With TK and MW being on vacation the past two weeks and this week as well, a question occured to me. Who are your favorite substitute Pardon The Interruption co-hosts?
It's not Steven Assclown Smith, I can say THAT much at least.
EDIT: To expound, Steven A. Smith reminds me a lot of a line I remember reading in a Dan Jenkins novel: "He has the rare combination of being both loud and wrong at the same time".
Based on who I can remember off the top of my head.
1) David Aldridge - understated counterpoint to whoever he's with, seems to have a grip on sports outside of basketball, good chemistry with Tony and Mike from years of working sharing DC with them. So of course ESPN is letting him go.
I think you could put David Dupree near there too, but he's only done it once or twice.
2) Bob Ryan - knows the format, knows how to make his point in 90 seconds, close to on target on many sports, and there's always the chance he could blurt out something really dumb to get himself in trouble again. Though it seems like he's cut back since doing that twice. Another guy who works well with Tony and Mike because they've obviously been friends for a long time.
3) Dan LeBatard - Not afraid to question conventional thinking, which makes some interesting confrontations with Mike and Tony. The problem is that they've playing the hateable Dan LeBatard and Pro Athlete's Best Friend bits up so hard that everything gets viewed based on his apparent gimmicks rather than being a valid point or not. Like his interviews better this his TV stuff. Like his radio better too.
4) Norman Chad - So much better taped with poker, where he can getting in his overwritten oneliners without seeming to force them in. Seemingly just knows enough about sports to get the job, despite being a sports columnists.
665) Skip Bayless - See, he's hateable. Comes off as the typical completely negative sportswriter who talks a lot and knows little. I don't remember having such a problem with him when he was in the ChicagoTrib.
666) Steven A. Smith - ESPN's dream! He yells! He has catchphrases! He goes overboard to make the slightest incident into a story worth headlining SportsCenter for a week! An automatic channel flip, and you can tell ESPN's just gonna put him on more.
No one else comes to mind, except for really disliking Michele Tafoya for reasons so vital I can't even recall them. It might have been a wrong place/wrong time (Wilbon gone, Tony suspended) thing.
Why the hate for Steven A "concerned scowl" Smith? He's worth keeping just for his occasional bouts with Bill Walton. Nobody has more entertainment value than Smith.
Man's most valuable trait is a judicious sense of what not to believe. - Euripides
I don't mind Smith, I just don't want him on PTI. Which reminds me, why are Mr. Tony and Wilbon still not on the show? Did they both get put on "vacation"?
Originally posted by WhitebaconI don't mind Smith, I just don't want him on PTI. Which reminds me, why are Mr. Tony and Wilbon still not on the show? Did they both get put on "vacation"?
Wilbon's in Greece for the Olympics.
What happened with Kornheiser? Is he just on vacation or is there more to the story (and hilarious lead-ins, which are now the best part of the show)?
Good, I finally get to say this: I really dig Norman Chad. His guest spots on PTI (as in when he is being interviewed for Five Good Minutes) are tremendous. Yes, he is best taken in smaller doses, but I love him on the WSOP.
I will also defend Smith somewhat as he is at least not afraid to speak his mind. Most of the "experts" are SO afraid to speak ill of anyone. This is especially true for the football guys, as they love everyone. Every single player in the NFL is going to have a great year...shit like that. At the very least, Smith makes for interesting TV. Just like in wrestling, you have to love him or hate him, you just can't be apathetic.
Joe Wilson (looking at Interocitor manual)- Hey, here's something my wife could use in the house... Crow T. Robot- A man? Joe Wilson- An interocitor incorporating an electron sorter. Cal Meechum- Oh, she'd probably gain 20 pounds while it did all the work for her. Tom Servo- Cal, you bitch!
I'd have to check with my "sources" on this, but those seem to be the same pre-show bumpers they've used since the show started.
I'm sure that LeBatard is on again next week, since he mentioned being on "all of August." Wilbon will still be in Greece, but I don't know about TK.
He is at least back in DC. Today on the local segment he does on Sportstalk 980, he mentioned he was going to see Bruce Hornsby at Wolf Trap in subruban VA tomorrow night.