First Take - Page 2

ESPN “First Take” co-host Stephen A. Smith went off Thursday on the strategy of tanking in sports to get good draft picks to rebuild, saying black executives do not have the “luxury” of losing and keeping their jobs. “So let me get

NBA analyst and Hall of Famer Charles Barkley said during a Friday appearance on ESPN’s “First Take” that out of respect for the office, he will not speak ill of President Donald Trump, electing simply to call the president “divisive.” “I’m not

Thursday’s “First Take” on ESPN opened with a tribute for the victims of Wednesday’s shooting at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School in Parkland, FL. Co-hosts Stephen A. Smith and Max Kellerman both pushed for change to stop gun violence. “It’s

Monday on ESPN’s “First Take,” co-host Stephen A. Smith reacted to former Cleveland Browns quarterback Johnny Manziel telling “Good Morning America” that he has been diagnosed as bipolar and has sobered up. Smith said at the beginning he would “not

During a Tuesday ESPN “First Take” debate about the Cleveland Indians removing their mascot, Chief Wahoo, from their uniforms, co-host Max Kellerman called on the Notre Dame Fighting Irish to follow suit with their “pernicious” mascot because a minority in the group

During Friday’s “First Take” on ESPN, Will Cain brushed off the notion that the XFL will fail like it did the first attempt, arguing that the NFL should be worried this time around because the league is losing viewers while college

Friday, ESPN “First Take” moderator Molly Qerim weighed in on the XFL’s plan to keep politics and social issues out of the league, something the NFL has failed to do, calling it “divisive.” Domonique Foxworth stated, “This idea they are

ESPN “First Take” host Stephen A. Smith delivered a “final take” Tuesday where he ripped “scared” black NBA players for keeping quiet on the diminishing number of black coaches in the league, following Monday’s firing of Milwaukee Bucks coach Jason Kidd.

Things got heated during Monday’s Houston Rockets-Los Angeles Clippers game. Chippy play and players jawing at each other led to ejections, followed by Rockets players, led by Chris Paul, reportedly storming into the Clippers’ locker room to confront Blake Griffin

Thursday on ESPN’s “First Take,” co-host Max Kellerman reacted to the Houston Astros accepting the White House’s invitation to celebrate their World Series victory over the Los Angeles Dodgers, saying the team is “on the wrong side of history” because the

ESPN college football analyst Tim Tebow shrugged off the notion that the college football playoff committee got it wrong by putting in a non-conference champion like Alabama over teams with worse records that won their conference. Georgia won the SEC

With rumors swirling that the Oakland (soon to be Las Vegas) Raiders will be hiring ESPN analyst Jon Gruden, Stephen A. Smith accused the team Tuesday on violating the league’s Rooney rule — NFL’s mandate requiring teams to interview minority

ESPN’s Mina Kimes declared the NFL’s National Anthem protests “undeniably” her 2017 sports story of the year. Kimes reasoned on “First Take” Thursday that the protests, started by Colin Kaepernick in 2016, are so polarizing that even President Donald Trump shared

Filling in as a guest on ESPN’s “First Take” on Tuesday, Domonique Foxworth described former NFL wide receiver Terrell Owens’ comparison of himself to Colin Kaepernick in why he is jobless in the league as “uncomfortable.” While Foxworth agreed that the outspoken

Thursday, ESPN “First Take” co-host Stephen A. Smith criticized fellow ESPN Radio’s Dan Le Batard for calling MLB Commissioner Rob Manfred a liar in a heated interview over the Miami Marlins trading off their star players to slash payroll. According to Smith, Le Batard “crossed the

In the wake of the report that Carolina Panthers owner Jerry Richardson will sell the team due to a workplace misconduct investigation, ESPN “First Take” co-host Stephen A. Smith said Monday that “it would be nice” if the NFL allowed a

Thursday on ESPN’s “First Take,” Stephen A. Smith responded to outspoken basketball father LaVar Ball saying he would be treated differently if he were white. While Smith disagreed with that premise in Ball’s case, Smith did say that people, in general,

In response to New England Patriots quarterback Tom Brady being seen on the sideline yelling at offensive coordinator Josh McDaniels Sunday during the team’s game against the Buffalo Bills, ESPN’s Stephen A. Smith suggested the public’s reaction would be different

Friday, ESPN “First Take” moderator Molly Qerim ripped into the “audacity” of members of the NFL Players Coalition like Philadelphia Eagles safety Malcolm Jenkins and former wide receiver Anquan Boldin to accept a deal with the NFL to provide financial

Thursday on ESPN’s “First Take,” Stephen A. Smith said the report that NFL players negotiating with the league to spend $89 million funding causes to effect social justice change were in disagreement and ultimately split as a group working together “weakens” the players’ leverage. “[Y]ou’ve

During his final take segment on ESPN’s “First Take,” Stephen A. Smith responded to Golden State Warriors forward Kevin Durant “waking up” to see how “rough it is for the average black man.” Smith agreed with Durant, saying the black athlete also “has

Tim Tebow said he had some of the “most horrific things” directed his way during his football career. Friday while discussing Oklahoma Sooners quarterback and current Heisman favorite Baker Mayfield’s crotch grab last weekend while playing the Kansas Jayhawks, the 2007

Friday on ESPN’s “First Take,” co-host Max Kellerman reacted to President Donald Trump’s tweet that says NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell had “lost control” of the NFL because of the National Anthem protests, saying NFL owners should just “ignore” the president when he

Wednesday on ESPN’s “First Take,” host Stephen A. Smith weighed in on President Donald Trump’s criticisms of the NFL’s National Anthem protests, saying his attempt at “retribution” stems from failing to become an owner in the NFL. “The man is being petty [and]

Monday, ESPN “First Take” co-host Stephen A. Smith said in a discussion about President Donald Trump’s feud with the father UCLA Basketball’s LiAngelo Ball, LaVar, that it should be reported how Trump chooses to talk about LaVar Ball’s ungratefulness, but

Monday, ESPN’s “First Take” praised Colin Kaepernick, who was announced as GQ’s “Citizen of the Year” for kneeling for the National Anthem and being a “lightning rod and a powerful symbol of activism and resistance.” “First Take” co-host Max Kellerman said Kaepernick “richly

Former NFL long snapper and U.S. Army Green Beret Nate Boyer proposed that free agent quarterback Colin Kaepernick and President Donald Trump sit down and have a civil conversation about the National Anthem protests. Boyer met with Kaepernick in 2016 and

Monday on ESPN’s “First Take,” contributor Will Cain said that Houston Texans players overreacted “by a country mile” by protesting the National Anthem to show their displeasure with team owner Bob McNair referring to NFL players as prison inmates when he misquoted the “inmates

ESPN “First Take” co-host Stephen A. Smith went on a rant Thursday in opposition to former NBA Commissioner David Stern proposing to remove marijuana from the ban list in the NBA. Smith called the idea of NBA players showing up

ESPN “First Take” co-host Max Kellerman said Friday in reaction to new Miami Marlins owner Derek Jeter saying he does not have any issues with players kneeling for the National Anthem that kneeling is “a universal sign of respect.” Kellerman

Monday, ESPN “First Take” co-host Stephen A. Smith awarded President Trump the win for having “successfully hijacked” the national anthem protests in the NFL. Trump denounced the protests in September, causing players to protest the president and stand in unity around

Friday, ESPN “First Take” co-host Stephen A. Smith said he was “tired” of the national anthem protests and linking of arms in unity, adding he is ready to “get back to football.” Smith reasoned that Colin Kaepernick’s initial protest has

Thursday, ESPN “First Take” co-host Max Kellerman ripped President Donald Trump for saying the NFL as a business “is going to go to “hell” if the national anthem protests continue. Kellerman said Trump should know a failing business when he

Tuesday, ESPN “First Take” co-host Max Kellerman reacted to Cleveland Cavaliers star LeBron James’ criticisms of President Donald Trump after the president denounced national anthem protests and rescinded his offer for the Golden State Warriors to visit the White House

During Thursday’s “First Take” on ESPN, Stephen A. Smith discussed Seattle Seahawks star defensive end Michael Bennett’s claim he was racially profiled by the Las Vegas Police Department — which the department strongly denies. Smith asked why black people in America

ESPN “First Take” co-host Stephen A. Smith said Cleveland police and other first responders refusing to hold the American flag on the field in response to the Cleveland Browns protesting the national anthem is more disrespectful than NFL players protesting during