Not many know concerning the hardships ESPN persona Stephen A. Smith confronted as a toddler, however he opened up about how these hardships formed his ambition to be the perfect he could possibly be.
Smith lately launched his memoir, “Straight Shooter: A Memoir of Second Chances and First Takes.” It delves into how Smith overcame a strenuous relationship together with his father early on, some extent that he mentioned on “Jesse Watters Primetime.”
STEPEHEN A. SMITH AND JAY WILLIAMS HAVE HEATED DEBATE OVER KYRIE IRVING
“At a very young age, when my father had doubts, I was definitely hellbent on proving him wrong,” Smith mentioned. “But as time grew on and I saw my mother struggling and suffering because of the kind of positions that he put her in, she ultimately became my ultimate source of motivation.”
Smith’s father believed him to be a “lost cause” by the third grade, however that pushed Smith to pursue even higher heights.
“Your own ambition and everything else kicks in, and you recognize you’ve got two choices. You can lay down and do nothing and just disintegrate or you can rise up and strive to be the best that you can be and enjoy the journey along the way, not just the finish line, but the actual journey,” Smith mentioned. “Things that are worth having — if it’s easy, it ain’t worth having. It’s the tough road that makes you appreciate what you ultimately end up accomplishing.”
ESPN Analyst Stephen A. Smith reviews on the 2022 NBA Draft on June 23, 2022 at Barclays Center in Brooklyn, New York. (Kostas Lymperopoulos/NBAE by way of Getty Images)
At ESPN, Smith has change into one of many highest-paid sports activities journalists, however earlier than Smith may write, he had difficulties studying.
With the assistance of his mom and sisters, Smith overcame dyslexia and channeled his power into his ardour: sports activities. Now, Smith is seeking to pay it ahead.
The “First Take” host defined that his father’s therapy of his mom left an impression at a younger age. Seeing his mom’s scenario impressed Smith to observe his “responsibility as a man to provide and protect.”
Now as a father of two daughters, Smith continues to observe that accountability, however it all started together with his mom.
“The ultimate goal was making sure that I was so successful that I would alleviate any concern she ever had in life, and that the later part of her life would be a hell of a lot better than the early stages were with him,” Smith mentioned.
One of Smith’s most recognizable qualities is his distaste for the Dallas Cowboys. A reporter in Philadelphia for a lot of his profession, Smith usually pokes enjoyable on the Philadelphia Eagles’ NFC East rivals and their followers throughout his reveals.
“It’s quite lovely to know that the Dallas Cowboys are probably in Cabo or someplace else other than playing football,” Smith informed Eagles fan Jesse Watters. “They won’t let you down. They’ll falter when it counts most.”
Jalen Hurts #1 and A.J. Brown #11 of the Philadelphia Eagles react in opposition to the Washington Commanders at Lincoln Financial Field on November 14, 2022 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. (Mitchell Leff/Getty Images)
With the Eagles set to sq. off in opposition to the Kansas City Chiefs in Super Bowl LVII, Smith weighed in on Sunday’s matchup.
CLICK HERE TO DOWNLOAD THE FOX NEWS APP
“You can expect a thriller. Philadelphia is the most complete team in the NFL this year,” Smith mentioned.
“But on the other side of that football is a champion… His name is Patrick Mahomes.”