2 weeks ago
The warfare of words betwixt Stephen A. Smith and Jonathan Papelbon has continued.
The erstwhile Boston Red Sox person went disconnected connected Smith aft he criticized Mike Trout's deficiency of readiness pursuing nan three-time All-Star's meniscus injury.
Smith said he was "disgusted pinch his deficiency of availability," asking really Trout could "always" beryllium injured.
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Stephen A. Smith said he was "disgusted" pinch Mike Trout's deficiency of availability. (Mike Kirschbaum/NBAE via Getty Images)
"It's baseball, half nan time, y'all opinionated retired successful nan outfield chewing connected pumpkin seeds aliases something…" Smith said connected "First Take" earlier this week. "With these oblique injuries, you’re moving astir bases, catching one, past you’re moving retired for a alert ball, and each of a sudden, thing gets tweaked. What nan hellhole is going on?"
Papelbon caught upwind of Smith's rant, which led him to calling nan media mogul "racist" and "xenophobic."
"That’s not what nan crippled needs. Everybody wants to tune into nan media, I get it. But astatine nan extremity of nan day, you person to beryllium responsible for nan s--- that you say. And unless ESPN holds him accountable for nan stupid s--- that he says, conjecture what? He’s going to support doing it," Papelbon said earlier this week connected nan "Foul Territory" podcast.
Well, Smith threw nan punches back.
Stephen A. Smith astatine SXSW Sports Track connected March 11, 2024, successful Austin, Texas. (Seth Reissig/Sportico via Getty Images)
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"I didn’t moreover cognize you were a contributor to a podcast until this morning. But I tin spell tit for tat pinch you. What I won’t do is disrespect you to nan grade that you conscionable disrespected me," Smith said connected his ain podcast section that was released connected Friday.
Smith debunked Papelbon's claims that Smith was banned from nan Philadelphia Phillies locker room, saying that has "never happened successful immoderate sport."
But it took it a measurement further.
"I’ve ne'er had immoderate subject action exacted against me. Because I person ne'er been professionally unethical successful my career. That is simply a lie. Now, I could writer your a-- for telling specified a dishonesty for illustration that," he said. "But I won’t discarded my time."
Smith past addressed nan "racist" claim.
"I deliberation that erstwhile group bring up nan connection ‘racist,’ if they looked astatine you and I sitting together, I deliberation they would look astatine you earlier they looked astatine me," he said.
Stephen A. Smith reacts aft throwing a ceremonial first transportation earlier nan New York Yankees crippled against nan Toronto Blue Jays astatine Yankee Stadium connected Sept. 21, 2023 successful nan Bronx. (Sarah Stier/Getty Images)
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"I’m a Black man. We person a history of experiencing racism. And a batch of times, those experiences comes courtesy of group who look for illustration you. And I would ne'er deliberation to telephone you a racist," Smith added. "What you said is wrong, irresponsible, it’s petty. And if it was to get a reaction, it’s desperate. Because now that you don’t person your playing profession to thin connected anymore, I conjecture you request thief successful different areas… beryllium a grown up, bro."
For what it's worth, Trout played successful conscionable 82 games past twelvemonth aft playing successful 119 successful 2022 and 36 successful 2021. He hasn't played successful complete 140 games since 2016 (but still won an MVP successful 2019).
