Believe It Or Not, Stephen A. Smith Accused Someone Else of Being Too Dramatic

Oklahoma Sooners quarterback Baker Mayfield won’t start against West Virginia. He also won’t be a captain. Yesterday an emotional Mayfield was moved to tears speaking about the situation.

“Playing at OU is something I always dreamed of,” Mayfield said. “Not starting, you know, it is what it is but not being a team captain is so much more.”

Sooners coach Lincoln Riley was similarly emotional.

" .@LincolnRiley on @baker_mayfield6pic.twitter.com/ZKyobimGdH — Oklahoma Football (@OU_Football) November 20, 2017 "

ESPN’s Stephen A. Smith today ridiculed Riley and Mayfield for showing such emotion on First Take. Smith also had the audacity and lack of self-awareness to accuse someone of being overly dramatic.

" “And because you’re not going to start the game and play the first couple of minutes … that’s why they’re crying?!” –@stephenasmith reacts to Baker Mayfield and Lincoln Riley’s news conferences pic.twitter.com/pHn3RrI0k1 — First Take (@FirstTake) November 21, 2017 "

So if you’re keeping score at home: Riley and Mayfield weren’t allowed to treat Saturday’s incident as a nothingburger. Riley issued a heavy-handed and unnecessary, if not symbolic, punishment. Now Riley and Mayfield are being mocked for treating the situation too seriously. It’s almost as if they weren’t going to win no matter how they responded.

Smith’s take, though entertaining, perhaps intentionally missed the point as to why the player and coach became choked up on Monday. Clearly the tears were motivated by things deeper than Mayfield not taking the field for the opening possession.