News that Skip Bayless is reportedly leaving FS1’s Undisputed stunned the sports media world this week, and it also put Stephen A. Smith in an awkward situation.
On Friday, Smith answered the question everyone has been wondering for days now: He will not be reuniting with Bayless.
Smith addressed Bayless’ fate Thursday on his podcast by thanking the 72-year-old veteran for giving him his big break in 2012 by adding him to ESPN’s First Take. But the fact Smith did not hint whether he might work again with Bayless led some people to wonder if that might happen.
So Smith set the record straight Friday, with a definitive statement.
“There’s been a lot of speculation for a possible return to ESPN for Skip Bayless,” Smith said on the Stephen A. Smith Show. He then quoted an ESPN statement issued to Front Office Sports: “We are set with the current First Take rotation and wish Skip the best on his future endeavors.”
“I had no idea ESPN was going to issue that statement … I’m not knocking them for that,” Smith said. “I work for them, it’s not the other way around, they have the right to do what they want. But they didn’t let me know they were going to do that, they didn’t ask me, either. So the public has been asking me what did I feel about that.”
Smith took issue with the perception of many that he helped end Bayless’ run with Undisputed. He played a clip of Dan Le Batard criticizing First Take as giving rise to “Garbage, debate television, and in the doing of that, Stephen A. Smith kills the end of the guy’s career who gave him the entire opportunity to work at ESPN.”
Smith audibly sighed, then said, “That’s not entirely accurate on the part of Dan Le Batard, but I forgive my buddy.”
Then Smith directly addressed his former colleague.
“Skip Bayless, ESPN did not consult with me, again they didn’t have to,” Smith said. “But in fairness, and in the interest of transparency … had they asked me, I would have said the same thing that ESPN said. Skip Bayless and Stephen A. Smith, together as partners, working across from each other on a debate show, is over. It’s been over. And this is not the first time I’ve said it. There’s no negativity or shade being thrown on Skip Bayless. I have moved on.”
If that sounds harsh, Smith stressed he has nothing personal against Bayless, but he’s moved on from that stage of his career.
“I’ll always have love for him, he’ll always be a brother to me. … me connecting and reigniting things with Skip Bayless is not what I want my future to be,” Smith said. “That’s a past that I’ll always celebrate and be appreciative of … I got bigger plans for myself, that don’t include him or anyone else as a partner.”
[Photo Credit: Stephen A. Smith Show on YouTube]
About Arthur Weinstein
Arthur spends his free time traveling around the U.S. to sporting events, state and national parks, and in search of great restaurants off the beaten path.