FIRST Take returned to its roots on Wednesday, with the show broadcast live from Bristol, Connecticut.
The sports debate show moved from its usual Manhattan base to ESPN’s former headquarters ahead of the NBA Draft.
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Host Molly Qerim was joined in the studio by Chris ‘Mad Dog’ Russo and NBA Insider Brian Windhorst.
“Back to the old stomping ground after seven years,” Qerim smiled as he introduced the panel.
“We’re back in Bristol. It’s like a high school reunion.”
“There is no traffic!” shouted a gleeful Mad Dog, as he defended the Bristol show “every Wednesday” for his appearance.
Lead analyst Stephen A. Smith joined via video link from the coast of New York.
“I will say this,” interrupted Smith, deadpan.
“Normally I’d sit there Doggy and say you need a drugs test, I’m not driving to Bristol.
“But considering you guys are in a studio and I’m in a damn closet in New York City, I might consider it.”
“This is a mess,” laughed Qerim in response, adding, “You deserve better than Stephen A.”
“My closet is bigger than that,” Smith complained when the conversation eventually turned to sports and tonight’s Draft.
First broadcast from Studio E in Bristol during its first eleven years.
The show moved to Seaport Studios in Manhattan, New York in September 2018.
And it’s been so long that some ESPN viewers had no idea the show was returning to a family-friendly setting.
“What is this studio? @FirstTake this is surreal haha, it looks cool!” wrote a confused fan on X.
Despite his early complaints, Stephen A. was in good spirits as he celebrated a blockbuster trade to his New York Knicks.
Molly Qerim’s life in the spotlight
Molly Qerim rose through the ranks to become one of ESPN’s biggest stars.
The popular sports presenter began her media career in 2006 at ESPN and spent four years with the network.
She then covered college basketball and football for the CBS Sports Network in New York.
Qerim balanced this with hosting duties for the NFL Network in Los Angeles – fronting NFLAM and NFL Fantasy Live.
The host returned to ESPN in 2015 and immediately took on the role of First Take anchor.
And Qerim has been a popular and ever-present host of the daily sports debate show ever since.
The 56-year-old went viral for his “iconic” reaction to the Knicks’ acquisition of Brooklyn Nets forward Mikal Bridges.
Brooklyn traded Bridges to the Knicks in exchange for Bojan Bogdanovic, five first-round picks, an unprotected pick swap and a second-round pick, per ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski.
Hopping into his home, Stephen A. sent a short video to his 5.9 million social media followers.
“Chemistry is important!” he shouted in the clip after screaming in excitement.
“Reliability is important, consistency is important, defense is important. Brother can shoot. Brother can play.
“I’m sorry, I like this play by the New York Knicks. He’s young, he’s energetic, he’s experienced, he defends and he fits perfectly into the culture of the New York Knicks, and that’s all I ask for.”
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