Stephen A. Smith has been calling for the Cincinnati Bengals to get rid of the winningest coach in franchise history for some time now. His obsession with dissing Lewis always confused me because there are only two African-American coaches in NFL history who fall in the Top 35 of all-time coaching victories.
Tony Dungy is 22nd all-time and No. 1 among African-American coaches with 148 career wins and a Super Bowl victory. Marvin Lewis is second with 118 wins, good for 33rd all-time.
Sure, the Bengals have had their problems getting out of the first round of the playoffs, but Lewis has made the playoffs consistently as a head coach, he’s cleansed a failing and rotting culture and he is successful in a field that doesn’t accept, cultivate or promote African-American men to prestigious positions.
This was in 2014, when he professed his love for black coaches and then said, “Marvin Lewis should be fired today.”
Stephen A. Smith – Bengals, Fire Marvin Lewis
Stephen A. Smith’s reaction to the Bengals home loss to the Chargers 1/5/14. It’s time to fire Marvin Lewis, he hasn’t been able to win a playoff game in 11 years!
Just two days ago, Smith lit into Lewis again.
Stephen A. says Bengals coach Marvin Lewis ‘should be fired’ | First Take | ESPN
Stephen A. Smith says the Cincinnati Bengals coach Marvin Lewis “should be fired.”
On Thursday, Stephen A. did it again, first asserting his blackness by proclaiming to be a champion for minority opportunities in sports. Then he attempted to assassinate the character of one of the NFL’s greatest African-American minds and calling for him to be fired so that there’s one less brother coaching on the NFL sidelines. A winning coach at that.
I am a Black man who consistently pushes for opportunities for African-Americans,” Smith said, “and I’m on about year five calling for this man to be fired.”
So many years of ineptitude has raked through this franchise,” Smith declared without mentioning any specific incidents, ” and even when you get to the postseason…there has to be standards… How can I be out here talking about Jason Garrett or Mike McCarthy or Chuck Pagano for crying out loud? How am I going to do that and let Marvin Lewis get a pass?
He cant win a damn playoff game, really?
Stephen A. on Bengals coach Marvin Lewis | First Take | ESPN
Stephen A. Smith and Max Kellerman debate the Week 2 matchup between the Houston Texans and Cincinnati Bengals, with Stephen A. saying Bengals coach Marvin Lewis needs to “get the hell out of Cincinnati.”
That was definitely a low blow by Stephen A. and he seems to have a real obsession with making sure Marvin Lewis loses his job. Just seems like he’d have other things to worry about and more useful campaigns to champion in the world of sports.
How about a call for an improvement to the Rooney Rules that would add more diversity to the mostly-segregated head coaching ranks.
At a time when brothers are fighting to be included as viable candidates for NFL head coaching and offensive coordinator gigs, and the league has as many minority coaches as its ever had in Lewis, the Chargers’ Anthony Lynn, Denver’s Vance Joseph, Pittsburgh’s Mike Tomlin, Detroit’s Jim Caldwell, Cleveland’s Hue Jackson, the Jets Todd Bowles and Carolinas Ron Rivera.
Stephen A.wants to get rid of one of the shining examples of black coaching excellence in the league. Not only is Lewis considered one of the game’s great guys, but he’s a valuable brother who has mentored other young brothers and provided coaching opportunities for people of color.
If Smith is truly about the advancement of people of color, then what he did to Lewis just doesn’t make sense.
