“Try to get an A today”

Summary

The Tony Kornheiser Show: “Try to get an A today” – Episode Summary

Release Date: February 3, 2025

In this engaging episode of "The Tony Kornheiser Show," host Tony Kornheiser delves into a variety of topics spanning sports trades, gambling scandals, and personal anecdotes, all while interacting with his regular co-host Michael Wilbon. The episode skillfully weaves through discussions on major NBA trades, the impact of gambling on basketball integrity, and light-hearted personal stories, providing listeners with insightful commentary and entertaining exchanges.

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1. Blockbuster Mavericks-Lakers Trade

Timestamp: [00:00 – 33:42]

The episode kicks off with a heated discussion between Tony and Michael Wilbon regarding a monumental NBA trade between the Dallas Mavericks and the Los Angeles Lakers. The core of this trade revolves around the Dallas Mavericks trading superstar Luka Doncic to the Lakers for Anthony Davis, a move that has sent shockwaves through the basketball community.

• Tony Kornheiser expresses his skepticism about the Mavericks' General Manager, Nico Harrison, stating, “He’ll be fired” due to the high-risk nature of the trade ([13:07]).

• Michael Wilbon adds depth by analyzing the implications of the trade on both franchises. He notes, “Jason Kidd has not been given nearly enough credit as a head coach of the Dallas Mavericks” ([27:36]), highlighting the coaching dynamics post-trade.

• The conversation touches on the potential short-term benefits for Dallas, citing the presence of Kyrie Irving as a catalyst for making the team a championship contender. However, both hosts agree that the long-term sustainability of the trade is questionable, with concerns about Harrison’s future and Luka’s health affecting the Mavericks' prospects.

• Pat Forde, joining later in the episode, provides additional perspectives on the trade, emphasizing Luka's injury history and how it impacts the Mavericks' decision-making process. He states, “If Luka Doncic turns this around and stays healthy, he's the biggest star in the league” ([28:13]).

• The hosts debate whether the Lakers will reap immediate benefits or if Anthony Davis will primarily contribute to future successes without significant short-term gains.

2. De'Aaron Fox Trade to San Antonio

Timestamp: [30:22 – 33:42]

Following the Mavericks-Lakers trade, Tony shifts the conversation to another significant NBA movement: De'Aaron Fox’s trade from the Sacramento Kings to the San Antonio Spurs.

• Tony Kornheiser critiques the reasoning behind Sacramento trading Fox, suggesting it marks the end of an era for player Christopher Paul ([30:53]).

• Pat Forde counters by highlighting Fox’s long-term potential with the Spurs, noting, “Fox is there for the long haul” ([31:55]).

• The discussion underscores the strategic moves by San Antonio to bolster their roster with young talent, positioning themselves for sustained success in the league.

3. Gambling Scandal in College and Pro Basketball

Timestamp: [36:00 – 46:08]

A significant portion of the episode delves into a developing gambling scandal affecting both college and professional basketball, with a focus on player Terry Rozier and suspicious betting patterns.

• Alexa Lash, a recurring guest, provides investigative insights into the scandal, revealing that betting monitoring services have flagged unusual activity surrounding certain games and players. She explains, “They flagged a game in 2023 with Terry Rozier in which he played less than 10 minutes, took himself out of the lineup with a sore foot” ([40:21]).

• Tony Kornheiser discusses the challenges of maintaining game integrity in an era where betting is easily accessible through platforms like FanDuel and DraftKings. He remarks, “This is what happens when you have partnerships with all the gambling companies” ([43:23]).

• Michael Wilbon adds to the conversation by detailing the methods used by betting monitors to detect irregularities, emphasizing the difficulty in fixing games due to advanced monitoring techniques: “If you keep betting with bookies, okay, they’re not going to get it. But people don’t bet with bookies because it’s easier to bet with these services” ([39:13]).

• The hosts debate potential solutions, such as eliminating prop bets on NCAA players and modifying NBA betting rules to deter performance manipulation ([42:00]).

• Alexa Lash highlights the pervasive nature of gambling on college campuses, noting aggressive marketing tactics by betting companies targeting students: “Gambling is absolutely rampant college campuses and has even trickled down to high school” ([44:21]).

• The segment concludes with a call for greater regulation and ethical standards within sports betting to preserve the integrity of the games.

4. Rory's Stellar Performance at Pebble Beach

Timestamp: [08:18 – 12:18]

Tony and Michael transition to discussing Rory McIlroy’s impressive performance during a recent golf tournament at Pebble Beach.

• Tony Kornheiser praises Rory's ability to maintain composure under challenging weather conditions, stating, “Rory started out one stroke behind Sepp Straka… and then he cruised to victory” ([08:18]).

• Michael Wilbon analyzes Rory’s strategic adjustments, particularly his focus on improving his mid-iron play, which had been a weak point in previous seasons: “He focused a lot on that, on the off-season” ([09:14]).

• The hosts speculate on Rory’s ambitions, mentioning his desire to complete a Grand Slam and win another Ryder Cup on American soil, underscoring the significance of his achievements during the tournament ([10:09]).

• Tony Kornheiser reflects on Rory’s future in golf, balancing optimism with concern over his long-term consistency: “If Luka Doncic turns this around and stays healthy, he's the biggest star in the league” ([28:13]).

5. Personal Anecdotes and Light-Hearted Moments

Timestamp: [05:24 – 11:15]

Interspersed throughout the episode are personal stories and humorous exchanges that add a relatable and entertaining layer to the show.

• Tony Kornheiser shares his frustrations with house mice infestation, humorously narrating his challenges with dead mice and ineffective traps: “We’re up to nine dead mice” ([03:15]).

• The hosts also touch upon the difficulties of procuring quality hearing aids, leading into a sponsored segment by MDHearing, where Tony humorously criticizes his own hearing aids: “They screech all the time. Doesn’t help me” ([14:19]).

• Alexa Lash contributes by singing a song titled "Northern Light," adding a creative and melodic break to the episode ([64:55]).

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Notable Quotes

• Tony Kornheiser: “He’ll be fired” regarding Mavericks GM Nico Harrison ([13:07]).

• Pat Forde: “If Luka Doncic turns this around and stays healthy, he's the biggest star in the league” ([28:13]).

• Alexa Lash: “Gambling is absolutely rampant college campuses and has even trickled down to high school” ([44:21]).

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Conclusion

This episode of "The Tony Kornheiser Show" masterfully balances in-depth sports analysis with personal stories and humor. From dissecting high-stakes NBA trades to unraveling complex gambling scandals, Tony and his guests provide listeners with comprehensive insights and engaging conversations. The episode underscores the evolving landscape of sports, where athlete performance, management decisions, and external factors like gambling intertwine, shaping the future of basketball and beyond.

Listeners are left with a nuanced understanding of the challenges facing major sports leagues today, as well as an appreciation for the personal anecdotes that humanize the discussions. Whether you're a hardcore sports fan or someone seeking entertaining discourse on current events, this episode delivers on multiple fronts, exemplifying why "The Tony Kornheiser Show" remains a staple in daily talk show entertainment.

Transcript

[Tony Kornheiser]

Hey, it's Tony. On today's show, we'll talk to Michael Wilbon about the blockbuster trade between the Mavericks and the Lakers. And we'll talk about a gambling scandal developing in college and pro basketball with PAT40. But first, commerce. This is the Tony Kornheiser show. This is the Gold Belly Reed. Have you ever heard of Gold Belly? It's this amazing site where you can get the most iconic, famous foods from restaurants all across the United States, and they will ship it free to your door anywhere in the country. What? What is this?

[Michael Wilbon]

Yes. So this will arrive at your house. It'll be, you know, frozen. You're going to put it in your fridge until you're ready to eat it, and then there's very specific instructions so you get that same experience at your house.

[Tony Kornheiser]

Well, listen to this. Gold Belly will ship you Philly's cheesesteaks for gyms or Pats in Philly, the original Buffalo wings from the Anchor bar in Buffalo, and even Kansas City's most legendary barbecue. And if the pizza near you stinks, they will ship you New York. New York. It's just real pizza. They will ship you New York pizza from John's on Bleecker. Add that. Or Chicago deep dish from Lou Malnati's or even New Haven or Detroit style pizza. And if you are truly gluttonous, which we are, they will ship you Guy Fieri's is Fieri or Fieri.

[Michael Wilbon]

Fieri.

[Tony Kornheiser]

Fieri. Trash can nachos.

[Michael Wilbon]

Have you seen those?

[Tony Kornheiser]

No. That's the ultimate game day centerpiece.

[Michael Wilbon]

Trying to protect every single bite of the nachos so you don't have that awkward experience where Nigel takes the last good chip.

[Tony Kornheiser]

Yeah. Wow. This. Oh, we've got to try this.

[Michael Wilbon]

So there's a big game coming up in a few weeks.

[Tony Kornheiser]

Yes.

[Michael Wilbon]

You have something that should be arriving today or tomorrow. It's to your house. Sorry about that. You don't have to sign for it, but it's. You're getting a barbecue sampler from Joe's over in Kansas City.

[Tony Kornheiser]

That's some burnt end.

[Michael Wilbon]

Some brisket.

[Tony Kornheiser]

How about. That's tremendous. So if you're looking to host an epic super bowl party, or any party for that matter, go to goldbelly.com and get free shipping and 20% off your first order with promo code Tony. That's goldbelly.com, code Tony for free shipping and 20% off your 1st order. This sounds good. Yes. Catchy tune, right? But don't let the urge to sing along distract you. From the truck drifting towards your lane or that lane splitting biker creeping up beside you. Fortunately, every Hyundai offers advanced safety features that can alert you to potential dangers around you. And Hyundai has over 120 IIHS top safety awards since 2006. Because Hyundai is always working to ensure the road doesn't getcha, getcha, getcha getcha one way. Hyundai vehicles have won over 120 IIHS top safety awards from 2006 to 2024. Previously on the Tony Kornheiser Show. Bonnie was telling me Bonnie ripped up all of her floors. She had mice and ripped up all of her floors. And I said, how did they get in? And Bonnie believes they can squeeze in to a hole the size of a dime. Yes, they can. How can they do that?

[Michael Wilbon]

They steal your walls.

[Pat Forde]

They're fat.

[Tony Kornheiser]

How can they do it?

[Michael Wilbon]

It's all just fluff.

[Tony Kornheiser]

Yeah. And they. They can do something with their bones and their shoulders. They get. They just like to get anywhere. Get low. Like Rod Marinelli said, get low. The Tony Kornheiser show is on now. One of the great benefits of being deaf, as I am deaf, is not hearing mice in my house. We're not up to nine.

[Michael Wilbon]

That's our theory that you can't hear it.

[Tony Kornheiser]

We're up to nine mice. Nine dead mice. And then every day, when we call the trapping people, it's another $75 to bring more traps.

[Michael Wilbon]

I think Nigel and I can set these up for you.

[Tony Kornheiser]

Okay.

[Michael Wilbon]

Because it's like Carol has a system of disposing of them. Now she's sending jokes out. She's texting us about three blind mice.

[Tony Kornheiser]

Yeah. So we had, well, three dead mice. We're up to nine dead mice. Which begs the question, which I've had from the beginning.

[Michael Wilbon]

It's a factor of 100.

[Tony Kornheiser]

How many? Yeah, how many do I. I don't hear them. You've heard mice in your house?

[Michael Wilbon]

I have heard them, and I'm haunted by that screeching sound as it goes in between the walls overhead. Yes.

[Tony Kornheiser]

So I don't have that.

[Michael Wilbon]

I think before you'd hear them, you'd see some of the droppings, though. They are very good at living alongside with you.

[Tony Kornheiser]

So the trapping people have not set any mousetraps upstairs in the house. They are in the basement and the first level. They, I assume, are confident of that. But if you say that you hear mice crawling in your walls, well, why can't they go upstairs? I think fact, if it's not just the basement, but the first floor as well, then They've gone upstairs. Sure.

[Michael Wilbon]

But I think you are likely finding out their point of entry. And before they would create a nest up in the attic or crawl space for us, we saw very clear signs which would be old place. Packs would be chewed through. There was old traps there from, you know, the previous owner of the house.

[Tony Kornheiser]

I don't. I don't see any of that.

[Michael Wilbon]

Right. If you don't have signs of it.

[Tony Kornheiser]

I think they've come in recently from the. Yeah, it was when it was exceptionally cold. Have come in. Well, I just think that the other mice have told them this is a good place.

[Michael Wilbon]

There's low inventory right now with houses.

[Tony Kornheiser]

It's cbs, good place. And, you know, and they put dog food out, but the dog eats all of the dog food.

[Michael Wilbon]

Wi fi works most days of the week.

[Tony Kornheiser]

I haven't seen them eat anything. I haven't seen them. I haven't seen anything chewed through. I haven't seen that. I don't know. Now I know. But if. But if they. Most of these traps are set up under a sink. In a sink area. But why not set it up in the pantry? Maybe they're going after the nuts dot com. It doesn't seem.

[Michael Wilbon]

I don't think they like the spice traps.

[Tony Kornheiser]

Okay. No, nobody likes it.

[Michael Wilbon]

But you made it through.

[Tony Kornheiser]

Yeah, I did.

[Michael Wilbon]

You powered through that.

[Tony Kornheiser]

I did. I ate this one. And by the way, I know you've been resistant to this in the past, but I want you to reconsider getting a leopard because I think it would really help with this. A cat. Cats clear the room.

[Michael Wilbon]

You could borrow a mouser for a couple days.

[Tony Kornheiser]

I talked to someone at work who said to me, dogs don't necessarily. If they're introduced correctly, dogs don't necessarily hate the cats.

[Michael Wilbon]

Like a pediology, you got to do it correctly.

[Tony Kornheiser]

Yes. I don't know how it works. Yeah. They could live side by side. She's an old dog, though. I don't know. I don't think she's going to like a cat. And I. It's hard for me to explain to her. The cat is here for a short term and a very specific purpose. It's free agent. Sign specific.

[Michael Wilbon]

Leave the frisbee.

[Tony Kornheiser]

Right. Going away. I got. I got food sent to me the other day says, Dear Dr. Tony, enjoy the super bowl and the ice cream eating over the sink. Hope we didn't flush the mouse on this lecheeserie. Ryan Chaitan and Tony Beeson. And they sent me ribs, and they sent me mocha. Greater. Okay, so We've gone through this about graters. Graters used to have a great coffee ice cream. What is local? When it was local in Cincinnati, Ohio, and environs. Then they went national and the quality changed. For me, it wasn't as good. Other people might have thought it was better. I. You know, I don't know. They sent me. Sent to pti. They sent about eight things of mocha ice cream. Is mocha, I guess, is close to coffee, but it's not coffee.

[Michael Wilbon]

Right. But it'd be probably lighter in color.

[Tony Kornheiser]

I haven't tried it yet. I. I took four and left four for the people at work.

[Michael Wilbon]

It's a pretty good ratio for the.

[Tony Kornheiser]

Yeah, they get half. They also sent macaroni and cheese, which I took home. Frozen macaroni and cheese. Not macaroni and cheese. Ice cream. Macaroni and cheese.

[Michael Wilbon]

Don't give anyone ideas.

[Tony Kornheiser]

Frozen. And they sent beans, which I didn't take. I left for the people at work. I don't want the beans. And then they sent 12 things of ribs, which they say is the greatest ribs in the world. And I kept one and gave one to the people at work. Oh, that's nice. Share and share alike. I did that. Haven't had the ribs yet. We'll see that ribs tend. They tend. Ribs and. And briskets tend to have sweeter sauces than I like. I like no sauce. I like the ability myself. Rendezvous with dry ribs. If I don't want the sauce, I don't want to be burdened by the sauce already. And these have sauce on right by.

[Michael Wilbon]

Like a thick Dr. Pepper sauce or something.

[Tony Kornheiser]

I don't know. I don't know. So that was nice to know. Okay, what else? Rory had a great round yesterday. Rory had a great round on Saturday and Sunday. Rory started out pebble beach, which is a big deal. Winning pebbles a big deal. Yeah.

[Michael Wilbon]

As he calls it. It's one of the cathedrals of golf.

[Tony Kornheiser]

Yeah. Yeah. That's fair to say. Winning pebble is a big deal. He started out one stroke behind Sepp Straka, who, Michael informed me today has the flu. The flu? Flu. I didn't know he had the flu. Seth Straka twice on Saturday and Sunday. Started out on the front badly.

[Michael Wilbon]

Yeah.

[Tony Kornheiser]

And then had to make birdies on the back, which he did on Saturday, but not on Sunday. Rory started out one stroke behind him, and I think probably even or close to even, maybe one stroke ahead of Justin Rose. And even with Shane Lowry.

[Michael Wilbon]

Yeah. And then Tom Kim was another stroke.

[Tony Kornheiser]

Tom Kim Was close. Russell Henley was close. But the three European players, the three European Ryder cup players. For Rory to beat Shane Lowry and beat Justin Rose is a feather in his cap, is it not?

[Michael Wilbon]

Yeah, I think it's.

[Tony Kornheiser]

And he was up by four strokes with three.

[Michael Wilbon]

More of a feather in the hat of the tournament. A tournament that has struggled with field over the last 10 or 15 years. This is now a signature event as they rotate those through. So you were guaranteed to have a better, deeper leaderboard. I mean, you look at Scotty Scheffler still coming back from injury, Backdoors away, top 10.

[Tony Kornheiser]

Yeah, played well.

[Michael Wilbon]

So, yes, I think you look at what the weather brought to the players and to the tournament, it's no surprise that you have a bunch of European players who have sort of grown up playing in some of those conditions, who roast on Saturday.

[Tony Kornheiser]

It rained like crazy.

[Michael Wilbon]

I would focus in on Rory's Saturday round and just his ability to get up and down from everywhere. And he had a. He had a mind shift that he talked about with his caddy Harry, about trying to chip his way through the golf course. If we go back to one of his biggest misses of 2024, it was not necessarily the two short putts, but it's the iron that he hit on the par five leading or par three leading into that. That final stretch.

[Tony Kornheiser]

And he don't think it was a putt on 18.

[Michael Wilbon]

I mean, it eventually becomes that. But I'm saying, had he. Had he played that chippy iron into the front third of the green, two putts for par. Those putts never happened because he cruises to victory. In the last couple years, mid iron play has been an issue for him, and I think he focused a lot on that, on the off season. So this is to his own admission, he was entering the season in better form that he has in recent years. He's focusing on the stretch from April to September as he wants to complete his Grand Slam. And then he'd like to win one more Ryder cup on American soil. So for him to be so dominant, when at the beginning of the week, they're asking him, what do you think about the. The tanking ratings? And he just goes like, I trust in myself. He pulls the woe, but I trust in me. And I think it's his understanding of, if you have compelling golf, people will watch.

[Tony Kornheiser]

I think people watching golf pebble because of the scenery at Pebble. Oh, sure. Everybody knows it, and I think people watch it. I do think people watch it. You were upset. Tom Kim takes a long time on the tee. And this is interesting to me because when Tom Kim played in that TGL event and there's a 30 second shot clock, he was fine.

[Michael Wilbon]

Correct?

[Tony Kornheiser]

He was fine. So I think that. I think the tour should put a shot clock in just like baseball.

[Michael Wilbon]

Believe I called that a couple weeks ago. I think they will eventually get to that. So this was the six holes, the scenic par five. You have visions of Tiger hitting an iron over the, you know, over the ravine and getting close to the green. My issue with this is that I don't think the broadcast should be in the business of penalizing players themselves. If the rules officials say Tom Kim is on the clock, he meets the criteria to get a stroke penalty. All for that. You can address it once it becomes news. But the biggest issue would be fans saying, should we want to see golf shots? Don't just show us the final two groups. Like, they did a better job yesterday afternoon showing you some of the players who are on the alternate side playing these iconic holes as they finished on the other side of. Of who was the eventual champion. Play. Play the actual shots. Show the golf. Don't just have running commercials for drivers, you know, against the backdrop of the Pacific Ocean. And unlike tgl, Tom Kim's playing for a pretty significant check. So, yes, Pace of play, huge issue.

[Tony Kornheiser]

That's what I think.

[Michael Wilbon]

Not necessarily.

[Tony Kornheiser]

Dottie Pepper.

[Michael Wilbon]

Not sure on course. Reporter needs to.

[Tony Kornheiser]

Yeah, Dottie. That's Dottie Pepper's issue. It's important. Well, it's to me.

[Michael Wilbon]

But look at tgl. You had a lot of TGL names from the last week with Shane Lowry, Rory.

[Tony Kornheiser]

Yeah, they were all in it.

[Michael Wilbon]

And Tom Kim who were in it.

[Tony Kornheiser]

Yeah.

[Michael Wilbon]

That shows how it can be an additive, not, you know, distraction.

[Tony Kornheiser]

Totally agree. Totally agree. You're probably wondering, why aren't I talking about the basketball trade? Because Wilbourne's gonna be on the show, you know, and then that's all Wilbaugh is gonna be.

[Michael Wilbon]

Luca Garza getting some mentions.

[Tony Kornheiser]

Yeah, because people were stunned that it was Luka Doncic and not Luke Garza from Murray, you know, because you know what?

[Michael Wilbon]

Ninth grade. Elements of literature.

[Tony Kornheiser]

Elements of St. I'll just say this to begin the show. This is my prediction. The general manager in Dallas, Nico Harrison, I believe is his name. Yes. Who traded Luca Garza. Traded Luka Doncic.

[Michael Wilbon]

You're welcome.

[Tony Kornheiser]

He'll be fired. Won't be fired this year. It's going to work out this year. Yeah. They got a chance to win. They got Anthony Davis and they've got Kyrie Irving, who's a terrible human being but is a wonderful point guard and he's won a championship which Luka Doncic has not. And Anthony Davis has won a championship which Luka Doncic has not. I think they can win. I think it's a good trade this year, but I think he'll be fired because in three years people in Dallas will say, we just had the star of stars and we gave him away for short term candy. Maybe we made a mistake. Who did this? Oh, that guy. Let's get rid of that guy. That's what I think is going to happen. So we will take a break. At some point, Will Bond will be with us. Yes. He'll talk about this trade and then he'll Talk about the De'Aaron Fox Zach Levine trade because Zach Levine played at Chicago and I'm not going to be able to get him off that. And so just live with it. I'm Tony Kornheiser. This is the Tony Kornheiser Show. This is the MD Hearing Reed. It feels like everything has gotten more expensive these days. And if you've been listening to the show, you know that the price of electricity has skyrocketed in my house lately. That's not the only thing that costs a lot these days. Have you ever tried to get a good hearing aid from a clinic?

[Michael Wilbon]

What?

[Tony Kornheiser]

Their prices are crazy. I say, that's the only word I say in this house. What? I don't hear anything.

[Michael Wilbon]

You get. You give me the stare. And when I get that empty look, I go, I'm gonna have to repeat myself. But turn it up to 11.

[Alexa Lash]

Yeah.

[Tony Kornheiser]

Here's some good news. MDHearing recently cut their price in half. MDHearing makes high quality, easy to use, rechargeable hearing aids with exceptional sound quality that are personalized to your hearing profile. And MD Hearing just made their NEO rechargeable digital hearing aids. Only $297 a pair. That's over 90% less than clinic hearing aids. The NEO fits inside your ear, so no one will even know it's there. Plus, Maryland Hearing just launched the NEO xs Maryland Hearing. Smallest hearing aid ever. I would try this. I can't hear anymore. I have bought hearing aids, not MD hearing aids. I will not mention the brand. And they're in my ears. When I put them in, they just squeak. They screech. They squeak. I can't get that to stop. MDhearing was founded by an ENT surgeon who saw how many of his patients needed hearing aids but couldn't afford them. I'm not on that list. I can afford if I can afford the electricity. He made it his mission to develop a quality hearing aid that anyone could afford. MDHearing has sold over 2 million hearing aids and they offer a 45 day risk free trial with 100% money back guarantee so you can buy with confidence. Still on the fence about mDhearing, they were just selected to be the hearing aid supplier for top medicare advantage plan so they're a brand you can trust. Get the high quality affordable hearing aids you deserve with MDHearing. Go to shopmdhearing.com use the promo code Tony K to get a pair of hearing aids for just $297 plus they are adding a free extra charging case a $100 value just for listeners of this high quality podcast. That's shopmdhearing.com use the promo code Tony K and get a pair of hearing AIDS for just $297. I spent about $180 and honestly, I may as well have flushed it down the toilet with a mouse because they, you know, they screech all the time. Doesn't help me. No. You're listening to the Tony Kornheiser show.

[Alexa Lash]

The Tony Kornheiser show.

[Tony Kornheiser]

This is the books read guys. Valentine's Day is not the time to wing it. You need a solid game plan. Send foolproof flowers from the Boox Company and wow your Valentine and get 25% off your entire purchase. Boox makes it simple. Choose the quickie bouque with the click of a button. Get their best selling bouquet right on time for Valentine's Day. She'll brag about it for weeks. Pick from their collection of unique modern designs or go for their flower subscription. The number one husband life hack and be the hero every month. You really can't go wrong. Books aren't just any flowers. Their flowers are cut fresh from where they grow best so you get bigger, brighter blooms that last longer. Some are even grown on the side of a volcano. Should be blown away by how stunning they are.

[Michael Wilbon]

I wait for that line every year. Which the side of a volcano.

[Tony Kornheiser]

Yeah. Volcanic. Yes. You've had you like books and they.

[Michael Wilbon]

Really do last for a long time.

[Tony Kornheiser]

Yeah. Not like the stuff you buy in the supermarket that's gone in the morning. By the time you get home, it's down.

[Michael Wilbon]

If you pay attention to the the ends of your flowers, give them a little. Give them a little trim every couple of days.

[Tony Kornheiser]

The last. 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 boox.com use the promo code Tony for 25% off. That's b o u q s books.com promo code Tony. Boox promo code Tony. This is the Tony Kornheiser show. Tony Kornheiser Show. This is Alexa Lash, who has sung for us before. Yes. Sending us a couple of new songs. This is the first song is called Dear Miami, I love you. And she says that she won a contest with this on a Miami day. I wonder if Levitard was the judge and sweated all over the performers. Probably wonder if that happened. This is about Jimmy Butler. I don't. Jimmy Butler. Dear Miami, I love you. Sick of Jimmy Butler. I mean, he's on the news again. Well, we'll get to. Wilbur Wilbourne knows all about Jimmy Butler. I'm sick of Jimmy Butler. Alexa Lash plays him in. Look, there have been other trades. There are other rumors. There's a trade we have to get to at some point. De'Aaron Fox going to San Antonio. That's the end of your friend Chris Paul. But it's a trade for the future. That makes all the sense in the world. But it's not. It's not the headline. The headline is, why don't you describe where you were and what happened when you heard about the Luka Doncic for Anthony Davis trade?

[Pat Forde]

Well, I was in. I was in my home Saturday night. It's well after midnight, 12:30, 12:40, probably about four hours after Kornheiser prime time had ended.

[Tony Kornheiser]

Yeah, yeah.

[Pat Forde]

And I was not paying attention to anything in particular. And all of a sudden I hear from the basement, Matthew shouting, dad, Luka Donja just got traded to the Lakers for Anthony Davis. And I'm like, what do you. What are you talking about? This is insanity. That doesn't make any sense. And he says, no, no, it's posted. Charms is reporting it. And I go, matthew Charms had to have been hacked. This has to be fake news. And Matthew, the trade doesn't make any sense. It doesn't make any sense. But look at this now. It's other sites. And because he's so technologically savvy, he's going from one site to the other and he can find where this is being posted and new posts and new information. And I'm sitting there, Tony, aghast. And everybody was that. I mean, I wasn't the only one, because other people. I dropped Matthew off here. Great day.

[Tony Kornheiser]

Yeah.

[Pat Forde]

See you man, drop him off, try.

[Tony Kornheiser]

And get an A today.

[Pat Forde]

As I, you know. So we, we're, we're sitting there and by now, Tony, there are just. Your phone is full. People know who's awake people, late night people know who else is late night people. And they all seem to be on group texts and regular phone calls, old fashioned phone calls saying, are you seeing this? This can't be true. It cannot be true. And literally I am now calling producers at ESPN in Los Angeles because they're still awake. And I am saying, what is this? This can't be true. Shams does not report. And I don't know Shams well enough yet. Chicago guy, by the way, I don't know whether or I don't know him well enough to just pick up the phone. Like I would have called Woj and said, what is this?

[Tony Kornheiser]

Right?

[Pat Forde]

But this is Tony, I'm talking about scouts and former players and media people and I'm talking about the whole industry. I'm talking about folks who work for Nike and you know, whatever, the NBA. No one can believe that this is a real story. And Shams last night had to address this. Hannah Storm said to him on SportsCenter, how many people ask you if you were hacked? And Sean says like 300. No, people did not believe this. So anyway, so finally it starts to become clear around 1am just before a 1am special sports center that this is not fake, this is real. And no, he was not hacked. This is real. And so, you know, so that's, that's how I, if you consumed it, real time, you'll never forget it because nobody knew anything of it. This is not like when Kareem requested a trade. And you know about this. This is real time. In your young life, Kareem was unhappy. Didn't know if he could live in a fishbowl in Milwaukee, wanted to go to New York or la. Okay, so those things played out. Nothing played out. Somebody just told you this insane thing that these two visible international global stars were being traded for one another. And so there we were. And I could not go to sleep after I'm up till I woke up again at like 3:30 and just said, let me just read, I'm up, let me just read more. And I did that until like 5:00am yeah.

[Tony Kornheiser]

Oh, it's, it's like 40 hours since then now. So the dust has settled. And the one thing, and look, I think it's a, obviously a very important blockbuster trade. You and I have discussed this. I mean, I think it helps Dallas in the short term, I'm not like other people getting on television and screaming about this. I think it makes Dallas actually a championship contender because of the presence of Kyrie Irving. I think in the long term, the GM will be fired for doing it. But I think in the short term, it's okay. I think it's. Does it help the Lakers? It doesn't really help the Lakers right now as much as it's going to help the Lakers down the road because they just acquired arguably the biggest star in all of basketball, which is fell in their lap. It was initiated the conversation by Dallas, but that's, you know, that's neither here nor there to me right now. What stands out to me, and I wonder how you feel about this. They didn't consult LeBron James. The Los Angeles Lakers did not consult their biggest star, LeBron James. They did not apparently consult him. What do you make of that?

[Pat Forde]

Well, they wanted to, for whatever reason, keep this secret. Nico Harrison and Rob. They wanted to not have other people involved. And what I don't understand is that means you decide if you're Nico Harrison, and this is like the boldest move. Yes. Anybody could make. Why didn't you open it up to get other bids? Why was it so important you love Anthony Davis that much that you cut off the possibility of anyone else being involved? So I don't. If I know Nico a little bit, I would ask him, why was it so important to keep his secret? I understand. Did you and Rob thought that necessary? They both thought it necessary. They have a long relationship going back to when Rob was Kobe Bryant's agent and Nico was running endorsement, you know, dealing with endorsement contracts at Nike. So they've known each other probably 25 years, and they trusted each other. I get that, but I don't get why you wouldn't open it up. So Tony lebron wasn't consulted. Anthony Davis wasn't consulted. Rich Paul can say now through some statement that he knew what was going on. No, he didn't. Because if he did, his primary responsibility is to his client. You can't keep it secret from your client, Anthony Davis, if you know it. So I don't believe that for one second, nor LeBron James can you keep it secret from.

[Tony Kornheiser]

That's an amazing thing. It's an amazing thing. To me, it is. And then Houston immediately started leaking to people. Immediately started leaking. We're doing this because Luca is. We don't trust his conditioning. Dallas, rather. Dallas immediately started leaking to justify this because, again, this guy's going to lose his job in five years or less, he's going to lose his job unless they win.

[Pat Forde]

I think they win a championship.

[Tony Kornheiser]

Well, I'm just saying. Yeah, but. I'm saying five years. Yeah, so.

[Pat Forde]

Yeah, but, you know, Tony, look, they didn't. Dallas didn't have to leak this.

[Tony Kornheiser]

This is.

[Pat Forde]

This is talked about openly in basketball circles.

[Tony Kornheiser]

I know, but you have to defend what you've done. And so that's how.

[Pat Forde]

Yes, yes, yes, yes.

[Tony Kornheiser]

It's okay. That doesn't mean it's not true. It doesn't mean it's not true.

[Pat Forde]

But, but you, but you.

[Tony Kornheiser]

You.

[Pat Forde]

This Dallas. There's only one reason to say we think Luka Doncic is inadequate. He gets injured. Listen, people want to make a big deal out of Anthony Davis and how much he doesn't play, gets hurt a lot. Anthony Davis and Luca play about the same percentage of games.

[Tony Kornheiser]

Yeah. The only guy who doesn't play as many is Embiid and Kawhi and Beat and Kawhi don't play as well. They don't play as many.

[Pat Forde]

They don't. They don't. They don't play as many. But those two to be as great as they are. So you. And these soft tissue injuries have driven Dallas crazy. And the person who dealt with it the best was Jason Kidd. And Jason Kidd, to me, has not been given nearly enough credit as a head coach of the Dallas Mavericks for what he did last year, for how he took two temperamental, though unbelievably talented guys, Kyrie Irving and Luka Doncic, and made it work to the tune of getting to the NBA final. And so. But they're driven crazy by the fact that Luka is now in bubble wrap because he gets hurt every time he steps on the court. And they have said long before trade was approached, what are we doing here? And they went out and tried to deal with different nutritionists and different staffs, and nothing has worked. And Luka gets hurt more and he's out longer. He's only played 22 games this year.

[Tony Kornheiser]

I'm not saying this is not true. What I am saying to you is, and there's the caveat that we talk about with every athlete, if they stay healthy. With every athlete.

[Pat Forde]

Right, right.

[Tony Kornheiser]

If Luka Doncic turns this around and stays healthy, he's. If not the biggest star in the league. He's right there with the biggest stars in the league, Anthony Davis. And you trade this guy and somebody says, what dope traded this? And that's, you know, that's what's Going to happen even a. But they could win. They could win this year. Kyrie Irving has a ring. He knows what he's doing.

[Pat Forde]

Yeah. And Tony, to your point, if he doesn't. Yes, you're right. And if Luka turns out to be okay. So the one thing Luka Doncic hasn't been able to do with being fat and out of shape, I'm just going to say it. He has not been able to be the greatest player in the game.

[Tony Kornheiser]

That's right. He could be.

[Pat Forde]

And so he's now going to join, at least in the short term. And by short term, you and I think there's a possibility short term could be like, tomorrow. He's going to join forces with a guy who is legendarily and legitimately known for being obsessive about his condition.

[Tony Kornheiser]

LeBron James is Tom Brady. He's Tom Brady.

[Pat Forde]

Yes. And they are. They love each other, Brady and LeBron. And there's a group of guys, they're like Kobe. They may not be quite the fanatics. They're my body is my temple. I don't understand why Luka's not the greatest. And they love Luka Doncic.

[Tony Kornheiser]

Talent don't get hit in an accident.

[Pat Forde]

But they don't understand Luca's unwillingness, inability, whatever you want to call it, to be a sculpted 230 pounds, not 265.

[Tony Kornheiser]

I will tell you this. If I ran ESPN and I ran Turner, because Turner, this is Turner's last year doing the broadcast, I would look at whatever my schedule was for the rest of the year. I would light it, I'd put a match to it, and I would say, I want the Lakers. I want the Lakers every game we've got. Wouldn't you, Mike? I want the Lakers. Because I don't know how long LeBron. LeBron could throw a fit. He might not. I don't know. But as long as he's out there with Luke Kadoncic, I want the Lakers.

[Pat Forde]

Tony. Tony is gonna be so fascinating to watch. And I hear you completely. I hear you. I wonder, like LeBron seemed so far. So far, his attitude has been, no, no, I'm staying right where I am.

[Tony Kornheiser]

That's right. I'm staying in la. I'm not going anywhere. I'm not going anywhere. We'll see.

[Pat Forde]

The reactions to this are going to be so ongoing. And today we find out much more. We've gotten a partial reaction from Luca, not a full one. We want to hear more from him. We've heard from Nico Harrison, but we haven't heard from the Laker brass. We've not heard from them.

[Tony Kornheiser]

Eventually we'll hear him. Let me get to one other.

[Pat Forde]

We will.

[Tony Kornheiser]

Let me get to one other thing. De'Aaron Fox. Who? I guess Sacramento didn't think they wanted to sign him or couldn't. Whatever it was, they traded him to San Antonio. This is the end of Chris Paul. But Chris Paul's 50 years old.

[Pat Forde]

No, it's not. No, it's not the end of Chris Paul.

[Tony Kornheiser]

No, it is the end. Okay, fine. But you are setting up. You make this trade for the next 10 years of Wembanyama's career.

[Pat Forde]

Yeah.

[Tony Kornheiser]

That's why you make this trade. This is a really good trade for San Antonio. I know your boy, Your boy leaves Chicago. But you. You thought he was going to leave.

[Pat Forde]

You know we wanted him out.

[Tony Kornheiser]

Yeah. So it's. But this, this is a really good trade for San Antonio, is it not, Tony?

[Pat Forde]

It's a big deal trade for San Antonio and the league. But part of the reason. Look, the reason Chris Paul went to San Antonio. Remember those of us who saw this trade and people went, oh, this is years away, we said, no, it isn't, because Chris Paul is going to expedite this. That's what people think. Gregg Popovich doesn't know what he's doing. So look at win by his progress since October.

[Tony Kornheiser]

Chris Paul's been great. I'm just saying that since 41 years old, this is the next guy.

[Pat Forde]

It was never for the long haul.

[Tony Kornheiser]

That's what I'm saying.

[Pat Forde]

It was never for the long haul.

[Tony Kornheiser]

Fox is there for the long. Fox is there for the long haul. And that's a really huge. I don't care if Jimmy Butler ends up in seriously in a foreign country anymore. I don't care. Now get out of my life, Jimmy Butler. Right? I mean, enough. Get out of my life.

[Pat Forde]

Well, but Tony. So there was a development there. And then Jimmy Butler has now said to Golden State, I won't sign. I won't sign there. Therefore, it cuts them out as a trade partner.

[Tony Kornheiser]

That's right.

[Pat Forde]

But one thing, Tony, how this all ties neatly together and it's interesting. So the Dallas Mavericks have this short term window and I'm more. I lean more towards you and Kendrick Perkins and the way that you two feel about what Dallas has in the short term, I lean more toward you guys.

[Tony Kornheiser]

Yeah.

[Pat Forde]

But here's what hurts. Nico Harrison. Tony, who are the three teams right now that look poised to come after the league for the next 10 years?

[Tony Kornheiser]

Well, Oklahoma City, San Antonio, Oklahoma City, San Antonio. Yeah.

[Pat Forde]

And okc.

[Tony Kornheiser]

That's right. Small market teams. Three small market teams.

[Pat Forde]

But all of them are in depth. Dallas's reach. They're in Dallas backyard.

[Tony Kornheiser]

So they. So let them go get Jimmy Butler. That's fine.

[Pat Forde]

Well, they can't. Jimmy Butler can't really help them.

[Tony Kornheiser]

Well, they need. They don't really need anything. Dallas at the moment doesn't really need anything. They need to play together. That's what they need.

[Pat Forde]

They need to play together. And like you said to start, they need help.

[Tony Kornheiser]

They do. You're right. I think people have forgotten about this. They have Klay Thompson.

[Pat Forde]

They have Klay Thompson. I don't think Klay Thompson's had. He's had games this year where Klay has hit 6, 7, 3 again.

[Tony Kornheiser]

I think Nico Harrison will be fired in the long term, but in the short term, I give him credit. I think he can win. All right, I'll talk to you later. I'll see you later.

[Pat Forde]

I don't.

[Tony Kornheiser]

I'll come in. All right. Goodbye, Michael Wilbom, boys and girls. We'll take a break. Pat40 will join us when we return. I'm Tony Kornheiser. What is dax? Are you tracking all our cars on Carvana Value Tracker on all our devices? Yes, Kristen.

[Pat Forde]

Yes, I am.

[Tony Kornheiser]

Well, I've been looking for my phone for.

[Michael Wilbon]

In Dax's domain, we see all. So we always know what our cars are worth.

[Unknown Speaker]

All of them?

[Tony Kornheiser]

All of them. Value surge trucks up 3.9%. That's a great offer. I know. Sell. Sell. Track your car's value with Carvana Value Tracker.

[Michael Wilbon]

Today.

[Tony Kornheiser]

You'Re listening to the Tony Kornheiser Show. The Tony Kornheiser show. Super Bowl 59. One game, two teams, endless possibilities. And there's no better way to make every play more exciting than with FanDuel Sportsbook. Whether you're predicting the first touchdown, who'll take home the MVP trophy, or the coin toss, FanDuel makes it easy to place your bets and feel the thrill of every moment. With live betting all game long, you can jump into the action, adjust your bets, and ride the wave of excitement from kickoff to the final whistle. Plus, to make the super bowl even sweeter, new customers can score 200 bucks when you make your first bet. Just place a $5 bet, and if you win, you'll get 200 in bonus bets. Download the app or head to FanDuel.com TonyK bet with FanDuel official partner of Super Bowl 59. Must be 21 plus and present in Arizona, Colorado, Connecticut, Iowa, Illinois, Indiana, Kansas, Kentucky, Louisiana. Permitted parishes only Massachusetts, Maryland, Michigan, New Jersey, New York, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Tennessee, Virginia, West Virginia or Wyoming. FanDuel is offering online sports wagering in Kansas under an agreement with Kansas Star Casino LLC. First online money wager only $10 first deposit required. Bonus issued as non withdrawable bonus bets that expire seven days after receipt. Restrictions apply. See [e-mail] gambling problem call 1-800- gambler or visit fanduel.com rg in Colorado, Iowa, Michigan, New Jersey, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Illinois, Kentucky, Tennessee and Virginia. Call 1-800- NEXT STEP or text NEXT STEP to 53342 in Arizona, 1-888-789-7777 or visit ccpg.org chad in Connecticut, 1-809 with it in Indiana, 1-800-522-4700 or visit ksg 1-877-770 stop in Louisiana, visit mdgamblinghelp.org in Maryland, visit 1-800gambler.net in West Virginia or call 1-800-522- 4700 in Wyoming. Hope is here. Visit gamblinghelplinema.org or call 800-327-550 for 247 support in Massachusetts or call 1-877-8-HOPENY or text HOPENY in New York or visit OASAS.NY.gov gambling standard text messaging rates apply. Sports betting is void in Georgia, Hawaii, Utah and other states where prohibited. You're listening to the Tony Kornheiser show. The Tony Kornheiser Show. Once again, this is Alexa Lash. It's very good and we suggest you buy her music. Yes. You know, this is a song called Northern Light she sent us a couple of times before. Oh yeah, yeah, yeah. Always lovely. Yeah. Northern Lights by Alexa Lash. You can listen to it in a entirety, not listen to me. At the end of the show, she plays in Pat 40, and this segment with Pat 40 is brought to you by FanDuel Sportsbook. Make every moment more Normally we would ask Pat about college sports and, you know, I can talk about Cooper Flag and talk about Cal. I do want to talk about Calipari and his reception in Lexington. But Pat wrote a story on sportsillustrated.com about these investigations into Terry Rozier, who's a pro basketball player of some consequence and these betting patterns that stand out and call attention to themselves. There are Pat now that there's betting all over the place and it's sort of monitored, there are these early red flags and scrutiny that they Pop out immediately. Right. When something happens.

[Alexa Lash]

Yeah, I mean, oftentimes like before a game will start, these betting monitoring services are so advanced in terms of seeing line movements and then figuring out where bets are being made and how big they are.

[Tony Kornheiser]

Right.

[Alexa Lash]

That they can flag something as, you know, significantly suspicious and say, yep, that something's going on here. And I mean, I'm sure you can be wrong, but they have a lot of really good information and they have, they flagged a game in 2023 with Terry Rozier in which he played less than 10 minutes, took himself out of the lineup with a sore foot, had five points, was under all of the what of his prop bets were supposed to be. And a lot of places took rosier props off the board before the game started. So you know, there, if you want to fix a game, this is a hard era to do it in.

[Tony Kornheiser]

It's harder now. It's harder now. It really is harder now because your bets can be monitored. If you keep betting with bookies, okay, they're not going to get it. But people don't bet with bookies because it's easier to bet with these services. Am I correct on that?

[Alexa Lash]

Yes. And you know, from everything I've been told on this, this story, we'll see where it all goes. It could potentially be massive. You know, there could be multiple college players and teams implicated now. You know, we'll see if the feds fully pursue all of it or not. But everything I've been told is that that's a possibility. They may be more interested in NBA players. We've got Johntae Porter, who's been banned for the league. We got Terry Rozier, there may be a third player that's a much bigger names than mid major to low major college players. But so a lot of this from what I was told originated offshore, which is a little bit harder to monitor. But then it came onshore into regular mainstream, you know, American betting and that's when people started getting caught.

[Tony Kornheiser]

In your story you talk about at least two examples of people caught at airports with huge amounts of cash ready to leave the country. Can you just go over that for people listening?

[Alexa Lash]

Yeah, sure. I mean this is a, this is a Netflix miniseries waiting to happen. Yes, I mean it's an incredible story. So there's two guys. Yes. Bruce Pham was attempting to, he was involved in the Porter business and he was attempting to leave JFK airport on a one way ticket to Australia with I believe it was $80,000 cell phones and betting slips. Nothing suspicious there. And and then a guy, Shane Hennan, who was attempting to leave the Las Vegas airport in. This was recently, this was in January on a one way ticket to Colombia with $10,000 and like a bunch of cell phones. So those two guys have been definitively implicated along with two other men in the Porter situation. And it's believed that them and perhaps some others also were involved with Rozier and maybe another NBA player and maybe these, these college teams.

[Tony Kornheiser]

The Jonte situation, he's a marginal player, he's a two way player, he's not making a lot of money. Rosier's making money. Like I always thought if you made enough money, you know, you wouldn't be involved in any of these betting things. But the larger scandal to me is going to be all these college kids and it's about prop bets. Why don't they just pat outlaw prop bets or you can't do that because so many people wager so much on them.

[Alexa Lash]

Yeah, you know, I think that's probably the pushback from the betting industry is that they've been enormously popular.

[Tony Kornheiser]

Yeah.

[Alexa Lash]

But that does seem to be the most logical fix, you know, is if you. First of all, Charlie Baker, the president of the NCAA has been pushing basically since he got into the job to eliminate prop bets on NCAA players. And then the discussion at the NBA, NFL, Major League Baseball level has been do away with the unders so that no player is incentivized to play poorly. So those are a couple of the options out there. You know, depending if this thing continues to have legs and get traction, then I think there's going to be a lot of pressure on the betting industry to do something because the prop bets are clearly a big part of the problem. Although with the college stuff that we're talking about here, these teams are again, mid to low major mostly. And that's where you're betting on team outcome, maybe first half spreads, but it's not individual player performance.

[Tony Kornheiser]

So I'm going to sound like an old man here and I'm entitled to because I'm an old man. But you know, this is what happens when you have partnerships with all the gambling companies after resisting for so many years and screaming out loud that these things were the devil and then when you embrace them, this is, is, is the rollout, is it not?

[Alexa Lash]

The fox was invited into the hen house and the fox is dining on chickens daily. And yes, everybody said, they're saying, oh, what happened? Yeah, I mean, yeah, this once again, you know, we see this in many walks of American life, especially now that anything, any way you can find to make more money doesn't necessarily lead to good outcomes. You know, and this is, this is where the sports leagues and college sports are, that they've made a deal that has a high risk potential and we're seeing some of the nasty effects of it.

[Tony Kornheiser]

Yeah, I mean you like, okay, you're the basketball coach, you're the athlete director at a fine institution D1 institution and you call all the athletes in and you say like I understand that everybody else is allowed to bet, but you are not allowed to bet. Oh, okay. So they just get their friends to bet right back. They just get their friends to bet.

[Alexa Lash]

Sure, sure. And that, that's the other thing that you hear from is that gambling is absolutely rampant college campuses and has even trickled down to high school. I mean you may need 21 year old family member to set up an account for you, but apparently that's not that hard to get to happen. And then yeah, that the betting is everywhere. And sure, players want to be involved because that's what their friends are doing. And you know, next thing you know, all of a sudden somebody's, you know, eight people in your dorm are coming up to you going, guys are three point dogs in the first half. What do you think? You know, and I mean there's, it's, it's, it's pervasive, it's everywhere. And some of the marketing, Tony, that I've heard about how gambling companies are marketing to colleges is, is pretty nefarious as well. Like getting a hold of email lists for entire student body like the freshman class at say Michigan State.

[Tony Kornheiser]

Yeah.

[Alexa Lash]

And just hitting them all up with emails. Hey, join, you know, DraftKings, FanDuel, whatever the case may be, here's a hundred free dollars, go get them. You know, and it's like, okay, don't.

[Tony Kornheiser]

You think Aaron Sorkin could write that scene like he wrote it in the Social Network? Social Network. He could write that it's look and look. And you're sponsored on this show by FanDuel Sportsbook. I mean we're all, we're all in this. But I think that most people would stand up and say when it affects the integrity of the game, it has to stop there. That, you know. Yeah, right.

[Alexa Lash]

That, I mean that's the thing is you know, not just players honoring their, the competition but, but for the gamblers and for the fans. Can I trust what I'm watching?

[Tony Kornheiser]

Yeah, it's really, it's dangerous. It's really dangerous. Let me get to one Other thing. Did you go to Cal's return at uk? Did you go?

[Alexa Lash]

I did. I was there. It was fascinating.

[Tony Kornheiser]

A lot of it was. I watched it on television, and a lot of it was on as he entered the gym and all of that. And I really thought Mark Pope going over to him was the classiest gesture that probably muted the crowd a little bit. But what was it like to experience it? Yeah.

[Alexa Lash]

So, yeah, I mean, it was a vigorous booing. It was not a vicious booing.

[Tony Kornheiser]

Okay.

[Alexa Lash]

It was not what Coutinho got the first time Pitino went in there. Right. Probably for a couple of reasons. One, most people at Kentucky were happy to see Cal go. It was like it was done. It was over. And number two, at the moment, Kentucky's winning the breakup. It's easier to be magnanimous when your team's better than his team. You know, Pitino, first of all, he let. When can. When Pitino left Kentucky, nobody wanted him to leave. You know, he went to the NBA, he failed with the Celtics, and then he chose to come back at their biggest rival.

[Tony Kornheiser]

Yeah.

[Alexa Lash]

That's. The bitterness was. Was kind of baked in a little more there. But it was a kind of a. Like, we're mad at you, and we're going to let you know we're mad at you because you screwed up the last 10 years on the job, but we're going to try to be big about this until the end. And by then, oh, boy, the tenor changed. Then they were booing the Kentucky players and coach.

[Tony Kornheiser]

Yeah.

[Alexa Lash]

It was wild.

[Tony Kornheiser]

Yeah. Because Arkansas is not supposed to win that game. There's no way. That must be one of the great moments of Cal's life to have won that game.

[Alexa Lash]

Without question, you know, without question.

[Tony Kornheiser]

I thought Pitino. We talked about this on the PTI show on Friday. I thought Patino was ridiculously preachy in going on social media and saying, you know, show all the class and give him a standing ovation and, you know, come on. Come on. It's different. Calipari's is different than Pitino's. As you've said, it's way different.

[Alexa Lash]

Yeah. No, and that. Yes.

[Tony Kornheiser]

That's.

[Alexa Lash]

That is classic Rick grandstanding.

[Tony Kornheiser]

Yeah.

[Alexa Lash]

And almost condescending to Cal a little bit, which is, I think, mostly the point, because those two hate each other.

[Tony Kornheiser]

So. And when I found out about the story, when the producers said the story, I said, well, just could you. Did Calipari ask Patino to do this, or did Petito just do this on his own?

[Alexa Lash]

Yeah, totally on his own. And and again, this is another one where his magnanimity is based on a position of strength because his team is better than Cal's team. It seems really good.

[Tony Kornheiser]

Right?

[Alexa Lash]

And his guy is now the coach at Kentucky. Cal's coattails have been cut off. They're Rick's coattails again there. So, you know, this is just how these guys operate. It's hilarious. I mean, we were talking about two of the great divas of all time and John Calipari and Rick Matino.

[Tony Kornheiser]

It thrills me that they hate each other. I didn't know that. That's thrilling. Oh, that's great. That's great. It's absolutely great. Plug your podcast for us. And thanks very much for doing this thing that had nothing to do with what we usually talk about. Thanks.

[Alexa Lash]

No, no problem. I mean, I'm knee deep in it. So, anyway, the podcast College Football Inquirer, Yahoo. Sports with Dan Wetzel and Ross Bellinger. Twice a week now in the off season, there will be some basketball talk. Who knows what else. After you listen to Tony Show. Listen to our show.

[Tony Kornheiser]

Thank you, Pat. Pat 40, boys and girls. And then here we go again. This segment with Pat40 has been brought to you by FanDuel Sportsbook. Make every moment more. We will have email and jingle when we return. 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, running or not.

[Michael Wilbon]

There was a way to remember the.

[Tony Kornheiser]

Number and turn it into funds for kids in need plus a tax deduction for you. It takes just two minutes on the phone or at carsforkids.org or.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, Cars for Kids 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. Or donate online at Cars4Kids. That's with the number four. Carsforkids.org Tony. Donate your car today. You're listening to the Tony Kornheiser. That is so damned impressive. That's Glenn Winter. That is so damned impressive. It really is Beethoven or something. It's just great. It's just great. You want to do the Bethesda Bagel? Yes, Bagel sandwiches. Say, very excited about that. Bethesda bagels. We love them. You will as well just go to bethesdabeagels.com Ford location in the DC area nearest you. Then pop on in and you will be thrilled. Before we get to the mailbag, let me just say I went down to the sacred store where I'd heard the music years before but the man said music wouldn't play. And in the streets the children screamed, the lovers cried and the poets dreamed but not a word was spoken all the church bells were broken and the three men I admire most the Father, Son and the Holy Ghost they caught the last train for the coast the day the music died. We don't have a good history, Don McLean and I personally, yes, but that's one of the greatest songs ever written. Yeah, it's just absolutely brilliant. And people did senior theses in in high school and college, explaining it word for word, line for line. Our thanks today to Michael Wilbon and Pat40. Thanks as well to today's sponsors. Remember, you can listen to us on Apple podcasts Spotify and Audyssey. If get showed through Apple, please leave us a review.

[Michael Wilbon]

Did you get a better grade on that paper than Carroll's journalism class?

[Tony Kornheiser]

I got a C. I hooked Carroll's journalism class. When I was a professional writer, I hooked it. Are you kidding me? At CW Post, I hooked it. Really? Let's see the teacher piece from Jesse Ford in Havertown, Pennsylvania. Or is it Havertown? That's near Haverto Havertown. When you started quoting Jesse Winchester lyrics, I might be the only person listening under the age of manhood that got excited. See, it was a pseudo David Aldrich moment for me. My mom was a huge Jesse Winchester fan, and when she and my dad found out I was a boy, they had a raging debate as to my name. They battled over Jesse Ford, or wait for it, Darrell Waltrip Ford. As my dad was an avid NASCAR fan and my mom was a Jesse Winchester fan. Luckily, she won out. It brought a massive smile to my face as a happy memory. It was just what I needed as she had passed away in December 2023. Even a year later, still hard to believe she's not here to call and tell this story. But trust, as it often does, the show's broad, reaching connective tissue brings so much joy to us all. After bringing it full circle, I'd be happy to take the mantle of the official Jesse, named after Jesse Winchester of the Tommy Kornheiser show. Assuming, of course, it's not taken. It's not taken. You've got it from Robert Paris, Santa Barbara, California, who was an Altadena native. Altadena was one of those areas completely crushed by the LA fires. This note is a bit odd in the fact that I'm here to sing the praises of one of the show's advertisers, Johnny O. Over the years I've used the code a few times, mostly to pick up golf shirts or pullovers. Quality stuff, kind of expensive, but the code helps. I grew up in the 80s and 90s, running around Pasadena and Altadena, and a few weeks ago my parents lost their home in the Eaton fire. They've been living with me in Santa Barbara while they figure out the next steps trying to put the pieces back together. Johnny O posted something on the Instagram after the fire saying if you were a fire victim to email them and they would send a care package. I sent the email off with my mom and dad's sizes, not really knowing what to expect. Part of me figured it would be some old clearance junk that's sitting in a warehouse somewhere. But whatever, it was worth the shot. I got an email response within a few hours saying they got my note. They would get something off from my parents in a few short days. A day or two later I got a shipping notification after another day or two of boxing arrived from Johnny O. I told my I'd not told my parents about it, wanting it to be a little bit of a surprise. When they opened it up, my mom opens the box. There were immediate gasps, the good kind. Wow, look at this. They didn't send old clearance junk from the warehouse. There's some really nice merchandise, three pieces of clothing each from my parents. We added up the tags. There's roughly $900 worth of gear. We were blown away. My mom was moved to tears. Everything they sent fit perfectly and was high quality. At a time when my parents have been dealing with the loss of everything they'd worked for and built over 52 years of marriage, Johnny O brought a little bit of happiness, didn't have to do that, but they did, and they handled it in such a way that it will not be forgotten. It's an incredibly kind gesture. All I can say is thank you to Johnny O and use the code people. John O'Donnell has lived in Los Angeles for quite some time now and identifies with these people and is a fine person and their company is a fine company and we are proud to be affiliated with that company. Bill Matfield Fort Mills, South Carolina UVA Class of 96 School of Engineering and Applied Science I think you were thinking of Benjamin Franklin, who did some early research into using evaporation in refrigeration cycles, which is the basic principle used in modern refrigeration systems. He didn't invent it per se, but started us along the path. I was taught the principles of heating and refrigeration cycles at the University of Virginia, otherwise known as Mr. Jefferson's University. I'm pretty sure Thomas Jefferson would have been mentioned if he actually did have anything to do with refrigeration. God knows we got drilled and everything else Thomas Jefferson ever said out loud or wrote down. On a side note, when I was we would never dare call Jefferson TJ. It's always Mr. Jefferson. Mr. Jefferson is a big and the rest of us are UVA littles. Allegedly, James Monroe a big used to call Jefferson TJ and James Madison and also a big was known to call him Tommy after a night of drinking in classic UVA fashion. Mike Roseberry State College, Pennsylvania I don't think Jefferson invented refrigeration, but he may have bombed Pearl Harbor. Not sure that Penn State education can only take you so far. Very funny. Lisa Gonia Ganya G O N I A Lisa G New York City girl from New York City. I recently watched a video in which several individuals tried Progresso soup drops so you don't have to and I wanted to transcribe what they had to say, as I'm sure curious minds are wondering. Person 1 Laughter that's crazy. I like a toasted flavor, kind of like brown sugar, ish and sweet like a carrot. Person 2 It's kind of like a cough drop, but soup. Person 3 Laughter okay. Oh yeah. That's disgusting. Person 4 this is not a candy that I'm going to suck on for fun, but it's not as offensive as you'd expect it to be. Number five puts it in mouth audibly gags, turns around and cheer. I'm going to spit this out. Person 6 There's something wrong, man. I don't want to suck on This I got. Stop. But I must say, the tagline soup you can suck on, I must say it's one of the great taglines. Person 7 the flavors like changing and like layers. I want to keep going. It's an experience. Person five continued at the end. I'm not trying to be dramatic. I think I'm going to throw up. Let it be known that these actually come in a Progresso soup can. So make sure you're careful with your soup selection. Yes. The next time you're at the Refugee Safeway. Person two explained it exactly as I had imagined it. So, Jason Smoro, our friend in Syracuse, involved with the Syracuse baseball team and the Cheeserie night. That's right. Dear Mr. Tony, last night we had the pleasure of seeing the immortal Dan byrne at the 443 Social Club here in sunny Syracuse, New York. He was accompanied by Jane and the Great Danes. Jake Hafner brought his 17 year old son who's now a little and also a big Dan Byrne fan. This was Dan's second visit to Salt City. His first appearance garnered him a trophy as he sold out the venue on his first try. He did not receive a trophy this time. He always gives us Syracuse Mets and Hafner's restaurant and great shout outs as well as the Cheeserie nights. As I am always a month or so behind on the pod. I did not know he was recently at Uncle Benny's table and he discussed it in his Tony Kornheiser show portion of the concert. What? He talks for five minutes or so about the pod to about ten of us littles in the room. Gets a good laugh when he recognizes most everyone else has no idea what he's talking about. Great performer, puts on a great show, attaches some photos of the show and post game feed at Hafner's restaurant. Lots of laughs were had. Please tell Jake and Jacob and Jacob Hafner to eat it and the other lovely pictures. And Dan Byrne is up there. So that's really nice. Andy from Apopka, Florida. The race is on to see if Tony will pay more this year for mice removal. Removal or sweater repair. Oh, it's not close. The sweater repairs are hundreds.

[Michael Wilbon]

Mice is that's getting closer.

[Tony Kornheiser]

Nine bodies. Somebody called T boy for some odds and over unders. No, what I'm saying is it's going. It's more for the mouse. Oh, it's going to be more for the mouse. Oh, it already is because I bought the whole package of get rid of the mouse. Oh, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah. Mark Hughes, Ashton, MD Chuck and Roxy, number 292 in recent months we've heard stories of mice invading your house. The moth problem, Squirrels eating your plants. Thank goodness you can get away from these varmints. When the weather warms and you hit the high seas in your charter boat, the fish are biting. Jeff Alexander in Salinas, California. You should put the dead mice in gibbets all around the property with signs in them saying mice Beware. Much like the English did to the pirates in the Caribbean a few years back. Andrew in LA I don't know about you Mr. Tony, but I'm rooting for the Giants assistant coach Kafka to be offered and take the Saints head coaching job. I know nothing about this Kafka other than that there should be some opportunities for great headlines when the Saints lose big and get squashed like a bug. Like all good journalists, I always root for the story from RJ my name is RJ. I'm 38 years old, longtime listener, first time caller. We're not really calling. I've been a television writer in Los Angeles for the last decade and while I'm successful enough to keep a career going, I haven't had anything to make it to the screen just yet. That being said, I had the pleasure of working with Chuck Todd. Yes, that Chuck Todd when he briefly developed a TV show idea, which I will admit was quite good. Additionally, every time Greg Garcia's name comes up in a meeting, I'm reminded of the connective tissue of the show. But name dropping like Wilbond is not the purpose of this email. Not to bury the mouse, but my wife, two year old daughter and I were recently displaced by the Altadena fires in Los Angeles. We are some of the lucky ones. Our home still stands, but wind damage and smoke damage are keeping us in an Airbnb for quite some time. While our accommodations are not my house, I wanted to express how every time I listen to the podcast, you and the gang put my mind at ease for an hour and make me feel at home with gratitude. RJ there's no greater thrill than discussing the Capitol Hill Weather gang with someone in California. Has no idea what I'm talking about. That's it. Steve Rogers, As a longtime viewer and fan of pti, I often hear you remark about your golf game, handicapped and Ms. Putz as an avid golfer and resident of Bully Rock, Bully Rock's a wonderful course. Yeah, it's up 95 top course in Maryland. Yeah, we have a beautiful challenging Pete Dye course that is probably an hour from you bet. A little over an hour. I play to a 14.7 index so I'm not a world beater. Just interesting in a fun Interested in a fun round with you? I'd like to extend an invitation to you and Wilbonne if he's in town for around here at Bully Rock. On me Understanding your taping schedule is priority. We plan the tee time to fit your schedule. I'll be able to secure the time at your convenience. My thoughts are we try for a day in May or June when the course is at its best and the warmer days are here. Please let me know your thoughts. We can work on it. It's. I'm putting it in the special pile. It's a really good course. I've not played it, but Michael, everybody who's played it loves it.

[Michael Wilbon]

Yeah, yeah, yeah.

[Tony Kornheiser]

Public. Nice. Nice. Mike McKittrick Washington, Indiana Washington yeah. On Wednesday you and Wilbon spoke glowingly about Greg Louganis on pti. The degree to which other world class divers respected Louganis was manifest to my wife and I at the 1987 Pan Am Games in Indianapolis. The Natatorium on the campus of Indiana University Purdue University, Indianapolis is packed as we watch diver after diver test the springboard prior to competition. Each athlete takes those familiar stride and steps to the end of the board, then springs high in the air several feet, it appears only to land on the board. Their ability to spring that high and land safely is quite remarkable. Occasionally a diver walks over to the mechanism which controls the board's spring and then tests the board once more. After six or so divers, this routine becomes, well, boring and we lose interest. However, that changes dramatically. After several minutes pass, we notice that at least a dozen divers are walking en masse to the side of the pool. They just stand there waiting. Out walks Greg Louganis approaching the springboard. The onlooking divers become more animated and I look around noticing a thousand pairs of eyes appearing trained on Luganis. Unlike every prior diver, Greg adjusts the spring control mechanism. Prior to the first spring test, his pace toward the board end seems quicker than the other. Then he springs. There is an audible gasp throughout the natatorium. The height of this man's leap was 2, maybe 3ft higher than every other diver. It was powerful, was graceful. It was Olympian. A springboard test. He did it just once. This is what every guy at the edge of the pool now clapping their hands, some even laughing, shaking their heads, came out to see. Greg Louganis spring test that Dr. Mr. Mouse Flusher is R E S P E C T. Wouldn't you agree? Indeed we would. If you're out on your bike tonight, everyone, as always, do wear wipe. Later. He gets the rebound, passes it to the man, shoots it and boom goes the dynamite.

[Unknown Speaker]

Reached out the sky Whispered up palm trees planes overhead the shadows they call me down to the shore South Point to South Beach Watching the waves wishing they take me to happiest places Feeding the sand Making castles and faces hail from My parents are wild in the distance seagulls are singing the sun so persistent Skin bright as the big pink When I was a kid I lived on 196 headed off to the ice rink on a ocean and faith walked hand in hand with my grandma who raised me When I try to believe the memory escapes me But I hold up a shell to my ear and pray to the sound of the ocean the sound of her say I love you sweetie I'm begging the shell to play back that voice that I know so well it's always hard to say goodbye to Miami summers to Miami Sky But I'll spend most of my Life in the 3045 in my heart we'll be here forever it's always hard to leave the past behind but our paths stay parallel with power lines Travel us one across state lines Used to take that trip together little Hannah to turn my dreams real big and this magic city did its magic trick Made mermaid stories out of mana at seas people like limbs from the mangrove seas Nature still serves as the common religion we're trading if the mango for a politician holding breath over train tracks Our sweet superstition to fend off any danger Magic city magicians it's always hard to say goodbye to Miami summers to Miami Sky But I spend most of my Life in the 305 and my heart will be here forever it's always hard to leave the past behind but our paths stay parallel with power lines Travel us one across state lines Used to take that trip together sure the sky whispered a Palm trees planes overhead the shadows they caught on me down to the shore South Point to South Beach Watching the waves wishing they take me away Wanna love under northern lights Wanna whisper your name at night hold your hand like it's home at night it's not the end Wanna walk along my mountain Sight sees me Nothing's in the morning I can't imagine a better life don't let it in so please don't, please don't, please don't soon forget me Please don't, please don't Please don't say I just yet so please don't, please don't, please don't soon forget me I'll be right here by your side Just like a never let you go Never to let you go the way your lips write to me Beautiful form of poetry like in one kiss I love all Please just let time stand Be so sad still so please don't, please don't, please don't soon forget me Please don't, please don't, please don't save goodbye just yet so please don't, please don't, please don't soon forget me I'll be right here by your side Just like a nail let you go Just like a nail would let you go Baby, baby just hold me Keep me warm in cold breeze no matter the sea I can't find a reason to be anywhere but here Wait for you so baby, baby just hold me.

[Tony Kornheiser]

Keep me warm.

[Unknown Speaker]

In that cold breeze no matter the season can't find a reason to be anywhere but here with you so please don't, please don't, please don't soon get me no no Please don't, please don't, please don't say so Please don't, please don't, please don't soon forget Be right here by your side Just like I never let you go.