The truth is Max was making Stephen A look bad just by being himself. The animosity definitely came from Stephen A's side.. Insecurity

We all know it's because T.O said Max was blacker then SAS. His ego wouldn't allow Max to shine

Translation: Max was smarter than me, blacker than me, and always debated with respect and integrity. I pushed him out because he didn't fit in with my ego-driven debate model of shouting over everyone else and distorting narratives to suit whatever personal attack I was levying on a given day.

Steven A Smith is so full of himself! Total respect for Max!

Max never talked to Stephen A since he got fired, it speaks volumes

I hated how he treated Max and is still treating Max. Max is a good dude and never deserved this. Stephen A. Smith is headed for a downfall and it's gonna be hard.

Stephen a is jealous of max cause max would beat him in his debates

Lmao max always had facts. All Stephen a does is yell louder than the other person

The disrespect for max is abysmal

At least skip gave shanon a farewell on the show. Stephen A just straight up forced max to leave and didn’t even have him leave the show properly on air.

Max is one of the nicest, humblest, and most genuine dudes out there. Not to mention how smart he is. All sports analysts are gonna have their own hot takes, that’s what makes a debate a debate and also makes it fun. At least Max always mixed in statistics, logic, and solid reasoning in with it. Not to mention there aren’t many people out there who know more about boxing/the fight game than him. I think Stephen A has an ego problem

We stand with Max Kellerman!!!

Stephen A is a straight up snake. He got Max taken off first take and fired from ESPN, and he continues to take personal shots at him. Really messed up.

The last thing you said hit it right on the nail. When T.O. said what he said, most of us blacks agreed. Because as much as Stephen A wants to proclaim his blackness, he a democratic conservative. Max on the other hand a is liberal and a former rapper from the Bronx. SA couldn't handle having a white boy relating more to the black community than him. So it is pretty much jealousy the reason why Max is gone.

Max was just on another level mentally, intellectually and academically and Stephen A was too insecure to handle it. He knew Max could become the “face of ESPN” so he had to try to sabotage Max. The viewers are not blind. They could clearly see who was the smarter guy on the show.

Max killed it on Around the Horn, Sports Nation, First Take, HBO Boxing and The Max Kellerman Show. He’s a real analyst and doesn’t talk out of his 🍑 without justifying his position with facts or solid evidence to support his opinion. He was better than Stephen A. Stephen A yells and have emotional rants to try to bolster his takes and throws around words to make it seem like he knows more than he does. I’ll never forget Joe Rogans body language the night Stephen A was trying to lend some expertise on MMA. He knows how to dance and fluff around topics that can fool the casual sports fan but not those who know better. Max seems like he has principles and wasn’t going to play the role Stephen A wanted him to play. Stephen A is an intelligent man that fears intelligence. Really reminds me of that line Tony Stark dropped in Avengers. Stephen A begged Max to do the show and wanted to see Max get some shine as long as Max’s shine didn’t shine brighter than his. 🤷‍♂️

He did max worst than skip did Shannon LoL

Dude is really feeling himself. Stop it !!!

He was mad cuz TO said max was more black then him .

Why the F he employ Max in the first place and now complaining about not being athlete or journalist

I wonder why Max has been silent over this. Stephen A been outspoken about Max's departure of the show & his personal feelings about him but Max has yet said one word.

I stopped watching the show when max left. Honestly he was the bright and real one with great takes

MAJORITY of people started liking Max a lot more then SAS cause we all seen thru his ego and lies where as max came with facts

I miss Max, and hoping he'll pop up somewhere soon.

He said "I wanna win" and not "I want US to win". That said it all right there.

I go back with Max to Around The Horn and I Max and have always rocked with Max. Stephen A. pulled some hoe games.

If Stephen A Smith didn't feel that Max wasn't qualified, then why did they hire him and have him work for 5 years on your show?

It’s weird, but I don’t watch it anymore now that Max is gone. That wasn’t a conscious decision, it just so happens that it’s not interesting to me anymore.

SAS is still salty most Black's saw Max as Blacker than him. He admitted that was the maddest he'd ever been when TO called him out on that FACT

I still don't know how anyone can stand this man.

wow. this is amazingly sad. max was legit great on first take.

This is really about Terrell Owens saying Max was more blacker. That shit stung his core, let alone Max being far more intelligent. Thats why they dont even speak.

Crazy cause for me Max was the only reason the show was watchable

i've said this ever since i found out that stephen a got max fired from first take and i will say it again stephen a got max fired from first take because he got butt hurt when terrell owens said that max was more black then he was ever since then that relationship went down hill. not to mention max was afraid of stephen a he was always afraid to disgree with him when it came to race.

I was a big fan of max, sad to see him go. Im a fan of Stephan a. as well but he did max bogus. He definitely felt salty after t.o. stripped his black card. Max always used logical reasoning.

Max was getting more love than Stephen A, that's why he wanted him gone.

Max helped that show tremendously and it’s sad that people doesn’t see that 💯max has never came out and said anything negative towards the show or cast so idk why they need to keep bashing him

It’s crazy he did this to Max but Molly still on the show !!

“I can’t win with you.” Steven A. Smith better not EVER criticize LeBron for having influence on the choice of teammates after making that statement. Max K was awesome. Sad situation

SaS push out Max like Skip pushed out Shanon like father like son lol

Max was the best on that show

Stephen smith is like this old man who is still living with that “all about me” personality. Atleast on camera. He’s let his status over take his tongue and thoughts

I literally used to watch their show for Max’s takes

Was Stephen A an athlete at some high level? Maybe I missed his career😂… Max was amazing and dude felt Max stock rising and wanted to cut bait because he simply wasn’t the smartest man on the show. It was definitely personal….

Conceded people never realize what goes around comes around.

Dude I feel bad for Max first his bro n now this he’s had a tuff life

Max deserves so much better, really getting sick of sas ego and how he pushes what he wants all the time.

I bet he gets mad if he starts to feel shannon out shining him.

I’ll admit that I wasn’t crazy about Max, but Stephen A can’t talk about nobody not being an athlete because he wasn’t one either! He did come across disrespectful to Max on the air as well as to Will Caine, I don’t watch him as much these days because he comes across as a know it all.

Stephen a did to max what skip did to Sharp but didn't look as bad and we know why.

Never had a problem with Max, Max was finally taking away his baby..

To sit there and pretend Max was a critical reason for people to watch first take to during that stretch is insane. SAS was the Skip Bayless of First Take while Max was there. It was his show but everyone tuned in for the other guy

He’s still mad at TO saying Max is blacker than him 😂

I think Stephen a was jealous. Stephen A wrote for the Philly inquirer for over 15 years before he got his break. Max didn’t take the same avenue as him and got up there way quicker then him. Skip took the same route as Stephen a. That’s why they got along together

He was just tired of Max making him look stupid. Everything he said was BS. He's just a jealous and bitter dude. "We talked several times"... Yeah, I can totally see SAS telling him to stop talking common sense and start dropping controversial takes, like he himself does.

i seen the fall off once many social issues were brought up and Max was very outspoken about it. Max got a raw deal from stephen A and he knows it

Max was a ahead of Stephen A smith and SAS knew that and that’s what intimidated sas

What goes around,comes right back around.Everyone gets their turn including you Steven A and its coming

This actually shocked me that he said this. There is something else going on here that we probably don’t know about. SAS was likely seeing that Max was better than him and he maybe got insecure and envious.

this is WILD!!!! Stephen A gotta chill

Wow this is unbelievable

Imagine if the roles were reversed, Steven A would play a race card till cows come home, he’s show is garbage doesn’t matter if Max is there

Miss max

Anyone with any sense of reality knows Max is smart as hell. Stephen A. absolutely perceived Max Kellerman as a threat and disposed of him because of it. Furthermore, Max didn't want to sell out and be fake like the vast majority in TV these days. Props to that.

Totally look at him differently! So disrespectful!!

I don't understand how max still doesn't have a job, he's one of the most intelligent and interesting pundits out there, much better than s.a smith

This world is not fair to good people. Nothing wrong with Max & all the people that bashed him cause SAS disrespected are just as guilty. Even on the Joe Budden podcast they were smirking at what SAS was saying about Max - it's so sad how people are so shallow......

Shannon’s gonna go “stale” too cause he has a delivery similar to Charles Barkley

Patiently waiting for Max to talk.

Team Max !!! Max is s class act !

First Take Hasn’t Been The Same Since Max Left

SAS hated that max was clearly more intelligent and intellectual

Stephen A. was so threatening by Max being there so he chose to disrespect him on national television and push for ESPN to get Max off First Take which was on some scumbag shit

ESPN fired the wrong person

Max took Steven A ghetto pass, black card and was invited to the cook out.

You are so correct about CAMRON AND MASE. They compliment each other and just have a good time speaking on current events and topics. As a hood nicca from the 80s 90s NYC, I am so sproud of MASE AND CAMRON SHOW!! They are shining together without the loud voices and cursing!!!

We need max back

Stephen much respect for you, but STOP hating on Max!

Wasn’t Max a rapper that got a reg airplay at one point?

Max was better and blacker than SAS. Skip should add Max to the weekly "Undisputed" rotation.

At the end of the day most of these people will crap on each other if it gets them further... It's a shame people don't really value morals lately its all about the $.

Max has alot of takes i disagreed with but he made the show very entertaining

I actually stopped watching first take when he left lmaoooo... He was actually good to watch

I am black. I am not a liberal or conservative. I am a moderate. That being Max did bring the facts

Not disrespectful. He simply and respectfully spoke his mind.

First Take used to be something I looked forward to every single day - since Max left it’s almost always just 3 people talking all at the very same time as loud as they can with nothing to say…..

Dry snitching

He wanted to be able to push his bogus arguments. Couldn't do that with Max there, because Max would win the debates

I don't have a problem with what SAS said. He was asked a question and answered it honestly and candidly. He expressed his opinion about Max. Many people disagree with his opinion. At the end of the day, it's just his opinion and it really doesn't affect Max at all. Max is too intelligent and thoughtful for debate TV. I hope Max finds the right vehicle that fits his talents.

Everyone in my neighborhood is working all day and can only watch the games at night and on the weekends. But when I talk to certain communities, they seem to go out all night and just watch the sports shows During the days. They’ve been trying to reach the black community for ever because they don’t work.

Stephen a was jealous of max because people liked him more and max repeatedly said ok their debates and made him look stupid.

Hi! african american here, i promise u stephen A did not care about max being “blacker”. u have to think HARD from stephen a’s perspective. he’s coming from working with skip, someone who genuinely got reactions out ot stephen a so that he could shine, whereas max is just giving analytical answers all the time.. it’s not fun for stephen a to engage with, he’s 100% right for what he said. max truly was just too boring, and stephen a had to carry the comedic role..

Stephen A. didnt like Max because Max used facts instead of opinions to argue and because of that would not win very many debates. Plus he said it himself on Club Shay Shay that he needed more color on first take.

This whole matter was handled poorly. Steven A's ultimatum to management was childish and not his finest moment.

Totally disrespectful to Max who has me watching the show for 5 yrs religiously. Max was part of the SUCCESS of the SHOW and he was ripped out like he had no part in their success. Totally uncalled for and I’m still pissed til this day how Stephen A Smith continues to dogg Max. Max’s silence speaks to how Classy he is but I’m waiting for the moment he comes out and Blasts SAS Ass out the water !

That was not disrespectful jus cold blooded

To be honest, Shannon was better with Skip and Max was good on First Take.

I liked Max & Marcellus ~ now that was a good show. Stephen A is too much of a loudmouth know it all for me. When he starts threatening people is like bro, are you for real.

Team Max !!! SAS is disrespectful to his co-worker

Stephen & Skip's egos are out of control. In their minds they are bigger than the professional athletes that they cover & it seems like they're more concerned with being celebrities than factual sports journalists. How ironic is it that they get paid to criticize professional athletes for the same tactics they use on a daily basis...