Ahead of Sunday’s night match between Real Madrid and AC Milan at the Rose Bowl, a concerning incident stemmed from the ESPN/ESPN+ broadcast. While setting the scene for the latest ongoing ESPN Summer Soccer Series of European clubs’ exhibition matches, analyst Shaka Hislop collapsed and fell face-first on the sidelines.
That led to host Dan Thomas calling for medics and to ESPN going to a commercial. It also understandably prompted a lot of concern for Hislop.
Thomas provided the necessary updates, offering as much as he could, given the seriousness of the situation at hand.
Host Dan Thomas gives an encouraging update on longtime ESPN analyst Shaka Hislop, who passed out live on-air during AC Milan-Real Madrid pregame coverage. pic.twitter.com/3y256pu6W2
— Awful Announcing (@awfulannouncing) July 24, 2023
But we had yet to hear from Hislop—until now.
Hislop recorded a message that was shared by ESPN FC on Monday evening.
“Wow, that was awkward. What a 24 hours this has been,” Hislop said. “Listen, every so often, life gives you moments of pause and this was mine. There is so much I have to be thankful for: my wife, kids, family, loved ones, friends, people I’ve shared a speech with over the years and have lost touch with for whatever reason and have reached out either directly or indirectly, thank you. My response now has to be to seek out the best medical opinion that I can get and listen to what my doctors have to say.
“In closing, I’d like to say thanks to Dan and the ESPN family, the camera operators, the medical staff, and the Rose Bowl, all who responded in the way that they did and afforded me the care that I got. Thank you. I know now that even when we argue and disagree, I have the fullest support of each and every one of you. I’m looking forward to getting back, doing what I enjoy doing most. See you in a bit.”
This is certainly a positive update, and it’s good to hear from Hislop less than 24 hours after the incident. Our best wishes go out to him and his family as he recovers.
[ESPN FC]
About Sam Neumann
Since the beginning of 2023, Sam has been a staff writer for Awful Announcing and The Comeback. A 2021 graduate of Temple University, Sam is a Charlotte native, who currently calls Greenville, South Carolina his home. He also has a love/hate relationship with the New York Mets and Jets.