Since 1979, ESPN has been providing fans with sports news and analysis like no other network before or since. Everyone knows ESPN as the Worldwide Leader in Sports, and hardly anyone would object to that claim. However, ESPN is not only the king in live sports, but its daily lineup of television shows is second to none.
My goal is to rank ESPN’s 12 daily shows in order of which I would watch if all were airing at once. Credit is given for the levels of analysis and entertainment provided. Lets begin the countdown with number 12:
- His & Hers
Origionally Numbers Never Lie, His & Hers has been airing on ESPN since 2011. Hosts Michael Smith and Jemele Hill debate the day’s sports topics using statistics as the backbone for their discussion. While the content is sometimes good, the show is not as entertaining as many of ESPN’s other daytime shows. His & Hers is last on our list because I have never found the discussions engaging or considered the hosts as great analysts, and much of their content can be found elsewhere, making the show feel unoriginal.
- Highly Questionable
Formerly known as Dan LeBatard is Highly Questionable, this show is quite different from most of ESPN’s daytime shows. It features Bomani Jones, Dan LeBatard, and LeBatard’s father “Papi.” The show offers an oftentimes lighthearted take on the day’s sports news, and is oftentimes entertaining. However, the analysis on the show is limited and has never struck me as good, in fact the word questionable does a pretty good job of describing the analysis on Highly Questionable. This show would have been last on our list if not for the lovable persona of Papi, who is oftentimes hilarious and single handedly pushed Highly Questionable into the 11th slot.
- Outside the Lines
Another unique show on ESPN, Outside the Lines is one of the longest tenured daytime shows on the network, having been in production since 1990. Host Bob Ley does a great job of making sports-related off the field stories seem interesting. However, Outside the Lines is low on our list because I usually don’t tune into ESPN in search of hard-hitting news. This show certainly has a place in ESPN’s daily rotation, but I do not find myself captivated by many of the stories it brings to light.
- NFL Live
One of a few full hour shows on ESPN daily, NFL live has been airing since 1998. Host Trey Wingo does an excellent job of bringing viewers up to date on all the news from around the NFL, and the show features top notch contributors and high level analysis. The problem with NFL Live, though, is it seems like it is always on and there are many times when there just isn’t that much NFL news to talk about. Occupying an hour every day even during the offseason, NFL Live seems like it is taking airspace from other shows with more relevant information, and therefore it drops to number nine on our list.
- ESPN First Take
First Take began in 2003 as the objectively terrible sports talk show Cold Pizza, but has since carved a place for itself in ESPN’s daily rotation. Known for the legendary debates between Stephen A. Smith and Skip Bayless, the show runs for two hours daily on ESPN2. Although Stephen A. and Skip can be annoying and their positions are sometimes laughable, the show is entertaining and offers different viewpoints than many other shows. The personal rivalry between Skip and Stephen A. has brought First Take from the doldrums of ESPN’s lineup into a solid eighth place on our list.
- SportsNation
SportsNation at one time would have been in the top 3 of this list, but it has regressed over the years. Beginning in 2009, SportsNation offered a different viewpoint on the day’s sports stories than other ESPN shows. Instead of listening to the hosts spill their opinions; viewers were able to interact with the show through online polls. This increased viewer interaction coupled with the hosting brilliance of Michelle Beadle and Colin Cowherd made SportsNation the most entertaining and lighthearted show on ESPN. However, soon other shows began to incorporate SportsNation like online interactions, and it lost much of its novelty. When Cowherd and Beadle left the show in 2012, hosts Charissa Thompson and Marcellus Wiley could not captivate the audience like the show used to. Beadle has since returned to hosting SportsNation with Wiley and Max Kellerman, but the show lacks much of the entertainment value it once held, and has fallen to 7th on our list.
- Olbermann
The newest addition to ESPN’s daily lineup in 2013, Olbermann began as the much anticipated return of former SportsCenter host Keith Olbermann. Olbermann provides solid analysis coupled with entertaining presentation. Once an hour long show, Olbermann is now 30 minutes, but it provides a good rundown of the day’s news. Olbermann is ranked at number 6 on our list because it provides entertaining commentary that cannot be found anywhere else on ESPN.
- You Herd Me with Colin Cowherd
The TV version of The Herd with Colin Cowherd, You Herd Me is one of the best shows airing on ESPN. Cowherd provides honest, often controversial analysis and is great at relating to his viewers. Cowherd is also one of the most entertaining personalities on ESPN and his analysis is usually on point. Although visually it is not much, You Herd Me has some of the best analysis taken from Cowherd’s unique viewpoints on the day’s sports news.
- Pardon the Interruption
Pardon the Interruption is a daily sports talk show hosted by Michael Wilbon and Tony Kornheiser. Kornheiser and Wilbon discuss a wide variety of sports topics for a short period each. At times, Wilbon and Kornheiser argue about the topics, but the analysis provided is always on point. The show prominently features a rundown of topics on the sidebar of the screen, allowing viewers to easily follow the discussion. PTI ranks as number 4 because it has excellent analysis on a wide variety of topics in a short period of time, which are the ideal qualities for a daily sports talk show to have.
- Around the Horn
Much like PTI, Around the Horn is known for its ability to fly through sports topics in a short time. The show features host Tony Reali surrounded by a panel of sportswriters who debate the day’s sports news. Reali awards the writers points based on their arguments and one by one they are eliminated until a champion remains. The show manages to keep a cohesive and relevant discussion going while remaining entertaining. My favorite part of the show is panelist Woody Paige, who has appeared on more episodes than any other panelist. Paige is often entertaining, and the chalkboard that hangs behind him is legendary for its humorous quips. Around the Horn fulfills all the goals of a daily sports show while adding in the entertainment associated with scoring the debate, which allows it to place in at number 3 on our list.
- Mike and Mike in the Morning
The quintessential show on ESPN Radio, Mike and Mike is also a valuable part of ESPN’s daily television programming. Mike and Mike’s analysis is unparalled at ESPN and they cover a wide variety of sports news. Mike Greenberg and Mike Golic manage to keep the show entertaining with interesting back and forth and a wide variety of guests. Mike and Mike ranks at number 2 on this list because it is both informative and entertaining.
- SportsCenter
ESPN’s flagship show never fails to deliver, and has aired more than 90,000 times since its inception in 1979. With a rotating cast of anchors, SportsCenter is the pinnacle of sports television, and no other show comes close to providing the days’ sports news as well as SportsCenter. SportsCenter should occupy the top spot on any ranking of ESPN shows and is a runaway winner on our list.
Don’t agree with our rankings? Let us know at thefifthq@gmail.com or in the comments section below.
The 5th Quarter 
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