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Stephen A Smith Calls NBA Players ‘Soft As Putty’

Ricky Keeler

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With The Last Dance documentary airing early on ESPN during the Coronavirus pandemic, it has opened up the debate on the mentality of 1990s NBA players against the players of today. 

On Wednesday, that discussion was continued on Get Up when Stephen A Smith talked about the way some of the players in the NBA interact with the media on a night-in, night-out basis and referred to some NBA players as soft as putty: 

This quote was part of an interesting discussion between Smith and Jalen Rose moderated by Mike Greenberg about how today’s players would do in the era of basketball where Michael Jordan won 6 NBA Championships with the Chicago Bulls. Rose was a part of the 1998 Indiana Pacers squad that forced the Bulls to a Game 7 in the Eastern Conference Finals that season. 

You don’t get the full exchange in the video, but the conversation further dove into how much social media has played a factor in the generational divide for players in this era compared to the 90’s. Remember, today’s players have to deal with criticism constantly as the 24/7, 365 media cycle keeps churning along. 

Before Smith gave the soft as putty comment, Rose talked about how social media can play a factor for today’s athlete: 

“Having multimedia and social and all of these different platforms that your family, friends, staff, managers, agents have access to the information that is said about you, they become instigators in their own way,” Rose said. “Did you see what such and such said about you, wrote about you, posted about you? Now it’s almost like I got to defend myself and you forget you are a professional and it becomes a part of what you do for a living and why you make the big bucks.”

It’s safe to say that whenever you hear Stephen A Smith speak, you are going to get the passion and information in any topic he talks about, as headlined in Demetri Ravanos’ article on what we can learn from Smith earlier this week here at Barrett Sports Media. In addition to that, he can throw advice in there to help others as well: 

“To the players themselves, do what you can to cultivate relationships with people that you would like to disseminate your message as opposed to relaying on your hanger-ons who no one in the media will trust anyway,” said Smith on Get Up.  

“To the media, be fair, be human, and outside of that don’t give a damn about what anyone has to say. Move on. Period. I do it everyday and I do it quite well.” 

This topic is one that ESPN could do a whole hour on and cover all sports, but it was good to see a former athlete and a prominent media member talk about the contrasts in era while also trying to help today’s players in the process.

Story provided by BSM contributor Ricky Keeler. Follow him on Twitter @Rickinator555.

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Report: NFL to Put Christmas Day Doubleheader Up For Bids

Bidding is expected to start at $50 million among the current NFL media partners but some think the games could sell for $75 million to $100 million apiece.

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The NFL will reportedly put its Christmas Day games up for auction, allowing its current media partners to bid for the games. Now, it’s up to CBS, FOX, ESPN, NBC, and Prime Video to pay up for rights to one of these two marquee games.

According to Front Office Sports Michael McCarthy, preference will be given to linear networks, so Prime Video and Peacock may sit this one out. Bidding is expected to start at $50 million but McCarthy and his sources expect that number to rise. John Kosner, the former ESPN executive, thinks the new Christmas Day games could sell for $75 million to $100 million apiece.

The NFL announced a Wednesday Christmas Day doubleheader during its annual league meetings. The league originally said it wouldn’t force games on Christmas Day if the holiday fell on an odd day of the week, though as the NFL continues to put games on days outside of Sundays, Mondays, Thursdays, and sometimes Saturdays, we’re running out of days that don’t feature NFL football.

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Colorado Rockies & DirecTV Reach Agreement to Carry Games on TV

“Colorado sports fans have made DIRECTV the top destination for their favorite local teams. We will continue to work with MLB…so fans can get their games.”

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Colorado Rockies

Breathe easy, Rockies fans — you will be able to watch your club on linear TV this year. At the buzzer, DirecTV and the Colorado Rockies agreed on terms to distribute the team’s games throughout its local service.

Starting today, DirecTV Choice subscribers across Colorado, Utah, Wyoming, Southern Idaho, Western Nebraska, and Northern New Mexico can now watch the Rockies on a special channel simply titled, “ROCKIES.” The games will be available on DirecTV and DirecTV STREAM via channel 683.

“Colorado sports fans have made DIRECTV the top destination to get all their favorite local teams,” said Rob Thun, chief content officer of DIRECTV. “We will continue to work with MLB, the NBA, NHL, and other top leagues and their local franchises so the most avid fans can get the games they want while other customers have more choice over the content they want to pay to have in their homes.”

Reports just days ago out of Colorado said there were “no guarantees” the Rockies would not find a TV home in time for Opening Day following the sunsetting of AT&T SportsNet. The only other way to watch the team is to use its direct-to-consumer Rockies.tv streaming service, which fans say is too pricey for a team that lost 103 games last season. Luckily, the team was able to secure a TV home for 2024, though the future is still uncertain.

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Erin Andrews Reveals Infertility Journey in Emotional ‘Today Show’ Interview

FOX reporter Erin Andrews sat down with ‘The Today Show’s’ Kristen Welker to discuss her journey, how Welker’s own journey inspired her, and more.

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Erin Andrews

FOX reporter Erin Andrews shared her story of infertility and surrogacy with NBC’s Today Show. Last summer, Andrews and her husband welcomed a baby boy via surrogate after trying for a decade to get pregnant via IVF, during which she was diagnosed with cervical cancer in 2016. Today, she sat down with Kristen Welker to discuss her journey, how Welker’s own journey inspired her, and more.

Andrews says Welker’s announcement on the Today Show made her think a baby could be possible. “I remember Kristin Welker’s announcement on your show,” Andrews said last year, “and I actually watched that the morning Mac was born, because that just hit me.”

When they finally sat down, Welker asked Andrews why her journey resonated with the sports reporter so much:

“Because I see myself in you. Kristen, the video of you moderating debates after you’re waiting on bad news or maybe you just received it, that’s me. I can tell you every stand-up I’ve done at a football game where I’ve gotten the news that it didn’t work. I’d be talking about Tom Brady going for this record and my record is that I still was failing…I would have chest pains every time I was waiting for the call if it worked, and I knew it wouldn’t work.

Erin Andrews on ‘Today’

Andrews knew surrogacy was the only path to having a child. Although her family’s first attempt failed, her second attempt was a success, and she got to hear her child’s heartbeat for the very first time. The pair discuss the complex emotions that come with surrogacy, saying that bonds with their child could be affected because they didn’t carry their child. However, Welker assured Andrews that those feelings go away once you can talk to your child.

Once her son was born in June, who Andrews called, “a miracle,” she then talks about her child glowingly, talking about how he is just like mom — vocal. “He’s all me,” she says.

Andrews supports Baby Quest, a non-profit that grants money to families in need of IVF or surrogacy to have a baby but don’t have the funds to pursue these expensive treatments. Both Andrews and Welker acknowledged how difficult and unattainable their journies are for some families — and Andrews even used the NFL’s “My Cleats, My Cause” initiative to raise awareness for her cause.

“People don’t need to feel embarrassed that they have a surrogate or are looking for other help,” Andrews said.

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