Sports TV News

Shannon Sharpe: Stephen A. Smith Believed in Me When Others Wrote Me Off

“A lot of people wrote me off, but he called me to say, ‘Big boy, you’re not done yet. I got big plans for you.'”

Published

4 weeks ago

November 6, 2023

BSM Staff

Courtesy: Richard Shotwell, Invision, The Associated Press

ESPN’s First Take hit the road for its first two episodes this week, visiting the alma maters of Shannon Sharpe and Stephen A. Smith for special “HBCU Homecoming” editions of the show.

The Monday program started at Savannah State University with a two-minute ovation from a packed crowd in the gymnasium for Sharpe, returning to the school as an alum. As he took in the environment, he was cheering with the crowd and appreciative of the warm reception from current students and alumni on campus. After nearly one minute, he took to the stage with featured commentator Stephen A. Smith and host Molly Qerim to start the show.

Qerim, recognizing the magnitude of the moment though, acknowledged the crowd and gave them another opportunity to applaud Sharpe. She then proceeded to ask Sharpe how it felt to be back on campus and what the opportunity to return meant to him.

“It’s really hard to put into words,” Sharpe replied. “If I had a thousand tongues, I couldn’t say ‘Thank you’ enough to everybody that showed up. To have some of my teammates that came in with me in 1986; to have some of my instructors that taught me, and to see this crowd – to see these young men and young women – to show up to support us and to support me.”

Sharpe had an illustrious professional football career as a tight end in the NFL and was elected to the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 2011. Five years later, he started working at FS1 on its morning debate show, Undisputed, with Shannon Sharpe. In the spring, Sharpe left the program after reaching a buyout with FOX Sports and considered his media future.

Smith wanted Sharpe to join him on First Take and was part of the recruiting process to bring him to ESPN for two days a week, part of a larger media move that also involved taking his hit podcast, Club Shay Shay, to The Volume. Being back on campus as a media professional, he surmised, is something he is more proud of than returning as a former athlete because of the circumstances he had to face to garner such an opportunity.

“Another HBCU alum believed in me; this man sitting right next to me, Stephen A. Smith,” Sharpe said, compelling the audience to applaud his ESPN colleague. “….This man believed in me, (and) gave me an opportunity when a lot of people wrote me off. A lot of people wrote me off, but he called me to say, ‘Big boy, you’re not done yet. I got big plans for you.’ He, Disney, ESPN; the big bosses from Dave Roberts all the way up – Burke Magnus; Jimmy Pitaro; Bob Iger – thank you guys, but thank you,” Sharpe said to Smith, “because you made it possible.”

Shannon Sharpe has been appearing on First Take since the beginning of the NFL season to debate topics opposite Smith on a weekly basis. The Monday and Tuesday appearances have helped the show sustain monthly year-over-year growth for 14 consecutive months, along with other contributors such as Ryan Clark, Christopher “Mad Dog” Russo and Kimberley A. Martin.

BSM Staff

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CBS Sports Shares Details of Spongebob-Themed NFL Broadcasts

Noah Eagle and Nate Burleson return to the booth for both games alongside Dylan Schefter and Young Dylan.

Published

21 mins ago

December 5, 2023

Jeff Kotuby

Get ready for some Turtles on Christmas and some SpongeBob on Super Bowl Sunday. CBS Sports and Nickelodeon are teaming up to deliver two alternate NFL broadcasts this year — one for the Monday night “Nickmas” game between the Las Vegas Raiders and Kansas City Chiefs, and then a second, SpongeBob Squarepants-themed broadcast for Super Bowl LVIII.

Noah Eagle and Nate Burleson return to the booth for both games alongside Dylan Schefter and Young Dylan. The live-action hosts will be joined by two groups of Nicktoons depending on the game.

SpongeBob and Patrick (voiced by Tom Kenny and Bill Fagerbakke, respectively) will join Eagle and Burleson in the booth for Super Bowl LVIII, while Sandy and Larry the Lobster will provide some additional flair from the sidelines. The Bikini Bottom crew will be joined by Dora the Explorer and Boots the Monkey, who will explain penalties to the younger viewers. During the “Nickmas” Game on Dec. 25, the crew will be joined by Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtle’s Raphael in the booth, while Donatello will join Schefter on the sidelines.

The Christmas Day game will be Nickelodeon’s first regular-season game, as previous Nick alternate broadcasts were all during Wild Card Weekend. Last year, Nick aired an alternate broadcast of Cowboys/49ers, which drew an audience of 41 million viewers. The games have also become a social media phenomenon from adult viewers watching tongue-in-cheek.

The Nickelodeon Super Bowl telecast and Nickelodeon NFL Nickmas Game are produced by CBS Sports in association with Nickelodeon Productions.

Jeff Kotuby

Jeff Kotuby is a nationally-published journalist with bylines on many popular broadcasting and pop culture sites, including The Streamable, eBaum’s World, Twin Galaxies, and more. Jeff grew up in the shadows of New York City and cultivated his love for sports media with the classic broadcasting voices of the area, like Mike & The Mad Dog, Mike “Doc” Emerick, and Michael Kay. You can reach Jeff on Twitter @JeffKotu3y.

Sports TV News

Pat McAfee Calls Out Roger Goodell For Not Appearing on His Show

“Hey Rog? Don’t be scared, Rog. Put your big boy pants on. It’ll be good, Rog.”

Published

4 hours ago

December 5, 2023

Jeff Kotuby

Pat McAfee still wants a “white whale” guest on his show — and it’s becoming harder and harder for that guest to resist an interview feasibly.

On today’s The Pat McAfee Show, McAfee mentioned that NBA Commissioner Adam Silver will appear on the program on the Dec. 6 episode, crediting ESPN for making it possible. McAfee then rifles off other commissioners that have appeared on his show, including NHL commish Gary Bettman and SEC commissioner Greg Sankey, and mentions that MLS commissioner Don Garber was interested in coming on the show.

Notably, three of these four leagues mentioned currently maintain a broadcasting relationship with ESPN, with the fourth (MLS) previously having one before leaving for the bosom of Apple TV+.

One league partner’s commissioner who hasn’t appeared is Roger Goodell, the NFL’s controversial commish who rarely makes media appearances outside of the NFL sphere. McAfee has long desired an interview with Goodell and called out to the commissioner personally to come on — as only he can.

“Hey Rog? Don’t be scared, Rog,” McAfee said. “Put your big boy pants on. It’ll be good, Rog.”

Among the crew egging Goodell on was New York Jets QB Aaron Rodgers, who was in the studio with McAfee and gang. The QB hasn’t been one to mince words lately and seemed more than willing to join in on the Goodell teasing to bring him on his friend’s show.

Should the crew plus Rodgers be together to speak with Goodell, it could create an interesting dichotomy for Goodell. One outspoken current player and potentially multiple former players (McAfee, along with former Colts teammate Darius Butler and Rodgers’ former Packers teammate A.J. Hawk) would provide a unique interview experience for Goodell, who is used to very controlled, one-on-one interviews with more muted individuals on the other side.

For the record, McAfee and company also pointed out that MLB Commissioner Rob Manfred hasn’t appeared either, but the guys don’t seem too torn up about it.

Jeff Kotuby

Sports TV News

NBC Won’t Broadcast XFL/USFL After Merger

“We wish them success with the new league and their new partners.”

Published

5 hours ago

December 5, 2023

BSM Staff

NBC Sports broadcasted USFL games in its first two seasons since its resurrection, but that won’t continue in 2024.

As the two leagues prepare to merge, the new season won’t begin until March 30th. Due to pre-existing contracts for PGA Tour and other golf events, the network wasn’t able to commit to broadcasting the spring football league.

“We enjoyed our relationship with the USFL and Fox, but the new earlier schedule made it impossible for us to continue,” NBC Sports Executive Vice President of Communications Greg Hughes told Sports Business Journal. “We wish them success with the new league and their new partners.”

With the departure of NBC Sports, ESPN and FOX Sports will be the two television partners for the league.

BSM Staff