One MUST give credit when a critic apologizes for a previously held position when he is faced with piece of evidence which contradicts his previously held beliefs.
ESPN personality Stephen A Smith issued a shocking on-air apology to Kyrie Irving for blasting the much-maligned NBA superstar’s refusal to comply with mandatory COVID-19 vaccinations, which derailed the Brooklyn Nets’ 2021-22 season.
Smith interrupted his scheduled vacation Friday after watching Dr Anthony Fauci deflect questions from Congress about the origins of the pandemic by pleading the 5th Amendment, saying he “felt compelled” to issue a “mea culpa” to Irving who was ruthlessly shamed for deciding against getting the COVID shot.
“I watched Dr. Fauci on Capitol Hill yesterday and the person I thought about most was Kyrie Irving,” said Stephen A.
“There’s several people that we all owe apologies to, and I’ll put myself at the front of the list, but none more so than the apology that I owe to Kyrie Irving,” the 58-year-old said at the start of his near 20-minute monologue.
“The reality is that Kyrie Irving, no matter what we think, may have been more right than we have given him credit for and unquestionably was more vilified than he deserved. And ladies and gentleman, it starts with me,” Smith continued.
“We saw vaccine mandates and booster mandates and you know distancing stipulations and mask mandates and all of this other stuff. And along the way, there were a select few individuals in the world of sports especially that stood up and said, ‘Nah, I’m not down for this,’” Smith recounted.
It takes a brave man to say publicly “Mea Culpa”, knowing he will be criticized for reversing his long-held position. He knows he may lose ratings and is williing to sacrifice them in order to maintain his integrity.
But reasonable people will respect him for admitting he made a mistake. I certainly do.
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