Skip Bayless and FS1 recently relaunched Undisputed with a fresh cast, including Keyshawn Johnson, Michael Irvin, and Richard Sherman, which has undeniably transformed the sports debate show.
The process of assembling this new lineup took over two months for Bayless, as he aimed to fill the void left by Shannon Sharpe’s departure. With the new Undisputed finally making its debut, Bayless shared his thoughts on the initial episodes.
For many viewers, the most notable change in the new Undisputed appeared to be that Bayless had to take a step back from his prominent role on his own show. When asked about the changes in the revamped Undisputed, Bayless acknowledged that his role had indeed evolved but suggested that it had added more responsibilities to his plate, rather than reducing them.
“As you might have noticed, we’ve been experimenting with me sort of wearing two hats throughout the show,” Bayless explained.
These “two hats” referred to his roles as both host and moderator. In previous iterations of Undisputed, the show typically featured Bayless and Sharpe as hosts, with a third person acting as the moderator. Most recently, Jen Hale of Fox Sports served as Undisputed’s moderator, guiding the discussions. However, this week, Bayless has taken on the additional responsibility of introducing and framing the topics for discussion.
“My comfort zone is always outside my comfort zone,” Bayless remarked about his new role. “I don’t like the comfort zone. I like to be uncomfortable. And I guess you could say I was a little uncomfortable on Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday of this show, but in a great way, like an edgy way, like an explosive way.”
He continued, “And I love the feel and the flavor and the vibe and the momentum of the new Undisputed. All I can tell you is my new teammates, Michael, Key, Sherm, those three, every day, the moment we finish, they look across the table and say, ‘Man, that flew by.’ Maybe it didn’t fly by for me quite like it did for them, because I’m having to do some heavy lifting. But that is a great sign.”
Despite Bayless’s description of “heavy lifting,” it appeared that he had taken a somewhat reduced role this week on Undisputed. This adjustment is not a criticism but rather a result of having four strong personalities on one show. Bayless mentioned that he had discussed approximately 75 potential candidates with Fox during the summer as they sought to replace Sharpe.
According to Bayless, Sherman, Johnson, and Irvin were his top choices, and he successfully brought them all on board. As Dan Le Batard humorously put it, Bayless had “opened the gates of hell” for each of them, assembling three generations of “the loudest Black guy who played football during his generation.”
“I’m not sure you can find that kind of energy anywhere on television,” Bayless stated when referring to his role alongside Keyshawn, Irvin, and Sherman. He was correct—the show’s relaunch on Monday morning was brimming with energy to the point that Bayless found himself in the role of a spectator or moderator on the show where he is typically the star.
However, even though Bayless may not have to exert as much effort to maintain the show’s energy, the ultimate responsibility for the show’s success still rests largely on his shoulders, more so than on any other contributor. If Undisputed falters in the absence of Shannon Sharpe, Bayless will bear the brunt of the criticism.
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