While in the arena covering Game 4 of the NBA Finals between the Indiana Pacers and Oklahoma City Thunder, ESPN personality Stephen A. Smith was caught playing solitaire on his phone. A fan captured a video of Smith using an app to play the card game amid gameplay between the Thunder and Pacers despite him saying in a quote tweet that he can multi-task especially during timeouts. The entire ordeal caused Smith to receive a fair amount of public backlash on social media, and it was a point of discussion on Monday’s edition of Nothing Personal with David Samson.
Although Samson acknowledged that Smith could have replied by saying that he could do whatever he wants during the game, he did not feel this was the main takeaway of this instance. On the contrary, he talked about how ESPN has gone about covering the NBA Finals and voiced that the Pacers were trying to take a 3-1 lead in Game 4 as the team defied expectations to win the Eastern Conference as the No. 4 seed. Samson recalled Bob Costas adroitly setting up the NBA Finals games when they used to air on NBC and evinced the dichotomy of what is taking place today.
“This is the NBA Finals,” Samson said. “This is tied at 2 with a Game 5 coming up this evening. Do I think the story should be about Stephen A. talking about Tyrese Haliburton, getting into another fight with a player because that’s what you’re all watching, you’re all clicking it, you’re all eating alive all of the ridiculousness, off-court stuff that’s being fed to you. Why do you think ESPN keeps doubling down on personalities who just yell into the microphone about nonsense with no knowledge of anything? Stephen A. is not understanding of what’s going on because he doesn’t do it. Stephen A. isn’t the story, he’s supposed to be the presenter of the story.”
Samson conveyed that Smith got torched for playing solitaire during the game over the weekend, but he somewhat defended the longtime ESPN personality in his opening remarks on the matter. Hypothetically polling the audience, he asked how many of them are completely locked in during the day not checking personal email, social media or shopping on Amazon.
“Me defending Stephen A. Smith is laughable, laughable,” Samson said. “Defending someone who I think is a complete blowhard who doesn’t have complete conviction in all his feelings and wants to just make sure that he can get clipped and aggregated. By the way, I am genuflecting in your general direction to get $20 million to do what you do, believe me, believe me.”
Samson ostensibly alluded to Smith walking into arenas with security, expounding that he is a broadcaster and that it is not supposed to work that way. From there, he characterized the job as being the voice in the minds of the audience narrating what is taking place and helping people indicate what is and is not serious. Driving the understanding of the moment akin to editors and producers is what Samson voiced as a job of talent. As a result, Smith playing solitaire should not be the problematic circumstance being focused on at this time, he contended, but rather him wanting to be the central character.
“You want to know why things get dumbed down? You want to know why things are offensive to us? Because that moves the numbers,” said Samson. “Don’t criticize Stephen A. Smith for playing solitaire. Criticize ourselves for putting Stephen A. Smith in that position where whether he plays solitaire or not or is looking up websites on, ‘How do I become president?,’ why that all of a sudden becomes the story. I’m tired of it.”
Barrett Media produces daily content on the music, news, and sports media industries. To stay updated, sign up for our newsletters and get the latest information delivered straight to your inbox.
