A few days ago, Cam Newton made the news when he openly questioned the reason behind the likes of Tom Brady, Tony Romo, and Troy Aikman getting offered big fat broadcasting contracts. The former Panthers QB flirted with controversy by insinuating perceived racial discrepancies as the reason. His statement soon became the talking point, but Stephen A. Smith shut it down with an epic reply on his YouTube channel.
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For the uninitiated, Newton kicked up a storm with his statement as he took shots at many former athletes, especially former Cowboys player Tony Romo. “What type of media training did Tony Romo have before he just popped up commentating on the game?” asked the former QB on his “4th & 1” podcast.
“I’m always going to tell Tom Brady, Tony Romo, Greg Olson, Troy Aikman, Matt Ryan to go get the bag… [But] how in the world are they the only ones that’s getting access to these types of contracts? Because somebody told me well you don’t get these contracts because you’re not polished yet,” Cam continued.
While Stephen A. didn’t have an issue with Romo being questioned, the sports analyst was enraged at Brady’s deal with Fox being questioned. Therefore, he respectfully asked Newton to get Brady out of the dilemma, considering that he has quite literally positioned himself as the undisputed GOAT.
The analyst also reminded Newton that Brady has 7 Super Bowl rings to his zero, suggesting he shouldn’t question TB12, as no one is more equipped in the sport to offer better analysis.
“Take Tom Brady out of the sentence, take him off the subject matter. He’s a seven-time Super Bowl champion. Okay? He has the credentials to talk football. He knows it inside out as a quarterback, a Super Bowl champion quarterback. You played the same position, you went to one Super Bowl and lost. He won seven, he went to 10. You see the difference? You can’t put Tom Brady [in the sentence],” Stephen A. said.
Smith, however, did agree with Newton’s remark on Tony Romo as the analyst conceded that Romo’s path to broadcasting is questionable when you consider the others.
The analyst, although, soon went back to his angry self as he was enraged yet again at the name of three-time Super Bowl winner Troy Aikman’s name in Newton’s sentence. Just like the reasoning for Brady, Smith reminded Newton about Aikman’s accolades and thus advised him to get Troy’s name off the list as well.
“You got a point with Tony Romo. I’m not talking about Tony Romo’s talent in the booth. I’m talking about the road he traveled to get to the booth. You do have a point there. But one could argue he’s a Cowboy. Take Troy Aikman out. [He is a] three time Super Bowl champion for the Dallas Cowboys, so not only does he have the backdrop and the cache [but] the prowess of being a former Cowboy… so you can’t use Troy Aikman,” Stephen A. continued.
So what does Cam Newton have to do to get a broadcasting gig? He may not have won a Super Bowl, but he excelled at quarterbacking. He can also break down plays very well too. But Stephen A. believes the criteria for landing a broadcasting gig today are completely different.
Stephen A. Shares His Wisdom on How to Get a Broadcasting Deal Today
As per Stephen A., having a presentable look, experience, and good communication skills is half the job done. The real deal, however, lies in the willingness of the athlete to continuously improve and prepare himself for broadcasting.
Smith, therefore, advised Newton that, in addition to his looks and communication skills, he needs to show broadcasting networks that he has an insatiable hunger to excel in this chapter of his life. This will help media giants determine if he has the right mettle for the job.
“Overall Cam, here’s what it gets back… You have to look the part to some degree, [to] be the part. You have to be somebody. It ain’t just about being polished, it’s about a willingness to be… you got to show a willingness to capitulate to those who are paying the money and what they want to some degree… The look along with how polished you come across is what matters to them and they’re the ones with the bag,” the analyst said.
That being said, the words from Stephen A. are worth their weight in gold. Even Tom Brady admitted recently that he took a year’s break after retirement to completely learn and grasp the art of broadcasting. Safe to say, it might seem like sunshine and rainbows from afar, but landing a broadcasting gig with a media giant isn’t easy.
