Shannon Sharpe and Skip Bayless fell out of favor with one another, and pretty well everyone saw this coming from a mile away. Overall, Bayless was doing way too much as it pertains to the disrespect. Shannon subsequently left Undisputed so that he could do his own thing. It was a good move as Club Shay Shay has exploded in popularity. Meanwhile, Skip is out at FS1 and Undisputed was canceled. Recently, Shannon spoke about all of this on Nightcap with Chad Ochocinco.
“I’ll be 100% honest. I didn’t want Skip’s show to get canceled,” Sharpe said. “Just because he and I can’t eat off the same plate, that doesn’t mean I don’t want to see him eat. I think the thing is the misconception was, and this is what I tell people and l’ve told people in private and I’ll say this publicly, Skip gave me the opportunity.” Sharpe eventually went on to confirm that Skip was crossing too many boundaries and eventually, he had to put a stop to all of it.
“I felt what he did. It wasn’t what he said, it was who said it. It’s like Ocho and I, there are certain things I know that I shouldn’t cross with Ocho,” he said. “Ocho knows there are certain things that we shouldn’t cross with each other. We can joke, yeah we joke, we go back and forth. But I didn’t want his show to get canceled. He gave me an opportunity. I would love to see him go on. I just realized at that moment, he and I was never going to be able to eat off the same plate again.”
Let us know what you think of this latest update from Shannon Sharpe, in the comments section down below. Do you believe Skip Bayless is deserving of such grace? Should Sharpe be a bit harsher with all of this? 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 athletes and their upcoming moves.
Skip Bayless is easily one of the biggest names in the entire sports broadcasting world. However, the last year or so has not been fruitful. Overall, he lost Shannon Sharpe and his Undisputed ratings began to tank. Recently, it was reported that he would be leaving FS1 as it just wasn’t working out. Bayless had largely remained silent on all of this. He wasn’t providing fans with any updates, and no one knew when his last day at the network would be.
Well, today, Skip Bayless officially clocked in for his last day at Undisputed. It was revealed this morning that this would be his last episode. He had Lil Wayne on to celebrate, and it was all very low-key. Following the episode, Skip took to Twitter to offer up his final goodbye. Furthermore, he teased his supporters by noting that this is not the end of his career. In fact, there is more on the horizon for him right now.
Today was my last show on Undisputed. I’m leaving FS1. I’ve been planning to pursue other opportunities for several months. I had a great 8-year run with a lot of great people at FOX, but now I’m excited for what’s coming up. Stay tuned.
“Today was my last show on Undisputed,” Bayless began. “I’m leaving FS1. I’ve been planning to pursue other opportunities for several months. I had a great 8-year run with a lot of great people at FOX, but now I’m excited for what’s coming up. Stay tuned.” Bayless will surely be announcing a new venture soon enough. Whether or not people are going to want to tune in, is a different story entirely. Bayless has always done well with a co-host, but by himself, he is much less appealing.
Let us know what you think of Skip Bayless leaving Undisputed, in the comments section down below. Do you believe that he is going to land on his feet, or his career over at this point? Will you be following Skip to his next venture? Additionally, stay tuned to HNHH for the latest news and updates from around the music world. We will continue to keep you informed on all of your favorite artists and their upcoming projects.
Shannon Sharpe and Skip Bayless had a pretty horrendous falling out a few months ago. Overall, this was all because of Skip’s continued disrespect on Undisputed. Fans were getting sick and tired of it, and so was Shannon. Subsequently, Sharpe decided it was time for him to leave. Once he did so, he went over to ESPN and First Take where he is now good friends with Stephen A Smith. Meanwhile, Bayless is set to fade into obscurity sooner rather than later.
It was recently announced that Skip would no longer be on FS1 come next year. His contract is running out and he will not be renewing. There is a ton of speculation as to what he will do next although many believe he should retire. As for Shannon Sharpe, well, he gave his thoughts on all of this on “Nightcap,” his show with Chad Ochocinco. Below, you can see that Sharpe took a diplomatic approach while speaking on all of this.
Sharpe noted that he is grateful for the opportunity Bayless gave him. Furthermore, he was adamant that he wanted Skip to succeed. However, he knew that they could no longer succeed on the same show together. It was a mature approach and one that Bayless probably wouldn’t have taken himself. Either way, it is going to be interesting to see how Skip moves forward with this new chapter of his career. If one thing is for sure, he has been surpassed by Sharpe in every possible metric.
Let us know how you feel about Shannon Sharpe’s comments, down below. Do you believe that he is being too kind to Skip here? How did you feel about the end of Undisputed? Did Skip do Shannon dirty in the end? Additionally, stay tuned to HNHH for the latest news and updates from around the entertainment world. We will continue to keep you informed on all of your favorite personalities and their upcoming or ongoing projects.
Skip Bayless was one of the biggest draws in sports media just a few years ago. Overall, he was a huge reason for First Take’s early success. As the inventor of the show, Bayless is largely the catalyst for the media landscape we have today, for better or for worse (largely for worse). Skip knew that people love conflict. It’s why news ratings are always higher during times of war, crisis, or natural disaster. Although sports are a whole different beast, conflict is the centerpiece of any athletic competition. Two teams or a group of individuals are fighting for the one thing that the other can’t have. In a stroke of genius, Bayless was able to bring that conflict to sports talk television.
When Skip Bayless brought Stephen A. Smith to First Take, the show was in dire straits. While Bayless was captivating enough with his outlandish hot takes, he couldn’t find a co-host as brazen as himself. That’s where Stephen A. comes in. At the time, Smith had been ousted from ESPN due to what he describes as creative differences and perhaps even some interpersonal ones. There were network people who didn’t take kindly to Smith. However, Bayless couldn’t have cared less. He knew he got along with Stephen A. and had a hunch that bringing him in would boost ratings. In the end, Smith’s arrival did more than just boost ratings.
The show got a whole lot of flack from athletes, coaches, and general managers alike, yet the program was a ratings masterclass for ESPN. It immediately became the biggest show on the network and while ESPN didn’t love this, they couldn’t say no to a cash cow, especially with streaming on the horizon. Bayless and Smith were a match made in heaven. Bayless was always trying to goad a reaction out of Stephen A. and Smith would always give him what he wanted. This subsequently led to numerous iconic moments that have fans feeling nostalgic for the LeBron Miami Heat era of sports discourse.
By the time Skip left ESPN for a larger salary at FS1, Smith was arguably a much bigger star than he was. However, his hatred for LeBron and his hilariously misinformed takes were still enough to garner viewers. Not to mention, Bayless has a great ability to spot talent, and recruiting Shannon Sharpe was the best thing he could have done. They had immediate chemistry, and somehow, they were able to keep up with First Take, despite the latter being significantly more established.
It was a slow build for sure, but by 2019, it felt like Undisputed was a better product. Shannon and Skip were going viral every day and their chemistry was off the charts. “Drip Bayless” had become a household nickname and they were doing everything right. However, once the pandemic hit, it’s like Skip hit the curmudgeon button and never stopped pressing down on it. His disrespect towards Sharpe became apparent. Every month, Skip and Shannon were becoming more like an old married couple than an actual partnership.
Subsequently, everything went to hell when Skip told Sharpe he was jealous of Tom Brady. It led to a loud exchange that many felt had Sharpe appearing weak. Then the Damar Hamlin incident happened and the writing was on the wall. Sharpe left for First Take and Skip was left to pick up the pieces he created.
As we pointed out in our previous piece on Skip Bayless, Undisputed became a dumpster fire following Sharpe’s departure. Keyshawn Johnson, Richard Sherman, and Michael Irvin came in to be Skip’s rotating co-hosts. However, whenever they started debating, Bayless could not get a word in edge-wise. The show was more frustrating than entertaining. Not to mention, Bayless’ schtick was no longer funny after he bullied Sharpe off the show. What once was a humorous character and villain within the sports world had become a crotchety, bitter, and downright nasty old man. Pair that with the bleach and ammonia chemistry of Johnson and Sherman, you were left with a horrific show.
Months ago, Paul Pierce was brought in as a means to save Skip Bayless from himself. After all, this should have been perfect since they both have a strong disdain for LeBron James. However, Pierce has not been great for the show. The ratings have remained in a steep decline and Pierce has proven to be less than prepared to speak about today’s NBA. If we wanted to relive the glory days of the 2008 Boston Celtics, we could just look up highlights on YouTube in our own time.
NEW YORK, NY – NOVEMBER 12: ESPN journalist Skip Bayless attends IAVA 7th Annual Heroes Gala at Cipriani 42nd Street on November 12, 2013 in New York City. (Photo by Michael Loccisano/Getty Images for IAVA)
After breaking all of this down, it has become crystal clear that Skip Bayless needs to retire when his contract expires. Don’t be a hero, and certainly don’t be an egomaniac either. It’s over. It was a fun ride, but it’s over. 10 years ago, hell, even five years ago, there was a real appetite for LeBron revisionism and LeBron contrarianism. However, James is a few years from retirement, and how fitting would that be for his biggest hater to ride off into the sunset before the farewell tour?
Beyond that, Skip has simply worn out his welcome in the industry. While Stephen A. has burned bridges, he has burned them with people who realistically wouldn’t have been stars without him. If Max Kellerman was a real superstar, he wouldn’t have needed First Take. It turns out he did. Sharpe, on the other hand, immediately left Skip and started exploding with Club Shay Shay. Shannon is a pop culture staple right now and that probably wouldn’t be the case if he was still at FS1.
Cold Pizza host Skip Bayless on the ESPN set in Miami, Florida on February 1, 2007. (Photo by Allen Kee/Getty Images) *** Local Caption ***
Sure, Skip’s eye for talent is immense. But will the next big talent even want to work with him after how he treated Shannon? Without ESPN or FS1, where would Skip even go? Who would want to follow him there? The media landscape is so disjointed and barren that the only real avenue for Skip would be his own podcast. But why bother? It would just be him reliving stories from the glory days. No athlete wants to chop it up with Skip. And if they do, it will immediately be confrontational, which is something Bayless has proven to be firmly against.
At the age of 72, Bayless could just retire, call it a career, and leave it all behind. At this point, it’s probably what he should do. In fact, it is what he should do. Sure, a couple of LeBron and Bronny tweets here and there might make us chuckle or get nostalgic for those classic rants. But other than that, Skip isn’t contributing anything new to sports talk television. If anything, he’s holding back a younger generation from revolutionizing the groundwork he laid all those years ago in Bristol, Connecticut.
Skip Bayless is trying to beat LeBron James to retirement? According to the Post, Bayless will leave his Undisputed seat at Fox Sports 1.
The 72-year-old sports journalist and personality will continue without Bayless and is planned to include Keyshawn Johnson, Michael Irvin, and others. Bayless has not offered a statement but inked a four-year, $32 million deal in 2021.
Bayless previously added Lil Wayne to his list of new partners. Beginning last August, Richard Sherman, Johnson, and Irvin joined Skip Bayless on Undisputed.
Skip Bayless confirmed the additions, which he calls the “new dream team” on X.
RICHARD SHERMAN! KEYSHAWN JOHNSON! MICHAEL IRVIN! NEW DREAM TEAM ON THE NEW UNDISPUTED. NEW LIL WAYNE INTRO SONG, “GOOD MORNING.” NEXT MONDAY. AUGUST 28. 9:30 E, FS1. BE THERE.
According to Bayless, Wayne will be featured for 15 minutes but could remain on the show longer if he gets hot during the debate. Wayne is also delivering a new theme song for the show.
“He is so deep when it comes to sports,” Skip said. “He doesn’t yell or scream, but he does get emotional. And you hang on his every word because, trust me, he has thought through every single word.”
He added, “That’s why I love him so much. That’s why we text so much about sports. We’re kindred spirits, but we do see things differently, but very deeply.”
Lil Wayne created the theme music for ths daily sports tlak show. You can hear it from Skip below.
Skip Bayless is trying to beat LeBron James to retirement? According to the Post, Bayless will leave his Undisputed seat at Fox Sports 1.
The 72-year-old sports journalist and personality will continue without Bayless and is planned to include Keyshawn Johnson, Michael Irvin, and others. Bayless has not offered a statement but inked a four-year, $32 million deal in 2021.
Bayless previously added Lil Wayne to his list of new partners. Beginning last August, Richard Sherman, Johnson, and Irvin joined Skip Bayless on Undisputed.
Skip Bayless confirmed the additions, which he calls the “new dream team” on X.
RICHARD SHERMAN! KEYSHAWN JOHNSON! MICHAEL IRVIN! NEW DREAM TEAM ON THE NEW UNDISPUTED. NEW LIL WAYNE INTRO SONG, “GOOD MORNING.” NEXT MONDAY. AUGUST 28. 9:30 E, FS1. BE THERE.
According to Bayless, Wayne will be featured for 15 minutes but could remain on the show longer if he gets hot during the debate. Wayne is also delivering a new theme song for the show.
“He is so deep when it comes to sports,” Skip said. “He doesn’t yell or scream, but he does get emotional. And you hang on his every word because, trust me, he has thought through every single word.”
He added, “That’s why I love him so much. That’s why we text so much about sports. We’re kindred spirits, but we do see things differently, but very deeply.”
Lil Wayne created the theme music for ths daily sports tlak show. You can hear it from Skip below.
Paul Pierce is a former NBA star who has had some very interesting hot takes over the years. Overall, he is consistently giving some opinions that make NBA fans do a double-take. This is especially true as it pertains to none other than LeBron James. LeBron and Pierce were rivals in the NBA, although more often than not, James came away on top. However, Pierce consistently denigrates LeBron’s career and will make it seem like four titles aren’t that impressive.
Today, Paul Pierce gave perhaps one of his wildest LeBron hot takes yet. During his recent appearance on Undisputed, Pierce made the case that he is the reason why LeBron James was able to enjoy so much success in the league. By his rationale, Pierce and the Celtics made LeBron want to elevate to another level. “I truly feel responsible for taking LeBron to that next level,” Pierce argued. As you can imagine, this has caused a bit of a stir on social media.
Pierce has been known to go viral in the past. Of course, he was infamously fired by ESPN after a video of himself partying with strippers was livestreamed on Instagram. Since that time, Pierce has gotten his own show with Kevin Garnett on Showtime. Furthermore, he is now a recurring co-host on Undisputed during the NBA season. As for LeBron, he is about to enter his 22nd season in the NBA, and fans are excited to see what he does at the age of 40.
Let us know what you think of these comments from Paul Pierce, in the comments section down below. Do you agree that he pushed LeBron James to the next level? Or do you believe that he is simply out of his mind with this one? 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 exploits.
When folks ask for others’ predictions on the upcoming fight between Mike Tyson and Jake Paul, the answer might seem obvious in both directions. One is a boxing legend with decades of experience and acclaim, but the other is not even half as old as the icon is. Still, a lot of folks are banking on the more renowned boxer to take the crown at the end of the day, including one of hip-hop’s most passionate sports commentators. Moreover, Lil Wayne recently graced Undisputed with yet another guest appearance, during which he had a very interesting take on the whole situation.
“If it’s a real fight, I have Mike Tyson, and I believe it’s a disrespectful question,” Lil Wayne remarked of the upcoming Mike Tyson and Jake Paul eight-round bout on July 20. “I don’t care if he was 85. You saw the clips. If one of them workout punches hit anybody, you done.” Maybe it’s not as “disrespectful” of a question as he thinks, considering that fellow rapper Cam’ron actaully thinks there’s a chance that the former Vine star could pull an upset off.
“Mike is my man [but] this is my prediction for the fight,” Cam’ron remarked on his It Is What It Is sports talk show with Mase earlier in 2024. “If Mike don’t get him out of there in five rounds, then I believe that Jake Paul’s gonna win the fight.” “Killa, I hope you don’t see Mike. Mike gonna want to talk to you about that,” his co-host joked after his take. In fact, as it turns out, the Dipset MC actually ran into Tyson at an airport after he gave this take, and the “Mo Money Mo Problems” feature narrated the occasion comically.
“Cam is on his way here, he’s probably not gonna make this show,” Mase revealed. “He was calling me while he was getting on this flight and he had some sad news. Mike Tyson, the guy he was running his mouth about, was standing right behind him when I saw him on FaceTime. I think Mike was whispering too him, ‘Cam, I need to talk to you.’ And then Cam say he gonna call me back but he never called me back.”
Skip Bayless rose through the ESPN ranks in impression fashion throughout the mid-2000s. Overall, he made his mark with the show Cold Pizza. This would act as a precursor to the morning debate show format we know today. Although Bayless was a success at ESPN, it wasn’t until he linked up with Stephen A. Smith on First Take that he became a real sensation. Both of these men became superstars at the network, with Smith being seen as the reasonable one. As for Bayless, he was known as a tried and true hater who would say anything, even if he didn’t believe it. If something fit his narrative, he would run with it. This was especially true as it pertains to LeBron James, whom he is still perversely critical of.
Eventually, Bayless left First Take in 2016 to pursue a role at FS1. The network was trying to build its sports programming, and Bayless was going to be their cash cow. He created the show Undisputed and hired Shannon Sharpe as his right-hand man. It was the perfect marriage as you could tell the two had phenomenal on-camera chemistry. With Sharpe’s hilarious personality and wealth of experience as a professional athlete, he was the perfect person to subdue Bayless’ cantankerous energy. This was the case for almost seven years, as Bayless and Sharpe combined for some truly hilarious moments. In fact, for a while, Undisputed was seen as the superior draw to First Take. Max Kellerman and Stephen A. were mediocre at best together, and the ratings reflected that. FS1 was slowly but surely creeping up on ESPN’s empire.
Skip Vs. Shannon
Things were looking good. Sharpe was a sports media darling, and Skip was cementing himself as a legend of the industry. Sure, he has never been agreeable, but that is the huge selling point with Bayless. Unfortunately, he eventually let that aforementioned cantankerous energy get in the way of a good thing. After years of being cordial with Sharpe, Skip decided to undo seven years of goodwill with one bad show. During a debate about Tom Brady no longer being a good quarterback, Skip told Shannon that he was just jealous of Tom for being a better player than him. When Sharpe raised his voice in disbelief, Skip told him to put his glasses back on which in retrospect, felt like Skip pressing the red button Drake loves to talk about so much.
Shannon Sharpe Thanks Skip Bayless On His Last Day
In the weeks and months following that broadcast, it was becoming clear that Skip and Shannon no longer liked each other. They could barely look each other in the eyes, and it the audience could tell things were getting tense. Consequently, it was absolutely no surprise when Shannon revealed that he would be leaving the show. In June of last year, Sharpe had his final broadcast with Undisputed and it was here where he delivered a lengthy monologue, thanking Bayless for giving him the opportunity. It was a classy gesture on Sharpe’s part that fans felt was unnecessary given the fact that Bayless wouldn’t have extended the same courtesy.
Once Sharpe left Undisputed, the show went on a hiatus as they looked for a new co-host. Meanwhile, Sharpe was being approached by everyone. After all, he’s an incredible talent, and media companies knew good and well that Skip had made a huge mistake. In the end, Sharpe opted to sign on with Stephen A. Smith and First Take for a two-days-per-week contract. This would allow Sharpe to stay on TV while also having the time to work on Club Shay Shay. In fact, things have worked out so well for him in this regard, that he now has one of the most viewed interviews in the history of YouTube, thanks to Katt Williams. Had it not been for Bayless’ bruised ego and misplaced pride, that may have never happened.
Shannon And Stephen A. Have Taken Skip’s Spotlight
Sharpe and Smith hit the ground running on First Take. Their chemistry was immediately apparent, although fans did note that the debates weren’t as heated as they were on Undisputed. However, the reasoning for that was quite simple. Sharpe and Smith simply have too much respect for one another to let things get out of hand. That said, they have enough chemistry to always keep things humorous, no matter what the nature of the debate is.
Eventually, Undisputed came back with Keyshawn Johnson, Michael Irvin, Richard Sherman, and Rachel Nichols. During the first show back, it was impossible for Skip to get a word in edge-wise. Sherman and Johnson dominated the conversation, while Bayless was neutralized. Fans were not amused with the panel dynamic, and things never really got any better. After that first week wore off, viewers stopped watching and moved on to First Take. If you don’t believe me, just check the numbers. According to Awful Announcing, Undisputed had an average of just under 50K viewers during the NCAA tournament. Meanwhile, in December, First Take was averaging over 600K viewers, according to the ESPN Press Room. That means First Take has been outpacing Undisputed by at least a multiple of 10.
Skip And Paul Pierce Don’t Move The Needle
In the last month or so, Undisputed has brought on Paul Pierce for the NBA Playoffs. Unfortunately, the ratings have not gotten any better with him on the show. At the end of the day, fans have already decided where their allegiances lie. Furthermore, Pierce was never a media personality that fans took a liking to. While he was on ESPN, he was frequently clowned for having bad takes. Not to mention, he didn’t have a particularly positive view of guys like LeBron, which pretty well annihilates any chance of him and Skip having real debates. If anyone was going to save Undisputed from the depths of ratings hell, it was not going to be Pierce. In fact, you would be hard-pressed to find anyone who could do it.
For years, Skip Bayless built up a rapport with Sharpe, only to destroy it in a few quick seconds. It was like watching the captain of the Titanic steer his ship into the iceberg even though they were already on a safe trajectory. Like watching a man punch himself in the face over and over again for no good reason. Bayless completely tanked his show, and it did not have to be this way. Had he just stayed the course, things would be fine right now. Instead, Sharpe left and proved that he was the one keeping things afloat. Meanwhile, Bayless remains a curmudgeon whose star has faded to the point of parody. He has gone from being a legendary talent evaluator and provocateur to just another guy on sports talk television. It’s been a long fall from the top, and Bayless is barely keeping his head above water. It’s unfortunate, but after his falling out with Sharpe, it was extremely predictable.
What’s Next?
NEW YORK, NY – NOVEMBER 10: TV sports commentators Skip Bayless (L) and Shannon Sharpe attends the 2016 IAVA Heroes Gala at Cipriani 42nd Street on November 10, 2016 in New York City. (Photo by Nicholas Hunt/Getty Images)
So now what? Well, Skip Bayless is currently 72 years old. Moreover, in 2021, he signed a four-year deal with FS1 at $8 million per year. If you do the math, that means his contract is up next year. By then, he will be approaching his mid-70s. At that point, retirement should be the number one thing on his mind. Unless there is a massive shift in the media landscape, Undisputed is not getting back to its old numbers. Not to mention, fans can kiss a Stephen A. Smith reunion goodbye now that Shannon is over at ESPN.
After such an electric career that saw numerous iconic moments, Bayless’ career is destined to go out with a whimper. It could have been avoided, but when you have an overinflated sense of self, these things are bound to happen.
Skip Bayless made a huge mistake when he decided to get disrespectful with Shannon Sharpe. Overall, Skip did not know just how good he had it with the man. They had solid chemistry and every single episode of Undisputed was entertaining. However, Bayless ruined it and Sharpe decided to go elsewhere. Now, Sharpe and Stephen A. Smith have teamed up for monster ratings on First Take. Furthermore, Shannon has been doing huge numbers on YouTube with Club Shay Shay.
As for Undisputed, the show has been doing horrific numbers since Shannon left. Skip and his no-hosts haven’t been able to find their footing, and FS1 is scrambling. In fact, according to The New York Post, the show is looking to add an NBA legend into the mix. Yes, that’s right folks, Paul Pierce is going to be on Undisputed, or at least that is what the reports say. Pierce was great on ESPN and he is someone whose hot takes get people riled up. Simply put, he has the potential to be a ratings saver.
If the reports are indeed true, then Skip Bayless and FS1 are in luck. The NBA playoffs are coming up next month, and that is a huge time to capitalize on interest around the NBA. However, there is no telling if this would even work. Fans have already seen Undisputed without Sharpe, and by and large, they don’t like it. If this strategy does not work out for them, then Undisputed might have to say goodbye. As for Bayless, who knows what this means for his career?
Let us know what you think if this potential decision from FS1, in the comments section down below. Do you think this will work, or is Undisputed destined for failure at this point? 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 on your favorite athletes and personalities.
