What makes a Presidential candidate presidential in modern times? That’s a bigger question now more than ever as we are all witness to a divided country—up in arms and as tribal as ever. Where common people—good people—are finding themselves picking a side and treating others who disagree like they’re a scorned lover. The concept of common decency to listen to one another is foreign, and the concept of compromise, an unthinkable act.
Enter Stephen A. Smith, the man that will mend divisions, repair complacency, and alter the path of a nation in peril. Earlier this week, Smith told a group of people at the annual NAB conference in Las Vegas that he could never see himself as a politician, but he’s decided to keep his options open. Of course he is, because why wouldn’t he?
While both Smith and his agent, Endeavor President and COO Mark Shapiro, have stated there is no plan to actually run for President, it got me thinking: who would be better options in sports media to run for the highest office in the land instead of Stephen A. Smith? Who would unite and rally people to earn the votes to enter office?
Before I share my suggestions, can we agree it should no longer come as a shock that sports and politics are intertwined at every discourse? There are more players in all sports speaking out about causes today than ever, and we’ve had a WWE Hall of Famer in the Oval Office not once, but twice.
The separation between sports and politics is forever gone and will unfortunately never return. Hence why so many athletes and sports media pundits are beginning to share their voice in the political discourse without fear of losing any bit of their celebrity status with their followers.
Remember the days when athletes like Michael Jordan said, “Republicans buy sneakers too”?
Stephen A. Smith The Candidate
Stephen A. Smith is no different. In fact, he’s trying to be a trendsetter by merging politics into sports in his own right. Smith makes regular appearances on cable television outlets to discuss politics and uses his own Stephen A. Smith Show to discuss a wide variety of topics—including politics.
While dissecting the concept of political candidate Stephen A. Smith, three characteristics stand out.
The first is his demeanor when confronted in debate, which is documented as not great. Smith isn’t known for his deep conversations and thought-provoking discourse. Instead, he’s known for being the loudest in the room and always attempting to get the last word in—no matter if he’s correct or not in the argument. Would that work with political leaders from around the world? I’m not sure.
The second item is his leadership skills. Smith has built himself up from a beat reporter to one of the highest-paid and most recognizable sports media personalities in the country. Without question, his desire to work harder than everyone else is undeniable—he’ll even tell you as much. In my mind though, a great leader is one who creates other great leaders. Looking at First Take, for example—where Smith is the Executive Producer—name the personality Smith has elevated to national stardom in their own right. The show has always been self-centered around Smith, by Smith, since his debut in 2012, and it hasn’t changed.
The third is assertiveness, which Smith in his time at ESPN has shown seldom. Smith lives and thrives in the reality of react and not act. He’s made a full career as the pundit, the talking head, or the commentator—instead of the decider. Say what you will about every President—good, bad, or indifferent—but they have all had to make massive decisions of policy, investment, or issue. Smith debates G.O.A.T.s repeatedly and pontificates on whether Jerry Jones should still be leading the Dallas Cowboys ad nauseam.
With those three characteristics, is there anyone else in sports media who fits them better than Stephen A. Smith to run for office? Is there a needle in the sports media haystack that could find a way to win over the American populace and lead our country to greater days ahead? Who can win an election of the people, by the people, and for the people?
Pat McAfee Changing The ‘Progrum’ For America
The first name that screams “that man should run for office” is Pat McAfee.
Hear me out before you roll your eyes at this presidential pitch.
What sports media personality turned down interviews from both Presidential candidates this past fall? McAfee.
What sports media personality can hold the deepest conversations with the biggest stars in sports—making everything coming out of the interview relatable to the average fan? McAfee.
Would you consider a former NFL punter turned multi-million-dollar businessman—who has elevated his show’s entire staff along with his rising stardom—a leader? Repeat after me: McAfee.
McAfee is different, relatable, and has challenged authority and won. He’s connected with all types of Americans hosting WWE and College GameDay, and traveled the world with his own progrum (as he calls it), learning culture and the true meaning of understanding life. He’s a man of the people that this country has attached themselves to because he’s relatable to the greater majority of the country—through his calm demeanor, positive outlook on life and family, and assertiveness when it comes to making tough calls. Such as turning down exclusives with the two previous candidates that many others sought out and accepted.
Paul Finebaum Brings The Voice Of The People To America
The second name to consider is Paul Finebaum. Name another sports media personality who handles his callers better than the great Paul Finebaum. An author and former columnist, Finebaum continues to bring conversation and dialogue in a calm and direct manner, which has brought his audience together since the 1980s. He’s one of the most trusted voices in college football and holds high regard in “the Bible Belt”—also known as SEC territory. Finebaum has spoken truth to power, survived, and is considered one of the greatest interviewers of our time, with a focus on allowing representation for communities of people rarely represented in the common discourse. That’s presidential in itself.
Erin Andrews Buried Obstacles Showing Strength To America
The third and final presidential option to consider for office is Erin Andrews. Although Andrews has stated numerous times she is not willing to dive into her political leanings, the fact that she’s even asked about them should tell you how the media views her. She’s a role model and voice for women around the country, a respected reporter on the top NFL on FOX team, a cancer survivor, and an advocate fighting for child hunger and many other causes. Andrews handled a very public stalking incident with class and turned a negative into a massive positive, working with Washington on anti-stalking legislation. She also turned her victory over cancer into a campaign called We Can Change This STAT, which encourages women to get checked by their doctors for annual exams, while educating men on encouraging the women in their lives to do the same. She has overcome personal issues with a calm demeanor, built and organized causes to lift others, and chose to fight back when others did her wrong. Is there any better example of what we would all want in our President?
While Stephen A. Smith is taking all the headlines as of late, it would be wise to be more inclusive of other options when it comes to who we feel could be the best fit from sports media to represent in a Presidential election. If we’re going to be serious about the concept, it’s not about running it’s about winning. The highest office in our land deserves our very best—because that office determines our path to a better tomorrow.
Keep your options open, and don’t just go with your first take.
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John Mamola is the sports editor and columnist for Barrett Media. He brings over two decades of experience (Chicago, Tampa/St Petersburg) in the broadcast industry with expertise in brand management, sales, promotions, producing, imaging, hosting, talent coaching, talent development, web development, social media strategy and design, video production, creative writing, partnership building, communication/networking with a long track record of growth and success. Honored to be a five-time recognized top 20 program director in a major market via Barrett Media and honored internally multiple times as station/brand of the year (Tampa, FL) and employee of the month (Tampa, FL). Connect with John by email at John@BarrettMedia.com.
