Jeff Passan Politely Puts Stephen A. Smith In His Place

Jeff Passan Politely Puts Stephen A. Smith In His Place | Sports Takes & News | TooAthletic.com

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Stephen A. Smith and ESPN have clearly had a bad week after the “First Take” host and the network’s highest paid employee inserted his foot in his mouth and tried to defend it before finally giving up and saying he was sorry. On Tuesday morning, ESPN baseball reporter Jeff Passan joined “First Take” and hit Smith with the best take the show and network has seen in years. 

Stephen A. Smith says Shohei Ohtani needing an interpreter "contributes to harming" baseball

pic.twitter.com/2J5jRGartx

— Jordan Heck (@JordanHeckFF) July 12, 2021

Went onto @FirstTake earlier today. You may have seen a short clip, but here's the whole thing.

And while you're here, the accompanying column up @ESPN: https://t.co/S3CBx0153P pic.twitter.com/61FGDp7WpI

— Jeff Passan (@JeffPassan) July 13, 2021

ESPN’s First Take began Tuesday morning with Stephen A. Smith continuing his “I am sorry” tour for comments he made about Shohei Ohtani who has been creating highlights and new MLB records this season, while marveling fans with his bat and pitching arm. Jeff Passan, one of the most thoughtful and well-informed baseball writers in the business joined the show and spoke glowingly about Ohtani while also reminding viewers that, at 23, the Japanese-born player left his family, his home and his culture to come and live the American dream and be the best he could be in the Majors. Passan, never one to leave doubt about how he feels then said:

“(Ohtani) is the sort of person who this show, who this network, who this country should embrace. We are not the ones who should be trafficking in ignorance.”

The producer quickly sensed where Passan was going with his comments and cut away from a four-shot of the First Take hosts and their guest and focused on what Passan was saying. That move alone might have saved ESPN from dealing with Stephen A. Smith being called ignorant while on camera, which could have been ugly for him and the network. Nevertheless, for Passan, a man who chooses his words carefully, to drop the word “ignorance” on one of his own network’s on-air personalities reveals all you probably need to know about how many at ESPN felt about what Stephen A. Smith said, even after his apologies began to reach social media and the airwaves.

Social media gave Passan a standing ovation for calling out both Smith and the network for “trafficking in ignorance.” I, for one, am taking notice of this since it better damn well be a wake up call for both the commentator who often uses tired, outdated and incorrect facts to make inexcusable bad points and a network that continues to allow Smith to comment on issues he clearly has little to no background information on and refuses to do any research about.

In short, Jeff Passan put Smith and ESPN on blast, what will they do remains to be seen; but doing nothing can’t be an option now that at least one person has spoken out, because that means more will be willing to do so on the air, and people will be watching. 

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Jeff Passan Politely Puts Stephen A. Smith In His Place | TooAthletic.com

The post Jeff Passan Politely Puts Stephen A. Smith In His Place appeared first on TOOATHLETIC TAKES.

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By: Rafael Thomas
Title: Jeff Passan Politely Puts Stephen A. Smith In His Place
Sourced From: tooathletic.com/jeff-passan-politely-puts-stephen-a-smith-in-his-place/
Published Date: Fri, 16 Jul 2021 04:33:58 +0000

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