Tension seems to be brewing between ESPN with ‘First Take’ contributor Shannon Sharpe sending a warning to Kirk Herbstreit following his comments on the show’s criticism of Ohio State head coach Ryan Day.
As the Buckeyes were putting the finishing touches on their dominating win over Tennessee in the first round of the College Football Playoff, the ESPN analyst and former Ohio State quarterback Herbstreit called out the popular show for what it said about Day. After Ohio State lost to Michigan for the fourth-straight season, several people said Day should either be fired or his job is dependent on his team winning the national championship.
”First Take’ tried to fire him. They thought he was done, so I’ll be excited to see what they talk about on Monday after this performance,’ Herbstreit said on the ESPN broadcast. ‘They had him out, trying to find replacements. But here he is, he still has his hat on. He’s still coaching.’
With the debate show returning to the airwaves on Monday, the pundits were able to deliver their response to Herbstreit. No stranger to firing back, Stephen A. Smith was actually timid in his response. He said he should be the one to take the heat for the criticism of Day and not anyone else on the show and said he was misquoted by the college football announcers.
But Sharpe didn’t hold back much when it was his turn to respond.
“I’m gonna be a good teammate. I’m gonna let it slide. Everybody’s at ESPN. Because had you not taken the route you’ve taken, I would’ve lit their (expletive) up,” Sharpe said. “If we’re going to be on the same team, if we’re gonna work for the same network, don’t do that. Kirk, Chris Fowler, I promise you, if you ever mention any platform that I’m on again talking about ‘I wonder what they’re going to say as negativity,’ I promise you, ESPN ain’t got enough bosses to keep me off y’all for what I’m going to say.
‘Don’t play with me,’ he added.
It’s pretty vague, but it’s quite the threat from Sharpe to his ESPN colleague. Viewers will wonder if Herbstreit will respond and continue this sort of feud or if this is the end of it.
Since the topic revolves around Day, both sides will have time to critique the Ohio State coach’s job security. The Buckeyes’ next game will be the quarterfinal matchup against Oregon in the Rose Bowl Game on New Year’s Day.