Tony Reali Anthony Joseph Paul " Tony " Reali ( born July 4 , 1978 ) is an American sports personality and television host , and the host of " Around the Horn " on ESPN . He is also the ombudsman or " stat boy " on " Pardon the Interruption " . Pre - ESPN career . Born in Staten Island , New York , Reali spent most of his childhood living in New Jersey and graduated from Christian Brothers Academy in 1996 . Reali was a sportscaster for WFUV at Fordham University from 1997 - 2000 as the voice of football and men ' s basketball . He also was a beat reporter covering the Yankees , Mets , Giants , and Jets . In May 2000 , he wrote for WPIX - TV of New York . Career at ESPN . Reali joined ESPN in 2000 as a researcher / writer for ESPN ' s quiz show " 2 Minute Drill " . He later joined " Pardon the Interruption " in October 2001 as " Stat Boy " , where his role was to correct and fact - check hosts Tony Kornheiser and Michael Wilbon at the end of every episode . Reali became so popular that he started appearing daily on Tony Kornheiser ' s radio show for a daily segment called " Preview the Interruption " , in which he discussed what was going to happen on " PTI " later on that afternoon . After Reali became the host of " Around the Horn " and his popularity continued to rise , Kornheiser and Wilbon eventually started introducing him by his actual name instead of simply calling him " Stat Boy . " On occasion , Kornheiser will add several ridiculous middle names when introducing him to poke fun at his long name ( such as Anthony Joseph Lisa Lipps Reali ) . In addition to conducting his usual fact - checks , Reali now also judges Kornheiser and Wilbon when they play the games " Oddsmakers " and " Report Card " on the show and introduces the topics for segments such as " Over / Under " and " What ' s the Word . " Around The Horn . In February 2004 , Reali replaced Max Kellerman as the host of " Around the Horn " , the show that precedes " PTI " in the ESPN weekday schedule ( he was guest host on " Around the Horn " six times , and was a panelist six other times before becoming host ) . As host of " Around The Horn " , Reali awards points at his own discretion based upon the quality of the guests ' comments . Tony is known for his in depth knowledge of sports statistics and corrections of panelists on " Around the Horn " . He will deduct points or mute the guest when a nonsensical comment is provided , awarding points when a panelist makes a convincing argument , bold prediction , or amusing pop culture reference . In the early hours of October 1 , 2007 , Reali ' s apartment was destroyed by a fire , a fact acknowledged by Tony Kornheiser on " Pardon the Interruption " on October 1 and by Reali himself , along with the various correspondents , on " Around the Horn " on October 2 . Jay Mariotti verified that no one had been injured . " Around the Horn " marked 10 years on the air Friday , November 2 , 2012 . On the eve of this milestone , Tony Reali offered his thoughts on the show ’ s successful run and what the opportunity has meant for him personally : " Pele wore it on his back . Phil Jackson once wore it on his head . Pearl Jam debuted with it . Dudley Moore thought Bo Derek was it . Ten . X . 10 . And now , it ’ s our number . 2 , 217 shows and I can remember every single one . Or , at least the 2 , 000 - plus I have done . I remember the day Woody Paige almost choked on confetti celebrating his 300th win . The day Michael Smith broke out an impromptu Barack Obama impression for 64 points . I remember having Lil Wayne on as a guest panelist and thinking “ This guy could take all our jobs . ” I remember when Kevin Blackistone dressed as Ron Washington for Halloween . I remember Jay Mariotti working 265 straight shows . 265 straight ! I remember February 1 , 2004 . I got the call to host the show the next day while watching the Patriots - Panthers Super Bowl . Max Kellerman was in contract talks . Could I sit in ? I had been a panelist previously and hosted a couple of times but never a day after the Super Bowl . At first I said ‘ no ’ . I was scared stiff . I couldn ’ t comprehend this was how ESPN hired its hosts . ( Spoiler alert : It ’ s not . ) I was 25 and my entire broadcasting career consisted of 10 seconds a day as “ Stat Boy ” and saying inappropriate things on radio at Fordham University . When I finally said ‘ yes , ’ I realized I had no clothes . I wore my only suit to work the next day — sweated through it — and put together a hosting stint that has to go down in history as the worst of all - time . But I did get through it , and I ’ m much better for it . I wore the same suit to work the next day , and by Wednesday I needed a new tie . It was 18 months later when I signed my first contract to host the show . Aaron Solomon is the producer and he is a rock . He ’ s steered this show to where it is now , along with ( associate producer ) Josh Bard , ( executive producer ) Erik Rydholm and ( ESPN senior coordinating producer ) David Brofsky . But , first and foremost , this show is about the panelists and our crew — currently Bob Ryan , Woody Paige , Tim Cowlishaw , Bill Plaschke , JA Adande , Kevin Blackistone , Jackie MacMullan , Michael Smith , Jemele Hill , Bomani Jones , Israel Gutierrez — and all of the panelists we ’ ve had through the years have carried us . If you want to say anything about this show , call it a survivor . I can ’ t think of a higher compliment . The thing I love most about hosting this show is that it mirrors my personality : sports , games , jokes , pop culture — and none of it taken too seriously . I mean , we have a mute button and a scoring system NO ONE UNDERSTANDS . I like that . And it ’ s only possible because we don ’ t take anything as life or death . And , I think , that was something the original reviewers of the show never got . Maybe the show didn ’ t always view itself like that . For me , the strength of this show is in the friendship and chemistry and relationship between the panelists and the discussion that comes from that . As host , my job every day is to try to tap into that . And that ’ s why we ’ ve started posting “ Behind the Horn ” scenes every day on YouTube , Facebook and Twitter — to show that these guys are real and none of what we do is fake . Our panelists amaze me . I owe a debt to them . And to Max , Bill Wolff and Jim Cohen ( the original producers and creators ) . So , how do I show my appreciation ? By putting their faces — and the faces of 90 other people who we couldn ’ t do this show without — in a Sgt . Pepper knockoff . " Notable voice roles . Reali appeared as a special guest star on " " ; he provided the voice for " The Dark One " in " Rocked " . The episode aired on September 22 , 2012 . Personal life . Reali is of Italian - American descent . He grew up in Marlboro Township , New Jersey and graduated from Christian Brothers Academy in Lincroft , New Jersey . He earned a Bachelor of Arts degree in both Communications and History from Fordham University . Reali is a Catholic . " My faith is very important to me . So is my spirituality . It has made me who I am , and it has got me to where I am . And it ' s where I am going . " He is known for wearing ashes on his forehead on - air on ESPN every Ash Wednesday . Reali explained the details of his engagement via Twitter on June 19 , 2012 : " In New York City . Ring ' s in a box , in my shoe , in a bag , in the safe , behind the desk at the Chambers Hotel . Gave it to the hotel because I ' m no stoonad . We ' re going out all day to a parade with a million people and I ' m not getting pick pocketed in my city . So I give them the ring , they give me a ticket . Stop back at the hotel on the way to the airport , cab meter running . I run in , they open safe , and . . . EMPTY . They go to the backup safe . . . EMPTY . Hotel has no clue where the bag is . I tell them ( discreetly , so Stat Girl wouldn ' t hear ) that the engagement ring was in the bag . The hotel manager cries . Stat Girl gets suspicious . I get nauseous . Seconds feel like hours . Minutes feel like a Woody Paige face time . I ' m gonna vomit . Go outside to get air . The porter comes running out : " We ' ve located the bag . It ' s at LaGuardia Airport . " WHAT ? A couple checked out minutes before and were given both bags . At curbside check - in they realized and called the hotel . As we drive to LaGuardia with the hotel manager , I ' m Technicolor puking out the window . The ring is uninsured and if it ' s gone , it ' s gone . We get to LaGuardia , see the people , see the bag . Ignore the dude , rip open the bag to get to the shoe . Rip open the shoe to get to the box . Rip open the box to get to the ring . See the ring , drag Stat Girl between the Men ' s and Women ' s bathrooms at LaGuardia and propose right there . A custodian is buffing the floor . LaGuardia ' s Marine Terminal bathroom : Most Romantic Place on Earth . And that ' s our engagement story . And , God willing , the story I ' ll tell little Fiorello and Fiorella LaGuardia Reali when they ' re born . P . S . Not the end of the story about the ring , though . Two weeks later , with the insurance papers on the desk ready to be — BUT NOT YET mailed — our apartment building catches fire . It ' s 2 a . m . and Stat Girl is the one who notices . We bang on all the doors to get everyone out of the building . Expecting to see puffs of smoke , we see BALLS OF FIRE on the roof . The Fire Department runs in then runs out five minutes later . The roof collapses . Our apartment was the top two floors . We lost everything . What am I doing ? Vomiting into the street , of course . It took five hours for DCFD to get it under control . Everyone got out and that ' s most important . At 7 a . m . , the fire chief says they can go into the building and save pets . Stat Girl whispers to him . I think it ' s odd , because we have no pets . But I have to go to work , because I have no backup to host Around The Horn , so I leave in sweatpants and a t - shirt and go to the office . The News comes on at noon and the lead story is the fire because it ' s the biggest in DC in 20 years . I ' m watching my whole building get destroyed , my life become a mess , and the reporter wraps with : " A bit of good news : A recently engaged young lady was just reunited with her engagement ring . The fire chief pulled it from the rubble . " And that ' s how I found out Stat Girl left the uninsured engagement ring in the house during the fire . Everyone at Around The Horn and PTI let out a cheer . I got ready to vomit . And that ' s the end . The ring was insured the next day . I hosted every show that week . We got married that year . The apartment was rebuilt in 18 months . "