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.
Stephen A. Smith has apologized to Cam Newton for the role that First Take and The Stephen A. Smith Show played in the backlash Newton received over his opinions on Brock Purdy. “Whether we agree or disagree with your dissection of Brock Purdy, what that [debate] deteriorated into was whether you had the right to say that. And I just want to say on national TV…I want to apologize for that,” Smith told Newton.
Newton has been getting a lot of hate for saying that Brock Purdy was not a “game changer” but a “game manager”. It’s a point he even made prior to smith’s apology. Newton said he trusted Purdy on a game-winning Super Bowl drive because he trusted Purdy’s resources. However, many people questioned what “right” Newton, who hasn’t played since 2021, had to make that call given what he had achieved in his own career.
Shannon Sharpe Questions Whether Cam Newton Is Serious About Returning To The NFL
Meanwhile, Newton’s ambition of potentially returning to the NFL got a reality check in the form of Shannon Sharpe. Sharpe used an audience Q&A for the 4th And 1 podcast to reveal how he feels about Newton, who was joining him on the show, wanting to be back in the NFL. Shannon’s point boiled down to one key factor – is Newton ready to sacrifice everything to back into the NFL? “You gotta train like Auburn Cam, when you didn’t have a cent. That’s the level you gotta train at that level. And that’s something that only Cam can answer.”
Unfortunately, for Cam, it appeared that he was not prepared to make that level of sacrifice. Instead, Newton tried to argue that he was allowed to have preferences and conditions about his return. Furthermore, he tried to mount the argument that his willingness to compromise on his role and expectations was an adequate replacement for sacrifice.
Shannon Sharpe has said he “ain’t sweating” the turbulence that has surrounded his career over the past 12 months. “I got more subs than Undisputed. You look at the talent they got now… We’re out here launching a new podcast. I ain’t sweating it, I’m fine. My agent? He tells me – don’t worry about it. Your next contract will make up for what you lost. I’m doing just fine,” Sharpe told Chad Johnson.
2023 marked the end of Sharpe’s run on FS1’s Undisputed. Sharpe left the show abruptly after the NBA Finals, ending a seven-year run opposite Skip Bayless. However, Sharpe would later reveal that he had been all-but forced out as Bayless looked to re-center the show around himself. Of course, Sharpe then took his various products to a host of other platforms while moving his punditry to ESPN. First Take, which already held a commanding viewership lead over Undisputed, then pulled clear away from its FS1 rival. Bayless tried to compensate with Hall of Famer NFLers and Lil Wayne, but the viewership had long left with Sharpe.
— Shannonnn sharpes Burner (PARODY Account) (@shannonsharpeee) February 6, 2024
Meanwhile, Sharpe also recently posted a throwback photo to show that his fitness journey is not a new thing. The image showed Sharpe at 20 and was posted to social media last month. “When they say UNC just started poppin. That’s a lie. UNC been poppin since the 80s. Here’s proof of young 20 yr old Nephew. #ТВT #SSUQRANGECRUSH #BEENHIM #IMSTILLHIM,” Sharpe added as a caption.
“20-year-old nephew” dates the photo to 1988, Sharpe’s penultimate season at Savannah State. In 1990, he would become an unheralded seventh-round pick by the Broncos. However, the rest is history. Sharpe would become one of the greatest tight ends in NFL history and one of the greatest Broncos of all time. He ended his career with three Super Bowl rings and was elected to the Hall of Fame in 2011.
Dan Orlovsky is someone who is known for his expert analysis on First Take. Over the years, he has built a solid reputation as someone that the fans can trust. Although he didn’t have a great NFL career, he certainly knows the game inside and out. Overall, he truly shines whenever he talks about the quarterbacks. He can break down their games with expert precision, and it has been a joy to watch on shows like First Take and NFL Live. However, today, he went viral for all of the wrong reasons.
In the video clip below, Orlovsky was on the First Take panel with Molly Qerim, Stephen A. Smith, and Shannon Sharpe. Seeing as it was the first day back after New Year’s, they had the opportunity to talk some football. However, instead of having a normal conversation, Dan had Molly’s high heel in his hands for some reason. Unprompted, in the middle of the conversation, Dan decided it would be funny to take a giant whiff of her shoe. This left Stephen A. and Shannon in a state of disbelief.
Dam orlovsky sniffed one of mollys shoe & unc Shannon sharpe said “idk dan I got keep my eye on you” pic.twitter.com/OrAdAiz49L
— Shannonnn sharpes Burner (PARODY Account) (@shannonsharpeee) January 2, 2024
“I don’t know Dan I gotta keep my eye on you,” Shannon said. Subsequently, Stephen A. Smith quipped that Orlovsky may just have a foot fetish. Overall, it was a very bizarre incident and Molly seemed pretty shocked by it too. As for Orlovsky, he did not seem to realize the magnitude of what he did. In the eyes of many, it would have been a sexual gesture. However, Dan seemingly did not realize that at all. Either way, it was very weird and the commenters certainly agree.
With Orlovsky sniffing Molly’s heels, let us know what you think of this act, in the comments section below. Does he need to be reprimanded immediately? Additionally, stay tuned to HNHH for the latest news and updates from around the sports and entertainment worlds. We will continue to keep you informed on your favorite athletes and personalities.
Kendrick Perkins is someone who is very opinionated and is never ashamed to show that. Overall, he has had some very interesting moments on First Take. For the most part, he has actually even angered some folks with what he has to say. However, he does try to remain fair and objective on certain topics, as long as they have nothing to do with LeBron James. That said, Perkins was on First Take this morning as the show returned from the Christmas break.
Stephen A. Smith was not on the program this morning, so you know the takes had to be hot to keep fans engaged. Well, they spoke about none other than Steve Kerr, who was upset with the officiating while playing the Denver Nuggets. Kerr felt as though Nikola Jokic was trying to fish for fouls and that the officials were letting him do so. These complaints led to a take from Perkins in which he was actually quite annoyed with Kerr. Effectively, he thinks the Warriors head coach is a massive hypocrite.
Perkins said that the Warriors love to complain about the things that they have done for years at this point. He even invoked the lyrics of Finesse2Tymes, who once said “it’s cool when they do it, it’s a problem when I do it.” It was an interesting analogy to use although it certainly makes sense. At this point, the Warriors are a team in decline and they don’t seem to know how to handle that. As a result, they are complaining about everything, and players like Draymond Green are lashing out more frequently.
Let us know what you think about the Warriors situation, in the comments section down 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. 2024 is set to be a truly action packed year for the wide world of sports.
First Take has continued to hold a massive lead over Undisputed in terms of TV rankings. According to Front Office Sports, Over the last week of November and the first week of December, the ESPN product averaged more than 5.5 times the viewership of its FS1 rival. Furthermore, November finished with the best monthly viewership figures in the 16-year history of First Take.
The game between the two shows has only continued to grow over the second half of 2023. Despite a complete retooling, Undisputed has been unable to bounce back from losing Shannon Sharpe to ESPN back in June. No matter what Skip Bayless tries, including getting a live college commitment announcement on the show, nothing is helping close the gap with the Stephen A. Smith-led vehicle. Not even adding the likes of Lil Wayne has helped Undisputed catch up.
First Take is averaging 5x more viewers than Undisputed, per @FOS
“During the two weeks from Nov. 27 to Dec. 8, ‘First Take’ (581,000) drew an audience five times greater than ‘Undisputed’ (105,000), according to sources. In fact, November ranked as the most-watched month… pic.twitter.com/fvUHVJisP0
The addition of Shannon Sharpe, even as a part-time contributor, has helped First Take rocket to new heights, well above any of its major competitors. Back in September, First Take was seeing single-episode highs of over 700,000 unique viewers. However, perhaps Bayless is the architect of his own destruction. In September, Smith was making bombshell claims about Sharpe’s former employer. Smith claimed that he doesn’t view his acquisition of Sharpe as poaching or anything like that because Sharpe “didn’t leave of his own volition”.
However, it makes sense. It’s an open secret at this point that Skip Bayless has been seeking more and more control over his flagship show at FS1. It’s likely that Bayless wanted Sharpe out so that he could restructure the show to once again put himself at the top of the pecking order. This is supported by the fact several people were considered and rejected to replace Sharpe and most were rejected on the basis that they would be too much of an equal opponent for Bayless. Instead, Bayless reportedly wants easy wins when it comes to his debate partners.
Shannon Share is someone who has become massive in terms of sports media. Overall, this is thanks to his work on Undisputed, and now, First Take. Over the years, Sharpe has been able to increase his profile, and there is no doubt that he is beloved. Although some may not love him, there are those who are huge fans. They will continue to be big fans for many years, and we cannot wait to see what else Shannon does on TV. After all, his podcast with Chad Johnson has been an overwhelming success so far.
However, as it turns out, Sharpe wasn’t always sold on his voice or his abilities. In a new interview with Complex, Sharpe reveals there was a team where he enlisted a voice coach to help him change how he talks. However, he quickly realized that he didn’t need to do all that. He understood that the audience would see through it. Moreover, he just wanted to be himself, without having to censor or think twice about what he was saying.
LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA – JANUARY 20: Shannon Sharpe reacts after he is restrained by security from Ja Morant #12 of the Memphis Grizzlies after a verbal altercation after the first half against the Los Angeles Lakers at Crypto.com Arena on January 20, 2023 in Los Angeles, California. (Photo by Harry How/Getty Images)
“I went to so many speech therapists and pathologists trying to change the way I talk. And then I just realized that’s not who I am,” Sharpe said. “The listening audience, the viewing audience is never gonna believe this is who I am. They’ve heard me speak enough to know what I sound like and how I should sound. And once I went back to being who I was, my authentic self, it seemingly took off for me from there.”
We’re glad Shannon decided against doing this. His voice is iconic, and we are glad to have it in the sports landscape. Let us know what you think of this revelation, 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 your favorite athletes and personalities.
(@josh2saint) February 20, 2024
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