The reviews for Mike Tirico’s closing remarks after Team USA’s gold medal win over Canada continue to pour in, and in Dallas, two prominent radio hosts believe the moment may have cemented his place atop the sports broadcasting hierarchy.
On Tuesday’s edition of the Shan & RJ Show on 105.3 The Fan, R.J. Choppy and Shan Shariff spent several minutes dissecting Tirico’s on-air essay that followed the United States men’s hockey team’s dramatic Olympic victory. Rather than simply applauding the call, the hosts framed the conversation around what Tirico’s performance represents in the broader evolution of network sports television.
“Mike Tirico is getting a gold medal himself from the internet for being absolutely fantastic,” said Shariff. “Maybe the new number one seed of sports broadcasters. Bob Costas had it back in the day. Then Jim Nantz, and now I think Mike Trico has the gold.”
Choppy argued that Tirico is filling a role once owned by Bob Costas, a figure long associated with eloquent, reflective commentary during major events.
“Maybe we had it all along because we had it with Bob Costas, but nobody else really kind of took the mantle all that much of doing those essay types speeches,” Choppy said, suggesting that the tradition of poetic sign-offs had faded in recent years before Tirico revived it on a grand stage.
At the same time, Choppy made clear that Tirico’s appeal lies in tone as much as substance. While Costas earned widespread respect throughout his career, Choppy believes audiences eventually grew weary of what they perceived as a lecturing style.
“Bob became completely sanctimonious, arrogant and pompous,” he said. “We haven’t gotten there with Tirico yet, but Tirico doesn’t seem like he’s got an agenda of any kind. He’s just out there giving an essay on the moment, capturing the moment.”
That distinction, according to the show, explains why Tirico’s words resonated so strongly in the immediate aftermath of the Americans’ victory over their longtime rivals. Rather than centering himself or steering the message toward commentary beyond the rink, Tirico focused squarely on the achievement, the rivalry and the emotional weight of the championship.
By invoking both Costas and Jim Nantz, Shan & RJ placed Tirico in rare company, aligning him with voices who have defined eras of American sports television. The segment ultimately underscored how much influence a closing monologue can carry, especially when delivered at the intersection of national pride, Olympic drama and a historic rivalry.
For Choppy and Shariff, Tirico didn’t simply narrate a championship. He shaped how fans will remember it.
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