Pre-Emption Horror Stories and NBA basketball

Tony is angry right now, since PTI has been bumped to the Deuce. For Women's College Softball. "That's a Joke."

TK talks about Bob Ryan's column in the Globe today (about the crappiness of today's NBA). Tony is on the other side, since he sides with the Camp Counselor, even against "the Quintessential American Sports Writer." Larry's Pistons are not Pat Riley's Knicks.

Programming Note: TK is on Sports Reporters this week, along with the aforementioned Bob Ryan and probably, unfortunately, the Napoleon of Sportswriting.

Mark Coale
Odessa Steps Magazine

We begin by talking about the kids and the fat guy fighting over the bat in Cincinnati. TK actually drops a Henry Clay reference, presuming causing a great deal of confusion to the WTEM sports talk radio audience.

TK segues nicely to the Ron Artest middle finger fine and discusses how viewing things in slo-mo often alters perception of an event after the fact. This turned into a discussion about Karl Malone's elbow and his not being suspended for the elbow he threw earlier in the week.

And...the draft lottery, where the Wizards are a participant. TK says he probably would take Okafor, but it's not a great year. And Les Boulez cannot, TK says, take another HS kid.

Also, there was a blurb in Martzke's column today about Tony's desire to do radio locally in DC, but also something that would be available outside the city, possibly on XM Radio.

Mark Coale
Odessa Steps Magazine

Goff shots, nothing but Goff shots (and cicadas)

TK was great, so he says, on the links today. He shot 81 today and apparently only "missed" one shot all day.

Cicadas are stupid and clumsy, TK says. They fly into you when you're trying to hit a golf shot.

The basketball game from last night was also briefly discussed. TK did not hate it nearly as much as Andy Polley.

Mark Coale
Odessa Steps Magazine

Victory? I guarentee it.

Today, lots of talk about Rasheed Wallace's guarentee of victory tonight in the Pistons' game 2 vs the Pacers.

Also, we learn why TK said "Snappy Jones" on PTI last week. It seems George Michael said it on the basketball related show they do in DC and it stuck in Tony's head.

Segueing nicely, TK asked what has happened to Bill Walton, who is barely visible (which isn't easy mind you) on the EPSN/ABC coverage of the NBA playoffs.

Mark Coale
Odessa Steps Magazine

Andy and Tony's favorite player, C-Webb

We start by talking about Chris Webber, since Mayor McCheese wrote about him today in the Post.

Andy got some positive feedback about how funny the show was yesterday when TK was talking about Jason Alexander and John Goodman. TK said that he (and others) once tried to write a sitcom pilot years ago and hasn't tried since.

TK realized that "all the people in his stuff sounds like same", which is something the Napoleon (aka Lupica) doesn't.

The guys also briefly talked about a column by Richard Justice about the WNBA. Insert slicing meat joke here.

Mark Coale
Odessa Steps Magazine

Live From New York,...

Despite the good timeslot, TK is still being cautious about the TV show.

TK got to meet the cast yesterday. And as Tony said, Jason Alexander probably couldn't wait to get away from him. TK also got DAP from John Goodman, who said he loved the show and said "God Bless Baseball."


He also talked about the CBS upfront, where the Who played and Les Moonves slammed NBC.

TK had an "albert brooks" moment when they introduced the show and said "based on the life of Tony Kornheiser." But, it's based on "his columns," not "his life."

TK has poo-pooed the idea of "watching parties," for fear of people not liking it. Maybe if the show lasts three years and is Cheers-quality.

Amazingly, Tony was allowed to run over by Engineer Andy.

Mark Coale
Odessa Steps Magazine

Tony Clineman, Your Life is Calling

No Tony today. as mentioned yesterday, he's in NYC for the announcement of CBS' fall line-up.

Listen Up (formerly known as Shut Up and Listen) will be on Monday nights @ 8:30, right before Raymond and MNF.

On PTI, it was a wild scene with Stephen A Smith filling TK's chair.

Mark Coale
Odessa Steps Magazine

Greenlighting The Jason Alexander Show

The show is a go, but Tony says "I should be happier." He created these characters, but the show won't really be that.

Tony will be in NYC tomorrow, at the CBS launch party.

TK hasn't seen the pilot yet, but his book agent has seen it and said it's very funny.

On other matters, TK was shocked at what Deion Sanders was making at CBS, since it means that he's probably underpaid. He was also surprised that Shannon Sharpe abruptly retired to take Deion's place.

Mark Coale
Odessa Steps Magazine

Shut Up and Listen?

Word is that Tony's CBS show (with Jason Alexander "as Tony") is going to be picked up. We'll see on Wednesday, when CBS announces their schedule.

More Cicada talk. TK tells us about the "sounds of cicadas" in his neighborhood. WHen he leaves his house, "it sounds like the entire neighborhood is going to levitate."

TK also talked about the Preakness. he's rooting for Smarty Jones. TK plus his Post column tomorrow, which is about horse racing.

Mark Coale
Odessa Steps Magazine

Take a Guess

What did Tony talk about today?

a) The cicadas
b) His golf game
c) His son having a concert
d) all of the above

If you said D, you'd be correct.

You can pretty much guess what what said Tony, since you've probably heard it before. :>

Mark Coale
Odessa Steps Magazine

Eddie Jordan and Frasier Crane

The show began with the boys and TK talking about the Zards, since Eddie Jordan was a guest panelist on the George Michael basketball show. He was filling in for Mayor McCheese, who is still out covering the basketball playoffs. TK said he was a good guest.

Things turned to TV, as they talked about the end of Frasier (and nicely quoted me on some sitcom facts I sent Czabe a few weeks ago). TK didn't watch it much in recent years, but it had a great pedigree.

The segment closed with a discussion about American Idol and LaToya being voted off last night. Again, talk about racism came up, but Czabe said it was more like "stupidism."

Mark Coale
Odessa Steps Magazine

Yes, more Cicada Talk

We begin by discussing guest David Aldridge's new baby.

Then, onto the Cicadas. Andy again brought up how panicked the transplants seem to be around town. TK, however, thinks their anxiety is great and hope they will leave town, making the traffic a little lighter.

TK is apparently worried that Maggie will eat tons of Cicadas and then "puke them up on his bed in the middle of the night."

After coming "face to face" with a cicada, TK was unnerved enough by their beaddy-little eyes to run away from them.

How long has been since the Cicadas were here? The Wizards were good then. Not to mention they weren't the Wizards then.

We also briefly talked about Kobe's big game last night, another contest after jetting in from Colorado.

Mark Coale
Odessa Steps Magazine

How late is late for Mr Tony?

Tony was apparently not invited to the Joe Jacoby golf tournament held today. TK speculates that it might be because he beat Jacoby. Not that he could have played today anyway, due to PTI.

TK, along with Andy, Steve and Chris Knocke, discussed how late the NBA game was last night. Tony said that's why highlight shows are for, after all. When discussing Peja's no call, Czaban actually dropped the phrase "prima fica."

TK also talked about the ESPN25 special, which he taped with Bob Ley, Dick Enberg and Ralph Wiley. "It's more fun yelling at Wilbon that what I did today." TK is, surpisingly, not having dinner tonight with Bob F Ley. Enberg was apparently very funny talking about the late Al McGwire.

With Andy on remote, Tony got to run long. Viva Anarchy!

(Sorry, had computer problems yesterday and didn't save the show. My bad. TK talked about, I'm guessing, golf and cicadas.)

Mark Coale
Odessa Steps Magazine

We now return you to your regularly-scheduled program

Sorry for the lack of updates. Not only was I on vacation, but my laptop crashed.

However, I believe (knock wood) that I saved each day's Sports Reporters to my hard drive at home and should be able to recap the missing Mr. Tony moments in a few days.

Also, look for my on-site report from PTI HQ last Monday. Many funny anecdotes.

Mark Coale
Odessa Steps Magazine

Just a Head's Up

I'll be on vacation this week, so updates may be sprodiac. But, there will be a cool story in the next update.

Mark Coale
Odessa Steps Magazine

More Celebrities than you can Shake a Stick at

On the Weekend Gameday show with Mel Kiper, Andy talked about going to the White House Corresondents' Dinner. He sat at the PTI table (which they buy every year), since Wilbon was in CA for the NBA playoffs. Andy met lots of celebrities, and was occasionally roped into taking pictures for PTI director Bonnie. She had brought heads on sticks of TK and WIlbon and had people pose with them.

Surely, TK will talk about this on Monday's segment on WTEM.

Mark Coale
Odessa Steps Magazine

Gettin' Buggy with It

Tony is "no longer a competitive golfer," having shot 59 on the back nine this morning.

And, lots of talk about the cicadas. Tony said he thought he was here the last time they were here, but wasn't sure. One of his neighbors was getting their trees trimmed and said the noise will be deafening. "A plague of pesitilience" is how it's being touted.

Tony is worried that the cicadas might interfere with the Maret graduation ceremony in June, where he is giving the big speech. He also wondered how they know to come out every 17 years and so much can happen in that time (except Karl Malone retiring). It's possible that Maggie might start munching on them and not stop. I hope it's not going to be like that dog eating the golf balls.

Tony doesn't really understand why Wilbon went to LA, other than he likes going to LA and apparently will be going to Sacramento. Wilbon wrote about Kobe in the Post today and was live from La La Land for PTI.

Mark Coale
Odessa Steps Magazine

We're on a Road to Nowhere

No PTI, thanks to the Kentucky Derby draw.

Tony today discussed commuting. Normally, Tony does not have to drive on the Beltway during peak hours. TK came back from golfing and ended up on the Beltway @ 4:30. "What a mistake!"

Surprisingly, there's no Mr. Tony lane on the Beltway, which led to lots of sitting in one's car. Andy contrasted Washington traffic with NYC traffic and concluded that people in DC are just more patient and will sit in the traffic.

Oh yeah. Tony also had a column today about Eli Manning, which you can read here


Mark Coale
Odessa Steps Magazine

Tony's Parting Gift from ESPN

ESPN gave Tony a varsity jacket as a going-away present. On the left breast, there's the famous TK signature logo. Unfortunately, Tony doesn't think that he can wear it. "It's a big much. You can't wear anything with your own name on it." IT'S THE ONLY ONE MADE. It's a take it or leave it item.

Tony compared this new jacket to both a Binghamton jacket that someone sent and "the Tony Show" TV show jacket.

Speaking of parting gifts, the new ratings book came out and Tony's (belated) show was # 1 among men in the timeslot. "I'm available," says Satchmo, for anyone who wants to start saving their pennies.

Tony also said, not surprisingly, he won't participate in the mutli-family yard sale that will be in his neighborhood this weekend.

Mark Coale
Odessa Steps Magazine

There was a draft?

Tony (and Uncle Rob) drove to the Syracuse Basketball Dinner at some casino in upstate NY. TK put over his good friend Jim Boeheim.

Most of the segment today was TK talking about the drive up, which was about a seven-hour trip. The trip was filled with blue skies. They stopped for gas at the same place TK always stops on his way to Ithica and there was lacrosse game going on. It was 40 degrees and a blowing wind, but everyone there was wearing shorts and t-shirts. It, however, felt like December 29th to TK. Tony said one year when he went to pick up his daughter in May, there were four inches of snow on the ground, thus preventhing from playing golf.

TK claims to have not watched minute one of the draft, but thinks that dealing with Winslow's agent may have been the final tiebreaker in picking between the two choices (Winslow vs. Taylor).

Mark Coale
Odessa Steps Magazine