When you think about sports talk television and the best personalities that inhabit it, Stephen A. Smith would immediately have to come to mind. He is the bombastic co-host of ESPN's hit show First Take and can always be seen and heard delivering some incredible hot takes which leave fans divided. Whether you like him or not, there is no denying he is entertaining and his reports and opinions can tend to hold a lot of weight, depending on who you ask.
In a recent interview with Michael Kay, Smith was asked about his rise to fame and how he ended up at ESPN. As Smith explains, he was called in for an audition by ESPN's president after a room full of executives tried to have him blacklisted. When Smith went in for the audition, he shined and showed ESPN's brass what he was all about. This eventually led to an instant contract and the rest is history.
It's a good thing ESPN took a chance on Stephen A. or else we would have been deprived of some of the funniest moments and one-liners in sports talk television history. You have to hand it to Smith for being so confident from the start and showing the network what he can do.
As First Take continues to thrive, there is no telling what Smith can do moving forward.