Latest / Play Under Review Podcast / Stephen A. decides to make it all about himself!
Transcript
- Chuck Atkinson: Hey everybody, welcome back to another episode of Play Under Review with your host Chuck Atkinson and Jeremy Spencer. Jer, how are we doing, buddy? What's going on? Jeremy: We're doing pretty good. I hear you got Chuck Atkinson: Yeah. Jeremy: something you wanna get off your chest. Chuck Atkinson: Yeah, no, actually, thank you very much for for bringing that up right off the hopper there. yeah, so am watching some sporting news today, as as I like to do, listen in, see what's going on in the world of sports. Happen to tune in to another fine episode of First Take, with their great cast of characters there. And also a gentleman by the name of Stephen A. Smith. Yeah, so this is a guy Who daily just doesn't know when to shut his mouth. He just does not. day after day, he's the loudest guy there. and day after day, Jeremy: Yeah. Chuck Atkinson: he's the most annoying guy there. you've watched the show, right? You've know who I'm talking about. Jeremy: I know who you're talking about. Chuck Atkinson: Yeah, so everybody's favorite personality and yeah, I say that with very Jeremy: Everybody loves to l just let him go off once in a while, but he's yeah, he can get offside every Chuck Atkinson: Yeah, I Jeremy: once in a while. Chuck Atkinson: yeah, I I say f everybody's favorite personality with a tongue in cheek, of course, because either Jeremy: Yeah. Chuck Atkinson: he falls in the category of you love him or you hate him. There's no real middle ground with this guy. And well or you love to hate him, exactly. And you know. Jeremy: Or you love to hate I mean there is there's an entertainment factor to just hating the guy 'cause he just is he's something. Chuck Atkinson: Absolutely. Absolutely. And but you know, sometimes you know, things can be said, misunderstood perhaps, but no, this guy today, he just went off on a tangent, on a a rant, as it were, to basically put Lane Johnson of the Philadelphia Eagles on blast for retiring and thinking about his mental health and his family and himself first, quite frankly. this is not something that pro athletes do really until they retire. very rarely do they look after their mental health during the season. They're they're paid performers. And if they miss any kind of time, any kind of any kind of action, you know, they're they're kind of looked at w as weak perhaps maybe not strong minded. but no Steve and A went off today on lane. Jeremy: Yeah, but he's been around for what, twelve, fourteen years? Like he he it's not like Chuck Atkinson: Yeah, Lane, he's he's had a 14-year career, pro bowler, Jeremy: Yeah, yeah. Chuck Atkinson: you know, how many times? Super Bowls, two Super Bowls, I believe. a fantastic offensive lineman. But, you know, this coming this past offseason, he brought up the thought of of retirement, apparently with the Eagles, and announcing this potentially would be his last year. So that had been floated out there already. And but no, Stephen A decided to make it about himself and just basically use his mouth as he does every day as a giant megaphone for misinformation, bravado, and basic bullshit talk. And in watching the cast that was with him today, hearing him go off for two minutes about Lane Johnson and his reasoning for retiring and his mental mental health and one to look after that and his family. Stephen A is quite frankly the lowest of the low when it comes to sports talk. I I I saw his apology. He did post an apology online. but to be quite honest, it was a half-assed apology that was all about himself. And wasn't any kind of contrite to it. he he wasn't remorseful. after a brief mention of Lane Johnson, he went all about himself for the next two minutes, two and a half minutes. And that just shows the character. Rather than putting out a 30-second or 45 second post saying, Lane, I'm sorry for acting the way I did. No, he took 10 seconds, 15 seconds to talk about Lane, made it all about himself to get that feel good, feel bad about me and my situation story on him. So he's deflecting. And to be quite honest, this guy's time, it really should be done. I'm sure I'm not the only person out there who in in sports land feels way about this guy as I do. he he's just quite an ignorant moron and and should be taken off the air because the people around him, they deserve somebody on that set who knows what they're talking about, quite frankly. It's not just football talk, it's basketball talk, baseball talk. You you don't ask this guy about hockey. You just don't, okay? He he talks like he knows something about hockey, but he doesn't. yeah. Anyways, you know, you you're you're full of shit, to put it bluntly. And yeah, Stephen A, this has been a Jeremy: There it is. But yeah I don't know. I never call for anybody's job, but we've had people you know, Don Cherry lost his job for telling people to wear poppies, so Chuck Atkinson: Well, you know, that's Jeremy: you know, in a in a in a kind of a backhanded kind of way. Chuck Atkinson: That's a that's that that's some that's somebody's belie that's somebody's belief, I guess, you know, but you know, when you when you talk about somebody's well being and the reason for doing their job and not wanting to do their job and spending time with their families, Jeremy: Yeah, it's pretty ridiculous. Chuck Atkinson: you know, i it is pretty ridiculous. So Jeremy: Well, you just he he's not he doesn't have a place to have an opinion on what's going on with somebody else's Chuck Atkinson: With somebody else like that. No. Jeremy: mind. So Chuck Atkinson: No, and he can roundabout it about, you know, the Eagles offense and things like that. but yeah, no, the the guy's trash. And he's just yelling every day, he screams every day, and my god. That's it it's it's just nonsense. you know, maybe Skip Bayless was right. This guy's an idiot. And maybe there's a reason why he's not on the show anymore. Stephen A didn't get rid of Jeremy: Hmm. Chuck Atkinson: him. Stephen, you know, Skip Bayless probably said, The hell with this guy. I I can't take this anymore. You know, it's Jeremy: Yeah. Chuck Atkinson: it's a two way street, right? So, yeah. I wish you all the best there, Stephen A, but no. You you messed up, bud. You messed up. But anyways, happier things in the world, happier things in the world than just Stephen A. Smith. Jer, what's what else is going on there? You know, football is coming up. We'll talk about that in our next episode. Jeremy: Yeah, no, just watching the been watching some hockey. The Chuck Atkinson: Yeah. Jeremy: Jets are playing Colorado tonight. they just they just pulled ahead. So and I'm at the end of the Chuck Atkinson: We got a live update on the score on that one there. What's Jeremy: end of the it's the end of the second and then it's two to one Jets, I believe. So Chuck Atkinson: Two to one. Yeah. I got my on some baseball tonight. the Dodgers closed out the Braves four to one. They're gonna be moving on to the next round. Jeremy: Yeah, we figured that was coming. Chuck Atkinson: yeah, hey, it was a great series. They're all close games. It's just a matter of getting that that that clutch home run, that clutch hit. tonight it was Pajes for for the Dodgers unloading the bases. except for one, of course, you know, that was a two run single. then the Yankees are on right now. And just waiting for the the Padres and the Brewers to start a little bit later on. But no, good evening of baseball. Jeremy: Yeah. Chuck Atkinson: light schedule in hockey tonight. I think there's only what three games. Jeremy: Yeah, there's not much going on tonight. Watched the Habs last night. That wasn't great. Give it up another six goals, so giving up fourteen Chuck Atkinson: Mm-hmm. Jeremy: goals in three games. It's not exactly how we want it to start the beginning of the season, but working on a few bugs. We'll be we'll be right along there. And Demidoff, Chuck Atkinson: Yeah, it's always too early to call. Jeremy: losing Demidoff in the second game of the season for four weeks, probably two to four weeks is also not not great. Chuck Atkinson: Well, better now than Jeremy: Give Florian Jack Eye a chance to get called up. Chuck Atkinson: Yeah, and I I always look at the glass half full. It's I'd rather if he's if he were to get injured or anybody to get injured really for any length of time, hopefully it's not in the last month of the season where it really can Jeremy: Mm. Chuck Atkinson: impact a push to the playoffs or affect any kind of seeding for you guys. I know the wings they pulled out the wings pulled out a win last night, five to three. Jeremy: Yeah, look at that. Yeah. Chuck Atkinson: I know, They pulled out a win. I'm not gonna get too hyped up over it. It was over the Ottawa Senators. Jeremy: I heard Larkin played pretty good. Chuck Atkinson: He he showed up. He listen, the guy's he's manning up, he's facing the noise. he created the music, so he's gotta face the back, you know, the noise. Jeremy: Yeah. Chuck Atkinson: he had a goal and an assist last night, I believe. so as long as he Jeremy: Well Chuck Atkinson: keeps it up there and just Jeremy: Comes out and keeps playing good hockey, he'll ha give his team a chance to trade him. So Chuck Atkinson: Well, exactly. And as a matter of fact, he did start a line brawl. After the positive Jeremy: And Chuck Atkinson: as well, one of our guys took a one of those nice reverse hits, little chicken wing elbow lit f from the behind and Jeremy: Yeah. Chuck Atkinson: leveled one of our guys and yeah, Larkin came in, rushed the guy and next thing you know, it's what what's that? Jeremy: Well, stuck up for teammates he doesn't want to be part of. I said he's stuck up for the teammates he doesn't want to be part of. Chuck Atkinson: Well, listen, you know, you're getting paid the money, you gotta play the game. And last night that line it looked pretty good and that shift looked a little bit like the Hanson Brothers, so mucking Jeremy: Well and I Chuck Atkinson: it up with he's gonna have to get his hands dirty. He's gonna if he's gonna get some crab back on the side. Jeremy: Yeah. Well I heard I was just listening to Chris Pronger kind of explain the two you know, the situation. He said that he was saying that the hellbuck situation is like a depreciating asset because the longer longer he's out of the lineup, you know, it's Chuck Atkinson: Mm-hmm. Jeremy: it's known that when a p when somebody holds out and comes in late, they often have a slow start, takes them longer to get going, and there's a good chance they get end up injured by the second half of the season because of Just because of holding out for a few weeks, month, however long they hold out. Whereas Dylan Chuck Atkinson: No, you're you're sitting there, you y Right. Jeremy: Larkin is out playing, as awkward as it is, he's still out there playing and getting you know, game ready and and and ready to rock and roll for somebody else. Hopefully that comes sooner or later for a guy like him. But the longer Hellibuck sets out, it's bad for both sides. It's bad for Hellibuck, it's bad for the the Jets. Chuck Atkinson: Yeah, that's that's exactly it. The battery's gonna die on the on the engine. yeah, he well he adding on to that, looking into his last couple of years, listen, I I think this guy's been a depreciating asset for the Jets before he signed the long term extension. He really he he's hasn't done much in the last couple of years, hasn't won them any playoff series, and the really his his big moment has been in the the Olympics, winning it for the U.S. that one game. aside from Jeremy: Mm-hmm. Chuck Atkinson: that, nobody's talking about how great Hellbuck's been over the last three years. his numbers, his stats have have really plateaued and gone down quite frankly. So yeah we'll see whoever the the lucky bingo winner is who trades for this guy. Jeremy: Yep. No. But other than that, there's you know, clicking along Chuck Atkinson: So yeah, it's a pretty it's a pretty light night there, on the docket. Basketball season's ramping up again. Jeremy: Looking forward to yeah, I was just gonna say basketball season. Chuck Atkinson: Yeah, your game's gonna be right around the corner. You're heading up in November, I believe, to a Raptor game, seeing the Knicks. So that's gonna be awesome. Yeah, Kawhi's Jeremy: Yeah, Raptors Knicks. Should be good. Hopefully Kawhi's playing. Chuck Atkinson: well, home game and early s early part of the season. That's a good rep recipe for Kawhi Leonard playing a basketball game. So Jeremy: Yeah. Especially playing against the Knicks too, so Chuck Atkinson: Exactly. Yeah. I w that would be an awesome game to see the Brunson and the Brunson, Jalen Brunson and Kat and all those guys. Actually, it'd be nice to see OG come back to Toronto, Jeremy: Yeah. Chuck Atkinson: see what kind of reaction he gets from the Raptors fans. I'm sure it's gonna be a good one. He's always been a fan favorite. So Jeremy: That's right. That's right. Chuck Atkinson: but yeah, no, it's busy time of the year for sports fans. there's gotta be that sports equinox day coming up here soon. So we have Jeremy: Mm-hmm. Chuck Atkinson: Tomorrow we have football on Thursday night. There's gonna be some hockey on. They're there Jeremy: Yeah. How the Habs are playing tomorrow night, buddy. Chuck Atkinson: Okay, the Habs are on and maybe we have basketball. That's right. Regular season's not starting for a couple of weeks. So the Jeremy: Not quite yet. Chuck Atkinson: Equinox hasn't quite come over us yet. we're getting Jeremy: Yeah. Chuck Atkinson: there, folks. We're getting there. But no, I don't think Jeremy: They're Chuck Atkinson: we have too much more on the go tonight, Jer. What do you think? Jeremy: trying to think of what what else was Chuck Atkinson: Anything else you wanna anything else you wanna add for the for the crowd tonight? Jeremy: I I don't I don't think so. Chuck Atkinson: Okay. Jeremy: You Chuck Atkinson: All right. Well, with that folks, listen, you know, it's a short episode tonight. we just wanted to get a few things off our chest and touch on some of the activities that are going on in sports. But we're gonna go into you know greater depth as we always do over the next couple of episodes. football week is as always right around the corner, starting tomorrow night with the Cowboys and the Buccaneers, I believe. So another fun weekend involved. Jer, yeah. Jeremy: yeah. Chuck Atkinson: Hockey season, that's right. So since we're on hockey season for a minute, folks, we're gonna revert back to fantasy hockey. my first year in Jarr's fantasy hockey league. Jer, how long have you been in this league again? Jeremy: this league's been going for quite a while, another like fifteen years. We had kinda had we switched it, we were on CBS forever and switched to ESPN for one year and didn't like it very much when back on CBS, so yeah, Chuck Atkinson: Okay. Jeremy: there's a little glitch in it. But this particular edition that you're in is thinking this is year three or four. Yeah. But same group Chuck Atkinson: Yeah, no. Jeremy: of guys for years and years. You why did you want to show the the the the t the everybody the scores there? Chuck Atkinson: Well we we mu we might as well, you know, give a little sneak peek at what our lineups look like here. So Jeremy: Yeah, well. Chuck Atkinson: there's pretty much you know the bones of our our our starting lineup. And your main cat is who again? Your your superstar? Jeremy: Salabrani. Chuck Atkinson: Macklin Salabrini, that's right. And Jeremy: Macklin Celebrini. Chuck Atkinson: yeah, and I roll with my first year in the league. the X Factor are now on ice and so we've Jeremy: That's right. Chuck Atkinson: Our our our big acquisition this year for the first time in the league is Nathan McKinnon. And no, he he's a l superstar player. They both are, Macklin and Nathan. So a couple of Canucks there, a couple of good boys. Jeremy: Yep. No, I've it's both I've got both Celebrini and Demidoff in my lineup this week against you, and neither one of them are gonna play, I don't think. So well Demidoff definitely isn't. Chuck Atkinson: Okay. Jeremy: He's out for four weeks, found that out like Monday after the lineup's locked. Chuck Atkinson: After the lineup was already set. Yeah. Yeah, that's Jeremy: Yep. So we're gonna but I'm still I still got a little bit of a lead on ya, but it's gonna be tough tough to finish it off. The the weekend hasn't hit us yet. That's when most of the points come for the hockey pool. Chuck Atkinson: That's right. Yeah, it's you're playing on the PK all week. You're playing on the PK Jeremy: Yeah. Chuck Atkinson: all week. Yeah, shorthanded. And I think I I drew you Jeremy: McKinnon's got a bloody nose. Chuck Atkinson: I drew you again there in the Halifax League and our our other football league folks. So Jer and I are in two major football leagues together. Our primary, of course, is the Riverview Fantasy Football League, which we're all familiar with. And the River Jeremy: Yes. Chuck Atkinson: and the Halifax Fantasy Football League. so we Jeremy: Yeah. The ECFL. Chuck Atkinson: The East. Where I think the Chargers Jeremy: East Coast Fantasy Football League. Chuck Atkinson: which is where the which is where the Los Angeles Chargers qualify to play as an organization. They do not qualify for the NFL. They bypass the CFL and I think we're gonna ship them off to the what was the European Football League. Yeah, anyways, the London Dragons or whoever it was. Jeremy: NFL UK or something. Yeah. Chuck Atkinson: But Yeah, it's it's another good week of fantasy football, of course. And no, we just wanted to touch on that for a moment. But yeah, join us again next time. We're gonna say we're gonna talk about the upcoming football weekend, hockey, of course, see what's going on with baseball. The the playoffs are pushing on. And yeah, I hope everybody's doing well. Hope you guys enjoyed the show once again. Thank you very much for all you subscribers joining us, all the views that you've given us. please like, subscribe, and shish and share. And don't forget to please post a comment for us. We'd like to get some feedback. Maybe give us some noise about what teams you guys cheer for and we can throw our opinions on them. So with that being said, Jerry, you wanna send us off for tonight? Jeremy: Yeah, just everybody have a good weekend and remember before you shake the ketchup bottle, check the lid.