The Stephen A. Smith ShowFull Show: Sheryl Swoopes anti Caitlin Clark stance, and WNBA on Fire!
Stephen A. Smith is a New York Times Bestselling Author, Executive Producer, host of ESPN's First Take, and co-host of NBA Countdown.
Stephen A. talks about the new golden era of the WNBA including players A’ja Wilson, Angel Reese, and Caitlin Clark, and comments made by Sheryl Swoopes with WNBA Hall of Famer Nancy Lieberman. In the world of college football, he discusses the weekend matchups between LSU and USC and Clemson versus Georgia.
On The Stephen A. Smith Show, Smith gives you his renowned point of view, breaking barriers beyond the world of sports, and tackling pertinent issues across entertainment, pop culture, society, business, and politics. Three times a week, you'll hear his LIVE unfiltered opinions on the day's biggest headlines as well as straight-shooting interviews with top celebrities, game-changers, and thought leaders across the societal arena. The Stephen A. Smith Show is sure to entertain, inform, and motivate anyone who tunes in.
Oh, I'm hyped about today's show. I'm hyped.
First of all, I saw college football. I saw usc this weekend. I saw Notre Dame this weekend. I saw Alabama this weekend, and of course I saw the Georgia Bulldogs. Okay, not so much higher on Clemson right now, but there's a lot of college football I could get into. Except I got distracted. I got distracted. And guess what. It wasn't about politics. It wasn't about the NFL. It wasn't even by the NBA. Okay, I got distracted by women's NBA basketball, as in the WNBA, because that girl, katelen Clark, Lord, have mercy.
She busting people. You know what, she busting people.
You know what, y'all didn't think that I was just gonna let that slide after all the noise and the chirping that was in my ear over supporting this young lady.
Did you?
Oh, if you thought I had son to say before, wait until you hear me speak now the stephen A. Smith Show in the house, Hollandeye about the ladies.
What's up, everybody? Welcome to the latest edition of The stephen A.
Smith Show, coming at you over the digital airwaves of YouTube and of course iHeartRadio. I hope you had a wonderful, wonderful Labor Day weekend. I hope you're going to enjoy this Labor Day. I know I'm enjoying it. One of the biggest reasons is that my subscribers, my followers, have now eclipsed seven hundred and seventy two thousand over the digital airways and YouTube. Can't thank y'all enough for the.
Love and support, And of course we've eclipsed over two.
And a half million downloads over iHeartRadio over the last couple of months as well. The love and the support keeps on coming, keeps on growing. This show is nothing without y'all. I thank y'all so much from the bottom of my heart. I'm just getting more and more hype, more and more energized, more and more furvish about doing this show on an everyday basis, one I own and operate, and so obviously it's near and dear.
To my heart.
Can't thank y'all enough for the love and support. Keep you coming, and I'm gonna keep on coming. I got a lot of stuff to get into, but the first order of business is to get started with the WNBA, where the league is making headlines like never before in its twenty seven year history. There have been three players this season who've been box office.
We know about Asia Wilson. Okay, let's get that out of the way.
Two time MVB of the Las Vegas Ations, the best player in the world right now. She's about to set a single season points per game scorer record, averaging twenty seven and a half point y'all, surpassing Diana tarassi twenty five point three points per game.
Set back in two thousand and six. That's one person. The others you know the names.
Andrew Reach, the Chicago sky forward, just set the league record for the most rebounds in the season, surpassing a mark set by Sylvia Foules and twenty eighteen. Reach broke the record in just thirty two games, So give her her love and support. And last bna Les is, of course, Caitlyn Clark, who just led to Indiana Fever to an above five hundred for the first time in five years. By the way, she's the second leading scorer at twenty three point four points game over the last twelve games. The Indiana Fever owned the WNBA record for most consecutive games under five hundred, by the way, with one hundred and eighty.
Nine until recently, of course, the other day.
Now the team is setting WNBA attendance records with over five hundred thousand fans over their first thirty three games this season.
Some have compared Caitlyn.
Clark to Tiger Woods and how she's revolutionized fan engagement in women's basketball. Overall attendance and kse you missed it is up by twenty percent, breaking TV viewership ratings and merchandise sales.
Either way your.
Slice it, it's clear that we're witnessing a golden era in the sport. Caitlyn Clark, what I tell y'all, What I tell y'all. Now, I understand there's a whole bunch of people that's boiler. How about Costdy Mitchell's teammate, who is just flat out balling. You see what the ACE is doing, right, See Kelsey, you just see this. Plumb and the rest of the crew in laws Vegas can't ignore them. I'm looking at the New York Liberty. I'm looking at the Minnesota Lynx. I'm looking at the Connecticut Sun. I'm looking at Seattle. I'm looking at all of these teams, but they ain't the story. Look, we appreciate what they bring to the table, and we appreciate their greatness, and we appreciate what they're giving offense.
But we just have to understand that when a transformational.
Figure enters the fray, you got to pause and then isolate and compartmentalize and give them the love that they're due. And in this case, it belongs to Caitlyn Clark. Rookie of the Year race is over. She ended that Friday night, not that she wasn't in the lead to begin with, but she ended that Friday night when she dropped thirty one on the Chicago Sky when they were blowing them out.
Okay, she ended that Friday night.
Adrew rees in a Chicago Sky who by the way, on eleven nineteen and about eight games below five hundred, even though they're still a tied for the seventh seed in the playoffs or what haveever.
You We'll see what happens with that.
But Adrew Reese is no longer a Rookie of the Year potential winner.
That's over. It's going to Caitland Clark. Let's get that out the way. Did you know that Caitlyn Clark is also in a conversation for League MVP. Did you know? Did you know? Did you know? I got to tell y'all.
I tell y'all you understand I'm saying we got the babyface Assassin and men's basketball with Steph Curry. They might say that about her before all is said and done, because she pulls up from the parking lot as well. Okay, this is what Caitlin Clark brings to the table. Here's what I want y'all to know about some of the stats involving her. Average attendants in the thirty three games Katelan Clark and the Indiana Fever have played this season. Is that fifteen seven hundred and forty six that leads the WNBA Okay, average attendants of WNBA games not involving Caitlan Clark is eight four hundred and ninety.
So games that Kitland.
Clark plays are averaging eighty five percent more than none Caitland Clark games. Just throwing that out there. You need to know, you need to understand these are the kind of things that comes with it. Okay, So we gotta get that out the way. Okay, then you got the lead The Fever leading the NBA in home attendance sixteen nine hundred and seventy eight road attendants fourteen thousand, eight hundred and thirty eight. Indiana's out drawing every other team about thirty five percent of home in thirty six percent of the road. Okay, we know what she did at the WNBA All Star Game. They averaged they averaged like three point four million viewers on ABC that that All Star We I mean, come on now, this Caitlyn Clark is the Kaitlyn Clark effect. And so it's tom for everybody to stand down. It's tom for everybody to miss Stephen that you were right. You're right, Stephen A Kitly Clark should have been on Team USA, should have been a Team USA. And we also right about the fact that there's been some hater raid being thrown in her direction. Okay, because there's no excuse to have resentment towards her. And see, we don't want to address the big elephant in the room, but we ain't gonna run from it today.
Because Chryl Swoops made news. Now.
She made news last week when she sat up there and and was applauding Indiana Fever players.
But then forgot to mention Katelyn Clark.
She jumped all in my ass because I sat up there and said, hey, how you gonna ignore Kaitlyn Clark? You know what she brings to the table. How you just gonna ignore her? That's not an accident. Cheryl Swoops is a champion, a champion. Look at her tweet and what she put up about me. You talk about whomever and whatever you want to on your podcast, correct, So why can't I?
Also, did you listen to the entire episode? Nope? I have a personal relationship with these players and they deserve recognition as well.
That ain't the point, Cheryl Swoops, Yes, I did listen to your entire podcast. You didn't mention Katelyn Clark. So I was right Number one. Number two, your personal relationship. What that got to do with your coverage? Anybody said don't mention them, anybody said don't applaud them.
Nobody told you to ignore them.
What we're seeing is, if you're gonna give the Indiana Fever all the credit in the world, how you gonna mention the Indiana Fever without Kaitlyn Clark's name even coming up? So then after that, Cheryl Swoops and engages and levels of immaturity.
There's no way to slice it.
I'm not gonna insult this champion, this great basketball mind, this phenomenally accomplished Hall of famer. I'm not gonna insult her. All I'm gonna say is it was pretty damn immature to come back at me like that, called me an e f and coward because I called you out for not doing your job, so you got you on a podcast that means you don't have to do your job. I mean, the bottom line is this, she engaged the level of immaturity. Let's just call it what it is. I mean, just just bite at me like that?
Or why? Because what did I say? What did I say? You want to know what I said? Take a look at what I said last week about.
Cheryl Swoops respectfully, Cheryl Swoops. You have any idea how that makes you look? You have any idea how that serves to stain any kind of critique of Caitlin Clark because it gives father to those who believe she's being hated on and ostracized to some degree. Do you realize that, Cheryl Swoops, you're insane to do that. Let me tell you why you're insane to do that. Because Cheryl Swoops are one of the greatest players ever in the history of basketball.
That's why.
See, you won a championship in College of Texas Tech, you won three Olympic gold medals, You won four WNBA championships.
You know basketball. You know basketball better than me. You know basketball than any of the pundits.
You know basketball better than most of the men that play basketball. There is no way in hell you just accidentally left Caitlyn Clark's name out of that's soliloquy that you dropped about.
The Indiana fever. Stop it, you know that. Stop it? I mean, listen.
The bottom line is this, There's a whole bunch of reasons that I'm quite sure Cheryl's Hooops could come up with. Who can imagine that she's got stuff on her mind. Lord knows what she's got on her mind and what she wants to express. I get all of that. Can speculate till the cows come home about what that is. But one thing that's undeniable is that she seems to get offended with her objectivity.
Be a question her professional objectivity.
The problem is she's the one that brought her professional objectivity in the focus.
By her own behavior.
What possible excuse could you have talking about the Indiana fever and neary a mention of Caitlyn Clark. How is that possible? How's that possible? You know what Indiana was before she arrived. You know what the attendance was before she arrived. You know what merchandise sales was before she arrived. You know what attendance was before she arrived. You know what the ratings were before she arrived. How could you not mention her? It makes no sense. So I can understand why Ryl Swoops would have an attitude with people who would question her professional objectivity. But I also understand why people would look at her like she's in the loss to her of a loving mind, because you're literally putting the lack of professional objectivity on display for audiences to see, and then you're acting, You're looking at us, act like what's wrong.
It's like you're spitting in people's face telling them it's raining.
Makes no sense, makes no sense. Okay, everybody, you know what Tom it is. It's Thomas stephen A's sports picks. Everyone knows that sports is my entire life and with the NFL season. Finally here, I need to be right there in the middle all that action.
But how do I do that? Exactly?
There's only one way you use Prize Picks. That's what you do. You see, Prize Picks is the largest fantasy sports platform in all the land with more than three million members. You just choose two, three, or even up to six players and then pick more or less on their projected stats for the game. But the best part is you can pick and choose players from any of the sports you love to watch, whether it's Christian McCaffrey, Caitlyn Clark, or even Paul Schemes and get this sign up with cod I say yes, and Prospects will give you fifty dollars instantly when you play your first five dollar lineup. You don't need to win your lineup to receive the fifty dollars bonus. It's all guaranteed. All you have to do is play a five dollar lineup on Prospects and you'll get fifty dollars instantly. Now let's see my winning picks, please, because I'm all about winning. Patrick Mahons playing the Baltimore Ravens more or less than two hundred and sixty.
Five and a half pass yards.
It's Patrick Mahomes, it's Travis Kelce, it's Xavier Worthy out of Texas. It's Andy Reid calling plays. And you're going up against the Baltimore Ravens team that I can't see you running the football against. Okay, but check, oh yes, but I can't see you running the football against the Baltimore Ravens. Were gonna go with more than two hundred and sixty five and a half yards for Patrick Mahomes because he gonna have to throw that football to win this game. Let's go to Lamar Jackson of the Baltimore Ravens playing these kids in City Chiefs more or less than one and a half past rush receiving TVS's Lamar Jackson. Whether it's rush in the football or throwing the football, the brother is going to get touchdowns at least one or two. I don't think it's gonna be a repeatd AFC Championship game. I think after that performance, I think he's gonna show up and show out as a regular season game. They're gonna be experimenting, getting their feet wet, et cetera, et cetera. I can see Lamar Jackson scoring at least two touchdowns or at least throwing for one and running for another.
I'm gonna go with more on next one. Two, Let's go to the next one.
Travis Kelce, the best tight end in football going up against the Baltimore Ravens more or less than sixty one.
And a half receiving yards.
Travis Kelce, my brother from another mother, Always open somehow somewhere.
I don't know how he does it. I don't know how. He doesn't look that fast or anything like. They're not slow, but didn't look that fast. But he's always open. I'm going with more here because he's Travis Kelce. It's just that.
Simple, right, Last, but not least, the newest member of the Baltimore Ravens, Dereck Henry, coming over from Tennessee, his first year with the Ravens playing the Chiefs more or less than sixty seven and a half rushing yards. Now, I'm never gonna bet against this brother getting sixty seven.
And a half yards.
I mean, he's a monster out of the running back spot. Monster and I can't believe the Dallas Cowboys didn't get him. They should have got him. Okay, but the Baltimore Ravens got him instead, and as a result, I think they're gonna package him and they're gonna use him tremendously so because that takes a lot of heat and pressure off of Lamar Jackson, which is what the Baltimore Ravens are going to want to do, I seem more so to recap.
Let's go down the list.
We got Patrick Mahomes, we got Lamar Jackson, we got Travis Kelce, and we got Derek Henry, more and more and more and more. It's prospects and more as in more money. Did you really expect any less from me?
Listen?
I could go on and on about this, I really really could. But you know, why, why do that when there's a better person to talk to about what I believe is the golden era of the w NBA. And by the way, there's no one better than this woman to talk to about it, because she's done it all in the sport of women's basketball. She's a Basketball Hall of Fame, an Olympian, a three tome All American, former coach for the Detroit Shock, and currently serves as an NBA analyst for the OKC Thunder. She's also the twenty eighteen champion head coach with the power in the Big Three. You know that league ice Q runs. Please welcome my guests known as Lady Magic herself, the one, the only Nancy Liberman. Welcome, Nancy. Let's get right to it. You did an outstanding job covering Sunday's Indiana Fevers went over the Dallas Wings. I call this the golden era of the WNBA. First things first, would you agree with that?
I agree one hundred percent.
This is what we all dreamed about and it's actually happening in real time, and today's players are absolutely phenomenal. The w is the most valued women's league, in my opinion, in the world right now.
In college, Caitlin Clark was named the winner of the Nancy Liberman point Guard of.
The Year two years in a row. If I remember correctly, I want to play something you said during the broadcast. Listen to this.
You know when I walked in here before the game, there were just hundreds of fans lined up.
Oh yeah.
What Caitlyn Clark has done for the game is generational and I just as a baller to a baller, I just want to say thank you to you.
Caitlyn Clark absolutely for just.
Lifting our game up. You and so many great players.
But what you're doing, you're gonna make all these women multi millionaires one.
Day, like Tiger did, like Michael.
Jordan did, And we shouldn't hate on her.
We should celebrate her, not tolerate her.
You know, Nancy, I listened to that sound, and that was one of the biggest reasons I wanted you on today because you clearly feel such a level of appreciation for the greatness, for the potential and the greatness that we're witnessing from Caitlyn Clark. I want you to speak to why that is and whether or not you feel she's being appreciated enough by some members in the female basketball community.
Well, I think you bring up a great point.
It's so important for us to understand that there's going to be generational players.
I'm not saying everybody's.
Not going to be at the same talent level, but I'm saying that Caitlin Clark has just caught the attention of the world.
She might be right now, maybe her.
And Simonbile's, you know, the most visible women athletes in the world right now. And this is a good thing for sports and internally, we can be women, we could be our worst enemies. We should embrace people who take us to another level.
And she's done that and it's.
Proven from her collegiate days with TV, with Jersey sales, with arenas being filled. Why wouldn't you want to ride that train to success because it will change your tax bracket, you know, incrementally because of what she's doing. And there's so many great players like Wilson. She's my unanimous MVP in this league. I don't think there's a player in the world right now better than Asia Wilson.
And we have great rookies.
Andrew Reestis, you broke this incredible rebounding record single season in WNBA history. These young players or Kiya Jackson, Carmilla Cardoza, I mean, this is a great time.
But it's the veterans and the youth.
We have to come together because everybody has a hand in our growth.
And you know, as good as some of the we didn't move.
The needle, like Caitlyn is moving the needle and everybody is benefiting from it.
You know, Ansie, I've been bringing this up for months, and I've been taking hits for monks because I wanted on Team USA. And I was not trying to say that she was better than one than any of the twelve players that was on the squad. What I was saying is that female basketball, women's basketball has been starving for recognition for so long, all the hard work, all the tremendous effort, the blessed and tears that so many of these wonderful ladies have put into the game, including yourself, by the way, and the lack of recognition that has come along with it. Here was a person that America had gravitated to in such a way that you could utilize it to your advantage to benefit everybody.
Yet folks were appalled that I would.
Did have the temerity to bring up marketing and promotion as something that should play a role, and ultimately you decided who's on Team USA to promote the game of basketball.
Was I wrong in feeling that way?
Well, then came at you really hard, and that was short sighted, because first of all, she very well could have played and should have played.
In my opinion, I aligned with you on Team USA.
I am saying this as you know, I'm still the youngest Olympic basketball player ever in nineteen seventy six, I was a high school senior. I was seventeen years old, and the late Billy Moore, the Hall of Famer and my coach.
She had one.
Pick, and she picked me for the future of the game because she knew the last player who was a great and All American, just a star of stars, wouldn't get a lot of minutes. So she used that position. And I thought that this team could have used Caitlin Clark for that same express reason, because she was going to bring more eyeballs. She was going to make USA basketball, you know, more prominent. And we're talking about economics here. We're not just talking about you know, because just because we're talking about we want long term you know, sustainability and success. We can't sit there and say we want what the NBA guys have, you know, seventy something years later they built it to you know, that eight billion dollar a year business, and we're trying to build it now and we have somebody who's moving the needle because the w right now is outdrawing Major League Baseball awesome, you know, soccer, some of the golf, some of the other sports. We've never had this before. And for Caitlyn and the Fever. I think five of the highest rated games this year have all been Indiana Fever. They lead in Jersey sales, they lead in attendance, any significant category that's tied to dollars and cents, and that's how we should be viewed dollars and cents, because that's how you build a business. Then everybody goes up and everybody is successful together.
Explain what specifically you believe the issue is with Caitlyn Clark in terms of the lack of support that she's received from some, certainly not most, not all.
Most people support her.
They see her potential, they see her greatness, they see what she's done for the game. There's an level of appreciation. Even the great Dawn Staley, you know, in winning the national championship, she thinked Caitlyn Clark for what Caitlyn Clark did for the game, for women's basketball or whatever. But there's been a small cadre of individuals that obviously have come across in a different fashion. What is what is the thing that you're hearing, Nancy as to what their justification for feeling feeling a bit reticent about throwing that lack of that support in Caitlyn Clark's.
Direction, Well, it depends who you're talking to.
If you're talking about the keyboard warriors who hide behind you know, two hundred and eighty, you know, you know, taps of their their their eyes or whatever they're using, you know they're going to say something that. First of all, they don't even realize that the players in this league are fans with one another. Okay, so you might sit there and try to create this animosity or you might try to bring in well racism and this, and you know, there's no racism. I've been through this for a long time. I never came down the court and looked at somebody white or black and threw the ball to the white kid. I'm throwing into the player who's the better player. They're trying to pit Angel and Caitlyn against the each other. They're friends, by the way, they're helping grow the sport.
And for those who it's not a Caitlin thing, it's a people thing.
I mean, people were so jealous of Michael Jordan back in nineteen eighty four when he came out of you know, UNC Chicago Stadium was half empty prior to him arriving. Then the stadiums were filling up. Then TV wanted him and the Bulls on every game.
By the way, you know this as a fact.
David Falk, his agent, pulled his jersey out of the GLA because Michael Jordan's jersey. And I don't know the exact number, but let's say it was ninety percent of all jersey sales were Michael Jordan's jersey and he was getting like one thirteen hundredth of that and all the money was being you know, dispersed throughout all the players that were playing. He yanked his out because he saw the value of what was happening. Tiger Woods goes to the PGA, changes how the sport is view. Dude, it's not just a bunch of you know, white guys hitting balls in an elitist sport.
It's changed.
I mean, look at all the guys of color, women of color that play golf now because it's acceptable. You should be able to do what you love. But it was him who was the catalysts to change. And all of a sudden, he gets to a certain point in his career and people are jealous and envious.
You know, he.
Changed the TV ratings, He changed the purses. Did you know Scotty just win twenty five million dollars the other day. That's not because of Scotty, That's because the Tiger Woods. And I just don't understand people. Now you have signature shoes for both men and women because what MJ did and how he and his team constructed business. Caitlin is doing that right now and she should be supported and not maligned for that.
Kelsey Mitchell has been a star on the Indiana Fever there. There is no doubt about that. She has been nothing short of sensational. She's averaging about nineteen points per game. She had a big time game yesday. Witch you called, and I just wanted to throw this out there just as a reference point, just to put things in perspective about what Caitlyn Clark brings to the table. The average attendance in the thirty three games Caitlin Clark and the Indiana Fever have played in this season is fifteen thousand, seven hundred and forty six, which leads the WNBA. The average attendance of WNBA games not involving Caitlyn Clark is, on average, eight thousand, four hundred and ninety and eighty five percent drop from games that Caitlyn Clark is not participating in. Obviously, the New York Liberty average over eleven thousand, the Los Angeles Sparks average over ten thousand, but the Indiana Fever at fifteen thousand, seven hundred and forty six. Yet I'm on the air the other day and I'm talking about the Indiana Fever and I had to get on you know somebody we both have incredible.
Respect for in Cheryl Swoops, your.
Champion on every level, one of the greatest players in WNBA history. Because I said, how do you mention the Indiana Fever and all of these other players and you don't mention Caitlyn Clark? And then all of a sudden she gets on me and calls me a coward and all.
Of this other stuff.
I don't know what you can say about Cheryl Swoops, But if there's anything that you could say, what would you want to say in terms of the narrative that has been put out there as it pertains to her coverage and her feelings about Caitlyn Clark.
You know, I've known Cheryl since she was in college. I helped her shoe deal with Nike in nineteen ninety three, took her to her first sb's. I've known Cheryl, I've coached her, have a lot of respect for her. I called her when Caitlyn was still playing at Iowa and she had just broken Maravich's record, and it was all over the place. As you and I have discussed that. You know, there was this quote by Cheryl that said, you know, Caitlin was, you know, twenty five years old. She was, however, twenty four years old. She was a fifty year senior. She was taking forty shots a game. Her records were illegitimate. And I got off the treadmill and I called her as a friend, and I said, you know, you can say whatever you want. You can have your own opinion about anybody, but you do have to get the statistics right.
I mean, facts matter.
And if you just get ahead of this and just say, hey, I made a mistake on my numbers, then this thing is over and everybody respects you for your opinion. And you know, you might like Boston, I might like the Yankees. You know, it's okay to have difference of opinions. Well, she got a set with me on the phone and I was like, Cheryl, you know, I'm not doing anything to hurt you.
I'm just sharing.
We're talking, and so our relationship pretty much is not happening at this point. I tried to talk to her at the final four sheet and want to talk to me, My life's going to be good or great with or without Cheryl Swoops.
In my life. I'd rather have her in it. But let me tell you the difference.
The difference is when the Kennedy Carter thing happened and I'm doing Michelle Beadle's podcast with Lou Williams and Channel and Parsons, and Michelle says to me, Nancy, what would you tell Caitlyn Clark in that situation? And I said to Michelle, look, I'm not here to speak for Kate and Clark. You know Kitlyn Clark, I'm not going to tell you that. Then she said, what would you do if somebody kind of blindsided you like that? And you know me, I'm straight from New York, straight from Broker Park. I said, I would have gotten up. I would have walked up to whoever did that to me. I would have punched him in the face and you know the explicative that I used, and I would have said, you know, f off. That is who I am. That is the concentric circle of who I am, and that's my era. And so to her point, Teresa Weatherspoon called me my dear friend who I love, respect and admire. She said, Nancy, I was disappointed what you said. And we had a conversation, and I said, Spoon, I didn't say she should paunch Kennedy Carter in her face. I said, this is what I would do if I were blindsided. And I've known Kennedy since she was in high school here in Dallas. I think she's a hell of a player and should have been on the All Star team. Yes, but my comment about hitting her wasn't about her. But we had this conversation which we apparently cannot have with me and Cheryl swoops. And I still think she was incorrect about what she did. And you know, we all have to be professional, right. You covered people, right. You and Durant have kind of gone at it in and out for a long bit, but you still do highlights and talk about him and share the greatness of him.
You don't have to agree with everything with him, but just do your job.
Do your job.
You get paid to do a job as a broadcaster, do your job. Nobody says you have to be in love with anybody else. But if you're going to do an Indiana Wings game, you're gonna have to talk about Caitlyn Clark and her great teammates and what they're doing. And they have you know, uh Leah Boston, they have you know, Kelsey Mitchell, who's just bananas, I mean, unstoppable by this is and Caitlyn Clark. So why wouldn't you not build around it? You know, when I was playing, you would have looked like an idiot if you didn't when you talked about old dominion, you know, two time national champions and two time Player of the Year, and you didn't talk about me, you'd look like you're.
And that's the issue. And that's the issue, Nancy, because listen, here's the thing.
What incriminates in my opinion, it's just my opinion, but what incriminates somebody like shery'swoops even more, who, by the way, was supposed to be calling the game with y'all yesterday and she did not call the game. And no doubts it had something to do with the fact that when you know how Caitlyn Clark had performed earlier in the week. She didn't want to talk about it at all. So we recognize that. And we know in television the way that I do. I know what producers do. I know what bosses do when you see you know your personal feelings, whatever they may be infiltrating the proceedings and compromising your position as a professional. But I think in the case of Cheryl Swoops, and I'm not going to belabor this point, but it's.
Important to be made. Cheryl Swoops is a winner.
She was great, and she's a phenomenal basketball mind. So what she's not realizing is that when she doesn't state the obvious, it's automatically going to be assumed that it's something personal because we know you know the basketball game, the game of basketball too well to ignore the kind of things that she's ignoring. When it comes to Caitlyn Clark, Am I wrong in saying that?
Now you're not wrong in saying that.
And I would like to thank the wings in Ballots for putting me on the game and asking me if I would do it. I will do anything for women's basketball. I'm just a.
Servant leader here.
At one point in my career, I wanted to be the greatest of all time, and now I just want to be a great, you know, person that supports this generation of greatness. So to to your point, you know, I think she created this firestorm. She could put it out, and you know, it's like I always tell people at this stage, your ego's not your im ego.
Okay, your ego's not your friend.
We have to humble ourselves and do our job and just recognize that. You know, Caitlin might not be her cup of tea, but she's not doing anything to hurt Cheryl Swoops. She admires Cheryl Swoops and the Maya Mores and the Sue Birds and the legends that came before her. And I would dare say, you can't find a sound bite a sound bite this season of Caitlin Clark saying anything derogatory about anybody.
She says, I don't care that she chatters on the court. He doesn't.
Yeah, I mean the great ones, Chattered Bird, Magic, all them. It's okay, that's a competitor. But you know, I mean, for this woman, you know, to be maligned, you shouldn't. You don't have to buy the number twenty two jersey if you don't want it, but what you should do is applaud her for helping grow this sport that we have busted or asked for for the last fifty years. I mean, my Olympic team in seventy six just got inducted last August.
Some of my teammates thought.
They were going to die and never get recognized for being the first Olympic women's team. Juliene Simpson, who was a co captain with Pat Summit on that team. The people are starting to know who Julien. You know, people knew who Pat some it were, or Nancy Liebman or Ann Myers, but they didn't know who Lucy was until Lucy died. And Tris Roberts and you know, Sue roy Switch, and we had so many great players on that team. We just want to be recognized. And when the young players of today recognize, you know, the pioneers of the game, it's a thank you, and the pioneers and today's athlete should be saying to Angel Reese and to you know, Asia and to you know, you know, Jackie Young and all these great players, thank you, thank you so much. Hey, thank you for winning that gold medal. Thank you for busting your behind on behalf of America, and we stand and support you. But if you have a legend who's coming at a young player.
On the rise, it just it's it's not a good look.
And Caitlyn didn't start this, and I know Caitlyn, she won't finish it.
She'll just play ball. That's who she is.
She's just gonna play ball.
You know.
Dallas wags forward to so believe She's spoke in the postgame press conference about the struggle of seeing their home arena packed with Clark jerseys. Here's what Sablie had to say. Listen to this quote. Obviously it's annoying because there were way too many Caitland fans in our arena, but kudos. I feel like our Dallas fans could have done better. I had mixed feelings seeing all the Caitland jerseys in our home, but it's an amazing sign for women's basketball. See, I have no problem with that, Nancy. That's perfectly fine. And the Chicago Skuy's Andrew Reese is also doing her thing, talk about her record set, her record setting season of record setting rookie year as well. I mean, I want you to comment about so I believe first, and you heard what she has to say. I had no problem with her quote because she's acknowledging and appreciating Caitlin Clark, but in the same breath saying she wished their fans.
Had better supported them.
Well, maybe you gotta win more and maybe they will, but I still don't have a problem with her quote.
What about you.
Well, first, let me just say this, thank you for bringing that up and reading the quote. Satu is a very very close friend of mine. I have been on the court practicing with her and Arique in the off season. These are two of the most unbelievable, intelligent, hard working players. She was first team All WNBA last year, played for Germany and the Olympics in Paris. And she's just telling the truth. She's saying, man, this is amazing.
What's happening. This is what I get from her having known her and saying, we want this.
You know, I'm a great player. A Rique is unstoppable. As you saw Natasha. You know Howard is one of those great veteran players. Okay, now you saw this. Now, Dallas Wings fans, we want you in the seats with our jerseys, and it's a communication.
You know, communication is three sixty.
You say something to your fans and hopefully your fans respond. Dallas Wings fans are amazing and they will respond and they will show up and show out. And I applaud sought to for saying, look, I get it, but now I want it, and why shouldn't we want it in our own home arena? And that's just great communication, and that's why I love and admire her.
Indiana is outdrawing every other team by thirty five percent at home and thirty six percent on the road. Chicago's Andrew Reese is second in the WNBA obviously, Angelwiachas Chicago Scott team is second in the WNBA with an average road attendance of ten thousand, nine hundred and twenty nine.
That's once that the other is.
As of one week ago, twenty WNBA telecast is average one million viewers, shattering the previous record of fifteen For a season. Caitlyn Clark was featured in seventeen of those twenty televised games. That's her impact. I know for a fact the Rookie Year of the Year race is over. Caitlin Clark is gonna win that. But what do you have to say about Andrew Reese and what she's meant to the double you NBA game that's far this year as a rookie.
Well, I've watched Angy Reese at LSU. I mean, she she's a problem. This woman has just she just broke the record. She has a motor like I have not seen before. And I know a lot of people, well you know she's getting you know, her own rebounds. I mean, cut it out. Okay, She's not the biggest player on the court. She's not the fastest player on the court. She's tenacious. She is doing her job. And as she gains more experience in the league, and she was working on her three point shot, and you know in her off season, she's going to just continue to explode, get bigger, better, even more greater than she is right now. And I think people need to leave her alone and just appreciate her for who she is and how she.
Has played this game.
And just because somebody has a quiet disposition and somebody has a little bit more flair in their disposition does make anybody wrong.
I enjoy watching her.
I love that she's being coached right now by Teresa Weatherspoon. I mean Spoon was pounding her chest right in the garden with the liberty. You saw that for many many years when she hit the half court shot, you know against Houston, you know, to push it to a game five. I believe it's okay to have personality, and she has personality. Plus she's gorgeous, she looks like a model. She just defies everything you want to say about her. So I think people again should stop put you know, pigeonholing. People just wake up happy. Just for all the new fans, just love this game.
For the older fans that have been waiting for this, just say thank you. This is what we've been waiting for packed houses.
We've been waiting for Steven A to have us on our show and talk about us on the regular. We've been waiting for the media to recognize that we are skilled and people.
Do you want to see us and how you push for us?
And thank you to all the men out there that every job I've ever had, I've been hired by a man.
So thank you to stephen.
A for you know, caring so much in controversial and quite frankly in non controversial moments. I've known you forever. You've always been there, You've never held anybody back. All you do is lift people up.
Do we need that? By the way, We're not there yet, but we need that. So thank you.
Thank you so much, Nancy. I really appreciate you. No, I love you to death. Let me ask you this question. I don't think there's a debate about Asia Wilson being the best player in the world. I don't think there's a debate about her winning the MVP this year, although I would say Caitlin Clark is in the conversation for League MVP at the very least. But who's the second best player in the world behind Asia Wilson in your estimation.
That's a great question, and you know we had on the telecast yesterday. I believe that Asia Wilson, who I agree with you. She's the best player clearly in the world. She's done things that I don't think I've ever seen.
I don't even want to.
Call her a big She's just a great baller. You know, she can shoot, she can pass, She's a two way player. She could win if she was a warrior year she is a warrior and to a point, and I'm going to get to the end of your question.
When you talk to Becky Hammond.
Beggy Hammon will say, if it's somebody's birthday on the team, the first person who's running out to get boons and hats and cards and all the ribbons and all that stuff is Asia Wilson. She just has this ability. And Dawn has told me this also, and I love don stay talking about a legend on the court and on the sidelines. She goes, this is the most incredibly kind human being, but a warrior on the court.
Her teammates love her or because of how she is. Uh she is you can count on her.
If somebody says that they count on you in life, that's the highest compliment you can have.
So we have her. We already now that I believe.
She's going to be unanimous for the first time in the history of the w uh Nofisa Collier.
She's amazing.
She she just you know, kicked butt at the Olympics. I knew and I've watched her, and she's just taken her game to another level. Uh, the same thing you know with Sabrina.
Uh An sq.
I mean now she's attacking the rim more than she ever had. You knew she could shoot the basketball hot, you know high IQ in better condition, talked about you know.
What about it? What about Brihanna stew It.
Yeah, no, I'm getting to it.
I'm getting to hold her Women's now I'm only kidding. Let me let me go to Caitlyn. You know we already talked about her. She is in that grouping. Uh, I gotta be honest. Erika is in that grouping right now. She's unstoppable. If this team want to be able to get to the playoffs. Rique is certainly in that conversation.
And Stewie. I don't know who's been able to stop Stewie.
Uh.
Since Yukon right, four championships, which is unbelievable in college.
You go to the w you win.
I think she's got three or four championships. Somebody helped me here with Seattle and you know, the Liberty are right on the the you know, the cuff of being able to win a championship which they've never won, and they're one of the original teams in this league. Alyssa Thomas, Okay, who's with Connecticut? People don't she's like so underrated And I don't know how an Olympian could be underrated. She was in the mix last year. For Player of the Year MVP. She just she don't do anything fancy. She's big, she's strong, she can do everything. She's like a Swiss knife.
She just makes people around her better.
She's a great pastor defender, knocking down shots to when you got to have somebody like her and the team.
So there's there's a lot of people in this mix.
Breonna Stuart's got She's got two NBAWNBA titles with the Seattle Storm twenty eighteen and twenty twenty. I just looked that up just to make sure I confirm this. So she's got two. But let me ask you this, I've been saying, of the mindset because of the greatness of an Asia Wilson, because of Kelsey Plumb and others I've just and because of the greatness of their coach. I've been of the mindset I don't care what I'm seeing from the New York Liberty.
I love them.
I'm a New Yorker, you know, I'm always root for them, The New York Liberty, the Minnesota Lynx. Yeah, so I don't care. You bring me Seattle, Minnesota, New York. I don't care. You can't convince me that somebody's gonna beat.
Las Vegas until I see it because of Asia Wilson. That's how I feel. We're Are you about that?
Are they three peating or do you have somebody in mind that you believe is going to knock them off?
I certainly think they could threepete.
I came in and spent a couple of days in training camp with Becky and watched how they prepared and how they played.
Look, Sandy Brondelo's unbelievable coach.
You know what she's done for the Olympic team in Australia when she was playing.
As a matter of fact, you playly didn't know this, stephen A.
I drafted Sandy Brondelo to play for me in nineteen ninety eight in the WNBA. So I've known Sandy a long, long time, great great mind. Cheryl Reeves won championships, She's amazing.
She just won the gold medal.
She won championships with the Detroit Shock and Rick Mahorn and Bill Lambert. Yeah, they're good. And don't forget Connecticut. I mean Stephanie White, she's tough. She you know, she's got to want to Bonner moving up the charts as an all leader in so many categories, and we talked about ALICSA Thomas. They're really good teams, so nothing is given. So let me say this about the Aces. I believe that they took this league by storm. And Becky is just done a marvelous job. I think when you're that good, if I were coaching in this league, I would take every one of her offenses and every one of her defenses, and I would dissect it and I put what I liked into my program, and I think a lot of teams have.
I think that's the highest compliment when.
Somebody you know, somebody you know maybe takes your stuff and tweaks it a little bit.
And the league is.
Getting better because of these young players.
But you know, Asia was on the Olympic team, Kelsey was on the Olympic team.
Jackie Young was on the Olympic team.
Chelsea Gray, who to me is one of the best passers in this league. She's unbelievable and talking about passing the ball ahead. And you know the other side of it is, you know they.
They're coming off. I'm sure they're tired.
There's four of them that played on the Olympic team, and they had one more of their teammates play for Spain in the Olympics, so they're a great team and I fully expect them to be in the mix at the end. If everybody stays healthy, those four teams, right, this is going to be a super season for the w and it.
Already is if you had a choice. Because I don't know, and I don't know a woman alive that knows more.
Basketball than you. I just don't.
I mean, I've met a lot of people to know. I don't know a woman alive and those more basketball than you, Nancy. So I'm going to ask you this. You had to select. You're in a position. You got the first pick of the draft, all right, and you have to select between Asia Wilson, Caitlyn Clark, Brihanna Stewart, or whomever.
Who's the first player you're taking. Putting you on the spot, Nancy.
I am taking. I am taking Asia Wilson. I'm going to build around her because she's gonna make me a better defensive coach. She's not gonna do anything crazy, fancy. You know what, She's like the big fundamental, She's like Tim.
Duncan, Tim, right, Yeah, I mean is that good?
In Allen with intensity? With more intensity.
Yes, And I'm going to build around her and we'll go from there. I like people who have won championship. She won that certainly, you know, with Dawn at South Carolina, and we'll go from there. That's not to say that the others you just mentioned aren't spectacular, right, That's like saying mj or Lebron.
I mean they're both great. It's just you know, what's your flavor?
Got it?
Kelsey Mitchell and Katelyn Clark, I ain't the best backcourt tandem in the.
League who right now they are. I mean it's pretty unstoppable. I mean these guys are getting almost fifty five points a game between them, and uh yeah, I mean I don't know anybody in the league who's faster than Kelsey Mitchell without the ball. When she catches the ball, she's a blur and she's unbelievable. And the way she's shooting right now, I mean, don't go under a screen.
My thing is KYP. Do you know what KYP is?
I think so, but I'm not going to say it. I want you to No, It's.
Okay, know your personale, know your personal I'm saying this my first coaching gig. Know your personal If you can't catch it bounce fast, don't throw them bounce fast.
If they can't catch it up high, don't throw it up high.
Know who you're know who's good and what they do well. Yeah, you know these guys between Boston Clark and you know Mitchell, they're learning each other right now times their greatest ally.
And I think that the Fever are going to win championships somewhere down.
The road with this squad, right, Nancy, very last question, you know, looking up a stat I don't know if you know this or not. You probably do, knowing you because you don't miss much. Caitlyn Clark has personally received seventeen percent of the flagrant fouls called literally, she's been fouled on flagrant foules. Seventeen percent of them have been against her personally. We spoke about the Sheryl Swoop situation. We've spoke about the numbers, the ratings. We've spoken about the resentment that Caitlyn Clark has been receiving not by most, not by all, but by to be quite honest, too many. If you had your drothers moving forward, looking at the rest of this WNBA season, looking at the state of women's basketball moving forward, what's your wish and what needs to happen in order for your wish to be achieved and fulfilled.
Last word is yours.
What you just said is true.
Seventeen percent, that's five, you know, five of those fowls of thirty two have been on Caitlin Clark. That's where we get the seventeen percent from. And those were earlier.
In the season.
And I think she's passed the physicality test. By the way pace space it will out trump physicality every day of the week, Like when the Mavericks won the championship in twenty eleven and they had Jason Kidd and they were playing Miami and Lebron and no matter how good, how fast, how athletic, how high you jump, you can never catch up with the pace of the ball. And right now, with this team and what's going on, you can't keep up with the pace of the ball. So I think teams have realized, Okay, she didn't cry, she didn't quit, she got up, she shook it off. She hasn't said anything in a press conference. We got to figure out how to garter now. So I think she passed that test. I don't think there'll be a lot more of those. I would hope that some of these players, the stars in the league, do not get hurt because they're very important.
Right.
You're only as good as your star players. Star players have to shine. Role players have to be role players, and that's why we have a team. Everybody has a role that they must play. Coaches, coach and prepare you. But it's a players game. I don't shoot anymore. Go as ascube when I was coaching in Sacramento with the Kings and we had Rondo and Rudy, Ruddy Gay and DeMarcus Cousins. We don't shoot shots. It's a player's game. Players determine probability and outcome. It's the greatest thing you could ever do. The next great thing you coach because you're in the foxhole and you're helping making people better. If you can't do that, you do TV and you hop on the Steven A.
Smith Show.
And I love you and I appreciate you and thank you for having me so much.
The honor has been allmine.
You're such a legend and I can't wait to have you back on on this WNBA Playoffs kickoff, because if I want basketball analysis, I know where the hell to come and get it. Thank you so much, Nancy, really appreciate love you looking great. It's great to see you, and we will definitely talk soon.
Okay, you take care of yourself, you too.
Thank you.
The one and only Nancy Leberman in the Hall of Famer, the great, one of the great, great basketball minds that exist in this world, right here on the Stephen A. Smith Show, over the digital airwaves of YouTube. We got a lot more to get into. Make no mistake about that, because obviously she was right about everything she said. There's no reason for me to debate or to pontificate or open even further than I already have, because Nancy Liberman just did it for you. Okay, I got a lot more stuff to get into. How about some college football? I got to get into that. Stick around, don't touch that dollar, don't turn the channel, don't turn you too.
Okay. I'm live right here or the.
Digital airwaves with YouTube, and of course iHeartRadio and I'm live now. But you know by the time you watch and I might not be live, but damn it, I'm always live because I'm here with you.
Back for more to Steven A. Smith show in a minute.
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Smith Show right here with the digital airwaves with YouTube and of course iHeart radio. Thanks so much again to the wonderful Nancy Liebamth for being on here with us. But it's time for me to get to some quick hitters from the weekend. Starting with the college football season, Brian Kelly and number thirteen LSU suffer the shocking loss to twenty third ranked USC and head coach Lincoln Raleigh. Here's the thing that we have to bring up about Lincoln Riley because see, that's why I want to talk about this right here. We could talk all the stuff that we want about Lincoln Riley and the fact that his defense usually suck.
Okay, because that's the absolute truth, and there's no denying that.
I'm not about to sit here and deny that, But I gotta tell you what shock the living hell out of me was that USC showed up and played some defense. That's what shocked the living hell out of me. Now I get in the LSU for in a second. But when I'm thinking about Lincoln Riley and some of the takeaways that I'm gonna peel from what I saw a transpire watching this game from start to finish last night. This wide receiver Kyron Hudson, I mean he had to catch it a year. He's you know, one would argue with his one handed first half grabbed. That was spectacular. The Cdell Beckham Junior would have been proud, of course. In addition to Hudson, you got Deuce Robinson and Jacobe Lane. They showed off their athleticism as well. Hudson led all Trojan pass catches with eighty three receiving yards. Tight end Lake McRee and wide receiver Zachariah Branch both total fifty six yards through the air. I gotta give credit where credit is due to me. Though it wasn't about USC's offense. It was about their defense. Now in case y'alllynn notice or not. I mean, when you look at usc they were given away forty points like they were.
Giving away a bag of cookies.
Last year, they couldn't stop a damn cold, and they had a lot of people, including my buddy Paul Farnbaumba of the ESBN, saying that this was going to be Lincoln Raley's last year because the man just didn't know what he was doing. So what does what does Lincoln Raley do? He parts with his longtime collaborator Alex Grinch and replaced him with former UCLA defensive coordinator Deanton Lynn. And what happens? Their defense show goes out there and they handle their business. I'm looking at it from that standpoint, and I'm also looking at this quarterback, Miler Morse, because anytime you looking at you at a Lincoln Rally squad, you gotta look at the quarterback because the man has had three of the last seven Heisman Trophy Award winners. Okay, and this cat, Miler Morsse, comes out there last night twenty seven or thirty six, that's seventy five percent of his pass has completed. Three hundred and seventy eight yards. One touchdown is not a single interception, all right. It was a well balanced pass attack. Six Trojans had at least forty five receiving yards. I gotta give credit where credit is due. This brother's got potential. I like what I'm seeing from him. But the biggest thing for me was the defense.
If USC plays.
Defense, things are gonna be very interesting. In a big ten, it's.
Gonna be very interesting.
If they can play some defense, that's a big time win. The same can be said for LSU because Brian Kelly's pounding his chest, his arm and his fist on the desk, frustrated that his team doesn't have a killer instinct and they keep walking around like they want something. They were up seventeen to thirteen, thought they had the game one, et cetera, et cetera.
Well, not so fast. Brian Kelly, who I like.
In respect seven straight years he's won at least ten games. The man can coach, all right, coming from Notre Dame to LSU, the man can coach. But here's the reality of the situation. LSU has now lost five straight season openers, three of them are Kelly oh and three, and also LSU is also one of five in their last six games against ap top twenty five opponents associated Press top twenty five opponents.
What's up with that? This LSU we talking about here?
What the hell is going on? Y'all can't be ready for game one of the season. What's going on on that campus? Let me ask my man Ryan Clark and Swagoo Marcus Spears from my day job on ESPN some of these questions. LSU grads, what the hell is going on at LSU that you can't win openers? I mean, five consecutive opening losses when you LSU in that program. Come on, now, that's unacceptable, That's unacceptable. And so I just want to say that you, Brian Kelly, gotta get together. You gotta get it together because obviously with the SEC being what it is, with you know, Alabama looking the way they look, Georgia, I mean, what do you want me to say?
And speaking of Georgia, let me get to that game against Clemson.
The college transfer of portals started in twenty eighteen, and Clemson head coach Dabos Sweeney has yet to receive one single player from it.
Well.
On Saturday, his team was romped, stamped beat down by Georgia thirty four to three. Okay, it was six to nothing in the first half got outscored twenty eight to three, and the second half led by potential number one overall. Picking the NFL draft quarterback Carson Beck George is no joke because they got a quarterback and they got a defense. They're not the story. We knew what to expect from them. They're elite. We know that I picked them to win the national title personally because I've heard so many great things about this kid Beck, and obviously they've got some weapons, and on the defensive side of the ball, the Kirby smart always has them elite. That's his signature, that's what he does. But let's get to Clemson. I'm starting to get very concerned about Davo Sweeney. I'm starting to wonder about the man. I'm just saying, you know, at some point in time, you gotta do something. You can't continue to struggle the way that Clemson is struggled. Clemson was out gained four hundred and forty seven to one hundred and eighty nine yards. Okay, this is Clemson's total offense. Seventy six yards of total offense, four passing, twenty two russian and two first downs in the first half. That was Clemson they only trailed six to nothing despite that, But think about that, seventy six total yards of offense in the first half, fifty two passing, fifty four passing, twenty two Russian and just two first downs.
That's just embarrassing.
And I've always been a fan of Dabos Sweeney. I've become very fond of him over the years. I went down to visit him a few times when Deshaun Watson was there, then Trevor Lawrence was there. The man won national championships in twenty sixteen, twenty eighteen. They had a four year run that was spectacular, but they ain't been to the playoffs since twenty twenty. They've been a player since twenty twenty. And then to get your ass beat by Georgia the way that they did, I mean, it's not looking good. You can't do anything. Come on, Dabos Sweeney's got a wonderful personality and Clemson is a wonderful looking campus. They got a big time program. How the hell did you not get anybody from the transfer portal. There's only one explanation for that.
Dabbo Sweety.
It's because you don't really want them that bad. Because his pride, his intestinal fortitude, his principled position is compromising his success as a football coach. Lost four games last year. We're not a customer seeing Dabo Sweeny to lose four games in the season. So I'm just looking at them right now. We're not accustomed to see in their office. And by the way, I don't want to hear about their quarterback position. You know why I don't want to hear about their quarterback because where are your receivers? Who are your game breakers? Nobody's getting open. I'm worried about Dabos Sweeney. I'm worried about Dabos Sweeney because I like the man personally, and I don't root against them.
I'm worried about Dabos Sweeney.
I don't know how long he's going to be for this job if he's not willing to adapt to the changing times.
Nick Saben said, I'm retiring.
Mikey Chefsky and basketball basically did the same thing, sir that Roy Williams basketball. At some point in time, we might have to get to a point where we asked Dabbo.
Sweety, is it time? Is it time? Unless he's gonna adapt to the rules and play by the new rules.
Finally, we all know that flopping is an exaggerated action.
During the game to draw attention to a perceived foul.
The flop of the year, however, goes to James Madison's quarterback Alonza Barnett the third during the fourth quarter of sundays thirty to seven season opening win over Charlotte.
Y'all gotta look at this man, y'all gotta check this out.
When pushed after the play, look at Barnett right here after the play, waved his hands in the ears. He was dramatically falling to the ground, flipped over, got up, wildly stumbled back to the ground in an exaggerated fashion. I mean, it was hilarious. A teammate pretended to resuscitate barn that who miraculously recovered and got back up. But here's the bottom line, y'all, it was funny as hell. Now, if the man was an acting class, the thestbian that I am these days myself, I would say, hey, man, you need a few more lessons.
But if you were trying to be a comedian, you damn sure'll pull that off.
Here's the side that's not so funny. When you exaggerate like that, then what's gonna happen is the officials are gonna take it out on you by following up with not giving you the calls you may deserve. Be careful what you wish for, Be careful what you try to provoke. Be careful because it might be cats on the other side of the field that act better than you and might pull it off a little bit better than that.
But it was kind of funny. I will admit that.
Let's go to the tweets before I get on out of here for the day's show, right, because you got a couple of tweets and y'all like to throw them on my direction and I'm always here oblige. So before I get on out of here, let me go this at snell SZN Wright stephen A. Do you prefer a hooded sweatshirt or a crew neck?
And why?
I think as we mature, we find the law of a nice crew neck to be too much to ignore.
I have found myself aging out of hoodies. Yeah, you're right about that.
I mean I am more prone to do it because I'm in better shape than I have been pretty much in the last thirty years. So I think I look relatively decent, and I don't mind the crew neck and all that stuff and short things, and the hood can end up getting in your way because it flops up and down and stuff like that and disrupt your rhythm to some degree. So I mean that might be a reason why I would ignore that. So you might have me there. I will tell you that the crew neck as we mature, you're right, But the.
Hoodies are cool too. The hoodies are cool too. It depends.
It's depending on your style and how you think you look at something. I think that's how you handle that. I like to look good and feel good. I don't just want to feel good. I want to look good too, So depending on how good I feel i'm looking after, I get out the gym looking a little tight, you know, and shape the whole nine. If KU neck iPhone, no, I'm about that. But if I don't feel i'm looking good, I ain't doing it. I go to hoodie route, cover my face a little bit.
You know what I'm saying.
Next week, Let's see what we got here, see what we got in this next week. I can't see who that's from writing me at Chris Riley right, Stephen A. Smith, Who would you be more nervous about stealing your girl? Both in their prime, Doug or Arnold?
That's what I have to be worried about.
First of all, they both have a nose like me, so I guess that may make you say I should be nervous about both of them.
Now.
One is bald headed. Another dude has a hairdoe like my boy Griff. I don't know, I don't know. I mean, you know, I'm just thinking about it, you know. But the one with the ball ted or seemingly with the ball ted, assuming there's a tree behind him, unless that's really his hair, That's why I mean, he looks a bit older, the younger, skinny one with the wild hairdo. I guess you'd have to say it's Arnold. I guess i'd have to say him. But in reality, I'm not fearing anybody, you know. I'm kind of one of those very I wouldn't say cocky, but very very confident dudes. If you don't want me to step aside, there's somebody else who will.
That's how I row, That's how I grow, So I don't walk around with fear.
You instant grass hain't green on the other side, we say it ain't always green on another side. Let me sound a little bit cocky with this. Most of the time it ain't green on the other side. If you're comparing them to me, I got that kind of confidence. Yes, I do when I'm on my game. Now, if I don't want you, I'm not enthused by you. If I'm not incentivized to want you, to please you, or whatever the case you might have me. But if I want you and I'm incentivized to please you, okay, and I'm bringing my a game. I'm one of those dudes that don't believe there's too many people on the planet.
Do's better? So I don't walk around with fear. I just don't.
And oh, by the way, just as in the side, men out number I mean women out number men by an awful lot. I don't know whether it's seventeen to one, twenty one, twenty five to want whatever.
The number was as a late But there's options. If you got a good one, hold onto it.
But if you don't, and you single, you take care of yourself, you're healthy, you're confident.
Fear not, fear not. Trust me.
Last tweet of the show, give it to me what you got at drees abyz or dree z a b z. Right, Hey, Stephen A.
Smith.
My girlfriend is threatening to break up with me because my thoughts are too pungent. I told her that if we were to have a future together, she should get used to it. She's blocked me since, so should I go? Apologize? First of all? Yes, for being an ignorant ass. That might be the dumbest nonsense that ever came out of your mouth. That's just stupid. Like, look, let me let me confess. On occasion, I might pass gas, but I apologize and.
Say, excuse me. You know what I'm saying.
If a girl's around, it's not often you underst what I'm saying, But when it happens, I apologize. I'm sorry, babe, I couldn't get to the bathroom time. I mean, that's it. You don't sit up there and act like she just supposed to take it as normal. And then on top of it all, she said it smells.
Its stinks.
That's bad. You understand there's things that that that you too. You know, you intimate with one another. She don't want to smell you uncomfortably. That's just nancy. How would you feel like it smells her. How would you feel if she did it? At some point in time, man, we got to stop being We got to let go of the machismo and be a bit more delicate, a bit more sensitive, a bit more compromising and reasonable. What if your woman was passing gas and it smelled what you're one of the same.
What you feel as proud, what your beer is enthused and is interested?
Come on, man, so of course you should apologize. Here's my worry for you, here's my worry, here's my concern.
She blocked you now usually out on quote Al.
Kelly, because I thought his ass needed to be under the jail with the stuff he did, and I'm no support of his But now that he in jail way belongs, I can bring him up and people are comfortable with it.
When a woman's fed up, there aint nothing you can do about it. It's the truest thing he said. When a woman is done with your ass.
She done. That's true.
Her coming back and forth when she's not done, but you pushing her off is different. Hers still wanting you, but accepting the fact that you don't want her is different.
But when she says I'm done with your ass, it's a rip. It's a rap.
Because one of two things happen when a woman is done with you. Either she doesn't believe you're good enough and you're worth it anymore, or she's found somebody better, which means you ain't good enough and worth it anymore.
Either way you slice it, you ain't good enough and worthy anymore.
And a usual indication of that is when she blocks your number. She could have simply just hung up and not return your call. No, she blocks you. That means she don't want to hear from you. That relationship might be a rap. My brother, I hope you're good with your farts.
I hope that's keeping you warm at night, because from the looks and the sounds of it, based on your tweet, she damned she ain't gonna be around to do it. You brought it on yourself. You brought it on yourself. That's it for this edition to the Stephen X. Smith Show. Thanks again to the wonderful Nancy Lieberman for coming on the show and breaking down the whole Caitlyn Clark situation, the WNBA Cheryl swoops, and everything in between. Thank you so much to the wonderful Nancy Leberman. For coming on to the show. I hope y'all enjoyed the show. I may have it's not finalized yet, but I may have a special surprise for you for Wednesday's show that I'm bringing to you over the digital airways, YouTube.
And of course iHeartRadio.
A wonderful, wonderful surprise, something that you might not expect. I simply end by asking y'all this question, who's the last person in the world you expect to see sitting across from stephen A.
Smith for a one on one interview?
Think about that, Wrap yourself up in that for a little bit, rap a taste on it, and you'll find out Wednesday. Until then, this is Stephen A signing off peace in love everybody, God bless
