ESPN’s ‘First Take’ is must-watch television because of Stephen A. Smith’s ability to excite and rile up fans with his energy and demeanor.

Smith is not afraid to speak his opinion, regardless of how wild or out there it can be.

The ESPN host had his fair share of live spats with Skip Bayless but he also had hotly contested debates with Max Kellerman as well.

Smith and Kellerman had some on-screen chemistry, but after a while, it was clear that the duo wasn’t working well anymore.

Kellerman was eventually let go by ESPN this past June and Smith now does ‘First Take’ with Shannon Sharpe on occasion.

Smith recently made comments about Kellerman’s exit and eventually had to clarify what he meant via his Twitter account.

“Same question, Same answer for damn-near two years now: Max & I weren’t working in the end,” Smith said. “I wanted to win. So I didn’t want that duo. Does mean he’s isn’t smart, talented and that he’s not a good guy. I have nothing against him. I wish him well. Just needed a change. That’s all

Same question, Same answer for damn-near two years now: Max & I weren’t working in the end. I wanted to win. So I didn’t want that duo. Does mean he’s isn’t smart, talented and that he’s not a good guy. I have nothing against him. I wish him well. Just needed a change. That’s all https://t.co/wDJ0pL7eXK

— Stephen A Smith (@stephenasmith) September 16, 2023

Some took Smith’s original words to mean that he had a dislike of Kellerman personally and that’s why the latter was booted off the program.

However, Smith does his best to set the record straight and emphasize that it was simply a matter of him wanting something different in a co-host.

Whatever the reason really is, both men have moved on and Smith continues to be a popular face on ESPN.

The post Stephen A. Smith Clarifies Comments About Max Kellerman appeared first on The Cold Wire.

Pat McAfee has become one of the most popular sports commentators over the last few years, and his stock has been steadily rising during that time.

He has been the host of “The Pat McAfee Show,” which officially moved over to ESPN on Thursday for the first time.

But he will now be able to add another big show to his resume.

Per Dov Kleiman, McAfee will appear on “First Take” alongside Stephen A. Smith on Tuesdays from now on.

Update: Pat McAfee is joining 'First Take' with Stephen A Smith.

McAfee will be on the show every Tuesday, per @MMcCarthyREV

'First Take' already has a rotation that includes Shannon Sharpe and others, so adding McAfee should boost ratings further, via @FOS… pic.twitter.com/z9WjS3rT1N

— Dov Kleiman (@NFL_DovKleiman) September 7, 2023

“First Take” has consistently gotten high ratings, even after Skip Bayless left the show several years ago to start his own show, “Undisputed,” on FS1.

That show lost co-host Shannon Sharpe in June and now has a slightly different format with multiple co-hosts, including former NFL stars Keyshawn Johnson, Michael Irvin, and Richard Sherman.

Through it all, “First Take” has reportedly continued to beat “Undisputed” in the ratings.

McAfee’s show focuses heavily on football, but he also covers some news from the NBA and other sports, and he has garnered quite a following for his unfiltered and energetic style of reporting and interviewing.

In his previous life, he had an eight-year career as an NFL punter, and he played his entire career with the Indianapolis Colts, reaching the Super Bowl as a rookie only to lose to the New Orleans Saints.

He was named to the All-Rookie Team that year, and he made it to the Pro Bowl twice while earning an All-Pro First-Team nod for the 2014 season.

McAfee has also enjoyed a side gig as a WWE wrestler over the last few years.

The post Pat McAfee Will Reportedly Join A Top ESPN Show appeared first on The Cold Wire.

Former NFL star Shannon Sharpe took his talents to ESPN, teaming up with Stephen A. Smith on “First Take.”

Unsurprisingly, his arrival has been a massive hit, with his debut on the show drawing its second-highest viewership in 2023.

That’s why Stephen A. took to Twitter to thank him and show him some appreciation after their first week together, praising his work and motivating him to reach new heights in the future.

Just wanted to take a moment to give some love to my man @ShannonSharpe. Why? Because I’m his first day in the job, @FirstTake did 727K Viewers. It’s our 2nd-Highest rated show of the year, so ya still got some climbing to do, my brother! Just kidding. Welcome aboard bro! Let’s…

— Stephen A Smith (@stephenasmith) September 7, 2023

Notably, “First Take” has reportedly beaten “Undisputed” in the ratings every single day since the new season started.

Skip Bayless put together a superteam of former ESPN talent, bringing in former NFL stars Richard Sherman, Michael Irvin, and Keyshawn Johnson alongside Rachel Nichols and Josina Anderson to team up with him in this new endeavor.

Sharpe had agreed to a contract buyout after seven years of partnership with Bayless.

They went through some rifts last season, one motivated by Bayless’ insensitive tweet about Damar Hamlin nearly dying on the field, and the other with him personally attacking Sharpe over a take about Tom Brady.

They made amends and were quite supportive of each other during last season’s finale, but it became more than evident that they couldn’t keep working together.

Ironically, Sharpe has now joined the guy who took over “First Take” after Bayless left to join FOX Sports.

And with all the fans thinking that this was some sort of vendetta or Sharpe was looking to get back at Bayless by joining his biggest competitor, this show will continue to drive plenty of viewership.

The post Stephen A. Smith Shows Appreciation To Shannon Sharpe appeared first on The Cold Wire.

Former NFL great Shannon Sharpe has just started a new chapter in his career.

Following seven years side by side with Skip Bayless on Undisputed, the Pro Football Hall of Famer agreed to a contract buyout with FOX Sports to put an end to that partnership.

However, as much as he was looking forward to teaming up with Stephen A. Smith and joining ESPN’s First Take, some habits are hard to shake off, and it showed with a hilarious slip on his first day on the job.

Sharpe accidentally called Stephen A. Skip, which is why the renowned pundit didn’t waste the chance to troll him in the following episode.

In Tuesday’s edition of the show, Stephen A. referred to Sharpe’s hilarious blunder, and then he doubled down on the mockery by wearing a name tag for the remainder of the show so he makes sure that doesn’t happen again.

.@stephenasmith brought a name tag so @ShannonSharpe could remember his name pic.twitter.com/rPFlRpt0lQ

— First Take (@FirstTake) September 5, 2023

Notably, Stephen A. also used to share his platform with Bayless, who was on First Take even before him.

They’ve admittedly had their difference throughout the course of the years, but both Smith and Sharpe have always expressed their gratitude for Bayless for giving them an opportunity and having admitted that they wouldn’t be there without him.

Bayless, on the other hand, has stacked as much talent as he can to keep his show afloat in this new season, and the competition between both pundits could be at an all-time high as they battle to get the No. 1 sports show in the nation.

The post Stephen A. Smith Trolls Shannon Sharpe After ‘Skip’ Mistake appeared first on The Cold Wire.

Early on Monday, former NFL star Shannon Sharpe made his long-awaited debut on ESPN.

Sharpe had recently signed a deal to join Stephen A. Smith on ‘First Take.’

The Hall of Famer showed up locked and loaded and ready to kick off this new chapter in his career.

However, regardless of his preparation, he still made a hilarious blunder in his first appearance on the show, calling Stephen A. ‘Skip’ while he was talking (via NBA Central).

Shannon accidentally calls Stephen A. Smith “Skip” pic.twitter.com/17e9QqNgye

— NBACentral (@TheDunkCentral) September 4, 2023

Sharpe was quick to right his wrong, but it was already late, and the footage went viral in the blink of an eye.

Of course, it’s tough to blame him after he spent the past seven years as Skip Bayless’ co-host on Undisputed.

Sharpe agreed to a contract buyout with Fox Sports to terminate his partnership with Bayless after several run-ins in the latest season.

Notably, Bayless has gone the extra mile to try and make up for Sharpe’s loss, putting together a superteam that includes the likes of Lil Wayne, Josina Anderson, Rachel Nichols, Richard Sherman, Michael Irvin, and Keyshawn Johnson.

Nonetheless, early reports state that the strategy of signing former ESPN on-air talent hasn’t exactly paid off for Skip, as First Take has beaten them in ratings every day since the season started, according to Front Office Sports (via Stephen A. Smith).

And now that Shannon Sharpe has officially taken the scene, this could be even more lopsided.

The post Shannon Sharpe Has Hilarious Blunder In Initial ‘First Take’ Appearance appeared first on The Cold Wire.

At one point in time, Stephen A. Smith and Skip Bayless shared the stage on “First Take,” which quickly became one of the more entertaining sports shows on television, as they debated all topics with an emphasis on the NFL and NBA.

Nowadays, these two media personalities are competitors, with things getting interesting lately after Shannon Sharpe left FOX Sports’ “Undisputed” to join Smith on ESPN.

Bayless and Sharpe stopped seeing eye-to-eye, which led to another breakup and Smith bringing him on as a co-host.

Needless to say, Bayless likely wasn’t happy about Sharpe choosing to join his old partner, especially when Smith rubs it in that “First Take” is still the superior show when compared to ratings of “Undisputed” like he did on Twitter recently with a simple tweet of an article link.

https://t.co/zwqg4leXJN

— Stephen A Smith (@stephenasmith) September 1, 2023

According to the article by Front Office Sports, “First Take” is crushing “Undisputed” as of late, with 131,000 viewers for Bayless’ show and 448,000 for Smith.

That doesn’t look like much competition, but this is only the beginning, and things can change drastically at a moment’s notice like they did when Sharpe joined ESPN.

It’ll be interesting to see how things pan out for both shows, and if Smith continues to subtly rub it in, as one has to think at some point, this will get pretty heated, especially if Bayless continues to get crushed by his former colleague.

The post Stephen A. Smith Shades Skip Bayless Over New Version Of ‘Undisputed’ appeared first on The Cold Wire.

It seems like former NFL star Shannon Sharpe’s departure for ESPN has sounded off the alarms at FS1, more specifically on Skip Bayless’ desk.

The well-known and often-controversial pundit has left no stone unturned in his pursuit of a suitable replacement for the Pro Football Hall of Famer.

That’s why, shortly after announcing he would be joined by former NFL stars Richard Sherman, Keyshawn Johnson, and Michael Irvin, he introduced former NBA senior insider Rachel Nichols to the show yesterday.

And just today, Bayless announced yet another prime addition, introducing NFL insider Josina Anderson.

Bayless welcomed her to the show and showered her with praise for all the great work she’s done since her days on ESPN, adding that she has strong connections all over the league.

Welcome to Undisputed, @JosinaAnderson! pic.twitter.com/sjgRVwoMx1

— UNDISPUTED (@undisputed) September 1, 2023

Notably, Bayless and FS1 have gone the extra mile to stay strong in this ratings battle with “First Take.”

Stephen A. Smith and Sharpe will team up starting Monday, September 4, and it’ll be interesting to see who takes home the gold in this unspoken battle.

Bayless has assembled a bit of a dream team, making the most of ESPN’s layoffs to gather a very interesting group of well-connected and insightful professionals.

He didn’t look quite like himself in the first show, and it’ll take an adjustment period, considering he’ll now share his platform with more than just one guy.

But it seems like he’s looking to make a statement and let everybody in the industry know that he’s far from done.

The post Skip Bayless Introduces NFL Insider As New ‘Undisputed’ Member appeared first on The Cold Wire.

With former NFL legend Shannon Sharpe leaving FS1, Skip Bayless is making sure to go the extra mile to protect his ratings.

The controversial pundit announced a new super lineup for his show “Undisputed” featuring the likes of Michael Irvin, Keyshawn Johnson, Richard Sherman, and even a new song by Lil Wayne.

Now, he doubled down on that commitment by bringing in yet another former ESPN star: Rachel Nichols.

Needless to say, plenty of fans took to Twitter to react to the news, lauding his decision to hire such a respected and beloved professional.

Massive win for Undisputed.

— Nate (@SuhSuhSweet) August 31, 2023

I'm watching this show all the time now.

— Steve (social media guy) (@bestnixever) August 31, 2023

Looks like a soiid team.

Wish you all the best of luck.

Skip don't troll too hard!

— Michael Crane (@MikeJCzapla) August 31, 2023

Skip is forming a superteam

— realrorylewis (@realrorylewis) August 31, 2023

The legendary Ms. Nichols

— NIX-S79 (@N_Q40_I_495_X) August 31, 2023

Nichols was one of ESPN’s main on-air talents, especially in the NBA, before some controversial comments were leaked.

The company was quick to dismiss her, and she called them out on social media multiple times, even dismissing some awards she got from her days with the company.

Nichols had been creating and moderating content for Showtime, making regular appearances next to Matt Barnes and Stephen Jackson, and now she’s back on television.

She can provide some thoughtful insight without screaming or trying to impose her will and opinions, but the show might still need a moderator who could get the rest of their star hosts to wait for their turn before voicing their hot takes.

The post Fans React To Newest ‘Undisputed’ Addition appeared first on The Cold Wire.

As expected, it didn’t take long before NFL legend Shannon Sharpe found a new home.

The Pro Football Hall of Famer had agreed to a contract buyout with Fox to end his partnership with Skip Bayless and Undisputed.

He also took his podcast away from the network, recently announcing that he was proud to join Colin Cowherd’s The Volume for the future of Club Shay Shay.

Now, the legendary tight end has finally broken the silence about his future in the broadcast industry, announcing that he’s going to join ESPN with a hilarious picture.

Sharpe took to Twitter to post an edit of Stephen A. Smith as Dwyane Wade and himself as LeBron James, recreating that iconic photo from James’ dunk on the Milwaukee Bucks.

GET YOUR POPCORN READY #2HBCUALUMS #SSU #WSSU pic.twitter.com/2xoj0sSupP

— shannon sharpe (@ShannonSharpe) August 24, 2023

Over the past couple of weeks, rumors and reports had already predicted that Sharpe would be Smith’s next co-host on First Take.

Smith had denied the reports, stating that they were in talks and that Sharpe had yet to sign a deal, adding that he’d be a major asset for the show.

Stephen A. hasn’t had a co-host since Max Kellerman was let go of the show, featuring an interesting rotation of personalities and former athletes.

Michael Irvin was a part of the show for a while, but it didn’t last long because of a delicate situation off-the-air.

As for Skip Bayless, he’s going to feature a rotation of Keyshawn Johnson, Richard Sherman, and the aforementioned Irvin to try and make up for Sharpe’s departure.

The post Shannon Sharpe Officially Announces His New Job appeared first on The Cold Wire.

There were some major doubts about FOX’s ability to replace NFL Hall of Famer Shannon Sharpe on “Undisputed” following his departure.

It’s not a secret that he had several run-ins with co-host Skip Bayless, who’s far from a beloved figure among athletes — both active and retired.

Sharpe agreed to a contract buyout and is reportedly set to join Bayless’ former co-host Stephen A. Smith on ESPN’s “First Take.”

That’s why Bayless tried to go all-in to try and stay alive in the ratings battle, announcing a new “dream team” for his show.

Bayless will be joined by a trio of former NFL players in Richard Sherman, Michael Irvin, and Keyshawn Johnson, and his lifelong friend Lil Wayne will drop the new opening song.

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.

— Skip Bayless (@RealSkipBayless) August 22, 2023

Truth be told, this is far from encouraging news, and he’s going to have a tough time trying to keep up with Sharpe in his new endeavor.

Sherman has faced plenty of criticism as an analyst, and Johnson was recently let go from ESPN.

As for Irvin, he might be the loud and hard-nosed debate counterpart he needs, but he’s a diehard Dallas Cowboys fan just like Bayless, so they might agree on most debates.

There have been multiple reports about Bayless not wanting to work with someone who could “beat him” or take the spotlight away from him.

Ironically, that pretty much kills the purpose of a sports debate show, so we will see how this new cast works out.

The post Skip Bayless Officially Announces New ‘Undisputed’ Lineup appeared first on The Cold Wire.