{"id":590772,"date":"2021-07-14T11:20:37","date_gmt":"2021-07-14T15:20:37","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/?p=590772"},"modified":"2021-07-14T11:20:40","modified_gmt":"2021-07-14T15:20:40","slug":"clueless-espns-stephen-a-smith-spends-day-apologizing-after-racially-insensitive-rant-about-shohei-ohtani","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/clueless-espns-stephen-a-smith-spends-day-apologizing-after-racially-insensitive-rant-about-shohei-ohtani\/","title":{"rendered":"\u2018Clueless\u2019: ESPN\u2019s Stephen A. Smith Spends Day Apologizing After Racially Insensitive Rant About Shohei Ohtani"},"content":{"rendered":"<aside class=\"mashsb-container mashsb-main mashsb-stretched\"><div class=\"mashsb-box\"><div class=\"mashsb-count mash-medium\" style=\"&quot;\"><div class=\"counts mashsbcount\">30<\/div><span class=\"mashsb-sharetext\">SHARES<\/span><\/div><div class=\"mashsb-buttons\"><a class=\"mashicon-facebook mash-medium mash-nomargin mashsb-noshadow\" href=\"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/sharer.php?u=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.conservativenewsdaily.net%2Fbreaking-news%2Fclueless-espns-stephen-a-smith-spends-day-apologizing-after-racially-insensitive-rant-about-shohei-ohtani%2F\" target=\"_top\" rel=\"nofollow\"><span class=\"icon\"><\/span><span class=\"text\">Facebook<\/span><\/a><a class=\"mashicon-twitter mash-medium mash-nomargin mashsb-noshadow\" href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/intent\/tweet?text=&amp;url=https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/?p=590772&amp;via=ConservNewsDly\" target=\"_top\" rel=\"nofollow\"><span class=\"icon\"><\/span><span class=\"text\">Twitter<\/span><\/a><a class=\"mashicon-subscribe mash-medium mash-nomargin mashsb-noshadow\" href=\"#\" target=\"_top\" rel=\"nofollow\"><span class=\"icon\"><\/span><span class=\"text\">Subscribe<\/span><\/a><div class=\"onoffswitch2 mash-medium mashsb-noshadow\" style=\"display:none\"><\/div><\/div>\n            <\/div>\n                <div style=\"clear:both\"><\/div><\/aside>\n            <!-- Share buttons by mashshare.net - Version: 4.0.47--><div><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/07\/GettyImages-1131925426.jpg?w=1200&amp;h=800&amp;ixlib=react-9.0.3\" class=\"ff-og-image-inserted\" \/><\/div>\n<p><span>ESPN spent most of Tuesday morning attempting to put out fires started by the face of the network, Stephen A. Smith.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span>On Monday\u2019s edition of \u201cFirst Take,\u201d Smith <\/span><span>was asked if it was good for Major League Baseball that Shohei Ohtani has become the sport\u2019s number one attraction. His answer landed him in hot water.&nbsp;<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span>\u201cThe fact that you got a foreign player that doesn\u2019t speak English, that needs an interpreter \u2014 believe it or not \u2014 I think contributes to harming the game to some degree, when that\u2019s your box office appeal,\u201d Smith <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/www.usatoday.com\/story\/sports\/mlb\/angels\/2021\/07\/12\/stephen-a-smith-shohei-ohtani-dude-needs-interpreter\/7939597002\/\"><span>said<\/span><\/a><span>. \u201cIt needs to be somebody like Bryce Harper, Mike Trout, those guys. And unfortunately, at this moment in time, that\u2019s not the case.\u201d&nbsp;<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span>Ohtani is from Japan, and while he is not fluent, he can speak English. He also speaks Spanish.&nbsp;<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span>\u201cWhen you talk about an audience gravitating to the tube, or to the ballpark, to actually watch you, I don\u2019t think it helps that the No. 1 face is a dude that needs an interpreter so you can understand what the hell he\u2019s saying, in this country,\u201d Smith said. \u201cAnd that\u2019s what I\u2019m trying to say.\u201d&nbsp;<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span>Smith immediately came under fire on social media and issued an <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/stephenasmith\/status\/1414711083252789248\"><span>apology<\/span><\/a><span> Monday evening.&nbsp;<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span>On Tuesday\u2019s edition of \u201cFirst Take,\u201d Smith opened the show discussing his comments, and profusely apologized.&nbsp;<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span>\u201cI\u2019m a Black man. I religiously go off about minorities being marginalized in this nation\u2026 the reason I bring up my blackness is because of this,\u201d Smith <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/nypost.com\/2021\/07\/13\/stephen-a-smiths-apology-on-first-take-after-shohei-ohtani-comments\/\"><span>said<\/span><\/a><span>. \u201cOn many occasions, when people have said something that is offensive in any way to the minority community, it\u2019s not about how you feel, it\u2019s about how they feel. \u201c&nbsp;<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span>\u201cThe reality of the situation is that you have Asians and Asian Americans out there that obviously were very very offended for what I had to say yesterday. And I just want to look into the camera and extend my apologies. That was not my intent at all.\u201d&nbsp;<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span>Smith went on to say that ESPN and Disney had nothing to do with his comments, taking full responsibility for the impact his words had.&nbsp;<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span>\u201cIt was me. I said it. And the reality is, is that I was completely clueless as to the kind of impact this would have on the Asian and Asian American community\u2026 I welcome this conversation and I don\u2019t have a problem with it\u2026 I don\u2019t intend to hurt people like that,\u201d Smith <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/nypost.com\/2021\/07\/13\/stephen-a-smiths-apology-on-first-take-after-shohei-ohtani-comments\/\"><span>said<\/span><\/a><span>. \u201cThat\u2019s not who I am. If I have a problem with you, you know it\u2026 I don\u2019t hide from it I let you know I\u2019m coming and that wasn\u2019t the case yesterday.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span>One could assume the apology from Smith would be the end of the conversation \u2014 that the <\/span><i><span>sports<\/span><\/i><span> show would move on to the day\u2019s sports topics \u2014 but ESPN wasn\u2019t finished. In fact, it wasn\u2019t close to the end of the conversation.&nbsp;<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span>ESPN baseball reporter Jeff Passan was brought on to discuss Smith\u2019s comments as well as Ohtani\u2019s impact on the game, and he refused to let Smith off the hook.&nbsp;<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span>\u201cShohei Ohtani came to the country at 23 years old. He left behind his family, he left behind his culture, he left behind his country,\u201d Passan said. \u201cHe left behind everything he knows to go and pursue the American dream. He wanted to come here and be great. And he is the sort of person who this show, and who this network, and who this country should embrace. We are not the ones who should be trafficking in ignorance.\u201d&nbsp;<\/span><\/p>\n<blockquote class=\"twitter-tweet\" data-width=\"500\" data-dnt=\"true\" readability=\"4.039603960396\">\n<p lang=\"en\" dir=\"ltr\">Say it louder <a href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/JeffPassan?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw\">@JeffPassan<\/a> <a href=\"https:\/\/t.co\/aIhvmkhHCX\">pic.twitter.com\/aIhvmkhHCX<\/a><\/p>\n<p>\u2014 Miles Garrett (@MilesGarrettTV) <a href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/MilesGarrettTV\/status\/1414960429655281676?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw\">July 13, 2021<\/a><\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n<p>Smith\u2019s attempt to appease those offended by his comments on Ohtani wasn\u2019t the end of a day filled with apologies from the highest-paid analyst at ESPN.<\/p>\n<p>On the very same show in which Smith made his comments regarding Ohtani, he also managed to offend the entire country of Nigeria.<\/p>\n<p>Following Team USA\u2019s exhibition loss to the Nigerian basketball team on Saturday, Smith made it clear that the loss was unacceptable for USA Basketball, partly due to the lack of name recognition on the Nigerian roster.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cThere\u2019s no excuse to lose to Nigeria,\u201d Smith <a href=\"https:\/\/sports.yahoo.com\/nigerian-basketball-team-slams-stephen-a-smith-espn-after-butchers-names-first-take-shohei-ohtani-014632034.html\">said<\/a> on ESPN before tweeting the clip out himself. \u201c[To lose to] some dude Gabe Nnamdi, who goes by Gabe Vincent for the Miami Heat. Or Caleb Agada. Or Nma \u2026 however the hell you pronounce his name.\u201d<\/p>\n<blockquote class=\"twitter-tweet\" data-width=\"500\" data-dnt=\"true\" readability=\"5.6\">\n<p lang=\"en\" dir=\"ltr\">This is exactly what needed to said about TEAM USA!!! <a href=\"https:\/\/t.co\/duH385AlwR\">pic.twitter.com\/duH385AlwR<\/a><\/p>\n<p>\u2014 Stephen A Smith (@stephenasmith) <a href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/stephenasmith\/status\/1414620449250725893?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw\">July 12, 2021<\/a><\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n<p>His comments were immediately condemned on social media, with many in the basketball community calling Smith out for mispronouncing the names of Nigerian players.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cAs someone who has seen Mr. Smith\u2019s daily grind, I have so much respect for my ESPN fam\u2026 But as a proud Nigerian-American, whose name gets mispronounced daily, we HAVE to do better. \ud835\ude3e\ud835\ude5d\ud835\ude5e\ud835\ude63\ud835\ude5a\ud835\ude63\ud835\ude6e\ud835\ude5a means God gives,\u201d Nigerian-American basketball player Chiney Ogwumike said. \u201cOur names have beautiful meaning &amp; should be celebrated!\u201d<\/p>\n<blockquote class=\"twitter-tweet\" data-width=\"500\" data-dnt=\"true\" readability=\"14.430517711172\">\n<p lang=\"en\" dir=\"ltr\">As someone who has seen Mr. Smith\u2019s daily grind, I have so much respect for my ESPN fam\u2026 <\/p>\n<p>But as a proud Nigerian-American, whose name gets mispronounced daily, we HAVE to do better. <\/p>\n<p>\ud835\ude3e\ud835\ude5d\ud835\ude5e\ud835\ude63\ud835\ude5a\ud835\ude63\ud835\ude6e\ud835\ude5a means God gives. Our names have beautiful meaning &amp; should be celebrated!\ud83d\ude4f\ud83c\udfff <a href=\"https:\/\/t.co\/fvkaDHBYKF\">https:\/\/t.co\/fvkaDHBYKF<\/a><\/p>\n<p>\u2014 Chiney Ogwumike (@chiney) <a href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/chiney\/status\/1414693124593504257?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw\">July 12, 2021<\/a><\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n<p><span class=\"css-901oao css-16my406 r-poiln3 r-bcqeeo r-qvutc0\">\u201cA one-minute clip with no basketball analysis and pure disrespect to the names of our culture,\u201d Nigeria basketball said on Twitter. \u201cDo better please [Stephen A. Smith].&nbsp;<\/span><span class=\"css-901oao css-16my406 r-poiln3 r-bcqeeo r-qvutc0\">This is low, even for you.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n<blockquote class=\"twitter-tweet\" data-width=\"500\" data-dnt=\"true\" readability=\"8.7459016393443\">\n<p lang=\"en\" dir=\"ltr\">A one minute clip with no basketball analysis and pure disrespect to the names of our culture. <\/p>\n<p>Do better please <a href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/stephenasmith?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw\">@stephenasmith<\/a>. This is low, even for you. <a href=\"https:\/\/t.co\/H6m69KCwL2\">https:\/\/t.co\/H6m69KCwL2<\/a><\/p>\n<p>\u2014 D\u2019Tigers | Nigeria Basketball (@NigeriaBasket) <a href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/NigeriaBasket\/status\/1414654058728595475?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw\">July 12, 2021<\/a><\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n<p>\u201cHow I spoke about the Nigerian basketball team hurt people as well,\u201d Smith said in an apology posted to Twitter. \u201cSo, it doesn\u2019t matter what my opinion was or my intentions were. What matters, is that I messed up \u2026 I messed up and I hurt people with my words. And for that, I apologize.\u201d<\/p>\n<blockquote class=\"twitter-tweet\" data-width=\"500\" data-dnt=\"true\" readability=\"6.859756097561\">\n<p lang=\"en\" dir=\"ltr\">I had to start off today\u2019s show by apologizing to the Asian and Nigerian communities. <a href=\"https:\/\/t.co\/m2Jlu9UQxH\">pic.twitter.com\/m2Jlu9UQxH<\/a><\/p>\n<p>\u2014 Stephen A Smith (@stephenasmith) <a href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/stephenasmith\/status\/1415042799402106881?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw\">July 13, 2021<\/a><\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n<p><i>Joe Morgan is the Sports Reporter for The Daily Wire. Most recently, Morgan covered the Clippers, Lakers, and the NBA for Sporting News. Send your sports questions to sports@dailywire.com.<\/i><\/p>\n<p><i>The Daily Wire is one of America\u2019s fastest-growing conservative media companies and counter-cultural outlets for news, opinion, and entertainment. Get inside access to The Daily Wire by becoming a <\/i><a href=\"https:\/\/www.dailywire.com\/subscribe\"><i>member<\/i><\/a>.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>ESPN spent most of Tuesday morning attempting to put out fires started by the face of the network, Stephen A. Smith.On Monday\u2019s edition of \u201cFirst Take,\u201d Smith was asked if &#8230;<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":2314655,"comment_status":"close","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_mo_disable_npp":"","fifu_image_url":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/07\/GettyImages-1131925426.jpg?w=1200&h=800&ixlib=react-9.0.3","fifu_image_alt":"\u2018Clueless\u2019: ESPN\u2019s Stephen A. Smith Spends Day Apologizing After Racially Insensitive Rant About Shohei Ohtani","footnotes":""},"categories":[],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-590772","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry"],"fifu_image_url":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/07\/GettyImages-1131925426.jpg?w=1200&h=800&ixlib=react-9.0.3","fifu_image_alt":"\u2018Clueless\u2019: ESPN\u2019s Stephen A. Smith Spends Day Apologizing After Racially Insensitive Rant About Shohei Ohtani","_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/590772","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=590772"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/590772\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/2314655"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=590772"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=590772"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=590772"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}