Stephen A. Smith seemed to be in his own feelings while accusing Drake Maye of “performing because he’s in his feelings because somebody might have critiqued him,” while also accusing the Patriots quarterback of lying about Cam Newton.
The “First Take” panelist took aim at Maye after he was on WEEI in Boston for a weekly radio appearance and responded to Newton’s criticism of the Patriots — calling New England’s success “fool’s gold” because of its schedule — on the popular ESPN program.
“I don’t even know what show he’s on,” Maye said in the radio interview. “I think they get paid to make remarks and make certain comments. So, I just worry about what people in our organization think. … People are going to have different opinions. I’m just going out there on Sunday and worrying about ourselves.”
Well, it was that response that had Smith in an uproar on Thursday when he addressed Maye’s comments, questioning how the North Carolina product could ever not know what show Newton was on, considering the success of “First Take,” according to Smith.
“He’s also a liar,” Smith said. “‘Pardon The Interruption’ is the No. 1 show on ESPN spanning 20-plus decades. ‘First Take’ is the No. 1 morning show 13 years and counting — April will be 14 years. Don’t tell me you an athlete and you don’t know that. Don’t tell me you an athlete and you don’t know that Cam Newton is on this show. You lying.”
But Smith didn’t stop there, asking, “How about athletes looking out for athletes?”
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“The media offers former professional athletes opportunities that corporate America, for the most part, ain’t doing,” Smith continued. “But a professional athlete performing because he’s in his feelings because somebody might have critiqued him or some weak ass reporter or pundit on radio gonna ask a question out of context. They misquote Cam because, like Cam said, he was talking about the Patriots, not him. You’re gonna ask the question, well, ask it accurately instead of misrepresenting Cam Newton.”
However, when Maye appeared on WEEI with Andy Hart, Nick Stevens and Ted Johnson, the signal-caller was asked — and responded to — a question about Newton calling the Patriots’ 9-2 start “fool’s gold.”
Newton also acknowledged that he “did say the Patriots are fool’s gold, and I’m gonna stand on that.”
Heading into Week 12, Maye has a league-leading 2,836 passing yards with 20 touchdowns.
