When you think of hot takes in the sports world, the first name that likely comes to mind is Stephen A. Smith. But in his first comments since leaving First Take as his debate partner, Max Kellerman pulled the curtain back on why that’s not actually the case.
Kellerman proved to be a formidable foe for Smith in their days together on First Take. But in 2021, he left the program as Smith’s on-air adversary. In the years that followed, Stephen A. Smith took many unwarranted shots at Kellerman in the media and reshaped First Take so that he would be the sun that the show revolves around.
From a business sense, it was a genius move for Smith. Him becoming the sole center of attention with a rotating cast of characters finally allowed him to be a solo star. And he’s parlayed that into a $100 million contract with ESPN as well as a media empire that extends to radio, podcasts, and politics.
Finally, Kellerman broke his silence this week on The Bill Simmons Podcast, although he found a more subtle way to make his points known. He dubbed himself “Muhammad Kellerman” in a nod to his love of boxing and Muhammad Ali in suggesting that Smith tapped out of debating him every day. And he also talked about the secret to First Take’s success hiding in plain sight.
The show is built around not Stephen A. Smith dishing out the hot takes… but in reacting to them.
@worththereplay #stephcurry #stephenasmith #lebronjames #nba #basketball ♬ original sound – WorthTheReplay
“Stephen A. has no hot takes,” Kellerman said. “Stephen A., almost never, I can’t think of any counter-intuitive conclusions he ever reaches. That’s not his job on the air. His job is to be the big reactor to a counter-intuitive conclusion. Reactor. He’s there to hear the crazy conclusion that his partner has come to and actually be the everyman with a loud voice, like ‘You are crazy!’”
“Stephen A.’s opinion will not diverge into counter-intuitive, almost ever. So his big take will be, but he’ll deliver it theatrically is, ‘Steph Curry is the greatest shooter that God…’ who does not know this,” he added.
If you actually go through the First Take archives, the argument that Max Kellerman makes here makes perfect sense. After all, who did Stephen A. Smith sit across from for years but the OG of hot takes in Skip Bayless himself. Smith wasn’t the one driving the TebowMania bandwagon or calling out LeBron’s clutch gene (at least before they became mortal enemies).
Now, Smith has invited plenty of characters onto First Take who can deliver big, bold opinions that he can react to. The likes of Chris Russo, Cam Newton, and Chris Canty who aren’t shy when it comes to sharing a counter-intuitive opinion. And Smith can play up what he does best, which is to be the bombastic voice that brings the sense of drama and energy.
That’s not to say that Stephen A. Smith is immune from saying some pretty wild things. He certainly can. And maybe it’s a credit to Smith for finding the spot and the formula that works best for him. It also shows why he always had more of an affinity for Skip Bayless than Max Kellerman.
But it also exposes the truth of why so many people are disenchanted with the culture of debate shows, whether it’s sports or cable news or anywhere in between. And it validates the belief that so much of what we see is manufactured and not real life. The most important thing isn’t the substance of the arguments – it’s the theatrics around them.
