Stephen A. Smith to be Suspended by ESPN, Oddsmakers Predict

You won't read about this on ESPN.  One of the sports network's more colorful personalities, Stephen A. Smith, has come under intensive scrutiny for insenstive remarks made about Major League Baseball superstar Shohei Ohtani.  And now one popular sportsbook is offering odds on Smith's future with the network.

What will happen to Stephen A. Smith first?

Suspended by ESPN -150

Resign from ESPN +200

Fired by ESPN +300 (Good riddens)

Take Japanese language lessons (hopefully IN JAPAN where he remains) +3300

How the Controversy Unfolded

• In a segment on ESPN's morning talk show "First Take" Monday morning,  Smith said that the Japanese-born Major League Baseball sensation could not be the face of baseball due to his use of interpreters. 
• Smith made those comments just minutes before flubbing the names of the Nigerian basketball players (seemingly purposely) who beat Team USA in an exhibition game this past weekend.
• “I understand that baseball is an international sport itself in terms of participation, but when you talk about an audience gravitating to the tube or to the ballpark, to actually watch you, I don’t think it helps that the number one face is a dude that needs an interpreter, so you can understand what the hell he’s saying in this country," he said on the show.
• The Twitterverse exploded immediately following the diatribe.
• "A truly abhorrent thing to say. MLB's beauty is in its international inclusivity," one man wrote.
• Another posted a video of Smith attempting to speak Spanish - and looking like a fool - in a previous interview airing on Spanish television.

Stephen definitely had NO problems with the Latina Community tho. Lol pic.twitter.com/Rbtf9QbSTl

— Daniel Quinones (@AdvocateOfSoul) July 12, 2021

Forced to Apologize

• “With all the violence being perpetrated against the Asian Community, my comments — albeit unintentional — were clearly insensitive and regrettable," he said as part of a prolonged apology Tuesday morning.
• Those on Twitter were not impressed: "Playing the African-American card is predictable. To do so in an attempt to water down your own abhorrent behaviour is appalling. Also, you apologise for THE hurt, not “any hurt”. To say “any” suggests you’re not sure if any was caused. #ShoheiOhtani"

My opening remarks on @FirstTake. pic.twitter.com/mDWheRkW7j

— Stephen A Smith (@stephenasmith) July 13, 2021

A Bad Week for ESPN

• One individual on Twtter noted: "There’s not much difference between Rachel Nichols’ comments and Stephen A. Smith (continuous) disrespect to foreign athletes."
• The reference is to last week's ESPN fail in which Nichols' was briefly pulled from her NBA Finals sideline reporter duties for comments she made last year over an open mic that only surfaced recently.
• In leaked audio, Nichols, who is White, reportedly criticized ESPN last year for choosing Maria Taylor, who is Black, to report on the sidelines of the NBA Finals over her. 
• "If you need to give her more things to do because you're feeling pressure about your crappy longtime record on diversity — which, by the way, I myself know personally — like, go for it, just find it somewhere else," the recording said, according to The New York Times. 

There is no controversy over Ohtani being one of the biggest things to happen to Major League Baseball in some time.  He is the first player in modern times to appear in an All Star Game as both a pitcher and hitter.

- Nagesh Rath, Gambling911.com