ESPN faced a lot of just criticism after its latest round of layoffs. But Stephen A. Smith isn’t okay with everything he’s hearing and seeing.
This week, The Athletic released a deep dive into First Take and its history. Smith was quoted in the piece, but the current First Take host lamented the fact that the article was largely built off input from people who no longer work on the show.
“It was basically a puff piece and an endorsement for Skip Bayless,” Smith ranted on his podcast. “I have no problem with a nice piece for Skip Bayless…but when you’re writing a piece about First Take and you’re talking to everybody from the past, what exactly is it that you’re trying to say?”
Recent comments from Smith have led some to believe he might already be bracing for his exit from ESPN. In the wake of ESPN’s layoffs, Smith acknowledged “I could be next.” Smith also has not been shy about having aspirations that exceed what ESPN can offer, as proved by his recent and already successful podcast venture. But this article from The Athletic seems to have lit a fire under Smith to continue his reign with First Take.
“I see the promos for other people,” Smith said. “I get the impression that what people are wishing for – I’m not going away. I thought I couldn’t be more fired up about this upcoming year. You think I’m fading? You think First Take is gonna fade? You think that we’re gonna sit up there and lay down and just let others come along, or we’re gonna take them out? Let’s go. I can’t wait. I might come off vacation early…what the hell y’all think this is? Everybody talking about what it used to be. We’re No. 1.
“And I’m not just talking about First Take, I’m talking about ESPN. See, I got this little agitation that swells up inside of me when I see people talking about the network, particularly people who used to work there.”
Smith went on to respectfully criticize Dan Le Batard for calling the latest round of layoffs the “worst day the history of ESPN.” Agreeing that June 30 of this year was a “bad day,” Smith cited the other rounds of layoffs at ESPN in the last decade.
“What I won’t do is constantly lament an employer that was once good enough for me to take money from. That’s BS,” Smith said. “It really, really is.”
Smith also took umbrage with former colleague Jemele Hill claiming, “ESPN wants Black faces not Black voices.” Hill made the comment in a 2021 interview with the Los Angeles Times, but Smith just stumbled on the quote this week.
“I would never, ever, ever, ever think to utter that any network that she is on wants Black faces, but not Black voices,” Smith said after naming some of ESPN’s prominent Black voices. “I would never do that.”
“I have never, ever been more motivated to succeed on First Take than I am right now,” Smith added in closing. “Y’all have started something. I don’t give a damn who it’s against. Because it ain’t just about me. I’ve got an A-team.”
