Sadly, not in a way that can change our public conversation on the weightier issues of the day, but Keith made his triumphant return to television today with this...
http://espn.go.com/...
I am happy. I am sad. I am mad. I will explain below...
I first got to know of the brilliance, wit, and wisdom of KO when he and Dan Patrick formed their "tag team" as the best-ever and most popular duo hosting Sportscenter on ESPN in the 1990's. Keith loves baseball above all else in sports, and so do I. So I had an immediate affinity for him, and Sportcenter on Sunday nights back then became "appointment television" for me. I've missed Keith's takes on baseball and other sports since he left the network in 1997.
But he went on to bigger, better, and far more important things. Like defining an entire network, MSNBC, and showing that progressive left-leaning television could be compelling, popular, attract a sizable audience, and make a difference in the national conversation. Keith's "Special Comment" became almost the conscience of Televison news while he starred on that network, while others in corporate media shriveled to the challenge. At least Keith's MSNBC success led to the hirings of other progressives such as Rachel Maddow and Ed Shultz. And MSNBC remains a liberal counterweight to Foxes in henhouses on the cable channel lineup. Corporate news is a disaster in America now, worse than when KO had his show, even with MSNBC's presence. Yes, we few who could find Current TV got to watch Keith and his Special Comments for a couple more years, but he got banished to the hinterland of cable with that gig, and even Current is really no more, being replaced by Al Jazerra....as long as cable moguls allow it to remain on their lineups.
Now, finally, Keith will have a show again. Except now he has come full circle, back on ESPN with a program launching on their companion network, ESPN 2, on August 26th. It will be all about sports, which I welcome as a sports fan. It will be nothing political or having anything to do with the weighty news of the day. It's like Keith has had a frontal lobotomy and been whipped into shape by the network heads, and given a platform in which he can do no harm to the Powers That Be. For Keith now, speaking "Truth to power" will be about whether Alex Rodriguez will have enough power left to satiate his angry and surly Yankee fanbase....if he has any left.
Just as A-Rod has been diminished, so has Keith by going back into his sandbox of sports where he can do no harm to the vested interests. I wish him luck, and realize it's not of his own doing as it was with A-Rod's lying and cheating for fame and fortune. In Keith's case, his honesty and combativeness is what relegated him to returning to this. The stuffed shirts in corporate suites decided to diminish Keith and typecast him as a great sports talker again. As a sports fan, I am glad he got back on national media again. As an American and human being, I am profoundly disturbed. KO has been KO'd, and could be making a much more important national contribution than this.
UPDATE: I should have pointed out that another Kossack will be Keith's new "tag team partner" on his show. Yes, Poblano will be returning to sports too, though he won't be entirely neutered. ;) Nate Silver will still do political polling analysis for ABC News during election cycles in addition to his sports gig. Nate's first love was also sports and, specifically, baseball. He and Keith should make a great duo for sports fans worldwide!