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Sharpe tells USA Today’s For the Win that he reviews the tape of each show in its entirety after each airing to see what went wrong and what went right:
“I’ll pause it, rewind it and look at my body position, I’m looking at [Skip’s] body position, I’m looking at facial expressions, I’m like, ‘Okay, this is where I gave it away because I started doing something I probably shouldn’t have, to tip him in a direction I was going.’ Although I’m looking at him, I’m talking to the people at home.”
Sharpe has branched out after spending 10 years on CBS’ The NFL Today as a studio analyst. And instead of focusing on the NFL, he gets to knock heads with Skip Bayless on all sports. Sharpe adds that he enjoys working with Bayless.
“We have a healthy respect for each other,” he said. “That’s the biggest thing, I respect what he does and what he’s been doing for 40 years. He can respect what I did and respects what I was able to accomplish. For me, I know this is Skip’s show. This is Skip’s ride! I’m riding shotgun. I’m good with that.”
His work ethic for each 2½ show hasn’t gone unnoticed by Bayless:
“Shannon really believes what he believes and when we lock horns, we really lock. … For us to clash on a daily basis, it has a depth of intensity unlike anything I’ve ever experienced.”
Skippy adds that he’s worked harder on “Undisputed” and Sharpe’s way in expressing his opinion has forced him to up his game in preparing for each show. Perhaps this ethic with Sharpe studying show tape and Bayless doing his homework each night has paid off in the show holding its own against First Take causing ESPN to move it from ESPN2 to the Mothership.
But as Undisputed continues to find its footing every morning, the two debaters, Sharpe and Bayless going in knowing that they have to bring their “A” game every day and looking for the edge to bring them winning points.
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