Nov

13

Emmitt’s days numbered at ESPN?

Posted by Stephen Rhodes under NFL, Off The Field News 

Emmitt SmithESPN
This is hardly a scoop, but newsworthy nonetheless, especially if you like your sports broadcasters competent and preferably have a mastery of the English language – especially the grammar aspect. Mike Florio of ProFootballTalk.com reports that a source close to that website is saying that former Cowboys great Emmitt Smith may not be in ESPN’s plans during the 2008 NFL season.

This – at least to me – is not at all surprising. But ESPN will have to, assuming they go this route, have some legal options. They can try to sever ties with Smith on a “for-cause” basis, if they can successfully argue that Smith did not live up to his end of the bargain. An example of “living up to his end of the bargain” could be limited to, but not neccessarily preclude: Studio preparation before either a studio telecast and/or a pro football game broadcast. Anyone who has seen Smith’s body of work may probably come to the conclusion that Smith is hardly Dick Enberg in the broadcast booth; come to think of it, he’s not even Steve Young in the ESPN studios, either.

Should ESPN take that option, the evidence against Smith is damning. An immediate example is when Smith butchered the name of the player who, in the words of Smith, “blowed out” the knee of Minnesota Vikings running back Adrian Peterson. Add this to the evidentiary file; this piece was during the post-game of the San Francisco 49ers-Seattle game on Monday night: Smith said during the post-game this masterpiece: Alex Smith is learning “three different offenses every year.”

I realize that being a NFL athlete these days often can get you a gig at ESPN. But Smith, with his mastery of the English language (or lack thereof) and lack of preparation before a telecast may make the network take pause when they do future hirings in Bristol, CT. What I expect out of this debacle is what they did to Joe Theismann – sit him on the sidelines, while in the meantime negotiate a buyout that is agreeable to both sides (read: a buyout that is of less-than-face-value than the original contract). With the money that Smith will ultimately receive, perhaps an investment in either a Hooked On Phonics kit or some English classes are in order for Emmitt.


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Comments

10 Responses to “Emmitt’s days numbered at ESPN?”

  1. mort on November 13th, 2007 10:01 am

    I love emmitt…. huge cowboys fan. but i agree he sucks at talkcasting on that there screen thing.

  2. Alexandra on November 13th, 2007 11:32 am

    Hilarious. I vote that we lock E. Smith in a booth with Dennis Miller and listen to what happens. I think that would be magical.

  3. Strongbad on November 13th, 2007 4:44 pm

    You are a racist piece of shit.

    If ebonics was a crime then Shannon Sharpe would have been fired years ago.

    Emmitt talks exactly the same as he always had, so ESPN knew exactly what they were getting when they signed him. His lawyer will have a field day if they try to give him one penny less then he has coming to him…

  4. Stephen Rhodes on November 13th, 2007 7:54 pm

    Strongbad, if you have listened to any of the broadcasts that Emmitt has been involved in, then you will notice that not only does he butcher the English language, he obviously doesn’t prepare prior to the broadcasts.

    Whether ESPN knew what they were getting into or not will always be a point of contention. If you read further into the article, I said, “But Smith, with his mastery of the English language (or lack thereof) and lack of preparation before a telecast may make the network take pause when they do future hirings in Bristol, CT.”

    In other words, ESPN in the future should do deeper checks into a prospective hire’s competencies – in this case in the broadcast booth. Some time ago, ESPN did the same thing to Joe Theismann. Theismann was out of his element in the broadcasting booth. So I submit to you sir that racism has nothing to do with Emmitt’s current situation.

    Also keep in mind that to at least hold your own in a NFL broadcasting booth, one must at least have some grasp of the English language, and just as importantly – do some preparation before a broadcast. Shannon Sharpe may not be Shakespeare, but you know what? At least he preps before he spouts off on national TV. My point is this – Emmitt doesn’t prepare like he should and the end result when he’s on TV proves that.

  5. Emmitt Smith’s Ramble on ESPN Monday Night » NFL GridIron Gab on November 15th, 2007 9:00 am

    [...] those that read Stephen Rhodes’ article a few days ago about Emmitt Smith’s days being numbered at ESPN  above is a video of Smith along with Stuart Scott and Steve Young following this past Monday [...]

  6. » Emmitt Smith’s Ramble on ESPN Monday Night on November 15th, 2007 9:23 am

    [...] those that read Stephen Rhodes’ article a few days ago about Emmitt Smith’s days being numbered at ESPN  above is a video of Smith along with Stuart Scott and Steve Young following this past Monday [...]

  7. ProFootball24-7.com » Emmitt Smith’s Ramble on ESPN Monday Night on November 15th, 2007 9:35 am

    [...] those that read Stephen Rhodes’ article a few days ago about Emmitt Smith’s days being numbered at ESPN  above is a video of Smith along with Stuart Scott and Steve Young following this past Monday [...]

  8. FOOTBALLGAB » Post Topic » Emmitt Smith’s Ramble on ESPN Monday Night on November 15th, 2007 10:33 am

    [...] those that read Stephen Rhodes’ article a few days ago about Emmitt Smith’s days being numbered at ESPN  above is a video of Smith along with Stuart Scott and Steve Young following this past Monday [...]

  9. burt on November 15th, 2007 11:03 am

    Anyone who watched Emmitt on the NFL Network knew that he had nothing to say – and when he did stammer it out, you couldn’t understand what he was saying. Emmitt got hired because he danced and grandmas thought he was cute. He’s brutal on TV.

  10. Nate Acreman on February 29th, 2008 3:55 am

    I wouldn’t mind seeing Emmitt Smith leave ESPN nor would I mind seeing Shannon Sharpe leave his Sunday job. They are both set for life, so it’s no big deal really. Just don’t play it up like Emmitt Smith’s street talk and lack of preparation is tarnishing the “good image” of ESPN. ESPN is more for advertising and selling their name than reporting news that is anything other than false or a mere opinion of a columnist.

    The NFL and Monday night football would be better off leaving ESPN completely. ESPN has become the equivalent of FOX News and CNN. A channel good for those who don’t have an opinion because they’ll give you one, but not a place you would go for subjective reporting.

    Monday Night Football play call is a joke from beginning to end. It’s starts with Tony (I wish you would just leave the mask on) Kornheiser, who must be on for some reason but I can’t figure out what. He is an absolute idiot when it comes to sports; to Ron Jawarski who might be saying something intelligent but the stupid “I just got hit in the head with a brick” look on his face makes it hard to tell.

    Then we get to the part where we talk to someone who is at the game who isn’t a fan of either team but has a movie coming out so lets stare at him for 15 minute while we miss the current drive….BUT YOU WANT TO COMPLAIN ABOUT EMMITT?

    Emmitt has all of 20 minute air time both at the beginning and end of the game the guys in the booth are on all game, if only they’d just talk about the game.

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