Stephen A Smith refuses to call golfers, NASCAR drivers athletes: 'That don't count'

Stephen A. Smith mightiness marvel astatine nan skills of golfers and NASCAR drivers, but he praises them pinch caution.

Smith said nan professionals are "elite astatine what they do" but is drafting a statement erstwhile describing them.

On his SiriusXM show, while debating immoderate of nan top athletes of each time, a caller suggested NASCAR fable Richard Petty, and Smith had nary prime but to rant.

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Stephen A. Smith looks connected from nan section during warmups earlier nan NFL crippled betwixt nan Arizona Cardinals and nan Dallas Cowboys astatine AT&T Stadium successful Arlington, Texas, connected Nov. 3, 2025. (Perry Knotts/Getty Images)

"Come on, man. That don’t count. You driving a car!" Smith began, via Awful Announcing. "I’m being honest, it’s a awesome sport. But travel on, bro. Getting down nan instrumentality of a car is not nan same.

"You tin beryllium down nan instrumentality of a car successful your 60s and 70s for crying retired loud."

Smith besides insinuated that "just because you gotta locomotion nan people for 18 holes for 4 days, that don’t make you an athlete."

Host Stephen A. Smith speaks pinch Sen. Ted Cruz astatine a SiriusXM Town Hall arena astatine SiriusXM Studio successful Washington, D.C., connected Nov. 19, 2025. (Paul Morigi/Getty Images for SiriusXM)

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"They’re skilled players, they’re elite astatine what they do. But athletes? Athletes? Are you kidding me? Is stepping nan latest athletics that you want to move into an Olympic sport? Because I conjecture that would make them athletic, right?" Smith continued.

"Because they tin walk. If you’re retired location doing worldly that grandmas and grandpas tin do, I’m not gonna look astatine you that way. You’re skilled, you’re phenomenally skilled arsenic a golfer…but that is not an diversion sport."

Stephen A. Smith attends WrestleMania 42: Night 1 astatine Allegiant Stadium successful Las Vegas, Nevada, connected April 18, 2026. (Andrew Timms/WWE)

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Smith, though, did make an objection for 15-time awesome champion Tiger Woods - not needfully owed to his play skills, but alternatively conscionable his build and athleticism successful general.

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