>> Stephen: LADIES AND GENTLEMEN, THAT MAN IS THE
AUTHOR OF THIS BOOK RIGHT HERE, "STRAIGHT SHOOTER."
THE STRAIGHT SHOOTER HIMSELF, STEPHEN A. SMITH.
AS A SPORTS PUNDIT, YOU'RE CONSTANTLY MAKING THE CASE FOR
YOUR ARGUMENT, MAKING A CASE FOR SOMETHING, CALL ON THOSE POWERS
RIGHT NOW. SELL ME ON SPORTS.
I'M NOT AGAINST THEM. BUT I DON'T CATCH THEM IS
OFTEN -- >> Stephen A.: LET ME HELP YOU
OUT. YOU BELIEVE IN A MERITOCRACY, DO
YOU NOT? >> Stephen: UH.
>> Stephen A.: YES, YOU DO. >> Stephen: A LOADED PHRASE.
>> Stephen A.: I FEEL YOU ON THAT.
PEOPLE WHO STEP UP TO THE PLATE AND EARN THEIR WAY IN A FAIR AND
EQUITABLE SYSTEM, THAT'S IDEAL FOR ALL OF US.
NOTHING COMES CLOSER TO THAT THAN SPORTS.
YOU ARE A SCRUB, YOU ARE A SCRUB AND I'M ALLERGIC TO SCRUBS.
IF YOU CAN'T PLAY, GOOD LUCK FINDING SOMETHING ELSE TO DO.
YOU DON'T WANT TO GO TO A KNICKS GAME, YANKEES GAME, YOU DON'T
WANT TO GO TO A GIANTS OR JETS GAME AND YOU DON'T WANT TO HEAR
PEOPLE TALKING ABOUT ISSUES AND ALL OF THIS OTHER STUFF AT THE
EXPENSE OF SHOWCASING WHAT YOU BRING TO THE TABLE.
WHEN TIP-OFF TIME ARRIVES IN BASKETBALL: KICKOFF ARRIVES IN
FOOTBALL, WHEN THEY START A BASEBALL GAME, LISTEN, SHOW UP
AND SHOW OUT OR MOVE ASIDE AND LET SOMEBODY ELSE IN.
THAT IS SPORTS. IF YOU CAN'T LOVE SPORTS, WHEN I
JUST BROKE THAT DOWN TO YOU, I'M GOING TO PRAY FOR YOU.
>> Stephen: PLEASE DO. WHAT'S THE GREATEST SPORT, IN
YOUR OPINION? >> Stephen A.: TO ME, THE
GREATEST SPORT, I LOVE BASKETBALL.
I MEAN, I JUST DO. I JUST DO.
I THINK THAT THOUGH THE GREATEST ATHLETES IN THE WORLD.
OBVIOUSLY FOOTBALL IS -- AMERICA LOVES IT.
NIGHT AND DAY, HE GETS ALL THAT. BASEBALL, I DON'T WANT TO HEAR
ANYTHING. YOU CAN SIT IN THE OUTFIELD
CHEWING ON PUMPKIN SEEDS, YOU WAIT FOR THE BALL TO COMPLY TO
YOU. IT TAKES A LOT OF SKILL TO HIT A
95-MILE-PER-HOUR FASTBALL AND I GET ALL OF THAT BUT THERE ARE
OTHER ELEMENTS OF THE GAME THAT ARE ENTIRELY TOO SLOW WHICH IS
WHY THEY ARE BRINGING OTHER STUFF INTO THE MIX TRYING TO
SPEED UP THE GAME BUT WHEN I THINK ABOUT BASKETBALL THE WAY
THEY RUN, THE WAY THEY JUMP, THEIR ATHLETICISM, SHOTMAKING
ABILITY, ACROBATIC PLAYS THEY EXECUTE.
>> Stephen: IT WAS YOUR GAME. >> Stephen A.: OF COURSE IT
IS. I LOVE BASKETBALL.
I LOVE NOTHING MORE THAN I LOVE BASKETBALL.
>> Stephen: HAVE YOU EVER BEEN PUNCHED IN THE FACE?
>> Stephen A.: SURE. >> Stephen: IN A BOXING RING?
>> Stephen A.: WHEN I WAS IN HIGH SCHOOL, I GOT PUNCHED IN
THE FACE. I WAS 19.
I GOT DROPPED BIG TIME BY THIS DUDE THAT WAS ABOUT 25 POUNDS
HEAVIER THAN ME I MUST ADMIT I CHEATED.
I HIT HIM LOW. I HIT HIM LOW.
I DIDN'T LIKE GETTING PUNCHED IN THE FACE.
MY GIRLFRIEND AT THE TIME WAS THERE.
>> Stephen: I BOXED ONCE IN MIDDLE SCHOOL.
THERE'S A CERTAIN AGE WHERE THEY GO LET'S SEE IF WE CAN GET THEIR
BLOOD LUST UP AND THEY HAVE YOU WRESTLE AND BOX ON THE SAME DAY.
>> Stephen A.: HOW DID YOU DO? >> Stephen: I WAS THE ONLY ONE
WHO RAISED HIS HAND TO SAY I'LL BOX.
BOXING WAS OPTIONAL. I WAS 1 OF 8 BOYS MY FAMILY.
I HAD TO BE ABLE TO BOX I RAISED MY HAND.
ONE OTHER GUY RAISED HIS HAND AND HE WAS A LARGE BOY.
WHO HAD MATURED BEFORE THE REST OF US.
HE WAS SHAVING IN EIGHTH GRADE AND HIS LITERAL NAME WAS ROCKY.
THE COACH PUT ME WITH THE THINGS ON THE GLOVES.
>> Stephen A.: WHY DIDN'T YOU RUN?
WHY DIDN'T YOU JUST TURN AROUND? >> Stephen: I SAID I WOULD DO
IT. >> Stephen A.: YOU COULD'VE
COME UP WITH AN EXCUSE. I AM SICK.
I'VE GOT A HEADACHE. MY MOTHER IS CALLING ME.
I'VE GOT TO GO HOME. YOU COULD HAVE COME UP WITH
ANYTHING. WHY DO YOU JUST RUN?
WHY? >> Stephen: HE WAS NOT GOING
TO HURT ME, HE WAS A FRIEND OF MINE TOO.
>> Stephen A.: DID YOU THINK ROCKY WAS GOING TO TAKE IT EASY
ON YOU? >> Stephen: I'VE NEVER SEEN
ROCKY THROW A PUNCH. >> Stephen A.: A DUDE NAMED
ROCKY IS NOT GOING IT TAKE IT EASY ON YOU.
>> Stephen: SO I HELD UP MY GLOVES LIKE THIS, AND
PUNCHED THIS GLOVE SO HARD THAT I KNOCKED MYSELF DOWN.
TRUE STORY. COACH GOES, ALL RIGHT, THAT'S
I. THEN WE MOVED ON.
THEN WE MOVED ON. LOOK, WE'VE GOT TO GO HERE.
THIS HAS BEEN SUCH A PLEASURE. IT IS SO NICE TO TALK TO YOU.
"STRAIGHT SHOOTER" IS ON SALE NOW.
STEPHEN A. SMITH GUY EVERYBODY. WE'LL BE RIGHT BACK WITH
"FBI: MOST WANTED" STAR DYLAN McDERMOTT.