UNSCRIPTED: Stephen A. Smith “My struggle with Mental Health”

Unscripted
By Keith Edmonds
FWIS Contributing Writer

Stephen A. Smith. What images does this man, or name conjure up in your mind? Now before you go into YOUR own thoughts of what he is, or means, to you, I have to share that this piece is of my OWN thoughts. Not necessarily about Stephen A. the MAN but more about this polarizing figure who, though he dominates the sports world often, while being featured on the ESPN networks, he has recently stated that he is HUMAN and deals with mental health issues like so many of society’s men (specifically Black men) deal with. Now, many of us have known (and followed) Stephen A. for years as he’s arguably the FACE of ESPN with his hit show First Take and his podcast The Stephen A. Smith Show on IHeartMedia. He’s knowledgeable, poignant, controversial, and if nothing else, has a certain je ne sais quoi about himself that exudes confidence and narcissism at its finest! In today’s UNSCRIPTED I want to take a look at Stephen A. Smith and share my thoughts about him as well as look at his personal turmoil with battling mental health and the toll it’s taking on him and those around him.

Stephen A. Smith, a proud graduate of Winston Salem State University has been covering sports for over 30 years and I for one, respect his opinions and various takes on sports figures and teams that we view on a daily basis. He’s unapologetically opinionated, frank, and never shies away from those that criticize or just downright don't respect his takes. He's loud, brash, and brings an air of arrogance that will make you either yell at your television set, your radio, or leave the room with disgust and anger. With that being said how could someone that just infuriates you as a sports fan, keep you tuned in to him daily? For me, I think it’s that fact that you just don’t know what he’s going to say to trip your emotional triggers and you can’t forgive yourself when you hear about it second hand! Whether it’s facts or opinions, he states things in such a way that you either painfully agree, or categorically disagree but either way it doesn’t matter to him! That in itself is... well I can’t say it here because this is a family newspaper! When asked if he is aware of the public’s opinions of him, Smith replied “Of course I’m aware and I would put MYSELF at the top of the list of the most annoying people in sports and to be honest about it, I just don’t care.”

I think that it’s this type of arrogance that makes us cringe when the name Stephen A. Smith comes up! He defies rational thought with his comments and open disdain of athletes, teams, and fan bases but remains steadfast in his commitment to bringing you HIS opinions whether you asked for them or not! It’s because of this lifestyle and confidence that we straddle the fence at times on how we feel about him and his mental health concerns. Smith openly admitted on his show when discussing mental health concerns about Dallas Cowboys quarterback Dak Prescott that he himself has been battling this as well. He shared that since the loss of his mother (Janice) in 2017 that it has taken a serious toll on his health. “That was the day I lost the greatest woman I’ve ever known. I lost the greatest human being I’ve ever known,” he continued. “I never thought about killing myself, but for two years every single day at some moment in time I wished I were dead. That is how bad my life was without my mother.”

That resonated with me in a powerful way! It’s really ironic that we as an admiring public perceive that those, we see in the media would have the very same issues and life battles that we have! I think that it’s because we feel that those that have money or influence can use those tools to funnel life’s problems away from their life and channel peace and tranquility in while the rest of us have to deal with it the best way that we can! Smith shared that he sought out the help of a therapist to deal with how alone he felt after his mother’s passing, especially since he was still single at the time which opened up tons of comments from “oh, well, life’s tough on you when you’re tough on others,” to wow, I would have never thought that about Stephen A”. Smith is quoted as saying; “Once I focused on taking care of my mental health, it helped me get through that dark chapter in my life, propelling me forward. I will use my platform to help inspire others to be more open about their mental health. I hope this powerful initiative will empower more people to do the same.” Folks, we all have issue that we are trying to deal with the best way that we can. No amount of money or influence can change that. We need strong people like Stephen A Smith to share their personal story to help us connect and address our OWN concerns as we travel life’s lanes. So, though he has a certain persona that we see on television and sports radio, remember that he also has a humanistic side that he’s addressing as well! Love him or not, he will be on your TV sets for many more years to come! Hmmmmm.... Is that a good thing? That’s for YOU to decide!