Full Show: Stephen A responds to Trump's DEI bans. Carmelo responds to Pippen's GOAT Talk.

Summary

The Stephen A. Smith Show
Episode: Stephen A Responds to Trump's DEI Bans & Carmelo Responds to Pippen's GOAT Talk
Release Date: January 27, 2025

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Super Bowl 59: Chiefs vs. Buffalo Bills

Stephen A. Smith opens the episode by providing an in-depth analysis of Super Bowl 59, focusing on the AFC Championship where the Kansas City Chiefs defeated the Buffalo Bills with a close score of 32-29. He highlights the Chiefs' historic achievement as the first back-to-back champions to return to the Super Bowl. Emphasizing the Chiefs' dominance, Smith remarks:

"Kansas City just finds a way to win. They've won nine straight playoff games. Seven have been by one score. This team just knows what to do and how to get it done." [02:15]

Smith expresses sympathy for Chiefs' quarterback Patrick Mahomes and believes that Bills' quarterback Josh Allen consistently falls short against the Chiefs despite his talents. He critiques the officiating in the decisive moments of the game, suggesting that Buffalo was on the verge of potentially altering the outcome. Smith sums up his perspective on Josh Allen:

"He's great, he's fantastic. He just ain't Patrick Mahomes. It's really that simple." [03:45]

Conversation with Josh Allen

In a light-hearted segment, Smith brings his nephew Josh Allen, an avid Chiefs fan, into the discussion. The interaction is both playful and critical, poking fun at Allen's newfound affinity for the Chiefs. Smith challenges Josh on his sudden support for Kansas City, leading to a humorous exchange about buffalo rivalries and team loyalties.

Josh attempts to defend the Bills' performance, but Smith remains steadfast in his assessment that the Chiefs outperform the Bills every time. Their banter reaches a peak when Josh admits:

"I'm all about being a better Josh, so I really can't have him win a whole Super Bowl." [06:15]

Interview with Rob Lowe: From Wildfires to Hollywood Shifts

Rob Lowe, a multi-talented actor and producer, joins Smith to discuss several pressing issues:

California Wildfires and Policy Failures

Lowe delves into the catastrophic wildfires in California, critiquing the state's diminished infrastructure and policy shortcomings. He points out the absence of fire roads that once helped mitigate wildfire spread:

"They haven't cut fire roads into the mountains and you'd have to ask the policymakers, but they're not there anymore... the culture of decision making around forestry... they've screwed it up 100%." [14:37]

Lowe attributes the severity of recent wildfires to negligence in maintaining essential fire management infrastructure and inadequate law enforcement resources to combat hazards like unauthorized fireworks:

"City council... would say, 'you're not a high crime area and our resources are limited.'... New Year's Eve there was. The fireworks were set off again. It lit off a brush fire of about an acre." [16:08]

Hollywood's Migration and Economic Impact

Discussing the shift of film and television productions away from Hollywood, Lowe expresses frustration over productions choosing cheaper overseas locations like Ireland over retaining them in California:

"It's outrageous... We do that better than anybody in the world. You do still." [21:14]

He criticizes the decision-making that sidelines Hollywood despite its status as America's premier entertainment hub, highlighting economic implications and loss of jobs:

"Where do we do it? Hollywood. Not anymore. It's Vancouver, it's Budapest, it's Ireland, it's New Mexico, it's Toronto... That's criminal." [21:37]

Sports Sector Insights: Lakers and Dodgers

Lowe turns the conversation to sports, commending the Los Angeles Lakers for their current performance and strategy centered around Anthony Davis:

"They need to take a page from my Dodgers and go out and get the best in class." [23:24]

In discussing the Los Angeles Dodgers, Lowe praises their financial prowess and strategic acquisitions, contrasting them with other teams struggling financially:

"Why are they not doing it? The Orioles could be doing it... I feel like we're working our way to a lockout or something, because at some point, it will be untenable." [24:02]

Lowe anticipates potential labor disputes due to financial imbalances in Major League Baseball, underscoring the Dodgers' forward-thinking approach:

"The Players association is not going to want that. Obviously, they would get the people paid." [24:29]

Political Commentary: Trump's DEI Bans and Secretary of Defense Confirmation

Stephen A. Smith shifts gears to discuss Donald Trump's recent actions regarding Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) initiatives and the confirmation of Pete Hegseth as Secretary of Defense.

DEI Initiatives and Historical Erasure

Smith criticizes Trump's ban on DEI programs, linking it to the erasure of significant historical narratives like that of the Tuskegee Airmen. He expresses concern over the Air Force removing educational content about these pioneering African American pilots from basic training:

"President Trump's ban on diversity, equity and inclusion, DEI initiatives, nearly erased their story from being taught to new trainees in the military." [34:34]

Smith argues that eliminating DEI undermines the historical struggles for civil rights and equality, emphasizing the importance of remembering past injustices to foster genuine progress.

Confirmation of Pete Hegseth

Addressing Pete Hegseth's confirmation as Secretary of Defense, Smith acknowledges the bipartisan opposition and the allegations against Hegseth, including sexual misconduct and financial mismanagement. However, he defends the confirmation by highlighting Hegseth's military background and loyalty to Trump:

"His service to our country cannot be denied. We should feel that way about any of our soldiers who serve honorably." [17:14]

Smith contends that political standards have lowered, comparing Hegseth's situation to previous political figures who faced similar allegations without significant repercussions.

Scottie Pippen’s Comments and Carmelo Anthony’s Response: The GOAT Debate

In a heated segment, Scottie Pippen voices controversial opinions about Michael Jordan and the Greatest of All Time (GOAT) debate in the NBA. Pippen dismisses both LeBron James and Michael Jordan as GOATs, elevating Magic Johnson instead. This sparks a robust response from Carmelo Anthony.

Scottie Pippen’s Stance

Pippen asserts:

"Neither one of them are goats. Magic Johnson, to me, is a bigger goat than anybody..." [55:35]

His remarks challenge the longstanding consensus in basketball circles, positioning Magic Johnson above both Jordan and James due to his leadership and versatility.

Carmelo Anthony’s Defense of Jordan

Carmelo Anthony vehemently opposes Pippen's statements, emphasizing the unparalleled impact of Michael Jordan:

"You can't do this every time, though Scotty. You can't do this every time... Like, leave that alone, Scotty... Like, nobody's around, nobody." [57:21]

Anthony highlights the collective success achieved alongside Jordan, defending his legacy against Pippen's claims.

Concluding Remarks and Audience Engagement

Smith wraps up the episode by reinforcing his stance on the GOAT debate, criticizing Pippen's bitterness and reaffirming Michael Jordan's superiority in the conversation. He brings in Josh Allen once more to challenge his opinions, leading to a spirited exchange where Allen questions the hypothetical scenarios presented by Smith. The segment underscores Smith's unwavering support for Jordan and his skepticism towards alternative GOAT candidates.

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Notable Quotes:

• Stephen A. Smith on Chiefs' Dominance:
  "Kansas City just finds a way to win. They've won nine straight playoff games. Seven have been by one score." [02:15]

• Smith on Josh Allen vs. Mahomes:
  "He's great, he's fantastic. He just ain't Patrick Mahomes. It's really that simple." [03:45]

• Rob Lowe on California Wildfires:
  "They haven't cut fire roads into the mountains and you'd have to ask the policymakers, but they're not there anymore." [14:37]

• Smith on DEI Annulment:
  "President Trump's ban on diversity, equity and inclusion, DEI initiatives, nearly erased their story from being taught to new trainees in the military." [34:34]

• Carmelo Anthony on the GOAT Debate:
  "You can't do this every time, though Scotty. You can't do this every time..." [57:21]

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Conclusion

This episode of The Stephen A. Smith Show offers a multifaceted exploration of sports analysis, political commentary, and heated debates within the basketball community. From dissecting Super Bowl performances and critiquing NFL quarterbacks to evaluating the impact of political decisions on military training and engaging in the GOAT debate, Smith delivers his characteristic blend of passion and insight. The inclusion of guests like Rob Lowe adds depth to discussions on environmental policies and the entertainment industry's challenges, while interactions with figures like Josh Allen and responses to Scottie Pippen's statements keep the dialogue dynamic and engaging.

Transcript

[Greg Rosenthal]

What's up everyone? It's Greg Rosenthal and I'm teaming up with the King of Spring, Daniel Jeremiah. He requires me to say that we're going to be bringing you 40s and free agents, the only podcast you'll need this NFL draft season. From DJs mock drafts to my top 101, free agents will have it covered for you with all new episodes every Thursday keeping you up to date as we head to the NFL Draft. Listen to 40s and free agents starting on March 6th on the iHeartRadio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts.

[Julie Swerbinks]

What's up everyone? Julie Swerbinks here along with former NHL player Nate Thompson.

[Stephen A. Smith]

We're doing a new podcast together. Here we go.

[Julie Swerbinks]

The name Energy Line with Nate and jsb.

[Stephen A. Smith]

Each week we'll get together and talk about hockey life. All topics are fair game, right?

[Julie Swerbinks]

Exactly. And you'll never know who will drop by to join us.

[Stephen A. Smith]

Julia's pretty well connected. She has text threads going that you wouldn't believe.

[Julie Swerbinks]

Listen to Energy Line with Nate and jsb on the iHeartRadio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts.

[Stephen A. Smith]

Welcome to another edition of the Stephen A. Smith show over the digital airwaves of YouTube and of course iHeartRadio. As always, I'd like to take a moment to thank my subscribers and followers for continuing to help this show grow. We've now eclipsed 1.07 million subscribers on YouTube and of course millions more over the last few months on iHeartRadio with the downloads. Can't thank y'all enough for the love and support. Keep it coming. And I'm gonna keep on coming to continue to like and follow the show. Just click the bell to get notified for all of our new content and you too shall be the latest member of the Stephen A. Smith show family. And while you're doing that, make sure to pick a copy. Pick up a copy of my New York Times best selling book, Straight Shooter, A Memoir of Second Chances and First Takes. Once again, Straight Shooter, A Memoir of Second Chances and First Takes now in paperback. Just go to straightshooterbook.com to get yourself a copy. Once again, that's straightshooterbook.com to get yourself a copy. Now let's get started with championship Sunday and the two teams that advanced to the Super Bowl. Super Bowl 59. We'll start in the AFC where the Chiefs made history as the first back to back champion to return to the super bowl as Kansas City knocked off Buffalo 32 29. The win marked the first time in NFL playoff history that one team has eliminated the same opponent four times in a five season span. I walked away from this game feeling sad for Josh Allen. I know the greatness of Patrick Mahomes can't be denied. The greatness of Travis Kelsey can't be denied. The greatness of Andy Reid as the head coach. Steve Spagnolo, the defensive coordinator, can't be denied Courtney calling the corner blitz that shocked Josh Allen and threw him and had him reeling backwards. I mean, he still threw up what looked like to be a damn Hail Mary, for crying out loud. And that guy Kincaid has got to catch that ball. That did not happen. Similar to Mark Andrews dropping a two point conversion for Lamar Jackson. It did not happen. So there's some luck, one could say. But in the end, Kansas City just finds a way to win. They've won nine straight playoff games. Seven have been by one score. This team just knows what to do and how to get it done. It's really, really that simple. And I got to give credit where credit is due. But I walked away feeling so sad for Josh Allen. And here's the reason why. The brother balls. It's not like he doesn't show up when he's going up against Kansas City. But no matter what he does, it gets one upped by something Patrick Mahomes in Kansas City does. You need one play, you need that first down, fourth down, and you get stopped. I thought he had the first down. One official said he did, the other said he did it. They gave it to the other official who was closer to the play, and that was that. But they were. Listen, it was a 22, 21 game. Buffalo's driving. They get that first down, the likelihood is that they score and then Kansas City is reeling and they're in a pinch. And then even if they end up scoring, the fact is then Buffalo would get the ball back. As opposed to this being one of those situations where you're on the defensive side of the ball and you got to stop Patrick Mahomes from getting two first downs. It could have changed. It could have been different. But somehow, some way, no matter what way you want to slice it, Buffalo finds a way to fall to Kansas City. And Josh Allen found a way to fall a Patrick Mahomes. And somebody asked me this morning on my day job, so what do we say about Josh Allen at this particular moment in time? And here's what you say about him. He's great, he's fantastic. He just ain't Patrick Mahomes. It's really that simple. But don't listen to just me, ladies and gentlemen. There's somebody that's sitting next to me. Of course he wants some camera time. He drives up here, just. I mean, I've never seen him so dedicated in my life. You know what I'm saying? When I tell him to be here, he's here. I didn't ask him to be here today, but he wanted to be here because, shoot, he loves the camera. It's my nephew, Josh. Look what he's wearing. What's up, man? How you doing?

[Josh]

Great. Had a good night last night. You know, my team won.

[Stephen A. Smith]

Your team?

[Josh]

Sporting our jacket.

[Stephen A. Smith]

Your team. I never saw you with a Kansas City jacket before. And not only that, I never heard you talk about the Chiefs before. Really? Until a week ago.

[Josh]

Well, that's because Buffalo had called me out because they beat Baltimore. And now we're here.

[Stephen A. Smith]

So you here to rub it in? You're here to celebrate Kansas City, or you here to rub it in to Bill's mafia and the Buffalo Bills fan? Which one is it?

[Josh]

To respond to what they posted on their page. Griff, cut to the video. This is me last night, pumping.

[Stephen A. Smith]

Don't be rude to people in Buffalo. What are you doing? Four degrees.

[Josh]

Now. Josh Allen. I'm all about being a better Josh, so I really can't have him win a whole Super Bowl.

[Stephen A. Smith]

Oh, my God. You know the thing that's funny about that, though? I can't even knock you for it.

[Josh]

Can't knock me?

[Stephen A. Smith]

I can't knock you for it because they did come at you. They did come at you. They tried to throw you. For once. I mean, a dead clock is right twice a day. For once you were right because they did come at you. But you. But you're wrong about this. You're still not the better Josh.

[Josh]

What? How?

[Stephen A. Smith]

You're still not the better Josh. How are you? How are you better than Josh Allen? He bald.

[Josh]

He bald, but he lost straight to Patrick. All I'm saying is his name shouldn't be Josh no more. Call him. Gosh, call him Allen. Something like that. He can't be Josh. I'm not losing to the same person four times in a row. Especially if I got the better team in half of those times.

[Stephen A. Smith]

He didn't have the better team. How you know he had the better team? I wouldn't say the Buffalo Bills had the better team.

[Josh]

No time did the Buffalo Bills ever have.

[Stephen A. Smith]

I don't think so.

[Josh]

You remember last year?

[Stephen A. Smith]

Yeah.

[Josh]

When Pat Mahomes had no wide receivers. Okay, but that's what y'all said.

[Stephen A. Smith]

Well, indigenous. They had an elite defense and they had Patrick Mahomes. And Patrick Mahomes can neutralize anybody.

[Josh]

And that's all I'm saying. Josh. Yeah, you can't say that about Josh. Gosh Allen or. Gosh Allen. I'm sorry.

[Stephen A. Smith]

Gosh Allen.

[Josh]

Number one. Number one. Josh. They said it. They all in the com.

[Stephen A. Smith]

Gosh Allen.

[Josh]

Yeah.

[Stephen A. Smith]

Get the camera off him. Get it back on me, please. We don't need to see him anymore. Him right now. In the NFC, the Philadelphia Eagles won decisively over the Washington Commanders, 55 to 23. Both Saquon Barkley and Jalen Hurt scored three touchdowns a piece in a route of the Commanders. Now, I'm not gonna lie, I felt bad for Jayden Daniels as well. He's a rookie, ladies and gentlemen, and he's the one that showed up for Washington. He had three turnovers before he threw that meaningless interception near the end. Three turnovers, all led to touchdowns. Philadelphia Eagles seven times in the red zone, seven scores. I mean, Washington Commanders, Dan Quinn defense is supposed to be his signature. That's why he's the head coach of the National Football League. He was the defensive coordinator in Dallas. And then your defense is playing like that yesterday. I mean, it's a damn shit first play from scrimmage for the Philadelphia Eagles, Saquon Barkley takes it 60 yards to the house, spinning around, shrugging off defenders flying by them. And then you look at the meetings. The Washington Commanders go up against the Philadelphia Eagles three times this season. They gave up 211, 228 and 229 yards. 229 yards being yesterday in the NFC championship game with the Eagles rushing for more than six yards of carry. That ain't gonna happen in the super bowl against Kansas City. But I will tell you this. How the hell you to watch Commanders and you let that happen. How you let that happen. As for Jalen Hurts, we gotta give props where prospect is due this second super bowl in three years and the last time he was against the Kansas City Chiefs in the Super Bowl, Jalen Hurts threw for over 300 yards. Jalen Hurts had to score tied 35, 35 with five minutes left before Patrick Mahomes drove them downfield and set up a game winning field goal for the Kansas City Chiefs with 8 seconds left to win the Super Bowl. 38, 35. So we got to look at it from that standpoint and understand Jalen Hurts balled But Jalen hurts. Still lost. Just like Josh Allen ball, but he still lost. Just like Lamar Jackson balled against Patrick Mahomes, but still lost. There's a whole bunch of people that show up and they go up against Patrick Mahomes and they do their thing, but it still doesn't end up being good enough. That is what concerns me. I'll bring my nephew back here. What concerns you?

[Josh]

That ruined my perfect weekend.

[Stephen A. Smith]

How was the perfect week?

[Josh]

Washington losing.

[Stephen A. Smith]

Okay.

[Josh]

Cause that was my pick, right?

[Stephen A. Smith]

You know I picked both Philly and Kansas City, right? What? Yes, I did. Just so you know, I just wanted to throw that out.

[Josh]

It's easy to pick Philly. They playing a rookie.

[Stephen A. Smith]

No, no, no. You didn't pick him. You didn't pick Philly.

[Josh]

I picked.

[Stephen A. Smith]

You didn't pick. What do you mean it's easy? You didn't pick him.

[Josh]

I picked who I believed in. His team let him down. Like you just said, three fumbles before he even got a chance to be in the game. It was 12 to 14 or 12 to 13.

[Stephen A. Smith]

Well, in the third quarter, they were still down by 10.

[Josh]

Eklund tried to get up with one hand, got the ball, punched out his hand and he scored a touchdown. And then the game got out of hand.

[Stephen A. Smith]

It was 34, 23 at the end of three with Washington having the ball. And they got outscored 21 to nothing in the fourth quarter. So for the first three quarters, despite what you're saying about Jayden Daniels, he still had a chance.

[Josh]

Yeah. Cause I had a chance. Cause of him.

[Stephen A. Smith]

Okay. So you have anything till you want to order.

[Josh]

So I'm trying to say next year, like when y'all be talking of firing coaches and stuff like that. They did 55 points, 60 yard run right at the beginning of the game. And it's a lot.

[Stephen A. Smith]

By the way, where'd you watch the game?

[Josh]

Would I watch it?

[Stephen A. Smith]

Would you watch it? Yeah. Why would you? What you echoing what I asked for? You heard what the question was. Where did you watch the game?

[Josh]

At the Chicken Box.

[Stephen A. Smith]

The Chicken Box? Where's it located?

[Josh]

Murdoch, Queens. They be telling me to bring you. I'm gonna bring you by. We're gonna go over there.

[Stephen A. Smith]

I don't. I don't need to go by there. I don't want to go any place you are at. I don't want that. I'm not trying to hang out with you.

[Josh]

I'm trying.

[Stephen A. Smith]

I don't need that problem. I don't need that problem at all. But the Chicken Box is What it's called. So I'm Murdoch at what, 201st?

[Josh]

We can walk there.

[Stephen A. Smith]

Yeah, yeah, yeah. I ain't walking there.

[Josh]

Yeah, yeah. But you gonna come though. He gonna come. I'm gonna bring him down.

[Stephen A. Smith]

They got a good chicken.

[Josh]

Yeah, it's great.

[Stephen A. Smith]

Really? Yep. You made the video there and they helped you make the video?

[Josh]

Yeah, it's my people.

[Stephen A. Smith]

They're your people?

[Josh]

Yeah.

[Stephen A. Smith]

Did you pay for the meal?

[Josh]

Nah.

[Stephen A. Smith]

So you got a free meal?

[Josh]

I paid for the drinks, but is it really me paying?

[Stephen A. Smith]

You used my card?

[Josh]

Yeah, it's on my phone now. I don't even gotta. I don't even need the physical card anymore. I was about to tap a car yesterday.

[Stephen A. Smith]

I'mma kick your ass. My guest is an award winning actor, producer, director, best selling author and. And the host and producer of the hit FOX game show the Floor. I'm pleased to welcome my buddy, the one and only, Rob Lowe to the show. How are you, Rob? How's everything, man?

[Rob Lowe]

I'm very good. It's great to talk to you, as always. You know, the week leading up to the super bowl, there's nobody I'd rather talk to than you.

[Stephen A. Smith]

I appreciate that. Feelings mutual, my man. Before I get into your hit game show, though, I want to offer my condolences to your family before I do anything else. I understand your brother Chad lost his homes in the Palisades wildfire. How's everything going in that regard?

[Rob Lowe]

Man, you just can't imagine it. I mean, it's, it's unimaginable what he and, and all his neighbors, every single one of his friends, you know, he got out with his, his kids, his wife, their goldfish, their three cats, and that's it.

[Stephen A. Smith]

Wow.

[Rob Lowe]

So we've, you know, I've given him lots of clothes. I've been housing people, looking for new housing for everybody. It's just. It's truly a one day at a time for, for so many people and you just never can believe it's ever going to happen to you or your family. Until it does.

[Stephen A. Smith]

I don't mind tackling the issue of politics or anything else, but I don't expect everybody to be like I am. So I'll ask this question in a general perspective and let you take it wherever you want to go. Whether it's, whether it's state politicians, whether it's a bureaucracy that's existed for years, whatever the case may be. How do you believe a bunch of Los Angeles and a bunch of Californians are feeling? Could you pretty much explain for Us, your mindset and your mentality and that of folks who live out there. How you're feeling right now in light of everything that's transpired and most importantly, how it's been handled.

[Rob Lowe]

Well, 100%. And I come with a kind of unique perspective on this. Stephen. I've lived in Southern California since 1976. One of my first memories of moving to Malibu, which is burned many, many times and burned in this fire, was looking up and seeing the gigantic fire roads that were cut into the mountains. They're gone.

[Greg Rosenthal]

Wow.

[Rob Lowe]

They haven't cut fire roads into the mountains and you'd have to ask the policymakers, but they're not there anymore. And you know, I play a first responder on 911. Lone Star.

[Stephen A. Smith]

That's right.

[Rob Lowe]

So I. And I've housed firemen on my property during the last big fire in Santa Barbara. So I know from top to bottom, you know, that the culture of decision making around forestry, I'm not, I don't know the technical terms, but that's been a real problem. And they've screwed it up 100%. And you can just look at it. Where are the fire roads? They're not there. They used to be there. We used to ride our bikes on them, BMX on them. They were great. Yeah. So, you know, the chickens have come home to roost on the other side of it. If a fire starts where it did during those winds, it's going to do whatever it wants to do. Really and truly it is. I do know that there were reports of people lighting fireworks off day in and day out, not day in and day out. I don't want to over exaggerate this. I want to be really careful because what I'm about to say is true. There were people lighting fireworks four or five times a month. Right where that stopped. The Palisades community would report it. The Palisades have one policeman.

[Stephen A. Smith]

One.

[Rob Lowe]

One what? And when they go one and when they go to whoever they would go to, I don't want to name names because I don't want to be wrong. City council, I don't know if it's that, but whoever they would go to, they would say, well, you're not a high crime area and our resources are limited. So that one policeman doesn't really, you know, what are they going to do? Go up there and scout out the fireworks?

[Stephen A. Smith]

Right.

[Rob Lowe]

New Year's Eve there was. The fireworks were set off again. It lit off a brush fire of about an acre. They put it out. But the working theory, I'm hearing is that it wasn't fully put out because embers, you've had a fireplace. If your fire goes out and you come back and look at it the next day, there's still embers, that maybe those embers blew in the wind. But my point being, Stephen, is at some point when you cut and cut and cut and you change policy and you don't listen to experts, the chickens are going to come home to roost. And they have.

[Stephen A. Smith]

My last question on this subject would be this. We all know the kind of politics the state of California has leaned towards for many, many years. And we see a new president in office and how he came to California and he went right at the mayor of Los Angeles and Karen Bass. He didn't pull any punches in terms of how he talks about the governor, Gavin Newsom. And for the first time in many, many years, if not my lifetime, I feel a shift taking place where you got Californians that they look like they're sick and tired. This was like the last straw, as far as I could say, as far as I could tell. And it looks like there's the possibility of change coming to the state in that regard. Am I off in saying that?

[Rob Lowe]

No, you're not off. I watched the roundtable from start to finish and you know, people were being told by the National Guard and FEMA and people like that that it would be 18 months to rebuild. That's they were actually being told. And then the mayor would say something else. So, you know, you saw firsthand the rigamarole and the mumbo jumbo that's going on. And I look at, I get it. It's unfolding in real time and people are doing the best that they can. But I think people are ready for some accountability and they're ready to have water in the reservoirs when they need it, frankly.

[Stephen A. Smith]

Yeah, I got you. Let's move on to more pleasant topic because you've got a hit show, it's the Floor. And I want you to talk about that a little bit. Tell us about it. And for those who are not familiar with it, explain the premise of it all.

[Rob Lowe]

So the Floor, you know, Stephen A. We Fox gave us the most coveted, other than the Stephen A. Smith empire, the most coveted thing in media is what is on after the super bowl they gave us that slot. So my show, the Floor, will be right after the super bowl, you know, and it's because the, the gameplay of the floor, the game itself, the Floor is so addicting that Fox has said we got to get more, you know, People are going to love it and just become Insta fans. And it's really true. You'll go from watching, you know, America's favorite game to playing the most addicting game that I've. I've come across.

[Stephen A. Smith]

I love it.

[Rob Lowe]

And I love that whether you're 10 years old, 80 years old, male, female, no matter what, everybody loves the floor. They love playing that damn game at home.

[Stephen A. Smith]

I heard it's filmed in Ireland. Is that true?

[Rob Lowe]

What I talk about California, Ready for a change? I sit in the offices at Fox. We look out at all the sound stages. They're five feet away. And it's cheaper and more productive to take 100American contestants and fly to Ireland. Do it. That's something about. I don't know much about business, but that can't be very right.

[Stephen A. Smith]

Yes.

[Rob Lowe]

For a business climate.

[Stephen A. Smith]

That can't. That can't. So basically it's in Ireland because it's cheaper than it is to do it in California.

[Rob Lowe]

Yeah.

[Stephen A. Smith]

That is exact. Yeah.

[Rob Lowe]

100%. That's exactly it.

[Stephen A. Smith]

Wow. I don't even know what to say about that. I don't. How could you feel good if you're the state of California and think it's cheaper to take an Entire crew, over 100 people out of the country to another place than it is to do it right there in their own backyard?

[Rob Lowe]

That, by the way, Stephen A. That's the way it is with everything. I'm. I'm looking at what my next show is going to be because Lone Star is finishing in every studio, every network is telling me they will not shoot in Los Angeles. Will not.

[Stephen A. Smith]

Wow. Wow. And how does that make you feel considering that you've been living there since the 70s?

[Rob Lowe]

It's outrageous. I mean, this is. This is the one thing. Not the one thing, but certainly it's probably America's single best export is entertainment.

[Stephen A. Smith]

Wow.

[Rob Lowe]

We do that better than anybody in the world. You do still.

[Stephen A. Smith]

You do.

[Rob Lowe]

And where do we do it? Hollywood. Not anymore. It's Vancouver, it's Budapest, it's Ireland, it's New Mexico, it's Toronto, but it is not Hollywood. And we have had, and I idiots in charge of this. And letting that this has slipped away is criminal. Criminal.

[Stephen A. Smith]

Wow. And let's not forget Atlanta. They're in Atlanta.

[Rob Lowe]

Two film in Atlanta.

[Stephen A. Smith]

Absolutely. Oh.

[Rob Lowe]

Last time I was in Atlanta, Stephen A. We couldn't get enough people to work on the crew because there were like, I believe, 67 Productions. I'm not making it up in Atlanta.

[Stephen A. Smith]

Wow. Business is thriving in other Places, but not Los Angeles, California or California, period. Listen, let me tell. Let me put a smile on your face about something in California. The Lakers, they're kind of relevant right now. I mean, they're top. Their top five seed in the Western Conference right now, about six games above.500. I mean, you know, they're not looking so bad right now. Rob, how you feeling about it?

[Rob Lowe]

Listen, if we'd have had this conversation a few weeks ago, it wouldn't have been this conversation.

[Stephen A. Smith]

That's true.

[Rob Lowe]

They just. They turned it on. You know, they've got Superman. You know, they've got the ageless, wonderful, you know, LeBron James. And, you know, AD is doing his thing. And, you know, I always say, as AD Goes, so go the Lakers. And they got this. The kid, the point guard. God, I mean, it's exciting. Exciting times to be a Laker fan.

[Stephen A. Smith]

You know, I said, I was on TV the other day, and somebody said to me, what should the Lakers do? And I said, whatever Anthony Davis wants. If Anthony Davis says they need a five, go get him a five. Because the way he's balling right now, you know, they go where he'll take them. Because even with LeBron still being great, you need AD to be AD at his best. And he's saying, I need a 5 so I can play my natural position. So now it's up to Rob Palinka. All right? Your doppelgangers, they say. And then now it's up to. Now it's up to Rob Pelinka to go out and get a five for the Los Angeles Lakers so AD can be happy. Wouldn't you say that's a good strategy?

[Rob Lowe]

It's a great strategy. They need to take a page from my Dodgers and go out and get the best in class.

[Stephen A. Smith]

Yes, you. By the way, speaking of your Dodgers for a real quick second, you don't have any problem with them buying every damn thing. I mean, you know, you got. You got Sh. Otani deferring, you know, most of his $700 million. You got them having everything. I mean, they could buy everybody right now, and. And there's nothing you could do about it. You don't mind that at all?

[Rob Lowe]

Here's what I. Here's. No, I don't, Ed, because I'm. I'm a fan, and I like to win. Right? But, you know, there's a lot of guys with a lot of money. The Mets could be doing it. I believe it's Mr. Rubenstein. The Orioles could be doing it. They've got. They've Got every bit as much money. They're not doing it. Why are they not doing it?

[Stephen A. Smith]

Yeah.

[Rob Lowe]

So I'm. Where I do find it tough is, you know, my friends, the Atanasios own the Brewers.

[Stephen A. Smith]

Okay.

[Rob Lowe]

And they don't have that kind of money. The Castellinis own the Reds. You know, I know all these folks, right. And so that's where I feel like, you know, at some point, I actually hope I'm wrong, but I feel like we're working our way to a lockout or something, because at some point, it will be untenable.

[Stephen A. Smith]

Yeah.

[Rob Lowe]

But it's all within the rules. I think there's going to have to be a change that. The Players association is not going to want that. Obviously, they would get the people paid. So I don't know where it all ends, but the Dodgers are just being smarter and more generous. But, hey, man, Stevie Cohen, open up the checkbook.

[Stephen A. Smith]

Well, he is. He is. I don't think he's going to hesitate to. But then again, he's fighting with Pete Alonzo. I don't know how that's going to work out.

[Rob Lowe]

That's unbelievable.

[Stephen A. Smith]

Why is that? Why is that? Right.

[Rob Lowe]

I know. I love the polar bear. I love watching him. There's nothing more exciting in baseball than a pop fly that you're not sure he's going to catch. There's nothing.

[Stephen A. Smith]

There's.

[Rob Lowe]

There's nothing. But I love him.

[Stephen A. Smith]

Listen, I like him a lot. I hope he resigns. But there was some slippage last year. I mean, they were the best. They were a great, great story in the postseason. Like the cardiac kids, the way they were so feisty or whatever. But there was some slippage for him. And. And I don't think that's about him. I think it's about Scott Boris getting in the way, and I think that's problematic. He's got to watch himself. Don't let your agent get in the way of the bottom line. And when all is said and done. But before I let you go, let me transition to football, because we had a Super bowl coming up, and I can't let you go without getting your take on this. The Philadelphia Eagles ramroded the Washington Commanders, and. And. And we saw Patrick Mahomes once again pulling out a victory against the Buffalo Bills. It's going to be Kansas City, Philadelphia rematch in the super bowl from a couple of years ago. What are your initial thoughts?

[Rob Lowe]

I have so many thoughts. I mean, you can't argue with. With greatness. You know, a lot of people want to hate on Greatness. A lot of people get tired of greatness, you know, you know, the refs are in the tank all whatever the heck. I'm tired of Taylor Swift and whatever. They're great, dude.

[Stephen A. Smith]

Yeah.

[Rob Lowe]

And you know what? I went to Arrowhead, I want to say last year, and when you watch these guys up close, it's a whole different thing. There's something about television that does not capture his ability to see with eyes behind his head and just move to the left and extend plays. He. We should be thankful that we get to watch this kind of greatness. I was bummed for Josh Allen, but you know what? They're not ready. That team ain't ready. They're not ready. Yeah, sorry.

[Stephen A. Smith]

Yeah. King Cage, you got to catch that pass. You got to catch that pass. Just like Mark Andrews against for Baltimore. You got to catch that pass. You got to catch that two point. It's what you do. You get paid to do this. You can't mess that up. Having said all of that, Philadelphia, Kansas City, you're leaning towards.

[Rob Lowe]

So I saw Saquon play against the Rams this year.

[Stephen A. Smith]

Yes. I mean I saw 26 yards a game. Yep.

[Rob Lowe]

I got to see LA Damian during his gigantic season in San Diego back in the day.

[Stephen A. Smith]

It wasn't.

[Rob Lowe]

And that's what it reminds me. It's just like you just get that energy. You can see every time he touches the ball, you think, oh, he's, he's, he's breaking it to the house. You just kind of know it's going to happen. So I think this is going to be a great, great, great super bowl for sure. The best two teams are in it.

[Stephen A. Smith]

I think, I think that's what it's going to take for the Eagles to beat Kansas City City. Saquan has to have a big game even though Jaylen Herz got to play two. It can't be. It's in Jalen hurts hands against Patrick Mahomes. That ain't going to get it done. Saquon has to demoralize Kansas City and Steve Spagnola's defense in order to for the Eagles to win the super bowl championship. What do you think about that prognostication?

[Rob Lowe]

I, I agree. And I think you go to that first. One of the things I didn't like about Buffalo, I didn't like Buffalo's play calling on first and second down at all. It's like when they finally got into like when they needed it, then they started calling the players. I thought they should have been playing all along. So let's not. Wait till the, you know, the, the, the second half to go. Where's Saquon? Let's feed that man the ball from the jump.

[Stephen A. Smith]

New season of The Floor premieres February 9th on Fox. The one and only Rob Lowe. Appreciate you, my man. Always good talking to you. Can't wait to see you. You take it easy, all right?

[Rob Lowe]

Thank you. It's great to see you as always.

[Stephen A. Smith]

Hi, buddy.

[Rob Lowe]

Thank you.

[Stephen A. Smith]

Coming up, Scottie Pippen is talking about Michael Jordan for some reason, and I'm not the only one wondering why. More on that ahead. But first, Donald Trump, bullies, Columbia. Pete Hegseth is confirmed as secretary of defense despite a myriad of accusations against him and the attacks on DEI target, the Tuskegee Airmen. I'll get into all of that next right here on the Stephen A. Smith Show. Don't go away. All right, everybody, listen up. With all the big time sports action that's happening each and every day. NFL games, NBA games, in the college football playoffs, the Stephen A. Smith show wants to make sure you are taking advantage of all of it. That's why we've partnered with Prize Picks, the largest fantasy sports platform in all the land, to help you cash in on all your sports knowledge. You see, Prize Picks is a daily fantasy app where you pick two or more of your favorite players and then you select more or less on their projected stats for the game. Choose from any of your favorite players, Travis Kelce, Patrick Mahomes and Shay Gildrich Alexander all in the same entry. Then sit back and watch. The list is endless. And now with Prize Picks flex Friday option, you can still cash out even if your lineup isn't perfect. That's right, every Friday, just look for the protected play. So win or your cash back and get this. Prizepix now offers MasterCard for quick and easy deposits into your account during this sports season. Make your picks in less than 60 seconds and turn your sports opinions into real money all season long on prospects. So download the app today and use code SAS to get $50 instantly after you play your first $5 lineup. Again, download the app and use code SAS to get $50 Instantly after your first $5 lineup. Prospects, run your game. This message is being brought to you by Cologuard, a non invasive cola cancer screening test. Listen, guys, we need to talk about colon cancer screening for a second. And you know, I'm a straight shooter, so I'm not gonna sugarcoat this. Colon cancer is considered the most preventable yet least prevented cancer. It's the second leading cause of cancer related deaths in the United States, and it's on a rise in people under 50. But the good news is that when caught at early stages, colon cancer is survivable in 90% of people. So screening and early detection are key to to reducing overall colon cancer deaths. And I'm sure a lot of you guys are hearing this and thinking you can tune me out because you're not in your 50s yet. But guess what? The American Cancer Society recommends that if you are at average risk, you begin screening for colon cancer at age 45. And a great way to do that is with the cologuard test. It's delivered right to your door, and it allows you to collect a sample comfortably at home on your own schedule. We're talking about a screening with zero downtime that's both convenient and affordable. Most Insured patients pay $0. The Cologuard test allows you to feel more in control of your colon cancer screening and do it on your own schedule with none of the prep time off or an invasive procedure that is required of a colonoscopy. So if you're 45 or older and at average risk, ask your healthcare provider about screening for colon cancer with the cologuard test. You can also request a Cologuard prescription [e-mail] podcast. The Cologuard test is intended to screen adults 45 and older at average risk for colorectal cancer. Do not use a cologuard test if you have had adenomas, have inflammatory bowel disease and certain hereditary syndromes, or a personal or family history of colorectal cancer. The cologuard test is not a replacement for colonoscopies in high risk patients. Cologuard test performance in adults ages 45 to 49 is estimated based on a large clinical study of patients 50 and older. False positives and false negatives can occur. Cologuard is available by prescription only.

[Julie Swerbinks]

There's a type of soil in Mississippi called Yazoo clay. It's thick, burnt orange, and it's got a reputation.

[Nate Thompson]

It's terrible, terrible dirt.

[Julie Swerbinks]

Yazoo clay eats everything. So things that get buried there tend to stay buried until they're not. In 2012, construction crews at Mississippi's biggest hospital made a shocking discovery.

[Stephen A. Smith]

7,000 bodies out there or more, all.

[Julie Swerbinks]

Former patients of the old state asylum. And nobody knew they were there.

[Stephen A. Smith]

It was my family's mystery.

[Julie Swerbinks]

But in this corner of the south, it's not just the soil that keep secrets. Nobody talks about it. Nobody has any information. When you Peel back the layers of Mississippi's Yazoo clay. Nothing's ever as simple as you think.

[Stephen A. Smith]

The story is much more complicated and nuanced than that.

[Julie Swerbinks]

I'm Larison Campbell. Listen to under yazukle on the iHeartRadio app, Apple podcast, or wherever you get your podcast.

[Nate Thompson]

I'm Hunter, host of Hunting for Answers on the Black Effect Podcast Network. Join me every weekday as I share a bite s stories of missing and murdered Black women and girls in America. There are several ways we can all do better at protecting Black women. My contribution is shining a light on our missing sisters and amplifying their disregarded stories. Stories like Tameka Anderson. As she drove toward Galvez, she was in contact with several people talking on the phone as she made her way to what should have been a routine transaction. But Tameka never bought the car, and she never returned home that day. One podcast, one mission. Save our girls. Join the search as we explore the chilling cases of missing and murdered Black women and girls. Listen to Hunting for Answers every weekday on the Black Effect Podcast Network, iHeartRadio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcast.

[Stephen A. Smith]

Here's the deal. The man was impeached twice. He was convicted on 34 felony camps. And the American people still said he's closer to normal than what we exactly left. That's what they're saying. He's closer to normal. Why? Because something that pertains when you talk about the transgender community, for example, and you're talking about issues that pertain retained the less than 1% of the population the Democratic Party came across as if that was a priority more so than the other issues. And so he comes into office now you're talking about child, you know, you know, childbirth, citizenship and what have you. He knows that's not going to pass the mustard, but he knows that he made that promise. So when he shows up week one on Capitol Hill and he says, this is what we're going to do through an executive order, even though it's going to be shot down through the courts and what have you, he's saying, I kept my promise. A lot of other things that he's going to point to that he's going to try to do. I kept my promise. Then you turn around and you look at the left and you say, what promises did you keep? Welcome back to the Stephen A. Smith Show. That was a clip from my appearance this past Friday on Real Time with Bill Maher on hbo. And that's a perfect spot to begin a look at some quick hitters From Donald Trump's first full week in office. We'll start with Columbia. Did y'all see what happened with the White House and Columbia this weekend? Holding true to his campaign promise, the president began deporting migrants on military planes out of the country. Well, on Sunday, Colombian President Gustavo Petro blocked those US Military flights from landing in his country. According to cnn, President Gustavo previously approved the flights into Colombia, but revoked the authorization once the flights were en route. Petro accused the United States of treating Colombian migrants like criminals, and that prompted action from the White House. Trump then ordered steep tariffs on all Colombian imports, a travel ban for Colombian citizens. He called to revoke the visas for Colombian officials in the United States and called to suspend visa processing for both immigrant and non immigrant visas. A few hours later, the White House said Columbia had agreed to a deal to accept migrant flights, including those on military aircrafts. The White House also said that tariffs would be held off pending its implementation of the deal. Ladies and gentlemen, if you're a United States citizen, tell me how you'd have a problem with this. Tell me how you have a problem with it. You got a problem with Trump, you have a problem with politicians. You can have a problem with their surrogates. You can have a problem with just the visual of what you see, because you see so many people clamoring for times of old. You have problems, but you can't have a problem with this. And it's literal sense what's going to be your problem. So you have immigrants that are coming over our borders illegally. The president, Donald Trump, after watching nearly 14 million people cross our borders illegally over the last four years, said, Nah, we ain't having that. And some of y'all, you going back. You going back. And when the Colombian president said, hell, no, we ain't going for this. Similar to what Canada indicated, similar to what Mexico had indicated prior to Trump taking office. The Colombian president tried to take that position. And then the next thing you know, Trump threatened 25% tariffs. So in the end, it's not just about the migrant. I'm not talking about that. For this particular story, I'm sitting there talking about, don't you feel good? If the President of the United States, because we're supposed to be a superpower, right, we're supposed to be the richest nation in the world, right? We're supposed to have all of this influence. We're supposed to have tentacles everywhere. We're supposed to be able to get things done right. Don't you like seeing somebody ultimately acquiescing to our wishes, instead of it being the other way around again. We'll learn more as we go along. I'm quite sure there's plenty of things Trump is going to do that we don't like. I'm about to get into a couple of things that I don't like right now. But that particular story, I must admit, it tickled me. I gotta admit it, in other words. And then I love the whole visual of the story. It wasn't in the White House. They said the White House administration. That's what I just read to you. What they didn't tell you is that Trump was on the golf course, and while he was on the golf course, he heard about the position of the Colombian president, and they handed him the phone while he was on the golf course, and a couple of hours later, he changed his mind. You gotta like stuff getting done. We've got to be to that point right now. Desperate times call for desperate measures. Let's stop acting like the immigration process is just about folks coming over our borders illegally. It's about the fact that somehow, some way, they've got to be taken care of. It costs to feed folks, it costs to house folks, it costs to make sure clothes are on people's back. It costs to take care of them. And that was coming from the taxpayers money. That's why you got people in an uproar. It ain't just that folks are in this country, it's that it's costing American taxpayers their dollars. That's the issue. And when we absorb it from that perspective, understanding it from that premise, then all of a sudden we got to, if we don't have it already, we've got to develop an open mind about what exactly is going to work and what's not going to work to the benefit of our country. Why? You think you see people complaining about the war between Ukraine and Russia? You know why? Because American taxpayer dollars have gone towards supporting Ukraine. These are the kind of things that provoke emotion from American citizens, particularly in this day and age, because there's a whole bunch of people suffering right now. And it ain't just one demographic, it's a whole bunch of people. We got to pay attention to this stuff. I gotta admit, I looked at the story, and when I heard the Colombian president changed his mind, I kind of chuckled. Yeah. When you do the United States of America, that's the kind of effect you're supposed to have if you are indeed a superpower. Just a thought. Let me get to my next subject. That's Pete. Hegseth the new Secretary of Defense for the United States of America. Hegseth was confirmed in a vote mostly along party lines, with 51 senators voting in favor of him and 50 against. Three Republicans, including Mitch McConnell, broke with the party to oppose the Hegseth nomination. That forced Vice President J.D. vance to cast the tie breaking vote. Hegseth was sworn in on Saturday to lead the Department of Defense despite a myriad of allegations against him that included sexual misconduct, public intoxication and financial mismanagement. Couple of things to get out the way. First, financial mismanagement, okay? Sexual misconduct. We've heard those allegations before and we know who we've heard them about. That would involve the now President of the United States of America, the 47th President of the United States of America, America, Mr. Donald Trump. So clearly the standards have been lowered. The standards have been lowered because obviously if he's in office and now Hegseth is in office, it's not something that a vast majority of American citizens, particularly those who voted for Republican, care to discuss or even think about. They're beyond that now. A lot of you are going to be out there and you're going to be, you know, lamenting the fact that they didn't care. But that's how it goes. Because you see all of this kind of stuff has been going on in politics for quite some time. You know, Bill Clinton, he was accused of some things. Liberals didn't care, okay? All of us cared during the primaries and stuff like that. When it happened to Gary Hart, former presidential candidate, or John Edwards, former presidential candidate, on both sides of the aisle, we've seen this kind of stuff all the time. If you think people are going to care to the point where it's going to dissuade them from voting from their candidate in a binary system where you got to choose between one or the other, it's not going to happen. Which brings me again to the Democrats on Capitol Hill. During the whole confirmation hearing, if you're Tim Kaine or anybody else, what were you focused on? If you had them shifted to somebody else, what were you really, really focused on? You just look at some of these things and some of the fights that you're willing to fight, and you're just wondering how tone deaf can you be? Because it's not like it's the campaign trail anymore. The President is in office. His selection for Secretary of Defense is Pete Hegseth. And if you don't want to, if you don't want him in there, if you don't want him to get confirmed. You know what you do? How about attacking his resume? Because there's no one who can refute that his resume is worth attacking. I am quite sure that he has served this country honorably. You saw soldiers and other military officials in attendance endorsing his confirmation. Obviously, as a soldier who served in Afghanistan, if I remember correctly, along with other places, and has served honorably, his service to our country cannot be denied. So we ain't going there. I'm just talking about his resume. The ability to be a leader of over three and a half million people in the Defense Department, this national defense, and his brother's resume involves him being a host on Fox News, by the way, over the weekend. Not even during the weekday. I'm on TV more than him. But somehow, some way that qualified him, in Trump's eyes, to be the Secretary of Defense because of his military background, because of the fact that he's. He's obviously a patriot in their eyes, should be in all of our eyes, because he has served our country. We should feel that way about any of our soldiers who serve honorably. By the way, you combine all of that with the fact that he's loyal to Trump and he spoke out against a lot of what his predecessor, Lloyd Austin, and others were doing with the Defense Department over the last four years, you could see what Trump's agenda is. My position is, look, y'all. It is what it is. Look at his resume. If you attacked his resume, there's nothing anybody could say. Because all you're saying to him is that, excuse me, if you were the President of the United States, would you pick you to be the Secretary of Defense? If your previous job was hosting a show on the weekends on Fox News and you had never led a department, let alone one with three and a half million people answering to you, that should have been the focus. It wasn't because you had liberals on Capitol Hill that wanted to bring up financial mismanagement, public intoxication, and allegations of sexual misconduct. When his boss has the history or the documented history that's been on the books for years, and you actually thought that was going to work. It's almost like you never learn. Y'all never learn. Let me move on to something more important. To me, anyway, the Tuskegee Airmen. For those of you who don't know, the Tuskegee airmen are the 450 black pilots who fought overseas in segregated units during World War II. Their success in combat helped pave the way for President Harry Truman's decision to desegregate the armed forces in 1948. So why are we bringing this up? Because President Trump's ban on diversity, equity and inclusion, DEI initiatives, nearly erased their story from being taught to new trainees in the military. On Saturday, Reuters reported that a video about the Tuskegee Airmen, as well as civilian female pilots trained by the United States military during World War II, were no longer being taught in basic training at Joint Base San Antonio. Lackland penning a review. Well, on Saturday, the Air Force said the training videos passed a review to ensure compliance with President Trump's ban on DEI initiatives. Really, ladies and gentlemen, remember when the United States Supreme Court issued the decision outlawing affirmative action in college admissions? Remember that? You remember how conservative activists used the courts as social media to target work place programs prior to the election? Remember all of that. Pay attention to what's going on. Remember when Ron DeSantis, the governor of Florida, brought up and challenged that there were actually good things about slavery and some on the right echoed those sentiments? Remember all of that. Why are all of those things relatable? It's a concerted effort to shove aside history. Even Trump didn't do that in his first term. If I remember correctly, he honored at least one member, one living member from Tuskegee. This is what he did. But suddenly he's in office again and now he's saying, all right, let's eradicate DEI programs all over the place and let's not try to teach history. Why is that? We all know when all of this came about, particularly with dei, much of corporate America endorsed a lot of it following the protests that accompanied the Minneapolis police killing of George Floyd in 2020. So remember at that time when people were protesting, there were riots in the streets, there were protests all over the place, People were locking arms, and white America was standing up. We want to hear you. We want to listen to you. We want to be sensitive to, because there's a level of sensitivity that we lacked. And it was an opportunity for all of us to come together. But somehow, some way, they put in DEI programs. And although you had several people who were benefiting more from DEI programs or initiatives rather than black people, primarily white women as well, just like they primarily benefit benefited from affirmative action, it was black folks that everybody's talking to. You must have this job because of dei. You must have this job because you're not qualified. You must have this job because you're being assigned consistent. You're giving a one up. That's why you have people who want the eradication of affirmative action, even from the black community. You have people who feel that way about DEI as well. Because we know how competent and how qualified we truly, truly are. We don't want that being in question just because of programs like that. My response to all of that would be, fine, if that's how you feel. Let's just not forget what provoked itself implementation to begin with. If black folks didn't have to fight for civil rights, it would have never been the need for affirmative action. They didn't have to fight for equality. It would have never been the need for affirmative action in the NFL, it would have never been the need for the Rooney Rule. If black folks were treated like their white counterparts in a culture profession of the National Football League, DEI programs wouldn't have been necessary. If there wasn't a discrepancy between the black workforce and a white workforce in terms of positions, particularly loftier positions within corporate America, it wouldn't have been necessary. But we want to forget that. We want to erase that. And Trump, as much as you might be turned off by this, is fulfilling the campaign promise because there are constituents out there, a lot of whom, not all, but a lot of whom happen to be white, that are looking at these programs and they're saying, that's the latest example of how we're being minimized and pigeonholed and ostracized. Remember when Chris Rock joked about the insurrection January 6, and he said you had a bunch of white folks out there trying to overthrow a government that they run, and everybody laughed about it, but didn't it make sense? Show system, show country. You're still the vast majority in this country, the United States of America. Even at 57 and a half percent, you're still the majority in this country. But somehow, some way, if you're white, you're feeling like things are being taken from you. And instead of us as black folks making that case and saying, no, that's not necessarily true, or this is why it was necessary, instead you had the attitude, hell with y'all, good for you. And so white folks responded, but not just white folks. Others, too responded by saying, there needs to be a change. That's why Trump can do this. That's why he can get away with doing this. That's why we can't say a damn thing about it. Because while folks are trying to find their way again, some of us lost ours, especially on the left. This might be foreign to y'all as you sit here watching me speak about black and white. Well, guess what? That's better than having to talk about he or she or they. Notice the difference. One affects one subject affects the dominant majority in this country, compared to 13, nearly 14% of the population. The other involved less than 1% of the population. But who was the left focused on then? You wonder why Trump can get away with this. He can. Because we lost our way. And he's looking like he's somebody that's found a way back for a vast majority of American citizens. I don't feel that way. I'm saying his voters do. And they're speaking louder than anybody right now. And there's nary a damn thing anybody can do about it. Live with that. Yes, left, I'm talking to you. Live with it. Coming up, why is Scotty Pippen still talking about Michael Jordan? I'll get into that next. Stick around. You're watching Stephen A. Smith show and listening to it as well over the Digital Airways of YouTube and of course, iHeartRadio. Back with more minute.

[Julie Swerbinks]

There's a type of soil in Mississippi called Yazoo Clay. It's thick, burnt orange and it's got a reputation.

[Nate Thompson]

It's terrible, terrible dirt.

[Julie Swerbinks]

Yazoo clay eats everything, so things that get buried there tend to stay buried until they're not. In 2012, construction crews at Mississippi's biggest hospital made a shocking discovery.

[Stephen A. Smith]

7,000 bodies out there or more, all.

[Julie Swerbinks]

Former patients of the old state asylum, and nobody knew they were there.

[Stephen A. Smith]

It was my family's mystery.

[Julie Swerbinks]

But in this corner of the south, it's not just the soil that keeps secrets. Nobody talks about it. Nobody has any information. When you peel back the layers of Mississippi's Yazoo Clay, nothing's ever as simple as you think.

[Stephen A. Smith]

The story is much more complicated and nuanced than that.

[Julie Swerbinks]

I'm Larison Campbell. Listen to under yazukle on the iHeartRadio app, Apple podcast, or wherever you get your podcast.

[Nate Thompson]

I'm Hunter, host of Hunting for Answers on the Black Effect Podcast Network. Join me every weekday as I share bite sized stories of missing and murdered Black women and girls in America. There are several ways we can all do better at protecting black women. My contribution is shining a light on our missing sisters and amplifying their disregarded stories. Stories like Tameka Anderson. As she drove toward Galvez, she was in contact with several people talking on the phone as she made her way to what should have been a routine transaction. But Tameka never bought the car and she never returned home that day. One podcast, one mission. Save our girls. Join the search as we explore the chilling cases of missing and murdered black Women and girls listen to Hunting for Answers every weekday on the Black Effect Podcast Network, iHeartRadio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts.

[Stephen A. Smith]

Welcome back to the Stephen A. Smith Show. I want to get to Mr. Scottie Pippen himself, the Chicago Bulls legend who won six champions championships with Michael Jordan. That Scottie Pippen, well, he's had a lot to say about his former teammate recently, and it hasn't been that flattering. Take a listen.

[Carmelo Anthony]

It's not even worth talking about the two of them. When you ask who's better, LeBron or Michael, you can't ask me, who's the goat between LeBron and Michael. Neither one of them are goats. They both won differently. You can't put them at the top of the pinnacle. Magic Johnson, to me, is a bigger goat than anybody because of how he led, how he brought a whole team, how when the greatest scorer in the game, Kareem, was not there, and him as a rookie center, steps in and plays a position that no one even knew he could play. That's transcending what you can do as a player.

[Stephen A. Smith]

I'm trying to be nice. I really, really am. But what Scottie Pippen just said was some straight bullshit, especially coming out of his mouth. Before I get into it, however, that sound bite that y'all just saw, courtesy of Patrick Bet David's podcast, the PBD podcast, which I've been on as a guest. He had Scottie Pippen on as a guest. Did a great job interviewing him, by the way. That sound bite raised a few eyebrows. And now other NBA players are coming to Michael Jordan's defense. Most recently was Carmelo Anthony on his podcast, 7pm in Brooklyn this past Friday. Check out what Carmelo Anthony had to say.

[Carmelo Anthony]

You can't do this every time, though, Scotty. My, like, you done been in the bunker with mj. You done been in the trenches with this guy. You signed up for the Breakfast Club for six years. Like, you was part of that. Don't take that away from the guard now after all of these years, where you. Whatever feelings you feel about him, like, that is who it is. That's mj. Like, you know what time it is with that as far as LeBron goes. Leave that man alone. Like, leave that alone, Scotty. Like, pay homage to Magic, but leave them alone is the ghost of our league, man. Those are the three. So whatever issues you have with Brian, like, leave that alone, Scotty. Like, nobody's Brian ain't even thinking about you. Like, nobody. Like, matter of fact, bro, this is.

[Stephen A. Smith]

A situation where Braun need to see. Scotty.

[Carmelo Anthony]

Let'S go up.

[Stephen A. Smith]

At this point, I didn't even square.

[Carmelo Anthony]

Up, but we got. Now you talking about man conversations like, what the is going on?

[Stephen A. Smith]

You can't keep.

[Carmelo Anthony]

MJ's a goat this day and LeBron is a goat better than MJ this day. Oh, six years later. You know what? Both of them, Magic is the goat. Magic been the goat.

[Stephen A. Smith]

See, that's why Melo's my man. Cause Melo's a real one and he's honest. Scotty, it's not that he's dishonest, it's that he's bitter. Now, let me be very, very clear. I go off the, off the reservation per se when you say you hating on somebody just because you don't believe they're the goat. Scotty Pippen's opinion, he's a six time champion. He's one of the greatest players in NBA history. He's a top 75 player of all time. One of the elite defensive players the game of basketball has ever seen. You can never take that away from him. Okay? But the issue with Scottie Pippen, in his opinion, is that it has waffled, it has waving. And Melo was absolutely right to point that shit out. The fact of the matter is, when you look at Scottie Pippen years ago, MJ was the go. He's on national TV on NBA today, if I remember correctly, on ESPN, sitting up there talking about LeBron is great, but he won MJ. Then you get pissed off at MJ, but LeBron is the GOAT now. Now it ain't even LeBron, it's Magic. Magic's a five time champion, universally recognized as the greatest point guard in the history of basketball. Wall. And was a winner. Got to nine NBA finals that dominated the 80s and he was Showtime and he was a facilitator. And he was all of that. That's fine. Even Magic and Bird said Michael Jordan told him to their face there's a new sheriff in town. We all know what time it is and what makes it so sacrilegious, which is what Melo pointed out. That's the cat you were in the bunker with. See, we not talking about the real. When it comes to Scottie Pippen and all of this, we not talk about the real. You won six championships with them. Remember you retired after the first three peat. Remember how you couldn't get it done as a member of the Chicago Bulls? Courtesy in part of the Hugh Hollins call against you on the Hubert Davis jump. Shot at Madison Square Garden. I get that part, but still ain't get it done. And then the very next year, Michael Jordan comes back. Y'all get bounced out in the second round to the Orlando Magic with Nick Anderson and those boys. But prior to that, you were kicking up your sneaker, showing the Jordan emblem on the bottom, begging them to come back. What you asking back for then? It was your team. Same team, by the way, that you got pissed at and deserted because Phil Jackson called the final shot for Toni Kukoc. Remember that? You talking about Jordan this way now you throwing LeBron and you saying, don't none of them matter but Magic. Could it be that you're bringing up Magic because Magic was a facilitator and you thought yourself as a facilitator? Wasn't a facilitator. Even though you played point forward, you wasn't driving in the lane and dishing it out like Magic did. You were helped running a triangle and you were an elite defender, but you wanted to quintessential prototypical point guard that Magic Johnson was. So you didn't mirror his game either. Who's it going to be next, Scotty? And why is it going to be somebody else? Could it be because you bitter? Could it be because of the last dance and you still salty about that? Could it be because when it was time for you to get paid, even though Michael Jordan had advised you not to take the money because it was a bad contract, you didn't listen to him and then ended up being bitter and trying to hold out and all this other stuff? Could it be because when Michael Jordan retired and you win and you took your talents to Portland, that you couldn't close the deal and Shaq and Kobe put you up out of the end of game seven, all of that happened, but you talking, damn, I appreciate Carmelo Anthony calling it out like that. He didn't get as specific as I did, but the specifics that I threw out there is exactly what Carmelo was talking about. LeBron don't need to step to him like, what's this? What's this? What's this? All he's saying is that neither one of them is the goat to me, but they LeBron's the goat of this generation. He just ain't the goat over mj. It is what it is. My nephew Josh wanted to be in on this segment, too, because you had a lot to say about it off the air. So go ahead and tell the audience what you have to say about it now.

[Josh]

Well, I'm On Scotty's side in a way.

[Stephen A. Smith]

What?

[Josh]

You heard me. And the reason why is because I got two questions for you. Because you keep bringing up what happened when Michael Jordan retired. If Scottie Pittman retired at that same time and Michael Jordan was playing with Steve Kerr, Tony Ku coaching them, would they have won the championship?

[Stephen A. Smith]

Wrong question. The right question is two parts. Number one, would Michael Jordan have quit on his team and refused to enter reenter a game because Phil Jackson caught the final shot for somebody else? Answer that question.

[Josh]

Would Phil Jackson call a shot for somebody else if Michael Jordan was on the team?

[Stephen A. Smith]

Exactly. That's my point. No, he wouldn't have. He would have let Jordan decide it. You know why? Because Jordan was a better offensive player than Scottie Pippen was. So Jordan would have been in a position to make a better decision. That's how John Paxton hit a game winning shot to win a championship. That's how Steve Kerr hit a game winning shot to win a championship. What Scottie would do, naturally Jordan would draw attention and create an opportunity for somebody else. Because his greatness offensively was so supreme that you expected him to take the last shot so he could defer to somebody else to make sure they had a wide open shot. Nobody was keying on Scottie Pippen like that because Scottie Pippen didn't have that kind of offensive repertoire. So that's number one.

[Josh]

When Jordan was gone and it was Scottie Pippen and Tony Kukos, you're going to choose Tony Cukos take the last shot?

[Stephen A. Smith]

The last shot? Yes. You're not saying that Scotty Pippen wasn't a better all around player but Tony K coach was a better shooter.

[Josh]

That's it, just shooter. I'm a better offensive player but a.

[Stephen A. Smith]

Last shot is a last shot. And so if they're keying on you, if they're keying on you, Tony Ku coach is a guy that you trust to make the shot. Scotty Pippen can make a play, Tony Kos can make a shot. Don't act like you know basketball, like calling the play.

[Josh]

But Tony, I'd have been offended too if I'm Scottie Pippen.

[Stephen A. Smith]

You're not doing that. Would you have refused to re enter the game?

[Josh]

Is it my team or not?

[Stephen A. Smith]

Would you have refused?

[Josh]

No, I wouldn't do that.

[Stephen A. Smith]

Then shut the hell up.

[Josh]

I wouldn't be there.

[Stephen A. Smith]

Stop arguing with me about this.

[Josh]

That's not the point.

[Stephen A. Smith]

That's the point.

[Josh]

You didn't answer the question. That's the question.

[Stephen A. Smith]

What was the question?

[Josh]

Josh, would they have won if Scottie.

[Stephen A. Smith]

Pippen retired under the same conditions? Listen to me. Listen to me good. If the Bulls were in the same position that Scottie Pippen was in, remember, they win that series against the Knicks, they probably end up going to the Finals. And then they would have played Houston. Do I believe that the Chicago Bulls could have beat the Houston Rockets? Yes. Now, again, I'm telling you, they're not a lesser version of themselves. If Jordan is there instead of Pippen, that's my point to you. Whether they win or lose, they're not a lesser version. The Chicago Bulls are not a lesser version with Jordan than they were with Pippen. That ain't happening. Nobody would disagree with me on that one. That would not happen.

[Josh]

Michael Jordan on the Bulls in the playoffs record is worse than Scotty Pippen's Bulls without Jordan.

[Stephen A. Smith]

Excuse me. Scotty Pippen only had a couple of playoff series without Jordan. How many that Jordan and Scotty Pippen played since the 80s with each other? So the six championships. Hold on, hold on.

[Greg Rosenthal]

Wait.

[Stephen A. Smith]

They played, like, eight, nine years together. Scottie Pippen played one year without Jordan. So you can't compare the numbers. Stop. Let's move on to something because you sound ignorant, okay? You sound ignorant. All right, that's number one. What was the other part that you was going to say about Scottie Pippen? You don't even remember.

[Josh]

Let me get my points, though. I can't.

[Stephen A. Smith]

I can't.

[Josh]

Ain't this. This is my segment.

[Stephen A. Smith]

Go ahead, man. Anything else you wanna say about Scottie Pippen? Cause you sound different.

[Josh]

Yeah, I do. I feel like between me and you, you're the Michael Jordan of our situation. It's cool to be Scottie Pippen sometimes. So I got this merch, and it's featuring me and you on it. Check it out. That's me. Cause that was me holding. That's when Michael Jordan, you know, had the flu or whatever. Stephen A. Is sick sometime, and I ended up carrying him. So I ended up. I ended up putting that on his shirt. So I got one for your extra large.

[Stephen A. Smith]

Goodbye, America. I see y'all. I see y'all. That's it for the show. Foreign.

[Greg Rosenthal]

What's up, everyone? It's Greg Rosenthal, and I'm teaming up with the King of Spring, Daniel Jeremiah. He requires me to say that we're going to be bringing you 40s and free agents, the only podcast you'll need this NFL draft season. From DJs mock drafts to my top 101 free agents will have it covered for you with all new episodes every Thursday, keeping you up to date as we we head to the NFL Draft. Listen to 40s and free agents starting on March 6th on the iHeartRadio app, Apple Podcasts or wherever you get your podcast.

[Julie Swerbinks]

What's up everyone? Julie Swerbinks here, along with former NHL player Nate Thompson.

[Stephen A. Smith]

We're doing a new podcast together. Here we go.

[Julie Swerbinks]

The name Energy Line with Nate and jsb.

[Carmelo Anthony]

Each week we'll get together and talk about hockey life.

[Stephen A. Smith]

All topics are fair game, right?

[Julie Swerbinks]

Exactly. And you'll never know who will drop by to join us.

[Stephen A. Smith]

Julie is pretty well connected. She has text threads going that you wouldn't believe.

[Julie Swerbinks]

Listen to Energy Line with Nate and jsb on the iHeartRadio app, Apple Podcasts or wherever you get your podcast.