Missing Mr. Tony Already

Today is the final broadcast of The Tony Kornheiser Show on ESPN Radio, or at least in its present nationally syndicated incarnation. Kornheiser has hinted all week long they he might take the day off so his last show may have already aired.

I've listened to Mr. Tony from 10am to 1pm, Monday through Friday, for more years than I dare say. If I was traveling on business or in a meeting I would usually listen to the archived show on the Internet later that day. I couldn't even begin to recount the things I've learned, the times I've laughed out loud, or the moments I wanted to clap my hands in affirmation listening to Kornheiser's show over the years. So I won't even try.

I have never met Tony Kornheiser but I consider him a friend. I can tell you about his jobs, his childhood, his college days, his days at various newspapers, his neuroses, his favorite movies, his favorite music, his friends, his enemies, the woman related to him by marriage, his daughter, his son, his late father, and his dog. One of these days I'm going to run into Tony and it's going to be like meeting an old friend. We're going to have so many things to catch up on.

(Thanks Mr. Tony for reading that last part on the air on Wednesday.)

One of the best tributes to Mr. Tony came from a frequent emailer, Mark in D.C., who captured the last six years of The Tony Kornheiser Show:

"Larry Beal limbo stick, the Trey Wingo thingamajingo, 'Old Guy Radio,' know your third-level heads, bingo, Roy Batelle and the Altones, the new clock, charity bocce games with Michael Jordan, 'affirmation baby, affirmation,' 'How 'bout Linda Cohn?,' Wolfspider, Mel's Picks, The Duke's Picks, Tina Turner still getting it done, America's quintessential sports writer Bob Ryan, Steven Hunter, Joe Barber, Norman Chad, the e-mail machine, product, Wilbon's America, the Chimp, Rosanne, Steve the Sycophant, Sherman, Tamara, 'Why'd ya blast Tamara? I liked Tamara', Being fat, bald, and orange...Priceless, 'No Tony. Yes David. No Tony,' the mock draft, the rock draft, the clock draft, Mr. Kornmissioner, how ya doing?, banned from the Kornheiser show, 'Forget it, we just can't take callers anymore,' knowing who's on 'The View,' knowing what Padma's cooking, the ESPN Sports Zone (ESPN Zone), Linda Cohn's twelve toes, Mia Hamm blowing it for all athletes, Led Zeppelin, the email jingle, The Show Killer, ESPN gift bag contents, on-air pleas to good colleges, Junior's boycott, mandatory extended vacations, exploding manhole covers, Maggie, 'You're a dope,' 'This show stinks, stinks, stinks,' 'That's it, that's the list,' 'Rack us, we're out'" - Mark in D.C.

Tony Kornheiser has my utmost respect for going out on top and on his own terms rather than be pushed around by "management" or dissed by laughable local programming. I'm sure he's questioned his decision to walk away for a while, but I know he won't be gone a moment longer than the lawyers say he has to be. When Mr. Tony returns to radio in about a year in the D.C. market there will be a whole band of loyal listeners clamoring to tune-in. We're going to have so many things to catch up on.

"If you're out on your bike tonight, do wear white." - Tony Kornheiser