Have you ever heard the saying that every day there is a main character on Twitter? Well, Tuesday that main character, at least for sports fans, was Stephen A. Smith.
Smith was involved in a debate on First Take with JJ Redick and CJ McCollum. Smith said that he had a problem with Russell Westbrook going to Darvin Ham’s introductory press conference. He justified his position by talking about Westbrook’s struggles shooting the ball this past season.
Redick responded by saying that Smith’s point made no sense with the evidence he just laid out. McCollum added that the idea that there is something wrong with Westbrook showing support for his new coach was “a wild thing for you to say.”
Shan Shariff was among those watching and on Wednesday morning, he said “All Twitter did yesterday was make fun of Stephen A Smith for getting tied up in knots by JJ and CJ.”
While Smith is the one caught looking foolish, Shariff says it isn’t a Stephen A. Smith problem. Sports debate shows on TV naturally put their panelists in a position to look stupid.
“That’s what these shows are forced to do, right? You are now going to be given the floor for five minutes, so you have to fill it for five minutes,” he said. “So Stephen A goes off on a topic and instead of just addressing the main point, you have to build up to it and show off your knowledge and show you know Russell’s game.”
Shariff did add that Smith’s initial argument was so nonsensical that there was no real way to defend it. That is what put him in a bad position to begin with.
“You gotta come up with fake takes. Who could have a problem with Russell Westbrook showing support and showing up for the new coach’s presser? Stephen A tried to make that a point, but in filling the five minutes of airtime, you have to break down Russ’s game and his character, and that he can’t shoot.”
