ESPN’s Stephen A. Smith absolutely went off on Colin Kaepernick Wednesday in an enraged rant on “First Take” when discussing the San Francisco quarterback’s refusal to vote in the Presidential election.
Kaepernick has been leading a national anthem protest in the NFL to protest racial injustice in America, but he recently revealed he did not participate in the presidential election. Stephen A. Smith had some serious words for the young quarterback in a lengthy rant that should be written in ALL CAPS.
“As far as I’m concerned Colin Kaepernick is absolutely irrelevant,” Smith began. “I don’t want to hear a damn word about anything that he has to say about our nation, the issues that we have, racial injustices, needing change, et cetera, et cetera.”
“For him not to vote…as far as I’m concerned, everything he said meant absolutely nothing!”
– @stephenasmith on Colin Kaepernick pic.twitter.com/gShvVfVoAt
— First Take (@FirstTake) November 9, 2016
“He comes across as a flaming hypocrite as far as I’m concerned. I’m not interested in a damn word that he has to say and quite frankly I hope he goes away,” Smith added. “He’s lucky to be in the league right now.”
“And Colin Kaepernick after all this noise that you’ve made, even though you didn’t intend to do so by offending our military service men and women. And pointing out about how you wanted to bring attention to racial injustices and beyond that’s in this country. To turn around and not to even take your behind to the polls to vote for a particular candidate–it is shameful. Absolutely shameful,” he continued.
“Him of all people, because of the position he took, because of the attention he brought to the issues, the fact that he doesn’t have the decency to go to the polls and activate yourself in this election (as our president said) is a damn shame.”
“I don’t want to hear another word from Colin Kaepernick. It’s a waste of time. [As] a matter of fact, I would personally make a request to the media in this nation: Wherever he is, if he ain’t on that football field trying to throw another damn incomplete pass, do me a favor and make sure of one thing, take the camera away from him. It means nothing. Because for him not to vote, as far as I’m concerned, everything he said meant absolutely nothing. Absolutely nothing. I don’t want to hear another damn word from him. Nothing.”
It would seem that Kaepernick might have betrayed the entire message behind his national anthem protest. Stephen A. Smith was fired up about the Kaepernick news before he even went on the air. He even issued a warning on Twitter before going live with his take.
I can’t wait for @FirstTake at 10am. B/T the election results, Brady and @KingJames voice in it, and Kaepernick refusing to VOTE, I’m going
— Stephen A Smith (@stephenasmith) November 9, 2016
to flat-out warn everyone that I’m about to be off the chain today. I’ve already told friends, colleagues to leave me the hell alone. Not
— Stephen A Smith (@stephenasmith) November 9, 2016
Even trying to hear anything today. I’ll see y’all at 10am, ESPN2. The show is @FirstTake damnit. And then my radio show after. #Peace
— Stephen A Smith (@stephenasmith) November 9, 2016
Stephen A. Smith made it very clear how he feels about Kaepernick’s decision not to vote and effectively reduced him to nothing as an athlete and activist in the process.