Shots were fired on Monday as lead ESPN hot-taker Stephen A. Smith returned fire against ESPN lead college football analyst Kirk Herbstreit after the latter accused Smith of trying to get Ohio State head football coach Ryan Day fired.
On Saturday, as Ohio State trounced Tennessee in the first round of the 12-team College Football Playoff, Herbstreit called out the “lunatic fringe” of Ohio State fans who called for Day’s ouster after the Buckeyes’ loss to rival Michigan two weeks ago.
“The lunatic fringe at Ohio State is as powerful as anywhere in the country,” Herbstreit told partner Chris Fowler. “It used to be 8-10 [% of the fanbase]. I think it’s grown now to about 15-20. So I don’t know. I’m sure they’ll be happy tonight — be fired up about what the Ohio State team did. But God forbid they lose to Oregon. They may want to fire [Ryan Day] again.”
“‘First Take’ tried to fire him. They thought he was done. So I’ll be excited to see what they talk about on Monday after this performance,” Herbstreit added. “They had him out — been trying to find replacements. But here he is! He’s still got his hat on. Still coaching.”
On Monday, Smith took Herbstreit to task for “misrepresenting” what he said.
“If they had lost that game, you’re damn right. I would have been on national television right before Christmas; Ryan Day got to go. But he handled his business,” Smith said. “But now, what you gonna do against Oregon? What you gonna do against Oregon? We gonna find out.”
“But Mr. Fowler, Mr. Herbstreit, love you guys, appreciate y’all. You do a great job. You know I love you, Kirk, you know that. But you got to quote me accurately.
“I stated, ‘Ryan Day if you don’t win and get your team right there in that Final Four, competing for the national championship, after that and lose four straight to Michigan? Oh, we can get somebody to do that. Lose four straight to Michigan, and don’t be in the national championship picture with a $20 million roster? And 20 NFL-caliber players? We can get somebody else to do that.’”
Smith continued, “Stop it… ‘First Take gotta get him fired.’ That is not true. I did! Not First Take. That was me, Stephen A. A. Don’t misquote me. What I said was, ‘This man Ryan Day, if he doesn’t get a national championship, he should go. Even with a 66-10 record.’ I didn’t stutter one bit. I ain’t stuttering now.”
