1 00:00:00,400 --> 00:00:05,120 Speaker 1: Wait that ass up in the morning Breakfast Club. Yeah morning, 2 00:00:05,120 --> 00:00:09,360 Speaker 1: everybody's DJ Envy Angela Yee, Charlemagne the guy. We are 3 00:00:09,400 --> 00:00:11,160 Speaker 1: to Breakfast Club. We got a special guests in the 4 00:00:11,160 --> 00:00:14,520 Speaker 1: building to the room, stephen A. Smith. What's up, y'all? 5 00:00:14,560 --> 00:00:18,480 Speaker 1: How y'all doing? How I'm good, bro, I'm good. It's 6 00:00:18,480 --> 00:00:20,880 Speaker 1: been crazy. I've been busy as hell and the nbac's 7 00:00:21,000 --> 00:00:23,120 Speaker 1: is about to jump off too, So it's been crazy. 8 00:00:23,200 --> 00:00:25,079 Speaker 1: But I'm here. I wasn't missing this. Your book is 9 00:00:25,079 --> 00:00:27,880 Speaker 1: available for pre orders. Great shooting. Yeah man, it's gone well. 10 00:00:27,920 --> 00:00:29,600 Speaker 1: And thank you because you was one of the people 11 00:00:29,600 --> 00:00:31,800 Speaker 1: that inspired me as well a lot people both for y'all. 12 00:00:31,840 --> 00:00:33,400 Speaker 1: I mean, I'm proud of y'all with y'all books and 13 00:00:33,440 --> 00:00:35,760 Speaker 1: what y'all have done. But I tell you, um, it 14 00:00:35,800 --> 00:00:37,760 Speaker 1: was a long time coming. I really didn't want to 15 00:00:37,800 --> 00:00:40,839 Speaker 1: do it. Um people have been They would have been 16 00:00:40,840 --> 00:00:43,440 Speaker 1: asking me since ESPN let me go in two thousand 17 00:00:43,440 --> 00:00:45,600 Speaker 1: and nine to write a book, and I didn't want to. 18 00:00:45,680 --> 00:00:47,400 Speaker 1: I didn't want to because I always said if I 19 00:00:47,400 --> 00:00:49,600 Speaker 1: wrote a book, you know, I got to be straight 20 00:00:49,680 --> 00:00:51,640 Speaker 1: up about you know, just my life and kind of 21 00:00:51,640 --> 00:00:53,320 Speaker 1: the things that the kind of things I had to 22 00:00:53,360 --> 00:00:55,920 Speaker 1: go through on a personal level. And then my mother 23 00:00:56,000 --> 00:00:58,640 Speaker 1: got rest us. So before she passed away in twenty seventeen, 24 00:00:58,680 --> 00:01:01,440 Speaker 1: she had always made me promise us don't ever write 25 00:01:01,440 --> 00:01:04,959 Speaker 1: a book until I pass away, because she knew that 26 00:01:05,000 --> 00:01:06,720 Speaker 1: I was going to talk about, you know, some of 27 00:01:06,760 --> 00:01:09,080 Speaker 1: the relationships that I had grown up with Pops and 28 00:01:09,120 --> 00:01:11,040 Speaker 1: others in my family and stuff like that, and she 29 00:01:11,120 --> 00:01:13,160 Speaker 1: knew I was gonna do that, and she did not 30 00:01:13,200 --> 00:01:15,080 Speaker 1: want me to do that while she was alive. She said, 31 00:01:15,080 --> 00:01:17,000 Speaker 1: you go and do it. I'm just asking you for 32 00:01:17,120 --> 00:01:19,600 Speaker 1: one favor. Don't do it until I pass away. So 33 00:01:19,640 --> 00:01:21,479 Speaker 1: I had waited all of those years, and then even 34 00:01:21,520 --> 00:01:25,120 Speaker 1: after I wasn't gonna do it, and then my sisters 35 00:01:25,160 --> 00:01:27,600 Speaker 1: reminded me, Hey, go ahead and do it. Go ahead, 36 00:01:27,640 --> 00:01:31,119 Speaker 1: guy got folded. They said, it's time. Why now, Because 37 00:01:31,120 --> 00:01:33,360 Speaker 1: you've always been like a private person personally. Yeah, I 38 00:01:33,360 --> 00:01:35,280 Speaker 1: still am, I just believe it or not. I still am. 39 00:01:35,360 --> 00:01:37,000 Speaker 1: But there's a lot to tell. There's a lot to 40 00:01:37,040 --> 00:01:38,560 Speaker 1: tell in terms of the path that I had to 41 00:01:38,600 --> 00:01:41,240 Speaker 1: travel to get to where I am. And so you 42 00:01:41,280 --> 00:01:42,760 Speaker 1: tell some of those stories and you try to be 43 00:01:42,800 --> 00:01:45,360 Speaker 1: inspirational as y'all have done with y'all book and whatever. 44 00:01:45,400 --> 00:01:47,200 Speaker 1: You know, you tell people, you know, you don't tell 45 00:01:47,280 --> 00:01:49,640 Speaker 1: them every single little nugget about your life, but you 46 00:01:49,680 --> 00:01:51,440 Speaker 1: tell a lot, and you tell a lot with the 47 00:01:51,480 --> 00:01:55,360 Speaker 1: Golden Mina or being constructive and being inspirational and just 48 00:01:55,360 --> 00:01:57,200 Speaker 1: trying to let people know, Look, you ain't the only 49 00:01:57,240 --> 00:01:59,040 Speaker 1: person have been through stuff. It's a whole bunch of 50 00:01:59,080 --> 00:02:01,040 Speaker 1: us have been through stuff. And we walked through that 51 00:02:01,160 --> 00:02:03,440 Speaker 1: terrain and we carried ourselves on through and we through 52 00:02:03,480 --> 00:02:04,880 Speaker 1: the grace of God and a lot of help from 53 00:02:04,880 --> 00:02:06,960 Speaker 1: a lot of people, we were able to pull it off. 54 00:02:07,000 --> 00:02:09,519 Speaker 1: So you can't too. And that's basically what you're doing. 55 00:02:09,520 --> 00:02:12,519 Speaker 1: You're being You're trying to be as motivational and inspirational 56 00:02:12,560 --> 00:02:14,519 Speaker 1: as you possibly can. But in the same breath, in 57 00:02:14,639 --> 00:02:16,480 Speaker 1: order to do that, you got to be real. And 58 00:02:16,520 --> 00:02:18,800 Speaker 1: so I just said, hey, I'm just gonna do it. 59 00:02:18,840 --> 00:02:20,239 Speaker 1: Did you know what you wanted to do as a kid? 60 00:02:20,639 --> 00:02:23,640 Speaker 1: You know what I always I grew up idolizing Howard 61 00:02:23,680 --> 00:02:28,080 Speaker 1: Cosell and be primarily because of Muhammad Ali and his 62 00:02:28,160 --> 00:02:30,960 Speaker 1: relationship with Muhammad Ali and then Brian Gumble, because I 63 00:02:30,960 --> 00:02:33,160 Speaker 1: saw him doing everything. You know, it was like it 64 00:02:33,240 --> 00:02:34,920 Speaker 1: was the Today's Show. It was he used to do 65 00:02:35,040 --> 00:02:37,760 Speaker 1: NFL ONC. I mean, the Olypics, he did everything, and 66 00:02:37,800 --> 00:02:40,320 Speaker 1: so I grew up idolizing them, and I had fantasized 67 00:02:40,360 --> 00:02:44,320 Speaker 1: about that. But I also I always fantasized about being 68 00:02:44,320 --> 00:02:50,280 Speaker 1: a criminal lawyer. And this is before I mean I 69 00:02:50,360 --> 00:02:52,440 Speaker 1: literally did. But you know, I'm in, I'm in the 70 00:02:52,520 --> 00:02:54,600 Speaker 1: I'm in I'm in the fourth grade, and I'm getting 71 00:02:54,680 --> 00:02:59,520 Speaker 1: left back because I got on dig undiagnosed dyslexa dyslexa, 72 00:02:59,560 --> 00:03:02,400 Speaker 1: and I'm saying, hey, you know what, ain't away I'm 73 00:03:02,400 --> 00:03:04,360 Speaker 1: going to law school. I'm thinking, like, hell no, ain't 74 00:03:04,360 --> 00:03:07,200 Speaker 1: doing that. But I mean I grew up watching Perry 75 00:03:07,240 --> 00:03:10,560 Speaker 1: Mason and Mad Logging, this four, Law and Order, all 76 00:03:10,600 --> 00:03:13,360 Speaker 1: of those crime shows that anything that had the courtroom 77 00:03:13,400 --> 00:03:16,440 Speaker 1: in it I fantasized about. So I always said, you 78 00:03:16,480 --> 00:03:18,040 Speaker 1: put me in a courtron, no where in hell you're 79 00:03:18,040 --> 00:03:20,640 Speaker 1: gonna convince me. I'm gonna lose out on convincing twelve 80 00:03:20,720 --> 00:03:23,560 Speaker 1: jurors to see my way. And I always believe that. 81 00:03:23,600 --> 00:03:26,640 Speaker 1: But then the journalism came and all of a sudden 82 00:03:26,880 --> 00:03:30,280 Speaker 1: it just blew up unexpectedly because even though later earlier 83 00:03:30,280 --> 00:03:32,360 Speaker 1: on in my life, I didn't have that confidence. Later 84 00:03:32,440 --> 00:03:34,760 Speaker 1: on I did. And when I had that confidence, I 85 00:03:34,800 --> 00:03:37,720 Speaker 1: was ready to do it. But then this journalism took off, 86 00:03:37,760 --> 00:03:40,480 Speaker 1: and I was like, when you know I'm doing quite well, 87 00:03:40,560 --> 00:03:42,600 Speaker 1: let me stick with this. How'd you overcome to Dyslexiao, 88 00:03:42,640 --> 00:03:45,000 Speaker 1: because you're one of the most articulate people speaking on 89 00:03:45,040 --> 00:03:49,160 Speaker 1: television today. My older sister, Linda, she was a teacher 90 00:03:49,200 --> 00:03:51,920 Speaker 1: back the day. My sister Carmen is a teacher now, 91 00:03:52,080 --> 00:03:55,360 Speaker 1: my sister Abbey Gills and the education system as a superintendent. 92 00:03:55,640 --> 00:04:01,360 Speaker 1: But Linda was a teacher. And Linda literally taught me 93 00:04:01,720 --> 00:04:04,840 Speaker 1: how to read and write and and one of my 94 00:04:04,880 --> 00:04:07,680 Speaker 1: best friends growing up, his name was Ronnie. His big brother, 95 00:04:07,760 --> 00:04:10,720 Speaker 1: Tiver was also brilliant. So whenever I was over his house, 96 00:04:10,760 --> 00:04:13,080 Speaker 1: Tiver was a brilliant dude, and he would teach me 97 00:04:13,120 --> 00:04:14,840 Speaker 1: how to read. And then I come home to Linda, 98 00:04:14,920 --> 00:04:16,840 Speaker 1: and Linda would sit me down four or five days 99 00:04:17,080 --> 00:04:19,560 Speaker 1: she said, we're gonna overcome this, and you know, she 100 00:04:19,600 --> 00:04:21,000 Speaker 1: would teach me how to read it right. And then 101 00:04:21,040 --> 00:04:23,560 Speaker 1: in the seventh grade, I had a teacher that told 102 00:04:23,600 --> 00:04:25,680 Speaker 1: my mother during the parent teachers night, he said he 103 00:04:25,720 --> 00:04:28,280 Speaker 1: ain't stupid, not at all, she said. He's not focused. 104 00:04:28,320 --> 00:04:31,640 Speaker 1: He drifts, he doesn't focus and concentrate on things that 105 00:04:31,680 --> 00:04:35,159 Speaker 1: bore him. But when he's when he's interested in something, 106 00:04:35,240 --> 00:04:38,599 Speaker 1: he's locked in and he don't miss anything. When he's 107 00:04:38,640 --> 00:04:41,200 Speaker 1: like that, fine, what he's interested in and watch what 108 00:04:41,279 --> 00:04:43,400 Speaker 1: you had watched? Many times do you argue with your 109 00:04:43,400 --> 00:04:45,560 Speaker 1: sisters like how was your house growing up? Because you 110 00:04:45,680 --> 00:04:51,080 Speaker 1: like to argue. But here's the deal, here's the reason why. 111 00:04:51,720 --> 00:04:54,960 Speaker 1: Because I wasn't allowed to growing up. I got four 112 00:04:55,000 --> 00:04:59,200 Speaker 1: older sisters. Bro shut the hell up. Then that's that's 113 00:04:59,200 --> 00:05:01,679 Speaker 1: on the regular. So you know, you got four women. 114 00:05:01,760 --> 00:05:04,240 Speaker 1: And it's like, I remember the scariest moment in my 115 00:05:04,279 --> 00:05:07,200 Speaker 1: adult life because it's related to your question. I had 116 00:05:07,240 --> 00:05:11,599 Speaker 1: to go on the View right after the Tiger stuff 117 00:05:11,600 --> 00:05:15,240 Speaker 1: came out, and I was like, cool, So problem is, Peter, 118 00:05:15,400 --> 00:05:17,239 Speaker 1: let me go. It was you know, I had gotten 119 00:05:17,279 --> 00:05:20,200 Speaker 1: the Fox Sports Radio. They asked me to come on 120 00:05:20,279 --> 00:05:22,120 Speaker 1: the View. I said fine, and I walked in the 121 00:05:22,160 --> 00:05:26,240 Speaker 1: studio and it's Barbara Walters there. It's Barbara Walters, Joy, 122 00:05:26,480 --> 00:05:30,120 Speaker 1: Joey Bayhard and Elizabeth Hasselback. All this back in those days, Okay, 123 00:05:30,279 --> 00:05:32,240 Speaker 1: and I walked in. You got these four women on 124 00:05:32,240 --> 00:05:36,159 Speaker 1: the set. That's cool, But the audience was like stadium 125 00:05:36,160 --> 00:05:39,280 Speaker 1: seeing and it looked like they right on top of you, right, 126 00:05:39,560 --> 00:05:44,240 Speaker 1: And I was the only man in the entire studio, right, 127 00:05:44,360 --> 00:05:47,120 Speaker 1: There wasn't a male in sight. That I was the 128 00:05:47,120 --> 00:05:51,080 Speaker 1: only spec of testosterone. It was it was like, I said, oh, 129 00:05:51,600 --> 00:05:53,320 Speaker 1: how'd you want the hell about that? But the end 130 00:05:53,360 --> 00:05:56,200 Speaker 1: then they was asking me about Tiger and I was like, well, 131 00:05:56,240 --> 00:05:59,840 Speaker 1: you know, I'm trying to what are you saying I 132 00:06:02,560 --> 00:06:05,440 Speaker 1: got myself into you know? To me? And it was 133 00:06:05,440 --> 00:06:08,200 Speaker 1: like but then I remember, I grew up around this. 134 00:06:08,680 --> 00:06:10,640 Speaker 1: I grew up around this. I knew how to handle it. 135 00:06:10,640 --> 00:06:12,960 Speaker 1: And if it wasn't for my upbringing, what my fault 136 00:06:12,960 --> 00:06:15,400 Speaker 1: older sisters and my mother. There's five women telling me 137 00:06:15,440 --> 00:06:17,000 Speaker 1: what to do. Shut the hell up when we tell 138 00:06:17,040 --> 00:06:20,599 Speaker 1: you to shut the hell up. The subject in that 139 00:06:20,640 --> 00:06:22,400 Speaker 1: position too, because I feel like a lot of times 140 00:06:22,440 --> 00:06:24,480 Speaker 1: as women, especially in sports, you see a lot of 141 00:06:24,480 --> 00:06:26,919 Speaker 1: women who might be the only woman, yeah in the room, 142 00:06:27,000 --> 00:06:30,000 Speaker 1: And so I love the reverse when that happened. We don't, 143 00:06:30,320 --> 00:06:33,520 Speaker 1: we don't. It's scary. It's scary as scary as hell. 144 00:06:33,760 --> 00:06:36,680 Speaker 1: I mean, to this day, that is the scariest moment 145 00:06:36,680 --> 00:06:38,640 Speaker 1: in my career because you gotta remember typing out of 146 00:06:38,720 --> 00:06:41,119 Speaker 1: some stuff now and I'm like, I'm walking in this studio. 147 00:06:41,160 --> 00:06:45,400 Speaker 1: I'm like, there's nothing I can say. I mean, I 148 00:06:45,400 --> 00:06:47,479 Speaker 1: got to figure out a way. And they were just 149 00:06:47,640 --> 00:06:50,160 Speaker 1: looking at me like you even uttered the room syllable 150 00:06:50,200 --> 00:06:52,960 Speaker 1: We're gonna be on you, And I was like, that's interesting, 151 00:06:53,040 --> 00:06:55,120 Speaker 1: especially with like the Ema Joker stuff happening now and 152 00:06:55,200 --> 00:06:57,960 Speaker 1: seeing Shacks say, I don't want to weigh in and 153 00:06:58,200 --> 00:07:00,480 Speaker 1: criticize this because I've been through the things that I've 154 00:07:00,520 --> 00:07:02,320 Speaker 1: been through, So you don't want to be a hypocrite. Well, 155 00:07:02,320 --> 00:07:03,680 Speaker 1: you don't want to be a hypocrite. But in the 156 00:07:03,720 --> 00:07:05,480 Speaker 1: same breath, if you're sitting in that chair and all 157 00:07:05,480 --> 00:07:07,080 Speaker 1: of y'all can relate to this with the great show 158 00:07:07,120 --> 00:07:08,800 Speaker 1: y'all have been doing for years, you gotta call it 159 00:07:08,800 --> 00:07:10,240 Speaker 1: like you see it. And what we gotta do is 160 00:07:10,240 --> 00:07:13,600 Speaker 1: we gotta be careful. You can talk about an incident 161 00:07:14,040 --> 00:07:18,160 Speaker 1: without talking about the person. And this is what listen. 162 00:07:18,240 --> 00:07:21,400 Speaker 1: You know how many people disagree with me every day. 163 00:07:21,440 --> 00:07:25,440 Speaker 1: I have no issue with you attacking what I say 164 00:07:25,760 --> 00:07:30,440 Speaker 1: or what situation I've addressed. That's entirely different than attacking me. 165 00:07:30,600 --> 00:07:34,040 Speaker 1: I can. I can compartmentalize. And if you're sitting in 166 00:07:34,080 --> 00:07:36,200 Speaker 1: that chair, you know I told shout, bro, you can 167 00:07:36,400 --> 00:07:38,880 Speaker 1: avoid it all you want to T and T coming up, Bro, 168 00:07:38,960 --> 00:07:41,200 Speaker 1: season get ready to start, You're gonna have to avoid it. 169 00:07:41,240 --> 00:07:42,920 Speaker 1: You're gonna have to talk about it at some point. 170 00:07:43,200 --> 00:07:45,440 Speaker 1: I definitely told them that. And so for me, you're 171 00:07:45,480 --> 00:07:47,600 Speaker 1: dan right. I touched on it, but I touched on 172 00:07:47,640 --> 00:07:50,200 Speaker 1: it from a different angle. There's no excuse for him 173 00:07:50,240 --> 00:07:52,400 Speaker 1: to find himself in that position that he was in. 174 00:07:52,960 --> 00:07:56,480 Speaker 1: But my position, religiously was it's none of our business. 175 00:07:56,640 --> 00:07:59,400 Speaker 1: There's no reason on earth that you can justify to 176 00:07:59,480 --> 00:08:02,440 Speaker 1: me why the Boston Celtics had that press conference while 177 00:08:02,440 --> 00:08:06,520 Speaker 1: we're having this discussion. That was an h R matter. 178 00:08:08,040 --> 00:08:11,240 Speaker 1: I've been covering sports fromas thirty years. I'm telling you 179 00:08:11,360 --> 00:08:16,360 Speaker 1: every year the stories like this. Every year, you don't 180 00:08:16,400 --> 00:08:18,640 Speaker 1: see it being discussed. You hear about the Can't getting fired, 181 00:08:18,800 --> 00:08:21,160 Speaker 1: and you hear rumors as to why, but you don't 182 00:08:21,280 --> 00:08:25,160 Speaker 1: know it's not validated by the organization. And then you know, 183 00:08:25,240 --> 00:08:27,120 Speaker 1: I took it a step further and I mentioned this 184 00:08:27,200 --> 00:08:31,520 Speaker 1: blackness only from this perspective, you kept him, You retained him, 185 00:08:31,520 --> 00:08:34,079 Speaker 1: You didn't fire him. That means no one has the 186 00:08:34,160 --> 00:08:37,840 Speaker 1: right to come and get him. You suspended him, but 187 00:08:37,920 --> 00:08:40,040 Speaker 1: it was indefinite. You said, I'm gonna suspend you for 188 00:08:40,080 --> 00:08:42,360 Speaker 1: a year, but then after the year, we're gonna we're 189 00:08:42,360 --> 00:08:44,960 Speaker 1: gonna look into it. I mean, that's bs all right. 190 00:08:45,360 --> 00:08:47,600 Speaker 1: You probably docked half his pay, because that's what my 191 00:08:47,640 --> 00:08:50,000 Speaker 1: source has told me. You docked half his pay, And 192 00:08:50,040 --> 00:08:54,800 Speaker 1: I'm like, so he doesn't he can't work, he can't 193 00:08:54,800 --> 00:08:59,880 Speaker 1: go elsewhere. You docked half his pay. His futures are 194 00:09:00,120 --> 00:09:04,280 Speaker 1: in arms, and you publicized his personal business because the 195 00:09:04,360 --> 00:09:09,160 Speaker 1: press release, I mean, I'm sorry, the report said consensual relationship. 196 00:09:09,880 --> 00:09:13,000 Speaker 1: Now you might have violate the organizational policy and all that, 197 00:09:13,240 --> 00:09:18,600 Speaker 1: but it said so essentially, all of this has happened 198 00:09:19,240 --> 00:09:22,560 Speaker 1: because of a consensual relationship. Now we don't know her status, 199 00:09:22,600 --> 00:09:24,840 Speaker 1: and even if we did, we can't say because you know, 200 00:09:24,960 --> 00:09:27,319 Speaker 1: they haven't revealed that information. You know, you can get 201 00:09:27,320 --> 00:09:29,120 Speaker 1: sued for stuff like that. But here's what I know 202 00:09:29,200 --> 00:09:33,440 Speaker 1: about him. He ain't married, and it was a consensual relationship, 203 00:09:33,480 --> 00:09:36,640 Speaker 1: according to y'all. Think do you think we'll ever get 204 00:09:36,640 --> 00:09:40,560 Speaker 1: the full story. Hell yeah, you can't. Not just that 205 00:09:40,640 --> 00:09:44,520 Speaker 1: you can't do what you did with this man, and 206 00:09:44,559 --> 00:09:46,720 Speaker 1: there's not going to be an uproar at some point. 207 00:09:46,760 --> 00:09:48,480 Speaker 1: And I said it, and then people was getting on 208 00:09:48,520 --> 00:09:50,240 Speaker 1: me about that. I said, I know plenty of white 209 00:09:50,320 --> 00:09:54,360 Speaker 1: dudes that's that, that's screwing around in the office in sports. 210 00:09:55,080 --> 00:09:57,160 Speaker 1: This stuff wasn't public So I know at least three 211 00:09:57,240 --> 00:10:00,400 Speaker 1: dudes personally that got fired because of them. It was 212 00:10:00,480 --> 00:10:04,480 Speaker 1: never publicized. We heard about it, but it was never publicized. 213 00:10:04,559 --> 00:10:06,920 Speaker 1: And guess why, because they're working for another team now, 214 00:10:08,080 --> 00:10:10,280 Speaker 1: not in that capacity that they were. It might have 215 00:10:10,320 --> 00:10:12,880 Speaker 1: been on the lower level, but they still are employed 216 00:10:13,400 --> 00:10:17,760 Speaker 1: in the same and with the same brand. Because why 217 00:10:17,880 --> 00:10:20,120 Speaker 1: it wasn't publicized or put out on front streat like 218 00:10:20,160 --> 00:10:23,480 Speaker 1: they say something that sure, he's not married, that's right, 219 00:10:23,559 --> 00:10:27,560 Speaker 1: that's right. Allegedly one of the women are. Why are 220 00:10:27,559 --> 00:10:30,079 Speaker 1: they attacking him so much for the rest if it's 221 00:10:30,080 --> 00:10:35,640 Speaker 1: an organizational policy, why the woman's name is Listen, we 222 00:10:35,679 --> 00:10:38,240 Speaker 1: totally agree. I'm not gonna sit up here in front 223 00:10:38,240 --> 00:10:40,840 Speaker 1: and act like we disagree. What I'm saying is in 224 00:10:40,920 --> 00:10:44,240 Speaker 1: the interest of making sure that all our eyes. I 225 00:10:44,360 --> 00:10:47,000 Speaker 1: dieded in teas across and we don't have folks coming 226 00:10:47,040 --> 00:10:49,240 Speaker 1: at us talking about why why why are we trying 227 00:10:49,280 --> 00:10:51,679 Speaker 1: to make somebody else the victim. All I'm saying is 228 00:10:52,120 --> 00:10:56,840 Speaker 1: it's always private. We've never heard the details you heard 229 00:10:56,880 --> 00:10:59,920 Speaker 1: they got fired. You could speculate as to why buy 230 00:11:00,000 --> 00:11:03,840 Speaker 1: because it's not known. Another team has no problem bringing 231 00:11:03,880 --> 00:11:07,720 Speaker 1: you on board and employing you because that's never been confirmed. 232 00:11:07,880 --> 00:11:11,440 Speaker 1: By having the press conference, you confirmed the stuff that 233 00:11:11,520 --> 00:11:14,719 Speaker 1: was put out there about him. You said nothing about her, 234 00:11:14,840 --> 00:11:17,000 Speaker 1: And I'm not saying to put her on front street. 235 00:11:17,200 --> 00:11:19,679 Speaker 1: I'm saying he shouldn't have been talked about. Let him 236 00:11:19,760 --> 00:11:23,320 Speaker 1: go or keep him, but keep the matter in house. 237 00:11:23,640 --> 00:11:26,320 Speaker 1: They didn't do that because they wanted to suspend him 238 00:11:26,360 --> 00:11:28,880 Speaker 1: and make an example of him. And it could have been, 239 00:11:29,160 --> 00:11:31,679 Speaker 1: you know, enforced by somebody else. But the bottom line 240 00:11:31,400 --> 00:11:34,120 Speaker 1: is it was wrong. Do you think because he was black? Well, 241 00:11:34,160 --> 00:11:36,040 Speaker 1: I think that part to me. I I'm not gonna 242 00:11:36,040 --> 00:11:38,600 Speaker 1: go that far, but I will say this, I haven't 243 00:11:38,640 --> 00:11:41,240 Speaker 1: seen it happen to any white boys. I'm gonna tell 244 00:11:41,280 --> 00:11:43,240 Speaker 1: it like that. I haven't seen it, and I said it. 245 00:11:43,280 --> 00:11:45,600 Speaker 1: I said it on National Toughic I ain't see anybody, 246 00:11:45,679 --> 00:11:48,400 Speaker 1: and everybody. Everybody backed up because they know I've covered 247 00:11:48,400 --> 00:11:52,360 Speaker 1: this league and I've covered professional sports for a quarter century. 248 00:11:52,559 --> 00:11:55,080 Speaker 1: And I went on national television and I said, I 249 00:11:55,120 --> 00:11:57,360 Speaker 1: know plenty of white boys that's been doing their thing 250 00:11:57,960 --> 00:12:00,920 Speaker 1: in the office. Nobody said it anything we didn't know, 251 00:12:01,760 --> 00:12:03,959 Speaker 1: and they and everybody backed up because they know I'm 252 00:12:04,000 --> 00:12:06,920 Speaker 1: telling the truth. It's just the truth, and it's it's 253 00:12:07,000 --> 00:12:09,920 Speaker 1: jacked up to that. Listen, he ain't perfect and whatever 254 00:12:10,240 --> 00:12:12,360 Speaker 1: he had coming to him, if the organization they had 255 00:12:12,400 --> 00:12:14,080 Speaker 1: courts to fire him now because I heard that he 256 00:12:14,120 --> 00:12:17,040 Speaker 1: obviously violated the organization of policy. And then plus he 257 00:12:17,160 --> 00:12:19,719 Speaker 1: lied initially won approach. So now you got cause you 258 00:12:19,800 --> 00:12:22,480 Speaker 1: got him debt the rights. Okay, you can't defend him. 259 00:12:22,520 --> 00:12:24,120 Speaker 1: If they wanted to let them go, they could let 260 00:12:24,160 --> 00:12:27,560 Speaker 1: them go, but then let him go. Don't hold them 261 00:12:27,960 --> 00:12:30,199 Speaker 1: and keep him from working and keep him from going 262 00:12:30,240 --> 00:12:33,440 Speaker 1: someplace else to work. You have ruined this man's career 263 00:12:34,160 --> 00:12:38,120 Speaker 1: because of a consensual relationship. Ain't nothing right about that man. 264 00:12:38,160 --> 00:12:40,080 Speaker 1: And then, to me, that's the point that everybody's missing. 265 00:12:40,160 --> 00:12:43,359 Speaker 1: To your point, that's that's a great point. Clearly, they're 266 00:12:42,800 --> 00:12:46,920 Speaker 1: protecting some one person in this situation, which absolutely him. 267 00:12:46,960 --> 00:12:49,280 Speaker 1: It's just like, go delify him, play much right, that's right, 268 00:12:49,280 --> 00:12:51,280 Speaker 1: throw him out to pasture, and and and black man. 269 00:12:51,360 --> 00:12:53,320 Speaker 1: We know about that all too well. So people are 270 00:12:53,320 --> 00:12:55,400 Speaker 1: gonna sit up there and say, Steve and A's trying 271 00:12:55,400 --> 00:12:57,400 Speaker 1: to make it a race issue. Actually know you made 272 00:12:57,400 --> 00:12:59,440 Speaker 1: it a race issue by how you elected to handle this. 273 00:12:59,520 --> 00:13:02,720 Speaker 1: All I said was I said, fire him or keep him. 274 00:13:02,960 --> 00:13:05,600 Speaker 1: But you don't do this because you've never done it 275 00:13:05,640 --> 00:13:08,240 Speaker 1: to anybody else. So why is the first example of 276 00:13:08,320 --> 00:13:10,080 Speaker 1: black man? I got a problem with that. What do 277 00:13:10,080 --> 00:13:12,920 Speaker 1: you think about Matt barnes comments, Because I wondered from 278 00:13:12,920 --> 00:13:16,120 Speaker 1: an og journalism perspective, looking at the new media as 279 00:13:16,160 --> 00:13:18,480 Speaker 1: they called it, what do you think his comments? He'll 280 00:13:18,520 --> 00:13:21,880 Speaker 1: never work again, he thinks if they listen, if the 281 00:13:21,960 --> 00:13:24,440 Speaker 1: full he might be right. He might be right about that. 282 00:13:24,480 --> 00:13:27,679 Speaker 1: He's not wrong. And I think that in Matt Barnes case, 283 00:13:27,720 --> 00:13:30,160 Speaker 1: who's a good brother, by the way, he's real good brother. 284 00:13:30,520 --> 00:13:33,640 Speaker 1: I think with him, here's the issue. I think he 285 00:13:33,840 --> 00:13:37,480 Speaker 1: felt uncomfortable with the ledge he went out on. It 286 00:13:37,520 --> 00:13:40,640 Speaker 1: wasn't so much the story itself, but the things he 287 00:13:40,800 --> 00:13:43,520 Speaker 1: said initially and sometimes you find yourself in that situation 288 00:13:43,559 --> 00:13:46,040 Speaker 1: where you might know all the facts, but you went 289 00:13:46,200 --> 00:13:48,680 Speaker 1: too far out. It's saying what you said and you 290 00:13:48,760 --> 00:13:51,679 Speaker 1: got a backtrack and people are thinking that you're backtracking 291 00:13:51,720 --> 00:13:54,840 Speaker 1: totally because you went out too far. I didn't go 292 00:13:54,880 --> 00:13:57,640 Speaker 1: out too far. I said exactly what I meant. I 293 00:13:57,720 --> 00:13:59,760 Speaker 1: said it a week and a half ago. Damn it, 294 00:13:59,800 --> 00:14:02,640 Speaker 1: I'm saying the same thing now because I know that 295 00:14:02,679 --> 00:14:04,880 Speaker 1: the story is going is gonna percolate, it's going to 296 00:14:04,960 --> 00:14:07,760 Speaker 1: develop even more. We're gonna hear more details coming out 297 00:14:07,760 --> 00:14:09,480 Speaker 1: of it, and I'll be front. I mean, listen, I'm 298 00:14:09,520 --> 00:14:11,320 Speaker 1: not gonna front with you and act like we didn't 299 00:14:11,400 --> 00:14:13,120 Speaker 1: hear what's going on and we don't know. I mean, 300 00:14:13,240 --> 00:14:16,040 Speaker 1: there's a lot of details that I know that I 301 00:14:16,120 --> 00:14:19,760 Speaker 1: cannot say because for legal issues and what have you, 302 00:14:19,760 --> 00:14:21,880 Speaker 1: you just can't do that. But trust me when I 303 00:14:21,960 --> 00:14:24,200 Speaker 1: tell you it comes from a place of knowledge. I 304 00:14:24,280 --> 00:14:26,040 Speaker 1: know what the hell I'm talking about, and I know 305 00:14:26,080 --> 00:14:29,160 Speaker 1: how screwed over he's gotten in all this. He ain't innocent, 306 00:14:29,280 --> 00:14:32,400 Speaker 1: and if he got fired, he would have deserved it, period. 307 00:14:32,760 --> 00:14:35,880 Speaker 1: But you didn't have to do that. Him getting fired 308 00:14:36,000 --> 00:14:39,680 Speaker 1: is one thing you publicize in his business like that 309 00:14:40,240 --> 00:14:43,800 Speaker 1: is an entirely different matter altogether. He'd have lost his 310 00:14:43,880 --> 00:14:46,160 Speaker 1: job with the bosson Celtics. If you handled it correctly 311 00:14:46,520 --> 00:14:49,880 Speaker 1: in this instance, you might have ended his career as 312 00:14:49,920 --> 00:14:52,000 Speaker 1: a head coach, and as a rookie head coach. He 313 00:14:52,080 --> 00:14:54,840 Speaker 1: did what the president of basketball operations couldn't do in 314 00:14:54,880 --> 00:14:57,680 Speaker 1: seven years. He took these brothers to the NBA finals 315 00:14:57,880 --> 00:15:02,280 Speaker 1: in year one, year one and this, and this is 316 00:15:02,320 --> 00:15:03,880 Speaker 1: the other part that y'all got to know about it. 317 00:15:04,520 --> 00:15:06,560 Speaker 1: He's making about three million, three three to three and 318 00:15:06,560 --> 00:15:10,720 Speaker 1: a half million dollars. Had he had another successful season 319 00:15:10,800 --> 00:15:12,800 Speaker 1: and I'm not talking finals, he could have got them 320 00:15:12,800 --> 00:15:15,960 Speaker 1: to the conference finals whatever. He's in a position next 321 00:15:15,960 --> 00:15:20,440 Speaker 1: summer to negotiate a contract that's paying him at least 322 00:15:20,600 --> 00:15:23,880 Speaker 1: triple at least nine million today's NBA company at least 323 00:15:23,960 --> 00:15:25,840 Speaker 1: nine to ten million dollars. That's to go on rate 324 00:15:25,920 --> 00:15:28,240 Speaker 1: for a lot of these brothers are right. So now 325 00:15:29,080 --> 00:15:32,600 Speaker 1: you've squashed that because what leveraging position does he have. 326 00:15:33,200 --> 00:15:35,880 Speaker 1: He can't come to you and negotiate a deal that's 327 00:15:35,880 --> 00:15:39,640 Speaker 1: gonna get him a raise next year. You've stripped him 328 00:15:39,680 --> 00:15:46,200 Speaker 1: of everything because of a consensual relationship. I don't know 329 00:15:46,240 --> 00:15:48,960 Speaker 1: if it was personal. I know that it was handled 330 00:15:48,960 --> 00:15:51,720 Speaker 1: in a way that I don't think enough people are 331 00:15:51,760 --> 00:15:56,400 Speaker 1: breaking attention to. It's an HR matter, y'all. It's an 332 00:15:56,600 --> 00:15:59,320 Speaker 1: HR matter. If it happened with one of y'all, if 333 00:15:59,320 --> 00:16:01,040 Speaker 1: it happened with me, if it happened to anybody, it's 334 00:16:01,080 --> 00:16:03,920 Speaker 1: none of our business. Man, it's an internal matter. Now, 335 00:16:03,960 --> 00:16:06,760 Speaker 1: if it's not, if it's not consensual and you're talking 336 00:16:06,800 --> 00:16:09,600 Speaker 1: about something else, sexual assault, rape, something like, that's a 337 00:16:09,600 --> 00:16:12,320 Speaker 1: different matter. You're breaking the laws. But if it's legal 338 00:16:12,760 --> 00:16:16,080 Speaker 1: and consensual, it's none of our business. That's why we 339 00:16:16,120 --> 00:16:19,200 Speaker 1: got to have another conversation about the power of self control. 340 00:16:19,520 --> 00:16:22,800 Speaker 1: Brothers got to learn discipline. Like, there's certain situations you 341 00:16:22,800 --> 00:16:25,400 Speaker 1: just shouldn't put yourself into, and that's one of them. 342 00:16:25,400 --> 00:16:28,200 Speaker 1: That's right, which is why I say, if they fired him, 343 00:16:28,200 --> 00:16:30,240 Speaker 1: I wouldn't have said the word you put yourself in 344 00:16:30,240 --> 00:16:32,360 Speaker 1: that position? What are you doing? What are you doing? 345 00:16:32,440 --> 00:16:36,200 Speaker 1: You you're you're a rookie head coach. You just got there, okay, 346 00:16:36,320 --> 00:16:40,080 Speaker 1: and you find yourself in this position. There's no excuse. Now, listen, 347 00:16:40,720 --> 00:16:42,800 Speaker 1: from the beginning of the time, men have had problem 348 00:16:42,880 --> 00:16:47,120 Speaker 1: resisting women. I mean, I mean from Adam and Eve 349 00:16:47,160 --> 00:16:50,640 Speaker 1: for crying out lot. It's very very predictable. That's why 350 00:16:56,120 --> 00:16:59,400 Speaker 1: a little bit like what she's like. I mean, I 351 00:16:59,400 --> 00:17:02,920 Speaker 1: would like hopefully Stevens people get exercise something that they 352 00:17:02,960 --> 00:17:09,000 Speaker 1: can straight. But I mean, listen, there's no question about it. 353 00:17:09,080 --> 00:17:13,120 Speaker 1: And especially and as black man, we gotta understand this. Yeah, times, 354 00:17:13,400 --> 00:17:17,120 Speaker 1: times are what they are, and we believe progress has 355 00:17:17,160 --> 00:17:19,720 Speaker 1: been made, but we also recognize that there's a long 356 00:17:19,760 --> 00:17:23,439 Speaker 1: way to go, and so the rules are still different 357 00:17:23,480 --> 00:17:26,920 Speaker 1: for us than it is for white men. Is call 358 00:17:26,960 --> 00:17:29,880 Speaker 1: it what it is. You gotta know that and your 359 00:17:29,920 --> 00:17:34,479 Speaker 1: responsibility to yourself and your community, and and folks on 360 00:17:34,600 --> 00:17:37,400 Speaker 1: the come up that idolize you because of the position 361 00:17:37,440 --> 00:17:39,960 Speaker 1: that you're in. You know, you gotta be careful, though, 362 00:17:40,359 --> 00:17:41,959 Speaker 1: you gotta be careful look at a position. I mean, 363 00:17:42,119 --> 00:17:44,159 Speaker 1: come on, man, come on, man, you you think you 364 00:17:44,240 --> 00:17:47,639 Speaker 1: think that if I haven't had opportunities to get with 365 00:17:47,680 --> 00:17:50,560 Speaker 1: folks in the industry and whatever, you ain't playing that game. 366 00:17:50,960 --> 00:17:54,159 Speaker 1: You know, they ain't worth my check. They they're not 367 00:17:54,200 --> 00:17:56,560 Speaker 1: worth what I built to try and accomplish for myself. 368 00:17:56,600 --> 00:17:58,920 Speaker 1: I'm not going that route. That's just me. They'll send 369 00:17:58,920 --> 00:18:02,160 Speaker 1: people that somebody like, yes, and they had, and they 370 00:18:02,200 --> 00:18:04,359 Speaker 1: had and they have to listen. You can't put you 371 00:18:04,400 --> 00:18:06,720 Speaker 1: can't put it past anybody. Because you got people and 372 00:18:06,880 --> 00:18:10,200 Speaker 1: they listen, They're gonna come at you in a variety 373 00:18:10,359 --> 00:18:13,600 Speaker 1: of ways. I've been in situations where I've been proposition 374 00:18:14,080 --> 00:18:17,480 Speaker 1: covering the NBA Playoffs, NBA Finals, and I'm not saying 375 00:18:17,520 --> 00:18:20,040 Speaker 1: this is exactly what happened, but I wondered who said 376 00:18:20,080 --> 00:18:22,520 Speaker 1: them because the women were a little bit too aggress 377 00:18:22,560 --> 00:18:24,840 Speaker 1: I'm like, like, I don't think I look like Godzilla, 378 00:18:24,880 --> 00:18:26,639 Speaker 1: but I ain't that damn attractive. Now. This is a 379 00:18:26,760 --> 00:18:29,159 Speaker 1: little bit too aggressive here. I mean, why they acting 380 00:18:29,240 --> 00:18:31,760 Speaker 1: like they got to get with me something? Something's fishy 381 00:18:31,800 --> 00:18:33,760 Speaker 1: about that, you know what I'm saying. Not didn't know, 382 00:18:34,280 --> 00:18:36,919 Speaker 1: but you have that suspicion and that and that and 383 00:18:36,960 --> 00:18:40,520 Speaker 1: that success, that intuition. You gotta you gotta get it self, 384 00:18:40,520 --> 00:18:42,639 Speaker 1: protect them, You gotta be like, you know, this is 385 00:18:42,720 --> 00:18:44,960 Speaker 1: just a little too good to be true. You know 386 00:18:44,960 --> 00:18:48,600 Speaker 1: what I'm saying, ain't right about this? You know, I 387 00:18:48,760 --> 00:18:51,920 Speaker 1: mean you know what I mean, Me me, me, you know, 388 00:18:52,040 --> 00:18:54,280 Speaker 1: me meting a honey or whatever. Ain't fun, all right 389 00:18:54,320 --> 00:18:56,320 Speaker 1: that you know that happens with all of us. But 390 00:18:56,640 --> 00:18:58,600 Speaker 1: you know, three women coming up to me at the 391 00:18:58,640 --> 00:19:01,720 Speaker 1: same time. I say, you know, thank you, but no 392 00:19:01,880 --> 00:19:04,120 Speaker 1: thank you, and they still come in. They don't want 393 00:19:04,119 --> 00:19:06,399 Speaker 1: to take no for an answer. They're trying to find 394 00:19:06,440 --> 00:19:09,040 Speaker 1: out what hotel I mean, in what hotel room I mean? 395 00:19:09,160 --> 00:19:10,879 Speaker 1: Rather because we were in the lobby of the hotel. 396 00:19:10,880 --> 00:19:13,440 Speaker 1: It's happened in Dallas years ago, during the finals between 397 00:19:13,560 --> 00:19:15,560 Speaker 1: Dallas and the Miami Heat. And I'm sitting there like 398 00:19:18,400 --> 00:19:24,560 Speaker 1: this is too good. Hell, these women, these women want 399 00:19:24,640 --> 00:19:29,800 Speaker 1: me like this. You know. Hell, no, I'm not going 400 00:19:30,440 --> 00:19:33,000 Speaker 1: I mean, I'm a confident I'm a confident brother, but 401 00:19:33,240 --> 00:19:39,480 Speaker 1: damn no, I'm not fooling for that. No past now, yeah, 402 00:19:39,480 --> 00:19:42,440 Speaker 1: no mercy. Yes, so this is more in the field 403 00:19:42,440 --> 00:19:46,040 Speaker 1: of politics. Yes, well, it's not limited to just politics. 404 00:19:46,040 --> 00:19:49,600 Speaker 1: It's it's politics, it's news, it's pop coaching, entertainment is Listen, 405 00:19:49,800 --> 00:19:51,840 Speaker 1: each and every single one of you. I expect, I 406 00:19:51,920 --> 00:19:54,560 Speaker 1: hope expect to have y'all on as a guest. I mean, listen, 407 00:19:54,800 --> 00:19:57,240 Speaker 1: there's a lot of issues that I like to talk about, 408 00:19:57,320 --> 00:20:00,360 Speaker 1: and what what what what's beautiful about the show. This 409 00:20:00,440 --> 00:20:03,440 Speaker 1: is the freedom that y'all have to tackle a multitude 410 00:20:03,440 --> 00:20:06,280 Speaker 1: of issues. Understand that I've been in sports my entire career. 411 00:20:06,400 --> 00:20:09,000 Speaker 1: I never had that latitude. Now it seems that way 412 00:20:09,040 --> 00:20:11,480 Speaker 1: at times, because we tackle issues on first take that 413 00:20:11,480 --> 00:20:15,040 Speaker 1: you wouldn't anticipate on sports television. But the reason for 414 00:20:15,119 --> 00:20:17,840 Speaker 1: that is that some way, somehow it found its way 415 00:20:18,119 --> 00:20:20,679 Speaker 1: into the sports landscape. So it gave us a license 416 00:20:20,720 --> 00:20:22,879 Speaker 1: to talk about issues. You can talk about Colin Captick, 417 00:20:22,920 --> 00:20:24,280 Speaker 1: and all of a sudden you found yourself getting into 418 00:20:24,320 --> 00:20:28,080 Speaker 1: politics because of then President Trump is how he politicized 419 00:20:28,119 --> 00:20:30,600 Speaker 1: and hijacked the narrative and all of this other stuff. 420 00:20:30,600 --> 00:20:34,840 Speaker 1: So you find yourself sifting into that area. But for 421 00:20:34,880 --> 00:20:37,840 Speaker 1: the most part, it's been sports, and I've been confined 422 00:20:37,880 --> 00:20:40,919 Speaker 1: to that. This is different. It's my podcast, I own it. 423 00:20:41,200 --> 00:20:43,920 Speaker 1: I'm in one hundred percent control of the content for it. 424 00:20:43,920 --> 00:20:46,960 Speaker 1: It's not associated with Disney and ESPN in any way, 425 00:20:47,200 --> 00:20:50,560 Speaker 1: and so for me, it's it's just about talking about 426 00:20:50,600 --> 00:20:53,560 Speaker 1: the issues that are percolating, the people who matter, the 427 00:20:53,680 --> 00:20:56,159 Speaker 1: difference makers, the kind of impact they intend to have, 428 00:20:56,480 --> 00:20:59,879 Speaker 1: and personalizing those conversations. I'm still gonna give my monologus. 429 00:21:00,040 --> 00:21:02,280 Speaker 1: I'm still gonna get my closing remarks. You're gonna always 430 00:21:02,280 --> 00:21:04,280 Speaker 1: hear from me in terms of how I feel on 431 00:21:04,359 --> 00:21:07,119 Speaker 1: an issue on a case by case basis, but in 432 00:21:07,200 --> 00:21:10,159 Speaker 1: the same breath that's gonna It's really about talking to 433 00:21:10,440 --> 00:21:13,440 Speaker 1: the people that are influencers and difference makers, and more importantly, 434 00:21:13,520 --> 00:21:15,760 Speaker 1: letting the audience know who to listen to. Like I'm 435 00:21:15,760 --> 00:21:17,359 Speaker 1: not one of those people when it kind of politives. 436 00:21:17,359 --> 00:21:19,200 Speaker 1: I got my own thoughts and opinions, but I will 437 00:21:19,280 --> 00:21:21,199 Speaker 1: be the first to say I don't know. This is 438 00:21:21,240 --> 00:21:23,359 Speaker 1: what I see and based on the evidence, this is 439 00:21:23,400 --> 00:21:25,920 Speaker 1: what I deduce from. But you should talk to this 440 00:21:25,960 --> 00:21:28,160 Speaker 1: person and this person. You should listen to this show 441 00:21:28,359 --> 00:21:30,679 Speaker 1: and that show. I'm not somebody that's gonna look at 442 00:21:30,720 --> 00:21:33,040 Speaker 1: it and say listen to me and don't listen to 443 00:21:33,080 --> 00:21:35,480 Speaker 1: anybody else. No, I want you to listen to those 444 00:21:35,520 --> 00:21:38,040 Speaker 1: other people because I listen to them. I want to 445 00:21:38,080 --> 00:21:40,000 Speaker 1: hear what y'all have to say, what your thoughts are, 446 00:21:40,160 --> 00:21:42,160 Speaker 1: what your opinions are, et cetera, et cetera. And if 447 00:21:42,160 --> 00:21:44,920 Speaker 1: we disagree, we disagree, and if we agree, we that's 448 00:21:45,040 --> 00:21:48,720 Speaker 1: that's even better. But it's all good Okay, I saw 449 00:21:48,800 --> 00:21:50,959 Speaker 1: saw good. I saw you the other day, and you 450 00:21:50,960 --> 00:21:53,919 Speaker 1: said you weren't gonna be so hard on Kareem season. Yes, 451 00:21:53,960 --> 00:21:56,040 Speaker 1: but I did. I'm I'm trying. I'm trying to move forward. 452 00:21:56,040 --> 00:21:57,399 Speaker 1: I'm trying. I'm not trying to go to the past. 453 00:21:57,480 --> 00:22:00,199 Speaker 1: But when I saw Kareem's comments where he called him 454 00:22:00,240 --> 00:22:03,080 Speaker 1: a comical buffoon, I did wonder what you thought about that. 455 00:22:03,200 --> 00:22:05,439 Speaker 1: I wouldn't call him I wanted to call Kyrie a 456 00:22:05,440 --> 00:22:08,440 Speaker 1: buffoon at all. I'm not gonna question the intelligence of 457 00:22:08,520 --> 00:22:11,159 Speaker 1: a brother, although he has said some bizarre things in 458 00:22:11,240 --> 00:22:13,560 Speaker 1: the past, the world is flat and stuff like that. 459 00:22:15,160 --> 00:22:16,840 Speaker 1: He said his uncle is gonna have a conversation with you. 460 00:22:16,920 --> 00:22:19,720 Speaker 1: I'm not his uncle. Well, well yeah he did. Actually, Well, 461 00:22:19,760 --> 00:22:24,920 Speaker 1: here's the deal. Kyrie's father is from the Bronx, and 462 00:22:25,000 --> 00:22:27,360 Speaker 1: so there's a couple of Cats and the Bronx that 463 00:22:27,800 --> 00:22:31,879 Speaker 1: know me well. They he grew up with them, I've 464 00:22:31,920 --> 00:22:35,359 Speaker 1: known them throughout my adult life. They've been mentors and 465 00:22:35,440 --> 00:22:37,720 Speaker 1: friends and all of that other stuff. And so I 466 00:22:37,920 --> 00:22:41,280 Speaker 1: laughed about it because they're my boys. I should hell, 467 00:22:41,320 --> 00:22:45,040 Speaker 1: I give you some of their names, Rod Stricken, Gary Howard, 468 00:22:45,080 --> 00:22:48,440 Speaker 1: Garry Howard, is a former executive sports as executive sports 469 00:22:48,520 --> 00:22:50,960 Speaker 1: editor for the Milwaukee Journal censinnel at a time with 470 00:22:51,119 --> 00:22:54,960 Speaker 1: sixteen hundred papers throughout the daily papers, daily newspapers. About 471 00:22:55,000 --> 00:22:58,439 Speaker 1: this country where you only had about two black sports editors. 472 00:22:58,480 --> 00:23:01,440 Speaker 1: He was one of them. He's former deputy sports editor 473 00:23:01,480 --> 00:23:03,840 Speaker 1: and the Philadelphia Inquirer, and he was the one that 474 00:23:03,880 --> 00:23:06,720 Speaker 1: got me hired to the Philadelphia Inquirer before I got 475 00:23:06,760 --> 00:23:08,719 Speaker 1: into television and all of that. So that's one of 476 00:23:08,760 --> 00:23:12,840 Speaker 1: his boys, his dad's boys. You got Rod Strickland, who's godfather. 477 00:23:12,880 --> 00:23:15,600 Speaker 1: You got Gary Howard, you got his brother, Gary Howard's brother, 478 00:23:15,680 --> 00:23:18,600 Speaker 1: Reggie Howard. I know these brothers and so, and of 479 00:23:18,600 --> 00:23:20,920 Speaker 1: course Kenny Smith from T and T because he knows 480 00:23:20,960 --> 00:23:23,000 Speaker 1: the men like family and so you know, they all 481 00:23:23,000 --> 00:23:25,399 Speaker 1: reached out to me at one point in time or another. Stephen, 482 00:23:25,480 --> 00:23:28,200 Speaker 1: hey man, you know, lay off whatever. And I said, Yo, fellas, 483 00:23:28,680 --> 00:23:31,520 Speaker 1: I said, y'all caught up in how I deliver and 484 00:23:31,560 --> 00:23:34,639 Speaker 1: how I talk. You're not listening to my content. The 485 00:23:34,680 --> 00:23:36,240 Speaker 1: only thing I said about the brothers, you gotta show 486 00:23:36,280 --> 00:23:37,920 Speaker 1: up to work. You don't show up the work, you 487 00:23:37,920 --> 00:23:40,000 Speaker 1: don't get paid. You can talk all that stuff you 488 00:23:40,000 --> 00:23:42,800 Speaker 1: want all the time. I had a problem taking the vaccine. 489 00:23:42,880 --> 00:23:45,639 Speaker 1: I don't have any problem with anybody who was quite 490 00:23:45,640 --> 00:23:48,960 Speaker 1: you know, apprehensive about taking the vaccine. I was talking 491 00:23:49,000 --> 00:23:52,640 Speaker 1: about a different discussion. The different discussion is they all 492 00:23:52,720 --> 00:23:55,680 Speaker 1: live in Brooklyn because of you. You wanted them there 493 00:23:56,119 --> 00:23:58,400 Speaker 1: and they all signed on. They said, Yo, we got 494 00:23:58,400 --> 00:24:00,479 Speaker 1: to go for the chip and ship. We can't do 495 00:24:00,520 --> 00:24:03,880 Speaker 1: it unless we vaccinated because they're gonna get in our way. 496 00:24:04,600 --> 00:24:07,360 Speaker 1: Everybody said, we down. But you, oh, you know what, 497 00:24:07,480 --> 00:24:10,439 Speaker 1: Jaylen Brown didn't take the vaccine. Well, Massachusetts didn't, had 498 00:24:10,520 --> 00:24:13,080 Speaker 1: Porson didn't had that policy at place New York does. 499 00:24:13,119 --> 00:24:17,240 Speaker 1: It ain't fair. Andrew Wiggins Golden State, a hell city, 500 00:24:17,280 --> 00:24:19,680 Speaker 1: San Francisco had that policy. Andrew Wiggins didn't want to 501 00:24:19,680 --> 00:24:21,880 Speaker 1: take the vaccine. They were like, yeah, man, we're trying 502 00:24:21,880 --> 00:24:24,320 Speaker 1: to win the chip, and that's what he did. I said, 503 00:24:24,359 --> 00:24:26,280 Speaker 1: that's what I was addressing. So you could talk about 504 00:24:26,280 --> 00:24:27,919 Speaker 1: putting something in your body and all that stuff, and 505 00:24:27,960 --> 00:24:30,159 Speaker 1: I get it, and that's real, no question about it. 506 00:24:30,440 --> 00:24:31,800 Speaker 1: But at the end of the day, you're trying to 507 00:24:31,800 --> 00:24:33,879 Speaker 1: win the chip or not. And then it didn't happen. 508 00:24:33,920 --> 00:24:36,680 Speaker 1: I said, look, that ain't the only time you missed work. 509 00:24:36,920 --> 00:24:40,000 Speaker 1: You've been missing games for years. It's eleven years. You've 510 00:24:40,040 --> 00:24:42,280 Speaker 1: never played more than sixty games in the season before 511 00:24:42,359 --> 00:24:45,200 Speaker 1: times in eleven years. So I pointed out that stuff 512 00:24:45,240 --> 00:24:46,760 Speaker 1: and I said, you ain't gonna get paid. You can 513 00:24:46,800 --> 00:24:49,040 Speaker 1: book it. And so when people saw me on the air, 514 00:24:49,320 --> 00:24:51,359 Speaker 1: they were like, oh, you're trying not to get the 515 00:24:51,440 --> 00:24:54,200 Speaker 1: brother paid. Once again, you don't pay attention to my career. 516 00:24:54,720 --> 00:24:57,600 Speaker 1: I'm not asking you, I'm telling you. I didn't tell 517 00:24:57,680 --> 00:24:59,840 Speaker 1: them not to pay them. I'm saying, this is what 518 00:25:00,080 --> 00:25:02,360 Speaker 1: they're telling me. You ain't gonna get this money now. 519 00:25:02,880 --> 00:25:05,200 Speaker 1: And I had owners like, he ain't getting that money. 520 00:25:05,560 --> 00:25:08,080 Speaker 1: And what happened the summer. He can't get that money. 521 00:25:08,200 --> 00:25:10,720 Speaker 1: He had to opt in and play the final year 522 00:25:10,720 --> 00:25:13,239 Speaker 1: of his deal because, as he admitted, there were not 523 00:25:13,320 --> 00:25:15,760 Speaker 1: but so many options. What have I been telling y'all 524 00:25:15,800 --> 00:25:18,480 Speaker 1: all year? And so now we fast forward to this season, 525 00:25:19,040 --> 00:25:21,840 Speaker 1: Bradley Bill got two hundred plus a million, Zach Levine 526 00:25:21,880 --> 00:25:24,200 Speaker 1: and Chicago got two hundred plus a million. I want 527 00:25:24,280 --> 00:25:27,320 Speaker 1: Kyrie to get his money, but you are spectacular box 528 00:25:27,440 --> 00:25:31,119 Speaker 1: office caliber talent that we deserve to see. His problem. 529 00:25:31,160 --> 00:25:34,879 Speaker 1: In my opinion, is that we're beneath him. It's like 530 00:25:35,040 --> 00:25:37,560 Speaker 1: he's so brilliant and he's such a savant that he 531 00:25:37,680 --> 00:25:40,679 Speaker 1: sees things that none of us see, or damn it, 532 00:25:41,600 --> 00:25:44,000 Speaker 1: what we really want to see, as you ball, We 533 00:25:44,280 --> 00:25:46,160 Speaker 1: really want to see as you playing forty one nights 534 00:25:46,160 --> 00:25:48,960 Speaker 1: a year at Barclay Center at least at least how 535 00:25:49,000 --> 00:25:51,320 Speaker 1: about thirty okay, getting a roll, put in more than 536 00:25:51,359 --> 00:25:54,320 Speaker 1: sixty games in the season, and be the show stopper 537 00:25:54,400 --> 00:25:56,119 Speaker 1: that you are. So you know, I'm not going to 538 00:25:56,200 --> 00:25:59,080 Speaker 1: disrespect him like Kareem did. I think that's unnecessary. But 539 00:25:59,080 --> 00:26:02,399 Speaker 1: you gotta remember see Kareem's civil rights activists, his brother's 540 00:26:02,400 --> 00:26:05,400 Speaker 1: deepest hell. He's been around a long time. He's one 541 00:26:05,400 --> 00:26:08,000 Speaker 1: of the greatest who's ever lived. He's qualified to say 542 00:26:08,040 --> 00:26:10,520 Speaker 1: what he said. I wouldn't go that far, but I 543 00:26:10,560 --> 00:26:13,320 Speaker 1: do think the frustration seeps him because you're looking at 544 00:26:13,359 --> 00:26:15,320 Speaker 1: him and you're saying, come on, bro, some of the 545 00:26:15,320 --> 00:26:17,359 Speaker 1: things that you're saying, some of the positions that you're taking, 546 00:26:17,440 --> 00:26:21,040 Speaker 1: you retweeting stuff about conspiracy theories and all of this. 547 00:26:21,480 --> 00:26:24,000 Speaker 1: I mean, it's the kind of stuff that damages you. 548 00:26:24,080 --> 00:26:27,000 Speaker 1: It damages the brand, and it makes you look bad 549 00:26:27,000 --> 00:26:29,200 Speaker 1: and somebody need to tell you. That's all I would 550 00:26:29,200 --> 00:26:31,240 Speaker 1: have said if I was Kareem as a closer calling 551 00:26:31,280 --> 00:26:36,600 Speaker 1: them names. But that's just me. Should to retire, I 552 00:26:36,680 --> 00:26:38,960 Speaker 1: think so. I'm not sure because we don't know all 553 00:26:39,000 --> 00:26:44,480 Speaker 1: the details. I will tell you if I were him, 554 00:26:44,520 --> 00:26:48,879 Speaker 1: I'm suing somebody, and I'm not usually that dude, but 555 00:26:48,960 --> 00:26:52,840 Speaker 1: I'm suing somebody. For him to take the hit Sunday 556 00:26:52,840 --> 00:26:57,680 Speaker 1: in Buffalo. You get up, you stumble, you fall back down. 557 00:26:58,640 --> 00:27:01,360 Speaker 1: And for them to say it was a back issue, 558 00:27:01,640 --> 00:27:05,399 Speaker 1: it was not a head issue. Understand what concussion protocols. 559 00:27:05,400 --> 00:27:09,240 Speaker 1: You usually take six to seven days. He had another 560 00:27:09,280 --> 00:27:13,240 Speaker 1: game in four four days. Okay, you put his life 561 00:27:13,240 --> 00:27:16,879 Speaker 1: in danger because he's back out there now. To the 562 00:27:16,960 --> 00:27:20,280 Speaker 1: In fairness to the Miami Dolphins, they swear we followed 563 00:27:20,280 --> 00:27:23,639 Speaker 1: all the necessary protocols. We did everything right. We stand 564 00:27:23,640 --> 00:27:26,679 Speaker 1: by that. Well, why the hell the independent doctor that 565 00:27:26,800 --> 00:27:29,119 Speaker 1: you had, why did you release him? Why did he 566 00:27:29,160 --> 00:27:32,040 Speaker 1: get dismissed? Because you didn't do everything right? And anybody 567 00:27:32,040 --> 00:27:34,480 Speaker 1: with two odds can see that brother who was in 568 00:27:34,520 --> 00:27:36,719 Speaker 1: a world of trouble. You put him back in the 569 00:27:36,760 --> 00:27:40,680 Speaker 1: same game Sunday. Then you turned around you played them Thursday, 570 00:27:40,680 --> 00:27:43,639 Speaker 1: and everybody tells you the second concussion is what's the 571 00:27:43,680 --> 00:27:46,960 Speaker 1: most dangerous. The first concussion does damage, but the second 572 00:27:47,000 --> 00:27:49,959 Speaker 1: one is where your life can really really be in danger. 573 00:27:50,400 --> 00:27:53,120 Speaker 1: And in my opinion, he shouldn't be allowed to play 574 00:27:53,160 --> 00:27:55,680 Speaker 1: the for the rest of the season, at the very least. 575 00:27:55,720 --> 00:27:59,480 Speaker 1: At the very least, and considering concussions and how big 576 00:27:59,520 --> 00:28:02,639 Speaker 1: these brothers are compared to him, the next hit, you 577 00:28:02,640 --> 00:28:04,480 Speaker 1: don't know what kind of damage that could do. I 578 00:28:04,560 --> 00:28:06,639 Speaker 1: want to ask you this. You gotta go And I 579 00:28:06,640 --> 00:28:08,520 Speaker 1: ask you this question a couple of years ago, and 580 00:28:08,520 --> 00:28:10,720 Speaker 1: I wonder if your thoughts to change because I asked 581 00:28:10,760 --> 00:28:12,760 Speaker 1: you and it's all said and done. When we're talking 582 00:28:12,760 --> 00:28:16,000 Speaker 1: about just basketball, who will be well, who would this 583 00:28:16,119 --> 00:28:18,840 Speaker 1: error be remembered by? Curry or Lebron James? Who will 584 00:28:18,880 --> 00:28:21,720 Speaker 1: go down as the guy for this error? Just basketball? 585 00:28:21,760 --> 00:28:24,600 Speaker 1: Nothing else, nothing outside of the court, nothing just on 586 00:28:24,800 --> 00:28:29,399 Speaker 1: the court. For me, I can't separate that. I have 587 00:28:29,440 --> 00:28:33,199 Speaker 1: to say Lebron, But it's exactly because of what you 588 00:28:33,240 --> 00:28:35,440 Speaker 1: don't want me to touch on. See, when they talk 589 00:28:35,480 --> 00:28:39,360 Speaker 1: about Lebron, you can't avoid talking about everything. When you 590 00:28:39,400 --> 00:28:43,160 Speaker 1: talk about Curry, you can't help, but talk about only basketball. 591 00:28:43,200 --> 00:28:46,640 Speaker 1: There's nothing else that he gives you. Lebron gives you 592 00:28:46,680 --> 00:28:49,280 Speaker 1: more because of the issues he's willing to tackle, his 593 00:28:49,400 --> 00:28:52,000 Speaker 1: willingness to speak out, how he's been a target by 594 00:28:52,080 --> 00:28:55,080 Speaker 1: some people, and what have you? Just basketball, Stephen ain't 595 00:28:55,160 --> 00:28:59,480 Speaker 1: just I think Listen Curry is a bad, bad brother. 596 00:28:59,520 --> 00:29:03,360 Speaker 1: He's the greatest shooter who ever lived, no doubt about it. 597 00:29:03,880 --> 00:29:07,440 Speaker 1: But the onslaught has come lately, Lebron has been I'm 598 00:29:07,480 --> 00:29:11,840 Speaker 1: going with Lebron because Lebron came into the league with 599 00:29:11,880 --> 00:29:16,280 Speaker 1: that kind of fan fear, delivered ultimately with four championships 600 00:29:16,320 --> 00:29:21,160 Speaker 1: and ten NBA Finals appearance straight. Yeah, but eight straight, 601 00:29:23,920 --> 00:29:25,840 Speaker 1: no question. I heard you say something on the show. 602 00:29:25,880 --> 00:29:28,240 Speaker 1: You said that you're talking about wild chambering and Bill Russell. 603 00:29:28,280 --> 00:29:30,560 Speaker 1: You say that that you can't give it to will 604 00:29:30,800 --> 00:29:35,400 Speaker 1: Over Bill because Bills. It's a good point. It's a 605 00:29:35,400 --> 00:29:37,080 Speaker 1: good point. It's a good point. I can't even front 606 00:29:37,120 --> 00:29:39,440 Speaker 1: it's a good point. Jean Charlemagne, I can't deny it 607 00:29:39,560 --> 00:29:42,760 Speaker 1: because to me, Curry's my favorite player. But I can 608 00:29:42,760 --> 00:29:44,480 Speaker 1: test tell you as a guy that goes to the 609 00:29:44,520 --> 00:29:47,600 Speaker 1: arenas man, when when Lebron walks in it's just a 610 00:29:47,600 --> 00:29:50,360 Speaker 1: different field. It's a different As much as you love 611 00:29:50,440 --> 00:29:52,800 Speaker 1: Curry and as much as you love watching Golden State, 612 00:29:52,840 --> 00:29:54,680 Speaker 1: and as entertaining as they are, and I think he's 613 00:29:54,680 --> 00:29:56,760 Speaker 1: the greatest you, who ever lived, greatest to you, the 614 00:29:56,800 --> 00:29:59,920 Speaker 1: god ever created. Its just that dude, Right when Lebron 615 00:30:00,200 --> 00:30:03,280 Speaker 1: walks into a building, bro it's a different animal to encourage. 616 00:30:03,360 --> 00:30:06,040 Speaker 1: Repeat this year and gets will by the way, you know, 617 00:30:06,080 --> 00:30:07,600 Speaker 1: I picked him. I picked him to repeat what do 618 00:30:07,640 --> 00:30:12,200 Speaker 1: you think? Then he repeats fifth three? Yeah? Got him? Okay, 619 00:30:12,360 --> 00:30:16,640 Speaker 1: got him? Probably probably, especially if he doesn't beating him, 620 00:30:16,840 --> 00:30:19,640 Speaker 1: especially if he gonna be there. I think they're going 621 00:30:19,680 --> 00:30:22,120 Speaker 1: to players though. I think they're gonna be all right 622 00:30:22,120 --> 00:30:24,400 Speaker 1: with Stephen A. Smith Straight Shooter. Pre order it now. 623 00:30:24,400 --> 00:30:26,240 Speaker 1: We appreciate you for joining us. Appreciate you gonna come 624 00:30:26,280 --> 00:30:28,000 Speaker 1: up a little early next time. We got more comment man, 625 00:30:28,120 --> 00:30:29,920 Speaker 1: I'm happy to you. Can I mentioned something before I 626 00:30:30,000 --> 00:30:33,960 Speaker 1: go back. HBCU Week at Disney at Disney World. I'll 627 00:30:34,000 --> 00:30:37,280 Speaker 1: be there this Thursday and Friday. Um, we just celebrating 628 00:30:37,280 --> 00:30:39,880 Speaker 1: the Disney's involved with HBCU Week. In the last two 629 00:30:39,880 --> 00:30:42,160 Speaker 1: and a half years, we generate over twelve million dollars 630 00:30:42,320 --> 00:30:44,880 Speaker 1: in scholarships for over two thousand students. So they're gonna 631 00:30:44,880 --> 00:30:48,000 Speaker 1: be down at Disney World on Friday and First Takers 632 00:30:48,320 --> 00:30:51,480 Speaker 1: is airing. We're televising the show live from Disney World 633 00:30:51,760 --> 00:30:54,520 Speaker 1: on Friday for HBCU Week, so check it out. Well, 634 00:30:54,520 --> 00:30:58,160 Speaker 1: there you have it, Stephen A. Smith. Appreciate you, bro, 635 00:30:58,320 --> 00:31:04,520 Speaker 1: Thank you this club. Good Morningst.