Stephen A. Smith calls out Auburn basketball ahead of March Madness
The Auburn Tigers struggles down the stretch of the basketball season have not gone unnoticed. The discourse around Bruce Pearl's team has largely centered around the fact it has lost three of four games heading into the NCAA Tournament, something no National Champion has ever done before.
Auburn's resume earned it the No. 1 overall seed this March, but its recent lack of success have caused many to not only question the Tigers validity as the top seed in the tournament, but even as the top team in the conference. One of the doubters, ESPN personality Stephen A. Smith, voiced his frustrations to Bruce Pearl and company on his program, 'First Take', this week.
Speaking directly into the camera, Smith said "I'm a huge fan of Bruce Pearl [but] you lose three of the last four games coming into the tournament. I mean what the hell is going on? [Auburn] got bounced out last year in the first round, ya'll supposed to have attitude.... Auburn what's up? Are you going home early again is that what ya'll going to do? Step your game up and handle your business, ya'll better than that... okay!"
The longtime anchor's frustration shares the sentiment of many members of the Auburn family, who feel as if the team may have lost a step since winning the SEC Regular Season Championship. Even with the rough stretch of play, Bruce Pearl's Tigers still own 16 Quadrant 1 victories. It still has one of two unanimous AP First Team All-American players in Johni Broome, and it still possess a quartet of fantastic guards.
Auburn is better than what it has shown recently, but it remains to be seen if the Tigers can "step up their game and handle business" in March.
Contact/Follow us @TheAuburnWire on X (Twitter), and like our page on Facebook to follow ongoing coverage of Auburn news, notes, and opinion. You can also follow Brian on Twitter@TheRealBHauch
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Newsweek
an hour ago
- Newsweek
DraftKings Promo Code: Claim $200 Bonus For MLB, U.S. Open, WNBA Games
The DraftKings promo code for new users will unlock access to a $200 instant bonus for MLB, U.S. Open and WNBA action Wednesday. The DraftKings promo code for new users will unlock access to a $200 instant bonus for MLB, U.S. Open and WNBA action Wednesday. Newsweek AI is in beta. Translations may contain inaccuracies—please refer to the original content. The updated DraftKings promo code offer provides new users with a great opportunity to capitalize on Wednesday's MLB games like Yankees-Rays and Brewers-Cubs. A $5 bet on any market will unlock $200 in bonus bets and over $200 off NFL Sunday Ticket for the 2025 season when you click here. New users will have plenty of betting opportunities for Wednesday. Early in the day, big series like Astros-Tigers and Mariners-Phillies will wrap up. The aforementioned Yankees-Rays and Brewers-Cubs games will take place this evening. Other playoff contenders throughout MLB will be in action on Wednesday as well. Any of these games will qualify for your opening $5 bet. This offer from DraftKings Sportsbook comes at a good time. The NFL season is around the corner, and you will be able to watch all the action you want with the Sunday Ticket discount. Once you secure the $200 in bonus bets, you can use them on the final week of NFL preseason games, or even on college football Week 0 games like Iowa State-Kansas State. Sign up to secure your new user offer and take advantage of additional in-app offers from DraftKings Sportsbook. Read more College football Week 0 betting odds: How to bet on opening weekend of CFB DraftKings Promo Code: $200 Bonus For U.S. Open, MLB, More DraftKings Promo Code Sign Up Using Links Above – No Code Needed New User Offer Bet $5, Get $200 Instantly in Bonus Bets + Over $200 Off NFL Sunday Ticket In-App Promos MLB Parlay Profit Boost, WNBA Parlay Profit Boost, Tennis No Sweat Bets, PGA Tour Top Finish Boost, etc. Terms and Conditions New Customers – 21+ in Eligible States Bonus Last Verified On Aug. 20, 2025 Information Confirmed By Newsweek Arguably the best part of this new user offer is that you do not have to worry about winning your $5 bet. Once you place your wager, you will receive the $200 in bonus bets and NFL Sunday Ticket discount before that bet even settles. For example, you could bet $5 on the Yankees to beat the Rays tonight and instantly get your rewards. You could also look ahead to the Week 3 NFL preseason games, starting with Steelers-Panthers and Patriots-Giants on Thursday night. No matter what market you choose, just make sure that your initial bet is at least $5 to secure your welcome offer. Steps To Claim DraftKings Promo Code Follow the directions below to claim the DraftKings promo code offer: Click here to go to the registration page Enter basic personal information (name, date of birth, mailing address, phone number, email address, etc.) Make initial deposit with secure payment method (credit card, debit card, PayPal account, online banking, etc.) Place your initial $5 bet on any game to activate $200 in bonus bets and NFL Sunday Ticket discount You can redeem your NFL Sunday Ticket discount immediately, and your $200 in bonus bets will be valid for seven days before they expire from your account. Current World Series Favorites At DraftKings We are approaching the end of August, and we have seen how teams look with their additions from the MLB trade deadline. Before the football season starts up, it might be a good time to check in on the World Series favorites. You could find good value in betting on one of these teams to go all the way: Los Angeles Dodgers (+360) Philadelphia Phillies (+600) Milwaukee Brewers (+800) Detroit Tigers (+800) New York Yankees (+950) Houston Astros (+950) Toronto Blue Jays (+1000) Seattle Mariners (+1100) San Diego Padres (+1200) New York Mets (+1500) Newsweek may earn an affiliate commission if you sign up through the links in this article. See the sportsbook operator's terms and conditions for important details. Sports betting operators have no influence over newsroom coverage.
Los Angeles Times
2 hours ago
- Los Angeles Times
Selling ESPN streaming: Disney marketing push to saturate L.A. and New York
People in L.A. and New York better get ready for a sea of ESPN red on their morning and evening commutes. Walt Disney Co.'s is backing the Thursday launch of its sports media unit's direct-to-consumer streaming app with a major advertising campaign aimed at captive audiences in their cars and on the railway tracks. The aggressive four-week push is aimed at telling consumers that ESPN — long one of the pillars of the cable television business — will be available for the first time without a pay TV subscription. The service, a major initiative since ESPN Chairman Jimmy Pitaro took over the Disney unit in 2018, is a response to the growing number of consumers who are bypassing cable and satellite for streaming video platforms. The trend has decreased the number of pay TV homes receiving ESPN, which is a major source of revenue for the company. Consumers can subscribe to the new ESPN streaming app for $29.99 a month. Households already paying to receive ESPN channels through cable or satellite can sign up at no additional cost, enabling up to five people to stream the service on mobile devices and internet-connected TV sets. 'We designed our campaign exactly as we designed our product, which is to serve sports fans anytime, anywhere,' Jo Fox, executive vice president of marketing for ESPN, said in a recent interview. 'So we want to make sure we are showing up in as many places as possible.' The advertising campaign that starts Thursday will feature Lyft-operated Cadillac SUVs wrapped in the company logo and the promotional campaign's tagline 'All of ESPN. All in One Place.' The vehicles will be concentrated in high-traffic areas near sporting events in Los Angeles and New York, where the U.S. Open tennis tournament will soon begin. The ESPN brand name and logo will also appear on the Lyft app and maps. Mass transit users won't be left out, as ESPN will take over the E Line of the New York City subway that travels from the World Trade Center to Queens. The exterior of the train cars will be covered with logos while more specific ad messages will appear on the inside. The public address announcements at the Spring Street subway station — located near Disney's downtown Manhattan headquarters — will be delivered by ESPN's voluble $20-million-a-year man Stephen A. Smith, the co-host of 'First Take.' Signage will also take over electronic screens in New York's Moynihan Train Hall and Port Authority Bus Terminal and billboards along L.A.'s Sunset Boulevard and adjacent to SoFi Stadium in Inglewood. ESPN's campaign will go beyond the major media centers on the coasts. The streaming service will be featured on TV screens in the home entertainment sections in 4,000 Walmart stores across the country. ESPN also has a deal with Samsung, which will offer free yearlong subscriptions to the streaming service to customers who purchase a QLED 4K TV at Best Buy or Best Buy stores will feature the ESPN app in stores as well during the promotion. ESPN has already been touting its streaming service on air and in paid TV media buys with commercials featuring actor and WWE star John Cena. Cena will soon be an ESPN fixture as the streaming service becomes the new home of major WWE events such as WrestleMania and Royal Rumble, starting in 2026. The ESPN app will include a number of features that will complement the live sports offerings. Fans will be able to create their own personalized 'SportsCenter,' which will use artificial intelligence to provide a short personalized highlight program geared to the user's favorite teams and events. NBC Sports pioneered the customized highlight show on its Peacock streaming platform during the 2024 Summer Olympics, using the voice of Al Michaels. The voices of ESPN 'SportsCenter' hosts will be used on 'SportsCenter for You.' The app will also offer stats, betting, commerce and fantasy sports information alongside the live game coverage shown on ESPN channels.
Yahoo
3 hours ago
- Yahoo
Does Auburn have the right to claim additional national championships?
Yahoo Sports' Jason Fitz and Caroline Fenton discuss if Auburn has a legitimate claim to the four additional national championships they recently added to their football resume. View more Video Transcript Auburn has officially claimed four more college football national championships, adding 1910, 1914, 1958, and 2004, wild to me. I'll use 2004 as a note because most of us listening and watching don't remember 1910, 1914, and probably 1958. But in 2004 it was a riveting year. I am the old person on this show. Uh, Auburn finished number two that year. They did not play in the BCS championship game, but they finished number two that year, but the number one title went to USC. Uh, that title was vacated by the NCAA because of the Reggie Bush situation, and all of a sudden you end up with Auburn saying, well, we finished number two, therefore we shall claim a title. I'm stunned, Caroline, to see this from a program like Auburn. Um, I actually recently just claimed a Miss America title and an Olympic gold medal. So that is how you may now introduce me every time we open up the show. Thank you so much. It was really so much hard work, and I'm really but that's how silly you sound, Auburn. And that's my biggest thing here: we are talking about Auburn football with a storied history, with a long history of greatness and championships, SEC championships. We are talking about one of the most reputable programs in the entire country. You're better than this. You are better, Auburn, than UCF-ing your way into more national championships. And of course I'm talking about UCF, who just claimed a national championship because they had an undefeated regular season but didn't get into the college football playoffs. Like these are make-believe fairy tale national championships. You don't get to just wake up one day and say, I feel like having four. More national championships today. That's not how this works. Now in 2004, obviously USC had to vacate that national championship. They beat Oklahoma in the national championship that year. But just because that win is vacated does not mean it's up for grabs. It doesn't mean that you can just say all of a sudden you want it. Uh, look, at the end of the day, Auburn has made themselves a laughingstock right now and if you're an Auburn fan, you can't even fight that. Like now you're in the same conversation as UCF. Good God. Like this is not, you can't give yourself a nickname in life. You, you're not allowed to give yourself a nickname. You can't walk into a gym, tell everybody, hey, I haven't decided what like people have to give you a nickname. You also can't give yourself a national championship. There is a process here if they really think because the title was vacated, that they should be named the champion, then I think they should go to the NCAA and see if the NCAA wanted to name them. If the NCAA had come out and said, you know what, because of the vacation of the 2004 national championship, we're going to, we're going to now give that to Auburn. Like in the Olympics, if somebody loses a gold, they have the right to go out and then give that gold to the silver. They could, they could do all these things. Fine. If the NCAA come out yesterday and said we're giving Auburn the 2004 NCAA championship, we would have laughed, but we would have laughed at the NCAA. Instead, we're laughing at Auburn, and this is the sort of thing you don't do when you're a serious. Close
