Love it or hate it, Skip Bayless will be back on First Take
Awful Announcing • • sports
Key Points:
- Skip Bayless’s recent return to ESPN’s First Take, initially labeled a one-off event, signals that he will likely appear regularly alongside Stephen A. Smith again, ending a near-decade hiatus.
- The reunion episode largely recycled old debates on topics like Tim Tebow, LeBron James, and the Dallas Cowboys, lacking the intensity and fresh content that characterized their past confrontations.
- Bayless’s return became possible after ESPN parted ways with Shannon Sharpe, who had been a regular contributor to First Take, removing prior conflicts that prevented Bayless’s involvement.
- Stephen A. Smith has evolved the show’s format with rotating contributors, but adding Bayless back could reignite the viral, heated debates that originally boosted the show's popularity.
- While some question Bayless’s current fit for First Take, his return offers him renewed exposure and supports his digital ventures, continuing his legacy as a prominent sports commentator.
