Fun
Frisky
Nostalgic
Intense
Adventurous
Choked Up
Curious
Romantic
Weird
Last week, I was watching Tony Kornheiser and Michael Wilbon playfully antagonize one another on ESPN. The specific topic is irrelevant because Wilbon and Kornheiser, the veteran co-hosts of the network’s popular sports-talk series Pardon the Interruption, argue about anything and everything. The Buccaneers quarterback situation, LeBron’s prospects in L.A., Kornheiser’s unabashed love of superstars and I-95, Wilbon’s sartorial taste and current zip code, who exactly is or is not “ya boy,” there’s no topic too trivial to evade the verbal joust between these two long-time colleagues (and more importantly, friends). Anyone with a passing affinity for sports understands that this combative format is par for the course. In today’s 24/7 avalanche of all-you-can-consume content, vigorous debate reigns supreme. Hot take 1 vs. Hot take 2 take turns loudly pontificating about the trendy topic du jour, confident that the next Woj bomb or Schefty tweet will soon arrive to replenish the coffers. Same song, different verse.
PTI’s been on the air since 2001, making it ancient by modern standards. In a medium where new and different tend to attract the most buzz, the series that introduced a new generation of viewers to sports talk TV continues to be the most entertaining sports show on television.
Back in 2003, I was a sophomore in college. Every evening my roommates and I would watch Around the Horn, PTI, and SportsCenter. Pardon the Interruption didn’t invent sports talk television, but it did popularize it with its trademark mix of humor, pop culture savvy, and irreverence, injecting the format with a deft blend of fun and innovation. The show’s rundown graphic offered viewers a preview of the topics about to be discussed, and the duo’s undeniable chemistry and amiable repartee was refreshingly comforting. In college, PTI was just one of the many shows I’d watch to follow the sports news of the day. Fifteen years later, with considerably less free time on my hands, it’s my only consistent source of sports information. Sure, I’ll occasionally watch Around the Horn, SportsCenter, and First Take, but I don’t miss an episode of PTI. At this point, Mike and Tony are like my fun, weird uncles. There’s just something so relaxing about watching two best friends (or three, back when they were joined by the always terrific Tony Reali) banter back and forth about the intricacies of sports.
There’s no shortage of options when it comes to sports programming, but there’s just no substitute for the cozy comforts of familiarity.
Chemistry and the host of endearing PTI-isms aside (Wilbon Power Rankings, Ball Night!, the Penguin Dance, Bulls Corner), what separates Pardon the Interruption from other shows is authenticity. Debate shows thrive on conflict, but PTI doesn’t rely on faux arguments. I’m sure there’s still plenty of “I’ll take this side/you take that side,” that’s the nature of the beast, but it’s done in a refreshingly honest matter. I love the fact that Wilbon voices his displeasure in having to cover yet another Johnny Manziel story, or whatever the trendy topic of the month happens to be. Being a good employee and voicing valid frustrations aren’t mutually exclusive. Mike and Tony call each other out on their sports biases and inject personality and fandom into their arguments.
Pardon the Interruption is the perfect reminder that being a sports fan is supposed to be fun. Sure, your team will find new and exciting ways to disappoint you, and your highest scoring fantasy football player for the week will almost certainly reside on your bench. It’s a maddeningly frustrating cycle that we’re doomed to repeat forever and ever. Being a sports fan is endless misery broken up by brief moments of ecstasy. Thankfully, we still have Mike and Tony.
Goodnight, Canada.
