The sports world was rocked earlier this week when Shannon Sharpe announced that he would be leaving Fox at the end of the NBA Finals. The NFL Hall of Famer had successfully negotiated a buyout to leave the network, taking UNDISPUTED and Club Shay with him. While Sharpe's brand has always been fuelled by spirited debate, it appears that his relationship with co-host Skip Bayless is the primary reason for his departure. The pair have always sparred but things appear to have broken down in recent months. Incidents like Bayless' comments about Damar Hamlin and getting personal when debating Tom Brady appears to have been the breaking point.
In the wake of the news, many people have roasted Bayliss for his apparent fumbling of the bag. It's widely known that Sharpe is the one people really tune in for. Now, his biggest on-air detractor is also getting in on the action.
Charles Barkley Dunks On Bayless
Charles Barkley couldn't help but get in on the roasting of Bayliss. “I did find out something...I read an article today, if you work with a damn idiot, they’ll buy you out. I’m saying, I read it," Barkley began during his NBA Finals postgame coverage, “Shaq, it’s not you. It’s not you [Grant Hill] and it’s not you [Matt Winer]. It’s not Ernie. But apparently if you work with a damn idiot they’ll buy you out. So, I just want you to know, I’m open to the buyout. I didn’t know it was that easy.”
It's no secret that Barkley absolutely despises Bayless. In 2017, Barkley made some very colorful comments about him on The Dan Patrick Show. “You know what we should do for ratings? If I get a disease and I’m gonna die, how about you get Skip Bayless in here and I’ll kill him live on national television. Just get him in here. Only when I know Imma die….Cause I just want to get Skip Bayless in a room one time and beat him like a dog. Only if I knew I was gonna die. Not if I’m gonna live, cause I don’t wanna go to prison. Cause like Mahorn say, ‘they would love you in prison.'”
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