ESPN Finally Puts Their $17 Mil To Good Use, Gives Reilly His Own Show

I don't think I've seen Rick Reilly on ESPN's airwaves since the PGA Championship, but that's not stopping ESPN from giving their 5-year, 17+ million dollar man, his own show. Beginning this Friday, Reilly will be sitting down with various stars for a six-part series called "Homecoming" on ESPN2. The craziest part about the interviews....they're going to be hour-long sitdowns! Via ESPN PR....

ESPN2's new series -- Homecoming -- challenges that old adage "you can't go home again." Hosted by 10-time Sportswriter of the Year Rick Reilly, Homecoming will debut Friday, Jan. 9, at 8 p.m. ET with an episode on Josh Hamilton of the Texas Rangers in his hometown of Raleigh, N.C. The following week, Pro Football Hall of Famer John Elway returns to Van Nuys, Calif. The shows are the first two of a six-part series featuring one-on-one, hour-long interviews of today’s top names in sports from the towns and cities where they grew up. In the first episode, Hamilton is surrounded by friends, family and teammates at Athens Drive High School, where his life and career were first nurtured en route to him becoming the first overall draft pick by the Tampa Bay Devil Rays in 1999. His career was derailed by injuries and addictions in 2001, but with the help of his family and friends, and with great resolve, he reclaimed his life and his swing. Hamilton's recovery was noted by his mesmerizing performance at the 2008 MLB All-Star Home Run Contest.

I think I'd check out the Josh Hamilton piece, but I could honestly care less about John Elway's high school. Hopefully ESPN steps it up for the rest of the interviews. I'm guessing, Tiger Woods, Phil Mickelson, Lance Armstrong and either Sammy Sosa or Barry Bonds.