“The level of sensitivity that Charles Barkley and so many others have alluded to, is growing quite alarming.”
How ironic is it that the prior quote, made by ESPN personality Stephen A. Smith, fits his response right to the tee? During his well-chronicled rant regarding Oklahoma City Thunder superstar Kevin Durant, Smith violated the natural order of the sports journalism. Smith made himself bigger than the athlete, bigger than the sport and, more importantly, bigger than the story.
Let’s get one thing clear, sports journalism in 2015 is not your father’s or grandfather’s brand of journalism. There was a time when newspapers were Americans’ primary source of news. Sports reporters and columnists were embedded with teams. They traveled with them on the road, and chronicling every game, player and sports-related storyline of interest. Email, social media and Dropbox did not yet exist, so the fedora-wearing, cigarette-smoking wordsmiths of old sent in their stories via telegraph, read the story to an editor over the telephone or hacked away at an old school typewriter back in the office. More importantly, though they injected their personalities into the story, they crafted stories in a manner that ignored themselves and focused solely on the sport/athlete.
In today’s world, sports reporters have become sports personalities. We all have social media accounts, television/video segments, podcasts, radio shows, etc. Men and women who cover sports have become their own brand, regardless of the publication or network that writes the checks. Love him or hate him, Smith has a big personality. Both he and co-pilot Skip Bayless grace the airwaves of ESPN because of their bold, boisterous, controversial and in-your-face style of reporting. It is evident, however, that the TV shows, commercials and the celebrity generated by his daily screaming matches with Bayless have Smith feeling himself. Here’s the abbreviated version of how the beef began that sent Smith into full Meek Mill battle rapper mode.
“In one breath I’m hearing that if Kevin Durant doesn’t stay in Oklahoma City, L.A. is his primary objective and landing spot as opposed to South Beach or even his home of Washington, D.C.” – Stephen A. Smith, on ESPN’s First Take
“I don’t talk to Stephen A Smith at all. Nobody in my family, my friends, they don’t talk to Stephen A Smith. So he’s lying.” – Kevin Durant, to Anthony Slater of The Oklahoman
After Durant’s reply, Smith clearly cued up “Hit Em Up” on his iPhone and began crafting his response. During the 11 minute monologue on his show, Smith actually made some good, relevant points about athletes and the media. Unfortunately they were veiled by his boss mode ego that would’ve made Tony Montana blush.
Smith went on about his track record, his 20+ years of experience and the number of stories that he broke. While I respect Smith’s work and accomplishments, especially as a black, non-athlete at ESPN, his response should have been, “I stand by my sources.” That’s all it took. If his track record speaks for itself, what was the point of speaking on it? Should Durant jettison to Los Angeles in free agency, or even sits at the table with them during the negotiation process, it would be a feather in his cap. He could say, “I told you so.” Instead, he said, “You don’t want to make an enemy out of me.”
Really Mr. Smith? You took it there?
With his veiled threat, Smith stepped over the line. No, it wasn’t a physical threat, but the insinuation was that the ESPN personality could somehow dig up enough dirt to ruin Durant’s career if he so desired. Even though Smith acknowledged Durant as one of the two most-talented basketball players on the planet, he also expects us to believe that Durant needs him (or his silence) to succeed.
As a web guy, who has the great privilege of moonlighting as a sports columnist for a phenomenal publication, let me say this. Without professional sports and athletes to opine over, I would be nothing more than a modern day Al Bundy, reminiscing about the great plays made back in my heyday. I could try writing about the reverse layup I made last playing pickup basketball, in between my trips to urgent care for a broken face and a busted eye, but I have a feeling that nobody would really care. Regardless of how popular I get, how many awards I win or how many views my columns receive, I can never be bigger than the game.
If The American punted me down the road today, there would be another talented columnist in my spot by next week. If Smith took his talents to another station, there would be another talking head in his First Take seat by the next morning. Let’s face it, sports personalities are replaceable. If Durant decided to leave the Oklahoma City Thunder for greener pastures, the entire trajectory for the franchise would be altered for years. That’s power.
The rant because Durant called him a liar – that’s sensitivity.
Follow Ishmael and In the Clutch online at @IshmaelSistrunk
