Did Cowboys 'Hater' Stephen A. Smith Exposes Himself in Lie?
FRISCO - One would think, given both Stephen A. Smith's media journalism background and his smartly-crafted reputation for "hating'' the Dallas Cowboys, the ubiquitous ESPN loudmouth would be able to ad-lib his hot takes, right off the top of his receding-hairline head.
But why does it seem like his radio bit in which he's asked to name his favorite Cowboys "choking'' moment does it seem like Smith is robotically reading from a TelePrompter? Did "Steven A.'' just expose himself in a "funny'' ESPN lie?
"My favorite,'' said Smith after first mentioning Tony Romo's infamous fumbled hold against the Seahawks in the playoffs, "is during the regular season, when you had a chance to win the NFC East crown and back-to-back-to-back years you lost the final game of the regular season with the division crown on the line and a berth in the playoffs on the line. You lost all three times to all the other three teams in your division. That was hilarious."
The facts are true. There was a three-year stretch - 2011, 2012 and 2013 - when the Cowboys lost Week 17 games to the New York Giants, to the Washington Commanders and to the Philadelphia Eagles. Bang, bang, bang, all results that contributed to then-coach Jason Garrett's reputation as a ".500 coach.''
But really, what amazing recall by Smith! His depth of knowledge of Cowboys history is quite something. Except ... Watch the video. Isn't this "live radio''? Why does it all seem so packaged. Produced? Planned? Look at the camera work; it was likely done after the show, but it's so nicely framed, with dramatic close-ups and everything! Meanwhile, the usually cartoonish Stephen A. is reciting these factoids, mechanically, as if he's saying his ABC's.
And now listen again, to the caller, an Eagles fan and self-proclaimed "Resident Cowboys Hater. " And yes, he too sounds like he's reading a script. (Actually, it sounds like "Resident Cowboys Hater'' can barely read at all.)
Unlike the sad and hateful Skip Bayless, Stephen A. Smith is a clever and funny entertainer; his "Cowboys Hater'' character is a financial bonanza to him, low-brow humor though it is. We'd have more respect for all of this, though, if there was just an ounce of sincerity being sprinkled in the script. Because few things are funnier than the truth ... and there is nothing very honest about this generic, homogenized and fake take.
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