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ESPN's Woody Paige Breaks Down Crying at Heartfelt Around the Horn Tribute

Originally posted on Athlon Sports | By Nick Meyer | Last updated Mar 13, 2025 5:27 PM ET

The ESPN television show 'Around the Horn' first began nearly 23 years ago with its first episode on November 4, 2002, and is set to air its final episode on May 23, 2024.

The classic, long-running ESPN show features newspaper columnists and TV pundits battling it out in a contest to see who can impress the show's host, Tony Reali (formerly Max Kellerman) with their cleverly worded sports takes.

Recently, longtime Denver Post columnist and nationally recognized Around the Horn panelist Woody Paige was given the red carpet treatment by fellow panelist Harry Lyles, Jr., who took the time out to show respect and appreciation for the pioneering, and oftentimes controversial, journalist.

"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 Jr. 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 at 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," Lyles Jr. concluded.

Paige, who previously battled melanoma (skin cancer) and was recently declared cancer-free, now bears a six-inch scar on his face as a result of having undergone facial surgery.