Stephen A. Smith on NASCAR Drivers as Athletes
Stephen A. Smith’s long-standing claim that NASCAR drivers aren’t athletes is a personal favorite of mine. It’s a hot topic, often met with misunderstanding and immediate rejection from some.
This encapsulates the highs and lows of sports media wonderfully.
Controversy Surrounding Smith’s Statement
Recently, after a harrowing crash at Daytona, Smith’s remarks faced fresh scrutiny. It’s somewhat ironic that someone like Michael Jordan, a legend and current NASCAR team owner, could be the one to challenge him on this topic.
You’d think Jordan could lay out the reasons why NASCAR drivers, and race car drivers in general, should definitely be considered elite athletes. But it seems I was mistaken.
Drivers such as Joey Logano and Kevin Harvick have already criticized Smith’s viewpoint, with Harvick even presenting fitness data from his car as proof. Naturally, Smith, being the savvy media figure he is, took this to his show.
Apparently, Jordan even called Smith to share his perspective, which sounds like quite the conversation.
As a side note, it’s worth mentioning that Jordan has been a NASCAR fan for a while now and co-owns 23XI Racing alongside Denny Hamlin, currently one of the sport’s standout teams.
So, surely, he had some compelling points to share with Smith.
A Conversation with Michael Jordan
Smith disclosed on SiriusXM, “You know who tried to correct me about the NASCAR thing? Michael Jordan. I argued with him! I’m just being honest about my feelings.” It’s a bold stance, I suppose.
But really, if someone presents numerous reasons and examples and you still hold your ground, it does come off as a bit stubborn.
However, let’s not forget that Smith is the one facing criticism here.
He voiced concern about a “gang mentality” in his profession, questioning whether his colleagues would just follow popular opinion instead of standing firm on their beliefs. “It’s easy to fall in line; the hard part is to assert your own views, backed by reasons,” he pointed out.
It seems that holding the belief that NASCAR drivers are not athletes is indeed a controversial stance.
And that’s exactly what it is.
