Emmanuel Acho insists Stephen A. Smith could have forced ESPN to keep Ryan Clark

If Stephen A. Smith is so unhappy about ESPN laying off Ryan Clark, then Emmanuel Acho wants to know why he didn’t stop it.

Clark was one of the biggest casualties from the latest round of ESPN layoffs, having learned his fate during a commercial break on NFL Live Monday afternoon. Tuesday morning, Smith publicized his displeasure with the decision, claiming he already told their ESPN bosses he wasn’t happy with them for letting Clark go. But according to Acho, Smith could have done more if he really wanted to keep Clark as an ESPN colleague.

“Stephen A. Smith could’ve stopped Ryan Clark and Cam Newton from getting fired AND had a responsibility to”

– @EmmanuelAcho responds to Stephen A. “having an issue” with ESPN firing Ryan Clark

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“Stephen A. Smith could have stopped this,” Acho said Tuesday night on Speakeasy. “And that’s what’s weird to me about seeing this apology is, Stephen A., you both have enough power to go to the executives and say, ‘Yo, I don’t want him to get fired.’ And B, you have enough power and fiscal responsibility and freedom to say, ‘Yo, I will do whatever is in my power to make sure they don’t stop this.’”

Acho claimed that while working at a different network, presumably FS1, he offered to reduce his salary by 25k so a co-host could get the contract they were looking for in negotiations. According to Acho, he viewed the 25k as an investment in the show, believing the co-host would increase ratings and eventually lead to more financial success for both of them. Acho believes Smith could have done the same with Clark.

Five years ago, ESPN gave Smith the power to give Max Kellerman the boot from First Take. In recent years, however, ESPN stripped Smith of having Michael Irvin, Shannon Sharpe, Molly Qerim, Cam Newton and Ryan Clark on First Take. Smith has insisted he would have liked to keep all of them. And maybe there was a path for Smith to fight harder to keep one or all of them than just expressing his displeasure with the decisions to upper management. But it’s bold to say he should have reached into his own pocket to keep Clark.

Smith might believe Clark made First Take better, but Clark alone probably isn’t going to improve the show’s ratings. He certainly isn’t going to improve Smith’s standing within the company. Could Smith have reached into his own pocket and offered to pay Clark’s reported $2 million salary for ESPN? Maybe. But it’s unfair to imply Smith never really cared much about keeping Clark or any other colleague because he didn’t offer to pay their salary.