Shannon Sharpe has been one of the biggest LeBron James supporters to touch a debate show microphone and he’s continued to praise his GOAT even as a podcaster. During a recent episode of “NightCap” podcast with Sharpe, Chad “Ochocinco” Johnson and former NBA sharp-shooter Joe Johnson, Sharpe was in his feelings about media members being accused of “glazing” players, being on their payroll and being refereed to as “stans”.
With a stretch as long as a Randy Moss fingertip catch in the corner of the end zone (with 10 toes in), Sharpe decided to rewind the clock roughly 35 years to make a comparison and call out the double standard people have against the media today.
“Nobody has had a relationship with a player like Ahmad Rashad had with Jordan,” Sharpe insisted. “Not one person ever said he glazed. Not one person ever said he was on the payroll. Not one person. Now, if you like a player you are on the payroll.”
Joe Johnson: “It’s how we ingest the information and today the media is different. You could only see that on The Ahmad Rashad Show.
Sharpe: “Or The Sunday game of the week.”
Joe Johnson Says There’s More Media Now: Jordan and Rashad Were Close
Johnson’s point was that there was less media and no social media, so therefore, certain reporters such as Ahmad Rashad who were on the big-time shows had access to these players. As Jordan’s legend grew, he was very selective about who he would do sit-down interviews with. He did have a close relationship with Rashad that extended beyond the job. Rashad famously got exclusive interviews with MJ during an NBA on NBC pregame broadcast ahead of Game 1 of the 1993 NBA Finals, and they also did one-on-one sit-downs for special editions of “NBA Inside Stuff.” Even celebrated together in the locker room like family after Bulls titles.
So the relationship that developed was easier to nurture without the constant 24-hour media push, the thousands of new outlets seeking gossip and the overall function of media now which is to say, “gotcha.”
Fans Chime In On Shannon Sharpe Attacking Ahmad Rashad’s Relationship With Jordan
“Ahmad Rashad didn’t go live every day pushing MJ propaganda and running anti-Wilt, KAJ, & Bill Russell agendas. That’s the difference.It’s really not that complicated,” one fan said, expanding on Joe Johnson’s point.
“Ahmad Rashad was elevating every player in the league! Every player was his “Main Man” on NBA Inside Stuff!” one user commented.
Some fans accused Sharpe of bringing this backlash on himself. Supporting a player is one thing, but tearing another down to boost your guy is not something Rashad did.
“Naw it’s the lying and trying to put him over Jordan when we can see he not.” one fan quipped.
“Ahmad didn’t use his platform to sh*t on other players on behalf of Jordan the way lebron sycophants do in the media. Nice try but this is a false equivalence,” a netizen commented.
“ He was objective on Mike. You fools are not,” another added.
“Ahmad literally had the nba and its fans in the choke hold in the 90’s… giving everyone love and helping expand the game.. Rich Paul just push goofy narratives and pay people to push or agree with the nonsense.. one’s an agent and the other was a former athlete,” said one fan.
Shannon Sharpe Rant Goes Off The Rails
Former NFL lead reporter for The Athletic Dianna Russini had a great relationship with New England Patriots head coach Mike Vrabel, but unfortunately it crossed the line into adultery. Situations like this is what makes fans categorize a close relationship between a reporter and a player in a negative light.
The conversation lost some steam, so Sharpe turned up his argument, saying that fans and media who believe LeBron James is the GOAT and sing his praises are referred to in a negative light. Whereas, fans and media favorites of icons of the past didn’t deal with the same negative labels.
Jocking Jordan?
“Let me ask you a question,” Sharpe said. “What were Michael Jordan fans called? Were they called fans or were they called stans? What was Kobe fans called? Were they called fans or they called stans? What was Magic Johnson, Larry Bird, Hakeem Olajuwon, Charles Barkley, Dr. J? What were their fans called? Were they called fans or were they called stans? What do they call LeBron fans? I know what it was called back then. They weren’t saying nobody, ‘Oh, you jocking that man. Get off that man jock.’ That go way back. SO BACK THEN IT WAS called jocking. So who SAID YOU JOCKING JORDAN? WHO SAID YOU JOCKING KOBE? WHO SAID YOU JOCKING MAGIC OR LARRY?”
“Culturally the lingo has changed,” Ochocinco said. The former NFL wide receiver attributed a new slang to the new generation. The expression “stan” in his opinion, is just a replacement for the word “fan.”
He’s Never Beating The Allegations
Sharpe was set on proving his point.
“Y’all see all those damn Jordan shoes I got. Y’all see all those Kobe shoes I got. I love em. I do believe I can appreciate LeBron, Kobe and Jordan. You got who you believe is the GOAT. That’s an argument that will never be decided,” Sharpe said.
Shannon is never going to beat the allegations that he’s a LeBron “stan.” That’s why it bothers him so much when people say it. He’s been going head-to-head with the likes of Skip Bayless and Stephen A. Smith – both MJ lovers – for years on daily talk shows.
