supremebve Posted April 3, 2019 Share Posted April 3, 2019 5 minutes ago, odessasteps said: Definitely a YMMV situation. I rarelywatch the channel these days, but I could not think of someone who makes me change the channel that him (or Bayless when he was there.) But I'm not remotely in their demographic anymore (especially someone that loathes the football industrial complex) I don't listen to a damn thing Stephen A. Smith says. I generally see twitter clips or LeBatard occasionally cuts over to him ranting, but otherwise, I don't see or hear him at all. With that said, he is the only person who moves the ratings needle. People actually tune in to watch him. As someone who pays attention to media, it's kind of fascinating to watch all the swings and misses, when the writing is on the wall of who and what is effective sports television. Charles and Kenny. Mike and Tony. Stephen A. and a live microphone. None of those people are giving great sports commentary, but they are all entertaining. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Contentious C Posted April 3, 2019 Share Posted April 3, 2019 15 minutes ago, supremebve said: Is he polarizing? Yes. Is he often wrong? Yes. If you look at him real close, does he look like a Muppet? Yes. But he's also the best in the business at what he does. Getting people to talk about him in a "Can you believe what this fucking idiot just said" kind of way? I guess someone had to be the best at that. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
supremebve Posted April 3, 2019 Share Posted April 3, 2019 1 minute ago, Contentious C said: Getting people to talk about him in a "Can you believe what this fucking idiot just said" kind of way? I guess someone had to be the best at that. That's the game though. That is a reason to watch him. There is no reason to watch Mike Greenburg, they could replace him with anybody competent and you lose nothing. In a space where viewers equal dollars, that matters. With that said, the most ridiculous but great moment in sports talk history was Stephen A. Smith talking about him winning the O.J. Simpson trial. Him thinking that is absurd, but the fact that he punctuated his point with, "I've often said that," takes the cake. https://thebiglead.com/2016/06/13/stephen-a-smith-on-o-j-simpson-case-no-way-in-hell-that-johnny-cochran-would-have-beaten-me/ Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Zimbra Posted April 3, 2019 Share Posted April 3, 2019 To paraphrase Bomani Jones: You might not like what Stephen A Smith does but it's hard to argue that he's not damn good at it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest The Magnificent 7 Posted April 3, 2019 Share Posted April 3, 2019 I have a lot of time for Stephen A. It’s not that I agree with him often and forget about inside voice he doesn’t even have an outside voice, but he clearly loves arguing and generally doesn’t give a damn. He’s entertaining in short doses and I always get a kick out of when an NBA player tries to come at him he acts like he’s a mob boss or something who can have people whacked if he decided to wield his power. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Doc Townsend Posted April 4, 2019 Share Posted April 4, 2019 I frequently disagree with Smith, but, yeah, the dude is passionate, usually intelligent, and can definitely talk. I liked Greenberg when he was paired with Golic, and was a big fan of Mike & Mike for a long while, but I always felt he needed Golic more than Golic needed him. As noted, Greenie tends to be competent at delivering typical "talking head" opinions. Golic was usually the one with the more interesting takes. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Brian Fowler Posted April 4, 2019 Share Posted April 4, 2019 Smith is an instant channel change for me as well. Oddly, I think I was literally the only the person that liked Quite Frankly. On highest paid, I know they have Rick Reilly an insane amount of money (even he called it "ballplayer money") Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RIPPA Posted April 5, 2019 Author Share Posted April 5, 2019 1 3 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Raziel Posted April 5, 2019 Share Posted April 5, 2019 Good. Should've gotten the 5. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gonzo Posted April 9, 2019 Share Posted April 9, 2019 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sabremike Posted April 9, 2019 Share Posted April 9, 2019 On 4/5/2019 at 4:14 PM, RIPPA said: Regardless of what anyone thinks of Carton that judge making a cheap and unnecessary remark to get her name in the papers is an excellent example of how the American legal system is a disgusting embarrassing toilet. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Brian Fowler Posted April 9, 2019 Share Posted April 9, 2019 3 hours ago, Gonzo said: $8.99 a month for his app Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
odessasteps Posted April 29, 2019 Share Posted April 29, 2019 When they write about Mike overseas, it must be bad. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
EdA Posted May 3, 2019 Share Posted May 3, 2019 Sinclair has bought all the regional Fox Sports networks from Disney for a cool $10 billion. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dolfan in NYC Posted May 3, 2019 Share Posted May 3, 2019 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
odessasteps Posted May 3, 2019 Share Posted May 3, 2019 Maybe should go in the hockey thread, but longtime Canuck beat writer Jason Botchford passed away age 48. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RIPPA Posted May 17, 2019 Author Share Posted May 17, 2019 https://theconcourse.deadspin.com/the-night-the-lights-went-out-1834298070?cxu7e8q6qtd93vxumeeg30yi6.2pd1zf4t9aeae The terrifying story of when Drew Magary's (by his own words) brain exploded 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gonzo Posted May 21, 2019 Share Posted May 21, 2019 Your sports media HAWT TAEK of the day: In a related story, I'd weigh 130 pounds without Chipotle, Chick-Fil-A, McDonald's, Five Guys, Krispy Kreme, and Coldstone Creamery. 3 5 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cubbymark Posted May 26, 2019 Share Posted May 26, 2019 Rod Bramblett, voice of Auburn football, passed away along with his wife in a car accident. https://www.google.com/amp/s/syndication.bleacherreport.com/amp/2838070-auburn-radios-rod-bramblett-wife-paula-die-from-injuries-caused-in-car-crash.amp.html Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RIPPA Posted May 28, 2019 Author Share Posted May 28, 2019 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
odessasteps Posted May 29, 2019 Share Posted May 29, 2019 RIP Marc Okkonen, author of that baseball uniform book many of us here probably own. Paul Lukas’ obit https://uni-watch.com/2019/05/29/marc-okkonen-1933-2019/ Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sabremike Posted June 4, 2019 Share Posted June 4, 2019 The great Tony Paige announces his retirement from WFAN effective September 15th. If more people in sports talk radio were like Tony the genre would be in a much better place than it is right now. Pure class and a joy to listen to. The thought that his replacement will be that awful degenerate gambler wiseguy who I won't even dignify by giving his name just makes me sad. When the Shmoozer, Richard Neer and Chris Moore no longer work there I probably won't listen to FAN ever again. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Infinit Posted June 4, 2019 Share Posted June 4, 2019 Wait...isn't "Cartman" in jail? Is he really gonna just get rehired like nothing happened when he gets out? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Raziel Posted June 4, 2019 Share Posted June 4, 2019 1 hour ago, sabremike said: The great Tony Paige announces his retirement from WFAN effective September 15th. If more people in sports talk radio were like Tony the genre would be in a much better place than it is right now. Pure class and a joy to listen to. The thought that his replacement will be that awful degenerate gambler wiseguy who I won't even dignify by giving his name just makes me sad. When the Shmoozer, Richard Neer and Chris Moore no longer work there I probably won't listen to FAN ever again. Carton's in jail for 3.5 years, so he won't be replacing Paige until then, if WFAN even deals with him when he get's out. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sabremike Posted June 4, 2019 Share Posted June 4, 2019 40 minutes ago, Raziel said: Carton's in jail for 3.5 years, so he won't be replacing Paige until then, if WFAN even deals with him when he get's out. Thinking of JJ the frequent late night fill in. 95% of his shows are on gambling and he has the whole Deadspin wiseguy act I find as fun as having a hangnail down pat. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts