ESPN featured commentator Stephen A. Smith continues to balance his responsibilities with the network both on First Take and NBA Countdown with his podcast through Cadence13, which is titled The Stephen A. Smith Show. Smith releases episodes of the program at least three times a week where he expounds on topics both within and beyond the realm of sports.
For a stretch of time on his show, Smith had been taking live phone calls; however, he resorted back to messages on social media while a new studio with these capabilities was under construction. Smith took to social media on Tuesday to announce that he will once again be taking live calls on his podcast, which, in the past, he has prompted by posting a message on X detailing the relevant information. Within the social media post on Tuesday, Smith shared a clip of him recently receiving a call from a listener who took issue with his criticism of Baltimore Ravens quarterback Lamar Jackson.
Smith proceeded to state that the assertion that he was one of the quarterback’s biggest critics was a lie, referencing how he said on national television that he is the leading candidate to win the league’s MVP award. The caller then replied by saying that Smith criticized his game with the knowledge that the Ravens organization had never provided him with the pieces he needed to win. Smith proceeded to cite the fact that Jackson does not have any playoff victories, stating that he would criticize other players in the same way should it be justified.
“I want you to just sit back and watch,” the caller said.
“No, no,” Smith replied. “I don’t get paid to sit back and watch. I get paid to give commentary too. I’m not asking you not to do your job; you can’t ask me not to do mine – now be fair. Now I understand that you want me to say what you want me to say, and if I don’t say it, you’d rather I not say anything, but I don’t get paid to be quiet; I get paid to give you my expert opinion.”
