first take

Stephen A. Smith Claims Chefs Have Told Him Zion Williamson Will “Eat The Table”

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Stephen A. Smith is someone who is always commenting on the biggest stories from around the NBA world. However, he does so in a way that can be exceptionally blunt. Sometimes, he will pick a target and he will stick with them for weeks until a new target comes along. Overall, you never want to be on Smith’s bad side. He has been known to be cruel on occasion, and it can get ugly. As for who he is going after right now, that man would just so happen to be Zion Williamson.

Williamson had a lackluster performance against LeBron James in the In-Season Tournament semi-final. Subsequently, there was a whole bunch of chatter about his weight and whether or not he was in the proper shape to play basketball. Over the weekend, Stephen A. was on his podcast where he was extremely hard on Williamson. Today, on First Take, he went even harder. In the video below, Smith talks about Zion’s weight and how he has heard about the NBA star from chefs down in New Orleans. He even had one quote that is setting the NBA world on fire.

Read More: JJ Redick Apologizes To Stephen A. Smith

Stephen A. Speaks

“I’m not exaggerating, I’m quoting people. You got chefs in New Orleans who love him,” Smith began. “They’re looking for him. Every chef there wants to meet him… The word out on Zion Williamson is that he’ll eat the table.” One has to wonder where exactly Stephen A. is finding these sources, but we digress. It was a hell of a quote and many are wondering what exactly is wrong with the former Duke standout. At some point, someone on the team will have to hold him accountable.

Be sure to let us know what you thought of Stephen A. and his rant, in the comments section below. Additionally, stay tuned and keep it locked to HNHH for the latest news and updates from around the music world. We will always keep you informed on all of your favorite artists.

Read More: Stephen A. Smith Roasted For Oversized Jordan Hat

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The JFK Assassination Serves As Mad Dog’s Bizarre Opening Rant On “First Take”

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Christopher “Mad Dog” Russo’s What Are You Mad About? segment on today’s episode of First Take got off to a weird start. In what was meant to be a rant about Thanksgiving, Mad Dog instead opened by sharing his thoughts on the 1963 assassination of then-US President John F. Kennedy. “If anybody out there thinks that Lee Harvey Oswald did that by himself, they’re taking gummies with me. Lee Harvey Oswald, he, uh, that was not a solo deal with the President of the United States, may I say that?” Mad Dog asked before eventually moving on.

Of course, the idea that Lee Harvey Oswald did not act alone in killing President Kennedy is one of the most popular conspiracy theories around. Today (November 22) marks the 60th anniversary of JFK’s death, but it still doesn’t explain why Mad Dog brought it up on the sports talk show that he helps host. Maybe he’s been watching the same TikToks as Meek Mill?

Read More: Mad Dog Dedicates “First Take” Rant Segment To Stephen A. Smith And Shannon Sharpe’s Bromance

Stephen A. Debates The GOAT Of Cars

However, Mad Dog is not the only First Take who has gone a little off-rails this week. On The Stephen A. Smith Show, Stephen A. took a bizarre tangent of his own thanks to a caller. “Danny from Wisconsin” called in to ask Smith about the in-universe GOAT debate between Lightning McQueen and Strip Weathers from the movie Cars. “When you’re talking about the GOAT, you can’t talk about Lightning McQueen. He’s tied…He has seven Piston Cups. But so does Strip “The King” Weathers. Strip Weathers has seven Piston Cups. You forget about him?” Smith asked “Danny from Wisconsin”. However, Danny attempted to push his luck, trying to argue that Lightning had more circuit wins at 28.

“I am not about to sit here and argue with a grown-a– man about the movie Cars,” Smith shot back as Danny tried to say his piece about Lightning McQueen. However, Danny tried to switch gears to the Fast & Furious franchise to argue the validity of the question, which prompted a signature Stephen A. response. “YOU’RE NOT A LITTLE KID. YOU’RE 21. YOU WOULD HAVE A POINT IF YOU WERE 7 YEARS OLD CALLING ME. YOU’RE 21 YEARS OLD. WHAT ARE YOU DOING, WEARING A DIAPER? GOODBYE, MAN,” Smith screamed down the phone at Danny.

Read More: Snoop Dogg’s Decision To Stop Smoking Gets Perfect Response From Stephen A. Smith

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Shannon Sharpe Can’t Trust Lamar Jackson

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Shannon Sharpe has been a phenomenal addition to the First Take team. Overall, he used to be with Skip Bayless, but we all know how that ended. Now, Sharpe is in his element while on television with Stephen A. Smith. The two have been having a lot of fun, and the audience can see it. However, they have both had their fair share of disagreements, which has kept the show going forward. On Monday, they had an in-depth conversation about the NFL world, and it led to a hot take about Lamar Jackson.

Overall, Jackson has been pretty good this year. However, in the last few games, there have been some missteps here and there. Consequently, Shannon Sharpe had a bit of a harsh take on Jackson this morning. Essentially, he said that he isn’t really convinced that the Ravens can win it all this year. He has some questions about Lamar, and at this stage of the season, he cannot truly trust him. Furthermore, he can’t trust the team as a whole.

Read More: Miss B Nasty Reacts To Shannon Sharpe Thirsting Over Her

Shannon Sharpe Gives His Take

“Lamar Jackson has been up and down and it’s been masked because they’re winning,” Sharpe said. “It’s hard for me to trust Lamar. It’s hard for me to trust this team.” Lamar Jackson has been a fascinating quarterback to watch over the past couple of years. Overall, he has been great on the field, although he has had a couple of problems doing well in the playoffs. With that being said, it is easy to see how Sharpe might be wary of what Jackson can do next.

Heading into the last stretch of the season, it will be fascinating to see what the Ravens are able to do. Only time will tell whether or not Sharpe’s questions about the team will be answered. Let us know what you think of his take, in the comments section below. Additionally, stay tuned to HNHH for the latest news and updates from around the sports world. We will always be sure to keep you informed.

Read More: DJ Khaled Tells Shannon Sharpe How He Spends His Fortune

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Shannon Sharpe Turns Up Upon Return To Savannah State

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Shannon Sharpe is easily one of the most famous athletes to ever attend an HBCU. Although he has been tough on the HBCU circuit, he acknowledges that it is how he got into the NFL. For those who don’t know, Sharpe attended Savannah State University. While there, he was a standout tight end who went on to win three Super Bowls in the NFL. Furthermore, he changed the tight end position forever while also becoming one of the greatest to ever play his position.

Now, Sharpe is one of the co-hosts on First Take with Stephen A. Smith. Overall, this is great news for a lot of fans. He and Stephen A. Smith have a ton of chemistry and they are always heavy on the banter. This week is especially special as they are visiting various HBCUs. One of the ones they went to just so happens to be Savannah State. Of course, Shannon was ready to tag along for that as he was going to visit his alma mater. In the video below, you can see just how warm the reception was.

Read More: Shannon Sharpe Responds To Concerns About His Makeup On “First Take”

Shannon Sharpe Is Back Home

Shannon appeared to be exceptionally excited while walking through the parade of students who were there to greet him. He was turning up, and it was truly awesome to see. At the end of the day, Sharpe is one of the school’s biggest legends. For the football players there, he is someone who is revered and will continue to be for many years to come. As for the episode of First Take that ensued, it was a great one as there were many big topics to cover. For the students, it must have been a treat to watch live.

Let us know what you think of Sharpe going back to Savannah State, 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 bring you all of the latest updates on your favorite athletes.

Read More: Shannon Sharpe And Chad Johnson Debate Romantic Partner Bathroom Etiquette

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“First Take” Heading To The Alma Maters Of Stephen A. Smith And Shannon Sharpe

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First Take is headed on the road to kick off November. ESPN has announced that the show will do back-to-back live tapings from Savannah State and Winston-Salem State on November 6 and 7. Additionally, the HBCUs are the alma maters of Shannon Sharpe and Stephen A. Smith respectively. “I’ve been a part of a whole bunch of exciting things throughout my years on First Take. But this may take the cake. To have back-to-back days at HBCUs – on campus, LIVE – providing Black Colleges with national television exposure is sensational within itself. But for the two universities to be the alma maters of Shannon Sharpe and myself…I just can’t express how excited I am. Shannon can’t wait. Neither can I. This is going to be some of the greatest moments of my career. And I know Shannon feels the same. Buckle Up! Here we come!” said Smith.

“If somebody would have told me, when I stepped onto that Savannah State Campus, that I would one day return to my alma mater in this capacity, I would have laughed. This is incredible, and to be able to come back this way means so much to me and I am so very excited. I have to thank Stephen A. for making this happen, and I have to thank ESPN and Disney for making this possible. We get to be a part of showing the world how great HBCUs are, and that is very special. We’re coming home!” added Sharpe.

Read More: Stephen A. Smith Makes Bizarre Vibrator Joke To Molly Qerim While On First Take

Stephen A. Smith Goes After Jada Pinkett Smith

However, elsewhere, Stephen A. had less complimentary things to say about actress Jada Pinkett Smith amid her recent book tour. “What’s the dude’s name? August? I don’t know who he is. I know he’s the friend of your son, who’s 21 years younger than you. What you do is your business. Any woman who wants to be a cougar with a dude of legal age that is your business. But, the operative words are ‘your business’,” Smith began, referring to Pinkett-Smith’s confession of an affair with singer August Alsina. “”Did you have to go and tell everybody? Go ahead and do it. Why does everybody have to know? Why? Why did everybody have to know? You didn’t tell everybody what you did while you were doing it?” Smith continued.

Furthermore, the ESPN host continued to ramp up his attack. “There wasn’t no porn movie. Wasn’t no X-rated movie. Why? Because it was none of our business. So, why talk about it? Keep it to yourself. And you keep it to yourself, not just because it’s yourself, but because there’s a man who loves you. Who married you. He deserve that? Seriously, he deserve that? Somebody gotta say that to Jada, plain and simple,” he said.

Read More: Stephen A. Smith Seemingly Calls Jason Whitlock A “Fat Bastard” In Scathing Rant

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Shannon Sharpe Responds To Concerns About His Makeup On “First Take”

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Shannon Sharpe is the latest talent to join First Take on ESPN. After leaving Skip Bayless for Stephen A. Smith, he has looked a lot happier. Overall, he is only on First Take two days per week. He is on the Monday and Tuesday shows which makes sense since he is there to analyze football. Although some feel as though his debates with Stephen A. haven’t been super entertaining, others just like to hear his takes. After all, Sharpe is someone with an incredible pedigree who knows what it takes to succeed in the NFL.

Today, however, Sharpe found himself at the forefront of some internet trolling. This is due to the fact that his makeup looked out of sorts on the broadcast. The person behind his burner account even came out and said that he looked like Randy Jackson. Overall, it was not a great look, and fans wanted Shannon to speak on it. Well, he ended up doing just that. However, he isn’t too bothered. Instead, he is taking it all in stride while also giving some props to his makeup artists.

Read More: Stephen A. Smith & Shannon Sharpe React To Deion Sanders’ First Loss In Colorado

Shannon Sharpe Speaks

“Appreciate the concern over my makeup this morning on @FirstTake,” Sharpe said. “This was her 1st time doing my makeup and it was a little heavy. My appearance is important not as important as my takes. Hopefully, the takes were gr8 as usual.” A fan eventually wondered if the makeup artist would be fired. However, Sharpe was quick to note that this would not be the case. “No she isn’t. She’ll get better with my makeup. Isn’t the end of the world,” Sharpe wrote.

So there you have it, folks. If Shannon isn’t worried about it, you shouldn’t be either. After all, it is his face, and not yours. Let us know what you think of his response, in the comments section below. Additionally, stay tuned to HNHH for the latest news and updates from around the sports world. We will always keep you informed on all of your favorite artists.

Read More: Shannon Sharpe Claims He Nearly Hit Skip Bayless During Tom Brady Debate

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Stephen A. Smith Hilariously Trolls The Cowboys After Horrific Blowout

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Stephen A. Smith is one of the most staunch haters in the world as it pertains to the Dallas Cowboys. Overall, he always makes sure to give them hell whenever they underperform. Although a lot of people hate Stephen A. for his Cowboys takes, there are many others who find them entertaining. After all, the Cowboys are both easy and fun to make jokes about. Jerry Jones is always caught doing too much, while others believe the team is hilarious because of their propensity to underperform.

On Sunday, they had their most difficult test of the season thus far. The team played against the almighty San Francisco 49ers. The Niners came into the game as an undefeated squad and they left the game as an undefeated squad. In fact, they beat down on the Cowboys in an unrelenting fashion. The final score was 42-10, and as you can imagine, Stephen A. was hyped. Firstly, he took to Twitter after the game where he posted his signature laugh that only get posted after a Cowboys loss. Subsequently, he went on First Take this morning and kept the jokes going.

Read More: Stephen A. Smith Happy To Be Single, Weighs In On Taylor Swift Rumors

Stephen A. Does His Thing

As you can see in the video above, Stephen A. could be seen wearing a Michael Irvin jersey, all while continuously taunting Cowboys fans. It was all very amusing, and you could tell he was having a lot of fun doing this. However, the joke definitely was not funny to all of the Cowboys fans out there. Sure, Shannon Sharpe was laughing, but if you love Dallas, it must hurt to see such joy emanating from a 32-point destruction.

With the loss, the Cowboys are now 3-2 this season. They started off strong, but now, they don’t look so hot. Only time will tell whether or not this team can actually compete come playoff time. Let us know what you think of all this, in the comments section below. Additionally, stay tuned to HNHH for more news and updates from around the sports world.

Read More: Stephen A. Smith Completely Dismisses The Cowboys’ Hot Start

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‘First Take’ Floated The Theory That Taylor Swift And Travis Kelce Are Not Actually Dating

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first take mad dog taylor swift travis kelce
ESPN

The biggest story in sports and pop culture right now involves Kansas City Chiefs tight end Travis Kelce and his flirtation with Taylor Swift. Kelce has made clear that he is … let’s say a fan of the most famous person in the world right now, and there sure seems to be a lot of smoke around the two of them dating, most notably that Swift went to the Chiefs’ game against the Chicago Bears this week, sat with Kelce’s mom, celebrated when he scored, and left the game with him.

Kelce addressed the whole thing on the most recent episode of his podcast, but it appears that there is one person who thinks something smells funny here. That person is noted yeller Chris “Mad Dog” Russo, who took some time during his weekly First Take segment about stuff that made him mad to float his theory that all of this is about publicity.

“LOOK AT THIS!” Russo said, as eloquently as ever before — and maybe I am just not hearing this correctly — just screaming out a bunch of letters in combinations no one has ever put together before. He then got back on track.

“SHE WANTS TO ENJOY HER SON,” Russo said. “AND WHO TAKES THEIR GIRLFRIEND, TWO MINUTES INTO A RELATIONSHIP, TO VISIT MOMMY AND DADDY? NOBODY DOES THAT! AND THEN WE’RE GONNA SHOW ‘EM WALKING OUT? AND NOW ALL OF A SUDDEN, SHE’S A BIG KANSAS CITY CHIEFS FAN. SHE’S NEVER HEARD OF LENNY DAWSON.”

To be clear, he might have said someone other than Len Dawson and I just am once again not hearing him correctly, but really, that part is not important here. (Well, it is kinda important in that it’s crappy to pull the “I bet she has never heard of THIS athlete!” card.) (Also, Swift is a well-documented fan of the Philadelphia Eagles.) While Stephen A. Smith and Marcus Spears attempted to compose themselves, Molly Qerim prodded Russo a little bit.

“I can’t believe you’re mad about Travis and Taylor,” she said. “They found love.”

“FOUND LOVE?” Russo responded. “WHAT ARE YOU CRAZY? FOUND LOVE? ARE YOU NUTS? YOU CAN’T BELIEVE THAT. FOUND LOVE AFTER FIVE MINUTES? PLEASE. OH IT’S … FOUND LOVE? OH MY GOD, FOUND LOVE? YOU KNOW WHAT THEY FOUND? LET’S GET SOME PUBLICITY, THAT’S WHAT THEY FOUND.”

I am sure they talked about other things on First Take on Wednesday morning, but I am willing to wager that nothing else was this loud.

Stephen A. Smith Gleefully Mocks The Cowboys To Marcus Spears’ Face

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“They will find a way. What can go wrong, will go wrong,” Stephen A. Smith gleefully said of the Cowboys on First Take. “Just be patient, just wait. It’s coming. Because guess what, Marcus? You just gave me an additional reason why the Cowboys ain’t going to win this year. I get to point to their lack of maturity.” Of course, Smith is about as far from a fan of the Cowboys as one can get. After their latest loss on Sunday night, Smith simply posted a video of himself laughing long and hard as the Cowboys loss.

Despite opening the season with 40-0 and 30-10 wins against the two New York teams, Dallas was unable to overcome the then-winless Cardinals. The Cowboys never held the lead and looked completely out of sorts against a Cardinals team they really should have crushed. Dallas hosts the Patriots on Sunday night as they look to get back on track.

Read More: Stephen A. Smith & Shannon Sharpe React To Deion Sanders’ First Loss In Colorado

Stephen A. Smith Approves Of Travis Kelce And Taylor Swift

At the other end of the spectrum, something that Stephen A. very much does approve of is the rumored romance between Travis Kelce and Taylor Swift. “He could do worse and that’s saying a lot because look up the name Kayla Nicole. I’m a fan. She knows that. You know what I’m saying. No shade on her whatsoever. Having said that, he knows that. You understand what I’m saying? But having said that, she knows that too. Travis Kelce’s a good brother, man. I love me some Travis Kelce. That’s his business. I don’t know what’s going on. But anything that makes Travis Kelce happy, I am a supporter of,” Stephen told Mina Kimes on First Take last week.

Swift attended a Chiefs game this past weekend, having accepted an invite Kelce extended on The Pat McAfee Show last week. “I just thought it was awesome how everybody in the suite had nothing but great things to say about her. She looked amazing. Everybody was talking about her in a great light. And on top of that, the day went perfect for Chiefs fans. To see the slow-motion chest bumps, to see the high-fives with Mom, to see how Chiefs Kingdom was all excited that she was there — that shit was absolutely hysterical. It’s definitely a game I’ll remember, that’s for damn sure. I know I brought all this attention to me. What’s real is that, you know, it is my personal life. I want to respect both of our lives,” Kelce said on his podcast this week.

Read More: Jay-Z And Steve Harvey Roast Stephen A. Smith About Botched Yankees First Pitch

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Shannon Sharpe Rips Giannis Antetokounmpo Over Recent “Winner” Comments

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Shannon Sharpe didn’t appreciate Giannis Antetokounmpo’s recent comments about how he’s a winner before he’s a Milwaukee Buck. “You got a new coach, Adrian Griffin, give him a chance. You gave Mike Budenholzer a chance. And, you got your brother occupying two roster spots. Oh, we gonna talk about that? You know that your brothers probably ain’t going to be playing for any team in the NBA other than Milwaukee, and that’s only because of you. You can keep talking about surrounding you with talent but there are two spots that are occupied by your brothers,” Sharpe said in a passionate rant on First Take.

However, Sharpe is a little off the mark with this take. Only one of Giannis’ brothers is currently rostered with the Bucks. Alex Antetokounmpo was signed and waived by the Bucks earlier this month. As for Thanasis, he was a benchwarmer to be sure in 2022-23. Still, he managed 43% shooting in about 5 minutes per game and is clearly good enough to at least warrant a bench place on a deep Bucks team. Furthermore, Giannis has a valid point – the Bucks are a good team that doesn’t spend money. Who was the last great free agent they signed? They rely heavily on depth rotation and for Giannis and Khris Middleton to be healthy.

Read More: Drake calls FIBA World Cup a “vacation” while explaining why Giannis couldn’t walk him out in Milwaukee

Giannis’ Recent History Of Hot Takes

However, it’s not the only spicy thing Giannis has said in recent weeks. Earlier this month, the Greek star co-signed Noah Lyles comments about the US. “He received so much backlash for saying, like, the obvious, but some people don’t understand it. I don’t know, maybe it’s like an arrogance thing,” Giannis told the 48 Minutes podcast. “I don’t think in any other sport you are called the world champions. Like in soccer, which is way bigger than the NBA, more popular than the NBA, when the Champions League, the UEFA Champions League champions … they don’t say [they’re] world champion. When they win the World Cup, they play against the USA team, they play against the teams around the world, countries around the world. Then they say world champs,” Giannis said.

Giannis did not play in the FIBA World Cup due to injury. Greece, ranked 9th in the world, finished 15th in a disappointing showing. However, they will have another chance to qualify for the Paris Olympics next June. Giannis has expressed his desire to represent his country at the Olympic Games.

Read More: Shannon Sharpe slams Giannis for “failure” comments

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