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Michael Wilbon Strikes a Nerve With Stephen A. Smith Over ‘Journalist’ Status

The ‘First Take’ host is very unhappy about how his colleague described his job.
Jimmy Traina|
Stephen A. Smith wants everyone to know he’s still a journalist.
Stephen A. Smith wants everyone to know he’s still a journalist. | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

1. I had no idea anyone considered Stephen A. Smith a journalist anymore, but Stephen A. Smith certainly considers Stephen A. Smith a journalist.

Personally, I think you shift from journalist to host/entertainer/content creator when you spend two hours a day as the anchor of a debate show and a lot of time fighting with various people—including LeBron James—but that’s just me.

Pardon the Interruption’s Michael Wilbon appears to feel the same way because he told The Awful Announcing Podcast that Smith is no longer a journalist.

“Stop, you’re not a journalist anymore,” Wilbon said about Smith. “You’re not doing what you did at the Philadelphia Inquirer. I know what you did there because I was shoulder to shoulder with you at press row and in press boxes and at practice. Stephen A. is a show. He knows it. He wants to be the show, and he’s doing a damn good job at it. That’s what he wants to be. He has now spawned a whole generation of people who want to be the show. Good for Stephen A.”

This career assessment did not sit well with Smith, who, naturally responded on his YouTube show.

But here’s the best part of this whole saga. After Smith’s fiery rebuttal, Wilbon doubled down with a subtle, yet effective and funny jab at the end of Wednesday’s PTI.

Clearly, Smith’s response did not sway Wilbon even one bit.

2. A brand-new SI Media With Jimmy Traina dropped this morning. This week’s show features a conversation with The Ringer’s Bryan Curtis.

Curtis goes in depth on CBS’s decision to put Tony Romo on leave following his arrest for OWI, moving J.J. Watt into the network’s No. 1 booth with Jim Nantz and what the future holds for Romo. In addition, we talk about where Greg Olsen fits into all this, Ian Eagle’s standing at CBS and what others in the business think of Romo.

Other topics discussed with Curtis include Aaron Rodgers’s controversial interview with Pat McAfee, the bizarre situation of ESPN laying off Karl Ravech but still having him call games, the “Embrace Debate” mantra and much more.

Following Curtis, Sal Licata from SNY TV and The Sal Licata Show joins me for our weekly “Traina Thoughts” segment. This week, we discuss the Dodgers acquiring pitcher Tarik Skubal at the trade deadline, Carrie Underwood’s Sunday Night Football theme song, The Odyssey, the death of Sopranos actor Vincent Pastore and more.

You can listen to the SI Media With Jimmy Traina podcast below or on Apple and Spotify.

You can also watch SI Media With Jimmy Traina on YouTube.

3. This Phillies fan, who won an auction to call an inning of the team’s game Wednesday against the Nationals, would be a top 10, maybe even top five, MLB play-by-play caller if he worked for a network.

4. This is significant development. After many thought the NFL would look to renegotiate its television deals years before they expire, Fox has announced that it will now wait to do so until after the 2029 season, when the current deal is up.

5. For the record, this doesn’t bother me one bit. I think it will get awfully repetitive and tired sooner than later, but I’m not offended or find it unsportsmanlike.

However, I will predict that we get tons of think pieces and lots of debates about Mets reliever Jefry Yan going crazy after every strikeout.

6. Forgot to put this in Wednesday’s Traina Thoughts, but wanted to make sure I still mention it because it’s so awesome. The Akron Zips will hold a drawing among season-ticket holders on Aug. 19. The winner gets to design the team’s opening drive of their first home game of the season against Robert Morris on Sept. 12.

7. RANDOM VIDEO OF THE DAY: There is an NFL game on television tonight. The Panthers and Cardinals will play on NBC. So, let’s throw it back today and remember a vintage NFL on NBC opening.

Be sure to catch up on past editions of Traina Thoughts and check out the Sports Illustrated Media Podcast hosted by Jimmy Traina on Apple, Spotify or Google. You can also follow Jimmy on X and Instagram.

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Jimmy Traina
JIMMY TRAINA

Jimmy Traina is a staff writer and podcast host for Sports Illustrated. A 20-year veteran in the industry, he’s been covering the sports media landscape for seven years and writes a daily column, Traina Thoughts. Traina has hosted the Sports Illustrated Media Podcast since 2018, a show known for interviews with some of the most important and powerful people in sports media. He also was the creator and writer of SI’s Hot Clicks feature from 2007 to '13.

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