First Take may be trouncing Undisputed in the ratings, but even the most vocal critics of Skip Bayless would have to admit that the FS1 show did have one key an advantage between the two.
Every single day, we knew who was going to be on the show. We knew that there was star power. We knew that there would be fireworks. Like any of the 488 episodes of Law & Order, even if it wasn’t good, we knew the beats and it was comfortable.
Right now, First Take has a problem. Everyone not named Stephen A. Smith on that show is boring. It is time to rethink this Stephen A versus the world routine, because while Smith knows how to entertain, most of his “opponents” do not.
Michael Irvin, the one reliable bright spot, hasn’t been back since the Super Bowl. JJ Redick is genuinely unlikable. Jay Williams doesn’t seem to be doing the same show as the other people on the panel. And frankly, I just don’t get Chris Russo.
First Take feels a little lost. There is an answer to this problem. The question is, does everyone involved want it.
Would Shannon Sharpe go from Skip to Stephen A? Stephen A. Smith doesn’t have a problem working with a guy that has seething disdain for his “brother from another mother”. Does ESPN want to take on another superstar-level salary?
With free agency in his not-at-all distant future, there will be plenty of interest in Shannon Sharpe. Between Smith, the heritage brand of SportsCenter, and the cult following of therecently acquired Pat McAfee, ESPN is the one network I wouldn’t blame for staying out of the sweepstakes. Sharpe wouldn’t add star power or prestige that the network does not already have.
But First Take is ESPN’s cultural touchstone. It is now what SportsCenter was in the 90s and early 2000s – the show that sets the tone and the topics for the rest of the day.
What Sharpe offers ESPN is a chance to make that product better. If that product gets better, ESPN gets healthier. You do not have to like Smith or First Take to know that is true.
However, things only improve if Smith and ESPN embrace real change for the show. Over the weekend, Michael McCarthy dismissed Smith’s endorsement of Sharpe on First Take. He called it a “self-serving attempt to manipulate the Sharpe vs. Bayless soap opera in his favor.” That is only true if Smith is so egomaniacal that is willing to derail a chance for First Take to get better.
This harkens back to something we have written about a lot lately. Disney is going through layoffs right now. That means people at ESPN are going to lose jobs. That doesn’t mean that Jimmy Pitaro stops doing his job or no longer has a business to run. If the goal of layoffs at any company is to spend smarter, then using the money saved to invest in returning First Take to must-see status amongst sports fans is a wise investment.
Until Shannon Sharpe speaks publicly, this is all just fantasy roster moves. It is very possible that being burned out on Skip Bayless and Undisputed 100% about the off-air tension between the two men. We can’t dismiss the possibility that it means that he is also burned out on embracing debate. Who could blame Shannon Sharpe for wanting a little less shouting in his life, even if it would be with someone he likes a little bit more?
Sharpe will have to answer that question for himself. Then, he will have to answer it for his agent. Only after he has done that, will we know if there is a chance he is part of ESPN’s plans.
Every brand has its flagship product and it is the duty of every company to make sure the product that it has built its reputation on is in the best shape it can be.
It’s why Nintendo keeps putting out Mario and Zelda games every year. They are the products most associated with the brand. If the Zelda franchise stays fresh and Mario is always up to something new, Nintendo doesn’t get stale in the minds of the public.
Shannon Sharpe would instantly improve First Take. If the Hall-of-Famer is still in a debating mood, First Take would instantly give him a bigger platform and louder voice. The match is easy for both sides to justify if they both want it to happen.
Demetri Ravanos is a former columnist and editor for Barrett Media. He is the creator of The Sports Podcast Festival, and a previous host of the Chewing Clock and Media Noise podcasts. He occasionally fills in on stations across the Carolinas in addition to hosting Panthers and College Football podcasts. His radio resume includes stops at WAVH and WZEW in Mobile, AL, WBPT in Birmingham, AL and WBBB, WPTK and WDNC in Raleigh, NC.
You can find him on Twitter @DemetriRavanos or reach him by email at DemetriTheGreek@gmail.com.
