Stephen A. Smith responded to experiences that Shannon Sharpe is perhaps becoming a member of him on ESPN’s “First Take.”
Smith led off his podcast “The Stephen A. Smith Present” on Friday, July 21 by addressing the report from Entrance Workplace Sports activities that the previous “Undisputed” host could be becoming a member of The Walt Disney Co. (DIS) – Get Free Report sports activities community’s primary present.
“I’m not going to let you know that’s true — I’m not going to let you know it’s not both,” Smith mentioned. “What I can let you know is that the honchos are speaking to Shannon Sharpe. What I can let you know is that the honchos are absolutely conscious that Stephen A. Smith desires Shannon Sharpe on First Take.”
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Smith reiterated a number of occasions on his present that Sharpe’s presence at ESPN will not be but confirmed, however harassed that he’s pushing onerous to accumulate the Professional Soccer Corridor of Famer.
“Nothing’s finalized, there’s nonetheless work to be finished. However make no mistake about it — ESPN is speaking to him. And make no mistake about it, it’s primarily as a result of I would like them to speak to him,” Smith mentioned.
Smith made positive to acknowledge that he additionally desires ESPN analysts comparable to Ryan Clark, Dan Orlovsky, and Mina Kimes on “First Take,” confirming experiences that Sharpe’s position on the controversy present would possible be as a member of a rotating forged as a substitute of as a each day fixture.
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Whereas Smith mentioned he desires Sharpe on the community and never simply “First Take,” that position may enable Sharpe the pliability to proceed his “Membership Shay Shay” podcast and discover obligations with different networks like FanDuel TV.
Smith additionally indicated that he desires to do higher by Sharpe due to the way in which he was final handled at Fox, although he reiterated that he didn’t wish to throw photographs on the rival community or his former “First Take” co-host Skip Bayless.
“I would like [Sharpe] to have a shinier gentle positioned on him than a couple of of the occasions we final noticed him,” Smith mentioned, referring to the argument that Bayless and Sharpe had on a January episode of “Undisputed” involving Buffalo Payments security Damar Hamlin. “I’m not throwing shade on anyone, particularly not my man Skip Bayless. However what occurred, occurred. It was for public consumption. And I knew at that second: it was the start of the tip.”
Smith could haven’t been deliberately throwing shade, however he did take a delicate jab at Bayless, who reportedly has remaining say at his subsequent associate at “Undisputed” to verify he isn’t overshadowed.
“I’m not a kind of insecure brothers that’s terrified of his greatness pondering that it’s going to sully mine,” Smith mentioned. “Iron sharpens iron. We elevate each other.”
There are nonetheless steps to take for ESPN to finalize its talks with Sharpe, which Smith mentioned are as much as his bosses and “above his pay grade.” But it surely’s definitely severe sufficient for one of many community’s largest faces to adamantly converse on it in public.
