STEPHEN A. Smith may have been on vacation since First Take — but he’s still getting distracted about his infamous New York Yankees first pitch.
ESPN’s sports debate show welcomed Notre Dame coach Marcus Freeman to the studio on Friday.
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Freeman was scheduled to throw out the first pitch before the Yankees’ home game against the Tampa Bay Rays after the show.
Stephen A. was widely mocked by peers and fans after his own attempt last summer.
The 56-year-old went viral after throwing a disastrous pitch that bounced before reaching base.
Freeman received tips before his appearance at Yankee Stadium on Friday night from Harry Douglas of First Take.
And the former NFL star gave Freeman a warning ahead of the new college season.
“Will he be better than Stephen A.?” Douglas laughed.
“I’ll warn you now – [the pitch] It’s better to be good,” he told Freeman.
“Because I’ll be at College GameDay at Texas A&M when you guys play.
“We will use this video if necessary!”
“I played baseball growing up,” Freeman laughed in response.
“This isn’t my first sales pitch. But the one thing I learned [from Stephen A.] is to make sure he crosses the plate.”
Freeman, 38, took the mound before the Yankees’ 6-1 victory over the Rays.
Apparently eager to avoid a Smith-like effort, his throw was thrown high into the air.
But he was caught athletically by relief pitcher Tommy Kahnle to spare the college football coach any embarrassment.
Stephen A. was not in the studio to defend himself during Friday’s show.
First look at the numbers
First Take has grown from strength to strength under the guidance of Stephen A. Smith and Molly Qerim over the past year.
ESPN’s weekday debate show averaged 496,000 viewers in 2023 — making it the most-watched year in the show’s history.
Its December average of 611,000 represented a 24% annual increase compared to 2022.
The show has also recorded more than 250 million views on YouTube.
First Take was helped by the addition of Shannon Sharpe alongside Smith and Qerim after he left Fox Sports’ Undisputed.
The sportscaster has been away since July 2nd, enjoying his summer vacation away from his broadcasting duties.
Smith announced on Thursday that he will return to First Take on July 22.
“I see my friend Harry Douglas – sitting in my chair at @FirstTake,” said Stephen A. wrote on X.
“You know the responsibility that comes with that.@BartScott57! I miss you, bro. See you soon.”
“See you next week – in the studio. Buckle up, everyone! Just for a week, though,” he added.
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