Watch: Stephen A. Smith gets embarrassed on national stage just a day after taking a shot at South Carolina football

Stephen A. Smith is one of the most recognizable faces in all of sports media. The loudest of all the talking heads, Stephen A. is not afraid to take shots at players or teams during his rants, whether the shots are justified or not. Earlier this week, for reasons unknown, the ESPN employee took a shot at Shane Beamer’s South Carolina football team.

In a conversation about the Colorado Buffaloes and Coach Prime Deion Sanders, Stephen A. Smith and Chris “Mad Dog” Russo were speculating about whether or not Sanders would make a good fit with the Florida Gators.

After exchanging takes on Colorado players like Shedeur Sanders and Travis Hunter, Smith interrupted Russo to talk down on the current state of the Florida Gators and, in the process, take a swipe at the Gamecocks. “Nobody’s thinking about Florida right now. We celebrate when they beat South Carolina! I mean, come on! This is not the Florida of old.”

South Carolina football fans were a little perplexed why the ESPN First Take personality was mockingly clapping for and talking down about their favorite team, but the outrage wasn’t enormous. However, when Stephen A. Smith got embarrassed on a national stage just a day later, it certainly put a smile on some Gamecock fans’ faces nonetheless.

On Thursday, the New York-based Smith was asked to throw out the first pitch before the New York Yankees and Toronto Blue Jays game at Yankee Stadium. Decked out with a pinstriped Derek Jeter jersey, Stephen A. Smith delivered a pitch that would have made the Yankee legend shake his head.

Stephen A. confidently stepped onto the mound to try to throw the ball the full 60 feet, 6 inches to get it to home plate, but the pitch traveled only about 50 feet before bouncing in the dirt. To Smith’s credit, the pitch was straight, but it was an embarrassing moment for a man who arrogantly insisted on throwing off the mound.

South Carolina football will look to prove to Smith that they are no joking matter on Saturday when they take on the Mississippi State Bulldogs at Williams-Brice Stadium.