“So What Shannon and Skip Were Passionate!?”: $20,000,000 Rich Stephen A. Smith Plays Advocate for ‘Ruined’ Sports Media

Since the social media era began, Sports Media has gotten a lot of backlash on multiple occasions regarding their hot takes and controversial statements. With the new wave of active and retired players joining the media, many think that the traditional sports media will slowly diminish. ESPN analyst Stephen A. Smith has been a major part of the Sports Media world for a long time.

Stephen A. Smith joined ESPN in 2003, and 20 years later, he has become one of the faces of sports media. Apart from being an influential media figure, Stephen A. has made millions in his journalism career. He spoke out about the current state of Sports Media and what he thinks about the fans blaming him.

Stephen A. Smith is pissed off at the fans

In a recent episode of The Stephen A. Smith Show, he addressed the allegations of Sports Media being ruined by the likes of him and Skip Bayless. The 55-year-old took responsibility for some of the most outrageous takes of his career, “I’ve made stupid mistakes in the past.” He admitted to having incorrectly articulated his words during his take on Ray Rice’s suspension in 2014. Stephen A. also talked about his controversial take on Angels’ pitcher Shohei Ohtani in 2021. “That was just an embarrassing take on my part.” said Stephen A.

Stephen A. Smith has been working in the sports media industry for a long time, and there are bound to be a few hiccups in such a lengthy career. So, he was pissed at the idea that sports media is ruined and the top analysts were to blame for it, “The notion that all of a sudden the industry of sports journalism has been so sullied to the point where it’s almost irreparable and it’s our fault, pisses me off.”

Stephen A. Smith plays advocate for his on-air rivals

During his monologue, Stephen A. also talked in support of his new partner, Shannon Sharpe and on-air rival, Skip Bayless. Skip worked with ESPN till 2016, before parting ways to host FS1’s Undisputed with the Super Bowl Champion. “So what Shannon and Skip were passionate? So What?” Stephen A. said, defending the traditional sports journalists.

Read More: After Publicly Confronting ESPN, Stephen A Smith Asks Employer to Empty Purse for $14,000,000-Rich NFL Legend

Skip is always in the public eye for his outrageous takes and is vilified by the fans. However, according to Stephen A., it is justified to be passionate while talking about sports. Recently, Stephen A. was trolled for giving false information about Chicago Bulls’ guard Lonzo Ball’s health. Lonzo responded with a video saying, “Who are your sources bro?” calling the veteran analyst out on a public platform.

With elite players like Draymond Green, Paul George, and JJ Redick joining the sports media, there is a new wave of sports journalism coming in. This could prove to be a disaster for analysts like Skip Bayless and Stephen A. Smith as more fans will believe what the players say rather than the analysts. All is not lost for Stephen A. Smith, as his show First Take continues to be the top-rated morning sports debate show. With his knowledge and experience, Stephen A. has the ability to evolve with time.

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