Shannon Sharpe signed off on ‘Undisputed’ this week after many years of serving as Skip Bayless’ co-host.
The pair obviously had some unfortunate trials and tribulations at the end of their run, but big picture, their pairing was an undeniable success.
“Skip Bayless, you fought for me,” Sharpe said in his parting monologue.
“I’m here because of you. You’ve allowed me to share the stage with you. You allow me to share the platform. The opportunity that you gave me, to become what I became, I’m forever indebted to you. I’ll never forget what you did for me. You’ve helped me grow more than you ever know.”
After Sharpe signed off for his last show, his daughter came to him and the pair shared an intimate embrace.
Some on social media took issue with how it ultimately went down.
— SportsLife&HipHop (@FlightClub1985) June 14, 2023
Why my guy grabbing his daughter like that or am I tripping but congrats unc, excited for what’s next
— BRONSHOW / HTTR (@A_sotoo_) June 14, 2023
That said, others saw no issue and made it a point to plainly say so.
That’s her hip , people just be making everything weird
— J (@Jfraz_) June 15, 2023
It was her hip .. everyone go back to ur daily lives … gesssh
— TerriB (@WFotography) June 15, 2023
That minor drama aside, it will be interesting to see what the future holds for Sharpe.
At this point, the real reason he opted to leave Bayless and ‘Undisputed’ behind is a matter of public record.
Livvy Dunne’s newest hotel room video causes a stir.https://t.co/Fxfpc0WcgF
— Game 7 (@game7__) June 16, 2023
Whether Sharpe will be able to find something better down the road remains to be seen.
ESPN obviously looms large in the background, but Stephen A. Smith has made it clear that he likes ‘First Take’ to be more of a roundtable situation, not the one-on-one battle it used to be when he was co-hosting with Bayless.
Is that something Sharpe might be interested in? Time will tell.
Related: Will Levis’ Sister Kelley’s Wild Birthday Party Video Goes Viral
Jennifer Withers Hoey is a former Business Development Manager who transitioned to writing about sports. With valuable connections all over the West Coast, she has used those contacts to break some of the most interesting stories pertaining to the Portland Trail Blazers, Oregon Ducks, LA Lakers, LA Clippers, Seattle Supersonics (RIP), and more.
