PTI

Alright, so in addition to sporting news, one thing I'd like to start doing on this blog is reviewing, commenting, and so on Sports Writers, Columns, Shows, and the such. And, I'll start with my personal favorite among Sports TV Shows, Pardon the Interruption (PTI).

Obviously, by my saying that it's my "personal favorite", you know that I give it at least favorable reviews. The question for me is ... why?

The hosts of the Show are Tony Kornheiser and Michael Wilbon. Neither of which, on their own, are what I'd call entertaining nor insightful. Prior to PTI, I very much disliked Kornheiser, seeing him as a bumbling idiot who didn't have much to offer. PTI was my first exposure to Wilbon, but he's done nothing and said nothing that makes me say "wow, this guy gets it".

So, clearly, what makes PTI great can't be PTI, right?

So we look at the formula ... a handful of "quick-hit" topics, an interview, a goofy segment with shorter quick hits, errors, happy-happys, and a big finish. None of these seem to add to the charm. There's usually no great knowledge displayed, neither of them have interview skills that are that great, and they flip-flop on predictions so frequently, that it's hard to count on those for anything.

So, clearly, it can't be the formula.

Yet, if I turn on the TV at 6:30 (to catch the ESPNews replay), and either (or both) of them is missing for the day, I often turn it off, because the show isn't nearly as good.

I guess ... it's just that unknown "it" factor. We talk about it all the time with players (Tom Brady has "it" ... his arm isn't as good as Peyton Manning, his legs aren't as good as Vick, but he wins because he has "it"). Part of it is their chemistry together, but it goes beyond that. Tom Jackson and Chris Berman have great chemistry, but they are nowhere near (for me) as watchable and entertaining as PTI.

It really is that "it" factor.


So what are your thoughts? What makes PTI so good? Or am I totally wrong and PTI sucks? Who/what else in sports has that "it" factor?