Stephen A Smith - Kevin Durant favors the Lakers if he leaves OKC

SAS's villainous comeback just sounded so dumb and frankly off the chain. That was just absurd. "You don't want to make an enemy out of me!" Just ridiculous. I don't know, I think he's the guy who needs to apologize for acting so stupid and melodramatic. Yes, Durant's response to SAS was rude, but, still . . . Durant seems to be mopey and weird towards the press right now. Let him have his Garbo moment. SAS is the professional media member and needs to be above the pettiness. That's his job. Report. Don't take it personally. The talent is often crazy, cranky, and capable of saying dumb things.

 

Well to also be fair, everything he said up until that point was professional and reasonable. Then for some reason he gets weird and dumb. Maybe it's because that's why people tune in to that show.

 

Point taken realdeal, maybe this is just part of his schtick and he is milking it like a WWF wrestler for viewers. It definitely lowers my opinion of SAS as a reporter, however. Is he annoying with his rants? To me, pretty much, but he usually has some kind of point. But these antics are purely theatrical and I lost some respect for him. I don't care if Durant is acting like a diva, that's what some athletes and celebrities do. Sometimes they play nice, sometimes they don't. But the SAS thing was beyond goofy. It was just stupid.

 

Really Elgin? Is this the first time a reporter has really been accused of making something up for ratings/a story? That's part of the job description. The indignation is way over the top on this one. SAS responds in a super villain bad guy voice and threatens KD? That response makes sense to you? It's ridiculous! He could have left it with, I had my sources, I made nothing up and that's the way it is. Did it get under his skin a bit, sure? But to go gonzo and obnoxiously offended and then supervillain is just plain silly.

 

Oh I agree. I just think he did it for show which is beneath him. The whole thing has been beneath the two of them yet they continue this little t**-for-tat. Sad.

 

Yeah, SAS did go too far, but I understand his outrage if someone calls you a liar on the national stage... especially if you're not one.

 

Elgin and Barnstable, I get what you're saying - it was dumb and misguided of KD to call him a liar. I just think at this point it's a worse move for SAS to continue to exacerbate this. Especially because it's his credibility that gets hurt with the antics. Basically he's threatening that he will not be able to continue doing his job which as a reporter is reporting the news in an objective manner - because he will have taken an answer he doesn't like and given into a vendetta against a player for it. That only hurts himself. He's saying he can't rise above it and will let it effect him and his job. It wasn't a wise move in my opinion. Kevin Durant has already been hurting his own brand by acting like a jerk. I know I'm not alone in thinking, man, you need to relax a little, KD, that was over the top and not smart. But Stephen A just made an a#% of himself with this when he could have just stuck with the script and remained with - I have my sources and I made nothing up. To get all Bat Man Villain is preposterous. Mason and Ireland were making fun of the clip all throughout their program yesterday.

 

But isn't all of this indicative of what reporters like SAS are nowadays? They are TV personalities first, and reporters second.

I don't think this will hurt SAS at all. People are talking about him, which is getting his name out in the public eye even more than before, and it's not like he was considered this bastion of rational thinking before. He says outrageous s***. This is just him taking that same persona a bit too far, but I don't think it's out of character.

 

I guess so. Perhaps the bottom line is ESPN put him up to it or Ok'd his little "You better not cross me" thing. But again, to me it only damages the guys credibility in my eyes. But maybe it's not about that - it's just about creating more press and more drama. I guess ultimately I shouldn't care much about it. I was on SAS's side completely until he went off the handle with the dumb Batman Villain act.

 

I thought what KD said was dumb. And I was on SAS's side on that. But I just happen to think that SAS's response here is much dumber. It's buffoonery. In my eyes, Smith's own response hurt his integrity a thousand times over KD's spoiled child, wah wah, "you're a liar" act. I understand being upset about it. His initial response was professional even though he was rightfully angry at the name calling. But going all Heath Ledger on it is just comical.

 

my point exactly. The last thing KD wants to do now (Today at least) is say SAS was right and then join the Lakers.

SAS needs to shut it and stop hurting our chances

 

As said before in this thread, if KD doesn't come because of this I don't think he was ever coming. It's too dumb.

 

What about this episode would have any effect on Durant's decision? Really? He's going to base a decision as important as this on a minor feud with a media personality? The millions of dollars, the endorsements, a home for four years, his legacy as a player... all down to what Stephen A. Smith had to say almost a full year before his free agency...

Doesn't make sense guys.