Skip Bayless facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Skip Bayless
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Bayless in 2014
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| Born |
John Edward Bayless II
December 4, 1951 Oklahoma City, Oklahoma, U.S.
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| Education | Vanderbilt University |
| Occupation | Sportswriter, television sports commentator |
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Notable credit(s)
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FS1 (Skip and Shannon: Undisputed) 2016–2024 ESPN (Cold Pizza, First Take) 2004–2016 San Jose Mercury News Chicago Tribune Dallas Times Herald Dallas Morning News Los Angeles Times Miami Herald |
| Spouse(s) |
Ernestine Sclafani
(m. 2016) |
| Family | Rick Bayless (brother) |
Skip Bayless (born John Edward Bayless II on December 4, 1951) is an American sports writer and television host. He is famous for his strong opinions and debates on sports topics.
For many years, he was a commentator on the ESPN2 show First Take with Stephen A. Smith. After leaving ESPN in 2016, Bayless started a new show called Skip and Shannon: Undisputed on Fox Sports 1 with Shannon Sharpe. He hosted that show for eight years until leaving in August 2024.
Contents
Early Life and School
John Edward Bayless II grew up in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma. His father started calling him "Skip" right after he was born, and the name stuck. He later legally changed his first name to Skip.
His parents owned a barbecue restaurant, but Skip was more interested in sports. He played baseball and basketball as a kid. In high school, he was a top student and a member of the National Honor Society. He also wrote the sports column for his school's newspaper.
After high school, he won a special scholarship to attend Vanderbilt University. He studied English and history and graduated with honors in 1974. In college, he was the sports editor of the student newspaper.
Career in Journalism and Television
Writing for Newspapers
After college, Bayless started his career as a sports writer for The Miami Herald. In 1976, he moved to the Los Angeles Times. There, he wrote investigative stories about famous sports teams like the Los Angeles Dodgers and the Rams. For his writing, he won the Eclipse Award in 1977.
Later, he worked for newspapers in Dallas, Texas. He became a lead sports columnist and was named Texas sportswriter of the year three times.
In 1998, Bayless became the main sports columnist for the Chicago Tribune. He won an award for his writing there as well.
Books About the Dallas Cowboys
Bayless wrote three books about the Dallas Cowboys football team.
- God's Coach: The Hymns, Hype and Hypocrisy of Tom Landry's Cowboys (1990)
- The Boys: The Untold Story of the Dallas Cowboys' Season on the Edge (1993)
- ...-Bent: The Crazy Truth About the "Win or Else" Dallas Cowboys (1996)
His third book caused a lot of discussion because it included personal rumors about the team's players and coaches.
Radio and Early TV Work
Before becoming a famous TV host, Bayless worked in radio. He hosted sports talk shows in Dallas in the early 1990s. He was also a frequent guest on national ESPN Radio shows.
In 1989, he began appearing on ESPN's TV show The Sports Reporters. He was also part of a debate segment on NFL Prime Monday.
Hosting on ESPN
In 2004, ESPN hired Bayless full-time. He joined a debate show on ESPN2 called Cold Pizza. In 2007, the show was renamed First Take.
On First Take, Bayless became famous for his fiery debates with co-host Stephen A. Smith. They argued about the biggest sports stories of the day. Bayless worked at ESPN for 12 years before leaving in 2016.
Hosting on Fox Sports 1
In September 2016, Bayless launched a new show on Fox Sports 1 called Skip and Shannon: Undisputed. His co-host was former NFL star Shannon Sharpe.
On his shows, Bayless became known for his consistent opinions. He often criticized basketball star LeBron James and quarterback Aaron Rodgers, while frequently praising quarterback Tom Brady. He was also a big fan of the Dallas Cowboys, but he would also criticize them.
Controversial Moments
Bayless has been criticized for some of his comments. In 2020, he made remarks about Cowboys quarterback Dak Prescott's personal struggles that many people found insensitive.
In 2023, during a live football game, a player named Damar Hamlin had a serious medical emergency on the field. Bayless posted a tweet about whether the NFL should postpone the game. Many people, including other sports figures, felt his tweet was inappropriate for the situation. He later apologized.
Shannon Sharpe left Undisputed in 2023 after a strong on-air disagreement with Bayless. Bayless then continued the show with new co-hosts, including Richard Sherman, Keyshawn Johnson, and Michael Irvin. Bayless left Fox Sports in August 2024.
Movie and Film Appearances
- Bayless had a small role in the 2006 movie Rocky Balboa. He played himself, a TV host discussing a potential fight for Rocky.
- He appeared in the ESPN 30 for 30 documentary Pony Excess, about a college football scandal he covered as a reporter.
- He was also in the 2011 documentary Herschel, about football player Herschel Walker.
Published books as author
- God's Coach: The Hymns, Hype, and Hypocrisy of Tom Landry's Cowboys, Simon & Schuster, 1990. ISBN: 0-671-70581-4.
- The Boys: The Untold Story of the Dallas Cowboys' Season on the Edge, Simon & Schuster, 1993. ISBN: 0-671-79359-4.
- ...-Bent: The Crazy Truth About the "Win or Else" Dallas Cowboys, HarperCollins Publishers, 1996. ISBN: 0-06-018648-8.
