When a person is at one particular job for an extended period of time, it has the chance to possibly define them rather than going to try new things. At times, that is what the current co-host of Brother From Another on NBC Sports and Peacock, Michael Smith, would feel like.
Smith was a recent guest on the GoJo with Mike Golic Jr. podcast and co-host Brandon Newman, who worked on Smith’s show in the past, asked what advice he would have for Golic Jr. now that he is no longer working at ESPN. Obviously, both Smith and Golic Jr, had different circumstances, but Smith talked about how he felt being at ESPN came to define him internally:
“The difference between me and you is I literally grew up there. I got there at 24, 25. I started appearing on-air at 23. It was all I knew for 15 years….When you’ve been in one relationship that long, that relationship comes to define you at times more internally than externally.”
“The process of me leaving that place was very challenging because I think I got into something of a sense of complacency. John Skipper said out of his own mouth you could be the Kobe Bryant of this place. You can spend your whole career there. I never wanted to spend my whole career there, but I always thought I would have that option.”
Smith even mentioned that when his career at ESPN was over, it took a while to transition into the next phase of his career.
“The way I left was such a shock to my system until it was very much a transition and a healing process that I had to undergo.”
Smith also went on to tell Golic Jr. that the media landscape is a lot different now than it was for him a few years ago and that you don’t need to be at ESPN to have a successful career in the media landscape.
“At 32, given the brand you built for yourself individually, it is a perfect time for you to leave. What you’ve been able to do and the media landscape in general is so different than when I first got there. You’re leaving and leaving ESPN now doesn’t mean what it meant 4 years ago. You didn’t lose ESPN, ESPN lost you.
“The industry and pop culture has done an exceptional job of making the people who work at ESPN feel like they need ESPN in order to be successful and that’s clearly not the case.”
Golic Jr. gave Smith credit for helping him feel like his own person at ESPN rather than just Mike Golic’s son.
“You and Jemele Hill were among the first people to treat me as just me and not just like dad’s son. You invited me to your show when you guys were on the 6 and just treated me like somebody who is an individual and was a part of that process. I can’t tell you what that meant then and how much more comfortable it has made me. Where I’m at now and the comfort level to lead doesn’t happen without people like you and Jemele creating the space for that.”
