After a breakup with Skip Bayless and Fox Sports, Shannon Sharpe made his first appearance on ESPN recently. Co-hosting the popular sports analysis show First Take with Stephen A. Smith, the duo has already begun their stint together on a high note. During Sharpe’s “first day on the job”, First Take touched the 727,000 viewers mark. Acknowledging Stephen A.’s congratulatory message on the win, the former NFL star promised to hit the 1,000,000 viewers milestone when LeBron James starts dominating the hardwood again.
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While his debut on the ESPN show was a remarkable success, Shannon Sharpe did face a few challenges getting accustomed to his new job. During one point in the episode, the 55-year-old analyst referred to Stephen A. Smith as “Skip”. Co-hosting UNDISPUTED for seven years, Sharpe is habituated to indulging in these debates with Skip Bayless. However, SAS immediately accepted Sharpe’s apology and ignored the honest mistake.
Shannon Sharpe promises new heights for First Take
The first episode of the new-look First Take was a massive success. In a tweet, Stephen A. Smith revealed a few record-breaking numbers from the episode. With 727,000 viewers tuning in, First Take recorded their 2nd highest-rated show of the year. Giving some love to Shannon Sharpe, SAS welcomed his new co-host.
As established on the latest episode of the Club Shay Shay podcast, Sharpe and Stephen A. aren’t on the same page when it comes to the GOAT debate. A die-hard Michael Jordan fan, Smith doesn’t believe that LeBron James deserves the prestigious title. Therefore, promising to touch the 1 million viewers mark when LBJ records his next 50-point outing, Shannon Sharpe responded to Smith’s tweet in the most hilarious way possible.
From what the numbers indicate, First Take is one of the most-loved sports talk shows out there. Clearly, the Shannon Sharpe and Stephen A. Smith partnership has been received well by fans so far. It’ll be interesting to see the numbers this duo records in the upcoming NBA and NFL seasons.
Sharpe’s split with Skip Bayless
Shannon Sharpe thrived alongside Skip Bayless, co-hosting Fox Sports’ UNDISPUTED. For almost six years, the show garnered abundant viewers. However, despite what their on-screen chemistry looked like, their relationship started deteriorating over the last year or so.
Things escalated when Bayless criticized NFL Hall-Of-Famer’s career, even claiming that Sharpe was jealous of Tom Brady. Some believe, that this was the breaking point for Shannon Sharpe. Despite the adverse environment over the last few months, Sharpe didn’t want to ignore the good, memorable moments during his seven-year relationship with FS1.
