The famed sports media personality and ESPN’s “First Take” host, Stephen A. Smith was recently questioned about former decorated head coach of the Patriots, Bill Belichick, and his future in media during a live show of the “Green Light with Chris Long” podcast, which was recorded at the Sportico stage, SXSW.
Smith mentioned that he thinks that the seven-time Super Bowl-winning quarterback and one of the greatest players in the NFL, Tom Brady, will be “a superstar in broadcasting”. The host further shared that he has conversed with him and taken his interviews as well and that he “believes” in his abilities as the player will next commence his future in broadcasting.
When it came to media future considering the head coach, Belichick, Smith mentioned via Awful Announcing, “I don’t think Bill Belichick is going to be good at all. And it’s not about his talent. It’s about the fact that you don’t go from not giving a damn about the audience and having virtually nothing to say for years to people suddenly caring about what you have to say.”
He further mentioned, “You have to ingratiate yourself with an audience, to give them something to look forward to when you have the opportunity to do so. You can’t be on top of your pedestal — literally for decades — winning six Super Bowls, going to nine Super Bowls as a head coach, 11 overall as a defensive coordinator and head coach, never having a damn thing to say. And all of a sudden, now that you can’t get a job, we’re supposed to care about what you have to say?”
Smith further highlighted why the head coach would not be a right fit for the media because “Nobody believes he’s going to listen to them, which is going to disempower and strip them of whatever potency they hope to have, which renders their job useless. Who’s going to hire somebody who thinks they’re gonna make their career get reduced to that? The answer’s going to be no one.”
Chris Long also suggested in jest that Smith could have mentored Belichick on how to handle the contemporary situation of the media and its related environment. Smith sidelined that, indicating the modifications the current media and marketing strategies have undergone. He also highlighted the marketing importance of the industry as well.
