Stephen A Smith has finally broken his silence after he spent part of his podcast on Wednesday speaking on former ESPN partner Skip Bayless, who is reportedly leaving FS1\u2019s \u201cUndisputed.\u201d<\/p>\n
The New York Post\u2019s Ryan Glasspiegel shocked the sporting world when he reported Monday that Bayless would be leaving his role on FS1\u2019s Undisputed later this summer.<\/p>\n
Alongside Stephen A Smith, Bayless helped reshape the sports media landscape during their time together on First Take.<\/p>\n
Bayless and Smith\u2019s individual careers have evolved since the former\u2019s departure from ESPN in 2016, but now that he is on his way out, his old friend had to speak on it.<\/p>\n
On the latest episode of his podcast, Stephen A Smith spoke on his relationship and history with Bayless, dated well before their time on First Take.<\/p>\n
\u201cWhere I am, where I\u2019ve been, and especially where the hell I\u2019m going with the stuff I\u2019ve got coming down the pike in a matter of months\u2026 none of it\u2019s possible if Skip Bayless doesn\u2019t extend that helping hand and bring me on First Take,\u201d Smith said.<\/p>\n
\u201cI\u2019ll never forget that. I never have, I never will,\u201d Smith continued. \u201cYou want to hold on to something that I have to say about Skip Bayless, hold on to that.\u201d<\/p><\/blockquote>\n
\n \n\nSmith also shockingly revealed that they haven\u2019t spoken in a long time, but he finds no enjoyment in leaving Fox Sports.<\/p>\n
\n\n\u201cAs the reports have said, they\u2019ve had some ratings struggles. I\u2019m not about to get into that,\u201d Smith said. \u201cI\u2019m not going to play that game. Skip Bayless, and I have not spoken in a long time. He\u2019s on that side of the fence, I\u2019m on this side of the fences.<\/p>\n
\u201cBut as I\u2019ve stated on many occasions \u2026 I don\u2019t root against my colleagues and contemporaries and certainly not my friends. \u2026 Being on First Take and wanting to be No. 1 doesn\u2019t mean I wanted Skip Bayless to fail, doesn\u2019t mean that I want to see him out of the business.\u201d<\/p><\/blockquote>\n
He added, \u201cI have not called him, I\u2019m not going to because I know what this moment must be like for him,\u201d Smith said.<\/p>\n
The viewership for Undisputed fell off a cliff as soon as Shannon Sharpe left and joined First Take.<\/p>\n
When it is all said and done, Stephen A Smith and Skip Bayless might both be out of a job as ESPN reportedly put a contract worth $18 million on the table, and he turned it down.<\/p>\n
ESPN Rules Against Reunion Between Skip Bayless And The Company Stephen A Smith<\/h2>\n
ESPN wasted little time ruling out a reunion between Skip Bayless and Stephen A Smith, with Bayless reportedly on the way out at Fox Sports.<\/p>\n