Stephen A. Smith and Skip Bayless' incredibly petty First Take feud, explained.

Stephen A. Smith and Skip Bayless' incredibly petty First Take feud, explained

[{"selector":"#anim-f09d006a-94d9-40f4-9b5a-57d4dbaa36f8","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":20,"duration":4000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.4, 0.4, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-251a2509-f46e-4333-99f8-071a45953ff6 [data-leaf-element=\"true\"]","keyframes":{"transform":["translate(-7.105427357601002e-15%, 0%) scale(1.5)","translate(0%, 0%) scale(1)"]},"delay":20,"duration":4000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(.3,0,.55,1)","fill":"forwards"}] Over the years, we’ve seen many a legendary media partnership break up after some incredibly successful ru ns.

[{"selector":"#anim-c1418c85-6eae-49de-818d-590ce7ebb191","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":20,"duration":4000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.4, 0.4, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-8a0dcafe-ae19-4714-a3f5-b8ba98b1a409 [data-leaf-element=\"true\"]","keyframes":{"transform":["translate(0%, 0%) scale(1.5)","translate(0%, 0%) scale(1)"]},"delay":20,"duration":4000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(.3,0,.55,1)","fill":"forwards"}] "Philadelphia" — but he doesn't think his performance would go over well today.

[{"selector":"#anim-82ea6000-78d1-4035-a059-7b229dfc04e2","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":20,"duration":4000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.4, 0.4, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-5bbd5187-50f8-47b7-908f-11f8566178d7 [data-leaf-element=\"true\"]","keyframes":{"transform":["translate(0%, 0%) scale(1.5)","translate(0%, 0%) scale(1)"]},"delay":20,"duration":4000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(.3,0,.55,1)","fill":"forwards"}] Mike & Mike, Bill Simmons and ESPN. The list goes on and on and on. There are plenty to pick and choose from across the massive sports media lan dscape.

[{"selector":"#anim-b8b4c789-0afe-477a-b5ba-a2b5fcce2936","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":20,"duration":4000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.4, 0.4, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-f6bbad0c-8262-4f0e-9ad7-d465b580ae95 [data-leaf-element=\"true\"]","keyframes":{"transform":["translate(-7.105427357601002e-15%, 0%) scale(1.5)","translate(0%, 0%) scale(1)"]},"delay":20,"duration":4000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(.3,0,.55,1)","fill":"forwards"}] But never did I think I would see the day where Stephen A. Smith and Skip Bayless were beefing. Never. Those two? Nah, no way.

[{"selector":"#anim-352ce0f1-7255-49f5-b0d1-cde2d4d5670d","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":20,"duration":4000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.4, 0.4, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-e05ec1c8-6828-4083-98ba-0f3c8df8c076 [data-leaf-element=\"true\"]","keyframes":{"transform":["translate(0%, -0.000008459098388868824%) scale(1.5)","translate(0%, 0%) scale(1)"]},"delay":20,"duration":4000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(.3,0,.55,1)","fill":"forwards"}] But never did I think I would see the day where Stephen A. Smith and Skip Bayless were beefing. Never. Those two? Nah, no way. There’s a bit of a beef brewing between these two and it all stems from their history on th eir most successful venture together: First Take.

[{"selector":"#anim-828f0267-3dc6-4b76-9d54-40981e91ba92","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":20,"duration":4000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.4, 0.4, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-5ba58bc8-57ba-42af-9a17-ee87f4754cb5 [data-leaf-element=\"true\"]","keyframes":{"transform":["translate(-1.0658141036401503e-14%, 0%) scale(1.5)","translate(0%, 0%) scale(1)"]},"delay":20,"duration":4000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(.3,0,.55,1)","fill":"forwards"}] Bayless left the show in 2016 for Fox Sports just four years after Smith joined him on the program, but not after making it one of the most successful shows in sports media. The day he left, Bayless told Stephen A. how much he loved him and appreciated their time together.

[{"selector":"#anim-ca87eaf4-4b2f-4725-aaf0-24f94326fb2e","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":20,"duration":4000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.4, 0.4, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-34fa4136-10bb-46ad-a762-8b9a7bf16588 [data-leaf-element=\"true\"]","keyframes":{"transform":["translate(7.105427357601002e-15%, 0%) scale(1.5)","translate(0%, 0%) scale(1)"]},"delay":20,"duration":4000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(.3,0,.55,1)","fill":"forwards"}] He was reading a transcript from the JJ Reddick podcast with Stephen A. Smith about how First Take took off with ESPN. Smith credited Bayless for bringing him on, but also alluded that he was part of the reason why ratings skyrocketed. Skip wasn’t here for it.

[{"selector":"#anim-805ddc8a-b9ed-430c-b4b3-79dcc7f85d31","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":20,"duration":4000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.4, 0.4, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-ee62aa99-6416-41a7-9559-17404be03bf9 [data-leaf-element=\"true\"]","keyframes":{"transform":["translate(-24.859195797407736%, 0%) scale(1.5)","translate(0%, 0%) scale(1)"]},"delay":20,"duration":4000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(.3,0,.55,1)","fill":"forwards"}] We’d need someone to dive into the details for us. Or maybe they’ll sit down one day and hash things out themselves to give us the best picture of what happened. I’m not sure. And, ultimately, it doesn’t really matter that much. Both sides have moved on.