Stephen A. Smith is getting crushed for latest Shohei Ohtani comments
Stephen A. Smith really stepped in it this time.
Despite Shohei Ohtani being a force for the Angels, whether that’s on the mound on in the batter’s box, Smith doesn’t seem to be a big fan of the standout Japanese player.
The host of the ESPN show “First Take” had an interesting way to explain that recently, noting that the Ohtani can’t be the face of Major League Baseball because the Angel doesn’t speak English fluently.
Check out the clip below:
Stephen A Smith saying that Shohei Ohtani, responsible for the 10 highest viewed regular season games this year and what will likely be the most watched HRD ever, shouldn’t be considered a face of baseball because he needs an interpreter. Kindly piss off
— Brain (@brian_slosh) July 12, 2021
It didn’t take long for the reactions to come flooding in following Smith’s comments:
The NFL has really bent the collective brain of how we think about international athletics. People legit can’t fathom an international star being the face of an American League. https://t.co/tuIWLLP2me
— Andrew G. Haubner (@A_G_Haubner) July 12, 2021
He better leave this baseball short king alone with this xenophobia. Even I know who Ohtani is so that nice young man is doing just fine as the face of baseball. https://t.co/MxFZFzDEGa
— roxane gay (@rgay) July 12, 2021
Fun fact: when Roberto Clemente – literally one of the greatest baseball players of all-time and the face of the league in the 60s – moved to America to play ball, he relied on Tommy Lasorda as his interpreter with the rest of his teammates while he learned and perfected English. https://t.co/DpG8FrebEu
— Brett Kollmann (@BrettKollmann) July 12, 2021
This is just ugly and xenophobic. This what ESPN is paying $10 million a year for? https://t.co/vdSH5jGQRz
— Eric Fisher (@EricFisherSBG) July 12, 2021
Well, this is a shitty take https://t.co/kmiWQrNhKG
— Benjamin Cruz (@cruzkontrol) July 12, 2021
Nobody: Shohei Ohtani is a pretty good ball player
Stephen A Smith: HE CANT EVEN SPEAK ENGLISH!!! pic.twitter.com/8JZibFWV0M
— LONG LIVE MAMBA (@lakurnashun) July 12, 2021
https://twitter.com/JimboExotic/status/1414637371270877187?s=20