What Do You Mean There's Nothing On?!!!?

Michael and Tony hashing out world peace...naah it's just sports talk. But, it is good sports talk.

During the summer, sports can become a big part of  the TV schedule. This is because fringe sports can fill in the slots that would have to be filled with original programming. And, for many of the sports, it is the time they wheel and deal and make trades. Coaches and GM's are fired or hired. The world is filled with sports. You don't have to like baseball to be involved in sports in the summer. Tennis, WNBA, soccer, and one-off competitions are all being played while the NBA and NFL trade and begin the process of getting ready for the next season.

With so much to talk about, it makes sense that ESPN would want to have a talking head/debate format similar to shows like "Crossfire" but with a sports theme. Both "Around the Horn" and "Pardon the Interruption" (PTI) follow the idea and place it in the milleu of sports, but only "PTI" is succesful. "Around the Horn" can devolve into a yelling match and tries too hard to be clever. "PTI, on the other hand, works hard on just being smart and funny. It succeeds.

"PTI" (M-F 5:30pm ESPN, 6:30pm ESPN2) is hosted by Michael Wilbon and Tony Kornheiser (with the occasional guest host) has a list of topics that are helpfully listed for the viewer. Each host discusses and sometimes debates about the personality or topic discussed. The show then typically devotes 5 minutes to a guest. This guest may be an athlete or writer or expert on a sports-related topic. The show then has a comedic/gimmicky segment (Over/Under, Fortune Tellers, Good Cop/Bad Cop, etc.) that help spur debate and more time to discuss topics in a different way.

The show ends with a rundown of birthdays and famous events and ends with corrections by their production assistant. And this, to me, is where "PTI" makes itself different from any other talking head show. They admit their mistakes. Let me say that again. They admit when they misspoke or got a face incorrect. Many times, talk show hosts say something and never correct it when the fact has been found and they correct it for the viewing auidience. This humility and honesty makes Kornheiser and Wilbon more interesting and also more trustworthy. When you get your news from them it feels true and researched. They don't just spout off with impunity.

While not exactly a show for everyone, sports fans would be hard pressed to find a better show on TV that really talks sports.