Stephen A. Smith is one of ESPN’s most recognizable “talents.” He’s also a race-baiter who never lets facts get in the way of a racial narrative, and he’s had a difficult month in that department.
When the Boston Celtics suspended head coach Ime Udoka for an unspecified violation of team rules, it was predictable that Smith would blame racism. Udoka, after all, is black, and so there is no other excuse possible. After reporting shed light on the situation and claimed Udoka’s suspension was the result of a consensual relationship with a staffer (who is not Udoka’s longtime fiance), Smith decided to jump feet-first into the controversy.
“I’m going to take it a step further: I don’t appreciate that being done to a brother,” Smith said. “Because I got news for you, America. There’s plenty of white folks in professional sports that’s doing their thing, and I say that not complimentary.” Smith gives no examples of this, but you can indeed find white coaches who were fired over relationships with female subordinates in their organizations, including Bobby Petrino at Arkansas, Rich Rodriguez at Arizona, and Tyler Summitt (who resigned “in disgrace”) at Louisiana Tech.
Stephen A Smith on Ime Udoka situation “there’s plenty of white folks out there doing their thing, I don’t see the information out about them” pic.twitter.com/xtGDudfPPh
— Gifdsports (@gifdsports) September 22, 2022
But Smith’s rush to cry racism meant he couldn’t wait for additional facts to come in. According to Shams Charania at the Athletic, “At that time, team leadership was led to believe by both parties that the relationship was consensual. But sources said that the woman recently accused Udoka of making unwanted comments toward her — leading the team to launch a set of internal interviews.”
Smith now wants the woman to be named and punished because it is unfair that she is being treated differently than the head coach and public face of the organization.
Stephen A also wants the woman — an underling in the Celtics organization who was involved — to be named publicly.
Wow. ESPN can’t be happy with Mr. Smith today.pic.twitter.com/hqgOfWn0ad
— Dan Z (@OutkickDanZ) September 23, 2022
This is the second time Smith jumped to conclusions over a racial story just this month. He was among the many in the media who bit on the BYU-Duke volleyball hoax, condemning Brigham Young University over Rachel Richardson’s accusation that the crowd yelled racial slurs at her. There was no evidence, and Smith did not wait for BYU or the police department’s investigation. Smith said he was “glad” that it happened (even though it didn’t) because it would mean no one would enroll at BYU.
Damnit…..this needed to be said! pic.twitter.com/kIn0YemGnj
— Stephen A Smith (@stephenasmith) August 31, 2022
Smith also bit on the Bubba Wallace noose hoax, because there is no racial hoax in sports that he won’t fall for. ESPN pays him $12 million a year for this kind of insight.
In a just world, Smith wouldn’t be on television. He peddles racism and division without waiting for facts because ESPN doesn’t pay him for analysis or a knowledge of sports. They pay him to be the television version of clickbait. Rest assured, Smith will fall for the next racial hoax he sees too, because he would be nothing if he couldn’t constantly tell people that everyone and everything in sports is racist.
