Stephen A. Smith vs. Jay Williams

Stephen A. Smith and Jay Williams spent the last few years arguing on First Take about the Brooklyn Nets. Stephen A, Smith has established himself as the guy who tells young black men to pull up their pants and turn down their loud hippity-hop music and Jay Williams has been trying to rebrand into a player-friendly analyst or whatever.

On Monday morning, the two forces collided once again to argue about both of their favorite topics: Kyrie Irving.

The topic of Kyrie got Stephen A Smith and Jay Williams ready to fight pic.twitter.com/x8fY5v4o0V

— Robert Griffin III (@RGIII) February 6, 2023

First Take obliterated sports media and turned every TV segment into fake debates where media personalities very obviously pretend to defend points they do not believe in thus creating an entire generation of trolls who believe the only way to stand out is to say outlandish bullshit.

But this is when these debate shows work—when the two people involved genuinely do not fuck with each other.

Jay Williams is annoyed that Stephen A. seems to have a personal vendetta against Kyrie Irving which is very real. He is hyper-critical of every decision Kyrie makes and then throws in some compliments about how he plays to seem fair and balanced or whatever.

Stephen A. is annoyed that Jay Williams is tip-toeing around instead of directly calling him out. Jay Williams attempts to check Smith’s tone and later, calls him ‘triggered’ as opposed to just saying what he really wants to say with his whole chest.

This is one of the only times in my life I will ever be on the same side of Stephen A. fucking smith. Jay Williams came on the show to call out Stephen A. for being biased while ignoring the fact that he’s literally in the Brooklyn Nets back pocket.

Jay Williams works for Kevin Durant on his TV show, the Boardroom. Williams clearly appears on First Take for the sole purpose of defending Kevin Durant and his teammates—regardless of whether or not they refuse to get vaccines or any of the other objectively dumb things Kyrie has said or done.

Watching Jay Williams timidly challenge Stephen A. made me appreciate what Smith does even more. I disagree with almost everything this man is and says but at least he’s never afraid to say anything. He is 1000% okay with being loud and wrong.

Jay Williams starting his critique of Stephen A. with “I find it interesting” is so lame and cowardly. Jay spends most of this argument telling Stephen A. that he’s talking too loud and that he’s triggered instead of actually saying what he came there to say which is that Smith needs to chill with how he talks about Kyrie.

I hate that I’m even analyzing this nonsense. First Take is such a grueling program to sit through for two consecutive hours. It is 1000% designed to hold the attention of the most unemployed divorced dads in America.

I pray neither of these men are allowed on television by the end of 2023.