In the market of competitive sports, there are no friends both on and off the court. Similarly, this does not ensure that the goodness within human beings needs to die in order to thrive and prosper. Stephen A. Smith recently proved that as he extended his helping hand to his former competitor, Shannon Sharpe.

He took pride in becoming Sharpe’s lifeline and for staying by his side in time of need. In the process, he vilified Skip Bayless and the $13.92 billion company that employed him.

What did Stephen A. Smith say?

The partnership of Shannon and Skip served the billion-dollar company, Fox, through their show Undisputed.?Their seven-year-long journey came to an end when Sharpe left after the 2023 NBA finals. Many speculated that the long-standing tension between Bayless and him was the reason behind his departure.

Skip had disrespected the 55-year-old on numerous occasions throughout the show, causing tension between the two. There were even reports suggesting fights between these two for power. Amidst all that, when Sharpe left after buying out his contract, Stephen A. decided to bring him in for the First Take.

Smith lately shared his thoughts on his newest coworker on a recent episode of The Stephen A. Smith Show. After getting to know Shannon, Smith was in high praise of the NFL legend. “I know what Shanon is going through, or was going through,” he stated, taking a dig at Skip and Fox.

“That brother didn’t deserve that,”?Smith highlighted, before complementing Sharpe, saying, “The more I work with him, the more I enjoy him.”?He then added,?“All he wants is to be respected and appreciated,”?to shed light on the disrespect Shannon received in the past.

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This time around, things would be different for the 3-time Super Bowl Champion. Stephen A. stated, “He already knows he has that from me,”?implying exactly that. This makes us wonder about one thing.

How would the future of First Take look like?

Since coming on air in 2007, the chat show has been one of the major sources of attraction for sports fans. With Smith staying at the center of it all, the program revolves around the actions of the broadcaster.

Shannon Sharpe’s debut on the show marked a significant day as 727,000 people tuned in to watch it. It was the second-highest-rated First Take show of all time, hinting at the potential success after the addition of Sharpe.

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The program looks fresh, and tidy after the changes made to it. As American sports fans tune in to watch it live more and more, reaching 1 million viewers is no longer a dream.