Legendary ESPN anchor Bob Ley will begin his six-month sabbatical next week, a move he announced in August that came along with colleagues and fans wishing him well and telling the Outside the Lines fixture that it was a “well-deserved” break.

Ley said his temporary goodbye on Friday’s OTL:

“I’ve got the best job in the world and to step back from it might seem counter-intuitive, which is a fancy word for ‘nuts.’ It’s a decision not lightly reached and one that I’ve spent a great deal of time on. I work with a talented and visionary group of colleagues who in the crucible of doing live television, they’ve also become friends. They include all the people around this table, whom you will see a lot more of going forward. I hope you receive them with the same courtesy and interest you have extended to me. And so I will catch you on the flip side.”