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.
