There is trouble in paradise for sports television’s version of the odd couple, with FS1’s Skip Bayless and Shannon Sharpe reaching newfound levels of awkwardness this week.
The two sports personalities sparred on Wednesday’s installment of ‘Undisputed’ over controversial tweets that Bayless fired off on Monday night, after Buffalo Bills safety Damar Hamlin went into cardiac arrest on the field in Cincinnati.
Bayless, long a one-man lightning rod of attention-seeking impulses, questioned the NFL’s decision to postpone Monday night’s Bills-Bengals game, saying the implications of a regular season contest outweighed the concerns of players and coaches alike.
“No doubt the NFL is considering postponing the rest of this game - but how?” Bayless tweeted. “This late in the season, a game of this magnitude is crucial to the regular-season outcome ... which suddenly seems so irrelevant."
Sharpe, who was inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 2011 after a legendary playing career with the Denver Broncos and Baltimore Ravens, was noticeably shaken by his cohost’s online commentary during Wednesday’s show.
IllinoisBet.com, your home for everything Illinois sports betting, broke down the hypothetical odds on whether Bayless and Sharpe are indeed headed toward a TV divorce, or if the dynamic duo can salvage their strained on-air relationship (or lack thereof).
Something also worth noting: this was the second instance of a stark disagreement between the two in less than a month, as their debate over Tom Brady's play in mid-December featured fireworks of its own.
Hypothetical Odds Of 'Undisputed' End Date
What Shannon Sharpe and Skip Bayless Argued Over
Sharpe remarked that he stayed away from Tuesday’s airing of ‘Undisputed’ thanks in large part to Bayless’ comments.
“There’s been a lot of speculation as to why I wasn’t on air yesterday and I won’t get into speculation and conjecture or innuendo,” Sharpe said, “I will say this, watching what happened to Damar Hamlin struck me a little different. As a brotherhood in the NFL … we know injuries are a part of the game.
“I’ve seen guys suffer Achilles tears, but I’ve never seen anybody have to be revived and fight for their life on the field.”
Sharpe went on to discuss how Hamlin’s situation brought back memories of his brother, Sterling, suffering a neck injury that forced him to retire during his age-29 season in 1994, saying he suffered flashbacks that he never wanted to revisit on Monday night.
“Skip tweeted something, and though I disagree with the tweet and hoped that Skip would take it down,” Sharpe added before being interrupted by Bayless, ending his chance to discuss why his cohost’s post bothered him so much.
Anyone that watched Wednesday’s exchange between Sharpe and Bayless sensed the tension on the set, with many on social media speculating that the show, which has aired since September 2016, is fast approaching its end date.
And yet, the sad reality is this level of awkwardness does play on social media, which likely leads to even more eyeballs on FS1's flagship morning program. But considering the antipathy between the two personalities, is the show salvageable?
What Our Numbers Say
Operators like BetMGM Sportsbook Illinois aren't offering action on the show's cancellation, but our model likes the show coming to an end in some fashion within the next month at +245 and a 29% implied probability.
The next most likely outcome is a cancellation after the Super Bowl, with odds of +320 and 23.8% probability.
For now, we know that there’s no love lost between the $32 million man and one of football’s greatest tight ends, with that tension likely coming to a head on a TV near you sooner rather than later.
Stay close to this site for more developments like this, as well as the best Illinois betting apps.
