Did Stephen A. Smith talk to Max Kellerman about this before he went to the bosses?
That seems to be a question no one is asking. Stephen A. has made several media appearances making it clear that he didn’t want Max on the show anymore while trying to soften the blow by saying he likes Max as a person, but this was strictly business.
When he spoke to SI, he admitted that Max wasn’t happy about the change.
I think that people get confused, thinking Stephen A. doesn’t like Max. Couldn’t be further from the truth. I like him and respect him. We just weren’t working anymore because the audience was telling us we had essentially just flatlined. We were the same. We weren’t fresh together.
So as a result of that, I told the bosses how I felt. Wishing him nothing but the best, rooting for him, making sure everyone knows if he needed me, I wouldn’t hesitate to be there for him, but I’m not going to apologize to anybody for being committed to winning. And if I believe I’m part of a formula that’s not going to win any longer, I’m going to change that formula. Whether it’s me moving or them moving on, and that is the way I have always been and that is the way I will continue to be.
I asked Smith whether Kellerman agreed with his assessment of the show.
“No, he did not,” Smith said.
Essentially, Smith got Max fired from First Take.
I wonder if this had to do with Terrell Owens saying Max was more black than Stephen A. Often, Max, who did have his fair share of bad sports take, was the voice of reason on the show. He didn’t yell, he didn’t scream, and appeared to me at least to balance Stephen A. Smith out.
Smith disagreed with that assessment.
Flip the page for more videos of Stephen A. speaking about firing Max.