As Mike Golic Sr. prepares for his return to ESPN, he has identified a specific, albeit unusual, item left on his professional bucket list: broadcasting the annual July 4 Nathan's Famous International Hot Dog Eating Contest. Golic Sr. expressed his desire to be part of the Coney Island event, a goal his son, Mike Golic Jr., has already achieved.
"Now that I’m back at ESPN, I am hoping to be able to live out one thing — you talk about one of the most disappointing things of all of my time at ESPN, and Mike [his son] got do it twice I think. Mike got to host, or be a part of the hot dog eating contest on July 4," Golic Sr. said. "I have never been a part of it. I am hoping as I hopefully finish my career at ESPN I will be asked to be on that broadcast."
Sports Illustrated's Jimmy Traina suggested that Golic Sr. and his son could potentially compete against each other at the contest. Both Golics agreed with the idea, with Golic Sr. noting that "endless possibilities" exist for their collaboration. Golic Jr. remarked that "food is the great equalizer," contrasting it with sports where a perceived lack of expertise might be a barrier. He added that "We all eat. We all got an opinion on that, so it’s perfect."
Golic Sr., a prominent ESPN personality from 1995 to 2020, notably co-hosted "Mike & Mike" with Mike Greenberg. He is set to co-host a new morning show, "The Golics," with his son. The program is scheduled to debut on August 3 and will air live on the ESPN App from 10 a.m. to 12 p.m. Episodes will also be available on major podcast platforms following their live broadcast.