Everyone who’s ever watched the show knew First Take would debate Tom Brady vs. Patrick Mahomes the Monday after Super Bowl LIX, no matter the winner. And Ryan Clark came prepared.
After listening to fellow retired NFL star Shannon Sharpe make the case for Brady (who coincidentally was on the Fox call), Clark promptly threw Sharpe’s take on the NBA GOAT debate right back in his face. Clark asked if the case for LeBron James over Michael Jordan is longevity and the sheer volume of achievements, then how can the case be closed for Brady over Mahomes before the Kansas City Chiefs star’s 30th birthday?
“You’ve gotta choose a side,” Clark said. “You’ve gotta say you’re out here caping for ‘LeGOAT’ James, or that that GOAT conversation should have been tabled a long time ago as well. Because, according to you, getting to the championship all of those times is supposed to matter … there could be a ton of his career left where he gets back to this moment. And because he didn’t shine every time he got there, a lot like a guy that we know, Shannon, you cape for every single day … it does not erase all the things that Patrick Mahomes has accomplished.”
Sharpe is among the most notorious James defenders anywhere in sports media. Having moved to Los Angeles to cohost Undisputed shortly before James signed with the Lakers, Sharpe developed a personal relationship with James that spills out often on air. Many will remember his run-in with Memphis Grizzlies players during the 2022-23 NBA season when Sharpe was court-side at Crypto.com Arena and seemed to forget he was not James’s teammate.
While Sharpe’s FS1 cohost Skip Bayless also stunned James and the Lakers, his ESPN sparring partners are not quite so warm toward the legendary Akron native. On several occasions, Sharpe has debated Stephen A. Smith on First Take in a good, old-fashioned LeBron vs. MJ debate.
So yes, Clark caught Sharpe talking from both sides of his mouth.
The lesson? If you’re going to argue something as silly as the best quarterback of all time, at least come ready with a consistent case.
About Brendon Kleen
Brendon is a Media Commentary staff writer at Awful Announcing. He has also covered basketball and sports business at Front Office Sports, SB Nation, Uproxx and more.