ESPN Colleague Criticizes Stephen A. Smith for Ray Rice Comments

This entire Ray Ray controversy is likely going to blow up before it dies down. Just one day after the NFL announced that it was going to suspend the Baltimore Ravens running back for all of two games after an incident with his then girlfriend, media personalities are going tit for tat on the entire situation. Even some who are considered colleagues within the same company. 

The always-controversial Stephen A. Smith indicated early Friday morning on ESPN’s First Take that, for a lack of better wording, women shouldn’t provoke men into violence.

Here is the entire video.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IDzWvHhgTrY

The quote in question is as follows.

We also have to make sure that we learn as much as we can about elements of provocation.

Fellow ESPN media personality and SportsNation host Michelle Beadle took exception to Smith’s comments in a string of tweets.

Michelle is right. This is victim blaming in its clearest form.

As someone that has worked for major media outlets in the past, I have been told multiple times not to call a co-worker out publicly. Infighting and perceived issues between two employees is seen as a sign of weakness.

Then again, ESPN”s First Take is a weakness to the brand of the four-letter word. These recent comments by Stephen A. Smith are a prime example of that. And Beadle was well within her rights to lash out at the controversial media personality.

Photo: USA Today