Stephen A. Smith is easily one of the most popular personalities on sports television. Although he has been hit with some hate in the past, there are still a ton of people out there who absolutely adore him. Overall, ESPN certainly loves him, after all, he is the one keeping the lights on over there. First Take is the network’s flagship show, and it continues to get massive ratings. This is especially true now that Shannon Sharpe and Chris Mad Dog Russo are on the program.
Throughout the history of the show, there have been numerous rumors surrounding Stephen A. and his co-host, Molly Qerim. There are some people that believe they have been secretly dating. In fact, when Molly divorced Jalen Rose, some thought that Stephen A. was the reason. This morning on First Take, Russo made a joke that there might be something between Smith and Qerim. The two laughed about it, however, Smith eventually got serious, and revealed that nothing is happening.
“There’s nothing going on. America’s been lying about that for years,” Smith said. Subsequently, Qerim confirmed that Smith was telling the truth. Of course, you can imagine that there are a lot of people out there who don’t believe these two, regardless of whether or not they are correct. Sometimes, narratives will always outweigh the truth, regardless of what you might try to say. It is unfortunate, but that is the internet for you. The online sphere has never been particularly fair.
Let us know what you think of what Stephen A. Smith said in relation to all of these rumors, in the comments section down below. Do you believe him when he says they never dated? Do you think they would make a good couple regardless? Additionally, stay tuned to HNHH for the latest news and updates from around the sports world. We will continue to keep you informed on all of your favorite athletes and teams.
Stephen A. Smith is someone who has proven to be able to speak on a plethora of topics. Overall, he is mostly known for his work in the sports realm. Of course, he is the face of First Take and more broadly, ESPN at large. He has made the network a ton of money, and he has made himself a nice living in return. However, it seems as though he is thinking much bigger than sports. It has been reported that Smith would love to be a late-night television host. He thinks it is time to make the leap, which means ESPN could be saying goodbye, very soon.
One topic that Smith loves to cover, is politics. He is very politically active and fancies himself as an independent. He has voted for Democrats, and he has voted for Republicans. Having said that, he has some strong opinions on none other than Hillary Clinton. When asked about undecided voters being upset about their choices between Donald Trump and President Joe Biden, Clinton told them to “get over it.” In the clip below, Smith went off on Hillary for these comments, noting that they are ignorant and unhelpful.
— Read Let This Radicalize You (@JoshuaPHilll) April 3, 2024
As Smith pointed out, Hillary lost in 2016 because she just assumed people would vote for her. She refused to campaign in key battleground states during the week of the election, and it ended up coming back to bite her. Now, she is exercising the same mentality heading into the 2024 election, and Smith believes Democrats need to learn from their mistakes. Trump still has a huge supporter base, and even those who don’t like him may vote Republican simply because they have their whole lives.
Let us know what you think of these comments from Stephen A. Smith, in the comments section down below. Do you agree with the First Take host on all of this? Is Hillary Clinton wrong for her comments? Additionally, stay tuned to HNHH for the latest news and updates from around the music, sports, entertainment, and political spheres. We are always keeping you informed on the days events in a plethora of domains.
Stephen A. Smith didn’t pass up an opportunity to dunk on the Cowboys when Mina Kimes stopped by First Take today. After Kimes posed the question of whether the desk had more faith in Jalen Hurts or Dak Prescott, Smith was quick to answer. “Jalen Hurts got Saquon. Jalen Hurts got an offensive line that I would absolutely say is better than the Cowboys. I don’t see any reason why I would pick Dak over Hurts in this particular question,” Smith reasoned.
The Eagles and Cowboys really have been the tale of two offseasons this year. As Smith mentioned, the Eagles added a number RB1 in Saquon Barkley. Despite losing Jason Kelce to retirement, the team still has a premier offensive line. Meanwhile, the Cowboys have added Eric Kendricks, Jourdan Lewis, and made some depth re-signings.
Elsewhere, Smith believes that he could beat President Barack Obama in a one-on-one basketball game, as long as he had prep time. “It depends. If we’re talking about Stephen A. right now, Barack Obama is going to smoke me because I got bad knees. But give me a week, and make sure my knees are healthy, and I would take him out. I’d beat him. I’d beat Barack Obama, say 21-7. It would be a romp. I love the President, I voted for him twice. I love the First Family and he can shoot but he doesn’t look like he’s accustomed to resistance. I’m gonna get his face, get on that left hand, not let him shoot. He’s gonna have to go low, take the ball to the hole,” Smith explained.
Of course, both Smith and Obama are avid basketball fans, although Smith backs the Knicks while Obama roots for his hometown Bulls. Furthermore, Obama was regularly seen shooting hoops at various events, as well as at the regulation-size court on the grounds of the White House. Meanwhile, Smith admitted in his answer that he only plays basketball “once every two or three years”. Who are you taking in a first-to-21 competition? Let us know in the comments.
Mad Dog caused chaos on First Take when he dedicated his weekly rant to the “hardest sports to play”. After Stephen A. Smith roasted Mad Dog for his low-energy presentation, Mad Dog put Smith on the ground when he revealed that No. 4 on the list was “curling”. As Smith lay on the ground in disbelief, Molly Qerim threatened to call Mad Dog’s wife to confirm that he had “curled” in the past.
The rest of Mad Dog’s list was also pretty wild. His top three were baseball, golf, and tennis. Football was found at No. 5 while basketball wasn’t present at all. Fans found the list hilarious, if a little silly. However, this is just some classic work from Mad Dog and his wild weekly ravings on the hit ESPN show. What do you think about Mad Dog’s list? Let us know in the comments.
Meanwhile, less than a week after endorsing Nikki Haley for President, Charles Barkley has now endorsed Stephen A. Smith. “Let me tell you why [I’d vote for you]. Because I know you don’t have an evil bone in your body and I don’t think you have an agenda. That’s all I want. Even if you vote for somebody, you’re not gonna agree on every subject,” Barkley told Smith during an appearance on The Stephen A. Smith Show. Furthermore, Barkley also said he’d prefer to see the Democrats nominate California Governor Gavin Newsom instead of President Biden.
As mentioned, the moment comes after Barkley openly endorsed GOP long-shot Nikki Haley on his show with Gayle King last week. Barkley said he was putting his “whole heart” behind Haley before giving her an open platform to address her previous comments in which she stated that America was “never a racist country.” The latter decision led to a lot of backlash against both Barkley and Haley.
JJ Redick always makes for entertaining viewing on First Take, namely because his sound basketball analysis is usually derailed by a shouting match with Stephen A. Smith. February 21 was no different, as the two got into a heated argument about the ignorance of NBA fans and Kevin Durant’s leadership. However, as we like hot sauce with its Scoville in the millions here at HotNewHipHop, what better better way to commemorate this latest chapter of their feud by looking at some of the highlights from their past?
JJ Schools Stephen A. & Mad Dog About Kawhi Leonard
This moment came during the 2023 NBA playoffs. After the Suns dumped the short-handed Clippers, Stephen A. argued that the team needed a hard reset and to jettison the injury-prone Kawhi Leonard and Paul George because they were cooked. This prompted a four-minute rant from JJ, spearheaded by the devastating remark “listening to each of you right now, it’s very obvious you have played zero high-level basketball and you do not understand the requirements of doing that.”
Furthermore, JJ was proven right less than a year later. The Clippers are absolutely balling behind a healthy Kawhi and PG3. At the time of writing, they are 36-17 and third in the Western Conference.
JJ Calls Stephen A. “Irresponsible” For Warriors Hype
Our next moment goes all the way back to November 2021, when Stephen A. was ready to riding a 9-1, Klay Thompson-less Warriors all the way to an NBA championship. The first thing out of JJ’s mouth in response? “It’s irresponsible.” Redick argued that perspective was needed because it was 10 games into the season and the Warriors had played the league’s eighth-easiest schedule. Smith didn’t explode at Redick like in some other examples of their beef but he definitely tried his best to “school the rookie”.
Come the NBA Finals and Stephen A. was proven right. Klay came back from injury smoothly and Golden State beat the Celtics 4-2 in the Finals. The only thing Smith didn’t land was James Wiseman, who would not return during the season and has never lived up to his second-overall pick billing.
— Awful Announcing (@awfulannouncing) May 23, 2023
You know a moment is heated when it ends with an on-air apology. This is perhaps the most infamous of their on-air beef. While discussing LeBron’s potential retirement in the 2023 offseason, JJ struck below the belt. After Stephen A. dismissed JJ’s take out of hand, JJ cut him off to throw some body blows. “You didn’t play, Stephen A., you didn’t play. You don’t understand the athletic mentality. Three games at South Dakota Winston-Salem State? Doesn’t count,” JJ remarked.
While Stephen A. brushed off the comments in the moment, this one clearly struck a nerve. Later in the show, Redick apologized, saying that Stephen A. had “got under his skin” but he didn’t mean to take things as he did and fully respected Stephen’s alma mater.
.@stephenasmith and @jj_redick got heated comparing the physicality of today’s NBA to the 80s and 90s
“This nostalgic standard that you’ve set for players to the 80s and 90s, and then comparing us to it all the time like we are a substandard to that, it gets annoying.” pic.twitter.com/S8OCh2Cs8F
This moment technically happened on Get Up! and not First Take but it’s still worth talking about. During the 2022 NBA Finals, Mike Greenburg was complaining that the modern game was softer than the play seen in the 80s and 90s. Stephen A. weighed in to agree, unsurprising given how much he hates the Rest Rule. However, JJ wasn’t having any of it. “This nostalgic standard that you’ve set for players to the 80s and 90s, and then comparing us to it all the time like we are a substandard to that, it gets annoying.”
This is one of the moments where Stephen A. dispensed with his standard “mhm, I’m listening” noises and just started yelling. The clip is nearly unwatchable as three grown men scream at each other, ironically, about grown men screaming (or not screaming) at each other.
Sometimes journalists make mistakes. It happens to everyone. But sometimes those mistakes happen on live TV. During the 2023 finals, Stephen A. made the baffling declaration that Nikola Jokic wasn’t known for his post play. A visibly confused JJ cuts him off to explain that over the last ten years, the most efficient half-court play in the entire NBA is a Jokic post up. Stephen A. proceeds to backpedal so cartoonishly that Bugs Bunny would be proud. Eventually, he manages to stammer out that he simply meant he sees Jokic more like Kevin McHale than Shaq.
As we said, everyone makes mistakes. But what you shouldn’t do around JJ Redick is make basic errors about play efficiency, especially when trying to disparage a player like Jokic.
Stephen A. Smith and JJ Redick once butted again butted heads on First Take as Redick lamented that NBA fans “don’t want to be educated.” “I can do a video on my podcast where I break down the last nine games the Pelicans have used Zion Williamson as the primary ballhandler… 54,000 views on YouTube. But I wanna call out a coach yesterday. Oh, that gets tens of millions of engagements. That’s the ecosystem we live in. So do fans actually want to be educated or not?” Redick ranted.
The argument stemmed from a debate about Kevin Durant voicing his frustrations that he didn’t get credit as a team leader. While Redick believed the lack of credit was warranted, Smith vehemently disagreed, The spearhead of First Take got more and more heated, especially after Redick went after Mad Dog for weighing in. “That is a Hall of Famer, JJ. That is a Hall of Famer for media who has been covering sports for 40+ years that you are sitting across from,” Smith fired back at Redick.
Austin Rivers Slams JJ Redick For Doc Rivers Criticism
JJ Redick questions why it’s the responsibility of NBA players to educate fans and questions how much fans actually want to be educated in the first place.
“I can do a video on my podcast where I break down the last nine games the Pelicans have used Zion Williamson as the… pic.twitter.com/3zJqUdZ3T1
Meanwhile, Austin Rivers joined Patrick Beverley in firing back at Redick for his recent comments about Doc Rivers. Rivers defended his father by taking aim at Redick’s playing history. “In terms of accountability, your best years in the NBA were when you played for him and the Clippers. It’s just very ironic and kinda weird that you have this energy towards him,” Rivers said on ESPN. He was referring to Redick’s 2013-17 stint on the Clippers under Doc.
The current debacle stems from Redick saying Doc had a “lack of accountability” after taking over the Bucks midseason. After their firing their first-year head coach despite a 33-13 record, the Bucks have now gone 3-7 to start Doc’s tenure. Despite this, Doc coached the Eastern Conference All-Star team due to the Bucks record. To his credit, Doc did call this out and said he would be giving his All-Star ring and bonus to the recently fired Adrian Griffin.
Shannon Sharpe has been a phenomenal addition to the First Take crew. Overall, he has delivered some great takes, and he has solid chemistry with Stephen A. Smith. Now that he is no longer with Skip Bayless, it feels like he has more freedom to be himself. Furthermore, he has been doing big things with Club Shay Shay. It feels as though Sharpe is now a huge star in the broadcasting world, and that goes beyond just sports. However, he still has some questionable takes from time to time.
For instance, today, the First Take crew found themselves speaking about who the next face of the NBA will be. Moreover, they were trying to determine how this player will be figured out. Well, Sharpe chimed in with an interesting theory. He believes the player needs to be in some sort of public-facing stable relationship. For instance, LeBron James had Savannah, while Magic Johnson and Larry Bird were also married. Unfortunately, this take did not go over well as Stephen A. and JJ Redick were left stunned.
Subsequently, fans flooded Twitter with some reactions to what was being said. Overall, they could not believe that Magic Johnson would be mentioned here. After all, he is someone who cheated on his wife quite a bit while he played in the NBA. Although he and Cookie are still together, the infidelity definitely invalidates the point Shannon was trying to make here. Beyond that, the point was a bit far-fetched to begin with. No one is really thinking about the players and who they might be married to.
Fans React
Let us know what you think of Shannon Sharpe and his take, in the comments section down below. Do you agree with him? Additionally, stay tuned to HNHH for the latest news and updates from around the sports world. We will continue to keep you informed on all of your favorite athletes. With the NBA playoffs approaching, we will have a ton to bring you.
Bro used Magic as an example of a perfect marriage
JJ Redick is one of the most beloved commentators in the entire NBA. Overall, this is because he brings real analysis to the sport. Although he is sometimes too player-friendly, there is no doubt he knows what he is talking about. He has been through it all in the NBA, and he brings that experience to the broadcast booth. However, his best work is actually done over on First Take. While Stephen A. Smith simply spews hot takes, Redick is right there where he brings just a little bit of rationality to the discourse.
On today’s episode of First Take, Redick was actually quite fired up. Typically, he isn’t overly critical of anyone. Although today, he had a real bone to pick. His issue was actually with his former coach, Doc Rivers. Rivers has been making excuses for why the Milwaukee Bucks are losing, and JJ hasn’t been buying them. He made sure to call out the coach, noting that his entire career has been filled with excuses. It was very direct, and it was perhaps the most scathing critique we have heard about Doc Rivers in quite some time.
Even Stephen A. Smith was taken aback by what JJ Redick was saying. However, Smith was quick to say that given Redick’s history with the man, the comments had validity. Smith was also critical of Rivers and his handling of his new role. He even went so far as to say that soon, Rivers may not even have a job in the league. Needless to say, Rivers stock might be approaching a low point, despite him constantly getting jobs.
Let us know what you think of Redick and his take, in the comments section down below. Do you think he was correct with this latest reaction? Additionally, stay tuned to HNHH for the latest news and updates from around the sports world. We will continue to keep you informed on all of your favorite athletes and their next moves.
Stephen A Smith is easily one of the most passionate men in all of sports journalism. Overall, he has some pretty big hot takes, and he is not afraid to say when he feels like there is something bad going on in the sports world. Although some don’t appreciate his takes, there is no doubt that he has a lot of fans. Besides, he makes over $10 million over at ESPN, so he is clearly winning. Even despite the hate, Smith continues to do his thing, and it has been pretty fun to watch.
Over the weekend, we got to watch the NBA All-Star Weekend. Unfortunately, this year was one of the worst weekends ever. Although the three-point contest was cool, the dunk contest was awful. Furthermore, the game itself was a layup line as 397 points were scored. No defense was played, and guys were just chucking up threes the whole time. As you can imagine, Smith was outraged at what he saw, and called it out on First Take. He went so far as to say that the game was a complete “travesty.”
Overall, Smith is convinced that the game itself needs a massive overhaul. For instance, he wants the dunk contest to be filled with people from across the country who are all about exciting dunks. Moreover, he wants the players to actually try in the game. He feels like they play harder at the YMCA than they do in the All-Star Game, which is pretty accurate. Smith has a similar rant every year, but now, it is very clear that he is at his wits end with this one. It just so happens that every other NBA fan is too.
Let us know what you thought of the All-Star Game, in the comments section below. Additionally, stay tuned to HNHH for the latest news and updates from around the sports world. We will continue to keep you informed on all of your favorite athletes and their coming moves.
ESPN appeared to swing the deal of 2023 when they added Shannon Sharpe to the rotating cast of analysts on First Take. It was a move made seemingly at the request of Stephen A. Smith following Sharpe’s departure from Undisputed. However, six months in, how are things looking for sports media’s newest power couple?
Smith & Sharpe Have Business Booming At ESPN
LAS VEGAS, NEVADA – FEBRUARY 07: Shannon Sharpe speaks on SiriusXM at Super Bowl LVIII on February 07, 2024 in Las Vegas, Nevada. (Photo by Cindy Ord/Getty Images for SiriusXM)
2023 was First Take‘s most successful year to date. Anchored by Smith and Molly Qerim along with their rotating cast of guests, the show averaged 496,000 viewers per episode and extended its year-on-year growth streak to 17 months. Viewership only seemed to get better later in the year, with Sharpe debuting in early September. Over 700,000 people were tuning in to Sharpe’s first week on the show. Furthermore, December 2023 was the show’s second most-watched month on record.
Additionally, when paired with a smooth transition for The Pat McAfee Show, which airs directly after First Take, ESPN has created an unstoppable four-hour programming block. Furthermore, the massive talent cuts ESPN seemingly undertook to acquire Sharpe were completely negated by a $2 billion gaming partnership late in the year. In terms of money and viewership, things are great at ESPN. However, there is a catch.
Does Stephen A. Respect Shannon Too Much On First Take?
LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA – OCTOBER 26: Shannon Sharpeattends a basketball game between the Los Angeles Lakers and the Phoenix Suns at Crypto.com Arena on October 26, 2023 in Los Angeles, California. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Allen Berezovsky/Getty Images)
The First Take era of ESPN has been defined by yelling. A lot of yelling. In fact, First Take would likely be a much less successful show if people weren’t yelling. However, the dynamic was always Stephen A. yelling at someone. Originally it was Skip Bayless. Then it was Max Kellerman. Now…Smith just sort of yells at everyone. He can’t yell at Qerim directly because that’s terrible optics. Nor can he yell at Mad Dog directly because that devolves into a screaming match. However, Smith also doesn’t want to yell at Sharpe because he literally pushed ESPN to sign the Hall of Famer and clearly respects him too much. Hell, one of Mad Dog’s viral rants in 2023 was about the bromance between Smith and Sharpe!
While the Smith-Sharpe pairing is clearly working, the show has fundamentally changed. Smith’s debates are now typically with lesser-known ESPN personalities, rather than his mainstay foil. However, this might just speak to an overall shift in Smith’s brand as “directionless yelling” is essentially the crux of his podcast, The Stephen A. Smith Show. Fans were hoping for all-out brawls between Smith and Sharpe but that just doesn’t happen. Smith has one voice for rants and another for Shannon Sharpe.
Can Shannon Sharpe Prevent A Divorce Between Stephen A. Smith & ESPN?
LAS VEGAS, NEVADA – FEBRUARY 08: Sports television personality Stephen A. Smith is seen on Radio Row ahead of Super Bowl LVIII at the Mandalay Bay Convention Centeron February 08, 2024 in Las Vegas, Nevada. (Photo by Rob Carr/Getty Images)
There is one other issue looming – Stephen A. Smith. Smith’s contract expires this year and he has made it very clear that he owes no loyalty to ESPN. Last December, Smith told Outkick’s Clay Travis that he wanted to be the broadcaster’s highest-paid talent and that he wanted $20 million in his new contract. That would be an $8 million raise from the $12M per year that he earns now. Furthermore, Smith told Travis that he has no qualms about leaving ESPN if they don’t meet his demands.
Smith likely wouldn’t net $20M a year if he went fully independent but he’d likely come pretty close. His podcast already gets free advertising on First Takedespite not being an ESPN product. With sponsors and more freedom around his content and conduct, there is definitely an appeal to independent broadcasting for Smith. Additionally, it’s clear at this point that ESPN needs Smith more than Smith needs ESPN.
So where do things go from here? After investing heavily in Sharpe, they aren’t going to want to lose Smith. However, can ESPN justify Smith’s asking price? How is it going to look down the line if they lay off staff writers but still have Smith’s $20M salary on the books? And what is the ceiling for First Take? Just how many more viewers can they actually attract, especially when young people are less likely to buy an ESPN package?
Are you a fan of First Take‘s newest era? Do you wish that there was more drama? And where do you think the show goes from here? Let us know in the comments.
(@josh2saint) 
