Bill Simmons has been trying to get on PTI for years, and now it finally appears that it will become a reality. Simmons has a book coming out and as a part of his tour, he'll be appearing on PTI next Tuesday. On top of that, he'll be appearing on Sports Nation, The Colbert Report, and joining Mike Breen and Hubie Brown during their call of the Bulls-Celtics game on October 30th....

Monday, Oct. 26th: Washington, D.C. - ESPN Zone (11:30pm)
Tuesday, Oct. 27th: Philadelphia - Borders (6pm)
Wed., Oct. 28th: New York - Professor Thoms' (7pm)
Thursday, Oct. 29th: New York - Borders (Noon)
Friday, Oct. 30th: Boston - Barnes & Noble (12:30pm)
Friday, Oct. 30th: Boston - Hurricane O'Reilly's (4pm)
Monday, Nov. 2nd: Chicago - ESPN Zone (5:30pm)
Tuesday, Nov. 3rd: Phoenix - Barnes & Noble (7pm)
Thursday, Nov. 5th: San Francisco - Borders (7pm)
Friday, Nov. 6th: San Diego - Borders (7pm)
Saturday, Nov. 7th: Las Vegas - ESPN Zone (4pm)
Monday, Nov. 9th: Los Angeles - ESPN Zone (TBA)
Friday, Nov. 13th: Anaheim - ESPN Zone (4pm)
Tuesday, Nov. 17th: Seattle - Sport Restaurant & Bar (7pm)
Thursday, Nov. 19th: Beaverton, Ore. - Borders (7pm)
Friday, Nov. 20th: Denver - Tattered Cover LoDo (5pm)

• Tuesday, Oct. 27th: "PTI"
• Wednesday, Oct. 28th: "SportsNation"
• Thursday, Oct. 29th: "Morning Joe" (6-9 a.m. on MSNBC) and "The Colbert Report" (11:30 p.m. on Comedy Central)
• Friday, Oct. 30th: Bill will join the announcing team during ESPN's broadcast of the Bulls-Celtics game (ESPN, 8 p.m. ET)

There are still rumblings that Simmons is leaving ESPN when his contract is up, and if he does, at least he'll be going out with a bang.

There was a rumor, that started from a Deadspin podcast, that Bill Simmons would be filling in for Tony and/or Mike on PTI this summer, but apparently that's not the case. Dan LeBatard told the Deadcast that he and Simmons were all set to host the show together, but according to show producer Erik Rydholm, that's not the case. Via The Sporting Blog....

When Tony and Mike came back from vacation this week, the question became if, not when, Simmons and Le Batard would have their chance to pardon and/or interrupt one another. Usually the fill-in weeks are during the dog days of July, and with August just around the corner and football season starting, there may not be time for Simmons to do a full week of PTI.

I emailed with Erik Rydholm, executive-producer/creator/genius behind PTI and he told me that he would like to make it work, but scheduling isn't cooperating. He wrote:

"Very few upcoming stretches when both Tony and Mike are off. A couple of single days and it makes little sense to fly Dan and Bill in from forever away for one day. Hope to get something (scheduled) down the line."

It's surprising to me that Simmons has never had a stint on the show, especially when you think of all of the random people they've had as fill-ins. I mean, Patrick McEnroe was a co-host at one point! Personally, I think it would be a fun experiment to have Simmons on, but I guess if it ain't broke, there's no need to fix it.

Don't Expect Bill Simmons Pardoning Any Interruptions This Summer (The Sporting Blog)

Look, I'm not one to kick someone when they're down, and Tony Kornheiser has certainly received his share of criticism, but this quote from his latest appearance "On The DL" just cracked me up....

“I am absolutely gratified and buoyed by the street reaction that I have gotten where people say to me ‘we really liked your work, we’re really going to miss you.’ Total strangers, people I don’t know, seem to have responded very well to what I did on Monday Night Football. That thrills me. I didn’t expect that.

“You know, I thought that critically I was crushed, and internally, maybe, at ESPN there were a lot of people who didn’t like me -- I mean, I don’t know that, but I sense that every once in a while -- but I think there are just people who don’t like me. But the average guy on the street, at least the one who wants to talk to me, is so kind in what they’ve said and I’m very grateful for that.”

So basically everyone who mattered (i.e.- His co-workers and peers in the business) think hammered him, but the average Joe on the street says they'll miss him? First of all, I don't think Tony is that much a "man of the people", that he's strolling around DC and talking with the commoners. But even if he is, I'm sure people would bring up PTI over anything he did on MNF. I certainly could be wrong though.

Tony also talks Gilbert Arenas, the Mickelsons, Gruden and Millen and Twitter! Be sure to listen and subscribe to the OtDL podcast!!!

Tony Kornheiser Enjoys Salty Snacks, Talks MNF, Radio Future and Twitter (On The DL)

We've heard from a lot of people on Tony Kornheiser's decision to leave Monday Night Football, and about his replacement Jon Gruden, but we had yet to hear from Tony himself. That is until tonight. Kornheiser explained his decision at the very end of PTI, and delved deeper into the notion that travel was the reason....

If the man hates flying, the man hates flying. Oh and the Hall of Fame comment was pretty damn funny. There was also a veiled shot at Gruden's different faces at the end of the program, but I cut the video off.

Got a note from ESPN that I had to watch the start of PTI today, and they were not lying. Kornheiser and Wilbon are breaking the news that the John Calipari to Kentucky deal is reportedly of because Rick Pitino was completing a "backdoor" deal at the time of Calipari's press conference today. Check the video....

If you remember, PTI tried something similar last April, but the attempt at fooling people that they were replaying the end of an NCAA Tournament game didn't really work. I have to admit to all of you, that even though I'm not a fan of April Fool's Day, that one was pretty good.

Oh and I have to also admit that I fell for it too (bastards!).

Of course the answer is no, but there was yet another funny moment on PTI yesterday, when Wilbon called Kornheiser out for his appearance on the "Today Show" with Matt Lauer. Wilbon not only questioned it, but even accused Tony of "auditioning" for the show. Here's the clip (thanks to HK for the vid)....

It would never happen, but wouldn't it be funny if the end of PTI was brought on by Matt Lauer? If there's a way to go out....that would be it!

I mentioned late yesterday that Tony Kornheiser would be on the Today Show this morning, after he and Wilbon called out Matt Lauer, and here is your video. Not only does Tony don fake antlers but he even questions the fact that there are actual deer in the Hamptons. Enjoy!

That was actually pretty darn funny, and I'm with Kornheiser on this one. I would never call "one of the most trusted man on television" a liar, but I've been to the Hamptons before. There ain't no deer around dem parts!

There was a rather funny segment on last night's PTI program that had Wilbon and Kornheiser debating just which bike accident was more intriguing, NBC's Matt Lauer during his recent bike accident, or Lance Armstrong's crash. Well the Today Show picked up on it, and even joked that Matt Lauer would sue Tony and Mikey for their comments. Here's the clip via DC Sports Bog....

Pretty entertaining, and while Matt Lauer's story is somewhat unbelievable, I have seen an actual person get hit by a deer before. Since then....nothing's really shocked me.

Update: Tony will actually be on tomorrow with Matt Lauer. I'll try to get the video for you all.

Today Show vs. Kornheiser/Wibon (DC Sports Bog)

I was all set to follow up with the based on an article from the Detroit Free-Press that detailed Kornheiser and Wilbon's, extreme anger with Detroit's NBC Affiliate for the whole disclaimer thing, but this is much more entertaining.

PTI is still doing those live cut-ins during commercials, but apparently they're running out of ideas. Why do you ask? Well because yesterday they had Tony Reali make out with the camera during one of them....

Man, that was a bit too close, wasn't it? It might be time to try something else guys. Just sayin'.

PTI's Kornheiser, Wilbon not amused by Channel 4's Matt Millen crawl (Detroit Free-Press)

It's been awhile since we've highlighted one of PTI's random commercial cut-ins, but this one was too funny to ignore. As they come back from one commercial, and heading into the next, you can tell that Kornheiser is trying to come up with something for the "Give the People Something to Watch" bit at the end of the show. Tony only cares to know if one show is on, and that show is American Idol!

Good lord. I don't watch the show, but isn't it on just about every night during the week? You would think that someone working on the set would know the answer to Tony's question.

Idol....Idol?....Idol's On???....Oh Idol! Oh and if you're looking for more Tony, be sure to check out his latest interview with Dan Levy over at "On The DL".

Tony Kornheiser (On The DL)

Tony and Matt Millen have had a long relationship, and even as Millen was destroying the Lions, it was still tough for the PTIer to say anything bad about the guy. Kornheiser thinks so highly of Millen that he said yesterday that a booth that adds him as an analyst would be the best in the business. Even better than the MNF team. Via Fanhouse....

"It's fair to ask the question, 'If you're so smart, why didn't you ever win? But Matt Millen is great on TV. Not good, he's great. The booth that he walks into will become the best booth. Even if he walks over my body and sits in my seat, it's going to become the best. He's just great at it, and in six months or less people will forget."- Tony Kornheiser

I personally enjoy Jaws more, but during some of the later games this season, he started to get on my nerves. Tony is right about one thing though, replacing him with Matt Millen would make the MNF booth infinitely better. Hell you could replace him with Pam Ward, and it would be better. Well maybe not Pam....let's say FOX's Chris Rose.

When I first got an email with the above quote, I assumed that there had to be some sort of joke involved with the comment. But no. Not joke at all. Tony was asking Michael Wilbon if he had any wedding advice for Shelden Williams and Candace Parker, who recently eloped, and he had this to say....

So that's why he was hanging out at those porn star parties! But hey, I'm not one to judge. Like Kornheiser said....good for you.

(Thanks to ES for the tip)

Michael Wilbon cause quite a stir in the MMA community last week when he decided to say that the CBS Elite XC fight between Kimbo Slice and Seth Petruzelli was fixed and even compared the Sport of MMA to professional wrestling. Well David Scott, of Scott's Shots, followed up with Wilbon via email and actually got a response back from the PTI co-host.

After Wilbon had explained his feeling on the Sport and about the fight itself, in the first email, there was a second exchange between the two. Here's what went down...

SHOTS REPLY:

Thanks Mike. Appreciate the response.

I’m far from an MMA expert - or even a fan - but the criticism I’m reading of your comments seems to stem from A) you’re not well-informed about the sport (for instance, the difference between EliteXC and UFC) and B) you’re dismissing the fact that 4.3 million watched the fight - a very respectable number and far better then hockey or soccer for instance. (That number is what MLB is averaging on TBS for the first round of playoffs, in fact).

I guess I’m asking if you would be so dismissive and condescending to the NHL? Or MLS? Or Arena Football?

Can you see where MMA fans and supporters would be a bit outraged and perturbed? Can you also comment on whether or not you would use such harsh terms with a “mainstream” sport?

Have you received a lot of correspondence re: this subject? Seems like the MMA fans are pretty protective of their sport. . .

Thanks again for your time.

Wilbon Response #2

Hi David…Believe me, I expected the criticism. But while I appear on TV 5 days a week I’m a columnist. Tough stances are what we do. I don’t need to be well versed in MMA to watch and listen and make an observation. And, I don’t care if 20 million people watch. Millions watch professional wrestling but that doesn’t mean we don’t question the outcome. The number of people watching makes it popular and well received, but doesn’t mean the event is above question. I’m not paid by MMA. I don’t care how many people watch. Why is my making the same observation about boxing, which I do know tons about and have covered and criticized, ignored in this discussion? And ANYBODY who watches “PTI” knows I have ripped (as well as praised) every single sport out there, from the NFL to MLS to NBA to the NHL to Arena Football, etc. I’ve ripped apart folks whose events get a whole lot more than 4.3 million people watching. So while there are plenty of valid criticisms of my opinions, pulling punches on various sports ain’t one of them. Whoever makes that criticism either isn’t familiar with my work or has an agenda. It’s bull*&^@ and can be completely refuted by simply pulling five tapes of “PTI” (or five of my columns) from the last 7 years. Anyway, in terms of the amount of criticism that might be coming my way, that seems to be something that people who do TV and critique TV really care about. I could care less. I’ve written a column for 18 years. I’m sure you know this ain’t the first reaction to something I’ve written. It’s their right and I encourage the give and take. But if angry readers were going to move a columnist off his mark he and his work wouldn’t be worth a damn. So if the MMA folks are upset they’ll let me know. It won’t be the first dust-up, nor the last. I think it’s a fascinating study, though, the way people apparently think now that their criticism can back people down who criticize something they love. Sorry. Not here. I don’t mind in the least the give and take with fans of whatever sport it is voicing their opinion…Conversation has to be a two-way street… In Atlanta people get upset because I call Atlanta the worst sports city in America. They write. Some scream. A very few agree. I build my argument, make my case and people accept or reject it…But it’s not like I’m going to run and hide because people send some angry e-mail…Are people in media that gutless now. If people don’t think 28 years of covering sports gives me some knowledge and insight they’ll stop watching/listening/reading. I guess we’ll see what happens over the next few days when I return to the show Monday…But thanks for engaging in the discussion. Sorry to ramble. Don’t hesitate to correspond in any case…Take care. MW

Okay....so did you make it all the way through that? Good. First of all, it's really interesting that Wilbon is taking the time to talk to websites/blogs, like Scott's Shots, now. It shows a better understanding of the new medium on his part and it's better for everyone interested in a story like this. Second, he's overall point is right. I don't think it was fixed myself, but there's no way the Sport shouldn't be without scrutiny. Just like this site, or any other blog, Wilbon is simply giving an opinion in the end. I understand the passion of MMA fans, but just because someone disagrees with you, doesn't necessarily mean that they are wrong. Remember....anything is possible.

Wilbon Expands on MMA/Kimbo Slice Comments (Scott's Shots)
ESPN's Michael Wilbon Says Kimbo Slice- Seth Petruzelli Fight Was Fixed (Fanhouse)

After last week's dreadful showing by the Monday Night Football, and all of the criticism that the program received (both here and in mainstream media), you would think that Tony Kornheiser would consider changing a few of the talking points he's drilled into our brains.

Nope. Tony is charging forward with more Brett Favre talk and with this Monday's game actually featuring the Quarterback, prepare yourself for a long night. From Sign On San Diego via The Sporting Blog....

That's the San Diego perspective to Monday's game. For the rest of the country, the game marks the first appearance on “MNF” for Brett Favre as a Jet.

And this much we know: Kornheiser will not shy from talking about Favre. In fact, he did it so much in the “MNF” opener between the Vikings and the Favre-less Packers that “Tirico had to put a moratorium on me,” Kornheiser said.

But he makes no apologies. “It's impossible to believe anybody would think any story approaches Brett Favre so far this year in football,” he said.

“I talked extensively about him in Game 1; I talked about him in Game 2 and I will talk about him in Game 3,” Kornheiser said. “He is just one of a handful of compelling figures” in the NFL, he added, putting Favre on a short list with Tom Brady and Peyton Manning.

The issue isn't whether Brett Favre is a big story, or reporting on the larger picture in general, but rather Tony's insistence on making EVERYTHING in the NFL about him. You can bring him up when Green Bay is playing, obviously when he's playing for the Jets, but this past Monday night?!? Other than promoting the next week's game, it just wasn't necessary at all.

When the people in the booth are getting annoyed with you it's time to change up your game, but it seems that Tony is stubborn enough to keep this up all season.

In Tony Kornheiser's World, Nothing Is More Important Than Brett Favre (The Sporting Blog)
Kornheiser would've fixed official's gaffe (Sign On San Diego)

This is all rumor of course, but I found this item funny and intriguing enough to post today. According to DCRTV and Mediabistro, Tony Kornheiser's car was stolen from a DC garage last week and there are claims of a stalker being the culprit as well as a heightened security detail for King Tony....

DCRTV: "Tony Kornheiser's (right) car was stolen from the ESPN garage in DC last week causing 'mad drama,' to quote one source. He dropped his keys in the garage, someone took the car, and now he's demanded extra security because he claims it's a stalker." More soon.....

Mediabistro's FishbowlDC: "We hear that Tony Kornheiser's car was stolen from the ESPN garage in DC, last week causing "mad drama," to quote one source. He dropped his keys in the garage, someone took the car and now he's demanded extra security because he claims its a stalker."

All of this is still a rumor at the moment, and while stalkers can be very scary, but come on. If you drop your car keys in a garage when someone's watching, you really only have yourself to blame. DC garages aren't the safest place in the world and there are some seedy characters hanging around. More on this when information becomes available.

Since Tuesday, I've been getting multiple emails asking me why Tony and Wilbon keep popping up randomly during commercial breaks. To answer all of your questions....I don't know why. Here's what I'm talking about....

PTI is the flagship program for the network, and they've been using it to keep people interested in shows like the 6pm Sports Center for awhile. This move seems along those same lines, but doing so with advertisers is just a bit annoying. It's obvious that these are on purpose, and I hate commercials as much as the next person, but this comes across as someone trying too hard.

I think PTI is by far the best show on the network (I think everyone knows that), but ESPN needs to be careful they don't ruin the show with all of this nonsense. The show suffers enough when guest hosts fill-in, and when you start breaking the show up and doing these cut-ins, it's only going to make more people change the channel.

I've never believed that Sports writers should lose their allegiances once they are on a national level, but that certainly seems to be an unwritten rule. I think Wilbon's love for all things Chicago is clearly documented almost daily on PTI, but he almost considered not singing "Take Me Out...." because of potential backlash. The Chicago Tribune even said it, "raised issues."

"If I live 40 more years," he said, "it will still be the coolest and most bizarre thing I have ever done."

Cool for obvious reasons: Wilbon grew up idolizing Ernie Banks and wearing Ran Santo's No. 10 jersey on his South Side Little League team. The Northwestern alum has hit Wrigley more than 100 times as a fan. And bizarre because of the ethical line he seemingly had crossed. No, this wasn't cheering in the press box. It was wearing a team's uniform on its home field before 40,000 fans.

"When they asked me to do it," Wilbon said, "I thought: No. Sportswriters, journalists don't do that."

Then Wilbon remembered: He's not just a sportswriter. He estimates that no more than 20 percent of his "PTI" audience would even realize he writes a sports column for the Washington Post.

"There's fairness but no objectivity," he said. "I'm not going to pretend I don't root for the Bulls. The people we cover are much cooler with that then this false pretense of objectivity."

Man, the fraternity that is sports writing is just wacky. I love how you have to immediately cut all ties to any team you ever loved as soon as you get to a certain level. That has to be borderline impossible for some people. Obviously you need to be somewhat objective, but this really shouldn't be that big of a deal.

Wilbon at Wrigley raises issues (Chicago Tribune)

(FYI- Sorry for the delay in postings this morning. I had to run errands and Auto Publish failed me.)

I think Levy finally got his dream guest on the podcast in Wilbon yesterday (I'm sure I come in a close second) and the result was a fifty minute chat on just about everything. Wilbon talked blogs of course, but there are really much more interesting conversations about Tony, his health and not wearing pants on set.

Here's a quick glimpse. You can either click on the topic below to listen to that particular topic, or just listen to the whole thing via the link below....

Michael Wilbon Full Interview

On Stephen A. Smith: "I think they thought here's a different voice. It's different, there are people who connect with it and we love this voice. It sounds different......Nobody's voice sounds like Stephen A's. So for better or worse, depending on your point of view, that was his calling card."

On Blogs: “I know there are some great bloggers. But how do we know what that blogger knows. Of course, I’m giving you the cynicism of people who have cut their teeth in this business and had to, sort of pass an exam every day for years and years and years when readers would ask, ‘how do you know this.’

“Reading habits are very difficult to form and even more difficult to break. We’d like to think we’ve built up some trust, so before I believe this blogger, this person’s got to build up some trust. Again, you’re getting this point of view from someone 49 years old.”

“When it’s in good fun, I’m not that serious a guy. When it isn’t, I’m real serious. When it becomes admonishing and sanctimonious, then I come back with Fire and Brimstone. That’s the way I combat stuff. When these things are treated as they should be, in my opinion, which is with some sense that it is hilarious and some context, then it is what it is. But when people get sanctimonious, I come out swinging.”

On the "No Pants" Situation: "I wear shorts starting the moment I come home from the NBA Finals. I wear shorts virtually everyday. Virtually. So let's say 95% of the time. Until Labor Day or so. Probably late September, when the temperature gets back in the 70s. That's what I've do. I've done it for seven years. I'm going to continue to do it. I told PTI, don't put the camera done there then! We don't need to see my legs."

On hanging with Porn Stars: "They're adult film star. Oh boy. What reaction should I have had other than it's funny? People who would suggest I would have another reaction, you know, I would love for somebody to say that to my face."

On Kornheiser: "We're old and we're friends."

The whole interview is very eye opening, and while I understand Wilbon's issues with trusting the "Web", he still seems to come across as defensive for no reason. In almost every answer he says he understands but then gets combative. At one point he even says, "If you come at me with sanctimony, I will verbally try to cut you, deep." And he meant it as seriously as that reads.

I've learned by now that there are just some people who will just never understand or accept what is happening in Sports Media, and Wilbon is certainly one of them. There's also really nothing wrong with that. No one is going to convince him differently and he has every right to not like something and fight back if he feels the need to. He also should feel really proud of all of the work that he's put in because he's damn good at what he does and is an example of what's right in the business.

The other side of this that he, and others, need to understand (and they don't) is A) It's not going away, and B) There's a reason that the online movement came on so fast and so big. It wasn't by accident. Some people were tired with lazy and cookie-cutter reporting and we're looking for something new. Wilbon has certainly never really fallen into that category, but sticking up for people who do is just counterproductive to any medium or industry growing. That's something that Sports Blogs are just now figuring out, and we've been in existence for what, five to six years?

The thing that Michael needs to really understand (and everyone for that matter) is that taking all of this stuff so damn seriously is only going to make you to go crazy. Just because you're paranoid doesn't mean they aren't out to get you, but you have to learn to laugh it off. The pants thing was just downright hilarious and Porn Star stuff was harmless. They way it was handled on PTI was perfect and the reason why everyone connect with the show.

In the end, if you can't make fun of yourself.....who can you make fun of?

Michael Wilbon Joins the DL (On The DL)
Mike Wilbon Is Not A Fan Of Long Pants (Awful Announcing)
The PTI Guys Have A Little Fun With Wilbon's "Night Out" (Awful Announcing)

You knew it was only a matter of time. For tonight and tomorrow's editions of PTI you'll be getting a dose of the one and only, Richard Paul Reilly. Tony is on assignment in Green Bay for Monday Night Football, so we get stuck with the ESPN The Mag writer for two days.

Expect a lot of PGA Championship talk and cheesy jokes about how he can't watch primetime Olympic coverage because he's already in bed. Actually that's not really any different than what Tony gives on a day to day basis, so he should fit right in.

Last month it was Charlie Weis in the booth for "Take Me Out to the Ballgame" and now it's friend of the blogger, and PTI host, Michael Wilbon....

Not a bad job if you ask me. There was however word on Sports Center this morning that he had a terrible first pitch to start the game. Still looking for that clip, but hopefully it was at least better than the Mayor of Cincinnati and/or Mariah Caray.