Stephen A.-Ohtani

[Birdman]

Wonder if Stephen A Smith will get suspended for, I think, is a racist comment against Ohtani? He always talking about racist things so how is this different?

[BudweiserCeltic]

Wonder if Stephen A Smith will get suspended for, I think, is a racist comment against Ohtani? He always talking about racist things so how is this different?

It would help the discussing if you gave us the details of the situation...

[Birdman]

A lot of ppl wants him suspended including Keith Olbermann..especially now with all that is happening in the Asian community with the violence on them

[Birdman]

Wonder if Stephen A Smith will get suspended for, I think, is a racist comment against Ohtani? He always talking about racist things so how is this different?

It would help the discussing if you gave us the details of the situation...

He said he can’t be the face of baseball because he needs an interpreter among other things

[BudweiserCeltic]

Wonder if Stephen A Smith will get suspended for, I think, is a racist comment against Ohtani? He always talking about racist things so how is this different?

It would help the discussing if you gave us the details of the situation...

He said he can’t be the face of baseball because he needs an interpreter among other things

Well, until I read/see more about it, put me in the "couldn't care less" column... other than to point out that he's an hypocrite.

[greg683x]

lol finally here is a link

https://sports.yahoo.com/amphtml/mlb-angels-esp-ns-stephen-a-smith-getting-roasted-for-xenophobic-rant-about-shohei-ohtani-204655616.html

[greg683x]

It’s a pretty insensitive remark but on the scale of offensive comments someone can make on TV, I think it’s pretty low.

[Birdman]

Thanks Greg683 for posting link..I couldn’t for some odd reason

[SDceltGuy]

First Rachel Nichols and now Steven A.    You play with the wokism fire you deserved to get burned.  ESPN is beyond redemption.

[Phantom255x]

ESPN is garbage nowadays, which is a shame because I used to love it a lot actually. It's not just the remarks but also just how obviously biased they've become with big market teams, even more so than like a decade ago (New York and LA teams in particular)

I mean how the hell does A-Rod get to do Sunday Night Baseball in which NYY usually plays 

[Moranis]

Stephen A is a blowhard, but I don't think it is a horrible thing to question whether or not a player in the US would be better served speaking English fluently and without the use of an interpreter.  It may in fact affect his marketability. 

[rocknrollforyoursoul]

Stephen A is a blowhard, but I don't think it is a horrible thing to question whether or not a player in the US would be better served speaking English fluently and without the use of an interpreter.  It may in fact affect his marketability.

I tend to agree. I'm not a big Stephen A. fan, but I don't think he's being racist towards Ohtani in particular or Asians in general; I think he was just saying (perhaps uneloquently) that if MLB is going to market a player—any player—it sure would help if that player spoke English, because that will make it easier for that player to directly connect with fans, most of whom speak English.

[greg683x]

Stephen A is a blowhard, but I don't think it is a horrible thing to question whether or not a player in the US would be better served speaking English fluently and without the use of an interpreter.  It may in fact affect his marketability.

I think it absolutely does.  It makes him a lot less relatable 

[jambr380]

It should be noted that the article says that Ohtani actually speaks English. The Darvish portion of the article explains why players whose first language isn’t English often feel more comfortable using an interpreter. Perhaps Ohtani will feel more comfortable doing interviews and such w/o an interpreter in the future.

[hwangjini_1]

Stephen A is a blowhard, but I don't think it is a horrible thing to question whether or not a player in the US would be better served speaking English fluently and without the use of an interpreter.  It may in fact affect his marketability.

I tend to agree. I'm not a big Stephen A. fan, but I don't think he's being racist towards Ohtani in particular or Asians in general; I think he was just saying (perhaps uneloquently) that if MLB is going to market a player—any player—it sure would help if that player spoke English, because that will make it easier for that player to directly connect with fans, most of whom speak English.

and i am sure this includes those players who speak spanish and not english as well, right? i mean, if you can't speak english you should not be allowed the same status as those who do, right?

wasnt a very similar "argument" posited in the 1940s about integration?

this is clearly a statement rooted in ignorance and xenophobia.