Surprised no one posted about this yet as I thought there were folks here that were fans of his. It comes on at 11:30 PM on Sunday nights and the first episode aired last Sunday.

I'll reserve my thoughts on the assumption that folks here didn't watch it yet.

The last segment he had was pretty good, but I'll give folks time to watch so I don't say too much.

I do think the show has some wrinkles to iron out, but hopefully he finds an audience so the show will get another season or two.

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Definitely has some wrinkles to work out, he's gotta find his legs. But I really enjoyed it. It'll be a part of my weekly watching for sure.

And I think that was a whole lot of cap coming from Screamin' A.

And from being a long time listener back to the Raleigh days I know he wants this bad
I always thought he’d slide into that Bryant Gumbel Real Sports gig when dude was ready to hang it up

as a long time listener...he can rock this and they prolly threw such a bag at him, that of course he would...I just don't think this is it. TO ME, he's best when he's left to his own devices. That said, I'm definitely not saying this won't be good...and I will watch.

While watching the Coach K bit, I kept thinking, "Why is he talking like that?"
Then I realized he was reading a teleprompter or cue cards which, for this format I get.
It's just that he sounds so much more...unrehearsed when he's on The Right Time.

It kinda sounded like when he would win Around The Horn and would get 2 mintues.

But like it was stated above, with time I'm sure they'll him and the writers will find their voice.

that there were a ton of writers for this. He'll adjust to them and vice versa, like you said.

>While watching the Coach K bit, I kept thinking, "Why is he
>talking like that?"
>Then I realized he was reading a teleprompter or cue cards
>which, for this format I get.
>It's just that he sounds so much more...unrehearsed when he's
>on The Right Time.

the interview segments are much more fluid as a result

though i appreciate that he's able to get jokes off on the current show

the suits

He drops his usual snarky snappiness for once and let’s you in a little bit and let’s some sincere emotions out for once about how happy he is about having the show and accepting his flowers

Bo is my guy but it’s good to hear him drop the guard for once

dude was genuinely overwhelmed by the fact that folks was legit pulling for HIM.

was an improvement over the first episode.

I think he needs to mix up footage he does inside the studio with more pre-recorded content because listening to him for the majority of 30 minutes inside the studio is going to get a bit grating IMO.

It is cool to see that the show is progressively getting better since I'm sure it'll take time for him to figure out a structure.

Does anyone know how long a season for the show will last for?

This is a six episode season.

Hopefully the ratings will be good enough to justify a second season at a much larger order.

>Does anyone know how long a season for the show will last
>for?

in that I had no idea Tiger Woods wasn't a member of Augusta Nationals. I assumed all Masters winners were automatically members.

What a shit-bag, elitist organization.

he is finding his groove behind the desk with each episode

I think the problem is the camera is always moving so he is concentrating on reading instead of being his natural funny self.

hopefully it improves but it was hard to watch

I dig the show. It's been a little rough, as it's evident Bo isn't at his best reading from a teleprompter. Even when he has very salient points to make, the desk delivery isn't quite there yet (as evidenced by the on the street segues where you can tell he's in his element). It's gotten better every week for sure, so I think he'll come around.

It is interesting seeing how he has to come off with his own show versus, say, him being on Bob Costas' show this week (which was great, BTW) where he had to defend his stance on the Coach K segment. There the old Bo showed up, which we were used to. But you can also tell they had to cut it short because he would have taken up all the oxygen in the room had Bob given him the time.

Regardless of how you feel about Bomani Jones, he has a line of thinking that comes across quite well on the show. I hope it is renewed and sticks around.

Hopefully the show will continue to improve. Wonder if he'll get the same six episodes like he did in season one.

link: https://deadline.com/2022/05/game-theory-with-bomani-jones-renewed-season-2-hbo-1235014379/

swipe:

‘Game Theory With Bomani Jones’ Renewed For Season 2 By HBO
By Denise Petski
May 3, 2022 8:00am

EXCLUSIVE: HBO has handed a second season renewal to the weekly late-night series Game Theory With Bomani Jones. The series, which hails from Adam McKay’s Hyperobject Industries, wrapped its first season last month.

In Game Theory, Emmy-winning Bomani Jones shares his satirical takes on the intersection of sports and culture through topical monologues, sketches and deep dives.

“Bomani’s perspective on sports comes from a great base of knowledge, unexpected insights, and a sharp sense of humor. He shows us a different side of the conversation, why it’s important and why we should care,” said Nina Rosenstein, EVP of HBO Programming. “He’s only just scratched the surface, and we’re looking forward to seeing what else he has up his sleeve.”

“Game Theory has been a dream, the most creatively thrilling thing I’ve ever done, with the best team I’ve ever had,” added Jones. “I couldn’t be more excited to apply what we learned from Season One and turn a good show into a great one.”

Jones is a contributor on HBO’s Back on The Record with Bob Costas and has made appearances in HBO Sports documentaries The Battle for Tobacco Road: Duke vs. Carolina and Runnin’ Rebels. As the co-host of ESPN’s Highly Questionable and High Noon and host of the podcast The Right Time with Bomani Jones, Jones has been credited with enriching sports commentary with his own unique style. Jones won a 2015 Sports Emmy Award for Outstanding Sports Documentary, for Rand University, a film about former NFL wide receiver Randy Moss, for ESPN Films’ 30 for 30.

Season one of Game Theory was executive produced by Jones, and McKay and Todd Schulman from Hyperobject Industries, along with Stuart Miller, James Davis and Morgan Murphy.

The presentation got better with each episode

Glad they got a 2nd season.

He's a great dude.

I cancelled HBOMax a few months ago, so I haven't had the chance to watch the recent episodes. I might try and sneak a peak at an episode or two; I mainly want to see that Jake Paul trainwreck of an interview.

Has he gotten more comfortable with the in studio segments?

He's trying to make it more like his Evening Jones podcast. I enjoy it.



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that involved a group of self identified conservatives and liberals deciding if the NFL was too woke. The All-Pronoun team introductions idea was hilarious.

Bomani has his fair share of awkward moments, but he’s mostly on point. More so than probably any other sports talking head. I’m glad he has this platform.

I'm starting to think he might need a co-host; someone to play off of so his jokes are more natural. His delivery on his monologues seems very forced to me, for lack of a better word.

I hope the show survives for a third season.

This is just a night time hot take/interview show….just another stir the pot show.
no substance.

Real Sports is better.

>This is just a night time hot take/interview show….just
>another stir the pot show.
>no substance.
>
>Real Sports is better.

He was an opinionated character when we were in college.

Because he doesn't have a TV show on ESPN...he can do what he wants for the most part on his podcast...

Like he covered the Brett Favre story over a year ago...and called the network out about the fact that they weren't covering it then...LOL

And when it blew up...he reminded folks as such...

Game Theory is perfect for him to be honest...it's pretty much The Right Time in TV Format...

He's playing with house money and he knows this...

There are moments on the show that'll be talked about for a while...

Coach K and the Trail of Tears
Inspire Change
What about Brett Favre?

and I truly think a co-host would do him wonders, but his piece last week on NIL payments and the NCAA was pretty interesting to say the least.

I wonder how hard it is for students to navigate that NIL world on top of having to practice, play in games, and manage schoolwork. I suppose managing all of that is a good test of what it's going to be like as an adult, but I would imagine at least when the players turn pro, they have agents that would manage all the business dealings involved with endorsements.

Out of curiosity, NIL is only for NCAA student-athletes, right? Kids that forego that route and go overseas or do the semi-pro pre college route are able to get NIL sponsorships?

At first it felt like he was trying too hard to be funny imo

Like some knock off of the Daily Show style format for comedy and news. But I think over time he’s found his footing

As someone else said, it’s like the Right Time but In a tv show format.

not sure who out there is really going to LOVE this. It feels just like Simmons bad show, albeit with a little more of an edge. But nothing feels natural and the host doesn't feel comfortable and the format isn't groundbreaking or anything.

I imagine this will be canceled soon

It seems like their overall goal is to recreate the podcast but with a TV budget. Unfortunately the TV format is more of a hinderance because his team probably has to put WAY more effort into a show that’s half as long as just one of 3 podcast a week. Like others have said, he also comes off way better in conversation than in monologue but he is getting better.

I think it’s improved and headed in the right direction. I just don’t think they’ve found the magic to make it a big hit but HBO may keep it going awhile longer because it’s still very smart and insightful.

that HBO, MAX, or whatever HBO calls itself these days has pulled the plug on this show. I'm disappointed, but I can't say I'm surprised. I have to imagine this show was hard to stomach for folks that didn't know much about Bomani, which I'm assuming led to the show having dismal ratings.

I wonder what else dude has planned as I have to imagine he saw the writing on the wall in terms of folks not watching. This occurring right around the time ESPN announced those rounds to terminations seems like terrible timing.

i just dont think he is the one to be leading a tv show he works better off someone that is actually an entertainer

did they ever stop that moving camera bullshit?

Always thought if they just let him do what he does best it would’ve been way more entertaining. Him and another guest or rotating guest just riffing.

not sure how long espn employees knew about their terminations before they were announced

The comedic parts weren’t funny. And the news portions weren’t that informative or interesting. It became a chore to watch tbh.

When he is paired up with people he has a good rapport with. Nothing feels forced when he is talking with Howard Bryant, Nick Wright, Foxsworth, Joel Anderson, etc. It's just dudes having a good convo about sports and how they intersect with economics, politics, and race.

I would love a Sports Reporters type show with those dudes. No monologues or skits, just some witty banter.

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Keep the crack raps up that shit is double plus what-ever-the-fuck.
Everybody's afraid to say that it just sucks to watch talented motherfuckers pretending they sell drugs - EL-P

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my favorites to hear with Bo are Dominique, Spencer, Vinnie Goodwill and the occasions when Shannon comes on.

I felt like the show was getting better, Bomani was getting his legs under him as a host and I usually enjoyed the show. The interviews were a little clunky (editing was a big part of that), but I never wanted to flip the channel.

Like, Supernatural makes for a fantastic freestyle MC. Hit you with lyrics on the spot. But trying to make actual structured songs? His skill set doesn't quite translate.

Game Theory was pretty similar. Bo has always been great off the top. He can give a smart, nuances answer to most topics relatively quickly, and it worked on any other show appearance he was on, and makes for a really good podcast (Foxworth Friday is always good listening). But it never quite translated to a 30 minute show which often felt like they were going for 'Last Week Tonight, But SPORTS'. Bo's funny, but not a comedian, which is what the show felt like it needed (or was what HBO really wanted). So, even though the big story pieces were well done, and the street interviews were natural and funny, the show as a whole didn't quite work unless you were a fan of Bomani (which I am, mostly). Reading a prepared script just isn't in his bag, and the show suffered for it, especially the first 10 minutes of the episode.

I'm glad HBO gave it a shot. I'm glad he got 2 seasons. And to be fair, Bo was better in the second season as he was a little more comfortable. But while I'm sad to see the show not get to S3, I understand why and can't be too mad.

https://awfulannouncing.com/espn/bomani-jones-espn-contract.html

Bomani Jones indicates his contract won’t be renewed at ESPN

Front Office Sports reported on Wednesday that ESPN is not expected to renew the contract for long-tenured sports personality Bomani Jones.

By Chris Novak on 07/26/2023
Front Office Sports reports that Bomani Jones may be on his way out at ESPN.

The Worldwide Leader reportedly isn’t expected to renew Jones’ contract. This comes at a poor time for the long-tenured sports personality, whose HBO show, Game Theory with Bomani Jones, was recently axed.

Front Office Sports wrote on Jones’ status with the company, with Jones himself saying that Bristol “has not show interest in renewing his contract” that will expire at the end of the month:

ESPN does not plan to renew the contract of journalist Bomani Jones, Front Office Sports has learned. His current contract with ESPN expires at the end of this month as the network separately laid off 20 on-air personalities amid broader cost-cutting moves from parent company Disney.

Last fall, Jones signed a contract extension with ESPN to host his three-times per week podcast, “The Right Time with Bomani Jones.” His show is the second-highest-rated podcast among ESPN’s 35+ shows, but the network has not shown interest in renewing his contract, Jones told FOS in New York prior to speaking during the Writers Guild of America’s Sports Solidarity Day held on the picket line outside of the CBS Broadcast Center.

“The economic fate of people in sports media is getting dicier and dicier by the day,” Jones told FOS. “I think the ESPN layoffs were the beginning of it in a lot of ways. Seeing what happened the New York Times shutting down their sports department and they moved those people to other desks, but at some point they’re probably going to deem those people to be surplus and they’re not going to be there anymore.”

Assuming this does in fact lead to the end of Jones’ tenure at ESPN, he will join a laundry list of former long-tenured ESPN employees who won’t return to the company. Suzy Kolber, Jeff Van Gundy, Steve Young, and Keyshawn Johnson are just some of the on-air talents the Worldwide Leader either moved on from or let go.

In Jones’s case, he fits that bill as well. He’s made recurring appearances on ESPN dating back to 2004. He’s frequented Around the Horn, Pardon the Interruption, and Outside the Lines over the years, as well as Highly Questionable and others.

He does have his critics, but Bomani’s outspokenness and style make for good television most of the time. So the Worldwide Leader would feel an impact without him as they currently trudge on with their ongoing makeover. With his HBO show gone, and ESPN potentially letting him leave, it will prove interesting to see what’s next for Bomani Jones.

Amin, Pablo and the rest of the gang, by football season. If they could just get Mina.

Le Batard has been a long time fan of Bomani, so I'm assuming he'll be on Meadowlark for a good long time.

I haven't watched anything Le Batard related since he got cute with Willis Reed on the day he passed, but I hope Bomani will get to make a proper lane for himself on Meadowlark. From what I remember, there's a ton of content already on Meadowlark; I hope Bomani doesn't get crowded by the folks already on the roster.

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I'm not going to lie. I missed his podcast. Happy he will be back next week.

https://frontofficesports.com/after-espn-exit-bomani-jones-starts-new-media-life-on-his-own/
-------------------------------------------------------
Keep the crack raps up that shit is double plus what-ever-the-fuck.
Everybody's afraid to say that it just sucks to watch talented motherfuckers pretending they sell drugs - EL-P

https://youtube.com/@righttimebomani?si=NBJHX4F5tp7q8KDT

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