Stephen A Smith needs someone new to scream at now that Skip Bayless has officially left ESPN's First Take, and it looks like they've finally found their guy.
Ironically enough, the news of next First Take host comes from Fox Sports' Colin Cowherd, who also left ESPN for Fox Sports the same way that Skip Bayless has.
In fact, maybe it was Skip who tipped him off that the next host is going to be Max Kellerman.
Kellerman, who has been co-hosting SportsNation alongside Michelle Beadle, will reportedly take the job as First Take co-host despite the fact that Cowherd claimed the two parties were $100,000 apart during negotiations.
Earlier this month, The Big Lead reported that Kellerman was one of three possibilities that ESPN was considering to replace Bayless, so it seems as though Colin Cowherd isn't lying here.
During his periscope broadcast yesterday afternoon, Cowherd told someone off camera that Kellerman joining Stephen A Smith on First Take was a "done deal," so we should expect an official announcement from ESPN in the near future.
The move to First Take is allegedly not going over well with his current co-host, Michelle Beadle.
“Thoughts on SportsNation. Michelle Beadle’s a friend, Max Kellerman is leaving that show, he’s going to be on First Take.” “It’s a done deal,” Cowherd told someone off-camera, “well pretty much, yeah.”
Cowherd said the change was going to upset Beadle and that she was “pissed off.” “Beadle likes Kellerman, that’s not going to play well for Beadle, she’ll be upset. “ Cowherd also claims that Kellerman and ESPN were $100,000 apart in negotiations for the deal.
[Via]