Daniel Jeremiah (10:04)

UFC 313 is bringing the heat this weekend. Get ready for an action packed Saturday. And with all this action going on.

Stephen A. Smith (10:11)

The Stephen A. Smith show wants to make sure you take advantage of it all.

Daniel Jeremiah (10:15)

That's why we've partnered with Prize Picks.

Stephen A. Smith (10:17)

The best place to win cash while watching sports. The app is easy to use. Just pick more or less than a few player stats and you could win up to 1000 times your cash on a single lineup.

Daniel Jeremiah (10:27)

Best of all, Prize Picks will give.

Stephen A. Smith (10:29)

You $50 when you play your first $5 lineup. Win or lose, you'll get 50 bucks just for playing. Use promo code SAS and download the app now. Again, download the app and use Code SAs to get $50 instantly after your first $5 lineup. Prize picks run your game today. I'll give you my picks for the three UFC 313 main card events taking place Saturday night at T Mobile arena in Las Vegas, Nevada between Jaylen Turner.

Daniel Jeremiah (10:56)

Versus Ignacio Bahamandez, Justin Gaiche and Raphael.

Stephen A. Smith (11:01)

V and Alex Perea and Magnamed and Khalif. I believe that is first up with Jalen Turner, who'll have more or less than 49 and a half significant strikes. I'm going with less on this one. I think this is going to be a short night's work. Probably end up with less. That's the way to go.

Daniel Jeremiah (11:20)

Next up, Justin Gaethje.

Stephen A. Smith (11:22)

Will he have more or less than.

Daniel Jeremiah (11:23)

82 and a half significant strikes?

Stephen A. Smith (11:27)

I'm nervous about this. I'm a Justin Gaethje fan, but that knockout, he suffered at the hands of Max Holloway, I don't know how any human being recovers for that from something like that. I mean, knock the hell out, but he's Justin Gaethje and he's put plenty of people to sleep his own self. So I'm gonna go with that in this particular situation, and I'm gonna score it more for Justin Gaethje. And last but not least, finally, Alex Perea. Will he have more or less than 64 and a half significant strikes? I'm going with more. This is Alex Barrea. Okay, might be less because he might knock you out before the 63rd punch. I mean, this brother is something lethal. All right, But I'm gonna go with more because he's just that gifted. So with that being said, let's go over it again.

Daniel Jeremiah (12:09)

Less for Jalen Turner, more for Justin.

Stephen A. Smith (12:12)

Gaethje, and more for Alex Perea. We said more. More than we said less. That's the way we do it on Prize Picks. That's how we roll.

Hunter (12:20)

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.

Sam (13:23)

Snakes, Zombies. Sharks. Heights. Speaking in public, the list of fears is endless. But while you're clutching your blanket in the dark, wondering if that sound in the hall was actually a footstep, the real danger is in your hand when you're behind the Wheel. And while you might think a great white shark is scary, what's really terrifying and even deadly is distracted driving. Eyes forward. Don't drive distracted. Brought to you by NHTSA and the AD Council.

Stephen A. Smith (13:57)

Welcome back. Now let's get to a subject that's apparently gone viral on social media today, and it also involves yours truly. Last night I was in attendance at the Knicks Lakers game, sitting courtside, where during a timeout, I believe it was in the third quarter, I was confronted by none other than LeBron James himself. LeBron has some choice words for me in regards to comments I've made prior about him in regards to his son, Bronnie James. Before I get any further, let me just put to bed a couple of things that have been reported that are false. People was talking about LeBron called me out, my name or somebody I saw. Somebody said he called me a bitch. Somebody said he called me a punk. And all this, none of that is true. He was fiery. He approached me during the game and he said, stop effing with my son. That's my effing son. Stop effing with my son. I said, what? Nah, nah, nah, man. Straight up, man to man, real talk. Stop effing with my son. And I saw how furious he was and I said, we could talk ballet. Nah, F that, F that. Stop effing with my son. That's my son. That's my son. I said, all right, Dub, fine. And he walked away. That's all he said. I knew what he was talking about. I've spoken about this before. Matter of fact, I heard that not many, not all, but a few players were upset at me about that. I think one player in particular was Draymond Green, who I haven't spoken to since and has no desire to speak to me. Primarily because of this, I suppose. And I found out the way that I found out, which was last night while I was at the game, I was a guest of Ari Emanuel, owner of William Morris Endeavor, founder of William Morris Endeavor, rather, founder of Endeavor. I'm sorry, before they merged with William Morris. And I was a guest of his, sitting at the game with him and Larry David from Curb youb Enthusiasm. I was sitting courtside, and the next thing you know, out of the blue, LeBron came in my face. Obviously, since he brought up his son, he was piggybacking off of what I had said weeks ago. And what I had said weeks ago is that when Bronnie James was struggling and I threw out some stats and stuff like that, and I said, he's not ready. And then I came on this podcast and I reiterated that point. Clearly, it was something that was on LeBron James mind that he was aching to confront me about. And so it happened the way that it happened. Now, before I get into anything else, let me say that LeBron's agent, who is Rich Paul, his boy, has my number. Maverick Carter, who's universally respected and is a big player in the industry these days, he has my number. It's very easy for LeBron James to have called me. It's very easy for one of them to have called me in to say, LeBron wants to see. He wants to talk to you face to face, man to man. That's not what happened last night at the Lakers game happened. Now I get. And people have said to me today that I'm looking pretty damn sad. I'll fess up. I am. Because something like that is not something that should make any of us comfortable. I didn't anticipate it. I don't know why I didn't anticipate it, but I'm not here to blame LeBron James. That wasn't a basketball player talking to me last night. That was a dad. He rolled up on me as a father. That's what he did. That was not a basketball player talking to me. We talk about LeBron James all the time. Practically everybody does. That's not what LeBron James does. So for him to confront me, obviously it was something that he was incredibly passionate about, put off about, and felt necessary to confront me about. And what better motivation could there be than to be protective of his son? I understand it. I respect it. As a parent, I'm a father, two daughters, and in all honesty, I couldn't definitively tell you that if I were LeBron James, I would not have done the same thing. I would hope that I would not have. I would hope that I would have picked up the phone and called the person instead or got arranged to see that person face to face instead, rather than walking up to me in the middle of a game courtside. That was not the end of the game. That was not the beginning game. That was in the middle of the game that this happened. But that's what happened, and there's really not much you can do about it. I have a lot to say about it, but I wanted to address a couple of things. Number one, because I saw this tweet from Kevin Love. He was responding to my tweet. My tweet was, I had no intentions of talking about it. And the reason I had no intentions of talking about it is because that's what men do. You handle it privately, if you can. I didn't want to address it. As I tweeted here, I wouldn't have either had it not gone viral. But it did go viral, because when I got up, my social media person informed me that it was over 15 million views and it had gone viral. It was number one. It was the number one sports story going. And regardless of everybody wanting to walk around acting like they don't have bosses, I don't deny the fact that I have bosses. I work for espn, and ESPN called me this morning, said, what you mean you ain't talking about it? You most certainly have to talk about it. This directly involves you, and LeBron James is the biggest story in the country right now in sports. There's no way for you to escape it, talk about it. You got your platform. Do what you got to do. I said, fine. Well, when I tweeted out to let everybody know that I will be talking about it, Kevin Love, LeBron's former teammate in Cleveland, throws out this tweet. You have no choice. Laugh out loud. Because it went viral. Laughs out loud. You didn't want to have to laugh out loud. You wouldn't have. You wouldn't have laugh out loud. Hold that tweet up. Let's go over the list. And I like Kevin Love. I'm very fond of him. All right. I have nothing negative to say. I have no choice because of what I just told you about my bosses. Kevin. Because it went viral. Kevin. Which I just explained. I didn't want to. Why would I want to? I take no pleasure in something like this. And I guess it's the implication that and. And I wouldn't have, you know, laugh out loud on all of those things. You see, stuff like that dilutes the seriousness of the discussion. So let me explain this to Kevin Love in simplest terms. First Take has been the number one morning show for 13 consecutive years, and on this particular morning, it's the day after I was in the news for a lucrative contract extension. So if I said that I didn't have any intentions of doing it, I don't have to lie, and I'm not starving for ratings. And respectfully, Kevin, you should know that I mean what I say. I don't have to lie. So I'll just leave it at that. Outside of that, feel free to support your boy. Let me go back to me and LeBron James, ladies and gentlemen, any alluding to Bronny James in this is either accidental or just a reference point to articulate me and LeBron James. Because I'm not here to talk about Bronny James. Bronnie James, by all account, is a wonderful kid who went into the G League, has been tearing it up and I personally think is going to be an NBA player. You can't root against Bronnie James. He's a great kid. I've never met anybody that said otherwise. Okay. And I'm genuinely rooting for him. Having said that, at the time that I was talking about him and his stats in the aftermath of the Philly game, that's when things have gone haywire. Because that's when you start hearing that a few players don't want to talk to you or folks felt you cross the line or whatever. Here's what they thought I did that crossed the line by pointing out how he was struggling. I wasn't really talking about Bronnie James that much. He's a rookie, and I think that he'll just get better and better and be in the NBA. It wasn't really about him. It was about LeBron. And the reason why it was about LeBron was because the heat that Bronnie was taking and the stories that were going viral, I was making the point he didn't have to be in this predicament. Three things could have happened. He could have got drafted by Golden State, he could have got drafted by the Boston Celtics, or he could have got drafted like he did by the Lakers. Open night, opening night, have that moment with his dad and then go to the G League and wreak havoc, wreck shot, and then come to the league. After years experience in the G League, if any of those things did not happen, one surmise that it was because of LeBron James. In my mind, the second greatest player to have ever played the game of basketball who was a basketball savant. And if we know that his son was struggling, then he knows. And what I was saying was I was focused on him. It was other people that was focused on Bronnie James.

Daniel Jeremiah (25:48)

Show that Magic Johnson quote, please.

Stephen A. Smith (25:52)

This Magic Johnson at the time. Jimmy Kimmel live in September. If I'm Bronnie, I would tell my dad, just let me play in the G League all season so that I can develop. He needs playing time. He doesn't need to be sitting on the Laker bench and not playing. That's not a knock against him. He's just not ready. That was Irving, Magic Johnson. There were other articles that were written as the season was progressing and People were talking and I'm rooting for the kid, and I didn't want anything too negative to come his way. So I'm looking at LeBron James and saying, all right, you had the moment. You don't need this. Because you remember, it's not just LeBron's greatness that we're talking about that can be somewhat burdensome. Because when you're a son of arguably the greatest player who has ever lived, in a lot of people's eyes, the expectations for you come with that. But it wasn't even just that. It was the quotes that was associated with LeBron James. It was LeBron James that said his son was better than some NBA players. It was LeBron James that told folks, don't even think about, you want to draft? He said, you want to. You want me draft my son? It ain't even about the money at this point. I'll go wherever he is for one year. It was LeBron that said those things. And so everybody knew that.

Daniel Jeremiah (27:17)

And as a result, what I was.

Stephen A. Smith (27:18)

Saying was pointing out, yo, this is what it is. And any kind of trouble he has, they're going to pounce on him because of the things his dad said. So the one thing that I'm thankful for last night is that when I was confronted by LeBron James about this subject matter, he didn't give me an.

Daniel Jeremiah (27:44)

Opportunity to say what I know that.

Stephen A. Smith (27:45)

I would have said. And that was this. I wasn't talking really about your son, was talking about you. Because, you know the league, you know people, you know, narratives ain't always created by the media, is created by people the media covers. So you must know what this, what they were saying at the time. Nobody's been talking about Bronnie now, not for months. But at the time, they were. You must know. And I was saying that's you because of all the things that you did to make things happen in a way that deviated from a relatively merit based situation, which is the national basketball association. You're LeBron James. You are underpaid. You are LeBron James. You deserve more money than you're getting paid. You're LeBron James. I don't give a damn how much money they paid Bronnie, he could get it. He should get it for you, because, damn it, you should have gotten more because of what you've done for this league. You deserve all of this. But it's not going to stop him from getting that heat. And when LeBron came at me the way that he did, if it wasn't on camera if he didn't instigate something that people are allowed to take viral. If he had spoken to me, man to man, privately, I still wouldn't have talked about it. I don't violate that trust. I don't have private conversations, and then they go public. I don't have people talk to me off the record, and then I come on there on the record. Y'all can talk all of that smack. All y'all want to, whatever y'all naysay, whoever y'all naysayers are. But I got 30 years in this business. My track record is proven. I don't betray trust. I don't do that. If I have a conversation with you, it's between us. That's the way it's going down. And if LeBron had done that, y'all still wouldn't know about this conversation, which obviously has people speculating because of the savant that he is and how brilliant of a marketer he is. Some would say a manipulator and all this other stuff. They swear he knew exactly what he was doing. He knew the cameras were rolling. He knew that somebody would find him. It was a nationally televised game. It's LeBron James, and he's rolling up to Stephen A. Smith courtside. He had to know that's what others are thinking. I'm not thinking about that. I'm thinking about the fact that I'm incredibly sad that it had to happen. I'm incredibly sad that a father was looking in my face vehemently and defiantly hostilely telling me to stop effing with his son when I was talking about him. That makes me sad. It really does. But let me tell you why I'm most sad. Because I wasn't wrong. I stand by what I reported. I stand by what I said at that time. What I expressed months ago is what I felt. Which leads us to a far more expansive conversation, albeit a short one. Ladies and gentlemen, I'm a professional journalist turned commentator, pundit. There's a whole bunch of people with podcasts and shows out there who talk about the NBA. I covered the NBA. There's a difference. And the position that I'm in. I don't get paid to talk to folks. I get paid to talk about them. I don't want any enemies. My life is good. God has blessed me. I've been very blessed and fortunate. But I'm not here to make friends either. I have a job to do. See, the difference between this show and typical shows is that people do those shows. Hoping to get paid. I get paid to do those shows is different for me because there's years of work in the industry that preceded it. I've got people calling me LeBron. Shouldn't have came up to you like that. Nah, that's wrong. That's very unprofessional. You know, he knows better this. But forget all that. He did what he felt he needed to do for himself and his family. I have to respect that. It just doesn't make him right about the facts. The fact is, LeBron James is a professional basketball player. So is his son. LeBron James is a member of the Los Angeles Lakers. So is his son. LeBron James has to get critiqued at the discretion of the media covering him play basketball. So does his son. He's a professional. This is not a conversation about family matters. This is not a conversation about what's going on in somebody's bedroom or somebody's backyard. This is not a conversation about what's going on secretly. This was me talking about the game of basketball. Under no circumstances do I want to throw any negativity in the way of LeBron James. Family and friends. I know a lot of them, all wonderful, and I sincerely apologize for any kind of pain or angst I caused them, not LeBron. LeBron is a part of the job, and by virtue of the decisions that he made, so are his teammates. One of them happened to be his son. Now, I understand that that rubs a lot of people the wrong way. Okay? When I think about somebody like Draymond Green, and I've kept my mouth shut about this for a while, but without getting into too many details, Draymond Green has felt the need to go to other people to say how he's felt about how he feels about me. And I got mad love for Draymond. Draymond is a good brother that, quite frankly, I've always tried to be good, too. And this shift in his feelings about me, I was. I got it. But I'm gonna get to a bigger level. You see, one of the reasons that I had so many great relationships in the world of sports over the years is because if Cats had a problem, they caught me. Silly me. I'm thinking that if you get along with people and you talk with them, if they have an issue with you, at least they'd call you and confront you man to man, before something's resolved. I'm talking about Draymond here. I'm not talking about LeBron. The reason I'm not talking about LeBron is because. Excuse my language. LeBron and I don't really with each other. It's primarily been high and by for more than a decade, and I'm fine with it. And so is she, and so is he. Okay? But that wasn't the relationship with me and Draymond. That wasn't the relationship with me and quite a few cats. And one of the biggest reasons that I loved the kind of relationship that we had is because I always got the impression, yo, if they got an issue with you, they'll call you. You talk it out as men, and if you disagree, you part ways. Even if you part ways not speaking one another, or you can be agreeable or you can agree to disagree. It could be a boatload of things. But the blindsidedness of it all is what throws me off. Because, you see, if I got a problem with somebody, I'm not hard to find, you call me. I'm gonna pick up the phone. You want to come? You want to see me? I'm a rap to you. And we can hash it out and we'll reach a resolution, or we don't. That's not what's happening. And so it is what it is. You know, I'm sorry it had to be that way. I'm sorry the look of it all, but I was sitting courtside, minding my damn business, watching my Knicks try to beat the Lakers. I didn't know that the greatest player this generation was going to walk in my face the way that he did. But that's what happened. So I get it. I understand it, and I want to defend LeBron on this point. That was a dad talking to me. That was not some basketball player that was just pissed off. That was a father. And I'm sensitive to that because I'm a dad. And if I had a son and I felt like somebody had brought negativity to their world, I can't say I wouldn't have reacted the way LeBron James did. I don't think I would have. But I don't know. I don't know. But I want to emphasize I wasn't really concerned about Bronnie. I think Bronnie's gonna be an NBA player. I think he's got potential, and what he was doing in the G League, I think he's got a lot of promise. And I just interviewed Jeannie Buss, right, on this podcast, and she was raving about him, and they wanted him to be a part of the Lakers organization for a long time. That's where it starts. I get it. I'M rooting for this kid. I wish him nothing but the best. My issue was with what he is going through, nobody best knows how to alleviate the problem at the time, and nobody had the power at the time as well to alleviate it more so than LeBron James. And I was simply suggesting that he alleviate that problem. I didn't know it would be taken as I'm coming after his son because that is not what I was doing. That is not the intent that I wanted to put out there. So I get it. I'm sorry. I'm also sorry that this all had to happen on the day my new contract extension was announced. But it is what it is. So that's all I can say about that. That's all I have to say about that. LeBron's entitled to his feelings, but I'm also entitled to mine. I cover the sport. I did not get personal. I talk about players every day. I talk about teams every day. I talk about organizations every day. I talk about news items every day. I talk about it all. It's my job and that's what I did. Coming up, Elon Musk wants Derek Chauvin, the police officer convicted in the murder of George Floyd. Remember him? Elon Musk wants this man pardoned. But first, LeBron James isn't the only person who has a problem with me. Former NBA star Kenyon Martin has some choice words for your boy as well. Hits just keep on coming, huh? I can take it More to Stephen A. Smith show up Next.

Daniel Jeremiah (41:48)

All right everybody, listen up.

Stephen A. Smith (41:49)

With all the big time sports action.

Daniel Jeremiah (41:51)

That'S happening each and every day, the.

Stephen A. Smith (41:52)

Stephen A. Smith show wants to make sure you are taking advantage of it all.

Daniel Jeremiah (41:56)

That's why we've partnered with the Prize Picks.

Stephen A. Smith (41:58)

The best place to win cash while watching sports. The app is really easy to use to make a lineup.

Daniel Jeremiah (42:03)

All you have to do is pick.

Stephen A. Smith (42:04)

More or less on a few player stats. Choose from any of your favorite players, Luka Doncic, Jimmy Butler, and Zach LaVine, all in the same entry.

Daniel Jeremiah (42:12)

Then sit back and watch.

Stephen A. Smith (42:13)

The list is absolutely endless.

Daniel Jeremiah (42:15)

You can play prize picks in over 40 states, including California and Texas. Best of all, Prize Picks will give.

Stephen A. Smith (42:21)

You $50 when you play your first $5 lineup. Win or lose, you'll get 50 bucks. Just use promo code SAS and download.

Daniel Jeremiah (42:27)

Prize Picks right now.

Stephen A. Smith (42:28)

Again, download the app and use code SAS to get $50 instantly after your first $5 lineup. Prize picks run your game.

Hunter (42:36)

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 sister 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 chill 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.

Sam (43:39)

Snakes, Zombies. Sharks, Heights. Speaking in public. The list of fears is endless. But while you're clutching your blanket in the dark, wondering if that sound in the hall was actually a footstep, the real danger is in your hand when you're behind the wheel. And while you might think a great white shark is scary, what's really terrifying and even deadly is distracted driving. Eyes forward. Don't drive distracted. Brought to you by NHTSA and the AD Council.

Stephen A. Smith (44:13)

Welcome back to the Stephen A. Smith Show. I've been called out again, this time by my boys over at Gill's Arena. I'm playing around. I'm cool with Gilbert. I don't really know the other two that well. Front man Gilbert Arenas appeared on my show First Take earlier this week on espn. And Kenyon Martin and company were wondering about a few things, mainly when I'll be on their show as promised. Take a listen to this, please.

Gilbert Arenas (44:42)

So what happened to him supposed to come here? Okay, that's a very good question. He came on this. We saw it with all our eyes. We sit here and watch him. That is Larry, right? I'mma pull up. I'm busy. I believe he said a couple weeks. It has been 130 days after. We're counting 130 days. It's been like a half a year down there since.

Stephen A. Smith (45:07)

But.

Gilbert Arenas (45:07)

Cause he said he was coming through 130 days. I'm. I'm just trying to wonder what. Yeah, see, I thought he actually lived here. I guess he lives in New York, does a show there and comes here once in a blue moon. So. Yeah. So he was here in the city? Yeah, he was here, but he was here Thursday night. We all have five miles. Listen, we would have made time. Yeah, so we gotta probably pre record. No, we would've went live. Oh, we just 10 o'clock. We would have come to New York. Gil on underdog spread.

Stephen A. Smith (45:31)

Oh, yeah.

Gilbert Arenas (45:32)

It would have been a 10. It would have been a late night. It would have been a late night edition.

Daniel Jeremiah (45:36)

You wanna come here?

Gilbert Arenas (45:36)

So it's either gotta pre record or put the kids to bed when he's here on a Monday through Thursday. Yeah, it would have been a put the kids to bed edition.

Sam (45:43)

Uh.

Gilbert Arenas (45:44)

Oh, it's all good, man. So we gotta come. So most likely it has to be a Friday show. Oh, so we gotta make a. So we gotta make a set for this nigga because they film.

Stephen A. Smith (45:53)

They end at nine.

Gilbert Arenas (45:55)

So trying to get here by that time. No, we shoot money through 30 carpool lane. We shoot money through carpool lane. 11 30.

Stephen A. Smith (46:01)

2.

Gilbert Arenas (46:02)

2 make time.

Stephen A. Smith (46:03)

Is Eddie ready?

Gilbert Arenas (46:04)

You made time to go when his ass was on there, right? He can make time when we on there to bring his. The show. When we all can, like make no exceptions for this special. Not on this show. What's our old saying? When I blow up, you boom, boom.

Stephen A. Smith (46:29)

I ain't going. I. I'm not. I'm not going to front that. That was funny. That was funny. Message to Kenyon Martin. Played in the league 15 years. I can't wait to see you for you to show me this time. We had some kind of problem with each other because I've always thought you were a stud when you were playing in the NBA. I mean, what the hell? You was one of the elite defensive players going on. It's a reason you earned over 100 million in your career before these damn exorbitant contracts were being signed. I don't know what you're talking about with that. So I can't wait. My brother, have you seen the news? I said I had business to handle. My negotiations took a lengthy, lengthy, lengthy period of time. And I did not want to come onto the show, as I had told Gilbert, until matters were resolved. The matter is now resolved. I have numerous people who have wanted me to come on their podcast and I have told them, wait, because I gotta do Gill's arena first with you, with Rashad, with Nick, with Gil. I don't break my word, bro. I'm coming next week. I'll be calling Gilbert Arenas tonight or tomorrow. I'm gonna find out what the schedule is. And I'm trying to come on sometime next week. Now Wednesday and Thursday. I gotta take General Hospital. That. Take General Hospital, bro. Do my soap opera thing, you know what I'm saying? So I gotta tape those. I gotta tape Some scenes. Okay? So the likelihood of me doing it one of those days is slim because that's late, late night. If I was able to do it because I gotta tape stuff for General Hospital. And we got Friday NBA stuff. So I'm gonna find a way. I will be calling Gil just like I text him yesterday and let him know I'm coming on. Okay? So literally the next week to 10 days, max, I'm coming. I'm trying to come this week because I got a lot of stuff to do down line, but I. I got to keep my word. I don't mind you calling me out on that, because I did promise. But I told you I was busy. I just didn't tell you why I had to get all of this stuff done, which I've done. So now that that is done, the world can expect to see me in the house. And you remember what Kenya Martin said. Oh, we'll make time. You got to put the kids to bed. All this stuff. We don't give a damn. Wait, late night, early. Whatever. We'll make time for him. Absolutely. I'm making time for you, too. I'm coming on Gil's arena for no other reason. More so than the fact that I gave you my word. I will be there. I'm aiming for next week. Just so we're clear. Okay? Just so you know, so ain't no hiccups, there's no questions, there's no anything. Just so you know. Just wanted to make sure everybody know that. But Kenya Mark was right from the standpoint when he come in here, when he come. If I was in Kenya Martin seat, I'd have asked the same damn question. He was not wrong. If I was in Rashad McCann seat, I would ask the same damn question. They have a right. Especially since Gil showed up on first take. That is more than fair. I'm just letting you know I was waiting. Contract was agreed to 24 hours ago. And I'm about to call Gil, let him know I'm coming on. So I just want you to know that. All right, I'll be there. Make no mistake. I'll be there. Next subject. Gonna get back to some sports media talk with Charles Barkley's. Take an exception to the amount of time ESPN spends talking about the Lakers, the Warriors, and the Jordan versus LeBron debate. Here's what Barkley had to say on Inside the NBA last night. Check this out, y'all. The Lakers are having a great two weeks. Kendrick Perkins said the Lakers saved the NBA season. That's all them fools on the other network, which we're going to be working for next year, that's all they talk about. Let me tell y'all something. I want all the smoke between that and this lame ass LeBron, Michael Jordan debate. I've said for years, the only people who talk about LeBron and Michael is people on television who got no talent to talk about anything else. End quote. First of all, a couple of things. My man Kendrick Perkins was pretty upset at the way Charles Barkley was talking about him. Kendrick, stop. Charles Barkley talks about everybody like this. If you get around Barkley for more than 24 hours, he's gonna call you a fool or an idiot about something. That's number one. He means no harm. There's only one person in media Charles Barkley hates, and we all know who that is, okay? Used to work at espn, then he went over to Fox. Everybody knows who he is, okay? Charles Barkley can't stand Skip Bayless. That's it.

Daniel Jeremiah (51:29)

That's the only person outside of that.

Stephen A. Smith (51:32)

Everybody else, he just says, you know, you idiot, you fool. If he don't like something you did in a moment, that's all it is. Charles Barkley is one of the best people you could ever meet in your life. He's a beautiful person. He don't got an evil bone in his body. That's not who he is. Okay? So that's number one.

Daniel Jeremiah (51:47)

Number two.

Stephen A. Smith (51:51)

Charles Barkley is on television. Knowing television is something he leaves to Ernie, as in the great Ernie Johnson. Just walking. Got time for that?

Daniel Jeremiah (52:04)

Why do I bring that up? Because subject matters as it pertains to what you're talking about on television. You ever heard of Nielsen ratings? People pay attention to the stuff that they want to pay attention to. They turn a channel when you talk about stuff they don't care to hear about. I got news for TNT right now. Charles Barkley spend 10, 15 minutes talking.

Stephen A. Smith (52:27)

About Oklahoma City, the number one team in the West.

Daniel Jeremiah (52:31)

Spend the same amount of time talking about the Cleveland Cavaliers.

Stephen A. Smith (52:36)

And then take a look at your ratings. If you ain't mentioned in Boston, you ain't mentioned in New York, you ain't mentioned in LA, you ain't mentioning LeBron, you ain't mentioning Steph, you're not mentioning Jimmy Butler with Steph, you're not mentioning luka doncic with LeBron. You're not doing any of those things. Watch where it gets you. Ratings matter. I would know. I've been blessed and fortunate enough to win at them for the last 13 years. Now I'm not an Emmy award winning show like Inside the NBA, but once again, Ernie handles a lot of that stuff. Those guys know their basketball and they come on to talk basketball. But in terms of the subject matters to be tackled, you pay attention to.

Daniel Jeremiah (53:15)

What resonates with the audience and also.

Stephen A. Smith (53:18)

What games you're featuring.

Daniel Jeremiah (53:19)

Charles Barkley is the same person that says, literally working for the network.

Stephen A. Smith (53:23)

I don't know why the hell anybody will watch this game if it's a particular game he's disgusted by.

Daniel Jeremiah (53:28)

I don't know why anybody would pay attention to this subject. That subject.

Stephen A. Smith (53:31)

Because he's talking. So everybody just relax. That's not who Charles Barkley is.

Daniel Jeremiah (53:39)

But to get to a deeper point, when he brings up ESPN.

Stephen A. Smith (53:44)

ESPN is a 24. 7 network. We ain't playing NBA games, airing NBA games and airing a half hour pre game show and then an hour long post game show.

Daniel Jeremiah (53:55)

And then before and after you got.

Stephen A. Smith (53:57)

Law and or Law and Order episodes. That's not what we do at ESPN.

Daniel Jeremiah (54:02)

We are 24. 7 sports network. So you're going to find yourself talking about things, even regurgitating things, getting into stuff, talking about things, giving people ideas about narratives and all of that stuff. Why? Because the kind of people think about it happens. And by the way, while Charles Barkley was going off and calling us fools at espn, he acknowledged that he was about to be a fool because they're about to be over here. And what you think Charles Barkley gonna be doing and what kind of narratives you think he's going to be creating. Charles Walker ain't never created any narrative. Charles Walker ain't never opened his mouth and said, yo, blah, blah, blah. And that ended up being a story the next day. Didn't Charles Barkley.

Stephen A. Smith (54:48)

You thought I got called out by LeBron?

Daniel Jeremiah (54:52)

Did you see what LeBron did with Charles Barkley years ago? And Charles Barkley had to address it by saying he wasn't gonna get personal. It happens. How many people Shaq got got into it with? It happens. It all contributes to great television. And the best part about it is that it's not manufactured. It's what really are people are thinking about and talking about and what's on their collective minds. It just so happens to be manufactured in a good television. Where's the crime Barkley's gonna go off about that? He was disgusted that Big Perk said the Lakers have saved the NBA. I didn't agree with Perk's take, but it wasn't like it should be summarily dismiss list. You trying to Tell me that Luka Doncic being in the second largest market in the United States, playing for maybe the second, arguably the greatest sports franchise in NBA history in the Los Angeles Lakers. You trying to tell me that's not a good angle? You trying to tell me that Luca and the Lakers potentially making a championship run isn't a relevant storyline? Is that what you're trying to tell me? Of course it is. Of course it matters. That's how it goes. Now, that doesn't mean Cleveland is not a great story. It doesn't mean Oklahoma City is not a great story. Let me tell you something right now. Oklahoma at Cleveland in the regular season maybe have been the best game of the year. That was a phenomenal game. And if they were to meet each other in the NBA Finals, it would be phenomenal. But you're trying to tell me people don't want that or people do want that more than they want Boston versus LA. How about LA going up against Cleveland with LeBron going up against his old franchise in an effort to try and capture an NBA championship, which would give him five, which would tie him with Kobe Bryant, which would make people say there's nothing to discuss because he won a championship at the age of 40. He is officially the goat over Michael Jordan. You trying to tell me that nobody would care about those storylines?

Stephen A. Smith (57:06)

Maybe Barkley would say they don't, but that's because he does television as opposed to actually knowing it. Meaning knowing what story lines resonate on a day to day basis. I'm not taking the shot of them. I'm just telling you. The brothers preoccupied. He's got golf, he's got gambling, he's.

Daniel Jeremiah (57:24)

Got a whole bunch of stuff that.

Stephen A. Smith (57:25)

He loves to do. He lives his best life. It's my brother. I love Charles Barkley. Love him to death.

Daniel Jeremiah (57:33)

And guess what? It wouldn't surprise me at all if.

Stephen A. Smith (57:36)

Tomorrow on tv, I'm the idiot.

Daniel Jeremiah (57:39)

Or Tuesday or whenever he's back on.

Stephen A. Smith (57:41)

Because he ain't working every day. That's not what he does.

Daniel Jeremiah (57:46)

And he'll tell you in a heartbeat, that fool.

Stephen A. Smith (57:50)

And I'll laugh because I love him, because I know he means no harm. He's just expressing an opinion. Everybody need to calm down. Everybody need to calm down.

Daniel Jeremiah (58:03)

Coming up, a conservative commentator calls for.

Stephen A. Smith (58:06)

The police officer who killed George Floyd to be pardoned. And Elon Musk writes that it's something to consider that. And you saw what happened when Trump, Trump addressed both houses of Congress this past Tuesday, didn't you? I know. I saw it all in that and more coming up next. You're listening to the Stephen A. Smith show right here over the digital airwaves of YouTube and iHeartRadio. Back with more in a minute. What's up, everybody? Stephen A. Smith here. Recently we made news because the great Bill O'Reilly announced a tour that's coming nearest you in the very, very near future. Get your tickets now for this. It's called Three Americans Live March 30th at Live Nation's Flagstar at the Westbury Music Fair on Long Island. Don't miss the very first show as myself, Chris Cuomo and yes, that man, Bill O'Reilly, take our different ideas, our different backgrounds, our different beliefs across the country to demonstrate that respectful, meaningful and even fun conversation. Those are the things that make America as great as it should be. The show will be spirited, unscripted, and all three of us will let it fly. As we discuss the topics everyone is thinking about these days. There will also be questions from the audience. We're not running. Tickets are officially on sale now with Pre sale code USA@3americanslive.com VIP packages are available with the opportunity to meet and take photos with myself and both those fellas. That's three Americans live March 30th at the Westbury Music Fair on Long Island. Additional dates and cities to be announced. Don't miss it. Trust me, you'll get a kick out of it. Welcome back to the Stephen A. Smith show. I want to get into the comments made by conservative commentator Ben Shapiro, who publicly called for President Trump to pardon former Minneapolis police officer Officer Derek chauvin for the 2020 murder of Mr. George Floyd. For those of you who didn't hear the sound, I'll play it for you. Take a listen.

Greg Rosenthal (60:14)

If we are issuing pardons, however, there is one person that President Trump should pardon from federal charges forthwith would be incredibly controversial, but I think that it's absolutely necessary. That person is Derek Chauvin. President Trump should, in fact, pardon Derek Chauvin. He should. He should pardon him his federal charges. There is a man who is rotting in prison because the media decided in the middle of 2020 that they were going to turn a tragic law enforcement stop that ended with the death of a man who had a significant problem with drugs and preexisting health problems into the raison debt of the entire 2020 election. And it led to vast chaos. It led to, again, the destruction of racial comedy in the United States, $2 billion in property damage and a guy rotting in prison who the evidence demonstrates Certainly was not guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in that case.

Stephen A. Smith (61:05)

Among those reacting to that sound is Elon Musk, the billionaire adviser to President Trump, primarily over Doge, a Department of Government efficiency, remember him? Musk, who owns X, reposted the sound with the quote, something to think about, end quote. So let me ask you, Ben Shapiro, let me ask you, Elon Musk, are you just saying that you just don't want black people voting for you at all? Better yet, are you saying you don't give a damn about black people? I mean, why, why, why wiggle around it? Why don't you just say it? Why don't you just say it?

Daniel Jeremiah (61:52)

Elon Musk. What the hell do you mean there's something to think about? Ben Shapiro. Of all the people in the world that you could have asked for a pardon for. Of all the people in the world.

Stephen A. Smith (62:04)

Ben Shapiro, Derek Chauvin's the guy. A white police officer who cuffed George Floyd, took his knee, put it on his neck, kept it there for over.

Daniel Jeremiah (62:24)

Nine minutes as George Floyd was crying and whimpering for his mama, as people were taking photos and video, as he was telling you he couldn't breathe, and you still kept your knee on his neck for over nine minutes.

Stephen A. Smith (62:55)

And of all the people, Ben Shapiro, that you could have come up with to say he should receive a par. A pardon, that's the person that came to your mind? Mind? Why ask you another question, Ben Piro? You know, you brought up, you know, drug use, you brought up a criminal record, if I remember correctly. I think that's what you said.

Daniel Jeremiah (63:26)

Right, right, right, right.

Stephen A. Smith (63:27)

Ben Shapiro, just a simple question, respectfully, sir, Respectfully. Would you have taken that position if George Floyd was a Jewish person, a white Jewish person, If a black cop had his knee on a white Jewish.

Daniel Jeremiah (63:55)

Person for over nine minutes, Ben Shapiro, would you have called for that individual to be pardoned?

Stephen A. Smith (64:07)

I'm just asking. It's a rhetorical question, because you know what I believe the answer to be is right. That's a website for the petition right there. How low can you go?

Daniel Jeremiah (64:24)

You see, this is the problem, and this is where the Republicans are going to mess up, you see, because even though Trump's approval ratings have dipped from.

Stephen A. Smith (64:33)

Weeks ago when he was first reelected.

Daniel Jeremiah (64:37)

The bottom line is he's the president. He's got the House, he's got the Senate, he's got a 6:3 majority in the Supreme Court. He's been handing down executive orders as handed out executive orders like bags of Skittles. He's got A whole lot going for him. The Republicans are in a position where all you have to do is live up to what you say. Donald Trump, remember what you said in 2015. What do you have to lose? Remember that? Remember you talked about the black vote, the Hispanic vote, and how you would do for other communities outside of white nationalist and other white folks who's not a member of white nationalist parties and stuff like that. Remember that? Remember that? Didn't your numbers increase with blacks? Didn't your numbers increase with Latinos? Did it? Your numbers increase with the young voters. Think about what you got to do, Republicans. All you got to do, address the economy, dress inflation, address the border, address deportation, by the way.

Stephen A. Smith (65:50)

Cause you got to get those folks out that were in here as well.

Daniel Jeremiah (65:53)

And how you gonna do that? Address crimes in the streets of America, make sure folks got jobs, make sure folks are safe. So you gotta do. Here's a few other things that you gotta do. It's not a laundry list. It's just a few.

Stephen A. Smith (66:11)

Avoid saying ridiculous nonsense like Ben Shapiro just said.

Daniel Jeremiah (66:15)

Avoid making suggestions like that. Avoid your head of Doge, whose power has dissipated according to reports, by the way. Avoid him retweeting stuff like that or reposting stuff like that.

Stephen A. Smith (66:31)

When are you gonna learn? Yes, you may want certain things. Yes, you may want your quality of life to be a certain way. This is not a quality of life issue, Ben Shapiro.

Daniel Jeremiah (66:44)

This is a quality of life issue.

Stephen A. Smith (66:46)

Coming to the defense of a cop.

Daniel Jeremiah (66:48)

Whose knee was on a black man's neck for over nine minutes. That is what you want to condone. That is what you want to let out of jail. That is what you want to fall on your sword for.

Stephen A. Smith (67:06)

Would you do it if he. Would you do it if a white Jewish person had a knee on their neck for nine and a half minutes and it was a black cop that did it? I mean, damn, Bishop hero. Damn. See, you can argue politics all day. I've seen you before. You're quite bright, very, very smart. And your issues are your issues, whatever they may be. And I get that part. But to do something like this, to.

Daniel Jeremiah (67:43)

Say something, it's the same thing along.

Stephen A. Smith (67:44)

The lines with your Ron DeSantis, by.

Daniel Jeremiah (67:47)

All accounts, prior to him running for the presidency, an absolutely fabulous governor in the eyes of some people. Clearly, there was a mandate in Florida when he won the midterms. There was no red wave in 2022, but there was certainly a red wave through Florida. That man won by a landslide. And what does he do?

Stephen A. Smith (68:08)

He wants to come out and give.

Daniel Jeremiah (68:09)

An explanation about the good benefits of slavery. That's what he wanted to do. This is the. The Republican Party does that. Just boggles my mind. Everything's flowing. You got the Democrats on the heels. You got Kamala Harris out of the presidential picture, contemplating running for the governor's seat in California. A decision is made, is expected to be made by the end of the summer. She is out in a lot of people's eyes. She ain't gonna be a part of the national spotlight in 2028. So she's got to go for the governor's seat in California if she wants to sustain or build upon a political career. Gavin Newsom's running, throwing podcasts now, talking to Republicans. Okay. If you can believe that. You got the Democrats showing up for.

Stephen A. Smith (68:59)

For.

Daniel Jeremiah (69:00)

For Trump's address to both houses of Congress looking like damn fools, having videos where they dancing. You got to be kidding me. Putting 22 people on the screen at the same time. Same as saying the same damn thing. As if that res. That message is going to resonate. Got a representative like Al Green out of Texas, 77 years old, obviously has fought the good fight, but looking incredibly immature and undisciplined. Wouldn't even give Trump a chance to speak. And he had to get removed from the House. And then yesterday, 10 Democrats joined with House Republicans to censor Al Green from Texas for his protest during President Trump's address to Congress Tuesday night. Trump didn't even have an opportunity to pass gas. And this man standing up. Protestant. Protestant. What?

Stephen A. Smith (69:55)

He won the election.

Daniel Jeremiah (69:59)

I'm on the View, and I got a bunch of ladies who I love and I respect coming up, talking to me on the show, talking about there's no mandate, courtesy of Joy Behar. What mandate? Kamala Harris lost all the swing states. There was an increase with black voters, Latino voters, and young voters. He won a popular vote. He won the electoral college vote. 89% of the counties in the United States switched to Republican. But there's no mandate. And you gonna get up at 77 years of age. Why don't you just tell the truth?

Stephen A. Smith (70:36)

You didn't feel like sitting there. You know, you couldn't take it. So you have to come up with.

Daniel Jeremiah (70:40)

A reason because Trump didn't give you a reason, because he had barely spoken. And then these people holding up their signs, these. These Democrats looking like damn fools. I felt sad for my brother. Hakeem Jeffries, minority House leader. He sat there the whole time, but guess what? He didn't act like that. He was probably embarrassed by how they acted like juveniles. Oh, by the way, I forgot to.

Stephen A. Smith (71:12)

Bring up how when Trump talked about the cancer, the kid that was suffering from cancer and I made him an honorary member of the Secret Service, nobody stood up. Or how he brought up Lankin Riley, the 22 year old who was killed by a migrant. And her, her mother and her sister were in attendance.

Daniel Jeremiah (71:31)

They didn't stand up for that. All you did was give the impression anything that Trump favors, you're against.

Stephen A. Smith (71:40)

Wow.

Daniel Jeremiah (71:41)

Way to show the American people on.

Stephen A. Smith (71:42)

The left you're ready to go do your job. Really.

Daniel Jeremiah (71:48)

The Republicans.

Stephen A. Smith (71:49)

Listen to me.

Daniel Jeremiah (71:51)

As much as I don't want y'all to win, we gotta call balls and strikes here. You got the Democrats reeling. I already pointed out how to vote. Highlights divisions within the party over how some members protested the President's remarks. Some held up signs, others walked out or boycotted the speech all together. Others took a more muted approach under the guidance of House Democratic leader Leadership Rather, who apparently urged members not to mount high profile protests and caution them to show restraint. Now, House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries, who I bought a decline to comment on.

Stephen A. Smith (72:23)

Green's move on Tuesday.

Daniel Jeremiah (72:24)

However, speaking a small group of Republicans the next day, Jeffrey said, quote, an overwhelming majority of House Democrats approached the speech with the seriousness that it deserved. On behalf of the American people. Great quote to point to, to avoid pointing out that the rest of them acted like children. Republicans.

Stephen A. Smith (72:41)

You have them reeling.

Daniel Jeremiah (72:43)

The Democrats are reeling. They are falling backwards. It's bad.

Stephen A. Smith (72:52)

But you can't help yourself. Ben Shapiro, with that nonsense. Elon Musk, I'm sorry, was a Democrat. He was about to vote Democratic. All of a sudden he's sitting up there, reconsider, tweeting something to reconsider. Reconsider you. Are you kidding me?

Daniel Jeremiah (73:11)

This is most asinine nonsense.

Greg Rosenthal (73:13)

I.

Stephen A. Smith (73:15)

Is there just a concerted effort to show that you don't give a flying shit about how black people feel? Is that what this is?

Daniel Jeremiah (73:25)

It makes no sense. Why would you fall in your sword for. For Derek Chauvin? Do you know Sean Hannity, Fox News, Mark Levin, the great one, big time conservative radio host, along with others. They all called out Derek Chauvin. All of them. All of them. They said his ass need to be in jail. He had no business doing what he did. But Ben Shapiro and Elon Musk is gonna say we should consider him being pardoned.

Stephen A. Smith (73:57)

Ladies and gentlemen, if they pardon Derek Chauvin, if they pardon Derek Chauvin, don't even think about giving them your vote, we listen. This policy is taking place that a lot of people, particularly pioneers and aficionados of civil rights legislation from 1964, talking.

Daniel Jeremiah (74:21)

About how you got folks trying to.

Stephen A. Smith (74:23)

Eradicate the progress that has been made over all of these decades. Yes, they're far more educated than me on that. And I understand in their eyes, you already have no reason to be voting.

Daniel Jeremiah (74:32)

For folks on the right.

Stephen A. Smith (74:33)

But if they do this, if they pardoned Derek Chauvin, if they, if they.

Daniel Jeremiah (74:39)

Let that man out of jail after.

Stephen A. Smith (74:41)

Murdering George Floyd, you've learned all you need to know. Don't even look at their asses. No more Bishop heroes. Again, for the third time, if that was a white Jewish person on the ground, cuffed, face down, whimpering and crying for their mother while telling you they're struggling, they cannot breathe, and it was a black cop on top of them with his knee on their neck for over nine minutes, would you be calling for that person to be pardoned? I can't wait to hear your answer on that question. I really, really can't. And Elon Musk you a lot of things. The owner of X. Nobody will mistake you for Malcolm X, I can tell you that much. I'll leave it at that. That's it for this edition of the Stephen A. Smith Show. Hope you all enjoyed it. Until next time, everybody, peace and love. I'm out. It's Truck month with the Ford crew. Sam, do you know what these trucks have in common?

Sam (76:39)

They are all Ford trucks and. And they're built Ford tough.

Stephen A. Smith (76:42)

Also true. But specifically, they're Ford F series trucks. The best selling trucks in America.

Daniel Jeremiah (76:46)

Ford 48 years.

Sam (76:47)

48 years. We should celebrate a month long event, Sam. A truckload of value across the entire lineup of four trucks. Sam, that's called Truck month already, isn't it?

Stephen A. Smith (76:58)

Yeah, it is.

Sam (76:59)

Oh, I knew it.

Stephen A. Smith (77:00)

Based on 1977-2024 CY industry reporting to what's up everyone?

Greg Rosenthal (77:05)

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. We'll 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.