Substance Will Silence Criticism

[KoriEllis]

Substance Will Silence Criticism

By Kori Ellis
SpursZONE.com

www.woai.com/spurs/story....66CEB2BE53 (http://www.woai.com/spurs/story.aspx?content_id=5D732D07-75FA-41DF-8BEA-6E66CEB2BE53)

Stephen A. Smith, Philadelphia Inquirer columnist and ESPN NBA analyst, has taken his share of digs at the San Antonio Spurs in the past, calling the team dull and ridiculing the squad’s workmanlike demeanor.

Whether it’s his insistence on pointing out the obvious drop-off between All-Everything David Robinson and Rasho Nesterovic or his constant ridicule of the Spurs’ supporting cast, his exasperatingly over the top commentating is always the same song. Sometimes he just decides to change the chorus.

In his column in Sunday's Inquirer, Smith was again singing his same old tune. In his piece praising Michael Jordan and his impact on the league, Smith writes, "Duncan, as great as he is, is just too boring and lacking in charisma for anyone outside of San Antonio to care."

Though it's true that no one will ever be able to replace His Airness, his shot at Duncan tells more about Smith than anything. In a time where being louder and more controversial is the fad, especially in the entertainment field, Smith’s style pays no mind to substance. The bigger the story and the more contentious the situation, the more likely Smith will latch on for the ride.

Winning alone doesn’t equal ratings and ESPN knows this. Thus it is no mistake that Smith and the character that is “Stephen A. Smith” (something along the lines of Shaft meets Gilbert Godfrey) has moved to the forefront of ESPN’s basketball coverage. The knowledge that was David Aldridge was no match for style that is Stephen A. Smith.

The Spurs, led by Duncan, have always stressed substance. You don’t see them with internal discord requiring the investigating of one Jim Gray or showing up on the local crime blotter. The Spurs win … quietly. That recipe, as we know, doesn’t jive well with Smith.

As the Detroit Pistons picked apart the Los Angeles Lakers in the 2004 NBA Finals, Smith was there screaming at the camera trying to tell us that the Lakers would still pull it out. He was riding the bandwagon in style, letting his opinion be known to anyone who’d listen.

A funny thing happened on the way to championship for the Lakers. The Pistons, a team in the same mold of the Spurs, outclassed them with substance. A lesson well learned, Mr. Smith?

Apparently not.

Yes, we know that Duncan isn’t the loudest of leaders. Yes, we know that the Spurs don’t excite you. And while you may not “care” about Duncan and the Spurs, you may want to check out the team in San Antonio. Substance, more times than not, defeats style. The Spurs have as much substance as any team in the league.

You’ll learn one way or another. That is, however, if ESPN hasn’t already moved on to the next fad. You see Mr. Smith, style can only parade around as substance for so long before it rains.

[Walton Buys Off Me]

Awesome article.

As barely literate talking heads continue to replace journalists, sports fans can expect to see more and more of the Stephen A. Smith's unfortunately.

[xcoriate]

Whoah go Kori. Nice one.

[Brodels]

Very nice. That's the right article at the right time.

SAS has always had something against players that aren't "black" enough. I really think it's a race issue with him.

[exstatic]

something along the lines of Shaft meets Gilbert Godfrey

:lol :rollin :lol

[Solid D]

Stephen A. Smith is irritating to a lot of fans and that is apparently his ticket to the show.

His reporting during the Olympics was nothing more than bravado. With him, it's all really bravado with nothing inside to back it up. The most recent facial Stephen A. received was after he declared that Argentina had nobody to match the US besides Ginobili and that they wouldn't be able to stay on the court with team USA ("who else....do...they...have...?" smirk)

[Slomo15]

I doubt that SAS will understand a concept of substance over style.
Very well said nontheless!

[Spurminator]

Bravo.

Unfortunately, as long as people watch, it doesn't matter. This NBA season is shaping up to be a very interesting and successful one, particularly when it comes to "Shaq vs. Kobe", and ESPN's NBA programs will likely see positive results. And I can't remember the last time an analyst was fired by a network whose ratings were on the rise...

[2pac]

I say it is poor.

There is no reason to get in a petty, journalistic war with SAS. Most of what he says is for shock factor and he probably doesnt believe most of it.

He is trolling for hateful comments - dont feed the troll.

When writing like that - and I did it a lock back in the day - all you are looking for is the negative feedback. Most writers get tons more negative feedback than positive feedback, and guys like SAS and Bill Walton (and me back in the day) feed off of it.

If SAS reads this, he will laugh, because he got out of you exactly what he wanted. Don't acknowledge him - don't give any credit to his thoughts, and don't let him get under your skin. Thats what he is trying to do - not talk about basketball.

[bigzak25]

:served


nice article, hopefully the word will get out nationally.

[Das Texan]

amazing article.


wonder if the idiot will ever see it.

[Brodels]

I say it is poor.

There is no reason to get in a petty, journalistic war with SAS. Most of what he says is for shock factor and he probably doesnt believe most of it.

It's not about SAS. It's about writing something that your audience would enjoy reading. And based upon the response the article has received in this thread alone, I would say that her readers enjoyed it.

If nobody told the other side of the story due to fear of getting into a tiff with another journalist, we would only get a limited number of different perspectives.

I consider this to be within the accepted journalistic standard of presenting an alternative viewpoint.

Was there a personal dig directed at SAS at the end? Sure, but the article is for Spurs fans to enjoy. And since Spurs fans generally don't like SAS, it will generally be liked.

[maxpower]

I for one will change the channel if the buffon is on. If he is going to be on espn telecasts, i'll be sure not to watch.

[Solid D]

Stephen A. Smith x-ray.

http://www.jokechallenge.com/pictures/homers_brain.jpg

[hegamboa]

I'm just glad TNT picked up Aldridge...

[smeagol]

SAS has as much credibility as Laker Lanny.

[DuffMcCartney]

I think Stephen A Smith is pretty damn good commentator. He may not know much about substance...but god damn does he make me laugh when he clowns on people.

Him clowning on Slava Medvedenko when he tried to punk Rasheed Wallace in the Finals was simply classic.

[Bandit2981]

excellent article kori...i wish this could get some national play, that ass-clown SAS's gimmicks will hopefully backfire on him sometime soon

[Pooh]

You let it go in one ear...and out the other.

Great article.

[KoriEllis]

Thanks to everyone for their comments.

As for being seen nationally, most of my articles are. The majority of the articles I write for SpursZONE are linked on Spurs.com or other sites.

I don't really care if SAS sees it or not. That wasn't really the point. He's funny sometimes, but his jokes/bags on S.A. are always the same -- I feel like some heckler should yell out "Hey, get some new material." I also think David Aldridge is great and think it's a shame that he's not a writer/analyst for ESPN anymore.

[Shelly]

something along the lines of Shaft meets Gilbert Godfrey

Ex already beat me to it, but :rollin

Great article, Kori!

I wonder if SAS will change his tune because the Lake show is no longer the same show.

Personally, I think he tries to be like Chris Rock and a bad one at that.

[SAmikeyp]

Kori did exactly what Smith did. Used an public forum to voice an opinion. She has that right, as does he. The major difference between Kori and him is(aside from about 2 billion more brain cells) while Kori has her favorite team, she is not afraid to call them out. Smith kisses up to a team and blindly keeps his lips planted.

Well done, Kori.

[Pooh]

Enterainment purposes, Smith does the job. Credibility wise, no he doesn't. He's trying to mix two different styles, and in his case it doesn't work. Either you stay on one end or the other. Right now he's doing that "Dream Job" thing on ESPN, trying to show others now how it should be done I guess.

Will he see Kori's article? Probably not, but those "in the know" already know how credible she is and how slowly uncredible Smith is becoming.

[Das Texan]

But is style really better than substance?


ESPN thinks so certainly and thats why the TNT coverage has just gotten that much better. While TNT has a lot of style, they have the substance to back it up generally, unlike ESPN. Their studio crew is sickening to watch for one.

[Aggie Hoopsfan]

Great read Kori.

About time someone called that asshat out.

[Pooh]

But is style really better than substance?

In the area of sports talk radio and espn...the answer is sadly yes.

You'll never see a sports talk radio show or tv shows like ESPN, Fox Sports that will bring you straight sports without using some "angle" to keep your attention. Those days are over. It either come down some or get worse.

[E20]

Someone email SAS the article.

[Johnny Blaze 47]

Done.

[email protected]

[SequSpur]

2 Rings.

Scoreboard.

STFU.

[2pac]

Style sells jerseys and seats.

Someone explain why people love Vince Carter.
Someone explain why people used to love Harold Miner.
Someone explain why people used to love J.R. Rider
Someone explain why people used to love Dennis Rodman.

Substance will never shut that up. Just about everyone (myself included) would rather see Vince Carter jump over a 7'2 Frog than Duncan make 10 perfect 15' bank shots.


The Spurs tried to silence the critics in 2003 by winning their second championship in 5 years. They won the title, but the critics remained - and many critics were right. The Spurs were boring champions, although they had some exciting points with rookie Ginobili.

Substance won't silence critics - and only money will silence SASmith.

A pissing match with a major basketball commentator - no matter how stupid - isn't the best place to get.

[Spurminator]

Style sells jerseys and seats.

Someone explain why people love Vince Carter.
Someone explain why people used to love Harold Miner.
Someone explain why people used to love J.R. Rider
Someone explain why people used to love Dennis Rodman.

Same reason people love "Mambo #5," "How Bizarre," and "Achy Breaky Heart."

Because people are stupid.

I doubt most of us care if it sells or not. We know what we like, and when we don't like something, we'll complain.

I don't like the direction that NBA analysis is going, and millions of 13 year olds tuning in at a higher frequncy because SAS reminds them of Chris Rock isn't gonna change that.

[KoriEllis]

A pissing match with a major basketball commentator

2Pac you have good points though many disagree with you. But it's no pissing match, it's just an opinion article. People write them all the time.

[2pac]

But it was written directly because of that one line he had in his last piece.

I just think that ignoring SAS or letting the networks know you dont like comentators like that goes much further than an opinion piece which is nothing more than a retort to his piece.

SAS wants to get people in pissing matches with him, because he likes being covered in piss. Let him.

Write a column and don't mention him about how substance wins and style sells. We all know that.

LA had the style, Detroit had the Substance.
LA had the style, SA had the substance (2003 - the Nets had no style.)

Stick to that and solid basketball writing and let the pigs hang out in their own filth.

[KoriEllis]

That's your opinion, you are entitled to it. I think the article was worth writing. It's not about one comment. It's about many comments, it's about Aldridge getting canned, it's about the flash over fundamentals in the NBA, etc. It's okay to use one comment to start the basis of an article.

I don't need to write to the network or ignore him to "go further". There's no intention of going anywhere. It's just an opinion piece. Something just to read; it's not any kind of mission statement or anything.

But again, thanks for your opinion.

[SAmikeyp]

Smith has a right to his opinion...so does Kori and she voiced it. Its all good, Pac.

[timvp]

2pac, you made your point the first time. No need to keep remixing it.

[Ed Helicopter Jones]

Nice job Kori!

I loved it! An article of substance! You were right on!!

[Aggie Hoopsfan]

Kori wasn't writing about that one line...

She was writing about the King Clown's consistently bad takes over the past few years, along with Aldridge getting canned for knowing his stuff instead of talking out of his ass, etc., and how style wins out over substance in this short-sighted world we live in.

[SequSpur]

Vince Carter Slam > Tim Duncan bank shot.

Definitely agree with that. That is one of the reasons why I didn't renew my season tickets. The Spurs are boring. The offense is to predictable. Until this shit changes, I ain't wasting my money on a full season.

Late.

[ducks]

have fun bowling:smokin2

[SAmikeyp]

Vince Carter Slam > Tim Duncan bank shot.

they are both worth two points...how can one be greater than the other.

[Pooh]

Vince Carter Slam > Tim Duncan bank shot.

I think he's trying to say it this way:

Carter slam: (style)
Duncan bankshot: (silence)

Which would you rather see...

[ducks]

a bank shot

a dunk to me is overrated

unless it is a very showoff dunk

alleyoop's dunk is pretty awesome and duncan gets those to