can't be the face of baseball when he needs a translator

https://www.mediaite.com/sports/stephen-a-smith-says-his-comments-on-shohei-ohtani-were-misinterpreted-amid-heavy-criticism-for-xenophobia/

The Japanese-born Los Angeles Angels baseball player Ohtani has become a major star this season, leading Major League Baseball in home runs while also excelling as a pitcher. But because Ohtani speaks through a translator (https://awfulannouncing.com/espn/a-week-after-complaining-about-a-lack-of-marketing-stephen-a-smith-is-bitching-about-shohei-ohtanis-use-of-an-interpreter.html), Smith said (https://awfulannouncing.com/espn/stephen-a-smith-people-misinterpreting-what-im-saying-ohtani.html) he couldn't see Ohtani as the face of baseball. “I don’t think it helps that the number one face, is a dude that needs an interpreter so you can understand what the hell he’s saying, in THIS COUNTRY,” he said Monday morning on ESPN's First Take. After considerable backlash, including from his ESPN colleague Mina Kimes (https://twitter.com/stephenasmith/status/1414661475373920267), Smith tweeted a video (https://twitter.com/stephenasmith/status/1414661475373920267) saying that "people are misinterpreting what I’m saying. I’m not talking about the state of the game. I’m talking about the marketability and the promotion of the sport.” But as pointed out on Twitter, Ohtani is already considered one of MLB's most marketable stars. UPDATE: Stephen A. Smith has now apologized, saying "I screwed up" (https://uproxx.com/sports/stephen-a-smith-shohei-ohtani-comments-apology/): Noting the uptick in violence against Asian Americans, Smith wrote: "As an African-American, keenly aware of the damage stereotyping has done to many in this community, it should’ve elevated my sensitivities even more,” Smith wrote in part. “Based on my words, I failed in that regard and it’s on me, and me alone.” Smith also wrote "I never intended to offend ANY COMMUNITY, particularly the Asian Community -- and especially SHOHEI Ohtani, himself."

I don't think that his apology was enough. He should be allowed to resign.
Kids look up to sports commentators as role models, so we as a country cannot afford to have bigots in such high profile positions.

Kids look up to sports commentators as role models, so we as a country cannot afford to have bigots in such high profile positions.

They do? I’ll be shocked if kids could name one. They talk about and look up to the players, not the commentators.

Just think about all the kids who saw him make the comment, who never saw the apology. Their poor little minds are warped now, thinking it's okay to be that way.

And man, are you kidding? We didn't have a devoted sports network like ESPN. But back in my day.....Curt Gowdy, Vin Scully, Roone Aledge, Joe Garagiola, Jack Buck, Howard Cosell, Ernie Harwell...?

I would have walked on hot coals if those guys told me to....

ESPN's Stephen A. Smith controversy over Shohei Ohtani is what happens when a network hitches its wagon to one guy (https://defector.com/this-is-what-happens-when-espn-only-has-one-pundit/)

"Shohei Ohtani could end up being the most remarkable and exciting baseball player of my lifetime, and perhaps he already is," says Drew Magary. "If you watched him at the Home Run Derby last night, you didn’t need a goddamn interpreter to love him. The man’s got enough smiles and enough titanic dingers to win you over, no matter who the f*** you are. So it’s not simply that Stephen A. was wrong about Ohtani in the ugliest possible way, but that he was so NEEDLESSLY wrong. He didn’t need to be talking about Ohtani at all. But this is what happens when ESPN hitches its wagon to ONE guy, and then decides to filter everything that happens in sports through him. When I wrote that GQ profile (https://www.gq.com/story/stephen-a-smith-espn-profile) (in 2019), I was told by someone within the industry that Stephen A. was quietly campaigning for the network to replace his First Take co-host, Max Kellerman. I couldn’t verify that claim, and Max still occupies a chair opposite Stephen A. every weekday morning. But that clip above shows you that Max, in fact, already HAS been replaced. By his own co-host."

ALSO:


The problem is Stephen A. Smith is a little bit too good at his job at ESPN (https://defector.com/espn-has-found-the-absolute-worst-way-to-talk-about-the-absolute-coolest-stuff/): "There is no suitable counterweight for his bombast both because ESPN hasn’t provided one for some time and because his brand of bombast is extremely heavy," says David Roth. "It is a problem that so much of the programming on ESPN is grounded in the same kind of Stephen A.-style playfighting, and it is also a problem that so much of that work is done by Stephen A. himself despite his abject lack of interest or category knowledge in a lot of it. Smith can run through his proprietary suite of signature sounds and faces, all along his usual attitudes and gestures and perfectly on beat, on virtually any topic. This is one of the ways in which he’s good at his job. But when he doesn’t really know or care very much about topic, those sounds and faces are all you get. The cumulative effect is deadening in the same way that, say, a radio station that only played Journey’s 'Wheel In The Sky' all day long every day would be. The commentary that got Smith into trouble on Monday, in which he berserkered himself into some extremely antique nativism while trying to defend the bizarre position that universally beloved sunshine superman Shohei Ohtani is somehow hurting baseball’s marketability, was an example of how this sort of thing works when it really, really doesn’t work. Smith doesn’t really care about Ohtani speaking to the press through an interpreter, and it was easy to tell from his commentary that he hasn’t really thought much about it, either."
It was striking to see such an outward pushback toward ESPN's No. 1 star (https://www.thebiglead.com/posts/stephen-a-smith-listened-as-his-espn-co-workers-elevated-the-conversation-01fag49dn6z8): "Completely avoiding controversy is ideal, yet unrealistic," says Kyle Koster. "Doubling-down has become a more popular gameplan over the past few years as any type of contrition is viewed as a weakness. Smith placed himself and his co-workers — whether of AAPI heritage or simply an ally — in a regrettable spot. And he re-focused the microscope on ESPN. All parties faced decisions about the next steps. Veer toward separate, angry corners or steer toward some place constructive. Choosing the latter has proven to be the smart move, perhaps enough to satiate the faction of people open to any reconciliation. The first hour of Tuesday's First Take was as good as any in the show's tenure. Smith did more listening than talking as guests helped add perspective on Ohtani and why Monday's attempts at discussion were not satisfactory."

Just think about all the kids who saw him make the comment, who never saw the apology. Their poor little minds are warped now, thinking it's okay to be that way.

I highly doubt that kids are caring about this.

Not racism but most definitely Xenophobia (dislike of or prejudice against people from other countries).

SAS doubled down on his Shohei Ohtani comments before offering up a ESPN prompted apology https://ftw.usatoday.com/lists/stephen-a-smith-fan-reaction-xenophobic-comments-interpreter-shohei-ohtani

SAS went off on the same Xenophobia shtick when Kwahi Leonard was deciding if he was going leave Toronto as a free agent when promoting the USA NBA cities, teams over Toronto/Canada. SAS went on a very pro USA rant while disparaging Canada.

That being said ESPN as a whole is a step behind the real world in their hiring practices and sports reporting practices. ESPN needs to be held accountable for producing the Xenophobic segment as well.

https://i.dailymail.co.uk/1s/2021/07/12/21/45364395-9781333-image-a-74_1626121065623.jpg

https://i.kinja-img.com/gawker-media/image/upload/c_scale,f_auto,fl_progressive,pg_1,q_80,w_800/fa4d250689052a6559d85f57b90f0993.jpg

I highly doubt that kids are caring about this.

Perhaps it is we who should care, for them? After all, they are the ones who have been forever poisoned... Smith should resign to affirm that he understands the abuse of trust aspect of his misdeed..actions speak louder than words.

I have to think back to the Alvin Garrett incident by Howard Cosell. After repeated attempts to explain-away his misstep, Ultimately Cosell realized that his credibility was forever tarnished, and he left Monday night football as the direct result.

I see Smith as being in the same position, and the only question I feel is worth asking is whether he is big enough to step-up, and do the right thing. My guess is, that's doubtful. It will be more about damage control, as his portrayal as "being a victim too".

Perhaps it is we who should care, for them? After all, they are the ones who have been forever poisoned... Smith should resign to affirm that he understands the abuse of trust aspect of his misdeed..actions speak louder than words.

What kids do you know are “forever poisoned” from watching Smith on ESPN First Take?

Like I said earlier, ANY kid who saw the event, and never saw the apology will think such behavior is acceptable

Additionally just seeing him continue in his position will be a defacto affirmation that such behavior might be acceptable, under certain "exceptions". We need to establish, indelibly, that there ARE NO exceptions.

Like I said earlier, ANY kid who saw the event, and never saw the apology will think such behavior is acceptable

Additionally just seeing him continue in his position will be a defacto affirmation that such behavior might be acceptable, under certain "exceptions". We need to establish, indelibly, that there ARE NO exceptions.

Look at what President Trump said while he was in office.

And he paid the price in the court of public opinion. The "torch and pitchfork" committee has not been kind to him. I would be satisfied with a similar shaming and ouster for Smith.

Why Stephen A. Smith's apology over his Shohei Ohtani comments is trash: "He’s been doing his whole a**hole bit for quite some time now" (https://www.theroot.com/why-stephen-a-smith-s-apology-is-trash-1847289576)

"Apologies are for accidents," says Stephen A. Crockett Jr. "If someone steps on your foot because they didn’t see it, then they should apologize for that mistake. Apologies are not for a**holes. Stephen A. Smith is an a**hole. And he’s been doing his whole a**hole bit for quite some time now." Crockett adds: "I don’t want to call Smith’s apology trash without explaining exactly why I feel this way. Smith said that s***. He also had a chance on his own to apologize when he learned that his words were hurtful. Instead of apologizing, Smith did a full on 'Let me mansplain my xenophobia.' Meaning none of this—Smith’s social media apology nor his apology on First Take—was genuine as both likely came from up high. When left to his own devices, Smith said what he said. When he realized that his words were hurtful, he doubled down, and only after this did he start his apology tour."

. Stephen A. Smith is an a**hole. And he’s been doing his whole a**hole bit for quite some time now."


You know that author makes a good point... Smith's "stock in trade" has always been pretty much "I'm a bad boy, look at me"...but now he has tainted himself. Going forward it will be difficult indeed to imagine his barbs as anything other than self-serving trash. Now people will be searching every one of his artful metaphors for pejorative connotation.

He's probably done, and the reality just hasn't sunken in yet?

At minimum he has given those who don't like him to begin with, carte blanche justification without having to tread carefully.

Perhaps he needs to reinvent himself, because I don't believe that the "bad boy" schtick is gonna fly any more. :rip:

I had no idea who this guy is but he's black so he can say whatever he wants and nothing will happen to him.

He's getting a fair share of blowback from fellow minorities.

https://www.cnn.com/2021/07/15/opinions/euro-racism-marcus-rashford-shohei-ohtani-stephen-a-smith-joseph/index.html

He built his rep by being the activist champion of the marginalized, "callin out" the evil (as he saw it) status quo.

And his credibility for that role is now significantly compromised. People will see him as "oh yeah, you're the guy who feels the rules apply to everyone but you"

I sincerely believe that he is now "thru", but it just hasn't hit him yet.

I had no idea who this guy is but he's black so he can say whatever he wants and nothing will happen to him.

lol, all the kids today are talking about him.