If you expected Dave Portnoy, founder of Barstool Sports, to pop a bottle of champagne upon hearing the news of Sam Ponder’s firing from ESPN, you’re wrong.
The sports media star took to social media to react to the news that Ponder and former NFL quarterback Robert Griffin III were released by the global powerhouse, but surprised many by not being happy about ESPN’s decision.
Portnoy, 47, has made a show of opening a bottle of champagne before when a person he felt slighted lost their job, but he didn’t do so this time, despite the past animosity between Portnoy and Ponder.
The Barstool Sports founder previously blamed Ponder in part for ESPN’s “Barstool Van Talk” being canceled after just one episode.
“Everybody’s asking, ‘President, where’s the Sam Ponder bottle?'” Portnoy said in the roughly 1:35 minute video he posted to X from his home in Montauk. “No Sam Ponder bottle, can you believe that? Listen, I shot Sam Ponder first. Was that a joke? Yes. Do I think she and ESPN overreacted? I know that. But I’m fair. And I said that about Ponder, bury the axe, bury the hatchet. I don’t have a bottle of champagne for her.”
He later continued: “Sam Ponder, no ill will. I said a few things, she stuck to them, she played her card, I hold no ill will against that. If people come out of the blue and start a fight with me, they’ll go to me first. Ponder is not one of them. So good luck with her next move.”
However, he said he opened a bottle after former ESPN boss John Skipper resigned seven years ago.
Ponder, 38, had been the subject of harsh comments from Barstool earlier in her career and didn’t seem to react particularly kindly when ESPN agreed to a “Barstool Van Talk” in 2017 and published some of what was written about her.
Ponder denied having anything to do with the show’s quick cancellation.
Portnoy added in a follow-up post that he gained respect for Ponder after they got into a personal argument at a restaurant.
“Also, Sam Ponder once ambushed me in a restaurant and jumped right in my face. We argued for an hour. I’ve earned a lot of respect, unlike people who hide in the background,” he wrote.
Ponder has not commented publicly on the news of her dismissal.
