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It’s Time For Skip Bayless To Swallow His Pride And Retire

July 18, 2024 by newhiphopnews

Skip Bayless was one of the biggest draws in sports media just a few years ago. Overall, he was a huge reason for First Take’s early success. As the inventor of the show, Bayless is largely the catalyst for the media landscape we have today, for better or for worse (largely for worse). Skip knew that people love conflict. It’s why news ratings are always higher during times of war, crisis, or natural disaster. Although sports are a whole different beast, conflict is the centerpiece of any athletic competition. Two teams or a group of individuals are fighting for the one thing that the other can’t have. In a stroke of genius, Bayless was able to bring that conflict to sports talk television.

Skip Bayless Gave Us Stephen A. Smith

When Skip Bayless brought Stephen A. Smith to First Take, the show was in dire straits. While Bayless was captivating enough with his outlandish hot takes, he couldn’t find a co-host as brazen as himself. That’s where Stephen A. comes in. At the time, Smith had been ousted from ESPN due to what he describes as creative differences and perhaps even some interpersonal ones. There were network people who didn’t take kindly to Smith. However, Bayless couldn’t have cared less. He knew he got along with Stephen A. and had a hunch that bringing him in would boost ratings. In the end, Smith’s arrival did more than just boost ratings.

The show got a whole lot of flack from athletes, coaches, and general managers alike, yet the program was a ratings masterclass for ESPN. It immediately became the biggest show on the network and while ESPN didn’t love this, they couldn’t say no to a cash cow, especially with streaming on the horizon. Bayless and Smith were a match made in heaven. Bayless was always trying to goad a reaction out of Stephen A. and Smith would always give him what he wanted. This subsequently led to numerous iconic moments that have fans feeling nostalgic for the LeBron Miami Heat era of sports discourse.

The Move To FS1

By the time Skip left ESPN for a larger salary at FS1, Smith was arguably a much bigger star than he was. However, his hatred for LeBron and his hilariously misinformed takes were still enough to garner viewers. Not to mention, Bayless has a great ability to spot talent, and recruiting Shannon Sharpe was the best thing he could have done. They had immediate chemistry, and somehow, they were able to keep up with First Take, despite the latter being significantly more established.

It was a slow build for sure, but by 2019, it felt like Undisputed was a better product. Shannon and Skip were going viral every day and their chemistry was off the charts. “Drip Bayless” had become a household nickname and they were doing everything right. However, once the pandemic hit, it’s like Skip hit the curmudgeon button and never stopped pressing down on it. His disrespect towards Sharpe became apparent. Every month, Skip and Shannon were becoming more like an old married couple than an actual partnership.

Subsequently, everything went to hell when Skip told Sharpe he was jealous of Tom Brady. It led to a loud exchange that many felt had Sharpe appearing weak. Then the Damar Hamlin incident happened and the writing was on the wall. Sharpe left for First Take and Skip was left to pick up the pieces he created.

A Catastrophic Failure

As we pointed out in our previous piece on Skip Bayless, Undisputed became a dumpster fire following Sharpe’s departure. Keyshawn Johnson, Richard Sherman, and Michael Irvin came in to be Skip’s rotating co-hosts. However, whenever they started debating, Bayless could not get a word in edge-wise. The show was more frustrating than entertaining. Not to mention, Bayless’ schtick was no longer funny after he bullied Sharpe off the show. What once was a humorous character and villain within the sports world had become a crotchety, bitter, and downright nasty old man. Pair that with the bleach and ammonia chemistry of Johnson and Sherman, you were left with a horrific show.

Even Paul Pierce Can’t Save This

Months ago, Paul Pierce was brought in as a means to save Skip Bayless from himself. After all, this should have been perfect since they both have a strong disdain for LeBron James. However, Pierce has not been great for the show. The ratings have remained in a steep decline and Pierce has proven to be less than prepared to speak about today’s NBA. If we wanted to relive the glory days of the 2008 Boston Celtics, we could just look up highlights on YouTube in our own time.

Having said all of this, it should come as no surprise that it was announced this week that Skip Bayless would be leaving FS1. After all, why wouldn’t he? His contract is about to be up and his show isn’t making enough money to justify his salary. To rub salt in the wound even further, ESPN came out and flat-out said that they were not interested in bringing Skip back. Between the ESPN bosses and Shannon Sharpe, Skip has burned too many bridges for that to happen.

Why Skip Bayless Needs To Retire Now

After breaking all of this down, it has become crystal clear that Skip Bayless needs to retire when his contract expires. Don’t be a hero, and certainly don’t be an egomaniac either. It’s over. It was a fun ride, but it’s over. 10 years ago, hell, even five years ago, there was a real appetite for LeBron revisionism and LeBron contrarianism. However, James is a few years from retirement, and how fitting would that be for his biggest hater to ride off into the sunset before the farewell tour?

Beyond that, Skip has simply worn out his welcome in the industry. While Stephen A. has burned bridges, he has burned them with people who realistically wouldn’t have been stars without him. If Max Kellerman was a real superstar, he wouldn’t have needed First Take. It turns out he did. Sharpe, on the other hand, immediately left Skip and started exploding with Club Shay Shay. Shannon is a pop culture staple right now and that probably wouldn’t be the case if he was still at FS1.

Undisputed — Cold Pizza host Skip Bayless on the ESPN set in Miami, Florida on February 1, 2007. (Photo by Allen Kee/Getty Images) *** Local Caption ***

Sure, Skip’s eye for talent is immense. But will the next big talent even want to work with him after how he treated Shannon? Without ESPN or FS1, where would Skip even go? Who would want to follow him there? The media landscape is so disjointed and barren that the only real avenue for Skip would be his own podcast. But why bother? It would just be him reliving stories from the glory days. No athlete wants to chop it up with Skip. And if they do, it will immediately be confrontational, which is something Bayless has proven to be firmly against.

At the age of 72, Bayless could just retire, call it a career, and leave it all behind. At this point, it’s probably what he should do. In fact, it is what he should do. Sure, a couple of LeBron and Bronny tweets here and there might make us chuckle or get nostalgic for those classic rants. But other than that, Skip isn’t contributing anything new to sports talk television. If anything, he’s holding back a younger generation from revolutionizing the groundwork he laid all those years ago in Bristol, Connecticut.

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Stephen A Smith Is Sick And Tired Of The Bronny James Nepotism Criticism

June 28, 2024 by newhiphopnews

Stephen A Smith speaks on numerous topics within the sports world. Overall, he has a lot to talk about these days, especially as it pertains to the NBA Draft. Yesterday, Bronny James was taken by the Los Angeles Lakers with the 55th pick in the draft. This has subsequently led to a massive debate about whether or not this was a nepotism move. After all, Bronny was not exactly NBA Draft material last season. However, with his father on the Lakers, it was a foregone conclusion that they would take him.

As for Stephen A Smith, he takes issue with some of the discourse going around. As you can see in the clip below, Smith explains how white executives and coaches around the NBA have gotten away with nepotism for years. He feels like LeBron has paid his dues, and that a little nepotism from the second-greatest player in the history of the league really isn’t that bad. Simply put, he wants a lot of hot-take artists to shut up right now.

Stephen A Smith Makes His Case

Stephen A. Smith spoke for more than five minutes straight about the role nepotism played in the Lakers’ selection of Bronny James.

“We live in a country where nepotism has taken place with white folks religiously forever. We’ve said little to nothing about it. In the NBA… pic.twitter.com/U7v3lf38H4

— Awful Announcing (@awfulannouncing) June 28, 2024

“We live in a country where nepotism has taken place with white folks religiously forever,” Stephen A Smith said. “We’ve said little to nothing about it. In the NBA specifically, in a league where at least 70% of the players are Black, we’ve seen nepotism with white folks all over the place… and now this happens with LeBron James, a member of the Mount Rushmore of basketball, and all of a sudden you’ve got people running their mouths.”

Let us know what you think about all of this, in the comments section down below. Do you believe that Bronny James is going to be a good player in the NBA? What are your expectations for the young star? Will he make the Lakers roster? Additionally, stay tuned to HNHH for the latest news and updates from around the sports world. We will continue to keep you informed on all of your favorite athletes.

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Stephen A Smith Welcomes Monica McNutt Back On “First Take,” Clarifies Angel Reese & Caitlin Clark Comments

June 4, 2024 by newhiphopnews

Stephen A Smith found himself in the midst of a pretty large controversy on Monday. Overall, it all had to do with the discourse surrounding Caitlin Clark and Chennedy Carter. During his conversation with Shannon Sharpe and Monica McNutt, Smith made it seem as though the WNBA players were jealous of Clark. This led to a significant conversation on race and how intersectionality plays within the WNBA. After all, black queer women make up a large percentage of the WNBA, and they have been helping to build the league long before Clark came into the picture.

Smith took offense later in the segment when McNutt rightfully noted that Smith could have been talking about the WNBA three years ago. This led to a huge fallout, with Smith going on his podcast and claiming he made McNutt’s career. Today, cooler heads ultimately prevailed as McNutt was back on First Take. In fact, Chiney Ogwumike was there as well. As for Smith, he clarified his remarks on Caitlin Clark and explained exactly how he feels about the situation.

Stephen A Smith Speaks

My thoughts on Angel Reese, Caitlin Clark, race and more pic.twitter.com/JOj5LVpUeU

— Stephen A Smith (@stephenasmith) June 4, 2024

In his eyes, Clark deserves the acclaim she has received. However, he does feel like because she is white, she has been given more grace than some of her peers. For instance, when Angel Reese gets fouled, there isn’t as much outrage. He notes that black athletes across the globe have had to fight harder to get what they deserve, and that will not change as long as white people continue to be given the upper hand. Today’s conversation was certainly more productive than yesterday’s. Moving forward, fans are hopeful that the discourse around the league will center around competition, and the high level at which all of the league’s athletes are playing.

Let us know what you think of this take from Stephen A. Smith, in the comments section down below. What do you make of the discourse when it comes to Caitlin Clark and Angel Reese? Do you feel as though it has gotten out of hand? Additionally, stay tuned to HNHH for the latest news and updates from around the music world. We will continue to keep you informed on all of your favorite artists and their upcoming projects.

[Via]

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Skip Bayless And The Historic Yet Predictable Fall Of “Undisputed”

May 7, 2024 by newhiphopnews

Skip Bayless rose through the ESPN ranks in impression fashion throughout the mid-2000s. Overall, he made his mark with the show Cold Pizza. This would act as a precursor to the morning debate show format we know today. Although Bayless was a success at ESPN, it wasn’t until he linked up with Stephen A. Smith on First Take that he became a real sensation. Both of these men became superstars at the network, with Smith being seen as the reasonable one. As for Bayless, he was known as a tried and true hater who would say anything, even if he didn’t believe it. If something fit his narrative, he would run with it. This was especially true as it pertains to LeBron James, whom he is still perversely critical of.

Eventually, Bayless left First Take in 2016 to pursue a role at FS1. The network was trying to build its sports programming, and Bayless was going to be their cash cow. He created the show Undisputed and hired Shannon Sharpe as his right-hand man. It was the perfect marriage as you could tell the two had phenomenal on-camera chemistry. With Sharpe’s hilarious personality and wealth of experience as a professional athlete, he was the perfect person to subdue Bayless’ cantankerous energy. This was the case for almost seven years, as Bayless and Sharpe combined for some truly hilarious moments. In fact, for a while, Undisputed was seen as the superior draw to First Take. Max Kellerman and Stephen A. were mediocre at best together, and the ratings reflected that. FS1 was slowly but surely creeping up on ESPN’s empire.

Skip Vs. Shannon

Things were looking good. Sharpe was a sports media darling, and Skip was cementing himself as a legend of the industry. Sure, he has never been agreeable, but that is the huge selling point with Bayless. Unfortunately, he eventually let that aforementioned cantankerous energy get in the way of a good thing. After years of being cordial with Sharpe, Skip decided to undo seven years of goodwill with one bad show. During a debate about Tom Brady no longer being a good quarterback, Skip told Shannon that he was just jealous of Tom for being a better player than him. When Sharpe raised his voice in disbelief, Skip told him to put his glasses back on which in retrospect, felt like Skip pressing the red button Drake loves to talk about so much.

Shannon Sharpe Thanks Skip Bayless On His Last Day

In the weeks and months following that broadcast, it was becoming clear that Skip and Shannon no longer liked each other. They could barely look each other in the eyes, and it the audience could tell things were getting tense. Consequently, it was absolutely no surprise when Shannon revealed that he would be leaving the show. In June of last year, Sharpe had his final broadcast with Undisputed and it was here where he delivered a lengthy monologue, thanking Bayless for giving him the opportunity. It was a classy gesture on Sharpe’s part that fans felt was unnecessary given the fact that Bayless wouldn’t have extended the same courtesy.

Once Sharpe left Undisputed, the show went on a hiatus as they looked for a new co-host. Meanwhile, Sharpe was being approached by everyone. After all, he’s an incredible talent, and media companies knew good and well that Skip had made a huge mistake. In the end, Sharpe opted to sign on with Stephen A. Smith and First Take for a two-days-per-week contract. This would allow Sharpe to stay on TV while also having the time to work on Club Shay Shay. In fact, things have worked out so well for him in this regard, that he now has one of the most viewed interviews in the history of YouTube, thanks to Katt Williams. Had it not been for Bayless’ bruised ego and misplaced pride, that may have never happened.

Shannon And Stephen A. Have Taken Skip’s Spotlight

Sharpe and Smith hit the ground running on First Take. Their chemistry was immediately apparent, although fans did note that the debates weren’t as heated as they were on Undisputed. However, the reasoning for that was quite simple. Sharpe and Smith simply have too much respect for one another to let things get out of hand. That said, they have enough chemistry to always keep things humorous, no matter what the nature of the debate is.

Eventually, Undisputed came back with Keyshawn Johnson, Michael Irvin, Richard Sherman, and Rachel Nichols. During the first show back, it was impossible for Skip to get a word in edge-wise. Sherman and Johnson dominated the conversation, while Bayless was neutralized. Fans were not amused with the panel dynamic, and things never really got any better. After that first week wore off, viewers stopped watching and moved on to First Take. If you don’t believe me, just check the numbers. According to Awful Announcing, Undisputed had an average of just under 50K viewers during the NCAA tournament. Meanwhile, in December, First Take was averaging over 600K viewers, according to the ESPN Press Room. That means First Take has been outpacing Undisputed by at least a multiple of 10.

Skip And Paul Pierce Don’t Move The Needle

In the last month or so, Undisputed has brought on Paul Pierce for the NBA Playoffs. Unfortunately, the ratings have not gotten any better with him on the show. At the end of the day, fans have already decided where their allegiances lie. Furthermore, Pierce was never a media personality that fans took a liking to. While he was on ESPN, he was frequently clowned for having bad takes. Not to mention, he didn’t have a particularly positive view of guys like LeBron, which pretty well annihilates any chance of him and Skip having real debates. If anyone was going to save Undisputed from the depths of ratings hell, it was not going to be Pierce. In fact, you would be hard-pressed to find anyone who could do it.

For years, Skip Bayless built up a rapport with Sharpe, only to destroy it in a few quick seconds. It was like watching the captain of the Titanic steer his ship into the iceberg even though they were already on a safe trajectory. Like watching a man punch himself in the face over and over again for no good reason. Bayless completely tanked his show, and it did not have to be this way. Had he just stayed the course, things would be fine right now. Instead, Sharpe left and proved that he was the one keeping things afloat. Meanwhile, Bayless remains a curmudgeon whose star has faded to the point of parody. He has gone from being a legendary talent evaluator and provocateur to just another guy on sports talk television. It’s been a long fall from the top, and Bayless is barely keeping his head above water. It’s unfortunate, but after his falling out with Sharpe, it was extremely predictable.

What’s Next?

So now what? Well, Skip Bayless is currently 72 years old. Moreover, in 2021, he signed a four-year deal with FS1 at $8 million per year. If you do the math, that means his contract is up next year. By then, he will be approaching his mid-70s. At that point, retirement should be the number one thing on his mind. Unless there is a massive shift in the media landscape, Undisputed is not getting back to its old numbers. Not to mention, fans can kiss a Stephen A. Smith reunion goodbye now that Shannon is over at ESPN.

After such an electric career that saw numerous iconic moments, Bayless’ career is destined to go out with a whimper. It could have been avoided, but when you have an overinflated sense of self, these things are bound to happen.

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Stephen A. Smith Addresses Molly Qerim Dating Rumors Live On “First Take”

April 10, 2024 by newhiphopnews

Stephen A. Smith is easily one of the most popular personalities on sports television. Although he has been hit with some hate in the past, there are still a ton of people out there who absolutely adore him. Overall, ESPN certainly loves him, after all, he is the one keeping the lights on over there. First Take is the network’s flagship show, and it continues to get massive ratings. This is especially true now that Shannon Sharpe and Chris Mad Dog Russo are on the program.

Throughout the history of the show, there have been numerous rumors surrounding Stephen A. and his co-host, Molly Qerim. There are some people that believe they have been secretly dating. In fact, when Molly divorced Jalen Rose, some thought that Stephen A. was the reason. This morning on First Take, Russo made a joke that there might be something between Smith and Qerim. The two laughed about it, however, Smith eventually got serious, and revealed that nothing is happening.

Stephen A. Had To Say Something

Stephen A. Smith says he’s not dating Molly Qerim

“There’s nothing going on. America’s been lying about that for years.”

(h/t @awfulannouncing )

pic.twitter.com/SkiqENrkqX

— NBACentral (@TheDunkCentral) April 10, 2024

“There’s nothing going on. America’s been lying about that for years,” Smith said. Subsequently, Qerim confirmed that Smith was telling the truth. Of course, you can imagine that there are a lot of people out there who don’t believe these two, regardless of whether or not they are correct. Sometimes, narratives will always outweigh the truth, regardless of what you might try to say. It is unfortunate, but that is the internet for you. The online sphere has never been particularly fair.

Let us know what you think of what Stephen A. Smith said in relation to all of these rumors, in the comments section down below. Do you believe him when he says they never dated? Do you think they would make a good couple regardless? Additionally, stay tuned to HNHH for the latest news and updates from around the sports world. We will continue to keep you informed on all of your favorite athletes and teams.

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Stephen A. Smith Rips Hillary Clinton Apart For Telling Voters To “Get Over It”

April 3, 2024 by newhiphopnews

Stephen A. Smith is someone who has proven to be able to speak on a plethora of topics. Overall, he is mostly known for his work in the sports realm. Of course, he is the face of First Take and more broadly, ESPN at large. He has made the network a ton of money, and he has made himself a nice living in return. However, it seems as though he is thinking much bigger than sports. It has been reported that Smith would love to be a late-night television host. He thinks it is time to make the leap, which means ESPN could be saying goodbye, very soon.

One topic that Smith loves to cover, is politics. He is very politically active and fancies himself as an independent. He has voted for Democrats, and he has voted for Republicans. Having said that, he has some strong opinions on none other than Hillary Clinton. When asked about undecided voters being upset about their choices between Donald Trump and President Joe Biden, Clinton told them to “get over it.” In the clip below, Smith went off on Hillary for these comments, noting that they are ignorant and unhelpful.

Stephen A. Delves Into Politics

Damn. Democrats should listen up https://t.co/JUw1JiU6eH pic.twitter.com/Pw9JrsLbOV

— Read Let This Radicalize You (@JoshuaPHilll) April 3, 2024

As Smith pointed out, Hillary lost in 2016 because she just assumed people would vote for her. She refused to campaign in key battleground states during the week of the election, and it ended up coming back to bite her. Now, she is exercising the same mentality heading into the 2024 election, and Smith believes Democrats need to learn from their mistakes. Trump still has a huge supporter base, and even those who don’t like him may vote Republican simply because they have their whole lives.

Let us know what you think of these comments from Stephen A. Smith, in the comments section down below. Do you agree with the First Take host on all of this? Is Hillary Clinton wrong for her comments? Additionally, stay tuned to HNHH for the latest news and updates from around the music, sports, entertainment, and political spheres. We are always keeping you informed on the days events in a plethora of domains.

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Jalen Hurts Or Dak Prescott? Stephen A. Smith Picks Which QB He Has More Faith In

March 21, 2024 by newhiphopnews

Stephen A. Smith didn’t pass up an opportunity to dunk on the Cowboys when Mina Kimes stopped by First Take today. After Kimes posed the question of whether the desk had more faith in Jalen Hurts or Dak Prescott, Smith was quick to answer. “Jalen Hurts got Saquon. Jalen Hurts got an offensive line that I would absolutely say is better than the Cowboys. I don’t see any reason why I would pick Dak over Hurts in this particular question,” Smith reasoned.

The Eagles and Cowboys really have been the tale of two offseasons this year. As Smith mentioned, the Eagles added a number RB1 in Saquon Barkley. Despite losing Jason Kelce to retirement, the team still has a premier offensive line. Meanwhile, the Cowboys have added Eric Kendricks, Jourdan Lewis, and made some depth re-signings.

Stephen A. Smith Or Barack Obama? ESPN Host Reveals If He Thinks He Could Beat The Former President In A One-On-One Basketball Game

Elsewhere, Smith believes that he could beat President Barack Obama in a one-on-one basketball game, as long as he had prep time. “It depends. If we’re talking about Stephen A. right now, Barack Obama is going to smoke me because I got bad knees. But give me a week, and make sure my knees are healthy, and I would take him out. I’d beat him. I’d beat Barack Obama, say 21-7. It would be a romp. I love the President, I voted for him twice. I love the First Family and he can shoot but he doesn’t look like he’s accustomed to resistance. I’m gonna get his face, get on that left hand, not let him shoot. He’s gonna have to go low, take the ball to the hole,” Smith explained.

Of course, both Smith and Obama are avid basketball fans, although Smith backs the Knicks while Obama roots for his hometown Bulls. Furthermore, Obama was regularly seen shooting hoops at various events, as well as at the regulation-size court on the grounds of the White House. Meanwhile, Smith admitted in his answer that he only plays basketball “once every two or three years”. Who are you taking in a first-to-21 competition? Let us know in the comments.

[via]

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Mad Dog’s “Hardest Sports To Play” Rant Puts Stephen A. Smith On The Floor: Watch

February 28, 2024 by newhiphopnews

Mad Dog caused chaos on First Take when he dedicated his weekly rant to the “hardest sports to play”. After Stephen A. Smith roasted Mad Dog for his low-energy presentation, Mad Dog put Smith on the ground when he revealed that No. 4 on the list was “curling”. As Smith lay on the ground in disbelief, Molly Qerim threatened to call Mad Dog’s wife to confirm that he had “curled” in the past.

The rest of Mad Dog’s list was also pretty wild. His top three were baseball, golf, and tennis. Football was found at No. 5 while basketball wasn’t present at all. Fans found the list hilarious, if a little silly. However, this is just some classic work from Mad Dog and his wild weekly ravings on the hit ESPN show. What do you think about Mad Dog’s list? Let us know in the comments.

Charles Barkley Said He’d Vote For Stephen A. Smith For President

Meanwhile, less than a week after endorsing Nikki Haley for President, Charles Barkley has now endorsed Stephen A. Smith. “Let me tell you why [I’d vote for you]. Because I know you don’t have an evil bone in your body and I don’t think you have an agenda. That’s all I want. Even if you vote for somebody, you’re not gonna agree on every subject,” Barkley told Smith during an appearance on The Stephen A. Smith Show. Furthermore, Barkley also said he’d prefer to see the Democrats nominate California Governor Gavin Newsom instead of President Biden.

As mentioned, the moment comes after Barkley openly endorsed GOP long-shot Nikki Haley on his show with Gayle King last week. Barkley said he was putting his “whole heart” behind Haley before giving her an open platform to address her previous comments in which she stated that America was “never a racist country.” The latter decision led to a lot of backlash against both Barkley and Haley.

[via]

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5 Times JJ Redick & Stephen A. Smith Threw Down On “First Take”

February 21, 2024 by newhiphopnews

JJ Redick always makes for entertaining viewing on First Take, namely because his sound basketball analysis is usually derailed by a shouting match with Stephen A. Smith. February 21 was no different, as the two got into a heated argument about the ignorance of NBA fans and Kevin Durant’s leadership. However, as we like hot sauce with its Scoville in the millions here at HotNewHipHop, what better better way to commemorate this latest chapter of their feud by looking at some of the highlights from their past?

JJ Schools Stephen A. & Mad Dog About Kawhi Leonard

This moment came during the 2023 NBA playoffs. After the Suns dumped the short-handed Clippers, Stephen A. argued that the team needed a hard reset and to jettison the injury-prone Kawhi Leonard and Paul George because they were cooked. This prompted a four-minute rant from JJ, spearheaded by the devastating remark “listening to each of you right now, it’s very obvious you have played zero high-level basketball and you do not understand the requirements of doing that.”

Furthermore, JJ was proven right less than a year later. The Clippers are absolutely balling behind a healthy Kawhi and PG3. At the time of writing, they are 36-17 and third in the Western Conference.

JJ Calls Stephen A. “Irresponsible” For Warriors Hype

Our next moment goes all the way back to November 2021, when Stephen A. was ready to riding a 9-1, Klay Thompson-less Warriors all the way to an NBA championship. The first thing out of JJ’s mouth in response? “It’s irresponsible.” Redick argued that perspective was needed because it was 10 games into the season and the Warriors had played the league’s eighth-easiest schedule. Smith didn’t explode at Redick like in some other examples of their beef but he definitely tried his best to “school the rookie”.

Come the NBA Finals and Stephen A. was proven right. Klay came back from injury smoothly and Golden State beat the Celtics 4-2 in the Finals. The only thing Smith didn’t land was James Wiseman, who would not return during the season and has never lived up to his second-overall pick billing.

JJ Crosses The Line When Taking College Shots At Stephen A.

You know a moment is heated when it ends with an on-air apology. This is perhaps the most infamous of their on-air beef. While discussing LeBron’s potential retirement in the 2023 offseason, JJ struck below the belt. After Stephen A. dismissed JJ’s take out of hand, JJ cut him off to throw some body blows. “You didn’t play, Stephen A., you didn’t play. You don’t understand the athletic mentality. Three games at South Dakota Winston-Salem State? Doesn’t count,” JJ remarked.

While Stephen A. brushed off the comments in the moment, this one clearly struck a nerve. Later in the show, Redick apologized, saying that Stephen A. had “got under his skin” but he didn’t mean to take things as he did and fully respected Stephen’s alma mater.

JJ Blasts Stephen A.’s “Nostalgic Standard”

This moment technically happened on Get Up! and not First Take but it’s still worth talking about. During the 2022 NBA Finals, Mike Greenburg was complaining that the modern game was softer than the play seen in the 80s and 90s. Stephen A. weighed in to agree, unsurprising given how much he hates the Rest Rule. However, JJ wasn’t having any of it. “This nostalgic standard that you’ve set for players to the 80s and 90s, and then comparing us to it all the time like we are a substandard to that, it gets annoying.”

This is one of the moments where Stephen A. dispensed with his standard “mhm, I’m listening” noises and just started yelling. The clip is nearly unwatchable as three grown men scream at each other, ironically, about grown men screaming (or not screaming) at each other.

Stephen A. Flunks Journalism 101

ST3p3n J0k!c pic.twitter.com/KSkTyG3M3s

— Diamond Dog (@DiamondDogzzz) June 8, 2023

Sometimes journalists make mistakes. It happens to everyone. But sometimes those mistakes happen on live TV. During the 2023 finals, Stephen A. made the baffling declaration that Nikola Jokic wasn’t known for his post play. A visibly confused JJ cuts him off to explain that over the last ten years, the most efficient half-court play in the entire NBA is a Jokic post up. Stephen A. proceeds to backpedal so cartoonishly that Bugs Bunny would be proud. Eventually, he manages to stammer out that he simply meant he sees Jokic more like Kevin McHale than Shaq.

As we said, everyone makes mistakes. But what you shouldn’t do around JJ Redick is make basic errors about play efficiency, especially when trying to disparage a player like Jokic.

[via]

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JJ Redick & Stephen A. Smith Clash Over NBA Fans & Kevin Durant

February 21, 2024 by newhiphopnews

Stephen A. Smith and JJ Redick once butted again butted heads on First Take as Redick lamented that NBA fans “don’t want to be educated.” “I can do a video on my podcast where I break down the last nine games the Pelicans have used Zion Williamson as the primary ballhandler… 54,000 views on YouTube. But I wanna call out a coach yesterday. Oh, that gets tens of millions of engagements. That’s the ecosystem we live in. So do fans actually want to be educated or not?” Redick ranted.

The argument stemmed from a debate about Kevin Durant voicing his frustrations that he didn’t get credit as a team leader. While Redick believed the lack of credit was warranted, Smith vehemently disagreed, The spearhead of First Take got more and more heated, especially after Redick went after Mad Dog for weighing in. “That is a Hall of Famer, JJ. That is a Hall of Famer for media who has been covering sports for 40+ years that you are sitting across from,” Smith fired back at Redick.

Austin Rivers Slams JJ Redick For Doc Rivers Criticism

JJ Redick questions why it’s the responsibility of NBA players to educate fans and questions how much fans actually want to be educated in the first place.

“I can do a video on my podcast where I break down the last nine games the Pelicans have used Zion Williamson as the… pic.twitter.com/3zJqUdZ3T1

— Awful Announcing (@awfulannouncing) February 21, 2024

Meanwhile, Austin Rivers joined Patrick Beverley in firing back at Redick for his recent comments about Doc Rivers. Rivers defended his father by taking aim at Redick’s playing history. “In terms of accountability, your best years in the NBA were when you played for him and the Clippers. It’s just very ironic and kinda weird that you have this energy towards him,” Rivers said on ESPN. He was referring to Redick’s 2013-17 stint on the Clippers under Doc.

The current debacle stems from Redick saying Doc had a “lack of accountability” after taking over the Bucks midseason. After their firing their first-year head coach despite a 33-13 record, the Bucks have now gone 3-7 to start Doc’s tenure. Despite this, Doc coached the Eastern Conference All-Star team due to the Bucks record. To his credit, Doc did call this out and said he would be giving his All-Star ring and bonus to the recently fired Adrian Griffin.

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