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Stephen A. Smith might be the face of ESPN at this stage , but that doesn't mean he agrees with every decision the network makes.
Earlier this week, Smith announced a multiyear partnership with SiriusXM. Starting in September, he'll have a daily show on Mad Dog Sports Radio. The ESPN personality will also host a weekly "current events, pop culture and social commentary-focused show."
It was later revealed that Smith's show on Mad Dog Sports Radio will take over a timeslot currently occupied by Michelle Beadle and Cody Decker. Shortly after that was confirmed, Beadle ripped Smith in an interview with Front Office Sports.
Beadle's harsh comments led to a classy statement from Smith, who said he never planned on stabbing people in the back.
"I want to state for the record just so everyone knows what kind of man I am and what kind of teammate I am. I had no idea that folks did not know. I was told by SiriusXM to wait until this morning on The Howard Stern Show to make the announcement. Whatever communication they had with anybody who’s there, where they’re staying, where they’re being moved to. Who’s staying, who’s going or whatever. It’s none of my business," Smith said, via Awful Announcing.
"But let me be very, very clear. It would always be my concern because I would never in a million years be unprofessional and inconsiderate of a contemporary or a colleague. If somebody was not made aware of my arrival, meaning the people that directly would be impacted by my arrival on SiriusXM, it is something that I would have made sure of. So I just want to let anybody out there who was listening, along with you all know, I’m proud to be back. I’m happy to be back and be part of the team. But that operative word is team. The people I work with are my teammates. And I don’t do stuff like that."
Smith isn't wrong about taking a team approach to his profession.
Back in March, the "First Take" analyst spoke to Robert Griffin III. The former NFL quarterback was laid off by ESPN in August 2024.
Smith let Griffin know that he wanted him to stick around at ESPN.
"First of all let me state for the record, at 'First Take,' you did a hell of a job. Secondly, I think you are a talent on the airwaves," Smith said. "I don't know why others haven't gobbled you up. Number 3, I didn't want you gone. I said that too."
Fans don't have to adore Smith's content, but it certainly sounds like he vouches for his teammates at ESPN.
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Keenan Allen's return to Bears seems possible now
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Golden State Warriors Predicted to Land $70 Million Sharpshooter in Jonathan Kuminga Trade
The Golden State Warriors have had an underwhelming offseason thus far and the main headline surrounding the franchise remains the future of young forward Jonathan Kuminga. Kuminga remains a restricted free agent and after falling out of Steve Kerr’s rotation last season, his role entering next season is up in the air. Due to this, many believe that Kuminga’s time in Golden State is set to come to an end this offseason but the young forward is still deciding on what his next move will be, which will also be reliant on the Warriors due to them likely having to move him in a sign-and-trade deal. With Kuminga’s time in Golden State likely nearing an end, Sports Illustrated’s Jackson Caudell and Rohan Raman recently came up with a three-team mock trade that would send Kuminga to the Phoenix Suns. In the trade, the Suns would receive Kuminga and Moses from the Warriors and they would send Grayson Allen, Royce O’Neal and an unprotected 2032 first-round pick to Golden State. The Atlanta Hawks are the third team in this mock trade and they would acquire Nick Richards from Phoenix. This would be an interesting move for the Warriors as they would not only be moving on from a young player in Kuminga, but Moses Moody as well. Despite this, adding a sharpshooting guard in Grayson Allen, who also excels on the defensive end, could be a massive boost that the Warriors need. O’Neal would also give the Warriors a solid scorer and defender at the forward position that would allow them to upgrade their bench. By making this move, the Warriors would get older as they would swap two young players for two veterans but the additions of Allen and O’Neal, along with potential free agent signings, could help them compete for a title next season with Stephen Curry, Draymond Green and Jimmy Butler leading the way.
Cleveland Guardians Top Prospect Undergoes Surgery, Will Miss Several Weeks
The Cleveland Guardians got some bad news on top prospect Chase DeLauter Wednesday, as he is set to miss much of the rest of the season with injury. Per Zack Meisel of 'The Athletic:' Guardians prospect Chase DeLauter underwent surgery today for a fractured hamate bone in his right hand/wrist. He’s expected to miss 6-8 weeks. DeLauter, 23, was a first-round pick of the Guardians in 2022 out of James Madison. He had been expected to make his debut this season, but it's unclear if that's possible now. He's hitting .264 this season in 42 games, having already dealt with an injury prior. He has seven total home runs and 24 RBIs. An outfielder, he is the No. 31 prospect in baseball, per MLB Pipeline. The following comes from a portion of his prospect profile: Few players in the Minors can match DeLauter's combination of size (6-foot-3, 235 pounds), athleticism, ability to hit for both average and power, and plate discipline. He rarely strays from the strike zone and makes repeated hard contact against all types of pitches. He has an unorthodox left-handed swing that can get long and he'll get caught on his front foot at times, but his bat speed and strength allow him to pull pitches for power and drive them the other way with authority. The Guardians enter play on Wednesday at 50-50 through 100 games. After winning the American League Central last season, they are 2.5 games back of the third and final wild card spot in the AL. They'll take on the Baltimore Orioles on Wednesday night. Related MLB Stories DOMINANT OUTING: Cristopher Sanchez threw a complete-game against the Boston Red Sox on Tuesday night, making rare history among Phillies lefties. CLICK HERE: 20/30 ONCE AGAIN: Jose Ramirez just keeps doing things that no player in Cleveland history has ever done. CLICK HERE: TURNING DOWN AN OFFER: According to reports, D-backs star Corbin Carroll will not play for Taiwan at the World Baseball Classic. CLICK HERE:
Ex-Raiders Head Coach Antonio Pierce Lands First Job Since Firing
Antonio Pierce appeared to have a very bright future in coaching after he took over as the interim head coach for the Las Vegas Raiders in 2023, following Josh McDaniels getting fired. He led the team to a 5-4 record, which helped him earn interviews for head coaching jobs around the NFL before he officially landed the Raiders gig. However, his first season as the full-time head coach was a disaster. The team finished 4-13, and the players weren't pounding the table for him nearly as loudly. He was fired and replaced with Pete Carroll. Despite his success as a linebackers coach and previous promise as a head coach, no team hired Pierce to be a part of their coaching staff for the 2025 season. That has led to him taking on a different job. Pierce announced on Instagram that he has been named Chief Strategy Advisor for a company called Athletes in Control. Notably, Washington Commanders quarterback Jayden Daniels recently joined the company as a brand ambassador. Pierce and Daniels have a close relationship from their time at Arizona State. It's not entirely clear what Athletes in Control does. Their website is currently password-protected. Their Instagram bio mentions "NIL to HOF," so it's possible that they are some sort of agency that helps athletes secure brand deals. Regardless, Pierce is going to stay close to football with this new gig. It remains to be seen if it'll keep him from wanting to return to the coaching ranks sometime in the future.
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