I was one of the people who was calling for Stephen A. Smith to be one of the ESPN layoffs and I still stand by it. Smith fired back at criticism that he should have been let go. It was mainly towards the journalist Jeff Pearlman who essentially said that Smith gave up all journalistic integrity at one point in his career to advance up the ladder and get higher ratings. Smith countered with the fact that plenty of white men in the industry are loud. They’re considered “passionate,” he said, whereas he’s portrayed as a “loud mouth.” I highly recommend you read the article at Washington Post that goes into greater detail but I want to highlight some points before I reiterate that Smith should get canned.
In essence Pearlman was saying that Smith is annoying, only he put it more eloquently than that. He’s a loud mouthed, annoying presence drumming up drama for ratings and he cashed in. That’s something I don’t think is a bad thing. You gotta do what you gotta do in the world but it still doesn’t change the fact that he’s irritating as hell. Smith’s main counter arguments were the following:
- You have no idea how mnay credentials I have, my degrees, my education, my years as a journalist.
- Why is everyone coming at me when others make more money?
- I did what I had to do as a black journalist, breaking stories was my only way in (this I don’t blame Smith for at all by the way)
So I’m going to simplify everything in one shot here. Mr. Smith, no one cares about your credentials. Congratulations on having a degree and working as a black journalist. Yes, others make more money and no, this has nothing to do with you being black. This has to do with you being one of the most annoying TV sports personalities in the world. It’s your voice. It’s your mannerisms, it’s pretty much everything you do on air. It’s brutal. It’s aggravating. It’s juvenile. I think you have solid insight and are a well versed and smart sports man, but you’re just irritating, it’s that simple. I’d rather not see you on television and would rather not hear your voice on the radio. I’d read your articles because they are good, but again, you’re just incredibly annoying. I think you’re having a hard time dealing with the fact that many others like me would agree with what I’m saying. Honestly it’s no more than that. We just can’t stand looking at and listening to you barking all the time. And yes, I’ve shut off my TV and radio when you’re on. But why can’t this be a simple thing and not a black thing? I don’t think this is terribly difficult to grasp.
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