Shannon Sharpe reportedly out at FS1 as Skip Bayless relationship fizzles
Shannon Sharpe and Skip Bayless have spent seven years yelling at one another. It appears all the shouting has taken a toll.
It appears Shannon Sharpe has finally had enough from Skip Bayless.
Sharpe, the NFL Hall of Famer and three-time Super Bowl champion, is walking away from FS1 and Undisputed after the NBA Finals, according to the New York Post’s Ryan Glasspiegel. Sharpe is reportedly taking a buyout, and he’ll be taking his Club Shay Shay podcast with him.
Fox Sports did not respond to a request for comment. Sharpe could not be immediately reached, and didn’t comment on the news to start Thursday’s show.
Considering the show featured two guys yelling at each other, the duo had their fair share of contentious moments during their seven years cohosting Undisputed. But there was real friction last year, after Bayless suggested on Twitter the Buffalo Bills continue playing following Damar Hamlin’s cardiac arrest.
Sharpe was absent from Undisputed the following morning. When he returned, he was visibly angry by Bayless’ repeated interruptions.
While Sharpe has yet to publicly comment on the report, he did like several comments on Twitter related to the news of his departure, including one claiming Bayless “couldn’t stand Shannon succeeding” and that the duo’s relationship “got progressively worse” in recent years.
It’s unclear what’s next for Sharpe, who previously worked as an analyst on The NFL Today on CBS. Sharpe is facing a defamation lawsuit over comments he made on Undisputed last year about a Mississippi welfare scandal allegedly involving former Green Bay Packers quarterback Brett Favre.
NBC Sports Philadelphia’s Ben Davis not happy with Francisco Lindor
During the Phillies’ 4-1 loss to the New York Mets last night, NBC Sports Philadelphia analyst Ben Davis wasn’t thrilled with a Mets’ double play in the fifth inning.
With a runner on first, Edmundo Sosa hit a scorcher to Mets shortstop Francisco Lindor, who casually tossed the ball the first base to complete the double play. Davis had no problem with the double play, but didn’t care for Lindor’s flip to first.
“You got a problem with that, the way he threw it over?” Phillies play-by-play announcer Tom McCarthy asked during the broadcast.
“I’m not a big fan. Be a little bit more professional about it,” Davis responded.
During his playing days, Davis was on the other side of one of baseball’s unwritten rules. While playing for the San Diego Padres in 2001, Davis dropped a bunt single in the eighth inning to ruin what had been a perfect game for then-Arizona Diamondbacks pitcher Curt Schilling.
After the game, Schilling told reporters he was “a little stunned” by Davis’ bunt, and that it was his understanding players should stick to regular hits when there’s an attempt to break up a no-hitter or perfect game late in a game.
The Phillies have dropped two straight games against the Mets, and have lost six of the last 10 games. They’ll face the Mets again Thursday at 1 p.m. on NBC Sports Philadelphia.
Quick hits
Eagles center Jason Kelce banged the drum at the Union game last night, and as you’d expect, he had the Philly crowd in an uproar. He hit the drum so hard he bent the mallet, then chugged a can of beer, which is what you’d expect from the six-time Pro Bowler.
ESPN opened up its checkbook to add Pat McAfee. According to the New York Post’s Andrew Marchand, the network signed McAfee to a five year, $85 million contract that includes 230 shows a year and weekly appearances on its popular pregame show College GameDay. McAfee’s show is expected to appear on ESPN in the afternoon, but no specific times have been announced. Currently ESPN airs SportsCenter at 1 p.m. and Max Kellerman’s This Just In at 2 p.m.
MLB was forced to take over San Diego Padres television broadcasts from Bally Sports after Diamond Sports Group failed to make their scheduled payment to the team. The team’s announcers — Don Orsillo, Mark Grant and on-field reporter Bob Scanlan — will continue to call games. The move will actually increase the reach of Padres’ games by more than two million homes, but the team will lose out on a $60 million a year revenue stream. The Padres entered this season with the third-highest payroll in baseball, according to ESPN.
Tom Brady says he is not coming back to play football, in response to rumors he may don the silver and black now that he’s agreed to purchase a minority stake of the Las Vegas Raiders. “I’m certain I’m not playing again. I’ve tried to make that clear, and I hate to continue to profess that, cause I’ve already told people that lots of times,” Brady told Sports Illustrated’s Robin Lundberg. “I’m looking forward to my broadcasting job at Fox next year.”