The dangers of insulting someone online before fully understanding the context. A tale as old as time, er, as old as the internet.
While this was clearly a scam, the mysterious, anonymous figure behind the parody X-account @RyanEvansESPN made a bold decision by attacking former NFL wide receiver Steve Smith Sr. He’s a burly 5’10”, 190lb shell of a human being who was an exceptional football player. Aside from boxers and MMA fighters, there aren’t many athletes in this world I’d be less inclined to provoke.
Claiming that Smith was knocked out at UFC 302 (the fact that the event took place on June 1 of this year shouldn’t spoil the hilarious story), “Ryan Evans” reposted a fight video that was clearly not Steve Smith Sr.
FIGHT: Panthers legend Steve Smith Sr. was just knocked out at UFC 302. 😳pic.twitter.com/JWEBweKpjf
— Ryan Evans (@RyanEvansESPN) 11 August 2024
As you can see in the community notes and below, the dispute between fans – all too common at sporting eventswhen will we learn as a society? – occurred before yesterday’s WBC boxing match for the light middleweight title, in which Vergil Ortiz Jr. defeated Serhii Bohachuk.
Fan is being KO’d right here at Mandalay Bay before Bohachuk vs. Ortiz. They set the tone for the main event pic.twitter.com/pTWTsXMyWc
— Marcos Villegas (@heyitsmarcosv) 11 August 2024
But if you approach Agent 89 with any untruths, fake news, or any other such nonsense, you can trust that he will fight back. Smith went after this guy.
Hey @RyanEvansESPN… not all people, especially black people with hats, look the same, brother
I’m working 📺 https://t.co/L4dR3Iokmh pic.twitter.com/BSLYVUmGED
— Steve Smith Sr. (@SteveSmithSr89) 11 August 2024
Hey @RyanEvansESPNthat must be the section with the tripe and collard greens, that explains why I’m sitting at the top, right? https://t.co/98S1780DIR
— Steve Smith Sr. (@SteveSmithSr89) 11 August 2024
What I liked best about the exchange was the parody account’s response – and how Smith still took it personally.
No, don’t try to sugarcoat it. How can you not be there and accuse me of a fight when I’m clearly on TV? 🤔 https://t.co/1KzQKwDDev
— Steve Smith Sr. (@SteveSmithSr89) 11 August 2024
Smith now works as an analyst/commentator for the NFL Network. You won’t mistake him for a Big J journalist. Steve Smith is in the media world to provide insight into his experiences as a player and to express his outspoken personality in the form of unabashed, honest opinions. He’s not a big fan of fact-checking a troll trying to smear his last name. So I don’t blame Smith for the knee-jerk reaction. In fact, I’m glad he did what he did because it only adds to the legacy of the Carolina Panthers legend who has an inferiority complex.
Top athletes are wired like this. Any perceived or imagined insult can send them into killer mode.
What do you think? Should we tell him it’s not real? Or should we just send Smith on a pointless hunt for the real troll behind @RyanEvansESPN and see how the idiot fares in the ring against Agent 89?
Exactly!
— Steve Smith Sr. (@SteveSmithSr89) 11 August 2024
Never changeSteve Smith.
