The Chat House
Tony Kornheiser and Michael Wilbon
Washington Post Sports Columnists
Monday, November 17, 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.
Tony Kornheiser and Michael Wilbon: Hi peeps. We are here. Mike ran out to get a sandwich. Tony is here somewhere around PTI... He'll jump in in a sec. How many bitter Redskins fans out there? --Mary
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Springfield, VA:
"I don't know about Washington, but we appreciate him, that's for sure," said Panthers tackle Todd Steussie.
Mike and Tony,
Could one of you please explain this. All season I've read about how foolish Washington was to get rid of Davis, and that he wasn't appreciated here and what not. But why must the entire city (and metropolitan area) be dragged into this pool of people that don't appreciate Davis? It actually hurts every time I hear or see this.
Tony Kornheiser and Michael Wilbon: Why would you drag yourself into it? By Washington ... it means the Redskins. You think Adams Morgan got rid of him? Or Anacostia got rid of him? Or Cleveland Park? The Washington football team got rid of him. That should be apparent to everybody. It didn't mean he wasn't appreciated by the people who paid to watch Washington play. --Mike
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Washington, D.C.:
Chat House,
What's happening in Oakland? Not on the field, but off the field. Darrell Russell gets suspended for substance abuse, another lineman doesn't even show up for the Super Bowl because of depression, and now four players test positive for some other drug. I know players must take responsibility for their individual actions, but at what point do owners and coaches start taking responsibility for the actions of their respective teams?
Tony Kornheiser and Michael Wilbon: Good question. There has always been an atmosphere of permissiveness surrounding the Raiders. It used to be lawlessness, some teams will tell you. The Raiders like having a reputation that includes being on the fringe of trouble... or just in trouble. The Raiders like being notorious. This is not new. They like to be renegades and bad boys. Now, this goes pretty far over the line in my book. But, I'd bet you in general Al Davis wouldn't express a note of concern. --Mike
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Lansdowne, VA:
Has Tracy McGrady lost his mind? When I sam him play the Wizards here last year, I thought he was arguably the best player in the league and that nobody could stop him. Now, he is blaming the reintroduction of the zone defense in the NBA for his and his teams problems. What happened? Also, is Grant Hill completely done?
Tony Kornheiser and Michael Wilbon: This Tracy McGrady thing is a total mystery to me too. And to the people in the league I talk to. Grant is going to try to play again late this year and I hope he can. But let's face it: it doesn't look good. I know Grant fairly well. There is a lot of interests. ABC and ESPN have already auditioned him and I'm sure it went well. But, I hope he gets another shot at playing. He's 31. He can always do TV. But he can't play forever. --Mike
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Washington, D.C.:
The Seattle game was a good win and Spurrier showed guts by going for it on fourth and 1 on his own 25 yd line. My question is how come Ray Rhodes did not call any blitzes to pressure Ramsey. Even Coach Sprurrier was surprised by no blitzes?
Tony Kornheiser and Michael Wilbon: Where were you last week? We talked about this last week here in The Chat House. And Boswell and I wrote about it Monday morning in The Washington Post. Are you in some sort of time warp where you're a week behind? --Mike
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Near Kwame's House, Va.:
Tony/Mike-
Will you please do all of the suffering Boulez fans a favor, tell Kwame to just shut his trap and play. Everytime I read an article, he's blaming everyone else except himself for his poor play. I miss the Lez Boulez of old, scrappy and all heart, couldn't win but they were fun to watch, thanks guys.
Tu
Tony Kornheiser and Michael Wilbon: I'm on record as saying I would trade Kwame in a second. I'd let him walk if it comes to that. He doesn't appear to be a worker. He's always blaming someone else and it's a tiresome act. I'm saying this not w/20-20 hindsight, but having thought it through before the selection. The Wizards should never have drafted him in the first place. He may go on and be good somewhere else, just like Jermaine O'Neal left Portland and became good his 4th season, in Indiana. But I doubt it's going to happen here for Kwame. --Mike
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Lake Ridge, Va.:
This one is for Wilbon:
As a transplanted Chicago homeboy myself and a big-time Cub fan, what would be the best off-season move for the Cubs? Possibly trading Kerry Wood for A-Rod??
Darryl
Tony Kornheiser and Michael Wilbon: Darryl, I've thought about this 100 times b/c Kerry Wood could walk just like Greg Mattix did in 1992. Also, Wood has had major surgery. So, believe me, I think about it. A-Rod might hit 75 homeruns at Wrigley Field in a lineup w/Sosa. But I don't think it's going to happen. And, it's so hard to give up great pitching. --Mike
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Charlottesville, Va.:
Why is no one talking about the THREE TD passes that Ramsey missed? The first play of the game, Coles walks into the end zone if Ramsey doesn't throw the ball out of bounds, ditto to a wide open Rod Gardner in the 2Q, and then the sprint out in the 2nd half could've been another TD to Coles, but it was thrown behind him. I know everyone loves his toughness, but he was just off yesterday even when he had time. They were easy throws any below-average NFL QB makes and the Skins win going away.
Tony Kornheiser and Michael Wilbon: Ramsey didn't have a good game yesterday. He did miss 2 easy touchdown passes by NFL standards. But he had a mean and nasty defense all over him the whole game. Carolina is a good team, playing at home. --Mike
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Fairfax, Va.:
Hi Mike,
You picked Cincinnati to beat K.C. Nice pick. Was it just a hunch or did you see something specific there?
Thanks
Tony Kornheiser and Michael Wilbon: Hunch. Plus, Marvin Lewis is a good coach, particularly when it comes to defense. And I believe a good defense always beats a good offense. And KC, which is a better team than the Bengals, can't win them all. Nobody is going to win them all. If they played in KC, I would have picked the Chiefs, but I also think that the Bengals will win the AFC North. Let's face it: Baltimore may not win another game b/c they don't have a QB. --Mike
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McLean, Va.:
I was amazed at how little the Post coverage of the Carolina game talked about how poor the offensive line performed. Again.
It is amazing how many problems get solved on a team when the offensive line performs. It didn't happen yesterday, and that is why they had 40 yards in the first half.
Fix the offensive line, and this team is 6-4 at the worst.
Tony Kornheiser and Michael Wilbon: We've been writing about the offensive line every week. How often do you want us to write about it? The offensive line yesterday had its hands full w/the best defensive line in the game. The offensive line wasn't a huge problem yesterday. They didn't commit 20 false start penalties like they had done earlier. The line wasn't going to dominate Carolina and if you've been watching the entire NFL this year you'd know that. --Mike
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Bowie, Md.:
Did you notice the Skins weren't penalized yesterday. Did the all the emphasis on that part of the game perhaps cost some intensity?
Tony Kornheiser and Michael Wilbon: Yes. And maybe the same person that critcized the offensive coordinator might want to take note of zero penalties, which in part comes from a reduction in the number of stupid audibles being called w/the snap clock under 6 seconds. No, zero penalties is a noticeable improvement. Now, if they could only convert some of these turnovers. --Mike
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Seoul, Korea:
Hi Mike and Tony:
Is the NCAA crazy? If they got rid of the BCS, they could bring back tradition and use bowl games as conference championships (and make a gillion) AND have a playoff of 32 teams (and make another gillion).
This is so obvious it's not even funny. And wouldn't this be wildly popular -- with college basketball losing marquee players to the NBA, wouldn't this dwarf March madness?
It seems too simple.
Thanks -
Tony Kornheiser and Michael Wilbon: You're right. You're 100 percent right. And yes, the NCAA is crazy. And gutless and, collectively, stupid and short-sighted. I could think of more adjectives, but I think you get my point and I certainly get yours. --Mike
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Denver, Colo.:
Tony and Mike, do you think the NFL is less fun to follow today because there are almost no underdogs? In other words, free agency and salary cap have virtually eliminated dynasties. Now it is almost a coin flip who will win each game. When there is no underdog, what is the fun in rooting for a team? Does making the Super Bowl lose meaning when it is now scheduling and injuries more than carefully building a winning team that matters? I know the NFL line is it "sells hope," but to this fan of 20-plus years, I have lost interest and watch more college ball now (at least I can root for my alma mater). Thanks for your comment!
Tony Kornheiser and Michael Wilbon: Good question. I think it's less fun b/c there are no great teams. The Chiefs might prove to be a great team by February, but what team out there are you just dying to seat week in and week out? I think the decline of the Raiders and the Bucs and the Giants and the 49ers hurts the league big-time. So does Michael Vick's absence. So does Brett Favre's struggling. Nobody out there is great. And, even the NFL, the preeminent sports and entertainment entity in America, will struggle if there is no great team. B/c the NFL sells the teams and not the individual stars. --Mike
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Leesburg, Va.:
I actually heard Brian Baldinger say that Stephen Davis "is not a fumbler". Am I the only one who remembers things differently? I felt he put the ball on the ground a fair amount.
Tony Kornheiser and Michael Wilbon: I like Davis, but he's been a fumbler. --Mike
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Annapolis Md:
Hey guys,
Love you show! I am not down on the skins, They fought yesterday. They played better the last two weeks. Penaties are down and the defense is picking up(except for that last drive). What do you see happening the rest of the year and into next year? Thanks.
Tony Kornheiser and Michael Wilbon: We are not going to deal w/next year yet. But, they are playing better. And they could beat Miami this week. I don't see them putting together a string of victories against Miami, the Saints, the Giants, the Cowboys, the sorry Bears, and the Eagles. The Saints and Eagles are actually pretty good. I think the Eagles are going to win the NFC. Even though the Bears are 3-7, they are about like the Redskins in that they have lost some very close and winable games. The Bears could easily be 5-5 and that game is outdoors in Chicago probably in 10 degree weather on December 23rd. So, there are no real patsies awaiting the Redskins either. At the beginning of the season, I picked the Redskins to go 8-8 and I see no reason to change now. --Mike
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Potomac, Md.:
What do you guys think of the Fridge's success this year? I just think the football program has shot up so quickly in terms of results and expectations. Some fans will be upset if we do not make it to the Orange Bowl (a new years bowl)-- I remember before the Fridge there WERE NO BOWLS!! GO TERPS!
Tony Kornheiser and Michael Wilbon: How was it they shot up when they finish w/10 wins in each of the last 2 seasons... and went to the Orange Bowl 2 years ago? They shot up then, not now. It's not surprise that Fridge is a success as a head coach. Look at his resume. He helped Bobby Ross win a national championship at Georgia Tech as his offensive coordinator and he helped Ross lead the Chargers to the Super Bowl. I've know Fridge for 22 years and I've always thought he was going to be a good head coach if he got the chance. Now, whether Fridge can take them from being a 3 loss team to a 1 loss team and a threat to finish #1...that's a big order. I don't know if he can finish that job. But even if he does it, I still think he's a hell of a coach. --Mike
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Washington, D.C.:
Hey guys!
I'm not one in particular who is superstitious... But last weeks Sports Illustrated cover featured the Chiefs. Maybe Dan Snyder could pay SI to feature the Dolphins this week with the other remaining teams the Redskins play the following weeks?
Please forgive... 12 years of frustration as a Redskins fan.
Tony Kornheiser and Michael Wilbon: Ok. --Tony
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Clinton, Okla.:
What was your take on Mike Lupica's opinion of the Oklahoma/Texas A&M game? Was Lupica off base in your opinion?
Tony Kornheiser and Michael Wilbon: When I first heard the score, I thought Oklahoma had run it up. But when I saw they had no points in the 4th quarter, I changed my mind. So, obviously, I disagree w/Lupica. Lupica's comments had a big effect b/c Oklahoma only scored 40 something points on Baylor. And if OK wanted to it could have scored 100 pts on Baylor. --Tony
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Wichita, Kan.:
Why don't they just have Patrick Ramsey forget the audibles, and just go with the original play called, as it has been proven that only about 30% of the time does the audible change make a positive difference, not-to-mention the # of times it costs them 5 yds. in penalties for not getting the new play off in time.
Tony Kornheiser and Michael Wilbon: I suggested that very thing in a column 3 weeks ago. Are you stealing my ideas? --Tony
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State College, Pa.:
Tony and Mike,
What are your thoughts on the AFC north? I'm sure you could both care less but after the pitiful 3-6 start of the Steelers, do they still have a shot? Ravens are hurting and I have a hard time thinking the Bengals can win the division. I'm not so sure the division winner will be any better than 9-7 or even 8-8. Am I crazy or is there an odds on favorite for that "coveted" AFC north crown?
Tony Kornheiser and Michael Wilbon: I never think about the AFC North. Never. --Tony
That's it? --Mary
Yes. --Tony
The guy asked a question. I answered it. --Tony
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Washington, D.C.:
Tony and Mike,
While I think the new-look Wizards have played much better than their 3-6 start, can someone please explain to me when Kwame Brown plans on showing up? A #1 pick in his third season can't just be an 8 point role-player--he doesn't have that luxury. The Wiz need real frontcourt production, not just competence from the likes of Etan Thomas and Christian Laettner, to be successful.
What do you guys think?
Tony Kornheiser and Michael Wilbon: It appears that Michael Jordan's #1 overall draft pick is a bust. He had the #1 overall pick admittedly in a weak year, but Pau Gasol was out there and Jordan was a guy talking about scouting Europe and throwing resources into identifying great international players and he ends up w/Kwame Brown who at the moment HAS NO MOVE TO THE BASKET. NONE. --Tony
Who would not be welcome in the NBA by Wilbon, but who is welcome w/open arms by Mr. Tony. --Mike
That's right. --Tony
He's a dog. He's a dog. --Mike
Wilbon can blame it on me. But I blame it on Jordan. He had the first pick. He could have picked anybody. He picked this kid. I think he's a nice kid, but at the moment, he can't play! --Tony
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Dumfries, Va.:
Wheres all this "talent" that Danny supposedly picked up that makes this group so good that we have all these out of control expectations? Im sitting here listening to people talking about the Carolina loss like we just handed a game away to a lesser opponent. Heres a clue: the Skins talent is not that great. Danny is still playing fantasy football. Once again all he did was sign the biggest named free agents he could fit under the cap. Look at what Belichik does with the average guys who play system football.
Tony Kornheiser and Michael Wilbon: I don't think there have been out of control expectations for the Redskins. I don't recall any responsible human being predicting the Redskins would be any better than 8-8. --Tony
SI picked them to go 5-11. --Mike
Where do you live? The moon? --Tony
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Boyds, Md.:
What do you think Dan Snyder would say if you asked him what made him pick Steve Spurrier over Marvin Lewis?
Tony Kornheiser and Michael Wilbon: He would say that Steve Spurrier was remarkably innovative at offense and that he won a national championship in college. And Marvin Lewis had not yet been a head coach. And that's exactly the right thing to say now. --Tony
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Salisbury, Md.:
Laveranues Coles had a great beginning of the season and a great game last week against Seattle. However, during the four game skid, he was no where to be found. He is obviously a playmaker, so why doesn't Spurrier design plays that are specific for him to get him involved in the game so he doesn't dissapear again as he did in the four game skid?
Tony Kornheiser and Michael Wilbon: Let me explain something to you: the other team has coaches also. The other team looks at film also. --Tony
They do! --Mike
They understand that Coles is very good. So they design plays to stop him. How clueless are you to think that it only has something to do w/Spurrier and has nothing to do w/the other team? --Tony
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Chicago, Ill.:
Of the 2002 Terps in the NBA, who do you think will have the most potential impact in the future?
Tony Kornheiser and Michael Wilbon: Who are the 2002 Terps in the NBA? Dixon, Baxter, Blake and Wilcox. --Tony
Wilcox had 21-9 the other night. --Mike
I guess Wilcox has the most NBA potential. I will say this: I'm not saying it's going to happen a lot. But I love when Eddie Jordan puts Steve Blake and Juan Dixon in together. I love to watch it. --Tony
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Farmville, Va.:
With the upcoming departure of Matt Schaub how do you think UVA's football program will fare in the near future?
Tony Kornheiser and Michael Wilbon: This isn't a serious question, is it? B/c this is not a question The Chat House deals w/. This a question for the Cavalier Poop Sheet. Why don't you call Al Groh w/this question? We are not the official UVA prognosis house. Just b/c Mary went to UVA, doesn't mean we give a rat's %!#@ about UVA. And I say that even though Mike's wife went there. Call her! --Tony
Having said that, Virginia has so many people returning, they will be fine w/out Matt next year. They are the 4th youngest team out of 117. --Mike
Do you feel that love? --Mary
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Alexandria, VA:
Just a correction Mike...it's Greg Maddux.
Tony Kornheiser and Michael Wilbon: That's my bad. Thanks Alexandria. I type for Mike and I'm not a sports guru, although I do my best. --Mary
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Tony Kornheiser and Michael Wilbon: Ok, ferrets, we have to go. Have a good week. See you next week. Take care.-- The Chat House
NFL Week 12
MIKE:
Carolina Panthers at Dallas Cowboys: Cowboys
Seattle Seahawks at Baltimore Ravens: Ravens
New Orleans Saints at Philadelphia Eagles: Eagles
New York Giants at Tampa Bay Buccaneers: Bucs
Pittsburgh Steelers at Cleveland Browns: Browns
Washington Redskins at Miami Dolphins: Dolphins
No picks from Tony this week..... Mike is doing pretty well so you'll have to stick w/him. --Mary
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