The story of how ESPN was built cannot be told without Chris Berman, but Boomer is coming to the end of his historic broadcasting career at the Worldwide Leader.
Before he shuffles off that leather jacket, Berman thinks it might be in the cards to return to where it all began one more time.
Berman was the guest on the second episode of This Was SportsCenter, hosted by Rich Eisen. The episode, a live chat recorded at the Strand Theater in San Francisco during Super Bowl Week in February, covers Boomer’s entire career with ESPN, which is essentially the story of the company itself.
Eisen asked Berman, who has announced plans to retire when his contract ends in 2029, if he would like to host SportsCenter again before he goes. Berman, who hasn’t hosted the show regularly since 1990, wasn’t jumping at the opportunity but did suggest it could happen.
“I’m there for a few more years. It’s too late for them to get rid of me now. They had their shot, and they missed,” said Berman. “So, I’m semi-retired. I just do my football, and do my Primetime. Maybe in this year of us having the Super Bowl, not that that has to do with SportsCenter, but maybe there’ll be a time to go do one, although it’s a different show [now].”
Eisen then offered to do SportsCenter together, and Berman wasn’t opposed.
“We almost have to do it,” Eisen added.
As one of ESPN’s longest-tenured employees and the only remaining original SportsCenter anchor from 1979, Berman hosting would likely make for a well-received, nostalgic episode, not unlike the episodes Eisen has hosted in recent years. If nothing else, it would be fun to go back-back-back one last time.
About Sean Keeley
Along with writing for Awful Announcing and The Comeback, Sean is the Managing Editor for Comeback Media. Previously, he created the Syracuse blog Troy Nunes Is An Absolute Magician and wrote 'How To Grow An Orange: The Right Way to Brainwash Your Child Into Rooting for Syracuse.' He has also written non-Syracuse-related things for SB Nation, Curbed, and other outlets. He currently lives in Seattle where he is complaining about bagels. Send tips/comments/complaints to sean@thecomeback.com.