The Chat House

Kornheiser	Wilbon
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With Tony Kornheiser
and Michael Wilbon
Washington Post Columnists
Monday, January 14, 2002; 1:30 p.m. ET

Are you a sports junkie? Can't get enough of Tony Kornheiser and Michael Wilbon fighting each other in the sports pages of The Washington Post? It's your chance to talk to both gurus LIVE!

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Editor's Note: Washingtonpost.com moderators retain editorial control over Live Online discussions and choose the most relevant questions for guests and hosts; guests and hosts can decline to answer questions.

Tony Kornheiser and Michael Wilbon: Good afternoon everyone and sorry to be starting a tad bit late. It's actually my fault. I was running late today. Apologies. We'll be getting started very shortly. --Mary

Tony Kornheiser and Michael Wilbon: Tony says he'll be right back. He has to go do a quick radio gig. So filling in for the first few minutes or so are the dynamic duo from PTI "Josh the intern" and "Stat Boy" Tony who know a lot more about sports than I do. So they'll hold down the fort for a bit until the gurus get here. --Mary

Tony Kornheiser and Michael Wilbon: First a word about Mr. Tony's absence from the start of the show. He is neither in another room doing a phone interview nor asleep from PTI's late night special, but rather driving on I-95 right now kissing the ring of Brian Billick. I know he always said the Ravens would beat the Dolphins in the first round of the playoffs, but it's time he realized this Billick guy can coach the big game. --Tony #2.

This sounds like a good job to me. This sure beats Econ 201. Let's go. --Josh

Now, people don't freak out. Tony and Mike will be here soon, but these 2 guys are quite good so keep the questions rolling ferrets. --Mary

Arlington, VA: Let me start off by saying I am NOT a Redskins fan. I am a graduate of the University of Florida and it sickens me that Spurrier has decided to sign on here... because the fans here do not deserve a coach of his caliber.

Spurrier will win here and win here quickly. The media will not like him because he is not perceived as cordial... although Brian Billick is 10 times worse, but Wilbon worships the man.

The reason Spurrier will win in the NFL is despite notions that he is "egotistical", he is humble enough to realize he is no General Manager. He will work alongside a solid GM to get a solid Defensive Coordinator hired, and the Redskins will make the playoffs in Year 2... with David Carr at the helm.

Tony Kornheiser and Michael Wilbon: BTW, I am dying of laughter right now b/c of these two just for the record. Ha. --Mary

Steve Spurrier has been one of the most successful college coaches in the past decade. There is no reason to believe however that his record will equate into ANY kind of NFL success. --Josh

And you say that with all of your almost 21 years of experience yes? --Mary

And there goes all my credibility. --Josh

Oops. --Mary

Take it stat boy. --Josh

The man won at Duke for crying out loud. W/that being said, I find it hard to believe an NFL coach w/over 100 wins to his record can be so easily supplanted by a man whose only pro experience is w/the Tampa Bay Roadkill or whatever that USFL franchise was called... once again that predates both of us. Spurrier will win but not right away. Remember Tony Banks is the QB of this team. Kent Graham is the backup and Sage Rosenfels is still on the roster. He has a gun but no bullets. --Stat Boy/Tony #2

Stat Boy is never lacking for words. Or estoteric names for that matter. --Josh

Or women I hear. --Mary

It gets him all the women. --Josh

Ahem. --Mary

Bowie, Md.: What will Redskins season would have been like, had they acquired Trent Dilfer instead of Tony Banks. Would they have made the playoff, considering the fact that Trent almost got Seahawks into the playoffs?

Emmanuel

Tony Kornheiser and Michael Wilbon: Help me. I mean back to you guys.... --Mary

You take it. --Josh

No you take it. --Stat Boy

Who is going to take this freakin' question? --Mary

Okay. I will. I find it hard to believe that this team was one game away from the playoffs w/Tony Banks at the helm. Remember they lost twice to the Cowboys. Give them a win in one of those games and they are playing a very important game in the last week of the season. This team had the 30th ranked offense in the NFL. Only 3 teams scored fewer points all season long. They looked their best in just 2 games this season... the 2nd 1/2 against Denver and the 2nd 1/2 against the Cardinals. What's the common theme? Banks was out of the game in both of them...

Are you done yet? --Josh

Yeah, he talks in novels like Wilbon. --Mary

I'd like to take this opportunity to...

Thank my fan club? --Mary

take a shot at Maryland Alumnus the one the only... Daniel M. Snyder. Two years ago he brought in Jeff George as the savior of the franchise. Ha. This year after releasing offensive "guru" Norv Turner, he convinces Marty to come out of retirement and lead the Redskins back to prominence under the impression that he would have complete control

How's that Chat House working out? I hoped that everyone would like to have other voices in The Chat House. Wilbon is just getting in from Miami and I had more important things to do. I had to get a manicure and talk to a fashion consultant. So I hope you people this and Wilbon and I will be coming back when you need us. --The Real Tony

Will you come back now? --Mary

Okay. --Tony

We got the ax. --Stat Boy and Josh

They were pretty good. --Mary

Fairfax, VA: OK. Steve Spurrier. Is this exciting or what?

Tony Kornheiser and Michael Wilbon: This is the only reason and the best reason to hire Steve Spurrier b/c you think it's going to be tremendously exciting. As you know, I advocated this. If he goes 4-12 and 4-12 I'll slink out the back door. But I think Steve Spurrier, like Bill Walsh, comes along once in a great while and you take a chance on him. And if you lose, you hope at least you lose in an exciting way like 45-37. --Tony

WAKE UP!: HELLO! ANYONE HOME!!!!!! Lets get with the program!

Tony Kornheiser and Michael Wilbon: Refresh your browser! --Mary

Princeton, N.J.: As a DC native and longtime Redskins fan, I am disappointed that Snyder always goes for the flashy stars rather than those who will win football games. Spurrier is going to be another high priced bust like Deion and Jeff George. However, if sports is entertainment, he definitely has provided that.

Tony Kornheiser and Michael Wilbon: Okay. --Tony

Bethesda, Md.: TK,

I liked the "special edition" PTI with David Aldridge last night. I assume he was there because Wilbon was stuck in traffic.

There's a report today about 10 percent of Major League baseball players making 40 percent of the money, which shouldn't raise any eyebrows since it reflects society as a whole. My question is how valuable those 10 percenters are to their teams. Case in point: The Caps get Jagr and his big fat contract, but lose Steve Konowalchuk and someone else who I can't remember to injuries, and the Caps go in the tank! Why? Isn't Jagr's presence supposed to lift the whole team to greater heights?

BTW, PTI is now my favorite ESPN show, supplanting World's Strongest Man. High praise indeed.

Tony Kornheiser and Michael Wilbon: I still like the World's Strongest Woman best. Nobody would disagree that in basketball one guy can make an enormous difference. Nobody would disagree that in hockey a goalie can make a GREAT difference. In football, maybe a QB can, though you'd better have a good offensive line to support him. In baseball a pitcher can or a hitter w/some protection in the lineup who is batting about .400. But everytime a team fails, it's never so much b/c the star failed to match his career #'s, as it is that the supporting cast failed. These are team games and you are right that the top heavy salaries reflect the culture and that there is no equity in salaries vis-a-vis full value to the team as a unit. --Tony

Crystal City, VA: How much do you think Snyder is going to have to raise ticket prices to pay for Redskins Sweepstakes winners like Deion, Jeff George, and now Marty?

Tony Kornheiser and Michael Wilbon: They are already the highest in the league. If people are willing to pay them, he'll raise them. Once the seats are empty, the prices will go down. How much he'll raise them, I have no idea. Would you pay more for a 12-4 team and if that team is 4-12 would you turn your tickets back in? --Tony

Washington, D.C.: Tony,

Is there anything we the Internet listeners can do to get the Internet show back on?

Tony Kornheiser and Michael Wilbon: Not at present. We took the show off the Internet b/c of the much publicized complaint by Mr. Webb in Seattle. It was a time-bomb, the Internet radio show. Maybe we'll bring it back. But I don't want to get in trouble. --Tony

Vienna, Va.: The burning question of the day for local sports fans must be: which local country club will Steve Spurrier now join to placate his golf fix during the season? Robert Trent Jones must be the front runner, but he might like the privacy of Burning Tree. Congressional? Tony, any plans to sponsor him into your club?

Tony Kornheiser and Michael Wilbon: Michael Jordan joined 3 clubs in the area: Robert Trent Jones, Four Streams and Caves Valley. I'm not sure that Spurrier can walk right in to a country club. Don't you have to wait a little while for membership? These 3 clubs, all of which have great courses, are people's "second" clubs and so they are much easier to join. Their courses are great. I don't see Spurrier joining Burning Tree. A lot of it depends on where he lives I guess. But you know, if he's going to commit himself to being an NFL coach, I'll bet he plays substantially LESS golf than he did at Florida. --Tony

East Lansing, MI (formerly College Park, MD): Hey guys...love PTI...keep it up!

Maybe this question is too cerebral for anyone...but what REALLY is Snyder's goal with the Redskins? Can't he learn anything from the way Jack Kent Cooke did business?

I know that Snyder wants to win, but it seems like there's more than that. Is it impatience? Greed? Vanity? All of the above?

Tony Kornheiser and Michael Wilbon: His goal is to win the Super Bowl and carry the trophy around town on his head. All of those other things you mention may be part of his psychological make-up just as they may be part of yours or mine, but his goal, as a lifelong Redskin fan is to win the Super Bowl. He is possibly trying to win it in one or two big moves. He is possibly impatient and he is possibly a bit scattered in terms of commitment. But, Spurrier is the guy he has wanted FROM THE FIRST DAY HE BOUGHT THE TEAM. So, now let's see if he can stick w/Spurrier. I think he can. --Tony

Mt. Holly, N.J.: Just a quick statement for Tony, as far as his column today, Florida (Coach Steve) has produced Ike Hillard (Wide Receiver), Willie Jackson (Wide Receiver), Darrel Jackson (Wide Receiver), Shane Matthews (QB) and Danny Wuerffle (QB) now admitedly they were never as good in the pro's than in college but maybe thats the pro system not the talent level. As we all no the purpose of the game in the pro's is to win not to entertain, even though the people that pay to go would prefer both.

Tony Kornheiser and Michael Wilbon: Okay. None of those guys had a particularly BOOMING impact on the NFL. I have to say I'm not sure I know what you're saying here. --Tony

Field and Stream, USA: I nearly choked on my morning coffee last week when I read Angus Phillips is retiring. Luckily, he’ll still submit some articles once in a while. Are any of you guys thinking of taking on his job? I can just see Mike knocking down that dove, or Tony boating that 40lb Rockfish, or Mary sitting in a tree stand at 4:00AM. One more job won’t kill you!!!

Tony Kornheiser and Michael Wilbon: I wanted to take on his job. I wanted a 4th full-time job. Here is exactly how I applied for the job when it came open: I walked into Sports Editor George Solomon's office w/a duck on a leash. I put the duck on his desk, then took out a shotgun and blew the duck's head off. I'm still waiting for a reply. --Tony

Takoma Park MD: Tony,

Do you think Spurrier will makea move at QB and if so are there any free agents out there that would interest him?

Tony Kornheiser and Michael Wilbon: He'll have to make a move at QB. Maybe he'll go after Drew Bledsoe. Whoever is a free agent QB is right now thinking about auditioning for Spurrier b/c Spurrier can make him better. He has made these college QBs into All-Americans and they can't play in the NFL. Imagine what he could do for someone who CAN play in the NFL. Okay. Bye. I've got to go now. Thanks for coming today. --Tony

McLean, VA: Why is Dan Snyder so eager to hit the "reset" button again? If he's such a big fan of the Redskins, shouldn't he know that one cannot build a Super Bowl team in one season?

Tony Kornheiser and Michael Wilbon: Hi. I'm back. Stat boy here. B/c w/2.2 BILLION in the bank, you can hit the re-set button. If we have learned anything in sports, if history has taught us anything is that fans do not make good owners, coaches or players. Frank Thomas, a few years ago, could not i-d Jackie Robinson. Joe Gibbs was just as concerned w/auto racing as he was w/football history or anything else going on in the world. I recall he did not Ollie North when that entire fracas was going on in the city he lived in. I guess what I'm trying to say is or is actually best summed up in the word's of Brian Billick: players play, coaches coach and owners own. --Stat Boy

That's deep. --Mary

Once an owner tries to do more than own, it becomes a failure. --Stat Boy

Wilbon is here. --Mary

I'm here. I was on a plane from Miami where I covered the Ravens game Sunday night. Okay. Let's go. --Mike

Brick, NJ: Do you think the fact that Snyder is so flakey and really seems to think he can buy a winning team, will that affect their ability to get some good free agents in the off season? I mean, will anybody good really want to play for a team with no real roots?

Tony Kornheiser and Michael Wilbon: Always remember this: Athletes and coaches follow the money trail.... for that matter sportswriters. You think people aren't going to cash Dan Snyder's paychecks and spend his money? Seriously, you believe that? Have you already forgotten that 14 months ago that Marty Schottenheimer ripped Snyder on ESPN and then 2 months later accepted his offer for 10 million dollars? --Mike

Columbia, MD: To get off the topic of sports for a minute, I must recommend the Billy Joel and Elton John concert to you. They are playing the MCI Center next weekend again. They both played an assortment of their songs, and also did a quick tribute to George Harrison (Here Comes the Sun).

Tony Kornheiser and Michael Wilbon: Tony would you go to see Bill Joel and Elton John? --Mike

Yes I would literally walk 2 blocks to go and see them. --Tony (Kornheiser).

I'm a HUGE Elton John fan. In fact, I just bought his 4 CD Greatest Hits collection. But Billy Joel, while I appreciate his talent, doesn't do it for me. --Mike

hanover md: Thanks to a ton of luck, I'm a Terp fan with a ticket to Thursday's game at Duke. Can you guys recommend any Durham-area bail bondsmen, since I probably won't be able to resist the urge to throw a water bottle at someone? Any predictions on the game?

Tony Kornheiser and Michael Wilbon: It should be a 200 point game. I'm looking forward to this as much as any regular season college basketball game this year. I've cleared the deck for Thursday night. And, given the history of Duke/MD and Terps fans, I sincerely hope you'll behave and have a good time. --Mike

Ann Arbor, MI: Deion Sanders, Jeff George, and now Steve Spurier? I don't think I am a Redskins fan anymore. The Danny is the problem.

Wilbon: Shaved is better? Not if you are bald and shaved. I dare you to grow it out and let us judge for ourselves.

Tony Kornheiser and Michael Wilbon: What do you care about another man's hair? What is your issue pal? Why don't you e-mail us a picture of your hair? You think Danny needs you to be a Redskins fan? Do you think that's going to dent the bank account? --Mike

Duke vs. MD: Why can't the Terps 3-peat in Cameron?

Tony Kornheiser and Michael Wilbon: Maybe they can. Who says they can't? Who are you quoting? I think it's going to be a great game and beyond that predictions are a waste of time when it comes to these 2 teams. --Mike

Washington, D.C.: I know you guys like the hometown Terps, but I was wondering if you had any thoughts on UVA dropping two games to unranked ACC opponents?

Over-ranked, under-coached, just missing a point guard, too young?

Likley to recover and be a formidable team in the ACC?

Certainly goes to show that there are no freebies in ACC bball -- gotta love that!

Tony Kornheiser and Michael Wilbon: They are just missing an experienced point guard that's all. They are ranked in the top 12 in every poll. They've got a really good coach and really good players and a very difficult conference schedule to negotiate. They'll be in the tournament and then we'll see. 2 games this time of year doesn't mean jack. --Mike

Bethesda, MD: I want to address the fact that we just hired a coach who is tied completely to the passing game while we sit here with one of the best and hardest working rushers in the league in Stephen Davis. Throughout the season, all everyone would ever say was that we needed to stick to the running game more in order to win more games. So, how does that sentiment fit in with a Spurrier offense?

Tony Kornheiser and Michael Wilbon: Great point Bethesda. This is my primary point. What happens to Stephen Davis? Is he just going to run draw plays? On the other hand, let's not portray Spurrier as being a "limited" coach as if he's incapable of incorporating a running back into his offense. Maybe Spurrier will use Davis the way Bill Walsh used Roger Craig.

He can't Davis has no hands. --Tony

Yes he does. --Mike


Roger Craig was a great receiver. Larry Centers is a great receiver. Stephen Davis is a bad receiver. He can only catch little screen passes. Roger Craig was great. --Tony

I know Roger Craig was great. All Stephen Davis has to do is catch screen passes. --Mike

Alexandria, VA: Just how much money does Dan Snyder actually have? Are all these expenses hurting his bank account, or is he rolling in it so much that $25 million and $10 million are no big deal to him?

Tony Kornheiser and Michael Wilbon: What do you care about Snyder's money as long as he meets the payroll every week? You think he's not solvent? Is that your worry? You have to consult Fortune Magazine. I guess we are talking about a billion dollars. We don't have to pass the hat for him do we? I don't want to sound flip, but I just don't care to keep up w/how much money billionaires have. I guess I'm just bored by that topic. Maybe it's just me. Snyder has a WHOLE lot of money. Worrying about him paying off some coaches is like when people go crazy b/c Michael Jordan loses a $50,000 golf bet when he's worth $400 million. Or is that $200 million? That's like $20 to you and me. --Mike

Centerville, Va.: What's up with Shaq? Is the current fiasco really just the result of him finally snapping after years of hack-a-shaq? Or is it more a product of his recent attempts at dropping his "gentle giant" image? (and why does he want to do that, anyway? Is he afraid his rap career lacks credibility?)

Maybe he's just trying to fit in with his future hall-of-fame peers by being a mean SOB.

Tony Kornheiser and Michael Wilbon: It's the first thing you said, but he HAS to be suspended BIG Time for this. Tony how many games would suspend him for? ---Mike

3 to 5. --Tony

I'd say 5 to 10. He is a really gentle guy 99.9 percent of the time and he takes a lot of abuse w/out retaliation. But you can't retaliate by swinging like he did the other night. You can elbow somebody in the ribs or shove them to the ground to show them you're not going to stand for that. But you can't be throwing haymakers at 7-1, 340 lbs. --Mike


Okay time to go. --Mary

Our producer here at PTI is summoning me to get into makeup. Tony stays in makeup. See you in 2 weeks and enjoy MLK Day. --Mike

PICKS:
Winners: Chicago, Green Bay in an upset, Patriots and Ravens in another upset. --Mike

Tony has gone into make-up. I can't find him under all of the base to get his picks.... so you'll just have to take Mike's! Thanks. We are off next Monday for the Martin Luther King Day holiday. See you on the 28th at 1:30 pm ET. --Mary

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