Stephen A. Smith speaks out about controversy

"Taking it to the house." "Diaper dandy." "Taking it deep." "Boo-yah." "Back-Back-back-back, gone!

Recognize any of these expressions? If you're an ESPN viewer, you should. ESPN personality Chris Berman, for example, coined the phrase, "Back-back-back-back, gone!"

But has ESPN jargon crept on to the pages of the mainstream press? Scott Reinardy and Earnest Perry apparently think so. Reinardy is a doctoral candidate at the University of Missouri, and Perry is an associate professor there. In a survey of 249 sports journalists, Reinardy has found that "ESPN sports-speak" has crossed over to news pages, and his thesis has caused a stir in the sports media world.

Both The New York Times and the Baltimore Sun have carried stories in the past two months that explore Reinardy's thesis. And, in the New York Times piece, WSSU's own Stephen A. Smith is cited, because he is both a columnist for The Philadelphia Inquirer and host of ESPN's "Quite Frankly With Stephen A. Smith."

Smith, a WSSU graduate, was in the city for WSSU's homecoming festivities last month, and he shared his views on the issue.

"I don't think it's because of people like (ESPN's) Stuart Scott or myself," Smith said. "You have to realize what a Stuart Scott does; he is an anchor who is given highlights. He's not out there being a reporter like I am."

Smith added that he, as well as most journalists doesn't use jargon. "Not that there is anything wrong with it,' he said, "it's just that when you are reporting that is not the place for it."

Smith has written for the Philadelphia Inquirer since 1994, but it is his appearances on ESPN, particularly his analysis on "N.B.A. Nation," that has made him into a household name. Smith's "Quite Frankly," which debuted in August, airs weekdays at 6:30 p.m. on ESPN 2.

Smith said the preparation for both hosting and writing is the same, although they are two completely different things. "Hosting your own show is communicating, and your personable skills have to come across."

While he has had no formal training in broadcast journalism, Smith also admitted that hosting the show comes more natural to him. "It involves interaction and communicating with people and being more personal, without having to sit down and formulate your thoughts."

In The New York Times article, which was published Oct. 17, the author quotes a contributing editor who wrote that newspaper sports columns have become "nothing more than a springboard, a gig that start you on your way to becoming a multimedia star."

Smith described that "assumption" as inaccurate. "I'm a journalist, a reporter," he said. "They are entitled to their opinion, but I don't see how you can say that when I'm breaking stories, doing things that those journalist are supposed to be doing."

Smith added that it was his story-breaking reporting style that opened the doors to broadcast for him. "They would ask me to come on TV," he said, "I would keep copies of my tapes and they liked me. I just feel real fortunate and blessed because I enjoy doing it."