Skip Bayless full name is John Edward Bayless II, is an American sports columnist, commentator, actor, writer, and famous TV personality. He has been acknowledged for his work as a commentator on ESPN2. It’s been more than four decades since he started his journalism career back in the 1970s and today, he has earned so much fame along with fan followings. During this span, he has also received prestigious awards and honorable mentions as well.
Early Life
Skip Bayless was born on 4 December 1951 and spent his childhood in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma. His father’s name is John Sr. who used to call him “Skip”. Skip mother’s name is Levita Bayless. His parents were the owner of the Hickory House restaurant, where they all together used to work, and Skip had attained his specialization in barbecue. Skip younger brother’s name is Rick Bayless who carried on the family tradition and became a chef, restaurateur, and television personality. His younger brother’s wife’s name is Dean Bayless and his daughter’s name is Lane Ann Bayless.
John Bayless was a two-year member of the National Honor Society(NHS) and president of the school’s Fellowship of Christian Athletes(FCA) chapter. He also held the position of an officer in the letterman’s club. Later, he became the primary sports columnist for the school newspaper during his junior and senior years. John Bayless went to Vanderbilt University”, where he majored in English and history and graduated in 1974. He was awarded the Grantland Rice Scholarship. He held the position of sports editor of “The Hustler”, the university’s student newspaper, and spent his summers of 1969 interning himself under the guidance of sports editor Frank Boggs at “The Daily Oklahoman”.
Skip Bayless Career
At a young age, He worked in the restaurant that his parents owned and operated, but never considered it a career path. After completing university graduation, John Bayless joined “The Miami Herald”, where he wrote sports features for more than two years. In August 1976, he joined the “Los Angeles Times”. Later, in 1977, John Bayless won the “Eclipse Award” for Outstanding Newspaper Writing. When Skip Bayless was 26 years old, hired by “The Dallas Morning News” to write its lead sports column, and three years later, joined the “Dallas Times Herald”.
From 1998- 2001, John Bayless worked as the lead sports columnist for the “Chicago Tribune”. During this, he won the “Lisagor Award” for excellence in sports column writing, presented by the Chicago Headline Club. John Bayless’ work has also appeared in various national sports publications, including – “Sports Illustrated”. In 1990 John Bayless published his first book name “God’s Coach” and in 1993 he published his second book name “The Boys” Later, he wrote a third book about the Cowboys, Hell-Bent in 1996.
Acting career
Skip Bayless had a cameo role in the 2006 film Rocky Balboa. Later, He appeared in the 2010 ESPN 30 for 30 films. In 2011, Bayless appeared in an ESPNU documentary. In 1999 and 2000, he held the position of commentator for the Golf Channel during the major golf championships. Bayless appeared regularly on a show on Fox Sports Net, The Last Word. He also made frequent appearances during the same period on Fox’s “The Best Damn Sports Show Period”. He was also featured in a weekly Sunday morning “SportsCenter” debate segment with friend Stephen A. Smith. In 2004, John Bayless was hired by ESPN to write columns for ESPN.com. In 2016, he left ESPN.
Honors
In 2008, John Bayless was selected to the Oklahoma City Wall of Fame recognizing outstanding alumni of Oklahoma City public schools. In 2012, He received two honors. First, he was nominated for a “Sports Emmy Award” in the category of Outstanding Sports Personality, Studio Analyst. Second, he received the “People’s Voice Award” in the category of Video Remixes/Mashups for “All He Does Is Win”.
Skip Bayless Biography |
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|---|---|
| Real Name | John Edward Bayless II |
| Birth Date | 4 December 1951 |
| Age (as of 2022) | 70 Years |
| Birth Place | Oklahoma City, Oklahoma, United States |
| Profession | Sports Columnist |
| College | Vanderbilt University |
| Qualification | Graduate |
Physical Statistics |
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| Height | in feet inches – 5’ 10” – in Centimeters – 178 cm |
| Weight | in Kilograms – 80 kg – in Pounds – 176 lbs |
| Hair Color | Brown |
| Eye Color | Brown |
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Family |
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| Father | John Bayless |
| Mother | Levita Bayless |
| Sister | – |
| Brother | Rick Bayless |
Relationship Status |
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| Marital Status | Married |
| Who is his wife? | Ernestine Sclafani |
| Children | None |
Personal Life
Skip Bayless is a married man and his lovely wife’s name is Ernestine Sclafani is an American media relations specialist and public relations advisor for high-profile clients, including celebrities, reality television stars, famous chefs, and authors. The couple reportedly met on the set of Skip’s ESPN2 show, Cold Pizza. Both the couple dated for five years. In 2010, Bayless had the unimaginable day of his life when he gathered the guts to pro[pose his long-time partner Sclafani on the plane when they were going from Newark to Oklahoma.
They officially tied their wedding knot on 18th July 2016. Both of them decided to marry in secret and didn’t tell anyone about it. Later, they surprise their friends and family members with their marriage. The pair is not having any kids together but have a furry dog whose name is Hazel and they affectionately treat her as their daughter.
Skip Bayless Net worth
As of 2022, He has an estimated net worth of $10 million dollars. He is also into multiple million-dollar contracts with various networks. Skip Bayless is now 70 years of age. He also published several books. In March 2021, he signed a four-year, $32 million contract with Fox Sports. Bayless made his debut for the show called “Skip and Shannon: Undisputed with Shannon Sharpe” broadcasted on Fox Sports 1 on 6th September 2016.
