Mad Dog Russo Chooses Sides In Stephen A. Smith Controversy?
There seem to be a lot of problems behind the scenes on ESPN’s First Take. According to the reports, Stephen A. Smith and Shannon Sharpe are causing a lot of tension backstage, and it has reportedly become a “Us vs. Them” situation. It seems like Chris “Mad Dog” Russo has chosen sides.
Here is what Mad Dog said and how people are reacting to the moment.
Chris “Mad Dog” Russo Chooses Stephen A. Smith’s Side In First Take Controversy
According to some people behind the scenes at First Take, a civil war is brewing between Stephen A. Smith and the rest of the crew. The source claims tensions are high backstage, and now Chris “Mad Dog” Russo seems to have taken a side in the situation.
In a recent interview with Dan Patrick, Mad Dog discussed Smith and thanked his colleague for helping him experience “a little renaissance” in his career. Russo, 64, started as a radio sports host in 1988. He moved on to Sirius XM Radio in 2008. Russo joined ESPN in 2022 and has been part of First Take ever since. That same year, the Radio Hall of Fame inducted Russo.
While Mad Dog credited Smith with giving him a new life on TV, his comments seemed to rub some people the wrong way. Sources say that people feel he has taken Smith’s side behind the scenes during the controversy.
“This kind of behavior and words show that he picked a side, the side of Stephen A. Smith over the rest of the team,” a source said (via The U.S. Sun). “It’s very frustrating. We feel that we turned his back to the rest of the team and picked the side that helps him the most.” They said he should have thanked the entire First Take team and not just Smith.
What Is Happening On First Take?
While it seems that, on the outside, Mad Dog is thanking Smith for helping him gain a new audience, those inside feel it is a betrayal. “It’s a move to put himself in the most comfortable side and situation,” the source continued. “I feel a bit hurt, to be honest with you, and I don’t know how to feel about him anymore.”
According to sources behind the scenes, Stephen A. Smith and Shannon Sharpe, who joined when he left Fox Sports, have become “paternalistic.” Some even say it is a “two players team game” and that no one else on the staff matters. This goes against what Stephen A. Smith has said in the past, where he credits everyone on the show with its success.
“It’s very frustrating, as they think they run everything and they have knowledge on every topic of life, and that their opinions and views on things are the best, no matter what you tell them or no matter you [want] to show them that they are wrong,” the source said.
Thanks to Stephen A. Smith and Molly Qerim taking control last year, First Take grew from 496,000 viewers to 611,000 viewers, a 24% increase. It also has more than 250 million views on YouTube.
What are your thoughts on the First Take controversy? Do you think Chris “Mad Dog” Russo was taking sides when he thanked Stephen A. Smith for his career renaissance? Let us know your thoughts in the comments below.
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