Rumors of Stephen A. Smith’s demise were greatly exaggerated. Now that Smith’s talk show has been canceled, he will have an expanded role on NBA Shootaround and SportsCenter, as well as four interview specials.
On the NBA Shootaround front, it’s likely that Smith could return to the studio with Fred Hickman, Greg Anthony and Tim Legler (right now, he only appears via satellite in a segment called “The A List”). Smith’s NBA analysis has been essentially “yell, scream and act like I know everything” since he joined ESPN in 2003. Some highlights of his tenure on the NBA show:
- Prior to even one game of the 2004 NBA Finals, Smith referred to Lakers coach Phil Jackson as having won his tenth NBA title. The Pistons won, and he still has nine. I have it on tape.
- He and Greg Anthony got into a shouting match in an April 2005 episode of NBA Shootaround over the NBA age-limit. Anthony was for the free market, while Smith was for some argument that I couldn’t fully understand because he was screaming so loudly.
- He ripped Spurs bench player Glenn Robinson for not playing in Game 2 of the West Finals against the Suns in 2005. Smith had been all over Robinson for that entire season, but in this case, “Big Dog” wasn’t playing because his mother had passed away. Smith apologized before Game 3. I have this one on tape as well, and Stephen A. was fairly brutal.
Non-NBA fans likely know Smith from his role in Old School/Nu Skool, a Sunday morning segment on SportsCenter where he debated Skip Bayless. It is said that the tapes of those segments are used as torture tactics for suspected terrorists (as well as episodes of 7th Heaven and Full House).
The Boo-yah Era still lives, although that may just be until Smith’s contract with ESPN runs out. He may still work there, but complimentary adjectives in press releases aside, this is a demotion.
