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Stephen A. Smith Answers Criticism From Jamie Foxx

“I would caution everybody to understand that Jamie Foxx has no credibility when it comes to sports because he’s a Cowboys fan!”

Jordan Bondurant

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ESPN First Take host Stephen A. Smith didn’t hold back his feelings earlier this week when talking about Brooklyn Nets player Ben Simmons.

Simmons was reportedly on track to make an appearance on the court for Brooklyn during the Nets’ first-round NBA Playoffs series against the Boston Celtics. But Simmons never suited up, and the Nets got swept.

Actor Jamie Foxx heard what Stephen A. Smith said about Simmons and offered his own comments in defense of Simmons. He also questioned Smith’s motivation for the criticism asking “why is it you only go at basketball players … you [are] completely mute when it comes to the Tom Bradys [and] the Aaron Rodgers of the world … You get where I’m going … stop it, bruh, it’s out of bounds.”

Smith prefaced his response by saying he has nothing but love for Foxx and that the two are good friends. He said Foxx called him on the phone about what was said. But Stephen A. went on the offensive saying Foxx needed to take a step back for one reason.

“I would caution everybody to understand that Jamie Foxx has no credibility when it comes to sports because he’s a Cowboys fan!” Smith said. “He has no credibility!”

Joking aside, Smith did start to get more serious.

“Jamie Foxx knows better. He’s just highly protective of the Black athlete as he should be,” Smith said. “Because they deserve our protection to be quite honest with you in a lot of situations. That’s what this is about.”

Stephen A. Smith did differentiate things, saying it’s his job as an analyst and pundit to call out foolishness or poor play. Race, he said, doesn’t factor into criticism of what an athlete does in competition.

“If you shoot 2 for 20, and you look like straight garbage, I’m supposed to look at your ethnicity and say, ‘I’m not gonna say anything?’ Nooo! No!” Smith said. “You’re supposed to call it. When you ain’t getting the job done, that’s what you’re supposed to do. Now when it comes to the personal, that’s different.”

When it comes to Ben Simmons, Stephen A. touched on how Simmons effort has always come into question, then when he played in Philadelphia his issues as a Sixer were mental health-related. But then when he got to Brooklyn, the team cited back issues as the reason he wasn’t playing. Add in comments from Simmons’s camp that said it wasn’t a back issue but more mental health issues.

Stephen A. said he’s obligated to call all of that into question.

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Neil Everett Exits ESPN After 23 Years

“ESPN changed my life, but now it’s time for me to change my life.”

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Courtesy: NBAE via Getty Images

Neil Everett’s SportsCenter days are over. Front Office Sports reports that the anchor has chosen to say goodbye to ESPN after 23 years at the network.

“ESPN changed my life, but now it’s time for me to change my life,” Everett said. “Time to write a new chapter.” 

The network reportedly offered Everett a new deal. Had he agreed to it, the anchor would have taken a salary reduction.

This is a significant moment for SportsCenter. Everett moving on means one of the show’s longest-tenured partnership comes to an end. He had worked with Stan Verrett since 2009.

Everett’s exit comes in the same week that it was revealed Chris Chelios would not return to the network’s NHL coverage next season. The Walt Disney Company is currently in the middle of trying to cut 7000 jobs to save $5.5 billion.

As for the future, Everett says he will seek to increase his TV role with the Portland Trail Blazers. He has been part of the team’s broadcast crew on NBC Sports Northwest for the last two years.

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Chris ‘The Bear’ Fallica To Make FOX TV Debut on Belmont Coverage

“Everyone I’ve worked and interacted with at the company has been so helpful and open to someone who has spent his entire professional life elsewhere.”

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Courtesy: KFSM

As the college football season was winding down, fans found out one of the foundational members of the College Gameday staff would be leaving ESPN. Chris “The Bear” Fallica left the network and has been working for FOX since the new year. This weekend during the network’s coverage of The Belmont Stakes, he will finally make his TV debut for his employers.

“It’s been great. This will be my first TV appearance, so I’m excited,” Fallica said in an interview with FOXSports.com. “But we’ve been cranking out content on the digital side since January, and I’m very happy with how the USFL picks have been going (4-0 last week for those of you counting at home). Everyone I’ve worked and interacted with at the company has been so helpful and open to someone who has spent his entire professional life elsewhere.”

Fallica, who worked for ESPN for nearly three decades, is going to be a major presence in FOX’s gambling content both on air and online. Making picks is nothing new. He had been doing it on College GameDay for years prior to his exit. 

In addition to making football picks, horse racing is going to be a major part of what The Bear does for FOX. While this will be his TV debut on FOX, Fallica put the spotlight on one of his colleagues.

“It was a great decision to bring Tom [Durkin] back for this call. His voice is synonymous with the sport for a generation of racing fans, so it will be a treat to hear him call a race again.”

Durbin is coming out of retirement to call the race. This is the first year that the Belmont is airing on FOX as part of a rights deal with the New York Racing Association.

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FOX Reportedly Considering Replacing Reggie Bush on Big Noon Kickoff

“Marchand writes that the favorite to replace the 2005 Heisman Trophy winner is the 2009 Heisman Trophy winner. Mark Ingram II is expected to retire from the NFL and join FOX.”

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Courtesy: Getty Images

It looks like changes are coming to FOX’s college football coverage. Andrew Marchand reports that the network is considering replacing Reggie Bush on Big Noon Kickoff.

Bush and the network reportedly argued over money before the 2022 season. FOX kicked the tires on multiple options, including Desmond Howard and Robert Griffin III of ESPN. Eventually, it decided to bring Bush back on a one year deal. With that deal set to expire and the two sides again at an impasse, FOX is eyeing other options.

Marchand writes that the favorite to replace the 2005 Heisman Trophy winner is the 2009 Heisman Trophy winner. Mark Ingram II is expected to retire from the NFL and join FOX.

If Ingram does join the show, he would be the first analyst from outside of the conferences FOX carries. Ingram played his college football at Alabama. He has since amassed more than 8000 yards over 13 seasons in the NFL.

FOX declined to comment on the report. Marchand reports that with no deal finalized, there is an outside shot that Ingram returns to the NFL, Bush returns to FOX and there is no change at all. That, however, is considered a long shot.

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