Basketball Articles
Stephen A. Smith Finished at ESPN
Posted by Chooky on April 22nd, 2009 under Basketball
After being fired by the Philadelphia Inquirer, Stephen A. Smith’s tenure at ESPN has come to an unceremonious end. It has been reported that Smith and the World Wide Leader in Sports were unable to reach an agreement in contract negotiations. He will finish out his current contract on ESPN radio.
According to Deadspin, Smith was unwilling to take a cut in pay, apparently negotiating from the leverage point of a canceled television program, ‘Quite Frankly,’ and a radio audience of roughly twelve, not including family and friends.
I can’t help but recognize the glaring contrast of srr50’s homage to Harry Kalas and Merle Harmon, or even HenryJames’ reverence paid to Dan Cook, when discussing Stephen A. Smith.
As we all know, Smith’s oeuvre in journalism was to bring a raw and “in-yo-face” brand of contrived contrarianism. Very much unlike Dan Cook, dude was pissed, dawg!
How will the world of sports continue without Smith’s cold, truth-baring and dejected styling? Is Skip Bayless the last reservoir for irritation enthusiasts? Will those of us seeking stats, scores, quotes and just general sports information be left solely reliant upon Scoop Jackson to conjure weekly racial injustices that really don’t exist? Ah, so many memories, Stephen.
One of my favorite Smith articles was when he devoted an entire column in 2007 to attacking Phillies General Manager, Pat Gillick, for being complacent and lackadaisical by running the team from his house in Toronto. You see, Gillick lived in Toronto before taking the job in Philadelphia. The main problem with Smith’s column was that Gillick, at that point, didn’t even own a home in Toronto. In between the Blue Jays job and the Phillies job he was employed by Baltimore and Seattle. In hindsight, when Philadelphia won the 2008 World Series, it became glaringly obvious what an incompetent and aimless fool the Phillies had hired in Gillick. I hate to imagine how painfully red-faced Gillick and the organization must have been after winning a championship. Go get ‘em, Stephen.
My favorite television moment was when Smith left very little doubt what his middle initial stood for. Prior to game 2 of the 2005 Western Conference Finals, the Spurs listed Glenn “Big Dog” Robinson as unavailable for “personal reasons.”
Smith considered Robinson an overpaid disappointment during his ride with the 76ers, which he might’ve been, I guess. The words “personal reasons” must’ve lunged from the text like a German Shepherd tethered to an Alabama state trooper considering the fashion in which Smith tore into Robinson. Another golden opportunity for SAS to take a vicious bite out of the “Big Dog” in front of a national audience was suddenly lingering in the air; he snatched it.
Live from ESPN/ABC’s Times Square studios on the Kia NBA Shootaround, Smith sank his fanged shtick directly into the hind-end of Glenn Robinson. He questioned his character, his manhood, his commitment to his teammates and to the game itself. “Where are ya, Big Dog? Or should I say Big Slob?” ranted the prince of sour. You get it? “Big Slob” is a play on Robinson’s nickname, “Big Dog.” That’s how edgy provocateurs make the English language dance.
Later that night it was revealed that Robinson missed the game to attend his mother’s funeral. Where was your dignity, Glenn?
I’m not sure, but I believe Smith mumbled and growled out a brief apology the following night. If by any chance you thought Stephen A. Smith was capable of shame and humility, here’s an excerpt from his column only a few weeks later when San Antonio won the championship:
COPYRIGHT 2005 The Philadelphia Inquirer
Byline: Stephen A. SmithPHILADELPHIA _ Consider it a travesty of epic proportions, the kind that won’t go down as anything significant in the NBA Finals but definitely should.
Somewhere in the parade-like atmosphere inside San Antonio’s SBC Center on Thursday night, amid the kind of fanfare and euphoria reserved for champions, “The Big Dog,” Glenn Robinson, was not only allowed to infiltrate the proceedings but join the championship celebration as well.
There was the sickening sight of Robinson hugging Spurs coach Gregg Popovich one minute, Manu Ginobili the next. Of Robinson prancing around the arena acting like his one-point, 1.5-rebound, 4.5-minute average in these NBA Finals had anything to do with winning.
Yep, without a doubt this will rank in America’s history as another “travesty of epic proportions ….” He hugged Manu Ginobili and his coach? He “infiltrated” the team celebration like a towel boy masquerading as an official member of the 2005 roster? All year I kept wondering who that was at the end of the bench with a lampshade over his head and why no one seemed to notice him.
At first it was Robinson’s absence that was cowardly and unacceptable. Then it was the audacity of his presence that was the final straw.
Travesty! It ranks right up there with slavery, the Great Depression, Pearl Harbor, 9-11 or maybe even a deceased mother. It might not have looked like an outrage to you and I, but Stephen had that special ability to seize contempt and personal hatred from someone else’s jubilation and triumph. It’s called cutting edge perspective, people.
I don’t have any memories of Smith’s radio show. I’ve never heard it, but I’m going to assume that it was fantastic.
So, what the Hell happened, ESPN? Why was this guy continuously shoved to the frontlines in almost every capacity of your programming? What was it, exactly, that made someone think “this will work.”
Eventually ‘Quite Frankly’ was finally canceled after it suffered dramatically in the ratings to even other ESPN programs, such as dog shows and billiards.
Maybe FSN will pick him up. They’d have to ease him in gradually, though. It would be too risky to just grant him an hour-long show and force his ratings evaluation into an unfair and racist comparison to their other programs, such as … Darts. If you think billiards was an uphill battle, what chance would he have against the sex appeal of fat guys and pitchers of beer?
The first time I noticed this direction in sports media was when I grabbed one of the first editions of ‘ESPN The Magazine.” Within the cover article was a preview of the NBA season. Part of the review of the rookies described one player with: “and the brotha got mad crazy hops.” I don’t remember the writer of the article or who it was he was describing that did possess the mad crazy hops. I never picked up that magazine again. If ESPN insisted on ushering in a cheap, McDonald’s version of urban slang, fine. It just wasn’t for me. I did, however, take notice of their headfirst charge into the new frontier. Never in history, I don’t think, has a magazine marketed directly to the illiterate.
Down goes not only just a commentator, but an entire, failed theory in the realm of combative and shouting personalities in sports. This shit is supposed to be fun. Politics, racial issues and cultural outrage definitely play a major role in sports. But unrelenting polemics can’t be microwaved, stirred and stubbornly served on a daily basis.
Is it possible that the world of sports and competition is intriguing enough, dramatic enough and dynamic enough to exist on its own without the clownish narrative from manufactured celebrity?
Nah.
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Raoulduke,
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I am so irritated you guys are so good yet I am rooting for you. Saw the BC/MTM guy predicted you to final four.
That would be awesome.
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Raoul Duke commented on the blog post Bush Paves the Way for Henderson? 5 hours, 7 minutes ago
Mr. Bateman – First let me say I’m not trying to be an asshole or pick a fight. This is a great column and great fun to read.
Re this:
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Kiffin’s father is a great coach, but the rest of that staff isn’t. Orgeron and Kiffin are both good, dirty recruiters and mediocre to poor gameday coaches.
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How much longer to football season?
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CTJ,
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coloradoag:
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admin commented on the blog post Bracket Analysis: The South is a Bear of a Bracket 10 hours, 29 minutes ago
Ha ha ha ha! It’s Joel Osteen’s world. You just livesin in it.
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admin commented on the blog post Bracket Analysis: The South is a Bear of a Bracket 10 hours, 29 minutes ago
Ha ha ha ha! It’s Joel Osteen’s world. You just live sin in it.
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I will own that tote bag. And it will hold my porn.
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t1climb1 said:
April 22nd, 2009 at 7:10 am
Awesome Chooky. Very well said.
t1climb1 said:
April 22nd, 2009 at 7:20 am
You hit upon something in this piece that I have always felt made SAS more than just annoying. While Bayless’ attempts to “stir the pot” come across as forced there was always an ugliness to SAS’ rantings both written and spoken. Anger, bitterness, and contempt were the flint for his journalistic fire whereas Bayless’ inspiration comes from his narcissism and desire to be relevant. That and the fact that he’s just a preening schmo.
maninblack said:
April 22nd, 2009 at 7:22 am
Thank you Jesus
dick said:
April 22nd, 2009 at 7:23 am
this is way overdue. i always wondered who liked this guy or rather who did ESPN think liked this guy
HornsHornsHorns said:
April 22nd, 2009 at 7:24 am
“…the kind that won’t go down as anything significant in the NBA Finals but definitely should.”
I’m killing myself here to come up with any reason–even a massive stretch–why Glenn Robinson’s celebration should “definitely” go down as a significant moment in NBA Finals history.
When ESPN went for SAS over David Aldridge, who I find to be very good at his job, it was over. Smith’s next coherent thought will be his first.
uthookem said:
April 22nd, 2009 at 7:26 am
SAS is one of the many reasons that I no longer watch the “World Wide Leader” in sports. I tune in now for an occasional college football game, and that’s about it. I don’t even watch (or care) about Gameday. I guess it’s part of growing up (which also includes watching games at DKR with binoculars and headphones).
Nice job, Chooky. Had any good brisket lately? I’m thinking of trying your recipe during my birthday week up at Sam Rayburn this summer.
Hook ‘em!
Scipio Tex said:
April 22nd, 2009 at 7:58 am
This piece had mad hops.
I have to say, as much as SAS irritated me, partly because of his utter inability to CONTROL the VOLUME OF HIS VOICE, and for his general inacquaintance with context (I HAVE TO ASK?! MANU had only five points this HALF! DOES HE REPRESENT the most overrated Eye-talian since Rocky BALBOA?!?) to any issue he covered, he was only one of my three horsemen of the Apocalypse.
Next, Skip Bayless, Prince of Narcissism.
Then, Peter King, ArchDuke of Banality.
Vasherized said:
April 22nd, 2009 at 8:03 am
Choooky-nizzle in the hizouse with the Disrespek on Stephen A! R.I.P muthafucka.
I won’t miss this prick’s absence from my TV.
Thankfully the rumor about switching up College Gameday’s lineup was false. But it initially resonated as a classic ESPN management fuck up in the making, like giving SAS and Skip Bayless their own shows.
Steve Nebraska said:
April 22nd, 2009 at 8:14 am
The cutting loose of David Aldridge from the NBA team and replacing him with Steven A. Smith epitomizes all that is wrong with ESPN.
mr. sunshine said:
April 22nd, 2009 at 8:32 am
“Next, Skip Bayless, Prince of Narcissism.”
He must have been promoted from Czar of Cock-Gobbling.
nobis60 said:
April 22nd, 2009 at 8:49 am
Gloria. In. Excelsis. Freaking. Deo.
kevwun said:
April 22nd, 2009 at 8:50 am
David Aldridge is level-headed guy who can get a point across without screaming. There is no place for such people at ESPN.
Ricky said:
April 22nd, 2009 at 8:51 am
Glad to see SAS go, but Bayless to me is so much worse. He just grates on my nerves, SAS I can tune out. I guess everyone has their different filters. ESPN should leave the ‘personalities’ at the level of the comic-stylings of their anchors.
I have noticed several people bagging on Peter King. I read his SI web stuff periodically and have found it generally decent. I generally just skip the last page or two where he does his updated X-mas-style brag letter about his kids and his coffee habit. Did I miss something where he went over the edge?
HornsHornsHorns said:
April 22nd, 2009 at 8:53 am
Add to the list of problems Smith’s obsession with using completely unnecessary big words. It was like he was trying to prove something with every clause he spoke. He is very Don King-ian or Jesse Jackson-ish in this regard.
“Stephon Marbury, who may be more accustomed by the moniker of Starbury, has utterly, unconditionally, and completely pillaged the Knicks’ payroll to the unabashed tune of approximately $15.37 million United States dollars and in the process has thoroughly debilitated the Knicks’ free agent flexibility.”
I ran this through my SAS translation tool, which spit out “Stephon Marbury is overpaid, and the Knicks can’t approach some free agents because of his contract.”
beowulf said:
April 22nd, 2009 at 9:20 am
Scip.
Your first, Bayless, can happen. A simple little sex scandal revelation away. Your second will most likely require a funeral.
Nordberg said:
April 22nd, 2009 at 10:50 am
Bayless is easy to ignore. It’s not like he’s calling college football games or on Gameday. I don’t even remember the last time I saw him on my television.
BatesHorn said:
April 22nd, 2009 at 12:00 pm
King has moments of clarity, but his jock sniffing desire to ingratiate himself with football players (most clearly defined by his journalistically inappropriate relationship with Brett Favre) makes his reporting doubtful at best, downright deceitful at worst. Plus he spends a lot of time stating the obvious (”The Raiders struggle to score touchdowns”).
In all fairness, stating the obvious is an afflicition most of the sports commentary and reporting community suffers from these days.
Cricketslayer said:
April 22nd, 2009 at 12:34 pm
This makes my day.
boob jobs r 4 girls said:
April 22nd, 2009 at 1:20 pm
Stephen A. Smith was not much more than a black version of Dickie V. – the same style and the same useless, endless, and over the top ranting. Anyone care to tell me why one of them is almost universally dogged by the general public and now on the unemployment line while the other is considered to be legend and untouchable – could there be a little bit of racism going on here? If annoying is the sole criteria, then I would have to rank Dickie V. is right up there in the same class along with Mr. Stephen A.
Skip Bayless is the best thing going on ESPN. No one does his pogo stick routine better in sports broadcasting than Bayless. He says just enough off-ball, controversial stuff to allow most of the self professed, wanna be, couch potato experts out there to feel as if they could be superior in knowledge to him (the art of flattering the ego), and yet manages to self-deprecate himself in a sly manner where he doesn’t cross the line and seem so moronic to the point of needing to be pulled from the air. And all the while, his professed views are legit enough to come across as somewhat interesting and somewhat insightful, even though they are also stupid enough to flatter the common dumbass viewer. Folks, doing this routine on a day to day basis takes talent. The man has mad talent in this department.
Plus, he is the man who outted Aikman in Dallas, even at the cost of his job. So, even though he looks like a complete wimp and twerp, he has proven he was some balls behind that wimpy and whiney exterior. So give the honkie some R.E.S.P.E.C.T., I say.
dick said:
April 22nd, 2009 at 1:25 pm
holy shit what a terrible post
Nordberg said:
April 22nd, 2009 at 1:28 pm
Perhaps the worst I’ve ever seen.
Levander Williams said:
April 22nd, 2009 at 1:34 pm
Great piece, Chooky – a very insightful summation.
I gave up watching ESPN a while back as a normal means of entertainment, so I didn’t know much about this guy. But, based on various descriptions that I’ve read / heard, he seemed to fit right in with the vapid garbage that passes for contemporary mainstream sports journalism.
The McDonalds analogy was spot-on – not only as applied to ESPN’s incessant need to conjure ‘urban slang’, but to the overall tenor of their programming.
Steve Nebraska said:
April 22nd, 2009 at 1:35 pm
A post including Dick Vitale, racism, Stephen A. Smith, and Skip Bayless? If he had included Hitler, it would have been the interwebs equivalent of crossing the streams.
BatesHorn said:
April 22nd, 2009 at 1:36 pm
What the hell is happening on this website? Have they started handing out LSD tabs at BBQ joints?
Vasherized said:
April 22nd, 2009 at 1:36 pm
We didn’t say it would be easy on the ride to fame and fortune.
Jim Harrison said:
April 22nd, 2009 at 1:39 pm
Chooky – I’m taking you fishing.
uthookem said:
April 22nd, 2009 at 1:47 pm
Hey boob job, here is the difference:
SAS uses his bombastic approach to tear athletes down.
DV uses his bombastic approach to build athletes up.
Hook ‘em!
Tex Schramm's Left Nut said:
April 22nd, 2009 at 2:31 pm
“Plus, he is the man who outted Aikman in Dallas”
Troy Aikman is married with children. Skip Bayless is a douche bag. You are an idiot…
Bob in Houston said:
April 22nd, 2009 at 2:55 pm
What uthookem said, plus this:
DV is a happy, enthusiastic guy, both on air and off. What you see is what you get.
SAS, on the air (can’t speak for off), is a negative guy, a consistent downer.
Newy25 said:
April 22nd, 2009 at 2:58 pm
Peter King is an ass clown of “epic proportions”. He spends half his article talking about how he checked into his flight, coffee and the Boston Red Sox. No to mention he is a liberal who devotes more time to global warming in his MMQB than Al Gore on crack at a Hollywood Director’s Convention.
Shameless name dropper. He does not even try to pretend he is unbiased and devotes more than 50% of his football talk to Brett Favre and the New England Patriots.
Now he will surely split some time covering KC with their newly hired former Patriot GM.
Bill UT '04 said:
April 22nd, 2009 at 3:09 pm
Sports is supposed to be fun, but controversy-even by design-only adds to the excitement of sports. Why? It generates alot of interest in the sport(s) and the media outlets(like BC).That’s what people want.Its never ok to be boring in the world of sports-even for commentators and sports writers. Controversy,and debate- this is what sports in the 10’s is all about. I can remember the excitement Dennis Rodman brought to basketball. Its like,hey,can you top this!
Newy25 said:
April 22nd, 2009 at 4:09 pm
Key words: “Dennis Rodman brought to basketball.” Marv Albert biting people while wearing panties did not add excitement. Commentators cannot manufacture excitement – only those participating add real entertainment. SAS is an example of how this failed miserably.
awiggo from BON said:
April 22nd, 2009 at 5:01 pm
Chooky–really enjoyed that. Well done.
the Bobs said:
April 22nd, 2009 at 5:25 pm
personally, I can make do quite well without the “excitement” Dennis Rodman brought to basketball.
Can also do quite well without SAS.
Can do without any more posts at all from boob…
SkyMonkeyHorn said:
April 22nd, 2009 at 5:34 pm
Mad hops piece almost made my day but overall Well Done!
I only disagree with the following “If you think billiards was an uphill battle” please tell me you were not insulting Women Billards.
Take a few hours and watch the “Duchess of Dome” line up her balls and then complete the shot for a happy ending. The duchess also has a mad hops of a fine ass sneak a peek if you can. She is the real “ride to fame and fortune.”
What was this tread about? When do they start the BB season?
HornsHornsHorns said:
April 22nd, 2009 at 6:18 pm
I think y’all missed the rather obvious (in my opinion) sarcasm in boob jobs’ post.
Kafka said:
April 22nd, 2009 at 6:30 pm
I haven’t read or seen Peter King but SAS and Skip Bayless are incredibly irritating. I don’t see how they got hired by ESPN in the first place. David Aldridge is a good, calm guy who has plenty of inside info.
Vitale is a great guy and knows a lot about basketball but gets on my nerves pretty quickly.
Glenn Beck said:
April 22nd, 2009 at 6:32 pm
I think SAS is fantastic!! A true professional!
boob jobs r 4 girls said:
April 22nd, 2009 at 7:40 pm
“DV is a happy, enthusiastic guy, both on air and off. What you see is what you get.
SAS, on the air (can’t speak for off), is a negative guy, a consistent downer.”
Pretty sure if Stephen A. had Dickie V.’s contract, it would be alot easier for him to be more positive as well. Yes, Stephen A. is a little more on the sour side than Dickie V., but then it’s easy to be positive with the gimme contract he got. Besides, I don’t believe that the above rationalizations fully account for the dramatic difference in the discrepancy of the general public opinion between the two men. In truth, when objectively viewed, Dickie V. is just as annoying as Stephen A. The man acts as if God implanted a lifetime supply of meth in his fucking genes. Meth addicts can only dream of getting the kind of hyper high that Dickie V. exhibits every time he gets a camera in front of him and he is on the air.
Why is it so hard for so many people to just admit that there would be no way Dickie V. could get away with much of his over the top antics if he was not anything other than whitey? Why is it so hard for so many people to admit that race and racism plays a part in sports and also sports broadcasting? Who are the main demographic group which the most popular sports market to and which group fills most of seats and buys the luxo boxes? – that would be young to middle aged white adults, with a few old, rich white farts thrown into the mix. Why should it be so surprising that white fans would be less prone to find a white “annoying” announcer less so than his black “annoying” announcer counterpart? Hell, this is such an obvious fact of life that a marketing manager would have to have his head stuck in the sand not to be aware of this and admit this fact. Umm, could this be the so called assinine reason (as referred to by everyone on this board) why most of the sports broacasters are white even though, of course, most of the players on the field are black? – or is this discrepancy just a coincidence or accidental, as it seems most people around this board would like to believe.
Fact is that race plays a major factor in the business of sports. This could be the reason why the NFL has refused to convert to offenses which would be favorable to and spotlight the strengths of black QB’s – you know, the ones which are so successful at every other level. Could it be that the NFL has learned from the struggles and the decline of the NBA and wants to ensure that there are at least some positions left for whites on the football field, aside from the O-line. And what could be better for filling the seats with white fans other than ensuring that the QB stays white? Could football generate as many white fans if the whole league became black, without a white soul on the field for the white fans to identify with? – for another so called assinine reason, I doubt it. And how about NASCAR? If all the drivers on the circuit were black, do you think it would have as many rabid white, redneck, drunk of their ass fans in the stands? – once again, for some assinine reason, I doubt this too. The fact is race and racism is always a factor in the business of sports.
Bob in Houston said:
April 23rd, 2009 at 5:08 am
“Pretty sure if Stephen A. had Dickie V.’s contract, it would be alot easier for him to be more positive as well. Yes, Stephen A. is a little more on the sour side than Dickie V., but then it’s easy to be positive with the gimme contract he got.”
SAS was a columnist for the Philadelphia Inquirer. I’m sure he didn’t go to ESPN for a pay cut.
But the “look at the contract” argument is a red herring at best. I don’t know what either of these guys make. I do know from life experience that a sour person is a sour person with money or without.
As for Dickie V., I’ve seen him in action since he came to the University of Detroit in 1973. His personality has not changed one bit.
SAS may well have greased his exit with his attitude, but if people watched or listened to him, he’d still be there.
BEHorn said:
April 23rd, 2009 at 5:48 am
Multiple Choice -
“Why is it so hard for so many people to just admit that there would be no way Dickie V. could get away with much of his over the top antics if he was not anything other than whitey?”
A. It’s “hard to admit” because it’s not true.
B. It’s “hard to admit” because it’s false.
C. It’s “hard to admit” because it’s completely wrong.
D. I had a burrito yesterday.
E. All of the above.
HornsHornsHorns said:
April 23rd, 2009 at 7:20 am
I’ll take this one by one:
“Pretty sure if Stephen A. had Dickie V.’s contract, it would be alot easier for him to be more positive as well. Yes, Stephen A. is a little more on the sour side than Dickie V., but then it’s easy to be positive with the gimme contract he got.”
A “little” more on the sour side? SAS’s entire on-camera persona is built on negative commentary and piling-on. And not in a reasoned, objective manner, but in a kick-them-while-they’re down fashion. SAS picks already weak targets and piles on with generally irrelevant and invariably specious arguments. On the other hand, Dickie V. builds up the sport he loves and its participants. He may be loud, and that is a perfectly good reason not to like him, but he is not a complainer. He is truly enthusiastic about his job, and almost anyone will see that as a positive.
Why does Dickie V. get paid so much (by the way, do you have any figures to back up your claim?)? Well, he has been on the air for about 3 more decades than SAS.
“In truth, when objectively viewed, Dickie V. is just as annoying as Stephen A.”
In truth, you cannot objectively view subjective content. You have your opinion, I have mine, and everyone else has theirs. That cannot be objective.
“Why is it so hard for so many people to just admit that there would be no way Dickie V. could get away with much of his over the top antics if he was not anything other than whitey?”
Because such speculation would likely be wrong. Look at Stuart Scott. Is he over the top? Unquestionably. Yet, he has started from the bottom and consistently risen during his career. Nobody held him back. His persona happened to connect with viewers, and he has been able to achieve a very high level of success.
Which brings up another point–why does SAS think he is entitled to top-of-the-industry money when his on-camera career is so young?
“This could be the reason why the NFL has refused to convert to offenses which would be favorable to and spotlight the strengths of black QB’s – you know, the ones which are so successful at every other level.”
Or the reason could be because the offenses you speak of don’t work in the NFL. I’m pretty sure NFL coaches aren’t intentionally holding back their offenses in order to make an 1860’s era racial statement. Maybe I’m wrong on this, but I doubt it.
“Could it be that the NFL has learned from the struggles and the decline of the NBA and wants to ensure that there are at least some positions left for whites on the football field, aside from the O-line.”
The struggles of the NBA since the Jordan era are related to shitty basketball being played. In the past several years, the play has picked it up quite a bit behind young, quality players, almost all of which are black. And, voila, the NBA is doing much better.
“And what could be better for filling the seats with white fans other than ensuring that the QB stays white?”
Putting a winning team on the field, perhaps? Call me crazy, but a team of 53 white players that goes 0-16 isn’t selling out shit.
“Could football generate as many white fans if the whole league became black, without a white soul on the field for the white fans to identify with? – for another so called assinine reason, I doubt it.”
I don’t know. You don’t know. You can offer your baseless speculation; I’ll decline to offer mine. Suffice to say, this is not a situation we will ever see.
“And how about NASCAR? If all the drivers on the circuit were black, do you think it would have as many rabid white, redneck, drunk of their ass fans in the stands? – once again, for some assinine reason, I doubt this too.”
I don’t know anything about NASCAR. Are there a lot of black amateur drivers who are trying to make the big circuit who are being held back? I don’t know. I wouldn’t be surprised if a number of NASCAR fans are racist. But I’ve never heard of black drivers being excluded. If so, where’s the evidence?
Also, NASCAR is not a sport.
Hand Jobs R 4 Boys said:
April 23rd, 2009 at 9:18 am
That you shaggy?
Chooky said:
April 23rd, 2009 at 9:23 am
t1climb1 nails it on Bayless, imo. He’s become such a “preening schmo” that he has become more irrelevant than annoying.
My three-headed Ghidrah of broadcasters is Smith, Bayless and Schaap. Schaap is the melodramatic power ballad of sports.
uthookem — are you going to do some bass fishing at Rayburn? I’ve never been but I’ve heard it’s nice. Bring us a t-shirt.
boob jobs — I don’t think you’ll lure anybody into an argument about die-hard NASCAR fans celebrating diversity. If there were a handful of black drivers I bet you’d see a few more black people in the audience. And I agree, HenryJames in blackface while wearing a Tony Stewart jersey is beyond offensive.
For what it’s worth, I’m sure many people find DV somewhat tiresome. The difference, though, is that he seems to mean well. SAS’ malevolence isn’t an act. If any of us had jumped the gun and derided Robinson for missing a game only later to find out his mother died, we’d appropriately appalled with ourselves. SAS caught major flack for that and responded more than 3 weeks later with a column devoted to lashing out at him again, instead of taking a good look at himself. The guy has serious problems.
You haven’t missed a thing, Levander.
HenryJames said:
April 23rd, 2009 at 9:33 am
Every year for my birthday closetojumping sends me a copy of ‘Tuesdays With Morrie’ along with a card telling me how much that book has changed his life.
Chooky said:
April 23rd, 2009 at 9:46 am
Mitch Albom wants to take Sailor Ripley fishing.
HenryJames said:
April 23rd, 2009 at 10:37 am
I wish Nick Schuyler would take Sailor Ripley fishing.
/too soon?
Mike Sherman said:
April 23rd, 2009 at 10:38 am
Im still fat.
Chooky said:
April 23rd, 2009 at 10:49 am
OMG! Yeah, maybe too soon.
I wish Al Neri would take Sailor Ripley fishing.
Facebook User said:
April 23rd, 2009 at 10:58 am
uthookem said:
April 23rd, 2009 at 11:39 am
“uthookem — are you going to do some bass fishing at Rayburn? I’ve never been but I’ve heard it’s nice. Bring us a t-shirt.”
Maybe. But my idea of bass fishing falls more along the lines of seeing how naked I can get my wife out on the boat in the middle of lake, but we’ll see.
Hook ‘em!
boob jobs r 4 girls said:
April 23rd, 2009 at 7:26 pm
“I’m pretty sure NFL coaches aren’t intentionally holding back their offenses in order to make an 1860’s era racial statement.”
Well, if they were, using the type of logic displayed in your arguments, we would never know. Too bad you were not born into that era. A man of your convincing logical acumen may have been able to actually prevent the war, convincing everyone by the arguments you displayed above that there really was no such thing as this little thing called slavery. Afterall, using your type of logic, what does a negro in chains bent over picking cotton in the hot sun with a shotgun over his back really mean? All experience is subjective. Right? What some people can experience as slavery can be experienced by others as free choice – right?. I am sure there were many plantation owners who argued along similar lines in defense of their unrecognized and misunderstood form of altruism – but, of course, none of them did so with your skill and convincing manner.
May I suggest that before you attempt to use the terms “subjective” and “objective” that you first learn what those terms really mean and signify – and, no (already anticipating your response), this issue is not also subjective to the point of being indeterminable. It is true that subjective and objective is a duality, but what you forget is that, at the same time, those two terms also always form a unity. In the objective there is always the subjective and vice versa. It is a typical characteristic of sophistic arguments (you know, those that attempt to cover up the truth with speciousness) to attempt to over accentuate the difference between the two terms and hide behind that indeterminacy when, in truth, the very opposite should be the case, if one is genuine about unconvering the truth of a matter. The unity between the two terms should be emphasized and not disparaged as you have attempted to do. It would be safe to say that the very act of thinking and reason is this very attempt to unify the subjective with the objective by finding a legitimate way to convert what is subjective into that which can be considered to be objective. That my friend, in a nutshell, happens to be how true knowledge is formed.
To put it into everyday language: saying, as you do, that it is too subjective to call Dickie V. annoying is a bunch of bullshit. Why don’t you just go and ask Coach Knight about this being too subjective or not? Everytime I have seen Knight together with Dickie V. on a broadcast, it seems as if Knight is always on the brink and this close to choking the life out of that honkie windbag if utters just one more barrage of his over-hyped nonsense out his mouth.
And by the way, all your other arguments are just as flimsy as the one above and I could expose them for the fallacies they are with a simple flick of a finger if I so chose, but I will just save my breath and let them pass. I will just add this though, for the insightful: all your arguments are just a repetition in varying and differing manifestations of that tired and infamous rationale: “If the glove doesn’t fit, then you must acquit”.
May I suggest a career in law if the one you are presently in is not working out. With the type of logic you like to use and the way you think, I suspect you would have no trouble fitting in with that group people (the modern day equivalent of carpet baggers in my humble opinion). I bet you would feel just right at home on your very first day with those sleazy so called solicitors.
HornsHornsHorns said:
April 24th, 2009 at 8:06 am
You may think Dick Vitale is annoying. And you would not be alone in holding that opinion. I do not think he is annoying. I too am not alone. A clearer demonstration of subjectivity I cannot imagine.
I would continue with you in this battle of wits, but you are clearly unarmed.
the Bobs said:
April 24th, 2009 at 9:58 am
HornsHornsHorns… you still buying into the “obvious sarcasm” theory?
boob jobs r 4 girls said:
April 24th, 2009 at 12:13 pm
“I would continue with you in this battle of wits, but you are clearly unarmed.”
Ha, Ha, Ha, Ha. Give me a fucking break. In a fucking battle of wits, I’m Ghengis Khan and you are nothing more than a compu geek. Even unarmed and bare handed, I would grab you by the scruff, toss you around, cut off your puny balls, throw you in the garbage, and then poop on you. And don’t think any of your hi-tech Batman gadgets could help you either. What a fool. By the way, I have effectively already done the above to you. You just happen to be too stupid to know any better.
You talk awfully big for a man who thinks that it is a good argument to say racism plays no role in a proven racist society and in a field, a sport, where most of the prized and sought after fans are white, while most of the players happen to be black. That you are even proud enough of your assinine position to openly flaunt it and brag about it says it all, as far as I am concerned.
What does the fact that the Billy Bob’s and Jimmy Joe’s of the world are unwilling to pay to watch and idol worship black men going around in a circle, while, at the same time, having no fucking issue with it when those men happen to be lily white? What does that tell you – you ignorant and closed eyed honkie? It should tell you that the race of the participants plays a fucking real important role in the popularity of a sport or any entertainment field, and determines, in large part, how much exactly those whose white fans are willing to spend on it as well. And you have the insincere nerve to sit there with a straight face and tell me NASCAR fans are different and don’t fucking apply to the average joe football fan. What a fucking honkie joker. Last time I heard, the SEC is really, really popular deep in the heart of NASCAR country.
The fact is a society as socioeconomically divided as ours indicates that there is, at least, a little bit of Billy Bob and Jimmy Joe coursing through the bloodstream of just about every whitey you see walking around. And for you to be unwilling to admit this, using pathetically superficial arguments to support your denial; for you to believe that NFL execs have no idea of this fact of life and that this concern has no influence on how they run their business; and then for you to come back here and challenge me once again, all proud and all – well, that just beats all. Talk about the expression of typical honkie over confidence and conceit.
My friend, you drastically overrate your logical and argumental abilities. Your logical skill and arguments have about as much depth and profoundity as the tissue paper I use to wipe my ass with. Now your bullshit logic meanderings may work to fool most of the idiots out there most of the time, but it can never fool a man who knows that “boob jobs r 4 girls”. I suggest that for your own future good, that you remember this lesson of life.
HornsHornsHorns said:
April 24th, 2009 at 2:50 pm
“HornsHornsHorns… you still buying into the “obvious sarcasm” theory?”
After that last response, more so than ever.
boob jobs r 4 girls said:
April 25th, 2009 at 10:33 am
And I am more convinced than ever that you are currently either a sleaze bag lawyer or are soon to become one. From past experience, I have seen that a man who uses logic as opportunistically and as poorly as you just cannot manage to avoid falling into that God forsaken profession.
HornsHornsHorns, why don’t you just come forward and fess up to the kind of spirit you are aligned with. I know that you are afraid that if you do so, none of your statements will ever be viewed to have any credibility left, and that’s why you hide behind the anonymity of an internet namesake. But as I said above, you can fool some of the people some of the time, but you can never fool a boob job. I see you sucker. Even through all the cloudiness of the internet, I see you. Boob Jobs has the eyes to see your nature. Natures such as yours can never run and hide from the penetrating eyes of Boob Jobs.
i hate whitey said:
April 28th, 2009 at 1:12 pm
“Could football generate as many white fans if the whole league became black, without a white soul on the field for the white fans to identify with? – for another so called assinine reason, I doubt it” –Boob
Why don’t you ask David Stern and the NBA. More than 80% of players are black, and that trend isn’t reversing. Which is the reason I only buy tickets to watch Dunleavy, Jr., Mike Miller, Robert Swift, Chris Kaman, Nick Collison, JJ Redick, Kyle Korver, Steve Blake, David Lee, Steve Novak, Kevin Love, Brad Miller, and Hinrich. And luckily Miller was traded to the Bulls this year giving me the opportunity to see two whiteys on the floor at the same time!!!
Yes there is racism in sports, but your(and Screamin Smith’s) arguments are belligerent and extremely ever-exaggerated.
There are reason that we dont have black commentators. One being that Josh Howard can’t form a sentence much less commentate on the sport he plays. See Emmitt Smith and Marshall Faulk.
My favorite basketball analyst is bar none Greg Anthony…baseball Joe Morgan
just because im white doesnt mean i hate blacks(screamin’s neverending campaign) and certainly not black analysts….
I mean Charles Barkley is quite possible the most outrageous nba analyst going right now. Constantly pushing the envelope and pissing people off. However, he is beloved by whites and blacks, and even yellow people.
You and your racial nonsense….perhaps we are dealing with SAS in BOOB form?!?
Ecurbmanchild said:
April 29th, 2009 at 12:49 pm
Word!
BEHorn said:
May 1st, 2009 at 6:46 am
If you stare at boob jobs’ posts and cross your eyes slightly, you can see a pony.
BEHorn said:
May 1st, 2009 at 6:51 am
HornsHornsHorns: “Add to the list of problems Smith’s obsession with using completely unnecessary big words. It was like he was trying to prove something with every clause he spoke.”
boob jobs: “May I suggest that before you attempt to use the terms “subjective” and “objective” that you first learn what those terms really mean and signify – and, no (already anticipating your response), this issue is not also subjective to the point of being indeterminable. It is true that subjective and objective is a duality, but what you forget is that, at the same time, those two terms also always form a unity. In the objective there is always the subjective and vice versa. It is a typical characteristic of sophistic arguments (you know, those that attempt to cover up the truth with speciousness) to attempt to over accentuate the difference between the two terms and hide behind that indeterminacy when, in truth, the very opposite should be the case, if one is genuine about unconvering the truth of a matter.”
QED: boob jobs is, in fact, Stephen A Smith.
H-Town Husker said:
May 4th, 2009 at 10:27 am
Plus, he is the man who outted Aikman in Dallas, even at the cost of his job.*
I haven’t heard this story???
jimmyjazz said:
May 22nd, 2009 at 10:46 pm
“Your first, Bayless, can happen. A simple little sex scandal revelation away.”
Are you there, God? It’s me, Margaret.