Francesa, Smith’s many words say so little
AUTHORITATIVE Experts Corner: Mike Francesa, who ignores the fact that he has spent his career being colossally wrong, this week declared on his podcast — he once declared he’d never lower himself to host a podcast — that “Nobody will give Saquon Barkley any kind of real money, OK? It’s just not going to happen.” The indisputable evidence appears on the @BackAftaThis account on X, formerly Twitter.
Within hours, Barkley signed with the Eagles, three years for $38 million.
On ESPN, Stephen A. Smith whose bombastic bluster and dialect hustles can’t hide his elementary ignorance of sports, declared that free agent RB Derrick Henry guarantees wins by “just handing the ball to the brotha 20-25 times a game.”
Gee, if the Titans only knew the simplicity of it all they’d have never even bothered to punt. And they’d have finished last season 17-0 instead of 6-11.
Wonder if Supreme Court Justice Oliver Wendell Holmes had Francesa and Smith in mind when he spoke of those who “exhibit a strenuous vagueness that produces an atmospheric disturbance without transmitting a message.” ➤ Art Shamsky, 82 and retired in Florida, recently told this since-verified story: As a rookie with the Reds in 1965, he was summoned to pinch hit for, gulp,
Frank Robinson.
“Frank was livid, but the [Mets’] pitcher was Tom Parsons, and the manager didn’t think he could hit a sidearm thrower. I was petrified. All I wanted to do was not strike out. I was hitting for Frank Robinson! I’d have been fine with a grounder to second.” So what happened? “I hit a home run.” ➤ These days the most undignified folks in sports seem to be the coaches of top women’s college basketball teams. LSU’s tough-talkin’ attentionhog Kim Mulkey, South Carolina’s foul-mouthed Dawn Staley and UConn’s old reliable opponentstomper Geno Auriemma.
On the other hand we have DIII Manhattanville’s men’s coach, Chris Alesi. In addition to a strong season — 18-10 — Alesi often dressed as many as 21 for games.
Why so many? He refused to cut anyone. You put in the effort to find the time, you make the team.