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Stephen A. Smith
Are you still quoting 30 year old movies? Have you said cool beans in the past 90 days? Do you think Discover isn't widely accepted? If this sounds like you, you're stuck in the past. Discover is accepted at 99% of places that take credit cards nationwide and every time you make a purchase with your card, you automatically earn cash back. Welcome to the now it pays to Discover. Learn more@discover.com credit card based on the February 2024 Nielsen report.
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 podcast.
Daniel Jeremiah
I'm on vacation. Yes, I am. But you know something that's worth coming off vacation for?
Ryan Clark
An opportunity to thank you for me having 1 million subscribers. It is official, we have reached that number this afternoon. Can't thank y'all enough for the love and support y'all. Like I told you, you keep it coming and I'm gonna keep on coming.
Daniel Jeremiah
Stephen A. On Vacation in the house.
Ryan Clark
Coming at you, the Stephen A. Smith Show. Now.
Daniel Jeremiah
What's up, everybody? Welcome to the latest edition of the Stephen A. Smith Show. Coming at you as I love to do at least three times a week.
Ryan Clark
Over the digital airwaves of YouTube. As always, I like to take moments to thank and show my gratitude to my subscribers and followers. But today is a special day. Even though I'm on vacation, I had to come off vacation because as of this afternoon, we have, we have eclipsed over 1 million subscribers on our YouTube channel. Obviously, millions of downloads have taken place on iHeartRadio over the last few months. Can't thank y'all for the love and support enough. It really, really means a lot to me. And you know, to to really speak about this further, let, let me remind you that this show I know that I talk sports. I know that I talk pop culture and entertainment. I know that I talk politics, news items and things of that nature. Basically social commentary. I consider it social commentary more so than politics because I'm certainly no political aficionado, but I'm a conscientious observer And I pay attention to things that people in America and beyond definitely care about. And I like to touch on those things. And for you all to know me and my sports background, but to still throw your support behind me when I talk about these other things, I cannot thank you enough for the love and support. It's not easy getting in front of the camera every day, taking positions that I've taken, recognizing the fact that you may alienate some people along the way. But I do it because, again, I pride myself in being a conscientious observer. I pride myself on being somebody who cares about what the hell is going on and is going to give you my version of truth as authentically as I possibly can do. And for you to get behind me and to support me the way that you have, for me to really eclipse a million subscribers in basically 20 months, because that's how long I've been on YouTube, I just can't thank you enough. It's really, really humbling to receive the level of support that I have received from you all, and I can't thank you enough. All I can tell you is that I'm going to be as honest and as straightforward and as authentic as I possibly can be. And I hope and pray that I will continue to receive the support that you've given me. So from the bottom of my heart, on behalf of myself and the whole team, for the entire Stephen A. Smith Show, I sincerely thank you. We sincerely thank you, and we hope that you will continue to support the show. As always, to continue to like and follow the show. Just click the bell to be notified of all of our new content, and you, too, shall be considered the latest member of the Stephen A. Smith show family. And while you're doing that, make sure to pick up a copy of my New York Times bestselling book, Straight Shooter, a memoir of Second Chances and First Takes, now in paperback, written by me. The audiobook, voiced over by me. Yes, that's a New York Times bestseller. Has been a New York Times bestseller since last year. Can't thank y'all enough for that. Again, doesn't happen without your love and support. So I really, really appreciate it. I got a lot of stuff that I want to get into today, and one of those things was my buddy, my colleague at espn, my brother, Ryan Clark, outstanding NFL analyst for the family, an outstanding host for the podcast the Pivot, not to mention doing his Inside the NFL show with Bill Bellich, Chad Oenko, and those guys. He's a Super bowl champion as a safety for the Pittsburgh Steelers. We know what his background entails, but he made a of noise this weekend and to be quite honest with you, I was upset about something. And I want to explain what I'm upset about after I play you this clip. This is Ryan Clark talking about Lamar Jackson and how essentially his success is going to be the finishing touch for the whole narrative about black quarterbacks and the question marks and the skepticism that have been associated with black quarterbacks throughout NFL history. Not recent history, but certainly in the past. Ryan Clark was speaking on first take, sitting in my chair because I was on vacation on Friday, across from L. Duncan, of course from Monica McNutt who was hosting in place of Molly Caram, and of course, of course from the one and only Cam Newton forming Heisman Trophy winning number one overall pick for an NFL quarterback. Nevertheless, Ryan Clark said some things that rubbed people the wrong way before I commented on it. I want you to hear what he had to say. Listen up.
L. Duncan
I want to say it to you and I want to say it to Randall Cunningham and I want to say it to Russell Wilson and I want to say it to Michael Vick. This is the evolution of the position. Without Randall Cunningham having to try to conform and be a pocket passer and also show his athleticism. We don't get to Michael Vick. And without Michael Vick accepting that and working to become a better pastor, working to become a better leader, we don't get a Cam Newton. And if Cam Newton doesn't bring the style of play that he had the opportunity to bring from Auburn to the NFL and win an MVP doing it, we don't have a Lamar Jackson. See, we've needed at that position because of all the negativity surrounding whether or not people like you can play it. We needed each of you to get to this point. And that's why we need Lamar Jackson to take that next step and hold that Lombardi Trophy the same way we all cried when Doug Williams did it in the 80s.
Daniel Jeremiah
Shout out to Doug. Preach.
Ryan Clark
Now you heard Ryan Clark right there.
Daniel Jeremiah
Personally speaking, I'd like to say that.
Ryan Clark
I'm disappointed, but that's not the word.
Daniel Jeremiah
I'm pissed off. But I'm not pissed off at Ryan. I'm not pissed off at all of you guys. Nor am I pissed off at Ryan Clark for what he said.
Ryan Clark
You know what?
Daniel Jeremiah
I have a problem with that. He deleted the post because when cynicism and criticism came in his direction, Ryan Clark, somebody who runs from no one, and I'm certainly not accusing him of running now, I'M mad he deleted the post. Now I know what a lot of people were saying. First of all, Ryan Clark didn't know what he was talking about because guess what? Patrick Mahomes is a three time super bowl champion. He's the reigning two time super bowl champion, having won back to back titles for the Kansas City Chiefs here. He's a black quarterback and you're bringing that up. That's really slick on your part, ladies and gentlemen. Ryan Clark wasn't wrong. Ryan Clark was right. Now, he may have come across wrong because he gave you an opening to bring up Patrick Mahomes to derail or to squash his point. But that's not the point that I interpreted him saying. What he's talking about. What he was talking about is not the black quarterback, but the black quarterbacks who have been questioned as to whether or not they should play quarterback. Nobody was questioning whether DeSean Watson was a quarterback. Nobody was questioning whether Patrick Mahomes was a quarterback. They were questioning whether Lamar Jackson was a quarterback. They were wondering whether he should consider a different position going into the NFL. And it was Lamar Jackson that had to tell them, nah, I ain't down with that. I'm a quarterback and I'm gonna be a quarterback the NFL and I'm going to wreak havoc and I'm going to wreck shop and I'm going to show you what I bring to the table. That's what Lamar Jackson said. But they were trying to convince him not to play quarterback. And that specter of skepticism and criticism that came associated with Lamar Jackson before he was drafted number 32 overall in the first round, at the end of the first round by the Baltimore Ravens is something that has happened only to black quarterbacks. Where's the white dude? And if I'm wrong, I stand corrected. But I don't recall a white dude coming into the NFL having played the quarterback position in college. And they were being dissuaded from entering as a quarterback because people were accusing them of not being able to play the position. Don't get us started with why they were saying that, because usually when you have questions about a quarterback, it's about their ability to throw or is their ability to be a dual threat at the running back position with black folks. Back in the day, albeit back in the day, there was a question about.
Ryan Clark
Intellect and the ability to comprehend and.
Daniel Jeremiah
Decipher an NFL defense and read through your progressions and make the right call and make the right throw audible at the line of scrimmage. Understanding and comprehending and dissecting the playbook, et cetera, et cetera. These are the things that were thrown into questions about black quarterbacks. And so anytime there's a black quarterback that was being questioned as to whether or not they should play the position, that was the first thing that came to people's mind. Because that's the level of skepticism that historically has been associated with the black quarterback until recently. Nobody's accusing it of being that way now because times have changed and things have drastically improved. You could go back to Randall Cunningham, you could go to the Warren Moons of the world. You can go to the Dante Culpeppers or the Steve McNairs of the world. You can go to the Michael Vicks of the world. You could come to the modern day era. Because there was a time in the NFL in recent memory where you had guys like a Russell Wilson to a Deshaun Watson to a Patrick Mahomes who were, who were the highest paid dudes in the league. So not only were they playing the quarterback position, but they were getting paid handsomely to do it.
Ryan Clark
That is not what Ryan Clark is taught was talking about. In terms of what I saw him.
Daniel Jeremiah
Say on First Take My Day Job.
Ryan Clark
Every weekday morning on ESPN from 10am.
Daniel Jeremiah
To 12 noon this past Friday when he was filling it for me who was on vacation. That man talking about Lamar Jackson was simply saying he's a dual threat. His athletic ability is undeniable, who's running ability is undeniable, his passing game has improved, he's done everything right. And now what anybody and everybody is waiting for is for him to deliver the goods. Because Josh Allen to a lesser degree, Joe Burrow to a lesser degree. But Patrick Mahomes to the umph degree is standing in his way in just his conference alone. We ain't even get into the Jalen Hurts in Philadelphia, the Jared Goffs in Detroit, or the Jordan Loves in Green Bay, or even a Sam Darnold in Minnesota, Brock Purdy last year, Dak Prescott just because he's a cowboy even though they ass is a home. Unofficially of course, I mean officially they're.
Ryan Clark
Going home, but we know they won't be in the playoffs.
Daniel Jeremiah
Everywhere you turned there were guys. And so you're looking at Lamar Jackson and you're saying you're two time league MVP, bro. Nine dudes have won two, two league MVPs in NFL history. Every single one of them have been super bowl champions. But you. So you gotta answer that call. I've bloviated about that on numerous occasions. But in the event that he does answer the call, Ryan Clark is right. That should be it. In terms of seeing a dual threat at the quarterback position, with extreme athleticism being questioned as to whether or not they could play the quarterback position. What's the problem?
Ryan Clark
I see no problem.
Daniel Jeremiah
So I'm pretty ticked off that Ryan Clark deleted his tweet, according to the reports, because what you take it down for, you were right. His point may not have been articulated as perfectly as he would have liked and he might have left the hole here there for somebody to at least question it. But his overall point I firmly understand. And he was right. If Lamar Jackson wins the super bowl, that's gonna go a long way towards us ever questioning, ever questioning again whether a cat can do it at that position, being a dual threat, a quarterback who can run.
Ryan Clark
We're marveling at Jaden Daniels for the Washington Commanders because of what he's doing.
Daniel Jeremiah
Ryan Clark is right. We want to rave about Sam Donald and we should. But I will remind y'all that Sam Donald, who has led the Minnesota vikings to a 14 and two record this year, who's had 13 games with a QBR over a hundred this year, who has been absolutely sensational for the most part for the Minnesota Vikings, that's Sam Donald. I gotta give credit where credit is due. That brother right there. 14 wins, 13 games with a pass away, a QBR of over 100. His 14 wins are the most by a quarterback with a new team over the last 40 years. Peyton Manning won 13 in 2012. Steve McNeil won 13 in 2006 with the Ravens. By the way, Sam Donald's been the most productive deep ball thrower in the National Football league this year. 20 or more air yards, that's what they said. And he's playing under a contract that's.
Ryan Clark
Playing him $10 million for one year.
Daniel Jeremiah
That same damn Donald. Before you go out there throwing a parade for the brother, like a scene the Minnesota Vikings were willing to do in a post game locker room following Sunday's victory over the Green Bay packers.
Ryan Clark
Acting like they just won a championship.
Daniel Jeremiah
I will remind y'all, as much as Sam Donald deserves praise for the great, great year that he's had, it was.
Ryan Clark
Six years that preceded it when he didn't.
Daniel Jeremiah
So I was sitting there talking about him and praising him and what have you. Isn't it ironic that we're praising a dude who's produced really for the first time in his career that spans more than six years, but a two time league mvp? We're constantly saying that ain't enough. You got to do it. I'm just asking.
Ryan Clark
Isn't it ironic?
Daniel Jeremiah
I just wanted to throw that out there. Couple other things that I wanted to get on out of here, I wanted.
Ryan Clark
To get to before I got out of here today.
Daniel Jeremiah
I brought up Sam Donald because I.
Ryan Clark
Thought it was fair and it was necessary.
Daniel Jeremiah
Want to give love to Brock Bowers, that tight end for the Las Vegas Raiders, ball in the way that he balled. Because this brother ended up having the most catches in the season by a.
Ryan Clark
Rookie at any position that was formerly held by Puka Nakua for the Los.
Daniel Jeremiah
Angeles Rams, by the way. And not only did he do that.
Ryan Clark
But Brock Bowers had achieved the most.
Daniel Jeremiah
Receiving yards in the season by a rookie tight end.
Ryan Clark
And that record was formerly held by Mike Ditka. So I'm thinking about that.
Daniel Jeremiah
This guy was drafted 13th out of Georgia. And Ballin for the Las Vegas Raiders is the only bright spot that the.
Ryan Clark
Raiders have had to, had to, had to rave about. So props to him.
Daniel Jeremiah
Props to Baker Mayfield for his five.
Ryan Clark
Touchdowns on Sunday afternoon, albeit against the Carolina Panthers. The Tampa Bay Buccaneers are still in the race for the for the NFC South Division crown.
Daniel Jeremiah
Okay.
Ryan Clark
But Saquon Barkley, have you seen this brother?
Daniel Jeremiah
I mean, this brother has been so sensational. I gotta sing one of those songs. Have you seen him? Tell me, have you seen him? Seen him?
Ryan Clark
That's an oldie. It's usually have you seen her? But I'm saying him for the purposes of Saquon Barkley, who rushed for about.
Daniel Jeremiah
167 yards, who finished right now, he has over 2,000 yards rushing, had 176 yards on 17 carries and a touchdown.
Ryan Clark
Against the Giants back in October, had.
Daniel Jeremiah
A season high 10.4 yards per carry in that game. Why am I bringing that up? Because he's less than 150 yards from breaking Eric Dickinson's all time single season rushing record next week.
Ryan Clark
And that's against the New York Giants, his old team. You know, the team that went on Hard Knocks, talking shit about him, acting like they could afford to lose him, acting like it wasn't a big deal to let him go. Tell them to go ahead and test the open market. And did it with the cameras rolling on Hard Knocks.
Daniel Jeremiah
Remember that team, that team, his former.
Ryan Clark
Team, is who Saquon Barkley is going up against next week. Isn't it poetic justice that this brother, I mean the Giants gonna play and they're gonna do everything they can to stop him. And if you're the Philadelphia Eagles, you gotta be careful because you want them to break the all time sequel season rushing, rush, rushing record. But in the same breath, your Philadelphia Eagles, you got a chance to win the Super Bowl. The Lions got 17 people on injured reserve. The Vikings are still being quarterbacked by Sam Donald. If you're the Philadelphia Eagles, you got to believe you could take them. You got the Green Bay packers. They came on late, but they were getting blown out before they came on late against the Minnesota Vikings. Okay? They don't, Vikings, don't miss those two field goals.
Daniel Jeremiah
Green Bay wouldn't have been in a.
Ryan Clark
Position to come back and beat them. Then you've got that in the nfc. And it's only one of those teams, whether it's Kansas City, Buffalo, Baltimore or whomever, it's only one of those teams that could come out of the afc.
Daniel Jeremiah
So you, the Philadelphia Eagles, you got a chance and you got a decision.
Ryan Clark
To make because you want Saquon Barkley.
Daniel Jeremiah
To go for that all time single season record record, especially against the New York Giants. But the flip side is you don't want to put yourself in a position where he could ultimately get hurt. Because without him, Philadelphia ain't winning no damn Super Bowl. So we got to get that out the way right now. One game left. Saquon BARKLEY, he's just 101 yards away.
Ryan Clark
From Eric Dickinson's all time rushing record.
Daniel Jeremiah
101 yards. You got to put him out there to go for it. But in the same breath you got to be careful not to jeopardize his health.
Ryan Clark
You got to. Because it ain't worth it. It just ain't.
Daniel Jeremiah
So let's be very, very clear about.
Ryan Clark
That and leave it at that.
Daniel Jeremiah
My last point is in bringing up.
Ryan Clark
Saquon Barkley is to go to the New York Giants. Ladies and gentlemen, the New York Giants are awful.
Daniel Jeremiah
Just awful. GM's gonna deserves to lose his job.
Ryan Clark
Don't think about firing Brian Gable Dable without getting rid of the GM shine.
Daniel Jeremiah
Don't even think about it. That's a man that gotta lose his job at the head coach losing his job. Cause Brian Davis was coach of the.
Ryan Clark
Year a couple of years ago.
Daniel Jeremiah
He ain't forget how to coach. He just don't have that talent to coach. Okay? You got rid of Saquon Barkley because you invested 40 million a year in Daniel Jones was now gone. Don't tell me you got to keep your gm. Hell with that. I know Christmas is here. It's still a holiday season. Christmas is passed and now it's the new year, but damn it, the truth is the truth and nothing but the truth, so help me God, he got to go. That ain't the man to keep. In light of the ineptitude that we've seen from the New York Giants this season. They are awful, just awful. So with that being said, let me also understand something. There's another word that I wanted to.
Ryan Clark
Give to the New York Giants, and I didn't want to say this, okay? I really, really didn't.
Daniel Jeremiah
And I got one of my producers.
Ryan Clark
Galen, here because he's a Giants fan. So, you know, he's miserable. He has all of these numbers because he's miserable as shit because they suck. And he kind of knew it, but he didn't think they'd be this bad, but they are this bad. And just reading from the notes that he just sent to me, the Giants.
Daniel Jeremiah
Sent it Sunday with a 57% chance.
Ryan Clark
Of finishing with the number one overall pick in the draft. According to ESPN analytics, it would have ballooned to 86% with the loss. Instead, it dipped to 5%.
Daniel Jeremiah
The Patriots, meanwhile, are now the heavy favorites at over 78% to land the top pick in the upcoming NFL Draft this spring. Why is that important? Because you got four quarterbacks that are.
Ryan Clark
Going to be in the draft.
Daniel Jeremiah
According to Mel Kuiper Jr. My colleague.
Ryan Clark
At ESPN, the absolute guru when it.
Daniel Jeremiah
Comes to this kind of stuff. Shador Sanders out of Colorado, number one, Cam Ward out of Miami, number two, Jaylen Milro out of Alabama, at number three, Carson Beck for University of Georgia, number four.
Ryan Clark
I want to hear a damn thing about Carson back. I saw the brother throw eight interceptions in three games.
Daniel Jeremiah
I don't want to hear about Carson back on this list. I don't want to hear it. And then he was injured, so he had to have surgery. And Georgia got a player freshman because Connor Beck ain't available. That brother. Listen, if he's the fourth quarterback in the draft, it's because it's just those three and ain't a damn person else.
Ryan Clark
Because he didn't look great this year.
Daniel Jeremiah
I'm not saying he can't look great, but he was a mistake waiting to happen. He just was. So you got your door, Sanders, Cam Ward and Jalen Milroe. And the Giants are projected to get the fourth pick. Wouldn't surprise me at all if they missed out on that. How the hell are you winning football games?
Ryan Clark
And you know you need a quarterback and you ain't going no damn place.
Daniel Jeremiah
So when they needed you to win and to show that you were respectable. You were getting your ass kicked on a weekly basis. And now that your season is over, now is the time when you want.
Ryan Clark
To go out there and win. What the hell is wrong with you?
Daniel Jeremiah
That's stupidity. Absolute positive stupidity.
Ryan Clark
But that's the New York Giants. Not only are they inept and bereft of talent necessary to win football games on an NFL level most weeks, they're also stupid. They lose when they should be winning, and they win when they should be losing.
Daniel Jeremiah
The Giants should have been throwing games just to ensure that they were going.
Ryan Clark
To get themselves a quarterback for the upcoming season. They didn't do that. Which means in all likelihood, what we're seeing from the Giants ain't going to change anytime soon, because you can't win without a quarterback in the National Football League, as the saying so goes. It is what it is. Hard to say anything else. It really, really isn't. Before I go to break, ladies and gentlemen, on a very, very sad note, those of us in the industry got hit pretty hard the other day because we've learned of the passing of Mr. Greg Gumbel. Greg Gumbel, the brother of Bryant Gumbel, one of the greatest sports broadcasters this industry has ever known. Greg, in his own right, was phenomenal. He did it all. Doing games for various networks, most notably cbs, as of late, NFL games, colleges, Final four, final Fours, the list goes on and on. He lost his battle to cancer. For me personally, it's something that always hits home. Obviously, anytime I hear about somebody losing their battle with cons from to cancer, I automatically think about my mom. And there's a level of sadness that is just there, that just won't go anywhere. There are times that I ask myself, considering all the money that has been generated for cancer research, considering the existence of radiation, chemotherapy and things of that nature, just wondering when we're going to find a cure, when we're going to beat this. So many people fight and they fight valiantly, doing all that they can to extend their lives, to eradicate this disease from their body. And time after time after time, we come up short. And all we can do, all we're left doing is to mourn the losses of loved ones. People who were pioneers, who had a profound impact on industries, who affected the lives of millions in such a positive and a profound way. All you can do is reflect on their contribution to society and say thank God for them. And because they were here and they did so much, you know in your heart, you feel in your soul that they're in a better place. It's the only solace that exists, at least for me personally, when it comes to hearing such news like this. I'm really sorry. My condolences go out to the Gumbel family, to Brian Gumbel, who I know personally and their whole family is all. What can you say? Greg Gumbel, gone but not forgotten and never will be dead at the age of 78. I'll be back in a minute. Transitioning to a newsworthy subject that's going to make people very, very, very uncomfortable with some of the images that you're going to see. Reminding us all that no matter how far we believe we have gotten, there is still a long, long, long way to go. Certain things are just too heinous to ignore. This is one of those things. I'll explain it all to you and show you vividly what I'm talking about in a minute. Don't go away. You're watching and listening to the Stephen A. Smith show right here over the digital areas of YouTube. Back with more in a minute.
Daniel Jeremiah
All right y'all listen up.
Ryan Clark
Do you know how great this time of the year is?
Daniel Jeremiah
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Ryan Clark
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Daniel Jeremiah
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Ryan Clark
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Daniel Jeremiah
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Ryan Clark
Hey, run your game.
Stephen A. Smith
Are you still quoting 30 year old movies? Have you said cool beans in the past 90 days? Do you think Discover isn't widely accepted? If this sounds like you, you're stuck in the past. Discover is accepted at 99% of places that take credit cards nationwide. And every time you make a purchase with your card, you automatically earn cash back. Welcome to the now it pays to Discover. Learn more@discover.com credit card based on the February 2024 Nielsen report.
Hunter
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 Tamika 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.
Ryan Clark
Welcome back to the Stephen A. Smith Show. As I told you at the start of the show, no matter how affiliated I am with the world of sports, I don't stop there. Not when it comes to expressing the kind of things that I want to express, to addressing the kind of things that I want to address. And when I mean when I say what I mean by when I say I want, it doesn't mean that I'm always taking enjoyment in showing things or speaking on things. It means that it's necessary and it's unavoidable and it's something that we have to make sure that we touch on. There is a video that is circulating throughout social media. This video, it's newly released, unveiled Friday by the State Attorney General's office in the state of New York. It is a horrifying video footage showing a fatal prison beating of a handcuffed black man by New York correctional officers. Reading from the Instagram Post, it says in a horrifying display of brutality, Newly released footage captures the fatal prison beating of a Mr. Robert Brooks at New York's Marcy Correctional Facility. Shockingly, several officers were executing the attack. The video shows correctional officers relentlessly assaulting the 43 year old man as he sits handcuffed, helpless to defend himself. Officers are seen and I saw the video and you'll see some of the images right here. You can see officers are seen punching Brooks repeatedly, one striking him with a shoe, a couple even lifting him by the neck only to drop him back onto a medical examination table. They just kept beating him and beating him. Ladies and gentlemen, this was worse than Rodney King. Remember Rodney King in the early 90s in LA and remember when the riots ensued because the police officers got off after being caught on video beating the living hell out of him with batons and. And kicking him and all of this stuff? Why was this worse than that? Because Rodney King lived. Mr. Robert Brooks is dead. Statement from the Governor of New York, Kathy Hochul says this senseless killing is outrageous and horrifying. Thirteen correctional officers and a nurse implicated in the incident are facing termination.
Daniel Jeremiah
What the hell do you mean, termination? Why aren't they arrested now? It's on video. You know it is. You articulated. It's 13 of them and a nurse at the very least. Where's the arrest of the officers we saw choking him, lifting him up by the neck, kicking him, hitting him with the shoe, punching him in his midsection and beyond, kicking him in the groin? Where are the arrest. Excuse my language. The fuck do you mean, termination? Where's the arrest? Why are they not in cuffs? Why is there not a perp walk with them? Walking in to a courthouse, lawyered up in front of a judge, having to give a plea of guilty or not guilty? Why has that not happened yet? Why not?
Ryan Clark
Maybe because it's not.
Daniel Jeremiah
Maybe because it's not.
Ryan Clark
Monday, Monday now.
Daniel Jeremiah
Money now. Why have not been arrested? Give a damn about a termination bump. A termination, who cares? They need to be arrested now. There needs to be a perp walk now. We need their faces. We need to know their names. We need to show the world who they are. They're murderers. They're murderers. The video's right there, so we can have.
Ryan Clark
Yeah, I'm going to go here because.
Daniel Jeremiah
I don't disagree with what happened to P. Diddy after the video in a hotel of him hitting and kicking his girlfriend, his ex girlfriend, Cassie Ventura. We also saw raids on his house by Homeland Security. We've seen charges that have come down the pike. We'll find out whether he's guilty or not guilty, but we know that his reputation has been irreparably damaged. We saw him get arrested. We knew he was turning himself in. Y'all still made sure it was a perp walk. We saw him get arrested. We saw him thrown in jail. He got away. Trial in the spring. No problem there with the accusations that have been leveled against him, with the charges that the case that the government thinks they have against them. Cool. No problem. This ain't no civil case. That's A criminal case. I got it. Well, what the hell is this, ladies and gentlemen? This is worse than what happened to George Floyd. That's right, I said it. And don't get me wrong, because there's no way in hell that should have happened. Derek Chauvin is a murderer. Those cops that sat back and did nothing were complicit. And all their asses should be in jail. And the loss of the breath of life is the loss of the breath of life. And it's painful and I get it. Suffocating, calling for your mama, gasping for air. That's cruelty. I got it.
Ryan Clark
Robert Brooks was beaten to death while handcuffed.
Daniel Jeremiah
He wasn't just killed, he was tortured on camera. It was caught on video. Where are the arrest? I want names, I want faces. That the governor of New York is going to come out and says, 13 correctional officers, I want to know all 13. I want their names, I want their faces, I want them on camera. Every one of them. Every one of them. Damn it. The nurse, too. I didn't see a nurse hitting this man. But if you gonna say that the nurse is implicated to show the nurses. Well, all of them. All of them. It says here. Equally chilling is the revelation that body.
Ryan Clark
Cameras worn by the police officers or by the correctional officers. I'm sorry.
Daniel Jeremiah
Were not activated, leaving the public with only silent blood chilling visuals of Brooks being stripped and left motionless on his back. Letitia James was a very conspicuous figure when it came to Donald Trump's case.
Ryan Clark
This is what we want to see, a DA prosecuting.
Daniel Jeremiah
I'm not sitting up there and getting into the whole Trump thing. Guilt, innocence or whatever, whatever. I'm just saying, when you talk about menaces to society and a DA that goes after them and make sure that.
Ryan Clark
Folks are punished, this kind of stuff we want to see. Every single individual who put their hands on Robert Brooks is guilty of murder. You want to determine first degree, second degree, fine. It's one of them.
Daniel Jeremiah
He's dead. You want to sit up there and talk about manslaughter, whatever. I never understand why I got to be manslaughter instead of murder or whatever, but figure it out. The point is, anybody that put their.
Ryan Clark
Hands on him is guilty of murder.
Daniel Jeremiah
And anybody who stood by and watched.
Ryan Clark
And did nothing is complicit. Although not directly guilty of murder.
Daniel Jeremiah
But you complicit.
Ryan Clark
I want names. I want faces. All 13. And the nurse, all of them.
Daniel Jeremiah
Having said all of that, there is.
Ryan Clark
A way for times to get better. There is a way to potentially at least derail some of this and to bring a heavy hand down upon those who transgress in such a fashion and those who are complicit, whether it be with their ignorance or their neglect. And you know who it's in the hands of? Donald Trump. I'll explain in a minute. Stephen A. Smith Show I'll be right back. Welcome back to the Stephen A. Smith Show. I know I might have shocked everybody when I talked about Donald Trump and how he could go a long way towards sort of minimizing. I certainly never say, we'll never say resolving, but to at least to some degree minimizing the kind of things that we witnessed transpire with Robert Brooks, courtesy of correctional or New York City correctional officers who murdered him. I'll touch on that in just a second and elaborate on my point, because I'm gonna try to make it make sense for y'all right now. Donald Trump is in the news for another reason, and it's because of his two guys, Musk, Elon Musk and Vivek Ramaswamy. Former presidential candidate Vivek Ramaswamy how they're defending foreign worker visas sparking a backlash from the MAGA right itself. According to a report reading right here from CNN social media, posts by Elon Musk and Ravette Ramaswamy arguing in favor of expanding the visa program for highly skilled workers have set off a deb among supporters of President elect Donald Trump over how the program should fit into the incoming administration's aggressive immigration agenda. Musk and Ramaswamy, whom Trump has tapped to lead his Department of Government Efficiency that's the doge, defended companies who use workers on H1B visas, arguing tech companies, including those owned by Musk, of course, depend on foreign workers to operate. But the message rankled some of Trump's most loyal defenders, who expect his administration to crack down on immigration and promote American workers. Trump restricted access to foreign worker visas during his first term and has targeted the H1B program and passed remarks. But during the 2024 campaign, Drump signaled Trump signaled openness to giving some foreign workers legal status if they graduated from a US University.
Daniel Jeremiah
Musk actually compared the situation to sports. Listen to this quote from Elon Musk.
Ryan Clark
If you want your team to win the championship, you need to recruit top talent wherever they may be. That enables the whole team to win. Musk wrote on X, which obviously he owns.
Daniel Jeremiah
I am referring to bringing in via legal immigration the top 0.1% of engineering talent as being essential for America to keep winning.
Ryan Clark
This is what most Musk wrote in.
Daniel Jeremiah
Another post on Thursday, thinking of America as a pro sports team that has been winning for a long time and.
Ryan Clark
Wants to keep winning is the right mental construct, ladies and gentlemen, I gotta tell you, I have no problem with that. I have no problem with that whatsoever. We don't want open borders because we.
Daniel Jeremiah
Don'T want more than 12 and a.
Ryan Clark
Half million people just coming into the country illegally.
Daniel Jeremiah
Fair enough.
Ryan Clark
We certainly don't want folks, the very.
Daniel Jeremiah
Few of them, who are criminals into the country. But we don't want open borders. But that doesn't mean we don't want.
Ryan Clark
Folks to come through the border legally.
Daniel Jeremiah
It doesn't mean that we don't want our society to continue to be the gorgeous mosaic that we've been known to be. America is the land of opportunity. And if you have people from foreign nations that are incredibly bright and add a lot to technology and other forms of business in this world that promotes and provokes employment for a bevy of other American citizens and beyond in this country, why would we not do that? Why would we not do that? Especially if you're talking about them being some of the top engineers in this world. Why we. Why would we want to keep them out of America? I totally agree with Elon Musk about that. It makes perfect sense. It really, really does. And oh, by the way, the number that he threw out there is 0.1% of the top engineers.
Ryan Clark
That's not hurting anybody.
Daniel Jeremiah
If anything, that's helping America. But Vivek Wamaswamy didn't stop. He piggybacked off of what Musk said and he said our American culture, because obviously he's a first generation US citizen whose parents immigrated from India.
Ryan Clark
So let's get that straight.
Daniel Jeremiah
Vivek Ramaswamy says our American culture has venerated mediocrity over excellence for way too long. At least since the 90s and likely longer. That doesn't start in college, it starts young, he said. This is what he said on Thursday. A culture that celebrates the prom queen over the Math Olympiad champ or to jock over the valedictorian will not produce the best engineers. I can't argue with that point. That makes perfect sense. That makes perfect sense. Now here's where it gets tricky. And this is what we gotta think about when it comes to Trump. And there is simply no way around this. It's a great discussion because the reality is, is that it's something that's open for debate. There's reportedly fraud in the H1B visa program and it was Said to need major reform. This is according to the reports, not me, but America wants the world's top talent and Trump wants to stay number one. Right? So how can you be number one without top talent? You got to balance that, you know, you got to balance that message with an America first message. That's a tough thing to do. America first versus America First. People already living and born here, which one is it? America first instead of the in terms of the country or America first instead of the maga, Right, who voted for you to think about American citizens first? The only way for Trump to pull this off is to make the argument that it's all about America. It's all about America. And anything that contributes to America being number one is something that we should support. That has to be his argument. And it gets very, very interesting because now it's a debate. And having that debate, here's where the advantage is. At least in the Trump administration, there.
Ryan Clark
Appears to be a debate allowed.
Daniel Jeremiah
What has ailed the Democrats, it's not an ideology alone, it's not their feelings alone. It's the fact that if you refuted what they said, if you are part of their party, cancel culture kicked in. If you were not a part of their party, it was ostracism and it was ultimately hate mongering and fear mongering that were thrown into the equation. There was no room for debate and enough voices weren't being heard. Diversity amongst those voices not being heard. You're black, you're white, you're gay, you're lesbian, you're heterosexual, you're transgender, it don't matter. You still had to have one form of thinking if you fell under their umbrella, otherwise you were pushed out. If Trump is saying there needs to be a healthy debate about America first meaning the country, or America first meaning people born in this country and sacrificing the best that may exist out there across the globe. And that's a discussion that's worth having all of a sudden. That opens the floodgates for an abundance.
Ryan Clark
Of other things that we can discuss.
Daniel Jeremiah
Because when we're talking about America first, aren't we talking about America being the greatest country in the world? Aren't we talking about that being our wish? Aren't we talking about being in a position where, whether it's financially, whether it's educationally, whether it's intellectually, whether it's morally, we're supposed to be at the top of the heap. Ain't that what we starting to say? And if that is what we're Trying to say, where's our behavior? To replicate or authenticate that level of thinking, that's a question. It's important. Trump released a statement seemingly siding with Musk and Ramaswamy, where he said, quote, I've always liked the visas. I've always been in favor of the visas. That's why we have them. I have many H1B visas on my properties. I've been a believer in H1B. I have used it many times. It's a great program. This is what Donald Trump is saying. He's making a very, very valid point when he brings that up. What are H1BS? It's employer sponsored work visas. That's what Musk and Ramaswamy are in support of. And the MAGA right is pushing back on because employer sponsored work visas basically means immigrants being allowed into the workforce. And you got folks on the MAGA right that don't want immigrants. But in the end, does that make our country better or worse? I say it makes us worse to not have them. I completely agree with Elon Musk and.
Ryan Clark
Vivek Ramaswamy on this.
Daniel Jeremiah
But most importantly, I agree with the idea of there being an open, robust debate about it because it is not something that the Democrats allow, the Democrats stop letting people decide. One could easily argue their mentality seemed to be, you must obey the party line or you're out in your ass. That seemed to be what they were saying. Censorship, cancer, culture. There was no debate.
Ryan Clark
That's why they're home. And Donald Trump is on his way back to the White House. And so since we look at it.
Daniel Jeremiah
From that standpoint now we gotta ask ourselves, what does a debate bring?
Ryan Clark
One could easily argue it, only strict as the party and sharpens the arguments. You can make that argument mainstream media.
Daniel Jeremiah
Some could say they're blowing the, you know, they're blowing the disagreement out of proportion a bit. I'm not sure about that. I just think these kind of discussions.
Ryan Clark
Are good for the country and I.
Daniel Jeremiah
Wish I saw more of it on the left. New lines and alliances might be drawn.
Ryan Clark
We all know this, but no one's getting canceled or de platformed for it.
Daniel Jeremiah
This is a beautiful thing.
Ryan Clark
And with that in mind, why did.
Daniel Jeremiah
I bring up Trump over the last.
Ryan Clark
Segment when I'm talking about the correction officers murdering Robert Brooks?
Daniel Jeremiah
This issue itself has nothing to do with it. But what it's fomenting and what it's provoking in terms of a healthy debate is a beautiful, beautiful thing because it means that you're open to reason. Well, here Let me transition back to the correctional officers murdering an inmate. I wasn't there and nor did I ever see Trump's comments in its completions about Charlottesville. I never liked the idea of white supremacists. They're very fine people on both sides. Ah, that's not what you wanted to hear from your president at that particular moment in time. Even though his full message might not have been articulated and disseminated to the masses appropriately. But that's not what you want to hear from the President at that particular moment in time. You certainly want to support our police officers. I'm not down for defunding the police because I know I'm calling 91 1. I don't believe in that. But I am for making sure that the rogue officers amongst us suffer severe punishment and they get weeded out. So the 95 plus percent of law abiding police officers who live up to their oath to serve and protect, I'm all for them being empowered. But what are we going to do about these correction officers and people like them? What are we going to do about the Derek Chauvins with the George Floyd's of the world and all of that stuff? About the only reason I brought up the comparison between George Floyd and now this guy Robert Brooks is because they were both handcuffed, both had their hands behind their back. Derek Chauvin had his knee on George Floyd neck, while several correctional officers were beating the living hell out of Robert Brooks, beating him to death. Both were tortured, one more visibly conspicuous than the other, but both equally dead, murdered.
Ryan Clark
What you gonna do about that, Donald Trump?
Daniel Jeremiah
You're not responsible for the officer's actions.
Ryan Clark
Nobody's implying that.
Daniel Jeremiah
I'm not casting blame upon you in any way.
Ryan Clark
I'm simply saying that when the mandate has been handed down, when you've won all the swing states, when you've gained ground on every demographic out there, black, Hispanics, young voters.
Daniel Jeremiah
When you've gained ground and inroads, when you have this kind.
Ryan Clark
Of mandate handed to you on a.
Daniel Jeremiah
Silver platter, where nobody cared about the impeachment, so nobody cared about the convictions, and they bought everything that you were selling in terms of this being politicized and all of this other stuff, and now you're going back in Office as the 47th President of the United States of America, clearly with a mandate, but clearly with more power, because you got the House and the Senate and you got a damn near cult following that so profound and so potent and so strong that the politicians on your side are scared to go against you, which means the vast majority of times they're gonna do what the hell you say.
Ryan Clark
You gonna take advantage of this moment.
Daniel Jeremiah
Donald Trump.
Ryan Clark
I'd like to see Donald Trump call for those officers to be arrested, those correctional officers to be arrested and indicted.
Daniel Jeremiah
I'd like to hear Donald Trump say, there is no place in our society.
Ryan Clark
For such heinous acts like that. He doesn't give a damn what uniform you work in. His support is applicable to law abiding law enforcement officials who live up to their oath to protect and serve.
Daniel Jeremiah
Not to be criminals themselves. You can do it in all likelihood, which H1B program. You can do it in all likelihood when it comes to tariffs. You could do it in all likelihood when it comes to a plethora of other issues.
Ryan Clark
How about this is violence in the streets of America. You want to make sure those people are dealt with, fair enough. But you don't support a dude being handcuffed and beaten to death by correctional facility correction officers. On camera there's no way to condone that, speak against that kind of stuff. Let the minorities, the desolate and the disenfranchised in this country, people who are powerless to go up against the system itself, let them know that you're the head of the system that's in place now and you're going to do what you can to change what has ailed the minority communities in this country from stuff like this continuing to happen. You got a chance, Donald Trump, you got a chance to get even more Democrats to shift over to the center and possibly even over to you, if you make sure that your mentality of that strong arm of the law applies to all corruption, not just those who voted against you. In all likelihood, just a thought, something to consider as the New Year 2025 approaches and you are, as of right now, about 23 days removed from entering the White House again as President of the United States. Speaking of Presidents of the United States, before I get on out of here, I'd be remiss in neglecting to bring up Mr. Jimmy Carter, our 39th president of the United States of America. He died at the age of 100, surrounded by family at his home in Plains, Georgia. They say in his final moments. That's what the Carter center said in a statement on Sunday. Obviously, President Joe Biden said Carter stands as a model of what it means to live a life of meaning and purpose and remembered Carter as a dear friend. President DONALD President Elect Donald Trump said Americans owe the former president a debt of gratitude. Obviously Preparations are underway for a state funeral. For those of you who don't remember, President Carter was a peanut farmer and a U.S. navy lieutenant before going into politics, eventually serving one term as governor of Georgia, as president and president of the United States from 1977 to 1981. He lost to Ronald Reagan in 1981, 1980, and then obviously gave up the office in 1981. He was the only former U.S. president to reach 100 years of age. I'm reading off of CNN as we speak. Rosalynn Carter, the former president's wife of more than 75 years, was known she was known for her mental health advocacy and humanitarian work. She had died in November of 2023 at the age of 96. It's always a beautiful thing, you know, when you see a wife and or husband and one of them passes away shortly thereafter, the other goes. It's one of those things where I've always looked at it and I said, wow, you know, those are souls connecting. You know, somebody goes to heaven and it's like you're ready to go to because your life just ain't worth that much anymore on this earth without that one person. That is a beautiful, beautiful, beautiful thing to see, to experience, to know exist. Can't deny that one bit. And that's just how I feel about it. I know that a lot of noise was made about Jimmy Carter, what the economy was like, the Iran hostage crisis and all of that other stuff. At the end of the day, he's a former president who was a very, very good man in the eyes of practically any and all who knew him, who cared about America, who cared about this world and did a lot of good. And the heart and soul was in the right place. Jimmy Carter, gone but never forgotten. He's gone at the age of 100. God bless him and his wonderful wife who no doubt are in heaven together right now. Until next time, everybody. I'll talk to y'all. This is Stephen A. Signing off. Peace and love.
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 podcast.
Daniel Jeremiah
What's up, everyone? Julie Swearbinks here along with former NHL player Nate Thompson.
Stephen A. Smith
We're doing a new podcast together. Here we go.
Daniel Jeremiah
The name Energy Line with Nate and jsb.
Stephen A. Smith
Each week we'll get together and talk about hockey life.
Daniel Jeremiah
All topics are fair game, right? Exactly. And you'll never know who will drop by to join us. Julie is pretty well connected.
Stephen A. Smith
She has text threads going that you wouldn't believe.
Daniel Jeremiah
Listen to Energy Line with Nate and JSB on the iHeartRadio app, Apple Podcasts or wherever you get your podcasts.
Summary of "The Stephen A. Smith Show" Episode: December 30, 2024
Introduction
In this episode of The Stephen A. Smith Show, hosts Stephen A. Smith and Daniel Jeremiah delve into critical discussions that transcend the realm of sports, touching upon societal issues, justice, and political commentary. The episode is structured around three main topics: the evolving narrative of Black quarterbacks in the NFL, the brutal beating of Robert Brooks by New York correctional officers, and Donald Trump's potential role in addressing systemic injustices.
1. The Evolution of Black Quarterbacks in the NFL
Timestamp: 01:21 - 16:55
Stephen A. Smith opens the discussion by addressing the skepticism historically faced by Black quarterbacks in the NFL. The conversation highlights the journey of prominent Black quarterbacks who have shattered preconceived notions about their capabilities.
Ryan Clark's Perspective:
Daniel Jeremiah's Counterpoint:
Notable Highlights:
2. The Brutal Beating of Robert Brooks: A Call for Justice
Timestamp: 30:53 - 56:17
The conversation shifts to a harrowing incident involving the fatal beating of Robert Brooks by New York correctional officers, captured on video. Stephen A. Smith and Daniel Jeremiah express profound outrage and demand accountability.
Detailed Account:
Calls for Action:
Comparative Analysis:
3. Donald Trump's Potential Role in Addressing Systemic Injustices
Timestamp: 56:17 - 56:17 (Extending through 56:17)
The discussion transitions to the potential influence Former President Donald Trump could wield in combating systemic injustices highlighted by the Robert Brooks case.
Policy and Leadership:
Connection to Broader Societal Issues:
Strategic Outlook:
4. Reflection on the Passing of Former President Jimmy Carter
Timestamp: 54:48 - 61:51
In a moment of solemn reflection, Stephen A. Smith pays tribute to the late Jimmy Carter, the 39th President of the United States, and his wife, Rosalynn Carter.
Tribute and Legacy:
Personal Reflections:
Closing Thoughts:
Conclusion
This episode of The Stephen A. Smith Show masterfully weaves together discussions on sports, societal justice, and political dynamics. By addressing the challenges faced by Black quarterbacks, condemning police brutality, and contemplating the role of political leadership in fostering justice, Stephen A. Smith and Daniel Jeremiah provide listeners with a comprehensive and thought-provoking narrative. The episode not only entertains but also informs and motivates listeners to reflect on these pressing issues.
Notable Quotes
Ryan Clark on Lamar Jackson:
Daniel Jeremiah on Police Brutality:
Stephen A. Smith on Jimmy Carter:
This summary encapsulates the core discussions and sentiments expressed during the episode, providing a clear and comprehensive overview for those who did not tune in.