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The Facility, airing weekday mornings at 10:00 a.m. ET is part of FS1’s revamped daily lineup of sports shows. This program, hosted by Emmanuel Acho, separates itself with a unique cast of characters. Despite the fact that all of the participants come from a football background, they are quite diverse in talent and approach.
LeSean McCoy, the erstwhile All-Pro running back, provides a casual and, at times, comical style. Acho, also an ex-NFL’er, is a man of letters – an author, raconteur, motivator, and truly spiritual dude. Chase Daniel played 13 years in the League largely as a backup quarterback, and James Jones was a tough and tenacious wide receiver chiefly for the Green Bay Packers.
As we wade neck deep into the stretch run of the NFL season, this time of year suits The Facility cast perfectly. This particular program, which aired on Tuesday, November 19, opened with Acho on stage behind a graphic of a whiteboard listing the show’s topics. His enthusiasm is palpable, kicking the show off with an excitement and a verve that rubs off on his colleagues. Acho bolts over to the set as if he’s heading into a huddle or a pregame mash up to fire up his teammates.
The panel reflected on the ESPN Monday Night Football game between the Texans and Cowboys. McCoy, Acho, and Jones are mainstays on FS1, but Daniel is new to the crowd. As a career backup, he hopped from team to team and coach to coach, an experience that has given him a wealth of knowledge.
Daniel made a solid point about the Cowboys saying that there’s a lack of discipline throughout the team with players airing their dirty laundry on podcasts and social media. He painted a picture of Dallas as a rudderless ship and stated that head coach Mike McCarthy’s lame duck status lessens his clout. He said that, because of this, the Cowboys were “doomed before the season even started.”
Jones offers a more laid-back approach to his commentary. He analyzes subjects and takes his time. In fact, his analysis of the Cowboys began with a simple head shake and deep sigh. Jones is like the anchorman in a tug-of-war. His teammates in front are pulling with non-stop action, while he lays back and holds that rope – quiet, understated, and effective.
A gifted speaker, Acho might just be at his best when he leaves the table and heads to the big screen to analyze plays. He is enlightening, eloquent, and educated, but just as comfortable getting down and dirty with the X’s and O’s football.
Reflecting on the Kansas City Chiefs’ loss to the Buffalo Bills, The Facility took an interesting take with a graphic asking if it was time to stop ignoring Chiefs’ red flags? Despite a 9-1 record, the two-time defending champs have been flat on occasion and ineffective offensively with Patrick Mahomes tossing 11 interceptions, tied for the league lead.
McCoy, however, disagreed with the narrative wondering why anyone would question Kansas City. He said the Chiefs don’t have red flags; they have red banners. Antagonistic viewpoints are a hallmark of The Facility. Show topics are planned in pre-production, but McCoy had no problem shooting holes in the subject. His point was valid. The Chiefs did not look like world-beaters last year either, but turned it on when needed to win the championship.
I was not a fan of McCoy as a panelist on FS1’s Speak, but with Acho, Daniel, and Jones, he seems more comfortable in his role. What McCoy lacks in depth, he makes up for with directness and real on-field experience.
Coming back from the first break, The Facility featured a segment called the QB Room. The panel debated whether another loss by the Ravens would curtail Lamar Jackson’s MVP hopes. Jones pointed out that the Ravens have been inconsistent all season citing losses to the lowly Browns and Raiders.
While many sports debate shows clutter the screen with graphics and charts, The Facility keeps it simple. Each show topic has a lower third with a blurb about the subject, some basic stats, and subtle previews of what’s coming up on the program. Graphics are nice, but The Facility is a personality-based program. It is panelist driven. I also liked the casual slant of this particular show as well. Acho, McCoy, Daniel, and Jones were not decked out in flashy suits, just casual nice like they were meeting for a Tuesday boys’ night out talking ball.
There is a suave coolness about The Facility that is very appealing. McCoy is the cut up of the crew, often moving the other three panelists into fits of laughter. You can tell that they are entertained by his skewed and unbridled thoughts. McCoy did have a sobering take on the 49ers, however, adamantly stating that their Super Bowl window has closed. Jones joined in the discussion pointing to age and injuries as reasons for San Francisco’s 5-5 record.
FS1’s new lineup is all about conversation. Whether it is Breakfast Ball, The Facility, First Things First, or Speak, the network brass is clearly embracing free-flowing discourse, opinion, humor, and personality. On this edition, The Facility did take a break from the conversation for an interview with Eagles’ cornerback Darius Slay. In a five-block showing all four panelists with Slay pictured in the middle, the interview was rapid fire with questions and reaction mixed in with anecdotes and fun.
Acho does a really nice job as the figurehead of the show, but he does not separate himself from the group once things get going. He intros the show and moves from one topic to another, but once the exchange of ideas begins, he is just part of the band creating a truly an ensemble experience.
Acho and Jones are the most experienced on air personalities on The Facility. Their TV games are strong. I’d like to see Daniel make his points a little bit more confidently. Often times, he makes a key statement, but then pulls back on the assertion in mid-thought. He also needs to bring his technical experience as a quarterback more forcefully to the show a la Matt Hasselbeck, Dan Orlovsky, and Phil Simms.
My thoughts on McCoy are similar. While all four members of The Facility crew played pro football, McCoy was the most decorated player in the bunch. The 6-time Pro Bowler needs to balance the comic relief with some more in-depth points based on his accomplishments. This dude was quite often the best player on the field when he played. I want to hear real talk from those experiences.
Speaking of experience, Acho has become a TV natural in his years in front of the camera. We all know that he can talk, but on The Facility, he does a nice job of laying back and giving his compatriots the floor, all the while keeping his mind moving toward the next question. When introducing a new topic, Acho often uses metaphors from real life situations. In leading into a conversation about Bears’ quarterback Caleb Williams, he talked about the car he drove while in high school. The Facility gives Acho a great vehicle to combine grit and glibness.
The same can be said for all four of the show’s stars. While different in backgrounds and resumes, Acho, McCoy, Daniel, and Jones share the gifts of passion and personality. With ribald repartee, football facts, and a charismatic cast, it’s definitely worth spending some of your viewing time in The Facility.
John Molori is a weekly columnist for Barrett Sports Media. He has previously contributed to ESPNW, Patriots Football Weekly, Golf Content Network, Methuen Life Magazine, and wrote a syndicated Media Blitz column in the New England region, which was published by numerous outlets including The Boston Metro, Providence Journal, Lowell Sun, and the Eagle-Tribune. His career also includes fourteen years in television as a News and Sports Reporter, Host, Producer working for Continental Cablevision, MediaOne, and AT&T. He can be reached on Twitter @MoloriMedia.
