Stephen A. Smith: Chip Kelly's Decisions Have Left 'Brothas Uncomfortable'
PHILADELPHIA (CBS) --- Stephen A. Smith often says dumb things. However, he may have out-done himself on Monday morning.
Smith, a co-host on ESPN's First Take, suggested racism when criticizing Eagles head coach Chip Kelly and his recent transactions.
"Chip Kelly makes decisions over the last couple of years that dare I say leave a few brothas feeling uncomfortable," Smith said. "I think that's fair to say. We're sitting here looking at some of the decisions that Chip Kelly makes and I'm like what is up? What's up with that? It's like you gotta be his kinda guy, you know? And when Riley Cooper's your kind of guy...Let's get beyond the system though, the operative word is culture. The culture is what resonates with me more profoundly because I'm looking at Chip Kelly and I'm like…really?
"I mean, this is Philadelphia," he continued. "I'm always in Philly, and I'm telling you right now you got people walking the streets and and and---hell with it---you got brothas walking the streets going like 'What's up with Chip? I don't understand this.' Now I'm not saying I know, I'm just gonna say that it does strike me as a tad bit odd. I'm gonna repeat this. Gone---LeSean McCoy, Jeremy Maclin, ya know, DeSean Jackson. Staying---Riley Cooper."
On Sunday, the Eagles reportedly signed Byron Maxwell and Frank Gore, re-signed Mark Sanchez, and let Jeremy Maclin go to the Kansas City Chiefs.
On his Sirius XM radio show from 1-3 p.m., Smith defended his comments about Kelly.
"Apparently, I haven't even had the time to pass gas before I'm in the midst of controversy!" Smith said Monday afternoon. "Because a bunch of idiots, in the world of Twitter and beyond, saw me on First Take today speaking about Chip Kelly---the head coach of the Philadelphia Eagles---and essentially are trying to create storylines and headlines by accusing me of calling Chip Kelly a racist. Ladies and gentleman, I did no such thing. But if you are uncomfortable with what I had to say on First Take this morning with my man Skip Bayless on ESPN 2, let me say this to you. I don't give a damn. Means nothing to me."
"What I said was, to be specific and to be accurate and to be precise, that I'm very uncomfortable from what I'm seeing from Chip Kelly," Smith continued. "What I said, however, is that I'm uncomfortable, and dammit I ain't taking it back."
"What I'm talkin' about is the Chip Kelly culture and how there's a certain type of individual that he apparently he likes and apparently he doesn't like," said Smith. "And I have a problem with it because to me some of it doesn't make any sense."