The Untold Tragedy That Shaped Max Kellerman's Career

Former-ESPN host Max Kellerman's rise to fame and prominence in the sports media world is often forgotten, but the relationship with his brother Sam and the impact his tragic death had on Max is something that should not be overlooked. Rick Strom breaks it down. Give us your thoughts in the comments below!
Rick Strom
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[@RetroJR3379]

I met Max Kellerman back in 2003 in Vegas even gave me a fist bump

[@tytsports]

i've heard nothing but great things about the guy. -rick

[@KW0074L]

ESPN EFFED up by firing Max Kellerman. The only consolation is that they got rid of Aunt RUCKUS Sage Steele

[@AntiFreezePeach]

Racist

[@chrishogue7823]

She's gone, too!

[@LosFace24]

I did not know she was gone good to hear. Where did she go to Fox Sports or Jayson Whitlocks show??

[@KW0074L]

@@LosFace24 she might go work for RACIST KKKLAY Travis and OutkicKKK or she could go to Fox News. I'm just glad they got rid of her

[@BbcQueen87]

That's sad I thought sage was cool

[@Dwitwitty]

I hope Max would do a podcast and primarily focuses on 🥊.

[@alex1vid]

Man it's so tragic. Can you imagine if he was still here? They wouldn't even need a network, they'd just explode the two of them on their own on ANY platform.

[@AntiFreezePeach]

Too bad he was sacrificed though.

[@tytsports]

beyond tragic. -rick

[@chrisboucher2693]

Man I loved Max on first take and Jay/Key/Max and never knew this story. So sorry for him and his family. Hopefully he finds a new gig before the start of the NBA season. We need more Max Kellerman!

[@tytsports]

agreed! -rick

[@seanswinton6242]

I'm confident we'll get it. Max will be bqck. "Rumble Young Man Rumble!"

[@williambevins]

Never heard this story. Thanks for telling it.

[@tytsports]

of course. -rick

[@ianreed9571]

They say 90% of everyone murdered was done by someone they knew.

[@julienalexander6113]

That'd wild

[@ingibingi2000]

​@@julienalexander6113makes sense when you think about it

[@drg8687]

Which makes the stranger danger scare of the 90s such a crime.

[@JohnLowe-kt5gr]

My ex-wife murdered me emotionally!🤕

[@vannshuttleworth4738]

That was beautiful. Thanks, Rick.

[@tytsports]

of course. -rick

[@nomastomas002]

I like the way your channel has progressed over the years!! Keep it going!!!

[@tytsports]

thanks you. -rick

[@davewilson9738]

Incredible story. Thanks for sharing.

[@tytsports]

anytime. -rick

[@tytsports]

*Stephen A. Smith Reacts to ESPN Firing Max Kellerman* kzbin.info/www/bejne/rXmthJpvhpuIqJo

[@grizzly5592]

I like Max, especially early in the mornings. Hope he’s on tv soon

[@tytsports]

same. he's great. -rick

[@damnit8879]

Max kellerman the BEST BOXING ANALYST ever

[@Erawk]

Really good story Rick. I had no idea. Nice work.

[@tytsports]

thank you. -rick

[@EL_LeonFredo9]

Max is the 🐐 hope he goes to undisputed he’d kill it there

[@Sldumas1983]

Man I remember this like it was yesterday, I was 11 and I remember being very angry that this happened, It’s one of those things you never forget

[@tytsports]

man! -rick

[@scotcity]

Max the most talented analyst at espbt

[@theeric]

I never knew this about Max Kellerman. Much respect.

[@KoolKeithProductions]

It's crazy. I grew up watching the Kellerman's. I watched every episode of Pardon the Interruption for Max. His brother Sam had a public access show in NYC around the same time, where he would play music videos, discuss rap, and sometimes have big booty girls on lol I was so saddened to hear about this death :(

[@tytsports]

yep. -rick

[@RetroJR3379]

I remember hearing about Sam Kellerman murder while listening to AM570 back in 2004 and I was wondering why he wasnt on IMax

[@tytsports]

beyond tragic. -rick

[@AndyPresto75]

Thanks Rick because as a fan of Max I knew none of this.

[@dan8611]

You're not a fan of him then, because he's spoken about this many many many times, damn casual, I bet your s trumptard too😂

[@tytsports]

anytime. -rick

[@kathyandrade4209]

I was Sam’s girlfriend at the time this brings me so much memories😢he was so amazing, intelligent and like no other. I met max quickly back then and Harry his brother dated my cousin Paola. They were all gentlemen. I was kicked out of my house and Sam told me to come live with him. I stayed a few wks but i was so young and eventhough there was a big age difference between me and sam he was 26 at that time he was never disrespectful! I do miss him a lot. He asked me to move in with him when he left and was living with this man the one that murdered him and i told him i don’t have a good feeling about this guy. He said “ he is a nice guy” i never moved to LA and once we spoke on the phone that one last time we said we love eachother and i never heard from him again. Then i wake up to my brother giving me the newspaper with Sam’s face in it and it broke my heart. He was my first love my first everything and he is missed dearly 💔💔💔

[@MuayThaiMiko]

Bitches will sell their soul just to buy some attention

[@33ladyRAM]

​@MuayThaiMiko - a morons open their mouths, make b@#$ a@# assumptions and look stupid!

[@_Yep_Yep_]

The importance of Max Kellerman's firing is to signal to journalists theres no need for loyalty and no respect for grinding from the bottom, through journeyman, to the top. Kellerman was subsequently let go in favor of no talent Steve Smith, the Tucker Carlson of Sports (im not going to add journalism to his name because it is insulting to journalists), and various other teleprompter reader types. ESPN fired the guy who knows the thing inside and out, ground up, who dedicated his life to that thing. He never made that big dollar money, but ESPN ruthlessly and stupidly fired him to pinch a penny.

[@AntiFreezePeach]

Hate to break it to you but Stephen A Smith is a journalist if not more than Max. Sorry you are too biased to even acknowledge it.

[@plantbased5673]

​@@AntiFreezePeachFacts. Stephen A paid his dues.

[@katra777]

Yeah, SAS does know his shit and is just flat out more entertaining to watch.

[@HK-te9ck]

@@AntiFreezePeachsas is a good entertainer and has a lot of experience but is nowhere near max as far as sports knowledge and iq goes, and sas knew it, so he got him off first take. Max would always be given the hotter take and still win every debate vs sas, it was laughable.

[@tytsports]

max is a gem and any network that signs him will benefit. -rick

[@BbcQueen87]

Max was just cooler and had more swag than Stephen a and he couldn't stand it m

[@33ladyRAM]

Facts!!

[@baronghede2365]

That story was awesome, Blessed be.

[@tytsports]

sad moreso. -rick

[@i_i8924]

Hope Max Kellerman returns to boxing commentary

[@tytsports]

me too. -rick

[@mobiz711]

Heartbreaking.

[@CDiesel720]

Not that I could ever forget about this story, but it happened so long ago. I grew up in Harlem and James was a friend of mine as a kid. I can honestly say that he was a good dude back then. He changed after he got involved in boxing. I remember when he first got involved and you could tell he had been training as his body changed into a machine. He wasnt around the block to much anymore but i remember running into him and we caught up a bit. I remember talking to him about where his career was going and he was disappointed by all the politics in boxing. He already had been living a hard life at that point but he remained level with his people. One of our good friends mention that he really lost it when he went to prison as they had him on so many meds and he felt it was driving him crazy. Once he got out he tried getting his life together and moved to LA. I remember reading the story and couldn't believe my guy did this. Sad story all around.

[@franciscomuniz4419]

I want Max on daily have his own show sports to the MAX

[@goatedrose1x580]

I was scrolling on Facebook just a few minutes ago and saw the video of James butler sucker punching his opponent , I went to Google to see what the commissioner gave him for punishment, first pic that pupped up was a white family so I thought it was the wrong person , researched and look again saint thing, so I look up what happened to James butler to see that he killed his friend Sam Kellerman, I’m like man that’s a unique name so I look up max and boom it was his brother 🤦🏽‍♂️ I watch sport talk a lot ! And I knew max was big into boxing it all came together and it’s just sad that people do shit like that he’s sucker punching people left and right killing people smh

[@OutboxedPod]

it's an awful ending. -rick

[@9001days]

Same way i got here

[@leenich2011]

Oh wow

[@_norman_6242]

Damn

[@elivelasquez9517]

WOW!!! I never knew this about his brother. That story could be a movie

[@14isoldenough]

I loved wiley and max on sports nation

[@tytsports]

that was such a fun show. -rick

[@hankpikuni7024]

So, this guy will be out in 11 years. That don't seem like justice.

[@OutboxedPod]

it doesn't. -rick

[@thebrotherhood6391]

Some judge let him plea down to involuntary manslaughter. He beat a man in the head to death with a hammer, the other story I saw said Sam was struck 32 times in the head atleast. That's cold blooded murder not involuntary manslaughter and that's definitely not justice!!

[@rollindean]

I never knew

[@clydecromey6933]

I used to watch and call his brothers show on public access.

[@tytsports]

this is so cool. how'd those convo's go? -rick

[@clydecromey6933]

@@tytsports it was a live call in show where you could talk about anything. After Sam passed....another Kellerman brother took over

[@redfive5856]

What is a Zeida? The paragraph you show does not mention the Yankees, nor give context.

[@tytsports]

yiddish for grandfather. -rick

[@BbcQueen87]

Stephen a said it himself I think last Tuesday he said to Kimberly Martin and Molly Querim he's the master of creating narratives

[@AntiFreezePeach]

Yeah. I've been to the grocery store. I know pound for pound.

[@tytsports]

lol wut -rick

[@JohnLowe-kt5gr]

Sam Kellerman sounded like a kind guilt stricken white guy! I feel sorry for Max Kellerman and his family!😢

[@SeeStuDo]

Harlem Hammer was a little too on the nose. So effing sad.

[@tytsports]

sadly. -rick

[@caseyodom3938]

I did not not no max brother was killed

[@tytsports]

unfortunately he was. an incredibly sad tale. -rick

[@Matthew-oq1hx]

😢😢

[@julienalexander6113]

I liked Max.

[@tytsports]

past tense? -rick

[@JRandaII]

Max looks like every guy I ever had a crush on 😍

[@tytsports]

lol. -rick

[@blkgodisfurious3258]

Uh you mean Kazarian people, Russian Kaizers not Juice.

[@savlosavage]

Don't make it weird

[@blkgodisfurious3258]

Take off your cape hero no one needs saved lol 😂 you ppl lol . The truth was designed to hurt the phonies now go fetch a Band-Aid

[@blkgodisfurious3258]

@@savlosavage let a pale people steal your identity I guarantee you will start to correct them every time they try it . Puzzy

[@onyx9857]

Bruh this “untold” story has been told, as evidenced by the fact that you are citing the stories written about the great Sam Kellerman.

[@33ladyRAM]

I miss Max. I pray he comes back and can put SAS and Shannon wack ass show off the air

[@My2CentsYall]

When you say things that we know are true but your not suppose to say it you get canned. You cant tell people about actions that they do that are racist because its always been the norm.

[@franciscomuniz4419]

I agree and miss him also

[@daleigou943]

I don't like Max either!

[@iangoodisDMX]

I have always hated him and Will Cain

[@julienalexander6113]

​@iangoodisDMX will Cain was the absolute worst. I cannot stand will Cain. He's clearly racist.

[@julienalexander6113]

I don't why you hate Max.

[@iangoodisDMX]

@@julienalexander6113 😂 😆 his takes are pure shit

[@iangoodisDMX]

@@Noah_316 yea… that’s why…. 😂 🤡

[@id10t98]

Max who? Never heard of the guy. Seriously.

[@drg8687]

Then you don't follow sports.

[@tytsports]

kellerman? -rick