BY NATE DOOLIN

Any sports fan who thinks of ESPN sport analyst Skip Bayless immediately thinks of his “against the grain” stubborn persona he displays so well during his debates on ESPN’s First Take. Although some of his arguments are biased when he is asked to debate certain topics, Skip is one of the most entertaining sport analysts.

Say what you want about the man’s outlook on sports, but the way he prepares himself for his job every day is commendable. Skip does his research every night by studying games, contacting outside sources, outlining his debate points, and practicing his screen presence before each and every show he participates in. Not to mention his inherent skill to be able to keep the audience engaged. Skip’s screen presence during every show of First Take is always very entertaining to watch. Whether he is taking up the challenge of debating a famous athlete he has once criticized publicly face-to-face or trying his hardest to trump Stephen A. Smith, another very entertaining and credible ESPN sport analyst, Skip is always willing to put on a show and give his audience exactly what they are looking for.

As I have stated before, to add to Skip’s effective screen presence, he also takes his job very serious, which is something I respect. The preparation and research he puts into every topic he talks about always shows its shining face. For instance, Skip is a staunch supporter of Tim Tebow no matter how much flak he takes from other analysts for it. He stands behind Tebow through thick and thin just like any other Tebow fan would. But, the difference between he and others who love the rookie quarterback is that he deconstructs his performances (both good and bad) and bases his support from the evidence he has come up with. Skip makes great points about all of Tebow’s 4th quarter performances that have either brought his team wins or put them in great position to get the job done. I also can respect Skip’s loyalty to the statements he makes. If Skip makes a mistake, he will stand by that and stand corrected, which believe it or not is not easy to do in front of the masses of sports fans who tune in to his show on a regular basis.

Skip may not think like a typical sports analyst and he also may not approach most topics the same way, but isn’t that the reason why we are so intrigued to hear what he has to say? Without people like Skip, who bring entertainment and share a different perspective on a situation instead of the sugar-coated norm, sports talk would simply be plain and vanilla to listen to. In other words, as long as he knows how to put on a show, “Skip Tebow” is alright with me.