Stephen A. Smith Admits He's an 'Ignorant Fool' When Face-to-Face with QB He Insulted
In February, Stephen A. Smith issued a wildly inaccurate take on the draft prospects of former Ohio State quarterback, and possible first-round NFL Draft pick, Dwayne Haskins.
Specifically, Smith said that Haskins is “more a runner than a thrower.”
“Dwayne Haskins is more of a runner than a thrower”
Dwayne Haskins Stats:
Passing – 4,831 yards and 50 TDs
Rushing – 108 yards 4 TDs pic.twitter.com/vYbqESep5U— Snacks Curry (@DoubleVodkaDon) February 8, 2019
Considering Haskins threw for 4,831 yards and 50 touchdowns and ran for just 108 yards and four scores in his redshirt sophomore season at Ohio State, one could wonder just what idiot logic Smith used to arrive at his take, since it clearly wasn’t formed through watching Ohio State football games with a close eye.
“He can make all the requisite throws on the NFL level,” Smith said. “He played for a big-time program at Ohio State. I just find him to be more of a runner than a thrower. I could be wrong about that, but that’s what I find.”
Which, again, on what grounds would anyone who has watched Dwayne Haskins play a down of organized football “find” that?
Haskins broke the Big Ten records for both passing yardage and passing touchdowns in a single season, the former held by Curtis Painter and the latter by a guy you may know from his time in the NFL: Drew Brees.
Why? Because I believe what I believe? I know Haskins is a baller. That he threw for 50 TD’s last year. But I view his athleticism as more of a plus (I.e. scrambling outside the pocket, etc.) I don’t view him as an ideal pocket passer, nor the runner than Kyler is. Period! https://t.co/9u6GZxnuYg
— Stephen A Smith (@stephenasmith) February 8, 2019
Smith doubled down on Haskins’ “athleticism,” stubbornly refusing to acknowledge that Haskins is more of a prototypical pocket passer than a runner.
Haskins, for his part, dumped on Smith, and not just for stereotyping him as an “athlete” when his playstyle more resembles Peyton Manning than Michael Vick.
Run or throw Ima still win the game ?♂️ pic.twitter.com/lzDd8iSg8Y
— Dwayne Haskins, Jr? (@dh_simba7) February 8, 2019
Haskins invoked the infamous “LeBron James do-rag and cigarettes” meme to imply that his talent, not his playstyle, should define him as a football player.
On Friday, Haskins went on ESPN’s “First Take” to personally address Smith. The outspoken ESPN host confirmed what we all knew, which is that he didn’t actually watch the tape on Haskins until after he’d run his mouth on national television.
With Dwayne Haskins in studio on First Take, Stephen A says he went back and watched the tape, and that he was an ‘ignorant fool’ in his past Haskins analysis pic.twitter.com/AVkIoRocz9
— Ryan Glasspiegel (@sportsrapport) April 19, 2019
“I just want to say welcome to the show. My apologies for being so ignorant about you. He was on the money with you,” Smith said, pointing to co-host Max Kellerman.
“Me, I was an ignorant fool. I had to go back and watch the tapes. My bad.”
Now, we don’t know if Max Kellerman actually watched the tape. But you don’t need to have a degree in advanced mathematics to see 4,831 yards passing and 108 yards rushing and think that maybe, just maybe, the quarterback you’re evaluating isn’t Lamar Jackson or Josh Allen.
Although for the viewers, we win, because Smith finally copped to what we all suspected when he outright admitted he doesn’t do his job preparing to talk about the subjects he’s paid millions to pontificate upon.
Haskins could be forgiven for thinking that Stephen A. Smith should probably take his own advice.
This one feels timely. I won’t say why. But feel free to say it with me, peeps: pic.twitter.com/ZSLXs7xinQ
— Stephen A Smith (@stephenasmith) April 20, 2019
Whoever drafts Haskins is going to have a quarterback who is much more talented as a thrower than a runner. The former Buckeye will learn his fate when the NFL Draft kicks off on Thursday.
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