Don’t come at Stephen A. Smith unless you know beyond the shadow of a doubt what you are talking about. The ESPN pundit fired back at Tiki Barber on Monday morning after the WFAN host used him as an example of people talking about the Giants organization without knowing anything about its inner-workings.
On Wednesday, a caller to WFAN told Tiki Barber that he should support Brian Flores in his lawsuit against the NFL and talk about the road blocks the New York Giants and other organizations put in front of black coaching candidates. Barber got visibly emotional as he talked about his relationship with the late Wellington Mara and his gratitude for being part of the organization’s history.
Barber fired back that the Giants are not a racist organization in his experience, and then name-checked Smith as someone speaking without knowledge.
“I can’t sit here, with conviction, like Stephen A. — who doesn’t know anybody in the Giants’ organization — and claim that they’re a racist organization,” Barber said.
Monday morning on First Take, Stephen A. Smith made it clear that Barber is wrong about who he does and doesn’t know.
“Tiki, you don’t know who the hell I am. I’ve been a journalist for almost 30 years,” Smith said. “I know a few people within the Giants organization. I know a lot of stuff about you my brother that I would never say because I have the decency not to say those things. Chill out. Watch yourself. And know who you’re talking about.”
It wasn’t all vitriol though. Smith did note that Tiki Barber has done a great job in the media business and mentioned his close friendship with Brandon Tierney, saying that the two have a bright future together.
