Stephen A. Smith article on Home page here

[weezie]

Come on, go check it out if that's not your first stop here,

https://www.dukebasketballreport.com/2019/4/2/18291696/stephen-a-smith-dukes-loss-is-unacceptable-zion-williamson-rj-barrett-cam-reddish-tre-jones-coach-k

Let's have a good, old-fashioned pick-on-a-blowhard session for Stephen A. and please elaborate on where he can stick that A.

Where does this clown get off ragging on our guys like this?

"Smith made his acting debut on the ABC soap opera General Hospital in a cameo appearance as a television reporter on the February 2, 2007, episode"

[wsb3]

Come on, go check it out if that's not your first stop here,

https://www.dukebasketballreport.com/2019/4/2/18291696/stephen-a-smith-dukes-loss-is-unacceptable-zion-williamson-rj-barrett-cam-reddish-tre-jones-coach-k

Let's have a good, old-fashioned pick-on-a-blowhard session for Stephen A. and please elaborate on where he can stick that A.

Where does this clown get off ragging on our guys like this?

My first thought was, I wonder just how much Duke Basketball he actually watched this year.

[HereBeforeCoachK]

I saw it yesterday on ESPN, and I thought the word "failure" was way too harsh. I think in context he really meant disappointment, but he didn't deliver that thought well. All in all, I don't agree it was a failure, but his commentary was not as bad as I anticipated given the headline on ESPN.com.

EDIT: I was referring to his rant on the morning show on ESPN.....not this article.....which is separate.

[elvis14]

Come on, go check it out if that's not your first stop here,

https://www.dukebasketballreport.com/2019/4/2/18291696/stephen-a-smith-dukes-loss-is-unacceptable-zion-williamson-rj-barrett-cam-reddish-tre-jones-coach-k

Let's have a good, old-fashioned pick-on-a-blowhard session for Stephen A. and please elaborate on where he can stick that A.

Where does this clown get off ragging on our guys like this?

"Smith made his acting debut on the ABC soap opera General Hospital in a cameo appearance as a television reporter on the February 2, 2007, episode"

I change the channel when he comes on. He's loud and completely full of #$%#. I didn't know he background but I'm not shocked that it's soap opera related and not sports.

[Mtn.Devil.91.92.01.10.15]

Come on, go check it out if that's not your first stop here,

https://www.dukebasketballreport.com/2019/4/2/18291696/stephen-a-smith-dukes-loss-is-unacceptable-zion-williamson-rj-barrett-cam-reddish-tre-jones-coach-k

Let's have a good, old-fashioned pick-on-a-blowhard session for Stephen A. and please elaborate on where he can stick that A.

Where does this clown get off ragging on our guys like this?
"Smith made his acting debut on the ABC soap opera General Hospital in a cameo appearance as a television reporter on the February 2, 2007, episode"

So, he is the embodiment of "I am not a reporter, but I played one on TV."

Surprising.

[DukieTiger]

Gotta admit, I intentionally didn’t click on the article because I don’t care even to have that man’s words relayed to me.

However, after seeing this thread I caved and was pleasantly surprised- though perhaps I shouldn’t be. Good on DBR for not linking to the article/video/whatever, and not indulging his argument even to critique it.

The man is everything that is wrong with American media and that was a thorough burn of any remaining illusion that he is a credible journalist.

[CrazyNotCrazie]

Come on, go check it out if that's not your first stop here,

https://www.dukebasketballreport.com/2019/4/2/18291696/stephen-a-smith-dukes-loss-is-unacceptable-zion-williamson-rj-barrett-cam-reddish-tre-jones-coach-k

Let's have a good, old-fashioned pick-on-a-blowhard session for Stephen A. and please elaborate on where he can stick that A.

Where does this clown get off ragging on our guys like this?

"Smith made his acting debut on the ABC soap opera General Hospital in a cameo appearance as a television reporter on the February 2, 2007, episode"

The man has become a caricature of himself. Way back when he worked his tail off to become a successful, respected journalist. Then he went to acting school and sold out. I cannot take anything he says with that ridiculous scowl on his face seriously. ESPN can blame it on the internet, but it is guys like him coming up with unfounded opinions solely for the sake of being opinionated that make me no longer watch anything but live sports on ESPN. But he is the one laughing all the way to the bank.

[BeachBlueDevil]

I listen to Stephen A. Smith on a very limited basis. I get in the car, it's on my local ESPN Radio affiliate, I listen instead of changing it. Multiple times I've heard him talk about a team and he is referencing players that need to step up who are no longer there. Sure, the man does 10 hours of radio a week and has a TV show to also work on, so he can't always be accurate due to that schedule. But some of his takes are so factually inaccurate that I have a very hard time finding anything he says credible.

[bludevil_33]

Don't feed the trolls. DBR took the bait.

[bludevil_33]

The man has become a caricature of himself. Way back when he worked his tail off to become a successful, respected journalist. Then he went to acting school and sold out. I cannot take anything he says with that ridiculous scowl on his face seriously. ESPN can blame it on the internet, but it is guys like him coming up with unfounded opinions solely for the sake of being opinionated that make me no longer watch anything but live sports on ESPN. But he is the one laughing all the way to the bank.

This is what he gets paid for though. ESPN pays Smith to make controversial "hot takes" about the latest sports news. It's practically in his job description.

You may not be into that kind of thing (I'm not either) but that doesn't mean it's not a thing. The less people pay attention to this kind of content, the less of this kind of content there will be.

[HereBeforeCoachK]

This is what he gets paid for though. ESPN pays Smith to make controversial "hot takes" about the latest sports news. It's practically in his job description.

You may not be into that kind of thing (I'm not either) but that doesn't mean it's not a thing. The less people pay attention to this kind of content, the less of this kind of content there will be.

This is true....this is his job.....accuracy would be preferable, but he's not paid for accuracy. He's paid to be interesting, and he is - even when you disagree with him. He's not my fave cup of tea either, but he draws ratings and clicks and that is what he is paid to do. There's a thousand commentators who will drone on that "it's not fair to put expectations blah blah blah on 18 year olds blah blah" and so on...and that is 100% correct. But it's not particularly interesting, and there's a zillion people saying it.

It's more interesting, and unusual, for someone who likes Zion and likes Duke generally to come out and say the season was "a failure" due to not making the FF.

[plimnko]

i didn't read and i could care less about his opinions. my head started hurting when i saw his picture.

[cruxer]

The man has become a caricature of himself. Way back when he worked his tail off to become a successful, respected journalist. Then he went to acting school and sold out. I cannot take anything he says with that ridiculous scowl on his face seriously. ESPN can blame it on the internet, but it is guys like him coming up with unfounded opinions solely for the sake of being opinionated that make me no longer watch anything but live sports on ESPN. But he is the one laughing all the way to the bank.

It's really something what cable has done to journalism in general. Both Stephen A. and Skip Bayless were pretty fantastic print sportswriters then columnists. Going on ESPN necessitated the heel-turn towards bloviaters needing to be the loudest voice in the room.

-c

[Dukehk]

The guy is paid to make controversial statements and spark debate/arguments.

Half the time he probably doesn't believe in what he says on his talk show. Its all scripted and part of the narrative for them to get views.

Pay no attention to them. They will eventually disappear if more people do so.

[moonpie23]

don't click it..

[wavedukefan70s]

Had to listen to steven A .I only saw the part with him and Jalen rose .they were saying reddish and Jones needed one more year under K.
Cant say I disagree with that.

[CrazyNotCrazie]

This is what he gets paid for though. ESPN pays Smith to make controversial "hot takes" about the latest sports news. It's practically in his job description.

You may not be into that kind of thing (I'm not either) but that doesn't mean it's not a thing. The less people pay attention to this kind of content, the less of this kind of content there will be.

You are 100% correct and this is why I am increasingly embarassed by the state of our country today (this is not a political statement - this has been going on for a while now during Democrat and Republican administrations). None of us listen to him but there clearly are people who do. I am all about different strokes for different folks and I am all for mindless entertainment (I majored in Beavis and Butthead at Duke) but people like him should not be given a place to speak in the way he does and people should not be wasting their time on his garbage. I'm not sure why I feel so strongly about him...

[Ian]

Are people just shooting the messenger here? This season was, ultimately, a failure. Because if you asked anyone on the team at the beginning of the season, or even 2 weeks ago, they'd tell you that their goal and expectation for the team was to win the National Championship.

Now that doesn't mean the season was a complete failure. There were things accomplished, and certain goals, individual and teamwise, that were reached. So the there were successes along the way, but they failed to reach their ultimate goal. So when looking at the season as a whole, that's the only reasonable conclusion you can draw.

And as the legend of Zion and RJ grows in the NBA as I expect them to, this will always be remember as the year Duke didn't win it all with 2 NBA all stars on the team. Especially if a team like TT wins it all, it will be more remembered as the year Duke didn't win more than the year TT won, and it will always be part of K's legacy that he couldn't win with a team that had Zion and RJ, just as it's part of Dean Smith's legacy that he couldn't win with a team that had Jordan, Daughtery, Perkins and Smith.

That's reality. Duke fans, but more importantly the Duke coaching staff, need to own it.

[oldnavy]

Are people just shooting the messenger here? This season was, ultimately, a failure. Because if you asked anyone on the team at the beginning of the season, or even 2 weeks ago, they'd tell you that their goal and expectation for the team was to win the National Championship.

Now that doesn't mean the season was a complete failure. There were things accomplished, and certain goals, individual and teamwise, that were reached. So the there were successes along the way, but they failed to reach their ultimate goal. So when looking at the season as a whole, that's the only reasonable conclusion you can draw.

And as the legend of Zion and RJ grows in the NBA as I expect them to, this will always be remember as the year Duke didn't win it all with 2 NBA all stars on the team. Especially if a team like TT wins it all, it will be more remembered as the year Duke didn't win more than the year TT won, and it will always be part of K's legacy that he couldn't win with a team that had Zion and RJ, just as it's part of Dean Smith's legacy that he couldn't win with a team that had Jordan, Daughtery, Perkins and Smith.

That's reality. Duke fans, but more importantly the Duke coaching staff, need to own it.

I don't know. People still think that the Fab Five achieved all sorts of stuff.... when in reality they didn't win anything.

[SavDukeGrad]

I got a push notification from ESPN on my phone about what Stephen A. said yesterday morning when I was at Reagan airport, flying home from the East Regional. I couldn’t look at it then, and I’m certainly not going to look at it now.

[HereBeforeCoachK]

I don't know. People still think that the Fab Five achieved all sorts of stuff... when in reality they didn't win anything.

I don't buy the analogy.....the Fab Five "achievements" were cultural....the hip hop, the baggy shorts, etc.....they are known for their culture not their achievements.

[wsb3]

My first thought was, I wonder just how much Duke Basketball he actually watched this year.

My second was who gives a rat's behind what Stephen A thinks about anything?

[jv001]

Are people just shooting the messenger here? This season was, ultimately, a failure. Because if you asked anyone on the team at the beginning of the season, or even 2 weeks ago, they'd tell you that their goal and expectation for the team was to win the National Championship.

Now that doesn't mean the season was a complete failure. There were things accomplished, and certain goals, individual and teamwise, that were reached. So the there were successes along the way, but they failed to reach their ultimate goal. So when looking at the season as a whole, that's the only reasonable conclusion you can draw.

And as the legend of Zion and RJ grows in the NBA as I expect them to, this will always be remember as the year Duke didn't win it all with 2 NBA all stars on the team. Especially if a team like TT wins it all, it will be more remembered as the year Duke didn't win more than the year TT won, and it will always be part of K's legacy that he couldn't win with a team that had Zion and RJ, just as it's part of Dean Smith's legacy that he couldn't win with a team that had Jordan, Daughtery, Perkins and Smith.

That's reality. Duke fans, but more importantly the Duke coaching staff, need to own it.

At the beginning of the season, Coach K told the players that the goal was to win the NCAAT, but that is the goal every year. Not winning the NCAAT does not make the entire season a failure. It just means they didn't reach their goal. But guess what the other 67 teams won't reach that goal either. The tournament is pressure packed and it's easy for us couch coaches to complain when Duke doesn't win it all. This group of young men(freshmen) who had no college basketball experience to draw from had a great year. They played through injuries, played one of the toughest schedules and did class work(something the cheats know nothing about). I really liked this team and I'm proud of the way they represented Duke University. GoDuke!

[johnb]

I tend to think that this is no big deal.*

He's paid to have opinions, and I'm impressed he can have so many opinions. He's entertaining, at least to me, though it would be helpful if he'd fact check and reduce some of the excess.

What he basically said was that players go to Duke for Final Fours. True (while they presumably go for other things as well, 5 star players expect to compete for a championship, especially when it's a team of 5 Stars). As a reminder, Duke football never gets a 5 star and often no 4 stars, and most of the bball teams we play against have 0 players that we would have recruited. If Alabama finishes 10-2 but doesn't make the football playoffs, how would we characterize their season? Probably a failure--even though there are many things that go into a season, including character development, school, etc etc..

And he added that this team might have 3 of the top 5 NBA picks, including one of the best college players of all time, as well as an elite 1st round point guard (probably True; we'll see)

And that this group, themselves, would have expected to at least get to the Final Four when there would be a large talent gap between them and every other team (true)

And so the season is something of a failure. While I'd say "disappointment" rather than failure, the words are somewhat similar if you just turn up the volume a little. And remember, his job is to address every question with a "Not at all!" or "Absolutely!" rather than some fuzzy answer in the middle.

In a way, complaining about him as a too-loud sports personality is akin to arguing that Jack Nicholson is unstable after seeing The Shining.

*Full disclosure... Steven A and I have kids at the same small school in NY. It's not like he and I are buddies (or that he even knows my name), but, in real life, he seems quite different from his on screen persona.

[Ian]

At the beginning of the season, Coach K told the players that the goal was to win the NCAAT, but that is the goal every year. Not winning the NCAAT does not make the entire season a failure. It just means they didn't reach their goal. But guess what the other 67 teams won't reach that goal either. The tournament is pressure packed and it's easy for us couch coaches to complain when Duke doesn't win it all. This group of young men(freshmen) who had no college basketball experience to draw from had a great year. They played through injuries, played one of the toughest schedules and did class work(something the cheats know nothing about). I really liked this team and I'm proud of the way they represented Duke University. GoDuke!

Everything you said is true, yet it doesn't change the fact the season will go into the books as a failure. Notice I said "goal and expectation", not just goal. Every team's goal is to win the championship, but only very few team have that expectation. Duke for better or worse, was one of those teams.

Look, failure is part of life. And to comeback from it you first have to own it. That why Coach K said "here to never forgetting" so many years ago. Because to forget is to be in denial about your failure, and that will only lead to more failure.

[Dukehky]

All I know is that I didn't waste one second of my time watching this team play basketball so I sure as hell don't view the season as a failure.

Even with Z out, I wanted to see if Cam could string stuff together, or if Jack would make a three. Every second was cherished by this viewer.

All I wish is that we could watch them together more. Damn, they were fun.

[Indoor66]

My second was who gives a rat's behind what Stephen A thinks about anything?

Here, here. If he comes on, I turn it off.

[HereBeforeCoachK]

Pretty lively discussion. They ask some very difficult questions...

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LleoEXwQOwY

They all agree Cam and Tre need another year in college. One says Cam developed not at all this year. Ouch.

[UrinalCake]

Why doesn't someone ask Stephen A. Smith if it is a "failure" or "unacceptable" that Kansas and Kentucky aren't in the Final Four? They were the #1 and #2 teams in everyone's preseason poll by a wide margin. Kansas had a solid core returning, plus highly sought-after transfers coming eligible, plus a top recruiting class. They had everything you could possibly ask for. Even if you give them a pass due to injuries, what about Kentucky? Their class was just behind ours (actually ranked ahead of ours by some services after EJ Montgomery signed, due to the number of players) PLUS they had a potential lottery pick coming back for his sophomore year PLUS they had an elite graduate transfer. Again, the absolute perfect storm that you could construct on paper. Should't someone be calling out Calipari for embarrassing himself by failing to make the final four?

What about the AP preseason #3 team, Gonzaga? The experts said this was the most talented team Mark Few had ever assembled. Experienced talent all up and down the roster. They even beat us in November (which is when Duke supposedly was peaking). Shouldn't Smith be tearing into Few for the fact that his team never improved over the course of the season as compared to that win in Maui?

But Duke has the top two picks in the draft! There's no excuse for losing! Well if NBA potential is all that matters, why did Roy get blown out by 20 in the Sweet 16 with two lottery picks on his roster surrounded by three seniors and a bench full of upperclassmen?

[Neals384]

Come on, go check it out if that's not your first stop here,

https://www.dukebasketballreport.com/2019/4/2/18291696/stephen-a-smith-dukes-loss-is-unacceptable-zion-williamson-rj-barrett-cam-reddish-tre-jones-coach-k

Let's have a good, old-fashioned pick-on-a-blowhard session for Stephen A. and please elaborate on where he can stick that A.

Where does this clown get off ragging on our guys like this?

"Smith made his acting debut on the ABC soap opera General Hospital in a cameo appearance as a television reporter on the February 2, 2007, episode"

I could go my entire life without wasting a thread on that guy.

[Pghdukie]

I could go my entire life without wasting a thread on that guy.

Agreed. I could go my lifetime just not listening to him. PERIOD

[johnb]

Pretty lively discussion. They ask some very difficult questions...

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LleoEXwQOwY

They all agree Cam and Tre need another year in college. One says Cam developed not at all this year. Ouch.

It's a little strong, but Stephen A. sounds reasonable...

[turnandburn55]

Interesting commentary by J-Dubs regarding Cam Reddish - calling him out for backing out of the S16 game at the last minute - saying he's never seen Coach K surprised by a player's unavailability.

[UrinalCake]

Interesting commentary by J-Dubs regarding Cam Reddish - calling him out for backing out of the S16 game at the last minute - saying he's never seen Coach K surprised by a player's unavailability.

We haven't really talked about this much, but that was such a bizarre situation. One tweet that I saw had Reddish quoted as saying it just didn't feel right before the game during warmups so he decided to sit out in order to play it safe. I could see how that could be taken in a really negative context. Then the fact that he played 37 minutes two days later is just bizarre. To be honest, a neuron fired in the back of my brain that said "maybe this will tank his draft stock and he'll come back" but I quickly set that aside because I just wanted him to play.

[HereBeforeCoachK]

Why doesn't someone ask Stephen A. Smith if it is a "failure" or "unacceptable" that Kansas and Kentucky aren't in the Final Four?

Duke - Kentucky changed EVERYTHING about media, perception. Zion changed everything. I'm not saying that's fair, I'm just saying that is the media reality, and we're talking about the sports media here.

[Scorp4me]

He makes me laugh, but not with him...

[duke79]

https://nypost.com/2019/04/03/stephen-a-smith-poised-to-become-richest-talent-in-espn-history/

I guess it pays to be controversial.......whether you're right or not! Just for the record, I will gladly say, on air, that Duke's season was a "failure", IF ESPN will pay me $10 million a year.

[budwom]

Stephen A has become a caricature of himself, which is fine by him I'm sure, as today's news tells me he's in line to become ESPN's highest paid "analyst" at ten million bucks/year....I'm not seeing the value, but I guess many are entertained by him.

[weezie]

Well, I think he's a fat-faced annoying boob.

With apologies to all decent and upstanding, non-annoying fat-faced boobs.

I actually received flames for pointing out that Seth Greenberg strains the button of his too small sports coats so, I am prepared for the blowback now.
Touchy touchy touchy and silly.

[Mtn.Devil.91.92.01.10.15]

https://nypost.com/2019/04/03/stephen-a-smith-poised-to-become-richest-talent-in-espn-history/

I guess it pays to be controversial...whether you're right or not! Just for the record, I will gladly say, on air, that Duke's season was a "failure", IF ESPN will pay me $10 million a year.

Not me. I will, however, say that Roy failed Nasir Little. For much less money.