Ticker: Stephen A. Smith irate at Kevin Durant
Oh, Stephen A. Smith.
OK, here’s how it stated: Last week, the bombastic co-host of ESPN2’s “First Take,” said Oklahoma City Thunder Kevin Durant would be “eyeing” the L.A Lakers when he becomes a free ageent after the season.
“I don’t talk to Stephen A. Smith at all,” Durant told the Oklahoman. “No one in my family, my friends do. So he’s lying. ... He’s making up stories.
Smith was furious when he saw it, but he said it was fortunate it happened on a Friday, so he had the weekend to simmer down.
Not that you could tell by his 10-minute response Monday morning, in which he defended himself, his career and the report on Durant — who, he said, was the one who was lying.
He said he respected Durant as a player and a person, but ended with this:
“We really want to start something? With me?” Smith said. “... We don’t have to talk to you to talk about you. You want to start something? That’s just not the wise thing to do, especially when you have no validity.”
Quick hits
- Florida Panthers forward Jaromir Jagr, telling the Miami Herald he’s bringing back his mullet so fans can recognize him: “We have to wear helmets, so that’s why I’m growing my hair back out. I have to.” Jagr is 43.
- First, he’s a rookie. Second, he’s a Cub. But MLB says Chicago first baseman Kris Bryant had the top-selling jersey this season. No Tiger made the top 20.
- UFC champ Ronda Rousey is co-hosting Wednesday’s 6 p.m. “SportsCenter” on ESPN with regular anchor Lindsay Czarniak.
- Red Sox right-hander Rick Porcello, quoted by the Boston Herald after a 3-1 loss Sunday: “That’s me. I’m not going to go out there and strike out 17 and throw no-hitters. But I’ll give us a chance to win.”
Bottom line
Rick Pitino, talking to ESPN about a new book’s claim that a former Louisville employee arranged for an escort service and strippers for recruits: “Not myself, not one player, not one trainer, not one assistant, not one person knew anything about any of this.
“If anyone did, it would have been stopped on a dime. Not one person knew anything about it.”
Contact Steve Schrader: sschrader@freepress.com. Follow him on Twitter @schradz.