Video Stephen A Smith calls on leaders to stop talking about being more civil, just do it Stephen A. Smith recalled being at the White House Correspondents' Association Dinner when the recent shooting occurred, saying that leaders around the country must actually try to be more civil, not just talk about it.
Stephen A. Smith is confused that NASCAR drivers are angry at him because he mocked them last week in one of his predictable podcast rants.
Weird, I know. I can't believe they'd fire back after that! I figured they'd just stay quiet because, after all, it's Stephen A. Smith. Precious, popular, untouchable Stephen A. Smith.
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For those who missed it, the "First Take" host hopped on his little podcast and took a dump on NASCAR drivers after one caller insisted Richard Petty belonged in some sort of discussion he was having about LeBron James.
Yes, Stephen A. was talking about LeBron. Stunning.
Stephen A. Smith (C) attends a basketball game between the Los Angeles Lakers and the New York Knicks at Crypto.com Arena on March 06, 2025 in Los Angeles, California. (Photo by Allen Berezovsky/Getty Images) (Getty Images)
"Come on, man. That don’t count. You driving a car!" Smith told Jay from Greensboro. "I’m being honest, it’s a great sport. But come on, bro. Getting behind the wheel of a car is not the same. You can be behind the wheel of a car in your 60s and 70s for crying out loud. A golfer is not an athlete. A NASCAR driver is not an athlete."
It's not a new debate, by the way. This comes up every few years, and everyone gets all flustered every few years. I've seen it a dozen times in my life.
Anyway, Joey Logano — also known as a two-time Cup champion and future Hall of Famer — stuffed Stephen A. in a locker last weekend at Talladega, saying he only made those comments because he needed to stay relevant.
I thought it was a relatively obvious retort given that's all these podcasters do. They say things to get clicks. That's the name of the game.
Stephen A., however, did NOT share the same sentiment on his show last night (starts at the 11-minute mark):
"Let me speak directly to Mr. Joey Logano, I don’t know you from a can of paint. Why can’t I just have an opinion about NASCAR? Why do I have to be doing it to stay relevant? My television show has been No. 1 in the morning for 14 straight years. I’m on television and radio and my career spans 30 years.
"Check the news. Google me. I don’t have that concern. I’ve been blessed by God enough not to have that concern ... Do I look like somebody that needs to be relevant? I am relevant."
I mean, what a response! What a battle we have brewing between Stephen A. Smith and the NASCAR world. Certainly didn't see this one coming, but I'm glad we're here.
Look, I think both guys are probably right here, which is a boring stance to take, I know. But, it's the one I'm taking.
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NASCAR Cup Series driver Joey Logano celebrates after winning the 2024 NASCAR Cup Series championship and the championship race at Phoenix Raceway. (Mark J. Rebilas/Imagn Images)
Joey Logano is right in saying that Stephen A. just says stuff to say it. Duh. That's been his shtick for over a decade now. Nobody flip-flops more than Stephen A. Smith. The dude has attempted to get into politics for the past 18 months, and it's been laughable.
The way he walks into a "big" NBA game like he owns the place and all eyes are on him gets me every time. He really does think the world just loves him.
And, he's also sort of right. Look at what I'm writing about today. This is the SECOND time I've written about this in the past week. The guy does get clicks. He does move the needle. Like it or not, it's true. The data says it's true. Fair is fair, and I have to listen to the data on this one.
There's a reason "First Take" is one of the very few shows at insufferable ESPN that has survived all the turnover. People watch it.
I don't, because I value my sanity, but plenty of folks do.
ESPN reporter and analyst Stephen A. Smith appears on the set of "First Take" in San Francisco, Calif., on Feb. 6, 2026. (Aaron M. Sprecher/Getty Images)
Now, the whole "Google me" shtick is so exhausting. That's where Stephen A. loses me. People who throw that line out there are usually pretty intolerable. There is nothing worse than a self-righteous Big J journalist. Nothing. It's pathetic, and, frankly, embarrassing.
You can give us the facts without following up with "Google me." We gotcha, Stephen A. We know. We hear you. Trust us, we always hear you.
Anyway, the truth is that most of Stephen A.'s audience doesn't know Joey Logano, and most of Joey Logano's audience doesn't know Stephen A.
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Frankly, I think they should just play a game of one-on-one and hash it out on the court.
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