Stephen A. Smith's New Show.. Will you watch?

[Kori Ellis]

Quite Frankly with Stephen A. Smith will premiere Monday, August 1 at 6:30 p.m. on ESPN2. The one-hour weekday show will deliver a daily dose of sports news, opinions, issues and headlines in front of a live studio audience in New York City.

[midgetonadonkey]

Fuck Stephen A. Smith.

[angel_luv]

Probably, just to have something to yell about! = )

[DDS4]

Put a gun to my head, I'd rather watch Rome.

[Pistons < Spurs]

Heck yeah I'll watch it!

I've noticed a lot of SAS hate on these boards. What is the reason? I know he's a controversial,opiniated big mouth....but I kind of dig him.

How did he upset all of you?

[Kori Ellis]

How did he upset all of you?

He hates the Spurs and the city of San Antonio. So some Spurs fans take offense. He loves the big city teams.

[King]

I'll watch it. I have no problem with SAS.

[midgetonadonkey]

He doesn't know shit. That's why I hate his ass. He is always hanging off of Shaq's nutsack and never gives the Spurs any love. He is a fucking loud mouth idiot that happens to have a spot on television. I'd rather watch Max Kellerman suck the nuts of the Detroit Pistons than watch Steven A tickle Shaq's balls with his tongue.

[angel_luv]

Steven A Smith is an idiot... but every court needs its jester! = )

[timvp]

I heard that Rasho is going to be his first guest.

[Dave McNulla]

he's opinionated, he's a big mouth. that doesn't make him smart or interesting. imo, he's ignorant in his analysis, and he's a small man in shouting his predictions and silent in his admittance.

[Manu20]

I heard that Rasho is going to be his first guest.
And Big Dog.

[midgetonadonkey]

He is getting popular just because he speaks loudly and uses hip-hop slang. Other than that, he is a total moron.

[angel_luv]

Steven A Smith to Rasho: " I'll get you my pretty and your Big Doggie too! Hehehe!"

Hater! = )

[exstatic]

Finally. An antitdote to insomnia. ;)

SAS is a bore and a boor and not very knowledgable about hoops, or anything else I've seen him opine loudly about. :sleep He had a good gig sucking off the Lakers, but he seems to be struggling after the Shaq/Kobe divorce, and has no love for the next great team (SA, of course;)), so I hope he continues his downward spiral, and ultimately vanishes from my TV altogether.

[dcole50]

Heck yeah I'll watch it!

I've noticed a lot of SAS hate on these boards. What is the reason? I know he's a controversial,opiniated big mouth....but I kind of dig him.

How did he upset all of you?
i just don't like his style. he's too theatrical. everything is either black or white ... no grey area. a team is either great or awful. a player is either shaq or terrible.

i saw him try to carry a show while rome was on vacation ... didn't care for it.

[mookie2001]

kori we need vbookies on how many times per episode
"the bottom line is" and "at the end of the day" is uttered

[temple.of.the.dog]

they should have given scoop his own show. sas is becoming a caricature of himself. screaming just for the sake of screaming.

oh and that crap he said about big dog when his moms died... that was pretty low... and stupid of him not to know.

[dcole50]

kori we need vbookies on how many times per episode
"the bottom line is" and "at the end of the day" is uttered
howevah

[mookie2001]

howevah at the end of the day the bottom line is that theyll give any dumbass a show

[temple.of.the.dog]

kori we need vbookies on how many times per episode
"the bottom line is" and "at the end of the day" is uttered

vbookie? that sounds like that start of a new drinking game to me (and alcohol poisoning) but mostly... a new drinking game.

[dcole50]

howevah at the end of the day the bottom line is that theyll give any dumbass a show
hahaha

[IX_Equilibrium]

Why does ESPN hire and showcase so many douchebags?

[maxpower]

worthless without a poll.

And the option of
"Hell the f#ck NO!"

I'm actually ashamed I clicked on a sas titled thread. :pctoss :pctoss :pctoss

[Tek_XX]

I agree with everything that's been said here. SAS career is based on his attitude not his knowledge of the game. i would love to see Rome debate this thug wannabe and wipe the floor with him. At least rome gives credit to teams whether they're from small markets or big markets.

[Sense]

I heard that Rasho is going to be his first guest.


what about medvedenko?

[leemajors]

i'll watch anything without max kellerman twice. we've already seen kornheiser, a much better loudmouth, wipe the floor with him. why bring a boor like rome in to do it?

[pache100]

Wonder if he will have guests? He can't stop talkin' long enough for anyone else to get a word in edgewise. Once someone comes on the show, they won't want to come back again for a repeat visit, that's for sure. He's worse than Sean Hannity and Bill O'Reilly put together (but he doesn't yell as much and I've never heard him say "SHUT UP!").

[pache100]

Why does ESPN hire and showcase so many douchebags?

I'm glad Sean got the hell out of there.

[Summers]

I'm with Angel Luv... I'll probably tune in just to remind myself why I hate him and to bitch about whatever nastiness he's making up about the Spurs. If we're going to v-bookie it, we need to v-bookie how often he says "My sources tell me..." and then says something that ends up being total crap.

[angel_luv]

I think we should have GTG's to watch so that we don't help Smith's ratings by watching on a bunch of individual televisions. = )

[RobinsontoDuncan]

There isn't anything wrong with max kellerman, he was a good host, other than his yankee bias

[nkdlunch]

FUck no!!! I'd rather watch PBS!

[Joesteds]

ESPN puts these guys on because they spark something in people. Stephen A. and Dicky V. are people either you hate or you love. I love Dicky V., although he can be very annoying, he has an overall passion for what he talks about and he truely comes off as loving the game. Plus he does present to you information although it is masked with all his little sayings. Stephen A. on the other hand does not have a good passion, he just loves to yell at the screen to make things seem important to the viewer. Hey he sparked interest in this forum, so he must have some appeal, although it is bad, so ESPN puts him on. (I noticed him not giving the Spurs props on their victories but harped on why the Pistons lost, but he has given some credit for the Spurs winning. Maybe next year he will pay attention to them since they are defending champs.)

[Useruser666]

I would go along with a SAS show if they could just guaranty that he wouldn't be shown anywhere else on TV, except for his show. That way I'd know exactly when not to watch.

[SenorSpur]

Oh Wow! Just what we need. Another sports talk show with a "know-it-all", east coast-biased, journalist.

BTW, did anyone notice how, after preaching to everyone who would listen, that the Pistons were going to beat the Spurs in the NBA finals, he was conspiciously absent from the post-game panel discussion after Game #7? He was there during the Game 7 pregame and somehow - he just vanished. I assume he didn't want confetti on his finely-tailored, Italian suit.

He made no bones about pulling against the Spurs because of his hatred for the Big Dog and his dislike for Rasho. As a journalist, shouldn't you set aside those personal biases and examine the games factual aspects?

I used to like the guy when he was on CNNSI. I can't stand him now. He's an overly-opinionated, pompous, arrogant, self-righteous, hip-hop wannabe, punk-ass, who can't see past his "big-city" biases to recognize the greatness that is the Spurs.

Somehow should ask him how his hometown Knicks are doing over the past 30 years and under Isaiah Thomas' watch?

He and his new show can go to hell.

[pache100]

As a journalist...

Steven A is NO "journalist". He's a buffoon in a sports commentator's suit.

[Spurologist]

I heard Charles Barkley too will have a new show coming out and my sources are telling me that at the end of the day his first guest will be none other that SAS himself.

[Bandit2981]

I'll watch as long as Steven A throws in one of his blatant race-baiting themes every 5 minutes, and has analysts Fred Carter and Greg Anthony to debate NBA matters

[SWC Bonfire]

No. :td

[spurs_fan_in_exile]

Can't they just re-run the national spelling bee instead? I for one will not be watching.

I know all about why he hates Big Dog (and if I was a Sixers fan I could see why some would have an axe to grind) but why the hate for Rasho? Did Nesterovic steal his woman or something? Or does Stephen A. just hate him because Rasho would probably make a better analyst than him?

[HB22inSA]

He hates the Spurs and the city of San Antonio.
And why should he like either one?

Why does everyone get so upset that the media doesn't pay attention to the Spurs?

Get over it. The Spurs will never get the attention the Lakers and Bulls did during their Title Runs.

[Kori Ellis]

And why should he like either one?

I didn't say he should or shouldn't. I was just explaining to the Piston fans why some Spurs fans don't like him. I don't like him for different reasons -- his basketball analysis is horrible and he's too loud for my taste.

[Bandit2981]

The Spurs will never be "america's team", but they are already the "world's team", which is even better in my opinion.

[HB22inSA]

and he's too loud for my taste.
Just a little bit...

[Bandit2981]

I know all about why he hates Big Dog (and if I was a Sixers fan I could see why some would have an axe to grind)
I guess he hates Big Dog because he doesn't have enough "street cred" for Steven A...If his beef was that Robinson was stealing money from the Sixers and not playing to his full potential, where was his ranting and screaming about Vince Carter's final years in Toronto? Oh yeah, Carter's one of his "boys" :rolleyes

[Tek_XX]

If Charles Barkely got a show that would be awesome, i would definitly watch that.

[nkdlunch]

The only show I'd watch w/SAS is a next version of Celebrity Boxing. Where SAS gets the shit kicked out of him by Tonya Harding.

Let's see how "street" he really is :lol

[Kori Ellis]

Stephen A. seems in his element

By Don Steinberg
Inquirer Staff Writer

http://www.philly.com/mld/philly/sports/12264880.htm


The big news Thursday at Madison Square Garden was that the New York Knicks named Larry Brown their coach. The time and place couldn't have been any better for Stephen A. Smith - Inquirer columnist and more - who will host his own national sports talk show starting tomorrow.

Quite Frankly will air at 6:30 p.m. five days a week on ESPN2, from a studio built for Smith across the street from the Garden.

Brown, a longtime Smith mentor and inside informant, would be a fine first-week guest to get on tape. So Smith interviewed Brown for his ESPN Radio show, which he does every weekday from an office at the Garden, and Brown planned to come by Smith's TV studio later that afternoon.

After the radio show, print and TV reporters clustered around the other guy with an amazing new job, pressing him for details, looking on with envy. That man was Stephen A. Smith.

What will the TV show be like, they asked?

"I hate using it, but the closest thing to it is an Oprah, a Larry King," he explained.

Will you keep doing your newspaper column, and radio, and TV? Seems like it. Smith had no problem crossing the street every afternoon to do television after his radio show, he said, and the money wasn't bad either. (Sports Illustrated says he's making about $800,000 a year combined, and privately he says that's not too far off.)

It's all happening for Smith, who has blazed through the talent pool at ESPN, boosting ratings for shows like NBA Shootaround and drawing ire for his cocky style.

"Stephen A. is a lightning rod," says Mark Shapiro, head of programming and production at ESPN. "Love him or hate him, he draws an audience. The secret to Stephen is he has no fears. He always has an opinion, and fortunately his opinion is based on fact and experience. He has a Rolodex like no other, he is constantly on the fly. His job is his life."

Last summer, Smith recalls, he was in Athens covering the Olympics for the newspaper, "sitting in Sbarro's eating a slice of pizza with broccoli and carrots, and a beep came over my Blackberry. It was from Mark Shapiro, and it was one line: 'I think it's time for you to have your own show.' "

"I never dreamed in my wildest dreams that I would have my own show," Smith says. "But if you look at the paucity of African Americans that have an opportunity like this, you can't run away from this challenge."

It is easy to misinterpret Smith. Yes, he is self-absorbed, which may be forgivable at the moment. The 37-year-old bachelor also has a softer side. When in New York, he stays some nights in a midtown luxury hotel, some at his mother's house in Queens. In the newspaper office, he's often on the phone with callers asking him to speak to this or that community group - to children, senior citizens, black groups, Jewish groups - and he bends not to avoid the commitments but make them.

Sports Illustrated claims millions of people hate him, that he "desires your contempt."

"I don't want to be hated," he says. "But at least hate me for the right reasons. Black folks know who I am. They may have a problem with my opinions. They don't have a problem with me."

Sitting in his ESPN2 office, only after being prompted, will he describe the death threats. Last year, he opened an e-mail and "there was a chat room with people talking about how they were going to kill me."

In public spaces around the studio, he walks accompanied by a security guard.

"I don't mind being called names," he says, "but when you say, 'You better not come outside,' that you'll be waiting for me, when you send me a letter in the mail, and it's a black man on all fours with a chain around his neck, and there's a white man holding the chain with a shotgun in the other hand pointing it at your head, I would qualify that as a threat."

Then his assistant interrupts and he says: "OK. I have to take this call."

At a production meeting before the Brown interview, there is disagreement. Smith says it's a day of celebration for the coach; it shouldn't be all about bashing Brown for leaving so many teams. The producers want to assemble a video montage in which Brown earnestly claims he never wants to leave each team he eventually left.

"I love it," says Mike McQuade, one of ESPN's top producers, whom Smith asked to be Quite Frankly's senior producer after their work together on NBA Shootaround.

"Love it come NBA Shootaround time, when [Brown] won't return my calls," Smith says.

The hour-long interview format is a challenge for Smith. He's used to talking in 30-second explosions, in which anchors cue it up and let him rip. Now he's setting the table for his guests, in a format he wants to be compelling but not an attack show.

When Brown mentions that the Detroit Pistons "wanted to go another way" with their head coaching position, Smith doesn't immediately ask what that means. McQuade tells Smith in his earpiece to jump on that - viewers will wonder why Stephen A. is holding back.

"This is a new thing for me," Smith admits off camera. "Larry Brown knows I will ask him anything. He also knows I won't ambush him."

Later that night, after cranking up his rapid-fire bravado in quick segments for SportsCenter and ESPNews, Smith is at the hotel, getting ready to drive himself back to his New Jersey home.

"Stephen A., you're the best in the business!" a fan yells. Smith says thanks. Another guy takes a second look says, "Quite Frankly!" It seems like innocuous admiration, but Smith doesn't acknowledge it.

"I just ignore that. Be polite, call someone by their name," he says. "I'm not going to be defined by the show."

"The fact is," he says, "TV is a very volatile business. I could come here and do the best job that I could possibly do, every single day of the week. It could be the best show on Earth. And if people are not watching, then I don't get to keep this job. At the end of the day, it is a popularity contest. If you know anything about me, I'm not very good with popularity contests."

[KEDA]

I want to go there to be in the audience


throw a rotten apple at him and kick his ass!

[Timmy21]

of course I will

[jochhejaam]

his basketball analysis is horrible and he's too loud for my taste.

That sums it up for me.

[rwb]

ESPN continues getting worse and worse, and letting that smug blowhard have his own show is further proof. For gosh sakes, they're starting to show high school games and dart championships and repeating more stories than CNN Headline News. This is just one more reason not to watch.

[Horry For 3!]

I might watch it and see how it is. If I don't like it then I won't watch it again. Smith can get really annoying though so I probably won't be watching it much.

[TheDude]

No, I will not watch some chicken head talk shit about every player in sports but T.O and Shaq, fuck that guy, fuck him in his smelly goat ass.

[Cant_Be_Faded]

I'd rather kiss a toilet seat

[2centsworth]

From what I have seen it's comparable to the "NAT X" skit Chris Rock used to do on Saturday Night Live.

I'm just waiting for the jail bars to pop on the screen and for SAS to yell "THIS IS WHERE YOU WANT ME!"


http://snltranscripts.jt.org/92/pics/92gnatx1.jpg

[Aggie Hoopsfan]

AI as one of the guests on his first show.

I am shocked, absolutely friggin' shocked.

:lol

[2centsworth]

AI as one of the guests on his first show.

I am shocked, absolutely friggin' shocked.

:lol

I'm almost certain there will be a riot on that show.

[Spurologist]

http://www.hatsbykatie.com/oprah.jpghttp://img20.imageshack.us/img20/4645/ste8cq.png

what time is the marriage?

[SenorSpur]

Smith is an arrogant, annoying, ass (he made the all "a" club). Obviously, he tends to lean more toward shock value and style points over traditional analysis, facts and substance. He blinded by the usual, east-coast, big-city, star-struck bias. Which is why he can't root for teams like the Spurs.

Did anyone notice that after proclaiming how the Pistons would win during his appearance on the NBA Primetime pre-game show prior to Game 7 of Spurs/Pistons, he was mysteriously absent for the post-game show? I was waiting to see what type of an excuse he would provide for his error.

Personally, I prefer the "just the facts" style of a David Aldridge. I think ESPN made a mistake letting this guy go.

[pooh]

Someone needs to tell Iverson that Tupac and Notorious BIG are both dead...stone fucking dead! Other than that, Smith's debut show was interesting. Of course it would be nice if Iverson would make eye contact once in awhile, instead of looking off into another direction. All that's missing from his outfit is some shades and a big ass alarm clock dangling from a necklace and he'll be Flavor Flav from Public Enemy.

[maxpower]

Did not read the thread ...past first page some time back...
changed my mind to
"the moment he gets his teeth kicked in on the air."

[190 Octane]

When was it even on? For some reason, there wasn't a listing for it on my DirecTV guide.

[David Bowie]

I wouldn't watch Steven A. Smith unless he wore a dress and glamarous make up with lots and lots of glitter.
http://img130.imageshack.us/img130/348/dragqueen1jp.jpg (http://imageshack.us)

[Supreme Allah]

http://quitefranklythatsallyouneed.ytmnd.com/

[itzsoweezee]

excellent first show. AI gave a great interview.

[bpl]

didn't get to see the stephen a. smith's show was it good or did it suck? :fro

[Horry For 3!]

I watched some of it then I had it on but never payed attention to it as I was talking on here.

[Spurologist]

http://quitefranklythatsallyouneed.ytmnd.com/

:lmao :lmao

[Joesteds]

I saw part of the show and AI was going on his usual rant about growin up hard and raisin his kids yo. But I actually enjoyed the 10 minutes that I watched. I actually like Stephen A Smiths interviews and he will drill some people, but his analysis and constant yelling at the camera is very very annoying. I will watch it when I happen to catch it but I am not gonna set my TV schedule around it.

[spur219]

I'll watch it sometimes

[Pistons < Spurs]

excellent first show. AI gave a great interview.

I totally agree. A.I. was awesome......and I've never really been a Iverson fan before.

S.A.S. is cool. I enjoy his interviews. He's no more obnoxious or full of himself than Jim Rome.

[greywheel]

No, I really doubt I'll watch.
It was funny today, I saw a promo for his show and he wasn't yelling. He'll probably talk real quiet at the beginning so viewers will turn up thier volume. Then he'll be set to 'make' his point. Of course, I was always taught that an argument does not become more effective, simply by raising voices.

[SenorSpur]

excellent first show. AI gave a great interview.

OK. I admit it. I watched it and it was a pretty good first show. SAS did his job by letting the guest flow with the questions. He his usual arrogant self, but slightly toned down for the hour-long program. He wasn't screaming and overly-opinionated. His interview skills are actually better than I thought.

Also, the guy's got a provocative list of guests for his first week - A.I.; T.O.; L.B. et all. A.I., in particular, was sizzling. He was honest, raw, sensitive, politically correct - at times, and compelling - all at the same time.

The guy does know a lot of people and players seem to bond with him. Provided the guest list remains top notch - this could be a pretty, fair show.

[GoSpurs21]

actually I thought the interview was pretty lame...especially when SAS told the audiance to clap for AI caused he said he loves his mama.

for the most part it was basketball is great cause the best players are from the hood

it seemed pretty slanted and in no way provided anything useful or entertaining
I respect AI's game but he is a little too much "I have overcome great odds to be where I am". I would have been more impressed with hood kids need to take greater responcibility for themselves and especially their kids

[DarkReign]

actually I thought the interview was pretty lame...especially when SAS told the audiance to clap for AI caused he said he loves his mama.

for the most part it was basketball is great cause the best players are from the hood

it seemed pretty slanted and in no way provided anything useful or entertaining
I respect AI's game but he is a little too much "I have overcome great odds to be where I am". I would have been more impressed with hood kids need to take greater responcibility for themselves and especially their kids

Let me guess....

White. Middle-class. Suburbanite. Southern. Secluded.

How many are right?

[samikeyp]

SAS is a tool but I like AI...thought he did a good job.

[samikeyp]

DarkReign....you are implying that GoSpurs is being racist about AI but your are doing the same thing to him with your comments. Can't have it both ways.

[GoSpurs21]

Let me guess....

White. Middle-class. Suburbanite. Southern. Secluded.

How many are right?None
Tejano, grew up Poor (I am upper middle class now through hard work), Citykid, Born in Chicago, college grad
so FUCK YOU asshole...just because I believe in people being decent and not thugs doesnt make me WASP!

I cant help it if you are one of the Generation Entitled/Slacker and dont want to take responsibility for your own actions but are impressed by flash. I was raised differently and have had to earn everything I have today.

I probably have more black friends than you do. Unlike you I probably have more friends from different parts of society of all different ages. Some from the hood and some from the middle class. For the most part my slacker friends (mexican, black, asian and white) tend to be more gangster than the ones who went to college. I just tend to equate gangter with lazy.

The fact is AI was saying this same story 4 years ago. I just think its sad that in 4 years it doesnt seem like AI has grown one bit. He still sounds like the kid trying to impress the hood. He hasnt had to do that is some time but I guess for some reason he feels he stills needs to talk that way.

[itzsoweezee]

The fact is AI was saying this same story 4 years ago. I just think its sad that in 4 years it doesnt seem like AI has grown one bit. He still sounds like the kid trying to impress the hood. He hasnt had to do that is some time but I guess for some reason he feels he stills needs to talk that way.

admit it, you just hate iverson. i have more respect for him than ever after seeing that interview.

[Spurs Biggest Fan]

I didn't say he should or shouldn't. I was just explaining to the Piston fans why some Spurs fans don't like him. I don't like him for different reasons -- his basketball analysis is horrible and he's too loud for my taste.

Exactly how I feel.

If he would give some insightful anaylsis of the game... that would actually make some type of sense -- I would watch... even if it's not about the Spurs -- any team -- but he doesn't even do that.

Give credit where credit is due -- all he does is yell really loud and try to convince you that he is right -- makes me ill...

Give me Steve Kerr or Barkely any day