After Mark Jackson’s broadcasting job with MSG and the New York Knicks fell through, Stephen A. Smith ranted about the former point guard’s inability to land a head coaching gig in the NBA.
Jackson was surprisingly laid off by ESPN earlier this year, but appeared to quickly find a new home as a fill-in analyst for MSG Networks on Knicks broadcasts this season. The news was even announced by Mike Breen and Walt Frazier during an Oct. 27 Knicks game against the Atlanta Hawks.
But last week, before the former ESPN analyst even called a game on MSG, the job fell through. That saw Andrew Marchand of The New York Post claim the Knicks objected to Jackson being on the team’s charter plane.
“Because that didn’t transpire as people expected, there were numerous reports out that Mark Jackson had been fired,” Smith said of Jackson’s expected job with the Knicks. “That’s according to reports. That’s according to reporters and news publications. I’d rather hear from Mark Jackson himself, and so should you.”
Smith proceeded to play a clip of Jackson pushing back on the report that he was fired by the Knicks before his job even began.
“Today, a report came out that I was fired or dismissed from calling Knicks games,” Jackson said in response to The New York Post’s report last week. “Honored and privileged to have an offer bestowed on me to back up the legend Walt Clyde Frazier calling Knick games. Over a week ago I turned that job down…Due to the fact that it wasn’t the ideal conditions and it wasn’t the ideal time for me.”
It was reported that Jackson was going to work select Knicks broadcasts this season, and those reports were later confirmed by Breen and Frazier. Jackson now claiming he “turned that job down” because “it wasn’t the ideal conditions” doesn’t exactly temper reports that there was an issue surrounding the team’s charter plane.
Smith, however, is still siding with his former colleague. But he is admitting that he’s biased on the topic, considering Jackson is a friend and idol.
“But what’s happening to him and what has been happening to him is utter bullsh*t,” Smith ranted. “And y’all are full of sh*t. And you know exactly who the hell I’m talking to when I say that. Every chance you get, you throw out rumors about him.”
Smith proceeded to state that he would not address what those rumors were. But it’s been widely assumed that part of the reason Jackson has not landed a second head coaching job is because his views on homosexuality and religion rubbed some players the wrong way.
“Even if those rumors were true – oh – it was years ago. It was years ago,” Smith reiterated. “I know people that are working in professional sports right now, that have been accused of some of the most egregious things. That were unlawful! That harmed other human beings! And they’ve been on camera talking to y’all and y’all have no idea about them, but we do.”
“I’m getting sick and damn tired that every time Mark Jackson wants something or got something going on, when NONE of those accusations are applicable to him,” Smith continued. “Yet somehow, someway, they want to get in the way of this man trying to earn an honest living.”
Not wanting to shade his current colleagues that ESPN hired to replace Jackson on their lead NBA broadcast, Smith clarified, about ten minutes into his rant, that he was talking about Jackson the basketball coach, not the analyst. Although Smith did steer the conversation back to MSG.
“All of these years Mark Jackson was doing this job, he was good for business,” Smith said. “You working for ESPN and ABC, calling NBA Finals games, and all of a sudden, you can’t call Knicks games? Of course something’s fishy!”
Is Smith mad at The New York Post? Is he mad at reporters, the NBA, ESPN or the Knicks? 12 minutes of ranting and it wasn’t quite clear.
Jackson pushed back on The New York Post report about his Knicks gig that fell through, claiming he “turned that job down” over a week ago. But if that were true and there was no drama surrounding Jackson’s decision to turn the job down, then it probably wouldn’t have garnered this type of impassioned defense from Smith. Something’s fishy indeed.
