The end of Around the Horn is coming even sooner than we thought, as ESPN announced the beloved gamified debate show will air its final episode on May 23.
Around the Horn is a brand unto itself, surviving for more than two decades in the evening time slot and offering sports diehards a roundup of the day’s news. Its cast is a who’s-who of sports journalists at ESPN and beyond, its rapid-fire format serving as a pipeline for the rest of the Worldwide Leader’s sports television empire. That legacy leaves quite the guest list for host Tony Reali and the show’s producers to pare down by the end of May.
Only four panelists can appear on the final episode of Around the Horn. Who will they be?
The defining panelist of the original incarnation of the show is Jay Mariotti, but he was banished from it in 2010 after domestic violence allegations. Bomani Jones and Sarah Spain could come back as a favor to Reali and the crew, but they each have their own public issues with ESPN. Jackie MacMullan, who has the highest winning percentage among the most commonly appearing panelists, retired several years ago from NBA reporting. We can probably cross them all off from appearing on the very final show.
That removes one of the four original panelists in Mariotti. Alongside him the day of the premiere in November 2002 were Los Angeles Times columnist T.J. Simers, who sadly passed away last summer, as well as the legendary Bob Ryan and Woody Paige.
While the 79-year-old Ryan has complained in recent years over being left off the show, he still appears from time to time and would offer ATH a bit of symmetry on the final episode. The same goes for Paige, who has the most ATH appearances all-time and is the single panelist (along with his blackboard) most closely associated with the beloved show.
It’s a smart bet that Ryan will appear on the finale from Boston while Paige beams in from Denver.
That leaves two slots for dozens of great personalities. After Paige, the next two most prolific ATH panelists are Los Angeles Times columnist Bill Plaschke and Dallas Morning News columnist Tim Cowlishaw, who finished No. 1 on the Awful Announcing Top 10 greatest ATH personalities list last year. The ATH producers can easily slot those two in alongside Ryan and Paige for a perfectly nice show.
But that would leave off originals like J.A. Adande and Kevin Blackistone. And without someone like Israel Guttierrez or Clinton Yates on, it would also mean a panel without a single active ESPN personality. That’s not to mention popular fill-ins like Frank Isola, Pablo Torre, or Michael Smith, who was recently rumored for a return to the network.
Part of what made ATH special is that everyone could root for their favorite debater. Anyone could tell you that the final ATH panel will likely feature multiple of Paige, Ryan, Cowlishaw and Plaschke.
But who should be on?
That’s a different question. I won’t get in the way of Paige; he’s earned it and is synonymous with the show.
After that, I’ll zag. I think the show should rub the finale in ESPN’s faces and bring back Jones for one last lap, pinky ring and all. Next give me Isola, the single panelist who I think has most mastered the art of making ATH a great show as a quasi-host alongside Reali when he’s on. And last but not least, give me the triumphant return of MacMullan. Part of the heartwarming spirit of ATH when it hit its stride was MacMullan going toe to toe with the stubborn newspaper men.
The best episodes of ATH feature a wide array of perspectives that, while never predictable, offer the best synopsis of a big story.
I think you get that with this panel:
- Woody Paige
- Frank Isola
- Bomani Jones
- Jackie MacMullan
No matter who gets that final May 23 slot, the next two months are bound to be a delightful celebration of one of ESPN’s most beloved, long-running, and important shows.