RIP Around The Horn

It was airport lobby TV, something you threw on in a hotel room. Let’s not overthink it. It was fine for what it was.

PTI’s descent into Michael Wilbon’s crustification was a more shocking development.

 

Alma hit on it earlier. Much like with The Sports Reporters, I liked hearing from Paige, Plaschke, Cowlishaw, Ryan, etc. But when ESPN regulars took their places, it lost a lot.

 

TV corrupts good and great reporters and columnists alike. Kornheiser was a fantastic print columnist, one of the best ever at his height. And Wilbon made his bones as a beat reporter and later columnist.

Their TV work will never match their print work, but it sure pays a hell of a lot better.

 

I’m guessing they let Tony and Mike decide when they want it to be done, but that production team is down to only 1 show now.

 

Tony seems bemused by it, though. He gets that he’s a joke now. He’s in on it.

Wilbon just yells at clouds.

 

I think Tony is happy he doesn’t have to travel anymore.

 

#BringStatBoyBack!!!

 

Watched it a lot when it first began. Then didn’t. Then it became good background noise or something to watch on the treadmill. I watched a lot during the height of COVID because it lined up with the routine I carved out.

If I liked a panelist or topic, I’d pay a bit more attention. And as someone else said, Reali seems like a genuinely good dude.

I can’t say I’ll miss it or anything. But I usually liked it when I watched it.

 

Yeah, I don't even know what to do with that kind of thing any more. A few years ago, one of the anchors (Elle Duncan?) was absolutely celebrating the Georgia football team win on the air.

Don't care for that, but ESPN crossed over to the other side a long time ago.

 

He has explained that he went to the game as a fan and they asked him to be on TV. If I remember correctly, he said that he had asked to take the jersey off or wanted to do so and couldn’t. Not an excuse, but he knew that it was a mistake in real time.

 

I have been an avid PTI viewer for ages (it's the only show I DVR) and it's the name-dropping he does that I am fed up with. Text chains with NFLers, guys in the NBA etc.