Bob Raissman: Time for ESPN’s Stephen A. Smith to go after Kyrie Irving’s enablers
On his various ESPN platforms, Stephen A. Smith has referred to his colleague, Jay Williams, as a Kyrie Irving “apologist.” Why, because he actually dares to push back when SAS verbally drops the hammer on the Nets part-time superstar?
Give Williams some credit. There are very few ESPN mouths who flap back after Smith accuses Irving of being a habitual slacker who is now using COVID restrictions as his latest excuse to avoid playing. Among the examples SAS offers are the times Irving took a pass when he was “emotionally preoccupied” during times of social unrest.
SAS has referred to Irving as “not accountable” and “not reliable” adding: “I would never give him a long-term contract. You would be wondering if he will show up for work.” Williams drew Smith’s rage after taking issue with his stance on Irving, saying his conclusion is not fair. “I don’t give a damn if it’s a big issue with you,” a dismissive Smith told Williams on “First Take.” “I don’t give a damn what you think about Kyrie Irving. I spit facts, facts.”
Are Smith’s “facts” really just opinions? He’s been dogging Irving since he decided not to get vaccinated leading Nets management to initially ban him from playing road games. SAS didn’t alter his opinion when Brooklyn boss Joe Tsai reversed field, letting Irving play on the road (except in Toronto and in MSG).
SAS always starts his Irving soliloquies by trying to soften the blow.
He heaps on the praise/love, calling Irving “box office” and “a show-stopper” who is worth $50 million per year. Then he down-shifts into an Irving history lesson. One including how Brooklyn’s point guard has avoided playing in the past. Finally, SAS reaches a familiar crescendo saying if Irving helps the Nets win the NBA championship it would put a permanent stain on the NBA.
“It ain’t good for basketball,” SAS said during one of his Irving tirades. “If the Brooklyn Nets win (the NBA title) you got a part-time player, you got players endorsing a part-time player. That sends a bad message. It makes the league look bad.”
That’s not spitting a fact. It’s spewing an opinion. After listening to SAS criticize Irving on numerous occasions, we wonder if he thinks Irving cannot — but should —measure up to HIS work ethic. No one can question Smith’s ability to keep grinding — non-stop (until he himself was shut down by COVID in recent weeks). Yet we also wonder why, in this case, Smith has just targeted Irving.
What about Tsai and GM Sean Marks? If SAS has such major problems with Irving, why isn’t he also flexing his mouth at Irving’s enablers?
Maybe SAS can bring them into the equation the next time he decides to bloviate on the topic.
Judging by how obsessed he is with Kyrie Irving, there will be a next time … and a next time ... and a ...
SILENT KNICKS
When it comes to media relations, Julius Randle is only following the blueprint set by Knicks/Gulag boss James (Guitar Jimmy) Dolan.
Valley of the Stupid Gasbags, and other interested parties who have propping up another flawed edition of the Knickerbockers, were ticked because the beleaguered Randle declined to speak with the media after the Bing-Bong’s lost to New Orleans 102-91. Randle has not met with the media eight of the last nine games.
So? It would be surprising if Dolan, who has no use for cameras, microphones and notebooks, has met with the media eight times since his father, Charles, bought MSG, the Knicks and Rangers. And when he has agreed to be interviewed, Guitar Jimmy has been provided a soft place to land. Randle would not be given the same Twinkie Treatment.
Knicks prez Leon Rose has followed Dolan’s media plan. Last September, Rose talked to the media for the first time in 421 days.
Maybe that’s a record Mr. Randle can break.
TROY AIKS FOR BETTER GAME
It was an extraordinary scene.
One of the NFL’s top TV voices admitting to the millions watching a wild card playoff game he was working — Philly and Tampa Bay — that he rather be somewhere else.
Unfortunately for Troy Aikman, his bosses at Fox Sports and NFL suits, allowed CBS to get its hands on the San Francisco-Dallas 4:30 p.m. game last Sunday.
“It (Niners-Cowboys) is going to be a great game,” Aikman, who was on camera with Joe Buck said, “I mean a really good game. I think there’s a lot of people that would like to be calling that game.”
When Aikman said “a lot of people” he meant “me and Joe.” The impact of Aikman’s words was magnified by the look on Aikman and Buck’s faces. Credit director Rich Russo and producer Richie Zyontz for putting them on camera inside the broadcast booth. Aikman had a pained expression on his face. Buck’s look was more quizzical.
And those expressions made the moment.
WILD CARD IS NO BREES
This just in: Working Raiders-Bengals wild card playoff tilt last week, Drew Brees failed to live up to the hype NBC Sports poured all over him when they signed the former Saints quarterback to a contract the year before he retired.
To think Peacock Provocateurs even imagined moving Brees into Cris Collinsworth’s analyst slot on “Sunday Night Football” now seems comical. Brees was in the deep-end of playoff football and struggled to climb out of the pool.
Comparing the performance of Collinsworth, (he was excellent, working a one-sided affair where the Chiefs dominated the Steelers 42-21) last Sunday night, to Brees, who analyzed Raiders-Bengals last Saturday, is like comparing Rembrandt to the guy painting Velvet Elvis’ outside Graceland.
Brees was long-winded but short on insight. His propensity for yakking leaked into Mike Tirico’s play-by-play. If there is a best of Brees, Tirico couldn’t bring it out of him. Tirico was light on set-up and talked too much. There wasn’t much flow to the telecast, although the scene inside the stadium and natural sound were incredible.
NBC Sports did not do Brees any favors. The suits chucked the rookie analyst into the high-profile Notre Dame booth, the “Football Night in America” pregame show, and finally a wild card playoff matchup. This all brings new — and scary — meaning to on-the-job-training.
AROUND THE DIAL
Things must be getting boring inside WFAN. Why else would Norman Julius Esiason’s Cabana Boy, Gregg Giannotti, try instigating a feud between mid-day mouth Brandon (Tiki &) Tierney and the Excitable Boy of the overnight, Sal Licata? The “controversy” was flimsily built on GG’s interpretation of Licata’s rather pointed on-air (Friday morning) reaction to Tierney’s take on Dan Quinn and the coach’s job prospects. Later that morning, Tierney, wisely, didn’t take Giannotti’s bait. Tierney is too busy with other things — like gaining traction for his mid-day show. As for Licata, well, he was just resting up after a night of referring to callers as “morons” and “idiots.” ... CBS’ Charles Davis will miss Saturday’s Bengals-Titans matchup. He is in COVID protocols. Trent Green will replace Davis, working with Ian Eagle. Before Davis tested positive, he told Jim Rome that Titans coach Mike Vrabel would make bulletin board material out of CBS sending its No. 2 team to Nashville to cover the No. 1 seed. “He’s getting Ian Eagle and myself,” Davis said. “He’ll let his players know the number one team is not getting the number one broadcast team.” The No. 1 team, Jim Nantz and Tony Romo, are calling Bills-Chiefs on Sunday.
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DUDE OF THE WEEK: DAK PRESCOTT
For apologizing. After applauding Cowboys’ fans who threw debris at officials, following Dallas’ 23-17 playoff loss to San Francisco, Prescott said he should’ve known better. “I was caught up in the emotion of a disappointing loss and my words were uncalled for and unfair,” Prescott tweeted. “…That was a mistake on my behalf and I am sorry.” The NFL still fined Prescott $25,000.
DWEEB OF THE WEEK: KLIFF KINGSBURY
The King of Collapse did it again. Last season, his Cardinals got off to a 6-3 start, finishing with an 8-8 record and no playoff berth. This season Kingsbury’s team started 10-2 only to wilt down the stretch at 1-5, including a lopsided 34-11 loss to the Rams in the wild card playoff round. Someone needs to take the blame for Arizona’s nosedives, right coach?
DOUBLE TALK
What Mike Tirico said: “This is one of those nights where the referees (working Pats-Bills) have taken center stage.”
What Mike Tirico meant to say: “The officiating in this game stinks.”
