Fans incensed over Stephen A. Smith’s Rose Bowl take
Dec 18, 2019; Philadelphia, PA, USA; ESPN analyst Stephen A. Smith broadcasts before a game between the Philadelphia 76ers and the Miami Heat at Wells Fargo Center. Mandatory Credit: Bill Streicher-USA TODAY Sports
ESPN TV show “First Take” is known for stretching the limits of sanity, so it’s probably no surprise that Stephen A. Smith stretched with a ridiculous opinion on Wednesday’s program.
Smith shared how frustrated he was with the traffic when traveling to the Rose Bowl in Pasadena, Calif. for Monday’s College Football Playoff game between Michigan and Alabama. On Wednesday’s show, he suggested (likely at least in part in jest) that the game be moved to SoFi Stadium in Inglewood, Calif. instead.
Traffic to the Rose Bowl was so bad, Stephen A either wants the game moved to SoFi or for him to be allowed to arrive at the game via helicopter.
The First Take crew wasn't feeling either option. pic.twitter.com/TWOnVLlqfw
— Awful Announcing (@awfulannouncing) January 3, 2024
Fans of course weren’t having any of Smith’s nonsense. They shared their responses via X.
Stephen A saying the Rose bowl needs to move to Sofi Stadium because of the traffic in Pasadena is absurd..There’s traffic everywhere in LA..Few things are sacred in CFB these days but the Rose Bowl should never move from a stadium it’s called home since 1923
— Todd Miller (@PlayByPlayGuy1) January 3, 2024
Stephen a smith thinks the rose bowl should be at sofi. @stephenasmith you are a disgrace to the game we love and that was a disgusting take. You should rot in prison for saying that.
— Ricky 🐘 (@Roll_Tide_Ricky) January 3, 2024
Stephen A. Smith believes the Rose Bowl should be moved to SoFi Stadium, and I believe Stephen A. Smith should be put in a mental asylum for that take.
— Joe (@jerseyjoey_) January 3, 2024
Espn should never be able to talk abt football again… Stephen A Smith said they should move the Rose Bowl to SOFI STADIUM… HUHHHH??? the Rose Bowl is the greatest venue in sports dawg
— Cole Baggett (@ColeBaggett5) January 3, 2024
Stephen A Smith is awful! Wants to move Rose Bowl game to SoFi stadium. Tired of these east coast morons trying to ruin the best bowl game there is. The Rose Bowl is magical. Clearly not a college football fan at all
— Kris (@HuskiesFan19) January 3, 2024
The Rose Bowl is a historic venue, situated in front of the San Gabriel Mountains, and holding a capacity of over 92,000 fans. SoFi Stadium is a new venue that opened in 2020 and hosts the Los Angeles Rams and Chargers, as well as the annual Los Angeles Bowl. It has a capacity of just over 70,000 fans, though it’s said to be expandable to around 100,000 for big events. SoFi lacks the history and setting of the Rose Bowl, but the parking situation is more friendly than the one in Pasadena.
Stephen A. Smith’s proposal to move the game won’t go over well with fans who appreciate the history and setting of the Rose Bowl.
