GOOD SPORT: Olbermann’s return to ESPN a hit
Keith Olbermann “Olbermann” on ESPN
In this world of retro comebacks, sometimes it doesn’t work like new Coke. Other times the comeback is just as great as it was the first time.
Keith Olbermann is back, and he has the same resilience as his early counterpart, Dan Patrick. He has returned to ESPN with his own show that comes on every weeknight at 10 p.m. on ESPN 2 (or ESPN News if something runs late). Early SportsCenter fans are delighted to have him back in the sports world instead of talking politics on MSNBC.
Olbermann started hosting SportsCenter with Dan Patrick (“The Dan Patrick Show”–Fox Sports, Audience Network, NBC Sports Network) in 1992. He and Dan quickly made the show fun to watch. It became known as “The Big Show’’. They continued to gain popularity for five years. Then Olbermann left and became a producer, then a political analyst. Now he is back with his own show called “Olbermann”.
It’s a great show which covers the spectrum of the sports world. He begins the show with a monologue written in his unique and thoughtful style. Sometimes he is serious as he was on the anniversary of Martin Luther King, Jr.’s death as he reminisced about his father, which was one of the best pieces I’ve ever heard. He also has humor in his stories. For example the story about Costa Rica accusing the US of cheating by making it snow in the World Cup qualifier game in Colorado is hilarious. In the soccer-free world of the US, he makes soccer interesting. If that story doesn’t make you laugh, I don’t know what will.
He has interesting and knowledgeable guests who speak on a wide range of topics with authority from inside and outside the sports world. He also breaks down the world of sports with his “Keithlights” and “Time Marches On” segments.
One of my favorite segments is “Today’s Worst Person in the Sports World”, where he slams the ludicrous behavior and mess ups of the day.
Olbermann’s intelligence, vocabulary and quick wit make this show entertaining. I know most of you weren’t even born for his first great sports programming on ESPN. Don’t miss it this time.
