Stephen A. Smith fired back at Michelle Beadle on Monday following her stinging criticism of his endorsement deal with the gaming app Solitaire Cash. Beadle, a former ESPN colleague of Smith’s, sharply condemned his role with app-developer Papaya Gaming, and said she was “praying for the downfall.” The comment came amid scrutiny surrounding the app developer, which faces allegations of using deceptive practices in cash tournaments.
During his show on SiriusXM’s Mad Dog Sports Radio, Smith said via Awful Announcing,
“I hear people talking about me on SiriusXM and who they would have preferred and who they would have wanted or whatever. I’ve been doing this for 30 years. I’ve been blessed and fortunate that when I’m doing stuff in this industry, I win.”
“You got some people that were in this business and they talk smack now cause they can’t get a job in the business cause they didn’t do a good enough job when they were in the business so now they gotta talk smack and their reputation is they’re talking to people. Well, what you got going on? It’s all of that that comes with it, because somewhere along the way, they didn’t do what it took to resonate continuously. And that’s why they’re on the outside looking in… they don’t have a job in the industry. Don’t think they don’t want one. They do. They just didn’t know how to act, and they didn’t know how to be productive enough to keep a job.”
“Some of these podcasts, some of the stuff that you see them saying, they ain’t even talking about things, they are talking about people because they don’t have to do real work. They can find a way to get clicks and make money that way cause they can’t make money any way else. Those people, you let them keep talking and you feel bad for them from time to time cause that’s how desperate they’ve become. And they know who they are. And so do you.”
Listen in to more of the feud!
ESPN should rename themselves to the “Stephen A” network. And it’s not because he gets asked to do everything and has a great work ethic, it’s more that he’s holding them hostage. pic.twitter.com/JRhNbL8NVn
— Beadle and Decker (@BeadleAndDecker) November 7, 2025
