In his early 30s, Harry Lyles Jr. is at the perfect age to have started watching ESPN's Around the Horn when it debuted in 2002. Woody Paige, a longtime Denver sports columnist, has been a major part of the show since its inception, and is the program's all-time winner at 684 games.
Paige hopes to eclipse 700 wins before the show goes off the air on May 23. He'll have to wait another day to get to No. 685, after host Tony Reali gave Thursday's win to Lyles, a college football reporter more than 50 years Paige's junior who made his first ATH appearance in 2021. That win was awarded for a very good reason.
After Paige said he'd give his show-ending "face time" on the subject of "sprinkler head," Lyles one-upped him, naming his subject: "Woody Paige." He then delivered a beautiful speech that brought the ESPN legend to tears.
"As one of the younger panelists on the show, a lot of us grew up coming home from school and watching this particular program, and one of the people that we always saw was Woody Paige," Lyles said. "And whether you loved him or hated him, you always tuned into this show to see what that man was going to say. That also goes for those of you watching from home. I have to say, you still see Woody's influence all over sports media today in terms of the shows that you watch, the styles that people have and it gave me a path to know where I wanted to be in my career. Being on this show is one of those things, and Woody Paige, I would not be here without your influence, man, I appreciate you."
A moment of appreciation during and after the show for our GOAT, @woodypaige 🐐❤️ @harrylylesjr pic.twitter.com/8UoV9n4sGw
— Around the Horn (@AroundtheHorn) March 6, 2025
The touching tribute didn't end with the broadcast. In a clip from after the show posted to social media, both Reali and the two puffy-eyed reporters discussed the impact of Around the Horn as everyone continues to process its upcoming cancellation.
"This is real right here, what we're all feeling," Reali said. "Harry, that was beautiful. And it was, of course, your heart outside of your body. ... Woody, we owe our careers to you. Alright, you need to hear this. I want you to hear this every day for three months. We don't make episode two without you. And whatever happens the next three months is going to be awesome.
"You deserve every bit of flowers that you're gonna get for the next three months."
And yes, Reali confirmed that 16 games between now and late May will be rigged in Paige's favor, as is only right.
"We're going to be cooking books!"
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This article was originally published on www.si.com as ESPN Panelist Brings Woody Paige to Tears With Special 'Around the Horn' Tribute.
