The recent decision by the U.S. Department of Defense to remove an article about Jackie Robinson’s military service from its website has ignited widespread outrage, particularly within the sports media community.
Stephen A. Smith has noted that not all the commentary surrounding this incident has been constructive, especially criticism from his former colleague, Robert Griffin III. In a post on X Thursday, Griffin opined that sports talk shows like ESPN’s First Take “should be about sports, not politics,” further asserting that Jackie Robinson breaking baseball’s color barrier was not political.
Griffin’s comments received significant backlash from various sports media figures, including Stephen A. Smith. On Friday’s episode of The Stephen A. Smith Show, Smith criticized Griffin, underscoring the ignorance apparent in Griffin’s remarks.
“RGIII, respectfully, my brother, you sound ignorant. You sound utterly clueless,” Smith stated. “When Jackie Robinson integrated baseball in 1947, do you really believe that race wasn’t politicized at that time? Are you saying Branch Rickey for the Dodgers didn’t choose him because he knew of his temperament? As a former military man, Robinson exemplified discipline in the face of racial venom. To suggest politics had no role is misguided.”
Smith further emphasized the historical intersection of race and politics, asserting, “While race stands alone as a critical issue, politics have historically been used to enforce racially insensitive or even racist policies. That’s a fact. No black person would deny it, and no white person could justifiably refute it.” He admonished Griffin to “stop tap dancing” around significant issues and suggested that Griffin seemed “bitter” about his departure from ESPN.
“RGIII, at some point, you need to be direct rather than evasive,” Smith added. “If you have an issue, say it plainly. I have no problem with you—I enjoyed your contributions on First Take.
“Let me reveal something you may have overlooked: you come off as bitter about leaving ESPN. Everyone saw how angry you were when reports surfaced post your departure. There were hints from your camp about others being favored over you after your exit.”
“Since you have this tendency toward passive-aggressiveness, let me teach you about being straightforward. People at ESPN didn’t like your demeanor, RGIII. You know the names. But I’ll clarify: I liked you on First Take. You performed well, and I even advocated for you to stay.”
Smith contended that RGIII’s passive-aggressive behavior contributed to negative perceptions within ESPN about his on-air talent. “Stop the passive-aggressive tactics; it’s weak,” Smith urged. “That’s precisely why many at ESPN had issues with you.”
It remains to be seen if RGIII will respond and whether he will heed Smith’s advice to communicate more openly.
