Latest news with #ChrisRusso
Fox News
3 days ago
- Business
- Fox News
ESPN's Stephen A Smith floats hypothetical Ukraine-Russia strategy if he were president
Stephen A. Smith had a tough question put onto his lap during Wednesday's edition of "First Take" – would he rather be president of the United States or the next New York Knicks head coach? Smith had to think about it as he's floated the possibility of running for president and has added his voice to some of the hot-button political issues debated in that particular arena. But the Knicks also fired Tom Thibodeau and have a position open. The ESPN personality didn't necessarily like the idea of working under Knicks team owner James Dolan and said he may like to be president more than the next head coach for the team in orange and blue. "Can you see Stephen A. trying to negotiate the Ukraine-Russia situation?" Chris "Mad Dog" Russo asked. "I wouldn't try to negotiate it. I would work with the European Union. I would work with the United Nations. I would do what I could to empower us. I don't want to give Ukraine unlimited funds, but I know that Russia's ultimate quest is to recapture Europe and I don't want that to happen. Therefore, I would help out Ukraine." Russo applauded Smith but hedged on going any further in the political realm. Smith told ABC News in April that he had no choice but to consider a presidential run. "I have no choice, because I've had elected officials — and I'm not going to give their names — coming up to me. I've had folks who are pundits come up to me. I've had folks that got a lot of money, billionaires and others, that have talked to me about exploratory committees and things of that nature. I'm not a politician. I've never had a desire to be a politician," Smith said. Follow Fox News Digital's sports coverage on X and subscribe to the Fox News Sports Huddle newsletter.
Daily Mail
28-05-2025
- Business
- Daily Mail
Raging ESPN star takes aim at Stephen A Smith's massive $100m contract amid 'First Take' fury
Chris 'Mad Dog' Russo took aim at Stephen A. Smith's massive ESPN salary on Wednesday as a technical mishap interrupted 'First Take.' Russo and the show's host, Molly Qerim, were forced to do a segment from the hallway after she said they had lost power at the network's New York studios. And while Smith was appearing on the show remotely, he still couldn't avoid a lighthearted scolding from Russo over the situation - and his humongous $100million contract. 'If they didn't pay Stephen A. $400 million, maybe they could pay their freakin' bills, ESPN!' Russo yelled. '[ESPN chairman] Jimmy [Pitaro] and the fellas, I mean goodness gracious … How dare you squeeze me and stick me in a hallway,' he continued, as he raged over the makeshift setup in the hallway. 'You took me away from my site, all because you gotta pay him $150 million guaranteed!' The First Take studio lost power, so they filmed the show in the hallway. Chris Russo: "If they didn't pay Stephen A. $400 million, maybe they could pay their freakin' bills, ESPN!" — Front Office Sports (@FOS) May 28, 2025 Both Smith and Qerim appeared to find Russo's rant humorous, as the former put his head in his hands. While Smith has been with ESPN since 2003, his star has risen in recent years due to his starring role on 'First Take' and his involvement on 'NBA Countdown.' And in March, he signed a $100milllion contract extension with the network, according to The Athletic. Still, that didn't prevent 'First Take' - which he also executive produces - from experiencing technical issues, as Qerim and Russo were at one point seen using flashlights. Smith's influence has risen to such a level that he's been floated as a potential presidential nominee for the Democratic party in 2028. He told Barrett Media that he had 'no desire' to be a politician in April but acknowledged that he had softened his stance towards the possibility. 'Time to stop messing around,' he wrote on X. 'Life is great. Especially at ESPN/Disney. Hate the thought of being a politician. But sick of this mess. So I'm officially leaving all doors open.' Smith spoke exclusively to Daily Mail during the Super Bowl in New Orleans about his White House aspirations back in February. He said: 'I will confess, like I said, I have no desire to do this, but assuming that I'm well off, that I have lots of money, and money is no longer a concern, if the American people came to me and looked at me and said "Yo, man, we want you to run for office", and I had a legitimate shot to win the presidency of the United States, I'm not gonna lie. I'll think about that. 'But I gotta have my money. I'm not gonna go to the White House broke. I'm not gonna do that. I gotta have my money. 'I gotta have my home. I gotta have my financial situation completely taken care of. I have no concerns if that happens for me.'
NBC Sports
04-04-2025
- Sport
- NBC Sports
How Duke could fall to Houston in the Final Four
Chris Russo joins the Dan Patrick show to discuss why basketball focuses on eras of play, why Wilt Chamberlain was underrated, and which teams will find success in men's Final Four matchups.
