Don’t mind me. I’m just complaining about Stephen A. Smith again.

I was sitting there, delving into the reheated roast pork, kidney beans, white rice and caramelized onions that I had cooked for dinner the night before.  With hours to go before work, I had time to sit back, relax and catch the first half of last Thursday’s highly touted Knicks-Heat game.

An hour or so before pre-game, SportsCenter went to their obligatory, courtside Stephen A. Smith interview.  Now more than ever before, Smith has become the network’s go-to guy for all things unintelligible.  As the players warmed up in shoot-around behind him, Smith stood on the floor of the American Airlines Arena, microphone in his hand and as pompous as ever.

Smith was doing his feeble best to report whether the Knicks’ leading scorer and viable MVP candidate, Carmelo Anthony, would play later that evening.  The night before, ‘Melo dove into the stands to save a loose ball and slashed the middle finger on his non-shooting hand, requiring five stitches to close.  His status for Thursday’s game was uncertain.

Rather than give any actual late-breaking information, which is what I thought journalists were supposed to do, Smith took it upon himself to tell the viewers, and I paraphrase, that this game meant too much to the Knicks, and the rivalry, for Carmelo Anthony NOT to play.  With no apparent desire to relay any useful information from someone within the Knicks organization who might actually know whether ‘Melo would be in uniform that evening, Smith swore up and down that ‘Melo would play, almost going so far as to call him a pussy if he didn’t, as if Stephen A.’s bravado means anything to a franchise trying to win its first NBA championship in forty years.  The Knicks are not about to jeopardize their star player for an otherwise meaningless game in December.

I sat there yearning for a truth I never received, for Carmelo did NOT play that evening.  Stephen A. was apparently the only one in the building who did not know that.  Ironically, the Knicks still won the game handily, ‘Melo’s absence that evening as unimportant as Stephen A.’s presence.

Smith, who at one point in his career must have been a respected enough journalist to land the hours of face time he receives on The Worldwide Leader, has become a parody of himself, routinely reporting opinion rather than fact.  I’m as avid a sports fan as they come but it’s gotten to the point where I can’t hit the mute button quickly enough every time Smith comes on the screen.  I’m not suggesting ESPN fire the guy.  Clearly, yet rather inexplicably, he must have some fans.  All I’m saying is a little news would be nice.

Bitching about Stephen A., his partner in crime Skip Bayless, and the increasing casualness with which ESPN reports its news has become passé but I still couldn’t help but pile on.  To quote Sergeant Friday, “Just the facts, ma’am.”  That’s all I need to know.  Attaining that information by actually asking someone within the organization is always a good start, unless of course they don’t want to talk to you.  In which case, I can’t say I blame them.

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30 Replies to “Don’t mind me. I’m just complaining about Stephen A. Smith again.”

  1. Pingback: Don't mind me. I'm just complaining about Stephen A. Smith again - BallHyped Blog Network, NBA | BallHyped Sports Blogs

  2. Excellent read SC.

    I think ESPN needs to hire the SC … its just very obvious to all of yr readers. 🙂

    M

  3. I think the A in Stephen A. Smith must stand for ASSHOLE. For that is what he’s always been. If you think this guy is out of his league when it comes to sports, you should have caught his act a few years ago doing his commentary thing on one of those MSNBC political shows. My grandmother, who’s been dead for 35 years, knows more about current events. Maybe he’s ESPN’s version of a sitcom. Cue the laugh track.

  4. When I’m watching ESPN and that guys face appears on the screen I reach for the remote. By the way, the same goes for Bayless.

  5. Men you just make me hungry sounds like PR food all the way.I dont like the dude either he is arrogant and malicious. Mr. know it all.

  6. yeah, SAS is a blowhard
    No Pacquiao/Marquez column?
    Watchingt hat fight made me think about sports announcers and how the boxing announcers are the best these days. They have all the color of the greats from the past as well as the knowledge base to commentate intelligently, but with a flair, and often brutal honesty that demonstrates their lack of fear of saying the wrong thing, or following the ESPN model of roboanalysis/announcing

  7. espn is after younger, male, viewers, Rev. Focus groups of that demographic have led them to believe that frat boys can not get enough of Stephen A and Skip arguing.

    They learned this during the 24/7 Bayless/Smith Tebow Debates of 2011.

  8. Manny Pacquiao was the victim of some bad company. Just before the fight, Mitt Romney visited him in his dressing room and said, “I ran for president and I lost.” Who needs that negative reinforcement before a championship fight?

  9. Snake…

    I know with four (thousand) channels, ESPN has to find time to fill but man, that First Take show is the absolute worst!

    There was actually a time where I didn’t mind Stephen A…. on the radio. Where it was just his show and not over-hyped.

    These days, no lie, I turn the channel as soon as I see him on.

    I mean, come on. The guy is there to report the news. Tell me what you know about Carmelo’s injury and leave it at that.

    Is that so difficult?

  10. Billy B…

    First off, I never knew you and Peabo were related. I can see the resemblance.

    Second of all, I couldn’t agree with you more on boxing announcers. It’s a shame they don’t have more of a sport to report on these days.

    I didn’t get to see the fight (I was working) but I may have a caption contest about it up soon, so stay tuned.

    Nasty landed punch, huh?

  11. Jimmy…

    That’s exactly the show I’m talking about.

    Due to my odd work hours, I’ll wake up to that show on, since I obviously fall asleep with my TV on ESPN.

    You know how you’ll fall asleep with the TV on and wake up abruptly to war movies with machine guns rat-a-tat-tatting. Well, waking up to Smith and Bayless shouting at each other senselessly is even more disturbing than that.

  12. Yeah, those two guys drive everyone crazy. You can only think that the worldwide leader keeps him and his pal around because people like to watch the train wreck, which is what they are. I can honestly say that I likely disagree with maybe 98% of Skip’s tweets – and that guy tweets a heckuva lot.

  13. Chris

    Stephen A is not the best but he is the best of real f$$king bad bunch of a#s wipes who ESPN seems to feel worthy of flooding the airwaves as well tv stations with ! Personally I’d like to see S A Smith ,. Skip Bayless and Jalen Rose locked in a Turkish prison . Somehow having their salads tossed would take on a whole ” new meaning ” .

    So the Bidwills have been petitioning the NFL for a do-over after that disastrous pounding their team took at the hands of the Seahawks . 58-0 ? It’s not my age , I’m sorry to say , however, that was a result in Week 14 of the NFL . ‘nough said !


    Seattle are good , but not that good !

    I’d like to thank the Village People for turning up last night to play Patriots ! It brought back memories and the bygone days of disco . and the outlandishly garish moves . 42-14 , and the Texans are legitimate contenders for the Superbowl ? In whose books ? Not mine ! That team is simply capable of putting up big numbers and not much else . Furthermore , people seem to forget it wasn’t Schaub who took the team in the playoffs last season .

    The Dodgers are stockpiling talent like a homeless person collects empty soda cans for recycling . Only in this case the franchise don’t care what they redeem , just as long as the can looks shiny . $145 million over 6 years for Zack Greinke ? I can smell what Magic and the Dodgers are cooking and it ain’t kosher ! They may well have more money than Buffett , but it doesn’t mean you go out and spend it stupidly .

    Ronde Barber is bit#hing and whining like a nagging ex , . So the Bucs aren’t good enough , but what has he, himself , been doing about it ? Barber is a whining bi#ch and not much else beyond that ! He has no leadership qualities and he’s a pi## poor role model for the younger players on the roster . And this was why Schiano wanted to keep him ? He’s kidding right ?

    Pacquaio is an a$s if he thinks that a fifth fight against Marquez will be of any interest to anyone . This shows how goddamn desperate Bob Arum (Pacquiao’s promoter) just happens to be. Pacquiao doesn’t want any part of Marquez or Aaron Broner for that matter . As a repeat bout or a matchup against Broner , and the Filipino’s fighter’s a$s will be laying in a hospital in a comatose state .

    Tophatal …………

  14. Chris

    Which of the two , if not both , will not be allowed by the AD Todd Stewart , of Western Kentucky , as Bobby Petrino has been hired by the school as the new football coach ? .

    Riding a kid’s tricycle ?

    Riding a motorcycle ? Or riding a female graduate assistant purely for his sexual gratification ?

    Two of those three are and will be, definitely off-limits and not an option , for Petrino , in his new position .

  15. Al…

    I still think the Seahawks are a team nobody wants to face in the playoffs. Just ask the Saints about that.

    I had a feeling the Pats would manhandle the Texans last night. The Texans are going to want to get home field advantage throughout the playoffs and even THAT might not matter. I wouldn’t overreact just yet tho. I think they’ll be fine. The question is, will they be Super Bowl appearance fine? After last night’s performance, I’m guessing most people would say no.

    I haven’t heard Ronde Barber’s comments, Al, but they seem out of character. If you have a link, send ’em to me. I imagine he’s just frustrated. I mean, come on. That secondary is pretty damn bad. Ronde may be good but he’s old and he can’t cover the whole field.

    Pacquaio-Marquez 5? How about they just make Pacquaio-Marquez versus Alien and Predator. I mean, even Stallone stopped eventually making Rocky movies.

  16. Al…

    I’m not sure if you ever listen to Freddie Coleman on ESPN Radio but he made a pretty good point about the Petrino hiring.

    Think about it.

    When’s the last time you ever talked about Western Kentucky football unless they were getting beat 73- by somebody?

    At least people are talking about them now.

    Sure the program sold their soul to land the likes of a disgraced coach but if he ends up taking that team to a BCS bowl game then who will be having the last laugh?

  17. Chris

    If only Ronde would man up , and be a leader on the team , rather wimping out like a bi#ch . Is he man or does he have a vagina and he;s going through his own menstrual cycle ?

    Western Kentucky plays football and now the infamy will be a head coach who likes to screw his female graduate assistants . And in terms of a helmet , is there a chance that as part of his pay they will also supply Petrino with packs of prophylactics ? Ribbed of course .

    For $49-95 I’d rather hit a strip club with friends , rather than see Pacquiao vs Marquez IV . Bob Arum has essentially become a pimp . He co manages and promotes Manny and he’s Marquez’s promoter . Do you believe that to be a conflict of interest ?

    Texans overrated ! Schaub has yet to win a playoff game over the course of his career . Remember that .

    So Paul Tagliabue , senior partner in the law firm Covington LLC , and he overturns the Goodell suspensions of the four Saints’ players . In no way does it excuse their actions as former commissioner states but the initiation of the scheme was engineered by the coaches and countenanced by GM Micky Loomis , Sean Payton and Gregg Williams.
    With the preponderance of evidence , the commissioner should have fined the Saints monetarily , and that includes the players . Now the NFL takes another major hit and Goodlell’s image takes an ever bigger hit, while he comes of looking like a buffoon .

    .

    I’ve maintained that Goodell is a fu#king as#hole who one minute quotes pieces of law but simply doesn’t follow the letter of the law . He’s been a pi## poor commissioner whose only concern has been money and his own image and not necessarily the betterment of the NFL”s image .. Doubt my word , simply look at his actions over the past eighteen months on a wide variety of issues .

    Dropped these .

    My hard on, is better , and bigger than yours …..

    Mo-fo’ protect your neck or you’ll get knocked the f#ck out .

    http://tophatal.wordpress.com/2012/12/07/dont-start-to-cash-that-check-when-you-have-no-money-in-the-bank-or-the-words-to-back-it-up/

    Tophatal ………

  18. Al…

    I just don’t think you can pin the Bucs recent woes all on Ronde, man.

    In regards to the other conference, the AFC is wide open, man. The Texans may end up with the top seed but they’ll still have to face a hot Denver and/or New England team when things get serious. We’ll see how they do.

    The whole Bounty-Gate thing was a farce. Players suspensions were lifted but Sean Payton still lost an entire season…. and so did the Saints.

    Be over soon to check out your latest.

  19. SA has always been nothing but a noise marker for me and someone never to pay attention to. It fails me why he is still employed even though it is clear that his “act” has lost all it’s value.

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