Podcast Summary: Best of the Bus: Stephen A Smith On Competing With Pat McAfee + Staying On Top At ESPN

Podcast: Bussin' With The Boys
Hosts: Will Compton & Taylor Lewan
Guest: Stephen A. Smith
Date: October 4, 2025
Length (content only): ~55 minutes

Episode Overview

This episode of "Bussin' With The Boys" features a wide-ranging, high-energy conversation with Stephen A. Smith, the legendary ESPN broadcaster, commentator, and now digital media entrepreneur. Will Compton and Taylor Lewan dig into Stephen A.’s origins, his approach to sports journalism, the dynamics of building relationships with athletes, staying competitive in a rapidly changing media landscape, and his candid thoughts on competition (especially with Pat McAfee) and his vision for the future.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. The Pressure and Thrill of Live TV

• Stephen A. describes the stakes of live broadcast: "It's fast paced and in our case, it's live. So you mess up. You mess up. It ain't like somebody's gonna say we don't even have a seven second delay. So... you can find yourself in trouble." (02:34)
• He thrives under this intensity, citing the adrenaline as a motivator.

2. Passion, Career vs. Job, and Work Ethic

• Smith distinguishes between a 'job' and a 'career':

  "A job is doing what you have to do to sustain or elevate your quality of life. A career is doing what you want to do..." (03:14)

• He ties his passion and work ethic to respect for the athletes he covers: because he never played pro sports, "you owe it to everybody to make sure that you put forth a full-fledged effort with passion and enthusiasm..." (03:56)

3. Earning the Right to Critique Athletes

• Smith shares a formative story about covering Wake Forest soccer, a sport he knew nothing about, and learning from the coach and players to gain perspective and credibility.

  “[The coach said] you didn't play soccer, but you learned from those who do. And as long as you do that, then you're in a position to critique any of us.” (06:12)

• He's carried this philosophy through his career — learn from the insiders, listen, and then critique responsibly.

4. Navigating Friendships with Athletes & Journalistic Ethics

• Smith is blunt about balance: performance issues are fair game, but he’s careful with personal matters.

  "Parts about your performance never faze me because you perform in a public platform... I don't give a damn about how you feel because that was in a public setting..." (07:17)

• On ethical dilemmas: “If they say to you on the record, you know what? He ain't, He's a liar. This is what he did... I gotta quote him. That’s what he said. I gotta give it to him, okay? And give you an opportunity to respond.” (08:01)
• He illustrates with a story about having to call Isaiah Thomas to tell him he was going to call for his firing—respect means being honest, even when it’s tough.

  "It was the most emotional that I had ever been in my career because I actually called him up and I almost started crying… tomorrow I'm calling for you to be fired." (13:04) "He said to me, do what you gotta do, bro. I understand." (13:30)

5. When Relationships are Tested

• Shares a frank recounting of a falling out with Allen Iverson that included eight months without speaking, only resolving after a blunt late-night meeting:

  "The only time we talked was a couple of times where he was like, fuck you. And I like, fuck you too.” (15:11)

• Smith stands by his need to do the job even if an athlete is inaccessible:

  “Your inaccessibility doesn’t get to determine my productivity. I’m going to do my job.” (16:15)

6. ‘The Code’ – What’s Fair Game in Reporting

• Explains the unwritten rules for sports reporters: performance is public, but personal lives and off-field vices are handled discreetly. Smith knows much more than he says, and only references off-field behavior indirectly ("He seemed a bit slow... my way of letting him know, man, I know what you did. What's the matter with you?"). (32:09)
• Outlines the difference between public accountability and crossing ethical lines with private matters.

7. Staying Unbiased & Building Reputation

• “From day one, I always let them know, don’t look for any pity from me when it comes to your game because everyone’s watching.” (23:14)
• Says his street smarts and experience around “vices, temptations... violence…” gave him extra perspective and credibility with athletes.

8. Career Strategy—‘Playing the Long Game’

• Turning down “Best Damn Sports Show Period” despite a lucrative deal because it wouldn’t serve his ultimate goal (being taken seriously and ending up at ESPN):

  “I would never be able to be taken seriously if I was sitting next to a comedian… optics wise, that would not be a good look if I wanted to be taken seriously.” (36:25)

• On career mindset:

  “That Monday morning I woke up… I said, my next contract. And I wasn't playing. I knew that I had five and a half years to go. And I was thinking about five and a half years down the road. What am I going to do and where am I going to be…?” (41:41)

9. Vision, Independence, and the Future

• Smith discusses the importance of building independence as he approaches the end of his ESPN contract:

  “The North Star for me is to have that level of independence, to establish it in such a way where I'm there because I want to be there, not because I need to be there.” (43:50)

• He’s developing his own studio, production company, new shows, and shifting his identity beyond “just sports.”

10. Competition with Pat McAfee and Other Industry Figures

• On McAfee: “I love Pat McAfee... I love his swag. I love the fact that he’s an honest brother. He don’t give a shit unless you know exactly where he stands. That’s my kind of dude.” (47:43)
• But he’s deeply competitive:

  "We know who number one in linear television is... You come for me, I'm coming for you. I'm here to win. Digital is different because I'm a baby... But once I get to that point, I'm going to come for folks then, too." (51:54)

• Never roots against others, but never stops trying to be #1: "I don't ever root against you. I don't ever want you to fail. But in the same breath, it is perfectly within my right to want to be number one." (53:38)

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

| Timestamp | Quote | Speaker | |------------|----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|---------------------| | 03:14 | "A job is doing what you have to do...A career is doing what you want to do, and it just so happens to do those things." | Stephen A. Smith | | 06:12 | "[The coach said] you didn't play soccer, but you learned from those who do...as long as you do that, then you're in a position to critique any of us." | Stephen A. Smith | | 07:17 | "Parts about your performance never faze me because you perform in a public platform...I don't give a damn about how you feel..." | Stephen A. Smith | | 13:04 | "I had to call [Isaiah Thomas] to let him know, tomorrow I'm calling for you to be fired.” | Stephen A. Smith | | 15:11 | “The only time we talked was a couple of times where he was like, fuck you. And I like, fuck you too.” | Stephen A. Smith | | 16:15 | “Your inaccessibility doesn’t get to determine my productivity. I’m going to do my job.” | Stephen A. Smith | | 23:14 | “From day one, I always let them know, don’t look for any pity from me when it comes to your game because everyone’s watching.” | Stephen A. Smith | | 41:41 | “That Monday morning I woke up… I said, my next contract. And I wasn't playing...I was thinking about five and a half years down the road.” | Stephen A. Smith | | 43:50 | “The North Star for me is to have that level of independence...where I'm there because I want to be there, not because I need to be there.” | Stephen A. Smith | | 47:43 | "I am an aberration in this regard. I love Pat McAfee. Love him to death. Love the deaf. I love his swag." | Stephen A. Smith | | 51:54 | "You come for me, I'm coming for you. I'm here to win. Digital is different because I'm a baby...But once I get to that point, I'm going to come for folks then, too." | Stephen A. Smith | | 53:38 | "I don't ever root against you. I don't ever want you to fail. But in the same breath, it is perfectly within my right to want to be number one." | Stephen A. Smith |

Segment Timestamps

• Pressure of Live TV & Work Ethic: 02:27–03:56
• Career vs. Job, Early Days: 03:14–06:12
• Learning the Game & Right to Critique: 04:31–06:55
• Relationships, Ethics, & Trust: 06:55–09:17, 11:54–13:44
• Allen Iverson & Conflict Management: 15:06–17:35
• “The Code” in Sports Journalism: 23:14–33:50
• Career Strategy - Playing the Long Game: 36:10–43:27
• Vision for the Future: 43:27–47:43
• Competition/Pat McAfee: 47:43–53:38

Tone & Style

The conversation is candid, energetic, unfiltered, and at times, deeply reflective. Stephen A. Smith’s commanding presence is felt throughout, mixing humor, streetwise aphorisms, and hard-earned professional wisdom. The hosts keep it lively and conversational, creating an atmosphere where sharp takes and personal stories intersect.

TL;DR ("Too Long; Didn't Listen")

Stephen A. Smith shares his philosophy on sports journalism, the importance of ethics and relationships, lessons from three decades in media, and how he navigates competition, particularly with names like Pat McAfee. He reveals how he’s always played the long game, turning down short-term opportunities for lasting impact, and is now building his own independent media empire while still “coming for #1.” A master class in sports talk, strategy, and real talk.