Stephen A . Smith Stephen Anthony Smith ( born October 14 , 1967 ) is an American sports journalist , talk show host , and television personality . He currently hosts " The Stephen A . Smith and Ryan Ruocco Show " on ESPN Radio New York 98 . 7 FM , and is a featured columnist for ESPNNY . com . Smith also is a regular on " ESPN First Take " , where he appears with Skip Bayless . Early years . Smith was born in Tortola , BVI and raised in the Hollis neighborhood of the New York City borough of Queens . He has four older sisters who he does not get along with . He attended Winston - Salem State University , a historically black university in Winston - Salem , North Carolina . While in college , he played basketball under Hall of Fame coach Clarence Gaines . He later wrote an article for the university newspaper , The News Argus , suggesting that Gaines retired due to health issues . He is a member of the Omega Psi Phi Fraternity , Inc . Career . Print media . In 1994 , Smith was a sportswriter for the " Daily News " in New York City . Since 1994 , Smith has had a position as a writer for " The Philadelphia Inquirer " . He was initially a general sportswriter for the " Inquirer " before he began reporting on the Philadelphia 76ers as their NBA columnist , and eventually , as a general sports columnist . On August 23 , 2007 , the " Inquirer " announced that Smith would no longer be writing columns and would instead be demoted back to the position of general assignment reporter . Prior to his job with the " Inquirer " , Smith has had positions with the " Winston - Salem Journal " , the " Greensboro News and Record " and the " New York Daily News " . In 2008 , the " Inquirer " ended its relationship with Smith , which coincided with Smith starting his own blog , stephena . com . In February 2010 , Smith returned to the " Philadelphia Inquirer " after winning an arbitrator ' s ruling that he was to be reinstated , but having to agree to remove all of his political views from his website and from cable news shows . Radio . On April 11 , 2005 , Smith became the host of a weekday noon to 2 p . m . radio show on WEPN in New York City with his " right hand man B . T . ( Brandon Tierney ) " . On September 20 , 2007 , his radio show was shifted to the 2 p . m . – 4 p . m . slot , with the second hour being broadcast nationally on ESPN Radio , replacing " The Dan Patrick Show " ( Mike Tirico took over the first two hours ) . The show came to an end in April 2008 as Smith sought to expand his career in television , and beginning May 1 Scott Van Pelt began hosting in the 3 – 4 p . m . hour that was previously Smith ' s . In November 2009 , Smith became an on - air contributor to Fox Sports Radio , and was the one who broke the story of Allen Iverson ' s retirement on the Chris Myers - Steve Hartman afternoon show on November 25 . Iverson later ended his short retirement , and re - joined the Philadelphia 76ers on December 2 . Smith became a Fox Sports Radio morning show host on January 4 , 2010 , replacing popular longtime Washington , D . C . - based host Steve Czaban . Smith can also be heard from time to time as a caller to the Mark Levin and Sean Hannity radio shows . In early 2011 , Smith became a resident FSR NBA insider and ended his morning show , which was replaced by the Indianapolis - based " Zakk and Jack " show . It was announced on February 1 , 2011 , that he would be returning to ESPN as a columnist for ESPN . com and host weekday local radio shows on 1050 ESPN Radio New York ( WEPN - AM ) at 7 – 9 p . m . ET as well as 710 ESPN Radio Los Angeles ( KSPN - AM ) at 6 – 8 p . m . PT . April 24 , 2012 was Smith ' s last show for LA 710 ESPN . Television . Smith started his television career on the now - defunct cable network CNN / SI in 1999 . Smith is frequently seen as a basketball analyst and talk show host on ESPN and ESPN First Take . In August 2005 , he started hosting a daily hour - long show on ESPN called " Quite Frankly with Stephen A . Smith " . After the show was cancelled in January 2007 , he mainly concentrated on basketball , serving as an NBA analyst . Smith has appeared on other ESPN shows as well , including the reality series " Dream Job " , as well as a frequent guest ( and guest host ) on " Pardon the Interruption " , " Jim Rome is Burning " and as a popular participant on " 1st and 10 " . He has appeared as an anchor on the Sunday morning edition of " SportsCenter " , but on April 17 , 2009 announced on his website that he would be leaving ESPN on May 1 , 2009 . The " Los Angeles Times " reported that ESPN commented that , " We decided to move in different directions . " Though according to " Big Lead Sports " a source says that ESPN and Smith went to the negotiating table and couldn ’ t reach an agreement . Apparently , ESPN ’ s offer was considerably lower than Smith ’ s previous contracts – which were multi - media faceted – and Smith passed . He was then offered the decision to work through the remainder of his contract , or walk away and still get paid , and a source says Smith decided to work . Since then , Smith has returned to ESPN . Smith appeared on MSNBC Wednesday July 8 and 9 , 2009 as a special commentator on the Michael Jackson memorial funeral service . He provided a unique commentary on the choice of public funding for the celebration contrasted to the victory parade after the Los Angeles Lakers won the NBA championship . Smith has recently become a regular guest on the MSNBC ' s " Morning Joe " , " The Dylan Ratigan Show " and " The Ed Show " . Recently he has acquired the service of Steve Harvey ' s barber , Terrance ' Sonny ' Harris . In 2012 he began to wear Harvey ' s once signature hair piece . It was announced April 30 , 2012 on air that Smith would be joining " First Take " on a permanent , five - day per week basis under a new format for the show called " Embrace Debate " in which he squares off against longtime " First Take " commentator Skip Bayless . On March 4 , 2013 , when asked to compare the Miami Heat ' s 14 - game win streak to the Chicago Blackhawks ' current point streak , Smith said the following : " I don ' t even know why this is a question . Of course it ' s the Miami Heat , " Smith , of course , said . " Excuse me , when it was 21 games it was really an eight - game streak . There are three ties . I ' m sorry that doesn ' t count . I ' m not in to the tie business . This isn ' t soccer . . . I ' m sorry I ' m not buying it . " Controversy followed Smith ' s comments , especially since the NHL hadn ' t employed a tie system since April 2004 , just before the 2005 – 06 NHL season lockout . Acting career . Smith made his acting debut in a cameo appearance as a television reporter on the February 2 , 2007 episode on the ABC soap opera " General Hospital " . Later that year , he appeared in the Chris Rock motion picture " I Think I Love My Wife " , during a double - date scene .