data-mm-id=”_tom4s6htl”>For months now we've been imploring you to check out the Stephen A. Smith Show and dutifully posting the outrageous clips that emanate from that eponymous program. Because it's a place where they really do talk about anything and Smith can cook unencumbered from those family-friendly four letters. It's a place where a viewer can hear the host call another host a fat, no-good bastard who he despises to the core, get expert insight into the best and worst days of the week to be horny, and, most importantly, learn what type of music Smith likes to listen to when he gets freaky. Now to be clear, we know this show is on YouTube but would be hard-pressed to tell you what the broadcasting schedule looks like week to week. We also have no feel for how it's doing, yet to steal a line from a particularly wet former president, it's the name of a show you're hearing more and more as people realize that Smith's created quite a little playground for himself over there. To the point where — and don't laugh — it's worth wondering if the Stephen A. Smith Show is the greatest thing he's ever done. Because he's had solo vehicles before (dating back to Quite Frankly with Stephen A. Smith, which debuted in 2005) but never has one captured the moment like whatever the hell he's doing right now. The logical end game for so many of sports media's brightest stars has been some sort of late-night talk/variety show. Back in 2021, Smith guest-hosted Jimmy Kimmel Live and performed quite admirably. Just last year he expressed his desire to take over for Kimmel. Perhaps a few years ago we thought he couldn't do it. That's changed. In fact, he's sort of doing it right right now.Late-night shows have really taken it on the chin recently. Ratings and cultural importance are dwindling. Audiences are far more interested in watching the viral segments the next day or whenever they get around to it so the entire genre has expanded to include offerings that come on after the 11 p.m. local news. The Stephen A. Smith Show now fits under that umbrella. It feels like he cut out the middle man and went around any gatekeeping to create the type of wide-net program he had aspirations to host. Actually, host is not the most correct verb because what Smith does to this show — hell, any show — is to get behind the wheel and punch it to 88 mph so he can bring everyone to a place that doesn't need any roads or guardrails. At times the playful and envelope-pushing absurdity obscures this. Like, no one else who will wake up this morning to see that Smith spent over four minutes giving a virtuoso performance in response to a question from Ballsack Sports will use it as a jumping-off point as a thinkpiece on the state of sports media. And maybe no one should. But it feels like a moment. https://t.co/1aqyFqYIHc pic.twitter.com/SNAGinLKk9— Stephen A Smith (@stephenasmith) November 17, 2023Smith may not be everyone's favorite talking head. Which is perfectly fine because his gift is to engender strong positive and negative reactions. What he is, though, is one of the most talented television performers of his generation and perhaps unmatched in ESPN's history. He's inspired so many imitators and knockoff, arguably producing a negative effect on the entire history. One of the problems is that those who follow his blueprint just can't do it half as well as the original.We defy you to say this content is anything but wildly entertaining. We'll concede that, yeah, maybe it's stupid and unchallenging. Who cares?Who cares when you're watching someone at the top of their craft and the peak of their powers parlay it into a playground where they set every rule? Something like that doesn't come around often — and will come around even more frequently as the sphere becomes even more fractured by excessive choice. Labels are hard and boundaries blur yet there's a strong argument to be made that this show — as silly as it may be based on the breakout videos — is the most interesting thing Smith has ever done. That it's a passion project on top of a work week that has him seemingly on camera 17 other hours a day makes it even more impressive. Laugh and joke all you want but this man has created something it sounds like he's always yearned to create on his own terms and perfectly calibrated to amplify that magical quality of being Stephen A. Smith. Strange times? Sure. At least they are fun.
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Sporting KC scored three first-half goals on their way to a 4-1 win at LAFC to claim top spot in the Western Conference in the MLS on Wednesday.
Alan Pulido, Luis Martins and Daniel Salloi all scored within 16 minutes as KC raced to a 3-0 lead. Salloi s classy volley took his tally to nine goals this MLS season.
Israeli midfielder Gadi Kinda added a fourth in the 58th minute with Graham Zusi getting his second assist, before LAFC got a consolation from Danny Musovski.
The win lifted Sporting KC past Seattle Sounders who conceded in the 90th minute to draw 1-1 at home with Dallas.
Fredy Montero had put the Sounders ahead in the 72nd minute with a set-piece header but Dallas equalised from Franco Jara s 90th-minute close-range strike.
Sporting KC a…
Verdict: Napoli to Win to Nil
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Crotone travel to Serie A runners up Napoli hoping to claim vital three points in their survival fight and perform a great escape at the eleventh hour.
Napoli
They have been applauded and lauded all season long for their high-tempo style of play and exhilarating football which earned them so many fans around the world but in the end, Napoli have little to be happy about as the 2017-18 season draws to a close.
Partenopei have once again failed to mount a Serie A challenge and turned their Scudetto marathon into a sprint, which left them without a breath in a crucial stage of the competition. Maurizio Sarri claimed his team lost the Serie A title in a hotel watching Juventus score two goals in …
Market: Under 2.5 goals
Odds: 5/6 @
Looking to extend on their Premiership purple patch on Friday night, Aberdeen will make the trip to Victoria Park when they meet Ross County.
Starting with the hosts, managing to make what was a much-needed return to winning ways last weekend, Ross County will now be hoping to find some Premiership stability over the final few weeks. Eventually picking up a deserved 2-0 victory away at St. Johnstone, Malky Mackay’s side also drew a line under their three-match losing run. Marking their return from the international break with a 2-0 loss at home against Celtic, the Stages have failed to collect back-to-back domestic victories since opening 2023. Likewise, losing consecutive top-flight appearances at Victoria Park, the one-tim…
Walter Mazzarri wants reigning Serie A champions Napoli to buck the trend of recording underwhelming results and kick on in 2024, starting with a positive result at his former club Torino on Sunday.
The Azzurri claimed a first Scudetto since 1990 last season but are now languishing down in eighth after losing four of their last seven games, with last week’s goalless draw at home to Monza summing up the current sense of malaise in Naples.
Defending their crown may look a tall order, with leaders Inter Milan already 20 points better off, but Mazzarri just wants to start delivering better performances for the fans.
Mazzarri: “Mazzocchi? Felice del suo arrivo e della sua carica”
Rivedi la conferenza completa sul nostro canale YouTube:
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Real Madrid full-back Fabio Coentrao has requested a transfer, manager Carlos Ancelotti has revealed.
The Portugal international has struggled to nail down a regular first-team spot since arriving from Benfica in 2011, making 53 appearances in all competitions.
Coentrao has been linked with a move to Tottenham as a potential makeweight in any move for Gareth bale, but he now looks set to depart the Bernabeu, regardless of Madrid s pursuit of the Welshman.
Chelsea have also been credited with an interest in the 25-year-old and Ancelotti confirmed the left-back will not feature in Real s Liga opener against Real Betis on Sunday.
Coentrao has asked to leave the club and won’t be playing tomorrow (Sunday), he said.
Ancelotti insisted he was happy with the mak…
Juventus face a tough ask in returning to winning ways in Serie A when the fourth-placed Sampdoria visit Turin on Sunday.
Successive 0-0 draws have slowed the momentum of Juve, who previously won six matches in a row scoring 19 times in the process.
But their goalless stalemate against Atletico Madrid in the UEFA Champions League on Tuesday was crucial as it booked their place in the last 16.
Juve are the only Serie A side remaining in Europe s premier club competition and showed good character to qualify after losing two of their first three Group A matches.
They dominated an Atleti side who were happy to sit back and concede possession but lacked cutting edge something coach Massimiliano Allegri will be keen to address.
Juve caused few problems…
Mesut Ozil should be benched for Germany s second World Cup group game against Sweden, according to Stefan Effenberg.
Arsenal midfielder Ozil played the full 90 minutes as Germany slipped to a 1-0 defeat to Mexico in their Group F opener – the side s first competitive defeat since their semi-final exit from Euro 2016 when they lost 2-0 to France.
Effenberg questioned Germany head coach Joachim Low s decision not to include second-half substitute Marco Reus in his starting line-up, calling for the Borussia Dortmund man to be in from the outset against Sweden.
Low should put Ozil on the bench and bring in Marco Reus instead, Effenberg wrote in his column on t-online.de. I could not understand why Reus did not play against Mexico from the start.
If wha…
West Ham United are readying a £25m bid for Bournemouth striker Callum Wilson, .
The twenty-four old has been eyed the former Coventry City man as a potential January target as he looks for reinforcements following an injury to Diafra Sakho.
Wilson missed the majority of last season with an ACL injury but has impressed since returning, scoring four goals in twelve league appearances so far this term.
He bagged twenty league goals for the Cherries in his first season with the club, helping them clinch the Championship title in 2015.
West Ham sit just a point above the Premier League relegation zone following their 1-1 draw with Manchester United on Sunday afternoon.
They were beaten by the Red Devils in the last eight of the EFL Cup on Wedne…
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Looking to punch their Copa del Rey semi-final ticket on Wednesday night, Barcelona will travel to San Mames when they meet Athletic Bilbao.
Athletic Bilbao
Starting with the hosts, watching their domestic romp come to an abrupt end over the weekend, Athletic Bilbao will certainly be seeking an immediate response here. Eventually falling to a 1-0 loss at the hands of Valencia, Ernesto Valverde’s men will be excited to make a return to San Mames on Wednesday night. Currently leading the chase to snatch a famous Champions League ticket in 2024, the Lions have continued to gain a fearsome reputation for their success on home soil. Last seen in Basque Country claiming a routine 2-0 victory against Alaves, the one-time Barcelona boss has …
Cadiz confirmed a fan who suffered a cardiac arrest during the 4-0 defeat to Barcelona was resuscitated before being admitted to the intensive care unit of a local hospital.
Play was stopped with under 10 minutes of normal time remaining at the Estadio Nuevo Mirandilla on Saturday after it became apparent someone in the stands had been taken ill.
Cadiz goalkeeper Jeremias Ledesma could be seen passing a defibrillator to those in the stands, and after close to 20 minutes, the referee spoke with the captains of both sides, with the players taken off the field and down the tunnel.
Treatment was administered to the fan, with play resuming around 40 minutes later and the visitors going on to win the game 4-0.
Comunicado oficial
— Cádiz Club de F…