Skip Bayless – Source: Nicholas Hunt / Getty
Skip Bayless finally addressed his exit from FS1 shortly after Shannon Sharpe’s departure, alleging that he lost his love for the job.
At one point in time, Shannon Sharpe and Skip Bayless dominated morning sports shows as Shannon’s animated nature with Skip’s “get off my lawn” energy, made them a match made in heaven. However, one off-color insult from Skip as he defended Tom Brady would lead to the downfall of the show.
In the aftermath, Shannon Sharpe was reportedly pushed out of FS1, which led to a ratings drop that eventually saw Skip exit the show. Now Shannon is atop the digital sports space, while Skip is rebuilding yet again.
According to the Washington Post, Skip suggested that narratives around his feelings on Shannon’s exit aren’t true. He also added that the loss of Shannon had a major impact on him.
“My heart was no longer in it because I didn’t want Shannon to leave, and I fought for him to stay,” Bayless told WaPo‘s Ben Strauss. “It was a shock they pushed Shannon out.”
Surprisingly, Bayless also said that the way Sharpe framed his exit and their fallout “dumbfounded” him.
“It dumbfounds me [that he said I lost respect for him],” Bayless said. “I only gained respect for Shannon Sharpe day after day after day that he could hang on this show.”
Perhaps Skip is struggling to understand just how badly he disrespected Shannon Sharpe because he never played or achieved what the Hall of Famer has and now Bayless seemingly wants to clear the air, but there was ample time to clear it on set.
Skip cleaning his hands in the media isn’t shocking however as Stephen A. Smith predicted how everything would happen after the on-air confrontation.
