as a school librarian. In the Mailbag segment at the end of the show, there was an email read from Dan from Austin. He explained that the previous morning he'd seen a car on MOPAC near Anderson Lane with a TK sticker and a First United Methodist Church bumper sticker. Dan went on to say that he also attended said church. I immediately emailed back to the show that I knew was my car based on location. The fact that I had those two stickers on my car. On January 28, my email was read on the show. The day my email was read, I slipped off a chair while standing on it trying to change a light bulb. I shattered my tibia, requiring surgery with plates, pins and bone grafts. I was in the hospital and inpatient rehab for several weeks. During that time, I posted to my church's Facebook page asking if Dan from Austin was on Facebook. Didn't hear anything on that post, but in a few days I received an email from our pastor asking if it was okay to share my email address with Dan Kilday. Dan from Austin, who had approached him asking for my contact information. I told him yes. Received an email from Dan the next day with a broken tibia encased in a huge brace, doing physical and occupational therapy twice a day and on a heart monitor because I developed pulmonary embolisms. The email from Dan telling me about him, his wife, Liz, and their kids who had recently moved from Tennessee to Austin was welcome. As a diversion, I have wonderful friends who are visiting daily, but the emails Dan and I shared introduced me to friends I wouldn't meet in person until sometime in March or April. The Kildays had asked one of our pastors to point me out to them once, and I was able to attend. Once I was able to attend church, I probably would have eventually met the Killdays through church activities, but the radio show podcast hastened that meeting and made it even more special. Connective tissue reaches all the way to Austin now. The Kill Days My cousin Margaret and her husband Matt, who listen to the podcast, and I are planning on going together to see the band with Tony's favorite name post sex nachos when they're in Austin April 1st. Mary Faye Randolph. Isn't that sweet? That's great. Todd McElwee, Hagerstown, Maryland My online target order came to 38.83 what you'd like to know. It's Palantir.

[Booger McFarland]

That is nice.

[Tony Kornheiser]

Also, if you haven't heard Bring It On Home to Me by Sam Cooke, you should give it a listen. It's pretty great. Of course I have heard it. Yes, of course I've heard it. If you ever change your mind about leaving Leaving me behind. Come on. Rick Flo Sonnies from Wilmington, North Carolina, near the ocean. So sunny. Sonny Jurgensen's from Wilmington, North Carolina, near the ocean. Oh, I thought he was from the Tide War.

[Booger McFarland]

Yeah, I checked that out. Yeah.

[Tony Kornheiser]

That okay? Yeah. What's the same accent? Yeah, near the ocean. That's the accent. Dave Baker, Warren, Ohio Listening to Michael Wilbon describe Jordan as this dude with the tongue and the baggy shorts. Priceless. Barry Taylor, Louisville, Kentucky I listen to your show Monday. For some reason, I can't get the Mama's Got a Squeeze Box song out of my mind.

[Booger McFarland]

Well, yes, and it was a little squeaky with. With Jesse.

[Tony Kornheiser]

Yeah, yeah, yeah. Ryan in Halifax, Nova Scotia in Canada. The woman to whom I related by marriage has been knitting a complex blanket for several years. She just ordered the last skins to complete the blanket, but told me before she could use it, she needed to put it in the freezer for a few days because a yarn Company has a history of moth issues. To which I replied. Oh yeah. Caller told Mr. Tony to do that with his cashmere sweaters. The dead eyed stare I received haunts me. Yes, tell Dawn Ames from Kingston, Ontario to eat it. Because every email has read on the show makes me miss home. John Edinger. Edinger in Syracuse, New York, overheard by a friend that claims to have been at your Alfalfa Club dinner. Elon Musk. I heard Tony Kornheiser is here. Jeff Bezos. Who? Musk, the PTI guy. Okay, that's funny. That's funny. You didn't mention. Did you see Spanky or Darla? No, I didn't even see Alfalfa either. That's the first thing I think of. Without Falfa. You have to show. Yeah. And. And from. From shed a haiku for mice. When you see a mouse that these are. There's either one or thousands. It's 50. 50. Nowhere between, you know, it's 50. 50. Bonnie Burgo had. Bonnie said. Took months to get rid of him. Months. Bonnie told me that mouse poop which you'll find on your countertops looks like caraway seeds. I don't.

[Michael Wilbon]

And it'll change color.

[Tony Kornheiser]

If you've been, I guess, introducing. I don't know. I. I don't know. I don't know. I tend. Anything I find on the countertop I sweep into the sink.

[Michael Wilbon]

Well, you assume it's a seed from a bagel.

[Tony Kornheiser]

Yeah. Or maybe I eat it. That would be a mistake.

[Booger McFarland]

Maybe not.

[Tony Kornheiser]

Don't do that. In hindsight that would be a mistake. Yeah. If you're having a bite. Time to everyone as always, do wear.

[Brian Windhorst]

What Bonanza is not an accurate depiction of the West. That's all I'm saying. Do you have watched that show?

[Jim Baznight]

I've been hurt by your. Too busy tonight. Each time you come up in my mind, it hurts. I've been searching in my life for you. Waiting to see if all the bad things I think are true. I've been waiting for you and me. It's time you make me see the eye. I wish you well. You think you're gonna play with me? You think you are going to run your game? I know it isn't that easy to run away. You're going to run back again. I know you think you're so smart. But don't try. Don't try to fool me. I wish you well.

[Tony Kornheiser]

You can't.

[Jim Baznight]

You can go away crying. I can't even go away laughing at you. I know I'm a little bit smarter but this time I gotta get straight with you Gotta get straight with you Gotta get straight with you Gotta get straight with you Gotta get straight, straight Gotta get straight Gotta get straight with.

[Tony Kornheiser]

You.

[Jim Baznight]

The ones that got away as the waves hit the dark the nights they were so hot I never thought it straight the ones that got away A running with my heart it was blindness, it was art the essence of the day I got up, you got him we all let them get away can't stop them, they're coming it doesn't matter what you say to the ones that got Obey let's get down and lonely thank your God you're not the.

[Unnamed Speaker]

Only one.

[Jim Baznight]

Feeling this away the ones that got away that you thought you'd like to love but push came to shove There was no time to explain I got him, you got them we all let them get away can't stop them, they going it doesn't matter what.

[Tony Kornheiser]

You say.

[Jim Baznight]

Way to the ones that got away get away can't stop them they coming it doesn't matter what you say to the ones that got away.