PTI - Thoughts on Phillies Win?

Episode Date: September 30, 2026

Michael Wilbon and Tony Kornheiser discuss the latest on the MLB Playoffs, PI flopping and the WNBA playoffs. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

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Discover coffee plus on nispresso.com. the interruption but i'm mike wilbon it's international podcast day tone you think you ever might start a podcast i'm tony cornheiser i have one you're on it do you think we talk every monday morning for fun i thought that was like a breakfast day no it's a podcast eight o'clock i'm always having bacon and waffles well often you're in the car and you're going here and going there but you're on every week and people love you welcome to pt i boys and girls in today's episode the yank Yankees and Padres dominate. Pat Bryan says he sold past interference, and Steve Young joins us for five good minutes. But let's begin today with the Phillies and Braves, now tied at a game

of peace. Bryce Harper briefly looked like a goat from misjudging a fly ball that put the Braves ahead. He made up for it by following a Kyle Schwabber home run with one of his own to tie the game at three and the eighth, and then Alec Bohm won it for the Phillies by homering in the 10th. We'll have on your thoughts on today's game in the state of this series. They're going to surprise you a little bit, Tony. I know this game excited you greatly because This is your division. Yes. You know these teams.

From the Nannups. Yes. Feelings about these people. I have none. Okay. I, of course, was struck by the home runs. The Philly Lumber, I mean, experience. That's what they've done.

That's how they got this far. But I roll down a couple of things I think will resonate with you. October drama and afternoon baseball in the postseason. Love it, except it's still September. No, okay. No, it is. Okay. It's October.

No, it's not. My calendar. Baseball calendar. Baseball calendar. It's October. You know what I'm talking about. And it was so cool, this bright sunshine day even in Georgia. And we didn't grow up with baseball in Georgia, you nor I.

But to just see it look like that and to have this drama and to have these pitchers in Sanchez, who has struggled for Philadelphia, struggled against the Braves in his careers. But had a great year. It's a great season. And to have a one-one game deep into this. And to then just go boom, boom, boom. And you and I still thought the Braves were some. come back late and win like they did yesterday, I am captivated by that.

That's what matters to me about this, not the score, not the outcome, none of that stuff, and the fact that we get to watch it again tomorrow. So if this was what's the word, my word would be thrilling. Yeah. It was totally fair. This is the best series. I mean, it's a very small sample, obviously, but two close games in this series, teams that were behind, then taking the lead and winning the game,

redemption of sorts for Harper, clearly, because he looked like the goal. Did you think that was an error? Did you think maybe, look, afternoon sunned in October in postseason, maybe he couldn't see it. I'm not going to say it was a routine fly ball, but it was a gettable fly ball. And then Schwaburber comes up, who's got 10,000 home runs in the last three years. And then Harper comes up and knocks one out, and he can exhale because he has tied the game, and then, BOM, I've told you for five years, that I think the Phillies Everyday lineup

is the best lineup in the league. And it hasn't shown lately, but they got what the last, yesterday they put in a pitcher and it didn't work. Today they put in a pitcher and it did work. And the end of the game, Dom Smith, who I didn't like when he was with the Nats, but is a power hitter, goes out. It goes out on a challenge call.

On a challenge call. Strike. And by the way, that's something that was not part of our, not just October's, but April, May, June, anytime, and now you have that. And it does add to the drums. And the teams, as we used to say, playing don't like each other because they played, these teams have played 500 times. And they should play each other 19 times a year.

Yes, they should. Agreed. Last night's wildcard games were lopsided. The Yankees got two home runs, including a granny from Ben Rice as they beat the Red Sox 9-0, and the Padres got everything they needed. I told you so to beat the Cubs. On the first pitch they saw was Fernando Tatez Jr. slammed over the center field fence.

San Diego essentially threw a no-hitter and went on to win 8-0-0-0. What did you make of the Yankees and Padres and what they did and how they did it? Both home teams won. Both home teams won by a lot, like a mercy rule. There was no drama. Mercy rule situation. Both series right at this moment looked like they're over. but that's why they play game too, like they just did.

One is over. You know, well, one is over. Again, we just saw a team come back from the verge of elimination. But they have fight in them. Okay, as you say, the Padres literally on the first pitch that they saw as a team, Tatease, boom. Two batters later, Machado's second pitch he saw, boom. The series is over. You said the Cubs had let go of the rope.

They were not going to be in this series. You were 100% right about that. We're going to lose the same way tonight. They were. They had the best offense in baseball all season, and they got three hits. It's over. They got three hits in the world. Because you weren't paying attention to the last week of the regular season.

No, I know. When at Riggley against Florida, they went 2-2-2-1-0-3. They let go of the rope. Last night, they saw three different pitchers, including a guy hadn't pitched in two years in two years, and they couldn't hit him. So let me move to the other game. The Yankees completely shut down the Red Sox so much for a storied rivalry. Schlittler last night, let me get us right. six and a third innings, no runs, 10 strikeouts, two hits.

Don't forget the primary number. 117 pitches. Most he's ever had. Old school. Speaking of old October baseball. Last year in the identical series, in the decisive game between the Yankees and the Red Sox, Schlittler pitched eight innings, shut out innings, and had 12 strikeouts. So in the postseason, Schlittler's ERA against the Red Sox is 0.00 a blue Tarski.

And if you combine that with his regular season against him, his ERA against the Red Sox is 0.47. You know? That's it. What are we talking about? You fill a bus for now. I'm sorry. I'm sorry. Let's go.

It was worth it. I mean, it was worth it. Let's go to football and go back to a controversial call near the end of the Rams Broncos game on Sunday. The Rams DB, Josh Wallace, intercepted a Bow Nix pass inside the 10 that likely would have sealed a 26-20. win for the Rams. But Wallace was flagged for pass interference on Broncos receiver Pat Bryant. The Broncos kept the ball,

scored the winning touchdown five plays later with 47 seconds left. Now in an interview with CBS, Bryant admits he sold the call. He said, quote, it was a little past interference. I did sell it just enough to get the flag. He definitely gave me a little nudge.

I felt like I couldn't get the ball, so it was either the ball of the call, we ended up getting the call, unquote. Woband, do you come here to criticize or commend Brian for selling the interference call? neither tone. It was a charming interview. I watched it. He was perfectly engaged during it, and he said those things, and they're harmless. It doesn't mean anything, and none of it happened. You can't calibrate your movements at 18 miles

an hour, which is what you're doing. You're not a gymnast. What they were out there doing was hand-fighting, and one dude got a call, and the other one didn't. You made that call pretty close to real time, and I didn't disagree with you. I just didn't know where I wanted to go. But Wallace... I thought the Rams got hosed. I thought he makes the interception. I thought he was interfered with. Yes, that's what I thought. You can make the call.

That's what I thought. But Tony, here's what happened for 100 years in the NFL. The cornerback or the safety gets the penalty there, defensive pass interference. I know. And now the offensive players

have had the hand fight back and they get called for about, what you say, 35% of the calls. Not that many. No. You don't think you're that many? No, I think it's widely disproportionate. You saw C.D. Lamb yank in the guy's arm

and he got the call. But you know what happens? We don't know what's going to happen on the very next time, even if those two go at it with each other. So let me just say what I thought about with this story. Maybe it's time for the NFL to consider the college pass interference rule.

Oh, 15 yards? That instead of getting it at the spot of the foul, which could be 20, 34, it could be that you get either plus 10 or plus 15. Because to me, you're in a position now where the receiver understands I can make the big play by luring the guy into pass interference. I now think that the punishment outweighs the crime. I agree with that. proportionally affect the game with one of these calls, which are so close that even when they go to the person from the league office in the booth, he is disagreeing with the people in the stripes on the field. And it's okay because it's that close. But if you limit the amount of yards

you can get, maybe it's not terrible, right? Let's take a break. Coming up is Drake May injured. We're going to ask Steve Young to translate the Patriot quarterback's remarks. We're also going to ask Steve whether he would expect to start on Sunday if he was Case King. Can I ask you a question? Schlittler and Ben Rice, who had 87 RBIs yesterday, both from Massachusetts. Who's scouting Massachusetts for the Red Sox? That's amazing. Who's doing that?

These guys just wander out. By the way, we didn't get Michael King. We got to give Michael King. Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah. He was as good as Schlittler. Oh, wait, he was better. Do you think they need Aaron Judge for this series? No.

By the way, King is sort of a Scotty Pippin-like figure at this point. Why? I can't rice. Rice is sort of a Scotty Pippin-like figure. New from Nespresso. Blend wellness into your coffee routine with a coffee plus range, infused with functional benefits. Choose the coffee you love with added B vitamins,

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Like Natopa, the guardrail for children's beds. Natopa means giving your favorite person room to grow. It means their safety and your piece of... No. In Swedish, Natapa means night monkey. Mom, he's back. IKEA, 50 years of Swedishness at home. Look, he's wearing little pajamas.

So cute. We've got NFL questions for our great friend and the man who I talked out of being a defensive back at BYU. Good for you. Hall of Fame quarterback, Steve Young. Let's start with this, WEEEI, I guess, in Boston, asked Drake May whether he feels the same as he did before injuring his shoulder last year.

And he said, I'm quoting here, anytime I'm out there, and I'm dressed in uniform on the feet, I'm going to play 100% and give it my all. That's kind of what I have to say, unquote. What do you hear in that quote? Well, I hear a quarterback that doesn't want to look people in the eye and tell him what's happening. And maybe he has some doubt himself. I mean, ever since he got hurt, the Super Bowl and now the first few games here,

you're like, wait, what's going on? What's happening? He's not processing the way he did last year. And a lot of times we aren't processing something physical is going on. And the subtle, the shoulder joint, you know, it's for throwers,

it's, you know, hair trigger kind of stuff. It's like, it's very subtle. And in that way, there might be some, something happening that doesn't,

you can't get surgery because you can still play, but it still hurts. And it's like, we don't know. So until he plays, he's got, as soon as he plays better,

we're like, okay, but until then, uh, it feels like that's the only explanation you can come up with. Wow. Let's go from quarterback to spare

to quarterback elation. Steve, if you are Case Keenom, all 38 years old of them, coming off that game Monday night, what you know you saw, would you expect to start Sunday for the Bears? Yeah. This is the greatest Case Keenom moment in life. Like, this is everything.

He's with Ben Johnson, and he's one of those guys that is going to bring the most out of you. You saw it on Monday night. Case was put in great spots. He's smart. He's been around. a long time. You get with an innovative play caller. Even the little quarterback sneak was kind of unique and how they did it. It's like it's a thoughtful game plan. And so for him, he's got to be

saying, put me on the field. This is the best thing that's ever happened in my whole career. I'm with somebody who can take care of me and put me in a great spot and then I can take care of the coach. And so that's what's happening. So I, if I'm Case Keatom, this is Case Keendom's moment. And he's got to be begging to play. All right, Steve, you were there. You've been around that crazy Bears franchise is enough as opponent. your whole life. What do you think the rest of us are saying? We're saying I'll hug case, Keenham. Give me some Tyson Bejant right now. Why? Like, look at the history of the last four or five years of innovative offensive

minds running the league. We talk about every week with Andy Reid and Sean McBea and Sean Peyton and Carl Chanahan and you're Kevin O'Call. You get around these guys, Ben Johnson. You get around these guys. We met Jimmy Garapolo took the 49ers to the four. at the Super Bowl. You can't even get a job. Like, trust me, this is, you can trust Case Keenham here in this spot. I think he's in a great, I mean, I understand you want to see somebody new and somebody you haven't seen before, someone who could light the night sky up.

But right now, you get a great innovative play caller and an experienced quarterback that's not going to screw things up and process. It's not a bad spot. Okay. All right. You're killing my stress level here. So we'll move on to the Cowboys, Steve. and Brian Schadenheimer, he is taking responsibility, as you know, for his mistakes.

Late in the Law to the Ravis, including whatever it is, specifically he said to Dak Prescott, which did not work. What did you hear? What's your reaction to all that happened in that sequence? It's weird. It's just, I mean, like, yeah, you're down, you know, you're a perfect spot for a game-tying field goal. You tell your quarterback, what are you going to say? Be careful.

You know, we got the, you know, we're going to tie it up and go over time. Hey, you know, don't do anything stupid. What else can you say? That would, I gave him a word that he's didn't, that's not him. What do you say? Like, I hope you trip. You know, I hope you, like, what do you? And I just don't, I don't like him trying to, like, I don't think he's trying to cover

for Dak because, like, a third down throwaway. Maybe Dak didn't see it. Like, I'm sure Dak didn't say, oh, I didn't do the right thing. and I didn't throw at the right place because my coach gave me a word. And I can't play that way. The whole explanation just seems that's an experienced guy. I've been around a long time. He gets the whole thing.

I actually don't care what the coach said. Say whatever words you want. I don't care. I know what I'm doing. I know the situation. I've been here before. You're not going to change my trajectory of my career because you're going to tell me some word coming off the field, a timeout.

So look, I think the whole thing, and then I'm so sorry. I use the word. and that's not him. Like, did you swear on him? It doesn't matter. It doesn't matter what you said. That can take care of it and move on. It feels like they're trying to cover for something that's not there.

We will get you out of here on this. I just want parenthetically to Wilbon. You're insane to not want Case Keenham. You're insane. I have no idea what you're talking about. Jeff Saturday wants Tyson Beijing. You, I don't care what Jeff said. I want Tyson Beijing.

And it's over. Nice one. You're insane. Here we go. Last question. The Giants picked up J.J. McCarthy, who Wilbon hates, for a fifth rounder. Yes. Would you worry about potential tensions between him and Jackson Dart?

Well, look, neither of them. Oh, I'll say this. It really depends on whether, I am like how to talk to personality. Because the truth is, I was in the Super Bowl of awkward quarterback rooms for a long time. Yeah. And the truth is, Bill Walsh was right. He got the best out of both of us. It was awkward.

It was, you know, it was. never was an awkward, but he did get the best out of both. So in that way, if JJ's going to come in and be a part of, you know, a functioning quality, you know, high performing quarterback room, Jackson Darkning doesn't worry about anything. It's like the thing I do worry about JJ is he's shown, like you talk about leaking oil every week, but he's, I feel like he's leaking oil like in the media and on the field. Like there's something about him that's not, it feels off a little bit. And in that way, and does that affect the quarterback room?

Then I think it's not a great thing. But otherwise, having them push each other, get Jackson to play great, get healthier, faster. Like, that's all positive. I don't worry about any of the dynamics as long as there's not some, it's a personality flaw, right? You're not a team-oriented guy. And I just, JJ, I got to see more before I kind of say that he's non-toxic. Thank you, Stephen. It's lovely artwork behind you today.

So awesome. Thank you. My wife. I'm at home unusually. It's really nice. Who needs football? And the family. Thank you, Steve.

Thank you. Let's take one-way as break. When we come back, we'll bomb breaks down opening night in the NHL. Yeah. And there's a U.S. men's win over Chile worth getting excited about it. I'm grateful. I'm grateful.

But I think Tyson-Bajun, every defensive coordinator now has that film. They know what he can do and not do it 38 years old. There's no RPO. There's no movement. It's time for Tyson-Baj. Did he win and play great? It's great.

So what are you doing? I'll give them a big hug. In communities across Canada, hourly Amazon employees earn an average of over $26 an hour. Employees also have the opportunity to grow their skills and their paycheck by enrolling in free skills training programs for in-demand fields like software development and information technology. Learn more at aboutamazon.ca. New from Nisprosso. Blend wellness into your coffee routine with the coffee plus range infused with functional benefits. Choose the coffee you love with added B vitamins, like coffee plus B12 to help support immune function,

and coffee plus B6 to keep your day moving. Or go with the flow and choose ginseng delight. Our new double espresso with ginseng extract. Whatever lies ahead, don't change your morning. Let your morning change you. Discover coffee plus on espresso.com. Happy time, people. Happy 24th birthday, Yaxil Lenderborg.

Lenderborg was the Big Ten player of the year this past season when he averaged 15 points and seven rebounds and shot 51% from the field from Michigan team that won the national championship by beating you kids. Lenderborg was then drafted 11th overall by the Golden State Warriors where it is altogether fitting that a very old rookie should join a very old starting five. The 6-9 Lenderborg started his college career to Juke's. in Arizona in 2020.

He then played at Alabama, Birmingham for two years before entering Michigan. Wilbon, you love this kid all year. Shouldn't we nickname him Gramps? You call whatever you want, maybe rookie of the year. I want Caleb Wilson to win that award. That's my guy. That's selfish because he's on the Bulls.

Yes. Right. But Lender Boy. This kid does everything, and to let him drop that low in the first round to me is stupid and scouts got it wrong. Right. To me.

You had him going in the first five, I think. Well, I'm six or seven, not to drop where he dropped happy anniversary george brett on this day 34 years ago the royals third baseman became the 18th member of the 3,000 hit club with his fourth hit of the night against the angels after celebrating with his teammates brett was still so caught up and appreciating the standing ovation that he got from the anaheim crowd that he was picked off first base on a tag by gary gaietti brett said quote i was right in the middle of a sentence to dietti he asked me if my wife was here and i said yes and i had some friends here from Kansas City.

He didn't even let me finish the sentence, unquote. It is nice to have this light moment with Brett instead of his mad charge out of the dugout after the puntar call. I know, but that's sort of misrepresentative. You and I, we were around George Brett. He was a complete enjoyable dude, right? Yeah, yeah.

By the way, great player. Greatest third baseman of all time. Can I go? Mike Schmidt, Brett, Eddie Matthews, Boggs, Brooks, and that leaves out Beltray. Yeah, I've got Brooks a little higher than you do because he's the great. He didn't hit like the others.

No, but he's not even Beltray. He's the greatest. He stopped runs from scoring. Happy trails to the Lynx. Wilbine, you said the Lynx and fever would win last night, and he were only half right. Right wrong. So let's focus on the bad half. The top-seated links fell to the ace-seated Liberty again, making it a clean sweep for New York

in the best of three opening round, said Lynx coach Sherrill Reeve, quote, we became a great regular season team this year and we ran into the wrong team, unquote. The Liberty size really bothered rookie of the year, Olivia, Miles who made just one of eight from the field. We'll finish with just five points. Wilbon was right about the fever beating the aces to even their series last night, but why would we dwell on that? Well, Tony, I was really dumb for ignoring the fact that Brianna Stewart,

John Quil Jones, and Yoneski, these are women in their primes and they're all going to a place called Springfield and they won a title two years ago and they weren't ready to go home. This would have been my point. It's not like the Liberty hasn't been good. They've been good. Briefly, considering the history here, briefly is the gap between winning a championship. I don't know. I am more surprised they finished eighth than they won this.

Minnesota, that's got to be disappointed loss. Get swept as the one seat also. Caitlin Clark went. Caitlin Clark last night. She went crazy. She's got people with her. Yes, she does. I'm not saying they're going to win this game.

I believe, and I've told you this earlier in the day, I believe she's the greatest anticipatory passer in basketball today. She finds people open in positions to make shots. Listen, forget about her own shooting. She's still got to beat the aces in a game three, and that's worth watching. Yeah. That's what CTD for me. That's in Las Vegas, I assume. All right, let us go to the big finish.

Let's do it. Night one of the NHL is in the books. What stood out to you? The hurricanes lost, the Oilers lost. Patrick Kane scored. I know you'd like that back in Chicago. In that uniform. 88.

Patrick Kane. The night. The Niners have five injured White House. You concerned about that? No. Everyone in the Niners is always injured. Always. McCaffey is injured. Kidlers, everybody is injured.

They still win games. The U.S. men's soccer team beat Chili 4 to 2. You excited by that? No, I know that all the youngsters playing and scoring is a big deal, but we're way away from matches that matter to qualify for anything. So, excitement, no, not yet. Carl Anthony Towns his dad. I love his dad.

Tells the athletic, quote, Jimmy Butler ain't got no championship. Carl bypassed him, close quote, ouch. Your thoughts? If I'm Carl Lampington's, I say, Dad, I mean, I got to play this guy. What are you doing to me? I bet his dad had a big smile on his face. His dad's a big teddy bear.

It doesn't come out in print. No smiles. The last one, WMBA playoffs with the Mystics and Wings. Stay alive tonight. How about yes and yes? Okay. I'm feeling very positive. Yes and yes.

Yeah, well, you were wrong. We're out of time. We'll try to do better the next time. Live TV ain't nothing like you. I'm Mike Lobon. Same time. tomorrow knuckle hands