Why Did ESPN Fire Bill Walton & Steven A Smith?

[Interminator]

They were definetly one of the better odd couples for NBA Shootaround, hilarity would ensue whenever Bill Walton began to give his opinion.

They were much more entertaining than Magic/Wilbon/Barry.

[SAKOTXA]

**** i was about to make this thread, lol:rant :rant :rant :rant

[Younggrease]

All I know is that Wilbon is horrible at this...he needs to be fired ASAP. He sounds like he is always looking for angles for his next column

[ShawnieMac06]

Walton's been back home in San Diego, due to ongoing back issues, and Smith left ESPN on May 1st, although I don't know whether it was on his terms or was forced out.

[phoenix18]

They were definetly one of the better odd couples for NBA Shootaround, hilarity would ensue whenever Bill Walton began to give his opinion.

They were much more entertaining than Magic/Wilbon/Barry.
What happened to all the Stephen A. hate? I thought that his show was great as well, he had interviews that no one else could get.

[04mzwach]

They cost too much money? They didn't want to do it anymore? They both were annoying?

YOU'RE THE FANS! YOU CHOOSE!

[KeylessEntry]

I definitely miss Bill Walton.

[Kobe Jnr]

did walton get fired??

guess no Steven A Smith on the nba draft...... good times

[Foster5k]

I actually like Wilbon, but he really doesn't know what hell he is talking about, when he is doing NBA analysis.

I think Steven A. Smith wanted more money, and since he didn't get what he wanted, he left. He might be doing something, in the entertainment business, in the future or something, of that nature.

Bill Walton was pretty good.

The only people that I liked, during the NBA Finals, were Mark Jackson, JVG, Magic Johnson, the guy with the fake eye, and the other announcer, with Mark and Jeff.

Barry and Wilbon sucked. Seriously

[1~Gibson~1]

smith's contract ran out i think

[globarticles]

Bill Walton & Stephen A are probably my most favorite commentator/analyst. They don't always make good analysis but damn it they were mad entertaining!

[depletedW]

Because steven a. smith sucked.

He was horrible. His anger and ego became so tiresome.
You can only play the role of angry black man for so long before it wears on everyone.

[dab0yech0]

did walton get fired??

guess no Steven A Smith on the nba draft...... good times

I remember when he said Josh Smith was gonna bust and regret entering the draft :no:

[Showtime]

Walton wasn't fired, he's had health issues with his back.

[chitownsfinest]

I remember when he said Josh Smith was gonna bust and regret entering the draft :no:
I'm pretty sure the reason him and everyone else is going to be sad about no more Steven A. Smith in the draft is no more of this:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EvJGghOuFlQ&feature=channel_page
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nAB5lOIl-2U&feature=channel_page
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NaqxreC2wgo&feature=channel_page

[godofgods]

SAS is racist and stupid. He gotta go.

[flipogb]

hopefully they have JVG at the draft, otherwise it will be boring

[GUUS]

I actually like Wilbon, but he really doesn't know what hell he is talking about, when he is doing NBA analysis.

I think Steven A. Smith wanted more money, and since he didn't get what he wanted, he left. He might be doing something, in the entertainment business, in the future or something, of that nature.

Bill Walton was pretty good.

The only people that I liked, during the NBA Finals, were Mark Jackson, JVG, Magic Johnson, the guy with the fake eye, and the other announcer, with Mark and Jeff.

Barry and Wilbon sucked. Seriously

Wrong, Steven A's contract ran out and they didn't want to renew it, because quite frankly he is ridiculous and shouts over everyone else and alienates fans, though I did enjoy watching him, because he seemed to think everything he said was important

[RoseCity07]

Why would you fire Bill Walton? This guy is hilarious. If all ESPN does is piss you off, at least Bill Walton makes you laugh while doing it.

God we need NBC to get the NBA back, and have Costas and Bill Walton calling games.

[Meticode]

I think Stephen A. Smith left because his contract ran out?

[Mateo]

All I know is that Wilbon is horrible at this...he needs to be fired ASAP. He sounds like he is always looking for angles for his next column

I like Wilbon. He's one of the only, if not the only, person working for ESPN that doesn't overstate everything he says.

[32jazz]

Why would you fire Bill Walton? This guy is hilarious. If all ESPN does is piss you off, at least Bill Walton makes you laugh while doing it.

God we need NBC to get the NBA back, and have Costas and Bill Walton calling games.

All Night/ ESPN radio says that Bill Walton is suffering from a bad back & can't travel like he wishes.

[LakersLaLaLand]

Bill Walton was terrible when taken seriously.

As a straight up COMEDIC analyst he was ok.

Everything he said was either the greatest or worst of......

I listened to him as a Clipper announcer for years. TERRIBLE. I have no idea why ESPN hired him after all the evidence of horrible work.

[new noise]

The only people that I liked, during the NBA Finals, were Mark Jackson, JVG, Magic Johnson, the guy with the fake eye, and the other announcer, with Mark and Jeff.

Barry and Wilbon sucked. Seriously

Your taste in broadcasters sucks, aside from Van Gundy.

Mark Jackson and Magic might know the game but they're terrible on television. Stuart Scott is a generic voice who throws in the odd street slang to show how much personality he has.

[sixer6ad]

Wrong, Steven A's contract ran out and they didn't want to renew it, because quite frankly he is ridiculous and shouts over everyone else and alienates fans, though I did enjoy watching him, because he seemed to think everything he said was important

His 15 minutes are long over, thankfully. Someone please provide one clip of Steven A smack which provided insight to any fan? There was not one word which came out of this man's mouth for the benefit of the listener. His singular purpose was self-promotion. I turned off every show he was ever on; this post reminded me that I have not had to do that in a while.

[Foster5k]

Your taste in broadcasters sucks, aside from Van Gundy.

Mark Jackson and Magic might know the game but they're terrible on television. Stuart Scott is a generic voice who throws in the odd street slang to show how much personality he has.

I could, as well, say your taste, in broadcasters suck.

That's my opinion. Clearly, someone thinks these guys are good, besides me, if no one thought these guys were good, then they wouldn't have jobs, now would they?

Also, I liked Steven A. Smith. I'm not going to sit here and bash the guy, just because everyone else is. I'm not a follower. I'm a leader. :D

[monkeypox]

ESPN made a huge mistake dropping David Aldridge in favor of SAS. Now Aldrige has a contract with the NBA and TNT, and they have no decent commentators to fill SAS's space.

Here's an article from last season about what's going on with Walton.

http://articles.latimes.com/2008/may/25/sports/sp-plaschke25

"The e-mails are filled with pain.

Bill Walton wishes to keep the details of those e-mails private, but you don't need to know details to understand that pain.

He misses his job. He misses his game. He misses his life.

More than all that, he misses his son.

"Could you tell Luke how much I love him?" he writes.

------

The voice mails are filled with laughter.

Luke Walton doesn't do e-mail, so this is all he hears, his father calling him before each of the Lakers' first two postseason series with an important message.

An imitation of an opposing star talking trash.

Before the first series, the imitation was of Carmelo Anthony, four minutes of Anthony telling Luke how much the Denver Nuggets were going to kick his butt.

Before the second series, the imitation was of Carlos Boozer, four minutes of the same thing, only this time promising that the Utah Jazz would kick his butt.

"I played the voice mails for my teammates, they're really pretty funny," Luke says.

Before the current series against the San Antonio Spurs, though, the tenor changed.

"He said he wanted to imitate Tim Duncan, but Tim Duncan doesn't talk trash so he couldn't," Luke says, shaking his head, missing it."


The guy is definitely one of my favorite commentators.

[CarpeDiemKJ]

Sad. SAS is a good dude. I met him in Harlem before.

Get better Big Red.

[crounsa810]

Walton is awesome. Hope he gets better soon.