Reflections on Career and Controversy

It’s been almost a year since @samanthaponder was abruptly fired by ESPN. Since then, she has been in a self-described hibernation…until now. This is not an interview, it’s a conversation. It’s Sam’s story. Her story of why she believes she was fired, how that awful moment prompted endless self-reflection…changing her life in the most beautiful ways. Being fired helped her marriage, helped her relationship with her kids, changed her perspective on so much, and strengthened her beliefs in many other ways. This is about the reality and insanity of the world today, and Sam’s choice to now live in this world differently - with purpose, passion, and so much love. In this conversation, Sam is as vulnerable and self-aware as anyone I’ve ever had on my show…it’s incredible, and inspirational. Full disclosure…Sam and I have been friends for almost 15 years. Our first connection was our last names (The Steele Sisters!) and now, I truly do consider her a sister for life ❤️ Her faith inspires me more than I can describe. Her prayers & support have gotten me through so much, and it’s been beautiful to see her grow as a mother, and as a woman. I am so very proud of how she has chosen to handle such a difficult situation, and proud to call her a friend forever! Visit https://www.vinia.com/sage to get VINIA’s special buy 2, get 1 month free offer. Now, for about $1 a day, you too can experience VINIA’s proven results, plus get 10% off any VINIA purchase. Chapters: 00:02:18 – How Sam Got Fired From ESPN 00:14:22 – Men in Women’s Sports 00:19:17 – What Money & Fame Does to You 00:24:09 – How It Happened 00:28:17 – Being Disciplined by God 00:34:28 – Our Friendship 00:43:01 – Being a Woman in Sports 00:50:19 – Life at ESPN 00:59:15 – Life After TV 01:08:33 – The Stressful Reality of Live TV 01:23:09 – Hearing the Voice of God 01:29:11 – Family 01:46:06 – Sam’s Message to the People The Sage Steele Show is a weekly podcast hosted by former ESPN anchor Sage Steele. Each week, Sage sits down with entertainers, athletes, business people, and politicians to have deep dive personal one on one discussions that enlighten, entertain, and engage. There’s a whole big world out there that’s not just sports, and Sage wants to talk about all of it. #sagesteelepodcast #sagesteele #podcast #espn #samanthaponder Subscribe to the Channel for more Podcasts like this! Listen to the Show on all Podcast Apps "The Sage Steele Show" https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-sage-steele-show/id1737682826 Follow Sage: https://www.sagesteele.com https://x.com/sagesteele https://www.instagram.com/sagesteele https://www.tiktok.com/@officialsagesteele https://rumble.com/c/SageSteeleProductions

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices