Oklahoma State deserves plenty of criticism for its current stretch of play. The Cowboys have lost seven straight games and are now 4-19 in the Big 12 after losing to Baylor. Marcus Smart is currently serving a three-game suspension for shoving a Texas Tech fan, but that doesn’t mean is going to sit quietly while people say unkind things about his teammates.
Smart called out Kyle Porter, the guy who runs the popular Oklahoma State blog Pistols Firing, during Monday night’s loss to Baylor. Porter sent a number of negative tweets about the team. Here are a few.
This is embarrassing for Scott Drew. Baylor has four guys who can post up and Nash is out and he's fine with 25-footers.
— Pistols Firing (@pistolsguy) February 18, 2014
Am I watching basketball?
— Pistols Firing (@pistolsguy) February 18, 2014
If you had "Mason Cox will get in foul trouble in a Big 12 game" before the season, please collect your prize.
— Pistols Firing (@pistolsguy) February 18, 2014
Smart, who was serving the third and final game of his suspension, told Porter to stop watching the team if he only has negative things to say.
@pistolsguy yo dude listen no one is forcing u to watch the game or watch us play if your a Osu cowboy act like it
— marcus smart (@smart_MS3) February 18, 2014
@pistolsguy I'm tired of seeing your negativity towards the team and the coaches
— marcus smart (@smart_MS3) February 18, 2014
@pistolsguy theses aren't shots fired or any disrespect just saying
— marcus smart (@smart_MS3) February 18, 2014
You can understand Smart’s frustration just as you can understand an Oklahoma State blogger criticizing the team on the heels of a seven-game losing streak. Porter told Jeff Eisenberg of Yahoo! Sports that Smart had every right to call him out.
“If I’m allowed to critique his basketball then he’s sure allowed to critique my writing,” he said. “I do think there needs to be an understanding of the difference between a fan and a blogger whose job it is to write humorously and interestingly about a team (or any entity) but if I don’t even understand it all the time, I sure don’t expect a college kid to.”
The Cowboys are fading from NCAA Tournament contention. What some blogger says about the team on Twitter should be the least of Smart’s concerns.
