Nick Wright and Cris Carter tried to tell TV critics that their new show, “First Things First,” will be different from the others on FS1. Then they made it pretty clear that it will be more of the same.
Wright said it will “hopefully” be “a slightly different version of morning sports television” — that it won’t be another “highlights show,” another of the “hardcore debate shows” or “just the radio show simulcast on television.”
“Ours is going to be none of the above,” Wright said.
But that seems unlikely. There are only so many ways to do a sports TV show, and it’s pretty much impossible to believe that “First Things First” won’t feature highlights. That it’s won’t bear some resemblance to radio show simulcasts. And it’s utterly unbelievable that it won’t be a debate show because that’s what Fox Sports 1 is.
Utahns will have to get up pretty early in the morning to see “First Things First.” It will air weekdays from 4:30 to 7:30 a.m. in the Mountain Time Zone beginning Sept. 5.
Arguing is not exclusive to FS1. ESPN led the way with sports shows featuring opinionated loudmouths bellowing at each other. C’mon, ESPN has Stephen A. Smith.
But FS1 has built its studio shows on personalities who express contrary opinions for the sake of being contrary and yelling just to hear their own voices. ESPN refugees Skip Bayless and Colin Cowherd lead the galaxy in those categories
And take a wild guess who Wright and Carter expressed massive admiration for?
Wright called Bayless “the single best televised sports debater in the world” and Shannon Sharp “the best foil.” As for Cowherd, “I don’t know what Colin does exactly, but I know he is the best to ever do that.”
Carter said he has “a great deal of respect” for Bayless and “how he goes about his job. He’s very, very good at what he does, even though my style is totally different.”
They argue differently, sure, but they both argue. Sometimes fiercely.
It’s not surprising for FS1 personalities to praise each other. But should anyone be surprised when “First Things First” fits perfectly with “Undisputed” and “The Herd”?
Nope.
“Cris and I have to try to be the best at what we are best at,” Wright said. “And that’s going to be sometimes debating.”
“Right,” Carter agreed. “We’ll have conversations where we definitely won’t agree. ... So there will be days it will be debate, but it will be most of the days will be conversational in how we arrive at what our opinion is.”
Right. Because that’s what Fox Sports 1 is all about. Civil conversations.
They argue on FS1 because they’ve determined that it makes for good TV. And there’s nothing wrong with that. Nobody is forced to watch these studio shows.
Carter readily admitted, “We do have a playbook” at FS1. “Are we going to continue to run the same plays that we’ve run? Yes.”
Carter also went out of his way to say that he and Wright “have very, very diverse opinions, and we’ve had very, very diverse directions into getting into this car that we call ‘First Things First.’”
Wright worked in sports-talk radio; Carter is an NFL Hall of Famer
“We’re both riding in the car, and we plan on taking you on the ride every morning because we believe we can help you get started and have a great day,” Carter said.
If your idea of a great start to your day is listening to people argue about sports, Fox Sports 1 is the place for you.
Scott D. Pierce covers TV for The Salt Lake Tribune.
Follow @ScottDPierce