Stephen A. Smith, back at the N&R?
As reported by PhillyMag.com, Stephen A. Smith of ESPN longs to be back writing for a newspaper. His column in the Philadelphia Inquirer bit the dust last year.
"I’ve been a journalist for 15 years," he says. "Newspapers are my foundation. That's what it's all about. Having a newspaper column makes me feel credible and good about what I do. It's what made me feel whole." (Via Romenesko.)
He used to work on our High Point office...maybe he'd like to write for us!
Comments (4)
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Well, that would be great, except Stephen A. Smith was actually FIRED from the High Point bureau because he could not write -- at all.
He had no subject/verb agreement in stories, could not interview people well (apparently except for "da playahs" on the court) and generally was incompetent. He could not write full sentences.
Go look in the personel files.
He was fired for lack of performance and having NO SKILL. Period.
Posted on January 25, 2008 12:31 PM
Oh, Jim. In the first place, he was NOT fired. In the second, this post was not serious.
Posted on January 25, 2008 2:30 PM
I know from THE closest source in this case that he was fired.
So, you can say what you want, but it's true.
You might be splitting hairs by saying he was "forced to resign" -- which is technically not being fired.
But his performance was EXTREMELY below par, substandard, unprofessional, barely readable and editing his copy was nearly impossible.
Not to mention that he had absolutely no ability to interview sources for stories -- except for those who seemed to be "brothers" involved in basketball.
I realize your post was a joke, but I want to set the record straight.
This man was a complete and utter incompetent fool who -- if not technically fired -- was shoved out or forced to resign.
Why did he last only 5 months? Why was his raw copy completely a train wreck? Why could he not write? How did he get hired with such awful ability over very qualified other candidates (I know why -- he had the correct skin color)
Look, Ned Cline made this hire and was behind the whole thing, so your knowledge of it isvery limited.
Maybe it was technically called a "layoff" so that he could collect unemployment benefits.
Who knows what the personel file actually categorized it as. But, FIRING is what normal people would call it.
Posted on January 26, 2008 12:11 AM
But Jim, people who don't know better might actually think you know what you're talking about since you write with such an authoritative tone. And, as you are afraid to use your real name, why would anyone believe your personal attacks?
Posted on January 26, 2008 8:34 AM