Pablo Torre Finds Out

Episode: "The Long Goodbye: Tony Reali and the End of Around The Horn"

Date: May 20, 2025
Guest: Tony Reali

Episode Overview

This episode of Pablo Torre Finds Out is an intimate, sometimes emotional retrospective and oral history on the end of ESPN's legendary panel show Around The Horn (ATH), featuring an in-depth conversation with its long-time host, Tony Reali. As ATH prepares to air its final episode after 23 years on May 23, 2025, Torre explores the emotional, professional, and cultural legacy of the show with Reali—reflecting on its origins, Reali's tenure, the family-like bonds it fostered, and what its ending means for sports television, its fans, and Tony himself.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. The Power and Hardship of Goodbyes

• Being Allowed to Say Goodbye:

  • Tony reflects on how rare it is to get the chance to properly say farewell, especially "on air."
  • Quote [00:06]:

    "How do you say goodbye to something that is your heart outside of your body? I'm about to."
    (Tony Reali, 00:06)

• Life Advice Interlaced with Sports:

  • Tony notes how, through ATH, he gave viewers "homework assignments"—encouraging them to tell those they love what they mean, applying lessons from TV to real life.
  • The show becomes a vehicle for shared humanity.

2. ATH’s Unique Place in TV and Sports Culture

• Longevity and Format:

  • ATH’s 23-year run is extremely rare in TV. Its host personally scored arguments, muted panelists, and built a rabid following.
  • Quote [05:57]:

    "Very few television shows last for 23 years. And exactly one has asked its host to personally score the arguments... and literally muting four, often Hall of Fame journalists who are beaming in from newsrooms all across America."
    (Pablo Torre, 05:57)

• Community and Family Feel:

  • ATH isn’t just a show but a found family for journalists and fans alike, as Torre and Reali recount their intersecting histories and the intergenerational mentorship the show fostered.

3. Facing Cancellation After Decades On Air

• How the Team Learned ATH Was Ending:

  • ESPN decided to "do something different" with ATH's timeslot, with no specific cause beyond wanting to evolve.
  • Reali found out during vacation, felt the burden to support colleagues who had to address rumors on air.
  • Quote [07:11]:

    "So I've known we were going to be saying goodbye for now, eight months or so...That’s my weight that I should carry. So I felt bad about that."
    (Tony Reali, 07:11)

• Hope, Resistance, and Inevitable Acceptance:

  • Tony admits he kept trying to "change their mind" by delivering great shows, even as he knew the end was set.
  • The official press release yielded a tidal wave of love and nostalgia online.
  • Quote [09:36]:

    "I operated for months thinking... we'll change their mind. I'm a will change their mind type of guy."
    (Tony Reali, 08:28)

4. The Episode's Heart: Revisiting Tony’s First ATH Show (2004)

• Watching His First Episode with Pablo
  • A vulnerable, humorous, and sometimes cringey journey back to 2004—when Reali, fresh from New Jersey with an accent and imposter syndrome, nervously took the host chair after Max Kellerman.
  • The audio montage and Reali's reactions highlight how much both he and ATH have evolved.
  • Quote [18:02]:

    "You sound like you've been hosting this show for a long time."
    (Pablo Torre, 18:02)
    Tony:
    "It's funny you said that. I don't hear that...I'm hearing a little bit of this, you know, which is what a 25 year old is trying to do to sound like other people want someone in that position to sound. So this is the first window of imposter syndrome. I'll say."
    (Tony Reali, 18:06)

5. The DNA of 'Around The Horn'—Improvisation and Intention

• Tony recollects how his approach changed the show: less "abrasive", more about breathing and letting people "cook", always with an eye on collaborative, competitive joy.
• Mute button as love language:
  • "The mutes come with smiles, just like the murderers come with smiles.” (Tony Reali, 27:57)

6. Moments of Absurd and Human Connection

• The Community of Viewers and Superfans:

  • Stories of the famous ATH Wikipedia page editor, "Trekkie Elo" (Rick Vendel II), who dedicated years to updating stats—representing the show's passionate grassroots fandom.
  • Quote (from Rick's voicemail) [44:13]:

    "I've been watching ATH and PTI since 2003...I'm humbled by your words. After 35 years, I've been feeling like life has passed and left me behind. But whenever I get into something, especially if it's sports related, I always delve into their statistics and history. That's just one reason I'll miss Around the Horn."

• On-Audience & Panelists:

  • Anecdotes: man with celebratory sign outside the studio for Tony’s “birthday”; panelist Woody Paige’s mix-ups and running commentary; Pablo’s own first call from Reali (voicemail replayed).

7. Mentorship and “Passing It On”

• Reali describes his love for fostering young journalists—noting his own journey began with Bob Ryan at Fordham, and he’d later pay it forward to others like Clinton Yates and Pablo himself.
• Emphasizes the way ATH elevated sports debate as an art form, rooted in both respect and mutual admiration.

8. Show’s Ending and Tony’s Future

• Reali openly addresses his anxieties and mixed feelings about scripting the finale, job hunting, and performing vulnerability.
• “Dad’s gotta find a job…I want to go out on my terms on Horn, but…I’m spinning multiple plates at one time.” (32:34)
• Imagining his last moments on set: "I don't think I'm gonna be a mess, but my kids are going to be there, and I'm gonna be, you know, trying to. Trying to have the best moment possible. How do you say goodbye to something that is your heart outside of your body? I'm about to…" (Tony Reali, 41:42)

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments (with Timestamps)

• On Goodbyes and the Show's Heart:

  • "How do you say goodbye to something that is your heart outside of your body? I'm about to." (Tony Reali, 00:06/41:42)

• Reflecting on ATH’s Unique Format:

  • "Exactly one [show] has asked its host to personally score the arguments that his panelists have on screen, handing out points and congratulating a winner and literally muting four, often hall of Fame journalists…"(Pablo Torre, 05:57)

• On Mentoring and Family:

  • "You’ve shown me this love. And I know you want to get it out of your body." (Tony Reali, 37:27)
  • "I love those special episodes, all of the special stuff...It's a reminder of something that I have taken and been inspired by, which is to take the show seriously, but not yourself." (Pablo Torre, 38:12)

• Mute as Love Language:

  • "The mutes come with smiles, just like the murderers come with smiles." (Tony Reali, 27:57)

• On the Fandom:

  • “I've been watching ATH and PTI since 2003...I always delve into their statistics and history. That's just one reason I'll miss Around the Horn.” (Rick Vendel II aka Trekkie Elo, 44:13)

• On ATH’s Scale & Legacy:

  • "That number [4953 episodes] is more than the Oprah Winfrey Show. And that number is more than Late Night with Letterman...That means a lot to someone like myself." (Tony Reali, 34:01)

Important Segments & Timestamps

• 00:06 — Tony’s opening reflection on saying goodbye
• 05:57 — Pablo contextualizes ATH’s legacy
• 08:28 — Tony explains how he learned of the cancellation
• 15:43 — Pablo and Tony re-watch Tony's first ATH show (2004)
• 18:02 — Discussion of Tony’s early imposter syndrome and growth
• 27:52 — The “mute” as a unique signature of the show
• 34:01 — The meaning behind ATH’s episode count and cultural scale
• 41:42 — Tony on facing the final episode and public vulnerability
• 44:13 — Voicemail from “Trekkie Elo,” the show’s passionate Wikipedia editor

Tone and Style

• Warmth and Earnestness: The episode is marked by Tony's transparency with his emotions, frequent expressions of gratitude, and a willingness—not always common among sports hosts—to show vulnerability.
• Self-deprecating Humor: Both Reali and Torre riff on the absurdities and quirks of ATH (from “mutes as love languages” to failed voice calls), keeping the tone accessible and relatable.
• A Sense of Ritual and Community: Running gags, rituals (the sign outside the studio, longstanding Wikipedia edits), and deep bonds between panelists and audience are recounted with awe.

Conclusion

This episode is a moving, occasionally raucous, and always insightful send-off for one of sports television’s most idiosyncratic and beloved shows. It’s a testament to Tony Reali’s stewardship, the dedicated community around ATH, and the show's singular contribution to both sports media and pop culture. If you’ve never watched Around The Horn, this conversation chronicles the show's evolution, its quirks, and the rare, loving ecosystem it built—and why goodbyes in media, and in life, matter so deeply.

Final quote (Tony Reali, 46:24):

"We're gonna find out together."

ATH’s legacy? A spirited, humanizing, joyful—and soon, deeply missed—community.