Stephen A. Smith will have a big role in deciding who sits across from him.

Love him or loathe him, the 48 year-old is emerging as one of the king-makers in Bristol, especially when it comes to "First Take," the most-watched, highest rated studio show on ESPN2. That's why he has near-veto level of power in deciding who replaces departing partner Skip Bayless on the show.

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Smith doesn't have an actual veto clause in his contract, Sporting News sources confirmed. But barring any surprises, ESPN brass will give Smith practically the last word on who sits across the "embrace debate" table from him.

While Smith signed a long-term contract extension with ESPN last year, the 64-year old Bayless is leaving for a big bucks job with Fox once his contract expires in August.

"They gave Skip the same power — and he picked Stephen A. as his partner. So it's only fair they give Stephen A. the most input in picking his partner," one person with knowledge of the show's hierarchy told Sporting News. An ESPN spokesman declined to comment.

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Internally at ESPN, the two leading candidates to replace Bayless are said to be Max Kellerman, currently co-host of "SportsNation" with Michelle Beadle and Marcellus Wiley, and ESPN The Magazine's Will Cain.

But ESPN is expected to look inside and outside the network to replace Bayless, who hit the jackpot with a four-year contract from Fox worth $5.5 million a year, according to Sports Illustrated's Richard Deitsch.

Bayless is also expected to pocket a $4 million signing bonus as FS1 programming czar Jamie Horowitz builds a team of sports "Opinionists," who can drive debate and discussion on FS1's new afternoon programming block.

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So look for Smith and co-host Molly Qerim to try out a variety of ESPN talkers and outsiders this summer and fall until they find a new foil.

Awful Announcing listed some intriguing choices of candidates who would last in daily arguments with Smith, including Jim Rome of CBS Sports' "The NFL Today." Rome previously had his own show on ESPN, "Rome is Burning." He's as opinionated and controversial as Smith.