標籤: embraced

WrestleMania 42 kicked off at Allegiant Stadium on Saturday night, and for a few moments, the entire WWE Universe decided to treat ESPN’s loudest mouth like it was the biggest heel in a bad-guy battle.

Stephen A. Smith, at ring side and living his best celebrity life, came to the big screen and was completely ridiculed. Not the polite golf clap. Not scattered sneers. Full-throated, “you suck” level heat that made the pyrotechnics look cool by comparison.

In classic Stephen A. fashion, the man didn’t hesitate. Instead, he leaned back, closed his eyes, spread his arms and soaked it up with a big smile. Brother, if that’s not a heel turn I don’t know what is.

Wild: Stephen A. Wilde by WWE fans at WrestleMania Smith was highly criticized.

We have never seen anything like this.

💀💀💀 pic.twitter.com/k3sjghNbxf

– Dov Kleiman (@NFL_DovKleiman) 19 April 2026

Just a few weeks ago, Smith was claiming that a group of alleged enemies were out to get him. Maybe he should have kept his eye on one person in particular.

The real villain’s origin story started a day earlier take firstWhen the one and only Danhausen came forward to curse Stephan A for… well, being rude and perhaps being too loud on television. In fact this is complete nonsense from Smith.

Danhausen has just cursed Stephen A. Smith pic.twitter.com/eFJgitu5Bh

– Inside the Dome (@inside_the_dome) 17 April 2026

Denhausen’s Curse Come True: Stephen A. Smith goes full heel at WrestleMania 42

It seems the curse worked. One day you’re screaming about LeBron on national TV, the next you’re being heckled by 50,000 wrestling fans who probably feel like your hot shots hit louder than a steel chair.

However, it is to Smith’s credit – he did not hide from criticism. He took it on like a pro, proving that even when the crowd attacks you, the amount of reaction counts as a W in the attention game.

Stephen A. is a natural heel. While other celebs got polite golf applause, the SAS got the nuclear treatment – ​​and walked away smiling as if he’d just won the Universal Championship.

Dannhausen is probably very happy, shouting in the third person: “Danhausen is too good, too bad.”

Smith recently claimed that WWE had approached him for the role of on-air personality. But he refuses because he is not as brave as Pat McAfee. He was addressing McAfee’s involvement in the Cody Rhodes/Randy Orton affair.

“I love it. I love it, and I want to commend Pat McAfee for it, because let me tell you something. They were talking about — I go back to the old days of Bobby ‘The Brain’ Heenan and guys like that,” Smith said. “I really wanted to do that.”

“Your man Nick Khan talked to me about it. See, the difference is, I’m not as adventurous as Pat McAfee. I’m not at all trying to bump into one of them big boys!” He added. “I don’t want any part of it, but I like that stuff because I think the game needs it.”

The closest SAS came to running into a big man was when he had a fight with LeBron. Given his documented boxing training, it probably wouldn’t have been good for him either.

LeBron just posted this on IG pic.twitter.com/IJUwJFXVsg

– NBCCentral (@TheDunkCentral) 27 March 2025

Rusty Weis is a lifelong fan of the Los Angeles Dodgers, Dallas Cowboys and Xavier Musketeers. He has been writing professionally… More about Rusty Weiss

On Sunday evening, the Los Angeles Clippers suffered their second consecutive loss with a close home loss to the Orlando Magic. It was a tightly contested game throughout, but ultimately, the Clippers fell when Benedict Mathurin’s last-second shot to win the game hit the back of the iron and fell out.

After the game, Kawhi Leonard, who passed out to Mathurin for an open look, had a supportive message for the Clippers’ recent trade acquisition from the Indiana Pacers.

According to Joe Lynn of Sports Illustrated on Twitter, “Ben got wide open. Unfortunately, he couldn’t do it. But that’s basketball. Things happen. We took a good look and he’ll be ready next time.”

Mathurin also got 100% real insight into the missed shots, as well as what it means to have someone like Leonard in his corner.

“It was great to have that experience. Obviously I wish I had made that shot, but there’s nothing I can do except work on it more… It means a lot. In my opinion, [Kawhi] He is one of the greatest players to ever play the game. So for them to come out to show love and support and show that there’s a lot more ahead of me – for a guy who’s made a lot of shots, it was great to see,” he said.

The Clippers have now lost two straight games following their recent win over the Denver Nuggets, but they are still comfortably in postseason position in the Western Conference, sitting five games above the Memphis Grizzlies for the final play-in spot.

Mathurin was acquired from the Pacers in exchange for big man Ivica Zubac as part of the Clippers’ trade deadline fire sale, in which they sent James Harden to the Cleveland Cavaliers in exchange for Darius Garland.

The Clippers next play on Thursday against the Minnesota Timberwolves.