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First Take (talk show)

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This article is about the program. For Roberta Flack's album, see First Take (album).
First Take
File:FirstTake CLR Pos.jpg
StarringJay Crawford
Dana Jacobson
Sage Steele
Skip Bayless
Michael Kim
Country of originUSA
Production
Running time2 hours
Original release
NetworkESPN2 (2007-)
ESPN2HD (2007-present)
ReleaseMay 7, 2007-present

ESPN First Take is a morning sports talk program on ESPN2 and ESPN2HD. The show was formerly known as Cold Pizza. The official switch was made on May 7, 2007. Two back-to-back two-hour episodes air each weekday from Monday through Friday, with the live episode airing from 10 a.m. ET until noon, followed by a repeat.

The show is hosted by former SportsCenter personality Dana Jacobson and Jay Crawford, both of whom came over from Cold Pizza. Skip Bayless and a rotating guest analyst are featured during the "1st and 10" segments with hosts Crawford and Jacobson. Sage Steele (or Michael Kim) provides sports updates every twenty minutes for both First Take and Mike and Mike in the Morning. (These were labeled SportsCenter updates until September 29, 2008, when they were renamed "First Take Updates.")

The show moved from New York City to ESPN's headquarters in Bristol, Connecticut. The show is broadcast in high definition in ESPN's Digital Center.

Differences from Cold Pizza

  • Control of the show has shifted from the ESPN Original Entertainment division to ESPN's news division.
  • The "Here's the Latest" news segments have been replaced by the SportsCenter updates.
  • The "Bottom Line" ticker appears continuously on the screen, even during national commercial breaks. This starts on the preceding show, Mike and Mike in the Morning, and continues through the re-airing of this program.
  • A new commentary feature, "My Take," debuted on the Friday of the first week, May 11. The commentator was Peter Bonventre of Entertainment Weekly magazine, the former contributor of "Sports Must List."

First Take set

When ESPN First Take moved to Bristol, Connecticut on 2007-05-07, the program moved into ESPN's Digital Center in high-definition that was established in 2004. This is the same studio that Mike and Mike in the Morning moved into and the same studio that Sunday NFL Countdown and NFL Live is filmed in. However, First Take never appears on the football desk that Mike and Mike uses; instead they use the opposite (Baseball Tonight) side of the studio (with the talent facing toward the demonstration field as opposed to the Baseball Tonight desk which, when in place faces the opposite way). This modified studio area includes a standup position for SportsCenter updates. The NFL debate set is used for 1st & 10 segments, an interview set on the field and a stand up location inside ESPN's highlight screening room are also used. The demonstration field and Barco indoor LED display are used more extensively on this show than any other show originating from the studio.

Personalities

Former Personalities

Guest hosts

In addition to Steele & Kim, these people have served as guest hosts of this program:

Guest update anchors

These people have served as substitute update anchors (includes two people who are current main co-hosts are highlighted in bold) on the show & Mike and Mike in the Morning:

Segments

Current

  • 1st and 10: This is a segment that appears four times throughout the program as four downs, in which they discuss ten different topics. Jay Crawford and Dana Jacobson rotate as hosts with Skip Bayless and a guest analyst. This segment also appears as a separate program at 2:30 p.m. ET on ESPN2 and ESPN2HD.
  • Coach's Call: Every Tuesday during the NFL season, former NFL coach (and current Westwood One analyst) Jim Fassel analyzes certain decisions made by the league's head coaches during the previous week's games.
  • Couch Potato: This segment, sponsored by DirecTV, is hosted by Jacobson who interviews Howie Schwab, ESPN's resident trivia guru, about the weekend's sports television viewing as he rates the weekend's overall event lineup on a scale of 10 bags of chips.
  • Cover Two: This is when they are joined by two NFL columnists from all over the country to discuss different news and notes. This segment is also called cover Three when there are three columnists.
  • Diagnosis NFL: This seasonal segment analyzes the effect of player injuries on NFL teams. Guests on this segment are Bob Glauber of Newsday and Michael Kaplan, who is the director of the Central Connecticut Sports Medicine Center. (Kaplan replaced New York-based Jonathan Glashow when this show moved and changed its name.)
  • First Take Update: Every twenty minutes during both Mike and Mike in the Morning and ESPN First Take, Michael Kim (or Reshea Candidate) runs down the top news and highlights from the previous night in sports. Renamed from SportsCenter Update on September 29, 2008.
  • Francis the Cat: The feline, which is owned by an ESPN employee, is given a choice of two bowls with food inside. Whichever one he eats represents his prediction for the next Monday Night Football game to be shown on ESPN. He made his debut during the college football bowl games in 2007–08.
  • Full Court Press: This is when they are joined by a NBA columnist from all over the country to discuss different news and notes.
  • MLB Doubleheader: This is when they are joined by two MLB columnists from all over the country to discuss different news and notes.
  • Morning Headlines: This is a segment where Michael Kim runs down the biggest headlines in newspapers around the country.
  • Quick Takes: This segment is a spin-off of the former Cold Pizza segment Morning Slice. In this segment, the hosts discuss an odd or of the wall story in the world of sports.
  • SportsNation Question of the Day: This is a multiple-choice question for which fans get to vote at ESPN.com. The hosts give the result of the vote at the end of the show.
  • The Top Story: This is at the beginning of the show when they go indepth about a developing story and discuss it with insiders on the situation.
  • Your Take: This live online chat session began on the November 7, 2007 program; it appears every Wednesday. Amy Nelson is the moderator.

Former

  • The Great Throwdini: This appears every Friday, when The Great Throwdini picks three NFL games against the point spread by throwing knives blind folded at the team logos. This segment was not renewed for the 2008 season, possibly due to Throwdini having a sharp drop in his winning percentage in 2007 compared to 2006.

See also

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