Skip Bayless is ‘so proud’ of what he and departing ‘Undisputed’ co-host Shannon Sharpe achieved, admitting they were like ‘a married couple on TV’
- Sharpe officially left the morning sports talk show on Wednesday after the Finals
- Bayless said ‘it felt like’ he was spending more time with Sharpe than his wife
- DailyMail.com provides all the latest international sports news
In the aftermath of the departure of ‘Undisputed’ co-host Shannon Sharpe, longtime sports pundit Skip Bayless had nothing but kind words for his partner on-air.
After almost seven years sharing the airwaves together, Sharpe revealed on Wednesday that his time on the show would come to an end immediately.
That timing came after the conclusion of the NBA Finals – something the New York Post reported back at the end of May.
On an episode of his Fox Sports podcast, ‘The Skip Bayless Show’, the veteran sports media personality had nothing but kind words for his departing co-host.
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‘I was so proud of what Shannon and I had accomplished together against such long odds,’ Bayless began on Thursday’s episode.
Skip Bayless (R) offered kind words of reflection for his departing co-host Shannon Sharpe (L)
Sharpe left the show two days after the NBA Finals – in a tearful goodbye to the program
‘What a run we had together, nearly seven years’ worth. That’s nearly 4,300 live, on-air hours sitting across from each other at that debate desk, battling, laughing, haggling over bets on games.
‘When I shared that figure with my wife, Ernestine, her response was, “You spent more time with him than you spent with me.” Well, not exactly true.
‘But it did sometimes feel that way. Which meant that in a way, Shannon and I were kind of a married couple on TV.’
Bayless said that the kind of debate Sharpe offered was different from that of journalists like Stephen A. Smith – especially when it came to football, a sport in which Sharpe is one of the most decorated to ever play it.
‘I started thinking about me against an NFL Hall of Famer, instead of just a fellow journalist,’ Bayless recalled. ‘I started to like it, and we plunged.
‘In our first staff meeting, Shannon told the group he wanted to become the first ex-athlete to prove that he could talk about all sports on TV, not just the one he played. And did Shannon ever prove that.’
Bayless said among the topics he’d miss the debate topics he’d miss the most include the Dallas Cowboys and LeBron James – all while praising Sharpe’s desire to make the show a success.
‘But the truth is what I loved most about working with Shannon was, and this is no small thing, he dedicated himself to the process of preparing for ‘Undisputed’ just like he dedicated himself to playing pro football.’
Bayless said he’ll fondly remember debating topics such as the Dallas Cowboys and LeBron
Sharpe and Bayless were co-hosts ever since 2016, when Bayless departed ESPN’s First Take
He praised Sharpe’s work ethic on the show.
‘Most debates are won the night before by doing your homework, your research, formulating your argument,’ Bayless said.
‘Shannon prepared hard, and on-air, Shannon competed even harder. Shannon never took a sick day. Shannon was never, ever late.
‘You say, “Oh that’s no big deal.” No, it’s a huge deal to me. Being prepared and on time is the mortar of a successful TV show. Shannon always prepared, always on time, day after day after day.’
Bayless added that he’s looking forward to what comes next for ‘Undisputed’ as the show could bring on a new co-host – or possibly take on a whole new format altogether.
