Around the Horn with Tony Reali

The term “around the horn” used to mean a double play in baseball started by the third baseman, who then threw to second base; from there the throw would go to first. The term still applies, but ESPN’s “Around the Horn” has given the phrase a new set of legs. The half-hour “Around the Horn”, which airs at five o’clock Eastern Standard Time, features a host who gives and subtracts points from a group of four sportswriters that hail from around the country. “Around the Horn” debuted in 2002, with Max Kellerman as the host, but today it is Tony Reali that runs things.

Anthony “Tony” Joseph Reali is not yet thirty, but the host of the quasi-game show “Around the Horn” has been around the block. The New Jersey native graduated high school from Christian Brothers Academy in Lincroft, New Jersey. He went on to Fordham University in New York, where he earned a Bachelor of Arts degree in Communications as well as History. Before he procured his status as a television host on “Around the Horn”, Tony Reali was a sportscaster for station WFUV at Fordham. He announced football and men’s hoops from 1997-2000, and also hosted a sports call-in program. The kingpin of “Around the Horn”, Tony Reali joined ESPN in 2000 as a researcher/writer for the quiz show “Two Minute Drill”.

In 2001, even before “Around the Horn” was launched, Tony Reali became a fixture at the end of “Pardon the Interruption”. He gained the moniker of “Stat Boy”, because he would come on at the end of the program and correct any mistakes made by hosts Mike Wilbon and Tony Kornheiser. Tony Reali’s popularity grew; when “Around the Horn” went on the air, he would show up as a member of the panel. When the show’s original host was replaced, it was Tony Reali who took over.

The premise of “Around the Horn” is simple, with Tony Reali in charge of giving points to, or taking points away from, the panel members as they discuss the relevant sports topics of the day. Around the Horn begins with the panel’s introduction. The members are introduced, but they are not in the studio with Tony Reali. They appear via satellite from various venues, often from the city they work in. For instance, “Around the Horn’s” all- time leader in appearances, Jay Mariotti, usually is shown sitting at a desk in his Chicago Sun-Times office. The four contestants of “Around the Horn” have their point totals shown at the right hand bottom of the screen.

The “Around the Horn’s” competition begins with a segment titled “The First Word”, in which all four panelists are asked to give their take on the most relevant sports headlines of that particular day. Tony Reali awards points as the members make their case on whatever the topics are. If Reali likes their arguments for or against, he gives more points; if he dislikes them, he can take points away. After a commercial break, “Around the Horn” returns with its “Buy or Sell” segment, where Tony Reali presents everyone with a pertinent issue and then asks them to buy or sell it, as if it were a stock. One example would be the recent use of a police squad car to rush newly re-acquired catcher Doug Mirabelli to Boston’s Fenway Park in time to catch knuckleballer Tim Wakefield for the Red Sox against the Yankees game the previous night. If they buy the idea, then the panelists didn’t have a problem with it and explains why; if the panelist sells it, an explanation ensues as to why.

After the first two segments of “Around the Horn”, the member of the panel with the least points is given the boot. Reali has the ability to mute a contestant for ten seconds if he becomes annoyed or the person talks too long on a subject. When a person leaves for lack of points, Tony Reali mutes them until the end of the program. The next portion of “Around the Horn” is called “Out of Bounds” and deals with whatever controversial subject matter is available. Reali will dole out points and then send the next lowest panelist packing at the end of the segment. The remaining two will face off in the “Showdown” for the right to be named the winner of “Around the Horn” for that day.

The “Showdown” is where the two that remain take sides of a sports story and argue their point for ten seconds each. Tony Reali will award one point to the member he feels made the best argument. It is usually a best two out of three, with the third question often not sports related. Reali decides the “Around the Horn” victor, who then is allowed twenty seconds to express their opinion on whatever sports theme they choose. Tony Reali officially ends “Around the Horn” by throwing a piece of paper at the camera.

Frequent members of the “Around the Horn” panel include J.A. Adande and Bill Plaschke of the Los Angeles Times, Jim Armstrong and Woody Paige of the Denver Post, Kevin Blackistone and Tim Cowlishaw from the Dallas Morning News, Jay Mariotti, and Jackie MacMullen, Michael Smith, and Bob Ryan of the Boston Globe. Mariotti and Paige are neck and neck as the all-time “Around the Horn” wins leaders, since each has been on the program well over 600 times!

“Around the Horn” is a good way to get different parts of the countries views, through sportswriters from various papers, on the important sports stories of the day. Tony Reali and “Around the Horn” should remain a staple of late afternoon viewing on ESPN for some time.