"None of them are going to say a damn thing about it. They're all afraid if I go after Stephen A. [Smith], he'll have my job. If I go after him, he'll get me fired. What a shame that is."
"ESPN now has a decision to make. Lean all the way in and risk alienating part of its audience. Or show restraint—and protect the integrity of the platform that made this partnership valuable in the first place."
"Experimentation isn’t the problem. In fact, it’s necessary. Audiences evolve, consumption habits shift, and standing still is the fastest way to become irrelevant. But experimentation without intention? That’s when the square peg keeps getting jammed into the same round hole."
"Both Jones and Medcalf are already part of the network’s radio lineup. The duo co-hosts a weekend program, giving ESPN a level of familiarity and on-air chemistry to build from if the move becomes official."
"Hosting a premiere show on ESPN of course was a goal of mine. But did I think that First Take would come available, and I’d be first in line? I didn’t know anything. It just sort of worked out that way."
"You need to keep that in mind with the type of content you’re creating. There’s a life cycle on it. If I’m going to put something on YouTube that might get suggested as a recommended video months from now. I want the viewer to click on that and not be disappointed."