Tag: First Take

“Believe it or not, I know this may be shocking for people to believe. But I didn't have any intentions of talking about it,”

"I’m forever grateful and I’m forever humbled because it’s a lot of luck that comes with something like that to have people see your talent, to care, and in your case, to trust because trust is a really, really, really big thing with you..."

"What Smith's new deal implies is that there's a reward for being at the top of your profession. It shows that ESPN values its top people too."

"There aren’t a lot of talent left these days on air that are of the unicorn ilk that he is."

"I got a lot of things that I want to achieve, a lot of things that I want to accomplish in my life that extend beyond this show and beyond the world of sports, but it all starts here."

"I get it, I understand it, and there’s a part of me that aches and hurts because of it."

"According to Andrew Marchand of The Athletic, ESPN commentator Stephen A. Smith has agreed to a five-year deal worth at least $100 million:"

“I’m sick and tired of them acting like everybody’s talking bleep about them all the damn time.”

"He had to start off with a little bit of credibility, and then he ruined it all by saying, ‘These are all Troy Weaver’s players.'"

"Everybody can be great on that show, but Stephen A.’s the bread and butter of First Take, the star of that show"