Stephen A. Smith vs. Thom Brennaman

[CincySportsFan]

I'm sure we're all familiar with what Thom Brennaman said nearly a year ago during a Reds broadcast and what Stephen A. Smith said in the past couple of days regarding Shohei Ohtani and then, the Nigerian basketball team.

Brennaman issued an apology within minutes, but was still taken off air, and eventually let go.

Smith actually doubled-down on his initial take on Ohtani, and claimed that people were misunderstanding his point, before he issued his "heartfelt and sincere" apology several hours later to Ohtani, the Asian-American and Nigerian communities.  Yet he still has a job.

Are the two events comparable?  Should the punishments be different?  Why is one guy's apology deemed sufficient, while another's is not?

[bugatti]

I am not saying one is right or wrong, but generally speaking I didn't think what SAS was saying deserved an apology. His intent was that since Ohtani doesn't speak English (well) and goes through an interpreter, he may not resonate with the masses. That's controversial? I did not see the Nigerian basketball team comments.

Brennaman told an off-color joke on a hot mic.

I am not seeing the parallel other than the ask for repentance and what cancel culture can do to you.

Also trying to compare the standings of a major company's top broadcasting asset vs. a regional play-by-play announcer is apples to anchovies. The higher the standing, the more rope you have. We all know this.

[MJAlltheWay24]

I'll say that Marty Brennaman's deleted tweets on this very topic gave me a laugh yesterday.

[theguru]

17 minutes ago, bugatti said:

Also trying to compare the standings of a major company's top broadcasting asset vs. a regional play-by-play announcer is apples to anchovies. The higher the standing, the more rope you have. We all know this.

I would say SAS is nearly untouchable. 

[Voice of Reason]

I don't see the two events as comparable. Brenneman used a derogatory slur and the way he said it clearly showed he meant the slur to be used the way he said it.  That isn't close to what Stephen A Smith did and the rest of the questions are moot after that.

 I do think Stephen A Smith is getting off the hook easier than a white commentator making the same comments would. I think a suspension for a week or so and probably some diversity class would be the penalty for someone else.

[TheDeuce]

41 minutes ago, bugatti said:

I am not saying one is right or wrong, but generally speaking I didn't think what SAS was saying deserved an apology. His intent was that since Ohtani doesn't speak English (well) and goes through an interpreter, he may not resonate with the masses. 

Exactly this. 

SAS made a CORRECT observation about America as a whole. A large portion of Americans don't want to see any foreigner as "the face" of "America's Pastime," and Ohtani will not bring masses to watch because of that reason. People have attempted to crucify SAS because he's black and are trying to paint him as a racist. 

SAS comments aren't anything near Brennaman. 

[TheDeuce]

37 minutes ago, theguru said:

I would say SAS is nearly untouchable. 

Nobody is untouchable, especially in today's climate. But what SAS isn't close to getting someone of his stature banged. 

[nkypete]

I think something has been made very clear to me during this All-Star break.  Baseball is a global game.  If any of us have problem with that, that's the reality and we should all probably get over it.

[The Raven]

Both were/are completely unlistenable.   I think ESPN has too much invested in Stephen A to just cut him loose, however.

[RRW]

On 7/15/2021 at 12:53 PM, TheDeuce said:

Exactly this. 

SAS made a CORRECT observation about America as a whole. A large portion of Americans don't want to see any foreigner as "the face" of "America's Pastime," and Ohtani will not bring masses to watch because of that reason. People have attempted to crucify SAS because he's black and are trying to paint him as a racist. 

SAS comments aren't anything near Brennaman. 

How exactly did you come up with "A large portion of Americans don't want to see any foreigner as "the face" of "America's Pastime,"? You may want to start that off with IMO. I do not feel this is anywhere near accurate. As a longtime MLB fan, and one who knows many MLB fans around the country, IMO, I've never found this to be the case. One thing about baseball fans, you hit it like Ohtani does and can throw it like he does, we don't care where you're from, what language you speak or what you look like, you can be "the face" of baseball all day long!

[TheDeuce]

On 7/20/2021 at 4:31 PM, RRW said:

How exactly did you come up with "A large portion of Americans don't want to see any foreigner as "the face" of "America's Pastime,"? You may want to start that off with IMO. I do not feel this is anywhere near accurate. As a longtime MLB fan, and one who knows many MLB fans around the country, IMO, I've never found this to be the case. One thing about baseball fans, you hit it like Ohtani does and can throw it like he does, we don't care where you're from, what language you speak or what you look like, you can be "the face" of baseball all day long!

Your experiences are clearly different than mine, and that is fine. 

[bugatti]

On 7/20/2021 at 3:31 PM, RRW said:

How exactly did you come up with "A large portion of Americans don't want to see any foreigner as "the face" of "America's Pastime,"? You may want to start that off with IMO. I do not feel this is anywhere near accurate. As a longtime MLB fan, and one who knows many MLB fans around the country, IMO, I've never found this to be the case. One thing about baseball fans, you hit it like Ohtani does and can throw it like he does, we don't care where you're from, what language you speak or what you look like, you can be "the face" of baseball all day long!

"Baseball fans" is not the problem. It's breaking the wall of casual fans, something baseball continues to struggle with.

[Jumper_Dad]

6 of 10 AL starters in the All Star game, voted on by the fans were foreign born players. Foreign born players make up the majority of the stars in baseball. SAS comment that a foreign player can't be the face of MLB is ridiculous.

I never heard one old time Reds fan say they didn't like Cesar Geronimo, Davey Concepcion, Mario Soto, Jose Rijo, Joey Votto or any other foreign born player because of their nationality. Heck Tony Perez, may be the most universally loved Red of all-time. 

Baseball fans as a whole, don't care where players are from...just if they can get the job done. SAS doesn't deserve to be fired, that doesn't mean what he said wasn't stupid.

[Beechwoodfan]

I can’t stand SAS.  I find him to be loud and obnoxious.  

[Irish Cat]

On 7/22/2021 at 12:12 PM, bugatti said:

"Baseball fans" is not the problem. It's breaking the wall of casual fans, something baseball continues to struggle with.

Baseball as a lot bigger issue to overcome for that to happen than just who is the face of MLB.  In my opinion they are so far behind the NFL  or NBA that it isn't even comparable.