‘Speak For Yourself’ welcomes Emmanuel Acho to the desk
And to think that yesterday, Emmanuel Acho was nervous.
First day on the new job tomorrow!! Slightly nervous, but CAN’T WAIT! https://t.co/5iH3KsuHkd
— Emmanuel Acho (@EmmanuelAcho) June 24, 2020
Acho played college football at Texas before playing three seasons in the NFL with the Cleveland Browns and Philadelphia Eagles. Now, the former NFL linebacker turned sports analyst has officially joined fellow former NFL-er Marcellus Wiley on the Speak For Yourself desk full-time, making his SFY debut on Wednesday.
Prior to landing at FS1, Acho covered college football on ESPN and was a regular television contributor.
After Wiley welcomed Acho to the desk, the new tag-team jumped into their first topic of the day: the latest Instagram post from Cam Newton.
Newton was the NFL MVP back in 2015, but he’s been a free agent since March, after he missed 14 games due to injury last season and was subsequently released by the Carolina Panthers during the offseason.
Acho is a Newton fan, but doesn’t agree with the idea that Cam is only battling himself.
“I love Cam Newton. I have since day one. But, when he’s talking about ‘The only thing stopping me is me’ – the only thing stopping Cam is his body … Cam’s only problem is Cam’s health. Because when Cam’s healthy, dude is an absolute dog. Top five quarterback. The problem is we haven’t seen Cam be healthy in a mighty long time.”
However, Acho’s debut on SFY wasn’t his first appearance on FS1 on Wednesday. He joined The Herd with Colin Cowherd prior to taking a seat in his full-time chair, and served as Cowherd’s first in-studio guest in months.
Colin welcomed Acho to the FS1 team before asking his opinion on the news out of NASCAR regarding Bubba Wallace.
“Let’s make sure the agenda stays on track … Let’s remind everyone – Bubba Wallace did not find the noose. Let’s remind everyone – Bubba Wallace did not conjure up this story. Let’s remind everyone – Bubba Wallace was told something and ran with what he was told, along with us the media. If I can be honest with you? I’m glad it happened. Why? Because America’s most segregated sport came together in a way, in a manner, in a powerful act that we otherwise wouldn’t have seen.”
New @SFY co-host @EmmanuelAcho on Bubba Wallace:
“NASCAR wouldn’t have come together like this otherwise… I’m happy it happened.” pic.twitter.com/5Wy2sFo8lS
— Herd w/Colin Cowherd (@TheHerd) June 24, 2020
Acho also spoke with Cowherd regarding his web series, Uncomfortable Conversations With a Black Man.
Said Acho on why he developed the series:
“It was birthed out of a little bit of fear to be honest. I realized I went to an all-white private school growing up … but then I played [football] at Texas, and then I played in the NFL. So I was fluent in white culture and I was fluent in black culture. I realized our nation is facing one of its greatest divides ever, which is the racial divide … So I said, ‘You know what? Let me act as a bridge. Stand in the gap between my white brothers and sisters, and my black brothers and sisters.”
The first three episodes of the web series already have millions of views. Episode 2 featured superstar actor Matthew McConaughey and Episode 3 featured HGTV stars Chip and Joanna Gaines.
Needless to say, Acho will bring sports knowledge and a lot more to the Speak For Yourself desk.
