Watch: Shannon Sharpe addresses Stephen A. Smith as 'Skip' Bayless minutes into 'First Take' debut
Shannon Sharpe's highly anticipated debut on "First Take" couldn't have started with a bigger mess than calling Stephen A. Smith by his former debate partner Skip Bayless' name. Sharpe returned to a spot on one of the premier debate shows after his seven-year tenure with Bayless ended three months ago.
He's yet to entirely settle into his new surroundings at ESPN as suggested by the blunder in his first segment on "First Take." Here's the clip where Shannon mistakenly addressed Stephen A. as "Skip":
Catch Shannon addressing Stephen A. as "Skip" at the 2:22 mark of this video.
"The Lions were picked to win that division, Skip. ... I'm sorry, Stephen A.," Sharpe said.
Stephen A. was kind enough to help Sharpe settle in after that blunder.
"It's alright, it's alright," Smith was heard saying.
The highly anticipated debut of Sharpe on "First Take" has given fans a moment to remember for ages. It wouldn't be surprising to see a viral meme doing the rounds on social media in the coming days and for the foreseeable future.
Sharpe's tenure with "Undisputed" ended due to alleged differences between him and Skip Bayless. However, the Pro Football Hall of Famer will likely get mocked by the NBA community for not entirely settling in during his debut segment on Stephen A. Smith's First Take.
It wouldn't be surprising to see Skip Bayless take a dig at either Stephen A. or Sharpe after the former mocked "Undisputed's" drop in ratings following the latter's exit.
Stephen A. Smith finally has a partner in Shannon Sharpe who can draw audiences nearly as well as him
Shannon Sharpe's first few minutes on Stephen A. Smith's "First Take" may not have gone as expected after he addressed the latter as "Skip." However, this minor blip wouldn't concern Smith that much. He wanted Sharpe as his new debate partner after his tenure with "Undisputed" ended, and it's come to fruition.
"Unc Sharpe" had become a fan favorite in his stint with Skip for his skills as a presenter, and viewers wanted to see him back on national TV soon. News broke about Sharpe potentially linking with Skip Bayless' former debate partner, Stephen A. Smith, which excited fans.
Stephen A. publicly announced his desire to sit across Sharpe shortly. The parties involved didn't waste much time. The negotiations went through, and within months, Sharpe is now debuting alongside Stephen A.
The latter recently appeared on Sharpe's podcast, "Club Shay Shay," highlighting why he felt the former NFL legend deserved a spot, saying:
“I wanted the world to know you were wanted. In 2009, the industry cut me off and left me for dead. … So, let me let the world know Shannon has me.”
"First Take's" ratings are expected to see a significant rise with Sharpe's arrival. It will be interesting to see the numbers they do once the report for the latter's debut show comes out.
Also read: NBA fans go berserk as Shannon Sharpe hilariously calls Stephen A. Smith "Skip" on First Take debut