If you thought Barstool Sports founder Dave Portnoy would be popping open a bottle of champagne upon hearing the news that Sam Ponder had been fired by ESPN, think again.
The sports media personality took to social media to react to the news that Ponder and former NFL quarterback Robert Griffin III had been fired by the Worldwide Leader, surprising many by saying she wasn’t happy with ESPN’s decision.
Mr. Portnoy, 47, has a history of popping a bottle of champagne when someone he feels has disrespected him is fired, but he didn’t do so this time, despite a long-standing feud between Mr. Portnoy and Mr. Ponder.
The Barstool Sports founder previously partially blamed Ponder for ESPN canceling “Barstool Van Talk” after just one episode.
“Everybody’s like, ‘Mr. President, where’s Sam Ponder’s bottle?'” Portnoy said in a roughly 1 minute, 35 second video posted to X from his Montauk home. “There’s no Sam Ponder bottle, can you believe it? Look, I was the first one to attack Sam Ponder. Are you kidding me? Yes. Do I think she and ESPN overreacted? I think so. But I’m fair. I’ve said this about Ponder, bury the hatchet, bury the hatchet. She doesn’t have a bottle of champagne.”
He then continued, “Sam Ponder, no hard feelings. She stuck to what I said and played her cards. I don’t hold any hard feelings about that. Some people just come out of nowhere and start a fight with me, but they attack me first. Ponder is not that kind of person. So I wish her the best of luck in her next step.”
He said he turned to alcohol after former ESPN president John Skipper resigned seven years ago.
Ponder, 38, was once the target of vulgar remarks from Barstool earlier in his career and didn’t seem to respond too favorably after ESPN agreed to “Barstool Van Talk” in 2017. Post some of the things written about her.
Ponder denies having any involvement in the show’s abrupt cancellation.
Portnoy added in a later post that he had grown to respect Ponder after a physical altercation with him at a restaurant.
“Also, Sam Ponder once ambushed me in a restaurant and got in my face. We argued for an hour. I had a lot of respect for him, as opposed to people who hid in the shadows.” He wrote.
Ponder has not spoken publicly about the news of his firing.
