Pablo Torre's Success Proves Bomani Jones Was The Problem

No show at ESPN failed harder than "High Noon" with Pablo Torre and Bomani Jones. 

ESPN marketed the program as the "next PTI," with Jones and Torre positioned as the next Michael Wilbon and Tony Kornheiser. Twenty-four years later, "PTI" remains the highest-rated sports show on TV, while "High Noon" lasted just two years after setting record-low ratings in two time slots.

When ESPN canceled the show in 2020, Bomani Jones participated in a friendly press tour with friendly allies at the Washington Post and New York Times in which he implied Torre was to blame for the show's failure. Jones said they lacked "chemistry" and later said the cancellation had "zero to do" with him.

Notably, Jones shared an article on social media from GQ that claimed that, on "High Noon," he had to "jockey for position on a stage with talent he never felt was at his level."

Well, it turns out that Jones was the one who wasn't on Torre's level. 

Since 2020, HBO gave Bomani a weekly show that—wait for it—also set record lows in two time slots: one after Bill Maher and the other after John Oliver. HBO canceled the show after two seasons, and ESPN chose not to renew his contract. Jones now hosts a podcast on YouTube, averaging around 5,000 views per episode.

Meanwhile, Pablo Torre is having all sorts of success. He is the lead fill-in for Michael Wilbon on "PTI." He has a role on MSNBC's "Morning Joe." This week, he signed a seven-figure deal to license his "Finds Out" podcast to the New York Times.

And he's relevant.

Pablo Torre and Bomani Jones, via Getty and YouTube.

Torre has made several headlines this year through his original reporting on Bill Belichick's unusual relationship with Jordon Hudson, LeBron James skipping Kobe Bryant's funeral and the NFLPA.

Look, Torre's brand is not for the average OutKick reader. There's not much crossover between OutKick and his partners at MSNBC, the New York Times, and ESPN. In fact, Torre is the exact type of liberal elite from whom our readers come to OutKick to escape. Nonetheless, Torre is doing work that's resonating.

While political, Torre separates his political commentary from his sports analysis. He doesn't discuss Democrats and Republicans on ESPN—like Elle Duncan or that buffoon David Dennis Jr. He covers sports on ESPN and politics on MSNBC. 

For background, OutKick never criticized sports commentators for having far-left political opinions. Rather, we criticized them for interjecting their political opinions on ESPN, a mainstream sports network with a supposed policy prohibiting such commentary. 

Put simply, analysts like Mina Kimes would be more likable if they separated their political and sports opinions by platform, like Torre.

Meanwhile, Torre's former co-host, Bomani Jones, is stuck playing the same beats over and over again. According to Bomani Jones: Lamar Jackson is a victim. Josh Allen is a privileged white quarterback. White people are racist. Bobby Burack "is the single worst person in the world" for agreeing with his opinion on Shedeur Sanders.

Damn me.

How gullible do the sports media writers look who printed Jones blaming Torre for the cancellation of "High Noon" as fact? Bomani failed on ESPN, ESPN Radio, HBO, and now on his own. Starting to see a trend? 

Finally, Jones' lack of accountability makes him hard to respect. Instead of acknowledging that his style of commentary doesn't work—on television, radio, or the internet—he continues to conduct himself as if he's superior to the rest of the pack. 

In addition to blaming Torre for his blunders, Jones has blamed Dan Le Batard, sports fans, OutKick, ESPN, and the industry as a whole. He claims his failures are everyone's fault but his own.

Oh, Pablo's success must have him fuming.