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STEPHEN A. Smith has opened up on Skip Bayless’ shock departure from FS1 show Undisputed.
Speaking on his podcast, the First Take star said he takes no delight in the demise of his former sparring partner.
Stephen A. Smith paid tribute to Skip Bayless on his podcast[/caption]
The First Take star said he was not celebrating the demise of his former sparring partner[/caption]
Stephen A. admitted that he has not spoken to Bayless in a long time[/caption]
But Stephen A. revealed that not only has he not spoken to Bayless since his Undisputed exit – he has no plans to any time soon.
“Skip Bayless and I have not spoken in a long time,” Stephen A. said on his podcast.
“He’s on that side of the fence, I’m on this side of the fence.”
It now appears that the prospect of the former First Take stars getting back together appears remote.
He added: “With the news coming down that he is leaving FS1, I have not called him.
“I’m not going to because I know what this moment must be like for him.”
Stephen A. continued to pay tribute to Bayless, whom he thanks for reviving his career by bringing him to First Take.
“As I’ve stated on many occasions…in terms of something Dan Le Batard said and me wanting to destroy Skip Bayless, he ultimately retracted that statement in fairness to him….” he added.
“I don’t root against my colleagues and contemporaries and certainly not my friends.
“I just root for me to be more successful.
“Being on First Take and wanting to be No. 1 doesn’t mean I wanted Skip Bayless to fail.
“It doesn’t mean that I want to see him out of the business.”
Stephen A. said he will wait for Bayless to reach out to him when he is ready.
And he is confident that Bayless will continue to play a major role in the sports media landscape going forwards.
“Skip Bayless has a boat load of energy and Skip Bayless doesn’t want to walk away from anything,” Stephen A. added.
“He lives, eats and breathes sports.
“I don’t know anything. I haven’t called or asked anybody anything.
Bayless is leaving FS1 debate show Undisputed later this summer[/caption]
The prospect of a reunion between Bayless and Stephen A. appears remote[/caption]
“What I know is that there is no way on Earth I can imagine him walking away.
“For me it’s sadness because I cannot imagine this is a happy time for him.
“There’s a lot of positive things going on in my career…Skip Bayless has a lot to do with that.
“Who knows where I’d be had he not put me on First Take.”
To hammer home his point, Stephen A. made it clear that he was not “celebrating” Bayless’ career downturn.
Last Take
Skip Bayless sent shock waves through the sports media when he announced he is leaving FS1 show Undisputed after eight years.
Last year he lost his FS1 sparring partner Shannon Sharpe to ESPN’s First Take.
And that has thrown open the possibility of Bayless following Sharpe to ESPN in a shock return.
Bayless previously worked for ESPN for 12 years and sat opposite Stephen A. Smith.
But an ESPN spokesperson said, “We are set with the current ‘First Take’ rotation, and wish Skip the best on his future endeavors.”
“I know a lot of people were expecting to hear something from me, celebrating it,” Smith said.
“I’m not celebrating it… I hope, in the end, when is all said and done, my career will be as long as Skip Bayless’ has been.
“Where I am, where I’ve been, and especially where the hell I’m going with the stuff I’ve got coming down the pike in a matter of months … none of it’s possible if Skip Bayless doesn’t extend that helping hand and bring me on First Take.
“I’ll never forget that. I never have, I never will. You want to hold on to something that I have to say about Skip Bayless, hold on to that.”
