The U.S. Men’s Hockey team defeated Canada to win the gold medal on Sunday on the 46th anniversary of the famous Miracle on Ice win over the Soviet Union. That’s the good kind of sports anniversary. We’re just over a week away from the one-year anniversary of LeBron James confronting Stephen A. Smith over comments the broadcaster had made over his son Bronny. That’s the kind of sports anniversary that we don’t really need to be celebrating.
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Things have been relatively quiet between LeBron and Stephen A. for the past few months, or at least, things haven’t gotten as personal as they did around this time last year. Unfortunately, in Stephen A.’s world, quiet is a foreign word, so basketball fans around the world knew it wouldn’t last.
He appeared on In Depth with Graham Bensinger this week, and of course the subject of LeBron had to come up. Just in case anybody didn’t know how he regarded the four-time MVP, the First Take host gave a reminder.
“We don’t like each other, and the world needs to know that,” he said. “But I don’t talk about it anymore, just because all I can do is put it to you this way. And I’ll even say that I hope he’s watching when I say this. Media, athlete, that’s oil and water sometimes, and I got that part.”
“Did I think he crossed the line with the incident involving his son where he was telling me not to say anything?” Stephen A. asked. “Of course I think that, because I don’t think I did what he said that I was doing. And I thought that was very very unfair and it was a low blow.”
Stephen A. did go on to praise LeBron effusively, both for what he’s accomplished as a player and for being a role model to the younger generation. He even admitted that LeBron has helped make his job easier.
“It’s important that everyone knows I know how great he is,” he said. “I know how great he has been for the game of basketball. And anybody who has been that great, people like me have benefited, because he gives us something to talk about, and he’s provided a level of entertainment that’s made an exponential amount of lives better.”
This statement neatly summarizes why Stephen A. keeps bringing LeBron up, even though the incident between the two of them happened almost a full year ago. It’s just good business.
Every time Stephen A. mentions LeBron it’s going to generate clicks and page views, and he knows how to keep people engaged by toggling between beefing with LeBron and praising him for his greatness. It’s the gift that keeps on giving to a sports media personality.
As the saying goes, always leave them wanting more, and Stephen A. concluded his nearly four-minute long treatise on LeBron by saying something that will guarantee that people tune in for the next chapter of this rivalry that just won’t die.
“It’s unfortunate that we are the way that we are,” he said, “but he has nothing to worry about when it comes to me. If he does great, I’m gonna be the first one to stand up and say he’s done great.”
“If he makes a mistake, I gotta do my job. But when his epitaph is written on his basketball career, the only negative thing you’ll hear me say about him is that he ain’t the GOAT. That’s Michael Jordan,” he cheekily noted.
Say what you want to about Stephen A., but there’s no denying that the man is good at what he does.
