Can we start a petition to get ESPN to stop making any more “Pardon the Interruption”-type sports TV shows? It was one thing to hear one talking head spew his sports opinions, but now, at every minute of every morning and afternoon, when there’s not an actual game going on, it seems like two talking heads are yelling their opinions at each other.
From PTI, to “Around the Horn,” to “Highly Questionable,” to “First Take,” to “Mike and Mike,” to “His & Hers,” to several other “sports debate” TV shows, I think we’ve had enough. And that’s not even taking into account what’s happening now over at FoxSports1, with “Speak For Yourself with Cowherd and Whitlock” and “Skip and Shannon: Undisputed.”
Can’t we go back to simpler times, when ESPN Original Entertainment meant some interesting ideas, rather than just dozens of talking heads shouting opinions they’re never held accountable for?
6 Sports TV Shows We Want Revived
We came up with a handful of sports TV shows that we’d love to see revived, whether it be on ESPN, FoxSports1, NBC Sports, CBS Sports, or any of the 300 other sports channels out there.
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Begin slideshow
1/6
Roy Firestone “Up Close”
From 1982-2001, this was the best one-on-one interview show on TV, hosted by Roy Firestone for the first 13 years. Chris Myers replaced Firestone and went on for five more years before being replaced by Gary Miller until 2001.
Did social media and the fact that every athlete has a publicist change how we digest one-on-one interviews?
Let’s bring this back – and let’s put someone sharp in there.
Photo Credit: George Rose, Getty Images
2/6
HBO’s “First and 10”
When I was a kid, I loved sneak-watching this show, if only to see some boobies!
I realize it wasn’t that great of a sports show, but my point is that a show about the inner-workings of an imaginary football team would be great. I realize “Ballers” and “Pitch” are close to that, although, the first is more about being an agent, and the second is about a baseball team.
But how about a dramedy about a team that left one city (Oakland?) to play in a new city (Las Vegas?) and all of the drama that surrounds that.
3/6
ESPN’s “Dream Job”
The winner of this reality show got an on-air job with a one-year contract with ESPN as a SportsCenter anchor. The weekly contests would consist of contestants doing highlights and co-anchoring segments about different sporting events.
Mike Hall (pictured) was the first “Dream Job” winner – and after three years, he moved on to work for the Big Ten Network in 2007, where he still works today.
Photo Credit: Ben Gabbe, Getty Images
4/6
"Battle of the Network Stars"
We’re reaching back to the ‘70s and ‘80s now, when there were just three major television networks, if you can imagine!
Television stars from ABC, CBS and NBC would compete against each other in different sporting events, like swimming, golf, tennis, bowling, running and kayaking – and, of course, the awesome obstacle course!
We’re talking about MAJOR stars, like Gabe Kaplan, Gary Burghoff and Kristy McNichol! (In all seriousness, they did get some pretty big TV stars to compete in this thing, including Telly Savalas, O.J. Simpson, Farrah Fawcett, Ron Howard, Rob Reiner, Suzanne Somers, Billy Crystal, David Letterman and William Shatner.
There were a couple episodes a year, one in spring and one in fall, and the end of each episode would be a tug-of-war contest between the top two networks that week. And the host was the great one: ABC’s Howard Cosell!
Photo Credit: ABC Photo Archives, Getty Images
5/6
“Home Run Derby”
Now we’re digging way, way back!
I’m not talking about the Home Run Derby played the day before the MLB All-Star Game. I’m referring to the black-and-white TV show produced in 1960 for syndication.
Basically, the 30-minute show would pit two of the game’s biggest sluggers against each other in a home-run hitting contest, which later inspired the same-named All-Star Game event. Some of the past participants included Hank Aaron, Al Kaline, Mickey Mantle, Frank Robinson, Duke Snider and Willie Mays.
While one player was hitting, the other was in the booth with the host, chatting about their performances in that contest, or for that season. I’d love to see this show revived, with someone like Kenny Mayne hosting.
Let’s get guys like Mike Trout, Nelson Cruz, Mark Trumbo, Kris Bryant, Todd Frazier, Manny Machado, Evan Longoria, Chris Davis and Robinson Cano out there for some HR Derby!
6/6
ESPN’s “Beg, Borrow and Deal”
This was during the “reality show” boom of the early 2000s, as contestants tried to get from one part of the United States to the other, while competing in sports-related tasks along the way. They had to beg, borrow and deal with people along the way, relying on the kindness of strangers trying to help people on a sports show. Think “Amazing Race” but with sports.
1/6
Roy Firestone “Up Close”
From 1982-2001, this was the best one-on-one interview show on TV, hosted by Roy Firestone for the first 13 years. Chris Myers replaced Firestone and went on for five more years before being replaced by Gary Miller until 2001.
Did social media and the fact that every athlete has a publicist change how we digest one-on-one interviews?
Let’s bring this back – and let’s put someone sharp in there.
Photo Credit: George Rose, Getty Images
2/6
HBO’s “First and 10”
When I was a kid, I loved sneak-watching this show, if only to see some boobies!
I realize it wasn’t that great of a sports show, but my point is that a show about the inner-workings of an imaginary football team would be great. I realize “Ballers” and “Pitch” are close to that, although, the first is more about being an agent, and the second is about a baseball team.
But how about a dramedy about a team that left one city (Oakland?) to play in a new city (Las Vegas?) and all of the drama that surrounds that.
3/6
ESPN’s “Dream Job”
The winner of this reality show got an on-air job with a one-year contract with ESPN as a SportsCenter anchor. The weekly contests would consist of contestants doing highlights and co-anchoring segments about different sporting events.
Mike Hall (pictured) was the first “Dream Job” winner – and after three years, he moved on to work for the Big Ten Network in 2007, where he still works today.
Photo Credit: Ben Gabbe, Getty Images
4/6
"Battle of the Network Stars"
We’re reaching back to the ‘70s and ‘80s now, when there were just three major television networks, if you can imagine!
Television stars from ABC, CBS and NBC would compete against each other in different sporting events, like swimming, golf, tennis, bowling, running and kayaking – and, of course, the awesome obstacle course!
We’re talking about MAJOR stars, like Gabe Kaplan, Gary Burghoff and Kristy McNichol! (In all seriousness, they did get some pretty big TV stars to compete in this thing, including Telly Savalas, O.J. Simpson, Farrah Fawcett, Ron Howard, Rob Reiner, Suzanne Somers, Billy Crystal, David Letterman and William Shatner.
There were a couple episodes a year, one in spring and one in fall, and the end of each episode would be a tug-of-war contest between the top two networks that week. And the host was the great one: ABC’s Howard Cosell!
Photo Credit: ABC Photo Archives, Getty Images
5/6
“Home Run Derby”
Now we’re digging way, way back!
I’m not talking about the Home Run Derby played the day before the MLB All-Star Game. I’m referring to the black-and-white TV show produced in 1960 for syndication.
Basically, the 30-minute show would pit two of the game’s biggest sluggers against each other in a home-run hitting contest, which later inspired the same-named All-Star Game event. Some of the past participants included Hank Aaron, Al Kaline, Mickey Mantle, Frank Robinson, Duke Snider and Willie Mays.
While one player was hitting, the other was in the booth with the host, chatting about their performances in that contest, or for that season. I’d love to see this show revived, with someone like Kenny Mayne hosting.
Let’s get guys like Mike Trout, Nelson Cruz, Mark Trumbo, Kris Bryant, Todd Frazier, Manny Machado, Evan Longoria, Chris Davis and Robinson Cano out there for some HR Derby!
6/6
ESPN’s “Beg, Borrow and Deal”
This was during the “reality show” boom of the early 2000s, as contestants tried to get from one part of the United States to the other, while competing in sports-related tasks along the way. They had to beg, borrow and deal with people along the way, relying on the kindness of strangers trying to help people on a sports show. Think “Amazing Race” but with sports.
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Photo Credit: ABC Photo Archives, Getty Images