Give it up for Pardon the Interruption......My favorite sports show, period.

[marmar]

It's never gotten old with me. Mike and Tony could take their show on the road and pack houses. Compared to the boorish, irritating jackasses on the Sports Reporters (are you listening, Mike Lupica?) or the cheesy antics of Around the Horn, PTI is a class act.
The relationship between Kornheiser and Wilbon elevates that show to a level no other sports show can touch, IMO.

:applause:

[jimnasium]

1. I agree.

It's fast-paced, hard hitting and quite funny.

Unlike ATH - that just plain sucks.

[erpowers]

2. Like PTI and The Sports Reporters

PTI is my favorite show on ESPN, but I also like The Sports Reporters. I also do not like Around the Horn. I do not like the fact that people are given points for their arguments. Going back to PTI I just think it is a great show with great commentary and debate. I rarely watch the Five Good Minutes segment, but I watch all the other segments.

[Awsi Dooger]

9. Yeah, the point system shows don't work for me

Naturally contrived by the moderator to stay basically even and develop suspense, if you want to call it that. Every show that features a point system is less than it should be, including the new Verdict with Dan Abrams. You know damn well he'll manipulate to give Obama and Hillary virtually even number of demerits and then decide it at the end of the segment. Normally one blunder or misstatement is considerably more significant than the other, yet both are scored as 1. That always irks me.

There's one show on the Golf Channel with similarities, hosted by Kraig Kamm and with Andrew Magee debating a golf analyst who specializes in stats. They have topics like Solid and Shank, with a statement posed then both guys spew opinions whether or not it's legit. Same thing, inevitably maneuvered to come down to the last one.

I really enjoy PTI although for some reason I don't watch it often anymore. For one thing, it's a good basic source of the day's hot topics, if you've missed anything. And they give weight to so-called lesser sports, albeit normally in the brief segments.

Kornheiser loses me when he gushes over American Idol and gives opinions on the contestants. It's an automatic click. That might be why I subconsciously avoid PTI at this time of year.

[GOPisEvil]

3. I know how this show started (I think).

Back when Tony had his radio show on ESPN, Wilbon would call during commercial breaks and they would argue about stuff. People who listened via the web could hear that, instead of commercials. Their arguments were profane at times and hilarious! I'm guessing some suit at ESPN thought that would make a great show. That suit deserves a raise.

Edited to add a word for clarity.

[TZ]

4. Well not only that..

But they constantly took jabs at each other while writing for the Washington Post. As a long time reader of Wa Po I loved it..In fact most of us here consider the year 1990-91 the year the Skins won their last SB classic..TK wrote the Bandwagon columns and Wilbon mocked them...

[Dinger]

5. I Miss Dick Schapp On Sports Reporters

He was great!

[BlooInBloo]

6. It's my 2nd fav. I'm and around the horn guy. I even like listening to crazy guy.

[againes654]

7. I agree I love Kornheiser!!!

Wilbon eh....he is ok, but I love the show as a whole!!!!!

[marmar]

10. But I don't think Kornheiser's schtick works without Wilbon's perfect straight man....

When Mike's away, Tony is neutered.

[againes654]

11. Maybe, but I think he does fine

on MNF. To be honest, I have a personal reason for not liking Wilbon. Has to do with the Mavs 3 years ago vs the Heat in the finals.

[Redbear]

8. Five Good Minutes today was with Baylor Coach Scott Drew

It was fantastic.

[rocktivity]

12. PTI is the reason why I don't work late on Mondays.

:bounce:
rocknation

[givemebackmycountry]

13. I have been DVR'ing both of these shows daily for years now -

OK -

ATH first.

You have to step back and view the show through a different prism than other sports shows.
ATH is by design meant to be irreverent and amusing.
Do not take anything on it seriously...watch "Real Sports" on HBO for that.

The points system is obviously just there to prop up or humiliate the various cast of sports journalists.
Woody Paige for example - he was in Denver for years, then he moved to NYC, then back to Denver.
He's the country bumpkin from Tennessee - always doing or saying something stupid - the comic foil if you will.
The Blackboard behind him with a ever changing funny pay on words is priceless sometimes.

Jay Mariotti from Chicago - Jordan sycophant, Chicago homer - they all gang up on him.

Bill Plaschke from L.A. - the "reverend" - they make fun of him too - mocking his "holier than thou" persona and bald head.

J.A. Adande from L.A. - taking you to the lounge every time he wins - he's smart yet funny - he gets beat up a lot too.

Blackistone, Cowlishaw, Bob Ryan, Jackie McMullen, Michael Smith and a host of others switching off day to day add something fresh to each show. I especially enjoy the way that they all gang up on the only female member of the group, Jackie McMullen.

Does anyone remember when Max Kellerman hosted the show before stat boy Reali from PTI took over?

I watch ATH for one reason and one reason only - it makes me laugh.

Now my favorite - PTI.

Either you get Tony Kornhieser or you don't.
First off, he's a brilliant writer and not just about sports.
He used to write for the Washington Post style section, and his columns were wide ranging and sometimes hysterically funny.
Dig up some of his old radio shows from the 90's - they are out there - they were non-stop laugh fests.
"Old Guy Radio" loved it.
When Peter Yarrow of Peter, Paul and Mary fame accidently broke into Tony's house (he had the right house number, but the wrong street) and encountered Tony's wife in the kitchen he had him on PTI the next day. It was very funny and Tony was impressed that he had the opportunity to meet him, even if it was in his kitchen at 1:00 am with his totally freaked out wife.

It was "chlassic" like Tony says.

Wilbon.
I love Wilbon.
Long suffering Bears and Cubs fan, and south side Chicago native he's a brilliant writer in his own unique way.
Big time NBA fan I love the way he mocks Tony's love for all things campy like "Dancing with the stars" and yes...even American Idol.

I guess PTI started when Wilbon would call into Tony's radio show and during commercial breaks they would go at each other, hurling sometimes profane insults and those that were listening on the web would get to hear these sometimes hysterical interactions.
I wonder if some smart ESPN executive heard them as well and said "we got to get these guy's their own show".
That guy deserves a pay raise because PTI is the highest rated sports talk show on ESPN or any other station.

When something bad has happened (the Virginia Tech massacre is a good example) the show becomes serious and all business and Kornhieser and Wilbon often touch on these subjects with a very deft hand and it's compelling viewing.

There are plenty of gimmick segments that really make the show.
"Odds-makers" where they place odds on something happening in sports.
"Over and Under" where they bet on percentages of something happening in sports.
"Toss Up" which Kornhieser always wins often with Wilbon mocking him.
"Predictions" which Kornhieser dressers up as a fortune teller complete with a crystal ball is the only segment that features "callers" although I suspect they are not really callers but some of the writers pretending to be so.

If you have ever seen the show at Christmas time when Wilbon dresses as an elf, complete with little pointed ears is some funny viewing.

The MNF football segments this year were some great stuff - broadcasting from whatever stadium the game was being played in often in the rain, wind and freezing cold.
Brilliant.

This is a great show, and I usually watch it late at night after I get off from work.
It completes my day.

Check it out - and give it some time - it'll grow on you.
And by the way -

I LOVE THE PENGUIN DANCE!