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Tony Kornheiser and Michael Wilbon
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The Chat House
Tony Kornheiser and Michael Wilbon
Washington Post Sports Columnists
Monday, September 22, 2003; 1:30 p.m ET
Sports talk time in The Chat House!
Tony Kornheiser and Michael Wilbon joined you to talk sports. It all happened right here in The Chat House.
The transcript follows.
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.
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Washington, D.C.:
I was almost on the bandwagon! After yesterday, it's clear that this team is in for a rocky road ahead. What do you two see on the horizon?
Tony Kornheiser and Michael Wilbon: Why would one OT loss to a division rival and playoff team change your whole outlook? I think I know the answer: b/c you're outlook was probably too radical in the first place.... as is your reaction. Two wins doesn't mean that somebody is going to go to the Super Bowl and one tough home loss doesn't mean a team is a dog. I don't know if this is peculiar to just Washington and Redskins fans or people are just wildly reactionary in every NFL city. But it's really sort of annoying that people change their outlook every single week. My outlook is the same it was at the start of the season: I think the Redskins will go 8-8 or 9-7. The schedule is incredibly difficult and a 9-7 record in this day and age is pretty darn good. The Redskins are not as a good as Kansas City or Seattle or Buffalo or Miami or Tampa....they are pretty good, not really good and not a bad team by any stretch. They are pretty good. --Mike
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Dulles, Va.:
How about those Hokies on Thursday night, defeating both Hurricane Isabel and Texas A&M in a wet one. Fans showed up in droves, and though VT made some mistakes to keep A&M in it, the Aggies never even had the ball with a chance to take the lead the whole game. Can the Hokies take Miami and Pitt this year?
P.S. to Mike, where's your girl Angie Watts? How come she's not covering the Hokies again this year? Tell her we miss her!
Tony Kornheiser and Michael Wilbon: Ken Denlinger has been assigned to cover the Hokies this year and he is one of my mentors and one of the great students of college sports in America. I didn't see the game b/c my power went out at kickoff. But I'm not about to put Tech in the same sentence just yet as Miami. Pitt, on the other hand, was beaten by one of the MAC powerhouses, so the Panthers can be had. But, the Hurricanes are the best team in the conference. Don't fool yourself. Miami is the BEST. And that's why I can't wait for the Tech-Miami game in Hokie land. --Mike
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Fargo, N.D.:
Hey guys, thanks for keepin' all of us here in Fargo
entertained.
I was wondering with all the points given up by the
Redskins defense lately, are we being misled on
how good this defense is?
Tony Kornheiser and Michael Wilbon: The defense was #1 in totall defense going into yesterday's game, I believe. Hard to argue w/that. They did give us some points yesterday, but largely b/c of stupid penalties. Jeremiah Trotter handed the Giants 7 pts.... so that would drop the Giants to 17, which was more than respectable. I think the defense is pretty good, which means like the team, the defense is certainly not terrible and not as good as Tampa-North Carolina's, but pretty good. --Mike
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Charlottesville, Va.:
I thought both yours and Boswell's columns were right on. The team is finally playing with a lot of heart, but not enough brains. Does responsibility for the mental errors (penalties) ultimately lie with the players or the coaches?
Tony Kornheiser and Michael Wilbon: Both. A lot of those penalties from yesterday were plain dumb. They were not the kind of things you can improve through coaching during the practice week. Now in football where coaches have so much control, fear of the head coach often produces immediate positive results. And Spurrier is not a rant-and-rave guy. That makes you wonder if the players are taking advantage of him treating them like men. I wonder, though it would have been difficult to do, how the team would have responded had Spurrier benched Trotter the instant he picked up that 15 yd penalty for unnecessary roughness. My friend and former Redskin tight end Doc Walker reminds us that Joe Gibbs, the day after a penalty filled game, would bring in a referee to call everything that happened on Thursday and Friday of that week. Maybe Spurrier needs to do the same thing. --Mike
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Logan Circle, Washington, D.C.:
Re: Fans being too radical and reactionary
I think that it's typical for most NFL fans. You wrote in today's column that "every single game brings such dramatic feelings of triumph or despair". Fans view every game as make or break. That's why I never miss a footbal game on TV and only read about baseball the day after.
Tony Kornheiser and Michael Wilbon: Thanks for writing in. I suspect you're right, which is why I asked rhetorically if this knee-jerking is peculiar to Washington. --Mike
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Silver Spring, Md.:
I've seen/heard people saying Michigan has lost any chance of the national title. Isn't that a bit premature?
Tony Kornheiser and Michael Wilbon: Yes, it's premature, stupid and wrong. Suppose Michigan is 10-1 and gets to play a still undefeated and defending Champion Ohio State? You mean to tell me if Michigan goes 11-1 and beats Ohio State that the Wolverines are not going to be high enough in the polls to get a shot in a BCS game? I don't believe that for one minute and you shouldn't either. --Mike
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Washington, D.C.:
Are either of you on the Patrick Ramsey bandwagon? Yesterday's commentators seemed to be singing his praises to no end, and that was before the game. What about you?
Tony Kornheiser and Michael Wilbon: We are columnist. We are not in partnership w/the league. We like the NFL, both of us and we love the games, but we are pretty detached from this and clinical about performance. So, there are no Bandwagons here for Ramsey or anyone else on the Redskins. --Mike
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New York, N.Y.:
I came down to Washington, yesterday, to catch the game. Some of your fans get a little testy when the tide turns. Loosen up, it's gonna be a long season!
Tony Kornheiser and Michael Wilbon: As if some of your fans don't get testy in Giants stadium. You think those people w/their faces painted blue and red aren't in pain? Everyone's fans get testy. The really obnoxious ones get testy in someone else's stadium too. Redskins fans are probably a little tamer than most, as you might have been able to discern by the fact that a quarter of them were out the door w/their team failing by only 11 pts and then by 8 pts in the final few moments of the game. --Mike
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Vienna, Va.:
What are your opinions on the NFL OT format? I know old-schoolers say that the defense should hold if the team deserves to win, but statistics point to the team that wins the toss winning most of the NFL OT games. The college system just seems like such a better way to settle a game. Thanks.
Tony Kornheiser and Michael Wilbon: I hate the college way. I'm starting to be swayed by Tony's argument that each team should get one possession in OT. He's starting to win me over. --Mike
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Washington, D.C.:
Neither team yesterday played to their potential. So who do you guys think is a better team? Who will win the NFC East?
Tony Kornheiser and Michael Wilbon: I still think Philadelphia will right itself and win the division. The Redskins may not have played to their potential, but they have been very exciting for 3 straight games and come back from large deficits, 17 and 18 pts respectively, so again, you'd have to say that Steve Spurrier is worth the $ and that Spurrier gives hope to a team that had no hope for years. Make no mistake: this is about Spurrier. --Tony
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Arlington, Va.:
Tony -- Great Bandwagon article.
What is Spurrier's motivation with all the audibles? It seems this is a major contributor to the excessive penalties. Can't we get him to cut that out?
Tony Kornheiser and Michael Wilbon: This is the style he plays. He gives the QB the opportunity to use his football acumen at the line. If the players are TOO stupid to run the play w/out a penalty, then get new players. --Tony
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Monrovia, Calif.:
What does the 'GSS' on the Skins jersey stand for?
Tony Kornheiser and Michael Wilbon: We do this every week. Try to remember. It's for Dan Snyder's father Gerry, who died a few months ago. I'm assuming the S was his middle initial. Gerry S. Snyder. Don't ask us this again. Cut this out and put it on your fridge and don't ask it again. --Tony
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Washington, D.C.:
Redskins not as good as Seattle? Really?
Tony Kornheiser and Michael Wilbon: Whatever you say. --Tony
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Re: OT Format:
I remember hearing in the past in many overtimes that the team that wins the coin toss wins 51 percent of the time -- hardly a huge advantage. You know any more about this?
Tony Kornheiser and Michael Wilbon: I think it's closer in the neighborhood of 60 percent. But it's not 80 percent. It's not automatic. But yesterday, the Redskins make this great comeback and then as soon as it goes to OT, they act like their defense is not on the field. That was disappointing. I'm not sure where I stand on OT. I like to think that each team should get at least one possession. But, I can make the case that if your defense stinks so much that you can't stop them, then the hell w/you. --Tony
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Richmond, Va.:
So should champ still get that big contract?
Tony Kornheiser and Michael Wilbon: Don't ask me these questions. Call the GM. Call Dan Snyder. Ask him the question. --Tony
Why b/c he got beat on 2 plays? Did you ever see a QB not get beat? --Mike
Deion had a couple of years where he didn't get beat at all b/c QBs where scared to throw to him. --Tony
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Washington, D.C.:
How did you guys cope with the power outage this weekend?
Tony Kornheiser and Michael Wilbon: I still don't have power yet. --Tony
I checked into the Marriott at Dulles. That's how I coped and I went back home yesterday when I finally got power back on. --Mike
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Washington, D.C.:
Does anybody in this market really care who manages the O's next year?
Tony Kornheiser and Michael Wilbon: No. ---The Chat House
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Montgomery Village, Md.:
Now that the "luck " has worn out of the "white over white" uniforms will they only be used for riding bikes at night?
Tony Kornheiser and Michael Wilbon: If you're out on your bike tonight, do wear white. Thank you. --Tony
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Washington, D.C.:
What does the GSS on the Redskins jersey stand for?
Tony Kornheiser and Michael Wilbon: ENOUGH. ---Tony
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Washington, D.C.:
Tony, you seem a tad touchy, Power outage got you down? The Redskins defense, with the exception of Lavar and Bruce don't seem to have much pass rush, do you think they wish they held onto Big Daddy this year?
Tony Kornheiser and Michael Wilbon: I'm not touchy. -Tony
He's not. --Mary
I don't think the power outage is terrible.
It is terrible. --Mike
It's like I'm living in 1841. I can't imagine how bad it would have been to live in 1481. And for God's sake, stop whining about the Redskins. Stop picking them apart. Enjoy the good start they are having. --Tony
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Ijamsville, Md.:
Dear Tony and Mike, I live on Whiskey Creek Golf Course. What are the odds that you'll damage my home on Tuesday? I also have small children, would you both recommend keeping them indoors during the event? My four year old son Jordan will be selling lemonade at the turn. He asked me what the general demographic of the participants would be, I replied $8 per glass. Seriously, enjoy the course and hospitality of Whiskey Creek Golf Club, and its neighbors. Regards, Joe Myers and Family
Tony Kornheiser and Michael Wilbon: Thanks a lot Joe and family. I hope we don't hit your house. But if it's raining, can we stay in your house? This golf tournament has disaster written all over it. It'll be a 7 to 8 hr round and everyone will be angry and the rain will mean that everyone will need to go to the bathroom repeatedly. So instead of charging lemonade for $8 a glass, charge for toilet services, $10 a flush. --Tony
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Boston, Mass.:
Ouch! I care about who manages the O's next year. Can we invite Tom Boswell to the chat house sometime?
Tony Kornheiser and Michael Wilbon: I will ask him, no promises. --Mary
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Northwest D.C.:
Wil there be a TV airing or videotape of the Kornheiser/Wilbon Celebrity Classic?
Tony Kornheiser and Michael Wilbon: What do we look like? The US Open. No, it's not going to be televised. We have 3 rate celebrities who I would, in most cases, I'd pay a $1000 so they wouldn't play rather than have a foursome. Since it's going to rain, I'd like turn it into the 1st annual Kornheiser-Wilbon fly fishing contest. The only TV this is worthy of is the pay-per-view torture channel. --Tony
Actually George Michael is doing something on this on his show tomorrow night at 6 pm on Channel 4.--Mike
Stop watching TV. --Tony
That's right. Stay at your house and whine about not having TV. --Mike
I'm not whining. I was at home drinking. --Tony
Drinking? Can you give us some whine, I mean, wine advice? --Mike
When I order wine, I say red, that's it. Red. --Tony
Ok, we have to go. See you next week. --The Chat House
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